The MLB free freeze has been one of the most controversial topics in sports for years now. ESPN’s David Purdum explains how it works, breaking down why this rule was implemented and its possible implications moving forward.
The “mlb free agency” is a time in baseball where teams are allowed to sign players who have been released from their current team. This can lead to major changes in the standings of a league.
Longtime ace Justin Verlander agreed to a contract to return to the Houston Astros on Wednesday, continuing the offseason run on free-agent starting pitchers. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Verlander will sign a one-year contract for $25 million, with a player option for 2023 worth another $25 million.
What were the results for the Astros? Let’s give it a grade.
Pitchers have returned after two-year hiatus due to injury. Zack Wheeler, a 2021 National League Cy Young Award nominee who did not throw in a major league game in 2015 or 2016, is a promising example that should be fresh in everyone’s mind. After missing two consecutive seasons as a prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization, New York Yankees righty Jameson Taillon developed into an excellent pitcher.
The key difference, and hence the huge question, with Verlander is that most anecdotal situations where a pitcher lost that much time due to a serious injury and came back to be exceptional were guys who were a lot younger than him. In this case, the past of guys like Verlander is unknown. The Astros welcomed that uncertainty by agreeing to pay Verlander $50 million over the next two seasons, despite the fact that he has only thrown in one major league game in the previous two seasons and will be 39 on Opening Day.
Let’s start with Verlander, who has a fantastic deal. However, if you believe the hype surrounding his free agency since his presentation in Florida last week, when he astonished agents from all around baseball with his skills, the signing isn’t shocking. The Astros might have gone an additional million or two and been one of the few teams to provide the option year, but if Noah Syndergaard is getting $21 million for his first season after an injury, Verlander receiving $25 million is reasonable.
As baseball’s 2021-22 hot stove season progresses, keep up with the latest trades, grades, and commentary in one spot. » Tracker
This emphasizes the worth of an ace-level pitcher who has shown the ability to pitch a large number of innings. The Astros are coming off a postseason in which they came up two victories short of a title, a stunning result given how desperate they were to cover innings by the time the World Series ended. With a healthy Verlander atop that pitching staff, it’s a safe bet that the Astros would have gone the last steps and awarded Dusty Baker his first managing title.
Over the next two seasons, Verlander can assist the Astros in completing that task. They weren’t desperate for starting pitching, which is why acquiring Verlander puts Houston in a better position than most to risk on the two-time Cy Young Award winner’s return to health. Last week, Astros general manager James Click told reporters that his rotation was well-positioned, with Luis Garcia, Jake Odorizzi, Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidy, and Cristian Javier among the returnees, as well as several prospects poised to emerge.
The risk factor decreases if you see Verlander’s signing as gravy on top of the rotation rather than the meat of it. While we won’t know for sure until Verlander throws a complete season if what he displayed in his showcase will transfer to a full season, there are plenty of reasons to believe he is a good possibility to do so. He has an unequaled track record of durability for a pitcher of his generation, with a reputation for understanding his body and working hard to keep it in good shape.
He’s also a potential Hall of Famer who has been more forthright about his goal for longevity than any other player I can recall. Verlander still wants to pitch until his mid-40s, and if he can do it successfully, it’s possible that baseball hasn’t seen its last 300-game winner, though his chances have been harmed by his two missed seasons.
This may be a cynical way of looking at it, but the deal’s option year provides Verlander and the Astros a shared interest in controlling his workload in 2022, something that would be made simpler if the above-mentioned healthy rotation materializes. Baker has only seen Verlander throw in one game, and the Astros will be bringing in a new pitching coach after Brent Strom left for the Arizona Diamondbacks, so this isn’t the same squad Verlander shone for in 2019. It seems that he and the club would have to agree on his projected function, which is as important as his contract amount.
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You don’t want to push Verlander so hard that his surgically repaired elbow pops again for Houston, since you have a second year that is totally up to Verlander’s discretion. Verlander’s optimum workload in 2022 would be 150 to 170 innings, with his pitch counts and inning totals steadily increasing as the season progressed. When the Astros reach the playoffs, he’ll be ready to take the ball in at the opening of a game.
If the Astros have a disadvantage, it’s the money and the opportunity cost of paying $25 million to a pitcher who may or may not be ready for star-level performance next season. Houston needs a shortstop, among other things, and replacing Carlos Correa’s output with one of this winter’s finest shortstop free agents, a list that includes Correa himself, is going to be expensive.
So, how far will the Astros go to increase their salary in order to win a championship after coming up short in two of the previous three seasons? In the near run, that’s the issue with paying Verlander: if his presence prevents the team from making other moves. In the short term — because there isn’t one in his circumstances right now — it’s all about the potential of having one of the era’s most dominating pitchers against the danger of him returning from his first big injury.
Despite throwing 0 innings last year, Verlander earned $33 million. Zack Greinke, a former colleague and fellow free agent, earned $32.9 million. That’s nearly $66 million spent on two starting pitchers; Verlander will now get $25 million while Greinke seeks a club. There should be enough money left over to complete the roster.
The thing that makes you want to give the Astros the benefit of the doubt is that if they hadn’t offered Verlander the deal he took, another club would have been more than willing to do the same. Because of the post-injury uncertainties, I received this grade. But you have to admire the Astros’ brave move, not only because of what Verlander may accomplish for them, but also because of what he won’t do for an American League opponent.
Grade: B+
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl follow in the traditions of Let’s Go Pickachu and Eva by resurrecting a traditional Pokémon adventure with new enhancements. This is a Pokémon adventure from a bygone era that enables fans to relive old Sinnoh travels or introduce them to new ones. It’s also a fantastic method to prepare for Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
The Sinnoh area, which is based on the real-life Japanese island of Hokkaido, is revisited in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. It’s a typical Pokémon scenario in which a local youngster and their competitor go from town to town, fighting Pokémon along the way while collecting and studying the region’s Pokémon. In your journey to become the finest Pokémon trainer the Sinnoh region has ever seen, you’ll face Gym Leaders and level up and develop Pokémon.
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl keep things basic and don’t stray too far from the winning formula used in the original games. There is no such thing as mega evolution or gigantamaxing. Catching Pokémon is also simpler; merely reduce their energy and then toss a Pokeball at them in the hopes of catching them to add to your team and Pokedex.
There have been a lot of diversions away from the basic core concepts that made the original Pokémon games so amazing in newer entries. Additional mechanics and gameplay components have been added to lengthen fights and complicate Pokémon’s simplicity, leaving many fans baffled as to what GameFreak is attempting to accomplish. The games became more about the battleground than the strategy, and it’s fantastic to return to a simpler Pokémon version and appreciate the fundamental gameplay once again.
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl do an excellent job of keeping you on track. After you’ve obtained your beginning Pokémon, it’s on to the next town, where you’ll fight and level up along the road before attempting to defeat the local Gym Leader.
In this incarnation for Nintendo Switch, the Underground section has been revamped. This gets unlocked for the first time after a few hours of playing Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. You may enter the Underground from a variety of locations in the overworld, where you can build up your base, discover mysteries, and locate new and uncommon Pokémon. It’s especially handy for obtaining Rock and Water Pokémon when you’re in a hurry to defeat formidable gym leaders who are impeding your progress.
The Underground is also an excellent location for searching for Shiny Pokémon. The Underground is also available as an option, which is a great touch. You can go down there if you get into any problems, but you can’t go there if you want to focus on the tale.
There are several new features in the game that may be classified as quality of life enhancements. You may, for example, employ HM moves without having to teach them to your Pokemon, and you can simply change your party members. These improvements to the quality of life don’t aim to make Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl into something they aren’t, but rather provide current tools to help the player progress through the game. There’s a delicate balance to strike here: you want it to seem familiar and nostalgic to appeal to gamers who played it as children or teenagers, but also friendly to newcomers. I believe the developers have done an excellent job in this area.
Pokemon has evolved throughout time, and deciding where to begin as a new player would be difficult. The obvious answer is Pokemon Sword and Shield, since they are the most recent entries and have all of the evolution features available in a current Pokemon game. Personally, I played the most Pokemon on the Gameboy when it was red and blue, thus this simplistic style of Pokemon appeals to me.
Running through the tale, fighting and catching Pokemon without having to worry with the modern-day Pokemon’s peripheral mechanics made the game a delight to play, although nostalgically. The game itself is entertaining, albeit a touch monotonous at times. In terms of tips on where to begin, it’s a coin toss for me. This game portrays Pokemon as it was, not as it is now. Plus, the next significant evolution in the Pokemon series is just a few months away, so we don’t have to wait long.
It’s almost as if Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl weren’t designed for today’s Pokemon enthusiasts, but rather for those who have grown up and gone on to other games. Fans of the original Diamond and Pearl will delight in these remakes, but fans of the first and second generations of games will find these remakes to be quite familiar.
Although Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl lack the bells and whistles of modern-day Pokemon games, I see this as a gain rather than a disadvantage. The gameplay is simple and straightforward, with no distracting elements as in other games. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are good games that fill that traditional Pokemon itch you may have been yearning, whether it’s a journey down memory lane or you’re fresh to the franchise.
ILCA is the creator of this product. Nintendo Platforms: Nintendo Switch Publisher: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Publisher: The movie will be released on November 19th, 2021.
Larry Bird is a well-known figure in the has 59 triple-doubles in regular season action, which ties him for sixth place in NBA history. He’s also one of just seven players in NBA Playoffs history to score at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in at least 10 games. Bird isn’t coming from a position of weakness when he thinks the triple-double is an overrated feat.
Instead, Bird believes the triple-double is deceptive because of statistical abnormalities. Russell Westbrook is the NBA’s triple-double king, with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Los Angeles Lakers’ Nov. 23 defeat to the New York Knicks, his 188th of his career. Bird was fourth on the all-time list when he retired following the 1991–92 season. Westbrook, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, and James Harden have all passed him since then. On Nov. 12, Nikola Joki equaled Bird’s 59 points.
Larry Bird had the ability to rack up triple-doubles at will.
Larry Bird averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists a game throughout his 13-year NBA career, all with the Boston Celtics. These numbers were 23.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 164 postseason games, respectively. He was a three-in-one player, capable of scoring, crashing the glass, and finding open teammates.
Despite his statistical prowess, Bird never gave his triple-double total much consideration. Bird said in his book Drive: The Story of My Life that he could have received a lot more than he did.
“People exaggerate triple-doubles,” Bird said, “which is commonly defined as a game in which a player has double digits in points, rebounds, and assists.” “I honestly feel I could achieve a triple-double in at least 41 of the 82 games played every year if that’s all anybody wanted me to accomplish.”
Bird said that he could guarantee the ten boards and ten assistants. However, he noted that for him to score an additional 30 points would be unreasonable.
“You could do it if other players are playing well, and it would be to the team’s advantage,” Bird said. “What does it imply if you get a triple-double and we lose if they aren’t?”
In the end, the only statistic that counts is the number of victories.
Part of the triple-double formula, according to Bird, is inherently wrong.
The Boston Celtics’ Larry Bird is no stranger to triple-doubles, but he feels the feat is overrated. | Getty Images/Bettmann Archive
In the current NBA, the triple-double has become, if not frequent, at least more prevalent. Oscar Robertson was the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season for more than 50 years. In 1961–62, he pulled it off. Since 2016–17, Westbrook has done it four times. For the first time, he was named NBA MVP.
However, Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics argues that one component of the traditional triple-double calculation is suspect. Assists are a judgment call that favors the player for the home side much too often:
“Assists are a dubious condition to begin with. On the West Coast, I think it is typically simpler to get one. It’s simply that they perceive it differently. Assists, in my opinion, should be awarded whenever a player receives the ball and scores. He can create a convincing impersonation, but he can’t get the ball on the ground. You can’t additionally put it in after pumping it three or four times.
“There should be a limit to what can be deemed an assist.”
Larry Bird
Bird was eager to thank those who deserve it. Magic Johnson, his main adversary, had 138 triple-doubles, and Bird considered that many of them were of the exceptional kind.
“While we’re on the topic,” Bird said, “there are triple-doubles and there are triple-doubles.” “It’s a triple-double for me when I watch Magic play a game with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 17 assists.”
Winning is the most important factor. Not that statistical superiority doesn’t have a role in triumphs. Westbrook’s club has a.745 winning percentage with 188 triple-doubles. That’s the same as a 61-win regular season spread out across 82 games.
Even among Larry Bird’s contemporaries, stat padding is as ancient as the NBA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTIkHo8 lps
In the 1980s, Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics won three championships, and one of the game’s greatest statistical accumulators was at his peak. Moses Malone was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for both his offensive and defensive rebounding abilities. He was also well-known for padding his stats in that column.
Malone went out of his way to miss shots. He was certain that he could get back off the court and get the offensive rebound before anybody else. It’s a strategy that Andre Drummond admits to using when with the Detroit Pistons in 2015, according to The Detroit News.
Players may also pad in various ways. Jason Kapono of the Toronto Raptors, who led the NBA in 3-point shooting in 2007–08, put his career on hold following a bright start.
Kapono shot 51.7 percent from beyond the arc in 30 games, averaging 3.0 attempts per game. His efforts dropped to 0.6 per night for the remainder of the season. Despite shooting 37.9% throughout that 51-game span, his 48.3 percent overall percentage topped the league for the second straight season.
Kapono pulled the lock off his jumper in the playoffs after the individual achievement was completed. In a five-game defeat against the Orlando Magic, he shot 13-of-24.
When it comes to the definition of an assist, Larry Bird is accurate in that it varies. In 1989–90, John Stockton established the single-season record with 14.5 assists per game with the Utah Jazz. However, he slept an average of 15.4 hours at home and 13.6 hours on the road. Sometimes all you need is a little home cooking from the stat men.
Basketball Reference and Stathead provided the statistics.
Larry Bird was dubbed “the Best Player Ever” by a fellow Hall of Famer.
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The “top 20 mlb free agents 2022” is a list of the top 20 Major League Baseball players who are still available to be signed by any team in the MLB for the next season. The list includes names like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Clayton Kershaw.
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