English: Ron Darling (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
http://www.youtube.com/audio?video_referrer=watch&v=enyGGpsPe_0
We were able to speak with Ron Darling, the former Mets all-star pitcher who helped lead the team to their 2nd World Series title!
This offseason was very eventful for the NBA teams. Perennial losers became contenders, and vice versa, all within about a month. Let’s take a look at how each individual team did!
Chicago Bulls: C
-Drafted Tony Snell and Erik Murphy
-Signed Mike Dunleavy
-Lost Nate Robinson, Marco Belinelli, and Richard Hamilton
Projected Lineup:
PG- Derrick Rose
SG- Jimmy Butler
SF- Luol Deng
PF- Carlos Boozer
C- Joakim Noah
Cleveland Cavaliers: B+
-Drafted Anthony Bennett and Sergey Karasev
-Signed Andrew Bynum, Jarrett Jack, Earl Clark
-Lost Wayne Ellington, Marreese Speights, Omri Casspi, Shaun Livingston, Kevin Jones, and Chris Quinn
Projected Lineup:
PG- Kyrie Irving
SG- Dion Waiters
SF- Anthony Bennett
PF- Tristan Thompson
C- Andrew Bynum
Detroit Pistons: A
-Drafted Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Tony Mitchell
-Signed Josh Smith, Chauncey Billups, Will Bynum, and Luigi Datome
-Traded for Brandon Jennings
-Lost Jose Calderon, Corey Maggette, Jason Maxiell, Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton, Kim English, and Slava Kravtsov
Projected Lineup:
PG- Chauncey Billups
SG- Brandon Jennings
SF- Josh Smith
PF- Greg Monroe
C- Andre Drummond
Indiana Pacers: B
-Drafted Solomon Hill
-Signed David West, Chris Copeland, CJ Watson, Donald Sloan
-Traded for Luis Scola
-Lost DJ Augustin, Tyler Hansbrough, Jeff Pendergraph, Gerald Green, and Miles Plumlee
Projected Lineup:
PG- George Hill
SG- Paul George
SF- Danny Granger
PF- David West
C- Roy Hibbert
Milwaukee Bucks: D
-Drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nate Wolters
-Signed Carlos Delfino, OJ Mayo, Zaza Pachulia, Gary Neal
-Traded for Luke Ridnour, Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton, Slava Kravtsov
-Lost Samuel Dalembert, Marquis Daniels, Mike Dunleavy Jr, Monta Ellis, JJ Redick, Brandon Jennings, Joel Pryzbilla, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Drew Gooden, Gustavo Ayon
Projected Lineup:
PG- Brandon Knight
SG- OJ Mayo
SF- Ersan Ilyasova
PF- John Henson
C- Larry Sanders
Miami Heat: C
-Drafted James Ennis
-Signed Chris Andersen and Myck Kabongo
-Lost Juwan Howard
Projected Lineup:
PG- Mario Chalmers
SG- Dwyane Wade
SF- LeBron James
PF- Udonis Haslem
C- Chris Bosh
Atlanta Hawks: C-
-Drafted Lucas Nogueira, Dennis Schroeder, Mike Muscala
-Signed Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, Elton Brand, Gustavo Ayon
-Traded for Jared Cunningham
-Lost Josh Smith, Devin Harris, Ivan Johnson, Anthony Tolliver, Zaza Pachulia, Johan Petro, Dahntay Jones
Projected Lineup:
PG- Jeff Teague
SG- Lou Williams
SF- Kyle Korver
PF- Paul Millsap
C- Al Horford
Washington Wizards: B
-Drafted Otto Porter Jr. and Glen Rice Jr.
-Signed Martell Webster, Eric Maynor, Garrett Temple
-Lost Cartier Martin, Jason Collins, AJ Price, Leandro Barbosa
Projected Lineup:
PG- John Wall
SG- Brad Beal
SF- Otto Porter Jr.
PF- Nene
C- Emeka Okafor
Orlando Magic: D
-Drafted Victor Oladipo and Romero Osby
-Signed Jason Maxiell and Ronnie Price
-Lost Beno Udrih and DeQuan Jones
Projected Lineup:
PG- Victor Oladipo
SG- Arron Afflalo
SF- Tobias Harris
PF- Glen Davis
C- Nikola Vucevic
Charlotte Bobcats: B+
-Drafted Cody Zeller
-Signed Al Jefferson, Gerald Henderson, Josh McRoberts
-Lost Jannero Pargo, Reggie Williams, Byron Mullens, Desagna Diop, Tyrus Thomas
Proejcted Lineup:
PG- Kemba Walker
SG-Ben Gordon
SF- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF- Cody Zeller
C- Al Jefferson
Boston Celtics: F
-Drafted Kelly Olynyk
-Signed Vitor Faverani and Phil Pressey
-Traded for MarShon Brooks, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans
-Lost Chris Wilcox, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, DJ White, Terrence Williams, Keith Bogans
Projected Lineup:
PG- Rajon Rondo
SG- Avery Bradley
SF- Jeff Green
PF- Jared Sullinger
C- Kelly Olynyk
Brooklyn Nets: A-
-Drafted Mason Plumlee
-Signed Andray Blatche, Andrei Kirilenko, Shaun Livingston, Alan Anderson
-Traded for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry
-Lost CJ Watson, Jerry Stackhouse, Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph, DJ White
Projected Lineup:
PG- Deron Williams
SG- Joe Johnson
SF- Paul Pierce
PF- Kevin Garnett
C- Brook Lopez
New York Knicks: B
-Drafted Tim Hardaway Jr.
-Signed Metta World Peace, JR Smith, CJ Leslie, Pablo Prigioni, and Kenyon Martin
-Traded for Andrea Bargnani
-Lost Chris Copeland, Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, James White, and Jason Kidd
Projected Lineup:
PG- Raymond Felton
SG- JR Smith
SF- Iman Shumpert
PF- Carmelo Anthony
C- Tyson Chandler
Philadelphia 76ers: F
-Drafted Michael Carter-Williams
-Traded for Nerlens Noel, Royce White, and Furkan Aldemir
-Signed Arsalan Kazemi, James Anderson, and Tim Ohlbrecht
-Lost Dorell Wright, Nick Young, Jrue Holiday, and Pierre Jackson
Projected Lineup:
PG- Michael Carter-Williams
SG- Jason Richardson
SF- Evan Turner
PF- Thaddeus Young
C- Spencer Hawes
Toronto Raptors: C
-Signed Tyler Hansbrough, DJ Augustin, Dwight Buycks
-Traded for Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson
-Lost Linas Kleiza, Alan Anderson, John Lucas III, Andrea Bargnani
Projected Lineup:
PG- Kyle Lowry
SG- DeMar DeRozan
SF- Rudy Gay
PF- Amir Johnson
C- Jonas Valanciunas
Golden State Warriors: B+
-Drafted Nemanja Nedovic
-Signed Toney Douglas, Jermaine O’Neal, and Marreese Speights
-Traded for Andre Iguodala and Kevin Murphy
-Lost Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, and Brandon Rush
Projected Lineup:
PG- Stephen Curry
SG- Klay Thompson
SF- Andre Iguodala
PF- David Lee
C- Andrew Bogut
Los Angeles Clippers: A
-Drafted Reggie Bullock
-Signed Chris Paul, Matt Barnes, Darren Collison, Ryan Hollins, Byron Mullens
-Traded for Jared Dudley and JJ Redick
-Lost Chauncey Billups, Ronny Turiaf, Eric Bledsoe, Caron Butler, Dajuan Summers, Grant Hill
Projected Lineup:
PG- Chris Paul
SG- JJ Redick
SF- Jared Dudley
PF- Blake Griffin
C- DeAndre Jordan
Phoenix Suns: B-
-Drafted Alex Len, Archie Goodwin, and Alex Oriakhi
-Traded for Eric Bledsoe, Caron Butler, Malcolm Lee, Miles Plumlee, and Gerald Green
-Lost Wesley Johnson, Jermaine O’Neal, Jared Dudley, Luis Scola, and Hamed Haddadi
Projected Lineup:
PG- Goran Dragic
SG- Eric Bledsoe
SF- Caron Butler
PF- Markieff Morris
C- Marcin Gortat
Sacramento Kings: C-
-Drafted Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum
-Signed Carl Landry
-Traded for Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Greivis Vasquez
-Lost Toney Douglas and Tyreke Evans
Projected Lineup:
PG- Greivis Vasquez
SG- Ben McLemore
SF- Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
PF- Jason Thompson
C- DeMarcus Cousins
Los Angeles Lakers: F
-Drafted Ryan Kelly
-Signed Wesley Johnson, Chris Kaman, Robert Sacre, Nick Young, Jordan Farmar, and Elias Harris
-Lost Earl Clark, Dwight Howard, Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock, Chris Duhon, and Metta World Peace
Projected Lineup:
PG- Steve Nash
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Nick Young
PF- Pau Gasol
C- Chris Kaman
Dallas Mavericks: C
-Drafted Shane Larkin and Ricky Ledo
-Signed Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Wayne Ellington, Monta Ellis, Gal Mekel, Brandon Wright, and Bernard James
-Lost Elton Brand, Darren Collison, Chris Kaman, OJ Mayo, Anthony Morrow, Jared Cunningham, and Josh Akognon
Projected Lineup:
PG- Jose Calderon
SG- Monta Ellis
SF- Shawn Marion
PF- Dirk Nowitzki
C- Samuel Dalembert
Houston Rockets: A
-Drafted Isaiah Canaan, Marko Todorovic, and Kostas Papanikolaou
-Signed Dwight Howard, Aaron Brooks, Francisco Garcia, Omri Casspi, Reggie Williams, Robert Covington, BJ Young, Marcus Camby
-Lost Thomas Robinson, Royce White, James Anderson, Carlos Delfino, and Tim Ohlbrecht
Projected Lineup:
PG- Jeremy Lin
SG- James Harden
SF- Chandler Parsons
PF- Omer Asik
C- Dwight Howard
Memphis Grizzlies: C-
-Drafted Jamaal Franklin and Janis Timma
-Signed Tony Allen, Jon Leuer, Josh Akognon, and Mike Miller
-Traded for Kosta Koufos and Nick Calathes
-Lost Keyon Dooling, Austin Daye, and Darrell Arthur
Projected Lineup:
PG- Mike Conley
SG- Tony Allen
SF- Tayshaun Prince
PF- Zach Randolph
C- Marc Gasol
New Orleans Pelicans: B+
-Drafted Jeff Withey
-Signed Al-Farouq Aminu, Anthony Morrow, and Greg Stiemsma
-Traded for Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday
-Lost Robin Lopez, Terrel Harris, Greivis Vasquez, Lance Thomas, Lou Amundson, Xavier Henry, and Roger Mason Jr.
Projected Lineup:
PG- Jrue Holiday
SG- Eric Gordon
SF- Tyreke Evans
PF- Ryan Anderson
C- Anthony Davis
San Antonio Spurs: B
-Drafted Livio Jean-Charles and Deshaun Thomas
-Signed Marco Belinelli, Manu Ginobili, Jeff Pendergraph, and Tiago Splitter
-Lost Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair, and Tracy McGrady
Projected Lineup:
PG- Tony Parker
SG- Danny Green
SF- Kawhi Leonard
PF- Tim Duncan
C- Tiago Splitter
Denver Nuggets: A-
-Drafted Erick Green and Joffrey Lauvergne
-Signed Timofey Mozgov, JJ Hickson, and Nate Robinson
-Traded for Darrell Arthur and Randy Foye
-Lost Corey Brewer, Julyan Stone, Andre Iguodala, and Kosta Koufos
Projected Lineup:
PG- Ty Lawson
SG- Evan Fournier
SF- Danilo Gallinari
PF- Kenneth Faried
C- Javale McGee
Minnesota Timberwolves: C-
-Drafted Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, Lorenzo Brown, and Bojan Dubljevic
-Signed Corey Brewer, Chase Budinger, and Ronny Turiaf
-Traded for Kevin Martin
-Lost Andrei Kirilenko, Malcolm Lee, Luke Ridnour, Mickael Gelabale, Greg Stiemsma
Projected Lineup:
PG- Ricky Rubio
SG- Kevin Martin
SF- Chase Budinger
PF- Kevin Love
C- Nikola Pekovic
Oklahoma City Thunder: D+
-Drafted Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, Alejandro Abrines, Grant Jerrett, Szymon Szewczyk
-Signed Derek Fisher and Ryan Gomes
-Lost Kevin Martin
Projected Lineup:
PG- Russell Westbrook
SG- Jeremy Lamb
SF- Kevin Durant
PF- Serge Ibaka
C- Steven Adams
Portland Trail Blazers: C+
-Drafted CJ McCollum and Allen Crabbe
-Signed Earl Watson and Dorell Wright
-Traded for Robin Lopez, Thomas Robinson, and Terrel Harris
-Lost JJ Hickson, Eric Maynor, and Sasha Pavlovic
Projected Lineup:
PG- Damian Lillard
SG- CJ McCollum
SF- Nicolas Batum
PF- LaMarcus Aldridge
C- Robin Lopez
Utah Jazz: F
-Drafted Trey Burke, Rudy Gobert, and Raul Neto
-Signed John Lucas III and Ian Clark
-Traded for Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, and Brandon Rush
-Lost Al Jefferson, DeMarre Carroll, Paul Millsap, Earl Watson, Randy Foye, and Kevin Murphy
Projected Lineup:
PG- Trey Burke
SG- Alec Burks
SF- Gordon Hayward
PF- Derrick Favors
C- Enes Kanter
We got the opportunity to interview the great, young pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, Hector Santiago.
TRDS: On May 7th of this year, you faced off against Matt Harvey in Citi Field. Considering that you grew up in New Jersey, just 30 miles from Queens, many of your family and friends were able to see you in this matchup! They certainly got their money’s worth as you allowed just 4 hits over 7 scoreless innings. What did this unique experience mean to you?
HS: That day against the Mets was one of the best moments, because there were so many people there that probably wouldn’t have been there [if I wasn’t in New York]. I was in the bullpen because I didn’t know when I would throw. So it was fun hearing them yell every inning, every out.
TRDS: Who is the toughest batter that you’ve faced?
HS: Joe Mauer, because he doesn’t chase pitches, he has such a good approach, and he knows the strike zone extremely well.
TRDS: What are the most memorable moments of your baseball career thus far?
HS: The day that I was called up to the big leagues, no doubt. Phillip Humber’s perfect game was pretty awesome too.
TRDS: Do you prefer pitching in relief, or starting?
HS: I like starting more than I do relieving.
TRDS: Who is the funniest person on the White Sox?
HS: Jordan Danks is our team clown. He’s hilarious!
TRDS: Did you choose your number, 53? If so, why did you choose this number?
HS: I didn’t choose the #53. The White Sox give us whichever number they want to give us.
This is our list of the top-5 (or bottom 5, depending on how you look at it) flops of the last two seasons!
Each and every year, there are NBA prospects that for whatever reason, fall out of the first round, and sometimes even out of the entire draft. There are always players that were either stars in college, or exemplified significant potential, yet were overlooked by many scouts. And, each and every year, at least some of these unheralded prospects go out there in the NBA, and perform better than any scout had ever expected.
In last year’s draft class, many 2nd rounders ended up playing significant time, much to the surprise of the “experts”. Jeff Taylor, Jae Crowder, and Draymond Green were all 2nd round picks who did just that- exceed expectations. We also saw Chris Copeland and Brian Roberts- who went undrafted in past drafts (they didn’t go directly into NBA)- perform at levels that nobody expected. Let’s not forget Patrick Beverley and Kyle Singler, who each went in the 2nd round of a NBA Draft (but not the 2012 draft) play impact roles for the Rockets and Pistons, respectively.
I expect to see even more players of that classification during this draft. Here are the basically unheralded NBA prospects that I believe will exceed their expectations:
Ricardo Ledo: Ledo is an excellent shooting guard from Providence. He is slightly taller than the average NBA SG at 6’6, and he weighs a muscular 197. The best asset to his game is that he is able to create his own shot, no matter where he is on the floor. He also has extremely quick hands and can play PG if necessary. While NBADraft.net has Qyntel Woods as his NBA comparison, I’d give him a best case scenario comparison (BCS comp) of Arron Afflalo
James Southerland: the 6’8 Syracuse grad should have no trouble adjusting to the NBA game. Playing 4 years in the Big East, under Jim Boeheim, really adds to his pedigree. Southerland is able to successfully play at either SF or PF. If given an opportunity, this outside shooting big could become a solid role player or even starter in the league. While NBADraft.net compares him to Donté Greene, I’d give him a BCS comp of Andrei Kirilenko
Ryan Kelly: Kelly is an excellent offensive big man. Standing at 6’11, he is average-to-slightly above average height for a PF. He is a very solid defender, and defense isn’t even the main strength in his repertoire. Kelly could function as one of the best stretch 4’s in the NBA, if given the opportunity. While NBADraft.net compares him to Nick Fazekas, I’d say that his BCS comp is Ryan Anderson
Myck Kabongo: Kabongo had very good statistics at Texas this year, averaging about 15 points and 6 assists. Being in the Big 12, he had to face off against Kansas and Oklahoma State, who each have excellent guard play, so he didn’t lack in competition. The 6’2 point guard is extremely quick and makes great passes. He is very unselfish and can drive to either side of the basket. The one knock on him could be that he tries to do too much with the ball, but this could be expected, considering that he was far and away the best player on his team, and was virtually the only player that could propel the Longhorns to a victory against a tough opponent. While NBADraft.net compares him to Erick Barkley, I’d say that his BCS comp is Goran Dragic
Mike Muscala: the 6’11 Bucknell grad had an outstanding season for the Bison in 2012-13. He averaged about 19 points and 11 rebounds this past year. He is very mobile and agile, as well as an excellent passer for his size. Unlike most players of his size, he can consistently make mid-range shots. While NBADraft.net compares him to Kirk Haston, I’d say his BCS comp is Marc Gasol
Seth Curry: Stephen’s little brother played a year at Liberty, and later 3 seasons at Duke. He was always an excellent scorer, but he really excelled in his freshman year as well as his final season with Duke. He is an unbelievable shooter, as he hit nearly 44% of his 3-point attempts! His shot is nearly identical to those of his brother and his father, Dell. He is an extremely crafty and smart player on the court. While he has the ability to be an excellent passer, he, like his brother, is a score-first guard. While NBADraft.net compares him to Chris Lofton, I’d say that his BCS comp is his father, Dell Curry
We believe that if these prospects are given the opportunity, they’ll be the REAL DEAL
1. Cavaliers- Alex Len
2. Magic- Victor Oladipo
3. Wizards- Otto Porter Jr.
4. Bobcats- Nerlens Noel
5. Suns- Ben McLemore
6. Pelicans- Anthony Bennett
7. Kings- Cody Zeller
8. Pistons- Trey Burke
9. Timberwolves- Shabazz Muhammad
10. Trail Blazers- CJ McCollum
11. 76ers- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
12. Thunder- Steven Adams
13. Mavericks- Michael Carter Williams
14. Jazz- Dennis Schroeder
15. Bucks- Giannis Adetokoubo
16. Celtics- Lucas Nogueira
17. Hawks- Tony Mitchell
18. Hawks- Ricardo Ledo
19. Cavaliers- Mason Plumlee
20. Bulls- Kelly Olynyk
21. Jazz- Tim Hardaway Jr.
22. Nets- Sergey Karasev
23. Pacers- Shane Larkin
24. Knicks- Gorgui Dieng
25. Clippers- Tony Snell
26. Timberwolves- Jamaal Franklin
27. Nuggets- Allen Crabbe
28. Spurs- Rudy Gobert
29. Thunder- Nate Wolters
30. Suns- DeShaun Thomas
Yasiel Puig has appeared in just 21 games with the Dodgers, and he already has totaled 7 home runs, 14 runs batted in, and 2 stolen bases- with a batting average of .420! Since his debut, he has been noted as a baseball specimen, a player who succeeds in all areas of the diamond.
His combination of speed, strength, fielding (he has an amazing arm), contact hitting, and power hitting makes him comparable to the likes of Ken Griffey Jr., Vladimir Guerrero, Willie Mays, and a young Barry Bonds. Except for the fact that he weighs 50 lb. more than Junior, 10 lb. more than Vladdy, 75 lb. more than the Say Hey Kid, and 60 lb. more than a young Barry… and the most amazing part of this is that Puig, at 245 lb., is basically all muscle. Considering this muscular development, the best comparison could be Bo Jackson.
In today’s day in age, when the Oakland A’s are successful in using Bill James mathematics (“moneyball”), there are only two ways to determine if a player is very good: 1) watching them play, and 2) using mathematics.
I will compare Yasiel Puig’s numbers thus far to those of other rookie phenoms in baseball history. I will do this by using a formula called BBI, or Baseball Index, which incorporates hits, RBIs, home runs, hits, and walks. Considering that most phenoms, such as Mike Trout, played in about 6.5 times as many games as Puig, I will multiply each of Puig’s stats by 5.5, considering that it is HIGHLY unlikely that he, or anybody, could keep up on this pace. The higher the BBI, the better the player is offensively.
Anyway, here are the numbers:
Albert Pujols: 1134.0
Yasiel Puig: 1075.2
Mike Trout: 923.9
Buster Posey: 923.2
Bo Jackson: 839.5
Jason Bay: 805.2
Evan Longoria: 729.9
Bryce Harper: 585.1
Dustin Pedroia: 474.1
This shows that out of some of the most heralded and accomplished rookie phenoms of the last 30 years, Yasiel Puig only trails Albert Pujols. Pujols became the best player in the MLB, and is now the closest thing to a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame.
If Yasiel Puig stays in this pace for the large part of his career, he could be the REAL DEAL.
Alan Hahn is a great analyst for MSG and he took the time to answer a few questions about the Knicks for us!
The Patriots know how to deal with drama- that goes without saying. They’ve brought in head case players like Chad Ochocinco, Albert Haynesworth, and Randy Moss- yet they’ve still managed to achieve extreme success in the NFL. They got through the whole Spygate investigation. Actually, they’ve made the playoffs nearly every year since the investigation, only barely missing out in 2008, when Tom Brady missed the entire season.
The Patriots also have a surplus of tight ends. Clearly, Jake Ballard is no Aaron Hernandez, but he still managed to help the NY Giants win the 2011 Super Bowl, against the New England Patriots.
The possible sanctions that could be issued to Aaron Hernandez by Roger Goodell could also possibly become beneficial. First of all, the hope is that the possible punishments would deter Aaron Hernandez from partaking in this kind of activity again. Also, if Rob Gronkowski knows that his backup is unavailable, and that the team could suffer largely without him, he could work even harder at speeding up his recovery process.
Hernandez has been known to be a locker room distraction, and without him, the Patriots could be able to improve the team-relationships. We saw it with the Jets two years ago- one locker room distraction can bring down a whole team.
Even if Gronk and Hernandez aren’t available at the beginning of the season, the Patriots shouldn’t suffer all that much. When Gronk comes back- which shouldn’t be too far into the season- he will most likely be the great TE that he always has been. And in the meantime, Jake Ballard isn’t all that bad of a replacement. Ballard had 604 yards and 4 TDs with Eli Manning in 2011. And if anybody can improve a tight end better than Eli, it would be the great Tom Brady.
Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski are both great TEs that are in danger of missing [at least] the beginning of the season. Even so, I still see the New England Patriots as being the REAL DEAL.
The Real Deal Sports- TRDS 