While the Los Angeles Dodgers wait to find out who the next owner will be, they’ve been working on flipping over the roster a bit in an attempt to form a contender for next season.

While they added players in Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano, Mark Ellis and Jerry Hairston Jr., the outcome of the season could hinder on the performances of those that never left. It will be the Dodgers’ veterans that will need to return to form in order for the team to succeed. Players such as Andre Eithier, James Loney, Juan Uribe and Chad Billingsley.

The Dodgers started off their off-season the right way by re-singing outfielder Matt Kemp to an eight-year contract worth $160 million. They then extended ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw, giving a two- year, $19 million deal to lock up arguably the league’s best pitcher. The moves were just what the Dodgers needed in order to get on the right track towards the playoffs.

Although Kemp and Kershaw are two of the great players the Dodgers keep, their performances were not enough to push the Dodgers to the next level last season.

That job will belong to the rest of the squad this season as the veterans will need to perform as well as they have in past years for the Dodgers in order to push them into the playoffs. Eithier, who has steadily been a fan favorite, hit just 11 homeruns and 62 runs-batted-in on a .292 batting average last season. He needs to improve that performance in his free-agent walk year.

Billingsley is another player who the Dodgers need to flip their season in order to succeed. After winning 16 games in 2008, Billingsley’s stats have fallen off a little bit winning 12, 12 and 11 games the past three seasons respectively. The Dodgers would love to have him back to the 16-win, 200-strikeout form that he reached in 2008 when the team finished first in the NL West and went on to the NL Championship Series.

The other additions the Dodgers made this off-season were merely to solidify a roster with young talent that just needs to rebound. Along with the veterans returning to form, the Dodgers are hoping for a big season from highly-touted prospect Dee Gordon at short stop.

If all of the pieces fall into place, you can expect the Dodgers to at least contend for the NL West, but those results will be determined by the veterans on the squad.

This is a guest post by Brandon Williams. Williams is the lead blogger at Sports Reviews and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America. He’s been writing freelance for 10-plus years.

Image credit: donielle

Article source: Dodgers Veterans the Key to Success

Many professional athletes, both past and current, have taken up the mantle of issues that are close to their own hearts. Sports stars including Warrick Davis, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Kristi Yamaguchi and Brett Favre all run their own charities, dedicated to a range of causes, from education to home ownership.

Perhaps no sports organization is more socially-involved, though, than the New York Yankees. In 2011, the Yankees organization donated money to aid in hurricane relief and to aid those affected by Texas’ destructive wildfires. Closer to home, the Yankees take part in multiple community social programs, such as Wake Up! NYC, a New York City-area program that deals with truancy and getting involved with the school system to ensure that area children get an education. They also support Highbridge Voices, a program aimed at keeping kids inspired by engaging them in the performing arts, and Healthy Home Plate, a program aimed at promoting healthful eating and lifestyle habits amongst area youth, with events held in participants’ honor at Yankee Stadium.

Although many of us don’t have the means to make substantial donations to charity organizations or relief efforts, and don’t have the celebrity to convince entire communities of kids to eat well or stay in school, we all have the ability to exert social influence in smaller ways. People all across the country have the ability to get involved in the school system as volunteers or tutors, to launch programs that encourage healthy eating and proper exercise amongst the youth in their own communities, or to start a health fair or a blood drive for a local blood collection agency. Though it may not seem like much of a game-changer, the work done on a small-scale in communities all across the country can lead to big changes nationwide.

As individuals, we also have the ability to donate blood and food on a regular basis to ensure that those resources are kept in stock for when they become needed. Blood banks and food banks all across the country are running low on supply, and every individual donation has impact. Social responsibility can be as simple as making a bi-monthly visit to the local Red Cross to donate blood, or buying a few extra cans of vegetables at the grocery store each visit to donate to your local food bank. You can find donation centers, or the times and locations of area blood drives, on the Red Cross blood donation website at http://www.redcrossblood.org/. Local food donation spots can be found on the Feeding America website: http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx.

Outside of our own local communities, even if we can’t get away to donate our time, we have the option to donate financially to organizations, even if it may be on a smaller scale than the Yankees. Many organizations can make a $5 donation go a long way, and it takes only 100,000 donations at $5 a piece to equal the Yankees’ total donation to the relief efforts in the south. If you want to give to disaster relief, you can donate through the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html. Or, consider donating to a cause that you believe in, such as human rights, the arts or education. Lists of charities by category can be found on websites such as Charity Navigator – http://www.charitynavigator.org/ – or Charity Vault – http://www.charity-charities.org/.

Even though sports figures and organizations like the Yankees may have greater financial means and more recognizable names than individual citizens, when it comes to social responsibility, we can all take a page out of the Yankees’ playbook.

Author Byline:

Sean is tech-enthusiast that invests more time and money in new toys than he does on rent.  When he’s not learning the latest tricks for his gadgets find him contributing to ATTSavings or on Twitter @SeanTR.

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Article source: Be Socially Responsible Like the Yankees

The word “rivalry” barely comes close to describing what happens between these two teams. This matchup has become virtual warfare on the field and in the media. Many feel that the hatred between these two teams is at an all-time high. Let’s take a look at the history behind this rivalry and some key moments that have added fuel to the fire of the Yankees and Sox war.

• You must first understand how valuable Babe Ruth was to Boston. The Babe played for the Red Sox from 1914 to 1919, and played primarily as a pitcher. The Red Sox captured the 1918 World Series behind Ruth’s 0.87 ERA. The next year Ruth sported a lofty .322 batting average.

• You should know exactly how Ruth became a New York Yankee. The owner of the Red Sox, Harry Frazee, sold Ruth to the Yankees for a $300,000 loan and $125,000 in cash. He used the money to open a musical called “No, No, Nanette.” The Babe went on to have great success with the Yankees, and a rivalry was born.

• The Red Sox were never able to recover from losing Ruth, and “The Curse of the Bambino” was born. From 1923 to 1932 the Red Sox finished last every year except two, and lost 111 games that final year. Meanwhile in New York, Ruth smacked a then record 60 homers in 1927, a record that stood for 34 years. The Babe ended his career with the Boston Braves in 1935. His home run total while in Boston was 26, while he smashed 688 in the Yankee pinstripes.

• Save for the last eight seasons, there is a stark contrast between each team’s World Series successes. From 1936 to 1962, New York took home 16 World Championships. The Red Sox would reach the Series four times, in 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986, losing each time. By the time the 21st century was upon us, the Bronx Bombers had 25 championships, while the Red Sox were still searching for their first title since 1918.

• Bear in mind that Babe Ruth wasn’t the only superstar the Red Sox have let get away that ultimately found their way into Yankee championship history. Roger Clemens was a multiple Cy Young award winning superstar for the Red Sox, only to have the Red Sox let him walk away and become a member of the Blue Jays. He went on to win two Cy Young awards as well as the pitcher’s version of the Triple Crown with the Jays. The Rocket moved on to the Bombers and won his first championship as a member of the Yankees in 1999.

Don’t give up on this rivalry just because the Red Sox have won a few World Series and broken the dreaded curse. This rivalry will live on for as long as these two organizations are putting teams on the field.

Fan of Red Sox/ Yankees? Did you know most players have Twitter profiles/Facebook pays? You can perform free people search on them and find their profiles immediately. See it for yourself.

Article source: Red Sox/Yankees Rivalry Still as Strong as Ever

Here are five reasons why the Red Sox are well-positioned to re-assert themselves and finish on top of a very competitive AL East Division.

1. Solid Lineup Core Remains Intact

The Red Sox finished in the top three in most major offensive categories in the American League in 2011, despite a lack of production from their corner outfield positions. This year, the core remains largely intact, with Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ross added to infuse production in right field, and Carl Crawford looking to bounce back from a miserable first year in Boston. This is a team that will score runs in bunches.

2. Strong Starting Rotation

With a front three starting group of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and a healthy Clay Buchholz, the Sox easily have one of the better top three groups in the American League. Add to that Daniel Bard, who moves from his setup role to the No. 4 slot, and the Sox have the potential to put up a boatload of quality starts.

3. The Bobby Valentine Effect

New manager Bobby Valentine returns to the dugout for the first time since 2002, and although he has been out of the major league trenches for a decade, there’s no question that he is more than adept at getting the most out of his roster. Valentine’s biggest challenge will be changing the clubhouse culture, after reports last year of the shenanigans that left many wondering who was running the ship. Make no mistake about it, this is Valentine’s team, and the players will buy into his way of doing things.

4. Quality Depth Added to Enhance Roster

While new GM Ben Cherington didn’t go out and spend tens of millions on free agents, he quietly added quality depth, acquiring Mark Melancon to assume the setup role, Kelly Shoppach to back up catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Nick Punto, who played a key role as a utility infielder last year for the World Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals, and a series of minor-league signings for pitchers (Vicente Padilla, Aaron Cook, John Maine) who could provide value at the back of the rotation.

5. The Contrite Factor

The Red Sox are clearly on a mission to earn back the trust of their fans and to show that they can overcome what happened last September. Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have already made admissions to the media that their actions last year were in bad form, and they’ll be out to prove that they can be leaders by example. Last year’s collapse left a bitter taste in the mouths of Sox veterans, and their resolve to right last year’s wrongs can’t be overlooked.

This is a guest post submitted by Mike Wright. Mike played all kinds of sports growing up and adamantly follows everything sports now that he is too old to contribute at a high level. He works with Phoenix Bats, a company that creates world-class wood bats for amateur and professional ball players around the world, and loves writing on different sports topics.

Image credit: H Michael Karshis

Article source: Boston Red Sox: 5 Reasons They Can Win AL East

Bobby In Beantown

Coming off an epic collapse to finish last season without a playoff berth, the Boston Red Sox made a change at manager. Disgruntled, in part, by the alleged lack of discipline under former manager Terry Francona, the Red Sox decided to make a U-turn and hired the polarizing, notoriously hard-nosed Bobby Valentine. With some players already grumbling about the new spring training policies imposed by Valentine, it’s no sure thing that the gamble will pay off. Valentine has a reputation as a stubborn, eccentric disciplinarian; attributes that may not go over well in the traditionally relaxed Red Sox clubhouse.

Miami Marlins

Like the Heat in the NBA last year, Miami was far and away the biggest noisemaker during the offseason. With high-profile additions in Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano and Heath Bell, as well as a much-publicized courtship of Albert Pujols, the Marlins appear to have committed themselves to becoming the National League’s version of the New York Yankees. Combined with an already talented roster featuring the likes of Hanley Ramirez, Mike Stanton, Josh Johnson and others, the future looks bright indeed on South Beach.

To complete the transformation, along with the influx of talent and the new “Miami” branding, the Marlins will have a shiny new home to play in beginning this season. Located on the former site of the Orange Bowl, Marlins Park will be the sixth stadium to feature a retractable roof. It also boasts several attractions, such as aquariums built into the backstop, a swimming pool, and a large home run celebration feature. Whether the traditionally low profile, low payroll Marlins can succeed with their new high-roller persona remains to be seen.

Old Faces, New Places

In addition to the rash of moves made by the Miami Marlins, this offseason also featured a number of major transactions involving some of the game’s best players. Most notable, of course, was the mammoth, 10-year contract signed by Albert Pujols with the Anaheim Angels. For the first time in 11 years, Albert will don a uniform other than the Cardinals’ this spring. While his production is expected to hold steady over the first several years of his deal, serious questions remain as to whether even the best player in the game is worth such an outlandish contract.

In one of the more surprising twists of the offseason, the Detroit Tigers will take the field this spring with new first baseman Prince Fielder. Former first baseman Miguel Cabrera is expected to switch back to his original position, third base, which has many analysts wondering whether the bulky slugger is physically capable of playing the position. In fact, rumors have circulated that the Tigers may plan to rotate Cabrera and Fielder at first base and designated hitter, alleviating the concerns about Cabrera’s fielding skill.

Yu Darvish

Perhaps the most highly touted Japanese prospect since Daisuke Matsuzaka, 25 year old fireballer Yu Darvish is expected to bolster a Texas Rangers rotation left devoid of aces after Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson departed in successive years. The young prospect has been dominant in recent years while pitching in Japan, and the Rangers are hoping his size, at nearly six and a half feet, and his command of six quality pitches will translate to the Major Leagues. The highly publicized signing will have the added benefit of detracting some of the attention away from Josh Hamilton’s most recent relapse once position players report.

Rich Spaulding is President of Gold Star Games, offering cornhole bags and games.

Article source: 2012 Spring Training – What’s Hot