Early Signs of Doom for MLB’s Expected 2019 Contenders

The 2019 Major League Baseball season has only been going for three weeks and change, but the expected status quo is already in jeopardy.cheap nike nfl jerseys free shipping

To wit, a few teams that were expected to be heavy hitters in the American League and National League playoff races are off to slow starts that are laced with signs of lasting doom.

We will focus on seven in particular, plus a few dishonorable mentions. These teams have been worse than anticipated out of the gate, with flaws that run the gamut from offensive, defensive and pitching problems to plain ol’ injury issues.china nike nfl jerseys cheap

We’ll start in the AL East and work our way to the NL West.

Record: 12-10, 2nd in AL East

Relative to the 100 games they won in 2018, the New York Yankees’ early record is a massive disappointment. Considering who occupies their injured list, it could be worse.

Currently out of commission for the Yankees are outfielders Aaron Judge,cheap nfl nike jerseys from china  Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury, infielders Didi Gregorius, Miguel Andujar, Troy Tulowitzki and Greg Bird, catcher Gary Sanchez and pitchers Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Ben Heller and Jordan Montgomery.

What’s more, many of these injuries are of the serious variety. Per the official MLB.com tracker, only Stanton and Sanchez are expected back before the end of April.nike nfl cheap jerseys
The big concern right now is how long Judge, a two-time All-Star and elite power supply, will be out with the oblique injury he sustained on Saturday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters it’s a “pretty significant” injury.nike nfl jerseys wholesale cheap
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These injuries hardly constitute a roster construction flaw, yet they’re nonetheless a harsh reality that New York has to deal with. This season will be a success story only if the Yankees ultimately rise above their current .500-ish pace.nfl cheap jerseys nike

Record: 9-13, 4th in AL East

The Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation has been knocked around, yet hope has materialized. Per MLB.com’s Dawn Klemish, Boston starters went from an 8.79 through their first 13 games to a 3.21 ERA over their next nine. cheap nike nfl jerseys from china

Now it’s the Boston offense’s turn to get going, because this isn’t pretty:

2018: .792 OPS and 5.4 R/G
2019: .691 OPS and 4.2 R/G

Apart from J.D. Martinez and Mitch Moreland, nobody is free from blame for the Red Sox’s offensive downfall. That includes reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts, who’s gone from a 1.078 OPS to a pedestrian .783. In his own words, what he’s doing is “unacceptable.”nike jerseys nfl cheap

The guys in the Red Sox’s lineup also need to shape up on the other side of the ball. The club’s defense ranks 24th in efficiency, rooted in some truly sloppy play.

It should bode well that the Red Sox have carried over essentially the same lineup that led the charge to 108 wins and a World Series title in 2018. But there’s clearly a hangover effect in play right now, and such things have been known to last.

The key word for Lions GM Bob Quinn during free agency: Versatility

It’s a word you should be used to by now if you’ve been following the NFL for any length of time, or at least the Detroit Lions since Bob Quinn took over as general manager in early 2016: versatility.

Or, put another way, position flexibility.nfl jerseys for sale

When Quinn looked at some of the bigger signings the Lions made during free agency earlier this month, those two descriptors kept coming up. They popped up with Justin Coleman and Trey Flowers. And while it wasn’t mentioned specifically, the fact that players such as Zach Zenner, Tommylee Lewis and Danny Amendola could be versatile enough to have special-teams and offensive roles only increased their value.

So the more you can do, the more it makes sense for you to be in Detroit. Take Flowers, whom the Lions gave $90 million — $56 million guaranteed — to serve as a replacement for Ezekiel Ansah as an edge rusher.authentic nfl jerseyi

“Feel he’s going to be able to be a three-down player for us,” Quinn told reporters Monday at the owners meetings in Phoenix. “And really increase that level of play across the defensive line and obviously play multiple positions personalized nfl jerseys cheap , so that was a guy we targeted, obviously.” free nfl jerseys

Flowers can play all over the defensive line, and the Lions are hoping his production at least matches, if not surpasses, the 7.5 sacks he had in New England last season — and eventually, the 21 sacks he’s registered since the Patriots drafted him in 2015. Quinn then talked about Coleman, who played some on the outside in New England and was an inside corner for two years in Seattle.

The same description came up: “Position versatility,” because that’s something that’s always been important to Quinn.nike nfl jersey

“Position versatility, for sure, is key,” Quinn said. “Going forward he’s more inside than outside but we’re going to kind of go through the process and see how he fits within our group.”

Based on Detroit’s moves thus far, the outside corner spot opposite Darius Slay is loaded with questions as Rashaan Melvin, Mike Ford and Teez Tabor compete for the role. But if the Lions feel good with, say, Jamal Agnew in the slot, Coleman could end up playing both outside and inside in Detroit.nfl jerseys sale

It was clear how much Detroit valued the onetime Patriots. The Lions targeted Flowers and Coleman early in free agency and got both deals done fast, giving the two nearly $74 million in guaranteed money.wholesale nfl jersey

“There’s certain years you can be more aggressive than others, and I think with the money that we paid those guys, the contracts speak to what we think of ’em,” Quinn said. “And that they can help us win games, and that’s the bottom

Lions will accept consequences of ‘Hard Knocks’ if chosen

The Detroit Lions – as closed off as the franchise might want to be – has been pretty open and transparent about one thing: There is little to no interest in being on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” For months now, general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia have been campaigning against it.

They even suggested at the team’s season ticket holder summit how good of a candidate the Oakland Raiders and Jon Gruden would be – and that was before the franchise traded for Antonio Brown. At the end of all of it, though,nfl jerseys for cheap authentic  the Lions also know they have little actual say in the matter.

If HBO wants the Lions, the Lions will have to comply.

“It’s an interesting thing because obviously we’re one of the teams, as you all know, that could be forced to be on it,” Lions team president Rod Wood told reporters at the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday. “I’d much rather end up in a  nfl jersey supply position of not being forced to be on it.i

“Since we’re in that position I guess cheapest nfl jerseys we’ll have to live with the consequences of what they decide.”official nfl jerseys

Wood said there haven’t been any “direct conversation” about whether the Lions would be the team the popular television show chooses for the year. And he also wasn’t sure about the timetable for a decision, although in past years the decision has usually come down in April or May.wholesale authentic nfl jerseys

He also didn’t know if the Lions were still under consideration or had been eliminated from those talks. Detroit is one of five teams that would have to do the show if asked. The others are the Raiders, Giants, Redskins and 49ers.buy nfl jerseys

There is a thought, of course, that doing the show could help the marketing side of a team, but Wood said they would prefer not to be in this position.

“There’s the episodic viewing of it on HBO and does that help the brand somewhat depends on how well it goes, I think,” Wood said. “As I said, I’d much rather not be qualified for it. Let’s be in the playoffs, not be one of the teams that are eligible.”womens nfl jerseys

While the Raiders seem like the obvious option, here’s something to consider. nfl nike jerseys That franchise might be more intriguing in 2020 – if you work with the thought that Oakland isn’t going to fire Gruden and on paper seem like a non-favorite to make the playoffs – when the club is expected to start play in Las Vegas.

LABron James

Was there any doubt?

LeBron James might be entering his 16th professional season, well past the point at which mere mortals begin undergoing steep declines,

but he’s also playing arguably the best basketball of his career. Forget about the regular season. During the playoffs, he averaged a

scorching 34.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 9.0 assists while slashing 53.9/34.2/74.6 and willing the Cleveland Cavaliers into a battle with

the Golden State Warriors for the umpteenth time. nfl cheap nike jerseys

Despite having so much mileage, he led the entire field in minutes played, player efficiency rating, win shares, win shares per 48

minutes, box plus/minus and value over replacement player. Though Kevin Durant emerged with Finals MVP, James was unquestionably the

NBA’s leading figure, as has been the case at so many different points throughout his illustrious career. new nike nfl jerseys for sale cheap

Precedent might dictate an upcoming drop-off, but James is an unprecedented player. FiveThirtyEight.com’s CARMELO forecast, for example,

has him falling to 11.5 WAR—higher than the 2017-18 efforts of Durant (7.1), Stephen Curry (8.1), Giannis Antetokounmpo (9.2) and

almost everyone else. He may still be the league’s best player moving forward, mind-numbing as that may seem.

Now, those talents will benefit the Los Angeles Lakers. cheap wholesale nike nfl jerseys

James alone pushes the Purple and Gold from the lottery to postseason contention in the brutal Western Conference, even though the

team’s subsequent signings (Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee) haven’t done much to facilitate that rise. But we also can’t cheap nike jerseys nfl

overlook the impact he might have on the growth of incumbent youngsters such as Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball.

Some players have struggled to coexist with James. He’s not an easy figure to thrive alongside, given his ball dominance and constant

quest for perfection. But those who do accept their roles will benefit from the attention he always draws and potentially grow into even

more valuable pieces. cheap nfl jerseys from china nike

Oakland Raiders Sign Tahir Whitehead

Bolstering the defense had to be an offseason goal for the Oakland Raiders, who allowed an average of 350.1 yards per game last season (23rd in the NFL). They took a big step toward accomplishing that goal by adding former Detroit Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead.

Whitehead may not be one of the league’s star linebackers, but he is an extremely productive player who will improve the second level of Oakland’s defense. The 2012 fifth-round pick racked up 110 tackles, two passed defended, an interception and a sack last season. He has amassed more than 100 tackles in each of the last two years.

With six years of experience under his belt, Whitehead is also poised to be a leader on Oakland’s new-look defense.kids nfl jerseys cheap

“Whitehead is a guy that is very vocal. Very vocal,” fellow linebacker Derrick Johnson said, per the Raiders’ official website.

Johnson, who joined Oakland after playing 13 seasons with the rival Kansas City Chiefs, was an addition that generated a lot more buzz this offseason. Don’t be surprised, however, if Whitehead is the new linebacker who has the biggest impact.

You may have heard this before, but the Detroit Lions haven’t had a player rush for at least 100 yards in a game since 2013 (Reggie Bush). This is a fact that loomed large behind the team’s decision to use a second-round pick on former Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson.kids nfl jerseys

Johnson isn’t the only running back the Lions added this offseason, however. They also brought in LeGarrette Blount, and he shouldn’t be overlooked.

While Johnson is likely to be Detroit’s workhorse back of the future, Blount is a strong between-the-tackles runner who can add punch to the running game. He proved as much with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, rushing for 766 yards and 4.4 yards per carry.nfl kids jerseys

“When I think about how I can contribute to this team, the first thing that jumps out is my physicality,” Blount explained on his official website (via Lions Wire). “It’s extremely important for any team to get good at short yardage and converting on third down.”nfl jerseys for kids

Blount is also familiar with new Lions head coach Matt Patricia from their time together in New England. Expect him to have a big role in both the team’s development and its success this season.cheap kids nfl jerseys

Arizona Cardinals Trade for Jamar Taylor

The Browns added a number of quality players this offseason, but they’ve jettisoned a couple as well. Cornerback Jamar Taylor is one such player, and he could immediately walk into a starting role for the Arizona Cardinals opposite Patrick Peterson.discount nfl jerseys

Taylor was a starter each of the past two seasons in Cleveland, and in most instances, he performed well. Last season, he amassed 62 tackles, 10 passes defended and a forced fumble. Taylor knows how to make plays on the ball, and he isn’t afraid to get rough.

“He’s physical, and I love the way he tackles,” Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks said, per Bob Baum of the Associated Press. “We take a lot of pride in that, of course I do, in making sure our cornerbacks tackle.”nfl discount jerseys

Taylor’s also inexpensive. He agreed to a pay cut and will carry a cap hit of $1.8 million this season. Considering the Cardinals gave up just a 2020 sixth-round pick to get him, he could prove to be one of the biggest steals—and most underrated additions—of the offseason.
Most of the buzz surrounding the Indianapolis Colts this offseason has involved the health and recovery of quarterback Andrew Luck’s throwing shoulder. The Colts have also attempted provide Luck support upon his return, which is of equal importance.

The first-round selection of former Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson was a much-needed move to help protect the quarterback. Two other draft picks, however, also appear poised to provide Luck with a boost—though neither was as heralded as Nelson.nfl jerseys discount

Indianapolis used a fourth-round pick on former NC State running back Nyheim Hines and a sixth-round pick on former Clemson wideout Deon Cain. Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star recently reported that both are turning heads in offseason workouts.

“He’s just hard to understand defensively, in my mind, how you’re going to play him. He kind of reminds me a little bit of a Dexter McCluster type,” Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni said, describing Hines’ ability to create mismatches, per Keefer.discount nfl jerseys china

Head coach Frank Reich has been impressed with Cain’s ability to be an impact receiver.

“I’ve seen playmaking ability; I’ve seen really good body control,” he said, per Keefer. “Good speed. Good route-runner. With a lot of young guys, you just need to fight for the consistency to do it every play. I really commend Deon.”

Cain and Hines may have exited draft weekend as afterthoughts, but both have the potential to be big pieces of the Colts offense this season.nfl jersey discount

Ranking the NFL’s Best Shutdown Cornerbacks

For the most part, the lifespan of a true shutdown cornerback in the NFL is unmercifully short.

Had this article been written three years ago, we’d likely be discussing the upcoming 2016 performances of Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Josh Norman and Darrelle Revis. Now, none of those players are near the top of the list.cheap nike nfl jerseys free shipping

The position is difficult to attain because of the traits of a shutdown corner, and that’s why even the best in the business struggle to maintain their status. A shutdown corner has to erase his opponent’s best receiver on a week-to-week basis, which requires him to adjust his game to that player.nfl nike jerseys for cheap

One week, he may be facing a 6’5″, 240-pound behemoth who wants to jar his helmet from his head on every down. The next, he could be covering a 5’10” track star who could tie him knots with perfectly run routes.

Not only does he have to understand and execute coverage in zone, man and hybrid concepts, but he must also take advantage of specific techniques that allow him to turn receptions into disasters for the opposing quarterback.nfl cheap jerseys nike

He must play the boundary all the way down the field to take away the vertical routes. He must do the same when his receiver is headed up the seam as quickly as possible. He may need to slide into the slot if that’s where his receiver goes, and then he’s covering his man without the sideline as a helper. He must play trail, bail and press coverage at a high level, and he must do it over and over, more than 1,000 times per season.nike cheap nfl jerseys

It’s no mystery why shutdown cornerbacks are so valuable in today’s game. Here are the 10 best heading into the 2018 NFL season.

Tennessee Titans: RB Derrick Henry

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has started just four games in his two NFL seasons, but the 2016 second-round pick has accumulated 1,507 yards from scrimmage while scoring 11 touchdowns and averaging 4.3 yards per carry in those two campaigns.cheap nfl jersey wholesale

He hasn’t lost a single fumble on 310 touches.

That might partially explain why the Titans moved on from veteran back DeMarco Murray in the offseason, although Henry will still have to fight for reps with the arrival of free-agent addition Dion Lewis.

Still, look for Henry’s role to increase. He was clearly a backup at the start of last season, but new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur told the media last week—per Paul Kuharsky—that he views Henry and Lewis as “1A and 1B” in the backfield. cheap nfl jerseys wholesale china

Henry and Murray were a lot more similar than Henry and Lewis, which should enable the Titans to find plenty of opportunities for both of them. And when that happens, watch for the 24-year-old Alabama product to take off. cheap authentic nfl jerseys from china wholesale

Six of the 35 passes Washington Redskins wide receiver Josh Doctson caught last year were touchdowns, which is at least a sign the 2016 first-round pick still possesses the playmaking cheap nfl authentic jerseys wholesale ability that helped him score 25 times during his final two years at TCU.

Achilles issues cost Doctson the vast majority of his rookie season, making it easier to excuse the fact he caught only 44.9 percent of the passes thrown his way as a sophomore in 2017. Four of those receptions gained 30-plus yards, and two of his six touchdowns came on deep completions of 48-plus yards from quarterback Kirk Cousins.

If the 25-year-old continues to do that while becoming more consistent and reliable in 2018, he’ll finally begin to live up to the expectations the Redskins had for him when they took him 22nd overall two years ago.cheap wholesale authentic nfl jerseys

The good news—as Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch points out—is Doctson is feeling more confident this spring than in past offseasons, and that has manifested itself at OTAs.

Cleveland Browns: DE Myles Garrett

It’s not as though top pick Myles Garrett wasn’t effective when he was on the field as a rookie in 2017, but the Cleveland Browns defensive end just wasn’t out there enough as a result of a September ankle injury and an October concussion.

Garrett finished the year with seven sacks and 31 tackles despite starting just nine games and taking part in less than half of the team’s defensive snaps. wholesale jerseys cheap nfl

But the 22-year-old is healthy now, and he believes he’s primed to take on a much larger workload as a sophomore.

“The last game of the season, I was going most of the game,” Garrett said in May, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I think I took five, maybe 10 plays off. That’s my goal—to be on the field as much as possible, so I can make as big of an impact as possible.”wholesale cheap nfl jersey china

The Browns need a lot of players to break out in order to turn it around after a zero-win season, but Garrett tops the list.

The Dallas Cowboys will also be relying on several sophomores to break out in 2018, but their top 2017 pick, defensive end Taco Charlton, doesn’t top the list. That’s because Charlton was eased in as a rookie and will likely continue to play a limited, low-pressure role alongside Demarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford. cheap wholesale nfl jerseys from china

Instead, second-year cornerback Chidobe Awuzie will be expected to emerge as the top cover man in place of departed veteran Orlando Scandrick.

The 60th overall pick out of Colorado missed six games due to a hamstring injury as a rookie, but when he was on the field, he surrendered just 7.0 yards per reception and just 0.69 yards per cover snap, both of which were the lowest rates ever recorded by a rookie corner, per Pro Football Focus.cheap wholesale nfl jerseys china And it’s possible he would have been better than that had his first NFL offseason not been spoiled by injuries.

If Awuzie and second-year, third-round corner Jourdan Lewis can continue to improve in 2018, the Cowboys defense could become a tremendous asset.

Power Forward: Jerami Grant

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Age: 24

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted cheap authentic nfl jerseys from china

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 8.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.0 blocks

2017-18 Advanced Metrics: 16.2 PER, minus-19.9 TPA, minus-0.84 RPM

Jerami Grant’s perimeter shot might’ve disappeared during his first full season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but suitors shouldn’t let that dissuade them. He can become a three-and-D power forward—a mold coveted in today’s NBA, which prioritizes spacing from all nfl authentic jersey  five positions and switchiness on the preventing end.

During the 2016-17 campaign, Grant connected on 37.7 percent of his deep attempts while taking 1.5 per game after an early-season trade sent him from the Philadelphia 76ers to OKC. Everything seemed to click.official cheap nfl jerseys  His stroke became more effortless, and he capitalized on open looks enough that he started drawing legitimate defensive attention.

But that changed in 2017-18, and the declines bled over into other portions of his game. Though he was still willing to sacrifice his body (only 14 players drew more charges per contest while appearing at least 40 times) and possessed the dual ability to protect the rim and switch onto perimeter stalwarts, he fell prey to more attention lapses. The confidence that previously lifted him just wasn’t always there. women nfl jerseys

That doesn’t mean it’s gone, never again to be recovered.

We know Grant can knock down triples in a catch-and-shoot setting. We know he can handle the ball on the perimeter, even if OKC rarely gave him the opportunity to do so. We know he can function as a versatile and effective defensive presence. official nike nfl jerseys

Now he just needs to mesh all the skills together into a well-rounded package. Though Grant isn’t a guaranteed free-agent bargain, precious few players on this portion of the open-market totem pole possess this type of upside.  jersey nfl cheap

Honorable Mentions: Trevor Booker, Montrezl Harrell, Luc Mbah a Moute