Sam Evans: With the Championship Series just beginning, predicting the two teams that will face off in the World Series has never been easier. Still, the teams playing in the ALCS and NLCS right now are pretty evenly matched so it’s still difficult to see which two will advance. Due to their momentum and great ability to come back, St. Louis will prevail over San Francisco in the NL. Due to their outstanding pitching staff and Miguel Cabrera being on his current tear, Detroit has a slight advantage over New York in the American League. Even if these predictions go horribly wrong, the one thing we can be certain of is that these two series are going to include some thrilling games played between some of the best teams in baseball. Read the rest of this entry →
Jake Dal Porto: The Yankees’ offense is limping into the series, while Detroit is riding Justin Verlander’s arm high. Both were expected to be in this position when the season began, but their journeys were vastly different.
Who will prevail in a series which won’t be lacking for ageless headlines and drama?
Starting Pitching Preview
The Tigers and Yankees each heavily rely on one guy on their respective rotations. And it’s quite clear who those two guys are. But just for reference, we’ll make it known. The Tigers ride Justin Verlander, while the Yankees put a lot of faith in their 33 year-old veteran left-hander, C.C. Sabathia. There’s that.
It’s clear that neither of these teams would be where they are without their two aces. Verlander carved up the A’s in Game 5 on the ALDS to punch Detroit’s ticket to the ALCS with a complete game shutout, and Sabathia sliced and diced the Orioles’ lineup in Game 5, allowing just one run en route to a complete game gem of his own. Think back to their 8th inning of Game 5 and how Sabathia escaped trouble. That is a true ace.
Therefore, guys other than Verlander and Sabathia will provide the separation. Realistically, it could be anyone at this point. Neither the Tigers or Yankees have a stellar number two that’s consistent. Read the rest of this entry →
This celebration of the Tigers was the final straw to me writing this article. The Tigers should count their lucky stars they won a weak division and that they drew the Athletics in the ALDS. Since when did these excessive celebrations for early round wins of the playoffs begin?
I am 36 years old. In no way would I consider myself 100% a traditionalist when it comes to Major League Baseball. I like the 2 Wild Card Slots, I like the Designated Hitter, as for Interleague play, I wish they had more of it so I could see every team waddle through Seattle every so often. This doesn’t mean that I don’t agree with some ‘old school’ philosophies and certain underwritten rules about the game. One thing that has really set me off in watching the end of the season and the playoffs is the excessive Champagne Celebrations of the clubs once they win any series or clinch any playoff spot? I mean come on fellas, you are celebrating like you have won everything in the game and we are not even into the League Championships Series.
I am out of line in thinking that this isn’t a new trend? I don’t remember this many corks being popped off in previous years. I have no problem with a team celebrating divisional and the World Series crowns with a party. This has been a time-long tradition in the Major Leagues back to the start of the games existence. Where I first starting seeing this epidemic fly was when the Braves clinched a playoff spot and then went hog-wild in their dressing room after the game. I was surprised at their actions but almost dismissed it. I understood that after last years collapse, plus the added pressure of trying to make the playoffs for Chipper’s last chance, that maybe they were just blowing off some steam. If I were a player, I would be happy to be in the playoffs, however If I made it in via Wild Card, I would not carry on with an alcohol bender! I would be made I still lost the division.Read the rest of this entry →
Jake Dal Porto: Now that the division series are into full swing, it’s time to take a look at the status of each of the four series from both leagues.
Surprisingly, the road teams went 6-2, despite the weird playoff format which has the top seed playing two road games before heading home for three.
Here are the results:
American League
Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics
It wasn’t a good weekend for Bay Area teams. The A’s lost a heartbreaker early Sunday morning, and the Giants ended the evening with a loss (more on that later). Read the rest of this entry →
Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.com, message us on Twitter, post on our Facebook Wall and leave comments on our website! There are many ways to reach us and we will get to your questions from all social media outlets!
Jonathan Hacohen: The regular season is done. Toast. That’s it. We even finished the one game sudden death Wild Card playoffs. We are now officially in full swing, MLB playoff mode.
It is a bittersweet feeling. I love the playoffs. But it is hard to go without having 12-15 MLB games going every day. And then I shudder to think what life is like when the playoffs are finished. We are less than 3 weeks away from the World Series. Can you believe it? This was an incredible season, with many highs and lows. From all those no-hitters to the countless players undergoing Tommy John surgery. The surprising A’s and Orioles. The disappointing Angels and Phillies. We had quite the year. Valentine Gate. Melky’s suspension. Miggy’s triple crown. Trout’s dominance. Dickey’s greatness. 2012 will go down as one of my favorite baseball seasons of all time.
Before we turn over to your questions, let’s address those Wild Card games. For all the talk of Atlanta’s great season, they are done. One game and over. The St. Louis Cardinals, the defending World Series champs squeaked into the playoffs…and are now heading to the NLDS for a date with the Nationals. Over in the American League, the powerhouse Rangers are done. For a team that led the AL in wins for most of the year and held the AL West crown for almost the entire season, their late season collapse ended in disaster. With a two game lead going into the final season, the A’s sweep in Oakland of the Rangers meant a date at home for Texas with Baltimore. This shows the importance of a division title vs. a wild card spot. While the A’s face the Tigers in a 5-game series, the Rangers had only one chance and blew it. Given the fact that they had enjoyed back-to-back World Series appearances the last two seasons, 2012 will go down as a black mark in Rangers history. It goes to show you: a team can have all the hitting on the planet, but to win- they need pitching. Sure the Rangers hitting cooled off in the 2nd half, but they also did not have enough reliable pitchers to be ready for the playoffs. Now imagine the Rays had a better offense. That’s the type of team that was built to compete in the playoffs. Great, young and healthy pitching is usually the secret to success in today’s game. But without enough hitting, the road was too hard for the Rays.
As a result, teams like the Orioles and the A’s are in, while the Rays and Rangers are out. The teams may not have the best pitching or hitting- but with a steady amount of both, playoff dreams became a reality. What the A’s and Orioles both enjoy is lights-out bullpens. So called experts may call bullpens/relievers/closers as overrated. Looking at the Orioles success in 1-run games and the A’s in extra innings, I would have to disagree. If a team can lock down a game from the 6th inning an on with a lead consistency, that is what we call a dangerous team. I have no idea if the A’s and O’s face-off in the ALCS. If they do, that should be one explosive series. My crystal ball sees the winner of the A’s/Tigers going to the World Series. In the NL, I see it as the Reds all the way. They are just too stacked and consistent. Anything can happen in a short series, but those are my picks for baseball’s biggest showdown of the season. Stay tuned!
October is the time when there is a quiet current of electricity surrounding baseball. There is an intensity in every second between pitches, and the players really zone in. This is the reason they played 162 games through the regular season. They are all after one thing: A World Championship.
Alex Mednick (Baseball Analyst and Writer):
With the last games of the 2012 regular season being officially completed yesterday I get the same feeling I do every season…it’s a sickening pain in my stomach, that makes me want to hibernate and not wake up until April comes around. For baseball lovers, we are all very familiar with this feeling. We find solace in the fact that with the exception of the month of November, we can still follow baseball transactions all year-long. Furthermore, we cannot get too upset; baseball isn’t really over. In fact, some might argue that it is just beginning!
The boys of summer play all those games in the summer heat for one reason. The grueling 162 game schedule sees many ups and many downs, and all of these challenges are met with a firm resolve: to do whatever it takes to get to the postseason. October is the time when the weather turns cold, and ball players become unshaven warriors duking it out to be the victorious few who have the honor to take a championship ring home this offseason. Read the rest of this entry →
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024To say that this year has been a good year for baseball is an humongous understatement. I thought after last years finish, that nothing was going to duplicate the experience. Everyone forgets (or maybe not) that there should not even have been many races last year with Atlanta and Boston having such substantial leads on playoff spots. The Red Sox and Braves collapsed like a couple of bowling pins with King Kong Bundy splashing down on them!
This year, there are 15 teams still vying for 10 playoff spots. So far the only probable locks are Washington for a playoff spot-and Cincinnati to probably win their division The player races for all of the categories is almost as fascinating. Will Andrew McCutcheon catch Melky Cabrera for the Batting title? Or will 2012 be forever cemented in baseball folklore by a stained player like Cabrera? He could still end up determining who wins the World Series in the Fall Classic by his Testosterone filled antics in his MVP ALL-Star Game. The big question is, will the San Francisco Giants fans cheer for him if he comes back in the playoffs? They cheered for another league leader before when it was obvious he was guilty. Right now if you are the Giants, you will take an opportunity to boo or cheer for Cabrera because that means you would be in the playoffs.
Will the spending happy Dodgers have to wait another year to capitalize on their new plan to make the playoffs? If they ultimately miss the playoffs outright, are they going to buy every player they can in the off-season? I sure hope Magic knows that there are Luxury Tax penalties for spending over 178 Million Next Year. 1st year fine is 22.5%, 2nd year is 30%, 3rd year and beyond is 40%. So if they plan on having a 250 Million Dollar Payroll in 2013 (by adding 2 or 3 more top Free Agents) will the Dodgers just forego the worry of any financial penalties on a yearly basis– just to dominate the whole National League (plus baseball for that matter.) Every other team has to consider the urgency in cashing out a World Series right now while the Dodgers have not had a full off season with the new management yet. Can Oakland and their ‘New Money Ball philosophy’ make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2006?
The Best Players over the last month were: Buster Posey, Prince Fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Yovani Gallardo, Kris Medlen, Adam Wainwright, Aroldis Chapman and Felix Hernandez. The best teams have been Oakland, Washington, San Francisco, San Diego, Baltimore and Texas. The worst teams have been Houston (at least its better to go down hard and stockpile #1 Draft Picks guys.) I have a feeling you will be there for a while with the division you are heading into and may even challenge the 120 Loss Single Season Record. At least you are not going into the NL West to compete with the LA Dodgers! The Cleveland Indians have fallen to an epic drop-off as well. Toronto misses their top sluggers. What has happened to the Minnesota Twins? The Mets have ownership and payroll problems, so at least they have an excuse. Plus they lead the world in guys being hurt. When David Wright has been your healthiest player, you know the season has been backwards! So sit back, get your notebook and popcorn ready for this Month’s Rankings!Read the rest of this entry →
Jake Dal Porto: The American League Central division is shaping out to be one of the tightest races in baseball. It was the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians battling for the top spot during the first few months. Now, the favorited Detroit Tigers have climbed their way back into the thick of things while the Indians have faded. This is far from how several people predicted this race to play out, though. Preseason predictions had the Tigers penciled in to win the Central by double-digit games. I’m talking about 15-20 games.
While that’s still somewhat possible barring a late season collapse by the White Sox, Chicago is for real. Bolstering their pitching staff at the deadline with Brett Myers and Francisco Liriano, and adding a bat in Kevin Youkilis, the Windy City boys have yet to show signs of fatigue. The Tigers didn’t stand pat at the deadline, either. In fact, they might’ve made one of the best deals at the deadline, of course, only to be outshone by the bigger moves involving the bigger names. They sent top pitching prospect Jacob Turner to the Marlins in exchange for Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez. Infante remains under control through next season, while Sanchez is strictly a rental player for the time being. The point is, both clubs made moves to help them win now. Read the rest of this entry →
Jake Dal Porto (MLB reports Intern Candidate): The American league consists of several dominant pitchers, but David Price is arguably the best of the crop. Better yet, he hasn’t even reached his full potential as a pitcher at the ripe age of just 26 years-old. While his stats are far ahead of his experience in the major leagues, there’s still room for him to grow… which is actually quite scary.
Price took the American League by a storm in 2010. Leading the Rays’ rotation at the age of just 23, he finished the season with an astounding 19-6 record accompanied by a stellar 2.72 ERA, nearly winning the A.L. Cy Young award. Although the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez edged him out for the honor, baseball took notice on Price’s exceptional season. Yet, this was just the tip of the iceberg for him. Read the rest of this entry →
Lester had started his career 61-26 (.709) before he has pitched to a 20-15 record the last two seasons (.571). Lester still leads the active pitchers in Winning Percentage. Photo courtesy of http://www.bostonsportssu18.com
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-Piching wins are given less importance all of the time by the sabermetric community. I am here to refute these findings. A won-loss category is still very important in a pitchers career. Yes there are definite exceptions. Nolan Ryan played for a lot of mediocre teams and that is why he is 324-292 all time. I would definitely say the modern pitchers Matt Cain 78-76 and Felix Hernandez have valid arguments why their won-loss percentages are way lower than they should be. Recent Cy Young winners were voted on more for other periphery stats such as: ERA, WHIP, OBA and WAR.
I often think of Jack Morris when I hear this. He had the situational pitching down perfect between 1983-1993. The man won 4 World Series with 3 different teams. Morris posted a 254-186 record (.577) and he has an ERA for his career at 3.90. At first glance you may scoff at the notion of a near 4.00 ERA before the steroid era. You had to watch his games to see where he was coming from. He was on great offensive teams and would have large run support from time to time. Jack Morris would challenge hitters by pitching to contact. Sometimes the hitters would get the better of him in these lopsided games. If you were a hitter, you were going to get no free pass from Big Jack. His 175 complete games were a testament to his duration. Morris also led the 1980’s in pitching wins. He was just as capable of pitching in a low scoring, close game as evidence by his 1-0 World Series 10 innings pitched win in-game #7 of the 1991 World Series versus the Braves. The gentlemen on this list all can throw complete games like Jack Morris did. All of these pitchers have logged huge innings at parts of their careers. Read the rest of this entry →
The Yankees pay at the rate of +190 to win the American League and +375 to win the World Series. They are actually the 2nd favorite in the MLB for both to Texas. These odds are not flattering to throw any money down on either team.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- I thought we would try a different top ten today with the ALL-Star Break here today. This morning I did some research on the odds of what http://www.bet365.com thinks will happen for the rest of the MLB Year based on their gambling futures. Gambling is an increasing industry like no other entity in the world. The NFL is better suited for ‘punters’ to throw down some bucks at Vegas. They have only one game a week and the gambling experts think that baseball is easier for the bad teams to beat the good teams. I will tell you as one of these ‘so called experts’, they are completely right. The worst teams in baseball usually can still beat the best teams 1 out of 3 games in a series. This makes normal gambling for a regular season game really hard to make any money, or minimize losses. I do think that betting who makes the playoffs and who wins it all has some good value picks.
Y0u have to search for the value in anything. I never like to play the #1 favorites of each league because they simply don’t pay enough of an odd. Right now, Bet365.com has the Texas Rangers at +175 to win the AL, or The Yankees at +190. I love these two teams to probably represent the AL in the World Series, however these odds are not good at all. As I list all of the odds for each league first, then the World Series, I will make some notes up. I have two teams in the NL that I have already wagered with and I am coming up roses on them so far. It is time for Gambling 101.Read the rest of this entry →
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-We are going to bring you monthly power rankings every month of the season. There will be a few notes written for each team. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts. The Texas Rangers are the top ranked team yet once again, although teams are certainly gaining on the them in the last month. If this report was being done last week I might have put the New York Yankees in 1st and Texas in 2nd. A 7 game winning streak help preserve another month for Texas on the leader-board. There were superior months by Aaron Hill, Jose Bautista, Joey Votto , Jason Heyward and a new phenomenon was born with Jose Altuve. It was a great month for the MLB. With 20 teams within 5.5 games or less for the playoff races, we are sure to see some serious movements in the Power Rankings in the 2nd half of the season.
Standings taken before play Tuesday July.03/2012
July Power Rankings-Last Month Rank in Parenthesis
1. Texas-50-30 (1) The Rangers rode a 7 game winning streak to end up 18-8 for the last month. David Murphy, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus all hit over .300 in the last 30 days. The Rangers were able to weather a slow spurt from Josh Hamilton, in which he hit .222 with only 4 HRs for the month. Matt Harrison has asserted himself as an ace on the staff with a 5-0 month with a 1.29 ERA, while leading the American League with 11 wins on the year. The Rangers have 6 players going to the ALL-Star Game including 3 starters. Yu Darvish can make a 7th if he is voted into the final roster spot with his rookie campaign of 10-5 so far.
2. NY Yankees 48-31(5) The Yankees have ridden good pitching and a hot bat from Robinson Cano to a 19-7 record over the last month, with a 5 games lead over their competition in the AL East. Cano hit .370 with 12 HRs and 24 RBI in the last month. Derek Jeter is hitting .298 overall but saw his average go from .389 in April, to .283 in May to .232 in June. He still tops a list of 4 Yankees heading to the ALL-Star Game including 23 HR homer man Curtis Granderson. Phil Hughes went 5-1 in the month with a 2.59 ERA and Ivan Nova won his 3 decisions with a miniscule 1.32 ERA. Rafael Soriano has converted 18 out of 19 save opportunities since taking over as team closer.
3. San Francisco 45-30 (9) The Giants went 16-11 in the month and saw a perfect game from Matt Cain, with a few other 1 hitters. The team shutout the Dodgers 3 games in a row in a series last week. The Giants have Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey and Melky Cabrera starting in KC next week. The Melkman continues to show that last year was no fluke with his .352 Average and he is leading the Major Leagues with 111 base hits. The Giants pitching staff has coped with the loss of Brian Wilson and the ineffectiveness of starter Tim Lincecum, by the rest of the staff having career years.
4. LA Angels 45-35 (12) The Angels have been really steady since the end of May. They just finished going 17-8 in the last 25 days on the backs of ALL-Stars Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo and resurgent Albert Pujols. Trout might be the most exciting player on the planet these days and is a lock for AL Rookie of the Year if he keeps this up. Trout hit .367 over the last month and has taken over the AL batting lead with a .342 AVG. Trumbo hit 10 HRs and drove in 28 RBI for the month and Pujols hit .337. to raise his average 40 points. C.J Wilson was good enough in June to be named as CC Sabathia‘s replacement at the ALL-Star game.
5. Washington 45-32(9) Mike Morse has returned to the lineup with a vengeance during the last week with a .484 average. Super Sub Tyler Moore has also hit .415 in the last 14 games with 4 HRs and 12 RBI. Ian Desmond had 16 Extra base hits for the month to go along with 20 RBI, while he made the ALL-Star game as a reserve. Ryan Zimmerman awoke from a season long slump to plate 17 RBI. Adam LaRoche still contributed 7 HRs and 15 RBI despite a paltry .191 average in June. Stephen Strasburg is 9-3 on the year with a 2.81 ERA and a league leading 122 SO. Gio Gonzalez is 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA. Both Gonzalez and Strasburg made the ALL-Star squad.Read the rest of this entry →
‘Hammering’ Hank passed the legendary Babe Ruth as the ALL-Time HR leader in 1974. Some still feel that he is the ALL-Time HR leader with the admitted steroid use from Leader Barry Bonds. –Photo courtesy of goldenagebaseballcards
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- Seemingly gone are the days where most of the MLB players stick with one team for their whole careers. As of right now there are not too many superstars that have spent their entire careers with one organization. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are 1st ballot Hall of Famers. Chipper Jones should make the BBHOF. Todd Helton is close to retiring but I am not sure the voters will see him worthy. There are some promising chances that Ryan Braun and David Wright might play their entire careers with their current clubs, however with Braun’s PED fiasco last year I just don’t see him entering Cooperstown. Wright must re-sign with the ownership hemorrhaging, this will prove hard for the Wilpons funds thanks to Bernie Madoff. When it comes to starting pitching, the list is shrunken that much further. Justin Verlander is the active win leader with a player only having played for one team. He has 114 wins with the Tigers, anybody above him on the active ALL-Time Wins list has pitched for multiple teams already. The next active leader for one team pitched for is Ervin Santana with 91 wins for the Angels franchise. Felix Hernandez has 90 wins for the Mariners. Tim Lincecum, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain have played their entire careers for the same team so far and have CY Young titles amongst them, but have a long way to go in establishing Hall of Fame Careers.
That brings me to my next stat. There are 9 players in history who have hit 500 HRs or more for one team. All of them are in the Hall of Fame except for Barry Bonds (who becomes eligible next year.) I am not sure the writers will cast a vote for him because of his steroid use. When I got the idea for this article, it came to be because I was amazed that Paul Konerko has hit over 400 HRs with the Chicago White Sox. Again at age 36, Konerko has a look at 500 HRs with the Chicago team. Right now he can end the season with about 410-420 HRs. Provided he can play 3-4 years more and have productive seasons, he may reach the milestone. Chipper Jones is the only other active MLB Player to have 400 HRs with one team. Larry is slowing down though and will most likely retire after this year. Read the rest of this entry →
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-We are going to bring you monthly power rankings every month of the season. There will be a few notes written for each team. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts. The Texas Rangers are the top ranked team yet once again, although teams are certainly gaining on the them in the last week. Look out for Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees to make their move towards the top this month.
June Power Rankings-Last Month Rank in Parenthesis
1. Texas-32-22 (1) The Rangers rode Josh Hamilton in the month of May-who enters today on pace for about 60 HRs and 170 RBI while hitting .354. Nelson Cruz is starting to heat up and the duo of Adrian Beltre and Ian Kinsler are steady as as ever. Yu Darvish is 7-3 en route to the leading the group amongst Rookie of The Year Contention. Joe Nathan is looking like his old self again out of the pen with an ERA under 2.
2. LA Dodgers 33-21 (5) Even with Matt Kemp out of the lineup again, the Dodgers are winning ball games with solid contributions from Andre Ethier and A.J Ellis on offense. The pitching staff has been anchored by Clayton Kershaw and a fast 7-1 start by Chris Capuano. Ted Lilly was 5-1 before a stint on the DL. It is too bad because Lilly is 125-104 since 2004.
3. Tampa Bay 31-23 (2) Hideki Matsui homered in two of his first 3 games back with the Rays. The team has had steady pitching to stay in contention. Carlos Pena has really struggled in the last month and will need to pick it up. Luke Scott with 35 RBI has good production numbers in spite of his .225 AVG. Fernando Rodney has converted 17 out of 18 saves to pace the club.
4. Cincinnati 30-23 (12) Joey Votto has hit .404 in the last 30 days and maybe the best all-around hitter in the National League right now. Jay Bruce has 12 HRs and 34 RBI and is living up to his all-star potential. Aroldis Chapman has 27 Strikeouts in just over 14 innings and has yet to yield a run while opponents are hitting a paltry .043 against him.
5. NY Yankees 29-24 (6) The Bronx Bombers have 6 players with 8 HRs or more, which is a good thing because with the exception of Derek Jeter, a lot of them are hitting under their career averages. The return of Andy Pettitte has helped the rotation with the loss of Micheal Pineda. Phil Hughes threw a complete game over the weekend and CC Sabathia is on pace for another 20 win season. Read the rest of this entry →
Bryan Sheehan (MLB Writer): It could be said that the starting pitcher is the most important player in the game. A great starter, like Justin Verlander, puts his team in a position to win every time he hits the mound, while a poor starter, like A.J. Burnett, puts pressure on the bullpen when he gets run after just a couple of innings of work. A great starter, or even a mediocre one, can stay in the game for years with consistency (see: Jamie Moyer), but the drop off is steep and a pitcher underperforming is usually the first to be sent down. The best hurlers in the game combine dominance with consistency, rarely ever having a bad appearance. After the jump, we’ll be taking a look at who the best starters are in the game right now, and what makes them so great.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)-We are going to bring you a monthly power rankings every month of the season. There will be a few verses for each team. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts.
May Power Rankings
Texas (19-10) Josh Hamilton is clubbing the ball at his 2010 like AL MVP clip. Yu Darvish appears to be the real deal. Mike Napoli hits 8th on most nights. Michael Young might be the most under-appreciated hitter in the last decade. Ian Kinsler is on pace for 162 runs. If Nelson Cruz starts hitting and or Nathan rounds into form, than this team may blitz by every one.
Tampa Bay (19-10) The pitching staff is incredible right now. David Price is asserting himself as one of the premier left-handed pitchers in baseball. Strong starts from Evan Longoria, Luke Scott and Carlos Pena have helped. Joe Maddon may be the best ‘in-game manager’ of baseball now with Tony La Russa out of the Majors.
Atlanta (18-12) The reason I have Atlanta rated so high is they are not even having a good year from Tim Hudson yet and Jair Jurrjens has been atrocious. Still they sit near the top of the standings. Chipper Jones has 21 RBI and Freddie Freeman has taken the next step so far with 26 RBI. Last year the team had a lot of players with career worst years and they were only eliminated on the last day of the season. This year may be different.
St. Louis (18-11) You lose a franchise player like Albert Pujols and you spend half the money for Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal, who are finally hitting the numbers like the back of their bubble gum cards from 5 years ago. Are we giving enough credit to Mark McGwire here? Lance Lynn has morphed into Chris Carpenter with his 6-0 start.
LA Dodgers (19-10) Matt Kemp is the best player in baseball right now and may walk away with the triple crown this year. Andre Ethier has matured into the RBI guy he needs to be. Solid pitching by Clayton Kershaw, Chris Capuano and Ted Lilly have this team looking solid. Dodgers look good in the future when the new ownership takes over. (more…)
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and- @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)– For once the shoe is on the other foot. I asked the MLB Reports Founder and ‘Lead Columnist’ Jonathan Hacohen if I could interview him 5 months after he interviewed me. Jonathan and I came into talking by both talking to the MLB FanCave guys at the same time on twitter last June. Jonathan was really interested in My baseball book “The Fastest Thirty Ballgames” and I sent him a copy of it if he agreed to do a review. Jonathan finished the book and gave one of the most incredible reviews for my book that I have ever seen for any baseball book anywhere. Somewhere I had given up all of my creative writing energy in the process while writing this said book. Jonathan followed up with an interview later. During the World Series, he offered up a chance to do a guest article since I knew a lot about the ballparks in Texas and St. Louis. Now I am sure it was all part of his master plan: the one guest article turned into a once a week article, before I even realized it myself, I was writing 2 articles a week and craving more! I messaged Jonathan about a potential run at the record to see all 30 MLB Parks before anyone on this planet. The reason is the man loves baseball. He was just as fired up as I was! From there we have worked together as a team to provide a different kind of article series that has ever been seen by a baseball writer and website. I am happy to finally meet Jonathan today live in person for the Jays game during this record chase. Before we write about that, I had a chance to talk the man about baseball life, the MLB Reports and the Rogers Center. Here is what we discussed… Read the rest of this entry →
Josh Robbins (Guest Writer):As previously defined, the Factor12 Rating (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com.
In basic terms, F12 is a rating that utilizes all aspects of pitching. It produces a number on a scale of 0.000-infinity (theoretically), where the average pitcher’s value is 24.000.
For example: Justin Verlander opened the season at Comerica Park last week and dominated the Boston Red Sox hitters for eight innings. 8IP/ 2H/ 0R/ 1BB/ 7K or F12 Rating: 38.907
In last week’s games: 137 pitchers appeared in a MLB game while compiling 351.67 innings pitched. As a result, the average pitcher threw 2.57 IP in the opening week of 2012 (351.67/137).
Yet, what does the 38.907 really mean?
The IP and SO-BB categories do not use a fixed range (0.001-4.000).
So, it is possible to accumulate more than 4 points.
IP
SO-BB
4.117
3.884
FIP
WHIP
2.913
2.995
HR/9
BB/9
4.000
2.865
SO/9
MBOP
2.077
3.124
OBA
OOBA
2.991
2.912
OSLG
ERA
3.030
4.000
The ten ratio statistics do use a fixed range (0.001-4.000).
**The F12 Rating is simply the twelve stats added together.
**The F12 AVG is (F12 Rating minus 24.000).
F12 Rating
F12 > AVG
F12% > AVG
YEAR IP
Rank
38.907
14.907
.474
8.00
3
**F12 can be viewed as the percentage difference for each pitcher above or below actual MLB league average performance (F12%>AVG).
***Josh Robbins is a Video-Journalist and Baseball Historian living in Gilbert, Arizona. In 2010, he earned a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from CSU-Long Beach. From June 16 to July 11, 2008, he watched a game in all 30 MLB stadiums in a world record 26 days by car. Please email Josh at robbinsjosh@hotmail.com or visit 60ft6in.com for more information about the Factor12 Rating.***
Please e-mail us at: mlbreports@me.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. To subscribe to our website and have the Daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Kirk Gibson celebrates with teammates during a 1984 World Series Game 1 homer, they won the series 4-1 over the San Diego Padres.
Douglas ‘Chuck’ Booth (Baseball Writer @ChuckBooth3024 on Twitter) – My dad and I were not always Yankees fans. In the past blogs I had written that my favorite teams when I first started watching baseball were the Montreal Expos(because of Gary Carter) and my American League team was the Detroit Tigers (because of Lance Parrish). As a 7-year-old kid playing baseball, our team name was the Tigers. I remember that as I took my position behind home plate, the coach called me Lance Parrish. My dad was the assistant coach that year and would whip baseball’s at me to toughen me up. I asked him too, because I wanted to learn how to block them like #13. Read the rest of this entry →
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): Prince Fielder teams up with Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander, as the Detroit Tigers are the home of the Al Central’s three biggest fantasy stars. While the rest of the teams in the division are “rebuilding” (I don’t really know what the White Sox are doing), there are many promising youngsters and other players to target as value picks in the AL central on your draft day.
Jonathan Hacohen: On Thursday it became official. January 26, 2012 will forever be known as the day that Prince Fielder came home. We all know the story. Hitting home runs out of Tiger Stadium at the age of 12, Prince Fielder was a baseball legend from a very tender age. The former Brewers slugger hit the jackpot though, as the Tigers inked him to a 9-year, $214 million contract. At the age of 27, Prince already has 230 career home runs. Think about that one. Six full seasons in the big leagues. Close to forty home runs average per year. A man who has taken 100+ walks each of the last three years. Career .282 AVG. .390 OBP. .540 SLG. Plus he is still 27-years of age. The time in a player’s life when they are just entering their prime. If Prince has not hit his full stride yet…then watch out American League pitchers!
For a homecoming that seemed forever in doubt, the end result was a signing that felt right. Given the strained relationship between father and son, most suspected that Prince would not want to come to Detroit. The connections and comparisons to his dad would just be too much for him to handle. For a man who seemed to be very private and low-key, a Detroit signing seemed to contradict what he was seeking. But yesterday, Prince’s childhood dream did come true. Father and son according to reports are repairing their relationship. While it would have been nice to have seen Cecil at today’s press conference, it was not to be. Once Victor Martinez got injured, the Tigers came calling. Mike Ilitch, who knew Prince from when he was a young boy, wanted the young slugger in Detroit. After missing Prince by 1 selection in the 2002 draft, Ilitch was not going to let Prince escape again. The result was the cleanup hitter behind Miguel Cabrera that the team has dreamed of and the lifetime contract of security that Fielder and his agent, Scott Boras sought.
With a contract of this magnitude, there will always be debates, speculation and doubt. To help shed some light and clear up the confusion, I went ahead and prepared my top-ten list of reasons why the Prince Fielder Contract will work in Detroit.
I see this as a very smart signing by the Tigers and here are my reasons why:
1) Health and Durability: In six full seasons, Prince has missed a total of thirteen games. That’s it. For all the talk of weight, this is the modern-day Cal Ripken. Prince is a lot stronger and athletic than people give him credit for. Some consider a contract to be paid based on past experiences, while some believe it should be on future potential. In five years, Prince will only be 32. Based on his track history, it is expected that he should continue his iron-man type legacy for at least half of his contract…maybe more. Until proven otherwise, Prince is reliable and comes to the park to play everyday. There is value in durability, especially in a slugger of this magnitude.
2) The Power Bat: As shown earlier, the numbers are there. Averaging close to 40 home runs per year for his first six seasons. With more to come. Looking at his home/road splits over the years, he varied year to year. I am not sold that Prince was entirely dependant on Miller Park, as he hit well most years away from home. While Comerica is a less hitter friendly park, it surely will not hold Prince back much. Playing in front of the home town crowd, Prince should thrive in Detroit as well. Prince could very well hit 400+ home runs over the next 9-years. Time will tell. But from what he has shown so far, there is no slowing down. Heck, even Cecil hit 17 home runs in his last season at the age of 35. Clearly it can be done.
3) Age: Prince will be 28 in May 2012. For a power hitter of his stature, we should still see 5-6 prime years from him, with the potential to put up strong numbers right up until the end of the contract. While many stars still sign big contracts well into their 30’s, Prince is still in the prime of his life. Compared to Albert Pujols (even without the age uncertainty), Prince is a young slugger playing in his key years. Perfect for a team that plans to make a playoff runs for the next few years.
4) Consistency: Look at Prince’s numbers every year since he started to play full-time in the majors. The numbers speak for themselves, he has been as consistent as they come with no signs of slowing down.
5) Legacy: Many felt Prince would not sign with the Tigers, with the rationale that he wanted nothing to do with his father and to as separated from him as possible. My theory is that Prince actually craves the notion of going onto his father’s turf and breaking all of his records. To become the #1 Fielder in Tigers’ history. The Fielder name on the back of a Tigers jersey is legendary. To have Prince in Detroit now, he will be cementing his place in major league history. Success in Detroit will lead to endorsements beyond Prince’s wild imagination and a greater chance at the hall of fame. Not many people would have remembered Washington once Prince retired, had he played there. But after his career is done in Detroit, few will likely remember him as a Brewer. That is how powerful the Detroit and Fielder connection is.
6) Father and Son: If you haven’t done it already, check out the video at the top of this article to view the full press conference. Notice something interesting? Prince has his son with him the whole time. Remind you of anyone? That’s right. Prince and Cecil. The two were inseparable. I like this signing on a personal level for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it allows Prince to come home and play for the team and city that he spent much of his childhood with. Prince will be able to share the same experiences with his own son that he got to experience as a youngster. But mostly, I can only see this move as a strong indication of the progress and repair to the relationship between Prince and his own father. Considering that his dad raised him, taught him the game and made him into the player and man that he is today, in a perfect world it would have been a beautiful moment to see Prince and Cecil together at the Tigers’ press conference. While that may not have happened, I expect to see the day when the two will be hanging out together at Comerica Park. Three generations of Fielders in Detroit. The way it was meant to be.
7) Miguel Cabrera: Probably the only person happier about this signing besides Prince, Scott Boras and Cecil, would be Miguel Cabrera. While he did enjoy good protection in the lineup from Martinez last year and Ordonez in previous years, having Prince hit behind him will take Miggy to another level. Miggy’s walks have been jumping like mad in the last couple years, given that he has been the Tigers main offensive threat and fave choice of pitchers to pitch around. With Fielder in Detroit, Miggy has the potential to put up even greater numbers if that is possible. Look at what Prince did for Braun. With Miggy and Prince batting 3-4, teams will definitely have difficult choices to make.
8) V-Mart and Alex Avila: Avila, who will turn 25 tomorrow (happy birthday Alex!) had a season for the ages in 2011. The Tigers pitchers were on fire and loved how he called games. Blocked pitches. Threw out runners. Then there was the offense. .389 OBP. .506 SLG. 19 home runs. 82 RBIs. If he wasn’t the best catcher in baseball, he was at the very least top three. This was all done for the most part batting near the bottom of the Tigers lineup. Now imagine him batting 2nd next year. Batting in front of Miggy and Prince, Avila could have a .450 OBP or higher. Avila, like much of the Tigers hitters will greatly improve by having Prince in the lineup. Then come 2013, when V-Mart is in the lineup, the Tigers lineup will become nearly unstoppable. Miggy, Prince, Avila and V-Mart…all in the same lineup? I am practically drooling.
9) The Price is Right: Once upon a time, Vernon Wells signed a 7-year $126 million contract. Approximately $18 million per season. Jayson Werth with nearly the same deal. Pujols signed for 10 years $240 million. Pujols is also 32 (in Dominican years). Even if he is only 32, when Pujols turns 36 he will only be 5 years into his deal. At age 36, Prince will be done his. Werth will be 38 when his deal is done. Wells will be 36. The point is that there are many worse contracts out there. Compared to Wells and Werth, Prince is younger and far more consistent and productive. While Pujols is Pujols, you have to feel a bit edgy about his chances of completing his monster deal. Prince is a slugger and still has many more key years left. Considering what some of the other top contracts looked like, Prince money is not far off to what the elite are supposed to receive. At least in the case of Prince, compared to Werth and Wells, he had the track record to earn what he received. Relatively to the other “stars” I mean.
10) World Series: The Detroit Tigers of 2006 and 2011 really stick out in my mind. Two ballclubs that really needed an injection of runs to get over the hump. Especially last year’s edition. The squad had Verlander and Fister to start, with Valverde and the bullpen to keep the team close in games. But the team needed far more pop, other than Cabrera, Avila and V-Mart. Now with Prince, the team has the potential to challenge for baseball supremacy for the next 5+ years. Few players are difference makers. Prince is one of those players. Look at the Giants with Barry Bonds in the lineup. They always a had a chance. That is the biggest reason I saw the Giants being the team to grab Prince. I got the orange color right, but not the league. With such a high payroll and great band of stars and supporting players, the Tigers were seemingly one piece away from going to the World Series last year. Now hopefully, Prince is that missing piece to complete the Tigers playoff puzzle.
Without a doubt, some people have concerns about this signing. Most of the criticism falls around the dollars involved, length of contract, Prince’s weight and defensive questions. Let me answer those questions quickly. Firstly, the pay is the pay. The going rate for an elite superstar hitter is $20+ million per season. The number is still rising believe it or not. Remember, Prince will be only 28 this season. If he became a free agent in say 3 years, what would the market price be then? The dollars per year is market rate, whether we like it or not. As far as length of contract, by year 6- Prince will still be 33. Still very young in baseball terms. So the question for me is not the total length of contract, but the production the Tigers will receive in years 7-9. But even in the worst case and the Tigers get superstar numbers for approximately 6 years and decent numbers for the last 3, the contract will still make sense. If the Tigers win it all in any of those years, then nobody will even remember the contract. All they will remember is the ring and trophy.
As far as Prince’s weight and defense, I will say this. I have already shown in this article Prince’s durability. Not one issue was made of Prince’s weight in the press conference or by the team. Prince is a big man, no doubt. But he is a good athlete who is in much better shape than he is given credited for. As long as he is not missing games and his production is of an elite level, people should not be concerned. We are not trying to sell jeans people…we are trying to win ballgames. Lastly, I think Prince gets an unfair label from a defensive standpoint. While he may never win a gold glove and has the occasional lapse, for the most part he does the job. He works hard on the defensive aspect of his game. Moving Miggy to 3B or the OF is not a reflection on Miggy being an inferior 1B candidate. Rather, Miggy has experience at other positions and is still young enough to conquer them again. Prince did not sign this deal to be a DH. Yes, it will be an advantage to have him DH in back-to-back night/day games and for occasional breathers. But Prince is still young and capable. Like most young players, you don’t want them to strictly DH, since it takes them off the field and out of the game in many cases (see Adam Dunn). Prince will get the job done and having him at his natural position will make him most comfortable and likely productive. That is a good thing for the Tigers. At the end of the day, I have one last message for any last doubters left. Mike Ilitch just spent $214 million of his money, without hurting his ballclub. It’s his money and he can afford it. At the end of the day, this is not my money or yours. It’s the Tigers cash. If they want to spend it on Prince, all the power to them. This article addresses why the signing will work and makes sense. But ultimately, the Tigers wanted Prince from the time he was 12 and now he is home. Welcome back to Detroit Prince. Enjoy him Tigers fans…you are getting a bona fide superstar coming to your town.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
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Jonathan Hacohen: Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@gmail.com, message us on Twitter and post on our Facebook Wall!
Let’s get to your top questions of the week:
Q: Pirates chances in the semi-weakened NL Central this year? John
MLB reports: Great question John. Many Pirates fans are very hopeful this year. But in the opening may not be as clear as some would think. Houston we have to figure is in rebuilding mode and heading to the AL West in 2013. That leaves the Cardinals, Reds, Brewers and Cubs as the main competitors. The Cubs are going to be better, but still have ways away. New management needs time to rebuild the farm and create a lineup in the image that they foresee. That leaves the Reds, Cardinals and Brewers. Even assuming that Prince Fielder is gone and Ryan Braun is lost to suspension, the Brewers are incredibly strong. Gallardo and Greinke to head up the rotation, Axford and Rodriguez at the back of the pen. The Brewers are unlikely to make the playoffs, but will still be in the race. Same goes with the Cardinals, sans Pujols and La Russa. They still have an offense led by Holliday, Berkman and Beltran, with one of the best rotations heads in Carpenter and Wainwright. They will be finding their way this year, but the Cardinals are still the defending champs. Lastly, the Reds will be the team to beat. Latos will now be their ace and Ryan Madson the closer. In between, this team is fairly stacked and can hurt you in so many ways, led by Votto and Phillips. The best that I can see the Pirates finish is 3rd…and that is a long-shot. To me, I see 4th place as being the likely scenario with anything higher being gravy. As far as anything higher? Wait 2 years or so until their farm starts harvesting some really key prospects to the majors.
Q: Question on ’13 HoF vote. Do most of the voters believe Barry Bonds was a HoF’er before using (clear/cream) possible PEDs? Old Man Mack
MLB reports: There is no doubt in most “experts” minds that Barry Bonds was going to Cooperstown before the whole performance enhancing drugs issue arose. Before bulking up in San Francisco and reinventing himself as the home run champion, Barry Bonds was one of the best players in the game. He could do it all and was one of the best 5-tool players the game ever saw. But the reality is that most voters will not look or think in that manner. All they will remember is Balco and the question marks that surround Bonds. Looking at the McGwire and Juan Gonzalez vote totals, I am seeing writers that are not prepared to vote in certified or even heavily suspected PED users. The vote on Bonds, like Roger Clemens, will be very interesting. Without clear criteria and guidelines, voters won’t know which way to go. Some will vote Bonds in, by consideration that he was a worthy candidate even before the Balco mess. Others will consider that he did use PEDs and as a result, should not go to Cooperstown. If Bonds gets 50% of the vote based on what I’m hearing, I will consider that a high total. The 2013 Hall of Fame ballot will be one of the most difficult ones in history. We all look forward to seeing what will transpire.
Q: Are the Red Sox in a rebuilding year or waiting on a certain sign from the Baseball Gods to replenish the rotation and the B-pen? Nick
MLB reports: LOL. The Red Sox are never rebuilding. They may have a new manager and GM, but they are still the Red Sox. Adrian Gonzalez. Jacoby Ellsbury. Dustin Pedroia. Josh Beckett. Kevin Youkilis. This team still has the horses to make a run for a playoff berth. Yes, they just traded away Marco Scutaro, in a rumored attempt to make a run at Roy Oswalt. So no, the Red Sox are not waiting for any signs. They are just staying in a budget and putting the best team that they can put together within their means. Their bullpen is still loaded to the max. Andrew Bailey, Mark Melancon and Daniel Bard (if he doesn’t win a rotation spot). These Red Sox are maybe one starting pitcher away. Some tweaking may still be ahead…but rebuilding, no no no. Far from it.
Q: Do you think Tigers Pitcher Justin Verlander Deserved to win the AL MVP Award last Season? Pitchers don’t win MVP Awards often! Marty
MLB reports: Another great question Marty. You always ask the right questions! Let’s take it another way: if I had a vote, would I have given Justin Verlander the MVP award. Absolutely- yes. I have heard all the arguments why pitchers should not win the MVP award. They have their own award- it’s called the CY Young award. They don’t play everyday and thus are not as valuable as top hitters. It goes on and on. I get it. In 2011, the fact remains that Verlander was the most valuable player on his team. Look at the stats- they are mind boggling. 24 wins in 34 starts. 2.40 ERA. 251 innings pitched. 250 strikeouts and only 57 walks allowed. A 0.920 WHIP. The man won the pitching triple crown and dominated hitters consistently all year long. If you take Verlander off the team, they do not make the playoffs. There were many great players in the American League last year. Jose Bautista. Adrian Gonzalez. Jacoby Ellsbury. Curtis Granderson. But until they make a hitters-only award, the Most Valuable Player award means any player. That player was Justin Verlander in 2011 and yes, he definitely deserved his award.
Final Question: I hope the A’s make Playoffs this year! That would be Something special! Eric
MLB reports: Eric. Eric. Eric. I love your passion and commitment to your team. But I am sorry to be the one to tell you this- ain’t happening. The A’s are in yet another rebuilding mode. The team was destined for 3rd or 4th place before trading Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey. Not to mention the losses of Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui. The return of Coco Crisp just won’t cut it. While the Mariners should be an improved squad, the A’s have a ton of young talent that will come together in 3-4 years. I’m sure all A’s fans would love a pennant. For now, they will need to settle for last place and a chance at a high draft pick. Until the stadium issue is resolved and the team can figure out a permanent and financially viable stadium option, winning Oakland baseball will continue to be a rarity for the foreseeable future.
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Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen) Follow @mlbreports
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): Although WAR (Wins Above Replacement) is not the best of the sabermetric stats for fantasy baseball purposes, it has certainly transformed the way in which we can truly understand a given major league baseball player’s contribution (or lack there of) to his team. WAR attempts to epitomize a player’s total value in one sole statistic, taking into account both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game. FanGraphs (the sabermetrics bible) aptly describes the essence of WAR: “If this player got injured and their team had to replace them with a minor leaguer or someone from their bench, how much value would the team be losing.” A player is measured in “Wins” for a season (i.e. 3.4), while an average full-time player is worth 2 wins and a replacement player represents 0 wins. Furthermore an average staring pitcher is worth 2.0 WAR, while 1.0 WAR represents a strong season for a relief pitcher.
The statistic actually defines a player’s value, something that MVP (Most Valuable Players) voters should perhaps consider come each October. For batters, the stat itself is calculated by taking into account two stats: wRAA (Weighted Runs Above Average) and UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating), which represent a batter’s offensive and defensive values, respectively. Pitching WAR replaces these two sabermetric stats with FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), a stat that normalizes ERA for the “uncontrollable,” in conjunction with numbers of innings pitched. The Uncontrollable refers to what happens after the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, because obviously pitchers have almost no control over the balls that are in play. They are ultimately at the mercy of their defense.
Fangraphs site the formula for FIP as the following:
If you are unfamiliar with Sabermetrics and WAR, this should feel like a mix between learning a foreign language and a calculus problem. However, don’t let this intimidate you. Spend some time on FanGraphs (It’s okay take it slowly) and it will change the way in which you think about the game of baseball. Please note that Baseball Reference has a slightly different formula/method to calculate WAR.
The beauty of WAR, however, is that it not only takes in account a player’s defensive skills (using UZR), but also the difficulty of the position. Therefore, someone like Dustin Pedroia at second base is significantly more valuable than a slugging Prince Fielder, at the first base position where power and production is demanded. Perhaps that is why Fielder is still fielding offers and has not landed a contract within his desired range. Not too shabby of statistic for a General Manager, huh? My hope is that this analysis paints the complexity of WAR and the many factors used to determine the number of wins that a player is ultimately worth to his team.
Let it be clear that by no means is WAR perfect. From a rather cynical standpoint, the very philosophy of WAR, which is calculated with so many components, professes that you cannot use one sole determinant to measure a player’s value. Furthermore, the positional adjustment numbers are the most arbitrary difficult to calculate. Can we really determine that a Center Fielder, due to difficulty to play the position itself, is worth 1.5 more wins than a first baseman? It is also difficult to determine the UZR for a first baseman, a position in which success is defined less by range and more by the ability to field throws. Paul Konerko certainly does not have great range, but he is universally regarded as one of the league’s top defensive first baseman, most likely saving Alexei Ramirez a handful of errors each season. Likewise, you cannot measure range for catchers, which use the fielding component of Stolen Base Runs Saved (rSB). We also know that much of catcher’s true value is related to his ability to call a smart game (which cannot be measured by any given statistic).
However, from a fantasy perspective, we do not care about defense, and therefore wRAA is a more accurate indicator of offensive output. FIP can be used as well. For example, if a pitcher’s FIP indicates that his defense is frequently letting him down, and said pitcher joins a top rated defensive team; you have acquired knowledge about a player’s ability not represented by the generic stats out there. This is how you will earn surplus value and land the “surprises”, the “bounce-back” players, and avoid the “busts”.
I admit, when I first familiarized myself with FanGraphs, I felt like I was cheating in my fantasy baseball leagues. However, after joining more competitive leagues and with sabermetrics entering the mainstream, I have learned that this only provides a slight advantage. Just as it holds true for every other aspect of life, it is impossible to predict the future in the world of baseball. However, in a game of numbers- only the slightest advantage is needed to set your team apart from the competition.
WAR is a one of a kind stat. It helps us more thoroughly examine a player’s worth, especially when compared to their salary. Ultimately, the stat serves as a good building block to work back from to understand the intricacies and essence of sabermetrics.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Fantasy Baseball Analyst, Peter Stein. 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 Peter on Twitter (@peterWstein).***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan onFacebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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