THE 10 GREATEST BASEBALL PLAYERS OF ALL TIME

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Every sport has its all-time greats, those who have defined the sport by their passion, skill, commitment and natural gift. We take a look at baseball’s best players for each position and those that come closely behind them. There is no specific time period considered for this evaluation but rather a general look over the entire history of the sport.

1.     George Brett

This was Kansas City Royals’ designated hitter and third baseman. At 3,154 hits, Brett holds the record for the most hits made by a third baseman in the history of the league. This is also the 16th highest number of hits by a baseball player since the inception of the sport. Brett is also among the only four players in Major League Baseball to exceed the 3,000 mark in hits. The rest are Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.

2.     Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera says handling the pressure of being a closer wasn’t easy. “You have to know who you are and your abilities and how to block all these things that are thrown at you,” he says.

Rivera was a Panamanian-American who played as a pitcher for the New York Yankees. He played a total 19 seasons and became a 13-time all star. Rivera holds the MLB’s records for career saves at 652. During his tenure with the Yankees, Rivera won three delivery man of the year awards and five American League awards. He also finished within the top three of those competing for the CY young awards.

3.     John McGraw

Nicknamed Mugsy or Little Napoleon, McGraw was a MLB player who played for the Baltimore Orioles and later managed the New York Giants. However, John is best known for his managerial success more than the success he enjoyed as a player. He is best remembered for his 2,673 victories and 2,669 in the senior circuit of baseball. McGraw retired from baseball in 1932.

4.     Vin Scully

Scully was born in 1927 and started his baseball career sport casting with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1950. Hs career ran from 1950 through 2016, the longest of any sportcaster in the MLB. He was best known for his lyrical signature style to broadcasting and introduction of the dodgers’ games. At the start of his career, the Dodgers were still based in the city of Brooklyn.

5.     Lefty Grove

Born Robert Grove in the year 1900, Lefty was a baseball pitcher playing for Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox. He is considered to be the MLB’s all-time greatest left handed pitcher. Lefty holds the record for in strikeouts, wins over separate seasons and the lowest earned run average. In three years starting 1929, th4e player won the Triple Crown twice.

6.     Babe Ruth

Born George Herman Ruth in 1895, Babe holds the MLB records for home runs, runs batted in, bases on balls, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging. He is widely regarded as the sport’s greatest player and was elected into the hall of fame as one of the five first players. Ruth played for the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher and for the New York Yankees as a slugging outfielder. He achieved his legendary status with the latter due to his incredible slugging percentage.

7.     Ted Williams

Ted was a professional baseball player and a manager in his later years. He played as a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. Williams ranks very high among the greatest baseball players who ever lived. He was even fondly nicknamed as the greatest hitter who ever lived. He won the all-star award a record nineteen times amongst other awards such as the American League and the MVP award. He earned an average .344 batting average throughout his career.

8.     Honus Wagner

Wagner is probably to date America’s ever finest shortstop. He played through 21 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He won 8 batting titles and was the top slugger six times. He was nicknamed the flying Dutchman due to the combination of his German roots and playing speed. Together with the likes of Babe Ruth, Wagner was inducted into Baseball’s hall of fame among the very first five players to be inducted.

9.     Yogi Berra

Born as Lawrence Peter Berra in the year 1925, Yogi was a professional catcher having played with the New York Yankees. He won the all-star award 18 times, just one shy of Ted Williams. He also won a record 10 World Series championships. He is widely considered among baseball’s greatest players and was inducted into the hall of fame in the year 1972.

10. Lou Gehrig

Lou played for 17 seasons with the New York Yankees starting in 1923. He was nicknamed the iron horse for his durability. He won the all-star award for seven consecutive times and once won the Triple Crown and the MVP award twice. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 1939 and became the first player to have his shirt number retired by the team.

 

HERE ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF SPORTS BETTING

betting

The betting industry continues to expand. The available markets, sports, games and bettors have never before been this many. The number of bookmakers and sporting exchanges are also on the rise. However, betting does have outcomes related to financial and social changes some of which are adverse while others contribute to the greater good. We take a look at the common pros and cons of sports betting.

The Bright Side…

It is legitimate (in most places)

Betting is actually a legal means of investing in most countries which basically means that if you are able to find your way through the sea of technical terms and endless maths, then you can actually make some legitimate money. However, it basically needs a level of understanding to get the real view of your chances to actually make money versus the chances of the bookmaker making money from you.

It is a very wide market

Sports betting cover a very wide range of sports and games developed by bookmakers. Some of the most popular sports include soccer, horse racing, tennis, cricket and basketball. However, most large bookmakers have more than 10 sports on offer and inbuilt games such as roulette, spin to win and dice. This wide range of choices means that you can choose a sport that you are most conversant with unlike other investment opportunities that are limited to one or a few options.

Flexibility

Every sports punter is given the ultima6te flexibility to decide on their preferred strategies of investment. This is an advantage over other means of investing that allow only a few strategies such as those within the finance industry. You could choose to focus on short term gains or long term success, single or multiple bets and a very wide range of markets to choose from.

Then to the not very bright side…

It’s hard to find value

Unlike several other investment vehicles, it is particularly difficult to find consistent value in sports betting. The risks involved in sports betting lead to a decrease in long term value trades over time. The outcomes of events are also greatly related to factors beyond the bettor’s control. Add to this the fact that bookmakers are also in it for the money and finding a valuable trade becomes a very improbable affair. For events with similar and equal outcomes for example, the bookmaker will always provide odds of less than 2.00 as should mathematically be.

The psychological effect

Betting is basically a type of gambling and nay type of these can quickly become addictive. If a bettor becomes addicted to sports trading, the time they spent with family and other important social aspects of their lives start to decline. This mostly happens once bettors are on winning or losing streaks. If income streams that support betting start to dwindle, then the bettor could start engaging in socially unacceptable behavior to supplement the income sources.

Loss management

Unlike most investment vehicles, it is very difficult to deal with losses in sports betting. Pulling out of the investment means that the activity stops generating money while continuing the investment could worsen your losing streak. However, skilled bettors have mastered the art of bankroll management, consistency and measured sizing. It also takes a great deal of patience and unwavering focus to overcome the effects of a losing streak.

Frustration

Frustration sets in when bettors let their emotions guide them rather than existing facts and statistics. This causes the bettor to lose despite following what they see as a potentially successful strategy. The solution is to however only bet in risk free sports or markets or keep out of gambling altogether.

 

HISTORY OF THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

philedophia phillies

The Phillies are a Philadelphia-based National league team that is also a member of the National League’s East division. The Phillies replaced the Worcesters in the year 1883 and first appeared in a postseason in a face-ff with the Boston Red Sox in 1915. Since then, the team’s history has been a combination of highs and lows with the team currently holding the record for the second-longest losing streak of consecutive seasons. This involved 16 consecutive losing seasons starting in 1933 through 1948. Despite this, however, there have been periods of success here and there. The team has won five division championships, two World Series championships, and several pennants. We take a brief look at the team’s managers, owners, and famous players.

Phillies’ Managers and Owners

The Phillies have had 53 manages throughout their 127-year history. The team began as the Philadelphia Quakers after one of baseball’s pioneer players; Al Reach was awarded a chance to replace the Worcesters. The new team however started off with what is currently still the worst winning percentage of .173. This led to a change of management with Harry Wright taking over. It is at this time that the team changed its name from Quakers to Philadelphias shortened as the current Phillies. After the Phillies owner dies in 1930, Gerald Nugent took over as the new team owner who later sold it to Bill Veeck. Bucky Harris managed the team from the year 1943 but was later fired by the then owner, William Cox. The team is currently managed by Pete Mackanin who has a .432 winning percentage. The team’s best performing managers include Charlie Manuel (.551), Dallas Green (.565), Andy Cohen (1.000), and Bob Allen (.714). The worst record was by Blondie Purcell who recorded a .160 winning percentage.

Phillies’ Award Winners

The team has had more than a hundred award winners since inception. The most notable include the National League’s most valuable player award won by Chuck Klein (1932), Jim Konstanty (1950), Mike Schmidt (1980, 1981, 1986), Ryan Howard (2006), and Jimmy Rollins (2007). Team members have also won the CY Young award, Rookie of the year award, Rawlings gold glove award, silver slugger award, Rolaids Relief man ward, several MLB awards, Roberto Clemente award, and the players’ choice awards amongst many more. Combined, there have been hundreds of individual and team awards throughout the team’s history.

Phillies’ Team Records

The team has participated in 127 seasons having played more than 19,000 games winning almost a half of these. Phillies’ Chuck Klein holds the largest number of franchise records and is also the NL’s triple battling crown winner. Ed Delahanty holds the all-time triples record for the Philadelphia Phillies. The team’s batting record is held by Bill Hamilton with .361 who also holds the on-base percentage record with .468. The OPS and Sluggish percentage record is held by Chuck Klein with the home runs, RBI, bases on balls, and strikeouts record being held by Mike Schmidt. The Phillies’ average a .472 winning percentage since inception in the 1880s. The 2000-2010 decade and the 1890-1900 decade saw the Phillies record the best winning percentages of any decade at .525 and .542 respectively.

Phillies’ Stadiums

The Phillies have played on various grounds since 1883 some of which were theirs, others leased and others on a temporary basis. The most notable of these include Baker Bowl, Shibe Park, Veteran’s Stadium, and Citizens Bank Park. Of the Phillies’ total games, 9,464 have resulted in wins and 10,552 losses. The team has made use of 72 different starting pitchers with 20 ending in no decisions, 33 wins and 40 losses.

BASEBALL PLAYERS NEED LONG TERM CARE TOO ARE RETIREMENT

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The average professional baseball career last only 5.6 years with only a hand full playing ten or more years.  When retirement hits the average American or retirement hits a former professional athlete we all will have to face the possibility if needing Long Term Care in our retirement after the fans are gone, the stadium is empty and the light are out.

When you get to a place in your life when you need to start planning your finances for post-retirement, it’s good to know all of your choices. Many people are unaware that you are able to get multiple benefits combined into one product. This is called a hybrid policy, or SecureCare if you purchase through Securian or Minnesota Life.

Securian offers a long-term care hybrid policy that has many options you can choose from to tailor your policy to be beneficial to your life and is ideal for professional athletes because they can use a small portion of their signing bonuses to check this financial planning box so they will be all set if their concussions turn into dementia later in life. If you have never heard of this type of policy, it is much different from a basic life insurance policy. Think of it as a “bundle” rather than a single policy.  It’s called asset based or hybrid long term care insurance.

If you are unsure about your options or eligibility, you can submit a form with your information and request a custom proposal from the company. They will use the information your provided with your requests and needs and show you the options and features you can choose from.

All companies products can differ slightly, but one thing Securian has is flexibility, freedom for their clients. They also guarantee 3 things: that your long-term care will be covered, your beneficiaries will receive the money, in the event that you do not end up needing your long-term care, and the option to get a refund of your premiums if you change your mind.

The flexibility this policy provides is extremely beneficial for unknown circumstances. You can customize your coverage in a few different ways. One of them being to receive a monthly acceleration of your death benefit for up to 3 years. You can also add an extension of long-term care benefits up to 7 years. This policy also protects you from rising costs, whereas most simple life policies have unpredictable premiums.

They also give you freedom, the freedom to choose how you receive your long-term care. Some of these options are: adult daycare, home modification, informal care, assisted living, caregiver training, hospice, nursing home care, bed reservation, home health care, household services, respite care, and benefits outside the U.S.

WILL ROMAN QUINN GIVE IN TO HIS UNENDING INJURIES?

Roman quinn

Quinn was undoubtedly one of the best downers in 2015’s minor league season. You can clearly hear that from Joe Jordan. Known for his .360 hit, we can assume that the young outfielder had and still has a lot in store for the next season. However, injuries can’t just let the 22-year old make it to the top that easily. According to statistics, Quinn’s injuries were too much that he couldn’t even make it past 58 games. He battled with injuries to get back on his feet, but nothing good was showing up in his struggle.

We can blame the Hip flexor injury on the left side for his recent performance. However, we can’t just fail to acknowledge what he was able to do before the injury. One of the memorable events is where the youngster hit six doubles and triples, four home runs accompanied with 29 stolen bases. Others included the Double-A Reading and the .791 OPS.

According to analysts, Quinn has all it takes to beat his opponents in every way possible. This was evident when he hit a .290 and a .349 with the left hand and the right hand respectively. His performance was also noted by Reading’s manager Dusty Wathan during his spring training.

Unfortunately, the young hitter is prone to injuries that have also become a threat to his career. One of the major accidents was where his right wrist was broken as a result of being hit by a pitch. After the accident, he was only allowed to play up to 67 games.

2014 didn’t come with good luck either. He couldn’t escape a ruptured Achilles tendon even during the offseason training. However, this didn’t discourage him from stealing 32 bases in the following 88 games. As if trying to go against all odds, Quinn also went on to steal another 14 in the Arizona Fall League 24 games. Quinn is among the best player Phillies ever had, but the fact that he can’t escape even a training injury robs him of his potential.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 2016: WHO TO WATCH OUT FOR

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It is quite obvious that Philadelphia Phillies had a rough time handling what 2015 had in store for them. The fact that 2016 isn’t a year to underestimate, leaves the top officials with no option but to make a wise move. This can’t be done better than choosing the right prospects to handle the highly competitive season ahead. After a long discussion on the topic, the officials finally decided to study the past performance of their players thoroughly. The result wasn’t much disappointing. Here is who to expect in the coming season.

  1. SS, J.P CRAWFORD

Crawford is 21-year-old known for his High-A at the first phase of the season. He is also known for .392, .489 and lastly, .443 in 79 at bats. He hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down anytime sooner as he has continuously shown improvements.

2. OF, NICK WILLIAMS

Williams is aged 22 years. Cole Hamels deal couldn’t leave him out and as a result, he was able to make to Philadelphia Phillies. His best was noted after a .303, .354 as well as, .491 with 97 strikeouts, 17 homers, 13 steals and lastly 35 walks in 475 at-bats in Double-A. He is quite promising according to officials, but he will still need another year in Triple-A.

3. OF, CORNELIUS RANDOLF

Cornelius is among the youngest players Phillies has ever had at 18 years. he is known for .302, .425 and lastly, .442 with 32 strikeouts and walks in 172 at bats. He might not have everything in place, but the fact that he has done more in the few years he been with Phillies earns him some credit in the coming games.

4. RHP, JAKE THOMPSON

Thompson is aged 22 years. He was able to make it to Phillies after the Hamels deal. Known for his 127 hits in Double-A, the RHF candidate has proven to be quite useful as a slider as a well as a sinker.

5. C, ANDREW KNAPP

Knapp is aged 24 years. He is known for .308, .385 and .491 with 35 doubles, 13 home108 strikeouts, 51 walks in 458 at bats. He has also added something to his defensive skills hence one of the promising defenders to watch for this season.

2016 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES REVIEW

Looking at the last matches against Phillies, we can assume that, the team is coming back to its feet. 2015 was not a bad year, but we can say the same for 2016. Going back a little bit in 2008, we can say that the players worked hard to bring the World Series back home despite the embarrassing loss of 63 to 99 that also made the team finish at the last place. After a thorough analysis of what was in store for the team, we can’t really blame the organization for their current trades.

Despite the fact that Phillies had to go through a lot, we can hope for the best but at the same time not to forget that it won’t be easy following the team to make it to the top in this year. The team just lost the rookie of the year, Maikel Franko to injury, Ken Giles was moved to Houston. What is there to expect from the team isn’t really promising, but we can’t ignore the fact that the organization realized this much earlier and came up with a plan that seems more than promising. After several replacements, we can see that the team is much stronger than before. Here is the line-up.

LINEUP

  • SS: Freddy Galvis
  • OF: Odubel Herrera OF
  • 3B: Maikel Franco
  • 1B: Ryan Howard 1B
  • OF: Aaron Altherr and Peter Bourjos
  • C: Carlos Ruiz C
  • 2B: Cesar Hernandez
  • Pitcher’s Spot

As we can see, each and every selection is random for the year 2016. Despite the tough struggle with the team, Ryan Howard still maintains the position as the first baseman. Odubei and Franco, as the OF and 3b respectively have all the potential judging by their past performance. We can conclude that Petermackanin finally has the best weapon to use against his opponents.

RYAN HOWARD FINALLY GETS HIS PAY

Baseball

It isn’t a surprise how things turned out for the Phillies player Ryan Howard. After a long struggle with unending injury, the 240 pounds Phillies first baseman, has something to brag for. He isn’t just getting a reward for being an award-winning player from Phillies. He now gets something more tangible in terms of money. Here is what’s up.

In 2014, Ryan Howard had two more years to maintain his position at Phillies. It seems that someone knew what was in store for one of the best Phillies players. For two years now, Ryan Howard has been struggling to get his pay that his club wasn’t willing to let go. However, it seemed that the battle was one-sided, that is, Ryan started it, and he was the one also to end it.

At first was to let the stubborn player go, but now they are left with one and only option that is, pay Ryan Howard and let him go. Although the cost isn’t something that Phillies would claim that it’s nothing, it is worth ending the long struggle.

Ryan doesn’t just lose the possibility of becoming one of the greatest hall of Famer. He is going home as one of the richest baseball players Phillies has ever had. He struggles and injuries just earned him an unending contract with lots of cash for a lifetime. It was much easier giving up a one-time $125 million contract for a lifetime contract.  He still has $25 million to claim this season followed by $10 million 2017’s buyout.

This will probably earn him something much better than just being a hall of famer. He now stands a chance to become one of the richest Platoon players because there are higher chances he is catching up with Darion Ruf.