Blog Archives
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast Archives Apr.1, 2013 – Apr.30, 2013 (Episodes 160 – 189)
Paul Francis Sullivan (please call him Sully) does a podcast 365 days a year – unless it is a leap year – then he will do another 1. He has done a show everyday since Oct.24/2012. This to date represents a streak of 1216 days consecutively!
Past the CLICK TO READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY are episodes 160 – 189 of the Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
We will also archive all of his podcasts to date (in coming weeks) so they are easily accessible for all his fans. Check out all his Archived info here.
Our website followers have grown larger each year for his podcast.
Follow Sully Baseball On Twitter Follow @sullybaseball
To subscribe on iTunes, click HERE.
To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE. Read the rest of this entry
How To Fix The M’s For 2016: Seattle Mariners State Of The Union
Seattle was a lot of peoples pick to win the American League in 2015. A 76 – 86 season record ensued, causing the franchise to fire their GM and coach. Now with a tough AL West to contend with in the near future, we look on how the M’s may go about their business this fall.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Seattle Mariners made a lot of prognosticators look bad this year (including yours truly). Of course the Washington Nationals also did as well. Yep..Guilty again.
It was a good thing I put some money on the Blue Jays to win the World Series in preseason, and then hedged against them in the ALCS with KC. I was also fortunate enough to go 9 – 4 with my prop bets as well, and did decent in picking the Mets over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLDS, then win over the Cubs, otherwise I would have taken a beating for the year.
Anyways, enough about me, how about the 76 – 86 Mariners? This team dropped 11 wins from the 2014 campaign, and it looked ugly on them. Read the rest of this entry
Ichiro Suzuki Maybe Older, But He Is a Perfect 4th OF/PH
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Okay so Ichiro Suzuki doesn’t possess as much speed as he once did, or even hit .320 like he routinely did for the Mariners. Plus yes, there is virtually no power…however he hit .284 last season, and for a 4th OF or Pinch Hitter in the Senior Circuit, that would be much likened.
I was sitting there last month debating on whether the Mariners should give him a call for a return to Seattle, considering they tried signing Franklin Gutierrez (hurt all of 2014, which was the biggest waste of a $MIL ever by M’s mgmt – considering the guy already burned the squad for 120 games missed in 2013) and employed friggin Endy Chavez for much of the 2014 year.
I am giving Jack Z. and the Mariners some chops for picking up Justin Ruggiano and Seth Smith instead in the last 30 days, but the point was, Ichiro may not have wanted to return to the PAC NW anyway even though he could have helped that club as they were constructed then.
Have you seen some of the 4th OF and PH that still have jobs in the Majors? Heck yeah… give me a guy who can put the bat on the ball still.
Suzuki is a great contact hitter even at his age, and he will likely see some AB roaming the outfield for the Marlins this year. I love Giancarlo Stanton, but it is not like he ever plays 162 games straight on the diamond. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Trade Deadline Breakdown 2014 + The August Aftermath
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
It was a flurry of action that baseball really needed. Half way through the day, I was amazed their was actually day games.
Oakland and Detroit pushed all of their chips in, and you have to think they are pretty much done with transactions, although one of them doing an August deal could prompt the other to do the same.
I am holding back reservations for judging the Pirates, Blue Jays and Royals….however they all must be the “MLB clubhouse leaders” in August acquisitions to challenge for playoff slots.
Although KC better have a better idea than having Raul Ibanez take regular AB at 1B..That is horrible..
It wasn’t like the club didn’t know Eric Hosmer was injured badly.
I am also about throwing Ruben Amaro‘s career about 10 second from a toe-tag (and those ten seconds are August), for standing pat on his 47 – 60 aging core.
Like I have said so many times on twitter and social media outlets. Someone teach this man some basic economics.
Take a lesson from Boston, and trade-off assets, to receive younger ones in the process, then you can turn around and spend every red cent in Free Agency in the offseason.. Read the rest of this entry
Seattle Mariners State Of The Union For 2014 Part 2 – The Hitters:
All of the baseball world in the PAC NW will want to see nothing but great production from Cano in Seattle. He may have a great year with the new club, however the management has not armed him with many dependable offensive talents. I fully expect the Second Baseman to hit .300/.400./.500 this season, but I think his HRs will be in the low 20’s (if not teens,) and his Doubles will be high. I am not sure he will crack 100 RBI either. Get used to it Cano. This is the 1st season of a 10 YR/$240 MIL deal. He has a career 3 slash of .309/.355/.504, but you can bet he will be walked a ton this year as opposing teams bypass the biggest threat on Seattle’s team.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
I wonder what was promised to Robinson Cano once he inked that 10 YR/$240 MIL, or he was just so ecstatic about the cash he failed to ask the question.
I am just kidding. You know I love ya Cano…and that I am a Yankees fan…and bought 20 sets of game tickets at Safeco this year – primarily because you are on the team.
Actually, the 2B stated a few weeks ago that he is not pleased with the state of the current squad. I can’t say I blame him.
The Seattle Mariners State Of The Union For 2014 Part 1: Winter Deals + Pitchers
Felix Hernandez has been the face of the Seattle Mariners since 2009 when he won 19 games for the Mariners. He followed up with a CY Young season in 2010. The last 3 years, he has gone 39 – 33, with a lowe 3 ERA, but finished 4th in Cy Young Voting in 2012, and was one of the frontrunners to win the 2013 AL Cy Young – before the team shut him down for the rest of the year in Sept (still finished 8th in Voting). Hernandez sports a 110 – 86 record with a 3.20 ERA for his 9 year career. Expect nearly 16 – 18 wins this year with a near 3 ERA. The Mariners have only had 2 winning seasons out of the time “King Felix has been on the team. A start at Safeco Field for the team by him is worth about 10K fans extra. Photo: Chris Carlson – AP
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
A decade of frustration has set in after the clubs best stretch of success proceeded if from the time Ken Griffey Jr. arrived, until longtime MGR. Lou Piniella left the fold in 2003.
That was the last season the Mariners were sniffing around a playoff spot.
Back then, attendance was nearly 40K per game at Safeco, and you see tailgate parties, and the smell of garlic wafted through the surrounding area of the park.
In 2012, the club hit an all time low in attendance for the new stadium, and it wasn’t much better in 2013. Seattle drew just over 20,000 fans per game.
Something had to be done. Other than games that brought tonnes of excitement, and the King’s Court Section for Felix Hernandez home outings, there wasn’t much for the teams fanbase to be happy about with the home team.
“Mr. Puig” And “Mr. Montero” More Namely: Step Away From The Buffet Table In The Offseason!
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
It happens to a few guys every year. Seldomly does it threaten to plague a guys career.
I can think of Carl Everett blossoming over his transition to the 2005 World Series White Sox win, to a big man in Seattle, who could hardly swing his hips around.
We remember how big Kevin Mitchell became after he was in such phenomenal condition early in his career. But 40 pounds overweight like Jesus Montero waddled into the Mariners Spring Training? C’mon Man!
The only happy guy out of this news has to be Yasiel Puig, who is donning the scales 26 LBS heavier than when we saw him last. Read the rest of this entry
Cano Signs With Seattle 10 YRs/$240 MIL: Do You Want A Good Team Or A Good Business?
Cano and his management posse were in the Emerald City over night – to dicker with the Seattle Brass over a supposed 9 YR contract worth around $225 – $240 MIL . But something went awry, and the Cano camp made the Seattle Mariners storm off with disgust over what the demands were originally. It has now been reported the sides agreed to a 10 YR/$240 MIL deal. This could be a colossal mistake from the club, despite seeing probable early returns on their investment and the ticket wicket and for TV Ratings. In a city where they have only had 2 winning seasons in the last 10 years, they didn’t need to put all of their eggs in just one basket. We will go through the long decade of suffering in his blog, and come up with the conclusion, that the last thing the franchise needs – is another Free Agency flop.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 (Big Credit to Paul Francis Sullivan) Follow @sullybaseball
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The deal was supposed to be 9 YRs/$225 MIL for Robinson Cano‘s services to be taken to The Pacific Northwest, and play for the home fans of Safeco Field.
Somewhere in the deliberations, the Roc Nations Sports Agency (Jay – Z’s gang) made an unruly notion for something, to which the brass of the Seattle Mariners stormed off.
It would be nice to have been a fly on the wall for that sparing off of the minds.
The two sides finally agreed this morning to a 10 YR/$240 MIL deal for the ALL – Star, SIlver Slugger 2B.
Before the deal, a neutral fan had to ask Cano really taking the M’s seriously, or was it all for show – in hopes he could draw more cash from a team he really wants to play for?
Sully’s Daily Podcast from last night – truer words have never been spoken – Listen to this 20 Min show!
AL West Hot Stove Roundup – Around The Horn
Grant Balfour maybe perfectly situated to change teams in the AL West from the Oakland Athletics to the Seattle Mariners. The PAC NW club could use a guy stopper – to mop up games from a great young pitching staff. in 2013, Balfour has nailed down 62 Saves in the last season and a half, and has carried a great ERA in the 2.50 range – with a WHIP slightly above 1. If Seattle is willing to pay about 3 YRs/$33 – 36 MIL, then the Aussie could be headed their way.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twiter Follow @mlbreports
Seattle Mariners: Jack Z. and the brass have some money to spend, will there be any takers?? Mike Napoli, Jacoby Ellsbury, Nelson Cruz, Shin-Soo Choo should all be on the offensive list.
On the Pitching side, Bronson Arroyo is the kind of Innings eater that could favor your Bullpen. Fernando Rodney or Grant Balfour could close games for you as I don’t think Joe Nathan or Brian Wilson are coming.
Go big with your Free Agent signings, even if it is one or 2 players.
Jacoby Ellsbury 2013 Highlights
The Mariners Managerial Search Continues
Former Ozzie Guillen assistant Joey Cora would be the popular choice for the Mariners open Managerial position. The man played a significant role on the the 1995 club that won their first Division Title since coming into the Majors in 1977.
Sam Evans ( Baseball Writer and Marlins, Mariners Correspondent): Follow @RJA206
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Mariners new manager needs to be someone who can turn around the recent trend of losing baseball at Safeco Field and help bring a new era of baseball to the pacific northwest.
General Manager Jack Zduriencik has exhaustively looked at a number of different options, with potential candidates ranging from young to old, some with Seattle connections, some completely new to the city.
However, it appears, although this is just an assumption, that he has narrowed his list to three option.
Chip Hale, the Athletics bench coach, Lloyd McClendon, the Tigers hitting coach, and Joey Cora, the former White Sox bench coach. Here is a look at each of the three top candidates and which one is my favorite of the bunch.
Joey Cora Game #5 (ALDS) HR versus the Yankees in 1995
Looking Back At Some Of The Highlights From The Mariners 2013 Season
In 2014, the Seattle franchise will be welcoming in a new coach – as Eric Wedge will not be returning for another year as the team’s skipper. As Safeco Field closes it’s roof for the season, let’s take a look back at the brighter moments from the Mariners abysmal 2013 year – in which they finished 71 – 91, only good for 4th in the AL West.
Sam Evans ( Baseball Writer and Marlins, Mariners Correspondent): Follow @RJA206
Follow MLB Reports on Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Seattle Mariners 2013 season left a lot to be desired.
The Mariners continued to lose fans as they didn’t play competitive baseball for the majority of the season. However, there were some memorable highlights and breakout performances that made the Mariners season slight more bearable.
Here’s a look back at the more enjoyable aspects of the Mariners 2013 regular season.
The Seattle Mariners Payroll In 2014, Organizational Affiliates, Prospects, Depth Charts, (MLB + MiLB)
The Mariners have one of the gem stadiums in all of baseball right now. It is too bad the team on the field has not been that great – in what has been a brutal decade. Jack Z.. was just extended for one more year. While it wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, the club’s youth has finally shown some promise. The team has a promising amount of young pitchers, good Starting Pitching already in the Majors, and a few positional players that look like they will stay in the bigs. Of concern is the fact they will lose several veterans in Mike Morse, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez after this year. That is, unless they decide to trade any of them in the next week.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
The Mariners were one of the best teams in the Major Leagues when they moved into Safeco Field.
Despite losing Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson and Ken GriffeyJR. in successive seasons, the team matched a Major League Record with 116 Wins during the 2001 year.
Ichiro Suzuki admirably took over the reigns as the team leader, and carried the club on his shoulders for the next years.
Lou Pinella was there until 2003 – and was having his team in perennial contention since the 1995 year.
After 2003, the club has been abysmal in the next decade.
The team has had several face lifts, rotation managers – and the attendance has come down for over 3 Million fans per year, and now the can barely draw about 1.5 MIL people.
Seattle is one of the biggest markets in North America, and can totally put forth a winning team – and a high payroll.
For the team to even sign some Free Agents, the young players of the organization have to start playing well and to potential.
Any team with Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma is not that far off from competing.
For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Mariners Organization click here.
For all 30 teams Organization Lists from the MLB Reports, plus any related Payrolls, Depth Charts, Roster Trees, State Of The Unions click here.
Felix Hernandez Perfect Game Highlights 2012
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 8
Like us on Facebook here
Follow @mlbreportsMonday May.27/2013
The Detroit Tigers were second on the list for moving up rankings with 5 spots. They have overtaken the Indians in the AL Central – and have 5 players that are hitting north of .300. Their top 4 Starters may be the best in the game – and they play in an extremely winnable division where teams can`t match them for payroll or talent. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter on the planet – and has great support.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Oakland Athletics are making another run at the expense of the lesser lites in the Division. This team feasts on the Astros and Mariners – and are not half bad at playing the Rangers and Angels either. The goal for them is to continue to pitch. They must try to at least take 2 games versus San Francisco in the 4 game set.
The Kansas City Royals may have rolled up snake eyes in gambling on their 2013 season. Suffering the longest playoff drought in the majors at 28 years, the franchise traded away its best prospect player in Wil Myers for a 2 year pitching solution in James Shields.
The problem is that their nucleus of young talented hitters have failed them. Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are being outpowered by some teams Pitching cores in the NL.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 27, 2013
On today’s episode The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast , I discuss Marlins’ manager Mike Redmond already being neutered and Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik acquiring too many caterpillars and not enough butterflies. The analogy makes sense.
Jordan Zimmermann, Carlos Beltran, Matt Tuiasosopo and Anibal Sanchez owned baseball on April 26, 2013.
To see the up to date tally of “Who Owns Baseball?”, click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 27, 2013
Seattle Mariners Roster in 2013: State Of The Union:
Like us on Facebook here
Follow @mlbreportsThursday, January.31/2013
Felix Hernandez is still the Mariners best player without a doubt. Will he get some help shouldering the load in 2013? Either way, all of baseball should be watching when King Felix pitches, he is a true marvel on the mound.
By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @ryandana1
Seattle Mariners fans must be pretty amazing, Felix Hernandez sticking with their team through recent times. The Mariners were established in 1977 and have made the playoffs just 4 times in their history. They were the AL West champs 3 times (’95, ’97, ’01) and winners of the Wild Card once (’00). They have never won a World Series, or even an AL Pennant, and in 2012 they shipped off a fan favorite, Ichiro Suzuki, to the Yankees. The AL West is a tough division. The Rangers and Athletics made the playoffs last year, and the Angels just landed the prize of the off-season in slugger Josh Hamilton. I guess one bright spot is the Astros are moving to the AL West, so the Mariners won’t be rebuilding within the brutal division alone.
The Seattle Mariners hopes and dreams start where they have for years now, on the shoulders of King Felix. Felix Hernandez is no doubt an Ace. He has pitched 200+ innings every year since ’08, and had a sub 4.00 ERA every year since ’07. Hernandez won the AL Cy Young in 2010, and is a perennial contender for the award. Last year the Seattle fireballer threw his first Perfect Game. Hernandez will once again be atop the Mariners rotation, which as of now figures to include Hisashi Iwakuma, Blake Beavan, Erasmo Ramirez, and Hector Noesi.
Hisashi Iwakuma was a pleasant surprise for the Mariners in 2012. He wasn’t a greatly sought after oversees free agent last year, overshadowed greatly by fellow Japanese hurler Yu Darvish, but proved to be a great signing. Iwakuma started 2012 in the bullpen until he later earned a spot in the team’s rotation. Iwakuma managed a very respectable 3.16 ERA in the 125.1 innings he split between the rotation and the pen. This success is part of the reason the Mariners resigned the pitcher to a 2YR/14 Million Dollar deal this past November. He figures to hold down the 2nd spot in the rotation and should do just fine if 2012 was a sign of things to come.
Blake Beavan is still just 23 Years Old, but he already has 41 Major League Starts under his belt which gives the club hope he can hold down the 3rd or 4th slot in the rotation. Beavan clearly has the talent which is what made him a 1st Round draft pick out of high school for the Rangers, and the reason the Mariners made sure he was a part of the package they received in return for Cliff Lee in 2010. Beavan’s 2012 stats won’t impress a lot of people, but they were a good start for a young player like himself to build and improve upon.
Felix Hernandez Highlights: Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised
Morse Back To Seattle: The Mariners Add Yet Another Bat
Like us on Facebook here
Follow @mlbreportsSunday, January 27th, 2013
MIcheal Morse Has a Career 3 Slash Line of .295/.347/.839 heading into 2013. He will likely see some time at 1B and DH with Kendrys Morales.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (MLB Reports Trade Correspondent): Follow @NRoss56
Once upon a time, Mike Morse was a Seattle Mariners’ farm hand who played parts of four seasons in the majors with Seattle. He never really lived up to expectations during his first time in Seattle. Now, the Mariners have acquired him from the Nationals where he spent the best four seasons of his career. The Mariners are looking everywhere they can for affordable offense, and they have turned back to a familiar face in Morse. The real question is how does Morse fit in Seattle and does the acquisition make the Mariners better?
In order to address this topic, its important that we take a look at how Morse performed last season and whether the decrease in performance is going to carry over into the 2013 campaign. Morse was injured for a portion of the season so it is important to take that into consideration when breaking down his 2012 season, but even with injury, Morse took a fairly large step backwards.
Mike Morse’s 1st hit in the Major Leagues with the Mariners (2005):
Billy Beane Found His Catcher in Seattle: John Jaso is Ready to Lead the A’s Back to the Playoffs
Like us on Facebook here
Follow @mlbreportsSunday January 20th, 2013
A .372 OBP in 2010. A .394 OBP last season. Can you blame Billy Beane for LOVING John Jaso?
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist, Oakland A’s Correspondent and Website Founder): Follow @Jhacohen
My name is Jonathan Hacohen. And I am a John Jaso fan. There…I have said it. Feels very good to get it out. Ok, so I don’t own any John Jaso t-shirts or jerseys. I wouldn’t recognize him if I hit him with my car. But when #27 (formerly #28 on the Rays) comes up to bat, I know that good things will usually happen. Remember that .372 OBP in 2010? I sure do. So do many Tampa Bay Rays fans. For you see my friends, John Jaso is a special breed of baseball player. He is a catcher with patience. He won’t hit for great pop, but he finds ways to get On Base. That is a skill that served him very well back in his aforementioned first full MLB season.
From that season on, I came to expect great things from Mr. Jaso. But then 2011 hit. Or actually, he didn’t. A .224 AVG with a .298 OBP was good enough for the Rays to dump Jaso on the Mariners for Josh Lueke. Remember him? Do I really have to say more? The Rays, for all the talk of their poor offensive showing and need for major league bats, decided that John Jaso just didn’t fit into their system. So Jaso was off to Seattle and Jose Molina was brought on board. The same Jose Molina who hit .223 last season with a .286 OBP. The same Jose Molina who got paid $1.5 Million last season. John Jaso on the other hand got paid $495,200 last year. What did he do? Only hit .276 with a .394 OBP. Plus a .456 SLG for good measure. His reward? A one-way ticket to Oakland with a 30 second stopover in Washington. The man can’t win. A good or bad season, either way MLB GM haven’t shown faith in this kid so far in his career. But then, most GMs are not Billy Beane. Despite being apparently set at the position for 2013, Beane proceeded to trade for Jaso and dump George Kottaras, to catch with Derek Norris. Beane said on record that he would have kept Kottaras unless Jaso was made available. So does Billy Beane know something that Andrew Friedman, Jack Zduriencik and Mike Rizzo don’t? The answer is yes. Beane knows which players he wants and usually, he will get them at the end. Now John Jaso is set to bring flair, leadership and of course, On Base skills to Oakland. The playoff picture just got much rosier for the A’s.
Is This The End Of The Line For Jason Bay?
Like us on Facebook here
Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, January.15/2013
Jason Bay had a 3 Slash Line with PIT of – .281/.375/.890, including winning a ROY Award in 2005, followed up by back to back ALL-Star Years in 2006 and 2007, where he hit 30+ HRs, 100+ RBI, 100+ Runs Scored and Walked 197 for those 2 years. He may be on his last chance in the MLB with the Mariners in 2013. Bay finished his Pittsburgh days with 139 HRs, 452 RBI and 432 Runs for his 2590 AB. Those are good numbers.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Jason Bay begins 2013 with the Seattle Mariners on perhaps his last chance at the Major Leagues for his career. It was only on 2009 where he finished an ALL-Star Season with the Boston Red Sox – taking home a Silver Slugger Award and finishing in 7th for AL MVP Voting. That year, he hit for a 3 Slash Line of – .267/.384/.923, with 36 HRs (3rd in AL) and 119 RBI (2nd in AL). The man also walked 94 times and scored 103 Runs. It was a Career Year, yet he also had 3 other 30+ HRs, 100+ RBI and 100+ Run Years in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Bay picked a perfect year to be a Free Agent after his last year with the Red Sox.. While he cashed in on a 4 YR/64 Million Dollar Contract from the New York Mets, the Boston Red Sox knew of some hampering injuries that were sure to plague the Canadian ALL-Star from Trail. B.C. for the length of the deal… Boy did they turn out to be right on this prognostication!
What happened in New York City could not be classified by anything but horrendous. It was a move to an un-hitter friendly park at Citi Field. Bay then spent parts of 3 years injured or absolutely putting up abysmal numbers for the NL East Franchise. Of course 2012 would be the ultimate worst as the Right Fielder hit a paltry .165 with 8 HRs and 20 RBI in 194 AB. He had become a shadow of his former ALL-Star self and the Mets had enough of the anemic offense. They ate all of the remaining 21 Million Dollars left on his contract for 2013 and granted Bay his walking papers.
Jason Bay Highlights 2011 – Mature Lyrics Content – Parental Guidance is advised
Safeco Field: The Effect Of Moving In The Fences
[twitter-follow screen_name=’mlbreports’ show_screen_name=’yes’
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
Sam Evans (Baseball Writer):
The Mariners made a decision regarding the dimensions of Safeco Field in October that will likely change the way the Mariners front office will attempt to put a potent baseball team on the field. By bringing in the fences, the Mariners are symbolizing that they have moved on from the early Jack Zdurencik philosophy that the Mariners could win in Safeco Field with pitching in defense. This move could entice some free agent position players that normally would not want to play in such a hard ballpark to hit home runs in. By moving the fences iTTn at Safeco, more runs will be scored at Safeco and the Mariners will likely no longer play in debatably the most pitcher-friendly park in the American League.
It’s pretty easy to see why the Mariners organization has finally decided to move in the fences at Safeco. Since 2000, the Mariners have scored the fewest runs of any American League team. In 2012, Seattle ranked last in the AL in runs scored per game, home runs, and batting average at home. The Mariners were a far better team on the road then at home. Right-handed hitters like Jesus Montero and Casper Wells had their power numbers and projections greatly affected by spending their first full seasons in Seattle. The Mariners had their reasons for moving their fences, and if they believe the new dimensions will help them win more ballgames, there should be no argument that Seattle is not making the right move. Read the rest of this entry
2012 Trade Deadline Update #2 7/23: Ichiro in Pinstripes, Anibal and Omar to the Tigers?
Monday July 23rd, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Over the past few hours, a couple of big trades have gone down. Here’s my take on them:
Ichiro to the Yankees
Wow. What a day. At about seven p.m. EDT, the Mariners and Yankees announced a swap that involved Ichiro for two minor league pitchers and cash. Sure I expected some blockbuster trades, but this? Ichiro was an icon for the Mariners. He broke the all-time hits in a season record for the Mariners and helped them win 116 games in 2001. Ichiro was an excellent player to say the least. He hit .322 over his 12 seasons with the Mariners and will most likely enter the Hall of Fame. But, over the past two years, he’s lost a little bit of luster. He’s slowed down a bit due to his age, and has stopped hitting over .300. Last year he hit .272 and had less than 200 hits for the first time in his career. This season, he’s hit an even worse .261. The Mariners have struggled over the past years and were definitely in need of a move. They acquired Jesus Montero from the Yankees this offseason in a trade for Michael Pineda, but Montero hasn’t exactly caught fire. Read the rest of this entry
Daniel Carroll Interview: Power, Patience and Speed- Watch Out Seattle…This Mariners Prospect Is Coming!
Monday April 2nd, 2012
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: For all the talk of Bryce Harper, Matt Moore and the other top prospects in the game, occasionally we are able to uncover a hidden gem. A name that you may not know at the moment…but you will. Someday. So let’s say I was to bring you a prospect with the following stats from the 2011 season. .299 AVG in 131 games. .418 OBP. .477 SLG. .896 OPS. Impressed yet? How about I add in 18 home runs. 20 doubles. 57 RBIs. Getting more excited? Ok…I will throw in 117 runs scored and 88 walks. Now I know that I really have your interest. So here is the clincher: 62 stolen bases. 62 steals in 76 tries. So who are we talking about? Not Anthony Gose. Not Billy Hamilton. We have to go West- all the way to Seattle. The M’s have themselves a centerfield prospect with all the tools. Solid D, speed and my favorite offensive weapons- power and patience. This kid can do it all. Today’s feature is on Daniel Carroll. To say that we are excited about him is an understatement. Carroll has some serious game…and will be knocking on Seattle’s door very soon.
Daniel Carroll was drafted by the Mariners in the third round of the 2007 draft. He showed early on his career that he had the wheels, possessing the ability to steal 20-30 bags per year. Health played a role in slowing his development, which happens often to young players. In 2010, Carroll started to slowly turn the page- he hit a career high 10 home runs in only 90 games and flashed his speed and power potential. Then came last season, the breakout year. Daniel Carroll was a baseball beast in every sense of the word. Home runs. Stolen bases. Walks. Driving in runs. Scoring runs. He did it all for the High Desert Mavericks in 2011. Now this season, we eagerly anticipate Daniel Carroll’s encore. Healthy, hungry and flashing his baseball gifts on the field- the sky is the limit where he can reach. Given the Mariners youth movement- we wouldn’t be surprised if Daniel makes it to Seattle by August. Five-tool players don’t grow on trees. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is a smart man and a great evaluator of talent. For a team that is in dire need of scoring runs, Daniel Carroll will fit logically into the M’s puzzle. Dustin Ackley and Jesus Montero will need to have runners on base to drive home. Carroll was made for the leadoff spot. It all makes sense.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with the M’s prospect and talk baseball. Daniel opened up about his career- from getting drafted to his breakout 2011 season. Get to know Daniel Carroll, as he describes his growing pains in the minors and what it takes to make it in the game of baseball. Today on MLB reports, we are proud to present Mariners Prospect, Daniel Carroll:
My Top Six Worst MLB Teams in 2012
Sunday January 8th, 2012
Sam Evans: It’s no fun to be a fan of a losing team. Every game seems longer and it hurts to look around and see fans of the other teams loving every moment. There’s always supposed to be next year, but that kind of talk just hurts the players and coaches as much as it does the fans. Let’s look at my bottom five teams in 2012: based on the major league roster and talent in the system that could make an impact in the upcoming season.
25. Seattle Mariners: As a Mariners fan, this one hurts. It’s been eleven years since the Mariners made the playoffs. A city blessed with a beautiful new ballpark, Seattle hasn’t had much of chance to cheer on many winners in recent times.
Since he was hired in 2008, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has transformed the Mariners farm system into one of the best in the game. The problem is that the major league club is still struggling, and fans are losing interest. The Mariners are like New Year’s resolutions. They’re so promising at first, but after two weeks, most people just give up.
So far this offseason, the Mariners have been rumored to be actively pursuing Prince Fielder. The argument for Prince Fielder is that his contract would be worth the risk for the team given all of the fans he would draw… not to mention, the M’s need for a middle of the order slugger. However, other fans feel that Fielder is overpriced and point to the fact that if the Mariners signed Prince, they would be only the fourth team with two players making over $20M in 2012.
The Mariners do have some young promising players. Justin Smoak, a former top 10 BA prospect, will finally be healthy heading into the new year. Also, the M’s have a trio of young pitchers in the minors that are all top 100 prospects. James Paxton and Danny Hultzen could possibly see time in the rotation this year. Furthermore, last time I checked Felix Hernandez was still a Mariner, and he’s signed through 2014.
26. New York Mets: The Mets have always been second to the Yankees in New York in terms of popularity, but there’s never been this much of a difference. The Mets have been silent this offseason, except for a swap of outfielders with the Giants, and bringing in some bullpen help. The Mets do have Zack Wheeler (acquired in the Carlos Beltran trade) and Matt Harvey (2010 1st rounder) on the way, but neither will make a huge impact in ’12.
Jason Bay has struggled ever since receiving his enormous contract two years ago. In 2009, Bay hit 36 homers for the Red Sox. In 2010 and 2011, Bay had only eighteen homers. Part of the decline in numbers is the park factor that Citi Field has on hitters (which is due to change with the new park dimensions in 2012). It should be noted though that Bay hasn’t hit a home run to right field since June 28, 2010.
This year, the Mets should get Johan Santana back. I wrote about Johan in November here. If he is healthy this year, hopefully the Mets can get something out of Santana, who is due $24M in 2012.
The Mets future will be based on how they spend their money and how they control their prospects. If the Mets hadn’t pushed Jenrry Mejia, chances are he wouldn’t have gotten injured. If the Mets hadn’t signed the Jason Bay and Johan Santana contracts, then they would have had the money to go after Prince Fielder this offseason (in theory). New York has a long ways to go to compete with the other N.L. East teams, and they’re going to need to make smart long-term decisions to get there.
27. San Diego Padres: The Padres acquired Carlos Quentin and Yonder Alonso this offseason in an attempt to boost their offense. They ended up trading away Mat Latos and Anthony Rizzo, and losing Heath Bell and Aaron Harang to free agency.
Carlos Quentin is really going to struggle in Petco Park, and Alonso is going to have his share of issues developing into a power hitter with his new team. The fact is that the Padres will never have a terrible pitching staff due to the spacious Petco Park effect. But their rotation is actually as bad as it has been in some years. I also am a supporter of Will Venable, and I think the Padres would be making a mistake if they traded him.
San Diego plays in a division where it’s not impossible that they could make a nice run and make the playoffs. But I would be surprised.
28. Oakland Athletics: Led by GM Billy Beane, the Athletics have been extremely active this offseason. They’ve shipped away their best pitchers and let their best hitter leave in free agency. The A’s have had a good offseason, thanks to all the new talent that they’ve imported into their farm system.
2012 is not going to be the year of resurgence for the A’s. 2013, maybe, but right now the Angels and Rangers are just too good. The A’s strength is probably their middle infield which will feature Jemile Weeks and Cliff Pennington. If Chris Carter can show some power in the majors, then he will do just fine at DH.
With acquisitions such as Derek Norris, Jarrod Parker, and A.J. Cole, Billy Beane has shown he’s not afraid to trade his best major league players in order to obtain talent that won’t be ready for a year or two.
29. Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles were a promising team heading into 2011. The “Fighting Showalter’s” had a late run in 2010, and Buck Showalter seemed to be really getting through to the players. Unfortunately, 2011 didn’t go as expected for the Orioles. They finished 69-93 and solidified their reputation as the worst baseball team in the A.L East, if not the whole American League.
The 2011 Orioles will forever go down in baseball history not for their season, but for their last game against the Red Sox on September 28, 2011. The Orioles were down 3-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth on the last day of the season. Going into the game, the Red Sox were 77-0 on the season when leading after the eighth inning. The Orioles came back to win, and they will forever be remembered for their contributions to one of the best days in baseball history.
2012 can be a successful year for the Orioles if they discover an ace… and if Adam Jones improves his game to the next level. It’s not going to be easy, but if everything falls into place, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette could lead the Orioles out of the A.L. East basement in the next coming years.
30. Houston Astros: Moving into the 2011 season, the Astros were projected by pretty much everyone in baseball to be the worst team in baseball. Well, at least they didn’t let anyone down. The Astros finished 56-106, which was the worst record in all of baseball.
I traveled to Houston this summer and I expected to find an uninterested Astros fanbase. I was surprised to see countless devoted fans who truly cared about their team. Astros fans are out there and they will start coming back to Minute Maid Park when the team starts winning.
Sorry Houston fans, but 2012 isn’t going to be much fun for you. Chances are that you will return to the basement of the N.L. Central and lose over one hundred games. Nevertheless, there is hope. Jose Altuve is turning into a nice young second basemen who can hit for average . Jordan Lyles can be a #3 starter, and Jarred Cosart could finally reach the bigs in 2012.
Another piece of the silver lining is Houston’s new General Manager Jeff Luhnow, who is involved in sabermetrics and helped build the Cardinals who won the 2011 World Series. Luhnow was in the Cardinals scouting department since 2003 and helped produce major league talent from the draft. He also has been a General Manager for Petstore.com, and has an M.B.A from Northwestern. His first move was trading for Jed Lowrie. On the surface this seems like a solid deal, whereby he attained a young talented infielder for his new organization. In my opinion, this is going to look like an amazing hire in four years time.
So even if 2012 is rough, Astros fans can start looking towards the future. It might take a couple of seasons, but it won’t be long before the Astros are packing Minute Maid Park everyday. Ironically, the road to the respectability for the worst team in the majors won’t happen until they move to the A.L. West. With the Rangers and Angels waiting in their new division, the journey towards success for the Astros will get that much tougher in 2013.
**Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Sam Evans. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Sam on Twitter***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us onTwitter 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.
Follow @mlbreports
MLB Reports 
You must be logged in to post a comment.