Source: Iron Gate Studio

The world within the Viking-themed survival game Valheim is a beautiful one, but looks don't tell the full story. There are several dangerous enemies that lurk in the shadows of the land, and powerful rainstorms are threatening as well. Therefore, you're going to need to build a solid and sturdy base that you can use for shelter, storing supplies, crafting gear, and more. Unlike a lot of other survival games, though, you have to worry about things like structural integrity and smoke generated by fires in Valheim. Because of this, building a base in Valheim is tricky, and you can (and likely will) run into issues if you don't do it properly. With that said, don't worry we're here to help. Here are some helpful building tips, tricks, and strategies that will help you improve your base-building skills.

Getting started with base building in Valheim is a little confusing, but these tips and suggestions will help new players get started on the right foot.

Occasionally hordes of enemies will attack your base, and if you just hide, they'll tear it down to get to you. Therefore, you need to fight them, but how can you do effectively when you're outnumbered twenty to one? The answer lies with the use of defensive fortifications. Here are some tips that will help you make and use effective defenses.

These strategies and tools are intended for people who know the basics and can create functional structures but want to know how they can create more advanced structures and/or furnish their base with decorations.

Have any further questions about base-building in Valheim? If so, don't hesitate to reach out and we'll promptly reply in the comments. Also, don't miss our guides on how to find, summon, and defeat every boss and how to hunt for food, leather, and hide.

Valheim is available now in Early Access for $20 on Steam. I highly recommend playing it if you haven't gotten it already, as it's easily one of the best survival games for PC available.

Norse-themed survival FTW

Valheim is a challenging, yet incredibly fun survival game set in a world heavily inspired by Norse mythology. Build, craft, scavenge, and hunt your way to success.

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Valheim building: Create bases and homes the right way with these tips and tricks - Windows Central

Mac Aljancic| Times-Reporter Sports Correspondent

The 2020 NFL season just wrapped up but Cleveland fans have no interest in packing away their passions in the attic beside the Christmas decorations.

Browns Nation is already eagerly anticipating the 2021 kickoff after several long, painful droughts finally came to the end in 2020:First winning season since 2007. First playoff appearance since 2002. First playoff victory since 1994. First playoff road win since 1969.

After their huge leap from 2019 (6-10 record) to 2020 (11-5 regular season record), many expect the franchise to continue its progression in 2021. That would equate to making the AFC title game, and possibly the promised land of the Super Bowl.

But franchise history clearly shows that making that "second jump" is the exception, not the rule. Over the last four decades, the Browns have had five "leap years" when they showed drastic improvement that resulted in a winning record. All but one of those "leap years" were followed by an ugly setback season.

Here is an examination of those eras to identify the similarities to 2020, setbacks, and potential lessons to learn.

SIMILARITIES: Like 2020, 2007 was carried by a huge offensive explosion where young talent meshed beautifully with off-season additions. Cleveland improved from 4-12 to 10-6 and jumped from 30th (14.9 points per game) in 2006 to 8th (25.1 ppg). Three young offensive weapons had breakout Pro Bowl seasons (quarterback Derek Anderson, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., and wide receiver Braylon Edwards), and free-agent acquisition Jamaal Lewis finished 7th in the NFL with 1,304 rushing yards. This success was sparked by a re-fortified offensive line: starters Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, and draftee Joe Thomas were all acquired in the off-season. This Browns boom was also aided by facing the NFLs fifth easiest schedule, according to teamrankings.com (which hadthe 2020 Browns ranked as the second easiest). The 2007 Browns had just threegames vs. teams with winning recordsand played seven opponents with 11 or more losses.

SETBACKS: The offense lost all of its magic in 2008, falling right back to 30th in scoring (14.5 points per game) and a 4-12 record. Anderson, Edwards, and Winslow never again in their careers came close to making another Pro Bowl. The Browns ended up playing the fourth toughest schedule that season.

LESSONS: The 2008 offensive crash-and-burn was greatly due to a collection of 2007 one-season wonder performances. The current Browns offensive line-up is scattered with players whohave already proven themselves as established NFL talent (Chubb, Hunt, Ward, Landry, Mayfield, Beckham, Hooper), so a dramatic decline is very unlikely. The clear red flag, though, is the schedule jump. The 2021 Browns will be challenged by a much stiffer schedule (ninthtoughest in terms of opponents 2020 win percentage) that includes seven 2020 playoff qualifiers.

SIMILARIITIES: Like Kevin Stefanski last season, Butch Davis brought needed structure, accountability, and intensity in 2001 to a franchise that floundered (5-27 record) in the two seasons after its 1999 rebirth. And both eras were led on offense by a young No. 1 NFL draft pick quarterback. The 2002 team went 9-7, a two-game improvement from the year before, and earned a wild-card berth before falling to 5-11 in 2003.

SETBACKS: Unlike Baker Mayfield, Tim Couch was never surrounded with much offensive talent. The top three weapons were mediocre: running back William Green and receivers Kevin Johnson and Dennis Northcutt. Couch himself was pretty "meh" ashis career-high 18 touchdown passes in 2002 ranked just 14th in the NFL, while his 18 interceptions ranked as fourth most that season. After Couch was injured inthe 2002 regular-season finale, Kelly Holcomb had a spectacular playoff performance in Pittsburgh (429 passing yards and threetouchdown throws), then won the starting job to begin2003. Both QBs started eightgames that season, and both struggled.

LESSONS: Thankfully, the 2021 Browns have much more offensive talentand much more stability at quarterback. Those old Browns had major salary cap issues after the 2002 season, creating line-up holes by forcing them to move on from numerous veteran starters. Because of their young roster, the current Browns are in great salary cap shape. But as these players begin to enter their much higher paying second contracts, the Cleveland front office personnel needto be careful not to handcuff themselves financially.

After three losing seasons in Cleveland, including a 7-9 record in 1993, Bill Belichick finally turned the corner with an 11-5 record and wild-card berth in 1994, thanks to the stingiest scoring defense in the NFL (12.8 points per game) spearheaded by the head coach and his young defensive coordinator, Nick Saban. That was followed by a 5-11 finish in 1995.

SIMILARIITIES: Like Myles Garrett of today, the 1994 squad had a premierdefensive lineman in Michael Dean Perry (who made hisfifth Pro Bowl that year). And similar to Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, the 1994 offense was sparked by a dynamic backfield duo: Eric Metcalf and Leroy Hoard (both 1994 Pro Bowlers). And just like in2020, the 1994 Browns had the leagues second easiest schedule.

LESSONS: For 1995, the team signed an elite, diva free agent wide receiver whobecame a distraction and a bust (Andre Rison). Todays team needs to make sure Odell Beckham Jr. will harmonize with the offense that thrived after his season-ending October injury. And if Jimmy Haslam wants to win in 2021, he probably shouldnt make a mid-season announcement that he is moving the franchise, like owner Art Modell did on Nov.6, 1995.

In upcoming Part 2, Ill examine both the bad and good examples of the 1980s Browns.

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Aljancic: Making that 'second jump' for the Browns is the exception, not the rule - New Philadelphia Times Reporter

Carlos Asuaje wont be duking it out with Cory Spangenberg over the second-base job this spring. The Padres arent searching for third, fourth and fifth starting pitchers. They know exactly who will play center field.

Thank A.J. Preller, whose frenetic offseason has left the Padres with few position battles heading into camp, outside those that take place on the fringes of the active 26-man roster.

As pitchers and catchers report Wednesday, heres an early projection for the Padres opening day roster:

Lowdown: Look above. What else needs to be said? Besides the fact the Padres will likely need more than this group as the season expands from 60 games to 162. Thats all the more reason to keep LHP Adrin Morejn and RHP Michel Bez stretched out in the minors. LHPs MacKenzie Gore and Ryan Weathers are also likely call-ups, as is RHP Reggie Lawson in the second half of the season as he returns from Tommy John surgery.

Lowdown: Although the club has not confirmed reported deals for Melancon and Kela, their additions bring considerable depth to the Padres middle relief options. Both could also factor into closing situations as the Padres have been unafraid to throw their top relief arms Pomeranz and Pagn whenever they think the game is on the line. Strahm is a question mark coming off offseason knee surgery. If hes not ready, LHP Jose Castillos stuff gets the nod over LHP Tim Hill if Castillo can prove hes healthy.

Lowdown: Trades over the last seven months have all but anointed Nola as the No. 1 catcher and Caratini as the backup. The only question is whether the Padres carry three catchers. Luis Campusanos legal troubles are not expected to delay him this spring, but the organizations top catching prospect would be better served with further minor league seasoning as he has played only one game above A-ball.

Lowdown: With the arrival of Kim and the return of Jurickson Profar as a super utility, theres little room for movement here and in the outfield depth chart. Hosmer, Machado and Tatis are the unquestioned starters with Kim and Cronenworth battling for playing time at second base and providing depth at the other three spots. Kims focus would be on the left side of the infield, while Cronenworth filled in admirably while Hosmer was sidelined last year. Profar also played second base and first base in 2020, in addition to all three outfield spots. His return also makes it that much more difficult for the all-run, little-hit Jorge Mateo to crack the roster.

Lowdown: Like the infield, the outfield is largely set, with Grisham in center, Myers in right and Pham in left. Profar can play all three outfield spots, as can OGrady, who signed a major league deal after fashioning an .807 OPS throughout his minor league career. OGrady also has experience at first base, increasing his value as a bench player over Jorge Oa, who had only a month of playing time above A-ball before last years call-up.

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A (way too) early projection for the Padres' opening day roster - The San Diego Union-Tribune

John Reid|Florida Times-Union

Jaguars coach Urban Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke are amonth away from filling some of the team's primary needs with veteran talent acquired in free agency.

It's a critical step that begins on March 17 when NFL teams can begin signing free agents during the official start of the 2021 league year.The Jaguars are in a position to make a big splash with more than $74 million in available cap space.

After going 1-15 last season under former coach Doug Marrone, the Jaguars have plenty of trouble areas on their roster that must getaddressed.

Perhaps, at the top of the list is getting more talent on the defensive front. Last season, the Jaguars didn't get enough pressure on the quarterback as they finished with the second-fewest sacks in the league with 18.

Another difficult position has been the tight end. The unit combined for just two touchdowns last season that Tyler Eifert caught. In 2019, only James O'Shaughnessy (2) and Nick O'Leary (1) caught TD passes.

Here are fivefree agents the Jaguars should possibly targetin free agency.

Position: Left tackle

Team in 2020: San Francisco 49ers

What makes him a good fit: With Cam Robinson becoming a free agent, the Jaguars need an upgrade at left tackle. Why not make a push to get the best available? Williams is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and would be more than capable of protecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence's blindside. Williams has allowed only 4 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons. It will take a lucrative offer to entice Williams to come to Jacksonville, but the Jaguars have the available cap space to outbid teams. The Jaguars' top competition is expected to be the 49ers, who acquired Williams in a trade last year with the Washington Redskins in exchange for a fifth-round the 2020 NFL Draft and a third-round pick in 2021.

Position: tight end

Team in 2020: Tennessee Titans

What makes him a good fit: Smith enjoyed career highs for catches (41), receiving yards (448) and touchdowns (eight) this past season. That's the kind of production the Jaguars desperately needs that's been lacking for the past three seasons. Smith has the ability to get separation to become an effective downfield threat for Lawrence.

Position: Wide receiver

Team in 2020: Carolina Panthers

What makes him a good fit: Samuel played for Meyer at Ohio State and could be a big factor why the Jaguars may make a strong push to pursue him instead of Allen Robinson. It never hurts coming off a breakout season as Samuel did this past season for the Carolina Panthers with career-highs for catches (77) and receiving yards (851). The Jaguars need more reliable playmakers to join DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault. It's likely theJaguars will make a push to re-sign free agent receiver Keelan Cole but not for Chris Conley, who struggled with drops last season.

Position: Defensive tackle

Team in 2020: New Orleans Saints

What makes him a good fit: The Jaguars are expected to operate from a 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen, which means they need bigger interior lineman. This unit has a young promising talent in DaVon Hamilton, but it lacks proven veteran talent. Rankins is a fifth-year veteran who has been overshadowed in New Orleans by defensive end Cam Jordan. Under the right situation like with the Jaguars, Rankins could be the veteran leader that's been missing Calais Campbell was traded last spring. However, Rankins has to get back to the level he performed in 2018 when he had eight sacks and 41 tackles. Over the past two seasons, Rankins has combined for 3.5 sacks and 30 tackles.

Position: cornerback.

Team in 2020: Los Angeles Rams

What makes him a good fit: The Jaguars need a veteran to fill the role as a shutdown caliber cornerback and Hill would be an excellent addition. He scored three defensive touchdowns for the Los Angeles Rams last season - two interceptions returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery, too. Although he mainly played nickel corner for the Los Angeles Rams last season, Hill could play on the outside. First-round pick C.J. Henderson was thrust in the starting lineup last season and struggled after having a breakout game against the Colts in the opener. This position needs more experienced competition.

The Jaguars announced the additions of Michael Davis as senior personnel executive ,director of roster managementTrip MacCrackenand player personnel CoordinatorDrew Hughes. The three will assist General ManagerTrent Baalke.

Mike, Trip, and Drew will be key contributors to our personnel department, said Baalke. Mike and Trip bring 45 years of combined experience in the NFL and Drew has over 8 years of experience directing the recruiting efforts at Power 5 universities. Mike and I worked together for the New York Jets organization from 1998-2000. He has a proven track record as a talent evaluator and will focus his attention on the evaluation and assessment of college prospects.

Davis joins the Jaguars after spending five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs as a personnel executive. While in Kansas City, Davisoversaw the scouting of top collegiate prospects and assisted in pro personnel operations.

MacCracken enters his 20th season in the NFL, last serving in the league from 2010-17 as the director of football administration for the Kansas City Chiefs. Most recently he served as the director of player personnel for the XFLs New York Guardians from 2019-20. Prior to his time in Kansas City, he was the salary cap manager from 1999-2009 for the Cleveland Browns, where his duties included contract negotiations in addition to other responsibilities in football operations. Prior to his time in the NFL, MacCracken completed an internship at the NFL Management Council in 1998.

Hughes most recently served as the director of player personnel with the University of South Carolina in 2020. Previously he managed the recruiting efforts at the University of Tennessee and was the director of player personnel at Florida from 2014-17. Hughes held similar roles at N.C. State in 2013 and Central Florida in 2012. He also served as a recruiting specialist at Alabama from 2007-11.

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Jaguars must take advantage of free agency to improve roster - The Florida Times-Union

As we inch closer to the start of spring training, the Mets began rounding out their bench, adding Albert Almora and Jonathan Villar on modest deals over the past few days. Corey Oswalt and Brad Brach were DFAd to make room on the 40-man roster for the new additions.

Well start with Almora, who was non-tendered by the Cubs earlier this offseason. Once a top prospect, Almora was a below average but playable hitter early in his career who could play a decent centerfield. The defense is still roughly there, but his offense has significantly declined in the last three years. His exit velocity (which was never particularly strong to begin with) and LD% both slipped in 2018 and 2019, and his 2020 was a total disaster as he unsuccessfully tried to lift the ball more and just wound up striking out instead.

Is his offensive profile salvageable? Possibly, but expecting anything more than a DRC+ in the 90-95 range from Almora is unreasonable at this point, even if he was once a prospect of some regard. Its worth noting that his best season with the Cubs came under Chili Davis, who is now the Mets hitting coach; perhaps that connection is a reason for optimism. Almora has also historically hit lefties better than righties, a platoon split that should prove useful given the Mets left-hand heavy outfield mix.

Villar is the more interesting signing of the two, simply because he has an elite skill - speed. Since he became a full time player in 2016, only Billy Hamilton has stolen more bases than Villar, who has swiped 176 bags with nearly an 80% success rate over the past half-decade. Hes shown no signs of decline in that department as hes moved into his late 20s either, registering 56 steals in 70 tries over the past two seasons.

The rest of Villars production is much more a mixed bag. Hes been a viable hitter at times - 101 DRC+ in 2016, 94 in 2019 - and a disaster at others - 63 in 2020, 64 in 2017. He hits for occasional power, but has a career ISO under .150. Nominally, he can play both middle infield spots and saw some time in centerfield last year for the Marlins, but hes a negative defender anywhere but second base (though its worth noting the sample size for his CF defense is extremely small).

Its those warts that have led to Villar being traded three times in the last three seasons, then left out in the cold in free agency. At the same time, those warts make Villar a compelling bench option. Worst case, he brings defensive flexibility and a single elite skill that can be leveraged off the bench. Beyond that, theres the 3-WARP level upside hes demonstrated if everything clicks, making him someone who could more than adequately fill in in case of injury or even potentially push for a starting spot if an incumbent is struggling.

We could get further into the weeds profiling both these players, but thats likely superfluous when discussing additions of this nature. As a high-level summary, they Mets spent just over $5 million to add both a reasonable backup CF and an exciting utility option who brings an element of speed that the roster was sorely lacking. Having Almora (and possibly Villar, depending on what you think of his defensive potential in center) as the only true center fielder(s) on the roster isnt ideal, but thats more a quibble with the overarching strategy of the offseason rather than these moves specifically.

The Villar signing is an easy A, a cheap gamble on upside with utility even if things dont work out. As for Almora, the grade isnt quite as good. Other options were better defensively (Jake Marisnick) or brought more usable offensive skills to the table, be that speed (Delino DeShields Jr.), a more leverageable platoon split (Kevin Pillar), or just a generally better bat (David Dahl). A lot of this comes down to personal preference or your opinion on what Almoras upside is, and ultimately these are minor concerns over a marginal roster spot. Because of that, the Almora signing still earns a B-.

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Grading the Mets recent bench additions - Amazin' Avenue

Its been a long, contentious winter. Debates raged on aboutrules of the game,when the season will startandhow many games it will include. Some issues are settled and some hardly feel that way.

Regardless, teams are, in fact, reporting to spring training this week, which means there's no better time to debut way-too-early 2021 MLB Power Rankings.

There are still some notable free agents on the market that could sway teams fortunes. But as the dying embers of the hot stove burn out, heres a breakdown of where every team stands.

Notable acquisitions: SP Wil Crowe, prospects

First baseman Josh Bell and starter Joe Musgrove are gone from last years league-worst team, and their trades netted the Pirates only significant offseason additions. Gregory Polanco, whose $11.6 million salary accounts for nearly 30% of Pittsburghs payroll, should be gone by the trade deadline. This team is a heavy favorite to claim the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft for the second straight year.

Notable acquisitions: SP Mike Foltynewicz, DH Khris Davis, SP Dane Dunning, OF David Dahl

The Rangers enter 2021 in full-on rebuild mode. Face of the franchise Elvis Andrus is gone, as is staff ace Lance Lynn, who posted back-to-back top-six finishes in Cy Young Award voting over the past two seasons. The only position player who projects to be an above-average regular is Joey Gallo, whos a prime candidate for a midseason trade. Texas hasnt lost 100 games since 1973, a streak thats in serious danger of being snapped this season.

Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports

Notable acquisitions: SP Austin Gomber, RP Robert Stephenson

The Rockies appear headed for a painful rebuild as shortstop Trevor Story seems like a natural candidate to follow Nolan Arenado out the door. Will manager Bud Black, 63, want to stick around for a teardown?

Notable acquisitions: INF Freddy Galvis, SP Flix Hernndez, SP Matt Harvey

The Orioles hung around on the periphery of the playoff race for much longer than anyone anticipated in 2020, but still endured their fourth consecutive losing season. Regulars from last seasonJos Iglesias, Alex Cobb, Hanser Alberto and Renato Nezare gone, and there havent been substantial additions to the major league club. Adley Rutschman Watch will likely be the most compelling part of 2021 for Os fans.

Notable acquisitions: OF Nomar Mazara, OF Robbie Grossman, C Wilson Ramos

The Tigers lost at least 98 games each year from 201719 and were on a 97-loss pace in 2020. An optimist would point to that trend as progress, though expect much of the same from Detroit in 2021. Starting pitchers Matthew Boyd and Spencer Turnbull could be trade candidates by midseason, though the development of young arms Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning will be the key story line to keep tabs on.

Notable acquisitions: SP James Paxton, SP Chris Flexen

The Mariners finished just two games behind the Astros for a playoff spot in 2020, though still ended up with an uninspiring 2733 record. A lack of pitching depth and a weak lineup will hold Seattle back in 2021, though watching Kyle Lewiss follow-up act after winning Rookie of the Year will sure be entertaining.

BACCELLIERI: Deadening the Baseball? MLB's Done It Before

Notable acquisitions:RP Joakim Soria, INF Asdrubal Cabrera

The Madison Bumgarner contract already seems to be weighing down this roster, and there are four more years ahead. Arizona probably wont finish in last place again, but the D-backs are leagues behind the top two teams in the NL West. Starter Zac Gallen deserves your attention, regardless.

Notable acquisitions:INF Enrique Hernndez, INF Marwin Gonzalez, SP Garrett Richards

The Red Sox traded away Andrew Benintendi earlier this month, signaling the continuation of the clubs rebuild process. Bounce-back seasons from J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers would go a long way toward boosting Bostons chances at contention, particularly with a rotation that leaves a lot to be desired, at least until Chris Sale returns at some point midseason.

Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports

Notable acquisitions: OF Adam Duvall, RP Anthony Bass, RP Dylan Floro, RP Adam Cimber

Miamis young rotation and revamped bullpen could end up carrying the Marlins to another surprising run toward October, making this ranking look far too unkind. But this is the weakest lineup in the NL East, and theyll need to prove last years 60-game success wasnt a flash in the pan a few years ahead of schedule.

Notable acquisitions: OF Andrew Benintendi, 1B Carlos Santana, SP Mike Minor, RP Greg Holland

The Royals did well this winter to add significant pieces to its big league roster, assembling a lineup that has the looks of a well-balanced unit. Kansas Citys starting rotation is not as far along as its offense, though the development of Brady Singer is a key focal point.

VERDUCCI: The Royals Are Betting Andrew Benintendi Will Bounce Back

Notable acquisitions: INF Tommy La Stella, SP Alex Wood, RP Jake McGee, SP Anthony DeSclafani, RP Matt Wisler

The Giants still need to cycle out the veterans from their World Series core before this team has a full Farhan Zaidi look to it. More than anything the team needs a minor league season to further develop its top prospects like Joey Bart, whose rocky 2020 debut has him ticketed to start 2021 in the minors. The admirable refusal of the front office to fully tank means theres still enough talent here to hang around the edge of the playoff race for a while.

Notable acquisitions: RP Sean Doolittle, RP Jeff Hoffman, UT Dee Strange-Gordon

Though the Reds were shut out by Atlanta during their two-game postseason foray, the club's offense appears to be the strongest aspect of this roster. Losing Trevor Bauer significantly lowers Cincinnatis ceiling, and the teams bullpen could again be a liability.

Notable acquisitions: SS Elvis Andrus, RP Adam Kolarek, RP Sergio Romo

Last seasons AL West champs will look pretty different in 2021. Gone are key contributors Marcus Semien, Liam Hendriks, Robbie Grossman, Joakim Soria and Khris Davis, putting Oaklands three-year playoff streak in jeopardy. A full season from Matt Chapman would greatly help, as would a rebound from first baseman Matt Olson. Theres starting rotation talent in the form of Jess Luzardo, Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea and A.J. Puk, but the group as a whole has yet to put it all together.

Michael McLoone/USA TODAY Sports

Notable acquisitions: 2B Kolten Wong

Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes are among MLBs most underrated starters, while Josh Hader and Devin Williams combine for perhaps the most dominant back-end of a bullpen in baseball. A watered-down NL Central is there for the taking. But Wong is the only addition of note to an offense that doesnt measure up to other National League contenders.

Notable acquisitions: OF Joc Pederson, SP Zach Davies, SP Jake Arrieta, SP Trevor Williams

Chicagos core started to look stale last season. If that was just collective bad luck in a shortened season, the Cubs could give this group a last hurrah before Kris Bryant presumably leaves in free agency. Bringing back Arrieta in an attempt to recapture 2016s glory still leaves this rotation short on strikeout artists sans Yu Darvish, however, meaning batted ball luck could dictate a wide range of outcomes.

Notable acquisitions: SP Matt Moore, RP Archie Bradley, RP Brandon Kintzler, RP Jos Alvarado

Only four teams (Dodgers, Braves, Padres, Yankees) scored more runs last year than the Phillies, who retained J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius and should be a force on offense again. The rotation was also a top-10 unit by ERA (4.08). If the Phillies are to make the postseason for the first time since 2011now the second-longest drought in the majors the most straightforward route is the bullpen improving from historically inept to merely average.

APSTEIN: Did MLB Use Juiced Balls in 2020?

Notable acquisitions: OF Eddie Rosario, SS Amed Rosario, OF Andrs Gimnez

It might be a bit of a surprise to see Cleveland rank this high after trading Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco while letting Brad Hand and Carlos Santana (among others) walk in free agency. Retaining reigning Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber and MVP runner-up Jos Ramrez certainly helps, and theres enough depth elsewhere that Cleveland could contend for the division despite having the lowest projected payroll in the majors ($36.6 million).

Pool Photo/USA TODAY Sports

Notable acquisitions: SP Jos Quintana, SS Jos Iglesias, RP Raisel Iglesias, SP Alex Cobb

The Angels had numerous roster holes to address this offseason and filled them exclusively via one-year deals or trades for players a year away from free agency. That approach should serve first-year general manager Perry Minasian with flexibility for 2022 and beyond, though it will likely leave this years club somewhere in the middle of the pack. This is a critical point in Shohei Ohtanis attempts to thrive as a two-way player.

Notable acquisitions: SP Luis Patio, SP Chris Archer, SP Rich Hill, SP Michael Wacha

The defending AL champions lost quite a bit from last years club, most notably starting pitchers Blake Snell and Charlie Morton. Theyve opted to go the patchwork route to rebuild the rotation, making the health of staff ace Tyler Glasnow all the more crucial. Tampa Bays lineup and bullpen depth should still be strengths.

Notable acquisitions: 3B Nolan Arenado

The Cardinals boast more depth throughout the roster than any of their division rivals, putting them in a good position to win the NL Central crown if we do indeed get a full 162-game season. Arenado and top prospect Dylan Carlson should add much-needed pop to the lineup, though it's probably not enough to outlast the Dodgers and Padres in October.

MARTELL: Is the NL Central Really the Cardinals' to Lose?

Notable acquisitions: OF George Springer, INF Marcus Semien, RP Kirby Yates

The nomadic Blue Jays returned to the playoffs in 2020 and have the look of a contender after offseason signing George Springer and Marcus Semien. Toronto should have one of the leagues best offenses, though the pitching staff leaves a bit to be desired beyond Hyun-Jin Ryu. A return to form from Kirby Yates would be critical in stabilizing the back end of the bullpen.

Notable acquisitions: 1B Josh Bell, LF Kyle Schwarber, SP Jon Lester, RP Brad Hand

The Nationals are prime bounce-back candidates after using free agency to patch up various holes that appeared during their championship hangover. The return of 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg wont hurt, either.

Notable acquisitions: RP Pedro Bez, C Jason Castro, RP Ryne Stanek

Houston hasnt added much this offseason, and the departure of George Springer will undoubtedly hurt. But retaining Michael Brantley was significant, and this is still one of the best offenses in the game. Pitching-wise, Framber Valdez and Jos Urquidy look like burgeoning stars to go along with the steady Zack Greinke and Lance McCullers Jr. The Astros were an underachieving bunch last year, and in a division that lacks any really impressive clubs, theyre the safest bet to emerge as front-runners.

Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports

Notable acquisitions: SS Francisco Lindor, C James McCann, SP Carlos Carrasco, SP Joey Lucchesi, RP Trevor May, UT Jonathan Villar, OF Albert Almora Jr.

Steve Cohen has bankrolled the rapid construction of a World Series contender in Queens. It may be tough for New York to snap Atlantas three-year NL East reign, but even if theyre relegated to the wild-card game, who else would you want on the mound besides Jacob deGrom? The only question mark is a bullpen thats tortured Mets fans the past few seasons.

Notable acquisitions: RP Alex Colom, SS Andrelton Smimons, SP J.A. Happ

The Twins won a tight battle for the AL Central last season, and their offseason acquisitions have outweighed their departures. Though theyll miss Eddie Rosario, who was surprisingly nontendered and ended up in Cleveland, theres still plenty to like about this lineup. Minnesotas bullpen ranked third in the majors in fWAR last season and loses some key pieces from that unit, butAlexColom should help offset those departures and stabilize the relief corps in close games.

Notable acquisitions: RP Liam Hendriks, SP Lance Lynn, OF Adam Eaton

The White Sox snapped an 11-year playoff drought in 2020, and theyve gotten better during the offseason. Theyve upgraded at closer from Alex Colom to Liam Hendriks, while Lance Lynn provides another top-end starter to go along with Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel. Youngsters Luis Robert and Eloy Jimnez appear destined for stardom, and having reigning MVP Jos Abreu in tow makes this one of the best lineups in the league.

Notable acquisitions: SP Charlie Morton, SP Drew Smyly

Adding two veteran starters should do wonders for a team that nearly advanced to the World Series despite starting Max Fried, three rookies and a reliever against the Dodgers in the NLCS. Still, the Braves did not improve as much as several other contenders around the league and may be hard-pressed to repeat their superb hitting. Atlanta also has the weakest bench of any team with championship aspirations.

Notable acquisitions: SP Corey Kluber, SP Jameson Taillon, RP Darren ODay

Its remarkable the Yankees were able to succeed to the degree they did last season given the injuries and underperformances from key players. The band has more or less returned for 2021, and the offense should be elite if they can get something close to full seasons from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. New Yorks pitching has enough depth that the club doesnt need to rely on Corey Kluber, but a resurgence from the two-time Cy Young Award winner would give New York one of the best staffs in baseball.

Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports

Notable acquisitions: SP Yu Darvish, SP Blake Snell, SP Joe Musgrove, RP Mark Melancon, INF Ha-seong Kim, C Victor Caratini

The Padres have precisely one homegrown player (Dinelson Limet) on their projected 25-man roster. That speaks to the absurd amount of wheeling and dealing carried out by A.J. Preller since taking over as GM in 2014. The result is the most talented Padres team in franchise history. Unfortunately, theyre not the most talented team in their division.

SELBE: How Close Are MLB's Title-Less Teams to Winning the World Series?

Notable acquisitions: SP Trevor Bauer, RP Corey Knebel

The Dodgers dont have quite as much organizational depth following the departure of Joc Pederson, Kik Hernandez and several relievers, but this franchise is still the envy of the other 29 teams. Los Angeles countered San Diegos remarkable upgrades by signing Trevor Bauer and will also debut David Price in its rotation. Whoever wins the National League West should enter the playoffs as the favorite to win it all.

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MLB Power Rankings: All Eyes Are on the Padres - Sports Illustrated

The Associated Press

The voters inThe Associated Press men's college basketball pollare lined up with the committee that will select the NCAA Tournament field when it comes to which five teams are the nation's best.

Agreeing on the order beyond that isn't as simple.

Top-ranked Gonzaga and No. 2 Baylor remained atop Monday's latest AP Top 25, where they have been for all 13 polls this season. And after Illinois rose one spot to No. 5, that put the top of the AP poll in sync with theinitial rankings of the top 16 seedsreleased Saturday by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee.

Among teams that didn't lose last week, AP voters were a bit higher on No. 7 Virginia (seeded ninth), No. 9 Oklahoma (12th), No. 11 Iowa (13th) and No. 12 Texas (15th) following wins that came later Saturday. In addition, Alabama rose three spots to No. 8 in the AP poll to pull closer to the committee's seeding of seventh overall shortly before the Crimson Tidescored 115 pointsin a win over against Georgia.

Sixth-ranked Houston (seeded eighth) didn't play after the committee released its rankings.

Oregon (12-4), which won it's third straight game on Saturday with a victory against Arizona in Tucson, received votes but remains outside of the AP top 25. The Ducks did rejoin the USAToday/Coaches Poll at No. 25.

MORE: Ducks win a thriller at Arizona

THE TOP TIER

Coach Mark Fews Bulldogs received 59 of 64 first-place votes in the new AP Top 25, while Scott Drews Bears claimed the other five. Next came three straight Big Ten teams, starting with No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Ohio State as the other No. 1 seeds in the selection committee's rankings.

Illinois climbed to the top 5 for the second time this season, the other coming in late November, for the program's highest ranking since reaching No. 1 during the 2004-05 season. The Illini dipped to No. 22 by January but have won five straight, including against Iowa and No. 21 Wisconsin.

RISING

No. 14 Creighton had the weeks biggest climb, jumping five spots after aweekend winover Villanova. The Bluejays have won six of seven since a Jan. 20 loss to Providence.

No. 11 Iowa climbed four spots after a pair of Big Ten wins, first against a ranked Rutgers team at home. Then came Saturday's30-point win at Michigan State, the worst home loss in coach Tom Izzo's tenure with the Spartans.

In all, 11 teams climbed from last weeks poll.

SLIDING

No. 20 Missouri took the biggest tumble, falling 10 spots after losses at Mississippi and at home to Arkansas in Southeastern Conference play last week. The Tigers had cracked the top 10 last week for the first time since December 2012.

No. 15 Texas Tech fell eight spots after losing at home to No. 13 West Virginia, while No. 10 Villanova fell five spots after its loss to Creighton.

MORE: Duarte's return sparks Oregon past Arizona State

STATUS QUO

Beyond the top four, No. 18 Virginia Tech, No. 21 Wisconsin and No. 22 Loyola Chicago also remained in their positions from last week.

WELCOME

Kansas' streak-breaking absence from the AP Top 25 was a short one.

The Jayhawksfell out of last weeks pollfor the first time in 12 years. But they immediately beat a ranked Oklahoma State team to start the week, then added two wins over Iowa State to jump back in at No. 23.

Kansas was one of three new additions to this weeks poll, joined by No. 24 Arkansas and No. 25 San Diego State. It marked the Razorbacks first appearance since January 2018, while the Aztecs spent two weeks in the poll in December.

FAREWELL (FOR NOW)

Oklahoma State (No. 23), Purdue (No. 24) and Rutgers (No. 25) fell out of the poll.

CONFERENCE WATCH

The Big 12 led the way with six ranked teams after having a national-best five teams in the NCAA selection committees rankings. The Big Ten was next with five ranked teams, while the SEC had four and the Atlantic Coast Conference had three.

More:
Despite three straight wins, Oregon remains unranked in the AP men's basketball poll - The Register-Guard

Hulu has a handful of new additions on tap for March, including a time-loop shoot-em-up and Season 2 of one of its more popular animated offerings.

Boss Level (March 5), an original movie directed by Joe Carnahan, is a tongue-in-cheek, action-packed spin on the Groundhog Day-like time-loop trope, with a former special-forces op (Frank Grillo) facing an endless stream of assassins from the moment he wakes up every morning. Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts co-star.

Solar Opposites (March 26), the twisted (and very adult) animated series from Justin Roiland and Mike McMahan (two of the folks behind Rick and Morty) returns for a second season, as an alien family tries to adapt to life on Earth.

Also of note coming to the Disney DIS, -0.70% -controlled streaming service: Soleil Moon Fryes child-star documentary kid 90 (March 12); a new season of FXs Sons of Anarchy spinoff Mayans M.C. (March 17); and Genius: Aretha (March 22), the latest installment in the NatGeo series, this time focusing on Aretha Franklin. Both will stream a day after new episodes air on cable.

Read: More streaming pick at Whats Worth Streaming

Heres the complete list of whats coming to Hulu, as of Feb. 16 (release dates are subject to change):

March 1Charles & Diana: 1983 (2021)The 13th Warrior (1999)50/50 (2011)A Very Brady Sequel (1996)As Good as It Gets (1997)Attack of the 50-Foot Cheerleader (2012)Attack the Block (2011)Beloved (1998)Blow (2001)Brooklyns Finest (2010)Cocktail (1988)Demolition Man (1993)The Descent (2006)Dolphin Tale (2011)Dolphin Tale 2 (2014)Employee of the Month (2006)Enemy of the State (1998)The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)The Ghost Writer (2010)The Great Debaters (2007)I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009)Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)In the Line of Fire (1993)Judge Dredd (1995)The Last Face (2017)Malcolm X (1992)McLintock! (Producers Cut) (1963)The Nanny Diaries (2007)Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006)The Ninth Gate (1999)Pandorum (2009)Patriot Games (1992)Predators (2009)Pretty Woman (1990)Priceless (2016)Rushmore (1999)Scrooged (1988)Shine a Light (2008)Silverado (1985)Sliver (1993)The Social Network (2010)The Spirit (2008)Stargate (1994)Starsky & Hutch (2004)The Terminal (2004)Tokyo Rising (2020)The Tourist (2010)Traitor (2008)Vertical Limit (2000)Wedding Crashers (2005)The Whole Nine Yards (2000)Young Frankenstein (1974)

March 2Debris: Series Premiere (NBC)The Voice: Season 20 Premiere (NBC)Top Chef: Complete Season 17 (Bravo)

March 3New Amsterdam: Season 3 Premiere (NBC)

March 5Boss Level (Hulu Original)Ammonite (2020)Beirut (2018)Iron Mask (2019)

March 6Storks (2016)Triggered (2020)

March 7Proxima (2019)

March 8Good Girls: Season 4 Premiere (NBC)Shipwrecked: Complete Season 1 (Banijay)

March 9Absolutely Ascot: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (All3Media)Dress to Impress: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (ITV)

March 11Game of Talents: Series Premiere (Fox)

March 12Cake: Season 4 Premiere (FX)Farewell Amor (2020)kid 90 (Hulu Original)

March 14Buddy Games (2019)

March 151 Night In San Diego (2020)Constructing Albert (2017)Here Awhile (2019)Intersect (2020)Missing 411: The Hunted (2019)Naughty Books (2020)Pink Wall (2019)The Pretenders (2018)The Relationtrip (2017)Sister Aimee (2019)The Stand: How One Gesture Shook the World (2020)Tracks (2019)

March 16Staged: Complete Season 2 (BBC Studios)

March 17Mayans M.C.: Season 3 Premiere (FX)

March 18Trolls: TrollsTopia: Complete Season 2 (Hulu Original)Identity (2003)

March 19Hunter Hunter (2020)

March 20Catfish: The TV Show: Complete Season 8 (MTV)

March 22Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

March 23Breeders: Season 2 Premiere (FX)100% Wolf (2020)

March 25Collective (2019)

March 26Solar Opposites: Complete Season 2 (Hulu Original)Into the Dark: Blood Moon: Season 2 Finale (Hulu Original)Fire Force: Complete Season 2 (Funimation)The Hurricane Heist (2018)

March 30Vikings: Complete Season 6B (History)

March 31Pooch Perfect: Series Premiere (ABC)

March 16Pigeon Kings (2020)

March 30The Cooler (2003)

March 31A Very Brady Sequel (1996)American Gigolo (1980)As Good as It Gets (1997)Attack the Block (2011)Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997)Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2007)Blood Diamond (2006)Boogie Nights (1997)Bully (2001)Chaplin (1992)Charlottes Web (1973)Coneheads (1993)Dead Poets Society (1989)Demolition Man (1993)Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1993)Employee of the Month (2006)Enemy of the State (1998)Eves Bayou (1997)Firewalker (1986)Foxfire (1996)Frozen (2010)Good Luck Chuck (2007)Guess Who (2005)Hondo (1953)Hot Shots! (1991)I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009)Igor (2008)In the Line of Fire (1993)Johnny Mnemonic (1995)Love and Basketball (2000)Mars Attacks! (1996)More Than a Game (2008)New in Town (2009)Night at the Museum (2006)Push (2009)Rushmore (1999)Silverado (1985)Sliver (1993)Species (1995)Stargate (1994)Starman (1984)Stephen Kings Graveyard Shift (1990)Superbad (2007)The Arrival (1996)The Brothers McMullen (1995)The Chumscrubber (2005)The Duff (2015)The Mexican (2001)The Rules of Attraction (2002)The Three Musketeers (2011)The Tourist (2010)The Truman Show (1998)Tooth Fairy (2008)Triumph of the Spirit (1989)Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)War (2007)Waynes World 2 (1993)Wedding Crashers (2005)West Side Story (1961)Zappa (2020)

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Here's what's coming to Hulu in March 2021, and what's leaving - MarketWatch

Apple today introduced the second betas of iOS and iPadOS 14.5, building on the extensive feature set that was introduced in the first betas.

Changes in the second beta are more minor in scale than what we saw in the first beta, but there are still new additions that are worth highlighting. Below, we've rounded up the changes that we've spotted in the second beta.

As highlighted by Emojipedia, iOS 14.5 introduces several new emoji characters including heart on fire, mending heart, exhaling face, face with spiral eyes, face in clouds, along with different gender options for people with beards. There are also new couple emojis that have new skin tone mixes.

Reports suggest that the second beta of iOS 14.5 may fix the green tint issue that some iPhone owners have been experiencing. Some iPhone 12 models exhibit a gray or green glow, an issue that Apple said it was investigating back in November. For some users, there are improvements, but for others, the issue still appears to exist so it's not entirely clear whether the beta definitively addresses the tint.

There's a vague mention of charging an iPhone with a "battery pack" in the iOS 14.5 code under the optimized charging section. It's not clear what Apple is referring to with "battery pack" since existing battery options made by Apple are Smart Battery Case. It's either unusual wording for the case or a hint of a future iPhone 12 battery pack. "To improve charging efficiency and maximize available battery life, the battery pack will keep your phone charged at around 90%," reads the text.

On the 8th-generation iPad, the 4th-generation iPad Air, the 2nd-generation 11-inch iPad Pro, and the 4th-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple has added a new privacy feature that's designed to mute the built-in microphone whenever the Smart Folio is shut.

This will prevent apps from accessing the microphone when the tablet is not in use, with the feature also working with other MFi smart cases. Apple first introduced this feature in the 2020 iPad Pro models, and is expanding it to additional models.

There's a new Shortcut action for taking a screenshot that can be incorporated into various shortcuts, plus new actions for locking the orientation of the iPhone and switching between cellular data modes. With the Voice & Data mode action, there are options to select 5G, 5G Auto, and 4G network options.

There are new slide gestures in Apple Music for adding a song to the Now Playing queue or adding it to the Apple Music Library. When long pressing on a song, there are also new options to "Play Last" and "Show Album." In the Library, the download button has been replaced by three dots that can be tapped to access a whole range of options for a song. The actions are the same as the actions that are available when long pressing on a song title anywhere in the Music app.

The first iOS 14.5 beta tweaked the software update text to say "Your iPhone is up to date with all of the latest bug fixes and security enhancements," but iOS 14.5 beta 2 walks that back. Now it just reads "iOS is up to date," which may be placeholder text for a future change.

Apple has tweaked the look of App Store Privacy labels to make them easier to distinguish in Dark Mode.

There are a handful of changes to the underlying code that don't necessarily reflect new feature implementations at this time, but could potentially serve as an indication of what's coming in the future. There are also a few smaller changes and tweaks that we've included below.

See something we've missed? Let us know in the comments below and we'll add it.

We have a complete list of all of the features that are new to iOS 14.5 in our dedicated iOS 14.5 features guide, which is worth checking out if you want to know what to expect when the software releases to the public in early spring.

Read more here:
Everything New in iOS 14.5 Beta 2: New AirPods Max Emoji, Green Tint Fix, iPad Security and More - MacRumors

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Its almost that time of the year again, when the new Android developer previews are pushed out to registered users. But we may have already received a first look at the upcoming Android 12 update thanks to XDA-Developers, along with plenty more details.

The apparent screenshots show a light beige look (possibly due to support for theming in Android 12) and plenty of rounded widgets. Its also believed that several privacy-related tweaks and additions are incoming too. So that got us wondering what Android Authority readers thought of Android 12 at this juncture.

We posted the poll on February 10 2021, and 1,099 votes were tallied as of writing. The results show that almost three-quarters of voters are liking what they see at this point. We can see why too, with the privacy features in particular (e.g. camera and mic indicators, and new privacy toggles) being pretty sensible additions.

A quarter of polled readers expressed dissatisfaction with the apparent Android 12 leaks though, but they made up a vocal majority in the comments. These comments point to the possible UI design as being the chief complaint. It seems like early days for Android 12, so its still possible the visual style could change if the screenshots were indeed accurate.

Its also possible some features might be pushed back to a later Android release though, as we saw with Android 11 and features like the double-tap-on-the-back gesture. Heres hoping we nevertheless get that missing feature and much more in Android 12s stable release.

Thats it for our Android 12 poll, thanks for voting and for submitting comments! What do you think of the Android 12 leaks? Let us know via the comments.

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We asked, you told us: You like what you see of Android 12 so far - Android Authority