Detroit Tigers v Oakland Athletics preview

I’ve kept quiet about my Oakland A’s throughout the regular season out of superstition but now it’s playoff time and here’s a look ahead to their massive 5-game series against Detroit, as penned by Robert White (who I’m told is no relation to Walter).  To offer some context for Pro12 rugby fans, this Detroit/Oakland rivalry is becoming a bit like Ospreys/Leinster.

The Detroit Tigers will travel to face the Oakland Athletics in a best-of-five series beginning on Friday Oct. 4 [live on BT Sport 1]

This series is a rematch of last year’s ALDS, as well as the 2006 ALCS, becoming somewhat of a playoff rivalry.

The Tigers were pushing for home field advantage throughout the playoffs in early September, but went 13-13, in the month, landing them in the 3^rd seed.

While the Tigers have had the Athletics’ number in the playoffs over recent years, this year Oakland could present a much more difficult task.

So how do the teams stack up?

The Tigers rank first in team batting average in the AL with .285, while the A’s come in at 9^th with .254. Detroit ranks second in runs scored with 796, while Oakland is right behind them in third with 758. With 186 home runs, Oakland sits in third place while Detroit is sixth with 176.

So offensively, the teams are pretty evenly matched, although experts would say the Tigers’ lineup overall is the one you would least want to face in all of baseball.

As far as pitching goes, the two teams are pretty even, again. The Tigers flaunt the MLB’s only 20-game winner in Max Scherzer (21), while Oakland’s ace is veteran Bartolo Colon (18-6, 2.65 ERA).

Detroit’s Anibal Sanchez owns the AL’s best ERA of 2.57.

Both teams have solid closers. Oakland’s Grant Balfour is 38-for-41, while Detroit’s Joaquin Benoit is 24-for-26.

As a whole, the A’s have a second-place 3.58 ERA with the Tigers right behind them at 3.63.

Where the Tigers’ staff holds a clear advantage is strikeouts. With an MLB-best 1,415 K’s, that could pay dividends for Detroit, as Oakland batters have 1,169 strikeouts on the year.

But, enough stats, already. Let’s look at the storylines in this series.

One of the biggest questions going into the playoffs is who will be in the Tigers rotation. Sure, Justin Verlander has had a down year, but he hasn’t been “terrible,” like many people have been saying. He’s 13-12, which isn’t his typical Cy-Young-worthy record, but he still deserves to have a spot in the rotation.

It will be interesting to see what Jim Leyland does, but probably the most logical rotation would be Scherzer and Sanchez in Oakland, then Verlander in Game 3 (JV doesn’t lose too many postseason home games – 4-0 in last two seasons) and Doug Fister in Game 4.

That leaves them with the choice of using Rick Porcello in long-relief bullpen situations, or even saving him for Game 5 if needed.

As for the A’s rotation, it looks like they, too, will likely go with a four-man rotation of Colon, A.J. Griffin, Jarrod Parker and Dan Straily, with Tommy Millone bolstering the bullpen.

And then we’ve got Jhonny Peralta. He sat out fifty games after being suspended for violating the league’s PED policy. Detroit was able to find a good replacement for him in Jose Iglesias, but now that Peralta’s back – going 3-for-12 with an RBI in three-game series at Miami– Leyland won’t want to miss out on his potential.

So he’s keeping Iglesias at shortstop and putting Peralta in left field. While they will be missing out on talent from youngsters Matt Tuiasosopo and Andy Dirks, the Tigers will have some good bats to go to in pinch-hitting situations.

Yoenis Cespedes has had a bit of a sophomore slump this year, batting just .240 with 80 RBI, but he was one of Oakland’s leaders in last year’s series, batting .316 with two RBI. He will be key if the A’s want to succeed in this series.

As for the Tigers’ leader, Miguel Cabrera is coming off his third-straight batting title, and he will be looking for redemption. He batted just .265 last postseason and capped it off with a looking strikeout in Game 4 of the World Series.

The Tigers went 5-5 in their last 10 games, and got no-hit by Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez in the final game of the season. While this may cause concern for a lot of people, keep in mind that they were resting most of the big names, as they had already clinched the Central Division.

Expect both teams to come out gunning. Both teams are starving for a World Series title, and both feel like they can pull it off this October. Oakland has gone 24 years without a crow, while Detroit has been waiting 29 years.

Both teams have the potential to make a run at it, but both teams also have the potential to fall flat. The Tigers haven’t quite lived up to the expectations that were given to them. They were supposed to be the dominant force in baseball over the last two seasons. And they have certainly showed signs of it, but they’ve also showed signs of being a little subpar.

While they do likely have the MVP and Cy Young winners, they could easily hit a slump like they had in May, losing 8 of 12 games. Or they could be more like the team that won 12 straight in August.

Which one will show up? It will obviously depend on Cabrera and Fielder at the plate and Scherzer and Verlander on the bump. But the guys that will play a big role will be the guys like leadoff hitter Austin Jackson and role players Omar Infante and Don Kelly.

The bullpen will also be key. They’ll be hoping for Jose Veras (acquired at the trade deadline) to finally settle in, as well as guys like Drew Smyly and Al Alburquerque to be the reliable relievers they’re supposed to be.

This will be an intense, entertaining series (as most are in October). It’s actually quite up in the air. It could go either way. It doesn’t look like there’s a clear favorite. The Tigers have owned the A’s in the postseason, but the A’s owned the Tigers in 2013 – sort of (4-3 in favor of Oakland, outscoring Detroit 36-33).

Any baseball fan is in for a treat with this one, however. This one will start October off with a bang.

Be sure to check out other great articles at isportsweb.

49ers face mounting issues

It hasn’t been the start for the 49ers we were expecting to say the very least…

Author : Adrian Glover

For the San Francisco 49ers, it was all good two weeks ago after they pummeled the Green Bay Packers.  Their feel-good aura has changed with the quickness now that  they are staring at a 1-2 record and a growing list of internal issues.

On Sunday the Indianapolis Colts dealt them what felt like a surprising 27-7 loss.

It was the second consecutive thrashing in a row at the hands of a quality team.

Pass rushing specialist Aldon Smith has been a distraction with his personal issues which may have impacted the locker room.

Moments after the game, the team announced that Smith will be taking an indefinite leave of absence.

From the football perspective, Smith’s exodus does nothing but hurt a team that relies on him for the bulk of their pass rush.

His mounting incidents that always include either drugs and/or alcohol as a primary charge, have caught up to him and subsequently the team’s imposing defense.

After Sunday’s shellacking, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that running back Frank Gore is angry with coach Jim Harbaugh for the lack of attention that he was shown on Sunday’s gameplan.

Gore only received 13 total touches yet was only one of the few 49ers that showed up to play with over 100 yards in total production.

Did Harbaugh and his staff drop the ball?

RB Frank Gore was angry at Jim Harbaugh at the end of the game. For good reason. He had only 4 touches in the second half.

— Kevin Lynch (@klynch49) September 23, 2013

Just for clarity, RB Frank Gore had choice words for Jim Harbaugh near the end of the game, as Gore was heading out to the field.

— Kevin Lynch (@klynch49) September 23, 2013

Harbaugh is a quarterbacks guru that has pushed his team in the direction of slinging the ball around in lieu of the ground attack that has been their staple for some times.

Colin Kapernick is a much more exciting signal caller than Alex Smith ever will be.

However, at some point a team needs to shift into another gear if a certain style of play if things are not working out for them.

My suspicion is that it meant a lot to Harbaugh to beat his former pupil Andrew Luck with Kaepernick firmly at the helm.

If that is the case, ego paved the way for this defeat as it very well may have against the Seahawks during their Week 2 loss to his college/pro adversary Pete Carroll.

After the game, Harbaugh gave the media which included the San Francisco Gate, a very pointed and direct answer as to what they team must do to fix their current state of affairs.

“We have no choice,” Harbaugh said. “No choice but to find our way.”

Harbaugh has the challenge of a lifetime on his hands as he loses both momentum and key players with each passing contest.

Starting wideout Michael Crabtree is currently out. Tight end Vernon Davis did not play on Sunday. Defensive captain/middle linebacker Patrick Willis left Sunday’s game with a groin injury.

It seems like a good time for the 49ers to take a step back, run the ball and try to chew up as much clock as possible on Thursday when they face the St. Louis Rams who are another talented team on a skid.

Harbaugh definitely needs to tweak his master plan.

The post San Francisco 49ers face mounting issues as Frank Gore takes on Jim Harbaugh appeared first on Players View.

 

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NFL Week 2 recap

The latest news from the NFL in 1000 words or less…

Top Games

The NFL’s Week 2 featured several high-profile matchups, headed up by the “Manning Bowl,” and an NFC West matchup between the 49ers and Seahawks. Brothers Peyton and Eli Manning met for the third time when Peyton’s Broncos traveled cross-country to take on Eli’s Giants in New Jersey. Older brother Peyton continued his dominance over Eli, leading Denver to a convincing 41-23 victory, making him 3-0 in games versus his younger sibling. Eli outgained Peyton in yardage, piling up 362 yards to Peyton’s 307, but the Broncos intercepted Eli four times, blowing open what had been a close 10-9 halftime lead. The Giants are now 0-2, while Denver remains undefeated at 2-0.

San Francisco had to deal with a hostile and deafening Seattle home crowd, an hour’s delay due to thunderstorms, and a Seahawk defense which pretty much dictated the tempo of the contest from the start. Neither QB (SF’s Colin Kaepernick, Seattle’s Russell Wilson) performed as expected, but Wilson’s teammates, especially defensively, were thoroughly dominant, intercepting Kaepernick three times, forcing two fumbles, and limiting Anquan Boldin to one reception (for 7 yards) less than a week after the new 49er latched onto 13 balls in the season opening win over Green Bay. Seattle RB Marshawn Lynch rushed for 98 yards, scoring 3 TDs in the 29-3 win, elevating the Seahawks to 2-0 while the ‘Niners fell to 1-1.

Probably the biggest surprise of Week 2 occurred in Philadelphia when San Diego “out-offensed” Chip Kelly’s Eagles to come away with a rare 33-30 East Coast victory. QB Philip Rivers threw for 419 yards and 3 TDs as the Chargers rolled up 539 yards, offsetting a sterling performance by Philadelphia QB Michael Vick (24-37, 428 yards). San Diego more than held their own against Kelly’s up-tempo attack, while Rivers and the offense more than doubled up Philadelphia in time of possession. Both teams are now 1-1. There were also several nail-biters across the league, including Houston’s overtime win over Tennessee, Buffalo’s last-second comeback over Carolina, New Orleans’ last-play FG win over Tampa Bay, the Chiefs one-point victory over Dallas, and Chicago’s 31-30 come-from-behind win over Minnesota.

Top Performances

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers joined Vick and Rivers in the week’s “400+” club by rolling up 480 yards and 4 TDs against Washington, while Doug Martin of the Bucs rushed for a week’s best 144 yards in a losing effort against the Saints.

Week 2?s top receivers were the “JJ” boys, Julio Jones of Atlanta and James Jones of the Packers with each hauling in 11 receptions, while Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson gained 193 yards on 9 catches in the loss to San Diego.

Rookie QB EJ Manuel of Buffalo overcame a mediocre start to lead the Bills on a last-minute game-winning drive, while rookie WR DeAndre Hopkins hauled in the game-winner in Houston’s OT victory over Tennessee.

Defensively, Buffalo’s Mario Williams recorded 4.5 sacks in the Bills’ win over Carolina, while Atlanta’s Osi Umenyiora, Chicago’s Tim Jennings, Tennessee’s Alterraun Verner, Detroit’s DeAndre Levy and Tampa’s Mason Foster all returned interceptions for TDs.

Additionally, Minnesota’s Cordarrelle Patterson ran the opening kickoff back 105 yards and Denver’s Trindon Holliday returned a punt 81 yards for scores.

Top Stories

Overall, Week Two’s top stories were Seattle’s thrashing of the 49ers, Peyton Manning improving to 3-0 versus brother Eli, San Diego’s offensive fireworks versus the Eagles, New England’s inefficiency at wide receiver, Green Bay’s convincing “bounce-back” thrashing of the Redskins, RBs Ray Rice and Reggie Bush’s injuries, and the continuing controversial new guidelines for helmet-to-helmet hits on defenseless players.

Teams already facing almost “must-win” situations heading into Week Three include the New York Giants, Pittsburgh, Washington, Minnesota and Carolina, while the woes continue in Jacksonville, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. The Giants, Steelers, Redskins, Vikings and Panthers are all 0-2, with Minnesota and Carolina both the victims of last-minute (or less) collapses in each of their first two games after seemingly having victory well in hand. Carolina, in particular, continues their disturbing penchant for late-game failures, placing third-year head coach Ron Rivera squarely on the proverbial hot seat. Their Sunday home contest with the Giants promises to be one of Week 3?s more “at stake” games, with the loser definitely putting themselves in a less than enviable position for the rest of the season. In fact, all the winless teams have a steep climb, since only 12% of teams starting out with an 0-2 W-L mark have advanced to the postseason since the NFL added “wild cards” to their playoff template.

Pittsburgh’s loss to Cincinnati on Monday night only affirmed the serious issues they have offensively, while in the nation’s capital, it’s obvious that RG III isn’t anywhere near the player he was in 2012. Griffin’s problem appears to be more mental than physical, which is understandable following the serious knee injury he suffered. It appears that Adrian Peterson’s remarkable 2012 comeback from a similar injury may have been the exception rather than the rule.

Speaking of the Vikings, their passing attack falls far short of providing balance for Peterson’s efforts, leading to speculation that Christian Ponder’s time as starter at QB may be on borrowed time, with Matt Cassell waiting in the wings.

This article was written by Don Phan, an online marketing specialist with Fanatics Inc. He works on Fanatics’ flagship brand FansEdge, who sells licensed sports merchandise of professional and collegiate teams and players.

Anquan Boldin Dazzles in Debut With 49ers

“Caepernick to Boldin” doesn’t roll off the tongue like “Montana to Rice”.  But who cares if you’re a Niners fan?

By: Rich Bergeron

Anquan Boldin's trade to the San Francisco 49ers is working out just fine for the veteran wide receiver coming over from the Baltimore Ravens. Looking back on Boldin's dominance after the final whistle of his week one Niners debut, if Joe Flacco was watching, he must have been weeping in his Wheaties.

Meanwhile, Colin Kaepernick (27-39 for 412 yds., 3 TDs in week one) rejoiced in his good fortune in obtaining a new high value target. He threw more than half of his total yards through the air on Sunday to Boldin. The new fixture in the 49ers receiving corps caught 13 passes Sunday for 208 yards and a touchdown.

A trade between the Harbaugh brothers sent Boldin from John's Ravens to Jim's Niners after the two butted coaching heads at last year's Superbowl. As John watched his own team get blasted by Peyton Manning's passing attack Thursday, he must have realized the void left by the absence of Boldin. None of Joe Flacco's receivers managed even half as many yards as Boldin in week one. The close calls and long yardage third downs Boldin was famous for converting into first downs made Baltimore's Superbowl run possible last season. Without their star receiver, they could barely compete with the AFC Superbowl Favorite Denver Broncos.

The Ravens simply didn't know what they had, and they also couldn't possibly understand how much Boldin would strengthen San Francisco's offense. Their gamble that Boldin was slowing down and getting old turned out to be a huge disappointment.

Boldin's one-handed circus catching ability is a perfect match for Kaepernick's throwing style, and his presence is guaranteed to improve the third-down conversion rate for the Niners. Kaepernick will also benefit from Boldin's prowess by not having to resort to running the ball himself so much. Week one saw Kaepernick scamper for just 22 yards on 7 attempts.

Boldin's fantasy football owners are kicking themselves Monday morning if they left Boldin on the bench Sunday afternoon. He proved all his doubters wrong with a strong showing in adapting to his new squad. No single player in the league who left one team to join another made the difference that Boldin made this week. Wes Welker's departure obviously hurt New England and helped Denver, but the Patriots still managed to eke out a win without him. Baltimore seemed to lack an offensive identity without Boldin while the 49ers looked to be building a new identity for a much more powerful passing game than their opponents are used to seeing.

Boldin will only continue to improve as the weeks roll on and Kaepernick grows more and more confident that wherever he throws it, Boldin can reach it. He shakes up an already-daunting offense that came within a whisker of winning it all last year in Kapernick's first season as a starting QB. If week one is any indication of how Boldin will help this team, 49ers fans should start planning their Superbowl parties now.

Things That Need to Change in the NFL

In this latest HarpinOnUSA offering a Steelers fan reckons gridiron can learn a bit from rugby…

As yet another season of exciting NFL action bears down on us, (and the drive for ring number seven begins anew for our beloved Pittsburgh Steelers), I thought I would take a minute and touch on a few things not to like about the NFL.

Not to reduce our fervor and love for the game, but to remind ourselves that the game is not perfect, and things can always be improved.

1. Instant Replay

The instant replay system is a joke. I hate it. I hate that coaches have to do something to ensure calls are right. The refs (and the NFL) should want the calls right. I hate that coaches can lose time outs based on a bad call by a ref.

And I find it abhorrent that Major League Baseball is adopting a similar system.

People say, “Well, the refs on the field have to make the call.” Why? Why does that particular guy have to walk over to a booth and make the call.?

Several years ago I was living in England and happened to turn on a rugby game. Although I understood not one thing about the game, I saw something that I found very insightful.

They had an official, a trained replay official, in the booth who would review every scoring play automatically. Additionally, he had control of the scoreboard, so if he thought a play was questionable, he could signal the refs on the field that he wanted to review the play.

He would review the play, and then post his determination of the outcome on the scoreboard. Apparently, they have a scoring play called a “try,” so when the home team scored, the word “TRY” appeared on the screen and the crowd went nuts.

At the speed of the NFL, and how hard it is to make calls on the field, why can we not do this? Why does the coach have to tell the refs they messed something up?

Thankfully, the NFL has made all turnovers and scoring plays automatically reviewed, but why have anything in the hands of the coaches?

The good news is that the NFL is slowly moving towards taking this responsibility out of the coaches’ hands. We should all be thankful for that.

2. Pre-season

Honestly, what is the point of this? I really don’t know. People tell me it’s to get in “football shape” and evaluate the players who are on the fringes of making the team.

Fair enough, but four games? That seems very excessive. (And to think they used to play six of these games every year!)

On top of the pointlessness of the pre-season, how many players suffer season ending injuries in the pre-season? (Our own rookie RB Le’veon Bell may be out for 6-8 weeks because of an injury sustained during a pre-season game.)

The thing about the pre-season is that it is a money grab for the owners, plain and simple. If you want to buy season tickets for a team, you are forced to buy not eight, but 10 tickets, two of which are for pre-season games, at regular season ticket prices!

The owners are making billions of dollars and the still want more..

I heard on local sports talk radio recently that the coaches need four games to pick their 53-man teams. Really? Is it that close that two games wouldn’t do it? You need what amounts to another quarter of a football season to determine who your third string linebacker is going to be?

One can only hope that in the next collective bargaining agreement, the players will succeed in getting this abomination killed off for good.

(As an aside, if we are going to have the pre-season, why do teams kick field goals in the pre-season that are shorter than thirty yards? Couldn’t your offense use that extra down to practice plays inside the opponent’s 20? Does your kicking team really need to practice chip-shot field goals? Who cares if you win or lose the game? It’s a freaking pre-season game! Practice the things you really need to practice, coaches!)

3. The Pro Bowl

What a piece of crap this game has become. It is far and away the worst “All Star Game” of the four major sports in this country.

All the boredom of the second half of a pre-season game, and all the effort of a bunch of guys not wanting to get hurt.

Let’s be clear, I totally understand why the players don’t actually play during the Pro Bowl, but that raises the question, why bother? I’m starting to think the game would actually be more entertaining if they played 7-on-7 flag football.

As the NFL has proven time and again, if there is any way they can keep the attention on them, they have done and will do it.

I say have the Pro Bowl selections and leave it at that. Don’t even bother playing the game.

4. Legislating the game

Football is a dangerous game. Men running at other men as fast as they can is not a natural act.

It’s not that I’m against protecting the players, but at some point don’t we have to tell the people making the rules, “If you want to have this game, you need to understand that the game is inherently dangerous and players could be hurt, possibly severely”?

Where is it going to end? I mean, quarterbacks are protected almost to the point that if you look at them cross-eyed, you can be flagged. (Except if their name is Ben Roethlisberger, seemingly).

I’m not crass enough to say that the only reason the game is popular is because of the brutality of it, but that has to play a part, doesn’t it? Isn’t it the same reason boxing was popular in the past and MMA is popular now?

Moreover, at the speeds at which these guys are moving, it is nearly impossible to not hurt each other on occasion.

If there is one thing we can learn from the government, it’s that having more laws rarely makes a situation better.

5. Overtime

I have to say that the way it is now is better than it was. It was a virtual certainty that if you won the coin toss, you won the game. Now, at least you have a fighting chance if you lose the toss.

But, why can they not just play another set amount of time, say eight minutes. Play eight more minutes. Whomever is in the lead at the end of that eight minutes wins. Then, go to something like what they have now. If the other team wins the coin toss, elects to receive, and puts an eight minute drive on you to win the game, you deserve to lose.

I would much rather have the entire team determine the outcome of a game than some random drop of a coin or an odd bounce of a ball.

6. Personal seat licences

I can’t begin to imagine why people pay this. And, I can’t figure out what is more horrifying: That someone thought people would fall for this, or that people actually have.

Basically, a PSL is a fee you pay that entitles you buy season tickets for your favorite team.

I’m not kidding! You have a pay to have the right to buy season tickets! This is far and away one of the most egregious, arrogant, obscene things it has ever been my sorry privilege to witness.

Talk about a money grab! Why not simply charge double for the season tickets and admit you are fleecing your fans?!

The fact that anyone would not have a problem with this is a testament to how much we love this damn game and are willing to bend over and take it up the behind to attend it.

This is my personal plea to anyone within the sound of my voice who has the power to abolish this disgusting practice, please do so immediately.

7. Bye week before the Super Bowl

Again, this is a ploy by the NFL to keep football in the public eye as long as possible and it quite possibly one of the most aggravating things about the Super Bowl.

Having to wait an extra week, while you listen to a barrage of talking heads debate everything about the upcoming big game is just so very irritating! By the time the game finally rolls around, I’ve gotten so tired of listening to people talk about it that I practically stopped watching TV just to escape the cacophony.

The only thing I can think of that is more tedious is how ESPN devotes every minute of programming from the moment the Super Bowl Ends until the middle of June to basketball. I’m a simple kid from Western PA. I don’t care about basketball and I really never did. To watch wall to wall coverage of basketball while sports like hockey and baseball are virtually ignored is just sad. It is for this reason that I do not watch or listen to ESPN for that four-month span. There’s just no point. They are not showing anything I care about.

Back on the subject of the Super Bowl bye week, Commissioner Goodell, please do us all a favor and play the damn game the Sunday after the conference championship games.

8. Joe Namath

Haven’t we had enough of this clown? He’s about 40 years past relevant, and even 40 years ago, he wasn’t that relevant.

When he’s not drunk and hitting on sideline reporters, he’s offering his “insight” on the game, a game which he has not played or coached in several decades!

Namath is famous for one thing. He guaranteed a Super Bowl win and then his team won. He really didn’t contribute anything to the win. His defense held an 18-point favorite in the Baltimore Colts to seven points. Namath was an afterthought, really, but somehow rode a 17-for-28, 205 passing yard performance to a Super Bowl MVP and a Hall of Fame induction.

Look up Namath’s stats once. Is he really deserving of the adulation heaped on him? He is the only quarterback in the Hall with more interceptions than touchdowns. He has an abysmal career completion percentage of 50.1%, and he only played in 140 games (or what, today, would be about nine seasons). By way of comparison, Tony Romo has played in 121 games, has a completion percentage of 64.7, and 177 touchdowns against 91 picks. Is Romo a Hall of Famer? Hardly, but I would take Romo over Namath in his prime.

I hate to bang on a fellow Western Pennsylvanian, but Namath used up his 15 minutes of fame getting into the Hall of Fame. He shouldn’t be there, and he certainly shouldn’t be someone we are interested in now.

To quote the hilarious Pittsburgher, Dennis Miller, “Of course, that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong.”

Author : Matt Pappas

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Takeaways from Niners vs. Vikings

NFL regular season draws closer and Robert White looks at the 49ers’ latest outing…

Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers’ defense continue to shine as they beat the Minnesota Vikings 34-14 in week 3 of the preseason.  Kaepernick started a bit slow but ended his night going a perfect six for six on an eleven play drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Quinton Patton.  The 49ers defense looked as stingy as ever creating a fumble on the Vikings’ first offensive possession and allowing only 214 total yards, granted that Adrian Peterson only played a couple snaps and had zero carries.   The third game of the preseason is usually the one where the starters get the most reps and the fans and media get a more detailed sense of who is going to make the team of the guys that are on the bubble.

Colt McCoy works better under pressure:

McCoy struggled mightily in the first couple of of games so the 49ers signed veteran Seneca Wallace to compete for the backup role earlier in the week.  McCoy responding by having his best game going 11-15 for 109 yards and one interception.  McCoy also orchestrated a 10 play drive that resulted in a touchdown for the 49ers.  After the game Jim Harbaugh told reporters that he would be comfortable with McCoy being the backup quarterback.

Baldwin acquisition already paying off:

Jon Baldwin, the newest wide receiver for the 49ers (who was acquired in exchange for A. J. Jenkins) has already doubled Jenkins’ level of production this preseason with his first two catches in a niners uniform including a 19 yard grab.  It may not seem like anything spectacular but considering what Jenkins has done or not done, Baldwin’s good star is a positive.

Defense dominates:

Rookie safety, Eric Reid was tested immediately in his first start with a play-action pass play to Greg Jennings.  Although the pass was a bit overthrown, Reid was with Jennings step by step providing excellent coverage.  After the game, coach Harbaugh said that Reid is someone who continues to get better.

Justin Smith continues to dominate the line of scrimmage for the 49ers pressuring Christian Ponder on seemingly every play.  Smith also contributed with an impressive tackle for loss in the Viking backfield.

Linebackers Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks created havoc on the opening drive teaming up for to create and recover a fumble.  The secondary also created a turnover with a Tramaine Brock interception.

You can go from being praised to being yelled out relatively fast:

The highlight of the night belong to Lavelle Hawkins who returned a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.  He was later flagged a couple of times for taunting when he pointed the ball at one of the opposing players while he was running toward the end zone and for taking his helmet off after he scored.  Harbaugh chewed him out instantly.  Although Hawkins is probably embarrassed, the entire ordeal was pretty fun to watch.

Be sure to check out other great articles at isportsweb.

NFC Bold Predictions

When I’m not following Leinster & Ireland rugby I try to keep tabs on my favourite US sports teams from the Bay Area in California…

I know some rugby fans like to play Fantasy NFL so here’s an article I found on my 49ers’ conference…

Well, well, well, here we are in the preseason with no regular season games played, but we all want Fantasy Football SO BAD. And we all love some bold predictions to laugh about, make fun of, and agree with, so lets go! Note: some of these might not be super "bold" but, are not expected to happen in the fantasy world by most analyst.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: Tony Gonzalez finishes outside the top 12 Tight Ends. Why? His touchdowns will decrease with the addition of Steven Jackson, and he is 37....

New Orleans Saints: This is the top 25 RB year for Pierre Thomas! In the past, the Saints have given every opportunity to succeed to former first round pick Mark Ingram. This year, the Saints want to establish the run to help Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas is their guy being listed #1 on their current depth chart.

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton is fantasy's #1 QB. Now I know what you are thinking, that I am insane, but all Cam Newton had to do last season was throw for 24 touchdowns last season instead of 19. I don't know about you, but that seems quite possible to me.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rookie Mike Glennon Scores more fantasy points than Josh Freeman. If Freeman stays inconsistent and loses games, the team may turn to the rookie Glennon, an efficient passer from NC State

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo finishes as fantasy's number 5 QB. Behind Rodgers, Brees, Newton, and Manning, there is an open spot at the number five slot that could be filled by Romo. Why? He will have a very good Dez Bryant all season, along with Miles Austin, Jason Witten, and second round pick TE Gavin Escobar. The run game improves with DeMarco Murray AND Joseph Randle, & the Cowboys have a favorable fantasy schedule.

New York Giants: Eli Manning is a top-7 fantasy quarterback. If you take away the three weeks that Eli had a "Dead Arm" he averages 16.9 Points Per Week good for fantasy's number 7 QB

Philadelphia Eagles: Inconsistent passing from Michael Vick/Nick Foles and heavy running leads DeSean Jackson to finish outside the top-40 WR.

Washington Redskins: Alfred Morris catches 40 balls this season. After last season's 11 catch season, all Morris has been working on in the off season is his pass catching ability and that can show up this season.

NFC North

Chicago Bears: Alshon Jeffrey scores double digit Touchdowns. At 6"3 216 pounds, he is a big rezone threat on a team that has Brandon Marshall for defenses to worry about. Also he is fully healthy after last year's nagging knee problems.

Detroit Lions: Reggie Bush finishes with more catches than Darren Sproles. How? Last season, Lions running backs had 97 receptions, and Reggie Bush should have almost all of those receptions. Last season Darren Sproles finished with 75 receptions.

Green Bay Packers: Jermichael Finley emerges from the group of shady TE 2's to rise to a top 7 tight end. The reason that he will do this is touchdowns. Last season, he only had 2 touchdowns. If he could go back to his 2011 TD numbers (8) he would score 108 points making him fantasy's #5 tight end.

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson rushes for 2,000 yards again, becoming the first to go back-to-back 2,000 yard seasons. He does this for one reason, health. It's seems like everybody forgot that he did this with an injured ACL throughout the season. With a healthy knee for the whole season, who knows what he can do! (He could even eclipse the 2,500 yard mark he predicted.)

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: Rashard Mendenhall scores 12+ TDs. Last season, Cardinals running backs had 9 TDs with John Skeleton and Ryan Lindley running the show. With Carson Palmer, the Cardinals offense should be much better and Mendenhall will get the goal-line carries.

Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks D/ST finishes outside the top-7. Remember when the 49ers defense was drafted #1 last season and was destined for greatness? They finished number 8 in scoring among defenses. That's just another reason to not draft defenses early.

St Louis Rams: The St. Louis Rams live up to the name the "Greatest Show on Turf" and Sam Bradford is a top-10 QB. You've heard this story before. He finally has a good LT in Jake Long, and he is surrounded by good weapons for the first time in his career. Bradford has rookie Tavon Austin to dump the ball off to and watch him get yards after the catch. He has super athletic tight end Jared Cook to pass to and receivers Brian Quick and Chris Givens should improve this season.

San Francisco 49ers: Running back LaMichael James outscores Frank Gore. Gore has been the 49ers workhorse running back, and just turned 30 in May. This season will be the year that Frank the Tank breaks down and LaMichael James will capitalize on the opportunity to start in the 49ers backfield.

Well, that's it, hope you were entertained, and maybe you learned a thing or two!

Author : Keith Lott

Check out other great articles at We Talk Fantasy Sports.

4 reasons Oakland will win the AL West

When I’m not following Leinster & Ireland rugby I try to keep tabs on my favourite US sports teams from the Bay Area in California…

Here’s the first of two I found for this Sunday…

Even though the Oakland Athletics are a half game back from the AL West leaders, the Texas Rangers, A’s still have a fairly good chance of winning  the AL West. The Athletics have a few tricks up their sleeve that will help them during the final countdown to the postseason, and they will ultimately squeak by the Rangers.

Young Team, More Energy

Nate Freiman

Let’s face it – compared to the Athletics, the Rangers are an old team who are known for choking. They could not compete with the young pitching of the San Francisco Giants in the 2010 World Series, they choked in the 2011 World Series, and they floundered in September of the 2012 season.  It is clear that these past three years have deflated the Rangers’ confidence. This paves the way for the younger team to take the AL West in 2013.

Additionally, the Athletics are known for having that late season spark. In August and September of 2002, the Athletics won 20-straight games and ended with a 103-59 record. Then in 2012, the Athletics overcame a five game deficit to win the AL West in less than 10 games. After having one of the best first halves the Oakland Athletics have had in while, the A’s rookies have kept the energy high for the second half of the season.

Ultimately, the lineup is already heating up. Josh Reddick has snapped out of his slump with five home runs in two games last week, and Nate Freiman has a .360 ERA for the past ten games which includes nine hits and one home run. It seems as though the late season spark has just begun.

Pitching

Currently, the Oakland Athletics are 8th in the MLB for overall ERA with a 3.61 and 3rd when it comes to WHIP. The A’s currently have a 1.20 average WHIP. This bullpen is definitely one of the best in the AL West. Even though they lost Brett Anderson to an injury and had Tommy Milone designated to Triple-A, the Athletics pitching has been solid with glimpses of brilliance.

Grant Balfour

There are three A’s pitchers that have certainly carried the bullpen. Bartolo Colon, Grant Balfour, and Sonny Gray have set the bar high for the Athletics’ pitching rotation. At 40-years-old, Colon had a win streak that lasted from May 9th to July 3rd and was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for June. Closer Grant Balfour has 31 saves out of 32 chances this season, and was on the American League All-Star team. Late addition Sonny Gray was brought up from Triple-A mid-season and has proven that he was meant to pitch in the MLB. Gray has a 1.00 ERA with a 0.83 WHIP in 18 innings pitched. Even though these pitchers are definitely the stars of the bullpen this year, the Athletics’ pitching has been strong and consistent overall.

Mid-Season Additions

The Athletics made some clutch changes to their lineup and bullpen half way through the season. Even though these changes showed little effect in the beginning, it is now clear that these changes are benefiting the Athletics. The key changes were moving Sonny Gray up from Triple-A and acquiring Alberto Callaspo.

Alberto Callaspo came to the Athletics dugout just before the trade deadline. Even though he was initially seen as a bonus to the A’s lineup, he has become a familiar member to the lineup after multiple Athletics acquired injuries within the span on a couple weeks. With a solid .249 ERA and .323 OBP, Callaspo has been a consistent player for the Athletics.

Sonny Gray was the bright light when he came in as a mid-game reliever in late July in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gray pitched two scoreless innings, but was sent back to Triple-A shortly after. This was just a taste of the talent Gray would bring to the A’s bullpen. Then in August, Gray made his first MLB start. He was able to strike out five over six strong innings.

Gray earned his first major league win on August 16th when he threw 118 pitchers over eight innings. Gray was able to strikeout nine and only allowed four hits. With Gray now a regular in the pitching rotation, the Athletics have a great chance of taking the AL West.

Schedule

While the AL West leaders the Texas Rangers play 16 games against teams with a .500 record or higher throughout September, the A’s play only seven games against teams with a .500 or higher record. Additionally, the Athletics have home field advantage in more than half of the games they will play in September. This could not only boost them ahead of the Rangers, but could help provide a repeat of the 2002 season.

The stars seem to be aligned for this underdog team. With about six weeks left in the season, the Athletics have plenty of time to surpass the Rangers in order to win the AL West.

Author : Robert White

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What Peyton Hillis could do for the Buccaneers

This latest in our series of articles on US Sports has been penned by Irishman Conor Philpott…

Peyton Hillis is a bit of a divisive figure. After a superb 2010 season, where he ran for over 1100 yards and had 13 total Touchdowns Hillis has struggled. The former Madden Cover star has had his fair share of injuries and a lengthy contract dispute with the Cleveland Browns. That dispute saw him anger former teammate Joe Thomas, who derided Hillis for putting himself above the team. Some of his “injuries” were questioned by media, fans and teammates as Hillis worked to try and up the Browns offer for a new deal following the 2010 season, I think it would be fair to say that Hillis’ head was all over the place in the 2011 season, maybe he believed in some of his own hype but there was no doubt the guy had issues.

His most noticeable and strange event was probably the CIA story. Yes Hillis apparently contemplated retiring from the NFL and working for the CIA. Hillis became a free agent for the 2012 season and signed with the Chiefs for a year. You could argue the media gave him something of a raw deal and possibly made too much of some of his shenanigans but I think some of the reaction from his teammates probably says more than I could. Perhaps this has changed during his time in Kansas as Hillis was a backup with Jamaal Charles taking most of the carries and doing it incredibly well. Adrian Peterson’s superhuman performances off the back of his ACL/MCL injury deservedly took the plaudits but Charles’ season on the way back from an ACL tear was also incredibly good. He finished the season with over 1500 yards rushing and 236 yards receiving. Hillis’ injury record and abrasive style is likely to see him negated to a backup role for the rest of his career but the best NFL teams have depth at every position with running back depth being key. Last year the Bucs were heavily reliant on Doug Martin with perhaps a lack of trust and faith in LeGarette Blount and DJ Ware not offering much in the rushing department. If the team want Doug Martin to be a top player for years to come then they need to give him some rest. They drafted Mike James from Miami and signed Brian Leonard, a similar player to Hillis to help out Martin. I can’t see both Hillis and Leonard surviving to make the 53.

Anyway on to Hillis, I’ve looked at some youtube clips of some Hillis runs, it’s probably a bit clichéd at this point to liken him to former Buccaneer great Mike Alstott but he would remind me very much of Alstott. If you can get him to the second level then watch out! Not many defensive backs will want to tackle him or even be able to tackle him! While Hillis is of course powerful I was impressed by some of his nimbleness and athleticism. He seems to have decent hands and much like Blount he has shown the ability to hurdle! What people expect with a lot of big power type runners like Hillis is for them to more or less run exclusively “up the gut” mainly between the A or B gaps between the guards and the centres. Hillis is capable of doing that and does it very well but what I found interesting is that the Browns also tried to use him outside a lot too (I will give credit where it’s due, the superb NFL twitter account NFLosophy spotted this first and that thought gave me the idea to look into some of Hillis’ works,  an account certainly worth a follow! https://twitter.com/NFLosophy). I’m going to look at a few Hillis runs from his time with the Browns and Chiefs  and try  do a brief evaluation of him (I will note that this is my first time having a go at something like this, and I have never played American football so if you want to pull me up on something go ahead you’re more than likely correct!)

The Browns line up with the 3 WRs and a sole RB in the backfield (Hillis). On the line they have the usual suspects (LT,LG,C,RG,RT) along with a TE outside the right tackles. The lines indicate who each person is blocking. The left tackle is taking the right defensive end, the left guard is taking a linebacker, the centre has a defensive tackle, the right guard is taking the other inside linebacker with the tackle taking a defensive end and the Tight End takes an Outside linebacker. The Browns blocking is extremely effective and they create a massive role for Hillis to run into. Much like Alstott, Hillis is dangerous when he gets to the second level,Hillis is given a sizable gap courtesy of his right guard and centre and he goes through, the linebackers are taken care of and he will pick up a decent gain.  He goes 12 yards before hurdling a defender and picking up about a 15 yard gain. That small play confirmed the fact that Hillis can do a lot when he has some space and I also think it proves how crucial a role blocking has in making him look good. He is in a bit like Blount in that regard if you can give him that initial bit of space he will make something of it but the offensive line will need to be consistently winning in the trenches in order for him to have a productive day.

The next image is from a Thursday Night football game last season when Hillis was with the Chiefs. I’m going to put particular focus on the left side of the offensive line (in this case the centre, left guard and left tackle). Shaun Phillips of the Chargers, (circled in green) lines up opposite the left tackle, however he rushes inside trying to cause confusion between the Guard and centre. The guard is initially set up to block Aubrayo Franklin with the centre taking linebacker Butler. However Phillips’ rush  inside works. Left tackle Branden Albert perhaps caught off guard by the move is unable to deal with Phillips, causing the guard to try and stop Phillips in his tracks. The centre is still going to block middle linebacker Donald Butler, which leaves Arubayo Franklin unblocked. In the next shot, circled in orange is Phillips (with the guard trying to block him) and circled in black is Franklin with his path to Hillis and Hillis’ intended running spot is also highlighted.

As expected Franklin has pretty much a clean shot at Hillis. I think we see some of the potential of Hillis in this play however. He is hit initially three yards behind the line of scrimmage by Franklin but manages to rumble on.

Eric Weddle and others come in to haul the big guy down. The play only gained a yard, but it shows that Hillis is definitely a guy who doesn’t give up on the play and will stand as long as he can. He showed nice desire and hunger to get as far as he can and nice vision to try and adjust after the initial gap was closed.

A quick snap here to show you another way of how Hillis can be used. The Browns liked to get him running outside the tackles quite a bit. For that to be effective, the blocking must be very good but Hillis will cause guys problems if he gets to the 2nd level. Hillis is out of shot in the photo as the Browns line up with a tight end and a full back. The Browns run a sweep play to the left. They get a good initial release to spring Hillis to the left and the right guard and tackle are able to slow down the linebackers enough to allow Hillis pick up some steam and get about a 6 or 7 yard gain. I believe he can be used outside the tackles too. The left hand side of the Buccaneers offensive line is quite nasty with Penn and Nicks I see no reason why the Bucs can’t run a similar play.

The Browns run a similar play with two tight ends outside the right tackle against the New Orleans Saints in 2010.

The Browns run a sweep to the outside with the QB pitching to Hillis, his left tackle and guard run outside. The centre take a DT while the right guard takes an incoming linebacker and the two TEs take the left end. I’ve circled an uncovered linebacker for the Saints. In the next shot the left guard deals with him very well. Hillis gets to the outside and his two linemen seal the perimeter well with his left tackle getting to the edge preventing the cornerback from touching him while the guard deals with the linebacker. Hillis sees the hole and bursts through evading the clutches of Roman Harper to go into the endzone

I think this final run will remind Bucs fans a bit of Alstott and also of LeGarette Blount to a degree. Hillis has quite a few similarities to the man who was traded to the Patriots this off season. However in some facets I would say that he is an upgrade over the former Duck. Blount wasn’t great at converting over short distances he would get “happy feet” and often spend far too long searching for a hole instead of trying to plough through guys. Hillis isn’t afraid to try and barrel through guys as that last bit shows. I’m going to look at another small bit from a Browns game against the Rams in the 2010 preseason. The Browns line up with 2 tight ends alongside the usual suspects. The first image shows who the linemen go to block along with what I believe is Hillis’ initial intended running path. You will notice the strongside backer for the Rams is circled as he is unblocked (the tight end on the right goes for a man out of shot).

Hillis’ intended path isn’t wide enough for him to squeeze through (black circle), he shows good vision and quick thinking to adjust and go for the gap between the right tackle and the tight end. He moves his feet quickly to get there and adjust. He seems to have a good feel for letting his blocks develop and adjusting which is a good sign. As the image shows the SLB is waiting to take him down or so you would think. He breaks the initial tackle as well as several others for a nine yard gain. Not too shabby!

Hillis is a good weapon in the passing game too. His 2010 season saw him haul in 61 catches for 477 yards and two touchdowns while he has hauled in 32 in the last two seasons. I think it is an area where he is an upgrade over Blount and should he be required to he can step up. His pass protection must be decent enough if the Browns and to a lesser extent the Chiefs trusted him enough to be involved in the passing game to such an extent. I believe his talents could be of use to the Buccaneers in a variety of roles. It’s quite possible we will see him involved in a lot of the short yardage situations his power and willingness to bludgeon opponents will certainly be of use there. Doug Martin’s fantasy stats may take a hit in that department however!

Hope you enjoyed reading!

Conor Philpott (@cphilpott95) is a proud Corkonian, and a massive sports fan with rugby being his sport of choice. Be it Munster, his club Highfield, the Lions or Ireland, Conor will probably be watching rugby in some shape or form

Can 49ers avoid Dreaded Superbowl Hangover?

I hope you won’t mind if I indulge myself now and again by posting some articles about US sports that I find on the interweb.

Warning…they will tend to be about my favourite teams the Oakland Athletics (baseball), San Francisco 49ers (football), San Jose Sharks (hockey) and the Golden State Warriors (basketball).

 

This upcoming season the San Francisco 49ers will try to do something that only the 1972 Dolphins were able to accomplish.  That is to win the Superbowl following a loss the year before.  Reaching the Superbowl in no easy task, but because so many teams have struggled the following year after reaching the big game, the media and fans have identified the problem as being a hangover from the sucess of the previous year.

There are exceptions to the rule of course.  The New England Patriots had a great season last year (a year after loosing to the Giants in Superbowl XLII) and managed to reach the AFC title game.  As far as the 49er chances are concerned, you have to go back to the 1993 Buffalo Bills as the last team to reach a Superbowl a year after loosing it.

There are many factors that prevent sustained excellence in the NFL.  Free agency, injuries, and mental fatigue are the more common reasons but the schedule also plays an important role.  All-Pro Linebacker Patrick Willis recently described their upcoming schedule as being “no joke.”  With games against Green Bay, Houston, Atlanta and two against Seattle, reaching the same level of success as last year will be a difficult task.

But these 49ers are more than capable.  These 49ers under Jim Harbaugh have put in a system and a culture that is fueled by hard work and being physical.  Even with the loss of Dashon Goldson, the niner defense will still be a top five defense in the league.  One of the most important things that a football team must do in order to win is control both lines of scrimmage, something that the 49ers have done well over the past couple of seasons.  Last year the 49ers were one of two teams (Washington) to be in the top five in both running the football and stopping the run.

This brings us to the best offensive line in the NFL and the continued success of the running game.  Last year in three playoff games, the 49ers averaged 218 yards on the ground and with the emergence of young LeMichael James, Frank Gore will have less of a load to carry and improve his durability for whole season.

The biggest reason why the 49ers are poised to make another Superbowl run is Colin Kaepernick.  After a fantastic season and an even better playoffs, Kaepernick will look show the league that he is ready to become an elite quarterback.  Not only does is he one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the NFL, but the loss to the Ravens has made him even more hungry.

The 49ers are one of the most complete teams in the NFL, stacked with talent and proven veterans that know what it takes to win football games.  The organization is now at a point were anything less than a Superbowl victory is a failure and everybody on the roster knows that and is ready for the challenge.

Author : Robert White

Be sure to check out other great articles at isportsweb.

Kaepernick hat choice ‘a huge mistake.’

Baseball is one of the things that helps get me through the rugby off-season…I hope you won’t mind me indulging myself by posting some articles I find on the interweb on US sports now and again.

Warning…they will tend to be about my favourite teams the Oakland Athletics (baseball), San Francisco 49ers (football), San Jose Sharks (hockey) and the Golden State Warriors (basketball).

 

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick caught a bit of flak for wearing a Miami Dolphins hat on July 4^th.

He took to the photo sharing service Instagram to defend himself.

“This the hat y’all mad at? I’m goin wear what I want regardless of what you think,” Kaepernick said, via Instagram. “All you need to worry about is the fact that I grind for my teammates and the 49ers! I plan on doin this until they won’t let me in the building! #ridiculous #y’allmustbebored”

It’s a good thing that he brought up his teammates.

One of them is Navarro Bowman and he didn’t think it was cool either.

This is a huge mistake by Kaep,” Bowman told the NFL Network. “I’m sure he understands that now. In his defense, we’re young, in our era these days we like to match our snapbacks with our outfits.”

“The hats now these days are very important to the outfit, so Kaep I understand what you did, but let’s stay away from the NFL teams,” he added. “Stick to NBA, go to college or the baseball hats.”

Bowman did shift gears and go harder on Carolina Panther quarterback Cam Newton who recently expressed his love for his hometown team the Atlanta Falcons.

This is despite the fact that they are his division rivals.

“There’s no excuse for that one, man,” Bowman said. “A fan? These players are trying to take your head off and you’re a fan? Nah, you can’t do that.”

Quarterbacks let this be a lesson. There is only one team that matters: your own.

The post NaVorro Bowman calls Colin Kaepernick hat choice ‘a huge mistake.’ appeared first on Players View.

 

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Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby

Baseball is one of the things that helps get me through the rugby off-season…I hope you won’t mind me indulging myself by posting some articles I find on the interweb on US sports now and again. 

Warning…they will tend to be about my favourite teams the Oakland Athletics (baseball), San Francisco 49ers (football), San Jose Sharks (hockey) and the Golden State Warriors (basketball).

When Yoenis Cespedes was picked to represent the American League in the 2013 Home Run Derby, some were quite surprised. Many were not expecting a small market team player who had never participated in the Home Run Derby before to be chosen.

But Cespedes was thrilled and ready for the challenge.

Cespedes, who is originally from Cuba and has only lived in the U.S. for about 2 years, became the fourth participant in the history of the Home Run Derby to be part of the home run competition but not part of the actual All-Star game.

Besides Cespedes, Rafael Palmeiro (2004), Hee-Seop Choi (2005) and Ryan Howard (2007) are the three other players to make the Derby but not the actual baseball game. Even though they all tried their best, only Palmeiro made it out of the first round. So, hopes were not high for Cespedes to succeed. But when he stepped up the plate, determination was written all over his face.

Not only did he win the first round, he crushed his opponents. With 17 home runs, Cespedes was 9 home runs ahead of the next best hitter and had tied for the third most home runs in the first round in Derby history. Many of his hits landed in third deck of the Citi Field ballpark seats, one pinged off the press box, and another hit the Chevy Truck that was 416 feet away. Needless to say, Cespedes was feeling good. Even though he only slugged 6 home runs over the wall in round two, his total from round one had already automatically landed him a spot in finals. Going into the last round, Cespedes had hit a total of 23 home runs.

In the final round, Cespedes was up against Bryce Harper who had hit a total of 16 in the first two rounds. But Cespedes was ready to win. Using only 5 outs, he was able to beat Harper 9-8 and win the 2013 Home Run Derby. His winning home run was blasted dead center and landed approximately 455 feet from home plate. With a celebratory flip of his bat, Cespedes was rushed by his AL All-Star teammates.

Robinson Cano picked Cespedes in order to give him the opportunity to participate in an All-Star activity. Cespedes proved that he could not only compete, but he could win. With a total of 32 home runs, he entertained the crowd with long homers to left and center field that accumulated to just about 2.5 miles in total distance. Cespedes has been the A’s All-Star slugger this season, and he is the first Oakland Athletic to win the Home Run Derby since Mark McGwire in 1992. Now he is an American All-Star Home Run Derby Champion and Oakland could not be prouder.

 

 

Author : Ron White

Be sure to check out other great articles at isportsweb.