Blog Archives
Good Start Gone Bad For The White Sox
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday April.29/2013
Any fan of the Chicago White Sox knows that they hit a lot of HR’s. HR’s are a good thing, obviously. Although when it seems like the ONLY way a team can score, some consider it a problem. I wrote earlier in the season that the Sox had gotten of to a good start, going 4-2. They proceeded to get swept by the Washington Nationals, no shame in that, then have struggled ever since.Heading into last Monday, White Sox starting pitchers had 6 consecutive Quality Starts, consisting of a 1.63 ERA and a .201 OPP BA. Based on those stats alone, one would think the Sox went 4-2 in that span, maybe 5-1? Nope, 1-5.
By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): Follow @brianm731
The Club Struggles To String Together hits in 2013 season
Heading into play Monday night, the club has gone 10 – 14 to start this year – and currently sit behind the KC Royals by 4 1/2 Games right now for the AL Central Division Lead. It doesn’t get easy for the team having to face Darvish and the Rangers on Tuesday night – to kick off a 9 Game Road Trip, where they also visit Kansas City and the New York Mets.
So the White Sox are offensively challenged you ask? Absolutely. In the first game of what turned out to be only a 2 game series with the Minnesota Twins this last week due to cold, Jake Peavy pitched masterfully. But, he took a no-decision in a 2-1 Sox loss.
Game 2 of that series, Gavin Floyd had his best start all season. But, it was all for naught as the Sox offense could only muster 2 Runs, and lost 3-2.
Rewind back a week or so ago when the Sox lost 2 of 3 games in Cleveland. Jose Quintana pitched a gem, throwing 7 scoreless Innings, allowing only one hit, while Striking out 7.
But, the Sox offense was shut down by Justin Masterson, and lost in 10 innings, 1-0. Now, games like this are going to happen throughout a 162 game season.
An American Hobby: Baseball Memorabilia – Harmon Killebrew’s 1955 Topps Rookie Card
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday, April.20, 2013
Killer was an 11 Time All – Star and an 6 time HR King and led the AL in RBI 3 times as well. He also hit 40+ HRs 8 times. The man had a Hall Of Fame Career. Killenbrew also had a great eye – in leading the American League in Walks in 4 separate years. Overall, he Walked 1559 times in 2435 Games Played. His 3 Career Slash was .256/.376/.884.
By Lee Edelstein (‘Baseball Memorabilia Enthusiast’ – visit his website here) Follow @chinmusicstory
MLB Reports: We are pleased to present you with Baseball Author Lee Edelstein as the newest writer with us at the Reports. Lee will be providing us with great stories about baseball memorabilia on a regular basis.
MLB Reports
An American Hobby
Blog 10
This week’s article features a member of the 500 Home Run club.
During the decade of the 1960’s, sluggers named Hank Aaron,Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Ernie Banks, and Frank Robinson, in the prime of their careers, bashed balls out of the ballpark in record fashion.
In 1961, Mantle and Maris duked it out as the baseball world watched their assault on Babe Ruth’s single season Home Run record. But after the dust had settled on the 60’s, it was a quiet gentleman named Harmon Killebrew who wound up hitting more Home Runs in the decade than anyone else.
Nicknamed “The Killer”, although he was anything but, he pounded 393 Home Runs in that ten year period:
Harmon Killebrew Tribute:
The Marlins Seriously Make Stupid Choices
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, April.02/2013
The Marlins will start year 2 of their ball park with about 33 % of their 2012 Team Salary. They essentially have traded away every veteran over the course of last season and in the winter of 2013. Just like they have always done, the club builds up for a few years, then tears it all down with lighting fast movements. When will the cycle end and the Marlins have some consistency with the product on the field?
MLB Reports: Welcome to our newest Kids writer Jason Alpert-Wisnia – for being selected to join our MLB Reports Kids Writing team. We are pleased to present the readers with a youthful look to the game of baseball. Moms and Dad’s – if you have a young kid who loves baseball and wants to write about the game, please email us at mlbreports@gmail.com. We will be selecting three more kid writers for our website this year.
By Jason Alpert-Wisnia (AKA “JAWS”): (MLB Reports Kids Writer – visit his website here )
The Miami Marlins are a semi-new team compared to other teams such as the Red Sox, debuting as a team in the season of 1993 as the Florida Marlins. They won two championships in that time, yet tore down the team right after.
In 2012, the team moved to Marlins Park with a boatload of new players and I say, after that, it was only a matter of the, before the team was headed for a downfall. The past was sure to repeat itself.
Florida Marlins Story on 1997 and 2003:
Baltimore Orioles Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward Mar.15/2013
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, March.15/2013
Buck Showalter had one of the best managerial season in recent vintage with the 2012 version of the Baltimore Orioles, will the fans and management turn on him if there is a small regression in 2013?
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I believe that 2013 will be a regressive season for the Baltimore Orioles. Much like the 2011 Arizona DiamondBacks in the National League, all of the bounces and luck went the Orioles way to have a magical year of a playoff berth in 2012. A crazy amount of 1 run wins, extra inning wins and a brilliant bullpen defied the odds in the American League in order to compete.
I still think the Baltimore Orioles will be competitive in 2013, I just don’t see a 90 win team. The team is not saddled with many outrageous contracts left, however it is a shame that Brian Roberts (10 Million Dollars Per Year) can’t stay healthy. They will need repeat years from Adam Jones and Chris Davis, plus significant increases in production from J.J. Hardy, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis will need to hit his .300+.
This team has to take a run at a few players via trade or a remaining Free Agent. The need for a power hitting DH and another OF with Pop to play LF would be a wise decision. The ownership will need to extend the payroll for this very option. Also, they will need to plunk down some dough to sign an ace on the Free Agency market. You can’t tell me that a guy like Kyle Lohse won’t help the club!
2012 Winning Mix Highlights:
Howard And Utley: Healthy And Ready For A Huge 2013
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Friday, March. 1/2013
Chase Utley and Ryan Howard guest starring on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” I love this show and this episode, but it is wildly inappropriate and I would not suggest it for children. Chase and Ryan were awesome in it.
By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @ryandana1
Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have played for the Philadelphia Phillies their entire careers to this point. They have been holding down the right side of the infield for the Phillies consistently since 2006 – and have been tearing apart pitching from the 3-4 slots in the lineup for equally as long. They each played in 100+ games every year since the 2006 season, until an injury plagued 2012 campaign for the duo.
Howard managed to play just 71 games, and Utley only 83. Maybe age is starting to catch up with the 33 year old Howard and 34 year old Utley, and if it is, that is a terrible sign for the Phillies playoff aspirations because their offense has been built around the two (plus standout Shortstop Jimmy Rollins). I think the Utley – Howard combo still has productive seasons left with in Philadelphia, and 2013 should prove that. I expect them to be bright spots in the lineup for a team that has become largely reliant on their starting pitching to achieve success.
Baseball Friends Utley and Howard:
The Most Underrated Statistic: Extra Base Hits (XBH)
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday, February.02/2013
Alex Rodriguez is the Active Leader for XBH with 1190, however who knows when he will have a chance to resume his career again with injuries + allegations of PED use perhaps sparking an investigation/suspension for the MLB and is still owed 114 Million Dollars over the next 5 years.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I have nothing against sabermetrics in baseball. Yes I know they are not going away and I will probably learn them one day as someone who can comprehend Math pretty good. However, I understand the frustration of the casual fan who will not set a foot near them – although they know what Home Runs and Runs Batted In are. I have thrown the topic out for discussion on Twitter – and am extremely curious to see what percentage of fans actually follow the new numbers formats. This site totally allows our writers to convey any form of statistical analysis they want. The only thing that I request, is that if they use sabermetrics, to also add some regular stats with them.
One of the stats that can gauge any era since the beginning of baseball is Extra Base Hits. Before the fences were brought in (or even put up), Doubles and Triples could be hit at any time. Singles are great in the game too. There have been several great baseball players that are singles hitters, that also compiled a bunch of Doubles and Triples. That is why this statistic is fairest to all of the hitters in the history of the game and the most comparable. Like the old saying, (hit’em where they ain’t), players that can hit the baseball into the open areas of the outfield are special. Babe Ruth re-coined the phrase later when he said “Well they ain’t over the fence, so that’s where I hit them!” The Bambino was right. In the course of this article, we will list the top active list for this category – and some underrated hitters that may stack up nicely against historical hitters.
(Pete Rose Highlights):
Three Potential Bargains In MLB Free Agency: Lohse, K-Rod And Thome/Hafner Tandem
Sunday, January 27th, 2013
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Kyle Lohse was 16-3 with an NL Best .842 Win PCTG in 2012 – with a Career best 2.86 ERA,
Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206
Travis Hafner, Francisco Rodriguez, and Kyle Lohse have all shown that they can be above-average Major League players. However, with all three above the age of 30, teams are nervous to sign any of them to the multi-year contracts they want. Hafner has dealt with knee and back injuries over the past two seasons, but he still can bring power to an American League team in need of a DH. Francisco Rodriguez has always dealt with off the field issues, but he was very effective as Milwaukee’s set-up man in 2012. Kyle Lohse, who is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.51 FIP in 211, is the top free agent pitcher on the market right now but his age and inconsistency scares away possible suitors. Despite their age, inconsistency, and injuries, all three of these players could play a large role on MLB teams in 2013.
Travis Hafner Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:
The Angels May Take The Torch As The Best All Around 1-4 Lineup In The MLB
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday, January.19, 2013
Trout had 49 SB, 129 Runs 30 HRs and 83 RBI in just 138 Games. Might he improve on these numbers with a full year and the addition of Josh Hamilton to the cleanup spot in 2013?
Josh Jones (Angels Correspondent): Follow @joshjones4
The 2013 Los Angeles of Anaheim have the opportunity to post one of the most fearsome foursome’s in Major League Baseball history. The lineup posts three MVP-caliber talents. American League Rookie of the Year Mike Trout leading off with Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton hitting third or fourth respectively makes Angel fans ecstatic to watch this year’s club. Either Howie Kendrick or Erick Aybar will flank Trout and Pujols, hoping to take pitches and take walks in order to allow Trout to run and Pujols to have a bounty of runners on. The 1-4 hitters have the potential to be one of the greatest lineup toppers that the game has seen. Let’s compare them to some of the best 1-4 lineups in the last few decades:
Josh Hamilton signs autographs right after his Angels Press Conference:
What Happened To The Once Competitive Twins? Can They Turn It Around?
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Thursday January 17, 2013
After very disappointing seasons in 2011 (63-99) and 2012 (66-96), the Twins look to rebound in 2013. The Twins were a model franchise from 2002-2010. They won the AL Central Division in 6 out of the 9 years – and one of the years they didn’t win the Division included a 1 Game playoff loss to the White Sox in 2008. Will 2013 be a return to competitiveness or end up as another rebuilding year?
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
In 2010 the Minnesota Twins seemed like they would be having themselves a good club in upcoming years. To start off the exciting season they opened up a brand new stadium. Target Field has quickly become one of the most beautiful stadiums in all of baseball. The team ended up with a 94-68 record, quite impressive considering Justin Morneau was knocked out for the remainder of 2010 with a concussion on July 7. They reached the playoffs coming in first in the AL Central proving they didn’t need Morneau to be a successful franchise. They got swept by the Yankees in the ALDS for the second straight year. Even though they were swept, nobody was ignoring the regular season record. It seemed as if they had years to look forward too.
So now comes the 2011 season. Fans had big hopes for their Twins the summer of 2012. No injuries coming into opening day and they had made some moves in the offseason. They signed Japanese shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka to fill a whole in the middle infield. Carl Pavano and Jim Thome were also resigned by Minnesota. 2011 looked like it would be a year like 2010 for the Twins.
Awesome Stop Motion Video from a Twins Fan at Target Field
The Sad State Of The DH Position In 2012 And Probably Going Forward
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Tuesday January 1st, 2013
David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox is one of the few players to have a lengthy and successful career almost exclusively from the DH position. He was The Sporting News DH of the decade in 2009. As his career winds down, who will be the next great DH?
Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @RyanDana1
The Designated Hitter in the American League has morphed into many different roles for teams over the years since its adoption in 1973. At times it has been used to put lethal bats into the lineup without having to put the player’s subpar defense on the field too. At times the DH was a great place to use aging veterans who could still hit, but could not handle the rigors of playing every day in the field and stay healthy at the same time. The former use of the DH has been more common amongst larger market teams, and the latter more common avenue for smaller market teams to take. Not all that long ago, the DH was a position of prominence and was a great advantage to teams that had one of the league’s best, but there has been a recent trend that has put the DH position into a role of diminished importance.
There are a lot of things happening in Major League Baseball that have contributed to the decline of the DH in one way or another. For one, the “steroid era” has seemed to fade and gone are the days of 16 players hitting 40+ HRs a year (like in 2000). Not to bring up a debate about steroids, but there were only 6 players in 2012 that hit 40+ HRs, and only 15 players to accomplish this in the past 4 seasons combined. So whether the reason for the decline in HRs is a decline in steroid use, or something completely different, the numbers are the numbers regardless. There has simply been a decline in availability of players to fill what was the prototypical, power hitting, DH of the past. Power numbers are down, and aging sluggers seem to be aging faster in recent times.
David Ortiz Highights:
What 2012 Really Meant to the St. Louis Cardinals
Thursday November 1st, 2012
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.
Alex Mednick (Baseball Analyst and Writer)
The St. Louis Cardinals came into 2012 as the defending World Series Champions. In 2011 they just eked their way into the post season on the final day of the regular season when they defeated the Houston Astros and the Braves, who were tied for the wild card spot with St. Louis, ended up losing to the Phillies in extra innings. Coming into the 2011 postseason, the Cardinals were huge underdogs. That didn’t stop them from going for what they wanted: to win it all.
While most analysts amongst the sport would not have guessed St. Louis would even make it to the World Series, yet alone win it, the Red Birds emerged to show their true colors. The current team that the city of St. Louis has assembled and gets to watch for 81 games a year is, undoubtedly, a team that plays on all cylinders and the highest octane fuel. They play with the intensity of a little league team that wants nothing more than the coach to bring them out for ice cream when they win. Watching the Cardinals brand of baseball is to watch baseball again as a game, and not just as a competition played by millionaire athletes with tremendous talent.
Watching the scrappiness of St. Louis native David Freese in the 2011 playoffs is the perfect example. His David Eckstein-like approach to the game reminds us all of one of our teammates back in middle school. The one at the sandlot that always slid hard, tried to steal home, and complained when the rest of us wanted to go home because “it was getting dark”. In 2011, David Freese and his 39 teammates played baseball together as a true team and sent Tony LaRussa home with a World Series title in his final year managing. Read the rest of this entry
2012 MLB Trades And Deadline Deals Revisited for Contenders: Who Won and Lost
Friday, October.26/2012
Ichiro Suzuki played the best baseball he has in the last 2 years with the Yankees. It would be a wise move to re-sign the guy for at least the next season. In my opinion, they should have Jeter and Suzuki linked together on the club until they retire.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I love the new era of baseball. One thing the 2nd Wild Card team enabled this year was a flurry of transactions right near the Non-Waiver Trade Deadline, plus we even saw a bunch of trades between Aug.01-31 as well. I am not going to breakdown the trades for who went the other way (unless both teams were in contention) since we have a dedicated page for that here. What I am going to do is see who made out well with their new player. I will tell you right now that the hands down winner was the San Francisco Giants for picking up Marco Scutaro and Hunter Pence. Marco Scutaro hit .362 for the Giants and smacked 90 hits in 61 games. He has parlayed another 19 hits in 59 AB during the playoffs (.322).
I am going to be writing a series of payroll breakdowns for each MLB team in the offseason. I have already compiled reports for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals. These reports can be found in my author archives here. In addition to this, I am going to write another piece on Payroll Strategy specifically geared towards making runs at trades near the deadline. Look for those in the coming weeks. The work never ends here, and we will have you game ready for spring training when it comes to all of the clubs. Read the rest of this entry
The Legacy of Chris Carpenter: Savior in St. Louis
Thursday October 18th, 2012
Chris Carpenter started his career in Toronto after being the 15th overall selection in the 1994 draft. After the 2001 season, the Toronto Blue Jays made a calculated decision not to offer Carpenter a major league contract. He elected for free agency, rather than pitching in the minors for Toronto, and his legacy in St. Louis began when the Cardinals picked him up.
Alex Mednick (Baseball Analyst and Writer):
The legend of Chris Carpenter started as a 19-year-old pitching for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in 1994. He was the 15th overall pick by the World Series Champion Toronto Blue Jays in the 1993 draft. He was a physical specimen built to stand atop a 9.5” hill and stare down at hitters as they stared back at his 6 foot, 6 inch frame. Drafted out of Manchester, New Hampshire, the 19-year-old already had a plus fastball and a nice curveball. By 1997, at the age of 22, Chris Carpenter had broken into the Toronto Blue Jays rotation and was pitching against the best hitters in the world.
As a mid-season call up in 1997, Carpenter struggled in Toronto, hosting an ERA above 5.00 and a record of 3-7 over 13 games. His role in Toronto was mostly to eat innings, and he was there to gain experience and hopefully blossom into what the Blue Jays brass new head could be. He was in a rotation that consisted of the 1996 AL Cy Young winner Pat Hentgen, as well as the 1997 AL Cy Young winner Roger Clemens, so he had some serious mentors to help guide him on breaking into the big leagues. Despite his amazing talent, Carpenter struggled for most of his first season in Toronto and was eventually moved into the bullpen. In 1998 however, he emerged and gave everyone at least a glimpse of what would eventually come of Chris Carpenter, while proving himself to already be a competent starter capable of winning games. He led the Toronto Blue Jays (tied with Pat Hentgen) with 12 wins in 1998, and continued to pitch well into 1999…at least until he became cursed by a spell of injuries. Read the rest of this entry
Enough With The Early Round Champagne Celebrations MLB!
Saturday, October.13/2012
This celebration of the Tigers was the final straw to me writing this article. The Tigers should count their lucky stars they won a weak division and that they drew the Athletics in the ALDS. Since when did these excessive celebrations for early round wins of the playoffs begin?
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I am 36 years old. In no way would I consider myself 100% a traditionalist when it comes to Major League Baseball. I like the 2 Wild Card Slots, I like the Designated Hitter, as for Interleague play, I wish they had more of it so I could see every team waddle through Seattle every so often. This doesn’t mean that I don’t agree with some ‘old school’ philosophies and certain underwritten rules about the game. One thing that has really set me off in watching the end of the season and the playoffs is the excessive Champagne Celebrations of the clubs once they win any series or clinch any playoff spot? I mean come on fellas, you are celebrating like you have won everything in the game and we are not even into the League Championships Series.
I am out of line in thinking that this isn’t a new trend? I don’t remember this many corks being popped off in previous years. I have no problem with a team celebrating divisional and the World Series crowns with a party. This has been a time-long tradition in the Major Leagues back to the start of the games existence. Where I first starting seeing this epidemic fly was when the Braves clinched a playoff spot and then went hog-wild in their dressing room after the game. I was surprised at their actions but almost dismissed it. I understood that after last years collapse, plus the added pressure of trying to make the playoffs for Chipper’s last chance, that maybe they were just blowing off some steam. If I were a player, I would be happy to be in the playoffs, however If I made it in via Wild Card, I would not carry on with an alcohol bender! I would be made I still lost the division. Read the rest of this entry
Orioles vs. Yankees: Curse of Maier May Be Over
Wednesday October 10th, 2012
The last time the Yankees and Orioles met in Postseason play was in 1996. The Orioles lost that series, and a lot of fingers were pointed at the controversial home run caught young fan, Jeffrey Maier. The Orioles postseason fate may be different this time around against the Bronx Bombers.
Alex Mednick (Baseball Analyst and Writer):
The last time the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees met in the playoffs was in 1996 in the ALCS. Like in 2012, Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter were on the Yankees roster. The Orioles boasted a lineup that consisted of Rafael Palmeiro, Roberto Alomar, Cal Ripken Jr., B.J Surhoff, and Brady Anderson—who was having a career year. That lineup, along with a rotation consisting of Mike Mussina and Scott Erickson and Jimmy Key, gave Baltimore an imposing roster that the Camden Faithful could expect to make a playoff run.
15 years later we see a tale that is much more of a David and Goliath story. The Orioles have not been in the playoff’s since 1997 and have finished 5th place in the AL East for the last 4 consecutive seasons. The Yankees, conversely, have made the postseason 17 out of the last 18 seasons. After getting off to a hot start, the Orioles made a trade for future Hall of Famer, Jim Thome, to help add some pop and veteran leadership to their lineup. Even later in the season, when the team still found themselves in serious contention for October baseball, they called up 20-year-old phenom Manny Machado, who wasn’t even alive when Jim Thome took his first swing in the Major League. Now, Manny Machado finds himself playing on the same field as his childhood hero, Alex Rodriguez. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Reports Playoff Power Rankings and Predictions 2012
Friday, October.5/2012
The Reds have Joey Votto back and definitely are the deepest team in the playoffs. They start in San Francisco versus the Giants on Saturday in a best of 5 Series in the NLDS Round.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
In what could be one of the most exciting days in MLB History, we present to you a special edition of the MLB Reports Power Rankings,
1. Cincinnati Reds: The reason I have chosen these guys is because of their path to the World Series is probably easier than any other team in the MLB when it comes to Strength of Schedule. Johnny Cueto, Aroldis Chapman and Todd Frazier will challenge for NL Cy Young Votes and the Rookie of the Year Award. They have a healthy Joey Votto and it is time for Brandon Phillips to show his playoff metal. They have the greatest bullpen in the playoffs and are playing in the 1st round against the San Francisco Giants. The Great American Ball Park should be a great home field advantage.
Unheralded Player to watch in this Playoffs: Starting Pitcher Homer Bailey has pitched really well this year and is coming off a recent no-hitter.
2. Detroit Tigers: The Tigers are playing their best baseball of the season and caught a break when the Athletics won the AL West. Miguel Cabrera was on fire in September en route to his AL Triple Crown win. The Tigers were 32-11 in their last 43 home games and their solid pitching bodes well versus all of the homer centric teams in the AL. Their toughest competition would be the Yankees and Rangers and I am not sure those teams will be able to match the pitching of the club. While in my rankings I have given the #1 ranking to the Reds, the Tigers were my preseason pick to win the WS Title and it will all be on the backs of Prince Fielder and Cabrera.
Unheralded player to watch in the Playoffs: Omar Infante. He is a great all around player who comes up with clutch hits.
The Philadelphia Phillies Franchise Part 2 of 4: The Hitters
Friday August.24/2012
Note from Chuck Booth: I am attempting to bring the history for each of the 30 MLB Franchises into a 5 part series that will focus on 1. The teams history. 2. The hitters 3. The pitchers. 4. The Teams Payroll going into 2013 and 5.The Ball Park that they play in. (The stadium articles will all be done next summer when I go to all of the parks in under a month again.) Be sure to check my author page with a list of all of my archived articles here.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024-The Phillies have had an incredible run in the last decade of baseball. Most of that time has been spent at Citizens Bank Ball Park which is a very hitter-friendly park. The management was smart enough to draft a whole bunch of offensive talent like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, Scott Rolen, Jimmy Rollins and even J.D Drew(who never signed in 1997 with the Phillies and went back into the 1998 draft.) They also traded Scott Rolen for Placido Polanco. These guys have all taken advantage of the new baseball cathedral. Ryan Howard leads all active players in HRs per AB in the Major Leagues with hitting a HR per just a little over 13 AB. There is still a long way to go to chase down Michael Jack Schmidt. His 548 Career HRs and 1595 RBI lead the ALL-Time totals on the Phillies by quite a big margin.
Criteria for being put on this list was quite simple. You had to be a player of significance on the Franchise. Great watermarks are: 1000 hits, 100 HRs, 1000 games, if you led the league in any category for a few seasons or batted .285 or higher for the duration of your time. This is what I was looking for to include the players on the list. It has taken me a lengthy period of time to siphon through 130 years of baseball to bring you this list. From Ed Delahanty and Billy Hamilton, to Richie Ashburn and Dick Allen, to Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinki, to Von Hayes, to John Kruk and Lenny Dykstra, to Bobby Abreu and Scott Rolen-to finally get us to the gentlemen aforementioned in the first paragraph. I want this study to be as interactive as I can with the readers. If you feel that there is someone worthy of being included in the list for hitters, please feel free to comment or send me an email to booth7629@gmail.com. I would be glad to edit this post and add to it. After all, if you are reading this, chances are you are a Phillies fan, I am just a baseball historian.
For Part 1 of The 4 Part Phillies Article Series: The Franchise- click here
For Part 3 of The 4 Part Phillies Article Series: The Pitchers- click here
For Part 4 of the Phillies Article Series: Team Payroll and Contractual Statuses click here
Ryan Howard Highlight reel
MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: July 2012
Wednesday July.4, 2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-We are going to bring you monthly power rankings every month of the season. There will be a few notes written for each team. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts. The Texas Rangers are the top ranked team yet once again, although teams are certainly gaining on the them in the last month. If this report was being done last week I might have put the New York Yankees in 1st and Texas in 2nd. A 7 game winning streak help preserve another month for Texas on the leader-board. There were superior months by Aaron Hill, Jose Bautista, Joey Votto , Jason Heyward and a new phenomenon was born with Jose Altuve. It was a great month for the MLB. With 20 teams within 5.5 games or less for the playoff races, we are sure to see some serious movements in the Power Rankings in the 2nd half of the season.
Standings taken before play Tuesday July.03/2012
July Power Rankings-Last Month Rank in Parenthesis
1. Texas-50-30 (1) The Rangers rode a 7 game winning streak to end up 18-8 for the last month. David Murphy, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus all hit over .300 in the last 30 days. The Rangers were able to weather a slow spurt from Josh Hamilton, in which he hit .222 with only 4 HRs for the month. Matt Harrison has asserted himself as an ace on the staff with a 5-0 month with a 1.29 ERA, while leading the American League with 11 wins on the year. The Rangers have 6 players going to the ALL-Star Game including 3 starters. Yu Darvish can make a 7th if he is voted into the final roster spot with his rookie campaign of 10-5 so far.
2. NY Yankees 48-31(5) The Yankees have ridden good pitching and a hot bat from Robinson Cano to a 19-7 record over the last month, with a 5 games lead over their competition in the AL East. Cano hit .370 with 12 HRs and 24 RBI in the last month. Derek Jeter is hitting .298 overall but saw his average go from .389 in April, to .283 in May to .232 in June. He still tops a list of 4 Yankees heading to the ALL-Star Game including 23 HR homer man Curtis Granderson. Phil Hughes went 5-1 in the month with a 2.59 ERA and Ivan Nova won his 3 decisions with a miniscule 1.32 ERA. Rafael Soriano has converted 18 out of 19 save opportunities since taking over as team closer.
3. San Francisco 45-30 (9) The Giants went 16-11 in the month and saw a perfect game from Matt Cain, with a few other 1 hitters. The team shutout the Dodgers 3 games in a row in a series last week. The Giants have Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey and Melky Cabrera starting in KC next week. The Melkman continues to show that last year was no fluke with his .352 Average and he is leading the Major Leagues with 111 base hits. The Giants pitching staff has coped with the loss of Brian Wilson and the ineffectiveness of starter Tim Lincecum, by the rest of the staff having career years.
4. LA Angels 45-35 (12) The Angels have been really steady since the end of May. They just finished going 17-8 in the last 25 days on the backs of ALL-Stars Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo and resurgent Albert Pujols. Trout might be the most exciting player on the planet these days and is a lock for AL Rookie of the Year if he keeps this up. Trout hit .367 over the last month and has taken over the AL batting lead with a .342 AVG. Trumbo hit 10 HRs and drove in 28 RBI for the month and Pujols hit .337. to raise his average 40 points. C.J Wilson was good enough in June to be named as CC Sabathia‘s replacement at the ALL-Star game.
5. Washington 45-32(9) Mike Morse has returned to the lineup with a vengeance during the last week with a .484 average. Super Sub Tyler Moore has also hit .415 in the last 14 games with 4 HRs and 12 RBI. Ian Desmond had 16 Extra base hits for the month to go along with 20 RBI, while he made the ALL-Star game as a reserve. Ryan Zimmerman awoke from a season long slump to plate 17 RBI. Adam LaRoche still contributed 7 HRs and 15 RBI despite a paltry .191 average in June. Stephen Strasburg is 9-3 on the year with a 2.81 ERA and a league leading 122 SO. Gio Gonzalez is 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA. Both Gonzalez and Strasburg made the ALL-Star squad. Read the rest of this entry
Jim Thome Traded to the Baltimore Orioles: Rate That Trade
Sunday July 1st, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: As part of our regular features here on MLB reports, we have a dedicated page to baseball trades. It is not a streaming trade tracker. Rather, it is a highlight of the key baseball trades that take place during the year. We look at the main participants, what was the deal, each team’s logic and deliver a verdict. We call it “Rate That Trade“. Please feel free to bookmark it and check back regularly. If you love baseball deals as much as we do, then we know that you will have your opinion on each respective baseball swap. Leave your comments, send us an e-mail, keep in touch. We love debating baseball deals almost as much as we love reporting and analyzing them.
The big swap on the last day of June went down as follows:
The Philadelphia Phillies trade Jim Thome to the Baltimore Orioles, in exchange for two minor leagues, catcher Gabriel Lino and Pitcher Kyle Simon
Orioles Logic: This deal makes sense on so many levels for Baltimore. This team spent a great deal of time in first place already this year. Currently in 2nd place, the Orioles are 5 games behind the 1st place Yankees. But watch out, Tampa Bay and Boston are only 1.5 games behind Baltimore for 2nd place. This team needs a push to stay in content. Enter Jim Thome. The 41-year old Thome still carries a big home run bat. He is a solid veteran presence on a young team still trying to find itself. Mark Reynolds and Wilson Betemit simply won’t cut it anymore at DH. Chris Davis is likely to take over as the full-time first baseman. While he is not considered a top defensive player, he has shown enough this year offensively to warrant a permanent lineup position. Thome changes the whole complexion of the lineup. Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis (when he returns), Brian Roberts, J.J. Hardy and Davis are nice weapons on their own. But the team needs a definite clean-up hitter. That’s Thome. While he can’t play every day, he will play enough to make a difference. The pressure will be off Jones to be the big bopper. Thome is also patient, something the young Orioles hitters would be well served to learn. Read the rest of this entry
ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: July 1st, 2012
Sunday July 1st, 2012
Let’s get to your top questions of the week:
JH: Happy Canada Day…eh! I am proud to call Canada my home. So for my fellow Canadians, I wish you a great day today. For our American friends that celebrate the 4th of July, your day is coming up this week. So enjoy it, drink responsibly and make sure you have a designated driver. We want each of you alive through many World Series to come!
A couple of thoughts before we start this weekend’s edition of ATR:
Firstly, a big baseball trade went down yesterday. The Orioles acquired Jim Thome from the Phillies for minor leaguers Gabriel Lino and Kyle Simon. I like this move from both ends quite frankly (catch my full review on Rate that Trade coming up). Thome is a serious veteran presence in the O’s clubhouse and still swings a sweet hall of fame bat. He hits bombs and takes walks. The O’s trade two very young players who may or may not develop. The Phillies did not need Thome as a pinch-hitter and gave him a chance to play, while working towards replenishing their farm. One of those rare win-win scenarios.
Speaking the Orioles, did you catch my recent twitter conversation with Baseball Reporter Jen Royle? Well…the Baltimore Sun did and they ran an interesting article. You know what they say, any publicity is good publicity! Here is a bit of what they caught:
MLB reports asked Royle: “What is it the fans love most? Your charm?”
“They loved my honestly,” she replied, “and they absolutely love that I refued to root for the home team like Homer Simpson.”
MLB reports agreed with her distaste for “Homer” rooting.
“There are many homers that won’t listen to logic,” MLB said. “They think with baseball hearts. Not brains always. They can be fun too.”
And here’s Royle’s first dig: “Sounds like half the Orioles media… It was embarrassing.”
Remember Kevin Youkilis? Now a member of the Chicago White Sox. I talked to one of the top baseball reporters in the game recently on the subject. My colleague let me know that the Red Sox did as well as they could, literally no other team was offering a prospect for Youk. That still boggles my mind, but I guess Boston really put themselves in a no-win position. They traded Youk at his lowest point and had no leverage whatsoever. Still, paying most of his salary and not getting top players back…to me, the White Sox came out like bandits in this one. Wishing Youk all the best on his future, in Chicago this year and beyond.
Last but not least, the All-Star game is coming up from Kansas City in 9 short days. The Prospect Game is being played on Sunday July 8th, Home Run Derby comes your way on Monday July 9th and the big game itself, on Tuesday July 10th. We will have you covered, with previews and recaps of all the big All-Star game festivities and highlights.
Now that we have that behind us, on to your questions! Read the rest of this entry
