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Who Owned Baseball May 29, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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Photo: Jim Mone, AP

Carlos Beltran reached base 5 times, including a homer and 3 RBI as the Astros staged a wild 16-8 comeback in Minnesota.

Carlos Carrasco struck out 7 A’s in 7 innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs to earn the 5-3 decision for the Indians.

Ryan Zimmerman went 3 for 4 with a homer, scoring twice, in Washington’s bitter 3-0 victory in San Francisco.

Tanner Roark threw 7 shutout innings to lead the Nationals past San Francisco, 3-0.

They all owned baseball on May 29, 2017

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.

Odds To Win The 2017 MLB World Series:

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Last time we did these odds we talked more about why clubs should be wagered on, and now I will explain how we listed our top 5 bad value bets.

The New York Yankees head the category for this one.  There is no rhyme or reason this club should be parallel with their crosstown rivals the Mets – and ahead of the Cardinals, Rangers or Mariners for their odd.

Quite simply, the club is not as good as those other squads right now.  The direction of the organization to the youth movement may change that scenario in the near future – however can you really bank on any of their Starting Pitchers in a playoff series?

Also if you have the Blue Jays and Red Sox already ahead of you on the list, a lot of other 2nd place clubs in each of the other Divisions may hav a better leg up on you to snare the 2nd Wild Card Spot.

I like the Detroit Tigers as more of a chance to make the playoffs the Bronx Bombers in 2017. I will say that if they are in contention, that the money is always there to  acquire guys midway through the year (hopefully all on expiring contracts.) Read the rest of this entry

Extra Base Hits (The Underrated Baseball Statistic): Active Top 10 MLB Leaders

(1) Albert Pujols, LAA – (37, 16)  – 1209

(2) Adrian Beltre, TEX – (38, 19) – 1072

(3) Carlos Beltran, HOU – (40, 19) – 1035

(4) Miguel Cabrera, DET – (34, 14) – 986

(5) Robinson Cano, SEA – (34, 12) – 790

(6) Matt Holliday, NYY – (37, 13) – 775

(7) Adrian Gonzalez, LAD – (35, 13) – 735

(8) Chase Utley, Free Agent – 38, 14) – 684

(9) Ryan Howard, Free Agent -(37, 13) – 680

(10) Curtis Granderson, NYM (36, 13) – 665 Read the rest of this entry

MLB Teams Taking A Powder In 2017 So Far

Some MLB Teams have had a tough winter so far, and we take a look at why this is. We understand that not all clubs have to be in win mode, and some mabe rebuilding, however the process and mindset is what we are questioning here

Some MLB Teams have had a tough winter so far, and we take a look at why this is. We understand that not all clubs have to be in win mode, and some maybe rebuilding, however the process and mindset is what we are questioning here.  For a team that is not going all in and should be based on their limited window of winning opportunity, we also call them to the carpet.  Stop taking a powder in 2017 and give your head a shake!

MLB Teams Taking A Powder In 2017 So Far

There are certain clubs who have done a nice job improving their clubs year over year, some that have done nicely in maintaining, well, and there are teams that are not looking so hot in 2017.

Let me also qualify this in saying that the Toronto Blue Jays are dangerously close to falling into this pegging themselves.  You guys can’t seriously think that you can enter into the 2017 campaign with the Outfield trio of Melvin Upton Jr., Kevin Pillar and Ezequiel Carrera can you?

Give Jose Bautista a 1 Year Deal worth $15 MIL – with a 2nd year Team Option of $19.4 MIL – or a Buyout Clause of $2.2 MIL  The Player could also opt out if he wants to after 2017.  You may risk losing a Draft Pick at all with the way this is going Toronto.

With the 1st ED pick attached to Joey Bats. and the looming future QO’s never receiving as much again,  how could a team justify losing that high of Amateur Draft Selection for an aging 36 year old slugger.

Here is the thing though Blue Jays brass:  You need him..Both at the turnstiles and in the lineup.  He doesn’t cost you anything but money – and the guy still carried out a .815 OPS despite a rough down year.

With a chip on his shoulder, I think he will bounce back big time.  You can defensive replace him every night if you wish, or use Kendrys Morales at First, and let Justin Smoak ride pine for some DH AB to open up for Bautista.

Losing Edwin Encarnacion, Bautista and Michael Saunders is not made up by Morales and Steve Pearce fellas!  You drew 3.4 Million Fans in 2016.  Toronto will keep the faith if you bring back #19 for one more year. Read the rest of this entry

Bold Predictions For The MLB In 2017

a bold predictions

Every year we do an article called “Bold Predictions”.  I love this concept as most of these ideas are so preposterous that none of them will actually happen.  I liken it to the “Riverboat Gambler Theory” where you can really get rich quick if it were to come to fruition.

There may not be too many secrets in the National League where the clubs seems to be either really good or really bad.  The American League has a lot more parity.

I suppose I could start off by saying that the NL would win the Interleague series versus the AL, but that it is probably not going to happen based on a 13 year losing streak.

Giancarlo Stanton will crack 50+ HRs

Jose Bautista will not be signed until after the June 2017 draft.

A Right Handed Pitcher will start a game for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Read the rest of this entry

MLB Power Rankings: Early Predictions For 2017

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The week wasn’t really putting forth any big news until Edwin Encarnacion signed with the Indians a few days ago.  This changed the landscape of the favorite in the American League.

Other deals included the Phillies acquiring Clay Buchholz, the Pirates inking Ivan Nova to the a 3 Year Deal, the Angels bringing in Ben Revere, and the Tigers dotting the line with Alex Avila on a contract to be the backup Catcher in Motown.

I added a few wins to Cleveland’s win total, and added a few losses to the AL Central.

For the confidence I have in the Pirates making a new baseball deal for Major League ready talent in Andrew McCutchen, I also boosted the Bucs for a few more W’s on the season prediction, and tacked on a few more losses for the Reds, Cubs and Brewers. Read the rest of this entry

Early 2017 MLB Team Win Projections

Having a great offsesson despite David Ortiz retiring. Are the deepest all around team in the American League, with the greatest collection of veterans and young players

Having a great offsesson despite David Ortiz retiring. Are the deepest all around team in the American League, with the greatest collection of veterans and young players.  The biggest other move in the Division so far was the Yankees signing Aroldis Chapman, and that may just help the Bombers stay above .500 – and have a chance to compete.

Following the recent Winter Meetings, the new CBA being signed. and then the subsequent few weeks after, the projections are win totals based on the teams if over/unders were to be placed.

From the onset. the Boston Red Sox are the clear favorite in the AL East – with adding Chris Sale, Mitch Moreland, Tyler Thornburg to their ALL – Star cast, while David Ortiz (retired), Travis Shaw (traded) Koji Uehara (Signed with the Cubs), Brad Ziegler (Free Agent) are off the postseason roster that lost to the Tribe.

The players going back to the White Sox were not from the Major League Roster for the most part.

With the Jays having Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Michael Saunders. R. A. Dickey, Brett Cecil off the 25 man roster, to replacing with Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce for the most part as main transactions. this is a far cry from an even trade.  However the club will still likely make some more moves.

Cleveland stands to benefit for the rest of the division all seeming to rebuild. but the Tigers have only dealt Cameron Maybin away – so they are sitting on the cusp of challenging for the AL Central again.  Detroit may want to explore going for it one more year based on what the Royals have done, and the fact the White Sox and Twins might be the worst clubs in the Junior Circuit.

Houston has been super progressive with signing Josh Reddick and Carlos Beltran as Free Agents, while also flipping for Brian McCann.  This was a squad that started 7 – 17,before reeling off a nice 77 – 62 mark down the stretch to fall just short of the playoff bar.

Seattle is also positioning themselves upward just by how bad the Rangers have fared this winter.  Not only that, but they added strength to their worst 2 weaknesses in adding Jean Segura at SS. and Carlos Ruiz as a viable backup Catcher. Read the rest of this entry

The 19 Most Powerful MLB Hitters Who Didn’t Hit 30 Homers in 2016

One of the biggest displays of power on a baseball field includes a hitter stepping into the batter’s box and mashing a pitch over the outfield wall. A lot of fans enjoy watching home runs more than anything, and posting a gaudy number in that department can help a player land a huge pay day.

But in today’s game, we all know there are more ways to value a player’s power than by simply seeing how many homers they’ve hit in a given season or career. We displayed that in a recent article when talking about New York Yankees rookie sensation, Gary Sanchez.

FanGraphs’ Isolated Power (ISO) metric is one of my favorite advanced stats because it shows a player’s raw power. Those who posted 30-plus homers dominate the 2016 ISO leaderboard, but the presence of a few players got me thinking…

Which hitters had the highest ISO without reaching the 30-homer plateau? FanGraphs says an “excellent” ISO is .250, while a “great” one is .200 or above.

So, I sifted through the leaderboard for all the qualified hitters with at least a .200 ISO to see which ones were the most powerful from this past season.

Here is that list. The bolded and italicized numbers indicate they led this group in that particular category. Below the table, I provide one takeaway for each player.

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Texas Rangers State Of The Union For 2017: Jon Daniels Must Counter To Houston/Seattle’s Early Moves

The Texas Rangers won an American League best 95 games last season - to win their 2nd AL west Division. and to make the playoffs for the 5th time since 2010. The winter has not gotten off to a good start, as they have watched the Astros and Mariners all add depth to their teams - while Texas has lost players from their year end roster. The team has to get involved right now to change the course of this offseason. The time to win is now with Yu Darvish and Jonathon Lucroy in walk contract years - while their ALL - Star Veterans like Cole Hamels and Adrian Beltre become another year older.

The Texas Rangers won an American League best 95 games last season – to win their 2nd AL west Division. and to make the playoffs for the 5th time since 2010. The winter has not gotten off to a good start, as they have watched the Astros and Mariners all add depth to their teams – while Texas has lost players from their own year end roster. The team has to get involved right now to change the course of this offseason. The time to win is now with Yu Darvish and Jonathon Lucroy in walk contract years – while their ALL – Star Veterans like Cole Hamels and Adrian Beltre become another year older.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

The Rangers have been one of the better teams in the MLB since the 2010 season.  Back to Back AL Pennants, and now back to back AL West Division wins have seen them reach the playoff 5 times out of the last 7 campaigns.

For those who like pitching – the franchise has 2 number one aces for at least one more year in Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels.

Simply put, the development of all of their Draft Picks, domestically or international, coupled with the management’s keen eye for talent, have the club still in the conversation for another few years.

Here is the thing though….The Astros and Mariners have been the two busiest clubs in acquiring talent thus far in the winter.  Both of these teams have closed or narrowed the gap on Texas already,

Houston has signed Free Agents Josh Reddick and Carlos Beltran – with also dealing for Brian McCann.  This will not affect their 2017 squad as both didn’t require anybody from the Major League Roster to get it done.

Seattle has not made as big of a splash like Houston, but has shored up some depth, and have nicely added Jean Segura (who was an ALL – Star and top 15 NL MVP in 2016 – without losing anything of note.)

Texas has signed Andrew Cashner and lost Beltran for sure…yikes.. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2017 World Series: Nats/Giants/Astros Great Value – Bounce On KC/NYY

For a second straight week we love the Nationals with the best odd value of the week. They have some financial flexibility to bring in a few more ALL - Star Caliber players and also possess the prospects in order to get it done. If you believe (like I do)

For a second straight week we love the Nationals with the best odd value of the week. They have some financial flexibility to bring in a few more ALL – Star Caliber players and also possess the prospects in order to get it done. If you believe (like I do) that the Nats are serious about trading for guys like Andrew McCutchen and Chris Sale, than it is imperative you get this club at their odd this week.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

The Nationals are really making noise about trying to land Andrew McCutchen and Chris Sale.  Even if they don’t fulfill the need, I still think they will add more depth via trade for another good Starting Pitcher and also add an impressive CF, and reliever.

We shall wait and see whether or not that could be the likes of Dexter Fowler or a reunion with Ian Desmond to play CF, Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen to be added to for late inning work.  At +1200 the Nats are full value for the best odd of the week.

The NL East may be easier to win than the NL West and NL Central if you think the way that most good handicappers are right now.  The Mets are dreaming if they think they can contend with 3 Infield Starters with bad backs, and a declining metrics Shortstop, added to not a true CF, and a horrible Catcher offensive situation.

I am trying not to bag on the Mets too much here, as I think they could still rally to win 85 – 90 wins again next year based on the strength of the rest of the Division, it is just the health concerns that would frighten me to pieces. Read the rest of this entry

New York Yankees State Of The Union For 2017: Stemming The Tide For Upcoming Seasons

The Yankees shocked the baseball world by contending for the last 2 months after dealing away Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran at the Deadline. With a the young '"Baby Bombers" on the way, tt will take a few good veterans to compliment the talent in order for the Yankees to become extremely dangerous once again. It all starts with the GM Brian Cashman.

The Yankees shocked the baseball world by contending for the last 2 months in 2016 after dealing away Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran at the Deadline. With a the young ‘”Baby Bombers” on the way, tt will take a few good veterans to compliment the talent in order for the Yankees to become extremely dangerous once again. It all starts with the GM Brian Cashman.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter 

I will be the first one to give credit to Brian Cashman for arranging the July Trade Deadline deal moves to free up a rebuild on the fly.  The Yankees rewarded their longterm GM by continuing their season streak of over .500 to 22 years.

The management has also been fortunate that Gary Sanchez fared so incredibly well – so they could sell Brian McCann to the Astros, and effectively free up another $10 MIL into their couch cushions.

As it sits right now the clubs projected roster is looking to be in the $167 MIL range for total team salary.  Unfortunately they are still on the hook to CC Sabathia for $25 MIL and Alex Rodriguez for $21 MIL in 2017. even though latter is not even on the roster anymore.

So what do the Yanks do this winter?  They are perennial abusers of the Salary Tax Threshold, and have been paying 50% of their dollars spent beyond the limit for the last several years. 

With the news of talks proceeding on that number potentially reaching $200 MIL or under the new CBA, the Pinstripers should definitely dole out some bread for Free Agents this offseason.

I would say that for the Bronx Bombers to be competitive for the AL East, they need to add at least $50 MIL in players salaries this winter in order to fight the Jays and Red Sox for the Division.

Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2017 World Series:

The Nationals feature 3 potential MVPs and 2 Cy Young Pitchers as their top talent - while the rest of the Division struggles with overcoming roster hauls, rebuilding and tragedy. The Cubs are the expected overwhelming favorite, however they don't pay nearly enough, and nothing is ever certain in the playoffs. Give me the Nats as the best on the board currently.

The Nationals feature 3 potential MVPs and 2 Cy Young Pitchers as their top talent – while the rest of the Division struggles with overcoming roster hauls, rebuilding and tragedy. The Cubs are the expected overwhelming favorite, however they don’t pay nearly enough, and nothing is ever certain in the playoffs. Give me the Nats as the best on the board currently.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

If you bet with your mind and not your heart in the last 12 months, than you would have lost on the World Series predictions.  I prognosticated in my yearly preseason bets that I thought the Cubs would win the Fall Classic, but profusely hated the odds of +500 to begin the campaign.

I still fully capitalized on my preseason wager of picking the Dodgers at +1500 for $50, along with the Mets and Nationals at +1100 for $50 a piece as well. 

That, coupled with my Baltimore Orioles AL pick to win the AL Pennant at 28/1 Odds served to put me into a position to hedge several bets in the playoffs to turn a nice profit.  Later in the week we will delve into the websites entire wagers for the whole calendar season.

The reigning champions are also extreme favorites again heading into 2017 – at a +280 clip.  I may pick them to win another World Series again in my actual predictions, however those are still horrible odds to throw some cabbage down on.

Read the rest of this entry

Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 8/15/16

P- Drew Smyly (vs. San Diego Padres): $9,000. The slate for pitchers is very weak for Monday. With that said, I’ve decided to go cheap on pitching and hope for the best. Smyly has been very good recently. He has thrown four straight quality starts, with a 2-0 record, and a 2.52 ERA. Over the last seven days, the Padres have a .669 OPS, which ranks 27th in Major League Baseball.

P- Bartolo Colon (vs. Arizona Diamondbacks): $6,800. This play doesn’t excite me, but hopefully Colon can repeat his performance from Wednesday. In his last start, he faced the Diamondbacks, and he did quite well. Over seven innings of work, he gave up one run, and struck out eight batters. At only $6,800, he provides the rest of the lineup with a great amount of cash.

 

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Texas Rangers Acquire Carlos Beltran From The New York Yankees

The Rangers have been great all year, but they just got even better. It has been reported that they have acquired Carlos Beltran from the New York Yankees. Beltran will be an impact bat in the Rangers lineup for the rest of 2016. The Rangers will send Dillon Tate to the Yankees, which is another huge addition to the Yankees system. Lets jump into the analysis of this deal.

 

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Who Owned Baseball July 31, 2016 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES

Neil Walker was a double shy of the cycle, driving in 4 runs and scoring 2 more to give the Mets a much needed 6-4 victory over Colorado.

Carl Edwards Jr. came out of the bullpen, struck out 5 of the 6 batters he faced and stopped the bleeding as the Cubs fell into a deep early hole against Seattle. He did not fare in the decision, but his relief help set up Chicago’s comeback and their walk off 7-6 win in the 12th.

Miguel Cabrera went 3 for 4 with 2 homers, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI to help the Tigers finish the sweep of Houston, 11-0.

Corey Kluber threw 7 shutout innings, striking out 7 A’s and allowing just 5 hits as the Indians won again, 8-0.

They All Owned Baseball on July 31, 2016.

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.

In Memoriam Video For all baseball family who have passed since 2015 ASG.

Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 7/26/16

P- Felix Hernandez (vs. Pittsburgh Pirates): $8,600. The Pirates offense has struggled over the last seven days. In that time span they are batting .237, with a .297 OBP, and a .678 OPS. In 109 career at bats against Felix, the Pirates offense is batting .165, with a .229 OBP, .249 slugging percentage, and 35 strikeouts. He is coming off an injury and a rough first start, but his career numbers against the Pirates makes me very confident in this pick.

 

P- Ervin Santana (vs. Atlanta Braves): $7,800. In 139 career at bats against Santana, the Braves’ lineup is batting .223, with .251 OBP, .454 slugging percentage, and 28 strikeouts. Santana has been on a great hot streak recently. Over his last six starts, he owns a 2-1 record, and a 2.03 ERA.

 

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 7/23/16

P- Max Scherzer (vs. San Diego Padres): $13,100. In 112 career at bats against Scherzer, the Padres’ lineup is batting .134, with four RBIs, and a .190 OBP. Over his last nine starts, Scherzer owns a 1.61 ERA, with 81 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 61.1 innings pitched. Needless to say, he is a great start on Saturday.

P- Kendall Graveman (vs. Tampa Bay Rays): $7,900. Over his last seven starts, Graveman owns a 4-0 record, with a 2.64 ERA. While he hasn’t faced the Rays’ lineup very much throughout his career, he has shown some success by holding them to a .213 batting average and a .368 slugging percentage.

 

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Who Owned Baseball June 27, 2016 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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JOE ROBBINS/GETTY IMAGES

Kris Bryant went 5 for 5 with 3 homers, driving in 6 and scoring 4 to lead the Cubs in a wild 11-8 slugfest in Cincinnati.

Jon Gray struck out 8 Blue Jays over 7 innings, walking none and worked around a pair of homers to get the 9-5 victory for Colorado.

Nick Franklin singled, doubled and homered, driving in 5 runs as the Rays snapped their losing streak, 13-7 over Boston.

Danny Duffy pitched 8 innings, allowing 2 runs, walking none and struck out 8 Cardinals batters to earn the 6-2 decision for the Royals.

They all owned baseball on June 27, 2016.

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.

Who Owned Baseball June 26, 2016 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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RICH SCHULTZ/GETTY IMAGES

Tyler Duffey did not allow a hit until the 6th and finished with 8 innings, 2 hits, 8 strikeouts and 1 run as the Twins clobbered the Yankees, 7-1.

Jose Fernandez struck out 13 Cubs and allowed just 4 hits and 1 run to earn the 6-1 decision for the red hot Marlins.

Lonnie Chisenhall collected 9 total bases with his 4 hits, including a homer and 3 RBI as the Indians continued to roll, 9-3, in Detroit.

Freddie Freeman reached base 4 times, including a homer and a pair of runs scored in the Braves 5-2 victory over the Mets.

They all owned baseball on June 26, 2016.

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.

Who Owned Baseball May 20, 2016 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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MICHAEL PEREZ/AP

 

Freddie Freeman homered twice, driving in 4, to help the Braves cruise past Philadelphia, 7-1.

Jake Arrieta struck out 8 Giants over 7 strong innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 run as the Cubs rolled to an 8-1 final.

Carlos Beltran hit three doubles, driving in three and led the Yankees to an 8-3 victory in Oakland.

Colby Lewis threw 7 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits to earn the 2-1 decision for the Rangers over Houston.

They all owned baseball on May 20, 2016.

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.

Stephen Strasburg Ties Felix Hernandez For 17th On The MLB’s ALL – Time Top 50 Contract List With Extension

 Ed Zurga/Getty Images North America

Ed Zurga/Getty Images North America

Chuck Booth (MLB Reports Majority Owner/Lead  Analyst)

Stephen Strasburg shocked he baseball world the other day – by inking a 7 year extension worth from $175 – $180 MIL.  It ties him for 17th All – Time with Felix Hernandez to start with, but he can earn an additional $7 MIL with $1 MIL per year bonuses for reaching 180 IP.

The deal pays him $15 MIL annually from 2016 – 2023, and then the deferrals kick in from 2023 – 2030, in 7 installments of $10 MIL each.

Some will say his deal is worth more like $162 MIL in present day dollars, however we do not operate our top 50 contracts list like that.  The deal is guaranteed at $175 MIL for now, and we will change it if bonuses are hit.

With this contract, the Nats have 4 current players that are on this ALL – Time List with Scherzer (10th), Strasburg (T 17th), Zimmerman (37th) and Werth (Tied 44th).

This signing is a great move to open a 3 year window for Washington, as they also have Bryce Harper under team control until after the 2018 season, however it also may seal the fate the of the young reigning NL MVP to move elsewhere for 2019.

Werth’s contract does end at the end of the 2017 year. but Zimmerman is still on the books until at least 2020.

It will be tough to come up with the dough necessary to drop a 11 – 13 years contract worth $35 – 40 MIL per annum when it comes to Harper.

Even with Scherzer’s and Strasburg’s deals both containing a ton of deferred money- all of them will still run simultaneously to Harper’s deal – even if they are not on the roster each after the 2023 season.

I think you couldn’t risk trying to outbid everyone for Harper’s services, yet to pay Strasburg market value makes sense.

This club could even save some payroll by trading Gio Gonzalez, as they have Joe Ross and Tanner Roark starting in the rotation for depth, and Lucas Giolito has not started his time service clock. Read the rest of this entry

MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 4 – April

One is the #1 club in the whole MLB right now, and the other was the biggest mover and shaker of the week for week 3 of MLB action.

One is the #1 club in the whole MLB right now, and the other was the biggest mover and shaker of the week for week 3 of MLB action.  Both are leading the Central Divisions in their respective leagues behind awesome starting pitching and timely power.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

Follow The MLBreports On Twitter

Disclaimer:  We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series.  Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.

Game Records were before the results of the ESPN Sunday Night Game was played.

After a crazy week in which we saw our 1st no hitter, and massive long 16 inning game in Washington, we have for you the MLB Power Rankings.

There was no movement from the top 3 clubs.  The NL West saw the Dodgers take a decent lead on the Giants – and that is major critical, as that is the team most likely to give them trouble in their quest for a 4th straight Division crown.

Bryce Harper has pulverized the Phillies, Marlins, Braves and Twins thus far.  His late inning heroics are taking him to the next level.

The biggest mover and shaker this week was the White Sox, who climbed up 7 slots.  The Giants dropping 8 positions was the biggest decline.

Bad weeks were had by the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees and Astros.  All clubs in the AL who are supposed to contend for a playoff slot.

The Mariners won their 3rd straight road series against the Angels (after beating the Yankees and Tribe 1s), and sit just a half game back in the AL West.

Oakland had started 7 – 0 on the road, before yielding 15 runs over the last 2 losses to the Blue Jays.  They are tied with the Rangers for the lead in the Division, but it is just a matter of time before they are bounced out in my opinion.

Cleveland had a nice week of 4 – 2 to jump up 5 spots in the rankings. and are that much closer to bringing back Michael Brantley.

Gaining only one spot but having an awesome week were the New York Mets.  All the boys are hitting now, and they are 8 – 2 in their last 10 contests. Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball April 16, 2016 (Daily MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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DENIS POROY/GETTY IMAGES

Melvin Upton Jr. got three hits, including a walk off 2 run homer that ended a 14 inning marathon for the Padres over Arizona, 5-3.

Trevor Plouffe went 3 for 4 with a homer and a pair of RBI as the Twins scored late to beat the Angels, 6-4.

Jake Arrieta dominated the Rockies with 8 shutout 5 hit games and 8 strike outs and got the 6-2 decision for the Cubs.

David Price threw 7 innings, 2 runs and recorded 9 strikeouts t0 help the Red Sox beat Toronto 4-2.

They all owned baseball on April 16, 2016.

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.

MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 1 – April

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter 

Disclaimer:  We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series.  Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.

Team – Rank (W – L Record) (Last week ranking in parenthesis)

(1) Chicago Cubs  (5 – 1)  (1):  The Cubs weathered the loss of their slugging OF Kyle Schwarber this week – by taking 5 of the 1st 6 games played, and all on the road.  After these 6 contests – the squad is outscoring their opponents 42 – 15.

Love the idea of setting the table with Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist 1-2-3 prior to the boppers coming after in Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant.

Having the 2015 NL ROY may help Rizzo win the NL MVP this season.  He had 10 RBI this week – including a 6 RBI effort.

Jake Arrieta is already 2 – 0, and this team shows no signs of slowing down.

(2)  KC Royals  (4 – 1) (2):  This club just knows how to win with the dominant Bullpen and clutch hitting.  They have only yielded 11 runs thus far, and this team has not even hit huge strides on offense yet.

The AL Central is better in 2016 there is no question, however KC will be ready to take them on.  There may not be a more filthy Late Inning Reliever right now than Wade DavisEdinson Volquez has picked up right where he left off in 2015 as well. Read the rest of this entry

Yanks Get Blanked To Be Eliminated In MLB Shutout Survivor (With B Lineup) + MLB Run Scoring Survivor Update

I get that the Bronx Bombers will need to rest their veterans on certain days, but to not have Beltran and A-Rod in the lineup at the same time is not cool. Why not switch days they were not playing on Friday and Saturday. New York was blanked 4 - 0 by the Tigers and Zimmermann yesterday. Ackley made a critical error at First Base, and he and back up OF HIcks both went hitless

I get that the Bronx Bombers will need to rest their veterans on certain days, but to not have Beltran and A-Rod in the lineup at the same time is not cool. Why not switch days they were not playing on Friday and Saturday? New York was blanked 4 – 0 by the Tigers and Zimmermann yesterday. Dustin Ackley made a critical mental error at First Base, and he and back up OF Aaron Hicks both went hitless in the matchup.

Chuck Booth (Owner/Lead  Analyst) 

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The Yankees became the 4th club to be blanked this year yesterday afternoon in Detroit.  While some teams have not played their 4th games already. their placement could be higher than 27th. however this was to be expected.

I hate the fact they cashed it in as a fan.  Sitting Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran all in the same game – just four games into the schedule is pretty dumb.

I have no problem with the guys excusing A-Rod with a pass versus the tough right hander in Jordan Zimmermann, but really the club could have started Mark Teixeira at First Base and had Beltran as the DH.  Are they really that frail that they can’t even make it through half a week?

At worst, why not rotate who takes the contest off.  They better all be in the lineup today against Mike Pelfrey.

It is completely understandable for Joe Girardi to give the veterans the day off, no worries there, but to field a lineup that possessed Dustin Ackley and Aaron Hicks is ridiculous.  They should have just thrown CC Sabathia in this match if they were putting out the “B” lineup.

Regardless here –  the Yankees are gone from this competition.  At least they crossed off another variation in their MLB Runs Scoring Survivor. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2016 MLB World Series

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

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Answer me a question bet365.com?  The Dodgers were a +1500 odd when the start of Spring Training commenced, are without Corey Seager, Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal, Brett Anderson, Andre Ethier as of right now on the big roster, and you saw fit to move them to +1300.  Wrong.  They automatically go to a poor wager from a good one just weeks ago.

The Jays have also jumped from +1000 to +800 but since I have them and the Cubs winning their respective leagues. the odds are about where they should be.

Previously I had the Giants on the bad odd list, however with the recent rash of injuries to Los Angeles, and a horrible break for A.J. Pollock of the D’Backs, confidence is at an all time high for the Giants to take the NL West.

The Kansas City Royals have a lower win total on the year over/under than Cleveland. but have a +1300 odd to win the World Series.  Baffles me guys.

The Cardinals lose just one game and now are on par with the Pirates as the 10th best favorite to win.  Love the odds for both of these clubs.

Detroit was a good bet last month at +2500, but are now properly pegged, as are Cleveland.

With the Angels having such a thin roster it surprises me that they are sitting up with the Mariners for value, as opposed to being near the A’s,where they probably should be. Read the rest of this entry

NY Yankees Player Milestones In 2016: A-Rod, Teixeira, Beltran + CC

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

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There is no doubt about it that the Yankees are old.  However, they have some guys who are chasing down some historical numbers this season in Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran.

A-Rod is chasing down Babe Ruth next on the ALL – Time HR list with just trailing him 714 – 686.  If he can crack 28 jacks, he will tie the “Sultan of Swat” and with 29 he will surpass him.

If #13 manages just 23 HRs, he would become the ALL – Time American League HR champ, as Babe Ruth hit 708 of his 714 big fly’s in the Junior Circuit, before tallying 6 more with the Boston Braves.

Rodriguez is also chasing down many other categories like Hits, Runs, RBI, GP, XBH and Strikeouts.  Of course he already holds the record for Career Grandslams with 24.

If he can somehow reach the 30 HR barrier, it will be his 16th year of that many, and break a tie with Aaron for that honor.

A-Rod is just 60 Runs Scored behind Willie Mays. Read the rest of this entry

New York Yankees Payroll In 2016 + Contracts Going Forward

 

With almost $100 MIL tied up in contracts for Sabathia, A-Rod, Teixeira and a potential Tommy John Surgery candidate in Masahiro Tanaka, this New York squad is in some deep trouble for next season. Despite the recent playoff misses, and injury prone players brought in by Brian Cashman, the club saw fit to grant him a 3 year extension last month. It may take a small miracle for them to make a playoff spot next campaign..

With almost $100 MIL tied up in contracts for Sabathia, A-Rod, Teixeira and a potential Tommy John Surgery candidate in Masahiro Tanaka, this New York squad is in some deep trouble for this season if injuries occur.  It may take a small miracle for them to make a playoff spot next campaign again without spending some cash.

Chuck Booth (Owner/Lead  Analyst) 

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Brian Cashman can finally see some relief from some exorbitant contracts plaguing him from the last several years.

2016 sees the last year on deals for Aroldis Chapman,  C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Carlos BeltranAlex Rodriguez is still on the book for one more year after this.

Sabathia does have a Vesting Option for $25 MIL if salary guaranteed if he 1) does not end 2016 on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, 2) does not spend more than 45 days in 2016 on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury or 3) does not make more than six relief appearances in 2016 because of a left shoulder injury.

The Yankees can’t guarantee this will happen. Therefore the club must treat this contract as part of their deal for 2017 as well.  The Buyout would be $5 MIL.

Sabathia’s drinking aside, they are paying for the good years right now, and he is no better than a 5th Starter – and at 36 years of age with 3000+ IP logged for his career, there may be not much left in the tank. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2016 MLB World Series

The Cardinals continued their great play in the MLB since the turn of the milennium - with an MLB best 100 wins in 2015. The organization has transitioned to the next core of young nucleus, while still holding on to a couple of capable veterans. Considering they have plenty of depth, and lots of payroll flexibility coming forth, the franchise could orchestrate a blockbuster trade soon. St. Louis could always sign 1 - 2 Starters via Free Agency as well. As it stands right now, the club has a payroll of around $133 MIL In 2016 listed. They can afford to add about $15 - $17 more million without batting an eye.

The Cardinals continued their great play in the MLB since the turn of the millennium – with an MLB best 100 wins in 2015. The organization has transitioned to the next core of a young nucleus, while still holding on to a couple of capable veterans. Considering they have plenty of depth, and lots of payroll flexibility coming forth, the franchise could orchestrate a blockbuster trade soon.  While I would favor Chicago over them slightly for the NL Central, the RedBirds, Mets, Dodgers Tigers and Mariners have the best value, while the Angels, Giants, Padres, Red Sox and D’Backs have the worst on the board this week.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

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I was all set to pounce on my 1st American League bet for the Fall Classic in 2016 earlier this week – when the O’s were at +5000, and presumably bringing both Dexter Fowler and Yovani Gallardo into the stable. 

With Fowler opting back to Chicago, the odd also dropped to +4500 in the meantime (also following the Gallardo wait time for the physical fiasco), and the value is no longer there. 

Baltimore is a low 80 wins team in my view, and will not have enough for the postseason.  Fowler would have added a few W’s for sure.

Of course with the chaos that has ensued,  the Cubs have gone from +700 to +650 prohibitive best odd.  There is no doubt in my mind they should be the consensus favorite. 

One of these years the #1 seed will capitalize and win.  I am still not plunking down cabbage at that clip though.

If I were to do my year end picks right now, I would still have Chicago ending their World Series 108 seasons drought – but I can’t place them as twice the favorite as the St. Louis Cardinals.

Still not sold on the Cubs Bullpen either, and I think Jon Lester can be had in the postseason.  The Mets also line up favorably versus Chicago based on pitching matchups.  New York has the better odds to wager with.

I am currently writing a faceoff piece between the Cubbies and Cards that I will post over the weekend.  The difference is not a whopping 8 or 10 games like ‘FanGraphs’ and ‘PECOTA’ say.  St. Louis should still be in the mid 90’s for victories on the campaign.

I have them as one of my best bets again this week.

New York Yankees have been taken off the best odds list with their injury to Brett Gardner.  It is absolutely paramount that he and Jacoby Ellsbury set the table this campaign – and stay healthy. 

All of the incoming help with Starlin Castro, and internal improvement from Didi Gregorius will be for not.

Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltran and Alex Rodriguez also will not hit a combined 79 dongs this year like in 2015.  The club is also substantially thinner in the Starting Rotation. 

They are a 85 win club as presently constituted, which should have them in the race for a Wild Card, but it is not worth betting at the +1600 odd. Read the rest of this entry

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast Archives Apr.1, 2013 – Apr.30, 2013 (Episodes 160 – 189)

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Paul Francis Sullivan (please call him Sully) does a podcast 365 days a year – unless it is a leap year – then he will do another 1. He has done a show everyday since Oct.24/2012. This to date represents a streak of 1216 days consecutively!

Past the CLICK TO READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY are episodes 160 – 189 of the Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

We will also archive all of his podcasts to date (in coming weeks) so they are easily accessible for all his fans. Check out all his Archived info here.

Our website followers have grown larger each year for his podcast.

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To subscribe on iTunes, click HERE.

To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE. Read the rest of this entry