Author Archives: Jonathan Hacohen
Interview with Robbie Erlin: San Diego Padres Prospect
Monday October 31, 2011
Jeff P (Guest Writer – MLB reports): I had the pleasure to recently interview one of the top prospects in the game, Robert Erlin of the San Diego Padres. The 21-year-old Erlin was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 3rd round of the 2009 draft. After posting incredible numbers in his brief time in the Rangers organization, Erlin was traded in July 2011, with Joe Wieland for reliever Mike Adams. While Adams was a solid addition to the Rangers bullpen on the road to the World Series, Erlin exploded after the trade. In 6 starts with San Antonio in AA, Erlin had a 1.38 ERA, 1.154 WHIP and 31/4 SO/BB. On the fast track with the Padres, Erlin has a good chance of making his major league debut as early as 2012. Featured on MLB reports, I proudly present my interview with Padres Prospect, Robbie Erlin:
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MLB reports: Hey, Robbie. First of all, I want to thank you for being with us today, it really is an honor to have you with us. I’m sure you have a busy schedule so, let’s get this started. First off:
MLB reports: You have been outstanding to late, and even became a nominee of MLB.com‘s top 50 prospects, who can you thank for your success?
Robbie Erlin: I would thank my dad who taught me how to pitch at a young age, Dave Salter, my pitching coach since I was 13 years old, all the coaches in the Texas Rangers organization who I have worked with during my first couple years of pro ball, and the coaches on the San Antonio Missions who I got to work with for a couple of months this season.
MLB reports: Was it hard to adjust from the Rangers to the Padres?
Robbie Erlin: It wasn’t too hard to make the adjustment. The Padres and Missions staff let me stick with my routines and throwing program and the players were very helpful with any questions that I had.
MLB reports: What do you think is unique about the San Diego Padres organization?
Robbie Erlin: The amount of young talent that they have in both the minor leagues and at the major league level.
MLB reports: What are your daily rituals, and hobbies off the field?
Robbie Erlin: I watch the TV show “Las Vegas” everyday before I go to the field. In the offseason I enjoy spending time with my family and visiting my friends who are in college.
MLB reports: You have been dominating lately. What changes have you made in order to succeed?
Robbie Erlin: I have really tried to concentrate on hitters’ tendencies and gaining information about offenses so I can apply it in my outings. Also, I have made small adjustments in my delivery so it looks the same on every pitch.
MLB reports: What were the reactions on you getting drafted, and the after party?
Robbie Erlin: My family, friends, and I were very excited about getting drafted. I wanted to play baseball after high school and the Rangers provided me with the opportunity.
MLB reports: Out of your fastball, curveball, and change-up, what would you say is your strongest pitch?
Robbie Erlin: Fastball.
MLB reports: Is it safe to say we can see you in MLB in late 2012, or 2013?
Robbie Erlin: That is a decision for the Padres to make. I am going to focus on pitching and improving as much as I can.
MLB reports: Who do you look up to in the MLB?
Robbie Erlin: There is not one specific player. I watch all of them and try to learn from how they play the game.
MLB reports: What kind of music can one find on your iPod?
Robbie Erlin: Country, Classic Rock, Pop, and Rap.
MLB reports: What’s your favorite sport besides baseball?
Robbie Erlin: Football.
MLB reports: Who was the hardest batter you’ve faced in your professional career?
Robbie Erlin: Cody Hinze from Houston has always been a tough out for me.
MLB reports: Let’s end it off here: If you weren’t a baseball player, where would you see yourself today?
Robbie Erlin: I would be in college working towards a degree.
MLB reports: Thank you very much for taking your time out of your busy schedule so we can have you with us. Much appreciated!
Robbie Erlin: No problem. Thank you very much for the interview!
Thank you again to Robbie Erlin for taking the time to join us today on MLB reports. We highly encourage our readers to post at the bottom of the article any questions and/or comments that you may have for Robbie. As well, please follow Robbie on Twitter (@RobbieErlin11)
***Today’s feature was prepared by Jeff P, Guest Writer to MLB reports. 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 Jeff on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Cardinals Win the 2011 World Series and Freese Named MVP
Saturday October 29, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: The game of the year turned out to be a non-starter at the end. Before game time I predicted a 5-1 Cardinals victory. I was close…they took it 6-2. The big reason for my vision was the fact the Cardinals had ace pitcher on the mound, Chris Carpenter. The Carp was solid on this night as he gave Tony La Russa as strong out of an outing as could have been expected on short rest. Carpenter went 6.0 innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits, 2 walks and striking out 5. With the Cards’ ace in the zone, the Rangers could not muster any runs after the 1st. Not only did the Rangers not score any runs, but the Cardinals bullpen was perfect for the final 3 innings, in not giving up any runs, hits or walks. Arthur Rhodes, Octavio Dotel, Lance Lynn and Jason Motte played as they did for most of these playoffs as the St. Louis Cardinals became the 2011 World Series champions.
While Carpenter got his second World Series victory, Matt Harrison took his second loss. Harrison pitched decently, going 4.0 innings and giving up the 3 Cardinals winning runs. Ron Washington proceeded to bring in Scott Feldman, C.J. Wilson, Mike Adams (who gave up the 4th run), Mike Gonzalez and Alexi Ogando. The difference in this game hitting-wise was David Freese coming up big again with 2 RBIs and Allen Craig delivering the game winning run, a solo home run in the 3rd. Those two relatively unknowns coming into the playoffs delivered time and time again for La Russa in this postseason.
There are 4 main components to the Cardinals winning the World Series this year:
1) David Freese: World Series MVP was a man on fire in October and was the overwhelming choice for the award. Freese hit .397 in the postseason, 5 home runs and a record 21 RBIs. It seems that every time the team needed him, Freese came through. Considering that the third base was a question mark for the Cardinals coming into the season, Freese was exactly the player the team needed at the right time.
2) Chris Carpenter: Every big game, every time the needed a big performance, Carpenter was there. All Carp did this year was get the team into the playoffs, knock off Roy Halladay and the Phillies in the NLDS and win the final World Series game 7. Carpenter has been Mr. Steady for the team and fulfilling the role of ace in every sense of the word. Sure the Cards had other weapons to rely upon. But no Carpenter…no championship.
3) The Bullpen: Looking at the numbers, the Cardinals bullpen was obscene this postseason. Tony La Russa had so many weapons out there as his pen gelled at the right time. When a team can almost count on 3-4 shutdown innings every night, they stand a good chance of winning. Jason Motte blossomed into the closer that was envisioned for him and as he honed his control, he has been nearly untouchable. Dotel, Rhodes and the boys have been as strong a part of this team as any bullpen I have ever seen. The Cardinals caught lightning in a bottle with this group and rode them all the way to the World Series.
4) Tony La Russa: Say what you want about TLR: the man won the big one. Another World Series championship under his belt and second one in St. Louis. Considering how many critics blasted him during the season and the Cardinals seemed to be a non-factor going into September, credit needs to be given where it is deserved. Too often in sports we are quick to blast a manager for making a mistake, but not quick enough to throw praise where it is due. It is my feeling that in the aftermath of the past week, many critics were relentless on their criticism of La Russa after the bullpen phone fiasco in game 5. But even if there is blame to be laid there, the bottom line is game 5 was that the Cardinals bats went cold in that game and the team could not deliver a win. A manager can only do so much. His team needs to play well in front of him. Game 7 was about Carpenter and the bullpen, with some timely hits by Freese and Craig. But Tony La Russa helped guide this team, with bullpen selections, lineups and match ups and in-game decisions. TLR is a master chess player and in 2011, his smarts and wits played a big part in his team over taking the Braves for the Wild Card and beating the Phillies, Brewers and Rangers. Few, if any managers, are as prepared and knowledgeable as TLR. The Cardinals manager was one of the main building blocks of this particular World Series championship.
Where do we go from here? After stories and questions circulated all season long, we will finally find out who will be back in St. Louis come 2012. After winning
their second World Series championship together, I am prepared to bet the farm (if I had a farm to bet) that Tony La Russa and Albert Pujols will be back together next year. With the foundation of the bullpen, Lance Berkman, Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday, combined with Carpenter and a returning Adam Wainwright, this team has the pieces to make a dynasty run. Pujols has the chance to create a legacy for himself. His time, his standing in history, all centre around St. Louis. Pujols and his manager have too much invented in this city and team to turn away. Both will be back in 2012 as the Cardinals are now the team to beat going into next year.
With the ending of game-7 of the World Series, the major league season has come to an end for another year. Heading into this offseason, we will have many topics, issues and news stories to cover. The MLB Winter Meetings. Winter Ball. Free agency. The Collective Bargaining Agreement. The future of Bud Selig. MLB Expansion and Realignment. Spring Training. Baseball never ends. The season, from spring training to the World Series is 8 months long. We are now coming to the hardest 4 months of a baseball fan’s life. With baseball news stories everyday, MLB reports will continue to bring you the latest news and analysis that you have come to expect all season long. MLB 4 Life. That is the name of the game. On this day, we congratulate Tony La Russa, David Freese and the St. Louis Cardinals on an exciting and well deserved World Series championship. This has been one of the most exciting postseasons and World Series of all time. Now…the countdown to Spring Training begins.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Freese Sends Cardinals to Game 7 of the World Series
Friday October 28, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: Much attention was thrown to Tony La Russa and “Bullpen Phone Gate” following Game 5 of the World Series. Despite the trend to make the Cardinals manager into the goat, the team lost on Monday night 4-2 by failing to execute the clutch and hit with runners in scoring position (1 for 12 in the game). With the Rangers leading the series 3-2, a Texas win on Thursday would have clinched the first ever World Series title. But the Cardinals and their improbable hero, David Freese had other ideas on this night. As a result, we are now headed to a Game 7 tonight (Friday). The World Series is down to a 1-game playoff, sudden death matchup, for all the marbles.
Both starters in Game 6 enjoyed decent outings. Colby Lewis pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up 4 runs (2 earned), with 3 hits, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts. Lewis did give up a 2-run home run to Lance Berkman in the first inning, his only serious blemish on the night. His counterpart, Jaime Garcia, lasted only 3 innings, giving up 2 earned runs, 5 hits, 2 walks while striking out 5. Clearly La Russa did not see enough in his starter to leave the fate of his team’s season on his shoulders. As a result, St. Louis began to trot out their bullpen while Texas followed suit shortly after.
The Rangers used 7 relievers on the night, while the Cardinals used 6. Both bullpens were shaky on the night, as the teams exchanged runs throughout the game. The Rangers actually held a 7-4 lead going into the 8th, but Derek Holland in his 2nd inning of work on the night gave up a solo home run to Allen Craig to cut the deficit to 7-5. From there, Mike Adams gave up a couple of hits in 1/3 inning pitched and gave way to closer Neftali Feliz. With the Rangers a sniff away from the World Series crown, Feliz gave up 2 more Cardinals runs to send the game into extra innings.
The teams exchanged 2 runs each in the 10th inning. The Rangers runs came off Cardinals closer Jason Motte, who was
uncharacteristically pitching a 2nd inning in the game. Josh Hamilton, well rested after a couple of days off, launched a 2-run shot to give the Rangers the lead. But Texas quickly gave back the runs in the bottom of the inning courtesy of a Darren Oliver blown save. The game proceeded to the 11th inning. With Mark Lowe on in the bottom of the inning to face David Freese, the probable World Series MVP (if the Cards win it all tonight) launched a solo home run to win the game for St. Louis. One batter faced for Mark Lowe and the game was done. St. Louis comes back to take the heat off their manager and breathe new life into the squad as the series is now tied at 3-3.
Looking ahead to tonight’s starting pitchers, anything can happen at this point. St. Louis will likely go with Chris Carpenter on short rest. The Rangers can use a combination of different arms, with Matt Harrison possibly getting the nod. Game 7 will be an exciting game, if for no other reason then it being a one-game sudden death playoff. But if you didn’t get a chance to watch Game 6, try to locate a copy on tape. One of the most exciting World Series games of all time, this one will be talked about for years to come. No matter where you are tonight, do not miss out on tonight’s action. It will be the final game of the 2011 season and your last chance for live baseball until March. Game sevens also don’t come along very often. With two high-octane offenses ready to duke it out in St. Louis, I am counting down the minutes until game time. Let’s play ball!
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Robinson Cano, Scott Boras and the Yankees: Time to Renegotiate?
Thursday October 27, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: An interesting news story caught my eye today. Scott Boras, agent to superstar second baseman Robinson Cano, contacted the New York Yankees to discuss renegotiating Cano’s contract. Cano signed a 4-year contract for $30 million, with a $14 million option in 2012 and $15 million in 2013. A fair chunk of change in my estimation. After successfully tweaking the Francisco Rodriguez contract upon his trade to Milwaukee, Boras is back at it again. This time, he would like for the Yankees to rip up the team options for Cano and negotiate a new contract.
After a down year in 2008, Cano has been climbing since to upper-ranks of baseball stardom. This past season was one of Cano’s finest. Cano hit 28 home runs with 118 RBIs, 104 runs scored, batting .302 with a .349 OBP and .533 SLG. Fantastic numbers, without a doubt. The only blemish in my estimation is the continued knock on Robinson. He only walked 38 times while striking out a career high 96 times. For Cano to reach the next level, his BB/K ratio will need to reach the next level. But considering his overall numbers, the Yankees will live with Cano if he maintains his current levels. The secret for Cano is that he plays a premium position (2B) and is young (29). For an aging Yankees, Cano is a building block for the next 5 seasons. The question is whether he is worth locking up at this point.
I don’t fault Scott Boras for attempting to get Cano a bigger contract at this point. A down year could easily cost Cano tens of millions of dollars. Cano is also comfortable in New York and the Yankees fans love him. Boras is counting on the hometown team wanting to lock up its own rather than risk losing him to free agency down the road. Scott Boras making such a call is a smart move- he is doing his job. I am unsure if the timing is right though on this move. We are entering a tricky time in baseball. The Yankees were burnt by Alex Rodriguez in the past when he opted out of his contract and essentially forced the team to give him an exorbitant contract that has turned sour quickly. The Yankees are facing the same dilemma with staff ace, C.C. Sabathia. The big man can opt out of his Yankees deal soon and word is that he is looking for a bigger share of the pie from the Yankees to stay put. The Yankees, in making the decision on Sabathia, are thinking to the past decision they made on A-Rod. There are parallels to the scenarios and the team may not be so keen on pulling out the wallet this time around. With the uncertainty and bad feelings surrounding the upcoming Sabathia decision, the last thing the team wanted or needed was the Cano headache. The team knew that they could retain their player for 2 further seasons and delay contract talks for some time. Demanding a new contract at this juncture may not be seen as favorable by the team’s brass.
On the other hand, Boras may have picked the perfect time to talk turkey with the Yankees. Aside from the Sabathia decision, the
Yankees have to decide whether to pick up the option on Nick Swisher. Boras may have sensed that by waiting to bring up Cano’s contract, the Yankees may have proceeded to lock up Sabathia and retained Swisher, as well as signed a free agent or two. By then, the team’s budget (yes, they do have one contrary to reports) would be squeezed and Cano would have been put on hold. By raising the issue now, Boras may be trying to grab the wallet while the dollar bills are still warm. An interesting strategy and one that may not be unreasonable.
No matter where this saga leads, we now one thing is certain. Robinson Cano will be a New York Yankee for at least 2 more seasons- and likely longer. I would like to raise the point that when an athlete like Cano is playing well, the player and agent have no issue trying to renegotiate terms and grab more money. But when a player is playing poorly, he will usually have no problems to continuing collecting his paycheque no matter how large the contract with no refunds to the team. The only exception is Kenji Johjima, who left millions of dollars on the table in Seattle to return to Japan, as he felt his play did not justify his pay. A rare, honourable move by a classy individual, but definitely the exception to the rule. Instead, we are in a different age of baseball. Even general managers (see Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer), are moving on to new teams and bigger contracts despite having existing contracts in place with their old teams. If management can break their commitments, surely players can as well.
As much as we all love baseball, it is first and foremost a business. Robinson Cano and Scott Boras are doing what is best for the player in this case. In other years, I could see how the Yankees could give in to such a request. But considering the blunder of the A-Rod deal and the issues surrounding Sabathia in his opt-out, my feeling has enough on its plate without worrying about Cano’s contract status. I expect Robinson Cano to have at least one of his option years picked him. Perhaps the Yankees will renegotiate with him in 2012 or wait until he becomes a free agent. The dollars will come to Robinson Cano. Just not in the timing that he and his agent hope. At some point I would like to see players honor their contracts and let their play do the talking. With solid numbers on the field, the contracts will inevitably follow. But in the “pay me now” age that we live in, news of Cano’s request should come as no surprise. But answer me this: what is the point of signing long-term contracts if they rarely work? One side will either want more money or the other side will end up regretting it. Rarely are there two happy parties by the time the big deals are all said and done. If Cano gets out of his deal because he deserves more money, can the Red Sox get out of their contract with John Lackey because they overpaid? Welcome to the strange economics that is Major League Baseball.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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John Lackey to Undergo Tommy John Surgery: The Aftermath in Boston
Wednesday October 26, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: The Boston Red Sox announced this week that starting pitching John Lackey would be undergoing Tommy John surgery, ending his 2012 season before it began. In a twist of irony, this move actually comes as relief to Red Sox nation as Lackey has been anything but stellar since coming to Boston.
In 8 seasons with the Angels, Lackey had a 102-71 record, good for a 3.81 ERA and 1.306 WHIP. In his past 2 seasons with the Red Sox, Lackey’s numbers ballooned to a 26-23 record, with an unsightly 5.26 ERA and 1.504 WHIP. Lackey’s winning record in Boston is attributable more to the Red Sox strong offense, rather than Lackey’s own production. 2011 was a miserable season statistically for Lackey with 2012 not looking much promising either.
In hindsight, John Lackey’s contract is one of the worst in baseball. Lackey is signed to a 5-year, $82.5 million deal running through 2014. For the final 3 years (2012-14), Lackey will get paid $15,250,000 per season. The one bit of relief to the Red Sox is that the injury kicks in a 2015 vesting option, whereby Lackey will only be paid $500K for that season. A small consolation given the magnitude of the money and disappointing numbers from Lackey to-date.
For whatever reason(s), the relationship between John Lackey and the Boston Red Sox is not working out. Lackey has battled personal issues while in Boston, including his wife’s health and battle with Cancer. While clearly we can all sympathize with Lackey’s difficulties in playing while dealing with personal issues, the reports from the end of the season of his involvement with drinking in the clubhouse and eating fried chicken during games brings into question Lackey’s commitment and focus to the team and game. Before news of his surgery, many outlets were reported that the Red Sox were actively shopping Lackey in the hopes of removing him from the team. A strong rumor was a swap with the Padres and reuniting Lackey with his old pitching coach from his Angels’ days, Bud Black. The Padres and Petco would have been an ideal environment for Lackey, provided that the Red Sox would have picked up the majority of his contract in the deal.
But the reconstructive elbow surgery has brough the Lackey rumors to a halt. He will be staying in Boston for the foreseeable future. The Red Sox have faced bad luck this year with Tommy John, as pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Rich Hill both underwent the same procedure in 2011. Theo Epstein was wise to include the injury provision in the Lackey contract; but then again, he may have been better off avoiding the pitcher all-together. News of the Lackey injury was the first announcement by Ben Cherington as the new Red Sox GM. From all the offseason transactions and news that will follow in Boston, this one will be taken as one of the more positive moves.
The Red Sox have many decisions facing them this offseason. The re-signing of David Ortiz and Jonathan Papelbon. The
integration and structure of the organization with a new GM. The hiring of a new manager. The departure of J.D. Drew and possibly Marco Scutaro. The comeback of Carl Crawford. These are surely hectic times in Boston. The team will need to make many roster changes for 2012, including the signing of 1-2 new starting pitchers. The injury to Lackey could prove to be a blessing in disguise. The surgery may pinpoint that his terrible numbers in Boston were based more on declining health than eroding skills. With a year-off to rehabilitate and re-energize, the Red Sox may see a new and focused John Lackey. The team would have had to eat most of his contract to trade him; perhaps they are better off paying and playing him.
In the worst case scenario, the Red Sox will need to either trade or release John Lackey between now and 2014, if they do not believe that he can rebound and be a useful asset for the team. There is always the chance that Lackey is not able to recapture the form he displayed back in his Angels days. Also, there may be enough bad feelings between the player and organization that a fresh start will be in order. At this point, the Red Sox are best off to take a “break” so to speak for a year from John Lackey. Come to 2013, the team may find that they have a new valuable asset that they never counted on. John Lackey at the end of the day is a classic example of the risk involved handing a 30 something year-old pitcher a 4+ years contract for big dollars. The Red Sox in this case gambled and lost. But at least the decision can be put off for a year whether to write John Lackey off completely or try to recover pennies on the dollar. I wish John Lackey a successful surgery and healthy recovery. While I don’t expect to see him emerge as a MLB ace upon his return, my sense is that we will see an older and wiser John Lackey on the mound. The talent has always been there. Now he just needs to find the health and heart to fulfill the remainder of his potential.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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Rangers Win Game 4: 2011 World Series Tied 2-2 and Preview of Game 5
Monday October 24, 2011
April Whitzman (Blue Jays and Prospects Writer – MLB reports): Already down 2-1 in the series, the Texas Rangers were craving a win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Especially after being outscored 16-7 the game before. And, with Derek Holland on the mound – – that’s exactly what they got.
The scoring started early for Texas when Josh Hamilton doubled in Elvis Andrus, giving the Rangers the early 1-0 lead in the first.
From then on in, Edwin Jackson settled in, allowing only one hit after the first inning. It was not the hits that hurt him though, but rather the walks.
In the fifth inning, after Jackson walked David Murphy and Nelson Cruz, Jackson was replaced by Mitchell Boggs to face power-hitter Mike Napoli.
So what did Napoli do? You guessed it – hit a home run – a three-run shot and his second of the series. His monster shot gave the Rangers a 4-0 lead.
That would be how the game ende,d as the Cardinals were only able to manage two hits the entire game and only once had a runner past first base (Lance Berkman’s double in the second).
While Napoli was a key reason to the Rangers’ win, the player of the game was certainly Derek Holland who went 8 1/3 innings, allowing only two hits, while striking out seven and walking two.
Interestingly, the two batters he walked came in the ninth inning, before he was replaced by Neftali Feliz, who got Albert Pujols (who went 5-5 with three homers the game before) to fly out and Matt Holliday to strike out to end the game.
The dominance of the Rangers pitching on the mound this night allowed the bullpen to take it easy who had already been overworked from allowing 16 runs the game before.
On Monday, the Cardinals look to regain the lead as they sent their ace, Chris Carpenter to the mound. With that said – the Rangers are hoping C.J. Wilson will rebound from his loss in game 1 and get the win to give them their first lead of the series. Game time is 8:05 PM ET from Arlington. From there, the World Series shifts to St. Louis. The winner of tonight’s game will be only 1 game away from winning the 2011 World Series. Given Carpenter’s dominance as shown in this year’s playoffs, St. Louis appears to have the edge over Texas and a struggling Wilson. But as Holland showed last night, anything can happen in baseball on any given night. Tonight’s game promises to be a classic.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you. Comment below, email MLBreports@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter at @Alleycat17.
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter (@MLBreports) 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
Casey Bond: Toronto Premiere of Moneyball – Guest MLB Blog
Saturday October 22, 2011
MLB reports: Fans cannot get enough of Moneyball!!! The hit Hollywood blockbuster has become a darling of the critics and becoming one of the most popular baseball movies of all time. If you haven’t seen it already- what are you waiting for? Get to a movie theatre quickly! You will not be disappointed. One of the stars of Moneyball, actor Casey Bond has returned for a repeat Guest MLB Blog on the Reports. Busy promoting the movie and travelling the globe, we are very fortunate that Casey was able to take the time out of his busy schedule to prepare today’s piece. Looking back at the world premiere of the movie at the Toronto International Film Festival, Casey takes you today behind the scenes in today’s blog. For an inside look into Moneyball, MLB reports is proud to present former professional baseball player turned actor, Casey Bond:
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Casey Bond (Guest MLB Blogger): Well, where do I start? Right now I am fortunate enough to be in one of the top box office hits in theaters with Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Philip Seymour Hoffman among others, and I get to portray a baseball player in the film all at the same time. I couldn’t have written a better story for myself.
Moneyball world premiered in Toronto at the TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) in early September. I traveled up to Toronto with my girlfriend Sarah, in order to be a part of the World Premiere with a few of my castmates. There were people from all over just to come to the festival, and especially to see the turnout for Moneyball. Of course, we had two of the most well-known people on the planet in Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie show up with us to the big event. It’s amazing how much people will let their voices sail across the open airwaves without a shred of holding back in the middle of a crowded public area. They received quite some noise when their black SUV pulled up behind us to arrive at the carpet.
As I was walking down the carpet myself, it was such a feeling of amazement and accomplishment, to be in that position where all eyes are fixated on you in wonder. It’s very similar to being a professional baseball player. All of the attention is on you for that moment. However, it’s also completely different, because the work you have done was a long time ago, and it’s just time to celebrate, answer questions, take pictures, sign autographs, and watch your finished work about a year after it was done. Honestly, just to say that, we were watching ourselves on the silver screen like it was today that it happened, but it’s actually watching yourself as you were in this character an entire year ago. Mind boggling if you really think about it. How much I personally have changed just in that year’s time. But now, everyone gets to see my character from a year ago, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with the standing ovation we received from everyone in attendance.
As the movie ended and the credits rolled, a spotlight shone upon our balcony, as all of us cast members sat together and watching it as a group for the first
time. To have all of those people roaring in approval was worth everyone minute of hard work we put into that film. And, the beautiful thing, is that the work lasts forever…
That was only the beginning of the night. We proceeded to leave the theater, and gather as a group just outside of the balcony doors to congratulate one another on what seemed to be a successful film, and a success to come as it approached its release date. From the theater, we all climbed into our cars waiting out back, and headed toward an intimate dinner with all of the amazing people who were highly involved in the film.
As my girlfriend and I walked up the steps to the rooftop lounge area to talk to cast members, I was headed off by Brad Pitt who smacked me on the shoulder and said “you killed it man!” He then turned to my girlfriend and said “how about your boy? He killed it!” That statement has pretty much summed up the experience of being in Toronto for the World Premiere. It was an unreal experience, but completely attributed to all of the hard work I have put into my passions in life. Who wouldn’t be feeling good to get a comment like that from Mr. Pitt?
The excitement, dedication, and hard work every day has laid out a path that has some very interesting times ahead. I’m now excited for the U.S. Premiere in Oakland, and the U.S. release of the film. Needless to say, the film is off to a wonderful start!
Thank you Casey for preparing today’s MLB Guest Blog. Please feel free to contact Casey Bond on Twitter (@caseybond) or through his website (http://thecaseybond.com) and Facebook Fan Page for comments and questions.
**Some of the photographs in today’s feature are courtesy of Peter Hurley**
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Cardinals Win Game One of the 2011 World Series
Thursday October 20, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: On a cold October night in St. Louis, Chris Carpenter and C.J. Wilson took the mound for their respective squads to battle in the long anticipated game one of the 2011 World Series. As the title of this article indicates, the Cardinals took game one. As the mastery and genius of Tony La Russa continued, here is a recap of last night’s action:
Texas Rangers at St. Louis Cardinals: World Series Game One
Despite the expectation for a high scoring affair, this game turned out to be very close. The two high-octane offenses of the Rangers and Cardinals were kept at bay by great pitching and mother nature. Bats seem to get cold in dreary weather for the most part. Chris Carpenter went 6.0 innings for the win. With his 8th postseason win, Carpenter passed the immortal Bob Gibson on the Cardinals all-time playoff win list. Impressive company indeed. Despite Carpenter getting frustrated with himself at times (and using choice language that came through on the broadcast), he enjoyed a great outing. Only 5 hits allowed, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. His only blemish on the night was a 2-run shot given up to Mike Napoli. The home run at the time erased the 2-0 Cardinals lead at the time. But St. Louis was able to come back in the bottom of the 6th, with pinch hitter Allen Craig driving in the game winning run. From there, the Cardinals pen took over with 3 shutout innings. Relievers Fernando Salas, Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel, Arthur Rhodes and Jason Motte combined to give up 1 hit and 1 walk (both by Salas in 1/3 of an inning) and 3 strikeouts to preserve the win for Carpenter. Motte continued his incredible postseason run with his 5th playoff save, a 1-2-3 9th inning.
C.J. Wilson was good, but not great on the night. The Rangers ace has not come up big when his team needed him most, as he was
fairly erratic on the night. His final line read 5 2/3 innings pitched, 4 hits allowed, 6 walks, 3 earned runs and 4 strikeouts. Alexi Ogando came into the 6th with 2 runners on and could not get the job done. Mike Gonzalez and Scott Feldman came in from the pen as well, but the damage was done as the Rangers could not come back against the mighty Cardinals bullpen. Questions arose after the game concerning Ron Washington’s use of his bench during the game. Specifically, his choices of having Craig Gentry and Esteban German pinch hit instead of Yorvit Torrealba and Mitch Moreland, who did not end up coming into the game. The bottom line for me is that Washington went with his feel and instincts. If the moves pay-off, he looks like a genius. In this case, they did not. But let’s give credit where its due. The Rangers are back on the big stage for a second straight year. The Rangers must be doing something very right to make it this far. Regardless of who would have batted in key situations, the Cardinals pen did its job tonight (as it has been doing all postseason long). Tonight’s game was more about what Tony La Russa did right, rather than what Ron Washington did wrong. But Washington will need to keep his chess playing skills sharp in this series if he hopes to have his team win the big prize.
The big heroes on this night for St. Louis were Lance Berkman (2 hits and 2 RBIs), Craig, Carpenter and Motte. Game 2 goes in St. Louis Thursday night, 8:05 PM ET. Colby Lewis and Jaime Garcia are set to faceoff. It will be interesting to see how Garcia responds after receiving an early hook from his manager in his last outing in the NLCS. This will be a pivotal game for the Rangers, as they do not want to go home to Texas down 2-0. The Cardinals started off the World Series on the right foot. Now it is just a question of whether the Cardinals bats and bullpen can keep the magic going for 3 more wins.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
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Evaluating Strikeout Pitchers For Your 2012 Fantasy Baseball Team
Tuesday October 18, 2011
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): Depending on the type of fantasy league, high strikeout pitchers hold varying degrees of value. In 5 X 5 Roto League’s, strikeouts are crucial as they represent one of the five pitching categories. Furthermore, strikeout ratios are indicative of a pitcher’s future success. Needless to say, the more a pitcher misses the bat of a hitter, the more primed he is to retire batters. As I touched upon this subject a few weeks ago in my piece about the value of setup men, today, I shift the focus to starting pitchers who look to finish atop the strikeout rankings in 2012.
In 2011, the 25-year-old right-hander busted onto the scene with a 7-3 record, 3.68 ERA, and 1.21 WHIP in 141.2 innings. However, the real value he provided was the 169 strikeouts, a 10.74 K/9 ratio that ranked him first among starting pitchers. Undoubtedly, Beachy will be a highly valued player entering the 2012 season, yet I still think many owners still undervalue him. Many owners will be impressed, but not wowed by his ERA and WHIP numbers, which are right on par with Jamie Garcia’s 3.56 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. However, Garcia struck out just 156 batters in 194 innings. If pitchers are not contributing to the strikeout category, he needs to be VERY good in the others, and it will be difficult for a player to do so with out the ability to miss bats. This helps explains Garcia jump in ERA from 2.70 in 2010 to 3.56 in 2011.
Beachy’s strikeout ratio indicates that his rookie season was no fluke. He has the ability to miss bats and therefore should not see a regression in his numbers. He was consistent throughout the year and actually struck out more batters as the season progressed. Furthermore, his .300 BAPIP indicates that he was not a product of good fortune. He is the real deal and has potential to provide terrific value in all give pitching categories and looks to be among the elite in strikeouts. Beachy’s more well-known teammate, Tommy Hanson, it also a pitcher who is among the games best strikeout pitchers – improving his rate in each of his three seasons in the major leagues.
Here are some lesser-known players that had a strikeout ratio higher than that of C.C. Sabathia, Felix Hernandez and David Price:
Brandon Morrow (10.19 K/9)
Cory Luebke (9.92 K/9)
Anibal Sanchez 9.26 K/9)
Jonathan Sanchez (9.06 K/9)
Matt Garza (8.95 K/9)
Gio Gonzalez (8.78 K/9)
Although these pitchers are by no means fantasy aces, their fantasy value is often hidden and undiscovered by owners. They are often lumped into the same category as players with similar ERA and WHIP numbers (e.g. Mark Buehrle). However, their potential for strikeouts can give an owner valuable extra points. While no means must-start players, if you use the Garza, Gonzalez’s, Morrows, etc in favorable matchups, don’t be surprised to see them produce ‘five category’ Lincecum-like starts. Just don’t start them against the better half of the league’s top offensive teams. It is all about finding the edges, and strikeouts are a category that many owners are first to ignore. Therefore, I strongly suggest you fill your tougher innings with such players that can help you finish at the top of this category. If a player is putting up strong ERA and WHIP numbers without the strikes, it is more likely to be a fluke. Therefore, to be safe and to finish atop the K category, target the players who show the best ability to make major league hitters swing and miss.
***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).***
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The Cardinals Are Going to the World Series
Monday October 17, 2011
MLB reports – April Whitzman: The Cardinals heading into last night in Milwaukee were one win away from advancing to the World Series. Here is a recap of last night’s NLCS action:
St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers: NLCS Game Six
One ex-Blue Jays pitcher got the win in game number six of the NLCS last night. But it was not the one you would have expected.
Shaun Marcum was on the mound for the Brewers, hoping to bounce back from his previous start. Things unfortunately did not go as planned, as Marcum lasted only one inning. During his short stint, he allowed four earned runs on three hits, a walk, while striking out one. The biggest hit came in the form of a three-run home run, courtesy of David Freese.
Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson, however, did not fare much better. He lasted only two innings himself, also allowing four runs. Jackson actually allowed three home runs, including solo shots to Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks, and Jonathan Lucroy.
Heading into the third, the score was already 5-4 in favor of St. Louis. But the Cardinals weren’t even close to slowing down. They scored another four runs, thanks to an Albert Pujols home run, a Nick Punto sac fly which scored Matt Holliday, and an Allen Craig two-RBI single that scored David Freese and Yadier Molina.
The Brewers tried to overcome the deficit in the following inning, when Yuniesky Betancourt doubled in Jerry Hairston to make the score 9-5 in favour of the Cardinals.
The Cardinals would continue to add to their lead in the following inning. After two consecutive singles to start the inning, costly errors allowed Matt Holliday to score on Yadier Molina’s fielder’s choice. The errors also enabled Adron Chambers‘ sacrifice fly to score David Freese, his third run scored of the game.
Knowing how important the win was for the Brewers, they were not prepared to give up in this one. They scored another run in the bottom of the inning when Ryan Braun grounded out to score Carlos Gomez. The score was then 11-6 for the Cardinals.
But alas, the Brewers offense was a little too late- as the Cardinals went on to add another run. Albert Pujols hit another RBI single to score Daniel Descalso making it a 12-6 game.
Jason Motte came in for the ninth and got a 1-2-3 inning, as the Cardinals defeated the Brewers 12-6. St. Louis won the series 4-2, moving on to the World Series to face the Texas Rangers.
Ex- Blue Jay Marc Rzepczynski ended up earning the win, pitching 2 1/3 innings, more than any other pitcher in this game. He allowed one run on two hits, while walking one and striking out two.
Another Ex- Blue Jay, Octavio Dotel, also pitched in the game. He went 2/3 of an inning without allowing a base runner and struck out one.
After the game, David Freese was named MVP of the NLCS tournament, after going 3-4 with three runs and three RBIs in the game and batting .545 (12 for 22) in the NLCS overall, with three homers, three doubles, nine RBIs and seven runs scored.
Game number one of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals commences on Wednesday night in St. Louis, with the National League enjoying home field advantage in this one (thanks to their All-Star game victory this year). If it is anything like the series we have been watching thus far, it is going to be an exciting conclusion to an unpredictable and entertaining 2011 MLB postseason.
Today’s feature was prepared by our Blue Jays & Prospects Writer, April Whitzman. 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 April on Twitter.
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David Ortiz to the Jays or Yankees? Try the Rays or Angels
Monday October 17, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: With the World Series all set to commence on Wednesday (Cardinals and Rangers)- our attention is slowly shifting to the upcoming free agency period. A big name (literally) of discussion has been David Ortiz, or better known in baseball circles as “Big Papi”. The rumor mill is running wild as to where Ortiz will play in 2012. Let’s shed some light on the subject and clear up the confusion.
The soon to be 36-year old Ortiz is coming off one of his finest seasons in recent memory. Papi finished with a steady all-around season: 29 home runs, 96 RBIs, 84 runs, 78/83 BB/K, .309 AVG and .953 OPS. Ortiz was named to his 7th all-star team and finishing up a 5-year, $64.5 million contract. For a player that appeared to be in decline back in 2009, Ortiz has shown the last two seasons that he has some juice left in the tank. But with the Red Sox in shambles, given the departure of long-time manager Terry Francona and soon to be ex-GM Theo Epstein, Ortiz himself has said that Boston has become too much of a soap opera. The question on every baseball fan’s mind: will he stay or will he go?
The Ortiz decision to stay in Boston will largely depend on several factors. Firstly, it is unclear whether the team wishes to retain him or go in a different direction. As an aging team with hitters that could use the rest from playing in the field every day, the Red Sox may not longer wish to commit the DH spot to one exclusive batter. Taking that into account with Papi’s streaks and slumps that past few years and recent comments, may be enough for the Red Sox upper management to wish to move on. But if the team does wish to retain him, or give in to fan pressure to keep Ortiz (which is likely to come given his immense popularity), will Papi himself want to remain in Boston? Only the man could answer that question. To know the answer, one would have to get into the player’s head. Does Otiz get along with his teammates or are there divided fractions? How much did the 2011 collapse take a toll on his morale? When will a new GM come into place and will he be able to have a good relationship with Ortiz? Same issue for a new manager…and you get the idea. There are many variables that put into question whether Ortiz could or would stay in Boston.
In my estimation, Ortiz is on his final contract. He will likely obtain a 2-year contract, with an option for a third. Based on his rich history and legacy in Boston, I think that when push comes to shove- the player will stay. Boston needs Papi; and Papi needs Boston. It would not feel right to see Ortiz in another uniform (check out highlights from his days in Minnesota and you will see what I mean). Major League Baseball also would love to see Ortiz remain in Boston for marketing purposes. With so many vested interests in getting this deal done, I believe it will happen. But what if it does not? What if Papi jumps ship? I see his options as far and few between.
The first option that jumped out was the Yankees. It will not happen. While the Yankees would love to stick it to Boston, they will not likely want another aging DH on their hands after the Jorge Posada fiasco this past season. The Yankees also have Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and company that need days off the field, A-Rod especially given his failing health. With A-Rod becoming a part-time DH as soon as next year, the Yankees cannot afford to take on Papi at this stage. Plus the team has up-and-coming superstar Jesus Montero that needs playing time and has nothing more to prove in AAA. So the Yankees rate as a no.
The next options for Ortiz? It will only be American League teams as he is only a DH at this stage of his career. The only realistic teams that have the open position and fit are Toronto, Tampa Bay and Anaheim. The Jays are being thrown around many circles as a possible destination. It makes sense for several reasons. Ortiz knows the ballpark well from his AL East days. He gets along well with Jose Bautista and would serve as a great mentor for the Jays young hitters. Toronto was missing production last season from the DH spot and would welcome Papi’s bat. But despite these factors, I don’t see this signing happening. Ortiz will want to play on a contender and fight for another ring. His career is winding down and so are his chances. While Toronto has a strong young nucleus, they are at least 2-3 years aways. As much as this would be a feel-good signing, I would rate is as another no.
Thus the battle for the services of David Ortiz will boil down to the Tampa Bay Rays and Anaheim Angels. Two strong playoff contending teams that desperately need his bat. Tampa Bay should be the favorite, given the familiarity of the AL East and the strong need of the team. The Rays have the lineup spot for Ortiz and should make a big push for him. The Angels have the same need, but not the best fit for position. The team has a logjam in the outfield with Mike Trout likely to be with the big club next year and Kendrys Morales returning to the team from injury. But when there is a will, there is a way. Like many other squads, the Angels would need to do some creative shuffling to make room for Ortiz. Vernon Wells may need to be moved for a bad pitcher’s contract in return (Carlos Zambrano anyone?) Kendrys Morales may not be recovered or Trout may not be ready. The Angels went through a desperate need all year in 2011 for runs and will not want to face the same issue come 2012. Papi could be the perfect short-term solution for the Halos.
The four-horse race to sign David Ortiz will come down to the Red Sox, Jays, Rays and Angels. The Rays are my dark horse favorite and best overall fit. The Jays would love to take him on, it will just depend on the confidence Papi has in the team’s ability to compete. Boston will hang in right till the end and the Angels will need to be aggressive to get him. If we are playing the odds, I would rate Boston as a 70% favorite, followed by Tampa Bay at 20% and the Jays/Angels at 5% each. Once the World Series ends, let the David Ortiz sweepstakes begin!
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
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MLB Playoffs: Improving and Revamping the System
Saturday October 15, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: I recently received a great e-mail from one of our readers. The e-mail was a well written commentary piece on improving the MLB Playoffs structure. So enthusiastic was I with the contents of the message, that I immediately suggested sharing the reader’s thoughts on our site. I got an enthusiastic thumbs back in response! Thus today on MLB reports, we are proud to present Guest Writer- Brian Corrigan, with his proposal to improve and revamp the MLB Playoffs:
Brian Corrigan (Guest Writer – MLB reports): The classic pennant chase prior to 1969 made sense. It rewarded the team that performed consistently over a schedule of between 154 and 162 games. In a given year, it is possible that one or two teams with the best records in Major League Baseball will win 60% of their games. However, a team that wins 60% of their games, will routinely lose 3 out of 5 games several times in a season. And the difference between a team that wins 55% of its games and 60% is almost unnoticeable in any given stretch of games, until you play out the full season.
As the two top seeds in each league have now just been eliminated from the championship games, does baseball really want to go the path of hockey, basketball and football- allowing wild card teams an ever-increasing role in the postseason? Remember that those are sports where the best teams commonly win 67%+ of their games. In football, the top teams win 75%+ of their games. Baseball is a totally different creature. It requires longer sifting for the really great baseball teams to emerge, although those teams are almost inevitably bewitched by periods of seasonal funks.
Does baseball really want to go in this direction? Will games in April, May and June really count? Will fans wait until postseason to tune in? Will General Managers develop strategies to play on the cheap in the first half of the season, and then make the key acquisitions that will give them the best short-term shot at the postseason? Do we really want baseball to degenerate in this direction?
I’m a pragmatic person. I understand that baseball is business. Given the fact that postseason play is more lucrative, I can understand wanting to expand the number of postseason games. Ultimately, I’m not going to succeed in rolling back the clock, but I would like to propose a system that is much better than a 10 or 12 team playoff system.
If I could deliver a postseason schedule that:
1) Produced more games, and therefore higher revenues than the current system;
2) Would produce a higher number of expected games, while taking less elapsed time, solving the World Series in November problem;
3) Would do this even with the existing 8 team playoff structure;
4) Would encourage the use of the top 3 starting pitching rotations, that fans prefer; and
5) Decreases the probability that the series will come down to luck or streakiness…
Would I at least have your attention?
What I am proposing does all of this, as well as produce higher revenues for MLB teams and more excitement for the fans.
What I am proposing is essentially a best of 9 games “round robin” pennant series, where each of the 4 playoff teams in each league would potentially play each other 3 times – possibly more or less, with up to two tie-breaker games. The pennant would not be won until one team had secured the best record in the pennant series, getting at least 6 wins. Until a team took its fifth loss, it would still be playing meaningful games, until one team secured its sixth win.
Each 3-game set would consist of a first game, with the team that does not have home field advantage taking a day off, and then playing on the 3rd and 4th day against the team with the home field advantage. The fifth day would be off; thus, the use of a 3 pitcher starting rotation would be encouraged. One league would start one day later than the other, so that baseball games would played on each day.
Home field advantage would go to the team with the best seed (best regular season record).
But isn’t there a possibility that some of the games wouldn’t count? Yes, however by giving the postseason teams a share of postseason revenues, there is always a motivation to win. At the point where two teams have been mathematically eliminated from the pennant series (this should not happen until every team has had a chance to play at least five games, and most likely more), then the two surviving teams would play the balance of the remaining 9- game tournament against each other, even if that means they play more than three times against one another. For example, if two teams have won their first 5 games, and the remaining teams have lost 5 games each, then the teams that have won five in a row should play their last games against each other. Effectively, this would create a best of five series for the surviving two teams, until one team gets its eighth win (allowing for a tenth game tie breaker if needbe).
To increase the probability that the two best teams would play in the final 3 games, I would propose the following schedule:
First 3 games: #1 seed plays #4 seed; #2 seed plays #3 seed
Second 3 games: winner of #1 vs. #4 plays loser of #2 vs #3 series; winner of #2 vs. #3 plays loser of #1 vs. #4.
Of the two teams that won the first series, they will go into the last series with no more than 4 losses (no more than 1 from the first series and 3 from the last series), meaning that at least the first game between those two teams will count for both clubs, since elimination could not yet have occurred for either one.
Taking this year’s National League Division series as an example: the Phillies won the first two of three against the Cards, and so would have played their next three games against the D-Backs who lost 2 of 3 to the Brewers. The Brewers would have played their next three vs. the Cards. The final 3 games would have been Phils vs. Brewers, Cards vs. D-Backs, at least until two of the teams had been eliminated.
In the event that only one team is eliminated, until a second team is eliminated, it is possible that 1 or 2 games will be played for the honor of baseball, or for a share of the postseason revenue. But once two teams are eliminated, they would step aside and allow the two surviving teams to play up to the balance of the remaining 9 games head-to-head.
The following represents a hypothetical pennant season:
First 3 games:
Phils win 2 out of 3 against the Cards
Brewers win 2 out of 3 against the D-Backs
Second 3 games:
D-Backs win 2 out of 3 against Phils
Cards win 2 out of 3 against Brewers
Game 7 with Resulting records in parenthesis
Brewers (4-3) beat Phils (3-4)
Cards (4-3) best D-backs (3-4)
Game 8
Brewers (5-3) beat Phils (3-5)
Cards (5-3) beat D-backs (3-5)
Phils and D-backs are eliminated; Brewers and Cards play the final 9th game against each other to resolve the pennant. Since the home field goes to the best regular season record in the 2nd and 3rd games of a 3 game set, the Cards would visit the Brewers for the 9th game.
Let’s say that Game 8 had gone differently, let’s say D-backs (4-4) beat Cards (4-4)
The Phils would play game 9 against the Brewers for honor and bragging rights.
If the Brewers win their 6th game, they clinch; otherwise, there will be a two-way tie for the pennant to be resolved by a tie breaker game. This system produces lots of wonderful and exciting and meaningful games for fans.
But isn’t there a chance of a tie in this system? Yes, and you could still get a 10th and 11th game tie-breaker in; and in less time than the current system. A three-way tie would pit the two worst regular season record teams against each other, and the winner would play the team with the best regular season record. This could happen if three teams went 5-4, and one team went 3-6 or if three teams went 6-3 and one team went 0-9. It should not happen that often, and if it does, it generates more games and more excitement for baseball.
Are you sure this will take less elapsed time? Yes, the current system must allow for a 5-game division series and a 7-game championship. That is 12 games in total. But you get fewer games because only two teams are playing in the last best of 7, and some teams may be eliminated after just 3 games. In this revised system, no one can get eliminated until after playing a minimum of 5 games. Even with a 3-way tie-breaker, you play less than 11 games in total vs. a schedule that must accommodate 12 games, as is the case in the current system (and 15 or more in the proposed new system). It works out that the 9th game would be scheduled for the day that the 5th league championship game is currently scheduled. Since it takes 3 more days to play out the 7 game LCS, there’s enough time to squeeze in up to two tie-breaker games, and still finish up at least 1 day before the current system. Given the rarity of the two game tie-breaker, the last tie-breaker game could be scheduled for a day before the World Series.
Can you really say that this series cuts down on the luck? It could come down to the tie breaker game? If you want to reduce the luck, use the regular season to determine the pennant winner. The more games played, the less luck involved. It will take some consistency to fight your way to that 10th game tie-breaker. The bottom line is really that baseball gets the increased revenue, without opening the door to more and more teams in the playoffs, the way the other sports have gone, thus diminishing the value of the regular season. In fact, with the suggested homefield advantage rules, the top seed gets 6 out of 9 games at home, and that makes the regular season count for more than the current system.
***Thank you to our Guest Writer, Brian Corrigan, for sharing his thoughts on the MLB playoffs today with us. Please feel free to leave any comments and/or questions that you have at the bottom of this article.***
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Tony La Russa Manages the Cards to One Win Away From the World Series
Saturday October 15, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: Only one game on the schedule last night- but it was a big one. The Brewers and Cardinals headed into game five in St. Louis, deadlocked at 2-2. With the series set to shift to Milwaukee, this was a big game to take the lead in the NLCS. With two strong pitchers on the mound, this game could have been a pitching duel. It was far from it and the resulting game surprised many. Here is a recap of last night’s NLCS action:
Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals: NLCS Game Five
From the title of this article, many readers will take it that the Cardinals won last night. Indeed they did, a strong 7-1 victory over the Brewers to take a 3-2 NLCS series lead. This game came down to key factors in my estimation: the in-game managing by Tony La Russa and the sloppy play of the Brewers. When referring to La Russa, the talk of last night was the call to the bullpen in the 5th inning. With the Cardinals up 4-1, the Brewers were threatening with 2 on and 2 out. Ryan Braun headed to the plate and La Russa ran to the mound. Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia was stellar up to that point, with 4 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 7 hits, 0 BB and 5 strikeouts. But as noted by last night’s television commentators, Garcia was starting to get into trouble. With one Brewers run already in and the hits starting to pile up, La Russa appeared to be nervous that his starter was losing it. Few managers would take out his starter at that point, but then few managers are Tony La Russa. With his bullpen on fire in this postseason, La Russa was not going to take any chances. Octavio Dotel got the call and proceeded to strike out Ryan Braun to end the threat. From there, Lance Lynn, Marc Rzepczynski and Jason Motte came on to shut out the Brewers on 2 hits and 1 walk. Motte finished up the game for the save with Dotel taking the win.
But that is not the end of the story. Far from it. As much as this game is about the wizardry of La Russa managing his pitching staff (along with trusty pitching coach Dave Duncan at his side), game five was also about the Brewers throwing it away. Literally. To me, Milwaukee was a team intent on giving the game away. Four errors on the night is completely unacceptable, especially for a game of this magnitude. It is not like the team was not hitting, as the Brewers had 9 hits compared to the Cardinals 10. Interestingly enough the Cardinals had 20 LOB, compared to the Brewers 14. But the Cardinals drove runners in when in it counted. Here is my logic in a game that came down to inches. Zack Greinke gave up 5 runs, although only 2 of them were earned. Marco Estrada in the 8th was a complete train-wreck, giving up 2 runs on 1 hit an 2 walks. Estrada completely was not finding the zone and was lucky to escape with only the 2 runs allowed. Take out the Estrada inning and Greinke’s 3 unearned runs, and you are now left with a 2-1 Cardinals lead. Thus the Cardinals victory relied on La Russa’s management, strong bullpen and Brewers lack of execution and poor play. A game of inches.Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Tigers Stay Alive and NLCS Tied Up: Recap of MLB Playoffs and Notes
Friday October 14, 2011
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: The Rangers had a chance on Thursday to advance to the World Series. The Cardinals were up 2-1 in the NLCS and looking to take a commanding lead. How did they do? Let’s recap Thursday’s MLB playoffs:
Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers: ALCS Game Five
The battle of the aces. C.J. Wilson and Justin Verlander. This game turned into a high scoring affair rather than a pitching classic. The Tigers pulled out a 7-5 victory to stay alive in the series. Verlander took the win, with 7 1/3 IP, 4 runs allowed, 8 hits, 3 walks and 8 strikeouts. The lone home run given up Verlander was in the 5th inning to none other than… Nelson Cruz. The Rangers slugger hit his 5th home run of the series, a 2-run effort. Phil Coke came in for the rare save, pitching 1 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run. C.J. Wilson took the loss for the Rangers. In 6.0 IP, Wilson allowed a staggering 6 runs, 8 hits, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. The long ball did Wilson in, as he allowed 3 of them to the Tigers in their home park. Alex Avila hit a solo blast in the 3rd, while Delmon Young had a pair on the day (a solo home run in the 4th and 2-run blast in the 6th). For good measure, Koji Uehara came on in the 7th to give up a solo home run to Ryan Raburn.
The crooked number came for the Tigers in the 6th. Miguel Cabrera hit a ground ball off the third base bag that could have led to a double play, but rather went for a double. Detroit kept the momentum from there and scored four runs in the inning. Detroit actually had a 7-2 lead going into the 8th, but the Rangers were able to chip away and stay within striking distance. Texas now leads the series 3-2 going into game 6 on Saturday. The game will be played at 8:05 PM ET, with Max Scherzer and Derek Holland set to faceoff. The Rangers continue to be one game away from that magical trip back to the World Series.
Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals: NLCS Game Four
The Cardinals held a 2-1 lead in the series with game four to be played at home. Kyle Lohse was on the hill for the home team, Randy Wolf for the Brewers. Turns out that Wolf was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Brewers. The starter pitched a solid 7.0 IP to take the win, giving up only 2 runs on 6 hits, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. The only runs allowed by Wolf were on solo home runs, to Matt Holliday in the 2nd and Allen Craig in the 3rd. Francisco Rodriguez got the hold in the 8th and closer John Axford with the save in the 9th. Kyle Lohse could not make it out of the 5th, pitching 4 1/3 IP for the loss. Lohse gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, no walks and struck out 3. Mitchell Boggs, Arthur Rhodes, Octavio Dotel and Fernando Salas also pitched in this one. The Brewers recipe for success in this one was simple. Great pitching and grinding out runs at the plate. One could say that the Brewers beat Tony La Russa at his own game. The Brewers did not hit a long ball in this one, but will certainly take out the well-earned victory. With the series tied up 2-2, game five goes tonight at 8:05 PM ET in St. Louis. A great matchup on the mound, as Jamie Garcia and Zack Greinke faceoff.
MLB Notes:
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With the Theo Epstein soap opera about to conclude, the focus shifts to Baltimore and Boston for their vacant General Manager positions. Boston is looking internally to fill the role, while Baltimore is considering everyone and anyone to lead their team. This is a crucial stage for both teams’ development. Boston needs to maintain its status as a top flight MLB organization, while Baltimore is on the verge of breaking through (with a great deal of talent in their farm system).
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The sale of the Houston Astros to Crane will apparently be going through. The sale will lead to the Astros moving to the American League, playing in the West division. I will be writing about this subject very soon on the Reports. But at this point I will say that the move is a win-win for the Astros and its fans. The team needs stability and renewed excitement. A move to the AL West should provide just that and more.
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Another day, another rumor. With the Red Sox in apparent turmoil, Big Papi has come out and indicated that he may not return to Boston. That is his decision and I respect that. But will Boston be asking him back…and at what price? If Papi does leave, look for the Jays, Rays and Yankees to all hold discussions with the big man. The Angels may also be a consideration. But my money is on a return to Beantown.
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The expansion of the MLB playoffs will happen. It is just a question of when. The latest reports have Major League Baseball adding one more wild card team to each league and a sudden death, one game playoff, to be played by the wild card teams. I do not know yet how I feel about having just a one gamer to decide the wild card winner. But I am definitely in favour of expanding the amount of teams. Personally, I like the idea of each top team getting a full bye into the championship series. But this may be too revolutionary for baseball. The expanded MLB playoffs is likely coming as early as the 2013 season.
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The World Baseball Classic is coming in the spring of 2013. The qualifying tournament will be played sometime in the fall of 2012. I am a big fan of this tournament and see it as a big step for baseball expansion throughout the world. More details will likely not be available until next year, but I will continue to update everyone as information becomes available.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports
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Interview with Christian Friedrich: Colorado Rockies Prospect
Friday October 14, 2011
Jeff P (Guest Writer – MLB reports): Recently I had the honor of interviewing Christian Friedrich, top MLB pitching prospect. Speaking to Friedrich, I had the sense that he has the same key goal as many other baseball players: working hard to achieve his dream. Friedrich is a great guy and it was a pleasure interviewing him.
Firstly, I would like to relay some information on Chris, courtesy of Wikipedia:
“Christ Louis Friedrich (July 8, 1987 in Evanston, Illinois) is a left-handed starting pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization. He currently plays for the Class AA Tulsa Drillers. He was drafted in the first round (25th overall) in the 2008 Amateur Draft out of Eastern Kentucky University.”
Considering that he was a prestigious first round selection, Chris is one of the most interesting guys you will ever meet in baseball. Chris has tremendous talent, to go along with his strong reputation in the game. Featured on MLB reports, I proudly present my interview with Rockies Prospect, Chris Friedrich:
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MLB reports: Welcome to MLB reports, Chris. I am starting you off with a tough question: you have struggled throughout your time in double-A ball. What do you feel has been the most difficult part of moving from A+ to AA?
Friedrich: The hardest part about AA is being consistent. At the lower levels you can still get by on some of your bad days. In AA you have to be in it every day. The days you’re not pitching are just as important as the 5th day. Your routine has to be perfect and the same, your mental and physical preparation can’t skip a beat. All those things sum up in my mind to confidence. If you forget a certain lift, change your running routine, mental prep, or even your warm up before the game, it leaves doubt in your mind that doesn’t need to be lingering with you when you toe the rubber.
MLB reports: A few months ago, did you worry about the trade speculation around the clubhouse that you might be traded?
Friedrich: When the trade deadline comes around every year, you can’t help to listen in on what some of the guys or reporters are saying. For the most part though it’s something I can’t control and would deal with it if it happened. In all honesty though I didn’t and don’t think there’s a whole lot of teams looking for a guy like me after the season I put up and no one is more disappointed with that than myself. I had a good three months but couldn’t put it all together. I understand what I have to do, and that’s why this offseason is so important. There was a bit of a smile when that time passes because I love being a Rockie.
MLB reports: Daily rituals and hobbies, outside of the clubhouse?
Friedrich: For daily rituals as of now it’s a wonderful routine. Wake up and breakfast might be my favorite part of the day. Two eggs, two sausages, two toasts, and my beloved coffee from the Keurig. I’ll get my workout done in the mornings and then go for a swim. After that I usually go on the course or the range. I’m really roughing it (ha ha). It’s nice to be in one place for and extended period of time and develop the consistent routines. In the evening my other favorite hobby as many around me know is video games. I turned a closet into a video gamer’s paradise. My favorite part about video games is playing competitive games online with friends. It allows me to connect with buddies from back home, college teammates, guys I’ve played against, and even guys in our organization. It’s a lot easier than just sitting talking on the phone. I get to catch up with them and involve teamwork. I’m really excited for Modern Warfare 3 to come out.
MLB reports: What kind of music can one find on your iPod?
Friedrich: I have all genres of music on my apple products. My favorite would definitely be rock and roll. Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad, and a lot of Fall out Boy. Home town band I really like. No Beatles!
MLB reports: You have suffered from injuries during your career. What effects did your health have on your baseball activities?
Friedrich: Injuries have plagued me through my career but I’m thankful they weren’t and major ones. You learn to deal with them and do everything you can to prevent them. When they first happen it’s hard to accept and deal with them. It’s a great way to train yourself mentally but that’s my only positive. All you can do is work your behind off to get back out there and help out the club. The past three years I’ve dealt with some tendonitis in my elbow. It’s a nagging injury that doesn’t sit you down always but prohibits you from keep up your routine. For example it doesn’t bother you much the day you pitch because you are usually amped up. But on those important days in-between, it makes it harder to work on the things you normally do. Certain lifts bother it, and most of all, certain pitches. I noticed this year my breaking pitches during that time weren’t as sharp and I was getting ahead, but not putting guys away. This comes from not practicing with them as much through your five-day routine. Now I have time to strengthen my body and smaller muscle groups to make sure I can prevent these (injuries) as much as possible.
MLB reports: Do you think we will see you in the big leagues sometime next year?
Friedrich: I’m hoping to shock some people come spring training and reach the expectations I’ve set for myself. I’m doing everything I can to get there but that’s not under my control. But I will try to make the decision very easy for them.
MLB reports: What do you think is unique about the Rockies organization?
Friedrich: The Rockies organization is unlike any other. Our staff is made up of the best around with great knowledge and experience. I feel like we’re taken in, like it’s a family. This is a very classy organization the prides itself on homegrown talent. I couldn’t be happier with where I’m at. From my experience, players who have left our organization and players that come to it, say it’s the best they’ve been a part of.
MLB reports: What was the worst moment of your baseball career thus far?
Friedrich: The worst moment of my career would probably be the collapse at the end of my season this year. Last year our big league club lost a lot of starting pitching to injuries and Ubaldo Jimenez to the trade. It would have been a prime opportunity for me to shine and I went in the opposite direction. I’m looking to fix that.
MLB reports: What are you planning to work on in the offseason to improve your pitching status?
Friedrich: This offseason is again all about my routine and keeping good habits. I took about a week off and got straight to work. I’m using dry work everyday to solidify my mechanics so come February it’s an after thought. I’m incorporating swimming into my workouts to strengthen my shoulders and lats. I have dropped the bad weight and adding the good weight. My eating routine is helping with my energy and muscle-building. I am currently living in Florida by myself, so I don’t have distractions and have loved every minute of it. I started just a month ago and can’t wait come February.
MLB reports: You were drafted 25th, in the 2008 draft. What was the after party and the phone call like?
Friedrich: The draft day was a day I’ll never forget. I was blessed to have friends and family there to celebrate with me. It was hard to think while talking to reporters and answer questions, when I was still trying to wrap my head around it!
MLB reports: Who do you look up to in the big leagues?
Friedrich: I look up to a lot of our own players even at some of our levels. What I’m most impressed with, with majority of the big leaguers I have been around is their work ethic. Guys like Tulo, Helton, Blackmon, Belisle and EY all are workhorses in their own way. And there isn’t one way they all go about doing things. They have all learned for themselves what works best for them. They each have become machines of routine and excellence. My favorite pitcher by far though, like many others is Cliff Lee. He masters the strike zone and his command for all of his pitches is superb. My favorite thing is to watch his sequences and see how he sets up all his opponents. You watch highlights and can’t believe guys miss a pitch, but it’s how he has set them up.
MLB reports: I’ll end off here, if you were not currently a baseball player, what do you think you would be doing right now?
Friedrich: If I wasn’t in baseball? Tough one. If I never played in college, I would have like to go into dentistry or design. Since I am in baseball, I can’t get out. I love it. I would stay in the game whether it would be coaching or scouting.
MLB reports: Thank you very much for taking your time out of your busy schedule so we can have you with us. Much appreciated!
Thank you again to Chris Friedrich for taking the time to join us today on MLB reports. We highly encourage our readers to post at the bottom of the article any questions and/or comments that you may have for Chris. As well, please follow Chris on Twitter (@CFRIED12)
***Today’s feature was prepared by Jeff P, Guest Writer to MLB reports. 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 Jeff on Twitter.***
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ALCS Game 4 and NLCS Game 3: MLB Playoffs Recap for Wednesday October 12th
Thursday October 13, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): Going into today, the Rangers held a 2-1 series lead while the Cards and Brewers were tied up at 1-1. Could the Tigers square up their series? Who would pull away between Milwaukee and St. Louis? Let’s get to it by recapping Wednesday’s action:
Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers: ALCS Game Four
Rick Porcello and Matt Harrison faced off in the battle of number four starters. Both pitchers did a fairly good job on the night. Porcello pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up 3 runs (2 earned), 8 hits, 0 walks and struck out six. Harrison on the other side lasted five innings, giving up 2 runs, three hits, three walks and striking out three. Both starters left with a no decision. The scoring in this one started in the first, courtesy of a Miguel Cabrera 2-run double. Other than a Brandon Inge solo home run in the 7th inning (off reliever Alexi Ogando), the Rangers pitching staff did not concede another Tigers’ run. Texas actually trailed in this one 2-0 until the 6th, when they were able to put up 3 runs on the board. From there it was the battle of the pens, as both teams sent out plenty of relievers in this one. The Rangers used Alexi Ogando, Mike Adams, Darren Oliver, Scott Feldman and Neftali Feliz. The Rangers countered with Al Alburquerque, Joaquin Benoit, Jose Valverde and Phil Coke.
Tied up 3-3 going into the 11th, the Tigers trotting out their closer Jose Valverde who had already worked the 10th. The decision proved to be fatal. With one out and two on, Valverde faced Nelson Cruz– Texas Rangers postseason hero. Cruz proceeded to knock in a three run home run, his fourth home run of the playoffs. The Rangers went on to score four runs in the inning and take the game, final score 7-3. Feldman with the win, Valverde takes the loss. The Rangers hold a commanding 3-1 series going into tomorrow afternoon in Texas. The game is scheduled for 4:19 PM EST, with aces C.J. Wilson and Justin Verlander set to face-off. With one more win, the Rangers are off to the World Series, their second consecutive appearance in the finals.
Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals: NLCS Game Three
St. Louis was the site for the battle of the aces. Chris Carpenter for the Cardinals, Yovani Gallardo for the Brewers. Neither pitcher was particularly on this night, but did what they had to do to keep their teams in this one. Gallardo gave up all four runs in the 1st inning, but combined with the Brewers pen for seven shutout innings the rest of the way. Gallardo pitched 5 innings, giving up 8 hits, 5 walks and striking out 2. Carpenter only lasted 5 innings as well, giving up 3 runs, 6 hits, 3 walks and striking out 3. The pens for both teams went into lockdown mode. The Brewers relievers, LaTroy Hawkins, Takashi Saito and Chris Narveson combined to give up 1 hit and 1 walk over 3 innings, while striking out 3. The Cardinals pen was even better though on this night. Fernando Salas, Lance Lynn, Marc Rzepczynski and Jason Motte gave up no hits or walks over 4 innings pitched. Motte struck out 3 batter in 1 1/3 innings pitched for the save. Carpenter ended up with the win, while Gallardo took the loss. Albert Pujols was once again the star for the Cardinals, going 2 for 2 with 2 walks, 1 run and 1 RBI. The Cardinals take a 2-1, going into game 4 tomorrow night in St. Louis. Game time is 8:05 PM ET, Randy Wolf vs. Kyle Lohse. The battle of the number 4’s will determine if St. Louis can take a stranglehold on the series, or the Brewers can even things up going back to Milwaukee.
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Tigers get the “Purr-fect” Comeback: Recap of Game 3 of ALCS
Wednesday October 12, 2011
April Whitzman (Blue Jays Writer – MLB reports): After losing the first two games of the series to the Rangers, the Tigers headed home, needing a win. Thankfully, with the hometown crowd of 41,905 behind them, they got exactly that. Here is a recap of ALCS Game Three:
New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers: ALCS Game Three
It didn’t start off good for the Tigers, however, as the Rangers started the game with three singles, the last of which was Josh Hamilton’s RBI single that scored Ian Kinsler.
While the Rangers then had the 1-0 lead, Victor Martinez didn’t let it stay that way in the forth as he crushed a home run to right field to tie the game.
In the following inning, the Tigers added some more with three 2-out hits, one of which was a 2-RBI double off the bat of Miguel Cabrera that scored Austin Jackson and Ramon Santiago.
With Fister now in a groove, there was no looking back. Evidently, Jhonny Peralta thought so too, as in the sixth, he also belted a home run to left field. Still in the same inning, Austin Jackson scored Andy Dirk, and with that the Tigers had a 4-1 lead.
Cabrera wasn’t done yet, though, as in the seventh inning, he also hit a home run, the Tigers’ third of the game, and his third RBI of the game. With that the Tigers had a 5-1 lead.
The Rangers tried to catch up in the eighth when Yorvit Torrealba started off the inning with a double, and scored on Ian Kinsler’s groundout, but the damage had already been done.
Jose Valverde came in to pitch the ninth, allowing a leadoff double by Josh Hamilton, but nothing more, as the Tigers went on to beat the Rangers 5-2. They now trail 2-1 in the series.
Doug Fister earned the win, going 7.1 innings pitched, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while walking none and striking out three. Rangers’ Colby Lewis, on the other hand, received the loss, going 5.2 innings pitched, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out six.
Tigers’ Rick Porcello hopes to have a similar fate as Fister with the hometown crowd, but Texas’ Matt Harrison is hoping for a different outcome. Stay tuned as game four is coming up shortly.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you. Comment below, email MLBreports@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter at @Alleycat17.
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter (@MLBreports) 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
Adam Dunn and Alex Rios: The Future of the ChiSox Sluggers
Monday October 10, 2011
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): There were perhaps no two bigger fantasy busts than Alexis Rios and Adam Dunn during the 2011 season. Although nobody was “screwed over” more than White Sox general manager Kenny Williams, many fantasy owners surely had a hard time overcoming the incompetency of these two players.
Although Dunn’s performance was unexpected by many, we have seen this from Alex Rios before. Rios reemerged on the scene in 2010 as one of the rare five category players: .284 avg, 21 HR, 89 RBI, and 34 SB. However, Rios really tailed off at the end of his 2010 season and looked a lot more like the player that the Toronto Blue Jays flat-out released a year prior. His 2011 numbers look eerie similar to 2009:
2009: .247, 17 HR, 63 RBI, 24 SB
2011: .227, 13 HR, 64 RBI, 11 SB
Oddly, 2008 and 2010 were different stories for Rios, as he amassed a total of 9.3 WAR in those two seasons. There is no doubt that Rios suffered from bad luck in 2011. He .237 BAPIP is 70 points below his career average. However, the fact remains that Rios is now on the wrong side of thirty. It is doubtful any team would make the same mistake Williams already has and taken on his salary, so chances are Rios will still be in Chicago. With his large contract and a new manager in town, I think it is safe to assume it will be his position to lose in 2012.
Rios’ inconsistencies throughout his career make him a difficult player to evaluate, but you have to think he will bounce back and be a good buy-low candidate. Whatever you do just do not overpay. His peripheral numbers indicate that his power is still there and that his batting average should improve perhaps to his career .270 range. We also cannot ignore his strong finish, batting .307, 5 HR and 12 RBI in his last 75 at-bats. It has been said that he “over thinks” and struggles with the mental side of the game, but his physical skills are undeniable.
The signs indicate that Rios will bounce back in 2012 for a rebuilding White Sox team. Therefore, target him as a backup or final outfield option for a cheap price. Pay for the player he was in 2011 and hope to get the 2008/2010 Rios in return. With his track record it is simply not safe to pay for him as a .280/20 HR/80 RBI/20 SB guy that he could very well be.
I think you have to take the same approach with the other White Sox enigma, Adam Dunn. Dunn was the model of
consistent for the last 10 years, and he appeared to be in a great position to succeed in Chicago in 2011. However, his strikeout rate increased to a stagger 35.7 percent, and when he did manage to put the ball in play, his .240 BABIP left him with a .159 season average. Historically bad.
Dunn is also aging and was noticeably out of shape last year. Watching him play every day, he simply seemed over matched and had trouble recovering form an early season appendectomy. Dunn has to realize what is at stake here (his career) and hopefully he picked up something from Paul Konerko’s professionalism and approach to the game.
The fact remains that with his contract, Dunn will get the chance to turn things around in 2012. If he has a repeat performance, then the White Sox might be forced to just cut ties and move on. Therefore, 2012 is truly do-or-die for Mr. Dunn. Thus, I expect him to put in the time in the off-season and bounce back next year. It is not to say that Dunn will put up the same numbers as he has in the past, but the home run total could still exceed thirty. U.S. Cellular Field is a notorious hitters park, and Dunn still has the ability to take advantage of its favorable dimensions.
The good news, fantasy owners and White Sox fans, Alex Rios and Adam Dunn cannot be any worse in 2012! The fact is they will both be giving an opportunity to bounce back in 2012 and try to prove the worth of their 14 million dollar per year contracts. Although, they will never come close to doing this, they can provide value for you next year. These are the types of guys that I love to target for cheap on my fantasy teams. Rios has bounced back before, and although his inconsistencies are mind bogglingly frustrating; it is not crazy to expect him to do so again. Bad luck, reflected by BAPIP, played a factor for both of these players. And with Dunn, if he does put in the offseason commitment, his track record is too long and strong to ignore. Therefore, expect both guys to bounce back. Just don’t put your self in the position where you are counting on 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).***
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Interview with Doug Booth: Author of “The Fastest 30 Ballgames”
Sunday October 9, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): I recently had the pleasure to share my book review of “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” on MLB reports. Following my review, I had a chance to correspond with one of the authors of the book, Doug Booth. We discussed the book, the life and times of Doug Booth, ballpark chasing and much more. Sit back and enjoy my interview with a man who epitomes baseball fandom- Author Doug Booth, in discussing his recently published book, “The Fastest 30 Ballgames: A Ballpark Chasers World Record Story”.
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MLB reports: It is a pleasure to have you on the Reports Doug. Thank you for joining us today. Tell us a little more about who is Doug Booth. How did you get involved with the great game of baseball?
Booth: I am a 35-year-old courier from Vancouver B.C Canada. When I was 18 years old I had a chance to play NCAA Baseball Division 1 for Liberty University, but had suffered 7 concussions and multiple knee injuries from playing various sports-so I retired from baseball prematurely. While I still followed MLB on TV and radio for the next decade, a little piece of me lost the zest for the game because I couldn’t play it anymore. To this day, I still can’t even play the game as the symptoms from my previous concussions come back with too much exertion. In 2005, I attended my first MLB Park in the USA at Safeco Field in Seattle. I had only been to Olympic Stadium in Montreal-and The Rogers Center previously as a teenager, so it was nice to find my love for the game re-invigorated. ‘It all escalated into the extreme chaser I am now.’
MLB reports: I very much enjoyed reading “The Fastest 30”, as our readers could tell from my recent book review. Considering the work and effort involved, how does it feel seeing the book as a final product- published book?
Booth: I have to tell you, there were moments where this whole book concept really frustrated me to no end. It was a lot harder to write this baseball book than it was to write my first two books that I have in circulation. It was hard trying to write a novel based on a true story. Having said that, I am very happy that I completed this journey and have all of the memories of the trip chronicled and categorized, but most importantly that there are pictures of journey with my family and friends that will be forever cemented in literature.
MLB reports: The first part of “The Fastest 30” chronicles your two attempts to set the Guinness World Record for attending all 30 MLB parks in the shortest amount of time. Why this record Doug? Why did you want to reach this particular goal so badly?
Booth: The trip originally was going to be 48 states and 30 ballparks in 45 days, but once I had enough money stored for the trip I heard my inspirational ‘hero’ Jim Maclaren had been sidelined with a devastating injury-and his foundation was raising money for him. For those that have not read the book. I heard Jim interview on the ‘Jim Rome Show’ back in 2004. Jim was a quadripeligic motivational speaker who inspired others by his ‘choose life’ motto. It took Jim hours each day to do menial tasks, but he was at a place in his life where he was happiest because he made peace with himself. Each day he would defy the odds of doctors testing his own physical and mental fortitude. But his spirits had been dampened by an accident, and I wanted to do something. I investigated about the world record for this given category and found out the record at that time was 29 days. With some quick re-tooling, and armed with a drive to raise money for the Head North Foundation, (A charity championing the cause for spinal research) I was able to put a streak chase together that would use this charity as my motivation to break the World Record. Much like Jim, I would have to tests the limits of my physical and mental capabilities to pull this off.
MLB reports: After your first unsuccessful attempt at the record in 2008, was there a thought to taking a break or perhaps giving up? What motivated you try again so quickly- no burn out?
Booth: I chased the record for 41 days in the summer of 2008. I used up every ounce of my physical being, and tapped every resource of the money I had saved up in order to break the record. I had put forth a 30-29 record attempt-only to find out the record had been newly set that summer by a man Josh Robbins. The new streak record was 30 games in 26 days. I did not have to submit the record to Guinness because I was not even tied as the record holder anymore. It was all because I had a 3 day break for the All-Star Break that was unavoidable 2 weeks into my trip. I had booked off the time from work, and had bought countless plane fares, baseball tickets and hotels stays-so I was stuck with the 3 day break. That 3 day penalty, plus another day penalty I had received when I met my mother in Toronto, (instead of carrying onto Cleveland from Chicago for a game) when a plane was delayed to Toronto-thus killing my chance for to make it to the Rogers Center for first pitch. If you took those games off-I could have put a 30-25 streak submission up in the 1st year. I did complete 5 doubleheaders in the 29 day trip. It ate at me for 2 months until the schedule for 2009 came out. I saw a perfect schedule looming if it all worked out. When I put together the finances by April of 2009, I knew I had a shot at breaking the record. When an early season rainout added a 7th doubleheader attempt at Yankees Stadium for a 30-23 attempt, I knew I had an opportunity at history.
MLB reports: Please describe your feelings after you set your goal. Did you achieve fulfillment? Any other emotions kick-in post-record?
Booth: In contrast to 2008, when I felt empty and had a downward spiral for about 2-3 months, I was elated beyond control for setting the record on Aug.14/2009 at Comerica Park in Detroit. It was a 1-0 walk off homer by the hometown Tigers in the bottom of the ninth. In somewhat fitting circumstances to the journey’s end, fireworks were shot off at the park for what seemed like an eternity. I had a 10 hour drive back to my brother’s house in New Jersey the next day, during this time I contemplated what had taken place. For me, and this is what people could not understand because they could not fathom a trip of this magnitude-was that this was not the hardest part of the journey. It was the 308 days I had worked in a row in order to secure the money I needed, the rigorous schedule of 90 hour work weeks in which I battled the physical and mental fatigue-and all the times it looked bleak moving towards this , that was the hard part. Once I was out at the ballparks, I was in my world.
MLB reports: Looking back now, if you could do anything different from the second world record-setting journey, what would it be?
Booth: Not much, although I will always wonder what would have happened in Pittsburgh had I received a fluid sedan pick-up? I would have liked to have had the opportunity to make that 5:15 PM flight from the Pittsburgh Airport, leaving downtown at about 3:40 PM instead of 4:15 PM. I will tell you from that point on all of my transportation drivers were probably sick of me going over the game-plans of the pick-up/drop-off strategies.
MLB reports: The second part of the book is the Ballpark Chasers guide to all 30 MLB parks, with ratings. From your own experiences, what was your top five favorite MLB parks and why?
Booth: My top 5 parks in order are: 1. AT&T Park-because it is a beautiful park in the best city, and has the best food, climate and value out of all of the parks; 2. Yankee Stadium-I am a Yankees fan and nothing beats a game in the ‘Bronx’ with the fans. The steak sandwiches and Nathan’s hotdogs do a considerable amount for the park-while New York is also an awesome city to visit; 3. Wrigley Field-It is the best place to watch a game for just the game period. The Ivy, the scoreboard and the history and a little known fact, I spent more time there during the streaks than anywhere else; 4. Fenway Park-Even as a Yanks fan you have to marvel at the history of this Park. ‘The Green Monster’ is the best iconic visual of a Park anywhere in the majors; and 5. Busch Stadium-I enjoy the backdrop of the ‘Arch,’ the baseball fans in St. Louis are the classiest in the majors-and it was the only field I was interviewed on.
MLB reports: To let readers know, you had two other authors assist you with “The Fastest 30”. Why these two particular individuals? How did they get involved in the project?
Booth: My co-authors (Craig Landgren and Kenneth Lee) and I met online at http://www.ballparkchasers.com/ after the 1st streak chase in 2008. Over the course of the next year I would make my way onto the ballpark chaser scene in writing blogs, being involved in major discussions and talking about baseball. At first everyone did not know what to think of me because they had all followed Josh Robbins’30-26 trip. I had joined way after Josh at the site. Soon it would be that I gained some respect from Craig and Ken. Like me, Ken Lee has been to all 30 ballparks-and was most active with the other members. I asked him to help me chronicle my streak by writing blogs-and help post pictures/verify that I was legitimately at all of the parks for evidence reasons. We hit it off right away. It was nice to have a friend keep you motivated on this kind of record. When I decided to write the book I asked for Ken’s write-ups of the 2009 streak to be part of the novel. Craig Landgren is the founder of Ballpark Chasers. He has spent much time and devotion plying his craft of being a website master. The kind of information on all of the 30 parks come directly from all of the diligent work Craig has done in interacting with all of the members-and his own personal research. I knew the novel would be too short with just my streak attempts, and since I never spend too much time in one particular city, it was only natural that we enter this book as a partnership. I was able to add some of my own expertise to each ‘ballpark chaser guide’, so it made the work so much more rewarding. If you added all of our write-ups of expertise it made for a ‘super’ guide.
MLB reports: For readers that starting their own baseball trips, what advice would you give in “how to become a Ballpark Chaser?”
Booth: The first thing I recommend any potential chaser to do is sign up at www.ballparkchasers.com , we have some of the best traveling experts in North America offering free advice and information in a friendly manner. Ballpark Chasers also had a Facebook Group to sign up for. Also buy my book. I hope that is not too direct here, but honestly this book represents all of its members and people that have contributed to these guides via Thousands of games attended. Other than that, always budget $250-350 per road game, book your plane fares in advance, sign up for all of the MLB’ teams newsletters-that automatically send out ticket deals, learn your rewards programs for all of your car rentals, hotels and other travel partners. In addition to this, have a full schedule itinerary 24/7/168 time planner set out for your trip. Have backup plans for each city when it comes to weather, travel delays and fatigue. Doing a little bit of research goes a long way.
MLB reports: Doug, if you could do this all over again: would you? Was achieving the World Record worth the time, money, blood, sweat the tears that you invested in your journey?
Booth: Absolutely it was worth it. There is not a day that goes by when I don’t thank the game of baseball for molding me as a man in this journey-and also for the newly found friends I found. Baseball is truly the game that defines ‘pastime.’ I can’t think of another sport that can unify generations of families to be at the same place and same time. It is ageless and timeless. I have seen infant babies to a 100-year-old men and women at the game. Each of one of them at the game represents something different, but they all come for the experience. This journey has challenged me to rise up to the occasion and fight for what I believe in. I have a focus like I have never had ever before in my life.
MLB reports: What does the future hold for Doug Booth? Will we see any follow-ups to “The Fastest 30” and what are your goals professionally in the world of baseball?
Booth: I am putting together another ‘ultimate road concept’ in 2012-that will make my other baseball journeys seem like a kindergarten class for longevity. I implore anybody to follow my future journeys at my website www.fastestthirtyballgames.com. I also plan on asking MLB for a job, in firing up people in some kind of motivational capacity. I will be attending Broadcasting School in the near future and I will always continue to write about the game of baseball in some manner. My life as a ‘ballpark chaser’ has just started!
**The photographs in today’s feature are courtesy of Douglas ‘Chuck’ Booth**
*** Thank you to Doug Booth for joining us today on MLB reports. To learn more about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” and Doug Booth, you can follow Doug on Twitter (@ChuckBooth3024) and click here for Doug’s website, fastestthirtyballgames.com***
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Preview of MLB Playoffs for Sunday October 9th and Rangers Take Game 1 ALCS
Sunday October 9, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): And then they were down to four. On the road to the World Series, Milwaukee and St. Louis are set to do battle for the National League- while over in the AL, Detroit and Texas have already started their series. Is there anything better than the MLB Playoffs? Didn’t think so. Let’s get to it by recapping last night’s action:
Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers: ALCS Game One
The Detroit Tigers are becoming linked with “rain” in the 2011 MLB playoffs. Game one of their ALDS matchup in New York was suspended and played a day later. So of course, Murphy’s law dictated that the opening game of their ALCS would see rain as well. But despite nearly a two-hour rain delay (2 total rain delays in the 5th), the Rangers and Tigers were able to get this one in. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they again ended up losing their opener to fall behind 1-0 in the series to the Rangers. Neither starter was particularly effective in this one. Justin Verlander gave up 3 runs over 4 IP to take the loss, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 5. Verlander gave up 2 runs in the 2nd and the eventual game winning run in the 4th, courtesy of a Nelson Cruz solo home run. His opponent on the night, C.J. Wilson was also very un-ace like for the Rangers. In his 4 2/3 IP, Wilson gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and a whopping 5 walks, while striking out 6. Once the rain delay was over in the 5th and the game resumed, this game was the story of the bullpens. Both pens pitched shutout ball the rest of the way. Rick Porcello, Phil Coke and Ryan Perry kept the Tigers in this one, but the Rangers were able to make their early 3-2 lead stick. The stars of the night were the Texas Rangers’ relievers, as one by one, they can in to stifle the Tigers bats.
Mike Gonzalez earned his paycheque for the year by coming in on the 5th to the greatest pressure situation in baseball as a reliever. Bases loaded, Gonzalez faced Alex Avila with 2-outs. Needing only 2 pitches, Gonzalez retired Avila to end the inning and the Tigers best chance at breaking this game open. From there, Alexi Ogando, Darren Oliver, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz over 4 innings gave up 1 hit, 1 walk, and struck out 8. As lock-down as you get in baseball. Blame it on the rain, blame it on the Rangers having home field advantage and coming in rested. No matter how you slice or dice it, the Tigers were good on this night. But the Rangers were better. With the Rangers high-octane offense and stacked bullpen, the Tigers bats will need to muster more than two runs in a game if they hope to compete with the reigning AL champions. Another great game in the archives, in what is becoming one of the better MLB playoffs in recent history.
Preview of Sunday October 9th:
Game two of the ALCS was scheduled to go tonight, with Derek Holland on the hill for the Rangers and Max Scherzer for the Tigers. With rain in the forecast at a 90% probability, Major League Baseball wisely postponed this one until tomorrow afternoon. With Doug Fister not scheduled to pitch until game 3, the Tigers need this game or face a 2-0 deficit. The Rangers will be hungry to take the Tigers down early and get back to the World Series in a hurry. This series is far from over and should prove to be an excellent battle. Over in the National League, the Cardinals and Brewers are set to begin their battle. Jaime Garcia and Zack Greinke face-off in what should prove to be a classic. With many “experts” picking the Brewers to advance to the World Series, Tony LaRussa and his Cardinals have their work cut out for them. But as the Cardinals proved against the Philadelphia Phillies, a team with Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter cannot be counted out. Both teams have strong bullpens, as is the case in the American League. With tight games, this game could come down to Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford of the Brewers, or Fernando Salas and Jason Motte for the Cardinals. With Zack Greinke starting the war of words, the battle lines have been drawn. Another great series, leading up to the 2011 World Series.
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Brewers and Cardinals Advance to 2011 NLCS, Plus Recap of Carpenter vs. Halladay
Saturday October 8, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): In what had been shaping up to be very tight league division series, MLB fans were treated to not one or two, but rather three game fives this year. With the Tigers advancing last night to face the Rangers, it was time for the National League to decide its championship series competitors. The Diamondbacks were in Milwaukee to face the Brewers, while the Phillies were at home to host the Cardinals. Both games ended in on run leads, with the Cardinals and Brewers pulling out the wins. Let’s recap the MLB action from Friday night:
St.Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Phillies: NLDS Game Five
The best way that I can sum up this game is as follows. Chris Carpenter was taking the mound, facing off against ex-Blue Jays teammate Roy Halladay. This was a game that had a great deal of hype and buzz and excitement surrounding it. Games of this nature usually end up disappointing. I have seen all too often two great pitchers matchup, with one of the starters leaving early or getting hit hard. This one was one of those games though that ended up exceeding expectations. Carpenter won it, pitching a complete game shutout, three hitter, no walks and three strikeouts. About as good of a performance as you will see in baseball, let a lone the playoffs. Halladay on the other hand was just as strong, finishing with 8 IP, 6 hits allowed, 1 ER, 1 BB and 7 strikeouts. Ryan Madson came in for a clean 9th inning, striking out a pair. The only blemish for Halladay came in the first, when he gave up a leadoff triple to Rafael Furcal, who proceeded to score on a Skip Schumaker double. An Albert Pujols intentional walk- otherwise, an almost perfect day as well for Halladay. The Cardinals stranded more runners on base (7), while the Phillies only left 4 on base. Carpenter did hit Chase Utley, but managed to complete the game unscathed. Carpenter was very efficient in this outing, requiring only 110 pitches for the complete game. Halladay on the other hand needed 126 pitches to get through six. It is rare to get only one run in the 1st inning and to make the lead stick. But Chris Carpenter did just that. Now the Cardinals advance and continue their Cinderella run (blame the rally squirrel). Given the importance of the game and intensity, you would be hard-pressed to find a better pitched baseball game. Hats off to both starters, as each had an incredible outing last night. But Carpenter was the better arm on this day and as a result, the Cardinals break through while the Phillies stun the baseball world by exiting the playoffs in the first round.
Howard to have MRI: After the game, the baseball world was buzzing about Ryan Howard. Requiring help to get off the field,
Howard was on crutches. Reports indicate that he may have tore his Achilles tendon. Howard will have an MRI today to confirm the severity of his injury. This type of injury can typically take 6-9 months approximately of recovery time. With the Phillies possibly losing their top star for a good portion of next season, things just back to worse for the one time heavy favorite to win the 2011 World Series. Roy Oswalt, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson may all not be back, and Cole Hamels also has an impending free agent status that will need to be dealt with. For a team that was expected to do so much, greater uncertainly lies ahead as the team attempts to recover and figure out what went wrong.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers: NLDS Game Five
The second battle of the aces of the day featured Yovani Gallardo opposing Ian Kennedy. Both pitchers did their jobs in this one, going six inning apiece. Kennedy giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, Gallardo 1 run on 6 hits. Both walked 2 and struck out 5. Gallardo’s only blemish on the day was a solo home run to Justin Upon in the 3rd. The Brewers led this one from the 6th on, until the 9th. Saito and Rodriguez each earned holds with a clean inning of work each. With closer John Axford on to pitch the 9th, he gave up the tying run to send this one to the 10th. Axford ended up pitching 2 innings for the win. After setup man David Hernandez pitched 2 clean innings, it was up to closer J.J. Putz to hold the Brewers in check in the 10th. The unlikely hero was Nyjer Morgan, who got the game-winning hit to score Carlos Gomez to send the Brewers to a 3-2 win and a meeting with the Cardinals in the NLCS. While the Diamondbacks were the feel-good team of this year’s playoffs, the clock struck midnight on them. The Brewers, stocked to make a run this year, fulfill a part of their destiny by advancing. The Diamondbacks go home feeling good about themselves. A team that was expected to continued rebuilding grouped together, and made a run that few if any in the baseball world could have expected. Kirk Gibson and his boys should proud when reflecting their on season.
The Cardinals are Flying in: The Brewers get to stay home for game one of their NLCS matchup with the Cardinals. Zack Greinke is set to go for the Brewers, with the Cardinals starter still TBD. The Brewers are the favored squad, with their balance of sluggers, top starting pitching and lockdown bullpen. The Cardinals now take on the role of the Diamondbacks, the underdogs that everyone is rooting for. With the Rally Squirrel being the talk of the town (don’t ask…), do the Cardinals have the firepower to match up with the powerful Brewers? This series will come down to managing. Tony LaRussa vs. Ron Roenicke. While Roenicke has an extensive coaching resume, he is still a fairly raw manager. LaRussa is as crafty as they come and my money is on St. Louis making a return trip to the World Series. The Cardinals have a strong offense, led by Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman. The team has received good to great starting pitching and their bullpen gets the job done. The Brewers are the favorites on paper. I see this one going the full seven games, with the Cardinals moving on to face the Rangers in the World Series. The road to the World Series begins tonight in Arlington, as Detroit and Justin Verlander take on C.J. Wilson and the Rangers. A great postseason so far, that only promises to get better.
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Tigers advance to ALCS, Yankees Go Home and Ventura Named White Sox Manager
Friday October 7, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): Thursday was an exciting day in the world of Major League Baseball. The Detroit Tigers were set to face-off against the Yankees in New York. Game five of their ALDS series, all tied up 2-2. Winner moves on to face the Texas Rangers, loser goes home. The Yankees has their AL ROY candidate Ivan Nova on the mound, with the Tigers relying on Doug Fister. In the wake of the only game on Thursday’s schedule, Kenny Williams and the Chicago White Sox shocked the baseball world by naming Robin Ventura their new manager. A wild and crazy day indeed.
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees: ALDS Game Five
The highly anticipating pitching matchup never took place in this one. Fister did his part for the Tigers, tossing 5 innings, giving up 5 hits, 1 ER, 2 walks while striking out 5. Max Scherzer and Joaquin Benoit earned holds while Jose Valverde earned the save with a lockdown 1-2-3 9th inning. Ivan Nova lasted only 2 innings, giving up 2 runs (back to back solo home runs in the first to Don Kelly and Delmon Young), while allowing 3 hits and striking out 3. Not taking any chances, Joe Girardi was active with his bullpen all night, sending out Phil Hughes, Boone Logan, C.C. Sabathia, Rafael Soriano, Dave Robertson and Mariano Rivera. This game boiled down to execution and squeaking out runs.
The Tigers, underdogs going into the series, were able to pull out a 3-2 win. Fister got the win while Nova took the loss. Sabathia, ironically enough, ended up giving up allowing the game winning run in the 7th. Despite getting more hits than the Tigers (10-8), the Yankees left a whopping 20 men on base last night, while the Tigers left 13. The Tigers did lose Delmon Young during the game to injury (apparent oblique strain), making his status for the immediate future uncertain. Young, along with Fister, were the difference makers in this game. Both mid-season acquisitions by GM Dave Dombrowski, helped the Tigers win the Central and advance to the ALCS. Brian Cashman and the Yankees stood pat at the trade deadline, and were left standing in the wings once again in the playoffs.
The game marked the likely end of Jorge Posada‘s Yankee (and possibly major league) career. The future hall-of-famer endured his
toughest year ever in the majors. But for all his troubles in the regular season, Posada ended up shining in this year’s playoffs- finishing with a .429 average. The game also possibly marked the last game of C.C. Sabathia’s tenure in New York. With his opt-out clause looming this off-season, there is a chance that Sabathia may jump ship to another team. Highly unlikely, given his apparent love for New York and the Yankees dire need for his arm. But as Alex Rodriguez proved yet again this year (.111 AVG in the playoffs, with 3 strikeout on the night, including the game ending at-bat), big contracts do not necessarily guarantee victories. With 6 years and approximately $143 million left on the books (excluding incentives), the Yankees will likely be eating A-Rod pie for some time to come.
With this game in the books, questions now centre on the immediate future of each team. The Tigers move on to the ALCS, to face the Texas Rangers. This will be an exciting series and a big challenge for the Tigers. With the Texas-sized offense in place, the Tigers’ pitching staff (led by AL pitching triple crown winner and likely Cy Young and MVP winner Justin Verlander and Fister) will need to be stellar. Both teams have strong bullpens that will be relied upon heavily in the series. This series will boil down to whether the Tigers offense can muster enough runs to compete with Texas, and on the same token, how well the Texas rotation can contain Detroit. The Tigers have enjoyed a great run to-date, but my crystal ball is showing a Texas return trip to the World Series. One year wiser and more experienced, Ron Washington’s team should be able to win this out in six games. But keep one thing in mind: whenever Jim Leyland is involved, anything can happen. The Tigers made it this far for a reason and in a short series…. you never know.
Robin Ventura Named Chicago White Sox Manager
The talk of the day yesterday was the White Sox big announcement. GM Kenny Williams announced that the team had hired former third baseman, Robin Ventura as the White Sox new manager. Ventura, 44, spent 10 years with the White Sox as a player. Most recently he was retained by the team as a “Special Advisor”. Now, Ventura with no managerial experience to his resume, takes over control of the team on the field. Many names were thrown around as possible candidates, including former Red Sox skipper Terry Francona, former players and currently employed coaches Sandy Alomar Jr. and Dave Martinez, as well as hall of famer and current minor league manager Ryne Sandberg. Personally, I expected the White Sox to hire Martinez or Sandberg. Given the success of the Rays, Martinez as bench coach to manager Joe Maddon is highly considered in the game. Sandberg, on the other hand, has a proven track record managing in the minors and has strong ties to Chicago (obviously). Why then the choice of the inexperienced Ventura?
A couple of reasons come to mind. Firstly, the White Sox endured a very difficult 2011 season in missing the playoffs, despite heavy preseason expectations. Nothing distracts a fan base better than brining in a well known and loved name. Ventura was one of the most popular White Sox players in his day, and his hire at some level will help appease the fans. As well, a shocking signing of this nature has an effective way of masking the results of the season gone by, as well as steering the press to focus on 2012 and how Ventura will perform as a manager, rather than analyze the season that had just been completed. A stroke of genius in my book. Another reason to consider, which is a guess on my part, is that Williams is not interested in hiring a big and powerful name that will overshadow him. After enduring years of arguments and power struggles with former manager Ozzie Guillen, Williams was looking for a manager that would first and foremost listen to him and know his role in the organization. While Ryne Sandberg is my book is a far more qualified individual for the job, his stature in the game (as well as Chicago) would have relegated Williams to the back seat, had Ryno been named the new White Sox manager.
The ironic part is that while hiring Ventura clearly solidifies Kenny William’s place in the White Sox food chain, it may have the strongest effect of sweeping him out of town soon. The lustre of the White Sox 2005 World Series championship has long faded. With a large payroll and unsuccessful ballclub, it is “put up or shut up” time for Williams and the White Sox. If the team gets off to a slow start, and/or has another failed campaign, I fully expect Kenny Williams to be reassigned or dismissed from his post. If results on the field are the most important factor for Williams to keep his job, then he should have looked for the best candidate to guide his team. The Ventura signing may make White Sox fans feel all soft and cuddly at the onset. But losing games will change that in a hurry. With Frank Thomas being discussed as a possible candidate for a role on the squad, the 2012 White Sox coaching staff may look like a reunion from years gone by. I enjoyed watching Ventura as a player and had he been groomed as a coach for this position, perhaps he would have been prepared to succeed. But coming in raw, the new manager will have to learn quickly on the job. A move made by Williams’ ego, but not his sensibility in my estimation.
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Johnny Monell Interview: San Francisco Giants Catching Prospect
Thursday October 6, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): We are proud today to feature on MLB reports: Johnny Monell, catching prospect for the San Francisco Giants. The 25-year old Monell has the distinction of being drafted on three separate occasions: by the Giants in the 27th round in 2005; Mets in the 49th round in 2006; and again by the Giants, in the 30th round of 2007. Johnny from the Bronx- as I like to call him, finished off the 2011 campaign playing for Richmond in AA. In his five professional seasons, Monell has a .349 OBP and .447 SLG, good for a .796 OPS. Considered strong with the bat as well as the glove, Monell’s future looks bright as he works towards joining the big club soon. With his season coming to an end, I had the opportunity to catch up with Johnny Monell and talk some baseball. Here is our interview with Johnny Monell:
MLB reports: Welcome to the Reports Johnny. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule for us today. Let’s start with some background on you: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?
Johnny Monell: My favorite baseball players growing up would have to be Ivan Rodriguez (Pudge) and Ken Griffey Jr.
MLB reports: I would have to say that 90% of players we have interviewed all selected Griffey. Popular choice! Looking at active rosters, which current MLB star do you most admire and why?
Johnny Monell: Derek Jeter by far is my favorite player- just because of the way he carries himself on and off the baseball field!! He has accomplished so much in that Yankee uniform…He is just great!
MLB reports: Reflecting on your career to-date, what are your proudest accomplishments on the baseball field?
Johnny Monell: I would have to say in 2010, I was invited to major league camp. Just being in camp was an unbelievable experience. I learned so much that year. That year, I actually went on and played for San Jose and ended up having a very good year… You watch how these experienced major leaguers go about their business and how to get ready for a season. We ended winning a championship and the Giants won the World Series at the same time, which is pretty awesome in itself!!
MLB reports: What were your goals going into the 2011 season?
Johnny Monell: Goals coming into this season were to play hard and just be ready to play everyday!! Being in Double “A” for the first time, you realize a lot and see the best of the best! There are many guys you come across that are ready to make that jump to the majors. I’m happy with where I’m at and just ready to build on it every year to get where I wanna be!
MLB reports: When you first found out you were drafted, what were your reactions? Did those reactions change over time? What was the process like being drafted originally by the Giants in 2005 and Mets in 2006 and not signing with either team? What made you decide to finally sign with the Giants in 2007?
Johnny Monell: The story of how I found out that I was drafted was pretty funny! I was in a McDonald’s with some friends from high school and my college coach from Seminole Community College calls me saying “congratulations you’ve been selected by the SF Giants!” I was definitely excited by the call. I called my family to give them the news. Not too many kids from the Bronx, let alone the inner city, get an opportunity like this. So it was a big deal for myself, as well my family. Reactions kind of changed with time to make a decision- because I wanted to sign! But I knew in my heart that I wasn’t ready. I was fortunate to have my dad on my side, who played pro ball over the course of 17 years, with the Mets especially. Part of me did want to sign with the Mets based on that connection. But at the end of the day, I knew I wasn’t ready and getting advice from my dad helped me to make my decision. After my second year of Jr college, I knew that I was ready to play. As a result, I am now where I belong.
MLB reports: What do you consider your greatest baseball skill(s)?
Johnny Monell: I think I bring a lot to the table. Whether it’s behind the plate or hitting! I’m a left-handed hitting catcher. I think that is one of my main traits. There are not to many players out there that can hit and play this position.
MLB reports: What facets of your game do you most wish to improve upon?
Johnny Monell: At this point of my career, I think I would have to say being consistent and continue to get better. I work every season towards retaining all of my experiences of being a catcher in the minors. I want to take those experiences with me hopefully to the major league level.
MLB reports: How do strikeouts and walks figure into your game? Do you see any of these items changing over time and to what degree?
Johnny Monell: I think they play a huge part! I always strive to being able to see a lot of pitches in the course of every at-bat. This also shows the maturity of a hitter being able to stay back and hit the pitch you want to hit! Walks also can help the batting average. Big time!! This year I wanted to cut down on strikeouts. I did just that by laying off the pitchers’ pitches. I also found that this helps when you come up to bat with runners in scoring position.
MLB reports: Long term what position do you see yourself playing?
Johnny Monell: I see myself behind the plate! I just feel that with every year that goes by, I keep getting better behind the plate. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and going out there and gaining that experience.
MLB reports: If you had to look into a crystal ball, when do you see your expected time of arrival in the big leagues?
Johnny Monell: That is out of my control. I wish it was now, but all I can control is how I play on the field. Knowing the type of player I am, if I keep going about my business as I always have- hopefully one day I can get an opportunity. Someday, God willing of course!
MLB reports: Has pro ball been everything you expected it to be thus far?
Johnny Monell: Pro ball has been an amazing experience! By being with the Giants, I have been able to meet many legends of the game of baseball, such as Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Orlando Cepeda. I was just grateful to have the opportunity to be in their presence. Words can’t express how much that means to me. Also, it has been incredible to have roving coaches that have so many years of major league experience! I think we are spoiled with the amount of knowledge that is given to us on a daily basis.
MLB reports: What do you do for fun when you are not playing baseball?
Johnny Monell: For fun, I usually like to hang out with friends, family and teammates. I would say that I am a big movie guy during the season. Also I was fortunate enough to play on the east coast this year, so I was able to spend time with many of my family members. Being able to see them throughout the season was something that I cherished greatly. Being able to play in front of family and friends was a nice treat! I would say that I am a good teammate, because I try to hang out with everyone. Team chemistry is a definite priority for me. This is the only organization that I have ever been with. Coming up with the same guys, I would say that our relationship only gets stronger. Throughout each season and especially the last couple of years.
MLB reports: As a catcher in the Giants organization, what was your reaction to the Buster Posey injury?
Johnny Monell: The Buster Posey injury was devastating.
MLB reports: Have your visited San Francisco the city yet? How have you found the city thus far?
Johnny Monell: After playing in San Jose last year, we had a few opportunities to visit San Francisco. I visited as much as I could. The city is great. Food is awesome on the wharf. Visited Alcatraz and took a lot of pictures. Definitely a city I could live in!
Thank you again to Johnny Monell for taking the time to join us today on MLB reports. We highly encourage our readers to post at the bottom of the article any questions and/or comments that you may have for Johnny. As well, please feel free to contact Johnny directly by Twitter (@JMoE220). He is very active on social media and welcomes your feedback!
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2011 MLB Playoffs: Recap Tuesday October 4th
Wednesday October 5, 2011
MLB reports: While three teams on Tuesday could have moved on to the next series, only one team did. Here is a recap of the scores and highlights from Tuesday’s games:
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees: ALDS Game Four
With A.J. Burnett on the mound, Yankee fans were on the edge of their seat in anticipation for the game against the Tigers. They knew they needed a win, and a big one.
Well, they got exactly that.
Derek Jeter started the scoring in the third inning with a double that scored Russell Martin and Jorge Posada.
They would hold the 2-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth, when Victor Martinez launched a solo homerun to make it a 2-1 game.
That would, however, be the only run that the Tigers would score as the Yankees scored another run in the 5th, when Curtis Granderson doubled Brett Gardner. Later in the inning, Alex Rodriguez would score Derek Jeter to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead.
And they never looked back.
In the top of the eighth, Al Alburquerque, facing Jesus Montero, balked which allowed Alex Rodriguez from second. Montero would later single to score Mark Teixeira. Daniel Schlereth would then come in for the Tigers, but it didn’t get any better, as he threw a wild pitch that scored Montero and then gave up a 2-RBI single to Robinson Cano. After a 6-run inning the score was 10-1.
Evidently, that would be the way the game ended as Boone Logan struck out the side in the ninth, as the Yankees forced a game 5. Burnett went 5.2IP allowing one earned run on four hits, three walks and one strikeout. From then on in, the collective bullpen pitching, including Rafael Soriano, Phil Hughes and Boone Logan pitched 3 1/3 of no-hit baseball, allowing no walks yet striking out six. Game five goes tomorrow night in New York, Fister vs. Nova for all the marbles.
Texas Rangers at Tampay Bay Rays: ALDS Game Four
The Rays had been in this position not too long ago – one loss away from not being able to move on to the next step. Recognizing this, they sent Hellickson to the mound against Rangers’ Harrison.
That said, after already winning two games in a row, the Rangers were not going to go down easy as Ian Kinsler hit a home run in the first at-bat of the game.
In the 2nd, the Rangers added to their lead with another home run, one from Adrian Beltre, and already Texas was up 2-0.
In the bottom of the inning, the Rays cut the Rangers lead in half thanks in part to Matt Joyce’s RBI double.
Adrian Beltre, did not give up easy and in the forth, launched another solo home run. His 2nd of the game.
But again, the Rays fought back and again, Sean Rodriguez scored, this time off the bat of Casey Kotchman.
Adrian Beltre though would not allow the Rays to catch up as, in the top of the seventh, he launched his THIRD home run of the game.
In the bottom of the 9th, with the score 4-2, Sean Rodriguez once again told his team he wanted to cross the plate once again. So sure enough, Casey Kotchman singled him in with one out in the ninth, making the score 4-3.
But the third Beltre homerun proved to be the difference, as Alexi Ogando got Matt Joyce to pop out and Desmond Jennings to ground out.
Harrison got the win, going five complete innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out nine.
With the win, the Texas Rangers move on to the next series, facing off against the winner of the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers.
Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals: NLDS Game Three
Everyone loves great baseball and that is certainly what was received when Phillies’ Cole Hamels faced off against Cardinals’ Jaime Garcia.
There was no score until the seventh inning as both pitchers were cruising along. Much like what occurred in all other aforementioned games, a home run proved to be the difference as after Shane Victorino singled and Carlos Ruiz was intentionally walked, Ben Francisco was placed in to pinch hit and he did not disappoint – launching a three run home run to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead.
The Cards fought back in the bottom of the inning as David Freese hit an RBI single that scored Allen Craig.
They would carry this momentum into the ninth inning as Albert Pujols led off the inning with a double off Ryan Madson. Pujols would later score off of a Yadier Molina single but that would be all they would get as Ryan Theriot grounded out to end the game, enabling the Phillies to win by a score of 3-2.
Cole Hamels got the win, going six complete innings without a run, allowing five hits and three walks, but striking out eight. Game four goes tonight in St. Louis, Oswalt vs. Jackson.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers: NLDS Game Three
In a must-win game for the Arizona Diamondbacks, they sent Josh Collemeter to the mound against Brewers’ Shaun Marcum and Collemeter did not disappoint.
Arizona got on the board early against Marcum thank in part to a RBI double from Miguel Montero and an RBI single from Paul Goldschmidt.
Both of these scoring plays were fielder by centerfielder Corey Hart, so Hart felt he needed redemption. When he got up to bat in the third, he did exactly that, hitting a homerun to left field, and cutting Arizona’s lead to 2-1.
The damage, however, had already been done. In the bottom of the inning, Arizona added to their lead when Aaron Hill scored on Montero’s second RBI of the game. On the play, Nyjer Morgan got Justin Upton out on a close play at the plate.
With the score 3-1, Arizona knew they needed a few more runs to ensure a game four. Evidently, Paul Goldschmidt was thinking the same thing as in the fifth inning, he hit a GRAND SLAM (GOLDSCHMIDTTTTT!). Kameron Loe would then come in to pitch and replace Marcum, but Arizona was much too dominant, scoring another run in the inning from a Ryan Roberts RBI single, giving the Diamondbacks an 8-1 lead.
This evidently would be how the game would end as Milwaukee managed only three hits in the game. This can be attributed to Collemeter’s fantastic game as he went seven complete innings, allowing only two hits, one earned run on two walks and six strikeouts.
Marcum’s outing was not as great, as the ex-Blue Jay went 4.2 innings, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three. Game four is the late game tonight in Arizona, Wolf vs. Saunders.
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James Lamb MLB Guest Blog: Tips for the Baseball Parent
Tuesday October 4, 2011
MLB reports: We are very fortunate to have James Lamb return as our MLB Guest Blogger today. For all current and future baseball parents, you will find James insights and tips extremely valuable. We proudly feature on the reports, James O. Lamb, with his latest tips on baseball parenting, “Involvement with respect to your son playing baseball beyond recreational levels” :
Involvement with respect to your son playing baseball beyond recreational levels
James O. Lamb (Guest MLB Blogger): There are plenty of theories that circulate in and around the game of baseball throughout all levels of participation. The ideas shared here on this platform were used during my son’s play and driven by providing every opportunity available during his development. The shear hope for his sincere enjoyment during his path of playing baseball was not left for chance, but rather constantly monitored through a parental involvement. The idea of taking a walk with your son during a baseball career was described in an earlier article. When is it time to stop the parental involvement? Should a parent meet with the high school coach about playing time? Does changing schools help a player get into the college or professional levels? How does playing club, or travel, baseball impact an amateur career? These are just a few of the ideas to be addressed about involvement with respect to your son playing baseball beyond recreational levels.
The concept of stopping a parental involvement with your son playing baseball is near and dear to my heart. The answer is quite simple but also very difficult to follow. Never stop being a parent to your kids… ever. Support and involvement can cause a cloudy area about athletics and more specifically baseball during the wrong stages of a young man’s career. Continue to support their participation with your involvement from a distance. There is no value in coaching your son from the backstop or the stands. Let the coach try to aid your son’s development as a man, a teammate and a player. Surely some coaches are better than others as with players on the field. If you can help your son’s ability to play the game by catching, throwing and hitting the baseball that is great but there are more important things to do as a parent. A very dear friend of mine that continues his professional baseball career as a scout once told me that my son did not need another coach to play he simply needed a supportive Dad from the stands and nothing else. Truly the best advice I could have received when my son entered Laguna Hills High School at the age of 13 years old. Parental involvement never ends from the citizen perspective, but clearly has limits during baseball.
When should a parent face a high school coach about playing time? Never is clearly the best answer here unless you want to start issues that will never be resolved. I always enforced the belief in my son to talk with his arm, glove, bat, legs and intellect to play the game. Work harder than everyone else at throwing, catching and hitting the baseball and any competent coach should place the best players in his line-up to win some games. If the coach does not place your son in the game have your son ask the questions about areas he needs to improve for a better chance to play after the hard work. Feel free to stand behind him during his conversation with the coach for support but let him do the talking and ask the questions. If the coach does not give him the respect to ask the questions then you might just have to step in and help buffer the situation to allow your son to talk. Respect is a two-way street between the coach and player but keep in mind the egos that are tested by all entangled in this equation. The distant approach is typically implemented during the wrong stages of their son’s amateur career. More parents seem to become obsessed during the high school, college and even the professional levels of baseball. The ideas of confrontation during the later years of playing the game can be devastating to a baseball career. Support is the key without engagement for the player to compete for the spot on the roster or line-up card. Actively participating with a coach about your son’s playing time will get him nowhere within the game real fast.
Many families change schools based on coaches, roster spots availability or reputations associated with certain programs. This is really a family choice and the merits come from a variety of positions on this concept. The same can be said about the wide diversity of opinions for signing a professional contracts out of high school versus college. Some players are ready to move on while others are not. There are pros and cons associated with changing schools for the benefit of baseball development due mostly to education and athletic ability. Some coaches teach the game better than others, just as some players have raw tools to play the game and some need help to improve. If your son can play he should be on the field no matter where he goes to school. College and professional scouts will more than likely find him playing and if not there are plenty of simple suggestions to increase your chances of finding the right college or university to further a career. There is a plethora of advice and practical approaches to keep the uniform on until the player is ready to take the cleats off. Changing schools does not always work as intended but sometimes it will serve a true value for the player’s growth and opportunity to play baseball beyond the recreational levels.
The last area of this article will focus on the popular decisions during an amateur career to play travel, or club, baseball and the potential result of involvement. From a development standpoint, playing on a club team can greatly aid a player and baseball opportunity. The research and time needed to insure your son’s improvement should not be underestimated otherwise you are merely allowing someone to take your money without results. Simply writing a check to play in tournaments or on the weekends will not guarantee improvement if your son does not put in the necessary effort to work on his own. Keep in mind that a few talented instructors throughout the country, and world for that matter, really can help your son improve but there is no magic wand waved over their head walking in and out of the dugout. Your high school team should always have first priority to take part and be very careful trying to add travel baseball during school activities set by the coach. Within the Southern California area there is a growing tendency to play for a club organization over high school and college. Tremendous debate has been triggered over this propensity to ignore the challenges associated with playing in high school and college. There seems to be family logic involved with some of these choices but others are being held to rattling rumors of handling the rigors of college and, or, professional competition based on these growing trends. Only time will tell if this path has merit for being a successful college or professional baseball player with any true substance and value. Now if your high school does not have an off-season program and there is no interest of playing the other sports in season than by all means play baseball during the fall and winter. The paramount suggestion about travel baseball is buyers beware. I am a firm believer that the best programs are the least expensive, or even free to take part. Prime example is the reigning 2011 Connie Mack Champions the Midland Redskins for Amelia, Ohio. My opinion comes from personal experience of my son’s development while associated with the Midland program during the two summers he spent away from home learning how to compete and play without Dad making out the line-up card. Don’t forget the importance to take some time off while conditioning the body and mind for another full season of baseball in school.
There are a heap of concepts related to amateur baseball and a yet a very limited number of stories that can successfully account for playing Major League Baseball as a career. The story has not fully been written within the Lamb household during our experiences associated with the professional phase of John Lamb playing the great game of baseball. There are two things most certain as a foundation for a player’s development. Support and involvement seem to be the common denominators for many if not all the paths to the big leagues. Knowing when to back off and just be a supportive parent is critical for the player’s success on the diamond.
© by James O. Lamb. All rights reserved. (reprinted by permission)
Twitter @JamesOLamb
* Please be advised that this article and any additional comments, posts or opinions from the content do not reflect the opinions of the Florida Marlins, L.P., Major League Baseball, or any other affiliations of professional baseball. *
Thank you James for preparing today’s article. Please feel free to contact James O. Lamb on Twitter or through his websites for comments and questions. James is one of the brightest baseball minds that I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with and getting to know. We highly encourage our readers to subscribe to James’ websites to gain valuable information and insights.
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2011 MLB Playoffs: Recap Monday October 3rd
Tuesday October 4, 2011
April Whitzman (Blue Jays Writer – MLB reports): With the National League taking the night off, we were treated to game three in both ALDS series. Here is a recap of the scores and highlights from Monday’s games:
New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers: ALDS Game Three
It may not have been the pitching duel that everyone expected, but Monday’s game between Yankees’ CC Sabathia, and Tigers’ Justin Verlander was still an exciting one.
While Verlander pitched a strong 120-pitches-eight innings hitting 100MPH continually, striking out 11 and allowing four runs, six hits and three walks. Sabathia, on the other hand, never made it through the sixth, allowing four runs and seven hits with six walks in 5 1/3 innings.
After the first inning, however, one would not have expected that outcome. Derek Jeter hit the first pitch he saw for a single, scored on Curtis Granderson’s triple, who then scored on Alex Rodriguez’s groundout. T he Yankees had an early 2-0 lead.
The lead didn’t last long as Sabathia had control issues right away, walking four of the first six hitters he faced. Double plays proved to be the Tigers’ Achilles though, as they grounded into a double play to end both the first and second innings.
In the third, however, things turned around for the Tigers. Brandon Inge started the bottom of the inning with a double, Austin Jackson walked, Santiago scored Inge on a single, then Young singled, loading the bases for Miguel Cabrera – who homered in game 2. He grounded into the Tigers’ third double play of the game, but still tied the game at 2 apiece.
While the Tigers were continuing to put numbers on the board and grabbing the 4-2 lead, Verlander was dominating. He also proved his excellence on this night by striking out the side on 10 pitches in the fifth.
Yankees’ Brett Gardner finally got to the 24-game winner in the seventh, hitting a two-run double. Delmon Young, who also homered in Monday’s game off Sabathia, allowed the Tigers to regain the lead with a home run to right field that gave Detroit a 5-4 lead.
That would be the way the game ended, as a shaky Valverde struck out Derek Jeter with runners on 1st and 2nd to end the game, giving the Tigers a 2-1 series lead. In today’s must win game for the Yankees, A..J. Burnett is on the mound against Tigers’ Rick Porcello.
Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays: ALDS Game Three
The Rays and Rangers match was just as tight and nerve-wracking for the fans. Tampa Bay’s David Price hit the mound against Texas’ Colby Lewis. Both pitchers were dominant through seven, as the Rays held a 1-0 lead thanks to Desmond Jennings leadoff home run in the 4th.
But in the top of the 7th, the Rangers answered back. Once Adrian Beltre got on with a leadoff single, Mike Napoli hit the next pitch he saw over the centerfield wall to take a 2-1 lead. Josh Hamilton would later hit a 2-RBI double to increase their lead to 4-1.
But the Rays werenot going to go down without a fight. They got a run back in the bottom of the inning, when Sean Rodriguez grounded out but scored Johnny Damon. The Rays cut the Rangers’ lead to 4-3 in the eighth, when Desmond Jennings hit his 2nd home run of the game.
Neftali Feliz kept the score intact though in the 9th, inducing a Kelly Shoppach double play with Jennings on deck to end the game, earning his 2nd save of the playoffs. The Rangers took a 2-1 lead in their ALDS series.
In today’s game, Matt Harrison for the Rangers faces off against Tampa Bay and Jeremy Hellickson. It is a must-win game for the Rays, but after their historic win against the Yankees to make it to the post-season, my gut says this series should go the distance.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you. Comment below, email MLBreports@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter at @Alleycat17.
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How to Value and Manage Catchers on Your MLB Fantasy Team
Monday October 3, 2011
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): The catching position is one that is often the most mismanaged by fantasy owners. A very thin position, it is difficult to find value from catchers in the deeper leagues. Furthermore, you take a big risk dedicating a high pick or significant auction money at a very injury prone position, as 2011 owners Joe Mauer and Buster Posey owners know all too well. Even a healthy catcher will sit for a significant amount of games each year due to the wear and tear of the position.
For these reasons, I generally advise to not overpay for a player at this position. But with that said, for the right price, the top batch of catchers can provide you significant value. However, too many times before we have seen significant year yo year decline from players at this position. You simply should not rely on production at this position. Spend your bucks elsewhere. Based on matchups and playing time, it is possible to scrap together value for next to nothing.
For example, Chris Iannetta and his .238 average, 51 runs, 14 HR, and 55 RBI, disappointed many fantasy owners in 2011. But a closer look at the numbers shows the true value he provides. We all know the effect that Coors Field has on hitters, but for Iannetta it is staggering. His 2011 home numbers look like this: .301 batting average, 10 HR, 39 RBI and 3 SB.
If you were to only start Iannetta at home in 2011, you would great numbers all across the board for half of the season. You are essentially getting 50% of Brian McCann for way less than 50% of the price. The discrepancy in his splits is dramatic that it makes him so easy to use as an owner. Only start him at home and never think about starting him on the road!
Now, for the days that Iannetta is on the road, there are plenty of options in the bottom half of the rankings that would be available on the waiver wire. Let’s pick someone like Miguel Olivo. His 19 HR and 62 RBI provide great production from the thin catching position, but his .224 average leaves a lot to be desired. However, an owner is much better equipped to muster this average if the number of at bats are cut in half. If you combine this morph of Olivo and Iannetta, you are looking at these types of numbers:
.260-.270, 20 HR, 70 RBI, 6 SB.
These numbers are essentially right on par with Brian McCann’s 2011 line (.270, 24HR, 71RBI, 3SB). McCann is a consensus top five
catcher, while Iannetta and Olivo are viewed outside of the top-15. You are essentially creating McCann for a lot cheaper and inherent risk that comes with investing money in the catching position. Furthermore, there are more options out there if you think Olivo’s average is too much of a killer. It all depends on your team’s needs and what categories you are chasing. If you are more concerned about average, guys like Nick Hundley and Jonathan Lucroy might be more attractive options. Looking for power and RBI production? Names such as J.P. Arencibia, Russell Martin, Geovany Soto, Kurt Suzuki (there are even more) are all useful under the right circumstances.
For example, look at Geovany Soto’s numbers against left-handed pitching in 2011: .296 average, 7 HR and 15 RBI in just 98 at-bats. This is in stark contrast to his .207 average and 10 home runs in 323 at-bats against right-handed pitching.
The point is that it’s easy to piece together production at this position. There are several players who contribute in the HR and RBI categories and you can get the most out of them by maximizing their strengths based on matchups and ballparks.
***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).***
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Ian Kadish MLB Guest Blog: Part 2 – Offseason and Expectations for 2012
Monday October 3, 2011
MLB reports: We welcome back Blue Jays prospect Ian Kadish to MLB reports. The right-handed pitcher pitched for the Bluefield Blue Jays in the Rookie Appalachian League in 2011. With a 2-3 record, 7 saves, 2.67 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, and 11/35 BB/K, the 23-year-old Kadish showed some very strong numbers pitching in the pen in his first professional season. With a bright baseball future ahead, we are proud to announce that Ian has agreed to become a regular MLB Guest Blogger on the Reports, describing his baseball journey for our readers. In his own words, we present part 2 of 2 of our featured guest blog of Ian Kadish, the offseason and his expections for the 2012 season:
Ian Kadish (Guest MLB Blogger): So MLB Reports asked me to do another blog entry because there was good feedback on the first one. This will be a 2-part entry, the first part looking back at my 2011 season and how it went and the second part will be about what my offseason will consist of and my expectations for 2012.
Part 2 – Offseason and Expectations for 2012
This offseason, I am back in Huntington, West Virginia. Marshall is located in Huntington and there are a few different reasons why I chose to come back even though I graduated last May. The biggest reason I chose to come back is due to the fact that I would have a great gym to train at for free. The Strength and Conditioning Coach that I had in college told me I could train there in the offseason for free if I wanted to. The pitching coach at Marshall also told me that I could come throw with him whenever I wanted/needed to. He offered to have somebody catch my bullpens when the time came and he also said I could face some hitters before I left for Spring Training, which will be a great help. That makes it so much easier for me rather than being at home because I would have to find a gym in Cincinnati and pay a monthly fee and more than likely the gym wouldn’t have everything I needed. I also would be scrambling to find somebody/somewhere to throw when the time came.
After a long college season, followed by another professional short-season, I gave my body a week off to recuperate from all the wear
and tear of the baseball season. This offseason, my plan is to hit the weight room hard in order to become bigger, faster, and stronger in a baseball pitching aspect. The Blue Jays gave everybody in the organization a big booklet with specific workouts in them. I have specific goals that I am wishing to achieve in the offseason. I also want to improve on my flaws not only in the weight room, but on the field as well. I am going to take time off from throwing to give my arm a rest, but not too long of a rest because I can’t use spring training as a time for my arm to get in shape. I need to go to spring training 100% ready to go…
Aside from training in the offseason, I got a job working at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It’s just like a Sports Authority or any other sporting good store like that. I wanted to get a job because I do not want to rely on my parents for everything. Many minor league players have to get a job in the offseason because not everybody signs a large signing bonus so it is not uncommon to get an offseason job. I am actually looking forward to it because it will keep me busy when I am not training.
My expectations are just like any other minor league player’s expectations. We all have goals we want to achieve and we all have dreams we want to come true. I’m no different. I am very hard on myself and push my body to great lengths, almost to failure because I know it will pay off during the season. The work I put in off the field will prepare me for every situation on field. There are specific expectations/goals that I have. Of course, one of them is to hopefully receive a promotion, but before I can do that I have to better myself. I’m going to work extremely hard this offseason, harder than I have ever worked because that’s all I know. I have worked extremely hard to get to this point and I am still not satisfied… I’m going to get after it and hopefully the hard work will pay off…
Thank you to Ian Kadish for preparing today’s MLB Guest Blog. Please feel free to contact Ian on Twitter (@BearJew36) or through his website (http://livinginthelifeofian.blogspot.com) for comments and questions. We also thank Ian for sharing the photographs used in today’s feature from his own private collection.
Previous Ian Kadish Guest MLB Blog Entries on MLB reports:
Ian Kadish Guest MLB Blog: Part 1 – Recap of My 2011 Season September 30, 2011
Ian Kadish Guest MLB Blog: My Baseball Journey September 11, 2011
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Cleveland Indians 2011: A Recap of The Season and 2012 Preview
Sunday October 2, 2011
Jeff P (Guest Writer – MLB reports): This was a long year for Cleveland Indians fans: From the acquisitions of Ubaldo Jimenez and Kosuke Fukudome, to falling in and out of playoff contention. The truth is that this whole year can be seen as one large accomplishment for the tribe.
The beginning of the year started with a bright future. The fans waited until June 27th, when the team decided to bring up one of their most hyped prospect, Lonnie Chisenhall. A little less than a month later, Jason Kipnis was added to the mix and the Indians started to receive even greater enthusiasm from their fans. The prospects were a large bright spot for the tribe, as 2011 was considered the hopeful end of the Indians slide of mediocrity (which lasted from 2008-2010).
Kipnis was a bright spot in the clubhouse, as August 10th represented the exclamation point in his career on the “Road to the Big Leagues.” Kipnis had a huge day, smashing five hits, including a home run and scoring 4 runs, leading the Indians to a 10-3 win.
The trade deadline in 2011 included a massive deal for the Indians as buyers rather than sellers, leading to controversy throughout Cleveland. Many fans weren’t familiar with the prospects which had been traded in the deal which sent Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians. Here is a scouting report of each dealt prospect:
Joe Gardner: Gardner is a left-handed pitcher, who is still currently in the minors. Gardner, 23, is known for his hard throwing sinker, clocking at 94 MPH. Left-handers are a true dread for him, as in AA, they have hit well over .300 facing him. His secondary pitches are inconsistent, leading to trouble, as hitters get used to his hard throwing sinker. Currently he is a reliever, though it’s expected for him to switch to a starter by the time he gets to the “Show”.
Alex White: White’s development has been strong to date. Some say his hard throwing sinking fastball, as well as his splitter as an out-pitch, could lead him to become a future ace. White, 23, throws not only pitch a nice fastball and splitter, but he can also throw a un-hittable slider across the plate. White is an innings eater, which is a huge part of his development. Start getting to know his name, because he has the potential to be a star.
Drew Pomeranz: Pomeranz has a nice speed fastball, which often leaves batters confused, with swings straight through the pitch. His command is usually very good, as he has a terrific arm. Pomeranz though needs more decisive pitches, as his only dominant pitch is his fastball. His fastball should lead him to become a successful number two starter, although likely in a few seasons from now. He also has a decent breaking ball, but not major league ready. With his performance to-date and size, there is no doubt that he will be exciting to watch.
Matt McBribe: McBribe is most likely the least-hyped prospect of the bunch. McBribe is a right-handed batter who hits for contact, with a decent power stroke. The former second-rounder can play multiple positions, and is developing at a decent pace. McBribe is only 20, but his future remains unclear at this point.
Ubaldo Jimenez: Ubaldo Jimenez came into the year as an all-star, a first half monster, a dominator. Is it so? Ubaldo Jimenez was looking like a perennial Cy Young candidate at the beginning of the 2010 season. However, all of a sudden, a breakdown occurred post all-star break. 2011 was considered a season of despair for Ubaldo, as his ERA ended at 4.68, and his win/loss ratio was poor. He still had a golden arm though and scorches his fastball right across the plate. Jimenez, is still a dangerous pitcher, which causes batters to continue to dread facing him. Even though his stats may seem poor, overall as a pitcher, he is far from a nightmare and a lost cause. With a full season coming up in the AL, expect a strong rebound.
Trade Overview: The trade was at first controversial, and still is, though to many it’s a clear win for the Rockies. The Rockies acquired four dominant prospects, who have great potential. The Indians acquired a hyped pitcher, whose dominance lasted for a few months in his peak. Now the Rockies have a robust farm system, as the Indians are left with an average farm, and a bad to decent number two starter. Ubaldo had been called in the past the next Roy Halladay, though many experts expected him to come back down to earth.
Looking at the Indians 2011 campaign: After the first half of the season, when the Indians seemed unstoppable, they started slumping. Once a slump comes, it’s hard to get out of it. The Indians were fighting to stay in contention, but as of September 17th, they were officially eliminated from the playoffs. A huge part of their success was Justin Masterson, who has emerged into the tribe’s ace. The Indians did struggle though during the year with injuries, which turned out to be a killer. At one point of the season, the Indians could barely find 4 pitchers to fill a rotation. For some time the team had pitchers starting with four days rest. Vinnie Pestano was a pleasant surprise in the bullpen, as his ERA maintained below 3.00. Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera were among the contributors in the hitting department. The Indians were in contention for much of the year, but poor performances from expected contributors including Ubaldo Jimenez, injuries, and long-lasting slumps, ended their season a few weeks earlier than the team hoped.
2012 Preview: A bright spot in the Indians organization is that their farm is filled with hard-hitting prospects. Michael Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera, Carlos Santana, Matt LaPorta, Lonnie Chisenhall, Nick Weglarz, and Shin Soo Choo, can leave Indians fans with smiles on their faces heading towards next season.
The pitching staff of the Indians is less certain, though they have potential in some strong arms. Zach McCallister, along with Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, Carlos Carrasco, and Josh Tomlin, provide the team with a rotation built on youth, that could develop into an above average rotation in the wild central. The team also announced right at the end of the season that manager Manny Acta’s option for 2013 was picked up. Although pitching coach Tim Belcher will not return (deciding to spend more time with family), having the stability that Acta brings to the table as a manager is a great start for the team heading into next year. A lot of excitement is in store for Indians fans, and with a great deal of talented youth in the organization, can bring also hope among tribe fans.
***Today’s feature was prepared by Jeff P, Guest Writer to MLB reports. 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 Jeff on Twitter.***
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2011 MLB Playoffs: Saturday October 1st Recap, Plus Thoughts on Francona and Reagins
Sunday October 2, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist – MLB reports): Major League Baseball had a full slate of games on Saturday, with all four series going. The NLDS teams got their first taste of playoff action, while the Rays/Rangers played game two of their series and the Yankees/Tigers resumed game one which had been forced to be paused after heavy rain in the Bronx the night before. Here is a summary of the action from Saturday, together with my final thoughts on Terry Francona and Tony Reagins, two big names in baseball that became suddenly unemployed as of Friday. Let’s jump right in first to game summaries from Saturday:
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers: NLDS Game One
This game was all about pitching, as Yovani Gallardo and Ian Kennedy faced off. Although Kennedy had the better regular season numbers, it was Gallardo who came out on top on this one. Gallardo took the win, with 8 IP, 4 hits allowed, 1 ER, 1 BB and 9 SO. A strong effort by the Brewers ace. John Axford picked up where he left from the regular season, coming in for a clean 9th inning for the save. Kennedy took the loss, giving up all four runs on 6 2/3 IP, giving up 8 hits, 1 BB and 3 SO. Both starters gave up a home run, Prince Fielder with a 2-run home run in the 7th for the Brewers, while Ryan Roberts responded with a solo blast in the 8th. Fielder finished with a 2 for 4 afternoon, while Ryan Braun went 3 for 4 and 2 runs scored. Willie Bloomquist went 2 for 4 with 2 singles in the leadoff spot for the Diamondbacks, who managed a measly 4 hits all day against the Brewers’ pitchers. The opening game on Saturday belonged to the favored Brewers.
Result: Brewers defeat the Diamondbacks 4-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies: NLDS Game One
This game looked like a mismatch on paper, with Phillies ace Roy Halladay opposing Kyle Lohse of the Cardinals. It was the Cards though that jumped out to the early lead, as the Cardinals led by a Lance Berkman 3-run blast in the 1st led 3-0 for the first 3 innings. After a rough 1st, Halladay settled down and was untouchable the rest of the game. Halladay finished with 8 IP, 3 ERs allowed, 3 hits, 1 BB and 8 SO. A typical day in the office for Doc. The Cardinal’s Lohse, who looked so dominant after 3 IP, had the wheels fall off shortly after, as he gave up 1 run in the 4th and a whopping 5th in the 6th. Lohse finished the afternoon with 5 1/3 IP, 6 runs (5 earned), 7 hits allowed, 1 BB and 4 SO. The big blows in the 6th being a 3-run bomb to Ryan Howard and a 2-run blast shortly after to Raul Ibanez. Many offensive stars in this one. For the Phillies: Jimmy Rollins 2 for 4, 3 runs scored and a walk; Chase Utley 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored; Howard with 4 RBIs; Shane Victorino 3 for 4, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored; Raul Ibanez 2 for 4, 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. For the Cardinals, Lance Berkman was the big offensive star with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored; Skip Schumaker chipped in with 2 hits and 2 runs scored. Halladay with the win, while Lohse was charged with the loss.
Recap: The Phillies beat the Cardinals in a wild one, 11-6 to take a 1-o series lead.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers: ALDS Game Two
After a wild opener, the Rays looked to win game 2 and take a stranglehold on the series. The Rays had James Shields (AKA Big Game James) on the mound, with the Rangers going with Derek Holland. After 3 1/2 it looked like the Rays were unstoppable, as Big Game James had a 3-0 lead staked to him. The big blowing coming in the 4th inning, as Matt Joyce hitting a 2-run blast off Holland. The Rangers though came alive in the 4th, with 5 big runs off Shields. The Rays hurler loaded the bases with no outs that inning, then proceeding to hit Adrian Beltre to force in Elvis Andrus with the Rangers first run. There was no looking back for the Rangers, who scored 8 runs in total to back Holland with the win. Holland pitched the minimum 5.0 innings, with 3 runs (1 earned), 6 hits, 2 BB and 2 SO. Koji Uehara could not get a batter out in the 7th, the blow being a 3-run home run to Evan Longoria to close the gap. The Rangers pen was on fire from there, with Mike Adams and Darren Oliver with a clean inning a piece and closer Neftali Feliz with the save. James Shields gave up 7 runs in his 5.0 innings of work to take the loss, 8 hits, 0 BB and 6 SO. Mitch Moreland had the only Rangers long ball, a 2-run blast in the 8th, hitting in the 9th hole. Leadoff man Ian Kinsler, along with Michael Young and Mike Napoli had 2 hits apiece. For the Rays, aside from the Joyce and Longoria home runs, got 3 hits from B.J. Upton, who also scored 2 runs in the loss. The Rangers are back people and are not ready to lay down to the Rays.
Result: Rangers beat the Rays 9-6 to take game 2 and even the series at 1-1.
New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers: ALDS Game One
The game started on Friday night, with aces C.C. Sabathia and Justin Verlander facing off. Suspended at 1-1 in the bottom of the 2nd, the game resumed with new pitchers Doug Fister and Ivan Nova facing off. The two pitchers exchanged zeros until the 5th, when the Yankees took a 2-1 lead. The Yankees bats exploded in the 6th, with the big blow coming in the 6th inning. With 2 outs and the bases loaded, Robinson Cano had a grand slam off reliever Al Alburquerque. The Yankees added another run for good measure in the 8th. The Tigers scored 2 in the 9th, long after this one was decided. Doug Fister took the loss, charged with 6 ER, 7 hits, 2 BB and 6 SO. Nova got the win in his first ever playoff start, pitching 6 1/3 innings, 2 ER, 4 hits, 4 BB and 5 SO. With the Yankees pitching in question all season, the rookie Nova proved that he was for real to lead the Yankees in this one. The biggest star for the Yankees was Cano, finished 3 for 5 with 6 RBIs and 1 run scored. All the Yankees hitters interestingly enough had at least 1 hit, except for Alex Rodriguez– who continued his usual playoff disappearing act going 0 for 5 with 2 SOs. Derek Jeter chipped in with 2 hits and 3 runs scored. Delmon Young, Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Raburn each contributed 2 hits in the Tigers loss.
Result: Yankees wallop the Tigers 9-3 to take game one and 1-0 series lead.
Final Thoughts: Terry Francona and Tony Reagins
On Friday, an MLB manager, as well as GM both left their teams after long tenures. Boston Red Sox manager, Terry Francona, depending on which story you believed was fired/mutually split from the BoSox. While in Anaheim, General Manager Tony Reagins resigned from the team. Two baseball men with impressive records, abruptly leaving their teams on sour notes.
Firstly Francona. Tito at age 52 had managed the Red Sox for 8 years. He leaves with a 744-522 record, good for a .574 winning percentage, 2 pennants and most importantly, 2 world series titles. The man who guided the Red Sox to beating the curse, he should have had a lifetime job in Boston for all his strong accomplishments. However, Fracona ends his Red Sox tenure after a strange and difficult 2011 season. After a slow start to the season, where many analysts wrote them off, the Red Sox were strong for most of the year and looked to be playoff locks. However, after a September crash for the ages, the Red Sox were eliminated in humiliating fashion on the final day of the season. With the team on the outside looking in on the playoffs, management was looking for a scapegoat and Francona became the victim. While some say the split was mutual, with Francona looking for a change of scenery and the team deciding weeks ago to make the move, the decision to not pick up Francona’s option smells of fear and desperation. A hero not so long ago, Francona is gone as the Red Sox decide to move on in 2012. In my opinion, the fault lies at the veterans who did not come through for the team, including John Lackey and Carl Crawford. But as the old saying goes, it is easier to change one manager than twenty-five players. Thus Francona is out of the game, although not likely for long.
In Anaheim, Tony Reagins resigned as Angels GM. With the Angels organization for 20 years, Reagins will apparently stay on in an advisor type role. During his tenure as GM, the Angels won 2 division titles, but were not serious World Series contenders. While the official departure is labelled a resignation, my feeling is that the Angels allowed Reagins to save face by labelling the choice as a resignation rather than firing or reassignment. The final straw came this year, as the Angels despite coming close at some points had a difficult time keeping up with the Rangers and missing the playoffs. The Angels had some of the pitching in baseball, but failed to score runs offensively to support their hurlers. The finger was often pointed at Reagins, with poor trades including the Scott Kazmir fiasco. The big blunder on his record being the acquisition of Vernon Wells this past offseason from the Toronto Blue Jays. The Angels took on most of Wells’ salary, which is considered by many to be one of the worst in baseball history. For $23 million in 2011 ($5 million paid by the Jays), the Angels got 25 home runs from Wells, along with 66 RBIs and 60 runs scored. They also received a .218 AVG, .248 OBP and .412 SLG. The question that may never get answered is: who is responsible for the acquisition of Wells. The Angels, who are on the hook for 3 more years at $21 million a year, had to have the move approved by owner, Arte Moreno. Most reports seem to indicate that it was Reagins who approached Moreno with the idea to acquire Wells. If this is true, then truly Reagins did deserve to take the fall. After all, besides acquiring the declining Wells, the Angels dumped Mike Napoli, who blossomed into an offensive beast in Texas (acquired by the Rangers in a later trade with Toronto). The Reagins move smells like a Red Sox type decision, where the team embarrassed by its season failure felt the need to make a change. However, unlike the BoSox, the Angels took the high road and allowed Reagins to save face. It is possible that the team had planned to fire their GM but gave him the option to resign instead. Or perhaps it was fully his decision to leave. The feeling is that Reagins was forced out but given the option to resign. Either way, the team handled the move with class and allowed him to stay in the organization.
Abrupt moves in Boston and Anaheim. Panic and rash moves that were done quickly in the heat of the moment. Did Francona and Reagins deserve better fates? That is debatable. Anaheim at least chose to use dignity, although the team’s press statement did indicate that the team chose to move forward (hint that the team did force their GM out). The Red Sox come out though looking like the bad guys, as their former manager deserved more respect for all he contributed to the team. But baseball is a business and these two moves prove just that.
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