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MLB (R) Weekly Power Rankings – Week 2
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Billy Beane has seen his club roar out of the gates – leading in most offensive and defensive categories so far. This year’s team is 9 – 4 (Leading the AL West) – and have put up a 81 – 40 Record since starting last year 23 – 32. The Tigers seem to be the only toxic for the franchise. The Athletics at least played in front of decent crows at 0.co Coliseum on Saturday drawing 35K – with the team trying to go for a 10th straight win. Justin Verlander stopped the streak.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Well, the Atlanta Braves are the toast of the MLB right now, Prince Fielder is the hottest hitter on the planet, John Buck is doing his best Johnny Bench impersonation – while Chris Davis is giving new definition to the nickname ‘Crash’.
The Mets and Rockies have had the biggest ‘Cupcake Schedules’ thus far in the Major Leagues – and I am still not buying stock in these teams.
The Angels pulled out a couple of wins versus the Houston Astros to end the week 5 – 8 (You guys are supposed to beat Houston whenever you play them this year!
The Yankees rode a 4 – 1 week among a schedule that was blown apart by weather induced cancellations in Cleveland, to climb the standings.
To quote Joe Pesci in (‘ My Cousin Vinny” when Fred Gwynne tells him he is in contempt of court) in response to Jose Reyes being injured. “There is a f—— surprise!
The Baseball Struggles of Tall/Heavy Players After 30: Is Prince Next?
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Prince Fielder will turn 29 in May. Throughout my studies of some extremely tall – or heavy playera, the time of deterioration in ones ability seems to seep in about the 34 Year Old Age range. In my opinion, the club should move to trade Victor Martinez and shift Fielder over to the DH position ASAP, so they can preserve his body for the next 8 years of his contract. He will be 37 when his big deal ends. Fielder has a Career 3 Slash Line of .287/.393/.931. The second generation Fielder, has clubbed 262 HRs and added 774 RBI in 1168 Games Played. Will he suffer the same fate as the others in this article (including his dad) – or will he buck the trend?
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I am still astounded when I see that Prince Fielder has not been turned into a Full – Time DH – and can still man the position of First Base. The Tigers were lucky enough to sign him last year.
So when should the club decide to take the glove out of Fielder’s hand?
Victor Martinez is there at the Designated Hitter position now, however they should convert Prince Fielder to DH the second V-Mart vacates the club after the 2014 season.
When I thought about this a little more I realized that tall/heavy hitters really have a tough time keeping their productivity up once they are near the second half of their career. It is really not that hard to figure out.
A player that is taller also carries a larger Strike Zone, where the overweight players will only lose any speed they had as their career starts winding down.
For this particular article, I choose 4 players to study this exact scenario. Those players are: Richie Sexson, Tony Clark, Mo Vaughn and Cecil Fielder.
Prince Fielder wins the 2012 HR Derby:
Opening Week Jitters For The Yankees
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Opening Week was what many suspected, but as the Yankees come out of that leg of the marathon, they are alive and kicking. The question will be as it always was: Can the pitching keep the team in the game?
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
As winter turns to spring, anyone who loves the game of baseball begins to become anxious. The season is almost here becomes a rallying cry for those fans who spend the cold winter missing the boys of summer.
Opening Day is a borderline holiday for we baseball fans. It marks the beginning of our six (6) month journey. A time of renewal and rebirth. A time of hope as spring turns to summer and our favorite teams return to their ballparks. The Yankees headed north to begin the season and immediately entered their traditional role in the spotlight of New York.
For over 100 years, there has been no bigger ticket in sports in the Big Apple than the Yankees. Sadly enough opening day was as bad as many of the naysayers expected. CC Sabathia, a traditional slow starter, was beaten badly by the Red Sox.
Sabathia’s largest weakness was the frequency with which runners reached base. Allowing 12 base runners over the course of only five innings, Sabathia provided the Red Sox with opportunity after opportunity.
Much has been made of Sabathia’s decreasing velocity. It was the hot topic after the outing. Sabathia topped out at around 92 MPH on his fastball, which seemed ultimately much more hittable.
Equally worrisome to the loss in velocity is the inability to control the strike zone with 4 Walks during the start. All in all, it made for another horrid opening day from a pitcher that has traditionally been poor on opening day.
Ivan Nova: Back When It Was Working:
MLB Weekly Rankings Week 1: MLB Reports
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The Nationals won a Major League leading 98 Games Last Year. They have the best roster in the Major Leagues in 2013 – and have started the year 4 – 2. The team receives a narrow edge for me over the Reds for the #1 Spot in the MLB reports 1st installment of the MLB Rankings. Check back weekly for updated rankings!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
This is the first installment of my weekly Rankings for all MLB Teams. There are no real surprises here, I picked the Nationals just slightly over the Reds from top to bottom based on their current roster depth.
Really, the Reds may have an easier path to the playoffs playing in the NL Central -as opposed to the NL East lineup the Nationals would face.
I am not sold on the Rockies quick start because they beat up the Padres and Brewers. The DiamondBacks also look great, so look for them to possibly keep climbing the ranks
The AL East is already beating each other up.
The Braves might charge up the ranks again next week.
The White Sox have looked great so far with their pitching.
Oakland and Texas have ended the week on a hotstreak each by way of fattening up on the Houston Astros.
Washington Nationals On Opening Day:
Kershaw Smacks 1st HR And Nets Win In Dodgers Opener – Before LA Loses 2 In A Row
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Dodger Stadium was at full capacity (53,138) on Monday’s Opening Day. It was 66 Degrees at Game Time. With the MLB’ s biggest payroll right now, the Dodgers have heavy expectations in 2013. They won 4 – 0 on Mondays game – before dropping back to back games to the Giants Starting Pitchers Bumgarner and Lincecum. Matt Kemp is still hitless on the year – and Adrian Gonzalez had not had a base knock since his 2nd AB of the Year. On a solid note, Carl Crawford has looked great with 5 Base Hits in 9 At – Bats. The team has switched Luis Cruz to Shortstop and Juan Uribe to 3rd after a brutal Game #2 by Justin Sellers (which featured a couple of errors).
By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent): Follow @eriqwiththeq
Everything just went right for the Dodgers. Crawford got two hits (including a Double), Adrian Gonzalez got a hit, Ethier got a hit, Kemp scored a run, just what the Dodgers expect out of their stars.
The Dodgers made Matt Cain throw 35 pitches in the 1st inning – including Kemp drawing a 11 Pitcher AB, with several Foul – Balls before finally Striking Out.
This still jacked up Cain’s pitch count, causing the Giants to lift him before the Bottom of the 7th. After the 8th Inning HR, the club even scratched out two runs on Infield grounders!
Without signing a contract extension during the winter, the 2011 Cy Young Award winner (and 2012 runner-up) Clayton Kershaw did more than expected for the Dodgers as they defeated the reigning World Champs – and Dodger arch-rival San Francisco Giants 4 – 0.
Not only did he picked up the win, he earned himself his first Shutout of the season. He allowed only four hits and Struckout seven hitters.
Clayton Kershaw is interviewed on Opening Day HR:
How The Weather Plays A Factor At Target Field
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Target Field was a must need for the Twins a few years ago. The HHH Metrodome just was not getting the job done, much like Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay. The weather was and still is the one downside because during the games early in the season the weather can get low with wind being able to rattle the ball around in the air. The Twins used to be among the leaders in the American League in Home Batting Average and Extra Base Hits – now it is a struggle for the offense to maintain itself. The park is even more of a factor than injuries to Mauer and Morneau have been.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
When the Minnesota Twins left the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in 2010 they had great intentions. The ball getting lost in the ceiling would be gone and the Baggie in Left Field would no longer play a factor.
They moved to a beautiful new home, still in Minnesota, going by the name of Target Field. Like all stadiums when they were first built, it is one of the nicest looking stadiums in the MLB.
There is only one problem with the new field. It is outside. In Minnesota. You are not going to get the nice weather like you would in Florida or Los Angeles. And having games there this early in the season can sometimes make it incredibly cold during the first couple weeks of the new campaign.
Time Lapse of Target Field Being Built:
[youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k038CkEO7A] Read the rest of this entry
Justin Verlander Makes Good On His 1st Start After Signing His Recent 5 Year Extension
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Justin Verlander paid immediate dividends for his new Salary Extension in the Tigers Season Opener on the road yesterday at Target field, throwing 5 scoreless Innings and fanning 7 batters. Verlander anchors a talented Detroit Pitching Rotation that features Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello. Detroit GM Dave Dombroski is smart enough to realize that there is possiblu a small 3 year window with Fielder, Cabrera and the former AL Cy Young Award Winner all on the same team signed – and primed for another World Series Title push with this move.
By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent) Follow @MatthewLafave
No worries, the ‘Holy Grail’ of Detroit will be a Tiger through 2019. Last Friday afternoon, Justin Verlander inked a record-breaking 5-year contract extension.
He will earn $20 Million this season and next season, then a whopping $28 Million per year for the next five seasons.
In case math isn’t your strong suit, that’s a total of $180 Million. The deal also includes a vesting option for 2020 that’s worth $22 Million. So he could potentially earn $202 Million over the next 8 years.
What is a Vesting Option? It’s basically a clause that reassures teams from overpaying to declining players. While we don’t officially know the Vesting Option clause, it is said to be based on Cy Young Award balloting (as reported by Larry Lage, AP).
Justin Verlander Highlights – Highlights from 2012 – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance are advised.
The Marlins Seriously Make Stupid Choices
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The Marlins will start year 2 of their ball park with about 33 % of their 2012 Team Salary. They essentially have traded away every veteran over the course of last season and in the winter of 2013. Just like they have always done, the club builds up for a few years, then tears it all down with lighting fast movements. When will the cycle end and the Marlins have some consistency with the product on the field?
MLB Reports: Welcome to our newest Kids writer Jason Alpert-Wisnia – for being selected to join our MLB Reports Kids Writing team. We are pleased to present the readers with a youthful look to the game of baseball. Moms and Dad’s – if you have a young kid who loves baseball and wants to write about the game, please email us at mlbreports@gmail.com. We will be selecting three more kid writers for our website this year.
By Jason Alpert-Wisnia (AKA “JAWS”): (MLB Reports Kids Writer – visit his website here )
The Miami Marlins are a semi-new team compared to other teams such as the Red Sox, debuting as a team in the season of 1993 as the Florida Marlins. They won two championships in that time, yet tore down the team right after.
In 2012, the team moved to Marlins Park with a boatload of new players and I say, after that, it was only a matter of the, before the team was headed for a downfall. The past was sure to repeat itself.
Florida Marlins Story on 1997 and 2003:
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – March 29, 2013
Today on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast, I talk about the contract extensions of Buster Posey and Justin Verlander and why I want them both to become Hall of Famers.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.
Chris Sale And White Sox Both Win With New Contract
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Team Management thought enough of Sale after his 1st year as a Starter – to have him earn 850 K in 2013, $3.5 MIL in 2014, $6.0 MIL in 2015, $9.15 MIL in 2016, $12 MIL in 2017 and two straight Team Options in 2018 ($12.5 MIL) + 2019 ($13.5 MIL) or a Buyout of $1 MIL in either season. Sale was 4th in AL Wins (17) and ERA (3.05), plus 5th in Win Percentage (.680). The man fanned 192 (9th in AL) and was 5th in AL WHIP (1.135). He was named an ALL – Star for his efforts in the 1st half.
By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): Follow @brianm731
Chris Sale seems relieved after inking his 5YR/$32 Million Contract with the White Sox. Why shouldn’t he be? Rather than going year to year through arbitration, Sale and the Sox decided to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
The deal could be as lucrative as $60 Million by the time all is said and done. After the 5th year, the Sox hold Team Options for 2018 and 2019.
What’s the downside? I suppose Sale could blow out his elbow due to his “bad mechanics”. Chances are, he only continues to get better. Don Cooper, Sox pitching coach, says Sale won’t be “babied”. The Sox are hoping to get 200 plus Innings out of Sale in 2013.
Last year was Sale’s first full season as a starter, and it ended up being a successful one. Sale went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA – and finished 6th in the AL Cy Young race. Sale is said to have added 7-8 pounds over the winter, and plans on having a strong 2013 from start to finish. He’s looked great in Spring Training so far (2 – 0 with a 4.38 ERA + a WHIP of 1.216).
2012 Chris Sale Highlights Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is Advised:
The Detroit Tigers Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward Updated Mar.09/13
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Justin Verlander has 2 years left on his current contract left at 20.0 Million Dollars Per Year. Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder also make north of that total. Justin Verlander will be 31 years old when he hits Free Agency in 2015.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst / Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I believe that the Tigers are set up for a solid run as a perennial playoff contender, yet the club needs a small face change in order to get back to the dance in 2013. I honestly was stunned to see Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Delmon Young and Jose Valverde all play at the type of body structure they possess during the Post Season.
If you saw these guys in a bowling alley, the words ‘World Class Athlete’ would definitely not enter a conversation amongst strangers who were trying to sum them up. Baseball is a game that your body type doesn’t hold you back, however when you have multiple heavy players on offense, it really clogs up the base paths. While watching Game #4 was about the time I started to change my opinion on the state of the game needing to be more athletic.
Fielder and Cabrera may be the best 3-4 tandem in the Major Leagues now. The Tigers can definitely weather these two guys in the lineup even though they jam the teams ability for base running. The key is to build a bunch of ‘Road Runners’ around them. I like Austin Jackson, Quintin Berry and Andy Dirks all being in the lineup to help the speed factor.
Also with Victor Martinez coming back in 2013, the team has one of the best Designated Hitters in baseball back in the fold. Then the team brought in classy veteran Torii Hunter (after inking him to a 2 YR/$26 MIL Contract. This shows how urgent it is for the organization to cash in a World Series with their roster.)
Torii Hunter Highlights – Explicit Language is used so Parental Guidance is advised:
An American Hobby: Baseball Memorabilia – ‘The Obscene Gesture Card’
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Old Hoss Radbourn led the MLB with a record of 59-12 with a 1.38 ERA and 678.2 IP in 73 Games Started. He completed all 73 Games he started that year.
By Lee Edelstein (‘Baseball Memorabilia Enthusiast’ – visit his website here) Follow @chinmusicstory
MLB Reports: We are pleased to present you with Baseball Author Lee Edelstein as the newest writer with us at the Reports. Lee will be providing us with great stories about baseball memorabilia on a regular basis.
MLB Reports
An American Hobby
Blog 2
Only twenty-four players in MLB history have won 300 or more games. It’s a very exclusive club that doesn’t look like it will have any new members for the foreseeable future. Andy Pettitte, with 245 Wins, is the closest active pitcher, but Andy is forty years old and it is doubtful that he will reach or even chase 300. CC Sabathia, age 31, with 191 Wins, Justin Verlander, 29, with 124 Wins, and Roy Halladay, 35, (199 Wins) are potential candidates. Each, though, has a long way to go and history says it doesn’t get any easier.
Allie Reynolds, a great Yankee pitcher, after being roughed up in a game at the end of his career, was asked by a sportswriter if he was throwing the ball as hard as he used to. Allie’s response, “I’m throwing it harder than ever. It’s just taking longer to get there.”
Old Hoss Radbourn Story: 59 in ’84 with Edward Achorn:
Detroit Tigers Roster in 2013: State Of The Union
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Thursday, February. 21/2013
The Trio of Verlander, Fielder, and Cabrera represented Detroit at the All-Star game in 2012 as well as on the MVP ballot with Cabrera winning, Verlander coming in 8th, and Fielder coming in 9th. They also combined for an 18.8 WAR in 2012
By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @ryandana1
I would never say that a team is a lock to win their division, but I will say that the Detroit Tigers shouldn’t make any vacation plans for October of 2013. They’ve won the AL Central Division for the past 2 years, and added an AL Pennant in 2012. The Detroit Tigers franchise is one rich in history winning 4 World Series titles and having legends such as Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, and Charlie Gehringer passing through the “D” just to name a few.
This proud franchise did suffer a lull in success somewhat recently as they had a losing record every season from 1994-2005. This included a dismal 43-119 record in ’03. The Tigers came back from the abyss and turned their team back into a winning ball club since 2006. This was Jim Leyland’s 1st season managing the Tigers, and all he did was lead the team to 95 wins (a 24 win increase from the prior season) and a World Series appearance.
In 2011, the Tigers lost in the ALCS, and in 2012 they lost in the World Series, so could they improve upon the previous seasons ending once again and win the 2013 World Series? Well, their roster is certainly improved from last year, but it’s all about keeping up with the “Jones” in the MLB nowadays. Every team with money is trying to make a serious World Series run this year. While the Tigers are in the weakest division in the AL, if and when they reach the playoffs, it will be a gruesome battle to endure.
The Tigers have all the makings of a World Series contender. They have Superstars in their lineup like Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. They have a true Ace leading their deep, seemingly all in and around their prime, starting rotation in Justin Verlander. They also have good depth on their 25 man roster, and even more in their Minor League system. I’ll start with their rotation. Here’s what it will most likely look like…
2013 Detroit Tigers Starting Rotation: Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello
Detroit Tigers 2012 ALCS Highlights:
Why The Orioles And Lohse Make Sense
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Lohse has had an up-and-down career since making his debut in 2001. He has bounced around cities and has experienced some good seasons, also with some less than impressive seasons. He was a big part in the middle of the Cardinals rotation during their 2011 World Series run – finishing 14-8 while posting a 3.39 ERA.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
2012 was a career year for the Cardinals’ RHP Kyle Lohse. At Age 34, Lohse has become one of the most inconsistent pitchers in the game of baseball. Since making his debut in 2001 at 21 years old with the Minnesota Twins, Lohse has had some stellar years, and some not-so-great years. This includes a 2008 season – where he went 15-6 with a 3.78 ERA. He followed that great season with ugly 2009 finishing 6-10 while posting a 4.74 ERA.
In 2012, Lohse turned back to his ace pitching ways. Coming off a solid 2011 season – with a 14-8 record, it didn’t look like Lohse could improve too much. He proved everyone wrong and pitched his way to a 16-3 record. His .842 W-L% lead the National League – while his 2.86 ERA wound up eighth in all of the Majors.
Why the Cardinals will not sign Kyle Lohse:
Without Limitations, Is Stephen Strasburg In Line To Win The NL Cy Young Award In 2013?
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Monday February 11th, 2013
Stephen Strasburg was 15-6 (.714) with a 3.14 ERA and 197 in his 159.1 IP during the 2012 year . He was leading the NL in strikeouts, when the club shut him down. As he is able to progress to over 200+ IP, there is no telling how many Cy Young Awards he cold win with his dominant stuff.
By Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer)
Had the Washington Nationals not constrained Stephen Strasburg in 2012, there would’ve been a decent chance that he would win the Cy Young award in ensuing weeks.
However, the Nationals regard Strasburg as their ace of the future, which is true. So, they chose to put an Innings cap on the young flame-thrower, thus erasing his Cy Young hopes.
In 2013, the Nationals should take the chains off him, however. Of course, there’s still a chance that they don’t overuse him excessively, which would disable him from going deep into his outings on a regular basis. But, barring any in-season injuries, it’s unlikely that Washington will shut him down again.
After all, Washington’s goal is to assemble a championship team. Currently, there isn’t a better team than the Nats on paper, so they’re heading in the right direction. Strasburg is undoubtedly the anchor of their rotation, especially if Gio Gonzalez gets suspended for appearing in a Miami New Times report with a handful of Major leaguers including Alex Rodriguez.
Stephen Strasburg Highlights 2012: Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:
Chicago White Sox Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward
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Former GM ‘Maverick Kenny Williams has rolled the dice on some big contracts with Rios, Dunn and Peavy.. There have been some moments of prosperity and failure for each, however the results have been ok overall. The team should be competitive with both payroll – and on the field in 2013
By Brian Madsen (White Sox Correspondent): Follow @brianm731
Considering the collapse of the 2012 White Sox, the team losing A.J. Pierzynski and Kevin Youkilis to Free Agency, one might not expect the 2013 White Sox to fare any better. But, looking on the bright side, they should have a solid starting staff, with Chris Sale having another year of experience under his belt, and, hopefully, the return of a healthy John Danks. That’s a pretty good 1-2 punch. Next is Jake Peavy. Not a bad 1-2-3 punch, if you ask me. Follow those 3 with Gavin Floyd and/or Hector Santiago/Jose Quintana, not too shabby. An “expert” may look on the not so bright side, and see a “whole lotta outs in the lineup”.
Between Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez (both struggled in 2012) and the newly anointed starting Catcher, Tyler Flowers, that’s a combined average of .237 (which equals a whole lotta outs). While some say Beckham’s and Ramirez’s defensive prowess make up for their offensive deficiencies, many White Sox fans disagree. But, if Alex Rios and Adam Dunn can carry over their production from 2012 into 2013, the Sox could be in the running for the division title again. The addition of Jeff Keppinger at third base, while not a high-profile move that White Sox fans had grown accustomed to with former GM Kenny Williams, he is solid at the plate and in the field. Let’s take a look at the Sox payroll for the 2013 season….
DeWayne Wise’ catch to preserve Mark Buehle’s perfect game:
Tim Hudson: Could 2013 Be His Final Year In Baseball?
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Tuesday January 22nd, 2013
Tim Hudson has been the definition of consistent over the past decade. His record with the Atlanta Braves is 105-68 (.618) with a 3.52 ERA. Hudson’s Athletics days included a 92-39 Record (.706) and a 3.30 ERA. At 37 Years old, how many years does he have left?
By Jake Dal Porto (MLB Reports Baseball Writer)
When we think of consistency, there are a handful of names that come to mind. No, I’m not talking about consistency over a brief period of time. Rather, over a good part of the last decade. One name that comes to mind quite quickly is Tim Hudson (3.37 ERA, 126 ERA+ since 2002). But the same Tim Hudson that’s been nothing short of rock solid since the beginning of 2002, is beginning to decline, which fashions only one daunting question.
Will 2013 be his final year in baseball?
Tim Hudson Highlight Reel:
Sabathia Looks For More AL Supremacy + Eventual Election Into The BBHOF!
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, January.15/2013
Sabathia is 85-31 (.762) since a 2008 mid-season trade from the Indians to the Brewers. The Yankees current ace has won 74 games in his 1st 4 years with the Bronx Bombers. He has made the playoffs in the last 6 years with CLE/MIL and NYY – with 4 ALCS trips and a World Series win in 2009. He is 7-3 with a 3.50 ERA in the Post Season for the Yankees.
By Chuck Booth (Yankees Correspondent/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
CC Sabathia is a BEAST. You just have to look at the 6 FT 7 – 300 LBS+ man to see that. If it is possible by playing in New York City – and under the brightest lights, that this man is underrated, despite being a Bronx Bomber. Heading into 2013, ‘Carsten Charles’ (not Captain Crunch as some opposing fans have called him for his love of the Cereal) is 191-102 in his astute Pitching Career, with an ERA of 3.50. What is more impressive than this are his numbers as a member of the New York Yankees – and playing in both Yankee Stadium and the vaunted AL East and amongst many of the top offensive clubs in the Major Leagues. #52 is 74-29 (.718) for the Yankees with a 3.22 ERA. He has made 3 ALL-Star Appearances and has had 3 top 4 AL CY Young Award finishes in the last 4 campaigns. The verdict: the man has been truly dominant in Pinstripes!
In the 1st year of his big contract in 2009, Sabathia led the AL in wins with 19 – en route to a World Series Championship effort. Sabathia had a brilliant Post Season, going 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 36.1 IP. The big man also Struckout 32 Batters and only yielded 9 Walks. His only loss came in Game #1 of the World Series, when Chase Utley had a career game. Sabathia bounced back in Game #4 of the Fall Classic (with a QS – ND) and the Yankees ended up winning the contest to take a commanding 3 games to 1 ead, instead of having the Phillies tie the Series at 2 should he of had a bad start.
Sabathia is a winner and maybe the last guy to win 300 Games in the Majors. At Age 32, the guy has a contract to pitch for the Yankees until 2018. In his first 4 seasons he has averaged 18.5 Wins per year. Even if the man only averages 15 wins a year for that time frame, he would be at around 265 wins at Age 37. He could possibly end his career with New York – who would bet against him pitching until he is 40 to chalk up another 35 wins between 38 and that age?
CC Sabathia 2011 Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised.
Vargas/Morales Trade Fills Needs For Both Teams
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Kendrys Morales had a breakout year with the Angels in 2009, where he he hit .306 with 34 HRs and 108 RBI. He also clubbed 43 Doubles and carried an OPS of .924 for the year which propelled him to a top 5 AL MVP Finish. In 2010, he suffered an ankle injury celebrating a Walk-Off Grand Slam in Angels Stadium. His OPS was .778 in 2012, can he regain his previous form in Seattle?
Nicholas Rossoletti (MLB Trade Correspondent): Follow @NRoss56
It is rare in baseball that division rivals complete trades. Most of the time when it does happen, it is a lower end deal involving pieces that neither team is particularly worried will come back to haunt them. This is what makes the Jason Vargas for Kendrys Morales trade so interesting. It is a trade that makes incredible sense for all parties involved, but there is at least some likelihood that either or both players could make their former club regret the move in the short term. Let’s take a closer look at the players involved in the deal and why each club wanted to make this move.
On the Angels side, the team was in dire need of innings they could count on. After acquiring Tommy Hanson and his questionable shoulder as well as losing Zack Greinke to their cross-town rivals, the Dodgers, the Angels needed to find a starter who could give them guaranteed innings. Enter Jason Vargas. Vargas has been good for 190 plus innings over the last three season including over 200 Innings Pitched in 2011 and 2012. Vargas is a back-end of the rotation starter who has one terrific pitch in his arsenal, which is his change-up. Vargas’ change-up is an elite pitch. To help characterize how elite a pitch it can be, we can look to some statistical measures. Per 100 pitches, Vargas saved 2.25 runs over the course of 2012 with his change-up. To understand in comparison, Justin Verlander‘s curveball, what many would consider his “put-away” pitch saved 2.04 runs per 100 pitches in 2012. Now clearly, no one in their right mind is going to positively compare Vargas to Verlander, but in terms of Vargas’ change-up, I think it is important for everyone to understand that he does do something as well if not better than any other pitcher in the Major Leagues.
The Brutal Kendrys Morales injury after a Grand Slam Walk-Off HR:
Why the Red Sox Need Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz To Stay Healthy In 2013
Tuesday December 4, 2012
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern):
Every Boston fan, heck every baseball fan knows what a disaster the 2012 season was for the Red Sox. Coming off the off-season they had some high hopes. They signed a new manager in Bobby Valentine and Adrian Gonzalez was coming off one of the best years of his career. Plus, they were looking forward to the 100th year of Fenway Park celebration. Clearly whatever hopes they had were down the drain by the All-Star break. What was the biggest reason for this disaster of a season besides Bobby V? Injuries?
For one, Crawford was out until mid July and then again from mid August until he got traded. But the Red Sox most importantly need healthy years from centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and DH David Ortiz. Read the rest of this entry
Baseball’s Best Bullpen: Arizona Diamondbacks
Friday November 2nd, 2012
The Diamondbacks are looking at having an incredibly strong bullpen in 2013.
Alex Mednick (Baseball Writer and Analyst):
In 2011, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a really nice push in the AL West and finished with 94 wins, 8 games ahead of the second place San Francisco Giants. They performed well above expectations, and they did so with a relatively unglamorous starting rotation, that consisted mainly of Ian Kennedy, Joe Saunders, Josh Collmenter, Daniel Hudson and a revolving 5th starter. What really carried the team in 2011 and made the Arizona Diamondbacks a competitive in 2011, happened to be their weakest link in their miserable 2010 season: the bullpen.
The Diamondbacks won 29 more games in 2011 than they did in 2010. The most drastic changes made by the organization were in the bullpen where the D-Back’s added closer J.J. Putz and setup man David Hernandez. The 2011 bullpen allowed 100 fewer runs than their predecessors in 2010 and dropped their group ERA from 5.74 in 2010 to just 3.71 in 2011. It goes without saying that their newly revamped bullpen allowed Arizona to stay close in a lot more games and gave them a better chance to be winners.
Following their great 2011 season, the D-Back’s found themselves reverting back to their former ways in 2012. Finishing 13 games behind the first place Giants, and just barely hanging on to a .500 record, the Diamondback’s finished 81-81. You want to know something interesting? It was their bullpen, once again, that failed. Read the rest of this entry
Pablo Sandoval: A Tribute to Panda’s Historic World Series Night
Wednesday October 31st, 2012
Luke Whitecotton: When I mention Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols, what words come to mind to describe these guys? Probably legends, greatness, clutch hitters, and champions. Now what if I asked the same question about Pablo Sandoval or better known as “Kung Fu Panda”? You can say champion. But legend,clutch hitter and greatness might not be anywhere near your radar. What if I told you he had one of those magical October nights? One that people in and out of baseball will talk about for years to come, and something those other greats did not do. Would you say that I was crazy, or maybe a little out of my mind? Well, maybe- but Pablo Sandoval was a legend, great, and a clutch hitter on a special October night in San Francisco. Read the rest of this entry
Game 4 Recap: Giants Sweep the Tigers to Win the 2012 World Series
Monday October 29th, 2012
Kyle Holland: If your favorite sport is baseball, what more can you ask for in a game? Even if you love or hate the Giants, you can’t help but have been amazed by game 4. Any baseball fan should have enjoyed that contest. The war between the Giants and Tigers. Like the guy who sat behind home plate all series. He wore a Marlins jersey and hat to all the games. That is dedication. That is a man who loves his baseball.
After the grueling 162 game regular season, the San Francisco Giants are your 2012 World Series champions! This crown did not come with ease, as most of you know. They went down 0-2 vs the Cincinnati Reds in the NLDS. They miraculously came back to win that series. Then came the NLCS. They split games 1 and 2, and then the Giants lost 2 straight to go down 1-3. They somehow made a comeback against a great Cardinals team to even make it to the Fall Classic. Read the rest of this entry
San Francisco Giants: 2012 World Series Champions – A Season For the Ages
Monday October 29th, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: The 2012 San Francisco Giants can be described in various ways. They were exciting, quirky, hard-working, and persevering to name a few. Pablo Sandoval, when asked of a word that could describe the team- said “heart”. After all the team went through, this was the absolute perfect word to describe what the team was made of. The Giants did it all in the playoffs. The team came back from a 0-2 deficit in the NLDS against the Reds and a 1-3 deficit in the NLCS against the Cardinals. The World Series was a breeze for the Giants as they swept the Detroit Tigers in incredible fashion. It took extra innings in game 4. But after 2 straight shutouts, the Giants had to work at least a bit to get their rings.
At the beginning of the season, fans had high hopes for the club as all fans do. The team got off to a bit of a slow start but picked up the pace as expected. The Dodgers looked to be a threat after an unexpected hot start, and the race was on. The Diamondbacks hung with the top two teams for a short period of time but in the end it became a two-team race. It was at the beginning of the year when the Giants were faced with the first bit of adversity. Closer Brian Wilson was lost to his second Tommy John Surgery. The team decided to go with closer-by-committee, and that worked fabulously (mainly Sergio Romo stepping up as the closer towards the end of the season).
There Will Never Be Another 300 Game Winner
Saturday October 27th, 2012
Luke Whitecotton (Guest Writer):
Let me thrown four names out there: Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine. What do these guys have in common? Two are Hall of Famers and two more are on their way. All were big game money pitchers. And most importantly, they are all 300 game winners.
Will we ever see another 300 game winner in baseball? Quite frankly, I don’t think we will.
Now don’t get me wrong, as a fan I would love to see it happen again in my lifetime. It would bring me almost as much pure joy as watching Greg Maddux pitch in his prime. As part of my analysis, I looked squarely at the odds and stats to determine the difficulty level of reaching that plateau in this day and age in baseball. Jamie Moyer, who will turn 50 in November, has 269 wins. Roy Halladay, who is 35 years old, has 199 wins. Andy Pettitte, who is 40 years old, has 245 wins in his career. You can see where I am going with this, as for some of these guys to keep pitching at the required level to reach the golden 300 mark is just too big of an obstacle to overcome. Just a little note by the way, Nolan Ryan was 43 years old and was considered one of the most durable pitchers ever. When you consider what Ryan had to do to win 300, you really start to feel the force that these star pitchers are up against. Read the rest of this entry
2012 World Series Game 2 Recap: Giants Shut Out the Tigers For a 2-0 Lead
Friday October 26th, 2012
Kyle Holland: What can you say about game 2 in the World Series? Fantastic, amazing, and a thriller. This pitcher’s duel was surely one no baseball fan will forget.
Both pitchers, Madison Bumgarner and Doug Fister, certainly will remember last night’s game forever. Bumgarner pitched 7 scoreless innings allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 8 on only 86 pitches. Fister on the other side was also magnificent, throwing 6 innings allowing 4 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 3 on 114 pitches, but allowing 1 earned run in the process. Fister did indeed end up picking up the loss. Baseball can be very cruel sometimes.
Although low scoring, the game was everything but disappointing. The 2-0 win by the Giants is exactly what baseball fans were looking for after the 8-3 blow out in game 1. Read the rest of this entry
Giants vs. Tigers: Who Will Win the 2012 World Series?
Thursday October 25th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer):
Who Has The Edge In The Starting Pitching Department?
The Tigers’ starters go as far as Justin Verlander takes them, which is a long, long way most of the time. Thus far, Verlander has lifted his fellow rotation mates to an elite stature. In the American League Championship Series, the Tigers posted a 0.67 ERA against a helpless Yankees’ team. But as last night proved, anything can happen in the World Series.
When the Tigers are mentioned, don’t fall into the trap that their pitching is just based around Verlander. Yes, we get, the world gets it, Verlander is a god. But the assumption that he’s all the Tigers have is completely false because they wouldn’t have swept the Yankees without others contributing. Remember, Verlander pitched just once in the ALCS. Heck, Verlander could arguably take the backseat to Max Scherzer who has only allowed one run over 11 innings so far in this year’s playoffs. After giving up 5 runs to the Giants last night in 4 innings, the Tigers showed that they cannot simply rely on Justin Verlander…or the 2012 World Series will end very quickly. After all, all sporting gods show their human side at some point.
On the Giants’ side, their rotation is greatly shuffled after having to go seven games to finally derail the Cardinals, basically meaning that they didn’t have their ace in Matt Cain to oppose Verlander in Game 1. Instead, Barry Zito got the nod against the presumable A.L Cy Young winner. Please, pause for a second and digest that sentence, I dare you to. Now look at Barry Zito’s start in Game 1. 5 2/3 innings, 1 run and 6 hits. And now the Tigers still have to contend with Cain. After Zito, Madison Bumgarner will take the ball in Game 2 against Doug Fister. Bumgarner has been reeling since the end of August. In two postseason starts (8 innings), he has posted an 11.25 ERA, and in both starts, the Giants lost. However, the lefty fixed a couple of mechanical flaws during a side session last week.
In Game 3, Ryan Vogelsong will oppose Anibal Sanchez, as the series changes scenery back to Comerica Park. Vogelsong has arubably been the best pitcher in the playoffs this year outside of Verlander, of course. In three starts, he has a 1.42 ERA, and most recently allowed just one run to the Cardinals in Game 6 of the NLCS. Sanchez has been solid up to this point as well, finally proving why he was a great addition to the Tigers’ rotation. In two starts, he has totaled a 1.35 ERA, but walked five batters in those two starts as well.
The main thing to take away from here, is that Sanchez can be a bit wobbly in terms of consistency. Usually, walks are detrimental to him, as his stuff is above average. For Vogelsong, pitching on the road is the only concern with him, but Comerica shouldn’t play small, seeing as how the forecast is supposed to be chilly.
Lastly, Matt Cain will make his first appearance when he opposes Max Scherezer in Game 4. What comes as a surprise here, is the fact that Cain is pitching Game 4. This likely means that he wouldn’t pitch a potential Game 7, instead Vogelsong would likely receive the honor.
Both the Tigers and Giants have heavily relied on good starting pitching to get them to where they are—the World Series. However, the Tigers boast Justin Verlander; a guy who can pitch three times in this series if the Tigers desperately need him to. After a rough outing last night, we know that Verlander will return later in the series- hungrier than ever.
Tigers: 6 Giants: 4
Who Has The Edge Offensively?
Yes, the Giants erupted for nine runs in Game 7. But the truth is, only a handful of their 14 hits were crisp line drives. Most notably, Hunter Pence’s game-opening two-run double took a wicked hop that fooled the shortstop. That hit set-up a huge inning for San Francisco.
Basically, the Giants might not reap the benefits of lucky hops or bloopers in the World Series. The Tigers’ pitching staff is a bit better than St.Louis’s at the moment, meaning that runs are going to come at a premium. You wouldn’t know it, with the Giants scoring 8 runs in Game 1 of the World Series, with Pablo Sandoval connecting for 3 home runs. But the tide could just as easily turn in game 2, with Doug Fister silencing the Giants bats. If the Giants are to win this series, their bats better stay scorching hot.
The Tigers obviously have the most dangerous weapon of all in Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera hasn’t been dominant per say so far in the playoffs, but that’s mostly due to the fact that opposing pitchers have elected to pitch him extremely careful. Buster Posey has received the same type of treatment. And with Pence struggling, it’s likely that the Tigers will continue to pitch around Posey until Pence proves otherwise. The presumable N.L MVP winner hit just .154/.267/.154 in the NLCS with just a lone RBI. He did go 2-4 last night with 2 singles. Hopefully a sign of more to come.
Now, onto Marco Scutaro, the NLCS MVP. Hitting exactly .500 with 4 RBIs, Scutaro carried the Giants’ offense. Also carrying the Giants’ offense, Pablo Sandoval hit .310 with two home runs and six RBIs. If it wasn’t for Scutaro, Sandoval probably would have won the MVP. Both men have started off hot in the World Series and with no surprise, the Giants got a big win in the process.
But the Tigers’ offense is dangerous in many facets. They can beat you with the long ball, big innings, and high hitting outputs. Delmon Young has produced eight RBIs in the playoffs, and Austin Jackson has scored seven runs, acting as the catalyst in the Tigers’ lineup.
Timely hits are going to be key in this series. Both of these teams like to score runs early, and both can bust out for big innings. Despite a big game last night from the Giants, I am still trusting the Tigers bats more in this series.
Tigers: 6 Giants: 4
Who Has The Better Bullpen?
This category is a tad more simpler to predict, even with the emergence of Phil Coke taking over the closer’s role for the Tigers.
The Giants’ bullpen has simply been better. At time during the regular season it was a major concern, but now, it’s a major strength. Armed with Tim Lincecum as the versatile swingman, Bruce Bochy can call upon several weapons to close the gap. Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez combined have pitched 11.2 scoreless innings. Sergio Romo has a save and has only given up one run over 7.2 innings, and Santiago Casilla has allowed just one run over 5.2 innings.
The only rough spots for the Giants has been Guillermo Mota and Jose Mijares, who have given up four and three runs, respectively.
As for the Tigers, Jose Valverde has surrendered seven runs in 2.1 innings, and was stripped of his closer’s duties in favor of Coke who has been a pleasant surprise for Jim Leyland.
This series predicts to be a starting pitching heavy type of series, but the bullpens will still play a major role. The Tigers just have too many question marks, especially with Coke’s lack of experience as a closer.
Tigers: 2 Giants: 8
Final Tally: Tigers 14 – Giants 16
(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)
Jake Dal Porto is a Baseball Writer with MLB reports and a student from the Bay Area. Jake’s favorite sports moment was when the Giants won the World Series back in 2010. He loves to use sabermetrics in his work. He thinks they are the best way to show a player’s real success compared to the basic stats such as ERA, RBIs, and Wins. Jake also enjoys interacting and debating with his readers. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @TheJakeMan24
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Marco Scutaro: The Best 2012 Trade Deadline Deal And NLCS MVP
Wednesday, October.24/2012
The Post Season almost ended for Marco Scutaro in Game #2 in St. Louis as Matt Holliday slid late to break up a double play. Scutaro stayed in that game and collected a key hit before being pulled as a precautionary move. He would come back and play from games 3-7. —Photo Courtesy of giants.com
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I am pleased to always write about a player that has appeared one of my #UnheraldedAwarenessWeeks on Twitter. For those that don’t know what that is, every week I pick a retired player and a current player to talk about and share info, stats, stories and funny anecdotes about. Marco Scutaro was one of those players in September. My buddy Patrick (who hosts a PODCAST I do MLB Expert Interviews on called ‘The Big Ticket Show‘) was the first one to say this signing was good. I did remember that Scutaro was able to plate a 100 runs for the Jays in 2009 despite only playing in 144 games and also provided solid offense out of the Shortstop Position. He was hitting in low .300’s at the time of the trade on July.27 to the San Francisco Giants from the Rockies. I wasn’t as sold on the guy heading to AT &T Park to play half of his games at home. I quickly came on board when he started tearing it up in his 1st week as a Giant. Boy did I ever turn out to be wrong with him batting in San Francisco too, where he hit .352 in 33 games at AT &T Park in 2012. That is an incredible average for what is one of the toughest parks on player averages in the Major Leagues!
With his 3rd organization since Jan.21 of this year, Scutaro has provided the necessary spark to the Giants lineup that was voided with losing Melky Cabrera. At 37 years old, he should be able to garner one more multi-year contract
Scutaro ended up being the best trade deadline acquisition in the Major Leagues this year. Not only did he hit .339 in the second half, he also hit .402 in the month of September and the last 3 games of the regular season in October. After going 0-12 in the 1st 3 games against Cincinnati in the NLDS, Scutaro has put a 9 game hitting streak together-and he had 6 multi-hit games in the NLCS en-route to being named the NLCS MVP. He has pivotal game changing hits in Game #2 (where he also got run into by a hard and controversial slide by Matt Holiday before leaving) and in Games 6 and 7. Scutaro tied and LCS record by recording 14 hits in 28 AB for a .500 Average. while scoring 7 runs. The man has also contributed solid defense at second base, a position the Giants have struggled to fill since Jeff Kent left almost a decade ago. Read the rest of this entry
The San Francisco Giants Are Ready to Return to the World Series
Wednesday October 24th, 2012
Kyle Holland: The 2012 NLCS will go down as a series to remember. Firstly from a history standpoint, this was the first time in LCS history that the last two World Series champions squared off. Second, it was played between the 3rd and 4th seeds in the national league. The Giants coming back from being down 0-2 against the Cincinnati Reds, while the Cardinals recovering from being down 6-0 in game 5 in the NLDS to defeat the Nationals 9-7. The comeback kids facing off. This series was sure to be a thriller, and it did not disappoint.
The Giants, being forced to win 3 straight games to make it to the World Series, held off the Cardinals in game 7 to complete the comeback. Read the rest of this entry
Detroit is One Game Away from the World Series
Wednesday October 17th, 2012
Sam Evans: In the first three games of a thrilling ALCS, Detroit showed its dominance over the New York Yankees. In fact, even though the Yankees still technically have a chance, World Series tickets at Comerica Park go on sale Wednesday morning… and Tigers fans should be ready to use them. Detroit has been led by the outstanding performances of Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, and Delmon Young. With Game Four coming up tonight, here’s a quick look at how Detroit has managed to win the first three games, what’s gone wrong with the Yankees, and what lies ahead for both of these teams. Read the rest of this entry
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