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Top 5 Biggest Surprises in Major League Baseball… so Far

By Avry Jones

Top 5 Biggest Surprises in Major League Baseball… so Far

Baseball has always delivered surprises, whether in the regular or postseason. However, sometimes the best surprises occur before the All-Star break, which can excite not only the fans of their respective baseball team but baseball fans and the baseball community. Two months into the baseball season, Major League Baseball has given us a few surprises from teams, making analysts second guess themselves: “Well, I didn’t see that coming.” Trying to find just five of the biggest surprises of the early baseball season thus far can be tricky; however, looking over the past two months to see what has excited fans and disappointed fans has become a highlight of the baseball season thus far. Overall, if the first two months can give us these five surprises, what can the last five months of the seasons give us?

Number 5 – Texas Rangers are leading the AL West, and the Houston Astros are not

At the time of this article, the Texas Rangers are leading the American League West by 3.5 games. The defending World Series Champions ended the month of April barely over .500 with a record of 15-13 (ESPN, 2023). But the Texas Rangers at the end of April with a record of 17-11, which got the ball rolling for leading the AL West. Generally, starting the season strong should end with a strong finish; however, collapses and breakdowns sometimes occur after the All-Star break, which can give other teams the run, they need to win divisions and make a move to get into the playoffs. Although the season is still new, let us see what the Texas Rangers can accomplish after overhauling their roster. Also, watch out for the Seattle Mariners, as what was in the water for the Seahawks and Kraken may work for the Mariners, and I look for them to be a sleeper team again, like in the 2022 postseason.

Number 4 – The AL East is looking to be the AL BEAST, also the Tampa Bay Rays

The Eastern Division of some sports has become the dominant division. Look to the NFC East in the National Football League when all the teams in the division are playing their best and not only fighting each other to make the playoffs but clinch the division title. Currently, ALL five teams in the American League East have above .500 records and over .500 at home. A potential AL Rookie of the Year candidate is left fielder Masataka Yoshida, who plays for the Boston Red Sox(ESPN, 2023). Furthermore, let’s talk about the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tampa Bay Rays started the season 13-0 before a loss to Toronto (wink, wink). However, the start of the Rays season has them currently leading the East, but like all professional sports teams, let’s see how they finish the season (see Boston Bruins and Milwaukee Bucks).

Credit: ESPN

Number 3 – Atlanta Braves, leading the NL East… again

This number may not seem surprising, but the Atlanta Braves leading the National League East is a surprise. Usually, the Braves will lead the East for a few days during the beginning of the season, then make a considerable run right after the All-Star break. Currently, the Atlanta Braves are ten games above .500 and lead the division by 4.5 games; however, their Away record is better than their Home record, not by a little but by a lot (ESPN, 2023). The Braves’ record is only second in the National League behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (again), but not by much. Overall, the National League looks to be a fascinating race this early in the season, with the Mets, Marlins, Brewers, Pirates, and Diamondbacks (What?!) to make moves in their respective divisions as the season progresses.

Credit: ESPN

Number 2 – Liam Hendriks from the Chicago White Sox is back in the majors

When athletes are injured, you hope they have a speedy recovery and that their careers will continue after their recovery. However, when an athlete is diagnosed with an illness, that can be especially heartbreaking. Liam Hendriks was diagnosed with cancer in December 2022 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Non-Hodgkin is a treatable type of cancer; however, Hendriks had it from his neck to his ankles, Stage 4. For someone who lost a grandmother and a mother to cancer, my heart always goes to people who battle this disease, especially family, as it also affects them. All tests, doctor visits, and more tests can take their toll. However, Liam Hendriks was going to fight, and fight he did. After he announced his diagnosis, well wishes poured in from my baseball fans and teammates to everyday people who may have heard about it. Hendricks wanted to come back to baseball, and he made sure to mark the date; make it back in May. On May 29, 2023, Liam Hendriks returned to Major League Baseball to the roaring crowd of Southside Chicago faithful. Hendriks announced he was cancer-free in March and could not wait to return to the Majors. The fight against cancer can be daunting for those with the disease and those within their support network. However, when the battle is won, we should support those wins to show every survivor they are a champion.

Number 1 – New York Mets Pitching (What even is this?!)

During the offseason, there can be much to be excited about when free agents and teams make signings and trade moves. One of these moves was the signing of Justin Verlander after winning a World Series with the Astros. Although with Max Scherzer, the Mets look to have a starting pitching rotation to rival the Braves of the 1990s. However, when this article was written, neither Scherzer nor Verlander were the leaders of the Mets. The leader of the Mets is Kodai Senga, with 70 Ks, a 3.44 ERA, and five wins (ESPN, 2023). Max Scherzer has a record of 4-2, 39 Ks, and 3.54 ERA; Justin Verlander has a 2-2, 22 Ks, and 4.80 ERA (ESPN, 2023). Baseball analysts and writers were crowning the New York Mets with a division crown and postseason berth with this dynamic duo, but Scherzer and Verlander could be better as of now. Of course, the season is still early, but expectations are high for the Mets pitchers, especially with Scherzer and Verlander leading the way. However, can the Mets strike gold with this duo, or will another set of pitchers lead the Mets to the postseason?

Honorable Mentions

1. The AL Central…it’s not bad but not good; it’s just ok.

2. The NL Central is a tight race with the Milwaukee Brewers and… the Pittsburgh Pirates!

3. Don’t sleep on Seattle this year, or you might get beat.

4. The Philadelphia Phillies are just ok, and Trea Turner is also just ok.

5. Baltimore Orioles… that’s it. That’s the post!

As a baseball fan, there are many times baseball has given us many surprises. Usually, those surprises can happen in the postseason. However, baseball can provide us with many surprises early in the season, making us more excited as the season continues. Moreover, shocks give us the unexcepted, making enjoying the game more memorable.

*** All data analytics and statistics were from ESPN (www.espn.com) ***

NCAA Baseball Bracket, Hurricanes vs. Maine

By Miguel Mike Medina

The NCAA Baseball bracket was announced this past weekend. The biggest snub was the USC Trojans. They finished 4th in the PAC-12 and was the first time in 25 years to win 17 games in the PAC-12. USC had 7 of 10 PAC-12 wins, including a series over Stanford. USC has come a long way. First-year head coach Andy Stankiewicz and the Trojans should’ve been treated more fairly. They got hosed. The Trojans had not made the NCAA Tournament since 2015.

The Miami Hurricanes Men’s Baseball team may have lost Sunday to sixth-ranked Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship game, but they’re not done yet. The Hurricanes will take on the No. 4 regional seed Maine (32-19) of the America East Conference for the Coral Gables regional on Friday. The winner will take on the winner between No. 3 seed Louisiana (40-22) and No. 2 seed Texas (38-20).

Vegas Golden Knights and Miami Heat Celebrate on Memorial Day

By Miguel Mike Medina

The Miami Heat are returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2020. They blew out the Boston Celtics in Game 7. It’s payback for Miami after losing to the Celtics at home precisely one year ago yesterday in the Eastern Conference Finals. Caleb Martin had a massive performance for Miami with 26 points and ten rebounds. Jimmy Butler redeem himself after a bad Game 6 performance by scoring 28 points. He was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Miami avoided history, and it remains that no NBA team has come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a series. Miami will take on the Denver Nuggets. Game 1 will be on Thursday in Denver. 

Vegas Golden Knights shut out the Dallas Stars, 6-0, to close out Game 6 on the road and move on to their second Stanley Cup Finals in six years. Golden Knights are one of the best road teams during this postseason. Florida Panthers have been great on the road as well. This will be a fantastic matchup. It all begins on Saturday, June 3rd.

The great thing about the NBA and Stanley Cup Finals is that we will have a NEW CHAMPION. 

10 Memorial Day Songs That Will Force You to Stop and Thank a Veteran

by Jennifer Paccione

It’s Memorial Day….which, for most of us, has come to symbolize the first weekend of summer, a long, 3-day weekend, retail shopping sales, and enjoying indulgent picnic food at our favorite park/watering hole or in our backyards.

But what is Memorial Day?  It’s a day set aside to honor those courageous men and women who served, fought, and died during their service to their country.  We often take this for granted as we freely surf the internet, speak our minds on social media, or even leave our house whenever we feel like it.  We don’t have to look far to see how other countries like Ukraine or Israel have suffered, so we must remember those U.S. soldiers who gave us the freedoms we enjoy today.

Here are ten songs, in no particular order, that will give you a sobering glimpse of the soldier’s experience and the high price paid for your freedom.  These poignant, powerful, and sometimes even political songs will make your hot-dog-eating holiday all the more meaningful.WARNING:  some videos contain themes of war and violence.

1. “The Trooper” by Iron Maiden: This classic metal anthem is inspired by a battle from the Crimean War.  With its fierce, galloping rhythm and lyrics, it gives a snapshot of the conflicts and courage of soldiers.

2. “Hero of War” by Rise Against This piercing rock ballad talks about one soldier’s initial beliefs and ideals about war and his journey into new truths.

3. “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen: This popular pop song became the new “Star-Spangled Banner” for Americans in the 80s.  But don’t be fooled by its catchy, upbeat feel.  The song reveals some harsh truths about a soldier’s harrowing experiences and struggles after his homecoming from the Vietnam War.

4. “Rooster” by Alice in Chains: Inspired by the father of the band’s guitarist, this song paints some vivid details of the struggles and thoughts of one soldier during the Vietnam War.

5. “Goodnight Saigon” by Billy Joel: In this tear-jerker of a ballad, the song invokes soldiers’ much-needed bonds of camaraderie to help them get through the desperate harshness of war.

6. “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival: A 60’s protest song, it is a scathing rant on those who did not come from wealthy or political families and thus were thrown into the war by being drafted. 

7. “One” by Metallica: Inspired by the novel “Johnny Got His Gun” by Dalton Trumbo, the song deeply looks at one severely wounded soldier’s inner conflicts.  It also underscores the dehumanizing aspect of war and social/ethical issues.

8. “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” by Toby Keith: A patriotic country song that fiercely defends the values of the United States.

9. “Arlington” by Trace Adkins: This extremely moving country ballad is spoken through the voice of a fallen soldier buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC.

10. “Civil War” by Guns N’ Roses:  This powerful rock ballad explores themes of conflict, social injustice, and the high price soldiers pay.

….oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

over the land of the free  

and the home of the brave?

(taken from “The Star-Spangled Banner” written by Francis Scott Key) 

…you bet your sweet combat boots it does.  Thank a veteran for all the freedoms you enjoy in the USA, either in person or through social media.  

Now go grill some burgers and enjoy that freedom to the fullest.

Miguel’s Friday Thoughts: Tina Turner, Melo Retiring

By Miguel Mike Medina

Tina Turner has passed away at the age of 83. She’s known as the “Queen of Rock and Roll.” I was never a big fan of her. I do think it’s a blessing she got to live a long life. I’ll mostly remember Tina for her song “What’s love got to Do with It,” a legendary and classic song. I remember when Fat Joe made his version featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule for the Juwanna Mann movie soundtrack. Tina Turner also had domestic issues with her ex Ike Turner. They were a musical duo from 1960 to 1976. She divorced Ike Turner in 1978. Turner has sold over 100 million records worldwide and won 12 Grammy Awards. 

The remake of the 1992 White Men Can’t Jump was a failure. I’m glad I didn’t see this, and I’m not planning to. Hollywood and their obsession with doing remakes and reboots is cringeworthy and a waste of money. The series is on Hulu, and there’s no point in why these creators wanted to make this series. Leave the classics and originals alone. 

Gary Sanchez has been designated for assignment. Sánchez, in his first season with the Mets, has one RBI and zero home runs through just three games played. I think Sanchez will find another home to play, but he still needs to improve his game. The Mets are better off with Francisco Alvarez as the starting catcher. He’s the future at that position for this franchise. 

Carmelo Anthony recently announced his retirement from the NBA. Melo is one of the greatest scorers of his generation. He’s a 10-time All-Star and a three-time gold medalist.

He’s a lock to go to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Anthony had opportunities to be part of a title-contending team, but he dropped the ball. For example, he could’ve joined Wade and Lebron in Miami, but he wanted to get his money. He didn’t take a pay cut. Also, his isolation Game didn’t help him win championships. Melo is known for playing one on one. That’s his game. I’m not really into that kind of style of play. He played for some good teams like the 2009 Denver Nuggets and 2013 New York Knicks, but for the most part, anywhere he went, winning didn’t follow him. 

HBO Max Sounds Better Than Max

By Miguel Mike Medina

Why HBO Max Sounds Better Than Max?

Today is the launch day for the streaming service under the new name, “Max.” HBO Max has a better ring than “Max.” It doesn’t make sense why they want to switch to this new name for the streaming service. It’s nuts, like in Sports. For example, Staples Center was a better name than “crypto.com arena.” HBO Max has a lot of great content. I don’t regret subscribing to their service. 

At the beginning of my journey with HBO Max, I had difficulty logging into my phone after setting everything on my TV screen. This was back in 2020 or 2021. I don’t know why it was giving me problems, but it wasn’t delightful. Thank god I don’t have that problem anymore. Serving service at expense, but HBO Max and Netflix are two streaming service that is hard for me to let go of. I don’t spend all day watching content because there are other important things in life. But if I want to take an hour during the weekend to watch something entertaining, those two services, especially HBO Max, are my go-to place. 

There are many movies and shows that I’ve enjoyed watching on HBO Max: Barry, Succession, The Flight Attendant, and many more. 

Max better bring something great since they are making this push. Naming the service Max is like calling someone by their first name. Max is not a strange name for me because I have two family members with that name. One of my friends’ sons has this same name as well. HBO Max sounds way better. But then again, with three creative executives, they’re forever changing their platforms, rules, and content, whether for the good or bad. 

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs Will Work Well Together

By Miguel Mike Medina

Top prospect Victor Wembanyama will be very special for years in the NBA if he can stay healthy. He’s the biggest hype name since Lebron James. Victor could change the NBA forever. He’s a combination of Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, and Rudy Gobert all in one package. He can shoot, play defense, and score from anywhere.

The San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 NBA Draft lottery for the first time since 1997 when they drafted Tim Duncan. We all know what happened when they got Tim Duncan. It changed the entire franchise. With Duncan, the Spurs won five championships. Can Victor Wembanyama bring the Spurs back to the glory days?

Landing in San Antonio is the perfect fit instead of starting his career in a big market city. San Antonio is a classy organization. When you come to play for the Spurs, you must check your ego out the door. 

Victor needs a coach and mentor like Gregg Popovich, who is the greatest NBA coach ever, in my opinion, to guide him and mold him. Pop doesn’t give special treatment. He will call you out if you are not doing your job on the court. 

The NBA Draft will be must-see TV because of the first selection. 

Sunday Sports Shorts

By Miguel Mike Medina

The Yankees are moving on from Aaron Hicks after eight years. Hicks has been designated for assignment. He’s 33 and is hitting .188 over 28 games this season. It was a matter of time for the Yankees to make this decision. They were holding on to him for too long. 

Jamal Murray scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half. Bruce Bowen and KCP combined for 32 points. Nikola Jokic added 24 points. It was a collective team effort. Denver Nuggets won 119-108 over the Los Angeles Lakers to take a 3-0 commanding series lead. No team has returned from an 0-3 deficit in NBA history. 

Matthew Tkachuk strikes again. He scored the game-winning overtime goal once again to win it for the Florida Panthers. It is unbelievable. Deja Vu. Florida Panthers are heading home with a 2-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final. They are two wins away from making their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1996. 

Nick Khan announced that WWE would return to India for a fall live event. WWE’s last live event in India was on December 9, 2017. 

Miami Silences Boston to Take A 2-0 Series Lead

By Miguel Mike Medina

The Miami Heat continue to stay focused and poised. The Celtics have not risen to the challenge. Heat win on the road again, 111-105, to take Game 2 and go up 2-0 in the series.

Miami ended the game on an 18-4 run. Grant Williams started talking trash to Jimmy Butler, which started the whole run for Miami. It’s not the best decision for Williams to start talking trash to Jimmy Butler, out of all people. You do not poke the bear in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler’s midrange game is off the charts. He stepped up to the challenge and lifted his team to victory. He finished the game with 27 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

Butler didn’t do it alone. His teammates had his back and produce. Caleb Martin was sensational with 25 points, 11 for 16 from the field, and knocked down three of his seven three-pointers. Duncan Robinson got loose and made some big shots in this game. Bam Adebayo being Bam Adebayo with 20 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists. Miami won the rebound game 45 to 35. Miami’s role players are outplaying the Celtics’ role players in this series. 

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. However, he’s been a no-show in the fourth quarter of this series. He has no field goals and combined for five turnovers. Jaylen Brown had an off-game. He finished with 16 points on a 7 for 23 shooting. 

Miami is 10-3 in the postseason. It’s the same record as the No. 1 seed in the West, Denver Nuggets. Miami is undefeated at home in the playoffs.