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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 9, 2013
From ESPN.com
Today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast deals with unusual math.
You don’t really start following teams until you turn 8 years old.
That means 10 year old Yankee fans have no memory of a World Series title.
Kids getting their driving license in New England can say the whole “Curse” thing was before their time.
And 26 year old have never experienced anything other than labor peace in baseball.
It sure makes ME feel old.
Also I determined that Brandon Phillips, Matt Harvey, Ervin Santana and especially Robinson Cano owned baseball on April 8, 2013.
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Players who owned baseball for a Day
Clayton Kershaw – 2
Robinson Cano – 1
Shin-Soo Choo – 1
Alex Cobb – 1
Zack Cozart – 1
Yu Darvish – 1
Chris Davis – 1
Jacoby Ellsbury – 1
Prince Fielder – 1
Adrian Gonzalez – 1
Carlos Gonzalez – 1
Gio Gonzalez – 1
Bryce Harper – 1
Matt Harvey – 1
Felix Hernandez – 1
Adam Jones – 1
Cliff Lee – 1
Jed Lowrie – 1
Justin Maxwell – 1
Bud Norris – 1
Gerardo Parra – 1
Andy Pettitte – 1
Brandon Phillips -
Albert Pujols – 1
CC Sabathia – 1
Ervin Santana – 1
Drew Smyly – 1
Justin Upton – 1
Adam Wainwright – 1
Barry Zito – 1
St. Louis Cardinals – Week 1 Review
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, April 8th, 2013
2012 was a season that ended with disappointment which ultimately distracted us from recognizing what a successful year it really was. 2012 highlighted a lot of the greatness that is to come for this great franchise. The Cardinals are greatly positioned for the next 5 years with the influx of 6 top 100 MLB Prospects at League Entry Level Contracts. Having said this, the club started out the year dropping 2 out of 3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, before pulverizing the defending World Series Champions over the weekend – taking the series 2 – 1 and outscoring the Giants 20 – 7, while obliterating Matt Cain’s ERA for some time. by hanging 9 Earned Runs on him in just 3.2 IP.
By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent) Follow @LandenCrouch
Week in Review:
The opening week of the 2013 season for the St. Louis Cardinals can now be considered successful after a 14-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinals finished their opening week six-game West Coast road trip with a .500-record of (3-3).
This is definitely a huge success for the Cardinals to come back to St. Louis with at least a .500 record. Of course, they wanted to win the 16-inning marathon against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night (and early into Thursday morning), and the 1-0 pitchers-dual game against Barry Zito on Friday.
Those were two tough losses. Overall, though, this week was positive for the Cardinals and should give them some momentum coming into their home opening series against the Cincinnati Reds.
2013 St. Louis Cardinals Preview by MLB Network:
St. Louis Cardinals 2013 Payroll and Contracts Going Forward
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, March.25/2013
2012 was a season that ended with disappointment which ultimately distracted us from recognizing what a successful year it really was. 2012 highlighted a lot of the greatness that is to come for this great franchise. The Cardinals are greatly positioned for the next 5 years with the influx of 6 top 100 MLB Prospects at League Entry Level Contracts. The Cards were 1 one away from the World Series in 2012 before the Giants won 3 elimination games. Can the franchise withstand the losses of Lohse, Carpenter, Furcal and even Hitting Coach Mgwire
By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent) Follow @LandenCrouch
I believe we can expect more of the same from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013. This is a franchise that has proven they can be competitive on a consistent basis, even doing so last year without Albert Pujols. The Cardinals enter 2013 following consecutive runs to the National League Championship Series (won World Series in 2011).
On the heels of a very quiet offseason, the Cardinals seem to be entering the 2013 season with a very clear plan: get younger while simultaneously maintaining a high level of success on the field. The franchise has clearly begun this transition already with the departure of a few key players in the last several years – Kyle Lohse being the latest.
In the money department, the Cardinals have never been afraid to spend money to help the ballclub; however, they have always done so wisely. They are not among the teams that seemingly are just trying to buy championships. They have always been a team that uses a healthy balance of money and a solid farm system for success.
In 2013, the Cardinals will rank 10th in all of Major League Baseball in overall payroll – in the upper tier, for sure, but not overspending by any means – and their farm system is ranked 1st overall in baseball. The Cardinals have the money and the players it takes to continue being competitive for a long time to come.
2011 Cardinals World Series:
How Might Pedro Martinez’s Past Struggles Help This Year’s Red Sox?
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, Mar.04, 2013
After doubting his own ability – Martinez posted a 55 – 33 Record with the Montreal Expos – and had a 3.06 ERA with them from 1994 – 1998. He turned his 1997 NL Cy Young year with the Canadian Franchise into a possible Hall of Fame selection for the rest of his career. He is trying to help with the confidence issues facing the Sox hurlers now.
By Saul Wisnia, Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here): Follow @SaulWizz
News Flash: Pedro once struggled:
One of the delights of Red Sox spring training this year has been the return of former ace-turned-special instructor Pedro Martinez. In addition to working with young and veteran pitchers on their mechanics, Pedro has been a media darling — smiling his way through numerous radio, TV, and print interviews.
Of all the sound bytes and quotes, however, the one that struck me as the most poignant has been largely ignored. During an early-morning interview on WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan show on Feb. 19, Martinez was asked by Gerry Callahan if he thought he could help Daniel Bard regain his form as one of baseball’s best setup men. “Yes,” the future Hall of Famer said, before adding that he understood exactly what Bard had gone through during a disastrous 2012 campaign that included a demotion to the minor leagues.
Martinez, the Sandy Koufax of his era, relate to an epic slump? How could that be?
Pedro Martinez Career Montage:
Why Terry Francona As The Manager Of The Cleveland Indians Makes Sense
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday Feb.5, 2013
Terry Francona played for five different teams in his playing Career. His best year was in 1984 – where he hit .346 during his 218 AB. He played as a 1B/OF/PH. His only Post Season action was with the 1981 Montreal Expos. He hit .333 in the NLDS but went 0-2 in the NLCS versus the eventual World Series winning LA Dodgers. He has had much better success as Manager.
By Larry Myers (Indians Correspondent): Follow @TribeFanz1969
Terry Francona was hired as manager of the Cleveland Indians on October 6, 2012 – and officially took over the team on October 8th. He will be returning to the dugout after a one-year hiatus of managing in baseball and doing sports broadcasting duties. After Manny Acta was let go as manager of the Indians, only two candidates were interviewed. Francona was picked as manager over Sandy Alomar Jr, who has stayed on as Bench Coach under the veteran skipper.
Before we decide if Francona was the right choice as manager of the Indians, we have to look at who the man is. Francona was born April 22, 1959 in South Dakota to former MLB player Tito Francona, (who played from 1956 to 1970). Tito ‘Jr’ played in the Majors himself from 1981 to 1990, including one year with the Indians. During his ten years, Francona played in 708 Games – with a BA of .274, 16 Home Runs and 143 RBI as a utility player . After Francona’s playing days were over, he went on to become a Minor League coach, before finally becoming manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997. During his four years in Philadelphia, his team never finished above fourth place, but Francona helped develop some young players into stars that have turned the Phillies franchise into the winning seasons in 11 out of the 12 years since his departure.
Terry Francona at TribeFest:
Pedro Martinez Rejoins The Red Sox Organization: Meets Up With Francona At Boston Book Signing
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Sunday, January.27, 2013
Tito autographs a copy of Red Sox Rule: Terry Francona and Boston’s Rise to Dominance – for his former ace pitcher.
By Saul Wisnia, Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here): Follow @SaulWizz
What a roller-coaster week for Red Sox fans — enough to make you reach for the Rolaids. First came the early excerpts from former manager Terry Francona‘s book, revealing that during the 2010 offseason, Sox ownership took the advice of a media consultant to boost its sagging TV ratings by loading the team with “sexy” stars like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. For those who looked forward to hearing Francona’s memories of the 2004 and 2007 World Series runs, this mudslinging was just another reminder of how dreadful life has been on Yawkey Way the last 15 months.
Then there were the reports that contract negotiations with free agent first baseman Mike Napoli had finally been settled — and that the early rumors of his injuries were even worse than expected. Napoli was found to have a more serious hip problem than originally thought, a development that whittled down Boston’s original three-year, $39 Million offer to one year at $5 Million – plus a ballbag full of incentives.
Terry Francona Interviews on Jan.22/2013:
MLB Player Profile: Yadier Molina
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Thursday, January.17/2013
Yadier Molina is the best defensive Catcher in the Major Leagues right now. He has won 5 straight Gold Gloves for the position in the National League. He has added a big offensive attack to his arsenal in the last few years, as the 4 time ALL-Star has started to hit with more authority. He finished 4th in NL MVP Voting for 2012 - based on a 3 Slash-Line of .315/.374/.874 – with 22 HRs and 76 RBI in 505 AB. All of these were Career highs.
By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent) Follow @LandenCrouch
For the majority of his career, Yadier Molina has been highly touted as one of the top catchers in the game of baseball. In recent years, that label has evolved even deeper, as it could now be said that Molina is one of the game’s best overall players. With yet another fantastic year under his belt in 2012, the question remains: how long will Molina be this good? Hopefully for Cardinals fans, this peak of Molina’s career will last several more years and possibly even continue to rise.
From 2005 to 2007, Yadier Molina was best known for his abilities on defense, but he struggled to be a consistent hitter. That changed in 2008, as Molina really seemed to grow as a hitter. He posted a career high .304 Batting Average – that stood until he set a new career high in 2011 (.305). New career highs have been the theme for Molina over the last couple years, as he seems to be consistently topping great years with even better ones.
Yadier Molina Highlights in 2012:
St. Louis Cardinals Roster For 2013: State Of The Union
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Wednesday, January.09/2013
The Cardinals have been the most consistent Franchise in the National League, having appeared in 7 of the last 11 NLCS since 2000 (3-4). They have also won 2 World Series in that time (2006 and 2011.) They held a 3-1 NLCS lead over the San Francisco Giants before losing to the 2012 World Champions. They are ready for another great 2013 campaign. The NL Central goes from 6 teams to 5 – with the departed Houston Astros.
By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent) Follow @LandenCrouch
The current St. Louis Cardinals roster, set to take them into the 2013 season, has seen little changes from what was a very successful 2012 season. This really is not much of a surprise, though, as the front office has told fans they were not planning to change too much this offseason. After a gut-wrenching offseason a year ago, in which Albert Pujols headed west to the Angels, a quiet offseason really does not seem like such an awful thing. In the upcoming season, the St. Louis Cardinals will be hoping for more of the same from a team that was one win away from a second straight World Series Berth. The Cardinals will look to continue recent success, while filtering in some young prospects in the process.
Game #5 of the NLDS (Comeback win versus the Washington Nationals)
Who Have Been The Toughest Former Red Sox To See In A Yankees Uniform?
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday, December.15/2012
By Saul Wisnia, Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here): Follow @SaulWizz
Pending a failed physical or other unforeseen mishap, Kevin Youkilis will be manning third base and wearing pinstripes when the Red Sox open the 2013 season at Yankee Stadium on April 1. Amazingly, it won’t be until July 19 that the teams will square off in Boston, giving Fenway Park fans their first chance to see their former favorite son in a New York uniform.
Red Sox Nation had an opportunity to adjust to life with Youk in the visitor’s dugout when the White Sox visited Fenway shortly after his trade to Chicago last summer, but this is a much different situation. Boston fans may develop a kinder, gentler hatred for the Yankees since 2004, but there is something about seeing a former Red Sox in enemy colors that still tugs at the heartstrings.
Here’s a look back at some of the biggest Boston heroes to wind up in the Bronx — and how they fared on their Fenway returns.
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