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Orioles’ Chris Davis And Manny Machado Primed For Big Second Half
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Chris Davis is one of the premier sluggers in all of baseball, and is showing everyone that he is a great all-around hitter as well. He is on pace to hit at least 60 HRs this season, and this would put him in some exclusive company. The last time a player hit 60, is when Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. Crush as the fans in Baltimore like to call him has a chance to not only lead the Orioles to another post season berth, but also a division crown. The last time they won the division was in 1997. He has a WAR of 4.3 that is 3rd in the AL and is 1st in AB per HR with 9.5 this season.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
Baltimore Orioles are proving that their post season appearance last season was no fluke and that they are not a one-hit wonder with their play this season. The Orioles are second in the American League East division and they trail the Boston Red Sox by 3 ½ games.
This is very good considering the division that they play in is the toughest one in baseball, where all but one of the five teams is under .500. Baltimore can attribute some of the success this season to their offense.
Chris Davis 2013 Highlights- So Parental Guidance Is Advised
Baltimore Orioles Organization: Payroll, Depth Charts + Rosters, (MLB + MiLB)
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The Orioles defied the odds with a 29 – 9 One run games record and a record streak of Extra Innings Wins that reached the teens last year. In a vaunted AL East – Vegas has only predicted them as about a 77 win team this year. So far the team has started 42 – 35 – and are tied for the 2nd Wild Card slot in the American League with the Yankees. Many pundits, such as myself, have blasted the brass for not adding on a Starting Pitcher. It may end up costing them a playoff spot. Please Mr. Duquette – acquire a top notch starter and be prepared to give up a lot in return. It is not every year you have three guys with MVP Caliber seasons – with Davis, Jones and Machado.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
You guys are all in for a treat. Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website. He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs. We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams.
Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective. If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.
In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball. He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job. So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!
Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis. After you click on it….Bookmark it. There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page. Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!
For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Orioles Organization click here.
2012 Wild Card Celebration
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 12
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Adam Dunn has finally put together an awesome week this year. He hit for a 3 Slash Line of .389/.455/1.510 – with 4 HRs and 8 RBI. His efforts didn’t stop the team from losing 4 straight, however he is the MLB Reports AL Hitter of The Week!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Another Week has come and gone in the MLB.
(MLB Reports) AL Hitter Of The Week – Adam Dunn (See Picture Above).
Runners up were: Teammates Evan Longoria, (.305, 4 HRs and 6 RBI) and Matt Joyce (385, 4 HRs and 5 RBI), plus Adam Lind (.407, 2 HRs and 6 RBI.)
(MLB Reports) AL Pitcher Of The Week – Corey Kluber
Kluber threw in 16 IP, featured a 2 – 0 Record on back to back 8 IP starts – including a 0.56 ERA.
Runners Up were: Bartolo Colon (2 – 0, 1.38 ERA,) Jim Johnson (4 Saves in 4 Opportunities) and Miguel Gonzalez (2 – 0, 2.54 ERA).
Triple Play Podcast Ep # 13 – Around The Horn w/OAK/KC/COL/TOR + Bean Wars + The Genius Beane
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The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.
By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com) Follow @bigticketshow
Guests in this Podcast – Chuck Booth (MLB Reports Owner and Lead Analyst)
On this week’s show Chuck Booth joins us to break down all the biggest stories in MLB. We also go Around the Horn with Chuck to discuss the A’s, Rockies and Royals current situations and declare the worthy few that belong on their respective Mt Rushmore’s. Bethubb.com best bets end the show as always. Happy Father’s Day!!!!!!!
Intro – 10 Minutes, Toronto Blue Jays talk from 10 Minute to the 18 Minute Mark. OAK chat – 18 minute – 33 Minute Mark, COL Talk 33 Minutes – 44 Minute Mark. Kansas City Royals Chart 44 Minutes Mark – 59 Minute Mark. Late Jays Talk Bethubb Best Bets 1 hour 1 MIN mark to 1 hour 9 Minute Mark.
Quick Facts: Catsfish Hunter was 7 – 2 in the Post Season for the 1972, 1973 and 1974 World Series Winning A’s – and only 2 -4 with the 3 Post Seasons with the Yankees. Still 5 World Series Winners was great. Chuck also meant Ewing Kauffman (Chuck thought his nickname was Charlie in the podcast – maybe because his name his Charlie) when talking about the Royals MT. Rushmore for the franchise.
Yogi Berra did indeed play in 14 World Series and won 10 of them in his Yankees days.
To Keep Reading and Listen to this Podcast click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY or scroll past the Triple Play Logo.
Top Teams In The MLB 1 – 30 + (200 Best Stats For The Last Month)
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Chris Davis was the AL hitter of the month for the MLB Reports. The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season – after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days. The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256. Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI – and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played. He is on pace for a 50 HR/50 Doubles Season. “Crush” is due for Arbitration after this year – and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The time has come for the June Power Rankings with Stats Edition. There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.
I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.
These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.
I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams. I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or scroll past the video and picture
Chris Davis 2013 Highlights:
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.31) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was one of the four players who owned baseball on May 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Johnny Cueto let up only one and one walk over 8 shutout innings as the Reds defeated the Pirates 6-0.
Jonathan Lucroy went 5-5 with two homers, three runs scored and four runs batted in as the Brewers topped Philadelphia 8-5.
Chris Dickerson crushed a 2 out, 3 run, walk off, come from behind homer to turn a Baltimore loss into an Oriole 7-5 win over the Tigers and bring the Birds to within 1 game in the loss column of first place.
And CC Sabathia shut down the Red Sox into the 8th inning, going 7 1/3 innings, letting up only 1 run, no walks and 10 strikeouts to end the Yankee losing streak, 4-1 and bring them to within a game of first.
They all owned baseball on May 31st, 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
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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
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May 30th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Dillon Gee pitched 7 1/3 innings, letting up one run, 4 hits no walks and 12 strikeouts as the Mets beat the Yankees 3-1 and completed the season sweep of the Subway Series.
Luis Valbuena went 3-4, a triple shy of the cycle, scoring three runs as the Cubs swept the White Sox with an 8-3 win.
Jacoby Ellsbury went on a franchise record setting stolen base binge, swiping 5 bags against the Phillies while getting on base 4 times including 3 hits as the Red Sox beat the Phillies, 9-2.
And Freddy Garcia pitched 8 shutout innings, letting up only 3 hits and no walks as the Orioles topped the Nats 2-0.
They all owned baseball on May 30th, 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
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.29th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Dioner Navarro crushed three homers in the Cubs 9-3 WIN over the White Sox. (Sorry Ryan Zimmerman.)
Mr. Zimmerman’s night (and baseball ownership) was foiled by the Orioles 9-6 comeback over the Nationals, led by Chris Davis‘ 4-4, 2 homer, 3 RBI performance.
Eric Stults did not get the decision, but his 8 inning, 3 hit, 1 run, 12 strikeout and no walk performance set up the Padres 3-2 10 inning victory over Seattle.
Sam Deduno held down the Brewers bats for 7 innings and a single run, letting up 4 hits and 2 walks as the Twins won, 4-1.
They all owned baseball on May 28th, 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
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.27) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Aaron Harang threw a complete game 4 hit shutout as the Mariners beat the Padres, 9-0.
Kelly Johnson went 4-5 with 2 homers and a stolen base as the Rays topped the Marlins, 10-6.
Jeff Samardzija went the distance, throwing a two hit shutout over the crosstown White Sox, striking out 8 and walking 2 as the Cubs prevailed, 7-0.
And David Wright hit a triple, went 2-3 and his towering home run tied the game in the 7th and sparked the Mets come from behind 2-1 victory in the first game of the Subway Series with the Yankees, 2-1.
They all owned baseball on May 27th, 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
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 8
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The Detroit Tigers were second on the list for moving up rankings with 5 spots. They have overtaken the Indians in the AL Central – and have 5 players that are hitting north of .300. Their top 4 Starters may be the best in the game – and they play in an extremely winnable division where teams can`t match them for payroll or talent. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter on the planet – and has great support.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Oakland Athletics are making another run at the expense of the lesser lites in the Division. This team feasts on the Astros and Mariners – and are not half bad at playing the Rangers and Angels either. The goal for them is to continue to pitch. They must try to at least take 2 games versus San Francisco in the 4 game set.
The Kansas City Royals may have rolled up snake eyes in gambling on their 2013 season. Suffering the longest playoff drought in the majors at 28 years, the franchise traded away its best prospect player in Wil Myers for a 2 year pitching solution in James Shields.
The problem is that their nucleus of young talented hitters have failed them. Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are being outpowered by some teams Pitching cores in the NL.
202 ‘WOB’ Awards Since Opening Day – Find Out Who
‘Sully’ Baseball (Paul Francis Sullivan) hosts a 20 Minute Daily Podcast Every Day – 365 Days a Year – unless its a Leap Year – and then he is going to do another one.
check out Sully Baseball’s 20 Min Daily Podcast Right here
Don’t forget to Subscribe on iTunes HERE. RSS Feed here
WOB Stands For ‘Who Owned Baseball’ It is based on a Daily Look at the best players from the baseball games the day before. Our Lead Writer – Paul Francis Sullivan – (please call him ‘Sully’), keeps a running total for the yearly leaders every day – and we will update the standings here every day on this page..
Agree or Disagree with him on the players he selects – leave him a comment at info@sullybaseball.com. Follow him on twitter.
Follow @sullybaseball
So Bookmark this Page – and be part of the new phenomena of #WOB – If you reverse WOB it also means Players that take a BOW for being the best players of the night! Read the rest of this entry
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May 20th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Yan Gomes hit a walk off, come from behind, 3 run homer in the bottom of the 10th to cap off a 3-5 day as the Indians won a bizarre 10-8 game over the Mariners.
R. A. Dickey pitched 8 strong innings letting up only 4 hits and 2 earned runs as the Blue Jays got a much needed win over the Rays, 7-5.
Brandon Belt went 4-5, homering and scoring 4 times as the Giants demolished the Nationals 8-0.
And Patrick Corbin threw his first career complete game, improving to 7-0, as he let up only 3 hits and 1 run in Coors Field, striking out 10 for the Diamondbacks 5-1 win over the Rockies.
They all owned baseball on May 20th, 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
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.19) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
In a losing cause, Miguel Cabrera hit three homers, reached base 5 times, scored three and drove in 5 runs. (His critics would point out that he made an error.) Despite his best efforts, the Tigers lost to Texas 11-8.
Matt Moore pitched seven terrific innings, holding the Orioles to a single run. The Tampa Bay Rays won 3-1 and swept a series in Baltimore that could come back to haunt the Birds later.
Carlos Gonzalez got on base four times and got RBI hits in the first and fifth as the Rockies blanked the Champion Giants 5-0 in Coors Field.
And Ricky Nolasco pitched 8 strong innings, letting up only 1 run and struck out 11 as the Marlins enjoyed a rare win, 2-1 over the Diamondbacks.
They all owned baseball on May 19th, 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
Current Top 5 MLB Home Run Leaders in the AL + NL: Home Runs Hit May.11th
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Sunday May 12th, 2013
Ryan Doumit has proved to be a great roaming player for the Minnesota Twins.He can play DH (16 Games in 2013) and Catch (10 Games in 2013) He can also play 1B and OF. Doumit has clubbed 3 HRs in the last week – and could play Jack Parkman if Major League 2 was ever re – done.
DH on our home site pages – Stands for Daily HR Hitters in the Majors.
We are going to run the gauntlet on the previous days HRs for all MLB Players.
I loved it when MLB XM Radio used to do a running total every night on their Roundtrip with Mike Ferrin (Laser Show). So I am bringing it every day on this website. To view every nights big boppers for the whole year (from May 8th on) visit the DH page!
Click beyond the Youtube link or click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON to see who hit yesterdays big flies.
Nelson Cruz Highlights 2012 – Mature Highlights so Parental Guidance is advised:
The Baltimore Orioles Have Treaded Water Through A Tough Early Season Schedule
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Saturday Apr.20/2013
The Orioles defied the odds with a 29 – 9 One run games record and a record streak of Extra Innings Wins that reached the teens. In a vaunted AL East – Vegas has only predicted them as about a 77 win team this year. So far the team has started 8 – 7 after another Extra Inning Win last night on a Walk off Grand Slam by Matt Wieters Thursday night
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Orioles have been a scrappy bunch in the early parts of 2013 – just like they conducted themselves in the whole season for 2013. As of Friday, they laid claim to a 8 – 7 record, just one game back of the New York Yankees for 2nd place in a tough AL East – and trail the Boston Red Sox by 3 games for the Division Lead.
They have had lackluster Starting Pitching, an incredibly consistent Bullpen, plus timely hitting from Adam Jones (.375 2 HRs and 13 RBI) and the devilishly on fire Chris Davis (.353, 6 HRs and 20 RBI).
The club is following the same pattern that netted them a Post Season Birth in the 2012 Playoffs – winning in the Bottom of the 10th last night – via a Walk Off Grand Slam by Catcher Matt Wieters.
It was the franchises 17th straight Extra Inning win dating back to last year where they won the 1st 16. It also gave them the series win versus the Rays for the 2nd time this young season.
Orioles Pump Up Video for 2013!
Baltimore Orioles Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward Mar.15/2013
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Buck Showalter had one of the best managerial season in recent vintage with the 2012 version of the Baltimore Orioles, will the fans and management turn on him if there is a small regression in 2013?
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I believe that 2013 will be a regressive season for the Baltimore Orioles. Much like the 2011 Arizona DiamondBacks in the National League, all of the bounces and luck went the Orioles way to have a magical year of a playoff berth in 2012. A crazy amount of 1 run wins, extra inning wins and a brilliant bullpen defied the odds in the American League in order to compete.
I still think the Baltimore Orioles will be competitive in 2013, I just don’t see a 90 win team. The team is not saddled with many outrageous contracts left, however it is a shame that Brian Roberts (10 Million Dollars Per Year) can’t stay healthy. They will need repeat years from Adam Jones and Chris Davis, plus significant increases in production from J.J. Hardy, Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis will need to hit his .300+.
This team has to take a run at a few players via trade or a remaining Free Agent. The need for a power hitting DH and another OF with Pop to play LF would be a wise decision. The ownership will need to extend the payroll for this very option. Also, they will need to plunk down some dough to sign an ace on the Free Agency market. You can’t tell me that a guy like Kyle Lohse won’t help the club!
2012 Winning Mix Highlights:
Baltimore Orioles Player Roster In 2013: State Of The Union Updated Mar.15
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The Orioles defied the odds with a 29 – 9 One run games record and a record streak of Extra Innings Wins that reached the teens. In a vaunted AL East – Vegas has only predicted them as about a 77 win team this year. They used 12 Starting Pitchers and none of them are clear – cut Aces. Might they call Dylan Bundy up in May? Will the management pull the trigger on a proven #1 Starting Pitcher to help them out? Will Brian Roberts be able to stay healthy?
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
2012 was a breakout year for the Baltimore Orioles and the start of something new. They finished the season with a 93-69 record, a record good enough to land themselves a spot in the Wild Card playoff game. This marked the first time since 1997 they were playing October baseball.
The Orioles took down the Rangers in that very game to advance to the ALDS against AL East foe, the New York Yankees. They gave the Yankees a run for their money sending the series to 5 games, only to lose a heart-breaker 3-1 finale of the matchup. All of this happening with the Orioles having the 18th largest payroll in the MLB.
Orioles Wild Card Celebration:
Its A Big Year For Yankees SP Phil Hughes And RP Joba Chamberlain
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Heading into 2013, Hughes has a Career Record of 52-36 (.591) – with a 4.39 ERA. He is projected to be the #4 starter for the Yankees in 2013. He is 46-34, with a 4.68 ERA for his Career as a Starter opposed to a Reliever – where he was 5-1, with a 1.40 ERA during 2009.
By Chuck Booth (Yankees Correspondent/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Phil Hughes represents a nice #3 or #4 starter for the New York Yankees – and Joba Chamberlain will be counted on more than ever with Rafael Soriano not being back in the bullpen for 2013. This will be his 7th season in the ‘Bronx for both Pitchers. The 6 Foot 5 native (Hughes) of California, is coming off a decent season in 2012 – after he struggled with arm fatigue in 2011. Chamberlain has had a litany of injuries pile up on his 6 Foot 2, 250 LBS frame over the last several years. Yankees fans all know too well how this man and Joba Chamberlain have been bounced to and from the Starting Rotation to the Relief Corps. I think it is safe to say the Yankees finally have it right. Joba is a reliever and Hughes is a Starting Pitcher.
The Yankees have them both locked up on one year deals for 2013. Chamberlain will make 1.88 Million Dollars – while Hughes will make 7.15 Million Dollars. With an aging offense this year, the Yankees will be counting on several internal improvements amongst their pitching staffs. These two veterans will need to take it to the next level based on their projections of talent.
Joba Chamberlain – How To Be Awesome
State Of the Union: The Future Of The 2013 Orioles Roster
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Friday December 21, 2012
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @TheKHolland13.
2012 was a breakout year for the Baltimore Orioles and the start of something new. They finished the season with a 93-69 record, a record good enough to land themselves a spot in the WildCard playoff game. This marked the first time since 1997 they were playing October baseball. They took down the Rangers in that very game to advance to the ALDS against AL East foe, the New York Yankees. They gave the Yankees a run for their money sending the series to 5 games, only to lose a heart-breaker 3-1 finale of the matchup. All of this happening with the Orioles having the 18th largest payroll in the MLB.
There are indeed a few reasons that the Orioles are going to have major success in the future. Pitching, the lineup, and upcoming prospects. Read the rest of this entry
Fantasy Advice for the MLB Stretch Run: Waiver Wire Gems
Tuesday September 11th, 2012
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst): Follow @peterwstein
It’s that time of the year where you are hopefully competing or preparing for the playoffs/stretch run of the fantasy season. That’s why you need to be ahead of the competition and go the extra distance to secure a title because It’s the little moves that will ultimately make a difference. Understanding that the trading season is past, I have identified players likely available on your waiver wire that can help your team, as well as other advice based on player match-ups:
Ervin Santana, with a 5.21 ERA and 8-11 win/loss record has largely been a disappointment for fantasy owners in 2012. However, he has been much more of a reliable pitcher down the stretch. He is most recently coming off a 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 10K, performance against the tough hitting Detroit Tigers. Next up for Santana, who is owned in just 38.5% of ESPN leagues, is the softer hitting Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. Santana produced a 3.58 ERA in August and has allowed just 4 ER in 13.2 September innings to go with a 15:3 K/B ratio. We know he is shaky, but he appears to be a safe start, especially as he has held the Athletics to just 4 ER in 14.2 IP in 2012. Furthermore, Santana is much stronger pitching at home, evidenced by his .210 BAA, compared to .268 on the road. Santana’s following start is slated to be at Kansas City, which could be another decent option depending on Tuesday’s outing. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: September 2012
Monday, September.3/2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024 To 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
Manny Machado’s Impact on the Orioles
Saturday August 18th, 2012
Sam Evans: When the Orioles called up Manny Machado roughly ten days ago, reactions varied from overjoyed to disappointed. However, one thing was true of pretty much everyone’s reaction. We were all shocked. Machado, who had barely played one hundred games in Double-A, was now going to have to be relied on for the Orioles playoff push. So far, the Machado experiment couldn’t have gone any better for Baltimore.
At Double-A, Machado was having a tremendous season, despite what some of his numbers suggest. At the age of just twenty, Machado posted a 122 wRC+. While the question of whether or not he could remain at shortstop loomed, Machado received stellar reports of his range at the shortstop position. Read the rest of this entry
Top 5 Catching Prospects in Baseball
Friday August 17th, 2012
Codey Harrison (Lead MiLB Prospect Analyst) – The second installment of a 3-part series featuring the top 5 prospects from middle of the field positions. This week we are focusing on one of the hardest positions in all of baseball to find superstars at. One of the biggest reasons is that catchers take a lot longer to progress defensively than any other position in baseball. Bryce Harper who was known for being a catcher in high school was drafted as an outfielder by the Nationals so he could make it to the Major Leagues much faster. Being able to call a game behind the plate, and knowing the angles that are needed to block pitches in the dirt can take several years to master. The wear and tear on a catcher can be a vigorous one, as most catchers only catch 140 games an entire season even if they are healthy the entire season. With current catchers in MLB who are stars like Joe Mauer, Matt Wieters, Buster Posey, Brian McCann, Yadier Molina, and Miguel Montero, it’s time to take a look at the potential future catching stars who replace the current MLB All-Star catchers. Plus teams look to move star catchers from their primary position to save their bats and extend their careers in the process.
Travis d’Arnaud (Toronto Blue Jays AAA) – Travis d’Arnaud was the prize prospect along with RHP Kyle Drabek the Blue Jays acquired in the Roy Halladay trade. d’Arnaud was named the 2011 Eastern League best catcher by the leagues managers. For the position, d’Arnaud has plenty of future plus tools (Hit, Power, Arm, and Fielding), and is on pace to supplant current Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia by the start of the 2013 season. d’Arnaud is currently on the disabled list, but for the season with AAA Las Vegas he’s batting .333, .380 OBP, .595 SLG, with 16 home runs, and 52 RBIs. One of the very few things scouts are drawn away from d’Arnaud is his approach at the plate, as he is very aggressive having walked on 19 times, while striking out 59 times on the season. Read the rest of this entry
Jim Thome Traded to the Baltimore Orioles: Rate That Trade
Sunday July 1st, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: As part of our regular features here on MLB reports, we have a dedicated page to baseball trades. It is not a streaming trade tracker. Rather, it is a highlight of the key baseball trades that take place during the year. We look at the main participants, what was the deal, each team’s logic and deliver a verdict. We call it “Rate That Trade“. Please feel free to bookmark it and check back regularly. If you love baseball deals as much as we do, then we know that you will have your opinion on each respective baseball swap. Leave your comments, send us an e-mail, keep in touch. We love debating baseball deals almost as much as we love reporting and analyzing them.
The big swap on the last day of June went down as follows:
The Philadelphia Phillies trade Jim Thome to the Baltimore Orioles, in exchange for two minor leagues, catcher Gabriel Lino and Pitcher Kyle Simon
Orioles Logic: This deal makes sense on so many levels for Baltimore. This team spent a great deal of time in first place already this year. Currently in 2nd place, the Orioles are 5 games behind the 1st place Yankees. But watch out, Tampa Bay and Boston are only 1.5 games behind Baltimore for 2nd place. This team needs a push to stay in content. Enter Jim Thome. The 41-year old Thome still carries a big home run bat. He is a solid veteran presence on a young team still trying to find itself. Mark Reynolds and Wilson Betemit simply won’t cut it anymore at DH. Chris Davis is likely to take over as the full-time first baseman. While he is not considered a top defensive player, he has shown enough this year offensively to warrant a permanent lineup position. Thome changes the whole complexion of the lineup. Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis (when he returns), Brian Roberts, J.J. Hardy and Davis are nice weapons on their own. But the team needs a definite clean-up hitter. That’s Thome. While he can’t play every day, he will play enough to make a difference. The pressure will be off Jones to be the big bopper. Thome is also patient, something the young Orioles hitters would be well served to learn. Read the rest of this entry
Are the Orioles a Real Threat in the AL East?
Sunday June 3rd, 2012
John Burns (MLB reports Intern Candidate): As we have just entered the month of June, it is worth pointing out that the AL East leader for most of the season has been one of the most surprising teams in the all of baseball so far during this young season.
The Baltimore Orioles, who finished 2011 last in the AL East with a 69-93 record, have emerged as one of the early East leader this seasons. It helps that they have arguably one of the best bullpens in all of baseball, and recently locked up their superstar centerfielder by the name of Adam Jones.
The Orioles currently are 2-8 in their last 10 games, mostly due to the inconsistency of their young starting pitching. But here is why I believe that the Orioles will be in the race for the East longer than most “experts” think: Read the rest of this entry
Posey or Wieters: Which Young MLB Catcher Has the Bigger Upside? The Friday Faceoff
Friday June 1, 2012
Ryan Ritchey (Baseball Writer): A couple of years ago the Minnesota Twins were talking about moving Joe Mauer to first base, to save his legs. Since he was such a great hitter, the Twins were looking to preserve his bat. That never did happen and the Twins are going down really fast and so is Mauer. The only thing Mauer has been really good for lately is making commercials for Head and Shoulders shampoo and one-liners from video game ads. Joe Mauer has played 9 seasons in the majors and does not have 100 career home runs. Yes he hits for a very high average. But he was supposed to be a great overall hitter. In my opinion, this home-grown Minnesota boy stayed behind the dish too long and now he will never be the same offensive player that he was in ’09. Injuries have taken their toll and the Mauer decline began far sooner than most expected.
The big question for the next two big young catchers is whether they going to stay behind the dish, or undertake a postion change to save their legs…and bats. Buster Posey and Matt Wieters are no doubt the best young catchers in the game right now. Some will look at Mike Napoli, Brian McCann and Alex Avila for that title. But for actual youth, production and potential, Posey and Wieters are the next big things. The only thing is how long will they actually be catchers. If I’m in either the Giants or Orioles front office, I move them as soon as possible. The catcher position is one of the hardest positions in the game and leaving either Posey or Wieters behind the plate too long could prove detrimental. Just look at Joe Mauer as an example of what could happen if you wait. Read the rest of this entry
An Early Season Look at the Top 10 Home Run Leaders
Sunday April 22nd, 2012
Sam Evans: Most major league teams have played about fifteen regular season games so far. Fifteen games are not enough to tell who is going to have a breakout season, but these games do matter just as much as games in September. Some players have gotten off to hot starts by showing their power as evidence by insane home run totals. Let’s take a look at the MLB home run leaders and see if they will be able to keep it up.
Matt Kemp, Nine Home Runs: Matt Kemp is on a tear through his first fifteen games. He is currently on pace for 97.2 homers if he were to play all 162 games. Last year, Kemp hit thirty-nine homers despite being surrounded by a weak lineup and playing half of his games in the spacious Dodger Stadium. As corny as it sounds, he has told the media that he is motivated by his 2011 NL MVP snub. If that what it takes to get him to play on this level, the Dodgers should pay off writers to not vote for Kemp after this year. In all seriousness, Kemp is going to have another amazing year. As crazy as it might sound, fifty home runs is not out of the question for Kemp in 2012. Read the rest of this entry
It is Amazing How People Overreact to a Small Statistical Sample Size
Tuesday April 17th, 2012
Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): The opening of the 2012 baseball season remains interesting and unpredictable. Although we are dealing with such a small sample size and people tend to overreact (approximately 10 games), there a lot of early season performances to that deserved to be examined a little closer.
Before we go making Matt Kemp comparisons, Chris Young is clearly benefiting from a new approach at the plate. Young has always displayed the ability to hit for great power and speed, but just lacked in the average department. However, he made significant mechanical adjustments in the offseason and his new approach has been successful since the spring, when he batted .400. His .405/5/13/2 stat line is clearly unsustainable, but lets not forget he is only 28 years of age and might finally be figuring out how to consistently put it together. What might be most telling of his improvement is his 4:5 strikeout to walk total after 10 games, from a guy who has throughout his career averaged a ratio of 3.3:7.4. This could be the year that the average is .270-280 to accompany his 30/30 potential, making him a top-level talent. Read the rest of this entry
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