Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

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To protect the home and property in any weather, it is hard to look beyond Storm Fitters a clear expert in hurricane protection.

St Petersburg, FL, March 6, 2017 (Newswire.com) Modern windows and doors are the convenient means to make a home more energy efficient, as well as improve its overall appearance. However, many people are seen hesitating about replacing their old windows. Sometimes, they might not feel like changing the existing thing, while sometimes they cant afford the cost of the new windows, as well as the costs for the tools and installation. Storm Fitters is one such company that provides quality installation and services for replacement windows in Sarasota and St Petersburg FL, and doors at an affordable rate.

The company has an excellent track record of providing quality installation, meeting the expectation of their clients and customers. The expert technicians possess the knowledge and experience of providing quality service when it comes to installation and replacement of windows and doors. They are fully equipped to handle the task in a professional manner. For over 30 years, they have been serving West Central Florida, ensuring peace of mind in any weather.

The line of products includes a variety of security doors, windows, hurricane panels, and storm shutters and fabric protection. The quality service provided by Storm Fitters is largely characterized by highest quality craftsmanship and innovation. The experts also provide a consultation service to give a free estimate to their esteemed clients and customers.

Their product knowledge saves the clients and customers money because they help them choose the optimum product for their project. Besides the project management and installation experts are also the best in the industry. The experts pay personal attention to each and every client and treat them as if they are their first-time clients. It is their customer-centric attitude and dedication to delivering that has made them truly one-of-a-kind.

To learn more about the exterior doors in Spring Hill and Largo FL and other products, visit http://www.stormfitter.com.

About the Company:

StormFitters is the clear expert in Hurricane Protection in the 10-county, Tampa Bay market area, specializing in impact & non-impact window replacement, impact sliding doors, door updates, and door replacement, hurricane shutters and every type of severe weather exterior product.

Source: Stormfitters

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Purchase Replacement Window & Doors to Protect Your Home ... - Satellite PR News (press release)

MILWAUKEE Last fall, Johnson Controls Inc. celebrated the grand opening of seven new Source1 HVAC Supply Centers, a supplier of HVAC equipment and factory authorized service parts and residential accessories for all Johnson Controls residential and light commercial unitary productsin Illinois, Michigan, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The company also offers a broad variety of universal heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) parts, supplies and accessories from many manufacturers.

Stores had grand-openings at the following locations:

Were excited to offer contractors the benefits each of these stores offers, beginning with quick and easy access to HVAC parts, said Liz Haggerty, vice president and general manager, Johnson Controls Unitary Products Group. By providing contractors with a conveniently located, one-stop source for a comprehensive line of HVAC parts and systems, along with the tools and supplies necessary to install, maintain and service equipment, the centers allow contractors to get in, get what they need and get to the jobsite, eliminating wait time and improving efficiency and productivity.

In addition to York, Guardian and Source1 products, the new supply centers offer products from other HVAC manufacturers and a wide array of HVAC test instruments, tools and supplies everything from gauges, recovery equipment and vacuum pumps to tape, filters and pipe and electrical fittings.

A training resource

The supply centers will also give contractors the opportunity to tap into local training programs on York and Guardian equipment as well as HVAC and business fundamentals, like electricity, refrigeration, heating, financial analysis and sales techniques.

The technical expertise of our store employees provides another important resource to contractors, said Haggerty. In addition to unrivaled customer service, they offer industry experience and in many cases, first-hand familiarity with the challenges contractors encounter in the field.

At the Collinsville store we have three people working there, and they are all HVAC experienced, said Dave Smithey, vice president and general manager of Source1 HVAC Supply Centers. We hire people from both sides of the counter some have experience working on the distributor side, and some are from the customer side that have walked in the customers shoes, and can understand where customers are coming from.

According to Smithey, the opening last September at the St. Louis-based store went well.

There was a lot of engagement with our customers, said Smithey. They were very glad to see us open the store there, and they have access to the York product. What we have with Source1 is a concentrated effort to be an access point for any HVAC contractor to service, repair, and install York and Guardian brand products. Source1 HVAC Supply Centers were introduced in 2013 to make sure we have a well-defined communicable presence in the market. The differentiator with Source1 is the customer service we offer we are easy to do business with and have a great relationship with our customers.

The training offered at Source1 locations goes hand in hand with its customer service.

We view training as part of the service we provide to our customers, explained Smithey. If we give them product we need to give them training we offer this onsite and online training too. We customize training to what the customer needs. This starts with an in-store class, and then we customize training specific to the customers needs. We publish classes monthly for the customer, so they know what is available and what they can attend.

The seven new stores are part of a growing number of Source 1 HVAC Supply Centers Johnson Controls operates in Illinois, Michigan, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

York products from Johnson Controls include energy-efficient, residential central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and accessories, and innovative light-commercial, packaged heating and cooling systems marketed through a national distribution network and delivered to home- and building-owners through qualified York heating and cooling contractors.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. The companys 150,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and seating components and systems for automobiles. Johnson Controls commitment to sustainability dates back to its roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through Johnson Controls growth strategies and by increasing market share the company is committed to delivering value to shareholders and making its customers successful. In 2016, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the No. 17 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list.

Continued here:
Training goes hand in hand with customer service at Source 1 HVAC Supply Centers - Contracting Business

In addition to encouraging energy efficiency and lowering customer energy costs, the PSE&G filing further supports the New Jersey Energy Master Plan by reducing overall energy consumption in the state, producing environmental benefits, and creating jobs.

PSE&G's Hospital Efficiency Program has upgraded 34 hospitals by installing energy conserving equipment. The Residential Multifamily Housing Program has served more than 13,000 individual apartments and the Direct Install Program has helped more than 1,500 government facilities, non-profits, and small businesses become more energy efficient. Estimates show that the additional investment that is being requested will save enough electricity to power 9,000 average size homes annually and save enough natural gas to supply more than 7,000 homes each year.

The Hospital Efficiency Program helps hospitals and healthcare facilities upgrade outdated and unreliable heating, cooling, motors, lighting and other systems by providing expert advice, incentives and on-bill financing. Upgrades substantially reduce energy consumption and operating costs. PSE&G proposes to invest an additional $25 million for this program.

The Residential Multifamily Housing Program helps increase comfort and reduces energy costs by providing expert advice, incentives and on-bill financing to install efficient heating and hot water systems and controls, lighting, insulation, refrigerators and more in apartment buildings. PSE&G proposes to invest an additional $20 million for this program.

The Direct Install Program helps government agencies and non-profits, as well as small businesses located in Urban Enterprise Zones, reduce their energy consumption and bills by paying for 70 percent of project costs for lighting, heating and cooling systems upgrades, and by providing on-bill financing for the balance of the cost. PSE&G proposes to invest an additional $15 million for this program.

The Smart Thermostat Program is a newly proposed program that will offer a $150 discount for qualified smart thermostats available from a PSE&G marketplace or third party retailers. There will also be a pilot component to evaluate the installation of smart thermostats for multifamily and lower income customers. PSE&G proposes to invest $11.5 million for this program.

The Residential Home Energy Reporting Program will use a variety of data to analyze residential customers' energy consumption, identify energy savings opportunities and provide customized recommendations to lower energy bills. Customers will receive personalized Home Energy Reports periodically throughout the year with the goal of providing meaningful energy savings for participants. PSE&G proposes to invest $2.5 million for this new program.

About PSE&G

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey's oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the winner of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a diversified energy company.

Visit PSEG at:

http://www.pseg.com PSEG on Facebook PSEG on Twitter PSEG on LinkedIn ENERGIZE! blog

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained in this communication about our and our subsidiaries future performance, including, without limitation, future revenues, earnings, strategies, prospects, consequences and all other statements that are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such statements are based on managements beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. When used herein, the words anticipate, intend, estimate, believe, expect, plan, should, hypothetical, potential, forecast, project, variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ are often presented with the forward-looking statements themselves. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements made by us herein are discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and available on our website: http://investor.pseg.com/sec-filings. All of the forward-looking statements made in this communication are qualified by these cautionary statements and we cannot assure you that the results or developments anticipated by management will be realized or even if realized, will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us or our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in making any investment decision. Forward-looking statements made in this communication apply only as of the date hereof. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements from time to time, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even in light of new information or future events, unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws.

From time to time, PSEG, PSE&G and PSEG Power release important information via postings on their corporate website at http://investor.pseg.com. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to visit the corporate website to review new postings. The Email Alerts link at http://investor.pseg.com may be used to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and/or Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pseg-seeks-nj-bpu-approval-for-energy-efficiency-programs-300418619.html

SOURCE Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G)

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PSE&G Seeks NJ BPU Approval For Energy Efficiency Programs - PR Newswire (press release)

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A kitchen is so much more than a room where one prepares meals. Therefore, the existing corner should be thoroughly revamped to enhance the beauty of the room.

Henderson, NV, March 6, 2017 (Newswire.com) The kitchen is the center for cooking or long talks. This is a place where a number of activities take place. A messy kitchen looks dull and boring while an organized kitchen cabinet never fails to draw attention. Although the entire project can be a little pricey, updating kitchen cupboards is the only way to ensure that the most popular corner in ones home looks good and stays functional. Las Vegas Kitchen and Bath Remodeling LLC is one such company that provides quality kitchen and bathroom remodel and renovations services in Las Vegas and its surrounding areas.

Since it opened the doors, the company has worked with homeowners throughout the Las Vegas as one of the leading kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling firms. The professionals at the company are fully equipped to implement total renovation for bath and kitchen cabinets in Las Vegas. They welcome the clients vision and create a stunning design to transform the layout into reality. With over 30 years of experience in designing and implementing newer ideas into reality, they have been one sole firm that combines quality products, expect installation, ergonomic design and a seamless flow with the current setup.

Being in the industry for such a long time, the experts have gathered knowledge and expertise in ensuring a kind of fit and finish that has become a trademark for them. They have excellent track record of responding to their clients, understanding what they want, giving them valuable tips, finally implementing their ideas into stunning reality.

The expert technicians will come to the place and make a free estimate on the materials required for the renovation. From start to finish, they take care of every stage in order to ensure the look, comfort, convenience, and usable space to the existing kitchen. Apart from kitchen remodeling, they are also expert at handling bathroom renovations in Las Vegas.

About the Company:

Las Vegas Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling has worked with homeowners throughout Las Vegas as one of the foremost kitchen and bathroom design and remodeling firms. Whether its something as routine as a tub/shower replacement or a complete kitchen or bath redesign and remodel, Las Vegas Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling does it all.

Source: Las Vegas Kitchen And Bath

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Enhance the Room With Revamped Kitchen Cabinets in Las Vegas ... - Satellite PR News (press release)

Due to completion of new Class A office space not expected until later in 2018, office market researchers expect the Upstate office market to see lower vacancy rates across most of the market.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, the absorption in the Greenville downtown office market was over 200,000 square feet, marking the second time during the year the absorption hit that mark, according to a report prepared by CBRE. Additionally, vacancy in the market is close to a record low.

Combine that with cap rates getting tighter in larger markets and researchers suggest a future where investors actively enter the Upstate market in search of inventory.

Small markets like Greenville-Spartanburg have largely been off the radar of firms looking for stable investment-grade product, the CBRE report said. The rising rates coupled with increasing activity and a lack of new product are attracting some of these investors to the market.

The report cited over 2.1 million square feet of office inventory trading hands over the third and fourth quarters of 2016 and investment groups from New York, Atlanta and Richmond, Va. spurring the investment in the market.

Bryana Mistretta, research coordinator for Colliers International in South Carolina, said as development availability in downtown Greenville continues to grow scarce, the push to the West End and east of Main Street will prevail in the immediate future.

She said market competition will likely force landlords to update entryways and amenities within their buildings Because of the growth around the I-385/I-85 corridor, the office development eye may turn north of Greenville.

Spartanburg will be the area to watch over the next two years as several new developments are moving through the pipeline and employers and residents start taking notice, Mistretta said, in her recent market report.

Presently, only one office project is under construction in the Greenville downtown office market and one in Spartanburg, according to CBRE, NAI Earle Furman and Colliers International:

On top of the projects in the works, there were four large building transactions in the downtown market, according to Colliers International:

Asking rates for office space has continued to rise. Class B central business district rates hit a high of $20 per square foot, according to CBRE while Class A space averaged nearly $26 per square foot in downtown Greenville, $21.95 per square foot in suburban Greenville and $22.60 in Spartanburg.

Delivering new product may be difficult in the market due to construction labor costs rising to keep pace with demand for new space, according to CBREs report.

Locally, there are more than 3,000 multi-family units under construction, the CBRE report said. Given that many local multi-family contractors are also involved in office developments, it is reasonable to expect construction costs to remain elevated until the multi-family development pipeline slows.

Reach Matthew Clark at 864-235-5677, ext. 107.

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Upstate office market expected to see lower vacancy rates in 2017 - GSA Business

Charlestons International African-American Museum is set to cross another hurdle this week as the project goes before the Board of Architectural Review for a final round of approval. Board members have spoken highly of the plans for the museum, which last went before the BAR in September 2016. The 35,000-square-foot facility at Gadsdens Wharf is estimated to cost around $75 million, with a tentative completion date of 2019.

Designs for the museum show that it will include a section dedicated to the Gullah-Geechee people, a family history center that will allow visitors to learn more about their ancestors, and an exhibit called Atlantic Connections, which will endeavor to uncover the cultures and diversity of the 100,000 Africans who arrived at Charleston Harbor in chains during the peak of the slave trade.

If the development clears the preliminary and final rounds of approval, the project is set for construction at 663 King St. just below the overpass of the Septima Clark Expressway.

Members of the board will also discuss preliminary plans for the construction of eight new buildings at 124 Spring St. Collectively referred to as Sanctuary Court, the development would feature a mix of residential and mixed-use buildings branching off of Spring Street and standing three stories tall at their highest.

Charlestons Board of Architectural Review-Large will meet Wed. March 8 at 4:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Gaillard Center.

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International African-American Museum seeks final approval from the BAR - Charleston City Paper

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- Developers at Hill Air Force Base are breaking ground on another new construction project this week, creating more space for new jobs near the base.

Air Force and Utah officials participated in a ceremony March 3, 2017, to mark the progress at Falcon Hill National Aerospace Research Park. The new 21,000-square-foot building will be leased by the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative, which will operate an Innovation Center in the building.

The USTAR Innovation Center will focus on providing the tools and resources needed to support start-up companies in maturing and commercializing their technology. Once complete, the new facility will house approximately 8,000 square feet of office space and state-of-the-art labs, and 13,000 square feet of space dedicated to manufacturing, research and development projects.

Having USTAR at Falcon Hill is a significant boon for the community here, and is just the first of many outside the fence tech-focused office projects we envision for this area, said Taylor Woodbury, the chief operating officer at Woodbury Corporation. Much like the Silicon Slopes area down south, our goal is for this new USTAR building to be the cornerstone of the Silicon Hill movement that will help create a thriving tech community in northern Utah.

In addition to Hills vital national defense mission, the base is an economic hub for Utah, providing a $3.34 billion impact annually. The base hosts the Air Forces first operational F-35A Lighting II wing and is home to maintenance on several aircraft, including the Air Forces fifth generation fighters the F-22 Raptor and the F-35. The base is also home to the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate, which will oversee the $62 billion replacement program for the Minuteman III missile.

The project is part of the ongoing Enhanced Use Lease Program at Hill AFB, one of the largest projects of its kind in the Defense Department.

Its exciting to see new organizations capitalize on the benefits of our EUL program. As the Falcon Hill project continues to grow we hope to see similar private and public projects that will add synergy to the Air Force mission, said Col. Jennifer Hammerstedt, the 75th Air Base Wing commander.

The program allows the Air Force to lease land to a developer to create and lease commercial space and infrastructure. The new building is expected to be complete in late 2017.

Were continuing to see the benefits of this program at Hill, said David Williamsen, the chief of the EUL Program Office here. The benefit to the Air Force is affordable infrastructure and the synergy created by having contractors being able to work on the Air Force mission either on the base or in close proximity to the base.

Falcon Hill is the first EUL program of its kind to be entirely market-driven, Williamsen said. This is the seventh major construction project completed by Sunset Ridge Development Partners as part of the EUL project. The most recently-completed office building, now occupied by Air Force Nuclear Weapons Centers Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Systems Directorate, opened in December 2014. A retail facility, housing Starbucks Coffee, opened in 2015.

Over the life of the program, more than 100 potential projects both inside and immediately outside Hill AFB gates may be completed. In the coming months, the developer plans to begin construction on a new, 74,000-square-foot software building on base.

See the article here:
Developer begins construction on innovation center at Hill AFB - Minuteman

Advantages of Second Story Modular Additions

If you are building a second story modular addition, you are most likely doing it to create more living space rather than a separate living unit. The general contractor will turn your one-story into a two-story by removing the roof from your home and immediately setting the new modular second story with its own built-in roof on top.

The speed of modular construction is a tremendous benefit when building a second story addition, since the addition can be set in place within hours after the roof is removed from your existing home. Once the modular addition is in place, the inside of your home is protected from a sudden storm. A site builder cannot realistically protect your home as quickly. Another advantage is that the second story can be finished faster. This means your family can use the upstairs more quickly, even if it must wait to enjoy the downstairs until the remodeling is completed.

There are two conditions that must be met before you can build a second story modular addition. First, the exterior dimensions of the existing home must be compatible with one of the modular manufacturers production sizes. If your home is too wide, a modular will not easily work. If your home has multiple bump-outs, a modular might work, but it may be impractical and expensive. A home can be up to 3-feet narrower than a module, however, and adding a wider second floor can create an attractive, cantilevered garrison colonial look.

The second condition is having an existing home and foundation that are structurally capable of carrying the additional weight, which is substantial. You will need to hire a structural engineer to make this determination. He may give you specific instructions on fortifying the structure or the foundation, which might be unacceptable or too expensive. If you decide to carry out his instructions, the GC will complete them as part of his remodeling. Before the engineer completes his final written report, he will need to see plans of exactly what you are building and receive detailed information from the manufacturer.

When designing an addition, you must decide where the stairs to the second floor will be located. You must also determine a location for a chase from the basement to the second floor to carry the electrical wires, HVAC supply and return ducts or pipes, and plumbing pipes for second-floor bathrooms. If the GC is connecting to a forced-air system in the basement, the chase must be larger, since the ducts will take up more space than hot-water lines.

The design of the second story elevation must be coordinated with the first-story elevation. The window locations on the second story should be arranged in a pleasing fashion. This decision should be made early in the design process, since the location of the interior partition walls on the second story must be coordinated with the window locations (you cannot put a wall in the middle of a window). In addition, the window style and sizes should be matched as closely as possible to the existing home.

The exterior elevation of all four sides of the finished home must take into consideration any first-story bump-outs or structures. For example, the location of an existing bay window, porch, sunroom, portico, recessed entry, or garage can pose special design challenges. The second story must be planned so that it does not affect either the function or aesthetic appeal of these structures. In some cases, it might be necessary to remove a part of the bump-out or attached structure, such as a garage roof, before installing the second story. If the modular second story will be cantilevered, the overhang can pose additional problems with a first-floor bump-out, such as a bay window.

The exterior siding on the second story must fit with the siding on the first story. Otherwise, the siding on the first story will have to be replaced. If you currently have wood siding, you might need to repaint or restain it to create a color match. Similar coordination issues arise for shutters and other exterior trim details.

If you have a chimney on your existing one-story home, you will need to make it taller to reach above the roof of the second floor. In addition, all trees overhanging the first story will need to be removed.

The actual removal of the existing roof as well as any other materials you are replacing in your existing home, such as the siding or windows, will be a task unto itself. The cost of disposing of these materials will be appreciable.

Most importantly, when you are done building your second story modular addition, it will almost feel like you have just built a brand new home.

For more information about building second story modular additions, see Building a Modular Additionin my book The Modular Home.

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Second Story Modular Additions - The Home Store

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As the SunTrust Park grounds crew covered the new parks infield and outfield spaces with fresh sod yet another sign that the 2017 season is fast approaching the Atlanta Braves opened their Grapefruit League schedule with extreme highs, some early lows and plenty of intrigue.

Wins and losses are trivial at this time of year; teams do not hang banners from Grapefruit League titles. The good news for Atlanta is that MLB staples like Freddie Freeman have jumped out of the gate early and, aside from outfield prospect Dustin Petersons hand surgery and A.J. Minters minor arm soreness, the club received a relatively clean bill of health for the opening week of play. Here are three (extremely) early takeaways from the Braves first week of spring training games.

Brian Snitkers club capped its 2016 season as one of the hottest offenses in baseball, a 180-degree turnaround from the previous three seasons in Atlanta. Since the start of the 2014 season, no franchise has scored fewer runs than the Braves, but the additions of Dansby Swanson and Matt Kemp sparked a late-season surge that the Braves are hoping will carry over into their inaugural season atSunTrust. The early returns are positive, particularly from the units key cogs.

This time last year, Freddie Freeman's wrist health dominated headlines. His late-season surge squashed any lingering concerns slashing .302/.400/.569 with 34 home runs for his most productive campaign and now he enters the 2017 season as an MVP possibility. His spring start will not slow down that hype train. Freemanleads the Braves with eight hits in 16 at-bats, and while the power numbers (one double) are slow to follow, Freeman is the least of Snitker's concerns.

Swanson, primarilyhitting ahead of Freeman at No. 2 in spring, is not far behind.

Apreseason NL Rookie of the Year frontrunner, Swanson is justifying offseason discussion of his ability to handle one of the lineup's most important spots, opening the Grapefruit League schedule with seven hits and three walks in six games while previewingformidable double-play potential with veteran second baseman Brandon Phillips.

The surprising addition to this list isAdonis Garcia, who enters his third season in Atlanta as the third-base favorite. Garcia, who could benefit from moving down in the order this season, is hitting a cool .400 in five games.

Early spring results are relatively meaningless, of course: fast spring startersstumble out of the gate and groggy spring performers have dominated April. On that note, the likes of Ender Inciarte, Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis have some work to do. However, it's hard to notice the lows with Freeman and Swanson's highs.

The talk of the Atlanta Braves carrying a four-man bench started early. With the addition of super-utility player Sean Rodriguez and the return of do-everything options Jace Peterson and Chase d'Arnaud, the front office delivered versatility and potential productivity to Snitker's bench. (Veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki completed the unit.)

Butthe scary car crash involvingthe Rodriguez family, hospitalizing three of his family members and potentially ending Rodriguez's season, reset the question: Will a four-man bench and an eight-man bullpen be the right call for Snitker without Rodriguez, the one true dangerous "bench" bat.

Atlanta certainly has a variety of relief options (certainly more than it does bench bats), but it's unclear if the likes of Micah Johnson, Rio Ruiz, Emilio Bonifacio, Adam Walker or Christian Walker, among others in camp, would provide enough quality production as the primary pinch hitter a definitive need in the National League.

The Braves taxed their bullpen at a rate the front office was uncomfortable with last season the most innings ever for an Atlanta bullpen but the additions of veteran starters (and innings-eaters) Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey and Jaime Garcia are expected to ease that burden.

At the very least, it's one of the few key remaining storylines in camp with so many of the team's everyday roster spots accounted for.

For every pressing concern a franchise faces in the build-up to Opening Day, there are moments involving shooting stars demanding only admiration. In Braves camp, such moments have been produced from two primary sources: Ronald Acuna and Max Fried.

Two of the top prospects in Atlanta's celebrated farm system, Acuna and Fried are not considered Opening Day options. (Fried is merely a dark horse 2017 option overall.)

And yet the 19-year-old Acuna, a five-tool outfielder whose electric but injury-shortened season at Single-A gave way to an excellent winter-league outing in Australia, is lighting up the Grapefruit League. Acuna has five hits in nine at-bats, including two doubles, and, perhaps more impressive, does not look overmatched against MLB talent. At all.

The same can be said for Max Fried, who opened his first-ever big-league spring actions by setting down Miguel Cabrera and walks out of the first week giving up just one hit and two walks in three scoreless innings.

Cuts will be coming soon and (eventually) Acuna and Fried will be among them. For now, the future stars are out.

4

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Three Cuts: Freddie Freeman picks up where he left off - FOXSports.com

Toxic masculinity has been Billions blue chip stock since day one, regardless of the shows occasional feints toward self-awareness on this front (such as the Guy Movie one-liners the characters are always hurling at each other). Even the women are usually willing participants in the dick-measuring contests that define workplace culture at both Axe Capital and the US Attorneys office. For its second season, however, Billions has embedded a self-critique into Bobby Axelrods office in the gender non-binary person of Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon).

In both writing and performance, Taylor is presented as the Vulcan on the bridge of Axes Enterprise. They (Taylors preferred pronoun and the one Ill use despite the risk of singular/plural confusion) dont buy into the testosterone-poisoned culture at all, or even the more generalized high-pitched emotion of their co-workers. Taylor is analytical and precise, connecting dots that nobody else can even see. Taylors otherness might as well be alien to nearly everyone else in the office, but Axe is relaxed and accepting from the start, not necessarily because hes the wokest billionaire, but because he knows an edge when he sees it.

Axe needs that edge for the Alpha Cup, a charity poker game as well as a contest to determine, in Wags words, whos the biggest swinging dick on the Street. Axe has lost three times running to the weaselly Todd Krakow, and Taylor is his insurance that the streak will come to an end. That doesnt sit well with his usual second, Dollar Bill, who is completely emasculated by Axes choice to replace him. Everything I measure myself by has been called into question. The hostility is even more overt coming from Krakow, who has brought along his own ace in the hole in the person of everyones favorite life coach, Wendy Rhodes. Krakow openly refers to Taylor as it and that thing, but Taylor sees right through him, recognizing a fellow outcast beneath the billionaire bluster.

The casting department deserves kudos for all of season twos new additions. Dillon is the most fascinating, but Danny Strong is spot-on as the slimy Martin Shkreli analogue Krakow, and Eric Bogosian has accumulated the gravitas to embody Wall Street royalty as Lawrence Boyd. Boyd is something of a narrative stalling tactic; hes a means for the Cold War between Chuck and Axe to continue playing out without them going at each other directly. Billions couldnt exactly pull a Homeland and ditch Axe in favor of a new target for Chuck (how could Showtime do that to Damian Lewis twice?), but continuing the cat and mouse game on the same terms as last season would strain credibility to the breaking point as well as become repetitive in the extreme. The new dynamic allows their war to continue on a different front.

For Chuck, his investigation of Boyd is a means of keeping his power, knowing that a victory could net him the political capital needed to make another push at Axe. For his employees, the case could mean advancement or cause for betrayal. Kate seeks her fathers counsel and gets some strategic advice: since Chuck is likely to pick either Connerty (who continues to harbor doubts about his boss) or Lonnie to fill the vacant seat, she should be sure not to play favorites in order to land herself a deputy position with whoever gets the job. This week that means playing bad cop to Connertys good cop in flipping a flight attendant on Boyds private jet, which in turn nets them a cuckolded exec eager for vengeance against his boss. For Axe, however, Boyd is an advance scout, a test case to get Chuck to reveal his full bag of tricks.

As Optimal Pay ends, both Chuck and Axe are on the upswing. Chuck has his key witness in a case he took on without knowing if it would lead anywhere, and, despite losing one-on-one to Krakow, Axe emerges victorious in the Alpha Cup thanks to Taylor (who gets awkward fist-bumps from their co-workers for their efforts). In the world of Billions, however, only one thing is certain: such victories are always fleeting.

Stray observations

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Billions goes all-in on its most intriguing new character - A.V. Club