Rodney Dangerfield said it best. The standout joke from his standup routines. For the following minor league players, like Dangerfield, the respect has been a bit hard to come by. Thus, I am awarding the following prospects the “Minor League Rodney Dangerfield Award”. This is given to the hitters and pitchers, who, despite performing at a very productive level, have not gotten the true respect they deserve.

CJ Kayfus

As a South Florida native, I enjoy watching local players get their shine. Kayfus, a graduate of Palm Beach Central High School, will be a major league mainstay. The biggest question after this season is, how soon until he gets there?

The Guardians have 1B depth at the major league level. With Josh Naylor, Kyle Manzardo, acting as the primary 1B, and Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry having experience in the position, the Guardians will not be in a rush to bring up Kayfus. The profile of Kayfus makes him a bit of a mystery as the future Guardians 1B.

Hit over power players are not what you would associate with 1B. Kayfus is just that, hit over power. With that being said, Kayfus has shown he can drive the ball, just not necessarily out of the park. Across Hi-A and AA, he’s racked up 26 doubles and 6 triples in 2024.  The overall production did not take a dive at all during his transition from Hi-A to AA. The average slumped a bit, that might be attributed to Kayfus needing to adjust to AA pitching. His OPS lowered as did his OBP. Kayfus was striking out more but still was able to make hard contact. If anything, the fact that his counting stats did not really suffer, shows he was making the most out of the pitches he was able to make contact with. If Kayfus can lock into the AA (and higher level) pitching as he did in Hi-A, the proof is in the pudding that he will contribute. Cleveland might look to move Kayfus to the outfield, especially given the logjam at 1B in the system.  One thing to watch is the number of extra-base hits produced. This gives us some indication that Kayfus is hitting the ball hard and well. The Guardians could look to get the ball to lift more off the bat and turn the swings into more HRs. However, why break what does not need fixing? 

Micheal Arroyo

At one point, I had Arroyo in the top tier of a national prospect site. I was told he needed to be removed due to his age and status as a DSL player. Yes, it is hard to predict what a 17-year-old will do and what he will develop into. Was I just s bit too eager and jumped the gun a tad? Sure. Now, I am safely going to say, I WAS RIGHT! Arroyo came into Lo-A Modesto in 2023 hot like a bowl of soup from the microwave. His stats declined a tad over the course of Modesto’s season. It seemed as if the confidence was not lost.  As someone who saw Arroyo live on many occasions, he just did not have that killer instinct. Flash forward to 2024, Arroyo is one of the best pure hitters, not only in Seattle’s system but all of baseball. While he does have a slightly higher K rate than that of the Mariners’ top prospect, Cole Young, there is some possible power in the bat. Dare I say this, could we be seeing a similar ascension to Guardians HOF player, Jose Ramirez? The key for Arroyo is maintaining that confidence. If he can take the K’s with the HR”s and hits without letting it deter him mentally, as this was a big takeaway that I got from him over the last two years seeing him live, this could be a special player for the Mariners infield. 

Andy Perez

If you look at MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 prospects for the Colorado Rockies, Andy Perez is absent from that list. I am not sure why he is not given the credit he is due. It’s easy to look past Perez considering he spent a full 2023 season in Lo-A and a bit more than half of the 2024 season there. While I have seen Perez play a good amount of live baseball, some may have never heard of this infield prospect from the Rockies organization. Perez hit 22 doubles in Fresno for the 2024 season. That should be enough for those at the pipeline to take notice. Perhaps the high ground ball rate (47.9%) in Lo-A had some concern. However, Perez maintained a BABIP of .319 in Fresno. If that tells us anything, he was just a tad bit unlucky in some of those ground balls going as outs and not hits. Perez can smack the ball around the infield. He’s a 48% pull hitter and a 31%b opposite field hitter. There is enough contact in this bat to suggest a high average as he progresses and adjusts through the system. Will Perez be a Top-1oo prospect? I do not think he is going to get there.  Outside of the solid contact skills that get the ball through the outfield gaps, there is not much else in terms of standout traits. Yet, the key is finding players who can contribute in some way.

Miguel Ullola

The lone pitcher on this loss, I had the pleasure of watching Ulloa’s AAA debut. Scouts rave about his fastball. While the pitch is not going to hit triple digits, Ullola knows how to play the pitch all throughout the strike zone. His secondary offerings are far behind the fastball. The reason Ullola is a Dangerfield recipient, despite the less-than-ideal secondary pitches, his seemingly rapid ascension through Houston’s system was due in large part to the dominating fastball. At the very least, it shows the framework of a dominant MLB reliever. Most are not going to give Ullola the credit he deserves in large part to the secondary offerings. The fastball alone gets Ullola to the majors as an RP. His high K rate only adds to his big-league potential.

Image Source MILB

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It’s no secret that SEPTA didn’t receive all the funding it needed from Pennsylvania’s state budget this Summer. Governor Josh Shapiro asked for more money for the Pennsylvania area transit system but Republicans in the GOP senate majority had other ideas. In the end, the bipartisan government budget didn’t include the full number in the leaner budget.

As a result, SEPTA has already announced parking lot and garage fees would be returning in Fall 2024 after they were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, now SEPTA is eliminating jobs after announcing they were adding more trains to their regional rail network’s latest schedule. The ticket office employees were key to helping travelers find their way along the network and answer any questions they may have. Most commuters didn’t need their help as they tap and go on the train with their Key Card or mobile device. However, many senior citizens and others who utilize the services enjoy talking to a human to buy a ticket before boarding the train.

Likewise, the ticket office employee quickly assisted in the building and at the platform if there were issues. Instead, now riders need to utilize the septa police app and then wait to hear back from someone on the other line. This will now cause a longer response time in case of emergency or at a minimum another step that has to be completed to get help. Additionally, SEPTA says the buildings, which the ticket officers were housed in, would remain open for seating and the restrooms. However, this hasn’t been the case on weekends at the Lansdale station when the ticket office was closed.

All in all, SEPTA is in a tough budget predicament. SEPTA regional rail ridership demand is growing again but SEPTA seems to be trying to cut expenses irresponsibly in many areas. Closing more ticket offices makes riding the trains less personable and could lead to more trouble on the track with less staff at the stations in between trains. Not every SEPTA passenger pays by Key Card or smartphone or wants to pay on the train. Many enjoy the few moments with the ticket office employee that has become part of their family after countless visits to the window. SEPTA should find other ways to save money by first looking at the executive level and going from there instead of eliminating the common person’s job.

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High school catchers are some of, if not the, most polarizing and difficult prospects for teams to develop. Perhaps this is a reason why there has not been one High School catcher drafted number 1 since Joe Mauer in 2001. That gamble paid off for Minnesota. Many will argue Joe Mauer is the greatest catcher of the modern era. Yet, for every Joe Mauer, there is a Ryan Christianson, a career minor leaguer who was taken 11th by Seattle in 1999. A majority of the top catchers are college-bred. In fact, most high school catchers end up as 1B or convert elsewhere in the majors. Tyler Soderstrom is a perfect case of that for the Oakland A’s who has found success as a 1B. This is the route the Guardians seem to be taking with Velazquez.

More Guardians: Cleveland Adds An Ace

What is it about Velazquez that sets him apart? Why move the prep catcher to 1B so early on in his career? Take a moment to consider that Soderstrom was still thought of as a catcher until he showed a more consistent bat at 1B. This went on even at the AAA level. Bo Naylor, current Guardians catcher and prep school draftee, was a dynamo throughout the Cleveland minor leagues that have yet to really showcase himself (lately he has sort of turned a corner).

It seems this quick transition for Ralphy has a lot to do with the Guardians’ belief in Naylor as a breakout, more so than the catching ability of Velazquez. Or, perhaps the Guardians want to let the bat do the talking and take a more aggressive and faster approach to getting Velasquez to the majors after seeing the elongated adjustment period for Naylor. Thus far, the bat has proven this is a possibility.

The former prep catcher has established himself as one of the best prospects, not only in Clevelands’ system but in baseball as well. Velazquez, who is hitting only .261, has shown an ability to hit for power with 9 HRs and 20 doubles, and draws his fair share of walks while also not striking out at an alarming rate. The power itself makes for an intriguing 1B power hitter, however, his ability to make smart decisions at bat will help his cause in the eyes of the Guardians’ front office.

Given all of Cleveland’s recent success developing minor-league hitters, it would be no surprise if Velazquez was a major-league bat and a consistent one at that. Ralphy was selected to the MLB Futures Game during All-Star Weekend and just nabbed a spot on MLB Pipeline’s Top-100 prospect list. The league sees the potential as well. Cleveland assistant GM, James Harris, stated the following to MLB Guardians writer, Mandy Bell, about Ralphy in the Futures Game,

More MLB: Mariners Young Sensation

“Yeah, he’s a really exciting young player for us. Futures Game acknowledged that. They came to us and asked if he could play. We’re excited to have him there.”

Needless to say, this is a big honor for Velazquez. He will join fellow Lynchburg teammate and fellow recent Top-100 prospect, Jaison Chourio, in the game which showcases some of the best players in minor league baseball. The sudden emergence of Velazquez is not a surprise to Harris who also stated the following about the adjustments made to Velazquez,

“He’s hit quite a bit. We were really excited with him last year. We’ve slimmed him down. He’s gonna play a little bit of the outfield. He played some left field the other day. The bat’s electric. He’s hit, I think, [nine] home runs so far already.”

In regards to the Guardians’ future at catcher, while Velazquez was slated to be a possibility there on draft night, the belief now is Cooper Ingle, a starting catcher at the Hi-A level, will be the next catching star the Guardians groom. Cleveland also selected NC State catcher, Jacob Cozart, at pick 48 of the 2024 MLB Draft further adding to the depth at catcher in the minors. These players take a bit of the pressure off Velasquez as he can continue to feel confident in growing his game as a true offensive dynamo without the possibility of an everyday role as a catcher due to limited depth in the Guardians system. While Velazquez would most certainly be up to par if that were to happen, his bat is developing steadily enough that it is best Cleveland just continues his development as they are currently.

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Cleveland wasn’t shy about adding starter depth in the draft. They took a very high-upside approach by selecting 3 high school arms in the first 10 rounds. Favors is not of that mold. A dominant collegiate starter for the rather unheralded Wichita State Shockers, as it stands now, the money is not on him to be the best pitcher of the Guardians 2024 Draft Class. To be honest, that is a rather fair bet at this point. However, there is a very high chance that Favors does indeed blossom into the next Guardians ace.

MORE MLB: Uncovering the Mariners’ Hidden Gems

With Favors, the Guardians added a potential ace to the farm system. At Wichita State, Favors was arguably one of the nation’s best starters. In 17 appearances, Favors went 9-4 with a 3.21 ERA. What many need to pay much closer attention to, though, his outlandish K/BB ratio of 5.35:1. Favors struck out over 5 batters before issuing one walk. His 1.69 walks per nine was the lowest rate in the American Athletic Conference. In addition, Favors added 107 K’s in his 106 innings of work. This included two consecutive games of 10+ strikeouts.

The scouting report sounds very reminiscent of Guardians’ mid-round 2023 Draft steal, and current Hi-A ace, Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson. Both are very sound at locating pitches. Favors does not pride himself on high-velocity pitches. With a fastball that sneaks into the low-90s, he is not like the typical draftees who pride the velocity over the control. Favors stated the following to the Wichita Eagle.

“Today’s game is dominated by velocity, but I’m more of an old-school kind of pitcher,” Favors said “I take pride in pitching, not just throwing really hard. I would tell (Cleveland fans) that they’re getting a competitor. I believe I can go out and compete against anybody. Hopefully, I can show that and make an impact right away and reach the big leagues eventually.”

More Cleveland: Breakout Pitcher – Matt Wilkinson

Cleveland themselves took high-velocity high school arms in the draft. Favors is the complete opposite end of the spectrum. What I like most is that Favors knows the kind of pitcher he is. This is not someone who will go out there and try to blow fastballs past you. Favors will work the zone and make batters work. The lower velo pitchers are masters of painting the zone. Favors has a 4-pitch mix he uses that includes two fastball variations, and he locates them all well. The obvious fear is that Favors could end up as a reliever. I am not of that belief in the slightest.

Seeing as Favors threw back-to-back games of 10 K’s last season, he is more than capable of racking up the K’s. As the Guardians look to develop him for the majors, they’ll expand on his control and unlock the K potential. All signs point to him being developed as a starter until the RP designation becomes too apparent. In that case, it will likely be just a matter of circumstance and limited spots on the major league or AAA roster. It is assumed that Favors will not show up on any Guardians Top-30 lists next season (unless he dominates the minors in this year’s campaign). Favors will go under the radar like so many other Guardians pitching prospects. That seems perfect for his future as a starter in Cleveland.

The post The Cleveland Guardians Add An Unlikely Ace In The 2024 Draft appeared first on The Daily Culture.

So what’s the elephant in the room is, why not?

Tua had his best season last year, leading the league in passing yards, so it can’t be a matter of production. Despite the rest of the team getting hit with the injury bug, Tagovailoa played a full schedule so the concerns were eased there. If there’s a long-term concern about the guaranteed money due to his concussion history, then the NFL should be stepping in and investigating whether or not there really is a long-term concern about his health. There has to be a reason they aren’t ready to pay him what the rest of the league is paying their top stars.

More Miami Dolphins: Should Dolphins Turn To A Familiar Face?

More than anything, the Dolphins are in a weird position. They believe Tua can be their franchise quarterback but they’re hesitating. With Lawrence and Goff getting paid, there’s a line in the sand. His deal would fall somewhere between those two and Jalen Hurts. Despite a loss, Trevor Lawrence hasn’t done enough to punch his ticket to the post-season, where Tua has. Jared Goff has been the spark and has post-season history, but he’s come up short as well.  The outlier in these negotiations is Jalen Hurts, whose extension fell short of the other two but has led the Eagles to a Super Bowl, and there’s the problem.

Contracts for quarterbacks are blown way out of proportion. With how hard it is to actually find a franchise quarterback teams will lock one down with unrealistic contracts just to stay out of the quarterback market. How does a quarterback who has been to the Super Bowl earn less than the guys who can’t find the postseason wins?

More NFL: Is the Bills Super Bowl Window Closed?

You also have to wonder, is Miami not paying him knowing they’ll have to pay more than just Tua Tagovailoa when it comes time? Miami has a long list of great young talent, they’ll more than likely need to pay their young stars too. Yet, that poses another question mark. If that were the case, they had plenty of young talent in guys like Christian Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel. Surely they let those two impact players walk to free up the money to pay guys like Tua, Tyreek, and maybe even Jevon Holland.

Maybe that’s the real problem. The Miami Dolphins have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to their young talent and they just can’t afford to pay them all. However, with a team that has spent so freely in the past, you have to wonder what’s written in the fine print of their hesitation on Tua Tagovailoa.

The post Miami Dolphins: Why Aren’t They Paying Tua? appeared first on The Daily Culture.

With that being said, the Guardians have been one of the most successful teams of the last 25 years due largely to their ability to build and develop a consistent and balanced farm system. The motto, “You win some, you lose some” and the Guardians do a lot of the latter. That occurs with taking risks and shooting for the moon. That statement holds with 2023 draftee, Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson. (Who, by now, you have surely heard of.)

Wilkinson is far from a risky play. A 10th-round selection in 2023, Tugboat (as he is nicknamed) was more of a “shoot for the moon” name. The Guardians, known for pitching development, took a “risk” in 2023, signing High School arm, Alex Clemmey in round 4 (who is finding his footing in Lo-A). Tugboat is one of those, “pat yourself on the back” steals teams seem to find every so often. Here’s looking at you, Anaheim.

Tugboat is a low-risk, high-reward player. In the Guardians’ case, it is more than just a random occurrence to unearth these gems. Cleveland scouted the JUCO ranks to find Tugboat. They were able to lure him away from his commitment to Arizona State. The rest, as they say, is history.

More MLB: Mariners Top Prospects

Tugboat stands in at 6’1 and is listed at 271 lbs. If the Guardians wanted to build a wrestling stable with their prospects, Tugboat would be the world champion (Jhonkensy Noel do not read too much into that statement). He is a presence on the mound. Oddly enough, Tugboat does not throw gas or hit the high velocities. Tugboat himself says his best trait is his ability to locate the ball around the strike zone. We always like to compare pitchers who can command the zone and pinpoint their spots to surgeons. Well, if that’s the case then Tugboat is Ben Carson. While he probably couldn’t operate on conjoined twins (Carson’s claim to fame), he did throw 15 strikeouts while issuing not one hit over 6 innings in a game this season for Lo-A Lynchburg. That’s surgeon-level pitching.

I will be 100% honest, I do not know if Tugboat is a frontline starter. Surely a lot of Cleveland fans reading this will have my head for that, however, Tugboat’s offerings are not strong per se. They do not scream frontline starter. He can locate the ball, as we mentioned, and his spin rates are incredibly high. A lot of Wilkinson’s strength comes from his ability to disguise the lower velos and master those spin rates to throw off hitters. (almost like he’s Houdini). We have seen lights-out closers dominate with one pitch.

Mariano Rivera’s cutter was contoured masterfully. We have also witnessed starting pitchers use location and finesse to succeed. Greg Maddux comes to mind as that player. With how today’s game is played, I am more aligned with the reliever role being the likeliest scenario for Tugboat’s career arc.

Cleveland Sports: These Aren’t The Same Old Cavs

When it comes to Cleveland, all bets are off. If they see something in a pitcher, they will find a way to get it right. Look at the recent example of Hunter Gaddis. A 5th and pick in 2019, Gaddis was thought of as a starter in the Guardians organization. Gaddis tore through the minors and made his way to Cleveland. As a starter, Gaddis had mixed results. Cleveland did pull the plug on Gaddis’ starting pitching career, however, he is now one of the league’s top set-up men.

A few differences to Gaddis, he does have some velo on his fastball. I’d also argue his slider is more effective than Tugboat’s. But again that is where the location comes in. This is also why the Guardians are one of the best ar developing pitchers. We can’t say what they will unlock in Tugboat’s arsenal or how they can enable him to master the role that best suits him and the team.

You will find tons of articles on Tugboat Wilkinson. He is no secret to the baseball community.I am sure this is not the first article you have read about Tugboat either. Every year, Cleveland seems to have a new hot name in the pitching prospect realm. Last year it was Will Dion, now it’s Tugboat. It felt as if last year, nobody talked about Will Dion as much. While he did not have that masterful 15 K game, I myself was very impressed with his development.

Tugboat, though, he’s a player you will go home and talk about. The nickname itself sounds like a ball player. The mystique and the above-average body frame bring in a cult-like following not seen in Cleveland since Bartolo Colon. That is why so many articles have been written about Tugboat. That is also why so many more will be written in the future.

Image Source: Lynchburg Hillcats

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While the following names are not necessarily Top-100 caliber additions, these are some players who I see as potential difference makers in the Seattle system (or trade bait).

Ben Williamson

Williamson was seen as the cost-saving pick of the 2023 MLB Draft. While he led the nation in batting average at William & Mary as a Senior, Seattle signed him below the slot in order to sign a few highly touted prep players. That seems a bit outrageous that arguably the nation’s best hitter in 2023 would be viewed as a 2nd round pawn, however, others’ loss is Seattle’s gain.

MLB Pipeline has Willamson’s hit tool as a 50 on the 20-80 scale. No disrespect to those gentlemen, but that’s preposterous. While Williamson hit Lo-A last year, he was hurt for a good part of his tenure. In Hi-A, he hit .351 and now in AA, Williamson is hitting .261. There is no potential for Williamson to be a power bat. He is a strict hitter. It could be tough to peg him in a lineup as he’s not going to kill the BB/K ratios, nor is he going to steal bags. Although, as a ballplayer who will hit the ball and get on base, you can’t ask for much more.

Jared Sundstrom

Sundstrom has been a real as perfect of a 10th rnd steal as anyone can be. 6’2 OF from UC Santa Barbara is hitting .287 in Hi-A and, while, only 5 HR’s, has amassed 17 doubles. Why I feel that last bit is important, 17 doubles means he is getting some good contact off that bat. Sandstrom, who has power, is very capable of turning those doubles into homers. There is also some sneaky speed as he has 13 steals thus far in 2024. If that double power starts turning into homer power, this is a name to watch.

When it relates to Williamson and Sundstrom, they are both different players. Williamson is a lock to make the majors with the hit tool. He is a .300 hitter or better. Once he gets accustomed to the level he is at, there is no question he will succeed. In the case of Sundstrom, while I do believe he has a chance at the show, his biggest tool is going to be developing those doubles into home runs.

Pitching is not a strong suit of the Mariners system right now. I could name 3 or 4 more hitters who I feel are undervalued and overlooked. The pitching core is a bit underwhelming for me. A lot of the arms in the system are likely RP’s. The hot names such as Logan Evans and AJ Izzy I am forgoing as many others have pointed out their rise in the last few months.

More MLB: Seattle Mariners Prospect Report: Carlos Jimenez

Will Schomberg

Admittedly I did not know how good Schomberg was. In 2023, he obtained the second-highest K/9 in Davidson history with a 10.15 ratio. His pitches offer a lot of horizontal movement and Seattle has prided themselves on developing pitchers with rather deadly sweeping sliders and breaking pitches. Perhaps had I paid more attention to his arsenal than his lack of competition in college, I would have been more on board with him.

Cole Phillips

As it stands now, Phillips is still listed as a Top-30 prospect for Seattle. Phillips also has not played a game of affiliated ball. Drafted in the 2nd round of the 2002 draft, Seattle acquired Phillips from Atlanta in the Jared Kelenic deal. Phillips has now had 2 Tonmmy John Surgeries. His latest came in 2024, thus, delaying us the chance to see him this season. Hopefully, Phillips doesn’t lose too much on that 70-grade fastball and his 55-grade slider. After so much time away from the game, it’s hard to envision Phillips living up to the hype he has in 2022.

I would also like to highlight two additional names that did not make the list. Hogan Windish and Brock Rodden. Both infielders with vastly different approaches. Rodden is a hit first infielder, while Windish is a Dan Uggla power 2B. While I could go more in-depth on these two, I feel the system itself is so loaded with hidden gems, that I’d leave it where it is and let you decide who the real unheralded names are on the Seattle farm.

The post Uncovering The Hidden Gems Of The Seattle Mariners Farm System appeared first on The Daily Culture.

Carlos Jimenez was nowhere to be seen on my top-30 prospects list for the Settle Mariners (and most others as well) at the beginning of the 2024 season. While Jimenez did hit well in the ACL in 2023, he only mustered up a .266 batting average with an OPS of .750. Adding to the pedestrian numbers, Jimenez struck out 51 times and only walked 22. Why dedicate this article to a non-top-30 prospect in one of the deepest systems in baseball? Let’s look at the 2024 version of Carlos Jimenez to give you an idea. In the ACL this year, Jimenez is taking no prisoners and has no sympathy for opposing pitchers. He is hitting .380 with an OPS of 1.140.

These numbers are not sustainable, however, that does not mean a breakout isn’t occurring. Jimenez has a BABIP of .508. The major league average hovers around .320. We need to assume that Jimenez will level out as this .508 clip is telling of some good old-fashioned luck. Balls in play do not simply work in a hitter’s favor over 50 percent of the time. That does mean a potential dip in average. I mentioned not sustainable numbers earlier. The BAPIB indicates a lower batting average is on the horizon. To show the true progression, we need to key in on the K/BB ratio and the more patient approach at the plate.

More Seattle Mariners: 2024 Top 30 Prospects

I stated previously in 2023, Jimenez took 51 strikeouts to 22 walks. In 2024, Jimenez had taken 32 strikeouts to 23 walks. Also, Jimenez has increased his pitches per at-bat from 2 to 3.6. Jimenez has become more patient at the plate. And while luck plays a factor in the higher batting average and BABIP leading to a definite regression, if Jimenez is taking pitches and learning to work the count, the expected regression will not be as prolific.

At 5’10, it is not likely Jimenez plays as a power-hitting outfielder. With that being said, in 2024, 17 of his 38 hits have gone for extra bases, and he’s recorded 9 doubles and 1 triple. Compare that to 8 doubles and 2 triples in 2023 where Jimenez has done so in 58 fewer at-bats. It’s okay to be skeptical of his power, but paired with the sudden patient approach, pitchers are going to have to work to prevent Jimenez from making contact.

The obvious criticism, and argument for Jimenez’s potential over Celestin (and others in the lower levels of the system), is the age factor. Jimenez is a 21-year-old ACL repeat. We need to stop any negative thoughts here, though. While Jimenez is not the prospect of Celestin, the improvements he has made aren’t to do with comfortability at a level, they are based on maturity and baseball IQ. These types of intangibles most players can not pick up on.

I’d almost peg Jimenez as a Top-20 prospect for Seattle. My hold-up, while I am confident the 2024 version is not a fluke, we need to let him settle into Lo-A ball first. How does he react to more advanced pitching? The main key I want to see is how aggressive he is at the plate. What pitches is he laying off, what is he taking? Is he working the count? That will give me a better idea of the type of prospect this is going forward.

More Sports: Mariners Top Draft Prospects

The upside is not that of current Mariners’ top-100 guys such as Jonny Farmelo, Lazaro Montes, Aidan Smith, Michael Arroyo, or Tai Peete. A lot of that conclusion is based on age. Some of these names have been in Lo-A Modesto for over a year. Of the names, none (at the time of writing) are older than 19. So it would make sense that a 21-year-old is not in that same upside category or tier among prospectors of the Mariners. Those arguments, while valid, need to be taken with a grain of salt. Some of these improvements Jimenez has made, I am still waiting to see from the other names in Lo-A. Jimenez spent two years in the DSL. While, again, not uncommon, his fellow international peers have moved up to Lo-A at a faster rate. However, Montes has pure raw power that is unmatched. Arroyo had a hit tool that could not be denied any longer. Jimenez does not necessarily have that standout trait.

We could see Jimenez play 1.5 seasons at Lo-A. There is not a damn thing wrong with that. If these improvements made in the ACL this year are flashing in Lo-A, Seattle can continue to slowly move him along the farm. There is no real difference in him coming into Lo-A as a college bat who is of the same age. That should have no bearing on him and the ceiling, however, talent is talent, if others pass him in the system due to his slower progression, that could cause issues. We obviously want to see Jimenez make bigger strides in one full season of a level as opposed to two and repeating it. Some players do not progress like that. I can not deny the improved maturity I see from Jimenez. Will he be placed in the upper echelon of the Mariners system? Who knows? The speed at which he figures out the lower affiliated leagues will go a long way in his ranking.

The post Seattle Mariners Have A New Prospect Sensation: Carlos Jimenez appeared first on The Daily Culture.

So far, the Bills have lost more than they have gained. They just completed a trade to send Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, shedding their top WR athletically and statistically. Gabe Davis walked in free agency and while he might not be the stud that Diggs was, he was second on the team in receptions, consistently made the big plays to keep Buffalo’s offense moving, and was a team captain. Yet, while they lost their top guys, they still have a few playmakers on the roster but you have to wonder if it’ll turn into productivity. Making the occasional big play is fine, consistently getting open and moving chains is another thing. They’ll really need to nail their draft or they’re going to rely heavily on two TE sets.

More NFL: Zach Wilson Isn’t the Problem Or Solution for the Jets

On the defensive side is where they’ll really struggle. In a division that features playmakers like WR Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on one rival team and QB Aaron Rodgers with Mike Williams and Garrett Wilson on another, losing defensive playmakers hurts. Guys like Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, Siran Neal, and Tre’Davious White can be replaced but replacing them all at the same time even without lining up again-Bowl talent regularly is asking for a miracle.

That said, no one is counting the Buffalo Bills out just yet. Look at their newest rivals the Kansas City Chiefs. They weren’t supposed to win the Super Bowl last year with their loss of talent over the past few seasons but they did. KC went in with a future Hall of Fame coach, a great QB, and an elite Tight End, got what they needed out of their role players, and found strength in their defense. All of these things Buffalo could easily emulate next season if Sean McDermott can elevate his coaching to the next level.

The real problem is their salary cap. Plenty of teams have had cap problems and still put together competitive seasons. the real problem for Buffalo is, according to OvertheCap.com, they’re not just strapped for cash this year, it continues for the next few seasons.

When it comes to the NFL, never count anyone out. No one thought the Buffalo Bills were in a position to win the division and they buckled down and took care of business. Unless the (wild) rumors are true that they’re looking to move Josh Allen, then with a little creativity they can still compete for the division this year as well.

The post Buffalo Bills: Is The Super Bowl Window Closed? appeared first on The Daily Culture.

Studios are finding out the hard way that advertisers fronted the bill on most costs. On top of that, they realized, it’s very hard to show growth to investors when you hit a wall on subscribers. So what do they do? Add ad tiers and crack down on password-sharing to show that they can still make their investors more money, but it’s a double-edged sword as most audiences are deciding to choose sides which can shrink their growth.

Aside from content, this is where Apple is winning. One of the strongest pushes for Apple TV+ is their original content. While they might not have the largest library, it’s not just old sitcoms from the 90s made with a modern feel. Their original content is making stands come award seasons, they’re taking risks that competitors aren’t, and they’re still just as cheap as the next service.

More Apple: We Want More From Apple

While content is king, Apple TV+ has a huge head start in one key area. Two of the largest streamers, Netflix and Hulu/Disney are cracking down on password-sharing. If you have multiple people using your account, it will either cost you more or your subscription altogether. Netflix will charge you an extra $7.99 per account. Add that to their premium tier at $22.99/mo and you’re paying $30/mo for Netflix with 1 extra account or max with 2 allowed accounts is $37.97 plus tax but you do get Netflix gaming at no extra cost.

Disney+ on the other hand, if you want to go ad-free version of Disney+ they start you at $13.99/month for just their one streamer. If you want to add Hulu it jumps to $19.99/mo and ESPN+ all the way up to $24.99/mo. It gets even more costly if you want to add the live TV package required to watch some movies, shows, and sporting events, and that’s without a password-sharing plan similar to Netflix. You’d have to sign up for a whole other plan.

Apple has the competition beat and there’s no trickery here. Apple TV+ has a leg up on the competition not just at a discounted price because of a smaller library. Apple advertises its family-sharing plan with all its subscription services. You and five other family members can use Apple TV+ wherever you go.

More Streaming: How Has The MCU Fallen This Much?

You don’t have to worry about an accidental charge on your account because the streaming service is tied to your Apple IDs, which are tied to devices. Whether you’re on your iPhone, Apple TV, Macbook, or iPad you sign in via your registered Apple device connected to your ID. Sure, it would be just as easy for someone to sign into your account as the other streamers, but most people aren’t giving out their Apple ID as it controls more than just their streaming account.

Password-sharing wins in the end for Apple but the true kicker is pricing. Not only are they cheaper than the bigger streamers monthly, but they’re looking to add an ad tier as well to lower pricing while still allowing family access but their bundle has more to offer as well.

If you’re looking for just streaming, you’re starting at $9.99/mo. Apple doesn’t have their version of Hulu to bundle with their pricing but they do offer more subscription services at a lower cost. For instance, for the same price you pay for Disney and Hulu, you can get Apple One for the same price of $19.99/mo. You’d get ad-free streaming, 50GB of iCloud storage, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade for an individual plan.

More Entertainment: Best of 2023

Since there are multiple services tied to that, there is a Family plan offered at $25.95/mo to receive all of those services, and the iCloud storage bumps up to 200GB and it’s still almost as cheap as Netflix’s stand-alone premium package, and $4 cheaper than if you add one password-sharer. If you want to go for the creme de la creme atop the Apple mountain, you can do their Premier tier. Not only would you add 2TB of iCould storage, the top tier also adds Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+, and at $37.95 it would still be just as cheap to get all those services on six devices, as Netflix would be for their Premier tier with just two.

Apple TV+ might not have a library deep enough to cover the value in content you’d get with other services, but if you’re a price point shopper who wants the most bang for their buck Apple is winning the streaming/subscription wars.

The post Apple TV+ Is Winning The Streaming Wars appeared first on The Daily Culture.