Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Does another A.L. powerhouse take October yet again?
The last 2 years an A.L. powerhouse has emerged and taken the league by storm; the 2018 Boston Red Sox who won 108 regular season games and the 2017 Houston Astros winning 101 regular season games. Don’t forget last year behind the Red Sox 108 wins the New York Yankees quietly had another 100 win season before falling to the Sox in the ALDS.
This season the AL only got deeper and more intimidating as the Minnesota Twins made their case for joining the best of the best. Belting 307 homers and getting behind all star ace Jose Berrios the Twins posted 101 regular season wins this year and have an opportunity to upset the evil empire. Despite the record setting number of homers the twins still only found themselves finishing 3rd in the AL behind the dominant Houston Astros and resilient New York Yankees.
With six teams finishing with over 90+ wins this season in the AL it just helps put into perspective how powerful this league is as the 93 win Cleveland Indians missed the playoffs when that would’ve been good enough to net a division win in the N.L.
Now let’s not neglect the N.L. as the L.A. Dodgers had themselves another outstanding season posting 106 regular season wins and taking their league by storm with ease. But, can the Dodgers get past the young and hungry Braves? or the pitching of the Nationals? What about the Veteran Cardinals? Even more importantly their own World Series foes? The Dodgers as we know have fallen the last 2 years to the Astros and Red Sox despite their impressive regular and postseason runs. Can rookie Gavin Lux and MVP Cody Bellinger put them over the top this year?
Will we have a Astros- Dodgers rematch? Yankees-Dodgers classic? Twins-Braves power matchup? Time will tell as the business is unfolding this weekend and the best time of year kicks into place for us baseball fans.
The Drama of Strasburg and Cole
If you haven’t heard about the anticipation about where and when Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg are going to sign this offseason there is a great chance you have been living under a rock. The two pitches have highly decorated resumes and are coming off of career years as Strasburg is fresh off of a World Series MVP with the Nationals beating Cole’s Astros. Cole also had himself a carer year pitching to a 2.50 ERA and posting an impressive 20-5 record.
The two pitchers will be seeing record money undoubtly it’s just a matter of where and when at this point. There are some favorites emerging for the two as we can speculate and many reports have come out but, from past free agencies we know early reports could mean nothing.
Could the power duo team up? This is something that would shock the baseball world but, it isn’t impossible and what better team to be that evil empire that could land the two other than; The Yankees. Brian Cashman the Gm of the New York Yankees has been very vocal about not being gun-shy when it comes to these two studs. Early reports say that the Yankees have given word to give Cole record money if he is willing to sign with the Yankees. But, Cole isn’t where Cashman wants to stop. Cashman has said multiple times already this offseason that he wants both and will chase after both.
This story will be the top story of the offseason to see where and when these two studs sign and who gets the bigger payday.
What is going on with the Houston Astros?
The 2017 Astros investigation into using a live video feed to steal signs from opposing teams and relaying it to the their dugouts and to their hitters is one the is only getting worse for them. The MLB has been very vocal that they’re taking this situation incredibly serious and heavy sanctions will be imposed when they reach a final decision.
The evidence is indisputable against the Astros as there is evidence from past players that it happened and along with that there is clear video evidence going against them. The video that has surfaced the internet is disturbing many and is raising a lot of concerning questions among baseball fans around the world
I personally think coaches will heavily fined and suspended and potentially banned for life from the game. It is very clear that suspensions will be heavy sanctions as commissioner Rob Manfred has already stated. It is not a great time to be a Houston Astro right now.
Strasburg back to the Nationals
Stephen Strasburg has signed a 7 year 245 million dollar contract to stay at home with the Washington Nationals.
Strasburg is first out of him and other top free agent pitching attraction Gerrit Cole to make a move. Strasburg’s contract is record breaking but will soon be broken by Mr Cole himself. Gerrit Gole is still Favorited to sign with the Yankees, Dodgers or Angels before winter meetings are over.
This is certainly a gamble by the Nationals locking up their world series MVP for 7 years and all that money as Strasburg has a long and detailed injury history which includes Tommy John. We know very well that when a pitcher receives Tommy John surgery at a young age he is very prone to receiving a second surgery.
It is now time to sit back and play the waiting game to see where, when and how much Gerrit Cole signs for. What we do know is that it will be record breaking and nothing short of historic.
Why it is absolutely necessary for the Yankees to land Gerrit Cole
The 29 year old pitching phenom is one of the greatest pitchers in the game without question. Gerrit Cole was drafted by the team that is heavily pursuing him and by the team he pitched lights out against in the ALCS; The New York Yankees.
Gerrit Cole has 3 teams that are heavily Favorited to sign him; The Yankees, Dodgers and Angels. Cole pitched to an impressive 20-5 record posting a 2.50 ERA. There is so many reasons why the Yankees are chasing after this stud.
The Yankees have failed to win the world series since the 2009 season, Ironically the Yankees landed a HUGE off season pitcher that year in CC Sabathia. This time around CC is in on the recruitment process of trying to land Gerrit Cole. The New York fan base and city itself is not a forgiving one and that is why getting a championship to New York is essential.
Landing a top pitching ace to compliment the weapons the Yankees already have has been a struggle for the Yankees throughout the years and this could be Brian Cashman the Gm of the Yankees best chance to get it done.
Gerrit Cole is a New York Yankee
The New York Yankees have signed Gerrit Cole to a 9 year 324 million dollar record breaking deal with an opt out after his 5th year.
This a move the Yankees absolutely needed to make as they’ve missed out on one to many top arms in previous off-seasons but, it looks like they’ve finally landed their guy. Gerrit Cole pitched to an impressive 20-5 record posting a 2.50 ERA with 326 strikeouts.
The Yankees rotation now lines up as: Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, James Paxton, Mashairo Tanaka and Domingo German. This is the best the rotation has been in years. The Yankees are now poised for a championship run in 2020.
Where will Rendon and MadBum land?
Now that Strasburg and Cole have been paid it is time for the next man up to get what he deserves. Anthony Rendon absolutely tore it up and went on to have an MVP caliber season while leading the Nationals to a world series.
Currently we are hearing that the Texas Rangers and LA Dodgers are the front runners to sign the stud 3rd basemen and lastly the LA angels are sliding in after missing on Gerrit Cole and the Nationals are fading after paying Strasburg.
It is a waiting game now to see where Rendon will land.
Dominic Carella
Hello everyone, my name is Dominic Carella and I am a sophomore at Quinnipiac university as I am a journalism major and sports studies minor. I am from Long island, NY where I attended Herricks high school and played varsity baseball for 3 years and developed my passion for journalism. I’m looking to land a sports journalism job at a big organization such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, YES network, etc.
This article I’m about to share with you is a piece I wrote recently for my Digital Journalism class. This piece is all about what is happening with air travel during these difficult times with the Coronavirus.
This second piece is another article about Coronavirus but this one solely focuses on my hometown of Nassau County, Long island and how everyone around me and in my town are dealing with these deadly virus.
The last piece that I would like to share with all my readers is a movie script that I wrote for my storytelling class first semester freshmen year. This was work I was incredibly proud of and came out exactly the way I wanted.
file:///C:/Users/dman1/Downloads/Script%20Screenplay%20(1)-1544567685000.pdf
Want to know more about me?
Email: Dominic.carella@quinnipiac.edu
Twitter: https://twitter.com/domcarella
Site Title 