About these ads

Blog Archives

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June 6th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

f95d6-puig

Yasiel Puig continues to dazzle as his grand slam help put the Braves away in the Dodgers 5-0 victory.

Zack Greinke threw 7 shutout innings in that game to beat the Braves.

Adam Rosales doubled and hit a game winning homer as the Oakland A’s beat the White Sox in Chicago, 5-4 in 10 innings.

And Max Scherzer threw 7 solid innings, striking out 9, as the Tigers beat the Rays 5-2.

They all owned baseball on June 6th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

About these ads

Top Teams In The MLB 1 – 30 + (200 Best Stats For The Last Month)

Like us on Facebook here

Thursday June.06/2013

Chris Davis was the hitter of the month for the MLB Reports.  The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season - after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days.  The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256.  Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI - and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played.  He is on pace for a 50 HR/ 50 Doubles Season.  "Crush" is due for Arbitration after this year - and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.

Chris Davis was the AL hitter of the month for the MLB Reports. The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season – after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days. The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256. Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI – and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played. He is on pace for a 50 HR/50 Doubles Season. “Crush” is due for Arbitration after this year – and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

The time has come for the June Power Rankings with Stats Edition.  There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.

I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.

These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.

I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams.  I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or scroll past the video and picture

Chris Davis 2013 Highlights:

Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.31) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was one of the four players who owned baseball on May 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was one of the four players who owned baseball on May 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Johnny Cueto let up only one and one walk over 8 shutout innings as the Reds defeated the Pirates 6-0.

Jonathan Lucroy went 5-5 with two homers, three runs scored and four runs batted in as the Brewers topped Philadelphia 8-5.

Chris Dickerson crushed a 2 out, 3 run, walk off, come from behind homer to turn a Baltimore loss into an Oriole 7-5 win over the Tigers and bring the Birds to within 1 game in the loss column of first place.

And CC Sabathia shut down the Red Sox into the 8th inning, going 7 1/3 innings, letting up only 1 run, no walks and 10 strikeouts to end the Yankee losing streak, 4-1 and bring them to within a game of first.

They all owned baseball on May 31st, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May 30th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Dillon Gee

Dillon Gee pitched 7 1/3 innings, letting up one run, 4 hits no walks and 12 strikeouts as the Mets beat the Yankees 3-1 and completed the season sweep of the Subway Series.

Luis Valbuena went 3-4, a triple shy of the cycle, scoring three runs as the Cubs swept the White Sox with an 8-3 win.

Jacoby Ellsbury went on a franchise record setting stolen base binge, swiping 5 bags against the Phillies while getting on base 4 times including 3 hits as the Red Sox beat the Phillies, 9-2.

And Freddy Garcia pitched 8 shutout innings, letting up only 3 hits and no walks as the Orioles topped the Nats 2-0.

They all owned baseball on May 30th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.29th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Dioner Navarro crushed three homers in the Cubs 9-3 WIN over the White Sox. (Sorry Ryan Zimmerman.)

Mr. Zimmerman’s night (and baseball ownership) was foiled by the Orioles 9-6 comeback over the Nationals, led by Chris Davis‘ 4-4, 2 homer, 3 RBI  performance.

Eric Stults did not get the decision, but his 8 inning, 3 hit, 1 run, 12 strikeout and no walk performance set up the Padres 3-2 10 inning victory over Seattle.

Sam Deduno held down the Brewers bats for 7 innings and a single run, letting up 4 hits and 2 walks as the Twins won, 4-1.

They all owned baseball on May 28th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.27) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Aaron Harang

Aaron Harang threw a complete game 4 hit shutout as the Mariners beat the Padres, 9-0.

Kelly Johnson went 4-5 with 2 homers and a stolen base as the Rays topped the Marlins, 10-6.

Jeff Samardzija went the distance, throwing a two hit shutout over the crosstown White Sox, striking out 8 and walking 2 as the Cubs prevailed, 7-0.

And David Wright hit a triple, went 2-3 and his towering home run tied the game in the 7th and sparked the Mets come from behind 2-1 victory in the first game of the Subway Series with the Yankees, 2-1.

They all owned baseball on May 27th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 8

Like us on Facebook here

Monday May.27/2013

The Detroit Tigers were second on the list for moving up rankings with 5 spots.  They have overtaken the Indians - and have 5 players that are hitting north of .300.  Their top 4 Starters may be the best in the game - and they play in an extremely winnable division where teams can`t match them for payroll or talent.

The Detroit Tigers were second on the list for moving up rankings with 5 spots. They have overtaken the Indians in the AL Central  – and have 5 players that are hitting north of .300. Their top 4 Starters may be the best in the game – and they play in an extremely winnable division where teams can`t match them for payroll or talent.  Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter on the planet – and has great support.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

The Oakland Athletics are making another run at the expense of the lesser lites  in the Division.  This team feasts on the Astros and Mariners – and are not half bad at playing the Rangers and Angels either.  The goal for them is to continue to pitch.  They must try to at least take 2 games versus San Francisco in the 4 game set.

The Kansas City Royals may have rolled up snake eyes in gambling on their 2013 season.  Suffering the longest playoff drought in the majors at 28 years, the franchise traded away its best prospect player in Wil Myers for a 2 year pitching solution in James Shields.

The problem is that their nucleus of young talented hitters have failed them.  Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are being outpowered by some teams Pitching cores in the NL.

Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.26th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Stephen Strasburg

Stephen Strasburg pitched 8 solid innings, letting up 5 hits and 1 run, striking out 9 against no walks as the Nationals beat the Phillies, 6-1.

Pete Kozma went 4-4 with 3 doubles, 3 runs batted in and scored the winning run as the Cardinals beat the Dodgers, 5-3.

Alex Cobb pitched a shutout into the 9th, finishing with an 8 1/3 inning star with 5 hits and 2 runs as the Rays beat the Yankees 8-3.

J. B. Shuck went 3-4, driving in the go ahead run in the 7th and a key insurance run in the 8th as the Angels won 5-2 and completed the 4 game sweep of Kansas City..

They all owned baseball on May 26th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May 25th) – Updated Yearly “WOB” Standings

BLKPsYyCcAEj1Ky.jpg-large

Josh Donaldson got on base 5 times with a homer, three other hits and a walk, scored twice and drove in two as the A’s won another slug fest in Houston, 11-5.

Jake Peavy pitched a complete game victory, letting up only 6 hits. He lost his bid for a shutout when he let up a game tying homer to Derek Dietrich. But Connor Gillaspie’s walk off hit gave Peavy and the White Sox a 2-1 victory over the Marlins.

Mike Minor pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings, letting up just 3 hits and striking out 10. He also went 2-4 at the plate, hitting a 2 out 2 run homer that helped Atlanta beat the Mets, 6-0.

And Angel Pagan helped wipe away a day full of frustrations and bad calls against the Giants with a 2 run, 1 out, walk off come from behind 10th inning inside the park home run. He went 2-6 as the Giants shocked the Rockies by a final of 6-5.

They all owned baseball on May 25th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May 22nd) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Jose Bautista

Jose Bautista went 4-4 with 2 homers and drove in all four of Toronto’s runs, including a game tying shot in the 9th and a walk off hit in the 10th as the Blue Jays beat the Rays 4-3 in 10.

C. J. Wilson went 8 strong, letting up only one run and striking out 10 as the Angels beat the Mariners, 7-1.

Carlos Gonzalez homered, hit an RBI triple then scored on a wild pitch as the Rockies beat the Diamondbacks, 4-1.

And Francisco Liriano pitched 7 shutout innings as the Pirates beat the Cubs 1-0.

They all owned baseball on May 22nd, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – May 22, 2013

mike trout 2

Mike Trout hit for the cycle. Did he also save Mike Scioscia‘s job?

Today on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast, I ponder the future of the 2013 Los Angeles California Angels of Anaheim in Orange County. Will they tail off? Or will the night that Mike Trout had the best night of his career also be the turning point of a championship season?

Gregor Blanco, Adam Wainwright, Max Scherzer and Mike Trout all owned baseball on May 20, 2013.

To see the up to date tally of “Who Owns Baseball?,” click HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – May 22, 2013

Follow sullybaseball on Twitter

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May 21st) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Alex Gallardo / Associated Press / May 21, 2013

Alex Gallardo / Associated Press / May 21, 2013

Max Scherzer pitched 8 strong against the first place Indians, striking out 7 and walking 1 as the Tigers pulled a game closer, winning 5-1.

Gregor Blanco stole a base and scored the first and then hit the 2 out, 2 strike bottom of the 9th game tying triple that set up the dramatic 4-2 Giants win over the Nationals.

Adam Wainwright pitched 7 1/3 innings, letting up only 4 hits and one walk as the Cardinals manhandled the Padres, 10-2.

And while it was a hard decision, I guess Mike Trout had an OK day. He went 4-5 with a single, a double, a triple and a homer, and that would be the cycle. He also drove in 5 runs and stole a base. I guess that is a good enough day to own baseball.

They all owned baseball on May 21st, 2013

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

MLB Top Teams 1 – 30 + (Best 200 Stats of 2013)

Like us on Facebook here

Monday May.06/2013

Matt Harvey with his stellar outings so far this season may have just become the New York Mets "ace". Harvey is now 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA. Harvey has pitched 40.1 innings - only given up 21 hits, 12 Walks for a League Leading WHIP of .0818  For his awesome 5 weeks we name him the MLB Reports NL Pitcher Of The Month

Matt Harvey with his stellar outings so far this season – may have just become the New York Mets “ace”. Harvey is now 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA. Harvey has pitched 40.1 innings – only given up 21 hits, 12 Walks for a League Leading WHIP of .0818. For his awesome 5 weeks – we name him the MLB Reports NL Pitcher Of The Month

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

Stats all Prior to May.06th games. 

The time has come for the 1sy May Power Rankings.  There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.

I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.

These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.

I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams.  I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON

Read the rest of this entry

MLB Monthly Power Rankings May 2013 (Podcast Version)

Like us on Facebook here

Sunday, May.05/2013

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month.  Each show will be about 1 hour

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.

By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com)

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

One month down in the MLB season and that means it’s time for some Power Rankings! Chuck Booth the czar of MLBreports.com joins us in studio to rank every team from worst to first. Where does your team rank? Read the rest of this entry

Justin Verlander Makes Good On His 1st Start After Signing His Recent 5 Year Extension

Like us on Facebook here

Tuesday, April.2/2013

Justin Verlander paid immediate dividends for his new Salary Extension in the Tigers Season Opener on the road yesterday at Target field, throwing 5 scoreless Innings and fanning 7 batters.  Verlander anchors a talented Detroit Pitching Rotation that features Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello

Justin Verlander paid immediate dividends for his new Salary Extension in the Tigers Season Opener on the road yesterday at Target field, throwing 5 scoreless Innings and fanning 7 batters. Verlander anchors a talented Detroit Pitching Rotation that features Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello.  Detroit GM Dave Dombroski is smart enough to realize that there is possiblu a small 3 year window with Fielder, Cabrera and the former AL Cy Young Award Winner all on the same team signed – and primed  for another World Series Title push with this move.

By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent)

And there was much rejoicing….

No worries, the ‘Holy Grail’ of Detroit will be a Tiger through 2019. Last Friday afternoon, Justin Verlander inked a record-breaking 5-year contract extension.

He will earn $20 Million this season and next season, then a whopping $28 Million per year for the next five seasons.

In case math isn’t your strong suit, that’s a total of $180 Million. The deal also includes a vesting option for 2020 that’s worth $22 Million. So he could potentially earn $202 Million over the next 8 years.

What is a Vesting Option? It’s basically a clause that reassures teams from overpaying to declining players. While we don’t officially know the Vesting Option clause, it is said to be based on Cy Young Award balloting (as reported by Larry Lage, AP).

Justin Verlander Highlights – Highlights from 2012 – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance are advised.

Read the rest of this entry

The Detroit Tigers Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward Updated Mar.09/13

Like us on Facebook here

March.09/2013

Justin Verlander has 2 years left on his current contract left at 20.0 Million Dollars Per Year. Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder also make north of that total. Justin Verlander will be 31 years old when he hits Free Agency in 2015.

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst / Website Owner):

I believe that the Tigers are set up for a solid run as a perennial playoff contender, yet the club needs a small face change in order to get back to the dance in 2013.  I honestly was stunned to see Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Delmon Young and Jose Valverde all play at the type of body structure they possess during the Post Season. 

If you saw these guys in a bowling alley, the words ‘World Class Athlete’ would definitely not enter a conversation amongst strangers who were trying to sum them up.  Baseball is a game that your body type doesn’t hold you back, however when you have multiple heavy players on offense, it really clogs up the base paths.  While watching Game #4 was about the time I started to change my opinion on the state of the game needing to be more athletic.

Fielder and Cabrera may be the best 3-4 tandem in the Major Leagues now.  The Tigers can definitely weather these two guys in the lineup even though they jam the teams ability for base running.  The key is to build a bunch of ‘Road Runners’ around them.  I like Austin Jackson, Quintin Berry and Andy Dirks all being in the lineup to help the speed factor. 

Also with Victor Martinez coming back in 2013, the team has one of the best Designated Hitters in baseball back in the fold.   Then the team brought in classy veteran Torii Hunter (after inking him to a 2 YR/$26 MIL Contract.  This shows how urgent it is for the organization to cash in a World Series with their roster.)

Torii Hunter Highlights – Explicit Language is used so Parental Guidance is advised:

Read the rest of this entry

Detroit Tigers Roster in 2013: State Of The Union

Like us on Facebook here

Thursday, February. 21/2013

The Trio of Verlander, Fielder, and Cabrera represented Detroit at the All-Star game in 2012 as well as on the MVP ballot with Cabrera winning, Verlander coming in 8th, and Fielder coming in 9th. They also combined for an 18.8 WAR in 2012

The Trio of Verlander, Fielder, and Cabrera represented Detroit at the All-Star game in 2012 as well as on the MVP ballot with Cabrera winning, Verlander coming in 8th, and Fielder coming in 9th. They also combined for an 18.8 WAR in 2012

By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Writer): 

I would never say that a team is a lock to win their division, but I will say that the Detroit Tigers shouldn’t make any vacation plans for October of 2013. They’ve won the AL Central Division for the past 2 years, and added an AL Pennant in 2012. The Detroit Tigers franchise is one rich in history winning 4 World Series titles and having legends such as Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, and Charlie Gehringer passing through the “D” just to name a few.

This proud franchise did suffer a lull in success somewhat recently as they had a losing record every season from 1994-2005. This included a dismal 43-119 record in ’03. The Tigers came back from the abyss and turned their team back into a winning ball club since 2006. This was Jim Leyland’s 1st season managing the Tigers, and all he did was lead the team to 95 wins (a 24 win increase from the prior season) and a World Series appearance.

In 2011, the Tigers lost in the ALCS, and in 2012 they lost in the World Series, so could they improve upon the previous seasons ending once again and win the 2013 World Series? Well, their roster is certainly improved from last year, but it’s all about keeping up with the “Jones” in the MLB nowadays. Every team with money is trying to make a serious World Series run this year. While the Tigers are in the weakest division in the AL, if and when they reach the playoffs, it will be a gruesome battle to endure.

The Tigers have all the makings of a World Series contender. They have Superstars in their lineup like Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. They have a true Ace leading their deep, seemingly all in and around their prime, starting rotation in Justin Verlander. They also have good depth on their 25 man roster, and even more in their Minor League system. I’ll start with their rotation. Here’s what it will most likely look like…

2013 Detroit Tigers Starting Rotation: Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello

Detroit Tigers 2012 ALCS Highlights:

Read the rest of this entry

Baseball’s Best Bullpen: Arizona Diamondbacks

Friday November 2nd, 2012

The Diamondbacks are looking at having an incredibly strong bullpen in 2013.

Alex Mednick (Baseball Writer and Analyst):

In 2011, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a really nice push in the AL West and finished with 94 wins, 8 games ahead of the second place San Francisco Giants.  They performed well above expectations, and they did so with a relatively unglamorous starting rotation, that consisted mainly of Ian Kennedy, Joe Saunders, Josh Collmenter, Daniel Hudson and a revolving 5th starter.  What really carried the team in 2011 and made the Arizona Diamondbacks a competitive in 2011, happened to be their weakest link in their miserable 2010 season: the bullpen.

The Diamondbacks won 29 more games in 2011 than they did in 2010.  The most drastic changes made by the organization were in the bullpen where the D-Back’s added closer J.J. Putz and setup man David Hernandez.  The 2011 bullpen allowed 100 fewer runs than their predecessors in 2010 and dropped their group ERA from 5.74 in 2010 to just 3.71 in 2011.  It goes without saying that their newly revamped bullpen allowed Arizona to stay close in a lot more games and gave them a better chance to be winners.

Following their great 2011 season, the D-Back’s found themselves reverting back to their former ways in 2012.  Finishing 13 games behind the first place Giants, and just barely hanging on to a .500 record, the Diamondback’s finished 81-81.  You want to know something interesting?  It was their bullpen, once again, that failed. Read the rest of this entry

San Francisco Giants: 2012 World Series Champions – A Season For the Ages

Monday October 29th, 2012

Bernie Olshansky:  The 2012 San Francisco Giants can be described in various ways. They were exciting, quirky, hard-working, and persevering to name a few. Pablo Sandoval, when asked of a word that could describe the team- said “heart”. After all the team went through, this was the absolute perfect word to describe what the team was made of. The Giants did it all in the playoffs. The team came back from a 0-2 deficit in the NLDS against the Reds and a 1-3 deficit in the NLCS against the Cardinals. The World Series was a breeze for the Giants as they swept the Detroit Tigers in incredible fashion. It took extra innings in game 4. But after 2 straight shutouts, the Giants had to work at least a bit to get their rings.

At the beginning of the season, fans had high hopes for the club as all fans do. The team got off to a bit of a slow start but picked up the pace as expected. The Dodgers looked to be a threat after an unexpected hot start, and the race was on. The Diamondbacks hung with the top two teams for a short period of time but in the end it became a two-team race. It was at the beginning of the year when the Giants were faced with the first bit of adversity. Closer Brian Wilson was lost to his second Tommy John Surgery. The team decided to go with closer-by-committee, and that worked fabulously (mainly Sergio Romo stepping up as the closer towards the end of the season).

Read the rest of this entry

Marco Scutaro: The Best 2012 Trade Deadline Deal And NLCS MVP

Wednesday, October.24/2012

The Post Season almost ended for Marco Scutaro in Game #2 in St. Louis as Matt Holliday slid late to break up a double play. Scutaro stayed in that game and collected a key hit before being pulled as a precautionary move. He would come back and play from games 3-7.  —Photo Courtesy of giants.com

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer):

am pleased to always write about a player that has appeared one of my #UnheraldedAwarenessWeeks on Twitter.  For those that don’t know what that is, every week I pick a retired player and a current player to talk about and share info, stats, stories and funny anecdotes about.  Marco Scutaro was one of those players in September.  My buddy Patrick (who hosts a PODCAST I do MLB Expert Interviews on called ‘The Big Ticket Show‘) was the first one to say this signing was good.  I did remember that Scutaro was able to plate a 100 runs for the Jays in 2009 despite only playing in 144 games and also provided solid offense out of the Shortstop Position.  He was hitting in low .300′s at the time of the trade on July.27 to the San Francisco Giants from the Rockies.  I wasn’t as sold on the guy heading to AT &T Park to play half of his games at home.  I quickly came on board when he started tearing it up in his 1st week as a Giant.  Boy did I ever turn out to be wrong with him batting in San Francisco too, where he hit .352 in 33 games at AT &T Park in 2012.  That is an incredible average for what is one of the toughest parks on player averages in the Major Leagues!

With his 3rd organization since Jan.21 of this year, Scutaro has provided the necessary spark to the Giants lineup that was voided with losing Melky Cabrera. At 37 years old, he should be able to garner one more multi-year contract

Scutaro ended up being the best trade deadline acquisition in the Major Leagues this year.  Not only did he hit .339 in the second half, he also hit .402 in the month of September and the last 3 games of the regular season in October.  After going 0-12 in the 1st 3 games against Cincinnati in the NLDS, Scutaro has put a 9 game hitting streak together-and he had 6 multi-hit games in the NLCS en-route to being named the NLCS MVP.  He has pivotal game changing hits in Game #2 (where he also got run into by a hard and controversial slide by Matt Holiday before leaving) and in Games 6 and 7.  Scutaro tied and LCS record by recording 14 hits in 28 AB for a .500 Average. while scoring 7 runs.  The man has also contributed solid defense at second base, a position the Giants have struggled to fill since Jeff Kent left almost a decade ago.  Read the rest of this entry

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 18,266 other followers

%d bloggers like this: