Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2016 (NBA)

The Hall of Fame named their 2016 inductees on 4 April.  Players included from the NBA are Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Zelmo Beaty (Veterans Committee) and Yao Ming (International Committee). 

Shaq is a no-brainer.  His stats, awards  and championships stand on their own.  After Kareem, he is probably the most dominating center of my NBA fandom.  He didn't have the fancy moves of Hakeem but he didn't need them.  He'd just bully his way to the rim and if he didn't make the shot he was probably going to the line for free throws which in itself was a show.  Heck, he was always a show. He had a fun personality to go with his play.  Some got tired of it but basketball is a show and he enjoyed being the center of attention.  Again he deserves all the accolades. 

Allen Iverson I definitively have heartburn with.  I get that Iverson was a great scorer at the point and was probably a one man show when he drug the Philadelphia 76ers to the Finals but that man couldn't shoot.  He shot 42% for his career.   Maybe I let his personality get to me or maybe I put too much emphasis on shooting percentage but I just don't see him as a hall of famer. That said the man could score as he retired with a 26.7 points per game average over 14 seasons which is seventh all-time.  He led the league four times and was in the top five eight times.  He also managed to be top 10 in assists four times.  So while I don't get it, I do get the argument and good on Iverson. 

Yao Ming was voted in by the International Committee.  Some have stated that Ming isn't a hall of famer and that might be true in most hall's.  But the Basketball Hall of Fame is unique in it encompasses all aspects of basketball not just the NBA.  So Yao Ming was voted in for his influence as much as he was his talent and I get it.  He was very good prior to feet issues cutting his career short.  He averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebound over his career while shooting 52% during eight seasons.  Not the greatest numbers but he was more valuable as an international ambassador than as he was a player.  Again in this context with the basketball hall I won't complain any.

Zelmo Beaty was inducted by the Veteran's Committee.  Zelmo Beaty was good averaging a double-double (17.1/10.9) over 12 seasons in the NBA and ABA.  I've heard nothing but good things about him and he once had a season averaging 22.9 points, 15.7 rebounds and shooting 55% from the field.  I'll defer to the committee as I never got to see him play but it is said he was a very athletic undersized center.  I do enjoy the histories of the NBA and ABA alike and am always happy to see deserving players from the past get recognized.   

2015-2016 Panini Prestige NBA Basketball Cards

Grabbed me some 2015-2016 Panini Prestige NBA cards.  I like them.  I'm not normally into foil on cards.  I was good with it early on in my collecting years.  Probably when it was new and the "happening thing" on cards.  Now it is just distracting. 

The fronts of the cards are mostly picture which is always a good thing and the photos are nice.  The backs have way too much going on.  If they were going for something different they did it.  I won't complain but I would prefer something a bit more traditional when it comes to the stats otherwise I enjoy color and different, I think.  I pulled a Prestigious Pick, Brilliant Beginnings and Rookie card to go along with the base cards.  I liked the base cards and the rookie card but the other two really didn't do much for me.   Among the base cards were LeBron James, who I almost never pull, and Kevin Garnett back in his Timberwolves uniform. 

  I'll definitely pick up more of these cards.  The design and the pull will have me coming back. 

2016 Topps Heritage Baseball Cards

I did it to myself again.  Again!  And I know I will every year and every year I'll be disappointed.  I picked up the 2016 Topps Heritage baseball cards.  I've never cared for these cards.  The designs on older Topps baseball sets don't exactly thrill me.  This set is based on their 1967 design and it isn't half bad.  But as with most of the heritage sets it is the photos that drive me crazy.  They are almost all head shots/non-action photos.  Action shots are what the base Topps baseball sets do so well.  I get they want to keep up with how the original set looks but it just isn't for me.  I think this set will work for anyone who enjoys the Heritage line.  This year there are many nice inserts and subsets including "Mint" cards that include an actual 1967 coin on the card, cards with stamps from 1967, and minis to name just a few.  There are also the relics and autographs you see in so many sets.  Bottom line for me is I think those who like these particular types of cards will be very happy.  Nice set design and great inserts with a throwback design.  It just isn't my thing.  Tune in 365 days from now for a similar post...  And a Che Guevara card?  Really?  

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Review ***SPOILER ALERT***

SPOILERS AHEAD:  Finally saw Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  I will say I enjoyed the movie but I also see why it gets the criticism it does.  Many parts of the movie are over done or just make you shake your head.  You shouldn't walk out of a movie asking "why" about so many things.

The plot point of Batman thinking Superman should be destroyed due to his unchecked power and the destruction he caused is an old trope especially used when two characters don't know each other.  This is the basic gist of the movie.  It isn't a bad one either but the details are where this movie trips up.  I liked all the actors in their rolls.  I didn't think I'd like Ben Affleck as Batman but did.  Still as you watched the movie there were too many questionable plot points or ways in which they handled the characters. 

So Batman tries to kill Superman.  Fighty fighty ensues while Lex Luthor manipulates things in the background.  This wasn't fleshed out enough and leaves things hanging at points.  He actually sets the big fight in motion by blackmailing Superman into trying to destroy Batman.  The point in the fight where they finally talk just didn't ring true.  Just as Batman is about to kill Superman, Clark mentions his mother who was kindnapped by Luthor.  Now they are friends.  All is forgiven.  It just all happened too quickly.  Batman had been hell bent on killing Superman and this turned it all around.  Then Luthor unleashes his big weapon in Doomsday who is General Zod's now mutated lifeform.  Doomsday is all powerful and Wonder Woman shows up in the end to help the boys. 

Between them they kill Doomsday but Superman dies in the process.  Movie over.  Along the way we find out Luthor is tracking others with super power who will turn out to be Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg.  I enjoyed Luthor's character and again think he is good as a puppet master.  There were just too many holes  to overcome.  Bottom line is I enjoyed the movie but I'm also left knowing it could have been so much better.  I think the "Big Three" are great characters to build around but it doesn't mean they don't need good writing.  This movie will make tons of money but it will continue to be criticized heavily.  If you are at all interested, go see it.  There is enough good stuff to see it in the theaters and not wait until it comes out on DVD.

2016 Boston Red Sox Preview

The Boston Red Sox of 2015 went 78-84 in what to many was a disappointing year.  While I agree I am just not as surprised.  I just didn't think the starting staff was that great.  I thought Rick Porchello and Clay Buchholz are both very good pitchers but not aces.  But there really wasn't anyone behind them.  Wade Miley, Joe Kelly, Eduardo Rodriquez and the rest of the staff were nothing more than what ifs.  With starting pitching an issue Boston addressed that with the signing of David Price.   Will that be enough?

The starting rotation could like this - David Price, Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, etc, etc.   This is   Price brings instant stability allowing the others to follow in what is probably their natural spots in the rotation.  For me the question marks are at 4 and 5 (better than last year when the questions started at 3).  I don't think anyone knows exactly what Joe Kelly will give you and Steven Wright also isn't a proven quantity.  Still most rotations look that way.  Price should give them "A" stuff and if Buchholz and Porcello pitch better Boston will be in a good position.  BOTTOM LINE:  Definitely an upgrade at the front end of the rotation but everyone else still has to do their part or it will be a disappointing season.

much better than last year's rotation that had Porcello and Buchholz at the top.

Boston's bullpen is much better with the addition of Craig Kimbrel, stud closer.   The bullpen was not good last year.  The Red Sox also picked up Carson Smith from Seattle who is a hard thrower.  That combined with Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa give the Red Sox plenty of options leading up to Kimbrel.  Lefties Robbie Ross and Tommy Layne will also be in the mix. 

Blake Swihart kept the starting catching job after coming up from AAA in May last year when injuries hit the parent club.    He only logged 288 at bats but his .274 batting average and 5 homeruns are encouraging.  Hanley Ramirez moves to first base after a year in which it was evident he isn't an outfielder.  His .249/.291/.426 line also suggest he wasn't much of a hitter even if he was able to hit 19 dingers.  Star shortstop Xander Bogarts had no such issues.  He hit .320/.355/.421 with seven homeruns and 81 runs batted in.  At 22 years of age I am really hoping to see this guy in a Red Sox jersey for a very long time.  Second baseman Dustin Pedroia comes off an injury plagued year in   Otherwise his numbers were good starting with a .291 average and 12 homeruns.  At third base is Pablo Sandoval who had a bad year hitting after being signed to a big contract.  He hit .245/.292/.366.   That won't cut if for a third baseman on a big contract.  BOTTOM LINE:  If the infield has a year up to par with what they are getting paid then this will be a huge year.  I'll just hope for something in between that and last year.  Pedroia and Bogarts are stars who produce.  Sandoval and Ramirez need to prove they are too.

which he only played 93 games.

The outfield will consist of Mookie Betts, Rusney Castillo, and Jackie Bradley Jr.   Betts came on to finish strong posting a .291 average, 18 homers, 77 RBI's and 21 stolen bases.  He looks to be the real deal while the rest of the outfield is shaky at best.  Jackie Bradley Jr. has had all of one good month since his highly anticipated promotion to the majors and Rusney Castillo hasn't done much else other than battle injuries.    BOTTOM LINE:  Bradley Jr. needs to live up to some of his potential while Castillo must show he was worth his signing coming out of Cuba. 

Big Papi will retire after this year as he turns 40 years of age.  David Ortiz will retire a Red Sox legend who has been there for three world championships and been a great ambassador for the Red Sox and the city of Boston.  He can't be thanked enough and it isn't just about his personality and leadership.  He will leave having hit over 445 homeruns for Boston while hitting .288 and slugging .566.  He will truly be missed.  Even at age 39 he hit 37 homeruns and drove in 108 last year.  Wow.  BOTTOM LINE:  Assuming his bat doesn't fall off the end of the earth Ortiz should be solid again at DH. 

I think this team wins more than 78 games this year.  Most people will say they are a good team.  I think they are a good team but need many, many players to perform like they are expected to prior to anointing them anything better than a third place team.  For me it begins with the starters.  If they can pitch well as a whole the bullpen should be able to hold leads and I think the offense will be able to score enough runs for this team to win.  I'm going to say they win 86 games this year.  I am not sure that puts them into the playoffs but it is a step in the right direction. 

1.Mookie Betts  OF

2.Dustin Pedroia  2B

3.Xander Bogaerts  SS

4.David Ortiz DH

5.Hanley Ramirez  1B

6.Pablo Sandoval  3B

7.Rusney Castillo  OF

8.Blake Swihart  C

9.Jackie Bradley Jr.  OF

1.David Price

2.Clay Buchholz

3.Rick Porcello

4.Joe Kelly

5.Steven Wright

CL  Craig Kimbrel

Atlant Braves 2016 Preview

Teheran

The 2015 Atlanta Braves finished 67-95 last years, 23 games back of the New York Mets.  This year's team doesn't give me much hope that they will do better than the 2015 version.  In 2015 Atlanta used 60 players in total and 37 different pitchers while trying to figure out who they were.  Looks like these numbers were the most ever by a Braves team.  And they are still trying to figure things out.  This year will need a lot of things to go right for almost anything good to happen.  This team is clearly in rebuild mode leaving only Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran as future building blocks from what was a 96 win team in 2013.  Andrelton Simmons and Shelby Miller, whom I thought was part of the rebuild have been traded, pushing out any hope of being a decent team a few years out.

Catcher AJ Pierzynski returns after an excellent year in which the 38

Freeman

year-old batted .300.  It is hard to believe Atlanta will get that from him again this year but he is a good veteran presence for the pitching staff.  Not sure who the catcher of the future is but AJ has the stick for now.  Freddie Freeman will again anchor first base.  Freddie is a stud but has nothing around him in that lineup.  He hit .276/.370/.471 with no one to protect him.  Jace Peterson returns at second base. He has to cut down on the strikeouts (120) while getting his average (.239) up to be anything near effective.  Erick Aybar is the SS they received from the Angels in the Simmons trade.  He is just a place holder for super prospect Dansby Swanson whom they received from Arizona for Miller.  Adonis Garcia is the third baseman and his 10 homeruns and .497 slugging in 198 plate appearances last year is encouraging but his .293 on base percentage is not.  Hopefully he'll be able to get on base more while giving Atlanta a much needed power threat to complement Freeman.  Also I hope he found his fielding glove or he may just give back everything in field he provides at the plate.  BOTTOM LINE:  Freeman is Mr. Steady but what the rest of the infield will provide is anybody's guess. 

The outfield should field Nick Markakis, Ender Inciarte, and Hector Olivera.  Markakis had a good year albeit with almost no power with three homeruns in 612 at bats.  Again a very good year batting .296/.370 but getting no power from a corner outfielder is hard to swallow.  Ender Inciarte also comes from Arizona in the Miller trade and  looks like a nice center fielder.  He hit over .300 last year and hit .278 his rookie year.  I think he is a nice piece for a team who didn't have a long term answer in center.  Hector Olivera comes over from the Dodgers.  He hasn't played in the majors yet so this should be interesting.  He will turn 31 this year so he needs to produce soon as there isn't a huge window for him.  He also has an injury history but for now I'll hope that he'll live up to some of the hype.  If someone falters Nick Swisher could log major innings for the Braves.  BOTTOM LINE:  Should be a nice outfield but whether or not it is a very good one will depend on Olivera.  If he falls flat I'm not sure what plan B is.  And Atlanta must find some power out there somewhere.

The starting pitching could be fluid.  Julio Teheran is back after an 11-8 season with a 4.04 ERA.  Not his best year but this was a bad team.  To have a winning record was minor miracle.  He and his 200 innings will anchor the staff.  Bud Norris had a horrible year with Baltimore and San Diego, and his spring training is not going so well, but will probably be one of the starters to begin the season.  Matt Wisler returns after a decent rookie effort going 8-8/4.71 ERA/109 innings.  Hopefully he can build on that and be a 30 start guy.  After that it is sketchy.  Williams Perez, Mike Foltynewicz and Jhoulys Chacin are all in the mix.  I have no idea what this staff will provide.  I like Teheran but after that I just don't know.  We may see a revolving door if these other guys can't be steady on the mound.  BOTTOM LINE:  The defense had better be good behind these guys because I think opposing teams will be able to hit them.  This is the weakest link in my eyes on a team that will be pretty bad.

Vizcaino

The bullpen will be serviceable.  I'll take that for now.  While Arodys Vizcaino is the closer of the future I wouldn't put it past Atlanta to use veteran Jason Grilli in that capacity early in the season to showcase what he can do and use him as trade bait though Grilli is dealing with injury which may cement his spot as a setup man.  Atlanta traded for former Brave Eric O'Flaherty due to issues with the other left handers in our bullpen.  Not a good sighn.  BOTTOM LINE:  Otherwise I think the bullpen will be ok if not spectacular.  Just need to get to Vizcaino or Grilli in the 9th and things might be ok. 

I am not sure this team is as good as last year's and it only won 67 games.  This could be a horrible year.  The upside would be all these young guys play up to potential or expectation and things click.  It worked for the Cubs.  But this team isn’t full of grade A talent prospects like they were.  Even at their best this team isn't a contender so it doesn't give me much to hope for.  Still I am looking forward to seeing what some of these young players can do.  Who is Olivera?  Can he be a nice bat in the outfield?  Will infielders Garcia and Peterson have solid years?  I'd like to see Arodys Vizcaino do well again.  So while my hopes aren't high there are plenty of stories within the team.  And hope is all I got this year...

  C: AJ Pierzynski

1B: Freddie Freeman

2B: Jace Peterson

SS: Erick Aybar

3B: Adonis Garcia

LF: Hector Olivera

CF: Ender Inciarte

RF: Nick Markakis

SP: Julio Teheran

SP: Bud Norris

SP: Matt Wisler

SP: Williams Perez

SP: Manny Banuelos

CL: Jason Grilli