The San Diego Padres made it all the way to the National League Championship Series last year.

That’s not their ceiling as an organization, and they made an emphatic statement about that in the last calendar year by adding Juan Soto and Xander Bogaerts.

They want to make the World Series and win their first trophy in franchise history, and are making all the moves to put themselves in the best possible position to fight for it.

They have put together an incredibly talented trio of Latino hitters, perhaps the best and most impressive in MLB history.

The most talented Latino trio in MLB history!. pic.twitter.com/xtuw9HKsTA

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) February 5, 2023

Many people in the comments said that Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez on the 2004 Boston Red Sox was the most talented Latino trio, but as far as position players go, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Soto have a really strong case.

We have seen lots of excellent Latino trios such as the one in Boston in the year they broke the Bambino curse; Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Alex Rodriguez from 2001-02, and plenty more.

However, Soto, Machado (who was born and raised in Miami but has Dominican heritage and has played with the Dominican national team), and Tatis all have MVP potential.

All of them can win the award any given year.

They are all incredibly talented, and although they haven’t won their first World Series as a trio yet (Soto has, four years ago with the Washington Nationals) they will be one of the strongest contenders in the National League this year.

If the three (plus Bogaerts) remain healthy, San Diego will be very tough to beat and very fun to watch.

The post MLB Insider Shows Off A Legendary Padres Trio appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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The New York Mets have certainly made sure to prioritize the catching position at all levels.

They signed Omar Narvaez this offseason, who has several years of MLB experience, they have a solid backup in Tomas Nido, and drafted Kevin Parada in the first round last year.

The most exciting catcher in the Mets organization, however, is Francisco Alvarez.

The young Venezuelan made his MLB debut last year after hitting 18 Double-A home runs and nine at Triple-A.

He didn’t get much playing time in the majors, but sure made his presence and his power known.

With Narvaez and Nido in the fold and several options to be the designated hitter, it’s unclear if Alvarez will open the season on the active roster.

He is, however, preparing like a major leaguer: he started his routine earlier, and he is working on his skills as a catcher with Narvaez, his countryman.

Omar Narváez works with Francisco Álvarez on his receiving: pic.twitter.com/hNR7IbGsQI

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 7, 2023

Most scouts agree on the fact that Alvarez has the bat to be a major leaguer, at any position.

However, there are conflicted reports about his ability to stay behind the plate.

Obviously, he will have more value to the Mets if he can stick as a catcher, and he is working with Narvaez to make sure he is prepared for spring training.

Scouts grade Alvarez’s raw power as a 70 in the 20-80 scale: that’s an incredible grade.

His catching skills, however, are more like a 40, which would be a hair below-average.

With work, reps, and discipline, he could become an asset behind the plate.

That would be a dream scenario for the Mets.

The post Top Mets Prospect Is Learning From A Key Veteran appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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The Milwaukee Bucks easily defeated the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, beating them with a powerful 127-108 final.

The team was led by Brook Lopez, who had yet another dominant game with 24 points and 9 rebounds.

But Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team’s unquestionable leader, was once again in fine form and playing like the MVP candidate he is.

He scored 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Giannis Antetokounmpo in his last 10 Games:

33.0 PPG
14.4 RPG
5.8 APG
57.3 FG%

10-0 Record. pic.twitter.com/8Ls6iZzFR0

— NBA Muse (@NBAMuse24) February 7, 2023

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That means that over his last ten games, Antetokounmpo has scored an average of 33 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on a 57.3% field goal percentage.

Not surprisingly, his team has gone 10-0 during that time.

Are the Bucks once again the most exciting and promising squad in the East?

The last time the Bucks lost was on January 21, when Antetokounmpo sat out and the Cleveland Cavaliers took them down, 114-102.

Since then, they have been on an eight-game winning streak.

Antetokounmpo has been incredible this season, which is very impressive since he has long been one of the greatest basketball players alive.

But this season, he is playing with a resurgent desire to make it all the way to the NBA Finals.

He has stepped up and is taking his team to new heights but the rest of the team is right behind him and helping out in noticeable ways.

Jrue Holiday is scoring 19.1 points, Bobby Portis was making 14.4, while Brooke Lopez and Khris Middleton are also scoring double digits.

Every team wants someone like Antetokounmpo on the roster but they can only achieve true postseason greatness if the entire team is playing hard.

The Bucks have a busy week ahead, taking on the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, and Boston Celtics in the upcoming days.

Will Antetokounmpo’s latest surge continue during that time?

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo And The Bucks Are On A Roll appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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