ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Lowe to the Yankees, Mauer Before Head and Shoulders, Extend Wright, Jose Canseco is Bankrupt (again) and Creative MLB Realignment
Sunday August 12th, 2012
Speaking of the Yankees, I have something important on my mind. Derek Lowe. I will never stop thinking him as a member of the Red Sox, so today’s news took me somewhat by surprise. Lowe is now a member of the Yankees. So this is not your dad’s version of Derek Lowe. No, the 39-year old Lowe is nearly done. Unless he discovers the fountain of youth…or learns to throw a knuckleball. Lowe started off hot in Cleveland, but fizzled out quickly. Going to New York, his record on the year sits at 8-10 with a dismal 5.52 ERA. He has an unsightly 1.689 WHIP. He has walked more batters than he has struck out. But yet I hold out faith. Lowe was still very good as of 2010, but the wheels came off last year and never returned.
Apparently Lowe has accepted an assignment to the pen. Heck, for the league minimum- the Yankees have nothing to lose. Pettitte may not return and now Sabathia is having elbow issues. As the Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers and many other teams have proven this year- you can never have too much pitching. Pitchers get injured. Pitchers become ineffective. Remember how many Yankees fans were booing Bartolo Colon last year? Bet those same fans would love to have him back this year. Look at Ben Sheets on Atlanta. What’s old is new again. As long as Lowe’s arm is still intact, I say throw him in there. If he can get hot for even 2 weeks- that’s all what it might take in this game. Great signing by Brian Cashman. Derek Lowe could end up being a winning lottery ticket- or simply a lost dollar. Low risk, high reward is the name of the game folks.
For our Batting Stance Guy featured video of the week, we bring you Gar’s All-Star compilation titled: “Best Batting Stances By Position”
For bonus points this week: Tell us which former MLB player Gar is hanging with…and which stance he is imitating? First correct answer gets a secret prize: e-mail your answer to mlbreports@gmail.com
Now let’s get to your top questions of the week: Read the rest of this entry
Top 5 Shortstop Prospects in Baseball
Sunday August 12th, 2012
Codey Harrison: In Major League Baseball, middle of the field players (catcher,shortstop, centerfield) are a premium position. So much so that most teams are reluctant to trade away elite level prospects from those positions. Shortstop is arguably the most important position in baseball. Every once in a while, shortstops like Troy Tulowitzki, and Derek Jeter come along and can propel a team to great success. The top prospects in baseball this year is fairly deep at shortstop with potential superstars in the making. Lets take a look at some of the best shortstops who are still prospect eligible.
1.) Jurickson Profar (Rangers AA) – Texas Rangers shortstop prospect Jurickson Profar is the best shortstop prospect in all of baseball. Profar is so highly thought of by scouts, that some believe the Rangers may end up trading 23-year-old 2-time All-star shortstop Elvis Andrus or moving him to second base, with Ian Kinsler going to the outfield. Profar has all five tools (hit, power, speed, glove, and arm) and he’s proven he knows how to use all five. He’s currently raking in AA Frisco at only 19 years of age, posting monstrous numbers of .279 AVG, .356 OBP, .458 SLG, 23 doubles, 7 triples, 13 home runs, and 53 walks to 69 strikeouts. Some scouts believe Profar has a chance to be a gold glove caliber top, or middle of the order run producing machine, that is a perennial All-Star. No prospect is a guarantee, but Profar looks to be legit as far as prospects go. Read the rest of this entry
Domonic Brown Needs to Shine in These Next Couple of Months
Saturday August 11th, 2012
Sam Evans: Only a couple of years ago, Domonic Brown was one of the top five prospects in all of baseball. His combination of tools and outstanding production made him appear to be primed to become a superstar. However, things haven’t gone as planned. Brown never got a full-season in the majors, and his numbers in the minors started to drop. Now in 2012, with Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino no longer in Philadelphia, Brown needs to prove he can produce at the major league level.
Before the 2009 season, Domonic Brown was viewed as the #48 prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America. Before the 2010 season, Brown had jumped to 15 in BA’s rankings. In 2010, after hitting .318/.391/.602 in sixty-five games at Double-A, Philadelphia promoted him to Triple-A, where he .346/.390/.562 in just twenty-eight games before getting called up to the majors. In the majors, Brown only got seventy plate appearances, thanks to the talented trio of Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth, and Victorino starting almost every day. Read the rest of this entry
Washington Nationals Heading to the Playoffs: Is Jayson Werth the Answer?
Saturday August 11th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: The 2012 season has been full of surprising teams. From the Orioles to the Pirates, new teams that have always had the potential to be contenders appear to be taking the next step foward. However, no team has taken that vast step quite like the Washington Nationals. Led by a starting rotation that leads the National League in ERA (3.23), and opponents’ batting averages (.232), the Nationals have put together a magical season. Even though Washington’s offense hasn’t be as stellar as their pitching staff, a healthy lineup might change that. More importantly, a healthy Jayson Werth.
Jayson Werth, who was signed as a free agent by the Nationals prior to the 2011 campaign, has been a disappointed thus far. In his first year as a National he posted a 2.5 WAR. In three straight years with the Phillies before becoming a free agent, he posted WAR averages of plus five. Per FanGraphs, his 2011 season was worth about $11.5 million, compared to his actual salary $13 million. That $13 million will be the lowest mark of his contract, as his annual salary will steadily be on the rise over the next few years, eventually making the leap to the big $20 million plateau. However, the pressure will continue to amount if his production continues to slip. If he wants to prove his worth, there’s no better time for him to do so than now, when the Nats boast the best record in the National League and crave a veteran presence such as Werth. Read the rest of this entry
Tyler Austin – Yankees Prospect: A Baseball Story of Courage; Feature Interview by Lori Martini
Friday August 10th, 2012
Lori Martini (Baseball Writer- and @LoriMartini on Twitter): Baseball is my life. Heck, if I could get paid for playing softball- I would have the greatest, happiest job in the world! I’m sure anyone who has played the game feels the same way. So many players go through the system and either get overlooked, marred by injuries or simply can’t perform up to major league standards. Aside from all of that, there are the politics and life in general that can get in the way of success.
So when we see athletes like Lance Armstrong and Mike Lowell, not only overcoming testicular cancer, but rising to the top of their respective sport, one cannot help but feel completely inspired. These guys did NOT give up and in fact, they fought harder than anyone. Given the success they have experienced, the hard work certainly paid off. Which brings me to a very special ballplayer and today’s feature subject, Tyler Austin.
Tyler was born in Macon, GA to Kim and Chris Austin and has two younger brothers, Dylan and Kyle who also play ball. At age 17, Tyler was diagnosed with testicular cancer during the MLB Draft. Read the rest of this entry
Houston…We Have a Problem: The Astros Are in for a Painful Rebuild
Thursday August 9th, 2012
John Burns: With a 36-76 record the Houston Astros have been the laughing-stock of baseball this season. Houston is going into a complete rebuilding phase after trading the very few veterans they had, such as: Carlos Lee to Miami, Wandy Rodriguez to Pittsburgh, Brett Myers to Chicago (White Sox), Chris Johnson to Arizona, and J.A. Happ to Toronto. It is safe to say that Houston was definitely a seller at the recent non-waiver trade deadline and they made the right decision. They had one of the best deadlines in my opinion because they got rid of players that they were not going to win with and got very talented prospects in return. With the load of prospects Houston received, they will most definitely need several of their new young players to pan out if Houston plans to contend in the A.L. West one day. Oh yeah… I forgot to mention the worst team in baseball is going to one of the best divisions in baseball in 2013. A difficult situation is about to get a whole lot tougher. Read the rest of this entry
It Is The 5 Year Anniversary Of His Re-Debut As A Hitter: What Is Next For Rick Ankiel?
Thursday August.09, 2012
At Age 20 (and starting out the year at age 19), Ankiel finished 2nd in ROY voting, 7th in strikeouts and ERA, 2nd in K’s/Per 9 IP and Hits/Per 9 IP in 2000. He threw 94-97 MPH as a Young Pitcher, however a mental block and injuries plagued him to the point where he changed into a permanent Outfielder in 2005.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- Playing the game of baseball is predicated on failure. Most of us that have played the game, realize how hard it is to hit a flying object with a piece of wood or metal. The majority of players, that are in the Major Leagues, have honed their skills from the time they were just starting grade school. Generally it takes a hell of a lot of repetition to become good at something. As an aspiring baseball player in my teens, I can remember swinging the baseball over 200 times a day in trying to perfect my swing. I had practice drills that would emphasize on weight transference, foot work and eye-hand coordination. So I imagine a lot of today’s current players did the same when they were a kid. Today marks the 5 year anniversary from one of the greatest stories ever produced on the field by a Major League Player.
The Cardinals Drafted Rick Ankiel in the 2nd round of the 1997 Amateur Draft. Ankiel had great pitching mechanics and made his dream come true on Aug.23 1999 (at the Age of 19), by making his pitching debut with the St. Louis Cardinals against the Montreal Expos He sported a 0-1 record in 5 starts to end the year with an impressive 39 Strikeouts in 33 innings, while posting a respectable 3.27 ERA. Ankiel was a budding prospect with a chance to become a perennial ALL-Star. In his Rookie year during the 2000 season, he finished with a record of 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA-and was 7th in the league with 194 Strikeouts.
This season was good enough to finish 2nd in Rookie of the Year Balloting. The Cardinals needed him to pitch in Game #1 of the NLDS because he and Daryl Kile were the only ones left on the roster as 3 starters from the regular season had become injured. To further put pressure on this young kid, his mentor for the game of baseball, his father, had been incarcerated in jail at the time as he was making it to the Major Leagues and it ate at him not having him there live to see him play. Still, Tony La Russa had complete faith in the kid to start in pivotal games at such a young age because of his electric arm.
It proved to be a costly mistake as Ankiel started to mentally fracture by the 3rd inning of that very game and ended up walking 4 batters and throwing a record 5 wild pitches in one inning-while giving up 4 runs. Ankiel never recovered from leaving the mound on that day. Against everyone’s better judgement, La Russa sent out Ankiel again to start in Game #2 of the NLCS versus the Braves. His first pitch of the game sailed over Timo Perez of the New York Mets. 5 wild pitches later and La Russa mercifully pulled him from the game. If you can believe it, La Russa brought out Ankiel to face four more hitters in Game #5 of the Series. This time he walked 2 more hitters and threw 2 more wild pitches. The Mets wiped out the depleted Cardinals pitching staff in that 5th game. If you ask La Russa, these decisions all haunt him more than any other thing that he has ever done as a manager.
Here is a great highlight reel showing off Ankiel’s best moments as a National in 2011.
Stephen Strasburg Update: The Nationals Decision to Shut Stras For the Season is Looming
Thursday August 9th, 2012
Bernie Olshansky:The rest of the Nationals’ season rides on the talented right arm of Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals have a very strong staff with Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, and Edwin Jackson as the core. One could make a case for Zimmermann, Gonzalez, or Strasburg as the ace, as each of them carries a sub-3.40 ERA. Zimmermann has a 2.45, Strasburg has a 2.97, and Gonzalez has a 3.32 ERA. Pitching is undoubtedly the Nationals’ strongpoint. But, if Washington was to abide by the innings limit they set for Strasburg, their playoff hopes could be in jeopardy.
At the beginning of the season, the Nationals came out and said that Strasburg would only throw 160 innings before being shut down due to his having Tommy John surgery last year. As of Wednesday, he has thrown 127.1. In his 22 starts this year, he averages about 5 2/3 innings a start. With the 32 2/3 innings that he has left, he would only be able to make five to six more starts. The Nationals have played 110 games thus far, so that leaves them with 52 to go. He is set to pitch Friday, so if he were to go every fifth day and pitch his average of 5 2/3 innings each time, his limit would be reached by the beginning of September. The good news is if the Nationals decide to abide by this limit, they have a few options available to them.
Los Angeles Angels: Can Their Starting Rotation Carry Them Into the Postseason?
Wednesday August 8th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Intern Writer):
The Los Angeles Angels made two big splashes in the offseason. One obviously being Albert Pujols, the second C.J. Wilson who has helped stabilize their rotation this season. Jerry Dipoto wasn’t finished tweaking his already steady pitching staff yet, however. Instead of sticking with Garrett Richards or Jerome Williams to fill out a star-studded rotation, he went out and acquired former American League Cy Young award winner, Zack Greinke from the Brewers at the trade deadline. According to multiple insiders, the move was supposedly a steal for the Angels too. And the fact that Dipoto is willing to dangle a top prospect away for a rental pitcher, shows how committed the Angels are to winning this year.
Can they make a playoff push behind their rotation, however? Read the rest of this entry
Top Ten Stat Of The Week: Active Career Stolen Base Leaders
Wednesday August.8/2012
Juan Pierre was one of the most prolific hitters in terms of base hits in the last 12 years along with being the Active Leader for Career Stolen Bases. Pierre has 4-200 hit seasons in his resume.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on Twitter)- The game has been moving back towards speed, offense and athleticism since the adaptation of the steroid testing in the MLB. I think we will see a big emphasis on the Stolen Base in the coming years. We have Billy Hamilton coming in the near future and he could actually challenge a 100 Stolen Base in one season. 30 years ago there were several guys challenge or eventually succeed in stealing 100 bases. Rickey Henderson and Vince Coleman both hit the century mark 3 times, while Ron LeFlore and Tim Raines cracked the 90 SB plateau. Teams used to have several speedsters in their lineup. Jose Reyes has the most stolen bases in one year for the active players with 78 swipes in 2007.
I omitted Luis Castillo from the list because he has not played since 2010, (much to the delight of the New York Mets fans I am sure.) I am sure that Boston Red Sox fans are hopeful that he can regain his stolen base prowess very soon with him being only in the second year of a 7 YR/140 Million Dollar Contract. Johnny Damon also has foraged a great career to be on this list from sheer determination. Out of this top ten , Jose Reyes has the most steals per games played, while Omar Vizquel (who has played 2947 games) has the least amount of steals per game played. I was most surprised by Derek Jeter cracking this list because he has never stolen more than 34 bags in one year. I wonder how many bags Ichiro would have stolen had he arrived in North America earlier? Johnny Damon and Omar Vizquel making this top ten is a test to their long-playing careers. I figured Jimmy Rollins had more steals than what his totals came in as. Bobby Abreu has the most HRs on this list with 286 and Juan Pierre has the least. with 17.
Josh Reddick is Having a Breakout Season in Oakland
Wednesday August 8th, 2012
Sam Evans: When the A’s acquired Josh Reddick from Boston this offseason, he appeared to be in place simply to just eat some at-bats for a rebuilding ballclub. However, in 2012, Reddick has finally tapped into some of his raw power, and as a result, he’s on pace to have a 5+ WAR season. Josh Reddick is one of the main reasons Oakland is contending this year, and Red Sox fans have to wonder if their team correctly evaluated Reddick’s talent. If Reddick can prove that his first 105 games haven’t been a fluke, he has a chance to win the A.L. Comeback Player of the Year award, and earn himself a long-term contract.
The Best Second Baseman in Baseball? It’s Robinson Cano… Don’t Ya Know
Tuesday August 7th, 2012
John Burns: It is easy to say that Robinson Cano is the best all-around second baseman in baseball right now. Cano has been the top second baseman for a couple of years now. What makes Cano so great is his ability to just flat-out hit and his much improved defense at second base. Cano is having another great season with the Yankees. With a .316 average and 24 homers, Cano has been one of the most feared hitters in the stacked Yankees lineup.
At age 29, Cano has very impressive career numbers, including a .309 average with 168 career homers. Since being called up to the Yankees in 2005, Cano has been a 4x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger Award Winner, 2009 World Series Champion, 2010 Gold Glove Winner, and he even won the 2011 Home Run Derby. Now that is a very impressive line for a 29-year-old 2nd baseman! There is much more in store for Cano in the future as well in my opinion. Cano is not only the best second baseman, but I strongly believe that he is the best player in baseball. He does it all: he will consistently 25-30 homers a season and is almost a lock to hit .300 every season. Combine his bat with gold glove defense and you have one of the best all-around players in the game. Cano has been criticized in the past about being “Lazy” which I find absurd; As Derek Jeter has said before: Robinson Cano plays the game very smoothly and has one of the best work ethics around. Personally, I will take Jeter’s word at face value. Read the rest of this entry
Fantasy Baseball: Winning The Waiver Wire
Monday August 6th, 2012
Photo Courtesy of ESPN.com
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst): Follow @peterwstein
In the majority of fantasy leagues, the trade deadline has already passed and owners are depending on the core roster that they have assembled all year for the final stretch run of the season. When trading becomes closed, it makes it much more difficulty to fill the void left by an injury. However, the waiver wire remains open. And although you aren’t likely to hit a home run at this point of the season, there are players still available that can prove to be the difference in a championship quest.
Here are a group of players to consider if you face an unexpected injury over the last two months of the season:
Bartolo Colon, available in 85% of ESPN leagues, continues to surprise us all with his advanced age and weight. Most recently, he shutdown the Blue Jays over eight scoreless innings at the Coliseum. Just know that Colon is not a must start option, but is a good one at home and if he faces weaker opponents like Seattle. Read the rest of this entry
Will the Arizona Diamondbacks Win the NL West?
Monday August 6th, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Diamondbacks fans spoke out about our last piece on the Dodgers and Giants, so here’s one devoted just to the Dbacks. After last year’s run when they dethroned the world champion Giants, Arizona was poised for something similar this season. In the offseason, they acquired Trevor Cahill from the A’s. He provided some extra depth in the already-strong pitching staff that included Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, and Joe Saunders. With Cahill, Justin Upton, Chris Young, Aaron Hill, and offseason signing Jason Kubel, the Diamondbacks were ready to defend their NL West title.
Arizona however, started off a bit slow. Daniel Hudson needed Tommy John Surgery and Stephen Drew wasn’t quite ready to come off the DL. Catcher Miguel Montero went into a slump and Chris Young—after a hot start—was headed to the DL. While all of this was happening, the Dodgers were absolutely on fire. Matt Kemp was already on the fast track to winning MVP, and the team was in first place by a nice margin. The Giants were doing well too. With no competition from the Padres, the D-Backs were in third place. As the season went along, Matt Kemp was sidelined by a hamstring injury and the Dodgers faltered. The Giants kept pace and ended up passing the Dodgers to take first place. Meanwhile, the D-Backs rebounded and stayed in contention. At the All Star Break, the Dodgers led the West by half a game over the Giants and by four games over Arizona. The standings haven’t changed drastically over time, as now the Giants lead by half a game over the Dodgers and by three over the Diamondbacks.
MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: August 2012
Monday August.6/2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- It has been a crazy month in which teams have stockpiled some heavy talent at the trade deadline to get ready for the playoffs. Amongst the biggest gainers for the rankings this month were: the Athletics, Reds, Braves, Tigers, Dodgers (because of the deals) and Mariners while the Mets, Red Sox, Indians and Royals saw brutal months all but seal their playoff fates. I do think that Boston has a punchers chance but that all is dependent on David Ortiz returning to the lineup swiftly. The power of the best teams is definitely leaning to the National League right now where several teams are playing great baseball. With one-third of the season left we are all in for a treat as baseball fans.
I will have one more regular season Power Rankings month of September (to be posted on Labor Day Weekend,) before I also provide a playoff style ranking of the 1-10 seeds right before the Wild Card Teams play the play in game. It certainly has been awesome to follow how the trade deadline has effected the Monthly Rankings this time around. I think it is safe to say that this years deadline provided more interest and following-from even the casual fan more than any other year before. I also believe that the Non-Waiver Trade Deadline is now the best Trade Deadline in all of sports. Social Media has a lot to do with this but so does parity. The 2nd Wild Card spot has also created more teams willing to trade prospects in lieu of going for it. Read the rest of this entry
Chicago White Sox: How Big of An Impact Has Manager Robin Ventura Made In His First Year on the Job?
Sunday August 5th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: Chicago White Sox’s manager, Robin Ventura has revitalized baseball in Chicago. The Ozzie Guillen era is far is the past, and Ventura’s new brand of baseball has the White Sox in the thick of the American league playoff race.
Chicago, who finished 16 games behind the first place in 2011, currently stand atop the Central division and own the third best record in the American league. Yet, being in the playoff chase in early August wasn’t what White Sox fans were merely expecting. After trading young closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays during the offseason, and pondering upon the idea of shipping John Danks away as well, it appeared as if General manager Ken Williams was looking to reconstruct his roster for the future and beyond. It would make sense, too, after granting Guillen’s request to be released during the offseason. Guillen, an icon in Chicago, managed the Sox for eight years (2004-2011), leading them to a memorable World Series win in 2005. But as his tenure came to an emotional end, it was time for a change. A new manager, a new roster, and a new feeling seemed to be the philosophy after the hiring of Ventura. But as we sit here in August, that philosophy doesn’t seem to matchup with prior predictions. Read the rest of this entry
The MiLB Player and Pitcher of the Month for July 2012
Sunday August 5th, 2012
Codey Harrison: In an effort to bring you the excitement of the minor leagues’ best players and how well they are performing on the field, we are introducing a monthly minor league players of the month feature. From the very well-known prospects, to the not so well-known: if they are raking at the plate, or dominating on the mound for an entire month, they have a chance of winning our monthly honor. Now it’s time to find out who we feel dominated the MiLB in the month of July:
MiLB PITCHER OF THE MONTH: JULY 2012 Read the rest of this entry
ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Dempster Leaving Texas, MLB Attendance is Misleading, Trout vs. Harper, James McDonald Health, and Braves Won’t Go Away
Sunday August 5th, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: I seemingly talk about the Oakland A’s every day…and for good reason. This is a team on fire! Back in early July I prepared a feature titled: The Future of the Oakland A’s: The Mustache Gang Meets The Bash Brothers – Revealing Billy Beane’s Master Plan. Since that article ran, the A’s have been unstoppable. How good have the A’s been in the 2nd half? Since the start of the year, most experts (myself included) left the team for dead. The squad was seen to be in another rebuilding year and with no chance whatsoever against the powerful Rangers and Angels. But despite the doom and gloom in Oakland, I ran the feature in July to show that there was hope. There was a future. Little did I know, that 2-3 years from now would arrive today.
Take a look at the current standing. Oakland sits in 2nd place in the A.L. West, 5.5 games out of first. Nobody saw that coming. It’s August for darn sake! The A’s have a 58-49 record and if the playoffs started today, they would hold a Wild Card spot. 32-24 at home, while only 26-25 on the road. Clearly the A’s like playing at home. Yet they are near the bottom in MLB home attendance. Despite the unbelievable baseball they are playing, A’s fans are refusing to fill their stadium. It’s a darn shame, because if winning baseball won’t draw fans…nothing will. Yes, the team needs a new stadium. But without hometown support, that stadium will come in San Jose or another location. It will be interesting to see come September and October as to whether the A’s can boost attendance. I sure hope so.
How are the A’s winning you ask? Nearly everyone will say pitching. Yes, the A’s have quite the staff. The A’s have received strong pitching from the likes of Bartolo Colon, Tommy Milone, Jarrod Parker, Brandon McCarthy (when healthy) and company. In the 9th inning, Ryan Cook has been lights-out. Proving once again that an unknown entity can be turned into a closer, Billy Beane has found another gem. Cook has 11 saves, 2.49 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. The A’s pitching has been solid, no doubt. Yes, the staff takes advantage of its pitching friendly home park. But regardless of location, the team is winning games. In large numbers and late in ballgames. That is the sign of a championship caliber squad.
But as much as the pitching gets the credit, I look to the hitting for the true reason for the team’s success. My article on the future of the A’s, pointed to the fact that Billy Beane is building the team around young and talented hitters. Those are hitters just happened to have come through early. Yoenis Cespedes is the glue that holds the squad together. The A’s record with him in the lineup is incredible. Josh Reddick. Johnny Gomes. Chris Carter. Brandon Inge. Don’t think that the A’s are going to go out and just win 1-0 games every time. This team has the hitting to back up its staff. Overall: The A’s do not look like they are going away any time soon. As long as they stay moderately healthy, this team remains a real threat to the make the playoffs in 2012.
For our Batting Stance Guy featured video of the week, we continue the A’s theme with Gar’s tribute to the Oakland A’s greatest batting stances. Canseco, McGwire, Rickey, Hendu…they are all here. Are you a fan of the A’s? Or just love to see great imitations of classic stances? This video is for you:
Now let’s get to your top questions of the week: Read the rest of this entry
The Reds Should Not Call Up Billy Hamilton This Year
Sunday, August 5th, 2012
Photo Courtesy of Giants fan: Crystal Ramos
Sam Evans: Double-A Pensacola shortstop Billy Hamilton is one of the best prospects in baseball. He might be the fastest player in baseball history, and the other areas of his game are steadily improving. Cincinnati is currently in first place in the N.L. Central, and according to Baseball Prospectus’ playoff odds, they have a 97.5% chance of reaching the playoffs. Due to Hamilton’s current level of readiness and potential impact, the effect he will have on fans, and Hamilton’s future development down the road, Cincinnati should not call up Billy Hamilton in 2012.
In eighty-two games in High-A Bakersfield this year, Billy Hamilton hit .323 with a .413 OBP and he stole 104 bases. However, Hamilton was playing in the offense-friendly Cal League, where the average hitter is hitting .273/.342/.424. The Reds eventually promoted Hamilton to Double-A Pensacola, where he has hit .282/.404/.405 with eighteen steals in twenty-two games. Hamilton’s numbers at both levels this year have been tremendous. Billy Hamilton is going to be a superstar, and he might pass Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, in terms of being the fan favorite in Cincy. However, that doesn’t mean he is ready to contribute right away. Read the rest of this entry
Pittsburgh Pirates: Do they Have Enough to Stay in the Playoff Race?
Saturday August 4th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the many surprising teams in baseball this season. Led by perennial MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen, they trail the first place Reds by just four and a half games in the National league Central division and retain the third best record in the entire N.L. If the playoffs started today, the Pirates would be playing postseason baseball for the first time since 1992. While they made a push at the playoffs last season as well, an August collapse ultimately diminished their chances of playing October baseball for the first time in over two decades.
However, an August breakdown doesn’t seem to be in the cards for these 2012 Pirates. Players like Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, and Garrett Jones were all on the 2011 team that plummeted from first place on July 25th to 16 games back of first place on August 25th. Nearly a year later, the same core group has the Pirates back in the thick of the playoff chase, but their mentalities have significantly changed with the experience they garnered in 2011. Why? It’s cliche, but the more experience a player or team can refer to, the better they will perform. And in this case, that team is the Pirates. Read the rest of this entry
Weekly 6-Pack MLB Prospects: Hot/Cold Sheet – Week of August 4th
Saturday August 4th, 2012
Codey Harrison: This is the first installment of the weekly prospect hot/cold sheet. We will feature 3 prospects that are on fire, and 3 prospects that are ice-cold. List’s of player’s will only include players who are still prospect eligible, less than 130 MLB at bats, less than 50 innings pitched at the MLB level. Featured players are generally players who are highly regarded amongst the minors and are regarded as legit prospects. Dylan Bundy who ranks 2nd on our mid-season top-50 prospects list gets the nod for the hot prospect after his best outing as a pro.
HOT PROSPECTS:
Dylan Bundy RHP Orioles – The 4th overall pick of the 2011 first year player draft has been dominant all season, but especially dominant of late. Bundy had arguably his best start as a pro his last time on the mound going 6 2/3 Innings, allowing 2 hits, 0 earned runs, while walking 2, and striking out 8. Overall in his last 2 starts, Dylan Bundy has posted very good numbers. 11 innings, 9 hits, 2 runs (1ER), 3 walks, and 14 strikeouts. Bundy signed a big league contract with the Orioles and management hasn’t ruled out calling up Bundy in September if Baltimore is still in the playoff race. Read the rest of this entry
2012 Waiver Deals: The First Wave
Friday August 3rd, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Now that the trade deadline is over, teams will have a harder time making trades, but they can still be made through waivers. Over the past few hours, a couple trades have been made.
Joe Blanton to the Dodgers
The Dodgers claimed Blanton off waivers and decided to trade for him. They offered to pay the rest of his contract–$2.9 million, and send a player to be named later. After failing to land a big-name starter like Ryan Dempster or James Shields, the Dodgers went after Blanton. Blanton will bring his 8-9 record and 4.59 ERA to Los Angeles for the stretch-run this season. His best season ERA-wise was his rookie year in 2005 with the A’s when he went 12-12 with a 3.53 ERA. Since then, his lowest ERA has been 3.95. Before the 2010 season, he signed a three-year $24 million dollar contract with the Phillies—I think they overpaid. In those three years, Blanton has gone 18-17. He should give the Dodgers a slight boost, but this move isn’t a season-changer.
All Roads to Fenway Run through the Heart: By John H. Ritter – Guest Baseball Blog
Friday August 3rd, 2012
MLB reports: Recently we published a review of the baseball novel “Fenway Fever” by John H. Ritter. While we all enjoy reading a great baseball book, it is a big thrill when we can have the author come on board to talk about developing and writing the book. That is exactly what we have in store for you today on MLB reports! John H. Ritter has been gracious with his time in preparing a guest blog. If you haven’t read Fenway Fever before, it will give you a great peek into the book. And if you have completed Fenway Fever, then you will have an even greater insight into the thoughts and feelings in crafting this baseball novel. John clearly loves baseball, the Red Sox and Fenway Park. What drove him to write a novel devoted to these topics? You are about to find out…
Today exclusively on MLB reports, we proudly present author John H. Ritter as our featured guest blogger, discussing his recently published novel “Fenway Fever”:
John H. Ritter (Guest Baseball Blogger):
Since the first of my six novels, Choosing Up Sides, was published fourteen years ago, I’ve made my living as a baseball novelist. And with each book, I seem to peel back another layer of my own childhood until, with the recent publication of Fenway Fever, I have now drawn upon one of my deepest memories, the death of my mother when I was four years old, and how our family drew strength and sustenance from the game of baseball to make our way through the trials of that event.
I first visited Fenway in 1999, and instantly that quirky, storied, mystical park cast its spell on me, drawing me back to the mountains of my San Diego boyhood, the “hand-carved” ballfield my brothers and I built based on the stories of hometown hero Ted Williams. Our father once told us “The Kid,” who began his pro career with the Triple A San Diego Padres in 1937, had grown up with a baseball field right out his front door, so we wanted one too. Dad even told me I was built like the Splendid Splinter, tall and lanky, and since I threw right and batted left, as he did, I often imagined myself to be another “Kid-in-the-making.” Read the rest of this entry
A Busch Stadium Book Excerpt from ‘The Fastest Thirty Ballgames’
Friday, Aug.03/2012
Game#25 Day#24
Busch Stadium
St. Louis, MO
Aug.01/2008
I never thought anything was going to equal the previous day. We had arrived back at my brother’s house to spend a quality morning with my nieces and nephew—and Trent’s wife Kristy before returning to the road. It was a quick trip from Philadelphia to St. Louis. It was going to cost us a fortune to all take the shuttle into the Hilton at $17 each-so I got us on the next transportation shuttle bus, and then negotiated a deal with Budget to give me an extra few hours head start on the 24 hour time line airport rule—so I would not have to return after the St. Louis game to pick up the Mini-SUV, which had been the original plan.
Budget was awesome to let me have this deal early. I am a Fast Break member with them-and have/had spent a lot of money with them. We got a Mitsubishi SUV. My brothers thought it was a little small, but for a $65.00 rental that started out in St. Louis and ended up the next day in Minnesota-it was a great deal. Yes we had a five-hour drive from St. Louis to Chicago tomorrow, but we were all tough guys. I once again told them-“welcome to my world.”
That day in St. Louis was myopic. My brother Trent knew a guy at head office St. Louis, and that gentlemen made a few calls and arranged for my dad and I too receive ‘Field Passes’-and to be interviewed by Fox-Sports Midwest. I was almost in disbelief of that option, but it was now going to happen later that day. This experience was even better because none of us had been to new Busch Stadium-so all of us were there for the first time. Overall it was my 29th stadium so I only had “The Ballpark In Arlington” for stadiums left to complete my active 30. Much like Coors, Safeco and AT&T Park, the red-brick around the whole Stadium at Busch Stadium is top-notch. Read the rest of this entry
What’s Wrong with Ricky Romero? Jays Hope Their Ace Can Return to Form
Thursday August 2nd, 2012
John Burns: The 2012 season has been one to forget for Ricky Romero. Romero was the Blue Jays ace coming into this season after posting a 2.92 ERA in 2011. This year has been a complete disaster for Romero. The Jays lefty has a 5.68 ERA this season and has allowed 82 earned runs in 129.2 innings. Last year, Romero allowed 73 earned runs in 225 innings. It’s obvious that something is not right with Romero this year. Romero has also lost seven straight starts for Toronto. The second half has been even rougher for Romero. Since the All-Star break, he has 8.38 ERA. Read the rest of this entry
Giants and Dodgers: Who Will Take the N.L. West Crown?
Thursday August 2nd, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Now that each team is for the most part set going into the final stretch, the NL West is up for grabs. The Dodgers were the most prominent buyer this year and the Giants didn’t stand idly by. Los Angeles acquired Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, and Brandon League, and the Giants got Hunter Pence. Before any deals were made, I would say the Giants had a better overall team. But after getting some of the best talent that was made available at the non-waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers might have grabbed a slight edge. Both teams may still make more moves before the year is done, but at this point the N.L. West race will be coming down to the wire.
The Giants
With arguably the best pitching staff in the whole National League, the Giants have a great advantage in pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. This year with Tim Lincecum in a bit of a funk, Matt Cain leads the strong staff including Ryan Vogelsong, Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, and Barry Zito. Heading into this season, Barry Zito was the weak link, going 9-14 with a 4.15 ERA in 2010, and 3-4 with a 5.87 ERA in 2011. Zito was left off the playoff roster in the Giants’ World Series-winning season in 2010. This year has been a good one for Zito—he’s 8-7 with a 3.89 ERA in 20 starts. The weak link in the pitching staff this year has been Tim Lincecum. He is 5-11 with a 5.62 ERA, but has shown some signs of coming out of his season-long slump. If he can replicate some of last season or his performance in the 2010 playoffs, the Giants will have no problem making the playoffs. Read the rest of this entry
Roy Oswalt: The Rangers Are Hoping That He Has Enough Gas Left For One More Playoff Run
Wednesday August 1st, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: Roy Oswalt has been one of baseball’s best and most consistent pitchers over the past decade. He’s finished top five in Cy Young voting five times, is a three-time All-Star, and has even received MVP votes throughout his career. However, his return to the major leagues with Texas has been everything BUT impressive. Oswalt is aging. He has a bad back, his arm seems to be dead, and both of those things are effecting his ability to pitch.
Why did the Rangers shock the baseball world by pulling off a last-minute deal for Ryan Dempster? Partly because they knew Neftali Feliz was going to need Tommy John surgery and would not be returning. Partly because they felt that they did not have enough pitching depth to compete with the Angels. And Partly because they aren’t sold on Oswalt as a dependable playoff starter. Oswalt, who made his first start with Texas on June 22nd, has a racked up a few good outings and a few extremely bad ones. Unfortunately for the Rangers and their fans, the bad outings have outweighed the good ones. This is a very concerning pattern that the veteran Oswalt continues to follow. Read the rest of this entry
Us Cellular Field: Book Excerpt from ‘The Fastest 30 Ball Games.’
Wednesday August.01/2012
Baseball Park World Record Chasing All-Started for me at US Cellular Field. I had my first retro-active game if needed) on July.1/2008 of my first ever streak chase. I also finished my 30-29 at the CEL.’ I had gone to 40 Baseball Games in 35 Days overall.
Game#2 Day#1
US Cellular Field
Chicago, IL
July.02/2008
I had a tip from my brother Trent early on in the planning stages, that the United States airline companies often ‘sand-bag’ their flying times to destinations to take jet-way delays into consideration. More often than not, the airlines are able to beat the scheduled arrival time by many minutes. I actually used a tool on the internet called ‘Flight Tracker’ to watch the very flight I was on to see if this was a correct statement. I watched this exact flight land 4 weeks in a row, all approximately 15 minutes earlier then the 6:32 PM time it was supposed to arrive on that day. That day I was not as lucky. It was after all a ‘Chicago Airport.’ Still at a 6:30 PM arrival-I had about 40 minutes to first pitch. I had called in a sedan service to pick me up from ‘MIDWAY’.
True to their word, there was a young guy in his twenties waiting for me in the arrival gate and he escorted me through to the limo stand at a running pace. I saw it had started to rain and weather was something I would always keep my eye on during transportation throughout the trip. Read the rest of this entry
Jerry Dipoto is Exactly What the Angels Needed: The Baseball Journey From Pitcher to GM
Wednesday August 1st, 2012
Sam Evans: Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto has come a long ways since a neck injury ended his playing career as a pitcher ten years ago. Working his way up as a scout, Dipoto has ascended to one of the highest ranks in baseball, the G.M. In his ongoing tenure with the Angels, we have learned that Dipoto is committed to bringing a World Series to Anaheim. His bold moves have captured the attention of the baseball world. With any luck, Dipoto could have his second World Series ring this October.
Jerry Dipoto was born in 1968 in Jersey City, NJ. He is more than five years younger than Jamie Moyer. Dipoto attended Virginia Commonwealth University and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the third round of the 1989 MLB Amateur draft. It only took Dipoto four seasons to reach Cleveland, thanks to great numbers everywhere he pitched. In 1992, with Dipoto pitching for Colorado Springs of the PCL, the Indians decided to switch him to the bullpen. Read the rest of this entry
Mat Latos to the Reds: Former Padres Ace Proving to be a Key Acquisition
Wednesday August 1st, 2012
(Image Courtesy of Bigstory.ap.org)
Brendan Henderson:
The Reds made a big trade involving 5 players in the offseason (one player coming from the Padres and four from the Reds.) This deal benefited both teams in my opinion, as the Reds got an “ace material” starting pitcher in Mat Latos and the Padres got four players including proven MLB pitcher Edinson Volquez and solid prospects in Yonder Alsonso, Yasmani Grandal, and Brad Boxberger. Just how much has this trade benefited each team and who has benefited more so far? I will analyze that below. Read the rest of this entry
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