if they are not paired with tactical from zgr123's blog
When youre typing the name Alex Rodriguez or A-Rod almost every day, it gets you to thinking about many things, including why there are so few nicknames in baseball anymore. Bruno Caboclo Jersey . There used to be a time when it seemed all the stars had a handle. There was Rocket Roger Clemens, Bill The Spaceman Lee, Randy Big Unit Johnson, and just Lefty for Steve Carlton to name just a few for pitchers. Then there were the stars and the baseball legends such as George Herman Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, Stan the Man Musial, Hammerin Hank Aaron, the Kid Ken Griffey Jr. and that other Kid – late great Hall of Famer Gary Carter. You can come up with so many more yourselves. What surprised me, when I did a little digging, was the most popular nickname ever is Doc. Marlin Bressi did an article for Yahoo in 2011 detailing 81 different players with that nickname. I even managed to come up with a few more that werent on that list - Roy Doc Halladay, Ron Taylor known by all in these parts as Doc Taylor, because he actually is a practicing physician in Toronto. Another name I remembered from his brief stay with the Blue Jays was right hander Danny Darwin, who was known as Doctor Death, for not being afraid to throw high and tight on batters. And then there was the late Dock Ellis, who spelled his with the K. And the greatest Doc of them all was probably New York Mets star Dwight Gooden who short-circuited his outstanding pitching career by abusing drugs and alcohol. The Doc I really wanted to tell you about though, is Maurice Mike Doc Powers - a catcher who began his big league career in the late 1800s and played thru the early 1900s mainly for the Philadelphia As. I always thought the first and only baseball death, related to an on-field incident, involved shortstop Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians. On August 16 of 1920, Carl Mays - a hard-throwing, side-winding pitcher - hit Chapman in the head with a pitch. He collapsed and died in hospital 12 hours later. That incident led to the outlawing of the spit ball and a rule change whereby umpires would remove balls from games as soon as they became scuffed or scratched or anyway discoloured. I was surprised to find out Chapman may not have been the first to die because of something that happened in a Major League game. On April 12 of 1909, the Philadelphia As were playing their season opener at Shibe Park. It was quite a sight - the first stadium ever built entirely of concrete and steel, a state-of-the-art facility for its time. Mike Doc Powers was in the twilight of his career in 1909 at age 38. He was also a licenced, practicing physician. In the later years of his career Doc Powers was known as the Personal catcher of Future Hall of Famer Eddie Plank. Powers was also considered to be the unofficial pitching coach of the As and the right hand man to their legendary skipper Connie Mack.At some point early in this Opening Day game against the Red Sox, Powers made a Herculean effort to catch a foul pop and crashed hard into a wall. By the seventh inning he was doubled over in pain in the dugout. Doc Powers insisted, he should finish the game, which ended as an 8-1 victory for Philadelphia. After the game, Powers was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with gastritis and or Peritonitis. Two days later he was operated on for a twisted/strangulated intestine. A surgeon removed a section of the intestine. Unfortunately, gangrene had begun to set in and after two more operations Doc Powers died on April 26 of 1909. Powers, over the last two weeks of his life, was reluctant to blame his condition on baseball. He actually thought he became ill from eating a spoiled cheese sandwich during the game. Author Brian McKenna, who deeply researched this story, mentioned it could have been a pre-existing condition that just happened to surface on that day. Doc Powers funeral was on April 29 and the entire As and Washington Senators teams were on hand, along with players from four other teams. So popular was Powers that thousands of mourners had to be turned away. Two years later on July 1 of 1910, the As organized what might have been the very first benefit game. Eight thousand dollars was raised for Doc Powers children. I found another fascinating Doc as well. Doc Cramer played in the majors for 20 seasons up until 1948 and helped the Detroit Tigers win the 1945 World Series over the Chicago Cubs - the last time the Cubbies made it to the Fall Classic. Cramer finished with a .296 batting average and 2,705 hits. Thats the most hits for any player before 1975 who didnt wind up in the Hall of Fame. Jason Thompson Raptors Jersey . The 22-year-old Kreider was injured Friday night in New Yorks win at Columbus, but played in the next two games -- including Monday nights win over Phoenix. But the left winger, who has 17 goals and 37 points this season, was limited to about 10 minutes of ice time in each of the previous games. DeMarre Carroll Jersey .com) - John Wall supplied 24 points and 11 assists in leading the Washington Wizards to a 102-91 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day.The Montreal Impact achieved two very important objectives in 2013: they won the Canadian Championship, and they qualified for the MLS Playoffs. Unfortunately, the manner of their 3-0 playoff defeat to the Houston Dynamo left a very sour taste in the mouth. That ultimately saw the Marco Schallibaum era come to end, and the Swiss coach was replaced with former Chicago Fire coach, Frank Klopas. The move surprised some - the Impact were thought to be looking for a European to replace Schallibaum - but Montreal felt that Klopas has the right mix of MLS experience and understanding of the Impacts philosophy as a club to be the man to lead them over the next three years. Given the Impacts desire to embed their playing philosophy, I dont expect them to deviate from their preferred 1-4-2-3-1 formation. If that is the approach they continue to employ, this is how I expect them to line up: Goalkeeper - Troy Perkins Perkins is a steady, reliable MLS goalkeeper. He probably didnt get the credit he deserved last year - which may be down to the fact that he was playing in Montreal, rather than in an American MLS city - but he did lead the league in saves with 109. He will be hoping that he wont be as busy this season; a settled back four will have a big influence on whether or not that is the case. But even if the back four is breached, the Impact have a safe pair of gloves in goal in Perkins. Right Fullback - Hassoun Camara Camaras position in the team will be determined, I suspect, on the form and fitness of their central defenders. If Nelson Rivas can somehow manage to stay healthy for more than two weeks, he will partner Matteo Ferrari. If not, then Wandrille Lefevre will get the chance to impress beside Ferrari. If Lefevres form dips, expect to see Camara or new signing Heath Pearce slide inside to play centre back. This may very well be Camaras best position, but I expect to at least see him start the season at right fullback. Camara is good in the air, likes to get forward, and has even shown a knack for scoring goals. If he can cut out the mental lapses that crept into his game at times last season, he will be an ever-present in Klopas team. Left Fullback - Heath Pearce Aside from suffering a badly broken nose that forced him to miss four games, Jeb Brovsky was a fixture at left fullback last season. Right now, though, Brovsky is nursing his way back from a knee injury and will likely miss the start of the season. Montreal have been looking at options at this position, and their first round draft pick, Eric Miller, can play left fullback. But it is likely that Frank Klopas will prefer to go with former New York Red Bull, Heath Pearce, who has signed for the club after impressing in pre-season. Pearce is versatile, and can play both left fullback and central defender. That could prove useful for the Impact, who have injury and form concerns at both of these positions. Central Defender - Matteo Ferrari It is essential for Matteo Ferrari to remain healthy this season. With doubts over the fitness of Nelson Rivas, and question marks over whether or not Wandrille Lefevre can perform week in, week out, Ferrari is the rock upon which Frank Klopas back four needs to be built. Ferrari is arguably the best central defender in MLS - his pedigree is unmatched. He reads the game supremely well, and at times seems to be strolling through the game. He needs to ensure that he remains fully focused though, as his experience will be vital for the Impact in 2014. Central Defender - Nelson Rivas* The asterisk is there for one reason and one reason only - Nelson Rivas is never healthy. Rivas played only one game last season - the 3-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Playoffs - and managed to get himself sent off in the process. Hardly a ringing endorsement, but anyone who has tracked the career of the Colombian over the years will know that Rivas is more than capable of being a star defender in MLS. He is big, strong, fearless and comfortable with a ball at his feet. If he can miraculously get himself healthy, he will play alongside Ferrari. If not, expect Wandrille Lefevre to be given an opportunity to hold onto the position, as Adrian Lopez – signed last season from Wigan Athletic – is still not fully fit after recovering from ACL surgery. Defensive Midfield - Patrice Bernier Recently installed as the Impacts captain, Bernier has been a reliable performer for Montreal - despite having to overcome some obstacles in 2012. Dropped from the starting lineup by then head coach, Jesse Marsch, Bernier took the high road. He didnt complain, he didnt voice his disapproval in the media; he worked harder, got back in the team, and in the end, was voted team MVP. That is the kind of leadership that made selecting the Montreal native as the clubs next skipper a no-brainer. Luis Scola Raptors Jersey. Expect Bernier to anchor the midfield yet again this season. Defensive Midfield - Hernan Bernardello It was difficult to gauge the ability of Bernardello at times last season; it is always a challenge for players who join a club part-way through their season to really show their best form. But I saw enough from Bernardello to think that he is going to be a very good player for Montreal in the years to come. His touch on the ball is exquisite; his vision and passing range is superb. His effectiveness will increase as he becomes more familiar with his teammates and their tendencies - something that a full pre-season should do wonders for. Barring injury, expect to see B&B - Bernier and Bernardello - patrolling the midfield for Montreal this season. Right Midfield - Justin Mapp With two goals and eight assists, Justin Mapp had a good season for Montreal last year. But I think that Frank Klopas should expect more from the talented left-footer. When he is on form, Mapp can dominate games. He likes to play on his off-wing, so that he can drift inside on his left foot and strike for goal or slide passes through gaps between defenders. If he can pin his fullback high, he will create space for Camara to drive into, or for Bernier and Bernardello to slide across. The one area that Id like to see improvement in is consistency. If Mapp can bring his best game week in, week out, he will be a major asset for the Impact. Left Midfield - Sanna Nyassi This is a problem position for Montreal - because no one has really claimed it as their own. Cue the arrival of Uruguayan, Santiago Gonzalez. Nominally a forward, if Montreal goes with a 1-4-2-3-1- formation, it will be Marco Di Vaio playing up front on his own. So if Klopas wants to get his most talented players on the pitch at the same time, hell need to find room for Gonzalez on the wing, or as an attacking midfielder. But Gonzalez has played sparingly in preseason, as both a winger and as an attacking midfielder. It will take him time to acclimatize to his new team and to MLS, so until he is deemed to be ready, expect Sanna Nyassi to start over Blake Smith and Andres Romero. Nyassi can be very effective, but needs to be far more consistent in 2014 if he is to stay in the team. Attacking Midfield - Felipe Martins Felipe Martins had an outstanding debut season in MLS in 2012. His four goals and 10 assists underlined his role as a creative force in the Impact midfield. In 2013, he put up decent numbers again - 5 goals and 8 assists - but didnt seem to be as influential in Marco Schallibaums team. He wasnt an ever-present in midfield, and often had to make do with a place on the bench. This season, if the Impact are going to succeed, they need Felipe to be on the ball, facing goal as often as possible. He has good feet, an eye for a pass, and isnt afraid to shoot when in the attacking third. If the Impact are going to get goals from midfield, they will need to come from Felipe, in particular. Forward - Marco Di Vaio Aside from the first three games of the season (when Di Vaio will be suspended), expect to see the Italian legend leading the line for Montreal. At the age of 37, Di Viaos best years are behind him. But give him the ball anywhere close to goal, and he will once again show that he is the most clinical finisher in MLS. His 20 goals last season were the reason the Impact made their first-ever playoff appearance. He will need to come close to matching that in 2014 if Montreal is to make a second appearance in post-season play. The reason for that is that the Impact have very little else up front. Andrew Wenger - the number one draft pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft - has not shown the instinct and tactical understanding to be an effective forward in MLS. Work rate and fitness are of little use if they are not paired with tactical nous and finishing ability. Wengers two goals (from 24 appearances, eight as a starter) in 2013 will need to be increased considerably if he is to have a career in the game as a striker. Santiago Gonzalez will likely see time up front as well this season, and it will be hoped that he proves to be more prolific in front of goal that his American counterpart. For head coach Frank Klopas, the objectives will be the same as they were for Schallibaum: win the Canadian championship and qualify for the playoffs. As weve seen time and time again, the regular season goes out the window when the playoffs get under way, so that is the first step to winning MLS Cup. The key for the Impact this season is this: their experienced players (Camara, Bernier, Bernardello, Di Vaio) must stay healthy and must play well. If they dont, the Impact does not have the depth in their squad to cope. 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