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Bama enters 2013 as the number one team in the land
Top 25 College Football Preseason Rankings:
Alabama
Ohio State
Oregon
Stanford
Georgia
South Carolina
Texas A&M
Clemson
Louisville
Florida
Florida State
LSU
Oklahoma State
Notre Dame
Texas
Oklahoma
Michigan
Nebraska
Boise State
TCU
UCLA
Northwestern
Wisconsin
USC
Oregon State
It really isn't a surprise to see really any of these names in the Top 25, and Alabama at number one is a no brainer. I think Clemson and Louisville both have a chance to go undefeated, but I'm still not sure if Clemson will be able to slip passed Georgia this weekend. Be sure to watch as the college football season kicks off tomorrow night with North Carolina vs South Carolina on ESPN!
Many teams were active around the 2013 Trade Deadline
Many teams decided to make last minute deals at the 2013 deadline, and this year most of the big names to be moved were all starting pitchers. Some contending teams made some interesting deals to try to better themselves for the long stretch to the playoffs. The Red Sox, Dodgers, Rangers, Yankees, Orioles, and Padres surprisingly enough all made moves to try to improve. Here are the following big moves:
SP Matt Garza to the Rangers
OF Alfonso Soriano to the Yankees
RP Brian Wilson signs with the Dodgers
SP Jake Peavy to the Red Sox
SP Bud Norris to the Orioles
SP Ian Kennedy to the Padres
Matt Garza should add depth to the Rangers starting staff
Matt Garza: 2013 Stats:
2.95 ERA, 7-1 record, 73 strikeouts, and a 1.10 WHIP
Matt Garza is a quality starting pitcher in the MLB, and has been ever since the start of his career in Tampa Bay. Garza is a high strikeout pitcher, and someone who can be trusted to take the ball every fifth day. His record wasn't exactly what it should have been last year playing for a lousy Cubs team, but you can overlook the win-loss stat with how good his other numbers are. Matt Garza looks to give depth to a rotation that already features Yu Darvish and Derek Holland. This team has a solid offense and three quality starting pitchers, but with the MLB cracking down on the players connected to the Biogensis clinic, they could potentially lose All-Star slugger Nelson Cruz. So Texas gets an A for acquiring Garza, but a C- for not acquiring some sort of security blanket in case the MLB suspends Cruz for the rest of the season.
Alfonso Soriano looks a little different in pinstripes
OF Alfonso Soriano 2013 Stats:
.256 AVG, 18 HR, 55 RBI, .287 OBP
Soriano has proven to be a good outfielder his whole career, most of it spent with the Chicago Cubs. Personally, Soriano is a good player to replace Granderson for the time being, but he's an older player, and this deal just doesn't add up in my book. The New York Yankees already have older outfielders in Ichiro and Vernon Wells, but now they've added another one. Hopefully Soriano can continue to play at a high level, but he is almost nearing the end of his career, though I'm sure he is happy to finally be on a better team than the Chicago Cubs. I give the Yankees a D on this move, but if Soriano produces, I will change that to a B+.
Brian Wilson was once one of the best closers in baseball
Brian Wilson 2013 Stats:
N/A
Brian Wilson had to be shut down due to Tommy John Surgery, but the Dodgers picking him up for a million dollar deal is an absolute steal. Wilson, who has 171 career saves, 48 in 2010, was an amazing closer, and if he can return to form he will be a great addition to a bullpen. It is a low risk deal with barely any money on the table at this point, but if Wilson becomes the Wilson of old, his beard will start rocking the majors again. I give this low risk high reward deal an A.
Oh, and before I move on to the next trade deadline move, here is Wilson's priceless ESPN commercial.
Jake Peavy will be a good addition to the Red Sox rotation
SP Jake Peavy 2013 Stats:
4.28 ERA, 8-4 Record, 76 strikeouts, 1.14 WHIP
The Red Sox may have panicked by making this move. The Red Sox really need their ace Clay Bucholz back, but this deal brings in a solid left-handed arm. Peavy won a CY Young Award back in 2007, and he has always been a reliable starter for all of his 11 years in the MLB. I like Peavy in this rotation, but I don't like the Red Sox giving up Jose Iglesias in the deal. Boston will have Bucholz back at some point, giving them a rotation that features Bucholz, Lester, Lackey, Peavy, and Felix Doubront. Doubront needs to improve, but he would be an above average fifth starter. If Boston's rotation can be this good, this team will stay hot and win the American League East without too much trouble. This deal makes them the clear cut favorite, if they weren't already. I wish they'd have kept Iglesias, but since they didn't, I give this move a B+.
Bud Norris should be happy for a change of scenery
Bud Norris 2013 Stats:
3.89 ERA, 7-9 Record, 98 Strikeouts, 1.39 WHIP
I honestly thought it was just a matter of time until Bud Norris was out of Houston. Norris should be happy, because he is a great starting pitcher, but playing for Houston made his win loss record seem much worse than it would be if he was on a decent team. Bud Norris is a quality pitcher, something that Baltimore could really use down the stretch to try and win the American League wildcard spot, and push them into the playoffs. It was a move that the Orioles needed to make, and it's nice to see someone like Norris leave a bad situation to have a chance to become a much more recognized name, something that he wouldn't have received in Houston. I'll give Baltimore a B on this move, not because it wasn't a good one, but because they needed more than one starting pitcher.
The Diamondbacks have given up their ace to the San Diego Padres
Ian Kennedy 2013 Stats:
5.23 ERA, 3-8 Record, 108 Strikeouts, 1.42 WHIP
Ian Kennedy has blown up this year for Arizona, but I really don't think moving him was a smart move for the Diamondbacks. Why would you want to trade away your ace who is just having one bad season? Last season he went 15-12 with 187 strikeouts, and in 2011 he went 21-4, with 198 strikeouts. He is a great pitcher, and just not someone you get rid of for one not so impressive season. I can see Kennedy rebounding in 2014, and becoming the Kennedy of old. For San Diego, this is a B+ move, and for Arizona, it is a D- move.
All these players are old faces in new places, and we will be watching to see how the players perform in their new uniforms.
