Your 2015 Arizona Diamondbacks Are Bound to Surprise

If your problem with this prediction is that it is coming five games into the season, I’m glad that you didn't scoff too hard at the headline.

So why am I sitting here on my laptop on a beautiful Sunday afternoon writing about last year’s worst team in Major League Baseball? And why am I writing this five games into the season? Cause it’s not like two series are enough to judge a team, right?

Well, I am writing to you because I almost forgot I had a blog, so here I am. I hope you all didn't miss me that much, cause your favorite homer with four different homes is making a comeback during the 2015 season of America’s Past-time. 

This would explain why I give a damn about the D-backs, cause I pretty much grew up in Arizona in case you didn't know/couldn’t tell. I’ll admit, last year was extremely disappointing. And I know that might sound a bit odd coming from a fan of a small market MLB team when there are other teams that have lofty expectations that must be met if people are going to keep their jobs.

Last year, I think that the D-backs organization changed for the better. They developed a tougher skin by season’s end. One would think that with Kirk Gibson at the helm, a team would be rougher and tougher when they have him around. Except Gibby got fired with a week left in the season, a slap to the face of sorts. I think he was a good manager and I thoroughly enjoyed his time with the team, especially during the surprise 2011 season. However, I knew that things weren't going to end well during the height of the D-backs—Dodgers rivalry, c. 2013, because this was a small team baring its fangs at a billion-dollar club, and that’s a lose-lose situation. And the D-backs did lose. They lost their grip on that division to Puig and the Dodgers, who went on a historic tear, going 40-8 in a stretch during that year. Now I have no qualms about losing out on the playoffs when a team is that hot cause there isn't a whole lot that can be done. What I do have qualms about is when a team responds poorly, which the D-backs did.

In 2014, I was pretty excited to see the D-backs get that sorely needed fresh start to the season. They were going to play the Dodgers, who must have called off by now, in Sydney for some odd reason. They lost both of those games, which was no big deal at the time, but the must have been jet-lagged or something at the start of the season, because 30 games into the season, the snakes found themselves at 8-22. The offense was anemic and the pitching staff performed much worse than anyone thought they would. The D-backs could never really recover from that and the season was over before it really even began. Because, as the old saying says, you can’t win a pennant in April, but you sure as hell can lose it.

After shutting down Goldy and shipping out some players, including the weird hick pitcher Wade Miley, the offseason finally arrived. It was crew expendable from then on with the exception of America’s First Baseman. Gibby was gone. Towers was gone. In come Tony La Russa and Dave Stewart. 

The other day, I picked up a copy of Sports Illustrated to check out the MLB preview. I’ll admit, I was pretty pissed to see Max Scherzer and his heterochromia grace the cover, cause I remember when that guy was still a Diamondback. I don't blame him for getting traded or going to DC for the money, but I do blame Sports Illustrated for jinxing him, cause they're not going to win the World Series. And the Diamondbacks aren't going to finish with a 65-97 record.

Let’s take a look at the new-look snakes. I love the addition of Chip Hale. I think that he will be a good manager. Apart from the manager, I think that the most heavily scrutinized and criticized part of the team is the pitching staff, especially the starting rotation. When I heard that Josh Collmentor was going to be the opening day starter, I slowly shook my head and put my palm to my face. He’s a solid pitcher and I’m probably one of the bigger fans of The Tomahawk, so it was good to see he would finally get to shine in a starting pitcher’s role. However, he just isn't the guy that you want as a number one pitcher. He’s had success with an average fastball and good changeup all because of his goofy wind up. I think this is why he enjoyed success in the bullpen, because hitters would be confused in the batters box during the one at bat that they'd have against The Tomahawk. In a starting role, Josh will have to face these batters at least three times a game, and that won’t suit him well. There is already some evidence to his struggles when he allowed four earned runs in 4.2 innings.

This sounds pretty hopeless. A struggling top-of-the-rotation pitcher who is probably best suited as a utility role in the bullpen or as a lumberjack. However, there is hope, because after trading Trevor Cahill, the D-backs finally brought up Archie Bradley.

I love Archie Bradley.

I cannot stress how high I am on this guy. I think he’s everything one would want in a starting pitcher. He's strong, intimidating, and dauntless. Last night, he took to the hill against reigning Cy Young Award Winner Clayton Kershaw from those damn Dodgers. And Bradley dazzled. Over six frames, the debutante only allowed one hit. His counterpart struggled, which showed that this D-backs offense might actually be above average. 

I think that as this season progresses, Bradley will assume the role as the top pitcher in the rotation. I think by the time he settles into a groove, Patrick Corbin will be fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery. That’ll put the young lefty in the second spot of the rotation, bumping Collmenltor down to three, which is where he belongs. I think that Chase Anderson, another young pitcher, will do well enough to stay in the rotation. I think that if he ends up being in the number five spot, the D-backs will actually have a better fifth man than most other rotations. That being said, either Hellickson or De La Rosa would have to be bumped out. Then they both might be bumped out for the flexible freak Bronson Arroyo. I think it’ll be Rubby first. Sorry Rubby.

So Bradley, Corbin, Collmentor, Hellickson, and Anderson is the potential rotation this team could have by summer. Basically a young right-handed David Price, an aspiring Andy Pettite, a poor-man’s Lance Lynn, a young pitcher who might return to top form or lose his grasp on his career, and a young strikeout machine. Or you could easily replace Hellickson for a veteran like Arroyo. I am totally fine with this rotation then. Maybe they won’t be that good this year, but I think that this group, especially with Bradley and Corbin at the top is a cornerstone to this franchise.

The other cornerstone to this franchise is Paul Goldschmidt. I think he is one of the most complete hitters from a power position because he has shown great strength to all parts of the field, which is rare from a first baseman. He’s also a great defender who has some wheels—he can swipe a bag every now and then. The one question that people had about him was whether or not he’d be as strong after breaking his hand. This is why I needed a few games to answer this question for myself, even though I didn't have much doubt that Goldy would regain his form. So far, he has hit two home runs. So what. The significance of the two was that he was able to hit a homer to the swimming pool in Chase Field, showing us that he does have that opposite field power. If he can hit homers to right field, he can hit homers to anywhere in Chase Field.

Now for the rest of the team, I like Pollock in the leadoff spot, he has great speed and he is more than just a contact hitter. The rest of the outfield contains some combination of Inciarte, Trumbo, or Peralta. That’s a crowded outfield, but I think that having an extra bat out there is always a good problem as long as the manager can use the combination of the group to the best of their abilities. Inciarte is pretty intriguing and he has shown good contact and speed so far. Trumbo is going to have a productive season on offense because simply put, he’s one of the better power hitters out there and he’s bound to get a hold of a few pitches in the hitter-friendly Chase Field. Now that brings us to Peralta. I think he is one of the better young hitters out there. He has a certain swagger in the batters box that I like to see, plus he’s a strong left-handed hitter, so that’s always nice to have.

The infield looks pretty interchangeable. I think Chris Owings is a very solid defender who can work on either side of the middle infield. Aaron Hill is your typical aging veteran, but he does offer considerable power from the second base position. I haven’t seen enough of Nick Ahmed to judge him, but I’m sure the organization knows what they're doing by putting him out there. As for Jake Lamb, I think he is a solid young hitter. Maybe he’ll relish in the third-base position with Yasmany Tomas breathing down his neck. Regardless, the winner of that competition will provide the D-backs with decent power. I don’t care who wins out, but it’d be nice to see Tomas eventually contribute, or else the D-backs would look pretty stupid for throwing $68.5 million at a glorified bench warmer. And then there’s Tuffy at catcher. I think he’s a hard worker who definitely won't bitch as much as Miggy did.

Now of course, everyone can say “what about injuries?” Of course, I never wish to see a player get injured, but I think that for every group, except for starting pitching, this team has depth. The relief pitchers of Chafin, Perez, Ziegler, and Reed looks like it will be decent. I think Daniel Hudson is the new Josh Collmentor as the workhorse in extra-inning affairs. 

Ultimately, I know that the division is loaded with talent. My money would be on the Dodgers to win the division and the Padres (yes, I think the Padres will be a good team) to win a wild-card spot. But after that, I truly believe that this Diamondbacks team could manage to finish third in the NL West. I think that will be around 75-81 wins, which would be great for a team that is technically in a rebuilding phase. I think that through the process, they'll overcome an incomplete San Fransisco Giants squad that can always get hot at the right time. And then I think the Rockies are bound to give up either Tulo or CarGo at some point. I just can't stand it when young talent is not put in a winning position. Regardless, I don't think the D-backs are going to waste their young talent anytime soon. These young guns will win games for Arizona. But as always, this is just my opinion.

Thanks for reading.

Milwaukee, You're Better Than This

Opening Day is unlike any other. Its festivities hold hope and promise for the new season. Anything can happen. The Chicago Cubs can capture their first World Series since 1908. The Boston Red Sox can win their fifth title in a decade, brushing aside a history of futility. The New York Yankees can once again prove that money wins championships by capturing their 28th World Series. Bottom line, anything can happen.

While the sun on the Opening Day of Major League Baseball can wash away so many memories by offering promise, certain demons cannot simply be forgotten after an offseason. The Los Angeles Angels have yet to return to the postseason despite having an absolutely loaded roster. The Toronto Blue Jays followed offseason hype with a terrible and dissapointing season. And Ryan Braun is still Ryan Braun.

Ryan Braun is the star player for the Milwaukee Brewers. Braun, a former NL Rookie of the Year and NL MVP, has slugged the Brew Crew into the postseason in 2011, but the team hasn't been able to duplicate its success. The outfielder was welcomed by a warm, standing ovation after he took to Miller Park for the first time since an ugly suspension that ended his 2013 season early. Shame on Ryan Braun and shame on any Brewers fan who put their hands together for Braun. 

Now, why the harsh stance? You may recall Braun has been associated with a scandal involving Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) and a Biogenisis Clinic. When asked about his involvement with PEDs after the 2011 Postseason, Braun strongly denied that he ever used PEDs. He added that he was willing to bet his life that the substances never entered his body.

Well, if his word was any good, Ryan Braun would be a dead man.

As it turns out, Braun is a pathological liar since he actually used PEDs a number of times. What gave Braun such confidence to say he never used the drugs was because the sample that was initially used to test him was mishandled to a degree. However, the truth (the actual truth, not Ryan Braun's version of the truth) is that the outfield slugger is and always will be a cheater. He even managed to cheat the system by choosing to drop his appeal for a ban for the rest of the season after the Brewers' season turned out to be a lost cause. 

Enter Opening Day, 2014. While the rest of Major League Baseball is ready to boo and jeer at number 8 when he steps into their batter's box, Milwaukee gave him a hero's welcome. Why? Do they not have any sports coverage in Wisconsin? Well, obviously because they are convinced that Green Bay, WI is Titletown, USA; that you can win a college basketball championship with just white players; and that Ryan Braun is returning from the Heroes' Journey. That's got to be it. Joseph Campbell couldn't have created a better story to fit his frame of the generic hero: Ryan Braun, the Messiah of Milwaukee. The Brewers' hero is great, but hardships present a change and he must leave. While in exile and paying his penance in the land of Florida, the hero discovers something, the elixir to great power and strength. Upon his return, he becomes an even greater hero with his newfound strength, willing the Milwaukee Brewers to the promise land. That must be why Milwaukee fans are so excited to see him again.

Well, here's the thing Milwaukee: I know that recently this fan base came close to tasting the ripe fruit that is a National League Pennant, but do not stoop to the level of a crook, a villain, a liar. Ryan Braun can hit with the best of them. Great. He wants to improve. Good for him. He took PEDs to improve. That happens, people do that. If that was the end of the story to this point, perhaps Braun could be forgiven and everything would soon be forgotten. However, that's not what happened. Through this whole fiasco, we have all learned a little bit about Braun himself. In fact, we have learned a lot. Here is a man who blatantly lies to his fans as well as himself. He could probably convince himself that the Brewers are better than the Cardinals. Anyhow, the Braun situation has told us all too much about his true character. We were all here to see the story unravel, and for that, shame on you Milwaukee. You should be better than this. Just know that the face of your franchise would lie to you, right in your face. Keep that in mind next time you down a Miller Lite to wash away the sadness of yet another Brewers' loss.

Ranking all 30 MLB team hats from first to worst

In this post, I'm ranking all of the 30 MLB team hats from first to worst. The rankings may be a little biased since this is my ranking, but I'm also looking at the popularity of each hat from how often you can see one being worn by some casual fan on the street. (I'll also indicate whether or not I own it) Well, here it goes:

1. New York Yankees: Don't get me wrong, I hate the New York Yankees. However, I also happen to love the game of baseball. That's right, if you're a true baseball fan, you've got to have some respect for the Yanks even though they buy all of the good players. The Yankees have so much history to them that they have affected baseball in many ways, so it's kinda hard to overlook this hat since it hasn't changed that much for most of their proud history. Plus, they also have the largest market so you'll probably see quite a few folks sporting a Yankees hat. (owned)

 
2. Atlanta Braves: They're a successful team. They have plenty of fans. Their hat is red, white, and blue. Their hat isn't too shabby. That's why I ranked this hat at number two. The Braves became quite popular due to their success during the '90s, but this hat finds most of its wearers outside of Atlanta and on the street. Atlanta has quite a few gangs and many gangs outside of Atlanta wear this hat. What's even better is that you can get it in blue or red or blue & red. (owned)



 3. St Louis Cardinals: Winning a World Series sure doesn't hurt your popularity. I've always liked this hat because of the color scheme and logo. Once again, this hat comes in red, blue and blue & red, but I think that the cardinal red cap that has their main logo is the best. The idea is simple, but the logo is so well crafted, making it an instant classic. The St Louis Cardinals are also the second most successful team in October with a total of 11 World Series titles. (owned)



4. Boston Red Sox: Lots of people back up the Red Sox since they don't like the Yankees; however, they are the second largest market in MLB. The "B" is so classic, even though the team has had a history of coming up short in October. This isn't necessarily a gang hat since you can get it in many different styles, such as the hat with an pair of Red Sox stitched in it, a green BoSox hat, a pink BoSox hat (for the ladies), or even their 100 year anniversary hat for Fenway Park. (owned, Yeah, I own both a Yankees AND a Red Sox hat)



5. Detroit Tigers: Nothing say "Imma G" More than wearing this Detroit hat. It's a nice hat with an almost gothic style "D", which makes it look intimidating for opposing teams. This hat is extremely popular around Motown and amongst gangs. I felt like when they made this logo, they forgot that they were called the Tigers, which is why their away uniform has the same hat with an orange logo. What could really boost their popularity is if they can win a World Series with the team they've assembled this year. (owned)



6. Philadelphia Phillies: I really like this hat but it isn't the most popular outside of Philadelphia. However, Phillie does have a huge fan base, so this hat is everywhere in the state of Pennsylvania. I like both this logo and their old logo since it's just a plain "P" with a plain enough color scheme to back it up. Their blue & red hat is also pretty nice. I think that their popularity would've been boosted even more if their "best rotation in baseball" actually won a World Series title. (owned)


7. Pittsburgh Pirates: Shocker!!! Well, not really cause if you look at the logo and the scheme, it's a pretty nice hat. Pennsylvania is still the Phillies' country, but you'll probably find more Pirates hats outside of Pennsylvania than Phillie hats. It is also an extremely popular hat amongst gangs and it's gotten even more popularity thanks to Wiz Khalifa's song "Black and Yellow". Also, if you're a multi-sport fan of Pittsburgh, this hat is a pretty good buy since the Penguins and Steelers both share a similar color scheme. (owned)



8. Minnesota Twins: This hat isn't that popular and the team has lost a lot of support after a few underachieving seasons, but this hat is brilliant. Red, white and blue, interlocking letters, and it also has a history behind the logo. Minnesota used to sport an "M" hat as their main logo, but people from St. Paul refused to support the team since they thought the logo was just for Minneapolis. This sparked the change fro the Twin Cities logo so everyone in Minnesota could just settle their differences and hold hands, literally. (owned)


9. San Francisco Giants: I don't like them as much anymore since the Diamondbacks have started to become competitive again, but this hat is nice. It used to be a symbol of Barry Bonds, but he team has earned a whole new identity as of late thanks to Tim Lincecum & co. and their 2010 World Series run. Like the St Lou. logo, the "S" interlocked with the "F" is simple and perfect. My love for the Diamondbacks only allows me to put them this high, just saying. (owned)



10. Toronto Blue Jays: A top ten with hats that just have letters on them? Nope! I like how the Blue Jays decided to go back to the bird and the maple leaf, much like their older hat during the '90s when they won back to back World Series titles in '92 & '93. It makes this hat almost have a history even though this is their first season with the new/old design. The Canadians are quite optimistic that this hat will bring them back to the glory days. I certainly hope so. (owned)




11. Los Angeles Dodgers: I don't like the Dodgers and that's the only thing that prevents me from buying this hat. They've got a pretty good history and they have a bunch of fans on the west coast. In California, you can see this hat in every single city and with the recent success of the team, LA might be a baseball town once again. The hat is really plain and simple with a royal blue color and the interlocking "L" and "A". This is a relatively popular hat amongst gangs. (not owned)



12. Chicago Cubs: If you like the color scheme of the LA hat with the color red, plain hats, and losing teams, the Chicago Cubs hat is a pretty good buy. They have a lengthy history of losing, but they still have a ton of fans. You won't see many Chicago Cubs hats outside of Northern Chicago unless you're watching a Little League game, but I'm sure the hat would be a lot more popular if the team would finally win a World Series. (owned)




13. Chicago White Sox: The Cubbies finally beat the White Sox in something... my hat rankings. This hat is very popular amongst people in Southern Chicago and gangsters. I would've ranked this hat higher, but I don't like the team that much. The design and style is quite similar to their AL Central rivals, the Detroit Tigers. However, the team just doesn't cut it for me. They're called the White Sox even though they wear Black Sox on their uniform. That doesn't make any sense to me at all. (not owned)



14. Cincinnati Reds: I don't like this hat that much just because of the "C". It looks a lot like the Chicago Bears logo and it makes this specific all red hat look very plain and boring. They do have a black & red hat though which looks better and is very popular amongst gangs. Cincinnati also loves their Reds even though the days of the Red Machine are long gone and both the Griffeys have retired from the game, but they are experiencing some recent success in the crowded NL Central. (not owned)



15. Baltimore Orioles: I think this hat is pretty nice, but it would look  better as an old fashioned batting helmet. The Orioles also wear a black & orange cap with this logo that looks better, but it's not their main cap. I think it was a good idea to go away from the profile of the actual Oriole and reestablish a cap like this. Like the Blue Jays, the O's hope that bringing back an old hat will spark the rebirth of a franchise, and so far, it's kinda working. (not owned)



16. Cleveland Indians: This is a controversial logo, but I think it looks rather playful, kinda like the Oriole. This hat is nice, but Cleveland hasn't enjoyed great baseball success for a while, so they don't have as many fans as they used to. Their hats with the "C" logo aren't that bad, but they're extremely plain. I would've put this hat a bit higher if the team had more playoff success and if people weren't so opposed to the logo, but you never know, maybe they can jump on the contenders in the AL Central. (owned)



17. Texas Rangers: I don't like the Rangers that much, but htis hat is basically a Cubs hat for winners. Winning two consecutive AL Penants doesn't hurt your popularity, but the team was supposed to win both World Series, only to come up disappointingly short. Their red version of this cap looks really bad in my opinion since I think a red outlining of the white "T" makes it stand out from the blue hat rather than an entirely red hat. Maybe if they had won a World Series with Nolan Ryan and another two recently, this hat would be seen more often outside of Texas. (not owned)


18. Arizona Diamondbacks: My favorite team sadly doesn't have the best logo. The purple D-backs that won the 2001 World Series behind Gonzo, Johnson, and Schilling is almost nowhere to be seen in their newer logo. The older D-backs logo had the same idea of the snake "D", but the sedona red version looks more like the Walt Disney "D", which is partially why this hat is popular amongst Little Leaguers. Their alternate black cap is pretty sick though. (owned)



19. Colorado Rockies: Oddly enough, the purple & black color scheme is almost perfect for the Rocky Mountains. The team is always overlooked and dangerous though, which makes it unfortunate that they don't have many fans. Coors Field has the highest elevation in the MLB, which gives the Rockies a dangerous offense every season, but not many people support this team. If they could somehow win without a large market and fan-base, this simple and plain hat could potentially find its way to the casual baseball fan. (owned)



20. Kansas City Royals: The name of the team both fits perfectly and doesn't at all. This hat demonstrates how a royal blue hat should work, but there is nothing royal about this franchise. They lose. However, it is a nice and youthful looking hat for a franchise that is looking towards their young players for a quick change. Perhaps the All-Star game can show the nation what a beautiful ballpark and handsome hat the Kansas City Royals have. (not owned)



21. Seattle Mariners: This hat really symbolizes what Seattle is. It's next to the water and it looks sad. No other hat really uses the colors that the Mariners use, from navy blue to northwest green to metallic silver. The logo's compass makes a simple hat look a bit more complex, which makes this hat look more interesting without going over the top. I would've ranked it a little bit higher if the Mariners had a better fan-base and also if they made it to the World Series just once. (owned)



22. Tampa Bay Rays: It's an improvement from the Devil Rays hat, but it isn't special whatsoever. Different shades of blue don't make an intriguing hat, yet the designers of their uniform somehow managed to make their alternate uniform look quite tacky. Like the hat, the team doesn't have much going for them. They are an extremely talented team in an extremely tough division and they have somehow managed to consistently make the postseason which is truly amazing, but their fans don't even go to support them in the shabby Tropicana Field. If your fans won't support you, who's gonna wear your hat? (not owned)

23. Washington Nationals: The Nats are on the rise in Major League Baseball, but I just don't like this hat. It's all red except for that Walgreen's logo right in the middle of it. Who would want to wear a hat that so closely resembles a well known pharmacy? Maybe if the Nats can finally get into the postseason, people will start supporting them by wearing this foolish-looking hat. (not owned)





24. San Diego Padres: This is just a plain hat for a bad team, enough said. The hat itself isn't that bad, but the team sucks and so do some of their uniforms. It's already bad enough to support an awful team, but wearing an ugly uniform also is a double whammy. However, in all honesty, this hat isn't bad. It's not special, but the Padres' uniforms are especially bad, which is why I'm not willing to wear this hat. (not owned)



25. New York Mets: The Mets are in a lose-lose situation unless they can win. I know that sounds dumb and redundant but it is true. The only people who support the Mets are those who live in New York and don't like the Yankees. Other than that, it's hard to find a true blue-blooded Mets fan. The team has plenty of money since they are based in New York, but they always dispose of their better players thinking that maybe next year will be better. Don't do that. You already have enough money to win, so why don't you do it? Also the logo is a bit funky looking on this blue & orange hat. (not owned)  


26. Los Angeles Angels: I have to admit, I did not intend for this hat to go this low, but looking at it now, I don't like it that much. I know that an Angel can be both male and female, but this hat is a bit feminine. I think it's because of the "A" and the halo on top. This hat doesn't look bad, but it'd be better on a girls head than a guys. Maybe if Pujols, Weaver, Wilson, and Haren can bring a World Series title to LA, this hat would be more popular. (not owned)





27. Houston Astros: "Houston, we have a problem" cause our baseball team sucks. The hat isn't that bad, but the team is so bad that you won't find many people wearing this hat. This goes to show that even though your hat ain't too shabby, if the people of Houston won't wear your hat, no one will. (not owned)

28. Milwaukee Brewers: I really like their old hats, but the new Brewers logo/cap looks like Miller Lite, which is probably why they play in Miller Park. The team probably won't enjoy the success of last season since they lost Prince Fielder, which is why only people in Wisconsin wear this hat. (owned)





29. Oakland Athletics: If this hat or the Oakland uniform was nicer, Moneyball wouldn't exist. Oakland is a small market and the A's don't have that many fans. Plus they play in a football stadium. All of this goes to show that the A's have it tough and there's no way they can truly stay competitive. If you can't stay competitive and the people in your own town don't go to your games, not many people are gonna wear your hat. The fact that it's green also doesn't help. (not owned)



30. Miami Marlins: When I first saw this hat, I was grossed out. When I saw their away hat, I threw up and got blind at the same time. What was their goal with this logo? I heard that they tried to revive the world-famous Miami beach scene from the '80s, but all this logo does is remind me of Maroon 5. The Florida Marlins hat already looked funky enough, but this one is an abomination to hats and baseball. You will not see me put this on my head (not owned)


              

Which is better in the world of Sports: Left or Right?

Who's better: Lefties or Righties? That question has always bugged me, whether it's from watching the Rocky movies or wondering why Matt Leinart was so bad. Personally, I was born ambidextrous so I could never decide which hand was better, but I had to stick with the right hand because of an accident and Bible school teachers. Historically, the left hand was never seen as a good thing, whether for spiritual reasons or cause it was just the weaker arm. Anyways, that's besides the point because we all know that there are some dominant lefties in the world of sports, which leads to my question: are lefties better athletes? Some people believe that lefties are more artistic and maybe even smarter, given that Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, and Opera Winfrey are all left-handed. Here's a look at some of the more dominant lefties in the world of sports:

• Football: All I care about here is the quarterback (although David Akers is a left-footed kicker who recently set the record for most FGs made in a single NFL season).

• Tim Tebow: His throwing motion is the  ugliest thing I have ever seen and it doesn't seem as though he's the brightest kid. Is that cause of his left-handedness? Probably not. He's been banged around too many times and he doesn't really have a thrower's body, so you must excuse him for that awful delivery; however, he has a will to win. He's also a great runner, like the next player on this list.                                                                                         

• Michel Vick: He's a great talent and he's got some great moves, but he's never really been known for his arm until recently. He's also not the most liked character in football... in fact he's the most hated according to a recent NFL poll. Is that because he's left-handed? No, of course not. His left-handedness probably helped him a lot in football because it forces defenses to reverse their defensive formations if they want to contain a scrambling QB that always runs left instead of right.

•  Kellen Moore: Another lefty that has a will to win. Just look at his 50-3 record as a starter in College Football. But he was never invited to play in the title game and he wasn't even drafted. Is that cause he's a lefty? Of course not, don't be silly. It's because he lacked arm strength as a passer... wait a sec, is he weak cause he's a lefty? Nope, again look at the two guys ahead of him on the list.

Left-handed fortune for football: Being a left-handed QB will make you a good runner, rather than a good passer. You'll get you many wins, but no one will like you.

•  Baseball: Most batters/pitchers are right handed, but if the batter is left-handed, they'll have more success against a right-handed pitcher, vice versa. Given that notion and the right-handed majority, it doesn't make sense to be a left-handed pitcher.


• Randy Johnson: Probably one of the greatest pitchers and the greatest lefty of all time. With 303 wins and 4,875 Ks in his career, he's one of the exceptions of a great left-handed pitcher since the ratio of Cy Young winners between righties and lefties is about 2:1. Another exception to Johnson is that he usually threw side arm. This allowed for his pitch to have much greater movement on a horizontal plane rather than a vertical plane (it also looked like the pitch would hit a left-handed batter.)
• Barry Bonds: Now here's where being a left-handed batter gives you an advantage. Bonds was probably one of the most gifted hitters to ever play the game and being a lefty gave him an advantage over many pitchers since there are more right-handed pitchers than lefties. But then again, he used steroids (well then again, who hits tons of homers AND didn't use steroids). Even though he hit 73 homers one year, he also batted .370 the next year.

• Babe Ruth: The Sultan of Swat, The Babe,The Bambino, whatever you want to call him, he was the first great slugger in our past time. And guess what, he was a lefty. Even though he played against weaker competition, he still hit 714 homers and .342 over his career. I'm not even sure if they had steroids back then, but the Babe was pretty fat and he wasn't a likeable guy ("pull my finger").

Left-handed fortune for baseball:  Avoid tossing lefty if you're a pitcher, but if you're a slugger, switch to the left side for contact. Again, all of these left-handed athletes weren't likeable guys.

• Basketball: Now, you probably don't know that many left-handed basketball players, but defending them is quite different. As a good basketball player, you must master dribbling in both hands; however, a righty/lefty player will have their natural tendencies as to which side of the hoop they'll attack (a lefty will go to the left, a righty to the right).

• Chris Bosh: The third wheel of the Miami Heat's tricycle currently has a flat tire, but he would probably help D-Wade and LeBron since he brings more attention to the left side of the hoop. However, ever since he came to Miami, his numbers have gone down and people don't like him that much anymore.

• Manu Ginobili: I personally can't stand this guy and I think many people are with me on this one. The guy isn't too talented and he flops all the time, yet his Spurs always win games. No matter how old they are, they keep finding ways to win. For example, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Ginobili led a 4th quarter comeback for the Spurs in which they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder.

• Lamar Odom: Another unlikeable guy. I'm not sure if it's cause of the Kardashian wife or the lack of effort and heart (and eyebrows), but this guy just ticks me off. He does indeed have talent, but in Los Angeles, he just seemed like Kobe's back-up. However, I can't hold a grudge against him just in case the Phoenix Suns get him.

Left-handed fortune for basketball: It's different and you'll have some success, but it doesn't make you more talented than right-handed players. Once again, none of these guys are liked.

Overall, the left-hand may present issues for your opponents in all of these sports since both football and basketball defenses must adjust to the different hand, but that advantage stops once the opponent gets used to defending the opposite arm. Baseball, on the other hand, has quite an advantage for left-handed batters. Unlike the other two sports, it is relatively easy to force yourself to bat left-handed, which is probably why there are so many left-handed or switch hitters. Whether or not your handedness affects how you behave or how people behave towards you hasn't been scientifically proven yet, so that's for another article. Baseball has a true advantage for lefties whereas football and basketball have little to no advantage for the left-handed athlete.

 

Cole Hamels hits Eight wins as the Phillies top the Mets, 8-4

Cole Hamels is gonna make big bucks soon. Not only cause he's one of the better young lefties in today's game, but also because he's good. He's so good that he's been outperforming the Phillies' ace, Roy Halladay. Speaking of the Doc, doctors are examining his shoulder after he was roughed up by the Cardinals last night. Hamels still has a lot to do if he wants to be considered the Phillies ace, but being the first to reach eight wins in the Major Leagues doesn't hurt.

Nationals complete sweep over the Braves, win 7-2

We all know why the Washington Nationals have been covered so heavily by the media recently, but sitting at the top of the NL East certainly helps. Whether or not they're a real contender depends on how they can manage with their recent injuries, but one thing's for sure: Bryce Harper is a talent. After many disappointing years, the Nationals seem to be loaded in talent. From highly talented draft-picks in Stephen Strasburg and Harper to recent acquisitions in Jayson Werth, Gio Gonzalez, and Adam LaRoche; this team can be dangerous for years to come. I'm not sure if they can make a considerable amount of noise this season since they are a pretty young team and Werth is injured, but once the aging Phillies are forced to rebuild, watch out for Washington.

Rookie Patrick Corbin pitches the D-backs past the Marlins, win 9-5

The D-backs called up lefty Patrick Corbin to the mound on Monday to take on the Miami Marlins. The result was a solid Big league debut and a win. It looks as though Corbin will replace Collmentor in the rotation for the moment. The rookie lefty had 5.2 IP allowing 8 hits, but with 6 Ks. The d-backs jumped out to a 7-run lead thanks to two two-run shots by Cody Ransom and Justin Upton. That was a large enough cushion for Corbin and the D-back's shaky bullpen, who came away with a 9-5 win.