Wolf of Wall Street: 7/10

Very rarely does a film weave in AND out of Best Picture of *insert year* territory, but Wolf of Wall Street manages just that.

Accomplishing exactly what No Country For Old Men did years ago, this film was the greatest work of cinema in the calendar year----until the final act. That cursed final act that ultimately prevented this from becoming the Wall Street version of Goodfellas and Scorsese's best movie since The Departed.

The first two acts was a man's man's man's man's film. It was ballsy, it was gutsy, it was directly in your face, out of control, and so full of testosterone you become unsure if you can handle it all. It threw you right into the world of Wall Street where there were no signs of softness and Martin Scorsese directs this with a certain rampant speed and attitude that made it all the grittier and edgier. The language, sex, immorality, and take-no-prisoners approach to life within the broker industry was in full display and even though it got jarring, it was still breathtakingly entertaining to watch. The script held nothing back, and neither did the editing, directing, and especially the acting.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of the best performances of his career, and gives it an energy and furor that would make 90s Jim Carrey impressed. He threw everything he had in this role, as it required a stamina that very few actors can successfully manage. Even Daniel-Day Lewis couldn't provide a taste of the mayhem that DiCaprio provided. The rest of the cast excluding Jonah Hill (Who really, really bogged the movie down a bit) were also superb, especially Matthew McConaughey in a role that was far too short.

The soundtrack was blazing and skipping around like an indecisive teenager using an IPod shuffle, the amount of detail was staggering, and there wasn't a single dull moment. Although our lead character was a terrible human being, you couldn't help but be mesmerized and slightly jealous at all his success, while also be enthralled at the cutthroat business he was engaged in.

And then came the final act.

This movie already had a heavy Goodfellas vibe from the getgo, bringing with it a predictable aura that brought the movie twisting towards a downward spiral that never recovered. If the first half felt like an adrenaline shot to the chest, then the latter half felt like a full bottle of sleeping bills taken simultaneously. With the shift in tone and pace, all the setbacks from earlier were suddenly being put out in full display. The editing suddenly looked weaker, the script suddenly lost focus, and the movie got repetitive, really fast. There was a great sequence of physical comedy from DiCaprio that forgave all the issues temporarily, but it was immediately followed by multiple failed chances to finish the movie in a strong note.

Easily 35-40 minutes could have been cut, limiting the movie's predictable final act. But before you know it you are watching the slow descent into despair that muddles heavily after the animated testosterone-laden personality of the first half. Scorsese should know better, instead of coming off like a gambler who doesn't know when to quit while he is ahead and ending the evening dead even. Wolf of Wall Street is wildly entertaining, but being half a spectacular movie shouldn't earn you Best Picture, no matter how good the opening half is.

But Best Actor however…..is definitely, definitely here.

Her: 8/10

Leave it to Spike Jonze to create an expensive sci-fi movie that can still manage its heavy indie roots and tone.

Her is a beautifully directed comedic drama that gives a major twist to your typical lonely-boy-meets-girl film. Spike Jonze continues to impress with his ability to keep the audience engaged no matter how unique the scenario is. His biggest strength is allowing you to be embedded within the environment no matter what the circumstance is, whether it's inside the imagination of a child or inside the mind of a well-known actor.

The concept here is heavy science fiction, but believable science fiction in the style of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her follows a lonely writer that starts a relationship with an operating device (sexily voiced by Scarlett Johansson) in a futuristic world that lacks communication and intimacy between people as technology has separated everyone into their own little world. The movie paints a future in which the technology makes life easier and smoother, but makes it much harder for humans to interact and seek out their vital emotions.

Oscar-worthy performances also help carry this movie. Joaquin Phoenix is absolutely amazing as the nice, shyly vulnerable writer that continues to struggle getting over a past relationship. Phoenix flawlessly displays the raw depression that comes with having to separate from someone you loved and have spent a good hunk of your life with. And then there is Scarlett Johansson who manages to make you forget that she is just a computer program with her voice. Being able to convey all her emotions using just her vocal chords gives her one of the better voice-over performances since Ellen DeGeneres in Finding Nemo.

Spike Jonze is the biggest strength, but also its biggest weakness. Although he skillfully directs Her with a dazzling mix of technical wit and Sundance flair, his script misses the knockout punch as the movie lounges in the final act. It is a tough enough concept, and felt like it was a great idea that had trouble coming up with the proper ending. Even with the amazing amount of detail, visual hints, and superb use of color, the wonderful ride ends all too abruptly and a bit too soon.

The one advantage of Eternal Sunshine over this movie is that it had a delightful ending that wrapped up the entire story perfectly. For a movie so heavy in detail and dialogue, ambiguity can really stand out and Her does exactly that crossing the two hour threshold. Nonetheless, all the technical work from the cinematography to the art design was flawless. Just like the other Oscar contender Gravity, the visuals and direction more than make up for a script that could have used some polishing.

Her is definitely a film that will not win Best Picture because it's a bit jagged for the typical crowd and because of its explicit science fiction atmosphere (Honestly, name a sci-fi movie that won Best Picture), but it clearly stands as one of the best films of 2013 and another display as to why Spike Jonze is one of the best directors in the business.







P.S. The Moon Song is the best song from a movie of 2013-----the best song not called "Let it Go"

The Messy Party of the Baseball Hall of Fame

The Baseball Hall of Fame is in shambles and needs saving, immediately.

I know this is old news, but the fact that it still grinds my gears is a problem.

Only three players going in the Hall this year is a travesty, a tragedy, and a terrible reflection on what the Hall of Fame has become. Now I am not saying it is a total, ridiculous disaster like the 2013-2014 New York Knicks (Should have signed Jeremy Lin), but it does need plenty of adjusting to fit with the times, and to fit with the current baseball culture. If you can fix the system, then the rest of the chips will fall in its place and the improvement can begin immediately.

But before we get to the travesty and how to prevent it from happening again, let’s at least bring out the good news. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas each deserve their place in the Hall, this is most definitely true. Greg Maddux is one of the best pitchers in the past half-century, Tom Glavine was his shadow but in many ways also an excellent contributor to the reign of the 1990s Atlanta Braves, and then we have Frank Thomas whose decent years were scattered with a few phenomenal years---mostly in his younger days. Each of these players has the credentials, they have the impact, and they have the numbers necessary to be enshrined with the greats that had played before them.



Alright, good news over, now on to the bad news.


Craig Biggio (Missed it by two votes, which is more frustrating considering some of the God-awful throwaway votes by some of the writers), Jeff Bagwell (Biggio’s offense friend), Curt Schilling (Postseason Legend), Edgar Martinez (Saved Seattle Mariners baseball), and Alan Trammel (Classy man with good numbers in the roughhouse 80s) are not in the Hall of Fame.




What?

Tim Raines is not in the Hall of Fame. Repeat, the second-greatest leadoff batter in the entire history of the sport with more stolen bases than everyone except for four players is not voted in the Hall yet.





What?

Mike Mussina, a 270-win, high-caliber pitcher that went up against the offense-heavy American League his entire career and escaped with one of the highest winning percentages in the history of baseball is not in the Hall yet.














What?

Mike Piazza, hands-down the greatest bat ever seen amongst all catchers to play the game and arguably the best catcher in the last 30 years not named Johnny Bench (and…maybe Ivan Rodriguez) is not in the Hall of Fame yet.





















What??!?!?!?!???????????????????????????


This is not only ludicrous, this is inexcusable. The Hall of Fame should have had more names in the 2014 inductee class; there was far too much talent in the ballot. And we even have advanced statistics that can more accurately display a player’s worth. So how is it that players that meet the criteria before you go advanced math on their numbers, and REALLY meets the criteria once you Moneyball them, still have the door closed on their faces?


The writers.


The process isn’t flawless, but it is not the main issue behind the exclusion of worthy players. The baseball writers themselves have become a huge joke. We have one writer submit his ballot with ONLY Jack Morris. We had writers submit totally empty ballots, similar to the fiasco last year when nobody was included to the Hall.

For no logical reason whatsoever, we saw players like Eric Gagne, Jacque Jones, Kenny Rogers, and Armando Benitez receive some votes. And perhaps the straw that broke the camel’s back, we saw Dan LeBatard of ESPN deciding to sell his vote to Deadspin instead of filling out the ballot himself—adding to the mockery of the voting process.

The procedure isn’t the issue, the people in charge of voting are. We now have dozens of writers who rarely even follow the sport or have their own stupid agenda filling out dumb ballots and cluttering the chances of unsung heroes to finally have their moment in the Hall. If we have a repeat of Ron Santo—a worthy player who finally gets in only after his death—I’m just going to give up on the Hall altogether.

What we need is the Commissioner of Baseball to appoint a team of his most trusted baseball minds to devise a massive exam that you must pass before you can be considered eligible to vote for who should be in the Hall. A gruesome exam that will be demanding facts, and also demanding appreciation, knowledge, and respect of the sport. Only the strong will survive, and only those that truly care will go through the egregious process of becoming a voter. This way we have less writers like LeBetard somehow being able to decide if a baseball player should have the highest honor of being in the Hall.

But it should not just be writers voting in the Hall members. The current baseball players and Hall of Fame members should have a voice. While the writers carry the most weight in their votes, a certain percentage should belong to current ballplayers as well as past ones that got the ultimate recognition. Removing some of the power from the writers will give good underrated players like Mike Mussina and Jeff Bagwell a fighting chance in the future---especially with some of the upcoming candidates.

And now we need to discuss the limit of 10 players per ballot: Should be removed immediately, because of the PED controversy and because of the entourage of upcoming excellent players as well as great ones that have yet to receive the required 75%. Next year, we have John Smoltz (Amazing), Randy Johnson (One of the 15 best) and Pedro Martinez (At his peak, one of the 5 greatest pitchers ever) coming up—and I have not even mentioned Gary Sheffield, Carlos Delgado, and to a lesser extent Nomar Garciaparra. Is it really a bad thing if we see 7 or 8 players entering the Hall of Fame? It would make for a wonderful celebration.

The true dilemma occurs with what to do about the PED and steroid players. Some argue that we have cheaters and pricks already in the Hall of Fame. Ty Cobb is one of the biggest jerks in the history of America, and we even have the man that started preventing blacks from playing professional baseball (Cap Anson). So if we allow racists, and handicapped-abusing monsters in the Hall, why not players that decided to illegally enhance their performance during a very, very, very competitive period in baseball?

Why can’t we just separate these players and group them into a specific era? Similar to the Dead Ball Era, we can have the Home Run Era, which would sound more accepting in the Hall of Fame as the Steroid Era. The problem is just like what Anson did back in the late 1800s, it was accepted at the time, and technically even needed after the 1994 strike nearly set back baseball 25 years. Steroids saved baseball, it became a necessary evil that everyone behind the scenes was secretly acknowledging. Baseball would not be baseball today if it had not been for the Steroid Era of the 90s.

The same group of men appointed by the commissioner along with the writers should find a way to separate the records to their perspective era. Do remember that Babe Ruth lost his record of most home runs in a season because there was an increase of games decades after he passed away. If you separate the records to different timeframes, you can then leave it up to the baseball fan as to which record he or she wants to accept. You want to accept Bonds’ 73 homers? Or Maris’ 61? Or maybe even Ruth’s 60?

Not only would that allow for the fan to see the different eras and the numbers related to the perspective era, but it would also provide some clarity as to why certain other players couldn’t reach the numbers. For example, we have lots of great players in the 1940s and the 1950s that lost years because of World War II and the Korean War. Ted Williams spent time in BOTH wars, and still had over 500 home runs. What if he had played those three years? What would have happened to his home run and hits numbers? What about Willie Mays? He also lost two years to the Korean War, and that was during his peak years.

We need to recognize these players, even if we can’t truly celebrate what they achieved as they ruined the Hall of Fame grading curve with the inflated numbers. We need a committee to basically reset the Hall of Fame members and decide which still deserve a spot, and which deserve a mere mention in the Hall. We need to recognize the cheaters of the past as well. After all, if we are deciding to treat the Hall as a morality spot, we should probably open up some skeletons of players that are usually highly regarded.

Baseball has far too fascinating and far too vast a history for the Hall of Fame to dictate what to show and what not to show. The Steroid Era needs to exist and needs to be in that Hall, scandalous players and all because you would also be erasing some of the memorable moments that had occurred around this same time: Cal Ripkin’s record, Ken Griffey Jr.’s pure 90s dominance, the rise of the Atlanta Braves, The 9/11 Mets game, The Double that saved baseball in the Northwest coast, the true grit 98 Yankees, the Subway Series, the amazing 2001 World Series, Hideo Nomo’s arrival, Canadian Baseball winning the World Series, Pedro Martinez conquering hitters for several straight years, and so much more.

The Baseball Hall of Fame needs quite a bit of an overhaul, because being stuck in the past and becoming the moral police is no longer a feasible option. Too many innocent victims are falling to the current voting process. The Hall of Fame needs to split into different eras, and we need to shuffle the players already in the Hall to their perspective eras, and then destroy the limit as to how many players you can vote in the Hall. But this vote of yours will have to be earned, as my proposal for changing the procedure involves a tough test issued to you by a commissioner-appointed committee. Then, and only then will we see the likes of Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines enter and not be punished because of the likes of Barry Bonds.



Your game got crowded Baseball, it’s time to stop being so narrow-minded, and open up.

Frozen: 8/10

On its way to Pixar quality, Disney Animation Studios crafts yet another delightful post-Renaissance work of art, 4 January 2014



Watch out Pixar.

Disney Animation Studios is catching up to you.

What Frozen lacks in laughs and overall soundtrack value its recovered through a wonderful script, a superb message, and a very likable cast of characters---even if its missing the clichéd Disney villain you love to hate. This movie contains some of the strongest Disney princesses in the history of the studio and also delivers delightful and unexpected twists to the family animation formula.

Frozen follows the lives of two siblings to the royal throne that had to be separated after an unfortunate childhood incident. And by the time the rest of society can actually see them they've become two totally different princesses. Following a few complications, Princess Anna heads out into the frozen tundra to try to save her sister Elsa and the kingdom before the sudden wintery conditions become a threat to everyone's well-being.

Jennifer Lee's script is the first full screenplay by a woman in Disney animation since Beauty and the Beast. And just like the 1991 masterpiece, Frozen contains strong female characterizations and themes that resonate well with viewers. But complimenting the strong script are some strong visuals and tones that resemble that of your favorite Broadway musicals. Frozen has a Broadway feel that hasn't been felt since The Lion King far back in the Disney Renaissance period. And this is because of excellent detailed animation work, great voice acting that doesn't rely on star power, and great direction by Lee and Chris Buck—an underrated mind that was behind the underrated Tarzan and extremely under-the-radar Surf's Up.

Yes, the movie doesn't quite have the humor of Princess and the Frog (and the Disney animated wild card Emperor's New Groove) and lacks your classic Disney villain. But the likable cast of characters makes you immediately forget this, ranging from the not-as-annoying-as-you-may-think snowman Olaf to the charming rugged ice-vendor Kristoff. And even with the coldest character Princess Elsa you can't help but feel sympathy for her---especially after she delivers the show-stopping number (Let it Go) that is rising in the YouTube ranks.

Frozen is continuing the encouraging trend of delightful and strong-willed female characters meshed into unique stories within the Disney company—Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph being the other previous examples. And to add to that, with Pixar losing some steam its good to see the original Disney Animation Studio recovering from the dark ages of the early 2000s.

Despite the title, the movie's characters, themes, heart, and overall production value will warm the hearts of your kids, and you too.

Why 2013 Was an Amazing Year for Baseball

2013 was an absolutely excellent year of baseball, and the fun started before MLB’s season even started. Beginning with the excellent-yet-underappreciated World Baseball Classic and ending with the classic World Series between the Red Sox and the Cardinals, there were dozens of reasons why you should have been embedded in the pure baseball madness, and why the current seasons of the NBA and the NFL just don’t compare in terms of quality and drama. I am here to provide you and in no order whatsoever the multitude of reasons why 2013 was an awesome year to be a baseball fan----even if you are a Cubs fan.


2013 World Baseball Classic’s Magical Runs




Brazil hit the airwaves because it shockingly wound up getting into the tournament after a close-close road win against Panama, IN Panama. Led by Barry Larkin (Not making this up), Brazil rose out of practically nowhere to enter the tournament. Although Japan was in their tracks, it was a fantastic first step in attempting to become one of the global baseball leaders.


The Netherlands first became notorious for upsetting the heavily-favored Dominican Republic back in 2009. Now, they shocked even more by winding up as one of the four final teams standing in the tough tournament—led by a lot of unknowns. Up until 2009 most of the world didn’t even realize that the Dutch were so adamant on the sport. Now, they have emerged as one of the top nations for baseball talent.


Puerto Rico’s magical run went to the next level after they upset the United States in Miami during a hotly contested game. And then it reached unprecedented levels when they took out the two-time champ Japan, sending the country into a temporary frenzy. 74% of all the television sets in Puerto Rico was tuned to that game. Puerto Rican baseball was experiencing a rebirth.


But none compare to the run of the Dominican Republic, which breathes baseball on a daily basis. After two disappointing runs, the D.R. team went on a beautiful and inspiring tear, winning every single game in the tournament. The country was virtually set on pause as they watched the events unfold. And after winning the entire tournament, the east side of Hispaniola practically went into party mode for a lengthy period of time. Some day that their tournament win here was the biggest win in the history of Dominican baseball. Can’t say I disagree.


Red Sox Boston Strong




Two angry pricks decided to blow up a marathon for religious reasons (of course) and the end result was multiple dead and hundreds wounded. Boston and sports have an amazing relationship that you don’t see in many other cities across the globe. So this affected them very much. Fenway’s first game after the bombing was an emotionally-charged one and it ended with a clutch home run and the Park going absolutely crazy.


Riding the momentum of winning it for all the runners, heroes, first-responders, and citizens of one of the toughest towns in the nation, the Red Sox improbably went the distance going from last to taking the division, and clutch-hitting and shocking their way to a World Series win. This was arguably the most likable Red Sox team since the 2004 crew that broke the curse, and with that Red Sox Nation became stronger, and the ratings improved dramatically.


The other teams playing Sweet Caroline during the bombing ordeal was a beautiful, beautiful touch.


Mariano Rivera




His final season was full of dedications, thank-yous, standing ovations, good-byes, and oh yea more dominance from arguably the greatest closer in the history of the game. However nothing compares to his final appearance in Yankee Stadium. Prepare to cry.


Yasiel Puig




This man came virtually out of nowhere and electrified Dodger Nation to a degree not seen in decades. While this man wasn’t the only one putting up the numbers, his intense style of play combined with excellent athletic ability was the perfect juggernaut to lift Los Angeles into the playoffs and a couple games away from the World Series. And he accomplished all this in just his first season----and didn’t even play all of it. Imagine what he could potentially accomplish given an entire year!


Jose Fernandez




But Puig didn’t win Rookie of the Year. That’s because there is a pitcher equally as intense, equally as athletic, equally as happy to be in the game, but his importance on his team is far, far, far superior to that of Puig. Fernandez nearly won 20% of the Marlins games with his fastball, his energy, and his passion. This kid is inspiring and fun to watch---even if it means the other teams not enjoying his presence.


Pittsburgh Pirates




They finally did it. They finally clinched a winning record, and even got themselves a playoff spot. The Pirates had not seen the postseason since 1992, when a Braves rally separated them from the World Series. Now led by a lovable crew, a great manager, and MVP Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates made Pittsburgh interested in baseball once again. They were definitely the feel-good baseball story of 2013.


Kansas City Royals




They did not make the playoffs, but put up an awesome fight and were relevant all the way up until September. For only the second time since 1994, the Royals were a good team and were poised to shuffle the AL Central. Although they ran out of steam, Kansas City has reason to look forward to 2014.


Oakland Athletics




This team is fun to watch, and once again achieved past expectations and rose past their limited budget to earn the division crown. There is no one outstanding player that runs the team, but instead we have a ragtag mix of youngsters and veterans running the floor with a hard-nosed and garage rock star edge that peaks whenever the fiery Grant Balfour comes off the mound to the sound of Metallica. It’s a shame that the Tigers seem to always have their number. Now, as for the talk of a new stadium…


Tampa Bay Rays




If there is a team that baffles the baseball world, it has to be the Tampa Bay Rays. Year after year they defy expectations, barely-there budget, ridiculously awful fanbase, terrible stadium, constant threats of relocation to compete in September. They survived making the playoffs by getting past two teams that ended the season on winning streaks. They survived four consecutive must-win games. They survived setbacks on defense, pitching, and hitting. It never makes sense on paper them winning 90+ games and having the third-best record in all of baseball since 2008. But here they are. The Rays will forever be one or two players away from being a World Series contender. If the revenue ever goes up, look out baseball. Seriously.


Evan Gattis




Was there a more beautifully poetic moment than the former janitor-turned pro hitting a home run as his first hit while the father was being interviewed? I think not. Beautiful father-son moment here indeed. And he had a heck of a year too.


ALCS




In this crazy series, we saw a multitude of one-run games, a couple near no-hitters, and enough clutch hitting to fill the highlight reel for weeks. And the ultimate moment of the series was the Game 2 grand slam by David Ortiz that was almost miraculously caught by Torii Hunter, and led to so much pandemonium it shook the nation.


Wil Myers




The big Royals prospect traded to the Rays for some I-need-to-win-now talent, Myers became the lifeline in the sinking Tampa offense in the summer by putting up impressive numbers and combining that with a laid-back Garfield attitude. Eerily similar to Evan Longoria, if he can start hitting like the third baseman, than the Rays will become a sure-fire threat with two Evans in the lineup.


Koji Uehara




At 38 years old becoming the top closer in baseball? Hard to believe, but Uehara became another one of those Boston Wild Cards by being moved into the back end of the bullpen because of injuries. What Boston didn’t expect was the pure dominance that would follow. Becoming the top closer, becoming the ALCS MVP, and then throwing out the final pitch of the season and helping the Red Sox become World Series champions.


Todd Helton




In a quietly productive career, Helton was a humble man that loved to play. But the humbleness would be overshadowed by the overwhelming support he got on his final home game in Colorado. He returns the favor by hitting a home run in his first at-bat of his final game at Coors. Yes, we can’t make this sort of stuff up.


Game 163




David Price cannot beat the Texas Rangers, ever. The Rays and Rangers needed an extra game to decide the postseason. But of course Maddon being Maddon leaves Price in there regardless to take on his kryptonite. And what we got was a fun, tense, 5-2 victory that would be the second of four must-wins the Rays would earn in their crazy season. We got two straight nights of must-win baseball and we had not even hit the postseason yet.


Henderson Alverez




And what better way to end the season than with a no-hitter? Although the Miami Marlins fanbase is broken beyond repair thanks to their cornerstone prick of an owner, they had a lot of nice moments with their young, talented, and passionate squad. Maybe with a few years (and different ownership) they can become a threat and can make Miami love baseball consistently for the first time---ever. Alverez capped the season off by being the first pitcher to win the no-hitter, while being in the on-deck circle. And of course it was also the first time a no-hitter was completed because of a wild pitch. I love baseball….


Matt Harvey




The Mets also don’t have much to root for, except for their phenomenal pitcher that was breathing life into the organization throughout the season. While having three no-hit bids, he wields a very impressive arsenal of pitches that makes him nearly the NL version of a younger Justin Verlander. And although he is out for 2014, if the Mets can round up a couple more pitchers than they can become the NL version of the Tampa Bay Rays---an organization founded and almost fully run on pitching. David Price would also be absolutely perfect here.


Cleveland Indians




Although their journey in the postseason was very short-lived, Cleveland had a lot to root for as Jason GIambi and Terry Francona led a good young squad into a very successful year that saw plenty of walk-offs, happy moments, and an uplifting of the fanbase. Francona is a proven winner and who knows, maybe with a few added pieces we can see Cleveland in the championship dance for the first time since the 90s.


The 2013 World Series




The Cardinals and Red Sox were two very evenly-matched teams with lots of history and lots of amazing fans to boot meeting in the final series of the season. What we got were incredible games, tons of close finishes, high television ratings, plenty of drama, plenty of controversy, and a great finish to a great season. Whether or not you were a fan of either team, if you were a baseball fan you can bet you were invested.



Let’s also not forget the insane finishes to Game 3 and Game 4


Chris Davis




This man was chasing the home run record, but not the actual one that exists. He was going after 61, which he believes is the record even though Bonds has 73 back in the day. This created lots of talk amongst the baseball community as to what the record really is. Whatever you believe, Davis made a very good case and although he fell short, definitely made Maris, Ruth, McGuire, and Bonds nervous.


Justin Verlander




Is there not a better pitcher in baseball? Although his fastball is considerably down and although he wasn’t as dominant, he was the man in the playoffs as he delivered gem after gem after gem against the Athletics and the Red Sox. Knocking out the Athletics two years in a row and making Boston nervous, he remains the face of Tigers nation with his intensity, and his desire to play to win. Arguably the best pitcher in the 21st century not named Pedro Martinez, Verlander going to the mound is an event always worth watching.


Raul Ibanez




Mid-life crisis eat your heart out. Ibanez’ impressive run after 40 continued as he provided most of the power in the Mariners squad after the Yankees inexplicably let him go after all the playoff festivities in 2012. He also tied the record with Ted Williams with most homers by a 41-year-old. To add to his resume: a class act and one of the nicest players in all of baseball. Very odd that he keeps having to jump teams.


Los Angeles Dodgers




Dodger Nation has risen again. After years of disappointing results and an uncertain future, Magic Johnson and company have increased the spending, increased the expectations, and have risen the L.A. squad form the ashes of pointlessness and brought the excitement of baseball to Hollywood. Under the Yankee-tough guise of Mattingly and with a good Hispanic-friendly staff, the Dodgers will become a household sports name for years to come as long as Magic maintains his intense desire to win that he possessed during the Laker days.


The Fenway Clincher


The Red Sox clinched in Fenway Park for the first time since the 1910s. That is all you need to know.


The Legend of Sam Fuld




The beauty of the Legend is that you have an average joe ballplayer with weak hitting numbers still making excellent contributions to the team with defensive plays, snarky baserunning, and timely hitting. And of course, also by throwing out one of the hated Red Sox in a very heated playoff-like contest that caused a good amount of controversy the following couple of days. Sam Fuld is fun to watch because he isn’t as talented as most of the baseball players but will give out his entire body for the win.


Rise of Canadian Baseball




Canada made an impressive run in the World Baseball Classic, and even got into a tussle with Mexico after the Mexicans were getting agitated at the beatdown they were getting. The Blue Jays fanbase was averaging 31,000 a game as their team got a total makeover, even if it wielded mildly mediocre results. Lastly, the Montreal Expos noise is increasing seven-fold. So guess what MLB, Canada is becoming a bigger part of baseball and its time to start embracing it.


Miguel Cabrera




The best hitter in baseball, no doubt about it. Giving life to the problematic region of Detroit, his exceptional batting skills are giving people in Michigan something to root for in the midst of the economic turmoil. Watching him year after year continue to baffle pitchers left and right remains a sight to behold. Take a good glance, because it might be a while before you see a hitter this good again.




All-Star Tribute




Just watch.



Manny Machado




There have been lots of great defensive players (Carlos Gomez comes to mind) but nothing can top Machado’s defense at third as he delivered great play after great play. One of our great young stars in the game, he also made the play of the year with a throw that ranks as one of the best you’ll ever see in your life.


Rays/Red Sox Rivalry




The top rivalry in baseball right now involves these two. They generally do not like each other, the fans don’t really get along, and they have been clashing so often to reach the postseason that fights and disagreements and arguments are bound to happen. The bad blood has also created tons of memorable games, memorable moments, and have ultimately allowed for each team to enter the next level of success and quality. Expect these two to clash for years to come.


Dodgers/D’Backs Rivalry




This rivalry came out of nowhere and is pretty much the top NL rivalry of 2013. Starting with plenty of hit batsman and ending with a controversy involving the Dodgers celebrating in a pool, these two teams have been sharing some bad blood for the past couple of years. Don’t expect it go anywhere either.




And finally, the ultimate reason why 2013 was amazing in terms of baseball:









Say whatever you want, I don’t care. There is absolutely nothing like baseball.


Is it baseball season yet?