In fact, Pujols currently leads the NL with 32 HRs and 89 RBIs while hitting .316 which is .007 behind the leader (Joey Votto). It is time to start to think about the Triple Crown. Can Pujols pull off the Triple Crown this season? His name seems to be brought up with Triple Crown possibilities every year, but he has only won the batting title once (2003) and the home-run title once (2009). This year his main competition seems to be Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds. Votto leads the NL in batting (.323), he is 3rd in HR (29) and second in RBI (86).

Despite the great numbers that Pujols is putting up this season, he hasn’t received the same media attention as in the past. I have come up with a few reasons why this could be:

• It is expected of him. Let’s face it, when you think Albert Pujols, you think great hitter. It is no surprise that he is among the league leaders in several major hitting categories at this time of the year. If he had 20 HRs, 60 RBI and .270 AVG, he would certainly be in the media more often because it would be surprising.
• The Reds are stealing the show. Not only is Votto, Pujols’ main competition, but the Reds currently have a 3 game lead on the Cards in the NL Central. The Reds success is more of a story than Pujols because it is somewhat surprising. They have a very young and talented team and it will be interesting if they can hold on down the stretch.
• Josh Hamilton‘s resurgence in the American League is a better individual story. Hamilton was great two seasons ago (his first year with Texas), but last season injuries really held him back. Now he leads the majors in batting average (.357) and he is among the top 5 in the AL in RBI (88) and HR (28). He is my pick for the MVP.

What do you think? Is Pujols under the radar? Will this be the year we have a Triple Crown winner?

Photo Credit: AP/Bob Levey via SportsBettingChamp.org

Here is a quick summary of the trades that have taken place over the last week of the trade deadline:

Friday, July 30:

• Arizona Diamondbacks traded RHP Edwin Jackson to Chicago White Sox for RHP Dan Hudson and David Holmberg
• Washington Nationals traded RHP Matt Capps to Minnesota Twins for C Wilson Ramos and LHP Joe Testa
• Florida Marlins traded 3B Jorge Cantu to Texas Rangers for RHP Omar Poveda and RHP Evan Reed
• Atlanta Braves traded RF Mitch Jones to Pittsburgh Pirates for cash

Thursday, July 29:

• Houston Astros traded RHP Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia Phillies for LHP J.A. Happ, Anthony Gose and SS Jonathan Villar
• Baltimore Orioles traded 3B Miguel Tejada to San Diego Padres for RHP Wynn Pelzer
• Kansas City Royals traded LF Scott Podsednik to Los Angeles Dodgers for C Lucas May and RHP Elisaul Pimentel

Wednesday, July 28:

• Cleveland Indians traded 3B Jhonny Peralta to Detroit Tigers for LHP Giovany Soto

Tuesday, July 27:

• No trades

Monday, July 26:

• No trades

Sunday, July 25:

• Arizona Diamondbacks traded RHP Dan Haren to Los Angeles Angels for LHP Joe Saunders, LHP Patrick Corbin and RHP Rafael Rodriguez and a player to be named

I feel that the Angels, Rangers, White Sox, Twins and Phillies made very nice moves to help them over the last two months of the season.

• Haren will make an excellent addition to the Angels rotation to help them try to overcome the Rangers in the division.  The Rangers will look to keep their first place lead by adding an extra bat to their line-up. Cantu will most likely play first base for the Rangers.
• The White Sox strengthen their rotation with the addition of Jackson. Danks, Floyd and Jackson will be a solid 1-2-3, and not to mention Buerhle did throw a perfect game last season.
• The Twins bolster their bullpen with Capps. Jon Rauch, who filled in nicely for the injured Joe Nathan, will move to the set-up role to create a solid 8-9 punch.
• The Phillies make a nice addition by adding Oswalt. Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt will be a deadly combination come playoff time.

Photo Credit: itlnet.net

Related articles

• Five Players Most Likely to Be Traded by The Trade Deadline (bleacherreport.com)
• MLB Trades: Matt Capps to Twins, Roy Oswalt to Phillies and More (bleacherreport.com)
• MLB Trade Rumors Live Blog: Adam Dunn to Yankees, White Sox or Rays? (bleacherreport.com)

It’s official though, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade have started a new phase of the NBA. It seems that superstars would now rather play together than be the man themselves on their own team. Although, the James-Bosh-Wade deal was a great thing showing that money is not the most important thing to every player, I’m not sure if this new superstar grouping trend is good for the NBA. Smaller market teams might struggle to find talent. But, thankfully the league has players like Kevin Durant, who resigned with the Oklahoma City Thunder (they have a solid team over there – sorry Seattle).

Chris Paul hasn’t just demanded a trade, he has a list of the three destinations that he prefers to end up in. He wants to either join Kobe in LA, join Amare in NY, or join Dwight in ORL. Of these teams, it is hard to see a deal coming up that is favorable to everyone.

First, the Lakers don’t really need Chris Paul. The Lakers system is built on the post and Kobe. Possibly trading Bynum in the package wouldn’t make the most sense for the Lakers.

Second, the Knicks don’t have much talent to offer the Hornets. They would have to include Gallinari, but they don’t have draft picks to offer in the deal. But if the Hornets want to free cap space, Curry’s expiring contract might be enticing.

Lastly, the Magic could offer Nelson and picks. This would be the best package for the Hornets in terms of talent. Also, it would help the Magic. Nelson has been great for them, but he and Paul are basically equal shooters and Paul is the better passer, not to mention bowler.

Do you think Paul will get his trade wish?

Jonathan Velez (@Jonvelez on twitter) contributed to this post
Photo Credit: blog.veryfinebooks.com

I expect there will be at least one more deal that will impact the playoff race. Corey Hart will almost definitely be dealt to a contender, namely the Giants.

I also read an interesting rumor regarding Hart’s teammate, Prince Fielder. The White Sox seem to be very interested in the slugger. At first I didn’t understand since they have Konerko, but Fielder is younger and Konerko will be a free agent at years end. Do I think the deal will happen? No, I don’t think the White Sox are ready to give up on Gordon Beckham.

Other big name hitters on the trade block are Jorge Cantu of the Florida Marlins and Adam LaRoche of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Angels see rumored to be interesting in both. LaRoche, a notoriously better hitter in the second half, should be a great addition to any team. Cantu, although struggling mightily since his hot start, will be a nice piece that can play 1B or 3B.

You can’t forget about the big name pitchers on the block. The most notable pitcher is Dan Haren, despite his poor track record of second half pitching. The St. Louis Cardinals are focused on Haren. He would be a good fit there. With Carpenter and Wainwright, Haren wouldn’t have the same pressure his has in Arizona and he wouldn’t be changing leagues. The Cards are also interested in Jake Westbrook. Other pitchers on the block inclue Ted Lilly of the Cubs and Brett Myers of the Houston Astros. Another Astro is manny trade rumors is Roy Oswalt, but he likely will not be dealt because of the very high price tag.

What deal do you think will get done before the deadline? Comment below or send a tweet @MikesPickz

Photo Credit: TheGMsPerspective.com

There were some surprises in the first half of the season – the Mariners were a huge disappointment and have basically given up on this season by trading away Cliff Lee (at least they still have Felix Hernandex) and the Padres have been a pleasant surprise in the NL West led by [should have been] all-star, Mat Latos and a stellar pitching staff.

Some things have not been a surprise – the Yankees are playing well and looking like they can possibly repeat as World Series Champions and Strasburg was worth all the hype.

With all that, the remainder of the 2010 MLB season is sure to be a good one. Here are my predictions for how the season will end (teams crossed out are my original predictions that have changed):

AL EAST
1. New York
2. Tampa Bay (Wild Card)
3. Boston
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore

AL CENTRAL
1. Detroit Chicago
2. Minnesota Detroit
3. Chicago Minnesota
4. Cleveland
5. Kansas City

AL WEST
1. Seattle Texas
2. Los Angeles
3. Texas Oakland
4. Oakland Seattle

NL EAST
1. Philadelphia Atlanta
2. Atlanta (Wild Card) Philadelphia (Wild Card)
3. Florida New York
4. New York Florida
5. Washington

NL CENTRAL
1. St. Louis
2. Milwaukee Cincinnati
3. Chicago Milwaukee
4. Cincinnati Chicago
5. Houston
6. Pittsburgh

NL WEST
1. Los Angeles
2. Colorado
3. San Francisco San Diego
4. Arizona San Francisco
5. San Diego Arizona

PLAYOFFS

ALDS
New York over Detroit Chicago
Tampa Bay Texas over Seattle Tampa Bay

NLDS
Philadelphia over Los Angeles
St. Louis over Atlanta

ALCS
New York over Tampa Bay Texas

NLCS
St. Louis over Philadelphia

World Series
New York over St. Louis

AWARDS
AL MVP – Mark Teixeira (NYY) Josh Hamilton (TEX)
AL ROY – Desmond Jennings (TB ) Brennan Boesch (Det)
AL CY Young – Felix Hernandez (SEA) David Price (TB)

NL MVP – Matt Kemp (LAD) Albert Pujols (StL)
NL ROY – Jason Heyward (ATL) Steven Strasburg (Was)
NL CY Young – Tommy Hanson (ATL) Ubaldo Jimenez (Col)

Do you see the 2010 MLB season playing out differently? Let me know in the comments

James’ decision to leave Cleveland is enormous news, and not just because he is leaving his home town. He showed the ultimate sacrifice. For all those people that call James selfish- he gave up money for a chance at a championship ring. Never in professional sports have I seen three players actually mean its about winning and not money. All three players are taking less money than they could have gotten in order to play together and win multiple championships. James is giving up his legacy for a ring, instead of being “the man,” he is willing to be a team in order to bring home the hardware. It’s truly impressive.

Now the trick is actually winning the championships. The Miami Heat have 5 4 players on their roster (they just traded Michael Beasley to Minnesota for a future draft pick), and three 2nd round draft picks they may or may not sign. That leaves a hole of eight players with a very thin budget remaining. I do think that some players may be willing to take a little less money to play with the trio of James-Wade-Bosh, but Pat Riley is going to have to make some smart choices.

There is also the question if there is enough stats to go around. All three players, by taking less money to play together, have to accept the fact that they will all not be the same players that they were last season. Obviously, they are all saying the right things now, but we will have to see how it plays out. In my opinion, I think they will be able to play together. You don’t take less money just to be selfish on the court. They are committed to this.

This is a similar situation to the Boston Celtics of the 2007-08 season, when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined Paul Pierce. The difference is that Garnett was a dominant post-player, Allen a dominant shooter and Pierce a dominant play-maker. The Heat have two dominant play-makers (Wade and James) and a scoring forward. The Heat’s big three is not as diversified, but the Heat now have two of the top five players in the league. Is that enough?

Cleveland fans, as you can imagine, are not happy at all. Cavs fans were filmed burning James jerseys in the street. I have to say this is pathetic and Cavs fans should be ashamed of themselves. LeBron was the league MVP in the past two seasons and the Cavs have had the best record in the NBA for the past two seasons. I understand that he failed to deliver the ring, but when the talent level is better in the playoffs, you need another piece. James was the Cavs, and that is why they are mad- they are looking at an inevitable 25 win drop next season.

Cavs fans should blame the management. The Cavs management has been pretty pathetic in attempting to surround James with some talent. I think the Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert, is hoping to avoid being blamed, as evident by the open letter he wrote to all Cleveland fans, and it was not pretty. Here is a part of it:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Honestly, this letter is an embarrassment. LeBron James gave seven great years to the Cavaliers. Losing a free agent is part of the game, get used to it. And he better find some players if he wants to back-up his guarantee.

Odds that Cavs win title before James: 250 to 1. Take that to the bank.

Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

1. Does he want money? The answer is clearly yes. Where can he get the most money? Winner Cleveland
2. Does he love his hometown? The answer again is clearly yes. He’s held his MVP ceremonies with his family and friends in Cleveland. He started a marketing business, LRMR, with this high school buddies. He built a mansion in Akron. Need I say more? Winner Cleveland
3. Does he want to win a championship? He clearly does, because that is the last thing he needs to prove. Which NBA team, that has the money for him, has the best chance to win next season? Winner Miami
4. Does he want to play in the world’s biggest stage? Once again, clearly yes. This is evident by the one-hour press conference he is getting just to announce his team. Winner New York
5. Does he want to be the next Jordan? No, he wants to be LeBron James. This is evident by him changing his number next season and asking the league to retire Jordan’s number. Although it was a very cool marketing strategy, Chicago daring LeBron to play for them is not appealing to what James wants. Loser Chicago

Tallying it up, its 2 for Cleveland, 1 for Miami, 1 for New York and -1 for Chicago. But this is not a simple tally for James, remember back to those dreaded Calculus days? This is a weighted score and only James knows what the weights are.

I will say this though, this Free Agency hasn’t been what the King had expected. Teams didn’t wait for him to commit, his NBA pals didn’t wait for him to commit, the only one waiting seems to be Cleveland. The Cavaliers haven’t made a meaningful addition to their roster and they had no draft picks, their future truly rests with James.

Where do you think LeBron James will sign? Comment Below!

Photo Credit: Rauch/AP/AP via NYDailyNews.com

Related articles:

• LeBron James Announcement: 10 Shocking Possibilities (bleacherreport.com)
• Chicago Booze’d Up: Does Boozer Help Lure LeBron To Chicago? (bleacherreport.com)

The Wade and Bosh signing significantly alters the playing field for LeBron James. The Heat are now the closest team to Championship ready that are seriously interested in James. The problem is they would need to move Michael Beasley’s $4.9 million contract to max out on all three players. When Heat president, Pat Riley, told Heat fans this summer, “we want to build a dynasty.” He wasn’t kidding.

Does this guarantee James in Miami? I still don’t think so. Although it is definitely enticing because I don’t see any team beating a combo of Wade-Bosh-James for the championship next season. I still feel James will be ending up in Cleveland, but I haven’t felt less certain about it than I do now. The Cavs havn’t made any significant moves this off-season, with the exception of signing Byron Scott as the head coach.

After James’ announcement tomorrow, the best remaining free agent would be Carlos Boozer. Boozer has not been getting the attention he deserves this summer because of the other big names, but the 29 year old forward averaged 19.5PPG, 11.2RPG, 56.2FGP last season which basically mirrors the 26 year old Bosh’s numbers (24PPG, 10.8RPG, 51.8FGP). I haven’t heard any rumors of the Cavs seeking Boozer, but a James-Boozer combo would be a strong threat for a championship.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Related articles

• Chron.com: Chris Bosh reportedly joining Dwyane Wade in Miami (chron.com)
• You: Ian Thomsen: Bosh set to join Wade in Miami (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
• NBA Free Agency 2010: What if the Miami Heat Don’t Land LeBron James? (bleacherreport.com)

Is Amar’e enough to land LeBron on the NBA’s biggest stage? My gut instinct is no. The Knicks are definitely much improved with this signing, but there are still huge holes – mainly, who else do they have? The Knicks have practically no-one still under contract for next year. If LeBron wants to win a championship next season, his best choice would be the Bulls. Despite that, I’m still saying LeBron will be a Cav next season.

If no-one comes to New York with Amar’e, will he regret it? Not according to him:

“Totally comfortable, totally confident that my leadership qualities will uplift all of us to do something great this upcoming season,” Stoudemire said. “So again, the Knicks are back.”

What Amar’e does bring to the Knicks is scoring ability from down-low. When he played for Coach Mike D’Antoni in Phoenix, he averaged 20+ PPG each season. His one weakness is defense, he is not known as a great defender or rebounder, so he is not the answer to Dwight Howard in the East. If the Knicks are able to re-sign David Lee, Amar’e and Lee could be a great front-court combination for several years.

The Knicks are moving in the right direction, but does this signing in itself bring them to the playoffs next season?

Photo Credit: Sipkin/News via NYDailyNews.com

Related articles:

• New York State Of Mind: Amar’e Stoudemire and New York Knicks Agree On Max Deal (bleacherreport.com)
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• Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks reach agreement in principle (sports.espn.go.com)

The NBA Draft has past and this year’s class is absolutely filled with underclassman. I completely agree with Dickie V’s statement above. The reason there will be probably seven or less players that will make an impact this year is because of their inexperience. To be honest, the NBA Age Limit policy is getting out of hand and it is also hurting not only hurting college basketball, but the NBA as well. But hey, if you want to give a player $23 million dollars a year before they even practice yet, be my guest. It’s your franchise, not mine, that is going to suffer in the long run.

So with that being said, here are the Top 7 players that will make an impact for his team.

1. John Wall (Washington Wizards) – Wall was the number one overall pick before his freshman year even started. There is no doubt that this kid has got the talent, but what I want to know is does he have the heart. The 2009/2010 Men’s Kentucky Wildcats team had 5 players go in the first round, and they did not reach the final four. This can only mean one thing that they still have a lot to learn. John Wall is going to be a star, however, it will take him a while. But, that’s not to say that the kid will make a huge impact for the Washington Wizards who right now are in a interesting position with 3 solid point guards who all want playing time.
2. Wesley Johnson (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Out of all of the top five picks, Wesley Johnson is probably the closest one to NBA ready. Plenty of college experience and athleticism, Johnson is also a terrific defender as well. He is definitely a role player, as he still needs a bit more polishing in certain areas of his game. However, he is going to make a huge impact for the Timberwolves.
3. DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) – DeMarcus Cousins is the kid in high school that everyone hated because he was big, arrogant, and talented. Cousins’ is arguably the most gifted out of all the prospects, and also the one with the biggest attitude. This pick from Sacramento is going to be a hit or miss. If it hits, DeMarcus Cousins will be a big time player in only a couple of months. On the other hand, his work ethic and immaturity can easily land him on the all time “bust” list.
4. Avery Bradley (Boston Celtics) – Bradley is a Tony Allen type player. The only difference is that he can actually score. Tony Allen is a tremendous basketball player with incredible defensive awareness. He annoyed the hell out of Kobe during the Finals’. The only problem was that when the Celtics were on offense, Allen was nowhere to be found. This is where Avery Bradley comes in. He is not only going to lock down the opposing team’s best player, he is also going to score as well.
5. Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons) – Detroit desperately needed a big man, and they got one. Monroe could have gone to the draft last year, however he stayed for one more year. Although he didn’t improve as much as people thought he would, there was improvement shown. Monroe will most likely start as soon as the season starts and could easily lead the team in rebounding and scoring.
6. James Anderson (San Antonio Spurs) – The Spurs are the New England Patriots of the NBA. Anderson is in a perfect system, as he is not required to carry the load. He is a 6’6 shooting guard who can shoot it from three and can score at will. There is no doubt that James Anderson will be a game changer for the Spurs.
7. Derrick Favors (New Jersey Nets) – Some say that DeMarcus Cousins is more talented than Favors. But any college basketball player who goes to the gym to work out right after they lose a tough game deserves to be in the top three. Favors had a fairly weak Georgia Tech team yet still found a way to win and execute. The Nets need all the help they can get and Favors will certainly help them. Also, he is not the only big man on their frontcourt as Brook Lopez will be right next to him posting up as well.

Photo Credit: TheSportsBank.net

Who are your impact players? Comment below

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• Early Returns: Winners and Losers of the 2010 NBA Draft (bleacherreport.com)