Blog Archives
It Is Time For Manny Machado To Be In The Same Discussion As Harper And Trout
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday June 1, 2013

Machado is putting on a show during his first glimpse of the majors. He hit .262 in his short time in the pros last year and is currently hitting .336 this year. At only 20 years old he is playing like he’s been in the league for years, and at a position he had no experience at before last August.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
Since 2009 the next big star was expected to be Bryce Harper. The kid hit a 570 foot Home Run at the age of 15. One year later, at 16, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He graduated high school after his sophomore season and spent a year in college just to be eligible for the 2010 MLB Draft, and then went #1 overall at the age of 17.
Harper made his MLB debut on April 28, the same day that Mike Trout was called up to the majors. Quickly, Trout became the most popular young star in the MLB. While Harper was rocking gold cleats at the All-Star Game, Trout was making a bid for the Gold Glove.
As everyone became excited for their encore season, they overlooked one growing star. Not just the fans, the reporters, analysts, no one paid much attention to the Baltimore Orioles Third Basemen, Manny Machado.
Manny Machado 2012 Rookie Highlights
The Sad State Of The Orioles DH Position
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday May 18, 2013

The Orioles have been using Nolan Reimold as their primary Designated Hitter this year to no avail. he is only hitting .188 with 4 HRs and 9 RBI – not exactly what you look for in a DH. The DH is the one position created specifically to score runs so he should at least be getting on base, yet he only has a .257 OBP. In two instances he batted 9th, far from normal for a DH. He is getting plenty of time to figure it out as he has not played since May 11- and was just placed on the Disabled List.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer and O’s Correspondent) Follow @mlbreports
After coming off their best season in a long time the Orioles are out to set it was not a fluke. They finished 2012 93 – 69, their first non-losing season since 1997.
They went on to qualify for the inaugural Wild Card game where they beat the Texas Ranger 5-1, only to lose to the Yankees in the ALDS 3 games to 2.
So when 2013 came around the Orioles just wanted to prove one thing: they are legitimate playoff contenders and plan to be for a long time.
Baltimore Orioles 2013- Mature Lyrics Parental Guidance is Advised:
Bundy Injury Might Turn Out Okay After A PRP Injection: The O’s May Callup Gausman Instead
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday May 4, 2013

After being picked 4th overall in the 2011 draft, Bundy made his big league debut just over a year later. Even though most people thought it was too soon to call up the 19 year old RHP, he didn’t disappoint in his 2 Appearances. He only tossed 1.2 Innings, but did not allow any runs – and only 1 hit and one walk.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
In 2011 the Baltimore Orioles were lucky enough to have the 4th overall pick in the First Year Player Draft after finishing 66-96 in 2010. When their pick came three pitchers were off the board.
Gerrit Cole went to Pittsburgh, Danny Hultzen went to Seattle, and Trevor Bauer went to Arizona in that order. So, why not continue that trend of picking pitchers?
With the 4th pick in the 2011 draft the Orioles took the RHP Dylan Bundy from Owasso High School in Oklahoma.
Bundy had an impressive 4 years at Owasso High School. In his senior season alone he threw 71 Innings, went 11-1 – while tossing 158 Ks, only 5 Walks and posting a 0.30 ERA.
He won the Gatorade State Player of the Year 3 times and in his senior season became the first baseball player to win the Gatorade Athlete of the Year.
Dylan Bundy- 2010-11 Gatorade Player of the Year
Boston Strong
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Monday, April.22/2013

While many people weren’t giving the Red Sox a chance in the AL East this season, the Red Sox were just taking a 2 game lead in the stacked division. I have a feeling this is a team you should never count out.
By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Writer and Red Sox Correspondent): Follow @ryandana1 with an assist to Kyle Holland (Boston native) Follow @thekholland13
As I’m sure you can imagine, writing this weeks Red Sox article was a little difficult. Figuring out what to say after a tragedy like what Boston has experienced over the past week is no easy task. I’ll just roll with the theme of the City and the Team over the past week. Boston Strong.
The Red Sox have stuck by their city and the rest of baseball has been great amidst this week’s events. The Red Sox are giving a hurting community something to root for.
Outside of the Red Sox organization other teams have also showed their support for the City of Boston after the tragic events at the Boston Marathon.
Just one example would be the Red Sox’ biggest rivals, the New York Yankees, playing Red Sox favorite “Sweet Caroline.” It doesn’t stop there though.
Other teams including the Chicago White Sox, the Cincinnati Reds,the Oakland A’s, and the San Francisco Giants also played “Sweet Caroline.” A little stranger, but just as meaningful, the Milwaukee Brewers played the theme song from the Boston based show “Cheers.”
And perhaps the greatest gesture of them all, after the Red Sox beat the Indians 7-2 on Tuesday evening the staff at Progressive Field played “Dirty Water,” the song played at every Red Sox win at Fenway Park. That’s not all Boston fans are cheering about: Winning keeps Red Sox Nation cheering night after night.
The team has been off to a strong start this season leading the AL East with a record of 12-4 after play on 4/20 thanks to another masterful performance by Clay Buchholz and a clutch Home run by Daniel Nava. They’re currently riding a 7 game winning streak.
Neil Diamond shows up unannounced to sing “Sweet Caroline” to Boston fans:
Joe Mauer Off To A Hot Start In 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsSunday April 21, 2013

Joe Mauer is easily the face of the Twins – and possibly the entire city of Minnesota. He has a plethora of awards under his belt, including an MVP, and 5 All-Star Game appearances. The Twins feel secure positioning him behind the plate or at First Base. He is also used as the Designated Hitter often. He is one of the more consistent players in the league and has led the Twins to 4 Postseason Appearances.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
There is no arguing that Joe Mauer is the face of the Minnesota Twins. The only other possible option would be the first basemen Justin Morneau. The only problem with him is the fact he has suffered his fair share of injuries the past few years. So really, Joe Mauer is hands down the face of the Twins organization.
Only three times in Joe Mauer’s 9 year career has he hit below .300. He hit .294 in 2005, .293 in 2007, and .287 in his injury shortened 2011 campaign. Those 3 years, 2005, 2007, and 2011 just happen to be the only years he has not appeared in the MLB All-Star Game.
The man from Minneapolis has also got a very good looking resume under his belt. This includes 4 Silver Slugger Awards, 3 Gold Glove Awards as the backstop, 5 All-Star Game appearances, and 1 AL MVP Award. Pretty impressive for a catcher who is only 30 years old.
Joe Mauer 2012 Highlights:
How The Weather Plays A Factor At Target Field
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday April 3, 2013

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
Marco Scutaro: From Underrated To Post Season Hero – To Multi Year Re – UP!
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday March 8, 2013

If it wasn’t for the Scutaro-Culberson trade in July, the Giants may not have played as well as they did. He hit .362 as a Giant and only swung-and-missed 59 times throughout the entire season. Trading a top prospect for the 36 year-old may have seemed crazy at first, but it without-a-doubt paid off in the end. As one of the best contact hitters in the MLB, he has a Career 3 Slash of .276/.340/731. Last year his 3 Slash Line with the Giants was .362/.385/.859 in 61 Games. The guy also hits well at AT & T for his Career (.322/.377/.827) – a park known to be extremely tough on Right Handed Batters.
By Kyle Holland (Giants Correspondent): Follow @TheKHolland13
2012 was certainly a season to remember for the NLCS MVP Marco Scutaro. After spending 8 years in the American League with the Oakland A’s, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Boston Red Sox, Scutaro made his return to the National League appearing in a Colorado Rockies uniform. Halfway through the season they shipped him out to San Francisco in return for Second Base prospect Charlie Culberson. This turned out to be probably the Giants most important move of the season.
When Scutaro made his return to the Bay Area he was only hitting .271, about average for the league. Colorado thought it would be a good idea to trade the 36 year-old for a top prospect and plan for the future. The Rockies weren’t the only team to benefit from gathering a solid prospect for a 36 year-old average ball player.
Marco Scutaro 2012 NLCS Highlights:
Justin Morneau And Joe Mauer In 2013: Is Team MNM In Its Last Year?
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday February 28, 2013

Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer are the heart of the Minnesota Twins. Between the two they have two MVPs, nine All-Star Game appearances, and six Silver Slugger Awards. It has shown in the past that with these either of these two out of the lineup that the Twins are in for a rough season.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
In the last 2 years, the Minnesota Twins have not lived up to what they did prior to 2011. Back in 2008, the Twins finished 88-74. They ended up losing a one game playoff to the Chicago White Sox – to just narrowly miss the playoffs and round out the summer at 88-75. Just one year later the Twins would again find themselves in a one game tiebreaker against the Detroit Tigers.
This time it was their turn to advance to October play – as they defeated the Tigers 6-5, to finish the regular season with a 87-76 record in 2009. Lady luck would not be on their side in the Postseason, being swept by the New York Yankees 3 games to none. In 2010, with a brand new stadium in Target Field, the Twins finished a brilliant season. They went 94-68 – to clinch their sixth playoff appearance in 10 years. The Yankees swept them again in the ALDS.
In 2011, the Twins fans and management expected big things for the team, especially out of First Basemen Justin Morneau and the MLB 11: The Show cover boy, Joe Mauer. All was not well in The Land of 10,000 Lakes. The Twins would not live up to expectations. The squad would wind up going from first-to-worst – finishing in last place in the AL Central, with a 63-99 record. So there was no way they would throw out back to back horrid seasons right? Wrong.. The Twins only improved on their record by 3 games. Now what exactly started this stroke of bad luck? That’s right, injuries to their two All-Stars. Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.
Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau Tribute:
Brian Wilson’s Legacy In San Francisco
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Friday January 25, 2013

Brian Wilson suffered a season ending injury in April of 2012. He could only scrape together 1 save in 2 opportunities. The Giants wound up winning the World Series even without their star closer.
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
Brian Wilson has been a member of the San Francisco Giants since the summer of 2006. He started off as a reliever, beardless might I add, and gradually made his way up to the closer he is today. Back then he wasn’t the big name player that he is now. Back when they still had the likes of Barry Bonds on the team. Only recently has he made his way to one of the best closers in the league, and one of the craziest.
2010 is when he really made his way onto the scene. Sure, he was an All-Star in 2008 but quite frankly; the Giants weren’t nearly good enough for him to be noticed. San Francisco finished fourth in the NL West with a 72-90 record, a little surprising considering Tim Lincecum won the Cy Young Award. Out of those 72 wins, Wilson saved 41 and got the win in 3 of them.
Best Brian Wilson Interview Of ALL-Time:
What Happened To The Once Competitive Twins? Can They Turn It Around?
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Thursday January 17, 2013

After very disappointing seasons in 2011 (63-99) and 2012 (66-96), the Twins look to rebound in 2013. The Twins were a model franchise from 2002-2010. They won the AL Central Division in 6 out of the 9 years – and one of the years they didn’t win the Division included a 1 Game playoff loss to the White Sox in 2008. Will 2013 be a return to competitiveness or end up as another rebuilding year?
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
In 2010 the Minnesota Twins seemed like they would be having themselves a good club in upcoming years. To start off the exciting season they opened up a brand new stadium. Target Field has quickly become one of the most beautiful stadiums in all of baseball. The team ended up with a 94-68 record, quite impressive considering Justin Morneau was knocked out for the remainder of 2010 with a concussion on July 7. They reached the playoffs coming in first in the AL Central proving they didn’t need Morneau to be a successful franchise. They got swept by the Yankees in the ALDS for the second straight year. Even though they were swept, nobody was ignoring the regular season record. It seemed as if they had years to look forward too.
So now comes the 2011 season. Fans had big hopes for their Twins the summer of 2012. No injuries coming into opening day and they had made some moves in the offseason. They signed Japanese shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka to fill a whole in the middle infield. Carl Pavano and Jim Thome were also resigned by Minnesota. 2011 looked like it would be a year like 2010 for the Twins.
Awesome Stop Motion Video from a Twins Fan at Target Field
Giants Player Profile: The Return Of Andres Torres in 2013
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Wednesday January 9, 2013

Torres (right) did not enjoy his time as a Met hitting only .230 with a .327 OBP in 132 games. He was done in New York after just one year as they decided not to tender him by the November 30 Deadline – making him a Free Agent.
Kyle Holland (Giants Correspondent): Follow @TheKHolland13
The Giants’ offseason thus far hasn’t been very exciting from most fans point-of-views. They haven’t made any blockbuster moves. Actually they haven’t made any new moves at all. They resigned the second half hero, Marco Scutaro. They resigned Centerfielder Angel Pagan. They also resigned one of their star pitchers in the bullpen Jeremy Affeldt. The 2013 is going to shape up to be essentially the same exact team as the 2012 World Champions. One new addition to the team? He’s a familiar face actually and was on the 2010 World Series Champions team.
On December 13, 2012, the Giants resigned Outfielder Andres Torres. Torres was a key contributor in the 2010 World Series run with a .268 BA and a .343 OBP. He hit (.350 in the NLCS) and .318 in the 2010 World Series,. He was very reliable in the outfield, playing all 3 positions as he had a very impressive .997 Fld% throughout the 2010 campaign.
Andres Torres Triple Against Jon Garland (Padres) 2010:
After a disappointing 2011 season in San Francisco, the Giants shipped him off to the New York Mets in exchange for Angel Pagan. The deal clearly worked in the Giants favor as Pagan was giant in the World Series run. As he was tearing it up in San Francisco, Torres struggled big time. He hit .230 with a .327 OBP in 132 games. He had a very sub-par season this summer as a part of the Mets.
When the Mets decided not to offer Torres a contract on November 30 – he had plenty of options. Although more than enough teams were showing interest, he displayed his intent to sign with the Giants from day 1.
“No disrespect to [the other teams], but I told my agents that I wanted to play for the Giants. My heart was there. The Giants were the team that gave me an opportunity.”
Torres reportedly signed for the “low” salary of 1 Year/ 2 Million Dollars. He likely got higher offers from other contending teams but San Francisco is where he wanted to participate in 2013.
The playing time is going to be very limited in San Francisco for Torres. The Giants have a set outfield. Blanco in Left Field, Pagan in Center Field, and Pence in Right Field. Torres is likely going to be playing when one of those guys needs an off day. He may also be in the lineup against Left-Handed Pitchers as the Giants have been looking for a Right-Handed Batter, or switch hitter, to replace Blanco.
Torres was a great signing for the Giants because of a few reasons. First, the Giants needed that player to replace Blanco in the lineup. Second, the Giants weren’t looking to spend a large sum of money this offseason. 2 Million Dollars is not a huge amount of money. It’s perfect because Torres knew that he was not going to be making the big bills next year. His disappointing season as a Met basically told him he wasn’t worth a lot of money. Plus he was willing to take any amount of money from the Giants just in order to be a part of the club.
Back through 2009-2011, Torres made himself a fan-favorite among the San Francisco faithful. Instead of signing Shane Victorino for a huge amount of money, they ultimately chose Torres. Fans hate Shane Victorino. For one he’s a dirty player in general. Giants specific fans mostly hate him because of that brawl that happened on August 5, 2011. I went to the game the next day on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I’ve never heard louder boos. I’ve been to Red Sox vs Yankees games and the Sox game against the Rays after Luke Scott made those comments about Fenway Park. Those boos to Victorino were by far the loudest. Giants fans hate this man. There is no doubt they would take a lousy fan favorite over a hated, overrated, and dirty player.
With Torres knowing he wasn’t going to be a starter in 2013 – he just wanted to go where he knows he will have fun playing. There’s not a prayer he starts the majority of the games next year unless injury occurs. He is just happy to have another opportunity to bring home another ring while playing in San Francisco.

Andres Torres (right) strongly expressed his interest in coming back to San Francisco in 2013. He was big in their World Series Championship in 2010 hitting .350 in the NLCS and .318 in the World Series.
(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)
Welcome to our newest Baseball Intern: Kyle Holland:
Kyle is a life long baseball fan outside of Boston. He is a sophomore in high school has played baseball since he was 5. Although growing up in one of the best baseball towns in the major leagues, he has been a Giants fan since 2009. He credits his aunt with the Giants being his favorite team as she lives in San Francisco. Some of his favorite players include Buster Posey, Stephen Drew, Trevor Bauer, Stephen Strasburg, and Minor leaguer Danny Hultzen. You can find Kyle on Twitter Follow @TheKHolland13.
Please e-mail us at: mlbeports@gmail.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.
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Chase Headley: Flash In The Pan Or Bonafide ALL-Star?
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Friday December 28, 2012

Headley caaptured a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger in 2012. He ended up finishing 5th in NL MVP voting. He hit .286 with 31 HRs and an NL leading 115 RBI. More impressive were his post ALL-Star numbers -in which he hit .308 with 23 HRs and 73 RBI in just 75 games, carrying a .978 OPS for that time frame. The man also scored 56 Runs in the 2nd half.
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
What exactly is needed to be able to call yourself a “superstar?” All-Star Game Appearances? Multiple MVPs? How about all this and being a fan favorite. You need to have you superstar moments throughout the years. A World Series ring looks real good on a superstar’s finger. Having your name in the history books and then maybe being an eventual Hall of Famer. This is what defines a superstar years after they are retired.
What does one breakout season make you? Certainly not a superstar. Not right away at least. Star’s need to prove themselves in more ways than just one breakout season.
This is the question with San Diego Padres Third Baseman, Chase Headley.
Mets Ownership: The Wilpons Have To Start Spending To Compete!
Monday November 26, 2012
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern):
It’s no secret that the New York Mets are in a tough division to compete with. They are way behind the payroll of the Phillies and look up to the Nationals and Braves talent wise. So where exactly did the Wilpon’s, majority owners of the Mets, go wrong in building a talented team?
First, lets look at the payroll situation. In 2012, the Phillies ranked number 2 in payroll with approximately $173,459,000. The Mets were ranked at number 14 with their payroll at approximately $93,357,000. How can the Mets compete in a division where the top payroll in the division is about $80,000,000 more? They can’t, that’s why they have finished in the bottom 2 of the division every year since 2009. Read the rest of this entry
It Is Time For The Mets To Cash In On R.A. Dickey By Trading Him
Friday November 23rd, 2012
Kyle Holland: R.A. Dickey had a career year and without a doubt the best year of his career in 2012. He went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and capped off his amazing season with a CY Young Award, a first for a primarily knuckleball pitcher. But with his age, and his current value, should the New York Mets try shopping Dickey?
Dickey is coming off the best season he may ever have so look at his value. The Mets could really cash in on this. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want a CY Young winner pitching on their team?
Dickey doesn’t have many years left as he just turned 38 in late October. The Mets are going to need at least 3 years to become real contenders again so Dickey is going to do them no good. Having Dickey on their team would be a waste as they can definitely trade him for some prospects that they can rebuild around. Read the rest of this entry
Hiroki Kuroda: Is A Return To LA In His Future?
Monday November 19, 2012
Kyle Holland: The 2012 season should have been a great season for the Dodgers. They had Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw on the opening day roster. In mid July they traded for Hanley Ramirez and at the trade deadline added Shane Victorino to the squad. If that team wasn’t elite enough, they traded for Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, and Carl Crawford in August. Even with all these additions, they were unable to qualify for the playoffs and they started to look forward to 2013 real early.
Now in 2012-13 offseason they are reportedly trying to sign Hiroki Kuroda, a pitcher who has played a good chunk of his career with the Dodgers.
Kuroda played with the club from 2008-2011m when he left Japan, until this past season when he signed with the Yankees. He finished the 2012 campaign in New York with a 16-11 record and a 3.32 ERA. He started in just one less game than in 2011m when he finished with a 13-16 record but with a 3.07 ERA. Depending on which way you look at stats, either season could have been better. If you look at the sabermetric way, 2011 was better with the lower ERA. If you look at the old way, 2012 was better with more wins. Read the rest of this entry











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