John Edwards
Bio
Staff Writer for The Unbalanced, Contributor at Sporting News.
Stories (57/0)
The Unsung Fantasy Baseball MVPs of 2017
There’s not a single fantasy expert who wouldn’t tell you to pick Mike Trout in the first round of a fantasy draft. Year after year, Trout consistently provides top-tier values in the relevant categories: Runs, RBIs, HRs, SB, and BA. He’s never injured. He’s not just the best player in baseball, he’s the best player in fantasy baseball as well.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
Is Bryce Harper Really the 400 Million Dollar Man?
In December of 2016, news broke that OF Bryce Harper was reportedly seeking at least a 10 year, $400 million contract as a free agent in 2018. This kind of deal is almost completely without precedent — no player has ever signed a contract worth more than $325 million, and no player has ever signed for an AAV of $36 million.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
Matt Harvey and the Trailblazers of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Surgery
SP Matt Harvey is coming off of another setback to what had been a promising career, hampered by injury. In 2013, he was one of the best pitchers in the league, pitching to a 2.00 FIP and going 9–5 with an otherwise lackluster Mets squad. In 2014, he missed the entire season with Tommy John surgery. In 2015, he was almost as brilliant as he was in 2013, with a 3.05 FIP and going 13–8, powering the Mets to the World Series. In 2016, he crashed and burned thanks to thoracic outlet syndrome.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
Dr. Dallas and Mr. Keuchel — The Two Faces of the Astros Ace
Plenty of aces fell off of cliffs in 2016. There was Adam Wainwright, who looked to be moving towards inevitable age-related decline. There was Zack Greinke, who crashed and burned after signing a huge contract. And then there was Dallas Keuchel — the 2015 AL Cy Young Winner.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
Pay For Your Own Damn Stadium
In 2017, with much fanfare, pomp, and circumstance, no fewer than three major league Atlanta sports teams will receive new stadiums. The Atlanta Braves will move north from Turner field into SunTrust Park, and the Falcons and the newly-formed Atlanta United FC will move into the aperture-esque Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
The WBC Was Just as Successful as It Needed to Be
The confetti has been swept up, the uniforms are in the wash, and the trophy is in storage. Yes, it’s true — the World Baseball Classic has finally wrapped up. It’s been a month of big story lines — from team Israel making a surprise run into the second round to Puerto Rico’s blondes-have-more-fun mentality causing the entire island to run out of blonde hair dye. And who could forget the USA taking their first crown following a stellar performance by Marcus Stroman?
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
It’s Time to Rethink Lineups
Terry Collins sighs, sitting alone in his office. An empty lineup card sits before him. He’s spent the past hour puzzling over who to bat today, and where — should Cespedes bat cleanup, or would he fit better in the 3 hole? Does Jose Reyes deserve to lead-off? And where on Earth does Jay Bruce fit into any of this?
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
The Chicago Cubs Are the World Series Favorites
Make no mistake: the Dodgers are a great team. They have Clayton Kershaw, the pitching equivalent of Mike Trout. They have Corey Seager and Justin Turner, two of the best infielders in the National League. They have Kenley Jansen, a lights out closer who has been nothing short of dominant throughout his career. And yes — as my colleague Dylan Svoboda pointed out — they’re predicted to be better (though by a fairly slim margin) than the reigning WS Champs, the Chicago Cubs.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced
To Sell or Not to Sell?
Baseball has reached the two month mark. Teams are 50+ games into the season, and we’re rapidly approaching the 1/3rd mark. We’ve seen Michael Conforto, Aaron Judge, and Miguel Sano emerge as some of the best hitters in baseball, we’ve seen Justin Bour and Scott Schebler duke it out for the NL HR lead, and we’ve seen the Cubs flounder like a fish out of water.
By John Edwards7 years ago in Unbalanced