Current Off Season on the Giants/Dodgers AND Why is Jeff Kent Not in the Hall of Fame?

Make that..not 1, not 2, not 3 Giant Acquisitions


The Giants are making an extra push for the postseason and to win it all again this season.  Not only have they solidified 3/4 of their starting rotation and signed a talented free agent outfielder, but they have made these moves without giving up any prospects or trading away sought-after infielders  in Duffy, Crawford, Panik, and Belt.


Penciling in a #2 (Cueto) and #3 (Samardzija) starter behind Madison Bumgarner, filling an outfield void (Denard Span) whose offensive and defensive game fits perfectly at AT&T Park, and having about 10 Million left under the luxury tax.

Win, win, win.


A Dodger Off Season to Forget so far..

With the addition of Scott Kazmir, Dodger blue is looking at a 5 lefty starting rotation (which is just plain laughable),
..Especially with a division filled with right handed sluggers (Posey, Pence, Goldsmith).

Losing out on Adonis Chapman via trade

Losing Zach Greinke to free agency and having to face him within the division

Adrian Gonzalez is the only real threat in that lineup.

This team better do something or they'll be watching the postseason on TV this October.


Jeff Kent's Hall of Fame Chances

It's a bit of a shame that Jeff Kent is not gathering enough votes for the Hall of Fame.

Some key thoughts here:

First, he was an offensive powerhouse with no affiliations to PEDs and a 4 time All Star.

Second, has the most home runs among all second basemen with 351 while playing the position.

Third, Kent is an all time leader among all second basemen with 1,389 RBIs.


Voters may penalize Kent for his defense.  But from watching him play, I didn't see his defense hurting his team on a daily basis.

Would you vote for Kent?

Celebrating Game 6 of the Finals, My I Told You So Moment, and Some of My Not So Great Predictions

As Steph Curry threw the ball up in the air in the final moments of Game 6, I wasn't thinking about celebrating or having a drink.  I drove straight home and felt relieved.  A relief of being a lifelong fan of many losing seasons.  A relief from watching our star players named Cummings, Mookie, Maggette, and Hughes lead the team to continuous losing records.   A relief from the Chris Cohan era. A relief that I'll finally see a Warriors championship in my lifetime.

But most importantly, a relief that my prediction to win it all this season came true (dating back to last October):

 http://mikebtang.blogspot.com/2014/10/gs-warriors-14-15-current-core-pressure.html

I heard a lot of  doubters throughout the season.  "Jump shooting teams can't win in the playoffs.  Teams can't play at this pace and win.  We're too small to compete with the Spurs, Grizzlies, Cavs, and Clippers.   It's over after Game 3 of the Finals."

The NBA has changed.  Centers are becoming obsolete to becoming non-factors.  If you're between 6'2" - 6'8", and can shoot, defend the 3, and rebound- you have incredible value in this league.

And that is what these Warriors have shown:  They shoot the 3 and defend the 3 better than anybody else.  No one has caught up with them just yet.

I predicted the Warriors to win the Finals prior to this season, and I see them having a similar run to the Giants (winners of 3 out of 5 years).  This core will remain the same.  Draymond Green will most likely receive an extension, Curry is only 27, and Thompson/Bogut will be here for a little while longer.

As much as I can take credit for this year's prediction.  There were some that didn't come to fruition which include the following:

- Jose Cruz Jr.  40 HRs/40 SBs club (2003)
- Frank Gore : 2,000 yards rushing (2005)
- Mike Dunleavy: All Star (2005/2006)
- San Francisco 49ers:  Super Bowl Champs (2012)

So, I have been wrong many times in the past.

I'm just glad I got this one right.

Enjoy the Parade everyone.  It's been a long time coming.

5 Ways to Immediately Stop Lebron James Tonight and for the Rest of this Series

Lebron James is currently the best player in the world  It's been engraved into our heads time and time again from Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and ABC.  The Finals have left no question on why Lebron is who he is.

Will Steve Kerr and Warriors coaching staff look to make adjustments after two games at home?  Or will they stick with the same strategy of allowing LBJ to have his?  The Dubs could be down 0-2 right now, but they're not.

Again as we all know, Lebron is great..

But he can be stopped.  Here are 5 quick ways to stop Lebron James tonight and for the rest of the Finals.

Strategy #1: Half Court Trap

Pros:
- Speed up the pace of the game to a faster style of play
- Prohibits Lebron to walk up the court
- Allow the more inferior offensive players to handle the ball

Cons:
- More open shots for the Cavs
- More 3 on 2 and 2 on 1 opportunities in the open court

Strategy #2: Double team early and often

Pros:
- Gets the ball out of The King's hands
- Tougher time for the Cavs to set up their isolation offense

Cons:
- Lebron has the vision to find open shooters
- JR Smith, Mike Miller, and James Jones can shoot lights out


Strategy #3: Front Lebron early and backside help immediately

Pros:
- Get Bogut, Ezelli, and Green more involved
- Make Lebron earn his points at the line

Cons:
- Foul trouble can occur


Strategy #4: Draymond Green on Lebron James

Pros:
- Bulkier body on Lebron.  Too often, Lebron backs his way into the basket and can dribble once or twice before getting a good shot in the paint.  That has to be stopped.

Cons:
- What you gain in strength, you lose in quickness as Green has less lateral foot speed than Iguodala and Barnes.


Strategy #5:  Stick with the same game plan and pray

Pros:
- Theory that Lebron can not keep up these numbers and pace
- 40+ minutes a game will wear LBJ down
- Faith in Barnes to start the game and Iguodala in crunch time minutes

Cons:
- Lebron has the ability to sustain this energy level and success

Reflecting Back on the Lasting Moments of Game 7 and Meeting a Royals Fan During the World Series

I'm not going to lie.  I fell into a huge depression after Game 6 of the World Series.  I knew the statistic going in: In the past 20 years, home teams went 12-2 in Game 6 and 7.   I reflected back to 12 years ago in Anaheim and those rally monkeys.  We had our Game 7 starter in Tim Hudson who didn't have a quality start this whole postseason.  And we had the Kansas City Royals, with their Cinderella story, blowing us out in game 6: 10-0.

After Game 6, I decided to go to sleep early, forget about reality, and wake up with a more positive attitude.  I started listing out the silver linings about the previous night.  "Hey, it's better to be blown out in Game 6 than in Game 7." " Maybe Bumgarner will be able to pitch 2 innings, 3 innings in relief?"  None of those were reassuring.

But then I remember that this was not the Giants' teams of the past.  They weren't the 1989 Giants who got swept in 4 games. This team wasn't the Giants from 1997-2001, who continuously made the postseason but always fell short of advancing to the second round.  And these weren't the Giants of 2002 who had an incompetent manager when it came down to pitching and lineup decisions.

Earlier in the series after the Royals took a 2-1 series lead, I was eating lunch at the Westfield mall in downtown San Francisco.  I sat next to a Royals fan at the food court.  The Royal fan complimented the Giants for the way they played, informed me that the Giants were his second favorite team, and emphasized sympathy for Buster Posey for his current hitting slump.  At times, it's eye opening to see other team's fans' view of other baseball organizations.

Watching Game 7 felt like a roller coaster ride.  The first two to three innings were nerve-wrecking, as Hudson lasted less than two innings and Affeldt got out of a few jams.  But Bumgarner came into the game, and changed the whole complexion of this series and this season.   All of a sudden, my stress level decreased significantly.  Inning after inning went by, as each Royal batter became instant outs.  Bumgarner was on his way to saving this postseason.

But as we all know, winning game 7 on the road is never easy.  In the 9th, with 2 outs and Alex Gordon on third, Salvador Perez came up to the plate.  At the time, I was at a noisy bar yet I can still hear my heart beating through my chest.  Pacing back and forth, I thought of the next few game- changing scenarios.  There could be a wild pitch or single to tie the game.  Or worse yet, Perez can hit a home run to send us home packing.

Moments later, Bumgarner threw two quick strikes to the injured Royals catcher.  Right then and there, I knew we were going to win the World Series.  This hitter has no chance.  One last high fastball later, you know the result.  Perez pops up to Sandoval in foul territory.  Posey gives his signature 'Buster Hugs' to the series MVP. And the Giants win their third title in five years.

The whole night I saw a lone Dodger fan sitting in front of me, yelling "Royals, Royals!" during the 8th and 9th inning.  As I left the bar after the final out, this fan came up to me and quietly said 'Great Season'.

For a second I envisioned my encounter with the fan from Kansas City and I knew at that very moment, something special just happened.

GS Warriors '14-15: Current Core, Pressure, and This Narrow Window of Opportunity

It's been roughly forty years since this Golden State Warriors franchise have won a championship.  To most of my readers out there, you were not even alive during that time. A lot of us have come to accept that winning an NBA championship are for big market teams.  Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago are a few big market cities that come to mind.

We're too accustomed to settling for just having a "good time" at Oracle Arena. It's time to put this franchise on the map, and establish a winning culture- not just within the organization but with this fan base as well.
 

How Good is this Core?

I believe a lot of you are afraid of answering this question.  But I'll answer it for you anyways.  This is a 60 win team this season and one of the most balanced out there.

No other point guard has the shooting ability of Stephen Curry.  Add the improved play making skills from last season, and you have a top five player in the Association.

Klay Thompson is the best sharp shooting two-guard in the league.  And one of the best at defending his position.

Harrison Barnes will benefit significantly from Kerr's new motion offense and Andre Iguodala will be more assertive on the offensive end.

David Lee is considered to be the weak link in this starting lineup.  But I think any team can use a forward who scores 18 points and 9 rebounds a game.

Andrew Bogut is the key component.  If healthy, the Warriors are more than capable of beating the Clippers, Rockets, and Spurs in the West.

The addition of Shaun Livingston will create a more stable 3 guard rotation.  Livingston is a solid role player who can handle the ball and defend shooting guards- something this team was lacking last season.  Leandro Barbosa and Brandon Rush will add a little more punch to the end of their bench.


Current Competition

The San Antonio Spurs dethroning the Miami Heat last season showed the world that nothing lasts forever.

The Spurs are good, but are aging.  The Heat will digress without Lebron James.  Do we really believe Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving will play cohesive team basketball next season in Cleveland?  The Thunder will be without Durant for a good portion of the year and Westbrook is too volatile to trust.  Who knows if fragile Derrick Rose can play a whole season for the Bulls.

The fact of the matter is that there's no dominant team out there, and any current NBA team is beatable in a seven game series.


Expectations for this Season and Beyond

It's time to put this notion out there.  We have a narrow window to win it all with this core.  To have a bay area perspective, the SF Giants had that window of opportunity in 2010.  They clearly were not the best team by record but had a nice group of home grown players to make a run.  They rewarded the franchise with two World Series titles, and on the brink of a 3rd parade in this decade.

The same can apply to this core.  Curry, Thompson, Barnes, Green, Ezeli:  homegrown players that the franchise will rely on to produce.  And to produce now.

If you're waiting for another all star to play for the Warriors, via free agency or trade: Stop hoping for that dream.  Salary cap restrictions will make it extremely difficult to nearly impossible to sign a top all star player, and trading for that dream player will require giving up Thompson or Curry.

It's time to stop settling for mediocrity within this fan base.  Just getting to the second round is unacceptable.

This core is good enough to win the NBA Finals within four years, with the ability of making multiple Finals appearances.

Yes, you heard correctly.  I expect this team to win it all, and so should you.

Forgetting Brandon Marshall, Podcast Update, and Can You Change After 30?

Brandon Marshall scored a surprising three touchdowns against the Niners this past Sunday.  According to ESPN reports, there was a 75% chance that Marshall was not going to suit up for this game.  Thousands of fantasy owners took the news to heart and benched him.

It goes to show that if you draft your top fantasy players- you play him.  Especially in week two. If there's a 25% chance that my WR1 will play, I'll take that percentage over a borderline WR3/WR4 any day.

Its a lesson to be learned.  Start your top guns.


Podcast Update

I've been asked by many if the fantasy football MJK podcast will be back this season.  To answer your question, it has been put on hold.  The three of us devoted our time last season- researching, collaborating, and also committing to our full time careers at the same time.

Major life changes happen.  Jerry got married earlier this year.  Kim moved and adapting to new life by the bay.  We all switched companies in 2014, and I for one moved and adapting to personal changes as well.

Season one was a fun ride.  No matter how it plays out, I believe we'll be back in some way, shape, or form.  Stay tuned.


Changing After 30?

I recently met up with an old friend of mine, and we started talking about our current life, where we are now, and the good ol' days dating back to the early 2000's.  We recollected some of our memories - adjusting to life after high school, the college experiences,  and professional life after college.

The topic of romantic relationships came up and reached the point of the conversation about a person changing.  My friend strongly believed that the person we are now, is how we're going to be for the rest of our lives.   And since we have been in this planet for twenty-five plus years - our values, beliefs, and character all have been put in place for us.

What triggered this idea was my friend's belief that there's no turning back after a break up.  Meaning there's no chance my friend will ever getting back with an ex.  The person you had a relationship with is who they are, and the reasons why a couple breaks up in the first place will remain in-tact between the two of you for the rest of your lives.

Do you agree that you can't change after the age of 25-30?  Or do you think positive changes can be made?  Feel free to comment or PM me your thoughts.  I'd love to hear from you.

Mark Jackson Firing Aftermath- The One Coaching Candidate the Warriors Want Right Now

Mark Jackson has been fired.  If you didn't check your Facebook or Twitter feed (70k+ tweets in the past hour since news hit), now you know.

The Warriors front office made this internal decision unanimously and QUICK.  The reason being is because they want to hire one candidate before he goes somewhere else.

That one candidate the Warriors want right now is..

 Current TNT analyst Steve Kerr.

Looking back at Joe Lacob's hiring tendencies to this date:

- Likes to hire guys who are new to their role.

- Bob Myers: no GM experience prior to joining the Warriors but loads of contacts and great reputation around the league during his agent days.

- Mark Jackson: No prior coaching experience at any level and former NBA player who has a great rapport with current players around the league.

Steve Kerr fits the Lacob mode perfectly.  Kerr is a former NBA player with prior relations with the Lacob family, new to coaching, and isn't a veteran coach who will undermine upper management.

Kerr's decision at this point are the Knicks or Warriors.  Phil Jackson or Joe Lacob.  Carmelo Anthony or Steph Curry.  The Knicks' aging roster with Anthony and JR Smith or the Warriors' talented future with Curry and Thompson.

It must have been a tough decision to move on from Mark Jackson.  The firing was necessary and quick, because management still has a chance to get the man they have been targeting for months.

The opportunity is here, and now its up to Kerr if he wants to coach this team.