Blog Archives

Angels Two Week Review: The (Mostly) Bad And The (Somewhat) Good

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Sunday, April.14, 2013

Albert Pujols kicked off the 2012 year by struggling brutally for the 1st 6 weeks. This year the man is off to a hot start - and can't be faulted for the teams failures so far. The Active Leader for Batting Average at .325 is back to his MVP form. The most telling stat the he is in the Zone is his Walks to Strikeout Rate being 11 - 3.  The 33 Year old is also the Active Leader for OPS among players at 1.022.

Albert Pujols kicked off the 2012 year by struggling brutally for the 1st 6 weeks. This year the man is off to a hot start – and can’t be faulted for the teams failures so far. The Active Leader for Batting Average at .325 is back to his MVP form. The most telling stat the he is in the Zone is his Walks to Strikeout Rate being 11 – 3. The 33 Year old is also the Active Leader for OPS among players at 1.022.

By Josh Jones (Angels Correspondent): 

For the second consecutive season the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have come out of the gates at an utterly slow pace. The 2013 version of the Angels followed in the footsteps of the 2012 team which started 6-14 and found themselves failing to dig themselves out of the April hole when it came down to making the playoffs.

The 2013 Angels have actually started worse than their 2012 campaign, posting a meager 3-8 record through 11 games. If it wasn’t for Albert Pujols’ 2 -run Double which gave the Halos a walk-off victory a few hours ago, this team would have been 2-9 and looking at the worst record to start the season in franchise history.

LA Angels Preview – They haven’t lived up to the Hype yet:

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Athletics 8 Game Win Streak Is Nothing New To Pattern Formed Since Last Year

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Friday, Apr.12/2013

Oakland Athletics' Jed Lowrie has made Billy Beane look like a genius once again - with clubbing 16 hits, (8 of the Extra Base Variety), Scoring 10 Runs and Walking 6 times so far in the teams 8 - 2 start.  He has an OPS of 1.258 thus far.

Oakland Athletics’ Jed Lowrie has made Billy Beane look like a genius once again – with clubbing 16 hits, (8 of the Extra Base Variety), Scoring 10 Runs and Walking 6 times so far in the teams 8 – 2 start. He has an OPS of 1.258.  He was acquired from the Houston Astros in a February trade which sent Chris Carter the other way.  The man can play several defensive positions well.  He is due for Arbitration at the end of this season, before becoming a Free Agent in 2015.  Beane doesn’t seem to make a bad move these days.

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

Hands up.. How many people would have thought that the Oakland Athletics would start the 2013 season with the best record in the Major Leagues so far?

Of course this website is not surprised at all.  Jonathan Hacohen (Website Founder and current Oakland A’s Correspondent) wrote a brilliant piece in the 1st week of July/2012 – breaking down Billy Beane‘s new MoneyBall Philosophy here.

I have to admit something right now..  I had not seen the movie “MoneyBall” even by this time.  Yes…brutal and I was kicking myself for not seeing it before hand.

After the movie, I did some digging and was extremely flabbergasted with what I found about Beane’s magic.  I wrote a Roster Tree for the Hitters and Pitchers in the organization.  I studied every single transaction to back track how each of the current member of the team had arrived in an Oakland uniform.  You can find that 2 part series here.

Can the Oakland A’s Do it Again in 2013 Preview:

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The Baseball Struggles of Tall/Heavy Players After 30: Is Prince Next?

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Friday, Apr.12/2013

Prince Fielder will turn 29 in May.  Throughout my studies of some extremely tall - or heavy player, the time of deterioration in ones ability seems to seep in about 34.  In my opinion, the club should move to trade Victor Martinez and shift Fielder over to the DH position ASAP, so they can preserve his  body for the next 8 years of his contract.  He will be 37 when his big deal ends.  Fielder has a Career 3 Slash Line of .287/.393/.931

Prince Fielder will turn 29 in May. Throughout my studies of some extremely tall – or heavy playera, the time of deterioration in ones ability seems to seep in about the  34 Year Old Age range. In my opinion, the club should move to trade Victor Martinez and shift Fielder over to the DH position ASAP, so they can preserve his body for the next 8 years of his contract. He will be 37 when his big deal ends. Fielder has a Career 3 Slash Line of .287/.393/.931.  The second generation Fielder, has clubbed 262 HRs and added 774 RBI in 1168 Games Played.  Will he suffer the same fate as the others in this article (including his dad) – or will he buck the trend?

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

I am still astounded when I see that Prince Fielder has not been turned into a Full – Time DH – and can still man the position of First Base. The Tigers were lucky enough to sign him last year.

So when should the club decide to take the glove out of Fielder’s hand? 

Victor Martinez is there at the Designated Hitter position now, however they should convert Prince Fielder to DH the second V-Mart vacates the club after the 2014 season.

When I thought about this a little more I realized that tall/heavy hitters really have a tough time keeping their productivity up once they are near the second half of their career.  It is really not that hard to figure out.  

A player that is taller also carries a larger Strike Zone, where the overweight players will only lose any speed they had as their career starts winding down.  

For this particular article, I choose 4 players to study this exact scenario. Those players are: Richie Sexson, Tony Clark, Mo Vaughn and Cecil Fielder.

Prince Fielder wins the 2012 HR Derby:

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St. Louis Cardinals – Week 1 Review

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Monday, April 8th, 2013

2012 was a season that ended with disappointment which ultimately distracted us from recognizing what a successful year it really was.  2012 highlighted a lot of the greatness that is to come for this great franchise.  The Cardinals are greatly positioned for the next 5 years with the influx of 6 top 100 MLB Prospects at  League Entry Level Contracts. Having said this, the club started out the year dropping 2 out of 3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, before pulverizing the defending World Series Champions over the weekend - taking the series 2 - 1 and outscoring the Giants 20 - 7, while obliterating Matt Cain's ERA for some time. by hanging 9 Earned Runs on him in just 3.2 IP

2012 was a season that ended with disappointment which ultimately distracted us from recognizing what a successful year it really was. 2012 highlighted a lot of the greatness that is to come for this great franchise. The Cardinals are greatly positioned for the next 5 years with the influx of 6 top 100 MLB Prospects at League Entry Level Contracts. Having said this, the club started out the year dropping 2 out of 3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, before pulverizing the defending World Series Champions over the weekend – taking the series 2 – 1 and outscoring the Giants 20 – 7, while obliterating Matt Cain’s ERA for some time. by hanging 9 Earned Runs on him in just 3.2 IP.

By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent)

Week in Review:

The opening week of the 2013 season for the St. Louis Cardinals can now be considered successful after a 14-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon.  The Cardinals finished their opening week six-game West Coast road trip with a .500-record of (3-3).

This is definitely a huge success for the Cardinals to come back to St. Louis with at least a .500 record.  Of course, they wanted to win the 16-inning marathon against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night (and early into Thursday morning), and the 1-0 pitchers-dual game against Barry Zito on Friday. 

Those were two tough losses.  Overall, though, this week was positive for the Cardinals and should give them some momentum coming into their home opening series against the Cincinnati Reds.

2013 St. Louis Cardinals Preview by MLB Network:

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MLB Weekly Rankings Week 1: MLB Reports

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Monday Apr.08/2013

The Nationals won a Major League leading 98 Games Last Year.  They have the best roster in the Major Leagues - and have started the year 4 - 2.  The team receives a narrow edge for me over the Reds for the #1 Spot in the MLB reports 1st installment of the MLB Rankings.

The Nationals won a Major League leading 98 Games Last Year. They have the best roster in the Major Leagues in 2013 – and have started the year 4 – 2. The team receives a narrow edge for me over the Reds for the #1 Spot in the MLB reports 1st installment of the MLB Rankings.  Check back weekly for updated rankings!

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

This is the first installment of my weekly Rankings for all MLB Teams.  There are no real surprises here,  I picked the Nationals just slightly over the Reds from top to bottom based on their current roster depth.

Really, the Reds may have an easier path to the playoffs playing in the NL Central -as opposed to the NL East lineup the Nationals would face. 

I am not sold on the Rockies quick start because they beat up the Padres and Brewers.  The DiamondBacks also look great, so look for them to possibly keep climbing the ranks

The AL East is already beating each other up. 

The Braves might charge up the ranks again next week.

The White Sox have looked great so far with their pitching.

Oakland and Texas have ended the week on a hotstreak each by way of fattening up on the Houston Astros.

Washington Nationals On Opening Day:

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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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White Sox Off To A Good Start

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Thursday April.4/2013

Opening Day saw 39012 brave and tough Chicago and other natives - took in this game.

Opening Day saw 39012 brave and tough Chicago and other natives – take  in the  game.  The club narrowly escaped with a 1 – 0 victory against their Division AL Central Rival The Kansas City Royals.  Game #2 saw the Bullpen throw 3 IP and only yield 1 hit for their effort.  The Sox are not expected to contend for a playoff position – although they carry multiple time ALL – Star players on their Roster. Does everyone forget that the ‘Southsiders’ led the AL Central for the majority of the year during the 2012 season?  The Tigers barely nudged them out for the Division at the end of September.  The Sox are looking for payback in 2013.

By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): 

The last time the White Sox won on Opening Day by a score of 1-0 was 2005. They won the World Series that year. They beat the Royals 1-0 on Monday behind a solid pitching performance by Chris Sale and a solo HR from Tyler Flowers.

Monday was Opening Day. Not that that means anything, but baseball fans are superstitious. I know I am.

The Sox were 6-12 against the Royals in 2012, proving to be the Sox undoing. After their victory on Wednesday against KC 5-2, they’re 2-0 against the Royals so for in 2013. You have to understand, this is mind boggling for a White Sox fan.

The Royals have been the Sox’ achilles heel for what seems like forever now. If the Sox find a way to knock around Jeremy “Catfish” Guthrie today, the world may come to an end. Guthrie posted a 0.30 ERA vs the Sox last season, but, only managed one victory against them.

White Sox Opening Day At Us Cellular Field – Mature Content so Parental Guidance is advised:

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Kershaw Smacks 1st HR And Nets Win In Dodgers Opener – Before LA Loses 2 In A Row

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Thursday Apr.04/2013

Dodger Stadium was at full capacity (53,138) on Monday's Opening Day.  It was 66 Degrees at Game Time.  With the MLB' biggest payroll right now, the Dodgers have heavy expectations in 2013.  They won 4 - 0 on Mondays game - before dropping back to back games to the Giants

Dodger Stadium was at full capacity (53,138) on Monday’s Opening Day. It was 66 Degrees at Game Time. With the MLB’ s biggest payroll right now, the Dodgers have heavy expectations in 2013. They won 4 – 0 on Mondays game – before dropping back to back games to the Giants Starting Pitchers Bumgarner and Lincecum.  Matt Kemp is still hitless on the year – and Adrian Gonzalez had not had a base knock since his 2nd AB of the Year.  On a solid note,  Carl Crawford has looked great with 5 Base Hits in 9 At – Bats.  The team has switched Luis Cruz to Shortstop and Juan Uribe to 3rd after a brutal Game #2 by Justin Sellers (which featured a couple of errors).

By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent): 

Everything just went right for the Dodgers. Crawford got two hits (including a Double), Adrian Gonzalez got a hit, Ethier got a hit, Kemp scored a run, just what the Dodgers expect out of their stars.

The Dodgers made Matt Cain throw 35 pitches in the 1st inning – including Kemp drawing a 11 Pitcher AB, with several Foul – Balls before finally Striking Out. 

This still jacked up Cain’s pitch count, causing the Giants to lift him before the Bottom of the 7th. After the 8th Inning HR, the club even scratched out two runs on Infield grounders!

Without signing a contract extension during the winter, the 2011 Cy Young Award winner (and 2012 runner-up) Clayton Kershaw did more than expected for the Dodgers as they defeated the reigning World Champs – and Dodger arch-rival San Francisco Giants 4 – 0.

Not only did he picked up the win, he earned himself his first Shutout of the season. He allowed only four hits and Struckout seven hitters.

Clayton Kershaw is interviewed on Opening Day HR:

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How The Weather Plays A Factor At Target Field

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Wednesday April 3, 2013

Target Field was a must need for the Twins a few years ago. The HHH Metrodome just was not getting the job done, much like Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. The weather was and still is the one downside because during the games early in the season the weather can get low with wind being able to rattle the ball around in the air.

Target Field was a must need for the Twins a few years ago. The HHH Metrodome just was not getting the job done, much like Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. The weather was and still is the one downside because during the games early in the season the weather can get low with wind being able to rattle the ball around in the air.  The Twins used to be among the leaders in the American League in Home Batting Average and Extra Base Hits – now it is a struggle for the offense to maintain itself.  The park is even more of a factor than injuries to Mauer and Morneau have been.

By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer):

When the Minnesota Twins left the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in 2010 they had great intentions. The ball getting lost in the ceiling would be gone and the Baggie in Left Field would no longer play a factor.

They moved to a beautiful new home, still in Minnesota, going by the name of Target Field. Like all stadiums when they were first built, it is one of the nicest looking stadiums in the MLB.

There is only one problem with the new field. It is outside. In Minnesota. You are not going to get the nice weather like you would in Florida or Los Angeles. And having games there this early in the season can sometimes make it incredibly cold during the first couple weeks of the new campaign.

Time Lapse of Target Field Being Built:

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Justin Verlander Makes Good On His 1st Start After Signing His Recent 5 Year Extension

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Tuesday, April.2/2013

Justin Verlander paid immediate dividends for his new Salary Extension in the Tigers Season Opener on the road yesterday at Target field, throwing 5 scoreless Innings and fanning 7 batters.  Verlander anchors a talented Detroit Pitching Rotation that features Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello

Justin Verlander paid immediate dividends for his new Salary Extension in the Tigers Season Opener on the road yesterday at Target field, throwing 5 scoreless Innings and fanning 7 batters. Verlander anchors a talented Detroit Pitching Rotation that features Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello.  Detroit GM Dave Dombroski is smart enough to realize that there is possiblu a small 3 year window with Fielder, Cabrera and the former AL Cy Young Award Winner all on the same team signed – and primed  for another World Series Title push with this move.

By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent)

And there was much rejoicing….

No worries, the ‘Holy Grail’ of Detroit will be a Tiger through 2019. Last Friday afternoon, Justin Verlander inked a record-breaking 5-year contract extension.

He will earn $20 Million this season and next season, then a whopping $28 Million per year for the next five seasons.

In case math isn’t your strong suit, that’s a total of $180 Million. The deal also includes a vesting option for 2020 that’s worth $22 Million. So he could potentially earn $202 Million over the next 8 years.

What is a Vesting Option? It’s basically a clause that reassures teams from overpaying to declining players. While we don’t officially know the Vesting Option clause, it is said to be based on Cy Young Award balloting (as reported by Larry Lage, AP).

Justin Verlander Highlights – Highlights from 2012 – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance are advised.

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – March 29, 2013

Screen Shot 2013-03-29 at 1.34.43 PM

Today on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast, I talk about the contract extensions of Buster Posey and Justin Verlander and why I want them both to become Hall of Famers.

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St. Louis Cardinals 2013 Payroll and Contracts Going Forward

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Wednesday, March.25/2013

2012 was a season that ended with disappointment which ultimately distracted us from recognizing what a successful year it really was.  2012 highlighted a lot of the greatness that is to come for this great franchise.  The Cardinals are greatly positioned for the next 5 years with the influx of 6 top 100 MLB Prospects at  League Entry Level Contracts

2012 was a season that ended with disappointment which ultimately distracted us from recognizing what a successful year it really was. 2012 highlighted a lot of the greatness that is to come for this great franchise. The Cardinals are greatly positioned for the next 5 years with the influx of 6 top 100 MLB Prospects at League Entry Level Contracts.  The Cards were 1 one away from the World Series in 2012 before the Giants won 3 elimination games.  Can the franchise withstand the losses of Lohse, Carpenter, Furcal and even Hitting Coach Mgwire

By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent)

I believe we can expect more of the same from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013. This is a franchise that has proven they can be competitive on a consistent basis, even doing so last year without Albert Pujols. The Cardinals enter 2013 following consecutive runs to the National League Championship Series (won World Series in 2011).

On the heels of a very quiet offseason, the Cardinals seem to be entering the 2013 season with a very clear plan: get younger while simultaneously maintaining a high level of success on the field. The franchise has clearly begun this transition already with the departure of a few key players in the last several years – Kyle Lohse being the latest.

In the money department, the Cardinals have never been afraid to spend money to help the ballclub; however, they have always done so wisely. They are not among the teams that seemingly are just trying to buy championships. They have always been a team that uses a healthy balance of money and a solid farm system for success.

In 2013, the Cardinals will rank 10th in all of Major League Baseball in overall payroll – in the upper tier, for sure, but not overspending by any means – and their farm system is ranked 1st overall in baseball. The Cardinals have the money and the players it takes to continue being competitive for a long time to come.

2011 Cardinals World Series:

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Oakland A’s Player Roster in 2013: State Of The Union Part 2: The Pitchers

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Sunday, Mar.24/2013

A.J Griffin was 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 15 Games Started for the A's in his 2012 Rookie Season.  The A's will look for the 24 Year old for some Quality Starts in 2013

A.J Griffin was 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 15 Games Started for the A’s in his 2012 Rookie Season. The A’s will look for the 24 Year old for some Quality Starts in 2013.  The  former University of San Diego Pitcher yielded a 1.13 WHIP during his time last year.  As the teams #4 Starting Pitcher on the depth chart, Griffin should be able to see some favorable matchups in 2013.  If he throws like 2012 again in 2013, he might very pole vault to being the ace of the rotation.  We may have another 3 – 4 staff that contend for the AL Cy Young like the days of Hudson, Mulder and Zito.

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

Billy Beane has always recycled his great starting pitchers once they hit the experience level that he could not pay them for.  His new crop of pitchers include Jarrod Parker, Brett Anderson, Tommy Milone and new Starter A.J. Griffin

They also are bringing back Bartolo Colon for the 2013 season, despite taking a 50 game suspension for PED use last year. Billy Beane is a master tactician on assessing  a players worth and especially pitchers.  Just like the hitters, the pitchers are all mostly in the 25-30 Age bracket.  He has a quality set of controllable relief pitchers in the barn to close out games too.

A.J. Griffin at University of San Diego:

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Chris Sale And White Sox Both Win With New Contract

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Wednesday Mar.20/2013

Team Management thought enough of Sale after his 1st year as a Starter - to have him earn 850 K in 2013, $3.5 MIL in 2014, $6.0 MIL in 2015, $9.15 MIL in 2016, $12 MIL in 2017 and two straight Team Options in 2018 ($12.5 MIL) + 2019 ($13.5 MIL) or a Buyout

Team Management thought enough of Sale after his 1st year as a Starter – to have him earn 850 K in 2013, $3.5 MIL in 2014, $6.0 MIL in 2015, $9.15 MIL in 2016, $12 MIL in 2017 and two straight Team Options in 2018 ($12.5 MIL) + 2019 ($13.5 MIL) or a Buyout of $1 MIL in either season.  Sale was 4th in AL Wins (17) and ERA (3.05), plus 5th in Win Percentage (.680).  The man fanned 192 (9th in AL) and was 5th in AL WHIP (1.135).  He was named an ALL – Star for his efforts in the 1st half.

By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): 

Chris Sale seems relieved after inking his 5YR/$32 Million Contract with the White Sox. Why shouldn’t he be? Rather than going year to year through arbitration, Sale and the Sox decided to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.

The deal could be as lucrative as $60 Million by the time all is said and done. After the 5th year, the Sox hold Team Options for 2018 and 2019.

What’s the downside? I suppose Sale could blow out his elbow due to his “bad mechanics”. Chances are, he only continues to get better. Don Cooper, Sox pitching coach, says Sale won’t be “babied”. The Sox are hoping to get 200 plus Innings  out of Sale in 2013.

Last year was Sale’s first full season as a starter, and it ended up being a successful one. Sale went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA – and finished 6th in the AL Cy Young race.  Sale is said to have added 7-8 pounds over the winter, and plans on having a strong 2013 from start to finish. He’s looked great in Spring Training so far (2 – 0 with a 4.38 ERA + a WHIP of 1.216).

2012 Chris Sale Highlights Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is Advised:

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – March 14, 2013

Jim Leyland detroit tigers

The Detroit Tigers don’t have a full time closer right now. Do they really need one with all of their pitching depth?

That’s the question on today’s edition of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes.

The Detroit Tigers Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward Updated Mar.09/13

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March.09/2013

Justin Verlander has 2 years left on his current contract left at 20.0 Million Dollars Per Year. Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder also make north of that total. Justin Verlander will be 31 years old when he hits Free Agency in 2015.

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst / Website Owner):

I believe that the Tigers are set up for a solid run as a perennial playoff contender, yet the club needs a small face change in order to get back to the dance in 2013.  I honestly was stunned to see Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Delmon Young and Jose Valverde all play at the type of body structure they possess during the Post Season. 

If you saw these guys in a bowling alley, the words ‘World Class Athlete’ would definitely not enter a conversation amongst strangers who were trying to sum them up.  Baseball is a game that your body type doesn’t hold you back, however when you have multiple heavy players on offense, it really clogs up the base paths.  While watching Game #4 was about the time I started to change my opinion on the state of the game needing to be more athletic.

Fielder and Cabrera may be the best 3-4 tandem in the Major Leagues now.  The Tigers can definitely weather these two guys in the lineup even though they jam the teams ability for base running.  The key is to build a bunch of ‘Road Runners’ around them.  I like Austin Jackson, Quintin Berry and Andy Dirks all being in the lineup to help the speed factor. 

Also with Victor Martinez coming back in 2013, the team has one of the best Designated Hitters in baseball back in the fold.   Then the team brought in classy veteran Torii Hunter (after inking him to a 2 YR/$26 MIL Contract.  This shows how urgent it is for the organization to cash in a World Series with their roster.)

Torii Hunter Highlights – Explicit Language is used so Parental Guidance is advised:

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Rondon’s Struggles Continue For Tigers, Valverde And Wilson Rumors Emerge

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Saturday, March.09/2013

Bruce Rondon is 1-1 in Spring Training so far with a 5.79 ERA.  He has allowed 7 Hits (including 1 HR) and Walked 5 in 4.2 IP.  Not such a hot start for the rookie phenom.  With World Series Aspirations this year - can the Tigers afford to not enter the Regular Season with a proven Closer?

Bruce Rondon is 1-1 in Spring Training so far with a 5.79 ERA. He has allowed 7 Hits (including 1 HR) and Walked 5 in 4.2 IP. Not such a hot start for the rookie phenom. With World Series Aspirations this year – can the Tigers afford to not enter the Regular Season with a proven Closer?

By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent)

Panic in Motown?

Not quite yet.

But the Tigers ‘chosen’ Closer isn’t making things easy.

Bruce Rondon, 22-Years-Old, is expected to be the closer for this coming season and hopefully many more to follow. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland have both made it known that it’s his job to lose this spring.

Losing it is just the path he is on. Through 4.2 IP, he has given up 7 Hits, 3 ER, 1 HR, and yielded 5 Walks..It’s early we know, but at what point does early become too late?

If he happens to pitch himself out of the Closer spot then who will be our fearless Closer?

Bruce Rondon hits 103 MPH!

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Justin Morneau And Joe Mauer In 2013: Is Team MNM In Its Last Year?

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Thursday February 28, 2013

Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer are the heart of the Minnesota Twins. Between the two they have two MVPs, nine All-Star Game appearances, and six Silver Slugger Awards. It has shown in the past that with these either of these two out of the lineup that the Twins are in for a rough season.

Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer are the heart of the Minnesota Twins. Between the two they have two MVPs, nine All-Star Game appearances, and six Silver Slugger Awards. It has shown in the past that with these either of these two out of the lineup that the Twins are in for a rough season.

By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer):

In the last 2 years, the Minnesota Twins have not lived up to what they did prior to 2011.  Back in 2008, the Twins finished 88-74. They ended up losing a one game playoff to the Chicago White Sox – to just narrowly miss the playoffs and round out the summer at 88-75.  Just one year later the Twins would again find themselves in a one game tiebreaker against the Detroit Tigers.

This time it was their turn to advance to October play – as they defeated the Tigers 6-5, to finish the regular season with a 87-76 record in 2009. Lady luck would not be on their side in the Postseason, being swept by the New York Yankees 3 games to none. In 2010,  with a brand new stadium in Target Field, the Twins finished a brilliant season. They went 94-68 – to clinch their sixth playoff appearance in 10 years.   The Yankees swept them again in the ALDS.

In 2011,  the Twins fans and management expected big things for the team, especially out of First Basemen Justin Morneau and the MLB 11: The Show cover boy, Joe Mauer. All was not well in The Land of 10,000 Lakes.  The Twins would not live up to expectations. The squad would wind up going from first-to-worst – finishing in last place in the AL Central, with a 63-99 record. So there was no way they would throw out back to back horrid seasons right? Wrong.. The Twins only improved on their record by 3 games.  Now what exactly started this stroke of bad luck? That’s right, injuries to their two All-Stars. Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.

Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau Tribute:

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Ranking the Top 10 Hitters In The MLB Right Now: Part 2 (6-10)

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Below is Part 2 of the Top 10 hitters in baseball. You can read Part 1 here.

Tuesday February.26, 2013

Keith Allison, Flicker.com

Cano has only missed 7 games in the last 4 years.  He has hit over .300 in those seasons – belted 40 + Doubles and scored over 100 Runs.  He has averaged 29 HRs and 102 RBI also for that span.  The man has won 3 straight Silver Slugger Awards.  Cano’s Career 3 Slash Line is .308/.361/.854. With this being a contract year, he could stand to land himself a historic contract with an MVP type season. Picture by Keith Allison, Flicker.com

By Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer)

The top hitters in the MLB right now includes 5 awesome hitters.  It was hard to comprise the list, but here it is.

6. Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano is in line for a huge payday after this season, and his numbers can justify his demands.

OK, Yankee stadium partially inflates his power numbers. Cano had a 59.3 HR/FB (Home Run to fly ball ratio) to Right Field, which is quite a figure seeing that the mean for baseball’s best power hitters is in the 20 percent range, to all fields.

It’s safe to say that Cano grasped the idea of the infamous shorter porch in Right Field, and who wouldn’t? On he same token, that shouldn’t give us the wrong idea about his power. According to ESPN’s Hittracker Online, Cano was eighth in the American League with nine “no doubt” Home runs, telling us that his power isn’t solely due to the friendly hitter confines of Yankee Stadium.

The thing is, there’s more to his game then Home runs. He had the fifth highest oWAR (Offensive WAR) in baseball last year, and finished eighth in the MLB in Adjusted OPS+.

Given the dearth amount of talent at Second Base these days, Cano could be in line for a 8-year, $200+ Million contract next winter.

Robinson Cano at the 2011 Home Run Derby:

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Detroit Tigers Roster in 2013: State Of The Union

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Thursday, February. 21/2013

The Trio of Verlander, Fielder, and Cabrera represented Detroit at the All-Star game in 2012 as well as on the MVP ballot with Cabrera winning, Verlander coming in 8th, and Fielder coming in 9th. They also combined for an 18.8 WAR in 2012

The Trio of Verlander, Fielder, and Cabrera represented Detroit at the All-Star game in 2012 as well as on the MVP ballot with Cabrera winning, Verlander coming in 8th, and Fielder coming in 9th. They also combined for an 18.8 WAR in 2012

By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Writer): 

I would never say that a team is a lock to win their division, but I will say that the Detroit Tigers shouldn’t make any vacation plans for October of 2013. They’ve won the AL Central Division for the past 2 years, and added an AL Pennant in 2012. The Detroit Tigers franchise is one rich in history winning 4 World Series titles and having legends such as Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, and Charlie Gehringer passing through the “D” just to name a few.

This proud franchise did suffer a lull in success somewhat recently as they had a losing record every season from 1994-2005. This included a dismal 43-119 record in ’03. The Tigers came back from the abyss and turned their team back into a winning ball club since 2006. This was Jim Leyland’s 1st season managing the Tigers, and all he did was lead the team to 95 wins (a 24 win increase from the prior season) and a World Series appearance.

In 2011, the Tigers lost in the ALCS, and in 2012 they lost in the World Series, so could they improve upon the previous seasons ending once again and win the 2013 World Series? Well, their roster is certainly improved from last year, but it’s all about keeping up with the “Jones” in the MLB nowadays. Every team with money is trying to make a serious World Series run this year. While the Tigers are in the weakest division in the AL, if and when they reach the playoffs, it will be a gruesome battle to endure.

The Tigers have all the makings of a World Series contender. They have Superstars in their lineup like Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. They have a true Ace leading their deep, seemingly all in and around their prime, starting rotation in Justin Verlander. They also have good depth on their 25 man roster, and even more in their Minor League system. I’ll start with their rotation. Here’s what it will most likely look like…

2013 Detroit Tigers Starting Rotation: Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello

Detroit Tigers 2012 ALCS Highlights:

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Top Base Stealers Projected For The 2013 MLB Baseball Season

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Wednesday February.20/2013

Trout must find a way to stay selective at the plate -to keep walking in 2013 - especially if his average dips.  He can wreak havoc on the base paths once he makes it there.

Trout must find a way to stay selective at the plate -to keep walking in 2013 – especially if his average dips. He can wreak havoc on the base paths once he makes it there.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

Workouts for all teams are in full swing and Spring Training games will start this weekend. Baseball season is here. In the past few weeks, I have projected saves and HR leaders for this upcoming season. In this week’s installment of projections, I will predict the SB leaders for the year (in descending order).

1. Mike Trout, 50

Last year, Trout caught the baseball world by storm after being called up nearly a month after the season started. The young superstar stole 49 bases en route to an MVP-like season. If it were not for Miguel Cabrera winning the Triple Crown, Trout would have been the MVP. The Angels outfielder stole 49 bases in less than a full season. I believe that Trout will steal roughly the same amount of bases due to the Angels’ acquisition of Josh Hamilton. The Angels will want Trout in scoring position as much as possible. This year, there is no way the Angels will not make the playoffs with Trout, Hamilton, and Albert Pujols.

Mike Trout Highlights 2012 – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:

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Ranking the Top 10 Hitters In The MLB Right Now: Part 1 (1-5)

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Tuesday February 19th, 2013

Miguel Cabrera: Cooperstown Bound.  Undoubtedly, "Miggy" is one of the great players of this generation.  Watching him play the game every day is a gift to baseball lovers.

Miguel Cabrera: Cooperstown Bound. Undoubtedly, “Miggy” is one of the great players of this generation. Watching him play the game every day is a gift to baseball lovers.

By Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer)

The best hitters in baseball aren’t hard to identifying, but arranging them is the tough part.

The “new” era of hitters have arrived on the scene. This doesn’t necessarily imply that some of the older hitters might as well call it quits, rather, it means that they have taken the backseat.

So, here we go: Baseball’s Top 5 hitters.  This is part 1 of a 2 part series.  Next week, we go through the 6-10 best hitters.

1. Miguel Cabrera

Mike Trout is baseball’s consensus best overall player, factoring in defense and speed, but Miguel Cabrera gets the nod as baseball’s best hitter.

Cabrera won the Triple Crown award in 2012, and in turn, beat out Trout for MVP honors.

As for the stats, well, they’re also impressive. He was second in the American League in oWAR (offensive WAR), third in ISO (Isolated Power), led the MLB in OPS, slugging percentage, total bases and extra base hits.

Cabrera’s compact swing enables him to do damage on most pitches. In 2012, he hit .344 on hits to left field, .412 on hits to center field and .424 on hits to right field. These three figures simply imply that Cabrera hits the ball where it’s pitched. Yes, it’s a simple approach, but it’s proven to be the most effective approach in baseball. The stats speak for themselves.

For Part 2 of the Top 10 Hitters Series (6-10) click here

Miguel Cabrera 2012 Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:

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Why The Orioles And Lohse Make Sense

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Saturday February 16, 2013

Lohse has had an up-and-down career since making his debut in 2001. He has bounced around cities and has experienced some good seasons, and some less than impressive seasons. He was a big part in the middle of the rotation during their 2011 World Series run finishing 14-8 while posting a 3.39 ERA.

Lohse has had an up-and-down career since making his debut in 2001. He has bounced around cities and has experienced some good seasons, also with  some less than impressive seasons. He was a big part in the middle of the Cardinals rotation during their 2011 World Series run – finishing 14-8 while posting a 3.39 ERA.

By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer):

2012 was a career year for the Cardinals’ RHP Kyle Lohse. At Age 34, Lohse has become one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the game of baseball. Since making his debut in 2001 at 21 years old with the Minnesota Twins, Lohse has had some stellar years, and some not-so-great years. This includes a 2008 season – where he went 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA. He followed that great season with ugly 2009 finishing 6-10 while posting a 4.74 ERA.

In 2012,  Lohse turned back to his ace pitching ways. Coming off a solid 2011 season – with a 14-8 record, it didn’t look like Lohse could improve too much. He proved everyone wrong and pitched his way to a 16-3 record. His .842 W-L% lead the National League – while his 2.86 ERA wound up eighth in all of the Majors.

Why the Cardinals will not sign Kyle Lohse:

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The New York Yankees Hitting Roster In 2013: State Of The Union Part 1

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Wednesday, February.13, 2013

The Yankees have 27 World Series Titles and 13 Losses in the Fall Classic since 1921.  That is 40 Appearances in  91 years.  They have had the highest payroll team in MLB for the Majority of that span.  As of 2013, they will not be able to claim that stake anymore.  Will they still make the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 years?

The Yankees have 27 World Series Titles and 13 Losses in the Fall Classic since 1921. That is 40 Appearances in 91 years. They have had the highest payroll team in MLB for the Majority of that span. As of 2013, they will not be able to claim that stake anymore. Will they still make the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 years?

Chuck Booth (Yankees Correspondent/Website Owner):

The Yankees had a precarious winter after failing miserably in the ALCS, (AKA the last time the country saw them play on Television) – when the team was decimated by the Detroit Tigers in a sweep.  So what has happened since?  A lot of status quo:  Re-signing Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Ichiro Suzuki and Hiroki Kuroda, while saying good-bye to Raul Ibanez (SEA), Andruw Jones (FA), Nick Swisher (CLE), Eric Chavez (ARI), Russell Martin (PIT), Derek Lowe (FA), Steve Pearce (BAL), Casey McGehee (FA), Freddy Garcia (FA) and Rafael Soriano (WSH).  All they really added back was former arch-nemesis Kevin Youkilis (CWS) and Travis Hafner (CLE).  The team is sitting around 215 Million Dollars at Payroll right now, yet they have are heading into the 2013 campaign with Catchers that are of limited experience. 

For the first time in years, the club will need to see some internal progress from their farm system to help the big club.  With A-ROD out with his hip injury, plus the Miami fiasco, can you really count on the prima-donna to play at all this season?  Derek Jeter is coming off a brutal ankle injury that occurred in the aforementioned Post Season Series vs the Tigers .  The club is also hoping that ‘MO’ Rivera can find it within himself to make it through another year as a 43 Year Old.  Just like The ALL-Time Saves Leader, this team is aging fast.  Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson are Free Agents after 2013 is over.  Brian Cashman is also going to take advantage of the reset option f the Luxury Tax loophole in 2014.

This means that when the Luxury Tax goes from 178 Million to 189 Million next year, that the club can stop paying its 40% annual penalty if they can get under for just one season.  The Yankees will be sure to blow up the Payroll from 2015 and beyond that, it is just to not start the new luxury lax at the maximum penalty.  Had the Luxury Tax not moved from its current spot, the Yankees would always pay the 40% penalty (even if they decided to skip one year).

Yankees Highlights 2012:  Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is Advised:

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MLB Reports State Of The Union Part 2: Going Forward

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Friday, Feb.8/2013

MLB reports

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

So I left off the other day talking about some sweeping changes at the site.  What I want to talk about next – is what to expect.  Our website is revving up to start the baseball year.  We plan on posting 3-5 times a day.  We will range from about 9 AM EST all the way through to 9 PM EST.  Most MLB teams will have about 3-4 articles a month.  Once per month May-October, we will also have our Monthly Power Rankings like we had last year.  Our Lead Writer Sully will be posting a 20 minute daily PODCAST on the site. 

In addition to this, MLB Reports presents the ‘Triple Play Podcast” – will be going ahead with Patrick and Chris with the Big Ticket Show, for about 5 PODCASTS a month during the regular season and about 1-2 per month in the winter months.  These PODCASTS will feature yours truly 2-3 times a month as a guest.  We will also have Saul Wisnia (Red Sox Correspondent), Jonathan Hacohen (MLB Reports Founder) and other personalities as part of the show.

We plan on interacting with the readers by way of Facebook and Twitter, when we start-up in March.  So we will let you know.  We have about 7 different general writers and reporters, 5 special analysts and 24 Team Correspondents so far.  The  goal is to find the 6 new Correspondents from the teams we have left (PHI, ATL, SEA, SD, KC and COL  We continue to search for awesome independent writers, that can cover these teams with the same kind of passion our other Correspondents have displayed.

We still plan on having a weekly Fantasy Baseball article, a once a month Cooperstown article and a once a month – live interview from our ‘Junior Reporter’ Haley Smilow.  We are also open to many suggestions by our readers, if they have  great article ideas.

I am trying to write my historical series on all 30 teams, but am still trying to make it to the regular season first.  I have written entire series already for the Nationals, Phillies, Expos, Blue Jays and Rays already here.  The plan is to write 1-2 series a month for the teams not done yet.  By the  end of 2014, we will have a full chronicled series for each team.  This will be our legacy.  We strive on our mission to include all 30 MLB Fan bases.  All of our dedicated Correspondents exhibit the kind of passion for baseball that I am truly proud of.  You can see all of their biographies here.

Our general writers and Reporters can be found here.

News:

One of our writers, Thomas Roberts (Dodgers Correspondent), is a top 52 finalist for the MLB Fancave.  We hope that he can make it to New York.  Please check out the interview (and vote for him on the links provided there) I did with him here

We are going to have 5-6 dedicated pages from our General Writers.  I will run a page called “The  Baseball Booth”.  This is the same as a page listed below here that is for MLB Player Awareness Weeks.  In a sub-page to that are my best baseball road-trips advice links here.

Jonathan Hacohen will have his own page called the J-HAY Page. 

Saul Wisnia is accomplished writer.  He has authored 10 sports books and is one of the best Red Sox authors of late.  His page is called the Words Of Wisnia.  He will run additional Red Sox articles, and he will have many other fun things to browse in his subpages.  You can find all of his archives for his own website here.

Paul Francis Sullivan (Sully) will have his own dedicated page called ‘Sully Baseball’.  It is up to Sully to post anything and everything on his own page.  I only know whatever he does around baseball is entertaining and worth the time.  On the main page, Sully will post his daily Podcast.  Subscribe to his daily podcast here.

We may have another website that we will have on board with us to cover a team thoroughly through a dedicated page.  We are not finalized yet, so I will announce this on Twitter and Facebook.

We have a few writers from the strosbros.mlblogs.com with us covering the Astros.  Lee White and Richard Perez will be keeping it real.

We have Tigers Correspondent  Matthew Lafave of the examiner.com – to keep us up to date with what is going on in Detroit.

By the time the regular season rolls on, we will have all 30 MLB Teams Payroll and State Of The Unions done.  We are close to finishing the State Of The Unions already.  You can view these here.

Here are some really important pages at the Reports.  It also says what they are about.

https://mlbreports.com/paystat/

We are going to end every baseball year with a ‘STATE OF THE UNION’ Address for each team and also look forward to the next year’s Payroll for all 30 MLB Teams.  This is in addition to all of the other information we will put out in our normal articles.  More than ever, team’s salary and current 25 or 40 Man Rosters, are becoming more important to the fanbases.  We will take a detailed look at both of these for you and provide some analysis.  It will keep us busy and definitely on top of our game.  We will be doing these in stages and not all at once, so please check back often for more updates.

https://mlbreports.com/mlbhistory/

This page has links to the entire 30 MLB Teams listed (for a minimum 5 Part Series on each club).  These Franchise Series are signature website articles that take 3-4 times the normal amount of regular pieces to write.  Do yourself a favor and follow along with us as we take the next 2 years to complete this mission.  It is a great way to learn about your Franchises history, including the players, pitchers, management, mascots and the parks they have played in.

https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/

This full-page lists all of the Games I went to in establishing the new “Guinness Book Of World Record” for “Fastest To See A Full Home Game In All 30 MLB Parks from April.6-April.28/2012.  The write-ups include many pictures and stories of how I arrived at all 30 MLB Parks and what the travel entailed.  I promoted the trip by using Facebook and Twitter and met several top MLB Park Chaser Experts along the way.  For someone who may have a similar goal, I think you will find this page quite entertaining.

https://mlbreports.com/awareness/

This was a Twitter concept first driven to a webpage by promoting unheralded players not receiving their due credit.  Each week, the MLB Reports will select an active MLB Player and a retired MLB Player to focus their attention on.  We will write tweets about the players and showcase them on this page.  It is our hope that we can receive some feedback with out twitter followers and website readers.  Suggestions may always be presented to us for future nominations.

https://mlbreports.com/wbc-2013/

You have asked for it readers and now it is here!  An entire page devoted to the upcoming 2013 edition of the World Baseball Classic! After the initial WBC in 2006, the tournament returned in 2009.  The decision was made to have the WBC played three years after the inaugural edition and then four years later from there.  As result, after a long wait for baseball fans…the third World Baseball Classic will be back in the year 2013!

screen-shot-2011-01-11-at-7-12-04-pm2.png

The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com or their partners.***

Chuck Booth- Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner and author of the Fastest 30 Ballgames:   To learn more about my  “The Fastest 30 Ballgames Book” and how to purchase it, click here . You can also follow my Guinness Book of World Record Successful Bid to see all 30 MLB Park in 23 Days- click here.  I am happy to be part of such an awesome Magazine-Style Baseball Website and am looking forward to talking to all of the fans of the MLB.  You can reach me on Twitter here

a      new mlb reports chuck

Please e-mail me  at: mlbreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback.  You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.  To subscribe to our website and have the Daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.

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Top HR Hitters Projected For The 2013 MLB Baseball Season

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Thursday February 7th, 2013

Adam Dunn has hit 38 + HRs in 8 of the last 9 years.

Adam Dunn has hit 38 + HRs in 8 of the last 9 years.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

2012 was an exciting year for the long ball. The MLB saw its first Triple Crown winner since 1967, and there were six guys that hit over 40 HR. It seems as if 2013 will be more of the same with the emergence of new sluggers in Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. In this feature, I will highlight some of the hitters who I think will have the most dingers (and how many) by the end of 2013. I don’t think Joey Bats will stay healthy enough to reach this list (although he will have a chance if he can miss the injury bug.

Adam Dunn: 40

In the years that Dunn has not slumped, he has been pretty consistent. This past season proved to the baseball community that the slugger is not quite done yet. Although he hit for a very low average, Dunn still managed to club over 40 bombs. Knowing this, I have no problem putting Adam Dunn down to hit at least 40 this year. He will have more confidence than he did in 2012 – and will most likely be in better shape to start off the year. The White Sox might have a shot at the playoffs if Dunn can stay healthy and keep his average above the Mendoza Line.

Mike Trout: 41

Trout had 49 SB, 129 Runs 30 HRs and 83 RBI in just 138 Games.  Might he improve on these numbers with a full year and the addition of Josh Hamilton to the cleanup spot in 2013?

Trout had 49 SB, 129 Runs 30 HRs and 83 RBI in just 138 Games. Might he improve on these numbers with a full year and the addition of Josh Hamilton to the cleanup spot in 2013?

The Angels prized possession did not even start the year with the big club, yet he still hit 30 HR. A legitimate candidate for MVP, Trout will not have a problem hitting 41 HR this season. The protection for Trout in Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton makes this argument even more convincing. I could see Trout driving in 100 runs this year and winning the MVP. Just like Dunn, Trout needs to maintain his health. With Trout, Hamilton, and Pujols running on all cylinders, the Angels will not have a problem reaching the playoffs after failing to do so in 2012. The Athletics and Rangers will not be a match for the powerful offense that now includes Josh Hamilton.

HRs 2012 (Explicit Music Lyrics-Parental Guidance Advised)

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Master Schedule For All 30 MLB Parks In Double Header Opportunities In 2013

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Updated Last on March.25/2013

baseball_teams-7143

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

Over the course of 4 years of massive baseball travel, I have attempted 28 MLB Doubleheaders – and completed 22 of them.  I Every year I take a look at the new MLB schedule and the 183 days worth of games.  In the list (after the youtube clip I post), will feature every doable double-header scenario for a fan to view baseball games.  Keep in mind that if you have never seen a MLB Park before – that rushing a day is not advised at all in these journeys. 

The most common doubleheader is Wrigley Field or US Cellular Field – to be combined with Miller Park as part of a day-night doubleheader.  The Yankees and Mets do play a few games on the same day together and are listed.  The o.Co Coliseum in Oakland and AT & T Park also have a few doubleheader chances this season.

Other great doubleheader partners include both Dodger and Angel Stadium – combined with Petco Park if there is a matinée contest involved.  Progressive Field and PNC Park also lends itself to easily connected doubleheaders if one has a day contest.  Also watch out for Sunday Night ESPN games as part of programming as Eastern teams feature that 8:05 PM EST start time – which will lend it available to double up with a day matinée.  The Phillies are compatible with both New York teams Via Amtrak Train option – and also with the Baltimore Orioles. 

These doubleheaders mostly are located in different cities and some might even include a doable flight in the middle.

https://mlbreports.com/2012/03/02/field-of-dreams-site/

Field of Dreams Has To Be Part Of Your Trip Link Up Top and Video Down Below:

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The Most Underrated Statistic: Extra Base Hits (XBH)

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Saturday, February.02/2013

Alex  Rodriguez is the Active Leader for XBH with 1190, however who knows when he will have a chance to resume his career again and is still owed 114 Million Dollars over the next 5 years

Alex Rodriguez is the Active Leader for XBH with 1190, however who knows when he will have a chance to resume his career again with injuries + allegations of PED use perhaps sparking an investigation/suspension for the MLB and is still owed 114 Million Dollars over the next 5 years.

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

I have nothing against sabermetrics in baseball.  Yes I know they are not going away and I will probably learn them one day as someone who can comprehend Math pretty good.  However, I understand the frustration of the casual fan who will not set a foot near them – although they know what Home Runs and Runs Batted In are.  I have thrown the topic out for discussion on Twitter – and am extremely curious to see what percentage of fans actually follow the new numbers formats.  This site totally allows our writers to convey any form of statistical analysis they want.  The only thing that I request, is that if  they use sabermetrics, to also add some regular stats with them.

One of the stats that can gauge any era since the beginning of baseball is Extra Base Hits.  Before the fences were brought in (or even put up), Doubles and Triples could be hit at any time.  Singles are great in the game too.  There have been several great baseball players that are singles hitters, that also compiled a bunch of Doubles and Triples.  That is why this statistic is fairest to all of the hitters in the history of the game and the most comparable.  Like the old saying, (hit’em where they ain’t), players that can hit the baseball into the open areas of the outfield are special.  Babe Ruth re-coined the phrase later when he said “Well they ain’t over the fence, so that’s where I hit them!”  The Bambino was right.  In the course of this article, we will list the top active list for this category – and some underrated hitters that may stack up nicely against historical hitters.

(Pete Rose Highlights):

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An Interview With Tigers Prospect Daniel Fields

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Saturday, January.26/2013

Daniel Fields has shown flashes of speed in the Minor Leagues for Detroit.  At Age 21, he has a bright future

Daniel Fields showed flashes of speed in 2012 -with 23 SB with the Lakeland Tigers (A+) and Erie SeaWolves (AA) in the Minor Leagues. At Age 22 (as of January.23/2013), Fields has been invited to attend Spring Training with the big club.

By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent)

Have you ever had that dream of being drafted by your favorite sports team? It’s a dream that replays in your head as you’re going about your day. A dream that makes you smile in the morning and a dream that you hope you experience again later that night.

Daniel Fields is living that dream. The Detroit, Michigan native out of University of Detroit Jesuit High School was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2009.

The highly toted prospect is making his way up the Minor Leagues. It’s a name that you’ll want to remember and a last name that may sound familiar to you. Read the rest of this entry

The Chicago Cubs Schedule In 2013: (The Wrigley Field Ticket Is Still The Best Pure Baseball Experience)

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Saturday, January.26, 2013

Wrigley Field might just be the best place just to watch a baseball game (Fenway Park rivals it for entire ballpark experience).  AT &T Park and PNC Psrk usually round out the top 4 Parks

Wrigley Field might just be the best place just to watch a baseball game (Fenway Park rivals it for entire ballpark experience). AT &T Park and PNC Park usually round out the top 4 Parks

By Richie Devotie (MLB Schedule Correspondent): and Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner) 

I love Wrigley Field more than any other park just to watch a game. 

Having been to all of the MLB Parks a minimum of 3 times (and most closer to 5 and above) – there is something so unique about this baseball cathedral that makes me think it is the 1920s still.

We have another video presentation from our Baseball Schedule Correspondent’ Richie Devotie down below that has all of the Cubs opponents in the upcoming season in 2013 – plus a recap of how the team fared in 2012. 

After viewing it – plus read about one of the craziest, yet rewarding days of my ballpark chaser streaks. 

The setup to this was that I was 13 days into my 1st World Record Attempt – at breaking the category of “The Fastest Person to view a full game at all 30 MLB Parks”. 

I had already had to restart my streak attempt after some chaos that happened just a few days prior.  This day in Chicago would be my 3rd straight day of trying to fit 2 games in on one day. 

On the 1st day of the new streak, I nailed a doubleheader between Petco Park (day game) and Dodger Stadium (night game). 

I then boarded an overnight flight to Detroit (at 1 AM- Arrival in Motown at 10:30 AM.  I was poised to watch a day game at Comerica Park (1:05 PM) – before jettisoning 168 Miles to Cleveland right after for a 7:05 PM start at Progressive. 

The Tigers looked to nail down a victory until Todd “the Hammer” Jones blew the save by letting the Twins tie it up in the ninth – to prolong the game into extra innings. 

An hour later and the game finally ended but I couldn’t even try to head to Cleveland.  So I made my way to Chicago/Milwaukee.  I had a Wrigley Field/Miller Park doubleheader. 

The next day after – I was to fly to Toronto to see the Yankees play.  2 days after that, I would see if I could hit on a Nationals Park/Shea Stadium Sunday day/night double-header.

It would be 4 doubleheader attempts in 5 days.  I was only 1 for 2 so far.

Richie Devotie Presents His Power Point Cubs 2013 Schedule Breakdown

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