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Who Owned Baseball June 10, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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NBC Sports Bay Area

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Brandon Crawford singled, hit a pair of doubles and launched a 2 run shot off of Scherzer to give the Giants all the offense they needed to blank the Nationals, 2-0.

Curtis Granderson went 4 for 5 with a homer and 6 RBI to spark the Blue Jays 13-3 thrashing of the Orioles.

Clayton Richard took his bid to be the first Padres pitcher to throw a no hitter into the 7th. He would let up a hit with 2 outs in the 7th and finished with 7 innings, 2 hits, 1 run and 5 strikeouts to defeat the Marlins, 3-1.

Corey Kluber pitched 8 strong innings, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs while striking out 8 Tigers and helped the Indians hold onto first place with a 9-2 win.

 

They all owned baseball on June 10, 2018

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Who Owned Baseball June 4, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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Duane Burleson/Getty Images

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Luis Severino threw 8 innings, striking out 10 Tigers and allowing 1 run to earn the 7-4 decision for the Yankees.

Mike Trout reached base 4 times, scored 3 and knocked in 2 including the go ahead run in the 8th as the Angels came from behind to top the Royals, 9-6.

Clayton Richard struck out 5 Braves over 7 innings, allowing 3 runs as the Padres rolled, 11-4.

Eric Hosmer doubled, homered and walked, driving in 3 and scoring 2 to help the Padres smash the Braves, 11-4.

They all owned baseball on June 4, 2018

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Who Owned Baseball May 8, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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Getty Images

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James Paxton threw the 6th no hitter in Seattle Mariners history, striking out 7 Blue Jays for the 5-0 final.

Giancarlo Stanton reached base 3 times and homered twice, adding a stolen base as well, as the Yankees won the first showdown with the Red Sox, 3-2.

Jeremy Hellickson took a perfect game into the 7th, finishing with 6 2/3 shutout innings, 2 hits and 8 strikeouts to help the Nationals blank the Padres, 4-0.

Eugenio Suarez singled twice and doubled, driving in 4 in the Reds 7-2 beating of the Mets.

They all owned baseball on May 8, 2018

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Who Owned Baseball March 29, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB Standings

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CSN Chicago

Another season has begun… another year of WHO OWNED BASEBALL!

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Matt Davidson became only the 4th player in MLB history to hit three home runs on opening day. He would reach base 4 times altogether, driving home 5 runs and helped the White Sox double up the Royals, 14-7.

Joe Panik launched a solo shot off of Kershaw to provide all of the scoring as the Giants blanked the Dodgers, 1-0.

Dylan Bundy threw 7 shutout innings, scattering 5 hits and striking out 7 Twins. He did not get the decision but set up Baltimore’s 3-2 walk off win.

Chase Anderson allowed 1 hit in 6 shutout innings as the Brewers took the opener against the Padres, 2-1 in extra innings.

They all owned baseball on March 29, 2018

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Who Owned Baseball September 21, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings

Cole Hamels

AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

Cole Hamels dominated the Mariners with 8 innings allowing 3 hits and 1 run to give the Rangers hope with a 4-2 final.

Joe Mauer got on base 4 times, including a double, driving in 2 and scoring 2 as the Twins pounded the Tigers, 12-1.

Clayton Richard blanked Colorado into the 8th, finishing with 7 1/3 innings and 8 strikeouts while earning the 3-0 decision for San Diego.

Kris Bryant reached base 4 times including a tie breaking homer in the 10th to inch the Cubs closer to a division title with a 5-3 win over the Brewers.

They all owned baseball on September 21, 2017

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Who Owned Baseball September 7, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings

 

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John Kuntz, cleveland.com

Francisco Lindor missed the cycle by a double, driving in 3 runs to lead the Indians to an 11-2 blow out of the White Sox.

Corey Kluber struck out 13 White Sox in 7 dominant innings getting the Indians their 15th straight win with an 11-2 final.

Brandon Nimmo reached base 4 times including a pair of homers in the Mets 7-2 victory over Cincinnati.

Clayton Richard threw 6 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits and 1 walk as the Padres blanked the Cardinals, 3-0.

They all owned baseball on September 7, 2017

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Who Owned Baseball August 16, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings

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Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Clayton Richard threw a complete game 3 hit shutout, striking out 6 Phillies in the 3-0 San Diego final.

Trevor Story got on base 4 times, homered twice and drove in 6 to help the Rockies demolish the Braves, 17-2.

Charlie Morton struck out 9 Diamondbacks in 6 1/3 innings, giving up 1 run and earning the 9-5 decision for Houston.

Elvis Andrus homered, collected two more hits and a walk with a stolen base and 4 RBI to help the surging Rangers double up the Tigers, 12-6.

They all owned baseball on August 16, 2017

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Who Owned Baseball May 21, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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Alex Gallardo – AP Photo

 

Clayton Richard went the distance, allowing 5 hits and 1 run while striking out 6 Diamondbacks to earn the 5-1 Padres victory.

Kris Bryant went 3 for 3 with 2 homers and scored 4 times as the Cubs topped the surging Brewers, 13-6.

Marco Estrada struck out 11 Orioles in 7 2/3 innings, allowing a singe run and got the 3-1 decision for Toronto.

Mike Trout reached base 4 times, homered, stole a base, drove in 3 and scored 2 as the Angels mashed the Mets, 12-5.

They all owned baseball on May 21, 2017

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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

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

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JONATHAN DANIEL/GETTY IMAGES

Chris Sale threw 8 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and earning the 6-2 White Sox decision over Oakland.

Alex Gordon homered twice and added another hit as the red hot defending champion Royals crushed the Twins 10-0.

Robbie Ray gave up 1 hit and 1 run while striking out 13 Padres giving the Diamondbacks a 2-1 victory.

Yoenis Cespedes went 3 for 5 with a pair of homers and 3 RBI to give the Mets a much needed 9-5 win over the Giants.

 

They All Owned Baseball on August 20, 2016.

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How All Of The White Sox Hitters Were Acquired – 2014 Roster Tree: A Nice Job By The Brass To Revamp The Offense

Paul Konerko announced that the 2014 season will be his last. Konerko has 439 career HR, 1409 RBI, and 6 All Star appearances in his 18 year career. What will most likely not be a HOF career, will certainly go down as one of the best in White Sox history. Konerko was the direct replacement for Frank Thomas.  Konerko is only 16 HRs behind Thomas for the White Sox franchise record.  While he will not reach that mark, his role may increase now with some DH AB.  If Dunn is traded later in the year, he may see some more Plate Appearances as well.  Konerko, now 38, was a 1998 trade acquisition - with OF Mike Cameron going back the other way.  while Cameron was a nice Major Leaguer in his time.  Konerko should have his number retired by the club, and is the current active leader for HRs hit for just one team.

Paul Konerko announced that the 2014 season will be his last.  He has 439 career HR, 1409 RBI, and 6 All Star appearances in his 18 year career. What will most likely not be a HOF career, will certainly go down as one of the best in White Sox history. Konerko was the direct replacement for Frank Thomas. Konerko is only 16 HRs behind the 2014 “Hall Of Fame Inductee” for the White Sox franchise record. While he will not reach that mark, his role may increase now with some DH AB If Dunn is traded later this week.   Konerko, now 38, was a 1998 trade acquisition – with OF Mike Cameron going back the other way to Cincinnati. While Cameron was a nice Major Leaguer in his time. Konerko should have his number retired by the club, and is the current active leader for HRs hit for just one team.  He will soon hand the reigns of the team over to Jose Abreu and CO.

How All Of The White Sox Hitters Were Acquired:

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

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The White Sox have done a fantastic job of reassembling their young offensive core in the last year.

Signing International Free Agent Jose Abreu has expedited the time in which the franchise will have to wait to be competitive again.

Paul Konerko is in his last year in the Majors, and his 17th season with the Pale Hose.

The 38 Year Old is the active leader in HRs with 1 current club (432 Hrs), and has been the foundation for the Southsiders for the time he has donned the uniform. Read the rest of this entry

Houston Astros State Of The Union Address: Fall 2013

From 1992 - 2006, Houston was one of the best franchises in the games of baseball, not having one losing season in that time span.  They won 4 Division Titles, 8 2nd place finishes, and appeared in 6 playoffs.  After being swept in the 2005 World Series, the core got old, and the team waited too long to rebuild.  Once it was time, the management actually did a smart thing in totally gutting the entire franchise, in order to restock the Minor League System.

From 1992 – 2006, Houston was one of the best franchises in the games of baseball, not having one losing season in that time span. They won 4 Division Titles, 8 – 2nd place finishes, and appeared in 6 playoffs. After being swept in the 2005 World Series, the core got old, and the team waited too long to rebuild. Once it was time, the management actually did a smart thing in totally gutting the entire franchise, in order to restock the Minor League System.  Now with 3 105+ Loss seasons, and back to back 1st overall picks, the team has begun the process.  An ownership changed mirrored the last transference of all the remaining Veterans from the previous regime.  How long will it take for the Astros to compete again?

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

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The Astros had one of the easiest years to peg down in the game of baseball for 2013.

They were horrible early, traded away every possible Veteran that were making any kind of cash on the Major League Level, and then proceeded to be even worse after the ALL – Star Game.

The worst part of the campaign was left for the end, where they promptly lost their last 15 games – to finish with a record of 51 – 111.

It was their 3rd straight 100+ Loss season.  But overlooking the obvious is that they actual drew a few more fans in 2013 – compared to 2012.

That was more a symptom of the club moving to the American League.  At least they were not last in the league for Attendance, like payroll.

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The Players In All Of The San Diego Padres Organization: Affiliates, Prospects + Depth Charts (MLB + MiLB) Fall 2013

The Padres have not made the playoffs since 2006, and have only authored 2 winning seasons in the last 7 years.  It is not from a lack of the coach, rather the NL West has far superior talent, while the San Diego franchise has been trying to replenish the farm, went through an ownership change, and now the team needs to make some decisions this offseason, that will shape the fortunes of the club for the next several years.

The Padres have not made the playoffs since 2006, and have only authored 2 winning seasons in the last 7 years. It is not from a lack of a good coach, rather the NL West has far superior talent, while the San Diego franchise has been trying to replenish the farm, went through an ownership change, and now the team needs to make some decisions this offseason, that will shape the fortunes of the club for the next several years.

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

The Padres didn’t have very much go right for them in terms of organizational prospects panning out at the Major League Level.

Although, the franchise must be stoked about the development of Andrew Cashner.

Trading away Adrian Gonzalez was tough enough, and right after that, the club flipped Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs, after a sub – par rookie campaign.

The Padres have a tough hoe ahead of them – competing with mega spending Los Angeles will prove very tough considering that team has a payroll in the $230 MIL range, while the ‘Pods’ are not in the $100 MIL range.

Having said that, the team still competed all year, and put up 76 Wins on the board.

They have one of the better skippers in the game with Bud Black.

The key will be the youth of the franchise, as that is how they can keep their payroll down, is to have their top prospects work out, be under team control – much like the way of the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays models.

For the Up to Date Roster for the Padres all year around, please visit Jeff’s Website right here

For the Entire Page of teams links we have dedicated to Payroll, Rosters, Depth Chart, State Of the Unions and Roster Trees, please click right here. Please bookmark this page and check back, as we are busy on the analysis at MLB Reports always.

Andrew Cashner uses his bat and arm

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San Diego Padres 2013 Rotation: What To Make Of It?

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Wednesday April 24th, 2013

Volquez is coming off an up-and-down year with the Padres. He went .500 with an 11-11 record and had an average ERA at 4.14. He should be prepared for the 2013 season as he threw against real competition in the 2013 WBC so he'll already have all of his stuff developed for the duration of 2013.

Volquez is coming off an up-and-down year with the Padres. He went .500 with an 11-11 record and had an average ERA at 4.14. He should be prepared for the 2013 season as he threw against real competition in the 2013 WBC so he’ll already have all of his stuff developed for the duration of 2013.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

The San Diego Padres currently have one of the most boring Starting Rotations in all of baseball. I cannot think of a rotation with more average pitchers than the one the San Diego organization has.

If someone presented me with the statistics of each pitcher in the Padres rotation, I probably would not be able to discern between the number one and five starters. The ace of the Padres — if we can call him that — is Jason Marquis. So far this season in four games, he has a 4.63 ERA to go with a 1-2 record.

Now some pitchers do get off to rough starts, so we cannot judge him based on his ERA and record. But, after looking further into Marquis, I found that his career ERA is 4.60. Is this really the career ERA a team would want for their “ace”?

Tyson Ross, whom the Padres acquired from the A’s was penciled in and made three starts in the five-slot in the rotation. Ross recently went on the 15-day DL with a left shoulder subluxation.

This year, Ross made three starts, none of them more than 5.1 Innings. Although Ross has a solid 3.86 ERA through those starts, it is unlikely that he will keep this up.

Edinson Volquez at the 2013 WBC:

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NL Trade Deadline Targets

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Monday April.8/2013

If all goes well with the team this year, the Astros could improve on their 2012 year.  If all else fails, Houston might challenge the ALL-Time Loss Record.  Whatever happens, any Veteran Player with a heartbeat will be on the trading block by June.  The Astros will continue to dissolve any of their assets (with expiring contracts) onto other teams in order to pick off some more prospects.  The Astros will also Draft 1st overall at the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft.

If all goes well with the team this year, the Astros could improve on their 2012 year. If all else fails, Houston might challenge the ALL-Time Loss Record. Whatever happens, any Veteran Player with a heartbeat will be on the trading block by June. The Astros will continue to dissolve any of their assets (with expiring contracts) onto other teams in order to pick off some more prospects. The Astros will also Draft 1st overall at the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft.  The Astros also play in the toughest Division in the Majors for pitching, plus have already put up back to back 100 Loss Seasons.  Their second half Won – Loss Records might challenge historic rates.

By Jordan Gluck (Prospects/Baseball Operations Correspondent)

Likely Mid season trade targets NL:

I’m assuming these teams will have a winning percentage of at least .475 and therefore will not be sellers although that doesn’t entirely rule out being sellers at the deadline. We are far away from the deadline but it’s nice to see who might be available. Nationals, Braves, Phillies, Reds, Cardinals, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants and Rockies (sleeper).

I believe these teams will be sellers and there are not many in the NL because of the parity. Many of these teams don’t have that much to offer so it would not surprise me if a team above (Brewers?) makes a few trades for over slot prices. Marlins, Mets, Pirates, Cubs and Padres.

Giancarlo Stanton (Formerly Mike Stanton hits it out of Dodger Stadium):

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San Diego Padres Payroll In 2013: And Contracts Going Forward

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Thursday, February.21, 2013

San Diego GM Josh Byrnes did little in the off-season aside for signing Freddy Garcia.

San Diego GM Josh Byrnes did little in the off-season aside from signing Freddy Garcia. This team will surprise people with their lineup and their starting rotation. They will be Oakland Athletics of the NL West Division.

By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer)

The San Diego Padres 2012 season is one that can be split into a tale of two seasons. There was the first half of the season where they struggled to score runs and their record reflected that. They went 34-53 and only managed to score a total of 305 runs as a team. The first month is what really set them back; they had a team batting average of .215. The second half of the season the Padres did a complete 180 degree turn in the way that they played. They scored 346 runs and their record was 42-33 in second half of the season. The team batting average increased to a season high in September of .267. The Padres can carry over what happened in the end of 2012 season into 2013 this could be a very competitive division.

General Manager Josh Byrnes did not do much in free agency. He did sign former All-Star pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal. The Padres have a history of not having a high payroll. They prefer to use their farm system to generate their major league talent, rather than spend money on Free Agents.

Chase Headley 2012 Highlights. Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance is Advised:

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San Diego Padres Roster In 2013: State Of The Union

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Thursday January 10, 2013

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim v San Diego Padres

Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer)

The San Diego Padres haven’t made a move that will conceivably make them contenders in a competitive National League West division. San Diego went 76-86 in 2012, which was good enough for fourth place in the NL West.

A move could still be made, and Padres’ pundits have went as far to suggest some type of signing and/or trade before Spring Training. Still, their aren’t a ton of options that would fit into their constrained payroll, especially after they signed Carlos Quentin and Huston Street to extensions.  They still have a decent bullpen anchored by Street and set-up man Luke Gregerson.

Pending a significant addition, San Diego should be a bit better in the win department. Some of their key starting pitchers will be returning from injuries, and a couple of top prospects could take the fast track to the Major Leagues and make an impact by season’s end.  Most notably, they will need Clayton Richard to improve to the next level, having won 14 games in 2 of the last 3 years – while holding an ERA under 4.00.  Eric Stults was the surprise of the Starting Rotation of last season – posting a 8-3 Record, with a 2.92 ERA in 14 Games Started.

More importantly, they went on a nice streak in the final few weeks in 2012. Perhaps this could fuel a hot start in 2013.

Let’s preview this young team.

Chase Headley2012 Highlights for the NL RBI Champion

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Is Daisuke Matsuzaka Worth The Risk? 3 Teams That Should Roll The Dice On Him

Sunday November 18th, 2012

Dice-0K was the biggest posting ever for a pitcher ever at 51 Million Dollars. the Red Sox ended up paying over 100 Million for the man when they signed him for 6 years and 52 Million dollars.  He rewarded th em in 2007 and 2008, by going 31-14 and being a big cog in the wheel for the World Series Run in 2007. Matsuzaka is only 19-23 since those first 2 years.

Jake Dal Porto: What has become of Daisuke Matsuzaka? The once highly-touted Japanese import has struggled in recent years, posting a 5.53 earned run average since 2009. Due to this, the interest for him is extremely low.

However, don’t expect Matsuzaka to go unsigned this winter. While he is certainly a gamble, he’s worth the risk for teams with restricted payrolls.

Here some of those teams that could roll the dice on the 32-year-old: Read the rest of this entry

MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: September 2012

Monday, September.3/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer):   To say that this year has been a good year for baseball is an humongous understatement.  I thought after last years finish, that nothing was going to duplicate the experience.  Everyone forgets (or maybe not) that there should not even have been many races last year with Atlanta and Boston having such substantial leads on playoff spots.  The Red Sox and Braves collapsed like a couple of bowling pins with King Kong Bundy splashing down on them!  

This year, there are 15 teams still vying for 10 playoff spots.  So far the only probable locks are Washington for a playoff spot-and Cincinnati to probably win their division  The player races for all of the categories is almost as fascinating.  Will Andrew McCutcheon catch Melky Cabrera for the Batting title? Or will 2012 be forever cemented in baseball folklore by a stained player like Cabrera?  He could still end up determining who wins the World Series in the Fall Classic by his Testosterone filled antics in his MVP ALL-Star Game.  The big question is, will the San Francisco Giants fans cheer for him if he comes back in the playoffs?  They cheered for another league leader before when it was obvious he was guilty.  Right now if you are the Giants, you will take an opportunity to boo or cheer for Cabrera because that means you would  be in the playoffs.

Will the spending happy Dodgers have to wait another year to capitalize on their new plan to make the playoffs? If they ultimately  miss the playoffs outright, are they going to buy every player they can in the off-season?  I sure hope Magic knows that there are Luxury Tax penalties for spending over 178 Million Next Year.  1st year fine is 22.5%, 2nd year is 30%, 3rd year and beyond is 40%.  So if they plan on having a 250 Million Dollar Payroll in 2013 (by adding 2 or 3 more top Free Agents) will the Dodgers just forego the worry of any financial penalties on a yearly basis– just to dominate the whole National League (plus baseball for that matter.) Every other team has to consider the urgency in cashing out a World Series right now while the Dodgers have not had a full off season with the new management yet.  Can Oakland and their ‘New Money Ball philosophy’ make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2006? 

The Best Players over the last month were:  Buster Posey, Prince Fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Yovani Gallardo, Kris Medlen, Adam Wainwright, Aroldis Chapman and Felix Hernandez.  The best teams have been Oakland, Washington, San Francisco, San Diego, Baltimore and Texas.  The worst teams have been Houston (at least its better to go down hard and stockpile #1 Draft Picks guys.)  I have a feeling you will be there for a while with the division you are heading into and may even challenge the 120 Loss Single Season Record.  At least you are not going into the NL West  to compete with the LA Dodgers!  The Cleveland Indians have fallen to an epic drop-off as well.  Toronto misses their top sluggers.  What has happened to the Minnesota Twins? The Mets have ownership and payroll problems, so at least they have an excuse.  Plus they lead the world in guys being hurt.  When David Wright has been your healthiest player, you know the season has been backwards!  So sit back, get your notebook and popcorn ready for this Month’s Rankings! Read the rest of this entry

MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: July 2012

Wednesday July.4, 2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-We are going to bring you monthly power rankings every month of the season.  There will be a few notes written for each team.  Please feel free to let us know your thoughts.  The Texas Rangers are the top ranked team yet once again, although teams are certainly gaining on the them in the last month. If this report was being done last week I might have put the New York Yankees in 1st and Texas in 2nd.  A 7 game winning streak help preserve another month for Texas on the leader-board.  There were superior months by Aaron Hill, Jose Bautista, Joey Votto , Jason Heyward and a new phenomenon was born with Jose Altuve.  It was a great month for the MLB.  With 20 teams within 5.5 games or less for the playoff races, we are sure to see some serious movements in the Power Rankings in the 2nd half of the season.

Standings taken before play Tuesday July.03/2012

July Power Rankings-Last Month Rank in Parenthesis

1. Texas-50-30 (1) The Rangers rode a 7 game winning streak to end up 18-8 for the last month. David Murphy, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus all hit over .300 in the last 30 days.  The Rangers were able to weather a slow spurt from Josh Hamilton, in which he hit .222 with only 4 HRs for the month.  Matt Harrison has asserted himself as an ace on the staff with a 5-0 month with a 1.29 ERA, while leading the American League with 11 wins on the year.  The Rangers have 6 players going to the ALL-Star Game including 3 starters.  Yu Darvish can make a 7th if he is voted into the final roster spot with his rookie campaign of 10-5 so far.

2. NY Yankees 48-31(5)  The Yankees have ridden good pitching and a hot bat from Robinson Cano to a 19-7 record over the last month, with a 5 games lead over their competition in the AL East.  Cano hit .370 with 12 HRs and 24 RBI in the last month.  Derek Jeter is hitting .298 overall but saw his average go from .389 in April, to .283 in May to .232 in June.  He still tops a list of 4 Yankees heading to the ALL-Star Game including 23 HR homer man Curtis GrandersonPhil Hughes went 5-1 in the month with a 2.59 ERA and Ivan Nova won his 3 decisions with a miniscule 1.32 ERA.  Rafael Soriano has converted 18 out of 19 save opportunities since taking over as team closer.

3. San Francisco 45-30 (9)  The Giants went 16-11 in the month and saw a perfect game from Matt Cain, with a few other 1 hitters.  The team shutout the Dodgers 3 games in a row in a series last week.  The Giants have Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey and Melky Cabrera starting in KC next week.  The Melkman continues to show that last year was no fluke with his .352 Average and he is leading the Major Leagues with 111 base hits.  The Giants pitching staff has coped with the loss of Brian Wilson and the ineffectiveness of starter Tim Lincecum, by the rest of the staff having career years.

4. LA Angels 45-35 (12) The Angels have been really steady since the end of May.  They just finished going 17-8 in the last 25 days on the backs of ALL-Stars Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo and resurgent Albert Pujols.  Trout might be the most exciting player on the planet these days and is a lock for AL Rookie of the Year if he keeps this up.  Trout hit .367 over the last month and has taken over the AL batting lead with a .342 AVG.  Trumbo hit 10 HRs and drove in 28 RBI for the month and Pujols hit .337. to raise his average 40 points.  C.J Wilson was good enough in June to be named as CC Sabathia‘s replacement at the ALL-Star game.

5.  Washington 45-32(9)  Mike Morse has returned to the lineup with a vengeance during the last week with a .484 average.   Super Sub Tyler Moore has also hit .415 in the last 14 games with 4 HRs and 12 RBI.  Ian Desmond had 16 Extra base hits for the month to go along with 20 RBI, while he made the ALL-Star game as a reserve.  Ryan Zimmerman awoke from a season long slump to plate 17 RBI.  Adam LaRoche still contributed 7 HRs and 15 RBI despite a paltry .191 average in June.  Stephen Strasburg is 9-3 on the year with a 2.81 ERA and a league leading 122 SO.  Gio Gonzalez is 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA.  Both Gonzalez and Strasburg made the ALL-Star squad. Read the rest of this entry

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