MLB Reports

Tribute- Team USA World Baseball Classic

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

Mets infielder David Wright will lead Team USA at the 2013 Classic..

By Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206

Group D of the 2013 World Baseball Classic will be the division most closely followed by North Americans. The USA will attempt to do something they have never done; win the WBC championship. However, teams like Mexico and Canada won’t go down easily. The USA, Canada, Mexico, and Italy make up this year’s Group D of the WBC. With games starting as soon as Thursday, here is the final installation in my series of WBC previews.

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball, World Baseball Classic

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Tags: 2013 world baseball classic, anthony rizzo, baseball, Canada WBC, Canada World Baseball Classic, craig kimbrel, david wright, fernando valenzuela, Greg Maddux, Italy baseball, Italy World Baseball Classic, jameson taillon, Joe Torre, Mexico baseball, Mexico WBC, mlb, rick renteria, sebastian valle, USA, USA WBC, USA world baseball classic, wbc 2013, world baseball classic, yovani gallardo

Fear Beyond The Edge Of The Grass: Searching For The ‘Mets’ Outfield In 2013

Jan 21

Posted by fanaticalstability

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Monday January 21st, 2013

Collin Cowgill will figure into the Mets OF picture somewhere, Barring them signing anybody else, not one of their Outfielders will even have 500 Career AB. Cowgill has a 3 Slash Line of .255/.319/.631 in 196 AB.

Collin Cowgill will figure into the Mets OF picture somewhere. Barring them signing anybody else, not one of their Outfielders will even have 800 Career AB heading in 2013. Cowgill has a 3 Slash Line of .255/.319/.631 in 196 AB during his time in the Major Leagues.

Stephon Johnson ( Baseball Writer and Mets Correspondent): Follow @stephonjohnson8

New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson has every right to not be happy.

Speaking on local New York sports talk radio station WFAN, Alderson didn’t try to delude himself or others into thinking that the 2013 Mets campaign wouldn’t induce at least several headaches.

“I’m not happy where we are in preparation for 2013,” said Alderson about the current roster assembled. “… I can assure you that where we are now is not where we want to be opening spring training. I mean, it’s conceivable we could be in the same position, but it’s not where we want to be.”

This can particularly be directed toward the outfield. With several options for the Mets to check out, it’s baffled many how a Major League franchise wouldn’t have at least a slight idea what kind of starting lineup they could field on opening day.

Scott Hairston Interview in 2012:

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Tags: @stephonjohnson8 on twitter, bernie madoff, bud selig, carlos quentin, chris johnson, citi field, collin cowgill, daniel murphy, david wright, dewayne wise, fred wilpon, howard megdal, ike davis, johan santana, kirk nieuwenhuis, la dodgers, lucas duda, mark buehrle, mark reynolds, matt kemp, mike baxter, new york mets, NL east, Rick Ankiel, rueben tejada, ryan Sweeney, sandy alderson, stephon johnson, WFAN, willpons folly

The New York Mets 2013 Roster: State Of The Union

Dec 31

Posted by fanaticalstability

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Monday December 31st, 2012

(There’s a still reason to come to ~~Shea~~ Citi this year (or why you should watch the 2013 Mets)

Stephon Johnson ( Baseball Writer and Mets Correspondent): Follow @stephonjohnson8

–You knew someone had to go:

The Mets had a few decisions to make during this current offseason regarding personnel. Stick with Cy Young Award winner (and franchise folk hero) R.A. Dickey or stick with franchise face and soon to be Mr. Met David Wright. While general manager Sandy Alderson might have tried as hard as he could to keep Dickey at Citi Field for a price that would appease the cash strapped Wilpons, the situation ended up like the plot to Highlander: there could be only one.

But where does that leave the team and the fans who make the trek out to Flushing? Playing in a NL East that features a World Series contender in the Washington Nationals, a perennial playoff team in the Atlanta Braves and the “not-as-good-but-still-better-than-you” Philadelphia Phillies, the Miami Marlins are the only team standing between the Mets and last place in 2013.

But Mets fans should still come to Citi. Read the rest of this entry →

Tags: @stephonjohnson8 on twitter, Atlanta Braves, colloin cowgill, curtis granderson, cy young, daniel murphy, david murphy, david wright, hunter pence, ike davis, jacoby ellsbury, jason bay, johan santana, john buck, jose reyes, kirk nieuwenhuis, lucas duda, matt harvey, mets ownership group, Mets Payroll 2013, Mets Roster 2013, miami marlins, mike baxter, new york mets, NL east, philadelphia phillies, r.a. dickey, ruben tejada, sandy alderson, terry collins, travis d'arnaud, washington nationals, wilpons, zack wheeler

Chase Headley: Flash In The Pan Or Bonafide ALL-Star?

Dec 28

Posted by kholland13

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Friday December 28, 2012

Headley caaptured a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger in 2012. He ended up finishing 5th in NL MVP voting. He hit .286 with 31 HRs and an NL leading 115 RBI. More impressive were his post ALL-Star numbers -in which he hit .308 with 23 HRs and 73 RBI in just 75 games, carrying a .978 OPS for that time frame. The man also scored 56 Runs in the 2nd half.

Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @TheKHolland13

What exactly is needed to be able to call yourself a “superstar?” All-Star Game Appearances? Multiple MVPs? How about all this and being a fan favorite. You need to have you superstar moments throughout the years. A World Series ring looks real good on a superstar’s finger. Having your name in the history books and then maybe being an eventual Hall of Famer. This is what defines a superstar years after they are retired.

What does one breakout season make you? Certainly not a superstar. Not right away at least. Star’s need to prove themselves in more ways than just one breakout season.

This is the question with San Diego Padres Third Baseman, Chase Headley.

Posted in MLB Player Profiles, The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Tags: 2012 NL MVP, @TheKholland13 on twitter, Andrew McCutchen, buster posey, Chase Headley. San Diego Padres, david wright, Gold Glove Award, Kyle Holland, petco park, ryan braun, Silver Slugger Award, yadier molina

Forever A Met: David Wright And The Quest For Franchise King Status

Dec 10

Posted by fanaticalstability

Monday, December.10, 2012

Stephon Johnson (Guest Baseball Writer and Mets Correspondent): Follow @stephonjohnson8

Met fans have gotten used to having their greatest players come either from other franchises or move on to other franchises. When combing through the 50-year history of the Mets, you realize that every great player this franchise has had didn’t spend their entire career in Flushing. Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Cleon Jones, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, David Cone, Mike Piazza, Al Leiter and Jose Reyes were all either products of other franchises or homegrown talent that was eventually let go.

Met fans can now say that they have a player who’ll more than likely remain with the franchise for his entire career. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: @stephonjohnson8 on twitter, al leiter, citi field, darryl strawberry, david cone, david wright, Dwight Gooden, Flushing Meadows, fred wilpon, gary carter, harvey, ike davis, jason bay, jerry koosman, johan santana, jonathan niese, jose reyes, keith hernandez, mets ownership group, mike piazza, national league, new york mets, NL east, r.a. dickey, ruben tejada, sandy alderson, Shea Stadium, stephon johnson, tom seaver, zach wheeler

Mets Ownership: The Wilpons Have To Start Spending To Compete!

Nov 26

Posted by kholland13

Monday November 26, 2012

Owner of the Mets Fred Wilpon

Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern):

It’s no secret that the New York Mets are in a tough division to compete with. They are way behind the payroll of the Phillies and look up to the Nationals and Braves talent wise. So where exactly did the Wilpon’s, majority owners of the Mets, go wrong in building a talented team?

First, lets look at the payroll situation. In 2012, the Phillies ranked number 2 in payroll with approximately $173,459,000. The Mets were ranked at number 14 with their payroll at approximately $93,357,000. How can the Mets compete in a division where the top payroll in the division is about $80,000,000 more? They can’t, that’s why they have finished in the bottom 2 of the division every year since 2009. Read the rest of this entry →

Tags: 2012 Payroll, AL East, Atlanta Braves, bryce harper, carlos beltran, citi field, daniel murphy, david wright, fred wilpon, ian desmond, ike davis, Jeurys Familia, Kyle Holland, Mets Team Payroll 2013, miami marlins, new york mets, NL east, philadelphia phillies, r.a. dickey, washington nationals, zach wheeler

2013 MLB Fantasy Keeper Rankings: Third Base

Oct 16

Posted by pwstein87

Tuesday October 16th, 2012

Follow @peterwstein

Peter Stein: Now that the 2012 season is over, it is time to start thinking about the 2013. For many owners, that includes deciding on keepers, although keeper systems vary from league to league. In some leagues, keepers can be held onto for an indefinite period of time, while others build upon the previous year’s draft value. Regardless of your league’s keeper setting, this piece identifies the top keeper player at each position. I chose a time period of five years; therefore, the player at each position should produce the most total fantasy value over the course of the next five years. That is, of course, assuming another Mike Trout doesn’t jump onto the scene.

Here is the second installment of the 2013 fantasy keeper focus:

Third Base

Winner: Miguel Cabrera

Honorable Mention: Chase Headley, David Wright, and Ryan Zimmerman

We all know about Cabrera’s ridiculous offensive achievements in 2013. The only complaint about Cabrera is his defense at third base. However, the Tigers seem to be doing just fine right now. Even though he may not always look pretty, Cabrera has held his own defensively. Furthermore, he doesn’t look like he will be switching positions anytime soon with Fielder at first and Victor Martinez likely to DH next season. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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Tags: baseball, chase headley, david wright, fantasy, fantasy baseball, keeper rankings, keepers, miguel cabrera, Mike Trout, mlb, ryan zimmerman, third base, Triple crown

Post Chipper Jones Era: Is David the Wright Solution?

Sep 22

Posted by johnburnsmlb

Saturday September 22nd, 2012

John Burns: As you all know, the almighty Chipper Jones will be retiring from baseball after this season. He is it calling it quits after 19 seasons in the Majors. The 40 year-old Chipper Jones has been one of the best players in baseball for a longtime. With his outstanding career numbers, it is no question that one day he will be inducted into Cooperstown. A lock to be a first-ballot inductee. Jones has been part of Atlanta’s organization for 22 years after being drafted number first overall to the Braves in the 1990 MLB Draft. That is a lot of years at the hot corner, as well as some time spent in the outfield.

How will Atlanta recover without Chipper playing third every day? Are there any possible replacements? Besides his play on the field, can his leadership be replaced? This might shock a lot of you… but could David Wright be the one to replace Chipper in Atlanta? Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: aramis ramirez, Atlanta Braves, baseball, braves, chipper, chipper jones, david wright, gold glove, mets, mlb, mvp, new york mets, NL east, pedro alvarez, scott rolen, third base

MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: September 2012

Sep 3

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday, September.3/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024 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 →

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Tags: aaron loup, adam dunn, adam laroche, adam wainwright, adrian beltre, albert pujols, alex cobb, alex gordon, Alexi Ogando, alfonso soriano, allen craig, andre ethier, angel pagan, aramis ramirez, arizona diamondbacks, aroldis chapman, Atlanta Braves, austin jackson, baltimore orioles, ben revere, ben zobrist, billy butler, boston red sox, brad ziegler, brandon belt, brandon phillips, Bronson Arroyo, bruce chen, bryce harper, buster posey, c.c. sabathia, carlos gomez, carlos quentin, carlos ruiz, casey fien, chad billingsley, chase headley, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, cincinnati reds, clayton kershaw, clayton richard, cleveland indians, cliff lee, coco crisp, cole hamels, colorado rockies, corey hart, craig kimbrel, curtis granderson, curtis maybin, danny espinosa, darren o'day, david cooper, david Dejesus, david hernandez, david murphy, david price, david wright, delmon young, derek jeter, detroit tigers, Dexter Fowler, dustin pedroia, elvis andrus, eric chavez, eric young, erik kratz, evan longoria, felix hernandez, freddie freeman, freddy garcia, garrett jones, giancarlo stanton, gio gonzalez, hanley ramirez, hisashi iwakuma, houston astros, hunter pence, ike davis, j.a. happ, j.j. putz, james shields, jamey carroll, jason heyward, javier lopez, jay bruce, jayson werth, jeff keppinger, Jeremy guthrie, jesus montero, jim johnson, jimmy rollins, joaquin arias, joe mauer, joe nathan, joel hanrahan, john jay, john mayberry Jr., johnny cueto, jon lester, jonathan broxton, jonathan lucroy, jonathan papelbon, jose reyes, jose valverde, josh hamilton, josh reddick, juan encarnacion, justin morneau, justin verlander, kansas city royals, kevin frandsen, kevin youkilis, kris medlen, kyle kendrick, kyle lohse, kyle seager, los angeles angels, los angeles dodgers, luke gregerson, Marco scutaro, Mark buerhle, mark reynolds, mark rogers, martin prado, mat latos, Matt Harrison, matt holliday, matt kemp, matt moore, matt scherzer, matt wieters, melky cabrera, miami marlins, miguel cabrera, mike fiers, Mike Leake, milwaukee brewers, minnesota twins, mitch moreland, moises sierra, New Marlins Ball Park, new york mets, new york yankees, nick markakis, nick swisher, NL Comeback Player of the Year, NL Rookie of the Year, Norichika Aoki, oakland athletics, oliver perez, paul goldschmidt, pedro alavarez, pedro ciriaco, philadelphia phillies, pittsburgh pirates, placido polanco, prince fielder, r.a. dickey, ricky romero, roy halladay, ryan dempster, ryan howard, ryan mattheus, ryan webb, ryan zimmerman, san diego padres, san francisco giants, scott podsednik, scott rolen, seattle mariners, sergio romo, st louis cardinals, stephen strasburg, steve lombardozzi, tampa bay rays, texas rangers, tim hudson, todd frazier, Torii Hunter, toronto blue jays, Triple crown, tyler colvin, Tyler Flowers, wade miley, washington nationals, will venable, yonder alonso, yovani gallardo, yu darvish

Chicago White Sox: Should They Pick Up Kevin Youkilis’ Option?

Aug 27

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

Monday August 27th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: The Chicago White Sox weren’t expected to be in the race this late in the season, but hey, here they are, 2.5 games ahead of the favorite Tigers in the American League east division. A big piece to their success has been Kevin Youkilis, who came over from Boston during the final week of June. Red Sox fans refer to him to leaving as a curse, while White Sox fans refer to him as a spark. Sure, his overall numbers aren’t anything to write home about (.254/.380/.469), but third baseman are hard to come by these days, especially experienced ones. And Youk is as steady as they come, health permitting. Youkilis, who has a $13 million option that comes into play once the season concludes, will likely gain a fair amount of interest should Chicago let him test open waters. However, Chicago shouldn’t give him the opportunity to test the market.

OK, so he might not be worth $13 million. But who will skipper Robin Ventura pencil in at third base of Youkilis leaves the windy city? They might as well forget about finding someone in free agency as the pickings are slim. David Wright could headline the group. Unless the Mets pick up his option (which they will), in which case he will only come through trade or in free agency in another year. Also, GM Kenny Williams would have to enter a bidding war with the Mets and several other clubs who have a hole at the hot corner to obtain Wright. Then, the rest of the crop boils down the likes of Placido Polanco, Mark Reynolds, and Brandon Inge. Any intriguing options in that group? I don’t think so. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles, MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: baseball, boston, boston red sox, brandon inge, chicago white sox, david wright, jake dal porto, kevin youkilis, mark reynolds, mlb, mlb reports, placido polanco, third base, third baseman, youk

New York Mets: Should They Extend Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey?

Aug 26

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

Sunday August 26th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: If there’s one compelling story that will represent the 2012 MLB season, it’s R.A Dickey’s story. At first, he was your normal fastball based type pitcher, but after finding minimal success with the normal approach, he switched gears and became one of the few knuckleballers in baseball. And the approach has worked. Now, the question that the Mets are facing is whether or not they extend him seeing that he can test open waters once the season concludes. Although, Dickey peaked at a much older age than most pitchers, as he’s currently 37 years-old.

What is he worth?

Dickey isn’t going to receive a massive contract considering his age and the knuckleball approach. Although, an annual salary of $8-10 million isn’t out of the question. Perhaps he signs a deal worth even more. However, the length of the contract isn’t going to push more than four years. Even a four-year extension could be too long for Dickey who will be 40 in nearly three years. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: baseball, david wright, dickey, jason bay, johan santana, johnny cueto, jonathan niese, mlb, mlb reports, new york mets, R.A, r.a. dickey, tim wakefield, zack wheeler

ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Lowe to the Yankees, Mauer Before Head and Shoulders, Extend Wright, Jose Canseco is Bankrupt (again) and Creative MLB Realignment

Aug 12

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Sunday August 12th, 2012

Jonathan Hacohen: Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.com, message us on Twitter, post on our Facebook Wall and leave comments on our website! There are many ways to reach us and we will get to your questions from all social media outlets!

Jonathan Hacohen: I am off to the Rogers Centre today to watch the Yankees battle the Jays. This game matters little in reality. The Yankees are in first place, with a 14 game lead over the last place Jays. The Yankees are on a 4 game winning streak, while the Jays have lost their last 5. Given the Jays bulging disabled list, they will likely be fielding a team that will more resemble a AAA squad. But I still go. I go because I love baseball. I go because it is the Yankees and I love the history and pride of the franchise. The truth is: I don’t care who is playing and where the game will take place. I go because I love baseball.

Speaking of the Yankees, I have something important on my mind. Derek Lowe. I will never stop thinking him as a member of the Red Sox, so today’s news took me somewhat by surprise. Lowe is now a member of the Yankees. So this is not your dad’s version of Derek Lowe. No, the 39-year old Lowe is nearly done. Unless he discovers the fountain of youth…or learns to throw a knuckleball. Lowe started off hot in Cleveland, but fizzled out quickly. Going to New York, his record on the year sits at 8-10 with a dismal 5.52 ERA. He has an unsightly 1.689 WHIP. He has walked more batters than he has struck out. But yet I hold out faith. Lowe was still very good as of 2010, but the wheels came off last year and never returned.

Apparently Lowe has accepted an assignment to the pen. Heck, for the league minimum- the Yankees have nothing to lose. Pettitte may not return and now Sabathia is having elbow issues. As the Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers and many other teams have proven this year- you can never have too much pitching. Pitchers get injured. Pitchers become ineffective. Remember how many Yankees fans were booing Bartolo Colon last year? Bet those same fans would love to have him back this year. Look at Ben Sheets on Atlanta. What’s old is new again. As long as Lowe’s arm is still intact, I say throw him in there. If he can get hot for even 2 weeks- that’s all what it might take in this game. Great signing by Brian Cashman. Derek Lowe could end up being a winning lottery ticket- or simply a lost dollar. Low risk, high reward is the name of the game folks.

For our Batting Stance Guy featured video of the week, we bring you Gar’s All-Star compilation titled: “Best Batting Stances By Position”

For bonus points this week: Tell us which former MLB player Gar is hanging with…and which stance he is imitating? First correct answer gets a secret prize: e-mail your answer to mlbreports@gmail.com

Now let’s get to your top questions of the week: Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: ask the reports, atr, bankruptcy, bartolo colon, baseball, bud selig, cleveland indians, david wright, derek lowe, head and shoulders, houston astros, joe mauer, jose canseco, jose reyes, Mike Trout, mlb, mlb expansion, mlb playoffs, mlb realignment, new york mets, wild card, world series, yankees, yoenis cespedes

MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: August 2012

Aug 6

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday August.6/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- It has been a crazy month in which teams have stockpiled some heavy talent at the trade deadline to get ready for the playoffs. Amongst the biggest gainers for the rankings this month were: the Athletics, Reds, Braves, Tigers, Dodgers (because of the deals) and Mariners while the Mets, Red Sox, Indians and Royals saw brutal months all but seal their playoff fates. I do think that Boston has a punchers chance but that all is dependent on David Ortiz returning to the lineup swiftly. The power of the best teams is definitely leaning to the National League right now where several teams are playing great baseball. With one-third of the season left we are all in for a treat as baseball fans.

I will have one more regular season Power Rankings month of September (to be posted on Labor Day Weekend,) before I also provide a playoff style ranking of the 1-10 seeds right before the Wild Card Teams play the play in game. It certainly has been awesome to follow how the trade deadline has effected the Monthly Rankings this time around. I think it is safe to say that this years deadline provided more interest and following-from even the casual fan more than any other year before. I also believe that the Non-Waiver Trade Deadline is now the best Trade Deadline in all of sports. Social Media has a lot to do with this but so does parity. The 2nd Wild Card spot has also created more teams willing to trade prospects in lieu of going for it. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: a.j ellis, a.j. burnett, aaron hill, adam dunn, adam jones, adam laroche, adrian gonzalez, albert pujols, alex gordon, alex ríos, alexei ramirez, alfonso soriano, anaheim angels, andres torres, Andrew McCutchen, anthony rizzo, aramis ramirez, arizona diamondbacks, aroldis chapman, Atlanta Braves, austin jackson, baltimore orioles, ben revere, billy butler, blake beaven, boston redsox, brandon inge, brandon moss, brandon phillips, Brian McCann, Bronson Arroyo, buster posey, Carlos lee, carlos ruiz, carlos santana, carlos villanueva, chase headley, chase utley, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, chipper jones, chris davis, chris sale, cincinnati reds, clay buccholz, cleveland indians, cliff lee, colorado rockies, corey hart, craig kimbrel, dan haren, daniel murphy, dave robertson, david murphy, david ortiz, david price, david wright, denard span, derek jeter, derek lowe, detroit tigers, doug fister, edwin encarnacion, felix hernandez, freddie freeman, garrett jones, gerardo parra, giancarlo stanton, gio gonzalez, hanley ramirez, homer bailey, houston astros, hunter pence, huston street, ian kennedy, jason kubel, jeff keppinger, jered weaver, jesus montero, joe blanton, joe mauer, johnny cueto, johnny gomes, jon lester, jonathan broxton, jordan zimmerman, jose altuve, jose bautista, jose reyes, josh beckett, josh hamilton, josh johnson, josh willingham, justin morneau, justin ruggiano, justin upton, kansas city royals, kevin youkilis, kyle seager, la dodgers, lorenzo cain, Luke Scott, mark teixeira, mat latos, matt kemp, melky cabrera, miami marlins, micheal brantley, Micheal Mckenry, Micheal Morse, miguel cabrera, mike fiers, mike napoli, Mike Trout, milwaukee brewers, minnesota twins, Monthly MLB Rankings, neil walker, nelson cruz, new york mets, new york yankees, nick markakis, oakland athletics, pauil maholm, paul goldschmidt, pedro strop, philadelphia phillies, pittsburgh pirates, prince fielder, r.a. dickey, rafael soriano, rickie weeks, ruben tejada, ryan braun, ryan dempster, ryan howard, ryan vogelsong, ryan zimmerman, sam dedundo, san diego padres, san francisco giants, scott diamond, scott feldman, scott hairston, scott rolen, seattle mariners, seth smith, shane victorino, shin-soo choo, st louis cardinals, stephen strasburg, tampa bay rays, team rankings MLB, texas rangers, Torii Hunter, toronto blue jays, travis hafner, ubaldo jimenez, washington nationals, wie-yin chen, willie bloomquist, yasmani grandal, yu darvish

Top Ten Stat of The Week: Odds To Win The AL/NL/WS

Jul 9

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday July.9, 2012

The Yankees pay at the rate of +190 to win the American League and +375 to win the World Series. They are actually the 2nd favorite in the MLB for both to Texas. These odds are not flattering to throw any money down on either team.

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- I thought we would try a different top ten today with the ALL-Star Break here today. This morning I did some research on the odds of what http://www.bet365.com thinks will happen for the rest of the MLB Year based on their gambling futures. Gambling is an increasing industry like no other entity in the world. The NFL is better suited for ‘punters’ to throw down some bucks at Vegas. They have only one game a week and the gambling experts think that baseball is easier for the bad teams to beat the good teams. I will tell you as one of these ‘so called experts’, they are completely right. The worst teams in baseball usually can still beat the best teams 1 out of 3 games in a series. This makes normal gambling for a regular season game really hard to make any money, or minimize losses. I do think that betting who makes the playoffs and who wins it all has some good value picks.

Y0u have to search for the value in anything. I never like to play the #1 favorites of each league because they simply don’t pay enough of an odd. Right now, Bet365.com has the Texas Rangers at +175 to win the AL, or The Yankees at +190. I love these two teams to probably represent the AL in the World Series, however these odds are not good at all. As I list all of the odds for each league first, then the World Series, I will make some notes up. I have two teams in the NL that I have already wagered with and I am coming up roses on them so far. It is time for Gambling 101. Read the rest of this entry →

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MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: July 2012

Jul 4

Posted by chuckbooth3023

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 Granderson. Phil 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 →

Tags: a.j. burnett, adam dunn, adam jones, adam laroche, adrian beltre, albert pujols, alex burnett, alex ríos, alexi amarista, alfonso soriano, all-star game, andre ethier, Andrew McCutchen, aramis ramirez, asdrubal cabrera, baltimore orioles, ben zobrist, boston redsox, brandon moss, brandon phillips, brett wallace, brian wilson, bryan lahair, buster posey, carlo Pena, carlos beltran, carlos gonzalez, Carlos Pena, carlos ruiz, carlos santana, casey mcgehee, cc sabathia, chase utley, chicago white sox, chris carpenter, chris davis, chris sale, cincinnati reds, cj wilson, clay buchholz, clayton kershaw, clayton richard, cleveland indians, cliff lee, cody ross, colorado rockies, curtis granderson, dan uggla, david murphy, david ortiz, david price, david wright, derek jeter, derek lowe, desmond jennings, detroit tigers, dodger stadium, elvis andrus, evan longoria, felix hernandez, garrett jones, gio gonzalez, hideki matsui, hunter pence, huston street, ian desmond, ike davis, ivan nova, jake peavey, James MacDonald, jarrod parker, jim johnson, jim thome, joe mauer, joey votto, john jaso, johnny cueto, jon lester, jose altuve, josh hamilton, josh reddick, justin masterson, justin verlander, Kansas city, kevin youkilis, kyle lohse, la angels, la dodgers, lance lynn, lucas harrell, luke gregerson, Luke Scott, Marco scutaro, mark trumbo, Martin Maldonado, Matt Harrison, matt holliday, matt kemp, matt moore, matt scherzer, melky cabrera, micheal bourn, miguel cabrera, mike fiers, Mike Friers, Mike Morse, Mike Trout, milwaukee brewers, minnesota twins, neil walker, new york mets, new york yankees, Norichika Aoki, oakland athletics, pablo sandoval, paul konerko, pedro alvarez, phil hughes, philadelphia phillies, pittsburgh pirates, prince fielder, quintin Berry, r.a. dickey, rafael soriano, rick porcello, robinson cano, roy halladay, ryan braun, ryan dempster, ryan howard, ryan zimmerman, safeco field, san diego padres, san francisco giants, scott diamond, scott podsednik, scott rolen, seth smith, shin-soo choo, st louis cardinals, starlin castro, stephen strasburg, tampa bay rays, texas rangers, tim lincecum, todd frazier, tom wilhelmsen, tony la russa, trevor plouffe, tyler colvin, Tyler Moore, washington nationals, will middlebrooks, wilson betemit, yeonis cespedes, yovani gallardo, yu darvish, zack greinke

Top 10 Stat of the Week ( Career HRs With One Team )

Jun 24

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Sunday June.24/2012

‘Hammering’ Hank passed the legendary Babe Ruth as the ALL-Time HR leader in 1974. Some still feel that he is the ALL-Time HR leader with the admitted steroid use from Leader Barry Bonds. –Photo courtesy of goldenagebaseballcards

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- Seemingly gone are the days where most of the MLB players stick with one team for their whole careers. As of right now there are not too many superstars that have spent their entire careers with one organization. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are 1st ballot Hall of Famers. Chipper Jones should make the BBHOF. Todd Helton is close to retiring but I am not sure the voters will see him worthy. There are some promising chances that Ryan Braun and David Wright might play their entire careers with their current clubs, however with Braun’s PED fiasco last year I just don’t see him entering Cooperstown. Wright must re-sign with the ownership hemorrhaging, this will prove hard for the Wilpons funds thanks to Bernie Madoff. When it comes to starting pitching, the list is shrunken that much further. Justin Verlander is the active win leader with a player only having played for one team. He has 114 wins with the Tigers, anybody above him on the active ALL-Time Wins list has pitched for multiple teams already. The next active leader for one team pitched for is Ervin Santana with 91 wins for the Angels franchise. Felix Hernandez has 90 wins for the Mariners. Tim Lincecum, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain have played their entire careers for the same team so far and have CY Young titles amongst them, but have a long way to go in establishing Hall of Fame Careers.

That brings me to my next stat. There are 9 players in history who have hit 500 HRs or more for one team. All of them are in the Hall of Fame except for Barry Bonds (who becomes eligible next year.) I am not sure the writers will cast a vote for him because of his steroid use. When I got the idea for this article, it came to be because I was amazed that Paul Konerko has hit over 400 HRs with the Chicago White Sox. Again at age 36, Konerko has a look at 500 HRs with the Chicago team. Right now he can end the season with about 410-420 HRs. Provided he can play 3-4 years more and have productive seasons, he may reach the milestone. Chipper Jones is the only other active MLB Player to have 400 HRs with one team. Larry is slowing down though and will most likely retire after this year. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: All-time HR list, Atlanta, babe ruth, barry bonds, braves, brewers, bryce harper, cal ripken, chipper jones, Chuck Booth. fastest 30 ballgames, cole hamels, cooperstown, david ortiz, david wright, derek jeter, eddie matthews, ernie banks, ervin santana, evan longoria, felix hernandez, giancarlo stanton, hall of fame, hank aaron, Hank Aaron award, harmon killebrew, justin morneau, justin verlander, lou gehrig, mariano rivera, mariners, matt cain, mets, mike schmidt, milwaukee, nationals, new york giants, paul konerko, phillies, ryan braun, San Francisco, ted williams, tigers, tim lincecum, todd helton, washington, willie mays, yankees

MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: June 2012

Jun 4

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday June.4, 2012

June Power Rankings-Last Month Rank in Parenthesis

1. Texas-32-22 (1) The Rangers rode Josh Hamilton in the month of May-who enters today on pace for about 60 HRs and 170 RBI while hitting .354. Nelson Cruz is starting to heat up and the duo of Adrian Beltre and Ian Kinsler are steady as as ever. Yu Darvish is 7-3 en route to the leading the group amongst Rookie of The Year Contention. Joe Nathan is looking like his old self again out of the pen with an ERA under 2.

2. LA Dodgers 33-21 (5) Even with Matt Kemp out of the lineup again, the Dodgers are winning ball games with solid contributions from Andre Ethier and A.J Ellis on offense. The pitching staff has been anchored by Clayton Kershaw and a fast 7-1 start by Chris Capuano. Ted Lilly was 5-1 before a stint on the DL. It is too bad because Lilly is 125-104 since 2004.

3. Tampa Bay 31-23 (2) Hideki Matsui homered in two of his first 3 games back with the Rays. The team has had steady pitching to stay in contention. Carlos Pena has really struggled in the last month and will need to pick it up. Luke Scott with 35 RBI has good production numbers in spite of his .225 AVG. Fernando Rodney has converted 17 out of 18 saves to pace the club.

4. Cincinnati 30-23 (12) Joey Votto has hit .404 in the last 30 days and maybe the best all-around hitter in the National League right now. Jay Bruce has 12 HRs and 34 RBI and is living up to his all-star potential. Aroldis Chapman has 27 Strikeouts in just over 14 innings and has yet to yield a run while opponents are hitting a paltry .043 against him.

5. NY Yankees 29-24 (6) The Bronx Bombers have 6 players with 8 HRs or more, which is a good thing because with the exception of Derek Jeter, a lot of them are hitting under their career averages. The return of Andy Pettitte has helped the rotation with the loss of Micheal Pineda. Phil Hughes threw a complete game over the weekend and CC Sabathia is on pace for another 20 win season. Read the rest of this entry →

Tags: a.j ellis, adam dunn, adam jones, adam laroche, adrian beltre, albert pujols, all-star game, andre ethier, andy pettitte, angel pagan, arizona diamondbacks, aroldis chapman, Atlanta Braves, baltimore orioles, barry zito, boston red sox, brandon beachy, Bronx Bombers, bryce harper, carlos beltran, carlos gonzalez, Carlos Pena, carlos zambrano, Casey Janssen, cc sabathia, chicago cubs, chicago white sox, chipper jones, chris capuano, chris carpenter, chris sale, Chuck Booth, cincinnati redds, cincinnati reds, clayton kershaw, cleveland indians, colorado rockies, Coors Field, dan uggla, daniel hudson, david ortiz, david wright, dayan viciedo, derek jeter, derek lowe, detroit tigers, dodgers, edwin encarnacion, Felix Doubront, fernando rodney, freddie freeman, giancarlo stanton, gio gonzalez, grady sizemore, hanley ramirez, hideki matsui, houston astros, ian kennedy, ian kinsler, jake peavey, jason kipnis, jay bruce, jered weaver, Jim Leyland, JJ Hardy, joe mauer, joe nathan, joey votto, johan santana, john macdonald, jose altuve, jose bautista, josh hamilton, josh johnson, josh reddick, josh willingham, justin morneau, justin upton, justin verlander, kevin youkilis, kirk nieuwenhuis, kyle lohse, la angels, lance berkman, lance lynn, lucas duda, Luke Scott, Mark buerhle, mark trumbo, matt cain, matt kemp, melky cabrera, mendoza line, miami marlins, michael pineda, Micheal Morse, miguel cabrera, mike scioscia, Mike Trout, minnesota twins, MLB rankings, mlb reports rankings, nelson cruz, new york mets, nick markakis, NY Yankees, oakland a's, pablo sandoval, paul goldschmidt, paul konerko, phil hughes, prince fielder, r.a. dickey, rafael furcal, rangers, rookie of the year, ryan doumit, san francisco giants, Scott Achison, st louis cardinals, starlin castro, stephen drew, stephen strasburg, tampa bay rays, ted lilly, terry collins, the fastest 30 ballgames, tim lincecum, todd helton, toronto blue jays, travis hafner, vladimir guerrero, washington nationals, will middlebrooks, willie bloomquist, yeonis cespedes, yu darvish

The Miracle Mets: 2012 Edition?

May 15

Posted by bernieolshansky

Tuesday May 15th, 2012

Bernie Olshansky: The National League East standings right now aren’t what anyone could have imagined at the beginning of the season. A little over a month ago, one would expect to find the Phillies and Braves to compete for first place, with the Marlins stay lurking in the background. Almost the opposite is happening. The Phillies are in last place with the Marlins just ahead of them, and the Nationals (of all teams) in first place. The Braves are a close second and who’s behind them in third place? The Mets. An easy team to immediately disregard at the beginning of the season, the Mets have gotten off to a hot start. David Wright is at the top of the Major League leader board in average and the pitching hasn’t been bad either. Johan Santana (the big key to the season in which I’ll discuss later) has had a solid 2.92 ERA, and Mike Pelfrey with a 2.29 (given he’s only pitched 19 plus innings). The big and obvious struggle that the Mets have been able to and will need to overcome is the departure of Jose Reyes. Ruben Tejada has been doing a good job as Reyes’ replacement so far with a .305 batting average, but that doesn’t compare to the batting champion the Mets had holding down the position last year. Granted, Reyes isn’t performing for the Marlins how he did last year for the Mets, but no one expected him to repeat his numbers. Free agency has a way of boosting numbers…if you know what I mean. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: baseball, david wright, ike davis, jason bay, johan santana, jose reyes, miracle mets, mlb, new york mets

MLB reports Monthly Power Rankings: May 2012

Tuesday May 8th, 2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-We are going to bring you a monthly power rankings every month of the season. There will be a few verses for each team. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts.

May Power Rankings

Texas (19-10) Josh Hamilton is clubbing the ball at his 2010 like AL MVP clip. Yu Darvish appears to be the real deal. Mike Napoli hits 8^th on most nights. Michael Young might be the most under-appreciated hitter in the last decade. Ian Kinsler is on pace for 162 runs. If Nelson Cruz starts hitting and or Nathan rounds into form, than this team may blitz by every one.
Tampa Bay (19-10) The pitching staff is incredible right now. David Price is asserting himself as one of the premier left-handed pitchers in baseball. Strong starts from Evan Longoria, Luke Scott and Carlos Pena have helped. Joe Maddon may be the best ‘in-game manager’ of baseball now with Tony La Russa out of the Majors.
Atlanta (18-12) The reason I have Atlanta rated so high is they are not even having a good year from Tim Hudson yet and Jair Jurrjens has been atrocious. Still they sit near the top of the standings. Chipper Jones has 21 RBI and Freddie Freeman has taken the next step so far with 26 RBI. Last year the team had a lot of players with career worst years and they were only eliminated on the last day of the season. This year may be different.
St. Louis (18-11) You lose a franchise player like Albert Pujols and you spend half the money for Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal, who are finally hitting the numbers like the back of their bubble gum cards from 5 years ago. Are we giving enough credit to Mark McGwire here? Lance Lynn has morphed into Chris Carpenter with his 6-0 start.
LA Dodgers (19-10) Matt Kemp is the best player in baseball right now and may walk away with the triple crown this year. Andre Ethier has matured into the RBI guy he needs to be. Solid pitching by Clayton Kershaw, Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly have this team looking solid. Dodgers look good in the future when the new ownership takes over. (more…)

Posted on May 8, 2012 | Image

Baseball and Music are Synonymous with Our Timeline

May 6

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Sunday May 6, 2012

The NY Mets Tribute to the Recent Passing of MCA from The Beastie Boys

Lori Martini(Baseball Writer and @lorimartini on Twitter)– We don’t always remember exactly when certain events have happened in our lives and at what ages, but baseball and music gives us a pretty good reference and timeline as to when certain occurrences took place. It’s no wonder music plays such an integral part in baseball and throughout sports. Being a songwriter myself and having been honored that Justin Turner chose my song “Believe” as his walk-up song all last summer, I can only hope some day more players will walk up to more songs that I continue to write. I remember Derek Bell walked up to “Big Pimpin’” by Jay-Z. I can automatically tell you that the song was released in 2000 and that is when Bell played for the Mets. In fact, I’m such a huge Mets fan that I don’t even have to look at the scoreboard or the plate- I’ll instantly know which player is up to bat or who came in for a pitching change just based on their music choice.

When I started my ballpark chasing in 2000, I followed the Mets to most of the stadiums. I would meet new friends on the road including one of my best friends, Gabriel Lee who not only shares the same birthday (month/day AND year), but he also has a passion for music and manages a band called Ceasefire in LA. I met Gabriel through Rachel (Roa) Apodaca who inadvertently met my friend Indira who I’ve know from Midwood High School and is a fellow lunatic Mets fan like myself in a baseball chat room. I’d go to games with friends and start singing the Mets walk-up songs when they were on the road. I had Rachel and her sister Kristen involved in the whole ordeal when my team was playing against theirs! Gabriel also had a friend, Ted who joined us at Mets vs. Dodger games in LA. Being that I was older I quickly noticed that Ted liked Rachel and I told her that. She didn’t believe me at first, but shortly after they started dating and now they’re married and have a daughter Brianna who is now as big a fan as us (and has a HUGE crush on Matt Kemp….ssshhh). Brianna met him so often that he knows who she is. She even plays softball and wants to be a catcher like Mike Piazza.

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Tags: ac/dc, andres torres, Beastie Boys, Believe, Brianna Apodaca, brooklyn, Ceasefire, daniel murphy, david wright, Derek Bell, dillon gee, Gabriel Lee, ike davis, Indira Junicic, Jay-Z, justin turner, la dodgers, Lori Martini, lucas duda, matt kemp, MCA, mets, Midwood High School, mike piazza, new York, Rachel Roa Apodaca, ruben tejada, scott hairston, Ted Apodaca, vh-1 house of consignment, vinny rottino

The First Five Games of The Streak

Apr 10

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Tuesday April.10/2012

Douglas “Chuck” Booth at Citi April 9th

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- Well, I finally get a chance to breathe for one second. Too bad it was at the expense of the events that transpired yesterday. Contrary to popular belief, this world record streak is not a walk in the park. Traveling is a hard thing to do at the best of times. I will break down the trip synopsis game by game. I am breaking down the travel games at Parks day by day. Read the rest of this entry →

Tags: albert pujols, alex gordon, Amtrak, andre ethier, Angel Stadium, bobby abreu. vernon wells, brett myers, bryce harper, chase field, Chuck Booth, citi field, cole hamels, colorado rockies, daniel murphy, david wright, dfw, eric hosmer, Greyhound, Houston, iah, johan santana, jose altuve, kirk nieuwenhuis, LAX, Lori Martini, Los Angeles, luke hochevar, marlins, matt kemp, mets, mike moustakas, mike pelfrey, minute maid park, morgan ensberg, National Car Rental, nationals, new York, omar infante, petco park, philadelphia, phillies, Phoenix, phx, rangers, raul ibanez, stephen strasburg, Steve Fekete, texas, The Ball park in Arlingotn, the fastest 30 ballgames, todd helton, Torii Hunter, united airlines

An Interview with Citi Field ‘Expert’ Lori Martini

Mar 30

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Friday, March.30/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer)Follow @chuckbooth3024– Last year when I applied for the MLB FanCave, I did so with mixed emotions. While the job looked like an awesome experience, it also would never be as exciting as going to the baseball games live. Due to my waiting around for MLB’s decision on the chosen winners, I failed to plan for any extensive road trips last year. I am not disappointed that I didn’t win. Mike O’ Hara and Ryan Wagner did a fantastic job and were completely qualified. What the verdict left me was a desire to prove a point that I have been trying to establish for the last 4 years. MLB’s 30 Baseball Parks provide the best marketing tool that this entity may ever want. It is my ultimate goal to show that people would rather go to the games live. Chasing down the Guinness Book of World Record for visiting all parks in the least amount of days has a plethora of emotions that run through ones body. It is both an adrenaline rush and a hyper vigilant anxiety clashing for every day I am on the road.

In my 2 minute video that I sent for the FanCave, I told them that “you either hire me or I am going to end up doing this on my own anyway!” So I intend to go on a 30 MLB Park journey every year from now until MLB decides to pay me a salary. To give our readers the kind of insight and information that make these ballparks the best fan experiences in Major League Sports, I have sought out some of the greatest experts in the field of ballpark chasing. Every park will have a Park Preview, an Expert Interview and a Post Game/Streak Synopsis. Our first expert interview is Lori Martini.

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Tags: Believe, brooklyn, Chuck Booth, citi field, david wright, fastest thirty ballgames, Flushing Meadows, jason bay, jose reyes, justin turner, Lori Martini, luis castillo, mike o'hara, mike piazza, mlb, mlb fan cave, new york mets, oliver perez, port st. lucie, ryan wagner, sandy alderson, Shea Stadium, short film caught

The Top Players Used to Play the ‘Hot Corner’: The Sad State of Third Base in 2012

Mar 12

Posted by chuckbooth3023

Monday March. 12, 2012

Douglas ‘Chuck’ Booth (Baseball Writer): When I was a kid, the best players in the game of baseball all seemed to play Third or First Base. Think back to the mid-eighties, where George Brett, Wade Boggs, Mike Schmidt, Howard Johnson, Terry Pendleton and Paul Molitor were some of the better players in the game. Even Bobby Bonilla broke into the Majors at third base. The next wave of third baseman were impressive too, guys like: Chipper Jones, Ken Caminiti, a young Scott Rolen, Vinny Castilla and Robin Ventura. As little as five years ago, there was Alex Rodriguez and David Wright both being top-5 players in baseball. When you added Miguel Cabrera and Mike Lowell to the mix, it was a pretty formidable bunch of players at the Hot Corner. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: alex rodriguez, aramis ramirez, baseball, david wright, doug booth, evan longoria, fastest 30 ballgames, george brett, howard johnson, miguel cabrera, mike schmidt, mlb, ryan zimmerman, scott rolen, wade boggs

NL East: Value Picks, Up-and-Coming Players and Red Flags in Fantasy Baseball

Feb 29

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Wednesday February 29th, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): The National League East is filled with many big name fantasy players, particularly the Philadelphia Phillies with their starting rotation and hitters like Howard, Utley, Rollins, Victorino, and Pence. However, this division is intriguing, because teams like the Braves have a plethora of up-and-coming players. Furthermore, scattered throughout the rest of the division are players who have potential to provide sneaky good value. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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MLB Third Basemen in 2012: Fantasy Strategies

Feb 8

Posted by pwstein87