Monthly Archives: April 2017
Who Owned Baseball April 5, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings
Photo: Tony Gutierrez/AP
Francisco Lindor reached base 4 times, stole a base, homered twice including a 9th inning come from behind grand slam to put Cleveland ahead of Texas, 9-6.
Matt Wieters reached base 4 times and drove in 2 to help the Nationals beat the Marlins, 6-4.
Chris Sale shone in his Boston debut, keeping the Pirates scoreless over 7 innings. He did not get a decision but set up the Red Sox 3-0 extra inning win.
Brandon Finnegan struck out 9 Phillies over 7 innings of 1 hit ball to earn the 2-0 victory for Cincinnati.
They all owned baseball on April 5, 2017
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
The Top 250 Prospects In Baseball
PLAYERS LIKELY RISING THE TOP PROSPECT RANKING
RANK 218 – FRANKLIN PEREZ
Franklin Perez is a tough cookie to quantify. He is 19 years-old with a decent fastball and a curveball that shows hints of elite status and throws at plus on a bad day. On the surface, I am in love with Franklin Perez and think he has the chance to be something magnificent long-term. Question marks arise on pitches outside his curve and are primarily geared at the change up. He also needs to clean up his delivery and become more repeatable. He is very early on in the development for a transitional pitcher from third base. Though this ranking is likely more passive than aggressive, the future for Perez could net him a top 50 grade by season’s end if he showcases improvement in the mentioned areas. At the moment he looks like a potential SP4 with the upside of an SP2. With his current offerings and age in mind, he didn’t calculate out higher than other names who are younger or hold better offerings. But, that doesn’t mean he can’t beat them out quickly.
RANK 217 – JOSE ALBERTOS
The 6’1″, 18-year-old seems to be making quite the buzz with a high 90s fastball already shown before he truly manifests stateside. The idea that Albertos throws over 100 MPH is running rampant throughout the community and with valid reasons. Though being 185 likely means Albertos isn’t going to find that extra oomph from added size, he already has simple, repeatable mechanics. Albertos can jump significantly up this ranking once he showcases his secondary offerings. He possesses a changeup that flashes plus, and in limited exposure, it was noted that his pitches move with decent horizontal movement. This is a cautionary grade and, as more video and reps manifest, Albertos could see himself within the top 75 prospects in baseball by year end. I expect a potential jump to come from secondary pitches rather than velocity or mechanics.
RANK 208 – GERMAN MARQUEZ
Very similar in nature to Franklin Perez, German Marquez is another pitcher that has a curveball as his best offering, but the fastball is much further along. Marquez is already showing improvement with his changeup and locating his fastball to match the extreme upside his curve alone generates. There is a reason to believe he could eventually turn into a top of the rotation type of arm. When analyzing Marquez, you will notice that he throws a rather straight fastball the later he goes into his starts due to a lowering arm slot. There are also obvious differences in arm speed between pitches, and the arc of the ball becomes visible too early for the curve to enhance the change up. His delivery is very repeatable, but could benefit from becoming more dynamic in the lower half. Higher projection could make him a top 100 type of player, but his current state and the work ahead of him keep him in the SP4 to bullpen bracket.
RANK 165 – PATRICK WEIGEL
Standing 6’6″ with mechanics that are simple while still being able to touch 99 on the gun will generally garner attention. Weigel’s upside varies in time and nature depending on what he is willing to do with his lower half. He already has two off-speed movement pitches that rank as pluses to me (slider/curveball). The issue with Weigel is that controlling those pitches is much harder than throwing for strikes due to how much movement he is able to generate. Increasing the effort in the lower half would only go against enhancing that control, but would move him closer to three elite pitches on pure stuff projection alone. If it wasn’t for the arm action on his changeup, Weigel may be best regarded as a potential bullpen option. Though the pitch is lacking, deception on the changeup could allow him to boast four above average pitches. Moving forward, Weigel could range between an SP2 to a bullpen option, depending on how he harnesses that control while making his lower half more dynamic. As is, he could be a back of the rotation option with dominant outings every now and again. The stuff is there.
RANK 129 – BRANDON WOODRUFF
Brandon Woodruff was somewhat off my radar prior to the improvements he made in the 2016 season. When analyzing tape on Woodruff, he seems to have more control and command than many tend to credit him. He operates with great movement to outside the zone and generates a lot of swings and misses. He has impressive velocity with a lot of life running through the zone than results in weak contact. His primary is complemented by offspeed pitches that offer both work and deception. Overall, Woodruff looks to be a very polished asset in the farm and in a direct comparison could actually outrank Luis Ortiz in their current states. The question for Woodruff is about repeating last season’s performance and answering the question of “what’s next?”. If proves he can maintain a K/9 closer to 9.00 in the next level without sacrificing his pitch usage, it would go a long way in improving his stock. He is someone to carefully eye in 2017 with potential to vastly outperform this ranking.
RANK 95 -NICK WILLIAMS
If you followed Nick Williams at all last year you are well aware of the complete collapse. Williams fell from being a top talent in baseball to a man with more red flags than opportunity provided. The skills are still there and, upon reading media reports and interviews, it appears the issues are more mental and work ethic based than his baseball skill. Williams may continue to slide or he could rise quicker than anyone on this list depending on his mindset this season. With maturity and patience will come opportunity and stardom in regards to Williams’ future. 95 is still higher than many are comfortable with given his results, but I would much Sather take a player in his situation than one already operating at peak potential.
RANK 92 – JUAN SOTO
Juan Soto looks to be the next phenom production from Washington’s system. Victor Robles burst into the top echelon of prospects under the Nationals’ management. Juan Soto looks to do the same.Soto actually holds a comparative advantage at this point in his career when looking at Robles’ move into the limelight. In terms of pure hitting, Soto may completely outclass Robles when they play side by side at the next level. Robles has clear favor when it comes to speed and defense, but Soto has the build to play above average. He will likely only use his speed in the outfield, though, rather than the basepaths. Juan Soto fits into the group of players that Robles, Acuna and himself currently operate with players possessing enough potential to lead their class sooner rather than later. At maturation, though, the order of the three may vary depending on how they adapt this season. Given the level of pitching Soto has seen, I need to see more production against dominant lefties or pitchers offering control of big secondary movement to truly account for how he can adapt to pro play. Acuna and Robles have already displayed the ability, so that should speak to where Soto could land come December of 2017.
RANK 52 – MAX FRIED
In what many may already quantify as a reach at #52, Max Fried looks to become one of the nation’s best pitchers. The lefty possesses strong velocity, excellent secondaries, improved mechanics and could become the strongest southpaw in the minors sooner rather than later. He holds front-end talent at maturation and has displayed that potential early in outings. Coming off Tommy John surgery, conditioning and usage will always come into question…and will be the deciding factors as he moves forward. If they find his arm cannot handle the stress of 7+ innings over 20 starts in a year, he may move to the bullpen, but there is little to suggest the transition yet. There is some concern because Fried showcased dangerous mechanics deep into his starts after the injury. Lulls in technique became more frequent by the inning, but by the end of the year h appeared to correct the issues. With increased stamina via offseason conditioning, he is set for stardom.
| Ranking | Player Name | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew Benintendi | BOS | OF |
| 2 | Yoan Moncada | CHW | 2B |
| 3 | Gleyber Torres | NYY | SS |
| 4 | Lewis Brinson | MIL | OF |
| 5 | Lucas Giolito | CHW | RHP |
| 6 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B |
| 7 | Victor Robles | WAS | OF |
| 8 | Brendan Rodgers | COL | SS |
| 9 | Amed Rosario | NYM | SS |
| 10 | J.P. Crawford | PHI | SS |
Top Prospects
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Fanduel & DraftKings 4/6/17
Fanduel Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (4/6/17): MLB DFS Advice
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (4/6/17): MLB DFS Advice
DailyRotoHelp.com wants to help you win a ton of cash while also allowing you to feel like you’re making it yourself. You may not agree with all of our picks, but that’s what makes a DFS player a GREAT DFS Player.
Our daily plays are from a collection of experts and a ton of research that goes into them. We have spent countless hours a day crunching the numbers from a dozen different aspects of each sport and bring you the best options each day.
If you take away from our articles the ability to build your own lineups that’s great! If you are still wanting some help definitely subscribe to our Optimal NBA and NFL DFS, or MLB Lineups for both Fanduel and DraftKings for that added boost! Good Luck and bring home that bacon.
Want to win more money at FanDuel and DraftKings? CLICK HERE TO VIEW OPTIMAL DFS LINEUPS for MLB.
Daily Matchups for 4/6/2017
Marcus Stroman- I absolutely love Stroman in this matchup against the Rays. He’s given up 30 hits in 111 ABs (.270 BA( but has a 12.6 K%. He’s struck out 15 batters while giving up 5 HRs. I think these numbers will make others look the other way and that’s where you can pounce on a pitcher of his caliber at this price.
Eduardo Rodriguez- Seeing as how this season has started out as an Inter-league play the Pirates haven’t played the best baseball since they have been playing the power-house Red Sox. Couple that with only seeing 4 Pirate’s bats in his career, he makes a very intriguing GPP play.
Gio Gonzalez- Even though the Marlins can pull out the big guns in the form of right-handed batters (Realmuto, Stanton, Ozuna, Hechavarria) Gonzalez has actually done extremely well against righties as opposed to lefties. He has the rare reverse splits you don’t see much. If you’re a casual DFSer you might look and see that the Righty/Lefty matchup and shy away, but we need to be looking at Gonzalez as a cash option or a SP2 tonight.
Value/Sleeper Pitchers:
Brandon McCarthy- He gets to face a juicy matchup against the lowly Padres. Who is on the other side of the bump? One Jered Weaver. Jered Weaver hasn’t been an effective pitcher in a few seasons and I could see this getting very ugly for him fast. That means runs, and runs for McCarthy are all he needs to hold the Pads at bay. McCarthy has only given up 11 hits in 48 ABs which comes out to a .229 BA. He has a 21.6 K% and only a 5.9 BB %. Giving up 11 hits but striking out 11 as well is perfect as he fits the mold of the pitcher in the price range that we could use to cash in GPPs.
Matt Harvey- This is purely a tournament play and nothing else. Harvey is still miraculously pitching even with his shoulder problem and that scares us. He’s held the Braves to 20 hits in 94 ABs which is a .213 BA. In his career he has a 21.2 K% and only a 3.0 BB%. He has 20 Ks and only gave up 1 HR and he should go under-owned in tonight’s slate.
To see the rest click MLB DFS 4/6/17 Picks
Sully Baseball Podcast – The First Weekly Show – April 6, 2017
Did you miss me?
How could you? I was only gone 3 days! In the first edition of the new weekly version of the podcast, I reminded us how important the early games of the season can be.
Plus in the Teams That Should Have Won segment, I honor the 2011 Phillies, who should have made history. Instead they fell in a heap.
It may not be daily anymore, but it still feels good to float down the River Sully in this episode of Sully Baseball.
21 Cool Stats, Facts and Observations From MLB’s Opening Day
It’s only been a couple days since the MLB made its triumphant return around the country in games that actually count, but a lot of cool stuff has already happened.
As ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian says frequently, the beautiful part of baseball is you can head to the stadium every single night and see something that’s never happened before. With all the action taking place, we’ve taken the time to set aside as many tweets as we can find containing cool stats, facts or just a plain old observations of what’s going on.
Since baseball is played on a daily basis, there are tons of opportunities for this kind of stuff to happen, so we can safely assume the the following 21 tweets are just the beginning of something wonderful in 2017.
Money Lines For MLB Games Played Wednesday Apr 5, 2017
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
It is simple. ALL year we are betting $1 on all the underdogs for as many of the 2430 Games we can.
We are trying to validate a point that daily wagering is decent to follow this formula.
Each day we intend to update the results on this page.
On the mainpages of the site, where the blog posts go in timely order, we also are going to post the daily MLB Schedule and all Open Lines available at the time of publishing.
In addition to the DFS daily posts for FanDuel, DraftKings, and overall player selection posts daily, there will be that post of morning lines.
Once a week the Odds to win the World Series will be done on a post, and once every 2 weeks the Pennant Winner Odds, and Division Odds will be posted.
At the ALL – Star Break we will have a great breakdown blog of the HR Derby. We have won money on this contest four years in a row.
We have you covered for wagering all year long.
Yearly Bankroll Start: $500 – To Date (Apr 5, 2017) – $496.07) = Loss of $3.93)
See Results at our MLB Master Schedule Games Page here Read the rest of this entry
Who Owned Baseball April 4, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings
Caylor Arnold – USA TODAY
Ian Kinsler reached base 4 times, including a homer, scoring twice as the Tigers won their opening 6-3 over the White Sox.
Justin Verlander pitched into the 7th and struck out 10 White Sox in 6 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs and getting the 6-3 victory for the Tigers.
Gerardo Parra doubled and singled twice, driving in 3 and scoring a run as the Rockies held on to the 6-5 final in Milwaukee.
Clayton Richard threw 8 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 5 Dodgers as the Padres blanked LA, 4-0.
They all owned baseball on April 4, 2017
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
MLB Shutout Survivor 2017: Rays + Dodgers Share 5 – 0 Losses To Be Elminated
Not even Longoria;s career mastery over CC Sabathia could stop the Rays from being blanked on Tuesday night Tampa Bay was never a favorite to win this competition, but i didn’t think they would be stopped on this night while facing Sabathia.
MLB Shutout Survivor 2017:
Each year we run the list as it comes down in order. From Opening Day until the last club is blanked, we see which squad can hold off getting zeroed the longest.
Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates lasted into June to win the honors.
You always have to go with the favorites to win this category. This would be the Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox considering their potent offenses and home venue for their ball games.
The Dodgers continued their trend not to fare well against LHP, despite the fact the have Lefty killer Franklin Gutierrez now, and bowed out of this competition one day after hanging 14 runs on the Padres.
Maybe there is a reason for optimism yet is San Diego.
The Rays couldn’t figure out CC Sabathia either, and I am surprised that Evan Longoria didn’t hit at least a wall ball versus the Yankees veteran Maybe Sabathia will pitch good to start in 2017 too. Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Player Picks For DraftKings – 4/5/17
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post.
Please Read more about Stacking and Pitchers from our FanDuel Post today
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style. Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Player Picks For FanDuel 4/5/17
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post. You can use our formula for your own wanted and given stacks and pitchers. This process wheels them all in alignment.
Fanduel – 4/5/17 ( 12 Game Main Slate)
What We Will Give You – Daily During The Season
3 – 7 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these squads)
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Trevor Cahill
Washington Nationals vs Dan Straily
SF Giants vs Taijuan Walker
Boston Red Sox vs Jameson Taillon
3 – 7 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
Chris Sale, PIT @ BOS, $11, 400
Jacob deGrom, ATL @ NYM, $9800
Rich Hill, SD @ LAD, $9600
Cole Hamels, CLE @ TEX, $9300
Tanner Roark, MIA @ WSH, $8600
Garrett Richards, LAA @ OAK, $8600
Tyler Chatwood, COL @ MIA, $7600 Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Fanduel and DraftKings 4/5/17
Fanduel Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (4/5/17): MLB DFS Advice
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (4/5/17): MLB DFS Advice
DailyRotoHelp.com wants to help you win a ton of cash while also allowing you to feel like you’re making it yourself. You may not agree with all of our picks, but that’s what makes a DFS player a GREAT DFS Player.
Our daily plays are from a collection of experts and a ton of research that goes into them. We have spent countless hours a day crunching the numbers from a dozen different aspects of each sport and bring you the best options each day.
If you take away from our articles the ability to build your own lineups that’s great! If you are still wanting some help definitely subscribe to our Optimal NBA and NFL DFS, or MLB Lineups for both Fanduel and DraftKings for that added boost! Good Luck and bring home that bacon.
Want to win more money at FanDuel and DraftKings? CLICK HERE TO VIEW OPTIMAL DFS LINEUPS for MLB.
Daily Matchups For 4/5/2017
Value/Sleeper Pitchers:
Ian Kennedy– I think this will be a name that goes under the radar on a full slate of games. He gets to face a Twins team that really hasn’t improved that much from last year when they were horrible.
Kennedy has faced 91 Ray’s batters and given up only 22 hits which comes to a .242 BA. Kennedy isn’t a sexy name by any means but he has a 25.2 K% and only a 7.8 BB% while only giving up 5 HRs to go along with 26 strikeouts. He could be the sneaky yet effective tournament option.
John Lackey– This is a more riskier play than others on the slate because of Lackey’s age and so many miles on his arm. He’s facing the Cub’s foe, his old team, the Cardinals. He’s seen them a lot to the tune of 139 ABs and in those he’s only given up 31 hits for a .223 BA. Lackey has struck out 35 batters with a 23 K% and only given up 2 HRs.
J.A. Happ– This one might be a little surprising for you but people will probably be off of Happ since he’s going up against a semi-potent offense in the Orioles. Oddly enough, Happ has held them to 32 hits in 149 ABs (.215 BA) with a 29.2 K% and only a 6.2 BB%. He has 47 strikeouts while giving up 6 HRs and could be that middle-tier priced pitcher you need to take down a GPP.
Want to see the rest? Click MLB DFS 4/5/17 Plays
“Every Day Chucker” Podcast Episode #3: Lets Just Have 8 Batters Per Lineup Hit
NO DH and No Pitcher hitting??? Am I crazy, or would this be a creative way to influx some offense into the game without other big changes done to the fabric of baseball?
Consider the injury yesterday to Junior Guerra, and what if it were Clayton Kershaw or Madison Bumgarner. Or if a Pitcher got hurt like Chien-Ming Wang, or worse like Tony Conigliaro?
Don’t worry folks, this kind of alteration is unlikely to happen, but one has to wonder whether the league will adopt a unified set of rules for both the American and National League.
Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Player Picks For DraftKings – 4/4/17
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post.
Please Read more about Stacking and Pitchers from our FanDuel Post today
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style. Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Player Picks For FanDuel 4/4/17
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post. You can use our formula for your own wanted and given stacks and pitchers. This process wheels them all in alignment.
Fanduel – 4/4/17 ( 8 Game Main Slate)
What We Will Give You – Daily During The Season
3 – 7 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these squads)
SF Giants vs Patrick Corbin
Chicago Cubs vs Adam Wainwright
LA Dodgers vs Clayton Richard
Houston Astros vs Hisashi Iwakuma
Tampa Bay Rays vs CC Sabathia
3 – 5 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
Jake Arrieta, CHC @ STL, $10, 800
Kenta Maeda, SD @ LAD, $8600
Matt Shoemaker, LAA @ OAK, $8000
If you are looking for more players themselves than stacking options (as oppose to full lineup cards with a lot of advance for both FD/DK, we refer you to dailyrotohelp.com (for player picks all day) Read the rest of this entry
MLB Shutout Survivor 2017: Braves + M’s Eliminated On Opening Day
Barring a Shutout in the game with the Tigers and White Sox today exceeding 6 runs, than Atlanta will finish 30th in this contest this season.
MLB Shutout Survivor 2017:
Each year we run the list as it comes down in order. From Opening Day until the last club is blanked, we see which squad can hold off getting zeroed the longest.
Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates lasted into June to win the honors.
You always have to go with the favorites to win this category. This would be the Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox considering their potent offenses and home venue for their ball games. Read the rest of this entry
Money Lines For MLB Games Played Tuesday Apr 4, 2017
It is simple. ALL year we are betting $1 on all the underdogs for as many of the 2430 Games we can.
We are trying to validate a point that daily wagering is decent to follow this formula.
Each day we intend to update the results on this page.
On the mainpages of the site, where the blog posts go in timely order, we also are going to post the daily MLB Schedule and all Open Lines available at the time of publishing.
In addition to the DFS daily posts for FanDuel, DraftKings, and overall player selection posts daily, there will be that post of morning lines.
Once a week the Odds to win the World Series will be done on a post, and once every 2 weeks the Pennant Winner Odds, and Division Odds will be posted.
At the ALL – Star Break we will have a great breakdown blog of the HR Derby. We have won money on this contest four years in a row.
We have you covered for wagering all year long.
Yearly Bankroll Start: $500 – To Date (Apr 4, 2017) – $502.15) = Profit of $2.15
See Results at our MLB Master Schedule Games Page here
ALL TIMES DISPLAYED IN EASTERN TIME ZONE
WEEK 1 (Includes Season Opener Sunday Apr 2, 2017)
INTERLEAGUE GAMES IN MAROON
APR 2017
Tuesday Apr 4 (9 Games):
Tigers @ White Sox 2;10
-123 Justin Verlander vs Jose Quintana +112
DET 6 CWS 3
$1 Loss
Yankees @ Rays 7:10
-108 CC Sabahia vs Jake Odorizzi -102
NYY 5 TB 0
$1 Loss
Rockies @ Brewers 7:40
-109 Tyler Anderson vs Zach Davies -101
COL 6 MIL 5
$1 Loss
Indians @ Rangers 8:05
-156 Carlos Carrasco vs Martin Perez +141
CLE 4 TEX 3
$1 Loss
M’s @ Astros 8:10
+153 Hisashi Iwakuma vs Lance McCullers Jr. -170
HOU 2 SEA 1
$1 Loss
Cubs @ Cardinals 8:15
-144 Jake Arrieta vs Adam Wainwright +129
CHC 2 STL 1
$1 Loss
Giants @ D’Backs 9:40
-156 Johnny Cueto vs Patrick Corbin +141
SF 8 ARI 4
$1 Loss
Angels @ A’s 10:05
-117 Matt Shoemaker vs Sean Manaea +106
Padres @ Dodgers 10:10
+192 Clayton Richard vs Kenta Maeda -215
SD 5 LAD 0
$1.92 Profit
$8.00 in Losses
$6.08 loss for the day
ODDS courtesy of betdsi.com
By Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***
A big thanks goes out to our ‘Chief Writer/Part Owner’ Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s featured post.
‘There Are Very Few Individuals as Fascinating as Lefty O’Doul’
Lefty O’Doul, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Joe DiMaggio
Lefty O’Doul had an extraordinary baseball career. Blessed with blazing speed and preternatural hitting ability, O’Doul nonetheless failed to stick in the majors until the age of 31. It was partially his own fault: Despite repeated entreaties by coaches, managers and teammates to focus his attention on hitting, O’Doul insisted he was a pitcher, not the man who would eventually retire with a .349 lifetime batting average (fourth-best of all-time).
After his playing days came to a close, O’Doul was appointed “Manager for Life” of the legendary San Francisco Seals (a position he held for 17 years); established a reputation as the best (and most cerebral) hitting instructor in the game; and, through sheer force of will and personality, did more than any other person to promote baseball in Japan, where it remains a national obsession (and where O’Doul is still revered).
With Lefty O’Doul: Baseball’s Forgotten Ambassador, author Dennis Snelling has written the definitive biography of one of baseball’s greatest personalities. It’s a book worthy of its subject.The following interview with Snelling was conducted via email.
Who Owned Baseball April 3, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings
Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
Clayton Kershaw struck out 8 Padres in 7 innings of 2 hit ball allowing one earned run and one unearned run, earning the 14-3 opening day decision for Los Angeles.
Yasmani Grandal clobbered a pair of homers to power the Dodgers in a 14-3 laugher over San Diego.
Dallas Keuchel kept the Mariners off the board over 7 shutout frames, giving up 2 hits and 2 walks and got the Astros a 3-0 win.
Khris Davis slammed 2 homers to lead Oakland past the Angels, 4-2.
They all owned baseball on April 3, 2017
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
![[Video] MLB DFS 4/4/17 Slate Breakdown](https://mlbreports.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/evan-longoria-sklz-header.jpg?w=90&h=70&crop=1 "[Video] MLB DFS 4/4/17 Slate Breakdown")
[Video] MLB DFS 4/4/17 Slate Breakdown
Fanduel Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (4/4/17): MLB DFS Advice
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (4/4/17): MLB DFS Advice
DailyRotoHelp.com wants to help you win a ton of cash while also allowing you to feel like you’re making it yourself. You may not agree with all of our picks, but that’s what makes a DFS player a GREAT DFS Player.
Our daily plays are from a collection of experts and a ton of research that goes into them. We have spent countless hours a day crunching the numbers from a dozen different aspects of each sport and bring you the best options each day.
If you take away from our articles the ability to build your own lineups that’s great! If you are still wanting some help definitely subscribe to our Optimal NBA and NFL DFS, or MLB Lineups for both Fanduel and DraftKings for that added boost! Good Luck and bring home that bacon.
Want to win more money at FanDuel and DraftKings? CLICK HERE TO VIEW OPTIMAL DFS LINEUPS for MLB.
Daily Matchups for 4/4/2017
Who Owned Baseball April 2, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings
Brian Blanco/Getty Images North America
Logan Morrison collected 3 hits, including a homer, driving in 3 to help the Rays top the Yankees, 7-3.
Randal Grichuk reached base 3 times, homered and smacked a walk off single to put the Cardinals past the champion Cubs, 4-3.
Chris Archer earned his first win of the year, holding the Yankees to 2 runs in 7 innings in Tampa’s 7-3 opening day triumph.
Carlos Martinez pitched into the 8th, striking out 10 in 7 1/3 innings. He did not get the decision, but set up the Cardinals 4-3 walk off win over the Cubs.
And earning two 1/2 WOBs in the same game, Madison Bumgarner was perfect against the Diamondbacks over 5 innings, struck out 11, walked none and allowed just 3 runs. As a hitter, he homered twice and walked. The Giants bullpen imploded however and Arizona took the game, 6-5.
They all owned baseball on April 2, 2017
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
A Fun Way For Fans To Track Runs Scoring For Teams This Season: MLB Runs Scoring Survivor 2017
For years we ran this entire category until all clubs had finished the task, this year we are encouraging readers to copy and paste this chart below and follow for themselves.
What Runs Survivor is, a MLB team scoring 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 10 or (10+) in different games throughout the course of the season. If you score exactly 10 it still works for 10 (or 10+)
Once a club has one of these run totals once, you cross it off and keep going until they complete the 11 different variations.
As the runs come in on a daily basis, we will keep erasing the numbers beside the team until the last team wins.
When a club finishes the 11 different totals, please chart how many Games Played the team has at the time. If another team ties them for Games Played, the highest run total in the Final runs total erased will act as the tiebreaker Read the rest of this entry
The Bond of Baseball
My annual post in taking a moment to remember the game is much bigger then what we watch during the season.
Opening Day, a day for happiness, a day that signifies that summer is on its way, a day that everyone is in first place, a day that every team still has a chance, a day of sadness for me. As much as I enjoy spending this day with my wife and friends hanging out at the ball park, it’s another opening day without my father. It’s now been over ten years since I lost my dad to cancer and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him, but this day is especially tough for me as we shared the bond of baseball together. As a matter of fact it’s so tough that I had to write this two weeks prior to opening day nine years ago.
See, Dad taught me the game and taught me well, he spent time playing catch with me, hitting grounders, pitching to me, playing backstop, playing strike out, you name it and we did it. He of course took me to my first Tigers’ game back in the early 80’s, which is what really got me hooked on the game. We’d spend many more opening days, Father’s Days, and summer days there together talking about the game. He was a catcher growing up, a position I never liked or truly became accustomed to, so he would share with me what the catcher was doing at that moment in the game. We’d take everything in while having probably some of the best conversations we had ever had, which could be about baseball but didn’t have to be.
Washington Nationals Top 25 Prospects
Washington was one of two Major League clubs to send a highly touted prospect to the Chicago White Sox this offseason. The Nationals showed their faith in the current staff and future pitchers by trading away Lucas Giolito, Dane Dunning, and Reynaldo Lopez for defensive superstar Adam Eaton. Pitching certainly comes at a premium in the current system with only 6 pitchers making these rankings, but a number of them appear well suited for this organization’s layout. Erick Fedde sits behind only Victory Robles as a likely mid-rotation arm in the future. Behind him are Austin Voth and A.J. Cole who, though limited in potential, will work their way onto the 25-man roster for spot starts and relief appearances either in the summer or during September call-ups. Koda Gloves is one of the lower ranking pitches in the system, but an uncertain closer role in Washington makes him a clear name to emerge over the next couple of seasons.
The limited nature of pitchers in the rankings come as a result of the Giolito trade, but also remarkable depth in the field. Washington has prepared for the potential loss of Bryce Harper with seven outfielders making the Top 25, Victor Robles taking the top spot. The teenage phenom remains a ways off of the 25-man roster, but rapid development since signing out of the Dominican Republic has scouts salivating across the league. Youngsters Juan Soto and Carter Kieboom follow suit given areas of need, but the Nationals have a slew of potential stars awaiting in the ranks. What separates this system from many others is that potential stemming from the lower spots. Players like Kelvin Gutierrez, Jose Marmolejos, Spencer Kieboom, and Telmito Agustin all have things that they need to improve, but all profile as potential everyday players given the right situation.
Washington Nationals Top 25 Prospects In 2017
Chris Archer’s Opening Day Performance Had a Different Feel Than Last Year
It’s impossible to draw conclusions from one game out of a 162-game season. Heck, we know that even a strong first month doesn’t necessarily mean the next five are going to be smooth. But what one game can do — especially on Opening Day — is set a tone that a team can start to get behind.
That’s what Chris Archer was successful in doing during the Tampa Bay Rays’ win over the New York Yankees. This was Archer’s third Opening Day start with Tampa Bay, but his first victory. When looking at parts of his pitching line from Sunday compared to the 2016 season opener, though, one may think last year’s performance was more dominant.
Last season against the Toronto Blue Jays, the right-hander allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits, 3 walks and 12 strikeouts. This year, he allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, 1 walk and just 5 strikeouts. There was one really important difference, though.
“Every Day Chucker” Podcast Episode #2 – MLB Interleague: AL Speedbagging The NL
I ask the question – How many more years will be added on to the 13 year winning streak for the W-L record of the Junior Circuit, holding dominance over the Senior Circuit?
Wins by league Heading into 2017
| Year | Best record | Games | AL | NL | %* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | National | 214 | 97 | 117 | .547 |
| 1998 | American | 224 | 114 | 110 | .509 |
| 1999 | National | 251 | 116 | 135 | .538 |
| 2000 | American | 251 | 136 | 115 | .542 |
| 2001 | American | 252 | 132 | 120 | .524 |
| 2002 | National | 252 | 123 | 129 | .512 |
| 2003 | National | 252 | 115 | 137 | .544 |
| 2004 | American | 252 | 127 | 125 | .504 |
| 2005 | American | 252 | 136 | 116 | .540 |
| 2006 | American | 252 | 154 | 98 | .611 |
| 2007 | American | 252 | 137 | 115 | .544 |
| 2008 | American | 252 | 149 | 103 | .591 |
| 2009 | American | 252 | 138 | 114 | .548 |
| 2010 | American | 252 | 134 | 118 | .532 |
| 2011 | American | 252 | 131 | 121 | .520 |
| 2012 | American | 252 | 142 | 110 | .563 |
| 2013 | American | 300 | 154 | 146 | .513 |
| 2014 | American | 300 | 163 | 137 | .543 |
| 2015 | American | 300 | 167 | 133 | .557 |
| 2016 | American | 300 | 165 | 135 | .550 |
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Fanduel – 4/3/17
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post. You can use our formula for your own wanted and given stacks and pitchers. This process wheels them all in alignment.
What We Will Give You – Daily During The Season
3 – 7 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these squads).
Washington Nationals vs Edinson Volquez
Toronto Blue Jays vs Kevin Gausman
Colorado Rockies vs Junior Guerra
Cincinnati Reds vs Jeremy Hellickson
Philadelphia Phillies vs Scott Feldman
3 – 5 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).
Noah Syndergaard, ATL @ NYM, $11, 900
Stephen Strasburg, MIA @ WSH, $9700
Jon Gray, COL @ MIL, $8200
If you are looking for more players themselves than stacking options (as oppose to full lineup cards with a lot of advance for both FD/DK, plus the additional website of www.fanpicks.com) – please visit we refer you to dailyrotohelp.com (for player picks all day) Read the rest of this entry
DraftKings DFS Picks For Apr 3, 2017
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner)
Follow @stokes_Hunter21 @mlbreports
One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves. We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.
Our new Draft Strategy is now here. Please read after the post.
With a limited schedule for both Sunday Apr 2, 2017 & Monday Apr 3, 2017 – we are running some light DFS lineups, but will really ramp it up beginning Tuesday Apr 4, 2017.
Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style.
MLB Power Rankings 2017: Week 1 – Apr
Disclaimer: We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series. Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.
Chicago Cubs (1): The Cubs are the defending champions, and with the amount of talent they were able to bring back, plus add Kyle Schwarber for a full year, this spells they will sleepwalk to their Division again this season
At the MLB Reports we stated that we believe that another club may even win more games than Chicago, but this may be a product of Joe Maddon resting guys ultimately throughout the campaign.
Season duplicating from Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey will be harder to reel in. The loss of Dexter Fowler is not replaced by Jon Jay.
If the Cardinals or the Pirates are able to push the Cubs, then the 100 win plateau may still be valid. Chicago wins the NL Central by 10 games in our view. Read the rest of this entry
When Lefty O’Doul Spoke, DiMaggio and Williams Listened
When Lefty O’Doul rejoined the San Francisco Seals in 1935, he was already considered one of the great teachers of hitting. Although he would serve as a manager for the next two decades plus, his greatest impact would be as an instructor—a combined hitting theorist and amateur psychologist of sorts who helped develop and inspire a number of great baseball players along the way.
Charlie Graham had O’Doul’s first prize pupil ready; the young man’s name was Joe DiMaggio, and he hailed from San Francisco’s North Beach. A generation earlier he would have been one of the neighborhood kids O’Doul and his mates considered mortal enemies—the Irish versus the Italians.
Joe DiMaggio was quite a baseball player. READ MORE ON PLATE COVERAGE
The Last Daily Episode of the Sully Baseball Podcast – April 2, 2017
After 1,622 straight days of doing a daily podcast, never missing a day, the streak is ending today.
The format will change from daily to weekly. But before I make the change, I wanted to acknowledge the strange 4 1/2 year journey that comprised the single most fun I have ever had doing a creative project.
Thanks for these past 1,622 days of joining you and let’s look forward to what the future may bring.
One thing ends as a season begins on the final episode of Sully Baseball DAILY Podcast.
MLB Reports 
You must be logged in to post a comment.