Liam Hanley Articles - Page 3

After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with a tremendous first half of the season. The club is 59-43 — 6.0 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and 11 games in front of […]

After entering the year as AL Central favorites, the Minnesota Twins did not look like playoff contenders early in the season. Through three weeks, the club was six games below .500 and only ahead of the lowly Chicago White Sox in the division. The Twins have since turned things around. Minnesota has won the second-most […]

After consecutive early playoff exits, the Milwaukee Bucks faced a critical offseason. With two more years of Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton under contract, the Bucks had to aggressively build a team for playoff success before their championship window closed for good. Despite working with limited cap space, the Milwaukee front office made […]

After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with a great first half of the season. The club is 55-42 — 4.5 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and 8.5 games in front of […]

In a season where expectations were tempered, the Green Bay Packers impressed even the most optimistic Wisconsin football fans. The team finished the regular season at 9-8, then knocked off the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs before falling just short to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. […]

After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with one of the best starts in franchise history. The club is 53-38 — 4.5 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and 11 games in front […]

Coming off a 4-12-1 year, the Indianapolis Colts entered the 2023 NFL season with low expectations and many unknowns. For all that uncertainty, Indy had a successful bounce-back campaign and set a strong foundation for the future. Quarterback of the future Anthony Richardson became QB of the present but then went down with a season-ending […]

After another successful regular season, the Baltimore Ravens fell short again in the playoffs. Turnovers, penalties, and poor play-calling doomed the young Ravens team in a 17-10 defeat against an experienced Kansas City Chiefs squad in the AFC Championship game. The franchise now enters a pivotal offseason as it calculates how to translate regular-season success […]

After entering the year as AL Central favorites, the Minnesota Twins did not look like playoff contenders early in the season. Through three weeks, the club was six games below .500 and only ahead of the lowly Chicago White Sox in the division. The Twins have since turned things around. Minnesota has the second-best record […]

In a season where expectations were tempered, the Green Bay Packers impressed even the most optimistic Wisconsin football fans. The team finished the regular season at 9-8, then knocked off the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs before falling just short to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. […]

Two months ago, it appeared that the St. Louis Cardinals’ struggles of the 2023 season would continue into 2024. The club was nine games below .500 and sitting in last place in the NL Central. But since then, the Cardinals have gone 32-18, raising them to second in the division and putting them in firm […]

2024 is the Los Angeles Angels’ first season with Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. Expectations were low entering the year, and the club, as predicted, is among the worst in the American League. The team is 36-47 — 9.5 games back in the AL West and equally as far from the last Wild Card spot. LA […]

Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Uruguay was tough for United States men’s national soccer team fans. The game was a must-win for the USMNT following a disappointing 2-1 loss to Panama, which included an 18th-minute red card to Timothy Weah. Gregg Berhalter’s team hardly threatened against the Uruguayans, leading many to call for a change in […]

After another successful regular season, the Baltimore Ravens fell short again in the playoffs. Turnovers, penalties, and poor play-calling doomed the young Ravens squad in a 17-10 defeat to an experienced Kansas City Chiefs side in the AFC Championship game. The franchise now enters a pivotal offseason as it calculates how to translate regular-season success […]

What a difference a week makes. On June 16, the Toronto Blue Jays were 35-36 — a disappointing start for a team that won 89 games a year ago and made it to the AL Wild Card round — but still good enough to keep the Jays in contention for a Wild Card berth. The […]

After an aggressive offseason in which the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson and Patrick Queen while trading Kenny Pickett, the team made its intentions clear during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Steelers took three offensive linemen with their first four picks, with the only non-lineman being Michigan wideout Roman Wilson. In the later rounds, Pittsburgh […]

After another early playoff exit, the Milwaukee Bucks turned their focus to the future. With two more years of Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton under contract, the Bucks must aggressively build a team for playoff success before their championship window closes. The 2024 NBA Draft was an important window for Milwaukee to obtain […]

2024 is the Los Angeles Angels’ first season with Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. Expectations were low entering the year, and the club, as predicted, is among the worst in the American League. The team is 34-46 — 10.5 games back in the AL West and 9.5 games out of the last Wild Card spot. LA […]

After an 82-win season in 2023 that narrowly saw the Cincinnati Reds miss out on a playoff spot, the club looked to make the jump in 2024 and reach the postseason for the first time (excluding the COVID year) since 2013. So far, a young Reds team has been unable to build on last season’s […]

After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with one of the best starts in franchise history. The club is 48-33 — 6.5 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and 10.5 games in front […]

After a hot start in the first month of the season, the Detroit Tigers have returned to mediocrity. Detroit was 18-13 on May 1, and its mark of five games above .500 was its best since the final day of the 2016 season. The team then won just five of 19 games over the next […]

Three seasons ago, the White Sox were a 93-win team with World Series aspirations. But through a series of injuries and overall decline, the club saw that win total decrease to just 61 victories in 2023. The team could be even worse this season. The Sox set a franchise record with a 14-game losing streak, […]

After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with one of the best starts in franchise history. The club is 46-33 — five games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and nine games in front […]

Coming off a World Series title in 2023, the Texas Rangers have not looked like a team that can return to the Fall Classic in 2024. Texas is 37-40 to open up the year, 6.5 games out of first place in the American League West and 4.5 games back in the AL Wild Card race. […]

Following a disappointing 71-91 season, the St. Louis Cardinals look to reverse their fortunes in 2024. The club rehauled its starting rotation, adding Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Sonny Gray in free agency to highlight a busy offseason. The results were not encouraging to begin the year. The team fell as far as nine games […]

A 16-win decline in 2023 saw the Cleveland Guardians go from AL Central champs and an ALDS squad to the team’s first season with less than 80 wins since 2012. But after these struggles, this plucky ballclub has bounced back in 2024. The Guardians own the American League’s second-best record at 49-26, giving the club a […]

After fading late stretch in 2023, the Chicago Cubs look to establish themselves as a National League favorite in 2024. The core of the 2023 squad is still together, with the additions of manager Craig Counsell and Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga to offset the loss of right-hander Marcus Stroman. The team started hot in Craig […]

After another early playoff exit, the Milwaukee Bucks must turn their focus to the future. With two more years of Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton under contract, the Bucks will aggressively build a team for playoff success before their championship window closes. The team has little cap space, so its best chance of […]

Another year, another early playoff exit for the Milwaukee Bucks. Even with the addition of superstar point guard Damian Lillard alongside the elite duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, the Bucks fell in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs for the second consecutive season despite being the higher seed. With two more years […]

The Green Bay Packers entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a bevy of picks and used them effectively. In Round 1, the team took Arizona offensive tackle Jordan Morgan to fill in vacancies on the offensive line and Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to take over for De’Vondre Campbell. Overall, the Packers’ draft was strong. […]

After an aggressive offseason in which the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson and Patrick Queen while trading Kenny Pickett, the team looks to break out of its playoff funk and win its first postseason contest since the 2016 season. As a renovated Steelers team attempts to establish itself as a Super Bowl contender in 2024, its […]

Following an aggressive offseason in which the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson and Patrick Queen while trading Kenny Pickett, the team made its intentions clear during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Steelers took three offensive linemen with their first four picks, with the only non-lineman being Michigan wideout Roman Wilson. In the later rounds, Pittsburgh […]

With the trade deadline approaching, the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in a difficult position. Their 35-36 record is a disappointing start for a team that won 89 games a year ago. The Blue Jays lost in the AL Wild Card round last season and are 4.5 games back in the Wild Card race in […]

After a hot start in the first month of the season, the Detroit Tigers have returned to mediocrity. Detroit was 18-13 on May 1, and its mark of five games above .500 was its best since the final day of the 2016 season. The team then won just five of 19 games over the next […]

Every sign pointed to a successful baseball team in San Diego last year. The San Diego Padres were second in team ERA, fifth in defensive runs saved above average, and above average in runs scored. Yet the club finished 82-80 and missed out on the playoffs. The offseason was also a rollercoaster. In December, the […]

The Philadelphia Phillies, a club known more in recent years for its postseason success than its regular-season win totals, has flipped the script this season. Philadelphia’s 46 wins are the most in the National League and good enough for a 9.0-game lead atop the NL East. Yet, despite this hot start, there is room for […]

The Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres are two franchises at opposite ends of the spectrum in the National League. The Padres are among the league’s biggest spenders and have seemingly gone all-out in pursuit of a first World Series title. The Marlins have done the opposite, selling big-name talent at every available opportunity. The […]

A 101-win team a year ago, the Baltimore Orioles have shown no signs of slowing down in 2024. The team is off to a 43-22 start — a better winning percentage than in 2023 — but finds itself 2.5 games back in the AL East due to an even more prolific opening stretch from the […]

After a pair of 100-win seasons and no playoff series wins to show for it in the last two years, the Atlanta Braves are looking to break through in 2024 Atlanta is off to another strong start in 2024, though the Philadelphia Phillies’ even better first two months mean that a Braves team on a […]