MLB Reports

Monday April.23, 2012

Lori Martini at Citizens Bank Park at the April.9th game on Opening Day 2012. The Phillies are at a 102% sellout rate capacity and don’t need dynamic pricing like some of the other clubs that are featured in this article.

Lori Martini (Baseball Writer and @lorimartini on twitter)- Kenneth J. Silver (Special Guest Contributor):

Imagine you’re standing on line to purchase film tickets on its premiere day.The film has just received very good reviews. When you initially passed by the box office you saw that each ticket was the standard local price of $12. After your long wait, when finally came your time to purchase admission, the ticket seller said that your $12 was no longer a valid admission price, that due to the laws of “supply and demand,” the theater was now at 70% capacity, which was a signal that the owner of the theater that s/he could raise his price up to $15. Too shocked to argue, you pay for your ticket and take your seat. You strike a conversation with the patron next to you, who tells you that s/he blindly paid for an advance ticket for the film months ago at $10 per ticket. Same film, same time, same place—but three different price tiers, manipulated by the owner’s need to raise quick cash for investment before the product is rolled out, a “bargain” that is only a bargain if one has absolute blind faith in the proposed product and/or unlimited funds to invest in an iffy proposition. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: angels, bud selig, cubs, dynamic pricing, justin turner, kenneth j silver, Lori Martini, marlins, mets, mlb, padres, phillies, StubHub, Vh1 house of consignment, white sox

Mike Adams Leads the Way – 2012 MLB Holds Leader

Thurday April 19th, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: Most teams are 12 games in to this 162 game season, with many teams having played close games in all 12. With that in mind I would like to check out the stat that no one really pays attention to (except some hardcore fantasy baseball fans)… that being holds. For those of you that don’t know what a hold, is let me explain. A hold by definition is when a relief pitcher enters the game in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without his team giving up the lead- with also not recording the save. That is a lot to take in at one time but it all works out in the end on the stat sheet.

Now that you know what a hold is, let’s take a look at the top ten relievers in holds:

10. David Hernandez ARI – 3 holds, Arizona has gone on a hot streak and it is because of their pitching. With Upton not producing, the pitching is taking most of the responsibility on their shoulders and are doing a great job. Hernandez in 7 appearances has 8 strikeouts to only 2 walks allowed. He also has one blown save. (more…)

Posted on April 19, 2012 | Image

An Interview With Safeco Field Expert Doug Miller

Apr 19

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Thursday April 19, 2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- Doug Miller is another Pacific West guy that exemplifies what it is like to be a ball park chaser. Living on the this side of the mountains forces you to exercise every single one of your travel tricks to make it to all of the MLB Parks you can. Doug has made it to the majority of the current parks. He is knowledgeable, a class act and it is a shame that the baseball world does not hire this man and use some of his skills. Today Doug is our Safeco Field Expert and the subject of our featured article.

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Experts Interview Doug. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as Mariners ticket fan?”

DM:You bet, thanks for having me! It’s funny, but I wasn’t a baseball fan when I was a kid. I played some Little League for a while, but was awful at it. Right Field all the way. Ha-ha. I had some friends that were on the baseball team in high school and I really started getting into the game in a different way. This was back in 1988-1992 –- I didn’t know this interview was going to make me feel old! I knew a few guys from school that got drafted, so I paid more attention because I thought I could be watching these guys in the Kingdome someday, whether with the Mariners or the couple of other teams they got drafted by. My enthusiasm was ramping up, I’m in college and watching games at WSU, I’m hitting a handful of games in Seattle during break and then BOOM, the strike. I was happy when it started back up, and by the time I got out of WSU, baseball was just a way of life for me. Since then I’ve hit close to 50 ballparks, but Safeco Field is my home away from home.”

CB: “You have been to nearly all the baseball park. Besides Safeco Field, what has been your favorite other ballpark so far?”

DM; “Definitely Fenway, with Wrigley as a close second. One of the things about the game that I really love is the history. It’s hard to argue with the history of the franchises and these parks. I had my first games at Petco last year and was really surprised at how much I liked it. I thought it was going to feel kind of forced, you know, with the whole retro vibe so many parks have gone for, but I really liked it. There are a ton of parks I like for different reasons, like Citizens Bank in Philly. Without a doubt the best smelling park in baseball! I could talk ballparks all day long, I know you’re the same way!” Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: brandon morrow, cal ripken jr, chan ho park, Chuck Booth, Citizens Bank Ball Park, Doug Miller, edgar martinez, fenway park, ken griffey jr, mariners, pacific northwest Baseball Museum, peanutsandcrackerjack.webs.com, Pike Market, Qwest Field, safeco field, Seatac Airport, seattle, the fastest 30 ballgames, the kingdome, wrigley field, WSU

Yankees Have Decisions to Make in their Rotation

Apr 18

Posted by Bryan Sheehan

Wednesday April 18, 2012

Bryan Sheehan (Baseball Writer):The New York Yankees have some time to experiment with their pitching rotation. Though their top two starters, C.C. Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda, make more ($33 million in 2012) than half of the salary earned by the Tampa Bay Rays, the bottom three of the rotation may shift based on a few factors. The most important consideration is the fact that the Yankees have two young players, Michael Pineda and David Phelps, that have shown signs that they would be effective in the rotation, when healthy and given the opportunity. Also, one cannot forget that Andy Pettitte, who signed out of retirement in March, has shown signs of strength in two rehab appearances for Hi-A Tampa, throwing a total of seven innings and allowing just one run on four hits while striking out five. The third factor in the potential shake-up of the Yankees’ rotation is the sub-par starts that Freddy Garcia (0-1, 6.97 ERA) and Phil Hughes (0-2, 9.00 ERA) have had this year. If Joe Girardi wants to try something new as the season progresses (he may have to if he wants to keep his job), he will have many key pieces to play with already in the organization. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: andy pettitte, baseball, david phelps, freddy garcia, michael pineda, mlb, new york yankees, phil hughes, rotation, starting pitchers, yankees

An Interview with Turner Field Expert Kurt Smith

Apr 18

Posted by chuckbooth3023

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Wednesday April 18, 2012

Chuck Booth- (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- Today’s expert is Kurt Smith. Kurt will be the interview subject of the following parks: Citizens Bank Ball Park Tropicana Field and today’s featured expert Article of Turner Field. Kurt is highly respected in the ball park chaser community for his BallparkEGuides. After you are done reading this article I implore you trust in Kurt to deliver up tips and suggestive idea’s on how to make your stadium visits affordable and pleasurable. I had a chance to ask some questions of the man recently.

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Experts Interview Kurt. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as a Braves Fan?”

KS: “I’ve been to Turner Field for a few games and a tour, in researching for the Turner Field E-Guide that is available at my website. I wouldn’t call myself a Braves fan necessarily, but there are a lot of things I like about the team. They have a history of great players like Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and Dale Murphy, and I loved watching Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine pitch in their prime. Turner Field is a fine ballpark too; they did a nice job tearing it up after the Olympics and on a nice day it’s as good a place as any to see a game. Braves games are very affordable too; the team gives a lot of value even though they are putting a pretty good product on the field. So in a pinch, I could certainly pull for the Braves.

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Tags: Atlanta, baseballeguides.com, braves, Brian McCann, Chuck Booth, craig kimbrel, Greg Maddux, kurt smith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, tom glavine, turner field

It is Amazing How People Overreact to a Small Statistical Sample Size

Apr 17

Posted by pwstein87

Tuesday April 17th, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): The opening of the 2012 baseball season remains interesting and unpredictable. Although we are dealing with such a small sample size and people tend to overreact (approximately 10 games), there a lot of early season performances to that deserved to be examined a little closer.

Before we go making Matt Kemp comparisons, Chris Young is clearly benefiting from a new approach at the plate. Young has always displayed the ability to hit for great power and speed, but just lacked in the average department. However, he made significant mechanical adjustments in the offseason and his new approach has been successful since the spring, when he batted .400. His .405/5/13/2 stat line is clearly unsustainable, but lets not forget he is only 28 years of age and might finally be figuring out how to consistently put it together. What might be most telling of his improvement is his 4:5 strikeout to walk total after 10 games, from a guy who has throughout his career averaged a ratio of 3.3:7.4. This could be the year that the average is .270-280 to accompany his 30/30 potential, making him a top-level talent. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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Tags: aaron harang, adam jones, baseball, brian roberts, david freese, fantasy baseball, henderson alvarez, josh willingham, lance lynn, matt kemp, matt wieters, miguel cabrera, mlb, starlin castro, statistics, stephen strasburg, tim lincecum

Chuck Booth’s Game and Streak Updates for MLB Parks 6-10

Apr 17

Posted by chuckbooth3023

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Follow me-@chuckbooth3024 on twitter

Follow my streak all the through to the bitter end. Schedule is this link:

https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at my official website for all updates!

Tuesday April 17, 2012

Chuck Booth and Lori Martini are interviewed by Sports NY

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- “In what technically is Park #1 on Day #1 of the streak after a retro-active option I capitalized on, this game is the 6^th write-up. So let us go back to April.5^th First. I watched the New York Mets Season Opener with Lori Martini and we were both interviewed by Sports Net New York and were featured on Mets Weekly Episode 2 on SNY.tv . This episode aired on Sunday April.15th. After the incredible adrenaline rush of being on camera for an extended interview, the Mets won the season opener on a well-pitched effort by Johan Santana of the Mets. Directly after the game, Lori and I were taken to Don Peppe’s in Queens by her friend Mike. This place serves great Italian platters and was featured on the hit TV Series “Entourage.” A nice meal with some great new friends then saw me make the trip to Boston. I had to take a Greyhound Bus to Boston(for only $15) because that airport was the only one in the radius that Southwest could fly to Phoenix in time for the opener.”

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Tags: at and t park, chsse field, Chuck Booth, citi field, clayton kershaw, Coors Field, dawn Narry, dodger stadium, don mattingly, fastest 30 ballgames, jamie moyer, Lori Martini, Los Angeles, matt cain, matt kemp, Meg Minard, paul goldschmidt, petco park, Phoenix, San Francisco, Sports NY, tike narry, tim lincecum

An Interview with Nationals Park Expert Ben Fallon

Posted by chuckbooth3023

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Monday, April.16/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)– I had the chance to talk to Ben Fallon recently. Ben is one of the most hardcore baseball fans from the city of Washington. We discussed food, the President’s race and the outlook for the young club.

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Experts Interview Ben. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as a Nationals Fan?”

BF: “I am a New Jersey native and lifelong Yankees fan who moved to the Nation’s Capital back in 1995. I came to Washington to work in politics, working both on Capitol Hill and in the Bush Administration before taking my current job with the Defense Department. I have been a Nationals Partial Season Ticketholder for every season but one since baseball returned to DC in 2005, attending 30-40 games per season. ”

CB: “Describe your favorite part about being a baseball fan?”

BF: “I just love the game. I love the history. I love the strategy. I love being at the games in person and picking up on the signs, the body language and the small parts of the game you miss watching on TV. I enjoy going to games with family and friends, its 3 hours of entertainment, stress relief, good times and famiily bonding all in one.”

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Tags: ben fallon, bryce harper, Chuck Booth, danny espinosa, edwin jackson, fastest 30 ballgames, jordan zimmerman, Mike Morse, nationals, nationals park, phillies, ryan zimmerman, ryna zimmerman, stephen strasburg, virginia, washington, Wilson Ramos

Crow and Broxton Will Save the Royals Bullpen and the Rotation Starts to Take Form

Posted by Ryan Ritchey

Monday April 16th, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: As I mentioned in my article a couple of weeks ago, Joakim Soria has gone down with Tommy John Surgery and will be out for the rest of the 2012 season. Now the Royals are playing closer by committee until they find a solid candidate to fill the position for the rest of the year. In my opinion the Royals are not going to contend in the AL Central, so they can give some of their young talent a chance to close.

The best pitcher in the bullpen for the Royals in my eyes is Aaron Crow. He is a young kid with a lot of upside and this is the season that he can get better against some of the best offenses the game has ever seen. Crow is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA but that will change as the season goes on and his arm gets stronger. His last two appearances have been great- with 2 strikeouts, no walks, no hits and a 0-0 record. Crow has recorded one save this season as part of the closer by committee. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: aaron crow, closer, Danny Duffy, joakim soria, jonathan broxton, jonathan sanchez, kansas city royals, relievers, royals, saves

An Interview with ‘Rogers Center Expert’ and “MLB reports Founder” Jonathan Hacohen

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday April 16th, 2012

Follow Chuck Booth’s streak all the through to the bitter end. Schedule is this link:

https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at his official website for all updates!

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and- @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)– For once the shoe is on the other foot. I asked the MLB Reports Founder and ‘Lead Columnist’ Jonathan Hacohen if I could interview him 5 months after he interviewed me. Jonathan and I came into talking by both talking to the MLB FanCave guys at the same time on twitter last June. Jonathan was really interested in My baseball book “The Fastest Thirty Ballgames” and I sent him a copy of it if he agreed to do a review. Jonathan finished the book and gave one of the most incredible reviews for my book that I have ever seen for any baseball book anywhere. Somewhere I had given up all of my creative writing energy in the process while writing this said book. Jonathan followed up with an interview later. During the World Series, he offered up a chance to do a guest article since I knew a lot about the ballparks in Texas and St. Louis. Now I am sure it was all part of his master plan: the one guest article turned into a once a week article, before I even realized it myself, I was writing 2 articles a week and craving more! I messaged Jonathan about a potential run at the record to see all 30 MLB Parks before anyone on this planet. The reason is the man loves baseball. He was just as fired up as I was! From there we have worked together as a team to provide a different kind of article series that has ever been seen by a baseball writer and website. I am happy to finally meet Jonathan today live in person for the Jays game during this record chase. Before we write about that, I had a chance to talk the man about baseball life, the MLB Reports and the Rogers Center. Here is what we discussed… Read the rest of this entry →

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An Interview With Fenway Park Expert Brian Merzbach

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday, April.16 /2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- “Brian Merzbach and I often don’t see eye to eye on a plethora of baseball issues and opinions. What I will say from this Yankees fan to a Red Sox fan, I respect Brian as a human being and as a member of the ballpark chaser community. Plus even though we have different opinions, we are both forthright in our own views and never waver from these ideals. As frustrating as the truth can be it is nice to have someone as completely honest as Brian as part of a baseball network. To fulfill the expert interview for Fenway Park we needed this diehard fan to legitimize the whole series. So all being nice aside, I recently had a chat with Brian about Fenway Park. Here is what we discussed:”

CB: Welcome to the MLB Reports Fenway Park Expert Interview Brian. Please tell us about yourself and then give us some information on your life as a Red Sox fan?”

BM: “I grew up in Amherst, MA, which is located in western Massachusetts, about 2 hours from Boston. Most of my family were Red Sox fans, so naturally I picked up on that from an early age. I don’t remember a day when I wasn’t a Red Sox fan, so I guess I was just born with Red Sox genes. Because we didn’t live closer to Boston, we usually only went to one game a year at Fenway.”

BM: “Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember the nightmare of the 1986 World Series. But being just 12 years old at the time, I expected the Red Sox would make the Series again soon. Little did I know they wouldn’t make it back for another 18 years ! Obviously winning the 2004 World Series will be something I’ll never forget.” Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: ballparkreviews.com, bobby valentine, boston, boston red sox, brian merzbach, Chuck Booth, fatsest 30 ballgames, fenway park, pedro martinez

No Need to Panic: The Phillies Do Not Need Offensive Help!

Apr 15

Posted by Bryan Sheehan

Sunday April 15, 2012

Bryan Sheehan: It may only be the middle of April, but already there are masses of Phillies fans ready to jump off a bridge because of the team’s 4-5 record. This is also spurred by the fact that the team has not hit at all on a regular basis, and the lineup seems devoid of any power. The club only has 16 extra base hits, with three of their 11 doubles coming today against the Mets, and a .345 slugging percentage pushes them towards the basement of the MLB. So, with a lineup that features the lanky Hunter Pence as a cleanup hitter and a catcher hitting sixth, is it time to worry about the Phillies 2012 season? Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: baseball, chase utley, cliff lee, hunter pence, jimmy rollins, jonathan papelbon, mlb, philadelphia phillies, phillies, roy halladay, roy oswalt, ryan howard

Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – April 15th, 2012

Sunday April 15th, 2012

Jonathan Hacohen: Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.com, message us on Twitter and post on our Facebook Wall!

Let’s get to your top questions of the week: (there are MANY great ones this week…better jump right in!)

Q: How many triple plays were turned last year? Wayne

MLB reports: Nice way to start off ATR Wayne. Four. Can you believe it? Four triple plays turned last year. Three in 2010, five in 2009, two in 2008 and four in 2007. Surprised? Me too. I thought they were more rare! Last year’s triple plays took place as follows:

(1) Indians turned a 3P against the White Sox on April 3rd

(2) Brewers turned a 3p against the Dodgers on August 15th

(3) Red Sox turned a 3p against the Rays in the 2nd game of a DH on August 16th (a day later!)

(4) The miracle Rays came back on September 27th to turn their own 3p against the Yankees.

Q: Is it worth picking up Aroldis Chapman as a third reliever?!? William

MLB reports: Without a doubt. Yes. Are you kidding me? Grab him. Right now. Don’t wait. Now. Right now! As you can tell, I am high on Chapman. Long term, I see him as a starter. But for now, he is a reliever. I see him having some great save opportunities this year. Madson is done for the year. A ton of money is invested in Chapman and he has been nothing short of brilliant this season. In 4 games he has a 0.00 ERA. 11 strikeouts. 0 walks in 6 innings. Yes. As a third relieve, you cannot go wrong with Chapman. He has already vultured 2 wins. He can help you in so many ways. There will be ups-and-downs this year with Chapman, no doubts. But with pitchers around baseball dropping like flies, when you have a talented pitcher with huge upside, make sure he can find his way onto your team. (more…)

Posted on April 15, 2012 | Image

The Latest on the 2012 Red Sox Bullpen

Apr 15

Posted by samevans87

Sunday April 15th, 2012

Sam Evans: The Boston Red Sox are in trouble. The A.L. East looks as strong as ever with four out of the five teams talented enough to make the playoffs. The Red Sox will have problems keeping up with the rest of the East due to some crucial injuries that they’ve suffered. First, the Red Sox just lost their best outfielder, Jacoby Ellsbury, for who knows how long. Also, Carl Crawford might be out until May. Maybe longer. A shaky bullpen is suffering from the loss of Jonathan Papelbon (free agency), Daniel Bard (moved to the rotation), and Andrew Bailey (injury), which does not help the Red Sox stay in contention. Some of their relief pitchers as a result need to step it up.

Other than the abysmal Orioles, the Red Sox have the worst bullpen in the A.L. East. The majority of their relief pitchers are unproven pitchers who don’t belong in a top-tier bullpen. Currently, the Red Sox plan to have Alfredo Aceves closing out games. Aceves has been considered a long reliever for most of his career and this past offseason, the Red Sox even contemplated trying Aceves out in the rotation. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: adrian gonzalez, alfredo aceves, andrew bailey, baseball, bobby valentine, bullpen, carl crawford, closer, daniel bard, david ortiz, jacoby ellsbury, mark melancon, mlb, red sox, vincente padilla

My Tommy John Surgery Experiences: The Johnny Anderson Guest MLB Blog

Apr 14

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Saturday April 14, 2012

MLB reports – Johnny Anderson (Guest MLB Blogger): “Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capacity to build the world’s first bionic man.”

The doctors call it “UCLR” – ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. The Baseball community call it Tommy John Surgery. I call it the resurrection of my career. Dr. Frank Jobe introduced the world to his experimental procedure in 1974 on the one and only Tommy John. The UCL is the ligament that creates the stability which allows the high-stress action of throwing a baseball. Through repetitive use and a heavy workload, the UCL will indefinitely succumb to failure. The ligament will begin to fray and eventually tear, leaving pitchers in agony on the mound (see Joel Zumaya, Chris Carpenter, etc.) During the surgery, a new tendon, coming either from the wrist or hamstring is implanted and woven in a figure-eight pattern through holes drilled in the humerus and ulna bones. Sounds gnarly, I know first hand. After surgery, the player will be in a brace with limited mobility. Over time, the brace can be adjusted to certain degrees to promote extension with the elbow until the player has full flexion. Through rigorous rehabilitation and a 6-month throwing program, it’s not uncommon for pitchers to throw harder than they did before the injury. The chances of a complete recovery after the surgery are estimated at 85 to 90 percent. Rehabilitation takes around 12 to 15 months for pitchers and about 6 months for position players.

The experience I’ve had with my pal TJ has been quite the travel. I suffered a blow-out of my UCL in the first game of Spring Training in 2010 with the Blue Jays. Two pitches into the first inning I felt and heard a loud pop. I felt a burning sensation throughout my forearm and tricep. I saw my career flash before my eyes. I trotted over to the dugout and held my head in my hands. A week later I awoke to being drugged up on painkillers and a brace on my arm. Months had passed and I was advancing into my throwing program and eventually started to throw to hitters. I went from a soft-tossing lefty, to a power pitcher. My velocity had peaked at 96 mph, and I was overpowering hitters with ease.

Fifteen months after the first surgery, I felt that same pop. No rhyme or reason. Heeeere we go again. I saw renowned Tommy John specialist Dr. James Andrews the next day. In his own words, Dr. Andrews said, “I haven’t seen anything like this in 20 years.” Well that was refreshing. July 12th 2011. I found myself sitting in a hospital bed next to Terrell Owens, Matt Stafford and Joba Chamberlain. Nine months later, and here I am. Feeling as strong as ever, and close to facing hitters for the first time since July.

While the Tommy John procedure hasn’t created teams of Frankenstein-like monster men, it’s the saving grace of many pitchers across the game. Close to 100 of the 800 or so pitchers in the league have undergone the procedure and have seen miraculous comebacks. But to all the pitchers out there, note that there are always ways to help prevent the UCL from “blowing up.” Through strengthening the Rotator Cuff and shoulder, pressure will be relieved from the elbow. Consistent long toss and post-throw therapy seem to do the trick.

I would like to thank mlbreports.com giving me the opportunity to share my story and the Blue Jays for sticking with me, even after everything I’ve gone through. I love all of my fans (the few I have) and interacting with them. I’ve become quite the Twitteraholic as of late and I can be followed at @j0hnny_A. I enjoy interacting with everyone, so give me a follow! Until next time…. Johnny

***Thank you to Johnny Anderson for preparing this great feature on Tommy John Surgery for MLB reports (and the pictures/video used in todays’ feature)! Johnny LOVES Twitter– so follow him ASAP!!! 2012 is a big year for Johnny as he continues on his road to recovery. Best of luck Johnny: we’re proud of ya!***

Please e-mail us at: mlbeports@me.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.

Posted in Interviews with MLB Stars

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Tags: baseball, dr. james andrews, frank jobe, joba chamberlain, joel zumaya, john anderson, johnny anderson, mel queen, mlb, pitcher, roy halladay, tommy john, toronto blue jays

What does the Factor12 Rating Really Mean? Baseball Stats 101

Apr 14

Posted by lorimartinibelieves

Saturday April 14th, 2012

Josh Robbins (Guest Writer): As previously defined, the Factor12 Rating (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com.

In basic terms, F12 is a rating that utilizes all aspects of pitching. It produces a number on a scale of 0.000-infinity (theoretically), where the average pitcher’s value is 24.000.

For example: Justin Verlander opened the season at Comerica Park last week and dominated the Boston Red Sox hitters for eight innings. 8IP/ 2H/ 0R/ 1BB/ 7K or F12 Rating: 38.907

In last week’s games: 137 pitchers appeared in a MLB game while compiling 351.67 innings pitched. As a result, the average pitcher threw 2.57 IP in the opening week of 2012 (351.67/137).

Yet, what does the 38.907 really mean?

The IP and SO-BB categories do not use a fixed range (0.001-4.000).

So, it is possible to accumulate more than 4 points.

IP	*SO-BB*
4.117	3.884
*FIP*	*WHIP*
2.913	2.995
*HR/9*	*BB/9*
4.000	2.865
*SO/9*	MBOP
2.077	3.124
*OBA*	*OOBA*
2.991	2.912
*OSLG*	*ERA*
3.030	4.000

The ten ratio statistics do use a fixed range (0.001-4.000).

**The F12 Rating is simply the twelve stats added together.

**The F12 AVG is (F12 Rating minus 24.000).

*F12 Rating*	*F12 > AVG*	*F12% > AVG*	YEAR IP	Rank
38.907	14.907	.474	8.00	3

**F12 can be viewed as the percentage difference for each pitcher above or below actual MLB league average performance (F12%>AVG).

***Josh Robbins is a Video-Journalist and Baseball Historian living in Gilbert, Arizona. In 2010, he earned a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from CSU-Long Beach. From June 16 to July 11, 2008, he watched a game in all 30 MLB stadiums in a world record 26 days by car. Please email Josh at robbinsjosh@hotmail.com or visit 60ft6in.com for more information about the Factor12 Rating.***

Please e-mail us at: mlbreports@me.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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Tags: baseball, detroit tigers, factor12 rating, justin verlander, mlb, stats

An Interview with Target Field Expert Stephanie Caro

Apr 14

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Saturday, April.14/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-I had a lot of fun prospecting for the best interview experts amongst the friends network that I have in at http://www.ballparkchasers.com. I must say that I knew that Stephanie was a big fan of the Twins, I just didn’t know how far back her fandom went with the club. I was asking questions about the team since the Metrodome days us until now. Stephanie has been a fan since the team moved there from Washington. It was then I knew that having Stephanie as an expert for the Twins was the right decision!

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Target Field Expert Interview Stephanie. Please tell us about yourself and then give us some information on your life as a Twins fan?”

SC: “I’ve been a Twins fan since I attended my very first Bat Day at Metropolitan Stadium in 1971. (With thousands of bats pounding against the old metal decks, I remember it being extremely loud!) As a kid, I would listen to the Twins game on my transistor radio after I went to bed; now, as a middle-aged woman, I keep track of the Twins via radio, TV and/or Internet.” Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: at&t park, ballpark chasers, Chuck Booth, fastest 30 ballgames, Hiwatha Line, jason kubel, joe mauer, joe nathan, justin morneau, kirby puckett, metrodome, metropolitan stadium, michael cuddyer, Minnesota, pittsburgh, pnc park, san francisco giants, stephanie caro, target field

Looking Back at Albert Pujols’ First Week with the Angels

Apr 13

Posted by samevans87

Friday April 13th, 2012

Sam Evans: When the most advanced hitter in the history of the game switched teams this past offseason, it shook up the baseball universe. Albert Pujols leaving the Cardinals weakened the N.L. Central and made the A.L. West one of the best divisions in baseball. So far Pujols hasn’t gotten off to an amazing start. Still, we’re only a week into the season, so it doesn’t really matter. Let’s take a up-close look at what Pujols has done through his first six games.

First game: In his regular season debut, Albert Pujols was 0 for 3 with a walk. Despite a crowd that was desperately waiting to go crazy after Pujols did something special, Pujols struggled against Royals starter Bruce Chen. In his first at-bat, Pujols lined into a double play. Next, Pujols popped up to Royals third basemen Mike Moustakas. Later, facing the flame throwing Aaron Crow, Pujols struck out on just three pitches.Finally, Greg Holland intentionally walked Pujols in the ninth inning. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: albert pujols, anaheim angels, angels, carl pavano, first baseman, howie kendrick, jonathan sanchez, kelvin herrera, luke hochevar, nick blackburn, Torii Hunter

An Interview With AT and T ‘Expert’ Tike Narry

Apr 13

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Friday, April.13/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I will have the chance to meet Tike for the Season Opener for the San Francisco Giants. Tike knows his stuff around the bay area and it today’s featured expert for AT&T Park.

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Expert Interview For AT&T Park Tike. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as a baseball Fan?”

TN: “I’m 39 years old, and attended my first baseball game at age 10. I have been a Giants fan my whole life, and have been a Season Ticketholder at AT&T Park since its opening in 2000. I have attended 679 games Major League, regular-season games entering 2012, with a goal of reaching 1,000 by my 50th birthday, and have attended games in 32 different MLB parks (23 current).”

CB: “As one of the ballpark experts who seen virtually every park, how do you rank AT&T Park versus the rest of the home venues?”

TN: “The only park that can come close to matching the setting of AT&T is PNC Park in Pittsburgh. It is spectacular, on the waterfront in China Basin in San Francisco, with a view across to the East Bay. Seats from right field can see the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and there are very few seats with a bad sight-line in the park. My only complaint about AT&T, and it’s a minor quibble, is the width of the concourses, but that’s to be expected when building a park on just 13 acres.” Read the rest of this entry →

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Dallas Latos Interview: From San Diego to Cincinnati- My Baseball Story

Apr 13

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Friday April 13th, 2012

MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: Get ready to be entertained today folks! With us today on MLB reports, we have the one and only, Dallas Latos. You may know Dallas from her famous Twitter account known as @DallasLatos and her Baseball Blog: So I Married a Baseball Player. Dallas is funny, sassy and no-nonsense. She tells it like it is and speaks from the heart. She is the better half of Mat Latos, formerly the ace pitcher of the San Diego Padres and now a member of the Cincinnati Reds. The trade went down in December of last year and will down as one of the biggest swaps in MLB history. We caught up recently with Mrs. Dallas Latos to talk life, baseball and everything in-between. To her time in San Diego to preparing for Cincinnati- Dallas gave us the straight goods on Latos Life! Get to know Dallas Latos- as our proud feature interviewee today on MLB reports:

Hello Dallas. Welcome to MLB reports. Thank you for joining us today. First question to start off: What’s it like to be a “baseball wife”?

Since I don’t know what it’s like to be any other kind of wife, it’s been a challenge. There are a lot of factors that make it difficult to maintain a healthy relationship but like in any other marriage, you work on it every day. Every baseball marriage is different so I don’t want to speak on behalf of anyone but myself but I make it a priority to make sure that Mat is stress free from anything that doesn’t pertain to the game during season. It sometimes feels like I sacrifice a lot for his dreams, but I know that he will do the same for mine when the time is right. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Interviews with MLB Stars

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Tags: baseball, cincinnati reds, dallas latos, mat latos, mlb, san diego padres

An Interview with BallParkChasers.com Founder and Coors Field Expert Craig Landgren

Apr 12

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Friday April.13/2012

Follow Chuck Booth’s streak all the through to the bitter end. Schedule is this link:

https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at his official website for all updates!

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I joined Craig’s baseball community website in 2008 (ballparkchasers.com.) I must say that all of us ballpark fans have a lot to thank him about. Craig launched Ballpark Chasers with the vision of connecting baseball fans around the world, especially those with the life goal of seeing all Major League ballparks. Since going live, Ballpark Chasers has doubled each year in total members and has quickly become the Internet’s largest collection of amateur ballpark images. In my honest opinion, his website has been the catalyst on so many of us upping the ante on chasing parks around the country. We are wiser fans and our pocketbooks are definitely a little heavier than they used to be with using his website here as a reference guide for all 30 MLB Parks. I am proud to call Craig a friend and can’t thank him enough for all of the support he has given to me in my baseball endeavors. I recently chatted with Craig about Coors Field. Here is what we discussed. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: ballparkchasers.com, Blue Moon Brewering, Chuck Booth, Coors Field, Craig Landgren, Denver, Denver international airport, denver nuggets, fastest 30 ballgames

Marshall and Chapman to Solidify the Reds Pen

Thursday April 12th, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: The Reds went out and got two relievers this year to help out in the back-end of their bullpen, with Francisco Cordero leaving. Those two pitchers were Ryan Madson and Sean Marshall. As I wrote in a previous article, Madson has gone down with Tommy John Surgery and now Sean Marshall will have to take over the closing duties. This puts a lot of pressure on Marshall to succeed because the Reds will likely play in many close games throughout the season.

With the injury to Madson, it changes a lot around in the rotation. In Spring Training Aroldis Chapman was getting his arm in shape to be a starter, since their was enough bullpen to shut down teams in late innings. That all went out the window with the Madson injury. Chapman is 2-0 and has 10 k’s in 5 innings pitched this first week of the season in the bullpen. So far…so good. (more…)

Posted on April 12, 2012 | Image

You Shake, Rattle and Roll On A World Record Chase

Apr 11

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Tuesday, April.11/2012

Chuck at Dodger Stadium

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and- @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- My step-mom is a retired executive from Air Canada. Back when I was a teenager, Nancy taught me how to travel properly, by how to pack, schedule and always be able to adapt when things go awry. I am pleased to say that she had an incredible influence on me becoming a travel expert now. Her slogan was always; “You gotta learn how to shake, rattle and roll when traveling.” My dad (Tom Booth), helped teach a proper demeanor for my 3 brothers and me while on vacation that I also implement. He said to us “You guys are going to encounter several things when traveling. “If you break, lose or-your items are lost for you, just replace them immediately and don’t let it consume you. After all, why should you be miserable on vacation?” These are motto’s I live by while traveling. I perpetually move forward and don’t look back. While I am glad this trip has generated a lot interest, really the passion here is baseball and traveling. If by some chance I don’t best my own record, I will have fun watching a baseball game in every city again. “You have nothing to prove in this world other to anybody but yourself!”

I have encountered numerous ways of being delayed in chasing baseball parks. Last night was no different. I sat in the San Diego Airport ready to embark on my flight to Cleveland that was supposed to be part of a Progressive Field/Oriole Park at Camden Yards day-night doubleheader. Out of all the 10 doubleheaders that I placed to attempt during this World Record chase, this particular one I would rank the second toughest. The only doubleheader I thought was tougher was the Angel Stadium/Petco Park double header. Ironically enough, I converted that doubleheader. So when the flight was cancelled last night-(due to mechanical failure) I knew I had to think fast on my feet. The Airline was offering up help to fly on other flight, or destinations within reason. Much to my dismay, the airline was not even able to fly me into the second half of the double header n Baltimore, thus creating a plane flight domino. Adding to the severity of the pressure, was I had to think of something fast because the airline needed to help me book a morning flight out of San Diego.

Whenever I plan one of these trips, I have a depth chart for each team. I am lucky that after a few hours of placing this schedule together, I also come up with many different alternatives. Missing the game in Texas the other night for a small delay was nerve-wracking, but maybe it was all meant to be. When I expressed to the airline that I wanted to fly to Dallas, they quickly were on board with that option. The other dominoes came to me quickly. I moved Cleveland to the 25^th as part of PNC Park and Progressive Field Ground Transportation doubleheader. As part of my original streak attempt when I first dreamt up another run at this, the schedule had this exact doubleheader. Cleveland was the last team in the Majors to post their start times. When the Indians scheduled a matinee for the 11^th of April, it opened up another doubleheader attempt for me by placing the Orioles with Cleveland. All I had to do was bring Detroit into the doubleheader chance with Pittsburgh instead. Now that I am not going to Progressive Field today, I am able to re-schedule the easier to attain doubleheader. Baltimore was switched to the date left vacated by Texas on the 27^th of April. This left Detroit. I knew the team played on the 22^nd of April.

One of the reasons I went to Chase Field last Friday, was to protect myself against something like last night. That Chase Field game is now the 1^st game of the streak. I moved Detroit into their slot on the 22^nd. All the teams have a home in the streak again. What is more incredible about this: is that by shifting these cities around and shuffling transportation costs this little maneuver is going to save me $300. I was dreading having to schedule the Texas game after the streak ended, whether it was driving 17 hours or flying, it was going to be costly and time-consuming, I managed to switch out all my flights and actually have a surcharge in my favor. Since I am flying to Denver from Dallas tomorrow, it was a cheaper flight from almost anywhere when you near a travel day fare. Now I am flying to Dallas for a plane fare I spent $160 to originally go to Cleveland for. This day of plane for to Dallas would probably be in the $500-$600 area.

By re-scheduling the trip this way, it also frees up more availability should I have to make up another game or two. That Detroit game doubleheader was risky. If I was running the streak near perfect, I could have risked it and then shuffled the Tigers to the very next day and forego the Cincinnati/Chicago White Sox doubleheader on the 25^th. This was not the case and I need that 26^th doubleheader. If I kept that doubleheader and missed the Tigers, the next date they were home was April.30^th (or the 24^th day of the streak.)

Moving Detroit to Sunday the 22^nd is pretty decent too, I have a doubleheader for Chicago and Milwaukee on the day before. This is about a 7 hour drive to Michigan. Ken Lee will now attend at least 8 of my games with me for this streak. The Pittsburgh/Cleveland double dip is very doable. The Pirates game should end around 3:30. It is only a couple of hours drive to Progressive Field from there. I would give us a 80-85% chance to hit this game. If for some reason we don’t, the Indians play on the 27^th-through the 29^th. Other doubleheaders remaining are the TOR-NYY (Yankees play on the 27^th-29 in case of miss) ATL-STL (Cardinals play on the 27^th-29 in case of miss) CIN/CWS (The White Sox play a series on the 27^th-29^th). CHI/MIL (The Brewers do not play so I will need the DH). I also give us a 80-85% of making this. Finally I have the Boston/Washington DH (If I miss WSH-I can move them into the Marlins slot of the 17^th and then re-do the Marlins from the (27-29 series).

So far I have had 2 missed doubleheaders in this trip that were entirely out of my control. Now a 30-22 schedule hangs in the balance. Whatever happens throughout the rest of the trip is up in the air. The 2009 streak of 30-24 seems even more impressive now than before. In a night where I have already logged 17,000 Air Miles for this trip and running on all fumes, I was able to come up with the best viable solution I could. So whenever I have a chance, I will sleep comfortably about my performance on this trip thus far. I go into tonight’s game looking for my 8^th Ball Park in 6 days. Its been a tough 20 hrs-fighting airlines-car rentals not having cars and several doubters and haters-i made it 2 the ballpark-suitcase/briefcase and all-scoreboard says 8 gms 6 days parks 30/22 days

NEW SCHEDULE UPDATED APR 11

With a flight cancellation last night, it has caused me to reschedule several games for the streak. The Arizona D’Backs game now becomes the official game #1. If the game was changed from the original, it will be highlighted in red. I also changed the PIT/DET doubleheader to now be a PIT/CLE Doubleheader on the 25th ave. I lost one of my doubleheader attempts today, but at least I am not taking an a zero.

Game#1 Day #1 Friday April.06 Chase Field in Arizona 4:10 PM (Completed: Arizona wins 5-4)

Game # 2 Day # 2 Saturday April.07 Angels Stadium in Anaheim 1:05 PM (Completed LAA loses 6-3 to KC)

Game # 3 Day # 2 Saturday April.07 Petco Park in San Diego 5:35 PM (I Have 2 doubleheader attempts with SD as Game 2 of the day)( Completed: San Diego loses 6-5 to the LAD in 11 innings)

Game # 4 Day # 3 Sunday April.08 Minute Maid Park in Houston 1:05 PM (Completed: Houston wins 3-2)

Game # 5 Day # 4 Monday April.09 Citizens Bank Ball Park in Philadelphia 1:05 PM (Citizens Bank Ball Park Season Opener) (Completed: Philly loses 6-2 to the Miami Marlins)

Game # 6 Day # 4 Monday April.09 Citi Field in New York (NYM win 3-2 over WSH)

Game # 7 Day # 5 Tuesday April.10 Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles 1:05 PM (Dodger Stadium Season Opener) Completed: LAD wins 2-1 over Pit)

Game # 8 Day # 6 Wednesday April.11 The Ballpark in Arlington 7:05 PM

Game # 9 Day #7 Thursday April.12 Coors Field 1:05 PM

Game #10 Day # 8 Friday April.13 AT&T Park in San Francisco 1:35 PM (AT & T Park Season Opener)

Game # 11 Day # 9 Saturday April.14 Target Field in Minnesota 12:10 PM

Game # 12 Day # 10 Sunday April.15 Rogers Center in Toronto 1:07 PM

Game # 13 Day # 10 Sunday April.15 Yankees Stadium in the Bronx 8:05 PM

Game # 14 Day #11 Monday April.16 Fenway Park in Boston 11:05 AM

Game # 15 Day #11 Monday April.16 Nationals Park in Washington 7:05 PM

Game # 16 Day #12 Tuesday April.17 New Marlins Ballpark 7:05 PM

Game # 17 Day #13 WED April.18 Turner Field in Atlanta 12:10 PM

Game # 18 Day #13 WED April.18 Busch Stadium in St. Louis 7:15 PM

Game # 19 Day #14 THUR April.19 Safeco Field in Seattle 7:10 PM

Game # 20 Day # 15 Friday April.20 Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City 7:10 PM

Game # 21 Day # 16 SAT. April.21 Wrigley Field in Chicago 12:00 PM

Game # 22 Day # 16 SAT. April.21 Miller Park in Milwaukee 6:05 PM

Game # 23 Day # 17 SUN. April.22 Comerica Park in Detroit 1:05 PM

Game # 24 Day # 18 MON. April.23 O.co Coliseum in Oakland 7:05 PM

Game # 25 Day # 19 TUES April.24 Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay 7:05 PM

Game # 26 Day # 20 WED. April.25 PNC Park in Pittsburgh 12:35 PM

Game # 27 Day # 20 WED. April.25 Progressive Field in Cleveland 7:05 PM

Game # 28 Day # 21 THU. April.26 Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati 12:35 PM

Game # 29 Day # 21 THU. April.26 US Cellular Field in Chicago 7:11 PM

Game# 30 Day # 22 FRI April.27 Oriole Park at Camden Yards. 7:05 PM

***Thank you to our Lead Baseball Writer- Chuck Booth for preparing today’s feature on MLB reports. To learn more about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” and Chuck Booth, you can follow Chuck on Twitter (@ChuckBooth3024) and you can also follow Chuck’s website for his Guinness Book of World Record Bid to see all 30 MLB Park in 23 days click here or on the 30 MLB Parks in 23 days GWR tracker at the Reports click here. To Purchase or read about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames Book, ” please click here ***

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An Interview With Progressive Field Expert Anthony Salter

Apr 11

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Wednesday April.11/2012

: Anthony Salter on the far left with his grandma

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I first met Anthony and his family on July.24/2008 at PNC Park. A nice usher at the Pirates game talked to me for a while before telling everyone he knew that I was chasing a world record. I hung out with the 4 Salter Boys for the rest of the game. We remained in contact and they were there for me the next year when I broke the World Record in Detroit. This family has brought me good luck in my trips. Anthony and his family are the featured experts on today’s Progressive Field Article.

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Progressive Field Interview Anthony. Please tell us about yourself and then give us some information on your life as a baseball fan?”

AS: “My name is Anthony Salter. I am 18 years old and I live in Flat Rock, MI, suburb of Detroit. I currently attend Wayne State University in Downtown Detroit. I grew up loving sports, both playing and watching them. I played all sports when I was younger, including baseball. Today, baseball is the one sport that I still play organizationally, as I am a member of a local recreation softball league. Growing up in Detroit, I have always loved the Tigers. They will always be my favorite team. Hopefully they will win the pennant this year with the addition of Prince Fielder.”

CB: “You are from Detroit, so tell us what the Indians will have to do in order to compete versus the Tigers this year?”

AS: “The Indians have made some minor improvements in the off-season but are still not ready to compete with the Tigers. Even bounce back years from Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, Shin Shoo Choo and Ubaldo Jimenez wouldn’t be enough to catch the Tigers.”

CB: “Everybody loves the movie Major League. How many times does the park make reference to this movie throughout the game?”

AS: “Major League is a classic baseball movie that pretty much all baseball fans have seen. However, out of all the Indian games I have been to, I have never seen them reference Major League throughout the game. It’s kind of surprising since the film features the Indians, and it was filmed in Cleveland too. Who knows though, maybe I am just too young and they stopped featuring it recently, or I was too young to pay attention. (I’m always focused on the game).”

DB: “Is it hard to navigate to the ballpark from the main highways?”

AS: “Not at all. Coming from Detroit, I come right down interstate 90, and get off at Ontario Street, and the park is right there. The ballpark is located right at the intersection of interstate 90 and 71, making it super convenient to get to from just about anywhere.”

CB: “What advice would you give for somebody experiencing Progressive Field for the very first time?”

AS: “I would just purchase some cheap upper deck seats to get in. The park is pretty cool, but the view of Downtown Cleveland is great from an upper deck seat. I would also plan on getting there early to explore the park, they have some pretty interesting things going on for the kids down there. There is also a section up in the nosebleeds which sells hot dogs for 1$. That is unreal for a major league ballpark, take advantage.”

DB: “What is your favorite method of transportation to Progressive Field?

AS: “Car, its and easy drive from Detroit.”

DB: “What is the food like at Progressive Field? What is your favorite ballpark food there?”

AS: “I always favor the chicken fingers. I don’t mind the hotdogs either. Really I don’t think it rates well versus the other parks.”

: The Salters

CB: “What is your favorite all time game that you have been in attendance for at Progressive Field?”

AS: “My favorite game that I have been to at Progressive Field was vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. It was in 2008, Cliff Lee’s last season on the club. I had the honor to see Lee pitch, and he shut out the Jays, and was outstanding. That was the year he recorded a career high 22 wins, and it was just memorable to witness a part of it.”

*** A big thank you goes out to our Progressive Field Expert Anthony Salter for participating in the expert article Series. To read more about the Salters journey with Booth to the baseball parks click here ***

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Tags: Anthony Sallet, Chuck Booth, Cleveland, cliff lee, detroit, grady sizemore, pirates, pnc park, prince fielder, progressive, Seeall30.com, shin shoo choo, travis hafner, ubaldo jimenez

An Interview with Dodger Stadium Expert Josh Robbins

Apr 10

Posted by chuckbooth3023

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN200910080.shtml

Tuesday April.10/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I recently had a chance to talk with Josh Robbins about Dodger Stadium. Josh is the Land Record World Record Holder for visiting all 30 MLB Parks in 26 days during the summer of 2008. Here is what we talked about.”

CB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Experts Interview Josh. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as Yankees Fan?”

JR: “I am a Videographer/Journalist and Baseball Historian living in Gilbert, Arizona. In 2010, I earned a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from CSU-Long Beach. My first baseball game was July 23, 1983 at Yankee Stadium. Don Mattingly was my favorite player growing up and I saw the 1998 Yankees clinch the World Championship in person at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA.”

CB: “Josh, you attended 30 Major League Baseball games in 26 calendar days during June and July 2008. In fact we were the same game where you set your record. You own the land record for the quickest time. Looking back 4 years later, how much does this accomplishment mean to you?”

JR: The trip was a combination of all my greatest passions in life: baseball, traveling, and videography. It was the ultimate adventure combining the spirit of travel, the love of baseball, and sharing the time with friends and family members. While preparing to achieve a personal goal, an effort to share my passion for baseball emerged. Unexpectedly, I raised $2200 for the Jim Thorpe Little League in Hawthorne, California and donated the proceeds to the organization before the start of the pursuit.”

CB: “As part of that trip, what was it like being interviewed and featured on a segment of ‘This Week on Baseball?”

JR: “For the past dozen years, I have worked as a Videographer for several different television and production companies. So, I am very comfortable around reporters, cameras, and questions. I was very surprised to hear from TWIB after initially emailing them about Thirty26. It was a great experience having them cover an entire day of my road trip in New York.”

CB: “You have been to all of the ballparks Josh, how do the Dodgers fans compare to the rest of the country? It is my belief that this stadium is the loudest in MLB when the fans are rabid, what do you think?”

JR: “I enjoy watching baseball in Chavez Ravine but I would have to respectfully disagree. The most passionate and loudest fans are in the Northeast. New York, Boston, and Philadelphia crowds are into every pitch where LA fans tend to sit back and wait for the action to happen.”

CB:”The Dodgers have had recent ownership problems with the McCourts. How has this impacted the attendance?”

JR: “The attendance has declined in each of the past few seasons. Last season was the first time in the 21st century the LA Dodgers failed to draw 3 million fans. The new ownership group must restore trust with the fan base and create a more positive environment at the ballpark and community.”

CB: “What is your favorite method of transportation to and from Dodger Stadium?”

JR: “Unfortunately, there is no commuter friendly method to attend Dodger Stadium. An overwhelming majority of people drive to the stadium with limited alternatives. On a few occasions, I attempted to commute by Metro from Torrance/Redondo Beach. This system proved to be very inefficient due to the excessive changing of trains (green/blue/red/gold lines) and 1 mile walk from the nearest Metro stop to the stadium.”

CB: “What advice would you give for somebody experiencing Dodger Stadium for the very first time.”

JR: “I would tell people to give yourself enough to arrive at the game and enjoy the Southern California climate (bring sleeves for night games). If you drive, park outside the stadium on the street and save the $15-$20 for parking.”

CB: “What is the food like at Dodger Stadium? What is your favorite ballpark food there?”

JR: “My favorite food is a helmet cup filled with soft vanilla ice cream topped with colored sprinkles. However, Dodger Dogs are known for their size and taste.”

CB: “Finally, What is your favorite all time game that you have been in attendance in Dodger Stadium?”

JR: “There have been many memorable games over the 7 years living in the Los Angeles area but one ending was unforgettable. Game 2 of 2008 NLDS when Matt Holiday dropped the last out of the game and the Dodgers rallied to win.”

*** A big thank you goes out to our Dodger Stadium Expert Josh Robbins for participating in the expert article Series. Josh Robbins is a Video-Journalist and Baseball Historian living in Gilbert, Arizona. In 2010, he earned a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from CSU-Long Beach. From June 16 to July 11, 2008, he watched a game in all 30 MLB stadiums in a world record 26 days by car. Please email Josh at robbinsjosh@hotmail.com and to read more about Josh’s record baseball journey click here . Also read Josh 1st guest article at the Reports and a new Pitching grading system here ***

***Thank you to our Baseball Writer- Chuck Booth for preparing today’s feature on MLB reports. To learn more about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” and Chuck Booth, you can follow Chuck on Twitter (@ChuckBooth3024) and you can also follow Chuck’s website for his Guinness Book of World Record Bid to see all 30 MLB Park in 23 days click here or on the 30 MLB Parks in 23 days GWR tracker at the Reports click here. To Purchase or read about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames Book, ” please click here ***

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Tags: arizona, boston, California, Chuck Booth, CSU-Long Beach, Dodgers stadium, don mattingly, fastest 30 ballgames, fenway park, Gilbert, Hawthorne, JIm Thorpe Little League, Josh Robbins, la dodgers, Los Angeles, mlb reports, new York, qualcomm stadium, Redondo Beach, San Diego, thirty26.com, This Week in Baseball, torrance, twitter, yankees

First Week of the 2012 MLB Season is in the Books: Fantasy Baseball Thoughts

Tuesday April 10th, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): What an interesting first week of baseball, in both the real and fantasy world. What jumps out most to me; however, is the proof that you should never overpay for closers. Saves can be had on the waiver wire, which Hector Santiago, Fernando Rodney, Henry Rodriguez, and Brad Lidge each demonstrated in the season’s first week. Last week, if you recall, I told you to grab Alfredo Aceves as well as Lidge and Rodriguez. Although Aceves has struggled as closer (except for his save last night in Toronto), his value skyrocketed when he was named the closer and I was able to flip him for John Danks. In a surprise move, rookie manager Robin Ventura named rookie Hector Santiago closer for the White Sox. I had monitored this situation since spring training and owned Santiago. Again, as soon as he was named closer I traded him as well- this time for DL’d Tim Hudson. So, after a draft in which I was left thin in pitching, within one week I was able to add Hudson and Danks for two waiver pickups, to join Dan Haren, Matt Cain, Wandy Rodriguez, and Bartolo Colon for a now very formidable starting staff in a 15-team league. The point is: people will overpay for saves, especially as guys go down with injuries. Do your best to capitalize while you can!

On the same note, take advantage of some of the old timers or well-known players who are off to a good start. For instance, Rafael Furcal is off to a blazing start, and is a great add. At the top of the Cardinals lineup, he can be a great source for runs and stolen bases. With his name recognition, he might also be able to net you some great value. Chone Figgins fits this mold as well, but he has been so horrendous the past few seasons, it is tough to expect much of anything from him. A definite buy-low candidate.

What has really surprised me after the first week, are the surprise starting pitchers. There are a lot of intriguing names more than likely available on your waiver wire. Filling in for Chris Carpenter, Lance Lynn dominated the Brewers lineup and I actually expect him to pitch himself into the rotation even when Carpenter returns. Likewise, Jeff Samardzija had a great 2012 debut start with the Cubs and could be a great matchup starter. With 11 strikeouts and 8 1/3 innings against San Diego, Chad Billingsley reverted back to his old form. Perhaps he can put his 2011 struggles behind him…or just maybe the Padres lineup can make any pitcher look good.

Although we are only a week into the season, Matt Kemp is already trying to prove that 2011 was no fluke. Maybe he can repeat his MVP-like season. Another consensus top-five player, Miguel Cabrera looks primed for a huge year with a solid first week, and his value will truly rise to another level when he gains 3B eligibility in a few days. A slow start for Albert Pujols with the Angels, but I expect him to breakout in a big way, perhaps on the big stage against the Yankees this weekend. Oh, and Eric Hosmer is the real, real, real deal. He could easily finish as a top-ten player this year and is a legit five-category stud at just 22 years of age.

That’s all for this week! Remember, the season is just one week old, but you can use it to your advantage. Be active on the waiver wires and with trades, and if can make an upgrade, or what you would have thought was an upgrade during your draft two weeks ago, go ahead and do it!

***Today’s feature was prepared by our Fantasy Baseball Analyst, Peter Stein. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Peter on Twitter (@peterWstein)***

Posted on April 10, 2012 | Image

The First Five Games of The Streak

Apr 10

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Tuesday April.10/2012

Douglas “Chuck” Booth at Citi April 9th

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- Well, I finally get a chance to breathe for one second. Too bad it was at the expense of the events that transpired yesterday. Contrary to popular belief, this world record streak is not a walk in the park. Traveling is a hard thing to do at the best of times. I will break down the trip synopsis game by game. I am breaking down the travel games at Parks day by day. Read the rest of this entry →

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Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – April 9th, 2012

Apr 9

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Monday April 9th, 2012

Let’s get to your top questions of the week:

Q: My question this week is about young pitchers. Do you see any of today’s young pitchers winning 300 games in their lifetime? Thanks in advance. Larry

MLB reports: Hello Larry! Great opening question by our #1 fan. To win 300 games in the big leagues, a pitcher needs to pitch for approximately 20 seasons and win 15 games per year. A difficult, but not impossible task. Many factors come into play. Good health. Consistent performances. Run support. Backed by a strong bullpen. If a pitcher can achieve most of these factors, 300 wins is do-able. By my count, I can only see a handful of current pitchers having a shot at the big 3-0-0-. Jamie Moyer. 33 wins away. He could go 3-4 more years with his rubber arm. If he wins 8-10 games per year…could happen. Unlikely, but he has at least a 15% chance. Roy Halladay. 189 wins with at least 5 good years left in him. He will definitely do it. Justin Verlander has 107 wins and possibly 10 more years- he could do it. C.C. Sabathia is the only other fairly sure bet that I have. 176 wins at age 31. Pitching for the Yankees and going deep into games, C.C. will do it. So yes- we will still see 300 games winners in Major League Baseball. But they will be rare occurrences. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: 300 game winners, ask the reports, atr, baseball, baseball questions, ben henry, c.c. sabathia, chicago cubs, comerica park, hickory crawdads bullpen, hunter pence, jamie moyer, john lannan, marlon byrd, mlb, new york mets, new york yankees, philadelphia phillies, roy halladay, shane victorino, washington nationals, yoenis cespedes

An Interview with Citizens Bank Ball Park Expert Kurt Smith

Apr 9

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday Apr.09/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- Today’s expert is Kurt Smith. Kurt will be the interview subject of the following parks: Tropicana Field, Turner Field and today’s featured expert Article of Citizens Bank Ball Park. Kurt is highly respected in the ball park chaser community for his BallparkEGuides. After you are done reading this article I implore you trust in Kurt to deliver up tips and suggestive idea’s on how to make your stadium visits affordable and pleasurable. I had a chance to ask some questions of the man recently.

DB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Experts Interview Kurt. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as a Phillies Fan?”

KS: “For most of my life I have lived in South Jersey, which is unquestionably Philly sports country, and currently I live about a 20-minute drive from Citizens Bank Park. I grew up an Orioles fan, though, and while going to games at Veterans Stadium was fun, as a kid I absolutely lived for the two or three trips the family made to Memorial Stadium every year to see our Birds. It was much more fun being an O’s fan back then and Memorial was a great ballpark. I still miss it. But in recent years it’s been great to see the Phillies rack up division titles and a World Series championship, especially in a city that hadn’t seen a championship in 26 years. Citizens Bank Park is such a great improvement over the Vet and the Phillies and their tremendous pitching staff have become a great team to watch. I wouldn’t say I’m a Phillies fan yet, but when my daughter is old enough to go to games there she may change my mind!”

DB: “Describe the whole idea behind your website www.ballparkeguides.com?

KS: “Many baseball fans, myself included, go to ballgames and maybe don’t get a good seat, or pay too much for tickets and parking, or they aren’t aware of some of the great food items at the ballpark. The Ballpark E-Guides website gives a few pointers on seating, getting there and food, and tells you which games on the team’s schedule are likely to be low demand. And if people like what they read, I’ve thoroughly researched 14 major league ballparks to create the actual E-Guides. For $5 you can download a PDF-format illustrated guide to any of 14 major league ballparks, and I like to think you’ll easily get much more than your money’s worth with the information contained in them, from getting tickets, to seating, to getting there and all of the food items. I couldn’t believe how much I was missing out on doing the research for them!”

DB: “Citizens Bank Park has been over 102% for the last several years, tell people what they should expect about buying tickets in Philadelphia?”

KS: “Philadelphia is a city that is so weary of the Eagles underachieving in grand fashion every year that they will embrace a winning team religiously, and so every Phillies game sells out. The Phillies don’t offer a lot in the way of deals or discounts…most northeastern teams don’t, for some reason…so going through StubHub or another third-party works probably just as well. Whatever tricks you have will be helpful…probably the easiest games to get a deal on would be games against West Coast opponents, and if you go on StubHub on a really hot, muggy day you could possibly land a pretty good deal. There aren’t many bad seats at the Bank, but certain ones do have advantages; for example, seats down the third base line are closer to McFadden’s which is better for adults looking for a post-game hangout, and seats down the first base line are closer to all of the kid-friendly areas. The upper level seats can be way up there, so if you have a vertigo problem you may want to avoid them. But the view of everything from up there is tops.”

DB: “Citizens Bank Park has some of the better access entry points for the elderly and handicapped in the Majors. So how is it their park staff did not rank high? How do you rank their staff?”

KS: “Well I haven’t seen the ranking that you mentioned and the basis for it, so I can’t really speak to that. As far as accessibility in ballparks, so many of the newer ones have really gone the extra mile with it…Comerica Park in Detroit is a good example…so my guess is that if Citizens Bank Park doesn’t rank high in that area, it may just be because the competition is actually pretty strong. I can’t think of any accessibility problems, even the Phillies Hall of Fame has a ramp to access it. As far as the staff, I think they’re great, I’ve never had a problem with any of the ushers…and I can tell you that I couldn’t say that about when the team played at Veterans Stadium. Teams everywhere have really improved their customer service, and the Phillies are a great example. They’ve been very good about everything in my experience.”

DB: “I did a survey about 3 years ago when Citizens Bank Park had the best voted singular food item with a Cheesesteak at Tony Luke’s, what are your thoughts on this?”

KS: “Well the Tony Luke’s cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz is pretty good, especially considering that local items in a ballpark don’t often live up to the original location. It’s great for people who are only going to a ballgame in Philly and want to see what this cheesesteak business is all about. But as far as the best food item in any ballpark, I wouldn’t rank it that high. I don’t even consider it the best food item at Citizens Bank Park…Chickie’s and Pete’s fries, the Campo’s Heater sandwich, the Schmitter and Bull’s BBQ Bulldog are all better in my opinion. But that’s just my opinion.”

DB: “What is your favorite method of transportation to and from Citizens Bank Park?”

KS: “It depends on whether I’m going by myself or with a group of people. There’s really only two common ways to get there—you can drive your car and park or take the SEPTA Broad Street Line subway to the AT&T Sports Complex Station. From nearby PA suburbs you can use SEPTA’s Regional Rail to the subway. Both methods are fine and work equally well, but coming from South Jersey by myself I would rather pay about $8 round trip to take the PATCO high-speed line and then the Broad Street Line than pay $15 for the parking and $5 to cross the bridge, not to mention the gas and traffic getting out afterwards. If you’re going with three or four people though, driving and parking is fine. There’s plenty of parking in the complex and you can persuade everyone to chip in. You can save $5 on parking if you’re willing to walk a bit.”

DB: “What advice would you give for somebody experiencing Citizens Bank Park for the very first time?”

KS: “Get there as early as possible, for a couple of reasons. First, traffic is much easier to deal with if you’re driving, and second, you’ll want to check out Ashburn Alley before the park starts to fill up, because it gets very congested and stays crowded throughout the game. The Ashburn Alley gates open an hour before the rest of the ballpark does, and you’re definitely going to want to check out everything there. The Philadelphia baseball timeline is great, and the Phillies Hall brings back great memories for fans. Lots of interactive games for kids too. There’s a lot going on at the ballpark and a lot of things to see, but honestly, you can focus on the Phillie Phanatic all night and never stop being entertained. There is no mascot in sports so willing to cross the line of acceptable mascot behavior. And don’t worry about Philly fans. They’re not as bad as everyone says. There are some jerks but most of them are perfectly nice people.”

DB: “Other than cheesesteaks at Tony Luke’s, how is the food at CBP? What is your favorite ballpark food there?”

KS: “The food as Citizens Bank Park is all great; I’ve never gone wrong with anything I’ve tried. Bull’s BBQ may make the best turkey sandwich I’ve had at a ballgame, and I don’t require much persuasion to share a bucket of Chickie’s and Pete’s crab fries. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard nothing but great things about the chili at Harry The K’s as well. I could go on all day. My favorite food item is the underrated Schmitter, which was actually not named after Mike Schmidt. The Schmitter is a sandwich from a local tavern called McNally’s. It’s sort of a cousin to the cheesesteak, with meat, cheese, salami, tomatoes and secret sauce on a Kaiser roll. It’s a little hard to find the Schmitter stand…it’s tucked underneath the stands near the Left Field Gate. Well worth the search though. There’s just something about tomatoes and thousand island style sauce on a steak sandwich.”

DB: “What is your favorite all time game that you have been in attendance for at Citizens Bank Park?”

KS: “Wow…I have to think about that one. You know, I’m going to go out on a limb here and actually pick a hockey game, the minor league game between the Adirondack Phantoms and the Hershey Bears, which took place after the recent Winter Classic. My sister and I lucked into tickets and braved the cold for the game; and it was really cool seeing the ballpark set up for ice hockey. The Phantoms tied the score with just 20 seconds left in the game, and then won it in overtime. One of the most exciting hockey games I’ve ever seen. The crowd just went ballistic, and it was great to hear 45,000 Philly throats going nuts. So okay, not a baseball game, but I have to say that was the best time I’ve had there.”

DB: “Thank you very much Kurt.”

***Thank you to our Citizens Bank Ball Park Expert- Kurt Smith for participating in today’s article. to learn more about Kurt Smith and his website click here***

***Thank you to our Baseball Writer Chuck Booth for preparing today’s feature on MLB reports. To learn more about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” and Chuck Booth, you can follow Chuck on Twitter (@ChuckBooth3024) and you can also follow Chuck’s website for his Guinness Book of World Record Bid to see all 30 MLB Park in 23 days click here or on the 30 MLB Parks in 23 days GWR tracker at the Reports click here. To Purchase or read about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames Book, ” please click here ***

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Tags: ballparkeguides.com, Chuck Booth, Citizens Bank Ball Park, comerica park, Eagles, fastest 30 ballgames, Geno’s Steakhouse, kurt smith, Mcfaddens, memorial stadium, philadelphia, SEPTA, StubHub, Tony Luke's, veterans stadium

A Tribute to Barry Larkin: 2012 Cooperstown Inductee

Apr 9

Posted by Ryan Ritchey