Dexter's Labratory Moves To Houston: Analysis

On Tuesday, the Houston Astros acquired 27-year-old outfielder Dexter Fowler and a player to be named later in a trade with the Colorado Rockies. In return, Colorado received 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles and a great defensive outfielder in 27-year-old Brandon Barnes. However, I think the Astros have gotten the better part of the deal. Fowler is a switch-hitting speedster with a .365 career on-base percentage. His ability to get on base and swipe bags is something that the Astros lacked dearly in their lineup last season. They were caught stealing 61 times in 2013 - more than any team in the majors. Fowler was caught stealing 32% of the time in his 28 steal attempts last season. Given the fact that he was dealing with a string of injuries and only played 119 games in 2013, I think if Fowler can stay healthy he'll definitely be more productive for the Astros on the base pads. 

Another upgrade that the Astros have gotten by acquiring Fowler is that they'll have a more consistent center fielder at the plate. Brandon Barnes - who was Houston's everyday center fielder in 2013 - slashed .240./.289/.346 with 8 homers and 41 RBI in 2013. Fowler on the other hand slashed .263/.369/.407 with 12 homers and 42 RBI. The big difference between Fowler and Barnes - from a hitting standpoint - is their ability to get on base and not strikeout. With the speed that they both posses, putting the ball in play could be the difference between a strikeout or an infield single. Barnes struck out 31% of the time in his 408 at-bats in the 2013 season - compared to Fowler striking out 25% of the time in his 415 at-bats last season. They had about the same amount of at-bats in 2013 and the numbers speak for themselves - Fowler is an upgrade from Barnes in center field for the Astros. Fowler's numbers at the plate may decrease a little bit now that he's not playing half of his games in a hitter friendly park like Coors Field, but I still think he'll be a productive bat in Houston's lineup playing in Minute Maid Park. With the Crawford Boxes in left field, Fowler will be a threat to go yard when he's batting right-handed. Take a look at his hot zones as a right-handed batter:

Even though the hot zones only show contact statistics, I think his contact will lead to more than 12 homers in 2014 - especially if he plays more than 119 games. His hot zones are in slightly better areas than Brandon Barnes. Fowler has hot zones in more areas as opposed to Barnes' limited ability to drive the ball when thrown in certain locations. Here's a look at Barnes' hot zones:

Barnes may have been an everyday starter with the Astros, but I doubt he'll be an everyday starter for the Rockies. I see him being a forth outfielder for Colorado, as the outfield will probably look like this: Micheal Cuddyer in left field, Carlos Gonzalez moving back to center field and Charlie Blackmon in right field. With Barnes' inability to be a consistent hitter, I think being the Rockies forth outfielder is a more realistic position for him in 2014.

So the fact that the Rockies gave up Fowler and a player to be named later for a forth outfielder and a pitcher in Jordan Lyles who has yet to figure out how to be consistent at the major league level shows that the Astros will be benefiting more from this trade than the Rockies. I expect Fowler to have a bigger impact for the Astros than Lyles and Barnes will for the Rockies in 2014, as it should be exciting to see Fowler in an Astros uniform this upcoming season.

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A Look Back At Navy's 2012 Military Heritage Nike Uniform

This past Monday, Navy's football team revealed on Twitter the uniforms that they'll be wearing on December 14th when they take on Army - and they look pretty awesome.

Here is the @NavyAthletics unis for Army-Navy next month. @Uniformswag @UniWatch @BleacherReport pic.twitter.com/rr60fitG3m
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 25, 2013

Here is the helmet for the @NavyAthletics @Army_Navy_Game uniform for 12/14! @UniWatch @Uniformswag @BleacherReport pic.twitter.com/vPZd0bS7px
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 25, 2013

Here are the backs of the new uniforms for Army-Navy. #BeatArmy! @CBSSports @Nike pic.twitter.com/h9t8GaJAGf
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 25, 2013

In honor of those awesome looking uniforms I've decided to take a look back at the uniforms Navy wore against Army in last season's Army-Navy game.

As you can see in the photos above, Navy's 2012 uniforms look fairly similar to 2013's. Both look awesome. The one thing that I love about these uniforms is that it's not too flashy, but at the same time not too bland. It's a simple, "Hey, we're Navy. These are our uniforms.". Unlike anything the Oregon Ducks have suited up in, but that's a different story. The number design on Navy's uniforms look very classy as well. They're a perfect mix between flash and class. Same thing with the word "Navy" just below the waistline on the back side of the uniforms - a nice mix between flash and class. These uniforms are the definition of "swagger". Sorry Oregon.

The helmets of the 2012 uniforms fit perfectly with the rest of the nice looking threads. The navy blue/gold stripe going diagonally down the sides of the helmets are what brings these uniforms to life. It's a nice size and the placement on the helmet was spot on - not too big and right below that sick looking logo on the sides of the helmets. Speaking of that logo, it's one of the nicest logos that I've ever seen. I say that because it really lets people know what Navy stands for. It reminds people that the men and women serving in the Navy put their lives on the line day in and day out to protect this great country. The red/white chinstrap also serves as a reminder to what these brave men and women fight for each day. All in all, these uniforms from 2012 look awesome. The same can be said for this year's unis as well. They were both a job well done by Nike.


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James Harden Must Improve On Defense

James Harden is one of the best two guards in the NBA, and his 2012-13 season made that fact quite clear. He’s one of the best players in the NBA with the ball in his hands, and can be a playmaker and knockdown shooter with the ability to finish on any given night. Unfortunately, his defense has been lackadaisical as of late.

In Thursday’s 99-98 loss to the the Lakers, Harden played poorly on the defensive side of the ball. This play is a great look at how bad his defense was:

Can you even call that defense? Steve Blake ran right pass him with a cut to the basket, and Harden didn't even notice or attempt to get back into the play. The Lakers won by 1 point & if Harden had played even average defense on this play, Houston might have won the game.

It’s not like James Harden can’t play defense, as he certainly has the body for it. He is a bulky 6’5 guard weighing in at a strong 220 pounds. You’d think Harden’s physical stature suggests he’s a good defensive player, right? Well, that’s not the case of course.

James Harden needs to pick up his slack soon or the Rockets will suffer. His teammates may become fed up with covering for him on defense & all that will do is cause more problems for the already abstracted Houston squad . I do believe that Harden will improve on the defensive end soon. He has weapons on offense in Dwight Howard & Chandler Parsons, so maybe they’ll step up on the offensive side of the ball & give Harden a chance to spend more energy on the defensive side of the ball. As a Rockets fan, I really hope Harden can pick it up soon. He has to play better on defense if the Rockets are serious about contending for an NBA championship.

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Marshall To Wear "75" On Helmets To Honor 1970 Tragedy

43 years ago on November 14th, one of the most tragic events in college football history took place. Following a 17-14 loss on the road against ECU, the Marshall football team flew home from Kinston, North Carolina. However, there was some fog & bad weather where the plane was flying so they had to make an emergency landing. That landing didn't go as planned, as the plane clipped some tree tips on the way down and nosedived into the ground about 5,000 feet short of the runway. All 75 people on board were killed.

This Thursday will mark the 43rd anniversary of the tragic event, and it's also the day Marshall takes on Tulsa in a nationally televised game on Fox Sports 1. The game was originally scheduled for this Saturday, but Marshall asked the NCAA to move it up to Thursday - the 43rd anniversary of the crash. I always love seeing teams use their uniforms for great causes - especially one like this. You can catch the game on Fox Sports 1 this Thursday at 7:30 EST.

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Northwestern's New Alternate Uniforms Stir Controversy

Northwestern will be wearing special uniforms next Saturday when they take on the Michigan Wolverines. However, their uniforms are the center of a controversy that's already gotten national attention. If you look at the picture above, you can see that the uniform design features blood-spatter on the gloves. No big deal, right? Well it doesn't stop there. That same blood-spatter is also on the helmets that Northwestern will be wearing next Saturday, as you can see in this picture below:

The uniforms also feature blood-spatter on the shoes & socks, as you can see in this picture:

Honestly, I don't have a problem with the uniforms. I think they look pretty cool. It saddens me to see that the uniform is being scrutinized instead of respected & appreciated. A simple gesture to honor the men & women who put their lives on the line to protect our rights & freedoms has turned into an ugly controversy. In my opinion, the sports world should just leave the uniforms alone. They were obviously made to honor our nations troop - not disrespect them.

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