From Throw In To Big Win: Wuilmer Becerra

     It was the 17th of December, 2012, when the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays made their blockbuster deal official. The deal involved the reigning National League Cy Young winner and two of MLB's top 30 prospects. The Mets sent knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey and two catchers that were comfortable with his signature pitch: Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas. In return, Toronto sent top catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud, fire-throwing, elite-pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard, major league backstop John Buck, and minor league outfielder Wuilmer Becerra. 

     Obviously, the rewards of this deal have been starting catcher and one of the league's best: Travis d'Arnaud and young dominating pitcher Noah Syndergaard. John Buck was also later used as a piece in the trade to acquire top second base prospect Dilson Herrera.   However, Becerra, thought to be only a throw-in at the time, began to blossom into much  more than just an added bonus. 
     In 2012, Wuilmer signed as a 17-year old Venezuelan international free agent. At the time of the trade, he was the 25th ranked prospect in Toronto's weak system after just playing 11 games in the Gulf Coast League. The year 2013 was Becerra's first full professional season where he displayed modest numbers for the Gulf Coast Mets. With 206 plate appearances over 52 games, Wuilmer hit .243/.351/.295 with only one HR and 25 RBI. A promotion followed in 2014 for Becerra as his professional career was moved to the Kingsport Mets. This is where Becerra would take the next step in his evolution to top prospect status. In such a short period of time, he showed much improvement at the plate  with a slash line of .300/.351/.469, 7 HRs, 29 RBI, 10 doubles, and stole 7 bases. 
    In 2015 while playing with the Savannah Sand Gnats (now known as the Columbia Fireflies), Becerra's skills only got better. He played in 118 games and had 487 plate appearances. Wuilmer recorded 130 hits, 27 doubles, 3 triples, 9 HR with 63 RBI, 16 SB, and 33 BB. He finished the season with a more than respectable slash line of .290/.342/.423/.765. Another year passed and another promotion for Becerra brought him to A ball in 2015 where he continued to improve. He continuously proved worthy of his increase in prospect level as he rose through the ranks of the organization. 
   "The jump to full season ball is a big one, and Becerra has maintained his power and the still developing approach has held its own against better and older arms. The tools package is still there too. Becerra is a good runner with enough arm for right field, and the power potential to be an everyday guy there. He's a long way away and still struggles with spin, but the potential here is as big as any position player in the Mets system right now." - Jeff Paternostro - Mets Insider Blogger
    As a potential call up to AA Binghamton looms and the stock of Becerra continues to rise, Mets' fans could not be more happy with the deal that was made back in December of 2012. Some scouts even predict that if he continues to develop, Becerra will eventually surpass fellow outfield prospect Brandon Nimmo in value within the organization. Regardless of his competition, fans are eager to see just what this prospect has to offer. 

Can the UFC Afford a McGregor Loss?

     The biggest name in the mixed martial arts industry right now is arguably the notorious man himself: Conor McGregor. McGregor can put on a show not just inside that octagon but outside of it as well. His words are almost as ferocious as his hands. The allure of Conor McGregor has become the biggest draw in the mixed martial arts business.

     Ronda Rousey held that coveted spot until the media Goliath suffered her defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193. The perpetual face of the UFC was knocked out in a shocking loss to Holly Holm. Excuses and explanations have been made as to why the fight played out like it did, but the most talked about subject was the unforeseen future of one of the participants. Rumors of Rousey's retirement have spread around all circles of the media, while her career outside of the octagon continues to flourish: movie deals, modeling, and even hosting SNL. This generates even more speculation on whether the return dreams of "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey will ever come to life. This forced Dana White and the UFC to develop a backup plan. 

  White began to promote up and coming new stars such as Sage Northcutt (pictured left) and Paige VanZant (below) as the future of the industry. Pegging these two young promising athletes as soon to be household names may have been jumping the gun. Just as the media circuits and UFC promoting began to feed both VanZant and Northcutt to the fans, unexpectedly both VanZant and Northcutt suffered detrimental losses. This possibly unmasked these fighters for who they truly are, which is not the type that can carry the business on their shoulders.

      VanZant was originally expected to face Joanne Calderwood on December 10, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 80. However, Calderwood was pulled from the fight in October and replaced by Rose Namajunas. VanZant was dominated in all facets of the bout, seemingly being picked apart by an opponent who out-classed her. VanZant did show a lot of heart by continuing to battle but ultimately lost the one-sided fight via submission in the fifth round.

     Most recently, Northcutt fought what was expected to be an easy bout against Bryan Barberena at UFC Fight Night in January 2016. The outcome of this contest should have boosted the rise of Northcutt. However, Sage Northcutt was submitted in the second round via choke hold. Since the loss, even Dana White has come forward making excuses such as questioning Northcutt's health going into the fight. Yet another star that Dana White hand picked to be his money maker has fallen.

     While some may say Conor McGregor's ascension has only just begun, what if he too, should fall? A McGregor loss right now could be devastating to the UFC. Who will be their flagship star? Who will be there to take the reigns, promote, and hype up any fight or event? But for those stars to continue to be a mainstay of relevancy, they need to win and do so consistently. If that's the case, then why would McGregor be pitted against such a deadly opponent?

     Rafael Dos Anjos: a man to be feared, a man not easily overlooked, and a man on a collision course with McGregor at UFC 197. Conor is going into this fight as the underdog with most experts predicting a loss in his future. Dos Anjos is riding a five fight winning streak and is the current Lightweight champion. Most recently, he has been running through high level talent like that of Benson Henderson, Anthony Pettis, and Cowboy Cerrone. Not only has Dos Anjos proven to be a viable opponent in the ring, but he also seems to be immune to Conor's tricks outside of it. McGregor tries to get opponents emotionally invested in his fights so they will be off of their game plan. Dos Anjos has been nothing but calm and collected (at least thus far) through all of McGregor's antics. He has so far presented the demeanor and fighting ability that could end the era of the notorious Conor McGregor.

     It was only recently that Conor McGregor used social media to shed some light on this fight decision: "It's with ease, and with pleasure, that I gift the fans and the company with back to back super-fights. In a time where entire cards get flushed down the toilet over a sore toe. The game is on its knees and I'm on a throne." Conor proclaimed that he trains harder, works harder, and is now proving that he is willing to fight anyone at anytime even if it means moving up a weight class.
     Could this fearless attitude, that has brought him his popularity and made the UFC more money than ever imagined, ultimately be his downfall? Conor McGregor, the man and the fighter, could surely recover from a loss when he himself knows the level of competition that he is up against. But can the organization survive? A company with no figurehead to attach its name to and ride off into the sunset with? What will the UFC stoop to then...?

       CM Punk

The Man, The Myth, The Maverick: Sandy Alderson

     It was 2010 when Sandy Alderson embarked on the journey of General Manager for the New York Mets. His campaign would be riddled with obstacles such as overcoming his team's financial instability. As he worried about the future and feeling the magnitude that this undertaking would entail, Alderson enlisted the services of three former GMs: Paul DePodesta, J.P. Ricciardi and John Ricco. 

     On this long road, Alderson has made many moves with the end goal in sight: constructing a world champion. Some were marquee moves that have provided the team with high level major league talent, but not all of the moves Alderson made have worked out for the team. 

     On June 18, 2013, the Mets sent Collin McHugh to the Colorado Rockies for Eric Young Jr. The move at the time created room for up and coming superstar Zack Wheeler, who would take McHugh's spot in the rotation. Eric Young Jr. filled in multiple positions while adding some speed to the lineup but never solidified a permanent position on the roster. While Young Jr. found his services to be needed elsewhere in baseball, so did Collin McHugh. McHugh eventually settled in with the Houston Astros and has become one of their most effective pitchers, winning 19 games in 2015.

     It was July 12, 2011 when the Mets traded Francisco Rodriguez to the Milwaukee Brewers for Danny Herrera and Adrian Rosario. The return package that the Mets received never amounted to anything: small stints in the majors or never even reaching that platform at all. Eventually both players were let go from the organization, which made this deal nothing more than salary relief. Francisco Rodriguez went on to be an effective closer, an all star who saved 44 games in 2014. 

     Finally, possibly the worst deal ever made by Sandy Alderson was on December 7, 2011. Mets sent Angel Pagan to the San Francisco Giants for Ramon Ramirez and Andres Torres. Both players ended up being unproductive for the Mets and left shortly after being acquired, returning to the San Francisco Giants. Pagan continued to put up respectable numbers, showing all star candidate productivity and has since been able to hoist up two World Series Championships.

     Many deals that Sandy has pulled off have turned out in the Mets' favor. Alderson had long-term implications in mind when making his decision on these deals. He continuously tried to see the big picture of what the team could grow into by dealing away some of the pieces from less than championship caliber clubs. 
     It was August 27, 2013 when the Mets traded Marlon Byrd and John Buck to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Dilson Herrera and a player to be named later who turned out to be Vic Black. Both Bryd and Buck were in the final contract year with the team and not expected to return when the season was over. The season for the Mets was essentially over with the loss of Matt Harvey to injury and being out of playoff contention. Vic Black turned out to be a solid bullpen arm for a few seasons; he has since left the team but has nothing but good things to say about the organization. The other chip in the deal, Dilson Herrera was looked at as the future starting second baseman and potential all star. Herrera has all the tools to grow into one of the best second baseman in baseball.

     The blueprint to which the Mets have designed their success is pitching, pitching, pitching. Alderson contributed to what would become an all-star pitching staff made up of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Steven Matz, by making a move to acquire another potential ace on July 28, 2011. Mets sent slugging outfielder Carlos Beltran to the San Francisco Giants for highly touted pitching prospect Zack Wheeler. Beltran went on to help the Giants with their playoff push. While Wheeler's showcase was sidelined with Tommy John surgery, he is still looked at as an elite level pitcher. Wheeler is scheduled to return this season in July and complete what could be known as a rotation of five aces: Harvey, Syndergaard, deGrom, Matz, and Wheeler. 

     The deal that will forever cement his legacy as the Mets' GM, the deal that changed the team into perennial contenders was completed on December 17, 2012. Mets traded R.A. Dickey, Josh Thole, and Mike Nickeas to the Toronto Blue Jays for Wuilmer Becerra, Noah Syndergaard, John Buck, and Travis d’Arnaud. Dickey was the reigning Cy Young Award winner coming off a career year, 20-6, 2.73 ERA. Thole and Nickeas were seen only as throw-ins because they were used-to catching the knuckleball pitch that Dickey was known for.
     Even though he was not considered to be a main piece of this blockbuster deal, Becerra blossomed into one of the Mets' top 10 prospects. Becerra's stock has risen tremendously the past few seasons as he has demonstrated above average defense, speed on the base paths, and the ability to mash opposing pitching. John Buck was later used in the deal that secured Dillson Herrera. Travis d'Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard have already become main contributors on the big league roster. TDA is looked at as the best catchers in the NL East and one of the best catchers in baseball. Syndergaard is one of the most feared, flame-throwing, front-line starting pitchers in all the game. 

     Thirteen minutes before the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, Friday July 31st 2015, the Mets agreed to acquire left fielder Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers for minor league right-handers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. Proving once again that Sandy had his finger precisely on the pulse of the team, Cespedes sparked an offensive resurgence. This historic offensive resurrection along with the Mets' pitching staff, led the team to a National League Championship. 

     The saying goes: "how do you make magic happen? Be the smartest person in the room." Sandy Alderson seems to be just that. He is able to work around financial restrictions due to the Madoff scandal and withstand the harsh New York fan base. All the while, he appeases the media as he tries to whisper parts of his plan, stating that it would have taken patience and some time to come to this moment, but the moment is now. 
     New York is now considered to be the Mets' town, as the Mets are looked at as not only the team to beat but the blueprint to copy from. Alderson is the architect of all of this, credit needs to be given to the man that shined a bright light on the dark days of Mets' baseball.

     “(Alderson) thought differently and was right. With the experience, the calmness in the face of a lot of noise in New York, he never wavered from the path he saw for this team. All of that was a credit to him. He assembled a great staff. We have a lot of smart people. But really, at the end of the day, he made the decisions that got us where we are.” -John Ricco 

Odds on Favorites in the AL East ... Place Your Betts

     With the recent acquisition of starting pitcher and ace of the staff David Price, the future of the Boston Red Sox does look bright, but Price won't be the only reason. There can be no doubt that David Ortiz, with his playful antics and clutch home runs helps. Another addition of the elite closer Craig Kimbrel shutting the door on the opposition will indeed add more wins in that column. Those three will help to establish the Red Sox as possibly the team to beat in the AL East. But the man that may lead this charge by making the most impact, is the heir to the throne of Red Sox nation: Mookie Betts.

     At just 23 years young, Betts is slotted to be the everyday outfielder. He has shown versatility in the infield and is on the verge of breaking loose. Last year Mookie batted .291, had 18 home runs, 77 RBI, 21 SB, and scored 92 runs. Betts racked up 174 hits on the year, 42 of which were doubles and eight were triples. It seemed the 2015 season was Betts' coming out party, with his minor league stats proving that there is much more left in the tank. Consistently batting over .300 while swiping as many as 38 bags, Betts has room to grow. Hitting for average, while also having power and speed makes him a formidable foe for the opposing pitchers.

      Mookie Betts was a 6.0 WAR player in 2015, putting him in the top 20 players in all of baseball. He shares that spotlight with names like former NL MVP Buster Posey and young stud Anthony Rizzo. Betts is in good company with these men, the top echelon in all of the game. Heads up Major League Baseball, Mookie Betts is here and he is putting  the AL East on notice. 

The YES!!! Movement is NO!!! More

     Fan favorite Daniel Bryan has not been involved in any ring action since early 2015 due to medical issues. Bryan is not medically cleared by the WWE doctors due to concussions. This is an issue that has become more prevalent and is frequently discussed in the media, not only in the WWE but in all sports. 

     Concussions are no longer being taken lightly. New studies are being done everyday that uncover the long lasting detrimental effects. Christopher Nowinski, former WWE wrestler, author, and founder of Concussion Legacy Foundation, has dedicated his time to finding out more about the injury, after sustaining his own career ending concussion. The possibility of serious and permanent repercussions has led to a delicate handling of these cases, and such is the case with Daniel Bryan's reinstatement into active in-ring duty.

     Bryan has taken his medical case to the hands of physicians outside of the WWE to seek clearance, most recently doctors at UCLA. Daniel Bryan was given full medical clearance by these doctors. Expecting to be granted the same clearance by the WWE, Bryan was greeted with no new resolution.

     Although Daniel Bryan has been training very hard to be ready for his potential return, he was instead forced to try and plead his case to the chairman of the WWE: Vincent Kennedy McMahon. Mr. McMahon subsequently offered Bryan other employment opportunities within the company.  No

word yet whether Bryan will accept any of those offers, but he is still under contract with the WWE.   

     Fans have eagerly awaited his return, speculating, scouring the internet rumors for a hint of hope. The chants are heard in every arena, the apparel worn by many a-fan, but eventually those will dwindle away as the yes movement seems to be no more. As of February 8th, Bryan announced his retirement as a wrestler.

     This is a harsh reality that the three time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, former World Heavyweight Champion, United States Champion, Intercontinental Champion, and Tag Team Champion has wrestled his last match ... At least in the WWE that is. 

The Legend of Wilmer Flores

     The evening of July 29th, 2015, the New York Mets were hosting the San Diego Padres. It was a night game in which we witnessed not only the Mets fall short of defeating the Padres at Citifield, but also  a game-changing, hero-making, team-shaping chain of events.

     Speculating buzz surfaced via multiple sources on the internet that the Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers were in trade talks. What started out as talks turned into a confirmed trade that would send SS Wilmer Flores and SP Zack Wheeler to the Brewers for CF Carlos Gomez. 

     With today's technology and social media, news of this trade spread like wildfire. The fans cheered for Wilmer as if to thank him for what he has done and gave him a happy send-off.                Before long, even manager Terry Collins got wind of this in the dugout. In the middle of a baseball game, the players had the awkward experience of trying to discuss this with Flores. Team Captain David Wright even brought Flores into the tunnel in an attempt to calm him down. 

     It was the bottom of the 7th inning that Wilmer came up to bat, a loud roar from the crowd greeted him. Flores grounded out to short. As he returned to the dugout, he received a standing ovation of appreciation from all the fans in attendance. At that moment, the unfortunate truth of being traded from the only ball club you have ever known must of have sunk in. 

     When Flores returned to the field in the 8th inning, his feelings were evident. He could no longer keep his emotions in check. We witnessed a very unique moment in baseball, a humanizing moment for sports in general. These athletes are put onto pedestals and held to a higher standard as if they were a different breed altogether. To witness an instant when a player lets the world in on such a vulnerable moment is once in a lifetime. It may have been at this very moment that Wilmer Flores secured a special spot in the heart of every Mets' fan. 

     Fast-forward to the post-game interview, looking out across the room, Flores pointed and said: “These guys are the reason I cried. I’ve been here with them every day. You spend more time with them than you do your family." Flores said that he believed he'd "be a Met for life" after signing with the team at age 16. When asked if he believed he'd been traded, Flores said that he'd been told there was no deal and until he is told otherwise he was going to show up to the ballpark to do his job. Alderson also apologized to Flores for the events of that emotional night.

     The very next morning on July 30th, due to conflicting player medical reports, the trade was deemed dead. Both sides pointed fingers at the other. Carlos Gomez's hip was in question as well as Zack Wheeler's arm after his recovery from Tommy John surgery. The truth as to what really happened was never uncovered. Coincidentally, on July 31st, Carlos Gomez was traded to the Houston Astros without incident.

     Two nights later and still a New York Met, Wilmer Flores comes up to bat in the bottom of the 12th in a tie ballgame against the hated division rival Washington Nationals. The count was one ball and one strike. With the next pitch in, the at bat Wilmer Flores launched a no-doubter walk off home run to deep left center field over the Party City deck for his 11th home run of the year. The eruption of the crowd and his teammates was explosive, Citifield shook the earth that night. This didn't seem like baseball but something that only could have been scripted in the movies. The part of the hero to be played by a man that only a few nights ago was thought to be leaving the team. Yet there he was, coming through in such a clutch moment in a pivotal division game. There is a reason the Mets are called the Amazins and this is one right here.

“I’m so thankful that I am still here,’’ Flores told The Post in a post-game interview. 

     Fans began to support Wilmer when he showed how much he truly wanted to be a New York Met. When Flores delivers in the game it just reaffirms the connection. Wilmer was batting .249 up to the "trade" debacle and batted .296 after it. It seems the fans have grown attached to Flores, a relationship that sprouted from an honest human moment. It was a very surreal moment, uncharacteristic of major league athletes that created this cult-like following that cheers his name from start to finish of every game. Flores can strike out, get a hit, or make a play in the field, and he still receives an ovation from the Mets' faithful.