Preview of the 2009 MLB season

With the spring training going on, it’s not strange to think about what’s going to happen in this year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) season, starting this April. We’ve been seeing a lot of activity from the teams and players. Not a bad time to check out your future MLB bets.

Let’s take a look at the possible prospects of this year’s season. We have the Tampa Bay Rays, they are a pretty young team and quite formidable to have a great season. With guys like Evan Longoria and David Price, this looks like a team to not take for granted. How about the Chicago Cubs? They could have things their way this MLB season, plus they currently have a great starting rotation. This could bring them an advantage, but they have to be careful and stay in focus. We could see a lot surprises this year.

Many think the Los Angeles Dodgers might not be able to win without Manny Ramirez, of course they can. They have been a solid team throughout the years and they have good players in the bullpen. Although, Ramirez can be a huge boost for them, the Dodgers can get things done. The much loved New York Yankees are always a fan favorite. The incident A-Rod is not going to be factor for the Yankees to not win another World Series, but there has to be good chemistry between them so they can achieve victory this season.

Of course, many might think that the Philadelphia Phillies are going to win it again, but not everything is perfect. Luck comes and goes. But you should give them the benefit of the doubt, why can’t luck strike twice?

These are the teams that have likelihood to have a great MLB season. But keep in mind that things can change in a matter of seconds and just because they are big teams doesn’t mean they always have everything worked out. So, do your homework and pick your team, place your MLB bets. You too could also come out a winner.

No more Kent for the MLB

After a long career in Major League Baseball, at age 40, five-time All-Star winner Jeff Kent announced his retirement from the field this week during a news conference in Dodger Stadium with resume worthy of Baseball Hall of Fame consideration, including such records as a .290 career batting average, 377 home runs, 1,518 RBIs and a .500 slugging percentage.

He played the last seven baseball seasons for the Dodgers, yet during his very long career he also played for San Francisco Giants, Blue Jays, Yankees and the Mets among other teams. He also completed several important MLB achievements including 2000 National League MVP, five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. Second base Kent’s best season with the Dodgers was 2005, when he hit 29 homers with 105 RBIs and 100 runs scored. His is only World Series appearance was back in 2000 while playing for the San Francisco Giants.

Although not everything in Kent’s career has been success: in the past he had several issues with team mates, coaches and the media: In 2007, Jeff Kent aired his frustration to reporters after the Dodgers fell out of the division race. Also he developed a reputation for his work ethic and no-nonsense commitment to winning which gained him lots of media attention; even so the MLB farewells one of the most impressive baseball players in history.

So far there is no specific news on what he would be venturing to now that he leaves Major League Baseball, rumor has it that Jeff Kent would like to spend more time with his wife and children, the oldest age 12 and the youngest 5. We certainly wish the best for this amazing baseball star, in my opinion he should start couching youngsters, certainly the MLB will be needing players of his caliber in the future.

Weird Baseball Injuries

Who doesn’t love baseball? Since we are little our parents teach us how to play catch and we keep fond memories of those runs in the park and we were extremely happy, the song itself says so “Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd” just by singing those two phrases we got all excited. But baseball is not all fun and games, sometimes people do get hear during baseball games, and that my friends, is not a walk in the park…

The MLB has very serious rules set out for professional baseball games, but sometimes no matter how many preventive measures are taken, accidents just cannot be avoided, specially in the heat of the baseball game itself. Here is a short list of the worst baseball injuries known in Major League Baseball:

Nolan Ryan, amazing player for the MLB and the current president and former player of the Texas Rangers that once threw a near triple digit fastball, incredible enough he was also once sidelined after a coyote bit him in the hand. I’m telling you…accidents sometimes can’t be avoided.

During a rain delay, MLB’s Vince Coleman who played for the St. Louis Cardinals was once injured by of an automatic tarp during a warm up in 1985; the tarp ran over both his legs and chipped his knee. Accidents in the MLB can happen even during when there is no game.

And finally, the worst baseball injury I can remember: Chris Snyder, catcher from the Diamondbacks, took a foul tip straight to the…mmm…testicular area I guess, that apparently resulted in a fractured testicle, yes the worst MLB injury I can recall is a fractured testicle.

Well that was my small reminder to all you Major League Baseball fans to continue cheering for your favorite baseball players, since you never know when an accident might happen.