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Results tagged ' World Series '
Cubs Could Be Better Than Many People Think
It's been quite awhile since people have whole heartedly believed in the Cubs.
But let's face it. They haven't had a reason to believe for the past several years. With the Cubs having failed to even make the postseason since 2008, not having made a World Series appearance since 1945, and currently holding a 107-year World Championship drought, the Cubs' fan base has been nothing but disappointed for a long time.
The Cubs, however, have finally put together what could prove to be a formidable team that fans could actually get behind. In fact, many Cubs fans are getting so behind this year's roster that they have visions of a World Series title to round out the coming season. While I like their optimism, and wouldn't be too stunned if it happened, I don't think it will necessarily occur in 2015. I think it will be 2016 at the earliest before the World Series becomes a possibility.
But that doesn't mean I don't think the Cubs will have an amazing team this year. Although a lot of people are saying that the Cubs are extremely overhyped and stand little chance of doing much of anything this season, I actually believe in the club they have.
First off, their new manager, Joe Maddon, has proven to be one of the best in baseball — not necessarily for his winning records but for his ability to get the most out of each and every one of his players. His addition to the club house will have an immeasurable impact on the Cubs in my mind.
As far as the players themselves are concerned, it's a talented group of characters the Cubs are going to be putting on the field throughout the season.
The one weakness a lot of people foresee, however, is their pitching staff, consisting of guys like Travis Wood, Tsuyoshi Wada and Kyle Hendricks. While those players aren't the worst pitchers in baseball, they aren't Cy Young candidates either. But the Cubs do in fact have a Cy Young caliber pitcher they snatched up this offseason, set to lead the staff every fifth day. Jon Lester, who came over to the Cubs on a 155 million dollar contract, is sure to instantly make the Cubs pitching staff relevant (with their bullpen being decent enough).
Beyond that, the Cubs' lineup is fairly good as well. Admittedly, it consists of a lot of young, unproven talent, but it's a good group, nonetheless. Having Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and newly added catcher, Miguel Montero, slotted in the Cubs' lineup is sure to lead to runs being scored. But it's the youth of the Cubs that could ultimately lead to a lot of wins in 2015.
With Jorge Soler, Tommy La Stella, Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez looking to have breakout seasons — along with uber prospect Kris Bryant, who should be called up shortly into the year — the Cubs' team is going to be one to reckon with.
However, it's that very youth and inexperience in a great number of the players that has a lot of people remaining cautious from hopping aboard the Cubs' bandwagon. After getting their hopes up in the past only to see things come crashing down, many people from around the baseball world refuse to believe that the Cubs stand a chance at making much ground in a division that includes the Cardinals, Reds, Pirates and Brewers.
But it's not stopping me from predicting the Cubs to have success in 2015.
Maybe the 2015 Cubs aren't the team that will break the "Curse of the Billy Goat". Maybe they aren't even the team that will dominate their division for the better part of the season. But I feel that the Cubs are in fact the team that will surprise the most people this season as they make a run toward the second wild card spot in the National League.
Nationals Lock Up Scherzer; World Series to Follow?
Patience is a virtue — especially in baseball.
Max Scherzer proved that on Wednesday afternoon by officially inking a seven-year, 210 million dollar contract with the Nationals that's set to keep him in D.C. through the 2021 season. Coming after Scherzer took the gamble of turning down a six-year, 144 million dollar offer from the Tigers last year, waiting things out until free agency, and betting on his abilities, paid off extremely well for him, with Scherzer netting a total of 66 million extra dollars.
But the money is well deserved, as Scherzer has quickly become one of the most feared pitchers in baseball. While Scherzer didn't start off his career with fantastic pitching performances — posting a 4.43 ERA over 33 starts with the Tigers in 2011 — over the past two seasons he's been one of the best. Going a combined 39-8 with a 3.04 ERA between 2013 and 2014, it's no mystery why the Nationals wanted Scherzer so badly.
Heading to D.C. after five years in Detroit, Scherzer's mega contract sits second all-time in amount given out to a pitcher, behind only Clayton Kershaw's 215 million dollar deal with the Dodgers. (Kershaw, however, is in a class all his own.)
Choosing to receive his contract over the next 14 years, coming out to 15 million a year, the structure of Scherzer's contract allows the Nats to use the money saved per season to lock up other talented players around him, making this an even better deal in the end.
With Scherzer joining a rotation that already consisted of Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister, the Nationals now have one of the best — if not THE best — rotations in baseball. (The Nationals also have a couple promising pitching prospects in A.J. Cole and Lucas Giolito in the minors who will be making major impacts over the coming years, so they will have additional pitching options for years to come.)
Although their bullpen could use some work after the loss of closer Rafael Soriano — there's still plenty of time to improve that aspect of the team — the Nationals' lineup is equally as talented as their pitching staff. From Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon to Jayson Werth and Denard Span, along with a hopefully healthy Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper, the Nationals are going to score a lot of runs.
With the Nats likely setting themselves up to produce runs night after night, and a rotation filled with pitchers capable of giving up a few mere runs a game, the Nationals have a nice combination that should lead them to a ton of wins in 2015.
After going 96-66 last year — good enough to earn Nats' skipper, Matt Williams, the National League Manager of the Year award — there is truly no reason they couldn't post a 100-win season this year. If that happens, it will make them the first team since the Phillies in 2011 to win 100+ games in a season.
And therefore, after winning the National League East division by a staggering 17 games a year ago, the Nationals could be looking at the same type of dominance in the foreseeable future. The Braves, who finished in second place for 2014, are in the process of rebuilding and currently seem to be out of the postseason picture for 2015, as do the Phillies who are theoretically trying to find their new identity. That leaves just the Marlins and the Mets to challenge the Nationals for the divisional title — though both teams, especially the Marlins, could make a big push towards the playoffs this year.
Even so, the Nationals are nearly a lock to make the postseason for the third time in four seasons, with an aforementioned 100-win season not completely out of the question. They have all the talent in the world, with great pitching and a good mix of young and veteran star players. But in the end, making the playoffs is only part of the goal. The one question on everyone's mind is whether or not the Nationals have enough with the addition of Max Scherzer to lead them to the World Series and a subsequent World Title?
The unfortunate truth is, only time will tell. All too often does a team expected to dominate fall into a slump and not do much of anything for the season, while a team that was predicted to go nowhere exceeds expectations and makes a playoff push. That's baseball. That's what makes things fun each and every season.
But regardless, I have to agree with the majority of people that the Nationals are going to be terrific, and therefore anything short of a World Series appearance for them would be a disappointment with all the promise they have of putting out an effective winning machine this season.
After all, it's that very expectation of winning (I'm sure the money was a factor as well) that ultimately led Scherzer to sign a deal with the Nationals, saying, "I think this team is capable of winning and winning a lot. When you look at near term and long term, this is an organization you want to be a part of . . . . I want to win and that's why I'm here."
With Max Scherzer now on board, it looks to be an exciting season in D.C.
Trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame
A little over eight years ago, back in June of 2006, I took a trip with my family to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, as part of a two week journey around the Northeast. I wasn't extremely into baseball back then, but I enjoyed it just enough that I would've gotten a decent experience out of the visit. However, it wasn't meant to be. Due to major flooding in the surrounding area, the Hall of Fame was closed, and we had to settle for a visit to a nearby baseball wax museum — an interesting place, but one that obviously paled in comparison to the main attraction in town.
In the years since, I've become one of the biggest baseball fans you'll ever meet, constantly following the game and studying up on the stars of today and years past. Therefore, it had slowly become a must for me to make it back to Cooperstown at some point during my life. Although I imagined a return trip would take place a couple of decades or more from the time I last made the long trek up to New York from North Carolina, a plan for my dad, grandpa and I to take another trip to the Hall of Fame was quickly orchestrated over the past few months. And thus, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the three of us made our way to New York.
On Saturday, November 29th, we got up early and made the drive from our hotel in Binghamton, NY, over to Cooperstown, arriving at a little bit after 9:00 in the morning:
As you may have noticed, there was snow on both of the trees to each side of the doors, as well as icicles hanging at various lengths from the roof. The cause of the snow and ice is one element of the trip that wasn't present in June of 2006: cold weather. Far from the warm summer temperatures of our last visit, it was fairly cold (as is to be expected in late November), with the day starting off at around 10 degrees. But, thankfully, the Hall of Fame doesn't close for cold temperatures, and we were actually able to make it past the front door this time around.
Upon entering the Hall and purchasing our tickets, we walked up the stairs to the second floor, where we caught a brief introduction movie, before beginning the tour of the museum.
One of the first pieces of memorabilia that we saw, and one of the most interesting of the day, was an old baseball that was used to "prove" that Abner Doubleday was the inventor of baseball, back in 1839:
However, contrary to popular belief, Doubleday didn't invent baseball. As the display discussed, Doubleday was given credit for the sport's origin, but a version of baseball had been being played for numerous years prior to 1839. Although the exact inventor of baseball isn't fully known, credit for the rules of today's version of the game — 90 feet between bases; 9 innings; 9 players per team — was awarded to Alexander Cartwright, the "Father of Modern Baseball".
But while the invention of baseball wasn't Abner Doubleday's, there was an interesting non-baseball item that was in fact his own:
As a lover of history, including the Civil War era, these shoulder epaulets belonging to Doubleday during the war were very cool to see. Though not directly related to baseball, I came to find that the off the wall items such as these — not just baseballs, bats, jerseys, etc. — were some of the most interesting things to see.
But the baseball memorabilia was amazing as well; especially that of baseball's well known all-time greats, such as Honus Wagner. Playing from 1897 through 1917, mainly for the Pittsburgh Pirates, there was a locker filled with Wagner stuff, such as one of Wagner's full uniforms (used while he was a manager):
Wagner's 1909 T206 baseball card holds the record for the most valuable sports card in existence, having sold for a whopping 2.8 million dollars back in 2007. So seeing the rare items tied directly to Wagner was amazing.
But things kept getting better and better as the journey through the museum continued. Next up was an entire section dedicated to the most well known player in baseball history: Babe Ruth. Among the items on display were a baseball estimated to have been hit by Ruth over 500 feet (picture 1); Ruth's glove from the 1926 World Series (picture 2); a display of various things, such as one of Ruth's bats (picture 3); and an autographed Babe Ruth baseball (picture 4):
Following the Ruth exhibit, there was an exhibit dedicated the Negro Leagues, titled "Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience". The most well known Negro League player has to be Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier back in 1947, going on to be inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. However, the exhibit focused on more than just Robinson. Also included in the exhibit, that helped tell the story of the Negro Leagues, were uniforms worn by Satchel Paige (left) and James "Cool Papa" Bell (right):
Paige is likely the most widely known Negro League pitcher, having pitched three shutout innings against the Boston Red Sox in 1965 at the age of 59, becoming the oldest player ever to play in the majors. Bell, while not as much of a household name as Paige, was just as amazing in his own way. Possessing blazing speed, it was said that Bell could "turn off the light and be under the covers before the room got dark" and that Bell once "hit a ball up the middle of the field and was struck by the ball as he slid into second base". Though merely stories people liked to tell, it goes to show just how much Bell's speed stood out to people.
Next in line on the path through the museum was "Diamond Dreams", which showcased the many roles that women have played throughout the history of baseball, including playing the game themselves. The 1992 movie 'A League of Their Own', staring Tom Hanks, Geena David and Madonna, among others, covered this very topic of women playing the baseball. And therefore, the exhibit included costumes from the movie itself:
After spending some time reading about the history of women in baseball, the three of us then made our way through a collection of items from 1930-1970, including things used by all-time greats, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle, before finding ourselves in a portion of the museum dedicated to Latin American baseball players, entitled 'Viva Baseball':
Although everything in the exhibit was interesting and fun to learn about, there were some items that interested me more than others. Two of the key items for me were David Ortiz's 2004 World Series jersey (left), from the year the Red Sox broke their 86-year Championship drought, as well as a jersey worn by Albert Pujols (right) during his 2001 Rookie of the Year winning season:
Both players are likely on their way to the Hall of Fame for their careers once they retire.
The next section we came upon covered baseball up through the year 2000. Some of the top things around the exhibit were a Tom Seaver display (Seaver holds the record for highest Hall of Fame induction voting percentage, with 98.8 %) that included the red cleats from his 300th career win (picture 1); George Brett's pine tar bat from 1983 (picture 2); Robin Yount's batting helmet from his 3,000th hit (picture 3); and Derek Jeter's 1998 World Series cleats (picture 4):
Although I enjoyed every portion of the museum, seeing this type of stuff from players that I've seen countless hours of video on truly made it all the more impressive.
That's one of the reasons I most enjoyed the last room of the second floor that had items from the last decade or so of the game. One of the great things about these items was that I could remembered seeing a lot of the unique events they were tied to take place on TV, either live or in a recap of the game. The room was organized into thirty different lockers (one for each team) positioned around the walls, with several items for each team in each locker.
Remember back in 2012 when Orioles' slugger Chris Davis came on to finish out the marathon 16 inning game on the mound against the Red Sox after beginning the game as the designated hitter? Well, the cap Davis was wearing was there:
Do you recall the unbelievable home-run-robbing catch made by DeWayne Wise in 2009 to preserve Mark Buehrle's perfect game? They had the glove he used to snag the ball:
In fact, pretty much anything of significance that has happened within the past number of years was included in this exhibit. The cleats Miguel Cabrera was wearing the night he secured baseball's first Triple Crown since 1967 (picture 1); the cleats Mike Trout wore when he recorded his first career cycle (picture 2); Jim Thome's 600th career home run (picture 3); and the cap Mariano Rivera wore during his final All-Star outing of his career in 2013 (picture 4):
It was all there.
Also in the room — in a display case in the very center — was an arrangement of items specifically from the 2014 Major League Baseball season. Although a bat from Jose Abreu's rookie year was awesome to see, as were the cleats Albert Pujols was wearing when he blasted his 500th career home run, the thing that stood out to me the most was the jersey worn by Mo'ne David during the Little League World Series:
Having watched Davis pitch on T.V. throughout the series, as well as seeing her on the cover of Sports Illustrated and basically anywhere you looked, it was awesome to see the jersey used by the first girl to earn a win in Little League World Series history.
After taking in all the things from this season, and doing my best to photograph it all, we all made our way up to the third floor of the museum. There, in a Hank Aaron exhibit, we saw another unique item not directly related to baseball, like the Abner Doubleday epaulets talked about earlier — bricks from Aaron's childhood home in Alabama:
But while that was awesome to see, the Hall of Fame also had the full uniform Aaron was wearing the night he passed Babe Ruth for most home runs on the all-time home run list:
That was pretty remarkable to see after watching him hit that historic blast over and over on T.V.
However, as we all know, Aaron's career mark of 755 home runs didn't stand. Barry Bonds went on to pass Aaron, with his 756th home run coming on August 7, 2007. The helmet Bonds was wearing when he hit the homer was on display, as was the ball itself:
You may have noticed that the ball has an asterisk cut out of the cover. The story behind that lies with Marc Ecko — the person who bought the ball online for $752,467. After purchasing the baseball, Ecko held an online contest to determine its fate. Voters had three choices: put an asterisk on the ball; leave it alone; or shoot it to the moon. Around half of the ten million votes said an asterisk should be added before the balls donation. And thus became the ball you see above.
Also in this room, focusing on records and such, were some pretty incredible things. Among them was Derek Jeter's batting gloves from his 3,000th hit game (picture 1); a cap from each of Nolan Ryan's record seven career no-hitters (picture 2); first base from Armando Galarraga's infamous near-perfect game (picture 3); a ball from the 2007 game in which the Rangers defeated the Orioles 30-3 (picture 4); the jersey from Roy Halladay's postseason no-hitter in 2010 (picture 5); and, my personal favorite item, possibly of the entire museum, the glove Willie Mays used to make "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series (picture 6):
In all, I took more pictures in this one section of the museum than any other section. It was truly amazing stuff.
Towards the end of items on the third floor was a display with memorabilia solely from the 2014 World Series between the Giants and the Royals. Watching every single inning on T.V. as it happened, is was awesome to see some items from the series in person. But the one thing that stood out the most was rookie pitcher Yordano Ventura's cap that he wore for his game six start:
In addition to being a standout item because of the great outing Ventura had, it's the inscription on the cap that makes it stand out the most. After the tragic death of 22-year-old Cardinals' prospect, Oscar Taveras, Ventura took to the mound with "RIP O.T # 18" written on his hat as a tribute to his native Dominican Republic friend. It was touching on T.V., and even more so in person.
Once we had viewed all there was to see on the third floor, my grandpa, dad and I headed down the street to grab a bite of lunch at a nearby restaurant before returning to continue walking around the Hall of Fame. Believe it or not, after over three hours spent at the Hall (and after 35 pictures and 2,000 words in this blog post), there was still more to see and do.
After returning to the Hall of Fame, we headed over to an art exhibit, which normally isn't my thing but really intrigued me this time around. Following that, we headed through a room dedicated to this year's Hall of Fame inductees — Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa, Frank Thomas, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux — before arriving to the Hall of Fame's main point of interest: The Hall of Fame Gallery:
With the current number of Hall of Famers standing at 306 total people — 211 players, 35 negro leaguers, 28 executives, 22 managers and 10 umpires — there were a lot of plaques to cover, but we made our way around to every single one.
As with every part of the museum, there were a few portions (in this case, people) that stood out the most.
The first of such was the inaugural class of five plaques (located at the far end of the picture above), being of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson, all of which were inducted in 1936 — three years before the Hall of Fame's opening in 1939:
Standing out as a member of the Hall of Fame that isn't necessarily as known as the everyday players such as Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Cy Young, etc., was Wesley Branch Rickey (left), accompanied by Jackie Robinson (right):
Rickey was the person who brought Jackie Robinson to the Dodgers in 1945, making him the first African American player to break baseball's color barrier when he made his debut two years later.
Another lesser known member is Effa Manley — the only woman in the baseball Hall of Fame:
Manley was greatly involved in the Negro Leagues as the only woman owner among an industry of male owners. Her induction came in 2006 as a "reflection of her commitment to baseball and civil rights".
One last person who is more known for what he did than who he was is Bill Veeck:
Mostly known for his stunt of bringing the shortest player in MLB history to the plate in 1951 — 3 foot 7 inch tall Eddie Gaedel — Veeck made a major impact on the game, stating, "I try not to break the rules but merely to test their elasticity".
Upon completion of viewing all of the plaques, we made a brief stop by the gift shop, where I picked up a T-shirt and a magnet to commemorate my second trip and first successful visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Following that, after half a dozen hours or so spent at the Hall of Fame, my dad, grandpa and I swung by historic Doubleday Field, which was covered in snow . . . :
. . . before making our way out of town and back to our hotel.
I didn't fully know what to expect from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Sometimes you can get your hopes up so high that the actual experience fails to meet those lofty expectations. But I can honestly say that the Hall of Fame completely blew away all my expectations. It was so well set up and so greatly stocked with some incredible pieces of baseball history that there was no way I could document it all — both with my camera or in this blog post.
So, if you haven't, go see the Hall of Fame for yourself. It's truly something that every single baseball fan should do at least once in their lifetime. You'll never forget it.
Sandoval, Ramirez Agree to Multiyear Deals With Sox
26 days after winning it all with the Giants, Pablo Sandoval is heading to Boston.
Receiving a five-year deal from the Red Sox, reportedly worth around 100 million dollars, Sandoval is set to don a uniform other than that of San Francisco for the first time in his career, going to the Red Sox after three World Championships won with the Giants.
Reportedly offered around the same deal, both in years and dollar amount, by the Giants as was given to Sandoval by the Red Sox, a lot of people question why Sandoval, coming off a World Series title, would leave and join a team that was one of the worst in baseball in 2014. But despite the Sox' down 2014 season, there are many predicting a bounce back year for them in 2015.
A two-time All-Star, Sandoval will certainly help the Red Sox moving forward. Though Sandoval hasn't hit 20 or more home runs since 2011 — his best all around year came back in 2009, when he blasted 25 homers (career high) and recorded 95 RBI's (career high) to go along with a .330 average (career high) — that's not to be expected from Sandoval each and every year. He's still a respectable .294 career hitter, and a great defender at third base.
Staying healthy this past season, playing in a career best 157 games, Sandoval was able to record 16 home runs and drive in 73 runs, all while batting .279. While that's certainly solid numbers for a third baseman, and around what you should expect Sandoval to produce from season to season, his most value comes in the postseason, where Sandoval has proven to be one of the most clutch hitters in baseball history.
If the Red Sox can find a way back to the playoffs in 2015, they should see a level of Pablo Sandoval that far exceeds his regular season statistics.
But Sandoval isn't the only player that could help the Red Sox return to the postseason. Another player who should help the Red Sox' playoff hopes is Hanley Ramirez, who the Sox also picked up on Monday.
Coming over from the Dodgers, where he hit .283 with 13 homers and 71 RBI's while manning the shortstop position this past season, Ramirez is receiving a four-year deal from the Red Sox, coming out to 88 million dollars. However, for Ramirez, who has played the infield for all of his career, there's a slight catch in the contract.
Due to an already set infield, with newly signed Pablo Sandoval at third and Xander Bogaerts holding at shortstop, the Red Sox' current plan involves moving Ramirez to left field — a postion he's never played before. Getting placed in front of the Green Monster at Fenway Park, it will surely be interesting to see how Ramirez fares in the outfield, especially with the 37-foot wall looming behind him.
More importantly, however, sending the three-time All-Star, Ramirez, out to left field takes away the spot of Yoenis Cespedes, who the Sox acquired via trade for Jon Lester in the second half of the 2014 season.
With Cespedes an odd man out, and numerous other outfield options, including Mookie Betts, Rusney Castillo, Shane Victorino, etc., Boston will definitely have to move at least a couple of their players. Desperately in need of pitching, many feel it would best serve the Sox to trade away a non crucial outfielder (possibly Cespedes?) in return for some good pitching. And they're rumored to be looking into doing just that.
But although Boston still needs to do some more work on their pitching situation, the signing of Ramirez would appear to be a good deal. The 2006 Rookie of the Year with the Marlins and Most Valuable Player runner up in 2009, when he hit a staggering .342 with 24 home runs and 106 RBI's, Ramirez will likely be a nice fit for the Red Sox, regardless of the fact that he won't be playing his favored position.
A .300 career hitter, Ramirez hasn't been a superstar level player in a few years, but the potential to be one still remains. Ramirez in set to be 31 years old when the 2015 season begins, but he still can be a big impact on any team he's on, and that's more than you can say about a lot of players in baseball.
A Red Sox team that finished last in 2012, only to come back and win the World Series in 2013, and then wind up near the bottom of the pack in 2014, it will be intriguing to see what happens with them in 2015. Signing Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez will definitely go a long way in improving their record, but it will take a few more changes to get the Red Sox where they want to be.
However, if the signings of Sandoval and Ramirez are any sign of things to come this offseason, the Red Sox could be setting themselves up to make another playoff push in 2015 and beyond.
World Series Headed Back to Kansas City
As I wrote in my last blog post, there was a chance coming into San Francisco that either the Giants or the Royals could win the World Series, should they be able to sweep the other team in the three games. But thanks to a sole win by the Royals, the series is forced back to Kansas City with the Giants up three games to two.
But a lot took place to get to this point.
After a couple of blowout games in game one and game two of the World Series, game three was a lot more competitive. Jeremy Guthrie received the start for the Royals, and despite the fact that he hasn't been overly dominant this season, he was terrific in this game. His opposition, Tim Hudson, was fantastic as well, as although he allowed a run in the very first inning via a Lorenzo Cain RBI-groundout, Hudson settled down and posted zeroes for the following four innings.
When the sixth inning arrived, both teams found their strokes, with the Royals and Giants each scoring a couple of runs off of a few timely hits in their respective half inning to take the score up to 3-2 in favor of the Royals. With their bullpen set to go for the rest of the game, the Royals were able to hang onto that one run lead, with Greg Holland closing out the game.
Up two games to one heading into game four, the Giants would now have to win at least one of the two games remaining in San Francisco to keep their chances alive and send the Fall Classic back to Kauffman Stadium.
Game four began the way the Giants envisioned, with them scoring a run in the bottom of the first off of the Royals' starter, Jason Vargas. But the Royals would answer back in a huge way in the top of the third, when a 30-minute inning saw four runs posted by Kansas City. Although the Giants scored a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, the overall momentum of the game seemed to be on the Royals' side.
However, the momentum shifted in the fifth inning, when the Giants scored a couple of runs to tie the game at four runs apiece on a Hunter Pence RBI-single. From there, they would never look back. Scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth and another four runs in the bottom of the seventh — nine total runs over the course of three innings — the Giants quickly put the game out of reach for the Royals. Both the Giants and Royals would post zeroes for the remainder of the game, ending with a decisive 11-4 win for the Giants.
Now that the series was tied at two games per team, there was guaranteed to be at least one game back in Kansas City. But with the winner of game five moving to within just one win of a World Series title, with two chances to secure that win, you knew Sunday's game was going to be a close, extremely important matchup.
A rematch of game one's starters — James Shields for the Royals and Madison Bumgarner for the Giants — everyone expected Shields to rebound from the poor outing he had in game one, and looked to Bumgarner to see if he could continue his postseason masterfulness. Both turned out to be great.
Allowing just two runs in his outing, Shields put the Royals in a good position to win the game. However, Bumgarner had other plans. Giving the Giants nine solid innings, Bumgarner threw a complete game shutout against the Royals, lowering his career World Series ERA down to 0.29 — the lowest in MLB history. Although the two runs the Giants posted early in the game (one in the second and one in the fourth) would've been enough for the victory, they were able to put another three runs on the board in the eighth inning for good measure, securing the 5-0 victory.
With not a single home run being hit over the course of the trio of games in San Francisco, this becomes the first world series since 1948 to have three straight games without a dinger. With 25 total runs being scored over the three game set at AT&T park, that's truly hard to believe.
The Giants and Royals travel back to Kansas City following game five, where they will pick up with game six on Tuesday night. With the Giants just one win away from their third World Title in five seasons, it will be interesting to see how each team plays, knowing game six could be it.
The way this World Series has been going, almost anything can happen. Returning to their electric home ballpark, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Royals pulled out a game six win to send the World Series to a seventh game. But with the Giants firing on all cylinders as of late, things look promising for my prediction of the Giants winning the World Series in six games coming true.
On a brief, unrelated side note, tragedy struck baseball on Sunday evening.
Cardinals' up-and-coming mega prospect, Oscar Taveras, was killed, along with his girlfriend, in a car accident down in the Dominican Republic on Sunday. Although his passing has nothing to do with the World Series, I wanted to take a minute to talk about Taveras.
I first heard of Oscar Taveras back in 2011, when he hit .386 over the course of 308 minor league at-bats. As I began to follow his career more closely, I quickly realized why he was held in such high regard, as he had a career season the following year, hitting .321 with 23 home runs and 94 RBI's in 2012. Battling injuries in 2013, Taveras finally got things going again in 2014, making his Major League debut in May of this season. Living up to the hype, Teveras hit a home run in his very first game in the majors. But unfortunately, that was one of three home runs Taveras will ever have for his career.
Along with millions of others, I was filled with excitement back in May when Oscar Taveras made his MLB debut. I was filled with amazement when he hit a pinch hit home run in the National League Championship Series. And now, following the tragic death of the 22-year-old star, I'm filled with sadness. Gone too soon — Oscar Taveras will be missed. Talent like his doesn't come along very often.
World Series Tied Heading Into San Francisco
Going against preseason predictions and beating all the odds just to make it into the postseason, the Royals and Giants seemingly breezed their way through their given division series and championship series rounds on their way to the World Series. So evenly matched, as teams with a great pitching staff, lineup and bullpen, you had to figure that this year's Fall Classic was going to be a great one. And, as I predicted, it surely has been exciting so far.
In game one on Tuesday night in Kansas City, Madison Bumgarner of the Giants took on the Royals and their best pitcher James Shields. For the Royals' fan base, this game was something that they haven't been able to experience in a long time, with the Royals last having made the postseason in 1985. But unfortunately for them, things didn't start off too well, with three runs being scored in the very first inning by the Giants, off a Pablo Sandoval RBI-double and a Hunter Pence two-run home run.
From there, things simply got worse for the Royals. The Giants scored yet again in the fourth and the seventh, plating a couple of runs each inning, to take the score up to 7-0. With Madison Bumgarner on the mound, the Royals faced an impossible climb to reclaim the game, as despite a solo home run from Salvador Perez in the seventh, that would be the only run Bumgarner allowed, giving up just a total of three hits.
With the Giants taking the decisive 7-1 game one victory, you began to wonder whether or not this was going to be as competitive of a World Series as it had been advertised to be. But all thoughts of that were erased in game two, as things were much more thrilling for the better part of the game.
However, things didn't start off looking too good for the Royals once again. The first batter of the game, Gregor Blanco, blasted a solo home run off the Royals' flamethrowing Yordano Ventura, who became the first rookie to start a World Series game for the Royals in their history. From there, though, the Royals answered back, scoring a run in both the first and second innings off of the Giants' Jake Peavy.
The Giants would tie the game in the top of the fourth inning, before the wheels came off in the sixth. Jake Peavy, who had been fairly good through this point in the game, was lifted after allowing the first two batters of the inning to reach base. His replacement, Jean Machi, allowed an RBI-single before being lifted for Javier Lopez, who recorded one out before he was replaced by Hunter Strickland. That would turn out to be a big mistake.
Strickland, who hasn't done much of anything in the postseason for the Giants, gave up a two-run double to Salvador Perez, followed by a two-run homer by Omar Infante — the fifth home run Strickland has allowed this postseason, tying the postseason record.
Jeremy Affeldt would come on following Strickland's removal, finishing out the inning without any more runs, but over the course of the 32 minute inning, the damage had been done. The Royals' unbelievable bullpen subsequently shut down the game, securing them the 7-2 win.
The Royals and Giants now head to San Francisco tied at a game apiece. If either team can sweep the three games, which begin on Friday, the 2014 World Series Champion can potentially be crowned at AT&T park. But although baseball is unpredictable, it's likely that the series will head back to Kansas City for game six and (possibly) seven in the final days of October.
Giants Vs. Royals: World Series Predicitons
After botching my preseason division predictions for the American League and National League, and after completely missing with my postseason predictions, I should probably just sit back and watch the World Series unfold before me without giving too much thought as to who will win. However, that's hard for me to do. I love making predictions, no matter how terrible at it I may be.
Despite picking every single losing team to move on in the division series round (I had the Tigers beating the Orioles, the Angels beating the Royals, the Nationals beating the Giants, and the Dodgers beating the Cardinals), I'm going to take a shot at picking the World Series winner. After all, I have a 50/50 shot. Maybe I'll get lucky.
As you're more than likely aware, the Royals swept the Angels and Orioles to move onto the Fall Classic for the first time since 1985, while the Giants beat out the Nationals and Cardinals to head to their third World Series in five seasons. With both teams having begun the postseason as Wild Card teams, this becomes the first time since 2002 that two Wild Card teams made it to the World Series. And therefore, with both having beaten improbable odds, it's very difficult to predict with certainty who will win the best of seven series. But I'm going to try.
The probable pitchers for games one through seven (five through seven if necessary*) of the 2014 World Series are as follows:
Game 1: Madison Bumgarner (Giants) – James Shields (Royals)
Game 2: Jake Peavy (Giants) – Yordano Ventura (Royals)
Game 3: Tim Hudson (Giants) – Jeremy Guthrie (Royals)
Game 4: Ryan Vogelsong (Giants) – Jason Vargas (Royals)
Game 5*: Madison Bumgarner (Giants) – James Shields (Royals)
Game 6*: Jake Peavy (Giants) – Yordano Ventura (Royals)
Game 7*: Tim Hudson (Giants) – Jeremy Guthrie (Royals)
Keep in mind that the Royals' starting pitchers past game two are the presumed rotation, as they are yet to reveal their full pitching plans. In addition, plans could change, sending a switch around of the starting pitchers for either team, but this is the way things seem to be set to happen as of now. Based on the starting rotations and my observations of each team's games so far this postseason, here's how I have things playing out for the World Series:
My pick to win Game 1: Giants
Though the World Series is beginning in Kansas City, I have the Giants winning the first game. With Madison Bumgarner on the mound, the Royals' offense is surely going to have a hard time scoring runs, and I feel that although James Shields is opposing the Giants, that the Giants will do just enough to pull out the victory. Thus ending the Royals perfect postseason winning record.
My pick to win Game 2: Royals
After losing game one, in my mind, the Royals will likely have a little added incentive to take game two, not wanting to head to San Francisco down two games to none. With Jake Peavy on the mound, who has struggled at times this year, I feel the Royals will score early in this game, having a lead heading into the late innings. With such a strong bullpen, they should be able to lock down game two.
My pick to win Game 3: Giants
With the first game in San Francisco being tied at a game apiece, the Giants and Royals will be fighting to take the advantage in game three. However, back in front of their home fans, and with veteran Tim Hudson on the mound, I think the Giants will just edge out the Royals. Though both Hudson and Jeremy Guthrie have had struggles in 2014, I feel Guthrie will struggle slightly more.
My pick to win Game 4: Royals
Bouncing back to take game four, the Royals have to win this game, in my mind, if they want to head back to Kansas City. With Bumgarner on the mound once again the following night, they'll have to capitalize on the Giants' starting pitcher, Ryan Vogelsong. And I believe they'll do just that, tying things up at two games per club.
My pick to win Game 5*: Giants
On the mound once again for the Giants will be their ace, Madison Bumgarner, who I feel will be lights out as ever. The final game at home for the Giants in 2014, I feel they need to win this game to take the 3-2 lead if they want any shot at the World Series. If they return back to Kansas City down a game, they'll have their backs against the wall for sure.
My pick to win Game 6*: Giants
Although back in front of the Royals' home fans, which are some of the most electric in baseball, the momentum carried from a game five victory will likely be too much for the Royals to take on. After losing in game two of the series, in my mind, I don't think Jake Peavy will allow that to happen again. If all goes as planned, the Giants will once again be crowned World Champions of baseball on October 28th in Kansas City.
Recap of My Votes for the 2014 MLB Major Awards
Before I begin my recap of my votes for the major MLB awards, I want to take a second to acknowledge both the Royals and the Giants on advancing to the 2014 World Series. Both teams were outstanding in their given league championship series, with the Royals sweeping and the Giants losing just once. And thus, it should make for a very entertaining World Series, which begins in Kansas City on Tuesday. But while I'm going to make some World Series predictions in my next blog post, this post is meant to focus solely on the major MLB awards.
Over the past week, or so, I've been typing up individual posts on who I feel most deserves the awards of American League and National League Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and Most Valuable Player.
Some of the choices were easy, while others took a great deal of debate. But in the end I went with my gut of who I feel deserves each award the most.
In case you missed a few (or all) of my Major League Baseball award posts, I wanted to do a brief recap. Here are my picks that I made for each category:
American League Rookie of the Year: Jose Abreu
National League Rookie of the Year: Jacob deGrom
American League Cy Young: Felix Hernandez
National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw
American League MVP: Mike Trout
National League MVP: Clayton Kershaw
Feel free to click the links associated with each award to be taken to my post on it, giving the full reasoning behind my picks. I'm planning to post a blog entry covering the winners of each award when they're announced towards the middle of next month, comparing my original picks to the winners and giving my overall thoughts, so be sure to check back for that.
Nationals, Giants Tie Postseason Game Record
After a fantastic outing by their starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, the Washington Nationals appeared to be on their way to tying up the National League Division Series at a game apiece with the San Francisco Giants when they held a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning on Saturday night. But a Pablo Sandoval RBI double, which extended his postseason hitting streak to thirteen straight games, quickly let the air out of an ecstatic Nationals team.
And things only got worse from there.
With the Nationals failing to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, the game proceeded to remain scoreless for the following eight innings. Upon reaching the 18th inning, the game subsequently tied the record for number of innings in postseason game history, set back in 2005.
Following the extended run drought, the Giants finally changed things in the top of the 18th inning with a solo shot off the bat of Brandon Belt, who was previously 0-6, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead.
The Nationals would send Danny Espinosa, Denard Span, Anthony Rendon — whose four hits on the night set a new franchise playoff record — and Jayson Werth to the plate in the bottom half, but they did little of anything against the Giants' flamethrower, Hunter Strickland.
With the final out recorded, the game officially broke the playoff record for game length of 5 hours and 50 minutes set in 2005, lasting a staggering 6 hours and 23 minutes. The series now heads to San Francisco, with the Giants one win away from advancing to the National League Championship Series.
Although it's not decided yet who the Giants will play if they wind up overtaking the Nationals, either the Dodgers or the Cardinals will be in for a battle. I have to admit I didn't give the Giants, who have now won ten straight postseason games, nearly enough credit with my postseason predictions. They really have impressed me so far.
Having won the World Series in 2010 and 2012, they're somewhat jokingly (and somewhat seriously) in line to possibly win the World Series again, in this yet another even calendar year. Although the Fall Classic is another couple of weeks away, and the Giants have several key games to get through first before they have any shot at World Series glory, you have to be happy with how things are looking if you're a fan of the Giants.
Derek Jeter Shines In Final Home Game of Career
The Yankees officially fell out of playoff contention on Wednesday, making it just the first time since the 1992-1993 seasons that they have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. But at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, no one cared. There was a far more important reason that 48,613 fans (the most at any game this season) spent thousands upon thousands of dollars to jam pack the ballpark.
The reason was Derek Jeter.
Playing in his first home game in which the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs, Jeter went into this game knowing it would be his final game in New York of his career.
Even with that on his mind, the .313 career hitter at Yankee stadium was still able to block out his emotions for the most part (something he's been able to do extremely well over his career) and focus on the one thing he's been concerned about for years — winning.
But things didn't start off as planned, as the first two batters of the game went deep to give the Orioles a quick two-run lead. Taking the fans from an electric crowd to a somewhat stunned crowd, you still figured this was far from where things would end. Not in Jeter's final game in the Bronx.
As has happened from stadium to stadium throughout this season, due to his preseason announcement that 2014 would be his final year, Jeter received a standing ovation when he made his way to the plate for his first at-bat of the night. The fans knew this would be one of their final opportunities to thank Jeter for the memories, and they took full advantage of it. But the memory making wasn't done. Not by a long shot.
After working the count a bit, Jeter drove a 3-1 fastball from Kevin Gausman deep to left center, and although everyone immediately thought it was a home run, the ball hit off the wall, allowing Jeter to coast into second with an RBI double — the 544th double, 3,462nd hit and 1,308th RBI of his career. You got the feeling that this was going to be a magical night.
However, the second and third at-bats of the night weren't much to write home about for Jeter. A weak ground ball which resulted in a a fielder's choice and a swinging strikeout, respectively, Jeter appeared to be headed for a memorable but fairly uneventful evening as the game rolled on.
But things would quickly change for The Captain.
Coming up with the bases loaded in a 2-2 ballgame for his fourth time at the plate, Jeter grounded to fellow short stop, J.J. Hardy, who made a wide throw to second base, allowing two runs to score on the throwing error. The score became 4-2, Yankees, with Jeter being responsible for two of the Yankees' four runs. A sacrifice fly by Brian McCann then took the score up to 5-2, which is where things stood when the game moved into the ninth inning.
Before the game even began, many people speculated as to when Derek Jeter would be removed from the game. Many felt it would be with one or two outs in the top of the ninth, but the chance to replace him never occurred. Yankees' closer, David Robertson, came on and gave up a two-run home run to Adam Jones, followed by a solo shot by Steve Pearce, and just like that the game was tied.
But no one seemed to panic as they normally would.
One look at the lineup card showed that Jeter was due up third in the bottom half.
After a single by Jose Pirela to lead off the bottom of the ninth (Pirela was promptly replaced by a pinch runner), Brett Gardner bunted the runner to second, bringing up Derek Jeter in a tie ballgame with one out.
Wasting no time, Jeter took the first pitch of the at-bat the opposite way into right field, bringing around the game winning run — the first walk off hit for Jeter since June of 2007. With everything having to go exactly right, there's absolutely no better way the game could've ended for Derek Jeter.
He's a legend — simple as that.
Going down as one of the best short stops in history — right up there with Ozzie Smith, Cal Ripken Jr., etc. — Derek Jeter will be remembered forever.
Not only as one of the greatest to ever play his position, not only as one of the greatest Yankees to play the game, but also as one of the greatest human beings to play the sport. Putting together a near spotless career on and off the field, few will argue that you will never see a player quite like Derek Jeter ever again.
And the fans let Jeter know it when he walked back onto the field after getting the game winning hit. Joined by fellow Yankees legends, Mariano Rivera, Joe Torre, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte, among others, Jeter took the time to thank the fans for their support, tipping his cap before taking off down the dugout steps and through the tunnel for the final time of his career.
Playing his entire twenty year career for the Yankees, the first ballot Hall of Famer didn't have a whole lot to say after the game. As has been the case over his career, Jeter never says more than he wants to say. But he did let his emotions show through a bit, tearing up a bit at times. When asked what he would miss most, Jeter responded, "Everything. But most importantly, I'm going to miss the fans. They're what made this special".
The 1996 American League Rookie of the Year, fourteen time All-Star, five time World Series champion, and sixth place player on the all-time hit list accomplished nearly everything he ever dreamed of doing on a baseball field. Growing up, all Jeter ever dreamed of was being the short stop for the Yankees, and he was able to do just that. Dreams really do come true.
With that being his ultimate goal, Jeter made it official after the game that he will never again play short stop, saying he's going to play in the final three games of the year up in Boston out of respect for the fans, but merely as the designated hitter.
As such, Jeter will undoubtedly get a standing ovation each and every time he steps to the plate up at Fenway park until his final at-bat occurs on Sunday. For a New York Yankee to get that type of respect from rival Red Sox fans, you know he had a truly remarkable career. As he always does, Derek Jeter put it best on Thursday night, simply stating, "I've lived the dream."


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Comments (page 11)
Sheneith Hawkins here
TP, what are you doing? I'm coming over to talk to u in a little bit. Yes! What are u doing on the 4th of July?Reply
Sea Blanchard San Jose, CA
Dear Mr. Perry, I just wanted to take the time and thank you for being such an inspiration to men, particularly African American men, everywhere. I was first exposed to your gift through your plays. Growing up in Oakland, CA, it was quite taboo for anyone in my neighbor to go to see a play, or any type of theatrical performance. However, I remember, as a teenager, seeing hundreds of men, women, and children lining up to see your sold out shows. I was awestruck, but most importantly, I was proud. I was proud to see people of color, excited and enthusiastic to watch a theatrical performance. It still brings me great joy to see God's anointing and grace on your life as you continue to plant good seed and produce a fruitful harvests. At 31, I've been truly blessed to graduate college, get my degree in Aerospace Engineering, and work as a Mechanical Designer/Engineer. I can only pray that the legacy I leave behind, will touch and positively impact others as much as your life has. Truly, Sir, you're great inspiration. Many blessings in all areas of your life. Sean...Reply
Cheryl Hudson Pasadena, CA
God just shines through you! What a blessing to get to watch these videos. I just recently discovered them and I like to watch them when I'm feeling down and it's like a complete mood turn-around when I do watch them. I think the world is blessed that you do what you were called to do! :)Reply
Sheneith Hawkins Dallas,Tx.
Here we go!!!!! #HavesAndHaveNots #Tonight on #OWN!!! #Congrats & #HowExciting?! :-) What u doing Tyler?Reply
Doneilia Bush NY
Dear Mr. Perry In your inspiration corner, you speak of "you can have anything you want". I am almost 50 years old and still have a lot of dreams, to one day, do something with m life. Remind you now, that I am almost 50 and have not done much with my life so far. I am on my way to completing my Associates degree and that is the biggest hurdle of my life. I never liked school growing up and never wanted to go back to school once I completed high school. Being a full time student this past semester was one of the hardest things I have had to do in a long time, however, siting in class, my dreams began growing and as you stated, they were all over the place. I do know that I am worthy and can do whatever I put my mind to do, however, I keep getting in my way. My mind would not stop spewing out negative that seems to be keeping me down. How do I shut out that negative spirit that follows me everywhere I go? God is the center of my life, but you would not know it by looking at my past or my present life. I feel closer to death than to life, due to my age and my past. I want to live an abundant life and not just exist, as I am now. Thank you for your time DoneiliaReply
Tamara Johnson-Dunston Toledo Ohio
Thank you so much for that message I really needed that it was a Rhema Word for me. GOD BLESS YOUReply
rkh indiana
Hello Mr Perry, can you answer something for me? When I love I love hard and deep, I don't just mean in a relationship. When I let someone in my heart they are all the way in my heart. So because I am this way. Is that why when I get hurt, the pain is deep and harder to heal???Reply
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Sometimes these truths run so deep within... "Tyler Breathe" When I said just breathe it was meant with great compassion..gentleness and soothing. Imagine a light gentle whisper against your cheek yet softly resting in front of your ear..slowly yet softly..quietly..."baby, breathe..till this moment passes by. Tomorrow the sun will shine but just for tonight..baby just breathe"...if that is all I may ask you to do. a loving gentle reminderReply
Why you #1826816
Bitennn Boo! LOL! Try being original.......Reply
Bianca A. Houston, TX
What to say?? lol all I can say is what you've already said "As a man thinketh so is He"....It's amazing what God has in store...It's even more amazing when we see people like you...like me...that grab hold to the promises...I thank God for your platform and I thank God for mine...until...Reply
Me. Naomi Faith. 208 bates ave. #1825034
Dear God, I pray that My man hears this PRAYER! I know you are watching my heart pour out onto to this keyboard. I pray that Tyler is as serious as I am. I need you to rescue me from emotional abuse in this '' home''. I pray I have proved my heart beats to the sound of yours. I breath in your breath. My heart full exposed for all to see, because that is what is meant to be. God I am beyond grateful there is no word that I can use to describe thesis happiness. It is beyond all compare. I will have no fear . I know you are right here literally so close I can feel you everywhere. This I can not apologize for. I only fear the hospital and there is one person on this earth that candid me of this cross that I carry. Please come now I say as I write and pray.... please come rescue me from despair. it is what I am when you are not holding me in your arms. kissing my face and taking in every move. I would move for you but am afraid to. I turn my trust to put in the palm of your hand. There is an all knowing....that you are the owner of what it is that I deserve to understand. i am only afraid with you not with me now. I can have everything. Because of you I BELIEVE. Thank you infinity + infinity. All of my life I've waited for freedom from these cages- Its time for me to let go and give it to you. In my Lord Jesus Christ Amen. Thank you God for the most beautiful of women and beautiful of men! You and I= life. Amen.Reply
Jenell Florida #1827142
God does Not give us a Spirit of Fear. Recognize His Love and be wise never letting go of Gods promises in your Life. Our Lord and Savior wants us to live in Joy Peace Happiness but most of all in Love. Love doesnt treat you like anything other but a Queen. You are Gods Queen!! Make a change for Love. God bless you.Reply
I'm really enjoying being on this computer. I'm spinning around in the chair because cause I feel so encouraged. People still have love in their hearts out here in this cold world. Sitting with my favorite neighbor . INSPIRATION! ttylReply
I love you!;)Reply

subset: commoncrawl


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Being an honest Wall Street broker for 45 years, these protesters should realize that the government, SEC, Nasdaq, etc. hasn't enforced the rules to control corporate greed at the top of the corporations. Most of the workers employed on Wall Street and banks are hardworking, honest Americans.
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Congressperson Barney Frank (D-MA), while sitting on the banking commission, should share some of the blame for our real estate mess.
Under any system, where there is money you will find greed that must be controlled. That government control failed!
When Willie Sutton the bank robber was asked in the 195s why he robbed banks, he replied, "Because that's where the money is!"
Why are not these demonstrators camped out in front of the White House? The First Lady spent a fortune of taxpayer dollars in the first two-and-a-half years in the White House. Let's be fair – the Obamas are not poor unemployed victims of Wall Street greed – they are politically greedy, same as Wall Street greed!Class warfare is in Karl Marx's best-seller, Das Kapital! Wake up, America.Eugene R. Guerrera, CFPBarnstable
Location, ST | website.com


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Each year the MPA Program attracts a wide array of students with various interests, backgrounds, and experience. We believe the diversity of our student body adds to the classroom dynamic and overall learning experience. Read on to learn more about some of our current students and their experiences in the MPA program.
Madison Sampson ('17) completed her first year in the MPA program as the Cemala Foundation Fellow. In this role, she interned at the Black Child Development Institute of Greensboro and the National Conference for Community Justice. During the summer, Madison served as an intern for the Chief of Staff in the NC Governor McCrory's Office.
Raised in Charlotte, N.C., Madison completed a B.A. in Anthropology and a Secondary Education License at UNCG in 2014. After graduating, Madison served overseas as a volunteer teacher in American Samoa where she taught high school social studies. She then became a policy intern with the Children's Defense Fund in DC, concentrating on child welfare, early childhood policy, and K-12 education. Those experiences fueled her passion for children, education reform, and nonprofit advocacy. Upon graduation, Madison plans to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector, focusing on community engagement efforts to combat social ills. "I am looking forward to being challenged and developing practical skills to effectively carry out my passion for public service," says Madison.
Joseph Furstenberg began his first year in the MPA program in the fall of 2015, after spending a year volunteering on political campaigns and helping with his family's business in Reidsville, NC. Joseph holds a B.A. in Political Science from North Carolina State University. As an undergraduate he was a member of several organizations, including the North Carolina State University Student Senate, a Rank Leader for the Power Sound of the South Marching Band, and he also served as President for the Gamma-Upsilon Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity. While at NC State, he worked as the Intern and Volunteer Coordinator for The North Carolina Office of the Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest, in addition to working as a Research Assistant for Dr. Andy Taylor. Currently, Joseph serves as a Graduate Assistant for the Political Sciences Department, aiding several professors with their research. He is also the recipient of a North Carolina City and County Management Association Scholarship. Joseph hopes to use the skills he has learned in the MPA program to pursue a career in local government with a focus on urban planning and development. "The MPA program at UNCG offers a unique perspective into public affairs by bringing together aspects of local government, nonprofits, and even some private ventures into one curriculum" he says. "Each class offers the ability to not only study a subject, but to apply it directly to the career path I wish to pursue. We discuss certain subjects in class and I think to myself –yes— that is exactly what is happening in my own community right now!"
Lamar Lee entered the MPA Program as a part-time student in the spring of 2015 in the Local Government Concentration. A native of Greensboro, Lee was a Watson Scholarship Recipient at Elon University where he earned a degree in Sport and Event Management in 2012. Originally he was interested in being a college athletic director but discovered his passion for parks and recreation after interning for Burlington Parks and Recreation as the Special Events Assistant. Lamar continued to work for the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department as a part-time staff member until graduation. Then he accepted a position in Howard County Recreation and Parks in Maryland as an Instructional Sports Coach and Community Facility Leader. In 2013 Lamar returned to North Carolina to work for the City of High Point as a Marina Operator, later promoted to Parks Supervisor of Oak Hollow Park, which is comprised of a marina, campground, and 3 satellite parks rented for special events. "I chose the MPA program because it offers an opportunity to expand my knowledge of local government management while learning more about the non-profit sector. I enjoy transferring the knowledge I learn in class directly to my current position to enhance my job performance and supervisory skills. The MPA program is giving me a strong foundation to be successful in any aspect of Local Government I choose to pursue in the future."
Svitlana (Lana) Skrypnyk, a native of Odessa, Ukraine, started in the MPA program in the fall of 2014, after dedicating a year to public service with the AmeriCorps Partnership to End Homelessness, where she worked as a Volunteer Coordinator at the Servant Center of Greensboro, winning the Member of the Year award for 2013-2014. In her first year in the MPA program, she was a Graduate Assistant for the Political Science Department, aiding several professors with their research. During the summer of 2015, Lana had a wonderful experience interning with the National Conference for Community and Justice, furthering her experience in social justice issues and gaining skills in communications, development, program support, and administrative capacities. Recently, Lana has joined the full-time staff of the Interactive Resource Center, a day center aiding Greensboro's homeless popluation, as the Administrative Coordinator. Lana hopes to continue utilizing the skills she learned in the MPA program and her work experiences to continue advocating for human rights, social justice, women's issues, and poverty alleviation as her career in the nonprofit sector develops. "My favorite part of the program is the connections I've made with fellow MPA students, faculty, and staff," says Lana. "Everyone has such unique personal stories, backgrounds, interests, and talents and I've really enjoyed getting to know, and learning from, everyone on their journey into public service."


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Tune in to ABC at 8pm tonight (7 central and mountain) and, you'll be treated to an hour-long trip into the Marvel Universe. You may be saying right now that such is usually the case what with "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." generally occupying said timeslot, but this is different; this is special. Over the course of the hour you can expect to see sneaks of "Avengers 2," "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Winter Soldier," as well as a look at just how it is that Marvel has managed to put together this brilliant cinematic universe.
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Harry Charles Clarke
Position: HB-DB
6-0, 186lb (183cm, 84kg)
Born: December 1, 1916 in Cumberland, MD
Died: December 31, 2005 in Morgantown, WV
College: West Virginia
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 0 (14739th overall since 1960)
Draft: Chicago Bears in the 13th round (117th overall) of the 1940 NFL Draft.
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Photos/Weights: Chavez Jr. 160, Sebastian Zbik 158.8
By Ryan Burton & Ernest Gabion
The weights are in for Saturday's big fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The "Son of a Legend" Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. challenges Sebastian Zbik for the WBC middleweight title. Chavez came in at an even 160-pounds, while the champion was 158.8. Both of them looked in great shape. Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank.
In a featherweight clash, Rafael Guzman was 125.8, while unbeaten Mikey Garcia was 127-pounds [contract weight was 127].
A battle for the WBC silver junior middleweight title, with Vanes Martirosyan coming in at 153.4, while Saul Roman was 153-pounds even.
The females took to the scale. Dakota Stone was 149-pounds, while female boxing legand Christy Martin was 149.8-pounds.
Jr is HUGE. This kid wont even be at 160 long.Comment by Pinoy4ever on 06-04-2011
go chavez jrComment by -KULT- on 06-04-2011
JCC Jr looks much bigger than Zbik. He has no excuse not to win by KO/TKO.Comment by KeepOnPushing on 06-03-2011
long term Chavez Jr. Will Struggle to even stay at 160Comment by Medved on 06-03-2011
Nice Pedro Stash bro. [IMG]http://www.boxingscene.com/uploads/39922/Garcia_Guzman_weighin_110603_001a.jpg[/IMG]Post a Comment - View More User Comments (45)


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"In the end the only book that matters to me is what I see in the eyes of those who know me best".
Frank Schaeffer in interview with Brian McLaren, 2014.
"In the end the only book that matters to me is what I see in the eyes of those who know me best".
Frank Schaeffer in interview with Brian McLaren, 2014.
I'm very happy to announce the album that's been a long time coming: "Valley of the Shadow: Rites of Loss".
This eclectic, classical crossover suite for strings, voices and sound design explores the universal narratives of loss through moods like denial, bargaining and anger. It prominently features string quartet, but incorporates solo and choral voices and a wide variety of genres and instrumentation.
You can hear it online, and it is available on all major digital platforms including iTunes. My hope is to create a space for conversation and contemplation around issues so often shrouded in obscurity, so please get involved, comment, share, and enjoy.
Dave Andrews' "The Jihad of Jesus – The Sacred Nonviolent Struggle for Justice" is a brave, compelling, succinct and yet accessible entry point into one of the most critical questions of our age, that of the relationship between Islam and Christianity.
Andrews's book tackles head-on many core issues arising from this ancient and mostly bitter rivalry with their competing truth claims: intolerance of the other, the constraints of thought and action, and violence, precluding a truly mutual co-operation between those deemed to be different.
The Quranic and Arabic term jihad as he explains means at its core, "struggle", (and not "war" which is qital), despite its common contemporary usage. Jihad comprises a greater aspect – the inner struggle of the believer to submit to God, and a lesser one – the outer struggle of the righteous community for justice. 35 of the 6000 verses in the Quran use the term jihad, 11 unambiguously in terms of peace, 4 unambiguously in terms of war, and the remaining 20, ambiguously. (And when used in terms of war, strict rules of engagement apply).
Now, over half (54.7%) the worlds people are either Muslims or Christians. Together these traditions have contributed directly to centuries of division, suspicion, domination and violence; the key to overcoming these dark pasts must lie in a transformation from within of both, a revisioning of their God images, their interpretations of their texts, a new understanding of belonging and belief systems, and an active, generous openness between "believers", and attitude towards "unbelievers".
Key to Andrew's success is his thoroughly pluralistic, and painstakingly fair, co-evaluation of the evil pasts of both blocs. He asks a "Life or death" question:
"Are the atrocities that are done in the name of Christianity or Islam true indicators of the nature of Christianity or Islam, or not? If [no] then we have nothing to fear from the continued expansion of Christianity or Islam. But, if … these cruelties are true indicators—and inevitable consequences—of the way we have constructed our religions, then we have everything to fear from Christianity or Islam in the coming millennium."
He goes on to analyse these "constructions", exploring fear of exclusion, avarice, power, authoritarianism, and blind obedience.
A key tool he provides is the idea of "closed (bounded)" and "open (centered)" perspectives (which he attributes to Paul Hiebert). In a closed perspective, a boundary creates an "in" and an "out" group. These boundaries are defined by dogma/sunna and defended by war and violence if necessary. The Quranic kufr (unbeliever) and the Biblical "heathen" are well used closed-set words. A main advantage of the closed set is its simplicity.
But the disadvantages are pernicious. A closed set "creates no room for diversity, dissent or disagreement." (p 72). While most adherents of Islam and Christianity so take for granted their "special" and "chosen" status that they are unable to question the nature of these boundaries and their implications for the life of faith, let alone for the future of the planet.
People committed to "closed set" religion tend
"to be dogmatic and judgmental and, consequently, quite intolerant of political dissent. They have constantly been shown to be more egocentric, more ethnocentric, and more uncharitable towards disreputable minorities than their nonreligious compatriots."
Ultimately, it is the religious, "devoted to our mutually exclusive, inevitably conflictual, collision-bound bounded sets, that are directly, or indirectly, moving millions towards a [global militant] jihad of violence everywhere…", be they medieval Crusaders or 21st Century organisations like the Islamic State.
So Andrews proposes an open perspective, in which belonging to a religious set means not defending the sets boundaries but choosing and striving to overcome these very boundaries. It is the guiding spirit of both the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6) and the Bismillah (Quran, Surah 1 Al-Fatihah) that provides hope of an overcoming compassion and a way forward for religions deeply in need of their own redemption. And he admits the problems with such an approach, including the challenge of knowing who is "in" and who is "out".
Breaking down the psychology of killing is an important aspect to revisioning nonviolence. Towards this he quotes extensively from "On Killing" by US military psychologist Dave Grossman, who shows that the vast majority (98%) of people including conscripted soldiers, are not "born killers". He explains the mechanism by which killers are created, in both regular military and terrorist programs such as the Jemaah Islamiyah (based in South East Asia). This includes for example framing killing as saving lives, portraying the enemy as sub-human, and developing each unit's capacity for collective violence.
But the main focus for Andrews, as a Christian, is Isa / Jesus. For him, Jesus embodied jihad, a struggle to live a righteous life in community in an unjust society. He points to the fact that Jesus was not a mystic like Buddha, a Scholar like Confucius, a Lawgiver like Moses, or a warrior like Mohammed. This difference can only make stronger that which might emerge from a thorough interreligious dialog. It is his view that
"It was never Jesus' intention to start a religion—still less a monopolistic religion that saw itself in competition with other religions for people's allegiance. Jesus said he simply came "to bring life and life in all its fullness" (see John 10:10). Thus, he would affirm all that is life-affirming and confront all that is life-negating in the world's religions—especially in the religion that now bears his name." (p. 121)
If there is anything missing in Andrews's thesis, it would be to account more thoroughly for the intensely dualistic nature of the Quranic text. My bias notwithstanding, I am unsure of how it is possible to derive a systematic theology of tawhid (oneness) or of nonviolence based on its structural dualism and (largely) punitive God image. But I'm very open to ideas. For this, we might have to rely more heavily on the Hadith or second-tier Islamic writings. In comparison, due to its wider sources, the Bible gives us far more room, (even in the light of much which is unacceptable or outmoded) to construct an integrated theology of peace.
Having said that, it is the heart that will lead to tawhid and unity. Dave Andrews finishes his book with 4 powerful stories of nonviolent jihad of compassion from Muslims and Christians past and present: St Francis of Assisi, the Pakistani Badshah Khan, the Nigerian Muhammad Ashafa, and the Liberian Leymah Gbowee.
These stories of peace from within both traditions give immense hope to those of us who might feel there is no real way to overcome the burden of history.
"The Jihad of Jesus – The Sacred Nonviolent Struggle for Justice" is a contemporary toolkit for Christians, Muslims and everyone who cares enough to summon the patience/sabr and compassion/rahman to make a start in their own jihad/struggle towards tawhid/oneness, however small or seemingly insignificant that start may be.
Dave Andrews' website
The Jihad of Jesus website
The Jihad of Jesus on Facebook
According to an old story, a lord of ancient China once asked his physician, a member of a family of healers, which of them was the most skilled in the art.
The physician, whose reputation was such that his name became synonymous with medical science in China, replied:
"My eldest brother sees the spirit of sickness and removes it before it takes shape, so his name does not get out of the house.
My elder brother cures sickness when it is still extremely minute, so his name does not get out of the neighbourhood.
As for me, I puncture veins, prescribe potions, and massage skin, so from time to time my name gets out and is heard among the lords."
[From Thomas Cleary's introduction to Chinese classic "The Art of War" (Sunzi Bingfa)]
The evolutionary evangelist continues to impress. Here he discusses an evolutionary perspective on the stubbornness of our human condition – sin – in a recent talk for TEDx Grand Rapids.
"Prior to microscopes, it wasn't just difficult to understand infection, it was impossible. Prior to telescopes, it wasn't just difficult to understand the large scale structure of the universe, it was impossible. Two or three hundred years ago it wasn't just difficult to understand our evolved nature, it was impossible."
"History will show that the greatest psychological and spiritual realisation – revelation – of our time is the understanding that human beings have instincts like all other animals do and if we don't understand appreciate and respectfully manage – that is honour and harness our inherited drives, we are bound to be enslaved to them.
What you resist persists, but what you can be grateful for – honour – can transform and empower you."
"Zane Lang encounters Zane Lang", a film by Patrick Royal:
[Matthew 6:19, TNIV]
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
[Tao Te Ching 44, Ursula Le Guin]
Which is nearer, name or self?
Which is dearer, self or wealth?
Which gives more pain, loss or gain?
All you grasp will be thrown away.
All you hoard will be utterly lost.
The parallel sayings are similar in exhorting us not to store up or grasp things, or become attached to reputation or power. They both point out the transience of a purely material life, and the need to develop a deeper and longer view of lifes purpose.