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Five Submissions From UFC History You Gotta See

By
Sina Pahlevan
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No matter the fight, there’s always one thing everybody always wants to see…a finish. The anticipation for a knockout or a submission is what makes every fight fan’s blood boil during a fight. The truth of the matter however is that submissions have been greatly under appreciated.

Everyone always craves a knockout to the point where people almost lose complete interest in a major part of the fight game: the ground. Submissions may not possess the flare and explosiveness that knockouts do. However, they do require an insanely high fight IQ and advanced tactical ability. Enough of all this flimsy talk and let’s get right into it. These five submissions are and always will be key landmarks in the history of the UFC.

UFC 117: Anderson Silva submits Chael Sonnen via triangle choke (Round 5, 3:10)

Of course I had to include this one in here. Anderson Silva’s infamous triangle choke win over Chael Sonnen is arguably the most iconic submission in UFC history. Every hardcore fight fan will always remember this fight. Anderson Silva, arguably one of the greatest of all time, submitted Chael Sonnen via triangle choke after getting dominated for the entire fight. I remember watching this fight speechless the entire time. I was speechless because I couldn’t believe a legend like Anderson was getting dominated like that. Sonnen, a former NCAA Division-I wrestler, took Anderson Silva down round after round and unleashed a brutal beating on the pound-for-pound champ until the fifth round, where Anderson pulled the craziest submission out of his ass to secure his 11th championship fight.

UFC 216: Demetrious Johnson submits Ray Borg via armbar (Round 5, 3:15)

This submission has to be my favorite submission of all time. The technique and fight IQ required to pull this off unbelievably rare. Johnson cemented himself as one of the greatest fighters of all time when he pulled off this flying armor. After controlling the majority of the fight, Johnson suplexed Borg and transitioned into an armbar in midair. Yes you saw that right. In midair. Johnson transitioned into an armbar while his opponent was in the air. Once Borg’s body touched the canvas, the fat lady sang because he had no chance of escaping that armbar. If you haven’t seen this submission, stop what you’re doing and go watch it right now.

UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Lauzon: Nate Diaz submits Kurt Pellegrino via triangle choke (Round 2, 3:06)

If some fight fans don’t really care for submissions in a fight, then that’s fine. I can’t force them to like something. But those people more than likely haven’t seen this submission. Diaz, just like his brother, made his name by being a badass. And this submission over Pellegrino arguably played a big part in Diaz becoming a badass. Of course Diaz caught our old friend Kurt in a triangle choke in the second round, but that isn’t what makes this submission so special. What makes this submission so special and “badass” is Diaz throwing up two middle fingers in the air right after he locked Pellegrino in a triangle. Two middle fingers. Yeah, I’m going to just go ahead and say that what Diaz did that night was one of the most disrespectful things I’ve ever seen inside the octagon. And guess what? I loved every second of it.

UFC 168: Ronda Rousey submits Miesha Tate via armbar (Round 3, 0:58)

You can’t make a top 5 submissions list in UFC history and not include Ronda Rousey in there. The Queen of armbars herself has a library of submissions to choose from if one wants to make a top 5 list, but my favorite of hers is her second armbar win over Miesha Tate. This fight had a lot of hype leading up to it due to the fact that Ronda and Miesha were opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. Ronda did not like Miesha and Miesha did not like Ronda which is what made me so interested in this fight. This fight arguably put women’s MMA on the map. Miesha took Ronda past the first round for the first time in Ronda’s career and survived as long as she could, but at that time, no one could hide from Ronda’s armbar. The transitions on the ground before Ronda secured the armbar were a beauty to watch but in the end, Ronda did what she said she would.

UFC 81: Frank Mir submits Brock Lesnar via kneebar (Round 1, 1:30)

Brock Lesnar. Everyone’s favorite fighter. Not really, but let’s be real, there’s something about the guy that makes us love him. It’s probably the fact that he’s a 286-pound behemoth who charges all of his opponents like a truck. His fight with Las Vegas residen and 1998 Nevada state wrestling champion Frank Mir, a UFC legend, is one of the most iconic heavyweight fights of all time. Mir was in a world of trouble on the ground when he pulled off a miraculous kneebar to save himself. Had the Bonanza High School grad not grabbed ahold of Lesnar’s leg he would’ve gotten pummeled and more than likely TKO’d. Another former WWE personality gave it a shot at UFC 225 and failed miserably. This submission, however, has to be my favorite heavyweight submission of all time so, of course, I had to throw it in my Top 5.

Patrick McCaw: From Frightening Injury To Two-Time NBA Champion

By
Kevin Smith
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On March 31st, Golden State Warriors guard Patrick McCaw suffered what looked like a season-ending, if not career-ending, injury. McCaw, a depth player for the Warriors and former UNLV Runnin’ Rebel, landed hard on his back after going for a dunk against the Kings. It didn’t look good. Fast forward to today, and McCaw is a two-time NBA champion after the Warriors swept out the lifeless Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers.

The player who undercut him on the play, veteran Vince Carter, had sheer terror in his eyes as he looked on at a young, up-and-coming player in the NBA grimacing in agonizing pain. Some critics said they felt Carter’s play was dirty. Head coach of the Warriors Steve Kerr could even be heard through the microphone speaking to officials, saying “I’m not mad at you (to the refs), I am mad at Vince, he knows better.” Of course, some expletives were also sprinkled in there as well, but I digress.

“He has a bright future,” said Carter, a veteran 13-time all-star shooting guard who was the Golden State Warriors’ first round draft pick back 1998. “I don’t play the game that way. To see a young guy laying down there, it’s an unfortunate situation. Regardless of how it happened, the accident, all of the things that they were telling me, you still want to see him okay.”

McCaw told many people this was “the toughest pain he ever felt” while many wondered if the same Patrick McCaw would even play basketball ever again. McCaw knew the play by Carter was not intentional, and even tweeted to Carter a few days later saying he knew there was no dirty intent. Somehow, some way, McCaw avoided any neurological damage to his back or spine, and was diagnosed with a lumbosacral bone bruise. Still, a scary moment to be sure.

Anyone who watched McCaw play back at UNLV would tell you he was the team’s most savvy player on the court. Whether it was reading the defense to get a steal, or dealing a sweet dish to a teammate for an easy bucket, McCaw was simply a game changer.

UNLV Runnin’ Rebel fans haven’t had a whole lot to be ecstatic about the last few seasons. When Pat McCaw was a sophomore at UNLV, Runnin’ Rebel fans saw a talented guard averaging almost 15 points a game, a little less than three steals a game — top three in the country for a majority of the season —  and hit many clutch shots down the stretch of many games to put UNLV ahead. He put his team on his back.

He did it…ALL the time.

Ironically, it was his back that gave out against the Kings on March 31st, maybe in part to putting the UNLV basketball program on his back for two years. I was personally at the game against UNR back in 2016 when he made a shot from practically half court as time was expiring to send the game to overtime, which UNLV ended up winning. If Rebel fans didn’t realize the type of player McCaw was before that night, they did after that.

McCaw is still looking for a regular starting role with the Warriors. Unfortunately, with guys like Durant, Curry, Green, Thompson, and other studs on that superstar roster, McCaw will have to wait his turn. When Warriors assistant coach Bruce Fraser was asked about the type of player Pat McCaw is, he responded with three words: “versatility, length, character.” McCaw’s ability to defend at an elite level made him one of the best in the NCAA, and that is a key reason why he is in the NBA.

McCaw made his return against the Cavs when the Warriors were on their way to another championship title. Even though McCaw played a limited role in the series, averaging four points a game, basketball fans and UNLV fans were just happy to see him playing again.

As McCaw continues to grow in his second year in the NBA, he is apart of a second straight NBA championship. Even though I have no connection to the Bay Area, or the two teams in the NBA Finals, how could you not root for a guy like McCaw?

A few months ago, some watched the injury he suffered against the Kings and wondered if he’d ever play again, or even walk again, for that matter. Now, McCaw is a two-time NBA Champion. Even though he is not putting up the numbers like Durant or Curry, getting a chance to learn under those players will surely pay dividends for him in his future.

Who knows, if McCaw does see more playing time and become a star, how fun will it be for UNLV fans to say “Yeah, I saw him play back in the day at the Thomas & Mack?” UNLV basketball could use some good press these days, and — with the Vegas Golden Knights stealing their thunder — perhaps a few big time program alumni will step up and share the spotlight.

Do Rivalries Matter Anymore For Cubs Fans?

By
Joey Gelman
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If there is one thing Chicago sports fans hold near and dear to their hearts, it’s rivalries. As the Chicago Bears are a second-religion in my house (sometimes the first), I know that anything or anyone in Green or Gold is the enemy.

But when looking at the Cubs in 2018, two years removed from a World Series Championship, do regular season rivalries mean the same thing? Does a showdown with the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers or even the Chicago White Sox have the same feeling it once did now that the Cubs have won it all?

These questions come as the Cubs just lost 2 out of the 3 to the rival Milwaukee Brewers and square off against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend. These series used to be the talk of the town as the Cubs were always chasing the ‘perfect’ organization, in the Cardinals, and their rivals just north in the Brewers.

Cubs fans hated the Cardinals because they seemed to have built a flawless system top to bottom, with World Series titles to show for it. The Brewers were always battling the Cubs for divisional position, squeaking out a few playoff appearances before the Cubs built back up. The Cubs continued to sit behind in the bottom tier of the division. But in 2018, that has all changed.

Laurence Holmes of 670 The Score brought up the idea this week, that these rivalries meant so much 5-10 + years ago because the roles were completely reversed, and I agree. The Cubs were always chasing, trying to grasp at that division title. It’s why fans looked at the standings everyday from 2007-2008, when Alfonso Soriano was propelling the Cubs to heights fans hadn’t seen in decades. It was all about the fight to the finish of the regular season, the glimmer of hope of reaching first place, and ultimately a chance at a postseason berth.

But 3 straight NLCS appearances can make fans greedy and smarter, and because the Cubs are the kings of the N.L Central until they are dethroned, the buzz around the rivalries has been lessened.

Just take a look at the first leg of the Cubs and White Sox series at Wrigley this year. It was one of the most under-promoted and under-hyped series between the Northsiders and Southsiders in recent memory. The Cubs were so far ahead of the Sox both on and off the field, that the games didn’t even matter.

Cubs fans have bigger goals now, as they should, and seem less inclined to worry about rivalries in the regular season when the goal is now that much greater and in fact achievable.

The team itself appears to abide by the philosophy as well. The ‘rivalry’ games on the schedule are simply just another game to them, in their marathon season. They are just one more team in the way of their ultimate goal, a World Series title.

As an avid Chicago sports fan, I know this column may not sit well with some die-hard fans, and I am not saying we shouldn’t stick to our rivalries between the Cubs and the teams we love to hate. The argument, however, is that Cubs’ fans mentalities have changed, where beating the Cardinals 10 times a year isn’t good enough anymore.

The goal is a World Series or bust, and that is something Chicago is still getting used to.

Taking a look back at Cubs days of old, many can tell you where they were when Aramis Ramirez took down the Brewers in 2007, cracking Len Kasper’s voice forever.

Or they can replay the screams in their head after Neifi Perez hit a 10th inning grand slam against the Cardinals in 2005. (Maybe that was just my house).

But those moments were so important in those years because it is all Cubs fans had to hold onto. Following individual player achievements and occasional postseason berths were what Cubs fans looked forward to every year, knowing they would probably never get to see the World Series Trophy paraded around Wrigley Field.

Well, that reality has changed, and it has changed Cubs fans forever.

Going back to the beginning of this column, the reason the Bears and Packers rivalry is still so important and so meaningful, is because Bears’ fans have had nothing else to hope for over the last 30 + years. While there were many exciting seasons during Lovie Smith’s time with the team, or even Dick Jauron’s before then, a Super Bowl title has eluded the Bears since 1985.

Because of that futility, especially over the last 7 seasons, some of the worst in Bears history statistically, fans have had only 2 dates each year to look forward to. The two games against Green Bay. The rivalry is felt to be larger because it is the closest thing to a Super Bowl the Bears get to play in each year. That narrative can change if the Bears start winning, just like the Cubs.

The bitter rivalry between Halas and Lombardi’s teams won’t go away, in fact it will probably never go away, but if the Bears win a Super Bowl, that becomes the ultimate goal year in and year out. A win against the Packers becomes secondary. Is Aaron Rodgers happy when he beats the Bears to appease tradition and the storied rivalry between the franchises? Probably. But would he take the loss if it meant ultimately winning the Super Bowl instead? Absolutely.

The same story can be said for another Chicago team, the Blackhawks. When the NHL realignment took place in 2013, fans were up in arms that the Detroit Red Wings were no longer in the same division as the Blackhawks. Is it upsetting to fans that the teams don’t get to play each other as much based on their history and divisional rivalry? Yes. But the Hawks have won 2 Stanley Cups since that realignment and I have not heard a peep about that Hawks’ fans deeply missing that rivalry since. Why? Becuase the championships triumph over all else.

Do regular season rivalries still matter in sports, in particular for the Cubs? Of course they do. But now that the Cubs have tasted a championship, their fans are recognizing that their World Series aspirations each year are in fact possible. And if that takes a little buzz away from a June series with the Cardinals, I think myself and most Cubs fans are starting to realize, that’s okay.

Tyler Chatwood Is On The Hot Seat And Cubs Fans Will Love White Sox Scouting Director Nick Hostetler

By
Aldo Soto
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At this pace Chicago Cubs pitcher Mike Montgomery is going to end up with a lower ERA than Bob Gibson’s record season, but we’re only half joking.

The Cubs have been without Yu Darvish, but Montgomery has been the savior they needed and maybe Tyler Chatwood’s worst nightmare. Are the Cubs going to go with a six-man rotation when Darvish returns?

We break that down and more on episode two of the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast that also features White Sox scouting director Nick Hostetler.

Now, I’m not just saying this because it’s on our show, but this was a great interview. Hostetler gives us an inside look at what front offices experience on draft day, more insight on Nick Madrigal and other White Sox draft picks, while sharing some stories about his scouting trips across the country.

Oh and the talk of bat flips comes up and his opinion on that and more might surprise you.

So, for the iTunes users, head over to the link in this tweet and enjoy this week’s episode of the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast.

SUBSCRIBE AND DOWNLOAD!

Don’t you worry non-Apple users. We got your back Android users.

Click here for the Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast on Google Play Music.

And we’ll make it even easier. Just sit back, press play below and relax.

Comments, thoughts, suggestions? Let us know on Twitter @PinwheelsIvyPod . 

Numbers From Injury Impact on Bears Since 2015 Are Bananas

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears injury

Chicago Bears injury situation over the past three seasons almost entered the realm of legend. It wasn’t just the fact that several of their players were ending up hurt. It was how many starters were ending up hurt. Losing players in general is bad enough, but losing several guys who were tagged as crucial to helping you win? That’s the worst.

Yet nobody can remember it being as bad as it was during the three years John Fox was head coach between 2015 and 2017. It just felt like guys were dropping like flies. That’s because, according to the data, they were. Football Outsiders tracked the numbers on injured players through their innovative Adjust Games Lost stat.

This counted players who missed games due to injury over the course of a season. Their prominent expert in this field, Scott Kacsmar, compiled the data from the previous three years. His results were ugly, but not at all surprising for Bears fans.

Chicago Bears injury situation stands between team and success

That’s not a type-o. Bears players missed a combined 366 games over three seasons. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons roster missed just 97.2. That’s less than a third of what the Bears suffered. Is it any coincidence they made the playoffs twice and went to a Super Bowl? It’s easier to win in the NFL when you have most of your best players on the field.

Chicago finished 23rd, 32nd, and 31st respectively each of the past three seasons in adjusted games lost with 2016 actually setting records. They finished with a franchise-worst 3-13 record in the Super Bowl era that year. It’s why they completely revamped the training staff the moment Fox was gone. This is one of their biggest priorities to fix. The first step in winning games is keeping the guys on the field who can help do that.

Mitch Trubisky Already Predicting What Bears Will Do to NFL In 2018

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

By now everybody knows Mitch Trubisky is a confident guy. It’s just a natural personality trait born from being that talented and working as hard as he does. The popular saying among many all-time NFL greats is the same:  the only time you feel pressure is when you don’t know what you’re doing. That problem can be erased with ceaseless preparation.

However, even that can only take a quarterback so far. Football is still a team game. Quarterbacks may be the most important players, but Trubisky is one man. He can’t reach his true potential without help. That’s why GM Ryan Pace made it his personal mission this offseason to find as many reinforcements as he could possibly get his hands on for his young quarterback.

All things considered, he did a tremendous job. Former Pro Bowler Allen Robinson, deep threat Taylor Gabriel and second round pick Anthony Miller headlined a total overhaul of the wide receiver position. Trey Burton brings loads of versatility to the tight ends. Other second round pick James Daniels fortifies their offensive line.

Yet the biggest addition may be the new head coach, and he’s the reason Trubisky is already seeing visions of huge success in 2018.

Mitch Trubisky has gone from confident to drooling over the Nagy offense

It seems the more time Trubisky spends learning the new system being installed by Matt Nagy and his staff, the more he’s buying in. Here it is June and the young quarterback had no problem telling Mike Gloria of Pro Football Talk that the 2018 Bears offense will be light years better than what it was last season.

“This offense is going to be amazing. It’s a fun scheme, we’re going to spread the ball around, use all our playmakers, stretch the ball down the field as well as intermediate routes and we’re going to use the RPO, run the ball and really just create mismatches with the personnel we got. It’s been going really well so far the way the coaches taught it to us thus far.

Coach Nagy says we’re much further in the installation of the offense than he expected, and that’s a great thing for us because we’ll just have that many more options this year.”

People are still wondering why Trubisky is so jacked up. They don’t yet understand the type of offense he’s running save for what they’ve heard. In truth if people want a deep understanding, they merely have to watch clips like this of Philadelphia Eagles coaches explaining their offense that just got done winning the Super Bowl. While not exactly the same, there will be a ton of similar concepts.

It’s a quarterback-friendly offense. One that allows Trubisky to dictate the play as he sees fit, getting the ball out fast if needed or going for the big play when appropriate. After seeing what it’s done for Alex Smith (4 Pro Bowls), Carson Wentz (Pro Bowl) and Nick Foles (Super Bowl MVP) it’s easy to understand why Trubisky is seeing big things ahead for himself and the Bears offense.

Golden Knights Sign First-Ever #VegasBorn Player To Two-Year Deal

By
Kevin Fiddler
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When #VegasBorn Gage Quinney left Las Vegas as a 15-year-old, he did it for his first love: hockey. The Vegas amateur hockey scene in town was still growing and the Vegas born forward needed to compete against some of the best players in the nation so he moved to Glendale, Ariz., to join the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 16U team based out of Scottsdale.

His journey, and the hard work and long hours in between, came to fruition June 1st when Quinney signed a two-year player entry contract with his hometown Vegas Golden Knights, a team that didn’t even exist when he was cutting his teeth in Summerlin as a prep athlete seven years ago.

“The city barely used to have enough kids to make a team,” Quinney told NHL.com. “Now, it seems like there are so many kids playing with so many teams. The Golden Knights really have brought a whole city together.”

Fast forward to today. The Golden Knights practice facility, City National Arena, is less than two miles from where he went to high school at West Career and Technical Academy, and hockey is thriving here in town. Golden Knights fever has also birthed an rapidly-expanding amateur hockey scene here in town in its wake.

“People would ask me where I’m from and when I said Nevada, they’d looked at me like I said the wrong city. Every hockey player has a dream of playing for their hometown team and now I get an opportunity to compete for that chance.”

Professional hockey is in his blood

Quinney came to Las Vegas via hockey as well. His father, Ken, was a left winger for the Quebec Nordiques as well as the now-defunct Las Vegas Thunder, the first Vegas hockey team. As a child, Gage was a regular sight around the Thomas & Mack, the home arena for the International Hockey League team.

“My dad played professionally, that’s really the reason I got into hockey,” he said.

Quinney also works out with Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland in the offseason. He appeared in 57 games in the American Hockey League, playing for the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he finished with 33 points (14 G, 19 A) in 2017-18. He made made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers in 2016, finishing with 44 points (18 G, 26 A) in 45 games.

The young forward joins his hometown team at the right moment. Fresh off the hangover of a Stanley Cup Final appearance, the city is hungry for a second shot at the cup. The new mantra is #Cupin2, or — if you want to get a little internet nasty — “Two Years, One Cup.”

Either way, the Golden Knights and its first #VegasBorn player are a match made in Heaven. With the surge of hockey’s popularity in Sin City, as well as the potential Quinney has as a player, it’s no stretch to theorize the young man could join other local professional sports heroes like Chicago Cubs third baseman, 2016 NL MVP and World Champion Kris Bryant and Washington Nationals 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper.

Both players will confirm there’s nothing like being a hometown hero here in Las Vegas. Sure does beat being the “Big Dog” in Ottawa. For Quinney, his first step down that road started the second he signed the contract. Now, he simply needs to show them what he’s got and find his niche within the franchise.

Have The Golden Knights Taken What’s Left Of The Runnin’ Rebels’ Mojo?

By
Alex Tarkanian
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It has been a long time since UNLV basketball has been on the elite level that it was in the nineties under legendary Hall of Fame Coach, Jerry Tarkanian. Prior to Tarkanian’s arrival at UNLV in 1973, Las Vegas lacked a sense of community and the Runnin’ Rebels helped bring the city together. A town known only for gaming, now had a sports team to rally around and call their own but UNLV’s monopoly over the hearts and minds of Las Vegas may have come to an end, thanks to this year’s greatest sports story — the Vegas Golden Knights.

UNLV has just nine NCAA tournament appearances and four conference tournament championships since Tarkanian’s departure in 1991, compared to the arrival of the Golden Knights, who reached the Stanley Cup Final this year and captured the heart of the city. The Golden Knights’ odds to make the Stanley Cup playoffs were 500-to-1 prior to the season. They currently have 10-to-1 odds to win it all in 2018-19. The Golden Knights also garnered record TV ratings. 

The journey has been a different path for the Runnin’ Rebels since the school’s admin ran off the Hall of Fame head coach. UNLV has made the Sweet 16 only once, after years of west coast dominance. With a lack of success over the years, the popularity of the team and the fan base has diminished, with a half-full Thomas & Mack, and plenty of grumpy Rebel fans trolling social media.

It has been deja vu for old time Vegas residents, as the excitement of the Golden Knights has brought the city together just as the Runnin’ Rebels did during Tarkanian’s era. With their unprecedented success, the Golden Knights have surpassed the Runnin’ Rebels as the top sports team in Las Vegas.

Their timing could not have been more perfect as they helped to rally the city following the tragedy of 1 October. The enthusiasm, support, and love from the community is palpable. In one short season, the Vegas Golden Knights have beat expectations around every turn, brought a city from the brink of despair to the heights of happiness, and have taken the mojo from the Runnin’ Rebels becoming top dog in the up-and-coming sports town.

Is this the year the Runnin’ Rebels make it back to the tournament?

If they’re going to compete with the Golden Knights, the Rebels need to actually compete. A yearly ticket to the “Big Dance” is a start, but won’t be enough. UNLV men’s basketball coach, Marvin Menzies, has had a rough time since being hired, posting a 31-34 record. However, when you take a closer look, he has done a good job rebuilding the program after Texas Tech “Benedict Arnold”  Chris Beard buried the program two years ago.

To refresh your memory, Menzies took over for a program which hired a head coach, who then basically ran off most of its roster and recruits, then bolted within a month for the Texas Tech job when Tubby Smith stepped down. Beard managed to empty the cupboard before betraying the city for the exciting night life of Lubbock, Texas. Needless to say, Beard isn’t welcome around these parts any more than NOFX is.

Despite this initial issue, Menzies won nine more games in his second year than his first year and is looking to make the big step to bring the Rebels back to the NCAA tournament. The team is losing senior guards Jovan Mooring and Jordan Johnson, on top of elite big man Brandon McCoy, who left for the NBA Draft after just one season.

UNLV still can look positively on this next season despite these losses with the addition a local senior transfer point guard Noah Robatham and ESPN 100 recruit shooting guard Bryce Hamilton. Robotham is an experienced point guard with an extremely high basketball IQ who looks to make the people around him better which will be refreshing for the team and fans alike.

Bryce Hamilton is expected to be a very good offensive player who can excel with an experienced point guard like Robotham in the backcourt. The loss of Brandon McCoy will hurt the team but the return of Shakur Juiston will be beneficial as he began to break out as a big time payer for the team at the end of the season. Shakur finished second on the team in points (14.6 PPG) and averaged 10 rebounds a game.

Defense was a team weakness last seasons as they finished 184th in team defense efficiency. This will be a major key that the team needs to change if they want to be able to beat top teams in the Mountain West like UNR, San Diego State, Boise State, and Fresno State.

With the proven track record of success for Marvin Menzies as a coach at New Mexico State, their nine win improvement from last season, the addition of quality guards, and the return of Shakur Juiston, it seems that the team is truly ready to make a run back to the tourney.

Javier Baez Could Easily Set Multiple Ridiculous MLB Records In 2018

By
Aldo Soto
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Javier Baez is the most exciting player in baseball, but if you’re a Chicago Cubs fan you also know he’s probably the most frustrating to watch. He’s a magician on defense and on the bases and no one can question his power at the plate. Yet, as far as his hitting approach goes all you can do is take the good with the bad.

The good is Baez’s 14 home runs, which leads the Cubs to go along with 46 RBIs and a .519 slugging percentage which also are team-highs. However, there’s the bad. Through his 63 games played so far this season, Baez has a .286 OBP.

In 252 plate appearances through June 13, Baez has a total of eight walks. Out of those eight, four have been intentional walks.

Andrew Simon, a research analyst for MLB.com, dug up some incredible numbers to put into perspective just how ridiculous a season Baez is having in 2018. The conclusion? Baez is on pace to easily set a few all-time MLB record and boy are they ridiculous.

Via MLB.com.

In the modern era, no player has finished a qualified season with twice as many home runs as walks. In fact, the only player to have pulled off that feat while collecting even 300 plate appearances was Mel Hall, who homered 12 times against six walks for the 1990 Yankees.

Highest single-season ratio of HR to BB
Min. 600 PA, since 1901
1. Dante Bichette (1995 COL): 1.82 (40 HR, 22 BB)
2. Rougned Odor (2016 TEX): 1.74 (33 HR, 19 BB)
3. Alfonso Soriano (2002 NYY): 1.70 (39 HR, 23 BB)
T-4. Adam Jones (2014 BAL): 1.53 (29 HR, 19 BB)
T-4. Andre Dawson (1987 CHC): 1.53 (49 HR, 32 BB)

Baez drew a walk during the Cubs’ series against the Milwaukee Brewers this week, bringing his total to eight on the season. So right now Baez’s HR to BB ratio is at 1.75, (14 HR, 8 BB) but considering he’s only walked twice since April 11, I’d say he’ll get plenty of more dingers before walks that will bring that ratio above Dante Bichette’s 1.82.

Before we go on to the next stat, Simon pointed out how three of the five players in that list finished top-3 in MVP voting. Andre Dawson, as Cubs fans will know, won the 1987 National League MVP, while blasting 49 home runs and only walking 32 times.

Here’s the next category Baez could be joining at the end of the season.

There’s still a long way to go for Baez, but he could become the sixth player to have more intentional walks than unintentional walks in a season with at least 600 plate appearances (intentional walks have been tracked since 1955, according to Baseball-Reference.com).

Highest single-season ratio of IBB to UIBB
Min. 600 PA
1. Bill Russell (1973 LAD): 1.43 (20 IBB, 14 UIBB)
2. Barry Bonds (2004 SF): 1.07 (120 IBB, 112 UIBB)
T-3. Vladimir Guerrero (2006 LAA): 1.0 (25 IBB, 25 UIBB)
T-3. Steve Garvey (1982 LAD): 1.0 (10 IBB, 10 UIBB)
T-3. Warren Cromartie (1979 MON): 1.0 (19 IBB, 19 UIBB)

Again, Baez is currently at eight walks, four of those being intentional. Also, I can’t help but laugh every time I see a Barry Bonds stat. 120 intentional walks in 2004? hahahahahaha how absurd.

Last, but certainly not least, Baez could have the highest slugging percentage with an OBP below .300 in MLB history.

Highest SLG with a sub-.300 OBP
Qualified season
1. Mike Jacobs (2008 FLA): .514 SLG (.299 OBP)
2. Dave Kingman (1976 NYM): .506 SLG (.286 OBP)
3. Rougned Odor (2016 TEX): .502 SLG (.296 OBP)
4. Adam Duvall (2016 CIN): .498 SLG (.297 OBP)
5. Butch Hobson (1979 BOS): .496 SLG (.298 OBP)

Right now, Baez has a .519 slugging percentage with a .286 OBP.

What does all this mean? Well, it’s pretty simple. When Baez hits the ball he’s doing a lot of damage, but as we’ve seen him slump for several weeks now, there just hasn’t been enough contact by Baez.

He’s always going to be aggressive, but maybe a little more patience at the plate could help.

Until that changes, Cubs fans will just have to say it’s Javy being Javy and in all honesty that’s not always a bad thing. 

You know, more of that though, please.

One Cubs Player Is Being Severely Overlooked In All-Star Voting

By
Aldo Soto
-

At the end of the day all-star voting doesn’t really mean much. We all understand it’s mostly a popularity contest and guys who deserve the accolades don’t always get them. Every year in every sport there are snubs and at this pace Albert Almora Jr. isn’t going to be voted in, but he does deserve the attention.

The first update for the 2018 All-Star Game voting was released earlier this week and the Chicago Cubs had several players ranked near the top at their respective position. Although no one on the Cubs leads in votes, four got the second-most and Addison Russell ranked third among National League shortstops.

The Cubs also have three outfielders in the top-10 for voting.

No, I’m not going to ignore the fact that Anthony Rizzo and his 10th ranked .766 OPS for first basemen in the NL is getting the second-most votes so far. This goes both ways.

But as you can see from the list there’s one key player missing: Albert Almora Jr.

As a matter of fact, when you go vote for the MLB All-Star Game, Almora isn’t even on the ballot. If you want to vote for Almora you have to write him in.

You might be asking, has Almora really played at an All-Star level? The answer is yes and here are the stats to back it up.

Albert Almora Jr. rankings among NL center fielders

  • 1.7 fWAR – 4th
  • .314 batting average – 1st
  • .365 OBP – 3rd
  • .429 slugging % – 5th
  • .795 OPS – 4th
  • .345 wOBA – 4th
  • 117 wRC+ – t-5th
  • 4.3 Def – 2nd
  • 3.7 UZR – 2nd
  • 13.2 UZR/150 -2nd
  • 3.4 RngR -2nd
  • 6 DRS – 4th
  • 2 rGFP -2nd
  • .962 RZR – 2nd

He’s getting the job done on offense and defense.

I know, I know, the all-star voting takes into account all outfielders and not by every position, but still this is call to all Cubs fans to start writing in Almora.

And we all know how much Cubs fans have been demanding that Almora get more playing time since the start of the season. So far he’s proving the doubters wrong, myself included, so how about repaying his effort with some more show of support.

I’m in no way saying Almora should be voted in as a starter, but it would be nice if he could crack the top-15 in voting, which after the first update he hasn’t.

C’mon Cubs fans, thought you really loved Albert. Start writing him in.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

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