Category Archives: The Rest: Everything Baseball
From Cuba to Japan, Opening Day to the World Series and the WBC
E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 18th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 18, 2011
Q: Have the dimensions of Citi Field been to the detriment of the Mets franchise? From Yair, Bat Yam, Israel
MLB reports: Great question Yair and shalom (hell0) to you in Israel! With the lacklustre play of the Mets the last few seasons, its great to see that they still have so many fans, even internationally. Getting to your question, the topic of Citi Field has been a continuous one since its opening back in 2009. The $850 million structure replaced Shea Stadium and has not played out in the same way that new Yankee Stadium has to say the least. At a capacity of 41,800, the stadium holds 15,000 fewer fans than Shea and was meant to be more intimate. Citi Field has some interesting features in its design. Citi Field’s fences are not the same size, ranging in height from being 15 feet in left field and 18 feet in right. Shea Stadium had outfield fences that were all 8 feet in comparison. The dimensions overall are not far different from Shea, with approximately 335 feet to the field lines and 408 feet to center. Shea was never a great hitters ballpark to begin with and Citi Field is no better. I would attribute the height of the fences as being a major issue for the team in terms of hurting the amount of home runs in the park. As well, the shortage of quality hitters on the current Mets squad is the main reason for any offensive issues. As a ball park, Citi Field ranks 11th currently in terms of home runs but 27th last year. It will be interesting to see how the field plays out this season. But the bottom line, is that the Mets have the same advantages and disadvantages at Citi Field as all opposing teams. As a pitcher’s park, the team needs strong pitching and defense to remain competitive on its home turf, with good timely hitting. This may sound obvious, but team talent and not the stadium will decide the team’s fate at the end of the day.
Q: Ok how about this? I am not yet dropping Derek Jeter from fantasy team. Can I drop Brett Wallace or Mark Trumbo for Yunel Escobar as insurance for Jeter? From Maury, Boston
MLB reports: Hell0 Maury and no, you cannot make this move. As much as Jeter is struggling, dropping talents like Wallace and Trumbo do not make sense at this point. Wallace is hitting .321 in 2011 with 3 home runs and .869 OPS. Trumbo, while starting to struggle somewhat with a .244 AVG has 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. If you must make this move, then drop Trumbo and grab Escobar, who is hitting .295, with 3 home runs and .775 OPS. Quality numbers for a shortstop. But Jeter is still Jeter and will rebound in my estimation. Keep plugging the Yankees captain in your lineup and expect a rebound soon.
Q: Can the Cubs please just leave Starlin Castro in a fixed spot in the lineup? Like, say, leadoff? Hitting him 3rd is (^*&&*%$! From Reuben, parts unknown
MLB reports: I can’t argue with Castro’s numbers to start the season. .327 AVG, .789 OPS, 23 runs scored, 18 runs driven in, 4 stolen bases and 6/14 BB/K ratio. As a leadoff hitter or hitting in the second slot, Castro has strong abilities to get timely hits and create runs. I couldn’t agree with you more that batting Castro in the third slot does not make sense. With one home run this year and three all of last year, the power is not there for the Cubs shortstop. The move to hit him third would be out of desperation than anything else. It is a relection on the Cubs for a lack of other options, than Castro as a new power guy. As the Cubs continue to gel through the season, expect Castro to have a permanent lineup slot soon. Leadoff appears to be most likely his destination.
Q: Do you think Aaron Hill might be enough to protect Bautista in the Jays lineup? I obviously don’t mean full protection, but maybe just enough for the Blue Jays to be a force. Another great article by the way, I enjoyed reading your feature on Jose Bautista! From Nolan, parts unknown
MLB reports: Thank you for reading the reports, I always appreciate the feedback. The Bautista article was a lot of fun to write and I enjoyed giving the readers a look into the Jays home run king (You can click to read our piece on Bautista). As far as AaRon Hill coming back and providing good protection in the lineup, I will admit that I have my doubts to say the least. Hill has missed several games this year due to injury and when he has been able to play, has hit to the tune of a .237 AVG, no home runs and .573 OPS. If you take aside 2009, Hill has never shown to be a really good hitter and in my opinion, that season has been an outlier rather than the standard. Aaron was actually the subject of the first ever article on MLB reports. If you would like to read more about Aaron and his future on the Jays, please click here. But if you want the brief synopsis: Hill is more likely a candidate for a trade/release over the next year than any guarantee of production. I do not have very much faith in him and neither should you.
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To Keep or Get Rid of the DH: The Future of the Designated Hitter in MLB
Monday May 16, 2011
MLB reports: Growing up in an American League city (Toronto), my entire baseball life has existed with the designated hitter in baseball. Aside from the occasional national league games on television, I always accepted and loved the DH. Dave Parker was one of my favorite players and he epitomized everything good about the DH. A great hitter with a sweet home run stroke, I would have likely not been able to watch Dave Parker for most of the tail end of his career if not for the designated hitter. Parker, slowed by age, weight gain and lack of mobility saw his time in the outfield end fortunately by 1989 when he left the Reds and the National League forever and joined Oakland. I always thought of the DH as giving the American League the advantage of an additional strong bat in the lineup, with the National League being less exciting being based on pitching, defense and weak pitchers hitting. But as I grew in age, my opinion of the DH began to shift and I started to appreciate traditional baseball in its purest form.
If you give me today the choice of an American League or National League game, 9 out of 10 times I will choose the NL game. When you account for the game having a pitcher bat, the dynamics of the game itself changes drastically. The National League has more in-game moves by its manager, including pinch-hitting and double switches. The best example I give of a typical NL game scenario is going into the 7th inning of a game, with a 1-run differential, 1-2 base runners on and the pitcher coming up to bat. These types of scenarios and successful choices make or break NL managers. By leaving a pitcher in to bat, the manager risks a likely out and the loss of an opportunity at scoring a crucial run. But by pinch-hitting for the pitcher, the manager is forced to sometimes take out a pitcher who is pitching well and leaving the bullpen to possibly blow the game. The game within the game is truly found in the National League. But if the NL is so great and pitchers should be hitting, why is the DH still around? For many reasons I will show and which likely means the DH is not going anywhere for a long time still.
Many modern baseball experts advocate the DH as saving wear and tear on pitchers, who as inexperienced hitters run the risk of injuries by batting and running the bases. A classic example is Chien-Ming Wang, who injured his foot in Houston during running the bases and later proceeded to hurt his shoulder and never recover. It was argued that if Wang was not forced to bat in the NL during inter-league play, he would have never been injured. Further, aside from a few exceptions such as Carlos Zambrano and Micah Owings, pitchers usually cannot hit their weight. In many cases, pitchers are literally automatic outs. To create excitement for fans and better offensive baseball, the DH was born in the AL in 1973 and has lasted ever since. The DH also allows older hitters to keep playing even when their defensive games have abandoned them (see Guerrero, Matsui and Ortiz today). Finally, the DH allows positional players the occasional rest by not having to play in the field but still keeps their bats in the lineup for their respective teams.
The bottom line on the DH comes down to tradition vs. convenience in my estimation. I know in my brain that having a DH works best for the players, from the health and productivity of both pitchers and hitters. For example, none of us would want to watch Adam Dunn in the outfield anymore and having the DH in Chicago allows his superior bat to continue cranking home runs while not hurting his team defensively. But in my heart, I yearn for a Dodgers/Giants rivalry, where during a 2-1 game lineup changes run rampant in the later innings. That is the way baseball was truly meant to be played. I am not a full basebal purist, as I do advocate for an expanded playoffs and complete re-alignment in baseball. But when it comes to the designated hitter, my hope is that one day it is abolished completely and we can go back to “real” baseball.
If we lived in a baseball world with no DH, pitchers would just have to take more BP and if truth be known, many of them would love hitting and value the chance at getting their swings in. If you ask me truthfully though, I can’t see the American League getting rid of the DH and to go further, I actually can see the National League adopting the DH one day as well. As we grow and move forward in time, most traditions tend to fall by the side for improvements. In this case, this will be one of the instances where I hope that is not the case. Some traditions need to remain intact. I certainly hope the game of baseball as it is played in the National League continues until the end of time.
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Heyward vs. Hosmer: Battle of the Prospects- Friday Faceoff
MLB reports: Another week, another rescheduled Friday Faceoff. Originally scheduled to go head-to-head were Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves and Mike Stanton of the Florida Marlins in the battle of young and up-and-coming National League outfielders. But with the burst of MLB reports favorite Eric Hosmer of the Kansas City Royals on the MLB scene a week ago, we couldn’t resist switching up the story. With the e-mailbag being flooded for Hosmer requests and the promise I made last week for a Heyward feature, MLB reports is proud to present in the Friday Faceoff: Heyward vs. Hosmer.
Age
Both Hosmer and Heyward are still pups at the tender age of 21-years-old. It’s hard to believe that Heyward was an all-star and finished second in the NL ROY balloting last year at 20. Incredible. Born only 2 months apart, Heyward was the 14th overall selection in the 2007 draft and Hosmer- the 3rd overall pick in the 2008 draft tie in this category. In terms of experience, Heyward has a year’s worth of experience in the majors over Hosmer, but then he was drafted a year earlier. A draw in round 1.
Power
Looking at Jason Heyward’s numbers from a year ago, I am completely blown away. By hitting 18 home runs last year with a .456 SLG, Heyward was one of the most consistent Braves hitters last year. This year, Heyward already has 7 home runs, although his SLG is down to .433. The trouble with measuring Heyward so far this year is that he has been bothered by a sore shoulder early on, missed some games, taken his cortisone shots and may only fully return by early next week. While he is ready to pinch run and may pinch hit soon, Heyward’s health is a question mark at this point. Comparatively, Hosmer had 3 home runs in his first 26 games at AAA this year and 2 home runs in his first 6 games since being called up. While Hosmer has flashed power in the minors, including 20 last year between A+ and AA last year, Heyward has shown the steady power in the majors already. Heyward for me is already at the 30+ home run capabilities while Hosmer is more of a 15+ home run hitter for me at this stage of his career. Based on raw power, Heyward wins this round.
Patience and Batting Eye
Good luck in finding two better hitters with strong eyes at the plate compared to Heyward and Hosmer. Heyward finished with 91 walks last year, unheard
of for a 20-year-old hitter in the majors. The strikeouts though did pile, up as Heyward whiffed 128 times in 2010. This year Heyward has a 18/32 BB/K ratio, good for a young player but not quite the level we expect from our budding superstars. Part to blame is his shoulder woes and the rest is the developing patience at the plate. Hosmer on the other hand, is slowly becoming the new MLB king of patience. In 2010 in the minors, Hosmer had a 59/66 BB/K ratio, almost 1-1. In his call-up this year, Hosmer sits at 5/5 BB/K ratio. With high walks and low strikeouts, round 3 goes to Eric Hosmer. Heyward ranks high in this category, just not Hosmer good.
Batting Average
This category, as with the others, is based on a small sample size and considers results to-date and expected performance. Some categories are easier to predict than others. This one appears very apparent to me. While I see Heyward having more future long balls, I can see Hosmer finishing with a higher batting average. Heyward had close to a .400 OBP last year and his .270-.280 average potential with 100 walks per year are fantastic numbers. But Hosmer has the .300+ average potential and will likely exceed a .400 OBP year-in and year-out. Last year in the minors, Hosmer had .338 AVG and .408 OBP. In AAA this year, Hosmer was hitting .439 with a .525 OBP and is already hitting .333 in the majors with a .444 OBP. The result is another victory for Hosmer.
Stolen Bases
A tricky category to utilize in comparing the two sluggers, who are known more for their bats than their speed. Heyward had 11 stolen bases last year, although he was caught 6 times. So far this year Heyward has only stolen 2 bases. Hosmer himself is not much a burner, although he did steal 11 bases last year while only being caught once in high A ball. On the season, Hosmer has stolen 3 bases in AAA and 1 steal in the majors, while not getting caught at either level. My impression overall is that Heyward will steal more bases as he will take more opportunities, while Hosmer will take fewer chances but have a higher success ratio. Pick your poison, I am calling this one a draw.
Verdict
A great matchup this week of two future MVPs and part of baseball’s changing of the guard as the kids begin to take over. I am very excited about the prospects for both Heyward and Hosmer, as both are complete packages and truly the real deal in my estimation. It is always my goal not to go too far in projecting prospects as too many factors can take over, including : injuries, faded confidence, legal troubles, bad teams, bad lineups…you name it, one factor can arise and sideline a bright star in a hurry. Watching both Heyward and Hosmer, I have the impression that both are intelligent young men with good heads on their shoulders. Both play with enthusiasm and heart, two strong qualities I look for future in players. Going head-to-head, both are very young, with Heyward having a year experience on Hosmer. Both are showing good power, although Heyward has greater power. Hosmer though won out on batting average and batting-eye, displaying in his career patience personified, exceeding even the talented Heyward. After both players tied in the stolen base category, this week’s winner is Eric Hosmer. The future of the Kansas City Royals along with Moustakas and Myers, the George Brett comparisons are already ringing in for Hosmer. My hope is that he will handle them better than once golden boy Alex Gordon, who has finally got his career back on track this season after enduring many hardships and failed expectations along the way. Heyward, on the other hand, is becoming the new face of the Braves as Chipper Jones slowly begins to play out his last string. Both are excellent players with each team very high on its respective budding superstar. But the winner tonight is new MLB sensation, Eric Hosmer.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 11th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 11, 2011
Q: Where do you see the Boston Red Sox finishing this season in the standings? From Jake, Boston
MLB reports: My crystal ball in March said that the Rays would win the AL East, with the Red Sox finishing second in the division and taking the AL Wild Card. I have no reason to deviate from my prediction thus far. Despite the strength of the Yankees, the Red Sox have so much talent that several hot streaks are in store. When playoff tickets go on sale, go ahead and order for the opening round at least.
Q: Fantasy question: Should I dump Jorge Posada for Ryan Doumit, Chris Iannetta, Wilson Ramos, Ryan Hanigan, or Hank Conger? I probably should have done something Monday, as Posada’s .151 AVG is killing my team. From Bonzi, Parts Unknown
MLB reports: I take it that your league counts average, based on your e-mail. Turning 40 this summer, Posada has definitely seen better days. He does have 6 home runs and 14 RBIs, but his numbers overall are fantasy suicide. I can’t believe Iannetta and Doumit are still available in your league. If so, grab them in that order. Iannetta is 28, plays in Colorado, has 5 home runs, 13 RBIs, .398 OBP, .494 SLG. His .250 AVG is nothing to write home about, but as the #1 catcher for the Rockies, Iannetta has the biggest upside. Doumit will be traded to a contender at some point likely but while he has shown a steady bat this season, he is always an injury risk. If Iannetta is not available though, I like Doumit over Posada. Ramos has been a nice player for the Nationals but is still young and likely won’t play at this level all season. I would trust Posada over him. Hanigan and Conger are nice replacement bats for injury but as part-time players offer little upside at this point. If either was starting, they would still rank below Posada this season for me.
Q:Why do teams not pitch Jose Bautista away, away, away ALL the time? Why even try to challenge him inside? From Garrett, Michigan
MLB reports: It is not that simple Garrett, as Bautista has become
such a dangerous hitter that there are not many pitches that he does not get to. Judging by his 100 walks last year, which will be higher this year, Bautista has a great eye at the plate. Based on the damage that he can do, I frankly don’t understand why teams just don’t walk him 4-5 times every game. Being the strongest offensive option currently in the Jays lineup by a country-mile, Bautista is a long-ball threat every at-bat and taking the bat out of his hands likely will be best at minimizing the damage. With not many healthy hitters in the Jays lineup that are threats to drive him in, I agree that opposing pitchers should not give Bautista much to hit…and in my opinion, not even give him the option at all.
Q: Fantasy Trade Evaluation: Aramis Ramirez & Alfonso Soriano for Jason Bay & Brandon McCarthy. Who’s winning? Who’s losing? I have Ryan Zimmerman on DL. I am giving up Bay and McCarthy. From Mike, Brooklyn
MLB reports: This one is a toughy. I wanted to say Bay and McCarthy to keep, but I can’t do it. My factors are as follows. McCarthy is 27 and has great upside. But he is injury prone and cannot be counted on to stay healthy. He can literally drop at a moment’s notice. Plus he is 1-3, despite a 3.26 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. With little wins potential and health concerns, this trade really boils down to Bay for Ramirez and Soriano for me.
Bay has been a disaster since coming to the Mets. Poor production and concussions issues have done him in. With 6 home runs last year and 1 home run this year with a .213 AVG, 7/19 BB/K ratio, Bay is regretting his decision to leave Boston for New York. Bay is already 32 and his window of opportunity is closing. Ramirez and Soriano are no spring chickens either. Ramirez though has a .286 AVG with 14 RBIs, despite only 1 home run and .718 OPS. Soriano has a league leading 11 home runs, 21 RBIs and 18 Runs, with a whopping .550 SLG despite an unsightly .242 AVG and .270 OBP. If you can stomach some of the warts shown by the 35-year-old Soriano and 32-year-old Ramirez, they will still provide much of the stats and comfort that Bay and McCarthy won’t. In some ways this is a headache for headache trade, but by making the deal, you are getting the likely higher returns. Go for it.
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MLB Pitchers and Walks: Flirting with Trouble
MLB reports: Walks can make you and walks can break you. That is our motto here at MLB reports. If there is one stat that I use more than others to measure a player’s performance, its BB…base on balls…walks. Recently, I featured an article on patient hitters and looked at the hitters that were the MLB leaders in walks. As part of this post, I reviewed how walks could potentially improve every facet of a hitter’s game and why a good batting eye is a high indicator of future success. Based on the response to that article, today we will look at the flip side, the MLB pitchers leader board in walks allowed.
In my opinion, there is not many things that are more frustrating about pitchers than those who give up a lot of walks. Pitchers that walk hitters tend to get themselves in all sorts of trouble and create pressure on themselves as well as their team. Defenses become on guard to avoid runners advancing and scoring, especially the catcher. A stolen base, sacrifice and passed ball is all take to turn a walk into a run. Pitchers that give up walks are often young hard-throwers who have not yet learned to command the ball. They are throwers who need to develop into pitchers. A veteran pitchers who throws soft and has no command will rarely survive in baseball (unless he has a lethal knuckleball, ala Tim Wakefield). Regardless of strike outs, walks in baseball often lead to pitchers beating themselves. I often tell young hurlers to trust in their stuff and led the hitters beat them. By walking hitters, a pitcher will simply beat himself in the long run. Looking at the MLB top 5 list of walks allowed, it is a who’s who list of potential, some success and plenty of frustration.
1) Edinson Volquez, Reds: 28
The man traded for Josh Hamilton has one of the best power arms in baseball. After undergoing Tommy John surgery (apparently a must-have these days to become a top pitcher for some reason), Volquez came back strong last year to reclaim his spot on the Reds pitching staff. With a 28/38 BB/K ratio this year 38 1/3 IP, Volquez despite his 3-1 record is showing why he has unsightly 5.63 ERA. With almost a hit allowed per inning, Volquez is playing with fire every game and needs to curb the walks to ultimately find long-term success. Check out Volquez’s breakout year in 2008. 17-6 record with a 3.21 ERA. Sparkling numbers on the surface. His 93/206 BB/K ratio that year shows that when Volquez wasn’t striking guys out, he was loading them up on base. In a hitter’s park like Cincinnati, numbers like that simply will not do. Volquez has a lifetime 4.47 ERA and 1.49 WHIP. At 27 years of age, he should be entering his prime year. But Volquez is sitting on top of our leader board for a reason: he walks the most hitters compared to any other pitcher in baseball. That is a high feat and one that he should not be proud of. A top pitcher can walk maybe 50 hitters a year at most to stay successful. By walking 93 in 2008, Volquez showed that even in a breakout year he never completely figured it out. Luck can only be on a person’s side so long and if Volquez does not transition better to being a pitcher, the sub-4.00 ERA and 1.50 WHIP will result unfulfilled potential and mediocrity. The best pitchers in my opinion have figured out that sacrificing strikeouts for ground ball outs can be just as effective and less taxing on their arms and walk rates. This realization has not occurred yet to Volquez, but that will end up being the difference from becoming the next Pedro Martinez or Ramon Martinez, to a certain degree.
2) Jonathan Sanchez, Giants: 26
The poster child for walks, Jonathan Sanchez is victim #2 on our list to high walk totals. After becoming a full-time starter in 2008, Sanchez had his breakout year last year with the Giants. 13-9 record with a 3.07 ERA and 1.23 WHIP are solid numbers. His 96/205 BB/K ratio though left a lot to be desired. Almost a mirror image of Volquez from 2008 if you compare the numbers. This year, Sanchez sits at 2-2 with a 3.45 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 26/47 BB/K ratio in 38 IP. The best starting pitchers keep their WHIPs down below 1.20 and at most sit at 1.25. Anything from 1.30 and above is considered a high WHIP, with 1.50 being unacceptable. Despite his success in 2010, Sanchez still has a 1.38 career WHIP. When people ask me why trade rumors consistently persist around Sanchez despite being 28 and in his prime, I simply point to the walk rate. Granted he has unbelievable stuff and is literally untouchable when he is on (as all of the pitchers on this list are). But one good outing for every three bad outings don’t cut it. Sanchez throws hard and can successfully strikeout over 200 batters per season if he chooses to. But with his high walk rate, he will likely suffer the same fate as Volquez. Men on base can translate into runs allowed, which is unhealthy for a team’s won-loss record and a pitcher’s ERA. Until Sanchez can cut down on those walks, I will continue to simply see him as a middle-of-the-road pitcher with unfulfilled potential. If he can cut his walk rate in half, I could see 20 wins in his future.
3) Kyle Drabek, Jays: 25
Another Tommy John surgery survivor, Drabek is the 2nd of 3 pitchers on this list that lead baseball in walks allowed and had the procedure in their careers. Is there a correlation? We will need to find out one day in another post perhaps. I could see there being a link between the motion that pitchers use to high walk rates and leading to Tommy John surgery. An interesting little sidenote. But I digress. Drabek is the only rookie on this list, as all the other pitchers have experience in the majors. None of the players on the list are vets yet, although Liriano and Volquez are starting to get there. In his first full major league campaign, Drabek has a 2-2 record in 2011 with a 4.50 ERA, unsightly 1.63 WHIP and 25/28 BB/K ratio. With almost a hit allowed per inning as well, Drabek is loading up the bases far too often in getting burnt. In my estimation, I see Drabek differing from the first two players as follows. Volquez is wild and needs to learn control. Sanchez is occasionally wild but often tries to be too perfect in making his pitches and misses his spots. Drabek quite often is trying be perfect and misses his spots, but otherwise has good control. Drabek, like Sanchez, simply need to trust their stuff and just go after the hitters. With nearly un-hittable stuff, Drabek and Sanchez would find they will beat hitters more often than not. But a walk every inning a half will not cut it in the majors. Not if Drabek is to fulfill his potential and become the Jays ace one day. The comparisons between father and son will always continue for Drabek until he makes his own way in the world and I will take a brief look at Doug’s numbers. The elder Drabek never walked more than 69 hitters in a season and finished with a career WHIP of 1.243, with 155 wins and 3.73 ERA. He also finished with 1594 career strikeouts, with a season high 177 in his final season in Pittsburgh in 1992. Kyle has the potential to succeed his dad, as son as better stuff than his dad and the potential for far more punch outs than his dad ever did. If Drabek Jr. will figure that out one day, the Jays will have their ace for the next decade guaranteed.
T4) Francisco Liriano, Twins: 24
The fourth member of our list of frustration, Liriano proved this week how utterly frustrating he can be. Consider this: Liriano this week threw a no-hitter against the White Sox. Perhaps a no-hitter by the records, but the rest of his numbers were by no means special. Liriano threw almost as many balls as strikes, finishing with 6 walks and only 2 strike outs. These numbers translate to little or no control, but somehow not giving up a hit in otherwise poor pitching performance. The no-hitter actually is in line with Liriano’s start to the season. 2-4 record, 6.61 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 24/20 BB/K ratio in 2011. Not only is Liriano now not striking guys out, but he is walking hitters at an astronomical rate. Liriano had one incredible partial season: In 2006 he had a 2.16 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 32/144 BB/SO ratio in 121 IP. Superstar numbers and an ace in the making. Since then, health issues and poor performance have plagued the hurler for the most part. The 3rd Tommy John survivor on our list, Liriano appears to have the same Volquez type control issues. Last season I thought that we had seen a rebound from Liriano. 14-10 record, 3.62 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 58/201 BB/SO ratio. Maybe not ace numbers, but very solid pitching numbers. Believe it or not, Liriano is on pace for approximately 150 walks this season. Just when he looked like he might be coming around, Liriano regresses. Then he goes out and throws a no-hitter and nobody knows what to think. But I will tell you this much, walking hitters is a disaster…while walks and few strike outs means a complete implosion. I suspect that there may be more to this story than meets the eye, as Liriano may be having health issues that is leading to his poor numbers. Otherwise, at 27 years of age, Liriano may be continuing his hurler mode rather than becoming a fine-tuned pitcher as is preached by the Twins organization. The potential is there, but until we know his health situation is better, all bets are off.
T4) Charlie Morton, Pirates: 24
The last member of our group may not be a Tommy John survivor, but he is a 27 something year old pitcher (only Drabek is the youngster at 23). Morton is also not on his original team, as he has been traded together with all the members of our list except Sanchez. It is not a coincidence in my estimation that young hurlers with control issues would be moved by a major league team. Liriano, Volquez and Morton were all seen as expandable by their respective teams in order to obtain needed talent. Sanchez has been mentioned in trade whispers for years now and Drabek was moved, but only because the Jays demanded him in the Halladay swap. Morton was moved in the McLouth deal, with the Braves moving an extra arm and the Pirates stocking up on much-needed pitching talent. After previous frustrating campaigns, Morton appears to finally be coming around this year. His 2011 record sits at 4-1 with a sparkling 3.13 ERA. He is allowed less than a hit per inning, which is promising. His 24/24 BB/K ratio means that Morton is striking out as many batters as he is walking. The 1.41 WHIP is the issue with Morton, as it is with all the hurlers on this list. Morton has a career 1.57 WHIP, so he is improving in the category. Once he is able to put it together, Morton is able to get major league hitters out. He may not have the stuff of the other members of this list, but he apparently knows how to get major league hitters out. While not an ace, developing into a solid #2 or #3 starter could be in his future. If Morton could limit his walks to approximately 50 in a season, I would love to see what he could do over the course of that year. I see potential and improvements to warrant hope. For a pitcher that used to give up over a hit per inning, those numbers are vastly improved. Time will tell if the rest of his numbers will fall in line.
With young hurlers that have little control, teams do not often know what they are ultimately going to have. In the time that it takes for a pitcher to learn control, the issue becomes whether a pitcher will be able to get major league hitters out by going for ground ball outs and fly outs while reducing walk totals. Roy Halladay is the poster child for high strike outs and low walks. With ERAs in the low 2.00s, WHIPs in the low 1.00s, 20 wins consistently, Halladay is everything that a pitcher strives to be. But then take a pitchers like Andy Sonnanstine. One of my faves on the Rays, Sonnanstine rarely walks hitters. But without striking out many hitters either, Sonnanstine unfortunately does not have the stuff to get major league hitters out on a consistent basis and gets hit hard often. As a result, Sonnanstine is constantly shuttling between the rotation, bullpen and minors. If you take Sonnanstine’s control and the stuff of any of the pitchers on this list, you would have Roy Halladay. Perhaps a touch oversimplified, but you get my message. For pitchers like Jonathan Sanchez and Kyle Drabek, my advice is just go after and trust your stuff, good things will happen. For Edinson Volquez and Francisco Liriano, I think a change in mechanics and approach is in order. I see too much wildness with little change in the future. If these pitchers do not change their walking ways, the potential that each has will never be fulfilled and talent will end up being wasted. With the emphasis in baseball on strike outs, pitchers like Volquez and Liriano fall into the trap in concentrating on punch outs and disregarding the finer points of the game. The emphasis is on pitching, not throwing: I hope these guys understand that one day. Unfulfilled potential at the end of the day is just failure in my book. Remember that the next time when you watch these hurlers flirting with trouble in their next starts.
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Jeter vs. Swisher: Love and Baseball – Friday Faceoff
MLB reports: This week’s edition of the Friday Faceoff was originally scheduled to be a battle between the Cincinnati Reds top catching prospects or two of the Oakland A’s mega hitting prospects. We get many requests for stories and updates on prospects on MLB reports and try to accommodate whenever we can. We love the MLB stories but stories of up and coming players always carries a soft spot for us. But then an e-mail came through this morning from Jenny in Texas as follows:
” Derek Jeter should have never gotten engaged.. Since his engagement he has been in a slump…. Ha .. Happy Friday.”
Swisher has been linked in the past to dating a model, but otherwise his love life has been kept fairly private compared to Jeter. From his Oakland and Chicago days, Swisher was known as the long-haired party guy who liked to have fun and bring excitement to the clubhouse. Following Swisher on twitter and facebook, he kept very active in the social media corresponding with fans and was not afraid to hold back. 2009 and 2010 were solid campaigns for Swisher, as he immediately adjusted to the Bronx and brought his “A” game to New York. At the tender of age of 30, nothing appeared to hold him back. Then Swisher met actress Joanna Garcia, got engaged during the 2010 season and got married during the past offseason. From there, I started to see a new Nick Swisher emerge.
AVG and .614 OPS. Brutal numbers for a man who averaged 29 home runs over the last two seasons and .869 OPS. At 30 years of age, Swisher has not lost his skills…but rather his mojo. There was talk that Swisher is continuing to look for acting opportunities and may get a part in a movie in the future. Great for his acting resume, bad for his baseball career. In my estimation, fair or unfair, he has to get his priorities in order and focus on what pays the bills: baseball. Acting may be fun and works well with his wife’s career, but Swisher needs to get back down to basics to what brought him MLB success. I do not profess to know Swisher personally and do not spend time with him in the batting cages, weight room or at home. But something is going on with Swisher that has caused a dive in his numbers and it appears that his personal life may be playing a part.
When researching and writing this piece, I had an instant issue with categorizing Jeter as suffering on the field by scoring off the field, so to speak. A long-time playboy, Jeter has been linked with many famous females including Mariah Carey and Jessica Biel. The golden boy of endorsements as well, George Steinbrenner criticized Jeter at one point for worrying too much about his life off the field and should focus more on his baseball play. While some critics blasted Steinbrenner, I agreed with the statement. Although Jeter has had solid numbers in his career, I believe he could have done more if he had partied less and worked harder at baseball. My opinion, right or wrong, is how I have always felt. Now watching the Derek Jeter of 2011, I believe lifestyle has finally caught up to him.marketing firm as the most marketable baseball player. He has endorsements with Gillette, Nike and Gatorade, just to name a few. While Swisher learns to become an actor, Jeter is going strong as a pitchman. I don’t think Yankee fans appreciate the extra-curricular activities if it takes away from their playing performances. Based on the start of 2011 and judging by the numbers, I am convinced that both players are guilty of a lack of focus and drive. The fact that Jeter has gotten engaged and planning to get married to Kelly says that there is something different about her for him compared to other relationships. Whatever that it is, I do not see it helping his performance on the field. As soon as things got serious for Jeter off the field, his play on the field declined.The Verdict:
My message to Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher is quite simple. Go rent the movie “Major League 2” and recall what happened when Ricky Vaughn cut his hair, wore suits, dated an executive and was featured in his own television commercials. Willy Mays Hayes starred in his own action movie in the offseason and came to camp with a new attitude and approach. Both players failed miserably and had to go back to basics and lose “the attitude” so to speak to get back to playing at a high level. Still not convinced? Take the case of real life baseball players Kris Benson and Cole Hamels. Each married a celebrity, a model/playmate and reality star respectively and each began to change. Both became focused on marketing themselves and building their image than playing the game of baseball. Look a the stats, the numbers do not lie. I see the same slippery slope for both Jeter and Swisher. My verdict is that both players are guilty of letting their love lives and off-field careers interfere with their baseball play. My hope is that both will shape up before it is too late. At Jeter’s advanced age and rise in the marketing game, he is likely not going to rebound much. I do not see much hope in his case. Maybe Swisher stands a chance, but if his acting career does take off, prepare for the new and declining Swisher to hang around. It goes to show you: love and baseball do not always mix.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 4th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 4, 2011
Q: Magglio Ordonez said today he is hitting with one leg. The Tigers should put him on the DL. He looks horrible this year. From Garrett, Michigan
MLB reports: No dispute from my end. In 77 at bats this year, Ordonez is hitting .169 with a brutal .411 OPS. No home runs and two RBIs. Whatever the Tigers need to do to get him off the field, I say go for it. Ordonez was coming off a decent 2010 campaign, where he hit .303, twelve home runs in 84 games with a .852 OPS. But at 37 years old, there are few excuses for the once big time slugger who is starting to show his age and wear and tear. Ordonez was lucky to get a contract with the Tigers for this year, who were planning to let him go after last season. But his steady numbers warranted one more go around for them. In my estimation, father time is calling and has Magglio’s number. With a hurt ankle and pride still on the line, I would like to see Ordonez finish his career on a high note rather than hanging on for too long. The DL is coming soon and retirement should not be far away from there.
Q: Most underrated player in the AL? In your opinion? Mine’s Maicer Izturis. From Taryn, New Jersey
MLB reports: Izturis is a nice pick, with a .340 average, .897 OPS, 9 runs and 10 RBIs going into today’s action. My pick is one of my favorite whipping boys, Jeff Francoeur of the Royals. I am extremely hard on Jeff for his poor eye at the plate. While he will never be Jose Bautista at the plate, Francouer is experiencing a career renaissance this year. .315 average, .956 OPS, seven home runs, 23 RBIs and 19 Runs. Francouer has seven walks to date which is on pace for a career high for him, but his twenty strikeouts are a little alarming. Overall, Francouer has benefitted from playing with Gordon and Butler and has provided the steady veteran leadership that the team needed. While I do not expect him to continue this pace, he is by far the most underrated player in the AL in 2011, rising from the scrap heap to glory overnight.
Q: hows Danny Duffy been doing? What’s his chances of being brought up this year? From Jory, Parts Unknown
MLB reports: What a roller coaster this kid has been to-date. From future game all-star appearance, to leaving camp to considering retirement last year to just coming off Pitcher of the Week honors in AAA. The 3rd round pick from 2007 has been lights out this year. In five AAA starts, Duffy is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 6/33 BB/K ratio. Imagine, 33 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. Outstanding. Duffy played in four levels last year and has risen quickly through the Royals system. At 22 years of age, he has a career 2.51 ERA and 1.093 WHIP. How he ever feel to the 3rd round is beyond me. After top prospect Grant Desme left the A’s last year to enter the priesthood and the psychological issues faced by ex-Royal Zack Greinke early in his career, the Royals have to be pleased that Duffy has been so consistently solid to-date.
Two areas of concern though exist. Firstly, the Royals will be careful not to bring Duffy up to quickly and burn him out. They will want to see him excel over a long period in AAA before making the call. Secondly, he has only pitched 26 innings in five starts and will need to build up his arm strength and endurance to be ready for the majors. At the pace that Duffy is going and the Royals sitting above .500, the Royals cannot keep Duffy down for much longer. With Eric Hosmer tearing up AAA as well (see yesterday’s feature), I can see the two top prospects coming to Kansas City at the same time, earliest by the end of this month and latest July. Duffy is likely to have little prove at AAA this year and is earning his shot. Expect him to get it soon.
Q: With Jesus Montero’s D such an issue, why not let the kid move to DH or 1B and just let him focus on hitting? From Rick, New York
MLB reports: A good question that many baseball analysts have asked: What to do with Jesus Montero? If it were up to me, I would leave at catcher for as long as possible. Here are factors to consider. The Yankees have one of the best all around first basemen in the game right now, Mark Teixeira who is signed to a long-term deal. Russell Martin is the current Yankees catcher, who is still young and has turned around his career. Martin is under team control until 2012 and based on his current play, will possibly be signed to another contract by the Yankees in the future. The Yankees have additional catching prospects in the wings, Francisco Cervelli, Gary Sanchez and Austine Romine. With no opening at first base and a logjam at catcher, the only opening appears to be DH. Here are my thoughts: Installing Montero as a full-time DH is the worst case scenario. If the Yankees keep him and do not feel that he is their best option at catcher, DH is already an option. But to groom him at this point to be a future first baseman or DH doesn’t make sense. Montero at 21 would have his development stunted by moving from catcher to a non-essential position. Plus his trade value would plummet.
The Yankees need a top starting pitcher in the worst way and Jesus Montero is their best shot at one. Montero’s highest trade value will be at catcher and that is where the Yankees will keep him. If the defensive position does not work out, Montero could easily transition to first or DH, as these are not difficult areas to adapt to. But if Montero is to bring strong trade value back for the Yankees or even have a shot as their future catcher, New York must leave him as a catcher in the minors. After 21 home runs last year in AAA, Montero is currently hitting .373 in his second go-around in AAA. The 2/16 BB/K ratio is a concern, as his only one home run on the season. But recall, Montero started off slowly last year and finished the year strong. The bat was never of concern for Montero and he will continue to hit no matter where he plays defensively. The key is to maximum his value at this moment.
Q: Looking at Dodgers minor league players. What do you think of Rubby De La Rosa? From Larry, Laughlin
MLB reports: We end this week’s e-mailbag with #1 fan Larry, a big Dodgers fan and his finding of Rubby De La Rosa. The 22-year-old Dominican pitcher is the 90th ranked prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. After a solid 2010 playing in 2 levels, De La Rosa is back for his first full year in AA. The numbers are there: 2-1 record in 4 starts, 3.38 ERA and 8/29 BB/K ratio. The 29 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings is phenomenal, although his 1.359 WHIP is a little high. In his 5th minor league season, De La Rosa will be brought along slowly and will play most of the year at AA. I could see him brought to AAA near the end of the year, with a chance to make the Dodgers in 2012. The kid has a bright future, no doubt. Baseball America ranks him high on the top prospect list for a reason. At 6’1″ and 185 pounds, he could stand to fill out a little bit and gain better control. The sky is the limit, as we could be seeing the next Pedro/Ramon Martinez. The Dodgers have always been great at finding and developing Dominican pitchers. De La Rosa should be next in line and provided he stays healthy, should see time in the majors by next year. Great find Larry, this kid is a keeper.
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Bryce Harper vs. Manny Machado: Friday Faceoff
MLB reports: For even the most casual baseball fan, the name Bryce Harper should sound alarm bells. Considered by many experts to be the equivalent of the next Sidney Crosby in hockey, LeBron James in basketball and Peyton Manning in football, Harper is the next “big thing” in baseball.
A five-tool player in baseball is one that is able to hit for a high average, power, strong base running and speed, throwing well and fielding his position. From all accounts, Harper is all of the above…and more. If reports are accurate, Harper has Josh Hamilton type tools, which rarely comes around more than once in a lifetime.
Haper is all of 18 years of age, stands 6’3″ and weighs 225 lbs. A catcher in his days at the College of Southern Nevada JC, Harper has started in pro career as an outfielder. Drafted first overall in the 2010 draft by the Washington Nationals, Harper currently plays in the Class A South Atlantic league for the Hagerstown Suns. Harper was the 2010 Golden Spikes Award winner as the top amateur player in the nation.
Going into today’s action, here are Bryce Harper’s 2011 statistics:
BRYCE HARPER:
| 2011 Season | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team | League | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| HAG | SAL | .323 | 19 | 62 | 14 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 40 | 11 | 17 | 4 | 2 | .425 | .645 | 1.070 |
In all the talk of Bryce Harper, a very talented shortstop by the name of Manuel (“Manny”) Machado seems to get lost in the shuffle. Machado was drafted 3rd overall in 2010 by the Orioles. At 18 years of age, Machado also stands 6’3″ but weighs 185 lbs. Machado signed early with the Orioles and made his professional debut with short season Aberdeen in 2010. Born in Florida, the Alex Rodriguez comparison whispers have already started with Machado.
19 games into the season, here are Machado’s 2011 statistics with the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Class A South Atlantic League:
MANNY MACHADO:
| 2011 Season | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team | League | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| DEL | SAL | .315 | 19 | 73 | 16 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 42 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 1 | .420 | .575 | .996 |
With such close proximity between Washington and Baltimore, it is likely that Machado and Harper will be facing comparisons in the minds of fans of the Nationals and Orioles for years to come. While both are off to strong seasons in Class A, it appears that Harper has displayed the slightly stronger bat to-date. Harper has hit more home runs, although Machado has hit more triples and struck out less. Harper also stolen more bases and has the higher overall OPS.
One interesting difference I did find between the players are their home/road splits. Although from a small sample size, a little more difference begins to emerge between the players when viewed:
HARPER:
| Entire Season | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| vs Left | .318 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .400 | .409 | .809 | |
| vs Right | .325 | 40 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 1 | .438 | .775 | 1.213 | |
| Home Games | .381 | 7 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | .500 | .762 | 1.262 |
| Away Games | .293 | 12 | 41 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 2 | .383 | .585 | .968 |
MACHADO:
| Entire Season | AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| vs Left | .333 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .538 | .444 | .983 | |
| vs Right | .313 | 64 | 13 | 20 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | .400 | .594 | .994 | |
| Home Games | .385 | 11 | 39 | 9 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | .510 | .769 | 1.279 |
| Away Games | .235 | 8 | 34 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | .308 | .353 | .661 |
While both players exhibit stronger bats at home, Machado’s numbers are drastically lower on the road. As a younger player, this is not abnormal and a sign that he is still developing as a hitter. On the other hand, Harper’s strong numbers on the road shows maturity beyond his years. With such dominance at home and on the road, it does not appear that Harper can be stopped anywhere. While AA is on the horizon for both players, I would suspect that Harper will reach the next level a little sooner.
The Verdict:
Playing the same number of games in the same league, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado have showcased that both are superstars in the making. Machado plays a more gruelling position (shortstop) and while both are known for their great gloves, Harper’s cannon in the outfield is the talk of the scouting world. As each continues to advance up the ranks to reach the major leagues, we will learn one day if each has what it takes to be a bona fide superstar. We have two very good ones in the making, but the reviews and reports on Harper are too hard to ignore. The baseball world loves this kid and for great reason: he really appears to be the real deal. While much attention will unfortunately be deflected from Manny Machado as he continues to build his resume, it may serve to help him in the long run. Playing in the shadow of a prospect like Harper, Machado can develop his skills without as much pressure and expectations from both the media and fans. While I fully expect to see each both succeed, Harper has the added requirement to develop while being thrust fully in the limelight. The smart money still lies on Harper and I fully expect that he will one of the next biggest superstars in baseball. But don’t count out Manny Machado, who together with Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis should bring the Baltimore Orioles back to greatness.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday April 27th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday April 27, 2011
Q: Fantasy (and real) question: who’s the best bet this year: Jurrjens, Pineda, or Masterson? Thanks! From B.E.F., DC
MLB reports: Great question…especially mixing in the fantasy baseball and reality. While these two spheres are sometimes contradictory, when it comes to pitchers, they are often the same. A pitcher who does well for a fantasy team is likely the same pitcher you will want for your real-life team. Based on this year’s needs, my pick is Jurrjens. Simple matter is that he is still 25 but has been around for a while, so he has the experience. After an injury plagued 2010, he has come back strong this year (although delayed). Jurrjens has the strongest offense out of the bunch with the Braves (which has been inconsistent out of the gate but strongest bet). Also Jurrjens is based in the NL which is better for pitchers and has the strongest bullpen out of the three, so wins will be easier to come by.
Masterson, while a personal favorite of mine is the third pick. He is currently pitching over his head and will come back down to earth with the rest of the Indians squad. Masterson also usually walks too many guys (1.50 WHIP in 2010) and I do not trust him just yet. The smoke and mirror show will be over soon…believe it. Pineda is the darling of the bunch and while a future fantasy ace, is 22 in his first season. On a weak Mariners squad, run support and bullpen efficiency will be hard to come by. Pineda will also be on a strict pitch count and as he goes through the league a few more times, expect hitters to get a better handle on him. For the surest results, go with Jurrjens. He carries the most injury risk but the securest and most likely results this year.
Q: Fantasy question: Gio Gonzalez or Phil Humber as last SP in 10 team H2H? Gio has had last two bad nights against LAA and BOS. Humber=Almost No-Hit. From Richard, Roanoke
MLB reports: Richard…Richard…Richard. Philip Humber is 28, a Tommy John survivor and a prospect that has never panned out. He has had a nice little stretch for the ChiSox, but the sample size is too small. Gio at 25 is blossoming into a fantasy ace on a young Oakland pitching squad. Gonzalez has the track record of development and has already been solid with 2 wins and a 2.70 ERA. If the question is for a roster spot, you know my answer: Gonzalez, without thinking . If you own both and need to know who to play, then go with Gonzalez and make Humber pitch well for 3-5 more starts before inserting him. Always go with the proven guy over the shaky flavor of the month. Gonzalez by a landslide.
Q: Did you see Zack Britton dominate the Red Sox tonight? 1st O’s rookie to win 4 games in April. Simply Filthy. From Matt, Charm City
MLB reports: Not bad for a 3rd round pick in 2006. Britton has been brilliant to start the year, almost unhittable to go along with his 4 wins and 2.84 ERA. The whole complexion of the Orioles changed when Showalter took over and they are only going to go up. This is the only division in baseball where every team will finish with a record of .500 or better. The Orioles have some really talented young pitchers and none is brighter than Britton. Continue to dance up in Charm City, the sky is the limit for this talented hurler.
Q: How much do I hate baseball after benching Ian *(&(^*^ Kennedy against Cliff Lee and the Phillies today? From Tim, Huntsville
MLB reports: First of all, you cannot hate baseball. That is impossible. What you are saying, you are saying out of anger. I will take that into account and let you off the hook. This time. But seriously, there is no worse feeling in fantasy baseball than having a player put up a monster game while sitting on your bench and you do not get the stats. Or is there? How about when a player lays an egg and digs you into a hole? That is actually worse. You did the right thing Tim. If you had other options, you were smart by sitting Kennedy against Lee and the Phillies. Its called playing the percentages. Cliff Lee was more than likely going to get the win and with the Phillies strong offense, there was a high chance of Ian Kennedy getting smacked around. But that is not how it turned out at the end…but that is ok. Kennedy had a 3.80 ERA last year and still has a 4.02 ERA this year. He pitches to a low WHIP by giving up few hits but he walks many guys. On a Diamondbacks team that will struggle for runs and wins for their pitchers, Kennedy will be flip-flopping out of your lineup all year. Don’t sweat it…be happy he wasn’t in there destroying your pitching stats. It’s a long fantasy season. One strong pitching performance never made or broke a team. Keep playing the percentages, as everything will even out at the end.
Q: Hey how are things tonight for you? Fantasy question. Morrow or Scherzer for rest of season? From Shane, Tampa
MLB reports: Doing really well, thanks for asking Shane. You picked two of my favorite pitchers to compare, well done. Plus pitchers on two of my top picked teams, which is even better. Scherzer is 4-0 with a 3.19 ERA this year. He strikes out a lot of hitters but tend to have a WHIP on the higher side, in this case 1.484 in 2011. Morrow can be almost unhittable when he is on and had the 178 strikeouts last year. The answer is Scherzer and it is not even close. Scherzer pitches for a stronger contender in a pitcher’s park. Scherzer has stronger experience and health record. Morrow is a constant injury concern and is always a tweak away from the DL. While both pitchers can be dreadful when off, Morrow pitches in a home run hitters haven called the Rogers Centre. Both have great run support and good pens behind them. But Morrow has to pitch against the AL East all season and while the Royals and Indians have been hot, they will prove to be the inferior teams in the long run. Scherzer is a strong bet at 15-18 wins and continue his development in Detroit. Morrow is a great pitcher, but too much of a risk. Scherzer…done deal.
Q: Your thoughts on Peter Bourjos? Thinking of adding him as back-up for that broad Delmon Young and when/if Jerry Sands struggles too much. From Maury, Boston.
MLB reports: Sands will have his share of struggles, no question. He is young and playing in a pitcher’s park. That being said, Sands also has the most support with Ethier and Kemp hitting around him. Delmon Young is not a pick of mine and despite his strong numbers last year, I still see him as a player that will never develop into a superstar. Young has no patience at the plate and I believe his hack and slash ways will catch up with him. That being said, I am not too high on Bourjos either. His numbers last year were simply brutal and I simply do not see an upside. If you have room on your bench though, definitely grab Bourjos as his 4 triples and 2 home runs would look good in any fantasy lineup right now. Bourjos and Young packed together could prove to be really good trade bait for any fantasy novice in your league. Try to acquire Alex Gordon immediately if you can, the window on him is closing fast for the few fantasy owners out there that may try to sell “high” on him, not understanding that his run is for real. But if you can’t pull off that move, play out Bourjos and Sands and try to keep Young stapled to your bench unless he starts to get hot at the plate. Sands is the guy I would most trust out of the three and I would continue to search for steadier solutions for the rest of the season to avoid any more stress.
Q: There have been so many catchers that have retired and went on to become great managers. Out of the current catchers and ones who have retired the last few years, who do you think will become a manager one day and be great? From Larry (#1 Fan)
MLB reports: Great question from a great fan. You are right, catchers tend to make the best managers and coaches based on their experience and knowledge of the game. From Joe Girardi, Tony Pena, Larry Parrish, Mike Scoscia…the list goes on…and on. Dave Duncan is an interesting case as he is one of the few non-pitchers who is a pitching coaches, as a former catcher. It makes sense that a catcher that would know best to run a pitching squad, so its surprising more teams don’t go that way.
There are many great managers on the horizon. Some that come to my mind are Jason Varitek, Jason Kendall, John Buck, Gregg Zaun, Gary Carter, Mike Lieberthal, Mike LaValliere, Mike Matheny, Jason LaRue and Craig Biggio (started as a catcher). When I think of a good manager, I think of a player that had a good grasp of the game, played hard, knows the fundamentals and was a leader on and off the field. All of these catchers have strong abilities and are solid picks for me to return to the dugout one day as a manager. Varitek, Zaun and LaRue really stick out to me as guys that were leaders and gave everything they had on the field. While capable of taking on any roles in baseball (Zaun is currently a broadcaster for the Jays), I could see all three becoming managers in some form one day. With the amount of knowledge they have to give, I believe that future teams will greatly benefit from instruction and leadership from any of the aforementioned individuals. A great question Larry, thank you for sharing.
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Friday Face-off: Haren vs. Weaver, Battle of the Angels
MLBreports: The Angels are off to a fairly hot start in 2011, with a current record through Friday of 12-7. A big reason for the Angels winning record has been the play of its pitchers. Particularly, Danny Haren and Jered Weaver have been off-the-charts this season as they have steamrolled hitters out of the gate. I have received many e-mails asking which pitcher has been the best in baseball this season. That pitcher resides in Anaheim and the million dollar question is: Haren or Weaver?
Wins: Weaver is 5-0 in 5 starts, with Haren 4-0 in the same number of games. Wins is an arbitrary number, but both Haren and Weaver have won all of their starts. For whatever its worth, Weaver has the extra win. With both pitchers being perfect, advantage: tie.
ERA: Haren has a 1.16 ERA on the season, while Weaver sits at 1.23. Too close to differentiate. Advantage: tie.
Innings: Weaver has pitched 36 2/3 innings in 2011 while Haren has tossed 31 innings. Over the course of a season, this would translate into approximately 35 more innings pitched by Weaver. Points for durability. Advantage: Weaver.
Strikeouts: We all know that baseball fans love their flamethrowers and the Angels have some strong ones in this pair. Weaver currently leads the AL with 39 strikeouts while Haren has 27. Balls put into play create more opportunities for miscues while strikeouts are seen as the most solid outs. Advantage: Weaver.
Walks: One of my most watched pitching categories, I look for pitchers that limit their walk counts. Walks to me represents a pitcher
beating themselves, rather than the batter having to get a base hit. A pitcher who throws fewer walks creates a strong opportunity for success in my opinion. Danny Haren has walked 2 batters all season while Weaver has walked 9. Both pitchers are impressive in this category, but Haren has been just that much more dominant. Advantage: Haren.
Conclusion: The Angels hurlers are matched up fairly closely. Weaver is 28 while Haren is 30. Haren is 6’5″ and Weaver is 6’7″. They have very similar career ERAs and WHIPs. Any major league team would love to have either pitcher on their roster. But the younger and taller Weaver, with added innings and strikeouts in 2011 wins out over the master of control Haren. In his last 2 seasons, Haren walked under 30 batters per season. Weaver though led the AL in strikeouts in 2010 with 233. With 3 All-Star game appearances under his belt, Haren beats out Weaver’s sole appearance last year. Looking at career numbers, my pick would be to select Haren over Weaver. I prefer control pitchers and Haren still displays the strikeouts and innings pitched to be a solid ace. While Haren may in fact beat out Weaver by season’s end, at this point in the season Weaver is the best pitcher….by a hair. With one solid or blowout start over the next few weeks, the tides can easily change on this one. Enjoy your dual-aces Angels fans, they will be a pleasure to watch all season long.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday April 20th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Q: Here’s my plan: Ozzie Guillen as General Manager, Paul Konerko as Manager and A.J. Pierzynski as a coach. What do you think? Sounds awesome to me 🙂 From Tina, Chicago.
MLB reports: A great plan in principle, but I do not see it happening. Firstly, I agree that Kenny Williams is on borrowed time. After winning the 2005 World Series, the White Sox have not even had a sniff at another title. After the Jake Peavy fiasco, I think management will eventually put Kenny’s head on the chopping block as the reason behind the White Sox recent failures. Williams has a way of trading young talent and taking on big contracts which I think will end up being his downfall. From there, the new general manager will likely want to bring in his own manager and will need his stamp on the team in order to gain respectability. Also remember that the Marlins did not hire a big name head coach after the Valentine talks broke down. Further, the Marlins had inquired as to the availability of Ozzie from the Sox in the off-season and were told it would cost them Mike Stanton in return. If Ozzie plays out his deal with the Sox, as a coach with the 2003 World Series champions Marlins, I could see him taking over the as the manager as they open their new ballpark in Miami. Ozzie has a great deal of experience as a manager but not as a general manager and at this stage of his career, I see Ozzie remaining in the dugout.
To rebuild the team and start fresh, I can’t see the Sox going to an existing member of the team to take over the general manager role. With Kenny and Ozzie likely gone, it will be up to Konerko and Pierzynski as to whether they continue on in the game in any capacity after they retire. I have not heard great things about Pierzynski the player in terms of attitude, thus coaching to me does not appear to be a reality. Konerko however, I can see taking such a role on as he is an extremely hard worker and well-respected in baseball circles. But given the difficulties Sandberg had to get a major league managing job and the time Don Mattingly had to put in before landing the Dodgers gig, I can’t see Konerko getting a managing role without a great deal of coaching experience beforehand.
Q: I’m still pulling for Jonathan Broxton. Let’s not kid ourselves. Who else do the Dodgers have to go to? Kuo on DL and Jansen isn’t ready. From Matthew, Los Angeles.
MLB reports: Broxton is 5 for 5 in save opportunities, but that 6.14 ERA is not pretty. Looking at the numbers, the only person with a shot is Mike MacDougal as the veteran has a very solid start to the campaign with the Dodgers. If Broxton continues to give up runs like they are going out of style, MacDougal will get a shot. I seriously hope for your sake and Dodgers fans everywhere, Broxton can get it together. I don’t see many options on the horizon, you know your Dodgers pitching well.
Q: How do you think the Jays will do against the Yankees this week? From MLB reports Agent, Toronto.
MLB reports: For those that are not aware, my niece was kind enough to intern on MLB reports to keep up the tweeting reports while I was away on my honeymoon in February. Now joining us on Twitter, our agent in the field will mostly be looking after postings, articles and photographs on our Facebook page and helping with the occasional tweets. Great first question Ms. Agent. The Jays had a hard-fought win last night with Travis Snider hitting the game winner in the bottom of the 10th to take the first game of the series. Game 2 goes today and has Bartolo Colon for the Yankees and Brett Cecil for the Jays. Should be a high-scoring game as I do not expect either starter to be very effective. After a hard loss I expect the Yankees to come out firing early and take the 2nd game. A 1-1 split would still be considered solid work for the Jays and much to build on going into the weekend series with the Rays. That matchup will really show what the Jays are made of as the Rays are a tough inter-division squad with very solid pitching.
Q: I read on the site this week about some pitchers who had been injured. I felt that there should have been one more. What’s the status on Jake Peavy? It’s just a thought. I just wanted to know how he was doing. From Richard, Roanoke.
MLB reports: Peavy was supposed to return on April 29th but he has been postponed due to arm discomfort. The official word is that Peavy has soreness of the lat muscle that was reattached during his July 2010 surgery. Peavy will be taking anti-inflammatory medicine for a week and if all goes well, could be going back to a rehab assignment by the end of the month. Given that Peavy is getting on in years and had radical experimental surgery, I cannot understand the Sox insistence to rush him. Looking at what happened to Ben Sheets and Brandon Webb, there is nothing to gain by rushing Peavy and everything to lose. I can see Peavy back in uniform if all goes well sometime in May, but a relapse is very probable, if not certain. My prediction is that Peavy will either have another surgery and/or be shut down again at some point this season. He does not seem to be fully healed and apparently can re-injure himself at a moment’s notice. I am a big Peavy supporter and would love to see him out on the field battling for the Sox, but sometimes the body just has a way of saying no. Time will tell. To see my previous updates on Webb, Sheets, Morrow and Francisco that was posted this week on the website, please click here.
Q: What is the chance of Jhoulys Chacin on the Rockies winning the Cy Young this year? From Joe, Atlanta.
MLB reports: At 6’3″ and at the age of 23, Chacin has not even entered his prime yet. You are looking at his 3-0 record, 1.64 ERA and 1.091 WHIP and getting excited. I can’t say I blame you as Chacin had a solid 2010 campaign as well with a 3.28 ERA and 1.274 WHIP. The potential is clearly there and given what Jimenez did in 2010 (19 wins, 2.88 ERA), anything is possible. I give his chance at winning the Cy Young this year at about 2%. Why so low you ask? Mostly the competition: from Halladay, to Lee, Oswalt, Lincecum, Gallardo, Greinke, Lincecum…the list goes on and on. Chacin still plays in a difficult pitcher’s park and likely will be 2nd on his own team behind Ubaldo as the top pitcher. Chacin still has 2-3 years to grow into ace-status and while he has a good chance at 15 wins, I think that a Cy Young is still years away. Pitchers of Chacin’s age still tend to go through ups and downs during their growing pains. Don’t discount the experience factor in overall Cy Young voting and final statistics. Experience often carries the day.
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INJURY UPDATES: WEBB, SHEETS, FRANCISCO AND MORROW
MLB reports: Many Readers have been e-mailing me to find out the status of their favorite players currently on the MLB disabled list. One area of concern in baseball that I have addressed on many occasions is the injuries to pitchers in particular. While batters have their share of ailments, it seems that pitchers are most susceptible to the injury bug. If the names Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Lewis Yocum ring a bell, then you will understand what I mean.
The following players have received much requests from our readers. From our reports, here is the updates on each player:
Brandon Webb, Rangers: 15 day DL, Shoulder Surgery
As Webb’s surgery was performed by the Rangers team doctor Dr. Keith Meister, baseball experts felt that Texas had the best read on the health of the right-handed starter. Many experts were skeptical as to whether Webb would be able to return healthy and effective in 2011. At this point, the future of Webb remains cloudy. He threw a 70 pitch bullpen session with the ball club yesterday. Webb appears to be 4-6 weeks away from returning to the Rangers, which would equate to an end of the May, beginning of June scenario. I would be surprised at this point if Webb returns at all before the All-Star break. Webb has further indicated that he is willing to pitch out of the bullpen depending on the team’s needs. Conclusion: Texas is not counting on Webb this year and any returns from the former star pitcher will be a bonus. After such a lengthy absence from game action, it is possible that Webb’s return, if it comes to fruition, could be a short one.
Ben Sheets: Free Agent
After undergoing arm surgery and missing the 2009 season, Ben Sheets pitched for the Oakland Athletics in 2010. After an inconsistent start to the season, Sheet’s season ended in July when he required flexor tendon surgery. After this additional surgery and another missed year, I would be surprised if Sheets is able to return in 2012. At 33 years old and a history of arm issues, we have probably seen the last of Ben Sheets. Pitchers can only endure so many arm issues in their career and Sheets has appeared to have reached his limit. Conclusion: Retirement is on the doorstep.
Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays: 15 day DL, Inflammation Elbow
In the continuing line of baseball pitchers with various injuries and ailments, Brandon Morrow started off the year on the disabled list with inflammation of the elbow. The good news is that Morrow completed his final rehab stint for Class A Dunedin and is set to rejoin the Blue Jays this week. John Farrell, manager of the Blue Jays, confirmed this morning on the Fan 590 Sportsnet radio station that Morrow is expected to start either Friday or Saturday against the Rays and re-claim a spot in the Jays rotation. The 26-year-old Morrow has been both a starter and reliever in his career, settling in as a full-time starter in 2010. Making 26 starts, Morrow struck out a whopping 178 batters in 146 1/3 innings that year. The ceiling is very high on the youngster and as long as he is healthy, Morrow will continue to develop into a #2 starter for the up-and-coming Jays. Conclusion: Expect more visits to the disabled list in 2011 and into the future, but anything close to reasonable health will lead to improved statistics for the hard-throwing righthander.
Frank Francisco, Blue Jays: 15 day DL, Biceps
In the continuing search in baseball for closers, many baseball fans are curious as to the status of Frank Francisco of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays have many bullpen options, including Octavio Dotel, Jason Frasor and Jon Rauch. But with the trade of Mike Napoli to Texas, many people in baseball feel that Francisco is the heir apparent closer in Toronto. A much harder thrower than incumbent closer Jon Rauch, health and inconsistency have plagued the 31-year-old Francisco throughout his major league career. Reports indicate that Francisco threw a scoreless inning in his final rehab assignment for the class A club and will rejoin the Jays on Tuesday. As Rauch is 3 for 3 in save opportunities, John Farrell is unlikely to throw Francisco immediately into the closer role. But as spring training reports indicated that Francisco would be appointed the closer, the clock is likely ticking on Rauch’s 9th inning appearances for now. Conclusion: Once he returns and shows health, Francisco will likely start closing for the Jays within the next 2 weeks. Health aside, effectiveness will determine whether he keeps the role. Over the long-term, I see Rauch being the closer in 2011 for the majority of the year with Francisco returning to the set-up role he had maintained in Texas last year.
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MLB Scores and Player Highlights from Saturday April 16
MLB reports: As you wake up to your first cup of morning coffee, put down your paper and get ready for all the MLB scores and player highlights (yes, stats!) from around the Majors on Saturday April 16, 2011. Curious how your team did? What about the players on your fantasy team? Get ready for all the MLB results and Highlights from Saturday:
Indians 8- Orioles 3 (in Cleveland)
Don’t look now but the Indians are 10-4 on the season, while the upstart Orioles fell below .500 at 6-7. Josh Tomlin (who?) is now 3-0 for the Indians after surrendering 2 runs over 6 innings with 0 walks. If you need a starter for your fantasy team, it may be time to take a rider on this kid. He had a decent 2010 season so there is some history to rely on. Jeremy Guthrie, the Orioles ace, surrendered 6 runs over 5 innings but still has a solid 3.32 ERA on the season. Every starter on the Orioles got a hit on this night with the exception of Nick Markakis. Remember Jake Fox, Mr. March from spring training? Well for those ready for a breakout, Fox hit his first home run on the season and is now hitting .182 on the season. Remember folks, this is why you should never, ever, ever count on spring training statistics. Hafner, Cabrera, Buck and LaPorta did most of the Indians damage on this night. Hafner and Buck each had 3 hits and Cabrera homered for the second time on the year and had 4 RBIs. The Cabreras, Orlando and Asdrubal have been solid to start the year and Hafner looks to be finally recovering some of his lost hitting magic.
Yankees 5- Rangers 2 (in New York)
For all the doom and gloom surrounding the Yankees pitching staff this season, the Yankees are still at a respectable 8-5 record on the season. Despite the loss, the Rangers remain one of the top teams in baseball at 10-4. Freddy Garcia pitched 6 shutout innings and gave up only 2 hits and a walk over 85 pitches. I wouldn’t be quick to jump on the Garcia bandwagon just yet, but so far, so good on the season. Joba and Mo were solid in relief, Joba with his 3rd hold. Mo is already up to 6 saves and has yet to give up a run on the season. Soriano gave up another 2 runs in the 8th and continues to struggle to start the season. Derek Holland came back down to earth for Texas, giving up 5 runs in 7 2/3 innings. Texeira had his 5th home run for the Yankees and Cano hit his 3rd. Lineup of note: Swisher is now in the 2nd spot while Jeter hit leadoff as Girardi tried to ignite both bats. Jeter went hitless as is now at .240 while Swisher chipped in a couple of hits. David Murphy had 2 hits and is at .321 on the season as he continues to fill in for Josh Hamilton. Not a bad fantasy pickup if you need an outfielder. Curtis Granderson is off to a very slow start at .238, hopefully he can pick it up soon.
Reds 11- Pirates 2 (in Cincinnati)
Remember the hot start Pirates? At 6-8, the lustre is starting to fade and the true Pirates are starting to show up. While the Reds at 9-5 are starting to pick up steam and look to take the NL Central title this season. The real James McDonald showed up today, giving up 7 runs (6 earned) over 4 1/3 innings. Mike Leake was fairly good for the Reds, giving up 2 runs over 6 innings. Of concern is the 4 walks which he gave up, which continue to be an issue for him. The Reds continued to hit the ball like it was going out of style, as Gomes homered twice and is up to 5 on the year, Hernandez got his 2nd and Stubbs chipped in with his 3rd. Gomes is already up to 13 RBIs and Stubbs has 10. Nearly every Reds starter is currently pounding the ball and Gomes batted cleanup yesterday, showcasing Baker’s confidence in him. Grab Gomes immediately for your fantasy team. Bruce at .224 is struggling but could be a very good buy-low candidate. Stubbs continue to excel for the Reds in the leadoff spot and will break 100 runs scored this year. I literally have nothing to say on the Pirates hitters. None of them currently stand out to me as very special…if truth be known, this is a glorified AAA team. McCutchen and Walker have played fairly well and Doumit has been in the mix, but judging on overall numbers, including Alvarez at .208, this team will be scraping for runs all season long.
Royals 7- Mariners 0 (In Kansas City)
As the Pirates cool off, the Royals and Indians continue to motor along. The Royals are tied with the Indians at the top of the Central with identical 10-4 records, while the Mariners are at 4-11 and start to prepare for the MLB draft with the 2nd overall pick and rebuilding for next year. Sean O’Sullivan and Felix Hernandez literally traded stats lines today, as O’Sullivan pitched 5 shutout innings and 5 hits allowed, while King Felix gave up 5 runs (2 earned) over his 5 innings. Brandon League gave up 2 runs in the 8th innings during mop-up duty, highlighting concerns that he continues to be too inconsistent to be trusted as a closer long-term. The Royals outstanding young bullpen continued to dominate, as the three-headed monster of Crow, Collins and Jeffress shut out the Mariners over 4 innings and gave up only 2 hits. While I would trust O’Sullivan about as far as I can throw him, the Royals bullpen appears to be for real. With young, live arms that have together at the same time, watch for the Royals to continue to hold leads up to Soria most games. If any of their starting pitchers can continue the smoke and mirrors show, the Royals will have a nice little team to build up until all of their prospects arrive over the next 2 seasons. Alex Gordon went 3-4 in the 3rd spot and is now hitting a torrid .373 (see my feature article on Alex Gordon posted yesterday, outlining his career and start to the season). Aviles chipped in with 3 RBIs and is up to 10 on the season, despite a lowly .200 batting average. Billy Butler is also hitting a solid .373 on the season and looks to be the foundation of the Royals offense with Gordon this season. The Mayor of Omaha, Kila Ka’aihue is at .163 and will be back in Omaha or with another AAA team by May. Despite getting a true chance this year, Kila just does not seem to fit in with the Royals. Aside from Justin Smoak at .283 with 2 walks, the Mariners will give the Pirates a run for their money as the worst offensive team in baseball. Just dreadful.
Red Sox 4- Jays 1 (In Boston)
In one of those “I told you” games, I predicted the Red Sox would come out fast and hungry against the Jays and that Josh Beckett would continue his rebound. Sure enough, the Red Sox scored 2 runs in each of the 1st 2 innings and that is all the support Beckett would need as the Red Sox are now 3-10 on the season but looking to climb. The Jays, after a torrid start sit at 7-7. Beckett was dominant on this afternoon, going 7 innings, with only 3 hits and 1 run allowed. Beckett has 2 out of the 3 Boston wins on the season and his ERA is a sparkling 1.80 on the season. Bard and Papelbon were lockdown afterwards and Paps continues to cement his hold off the closer role and prove to his doubters that he still has it. Jo-Jo Reyes gave up 4 runs over 3 innings with an alarming 5 walks. If Reyes gets one more start he will be lucky as it appears the Jays will have very little patience left with the struggling hurler. On a bright note, in his first appearance of the season, Luis Perez pitched 1 1/3 innings giving up only 1 hit and getting 2 strikeouts. The Red Sox appear to have finally found their leadoff man as Jed Lowrie went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lowrie is hitting .500 on the season and the Red Sox would be wise to take advantage while he is hot. Lowrie should not still be available in any fantasy leagues, but if he is, snap him up immediately off the waiver wire. He is for real and 2011 appears to be his breakout year. David Ortiz had 2 walks which is a good sign. The Jays offense took the day off yesterday, although Aaron Hill had 2 hits but still continues to hit a mediocre .241 on the season.
Angels 7- White Sox 2 (In Chicago)
Don’t look now, but the Angels are getting hot. Anaheim (yes, that is what I call them) are now 9-5 on the season and are finding ways to get the wins. The White Sox, my pick for the AL Central, sit at 7-7. Tyler Chatwood, the 2nd youngest player in the majors got the win, pitching 7 innings of 5 hit ball, with only 1 run allowed. Don’t get all excited about the kid yet, he needs to show consistency over a few more starts before he will make a believer out of me. Gavin Floyd was just awful, giving up 6 runs over 6 innings. Howie Kendrick and Hang Conger had big games, with 2 hits, 3 RBIs and a home run each. Conger at .286 appears to be getting a good opportunity for the Angels and if anyone needs a catcher out there, grab this kid immediately. Howie Kendrick, for all my criticism for failing to take walks is off to a monster start, with 5 home runs. I still don’t see enough from the kid to warrant excitement, but if you are desperate for a second baseman, he is a good very short-term stopgap. Vernon Wells, remember him? As part of my Vernon Watch, he actually had his first 2-hit game of the season, with a double. Vernon is up to .140 on the season and hitting in the Anaheim ballpark, his numbers will be average this season. Juan Pierre had a couple of hits and continues to fool most people…except for me. Pierre is good for the occasional hit and steals, but I certainly hope the White Sox don’t count on him all season long to ignite the offense. Konerko and Quentin each went deep for the White Sox and continued to be the glue that holds the Sox together.
Rays 4- Twins 3 (In Tampa Bay)
The most thrilling game that I watched yesterday, the Rays stormed back to win a thriller with 2 outs in the 9th on a walk-off RBI single by Johnny Damon with the bases loaded. The Rays after starting in the cellar with the Red Sox now sit at 6-8 while the Twins continue their free fall at 4-10. Capps gave up a run in the 8th to make the score 3-2 Twins. Going into the bottom of the 9th, with Nathan pitching, it felt evident that the Rays would take this game. The first hitter in the 9th, Ben Zobrist hit a bomb that tied the game and from there the wheels just fell apart for Nathan. The Twins closer looked shell-shocked after being taken out of the game and despite early proclamations to bring him along slowly, the Twins have thrown Nathan in the fire to start the season and have been burned too many time. Capps, despite a 4.50 ERA is the best choice for the Twins and I expect Matt to take the job back any day now. Grab him for your fantasy bench if you can afford the space. Jeff Niemann had a quality start, with 7 innings pitched and 3 runs allowed. The Rays pitching is outstanding with a great deal of potential, I am exciting about every starter in the rotation. They are that good. If the Rays can piece together a decent bullpen, a big-if considering the early struggles of expected closer Jake McGee, the Rays will take the East as I predicted to start the season. Scott Baker continued his hot and cold mix, this time pitching very well by giving up only 1 run over 7 innings in the no-decision. The Rays offense has been so slow that Joyce batted 3rd and Lopez batted 4th in this game. The Rays have to get their bats going, but appear to be a bat or two short at this point in the season until Jennings arrives. Of note, Jennings is on fire at AAA Durham and his call should be coming sometime in May, June at the latest. Another great bench player to reserve at this point. The Twins bats continued their season long slumber, with Mauer out and nearly every starter on a cold streak. With Morneau at .208, the Twins have a lot of frustration in the early part of 2011.
Braves 4- Mets 2 (in Atlanta, game 1)
The Braves started off early at home, beating the Mets behind strong pitching by veteran Derek Lowe. A long-time favorite of mine, Lowe was steady in his 2nd win of the season, giving up 2 runs over 6 innings. Venters got his 4th hold of the season and Craig Kimbrel got his 4th save of the season. For those expecting a battle, the smart money as I told you in the preseason was to be on Kimbrel. Committees have rarely worked in the closing department and by not yielding a run to start the year, Kimbrel is the closer to have. Another must pick-up on the fantasy waiver wire. Venters, while great for holds is unlikely to get the job unless injury or poor performance by Kimbrel. D.J. Carrasco gave up 3 runs in 3 2/3 innings for the lowly Mets and will be in the firing line all season for a Mets squad that will finish with the team last in the National League. Alex Gonzalez had 2 home runs on the day, while Chipper Jones and rookie Freddie Freeman responded with bombs of their own. Aside from Chipper and McCann, most of the Braves offense is struggling to start the year. It was promising to see Freeman have a home run and 2 walks on the day. Despite expected growing pains, he should be a good one. The Mets continue to rely on Reyes, Wright and Davis, while Jason Bay is expected to return sometime this week. Playing in the 2nd coming of Petco, temper expectations.
Braves 4 – Mets 0 (in Atlanta, game 2)
With the home sweep of the doubleheader, the Braves are now 6-8 on the season while the Mets are 4-10. Watching the Mets play, I am not even sure how they have 4 wins on the year. Jair Jurrjens, in his season debut was brilliant, pitching 7 shutout innings for the win, giving up 2 hits and 1 walk. Yes, it was only against the Mets, but Jurrjens is back and a must pickup in all fantasy leagues if available. Mike Pelfrey pitched ok, giving up 4 runs in 5 innings. Eric Hinske had 3 hits in the cleanup spot for the Braves as Gonzalez tries to shake up the lineup to get their offense going.
Astros 5- Padres 3 (in Houston)
In a game that only a diehard baseball fan could watch, the young and rebuilding Astros moved to 5-10, while the Padres sit at 6-8. Nelson Figueora pitched a decent game for the Astros but Brandon Lyon was the bigger news, setting down after his early season meltdown to get his 3rd save of the season. Lyon will occasionally implode but with 3 saves already, he should finish with 20+ saves by season’s end. Matt Latos continued to struggle to return to form, giving up 5 runs over 6 1/3 innings. A great buy-low candidate if I ever saw one. Chris Johnson was the star on this day with a home run and 2 RBIs but the Astros offense has been ice-cold for most of the season, so I would not get too excited. Chase Headley had 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in the cleanup spot and is getting a full chance to drive the Padres offense. It still boggles my mind that Orlando Hudson is hitting 3rd in that lineup.
Cubs 8- Rockies 3 (in Colorado)
The Cubs, believe it or not, sit at 7-7 and played a great game yesterday. The Rockies despite the loss have a brilliant 11-3 record. Casey Coleman got his first win of the year, giving up 1 run over 5 2/3 innings. Not much to still get excited about here. Jason Hammel, pitched a strong game, giving up 3 runs over 6 innings in the no-decision quality start. The key stat is the 1 walk given up. Remember Hammel was a top prospect with the Rays years ago and is a solid starter when going well. Paulino, with the 5 runs given up over 1/3 of an inning blew the game for the Rockies. Morales and Lidstrom were fantastic in relief for the Rockies and have combined with Street to form a very formidable Rockies bullpen. Alfonso Soriano had 3 hits, including his 5th home run and continued his strong start to the season. Don’t look now but Soriano is hitting .286 with 12 RBIs on the season. But given his age and injury track record, I expect the wheels to fall off the Soriano bus soon. Castro with 4 hits is now up to .397 on the season and has Cubs fans very excited about his future as their leadoff man. Tulowitzki had 2 hits and is hitting .365 on the season. Chris Iannetta had a home run, 2 RBIs and a walk and should have a breakout year this year.
Giants 5- Diamondbacks 3 (in Arizona)
Despite an appeared slow start, the Giants record now sits at 8-6 to start the season while the Kirk Gibson led Diamondbacks have a 5-8 record. Barry Zito appears to have an injury concern, as he was pulled after only 1 2/3 innings and giving up 2 runs. On a bright note, Brian “fear the beard” Wilson got his 4th save, despite a 9.64 ERA on the season. Joe Saunders, Mr. Inconsistency, gave up 5 runs in 6 innings for the D’backs with 12 hits allowed and at 0-2 and a 6.32 ERA on the season should be an afterthought for all fantasy teams. Buster Posey had a homer run and 2 RBIs and hitting .306 season continues to be the star of the Giants. Aaron Rowand has been reborn, going 3-4 in the leadoff spot and scored 2 runs. With a .359 average on the season, Rowand is just what the doctor ordered for the Giants. Stephen Drew is hitting .313 on the season and Miguel Montero continues to make a push for being one of the top NL catchers by getting 2 RBIs and hitting .415 on the season.
Athletics 6- Tigers 2 (in Oakland)
At identical 7-8 records, the Tigers and Athletics have been inconsistent to say the least to start the year. The Athletics with slumbering bats continued to ride their good young pitching to a win. Staff veteran Dallas Braden got his first win of the year, pitching 5 innings with 3 hits allowed, 1 run (0 earned). Verlander was not his usual dominant self, giving up 4 runs (3 earned) over 6 innings pitched. De Jesus, Willingham and Matsui had nice games for the Athletics. As those three hit, so will go the A’s. The Tigers have Miguel Cabrera at .327 and little more offense a this point. Austin Jackson at .170 appears to be hitting into the sophomore slump for the Tigers.
Cardinals 9- Dodgers 2 (in Los Angeles)
The Cardinals, my pick for the NL Wildcard continued their rebound with another strong performance in LA, upping their record to 8-7. My pick for the NL West, the Dodgers have fallen to 6-9. Kyle McClellan, under the tutelage of Dave Duncan upped his record to 2-0 on the year by pitching 7 innings of 1 run ball, 6 hits allowed and 0 walks. Perhaps the Jamie Garcia of 2011, the Cardinals will need a strong McClellan to contend this year and he is worth an immediate spot on your fantasy bench. Clayton Kershaw was rocked on this night, giving up 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings. As a young fantasy ace, Kershaw will have his ups and downs this year. Theriot, Pujols, Holliday and Craig were the hitting stars of this night, although it was curious to sit Berkman after a 2-home run night the other night. Ethier and Kemp had great nights at the plate for the Dodgers and remain the focal points of the Dodgers offense. Kemp in particular has really come into his own and looks to be a strong early season MVP candidate.
Brewers -Nationals: Postponed
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FRIDAY FACEOFF: CARLOS PENA VS. JAMES LONEY
MLB reports: In another first on MLB reports, I will be running a series every Friday titled “Friday Faceoff.” The series will matchup two MLB players at the same position and consist of a five point comparison between them. The player with the most points at the end of the faceoff is victorious. Especially for fantasy baseball players, the faceoff will give you an edge and strategy as to how to fill your fantasy roster and set your lineups.
In the premier edition of the Friday Faceoff, I present James Loney of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Carlos Pena of the Chicago Cubs. Two middle-of-the-road first basemen with the potential to hit the upper tier. Do you have either player on your team? Do you want to have either one in your lineup? Lets begin the Friday Faceoff and find out!
CARLOS PENA VS. JAMES LONEY: THE FRIDAY FACEOFF BEGINS
1) Home runs/Power: This is an automatic win for Pena. James Loney in his last three major league seasons has averaged a paltry twelve home runs. In his last two years, Loney has shown a SLG under .400. Acceptable numbers for a catcher or second baseman maybe, but certainly not from a first baseman. While he had forty-one doubles last year, Loney simply did not have enough extra base hits as required from a power position. Carlos Pena, for all his faults has been consistently solid in his department. In 2007 at forty-six home runs, Pena had almost the same amount of home runs in one year as Loney has hit in his whole career. Last year, Pena hit twenty-eight long balls in a “down year”. With a career SLG of .490, considering the slow start to his career, Pena clearly has power in abundance. Last year interestingly, Pena had a SLG of .407. But considering he hit under .200, we should cut him some slack. Another note on James Loney, in 2009 he managed only one home run at home all year. Neither player has set the world on fire to start the year, Loney with one home run and Pena with zero. But based on history, the winner is: Carlos Pena.
2) Batting Average: A statistic long in dispute, but for what its worth Loney has the clear advantage here. With a .288 lifetime average, Loney is far ahead of Pena’s .241 career mark. Carlos has a career high of 138 hits in 2007 and ony 95 hits in an entire season last year. Loney since 2008 has averaged over 160 hits per season. While Pena has the power, Loney gets the more consistent hits. Not the standard for a first baseman, but if average counts in your fantasy league, then congrats if you have the winner in round two: James Loney.
3) On-Base: With Loney’s career OBP mark of .348 and Pena at .351, the difference between the player is negligible. As Loney has the hits as shown above, Pena has the walks. Pena since 2007 has walked 103 times, 96, 87 and again 87 times. Loney had 70 walks in 2009 but otherwise walks approximately 50 times per year. Pick your choice, if you need your first baseman to get on-base consistently, as this round ends in a tie.
4) Durability: A difficult factor to predict given the strains of playing 162 baseball games, Loney and Pena are examples of a contrast in measuring health. Carlos Pena will be turning 33 this year and is starting to show his age. While being fairly durable in his career, Pena has averaged approximately 140 games and 480 at bats in the last four years. Loney over the last three years has missed 6 games in total. Loney has also averaged close to 590 at bats over that time. Entering his prime this year at 27, if you want to hedge your bets on who will be healthiest this year, your winner is: James Loney.
5) Speed: Stolen bases is something that you rarely look for from your first baseman in fantasy baseball but will take as a bonus. If your league counts steals, you will be very interested to find who wins this round. Pena has twenty-three steals over his ten major league seasons, with five steals actually coming last year. With several seasons of zero and one steal per year, Pena is not someone you would exactly call a speed demon. Loney on the other hand had ten stolen bases last year, with seven steals each year for the previous two seasons. At a younger age and playing on an aggressive running team with Davey Lopes on board, expect Loney’s thefts to rise in a run-and-gun offense. In the final round, another win for: James Loney.
THE VERDICT: Going into this article, I fully expect to be handing a trophy to Carlos Pena in the first ever faceoff. But sometimes number crunching can differ from expectations and in this case, the results were not as I had predicted. Carlos Pena, for all of his home runs and walks does not offer most fantasy players the same consistency on the same number of levels as James Loney. Despite lower power totals, Loney has the durability, batting average and speed advantage. At this point in their careers, Pena and Loney appear to be on different tracks. Pena is starting to be on the downside of his career while Loney should be entering his prime. After two weeks into the season, both players have shown little so far. But as the weather heats up, both should similarly get their games going. But based on the Friday Faceoff, with a 3-1 record and 1 tie, James Loney is the fantasy first baseman of choice on this night. While both players are truly average choices at first with many better options available, if the faceoff is an indication, you can do worse than having James Loney on your squad.
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MLB Scores and Player Highlights from Monday April 11th
MLB reports: A roundup of all the results from yesterday’s MLB action and the players that shined and ones that did not quite perform as well:
Rangers 2- Tigers 0: The Rangers moved to 9-1 on the season while the Tigers fell to a dismal 3-7. Alexi Ogando, the former Rule 5 pickup, upped his record to 2-0 and no runs earned on the season. The entire Rangers pitching corps has been dominant all season and in this game Oliver got his 4th hold and Feliz with his 4th save already. Verlander went the distant in the tough loss and now has a 3.13 ERA on the season. Cabrera with two hits for the Tigers is now hitting .382 on the season, while Peralta is at .344.
Rockies 7- Mets 6: The Rockies won a thriller decided in the 8th inning and are now 7-2 on the season. Mets are still treading at 4-6. Houston Street picked up his 5th save on the season. Both starters, Jason Hammel and Mike Pelfrey pitched ok but nothing spectacular. Tulowitzki hitting cleanup hit his 4th home run of the year while Carlos Gonzalez had 3 ribbies in the 3rd spot for the Rockies. David Wright replied with his own long ball, 2nd of the season and Jose Reyes tripled among his 2 hits for the Mets. Reyes at .340, Wright at .325 and Davis at .351 are all positive signs for the rebuilding Mets.
Rays 16- Red Sox 5: At equivalent 2-8 records, two of the best teams in baseball have been slow out of the game. On this day the Rays brought out their whipping sticks to take it to the Sox. Matsuzaka, Wakefield and Wheeler all got beaten early and often, while Hellickson despite giving up five walks in 5.1 innings pitched two run ball for the win. The big story was Sam Fuld, with 2 doubles, a triple and home run (so close to a cycle) from the leadoff spot for the Rays. A throw-in as part of the Matt Garza trade, Fuld was the hero in this game. The Rays pounded to the Red Sox for 20 hits, as Damon, Zobrist, Upton, Jaso and Brignac all had big games. Crawford had two hits for the Sox in the leadoff spot and Ellsbury hit his 2nd home run of the year.
Cubs 5- Astros 4: In a battle of central division rivals, the Cubs record is now 5-5 while the rebuilding Astros are at 2-8. Ryan Dempster gave up 4 runs but had 9 SO in his first win of the year, while Marmol is now up to 4 saves. Figueroa gave up 5 runs in 4 innings for the loss. Castro had 3 hits for the Cubs in the leadoff spot and stole his first base. Alfonso Soriano chipped in with a couple of RBIs for the Cubs.
Athletics 2- White Sox 1: The Athletics moved to 5-5 on the year while the White Sox felt to 6-4. In a tough matchup, Dallas Braden pitched one run ball over six innings with seven SO, while Brian Fuentes got his 4th save of the year. Mark Buehrle pitched 8 shutout innings and left with a no-decision. Kurt Suzuki had two hits, including his first home run of the season, for an Oakland team that is still having a difficult time generating much offense. Lillibridge had his first home run of the year for the White Sox.
Cardinals 8- Diamondbacks 2: Within 4 wins apiece on the season, the Cardinals finally had a strong offensive showing against a decent Arizona squad. Kyle McLellan, pitching Dave Duncan style ball, gave up one run over six innings for his first win of the year. The star was Lance Berkman, with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs in the 5th spot. Albert Pujols remains at an unsightly .150 average.
Reds 3- Padres 2: The high-flying Reds are now 7-3 on the season, beating a tough Matt Latos and Padres team that is now 4-5. Fantasy Ace Latos in his first start of the year gave up 3 runs in 6 innings with 7 SO. Volquez moved to 2-0 by giving up 2 runs over 6 innings with 5 So, but remains with a 5.82 ERA. Cookie Cordero got his 2nd save of the season. Gomes got his 3rd home run of the young season while Brandon Phillips is hitting .410 on the season and Votto is at .444. Orlando Hudson at 2 hits and is now at .313 for an otherwise dismal Padres offense.
Cleveland 4- Angels 0: The 8-2 Indians, led by Willy Mays Hayes and Wild Thing are hot to start the year (major league 4?) The Angels, after taking 2 out of 3 against Toronto now stand at 5-5. Mitch Talbot pitched 8 shutout innings for the win, while Tyler Chatwood (who? exactly) took the loss. Scott Downs, back off the DL pitched an inning for the Angels. Asdrubal Cabrera is up to 4 home runs on the year (wow!) and Matt LaPorta had a 3-run bomb for the Indians. Travis Hafner, by the way is up to a .355 average on the year and Orlando Cabrera is hitting .361. The Angels only managed 5 hits as a team and 2 total walks, all from Bobby Abreu. For those following my Vernon Wells watch: Again hitting 5th as he has all year. Another 0-4, average down to .091. I believe a benching and move down the lineup is in order if the Angels hope to ignite their offense. Callaspo at .353 and Trumbo with his strong power need to move up in the order.
Mariners 8- Jays 7: In the shocker of the night, the Jays had a 7-0 lead after 6 and 7-1 lead after 7 and still managed to lose 8-7 in the 9th. The hometown Mariners are still a low 3-7 on the year while the Jays are at an even 5-5. Jesse Litsch pitched 5 shutout innings for the no-decision but played with fire all night with 4 walks and 5 hits given up. Purcey, Dotel and Camp all got hit hard as the Jays bullpen imploded in Seattle. The King was not his usual majestic self and gave up 7 runs and 12 hits in his own no-decision. Milton Bradley got 2 hits including his first home run of the year. Rodriguez had 3 RBIs and Justin Smoak finished with 2 hits and 2 walks. Corey Patterson in his first game as a Jay hit a home run, while Encarnacion and Nix both had 3 hits each. Adam Lind was 0-5 with 3 SO while Jose Bautista was 2-3 with 2 walks.
Dodgers 6- Giants 1: In the final game of the night, the Dodgers moved to 6-4 while the World Series Champions Giants moved to 4-6. Clayton Kershaw was his usual dominant self, pitching 6.2 shutout innings with 7 SO for his 2nd win of the year. Madison Bumgarner has been slow out of the gates again, falling to 0-2 with 5 runs given up in 5 innings. Andre Ethier was 2-4 with 2 RBIs and is up to a strong .368 on the season, while Matt Kemp went 1-2 and continued to show a good eye with 2 walks and is at an outstanding .441 on the season. These 2 young hitters are truly coming into their own and Kemp is finally living up to his “Baby Manny” nickname from his rookie season, minus the issues. Huff and Burrell both had 2 hits for the Giants, Burrell with his 4th home run and had 2 walks as well, despite hitting .222 on the year. Posey is at .250 on the season while Brandon Belt is going to be packing his bags soon for AAA with his .143 average on the year. A strong player and future star for the Giants, it appears some seasoning is still required for the youngster.
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MLB reports – Scores and Highlights for Saturday April 2nd
MLB reports: To the readers of MLB reports, I wanted to start off by thanking you for your support. Once I moved to the daily format, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to read the site and I will continue to work to bring you all the latest reports, news, highlights and analysis from around the MLB world. A new section of our site is coming soon, titled: “MLB Guest Blogs”. This section will be a forum for the players themselves to provide articles for your reading pleasure on MLB reports. There are two guest bloggers currently working on their material and I look forward to posting their entries very soon. It is a pleasure to bring the players’ stories to you and I know you will enjoy reading what they have to say. On another update, Part II of III in the Oney Guillen interview will be posted likely sometime in the coming week. A riveting story of one of the most interesting characters in baseball, I commend Oney on being a first class interview. Oney has gratuitously taken a great deal of time out of schedule to converse with me and the private family pictures he provided for the article series was truly the icing on the cake. Last update: please be sure to e-mail your baseball questions to mlbreports@gmail.com. Please include your name and city as part of your questions. The E-mailbag questions and answers are posted every Wednesday on MLB reports.
In addition to the regular daily posts on the site, you will notice that I have been including daily scores and highlights from around the majors for your reads. These updates tend to serve two purposes: to keep the MLB fan up-to-date on how teams have performed from the previous days worth of games and to update the MLB fantasy players on the highs and lows of selected players from these games. In addition to being a devoted baseball fan and writer, I played in the trenches of fantasy baseball for many years. I have a strong idea of what fantasy players look for in analyzing games and I trust that my highlights will assist some of you. Please do not hesitate to e-mail or tweet me any time with any suggestions or comments that you have on the site. At the end of the day, MLB reports is truly here for you, the readers. My goal is to provide you with the baseball website that best serves your needs. All feedback is always appreciated to helping me in this process.
With the website updates out of the way, it is time for a look at the games that were played this past Saturday:
1) The Yankees have started off the year 2-0, pounding on the Tigers to the tune of a 10-6 final. AJ Burnett in his season debut was good but not great, giving up 3 ER in his 5 innings of work, 5 hits, 1 BB and 6 SO. Brad Penny in his Tigers debut lasted only 4.1 innings, charged with a total of 8 ER. Ouch. Mo Rivera pitched 1/3 of an inning to collect his 2nd save already in the season. Martin, Teixeira and A-Rod all homered for the Yanks. Austin Jackson and V-Mart replied with home runs for the Tigers.
2) The Nationals beat the Braves at home 6-3 behind solid pitching from John Lannan, who gave up only 1 ER. Storen gave up a home run to Alex Gonzalez and Sean Burnett pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for the save. The Nationals closer watch will be an interesting one as Storen in my opinion will be the closer by year’s end, but word has Burnett taking the job for the time being. Tommy Hanson did not last 4 innings in this outing, charged with 3 ER. Gonzalez finished with 3 hits on the day and Dan Uggla also connected for the Braves. Werth and Ramos had 3 hits apiece for the Nationals and Ankiel had the biggest blast, a 3-run blast.
3) The White Sox continued their mastery of the Indians, moving to 2-0 on the year with an 8-3 victory. Edwin Jackson had his typical high WHIP outing (5 hits and 4 BB in 6 IP), but gave up only 2 ER for the win. Sale and Santos had 2 SO apiece for the dominant Sox pen. Carrasco responded by being light up for 7 ER in 6.2 IP for the Indians, mirroring the beating taken by teammate Carmona yesterday. Quentin, Pierre and Beckham paced the Sox with 2 hits each. Travis Hafner’s 2 hits and first home run of the season were the only bright spots for the Indians on Saturday.
4) The Cubs and Pirates evened their series at 1-1 with a Cubs 5-3 victory in Wrigley. Zambrano had a quality start with 6 IP and 3 ER, Wood was solid in relief and Marmol struck out the side in the 9th for his first save. On the flip side, Maholm dominated for the Bucs, pitching 6.2 shutout innings, 5 hits, 2 BB and 3 SO. Meek was truly meek on this day, giving up 5 runs, 2 earned in 0.2 IP. Castro and Soto each had 2 hits for the Cubs. Neil Walker, followed his strong season debut with a 1-4 performance and 3 SO. Soriano batted 7th for the Cubs, Overbay cleanup for the Pirates.
5) The Blue Jays went to 2-0 in 2011 with a 6-1 thumping of the Twins. Kyle Drabek pitched one-hit ball in 7 innings, 3 BB and 7 SO. The Twins for a 2nd straight day could muster little offense against Toronto. Liriano gave up 4 ER in his 4.1 IP, with 4 hits and an alarming 5 BB. The Twins pitchers seemed off and should be monitored for health concerns. Molina and Nix out of all people provided the home run power for Toronto on Saturday. Rajai Davis was given the day off due to an injured ankle and is currently day-to-day.
6) The Royals beat the Angels 5-4 to move to 2-1 on the year. Soria finished for his first save and Jepsen took the loss with 2 ER in his 1.0 IP, plus 4 hits allowed. Crowe continued to impress in the Royals pen, with 1.2 scoreless innings and 2 SO. A possible future move to the rotation I believe could be in line. Alex Gordon out of the 3rd spot had another 0-4 day, with an average sitting at .154 for the year. The Angels received a home run from Torii Hunter but could not win despite 11 hits. Vernon Wells in the 5th spot finished at 1-4 and 3 LOB, with a season average of .167.
7) The Padres pounded the Cardinals 11-3 to move to 2-0 on the year. Clayton Richard had a quality start for the Padres, going 6.0 innings and giving up 3 ER. Jake Westbrook was pounded for 8 ER in his 4.1 IP. Dave Duncan is a miracle worker, but I see Westbrook as being beyond miracles. His leash will be short. Pujols homered for the Cardinals and Chase Headley led the Padres with 2 hits, a home run and 4 rbis. Hudson and Hawpe went hitless in the 3rd and 4th spots again for the Padres. Expect a lineup switch in the near future.
8) The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered their first defeat of the year, a 10-0 loss to the World Series Giants. Ted Lilly gave up 4 ER in 4.1 IP. Matt Cain was spectacular, 6 shutout innings, 5 hits, 0 BB and 3 SO. Ethier had 3 hits for the Dodgers. The Giants in a revamped lineup, received 3 hits from Sanchez and solid games from Tejada in the leadoff spot, Huff and DeRosa.
9) Houston is 0-2 to start the year as Cy-Lee and the Phillies beat them 9-4. Lee in his return to Philadelphia pitched 7.0 innings, giving up 3 ER and 4 hits. The most telling was his 11 SO and 0 BB. Cy-Lee is back baby. Wandy Rodriguez pitched like he was in Cleveland, giving up 7 ER in 4.0 innings. Carlos Lee went 3-4 with a home run and 4 rbis. Great games by Polanco, Francisco and Ibanez.
10) The Rays, my pre-season pick to win the AL East started off the year 0-2 with a 3-1 loss to the Orioles. James Shields pitched well, going 7.1 IP with 2 ER, 4 hits, 2 BB and 7 SO. Chris Tillman was pulled after 6.0 no-hit innings (bet Orioles fans loved that), with Kevin Gregg getting a Fernando Rodney save (1 hit and 1 BB allowed in 1.0 IP). Brian Roberts starred for the Orioles with a home run and 2 hits in total and all 3 rbis.
11) The Brewers fell again to the Reds, this time by a score of 4-2. Shawn Marcum in his Brewers debut was ineffective, giving up 4 ER in 4.2 IP. Wood was crazy good for the Reds, 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 hits, 0 BB and 7 SO. Cordero pitched a shaky 9th, giving up 1 ER for the save. The Chapman watch will officially begin today. Scott Rolen had a 2-run home run and Drew Stubbs had 2 hits at the leadoff spot.
12) The Marlins fell to the Mets by a score off 6-4 (huh? the Mets won a game before May?) Jon Niese had an effective outing, 7 IP and 2 ER. K-Rod had a nightmarish outing, with 3 hits, 1 BB and 1 ER in 1.0 IP. Nolasco was great for the Marlins, 7.0 IP with 2 ER and 0 BB. Wright had a great game with a home run and 3 hits, while Ike Davis chipped in also with 2 hits.
13) Texas kept pounding out the runs with a 12-5 butchering of the Red Sox in Arlington. Colby Lewis had a quality start with 6.0 IP and 3 ER. 
Lackey was destroyed to the tune of 9 ER and 3.2 IP (ewww). Papi and Ellsbury went deep for the Bosox, who continued to play Crawford in the 3rd hole (not for long). Texas had long balls from Kinsler, Torrealba, Cruz and Beltre.
14) The Diamondbacks lost the Rockies 3-1 despite a quality start from Hudson, with 6.0 IP and 3 ER. De La Rosa pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings and left with a blister. Street got the save despite giving up a run in his 1.0 IP (monitor this closer situation depending on Street’s health). Iannetta, a strong catcher projected for the year, had 2 hits and 2 runs scored.
15) The Mariners wrapped up the MLB action with a 5-2 victory over the A’s. Vargas and Anderson were both solid, until Fuentes gave up 2 ER in the 9th on 3 hits for the loss and blown save. Expect the Fuentes watch to continue for the next couple of weeks and 2-3 more outings like this could cost his job. A healthy and effective Andrew Bailey will be great Fuentes insurance. Chris Ray gave up 3 hits and 1 ER for the Mariners while League as closer pitched a scoreless and hitless 9th for the save. Expect League to continue to save games until Aardsma is back, but could keep the job long-term. Barton had 3 hits for the A’s while Ichiro had 2 hits to become the Mariners all-time hit leader, to break Edgar’s record.
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MLB Opening Day: Survival List and Highlights
MLB reports: Going into day-two of the MLB opening day schedule, I will be in Toronto tonight to watch the hometown Blue Jays face the Minnesota Twins. With a sold-out, packed stadium of over 50,000 screaming fans, tonight will be awesome. Opening day is the greatest baseball day of the year and should never be missed. I have attended all-star games and World Baseball Classic matchups and I can still say that opening day is number one. I have not yet attended any world series games, which has its own energy and excitement.. But the start of the year, the start of the season, with hope and optimism all around- opening day is king.
With hope comes reality. Opening day, while a great deal of fun to watch, should still be prepared for ahead of time. For those experienced fans who have been through this before but need a refresher after a long offseason and for those new to the game, I have prepared the following tips for you. Opening day is most enjoyable when you come to the game ready. Here is what you need to do in order to enjoy the experience to the fullest.
1) Pack food and water: Check the policy of your stadium on this, but most will allow you to bring in any food and a sealed bottled of water. Opening day gets pretty hectic, as the stadium will be full and the concessions are not yet in mid-season form. To avoid missing any of the action in long lineups, plan ahead and bring your own munchies.
2) Wear baseball gear: Coming to opening day without a baseball top/cap is unacceptable. Preferably you should wear the colors of your home team, but any baseball clothing will do. To get into the excitement, you have to dress the part.
3) Bring a camera: Opening day will last three to four hours, but pictures last a lifetime. Be sure to capture all the moments of the game and your surroundings. The more friends an family that you have at the game, the better the photo opportunities.
4) Bring people: Coming to the game with a buddy or loved one is great. But the more people that join you in your section, the greater the feeling you will have at the game. I have seven people in total in my group coming today, it will be a blast.
5) Strategic bathroom breaks: Try to go right before the game starts. The bathrooms will be crowded all game long and hopefully your bladder can hold up for most, if not the entire game.
6) Arrive early: On a Friday, traffic is usually bad no matter where we live. Add to that the number of people attending the game, the slow pace of the ushers in welcoming people, checking tickets and giving away free stuff- and you have a recipe for disaster. Try to be at your stadium approximately two hours before game time to make sure that you can easily get in, check out the concessions and all the pre-game festivities in a relaxed manner.
7) Bring your Smartphone: If you have a blackberry or iphone, sending the occasional updates through twitter or facebook will make you leading edge and gives the people that follow you a chance to share in your experience. Photo updates get bonus points.
8) Get into the game: Socializing throughout the game is fun. But if you are at the point that you have no idea what inning it is and the score, clearly you are not paying enough attention. Keep focused so that you miss any of the key game highlights and bring the game into your discussion. The greater experience you have on opening day, the more likely you will be out for future games this season.
9) Watch the lineup: Your home team likely has some new faces. Learn the roster and get to know the players on your team. You will see them for 162 games this year and watching them live to start the year will help your knowledge. I look for things like batting stances, pitching deliveries, names/numbers etc. Learn your team as the better you know your guys, the harder you will support them.
10) Savor the moment: Enjoy every second that you are there. Take in every sight, sound and smell from opening day from the second you enter the stadium to the time you leave. You will only get one crack at opening day every season, enjoy this one.
I wish everyone a great MLB opening day! Hopefully you will get to attend a game in person over the course of the last two days. If not, try to make sure that you are enjoying an opening day game, if it is on your computer, television or radio. Then try to make the effort to get to a game as soon as you can to get into the spirit of the start of the MLB season. Plan a road trip for the summer to watch some games at a park that you have never seen. But at the end of the day, just enjoy baseball. It is the greatest game in the world and its back for the next seven months. It’s truly the best time of year to be a baseball fan.
MLB reports from Opening Day- Thursday March 31st:
1) Some shaky closers to start the year as Axford imploded as the Brewers lost to the Reds, Broxton and Franklin both gave up long balls in their initial outings and Rodney got the save in a high WHIP fashion. Remember, there will be new closers on 30-40% of teams by the end of the year. Closer is the most volatile position in baseball.
2) Alex Gordon, batting third for the Royals, went 0-5 with 3 SO. My preseason pick to have a strong bounce back year, I hope that he doesn’t fail me.
3) Checking my predictions for the opening day schedule, I finished with a 5-1 record yesterday. The only game I missed on was the Cardinals and Padres game. Little did I know that Pujols would ground into three double plays. It was just one of those games. We shall see how I do on the rest of my predictions later today. You can view my opening day matchups and predictions on http://mlbreports.com posted on Tuesday.
4) The Dodgers/Giants game proved to be a pitching matchup for the ages. Kershaw and Lincecum went head-to-head and did not disappoint. Key moment of the game occurred when the Dodgers had a 1-0 lead in the 6th with the bases loaded and two outs. Mattingly decided to let Kershaw bat for himself. In a tight game with little offensive opportunities, the Dodger’s manager could have cost himself the game. In an early game and Kershaw likely to go only one more inning (which he did), you need to play to win. Hopefully someone can explain the National League to Donny as the season progresses. Otherwise, Kershaw looks like he is ready to break out into a superstar and Lincecum will be solid yet again.
5) The Padres are in big trouble. Now that Adrian Gonzalez is gone, the smoke and mirrors can be removed and the carriage is now back into being a pumpkin. When Venable is your leadoff hitter and Orlando Hudson is batting third, you know that it will be a long year. It looked to me like Buddy Black created a lineup by drawing names out of a hat. With so little talent, maybe he is on to something.
6) Jered Weaver looked great to start the year and should be in Cy Young form. The Angels as a team are yet again the impatient hackers on offense that they always seem to be. Against a scuffling Luke Hochevar, the Angels stranded 15 men on base and only took one walk as a team. The Angels will have to rely on their pitching if they hope to contend in the AL West. Vernon Wells had a typical Vernon night. Anaheim fans will be calling for his head by June.
7) Great start by the Braves. Lowe was spectacular and Heyward is mature beyond his years. He will be the face of the franchise for the next ten to twelve years if he stays healthy.
8) Phil Coke, the named fifth starter for the Tigers had a shaky relief outing against the Yankees. This cannot help his chances to keep a starting role. Hopefully the Tigers give him a chance to start and show what he can for at least a month.
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Opening Day 2011: No-Hitter?
MLB reports: With the 2011 MLB season commencing today, I started to think about milestones and achievements. Recalling Doc’s no-hitter in last year’s playoffs, I started to blend no-hitter and opening day in my mind. What did I come up with? The only man to throw a no-hitter on opening day, the one and only Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians.
On April 16, 1940, in the old Comiskey Park in Chicago, Feller and the Indians beat the White Sox by a 1-0 score. A tight pitchers duel, Feller and Eddie Smith of the Sox were on their games that day. A cold and blustery day, the hitters could not get their bats going. But Feller at the tender age of twenty-one made in his mark in history.
Bob Feller went on to throw two more no-hitters in his career, during the 1946 and 1951 seasons. Just imagine in that perspective what Roy Halladay was able to accomplish in 2010. Roy threw a perfect game against the Marlins in Miami at the start of the year and then the second no-hitter in post-season history, joining Don Larsen. A perfect game and no-hitter in the playoffs. Boggles the mind doesn’t it? Another entry in the history book is the back-to-back no-hitters thrown by Johnny Vander Meer in 1938 against the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers. It is doubtful that we will ever see that feat again, although I’m sure many pitchers will continue to try.
Halladay broke new ground last year by throwing a no-hitter in the playoffs against the Reds, ensuring that Don Larsen would forever have company in the record books. Vander Meer’s record is likely to remain intact until the end of time, as the probability of a pitcher in this day and age throwing back-to-back no-hitters is likely nil. Thus the next record to go is the opening day no-hitter. Feller, who passed away last December at the age of 92 was a great pitcher and one of the best of all time. Will any pitchers join him this year in the record books? The story will unfold today and tomorrow. Although very unlikely, there a couple of pitchers going who have a chance. The truth is that on any given day, everyone has the chance to be great. That is part of why we all love baseball so much. Enjoy opening day and thank you for walking down memory lane with me. Lets play ball!
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Meet Dr. Antonio Castro: Team Doctor for Cuba and Son of Fidel
MLB reports: In part 3 of my impromptu 3-part feature on Cuban baseball, I am featuring Antonio Castro Soto del Valle, team doctor for the Cuban national team, Olympics and WBC. Dr. Castro, a top orthopedic surgeon in Cuba, just happens to be as well the son of Fidel Castro. Fact or fiction you may ask? Fact. The story of Castro is one for the baseball ages that I first stumbled upon during the 1996 edition of the World Baseball Classic that I will be sharing with you today.
One of my favorite parts of baseball is the obscure news items and pieces of information that are out of the “normal” realm. The Glenallen Hill arachnophobia incident, when Chuck Finley was attacked with a female pump by his then-wife Tawny Kitaen, Wade Boggs eating fried chicken before every game…well, you get the idea. One part of the 1996 Cuban WBC team really stuck out in my mind at the time. It seemed that every time Cuba was about to change a pitcher, the team manager for Cuba was always consulting with team physician. In fact, the doctor was talking to the players before and after at-bats, sitting down with pitchers between innings and jumping out of the dugout to be the first person to congratulate the players as Cuba scored each of their runs. This seemed a little strange in mind, so I tried to focus on the team doctor to get the scoop. Looking into the Cuban dugout on the television, I further noticed that the manager never left the team doctor’s side. The team doctor further seemed to enjoy talking on his cellular phone, even during games. By the time the 1999 edition of the classic was upon us, I figured out all the mystery behind Cuba’s team doctor. Only a one-word answer was required: Castro.
Dr. Antonio Castro Soto del Valle was apparently a great athlete in his day and played 3B in Cuba. Much his like father Fidel, a pitcher with a legendary curveball (See the book Castro’s Curveball, by Tim Wendel), baseball was always in Antonio’s blood. But apparently baseball was not in the boy’s future, much like his father before him. Fidel gave Antonio 2 choices: go to medical school or fight in the military. Wisely choosing medicine, Antonio grew to become one of Cuba’s top orthopedic surgeons. But his fame and popularity have evolved from his role as the physician for Cuba’s baseball national teams. Before games, Castro is often spotted signing autographs for fans and taking pictures. The connection between the name “Castro” and baseball is too rich for most diehard fans to pass up. Extending beyond medical capabilities, the issue on my mind is the true part that Antonio plays with Cuban baseball. Further, the extended role of Fidel on the team through his son. The likelihood of the Castro connection in managing and controlling the Cuban team is too high to ignore.
In all the interviews with Antonio Castro that I have read, he has always
denied direct or indirect involvement in managing the Cuban baseball team. Further inquiries as to whether Fidel contacts him during games to advise the manager of the team has always been responded to with laughs and denials by Antonio. However, if you go back and watch any of the Cuban WBC games, the sight of Antonio on his cell during games and speaking with the manager throughout is one that seems very murky to say the least. If I had to hazard a professional guess, I would say that the Cuban manager was rarely if ever making a move without some form of feedback from Castro. To the naïve or unknowing viewer, Castro would appear to be a bench coach, hitting or pitching instructor based on his role in the dugout during games. I will admit that I made this mistake during my first observations of Castro. In fact, I can even recall watching Castro making a mound visit during a game to speak to the pitcher without any medical or injury concerns. Much pressure on any pitcher, as the feeling would be as significant as if Fidel himself was speaking to the pitcher.
Cuba is faced with a significant loss of talent to the MLB through defections. Articles I have read have indicated that based on his age (late 30s) and strong rapport with the players, Antonio Castro has the unofficial role of raising the morale of players and reducing defections. There has even been talk of Cuba moving to a system of taxing its players’ salaries in exchange for the permission to leave Cuba and pursue professional baseball in other countries. Antonio Castro in fact, is one of the leading proponents for this system. With the U.S./Cuba trade restrictions, such a system may be impossibility, but the mere fact that a Castro is leading the push for reform appears to be a good sign for Cuban baseball. Taking the above roles in baseball out of the equation, the hiring of Fidel Castro’s son as the team doctor for the Cuban national team boils down to a very simple logic and explanation in my mind. By seeing Antonio Castro in the dugout and field, the players cannot help but work harder and play stronger. Having Castro travelling with the team and in the hotels likely serves as a deterrent or hindrance for many players in their mind from defecting. Do I think that Fidel talks to his son during games on his cell phone? Without proof, I would answer without a doubt. Do I think that Antonio talking to the manager during games is in reality Fidel giving instructions to the manager? Absolutely. If Billy Beane was able to contact his managers during games as discussed in “moneyball”, I cannot see why Fidel would be any different. Cuba is ruled by a dictatorship, why should its baseball team be any different?
Don’t get me wrong. I love Cuban baseball to its absolute core. I would rather view a Cuba Series Nacionale game than an MLB game any day of the week. I am a passionate major leagues supporter, but Cuban baseball is played at a much different level and intensity. The players will do whatever it takes to pull out wins and the managers will not hold back any punches in the process. Cuba embodies everything that is professional baseball, especially through the Castro family. You may agree or disagree with Cuba’s political stances and approaches, but its game of baseball is still the same as ours. Only Cuban baseball is played in the same way the game was played in our neck of the woods many years ago, in an era long gone by. Dr. Antonio Castro is a similar throwback to the glory days of baseball, as was Ariel Pestano and the use of pitchers in Cuban baseball featured in the previous 2 parts featured on MLB reports. If you have never seen Antonio Castro before, check out some of his team’s games. Otherwise, I trust that you are now more familiar with Cuban baseball after reading these features and were able to see that there is more to the game and culture of baseball outside of the MLB.
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Changing Baseball Pitching – Cuba Style
MLB reports: The handling of pitchers and pitching staffs has evolved over the years in baseball. Once upon a time, pitchers were expected to complete all or almost all games they completed. Slowly the use of relievers expanded. From there, the invention of pitch counts started- 100 approximately per start. Innings limits, per start and per year are now prevalent. Teams are getting wiser as to watch the innings pitched in a year from the time a pitcher is a rookie and most create yearly caps. The strategy of handling pitchers seems to get stricter every year.
Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan are often credited with the modern game use of pitchers. The notion is for starters to pitch approximately 5 innings, with relievers for innings 6-7. The setup man pitches inning 8 and closer for the 9th. The above standard is adopted by all teams at this point in the MLB. But is this the right system? It is hard to know. Pitchers today seem to be stronger than ever and throwing less innings, yet injuries are at an all-time high. From a results standpoint, are MLB teams maximizing production from their pitching staffs? That is the million dollar question. Now I throw another hat into the ring- let’s try playing Cuban baseball instead. Perhaps its time for a shift.
My suggestion is a variation of the Cuban style of baseball, but I will simplify it for this article. Here goes the idea in a nutshell. A team would employ the closer for the first 2 innings of a game. The start of a game is the most crucial, to set the tone against the opposing team. Rather than start the traditional starting pitcher, who often takes time to get warmed up, start the closer who knows how to come into a game cold. The closer would pitch the first two innings and hopefully make short work of the opposing team. From there, the starter would come in, after warming in the pen during the game, for innings 3-9. If problems start near the end of the game, bring in the 2nd closer for inning 9, or 8-9 depending on need.
The above system is based on the Cuban style of ball. Watching the previous WBC in 2009, the Cuban system would have Aroldis Chapman starting the game, going anywhere from 1-4 innings. From there, Pedro Lazo, the workhorse starter would pitch the rest or close to the rest of the game. Imagine today for the Cinci Reds pitching Chapman to start a game, Volquez pitching innings 3-8 and Cordero with the 9th. How scary would that be? The opposing team would have no rhythm to start the game and would never likely get going from there.
Baseball has evolved over time and will continue to do so over time. Nolan Ryan is trying to get more innings under his pitchers’ belts to build stamina and endurance on the Texas Rangers. I like the system personally, but it doesn’t work for everyone. The concept I propose above is not my invention but based on the Cuban game. All I am saying is that perhaps its time for a change in the MLB. It will make the game more exciting and perhaps even revolutionize it…yet again.
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Opening Day Excitement! First Phone Entry
MLB reports: Welcome to the start of several firsts today. Saturday March 19, 2011. MLB reports transforms into a daily baseball site- with new content posted every day. After much deliberation and thought, I decided that the demand for daily baseball news is high and I am happy to deliver. So welcome to the new universe, the “new” format of MLB reports.
Ultimately, the content will be based on what you, the readers, want to see. Based on our conversations on twitter, facebook and e-mail, the topics of interest continually emerge. If you really want to see a point of discussion, don’t be shy- let me know. I will do my best to bring the best and latest baseball news with discussion.
It is very exciting to be posting this entry on my blackberry. A little raw and fresh, but feels very real. Being so excited about opening day just up ahead, I couldn’t wait to shout it out. The blackberry is proving to be a fantastic outlet.
I see the opening day tickets in my drawer, all 8 of them. Lots of people coming out this year which will make the experience that much more fun. I will be going to the Jays opener on Friday April 1st against the Twins, the day after the first real day. Where will you be? What is your plans for one of the biggest baseball days? Whether in the ballpark live, at home in front of the television or listening on the radio, just be there. Opening day is the day when all fans unite to celebrate the greatest sport on the planet. Have fun and enjoy everyone. Less than 2 weeks away!
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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