If there is one thing I learned from spending the week talking to media members at Spring Training, it’s that Buster Posey hates answering questions about his ankle.
Author Archives: Thomas Todd
Joe Panik Isn’t the Shortstop of the Future; This Isn’t Terrible
Troy Tulowitzkis don’t grow on trees. Jose Reyeseses can’t be made from a Promethean mold. JJ Hardys don’t get released by two teams and then blossom into elit- sorry Brewers and Twins fans, got a bit off track there. Point is, there aren’t a lot of quality big league shortstops in the known universe. Few can combine an above average bat with crisp glove skills and enough speed to go deep into the hole and up the middle. The Giants are a team that has especially had trouble at the position, choosing to sign veterans like Juan Uribe, Miguel Tejada, and Orlando Cabrera to make sure Panda has someone to talk to. Since the latter two vets failed to give even mediocre production at the position, the Giants have been forced to look to their homegrown talent to fill the void.
The Giants’ current shortstop, 25-year-old Brandon Crawford, has the aformentioned slick glove but lacks the offensive tools to be considered a long-term solution in San Francisco. Fortunately, the Giants used their first round draft pick in 2011 on a shortstop from St. John’s University named Joe Panik. However, the scouting consensus is that Panik and his plus hitting and limited defense would be better served at second base, creating an even deeper hole for the Giants to climb out of at the shortstop position. But hold on right there. Why? Why would Panik be better served at second in the big leagues, and where does this line of thinking come from? The answer is essentially defense, but it’s complicated.
The Biggest Little Weekend in MMA
No, there isn’t a major Pay-Per-View card this weekend. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t important and exciting fights that are must-see for MMA fans. The theme of this weekend is introductions- the nascent UFC flyweight division will be on display as well as a hidden gem in Women’s MMA- Ronda Rousey.
To kick it off Friday night, the UFC ventures back to FX for their second card on the cable network. Headlining is a welterweight bout between two UFC veterans, Thiago Alves and Martin Kampmann, with each fighter looking to get back into title contention after disappointing runs. Kampmann has lost two of his last three fights and Alves three of his last five. Also on the card is a flyweight tournament- a weight class that is new to the UFC and most fight fans. The promotion has dug up four proven guys in the division who will square off in a tournament with the winner becoming the first ever UFC Flyweight Champion. The main card is rounded out by Ultimate Fighter winner Court McGee squaring off against Constantinos Phillipou.
As for Saturday, Strikeforce returns to Showtime with a card headlined by their bantamweight champion in the women’s division, Meisha Tate, who will square off against the aforementioned Rousey. A victory for Rousey could make her a star, filling the void left by the dormant Gina Carano and the suspended Cyborg Santos. An interesting fight could create a rivalry that sparks interest in the division and the sport of Women’s MMA itself. Also appearing on the card are Stirkeforce veterans Jacare Souza, KJ Noons, and Paul Daley.
Click through for analysis of a selection of fights and predictions for all of them. Continue reading