Blog Archives

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.12) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

TED S. WARREN/AP

TED S. WARREN/AP

Derek Jeter got on base 4 times, scored a pair and drove in a pair as the Yankees topped Seattle, 6-3.

Max Scherzer threw a complete game 3 hit shutout, striking out 8 White Sox and earning the 4-0 win for Detroit.

John Mayberry Jr hit a pair of doubles and broke the game open with a 3 run homer in the 7th inning, contributing to the Phillies 7-3 victory against the Padres.

Jhoulys Chacin threw 7 innings of 2 hit shutout ball in Coors Field, getting the decision as the Rockies thrashed the Braves 10-3.

They owned baseball on June 12, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.11) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Jim Cowsert, USA TODAY Sports

Jim Cowsert, USA TODAY Sports

Yu Darvish tossed a complete game, 6 hit shutout, striking out 10 Marlins and getting the 6-0 victory.

Jose Abreu got on base 4 times and launched a homer, helping the White Sox beat the Tigers in an AL Central showdown, 8-2

Cole Hamels threw 8 dominating shutout innings. He let up just 5 hits, 1 walk and struck out 11 Padres. He did not get the decision but the Phillies won, 3-0.

Andrew McCutchen reached base 4 times, including a homer, a double and he stole a base for good measure, leading the Pirates to a 4-2 win over the Cubs,

They owned baseball on June 11, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.10) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Anthony Rizzo went 3-4 with a homer and a pair of doubles, driving in 3 and scoring 3 as the Cubs took the game 7-3 in Pittsburgh.

Collin Cowgill went 3-6 including a 2 out, 2 strike walk off homer in the bottom of the 14th inning that gave the Angels a 2-1 triumph over the A’s.

A. J. Burnett went 7 1/3 innings letting up just 3 hits and 2 runs, earning the Phillies 5-2 victory over San Diego.

Brandon Workman retired the first 13 batters he faced and took a no hitter into the 6th. He finished with 6 2/3 innings of 1 hit shutout ball, winning the 1-0 game for the Red Sox in Baltimore.

They owned baseball on June 10, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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The Long Ball, HR Leaders, Multi HR Gms, Consecutive Streaks MLB 2014

nelson cruz

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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For Games Played Through June 9, 2014

Top 5 HR Leaders AL

Nelson Cruz, Orioles – 21

Edwin Encarnacion. Blue Jays – 20 (Homered June 9th)

Jose Abreu, White Sox – 18  (Homered June 9th)

Josh Donaldson, A’s  – 17

Brandon Moss, A’s – 16 Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.09) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

LM Otero/AP

LM Otero/AP

Lonnie Chisenhall had a historic night at the plate. He went 5-5, missing the cycle by a triple, clubbing three homers and driving in 9 runs in the Indians’ 17-7 thrashing of Texas.

Scott Van Slyke got on base 5 times, homered twice and drove in 4 while scoring 3, helping the Dodgers top Cincinnati 6-2.

Bud Norris threw 8 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits, earning the 4-0 Baltimore victory over Boston.

Charlie Morton went 7 innings, letting just one Cub run and walked none leading the Pirates to a 6-2 win.

They owned baseball on June 09, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.08) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Zimmermann pitched perfect ball into the 6th and finished with a 2 hit 6-0 shutout of the Padres that put the Nationals into a first place tie.

Felix Hernandez threw 7 dominating shutout innings, letting up just 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 15 Rays, a career high. He did not get the decision but helped set up Seattle’s 5-0 victory.

Paul Goldschmidt got on base 3 times, stole a base and crushed a towering 2 run homer to centerfield, helping the Diamondbacks come from behind against Atlanta, 6-5.

Brock Holt got 4 hits including a triple and a single that started the 9th inning comeback rally as the Red Sox stunned the Tigers, 5-3.

They owned baseball on June 08, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.07) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn

AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn

Shelby Miller pitched a complete game 3 hit shutout, earning the 5-0 St. Louis win in Toronto,

Kyle Gibson threw 7 shutout innings, letting up just 3 hits, as the Twins blanked the Astros, 8-0.

Hunter Pence got on base 4 times, tied the game with a 9th inning double and scored the walk off run for the Giants wild 5-4 victory against the Mets.

Salvador Perez went 3-4, missing the cycle by a triple and driving in 3 key runs for the Royals as they topped the Yankees, 8-4.

They owned baseball on June 07, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.06) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Justin Edmonds / Getty Images

Justin Edmonds / Getty Images

Dee Gordon got on base 4 times with a pair of triples, a stolen base, two runs scored and three runs batted in, leading the Dodgers to a much needed 7-2 win in Colorado.

Torii Hunter went 3-4 with a homer and a pair of runs scored, stopping Detroit’s slide as they beat Boston 6-2.

Tanner Roark threw 8 innings of 3 hit, no walk shutout ball, striking out 11 Padres. The Nationals inched closer to first place with the 6-0 victory.

Dallas Keuchel tossed 6 innings of shutout ball in Minnesota. The bullpen nearly blew it but he got the decision for the Astros, 5-4.

They owned baseball on June 06, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.05) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Al Behrman, Associated Press

Al Behrman, Associated Press

Madison Bumgarner pitched 8 innings of 3 hit ball, letting up a single run and walking no Reds batters. He earned his 8th victory for the Giants, 6-1.

Masahiro Tanaka cooled the hot Oakland bats with 6 innings of solid pitching, letting up a single run, as the Yankees held on to win, 2-1.

Casey McGehee went 4-5, including a double, and scored 4 runs helping the Marlins tie for first place while topping the Rays, 11-6.

Dexter Fowler got on base 4 times, scoring a pair and driving in a run, helping the Astros take a 8-5 game against the Angels.

They owned baseball on June 05, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June.04) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Photo: JACK DEMPSEY, AP

Photo: JACK DEMPSEY, AP

Miguel Montero went 3-4, drove in 6 and helped the Diamondbacks score 11 unanswered runs in the final 2 innings in a wild 16-8 victory in Colorado.

Adam Wainwright threw a shutout into the 9th inning. The bullpen would lose the lead for him but his 8 plus innings of 4 hit, 2 walk 8 strikeout ball set up the extra inning 5-2 win for the Cardinals in Kansas City,

Asdrubal Cabrera got on base 3 times including a bottom of the 12th walk off 3 run homer that sunk Boston and continued Cleveland’s winning streak, 7-4.

Hisashi Iwakuma  threw 7 shutout innings, walking no Atlanta batters and helped the Mariners continue their hot streak, 2-0.

They owned baseball on June 04, 2014.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Cleveland Indians Payroll In 2014 + Contracts Going Forward

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): & Jeff Kleiner (Org Depth + Payroll Expert – find his website here)

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The Indians were big players in the 2012 offseason – heading into the 2013 year.

The club stepped up and signed 1B/OF Nick Swisher to a 5 YRs/$70 MIL deal – and inked OF Michael Bourn to a 4 YR contract worth $48 MIL.

Indians Management also took a risk on SP Scott Kazmir.

But perhaps their best acquisition in the 2012 winter was picking up Terry Francona as their new bench boss. Read the rest of this entry

Cleveland Indians State Of The Union For 2014

The Indians hosted the Wild Card Play in Game for the right to play Boston in the ALDS, but were ultimately ousted by the Tampa Bay Rays.  Now minus several pieces from last years team, they turn to their franchise depth in hopes of another playoff berth in 2014.  The club ended the year on a 10 game winning streak and extended it by 1 in the Season Opener at Oakland.  The Indians are pretty much hanging with 'status quo' among their franchise this winter.  They have also lost Scott Kazmir, and potentially Ubaldo Jimenez to Free Agency as well,  Of course Joe Smith signed with the Angels and they released Chris Perez, so other than Terry Francona winning the Manager of The Year in the AL, it hasn't been a banner offseason in Cleveland thus far.

The Indians hosted the Wild Card Play in Game for the right to play Boston in the ALDS in 2013, but were ultimately ousted by the Tampa Bay Rays. Now minus several pieces from last years team, they turn to their franchise depth in hopes of another playoff berth in 2014. The club ended the year on a 10 game winning streak – and extended it by 1 in the Season Opener at Oakland. The Indians are pretty much going with ‘status quo’ into this year. They lost key Starters Scott Kazmir and Ubaldo Jimenez to Free Agency.  Of course they saw Joe Smith sign with the Angels and they released Chris Perez, so other than Terry Francona winning the Manager of The Year in the AL, it wasn’t a banner offseason.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The Indians had one hell of a rollercoaster ride in the 2013 year.  It ended with the club making their 1st playoff game since the 2007 ALCS.

To make it to the #1 Wild Card Slot, Cleveland reeled of 10 straight victories, and hosted the one game battle against the Rays.

Albeit the team could not beat the Rays, and were left to settle with one home date in the postseason.

With 92 Wins, with no lineup player having an exceptional year except for maybe Jason Kipnis, there was no doubt Terry Francona peeled off one of the great managerial jobs ever.

Almost instantly after the year, the club lost Ubaldo Jimenez, Scott Kazmir, Chris Perez, Joe Smith and Drew Stubbs (trade). Read the rest of this entry

With Iglesias Out With A Shin Injury, The Tigers Must Sign Drew – And For A Few Years!!

Stephen Drew has definitely been hindered by the Draft Pick compensation.  Now with Detroit losing their Starting Shortstop for potentially the entire 2014 year, the door has swung open for the 31 Year Old player from Georgia.  If I were Drew and his agent, I would push the envelope for a 2 year deal, or at least have a total near the $14.1 MIL barrier for a one year contract.  Drew is coming off a World Series year in 2013 with Boston, where he fashioned a .777 OPS and 50 Extra Base Hits in just 442 AB.

Stephen Drew has definitely been hindered by the Draft Pick compensation for his services this winter. Now with Detroit losing their Starting Shortstop for potentially the entire 2014 year, the door has swung open for the 31 Year Old player from Georgia. If I were Drew and his agent Scott Boras, I would push the envelope for a 2 year deal, or at least have a total near the $14.1 MIL barrier for a one year deal . Drew is coming off a World Series year in 2013 with Boston, where he fashioned a .777 OPS and 50 Extra Base Hits in just 442 AB.  It will see the Tigers payroll grow some, but is a necessary cost of doing business to preserve the best squad to compete in 2014.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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With news coming down the pike that Jose Iglesias could miss the entire year due to a shin splints injury, or at least until the ALL – Star Break, going to sign Stephen for a contract now is a must for the Detroit franchise.

Iglesias was supposed to solidify the Infield in Motown this upcoming campaign with his exceptional defense.  However, lets be realistic in that his offense is a bit challenged.

Now with news of his injury wreaking havoc for most of 2014, the Tigers are left with a major void at the position.

Stephen Drew 2013 World Series HR

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The Top Remaining Free Agents Left In The MLB 2014 Season + The Rest

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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With the latest signings (by Baltimore) of Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez, there is now just 3 Free Agents who come with the price tag of your 1st RD pick (or 1st available pick if you have been busy already this winter).

SS Stephen Drew is still on the open market despite several rumors about the Big Apple,  DH/1B Kendrys Morales is on the board, with teams dwindling in interest, and SP Ervin Santana rounds out the list.

Agents of these gentlemen are now threatening to hold out their players until after the MLB Amateur Draft (when the Draft Pick is no longer forfeited), in order to turn the leverage back to their guys.

I am not sure that is such a great idea, particularly in the cases of the hitters, who are not likely to warrant more than 3 year deals apiece. Read the rest of this entry

The Cleveland Indians Players In All Organizational Affiliates, Prospects + Depth Charts (MLB + MiLB) 2014

The Indians hosted the Wild Card Play in Game for the right to play Boston in the ALDS, but were ultimately ousted by the Tampa Bay Rays.  Now minus several pieces from last years team, they turn to their franchise depth in hopes of another playoff birth in 2014,

The Indians hosted the Wild Card Play in Game for the right to play Boston in the ALDS, but were ultimately ousted by the Tampa Bay Rays. Now minus several pieces from last years team, they turn to their franchise depth in hopes of another playoff birth in 2014.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): & Jeff Kleiner (Org. Depth Chart Expert)

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The Indians had a triumphant and surprising year in 2013.  They blasted their way out of the gate led by Mark Reynolds and Jason Kipnis and Justin Masterson.

Halfway through the year, renaissance pitching from Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir helped jump into the foray among all the best AL clubs.

This club took advantage of a cupcake schedule – in order to reel off a 10 game winning streak to tend the campaign.

For those people who failed to see what a tough May.15 – June.15 schedule they had, in which they played almost all of the Division leaders across the board in the MLB, being all over .500 teams.

Because of that stretch, they deserved the late season ease of sked.

Jason Kipnis Highlight Reel 2013

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AL Central Hot Stove Round Up – Updated For The Joe Nathan Signing With The Tigers

Doug Fister was just traded away last night for Steve Lombardozzi, Ian Krol and a Minor League Pitcher.  I definitely am seeing the vibe that this franchise is about to make another huge move towards a player in Free Agency.

Doug Fister was just traded away last night for Steve Lombardozzi, Ian Krol and a Minor League Pitcher. I definitely am seeing the vibe that this franchise is about to make another huge move towards a player in Free Agency.  If this wasn’t the case, then what the hell are the Tigers doing trading away a pitcher like this?

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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The Detroit Tigers threw down the first gauntlet in transactions of the Division.  But have they made their team any stronger?  As of right now they are still weaker to start the 2014 year than they ended the 2013 campaign.

Things have been quiet out of Motown on offensive players, however they have been circling the world of Brian Wilson for the Relief core, before they finally lost interest.

Joe Nathan was signed to a 2 Year Deal today by the Tigers.  It was a swift move to sign the guy, although financial terms have not been entirely disclosed yet.

By singing Joe Nathan to amp up the status of the Bullpen, the teams looks decisively better already.   

They should not stop there for relievers. 

I would still try to bring in a Grant Balfour or Jesse Crain as late inning assassins – before having any of the old crew of Joaquin Benoit or Jose Veras be the guys to depend on.  Do not resign them Dombrowski!

Look for an upcoming article I am writing about the Detroit Tigers, that will ask the question, who would you rather have long – term, Miguel Cabrera or Max Scherzer?

Of course a lot of this is dependent on how much Mike Ilitch wants to spend on his club.

Brian Wilson 2013 Highlights – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance Is Advised

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Dissecting The Peter Bourjos For David Freese Deal

Peter Bourjos was moved into CF - and the LA Angels then shifted Mike Trout over to LF, based on the range of  Bourjos as an OF.  He is fast, and has shown that he can be a catalyst in a lineup.  His best year was in 2011, where he played a full season, 3 Slashing .271/.327/.765 - with 12 HRs, an AL leading 11 - 3B, 26 - 2B - and added 32 SB.  The Cardinals will have him patrol CF with them in St. Louis.  Bourjos has 3 years left of Arbitration, while Freese only has 2 years left.  The Angels also swapped their top OF prospect in the deal - for help in Reliever (but trending down) Fernando Salas.

Peter Bourjos was moved into CF – and the LA Angels then shifted Mike Trout over to LF, based on the range of Bourjos as an OF. He is fast, and has shown that he can be a catalyst in a lineup. His best year was in 2011, where he played a full season, 3 Slashing .271/.327/.765 – with 12 HRs, an AL leading 11 – 3B, 26 – 2B – and added 32 SB. The Cardinals will have him patrol CF with them in St. Louis. Bourjos has 3 years left of Arbitration, while Freese only has 2 years left. The Angels also swapped their top OF prospect in the deal – for help in Reliever (but trending down) Fernando Salas.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

Follow The MLB Reports On Twiter

It is funny how the complexion of a team can change with one deal.  For right now, I want to be on record as saying I hate the deal that the Angels made yesterday for David Freese.

The deal came down to Peter Bourjos being sent to St. Louis with Randal Gruchuk (or Grichuck as baseballreference.com lists him as –  for David Freese and Reliever Fernando Salas.)

I had thought all along (same with this website) that these two clubs should be trading partners.

But we were thinking of a heavy deal containing Mark Trumbo and Erick Aybar, for potentially Matt Adams, David Freese and/or a Starting Pitcher from the bountiful nest of the Cardinals Staff.

Peter Bourjos Inside The Park HR

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The Indians 1st Year Under Francona Should End Up A Success – Even If It Doesn’t Mean Playoffs

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Thursday August 15, 2013 

The Cleveland Indians are having a decent second half, but will it be enough to make the playoffs? It shouldn't really matter to Indians fans because they have a great future ahead of them. They have a great manager in Terry Francona and great young players in Jason Kipnis, Michael Bourn, Asdrubal Cabrera and many more.

The Cleveland Indians are having a decent second half, but will it be enough to make the playoffs? It shouldn’t really matter to Indians fans because they have a great future ahead of them. They have a great manager in Terry Francona and great young players in Jason Kipnis, Michael Bourn, Asdrubal Cabrera and many more.  The truth is that they just are not in the same competitive stratosphere as the Detroit Tigers at the present time.  They have a better chance to reel in a Wild Card Position.  As of today, they are 3.5 Games Behind Wild Card Leader #1 holder (Tampa Bay) – and are 3 Games Behind the Oakland Athletics for the 2nd spot.

Ryan Ritchey (Baseball Writer):

The Cleveland Indians have had a tremendous season under first year manager Terry Francona. It isn’t very often for a team like Cleveland to get a manager of his caliber.

Francona broke the curse in Boston, can he break the streak of Championshipless in Cleveland – since the days of Bob Feller via 1948?

I wrote an article right before the All-Star Break stating that the Indians would make a run in the second half and make the playoffs.

Well the best player on the planet Miguel Cabrera has spoiled that idea with all the Home Runs he has been hitting here lately. The Indians can’t make up any ground on the Tigers and they are running out of time.

It might not be this season but give Francona some time, he will make Cleveland a contender in no time. 

Kipnis – Inside The Park HR:

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Top Teams In The MLB 1 – 30 + (200 Best Stats For The Last Month)

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Thursday June.06/2013

Chris Davis was the hitter of the month for the MLB Reports.  The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season - after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days.  The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256.  Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI - and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played.  He is on pace for a 50 HR/ 50 Doubles Season.  "Crush" is due for Arbitration after this year - and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.

Chris Davis was the AL hitter of the month for the MLB Reports. The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season – after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days. The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256. Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI – and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played. He is on pace for a 50 HR/50 Doubles Season. “Crush” is due for Arbitration after this year – and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

The time has come for the June Power Rankings with Stats Edition.  There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.

I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.

These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.

I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams.  I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or scroll past the video and picture

Chris Davis 2013 Highlights:

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MLB Team Power Rankings

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Sunday June.02/2013

Miguel Cabrera is absolutely unconscious this season so far;.  He has a 3 Slash Line of .369 (Leads AL)/.445 (Leads AL/1.121 (2ndi n AL), with 17 HRs (2nd AL) and a mind - blowing 65 RBI through 54 Games Played.  He is on pace for 51 HRs. 195 RBI and about 250 Hits.  He keeps getting better every single year if possible. Despite his prominence - and a lineup full of ALL - Star hitters and Pitchers, the Tigers are limping along at just a few games over .500.  It certainly isn't this 30 Year Olds fault.

Miguel Cabrera is absolutely unconscious this season so far; He has a 3 Slash Line of .369 (Leads AL)/.445 (Leads AL/1.121 (2nd in AL), with 17 HRs (2nd AL) and a mind – blowing 65 RBI through 54 Games Played. He is on pace for 51 HRs, 195 RBI and about 250 Hits. He keeps getting better every single year if possible. Despite his prominence – and a lineup full of ALL – Star hitters and Pitchers, the Tigers are limping along at just a few games over .500. It certainly isn’t this 30 Year Old’s fault.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

Featuring the Podcasters the Big ticket Show in the Audio Portion

I will be doing a stat fueled rankings list on this Thursday.  These rankings will have some stats and  random thoughts of what I will be talking about in today’s podcast with the Big Ticket Show (AKA, Triple Play Podcast.)

Games Prior to Sunday June.02/2013

Cardinals 2013 30/30 Preview

Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON to continue… or scroll past the Triple Play Podcast. Read the rest of this entry

Mariners Lose Two Tough Games in a Row To Cleveland: But They Are Still Playing a Good Brand Of Baseball

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Sunday, May 19th, 2013

One bright spot for the Mariners over the past couple of days has been first baseman Justin Smoak, who has reached base eight times in the last three games.

One bright spot for the Mariners over the past couple of days has been first baseman Justin Smoak, who has reached base eight times in the last three games.

Sam Evans ( Baseball Writer and Marlins, Mariners Correspondent):

The last two days have to have been extremely rough for the Seattle Mariners. Coming off a series win in New York, the Mariners were sitting comfortably in second place in the A.L. West. However, after two straight walk-off losses to Cleveland, the Mariners have slipped to third in the West.

Having deserved to win at least one of their last two games, the Mariners have likely just ran into some bad luck and they have a great opportunity to get back on track Sunday, with King Felix on the mound.

Tom Hamilton Calls Jason Kipnis Walk Off Home Run 5/17/13: 

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Mark Reynolds And Asdrubal Cabrera: What To Make Of The Club In Cleveland

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Wednesday May 15th, 2013

 was Arbitration Eligible in 2013 and could have been offered it by the Orioles, instead they let him walk, He was great insurance for First and Third Base and they should have kept him for one more year." src="https://mlbreports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/a-a-a-mark-reynolds.jpg" width="604" height="408" /> Mark Reynolds was Arbitration Eligible in 2013 and could have been offered it by the Orioles, instead they let him walk, He was great insurance for First and Third Base and they should have kept him for one more year.  He likely would have made in the 1 YR/$11 MIL Range.  Instead the club opted to try Nolan Reimold and a cast of others for the positions available.  The Orioles DH slot is hitting well under the Mendoza Line at the time of this article.

was Arbitration Eligible in 2013 and could have been offered it by the Orioles, instead they let him walk, He was great insurance for First and Third Base and they should have kept him for one more year.”  Mark Reynolds was Arbitration Eligible in 2013 and could have been offered it by the Orioles, instead they let him walk, He was great insurance for First and Third Base and they should have kept him for one more year. He likely would have made in the 1 YR/$11 MIL Range. Instead the club opted to try Nolan Reimold and a cast of others for the positions available. The Orioles DH slot is hitting well under the Mendoza Line at the time of this article.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

The Cleveland Indians are off to a hot start, sitting just one game back of the Detroit Tigers atop the AL Central. In their last 10 (through Tuesday) they are 7 – 3. Most of this is due to Mark Reynolds.

So far this year, he is hitting .272 with 11 HRs and 32 RBI. This puts him on pace to hit 50 HRs and drive in  close to 15o Runs. Of course, there is no way that he drives in 151 runs, but I think it is possible that he could hit 40+ HRs.

He would have to stay hot the entire season and not get injured, so I would say there is about a three percent chance that he does so. His career highs in HRs and RBI came in 2009 when he hit 44 and drove in 102.

With the Indians lineup the way it is with Jason Kipnis (whom I will talk about later), Asdrubal Cabrera and Nick Swisher hitting in front of him, it seems like Reynolds will have plenty of RBI chances.

Reynolds is also on pace to strike out about 176 times, which is a little bit lower than his career average. Needless to say, if he keeps up his current performance throughout the entire season, he will be the MVP (although I would not count Miguel Cabrera out just yet with the season he is having thus far).

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MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 6

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Monday May.13/2013

The Rangers have opened up a 6 game lead over the Athetics - prior to their series with Oakland that kicks off tonight.  They have also only played 15 Home Games - as opposed to 22 Road Games.  Steady veteran hitting - and great Pitching all around has paved the way.  They are the only team in the Division over .500

The Rangers have opened up a 6 game lead over the Athletics – prior to their series with Oakland that kicks off tonight. They have also only played 15 Home Games – as opposed to 22 Road Games. Steady veteran hitting – and great Pitching all around has paved the way. They are the only team in the Division over .500

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

The Rangers are #1 again based on the Division lead they currently possess, plus the fact they play all of these teams a total of 76 Games this year.

St. Louis Cardinals have one hell of a pitching staff – and it is downright scary for the rest of the National League that they have played this well without the offense really clicking.

The Giants continue to streak.  I like their offensive makeup – because players like Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Marco Scutaro and Hunter Pence all tend to be streaky.

The Boston Red Sox have begun to slow down recently.

The Tampa Bay Rays seem ready to make their charge.

Josh Hamilton and his 1 AB back in Arlington:

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MLB Monthly Power Rankings May 2013 (Podcast Version)

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Sunday, May.05/2013

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month.  Each show will be about 1 hour

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.

By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com)

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

One month down in the MLB season and that means it’s time for some Power Rankings! Chuck Booth the czar of MLBreports.com joins us in studio to rank every team from worst to first. Where does your team rank? Read the rest of this entry

Cleveland Payroll In 2013: Indians Organizational Rosters + Depth Charts – (MLB + MiLB)

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Sunday, Apr.28/2013

The Indians were one of the top franchises for organizational Drafts, signing players, making trades and having their core players locked up to long term contract during the 1990's. In the early part of the millennium, they traded several of these players for a new core of players.  This time, their return wasn't as significant.  The club prides itself on not making big mistakes on the Free Agent market and developing its own talent.  For the first time in 2 decades, the management is really under scrutiny for team operations

The Indians were one of the top franchises for organizational Drafts, signing players, making trades and having their core players locked up to long term contract during the 1990’s. In the early part of the millennium, they traded several of these players for a new core of players. This time, their return wasn’t as significant. The club prides itself on not making big mistakes on the Free Agent market and developing its own talent. For the first time in 2 decades, the management is really under scrutiny for team operations.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website  here  

You guys are all in for a treat.  Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website.  He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.  We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams. 

Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.  If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.

In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball.  He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.  So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!

Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis.  After you click on it….Bookmark it.  There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page.  Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Royals Organization click here

The 1st half of the Central Division winning Indians 2007

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Cleveland Indians Payroll In 2013: And Contracts Going Forward

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Sunday Feb 24, 2013

The Cleveland Indians have been around since 1901. During the years the Indians have won 8,792 games & have lost 8,573 games. The Indians have won the World Series 2 times & have 31 players in the Hall Of Fame.

The Cleveland Indians have been around since 1901. During the years the Indians have won 8,792 games & have lost 8,573 games. The Indians have won the World Series 2 times & have 31 players in the Hall Of Fame.

By Larry Myers (Indians Correspondent):

The Indians finished the 2012 season as a huge disappointment. The Indians had a strong first half before falling apart in the second half. The Indians the 2013 season with many new faces after a busy winter.

 GM Chris Antonetti and President Mark Shapiro decided to make some major moves to improve the team for the 2013 season. The first move the Indians made was replacing Manny Acta with Terry Francona as manager. The Indians then traded Shin-Soo Choo & Tony Sipp in a 3 team trade to pick up Drew Stubbs, Matt Albers. Bryan Shaw & Trevor Bauer. The Indians signed a few Free Agents with the four biggest names being Nick Swisher, Mark Reynolds, Brett Myers, & Michael Bourn. The Indians showed that with the moves they made they are ready to contend now & in the future.

Cleveland Indians 2012 Season Highlights:

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Why Terry Francona As The Manager Of The Cleveland Indians Makes Sense

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Tuesday Feb.5, 2013

Terry Francona played for five different teams in his playing Career.  His best year was in 1984 - where he hit .346 during his 218 AB.   He played as a 1B/OF/PH.  His only Post Season action was with the 1981 Montreal Expos.  He hit .333 in the NLDS but went 0-2 in the NLCS versus the eventual World Series winning LA Dodgers

Terry Francona played for five different teams in his playing Career. His best year was in 1984 – where he hit .346 during his 218 AB. He played as a 1B/OF/PH. His only Post Season action was with the 1981 Montreal Expos. He hit .333 in the NLDS but went 0-2 in the NLCS versus the eventual World Series winning LA Dodgers.  He has had much better success as Manager.

By Larry Myers (Indians Correspondent):

Terry Francona was hired as manager of the Cleveland Indians on October 6, 2012 – and officially took over the team on October 8th. He will be  returning to the dugout after a one-year hiatus of managing in baseball and doing sports broadcasting duties. After Manny Acta was let go as manager of the Indians, only two candidates were interviewed. Francona was picked as manager over Sandy Alomar Jr, who has stayed on as Bench Coach under the veteran skipper.

Before we decide if Francona was the right choice as manager of the Indians, we have to look at who the man is. Francona was born April 22, 1959 in South Dakota to former MLB player Tito Francona, (who played from 1956 to 1970). Tito ‘Jr’ played in the Majors himself from 1981 to 1990, including one year with the Indians. During his ten years, Francona played in 708 Games – with a BA of .274, 16 Home Runs  and 143 RBI as a utility player . After Francona’s playing days were over, he went on to become a Minor League coach, before finally becoming manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997.  During his four years in Philadelphia, his team never finished above fourth place, but Francona helped develop some young players into stars that have turned the Phillies franchise into the winning seasons in 11 out of the 12 years since his departure.

Terry Francona at TribeFest:

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MLB Player Profile: Indians OF/1B/DH Nick Swisher

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Tuesday January 22nd, 2013

Nick Swisher has a Career 3 Slash Line of .256/.361/.828.  His numbers were better over the last 4 years with the Yankees .268/.367/.850.

Nick Swisher has a Career 3 Slash Line of .256/.361/.828 heading into 2013. His numbers are even  better over the last 4 years with the Yankees – .268/.367/.850.  If you are an Indians fan – you can probably bank on a decent Batting Average, a nice OBP and 25-30 HRs and 80-90 RBI per year from him.  He also can play 3 different positions for you at 1B/OF/DH.

By Larry Myers (Indians Correspondent)

Nick Swisher is the latest free agent player the Cleveland Indians have signed this off-season. Nick Swisher is the son of former MLB catcher Steve Swisher, who played for a few National League teams back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Swisher was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in West Virginia. Before his professional career, Swisher played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2002 MLB Draft, Swisher finally made his MLB debut with the Athletics in 2004.

During the 2004 season, Swisher played in only 20 games. In 2005, Swisher went on to hit 21 HRs and 74 RBI in 131 games. He finished 6th in the American League Rookie Of The Year Voting. During his 4 years in Oakland, Swisher hit 80 home runs and 255 RBI – while playing in 458 games. Not known as a player with a high average, he became a leader on a young Athletics teams. Swisher showed a great amount of durability during his time in Oakland compared to his teammates who spent a large portion of time on the Disabled List. Swisher made his Post Season debut in 2006. While sweeping the Twins, Swisher got 3 hits and an RBI in that series. Losing to the Tigers in the ALCS, Swisher hit .100 with only 1 hit.

One On One Interview with Nick Swisher Jan.03/2013 (Sports Time Ohio):

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What the Indians will do with Asdrubal Cabrera

Friday December 7, 2012

Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern):

In 2012, Asdrubal Cabrera had an average year. He hit .270/.338/.423 with 16 HRs and 68 RBIs. He made his second straight career All-Star Game appearanc.  He committed 19 errors, perhaps a little much for a team’s starting Shortstop, but not awful. His fielding percentage was his career worst by a point at .971.

Now during this offseason, the Indians think it’s a good idea to shop him.

Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer originally reported on December 4 that the Indians were looking for 3-4 players in a deal for Cabrera. He also said that they seemed to have a deal that would move a pitcher and two prospects to Cleveland, however the unknown team backed out when the Indians asked for another prospect. Now the most recent rumors are that he would be moved to Arizona as a part of a four team deal. Read the rest of this entry

Cleveland Indians Face Tough Road Ahead

Tuesday September 25th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: The Cleveland Indians seemingly play mind jokes with their fans. They start the year hot, and slowly unravel as the season progresses. 2012 has yet to show any different signs, and it’s about time that the management looks to start from scratch. While Chris Perez, Shin Soo Choo, and Asdrubal Cabrera are all solid pieces, they have yet to find success together. In their defense, sometimes certain groups don’t always pan out no matter what how high the talent level may be.

Let’s just say that the Indians face a tough road ahead. Read the rest of this entry