Daily Archives: April 29, 2013

Bridging The Gap Or Fixing A Leake?

Like us on Facebook here

Monday, April.29/2013

Chris Heisey has struggled at the plate this season, only batting .173 in 23 games. Now with a hamstring injury, he is on the Disabled List He along with Xavier Paul have been filling the void left by Ryan Ludwick when he went to the DL after being injured on opening day.

Chris Heisey has struggled at the plate this season, only batting .173 in 23 games. Now with a hamstring injury, he is on the Disabled List He along with Xavier Paul have been filling the void left by Ryan Ludwick when he went to the DL after being injured on opening day.

by Matt Steinmann (Reds Correspondent)

Sometimes injuries can cripple a team and other times it can give players an opportunity. With Ryan Ludwick on the DL, Chris Heisey and Xavier Paul have been holding down the fort in Left Field. At the plate, Heisey is hitting .173, with 20 Ks in 23 games, and now finds himself with an injured hamstring.

In 20 games, Xavier Paul is hitting .297 with 10 Ks. On the mound, the Reds haven’t missed a beat with Johnny Cueto on the DL. Tony Cingrani, the 23 year old lefty, has stepped up, which will make the Reds decision even more difficult in when Cueto is ready to return.

So far this season, Mike Leake has a 4.34 ERA, and a 1-1 record. In 5 Game Starts, he’s gone 6 Innings twice, Seven Innings twice, with his last outing being his shortest, 3 Innings. He’s given up Earned Run totals of 4, 5, 0, 2, and 3 respectively.

He’s given up 3 HRs so far this season. Leake is in his 4th season with the Reds, and has won 8, 12, and 8 games in his first 3 season respectively. Those numbers are perfectly fine for any 5th starter in baseball.

Tony Cingrani Highlights April.25/2013 vs the Cubs

Read the rest of this entry

Good Start Gone Bad For The White Sox

Like us on Facebook here

Monday April.29/2013

Any fan of the Chicago White Sox knows that they hit a lot of HR's. HR's are a good thing, obviously. Although when it seems like the ONLY way a team can score, some consider it a problem. I wrote earlier in the season that the Sox had gotten of to a good start, going 4-2. They proceeded to get swept by the Washington Nationals, no shame in that, then have struggled ever since. Heading into last Monday, White Sox starting pitchers had 6 consecutive quality starts, consisting of a 1.63 ERA and a .201 OPP BA. Based on those stats alone, one would think the Sox went 4-2 in that span, maybe 5-1? Nope, 1-5.

Any fan of the Chicago White Sox knows that they hit a lot of HR’s. HR’s are a good thing, obviously. Although when it seems like the ONLY way a team can score, some consider it a problem. I wrote earlier in the season that the Sox had gotten of to a good start, going 4-2. They proceeded to get swept by the Washington Nationals, no shame in that, then have struggled ever since.Heading into last Monday, White Sox starting pitchers had 6 consecutive Quality Starts, consisting of a 1.63 ERA and a .201 OPP BA. Based on those stats alone, one would think the Sox went 4-2 in that span, maybe 5-1? Nope, 1-5.

By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): 

The Club Struggles To String Together hits in 2013 season

Heading into play Monday night, the club has gone 10 – 14 to start this year – and currently sit behind the KC Royals by 4 1/2 Games right now for the AL Central Division Lead.  It doesn’t get easy for the team having to face Darvish and the Rangers on Tuesday night – to kick off a 9 Game Road Trip, where they also visit Kansas City and the New York Mets.

So the White Sox are offensively challenged you ask? Absolutely. In the first game of what turned out to be only a 2 game series with the Minnesota Twins this last week due to cold, Jake Peavy pitched masterfully. But, he took a no-decision in a 2-1 Sox loss.

Game 2 of that series, Gavin Floyd had his best start all season. But, it was all for naught as the Sox offense could only muster 2 Runs, and lost 3-2.

Rewind back a week or so ago when the Sox lost 2 of 3 games in Cleveland. Jose Quintana pitched a gem, throwing 7 scoreless Innings, allowing only one hit, while Striking out 7.

But, the Sox offense was shut down by Justin Masterson, and lost in 10 innings, 1-0. Now, games like this are going to happen throughout a 162 game season.

Read the rest of this entry

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 29, 2013

1973-1-baseball-scoreboard.

On today’s The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast I HONESTLY make an effort to understand WAR. It will be an uphill battle.

I also salute Jason Collins and wonder when the first active baseball player will come out.

Kevin Correia, Yoenis Cespedes, Giancarlo Stanton and Clayton Kershaw  owned baseball on April 28, 2013.

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


Subscribe on iTunes HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 29, 2013

Follow sullybaseball on Twitter

Who Owns Baseball – Updated Apr.29/2013

GR1T3.Em.56

Giancarlo Stanton hit a pair of homers and delivered an RBI double as the Marlins got a very rare win.

Clayton Kershaw threw 8 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks as the Dodgers blanked the Brewers.

Yoenis Cespedes launched a game tying 9th inning homer in the A’s wild win over the Orioles.

Kevin Correia threw 8 shutout frames against the Texas Rangers giving the Twins a 5-0 victory.

They all owned baseball on April 28, 2013

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

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

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON Read the rest of this entry

MLB Power Rankings – Apr.29/2013

Like us on Facebook here

Monday Apr.29/2013

Papa Grande had led the AL in Games Finished during each of the last 2 seasons (70 in     2011 and 67 Last Year.  he also led the AL in Saves in 2011 with 49.  It was a Sept/Oct swoon   of a 5.02 ERA that started his troubles - before giving up 6 Earned Runs in 1 combined Inning Pitched between the ALCS and the World Series.  He remained unsigned by everyone until the Tigers gave him an incentive laden 1 Year Deal.  Valverde nailed down 2 Saves this week and the Tigers have won 4 out of 5 games - including sweeping the Atlanta Braves

Papa Grande had led the AL in Games Finished during each of the last 2 seasons (70 in 2011 and 67 Last Year.) he also led the AL in Saves in 2011 with 49. It was a Sept/Oct swoon of a 5.02 ERA that started his troubles – before giving up 6 Earned Runs in 1 combined Inning Pitched between the ALCS and the World Series. He remained unsigned by everyone until the Tigers gave him an incentive laden 1 Year Deal. Valverde nailed down 2 Saves this week and the Tigers have won 4 out of 5 games – including sweeping the Atlanta Braves in Detroit this past weekend.

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

With it coming up to the 4 week Report, the biggest mover this week where the Detroit Tigers.  Jose Valverde came back to the club, looked trimmed down – and more like his 2011 self compared to when we last saw him.  The Motown Boys pasting the Braves over the weekend speaks volumes about their talent.

The worst week went to the Giants – who plummeted from #1 to #11.  It has to be concerning for the fans that Matt Cain and Ryan Vogelsong do not look right. Decent start by Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito have been wasted.  The club may be lacking the hunger to repeat.  I see the whole team having up and down campaigns.

The Toronto Blue Jays may not have plunged down the rankings that much this week, however they have free fallen the most out of any franchise from the start of the year.  The projected AL favorite – have started 9 – 17 and are looking up at 4 good teams in the AL East now. 

I am predicting they will have a good second half, yet they will not make the playoffs now based on the Jose Reyes injury mostly.  John Gibbons also has to be on the hot seat. 

Papa Grande’s Contract is purchased

Read the rest of this entry

Oakland Athletics Payroll In 2013: A’s Organizational Rosters + Depth Charts – (MLB + MiLB)

Like us on Facebook here

Monday, Apr.29/2013

How important was Cespedes to The A's Lineup?  They went 82-47 with him in the lineup and 12-21 without him.  He was the biggest reason the team has soared into the playoff race and wont the AL East.  Beane secured him Free Agency last year without trading any prospects.  Cespedes clubbed 23 HRs.  So far in 2013, the team has gone 10 - 2 with the big Cuban and 4 - 8 without him.

How important was Cespedes to The A’s Lineup? They went 82-47 with him in the lineup and 12-21 without him. So far in 2013, the team has gone 10 – 2 with the big Cuban and 4 – 8 without him.  Clearly he is the teams MVP.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  

You guys are all in for a treat.  Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website.  He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.  We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams. 

Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.  If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.

In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball.  He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.  So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!

Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis.  After you click on it….Bookmark it.  There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page.  Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Athletics Organization click here

MLB Hard Talk 101 – Can The A’s Do It Again?

Read the rest of this entry