Breven’s Blog

Breven’s Blog: MLB Ballpark Netting

Peter Swan
Baseball Netting

One of the biggest topics of discussion over the past couple of years in Major League Baseball has been ballpark netting.

We have seen people get hit by foul balls and players have called to extend the netting. However, players still want to have the connection with fans, whether it is through fans receiving autographs, a ball, a bat, batting gloves, or even just a high five or a fist bump. This issue arises the question: What is more important, fan safety or fan interaction?

This began in 2017 when then-New York Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier hit a foul ball and struck a young girl in the stands at a game in Yankee Stadium. Luckily, the girl survived, but it brought this issue to the limelight. Following the incident, MLB prompted all 30 stadiums to extend the netting at least to the end of the dugouts before the start of the 2018 season.

Some stadiums has found a balance between the fan safety and fan interaction.

Many places, like Petco Park, have a gap in between the dugout and the batter’s eye where it is impossible for players to hit a foul ball into the stands.

Others have gaps underneath the netting so players can interact with fans just a few feet away. In addition, some stadiums have installed netting where it can be clipped to the dugout to still have the fan-player relationship.

Then there are some places that have extended the netting past the bases in foul territory. Just this past week, the Chicago White Sox extended their netting all the way down to the foul poles.

The issue still stands.

Only a few days ago, Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor hit a foul ball into the stands and hit a three-year-old boy. This event has prompted him to speak out about the issue:

“I encourage every MLB team to put the nets all the way down (to the foul pole). I know it’s all about the fans’ experience to interact with the players. I completely get that. You want to have that interaction with the players, getting autographs and stuff. But at the end of the day, we want to make sure everybody comes out of the game healthy. We’ve got to do something about it. ”

Francisco Lindor

Personal Opinion

I like the stadiums that have the clipped netting because it gives the players and coaches the opportunity to interact with fans in any way possible before and after games. During the game, the netting is clipped to the dugout to prevent injury from baseballs and bats leaving the field of play.

Overall, I am not a fan of the netting. Even though I understand fan safety, players want to have the interaction with the players. Whether it getting a Mike Trout or Bryce Harper autograph, the chances of getting one (especially on a baseball) is very limited with the netting. When I was 11-, 12-years-old, I would be able to get autographs next to the dugout and talk to players like Mat Latos and Heath Bell just a couple inches away.

I think that if people do sit close to the field, they better be ready to get out of way or catch the ball to protect and prevent others from getting hit. The ballpark ushers, ticket personnel and public address announcer can only do so much, but it is the fans that have to pay attention and if they feel that may get hit, then they should sit in a seat where it is more unlikely for a batted ball or bat to hit them.

Written by: Breven Honda

Breven’s Blog: USWNT Wins Second Straight World Cup

Peter Swan
USWNT Celebration

Four years ago, the United States Women’s National Soccer (USWNT) team won the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in 16 years. This time, their goal was to defend that championship.

In every game leading up to the final, the U.S. scored within the first 12 minutes. However, that was not the case on Sunday and there was no score at the half. But at ten minutes into the second half, a foul would lead to a penalty kick for United States forward Megan Rapinoe, who was the Golden Ball winner for being the best player of the World Cup. She froze the goalie and scored the game’s first goal in the 61st minute. Eight minutes later, another U.S. goal came from midfielder Rose Lavelle.

Then, the defense stepped up and closed the game to win 2-0 over the Netherlands. With the win, this marked the USWNT’s second straight and fourth ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Both offensive and defensively, they were able to hold strong and score early and often.

That began in their first game in pool play of the World Cup by winning 13-0 against Thailand. They would go onto to sweep their pool. Then it was time for bracket play and the knockout rounds. In the round of 16, it was Spain. After an early goal by Rapinoe, the Spanish would score to tie things up a couple minutes later. A 1-1 tie would last until the 76th minute when Rapinoe would score for the second time via a penalty shot.

A 2-1 win over the Spaniards would lead to a date against the hometown Frenchwomen. In was one of the best game to look forward to. Some reporters called it the final that wasn’t. Like the game against Spain, Rapinoe would score twice and the United States would win 2-1.

In the semifinals, head coach Jill Ellis decided to not have Rapinoe in the match. Rapinoe’s backup, Christen Press scored via a header in the tenth minute. Then, one of the superstars of this World Cup, Alex Morgan scored for a third consecutive 2-1 victory.

The United States continues to dominate when it comes to women’s soccer. They did not have a deficit throughout the World Cup and proved to everyone when they were prone to fail, they couldn’t and wouldn’t both offensively and defensively. They demonstrated to everyone why they should be crowned the champions and win back-to-back World Cup titles.

Written by: Breven Honda

Breven’s Blog: MLB All-Star Snubs

Peter Swan

The 2019 MLB All-Star starters and reserves were announced this past week for the annual Midsummer Classic. Every year, there are those that do not get in, but deserved to. They are called snubs.

Typically, there are a few snubs, but this year, there was an unprecedented amount. And they affected more than just the San Diego Padres. The Padres’ closer Kirby Yates, who has an MLB-leading 27 saves (entering July 1), was the only one who made the team. This means no Fernando Tatis Jr., no Manny Machado, no Eric Hosmer and no Hunter Renfroe.

Even if Fernando Tatis Jr. missed a month due to injury, he changes the hometown team from good to great. He does it all. Speed. Strength. Power. Awareness. Energy. The energy that he brings to his teammates, his coaches, the fans and to this organization is electrifying and attracts people to watching him and this team play. Even MLB Network Insider Ken Rosenthal said Tatis Jr. is an All Star, while CBS Sports has called him “special.”

In his first year, Tatis already has a 3.0 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), has scored from third base on a fly ball to the second baseman and scored from first on a single to right, and he became the first rookie shortstop since Nomar Garciaparra to record ten home runs and ten stolen bases before the All-Star Break. These are remarkable achievements in baseball, and it is unfortunate that his talent (including the other Padres that did not return) cannot be seen to the rest of the sport.   

Throughout MLB, there were snubs all across the league.  

In the National League, one of the biggest names besides Machado to not make the team is Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper, who signed a 330 million dollar contract this past winter. 

There is also Los Angeles Dodgers’ infielder Max Muncy, who hit a walk-off homerun in Game 3 of last year’s World Series. Muncy is tied sixth in the NL in WAR and 18 of the top 21 position players made the roster. 

Furthermore, Milwaukee Brewers’ starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff did not make the team and his numbers are one of the best so far in 2019. Woodruff leads the National League in wins with ten and is also in the top spot in WHIP (Walks plus hits divided by innings pitched) with a whopping 1.14. 

The American League is much of the same, whether a team is in a big-market city or not. 

That includes the New York Yankees. First Baseman Luke Voit, who suffered an abdominal injury last weekend during the London Series, was one of the biggest snubs on the American League side. Voit was outlasted by Chicago White Sox’s Jose Abreu and Seattle Mariners’ Dan Vogelbach. What makes this surprising from this is that Abreu is one of three White Sox (pitcher Lucas Giolito and catcher James McCann) to make the team, despite only having a 39-42 record. 

A couple other snubs comes at the shortstop position with Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts and Yankees’ Gleyber Torres. Both players are hitting over .290, getting on base more than 36% of the time and slugging at least 54%. Torres, along with Voit, were playing and not one to get hurt, like most of their teammates.  

The Minnesota Twins, one of baseball’s surprises in 2019 with a 53-30 record have two All-Stars.  

That was starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi and shortstop Jorge Polanco. However, a couple others from the team had the potential to also be on the team. One of those is outfielder Max Kepler. He already has a career-high 21 home runs. 

It is surprising that the Twins, who are in first place of the AL Central by eight games to the Cleveland Indians, the host team, and 13 games to the Chicago White Sox, only have two players going, but the Indians and White Sox each have three members.  

Even though the reserves were announced this past Sunday, players that had already received the invitation, have the option to decline and not participate in the game for any reason (injury, personal, etc.). Most likely, a couple of players from each side will back out opening it up for some of these players to make a dream turn to reality and be a part of a showcase with the game’s best players. 

Written by: Breven Honda

Breven’s Blog: McDaniels Drafted by Hornets

Peter Swan
Jalen McDaniels

The only question heading into last season for former Aztec basketball player Jalen McDaniels was whether or not he was going to be drafted.

This was one thing to look forward to this summer, as mentioned in my earlier preview. McDaniels had a great freshman year and some even compared him to former Aztec, Kawhi Leonard. McDaniels was only one of four freshmen in the country to average at least 10.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and shoot at least 58% from the field. That is how great he was as a freshman and why people were comparing him the two-time NBA Finals MVP.

After his freshman season was over, he tested the NBA waters, which meant participating in camps and playing in front of scouts to see what parts of his game needed to get better for year(s) to come. Obviously his weight was a factor for the position he played (195 pounds) at the power forward spot and sometimes at center. Even SDSU men’s basketball coach Brian Dutcher would refer to him as “the skinniest player in college basketball.” For reference, Anthony Davis has the same height as McDaniels (six-foot-10), but weighs 254 pounds, almost 50 pounds heavier. If Davis were to post up on McDaniels, terms like “Barbeque chicken” or “Bully ball” would be heard (credit to Shaquille O’Neal for those terms). Besides his weight, scouts also wanted to see McDaniels’ perimeter shooting improve.

And McDaniels did improve through his points.

During his freshman year, McDaniels averaged 10.5 points. In his sophomore year, he would increase that to 15.9 points per game. His outside shooting game is one of many factors related to the five-point increase. McDaniels started to not only post up and drive to the basket, but he would take shots from three-point range or make a one-dribble pull-up shot, just inside the 3-point arc.

Having a perimeter shot is huge in the NBA, especially for big men. Big centers or tall power forwards use their mid-range jumper to their advantage like San Antonio Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge. People wouldn’t expect a big man like Aldridge to shoot a mid-range shot; thus, when he does take the shot, it goes in.

Two months before draft, mock drafts had McDaniels as a late first-rounder or early second rounder. 

On draft night, McDaniels was the 52nd overall pick during the second round by the Charlotte Hornets, owned by one of the greatest basketball players to ever play, Michael Jordan. This settles the question of whether or not McDaniels was going to be drafted.

In McDaniels’ two years as an Aztec, he played every game of his career. He averaged 13.2 points, that includes a 30-point game against UNLV this past season, averaged 7.9 rebounds, shot 76% at the free-throw line, shot 50% from the field in two years and had 101 assists. 
In addition, McDaniels recorded 20 career double-doubles, which is the sixth highest in school history and second behind two-year players (Leonard leads with 40).

Written by: Breven Honda