Pirate Galaxy » er in 2015: N/ARISING PUNE SUPERGIANTS

CINCINNATI -- During the fifth inning of the Reds final game, their new general manager held an impromptu session with reporters at the back of the press box. Dick Williams listed the items on their must-do list.The bullpen was at the top.Reds relievers were historically bad in 2016, the overriding factor in another lost season. As if anyone needed a reminder, the bullpen blew a lead with two outs and none on in the ninth inning Sunday as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a fitting 7-4 win in front of thousands of blue-clad fans.We wont be playing the high end of the free agent market, but I could see us spending some money on the bullpen, said Williams, who takes over for the retiring Walt Jocketty in the offseason.After two years of trading their top players and rebuilding, the Reds can see some pieces coming together in the everyday lineup and the rotation. They suffered through a horrific first half, going 32-57 before the All-Star break with five starters spending time on the disabled list.Once the rotation stabilized and some of the young players settled in, they became competitive, going 36-37 the rest of the way.I think were headed in the right direction, said Joey Votto, who batted .408 after the All-Star break. We need to add talent. In my experience, this is a fun city when we play good ball and frustrating when were not.The Reds lost 98 games in 2015 and 94 this year, the first time theyve had back-to-back 90-loss seasons since 1933-34. Attendance plummeted from 2.4 million last season -- when Cincinnati hosted the All-Star Game -- to 1,894,085, the second-lowest in the league behind Miami.Cincinnati answered its biggest offseason question by giving manager Bryan Price a one-year contract extension through 2017.I know the managerial position is polarizing one, Price said. I think people are going to want to see our team show real significant signs of improvement. I think the second half is the first stage of that improvement with our club, and Im happy to be here.Some takeaways from the Reds season:YOUNGSTERS EMERGE: Infielder Jose Peraza was the most impressive in a group of young players who got their first chance in the majors during the season. Peraza was among the NLs top rookies with a .324 average, three homers, 25 RBI and 21 stolen bases. Adam Duvall led the team with 33 homers and 103 RBI.MESORACOS LATEST COMEBACK: Catcher Devin Mesoraco had a significant operation for the second year in a row. A hip problem wiped out most of his 2015 season, and shoulder surgery made him sit out most of this year. The Reds expect him back in full health for spring training, but his injury history is troubling.BAILEYS EXTENDED REHAB: Homer Bailey had several setbacks during his recovering from Tommy John surgery, limiting him to six starts and 23 innings. The Reds are hoping hes fully healthy next season. Bailey, who has thrown a pair of no-hitters, is owed $63 million over the next three years. Anthony DeSclafani went 9-5 with a 3.28 ERA in 20 starts, solidifying his spot. Brandon Finnegan and Dan Straily earned consideration for next years rotation.HORRIFIC NUMBERS: The Reds went into the season with no proven closer and it cost them. That blown save in the final game left Cincinnati only 28 of 53 in save chances. The bullpen gave up a major league record 103 homers and led the league in walks. Overall, the Reds allowed 258 homers, shattering the previous major league mark.PHILLIPS EXTENDED STAY: The second baseman blocked a trade to the Nationals, which would have opened up more time for a young player. He batted .291 in 141 games with 11 homers, 64 RBI and 14 errors, his highest total in 10 years. Hell make $14 million in the final year of his contract, very pricey for a team with the Reds budget. Theyre still interested in trading him, if hell acquiesce.Well talk to him again this year, Williams said. I think one area of depth for us is our middle infield.---Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekayDante Bayern Munich Jersey . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Arjen Robben Bayern Munich Jersey . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. http://www.soccerfcbayernshop.com/kids-tom-starke-bayern-munich-jersey/ . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Philipp Lahm Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Corentin Tolisso Jersey . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12.The new IPL season gets underway this Saturday, live on Sky Sports, but who should get your backing?With England internationals, stars of the World T20 and a whole host of other big-name players on show, there are any number of reasons you might choose to support a specific side.So whether youre backing the boys from back home, embrace an underdog story or even if youre just a fan of The Hoff, weve got you covered... MUMBAI INDIANSYou should support them because… Jos Buttler is playingThe England wicketkeeper has been in fine form for England over the winter and after a starring role in Eoin Morgans sides run to the World T20 final, he will now head to Mumbai. The reigning IPL champions paid out £385,000 to secure Buttlers services and he will now join up with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Lasith Malinga and Kieron Pollard. Ricky Ponting is at the helm as the Indians look to defend their crown. Virat Kohli will captain an RCB side also containing Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers Captain: Rohit SharmaCoach: Ricky PontingBest performance: Winners (2013, 2015)2015 result: WinnersTop run scorer in 2015: Lendl Simmons (540)Top wicket taker in 2015: Lasith Malinga (24)ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALOREYou should support them because… their top four is awesomeWith Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Shane Watson and AB de Villiers around, RCB must fancy their chances of winning a first IPL title after near misses in 2009 and 2011. Gayle, in particular, has enjoyed himself during his time with the Bangalore franchise, hitting a record-breaking 175 not out against Pune Warriors in 2013. Even if he doesnt fire, the chances are one of Kohli, Watson and De Villiers will. Carlos Brathwaite (R) should be full of confidence for the start of the IPL Captain: Virat KohliCoach: Daniel VettoriBest performance: Runners-up (2009, 2011)2015 result: 3rdTop run scorer in 2015: AB de Villiers (513)Top wicket taker in 2015: Yuzvender Chahal (23)DELHI DAREDEVILSYou should support them because… they are due some successOn paper, the Daredevils have a squad to match most in the competition but that has long been the case and yet, time and again, they have fallen. Having retained South African trio JP Duminy, Imran Tahir and Quinton de Kock, they have added another Protea Chris Morris, Englands Sam Billings and a certain Carlos Brathwaite to their ranks. Could they finally live up to their promise in 2016? Mitchell Johnson will play for Kings XI Punjab Captain: Zaheer KhanCoach: Paddy UptonBest performance: 3rd (2012)2015 result: 7thTop run scorer in 2015: Shreyas Iyer (439)Top wicket taker in 2015: Nathan Coulter-Nile/Imran Tahir (15)KINGS XI PUNJABYou should support them because… Mitchell Johnsons in their ranksThe left-arm quick may have retired from international cricket but you can still see him in action, steaming in to bowl for Kings XI. Punjab are led by a South African, in David Miller, but there is a strong Aussie influence with Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh and Marcus Stoinis joining Johnson. They have also spent big to bring in seamer Mohit Sharma after a disappointing 2015. West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell is dangerous with bat and ball Captain: David MillerCoach: Sanjay BangarBest performance: Runners-up (2014)2015 result: 8thTop run scorer in 2015: David Miller (357)Top wicket taker in 2015: Anureet Singh (15)KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERSYou should support them because… they make you think of The HoffAnd what better reason is there than that to pick a team? David Hasselhoff starred as Michael Knight in the 1980s televisual gem Knight Rider, with his character fighting crime with his artificially intelligent car KITT. Kolkata Knight Riders kit is a cracker, too - an excellent purple strip - and there are plenty of star names who will wear it, including West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell, Bangladeshs Shakib Al Hasan and New Zealand boundary hitter Colin Munro, as well as home favourites Gautam Gambhir, Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa.dddddddddddd There will be a legend in charge, too, with Jacques Kallis now head coach following Trevor Bayliss switch to England. Can Eoin Morgan regain his form at Sunrisers? Captain: Gautam GambhirCoach: Jacques KallisBest performance: Winners (2012, 2014)2015 result: 5thTop run scorer in 2015: Robin Uthappa (364)Top wicket taker in 2015: Andre Russell (14)SUNRISERS HYDERABADYou should support them because… you can keep tabs on Eoin MorganMorgan will be gutted after his England side were pipped at the post by West Indies in the World T20 final but will get the chance to hit that out of his system over the next few weeks. Morgan scored one fifty in nine innings for Sunrisers in 2015, with captain David Warner and the mustachioed Shikhar Dhawan the main run getters. Those two remain this year and with Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson and Moises Henriques in tow, Morgan will have to quickly regain the form that deserted him during the World T20 to force his way into the side and stay there. MS Dhoni will captain new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants Captain: David WarnerCoach: Tom MoodyBest performance: 4th (2013)2015 result: 6thTop run scorer in 2015: David Warner (562)Top wicket taker in 2015: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (18)GUJARAT LIONSYou should support them because… they might do the Champion dance!West Indies boogieing along to their Champion tune was one of the most indelible images of the World T20 - and the architect of it, DJ aka Dwayne Bravo, is playing for new franchise Gujarat this time around. Bravo may do a jive if his famed slower balls come up trumps and with James Faulkner having been signed, too, Lions possess seamers with more tricks up their sleeves than Dynamo. Gujarats batting also looks handy - Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum will provide some wallop up top, with Suresh Raina, who has played more matches and scored more runs than any other player in IPL history, offering class and composure in the middle. Captain: Suresh RainaCoach: Brad HodgeBest performance: N/A2015 result: N/ATop run scorer in 2015: N/ATop wicket taker in 2015: N/ARISING PUNE SUPERGIANTSYou should support them because… of KP and MSThe IPLs second new franchise for 2016 are arguably even more power-packed than the first. Pune are skippered by MS Dhoni, who captained Chennai Super Kings to IPL glory in 2010 and 2011 as well as to the final on four other occasions, while exiled England batman Kevin Pietersen will be looking to build on fruitful recent T20 stints in the Big Bash and Ram Slam having joined his fifth IPL outfit. Sticking with initials, SS, MM and RA could also be key for Pune - Australia captain and batsman extraordinaire Steve Smith; his countryman, seam-bowling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh; and a master of the art of spin bowling, Ravichandran Ashwin. Dwayne Bravo (far left) is the orchestrator of the Champion dance Captain: MS DhoniCoach: Stephen FlemingBest performance: N/A2015 result: N/ATop run scorer in 2015: N/ATop wicket taker in 2015: N/A Get Sky Sports Join us and watch the Indian Premier League live on Sky Sports. Fast and easy online upgradeAlso See:IPL by the numbersWATCH: Butch at the IPLIPLs stars of World T20Live cricket on Sky ' ' '