MLB Reports

Tuesday June 28, 2011

MLB reports: Our last feature was on Danny Espinosa, the Nationals rookie second baseman who is taking Washington by storm. For all the talk of Espinosa’s strong play, many readers wrote in to suggest that Dillon Gee should be at the top of the National League Rookie of the Year talk. For many MLB fans, the first question will be: Who the heck is Dillon Gee?

Dillon Kyle Gee was born and raised in Texas. The 25-year old right-handed pitcher went to high school and university in Texas. The New York Mets drafted the 6’1″ pitcher in the 21st round of the 2007 draft. That is where the story should begin and end. Most players chosen beyond the 2nd round have a very small chance of ever making it to AAA, let alone the majors. This is the not the case though for Dillon Gee, who as a 21st round selection has beaten the odds to make it to the show.

Before joining the Mets full-time this year, here is a snapshot look at Dillon Gee’s career numbers in the minors:

Year	Tm	Lev	W	L	ERA	IP	H	BB	SO	WHIP
2007	Brooklyn	A-	3	1	2.47	62.0	57	9	56	1.065
2008	2 Teams	A+-AA	10	6	2.92	154.1	135	24	114	1.030
2008	St. Lucie	A+	8	6	3.25	127.1	117	19	94	1.068
2008	Binghamton	AA	2	0	1.33	27.0	18	5	20	0.852
2009	Buffalo	AAA	1	3	4.10	48.1	47	16	42	1.303
2010	Buffalo	AAA	13	8	4.96	161.1	174	41	165	1.333
2011	Buffalo	AAA	1	1	4.63	11.2	7	5	8	1.029
5 Seasons			28	19	3.78	437.2	420	95	385	1.177
AAA (3 seasons)		AAA	15	12	4.76	221.1	228	62	215	1.310
AA (1 season)		AA	2	0	1.33	27.0	18	5	20	0.852
A- (1 season)		A-	3	1	2.47	62.0	57	9	56	1.065
A+ (1 season)		A+	8	6	3.25	127.1	117	19	94	1.068

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Dillon Gee was good, but not great in his minor league career based on the above numbers. While he was stellar in the lower minors, Gee was not exactly “lights out” in AAA. In 221.1 innings pitched in Buffalo over parts of three seasons, Dillon Gee had a 4.76 ERA and 1.310 WHIP. By failing to dominate in AAA, one would have realistically expected Gee to require more seasoning before coming to New York or end up running the risk of getting lit up in the majors.

As you can see from Gee’s Mets numbers, quite the opposite has occurred:

Year	Tm	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
2010	NYM	2	2	2.18	5	5	33.0	25	2	15	17	1.212
2011	NYM	8	1	3.32	15	12	76.0	60	5	30	51	1.184
2 Seasons		10	3	2.97	20	17	109.0	85	7	45	68	1.193
162 Game Avg.		18	6	2.97	37	31	200	156	13	83	125	1.193

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Dillon Gee’s numbers speak for themselves. 8-1 record, 3.32 ERA and 1.184 WHIP. While he walks a shade too many batters (30/51 BB/K), he gives up far fewer hits than innings pitched. Based on his minor league numbers, I do not expect him to keep up his current pace. The 2nd and 3rd times through the league, I expect NL batters will have a better book on Gee. As the amount of innings pitched increases as well in the hot summer months, Gee will likely wear down. In 2009, Gee missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury. The Mets will likely wear kid gloves with him to some extent and not over extend his arm or risk causing further injury.

The New York Mets currently sit at 39-39, a .500 record with almost half a season completed. Not much was expected of a team with a great deal of scandal and turmoil surrounding it. One of the few bright spots though, in addition to the strong play and resurgent seasons by Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, has been the emergence of Dillon Gee. The patchwork pitching of the staff is nothing to write home about. Jonathon Niese, Mike Pelfrey, Chris Capuano and R.A. Dickey have combined with Gee to keep the Mets afloat and the team competitive in ball games. Chris Young fell early in the season and Johan Santana remains out following shoulder surgery. If not for the play of Dillon Gee, the Mets could have found themselves in the basement of the NL East. Instead, the team is in striking distance of the Braves for 2nd place in the division.

We should know by August if we have a possible Rookie of the Year in New York or another hot-shot prospect that had a couple of good months in Dillon Gee. With so much misery surrounding the Mets, it is a pleasure to see a bright hope emerge within its pitching staff. Dillon Gee this year evolved from an unknown minor leaguer that was considered a middle-of-the-road prospect to top starter status. Mets fans are hoping they have caught lightning in a bottle in Gee for the long-term success of its team. In the meantime, Gee will continue to pitch every fifth day in New York and give his team the best chance to succeed. That is really all the Mets can ask for at the end of the day.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

*** As a special note, the Dillon Gee feature represents the 100th article in the history of MLB reports. We wanted to thank you, the readers, for all your support. We hope that you enjoy reading our articles as much as we enjoy writing them. At the end of the day, it all comes down to one love for all of us: Baseball. ***

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: baseball, beltran, capuano, dickey, espinosa, gee, mets, mlb, nationals, niese, pelfrey, reyes, santana, young

From Riggleman to Johnson: Davey is the New Sheriff in Washington

Jun 25

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Follow @mlbreports

Saturday, June 25, 2011

MLB reports: According to several sources, the Nationals are set to announce the hiring of their new manager. Less than twenty-four hours after the abrupt resignation of Jim Riggleman (see yesterday’s feature), Mike Rizzo has apparently found the man for the job within the Nationals organization. Ex-Mets skipper, Davey Johnson is set to move from the front office to the dugout. Nationals fans couldn’t be happier.

Year	Tm	Lg	G	W	L	W-L%	Finish
1984	New York Mets	NL	162	90	72	.556	2
1985	New York Mets	NL	162	98	64	.605	2
1986	New York Mets	NL	162	108	54	.667	1
1987	New York Mets	NL	162	92	70	.568	2
1988	New York Mets	NL	160	100	60	.625	1
1989	New York Mets	NL	162	87	75	.537	2
1990	New York Mets	NL	42	20	22	.476	2

1993	Cincinnati Reds	NL	118	53	65	.449	5
1994	Cincinnati Reds	NL	115	66	48	.579	1
1995	Cincinnati Reds	NL	144	85	59	.590	1

1996	Baltimore Orioles	AL	163	88	74	.543	2
1997	Baltimore Orioles	AL	162	98	64	.605	1

1999	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	162	77	85	.475	3
2000	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	162	86	76	.531	2
	New York Mets		1012	595	417	.588	1.7
	Cincinnati Reds		377	204	172	.543	2.3
	Baltimore Orioles		325	186	138	.574	1.5
	Los Angeles Dodgers		324	163	161	.503	2.5
			2038	1148	888	.564	1.9

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Unlike his predecessor, Davey Johnson is a proven winner. Johnson managed four teams in his career before accepting the Nationals position. As a big league manager, Johnson has a career record of 1148 wins and 888 losses, good for a .564 winning percentage. Johnson has finished 11 of his 14 seasons above .500. He won a World Series title in 1986 with the New York Mets. Looking further at the numbers, Johnson’s teams have finished first in their division five times and in second place on seven different occasion. Johnson wins everywhere he goes and the same will be expected as the new face of baseball in the nation’s capital.

With Stephen Strasburg on the mend and Bryce Harper slowly making the climb to the big leagues, the Nationals will have a strong talent base for Johnson to mold. The Nationals will be looking for its team to play “Daveyball” and try to recreate some of the Mets magic from 1986. That team was filled with young prospects that gelled together at the same time, sprinkled with key veterans. As Mike Rizzo continues to tinker with the roster, we could very well be seeing a Nationals playoff run by 2013. Coincidently, that will also be the year that new manager Davey Johnson’s contract is set to expire. Provided Johnson’s teams perform to expectations, his run in Washington will be far longer than that of Jim Riggleman.

Davey Johnson is known as a gamer. A man who played with his heart on his sleeve back in his playing days and as an intense competitor behind the bench. This is a man who refuses to lose. For an organization that seemingly refuses to win, Johnson is a breath of fresh air and should turn out to be the voice of a reason for an organization in dire need of direction. Bobby Valentine would have been a good choice as well (given the rumors surrounding him in the media). But the Nationals have their man. A former Manager of the Year (AL 1997) and World Series winner. Welcome to the new Nationals manager, Davey Johnson. Get ready to see a lot of W’s in Washington during the next few seasons.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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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Tags: baseball, dodgers, harper, johnson, mets, mlb, nationas, orioles, reds, riggleman, rizzo, strasburg

Latest AL and NL Vote Totals: 2011 MLB All-Star Game

Jun 23

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Thursday, June 23, 2011

MLB reports: With the MLB All-Star Game less than three weeks, the race to finalize the lineups is starting to tighten up. The majority of the starters have fairly significant leads and will be in Arizona, barring injury or declining the invitation. However, some of the races have started to tighten up, with the positions up for grabs until the final votes are in. Let’s take a look at the current leading vote getters per league and position:

AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR (as of June 21)

CATCHER
Russell Martin – Yankees: 2,226,797
Alex Avila – Tigers: 1,730,511
Joe Mauer – Twins: 1,341,474
Jarrod Saltalamacchia – Red Sox: 1,135,617
Yorvit Torrealba – Rangers: 980,697

Verdict: Martin is in unless Avila gets a huge spike in votes at the end. While many are pushing for Avila to get the nod, Martin has the numbers and the fan base to likely win out.

FIRST BASE
Adrian Gonzalez – Red Sox: 3,017,960
Mark Teixeira – Yankees: 2,407,665
Miguel Cabrera – Tigers: 1,771,893
Mitch Moreland – Rangers: 890,468
Paul Konerko – White Sox: 676,194

Verdict: A-Gonz will be starting in Arizona. Take it to the bank. He has been one of the best players in the AL this season and plays in Boston. The fans will continue to vote for him until he is announced as the winner.

SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano – Yankees: 3,664,498
Dustin Pedroia – Red Sox: 2,239,172
Ian Kinsler – Rangers: 1,452,880
Orlando Cabrera – Indians: 910,941
Ben Zobrist – Rays: 828,771

Verdict: Cano continues to lead the pack by a country mile. His season totals justify his position.

THIRD BASE
Alex Rodriguez – Yankees: 2,876,537
Adrian Beltre – Rangers: 2,307,380
Kevin Youkilis – Red Sox: 2,025,438
Evan Longoria – Rays: 1,639,405
Brandon Inge – Tigers: 490,734

Verdict: A-Rod is still A-Rod. Beltre is getting closer though and could make this one interesting.

SHORTSTOP
Derek Jeter – Yankees: 2,654,040
Asdrubal Cabrera – Indians: 2,242,157
Elvis Andrus – Rangers: 1,513,929
Jhonny Peralta – Tigers: 875,371
Marco Scutaro – Red Sox: 813,888

Verdict: Jeter, the New York Yankees captain, continues to lead the way. However, an injury and poor play this season have led Cabrera to get closer in the voting. If Cabrera has a few more strong games, there is a chance he could be in Arizona as the starter. Either way, expect Cabrera to represent the Indians at the All-Star game.

DESIGNATED HITTER
David Ortiz – Red Sox: 3,116,578
Michael Young – Rangers: 1,760,195
Jorge Posada – Yankees: 1,120,830
Victor Martinez – Tigers: 932,711
Johnny Damon – Rays: 864,535

Verdict: Papi picked a great year to have a strong campaign. A free agent at year’s end, he is a worthy All-Star pick.

OUTFIELD
Jose Bautista – Blue Jays: 4,156,940
Curtis Granderson – Yankees: 3,473,227
Josh Hamilton – Rangers: 2,400,408
Jacoby Ellsbury – Red Sox: 2,249,323
Carl Crawford – Red Sox: 1,789,097
Ichiro Suzuki – Mariners: 1,537,101
Nelson Cruz – Rangers: 1,462,426
Nick Swisher – Yankees: 1,271,843
Brett Gardner – Yankees: 1,120,179
J.D. Drew – Red Sox: 1,112,720
Matt Joyce – Rays: 1,038,098
Jeff Francoeur – Royals: 906,983
Grady Sizemore – Indians: 867,281
David Murphy – Rangers: 785,630
Shin-Soo Choo – Indians: 764,817

Verdict: Bautista and Granderson continue to lead the AL outfielders in voting and deservedly so. Hamilton and Ellsbury are battling it out for the final spot in a competition of what have you done for me lately vs. last year’s statistics. Depending on where you sit in the debate, the 2010 MVP Hamilton or the 2011 resurgent Ellsbury should be the third AL outfielder. With Hamilton banged up and Ellsbury playing so well for a first place Boston squad, expect Ellsbury to win out.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR (as of June 20)

CATCHER
Brian McCann – Braves: 2,301,252
Yadier Molina – Cardinals: 1,836,490
Buster Posey – Giants: 1,573,484
Jonathan Lucroy – Brewers: 1,098,507
Carlos Ruiz – Phillies: 1,095,081

Verdict: McCann is the best catcher in baseball, not just the NL. He has received the justified votes and will be starting for the NL squad.

FIRST BASE
Albert Pujols – Cardinals: 2,806,864
Joey Votto – Reds: 2,270,211
Prince Fielder – Brewers: 2,066,327
Ryan Howard – Phillies: 1,477,478
Freddie Freeman – Braves: 559,762

Verdict: Pujols was the leader and remains so despite being placed on the shelf recently. With Pujols out of the picture, Votto and Fielder will continue to duke it out for top spot. The power and flash of Prince will likely rule over the steadiness of Votto.

SECOND BASE
Brandon Phillips – Reds: 2,286,378
Rickie Weeks – Brewers: 2,094,502
Chase Utley – Phillies: 1,827,194
Dan Uggla – Braves: 1,012,370
Freddy Sanchez – Giants: 987,606

Verdict: Phillips and Weeks are neck-in-neck in one of the closest positional battles. Based on Weeks recent play, my money is on him to get the starting role.

THIRD BASE
Placido Polanco – Phillies: 2,599,925
Chipper Jones – Braves: 1,558,895
Pablo Sandoval – Giants: 1,302,098
David Wright – Mets: 1,228,710
Scott Rolen – Reds: 1,102,626

Verdict: Polanco of the NL leading Philadelphia Phillies appears to have this one locked up. Without much in the way of competition, Polanco has been the best of the bunch according to the fans.

SHORTSTOP
Troy Tulowitzki – Rockies: 2,385,991
Jose Reyes – Mets: 1,972,820
Jimmy Rollins – Phillies: 1,354,896
Alex Gonzalez – Braves: 928,992
Yuniesky Betancourt – Brewers: 860,163

Verdict: Reyes of the Mets is making a late charge but Tulo might have too big of a lead to overcome. Expect this one to go to the wire as Reyes has been getting much of the press and attention in the past few days.

OUTFIELD
Ryan Braun – Brewers: 3,034,057
Lance Berkman – Cardinals: 2,562,428
Matt Holliday – Cardinals: 2,390,118
Matt Kemp – Dodgers: 2,062,667
Andre Ethier – Dodgers: 1,889,298
Jay Bruce – Reds: 1,681,613
Shane Victorino – Phillies: 1,357,115
Carlos Beltran – Mets: 1,261,308
Jason Heyward – Braves: 1,059,581
Raul Ibanez – Phillies: 982,046
Justin Upton – D-backs: 950,047
Carlos Gonzalez – Rockies: 944,666
Corey Hart – Brewers: 910,550
Martin Prado – Braves: 830,105
Alfonso Soriano – Cubs: 804,303

Verdict: Braun has the top spot locked up with Berkman almost guaranteed a starting spot in Arizona as well. The third outfield position will come down a battle between Matt Holliday, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Kemp is narrowing the margin but based on the vote numbers, St. Louis will likely have 2/3 of the starting All-Star outfield come July 12th.

MLB reports will continue to keep you up-to-date as the voting for the MLB All-Star game comes to a close. We will announce the starting lineups and rosters as they are made available and let you know on any injury replacements. This year’s field will be a competitive one and we look forward to catching all the action in Arizona, as the American League and National League battle for home field advantage in the World Series.

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis, The Rest: Everything Baseball

A Tribute to Chad Cordero: Retired MLB Closer

Jun 22

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Follow @mlbreports

Wednesday June 22, 2011

MLB reports: The man with the straightest brim in baseball, Chad Patrick Cordero formally announced his retirement from baseball on Monday, at the tender age of 29. Cordero originally suffered a torn labrum and missed most of the 2008 season. He was never able to return back to full health and form following the injury and his 2010 season with the Mariners will remain his last in the majors.

Chad Cordero was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round of the 2000 draft, and later was a 1st round pick of the Montreal Expos, 20th overall, in 2003. Cordero was one of the rare college closers who graduated to the same role in the majors. He attended Cal State Fullerton and made it all the way to a College World Series title. Cordero made his major league debut the same year he was drafted and stayed with the Expos/Nationals organization for the majority of his career.

Here are Chad Cordero’s final major league numbers:

Year	Tm	W	L	ERA	SV	BB	SO	WHIP
2003	MON	1	0	1.64	1	3	12	0.636
2004	MON	7	3	2.94	14	43	83	1.343
2005	WSN	2	4	1.82	47	17	61	0.969
2006	WSN	7	4	3.19	29	22	69	1.105
2007	WSN	3	3	3.36	37	29	62	1.387
2008	WSN	0	0	2.08	0	3	5	2.077

2010	SEA	0	1	6.52	0	5	6	1.552
7 Seasons		20	15	2.89	128	122	298	1.208
162 Game Avg.		4	3	2.89	28	26	65	1.208

WSN (6 yrs)		20	14	2.78	128	117	292	1.198
SEA (1 yr)		0	1	6.52	0	5	6	1.552

NL (6 yrs)		20	14	2.78	128	117	292	1.198
AL (1 yr)		0	1	6.52	0	5	6	1.552

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

The year 2005 will always stand out as Cordero’s best, as he led the Majors with47 saves that year. Cordero was taken out of baseball in his prime and the game has lost one of its top relievers much too early. Cordero played with teamUSAin the inaugural edition of the World Baseball Classic in 2006. After departing from the Nationals in 2008, Cordero went on to play in the minors and majors for the Seattle Mariners. He also played in the minors for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays organizations. Cordero was released by the Jays on May 17th and was last playing for the St. Paul Saints, an independent baseball team, before announcing his retirement on Monday.

In addition to his baseball injuries, Chad Cordero has also suffered from personal tragedy. In December 2010, Cordero and his wife lost an eleven-week old baby daughter. The cause was Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Cordero is quoted as saying, “I’m just using her as motivation, trying to find strength. Because I know, now, she’ll always be with me, no matter what.” From the time of his daughter’s passing, Cordero has been active in raising awareness for SIDS. It is very uplifting to hear that despite all the adversity suffered by Cordero, that he could still work so hard to try to continue his baseball career, while assisting with SIDS awareness. SIDS is a subject that must be very difficult for Cordero and his family to discuss and deal with, but he still fights on to continue the memory of his dear daughter.

A true fighter in every sense of the word, Chad Cordero gets our sympathies and respect. Cordero has faced many roadblocks and hills to climb and he has continued to see through all the hardships that life has handed to him. Still young, there is always a chance that Cordero could try to make a return to organized baseball. The torn labrum that he suffered though is not a “fixable” injury in the same category as Tommy John surgeries, which has become very common in baseball circles. It is unlikely that we will ever see the Chad Cordero of old on the mound and if he never returns to baseball, we will always remember him for the competitor he was on the mound. But given the circumstances surrounding his family, baseball and sports takes a back seat to the human element of life. We wish all the best to Chad Cordero and his family. For everyone that can go purchase a baseball hat today and leave the brim unfolded, wear your hat this week as a tribute to one of the best relievers in the game: Chad Cordero.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

***Note: The Wednesday E-mailbag is on hiatus this week so that we can bring you this tribute. The E-mailbag will return next week. Please feel free to continue to send all your baseball questions***

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: baseball, cordero, expos, jays, mariners, mets, mlb, nationals, padres, sids

Scott Kazmir: Where Will He Land? The Future of Kaz

Jun 18

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Sunday, June 19, 2011

MLB reports: Things did not go as planned for Scott Kazmir. A first round pick of the New York Mets (fifteenth overall) in the 2002 draft, Scott Kazmir has gone from can’t miss prospect to baseball outcast. Only twenty-seven years old, Kazmir now sits at home awaiting to find out if he still has a baseball future. The Texas Native was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2004 season in a package for mediocre starter Victor Zambrano. Considered a steal of a deal at the time for the Rays, Kazmir played in Tampa Bay until the 2009 season when he was moved to the Angels. Despite $14.5 million in guaranteed money still due to him, the Angels saw enough after a poor 2010 season and atrocious start to the 2011 campaign. Now the rumor mill has Kazmir possibly headed back to the Mets, the team that originally gave up on him early, in order to restore his flailing career.

The debate on Kazmir is whether he is suffering from injuries, physical or mental concerns. Kazmir had shoulder and hamstring issues in 2010 and spent time on the disabled list. In 2011, Kazmir lost a great deal of velocity and control, despite reportedly being injury-free. Looking at Kazmir’s numbers in Tampa Bay in 2009 and Anaheim in 2010 and 2011, the trend of decline was becoming obvious. If you remove Kazmir’s six games played in Anaheim after the trade in 2009, we have been viewing a pitcher in a free fall since his twenty-fifth birthday. Now as Kazmir ponders his future, the baseball world is left to wonder what happened and where Kazmir will play next.

I look at Kazmir’s health record and consider his elbow issues of 2007 and 2008. Aside from the 2005 and 2007 seasons, Kazmir has never successfully completed a full season in the majors injury-free. Even though he may not be considered injured today, the number of injuries that he has suffered throughout his career have apparently finally taken a toll. Having suffered elbow and shoulder injuries at such a young age, it is difficult to ascertain if his arm and body will ever fully recover. Based on his poor showing of the last two years, the mental strain of his failed performances have likely compounded the issues further. Wherever he lands in the future, our reports are indicating that we will likely never see the All-Star Kazmir from 2006 and 2008. Even though he is only twenty-seven, the future looks bleak for Scott Kazmir.

Over the coming days we will learn more about the teams interested in signing Scott Kazmir. The two New York teams have jumped to the forefront of the race. Other teams that make sense include the Boston Red Sox, who love their scrap heap former top prospect pitchers, the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers, who have been linked to Kazmir for some time. Analysts have been speculating for the last two days that the Mets are the top destination. Our projection though is Texas landing Kazmir. Born and raised in Texas, Kazmir would likely prefer a homecoming, combined with playing for the contending Rangers and its top pitching coach, Mike Maddux.

Sometimes a player performing poorly requires a change of scenery for a rebound. Playing in a new city for a new team can reinvigorate some players. But such is not the case for all. Especially with pitchers, we have recently seen some very highly considered hurlers seemingly decline overnight. Dontrelle Willis. Rick Ankiel. Two former top prospects turned horror shows. Is Scott Kazmir next? The chance for rebound is there, but it appears to be slim at best. The Angels, long considered a team highly skilled in developing pitchers, flushed a great deal of money in writing off Kazmir. From everything I have read, I can’t see that they are wrong. While the Mets were blasted ever since trading Kazmir, the reality is that the Rays only got four very good seasons out of him. The next Nolan Ryan may in fact have become the next Victor Zambrano. Ironic how life works out sometimes.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: angels, baseball, kazmir, mets, mlb, rays, zambrano

Baseball Book Review: Taking the Field by Howard Megdal

Jun 18

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Saturday June 18, 2011

TAKING THE FIELD (A FAN’S QUEST TO RUN THE TEAM HE LOVES) BY: HOWARD MEGDAL

(Bloomsbury: 2011)

MLB reports: You will find on MLB reports a page dedicated solely to baseball book reviews. We created a baseball books review section to encourage readership, thought and analysis on the books written about the greatest game in the world. While baseball fans enjoy watching games as they happen, books are a very important component of baseball fandom as well. Reading baseball books fosters understanding and advancing one’s baseball knowledge. Baseball books can be an adventure through time, recapping games and players of years gone by. Other books educate and train on specific components of the game. Some are devoted exclusively to statics. The possibilities are endless.

Then there are those baseball books that deliver information and insights into the many components of the game. Those special books, when completed, leave an impact on you as a baseball fan and person. You walk away with a wealth of baseball knowledge to further discussions with other fans. In watching games from there, you will have a better appreciation for the sport and understanding of the “game within the game.” While I have read many great baseball books in my day, I have found few authors that have been able to speak to me and truly leave me wanting more after completing their literary works. Today I can say with confidence that I have found such an author. His name is Howard Megdal and his recently published book is titled “Taking the Field: A Fan’s Quest to Run the Team He Loves.”

Taking the Field is Megdal’s second baseball book, with “The Baseball Talmud” representing his initial leap into the baseball publishing world. Megdal has hit a home run with Taking the Field. No sophomore jinx here. Taking the Field is basically three books in one. The main premise of the book is Megdal’s campaign to become the General Manger of the New York Mets. But the book is far more than that. Taking the Field is a historical review and analysis of the history of the New York Mets baseball club and many of the players that have been a part of the team over the years. It is also an autobiography of Megdal, from growing up as a Mets fan in Philadelphia to writing about the team to this day. Taking the Field is everything a baseball book should be. I read it page-by-page and simply could not put it down. After completing Taking the Field, I was left with many ideas and thoughts on the Mets and baseball. I was left craving more. A sign of a talented author that excels at his craft.

Let’s make this point clear. Howard Megdal is first and foremost a fan of the New York Mets. He does not try to hide his eternal devotion to his favorite team. Megdal lives for every game, every pitch and every at-bat of the Mets. Rather than try to mask his bias, Megdal embraces his love for the Mets and has turned the team into a lifestyle. We learn in Taking the Field about Megdal watching games with his father and turning his wife, Rachel and young daughter, Mirabelle, into fellow Mets disciples. He introduces us to the world of baseball blogging and the growth of baseball websites in recent years. Megdal spoke to me in the book as a writer and fan of baseball, but also as a person. He really is a “real” person and his genuineness and compassion come across in his writing. Many books can turn off readers, when the authors choose to talk down or above its readers. That is not the case with Howard Megdal. Reading Taking the Field, I got the sense that Megdal is a down to earth person. He truly appreciates being able to cover the team and sport that he loves for a living. Megdal does not take any part of his success and journey for granted. Reading his words, I felt like I was in the car with him in his younger days, driving to watch the Mets in Shea for the first time. I was there at Bard College with Megdal and his roommates when they watched the Red Sox win their first of two World Series titles in recent years. I came to care about Megdal and shared all his emotions for the Mets. The love of the team, the successes and bitter defeats, I was there with him every step of the way. Even though the Mets are not my team of choice, they became my team during my read of Taking the Field. Not an easy task to accomplish, but Megdal did it. From there, Megdal was going to graduate from fan and writer, to baseball executive and I was along for every step of the ride.

Taking the Field captures the journey of Megdal as a fan campaigning to become the General Manager of the Mets by internet and campaign promotions. By advocating “logic”, “transparency” and “passion”, Megdal looked to turn the Mets front office into a baseball democracy, with voted leaders holding accountability to the team owners but most of all, to the fans of the team. A humorous and tongue-in-cheek inspired effort, Megdal was successful in making a political statement as to how baseball teams are run and laying out the criteria that is necessary to turn a baseball team into a contender and eventual champion. Every baseball executive at all levels of the game would be well advised to reading Taking the Field. It is an autobiography of Howard Megdal on one level. It is a baseball manual on the other. As a “how to run a baseball team for dummies” type book, Taking the Field brings together an original concept in its pages. Hopefully many teams adopt the Megdal mantra and create the successful organization that Megdal envisions in his preachings.

While I enjoyed learning about Howard Megdal and his path to attempting to become the General Manager of the Mets, the component of the book that I most enjoyed and appreciated was the history. Taking the Field covers substantially the history of the Mets, from inception to the recent hiring by the team of new General Manager, Sandy Alderson. While the book covers too many topics to list them all, some of the highlights for me were:

Drafting, development and trading of Nolan Ryan
Tom Seaver trade
Scott Kazmir trade
John Rocker incident
The chronicles of the 1986 World Series Champions Mets
The Tenure of Omar Minaya as GM
The legend of Benny Agbayani

The list literally goes on and on. Megdal in Taking the Field has armed me with as much Mets history and information as I ever imagined possible. After reading this book, I feel confident that I can enter a discussion/debate/argument with any fan bleeding blue and orange and not miss a beat. All Mets fans have to buy this book. That is a no-doubter. It is literally impossible to love the Mets and not enjoy this book. But even the most casual baseball fan can appreciate what Taking the Field has to offer. Anyone starting off in baseball would appreciate Megdal’s take on the game and will advance to an intermediate level after completing the book. On the flip side, even the most advanced baseball junkie will enjoy the book. There are tidbits of information spread throughout the book that many “experts” likely never knew or forgot long ago. Taking the Field will work for anyone who enjoys baseball.

The ironic component of this book is the amount of news surrounding the Mets since Megdal completed Taking the Field. Bernie Madoff. The Wilpon interview with the New Yorker. David Einhorn being introduced as minority owner of the Mets. Much has happened in New York in very recent times. But even with the amount of Mets news and changes, Taking the Field has not become outdated or irrelevant. Far from it. To fully understand what the Mets are going through today, one needs to understand the history of the Mets up till now. This history is recounted eloquently by Megdal in his book. All the recent happenings of the Mets shows that time never stands still and the history of tomorrow takes place in the present. The New York Mets of today are proving that Megdal’s preachings in Taking the Field were bang on correct. After completing Taking the Field, I look forward to Howard Megdal’s next literary works. Stick with baseball Howard. The baseball community is lucky to have you as a member. Theo Epstein made his mark in the game. With Taking the Field, you have now made yours.

*** To learn more about “Taking the Field” and Howard Megdal, you can follow Howard on Twitter and click here for Howard’s website.***

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

Tags: baseball, baseballbook, bloomsbury, cone, kazmir, megdal, mets, mlb, ryan, seaver, takingthefield

Analyzing the 2011 MLB Draft: 1st Round Steals and Misses

Jun 7

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

The 2011 MLB Draft: Recap of the Results, 1st Round Picks and Future Stars

Tuesday June 7, 2011

MLB reports: Day one of the 2011 MLB Draft is now in the books and we are moving on to Round 2. The most hyped draft in recent memory did not disappoint, as the results of Round 1 featured many surprises and shockers. With the amount of mock drafts and industry experts covering the big event, you would think that the first round results would have been more predictable. But many teams took diverse routes in making their selections in the first round and now the second-guessing begins. While the analysis may look very different in 1-5 years from now, the day after the draft- we take a look at the highlights of the first round and our most noted steals and misses.

STEALS

6. Washington Nationals: Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice

A team is simply not supposed to land the top hitter of the draft at the #6 slot but that is exactly what the Nationals did with Rendon. If not for injury concerns, Rendon would have gone as one of the first two picks. While Rendon does carry some risk, the Nationals loved his upside and had to make the selection. The best pick of the draft for the slot in my opinion.

12. Milwaukee Brewers: Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Texas

15. Milwaukee Brewers (for unsigned 2010 first rounder Dylan Covey): Jed Bradley, LHP, Georgia Tech

The Brewers really cleaned up by landing not one but two top-ten starting pitchers by drafting Jungmann and Bradley. Jungmann is the 6’6″ gunslinging Texas pitcher and Bradley is one of the top lefty pitchers. Just like that, in one round the Brewers began the process of restocking their farm system with top pitching prospects.

19. Boston Red Sox (from Tigers for Type-A Victor Martinez): Matt Barnes, RHP, UConn

26. Boston Red Sox (from Rangers for Type-A Adrian Beltre): Blake Swihart, C, Rio Rancho (N.M.) Cleveland HS

The mighty Red sox were at it again by landing a top-ten starting pitcher and the top catching prospect in the draft with the #19 and #26 picks. Barnes was considered to go high, considering his 6’4′, 205 lbs frame and fluid delivery. Then Swihart, whom the Red Sox were known to have targeted at #19, fell all the way to them at #26. A great day for a team that knows how to draft well, plain and simple.

24. Tampa Bay Rays (from Red Sox for Type-A Carl Crawford): Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Columbia (S.C.) Spring Valley HS

31. Tampa Bay Rays (from Yankeesfor Type-A Rafael Soriano): Mikie Mahtook, OF, LSU

With ten top picks, the Rays were armed with the means to obtain prospects and they got two great ones in Guerrieri and Mahtook. Maturity issues dogged Guerrieri and based on talent alone, he should have gone in the top-12. Mahtook was seen as a possible Mets pick at #13, with a solid glove, bat and speed. Possibly the next Carl Crawford, the Rays showed that good scouting pays off even when you draft late. The Rays may have lost Crawford and Soriano to free agency but they will have the last laugh when both Guerrieri and Mahtook make the majors one day.

MISSES

13. New York Mets: Brandon Nimmo, OF Cheyenne East (Wyo.) HS

Nimmo was picked for the most part based on signability and cost. With the Mets in financial limbo, the team passed on many far superior talents to take Nimmo at #13. The kid is considered a project as he never played high school ball and should have been a 2nd round pick. For a team that desperately needs to rebuild its system, this pick will be a miss.

16. Los Angeles Dodgers: Chris Reed, LHP, Stanford

See Nimmo at #13. The Dodgers are in poor shape financially and like the Mets made their selection based on cost and signability. For another kid that was projected to be a 2nd round pick and also likely to be a reliever, this draft slot was too much of a reach. Overall a great opportunity for Reed, but a huge blow to the Dodgers farm system.

18. Oakland Athletics: Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt

Reports have Oakland viewing Gray as a starter, but I see the #18 pick likely as a future reliever. Based on his size (5’11”), there will be questions of durability and ability to succeed at the major league level. With so many quality prospects still available, the jury is definitely out on this pick.

29. San Francisco Giants: Joe Panik, SS, St. John’s

The media will have a field day with this pick as the Giants appear to have made a “Panik” move with the selection of Joe Panik in the first round. In desperate need of offense, the Giants opted to grab a shortstop late. With Josh Bell still on the board, a higher risk/reward pick may have been in order. Panik has a strong glove and decent bat, but does not project to have first round type talent.

30. Minnesota Twins: Levi Michael, SS, North Carolina

See Panik at #29. The Twins were in the same boat as the Giants when making their selection. However, the difference is that the Giants are open to spending on draft selections while the Twins tend to be more fiscally responsible (cheap). With the new ballpark in place, the Twins should have gone after a selection with higher upside. They played it safe with Michael, but the ceiling is not high enough to warrant the selection with Bell and Purke still available.

Previous Draft Articles by MLB reports:

Updating the 2011 MLB Draft: Baseball Prospects and Draft Projections

The 2011 MLB Draft: The Report and Inside Scoops

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Posted in On the Verge: MLB Prospects

Tags: athletics, barnes, baseball, bradley, brewers, dodgers, draft, giants, gray, guerrieri, jungmann, mets, michael, mlb, nationals, nimmo, panik, rays, redsox, reed, rendon, swihart, twins

Interview with Author Howard Megdal: “Taking the Field: A Fan’s Quest to Run the Team He Loves”

Jun 5

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Sunday June 5, 2011

MLB reports: We are pleased to feature today our interview with baseball author Howard Megdal. After the success of his first baseball literary work “The Baseball Talmud”, Howard has followed up with his just recently published book: “Taking the Field: A Fan’s Quest to Run the Team He Loves.” The press release for the book by Bloomsbury USA describes it as “the true-life story of a baseball fan brave enough to try what all fans wish they could: take over his team and turn it around.” Howard is first and foremost a Mets fan, but loves the game of baseball as a whole. A talented writer, Howard’s books have received great acclaim. For all our baseball fans and aspiring writers, MLB reports is proud to present Howard Megdal.

MLB reports: Howard, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Taking a look at your resume, you have quite the extensive baseball writing background. From two published books and articles for many major publications, including the New York Times, ESPN.com, New York Baseball Digest and mlbtraderumors.com. How did you get your start in writing Howard? What led you to writing and specifically, baseball writing?

MEGDAL: Well, I’ve always loved to write. When I got to college, I found that the on-campus publication only published once every 1-2 months, so I started my own. From there, I used that experience to land a job at a daily right nearby, eventually rising to sports editor. And whenever I had the chance to cover baseball, at any level, I just loved it.

MLB reports: What was your first “big break” in your writing career? Please provide details as to how you landed your first big role and the doors that it opened for you.

MEGDAL: I’d have to point to a pair of moments. One is, Mark Healey over at Gotham Baseball gave me the opportunity to cover the Mets and Yankees. It was my first credential at each stadium, and I remember the feeling of standing on the dirt at Yankee Stadium, just awestruck. From there, getting the chance to write for the New York Observer was critical, not only for the wider exposure, but because I work with my editor from there to this day, though now at Capital New York.

MLB reports: It is the dream of all sports writers to be a published author. Your first book was the “Baseball Talmud- The definitive position-by-position ranking of baseball’s chosen players.” How did you score the book deal? In addition to getting signed, how was the topic of the “Baseball Talmud” born? Was this an original creation that you shopped around, or did you get signed first and then came up with the topic?

MEGDAL: Regarding the deal, that was just persistence. I had wanted to write that book since college, and so I wrote up a sample chapter and proposal, and sent it to around 200 literary agents. That was harder even a few years ago; most required a hard copy. But my wife helped me put together the envelopes. And I remember getting a call when I was sick with a fever, and not quite believing it.

MLB reports: How long did it take you to write your first book? Please give us an idea as to how the book writing process worked for you, from finding the topic to polishing off the final draft of the book for publishing.

MEGDAL: Like I said, I knew what I wanted to write a Jewish Bill James-style book. The process of writing it took around 14 months, and the process was pretty straightforward. I made my days about writing the book, so once I ate breakfast, a cat jumped in my lap- we have two, so they took shifts and I went to work.

MLB reports: How did your life change after the “Baseball Talmud” was published? We are curious as to the work and promotions that went into effect after the book hit stores. Did you tour much for signings and give interviews promoting the book? How did your career change post-Baseball Talmud?

MEGDAL: Well, I was fortunate to find a wide audience for the book, and had the pleasure of traveling all over the country to give talks and signings. What changed, I guess, was getting to meet people who were familiar with the work and discussing it with them- instead of just sending my pieces into the void and seeing stray comments for or against them. It was gratifying.

MLB reports: What were your goals when you entered the business and how have they evolved since?

MEGDAL: My goals have always been to figure out who I wanted to write for, and make a point of doing so. That hasn’t really changed- I still love that I get to write what I want when I want. It seems kind of ridiculous, actually.

MLB reports: The title of your new book is absolutely captivating: “Taking the Field- A fan’s quest to run the team that he loves.” Please describe how you came up with the title to the book and if you can give the readers a little teaser about what the book is about in your own words.

MEGDAL: The title came from extended brainstorming from my fantastic editor at Bloomsbury, Ben Adams. The book itself is the story of my run to become General Manager of the New York Mets, which I treated like a political campaign, and simultaneously introduced baseball to my newborn daughter, Mirabelle. I spend time in the book dissecting how the Mets should have been run, and the effect their mismanagement through the years had on my family.

MLB reports: Book #2: Was it different to obtain a publishing deal for it in comparison to your first work? How was the idea born and how did you go about writing such an interesting topic?

MEGDAL: The process was a bit different this time; I met with several publishers, and we finally settled on Bloomsbury as the best fit this time around. I knew I wanted to write something more personal this time, and I also believed the time for this idea had come. I’d batted it around in my own mind for years, simply because I wanted to find a way to make the larger points about how the New York Mets should be run. This struck me as the perfect marriage of opportunity and timing.

MLB reports: “Taking the Field” was just published and is available for orders. Where is the book available for purchase? What forms are you selling the book (i.e. hard copy, digital and on tape?) Is there a book signing tour planned?

MEGDAL: The book is available everywhere- Amazon, Barnes and Noble, the Borders shops that haven’t yet closed… also the Kindle and Nook. I’ll be appearing in a number of places- HowardMegdal.com is probably your best bet to find out tour dates/times.

MLB reports: In comparing your two books, was it easier to write a book the second time around? How did the process and time lines for the books compare?

MEGDAL: Totally different. Second time around, I was writing to a much shorter deadline, and writing about myself. It was far more intense.

MLB reports: With your second book published, what are the goals for Howard Megdal from here? Are more books planned down the road and will they only be focused on baseball?

MEGDAL: Ah, great question. Still trying to figure that out with my agent. I would be surprised if I only wrote baseball books from here, though I have so many baseball ideas alone that it could sustain me for the duration. I love not knowing, though.

MLB reports: Being an obvious baseball fan and supporter of the game, how would you best sum up the state of the sport as it stands today? What do you love about the game and are there things you would change about it?

MEGDAL: The game has never been better. What I would change is simple: I’d eliminate the DH, move the Dodgers back to Brooklyn, keep the playoffs small and mandate scheduled double-headers.

MLB reports: For the future baseball writer reading this interview, what recommendations can you give for them to crack this industry? How does a person become the next Howard Megdal and write baseball columns and become a published baseball author one day? What is the secret of your success?

MEGDAL: Persistence. Write as often as you can, and for anyone who will publish you. Keep sending out pitches to editors, and gradually you will develop a following. Really, that’s all it is; keep knocking on doors.

MLB reports: Thank you for speaking with us today Howard. We wish you the best of luck with “Taking the Field”. It was a pleasure getting to know you and we look forward to publishing our own review of the book. It sounds like a great read and we encourage our readers to check it out.

***A special thank you to Howard Megdal for his time and effort as part of being interviewed for this article. You can follow Howard on Twitter and click here for Howard’s website.***

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Posted in Interviews with MLB Stars

3 Comments

Tags: author, baseball, baseballtalmud, bloomsbury, megdal, mets, mlb, takingthefield

Wilpon Sells Minority Share in Mets to Einhorn, Not Seinfeld

May 26

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Thursday May 26, 2011

MLB reports: The seemingly never-ending circus that is the New York Mets took another turn today, as the team announced that it has sold a minority stake in the ball club to hedge fund manager, David Einhorn. The amount of interest sold in the team is not yet known, but the price tag on the purchase has been set at $200,000,000.00. A nice chunk of change for a team that has indicated it would be losing up to $70 million this year alone. The money according to owner Fred Wilpon would be used towards the payment of debts and expenses of the team. In essence, a short-term attempt to stop the bleeding.

The 42-year-old Einhorn is an interesting choice as a partial owner of the team. Growing up in New Jersey, Einhorn was a Mets fan and has come home so to speak. Ironically, Einhorn moved to Milwaukee as a kid and actually grew up next door to Bud Selig. With the deal apparently a commissioner rubber stamp away from approval by MLB, the connection between the new owner and the MLB commissioner should mean a quick process. Knowing Selig well should integrate Einhorn quickly into the “old boys club” so to speak as a partial owner of a major league baseball team. Knowing the city and growing up a fan of the Mets, the hope is that Einhorn can use his financial knowledge and passion for the team to build a financially viable contender.

As a limited partner, it is unclear if Einhorn will have any say or control over the team. Fred Wilpon has indicated that the investment is limited and does not include any control stake in the team. But with a team valued at approximately $747 million by Forbes, we can assume that Einhorn purchased approximately 20-25% in the Mets. If Wilpon continues to falter financially, one would assume that Einhorn would have first right to purchase an additional interest in the team. If Einhorn does become a great stakeholder in the team, the issue will become if he will do everything that it takes to make the Mets a winner, or keep a strong eye on the bottom line. Einhorn made his money by being a strong manager of money as the President of the investment firm Greenhouse Capital, Inc. The long-term implications of the sale are not yet known, but this could be a start of a bright road for the Mets depending on Einhorn’s intentions.

So what is the connection to Jerry Seinfeld you ask? Before the Einhorn announcement, Seinfeld was my choice to become the new minority owner of the Mets. With a net worth close to $800 million, Seinfeld has the money and credibility to join the sports ownership business. A life-long Mets fan, as evidenced by his hit television sitcom, Seinfeld would have become the perfect fit. A celebrity in the ranks to take the spotlight away from the troubles of the Mets and allow the fans to get excited about its ball team again. However, from all accounts that I have read, Seinfeld does not have any interest to purchase a sports team. A deeply private person by nature, Seinfeld does not want to consistently be before the press and the responsibilities that go along with becoming an owner in the Mets. Sports ownership is also not always the best financial investment and that appears to have factored into Seinfeld’s decision as well.

Finally, Fred Wilpon is a person that enjoys the spotlight and more than likely would not have enjoyed the attention being shifted away from him to the celebrity Seinfeld. However, given the scandals and turmoil that has plagued the Mets recently, having Jerry Seinfeld as a partner may have been the best cure for Wilpon. But as it stands today, it appears that the Mets have a new minority owner in David Einhorn. Hopefully the new owner brings luck and fortune to a team that desperately can use any help that it can get.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

1 Comment

Tags: baseball, einhorn, hernandez, madoff, mets, mlb, reyes, scandal, seinfeld, wilpon

Part II: Wilpon, Mets, Madoff and Scandals

May 24

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Tuesday May 24, 2011

MLB reports: In yesterday’s report on the Mets, we took a look at the New Yorker interview that was just released with Mets owner Fred Wilpon. After making many comments on the state of his team and star players, Wilpon by not hold backing is now facing the wrath of theNew York fans and media. The best comparison that I can make is the John Rocker interview with SI, a no-holds barred discussion that left Rocker’s career in the dust and from which he never recovered. Please click here to view yesterday’s post if you missed it to read the quoted damaging words uttered by Wilpon that have tarnished himself and his team. It will give you as the readers a sense of the controversy in place and what has led to the continuing events surrounding the Mets on a now daily basis.

From the aftermath of yesterday’s media storm, some new comments and developments have emerged. Firstly, son Jeff Wilpon, the Chief Operating Officer of the Mets, has apparently sat down with some of the named players from his dad’s interview to help “clear the air.” Given that the elder Wilpon is responsible for the war of words, it is a shame and disappointing that his son was sent in to clean up his mess and attempt damage control. The offended players would likely have had more respect for Fred Wilpon if he had faced them personally and come clean with his errors. It seems that Fred Wilpon will never learn and he continues to dig a deeper hole for himself and one that he likely will not be able to escape at this point.

The first player response to the Wilpon interview came from Mike Pelfrey. The baseball world was unsure as to how the players on the team would react to their owner’s disparaging remarks. In true tongue-in-cheek fashion, Pelfrey became the darling of the media and Mets fans by having the following to say about Wilpon:

“I think guys will be upset,” pitcher Mike Pelfrey said. “But we’re all a family: ownership, coaches and players. Sometimes people say things they regret. It’s a mistake and you learn from it. Maybe next spring when we have our media workshop for the players, Fred can come and sit in on it.”

I do not expect Pelfrey to receive any reprimands from his team for his statements. While it would be fitting to hear how the other Mets players feel about Wilpon’s interview, most will likely remain neutral or keep their opinions to themselves. While most of the Mets players are likely insulted and hurt by Fred Wilpon’s statements, the players likely only want a resolution and the ability to play ball and have a winning team at the end of the day.

Another story emerging from the Mets is another Bernie Madoff side note. Last week, a story emerged that Bobby Bonilla, a former Mets player, is being paid by the Mets starting this year $1.2 million for the next 25 years. The story is that the Mets chose this delayed compensation plan over paying Bonilla a lump sum $5.9 million dollars for the 2000 season. By delaying the payment, the Mets in essence are paying Bonilla $29.8 million for a $5.9 million lump sum payment, abased on an 8% interest rate paid (a nice investment for Bonilla indeed). The math is mind-blowing and critics have been blasting the team for such poor financial decision making. Well, according to SI, the Mets at the time of making the decision turned to Bernie Madoff to help them plan how to get rid of the malcontent Bonilla after the 1999 season. Rather than releasing the player and paying the remaining money owed to him, the Mets created the delayed payment plan on the basis that Madoff would invest the Bonilla money with an expected rate of return between 10-12%. Now the Mets likely have lost the invested money due to Madoff’s actions and are on the hook for the Bonilla debt that will haunt the team financially for the next 25 years. Similar deals were struck with former pitchers Bret Saberhagen and Tom Glavine, which will hurt the team’s future payrolls as well.

Wilpon Gate is far from over and after the Madoff financial scandal and the New Yorker interview, we will continue to hear about Fred Wilpon for the next few coming weeks and likely months. Wilpon is on record to trying to sell 49% of the stake in his team but based on his shaky financial and credibility standing, the state and ownership of the Mets will be in flux until a final resolution can be arrived at. Until then, expect rumors and stories to continue to circle the team in a circus-like atmosphere. With the both the Mets and Dodgers in crisis mode, it is up to Bud Selig and Major League Baseball to step in and stabilize two of the leagues historical and proudest franchises. Successful and productive teams in Los Angeles and New York is what baseball fans expect and deserve. The challenge is out to Major League Baseball: my hope is that they can hit a home run in both cases.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Comments Off on Part II: Wilpon, Mets, Madoff and Scandals

Tags: baseball, bonilla, dodgers, fredwilpon, glavine, jeffwilpon, madoff, mets, mlb, pelfrey, saberhagen, scandal, wilpon

Wilpon and the Mets: The Scandals Continue

May 23

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Monday May 23, 2011

MLB reports: As if the New York Mets have not faced enough issues during the past few seasons, owner Fred Wilpon has brought the team’s troubles to the media forefront again. The laughing stock of baseball, only the Dodgers and the McCourt divorce rival the embarrassment of the once proud franchise. In a John Rocker type interview as given to Sports Illustrated in December of 1999, Fred Wilpon recently spoke extensively with The New Yorker. In a no-holds barred interview, Wilpon lashed out at anyone and everyone associated with his team. I could only describe the piece as the final nail in the coffin, as Wilpon is about to receive a backlash from the Mets media, fans and major league baseball that he likely never expected. As the Mets attempted to recover from the Madoff scandal and sell a portion of the team to save itself financially, the Mets are back in the news for all the wrong reasons. What you are about to read is going to shock you.

Here are some snipets of what Wilpon had to say about the New York Mets as a team and its players:

On David Wright, the Met’s third baseman: “A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”

On Carlos Beltran, who starred for Houston in the 2004 playoffs before signing a seven-year, $119 million deal with the Mets: We had some dummy in New York, Wilpon says, referring to himself, “who paid him based on that one series. He’s 65 to 70 percent of what he was.”

On Jose Reyes, the often-injured shortstop with an expiring contract: “He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money. He’s had everything wrong with him. He won’t get it.”

As the game progresses during the interview, a Mets rally expires, during which Wilpon refers to his team with an expletive and, again, with the word lousy. He says the team is “snakebitten” and essentially agrees when Toobin suggests the Mets could be cursed. “He gave sort of a half laugh,” Toobin writes, “and said, ‘You mean’ — and then pantomimed a checked swing of the bat.”

“He’s happiest when he’s talking baseball, arguing about baseball,” Omar Minaya, whom the Wilpons fired as the team’s general manager after last season, told me. “I always felt best when we were arguing over a player and Fred would say, ‘Omar, you’re full of s***'”.

Ike Davis, the sophomore first baseman and the one pleasant surprise for the Mets so far this season, was up next. “Good hitter,” Wilpon said. “S****y team—good hitter.” Davis struck out. Angel Pagan flied out to right, ending the Mets’ threat. “Lousy clubs—that’s what happens.” Wilpon sighed. The Astros put three runs on the board in the top of the second. “We’re snakebitten, baby,” Wilpon said.

And Wilpon has now suggested that he may be willing to sell up to forty-nine per cent of the team. The combination of his financial troubles and the value of the Mets—perhaps more than a billion dollars—has driven speculation that he will have to surrender control of the team.

The first day the architects came to the site, they started saying blah, blah, blah, and I said to them, ‘Let me tell you how this is going to work,’ ” Wilpon told me recently. “ ‘The front of the building is going to look like Ebbets Field. And it’s going to have a rotunda—just like at Ebbets.’ And then I said, ‘Guess what. Here are the plans for Ebbets Field.’ And I handed them over.”

To read the entire Wilpon profile in the New York, click here. If you are a Mets fan, detractor or a general follower of baseball, you won’t want to miss this one. In this day and age of history and instant media, you think that people would learn to be smarter and conduct themselves in the best possible manner. For a man that has lost much of his fortune and jumps from one scandal to another, Fred Wilpon does not appear to have learnt his lesson. After this latest episode, the book may be finally closed on the man who will go down in history for almost destroying the Mets franchise and setting the team back as a result.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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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Tags: baseball, bay, beltran, madoff, mets, mlb, reyes, scandal, wilpon, wright

E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 18th

May 18

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.

We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.

Wednesday May 18, 2011

Q: Have the dimensions of Citi Field been to the detriment of the Mets franchise? From Yair, Bat Yam, Israel

MLB reports: Great question Yair and shalom (hell0) to you in Israel! With the lacklustre play of the Mets the last few seasons, its great to see that they still have so many fans, even internationally. Getting to your question, the topic of Citi Field has been a continuous one since its opening back in 2009. The $850 million structure replaced Shea Stadium and has not played out in the same way that new Yankee Stadium has to say the least. At a capacity of 41,800, the stadium holds 15,000 fewer fans than Shea and was meant to be more intimate. Citi Field has some interesting features in its design. Citi Field’s fences are not the same size, ranging in height from being 15 feet in left field and 18 feet in right. Shea Stadium had outfield fences that were all 8 feet in comparison. The dimensions overall are not far different from Shea, with approximately 335 feet to the field lines and 408 feet to center. Shea was never a great hitters ballpark to begin with and Citi Field is no better. I would attribute the height of the fences as being a major issue for the team in terms of hurting the amount of home runs in the park. As well, the shortage of quality hitters on the current Mets squad is the main reason for any offensive issues. As a ball park, Citi Field ranks 11th currently in terms of home runs but 27th last year. It will be interesting to see how the field plays out this season. But the bottom line, is that the Mets have the same advantages and disadvantages at Citi Field as all opposing teams. As a pitcher’s park, the team needs strong pitching and defense to remain competitive on its home turf, with good timely hitting. This may sound obvious, but team talent and not the stadium will decide the team’s fate at the end of the day.

Q: Ok how about this? I am not yet dropping Derek Jeter from fantasy team. Can I drop Brett Wallace or Mark Trumbo for Yunel Escobar as insurance for Jeter? From Maury, Boston

MLB reports: Hell0 Maury and no, you cannot make this move. As much as Jeter is struggling, dropping talents like Wallace and Trumbo do not make sense at this point. Wallace is hitting .321 in 2011 with 3 home runs and .869 OPS. Trumbo, while starting to struggle somewhat with a .244 AVG has 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. If you must make this move, then drop Trumbo and grab Escobar, who is hitting .295, with 3 home runs and .775 OPS. Quality numbers for a shortstop. But Jeter is still Jeter and will rebound in my estimation. Keep plugging the Yankees captain in your lineup and expect a rebound soon.

Q: Can the Cubs please just leave Starlin Castro in a fixed spot in the lineup? Like, say, leadoff? Hitting him 3rd is (^*&&*%$! From Reuben, parts unknown

MLB reports: I can’t argue with Castro’s numbers to start the season. .327 AVG, .789 OPS, 23 runs scored, 18 runs driven in, 4 stolen bases and 6/14 BB/K ratio. As a leadoff hitter or hitting in the second slot, Castro has strong abilities to get timely hits and create runs. I couldn’t agree with you more that batting Castro in the third slot does not make sense. With one home run this year and three all of last year, the power is not there for the Cubs shortstop. The move to hit him third would be out of desperation than anything else. It is a relection on the Cubs for a lack of other options, than Castro as a new power guy. As the Cubs continue to gel through the season, expect Castro to have a permanent lineup slot soon. Leadoff appears to be most likely his destination.

Q: Do you think Aaron Hill might be enough to protect Bautista in the Jays lineup? I obviously don’t mean full protection, but maybe just enough for the Blue Jays to be a force. Another great article by the way, I enjoyed reading your feature on Jose Bautista! From Nolan, parts unknown

MLB reports: Thank you for reading the reports, I always appreciate the feedback. The Bautista article was a lot of fun to write and I enjoyed giving the readers a look into the Jays home run king (You can click to read our piece on Bautista). As far as AaRon Hill coming back and providing good protection in the lineup, I will admit that I have my doubts to say the least. Hill has missed several games this year due to injury and when he has been able to play, has hit to the tune of a .237 AVG, no home runs and .573 OPS. If you take aside 2009, Hill has never shown to be a really good hitter and in my opinion, that season has been an outlier rather than the standard. Aaron was actually the subject of the first ever article on MLB reports. If you would like to read more about Aaron and his future on the Jays, please click here. But if you want the brief synopsis: Hill is more likely a candidate for a trade/release over the next year than any guarantee of production. I do not have very much faith in him and neither should you.

Thanks for the e-mails and keep them coming! mlbreports@gmail.com

E-MAILBAG ARCHIVE: Click here for the Archives of Ask the Reports

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

Tags: angels, astros, baseball, bautista, bay, castro, cubs, escobar, hill, jays, jeter, mets, mlb, trumbo, wallace, yankees

MLB 2011 DL: Injury Updates

May 12

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

MLB reports: To answer many of our readers inquiries, here is an update on some of the casualties and wounded in the world of baseball and when each player is expected to return from the disabled list:

Phil Hughes: Yankees

Hughes went on the 15 day disabled list in mid-April with a “dead arm” and has not returned since. On April 28th Hughes received a cortisone shot and reports have indicated that his shoulder has responded well. The timetable for Hughes to return to the mound is 6-8 weeks, which would put him sometime into July. Hughes has not started throwing yet but has visited specialists who have ruled out surgery at this point. With a dead arm type injury, it is not always easy to predict where the future lies. Justin Verlander went through such an episode in his career and has come back stronger than ever. The fear though is that the velocity will not return and surgery could be lurking in the background. Until Hughes begins throwing and regains his velocity, Yankees fans will continue to huddle in prayer and hope for Hughes to come back and reclaim his 2010 form this year.

Carlos Guillen: Tigers

Guillen has been bothered by a sore left knee and out of action since mid-March and going on the 15 day DL. Reports have indicated that Guillen is taking ground balls, but no other baseball activities at this point. The original prognosis of mid-May does not appear likely, with an end of the month or early June return a possibility. With his wonky surgically repaired knee, Guillen will likely be a DH at best if and when he returns to the Tigers lineup. There is a possibility of a relapse here, so the Tigers are progressing forward without Guillen and any contributions this year will be considered a bonus.

Joe Mauer: Twins

The $184 million dollar man is off to a dreadful start in 2011, the first season of his monster contract. After having surgery on his knee in the off-season, Mauer has been bothered by leg weakness all season. Mauer has started hitting and throwing, but his return is up in the air. Once considered to be the greatest catcher in baseball, talk has already started about a position change in his future. After moving prospect Wilson Ramos, the Twins cannot be happy about the state of Mauer’s health. Like the other members of this list thus far, Mauer’s return date is unknown at this point. With the Twins off to a terrible start this season, there is much pressure to get Mauer into the lineup to get the team going. But considering the investment in the catcher, the team will likely be cautious and continue to bring him along slowly in the fear that further damage could result in rushing him. Expect Mauer back sometime in June likely, but his catching days appear to coming to an end in the near future unfortunately.

Josh Hamilton: Rangers

After breaking a bone in his right arm from a home plate collision early in the season, Hamilton is nearing his return to the Rangers lineup. Hamilton is taking swings and should hopefully ready soon for a couple of minor league rehab appearances. I would expect Hamilton back in the Rangers lineup in the next two weeks if all goes well. The brittle Hamilton continues to endure bad luck in the health department, with the Rangers sorely needing a healthy Hamilton in order to contend in the AL West.

Chien-Ming Wang: Nationals

After 2 missed seasons, Wang continues to try to come back from a torn shoulder capsule and pitch once again in the majors. After breaking his right foot in 2008, Wang ended up injuring his shoulder and has not returned to pitch in a professional game since. Still rehabbing in the Nationals system, it appears unlikely that we will see Wang pitch again. Fans still hope that the former back-to-back 19 game winner can find health and pitch again, but after a prolonged absence, the window of opportunity continues to close further every week/month that goes by.

Johan Santana: Mets

Another torn shoulder capsule survivor, Santana underwent his surgery last September. Reports have indicated a possible July return for Santana, which appear to be optimistic at best. With a similar injury to Wang, there is no guarantees of when Santana and what condition he will be in. Good news in that Santana is throwing off a mound and flat ground and reported no setbacks to date. But with these types of injuries, relapses are always a possibility. If the Mets flounder this year as expected, the smart advice is to rest Santana and bring him along slowly, with a 2012 return being the better bet. Only time will tell if Santana will return and reclaim his spot as one of the top starting pitchers in baseball. At this point, I would not be counting on it.

Chase Utley: Phillies

With injuries all around in baseball, few have been more anxious than thedisappearance of Chase Utley. With the Phillies offense built around Utley and Howard, a long-term absence by the second baseman was seen as damaging by the Phillies faithful. Talk at the start of the season was a possible September return by Utley, based on the knee injury. Philadelphia got a great shot in the arm when Utley’s rehab progressed so well to the point that he is already DHing this week in minor league rehab games, with a possible return by the end of the month. Far ahead of schedule, the hope is that Utley is fully recovered and will be strong for the remainder of the season. Utley’s story is one of the few bright spots in our long list of injuries in this report.

Scott Rolen: Reds

Placed on the DL at the end of April with a strained shoulder, Rolen is no stranger to baseball injuries. But being the professional he is, Rolen also works very hard and keeps himself in strong game shape to attempt to avoid long-term absences. Rolen has been taking batting practice this week and has also been running the bases and participating in fielding drills. No timetable on his return at this point, but based on his advanced baseball activity, I would expect a return by the end of this month.

Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@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.

Posted in MLB Player Profiles, Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles