Chad Niemi is a sports aficionado – particularly when it comes to baseball. In the following article, Chad Niemi provides a detailed look at the sport, what made headlines, and more.
It's official — baseball has recently passed the one-month Post-Opening-Day mark. And with that comes a plethora of highlights and news for adoring fans to wrap their heads around.
Those who aren't caught up on the latest and greatest will be delighted to discover the rivalries that may not go away, how Verlander is doing at the Mets, and the expert Round 1 picks.
The All-New Rivalries in Major League Baseball
New England VS Yankees. Cardinals VS Cubs. Giants VS Dodgers. These are well-known, here-to-stay rivalries, surpassing generations of fans. However, the nature of the game ensures pop-up rivalries occur constantly. While they may not last forever, they certainly bring some fire to the season.
Chad Niemi says that perhaps one of the most intense pop-up rivalries right now is the Yankees and Rays. The latter is off to an incredible start, with the Yankees holding one game above .500 but suffering in last place. Couple that with the Yankees' Tampa-based Spring Training ground, and the rivalry proves almost serendipitous.
In the
AL Central division, there is one match-up that could prove fantastic rivals — Guardians and Twins. So far, the Twins have three games over the Guardians, with experts saying it may remain this way for some time. However, the similarities between the two teams are the reasons for the incredible rivalry.
Chad Niemi reports that as for the NL Central, the longevity of the Cardinals-Brewers rivalry rests on the former surpassing last place. But if that occurs, they'll likely battle as they've done for the last decades.
Justin Verlander Proves a Fantastic Signing for the Mets
The winter saw the Mets sign Justin Verlander to keep up with their claim of "baseball's finest rotations." The team saw Verlander as the pitcher who could follow in Jacob deGrom's footsteps after he headed off to Texas.
It wasn't until Thursday afternoon that Verlander truly began this mission, debuting with five brilliant innings in the game against the Tigers. He appears to be just as good as the Mets hoped.
Chad Niemi explains that he may not be enough to get their season back on track. Even though he allowed a mere two runs in his initial game, Verlander ended up taking the loss in a 2-0 defeat.
The Mets have lost nine of the 11 games, receding to .500. Although, Verlander reportedly mentioned that the team just needs to find their identity, adding that the series was challenging. At least they have some hope for the future with now-40-year-old Verlander.
The Twins Grab a Captivating 12-Inning Win
As the Twins were down 2-1 in the eighth inning, Byron Buxton stepped up to wreak havoc on the pitch. Fans looked on as Buxton powered the game-tying home run, which the team parlayed into a stunning
7-3 win in 12 innings at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Chad Niemi also notes that Pablo López told reporters that he knew the type of player Buxton was before heading to the game. He went on to mention that it's been fun playing on the same team, wherein he brings unparalleled leadership and energy.
Upon launching the 88 mph slider and obtaining the 376-foot home run, Buxton said his approach was to "be aggressive." He had previously faced the pitcher, giving him a touch of insight as to how he would throw.
It was certainly a battle for the ages, with Buxton coming through as he always does.
Expert Predictions for Round 1 Picks
Experts have announced their initial full first-round projections of the season over nine weeks before the Draft starts in Seattle on July 9, 2023.
A consensus was reached for the top two prospects — right-hander Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews. Both are bidding to be crowned the first teammates to go 1-2 in the same Draft. Closely following both players are outfielders Max Clark, Walker Jenkins, and Wyatt Langford.
Chad Niemi says that these top choices have a worth of $9,721,000, meaning Pittsburgh can snag the highest-rated player and break the current bonus record with cash to spare.
After that, however, there isn't much agreement from the experts. Although, hitters are outshining pitchers in high school and college ranks, causing professionals to project bats to pick 20 of the top 28 reports Chad Niemi.
