Jon “Bones” Jones vs. Dan Henderson: Old Lion vs. Young Lion

By: Mike Samuels

         When you think of warriors in the octagon, these two have to come to mind. The challenger Dan Henderson has been in some wars in his career. He has a championship pedigree, and the man is a legend in the sport.  Henderson is great fighter and is always up for any challenge. In this fight “Hendo” will be pushed to his limits.  Jon Jones is the champion that no one has been able to figure out. Up to this point, he has fought the best that the 205lb division has to offer and he has beaten them all but one. Jones was DQed in his match against Matt Hamill, a fight that he was clearly winning when he was disqualified. He has run through the division. 

         When I think of Dan Henderson and Jon Jones in the octagon, I see an older fighter who is looking for that last big fight that will let him go out at the top of his game or what he thinks is the top of his game. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Hendo does not have a chance, but in this case I think that he is overmatched in this late quest for the Light Heavyweight title. Now, with his punching power in both hands, there is always puncher’s chance to knock Jones out. Henderson is not a submission kind of guy. He will try and knock you out most times. In order for him to beat Jones he will have to bring something new out of his old bag of tricks. 

         Jon Jones will come into this fight like he always does with a game plan that employs the skills that he has in his arsenal and show us the fans another fight strategy that no one has ever seen. That is one of the things that make him hard to train for is, he does not fight the conventional fight. Only he knows what he is going to at any given moment. Getting in close enough to hit him is virtually impossible. He has the longest reach in UFC history at 84.5 inches. That reach keeps him from getting hit and with the addition of his long legs that employs keeps people from taking him down. Henderson is not fast enough to take Jones down. Jones also throws techniques from weird angles.

         I do not see this fight as being an exciting fight, for either fighter unless one of those strange occurrences happens to change the whole outlook or outcome of the fight.  Both have Greco Roman wrestling in their backgrounds so that in itself makes for good strategy for both fighters.  Jones is young and has a long career ahead of him and Henderson is coming down to the end of his and if he loses could very well be his last fight. Knowing the competitor that Henderson is, I would not count him out losing or ending his career.

         I am looking forward to seeing what Henderson comes up with to beat the Champion Jones. UFC 151 has some great fights lined up on the undercard also including: Michael Johnson vs. Danny Castillo and Takeya Mizugaki vs. Jeff Hougland.

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5 Weeks Left For Fantasy Baseball: Waiver Wire HELP!

There are five weeks left in fantasy baseball’s regular season so let’s get right to this week’s waiver wire pickups…

Jarrod Dyson- OF-Royals- The team might no longer be relevant, but this speed merchant has been on fire and made himself so noticed that manager Ned Yost has decided to start him in center vs righties while veteran Jeff Francoeur will bat vs lefties. Dyson, who turns 28 this month, has spent the bulk of his career in the minors; he’s only played in 44 major league games prior to this year. In his last 5 games, he is batting .526 (10-19) with 2 RBI, 3 runs scored, and 5 stolen bases.Four of the five have been multi-hit games. Nobody owns him (2%) so if you need speed grab him off waivers quickly.

Royals OF Jarrod Dysens can help your team down the stretch with his blazing speed. (5 SB in his last 5 games). Photo: ology.com

Chris Johnson-3B-Diamondbacks- Some players just need a change of scenery in order to find a groove, and such is the case with Johnson. Since coming over to Arizona from the lowly Astros on July 29th, he is batting .381 (8-21) with 3 homers and 10 RBI. He had 8 HRs in 92 games with the ‘Stros before the trade. Probably safe to assume that he won’t keep this pace up for the rest of the season but you could do worse than Johnson who’s career BA is just under .280. Ranked 18th among all position players in Yahoo! leagues last week, Johnson is available in 65% of leagues.

Ryan Ludwick-OF-Reds- If your team is short on power, now is the time to get a seasoned vet on your team. Just one year removed from hitting 23 home runs...

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BCS Busters In College Football

By: David Folz

We have all heard the potential every year for a “BCS Buster” in college football.  Most years it is Boise State, other years have been TCU and Utah.  This year is a different scene because TCU is in the Big 12 and Utah is in its second year of Pac 12 competition.  This year however could reign in the final year of the BCS busters before the Broncos head to the Big East next year and conference realignment finally coming to a close.  Nonetheless, there are possible BCS busters out there and here we reveal them. 

Boise State- This is a season that Boise State could prove that powerhouse don’t rebuild, rather they reload.  The Broncos lost many key starters on offense and defense as well as their Offensive Coordinator in the off-season.  The Broncos have been bashed in previous years for not playing a strong non-conference schedule but this year is anything but soft, going to Michigan State and playing fellow BCS bust hopefuls BYU and Southern Mississippi.  If somehow Boise can win at East Lansing to start the year, they will be favored in a down Mountain West as well as the other games this year.  If they do all that, their chances to crash a BCS game again improves dramatically. 

Ohio- If they beat Penn State opening weekend, which now is very possible it could happen, they should have a great chance going unbeaten.  The problem is that an unbeaten Ohio beating a down Penn State now isn’t going to persuade voters much at all and their schedule isn’t something to write about afterwards.  That and they play in the MAC which hasn’t fielded a BCS buster worth mentioning since Marshall in the early part of the last decade (and those Marshall teams still didn’t make the BCS.)  While not something to be overlooked though is the fact that Ohio has built their program up to be very good in the MAC under Frank Solich.

Louisiana Tech- The overwhelming favorite in the WAC could be in for a better bowl game if they can knock off Houston, Illinois, Virginia, and Texas A&M in the month of September.  It is not entirely out of the equation they could go 4-0 with those games, but Virginia and Houston are still really good teams and Illinois is looking for a rebound year after the last couple have been mediocre at best.  A 2-2 record against those 4 teams will give the Bulldogs a great shot at 10 wins with a downtrodden WAC conference this year. 

BYU- Two years ago I would be laughed at for this pick.  Now it’s not so farfetched to think BYU as an Independent could crash the BCS.  They have games against Washington State, at Utah, at Boise, Oregon State, at Notre Dame, and at Georgia Tech.  The four games on the road will be in very loud, hostile atmospheres and that will test the grit of this Cougars team.  A 4-2 mark is definitely a possibility, but shooting for 6-0 is a reach with the talents of Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.  If somehow the undefeated mark happens they should have no problem cruising to 12-0 and a BCS bowl game because the voters will not overlook the six games mentioned, especially not the road games at Notre Dame and Georgia Tech.

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Munich Olympics Massacre: 40 years later

By: Chuck Hilston

“The peace of what had been called the serene Olympics was shattered.” Odds are that most who were alive remember right where they were at on that fateful day, September 5^th, 1972 when the entire world was shell-shocked by an attack at one of the places that was truly meant to bring about peace and harmony among the nations. On that morning, a Palestinian terror group Black September went to the Israeli team hotel, held athletes hostage, and demanded that in exchange for the release of these athletes that there would be a release of 234 Palestinian prisoners. After a badly failed rescue attempt, all the athletes were killed, marking to this day the biggest tragedy in the history of the Olympics and one of the most jarring terrorist attacks of all time. To this day, we are still feeling the after effects from that incident.

                What it really did most was take away the peace of mind that people have about going to a place like the Olympics. Being that it was the first games that took place in Germany since World War II, it was a big goal to have things open and friendly as possible. There was little security at events or the Olympic village, and many people snuck into both on a regular basis. Overall, it was a very friendly atmosphere up until that very moment, which permanently changed security around the world as we know it.

                At the games itself, pandemonium ensued. There were massive security concerns regarding some of the higher profile athletes present at the games, including Steve Prefontaine and Mark Spitz of the US. "It was the end of innocence," said Spitz. "Today, security is much tighter but the Games have lost a sense of spontaneity, a sense of the whole world coming together in peaceful competition." As much of a tragedy as it was that the 11 Israeli hostages were captured and later killed, it really did end the feeling that you could have complete peace of mind at a place like the Olympics. The way that the current London Olympics are set up, security is so tight that people aren’t even allowed within the Olympic village without a ticket to an event.

                After the games started up again several days later, Jos Hermens was quoted as saying "You give a party, and someone is killed at the party, you don't continue the party. I'm going home." However, while I can certainly understand his point of view, I believe that it was ultimately the right decision to carry forward. As tragic as the events that unfolded were, the best way to continue in the Olympic spirit of peace and unity among competing nations would be to continue the games. By stopping them, you are letting those who wish to detract from that message achieve victory. I believe that it set an excellent precedent for how we as a society, when faced with tough times, have to get up and keep on moving.

                As of about a month from now, it will have been 40 years exactly since this tragic day. However, it is still a very taboo topic. Even at the time in which the attacks happened, ten Muslim countries refused to have their flags lowered to half-mast. There have been many attempts over the years by various people to attempt to have some type of memorial set up. However, due to the tension and political consequences that may result, none of these have ever taken place. Even today, many athletes from Arabic nations are either forced to or don’t wish to compete against Israeli athletes. I’m not sure what the best answer to a problem like this would be, however it seems to go against everything the Olympics stands for. Hopefully at some point, this tense conflict will be resolved, and we can again think of the Olympics as a safe haven.

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Will Maurice Jones Drew Play This Season?

By: Curt Popejoy

So, I am listening to ESPN Radio the other night and I hear that Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew has decided to hold out for a new contract, with 2 years remaining on his current contract extension that he signed in 2009.  This is a contract that is set to pay him over $4 million per for the final 2 seasons.  A contract that he agreed to, and to the best of my knowledge with no threat or coercion.  

Now we fast forward 3 very good statistical seasons for MJD and he wants to get paid.  He was given the keys to the running game starting in 2009 after Fred Taylor left for New England and has averaged 1,440 yards per game the past 3 seasons.  He’s been a very impressive back without a doubt.  But he doesn’t deserve a raise. 

I’m glad to see that Jaguars ownership has said they don’t re-negotiate with players with 2 years remaining on their contracts.  Now, if they cave and give him a new deal this year, their credibility will take a hit but for now I am on board with this hard line approach.  And here is why.

I keep reading and hearing people use the term “the market” when talking about the raise that MJD will get.  They see the new deals that guys like Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy and Adrian Peterson got and say that the market indicates because of his statistics he should get paid like that.  But I don’t think that’s how “the market” in the NFL works best.

There should really be 2 ways ownership looks at the “value” of a player.  How many games the team wins because of them, and how many tickets they sell because of them.   Looking back at the 3 seasons since MJD has signed the contract, the Jaguars have done 2 things.  They’ve gone 20-38, and they’ve consistently under filled EverBank Stadium.  In 2011 the Jaguars were around 10,000 under capacity every week and in many cases had to have the team purchase tickets themselves just to get their games televised.  So what exactly is the market for him?  I have never understood the mentality because one business owner overpays for a player, it creates an obligation for other owners to do so.  

So if MJD for all his talent can’t move the needle with fans, and can’t move the needle with wins, what is his true “value”?  I respect the fact that Jones Drew wants to get his money due to the short shelf life of NFL running backs.  He turned 27 this year, and so he realistically has one more good contract left in him, so he wants to maximize it.

But I’m not sure why the Jags would want to honor his request.  He has a perfectly good contract that both sides agreed to.  Is this a case of MJD is worried his production is going to fall off?  Are the Jags concerned with that?  The next steps that MJD should do is to find his way to training camp and play hard.  Play out another great statistical year with very little to show for it or fans to watch it, and then sit down with the owners and work out an extension. 

I have always liked watching MJD run.  He’s the kind of football player that young players want to aspire to be.  But that doesn’t change that fact that with 2 years left on his second contract, he has more responsibility to play than ownership has to give him a raise.  The Jaguars have made the playoffs exactly once in MJD’s 6 seasons, and that year he was a backup.  If he’s loyal to the Jags, then get on the field and play.  If he’s tired of losing, say so and let the Jags deal you and get something out of it.  Either way something has to give.  And not that MJD cares, but holdouts never endear you to the fans.  You hold out, and then struggle, you are going to hear it. 

Personally, I think that any player as talented as Jones Drew should want to win a Super Bowl, and the hard fact is, the odds of the Jags winning a Super Bowl while he’s on the roster is slim.  Being loyal to Jacksonville is great, but doing it while holding them hostage for a big contract is another.  It’s counter intuitive for a team’s best player to demand more money and in essence handcuff them further from improving.  This is a no win situation for both these sides.  If ownership caves, they look bad and they now have an overpaid 27 year old feature back on a bad team.  Holdouts are always ugly and this one looks to just be getting started.  Be the bigger man MJD, help out your young quarterback and get on the field.  You show you can make this team better this season, the money will be there.

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Fantasy Football: 10 Rookies to consider drafting…

Fantasy Football: 10 Rookies to consider drafting…

Written by Fantasy Furnace

The question of whether to steal precious picks away from more established players on draft day arises every year. They might have been college standouts but how will they perform on a professional level? Will they receive enough playing time? Will they live up to their expectations and in some cases, their hype? I don’t suggest that you base your team around them, but certainly there are several, that you may consider grabbing in the mid to later rounds.

If you look back on last year’s rookies who made an immediate and  impressive impact in the NFL and thus in Fantasy Football, you won’t find more than a handful which include these six: Cam Newton, Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Torrey Smith, Andy Dalton, and Daniel Thomas. And yet for each rookie that was successful, there were a long list of others who weren’t; either because of their lack of playing time, or injuries, or for the fact that they just weren’t that good. Such as:DeMarco Murray, Lance Kendricks, Greg Little, Roy Helu, Delone Carter, and Jonathan Baldwin to name a few.

So what we’re going to do is provide you with some of the rookies that have the talent to succeed and help you in your leagues while urging you to proceed with caution and implement when your options are limited or if you’re in deeper leagues. Remember too that luck, like in everything else, will play a part in whether or nor a rookie or two will help you to garner a fantasy league championship!

1. Trent Richardson- RB-Browns- We begin with the obligatory and prohibitive favorite to be the first rookie off the boards in your draft. The Browns made Richardson their third overall pick for a reason. They needed a boost in their lackluster offense and this beast of a back has scouts saying that he is the best back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson! Trent will be the Browns’ every-down back and we think he should be the 10th to 15th RB selected in drafts. Barring injury, he will be a top tier back by season’s end.

RB Trent Richardson will be a sure fire Rookie stud and will be taken early in most drafts. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

2. Doug Martin-RB-Buccaneers- Some scouts have compared the Boise State three-down back to Ray Rice, which is quite a complement in and of itself! The Bucs O Line has improved given the signing of All-Pro guard Carl Nicks and because of LeGarrette Blount’s ineffectiveness last season, Martin is the overwhelming favorite to become the Bucs starter this year. Remember the Bucs traded up to land Martin in the first round so we can’t see them yielding the starting slot to Blount. We think he’ll be the 15-20th back selected in most drafts.

3. Robert Griffin III-QB-Redskins- Although I rarely, if ever draft a rookie QB, I did so last year when I coralled Cam Newton on a hunch for my QB2 slot. And that’s what you may want to consider doing with RGIII. He has a great arm and like Newton, will keep the ball often and... 

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Michael Printup Interview: Inside View of Watkins Glen with the Glen’s President

By: Jason Schultz

As the season continues on, we near closer to the second road course race of the season at Watkins Glen. The Glen always in a phenomenal race and after last year’s race, it is a must see race. Last year we saw some spectacular crashes, a first time winner and great racing action. Watkins Glen is a driver favorite track because of the high speeds it offers and especially because of the wineries that surround the region. The race at Watkins Glen has taken on new meaning in the last few years because of the potential for a driver to win and move into the wild card hunt and have a shot at making the Chase. The Glen is a fan favorite track and track officials expect one of the biggest crowds in the tracks history to show up in a few weeks.

Recently I discussed the changes at the track from the previous year and different aspects of the circuit with Watkins Glen’s president Michael Printup. He gave me some insight on what to expect in the coming race and shared some of his past with the track.

How did you become associated with Watkins Glen International?

 “I have been with International Speedway Corp for 12 years. (I) started off as a VP of another business unit, lobbyist in NYC when we were trying to build a NASCAR facility there, MIS and now here.”

 What changes have been made to Watkins Glen International in preparation for this year’s NASCAR events?

“We have been spending 1-3 million every year making The Glen a better place for the fans.  This race properties always need upkeep and we always try to use capex monies to enhance the fan experience.  Better bathrooms/showers, addition to The Glen Club, racetrack improvements for competitors and fans and even an ice cream machine for all of our media.”

 After David Reutimann’s scary crash in turn two in last year’s Sprint Cup Race, what did Watkins Glen International do to improve the turn two wall setup?

“Well, that crash was scary and David is a good friend.  We took the Armco on both sides of the track and pushed it back about 30 feet.  Increased the size and length of the catch fence and added more curbing.”

With only weeks until NASCAR comes to Watkins Glen International, when will a race sponsor be made for the Sprint Cup Race?

 “I have been saying 2 weeks for 3 months. We had a solid deal going in the right direction but I am not so confident right now. We’ll see.”

Are ticket sales up at Watkins Glen for the NASCAR events so far?

“We have been trending in the “black” since last November and we are really proud of that.  We are the only race track in the country that has added seats so right now I am hoping we can sell all of those out!”

How did Watkins Glen International decide on the new grandstand names?

“We sent out on twitter and facebook a note to all or our fans and used a bit old fashion democracy routine.  We let the fans vote on what they wanted.”

 Do you think Watkins Glen would be interested in bringing the Camping World Truck Series to the Glen someday?   

“I would love to have the trucks here but we are working on a few things right now.  We’ll see if we can do that!”

 What do you expect for the coming NASCAR weekend at Watkins Glen?   

“I expect that our team will make all of our fans have the best darn race of the year.  We have had the best racing of all the track(s) the last 3 years and I expect that to continue.  The new short tracks are what some of the media is calling The Glen!  I always look forward in just seeing the smiling faces of our crowd that historically just falls shy of 100k.  That is fun and that is why I have the best job ever.”

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Eli Manning: What Do The Numbers Say

By: Michael Samuels II

Eli Manning, winner of two of super bowls in the last five years. Two super bowl MVP’s and his last name is Manning. Crazy how quick times change, last year Eli Manning’s name would have never came up in a discussion of elite QBs in the game. One “decent” year and a team that came together at the right time can change that apparently. When I look at Eli Manning I look at a QB who is inconsistent and a high volume interception thrower. How we went from inconsistent QB to as Phil Simms said a “Hall of Fame QB” I’ll never understand. But in this world of sports we all have our opinions, so here is mine on Eli Manning. 

In today’s day and age we love to compare players, so for the sake of this blog let’s compare Eli Manning to Aaron Rodgers. I personally think Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in the league. The last 3 seasons in which they both have won a super bowl and the season where neither won a Super Bowl. In the last 3 season Rodgers has 1 Super Bowl MVP, thrown for 12,999 103 TD’s and 24 INT’s. Eli Manning has 1 Super Bowl MVP, thrown for 12956 87 TD’s and 55 INT’s. That stat line in itself is shocking. As with any great sports run we like to be prisoners of the moment. 

It’s ok to be happy for Eli since he won another SB, but let’s not jump to the conclusion that he is an elite QB or even a Hall of Fame QB. Eli Manning has had an inconsistent career and his #’s prove my point. Only once has he had a season without double digit INT’s, that was his rookie season. Every other season he has had at least 10 INT’s. In 9 years Eli Manning has thrown for 27,579 185 TD’s and 132 INT’s, sounds good for a QB in the league 9 years. Aaron Rodgers who has been in the league 8 years has thrown for 17,366 132 TD’s and 38 INT’s, but let’s not forget Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for 3 seasons before he became a starter. His numbers are on pace to far out do Eli Manning’s number, but yet nobody has said Rodgers will be a Hall of Fame QB. Let’s not jump to outrageous conclusions when numbers don’t support what’s being said. Aaron Rodgers is clearly an elite QB, Eli Manning well the jury is still out on Eli Manning.

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Fantasy Baseball-Week #18 Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Baseball-Week #18 Waiver Wire Pickups

Written by Fantasy Furnace

Players from losing teams make up this week’s group of waiver wire pickups. Two of them played their entire careers in Pittsburgh before getting traded at the start of this season. Here are this week”s pickups to consider:

Ryan Doumit-C,OF-Twins- This veteran switch-hitter, formerly a 2nd round pick of the now surprising Pittsburgh Pirates,  is the 6th highest ranked catcher in Fantasy Legues over the past two weeks; ahead of 93% owned Mike Napoli as well as 95% owned Brian McCann! During that span he has hit 3 HRs, drove in 11 and scored 7 runs while batting .313. He has 10 multi-hit games this month alone. Doumit, who also qualifies in two positions, is owned in 40% of leagues although that figure should be higher.

#18 Ryan Doumit has been ranked higher over the last two weeks than several higher priced catchers. He’s worth a look.. Photo: twinsdaily.com

Carlos Gomez-OF-Brewers- This speedster has been showing off some power of late and has already matched his career high for home runs (8) in a season. It’s a small number to be sure but remember he’s done it in just 197 ABs. The former N.Y. Met looks to have grabbed the starting CF position from OF Nyjer Morgan whose numbers are way down. Over the past two weeks Gomez has collected 3 HRs, 9 RBIs, scored 9 runs and stolen 4 bases while batting .333 (8-24). The only downside to Gomez’ game is his batting average which stands right at his career mark at .244. However, if you’re in need of SBs, his 18 so far this season is the most he’s had since nabbing 33 back in ’08. And his SLG % of .448 and OPS of .743 are the...

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Fantasy Football: These TE's are the best of the rest...

Fantasy Football- These TE’s are the best of the rest…

Written By Fantasy Furnace

Okay, so the ‘sexy six’ Tight Ends are all off the board; Graham, Gronkowski, Davis, Hernandez, Pettigrew, and Witten. Now what do you do?

First don’t panic and settle for the two ‘old’ standbys, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Gonzo will probably revert back to his 2010 numbers, especially if the Falcoms can’t get any sort of running game going as was the case last season, and as for Gates, he’s had foot injuries the last two seasons so he becomes a risk.

Instead, here are six Tight Ends to consider after the big guns have been snatched up:

1. Jermichael Finley- Packers- He’s healthy and has played in all 16 regular season games last year and had 55 receptions for 767 yards and 8 TDs. When Aaron Rodgers is your QB there is no reason to believe that the passing will diminish anytime soon.

#88 Jermichael Finley will have no problem continuing to prosper in Green Bay’s prolific offense. Photo: jerseyal.com

2. Jermaine Gresham- Bengals- Although not ranked as high as Finley, the two TE’s are very similar. Gresham had 1 less reception than Finley but had the same amount of targets (92). Bengal’s coordinator Jay Gruden will be utilizing Gresham in deeper routes which will help his production (and fantasy numbers).

3. Fred Davis- Redskins- Just like Roy Helu, Davis will become RGIII’s...

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1 on 1 Interview With San Diego Padres Star: Will Venable

By: Justin Regnani

Will Venable grew up in San Rafael California where he was the star player of the high school basketball team.  He went on to Princeton university where he continued basketball and also started playing baseball.  Growing up Will's father Max Venable played in the MLB as well.  After careful thought about weighing his options Venable decided he wanted to go the baseball route instead of basketball.  Since being called up to the Padres in 2008, Venable has had a solid start to his pro career.

What was it like finally getting called up to the Padres?

-Getting called up to the Padres was a very special moment for me. It was something I had dreamed about for a long time and it felt great to have all my hard work pay off. What made it even more special was that my dad was one of my coaches at the time and he was in the room when my manager told me the news.

Whats the toughest part of being in the league?

-Baseball at any level is one of the toughest games to play because of all of the things you can't control. It's a game of failure and staying positive can be challenging. To be able to maintain that focus and produce against the best pitchers in the world every day is what I think is the toughest part about the major leagues.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

-Every game I've played in going back to college I have used the national anthem as a time to focus my thoughts and energy for the game.

Even though it's been a tough season, how do you feel about the padres chances in building a contender?

-Our season didn't get off to a very good start but this is by far the most talented team I have been on since I've been in the big leagues. We're it not for the misfortune of injuries, mainly to our pitching staff, I have no doubt this team would be battling at the top of the division. And with so many of these talented players being young, San Diego should be excited about having a winning team, not only soon, but for years to come.

What is it like to come back and play in front of SF and Oakland?

-It has been an unbelievable experience to come back to the bay area and play. Family has always been the most important thing in my life so being able to share the great opportunity of playing at the big league level with them has meant a lot.

Do you see yourself wanting to be in the Padres for a long time?

-I would love to play for the Padre as long as possible. I love San Diego and the Padres are the only organization I know.

What goals have you set for yourself as a pro player?

-My only goal as a professional is to win a championship. Even at the minor league or even high school and collegiate level, winning a championship is the greatest feeling I have ever felt in sports. I can only imagine what it would feel like at the major league level.

Who were you most excited to have pitching to you when you came in to the league?

-A couple guys I was excited to face for the first time were Lincecum and Halladay. They were such big names as I was coming into the big leagues I was excited to have the opportunity to face them

What has been your most memorable moment in the game? And most memorable hit or home run?

-My most memorable moment was my first hit. It was a triple and came in my first at bat. The most memorable home run was my first career, which I hit in Milwaukee against Jeff Suppan.

Who have you not had the chance to face that you want to face?

-A pitcher I have always wanted to face is Mariano Rivera. He has had so much success I would love the opportunity to see face him and see what his cutter looks like.

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MLB Power Rankings: August 6th,2012

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	New York Yankees	1
	Freddy Garcia earned his 150th career win on Sunday as the Yankees overtook the Mariners. The bombers currently hold a 6.5 game lead over the Orioles in the AL East.
	2	Cincinatti Reds +2	4
	The Reds are on a remarkable tear since the All Star break, despite missing their star player in Joey Votto. Votto is expected to return soon, making the already dangerous Reds a lot more scary.
	3	Texas Rangers -1	2
	Ryan Dempster had a rough go in his Rangers debut. He pitched 4.2 innings, giving up 8 runs to the Angels.
	4	Washington Nationals -1	3
	On Sunday, Stephen Strasburg recorded 6 strikeouts, to tie him with Max Sherzer for the major league lead. He currently has 160 Ks in 127.1 innings pitched.
	5	Chicago White Sox +3	8
	The White Sox have played well lately, winning 7 of their last 10, but only hold a 1.5 game lead over Detroit.
	6	Atlanta Braves	6
	On Monday night, Ben Sheets takes the mound against Philadelphia to make his 5th start of the season. He is 3-1 with a 1.46 ERA in 4 starts this season.
	7	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim -2	5
	The Angels bullpen has fallen on hard times. Scott Downs and Jordan Walden are each hurt, while the rest of the bullpen has a 6.02 ERA since the All Star break.
	8	Pittsburgh Pirates -1	7
	The Pirates are 17-3 when AJ Burnett starts for them.
	9	San Francisco Giants +1	10
	The Giants destroyed Colorado, scoring 35 runs in a 3 game sweep over the weekend.
	10	St. Louis Cardinals +1	11
	St. Louis has a major league best +102 run differential, but are still sitting in 3rd place, 7 games back in the NL Central.
	11	Oakland Athletics +1	12
	The A's start a pivotal AL West matchup against the Angels on Monday with Jarrod Parker pitching against Jered Weaver. Oakland is currently 0.5 games ahead of the Angels for 2nd place in the west.
	12	Detroit Tigers -3	9
	Earlier this week, Justin Verlander pitched 5 innings against the Red Sox, breaking an incredible streak of pitching at least 6 innings in 63 consecutive starts. Since 1920, it is the 3rd longest streak in the majors, behind Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton.
	13	Los Angeles Dodgers	13
	In case you haven't heard, Vin Scully got AJ Ellis to trend on twitter.
	14	Tampa Bay Rays	14
	Joe Maddon has been somewhat optimistic about Evan Longoria returning to the Rays lineup early this week. His presence would provide a huge boost for the 4th place Rays.
	15	Arizona Diamondbacks	15
	Friday night, Justin Upton and his brother, BJ, each hit their 100th career home run, becoming the 6th pair of siblings to record 100 career home runs. Justin is 3 years younger than his 27-year-old brother.
	16	Baltimore Orioles +1	17
	Matt Wieters stole 2 bases in Saturday's game, becoming the 1st Orioles catcher to steal multiple bases in a single game since Johnny Oates in 1972.
	17	Boston Red Sox +1	18
	The Red Sox are now 2 games under .500 despite a +24 run differential. They lost 3 of 4 to the Twins at Fenway over the weekend.
	18	Toronto Blue Jays -2	16
	On Sunday, the Blue Jays called up former 1st round pick Chad Jenkins from Double-A to make his big league debut. Jenkins has had a 3.84 ERA in his last 10 starts for New Hampshire.
	19	New York Mets +1	20
	On Saturday, Mike Baxter tied the NL record for walks in a game with 5 free passes in 5 plate appearances.
	20	Seattle Mariners +1	21
	Felix Hernandez became just the 3rd pitcher since 1930 to have 2 shutouts in which he allowed 2 or fewer hits at Yankee Stadium. The other 2 are Jim Palmer and Billy Hoeft.
	21	Philadelphia Phillies +2	23
	Cliff Lee was claimed by the Dodgers on waivers over the weekend. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phillies just dump Lee, as he is owed roughly 110 million through 2016, and is underperforming this season.
	22	Milwaukee Brewers +2	24
	Ryan Braun is currently just one steal shy of recording his 3rd 20-20 season of his career. He currently sits at 29 home runs and 19 steals, and has a strong shot at reaching the 30-30 mark.
	23	Cleveland Indians -4	19
	The Indians are on a horrendous steak, including losing 9 of their last 10 games. Sunday's extra innings walk off loss was a capper on a terrible week.
	24	Minnesota Twins +2	26
	The Twins lost 6-4 on Sunday to the Red Sox, but still managed to take 3 of 4 from the Sox at Fenway. The last time they had a 4 game sweep in Boston was 1991, when they won the World Series.
	25	Miami Marlins -3	22
	Jose Reyes is currently in the midst of a 24 game hitting streak, the longest in the majors this season. Reyes has hit .375 (36 for 96) since the All Star break.
	26	Kansas City Royals +2	28
	The Royals starting rotation this season, has a combined ERA of 5.78.
	27	San Diego Padres	27
	The Padres did well in locking up Huston Street and Carlos Quentin. Both of them are enjoying fine seasons despite missing time from injuries
	28	Chicago Cubs -3	25
	The Cubs called up 2 of their top prospects on Sunday. We'll see how Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters can adjust in their first trip to the majors.
	29	Colorado Rockies	29
	As bad as the Astros have been, the Rockies are right up there next to them. They are the only team within 9 games of the Astros for last place. Their 616 runs allowed is also easily the worst in baseball.
	30	Houston Astros	30
	Houston has been so bad that on Sunday at Turner Field, the Braves had "You can't spell disastrous without Astro" posted on their jumbotron.

Biggest Jump: Chicago White Sox +3

Biggest Drop: Cleveland Indians -4

You can follow Justin Millar on twitter at @justinmillar1, or email him at Justinmillar1@gmail.com. Comment below to join the discussion.

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