Blog Archives
Who Owned Baseball Aug.31, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Photo By Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Pablo Sandoval missed the cycle by a double, got on base 4 times, scored 3 and drove in 3, leading the Giants to a sweep of the Brewers, 15-5.
Alex Wood threw 8 shutout innings, allowing just 5 hits and no walks while striking out 12, winning the tight 1-0 game for the Braves over Miami.
Mike Trout went 2-4 with a homer and 3 RBI, leading the Angels to a crushing 4 game sweep of the A’s, 8-1.
Clay Buchholz threw a complete game 3 hits, no walk shutout as the Red Sox beat the Rays, 3-0
They owned baseball on Aug 31, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.30, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle
Scott Feldman threw a complete game 3 hit shutout, walking just 1 Ranger batter for a 2-0 final in Houston.
Jake Peavy threw no hit ball for 7 1/3 innings. He finished with 7 2/3 one hit shutout innings with 8 strikeouts, earning the 3-1 decision for the Giants over the Brewers.
Jimmy Paredes homered and doubled, driving in a pair, leading the Orioles to a 3-2 win over Minnesota.
Matt Holliday got on base 4 times including a pair of homers with 5 RBI in the Cardinals 13-2 pounding of the Cubs in the night cap of their double header.
They owned baseball on Aug 30, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.29, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
AP Photo – Bill Boyce
Jorge Soler reached base 4 times including a pair of homers (the second one was an astonishing no doubter.) He would drive in 3 as the Cubs cruised 7-2 in St. Louis.
Jacoby Ellsbury tripled and homered, leading the Yankees to a 6-3 win against Toronto.
Edinson Volquez took a no hitter into the 7th and finished with 3 hits and 1 run. He got a no decision but the Pirates prevailed over the Reds, 2-1
Jered Weaver pitched 7 shutout innings earning the decision in the Angels 4-0 AL West showdown against Oakland.
They owned baseball on Aug 29, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.28, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
(Cincinnati Enquirer/Cara Owsley)
Billy Hamilton got on base 4 times, including a double, stole a base, scored twice and drive in a pair as the Reds topped the Cubs 7-2.
Mike Minor threw 7 innings, allowing 1 run and 4 hits and earned the 6-1 decision for the Braves against the Mets.
Jordan Schafer went 3-5, scoring 3 and driving in 4 including 2 in the 10th inning of the Twins 11-5 victory in Kansas City.
Collin McHugh pitched 7 strong innings, allowing 2 runs and got the 4-2 win for the Astros over Texas.
They owned baseball on Aug 28, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.27, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Bob Levey/Getty Images
Sam Fuld got 3 hits including a double and a 2 run 9th inning go ahead homer that completed Oakland’s 5-4 comeback in Houston.
Drew Smyly threw 7 strong innings, allowing just 2 hits and a run on a solo homer, earning Tampa Bay’s 3-1 victory in Baltimore.
Buster Posey threw out a runner, collected a go ahead RBI single and then launched a 2 out, bottom of the 9th walk off homer, as the Giants topped Colorado 4-2.
Clayton Kershaw was his usual brilliant self, pitching 8 dominant innings, allowing 1 unearned run, striking out 10 Diamondbacks and walking just 2 and winning his 16th decision for the Dodgers, 3-1.
They owned baseball on Aug 27, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.26, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Ed Zurga/AP
Alex Gordon‘s second hit of the night was a 2 run, bottom of the 9th, come from behind walk off homer that gave the first place Royals a 2-1 win over Minnesota
Madison Bumgarner retired the first 21 Colorado batters and 27 of 28, allowing a single hit while striking out 13 and walking none, finishing a 3-0 masterpiece in San Francisco.
Matt Shoemaker threw 7 shutout innings, allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks and pitched the Angels back into first place by themselves with a 8-2 victory against the Marlins.
Buster Posey homered twice, driving in all three of the Giants runs in their 3-0 defeat of the Rockies.
They owned baseball on Aug 26, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.25, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Yong Kim/Philadelphia Inquirerer Staff Photographer
A.J. Burnett threw 7 innings of 3 hit, 12 strikeout ball, allowing a single solo homer and helped the Phillies stop the red hot Nationals, 3-2
Giancarlo Stanton got on base 3 times including a critical 3 run homer as the Marlins continued to climb into the Wild Card race and beat the first place Angels, 7-1.
Clay Buchholz pitched shutout ball into the 9th inning. He was undone by a softly hit ball into the infield and a blown save by the bullpen. But the Red Sox would ultimately win in Toronto, 4-3 after 10 innings.
Delmon Young got on base 4 times with a walk, a single, a double and a homer, driving in 3 and leading a potent Orioles attack to a 9-1 drubbing of the Rays.
They owned baseball on Aug 25, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.24, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
MARK J. TERRILL/AP
Lucas Duda went 3-5 with 2 homers and drove in 5 runs, helping the Mets clobber the Dodgers, 11-3.
Victor Martinez collected 3 hits including a homer and drove in 4 as the Tigers rolled 13-4 in Minnesota.
Tsuyoshi Wada threw a no hitter into the 7th and finished allowing 1 hit (a solo homer) and 8 strikeouts against 1 walk, earning the 2-1 win over Baltimore and finishing a sweep for the Cubs.
Chris Archer threw 7 strong innings, allowing 1 run and 6 hits, setting up Tampa Bay’s 2-1 victory in Toronto.
They owned baseball on Aug 24, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.23, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Morry Gash – AP
Pedro Alvarez clubbed a pair of homers, driving in 4, leading the Pirates to a 10-2 win in Milwaukee.
Joe Mauer reached base 4 times, drove in 3 runs and scored a pair helping the Twins rout the Tigers 12-4.
Mike Leake pitched shutout ball into the 7th inning, allowing 2 hits and striking out 6, getting the 1-0 decision over the Braves.
Jeremy Guthrie pitched 8 strong innings, allowing 5 hits and 1 run as first place Kansas Ciy defeated Texas 6-3.
They owned baseball on Aug 23, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.22, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
AP Photo by Chris Young
Drew Smyly threw a complete game 2 hit shutout, walking none as the Rays blanked the Blue Jays, 8-0.
Mike Minor threw a no hitter until he had 2 outs in the 8th inning. He allowed a single that tied the game. He got no decision for his 7 2/3 innings of 1 hit, 4 walk pitching but the Braves beat the Reds in 12 innings, 3-1.
Eduardo Escobar led a wild Twins offense by going 5-6, tripling, homering, scoring 3 and driving in 2 as Minnesota crushed the Tigers 20-6.
Josh Harrison went 3-5, clubbed a go ahead double, homered and drive in 5 runs as the Pirates won against the first place Brewers, 8-3.
They owned baseball on Aug 22, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.21, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
JIM MONE/AP
Kennys Vargas went 3-4 with a double, a homer, an RBI and a pair of runs scored, helping Minnesota top Cleveland, 4-1.
Buster Posey reached base 5 times including a homer and a pair of doubles, helping the Giants come from behind and beat the Cubs, 5-3.
Brandon McCarthy threw a complete game 4 hit shutout, striking out 8 and walking none, helping the Yankees avoid a sweep by Houston, 3-0.
Clayton Kershaw threw no hit ball into the 6th and finished with 8 masterful 3 hit, 1 run innings, striking out 10 Padres and earning the 2-1 victory for the Dodgers.
They owned baseball on Aug 21, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.20, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
CHRIS O’MEARA/AP
Rick Porcello threw a complete game, 3 hit shutout, striking out 4 while walking no Tampa Bay batter as the Tigers rolled, 6-0.
Jorge De La Rosa pitched 8 strong innings in Coors Field, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs as the Rockies stopped the Royals 5-2.
Adam Jones went 3-4, scored the tying run and later homered as the Orioles came from behind to top the White Sox, 4-3.
Lucas Duda reached base 3 times, including a homer and drove in 3 runs as the Mets won 8-5 in Oakland.
They owned baseball on Aug 20, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.19, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Michael Perez – AP
Hisashi Iwakuma pitched 8 shutout innings, striking out 11 Phillies while walking none and earning the 5-2 decision for Seattle.
Stephen Strasburg allowed a homer in the first innings and settled down to let up just 2 more hits and one walk while striking out 9 Arizona batters as Washington rolled, 8-1.
Omar Infante collected 4 hits including 3 doubles and drove in 4 runs, helping the Royals continue their winning ways, 7-4 in Colorado.
Carl Crawford got on base 4 times, including a homer, stole a base, scored 3 and drove in 3, helping the Dodgers come from behind against San Diego, 8-6.
They owned baseball on Aug 19, 2014.
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Who Owned Baseball Aug.18, 2014 (Daily AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2014 #WOB Standings
Photo: Ann Heisenfelt, AP
Jason Vargas threw 7 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 1 walks and 1 run, helping the Royals pad their first place lead by beating Minnesota, 6-4.
Nick Markakis went 3-5 with a homer and 2 RBI, helping the first place Orioles top the White Sox, 8-2.
Jerome Williams pitched 7 strong innings, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run in the Phillies 4-1 victory over Seattle.
Jason Heyward went 3-4 with a homer and 2 RBI, helping the Braves top the Pirates, 7-3.
They owned baseball on Aug 18, 2014.
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Houston Latest Team To Complete MLB Runs Survivor 2014: 6 Teams Left
The Astros lost the last 15 games to end the 2013 campaign, and put forth an 111 game loss season, and it looked bleak for the franchise in 2014 just 5 weeks ago. Since then, Springer has smashed 12 HRs, added almost an RBI a game, and has lit a fire under the teams offense. Oh Yeah. Jose Altuve is also in the top 5 for AL Batting, Chris Carter has hit HRs of late, and Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh are both pitching fantastic for the squad that is now 29 – 36.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Houston Astros are playing a great brand of ball over the last several weeks. George Springer has ignited this offense to scoring more runs than have plated since the Killer B’s.
By virtue of them pasting the Twins with a 14 – 5 routing on Sunday, it nailed down their elusive 10 or 10+ Runs column for their 11th different run scenario.
No Longer is this team a laughing stock in the Majors.
The Astros have turned out a 10 – 5 record since May 24th, and are quietly inching towards the .500 mark, Not bad for a club that lost 111 contests in 2013.
I even have to admit I love the move skipper Bo Porter did last night in bringing in Tony Sipp for a batter, then moving him to right field, enabling Jerome Williams to face the next batter, before bringing him back to the mound again.
Now that is thinking outside of the box.
The Astros have runs scored of 7, 8, 9 and 10 or 10+ in the last 2 weeks. It looked like they were a shoe in to lose this entire competition back then.
Now there is only the Yankees (8 runs) and Red Sox (10 or 10+) left in the AL (who would have thought that with those perennial high octane offenses?),
The AL Central and West have all teams that have fulfilled their obligations on the MLB Runs Survivor.
The teams needing 1 more result in the NL are the Diamondbacks, Reds, Mets and Braves. Arizona and Cincy need 9 runs in a game, and New York and Atlanta need games where 8 cross the plate. Read the rest of this entry
Angels State Of The Union For 2014: A Hot Start Is Paramount For Success
The Angels have spent almost a half of a billion in Free Agency over the last 3 years, and all they have to show for it, is back to back 3rd place finishes in the AL West. The team also featured an anemic Bullpen in the 2013 campaign. But with AL West rivals all having significant injuries both to start the year and long-term for 2014, this has opened up the door for the start of the 2014 campaign at least. It is incumbent that their top guys stay injury free, and spend exactly no days on the DL, because they don’t have suitable replacements to step in. With poor starts to both of the last 2 years, this squad looks to break this trend this seasom.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Hunter Stokes (Our chief writer) wrote a piece that was picked up by MLB Trade Rumors blogroll, stating that Jerry DiPoto has done a poor job in constructing the current team based on the roster tree here.
I agree with him 100% on this, especially on the moves, the Bullpen not being 100% finished yet, the Starting Rotation too reliant on their top 2 pitchers – and we have had several of their fans take some jabs at us for going with these notions.
The club’s brass has had a better winter in 2013 going into 2014, then they had last year, however it still doesn’t alleviate the fact, this team can’t sustain one injury to any of their top players because of said moves to deplete their depth.
The Starting Staff is composed of 60% of youth that is not used to toting long innings in Garrett Richards, Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs.
The team has a lot of players that will strikeout a lot, so it is also important to receive key HRs at crucial times in the game.
The club will also lose 34 HRs worth of power they received from Mark Trumbo in 2013, but it was the right time to move him. Whether they received enough of a return is yet to be determined, but it also cut down the whiffs for 2014.
Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim State Of The Union: Is It Time For Jerry DiPoto To Be Fired?
Mike Trout must feel like he will receive some better help from a full season of Pujols coming. Heading into the 2013 campaign, they looked to have almost a historic 1 – 4 lineup. Instead. it was a disaster. Maybe the 2014 year will be different. With players like Vernon Wells and Joe Blanton still collecting money on the payroll – to the tune of $26 MIL in 2014, their teams salary structure is a disaster. Those two guys are really horrible – or not even playing for LA anymore.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
“Stoking The Fire” – Week 10
As someone who follows the Angels from a distance, I have had it with Jerry DiPoto.
Whether it is the direction of the team’s brass that has been affected, or Arte Moreno himself, this team is heading on a one way ticket to salary hell.
So how does the GM respond this winter?
He trades his 2nd, 4th and possibly 5th best OF on the Roster Depth away – without yielding a OF back in return.
He has added on a couple of players (David Freese and Raul Ibanez) that Strikeout as much as the rest of the clan. Good work man!
Am I missing something? Does he not see this is the recipe for disaster?
Angels 2013 preview – 2014 wont be as optimistic:
The LA Angels Payroll In 2014, Organizational Affiliates, Prospects, Depth Charts, (MLB + MiLB)
Albert Pujols signed a 10 YR/$254 MIL contract with the Angels in 2012 at the age of 31. He has seen his numbers decline in the past year and a half – and now is injured for the rest of the year with a foot injury. STL Career 3 Slash: .382/.420/1.037 – LAA: .275/.338/.823. Pujols needs to come back healthy for at least the duration of 2017, when Hamilton’s crippling contract is finally over.
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
You guys are all in for a treat. Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website. He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.
We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams.
Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.
If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.
In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball. He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.
So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!
Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis. After you click on it….Bookmark it. There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page. Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!
For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Angels Organization click here.
Mike Trout Highlights 2013
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Payroll in 2013 and Contracts Going Forward
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, August.12, 2013
Jered Weaver is the ace of the staff for the Angels, but has had issues avoiding the disables list this season. When healthy Weaver is one of the best pitchers in the AL. He has won seven games for the Halos, while sporting a 2.87 ERA in 103.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 82 batters and has just walked 24 with a WHIP of 1.10. The right-hander is limiting the opposition to a .233 batting average on the season, with left-handed batters just managing a .231 average. He knows how to pitch when runners are in scoring position, as indicated by teams just having a .230 average in this situation.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have set high expectations coming into this season, and for the second straight off season they were able to sign a highly coveted free agent.
This season has gone from bad to worst with the team trailing the Texas Rangers by 14 games in the American League West division. One reason they have struggled is that they have allowed 546 runs this season, which is third most in the AL.
Mark Trumbo 2012 Highlights
The LA Angels Have Got To String Together A Big Stretch Of Wins – And Quick!
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, June.26th, 2013
J.B. Shuck and Peter Bourjos have done their job, Howie Kendrick is Batting .321, Mark Trumbo is on pace for a 35 HR – 100+ RBI campaign, Errick Aybar is solid, and Callaspo is okay for a Third Baseman. The team has suffered from the #3 and #4 hitters, and inadequate Starting Pitching – other than C.J. Wilson and Jason Vargas. The Bullpen has also been abysmal with the exception of Sean Burnett. The club has gone 9 -14 since their big 8 game winning streak last month.
By Josh Jones (Angels Correspondent): Follow @joshjones4
Gut-check time
The 2013 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are at a crossroads. Seventy-six games into the season and the team has not had the ability to find prolonged success in order to climb back into the AL West standings.
The club is currently 34 – 43 after being swept over the weekend by the Pittsburgh Pirates before trouncing the Tigers for the 4th straight time this , yet they still find themselves considering the unthinkable: being sellers at the deadline. They are 10 Games behind both of the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers – while they are 8.5 Games out of the last playoff spot holder.
LA Angels Preview – They haven’t lived up to the Hype yet:
Top Teams In The MLB 1 – 30 + (200 Best Stats For The Last Month)
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday June.06/2013
Chris Davis was the AL hitter of the month for the MLB Reports. The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season – after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days. The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256. Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI – and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played. He is on pace for a 50 HR/50 Doubles Season. “Crush” is due for Arbitration after this year – and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The time has come for the June Power Rankings with Stats Edition. There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.
I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.
These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.
I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams. I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or scroll past the video and picture
Chris Davis 2013 Highlights:
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 8
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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.
The Battle Of Los Angeles: Dodgers or Angels?
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Tuesday December 18, 2012
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @TheKHolland13.
2012 was a year to remember for Los Angeles fans. Even though neither team made a playoff appearance, both showed they will be a contender in years to come. The Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson before the season started. The club possibly had the best player in the league with Mike Trout. The Dodgers already had Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and 2011 Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. In late August ,the Dodgers traded for slugger Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett.
The 2012-13 offseason has been in no way different for Los Angeles. The Angels and Dodgers have clearly made the most impact so far heading into the 2013 campaign.
First let’s look at the Dodgers. They started their spending spree with a bang when they signed Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Dodgers won the right to sign him from his Korean League team (Hanwha Eagles), initially on November 9 for a $25,737,737.33 bid. He ended up signing for 6 Years/$36 Million on December 9. He has been reported to have a 90 MPH fastball that can top out at 95. He has a very impressive changeup-that has been said to be a very effective putout pitch. He also has a slider and a decent curveball. He pitched in the 2009 World Baseball Classic but has yet to announce if he’s pitching in the 2013 WBC. This is doubtful due to the fact the Dodgers probably want to preserve his arm during Spring Training and save the innings for the regular season.
The Dodgers have also made another huge acquisition in ace Zack Greinke. The guy started last year in Milwaukee as a member of the Brewers, before being traded halfway through the year to the Angels. He finished 2012 with a 15-5 Record, and a 3.48 ERA in 121.1 Innings Pitched. Greinke decided to sign with the cross town rivals for 6 years/$147 Million, the largest contract ever for a Right-handed pitcher. With Kershaw, Greinke and Ryu, the Dodgers may arguably have the best starting rotation in the National League.
Now that we know what the Dodgers have to offer in 2013, a plus lineup and a stellar pitching rotation. Across the city, the Angels have a situation that is not much different.
2012 was one of their best years in recent memory whether they made the postseason or not. The way they see it is the Billy Beane way: No one cares if you don’t win the last game of the season. So what do they do? They sign more absurd people so they can get the job done. The club went 81-57 with Trout in the lineup and only what could of have been if Pujols hadn’t started out so slow.
After signing the top Free Agent last year in Albert Pujols, they took the same approach again signing Josh Hamilton. It was almost identical in the events leading up to both signings. They didn’t even seem to be a contender in the Hamilton sweepstakes and yet they ended up landing the slugger. The contract awaiting the Outfielder in LA, is for 5 years/$125 Million. This is also key because they were able to weaken the Rangers. LA is basically the one team Texas did not want Hamilton to sign with and he did. Talk about frustration in the Rangers organization from pillar to post.
This Hamilton signing gives the Angels probably the best outfield in all of baseball. Mike Trout in Center just makes it fantastic alone. He probably should have won a Gold Glove and probably would have sewn up the MVP had he played in the 1st month. Hamilton will be in left and he has range and a cannon for an arm . Trumbo will round off the outfield in right. These are all fantastic outfielders, with the ability to make solid contact with the ball and hit it over the fence on a regular basis.
So exactly who wins the battle of LA right now? Judging by player ability and experience combined, I’d say the Dodgers. The better overall team? Probably the Angels. The Dodgers hitting will win them games, but defense wins championships. The Angels have power, defense, and pitching in C.J.Wilson, Jared Weaver, and Jerome Williams. The Dodgers have a stellar lineup and an absurd rotation, but the defense behind the staff lacks compared to the Angels.
Only time will be able to tell between these two teams. Games between them will certainly be highly awaited by every baseball fan in LA. You better be ready to dish out large amounts of cash if you’re looking attend any of these games between the two clubs for the foreseeable future… Or at least cue up the CD of Rage Against the Machine’s: “Battle of Los Angeles.”
(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)
Welcome to our newest Baseball Intern: Kyle Holland:
Kyle is a life long baseball fan outside of Boston. He is a sophomore in high school has played baseball since he was 5. Although growing up in one of the best baseball towns in the major leagues, he has been a Giants fan since 2009. He credits his aunt with the Giants being his favorite team as she lives in San Francisco. Some of his favorite players include Buster Posey, Stephen Drew, Trevor Bauer, Stephen Strasburg, and minor leaguer Danny Hultzen. You can find Kyle on Twitter Follow @TheKHolland13.
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The Angels and Dodgers Have Plenty to Look Forward to Next Year + LAA Payroll in ’13
Thursday, October.11/2012
The Angels went 29-17 down the stretch while the Dodgers won 8 out of their 10 games to end 2012. With a full season with their revamped teams and added players, you have to think both will be amongst the favorites to be in the 2013 MLB Playoffs.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I know that the playoffs are going on right now and that everyone is captivated by the 4 games that are being played today. Which leads to me to ask the question? Do you think any of the Dodgers and Angels fans are watching these playoffs without a horse in the race? I am here to tell you and these said fans-that I believe both of these teams will be a playoff factor in 2013 . The Angels and Dodgers spent a fortune on new players in the last 365 days. Almost a Billion Dollars was added in player contracts between the two clubs. Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Hanley Ramirez are amongst the players traded or signed.
Lets start off with the Angels. I was there in Anaheim on opening weekend in April and witnessed the struggles of the club early and most notably Albert Pujols. As I was tweeting and talking to everyone, I could see that Pujols was not himself. I predicted a slow start based on seeing him play. The same thing could be said for the team. The Angels started out of the gate 8-14 before calling up Mike Trout. Soon after they fired hitting coach Mickey Hatcher and all was not well. Albert went into the May with 0 HRs and 4 RBI and was hitting near the Mendoza Line.
The Dodgers won 8 out of their last 10 and fought injuries all year to barely miss out on the playoffs. They have most of their revamped team all coming back next year and should add a healthy Carl Crawford to the fold in early spring. I believe they will add another starting pitcher such as Zack Greinke or Shaun Marcum. To see my entire breakdown of their impending 2013 Contracts situation and Team Payroll, please click here :
Los Angeles Angels: Down But Not Out?
Wednesday May 2nd, 2012
Bryan Sheehan (Baseball Writer): It may only be a month into the season, but when your new, $240 million star is in the worst slump of his career, there’s a reason to panic. The Los Angeles Angels, now 9-15, are in near-crisis mode because of their struggling offense helmed by Albert Pujols. Flirting with the Mendoza Line, King Albert’s .208 average and grand total of zero home runs equaled that of Bobby Abreu, who was released by the Angels last week. The bright spot now, it seems, is 20-year-old Mike Trout, a rookie as highly touted as Bryce Harper. But can he, along with new addition C.J. Wilson and fellow ace Jered Weaver rally the team after the franchise’s third worst start in history? Jump it to find out! Read the rest of this entry
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