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Who Owned Baseball May 6, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.

 

Mike Trout had his third consecutive 3 hit game, reaching base 4 times altogether. homering, stealing a base and driving in 3 to push the Angels into first place alone with an 8-2 victory in Seattle.

Domingo German threw 6 no hit innings, striking out 9 Cleveland batters along the way in his first major league start. The Yankees bullpen would give up the no hitter and the lead, but New York staged a dramatic 9th inning comeback to walk off 7-4 winners.

Ian Desmond homered twice in the Rockies 3-2 win over the Mets.

Chad Kuhl allowed 1 hit and struck out 8 Brewers over 7 shutout innings as the Pirates rolled to a 9-0 laugher.

They all owned baseball on May 6, 2018

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 22, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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Eric Espada / Getty Images

Addison Russell went 4 for 5 with a homer and 2 RBI as the Cubs pounded Miami 11-1.

Carlos Gomez homered twice, added another hit and drove in an eye popping 5 runs to give the Rangers an 11-4 victory over Toronto.

Aaron Nola went 7 1/3 innings, striking out 8 Cardinals allowing 1 run and earning the 5-1 decision for Philadelphia.

Jose Quintana pitched shutout ball into the 7th, finishing with 6 2/3 scoreless frames and striking out 9 Twins as the White Sox rolled, 9-0.

They all owned baseball on June 22, 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.

Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each MLB Franchise (Updated For Carlos Gomez, April 29, 2017 )

carlosGomezCycle

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Third cycle of the year and it isn’t even May!

My oh my. I can’t update this list of most recent cycles fast enough! Are we really going to have 3 cycles a month? We are on that pace.

At least this one wasn’t in Coors. The second cycle in Carlos Gomez’s career put the Rangers over the top over the Angels.

But don’t get used to this list. There is bound to be another one soon!

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

THE MOST CYCLE HIT
FOR EACH FRANCHISE

rangers
TEXAS RANGERS
April 29, 2017 vs. Angels

 

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Washington Nationals
Trea Turner
April 25, 2017 vs. Colorado
San_Diego_Padres_logo.svg
SAN DIEGO PADRES
April 10, 2017 vs. Colorado
new-pittsburgh-pirates-logo


PITTSBURGH PIRATES
John Jaso
September 28, 2016 vs. Chicago Cubs

Indians_Logo
CLEVELAND INDIANS
Rajai Davis
July 2, 2016 vs. Toronto
atlanta-braves-logo
ATLANTA BRAVES
June 15, 2016 vs. Cincinnati
boston1
BOSTON RED SOX
June 16, 2015 vs. Atlanta
500px-colorado_rockies_logo
COLORADO ROCKIES
Michael Cuddyer
August 17,2014 vs. Cincinnati
9503_houston_astros-primary-2000
HOUSTON ASTROS
Brandon Barnes
July 19, 2013 vs. Seattle
KTnedKdqc
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Mike Trout
May 21, 2013 vs. Seattle
downloadARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Aaron Hill
June 29, 2012 vs. Milwaukee
NEW YORK METS
April 27, 2012 vs. Colorado
San_francisco_giants_alternate_logo
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
September 15, 2011 vs. Colorado
brewers
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
George Kottaras
September 3, 2011 vs. Houston
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TAMPA PAY RAYS
B. J. Upton
October 2, 2009 vs. New York Yankees

Baltimore_orioles_logo_2012_-_present

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Felix Pie
August 14, 2009 vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

300px-NewYorkYankees_PrimaryLogo.svg

NEW YORK YANKEES
Melky Cabrera.
August 2, 2009 vs Chicago White Sox

Minnesota-Twins-Logo
MINNESOTA TWINS
Michael Cuddyer
May 22, 2009 vs Milwaukee

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS
April 13, 2009 vs San Francisco
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SEATTLE MARINERS
Adrian Beltre.
September 1, 2009 vs. Texas
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OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Mark Ellis
June 4, 2007 vs. Boston
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DETROIT TIGERS
Carlos Guillen
August 1, 2006 vs Tampa Bay.
216px-St._Louis_Cardinals_Logo.svg
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Mark Grudzielanek
April 27, 2005 vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Phillies
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
David Bell
June 28, 2004 vs. Montreal
toronto-blue-jays-logo-300x300
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Jeff Frye
August 17, 2001 vs. Texas
white-sox-logo-white
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
April 27, 2000 vs. Baltimore
chicago-cubs-logo

CHICAGO CUBS
Mark Grace
May 9, 1993 vs San Diego

kansas-city-royals-logo

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
George Brett
June 24, 1990 vs. Toronto

20080614093925!NLC-CIN-Logo
CINCINNATI REDS
June 2, 1989 vs. San Diego Padres

BONUS –

Last Cycles Hit For Teams in Old Locations

MONTREAL EXPOS
Vladimir Guerrero
September 14, 2003 vs. New York Mets

WashingtonSenators6171

WASHINGTON SENATORS
Jim King
May 26, 1964 vs. Boston

nygiants1216

NEW YORK GIANTS
Don Mueller
July 11, 1954 vs. Pittsburgh

ATHLETICS79565hw71h4m5djk38h0
PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS
Elmer Valo
August 2, 1950 vs. Chicago White Sox

BROOKLYN
BROOKLYN DODGERS
Gil Hodges
June 25, 1949 vs. Pittsburgh

brownie1340

ST. LOUIS BROWNS
George McQuinn
July 19, 1941 vs. Boston Red Sox

DOVES7245

BOSTON DOVES
Bill Collins
October 6, 1910 vs. Philadelphia Phillies

With all these cycles in 2017, there MUST be one for the Marlins at SOME POINT!!!

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

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Ray Carlin – USA TODAY SPORTS

Carlos Gomez hit the first Rangers cycle since 2015, driving in 3 and scoring a pair to lead the Rangers past the Angels, 6-3.

Andrew Triggs threw 7 shutout innings, struck out 9 Astros and earned the 2-1 decision for the A’s.

Matt Kemp hit 3 homers and drove in 5 as the Braves clobbered the Brewers, 11-3.

Ivan Nova threw a stellar 3 hit complete game shutout, striking out 7 Marlins and securing the 3-0 Pittsburgh victory.

They all owned baseball on April 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.

Atlantis Casino Wagers For 2017 MLB Win Totals

over-under

The old adage here is ‘you want to know the truth, follow the money.

We have been talking projections for win totals in the upcoming MLB Year on a all offseason basis here at the MLB Reports. While we agreed a lot with the fangraphs.com prognostications, we had a problem with Baseball Prospectis’s PECOTA System yet again.

In the 1st total listed below are the official Win/Loss Over/Unders For All 30 MLB Clubs posted by Atlantis Casino.

We have to say that they pretty much mirrored what we have on the board for our projections.

Casino’s have a vested interest since it will cost them serious money if there are poor predictions.

In the last week, we have seen the Royals ink Travis Wood, but more importantly Alex Reyes was lost for the season by the Cardinals due to his upcoming Tommy John Surgery. Read the rest of this entry

The Texas Rangers’ Outfield Has a Ton of Questions With 2017 on the Horizon

If the general premise of this sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve talked about this before.

On the heels of the Texas Rangers returning to the playoffs in 2015, I noticed they had similar roster uncertainties in advance of 2016. All they did once Opening Day rolled around was win the American League West with ease by posting an AL-best 95-67 record.

While they proved to be masters of winning one-run games, having just a +10 run differential made some wonder if they’d be able to hang in the playoffs. And before there was an answer, they were packing up for the winter after getting swept by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

The 2017 season is fast approaching, and the AL West will be interesting to follow. After all, Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto won’t stop making trades and the Houston Astros are doing whatever they can to make Sports Illustrated look like a bunch of geniuses.

The Rangers still have some roster questions to answer ahead of Spring Training — like, is this Mike Napoli reunion happening or not? — but one area that’s set is the outfield.

Texas will go to battle with 21-year-old Nomar Mazara in left, Carlos Gomez in center and Shin-Soo Choo manning right. This looks good on paper, but it’s far from a sure thing judging from each player’s recent history.

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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

6 MLB Teams That Will Benefit The Most By The New CBA

The Toronto Blue Jays have had to contend with the overspending in the last 25 years by the Yankees and Red Sox

The Toronto Blue Jays have had to contend with the overspending in the last 25 years by the Yankees and Red Sox.  With stiffer penalties now imposed on the higher payroll clubs. coupled with their recent back to back ALCS Appearances, the franchise draws enough to spend more money on total team salary in the next few years.  It will come down to the management’s ability on player personnel that should determine their success for the next 5 years and not sheer finances.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

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Tomorrow we will point out the clubs that were hurt most in the short term.  today we talk  about the winners of the new deal.

I am calling the Nationals, Mariners, Astros, Jays, Cardinals and Giants the immediate victors under the new format.

When i was thinking about more the past two days, the new structure seems to favor mid level payroll teams more than the lower or higher payroll clubs.

With the new penalties for spending way more money than the Luxury Tax Threshold, the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Tigers are going to find that the impact will run pretty steep on their roster decisions for the next 5 years.

Being that that all of those franchises are still going to dole out the kind of money on player contracts they are, I am not calling them losers for the new CBA either. Read the rest of this entry

2016 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty League Trades Analysis

Following a 2nd place finish in 2015, this is the active roster I ended the year with:

C– Travis d’Arnaud

1B– Brandon Belt

2B– Robinson Cano

3B– Anthony Rendon

SS– Brandon Crawford

LF– Yoenis Cespedes

CF– David Peralta

RF– Bryce Harper

UTL– Daniel Murphy

Starting Pitchers– Madison Bumgarner, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Sonny Gray, Justin Verlander

Relief Pitchers– Ken Giles, Daniel Hudson, Jonathan Papelbon, David Robertson, Shawn Tolleson

Off. Bench– Robinson Chirinos, Justin Bour, Jonathan Schoop, Alex Rodriguez

P. Bench– Nick Martinez, Carlos Rodon, Arquimedes Caminero, Jenrry Mejia, Drew Pomeranz, Tom Koehler

Offensive Prospects– Chance Sisco, A.J. Reed, Kean Wong, Tim Anderson, Jorge Mateo, Eloy Jimenez, Manuel Margot, Bradley Zimmer, Brett Phillips

Pitching Prospects– Edwin Diaz, Anderson Espinoza, Michael Fulmer, Taylor Guerrieri, Pierce Johnson, Yoan Lopez, Francis Martes, Alex Reyes, Jack Flaherty, Casey Meisner, Luis Ortiz

 

While I did finish the season in 2nd, my roster needed some serious improvements. I had a lot of faith in my ability to scout prospects, so I figured it was time to unload some prospects for win-now talent and trust my ability to refill my minor league system with less publicized talent. You can see all of the trades I made in the offseason and during the 2016 season in order from oldest to most recent below (all trades made prior to the season are in bold and in season is in italics):

 

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Who Owned Baseball September 28, 2016 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

 

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Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

John Jaso hit the first ever cycle in the history of PNC Park, driving in 5 runs and helping the Pirates top the Division Champion Cubs, 8-4.

Carlos Gomez got on base 4 times, homering, driving in 3 as the Rangers came back to top Milwaukee, 8-5.

Tyler Chatwood threw 8 innings of dominating shutout ball, striking out 9 Giants and earning the 2-0 decision for Colorado.

Miguel Gonzalez pitched a shutout into the 9th, finishing with 8 1/3 innings, 3 hits and 5 Rays strikeouts as the White Sox shut them out, 1-0.

They all owned baseball on September 28, 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 September 26, 2016 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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Getty Images

Dee Gordon started an emotional game in Miami with a homer dedicated to his late friend Jose Fernandez. He would finish with 4 hits and a stolen base to inspire the Marlins past the Mets, 7-3.

Robinson Cano got 3 hits, including two homers. The second one put the Mariners up for good in the 4-3 extra inning victory in Houston.

Tim Adleman held the Cardinals to 2 runs over 7 strong innings, walking none as Cincinnati ran up the score, 15-2.

Andrew Miller struck out 4 Tigers in 1 2/3 innings and earned the 7-4 decision as the Indians clinched the AL Central.

They all owned baseball on September 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.

Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/29/16

P – Max Scherzer (vs. New York Mets): $13,500. Well, you can’t go wrong with this pick. First of all, the Mets offense has been TERRIBLE over the past seven days. They rank 28th in runs, last in slugging, 29th in OBP, and 15th in strikeouts. Second of all, Scherzer has dominated the Mets since joining the Nationals in 2015. In five starts against the Mets, he has a 2.00 ERA. His last start against the Mets, on May 17th, he threw 6.1 innings, giving up two runs, and he struck out 10.

P – Junior Guerra (vs. Los Angeles Dodgers): $7,400. Guerra has been pretty consistent this year. In 10 starts, he owns a 4-1 record, with a 3.67 ERA, 51 hits against, 53 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 61.1 innings pitched. He is facing a Dodgers’ offense that has struggled mightily over the past seven days. During those seven days, the Dodgers are ranked 26th in runs (26), last in OBP (.298), and 24th in slugging (.402).

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/26/16

P- Justin Verlander (vs. Cleveland Indians): $10,700. In 264 career at bats against Verlander, the Indians’ offense is batting .223, with 63 strikeouts, and a .306 OBP. He struggled against the Indians in his last start, but in the nine starts since, he is 6-2, with a 2.34 ERA.

 

P- Hector Santiago (vs. Oakland Athletics): $5,800. Santiago has been very solid over his last two starts. Oakland’s offense has really struggled over the past seven games. They are ranked 26th in runs scored, 25th in OBP, and 26th in slugging. They have also struggled against left-handed pitching all season, which points in Santiago’s favor as well.

 

To view the rest of the picks, please click the link below:

 

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/21/16

P- Jose Fernandez (vs. Atlanta Braves): $13,700. Fernandez has been lethal on the mound recently. In his last 10 games, he owns a 2.25 ERA, with 91 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. Jose will be facing one of the worst offenses in baseball, so this should be a great matchup for daily fantasy.

P- Sonny Gray (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $6,600. Gray pitched incredibly well in his last start until the sixth inning, which he surrendered five funs. In his two starts prior to his last starts (since returning from the DL), he gave up only three runs on 12.2 innings pitched. Over the last seven days, the Brewers’ offense ranks in the bottom third in runs, batting average, OBP, and slugging, so hopefully Gray can take advantage of this struggling offense in his home park.

 

To view the rest of the picks, click the link below:

 

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 6/17/16

P- Matt Harvey (vs. Atlanta Braves): $10,300. Harvey finally looks like he has turned it around. In his last three starts, he has only allowed two runs in 20 innings while striking out 17. He is facing a very bad Atlanta Brave offense, so he should continue his recent success. There are lots of other elite options for pitching today, but I think Harvey provides to most value at his price.

 

P- Julio Urias (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): $7,600. Milwaukee has struggled against left-handed pitching this year, so this is great for Urias. Urias struggled in his first few starts, but he has gotten better every start. He will be pitching in his home stadium, against a pretty bad lineup, so this should be a favorable matchup for Urias. Urias is currently sporting an 11.1 strikeout rate per nine innings pitched, which should net some good points on DraftKings.

 

To view the rest of the picks, click the link below:

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Why The Houston Astros Have The Brightest Future In Major League Baseball

Carlos Correa was the 1st overall pick in the 2012 Amateur Draft for the Houston Astros. He came up in early June and proceeded to win the American League Rookie Of The Year Award with a 3 Slash of .279/.345/.512 with 22 HRs (led all shortstops in the MLB) and 22 Doubles in just 99 Games. This type of production will change the complexion of the team for the next 6 years. He is just going to be 21 for all of next season - and he looks exactly like a young Alex Rodriguez. In his 1st postseason action, Correa smacked 2 HRs in that pivotal game 4 of the ALDS for Houston, staking them to a 6 - 2 lead before the Bullpen gave up the game.

Carlos Correa was the 1st overall pick in the 2012 Amateur Draft for the Houston Astros. He came up in early June and proceeded to win the American League Rookie Of The Year Award with a 3 Slash of .279/.345/.512 with 22 HRs (led all shortstops in the MLB) and 22 Doubles in just 99 Games. This type of production will change the complexion of the team for the next 6 years. He is just going to be 21 for all of next season – and he looks exactly like a young Alex Rodriguez. In his 1st postseason action, Correa smacked 2 HRs in that pivotal game 4 of the ALDS for Houston, staking them to a 6 – 2 lead before the Bullpen gave up the game.

Trey Rose (Featured Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com)  

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The Houston Astros had some very rough years from 2011 to 2013 (162-324 record).

While this was a tough time for the Major League Organization, their Minor League affiliates were thriving. Luckily for the Astros, a lot of their young talent has made their way through the minors and has finally landed in the big leagues.

This youth movement has helped the team drastically. Many baseball experts and fans didn’t predict the Astros to compete in 2015, but they proved them wrong.

In 2015, they made the playoffs for the first time since 2005. They accomplished this feat while having the 6th youngest roster in Major League Baseball (Average age of 26.7 years old).

If the Astros were this successful with a roster with so little Major League experience, then can you imagine what they will do once their talent matures throughout the next few seasons?

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Bold Predictions For The 2016 MLB Year

a bold predictions

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

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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 12 year losing streak. Read the rest of this entry

San Francisco Giants State Of The Union For 2016

With the club pretty much being set for players all around the Infield and Outfield, and now the Starting Staff, the Giants look poised to make another run at a World Series run for an even year this decade. 2016 will see several of its Bullpen members on the last year of their contracts.

With the club pretty much being set for players all around the Infield and Outfield, and now the Starting Staff, the Giants look poised to make another run at a World Series run for an even year this decade. 2016 will see several of its Bullpen members on the last year of their contracts.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part-Owner) 

Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter 

The only real need to upgrade could be at the Outfield level, with either a CF/LF.    Angel Pagan is also in the last year of his deal, so maybe signing a guy to man the position beyond this coming year would be an option.

The Starting Rotation will be a lot stronger in 2016 with the additions of Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija

You can say what you want about Cueto’s time in Kansas City not being as effective., but he has played most of his career in Cincinnati – and pitched extremely well at Great American Ball Park.

Funny enough his best years have also come in even years with finishing 4th in NL Cy Young Voting in 2012, and 2nd   in 2014, when he led the NL in Innings Pitched with 249.2 – and Strikeouts with 241 for the Reds.

Samardzija still has great stuff, and as a #3 Starter, you could see him bouncing back with a nice year in San Francisco. Read the rest of this entry

Houston Astros State Of The Union For 2016

The Houston Astros were the worst team in the Major Leagues from 2011 - 2013, where they topped the 100 Loss barrier for each of those seasons, underwent an ownership change, and also moved from the tough NL Central to the AL West. Last year the Astros finally turned the corner with the 2nd Wild Card Spot, won that game in New York and took the KC Royals to the brink of elimination before they lost. They are young, have a core nucleus of team controllable superstars and exceptional depth that they can use for upgrades. It is a great time to be a 'Stros fan.

The Houston Astros were the worst team in the Major Leagues from 2011 – 2013, where they topped the 100 Loss barrier for each of those seasons, underwent an ownership change, and also moved from the tough NL Central to the AL West. Last year the Astros finally turned the corner with the 2nd Wild Card Spot, won that game in New York and took the KC Royals to the brink of elimination before they lost. They are young, have a core nucleus of team controllable superstars and exceptional depth that they can use for upgrades. It is a great time to be a ‘Stros fan.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter 

The Houston Astros are set to contend for the foreseeable future.  A 6 year stretch in which they revamped their entire Minor League System – and kept payroll down to grab top Draft Picks finally reeled in the teams 1st playoff spot in a decade in 2016.

After taking a 6 – 2 lead in Game 4 of the ALDS series against the Royals with  2 – 1 lead the Bullpen coughed up the margin – with the club also losing the next game to the eventual World Series winner.

It was a tough lesson to learn in the postseason – but it may be the 1st of many appearances in October in the near future.

The #1 task of acquiring a lock down Closer has been addressed in the recent trade for Ken Giles.  Yes it cost them Brett Oberholtzer, former #1 overall Draft Pick Mark Appel, and a few other prospects, but it also sets up the nucleus core for 4 – 5 more years.

The clubs offense featured 11 guys with double digit Homers in the lineup, and 2 others that fell just a dinger shy of the clip. Read the rest of this entry

Chicago Cubs State Of The Union For 2016

I absolutely love the singing of Zobrist for the Cubs. He is a quality veteran Utility guy for this young versatile club. Zobrist at 35 may have been pricey at the four year deal work, but they were able to trade away Starlin Castro as a result. Zobrist was vital to the Royals postseason run - and is Joe Maddon's favorite all time player. His ability to switch all over the field will give guys like Schwarber, Baez, Soler and Russell all the availability to thrive with matchup maneuvers. The Cubs should not stop here though. They need to acquire a CF - and trade for a #3 starter at some point in the next 8 months.

I absolutely love the signing of Zobrist for the Cubs. He is a quality veteran Utility guy for this young versatile club. Zobrist at 35 may have been pricey at the four year deal work, but they were able to trade away Starlin Castro as a result. Zobrist was vital to the Royals 2015 World Series Playoff run – and is Joe Maddon’s favorite all time player. His ability to switch all over the field will give guys like Schwarber, Baez, Soler and Russell all the availability to thrive with matchup maneuvers. The Cubs should not stop here though. They need to acquire a CF – and trade for a #3 starter at some point in the next 8 months.

Chuck Booth (Owner/Lead  Analyst) 

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The Cubs finally threw their names in the ring on the Free Agent front this week by first signing ultra  Utility man Ben Zobrist to a 4 YR/$56 MIL -on the heels of  John Lackey to a 2 YR/$32 MIL deal.

The club also dealt Starlin Castro away for another team controllable pitcher in Adam Warren.  These are significant steps in the right direction to start their run at the 2016 NL Central Division Title,

2015 was a nice breakout season – and the furthest the team has gone in 12 years however this franchise needs to spend as much money and continue to pursue an end to their century plus World Series drought.

There is no question all other 29 clubs would trade their offensive rosters for the value the young Chicago NL squad is going to put forth the next 5 years. Read the rest of this entry

WHO OWNED BASEBALL – THE FINAL RESULTS FOR 2015

Slide1

The regular season is over. My daily tally for Who Owns Baseball is at an end. Every day I determine which player had the best individual day on a winning team to earn a full WOB and on a losing team for a 1/2 WOB.

These are final leaders in each categor for Who Owns Baseball

NATIONAL LEAGUE HITTER WHO OWNED BASEBALL

(AP Photo/Al Behrman)

(AP Photo/Al Behrman)

JOEY VOTTOCincinnati Reds

(Final Total – 7 1/2 WOB.)

Second Place (TIE):

Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks.
Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates.
(Final Total – 7 WOB.)

NATIONAL LEAGUE PITCHER WHO OWNED BASEBALL

Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Alex Brandon / Associated Press

CLAYTON KERSHAW – Los Angeles Dodgers

(Final Total – 13 1/2 WOB.)

Second Place:
Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs
(Final Total – 11 WOB)

Third Place
Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers
(Final Total – 9 1/2 WOB.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE HITTER WHO OWNED BASEBALL

Rob Carr - Getty Image Sports

Rob Carr – Getty Image Sports

MIKE TROUT – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

(Final Total – 10 1/2 WOB.)

Second Place:
Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
(Final Total – 6 1/2 WOB)

Third Place
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
(Final Total – 6 WOB.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE PITCHER WHO OWNED BASEBALL

Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle

DALLAS KEUCHEL – Houston Astros

(Final Total – 10  WOB.)

Second Place (TIE):

Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics.
Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox.
(Final Total – 7 WOB.)

THE WINNERS FROM PREVIOUS SEASONS:

2013

NL Batter: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

NL Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

AL Batter: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

AL Pitcher: (3 Way Tie) R. A. Dickey, Toronto Blue Jays
Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays
Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers

2013

NL Pitcher: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

NL Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

AL Batter: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

AL Pitcher:  Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

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Who Owned Baseball October 4, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

 

Brandon Wade - Getty Images

Brandon Wade – Getty Images

Cole Hamels settled down after a shaky first inning to throw a complete game, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs, striking out 8 and topped the Angels, 9-2 to clinch the AL West title for the Texas Rangers.

Chris Davis homered twice and reached base 4 times altogether, driving in 4 and helping the Orioles beat the Yankees, 9-4.

Shelby Miller finally recorded another win, throwing 8 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and 7 strikeouts, as Atlanta was victorious over St. Louis, 6-0.

A. J. Pollock went 3 for 5, homering and driving in a pair to have the Diamondbacks crush Houston’s hopes to host the Wild Card Game with a 5-3 final.

They all owned baseball on October 4, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

 

Rick Porcello allowed 2 earned runs and 1 unearned run over 7 innings but was saddled with the 3-1 Red Sox loss in Cleveland.

Jose Altuve went 3 for 5 with a triple and two runs scored. His Astros would fall just short to Arizona, 5-3.

Tanner Roark threw 6 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 walk. He would not factor into the decision as the Nationals lost to the Mets, 1-0.

Dee Gordon captured the NL Batting Title with a single, double and homer, scoring both Marlins runs along the way but Philadelphia won, 7-2.

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Who Owned Baseball October 3, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES

AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES

Max Scherzer threw his second no hitter of the season, walking none and striking out 17 Mets along the way for the 2-0 Washington final.

Corey Kluber struck out 9 over 8 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 walks and earning the 2-0 decision for the Indians over Boston.

Christian Yelich had a terrific double header. In all he went reached base nine times, going 5-5 in one game and 3 for 4 with a walk in the other, combining for 3 runs scored and 2 RBI as the Marlins beat the Phillies twice, 7-6 and 5-2.

Colby Rasmus homered twice and added a single to lead the Astros closer to a playoff spot, 6-2 over the Diamondbacks.

They all owned baseball on October 3, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

Noah Syndergaard allowed 2 hits and 1 run and 1 walk while striking out 10 Washington batters. But the Mets were no hit, 2-0.

Marco Estrada pitched into the 7th, finishing with 6 2/3 innings, striking out 9 while giving up 3 hits and walking none. He would get a no decision as the Blue Jays lost to Tampa Bay 4-3.

Paul Goldschmidt reached base 3 times and homered in the Diamondbacks 6-2 loss to the Astros.

Josh Hamilton‘s two homers off the Angels (on their dime) was almost the greatest middle finger in recent years. Unfortunately for him, the Angels made a dramatic rally in the 9th inning to put the Division Clinching on hold and beat the Rangers 11-10.

 

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Who Owned Baseball October 2, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

PAUL BEATY/AP

PAUL BEATY/AP

Chris Sale set the single season strikeout mark for a White Sox pitcher with 274, finishing the game with 7 whiffs in 7 innings, allowing 1 run and 5 hits in the 2-1 final over Detroit.

Carlos Correa kept Houston’s playoff hopes alive by leading a mind boggling offensive attack. He reached base 4 times, including a homer and a stolen base, scoring 4 and driving in 4 as the Astros obliterated the Diamondbacks 21-5.

Jake Arrieta finished his regular season with another shutout performance, striking out 7, allowing just 2 hits over 6 innings and sealing the 6-1 Cubs victory in Milwaukee.

Daniel Castro collected 3 hits including a homer, driving in a pair in the Braves 4-0 blanking of St. Louis.

They all owned baseball on October 2, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

Martin Perez allowed 1 run over 7 innings but got a no decision as the Rangers fell to the Angels, 2-1.

Brad Miller went 3 for 3 with a homer in the Mariners 4-2 defeat to the A’s.

Eugenio Suarez homered and singled, driving in 3 in Cincinnati’s 6-4 loss in Pittsburgh.

 

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Who Owned Baseball October 1, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

AP Photo - Patrick Semansky

AP Photo – Patrick Semansky

Manny Machado reached base 4 times, including 2 homers, a pair of stolen bases, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI to help Baltimore win a rain soaked 6-4 game over the Blue Jays.

Jake Odorizzi topped Miami with 7 innings, one unearned run and 7 strikeouts and earned the 4-1 decision for Tampa Bay.

Socrates Brito came off the bench and went 3 for 3, including a triple and a stolen base, scoring twice and driving in a run, scoring in the game winning rally in Diamondbacks come from behind victory, 8-6.

Jerad Eickhoff pitched 7 shutout innings, striking out 10 and 4 hits to lead the Phillies past the Mets, 3-0.

 

They all owned baseball on October 1, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

 

Albert Pujols doubled and homered, scoring twice, but saw the Rangers beat his Angels 5-3.

Trevor Bauer was terrific for 7 innings, giving up 2 hits and a run and 3 walks. He got no decision as the Twins won in Cleveland, 4-2.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled twice and singled in the Mets 3-0 loss to Philadelphia.

Ryan Weber went 7 innings, allowing 1 run, no walks and 10 strikeouts. He would get a hard luck loss as the Braves lost to the Nationals, 3-0.

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Who Owned Baseball September 30, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

Gene J. Puskar - AP Photo

Gene J. Puskar – AP Photo

 

Jason Heyward reached base 4 times, including a grand slam and made some terrific catches in right field in the Cardinals Division Clinching 11-1 laugher over the Pirates. He also added another hit in the opening game of the double header.

Mike Leake threw a complete game 2 hit, no walk shutout to give the Giants a too little too late 5-0 victory over the NL West champion Dodgers.

Ryan Goins reached base 6 times, scoring 3 times and driving in another to led the Blue Jays to a 15-2 blow out of the Orioles and Toronto’s first AL East title since 1993.

Kevin Gausman picked up the Orioles in the second game of the double header with 8 innings, 5 hits and no walks while striking out 10 en route to an 8-1 win over the Blue Jays.

They all owned baseball on September 30, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

Matt Carpenter doubled and homered, driving in a pair in the Cardinals 8-2 defeat by the Pirates in the opening game of their double header. In the night cap, he reached base 4 times, scoring 3 and doubling.

Chad Bettis allowed 1 earned run and 1 unearned run over 6 solid innings but took the 3-1 Rockies loss to Arizona.

Mike Trout reached base 5 times including a homer and a walk in the 9th that made him the tying run. He would be stranded as the Angels come back came just short, 8-7 to Oakland.

Jose Quintana went 9 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs and striking out 8. He would get a no decision as the White Sox fell to Kansas City in 10 innings, 5-3.

 

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Who Owned Baseball September 29, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com

A. J. Pierzynski went 3 for 3 with 2 homers, providing all of Atlanta’s offense as they snuck past Washington, 2-1.

Clayton Kershaw threw a complete game 1 hit, 1 walk, 13 strikeout shutout to top the Giants 8-0 and clinch the National League West crown for the Dodgers.

Blake Swihart homered twice, driving in 5 runs, helping Boston clobber the Yankees in the Bronx, 10-4

Nick Tropeano struck out 11 and walked just 1 in 6 2/3 innings, earning the 8-1 decision for the Angels over Oakland.

They all owned baseball on September 29, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

Lucas Duda collected 3 hits, 2 of them home runs, and drove in 3, but it was not enough as the Phillies edged the playoff bound Mets, 4-3.

Tanner Roark pitched into the 7th, finishing with 6 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs and 5 hits. He would be saddled with the loss, however, as the Nationals fell to Atlanta, 2-1.

Eric Hosmer homered and singled in the Royals 4-2 loss to the White Sox.

 

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Who Owned Baseball September 28, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

 

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Max Scherzer threw a no hitter into the 8th and finished with 8 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 3 walks and 10 strikeouts, giving the Nationals a controversy free 5-1 decision over the Reds.

Matt den Dekker got 3 hits, including a homer, driving in 2 and scored 2 in Washington’s 5-1 victory over Cincinnati.

Marco Estrada pitched into the 8th inning, settling down after some early trouble to finish with 7 1/3 innings, 4 hits, 3 runs and 1 walk. He did not get the decision but helped set up Toronto’s 4-3 win over the Orioles.

Jackie Bradley Jr. reached base 3 times, including a 2 run homer, driving in 3 and stealing a pair of extra base hits away with his defense as the Red Sox topped the Yankees 5-1 and delayed a post season clinching for their rivals for at least a day.

They all owned baseball on September 28, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

J. A. Happ allowed 1 hit and no walks over 6 shutout innings. He did not get the decision in the Pirates heart breaking 3-0 loss to St. Louis.

Andre Ethier got a pair of hits and drove in the tying run in the 9th inning but the Dodgers fell to San Francisco in the 12th inning, 3-2.

Yordano Ventura was perfect through 5, finishing with 7 shutout frames, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk and striking out 6. He would not get a decision as the Cubs walked off 1-0 winners in the 11th.

Prince Fielder singled, doubled and homered, driving in 4 but the Rangers came up short to Detroit, 7-4.

 

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Who Owned Baseball September 27, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

 

NAM Y. HUH/AP

NAM Y. HUH/AP

Jake Arrieta was perfect through 6 and finished with 7 innings, 1 hit, 1 hit batsman, no walks, 9 strikeouts and a home run of his own as the playoff bound Cubs blanked Pittsburgh, 4-0.

Dallas Keuchel solidified his Cy Young bid by striking out 10 Rangers in 7 innings, allowing 2 hits, 2 walks and 1 run and giving the Astros a critical 4-2 victory.

Ender Inciarte went 4 for 5 with a pair of homers and 3 RBI to lead Arizona past San Diego, 4-2.

Byron Buxton doubled and homered, driving in a pair and scoring 2 to help the still contending Twins clobber the Tigers, 7-1.

They all owned baseball on September 27, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

 

John Lackey threw 7 strong innings, striking out 7 and giving up just 1 run. The bullpen would implode and the Brewers beat the Cardinals, 8-4.

Hisashi Iwakuma pitched into the 8th, finishing with 7 1/3 innings and giving up 3 runs while walking no Angels. He would be saddled with the decision in the 3-2 Mariners loss.

Matt den Dekker collected 4 hits, homered and scored 3 times in the Nationals 12-5 defeat at the hands of the Phillies.

Mikie Mahtook got 2 hits including a homer and 2 RBI but Tampa Bay fell to Toronto, 5-4.

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Who Owned Baseball September 26, 2015 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2015 #WOB standings

Ben Margot - AP

Ben Margot – AP

Jarrett Parker put on a mind boggling show, launching 3 homers, including a grand slam, to drive in 7 runs in the football sounding 14-10 San Francisco over Oakland final score.

Stephen Strasburg struck out 13 in 8 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk and 1 run. He did not factor in the decision but helped set up Washington’s 2-1 victory over Philadelphia.

Carlos Correa gave the Astros a much needed burst of energy by going 3 for 4 with 2 homers, including a game tying shot, and 3 RBI to beat Houston 9-7.

Adam Warren pitched 6 strong innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 run, earning the 2-1 win for the Yankees over the White Sox.

They all owned baseball on September 26, 2015

Earning 1/2 WOBs on losing efforts.

Andre Ethier went 2 for 4 with a homer and 3 RBI but the Dodgers lost on a walk off homer to the Rockies, 8-6.

Jeremy Hellickson allowed just 4 hits and 1 run over 6 innings but was saddled with the 3-0 loss as San Diego topped Arizona.

Kevin Kiermaier doubled and homered, scoring 3 times and driving in 2 in but the Rays fell 10-8 in Toronto.

 

 

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