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Current Top 5 MLB Home Run Leaders in the AL + NL: Home Runs Hit May 13th
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Monday May 13th, 2013
Justin Upton hit his 1st HR in 2 weeks yesterday – and the club re-assumed the Major League lead for Round-trippers with 52 in 38 Games Played. The club is 7th in the NL for On Base Percentage (.312), 11th in Team Batting Average (.243)- and are 42 Strikeouts ahead of the next team with 351 batters fanned (San Diego Padres with 309). Atlanta is 22 – 16 – and still holds a 1 game lead over the Washington Nationals for the National League East. Upton went 4 – 5 in his 1st game back in Arizona, falling just a Triple short of the cycle.
DH on our home site pages – Stands for Daily HR Hitters in the Majors.
We are going to run the gauntlet on the previous days HRs for all MLB Players.
I loved it when MLB XM Radio used to do a running total every night on their Roundtrip with Mike Ferrin (Laser Show). So I am bringing it every day on this website. To view every nights big boppers for the whole year (from May 8th on) visit the DH page!
Click beyond the Youtube link or click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON to see who hit yesterdays big flies.
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 6
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday May.13/2013
The Rangers have opened up a 6 game lead over the Athletics – prior to their series with Oakland that kicks off tonight. They have also only played 15 Home Games – as opposed to 22 Road Games. Steady veteran hitting – and great Pitching all around has paved the way. They are the only team in the Division over .500
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Rangers are #1 again based on the Division lead they currently possess, plus the fact they play all of these teams a total of 76 Games this year.
St. Louis Cardinals have one hell of a pitching staff – and it is downright scary for the rest of the National League that they have played this well without the offense really clicking.
The Giants continue to streak. I like their offensive makeup – because players like Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Marco Scutaro and Hunter Pence all tend to be streaky.
The Boston Red Sox have begun to slow down recently.
The Tampa Bay Rays seem ready to make their charge.
Josh Hamilton and his 1 AB back in Arlington:
Triple Play Podcast Ep #8 – Bucs And Nats Time In The Around The Horn Feature
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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) Follow @bigticketshow
Guests in this Podcast – MLB Reports Nationals Correspondent David Huzzard of Citizensofnatstown.com ( Follow @bigticketshow and MLB Reports Pirates Correspondent Brad Cuprik
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On a Mother’s day edition of the triple play podcast we heed the advice of our mother’s and turn the lemon of our original guest being unable to join us into the lemonade of Bard Cuprik of mlbreports.com (Check out his latest Roster Tree piece – where he goes through the 6 degrees of separation of a how each pitcher arrived in a Bucs uniform here ) – and David Huzzard of the Citizens of Natstown podcast (and Writer) dissects the pitching and the Nationals start to the 2013 Season. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Top Teams 1 – 30 + (Best 200 Stats of 2013)
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday 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
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
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
MLB Monthly Power Rankings May 2013 (Podcast Version)
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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) Follow @bigticketshow
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
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
An Update On The Nationals Top 15 Prospects
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Anthony Rendon was selected 6th overall in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft by the Washington Nationals. In his limited time with the big club, he struggled at the plate, (.182/.308/.227 in 26 Plate Appearances) – while he also made 3 Errors in the field in just 22 Chances. Still the future is bright and Rendon could certainly play his way onto the Roster later in the year. He is TRENDING STEADY.
By Sean Hogan (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @seanhoganvt
When I put together my top 15 prospect list for the Washington Baseball Annual, I knew it was a bit risky. Only five of the top ten were not injury risks before the season, and out of those five, two have already been injured this year.
Through the first month of the season, the top part of the Nats’ farm system has been similarly mediocre to the Nats in general.
1) 3B Anthony Rendon – I didn’t think we’d see Rendon in the big leagues this soon, but he was the first call when Ryan Zimmerman went down with a hamstring injury.
Rendon put up a nice .292/.462/.500 triple slash in 65 Harrisburg Plate Appearances.
Anthony Rendon’s Highlight Package:
The Mets Should Call Up Zack Wheeler Right Now!
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday April.30, 2013
Zack Wheeer was brought to the Mets via Trade for Carlos Beltran. This 6 FT 4 – 185 LB Right Handed specimen was ranked #8 by Baseball America in 2013. Last year, Wheeler was 12 – 8,with a 3.26 ERA. He fanned 148 Batters in 149 Frames with Binghamton (EL) and Buffalo (IL) combined. This year he has struggled in the PCL with hitter friendly parks. Mets fans should not worry, the man can pitch.
Stephon Johnson ( Baseball Writer and Mets Correspondent): Follow @stephonjohnson8
Forget what you heard about his last few starts in Triple-A Las Vegas. It’s time for the New York Mets to bring up pitcher Zack Wheeler.
Forget about the 5.79 Earned Run Average in Triple-A or the 15 Walks in 23.1 Innings playing in the notoriously hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Wheeler needs his shot in Flushing and he needs it now…and so do Mets fans.
MLB Power Rankings – Apr.29/2013
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Papa Grande had led the AL in Games Finished during each of the last 2 seasons (70 in 2011 and 67 Last Year.) he also led the AL in Saves in 2011 with 49. It was a Sept/Oct swoon of a 5.02 ERA that started his troubles – before giving up 6 Earned Runs in 1 combined Inning Pitched between the ALCS and the World Series. He remained unsigned by everyone until the Tigers gave him an incentive laden 1 Year Deal. Valverde nailed down 2 Saves this week and the Tigers have won 4 out of 5 games – including sweeping the Atlanta Braves in Detroit this past weekend.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
With it coming up to the 4 week Report, the biggest mover this week where the Detroit Tigers. Jose Valverde came back to the club, looked trimmed down – and more like his 2011 self compared to when we last saw him. The Motown Boys pasting the Braves over the weekend speaks volumes about their talent.
The worst week went to the Giants – who plummeted from #1 to #11. It has to be concerning for the fans that Matt Cain and Ryan Vogelsong do not look right. Decent start by Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito have been wasted. The club may be lacking the hunger to repeat. I see the whole team having up and down campaigns.
The Toronto Blue Jays may not have plunged down the rankings that much this week, however they have free fallen the most out of any franchise from the start of the year. The projected AL favorite – have started 9 – 17 and are looking up at 4 good teams in the AL East now.
I am predicting they will have a good second half, yet they will not make the playoffs now based on the Jose Reyes injury mostly. John Gibbons also has to be on the hot seat.
Papa Grande’s Contract is purchased
The Miami Marlins Are Clearly The Worst Team In Baseball
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Sunday, April 28th, 2013
Nick Green, 34, has a career .303 OBP in the Majors. He has been forced into duty as the Marlins starting Shortstop with Adeiny Hechavarria on the DL. The Marlins continue to use journeyman Veteran players in many of their main positions. Along with the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres, all of them are nearly on pace to lose 100 games this year. This Marlins team might even approach the 1962 Mets for the worst amount of defeats ALL – Time. This club is not doing well at the turnstiles either – drawing just 19600 fans to an MLB Park that is in just its second year (down almost 8 K fans per game from last year.)
By Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206
The 2013 Marlins are the most painful team in baseball to watch. With a lineup filled with washed up Major Leaguers – and young players struggling to keep their heads above water in the big league, the Marlins have struggled to score any runs this year. Despite having played 24 games, the club has only managed to hit 7 Home Runs.
The Miami Marlins are without a doubt the worst team in the MLB right now – and the 2013 season is going to be unfathomable experience for even the most optimistic Miami fan, but there are signs of hope in their youth.
Kyle Kendrick Should Have Earned Your Respect By Now
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday April 27, 2013
Kyle Kendrick has a Career Record of 56-43 (.566) with a 4.22 ERA: He came onto the scene in the middle of the 2007 year and finished 5th in Rookie of the Year Voting, by posting a 10-4 record with 3.87 ERA. Kendrick had 4 straight winning seasons as the 5th man out of the rotation – before narrowly missing a 5th straight year last campaign (11 -1 2, 3.90 ERA). Kendrick has also seen some spot duty in the Bullpen for the franchise in his days.
By Chris Creighton (Phillies Correspondent via http://www.warrroomphilly.com – visit the website here) Follow @WARROOMPHLCHRIS
Kyle Kendrick is only 28 years old. Seems like he’s been here forever and probably unfairly to many fans, it’s kind of the same as when the office know-it-all or socially inappropriate joke-teller never gets fired and continues to work next to you for a few years.
It feels like an eternity because he just won’t go away and probably doesn’t plan to anytime soon, collecting his weekly paycheck and pouring the dollars on top of his 401k.
Naturally, the only thing left to do during every work day is to talk about that guy behind his back relentlessly or maybe mockingly doing an impersonation of him from time-to-time.
Kyle Kendrick Was Fake Traded to Japan!
Getting Healthy Could Catch Up To The Braves
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The Braves have weathered many injuries in the early season – and a slump of Jason Heywards 3 Slash Line of .121//269/.519 in 17 Games Played – with only 2 HRs and 5 RBI. Freeman just returned from a strained oblique on Apr.23rd. The First Baseman has had a better start to his year, clutching up for 1 HR and 8 RBI in just 8 Games Played. His 3 Slash so far is .321/.424./924.
By Bob McVinua (Special Guest Braves Writer – visit his website here): Follow @tomahawkchop95
It’s a very rare set of circumstances. One that not many teams in sports will ever experience. Something that appears so positive that it can’t possibly bring a negative or complicated outcome to your franchise. That circumstance is getting healthy.
Baseball teams worry about health from the moment Spring Training begins and they don’t stop worrying about it until the last pitch of October is thrown and a champion is crowned.
The Braves have had their fair share of injuries to begin this season (Jason Heyward - the latest to go down with an appendectomy) but fortunately we have plugged players in there that have been able to experience a great level of success and lead the team to what is now a 15-7 record to start the season, very impressive.
A lot of these injured players will have a home waiting for them when they return, a spot on the diamond and a place in the line up. Freddie Freeman had no trouble fitting back into the line up this nor will Jonny Venters when he returns to the Bullpen later this year.
Braves 2013 Preview Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised:
As Nats Battle Tough Sked – A New ? Arises: Who Will Be The Future 2B: Rendon Or Espinosa?
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Danny Espinosa had best start producing for this talented Washington Nationals club – with the likes of Anthony Rendon looking for a position to overtake. The 25 Year Old has started the campaign at a 3 Slash Line of .176/.222/.556 -even though he has cutdown his SO so far.
During the course of a baseball season there are going to be ups and downs, and for the past week and a half I have written that reality far too much. The Nats started the season with a tough stretch that doesn’t end until June.
Consider for a moment that between April 1 and May 31 the Nats play 33 games against teams that were over .500 in 2012 – and only 22 afterwards. They play more games against team that had winning records the season before in the first two months of the season than they do in the final four.
That is an odd balance. Combine that with the unseemly amount of errors and irregular Bullpen play – and it is a recipe for a slow start, or exactly the start the Nationals are off to.
It was the effort by the Nationals in a while – and they ended up losing a one run game. During the course of the season those are the types of games that even out. It is unusual for a team, good or bad, to have a record much above or below .500 in one run games. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Weekly Power Rankings – Week 3
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday Apr.22/2013
The Giants have gutted out a 12 – 7 record despite Matt Cain being 0 – 2 with a 7.15 ERA, and Ryan Vogelsong featuring an early season ERA of 5.89. Buster Posey is also off to a slow start. This team has so much depth and talent, I see nothing that will stop this club from taking their 3rd NL West Division crown now that the LAD have had severe injury problems to their Starting Rotation. The Giants take their rightful spot as #1 in the MLB Reports Weekly Rankings thids week.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Major League Baseball Season is roughly 10% over and we are seeing some trends and patterns. The next time you wonder why games are so long in the game right now, look no further than there are about 150 hitters that are currently on pace to Strikeout 100 plus times this season.
Other Notes:
The Cincinnati Reds won every game this past 7 days, after losing every day the week prior. This is simply why they shot up the rankings. I think the NL Central is the weakest Division this year. It was my prediction that the oldest professional baseball club would run away with this Division by at least 10 games.
Shin-Soo Choo and Joey Votto are on the Basepaths at all times – carrying an OBP of over .500 plus each. Votto is starting to drive the ball with authority too. Brandon Phillips, Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart are driving in Runs at an incredible rate.
Look for BP Follow @DatdudeBP to be a dark horse NL MVP candidate.
Brandon Phillips Talks about Winter Workouts:
Dan Haren Has Not Pitched Well For The Nationals!
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Dan Haren signed a 1 YR/ $13 Million Contract over the winter with the Washington Nationals. He was supposed to be a competent #5 Starter that would give the Nats an edge versus opponents #5 Starters. The 32 Year Old is 1 – 2 with a 8.10 ERA and 2.03 WHIP so far – spanning 3 Games Started and 13.1 Innings Pitched.
By David Huzzard (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @davidhuzzard
Dan Haren has not pitched well for the Nationals. There have been a multitude of issues, but the main and most important one is he has been getting hit hard. His line drive rate is up to 25.9% from his career average of 19.9% – and his ground ball rate is down to 25.9% from his career average of 43.0%.
Avoiding line drives and inducing ground balls is good for a pitcher. Most line drives are hits -while most ground balls are not.
Giving up more line drives and less ground balls is never good and it has led to Haren having a .420 BABIP so far on the season compared to his career average of .292, and this doesn’t include the five homeruns he has given up, but even if nothing else changes a 3.38 HR/9 is unsustainable.
MLB Talk on the Haren Signing at the Winter Meetings 2012:
Fixing The Phillies Offense: All Good Things To Those Who Wait
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday April 19, 2013
Ryan Howard once was an extremely great OBP Player before the last couple of years In his MVP year (2006) – he was 5th in the NL with a .425 OBP. He went for a .392 clip in 2007, before a precipitous fall to .339 in 2008. 2009 saw a .360 mark, 2010 – .353, 2011 – .346 and finally a Career Low in 2012 for the tune of a .295 OBP. This year he is not much better at ,303. Howard’s Career 3 Slash Line is still .271/.363/911 but plummeting.
By Chris Creighton (Phillies Correspondent via http://www.warrroomphilly.com – visit the website here) Follow @WARROOMPHLCHRIS
The late, great Harmon Killebrew, author of 573 Home Runs during his Hall of Fame career, was also exceptionally talented in another skill when he stepped to the plate: drawing Walks.
Charlie Manuel knows this better than most because he played alongside “Killer” for four years as a member of the Minnesota Twins in the late 1960′s. Over dinner, in the clubhouse and on the bench they’d talk baseball quite a bit, mostly about the art of hitting. Manuel said of Killebrew:
HR Derby Between Killerbrew vs Mantle Part 1:
HR Derby Between Killerbrew vs Mantle Part 2:
“Killer used to preach to me that the most important thing was getting strikes [to swing at]. He said he didn’t like to walk, but that he had to take pitches to get good strikes.”
Killer was an 11 Time All – Star and a 6 time HR King. He also hit 40+ HRs 8 times. The man had a Hall Of Fame Career. The Phillies could take a page out of Killebrew’s patience…He Walked 1559 times in 2435 Games Played. His 3 Career Slash was .256/.376/.884.
Amen to that. Killebrew didn’t need to say much at all on the matter as his patience did all his preaching for him. He led MLB in free passes four times in his career – with a high mark of 145 drawn in the 1969 season. It’s not a coincidence that he went on to hit 49 Home Runs and drive in 140 RBI that Summer.
And in his best seasons, Killebrew would crack the 100-Walk plateau seven times while reaching 90+ Bases on Balls in three other campaigns.
Killebrew’s 1969 MVP season totals:
| Year | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 555 | 106 | 153 | 20 | 2 | 49 | 140 | 145 | 84 | .276 | .427 | .584 | 1.011 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/19/2013.
Returning to present day, the Phillies are mired in a severe slump where they’re finding runs are about as hard to produce as water from a dry sponge.
Our boys of Summer have been as impatient as children at church with little to no plan or approach at the plate, swinging their bats like orchestra conductors at a dubstep concerto.
Show a pitcher you’ll offer at a ball outside the zone and they’ll pitch it outside the zone.
Too many Phillies batsmen have been all too eager to flail away in undisciplined fashion, such as Ryan Howard (3 Walks), Ben Revere (4), and even Chase Utley (4).
Of those three, only Utley is producing with two doubles, two triples, three home runs and 13 RBI, but with a very un-Utley-esque .339 OBP (career .379). Impatience has begotten impatience among the Phillies’ brass:
 |
| “Who wants to go for a walk?” Courtesy of DelawareOnline.com |
Please take note of that quote having been tweeted about two hours before game-time last night vs. St. Louis, a one-run loss which would also see the Phillies earn a big, fat zero in the walk column.
For those keeping score, that’s zero walks in four straight games. Clearly with no change in plans at the plate, our boys have forgotten that sometimes the best things in life are free.
The translation is quite simple, really, even in today’s game. So far in 2013, three of the top four National League teams in drawing walks (Reds, Rockies and Mets) are also the top three teams in runs scored.
And while the Phillies are ranked sixth in hits as a team, they are 14th (of 15 teams) in seeing ball four which again translates to scoring runs, where they rank 11th in the National League. Combine all of this with a third place ranking in Strikeouts (126), they currently sit 13th in the NL with an OBP of just .291.
To drive the point home, this is only slightly better than the cellar-dwelling Chicago Cubs and the lowly Miami Marlins. Yuck.
It took the Philles 77 years to win their first World Series in 1980, however since that time, they have been to 4 more World Series in 1983, 1993, 2008 and 2009 – and took home the Trophy in 2008. The Phillies have finished .500+ or better for every year since 2002. However 2012 saw their streak of 5 straight NL East Division Titles come to an end. Now that they have started slow at 6 – 10 – can they come back to make the playoffs and a have a shot at a World Series in 2013?
*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com or their partners.***
A big thank – you goes out to our Philadelphia Phillies Correspondent Chris Creighton for preparing today’s featured post.. Chris is a Phillies Phan, Baseball fan & player. He thinks that there is no better place for food and is a proponent of the city of Philadelphia. Huge U2 fan. Phillies writer at http://www.warroomphilly.com .
Chris says: “Follow a Web Show covering everything in the Philadelphia Sports Scene. Sit back and enjoy from the hearts of two die-hard Philly guys here ! You can follow Chris Creighton on Twitter Follow @WARROOMPHLCHRIS or the WarRoomPhilly Follow @WARROOMPHILLY
Please e-mail me at: mlbreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. To subscribe to our website and have the Daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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The Atlanta Braves Are The Best Team In The National League
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, April.15/2013
The Braves have roared out of the gate during the 2013 MLB Season, with a baseball best 11 – 1, including a convincing sweep of the Washington Nationals over the weekend. This has been done without long time player Chipper Jones retiring – and Brian McCann being on the shelf for the 1st part of the season.
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer) Follow @TheJakeMan24
At 11-1, the Atlanta Braves can seemingly do no wrong. Fresh off a sweep of the Washington Nationals, the Braves can make a very good case regarding their status as the best team in the NL.
That spot was occupied by the Nationals in the preseason chatter. And I wouldn’t blame the pundits who circled them as the NL’s best team.
After all, they fixed their leadoff spot woes with the addition of Denard Span, further improved their bullpen with Rafael Soriano and probably most importantly, started the season with an improved Bryce Harper. On paper, they had minuscule flaws.
The Brothers Upton Both HR to win the game!:
Phillies Back To .500 After Chase Continues Hot Streak
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday April 13, 2013
Chase Utley has seen a great start to the 2013 Season – after being hurt for most of the 2012 year. He clubbed the Game Winning RBI in yesterday’s 3 – 1 decision over the Phillies. The Second Baseman is in the last year of his contract and would stand to benefit from a season put up like his 1st 10 games. His 2013 – 3 Slash Line is .316/372/1.004 so far – with 2 Home Runs, 2 Doubles, 2 Triples and 10 RBI. If the club could see Ryan Howard join Utley’s production, we are talking about a vaunted Philadelphia lineup sure to impose its will on its opposition again!
By Chris Creighton (Phillies Correspondent via http://www.warrroomphilly.com – visit the website here) Follow @WARROOMPHLCHRIS
No one has ever questioned Chase Utley‘s hands. The knees, maybe, but never the hands and he most certainly put them to good use at the most crucial time in last night’s Extra – Inning affair in Miami. Turns out, the knees are just fine, too!
Batting with one out and the score tied 1-1, the Phillies’ resident speedster, Ben Revere, smoked a 10th Inning single to right field off of the Marlins 6’11″ giant, Jon Rauch. After a pop-out by Jimmy Rollins, it was Utley’s turn to slay Goliath with Revere still on first.
With the count full and Revere running on the pitch, Utley drilled a chin-high pitch over the First Baseman’s head for a laser down the line.
Revere could have moonwalked home from third as the ball rolled deep into the corner of cavernous Marlins Park. Utley hustled the hit into a sliding triple and after Ryan Howard was Intentionally Walked, Chase scored on a Michael Young single up the middle.
Chase Utley Speaks About playing a full season in 2013:
Game 1 Recap Of The Nats Big Opening Day Win – A Glimpse Of Things To Come
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, Apr.02/2013
Just as impressive as Harper 2 HRs yesterdayn- was Strasburg’s being unleashed on the world for a full season. His start featured an 80 pitch performance over 7 shutout IP. Strasburg didn’t even have his best command – falling behind 1-0 on 13 of the 23 batters he faced. He finished the day with only three Strikeouts, but no walks and giving up only 3 hits.
By David Huzzard (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @davidhuzzard
Seeing Stephen Strasburg picked to win the Cy Young should come as no surprise to anyone. He did finish 2012 tied with Gio Gonzalez for the best FIP in the majors at 2.82 – and led all starters with a staggering 11.13 K/9. There are arguments that can be made that when Stephen Strasburg is firing on all cylinders - he is the best pitcher in the NL and among the best on the planet.
The same argument cannot be made for Bryce Harper as an Outfielder. Based on stats last year, he finished seventh in the NL in fWAR and tied for eighth in wOBA with Jay Bruce and Garrett Jones.
No one is picking Jay Bruce or Garrett Jones for their MVP. In all of the NL Bryce Harper‘s .352 wOBA ranked sixteenth.
Bryce Harper 2 HR Performance On Opening Day – MLB Reports does not own anything from this video:
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:
The Mets Fans Have Good Reasons To Be Choked
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, Mar.29/2013
Johan Santana signed a 6 YR/$137.5 MIL deal with the Mets prior to the 2008 season. He only managed to start in 109 Games for the franchise in his stint. With a 2nd shoulder surgery coming – he is likely finished for his Career. He will receive a $5.5 MIL Buyout for the team declining his 2014 Option. That means he will have made $143 Million in his New York time. This works out to be over $1.2 MIL per game. If pro – rated on a 33 Start season, it equates to be about a $40 Million a year pitcher. Santana is 46 – 34 – with a 3.14 ERA for his Met playing days.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Today has to eb a frustrating day if you are a Mets fan with the news of Johan Santana being out for the year. It is just another example of a deal gone awry from a superstar.
Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, Mo Vaughn, Jason Bay and Roberto Alomar….What do these ex – superstar players have in common with former Cy Young Winner Johan Santana??
How about all of them played at ALL – Star Caliber (even Hall of Fame Careers) before they entered a Mets uniform. Once they arrived in the Big Apple, their careers basically fizzled out faster than a sparkler on the 4th of July. They all made great money in their time with the New York club, yet failed to live up to expectations.
All 27 Outs of Johan Santana’s No Hitter:
