Author: sportswizard2020

Top Dallas Stars Prospects to Watch for 2022

2022 is when most of the Dallas Stars players who have a huge chunk of the salary cap are free agents. The Dallas Stars will probably look at the Texas Stars to fill some of those roster spots. Here are the prospects who I think should be in a Stars uniform in 2022.

Riley Tufte

Tufte is one of the best prospects the Stars have down in Cedar Park. don’t let his stats fool you since he joined the farm system right before the pandemic hit. He has the passing ability needed at the NHL level, but needs to work on scoring a bit more if he wants to make it to Dallas.

Another thing holding him back from making it is probably the Type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where the pancreas can’t produce the enzymes to break down sugar and the person needs to be on Insulin 24/7. This is not a career killer for him and he’s played with it since the age of 11 so he knows when he has low blood sugar.

The Stars need to get a trainer who understands what Type 1 Diabetes is so they can help the coaching staff determine how much playing time he will get.

Thomas Harley

He is the top defenseman that the Stars have down in Cedar Park right now. The only thing right now that’s holding him back from making it to Dallas is a roster spot. Right now the Stars are waiting for a couple of contracts to expire so they can bring him up and fans would be shocked if Harley didn’t make the 2022 roster.

Mavrik Bourque

Bourque was recently drafted in the first round by the Stars in 2020. In his teenage years playing, he showed that he has the potential to be a lethal scorer which drew attention to NHL Scouts. He will probably be in Cedar Park to start off the 2021 NHL season, but if he can’t stop scoring goals he will most likely be promoted to Dallas.

Conclusion

There are more talented prospects that are in the Stars Organization, but these are the three that I think have the best odds to be starting in the 2022 season.

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3 players the Dallas Stars need to move on from

The Dallas Stars have one of the weirdest contract situations in the NHL right now. They have at least five players that have massive contracts that eat up a lot of the cap space right now. Freeing up that cap space now could help Dallas in the future if they wanted to bring in a well-known player in free agency.

Some of the players mentioned below are fan favorites in Dallas and could be tough for Stars fans to let go. Here is who I think the Dallas Stars need to trade in order to be successful and help eliminate that cap space. 

Ben Bishop

While he is one of the top goaltenders in the NHL when healthy, it’s time to move on from him. We have Jake Oettinger who will be the starting goaltender for the Dallas Stars next season and Anton Khudobin who will the backup. One of the veteran goaltenders has to go and If we were to trade Ben Bishop, we would free up 10 million dollars in cap space for next two seasons. 

Joe Pavalski 

While I do appreciate Pavalski’s contributions to the Stars Stanley Cup run a couple years ago, he needs to be traded to a contender. The Stars would save another seven million in cap space and the money could go towards another forward or towards Klingberg’s new contract. 

Alexander Radulov 

He is another forward that needs to be traded to a contender. The Stars would save six million dollars in cap space and could trade him for young prospect or a cheaper forward. Even though he is a fan favorite in Dallas, the NHL is a business.

Conclusion

I think the Stars will wait till there contracts to finish up before moving on from these players since they have at least one to two years left on them. But you never know if the Stars have other plans this offseason.

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2021 Dallas Mavericks Free Agency Preview

The Dallas Mavericks have around 66 million dollars of cap space to spend on free agency in 2021. Here are some of the top free agents that I think Mark Cuban will look at to build around Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

Kelly Olynyk 

Olynyk is a perfect player that Mark Cuban should definitely contact when free agency opens up. While he’s not a prolific scorer only averaging 13 points a game, he can rebound and it would free up Porzingis from getting banged around in the post and messing up his knee. 

Lonzo Ball

Doncic needs another scorer and ball-handler to take away the double team that coaches usually put on him. Ball is a very good Shooting Guard scoring 14 points a game and averaging 6 assists a game. Rick can team him up with Luka in the frontcourt or Ball can give Doncic a breather on the bench once in a while.  

Frank Kaminsky 

Not the flashiest free agent name on the market but coming in at 7 ft tall, Kaminsky would be a perfect 4 or 5 off the bench. Averaging only 7 points and 3 rebounds a game, he could give Dallas an additional rebounder while the starters take a break on the bench. I don’t see many teams making a move on him so this is someone Cuban could easily get on a two-year contract.

J.J. Redick 

Reddick would be another great guard that would take some of the scoring load off of Doncic. While Redick doesn’t score much only averaging 8 points a game, he has the veteran leadership that could help Doncic keep his cool on the court. The only thing the Mavericks need for him to do is lower his asking price so we can get more talent around Luka.

Andre Drummond

Drummond would be the perfect starting Center for the Dallas Mavericks. Porzingis would be moved to Power Forward in order to get him playing time. Right now, Drummond is averaging a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds a game. Like Reddick, he would also need to come down on his asking price as well. 

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Why Luka needs to “grow up” on the court immediately

Luka Doncic is the face of the Dallas Mavericks at a very young age like Dirk was when he entered the league. What’s different between Luka and Dirk is Luka seems to have a hot temper in some games. Here are some reasons why Luka needs to mature as a player and fast.

Luka might end up on the NBA refs “naughty list”

Luka is certainly heading towards being on the NBA refs “naughty list” with all the arguing that he does with the refs. How players get on that imaginary list is when they constantly argue over their foul calls. I can certainly understand the players frustration towards refs calling bad fouls since I’ve seen some pretty bad calls myself in my three years as a college basketball manager.

Luka needs to learn that there will always be bad calls during the games and the best thing he can do for the Dallas Mavericks is to move on to the next play like most veteran players do. If he continues down this path, the referees will just keep call technical fouls on him during the season.

Big name free agents might not want to play in Dallas

The 2021 free agency is just right around the corner and the Mavericks have around 66 million in cap space which is a lot to sign some big-name players over the summer. The Mavericks have a really good pitch for free agents as they can team up with Luka Doncic for multiple seasons. 

With all the whining that Luka is doing towards the refs, why would you want to team up with him. He’s already at 15 technical fouls and starting with the next one he can start being suspended a game for each one he receives.

I don’t think players would want to play with a guy who has a temper on the court and constantly gets ejected for his outbursts. Luka’s temper could be a potential deal breaker for some players who want to play in Dallas next season.

What kind of a legacy would you want to leave

When Luka eventually retires from the game of basketball after having a stellar career, what does he want people to remember him by. Does he want people to remember him by all the titles, awards and triple doubles he got during his career or all the complaining he does to the officials? 

I know if I were a retired basketball player I would want my fans to remember me by all of my accolades on the court instead of my outbursts. I know the last thing Luka would want to see is all of the Dallas middle and high school basketball players complaining after every foul and wonder if that was because of him. 

Conclusion 

I know Luka has a fiery passion for basketball, you see it on the court every Mavs game. Now all he needs to do is contain that passion on the court and he will go down as one of the best European basketball players to play in the NBA. If he continues down this path arguing with the refs, he won’t be remembered for his stats but for his constant arguing with the referees.

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Questions Texas Ranger Fans have going into the 2021 MLB Season

As we return to a normal MLB schedule with pitchers reporting to Spring Training shortly and the season starting at end of March, Ranger fans don’t know how this season will turn out this year. Fans probably have some of the same questions as I do right now, let’s dive into a few of those questions in this article. 

Question 1:  Is this the last year Joey Gallo will be in a Rangers uniform? The answer is a very tough one to answer.  Defensively he is probably one of the best outfielders in the game.  His arm strength and accuracy from deep center field is a major plus on getting runners out on the bases or all the way to home plate. Offensively is another story, he is what I like to call a “Cluster Hitter”.  He gets his hits and home runs in phases and then goes back to not hitting the ball at all.  Right now, Gallo has one of the highest strike-out rate in the league at 38%. He is also very injury prone. In 2019, he missed 22 games due to a left oblique strain and was out up to 4 weeks later in the season when he had to get Hamate bone surgery.  My answer, unless Gallo is willing to take a substantial pay cut to stay with Rangers long term, let him walk this offseason. 

Question 2:  Is this the last that we see Elvis Andrus in a Rangers uniform? This question is going to be very hard for the Rangers fans that have seen Elvis work his way up from Frisco Roughriders to the Texas Rangers. He has 3 years 43 million left on his current contract including this season which is a very tradeable contract for a veteran short stop his age. Current Rangers catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa saw playing time at short stop last season while Andrus was out due to injury.  While I hate to say it, if a team comes along during the trade deadline and offers one heck of a deal for him, I would trade him. 

Question 3: Are the Rangers having buyer’s remorse on Rougned Odor’s huge deal?  Odor put the Rangers in a tough situation during a contract year by having a career season.  Since signing that contract he’s had dismal numbers that have sent him down to the taxi squad.  In 2020 he had a.167 batting average and only 30 RBI’s which is below average for a MLB Player. Right now as it stands, he has 3 years 37.5 million left but has a buyout clause for 2023 for 3 million.  If I were the Rangers I would see if he improves over the next 2 seasons.  If he doesn’t, buy him out in 2023. 

The 2021 MLB season could be an interesting one as a Rangers fan. We will see if Texas will stick with the franchise players or if they will turn a new leaf and bring up the prospects that are ready to contribute.

(DISCLAIMER) this was written prior to Elvis being traded to Oakland.

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Texas Rangers top 8 prospects in farm system

For a while now, the Texas Rangers have had one of the top farm systems in the league. While most teams trade their developing talent for current players in the majors, the Texas Rangers are set for the future with their current minor league talent. Here are the top 8 players that are in the Rangers farm system going into 2021.

  1. Josh Jung 3B

Jung spent the majority of his rookie season with the Hickory Crawdads, hitting a respectable .287/.363/.389 with 13 doubles and a home run with the South Atlantic League. Jung is literally ready for the majors and I wouldn’t be shocked if he made the 40 man roster for Rangers this year or next.

2. Nick Solak OF

Solak is basically this generations “Jason Kipnis”. The Texas Rangers were lucky to snag him from the Tampa Bay Rays for Peter Fairbanks. He’s the type of player that shows up to the ballpark, puts in the work and 12 years later you’ll be glad you drafted him. He was promoted mid season to the Rangers and he batted a .293/.393/.491 with six doubles, one triple, and five home runs in 33 games. If he produces like this again in the minors, he might have a permeant spot in the majors.

3. Hans Crouse RHP

The Texas Rangers drafted him in 2017 and he made one of the best first impressions yet. He posted a 30-7 strikeout to walk ratio in 20 games. He needs to work on his pitch squencing and accuracy a bit more down in the minors. There were some games last season before covid hit where his pitches weren’t on target and that’s a factor why he will be in minor leagues a couple more seasons. My personal opinion is I wouldn’t be shocked if he gets that accuracy under control, he will be in Rangers rotation in a couple of seasons.

4. Ronny Henriquez RHP

He is similar to Hans Crouse when it comes to his current development.  He has a decent 90 mph fastball, one of the best splitters in minor league baseball, and a good slider. Where he needs to work is staying cool under pressure with players on base.  As a starter he had two really bad games where he was trying to force pitches and ended up costing the team the game.  If he can control that, then he’s a solid third or fourth pitcher in a starting rotation.

5. Cole Winn RHP

Don’t be surprised if he gets an opportunity in Frisco this coming season.  Winn has a solid pitch arsenal that doesn’t need any work, but needs to work on his control so he is not walking batters. The Rangers could see if he can handle the pressure at Double A. If he doesn’t, don’t be surprised if the Rangers look for offers for the guy at the trade deadline this upcoming season.

6. David Wendzel 3B

David is another solid 3rd baseman in the Rangers organization.  He got on the Rangers radar while they were scouting Jung play against Baylor. While he is already 23, he’s going to have to develop fast if he wants a chance at playing in the majors. I could see him possibly being the backup 3rd baseman for the Rangers in the future if Jung needs a rest down the stretch.

7. Leody Taveras CF

Taveras is what I call a wildcard for the Rangers in the minor leagues. Every time he was promoted up the farm system his offensive production continued to diminish. He was placed at High Class A and averaged  .294/.368/.376. When he was called up to the Texas League (Double A Frisco) half way through season his averaged decreased to a mediocre .265/.320/.375. Basically the Rangers have a solid outfielder in Taveras, but his hitting needs to stay consistent if he wants to stay in majors.  

8. Bubba Thompson OF

Last but not least Bubba Thompson finishes up my list of the top eight prospects for the Texas Rangers. He was on pace to possibly be with Rangers starting in 2020. He was averaging .289/.344/.446 with 18 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, and 32 stolen bases in only 84 games in the minors before he had a lot of serious injuries that hindered his stats. If he can bounce back from these injuries and hit like he did in the minors, there’s a good chance he could be Gallo’s replacement in the outfield.

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Cowboys Draft Preview

Sorry its been a while since Ive written a blog post, due to getting ready for graduation from college and starting to job hunt for Sports Radio jobs. As the 100th NFL season ends next Sunday with the Chiefs and the 49er’s playing for it all in Miami, the Cowboys are looking to next season with a new head coach. Here is my prediction on how the Cowboys might draft under Mike McCarthy.

1st Round: Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Safeties in my opinion is the number one need for the Cowboys this year in the first round. Delpit is one of the top rated safeties in the draft this year and is projected to fall right to where the Cowboys are. His size and playmaking ability in the secondary will attract the Cowboys at the Senior Bowl.

2nd Round: Ashtyn Davis, S, Cal

Another ballhawk playmaking safety that will be available in the second round of the draft. With Xavier Woods not progressing as planned and Cowboys not forcing enough turnovers in the secondary last season, this would be the perfect draft to rebuild the safety position.

3rd Round: Collin Johnson or Devin Deuvernay, WR, Texas

It’s a tie between these two because they are basically the same size and have the same impact on the offensive side of the ball. Either one of these players will be perfect in the third round.

4th Round: Tracy James, RB, Abilene Christian

Before I get a lot of comments about this draft pick hear me out on this. He was one of the most consistent RB’s in the FCS this year averaging about 8 yards a carry and at least scored in almost every game this year for ACU. he was nicknamed “The FCS Version Of Ezikiel Elliot” Mike McCarthy loves to have a three back running scheme and would be the perfect addition to the Cowboys.

5th Round: Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa

This pick would be a smart one in the later rounds if Dak gets Franchise tagged this upcoming season and doesn’t resign. He is a good pro style QB and would be a perfect short term replacement if Dak Leaves Dallas.

7th Round: Ross Blacklock, DL, TCU

In the final round Cowboys will look for another gem for the defensive line and will look no further than TCU in Ft Worth. While a project DL, He can become what Malik Collins is for Dallas.

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