The Perfect Team: MLB

     It is now time to turn on the video game console.  Now that the NFL roster has been selected, we turn to which players in Major League Baseball would be part of the perfect team.  Also to note, I will put mostly starting pitchers in the bullpen.

     Starting lineup:
  1. LF Austin Jackson, DET
  2. RF Andrew McCutchen, PIT
  3. 1B Miguel Cabrera, DET                                                   Bench:
  4. DH Joey Votto, CIN                                                           C Matt Wieters, BAL
  5. 2B Robinson Cano, NYY                                                   OF Mike Trout, LAA
  6. CF Matt Kemp, LAD                                                         OF Bryce Harper, WAS
  7. 3B David Wright, NYM                                                      IF Dustin Pedroia, BOS
  8. C Brian McCann, ATL                                                      
  9. SS Manny Machado, BAL


     Starting Rotation:                                                               Bullpen:
  1. RHP Justin Verlander, DET                                                CL Craig Kimbrel, ATL
  2. LHP Clayton Kershaw, LAD                                               SU Jim Johnson, BAL
  3. RHP Felix Hernandez, SEA                                               RHP Max Scherzer, DET
  4. LHP David Price, TB                                                          LHP Chris Sale, CHW
  5. RHP Yu Darvish, TEX                                                                 RHP Matt Cain, SF
                                                                                              LHP Cliff Lee, PHI
                                                                                              RHP Sergio Romo, SF

The Perfect Team: NFL

     There are many good players in the big four sports.  Many will go down in history as one of the greatest athletes.  But, let's not look to the past or the future, this series of lists are to make the best team made of players actively playing.  In layman's terms, this is merely an all-star team.  If the video games were real, and teams actually had chances of gathering all-pro caliber, closing in on hall of fame caliber players of today, these lists would be those rosters.

     The first perfect team to be put together will be from the NFL.


     Offense:
   QB: Aaron Rodgers, GB
   RB: Adrian Peterson, MIN
   FB: Vonta Leach, BAL
   WR: Calvin Johnson, DET                                                  Reserves:
   WR: Larry Fitzgerald, ARI                                                 QB: Drew Brees
   TE: Vernon Davis, SF                                                         RB: Lesean McCoy, PHI
   OT: Joe Thomas, CLE                                                        WR: AJ Green, CIN
   OT: Ryan Clady, DEN                                                        WR: Julio Jones, ATL
   OG: Carl Nicks, TB                                                            TE Rob Gronkowski, NE
   OG: Mike Iupati, SF                                                           
   OC: Alex Mack, CLE

     Defense:
   DE: Jared Allen, MIN
   DE: Jason Pierre-Paul, NYG
   DT: Haloti Ngata, BAL
   DT: Ndamukong Suh, DET                                                Reserves:
   LB: Von Miller, DEN                                                         DE/DT: JJ Watt, HOU
   LB: Patrick Willis, SF                                                        DE: Chris Long, STL
   LB: James Laurinaitis, STL                                               LB: London Fletcher, WAS
   CB: Darelle Revis, TB                                                       CB: Brandon Flowers, KC
   CB: Richard Sherman, SEA
   S: Earl Thomas, SEA
   S: Donte Whitner, SF

     Specialists:
   K: Sebastian Janikowski, OAK
   P: Shane Lechler, HOU
   KR: Devin Hester, CHI

Quick Look at the Lions offseason

     With the offseason, winding down and organized team activities and training camp on the horizon, here is a quick look at the additions and subtractions that the Lions has made the last few months.  This is another little series, as my next post will be the grades of each offseason move.

     Key additions:  RB Reggie Bush (MIA), S Glover Quin (HOU), DT/DE Jason Jones (SEA),
                              K David Akers (SF), DT CJ Mosley (JAX), P Blake Clingan (no team)

     Key re-signings: CB Chris Houston, S Louis Delmas, LB Deandre Levy

     Key losses: K Jason Hanson (retired), OT Jeff Backus (retired), DE Lawrence Jackson (MIN) DE Cliff Avril (SEA), OT Gosder Cherilus (IND)

     Draft:  1st round: Ezekial Ansah, DE, BYU
                2nd round: Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi St.
                3rd round: Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky
                4th round (compensation pick for Eric Wright): Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina
                5th round: Sam Martin, P, Appalachian St.
                6th round: Corey Fuller, WR, Virginia Tech
                6th round: Theo Riddick, RB, Notre Dame
                7th round: Micheal Williams, TE, Alabama
                7th round (compensation pick for Drew Stanton): Brandon Hepburn, LB, Florida A&M

   Perhaps the biggest losses this offseason were the retirements of kicker Jason Hanson and left tackle Jeff Backus.  The Lions signed David Akers to compete to replace Hanson for this season and the Lions are content with making last year's first round pick Riley Reiff Backus' replacement.

    Each acquisition made through free agency or through the draft will step in and help this team in many different ways.  The Lions gained more than they lost this offseason.  On paper right now, the Lions appear to have built a solid running game and a more solid defense.  This team will most definitely not be 4-12 and have made moves to make another run at making the playoffs.