Blog Archives
Sully Baseball Podcast – Talking Angels with J. Keith van Straaten – January 20, 2018
The Angels have the best player in baseball and signed one of the biggest stars in the world. There is plenty to get excited about in Anaheim.
I invited comedian, TV host and Angels super fan J. Keith van Straaten to join the podcast. We talked about his fandom, Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Mike Scioscia and what made the 2002 team so special.
Giving Orange County its due on this episode of Sully Baseball.
Visit the website for J. Keith van Straaten by clicking HERE.
Subscribe to the podcast Go Fact Yourself by clicking HERE.
Follow J. Keith van Straaten on Twitter by clicking HERE.
While we are at it, enjoy the In Memoriam video.
Sully Baseball Podcast – Talking Braves stadium and Angels team that should have won – April 20, 2017
Scott Cunningham
One of my most devoted listeners asked me a question.
@sullybaseball thoughts on the new braves stadium?
— Christopher a austin (@Christopheraau2) April 17, 2017
The Braves new stadium seems nice but kind of what they already had. Meanwhile I discuss the Angels team that should have won.
Travelling down the state of California on this episode of Sully Baseball.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – March 13, 2017
Picture by Wally Fong, AP
On the campus of UC Berkeley, I talked about Tommy John and how his career and impact on the game as a pioneer had more effect on the game than many Hall of Famers.
I did NOT risk my body on this episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – August 24, 2016
Believe it or not, the Angels have one of the oldest stadiums in baseball. And maybe they will find reason to leave Anaheim behind them.
It is a Heavenly episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast
Gregory Polanco, Victor Martinez, Jake Arrieta, Sean Manaea, Nolan Arenado, Nick Buss and Jon Grayall added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball yesterday.
See the updated listing of WOB on MLB Reports
ORDER SPACEMAN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE
The Most Recent Cycle Hit For All Teams (Updated for Freddie Freeman, 6-15-2016)
KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES
The First Cycle of the Year!
And true to 2016 Atlanta Braves style, the team almost lost the damn game. It took extra innings, but Freddie Freeman made the list. This might be the highlight of Atlanta’s season!
Here is the list, updated for today’s action!
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 4, 2016
AP
Why does Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in The Revenant remind me of Mike Trout and his situation with the Angels?
Trust me. It makes sense!
It is a Can I Please Win The Big Award Now? episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
Read the rest of this entry
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – September 26, 2015
Karen Warren – Houston Chronicle
The recent poor play by Houston and Minnesota could threaten any hope of a Cinderella story this year.
Plus the Pirates could make next week’s series with the Cardinals very interesting.
Line up the slots in the post season for Episode 1,069 of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
Rich Hill (NOT Carlos Carrasco), Shin-Soo Choo, Gerrit Cole, Lucas Duda, Jon Lester, Luis Valbuena and Freddie Freeman all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball
Read the rest of this entry
The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Matt Kemp, August 14, 2015 )
DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP
THE FIRST PADRE CYCLE!!!
No Padre has ever thrown a no hitter. No Padres team has ever won the World Series. No Padre had ever hit for the cycle… until now.
Matt Kemp hit a fly ball that ricocheted off the right center field wall in Coors Field. By the time he stood at third base, the cycle was achieved.
This has been a rough year for the Padres and for Kemp, but this hit must have felt sweet.
Here is the list, updated for today’s action!
The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Adrian Beltre, August 3, 2015 )
SportsGrid.com
Adrian Beltre with the Tri Cycle.
The Rangers third baseman, who is quietly assembling a Hall of Fame resume, joined Bob Meusel, Babe Herman and Long John Reilly in the exclusive “Three Cycles in a Career” club.
OK, it isn’t quite Bonds, Aaron, Ruth, Mays… but it is kind of cool.
Bad news for Shin-Soo Choo who didn’t even last 3 weeks on this list!
Meanwhile Beltre is on here twice as the most recent cycle for the Rangers and the Mariners.
Here is the list, updated for today’s action!
The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Shin-Soo Choo, July 21, 2015)
DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP
First Texas cycle in 2 years!
Lots of people hit their cycles in Colorado. Choo is the latest. In fact his teammate Delino DeShields almost joined him if only he could have connected for a Coors homer himself.
Either way, it was safe to say that humidor or no humidor, it was a good night to hit in Colorado (except for the Rockies who were shutout, 9-0.
Here is the list, updated for today’s action!
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – July 1, 2015
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! And there is turmoil in Angels land, and I can understand both sides of the argument
Not a lot of halos to go around on Episode 980 of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
Howie Kendrick, Jordan Zimmermann, Mike Montgomery, Mitch Moreland, Chris Davis, Jon Niese and Randal Grichuk all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball?
The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Brock Holt – June 16, 2015)
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
The First Cycle Hit for 2015!
With all the great hitters in baseball, naturally it is BROCK HOLT of the Red Sox who gets a single, double, triple and homer. Granted, I am not thrilled that he wears Wade Boggs’ number 26, but this is a day to celebrate.
Good bye John Valentin, no longer on this list.
I have compiled a list of the most current no hitter for each franchise, but here is the companion list for the cycle. Is it harder to hit for the cycle? Probably. But Holt did it!
Here is the list, updated for today’s action!
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 26, 2015
Matt Slocumb – AP
The AL East is wide open and Rangers fans need to welcome Josh Hamilton back with open arms.
That and more on Episode 915 of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
Matt Harvey, Angel Pagan, Wei-Yin Chen, Jimmy Paredes, Justin Upton, Michael Brantley, Rubby De La Rosa and Daniel Norris all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball?
The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team
(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Why doesn’t hitting for the Cycle get the same love as throwing a no hitter?
Seriously, hitting for the cycle is just about as uncommon as a no hitter. Only 305 cycles have been hit, as opposed to 287 no hitters.
Getting the perfect combination of a single, double, triple and homer requires skill, consistency and an obscene amount of luck.
Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds and Willie Mays never did it once.
Michael Cuddyer, Chris Speier and Brad Wilkerson did it twice.
There has never been a cycle hit in the post season, as opposed to a pair of October no-no’s (Don Larsen and Roy Halladay.)
The Marlins have never had a player hit for the cycle. Neither have the Padres, who also have never had a no hitter.
So while I carefully update the list of the most current no hitter for each franchise, I have neglected to do the same for players who hit for the cycle… until now.
The pic is of the last cycle, hit by Michael Cuddyer, who has done so in both leagues (along with Bob Watson and John Olerud.)
Some of the teams have waited a while for an update. Eric Davis’ cycle in 1989 remains the last time it happened for Cincinnati. The Expos (2003) have had one more recently than the Red Sox (1996.)
Here is the list, to be updated when the next cycle is hit!
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 13, 2015
Photo by Kevin Sullivan (No Relation) Orange County Register
The relationship between the Angels and Josh Hamilton is tearing apart at the seams. Team owner Arte Moreno claims it has nothing to do with money.
OK Mr. Moreno. Prove it. Cut Hamilton. Eat the money.
I challenge the owner of the Angels on Episode 902 of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
Miguel Cabrera, Nathan Karns, Zack Greinke, Andrew McCutchen, Cody Ashe and Adam Jones all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball?
An 154 MLB Game Schedule Makes A lot Of Sense – Even For Separating The Record Books
Major League Baseball used to run on a 154 game schedule before 1961 In that year, the American League added two new franchises in expansion, with the California Angels and the Washington Senators. The National League played one more season with the 154 games mark before they also converted to the new 162 game season in the 1962 campaign.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Nice Idea, Doubt It will happen anytime soon though
I have been a longtime advocate of a 154 game schedule. I believe you could draw back the clock and have an official record book for the 162 game schedule and also the 154 ame schedule. Guess what that would do? Set back the single season HR mark to 60 by Babe Ruth in 1927 again.
The idea has lots of merit at its starting point, but a lot of the big market clubs like New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgers, Philadelphia Philies, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and LA Angels would hate voting for this for sure, as it would cut into revenue’s based largely on attendance alone, but for the other clubs I could see them not dropping by much in attendance at all aggregate for the whole lump sum of a year.
I think it would only work if they increased the Post Season to a bet of 7 LDS Round once the Wild Card Winners were determined. Read the rest of this entry
The Most Recent No Hitter For Each Franchise (Updated For Tim Lincecum, June 25, 2014)
AP Photo/Eric Risberg
Is Tim Lincecum done? NOT TODAY!
The Giants needed to have a decent pitching performance and give their bullpen a break. What did they get? A masterpiece from Tim Lincecum. For the second straight season, Giant fans can say “Tim is not a Cy Young contender anymore, but at least he gave us a no hitter this year.)
The list of Giants pitchers with more than one no hitter? It is short but impressive:
Christy Mathewson
Tim Lincecum
Good company to be in.
And like last year, Lincecum did it against the Padres, the only remaining franchise without a no hitter.
(Yes, I know, the Washington Nationals haven’t had a no hitter either. They had no hitters when they were the Montreal Expos.)
It is time to update my list!
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (April.02) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings 2014
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Buehrle came within one misplayed line drive from the first complete game shutout of the year. He would settle for 8 2/3 shutout innings with 4 hits, 1 walk and 11 strikeouts, leading Toronto to a 3-0 win over Tampa Bay.
Ian Kinsler provided all of the offense the Tigers would need. He homered in the fourth and got the walk off hit in the 10th, giving Detroit a 2-1 win over the Royals
Tim Hudson pitched shutout ball into the 8th, letting up only 3 hits and striking out 7, walking no Diamondbacks, getting the win in his Giants debut, 209.
Ryan Ludwick‘s got the 9th inning lead off single and scored the walk off run as the Reds won a thriller against the Cardinals, 1-0.
They owned baseball on April.2, 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.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 17, 2014
Photo: Paul Francis Sullivan
Today on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast, I look at the stadium situation in Los Angeles and Anaheim. The Angels and Anaheim are getting close to an impasse, Dodger Stadium is in the wrong place and BOTH teams are playing in spots better suited for football.
My Bleacher Report article about Dodger Stadium can be found by clicking HERE.
In honor of President’s Day, I am reloading my Presidents/Baseball connection podcast from last year.
To subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes, click HERE.
To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 17, 2014
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 15, 2014
Fleer
Today on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast, I play part 2 of my interview with former All Star Ellis Valentine.
We talked about his days with the Mets, Angels and Rangers and also remembered his cameo on Fantasy Island.
Go to Ellis Valentine’s Past Pro’s Site and support The Tiny Tim Fund by clicking HERE.
Follow Ellis Valentine on Twitter HERE.
To subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes, click HERE.
To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 15, 2014
Enjoy Ellis on Fantasy Island.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – November 18, 2013
Photo: Bob Stanton/USA TODAY Sports
It is too early to make 2014 predictions, but the A’s will probably win the West because unlike the Mariners, Rangers and Angels, they don’t look like they are panicking.
That and more on today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
To subscribe on iTunes, click HERE.
To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – November 14, 2013
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Matchack
>
THE DAY OF RECKONING IS HERE!
The Most Valuable Player will be announced today. And no matter who wins, Twitter is going to explode. The Trout/Cabrera debate rages on.
That and more on today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
To subscribe on iTunes, click HERE.
To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.
Jack Morris: It Is Time To Elect This Winner Into The Baseball Hall Of Fame!
Jack Morris was a winner, a true throwback pitcher who came after hitters with reckless abandon. He pitched based on what the score was – and had no personal regard for his own personal statistics. It is this very reason why the debate has hit epic proportions on social media hubs, amongst bloggers, former players, analysts, broadcaster and statisticians. I intend to prove the case for the guy in a manner that will have some similarities to other pieces you may have read, yet promote a big look into the numbers that I have been bouncing around in my head for months.
BY Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports on Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The debate for whether or not Jack Morris belongs in the Baseball Hall Of Fame has heated up to an ALL-Time high with the big vote going down in Jan of 2014 for the final time.
575 members of BBWAA fraternity will decide whether or not the big man from Minnesota will enter one of the hardest Hall Of Fame’s to enter in pro sports (if not the hardest).
Morris will need a 75% (432 Minimum Votes) of them to write down his name on their ballot for enshrinement into Cooperstown.
Last year, Morris received 67.7 % of the writers votes in his 14th year of eligibility. He will have his name on a 14th ballot this year.
He has been trending up in recent years, so if he can improve in 2014, with the same amount of 2011-2012 jump of (+13.2%), then he will make it in.
If he fails to reach the Hall this year, it would be his last year of eligibility for the BBWAA Vote.
He could still make it via the Veterans Committee after that. But that could take some significant time.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.29th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Photo: Gene J. Puskar – AP
Yovani Gallardo kept the Pirates out of first place with 7 shutout innings, getting the 4-0 win for the Brewers.
Daniel Murphy went 4-5 with a pair of doubles, a run scored, 2 RBI and a stolen base, leading the Mets offense in a 11-3 mauling of the Phillies.
Jason Vargas continued the Angels winning ways in Tampa Bay by blanking the Rays over 7 innings of 3 hit shutout ball and getting the 2-0 decision .
Torii Hunter launched a 2 out, 3 run, come from behind, walk off homer that salvaged a game for the Tigers and avoided an Oakland sweep, 7-6.
They all owned baseball on August 29, 2013.
My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.
At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON
.
To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (July20th) – Updated Yearly “WOB” Standings
Hanley Ramirez went 3-5 including an RBI double in the 10th that gave the Dodgers the lead for good, topping the Nationals 3-1.
C. J. Wilson pitched shutout ball into the 9th inning, finishing with 8 1/3 innings, no runs and 8 strikeouts as the Angels defeated the A’s, 2-0.
One day after being benched for not hustling, Alex Rios went 3-5 with 5 RBI including a grand slam off of Paul Maholm, leading the White Sox to a 10-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Gio Gonzalez struck out 11 in 6 shutout innings against the Dodgers. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in what was a scoreless tie and did not get the decision in Washington’s 3-1 loss to L.A.
They all owned baseball on July 20th, 2013.
My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.
At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.
To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry
The Baseball Struggles of Tall/Heavy Players After 30: Is Prince Next?
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, Apr.12/2013
Prince Fielder will turn 29 in May. Throughout my studies of some extremely tall – or heavy playera, the time of deterioration in ones ability seems to seep in about the 34 Year Old Age range. In my opinion, the club should move to trade Victor Martinez and shift Fielder over to the DH position ASAP, so they can preserve his body for the next 8 years of his contract. He will be 37 when his big deal ends. Fielder has a Career 3 Slash Line of .287/.393/.931. The second generation Fielder, has clubbed 262 HRs and added 774 RBI in 1168 Games Played. Will he suffer the same fate as the others in this article (including his dad) – or will he buck the trend?
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I am still astounded when I see that Prince Fielder has not been turned into a Full – Time DH – and can still man the position of First Base. The Tigers were lucky enough to sign him last year.
So when should the club decide to take the glove out of Fielder’s hand?
Victor Martinez is there at the Designated Hitter position now, however they should convert Prince Fielder to DH the second V-Mart vacates the club after the 2014 season.
When I thought about this a little more I realized that tall/heavy hitters really have a tough time keeping their productivity up once they are near the second half of their career. It is really not that hard to figure out.
A player that is taller also carries a larger Strike Zone, where the overweight players will only lose any speed they had as their career starts winding down.
For this particular article, I choose 4 players to study this exact scenario. Those players are: Richie Sexson, Tony Clark, Mo Vaughn and Cecil Fielder.
Prince Fielder wins the 2012 HR Derby:
A Tribute To Milwaukee Brewers Great Teddy Higuera
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday January 14th, 2013
Teddy Higuera finished 2nd In Rookie Of The Year Voting in 1985, with a 15-8 Season for Milwaukee. He then followed that up by placing 2nd and 6th in AL Cy Young Voting in 1986 and 1987 respectively.
By Ben Dobson ( Brewers Correspondent): Follow @brewerpride06
Teodoro Valenzuela Higuera (born November 9th, 1958 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico) was an All-Star Starting Pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers during the mid 80’s to early 90’s. Teodoro, better known as ‘Teddy”, began his career with the Brewers in 1983, when his contract was purchased from Indios de Ciudad of the Mexican League. Higuera spent a year in the Minor League’s before making his debut on April 23, 1985 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. In front of a massive crowd, (10,719 maybe not massive) Teddy produced the following line: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO.
Pretty solid start to his rookie campaign. Higuera lost his first two career starts to the Tigers and White Sox before picking up his first win on May 3 at the California Angels. The Lefty pitched a Complete Game allowing, only 4 hits – en route to a Shutout performance. Higuera then had an amazing 2nd half to his Rookie season, going 11-3 in July, August, September and October combined. The season was stellar enough to place him 2nd in Rookie of the Year Voting – just behind Ozzie Guillen. Taking a look at Higuera’s Year by Year Statistics – it makes one wonder why he was only considered for (1) AL MVP Award and how he only made (1) Career All-Star Game Appearance?
MLB Bloopers: Teddy Higuera Milks a Cow!
Jack Morris: It Is Time To Elect This Winner Into The Baseball Hall Of Fame!
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, January.08/2013
Jack Morris led the Major Leagues for Wins in the 80’s by posting a 162-119 Record (.577). He was a 5 Time ALL-Star and had 6 Top 10 Finishes for AL Cy Young. He also hurled 175 Complete Games. He won 20 Games 3 separate years, 16+ Wins in 10 Years and 15+ Wins in 12 of his 16 full years – and 18 seasons overall.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The debate for whether or not Jack Morris belongs in the Baseball Hall Of Fame has heated up to an ALL-Time high with the big vote going down tomorrow. 575 members of BBWAA fraternity will decide whether or not the big man from Minnesota will enter one of the hardest Hall Of Fame’s to enter in pro sports (if not the hardest). Morris will need a 75% (432 Minimum Votes) of them to write down his name on their ballot for enshrinement into Cooperstown. Last year, Morris received 66.7 % of the writers votes in his 13th year of eligibility. He will have his name on a 14th ballot this year. He has been trending up in recent years, so if he can improve with the same amount of 2011-2012 jump of (+13.2%), then he will make it in. If he fails to reach the Hall this year, 2014 would be his last year of eligibility for the BBWAA Vote. He could still make it via the Veterans Committee after that.
Jack Morris was a winner, a true throwback pitcher who came after hitters with reckless abandon. He pitched based on what the score was – and had no personal regard for his own personal statistics. It is this very reason why the debate has hit epic proportions on social media hubs, amongst bloggers, former players, analysts, broadcaster and statisticians. I intend to prove the case for the guy in a manner that will have some similarities to other pieces you may have read, yet promote a big look into the numbers that I have been bouncing around in my head for months. I even have had a #JackMorrisAwarenessWeek on Twitter and have been having feuds with people on the other side who don’t think he belongs in Cooperstown- while I have been Retweeted by his biggest supporters. Let the battle lines be drawn!
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