World Series Rematch in 2013?

               
                      Everyone must wonder why do I have a picture of the 2002 world series. This is because is because during the 2002 world series the Angels beat Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants. 11 years later there is a possibility of these two California teams meeting again in the world Series.

                      The San Francisco Giants have become  major contenders in the last few seasons winning two world series in three years. If they win another they will be what is considered a dynasty in the sports world. This is a real possibility because most of there team is intact. They still have moderately young pitching that is steady, and ready to go. Sergio Romo has proved himself as a reliable reliever for the future. Brian Wilson on the other hand will likely end up signing a minor league deal with the New York Mets.

                      As for there hitting if they continue to stay healthy then there is a good possibility they could continue their run. There secrete for winning games is not really a secrete at all. Unlike a lot of major league teams the Giants do not hit for power. Instead they sacrifice a lot of there power in order to bring in runs. Yet if they want to hit home runs there is nothing stopping them from doing so. The key to baseball when it comes to hitting is not to be reliant on big hits or home runs. Instead it is now about having players that can consistently hit for the sole purpose of producing runs.

                     What makes the Los Angeles Angels so  competitive is there pitching with Jared Weaver, CJ  Wilson. These players are proven dominant pitchers in major league baseball, and they are still young. They  also picked up Jason Vargas from the Settle Mariners for  Kendrys Morales and Joe Blanton. As for the fourth and fifth starters  you can add almost anyone and it should be a good pitching rotation.With their  rotation they should have a team ERA of 3.22. Yet the year is still young for baseball, and there are always deals to be made to pick up an extra starter.

                    The infield and outfield  have Chris Iannetta, Albert Pujols , Howard Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Alberto Callaspo, Micheal Trout, Josh Hamilton, and Mark Trumbo. With this defense and offense combined the team should have over 200 home runs with  a batting  average .350.

                    Both teams have a chance to meet and win the world series. If I had to predict today the angels would be an obvious favorite. This team has the perfect combination of hitting for power and to run production. Any pitcher would have a hard time dealing with Trumbo, Pujols, Hamilton, Trout, and others. It will be hard for any veteran pitcher to last more than five innings with this line up.

                    Yet do not count San Francisco out because they do have better pitching than the Angels. Yes they do have Weaver and CJ Wilson, but so far that is it. I do not see them winning a world series with only two reliable starters. They will have to during the season invest in another pitcher to have options at the # 3 starter. Vargas may do well and yet I would not put it solely on his shoulders.

                   Options could be Carl Pavano or Derek Lowe if they want to go with experience. Both pitchers may not be young, but  they can still give you five to six quality innings.They are also willing to come out of the ball pin in which could help prevent injuries for starters. If they wanted to go younger for younger pitchers names like Scott Diamond of the Twins or David Price of the Rays could work. Deals would involve cash and prospects which the Angels have plenty of.

                    Sometimes history repeats itself. Only time will tell if both teams make it or if something completely different happens. Can wait for baseball season.

Thanks for Reading
Jonny Jones and Floyd Samuels

Where Will Bourn Go?

                   Where Will Michael Bourn end up for the 2013 MLB season? This is a question that should have been answered months ago. For some reason no teams wants to jump at the chance of signing a great outfielder that has many good years ahead of him. Yes he may not be Josh Hamilton the great home run hitter, but he adds a lot of value to a baseball club.

                      Bourn is a player who has the ability to steal over 70 bases a year, hit for 325 average, and challenges pitchers while at the plate. He is also a great defensive outfielder who can make great plays. He has all of these great qualities and yet no one has offered him a contract. Why is that so?

                     One reason why Michael Bourn may not find a contract as fast as other is because he is not the mold that teams want. Although Bourn is a great player he is not someone who will immediately affect ticket and jersey sells for a club. Those players are home run hitters, left handed pitchers, and persons that can hit over 375 on average.

                     Now he will eventually receive a contract offer from a future club.  However, it will not be the offer he originally wanted. Major Baseball Clubs as a whole may have even black listed him so his worth could go down significantly. This would help any team in MLB get a great player for a cheap price.

                    The future teams that Bourn will likely end up are the Texas Rangers,  Braves, Rays, and even the Mets have been mentioned. yet I personally feel that the best fits for him to maintain a successful career would be with the Baltimore Orioles, NY Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Brewers.

                    All of these teams could use a player like Bourn to steal bases, get hits, and play good defense in the outfield. Especially the NY Yankees are cannot hit for average on a daily bases. Last season it was apparent that only have home run hitters will not get you past the first round of the playoffs. Looking at San Francisco's championship season proves that the league is starting to focus on hitters than those who can only hit for power.

                  The Yankees will not spend the money for Bourn and the other teams mentioned cannot make the investment because of ownership. Yet Bourn will eventually sign with a team, and that will be getting the deal of a life time for him. However, the most interested team should sign him within the next month so that he can concentrate getting ready for a new season.

Thanks for Reading
By Jonny Jones and Floyd Samuels