What a Ride it Has Been

Well guys the school year is ending and that means it is time to reflect on my blog this year. It's crazy that I have only had this blog for one school year because it seems like it's been forever. I have had so much fun learning the ways of a blogger. I also have learned a lot about myself! I learned my style of writing. I learned that writing a blog can actually be fun. I will hopefully continue this blog during the summer. It will be hard because I will be gone a lot of the time, but I think it would be fun to keep in touch with all you guys. From my first blog to this last one, many things have changed. The only thing that hasn't changed is my passion for the sport. My writing has improved and I can really see the difference.

Thank You all So Much!!! Courtesy of Immunology for the Image

Whether my blog continues or not, there is one thing that we can all count on. That is the fact that baseball doesn't stop and it will be going on all summer and even next year, and the year after that. I know that all of you out there will be watching your favorite teams, hoping that something good happens and your team makes it into the playoffs and then even wins the World Series. Well guys, I want to let you know that won't happen unless you are an Angels fan because that is the team that is winning it all this year.

I hope that you guys have enjoyed reading my lame blog posts. I have had a ton of fun writing them and keeping up with the baseball world. Keep in touch with me! If you have any questions or want to contact me you can reach me by emailing me at ndavis18@pcstudents.us. It has been a fun year guys and I loved sharing it with you guys. Until next time!!!!!

The Angels Fall to the Astros

The Angels throw the game in the last inning with Street leading the way. Yeah so that pretty much sums up the game! The Angels didn't do the best this game but they held the hot Astros until the 9th inning. It was pretty fun to watch because my team was winning, right? Well first off the Angels pitching was fantastic! To hold off a team that is doing as well as the Astros is down right amazing. However, it all came to an end in the 9th inning. It was Houston Street coming up to pitch and boom the first batter up gets on base, then the second batter is on, then all of a sudden the Astros score three runs and the Angels are down 3-2. I mean it was pretty defeating, emotionally, to see that happen.

Houston Street Blows the Save! Thanks LA Times for the Image

What lead up to this loss? First off, even though the Angels were leading the game the whole way, they didn't produce nearly enough runs and their offense was pretty dormant. Yes, two runs seemed to be enough this game but usually this wouldn't be enough. When you are facing a team that has been doing as well as the Astros, it is mandatory that you produce many runs to keep your team out in front. The Angels scored two runs and then seemed to shut down. This ended up in the long run hurting the Angels and they lost to the Astros.

The Astros also played really well this game. It was never lopsided, there was never a point in the game where you just turned off the TV and walked away. No, actually the game was the complete opposite. I was almost analyzing the TV it seemed like. Like the Angels, the Astros put up a good fight and also had fantastic pitching. The Astros offense was nonexistent until the very end. I have no clue what it was but all of a sudden the Astros seemed to ignite and they put up some nice hits.

Astros Offense Sparks in the 9th! Courtesy of Galv News for the Pic

The Angels and Astros are well matched and so far have had great games to watch. I look forward to the many more games that these two teams will play and hope that they remain close.

The All New Astros

While everyone thinks that the Astros suck, the Astros are actually proving that they aren't that bad after all. Lately, everything has been picking up for them and every component of their game is very strong. They just snapped a 10 game winning streak. Can you believe that? The Astros actually won more than one game in a row! I know I give them a lot of crap but I have to give it to them, they are on fire.

First off, we have their offense. They are leading the American League in home runs. Everyone in the Astros lineup is capable of causing harm while up to bat. From the leadoff hitter to the number 12 hitter, each and every player can hit a home run and they have proved it. Not only that, with Jose Altuve leading the way, they are also getting tons of multiple base hits. It's insane how well the offense is doing. However, on the flip side of this, at any time the Astros can go dry from home runs and start losing again. Yes, they are destroying the ball right now, but that can change in less than a game!

Jose Altuve is Red Hot Right Now! Courtesy of CBS Sports for this Image

Next there is the pitching of the Astros. I'm not even talking about the overall defense I'm just going to talk about pitching right now. Their rotation is pretty strong with Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh. With this dynamic duo, they haven't lost a single game. The Astros defense hasn't had to do much yet because of the great pitching. The ERA of these two all star pitchers is insanely low. If you look outside of the pitching, their defense is also very strong right now. Of course Jose Altuve is leading them but they also have Springer, Carter, and Rasmus who all show off their gloves in the field. 

Keuchel Looks to Keep his Streak Going! Thanks MLB for this Pic!

I know that I predicted the Astros would suck again this year but I think that I have already been proved wrong. Even though it is way early in the season, you can tell the Astros have made some changes and it's really working. Don't mistake me for a bandwagon fan because I still don't like the Astros, but I can't deny a good team when I see one and the Astros are definitely a good team right now!

Players to Watch in the American League

Hey guys, what's up? Today I am going to talk about different players who should be watched closely in the American League. Now I am not only going to talk about people who are famous and amazing at the game, but also people who are building up or have been struggling and are coming back.

First off we have Jered Weaver! Jered Weaver is a starting pitcher for the Angels who at one point was arguably one of the best pitchers in baseball. This year Weaver has been doing really poorly and he publicly admits it. The Angels Manager Mike Scioscia has also acknowledged the fact that Jered has been doing poorly. However, despite the statistics, I think Jered Weaver will come back and during the second half of the season be that unstoppable pitcher he once was. Every player in the MLB struggles at one point or another. The reason I am focusing on Weaver is because once he becomes the leader he once was, the Angels will follow and start to do well again.

Angels Pitcher Jered Weaver! Courtesy of ESPN for the Pic!

Next is Jose Altuve. While everyone knows that Jose is one of the best players in the MLB offensively and defensively, I am looking at him in a different way. So far this year the Astros have been doing really well. Many people question why. The answer to this is Jose Altuve. As long as he can continue to stay hot, I believe the Astros will also stay hot. Altuve is one of the top hitters and is easily a gold glove shortstop. Despite his height of 5' 6", he still manages to do really well. 

Jose Altuve leads the Red Hot Astros! Thanks Wiki for the Image!

Another player that you should be watching out for is Kole Calhoun. Kole is a starting outfielder for the Angels and bats leadoff. Flying under the radar, Kole is a solid hitter and fielder. So far this year, Kole has come in clutch in many different situations and continues to impress. Many argue that Mike Trout over shadows Kole Calhoun which may be true given that Mike Trout is amazing. However, Kole also is a very impressive ball player and is still young. This year and the years to come will really show what Kole Calhoun is about.

Kole Makes the Catch!!! Awesome Pic by Japan Times

Thanks for reading this guys! Let me know what you think and if you have any questions make sure to leave a comment!

San Francisco Giants Pride

Thank you Joey for asking about the Giants. I honestly was having trouble thinking about which team I should analyze. For me, this is pretty easy. The Giants as everyone knows, have had some great past history. The giants have won plenty of World Series including the most recent 2014 World Series vs the Royals. I'm not going to talk about that because I am still pissed that the Royals lost. Not only should the Royals have won, but they were such a great underdog team.

Giants win the 2014 World Series. Image courtesy of SF Fun Cheap

Anyways, there is a lot I could say about the Giants, one of which is that they are doing terrible right now in Spring Training. Right now their record is 6-19 placing last in the National League. I don't know what I have to say about this. It is shocking to see a team go from the top dog to a terrible team in such a quick amount of time. I do hesitate calling them a terrible team because don't get me wrong, they have had tremendous success. So what has happened between the 2014 World Series Championship and now? Well that is debatable.

The Giants have been active in trading ever since they became champions. One of the trades that they made was Pablo Sandoval. Now many people believe that Sandoval was the face of the Giants. The panda as many people liked to call him. Sadly, he has moved on to the Red Sox. Of all the teams in the world, the Red Sox. They didn't even need him! Anyways as you can see, this has made a major impact of the Giants causing their record to be disgusting. Of course their are other factors that come to play but man this was a big decision.

The Panda in a Sox Uniform. Thanks Chowder and Champions for this Pic

I honestly have no idea what the coachers and managers were thinking to sell the iconic panda. He came in clutch a lot of times. He didn't deserve to go. Honestly and sadly enough, I think that the Giants will do terrible this year and spring training has just proved my point. Who knows maybe they will get their crap together, but for now, so long Giants see you in 2016!

Not Looking good for the Giants! Courtesy of Sfgate for this nice pic!

A Baseball Player

I'm always writing about the pros. I have decided to take a break and talk about the normal day of a baseball player. First off, everyday you get dirty. There is never a day after practice where your pants are clean and don't have grass or dirt stains. This is what is the best part! I love to get dirty and it is fun when your uniform shows that you have been working hard. Keeping things clean and straight is for losers! In this post not only am I going to take you through a normal practice, but also life at home.

While of course you have to struggle through school, after, there is always something to look forward to. Practice usually is pretty uniform. Jog and warm up and then work of the things that need improvement. Of course the coaches know what to work on. It's what we did wrong at the previous game. Usually, a practice includes hitting and fielding. First, you break off into groups and work your position. Doing out fielding work is always fun, but it's a huge bummer when you miss one and have to take the jog of shame after the ball that you just screwed up on.

Thanks Minnesota Connected for this Great Image of Mike Trout Robbing a Homer

Live Batting Practice (BP) is always fun. However, there are tons of exercises that help you out with your hitting. Usually there is hitting stations that you switch off at. Each station works a different skill that is helpful when it comes to games. Hitting is personally my favorite part. It's always fun to take out some anger on innocent baseballs. Each hitting station as I said, helps a different skill. There is tee work, live pitching, and soft toss. When you are using a tee to help yourself out, there are tons of ways to use it. For example, working on outside and inside pitches. Live pitching helps you read the balls and get better and knowing what kind of pitch is coming and where it is going.

While there is tons of work to be done on the field and with the team, at home is no different. Everyday there is something that needs improvement. A good start is to hit off a tee. This is an easy exercise that will improve your hitting skills tremendously. Not only is it a good way to improve, you don't need anyone else to do this. You can set everything up yourself. Having a tee as a baseball play is a MUST if you want to succeed. I hope you understand a little more about things that go on in a baseball players life! See ya next time!!

Thanks Baseball Tips for this Informative Image

Going to the Cactus League

As everyone reading this probably knows, spring training is currently going on and MLB Opening Day is on it's way! No matter what team that you are going for, we can all agree that Opening Day needs to come faster. Spring training is in full spring and we've seen a little bit of everything.

This year there has been a lot of Tommy Johns surgery. This is pretty sad to see such great pitchers have to go through something like that. However, there are plenty of positive things going on. This season there is a lot to look forward. Of course it is pretty early to know exactly what will go down. Spring training has been so fun to watch this season. The Angels (the best team in the MLB) have been doing well along with many other teams!

Tommy John Surgery :(  Thanks Bleacher Report for this!

The Angels in the post season haven't been doing too amazing but have been doing well which I am pretty stoked about. Of course their star players are still doing well, there have been some people peeking in and looking good! One team though, that has been outstanding in spring training is the Athletics. Last year, the Athletics put up a good fight throughout the whole season but ended up falling short. Will this be their season?

You know I can't say for sure but I think they have a good shot. As heart breaking that is for me as an Angels fan, the Athletics have a very impressive ball club. However, that is just in the American League. In the National league there is the Dodgers, who did pretty well last year. Not too surprisingly, they are continuing to do well. I don't know what it is about the Dodgers, but man their games are always fun to watch.

Thanks Daily Republic for this nice quality pic!

Some teams that I would have you pay close attention to is the Diamondbacks and the Astros. These two teams haven't done too well recently but man their records are looking pretty promising. The Diamondbacks currently are 14-10 giving them the title of second in the national league. The Astros who many think are terrible (myself included) have a nice record of 10-8 placing them in sixth in the American League. I know that isn't great, but I think these two teams will go a lot farther than last year.

Thanks MLB for this clean Logo!

I know that there are a lot of games to be played but in my opinion this is going to be one fun season. I am so stoked to watch regular season games. I'm slowly getting back into the baseball swing and I'm ready to invest some hours in watching some games! During the season I am thinking about adding highlights and doing my own highlight reels so you guys are always caught up with all the fun stuff that is going on! Until next time fellow bloggers!