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Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each MLB Franchise (Updated For Wil Myers, April 10, 2017)

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Getty Images

The First Cycle of the Year!

Going into 2015, the Padres had never had a no hitter nor a cycle hit. Now they are still waiting for that elusive no hitter, but they can chalk up multiple cycles now.

Wil Myers lined one into left center field and legged it out for a triple, completing the cycle and leading the Padres to a 5-3 victory against the Rockies.

Back in 2015, Matt Kemp legged out HIS cycle with a triple in Coors.

Innnnnnteresting. The Padres are STILL waiting for their first cycle that wasn’t hit in Colorado!

Go figure.

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

THE MOST CYCLE HIT
FOR EACH FRANCHISE

San_Diego_Padres_logo.svg
SAN DIEGO PADRES
April 10, 2017 vs. Colorado
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PITTSBURGH PIRATES
John Jaso
September 28, 2016 vs. Chicago Cubs

Indians_Logo
CLEVELAND INDIANS
Rajai Davis
July 2, 2016 vs. Toronto
atlanta-braves-logo
ATLANTA BRAVES
June 15, 2016 vs. Cincinnati
rangers
TEXAS RANGERS
Adrian Beltre
August 3, 2015 vs. Colorado
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BOSTON RED SOX
June 16, 2015 vs. Atlanta
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COLORADO ROCKIES
Michael Cuddyer
August 17,2014 vs. Cincinnati
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HOUSTON ASTROS
Brandon Barnes
July 19, 2013 vs. Seattle
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LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Mike Trout
May 21, 2013 vs. Seattle
downloadARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Aaron Hill
June 29, 2012 vs. Milwaukee
NEW YORK METS
April 27, 2012 vs. Colorado
San_francisco_giants_alternate_logo
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
September 15, 2011 vs. Colorado
brewers
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
George Kottaras
September 3, 2011 vs. Houston
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TAMPA PAY RAYS
B. J. Upton
October 2, 2009 vs. New York Yankees

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BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Felix Pie
August 14, 2009 vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

300px-NewYorkYankees_PrimaryLogo.svg

NEW YORK YANKEES
Melky Cabrera.
August 2, 2009 vs Chicago White Sox

Minnesota-Twins-Logo
MINNESOTA TWINS
Michael Cuddyer
May 22, 2009 vs Milwaukee

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS
April 13, 2009 vs San Francisco
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SEATTLE MARINERS
Adrian Beltre.
September 1, 2009 vs. Texas
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Washington Nationals
August 28, 2008 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
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OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Mark Ellis
June 4, 2007 vs. Boston
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DETROIT TIGERS
Carlos Guillen
August 1, 2006 vs Tampa Bay.
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ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Mark Grudzielanek
April 27, 2005 vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Phillies
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
David Bell
June 28, 2004 vs. Montreal
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TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Jeff Frye
August 17, 2001 vs. Texas
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CHICAGO WHITE SOX
April 27, 2000 vs. Baltimore
chicago-cubs-logo

CHICAGO CUBS
Mark Grace
May 9, 1993 vs San Diego

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KANSAS CITY ROYALS
George Brett
June 24, 1990 vs. Toronto

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CINCINNATI REDS
June 2, 1989 vs. San Diego Padres

BONUS –

Last Cycles Hit For Teams in Old Locations

MONTREAL EXPOS
Vladimir Guerrero
September 14, 2003 vs. New York Mets

WashingtonSenators6171

WASHINGTON SENATORS
Jim King
May 26, 1964 vs. Boston

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NEW YORK GIANTS
Don Mueller
July 11, 1954 vs. Pittsburgh

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PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS
Elmer Valo
August 2, 1950 vs. Chicago White Sox

BROOKLYN
BROOKLYN DODGERS
Gil Hodges
June 25, 1949 vs. Pittsburgh

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ST. LOUIS BROWNS
George McQuinn
July 19, 1941 vs. Boston Red Sox

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BOSTON DOVES
Bill Collins
October 6, 1910 vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Still waiting for the first ever Marlins cycle.

The Most Recent Cycle Hit For All Teams (Updated for Freddie Freeman, 6-15-2016)

FreddieFreemanCapture

KEVIN C. COX/GETTY IMAGES

The First Cycle of the Year!

And true to 2016 Atlanta Braves style, the team almost lost the damn game. It took extra innings, but Freddie Freeman made the list. This might be the highlight of Atlanta’s season!

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

Mark Ellis And Mark Kotsay Together Again At A’s camp

Ellis, still a fan favorite to this day, came up with the team as a rookie in 2002 and was a big part of the Athletics 2002 20-game win streak, which set an AL record. He was the A’s second baseman from 2002 until 2011 when he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. During his tenure with Oakland, Ellis hit .266/.331/.337. He was most impressive on defense however and he has been brought in to work with the middle infielders.

Ellis, still a fan favorite to this day, came up with the team as a rookie in 2002 and was a big part of the Athletics 2002 20-game win streak, which set an AL record. He was the A’s second baseman from 2002 until 2011 when he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. During his tenure with Oakland, Ellis hit .266/.331/.337. He was most impressive on defense however and he has been brought in to work with the middle infielders. Photo courtesy of GETTY IMAGES

Jen Rainwater (Featured Baseball Writer/Owner – www.bbstmlb.com) 

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This is exciting news! My favorite Marks are back together again, for spring training at least, and that is good enough for me because it means I will likely be able to catch a glimpse or two or more of both Mark Kotsay the A’s new bench coach and Mark Ellis who will be a guest instructor for the team during the spring.

Ellis and Kotsay’s careers with the Athletics overlapped from 2004 (although Ellis was injured for the entire season) to 2007.

They were part of the team that defeated the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series in 2006, taking the A’s to the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers.

They lost of course as almost everyone knows the A’s can’t seem to get past the Tigers in the postseason. Yet that 2006 team broke the curse of the first round and took the A’s farther than they had been in the postseason since 1992.

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The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Matt Kemp, August 14, 2015 )

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP

THE FIRST PADRE CYCLE!!!

 

No Padre has ever thrown a no hitter. No Padres team has ever won the World Series. No Padre had ever hit for the cycle… until now.

Matt Kemp hit a fly ball that ricocheted off the right center field wall in Coors Field. By the time he stood at third base, the cycle was achieved.

This has been a rough year for the Padres and for Kemp, but this hit must have felt sweet.

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Adrian Beltre, August 3, 2015 )

SportsGrid.com

SportsGrid.com

Adrian Beltre with the Tri Cycle.

The Rangers third baseman, who is quietly assembling a Hall of Fame resume, joined Bob Meusel, Babe Herman and Long John Reilly in the exclusive “Three Cycles in a Career” club.

OK, it isn’t quite Bonds, Aaron, Ruth, Mays… but it is kind of cool.

Bad news for Shin-Soo Choo who didn’t even last 3 weeks on this list!

Meanwhile Beltre is on here twice as the most recent cycle for the Rangers and the Mariners.

 

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Shin-Soo Choo, July 21, 2015)

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP

First Texas cycle in 2 years!

Lots of people hit their cycles in Colorado. Choo is the latest. In fact his teammate Delino DeShields almost joined him if only he could have connected for a Coors homer himself.

Either way, it was safe to say that humidor or no humidor, it was a good night to hit in Colorado (except for the Rockies who were shutout, 9-0.

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team (Updated for Brock Holt – June 16, 2015)

 (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

The First Cycle Hit for 2015!

With all the great hitters in baseball, naturally it is BROCK HOLT of the Red Sox who gets a single, double, triple and homer. Granted, I am not thrilled that he wears Wade Boggs’ number 26, but this is a day to celebrate.

Good bye John Valentin, no longer on this list.

I have compiled a list of the most current no hitter for each franchise, but here is the companion list for the cycle. Is it harder to hit for the cycle? Probably. But Holt did it!

Here is the list, updated for today’s action!

The Most Recent Cycle Hit For Each Team

 

(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Why doesn’t hitting for the Cycle get the same love as throwing a no hitter?

Seriously, hitting for the cycle is just about as uncommon as a no hitter. Only 305 cycles have been hit, as opposed to 287 no hitters.

Getting the perfect combination of a single, double, triple and homer requires skill, consistency and an obscene amount of luck.

Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds and Willie Mays never did it once.

Michael Cuddyer, Chris Speier and Brad Wilkerson did it twice.

There has never been a cycle hit in the post season, as opposed to a pair of October no-no’s (Don Larsen and Roy Halladay.)

The Marlins have never had a player hit for the cycle. Neither have the Padres, who also have never had a no hitter.

So while I carefully update the list of the most current no hitter for each franchise, I have neglected to do the same for players who hit for the cycle… until now.

The pic is of the last cycle, hit by Michael Cuddyer, who has done so in both leagues (along with Bob Watson and John Olerud.)

Some of the teams have waited a while for an update. Eric Davis’ cycle in 1989 remains the last time it happened for Cincinnati. The Expos (2003) have had one more recently than the Red Sox (1996.)

Here is the list, to be updated when the next cycle is hit!

How All Of The Dodgers Hitters Were Acquired: 2014 Roster Tree

Yasiel Puig was signed as an International Free Agent in 2012.   The 22 Year old phenom exploded onto scene in the National League - 3 Slashing .319/.381/.925 - with 19 HRs, 42 RBI and 66 Runs Scored in his 104 Games Played.  He was a big part of the team winning the Division - and he will be a mainstay for years - being signed until 2018.

Yasiel Puig was signed as an International Free Agent in 2012 (7 YRs/$42 MIL).. He was 22 Years old last year when he exploded onto scene in the National League in 3 Slashing .319/.381/.544 – with 19 HRs, 42 RBI and 66 Runs Scored in his  1st 104 Games Played. In 2014, he has been a tad better all around year: (.313/.397/.529 – with 13 HRs and 55 RBI thus far), but has clubbed 53 Extra Base Hits (31 – 2B and 9 3B to go with his HRs) – which is about 10 more extra base knocks  than in 2014, whereas the rest of the numbers are pretty identical.

How All Of The Dodgers Hitters Were Acquired:

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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At the MLB Reports, we intend to show you the Roster Tree for the Los Angeles Dodgers – and how they assembled their current roster for hitting and Pitching.  It will work in a six degrees of separation like format.

Once we figure out the origin of how many trades going back in time it takes to see where the tree started, it will be time to dissect how the team fared on the deals.

If a player has never left the organization at all, the tree will be easy – as it will just be the year they were drafted or signed.

For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here. Read the rest of this entry

The Cardinals Struggles In 2014 So Far Might Point To Accumulation Of Roster Changes Since 2011

After St. Louis won the 2011 World Series, they lost their world class 1B Free Agent player in Albert Pujols.  It was the right move, and Michael Wacha was the compensation pick, so one wouldn't even make the trade for the Cardinals former legend.  However much like the Mariners in the late 90's lost Johnson,  Griffey and Rodriguez, that team had a league record 116 wins in 2001.  The Cards have back to back NLCS Appearances, and lost the World Series in 2013, however despite being chalked with young talent, is that they still have lost several key components to their team in the last 3 years.  Somewhere the franchise might have to slow down for a brief spell.

After St. Louis won the 2011 World Series, they lost their world class 1B Free Agent player in Albert Pujols. It was the right move (10 YRs/$250 MIL is too much), and Michael Wacha was the compensation pick, so one wouldn’t even make the trade for the Cardinals former legend. However much like the Mariners in the late 90’s lost Johnson, Griffey and Rodriguez, that team had a league record 116 wins in 2001. The Cards have back to back NLCS Appearances, and lost the World Series in 2013, however despite being chalked with young talent, is that they still have lost several key components to their team in the last 3 years. Somewhere the franchise might have to slow down for a brief spell.

In no way am I going to slag the best run franchise in the MLB.  We are talking about the quintessential template of how to run your team in the modern world of baseball.

All I am projecting in this article is that every team goes through a stretch of play where they may not be performing to capabilities.

Some of these problems may even persist for a whole campaign.

The 2011 Cardinals won the World Series, and then after losing their future hall of fame legend in Albert Pujols, were able to bring in Free Agents Carlos Beltran to help offset the power headed out the door.

The move paved the way for another final four finish.  In fact, St. Louis held a 3 – 1 NLCS lead before the Giants won 3 straight.

2013 saw their young players come to fruition at the same time, and it mixed perfectly with their cagey Veteran core.

The organization had 6 players in the top 100 prospects as listed by http://www.mlb.com – and most of them have seen time with the big club thus far. Read the rest of this entry

St. Louis Cardinals State Of The Union: 2014 Preview

2013 was a stellar year for the Saint Louis Cardinals, just falling short of capturing the franchises 12th World Series title. Though St. Louis may have arguably lost their best offensive power hitter of 2013, Carlos Beltran, St. Louis is well armed and poised to return to the Fall Classic for the 2nd straight season.

2013 was a stellar year for the Saint Louis Cardinals, just falling short of capturing the franchises 12th World Series title. Though St. Louis may have arguably lost their best offensive power hitter of 2013, Carlos Beltran, St. Louis is well armed and poised to return to the Fall Classic for the 2nd straight season an 5th Fall Classic Appearance since 2004.  The franchise has also been to 8 NLCS’s since the turn of the millennium.

By Steven Hines (Guest Cardinals Writer view his website here): 

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Much like the offseason of a year ago, St. Louis made little moves. Despite little deals made, big changes are coming to the way this team operates in 2014.

Just because the Cardinals will look different does not mean you should expect less success than that of their World Series run of 2013.

In fact, expect the 2014 Cardinals to capture their 12th World Series Championship this season.

Bold prediction or reality, you decide. Read the rest of this entry

The St. Louis Cardinals Organizational Depth Charts – Spring 2014 (Majors and MInors)

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): & Jeff Kleiner (Org Depth Chart + Payroll Expert – find his website here)

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For all of those websites that put off writing about the Cardinals after the World Series due to fatigue, it is time to brush up on the best run franchise in the Major Leagues.

The majority of the players in the system and in the Majors were developed by the Cardinals franchise.

Last year, I did a Roster Tree of how all of the players were acquired.  Something like 18 of the 25 players were Drafted by the club.

That is light years ahead of the next team in the race.

When you see that St. Louis has made it to the final four clubs 8 teams in 13 years, and now has made 4 trips to the World Series in a decade, you are leaving another chapter in the legacy of the franchise. Read the rest of this entry

Master List Of All Free Agents Signed In 2013 Winter – Heading Into 2014 MLB Year

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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It has been a record setting year for contract $ doled out for players.  When you factor in the player extensions, we are talking about 7 contracts registering in the top 50 Player contracts in the history of the game.

Robinson Cano, Clayton Kershaw, Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Freddie Freeman, Shin-Soo Choo and Homer Bailey have inked deal for between $105 MIL to $240 MIL.

Now there is word the Angels are working on an extension with Mike Trout, to the tune of 6 YRs/$150 MIL,  from 2015 – 2020.  This would be the 22nd highest contract in MLB History.

For the record, Trout’s deal for 2014 is already set at $510 K, and any extension wouldn’t have Luxury Tax Ramifications until his new deal would start in 2015. Read the rest of this entry

The Los Angeles Dodgers Players In All Organizational Affiliates, Prospects + Depth Charts (MLB + MiLB) 2014

Puig slowed down a shade from his torrid 1st month pace - however still slashed .319/.392/.925 - with 19 HRs, 42 RBI. 66  Runs Scored and 122 Hits in just 434 AB.  He has in the 2nd YR of a 7 YR/$42 MIL contract in his pocket, and that may be the bargain of ALL - Time if he continues these type of numbers all the way throughout his length of the deal.  Puig finished in 2nd for NL Rookie of The Year Voting, and placed 15th in NL MVP balloting as well.

Puig slowed down a shade from his torrid 1st month pace – however still slashed .319/.392/.925 – with 19 HRs, 42 RBI. 66 Runs Scored and 122 Hits in just 434 AB for the 2013 year. He has now in the 2nd YR of a 7 YR/$42 MIL contract in his pocket, and that may be the bargain of ALL – Time if he continues these type of numbers all the way throughout his length of the deal. Puig, 23,  finished in 2nd for NL Rookie of The Year Voting, and placed 15th in NL MVP balloting as well.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): & Jeff Kleiner (Org. Depth Chart Expert)

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The Los Angeles Dodgers had a rollercoaster 2013 campaign.  After a late season 2012 trade, the club went on a spending bonanza to enter the 2013 year.

In late May. it looked bleak. The franchise wanted to fire Don Mattingly, Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez were battling various injuries, and the club was 23 – 32.

Enter Yasiel Puig with his historic 1st month, and the team then went on a torrid pace at that hadn’t been done in nearly 60 years.

The crux of this crestwave, was a 42 – 8 stretch that saw the club bypass all 4 Division foes, putting a stranglehold on the NL West once and for all.

Dodgers own the West

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Dissecting The Peter Bourjos For David Freese Deal

Peter Bourjos was moved into CF - and the LA Angels then shifted Mike Trout over to LF, based on the range of  Bourjos as an OF.  He is fast, and has shown that he can be a catalyst in a lineup.  His best year was in 2011, where he played a full season, 3 Slashing .271/.327/.765 - with 12 HRs, an AL leading 11 - 3B, 26 - 2B - and added 32 SB.  The Cardinals will have him patrol CF with them in St. Louis.  Bourjos has 3 years left of Arbitration, while Freese only has 2 years left.  The Angels also swapped their top OF prospect in the deal - for help in Reliever (but trending down) Fernando Salas.

Peter Bourjos was moved into CF – and the LA Angels then shifted Mike Trout over to LF, based on the range of Bourjos as an OF. He is fast, and has shown that he can be a catalyst in a lineup. His best year was in 2011, where he played a full season, 3 Slashing .271/.327/.765 – with 12 HRs, an AL leading 11 – 3B, 26 – 2B – and added 32 SB. The Cardinals will have him patrol CF with them in St. Louis. Bourjos has 3 years left of Arbitration, while Freese only has 2 years left. The Angels also swapped their top OF prospect in the deal – for help in Reliever (but trending down) Fernando Salas.

Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): 

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It is funny how the complexion of a team can change with one deal.  For right now, I want to be on record as saying I hate the deal that the Angels made yesterday for David Freese.

The deal came down to Peter Bourjos being sent to St. Louis with Randal Gruchuk (or Grichuck as baseballreference.com lists him as –  for David Freese and Reliever Fernando Salas.)

I had thought all along (same with this website) that these two clubs should be trading partners.

But we were thinking of a heavy deal containing Mark Trumbo and Erick Aybar, for potentially Matt Adams, David Freese and/or a Starting Pitcher from the bountiful nest of the Cardinals Staff.

Peter Bourjos Inside The Park HR

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Houston Astros State Of The Union Address: Fall 2013

From 1992 - 2006, Houston was one of the best franchises in the games of baseball, not having one losing season in that time span.  They won 4 Division Titles, 8 2nd place finishes, and appeared in 6 playoffs.  After being swept in the 2005 World Series, the core got old, and the team waited too long to rebuild.  Once it was time, the management actually did a smart thing in totally gutting the entire franchise, in order to restock the Minor League System.

From 1992 – 2006, Houston was one of the best franchises in the games of baseball, not having one losing season in that time span. They won 4 Division Titles, 8 – 2nd place finishes, and appeared in 6 playoffs. After being swept in the 2005 World Series, the core got old, and the team waited too long to rebuild. Once it was time, the management actually did a smart thing in totally gutting the entire franchise, in order to restock the Minor League System.  Now with 3 105+ Loss seasons, and back to back 1st overall picks, the team has begun the process.  An ownership changed mirrored the last transference of all the remaining Veterans from the previous regime.  How long will it take for the Astros to compete again?

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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The Astros had one of the easiest years to peg down in the game of baseball for 2013.

They were horrible early, traded away every possible Veteran that were making any kind of cash on the Major League Level, and then proceeded to be even worse after the ALL – Star Game.

The worst part of the campaign was left for the end, where they promptly lost their last 15 games – to finish with a record of 51 – 111.

It was their 3rd straight 100+ Loss season.  But overlooking the obvious is that they actual drew a few more fans in 2013 – compared to 2012.

That was more a symptom of the club moving to the American League.  At least they were not last in the league for Attendance, like payroll.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers Roster Tree: How All Of The Hitters Were Acquired

Andre Ethier finished 6th in NL MVP Voting during the 2009 season. It has been his best year to date. He hit 31 HRs, added 106 RBI, 76 XBH Overall and scored 92 Runs.  He won a Silver Slugger Award for his efforts.  Ethier was acquired through a chain of transactions that goes all the way back to when the team drafted Mike Piazza (who was traded for Gary Sheffield), who was traded for

Andre Ethier finished 6th in NL MVP Voting during the 2009 season. It has been his best year to date. He hit 31 HRs, added 106 RBI, 76 XBH Overall and scored 92 Runs. He won a Silver Slugger Award for his efforts. Ethier was acquired through a chain of transactions that goes all the way back to when the team drafted Mike Piazza (who was traded for Gary Sheffield), who was traded for Andrew Brown from Atlanta, (who was later flipped for Milton Bradley from Cleveland, before lA turned around and traded Bradley to the A’s for Andre Ethier.)

How All Of The Dodgers Hitters Were Acquired:

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

Follow MLB Reports On Twitter

At the MLB Reports, we intend to show you the Roster Tree for the Los Angeles Dodgers – and how they assembled their current roster for hitting and Pitching.  It will work in a six degrees of separation like format.

Once we figure out the origin of how many trades going back in time it takes to see where the tree started, it will be time to dissect how the team fared on the deals.

If a player has never left the organization at all, the tree will be easy – as it will just be the year they were drafted or signed.

For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.

Read the rest of this entry

2013 MLB Playoff Predictions: ALCS + NLCS Matchups

The Red Sox went from 69 Wins in 2012 - to World Series favorite in one year.  The 'Beantowners' have assembled a playoff tested crew to arm them in their quest to make it to the World Series for the 1st time in 6 years.  Will the Red Sox take out the Tigers and go for the team of the decade, with a 3rd World Series Bid (out of the last 10 years) in 2013?

The Red Sox went from 69 Wins in 2012 – to World Series favorite in one year. The ‘Beantowners’ have assembled a playoff tested crew to arm them in their quest to make it to the World Series for the 1st time in 6 years. Will the Red Sox take out the Tigers and go for the team of the decade, with a 3rd World Series Bid (out of the last 10 years) in 2013?

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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After nailing the National League straight on in picks for the LDS Round, I failed in either of my upset predictions of Tampa Bay or Oakland to advance.

I am not displeased though, I won money on the Rays losing the series (that came from a bet for them to win the World Series in June that paid +2000 or so, I bet the Red Sox to win the Series as a hedge.

Heading into last nights game, I could have still gone 3 – 1 for the Series prediction if Oakland could come up with a win.

Really the A’s failing to wrap up Game #4 was the big blow.

Thanks to a nice odd of Justin Verlander -107 @ Sonny Gray (-103), I nailed the game last for a nice little profit.

I never bet one dime on the other series in the NLCS.

So I went 2 – 2 in the Round, but plus some nice cash for my effort. Including the playoff game and Wild Card game, I am now 4 – 3 this Post Season.

The Red Sox win the LDS vs the Tampa Bay Rays

youtube=http://youtu.be/Y4m4eeyhFks

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MLB 30 Team Power Rankings: Week 21

42 - 8, 25 - 3, 19 - 1, 10 wins in a row.  These are all significant numbers put up with a team with deep pockets, the ability to outdraw everyone, and owners willing to do whatever it takes to bring home the 1st World Series Title since 1988.  No one can touch these guys right now. Best 3 Starters in the NL and hottest 2 NL Hitters in Puig and Ramirez.  Oh yeah, the Bullpen has been lights out for the last 50 contests!

42 – 8, 25 – 3, 19 – 1, 10 wins in a row. These are all significant numbers put up with a team with deep pockets, the ability to outdraw everyone for park attendance, and owners willing to do whatever it takes to bring home the 1st World Series Title since 1988. No one can touch these guys right now. Best 3 Starters in the NL and hottest 2 NL Hitters in Puig and Ramirez. Oh yeah, the Bullpen has been lights out for the last 50 contests!

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

It is time for the MLB Power Rankings.  These are based on my thoughts on whether who has the best chance to win the World Series.

A lot of these positions are based on who has the toughest Strength of Schedule left, who their competition is for the Division, and possibly even the League they are in,

The races for the Divisions (AL East, AL West and NL Central are starting to tighten up, while the NL West, AL Central and most notably NL East are looking to be foregone conclusions

The Braves have rattled of a 18 – 3 stretch, and have been ousted by the Dodgers for the #1 spot in the MLB Rankings .

The Rangers are trying to ricochet off of a couple of great deals, in order to flame down the Oakland Athletics.

Read the rest of this entry

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.11th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Photo: Ted S. Warren - AP

Photo: Ted S. Warren – AP

Felix Hernandez lived up to his “King Felix” title, dominating the Brewers over 8 shutout innings, striking out 9 and walking only 1, improving his Cy Young argument with a 2-0 triumph.

Alex Gordon went 3-4 with a homer,  double, a stolen base and drove in a pair, leading the Royals over the Red Sox, 4-3.

Mark Ellis helped complete the Dodgers sweep of the Rays by falling a triple short of the cycle. His homer, double and single drove in three runs as the Dodgers ran away 8-3.

Stephen Strasburg threw the first complete game of his career and it was a 4 hit shutout of the Phillies. He struck out 10 and walked just one, getting the 6-0 win for the Nationals. 

They all owned baseball on August 11, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Dodgers Have Been Pulverizing The Competition For Weeks – While The Rest Of The NL West Have Been Brutal

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Thursday Aug.08/2013

Despite early season rumors of Mattingly getting fired, Donnie has managed his team back into the division race after a private meeting with Dodger executives. The Dodgers are now 62 - 50 after setting a franchise record 15 game road winning streak and are opening up a commanding lead versus their NL West brethren. Now with Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez igniting the clubs offense, plus Zack Greinke coming back to the Starting Rotation, the team has begun to gel.  But it is also the secondary players that have provided some clutch play of late.

Despite early season rumors of Mattingly getting fired, Donnie has managed his team back into the division race after a private meeting with Dodger executives. The Dodgers are now 63 – 50 after setting a franchise record 15 game road winning streak earlier this week and are opening up a commanding lead versus their NL West brethren. Now with Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez igniting the clubs offense, plus Zack Greinke coming back to the Starting Rotation, the team has begun to gel. But it is also the secondary players that have provided some clutch play of late. The team has won 33 of their last 41 Games.  Now that is outstanding!

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

I was wrong to throw the towel in on the Dodgers at the beginning of June in an article. 

While I initially had LA as my NL representative in the WS before the year started, I thought they were cooked. 

Yasiel Puig was infused into the lineup, and the team has fed off of his electricity.

Zack Greinke and Hanley Ramirez then came back to facilitate the start of this hotstreak.

I am not sure I have ever seen an entire Division struggle so badly – with the exception of 1 team doing the polar opposite simultaneously, like has happened in the NL West over the last 8 weeks.

The Dodgers have been on a historical run in their ascent from last place (trailing by as much as 9.5 games on June 1st) – all the way to top of the Division (by 5 games as of right now.)

There have been countless reasons how the turnaround has transpired.

Don Mattingly has gone from the hotseat – to now being in the position where he could net himself a contract extension when the season is over.

The rest of the NL West Clubs have been incredibly anemic – and we will focus on the records since that date in this piece.

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Greinke Return Can Turn The Dodgers Season Around

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Friday May.17/2013

Zack Greinke hits an RBI single in his first at-bat since his return from the DL. Greinke earn a quality start against the Nationals 5.1 innings and only allowed 1 ER with 4 SOs.

Zack Greinke hits an RBI single in his first at-bat since his return from the DL. Greinke earn a quality start against the Nationals 5.1 innings and only allowed 1 ER with 4 SOs.

 By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent for MLB Reports)

I think it’s pretty safe to say that the Dodgers haven’t had a very mary month of May and with halfway through the month, they are 4-9. This includes an eight-game losing streak that went from May 1st to May 10th.

During that losing streak, the Dodgers committed a Dodger sin by being swept against their Rivals the San Francisco Giants at AT and T Park.

Usually when this happens to a team with a lot of talent, fans begin pointing fingers and try to figure out what the issue is. Either that or begin giving up on the team’s season right away.

Fingers have been pointed at many different things-from Dodgers’ skipper Don Mattingly to the injuries themselves.  The biggest blow for the Dodgers was the injury that made their expensive new pitcher Zack Greinke miss several starts.

ESPN analysts Manny Acta and Alex Cora analyse Zack Greinke’s comeback

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MLB Top Teams 1 – 30 + (Best 200 Stats of 2013)

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Monday May.06/2013

Matt Harvey with his stellar outings so far this season may have just become the New York Mets "ace". Harvey is now 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA. Harvey has pitched 40.1 innings - only given up 21 hits, 12 Walks for a League Leading WHIP of .0818  For his awesome 5 weeks we name him the MLB Reports NL Pitcher Of The Month

Matt Harvey with his stellar outings so far this season – may have just become the New York Mets “ace”. Harvey is now 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA. Harvey has pitched 40.1 innings – only given up 21 hits, 12 Walks for a League Leading WHIP of .0818. For his awesome 5 weeks – we name him the MLB Reports NL Pitcher Of The Month

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

Stats all Prior to May.06th games. 

The time has come for the 1sy May Power Rankings.  There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.

I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.

These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.

I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams.  I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON

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Chase Headley: Contract Talks Or Trade Bait?

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Monday May 6th, 2013

Headley led the NL with 115 RBI in 2012 amongst 31 HRs, he will need to put up monster numbers for the Padres to compete with the LA Dodgers going forward.  Headley caaptured a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger in 2012. He ended up finishing 5th in NL MVP voting.  He hit 23 HRs and 73 RBI in just 75 Games after the 2012 ALL-Star Game.. Chase Headley actually fared well at Petco Park in 2012 - with a 3 Slash Line of .272/.357/.812.  He added 13 HRs and 51 RBI.  He could potentially hit a few more out with the fences drawn in.

Headley led the NL with 115 RBI in 2012 amongst 31 HRs, he will need to put up monster numbers for the Padres to compete with the NL West teams  going forward Chase Headley actually fared well at Petco Park in 2012 – with a 3 Slash Line of .272/.357/.812. He added 13 HRs and 51 RBI. He could potentially hit a few more out this season with the fences newly drawn in.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

For the past few seasons, Chase Headley has been the one guy on the roster that the San Diego Padres can rely on. Last year, he put up MVP-like numbers, hitting 31 HR and driving in 115 runs.

This year, he is really the only guy in the lineup that can truly produce runs. Yonder Alonso has that capability, but he is still a bit raw. Headley is signed to a one-year $8.58 million contract.

He becomes Arbitration-eligible in 2014 and is a Free Agent in 2015. The Padres are faced with a conundrum: should they trade Headley?

This third baseman is 28 years old—about the time when most players enter their prime. With the season we saw from Headley in 2012, I think it is safe to say that he has already entered his prime, and probably has two or three more years similar to 2012 ahead of him.

If the Padres are building for the future, which I sure hope they are, they need to trade Headley right away.

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Carl Crawford Is Off To A Surprisingly Hot Start As The Dodgers Leadoff Guy

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Tuesday Apr.30/2013

Outfielder Carl Crawford has been red hot offensively hitting .307 with team leading 4 HRs and 6 RBIs. He has been a huge surprise in his comeback season.

Outfielder Carl Crawford has been red hot offensively hitting .307 with team leading 4 HRs and 6 RBI. He has been a huge surprise in his comeback season.  The former Rays and Red Sox player is hitting far above his Career 3 Slash Line of .293/.333/.706 – by posting a line of .308/.388/906 to date.  More importantly than any other statistic – Crawford has crossed home plate 20 times in 25 Games Played in 2013.  This would put him on pace for about 130 Runs this campaign.  This is lieu of Matt Kemp’s slow start and Hanley Ramirez not being in the lineup at all.

By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent)

When the Dodgers acquired Outfielder Carl Crawford last year, they definitely didn’t know what they were getting, it was a pretty much a gamble they were able to afford. With the Dodgers’ new ownership willing to spend the big bucks on big players, this trade seemed like the ideal move to do for General Manager Ned Colleti. 

Crawford wasn’t able to perform at all right away after he got traded to the Dodgers as he was rehabbing from his Tommy John Surgery but he was able to get healthy just in time for Opening Day. He has been healthy ever since.

Dodgers’ skipper Don Mattingly right away decided to make Crawford the leadoff hitter since Opening Day and has not disappointed. Through April 29th, 2013, Crawford is hitting .307 with OBP. of .390 (obviously doing his job as Leadoff hitter) with 4 SB and has been caught twice. He has also walked nine times but perhaps the most impressive stat is his team leading 4 HRs.

Slow motion video of Carl Crawford’s Home Run swing

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LA Dodgers Organizational Depth Charts, Rosters And Salaries (Majors And Minors)

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Thursday, Mar.28/2013

When Magic Johnson and his ownership group spent 2 Billion Dollars on acquiring the Franchise, that should have been a red-flag that they were going to outspend every club when it came to payroll.  Get ready for it baseball world!  With the MLB not having a Salary Cap - and a whimsy penalty for 1st time offenders for the 1st violation of the Luxury Tax Threshold

When Magic Johnson and his ownership group spent 2 Billion Dollars on acquiring the Franchise, that should have been a red-flag that they were going to outspend every club when it came to payroll. Get ready for it baseball world! With the MLB not having a Salary Cap – and a whimsy penalty for 1st time offenders for the 1st violation of the Luxury Tax Threshold – how high will the LA club go?

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB – visit his website  here 

You guys are all in for a treat.  Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website.  He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs.  We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams.

Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective.  If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.

In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball.  He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job.  So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!

For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Dodgers Organization click here

LA Dodgers Great Moments:

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The LA Dodgers Player Roster In 2013: State Of The Union Mar.28

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Thursday Mar.28/2013

 

The Dodgers are putting the other National League teams to shame with payroll and have assembled an ALL - Star Squad with 8 Starting Pitchers, perhaps the best athletic Outfield in the Major Leagues.

The Dodgers are putting the other National League teams to shame with payroll – and have assembled an ALL – Star Squad with 8 Starting Pitchers, with perhaps the best athletic Outfield in the Major Leagues.  The Dodgers spent most of the 1st half of the 2012 campaign in the NL West before injuries crippled the product on the field.  A blockbuster trade late in August saw the club win 8 of the last 10 games after struggling to gel early.  Skipper Don Mattingly is in the last year of his contract, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez will try to put their 2012 fiasco behind them.  Home grown talent, Kemp and Ethier will be in the best opening lineup since they came up to the Majors. Could all of this equal a World Series Berth?

By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent): 

The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise had an exciting 2012. From March, when Magic Johnson was announced as part of a group that had bought the Dodgers, to June, when Los Angeles gave Yasiel Puig $42 Million, this has been a wild year for the Dodgers.

After all of the hype surrounding the new Dodgers seemingly died down, they committed $147 Million to Zack Greinke. The N.L. West has been dominated by the Giants in the last couple years, but one has to wonder if the Dodgers recent moves make them the favorite to win the N.L. West in 2013?

Clayton Kershaw 2012 Highlights – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance Advised:

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LA Dodgers Payroll In 2013: And Contracts Going Forward

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Thursday Mar.28/2013

Adrian Gonzalez flew into LA last year  and paid immediate dividends as he clubbed a 3 run HR in the 1st Inning with his new team. Gonzalez is in the 3rd year of a 7 YR/154 Million Dollar Contract. At age 30, he is a career .294 hitter with 214 HRs and 750 RBI in 1176 Games.  Perhaps a full season back in California will re – ignite his MVP like numbers with the Padres during the 2009 and 2010 seasons – where he hit 71 HRs, drove in 200 RBI and hit for an OPS well over .900.  He also is a 3 Time Gold Glove Award Winner in the National League.

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst And Website Owner):

I must say I am completely shocked at the Dodgers spending as much money as they are since the ownership change.  I listened to Magic say how he ‘was not going to do anything stupid’, I will give him this much.  However, the amount of payroll the team has taken on is enormous.  The Dodgers are going to be over 200 Million Dollars in Payroll for years to come. 

After I put their top ten salaries on the board, I will break down the rest of the roster to analyze some more projections for salary.  The Dodgers have about 218 Million Dollars in signed contracts. 

If you can believe this next part, they even are paying Manny Ramirez 8.33 Million Dollars still in 2013, Andruw Jones 3.375 Million and Huroki Kuroda 2.0 Million.  That is roughly 13 Million Dollars on guys that are no longer in your organization.

Back to the trades that have brought in several players.  I do agree for the mentality of it.  The Dodgers fans were given a raw deal by the past management and the new guys are showing the rest of the MLB that they intend to be the big dog. 

With Cole Hamels re-signing with the Phillies, their coveted starter was no longer available in Free Agency.  Gonzalez was there to be had if they would take on the Carl Crawford/Josh Beckett contracts. 

The team went out and signed Zack  Greinke (15 – 5 with a 3.48 ERA split between the Brewers and Angels)  instead.

Here is a nice highlight clip of Carl Crawford below.  As a side note:  The only inside the park Home Run I have ever witnessed at a game live was hit by Carl Crawford at Us Cellular Field in 2008.  He was one of the best lead-off hitters back then.

Carl Crawford Highlights – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is Advised:

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