MLB's 25 Under 25- Part 1

Time for my first MLB post, and it still seems a little to soon to look at the season being only about 40 games in. I like predictions and those are sure to come, but now we will take a look at the future of the MLB by ranking the top players 25 years or younger, pretty simple. Some of these players are already stars in the league, some are relatively unknown but are quickly making their way up in popularity quickly. All of these players, 10 pitchers and 15 position players, are definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to talent.

#25 Brandon Belt 1B San Francisco Giants

This picture was just too great to not show

The lefty was a star for the University of Texas in their 2009 College World Series run. Less then two years later, he was already making his major league debut for the Giants. At 6-5, 220 pounds, he is an imposing figure in the box and an excels in hitting the fastball. Despite his stuggles with off-speed pitches, in his first full season he hit for .275 while belting out 56 RBI's. (Pun very much intended)

#24 Drew Smyly LHP Detroit Tigers
While just 23, he oozes confidence on the mound like a seasoned veteran. I was one who thought he should have gotten a spot in the Tigers rotation, but the lefty has done just fine coming from the bullpen. His strength is his control, striking out 26 and walking just six batters. Not the most overpowering pitcher, but his four-seam can hit the low 90's and his cutter has some movement.

#23 Didi Gregorius SS Arizona Diamondbacks

Gregorius quickly earned his way in Arizona 

Gregorius has played the least amount of time of the players on this list, but in only 18 games for Arizona, he has locked up the shortstop spot with his excellent defense and aggressive hitting and base running. Hes currently batting .348, the highest on this list, and shown some power with almost half of his hits going for extra bases. Didi has been a consistent threat in the lineup, he has gotten a base hit in all but 3 games he has played for the Diamondbacks.


#22 Freddie Freeman 1B Atlanta Braves
A solid all-around player is the first listed of many NL East players. Freeman is regarded by scouts as an excellent defensive first baseman, he's also solidified himself as part of one of the top line-ups in baseball. Last season he ended with 94 RBI and has picked up 22 so far this season. Defensively, he has some gold glove caliber skills, one of the best at turning a 3-6-1 double play and excellent range for a corner infielder.

#21 Pete Kozma SS St. Louis Cardinals
Kozma is a interesting case that was a tough decision whether to add him or not. He struggled in the minor leagues and looked like a sub-par player. However, when Rafael Furcal went down with an injury, Kozma unbelievably made the most of his situation under the brightest of lights. With the pressure of the postseason on, he started hitting. He hit for a .236 average in six years in the minors, and amazingly tore through major league pitching. This combined with his strong defensive play earned him a spot on the list.

#20 Craig Kimbrel RHP Atlanta Braves
Already with 100 career saves, Kimbrel has taken the Braves closer spot and not let up. His two-seam fastball can hit 94 MPH, it goes along with a nasty breaking slider as a stikeout pitch. His four-seam fastball can reach the mid-nineties that can overpower lefties. His control has been improving, only walking three batters so far this season. He has always been consistent with a career 1.60 ERA.

#19 Salvador Perez C Kansas City Royals

Always a fan of the two piece masks.

He is yet to play an entire season with the Royals, but the backstop from Venezuela has put in solid time in Kansas City. During his time in the minors, he improved immensely. He does an excellent job defensively, and has a quick throw to second. Offensively, he has done well in the majors with a career average of .309. Not the biggest homerun threat, but he doesn't lack power, hits very well to the gaps.

#18 Madison Bumgarner LHP San Francisco Giants
Only 23 and already made 92 starts, Madison Bumgarner has a loaded arsenal. A solid low 90's fastball, a slider with a lot of motion, a curveball with a lot of movement and an always improving changeup. His record is not the best, only 40-31, but this year he is off to a 4-1 start with just a 2.18 ERA. Coming out of the minors Bumgarner was the youngest starting pitcher in the majors and continues to develop.

# 17 Andrelton Simmons SS Atlanta Braves

Simmons was key to Dutch
success in the WBC

The third shortstop and and Brave on this list, is having an excellent start to the 2013 season. He impressed in the World Baseball Classic playing for the Netherlands and has all the tools to be a star shortstop. He has done well batting for the Braves, but he really shines in the field. Simmons has the potential to be one of the top shortstops in a very long time. Last season, he was second in the majors in runs saved, in only 49 games. His glove will give Simmons a very long career in the majors.

Part 2 will have #16-9. Part 3 will have #8-1, so stay tuned for the rest of this series.

4th Is the New 1st

The Battle for the Champions League will go down to the final day.

Last season, the Premier League Championship was about as dramatic as possible. Two rivals from the same city on the final day, ending in the best ending possible. Even a neutral fan like me jumped out of my chair when Sergio Aguero scored City's second goal in stoppage time and Ian Darke famously yelled, "Who is writing this stuff?"But 2013 is a completely different story, Manchester United seemingly won their 20th title in January, and the attention turned a few spots down the table for a shot at the Champions League. Here I will make some Premier League predictions that are sure to be wrong.

Simply put, it is three teams for two spots. Three London teams, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham want  a chance to compete against the world's best, two will make it, and the last will be sent to Europe's NIT Tournament, the Europa League. While some teams would love to jump up to fifth and make european play, for all three teams being in the Europa League would feel like a failure. 1996 was the last time the Gunners fell outside of the Top-4. Manager Arsene Wegner has led them to the Champions League every season in charge, so anything less is a disappointment. Chelsea are the most recent champions of Europe, combined with the unpopularity of manager Rafa Benitez, a Europa League spot would upset fans. Tottenham are the new kids on the block, getting their first taste of Champions League play in 2010. Spurs fans will want a top-4 finish with rumors of Welsh superstar Gareth Bale moving on to a bigger club.

Its clear that all three want to finish top-4, but who will actually accomplish it? Chelsea currently sits in third with 68 points. They sit in the pole position but have the toughest road ahead. Their next match is a massive one against Tottenham. They also have a games against relegation threatened Aston Villa and Everton with the Europa League Final against Benfica sandwiched in-between. Recently Chelsea has been getting goals from their midfielders and defenders, which has been needed to stay afloat with their strikers struggling. Since the beginning of March, Chelsea strikers have had just three goals, two by Eden Hazard and one by Demba Ba, in eight games against Premier League competition. But their midfield had more than picked up the slack and I expect them to finish with a couple wins and 75 points.

Arsenal has the easiest remaining schedule, but it is also the shortest. In a situation where points are valuable and a necessity, Arsenal wants more than just matches against Wigan and Newcastle. It hasn't been a pretty last three games for the Gunners, but they've picked up seven points in that stretch, largely in part to some very early Theo Walcott goals. While goals have not been there, the results have and Arsenal should pick up their final six points and end with 73.

The wildcard in this situation is Tottenham. As important is the May 8th matchup is for Chelsea, it is exponentially more massive for their North London rivals. A win would set them up with 68 points with 2 games remaining against Stoke City and Sunderland. For Spurs Champions League dreams to come true, Gareth Bale has carried them so far, but they will need production from others like Jermaine Defoe or American Clint Dempsey.

Can Tottenham pull the upset, breaking the hearts of Arsenal, their North London rivals? Can Clint Dempsey breakthrough to the Champions League he wanted when leaving Fulham? While wins in their final two games seems likely, a win against a Chelsea team getting positive results at Stamford Bridge seems too much to ask. Heading into the final day, Chelsea will have 74 points, Arsenal will have 70 points and Tottenham will have 68, giving spurs fans hope for a fourth place finish. However, despite three points against Sunderland, Arsenal's 2-0 win over Newcastle gives them another year to celebrate St. Totteringham's Day and a place in the Champions League.