The second of Zach Sommers’ series about former top draft picks who haven’t panned out features the second-overall selection in 2005: Greg Reynolds. This pitcher spent far too much time on the DL and not nearly enough on the mound. Can he ever get it together and even make an impact in MLB?

Drew Cumberland was an up-and-coming baseball star. Selected in the first round of the 2007 MLB Draft, he had high expectations on this middle infielder and was living up to the hype. However, a devastating injury ended his career before it began. Jesse Goldbert-Strassler remembers the story…

Evander Kane is breaking out, and he’s carrying his Winnipeg Jets with him. The team’s leading goal-scorer is on pace to break 30 goals this season, and as a result, Winnipeg may make the playoffs in a season which the fans were just happy to have a team back. Are they still playing with house money, or is Kane raising the stakes in 2011-12?

The NFL marketing machine has done a superb job making it the most profitable and most hyped league in North America. Higher ticket prices and an infrequency of games makes for a premium product. The NBA, NHL and MLB have a lot to learn.

The Philadelphia Phillies are usually a lock to get into the playoffs, but for the last couple of seasons, they’ve fallen short of the ultimate prize. Will injuries to Ryan Howard and Chase Utley hamper them this season, or do they have enough talent to sustain? And does any of this matter after 162 games have been played?

Michael Jordan had a knack for ruining his opponents. Like his adversaries, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been beaten down for years at the hands of the rest of the league. But now, things finally are looking up for the Pirates, as key acquisitions, emerging prospects and smart money management may be turning this hard-luck franchise around, and sooner than you think.

It’s not often you get rewarded in life for just showing up. But in hockey, you can find a nice little positive beside your name on the game sheet, even if you didn’t do a whole lot. Unfortunately, life on the ice is not always so kind, and often times you can play a great […]

In the first of a series about players who came up as top prospects in their organizations, Zach Sommers examines the early career of one Cameron Maybin: a Tigers draftee who found delayed success with the Marlins and now has a big-money contract with the Padres.

When the Toronto Blue Jays acquired Jeff Mathis from the Los Angeles Angels back in December, the catcher didn’t exactly represent the kind of blockbuster offseason acquisition that their fan base was hoping for. After all, Mathis, having long been criticized for his limited offensive skills, brought with him a career .194 average and .557 […]

The Ottawa Senators currently hold down seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings with a comfortable cushion over eighth. Arguably the most surprising team in the NHL – thanks in large part to defenseman Erik Karlsson – the Sens have reaped the benefits of the league’s sixth-best offense at 2.96 goals per game. As a […]