The Major League Baseball regular season is about a week away from wrapping up. With just a few regular season games left before the playoffs start, certain players look to end the season in strong fashion as they make their final statements in order to be recognized as the most deserving players for the season awards.
These awards include the Most Valuable Player Award for each league, Cy Young Award which is given to one pitcher of each league, and the Rookie Of The Year Award for each league.
Here’s our best guess as to who will win the top awards:
American League Most Valuable Player (MVP): Josh Donaldson
In his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays, since being traded by the Oakland A’s, Josh Donaldson has been arguably the best player in the American League since the beginning of the season. Donaldson and the Blue Jays are in first place in the American League East, and he has been the leader of the MLB’s top offense. He has a batting average of .299 and has slugged 41 home runs, which is good for third in the American League. The third baseman also leads the American League with 122 runs batted in. Donaldson made the All Star team this season and has been the one player who has consistently been the most valuable for his team. The two time All Star should be a lock to win the AL MVP Award and he has already won it in the hearts of many fans.
Photo Credit: Keith Allison/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
National League Most Valuable Player (MVP): Bryce Harper
The Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper is only 22 years old and has had one of the best seasons ever by a player of his age. Harper, who was an All Star this season, leads the National League in the chase for the batting title, which is given to the player with the league’s highest batting average. The young star has a batting average of .336. He is tied for first in the National League in home runs with 41 and has 96 RBI’s which is fifth in the league. Although his team has fallen to second place in the National League East, Harper is the main reason the Nats stayed in the hunt for the playoffs late into the season. Although his team will not make the playoffs, it is very likely that Harper will win the NL MVP Award.
Photo Credit: Arturo Pardavila III/Flick (CC By 2.0)
American League Cy Young Award: David Price
The 2012 Cy Young Award winner David Price has a good chance of winning the award for the second time in his career. Price, who began the season as the ace for the Detroit Tigers, has since become the ace for the first place Toronto Blue Jays after being acquired in a trade. The hard throwing lefty has a record of 18 wins and only 5 losses. The 18 wins put him second in the American League. Price leads the AL starting pitchers with an earned run average (era) of 2.45. He is also fourth in the league in strikeouts with 225. Since being acquired by the Blue Jays at the trade deadline Price has 9 wins and only 1 loss with an era. of 2.30. He has been everything that the Blue Jays hoped he would be when they traded for him.
Photo Credit: Arturo Pardavila III/Flickr (CC By 2.0)
National League Cy Young Award: Zack Greinke
In 2009 Zack Greinke was the Cy Young Award winner in the American League for the Kansas City Royals. In 2015 the Los Angeles Dodger’s star should win the Cy Young Award, but this time in the National League. Greinke has had an overall better season this year than he had in 2009. He has 18 wins and only 3 losses. His 18 wins this season is good for second place in the National League. The All Star righty leads all starting pitchers in the MLB with a 1.65 era. Greinke has pitched over 200 innings this season for the Dodgers and has struck out 185 batters. He has been the most consistent Dodger’s starting pitcher all year and has helped the team maintain a first place lead in the National League West throughout the season. This season for Greinke has been a pretty historic one for a starting pitcher, which is why he should be the NL Cy Young Award winner when the season comes to an end.
American League Rookie Of The Year: Carlos Correa
As a 20-year-old this season, Carlos Correa was promoted to the MLB by the Houston Astros. The rookie shortstop has since turned 21 years of age and has been a huge factor in the success of the Astros this season. He is one of the keys of why the Astros could in fact make the playoffs this season in the American League. Correa is batting .282 with 21 home runs and 61 rbi in just 93 games played this season. His 21 home runs lead all rookies in the American League. His 61 rbi is good enough for second place among all rookies in the American League. He plays the most important position on the field, and the impact that he’s made on his team’s success should be the reason why he wins the American League Rookie Of The Year Award.
Photo Credit: Arturo Pardavila III/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
National League Rookie Of The Year: Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs has been one of the more popular players talked about throughout the 2015 season. As a rookie this season, Bryant was selected as a reserve to his first All Star Game. The rookie sensation has been a big reason for the Chicago Cubs resurgence in 2015. He is hitting .282 with 26 home runs and 99 rbi. His 26 home runs put him first among all Major League rookies. His 99 rbi leads all Major League rookies as well. He’s helped the Chicago Cubs make it back to the playoffs after years of disappointment. The overall good season that the All Star has had should be good enough for him to win the NL Rookie Of The Year Award.
The 2015 MLB season has been a very exciting one. A lot of players have made a positive impact for their teams this season, but only a few guys have made a big enough impact to be considered for these awards.
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Cover Photo Credit: Keith Allison/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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Why Are All These People In Hong Kong Doing Crazy Things On Rooftops?
Recreational trespass, “rooftopping” or urban exploring is the exploration of any open or abandoned space.
Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers in the world.
Hence, it attracts a lot of explorers from all over the world to reach the climax in Hong Kong.
For rooftoppers worldwide, conquering buildings and breaking the rules are the main spirit of this activity, but for rooftoppers in Hong Kong, it’s much more than just a death defying stunt.
Here’s some reasons why they do it:
- To redefine their limit
For many rooftoppers, it’s the feeling of empowerment and being on top of the world that the adventure brings. By conquering their own fear, capture stunning images of uninterrupted views and turning these rooftops as their own personal playgrounds, they push themselves beyond own limit.
- To recharge from hectic city life
To rooftoppers, everyday is ordinary life — everything is so structured and you have to follow orders. Hence, they want to get away from that.
“Rooftopping is like a getaway from city life to me — Hong Kong is such a fast-paced city with so much pressure and noise,” well known Hong Kong rooftopper Daniel Lau said. “When I’m on a rooftop, everything slows down, you don’t hear anything but wind, all the rush from the ground became like slow-motion.”
- To explore the city’s landscape
Symmetry Heaven – Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal.
The world famous breathtaking skyline of the concrete jungle is a must-see for tourists.
But if you’ve lived here your whole life, you’d probably be bored of visting the same places at the exact same spots.
Rooftopping allows rooftoppers to appreciate Hong Kong from a whole new perspective and reconnect with the vibrant city which they consider as a home.
- To reclaim the urban space from big business
Photo Credit: Exthetics/ Screengrab (Youtube)
The cost of living and flat price in this dense vertical city of over seven million is among the highest in the world.
As a result, the majority of Hong Kong’s youth still live with their parents in their adulthood without adequate personal space.
Spaces hidden in the famous skyline thus becomes the only ones left to explore for free and sneaking onto rooftops has become a statement of reclaiming the city from big business.
“[The] Roof is for everyone. Pick a book, read on a crane, get some inspirations,” rooftopper William Cheng said.
5. Rooftopping for freedom and disobedience
The city’s young people are part of a generation who have grown up with the umbrella revolution, worsening economic prospects and increasing worries of eroding individual freedom.
Rooftoppers – like other youngsters- showcase their frustrations by celebrating disobedience.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
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Meet Daniela Núñez, The 23 Year Old Mexican Who Wants To Change The Way We Bury People
“What would happen if there were no graveyards and, instead of graveyards, we built paradises?”
That’s the question 23 year-old Mexican college student, Daniela Núñez, asked herself.
This question would become the foundation of her biodegradable urns project and company: BioEternal.
“BioEternal literally started in one of my courses,” Núñez said in an interview with RISE NEWS. “After researching, she found several companies in Spain, Colombia and Argentina that work with biodegradable urns. That’s when she decided she could make a change by bringing the seldom used concept to Mexico.”
After validating the market in Mexico, Daniela noticed that people like BioEternal, not only because of the practice, but also because of the entire experience the product offers.
With the help of partners and guided by professors from her university, she started creating the foundations for her business.
A critical moment for Núñez and BioEternal happened during her fourth semester of college, where she signed up for an I semester.
The I semester is a unique business incubation offered by the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores Monterrey (ITESM).
“While I was there, BioEternal started moving forward really fast,” Núñez said. “I also faced my biggest challenges. People liked my idea but they kept asking me how I would work with Mexican culture.”
Núñez spoke about the Mexican culture as one of her biggest challenges.
“Mexicans have deep roots in their culture, especially when it comes to death,”
Núñez said. “It’s rare to see practices that differ from what we are used to, or from the typical funerary companies. That part was very complicated and we didn’t know if it would work here in Mexico.”
Daniela Núñez, the founder of BioEternal.
Another challenge Núñez faced while working on Bioeternal was the Catholic Church’s strong presence in Mexico.
“Ad Resurgendum Cum Christo,” a document released in August 2016 signed by Pope Francis states that the ashes of deceased people may not be kept in unholy or unblessed land.
“But after validating the market in Mexico, I realized that people no longer have a strong commitment with the Church,” Núñez said regarding the challenge.
Besides BioEternal, there are five companies that sell biodegradable urns too in her market.
Núñez spoke about Limbo as one of her strongest competitors in Mexico.
“A company that’s already selling and has very good sales is Limbo,” Núñez said. “Their product is something like a sand ball, but their concept and idea is about reintegrating with nature.”
Another company named Colibrí not only work with humans, but also work with animals.
“My plans are to start with humans and then make an approach to the animal market,” Núñez said. “If I started with the animal market, people are going to relate or interpret this practice as something exclusive for animals and that’s not a good idea.”
For Núñez, working with BioEternal has been more than just a way to help the environment.
“It’s very pretty to think about becoming a tree, but that idea is not enough, especially when you’re going through such a complicated stage in your life,” she said.
That’s the reason why Núñez decided to link together her company with the concept of green thanatology.
Without exploring the meaning of life and death, thanatology studies death.
Green thanatology, which is related to liberation, focuses on helping people go through someone’s death with the help of nature.
Companies like Limbo and Colibrí only focus on helping the environment, and this provided Daniela with an area of opportunity.
BioEternal’s focus on healing and its link with thanatology are its main strength and something that puts it beyond its competitors.
Death is not an easy subject to handle.
This is the reason why Daniela not only wants to change processes, but also wants to change experiences.
“It’s no longer an experience of burying a person, but of planting a life,” Núñez said. “Let’s make it beautiful. I want people to be able to keep these memories. That’s one reason why Bioeternal is named that way, because it’s an eternal memory.”
Setting up her company has not been easy and, currently, Núñez’s bigger challenge is money.
Producing a large number of biodegradable urns and signing up for this year’s national funerary convention are big and necessary expenses for her.
“I’m out of resources and I’m going to need help from crowdfunding,” Núñez said.
Núñez said that her long term goals are about making her own funerary company and a Bioeternal park.
“I don’t want families to go to a graveyard. I want this to be a friendly concept in which people visit a forest and visit their own tree because that’s much more attractive and pretty,” Núñez said.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
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