Author Archives: samevans87
The Athletics and Orioles: Staying Alive in the 2012 ALDS
Wednesday October 10th, 2012
Sam Evans: The 2012 MLB playoffs have been thrilling so far. From Lew Ford to Derek Jeter, every player on the field is playing like they have something to prove. Two of the most exciting teams during the regular season, Oakland and Baltimore are both trying to prove that they belong in the postseason. So far, both teams have been successful in doing that. Both teams have benefited from outstanding pitching performances, but other than that- the two teams are very different.
Oakland finally looked like the team most hoped they would be on Tuesday, shutting out the Tigers 2-0 at home. Detroit still leads the series 2-1 but Oakland has home field advantage and better back-end starting pitching. With young talents such as Yoenis Cespedes and Jarrod Parker, Oakland, for the first time in what seems like forever, has put together a roster that is exciting to watch. With their pitching, the Athletics have a legitimate shot at advancing in the playoffs. Read the rest of this entry
2012 Top Ten MLB Saves Leaders
Monday October 8th, 2012
Sam Evans: With the 2012 regular season completed, bullpens will become even more important during the postseason. Closers in particular will be under more pressure than usual during these next few weeks. Before these pitchers make a name for themselves in the postseason, let’s admire what the top closers in baseball did during the 2012 regular season. Some closers helped many fantasy teams, and their real-life teams, by their outstanding performances in the ninth inning. Here is a look at the top ten closers in baseball this past year in terms of saves:
Top-5 Worst MLB Teams of 2012 plus a Preview of the 2013 Amateur Draft
Wednesday October 3rd, 2012
Sam Evans: With the 2012 season winding down, a lot of MLB teams can’t wait for the season to end. Houston, Chicago, Colorado, Minnesota, and Cleveland have been the five worst teams in baseball this season. While their seasons have all been disappointing and hard to watch, these teams will possess the most valuable picks in the 2013 Amateur draft. Here’s a look at how these teams have struggled and where they are projected to pick in the draft.
5. Cleveland Indians 68-93:
Baseball in Cleveland took a huge step back in 2012. Coming off of an 80-82 season, Cleveland was let down by an underperforming pitching staff. With Detroit and Chicago leading the AL Central, Cleveland was out of the pennant race for the better part of the year. The stretch that did them in was the month of August, in which Cleveland was 5-24.
Ubaldo Jimenez was one of the best starting pitchers in baseball just two years ago. Now, the Indians will be lucky if they can manage to get the performances of a #4 starter out of him. There have been many areas in which he has been less dominant than before but they all trace back to that his previous velocity and nasty stuff just aren’t there anymore. Perhaps the problems with Ubaldo have to do with his age and the toll that throwing so many innings when he was younger took. Either way, by relying on Ubaldo Jimenez and his 5.40 ERA this season, the Indians weren’t putting themselves in a better place to contend. Read the rest of this entry
Canada and Spain Qualify for the 2013 World Baseball Classic
Friday September 28th, 2012
Sam Evans: With most baseball fans focused on the thrilling MLB playoff races, the 2013 World Baseball Classic hasn’t got as much attention as expected. However, in the first two qualifying tournaments, two teams surprised the baseball universe to advance to the next round. Canada and Spain weren’t exactly favorites in their respective qualifiers, but both won enough games to be playing in March of 2013.
The Case for Bryce Harper as the 2012 National League ROY
Friday September 21st, 2012
Sam Evans: Bryce Harper is two years removed from high school and he is a young leader on a team leading the competitive N.L. East. Baseball has never seen a high school prospect draw as much attention that Harper got yet somehow, he has managed to live up to the hype at every level he’s faced. As with any rookie, Harper has had struggles. What has impressed me the most about him is how he responded to those slumps. Harper has a 181 wRC+ in the month of September and he is showing no signs of slowing up. For these reasons and others, I believe Bryce Harper deserves to be the National Rookie of the Year. Read the rest of this entry
Wil Myers and Billy Hamilton Are MLB Ready Prospects: The 2013 AL and NL ROY?
Sunday September 16th, 2012
Photo Courtesy of Giants fan: Crystal Ramos
Sam Evans: The consensus around baseball is that Billy Hamilton and Wil Myers are two of the top twenty-five prospects in the game. With Myers hit tool and proximity to the majors and Hamilton’s crazy speed, both are pretty solid bets to reach their potential. These two are likely going to be All-Stars for their respective teams in the coming years. Instead of comparing them to other prospects, let’s look at what makes Myers and Hamilton so special.
First of all, Wil Myers. Myers was drafted as a catcher in the third round of the 2009 Amateur draft. He had the talent of a first-round pick but he seemed like he might be going to the University of South Carolina. The Royals offered Myers $2 million, which was an offer that he smartly took and started his journey into professional baseball.
The Wil Myers catching experiment lasted all of two years. When he played in Wilmington with Salvador Perez in 2010, Perez made it clear who had the brighter future behind the plate. It’s a bummer Myers never got comfortable behind the plate because there aren’t many catchers in the majors that offer the kind of offensive production that Myers likely will. Read the rest of this entry
Just How Bad Are The Houston Astros?
Wednesday September 12th, 2012
Sam Evans: The 2012 Houston Astros are breaking records every day. If you have followed baseball at all these last two years, you know that these aren’t records that are normally associated with winning baseball teams. At their current pace, this year’s Houston team is on pace to lose at least 111 games. What Jeff Luhnow and others are doing to turn around the losing in Houston looks great, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the product the Astros are putting out on the field is historically bad.
Since 1962, only one team (the 2003 Detroit Tigers) has lost more than 108 games in a single-season. The 2003 Detroit Tigers were pretty awful, but it’s not like they were bereft of talent. That team featured a young Jeremy Bonderman in the rotation and Fernando Rodney pitched out of the bullpen. That Tigers team also had Dmitri Young, Carlos Pena, Omar Infante, Andres Torres, and Cody Ross. Looking at the current Astros’ roster, I don’t see anywhere close to that level of talent. Read the rest of this entry
Houston Should Give Roger Clemens a Spring Training Non-Roster Invite
Monday, September 10 , 2012
Sam Evans: The Houston Astros are most likely not going to win seventy games next year. With a young starting rotation, it would make sense for the Astros to pursue a veteran starter for the 2013 season. Not because it would put Houston over the top and have them competing for a playoff spot, but because a veteran could have a positive influence on the younger starters and limit their innings. Roger Clemens has expressed in interest in returning to Houston and he has impressed in two starts for Sugar Land of the independent Atlantic League. Houston should give Roger Clemens a spring training non-roster invite to see if he can pitch in the majors in 2013.
In just his second start with Sugar Land, Clemens got the opportunity to pitch to his son Koby Clemens. After the game, Clemens said “What a special game this is when you have opportunity at 50 to go out there and play a little catch with your oldest son.” That’s an awesome quote. Anyways, Clemens fastball was sitting at 86-88 MPH and he threw his curveball, changeup, and splitter as well. The Rocket pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings. In eight innings for Sugar Land, Clemens has yet to allow a run.
2013 World Baseball Classic: Preview of the Upcoming Qualifying Tournament Starting in September- Qualifier Group 2
Wednesday September 5th, 2012
Sam Evans: With more international talent than ever before, this year’s World Baseball Classic should be the best one in the short history of the tournament. The qualifying tournaments feature countries that wouldn’t strike you as baseball factories, but the talent is surprisingly impressive. Earlier, I previewed the qualifier group one, with this being the second group qualifier.
This round is scheduled to take place from September 20th to September 24th in Regensburg, Germany. The games will all be played at Armin-Wolf Baseball Arena. Regensburg, which is located where the Danube and Regen rivers come together, has a population of just under 150,000 people. Single-game tickets for this tournament will cost 15 to 75 euros. Personally, that seems like a lot to me, but I guess Germany should be able to charge more when they are hosting this kind of talent.
Armin-Wolf Arena is the premier baseball stadium in Germany. It has a seating capacity of 10,000 people, and when the local German team plays, they consistently draw around 3,000 fans per game. Don’t expect all of these games to be played in a sold-out arena. However, at the 2009 Baseball World Cup, 10,000 fans filled the stadium when Germany played. Armin-Wolf is a beautiful stadium that rivals any ballpark in Europe. Read the rest of this entry
The Boston Red Sox Should be Cautious Pursuing Josh Hamilton
Saturday September 1st, 2012
Sam Evans: By trading Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, and Josh Beckett, the Red Sox created a lot of salary cap space for the upcoming season. With outfielder Josh Hamilton set to become a free agent after this year, the Red Sox will definitely have interest in this five-time All Star. It is unclear how much teams will be willing to pay for this troubled slugger, but the Red Sox will be able to make the highest offer on Hamilton if they want to. Should the Red Sox go after Josh Hamilton? Keep reading to find out.
Boston currently has Jacoby Ellsbury as their only outfielder set in stone for next season. With no outfield prospects ready to make an impact next season, the Red Sox will definitely look to free agency for their next outfielder. Melky Cabrera, Shane Victorino, and B.J. Upton are some of the more attractive options out on the market. Cabrera could make sense for Boston, but it is improbable he will get more than a three-year contract.
This season, Josh Hamilton is hitting .293/.358/.583 with thirty-three homers in 130 games. His career wRC+ of 136 rivals that of Vladimir Guerrero, Carlos Delgado, and Will Clark, among others. Hamilton’s power/batting average this season is certainly impressive, but according to ESPN’s Hit Tracker, ten of Hamilton’s home runs have been “just enough”. That’s tied for fourth-most in the majors. One has to wonder if Hamilton would put up the same kind of numbers playing away from the hitter’s haven that is the Ballpark in Arlington.
Roger Clemens and the Sugar Land Skeeters
Wednesday August 29th, 2012
Sam Evans: Roger Clemens deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. If Cooperstown picked candidates with regard to their off-field activities, players like Dick Williams and Mickey Mantle might have never been chosen to the elite class that is the Hall of Fame. If Hall of Fame voters look at Clemens’ career numbers, they’ll find it hard to not see him as having one of the best starting pitching careers we’ve ever seen. Clemens is currently pitching with the independent league Sugar Land Skeeters after five years away from the game. It’s been only one game so far, with more possibly to come. Let’s look at Clemens, his first start, and how he stacks up against some of his teammates.
Roger Clemens ranks eighth all-time among major leaguers in WAR, and second among starting pitchers (145.5). His upper 90’s fastball, nasty splitter, and above-average changeup led him to over 300 wins and a twenty-four year career in the majors. His last season, in 2007 with the New York Yankees, Clemens still managed to pitch at a fairly high level, posting a 4.14 FIP in seventeen starts. His average fastball velocity was just over 90 MPH for the 2007 season.
After Clemens figured out a bunch of legal things, he “tried out” for the Sugar Land Skeeters, who play in the independent Atlantic League, and made the team. In his first start on Saturday, August 25th, Clemens lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing only one hit, not walking a batter, and striking out two. Facing a Bridgeport team that features former major leaguers Joey Gathright and Shea Hillebrand, Clemens topped out at 88 MPH and got a few outs via his splitter. Read the rest of this entry
Moises Sierra Has a Future in the Majors: A Blue Jays Work in Progress
Sunday August 26th, 2012
Sam Evans: When Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos traded away both Travis Snider and Eric Thames at the trade deadline, it created an opportunity for unheralded twenty-three year old outfielder Moises Sierra. Sierra has a chance to show Toronto that he should be part of their future in these final couple months of the season. With his 70-grade arm and his ability to produce runs at a solid pace, Sierra could have a job in the majors for years to come. However, Sierra has a lot of work to do to become a candidate for playing time at Rogers Centre in 2013.
Moises Sierra was signed by the Blue Jays out of the Dominican Republic back in 2005. This was before the Blue Jays dominated the scouting world, so Sierra has never been an “Anthopoulos guy”. From 2006 to 2008, Sierra had some rough numbers for different teams, but he showed enough to be promoted from the DSL, in 2006, to earning a starting job in High-A for the 2009 season. Sierra had a 122 wRC+ at High-A in 2009, but he missed most of the 2010 season due to a stress fracture in his leg and a couple of other minor injuries. Read the rest of this entry
Buster Posey is Keeping the Giants in Contention
Wednesday August 22nd, 2012
Sam Evans: When Buster Posey broke his fibula in 2011, it was a crushing blow to a Giants team fighting for a playoff spot. The Giants ended up missing the playoffs that year, largely due to not having any production from catcher. In 2012, Posey was expected to regain his old form immediately and help bring the playoffs to San Francisco. So far in 2012, Posey has exceeded previous expectations, and deserves a lot of the credit for the Giants’ success. With the N.L. West looking like it’s going to come down to the wire, and Melky Cabrera out for the regular season (and part of the playoffs), Posey needs to keep up his performance in order for San Francisco to make the playoffs.
Buster Posey has always been a hitter. At Florida State, Posey was moved from shortstop to catcher so he doesn’t have as much experience behind the plate as a typical catcher. Posey’s defense at catcher has improved year by year thanks to his work ethic and athleticism. This year, Posey has shown no signs of his previous injury, and has continued to play solid defense behind the plate. Not to mention, Posey is having his most valuable offensive season ever, and one of the more impressive batting lines in the National League. Read the rest of this entry
Manny Machado’s Impact on the Orioles
Saturday August 18th, 2012
Sam Evans: When the Orioles called up Manny Machado roughly ten days ago, reactions varied from overjoyed to disappointed. However, one thing was true of pretty much everyone’s reaction. We were all shocked. Machado, who had barely played one hundred games in Double-A, was now going to have to be relied on for the Orioles playoff push. So far, the Machado experiment couldn’t have gone any better for Baltimore.
At Double-A, Machado was having a tremendous season, despite what some of his numbers suggest. At the age of just twenty, Machado posted a 122 wRC+. While the question of whether or not he could remain at shortstop loomed, Machado received stellar reports of his range at the shortstop position. Read the rest of this entry
2013 World Baseball Classic: Preview of the Upcoming Qualifying Tournament Starting in September – Qualifier Group 1
Wednesday August 15th, 2012
Sam Evans: With no baseball in this year’s Olympics, international baseball fans are especially fired up for the third instalment of the World Baseball Classic. The newly-added Qualifying Tournament for the upcoming edition will bring even more games and countries to the WBC. One of the four qualifying tournaments will be held at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. The four countries represented will be France, Israel, South Africa, and Spain. Let’s take a look at this Qualifier Group 1 tournament and the rosters starring in it. From there, I will continue to preview the other three qualifier groups in upcoming reports.
First of all, Roger Dean Stadium is normally used as a minor league ballpark hosting two teams; The Palm Beach Cardinals (St.Louis’ FSL affiliate) and the Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami’s FSL affiliate). If everything goes as planned, this WBC qualifier will start on September 19th. The qualifying round in Jupiter will use double-elimination and take five days to complete, according to MLB. The teams will arrive a few days early at Roger Dean Stadium, so if you’re lucky, maybe you could watch an international batting practice or two. Read the rest of this entry
Domonic Brown Needs to Shine in These Next Couple of Months
Saturday August 11th, 2012
Sam Evans: Only a couple of years ago, Domonic Brown was one of the top five prospects in all of baseball. His combination of tools and outstanding production made him appear to be primed to become a superstar. However, things haven’t gone as planned. Brown never got a full-season in the majors, and his numbers in the minors started to drop. Now in 2012, with Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino no longer in Philadelphia, Brown needs to prove he can produce at the major league level.
Before the 2009 season, Domonic Brown was viewed as the #48 prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America. Before the 2010 season, Brown had jumped to 15 in BA’s rankings. In 2010, after hitting .318/.391/.602 in sixty-five games at Double-A, Philadelphia promoted him to Triple-A, where he .346/.390/.562 in just twenty-eight games before getting called up to the majors. In the majors, Brown only got seventy plate appearances, thanks to the talented trio of Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth, and Victorino starting almost every day. Read the rest of this entry
Josh Reddick is Having a Breakout Season in Oakland
Wednesday August 8th, 2012
Sam Evans: When the A’s acquired Josh Reddick from Boston this offseason, he appeared to be in place simply to just eat some at-bats for a rebuilding ballclub. However, in 2012, Reddick has finally tapped into some of his raw power, and as a result, he’s on pace to have a 5+ WAR season. Josh Reddick is one of the main reasons Oakland is contending this year, and Red Sox fans have to wonder if their team correctly evaluated Reddick’s talent. If Reddick can prove that his first 105 games haven’t been a fluke, he has a chance to win the A.L. Comeback Player of the Year award, and earn himself a long-term contract.
The Reds Should Not Call Up Billy Hamilton This Year
Sunday, August 5th, 2012
Photo Courtesy of Giants fan: Crystal Ramos
Sam Evans: Double-A Pensacola shortstop Billy Hamilton is one of the best prospects in baseball. He might be the fastest player in baseball history, and the other areas of his game are steadily improving. Cincinnati is currently in first place in the N.L. Central, and according to Baseball Prospectus’ playoff odds, they have a 97.5% chance of reaching the playoffs. Due to Hamilton’s current level of readiness and potential impact, the effect he will have on fans, and Hamilton’s future development down the road, Cincinnati should not call up Billy Hamilton in 2012.
In eighty-two games in High-A Bakersfield this year, Billy Hamilton hit .323 with a .413 OBP and he stole 104 bases. However, Hamilton was playing in the offense-friendly Cal League, where the average hitter is hitting .273/.342/.424. The Reds eventually promoted Hamilton to Double-A Pensacola, where he has hit .282/.404/.405 with eighteen steals in twenty-two games. Hamilton’s numbers at both levels this year have been tremendous. Billy Hamilton is going to be a superstar, and he might pass Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, in terms of being the fan favorite in Cincy. However, that doesn’t mean he is ready to contribute right away. Read the rest of this entry
Jerry Dipoto is Exactly What the Angels Needed: The Baseball Journey From Pitcher to GM
Wednesday August 1st, 2012
Sam Evans: Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto has come a long ways since a neck injury ended his playing career as a pitcher ten years ago. Working his way up as a scout, Dipoto has ascended to one of the highest ranks in baseball, the G.M. In his ongoing tenure with the Angels, we have learned that Dipoto is committed to bringing a World Series to Anaheim. His bold moves have captured the attention of the baseball world. With any luck, Dipoto could have his second World Series ring this October.
Jerry Dipoto was born in 1968 in Jersey City, NJ. He is more than five years younger than Jamie Moyer. Dipoto attended Virginia Commonwealth University and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the third round of the 1989 MLB Amateur draft. It only took Dipoto four seasons to reach Cleveland, thanks to great numbers everywhere he pitched. In 1992, with Dipoto pitching for Colorado Springs of the PCL, the Indians decided to switch him to the bullpen. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Trade Deadline Update #5 7/28: Segura Traded, Scutaro to San Francisco, Reds Looking for Leadoff Hitter
Saturday July 28th, 2012
Sam Evans: With the MLB Non-Waiver Trade Deadline coming up on Tuesday, let’s look at what trades have recently happened, and what could happen in the coming days:
The Rangers Should Sacrifice Some of Their Prospects to Win This Year
Wednesday July 25th, 2012
Sam Evans: The Texas Rangers are currently 57-39, which gives them the second-best record in baseball behind only the New York Yankees. Texas isn’t just playing for this year, they also have enough prospects to acquire anyone they want at the trade deadline. Instead of waiting for young players to develop, the Rangers should recognize their chance to win it all this year, and trade away a couple of those players. If Texas could acquire a top of the rotation starter or a superstar outfielder, they should seriously consider trading some of their finest young prospects.
It will take a lot for the Texas Rangers to miss the playoffs this year. Despite playing in a division featuring an interesting Angels team, and a surging Oakland ballclub, Texas still has the highest playoff odds (99.8% chance) according to Baseball Prospectus. The Rangers could probably start Matt Kata instead of Adrian Beltre at third base for the rest of the season, and still make the playoffs. However, at some point, reaching the playoffs just isn’t enough. The Texas franchise wants to win the World Series this year, and in order to do that, they probably need to make a move at the deadline. Read the rest of this entry
Mike Olt is One of the Best Hitting Prospects in the Minors
Sunday July 22nd, 2012
Sam Evans: Rangers’ prospect Mike Olt is seemingly blocked in Texas. However, with his MLB-ready power bat, he’ll force Texas to either start him or trade him in the next year. Olt has tremendous raw power and a sweet swing that help make him one of the most advanced hitters in the minor leagues. It won’t be long before Mike Olt has established himself as a premier power hitter in the majors.
Mike Olt was born in New Haven, Connecticut, which isn’t exactly a baseball hotspot. At Branford High School, Olt hit .475 his senior year, and set a school record for single-season hits. Coming out of high school, Olt was undrafted so he took a scholarship to the University of Connecticut. In his first season with the Huskies, Olt struggled at third base, but was a monster at the plate. In fifty-four games, Olt hit .318 with a .577 slugging percentage. As a sophomore, Olt started to battle some injuries, and as a result, he came back to down to earth a little. He continued to struggle with his defense at third base. In his junior season at UCONN, Olt hit .318 with a .659 slugging percentage, and became the UConn career home run leader. Olt was drafted by the Rangers with the 49th overall pick in the 2010 MLB Amateur draft. Read the rest of this entry
The Pirates Trading For Shane Victorino Makes Sense
Thursday July 19th, 2012
Sam Evans: Over the last five years, Shane Victorino has been a consistent force in the Philadelphia Phillies lineup. Now, playing in his contract year on a Phillies squad out of contention, he has to start to wonder what the future looks like for him. Numerous teams have been seen scouting Victorino, but nobody needs Victorino as bad the Pirates do. Do the Pirates have what it takes to acquire Victorino? Keep reading to see what I think… Read the rest of this entry
Baseball Movie Review: Ballplayer Pelotero
Monday July 16th, 2012
Sam Evans: “Ballplayer: Pelotero” is a documentary that follows two highly regarded Dominican fifteen year-old baseball players. It’s a story of lies, backstabbing, and MLB’s darker side. I highly recommend “Ballplayer: Pelotero” if you’re at all interested in International Free Agency, and how young prospects can get taken advantage of.
The two players shown throughout the film are Miguel Angel Sano and Jean Carlos Batista. Sano is portrayed as an extremely talented fifteen year-old, who comes from a very poor family. As you may know, Sano is now in the Minnesota Twins organization, and he has more raw power than any other player in the minors. Throughout the film, Batista opens up about the death of his father in a dramatic eye-opening fashion. He ends up signing with the Houston Astros, after a major discovery is made by Major League Baseball that alters his signing bonus.
An Average Day for Billy Hamilton on the Basepaths
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
Sam Evans: Dark shadows cast over a luminous sky at Municipal Stadium in San Jose, California. A crowd of just fewer than four thousand people bask in the early June sunlight, some of them unaware of the history they are about to witness. The San Jose Giants are hosting the Bakersfield Blaze, and Billy Hamilton is hitting leadoff for a Bakersfield team centered around their 5’11” 160 pound shortstop. Never before in professional baseball have we seen a player like Billy Hamilton.
What to Expect from Tim Lincecum in the Second Half: The Return of the Giants Ace to Form?
Thursday July 12th, 2012
Sam Evans: Tim Lincecum has been proving doubters wrong his whole life. Despite his small frame, Lincecum has managed to win the Golden Spikes award and two N.L. Cy Young awards. However, in 2012 Lincecum hasn’t looked like the same pitcher. He has not only lost velocity on his fastball, but his numbers across the board are not what we expected from one of the best pitchers in the game. It’s hard to conclude what has caused Lincecum to struggle in his first fifteen starts. But the question on everyone’s mind is: what is next for Lincecum?
From 2007 to 2011, Tim Lincecum ranked fifth in Wins Above Replacement among all starting pitchers. He was simply dominant. In 2008 and 2009, Lincecum became the first pitcher ever to win back-to-back Cy Young awards in their first two full seasons. The Giants largely owe their 2010 World Series title to Lincecum and his 2.43 ERA in the playoffs. Heading into the 2012 season, the Giants reportedly offered Lincecum a five-year, $100 million contract, which he turned down to sign a two-year deal worth about $40 million. Looking back at it, Lincecum probably should have taken the deal which offered him long-term security. Read the rest of this entry
What Would Baseball be Like Without Tommy John Surgery?
Saturday July 7th, 2012
Sam Evans: Just in the 2012 season, more than thirty pitchers have lost their seasons due to Tommy John surgery. Even in an era where pitchers are congratulated for throwing just two hundred innings, the wear and tear on a pitchers arm still causes them to be forced to have Tommy John surgery. Some have tried to blame it on pitchers arm slots and delivery, but the truth is every pitcher is vulnerable. Obviously, Tommy John surgery is going to continue to be a big part of the game. But my question is: what would major league baseball be like without Tommy John surgery?
MLB reports features two tools that prove to be very useful when learning more about Tommy John surgery and the pitchers affected by it. First of all, the Tommy John surgery tracker, which you can find here, not only gives you an up to date look at the pitchers out with Tommy John (the latest being Daniel Hudson of the Diamondbacks) but it also tells you about Frank Jobe and how he saved Tommy John’s career. The other Tommy John resource MLB reports has to offer is a story that Johnny Anderson, a Toronto Blue Jays player wrote about his two Tommy John surgeries-you can find that here. Read the rest of this entry
Lars Anderson Needs a New Team: Red Sox Prospect Slowly Turning into a Suspect
Friday July 6th, 2012
Sam Evans: Red Sox prospect Lars Anderson went from being an 18th round draft pick, to being in-line for a starting spot on one of the most storied teams in baseball. However, after the Red Sox signed Adrian Gonzalez, Anderson no longer was part of the Red Sox future. Now, in Triple-A, Anderson needs a new team that believes in him. After all, he’s only twenty-four years old and just a step away from the majors.
Lars Anderson was drafted in the 18th round of the 2006 MLB Amateur, draft mainly because teams thought he wouldn’t sway from a commitment to the University of California-Berkley. However, the Red Sox went way over slot to sign Anderson handing him a $825,000 signing bonus. $825,000 was a lot for a second-round draft pick, let alone an eighteenth rounder. Pretty soon, Red Sox nation got excited about this young first baseman/outfielder and his seemingly bright future. Read the rest of this entry
Adeiny Hechavarria and his Future with the Blue Jays
Sunday June 17th, 2012
Sam Evans: Adeiny Hechavarria might be the best defensive shortstop in the minor leagues. However, his bat has always been far behind his glove, in terms of development. When the twenty-three year old started to hit at the end of last year, people started to take notice. Now, after over four hundred at bats in the minors, Blue Jays fans are starting to wonder when they’ll get to see this talented shortstop at the major league level.
Hechavarria isn’t exactly the youngest shortstop prospect. Cubs’ shortstop Starlin Castro and Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus are both younger than Hechavarria, who has yet to reach the majors. However, Hechavarria is still one of the younger players in Triple-A.
The Blue Jays signed Hechavarria to a contract that will pay him $10 million, when he was a free agent out of Cuba back in 2010. Back then, Hechavarria was thought of as a light-hitting shortstop, with tremendous potential due to his outstanding defense. The Toronto organization showed they believed Hechavarria could provide just enough value to be worth the big signing bonus they gave him back in 2010. Read the rest of this entry
Manny Machado and the Shortstop Dilemma Brewing in Baltimore
Sunday June 10th, 2012
Sam Evans: Despite being only a teenager, and never having played a full season above High-A, Manny Machado has already drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez. Machado has great instincts and covers a lot of ground as a shortstop. Not to mention, he has outstanding bat speed for a player his size. Even though Machado has yet to truly dominate at any level of the minors, Orioles fans are already pegging him to be their shortstop of the future. However, Orioles’ fans shouldn’t be the only ones excited for Machado’s major league debut. If Machado can put all his tools together, he has the chance to be the best shortstop in all of baseball.
Manny Machado was born in July of 1992 in Miami, Florida. After playing in high school at Brito Miami Private School, Machado was considered a top-five prospect for the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft. After all, he had been recorded throwing up to 92 MPH, his footwork at shortstop looked great, and he squared up a lot of balls. If Bryce Harper wasn’t available at number one for the Nationals, some thought Machado could have been the #1 pick.
Machado stands 6’3’’ and weighs roughly 190 pounds. He hits from the right side of the plate, and has striking plate discipline for a teenager. Machado has a lot of room to grow, so if he does grow into his frame, he could potentially move over to third base. He is athletic enough to make this change, and become one of the top defensive third baseman in the league. However, as long as Machado can stay in shape and not bulk up too much, his team will use him at shortstop, where he will be of the most value.
Read the rest of this entry
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