Author Archives: samevans87

Wil Myers is Off to a Tremendous Start in the Minors: Royals Prospect is On the Verge

Wil Myers is Off to a Tremendous Start in the Minors: Royals Prospect is On the Verge

Jun 2

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Saturday June 2nd, 2012

Sam Evans: A couple of years ago, the Kansas City Royals had not only the best farm system at the time, but maybe one of the best farm systems in the history of baseball.  Fast forward a few years later and the Royals still have a bright future, and a lot of their prospects have graduated to the major league level. One of their top prospects, Wil Myers, is on the verge of the major leagues after tearing up both Double-A and Triple-A in 2012. If he can stay healthy, he has the potential to become a perennial All-Star.

Wil Myers was born in High Point, North Carolina in December of 1990. After four seasons of baseball at Wesleyan Christian High School, Myers committed to the University of South Carolina, which was at the time, was one of the best baseball programs in the country. After the Royals selected Myers in the third round of the 2009 Amateur draft, it took a $2 million signing bonus to get Myers to turn professional. Despite the high cost, it was evident that the Royals got a very talented player in the third round of a strong draft. Read the rest of this entry →

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Michael Choice Has Tremendous Power: A’s Prospect is On the Verge

Michael Choice Has Tremendous Power: A’s Prospect is On the Verge

May 27

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Sunday May 27th, 2012

Sam Evans: Oakland Athletics prospect Michael Choice was drafted by the A’s 10th overall in the 2010 MLB Amateur draft. Looking back at the pick, most of the players drafted before Choice have risen quicker through their respective systems, but Choice still looks like a nice selection by Billy Beane and his scouting department. Michael Choice has 70 grade power, so even though his tools are raw, it’s hard not to like a future All-Star.

Michael Choice was born in 1989 in Forth Worth, Texas. Being a young Texan outfielder with power projection, it must be pretty difficult to go unnoticed out high school. Nonetheless, Choice was under the radar coming out of high school and he eventually ended up at the University of Texas-Arlington. At Texas-Arlington, Choice began to turn some heads. In three college seasons, or 175 games, Choice hit thirty-four homers and had a batting average over .375 in all three years.  His junior year at Texas-Arlington, in 2010, Choice drew seventy-six walks and he only struck out fifty-four times.

Coming into the draft, Choice was considered by most as a top fifteen prospect, so the A’s selecting him at #10 didn’t surprise many. The player that went before Choice, Karsten Whitson did not sign. The player that went after Choice, Deck McGuire, is a little overrated in my opinion, but he has reached Double-A already in the Toronto organization. Read the rest of this entry →

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The Future of Delmon Young

The Future of Delmon Young

May 23

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Wednesday May 23rd, 2012

Sam Evans: There is a reason Delmon Young was selected with the first pick in the 2003 Amateur draft. Young has always had the potential to be a perennial All-Star, but he has never been able to sustain success over the course of a couple of major league seasons. Now, at twenty-six years old, Delmon Young is barely hanging on to a starting major league job. What’s in store for this former top five prospect in all of baseball? Keep reading to find out.

When Delmon Young was drafted out of high school back in 2003, the Rays made a smart choice taking him #1 overall. Even though things didn’t go as planned, the Tampa Bay organization drafted the most talented player available. Young possessed a rare combination of all five tools. The younger brother of MLB slugger Dmitri Young, Delmon could hit for power and had a strong arm, which projected well for a future corner outfield position. After a couple of impressive seasons in the minors, one of which he was suspended fifty games for hitting an umpire with his bat, Young finally reached the majors with the Rays organization in 2006. Read the rest of this entry →

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Dante Bichette Jr. Looks Destined for Greatness

Dante Bichette Jr. Looks Destined for Greatness

May 19

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Saturday May 19, 2012

Sam Evans: When the Yankees drafted Dante Bichette Jr. in the 1st round (compensation pick) of the 2011 draft, some people were surprised that Bichette Jr. got drafted so high. Several draft experts didn’t see Bichette Jr. as a player that would go in the first one hundred picks. However, the Yankees fell in love with his bat speed, and so far picking Bichette Jr. is looking like a smart choice. What kind of player will Bichette Jr. be if he reaches his ceiling? What position will he eventually end up playing? Keep reading to find out.

Dante Bichette Jr. comes from a strong baseball family. His dad, Dante Bichette, was a phenomenal hitter for the Colorado Rockies in the nineties. Bichette played in fourteen seasons, and averaged a .299 AVG and 26 homers per year. The four-time All-Star outfielder was drafted in the 17th round of the 1984 MLB amateur draft. Having a dad who played in the majors never solidifies where you’ll be drafted, but having baseball in your blood definitely helps. Read the rest of this entry →

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Can Miguel Tejada Provide Any Value for the Orioles in 2012?

Can Miguel Tejada Provide Any Value for the Orioles in 2012?

May 15

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Tuesday May 15th, 2012

Sam Evans: He’s baaaack! Miguel Tejada’s career has gone down the path that most MLB superstars travel as they get older. Once the best-hitting shortstop in the league, Tejada has now morphed into a weak-hitting veteran who can no longer get on base as easily. However, Tejada can still provide value to a rebuilding team who needs a veteran middle infielder to back up their young starters. The Orioles recently signed Tejada to a low-risk minor league deal, and he has a decent chance of playing in the majors before mid-season.

Miguel Tejada used to be a truly outstanding hitter. From 2001 to 2006, Tejada didn’t miss one game. As a primarily offensive-minded player, Tejada has been nominated to six All-Star games, one of which he was named MVP. He’s also won a Home Run Derby and two Silver Slugger awards. Not to mention, Tejada was the 2002 A.L. MVP, and he has tallied four 30+ home run seasons. However, after the 2006 season, Tejada started to show signs of his age. Read the rest of this entry →

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The Truth Behind Jason Hammel’s Amazing Start

The Truth Behind Jason Hammel’s Amazing Start

May 14

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Monday May 14th, 2012

Sam Evans:When MLB Reports first wrote about the Rockies/Orioles trade that sent Rockies’ pitcher’s Matt Lindstrom and Jason Hammel to Baltimore in exchange for Jeremy Guthrie, the Orioles seemed like early candidates to come out ahead in this trade. It’s still too early to tell, but because of Hammel’s hot start, the Orioles look like they got a bargain deal. Hammel has been so impressive because of his new pitch and his superb strikeout-to-walk ratios. The Orioles are currently on top of the A.L. East with a 22-13 record, and they owe a lot of the credit for their success to Jason Hammel. Still, there are multiple reasons why they can’t expect Hammel to keep this up.

Coming up in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays system, Jason Hammel was considered a fairly decent pitching prospect. He stands six feet and six inches tall, and weighs roughly 215 pounds. However, when Hammel reached the majors in 2006, just four years since being drafted out of high school, he struggled mightily. In 2008, Hammel’s last year with the Rays, he had a 5.25 FIP. Eventually, the Rays decided that their younger pitching prospects deserved a spot in their rotation more than Hammel. As a result, Hammel was traded before the 2009 season to the Rockies for Aneury Rodriguez. In Colorado, Hammel improved as a pitcher, but he was never considered above-average. Read the rest of this entry →

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Reds Prospect on the Rise: Billy Hamilton is on the Verge of Greatness

Reds Prospect on the Rise: Billy Hamilton is on the Verge of Greatness

May 13

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Sunday May 13th, 2012

Photo Courtesy of Giants fan: Crystal Ramos

Sam Evans: Billy Hamilton is one of the most discussed players in the minor leagues. He might be the fastest player in baseball, but the rest of his game is far from finished. Reds fans probably won’t see Hamilton until at least late-2013, but he will be ready by that point to make an immediate impact in the majors. Let’s take a look at Hamilton’s tools and how they project in the future.

First of all, if you are unfamiliar with Billy Hamilton, then you’ve probably been hiding under a rock. If you are hiding under a rock, you should probably come out. Unless, of course, you have Bryce Harper’s haircut. Anyways, Billy Hamilton grew up in Mississippi and played football, basketball, and baseball in high school. Hamilton was drafted in the second round of the 2009 MLB Amateur draft by the Reds, and passed up a football scholarship to Mississippi State University. Hamilton stands six feet tall and weighs roughly 160 pounds. He is a switch-hitting shortstop who is currently playing for the Reds High-A affiliate, the Bakersfield Blaze. Read the rest of this entry →

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Cubs and Angels Closers: Who Deserves the Job?

Cubs and Angels Closers: Who Deserves the Job?

May 9

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Wednesday May 9th, 2012

Sam Evans: Today’s two franchises haven’t been able to find a consistent pitcher to close out games this year, and it has resulted in sub .500 starts for both teams. The Cub’s headed into this year with their closer since 2009, Carlos Marmol, expected to have another season closing out games for their team. Jordan Walden, the twenty-four year old who closed out thirty-two games for the Angels last year, was named the Angels’ closer early in Spring Training. Now, only about thirty games into the season, and both of these pitchers have lost their jobs. Both teams secretly want their former closers to regain the job, but neither pitcher has had a successful year so far. Let’s look at what went wrong for these two pitchers and who took their place.

Carlos Marmol has always had the potential to be one of the best closer’s in the history of the game. His repertoire features a 93 MPH fastball, a changeup that he throws at around 86 MPH, and one of the best pitches in the game, his slider which is anywhere from 80-83 MPH. These pitches, the slider in particular, have led Marmol to record some the highest strikeout rates the game has ever seen. In 2010, Marmol’s 16 K/9 set a MLB record for a single-season (for pitchers with more than fifty innings pitched). However, Marmol has always had one thing holding him back from being the best closer in the league, walks.

In 2010, Marmol walked fifty-two in seventy-seven innings. In 2011, he walked forty-eight in seventy-five innings. In 2011, Dan Haren threw 238 innings and only walked thirty-three batters. Marmol has never seemed to realize that if he would let hitters put the ball into play, he would become a much better pitcher. Especially late in ballgames, walking insane amounts of hitters isn’t going to help you close games, no matter how much movement your pitches have. Read the rest of this entry →

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Top 5 MLB Stolen Base Leaders

Top 5 MLB Stolen Base Leaders

May 6

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Sunday April 6th, 2012

Sam Evans: Baseball is full of athletes with not only outstanding speed, but world-class predictive reflexes as well. These players use their power to steal bases as a way to create runs for their ballclub’s. While it might not be that hard to find a player who can steal bases at a productive rate, some players steal more than any other players in the sport. Here are five of baseball’s fastest base runners:

Emilio Bonifacio, CF, Miami Marlins: This year, Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen has taken advantage of his lineup’s speed, and set them free on the base paths. So far, the results haven’t gone exactly as planned. Despite their speed, the Marlins offense is struggling to score runs. Nonetheless, Marlins Center Fielder Emilio Bonifacio has been outrageously productive on the base paths. Despite only a .240 batting average, Bonifacio has a .342 OBP, which has helped produce runs for the heart of the Marlins’ order behind him. However, there is a lot wrong with Bonifacio’s hitting approach that he needs to change immediately. For instance, in 104 at-bat’s, Bonifacio has yet to record an extra base hit. I’m not sure how that’s even possible. Still, in thirteen stolen base attempts, Bonifacio has yet to have been thrown out. To have a perfect success rate is absurd for someone who leads the majors in stolen bases. Read the rest of this entry →

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Twins Pitching Prospects to Remember

Twins Pitching Prospects to Remember

May 1

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Tuesday May 1st, 2012

Sam Evans: The Twins have made it obvious they have no plans of contending this year. Their whole infield is pretty depressing and the pitching staff has looked awful. Minnesota doesn’t have an amazing farm system, but they do have some pitchers that probably will be in the majors in the coming years. Here is a review of a couple of the top Twins pitching prospects.

Madison Boer, RHP, A-Ball: Madison Boer is a twenty-two year old right-handed throwing starting pitcher. He was drafted in the 2011 2nd round out of the University of Oregon but he was born in Minnesota. His fastball sits in the low-90’s and he also has a slider and a splitter. Last year, in fifteen games pitching in relief in Rookie ball, Boer struck out thirty-one of the sixty-seven batters he faced.

In 2012, Boer has gotten off to another hot start. Facing A-Ball hitters, Boer has posted a 3.31 FIP. Unfortunately, his strikeout rates have not been close to where they were in 2011. This year, Boer has faced one hundred and sixteen batters, and only struck out twenty. He’s only had five starts, but his strikeout rates will definitely be something to watch this year. Overall, Boer could turn into a solid #3 starter for the Twins. I’m sure the Twins would be thrilled if they could get that kind of value from a second round pick. Read the rest of this entry →

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Overlooked Veteran Pitchers That Could Pitch in 2012

Overlooked Veteran Pitchers That Could Pitch in 2012

Apr 29

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Sunday April 29th, 2012

Sam Evans:  In a recent interview with The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, former MLB legend Pedro Martinez said that he could be ready to pitch in only twenty days. Even though Pedro was probably joking, pretty much every team in baseball could use a quality back-end starter. So in honor of Pedro’s comments, let’s look at some free agents and veteran pitchers in Triple-A that could help MLB teams this year.

John Lannan, LHP, Syracuse Chiefs (WSH AAA): Perhaps the biggest surprise with the Nationals Opening Day roster had nothing to do with a certain Bryce Harper. National’s manager Davey Johnson decided to use Ross Detwiler instead of the veteran lefty John Lannan as the Nats’ fifth starter. Lannan who had a 3.70 ERA and 4.24 xFIP in thirty-three starts last year, was demoted to Triple-A. The Nationals could definitely trade Lannan, now that Detwiler has become a quality starter in the majors. A team like the Red Sox could acquire Lannan and he could provide some value to a Boston team lacking starting pitching.

Kyle Davies, RHP, Free Agent: Kyle Davies used to be the top pitching prospect in baseball. While he does deserve credit for surviving as a major league starter for a few years, Davies never reached his potential as top of the rotation starter. Last year with the Kansas City Royals, Davies only lasted thirteen starts. Even though his ERA was 6.75, his FIP was only 4.39. If Davies pitched like that for the rest of the season, he would have been worth around 2.3 WAR. That’s better than both Colby Lewis and Chad Billingsley’s 2011 WAR totals. I’m not saying Davies can become that kind of starter, but if someone gives him a fresh start he could hang on in a MLB rotation. He’s still only twenty-nine and a team could sign him to a minor league contract and see if he’s got anything left in the tank. Read the rest of this entry →

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Michael Pineda is Out for the Year: When Will the Yankees Pitcher Return?

Michael Pineda is Out for the Year: When Will the Yankees Pitcher Return?

Apr 27

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Friday April 27th, 2012

Sam Evans: On this past Wednesday, we learned that twenty-three year old Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda was diagnosed with an anterior labral tear, and that he will undergo surgery on May 1st. Pineda is definitely out for the year, and there is a chance he could never pitch in the majors again. There is talk though that he could be out for less than a year and come back stronger than ever. But that possibility is hopeful at best. Thus is the nature of Pineda’s situation. Let’s take a look at his injury, and when the Yankees could hope to see him pitching in New York.

When Michael Pineda was acquired from the Mariners this offseason, Yankees fans were feeling pretty good about their rotation. They had just traded for one of the top young arms in the majors. In 2011, Pineda was an All-Star and started twenty-eight incredible games for the Mariners. He barely had any issues with control, he struck out a ton of batters, and he had the poise of a veteran. He wore down as the season came to an end, but that was normal given his age and experience. Even though the Yankees gave up two talented players to get Pineda and a prospect, he had a chance to be the #2 starter that they were looking for when they signed A.J. Burnett. Read the rest of this entry →

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An Early Season Look at the Top 10 Home Run Leaders

An Early Season Look at the Top 10 Home Run Leaders

Apr 22

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Sunday April 22nd, 2012

Sam Evans: Most major league teams have played about fifteen regular season games so far. Fifteen games are not enough to tell who is going to have a breakout season, but these games do matter just as much as games in September. Some players have gotten off to hot starts by showing their power as evidence by insane home run totals. Let’s take a look at the MLB home run leaders and see if they will be able to keep it up.

Matt Kemp, Nine Home Runs: Matt Kemp is on a tear through his first fifteen games. He is currently on pace for 97.2 homers if he were to play all 162 games. Last year, Kemp hit thirty-nine homers despite being surrounded by a weak lineup and playing half of his games in the spacious Dodger Stadium. As corny as it sounds, he has told the media that he is motivated by his 2011 NL MVP snub. If that what it takes to get him to play on this level, the Dodgers should pay off writers to not vote for Kemp after this year. In all seriousness, Kemp is going to have another amazing year. As crazy as it might sound, fifty home runs is not out of the question for Kemp in 2012. Read the rest of this entry →

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The 2012 Washington Nationals Are For Real

The 2012 Washington Nationals Are For Real

Apr 20

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Friday April 20th, 2012

Sam Evans: The Washington Nationals have gotten off to a hot start and they’re currently in first place in the National League East. It is very early in the season, but every game matters and the Nationals have looked very strong so far. If the Nationals pitching lives up to expectations, and a certain outfield prospect can make the major impact he is capable of, I see no reason why the Nationals can’t win the N.L. East in 2012.

The N.L. East isn’t as strong as it has been in recent years. The Phillies lost their two superstar position players, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, for who knows how long. The whole Philadelphia roster looks like they’ve been suffering from the loss of those two guys. Still, they have one of the best rotations in baseball and a decent offense. The Marlins have a chance to contend this year, but they’re relying on Josh Johnson to get back to his old form, which is a risky business. The Braves have an abundance of young pitching, but a couple of their key aging position players can no longer be relied on to produce All-Star season. The one constant is the Mets. To no one’s surprise, they’re still terrible.

The Nationals are going to be an above-average baseball team in the coming years. The farm system is stacked with talent, and Stephen Strasburg is healthy. However, there is no reason why they can’t put in all their chips for this year. Let’s look at the Nationals major league roster, areas they can improve, and why they have a chance to compete in 2012. Read the rest of this entry →

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The Latest on the 2012 Red Sox Bullpen

The Latest on the 2012 Red Sox Bullpen

Apr 15

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Sunday April 15th, 2012

Sam Evans: The Boston Red Sox are in trouble. The A.L. East looks as strong as ever with four out of the five teams talented enough to make the playoffs. The Red Sox will have problems keeping up with the rest of the East due to some crucial injuries that they’ve suffered. First, the Red Sox just lost their best outfielder, Jacoby Ellsbury, for who knows how long. Also, Carl Crawford might be out until May. Maybe longer. A shaky bullpen is suffering from the loss of Jonathan Papelbon (free agency), Daniel Bard (moved to the rotation), and Andrew Bailey (injury), which does not help the Red Sox stay in contention. Some of their relief pitchers as a result need to step it up.

Other than the abysmal Orioles, the Red Sox have the worst bullpen in the A.L. East. The majority of their relief pitchers are unproven pitchers who don’t belong in a top-tier bullpen. Currently, the Red Sox plan to have Alfredo Aceves closing out games. Aceves has been considered a long reliever for most of his career and this past offseason, the Red Sox even contemplated trying Aceves out in the rotation. Read the rest of this entry →

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Looking Back at Albert Pujols’ First Week with the Angels

Apr 13

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Friday April 13th, 2012

Sam Evans: When the most advanced hitter in the history of the game switched teams this past offseason, it shook up the baseball universe. Albert Pujols leaving the Cardinals weakened the N.L. Central and made the A.L. West one of the best divisions in baseball. So far Pujols hasn’t gotten off to an amazing start. Still, we’re only a week into the season, so it doesn’t really matter. Let’s take a up-close look at what Pujols has done through his first six games.

First game: In his regular season debut, Albert Pujols was 0 for 3 with a walk. Despite a crowd that was desperately waiting to go crazy after Pujols did something special, Pujols struggled against Royals starter Bruce Chen. In his first at-bat, Pujols lined into a double play. Next, Pujols popped up to Royals third basemen Mike Moustakas. Later, facing the flame throwing Aaron Crow, Pujols struck out on just three pitches.Finally, Greg Holland intentionally walked Pujols in the ninth inning. Read the rest of this entry →

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The 2012 Padres Rotation Will Be Just Fine

The 2012 Padres Rotation Will Be Just Fine

Apr 8

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Sunday April 8th, 2012

Sam Evans: From what I’ve heard around baseball about the Padres rotation, the Padres have no chance of contending in 2012. This was surprising to me, when actually the Padres slim chance of contending this year is due to their abysmal offense. The Padres rotation is fairly average compared to the rest of baseball. Obviously, losing your ace would hurt any MLB pitching staff. But I believe that the 2012 Padres rotation is almost criminally underrated.

At the forefront of the Padres rotation is newly acquired right-handed pitcher from the Reds, Edinson Volquez. Volquez was one of the players included in the Mat Latos trade in December. He was always a highly esteemed pitching prospect coming up in the Rangers minor league system, the problem always being his command. After being traded to the Reds following two average seasons with the Rangers, Volquez had a breakout year with the 2008 Reds. He threw 196 innings with 206 strikeouts, a 3.21 ERA, and a 4.3 BB/9. Due to his ridiculous first half of the season, Volquez made the 2008 National League All-Star team. The next year, Volquez got off to a decent start, but then was forced to miss the rest of the year with Tommy John surgery. Coming back from Tommy John surgery is not an easy thing, but multiple MLB pitchers have come back from the surgery, pitching just as good (if  not better) than they did when they were healthy before. Read the rest of this entry →

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Michael Pineda Headed To the DL: When Will the Yankees Pitcher Return?

Michael Pineda Headed To the DL: When Will the Yankees Pitcher Return?

Apr 4

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Wednesday April 4th, 2012

Sam Evans: If you haven’t heard by now, the Yankees have placed Michael Pineda on the 15 day DL to begin the season. The reports of Pineda’s velocity being down started spreading at the beginning of Spring Training and now I guess we know why Pineda wasn’t throwing as hard. Let’s take a look at Pineda’s injury and the effect it will have on the Yankees.

When I first heard reports of Pineda’s velocity being down, I assumed Pineda was just working on something, and I though people were overreacting. After Pineda wasn’t up to his normal velocity a couple of starts later, I began to wonder if something was seriously wrong with Pineda. Various people around baseball began suggesting the Yankees start Pineda in Triple-A for his first couple starts until he got his velocity back. Then, Pineda actually started throwing harder. Read the rest of this entry →

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Why MLB Fans Love to Hate the Yankees

Why MLB Fans Love to Hate the Yankees

Apr 1

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Sunday April 1st, 2012

Sam Evans: It’s no surprise that the most popular MLB franchise is also the most despised. For every person who hates the New York Yankees (aka “The Evil Empire”), there’s a person who claims to be a die-hard Yankees fan. The Yankees sell more merchandise than any other MLB team, and their consistent performance on the field is unmatched. Nonetheless, they have the highest payroll in baseball and they toss large contracts to steal talented players from small-market teams. Personally, I hate the Yankees and here are a couple of reasons why.

For over twenty years, the Yankees have dominated free agency. In the last five years, the Yankees’ major free agent acquisitions include Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, Russell Martin, and Hiroki Kuroda. For comparison, over the last five years the Royals big free agent signings include Gil Meche, Jose Guillen, and an ancient Jason Kendall. There’s a common argument among baseball fans that the Yankees don’t develop players themself, they just buy other teams’ superstars. This isn’t exactly true as proven by Yankees regulars Robinson Cano, Brett Gardner, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter. However, the reality is that the Yankees do steal some of the game’s best talent by offering them enormous contracts. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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A Few Ways MLB can Make Stadiums More Tech-Friendly

Tuesday March 27th, 2012

Sam Evans: Major League Baseball has always been viewed as a classic American sport. In the last fifty years, the world has greatly changed… but for the most part, the game has remained the same. Today, in a modern world, baseball needs to make some simple adjustments to the fan’s experience in order to stay relevant.

Major League stadiums are just as nice, if not nicer, than NBA and NFL arenas and stadiums. In the last ten years, baseball fans have seen retractable roofs, pools in center field, and even weird dolphin home-run sculptures implemented in Major League stadiums. MLB has shown a commitment to bringing fans out to the ballpark. Despite baseball’s efforts, attendance still isn’t where it should be for THE major sport in the United States. (more…)

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2012 Fantasy Rankings: Who Ranks Higher – Moore or Hellickson?

2012 Fantasy Rankings: Who Ranks Higher – Moore or Hellickson?

Mar 25

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Sunday March 25th, 2012

Sam Evans: The Tampa Bay Rays front office has assembled one of the most talented and youthful rotations in the Major Leagues. Matt Moore is the best pitching prospect in baseball and is ready to make an impact in the majors this year. Jeremy Hellickson was the 2011 A.L. Rookie of the Year and he will look to build on his success in 2012. So my question is, if you play fantasy baseball, which Rays pitcher should you draft first? Read the rest of this entry →

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Changes That I Would Make To Improve Spring Training

Tuesday March 21st, 2012

Sam Evans: MLB’s Spring Training needs a makeover. They play too many games, and the games aren’t usually in ideal locations. If MLB were to use my suggestions, I believe that Spring Training would become a more respectable, revenue producing venue. (more…)

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MLB Expansion: Could Major League Baseball Add a Team in Mexico City?

MLB Expansion: Could Major League Baseball Add a Team in Mexico City?

Mar 18

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Sunday March 18th, 2012

Sam Evans: Mexico City has the largest population of any city in North America, so it is somewhat surprising that it does not have an MLB franchise. Thanks to technology, the world is getting smaller and language barriers are rapidly shrinking. If there was ever a time for MLB to either expand or relocate a team to Mexico City, it is right now. Read the rest of this entry →

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Looking Back at the Careers and Legacies of La Russa and Torre

Wednesday March 14th, 2012

Sam Evans: Tony La Russa and Joe Torre were two of most successful managers of all time. They combined for over five thousand managerial wins, and there is no chance either manager won’t make the Hall-of-Fame. Two years ago, Torre retired, and after the Cardinals World Series championship in 2011, La Russa called it quits as well. Join me as we look back at the careers of two of the best managers the game of baseball has ever seen. (more…)

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The Twins Need Justin Morneau

Sunday March 11th, 2012

Sam Evans: In this new era of baseball, you can’t make the playoffs without an above-average first baseman. Two years ago, the Twins had one of the best first basemen in the game and they won ninety-four games. Then, Justin Morneau got injured sliding hard into second base on July 7th, 2010. Morneau might not ever be the same after suffering this fatal concussion. The Twins witnessed how rough it was without Morneau, after suffering through a 99-loss season last year.

When the 22-year-old Morneau first broke the big leagues with Twins in 2003, he struggled miserably. Year by year after 2003, Morneau improved, leading him to the 2006 AL MVP award. The Twins, led by manager Ron Gardenhire, were slowly building an A.L Central dynasty. From 2003-2009, the Minnesota Twins won an average of eighty-eight games.

Without Morneau and Joe Mauer leading the Twins to the playoffs regularly, the Twins probably wouldn’t have Target Field. Justin Morneauhad six straight seasons of an OPS over .834. He was a leader in the clubhouse, and on the field. Morneau’s exemplary play didn’t fly under the radar nationally. He was a four-time All-Star, and a two-time Sliver Slugger award winner. Morneau was the most consistent player on the Twins, and without him, you can question if Target Field would exist. (more…)

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Pablo Sandoval Is Going to Have His Best Season Ever in 2012

Pablo Sandoval Is Going to Have His Best Season Ever in 2012

Mar 4

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Sunday March 4, 2012

Sam Evans: Last year, the Giants won eighty-six games and finished eight games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the N.L. West. They did this despite not having their best catcher for most of the year and losing their best hitter for forty-five games. 2012 however is a new year. If the Giants hope to win their division, Pablo Sandoval needs to stay healthy.

Pablo Sandoval has shown some outstanding potential. Last year, in only 117 games, Sandoval had a .909 OPS and a 12.3 UZR. First of all, his UZR last year was outstanding. UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) is far from a perfect defensive statistic, but it can be useful in finding how well a player covers the area around their position. Sandoval ranked 2nd among 3B’s in UZR.

When I first saw Sandoval play on TV a couple of years ago, I was astonished that he was even in the major leagues. He is 5’11’’ and weighs roughly 245 pounds.  In 2008, Sandoval played seventeen games at first base, twelve games at third, and eleven games at catcher. He looks like he doesn’t belong on the baseball field, but he plays like a perennial All-Star. He’s unlike any athlete I’ve ever seen, and it is a joy to watch him play baseball. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tom Glavine is Underrated

Tom Glavine is Underrated

Feb 29

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Wednesday February 29th, 2012

Sam Evans: There is no question that Tom Glavine is a Hall-of-Famer. However, Glavine seems to still be underrated by baseball fans. Just how good was this three hundred game winner?

Tom Glavine was born in Massachusetts and after high school, he was drafted both into the NHL and MLB. Glavine made his MLB debut in 1987 with the Atlanta Braves. Over the next twenty-one years, Glavine would throw over four thousand innings, and record 305 wins. He won games not by a blazing fastball, but by possessing outstanding command of his fastball and changeup. Read the rest of this entry →

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The Angels Got C.J. Wilson For a Bargain

The Angels Got C.J. Wilson For a Bargain

Feb 26

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Sunday February 26th, 2012

Sam Evans: The Angels 2011 offseason was the most surprising and significant winter in team history. They signed the best player of the last ten years, and brought in the best available free-agent starter. After a seemingly dormant start to the 2011 offseason, the Angels and new General Manager Jerry DiPoto made a phenomenal splash heading into the new season. This offseason will affect the Angels (and their payroll) for years to come.  The rest of the AL West better watch out! Read the rest of this entry →

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For Whom the Bell Tolls: Can Heath Bell Keep the Magic Alive in Miami?

For Whom the Bell Tolls: Can Heath Bell Keep the Magic Alive in Miami?

Feb 22

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Wednesday February 22nd, 2012

Sam Evans: Over the last three seasons, Heath Bell has recorded more saves than anyone in baseball. Whenever the Padres had a late-inning lead they could rely on Bell to shut the door. In 2011, Bell got the job done in San Diego once again. He tallied 43 saves in 48 opportunities. Unfortunately, he didn’t pitch in as dominant of a fashion as we are used to seeing from Bell. His strikeout and line drive percentages both were askew from the standards we are used to seeing from him. In 2012, Bell will have to rekindle his previous success, in order to continue his triumph as one of the games premier closers Read the rest of this entry →

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A Tribute To Danny Tartabull

Sunday February 19, 2012

 Sam Evans: In the midst of all the great power hitters of the nineties, Danny Tartabull’s name often gets lost. This offensive-minded outfielder usually ended up on bad teams, but he found ways to put up strong numbers for most of his career

Tartabull was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1962. His father, Jose, played in parts of seven Major League seasons for the Athletics and Red Sox. Growing up under the lights of Hiram Bithorn stadium, and with a father who played professional baseball, there must have been pretty high expectations for Danny Tartabull. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the third round of the 1980 MLB amateur draft. The Bull’s first couple of seasons in the minors were pretty impressive. His numbers show that he demonstrated a great ability to get on base.  Nonetheless, Tartabull spent four seasons in the minors before he finally got at a shot at the majors with the Seattle Mariners. (more…)

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