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Retroactively Awarding Division Series MVPs from 1995 to 2018

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports

The Division Series are now all complete. But before we move on to the ALCS or NLCS, why not award an MVP for the Division Series.

I can not understand why there is no MVP awarded to the top performer of the Division Series.

It is a post season series that will be the highlight of the year for the 2 teams that lose the League Championship Series. Sure the series could be over in 3 games. But when the ALCS and NLCS was best of 5, they awarded an MVP for THOSE series.

This has been a tradition on the Sully Baseball blog to award each season’s Division Series MVP. And I also list the past MVPs dating back to the first year the Division Series became an annual event.

And this listing also includes the MVPs for the 1981 Divisional Playoffs as well. Why not?

And now there are four new Division Series MVPs, whose post season heroics will NOT go unnoticed here!

THE DIVISION SERIES MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS OVER THE YEARS
2018
American League
JDMART
Martinez homered in the first inning of Game 1, setting a tone for the series. He would finish batting .357 with a .992 OPS, driving in 6 runs in the 4 game victory of the Red Sox over the Yankees.
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In the Astros three game sweep of the Indians, Bregman’s numbers stood out. He batted .556, slugged .1333 with an eye popping 2.048 OPS, homering twice and driving in 4.
National League
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Moustakas batted .364 with a .916 OPS, driving in a pair including a walk off hit in the opener, and playing great defense as the Brewers made quick work of Colorado in a three game sweep.
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In an age of short outings for starting pitchers, Kershaw had an old school ace performance. He threw 8 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits and walking none, silencing the Braves attack and setting up the Dodgers 4 game Division Series victory.

To view the Hypothetical Division Series MVPs from Previous Series – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Who Owns October (#WOO) Tallies Updated For October 6, 2018

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Charles Wenzelberg

Sorry I missed a day of Who Owned October. I had to take care of something in the real world.

Naturally it was the day the Red Sox WON!

Meanwhile Gary Sanchez found his groove and Gerit Cole announced his presence with authority.

This entry will reflect in the standings both days. That means Clayton Kershaw, J. D. Martinez, Aaron Judge, Mike Moustakas, Alex Bregman, Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, Justin Verlander, Jeremy Jeffress, Chris Sale, Ronald Acuña, Jr., Touki Toussaint, Chad Green, Tyler Anderson and Nolan Arenado all are credited.

So who owned October?

Each winning team for every post season game gets a pitcher and a hitter who earn a full WOO (Who Owns October.)

And at my discretion, I award a 1/2 WOO’S to a worthy player on the losing team.

At the end of the post season, we will see who had the highest WOO total as a pitcher and a hitter.

A complete description of the rules can be found HERE.

From October 5

American League Division Series Game 2:

Receiving 1 WOO

Gerrit Cole struck out 12 Indians in 7 innings, giving up 3 hits and 1 solo homer to earn the 3-1 win for the Astros.

Marwin Gonzalez went 4 for 4, including a double, driving in 2 as the Astros topped the Indians, 3-1.

Gary Sanchez homered twice, driving in 4 runs to make the difference for the Yankees 6-2 victory in Boston.

Masahiro Tanaka allowed 1 run over 6 innings before handing the lead over to the bullpen as the Yankees topped Boston, 6-2.

Receiving 1/2 WOO

Xander Bogaerts homered in the Red Sox 6-2 loss to the Yankees.

Carlos Carrasco held the Astros scoreless for the first 5 innings. He would hand the lead over to the bullpen in the 6th but they could not hold it, dropping the 3-1 final for Cleveland.

Francisco Lindor homered to give the Indians their only run in a 3-1 loss to the Astros.

Joe Kelly kept the Red Sox in the game with 2 1/3 shutout innings, allowing 1 hit. But the damage was done in the Yankees 6-2 win.

Current WOO Totals MLB 2018

Hitters ‘WOO’ MLB 2017,

Aaron Judge – Yankees 1 1/2, Alex Bregman – 1 Astros, Marwin Gonzalez – Astros 1, Francisco Lindor – Indians 1, Manny Machado – Dodgers, J. D. Martinez – 1 Red Sox, Mike Moustakas Brewers – 1, Gary Sanchez – Yankees 1, Tony Wolters – Rockies 1, Christian Yelich – Brewers 1, Nolan Arenado Rockies – 1 /2, Ronald Acuña, Jr. – Braves 1/2, Javier Baez – Cubs 1/2, Charlie Blackmon – Rockies 1/2, Xander Bogaerts – Red Sox 1/2, Khris Davis – Athletics 1/2, Freddie Freeman – Braves 1/2,

Pitchers ‘WOO’ MLB 2017,

Dellin Betances – Yankees 1, Gerrit Cole – Astros 1, Kyle Freeland – Rockies 1,Jeremy Jeffress Brewers – 1, Clayton Kershaw – 1 Dodgers, Hyun-Jin Ryu – Dodgers 1, Chris Sale 1 – Red Sox, Masahiro Tanaka – Yankeees 1, Justin Verlander – 1 Astros, Brandon Woodruff – Brewers 1, Tyler Anderson – Rockies 1/2, Carlos Carrasco – Indians 1/2, Chad Green – Yankees 1/2, Joe Kelly – Red Sox 1/2, Jon Lester – Cubs 1/2, Sean Newcomb – Braves 1/2, Touki Toussaint – 1 /2 Braves, Lou Trivino – Athletics 1/2

Who Owned Baseball August 7, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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ATTP

For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.

Jameson Taillon went the distance at Coors Field, no easy task. He allowed only 2 runs in 9 innings to earn the 10-2 Pirates decision over Colorado.

Dallas Keuchel allowed 3 hits, 2 walks and 1 run over 6 strong innings. He did not get the win, but Houston did over San Francisco, 2-1.

Manuel Margot singled, tripled and homered, driving in 4 as the Padres beat the Brewers, 11-5.

J. D. Martinez went 3 for 5 including a 3 run go ahead homer in the 8th inning that helped the Red Sox top Toronto, 10-7.

They all owned baseball on August 7, 2018

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Who Owned Baseball July 24, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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AP Photo/Roger Steinman

For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.

Jed Lowrie reached base 4 times, including a homer and the RBI hit that brought the A’s to within one of Texas. Oakland would complete its mind boggling comeback and win 13-10 in 10 innings.

Masahiro Tanaka threw a complete game 3 hits shutout, striking out 9 Rays hitters to seal the 4-0 decision for the Yankees.

Lorenzo Cain went 4 for 5, scoring a pair of runs including the winning tally in the 10th to give the Brewers a walk off 5-4 victory against the Nationals.

Austin Gomber took a no hitter into the 7th. He would eventually surrender a hit and the shut out but the Reds would go on to beat the Cardinals, 4-2.

They all owned baseball on July 24, 2018

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Who Owned Baseball June 22, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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CAROLYN KASTER / AP

For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.

Odubel Herrera went 4 for 5with a homer and 4 runs scored as the Phillies mashed the Nationals, 12-2.

J. D. Martinez helped the Red Sox over come a pair of big Seattle rallies with his 4 hit performance, including 5 RBI in the 14-10 final.

Patrick Corbin threw 7 shutout innings, striking out 12 Pirates, helping set up Arizona’s wild 13 inning 2-1 victory.

Shane Bieber tossed 7 shutout innings, striking out 9 Tigers as the Indians cruised to a 10-0 win.

 

They all owned baseball on June 22, 2018

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Who Owned Baseball May 20, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB

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(Frank Franklin II/AP)

For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.

Amed Rosario had a two homer day to help the Mets beat the reeling Diamondbacks, 4-1.

Jack Flaherty pitched into the 8th, finishing with 7 2/3 innings, 2 hits, 1 run and struck out 13 Phillies to earn the 5-1 decision for the Cardinals.

J. D. Martinez reached base 3 times, homering twice and driving in 3 to keep the Red Sox tied for first after blanking Baltimore, 5-0.

Reynaldo Lopez threw 8 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out 8 Rangers to give the White Sox a rare win, 3-0.

They all owned baseball on May 20, 2018

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Sully Baseball Podcast – Eric Hosmer Contract and other Signing Thoughts – February 21, 2018

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John Sleezer/The Kansas City Star via AP

The Padres signed Eric Hosmer to a contract that is too long and won’t make a difference. At least they aren’t colluding.

Plus I look at the Rays dismantling, the Red Sox signing of JD Martinez and Commissioner Manfred’s to do list.
Hey! We are talking about signings on this episode of Sully Baseball.

While we are at it, enjoy the In Memoriam video.

Read the rest of this entry

Who Owns October (#WOO) Tallies Updated For October 6, 2017

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(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers scored as many runs before a single batter was retired as the Red Sox have in 2 whole games. Stephen Strasburg went from throwing a memorable masterpiece to a heartbreaking loss and Joe Girardi made one of the great managerial blunders in post season

Yup… it was an amazing day of baseball as only the playoffs can give us.

So who owned October?

Each winning team for every post season game gets a pitcher and a hitter who earn a full WOO (Who Owns October.)

And at my discretion, I award a 1/2 WOO’S to a worthy player on the losing team.

At the end of the post season, we will see who had the highest WOO total as a pitcher and a hitter.

A complete description of the rules can be found HERE.

From October 6
2017 National League Division Series Game 1
2017 American League Division Series Game 2:

Receiving 1 WOO

Kris Bryant broke up a no hitter in the 6th with a 2 out RBI single and would later come around to score as the Cubs blanked the Nationals, 3-0.

Carlos Correa homered, doubled and walked, driving in 4 as the Astros rolled again over Boston, 8-2.

Yan Gomes got on base 3 times including a dramatic walk off single in the bottom of the 13th in Cleveland’s wild 9-8 win against the Yankees.

Kyle Hendricks threw 7 shutout innings to earn the 3-0 decision for the Cubs over Washington.

Clayton Kershaw pitched into the 7th, allowing 5 hits and striking out 7 at the Dodgers took the opener against Arizona, 9-5.

Dallas Keuchel struck out 7 Red Sox in 5 2/3 innings to get the 8-2 victory for the Astros.

Josh Tomlin came out of the bullpen in the 12th and retired all 6 Yankees he faced, striking out 3 and setting up the walk off 9-8 finale in Cleveland.

Justin Turner homered in the first inning, reached base 4 times altogether, driving in 5 runs to lead the Dodgers past Arizona, 9-5.

 

Receiving 1/2 WOO

Zack Godley was pressed into service in the second inning and gave the Diamondbacks 5 frames of relief, allowing 2 earned runs and striking out 5. But it was too little too late as Los Angeles took the game, 9-5.

J. D. Martinez got 3 hits, including a homer, in the Diamondbacks 9-5 loss to the Dodgers.

David Price came out of the bullpen to throw 2 2/3 shutout innings and stop the bleeding. Nothing else worked however and the Astros clobbered the Red Sox, 8-2.

Gary Sanchez hit a startling 2 run homer off of Kluber in the first inning and added another hit. But the Yankees had an equally shocking meltdown and fell in 13 innings to the Indians, 9-8.

Stephen Strasburg took a no hitter into the 6th and allowed just 2 unearned runs and 3 hits over 7 innings, striking out 10 Cubs along the way. He would be charged with the hard luck 3-0 decision for the Nationals.

Christian Vazquez reached base 3 times and scored but the Red Sox were once again pounded by Houston, 8-2.

 

Current WOO Totals MLB 2017

Hitters ‘WOO’ MLB 2017,

Jose Altuve – Astros 1, Jay Bruce – Indians 1, Kris Bryant – Cubs 1, Carlos Correa – Astros 1, Brett Gardner – Yankees 1, Yan Gomes – Indians 1, Ketel Marte – Diamondbacks 1, Justin Turner – Dodgers 1, Starlin Castro – Yankees 1/2, Brian Dozier – Twins 1/2, Sandy Leon – Red Sox 1/2, J. D. Martinez – Diamondbacks 1/2, Gary Sanchez – Yankees 1/2, Trevor Story – Rockies 1/2, Christian Vazquez – Red Sox 1,

Pitchers ‘WOO’ MLB 2017,

Trevor Bauer – Indians 1, Kyle Hendricks – Cubs 1, Clayton Kershaw – Dodgers 1, Dallas Keuchel – Astros 1, Robbie Ray – Diamondbacks 1, David Robertson – Yankees 1, Josh Tomlin – Indians 1, Justin Verlander – Astros 1, Jaime Garcia – Yankees 1/2, Zack Godley – Diamondbacks 1/2, David Price – Red Sox 1/2, Chris Rusin – Rockies 1/2, Stephen Strasburg – Nationals 1,

Who Owned Baseball September 4, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings

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Harry How – Getty Images

J. D. Martinez became the 18th player in MLB history to hit 4 homers in one game, driving in 6 runs as the Diamondbacks demolished the Dodgers, 13-0.

Carlos Martinez threw a complete game 3 hit shutout, striking out 10 Padres enroute to St. Louis’ 2-0 final.

Starlin Castro went 3 for 5 with a homer, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored to help the Yankees overcome an early deficit and defeat the Orioles, 7-4.

Dallas Keuchel pitched into the 8th, allowing 2 runs over 7 2/3 innings to earn the 6-2 victory for Houston over the Mariners.

They all owned baseball on September 4, 2017

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Who Owned Baseball June 27, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2016 #WOB Standings

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Robin Buckson, Detroit News

J. D. Martinez tripled, homered and walked, leading the Tigers past Kansas City, 5-3.

Adam Duvall doubled, homered and drove in a pair as the Reds topped Milwaukee, 8-6.

Alex Cobb did not allow a hit until the 7th and threw 8 innings of 2 hit shutout ball. The bullpen blew his lead but he set up the 4-2 extra inning Tampa Bay victory in Pittsburgh.

Kenta Maeda threw 7 shutout innings to earn the 4-0 Dodgers decision over the Angels.

They all owned baseball on June 27, 2017

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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

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AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Chris Davis reached base 5 times and hit go ahead homers in the 12th and 13th innings as the Orioles won a wild 13-11 slugfest in Detroit.

Charlie Blackmon went 3 for 5 with a pair of homers as the Rockies took the game in Minnesota, 7-3.

Yu Darvish struck out 9 Phillies in 7 innings to earn the 5-1 decision for the Rangers.

Ty Blach threw 7 strong innings, allowing 1 run and got the 2-1 victory for the red hot Giants over their rivals, the L A Dodgers.

They all owned baseball on May 16, 2017

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

Who Owned Baseball May 13, 2017 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2017 #WOB Standings

 

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AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

J. D. Martinez homered twice including the go ahead shot in the 9th, added another hit and led the Tigers past the Angels, 4-3.

Travis Shaw went 3 for 5, homered and drove in 4 as the Brewers blew out the Mets, 11-4.

Jose Berrios pitched into the 8th, allowing 2 hits over 7 2/3 innings and 1 run and got the 4-1 decision for the Twins in Cleveland.

Matt Moore took the game into the 8th, allowing 1 run over 7 1/3 innings and gave the Giants the 3-1 victory over Cincinnati.

They all owned baseball on May 13, 2017

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

With No Top 50 ALL – Time Contracts Signed This Winter – Who Is Next To Make The List?

Signing Cespedes would not take care of all of New York's postional roster troubles, and injuries may ultimately ravage them again for the next campaign. Many of the Mets Starters are coming off health concerns in 2016. I am not sold they should be placed at such a valuable odd until they sign some players.

Signing Cespedes  has signed the biggest contract of the offseason thus far at 4 YRs/$110 MIL.  it is ranked tied for 60th ALL – Time even though the Annual Average Value is tied for 2nd ALL – Time among position players.  With power having been devalued and a firm new set of penalties for Luxury Tax Threshold Abusers, it may take until the winter of 2018 – heading into 2019 – for another player to ink a contract that places them in the top 50 ALL – Time Salaries.

The winter has seen a lot of great Free Agents sign like Yoenis Cespedes, Aroldis Chapman, Dexter Fowler, Kenley Jansen, Ian Desmond, Mark Melancon and Edwin Encarnacion, however none of them were historic by any means.

While Cespedes’s $110 MIL pact over 4 years is $27.5 MIL per year, which ties him for the  2nd best AAV ALL – Time for a position player with Alex Rodriguez, (trailing Miguel Cabrera‘s 8 YR/$248 MIL extension that started in 2016) – only brings him in for a tie for about 60th on the ALL – Time Biggest Contracts list.

To crack the top 50 list ALL – Time right now, you need to bring in a deal that makes at least $120 MIL for the life of the contract.

During last years offeseason, David Price ($217 MIL), Zack Greinke, ($206.5 MIL) Jason Heyward, ($184 MIL), Chris Davis, ($161 MIL), Justin Upton ($132.8 MIL) and Johnny Cueto ($130 MIL) all inked pacts in excess of that.

Early in the season, Stephen Strasburg shocked the world with his new 7 YRs/$175 MIL deal soon afterwards. Read the rest of this entry

Odds To Win The 2017 MLB World Series: Detroit + Seattle Best Value Right Now

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I have been preaching the Mariners as a bet for a couple of months now.  I was able to grab them at +2800 for a $50 bet already, and this was my 2nd bet to the $100 I plunked down on the Nationals at +1200.

Jerry DiPoto has been wheeling and dealing to the tune of 11 trades already this offseason. 

With the exception of the Outfield not possessing not much power (but a ton of speed that could round out the bottom of the order with SB), and the First Base position being manned by unproven commodities, the rest of the roster is pretty solid.

We noted that the Mariners threesome of Kyle Seager, Robinson Cano and Jean Segura combined for 99 HRs and then the prime DH Nelson Cruz clubbed 43 Bolts.  These guys will make up enough power to compensate for that.

While I still feel they should upgrade at 1B or another OF (Guys such as Mark Trumbo, Chris Carter or Mike Napoli) this team should have enough offense to compete in the American League.

With acquiring Yovani Gallardo and Drew Smyly in the last week, the club has added depth = and have the best 1 – 5 rotation in the AL West now.

I believe that James Paxton may also see a breakout season similar to what Danny Duffy did for the Kansas City Royals in 2916.  The LHP can reach 98 – 99 MPH on his fastball, and he has great movement.

The Relief Core has also been added to with great numbers.  Seattle’s brass has definitely robbed the Minor League System, yet this is the window of winning.

Houston deserves to be slightly favored in the AL West with the rosters as currently constructed – however if the Mariners pick up another big bat then I would give the nod to them as the Division favorite. Read the rest of this entry

It Shouldn’t Be Surprising That J.D. Martinez Is Still on the Detroit Tigers

Talking a big game and actually backing it up with action are two very different things. Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has certainly learned that lesson throughout this offseason.

Almost immediately following the conclusion of Detroit’s regular season schedule, Avila was clear that “changes are coming” in the way the organization conducts its business. Also, since they have been working “way above” their financial means for a while, the goal was to start getting younger.

Obviously, that meant being open to potential trades for just about anybody to clear some payroll. The selling started by shipping Cameron Maybin to the Los Angeles Angels, and then… things halted.

Detroit’s biggest stars – Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlandersaw their names briefly pop up in the rumor mill, but they died down quickly. One available player who seemed all but traded was J.D. Martinez, and it wasn’t hard to see why.

But here were are, with the holidays over and 2017 officially upon us, and he’s still a member of the Tigers. It doesn’t look like he’s leaving anytime soon, either.

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Projected Top 5 Home Run Hitters In Major League Baseball For 2017

Having nothing to do with the ALL - Star Game, and a ton to prove after inviting himselfto the HR derby in San Diego, we placed a $125 bet on Stanton to win the event at +325 odds. He destroyed the field, This was the difference in us turning a small little profit for the year. ).

Having nothing to do with the ALL – Star Game, and a ton to prove after inviting himself to the HR derby in San Diego, we placed a $125 bet on Stanton to win the event at +325 odds – and he won the whole thing.  Now only if he could refrain from beingthe DL for 1 campaign.  It was another injury plagued season for the veteran in 2016, but I still claim he will lead the league in HRs one of these years and possibly challenge 50 HRs in the process.  He is our #1 pick to win the overall MLB HR crown in 2017.

With apologies to the pending Free Agents who cracked 40+ HRs in Mark Trumbo (47) and Chris Carter (41), I just don’t see them duplicating their 2016 campaigns. 

I also foresee a bunch of changes to the top 6 Home Run hitters in the American League in 2017. 

Newly signed Indians player Edwin Encarnacion is quite possibly the only returning top 5 guy that will be in there back to back seasons for the Junior Circuit.

Chris Carter. actually tied was the co-leader for the HR title with Nolan Arenado in 2016. and then was promptly non-tendered by the Brewers for his efforts. 

Mark Trumbo hasn’t been able to parlay his HR title into a Free Agent deal either.  I think this may play a huge factor in a 2017 regression of sorts.

Don’t get me wrong. i fully expect these gentlemen to eclipse 30+ HRs each still in 2017.

Since the top 5 overall Major League HR totals all resided in the AL in 2016 – I suspect this won’t be the case next year.

Ultimately, career years from Khris Davis and Brian Dozier will be hard to do again.

(RELATED – Top 5 Saves Leaders Projected For The MLB in 2017) Read the rest of this entry

The San Francisco Giants Should Sign Matt Wieters, Play Posey At 1B + Belt In LF

Matt Wieters accepted the 1 Year Qualifying Offer with the Baltimore Orioles last year - and he payed his first full campaign since 2013. At Age 30, he is still a decent Catcher both offensively and defensively. I first came up with this idea a few years ago, but Posey was still putting world class numbers out of the backstopper position, and they and several Outfielders. Now.there is an opening beyond the grass, so Brandon Belt could move there - freeing up Posey to play First Base.

Matt Wieters accepted the 1 Year Qualifying Offer with the Baltimore Orioles last year – and he played his first full campaign since 2013. At Age 30, he is still a decent Catcher both offensively and defensively. I first came up with this idea a few years ago, but Posey was still putting world class numbers out of the backstopper position, and they had several Outfielders on the depth chart. Now.there is an opening beyond the grass, so Brandon Belt could move there – freeing up Posey to play First Base – and the team to sign Wieters.

The Giants are one of the best franchises at fostering their home grown talent.  It has culminated in 3 World Series from 2010 – 2014, and the franchise has several of its core players locked up for the next 3 – 5 years.

With the recent news of the Luxury Tax Threshold penalizing the Dodgers something fierce for obliterating their payroll, the NL West has come back to the Giants to win – considering the LA squad has taken down 4 straight Division Titles.

San Francisco started the process of healing their Bullpen this winter. by forking out some big dollars to secure Closer Mark Melancon ( 4YRs/$62 MIL).  There is still a long way to go in shoring up the Relief Core, but they should have the funds to do it.

Which brings me to my next point.  Beyond the suspicion that Eduardo Nunez may not be a great long=term fit in the Bay Area, the Roster is pretty secure in the rest of the lineup – except for say the LF position.

There are not a lot of prime Free Agents on the open market that can play the OF.  Michael Saunders will cost too much money…Angel Pagan..well the Giants should just say no…Colby Rasmus…yikes…Brandon Moss….um….should be a 1B/DH type in the American League.

As for the depth chart currently for Bruce Bochy‘s squad…..Mac Williamson, Jarrett Parker and Gorkys Hernandez…Not sure that cuts the mustard on a playoff caliber squad.

My thought is – why not sign Matt Wieters to a 3 – 4 year contract worth about $33 – $44 MIL ($11 MIL AAV) – to be the prime Catcher for the Giants – then move Posey to First Base and Brandon Belt to LF? To me it makes sense. Read the rest of this entry

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

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

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

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the rest of this entry

Daily Fantasy MLB Picks For DraftKings 9/5/16

P- Masahiro Tanaka (vs. Toronto Blue Jays): $9,900. In 127 career at bats against the Blue Jays, Tanaka has a .197 opposing batting average, 36 strikeouts, and a .246 OBP. Over his last five starts, he owns a 4-0 record, 1.93 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 32.2 innings pitched. Toronto has been hitting fairly well recently, but Tanaka has been dominant on the mound, which should counteract the Blue Jays’ bats.

P- Ian Kennedy (vs. Minnesota Twins): $9,100. Prior to his last start, Kennedy was 3-0 with a 1.14 ERA over his previous six starts. He did give up four runs over 6.1 innings in his last start, but as you can tell, Kennedy has been very reliable recently. The Twins offense has been decent recently, but I don’t think that will stop Kennedy from succeeding.

 

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 8/25/16

P- Robbie Ray (vs. Atlanta Braves): $10,400. Over Ray’s last three starts, he has been absolutely dominant. Those starts include 19 innings pitched, 2-0 record, 0.95 ERA, and 22 strikeouts. He is facing a mediocre Braves lineup, so this shouldn’t be a tough matchup for the left-handed pitcher. His hot streak and opponent makes me believe he is the best top-tier pitcher available on Thursday.

P- Tom Koehler (vs. Kansas City Royals): $7,100. Koehler has been great since the All-Star break. Since July 21st, the righty has thrown 39 innings, with a 1.62 ERA, 26 hits allowed, and 30 strikeouts. Kansas City’s offense has been very average all year long, so it shouldn’t pose a huge threat for Koehler.

 

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 8/19/16

P- Tanner Roark (vs. Atlanta Braves): $10,600. In nine career starts against Atlanta, Tanner Roark has a 1.77 ERA. In fact, his last start was against the Braves, where he went seven innings giving up five hits, one earned run, and he struck out three. In his two starts against Atlanta this year, Roark has given up one earned run in 14 innings pitched.

P- Adam Wainwright (vs. Philadelphia Phillies): $6,600. This pick does scare me a bit, but I’m going to stick with it. Over Wainwright’s last two starts, he has not been effective at all. Luckily, the Cardinals are giving Wainwright an extra two days of rest because he believes he has found the issue in his windup. This pick is risky, but the other options that are affordable are very risky as well.

 

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

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

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

 

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Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For DraftKings 8/14/16

P- Jake Odorizzi (vs. New York Yankees): $8,200. Odorizzi entered his last start with a 20.2 inning scoreless streak. Unfortunately, he lost that streak, but he still pitched decent. In his last three starts, he is 2-0, with a 1.00 ERA, and 15 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched. In two starts against the Yankees in 2016, he has a 1-1 record, 1.12 ERA, and 11 strikeouts.

P- Tom Koehler (vs. Chicago White Sox): $8,600. Koehler has been lights out recently. Over his last three starts, he has a 2-0 record, 0.47 ERA, and 18 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched. With that said, he is going up against a pretty weak Chicago White Sox lineup. Over the last seven days, the White Sox have a .695 OPS, which ranks 20th in Major League Baseball.

 

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

P- Jake Odorizzi (vs. Toronto Blue Jays): $9,900. In 99 career at bats against Odorizzi, the Blue Jays’ offense is batting .141, with a .274 OBP, and a .341 slugging percentage. This includes a .053 batting average from Jose Bautista, .214 from Josh Donaldson, .091 from Edwin Encarnacion, .083 from Russell Martin, and a .143 batting average from Troy Tulowitzki. Not only have the Jays struggled against Odorizzi, but they have also struggled over the last seven games, with a .201/.276/.370 slash line. Odorizzi has not allowed a run in 20.2 consecutive innings, so clearly he is on a roll.

 

P- Zach Davies (vs. Atlanta Braves): $8,600. Davies has been incredibly consistent over his last few starts. He has won his past three starts and holds a 2.45 ERA in that time span. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs since June and he owns a 1.97 ERA over that stretch of starts. The Braves’ offense isn’t overpowering, so Davies should be able to take care of business.

 

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

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JOE ROBBINS/GETTY IMAGES

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

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

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

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

They all owned baseball on June 27, 2016.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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

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RICH SCHULTZ/GETTY IMAGES

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

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

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

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

They all owned baseball on June 26, 2016.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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

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

 

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

 

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MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For DraftKings – 5/17/16

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Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

We are ramping up our coverage on DFS play at MLB Reports, and will include some strategy articles in the forthcoming days and weeks.  We come from a high level of handicapping backgrounds, and have been given the go ahead from the braintrust at MLB Reports to start sharing some of these with you.

Of course Chuck Booth and I spearheaded this movement back in a few years ago with just regular baseball futures.  We were not sure if we wanted to go ahead with the MLB DFS Fantasy at all, but were finally convinced for demand by a couple of our BBBA writers (Josh Robbins and Trey Rose).  The need is there and we are looking to deliver.

I have played DFS long enough to be the guy who writes the posts here.  The gambling philosophy championed by Booth in the 90’s is brilliant for any sources of tournaments or gambling period.  It weaves the Martingale Betting System (progressive betting with the double up theory) and it fosters it with several other techniques so you don’t bet against yourself.

One of the biggest blunders made by many gamblers is betting against themselves.  We are going to simplify the process, so if you win, you can really win – none of this barely break even nonsense.

Look for that in coming days.  Now here is what we are going to do for today’s MLB DFS Draft Kings style.

We Will Give You – Daily

5 team stacking options ( We are going to draw most of our players from these 5 squads).

3 Pitching candidates (High level, midlevel and budget).

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

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PAUL SANCYA/AP

J.D. Martinez reached base 4 times with a homer and a double, driving in a pair in the Tigers wild 10-8 slugfest victory over Minnesota.

Sean Manaea pitched into the 7th, finishing with 6 2/3 innings, 4 hits, 1 walk and 1 run to earned the A’s 3-1 division over Texas.

Matt Joyce collected three hits, including a homer, driving in 3 to lead Pittsburgh past Atlanta, 8-5.

Robbie Ray pitched 7 innings allowing only 2 runs and drove in a run himself with an RBI hit to beat the Yankees in Arizona, 12-2.

They all owned baseball on May 16, 2016.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For FanDuel – 4/30/16 + Bonus 2nd Lineup

fanduel

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer/Part Owner) 

The Tigers have definitely heated up their lineup in the last week – and are perhaps still vastly underrated on FanDuel right now. Looking to capitalize on low values for Miguel Cabrera, Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez.

I also believe in the NY Yankees getting the better of Rick Porcello on Saturday with LHB Brett Gardner and Brian McCann.  I added Starlin Castro to the fold at Fenway Park. 

For some reason, the Yankees do well at Fenway for batting anyway. Plus I can’t think that Porcello will keep up his success either.

There is a lot of frontline pitchers throwing on Saturday, so I am steering clear of a a ton of cash on FanDuel.  I do love Francisco Liriano vs the Reds.  Heck, I love anyone against the Reds – who are starting their freefall.

The Yankees and Tigers are kind of an old unconventional duo for a couple of stacks, and that is what I am hoping for.  I may play a Chase Field lineup as well – and just call it a day. Read the rest of this entry

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