Monthly Archives: January 2013
Seattle Mariners Roster in 2013: State Of The Union:
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By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @ryandana1
Seattle Mariners fans must be pretty amazing, Felix Hernandez sticking with their team through recent times. The Mariners were established in 1977 and have made the playoffs just 4 times in their history. They were the AL West champs 3 times (’95, ’97, ’01) and winners of the Wild Card once (’00). They have never won a World Series, or even an AL Pennant, and in 2012 they shipped off a fan favorite, Ichiro Suzuki, to the Yankees. The AL West is a tough division. The Rangers and Athletics made the playoffs last year, and the Angels just landed the prize of the off-season in slugger Josh Hamilton. I guess one bright spot is the Astros are moving to the AL West, so the Mariners won’t be rebuilding within the brutal division alone.
The Seattle Mariners hopes and dreams start where they have for years now, on the shoulders of King Felix. Felix Hernandez is no doubt an Ace. He has pitched 200+ innings every year since ’08, and had a sub 4.00 ERA every year since ’07. Hernandez won the AL Cy Young in 2010, and is a perennial contender for the award. Last year the Seattle fireballer threw his first Perfect Game. Hernandez will once again be atop the Mariners rotation, which as of now figures to include Hisashi Iwakuma, Blake Beavan, Erasmo Ramirez, and Hector Noesi.
Hisashi Iwakuma was a pleasant surprise for the Mariners in 2012. He wasn’t a greatly sought after oversees free agent last year, overshadowed greatly by fellow Japanese hurler Yu Darvish, but proved to be a great signing. Iwakuma started 2012 in the bullpen until he later earned a spot in the team’s rotation. Iwakuma managed a very respectable 3.16 ERA in the 125.1 innings he split between the rotation and the pen. This success is part of the reason the Mariners resigned the pitcher to a 2YR/14 Million Dollar deal this past November. He figures to hold down the 2nd spot in the rotation and should do just fine if 2012 was a sign of things to come.
Blake Beavan is still just 23 Years Old, but he already has 41 Major League Starts under his belt which gives the club hope he can hold down the 3rd or 4th slot in the rotation. Beavan clearly has the talent which is what made him a 1st Round draft pick out of high school for the Rangers, and the reason the Mariners made sure he was a part of the package they received in return for Cliff Lee in 2010. Beavan’s 2012 stats won’t impress a lot of people, but they were a good start for a young player like himself to build and improve upon.
Felix Hernandez Highlights: Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised
Vin Scully And My Stepfather: 2 Heroes In My Life
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By Aaron Roberts (Dodgers Correspondent): Follow @Bertsball
I know a man who is 61 years old. Since he was a child, he has cherished the voice of another man. This other man’s voice has gotten him through the hardest times in his life. This man’s voice has gotten him through the suicide of his father when he was 9 years old. This man’s voice has gotten him through the death of his mother on the day he turned 10 years old. This man’s voice has gotten him through the death of his sister when he was 15 years old and then later, the death of his brother when he was 45 years old. This man’s voice has been with him for over 50 years and will always be with him. That man I know is my Stepfather and the Voice that has comforted him for half a century belongs to Vin Scully.
To say that my Stepfather is a fan of the Dodgers and particularly Vin Scully is an understatement. My Stepfather has been frustrated, angry, happy, fed-up, melancholy and down right embarrassed with the Dodgers. But through all the games, all the joy and all the heartbreak, my Stepfather has never lost faith in the Dodgers. In the 60 years of him wearing Dodger blue, there has been one constant; Vin Scully’s voice. It is the voice of a legend. The kind of voice that soothes you when you’re in pain and encourages you when you think you can’t go on. His is the voice of Baseball itself. Read the rest of this entry
Yu Darvish: What Needs To Be Done For An Encore In 2013
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Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @BernieOlshansky
Yu Darvish was up there with the most hyped players ever to sign out of Japan. There was a bidding war just to get the rights to negotiate with him, and the half-Japanese half-Iranian pitcher ended up signing with the Texas Rangers for over $50 Mllion and another 53.7 Million in a posting fee.. Darvish had what many would call a successful season with the Rangers in 2012, going 16-9 with a 3.90 ERA in 191.1 Innings Pitched. He was just what the Rangers needed in a front-of-the-rotation type pitcher who could eat up innings. Darvish signed a 6-year contract before 2012, so the Rangers will still get a minimum of five more years from him. In this feature, I will discuss what Yu Darvish needs to do in order to continue to be the successful starter the Rangers signed.
All in all, Yu Darvish had a great 2012 season. All of his numbers were right where they needed to be, and the pitcher did not have any major issues. Darvish struck out 221 and carried a 1.28 WHIP. The only statistic that was a bit eye-catching was the number of walks. Darvish walked 89 batters over the course of the season, and held a 2.48 K/BB ratio. Darvish’s control was the one part of his skillset that was rather questionable. There were games last season in which Darvish walked four, five, even six in a game. In fact, Darvish walked six in a game three times, and five in a game twice. He had no games in which he did not walk anyone. In his last seven starts, however, Darvish did not walk more than two in a game—which could possibly mean that Darvish worked out whatever was causing him to lose control.
Yu Darvish 2012 Highlights:
Chicago White Sox Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward
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By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): Follow @brianm731
Considering the collapse of the 2012 White Sox, the team losing A.J. Pierzynski and Kevin Youkilis to Free Agency, one might not expect the 2013 White Sox to fare any better. But, looking on the bright side, they should have a solid starting staff, with Chris Sale having another year of experience under his belt, and, hopefully, the return of a healthy John Danks. That’s a pretty good 1-2 punch. Next is Jake Peavy. Not a bad 1-2-3 punch, if you ask me. Follow those 3 with Gavin Floyd and/or Hector Santiago/Jose Quintana, not too shabby. An “expert” may look on the not so bright side, and see a “whole lotta outs in the lineup”.
Between Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez (both struggled in 2012) and the newly anointed starting Catcher, Tyler Flowers, that’s a combined average of .237 (which equals a whole lotta outs). While some say Beckham’s and Ramirez’s defensive prowess make up for their offensive deficiencies, many White Sox fans disagree. But, if Alex Rios and Adam Dunn can carry over their production from 2012 into 2013, the Sox could be in the running for the division title again. The addition of Jeff Keppinger at third base, while not a high-profile move that White Sox fans had grown accustomed to with former GM Kenny Williams, he is solid at the plate and in the field. Let’s take a look at the Sox payroll for the 2013 season….
DeWayne Wise’ catch to preserve Mark Buehle’s perfect game:
Morse Back To Seattle: The Mariners Add Yet Another Bat
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By Nicholas Rossoletti (MLB Reports Trade Correspondent): Follow @NRoss56
Once upon a time, Mike Morse was a Seattle Mariners’ farm hand who played parts of four seasons in the majors with Seattle. He never really lived up to expectations during his first time in Seattle. Now, the Mariners have acquired him from the Nationals where he spent the best four seasons of his career. The Mariners are looking everywhere they can for affordable offense, and they have turned back to a familiar face in Morse. The real question is how does Morse fit in Seattle and does the acquisition make the Mariners better?
In order to address this topic, its important that we take a look at how Morse performed last season and whether the decrease in performance is going to carry over into the 2013 campaign. Morse was injured for a portion of the season so it is important to take that into consideration when breaking down his 2012 season, but even with injury, Morse took a fairly large step backwards.
Mike Morse’s 1st hit in the Major Leagues with the Mariners (2005):
Pedro Martinez Rejoins The Red Sox Organization: Meets Up With Francona At Boston Book Signing
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Sunday, January.27, 2013
By Saul Wisnia, Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here): Follow @SaulWizz
What a roller-coaster week for Red Sox fans — enough to make you reach for the Rolaids. First came the early excerpts from former manager Terry Francona‘s book, revealing that during the 2010 offseason, Sox ownership took the advice of a media consultant to boost its sagging TV ratings by loading the team with “sexy” stars like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. For those who looked forward to hearing Francona’s memories of the 2004 and 2007 World Series runs, this mudslinging was just another reminder of how dreadful life has been on Yawkey Way the last 15 months.
Then there were the reports that contract negotiations with free agent first baseman Mike Napoli had finally been settled — and that the early rumors of his injuries were even worse than expected. Napoli was found to have a more serious hip problem than originally thought, a development that whittled down Boston’s original three-year, $39 Million offer to one year at $5 Million – plus a ballbag full of incentives.
Terry Francona Interviews on Jan.22/2013:
Three Potential Bargains In MLB Free Agency: Lohse, K-Rod And Thome/Hafner Tandem
Sunday, January 27th, 2013
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Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206
Travis Hafner, Francisco Rodriguez, and Kyle Lohse have all shown that they can be above-average Major League players. However, with all three above the age of 30, teams are nervous to sign any of them to the multi-year contracts they want. Hafner has dealt with knee and back injuries over the past two seasons, but he still can bring power to an American League team in need of a DH. Francisco Rodriguez has always dealt with off the field issues, but he was very effective as Milwaukee’s set-up man in 2012. Kyle Lohse, who is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.51 FIP in 211, is the top free agent pitcher on the market right now but his age and inconsistency scares away possible suitors. Despite their age, inconsistency, and injuries, all three of these players could play a large role on MLB teams in 2013.
Travis Hafner Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:
An Interview With Tigers Prospect Daniel Fields
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By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent) Follow @MatthewLafave
Have you ever had that dream of being drafted by your favorite sports team? It’s a dream that replays in your head as you’re going about your day. A dream that makes you smile in the morning and a dream that you hope you experience again later that night.
Daniel Fields is living that dream. The Detroit, Michigan native out of University of Detroit Jesuit High School was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2009.
The highly toted prospect is making his way up the Minor Leagues. It’s a name that you’ll want to remember and a last name that may sound familiar to you. Read the rest of this entry
The Chicago Cubs Schedule In 2013: (The Wrigley Field Ticket Is Still The Best Pure Baseball Experience)
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By Richie Devotie (MLB Schedule Correspondent): Follow @MrBaseballMan and Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner) Follow @chuckbooth3024
I love Wrigley Field more than any other park just to watch a game.
Having been to all of the MLB Parks a minimum of 3 times (and most closer to 5 and above) – there is something so unique about this baseball cathedral that makes me think it is the 1920s still.
We have another video presentation from our Baseball Schedule Correspondent’ Richie Devotie down below that has all of the Cubs opponents in the upcoming season in 2013 – plus a recap of how the team fared in 2012.
After viewing it – plus read about one of the craziest, yet rewarding days of my ballpark chaser streaks.
The setup to this was that I was 13 days into my 1st World Record Attempt – at breaking the category of “The Fastest Person to view a full game at all 30 MLB Parks”.
I had already had to restart my streak attempt after some chaos that happened just a few days prior. This day in Chicago would be my 3rd straight day of trying to fit 2 games in on one day.
On the 1st day of the new streak, I nailed a doubleheader between Petco Park (day game) and Dodger Stadium (night game).
I then boarded an overnight flight to Detroit (at 1 AM- Arrival in Motown at 10:30 AM. I was poised to watch a day game at Comerica Park (1:05 PM) – before jettisoning 168 Miles to Cleveland right after for a 7:05 PM start at Progressive.
The Tigers looked to nail down a victory until Todd “the Hammer” Jones blew the save by letting the Twins tie it up in the ninth – to prolong the game into extra innings.
An hour later and the game finally ended but I couldn’t even try to head to Cleveland. So I made my way to Chicago/Milwaukee. I had a Wrigley Field/Miller Park doubleheader.
The next day after – I was to fly to Toronto to see the Yankees play. 2 days after that, I would see if I could hit on a Nationals Park/Shea Stadium Sunday day/night double-header.
It would be 4 doubleheader attempts in 5 days. I was only 1 for 2 so far.
Richie Devotie Presents His Power Point Cubs 2013 Schedule Breakdown
Stan “The Man” Musial – The Passing of a Legend
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By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent) Follow @LandenCrouch
The most iconic figure in the history of the St. Louis Cardinals franchise will be laid to rest on Saturday. Stan “The Man” Musial died on January 19 in his home in Ladue, MO, just minutes away from a city that loved him dearly. All of Cardinals nation was in mourning over the weekend as the news spread. Current Cardinals Center Fielder Jon Jay tweeted his condolences to the Musial family.
Stan Musial Highlights:
RIP to Stan Musial, my condolences go out to his entire family
— Jon Jay (@jonjayU) January 20, 2013
St. Louis Cardinals owner, Bill DeWitt Jr., also had some very kind words to say about Stan the Man – “Stan Musial was the greatest player in Cardinals history and one of the best players in the history of baseball.”
Brian Wilson’s Legacy In San Francisco
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Friday January 25, 2013
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
Brian Wilson has been a member of the San Francisco Giants since the summer of 2006. He started off as a reliever, beardless might I add, and gradually made his way up to the closer he is today. Back then he wasn’t the big name player that he is now. Back when they still had the likes of Barry Bonds on the team. Only recently has he made his way to one of the best closers in the league, and one of the craziest.
2010 is when he really made his way onto the scene. Sure, he was an All-Star in 2008 but quite frankly; the Giants weren’t nearly good enough for him to be noticed. San Francisco finished fourth in the NL West with a 72-90 record, a little surprising considering Tim Lincecum won the Cy Young Award. Out of those 72 wins, Wilson saved 41 and got the win in 3 of them.
Best Brian Wilson Interview Of ALL-Time:
Colorado Rockies Roster In 2013: State Of The Union
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Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @ryandana1
The Colorado Rockies finished 2012 with a 64-98 record – just escaping the dreaded 100 loss season. This record was bad enough to not only get them last place in the NL West, but also give them the 3rd worst record in the National League, only better than that of the Cubs and Astros. It was the Rockies worst season to date – and the 1st time in team history they failed to have a Winning Percentage of above .400. After having a season like the Rockies did in 2012, one would hope that the only place to go is up.
The franchise was established in 1993 – and have made the playoffs 3 times (’95, ’07, ’09). All of these were Wild Card births, and in ’07 they won the NL Pennant, before being swept by the Red Sox in the World Series. 2007 was a remarkable season though, as they won 21 of their last 22 regular season games just to get in the playoffs. It was one of the great runs in recent memory, maybe even more impressive than the ’02 Athletics 20 game win streak – since this streak propelled them into the playoffs seemingly out of nowhere. To get back to the playoffs in 2013 might be a little far-fetched considering they are in a division with the reigning World Series Champs (Giants), and a team with a seemingly infinite payroll (Dodgers). It isn’t far-fetched to say they will be better than last year, and could be contenders in the near future.
Carlos Gonzalez Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised:
The Blue Fire…Don Mattingly Must Win With The Dodgers In 2013
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By Aaron Roberts (Dodgers Correspondent): Follow @Bertsball
The Blue Fire…
Everyone knows that the blue part of a flame is the hottest part, right? Well someone should tell that to Don Mattingly because he’s just gone from the frying pan into the fireplace, but this isn’t just any fire. This is the hottest kind of fire. This fire is hotter than regular blue fire. Don Mattingly has just jumped into the Dodger Blue Fire.
Entering his third year of managerial duties for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pressure couldn’t be higher for the former Yankee slugger to lead his team into the promised lands of the post-season. Since taking over for Joe Torre, Mattingly has perpetually been on the hot seat. He’s avoided unemployment by squeaking out just enough wins to maintain the front office’s interest. Mattingly’s first two seasons with the Dodgers weren’t failures by any means, but “success” might be too strong a word. Both years the Dodgers had an above .500 winning percentage but neither yielded the fruits of October.
Don Mattingly’s thoughts on the 2013 Version of the Dodgers:
Cincinnati Reds Schedule In 2013: The Team Hopes For NL Central Dominance
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By Richie Devotie (MLB Schedule Correspondent): Follow @MrBaseballMan and Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner) Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Great American Ball Park is a great place to watch a game. The Great American Ballpark is one of the best parks in the majors for scenery outside the yard. You get a close personal view of the Ohio River. The park also features the ‘Cincinnati Reds Hall Of Fame” that is directly adjacent to the park—great place to check out the 1st Major League Baseball Club. Particularly if you are a Pete Rose fan, you have to visit this Museum. Pete Rose is nowhere to be found at Great American because of his lifetime ban—but his career is nicely chronicled inside the doors of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
The concourses at Great American are spacious, clean and the workers there offer the nicest hospitality. There is not a bad seat in the place. Cincinnati’s fans are amongst the smartest in baseball. They have 3 mascots still in use that walk the field in:‘Gapper,’ ‘Mr. Redlegs’ and of course ‘Rosie Red,’ a truly great experience for the kids. The fireworks display on Friday nights in the summer are incredible against the back drop of the Ohio River.
From guys who also did 30 Ball Parks in 30 Days:
MLB Player Profile: Nationals Pitcher Jordan Zimmermann
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Wednesday January 23rd, 2013
Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @BernieOlshansky
Having his breakout season in 2012, Jordan Zimmermann has been a guy the Washington Nationals have been able to rely on. 27 years old in 2013, Zimmermann helps anchor the young Nationals rotation including Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals had success in 2012, winning the NL East and making the playoffs for the first time as a franchise. The Nationals got unlucky though, and were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the Division Series. This year the Nationals will hope to build on their 2012 performance, and Jordan Zimmermann will most likely be a big help.
One of the main reasons the Nationals were eliminated so early last season is because of the shutting down of Stephen Strasburg. In the middle of the season, I wrote about the pros and cons of shutting Strasburg down, and in the end the situation ended badly. Last year, the Nationals had a very strong rotation consisting of Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzalez, and Edwin Jackson. By shutting Strasburg down, the Nationals lost a quarter of their rotation and had to scramble when the Division Series went more than three games. Ross Detwiler got the start and Zimmermann had to come into the game in a relief role. There was no reason for this to have to happen. Protecting Strasburg was important, but in my opinion the Nationals overprotected him, which cost them dearly in the playoffs.
Jordan Zimmermann Flashback Highlights:
MLB Player Profile: DiamondBacks OF/DH Jason Kubel
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By Chris Lacey (Diamond Backs Correspondent) Follow @aecanada12
Jason Kubel was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 12th Round of the 2000 Amateur Draft, after playing high school ball at Highland High School in California. Kubel received the call-up to the Majors in 2004. He would suffer a knee injury in the Arizona Fall League – that would cause him to miss all of the 2005 season. He would have his most productive season as a Twin in 2009, when he would have a Batting Average of .300, drive in 103 RBI and hit 28 Home Runs. He has his best 3 – Slash Line for his Career at .300/.369/.907. His efforts even saw him net 24th in AL MVP Voting. That season also saw Kubel hitting for cycle against the Los Angeles Angels, and would do in dramatic fashion by hitting the go-ahead Grand Slam in the 8th inning.
Jason Kubels hitting mechanics:
MLB Player Profile: Indians OF/1B/DH Nick Swisher
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Tuesday January 22nd, 2013
By Larry Myers (Indians Correspondent) Follow @TribeFanz1969
Nick Swisher is the latest free agent player the Cleveland Indians have signed this off-season. Nick Swisher is the son of former MLB catcher Steve Swisher, who played for a few National League teams back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Swisher was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in West Virginia. Before his professional career, Swisher played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2002 MLB Draft, Swisher finally made his MLB debut with the Athletics in 2004.
During the 2004 season, Swisher played in only 20 games. In 2005, Swisher went on to hit 21 HRs and 74 RBI in 131 games. He finished 6th in the American League Rookie Of The Year Voting. During his 4 years in Oakland, Swisher hit 80 home runs and 255 RBI – while playing in 458 games. Not known as a player with a high average, he became a leader on a young Athletics teams. Swisher showed a great amount of durability during his time in Oakland compared to his teammates who spent a large portion of time on the Disabled List. Swisher made his Post Season debut in 2006. While sweeping the Twins, Swisher got 3 hits and an RBI in that series. Losing to the Tigers in the ALCS, Swisher hit .100 with only 1 hit.
One On One Interview with Nick Swisher Jan.03/2013 (Sports Time Ohio):
Tim Hudson: Could 2013 Be His Final Year In Baseball?
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Tuesday January 22nd, 2013
By Jake Dal Porto (MLB Reports Baseball Writer)
When we think of consistency, there are a handful of names that come to mind. No, I’m not talking about consistency over a brief period of time. Rather, over a good part of the last decade. One name that comes to mind quite quickly is Tim Hudson (3.37 ERA, 126 ERA+ since 2002). But the same Tim Hudson that’s been nothing short of rock solid since the beginning of 2002, is beginning to decline, which fashions only one daunting question.
Will 2013 be his final year in baseball?
Tim Hudson Highlight Reel:
After Coming Off Of TJ Surgery – Carl Crawford Looks To Help The LA Dodgers in 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, January.21/2013
By Aaron Roberts (Dodgers Correspondent): Follow @Bertsball
Allow me to pose a scenario for you to pensively ponder. I shoot a basketball 9 times. The first 6 of my 9 shots are swishes. The next 2 aren’t as pretty but still go in the basket. My last shot I miss. Overall, I succeeded in making 8 of the 9 shots which means I have an 89% success rate. Now let me ask you this; would you bet on me to make a 10th shot?
This in a nutshell is Carl Crawford’s career. A 4-time All-Star, he has also consistently been amongst the top producing outfielders in all of baseball for the last decade. Barring his rookie season, His first 5 Major League campaigns were incredible – with him routinely posting over a .300 average and 50 steals – while still belting 10-15 HRs. That combination of speed and power is a rare mix that Crawford displayed with ease. He fared very well for his RBI totals when you take into account he has mostly been a Lead-off and #2 batter for his time in the Majors. He faltered slightly in his 6th season with a .273 Average, 8 HRs and only 25 SB, yet still scored 69 Runs in just 109 Games Played during the 2008 season. Not terrible numbers by any means but not Carl Crawford like production. The following 2 seasons, he regained form and astounded many by posting some of his best numbers yet – even placing 7th in the MVP voting of the 2010 season.
Then came the dark days. Then came Boston.
Carl Crawford – The ALL-Star!
Fear Beyond The Edge Of The Grass: Searching For The ‘Mets’ Outfield In 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday January 21st, 2013
Stephon Johnson ( Baseball Writer and Mets Correspondent): Follow @stephonjohnson8
New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson has every right to not be happy.
Speaking on local New York sports talk radio station WFAN, Alderson didn’t try to delude himself or others into thinking that the 2013 Mets campaign wouldn’t induce at least several headaches.
“I’m not happy where we are in preparation for 2013,” said Alderson about the current roster assembled. “… I can assure you that where we are now is not where we want to be opening spring training. I mean, it’s conceivable we could be in the same position, but it’s not where we want to be.”
This can particularly be directed toward the outfield. With several options for the Mets to check out, it’s baffled many how a Major League franchise wouldn’t have at least a slight idea what kind of starting lineup they could field on opening day.
Scott Hairston Interview in 2012:
Petco Park: The Effect Of Moving In The Fences
Sunday, January 20th, 2013
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Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206
By altering the dimensions of Petco Park, the Padres could be playing a very different brand of baseball in these coming years. Long thought of as one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in all of baseball, Petco Park might have a new identity in the future. Due to their decision to move the fences in, the Padres will have to build their team in a different way. For players like Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko, the new dimensions could be extremely beneficial to their success at the plate. However, for pitchers like Edinson Volquez and Eric Stults, they are going to have to learn to keep the ball on the ground more in 2013.
Petco Park As A San Diego Attraction:
The Texas Rangers Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward
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By Nicholas Rossoletti (MLB Reports Trade Correspondent): Follow @NRoss56
It is easy to equate a big market team’s success with merely a willingness to overspend on free agents and use their superior earning power to dominate the sport. While the Rangers certainly are not afraid of spending all that money that playing the Dallas/Fort Worth area provides, it would be inaccurate to equate the team’s recent string of success with only their ability to outspend a fair portion of their competitors. As we enter the 2013 season, the Rangers have built a very strong base – while managing to not tie themselves to any back-breaking, future altering contracts. That is a testament to the organization’s belief in its system – and its refusal to spend on player just because they are able to. With that being said, let’s take a look at the Rangers 2013 payroll as of now and see where Texas will be spending its money next season.
Rangers 2011 ALCS Clincher:
Chris Tillman: Was His 2012 Campaign A Fluke Or A Sign Of Things To Come?
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Friday January 18th, 2013
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer) Follow @TheJakeMan24
Here’s an unsung hero behind the Baltimore Orioles’ magical 2012 season: Chris Tillman. No, he’s far from a household name, nor does he deserve to be, yet. However, if his 2012 campaign, where he posted a 2.93 ERA, is a sign of what’s to come, then some of the Orioles’ shortcomings on the starting pitching spectrum will be solved.
First thing’s first; you may be too reluctant to put credibility into Tillman, yet. I would agree that his stunningly good 2012 season basically came out of Left Field, as in his first three year’s in the big leagues, he compiled a mere 5.58 ERA and a BB/Per 9 IP rate of exactly four.
So yes, 2012 was an impressive season from the 24-Year-Old Right-Hander, but with his success came a sense of suspicion and bewilderment. Yeah, not the type of reaction a pitcher wants when he crafts a career-year.
Chris Tillman and his Pitching Mechanics:
Detroit Tigers Prepare For Spring Training: Invite 17 Players
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Thursday, January.17/2013
By Matthew LaFave (Tigers Correspondent): Follow @MatthewLaFave
The Detroit Tigers announced on Wednesday that they have invited 17 players to Major League camp in Lakeland, Florida.
The names include some familiar faces like Don Kelly, Shawn Hill, and Nick Castellanos.
Kelly, who will turn 33 at the start of spring training, reportedly turned down a National League team to remain with the Tigers. After struggling at the plate last season, his contract was out righted to Triple-A affiliate Toledo. He is the only active MLB player to play all 9 positions in his career.
Don Kelly – Post Game after Game #2 of the 2012 ALDS (Walk off Sac Fly)
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