Nick & Hayden's 2014 MLB Preview: 28. Miami Marlins

Jeffrey Loria. The Face of Evil.

The Marlins have a villain, and it's one their own. 

28. Miami Marlins
by Hayden Hughes







“Hey…do you smell that? What is that smell?”
“Yeah…Urg! He’s here. Damn it, %@*&in’ Jeff is here…” – 2 of Jeffrey Loria’s interns

      The Marlins team stinks. Their owner sucks too. On Wikipedia, his page says “Jeffrey Loria is an American art dealer, and the owner of the Miami Marlins. There’s a joke in there somewhere: “For a baseball owner, he’s a helluva art dealer.” There’s a stigma around the Marlins that circulates around the team’s franchise and I think I have figured it out; it’s never a good thing if the casual fan knows your owner’s name and not your GM’s name.

  But there are players to be talked about after all. Signing Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a 3-year, $21 M deal, in an offseason where he was the second-best catcher to only Brian McCann, makes Marlins fans scratch their heads, then shrug their shoulders as they ask “Who do the Heat play? No, not 6! That’s when I’m getting spray tanned. Bro, have you been using my hair gel again?” But seriously, Salty should fire his agent. Surely, most other teams would have given the 28-year old more than $7M per. Maybe I’m wrong.

     The lineup the Marlins have, outside of Giancarlo Stanton, will most certainly give Marlins fans some minor form of PTSD following 2014. Seriously, they signed Casey McGehee – who lost his job in Japan to Kevin Youkilis this offseason – and Rafael Furcal and gave both of them the starting jobs at third and second base, respectively—Wait!

     Is it 2009?!
     Oh, it's not?
     Then why the hell would a professional baseball team sign a defunct third baseman, who last had a slashline of .217/.284/.358 in 2012 where he was traded for Chad Qualls (who got the worse end of that deal?!), and a shortstop recovering from Tommy John surgery who last played second base in 2004 (for a whole 2 innings)?

The answer: Winning is not a priority in Miami.

     The only priority is money for the owner, who knows the cash isn’t coming in Florida. It’s a race between Miami and Tampa Bay to see which team moves from Florida first. Never mind your team has potentially the best young Ace in the Majors. And never mind your 24-year old right fielder could lead any team in home runs. Never mind that right fielder could get you a pot of gold in return, if you dealt him anywhere. Never mind all the talent.

     After all, Loria is a primary reason Montreal has no baseball team. He’s in it for money. All this and yet, somehow, the Marlins – in the NL East – could be a contender in a couple years. Marlins fans should think of this as a Batman movie, with Loria as the Riddler, Jose Fernandez as Robin, and Giancarlo Stanton as Batman. After all, "it's always darkest before the dawn."

Ha. Just kidding. Batman gets traded.

1.      Last Season & offseason

a.       62-100

b.      Signed Jarrod Saltalamacchia (3 yr/$21M), Rafael Furcal, Garret Jones, Casey McGehee

c.       Traded Ruggiano for Brian Bogusevic with Cubs, Logan Morrison for Carter Capps

d.      Let Ryan Webb and Chris Coghlan walk

2.      Projected Line up /Rotation
      Lineup:

1.       Rafael Furcal 2B

2.      Christian Yelich LF

3.       Giancarlo Stanton RF

4.      Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

5.       Marcell Ozuna CF

6.       Garret Jones 1B

7.      Casey McGehee 3B

8.      Adeiny Hechavarria SS

1.        Jose Fernandez

2.        Nathan Eovaldi

3.      Henderson Alvarez

4.        Jacob Turner

5.    Brian Flynn

3.      Favorite/Least Fav

a.       N fav - Rotation

b.      H fav – got rid of Morrison; for Capps

c.       N least – Loria still owns team

d.      H least – Salty batting 4^th

4.      High Heat Impact Player

a.       Jose Fernandez

                                                              i.      Demigod and part-time pitcher

                                                            ii.      NL ROY 2013

b.      

c.       He was alright…

d.      Can he replicate? Get better?

                                                              i.      Mathematically, physically, emotionally cannot do any better.

5.      Prospect to make impact

a.       Brian Flynn (#5 rotation)

                                                              i.      6’7” – 240 lbs

                                                            ii.      Mid-90s fastball, secondary guy in Anibal Sanchez trade

                                                          iii.      Fifth guy in solid rotation

                                                          iv.      Walks way too many guys

b.      Andrew Heaney

                                                              i.      Not a matter of if, but when

                                                            ii.      Potential #2 with Fernandez

6.      Midseason Status

a.       Free tickets to games; Relocation rumors to Cuba; Constant denial of Stanton trades throughout season.

7.      Bold Predictions

a.       65-97

b.      Big year from Stanton

c.       Trade with Detroit: Steve Cishek for Devon Travis (2B prospect – Furcal up at end of 2014).

d.      Should trade for Brandon Phillips (because why not) but don’t have assets.

Playlist:
"Waiting" by Green Day
"Shake It Out" by Florence + the Machine

Nick & Hayden's 2014 MLB Preview: 29. Houston Astros

Despite playing for the Astros, Jose Altuve still finds things to smile about.



29. Houston Astros
by Hayden Hughes

On the surface, one would be wondering what would possess an individual to commit to season tickets to the Houston Professional Baseball Team. Then, that individual could see their rotation and question whether the Houston Professional Baseball Team was indeed a professional baseball team in Houston. I’m sure it’s difficult to win 50 games in the Major Leagues, but I’m sure it’s hard to also win only 51 games out of 162. But one thing that Astros fans could tell you is their ballclub has a plan. It’s not tanking – it’s rebuilding. And they seem to be close to being legit… “close” being used relatively, of course.

The team has a solid, small-statured cornerstone in second baseman Jose Altuve, and with the addition of centerfielder Dexter Fowler, the ‘Stros should be in line for perhaps the best win-loss record swing with…60? Maybe 65? But hey, progress is progress. Let me reiterate a key move in their offseason – the Rockies gave Houston a starting centerfielder. They traded starter Jordan Lyles and outfielder Brandon Barnes to Colorado for Fowler. No, Fowler won’t win MVP or lead the AL in…anything. But this team got instantly better with that transaction. Perhaps the steal of the offseason. Signings to solidify the bullpen will keep the Houston Professional Baseball Team from losing games late, and with veteran starter Scott Feldman potentially teaching other starters a thing or two, maybe their 5th place standing won’t look as rough. It’s a shame this team plays in a division with Texas, Oakland, Anaheim, and Seattle. They seem to be the punching bag. But this year perhaps they’ll have a…puncher’s chance. Sorry…awful pun.

But for real, doesn’t it seem like a lifetime ago when the Houston Astros were losing the World Series?

1. Last Season & Offseason
          a. 51-111
          b. Signed Jesse Crain, Scott Feldman, Chad Qualls, Matt Albers
          c. Acquired Dexter Fowler for Jordan Lyles (SP/RP) and Brandon Barnes (OF)
          d. Traded PTBNL for Anthony Bass with SD
                      i. Stock piling relief arms for Midseason deals

2. Projected Lineups
Lineup:
      1. Dexter Fowler CF
      2. Jose Altuve 2B
      3. Jason Castro C
      4. Chris Carter DH
      5. Jonathan Singleton 1B
      6. Robbie Grossman LF
      7. Matt Dominguez 3B
      8. George Springer RF
      9. Jonathan Villar SS
Rotation:
      1. Scott Feldman
      2. Brett Olberholtzer
      3. Jarred Cosart
      4. Brad Peacock
      5. Dallas Keuchel
     **Edit Note: Jerome Williams was signed and will also be in the rotation

3. Favorite/Least Favorite
        a. Hayden's Favorite – Plethora of relief arms
        b. Nick's Favorite – Fowler trade
        c. Hayden's Least Favorite – Lack of trade assets outside of bullpen
        d. Nick's Least Favorite – Still have that “stupid” “hill” in “CF”

4. High Heat Impact Player
        a. Dexter Fowler
              i. Veteran, everyday player on YOUNG team
             ii. Some speed
            iii. Consistent
            iv. Good K/BB ratio
             v. Gets on base; good leadoff guy

5. Prospect to make impact
       a. George Springer
              i. High AVG, OBP, has power, speed, and good arm
             ii. Potential 20/20 guy
            iii. Played 62 games AAA; getting Opp. In RF
            iv. Must keep K’s down

6. Midseason Status
      a. Trading relievers
              i. Crain, Albers, Qualls, Fielders, Bass, etc. to contender for prospects

7. Bold Predictions
      a. 65-97, 14-game improvement; Springer AL ROY
     b. Trade Jesse Crain to BOS for 3B Garin Cecchini

Podcast Playlist:

"Hold On" by the Alabama Shakes

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

Nick & Hayden's 2014 MLB Preview: 30. Chicago Cubs

We feel your pain Theo, and we don't like this anymore than you do...




30. The Chicago Cubs
by Hayden Hughes

With a rotation of Jeff Samardzija, Edwin Jackson, and Travis Wood as the 1-2-3, the Cubs’ faithful could reasonably expect an improvement over the 66-96 2013 season which resulted in the firing of their manager of just two seasons, Dale Sveum. Dumping veteran outfielder Alfonso Soriano to the New York Yankees was a solid start to raising expectations – or so it seemed. Turns out the Yanks are getting Chicago to pay $13M of the $18M the 38 year-old in 2014. After an apparent all-out attempt for Japanese export Masahiro Tanaka, the Cubs fell short of New York’s offer (Score: Yankees 2, Cubs 0). Furthermore, there seems to be trouble in paradise between the Cubs and their Ace, Jeff Samardzija, as the two have had difficulties coming to terms on a long term extension, and just recently avoided arbitration. Past all the issues, Epstein and co. have one thing have to look forward to in their overall relative youth. Star-in-the-making Starlin Castro has been relatively consistent, and first baseman Anthon Rizzo enters his year 24-season still progressing in the right direction. But still, 2014 will not be the year Chicago finally lifts a blue World Series banner. 

Where the promise lies is in 2015, 2016, and beyond. Once Nate Schierholtz isn’t batting clean-up for the
Cubs, but instead the lineup card is filled with names like Beaz, Bryant, Almora, and Soler, Cubs fans will
then justifiably spend their week nights at Wrigley Field. 2014 will be a transition year when questions will be
answered. Those questions revolve around former Texas Rangers prospect-now-transplant Mike Olt,
second year left fielder Junior Lake, and strikeout-prone catcher Welington Castillo. Whether or not these
assets are a part of Chicago’s future doesn’t change the fact that Chicago’s crop of upcoming prospects are
nothing short of thrilling for fans; but the above players need to prove their worth as the next batch of
prospects threaten current starters’ jobs.

One thing worth watching this year with the Cubs is the productivity, overall perceived happiness, and
(while we’re at it) body language of shortstop Starlin Castro. Still maturing, Castro’s 2013 slash-line of
.245/.284/.347 didn’t fit well with fans, as the 23-year-old’s WAR fell to below replacement level for
the first time in his career. One bright spot in Castro’s 2013 was his cut down of errors – but only slightly
– from 27 in 2012, and 29 in 2011, to a mere 22 in 2014. One dark spot on that bright spot is that 22
errors still lead the Major Leagues among shortstops (tied with Alexei Ramirez). In fact, the only player
with more than 22 errors was Pittsburg 3B Pedro Alvarez with 27 – who hit 36 homers and won a Silver
Slugger. But hey, you can’t have your cake and eat it too, Cubs fans.

I expect the Cubs to not only finish last in the NL Central, but also potentially be the lone 100-loss team in
the big leagues. That being said, I expect with the right development, the Cubs could be serious
contenders in the future.

1. Last Year & Offseason
        a. 66-96
        b. Fired Dale Sveum and hired Rick Renteria
        c. Traded for George Kottaras for $$$$
        d. Traded Brian Bogusevic to MIA for Justin Ruggiano
        e. Signed Jose Veras, Wesley Wright, Jason Hammel
        f. What they didn’t do
                 i. Extend/Trade Samarbfajbva
                 ii. Acquire Tanaka

2. Projected Lineup / Rotation
Lineup:
       1. Starlin Castro SS
       2. Ryan Sweeney / Justin Ruggiano CF
       3. Anthony Rizzo 1B
       4. Nate Schierholtz RF
       5. Welington Castillo C
       6. Junior Lake LF
       7. Mike Olt 3B
       8. Darwin Barney 2B
Rotation:  
       1. Jeff Samardzija
       2. Edwin Jackson
       3. Travis Wood
       4. Jason Hammel
       5. Jake Arrieta

3. Favorite/Least Favorite
      a. Nick's Favorite – Throwback uniforms
      b. Hayden's Favorite – Farm System
      c. Nick's Least Favorite – New mascot: “Clark the Cub”
      d. Hayden's Least Favorite – Big league Club & lack of offseason

4. High Heat Impact Player
      a. Anthony Rizzo
          i. Will be 24
          ii. AVG dipped, OBP stayed at .323
          iii. Needs to get AVG up to .270, while maintaining walks

          iv. Power numbers will grow, Goldschmidt comp. (was 24 in 2012) 

5. Prospect to make impact
      a. Javier Baez – SS/3B
      b. Mike Olt – 3B

6. Mid-Season Status
      a. FIRE SELLERS!!!!
            i. Edwin Jackson and/or Jeff Samardzija are the Weakest Link…goodbye.
      b. Starlin Castro becomes a walking cancer and hurricane. Dawns new nickname “Hurricane Castro”
      c. Olt doesn’t pan out

7. Bold Prediction
      a. 61-101; Samardzija is gone by deadline, Castro wants trade – Change of Scenery guy, Epstein sends              memo to fans in May promising a better tomorrow.
      b. Trade Samardzija to SEA for Nick Franklin (2B) and James Paxton (LHP)




Podcast Playlist:
"Keep it Comin' Love" by KC and the Sunshine Band
"Wannabe" by the Fugees
"Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake

The Bronson Arroyo Effect

by Nick Opich

2/7/2014

Earlier today the Arizona Diamondbacks signed SP Bronson Arroyo to a two year deal and solidified their starting rotation. Across Twitter, there have been mixed reviews on whether this was a good signing for Arizona but from what I have seen, Arroyo has averaged 199+ IP since 2005, has never been on the disabled list, and brings 12 games of postseason experience to a young Dbacks squad. And unlike Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez (the top two rated SP free agents remaining on the market) he does not cost the Diamondbacks their first round draft pick.

So what kind of implications does the Arroyo signing mean for the rest of the Dbacks 25 man roster?

First, it likely signals the end to the Dbacks 2103-14 offseason. Arizona has had rumored interest in a number of free agents and other trade candidates but after today’s deal it seems like the Dbacks have filled all their needs.

Second, it makes it almost a guarantee that Archie Bradley will start the year in Mobile or Reno. The 2011 first round pick out of Oklahoma shot up prospect charts last season after he continued his dominance of Single-A and Double-A competition. Earlier this offseason, General Manager Kevin Towers said Bradley will be given an opportunity to earn a spot in Arizona’s major league rotation. With Arroyo likely joining Corbin, Miley, McCarthy, and Cahill in the rotation, all signals are pointing to Bradley starting the season in the minors and only reaching Arizona if there is a need for him.

Third, it pushes Randall Delgado out of competition for the 5^th spot in the rotation. Delgado joined Arizona last January in the Justin Upton trade and since his arrival, his tenure as a Diamondback has been riddled with uncertainty. Delgado spent 2013 pitching out of the Arizona rotation, bullpen, and also made several starts in Reno. He was expected to compete for the final spot in the rotation this spring but that now seems unlikely.

Looking at the rest of the Diamondbacks 25 man roster, it looks like the final position on the roster will come down to Delgado, RP David Hernandez, and RP Will Harris.

Delgado, 24, pitched well for the Dbacks posting a 4.26 and 1.19 WHIP in the majors but if Arizona stills envisions his future as a starter as a major leaguer, he’ll likely start the year in Reno. Hernandez, who was once thought of as a future closer, struggled mightily last season, posting a 4.48 ERA and giving up 31 ER in 62+ IP last season. His struggles saw him demoted to Reno and his status on the current roster was greatly diminished. Harris spent the majority of last season in the Arizona bullpen and pitched well in his 61 appearances. He posted a 2.91 ERA in 52+ IP and had a K/BB ratio of 3.53/1.

These three guys will have until March 22, the day the Dbacks open their season against the Dodgers in Australia, to earn their spot.  

NEWS: D-Backs sign Arroyo

by Hayden Hughes

2/7/14

*Update: According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Arroyo's deal with AZ is $9.5M in 2014, $9.5M in 2015, and an $11M option in 2016 or a $4.5M buyout.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden reported, on Friday (2/7) afternoon, that 36-year-old starter Bronson Arroyo has narrowed the number of teams he’s likely to sign with down from the Orioles, Dodgers, and the Diamondbacks to either the Dodgers or Diamondbacks.

By 3:05 p.m. news broke from multiple sources that he was a Diamondback.

Whether we are the first or not, the High Heat Podcast would like to welcome Bronson to the desert!

Baltimore and the Dodgers were other options Arroyo was considering, but with the Dodger’s starting depth, he would most likely be the fourth guy in their rotation. Baltimore reportedly was in-then-out on Arroyo.

As confusing as it may have been, it was good news for D-Backs fans that their team hadn’t been omitted from anyone’s reports. They now have a guy who will come into 2014 having pitched 199+ innings every year since 2005.

Going into the offseason, GM Kevin Tower’s #1 job was to find an ace. After the trade with San Diego, in which the Diamondbacks traded their ace in Ian Kennedy for lefty reliever Joe Thatcher, the D-Backs needed another arm to anchor the rotation. While Patrick Corbin supplied a stellar, All-Star 2013 campaign, fatigue reared its ugly head, as Corbin pitched 48 more innings than he ever had before, minors included. In August and September combined, Corbin put up a 6.05 ERA. While not good, he had just turned 24 in July. The D-Backs got more than they could have asked out of Corbin in 2013.

Because of the D-Backs youth, perhaps they felt more experience would be beneficial for their club. But given their return (or lack thereof) in this offseason’s trades, the D-Backs felt Free Agency is a better fit for the immediate future than another trade could be.

In losing OF Adam Eaton, LHP David Holmberg, LHP Tyler Skaggs, 3B Matt Davidson, and RHP Heath Bell, the Snakes have converted-left fielder Mark Trumbo and RHP Addison Reed to show for their transactions. And between Eaton, Holmberg, Skaggs, and Davidson, Eaton was the oldest…at 25. Bottom line: Towers has traded away a lot of prospects.

I had been buying into the words we all heard from Towers around the Winter Meetings: that the Diamondbacks would find their ace by means of trades, not free agents. And I was on board with this plan. Missing out on Japanese-import Masahiro Tanaka meant potentially giving up a draft pick as compensation for a deal with either Ubaldo Jimenez or Ervin Santana – both would most likely prefer long-term contracts with lots of money attached to them.

Arroyo is different. Entering what will potentially be his last couple seasons in the big leagues Arroyo has no draft pick compensation attached to his name and could be signed at a decent price, considering what other free agent starters are asking for.

Here’s a breakdown of what the D-Backs’ payroll for starting pitching is for 2014:

Player	2014 Salary
Patrick Corbin	Pre-Arbitration Eligible until 2016
Wade Miley	Pre-Arbitration Eligible until 2015
Randall Delgado	Pre-Arbitration Eligible until 2015
Trevor Cahill	$7,700,000
Brandon McCarthy	$10,250,000

On the surface, McCarthy’s contract is what is hurting the D-Backs’ wallet. And in the immediate that’s right. From what D-Backs fans saw from McCarthy in 2013, he isn’t worth $10.25M following a year in which he only pitched 135 innings and posted a 4.53 ERA. The problem is all other baseball teams most likely saw McCarthy’s performance as well, making him unlikely to be tradable to another club.

Really, trading Cahill to another team would be the best move, given that Arroyo signs with the D-Backs. Arroyo is a slightly better pitcher, who pitches more innings, and is a short-term contract. Cahill, while making a solid amount of money in 2014, gets a pay increase of $12M in 2015, with 2016 holding a $300,000 buyout – making his contract move movable than McCarthy.

Overall, Arroyo puts another arm in front of Archie Bradley and Randall Delgado, but Arroyo's signing also opens up options for the D-Backs to make another move involving another starter, such as Cahill or McCarthy.

Spring Training is Here! + D-Backs Links

by Nick Opich 

2/6/2014

The new season has officially begun as Diamondbacks pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training today! Some position players have also reported to Salt River Fields and soon enough games will start and fans will get to see the 2014 D-Backs in action. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures courtesy of @Dbacks of players reporting.

Gibby Presser

Blanco and Putz

Overcast @ Salt River

Trumbo feeding Goldy some soft toss

D-backs Links

• Reports by Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe indicate the Diamondbacks are aggressively pursuing free agent Bronson Arroyo.

• Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times says (via Twitter) that the Dbacks are showing interest in Rays catcher Jose Lobaton

• Earlier this week, the Diamondbacks announced contract extensions for Manager Kirk Gibson and General Manager Kevin Towers. The terms of the new deal were not disclosed but it is assumed the two are still on a short leash after finishing the last two seasons at 81-81.  

• Former Diamondback Curt Schilling announced yesterday that he has been diagnosed with cancer. Schilling, 47, was co-MVP, along with Randy Johnson, on the D-Backs 2001 World Series Championship team and also won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 with the Boston Red Sox

News: D-Backs Extend GM Towers and Manager Kirk Gibson

by Hayden Hughes
2/3/2014

Days before pitchers and catchers report, this afternoon the Arizona Diamondbacks announced via the team's official twitter account that the team has reached an agreement with its GM Kevin Towers and Manager Kirk Gibson for "contract extensions beyond 2014."

Below is the tweet:

#Dbacks reach agreement w/ Kevin Towers and Kirk Gibson for contract extensions beyond 2014 (terms not disclosed) pic.twitter.com/gz7UgUmnF0
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 3, 2014

After two consecutive seasons of 81-81 records, it was safe to say that prior to these extensions, both Towers and Gibson were on short leashes.

How do the fans react? Below are the responses within minutes of that announcement from the D-Backs:

Nope! I'm done. Tired of supporting mediocrity & bad decisions. MT @Dbacks reach agreement w/ Towers & Gibson for contract extensions.
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

If anyone wants to buy my @Dbacks season tickets, I'll sell them at less than face value just to not have to put up with Gibby & KT all year
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

@Dbacks I'm glad, actually... better have stability than the Mgr & GM going into lame duck seasons
— Mark Firkus (@GuruB_Tucson) February 3, 2014

If @DBacks had waited to extend KT/KG & forced them into a sink or swim season, fine. But at this point they've rewarded mediocrity/failure.
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

@Dbacks are you really satisfied with back to back .500 years?
— Brandon (@Original_Duenas) February 3, 2014

4 MORE YEARS! (of mediocrity and selling low) RT @Dbacks: #Dbacks reach agreement w/ Kevin Towers for extension beyond 2014
— Avi Soep (@AviSoep) February 3, 2014

I love the @DBacks but I can't stand to sit through another season of bad decisions causing us more self-harm than anything our opponents do
— Jimmy Nova (@JimmyNova) February 3, 2014

@Dbacks nooooo. #whygod
— Child Scott (@CSaboveDaRest) February 3, 2014

Strong reaction to say the least. I wasn't surprised, but I think it's telling of a fanbase when their reaction to stability is so negative. Yes, I've been critical of Towers. Yes, I've been wary of almost all his transactions the last two offseasons. Yes, I spend too much time thinking about what could have been.

But stability is never bad and, honestly, if Gibson and Towers approached ownership and expressed concern over their ability to succeed under cloudy circumstances, then I applaud ownership for not letting this drag out.

If there's another sub-par season, I still expect either one or both Gibson and Towers to leave the team. But I wouldn't offer up my season tickets out of disgust before pitchers and catchers even report. The Diamondbacks are in much better position to succeed than plenty of other ballclubs and just because the direction has maybe steered the fanbase wrong before, doesn't mean stability leads to immediate mediocrity.

What's the definition of insanity again?

Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

If the 2014 Diamondbacks go 81-81 for a third consecutive season, the result will not be retaining Gibson and Towers for 2015. Ownership is not stupid.

P.S. - Don't ask "#whygod" in a tweet over your sports teams' decisions. No god answers to hashtags. I took a religions class in college and learned that.