Day: June 15, 2020

Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant Buys 5% Ownership in MLS Team Philadelphia Union

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Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets

Kevin Durant is a 2x NBA Champion, 10x NBA All Star, one of the most dangerous scorers of all-time, and now, a part owner of the Philadelphia Union. Durant purchased a 5% ownership stake in the club, with possibility to add another 5% in the future. For those unfamiliar with the Union, they are Philly’s official MLS team.  The Union were added to the MLS in 2010 as an expansion team and plays their home matches at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. The club officially announced their partnership with Kevin Durant on Twitter earlier today in a series of several tweets:

Durant also tweeted his excitement to join the Philadelphia Union ownership team.

 

KD has had an interesting (and somewhat scary) last few months. After rehabbing for the majority of the year from his Achilles Tendon injury suffered in last year’s NBA championship, Durant was one of several Nets diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly after the season was suspended in March. Thankfully, KD and the other players infected were able to recover 100% from the virus.

In the last few weeks, many fans and members of the media began speculating whether Durant would return to the court when the NBA resumes play in late July. Durant set the record straight in an https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js“>interview with Marc Spears earlier this month, stating he has no intentions to play basketball until next season.

With Durant’s basketball return set in stone for next season, it seems he has been mainly focusing on building his off-the-court business, and who could blame him? Durant has already acted in the movie “Thunderstruck,” is heavily involved with Thirty Five Media and their show, “The Boardroom,” and has endorsement deals with Nike, Sprint, Gatorade, Panini, General Electric, and 2K Sports. Now that he has added “owner of a professional sports team” to his list of accomplishments, I am sure he is already focusing on his next big off-the-court endeavor.

UFC: Two-Division Champ, Amanda Nunes, considering retirement

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The greatest female fighter in UFC history is considering walking away from the sport. In an interview with Esporte Espetacular, Amanda Nunes said that there’s nothing left for her in the sport of MMA. “I’ve achieved everything I wanted. . . I can go on with my life, maybe a new step, maybe find new talents,” Nunes said in the interview.

What’s left to prove?

When you sit back and think about it, there really is nothing at the moment for Amanda Nunes. In talking about proposed superfights, I suggested that the UFC needed to pair her and flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, up one more time. Nunes holds a 2-0 record in their series, but the last fight was very controversial. However, UFC President, Dana White, said that Shevchenko would fight strawweight champion, Weili Zhang, before she would fight Nunes again. If there’s no Shevchenko fight, who is Nunes supposed to fight at this stage in her career?

There are a couple of solid contenders for Nunes, but there’s no matchups that are remotely interesting. That’s no knock on the ladies that are lined up behind Nunes, but it’s a testament to just how good the champ is. I don’t see any competitive fights for her at 135 or 145. I think the only fight you could sell would be Megan Anderson, but Nunes just destroyed Felicia Spencer who just beat Anderson not too long ago. The only woman who can hang with her is Shevchenko, and that fight is not happening. Maybe it is time for the champion to walk away from the sport, at least for a while.

Greatest female fighter in UFC history

“The Lioness” has accomplished more than any other woman in UFC history. She’s the only woman to hold a belt in two weight classes at the same time. She’s the only fighter in UFC history to successfully defend both titles while holding onto them. She’s knocked out Ronda Rousey, she’s knocked out Cyborg, she’s knocked out Holly Holm, and she holds two wins over arguably the second greatest female fighter of all time, Valentina Shevchenko. Nunes is about to become a first-time mother with her wife and fellow UFC fighter, Nina Ansaroff. With nothing left to prove, maybe it’s time that she takes a step back and focus on other things in her life. At just 32-years-old, Nunes doesn’t have to walk away forever, but maybe it’s time to take a break from fighting. Maybe down the road she can return for a superfight if a new dominant champion emerges. Until then, there’s nothing left for her to prove. She can walk away now with no reservations as the greatest female UFC fighter we’ve ever seen.

New York Yankees: All-Time Starting Lineup/Bench

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New York Yankees, Babe Ruth

Most of these players contributed to the 27 World Series rings that the New York Yankees franchise has won. From World Series MVPs to record-breaking statistics, these players have done it all in the sport of baseball.

All-Time Starting Lineup/Bench

1. SS Derek Jeter

Jeter played all 20 seasons of his career for the Yankees and was one of 15 captains in New York Yankees history. He deserved to be the second unanimous hall of fame player but fell one vote short.

He had 650 1st-pitch hits, indicating he was aggressive at the plate, which makes a perfect leadoff hitter for this team.

2. LF Joe DiMaggio

A 56-game hitting streak is Dimaggio’s most popular call to fame, however, he did make the all-star team all 13 years of his career.

He hit over .300 in 11 out of 13 years at the highest stage, which is almost never seen in today’s baseball.

To top it all off, he served his country in WWII for three years.

3. RF Babe Ruth

“The Bambino” was the greatest display of power in the early 20th century and no one will forget when he “called his shot.”

His 714 home runs have kept him among the top three home run hitters for almost a century. He has the best slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+ of all-time as well.

He is arguably the best all-around hitter ever and needs to be in the middle of this lineup.

4. 1B Lou Gehrig

He and Ruth were the best one-two punch of their era, if Ruth did not drive in the runs one game, Gehrig would put the “cleanup” in “cleanup hitter” and drive in the runs himself.

In 1931, Gehrig drove in 185 runs, which is the second-most for a single season in history, behind Hack Wilson, who drove in 191 runs a year prior.

Gehrig also won the triple crown in 1934, meaning he led the American League in home runs, RBIs, and batting average, a feat that only a few players have achieved in their careers.

5. CF Mickey Mantle

Following in DiMaggio’s footsteps, Mantle, led the New York Yankees to seven World Series titles. He won the triple crown in 1956, paving the way for his first MVP award.

Mantle was arguably one of the first five-tool players in baseball, as he led the American League in many batting categories, in a single season, at some point in his career and even won a gold glove award.

Behind Babe Ruth, Mantle is second on the all-time Yankees home run list.

6. 3B Alex Rodriguez

Although his best years were for the Texas Rangers, A-Rod won two MVPs as the Yankees’ third baseman.

Yes, he did admit to using steroids, but he was still one of the most feared hitters in baseball for almost two decades.

7. C Yogi Berra

Berra, won three MVPs, 10 World Series rings, meaning he has one for each finger, not even Tom Brady has reached that level of success.

Between his “Yogisms” and serving in WWII, he did all you can ask for of a man and a baseball player. He is the textbook definition of a legend in the game of baseball.

8. 2B Tony Lazzeri

There is an argument to have Robinson Cano in this lineup, however, Lazzeri’s Yankees tenure was longer and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also helped the historic teams of the 1920s and 30s win five World Series titles.

9. P Whitey Ford

This is just to fill a hole in the lineup without a DH, if there had to be a DH, a case could be made for Don Mattingly, Graig Nettles, or Dave Winfield, cannot go wrong with any of these players.

Ford was arguably the best pitcher in Yankees history and would be the opening day starter for this team.

Bench:

C Bill Dickey

He was Yogi Berra’s predecessor and helped the Yankees win seven World Series rings. An 11-time all-star and a hall of fame inductee earn his spot on this team.

1B/OF Don Mattingly

His best season was 1986 when he hit 53 doubles. Mattingly is a great pinch-hit option off the bench.

2B Robinson Cano

Cano got the assist on the final out of 2009 World Series game 6, which one the Yankees first World Series since 2000. He played all but one game that season and became a big part of the New York Yankees team in the early 2010s.

He is the only active player on this team, but his spot is well deserved.

3B Graig Nettles

Nettles led the American League in home runs in 1976, with 32. He is a fan favorite of the ’70s Yankees teams and needs to be on this team.

OF Dave Winfield

Last, but not least, Winfield had one of the best arms of any right-fielder ever. He would rack up double-digit outfield assist seasons a bunch of times in his career.

He also had middle-of-the-lineup production at the plate during his career, making him the perfect player to round out this team.

New York Giants: Player projections for the interior defensive line

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New York Giants, Dexter Lawrence

The New York Giants‘ defense has struggled to stop the run in recent years. To sum it up, running the ball on the Giants is their kryptonite. It has been the same painful and sad story for the past couple of seasons. In 2019, the Giants defense allowed 1812 rushing yards. It will be up to the Giants’ interior defensive line to make a change.

The New York Giants defense in 2019 was ranked 30th out of 32 teams. It was truly painful to watch as a fan.

Dalvin Tomlinson’s 2019 stats & 2020 projections

Dalvin Tomlinson has never missed a game in his career. Since entering the league in 2017, Tomlinson has started in every game (48). In 2019, Tomlinson recorded three and a half sacks. This was a career-high season for Tomlinson. To go along with his career sack season, Tomlison had seven tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. The Giants are lucky to have a guy like Tomlinson who stays on the field year after year. In 2020, I’m projecting Tomlison to have five sacks, ten quarterback hits, and 15 tackles for loss.

Dexter Lawrence’s 2019 stats & 2020 projections

Dexter Lawrence is a big piece of the Giants’ interior defense. He has filled Damon Harrison’s shoes as a run-stuffer for the Giants. The job of the nose guard is to stuff any run opportunities through the A-gap. As a rookie, Lawrence forced one fumble and tallied up 24 solo tackles. Notably, Dexter Lawrence did not miss one game in 2019. In summary, Dexter Lawrence is due for a big season. In 2020, I’m projecting Lawrence to have four sacks, 30 solo tackles, and five tackles for loss.

Leonard Williams 2019 stats & 2020 projections

Leonard Williams is entering his first full season with the Giants. As of recent, Williams agreed to the franchise tag, paying about $16 million for 2020. This is a make or break year as we all know. If the Giants don’t see improvement from Williams in 2020 he will not get a contract extension. In 2019, Williams was apart of a trade that sent him from one MetLife locker room to another. The Jets gained a third-round pick (68) from the Giants. After the trade, Leonard played in eight games, and only started in five of them. One stat that stands out was the number of quarterback hits he recorded (11). The upcoming seasons needs to be Leonard Williams’ best if he wants to secure his bag. I think he will record four sacks and have over 15 quarterback hits in 2020. Only time will tell for Leonard, every game counts for him especially as a franchised tagged player.

 

NFL Weslye Saunders is Truly a Winner

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NFL, Football

Choosing to see the positive in every situation is a mantra that NFL tight end Weslye Saunders lives by and perfectly embodies.  No matter what opportunity he is given, he is ever so grateful and appreciative and always gives it nothing but his absolute all, persevering through it all!

Often times, you can find Saunders in the gym working to be his best self.  He knows that what you put in directly affects what you put out.  He not only makes sure to eat wholesome foods but also focuses on ensuring that he takes care of his mental health as well and encourages others to do so with mindfulness and meditation along with highly acclaimed coach Jennifer Grace through his holistic program Beyond the Game.

Not only is he a stand-up guy on the field, supporting his teammates and helping others, but he dedicates himself to making a change off of the field as well!  Saunders is an absolute class act and tries to brighten the days of others.  Whether it be interacting with fans on Twitter and Instagram or in person he does everything with heart!  His latest venture The Love Peace Joy Creativity Project spotlights people who are enacting change and making a positive difference in the world, something Saunders has always done and continues to do.  Saunders has also provided food, clothes, and other items for kids whose parents are incarcerated through Silent Victims of Crime stressed the importance of a good education to the youth.  When COVID-19 hit, Saunders made sure to shed light on the fact that not everyone has a home and encouraged us all to collect unused items of importance to donate to those less fortunate.  He participated in a celebrity basketball game to raise money for various foundations benefiting cancer treatment and research.  He has helped countless people and does so with a pure heart and such humility!  He is a role model and inspiration to all!

Saunders is a loving and doting father to his beautiful daughter Kamryn and not only is he a role model to her through his words, but also his actions.  He lets her know just how amazing and special she is every day.  The bond the two of them share is absolutely adorable and so sweet to see!

There are truly not enough good things to say about Saunders.  He has a heart of absolute gold!  He makes is\t an absolute pleasure to be a fan of his!  Saunders is such a hard-working individual who encompasses so much talent.  He just needs to be given the chance and right opportunity and there is no doubt with his mindset, skills, and determination that he will not only succeed but excel in whatever he does.  Any team would be lucky to have him, as he is an absolute asset!  #WhyNotWes

Saquon Barkley in line to land massive contract extension, is he worth it?

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants need to start thinking about Saquno Barkley’s next deal:

The New York Giants are nearing a significant decision on a contract extension for Saquon Barkley. Barkley is entering his third season in the NFL — next season could see him begin talks with executives on a potential long term deal.

Barkley posted 1307 rushing yards and 721 receiving yards in his rookie season two years ago. His 2028 yards from scrimmage were excellent and most expected an even better year in 2019. However, a high ankle sprain and a lack of offense of line efficiency significantly hurt his production. Despite missing three games and battling through injury the entire season, he posted 1441 yards from scrimmage. He also reached pay dirt seven fewer times.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that a potential extension for Barkley could be ginormous. Compared to Christian McCaffrey and Le’Veon Bell, Barkley will eclipse both running backs in terms of money per season.

“I don’t think the Giants can escape a monster contract unless Barkley has a poor year,” [Over the Cap’s Jason] Fitzgerald said. “Christian McCaffrey getting a monster contract with Carolina pretty much sets the stage that Barkley will be the highest-paid running back.”

Projected contract: 4 years, $70 million

I believe this relies on an extremely productive 2020 campaign, considering Christian McCaffrey at 23 years old posted 2392 total yards last year. He also reached the end zone 19 times with an 81.7% catch rate. He made Saquon’s rookie season look like an average one, which means the Giants need to see much more from their star back if he wishes to land upwards of $17 million per season.

In McCaffrey’s most profitable year, he’s only earning $16.3 million per season. The Giants desperately need to see a first-team All-Pro level player in Barkley next season. Ultimately, it boils down to the offensive line and if Daniel Jones can improve on his 2019 statistics. Plenty of factors play into his success, but he has shown he can supplement those weaknesses on the line at times with breath-taking explosiveness and excitement.

The big question is: Is signing Barkley to a deal this big worth it?

Based on the production of other running backs in the league, paying him over $17 million per season is not worth it by any means. However, if he can replicate McCaffrey’s ROI and essentially carry the offense, you can justify it to a degree. It all depends on how he performs in 2020/21.

Do The New York Knicks Already Have Their Backup Point-Guard in Lamar Peters?

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New York Knicks, Lamar Peters

Leon Rose and the New York Knicks been making an effort in rounding out front office roles. Thorough scouting seems to be what Leon Rose has been aiming for. Therefore, it’s important to keep an eye on what happens with the top performers for the Westchester Knicks and also what happens during the upcoming draft on October 15th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. One legit question is whether or not the New York Knicks already have their backup point/guard in former Mississippi State, and current Westchester Knick three-point sharpshooting, sweet lefty stroke, 6’0″ point-guard Lamar Peters.

Peters showed flashes in Westchester which reminds one of a young Fred Van Vleet. Lamar Peters is now able to stroke the three-point shot with the best of them according to the eye-test. Shooting is definitely a translatable skill whether it’s from college or from the G-League. The New York Knicks could definitely use a sharpshooting guard off the bench to stretch the floor and free up the bigs to roll to the basket in some situations. Kenny Wooten, Lamar Peters, and Ignas Brazdeikis have been performing really well for Westchester.

Lamar Peters often finds Kenny Wooten for monstrous drunks. Sky is definitely the limit for Lamar Peters. As long as Peters keeps improving upon his crazy shooting.

Lamar Peters and Mitchell Robinson are familiar with each other due to New Orleans, Louisiana. The talent is clearly there however he needs real NBA runs just to catch up to the speed of the game.

Overall, the importance of Peters is crucial to development. The sharp lefty shooter played his way onto the hearts of some diehard Knick fans.

Report: Zabit Magomedsharipov-Yair Rodriguez targeted for Aug. 29th

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Zabit Magomedsharipov, UFC

A big-time UFC featherweight contest that was originally scheduled two years ago, looks like it’s finally going to come together on the UFC‘s planned August 29th card. The contest would pair two top five featherweights against each other in Zabit Magomedsharipov (18-1) and Yair Rodriguez (13-2-1).

Zabit’s UFC Dominance

Since joining the UFC back in 2017, Magomedsharipov has been nothing short of dominant. The lengthy 6’1 featherweight holds a UFC record of 6-0. These days, the world of Russian MMA is on fire. You have the most dominant champion in the sport in Khabib Nurmagomedov, then you have Petr Yan who is getting ready to challenge for the bantamweight title, then there’s Zabit. Zabit is such a unique talent with a unique skillset especially for the 145 pound division. His last two fights were big step-ups in competition, and he passed those with flying colors. In his last fight, he defeated Calvin Kattar (21-4) back at UFC Fight Night 163. Kattar gave Zabit his toughest test yet, but the Russian was able to pull of the unanimous decision victory. This fight with Rodriguez was supposed to happen two years ago before an injury pulled Yair out of the fight. It will be very hard to deny Zabit of a title shot if he wins in August. We might have three Russian UFC champions by the end of this calendar year.

Rodriguez living up to his potential

Back in 2017, there might not have been a more exciting prospect in the UFC than Yair Rodriguez. “El Pantera” had highlight reel finishes over Andre Fili and UFC Hall of Famer, BJ Penn. He got his first real test against former lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar. Rodriguez showed that he wasn’t quite ready for that step-up as Edgar completely dismantled Rodriguez. Doctors had to stop the fight after the second round. Injuries kept Rodriguez out of the UFC for over a year after that fight. Upon his return, he had an incredible come from behind knockout victory over Chan Sung Jung. Following that fight, he had a pair of fights with Jeremy Stephens. The first fight ended in fifteen seconds after Stephens was accidentally poked in the eye and couldn’t continue. In the second fight, Rodriguez showed just how dynamic he could be, beating Stephens by unanimous decision. For Rodriguez, this fight is his chance to really prove he’s finally arrived at the top of the sport. It would be hard to deny Rodriguez the title shot if he’s able to defeat Magomedsharipov. Jung is the other likely contender for a title shot if he’s able to defeat Brian Ortega, but with Rodriguez holding a knockout win over Jung, Rodriguez might be next in line.

UFC’s Featherweight Division

The UFC‘s featherweight division is heating up much like the bantamweight division. The UFC‘s lower weight classes (excluding flyweight) are so deep it’s crazy. Back at UFC 250, the bantamweights put on a show. We all know how insane the UFC’s lightweight division is, and now the featherweights are showing their strength. Next month on Fight Island, you have the title fight and rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Later this year we should see the “Korean Zombie” and Brian Ortega fight, and now it looks like were getting the Magomedsharipov-Rodriguez fight in August. It’s going to be an insane rest of the year for the UFC’s featherweight division.

The New York Mets Should Move On From Wilson Ramos

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I understand that the catcher position did get better for the New York Mets as Travis d’Arnaud was shipped off and they brought in Wilson Ramos. Most people will laugh at the title of the post and show me a .288 batting average and 73 runs driven in. They’ll see my Yankee fan status and say “Wilson>Sanchez”. To that I say, you’re misled, you’re wrong, and you have an average catcher at best defensively with an okay offense.

The New York Mets didn’t whiff on the Ramos signing, but he’s definitely not what he was expected to be, and I would not be hesitant to let him go to sign a better catcher in the offseason. Before we get into replacement options though, let’s evaluate Ramos as a player.

Offensively Average

A 105 wRC+, .416 SLG, .351 OBP, with a wOBA of .327 and an xWOBA of .311 is just not that good offensively. He doesn’t have a higher ceiling than an okay hitter who can rack up singles and not do much else offensively. He’s got an average OBP in my opinion because he’s got an average BB%, and that would be fine for a guy like Amed Rosario who can run and would need a spike up to the 8.3% threshold of walks, Ramos needs to have way more walks in my opinion because he’s very one dimensional as a hitter.

People will praise his contact, but I think it’s something that deserves little praise. I’d rather him strikeout 2 times in a night and hit a line-drive double than 2 singles and a groundball that doesn’t do anything because it shows he has power. If he hit .260 and had a .350 OBP but a .470 SLG? He’d be one of the better offensive catchers in baseball, and he’d have a ton more value but not only will he probably not do that, but he’s also aging and so it’s hard to see his power surge.

Is Ramos Really the Defender He’s Made Out to Be?

People don’t call him a really good defender, but no one really calls out how horrible his defense is. Let’s compare two catchers defensively, shall we? To give context we will sue 2018-2019 as one season isn’t enough basis in my opinion to get a really good opinion on a player:

Player A:

rSZ (Strike Zone Runs Saved): -11
rSB (Stolen Base Runs Saved runs above average): -2
FRM (Framing): -9.6
Arm Velocity: 81.9
Rusn Extra Strikes: -7

Player B:

rSZ: 3
rSB: 4
FRM: -4.2
Arm Velocity: 87.25
Runs Extra Strikes: -1

Player A is Wilson Ramos, and what about Player B? This was specifically for the Wilson Ramos>Gary Sanchez believers, Player B is Gary Sanchez defensively. “But what about passed balls!” Well, I would count those if they could account for the pitch thrown on said passed ball but it’s got such little contextual value I didn’t throw it in there, though even if you did, Ramos defensively is outclassed by Sanchez in every other statistical measure as a catcher.

You really mean to tell me that he’s an average hitter and a below-average defender in a position where a good arm is and decent framing can save a game just as much as their bat can if it’s elite is a good enough catcher to be considered top 10? Top 15 even? The New York Mets can do a lot better, and for a price that’d be much lower and give you a ton of value.

Finding a Better Fit

The New York Mets obvious target would be the 2nd best catcher in baseball JT Realmuto. While I know he’s the obvious best catcher on the 2021 FA market, I want to present an interesting candidate that the Mets could snag for cheap if Realmuto isn’t coming to Queens.

Angels’ catcher Jason Castro is a name that no one would think to put over Ramos, but in every statistical measure in 2019  he was a very good catcher. In 79 games he had a higher fWAR than Ramos who played 144, meaning that while he played less, he provided the most total value to the team. He had a 103 wRC+ and slashed .232/.332/.435 which on the surface is worse than Ramos, but his xSLG was .521 meaning he seriously underperformed in 2019. Where he stands out is in fantastic defense where he posted a 2 Runs Extra Strikes, -2 rSB, and 3.2 FRM in merely 79 games.

Do I think he’s a better fit than Ramos? Yes, 100%, the Mets would be getting an okay offensive catcher but I’m fine with the Mets losing a little offensively but gaining a fantastic defender who can frame because the Mets offensive attack is elite. Outside of Amed Rosario (who I think can improve) and Wilson Ramos, they have above-average offense in every other position.

The New York Mets need that defensive anchor at backstop, and if they want their pitching and bullpen to improve, they’ll land a defensive catcher with average offense over slightly above-average offense and horrible defense.

New York Mets Fourth Round Draft Pick: Matthew Dyer

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Simeon Woods-Richardson

The New York Mets looked for versatility with their 2020 draft picks, and Matthew Dyer fit right into the mold. Typically a catcher for the University of Arizona, Dyer, can play every position, except pitcher.

We talked about the good frames for the Mets draft picks, and Dyer is a lengthy 6’4″, 187 pounds. Most people in the organization say he is closer to 200 pounds. Dyer went undrafted in 2019 but had confidence he would earn a selection from an organization during 2020.

Put Him Where He Fits

Over the last few years, Major League Baseball has seen more catchers who move out from behind the plate. Austin Barnes, Willson Contreras, and Willans Astudillo are the most notable utility catchers. Dyer’s defense is good behind the plate with a strong arm, but is not as advanced with framing and receiving. As with most catchers his height, there are questions if he can spend his career there.

If Dyer had to change positions, he would be best suited as a corner outfielder. His arm has been clocked above 90 mph from behind the plate and is faster than most players his height.

Dyer started his collegiate career at the University of Oregon. After hitting .268/.355/.362 during his freshman year, he transferred due to missing home and not meshing well with the Ducks program. Dyer’s original plan was to transfer to a Junior College. After breaking a bone in his left hand and unable to transfer credits, he went to the University of Arizona instead.

Due to NCAA transfer rules, he had to sit out the 2018 season but kept himself ready for 2019. Dyer slashed .393/.480/.571 with four home runs over 42 games but missed the final month of the season due to a broken hand. His average still finished third-best in a competitive PAC-12 behind 2019 number one pick Adley Rutschman and 2019 second-round pick, Cameron Cannon.

Over 13 games in 2020, he only batted .204 but had three home runs, which made him an enticing pick despite the slow start. Dyer has a quick swing and barely gets his front foot off the ground on his load. Despite not much power loaded behind the swing, his hand speed and good swing plane, allows him to drive the ball well. For a fourth-round pick in a year with plenty of guessing, the Mets did well with selecting Dyer, who might pan out to be a diamond in the rough.