“I got to think about it.”

3 Signs That LeBron James is a Top NBA Player of All-Time

10 Trips To The NBA Finals

James had his first trip to the NBA Finals all the way back in 2007. He led the fourth seed
Cleveland Cavilers to the Finals against a loaded San Antonio Spurs team that did sweep them, winning their third title in six years. In that first appearance, he had 22 points and seven rebounds, fairly mediocre stats for a guy who was the best prospect ever. 

After that first trip to the NBA Finals, he made it back there for eight straight years. The people who count based on the number of rings have the upper hand. Michael Jordon went to six NBA Finals and won every single one. 

The separator between Jordan and James is the break-in between the two realms’ success. Jordan famously took time off to pursue baseball for a couple of years. Then he came back to win three more titles. In the grand scheme of things, going to that many Finals in a row is almost impossible to do, Jordan might have done eight in a row and could have won all eight, but he didn’t. James did, which is a feat that goes under the radar most of the time.

20 Years of Playing At A High Level

Apart from the run of finals appearances, the most impressive thing might be his run of success over this two-decade career. Most players trail off when they enter their 30s. They do not get better, but somehow James was still playing at the level of someone in their mid to late 20s. Most stars at that point in their career will move into a bench role or specialty position, not a number one option on team condensing for an NBA title.

He was one of the last players taken straight out of highschool at 18 years old. The amount of pressure on someone who is looked at as still as a kid is trying to make his mark in the NBA going up against guys he was watching on television the year prior. He won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year and made the First Team All NBA Rookie Team. He might have been staring down Kobe Bryant in an NBA Finals his first year in the league, but he enters it with a bang.

The most impressive thing about LeBron James is how his game evolved, from being a pure scorer getting upwards of 30 points to someone who has passed more and led the league in assists (2020). That evolution is brutal to do since more star players don’t usually think about shifting off of what got them to that level in the first place. On top of all of that in his 20 years in the NBA, the game has changed from an inside-out game to a three-point-first game. Spacing the floor is now how the NBA works now, everyone can fire it from beyond the arch at will.

The Legacy

As much as he gets heat from fans and pundits alike, LeBron James is an all-time great player. He delivered his home, town Cleveland Cavaliers, an NBA Title when he returned after he ran in Miami. He is in the top five players of all time, regardless of some miscues he made when he was younger, like The Decision, the televised spectacle that he used to announce he was going to the Heat to make a super team.

He has a special place in two different organizations. Cleveland and winning the aforementioned title, but in Los Angeles as well. Following the tragic passing of arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Kobe Bryant, he helped lead a Lakers team and city through it. That 2020 bubble playoff run of the Lakers was something special that was as emotional as it was spectacular. It’s something every Lakers fan will remember.

The short version of this comes down to what he wants to do. Does he want to return as a 39-year-old in the NBA? Risking injuries and putting in all the training that comes with it? The only thing James wants to do possibly is play with his son for a year. At that point, he would be a 40-year-old playing on a bad team. Regardless of that choice, LeBron James is an all-time great. In sports, we usually see the stars go out disappointingly, like being swept and not on top of winning another title. 

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3 MLB Players Who Could Be Traded

1. Tim Anderson

What is going on with the White Sox is somewhat embarrassing, a team with a giant payroll in a weak division has done nothing but struggle. From top to bottom, this season has been awful. After what was a long rebuild, the result of that being just a single playoff appearance will be seen for what is a complete and utter failure. Fans won’t want to see this, but it’s better to rip off the band-aid now than wait and regret not getting something back. It should be noted Tim Anderson does have a team option that will more than likely be picked up if does stay on the Southside.

Anderson is a professional hitter by every definition. The league leader in batting average back in 2019, two-time All-Star, and Silver Slugger winner, the guy can flat-out hit. The shortstop position has become a premier position again in the game and Anderson is definately near the top of that list. The only question at this point is whether the White Sox will be sellers when the time comes.

If they become sellers, the phones will be ringing nonstop for him. One team in particular that could want a shortstop upgrade is the Los Angeles Dodgers. Losing Gavin Lux in spring training created a hole over at short. Miguel Rojas has done okay as a replacement at short as they rotate guys in and out there. Anderson could provide stability there as they head into the postseason, and as we know, they have no issue trading prospects to get players they did to improve the roster. 

2. Aroldis Chapman

Kanas City isn’t going to compete for the American League Central anytime soon. The team is in the middle of a rebuild after losing the World Series core of the 2010s. Kansas City made some moves that could get them some quality pieces at the deadline from teams needing some help. If those players can perform during the first half of the season, these buy-low guys could help speed up what is a long rebuild back into contention. For a rebuilding team, the name of the game is resource gathering; the more lottery tickets you can have, the better.

A change of scenery is sometimes all a player needs to find that thing they lost somewhere. Aroldis Chapman has found his fastball velocity again, pitching over 100mph again as a 35-year-old. The Royals have already received calls on him and it’s only May. The 13-year vet has playoff and World Series experience and is left-handed, which is always a need for every team going down the stretch.

Almost every team could use a player with closer experience and postseason experience. One team that could take a flyer on Chapman could be the Los Angels Angels. The Angels’ bullpen had been a revolving door outside two guys at the end of games. If they want to make a push, Chapman might be worth it. On top of the possibility of wanting to make a push for the Wild Card spot, there are some prospects that they could part with.

Jo Adell is dominating at AAA but has a K rate of 33% for a team that wants to contend that’s way too high. Maybe that could be a good thing for Adell changing teams being in a spot to develop at the pro level, plus the Angels get much head help in the bullpen.

3. Shohei Ohtani

The flip side of the Angels season is the giant question mark in Shohei Ohtani. What do you do with a one-of-one player? Who knows what’s going on behind the scenes right now, he could have his mind made up on his future. He might want to stay and play with Mike Trout, or he might be tired of being out of the postseason, and winning the World Baseball Classic only fed his fire to lift a World Series trophy at the end of the baseball season. 

The Angels have been the definition of a team with no actual direction. They own an eight-year playoff drought with the two best players in the sport. In any other sport, that would be all but impossible, however, in baseball, you can have that and still fail at getting to the postseason year after year.

Something to note was the selling of the team, that didn’t happen. That non-move was a hit to the offseason, having to stick with a manager that isn’t a long-term solution, losing time on the negotiations with Ohtani. It was an unnecessary splash of cold water. Similar to the Anderson situation ripping off the band-aid might be the best move, as much as it hurts.

There isn’t just one team that could benefit from Ohtani being on the trade market. Every playoff contender could use him. He’s a pitcher and a DH, what team couldn’t use at least one of those guys? Ohtani is elite at both. He’s an ace on the mound and a three or four hitter in the lineup.

In a potential trade, it’s going to come down to the best package coming back to the Angels without question. What could that package be, there isn’t any actual framework for something like this. It would have to be a combination of MLB-ready talent with a top prospect. Even that might seem like too much or too little. By the end of July and early August, he’d be a rental player. Even though winning a World Series would trump everything giving up, what team would set up to pay that incredibly high price remains to be seen.  

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Quarter of the Season Awards

NL and AL Rookie of the Year

Coming up to the Major League and finding any success takes a lot of work. Doing it all year at a high level is what the best players do; hopefully, they can keep it going. In the American League, the best rookie is Baltimore Orioles reliever, Yennier Cano.

Cano, in the short term, has been downright incredible. In 16 outings, he already struck out 25 batters and hasn’t walked a batter or allowed a run in 21 and ⅔ innings pitched. Those are video game numbers. How the Orioles find these guys is beyond me, but Cano has the numbers early on that could make him a giant force in the backend of that bullpen for years.

The senior circuit has a few rookies setting the league on fire, none more exciting than the Arizona Diamondback‘s left fielder, Corbin Carroll. Carroll brings the power and speed combo that many enjoy seeing on display. He is on pace for a 20/20 season with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases; a feat only 13 other rookies have reached in baseball history. Carroll could be the first Rookie of the Year winner in the franchise’s history, and if he continues doing what he has been doing, he will be.

NL and AL Cy Young

Starting pitching overall this season has been interesting, to say the least. The offense has been up due to baseball banning the shift, limiting pick-off attempts, and the larger bases. It is fair to say things will even out as the season progresses and pitchers get used to the rules and how guys are attacking on the bases and in the box.

All the changes out of the way, the top pitcher up to this point has to be New York Yankees ace, Gerrit Cole. Cole is leading the league in innings pitched with 62 and ⅔ batters faced and has an ERA of 2.01. The only time Cole was touched up was against the best team in baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays. The biggest separator in a very close Cy Young race is the volume for Cole, there are few other pitchers who are knocking on the door for this award, but for now, it is Cole’s to lose

The Atlanta Braves have a history of producing incredible pitchers. From the days of the big three starters John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine. The new crop of pitchers in Atlanta has continued the trend with Max Fried and Cy Young winner at this point, Spencer Strider. Strider has been a strikeout machine, leading the league in that category with 86, plus he leads the league with a K/9 of 15. His ERA is 2.96, however his FIP is 2.20, so he has a bit of bad luck. With Max Fried on the IL, Strider looks to prove he is the ace and lead the staff to another postseason run.

NL and AL MVP

Most Valuable Player is a tough award to hand out since everyone has a different metric for what makes the winner valuable. It could be the best player on the best team, the best player overall, regardless of record, or the most valuable player to their team. Out of all the awards handed out, this has the most debate.

Sometimes it feels like we’re just repeating ourselves when this phase gets said Shohei Ohtani is the American League MVP. Aaron Judge won the award last year after having a historic season breaking the American League record for home runs in a season. It’s going to take something like to take the award from Ohtani.

It’s so hard to state everything Ohtani does in the batter’s box he is as a line of .289/.361/.888 with 10 home runs. On the mound, he is 5-1 with a 3.23 ERA with a WHIP of 0.90. It’s so incredibly hard to explain what he does almost every day, he missed two cycles by a few feet, one being a homerun and the other by a double. He missed the second cycle when he was also on the mound. Ohtani is in a league of his own.

Ronald Acuña Jr might finally be back to 100% since he has been back from his ACL surgery back in 2021. He has been nothing short of downright god-like. I’m going to let his stat line do all the talking for me here: .345/.437/1.050, by the way, he also leads the league with 18 steals, slugging with .613 and OPS with 1.050, as listed above.

Acuña is finally back to his pre-injury form so far in the season, and with no evidence to show that he is slowing down. This 25-year-old start might lead the Braves to another World Series win if he can keep this going.

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Takeaways From Game 1 of Lakers vs Nuggets

1. Nikola Jokić is the best player on the floor

It’s a bold claim that a back-to-back NBA MVP winner is the best player on the court. However, he is on the same floor as LeBron James, who, to many, is the best player of all time. After watching Game 1, Nikola Jokić played on another level on Tuesday night. Jokić put up a triple-double with 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists. He had most of those numbers in the first half of the game.

Jokić might be the most fascinating player in the NBA right now. He possesses the range and ball-handling skills of a point guard with the size of a center. Using all those skills, he put on a clinic during Game 1. When Anthony Davis was guarding him, Jokić dominated the great defender. In the first quarter, Jokić pulled down a dozen boards and dished out five assists to go with eight points.

As Lakers fans know, having a dominating force in the middle of the paint is a great way to control the flow of a game. Jokić did that in the first half of Game 1. He did so by putting the Lakers on their back foot as soon as the opening tip. Adjustments were and will be continued to be made as the series goes forward, but Jokić and the Nuggets did take down a star-filled Phoenix Suns in overpowering fashion.

2. The Teams Are Evenly Matched

As surprising as it may seem, both teams were actually evenly matched according to the stats from Game 1. The shooting percentage between the teams was only separated by 0.1, 54.8 for the Lakers, and 54.9 for the Nuggets. The three-point percentage was again separated by a minuscule number of points, coming in at 45.8 (Lakers) and 46.9 (Nuggets). Denver did control the rebounds with 47 to the Lakers’ 30.

In all actuality, fans enjoy games that are close and evenly matched. Even during the season before the Lakers retooled the roster, these teams played each other hard. They split the six games they played. The most significant margin of victory in those games was 18, which was Lakers on December 16th. Again, this was before the trade deadline, for what it’s worth. The home team won in every contest, Game 1 in the Western Conference Finals was no different, with Denver winning. This series will likely be extended, with it going six or seven games.

These teams met in the Western Conference Final back in 2020 in the bubble playoffs. The Lakers beat the Nuggets in five games en route to another Championship. The teams’ makeup is both very different than it was three years ago for sure. Denver has improved the Lakers only have a few guys still on the roster from that team. Nevertheless, these two teams will be going for a long while.

3. The Lakers Made The Adjustments.

Lakers fans have one thing to hang their hat on going into Game 2. In the second half of the game, the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 72-60. This should be something they look at as a positive. The most significant change was putting Rui Hachimura on Jokić, freeing up Anthony Davis to be more of a free floater in the middle.

Another positive note for the Lakers was how Davis, James, and fan favorite Austin Reaves did get it going toward the backend of this contest. Davis had 40 points and 10 rebounds, James put up 26 points with 12 rebounds, and Reaves gave 23 points of his own, with 11 coming in the fourth quarter.

Building on the things that went right is the key to doing well in these battles. Yes, the Lakers got punched in the mouth during the first half of the game, but they did respond with a solid second half and made it way closer. Switching Davis off of Jokić may have been the most significant change in Game 1. If that can continue, it may change how the series flows.

At the end of the day, Game 1 of the West Conference Finals lived up to the hype as will the rest of the series, I’m sure.

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3 Storylines In Baseball Worth Watching

Luis Arraez hitting .400

Hitting .400 is something that hasn’t been done in baseball since Rodgers Hornsby in 1922 with an average of .401. Tony Gwynn came the closest with a .394 average in 1994, the strike-shortened season. Chipper Jones, back in 2008, came the next closest when he hit .364. Needless to say, the way modern baseball has made it incredibly hard even to come close to that magical number of 400. Between all of the now-banned shifts and specialty pitchers in the bullpen, you can see how this might never happen again.

Luis Arraez has something that bodes well for him, and it’s similar to why Tony Gwyn came close to the 400 number almost 20 years ago. He possesses the ability to hit the ball to the opposite field. If you look at his spray chart, plenty of hits go into left field. In a time where so many hitters just hit home runs and take their walks, a guy who still has that inside-out approach is a relic of a time that has passed by.

Hitting .400 is something that many assume will never happen again. The league leader in batting average was Jeff McNeil, who hit .326. As of this article, Arraez is hitting .382. The shift ending may allow the more slap hitters to get more chances to shine. He’s able to show that pure hitter ability on display. Not that home runs and bat flips aren’t cool, of course. Sometimes just seeing a hit the other way to set up a rally, and it topped off with a three-run home run is perfect. Keeping an eye on what is happening in South Beach is worth it as the season continues. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates

Every season, there are always a couple of teams that seemingly come out of nowhere to take the entire baseball world by surprise. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates have done that up to this point in the season. Even then, Pittsburgh has gone 2-8 in their last 10 games to fall into second place in the National League Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Arizona is currently 24-18 and is also second in the National League West. Both teams have outperformed what was expected of them.

Even with Pittsburgh currently on a slide, Mitch Keller has become that staff’s ace. In Keller’s last two games, he has pitched 16 innings with 21 strikeouts while allowing zero earned runs. In one of those games, Keller threw a complete game shutout. The Pirates have a great young core of players who could make that team a contender for the long term. Striking while the Cardinals aren’t doing as well as they could be and striking while the iron is hot is the key. 

Arizona has been on an upward trend for a solid minute. In a similar vein to how Pittsburgh built their team the same way, through the draft. Unlike the Pirates, however, Zac Gallen has been an ace for a couple of years. The separator has been how Corbin Carroll looks like he could be an actual Rookie of the Year candidate. On top of that, they have plenty of top prospects that are knocking on the door of the majors within the next few seasons. 

Oakland Athletics and their Stadium Situation

Oakland Athletics fans are in a situation that many fan dread being in stadium limbo. The Oakland Coliseum isn’t in the most fantastic shape since the Raiders left for Vegas in 2020. The city of Oakland has been at a standstill with the team for years. The unfortunate part of this is that the Athletics need a new place to play their games in. Earlier this season, the A’s visitors’ broadcast booth got taken over by an opossum. 

Earlier in the week, the Athletics reached a deal to potentially build a 30,000-seat stadium on the Vegas strip on the Tropicana Hotel site. The potential move has prompted fans to protest the move to Vegas. They have begun chanting to sell the team outside the stadium and also have bright signs to games as well with the same message. There was even controversy because the MLB Offical video highlights cropped out the “sell the team” signs in a highlight from the team.

No fanbase should ever be in a position where their team is trying to fail intentionally, so they can move on to another city since they can’t progress. Having essentially dismantled the team over the past two seasons. Apart from a few promising prospects the team has, there is very little for the fans to come to the ballpark, and the failing attendance shows that. Again this is an unfortunate situation for the fans to be in. Hopefully, they can stay in Oakland, but the signs point to Las Vegas.

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3 Managers Who Could Be In The Hotseat

3. Oliver Marmol (St. Louis Cardinals)

Oliver Marmol led his team to the playoffs in his first year as the St. Louis Cardinals Manager, with a record of 93-69. They got eliminated by the Phillies in the Wild Card round and now are in last place in the National League Central with a record of 17-25.

There are several reasons why the Cardinals are struggling. The pitching could have been more consistent. They removed Wilson Contreras as the primary catcher. Since then, they have been moving in the right direction as they swept the Red Sox. The question remains whether the rotation can flip the switch and be constant for the long haul. Simply placing someone who is a better pitch caller might have been the answer. It currently seems to be working in the short term.

The other issue is the outfield and Nolan Arenado. He has gotten off to a slow start to the season. Arenado is in the midst of a power issue, he only has seven home runs to this point in the year. At this pace, he’d be under the 30-homerun threshold he has constantly been at for most of his career.  Cardinals outfielders have also had some struggles. They are losing Tyler O’Neill to the IL, and Dylan Carlson left Sunday’s game early with an ankle injury. Not a position the Cardinals want to be in with already thin depth. Not all of the struggle can be placed on the manager’s shoulders, but in prior years organizations look to spark their team by firing the manager. Marmol could be in that spot.

2. Pedro Grifol (White Sox)

Pedro Grifol is the unfortunate manager for the underperforming Chicago White Sox, with a record of 14-28 in the weakest division in baseball. Southside fans have had a rough go of it in the 2023 season. Even callers into local radio shows have been showing their dismay. Fans have been placing blame on the team’s front office, from Jerry Rendorf to Kenny Williams and GM Rick Hahn. Who have made different choices regarding how the team has been structured over the past few seasons.

This past offseason, the White Sox signed Andrew Benintendi to the most lucrative contract in team history. What was the contract worth? Five years, $75M, the largest contract in the organization’s history. Considering who has played for the White Sox over the years, it’s interesting how Benintendi landed this deal. With how he played last year, it makes sense for him to get a deal in that range, but it doesn’t look great with how the team is performing, as well as Benintendi’s lackluster play so far. Considering they let Jose Abreu walk as a free agent and sign with the Houston Astros.

Pitching woes have peaked their ugly head as well. The critical guys in the rotation haven’t done well. All but one of the starters have an ERA under four. This doesn’t bow well for a team that is already having problems on the offensive side of the ball. A team ERA of 5.50 is not going to get it done.

Grifo, similar to Maramol, doesn’t necessarily deserve all of the blame for the team’s play so far. Bad signings and injuries made by a general manager shouldn’t fall on their shoulders.

1. Phil Nevin (Los Angeles Angels)

A job and a position that many former and newer managers would love to get a chance to coach the Angels. After Joe Maddon was let go in June of 2022, Phil Nevin was named interim manager. In the off-season that saw the Angels owner, to the joy of many Angels fans, was looking to sell the team. Since that was the case, Nevin got a one-year deal to be a bridge manager until the new owner got to get his staff into the organization. However, in January, Arte changed his mind and will remain the owner of the team until further notice. 

In the case of Nevin, the team hasn’t played great baseball. When Nevin took over, the team’s record was 46-60 overall the team went 73-89, finishing 3rd in the division. In 2023, the team is 22-20, losing five out of six games last week. The Angels are in the middle of this year’s most critical season with Shohei Ohtani’s impending free agency.

The most glaring issue is how Nevin talks and handles the pitching side of things. He talks about starters going deeper into ball games in press conferences and releases. This is then followed up by the starter struggling, and instead of letting the starters figure it out on multiple occasions, he has gone to the bullpen. On top of the rotations woes, the bullpen could have been more consistent.

On the plus side, players like having Phil around and respect him. It’s unknown whether or not Arte will get impatient again and let Nevin go to give someone else a shot to correct the course. In the case of the Angels, something has to give.  

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3 Baseball Series To Watch Over The Weekend

Pirates vs. Orioles

Two upstart teams meet in Camden Yards in Baltimore as the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had a stellar April, find themselves in a 1-9 skid in their last 10 games. However, they still have a slim lead in the National League Central with a record of 21-17. The Baltimore Orioles are 24-13 second in the American League East, 4.5 games behind the leading Rays.

The most intriguing pitching matchup might be Sunday. The matchup of Mitch Keller and Kyle Gibson would not be on most people’s radar, but let’s look at the stats of both pitchers. Keller, in his last start, threw a four-hit complete game shutout. It was the first complete game for the Pirates since 2018. Keller was once a top 50 prospect in all of baseball, who had possibly turned a corner in 2022. So far, in 2023, Keller has a 4-1 record in 8 starts sporting a 2.27 ERA and 1.09 WHIP.

Gibson is now the veteran on a young talent Orioles pitching staff. This 10-year veteran has a record of 3-2 in 8 starts with an ERA of 4.07 and a WHIP of 1.33. Gibson, at this point if his career knows what he has to do to win. A signing that was incredibly under the radar signing for the Orioles so far, it looks like the quality signing for a fifth starter in a rotation.

Rays vs. Yankees

The last place New York Yankees taking on the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays was something most would not have said going into the season. However, it is where we are on the 12th of June. After the Rays win on Thursday to start this four-game set, they have a record of 30-9, while the Yankees are 21-18, which is nine games behind the Rays in the East. Worth noting New York lost 2 out of 3 in Tampa Bay last weekend.

Tampa Bay always seems to find themselves in contention for not just a deep run in the American League Playoffs but a World Series. They might be the most intelligent organization in the entire sport. They are filling it constantly with talent from trades or the draft just by operating with a total payroll of 74 million dollars. The only player making more than 10 million dollars is pitcher Zach Eflin who has an 11 million dollar deal, part of a 3-year, 40 million dollar deal he signed last year.   

In contrast, there are the Yankees, who have a payroll of over 100,000,000 and just resigned Aaron Judge to a 9-year 360 million dollar deal in the offseason. They were missing Judge last weekend in Tampa Bay due to an injury, now Judge is back, and I’m sure he will have an impact in this rematch during the weekend. New York is getting healthier by the day and week as players return from the IL. Harrison Bader returned from the injury list a week ago and is on a great start, with an OBS of 1.341 in the season’s early going. Get used to the Yankees and Ray going back and forth not only this season but many seasons to come. 

Padres vs. Dodgers

Last weekend, fans saw an NLDS rematch between these two division rivals. The Dodgers sport a first-place record of 23-15, whereas the Padres are 19-19, sitting four games back in 3rd place in the National League West. Coming into the 2023 season, everyone assumed it would be the Padres and Dodgers fighting for the division title. The Diamondbacks have entered the picture and are making noise with a 20-17 record.

San Diego has one of the most talented baseball rosters, topped off by Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. Unfortunately for the Padres and their fans, Soto has had a prolonged  start to the season. He has 36 strikeouts in 37 games, leading the league in walks with 35. Tatis missed the first 20 games due to a PED suspension from last year. In the 17 games he has played in 2023, he has a slugging percentage of .468 and an OBS+ of .761. Time will tell if both of these guys will get it going as the season continues. One thing is for sure though San Diego has a deep roster without those guys being at their best.

The Dodgers, on the other hand, have the lead in the National League West. Even with their countless injuries, they are still in the driver’s seat. The biggest driver of this has to be Max Muncy, who, in the last two weeks, has hit 5 home runs. He is now tied for second in the National League with 12 homeruns. On top of Muncy having found his power stroke, Clayton Kershaw is tied for the National League lead in wins for a pitcher. With those 6 wins, he has a 2.36 ERA with a microscopic 0.95 WHIP. It could be a long Summer for the National League if Kershaw is back to his Cy Young potential. 

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*Stats as of May, 10th before game vs Astros

3 Angels Stats That Make Zero Sense

Anthony Rendon’s .364 Slugging Percentage

As baseball continues to move towards a more analytical way of play, more and more, the community moves away from traditional numbers like batting average and look to numbers like slugging percentage. If it were 2005, everyone would look at Anthony Rendon’s .295 batting average and think he’s having a good year and the power will come around. Rendon is slugging .364.

Going deep into his hits, in 88 at-bats, only 4 have yielded extra-base hits. One homerun and three doubles. Rendon has had 22 singles, leading to an OPS+ of 121, above average. The lack of power is more or less explained by his wrist injury last year. This injury limited him to 47 games in 2022. It’s reasonable to think more power will return as the season progresses. Lucky for him, the Angels added more hitters to help lessen the load.

Some of Rendon’s other stats make more sense with an OBP of .430, which is excellent. Rendon can still be a great hitter. Finally, being healthy will allow Angels fans to see him at that MVP level he was in Washington D.C. Another stat that is trending in the right direction is that his walks are up, and his strikeouts are down. Even Though he has zero power now, other numbers say he is playing better than the stat sheet says he is.

Hunter Renfroe’s Home/Road Splits

Most players play better in their home ballpark. They are more comfortable with the batter’s eyes and how the ballpark plays offensively. Historically, Angel Stadium has played as more of a pitcher’s park. Now in the case of Hunter Renfroe, he makes the park look like Coors Field.

Renfroe’s home stat line is as follows. In 56 at-bats, Renfroe has a slash line of .357/.406/.875/1.281 (average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage/on-base plus slugging). That’s not bad for a home slash line at all. Compare that to his road slash line, which is as follows in 78 at bats .179/.229/.244/.473. It is a staggering difference between the two is insane. Generally, there is a dip between home and road since you play 81 games in the same place vs 81 games in 29 other locations.

The number difference is fascinating. Usually, these kinds of discrepancies again are reserved for ballparks like Coors Field. In a place that is known for enormous offensive numbers, those players will have more of a split that favors home-field advantage. It could be just a thing of comfort for Renfroe, and it stays the same day after day. The road ballparks are different some have different dimensions and weather. Plus, teams are 3 for 4 days, so finding a groove that fast can be challenging.

Mike Trout Can’t Hit With Runners in Scoring Position

Fans usually expect the star players to rise to the occasion when the lights are the brightest and when the pressure is the most palpable. Mike Trout does that with two outs and runners on base. Without that extra pressure, he is another player. It makes no sense that a star like Trout has this odd blip on his stat sheet.

Looking at his numbers in total, they are fantastic, as always. He is slashing .290/.377/.542/.919 so far in the season. Now looking at his numbers in different situations, it makes no sense in one area, runners in scoring position and less than two outs. His slash line is .214/.303/.429/.732, every number in that line is average or below average. Now if there are two out in the same situation, his line is .313/.389/.500/.889. All of those numbers are well above average in that situation. In the Angels’ lineup, Trout bats second, where he could have a runner in scoring position with less than two outs. 

Trout is a future Hall of Fame player without question. Many of the game greats have odd things in their stat sheet. If anything, it says how Mike Trout does when the game is at his most challenging, the lights are the brightest. Without that pressure on, he is a different player altogether. Numbers in sports tell a story of how the player did or is doing. Even though some fans think there are too many numbers, coaches need to use their gut more than math. However, the stats and analytics lead to fascinating conversations and wondering.

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3 Teams That Should Panic

3. New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have been bitten by the injury bug again and are last in the American League East. Even though they are a .500 ball club, they have nothing behind Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Going into the second half of the 2022 season, all of the Yankees’ offense was squarely on the shoulders of those two guys. The Yankees did nothing in the way of adding to the lineup. It might have been overlooked in the offseason it now looks like the issue is rearing its ugly head again.

Starting pitchers and bullpen pitchers are a balance, and when one isn’t in order, the stress on the other can lead to problems. Similar to their offense, pitching is on the elbow of Gerrit Cole. Though Nester Cortez has taken a step forward in the last two years, the injury of Carlos Rodon adds to the woes. Clay Homes, who has a WHIP of 1.42, is high for a relief pitcher.

The division from top to bottom is stacked. Every team could win that division by the same token, and every team could miss the playoffs. The issues of the Yankees can be fixed, but hopefully, they’re not far behind the leader. 

2. Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are an absolute mess. From injuries, players underperforming, and players not playing at a complete 100%, it seems as if the White Sox are headed for a season to forget on the northside. Currently, they own a record of 12-24, which is good for fourth in the division and 7.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins. Many MLB pendants picked Chicago to be in contention for the American League Central.

I stated once before the injury issues for the Sox. The young core of this team has been battling injuries for what feels like decades at his point. Eloy Jiménez has only played in over 100 games once in his career, and Luis Robert Jr. has also battled injuries in his young career and has never played in more than 98 games. Tim Anderson, one of the game’s best hitters, has also had trouble staying on the field. Hopefully, the newer crop of talent can fill the spot for the short term, but things need to improve.

Blame for this might fall on the longtime front team members. Kenny Williams, who won a World Series back in 2005. It is now in a spot with some of the guys they’ve drafted who are going to be hitting the market as free agents in the next few seasons. Tim Anderson highlights this list as one of the players who might move on from the south side.

1. St. Louis Cardinals

If anyone had on their bingo card, the St. Louis Cardinals would be the worst in the National League; they’re probably lying. With a record of 12-24, they are nine games out of first place on top of being 2-8 in their last ten games played. Snapping an 8 game losing streak on Sunday.

The replacement of Yadier Molina went to formers Cubs Catcher Wilson Contreras, and a month into his five-year 87.5 million deal, they are moving him from behind the plate. Contreras will be acting as the team’s primary DH going forward. Tres Barrera and Andrew Knizner will split the catching duties going forward. There were people in the Cubs organization who thought he had an issue with calling his own game. The numbers back up this. The Cubs era with Contreras catching was 4.77, whereas it was 3.23 with Yan Gomes catching.

Nolan Arenado has been struggling all season long. Through 34 games this season, he has a line of .232/.282/.608. All of these numbers are way down from his usual numbers for him. Arenado’s first three years in St. Louis were fantastic. Last year, finishing third in MVP voting for the National League, also taking home a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. What the source of the struggles are, who knows? It might be him having to ramp up the training for the World Baseball Classic, and general struggles as the season progresses. 

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Buy or Sell, West Divisions

The Dodgers Take a Step Back

This level of dominance that the Los Angeles Dodgers have had over the last decade or so is something to marvel at. It’s similar to the Braves’ run in the ’90s led by the three future Hall of Fame pitchers. The Dodgers have won 9 out of the last 10 division titles while winning a World Series in 2020.

It’s tough to bet against a team that had that kind of success year after year. At the same time, signing top free agents and drafting and developing players. On the outside looking in, the Dodgers organization can almost look within the organization to fill the holes once the big-name stars leave. The Dodgers still have a line-up that features Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. With a pitching staff that has future hall-of-famer Clayton Kershaw. How people doubt the Dodgers’ power in this division with that kind of firepower seems laughable.

The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, at least to this point, are definitely on the way up. The Padres made a big blockbuster deal last year to get Juan Soto. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks’ crop of young players are simultaneously getting up to the majors and making their presence known. Corbin Carroll is a definite Rookie of the Year candidate-level player. The Padres have an All-Star filled line-up. Significant free-agent signings lead the way for them. The extension of Manny Machado to stay in San Diego makes it seem like the Padres want to be a force in the National League West. However, I don’t think this year is that year.

Verdict: Sell

The Oakland Athletics Will Break The Record for Most Loses

The modern era record for losses in a single season is 120, set by the New York Mets in 1962. To be that bad is usually not something you assume will happen when the season begins. These Oakland A’s entered the season with extremely slow expectations. Everyone knew they would finish fourth in the American League West and possibly last in baseball. Despite showing a small amount of promise, the A’s are one pace to win about a game a week. If that keeps up, the Athletics would only win 26 games.

To lose that many games, a number of things have to go wrong. All these things happening to a team that wins a record-breaking number in one season is difficult. Now imagine being on the wrong side of those breaks over 162 games. It doesn’t seem possible. Even with the A’s time in Oakland seeming to end soon, it begs the question, why? The A’s have done these rebuilds for years, the way of money ball not paying for the big ticket players, instead young talent that gets traded to replace them. Usually, the A’s remain slightly competitive, but not this time.

There are a few bright spots for this season for the A’s franchise. Mason Miller took a no-hitter into the 7th inning against the Seattle Mariners. Brent Rooker has been on a tear for them all month long. Will any of this change anything? It could probably make fans want to come to the ballpark and prove to the city that the fans of Oakland want baseball in the east bay.

Verdict: Sell

The Angels Finally Return to the Postseason

For the last handful of years or so, the narrative of the Los Angeles Angles are wasting Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout has become the calling cards of many of baseball’s most prominent writers and podcasters. Despite the faux attempts to sell the team, a botched stadium land deal, and a wrongful death lawsuit, it’s impressive that the team has remained even somewhat competitive.

Outside influences aside, the 2023 Angels have been okay so far. As of this article, they are a game behind the American West-leading Rangers. The roster the Angels have this season is the best they have had, possibly since the last playoff appearance in 2014. They finally have depth on the roster, plus a line-up when healthy is even more profound. The 18-14 record may not be the best in the sport, but it proves that despite the bullpen’s flaws, they can compete with the best on most nights.

The impending free agency of Ohtani puts added stress on the team to maintain a competitive edge all season and even deeper into October. The season is still incredibly young, and the team will have ups and downs. There have been more downs than ups but it is essential to keep things in perspective. Additions can be made that can improve the team, and players improve as the year progresses. Most importantly, they have Trout and Ohtani. With those two guys healthy and playing consistently, their team should always have a chance to win most games.

Verdict: Buy

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