Rusty Hendricks

Another year of baseball is quickly approaching. College baseball has started. And High School baseball will soon start as well. On our River Radio network we will cover baseball for SEMO, Notre Dame High School, Sikeston High School, and a few games for Cape Central High School as well. Listen to games on 92.9 FM (KLSC), 1220 AM (KGIR), and 1400 AM (KSIM).

The SEMO Redhawks have a brand new surface to play on this year. With newly acquired head coach Andy Sawyers’s tenure beginning, high expectations continue for the Redhawks. The Redhawks are the preseason Co-Favorites to repeat as OVC Champs. I look for them to have another great year. Come out and support our Redhawks! It’s a great experience at Capaha Park, and should be even better this year.

And then there is the St. Louis Cardinals. Last year the Cardinals missed the playoffs while winning 86 games. The Cubs won the division, and well….we know what happened after that. The Cardinals looked old, slow, and lousy fundamentally. This year the organization reported they have put an emphasis and being more athletic. They made three big moves in the offseason. First, they traded Jaime Garcia to the Atlanta Braves for prospects Chris Ellis, John Gant, and Luke Dykstra. John Gant saw time last year in the Big Leagues with the Braves. Gant has an ERA of 4.86 in 20 games in the Majors. He has a chance to make an impact for the St. Louis Cardinals this year as well. I was able to talk to John Gant before he reported for Spring Training. Listen to my interview as we talk about his reaction to the trade, his arsenal on the mound, and his relationship with former Brave, Redhawk, and Scott City Ram Shae Simmons.

(Patrick Wisdom far left, John Gant far right)

The second move the Cardinals made was building up their bullpen. After the news that lefty reliever Zach Duke would have surgery on his throwing arm, the Cardinals knew they had to act fast. They did so in signing free-agent Brett Cecil. Then they made their third move, another free-agent signing. The signing of centerfielder Dexter Fowler probably made the most noise in the offseason for the Cardinals. This move should help the Cardinals defense and lengthen their lineup. In my opinion though, the outfield depth is a little thin. Perhaps some unproven talent may get a chance prove their worth on the club. This is where 6’6 Jose Martinez comes in. Martinez made his debut last year after a long period spent in the minors. Martinez could bring some pop off the bench and help at the corner outfield positions. Martinez has a solid chance to make the club out of spring training. I caught up with him awhile back. We talked about his time in the majors last year, his interests outside of baseball, and the impact his father (former major leaguer Carlos “Café” Martinez) made in his life.

(Jose Martinez)

The news of Alex Reyes having Tommy John Surgery puts a damper on this season. The Cardinals do have depth on their starting staff. However, a number of them have question marks. It will be interesting to see the rotation coming out of spring training and how many different pitchers will make starts for them this year. My gut says quite a few. To be successful the Cardinals will need stability and more consistency this year than last.

Jedd Gyorko, Greg Garcia, and Brandon Moss provided a nice lift off the bench for the Cardinals last year. The bench last year was supposed to be a strength. But injuries ran rampant and they were thrust into starting positions and exposed at times. A few spots off the bench are up for grabs this year. Patrick Wisdom is a prospect that hopes to open up some eyes during spring training and slip into one of those bench spots. He is noted as a very good defender at third base. He spent most of last year in AAA. He batted .233 with 30 RBI in 78 games at Memphis. Although, I don’t expect Wisdom to break camp at the beginning of the year, he could be coming up sooner than later. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes his debut with the Cardinals this year. Want to know more about Patrick Wisdom before he does make it to the Big Leagues? Listen in to my interview to get to know him better.

In my opinion the St. Louis Cardinals will end up about where they did last year; 2^nd place in the division behind the Cubs. My prediction is that the Cardinals will win 89 games. That would be three games better than last year. I think they will once again fight for a wild card spot. This year 89 games should be good enough to earn one. That is my prediction, what is yours?

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

Stats and information taken from:

http://www.ovcsports.com/news/2017/2/1/BB_0201175016.aspx

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/

http://m.cardinals.mlb.com/player/607231/john-gant

http://m.cardinals.mlb.com/player/621550/patrick-wisdom?year=2016&stats=career-r-hitting-minors

http://m.cardinals.mlb.com/player/500874/jose-martinez

Football has left us. Now it is time for basketball on the hardwood. Always a fun time for me as I cover High School sports and keep a beat on the NCAA including the Redhawks who hope to make vast improvements. But what local teams might make an impact or catch our eye this year?

Sikeston returns this year as the 2^nd ranked team in Class 4, after their 4^th place finish in state last season. They return the Class 4 player of the year in Fred Thatch. Look for Sikeston to be one of the best teams in the area again this season.

Poplar Bluff is another team a lot of people are talking about. They return freshman standout Marcedes Leech. Leech is a young man with a ton of talent with already a bundle of colleges looking at him. Oh, and don’t forget about Bluff’s big man Willie Lucas, who might be the best big man in the area.

What about the likes of Jackson, Note Dame, Cape Central, Charleston, Scott County Central, Saxony and others?

For Jackson I look for them to improve upon last year’s 16-14 season. I think they will be in the mix with big men Jake Leet and Cameron Hester. They will need their guards to step up and fill the void left by Jacob Smith and Garrett Walker.

Cape Central might be the most athletic team in the area. Austin Parker is a solid swing man. They lose Al Young to graduation, but Cape Central might just surprise some people this year, if Coach Drew Church can get his guys to play together.

I really like Saxony Lutheran this year as well. All 5 starters return from last year’s 24-5 season. The Crusaders are a senior laden team with experience and hunger to get to the next level. If I am a team this year and I have them listed on my schedule, I am circling that game. Watch out for them.

I also look for Scott County Central to rebound this year. I think this team could cause problems for a lot of teams. I think we might see another district title in their future.

For teams like Notre Dame, Woodland, Bloomfield, and New Madrid we might see some ups and downs. More of a rebuilding year for these teams with some youth coming up in the ranks.

Advance, Oran, Scott City, and Charleston I think will have solid seasons. But do they have what it takes to get to the next level? Can they make a run come district tournament time? Time will tell.

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

Stats and information taken from:

www.semoball.com, www.standard-democrat.com

The St. Louis Blues were founded in 1967. This season the Blues celebrate 50 years in the NHL in St. Louis. They are the oldest NHL team never to win the Stanley Cup. Wouldn’t it be fitting if this was the year? Haven’t we waited long enough?

Since the NFL Rams left town, there is a little more of a buzz surrounding this franchise. But they have something to prove. The St. Louis Blues have been to the playoffs 5 years in a row. Even 25 straight appearances to the playoffs from 1980-2004. 40 total playoff appearances, but no rings.

The Blues made the tough decision to let go of some of their older most tenured players, most namely David Backes in the off season. Now they look to build with youth and find a way to break through. Recently the Blues traded for former 1st overall pick Nail Yakupov who scored his first career goal for the Blues on October 13th.

For the Blues, they have talent. But they will have to take a huge step this year. A lot of uncertainty surrounds this team. Guys like Jake Allen and Vladimir Tarasensko will have to lead this team, to be successful.

Do they have enough to make the playoffs this year? I think so. Do they have enough to make a run at the Stanley Cup? I guess we will find out. But I think I can speak for a good chunk of Missourians, I am looking forward to this season. Hopefully they are ready to take the next step.

You can listen to the St. Louis Blues all year, on SEMO ESPN 92.9 FM KLSC.

Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

News and Information taken from:

NHL.com

MLB “Worthy” ALL-Stars

(Disclaimer) – All Stats and information given as of July 6, 2016.*

Ever since I was young, I have been a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and Major League Baseball. Watching the All-Star game each year has always been something I have looked forward to. And I still do. As I have gotten older I still try to make time if possible to watch the game, either live or on my DVR. However, it’s not quite the same. The awe of the All-Star Game has lost a little luster, but it is still the best of the best getting together on one field.

So who is the best of the best? Here are my selections for the 2016 All-Star Game starters! (As if I had a vote). My selections are based on who I think is worthy. Everyone has their own opinion and their own reasoning for why a certain player should be worthy. I will give a brief description of why I made each pick. #AllStarWorthy

So what carries weight? What you are doing this year carries the most weight to me. It’s not the 2015 All-Star Game or 2014 All-Star Game. It is the 2016 All-Star Game. What you are doing now is most important. Now in saying that, I do think a players pedigree and history also carries some weight, but not most important. Other things that factor in are offensive and defensive stats/offense and defensive metrics. Consistency of each player, games played, and team a player is on (meaning how their stats reflect how good a team they are on).

Alright here we go! First let’s start with my National League All-Star starter selections. We begin in the outfield with my picks Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies), Marcell Ozuna (Miami Marlins), and Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers). Carlos Gonzalez plays at Coors Field. Everyone hits at Coors Field right? That is a knock against him, I get it. But to me he is definitely deserving. Look at his slash line…Avg .315 HR 18, RBI 51.  He is 2^nd in the NL in OPS among outfielders. Marcell Ozuna had a significant drop-off in 2015. Batted .259 with 10 homers and 44 RBI in 123 games. So far this year through 81 games he is batting .314 with 17 homers and 47 RBI. Already bested his total from last season. If you would tell me you would choose Yoenis Cespedes (New York Mets) or even Starling Marte (Pittsburgh Pirates) I wouldn’t argue with you. But Ozuna is my choice. He is having a great year. And then there is Ryan Braun. It pains me to say this but he does deserve the nod. Braun’s stats look like this…Avg .322 HR 13 RBI 44. He is in the top 5 among outfielders in average, on base percentage, and on base + slugging. This year, he is doing it clean. Other outfielders under consideration is Jay Bruce and Adam Duvall from (Cincinnati Reds). Where did Duvall come from? 22 homer and 59 RBI. Been solid. Also, Gregory Polanco (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Odubel Herrera (Philadelphia Phillies) have put together nice seasons.

Now to the NL third baseman.  Nolan Arenado (Colorado Rockies) and Kris Bryant (Chicago Cubs) have had excellent seasons so far.  Both guys are deserving, both have a track record, and both can hit. The biggest difference seems to be the defense. Arenado is superb at third base. He has won 3 consecutive gold gloves. To me Arendado might be the best 3^rd baseman in the game. He needs to start in my mind. Arenado is batting…Avg .290 HR 23 RBI 69. Bryant is batting… Avg .278 HR 25 RBI-64. Bryant is 7^th in WAR, while Arendo is 9^th. I wouldn’t argue too much on this one either. Both guys are on the roster, and should be. Also, considered; Matt Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals) and Jake Lamb (Arizona DBacks). Carpenter is #AllStarWorthy. Just not to start. Glad he is there.

Shortstop, Corey Seager (Los Angeles Dodgers) is my pick. He is a rookie that is highly touted and his brother is a solid player for the Mariners. Seager who most likely will be the rookie of the year, if he keeps this up has been the best player on his team. He is 2^nd only the Aledmys Diaz (St. Louis Cardinals) in batting average among NL shortstops. Seager is also in the top 3 in homers. Along with Aledmys Diaz, Trevor Story (Colorado Rockies) is also considered. Seager is in the top 25 in the league in WAR in 3.22. Seager has just 67 strikeouts so far while Story has 108.

Another good two-way race at second base between Daniel Murphy (Washington Nationals) and Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs) are on fire. Murphy leads the NL in batting average. He is hitting .349. Has anyone been hotter than him since October? What a run he had in the postseason. He leads NL two baggers this year in HITS 110, OPS .969, RBI 56, and SLG .581. Ben Zobrist is batting…Avg .291 HR 11 RBI 43. Murphy has a slightly better WAR than Zobrist as well. 2.72 to 2.67. Yes, Zobrist is a better defender and can play virtually anywhere you want him. But you can’t ignore what Murphy has done offensively. Got to go with him.

First basemen. We have a few options. Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona DBacks), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago Cubs), Wil Myers (Sand Diego Padres), Brandon Belt (San Francisco Giants), and Freddy Freeman (Atlanta Braves). Ultimately, it’s between two guys. Goldschmidt and Rizzo. Once again no wrong answers here. But my pick is Rizzo. I almost picked Goldschmidt. One because I like him a lot, but two, even after the slow start he is having a normal solid year. Rizzo has been more consistent this year, and he is playing on the best team in baseball.

Catcher. Wilson Ramos (Washington Nationals)….Period. This is one of the most cut a dry picks. Ramos has been head and shoulders better than any other catcher. Sure there is Yadier Molina (St. Louis Cardinals) and Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants). But honestly they don’t really deserve it. Yadi isn’t really in the conversation. Ramos leads all NL catchers in average .335, HR 13, RBI 46, OBP .390, SLG .554, and OPS .944. For you saber metric fans, Ramos is averaging almost two more runs than Posey in “RC” (Runs created). Posey does lead Ramos defensively. But if you look at their career caught stealing percentages, Posey just has a slim lead. Posey’s career CS % is 33.94. Ramos in his career has a 33.09 percentage. Posey has better pedigree and track record. He is a former MVP. He has been picking it up of late despite a slow start. But, the year that Ramos is having in 2016 outweighs Posey’s track record and defense. Ramos is the pick for me.

Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona DBacks) is my choice for DH in the National League. To be honest if I was a manager I would put Goldschmidt at first and Rizzo as DH as far as playing the game. Either way I think you have to put Goldy in the lineup. Paul Goldschmidt is batting Avg  .292, HR 15, RBI  58, OBP .416.

Pitcher. Hmm. Lots of choices. Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers), Jake Arrieta (Chicago Cubs), Madison Bumgarner (San Francisco Giants), Jose Fernandez (Miami Marlins), John Lester (Chicago Cubs), Johnny Cueto (San Francisco Giants), and Noah Syndergaard (New York Mets). Really can’t go wrong with any of these guys. All having great years and all are just plain nasty on the mound. Clayton Kershaw probably would have been my pick. But he is currently injured, so I am removing him from the conservation. Jake Arrieta is my choice. And a lot of it stems back to what he has done the past couple of years including last season when he won the Cy Young. Arrieta in his last 50 starts he is 34-9. Wow! This year his ERA is 2.33. Last year he posted a 1.77 ERA. He is 21^st among major leaguers in WAR.

Alright, we finished my National League selections. Let’s look at the American League now beginning with the outfielders. Outfielders are usually tough to pick from. Doesn’t get much easier this year with a number of good players. Let me rattle off a few in the conversation. Jackie Bradley Jr (Boston Red Sox), Mookie Betts (Boston Red Sox), Carlos Beltran (New York Yankees), George Springer (Houston Astros), Ian Desmond (Texas Rangers), Mark Trumbo (Baltimore Orioles), and Mike Trout (Anaheim Angels). My first choice is Mike Trout. And why not, maybe the best centerfielder in the game. Can’t leave him out can you? Mike Trout is first in WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in against all other Major Leaguers. He posts a WAR of 4.98. Among other AL outfielders he leads in Average .324, OBP .426, SLG  .569, OPS  .994, and Walks  54. He also has 17 homers and 54 RBI. Need I say more? Then there is Ian Desmond. He is second in the outfield in hits with 106 and Average .319. He has 15 homers and 52 RBI as well. Not to mention he has made the transition from shortstop to centerfield almost seamlessly this year. Have to take that into account. He has done a magnificent job overall. He is 15^th in the league in WAR. Better than Mookie Betts which is 29^th.  Then there is Mark Trumbo. If you want to have Mookie Betts in that spot, I would understand it. He has played really well, and I almost chose him. He has been very durable, playing in all 82 games this year. Avg .298, 18 HR, and 57 RBI. But my vote goes to Trumbo. Trumbo has been tremendous for the first place Baltimore Orioles. Trumbo is only batting .281 this year. However he leads the AL in home runs 24 and RBI  62. He is 4^th among outfielders in slugging percentage and  hits. Trumbo is 2^nd in extra base hits and 3^rd in total bases. Betts and Trumbo are pretty close on their stats. Both deserve to be All-Stars. But I have been impressed with Trumbo. He is my guy.

Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles) is my choice for AL Third basemen. He leads AL third basemen in Avg  .324, Hits  105, extra base hits  48, and SLG % .602. Other candidates are Josh Donaldson (Toronto Blue Jays), Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays), and Adrian Beltre (Texas Rangers). Donaldson has made late push. But Machado has been more consistent overall. Say what you will about his personality and how he plays the game, but the guy can play.

If you were to tell me after the 2013 World Series Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox) would be the starting shortstop of the 2016 AL All Star team, I probably would tell you, “Well, you might be right.” He batted near .300 in the postseason with an OBP over .400. He took a step back in 2014 batting just .240 for the year. Last year he figured it out batting .320 with 196 hits in 156 games. So far this season he is on pace to beat last year. He is batting .332 and is 2^nd in the majors with 114 hits already. When he is put up against other AL shortstops he leads or is in the top 3 of these categories: Runs, RBI, OBP, SLG, OPS, SB, BB, and XBH. He has made just 8 errors this year on defense. Need I say more? Bogaerts is my pick for shortstop. Other notable guys are Francisco Lindor (Cleveland Indians), Carlos Correa (Houston Astros), and Eduardo Nunez (Minnesota Twins).

When you look at the crop of AL second basemen, it’s downright ridiculous. I will show you what I am talking about. Let me give you a few options: Robinson Cano (Seattle Mariners) Avg .302, HR 19, RBI 54. Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox) Avg – .308, 102 Hits, OBP .371. Ian Kinsler (Detroit Tigers) Avg .288, HR 16, RBI 52, Rougned Odor (Texas Rangers) Avg .272, HR 16, RBI 43. Jonathan Schoop (Baltimore Orioles) Avg .301, HR 13, RBI 48. Jason Kipnis (Cleveland Indians) Avg .267, HR 11 RBI 46. Brian Dozier (Minnesota Twins) Avg .254, HR 13 RBI 41. Some big names and some big production! This is second base we are talking about, not first base. Do you think the position has changed? So who is the pick? Robinson Cano? He is worthy but not my choice. There is one guy over the last few years that has produced more at second base….Jose Altuve (Houston Astros). 5’5 Altuve who compiled over 200 hits last season, leads the majors with 116 hits and a batting average of .352. He also has 14 homers and 49 RBI. Did I mention he leads all second basemen with 22 stolen bases? He has to start.

AL First basemen. This was a little bit tougher of a pick. Erik Hosmer (Kansas City Royals) and Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) are the two front runners. Both have averages near .300. Both have near 50 RBI. And both have around 95 hits. But Miguel Cabrera has been a little bit better to me. Cabrera bests Hosmer in HR, SLG %, OPS, OBP, BB, and Runs scored. Miggy is my guy, Hosmer is a worthy All Star as well.

One position that is pretty weak, this year is the AL Catcher position. Not much to choose from. You have Steven Vogt (OAK), Brian McCann (NYY), and Salvador Perez (KC). Salvy is the clear choice. Excellent defender. Salvy is hitting: Avg -.277, HR – 12 RBI – 37. He leads AL catchers in SLG % and OPS as well.

The DH in the AL is easy. It is the final season in the HOF career of David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox). He will start and should start. It helps he is having an outstanding season. Avg .337, HR 19 RBI 66. He leads the majors in OBP, OPS, and SLG. Other tough DH’s are Victor Martinez (Detroit Tigers) Avg .318, Edwin Encarnacion (Toronto Blue Jays) 77 RBI, and Nelson Cruz (Seattle Mariners) 22 HR.

Now for the starting pitchers in the AL. There are a number of big name guys in the AL. Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox) has been better than them all. Sale has an ERA of 2.93 and leads the AL with 120 innings of work. He is 3^rd in the AL in strikeouts with 118. Sale has a WHIP under 1 (0.98) and a batting average against of .214. Only 24 walks given up on the year for the southpaw. And he leads the majors with an overall record of 14-2. Other guys considered are Steven Wright (BOS), Danny Salazar (Cleveland Indians), Cole Hamels (Texas Rangers), Aaron Sanchez (Toronto Blue Jays), and Marco Estrada (Toronto Blue Jays).

Those are my picks. Here is a link to the actual NL and AL Starters for the All Star game voted on by the fans. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2016-mlb-all-star-game-full-al-and-nl-rosters/ Do you agree with these selections?

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

Stats and information taken from:

• http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp#elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type=%27R%27&season=2016&season_type=ANY&league_code=%27MLB%27&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1467491604883
• http://espn.go.com/mlb/war/leaders/_/year/2016/type/seasonal/alltime/false/count/1

I’ve got an itch. An itch for Cardinals baseball. Opening Day is this weekend. It is hard to believe it is here. It was a disappointing end to last year’s team losing to the rival Cubby Bears. The Cardinals won 100 games in the regular season, but couldn’t get past the Cubs in the post season. They came off frankly, looking tired and beat up. Cardinal’s fans still have bitter taste in their mouths. But it has rejuvenated the rivalry with Chicago. The Cardinals are the underdogs this year in the division. The Cubs garnering all the pub. That is alright with the Cardinals. They will do what they always do….find a way to win.

I believe the Cardinals will find a way to have another great year. I don’t expect them to win 100 games. But I would project the team to win around 80 to 90 games. I agree the Cardinals are not the favorite in the division, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up at the top. So fans sit back and get ready for another year of Cardinals Baseball. I, for one, am excited.

In saying that I am excited doesn’t change the fact I do have concerns. The Cardinals have a bullpen that was heavily taxed last year. In particular, Trevor Rosenthal, Kevin Siegrist and Seth Maness. Hopefully the addition of Seuong Hwan Oh and the emergence of youngsters Sam Tuivailala, Matt Bowman, and Dean Kiekhefer will help combat the problem.

The Cardinals also have question marks in their lineup and with their depth on the bench. Going into spring training I felt good about the middle of the infield. Now with the injury of Jhonny Peralta and even new signee Ruben Tejada’s injury at short leaves a big hole to fill. Jedd Gyorko is a likely candidate to begin the year at short with Greg Garcia and Aledmys Diaz as backups. Again, now the depth is stretched thin.

The Cardinals do have some good young players coming up in the ranks that very well could make an impact this year. The Cardinals are not as deep as in years past as far as prospects but according to Baseball America the Cardinals are ranked 14^th in the league in organizational talent. And ranked 19^th by mlb.com. The biggest prospect name on the list for the Cardinals is hard throwing right-hander Alex Reyes. Mark it down. He will be with the big league club sooner than later. Other prospects include Patrick Wisdom, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Charlie Tilson, and Carson Kelly.

I was lucky enough to talk to Greg Garcia, Dean Kiekhefer, and Charlie Tilson at the Cardinals Caravan in January. All three have the potential to see time with the Major League team this season. Garcia has made the opening day roster and looks to play an important role off the bench. As I talk with these three guys I discuss a number of things. I talk about what they have been working on to improve as players, have them give a scouting report on their self, and talk about their experience through the ranks of baseball. A little seriousness and little humor mixed in between our talks. So listen up and enjoy.  Baseball is back!

Interview with Greg Garcia (guest appearance at the beginning of the interview with former St. Louis Cardinal’s pitcher Danny Cox)

Interview with Dean Kiekhefer

Interview with Charlie Tilson

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

Stats and information taken from:  MLB.com and Baseball America

Shae Simmons

To listen to my interview with Shae Simmons just click play

Scott City, Mo native Shae Simmons has already had a whirlwind of a professional baseball career. Shae Simmons was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 22^nd round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Amateur draft. He played in parts of 3 seasons in the minor leagues, and also a short stint in the Majors with the Atlanta Braves. Shae made his Major League Debut on May 31^st 2014. He played in just 26 games before injuring his throwing elbow. Since then Shae underwent Tommy John surgery, and is not expected back until May or June 2016.

Career MLB Stats: *Currently 25 years old

What is in store for Shae Simmons? – If Shae can come back from Tommy John, he has the chance to be a solid contributor for the Atlanta Braves bullpen. Shae is currently in a throwing program working with the training staff of the Atlanta Braves. Watch out for the name Shae Simmons to pop back up this year. You could possibly see Shae near the back end of their bullpen in the later parts of the year. Who knows, maybe Shae could be the closer of the future for the Braves. One good thing about Shae is that he is versatile. He has experience both starting and closing for Southeast Missouri State University.

I was able to talk with Shae Simmons during a short interview, back in late February. Shae and I have known each other since high school. We both played on the same legion baseball team during the summers of our high school years. We both played with Trent Moses, from Advance, who also played for Southeast Missouri State University. Of course, I had to joke with him about that. During our interview we talk about his journey through college and the Major Leagues. We discuss his progress from his injury and his expectations from the Braves. We also get off topic a bit, as I let you in on just a little bit of the personality and passions of Shae Simmons.

I write this blog because I don’t want you to forget about Shae Simmons. He is like a shark, lurking and waiting for his opportunity to make his move when the time is right. Shae is young enough and determined enough to come back stronger than ever. Could he still have that mid to upper 90’s rising fastball? Or that sharp cutting slider? Time will tell. But don’t count him out. Keep him in your cross hairs and don’t forget about Shae. He is coming back and quite possibly even better than before.

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

Stats and information taken from: baseballreference.com

Top-Ten Basketball Teams – High School Basketball

1. Sikeston
2. Cape Central
3. Jackson
4. Charleston
5. Notre Dame
6. Saxony Lutheran
7. Caruthersville
8. Bloomfield
9. Advance
10. Woodland

Top-Ten Basketball Perimeter Shooters – High School Basketball

1. Dominique Dyes – Sikeston
2. Blake Bauwens – Notre Dame
3. Marquan Nelson – Sikeston
4. Brian Whitson – Advance
5. Kyle Moore – Senath-Hornersville
6. Marcedus Leech – Poplar Bluff
7. Ethan Flowers – Dexter
8. Dylan Keller – Scott City
9. Cole Nichols – Bell City
10. Riley Maddox – Cooter

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks

Major League Baseball 2015 Awards

The Major League Baseball regular season has ended and the postseason is under way. I have always enjoyed trying to predict who will win those coveted baseball awards, after the year is over. Who is most deserving? Who had the best season? Who is most valuable? I have a list of awards below and the guys that I have chosen. In my opinion these are the guys that I would choose if I had a vote. Not necessarily who I predict will win, but those I think are most deserving of the award. I have listed the top two candidates for each major award along with some statistics. Of course you can pick out all kinds of stats or categories to make your case. Without listing them all here is a synopsis of my picks. A breakdown and meaning of stats listed at the bottom of the page.*

National League MVP: Bryce Harper (Was Nationals)
BA: .330 HR: 42 RBI: 99 OBP: .460 OPS: 1.109

Leading contender: Paul Goldschmidt (Ari Diamondbacks)
BA: .321 HR: 33 RBI: 110 OBP: .435 OPS: 1.005

Neither guy I have listed made it to the playoffs. To me it is important but not a requirement. In my opinion these two had the best years. Harper was no doubt valuable to his team. He helped them stay in the hunt for 5 months of the season. Harper led the majors in WAR (Wins above a replacement player) at 9.93. You can make a case for Anthony Rizzo (Chi Cubs) since his team did make the playoffs, but if you really break down the numbers no one had a better season than Bryce Harper.

American League MVP: Josh Donaldson (Tor Blue Jays)
BA: .297 HR: 41 RBI: 123 OBP: .371 OPS: .939

Leading contender: Mike Trout (La Angels)
BA: .299 HR: 41 RBI: 90 OBP: .402 OPS: .991

You talk to enough people and ask them what makes an MVP (Most Valuable Player) you’re probably going to get different answers. To me the award is pretty objective. If you define the word “value” according to Merriam-Webster it is “…having desirable or esteemed characteristics or qualities.” What does that mean? I don’t really no. Someone that is really important to their team. How about that? Look, the AL MVP Race is really close. Both players I have listed above are highly valuable and had fantastic seasons. But was anyone more of a spark plug to their team than Josh Donaldson? Was anyone more valuable than him? I don’t think any player elevated his level of play more in the American League than Josh Donaldson. Josh Donaldson helped lead his team to the playoffs. Mike Trout and his team didn’t make into the postseason. Tie-breaker to the playoff bound Donaldson.

National League CY: Zack Greinke (La Dodgers)
Wins: 19 ERA: 1.66 WHIP: .84 BAA: .187 BABIP: .223 QS: 30

Leading contender: Jake Arrieta (Chi Cubs)
Wins: 22 ERA: 1.77 WHIP: .86 BAA: .185 BABIP: .237 QS: 29

This is the race that is the closest. Flip a coin and you can find a deserving player. Jake Arrieta has been the most talked about the last month or so of the season. He posted an insane .75 ERA since the All-Star break. He gave up a total of 9 earned runs in 15 games after the break. That’s it! As impressive as that is Zach Greinke still has a better ERA and WHIP. Greinke has been the most consistent pitcher in baseball. Greinke’s ERA before the All-Star break was 1.39. Arrieta’s was 2.66. Greinke’s ERA after the All-Star break was 1.99. Arrieta’s like I mentioned was .75. Greinke’s ERA hardly changed. This award is not given out for the best final half of the season. It’s an award that encompasses the entire year. Thus, in my mind Greinke has been the better pitcher.

American League CY: Dallas Keuchel (Hou Astros)
Wins: 20 ERA: 2.48 WHIP: 1.02 BAA: .217 BABIP: .259 QS: 27

Leading contender: David Price (Tor Blue Jays)
Wins: 18 ERA: 2.45 WHIP: 1.08 BAA: .230 BABIP: .284 QS: 24

Another close race for the American League CY Young award. David Price has been really good and helped the Blue Jays down the stretch of the season. Price posted a 2.32 ERA in September. Keuchel has been human on the road this season with an ERA of 3.77. At home no one has been better than Keuchel with a 1.46 ERA. Overall you break down the stats. Keuchel has had a better year.

National League ROY: Kris Bryant (Chi Cubs)
BA: .275 HR: 26 RBI: 99 OBP: .369 OPS: .858 – 151 Games

Leading contender: Matt Duffy (SF Giants)
BA: .295 HR: 12 RBI: 77 OBP: .334 OPS: .762 – 149 Games

Randal Grichuk of the St. Louis Cardinals would have been in the running if he had stayed healthy. But Grichuk only played in 103 games, not enough to be in major consideration. The numbers speak for themselves on this one. Kris Bryant lived up to the hype in his rookie campaign. The kid is a stud, and he showed it this year.

American League ROY: Carlos Correa (Hou Astros)
BA: .279 HR: 22 RBI: 68 OBP: .345 OPS: .857 – 99 Games

Leading contender: Francisco Lindor (Cle Indians)
BA: .313 HR: 12 RBI: 51 OBP: .353 OPS: .835 – 99 Games

Not only did Carlos Correa solidify the middle of the lineup for the Astros upon his call up but the kid can flash the leather. Lindor, Miguel Sano, and Roberto Osuna all had great rookie seasons. Overall, I think Correa had the best year and meant the most to his team. The Astros no doubt increased their level of play when he came up from the minor leagues.

National League Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon (Chi Cubs)
W/L Record Team: 97-65

Leading contender: Terry Collins (NY Mets)
W/L Record Team: 90-72

It’s Joe Maddon. It is the Cubs we are talking about here! Molding a young team and turning them into a powerhouse. Honestly, much quicker than I expected. Let’s face it the Mets were not very good at the beginning of the year. If you remember some were barking at Collins, especially in the NY media. When the GM made some major changes adding to their lineup they took off, most notably Yoenis Cespedes. You could say the front office was the best in baseball. But I wouldn’t say the manager Terry Collins was. Don’t forget about Mike Matheny! Matheny once again helped keep this team together through all the injuries. But the Cardinals have great talent. They were expected to win. That is why Maddon is my pick.

American League Manager of the Year: Jeff Banister (Tx Rangers)
W/L Record Team: 88-74

Leading contender: John Gibbons (Tor Blue Jays)
W/L Record Team: 93-69

Both managers did a great job. Somewhat similar to what my argument was for the NL Manager of the year. The pieces the Blue Jays added at the trade deadline propelled them to the playoffs. But I don’t think many expected the Texas Rangers to contend this season. I for one did not. Not to mention the Rangers didn’t have their ace pitcher Yu Darvish for a single game this year. Banister mixed and matched this year better than any other. AJ Hinch is also in the conversation for the Astros as well. Really you could make a strong case for him as well. I just think Banister is most deserving.

Who are your picks? Let me know if you think I am wrong!

Hitting Stats:
• BA = Batting Average
• HR = Home Runs
• RBI = Runs Batted In
• OBP = On Base Percentage
• OPS = On Base Plus Slugging
Pitching Stats:
• Wins = Games Won
• ERA = Earned Run Average
• WHIP = Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched
• BAA = Opponents Batting Average
• BABIP = Batting Average on balls in play
• QS = Quality Starts

MLB Postseason 2015

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the playoffs for the 5th straight season! They ended with an impressive 100 wins. But do you have faith they will go deep into the playoffs? I don’t. But it’s October and you never know what can happen. I am always hopeful. I love watching the playoffs and we have another great one in store for us this year. I will be glued to my TV you can bet on that.
Here is the roster for St. Louis Cardinals in the division series against the Chicago Cubs.

http://m.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article/153711244/yadier-molina-on-cardinals-nlds-roster

Can you believe this is the first year in history the Cubs and Cardinals have met in the playoffs? Well it’s true. Pretty amazing but it is true. This should be a great series. I think it will go the full 5 games. I am picking the Cardinals in 5 games.

Week 8 Top-Ten Football Teams – High School Football
1. Cape Central
2. Jackson
3. Malden
4. Poplar Bluff
5. Sikeston
6. Kennett
7. Caruthersville
8. Hayti
9. Portageville
10. Dexter

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks
Stats and information taken from: espn.com, baseballreference.com, stlcardinals.com, and mirriam-webster.com

St. Louis Rams

Are the Rams for real? The St. Louis Rams looked pretty good defeating the favorites in the NFC, Seattle Seahawks 34-31 in Overtime in week 1. The Rams recorded 6 sacks, and an interception on defense.

On offense, quarterback Nick Foles threw for 297 yards completing 67% of his passes.
This week the Rams are favored against the Washington Redskins, who have struggled on offense. Running Back Tre Mason who missed week 1 looks to be back this week. Mason will help the depth at the position and offset Benny Cunningham. First rounder and rookie Todd Gurley also is progressing well. It is possible he could see a few snaps this weekend, but more likely than not it will be a week or so for him.
I’m picking the Rams to go 2-0 this week! 24-14 is my pick for the score of the game. The St. Louis Rams have not started the season 2-0 since 2001 (14 years). Rams lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl that year.
I think the Rams have the talent to make the playoffs. But how will the team’s cloud of leaving for Los Angeles affect this team? Head coach Jeff Fisher has a lot of work to do to keep these guys focused. I’m hoping the Rams can make the playoffs, but I think a 7-9 record is in the cards.

Cardinals
Are the Cards going to win the division? Going into a 3-game series with the Chicago Cubs, the St. Louis Cardinals have a 5 game lead on Pittsburgh and a 7 game lead on Chicago in the division. The Cardinals extended their lead over the Pirates last night after sweeping the Brewers in 3 games. The Cardinals have now won 4-straight games after a rough 2-8 stretch. The pitching has improved and the Cardinals and getting more and more healthy.
The Cardinals have 16 games to play. Two important series left against the Cubs and Pirates. The Cards need to hold serve in those series. If so, the division is in good hands. Magic number for the Cardinals to win the division is at 12. If the Cardinals play .500 ball the rest of the year, they will have 100 wins. Now it’s time to get healthy and get ready for the post-season.

Agree or disagree with my opinion? Let me know your thoughts! Email me at espnradiorusty@hotmail.com or tweet me @rusty_hendricks