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

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

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

How All Of The Dodgers Hitters Were Acquired:

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

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

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

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

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

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St. Louis Cardinals Current Roster Tree: How All Of The Team Was Acquired

The Cardinals Roster Tree has been the easiest to do by far.  This organization has Drafted so incredibly well, that there has been no real need for trading of late.  We will still see how drafting J.D. Drew has turned into Adam Wainwright, and how Albert Pujols signing with the Angels, made for the Cards to select young phenom Michael Wacha.  St. Louis is in their 8th NLCS in the last 13 years, with a multitude of young stars coming.  They are going to be players in the National League for some time to come.

The Cardinals Roster Tree has been the easiest to do by far. This organization has Drafted so incredibly well, that there has been no real need for trading of late. We will still see how drafting J.D. Drew has turned into Adam Wainwright, and how Albert Pujols signing with the Angels, made for the Cards to select young phenom Michael Wacha. St. Louis is in their 8th NLCS in the last 13 years, with a multitude of young stars coming. They are going to be players in the National League for some time to come.

How All Of The Cardinals Were Acquired:

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

Follow MLB Reports On Twitter

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

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

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

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

Carlos Beltran Steals Game #1 of the 2013 NLCS for the Cards

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MLB’s Payroll Matters Part 2: Just Because Some Low Payroll Teams Have Bucked The Trend – Doesn’t Mean It Will Continue

It seems the only to way to build a team successfully - is to be atrocious for several (talking 6 - 8 seasons), stockpile top 5 Draft Picks, and have them all become your nucleus for a matter of a few seasons. The reason is because of Team Control Salaries.  Teams like the Rays and Pirates have also held players in the Minor Leagues longer than needed - due to salary and Arbitration implications.  I can think of Desmond Jennings, Wil Myers, Chris Archer for the Rays, while Gerrit Cole and Jeff Locke come to mind for the Bucs.

It seems the only to way to build a team successfully – is to be atrocious for several (talking 6 – 8 seasons like the Twins, Nationals, Pirates, Rays in recent years – and now the Astros are following suit), stockpile top 5 Draft Picks, and have them all become your nucleus for a matter of a few seasons. The reason is because of Team Controllable Salaries. Teams like the Rays and Pirates have also held players in the Minor Leagues longer than needed – due to salary and Arbitration implications. I can think of Desmond Jennings, Wil Myers, Chris Archer for the Rays, while Gerrit Cole and Jeff Locke come to mind for the Bucs.  If a player is ready for action in the Majors, he should playing – end of story.

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

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Lets just take a look at the teams that have played well above their value.  The Twins are a story much like the Marlins in 1997 and 2003.

The Twins had a good team in the late 80’s, and won 2 World Series Titles in 1987 and 1991.  However the economics of the game hit them hard, and they struggled for an 8 year stretch in the AL Central.

For Part 1 of the MLB’s State Of the Union Part 1:  Click here.

Major League Contraction Talk Again?

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Interleague Master Schedule For The 2014 MLB Season

For the 2014 MLB Schedule Links Page – that has Monthly, Weekly, Daily, 30 MLB Teams  and all 2430 Games for on 1 running  Page Post, click here

Do yourself a favor and read this blog on the 30 MLB Park Pass-Port here

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

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The AL have won 13 out of the 17 years for Interleague play.  The American League has also won every year since the start of the 2004 year.

1997:  NL won 117 – 97 (.547) NL up yearly series 1 – 0

1998:  AL won 114 – 110 (.509) Yearly series tied 1 – 1

1999:  NL won 135 – 116 (.538) NL up yearly series 2 – 1

2000:  AL won 136 – 115 (.542) Yearly series tied 2 – 2

2001:  AL won 132 – 120 (.524) AL up yearly series 3 – 2

2002:  NL won 129 – 123 ( .512) Yearly series tied  3 – 3

2003:  NL won 137 – 115 (.544) NL up yearly series 4 – 3

2004:  AL won 127 – 125 (.504) Yearly series tied  4 – 4

2005:  AL won 136 – 116 (.540) AL up yearly series 5 – 4

2006:  AL won 154 – 98 (.611) AL up yearly series 6 – 4

2007:  AL won 137 – 115 (.544) AL up yearly series 7 – 4

2008:  AL won 149 – 103 (.591) AL up yearly series 8 – 4

2009:  AL won 154 – 98 (.611) AL up yearly series 9 – 4

2010:  AL won 138 – 114 (.548) AL up yearly series 10 – 4

2011:  AL won 134 – 118 (.532) AL up yearly series 11 – 4

2012:  AL won 142 – 110 (.611) AL up yearly series 12 – 4

2013:  AL won 154 – 146 (.513) AL up yearly series 13 – 4

2014:  AL Won Season Series for the 11th straight campaign – yearly season  series  AL Up 14 – 4

SUN Sept.28, 2014 Results: NYM 8 HOU 3,  2014 – AL wins season series 163 – 137 (.543) 

ALL Time: AL leads the NL 2353 – 2126 (.525)

See Ya All in 2015 for Interleague

 

 

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – September 26, 2013

 (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)

(AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)

Brewers Braves Baseball

I really hope Brian McCann approves of today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

He is a classic super sensitive guy pretending to be a tough guy. Color me unimpressed.

Plus the Yankees are eliminated and I have thoughts about the team in the Bronx.

Max Scherzer, Darnell McDonald, Kyle Lohse and Evan Longoria all owned baseball on September 25, 2013.

To see the up to date tally of “Who Owns Baseball?,” click HERE.

Subscribe on iTunes HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – September 26, 2013

Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (September.25th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Max Scherzer  truly earned his 21st victory of the season. He threw 7 shutout innings, striking out 10 Twins and letting only 2 get hits. The 1-0 triumph clinched the AL Central for the Tigers.

Evan Longoria  pushed Tampa Bay closer to a playoff spot and eliminated the Yankees altogether. He went 3-5 with a pair of homers and 4 RBI, leading the way as the Rayswon another laugher in the Bronx, 8-3.

Kyle Lohse was effective and economical in his dominating shutout of the Braves. He needed only 89 pitches to go 9 innings where he let up only 2 hits and no walks as the Brewers won, 4-0.

Darnell McDonald  broke open a 1-1 tie with a three run homer that gave the Cubs a lead they would never relinquish against the Pirates. The final score in Wrigley was 4-2, Chicago.

They all owned baseball on September 25, 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 OR SCROLL DOWN.

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Its Gut Check Time For The Rangers: Indians + Rays In The AL Wild Card Driver Seats

Baltimore entered last Friday night just 1 game behind the playoff bar.  They were swept in a 4 game series down in Tampa Bay, in a wraparound series, that included a devastating 18 inning loss among the tough defeats.  The club also lost Manny Machado to injury.  The magic number to eliminate the club is just 3.

Baltimore entered last Friday night just 1 game behind the playoff bar. They were swept in a 4 game series down in Tampa Bay, in a wraparound series, that included a devastating 18 inning loss among the tough defeats. The club also lost Manny Machado to injury yesterday. The magic number to eliminate the team is just 3.  The guys end the regular season with 6 straight at Camden Yards.  The only real meaningful resolutions will be if Chris Davis can crack 4 Home Runs, to tie Ken Griffey Jr. (56 HRs) for the most HRs by a LHB in the AL for the last 52 years?

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

2013 WILDCARD Race Breakdown in AL

Team                         W –  L   GBL Games Left Upcoming in Sequence

Tampa Bay Rays       87 – 69     –   ( 3 @ NYY, 3 @ TOR)

Cleveland Indians     86 – 70     –   ( 2 vs CWS, 4 @ MIN)

Texas Rangers           85 – 71    1   (2 vs HOU, 4 vs LAA)

Kansas City Royals  83 –  73   3.0  (2 @ SEA, 4 @ CWS)

New York Yankees   82 – 74   4.0   (3 vs TB, 3 @ HOU)

Baltimore Orioles     81 – 75   5.0  ( 3 vs TOR, 3 vs BOS)

We have had some clarification occur over the last week in the AL Wild Card Race as the Rays and Indians have both won 4 straight in their goal to make the playoffs.

The Yankees went 3 – 3 for the week, including a heart – wrenching loss to the Giants late on Sunday,  It must have pained them even more to see the Rays come back in the late innings versus the Orioles.

Had Baltimore won that game, the Yankees would start the series in New York versus the Rays tonight with a chance to cut their deficit to them by 3 games via a sweep.

The Bronx Bombers then waltz into Houston, where they might win their last 3 games.  However, with Tampa’s come from behind win yesterday, it makes their Magic number versus the Yanks to 3. 

Manny Machado’s Gruesome Injury – Sept.23/2013

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The 4 Teams Chasing Texas + Tampa In The AL Wild Card Have A Great Chance (Mon – THU Game W – L Grid For All 6 Teams)

The Cleveland Indians are in the driver seat in the AL Wild Card Race.  While they may not overtake the #1 Wild Card Spot by Thursday, they can guarantee to be in a playoff position if they can simply win 3 out of the next 4 games.  After Thursday, the Tribe has the easiest path to the Post Season out of any of these 6 clubs when it comes to Strength Of Schedule!

The Cleveland Indians are in the driver seat in the AL Wild Card Race. While they may not overtake the #1 Wild Card Spot by Thursday, they can guarantee to be in a playoff position if they can simply win 3 out of the next 4 games. After Thursday, the Tribe has the easiest path to the Post Season out of any of these 6 clubs when it comes to Strength Of Schedule!  Cleveland last made the playoffs in 2007, when they blew a 3 – 1 ALCS to the Boston Red Sox.

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

2013 WILDCARD Race Breakdown in AL

Team                         W –  L   GBL Games Left Upcoming in Sequence

Tampa Bay Rays       81 – 67     –   (4 vs TEX, 4 vs BAL, 3 @ NYY, 3 @ TOR)

Texas Rangers           81 – 67     –   (4 @ TB, 3 @ KC, 3 vs HOU, 4 vs LAA)

Cleveland Indians     81 – 68   0.5  (3 @ KC, 4 vs HOU, 2 vs CWS, 4 @ MIN)

Baltimore Orioles     79 – 70   2.5  (3 @ BOS, 4 @ TB, 3 vs TOR, 3 vs BOS)

New York Yankees   79 – 71   3.0  (3 @ TOR, 3 @ SF, 3 vs TB, 3 vs HOU)

Kansas City Royals  78 –  71   3.5  (3 vs CLE, 3 vs TEX, 3 @ SEA, 4 @ CWS)

The American League Wild Card spots #1 and #2 are  considerably up for grabs. 

To make it an even tighter race, the teams trailing Tampa and Texas can all make up ground in their own individual series this week when those clubs play each other 4 times.

This is a perfect storm for these 4 clubs to narrow the gap.

What I am going to do is make in make a grid based on how the teams will do based on the Rays and the Rangers series.

KC Royals Win the 1985 World Series – Now Sit in a 28 Year Playoff Drought (Longest in the MLB)

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (September.13th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Jarrod Saltalamacchia turned a tight 4-4 game into a comfortable 8-4 Boston lead with one swing of his bat. His 7th inning grand slam was the difference in the opener of the Red Sox/Yankees series.

Hisashi Iwakuma was outstanding against the Cardinals. He threw 7 shutout innings, letting up just 3 hits and 2 walks. Unfortunately for him, the Mariners bullpen was not up to the task and Seattle would fall to St. Louis, 2-1 in 10 innings.

Wilin Rosario got a pair of hits and drove in 4 including 2 in the Rockies tie breaking 7th inning rally as Colorado beat Arizona, 7-5.

Kyle Lohse pitched a complete game victory against the Reds, letting up just 4 hits and 1 run, getting the 5-1 decision for the Brewers.

They all owned baseball on September 13, 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

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Jayson Werth Has Led The Charge To The Nationals Fringe Playoff Chance

The Nationals have been compiling a bunch of Curly W's lately.  The team now sits at 77 - 69, and have an outside chance to put a scare into the Reds by only having a 5.5 Games Deficit for the 2nd Wild Card Slot.  Washington has a 10 Game Home stand starting tonight vs PHI (3 gms), ATL (4 gms) + MIA (3 Games)

The Nationals have been compiling a bunch of Curly W’s lately. The team now sits at 77 – 69, and have an outside chance to put a scare into the Reds by only having a 5.5 Games Deficit for the 2nd Wild Card Slot. Washington has a 10 Game Home stand starting tonight vs PHI (3 gms), ATL (4 gms) + MIA (3 Games).  The team will probably have to win 9 games, as then they head on the road for their last 6 games @ STL (3 Games) and ARI (3 Games), and will likely need 4 more wins there. If they go 13 – 3 in their last 16, then they better hope the Reds go 7 -8 (or worse) to force a playoff game.

By David Huzzard (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): 

 

Back when Werth signed a seven year $126 million contract to come to Washington, one of the biggest criticisms was that he wasn’t a middle of the order bat. That he only succeeded in the Phillies line-up because he had Utley and Howard batting in front of him.

In the first year of the contract that appeared to be the case as Werth batted a disappointing .232/.330/.719, and looked more like a bottom of the order bat than anything else.

2012 saw Werth injure his wrist early on, return as the lead-off hitter, and do an excellent job in getting on base, but the power wasn’t there as he had an ISO of only .140. His lowest since 2005.

Jayson Werth Highlights – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance Is Advised

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Milwaukee Brewers 2014 MLB Season Full Schedule On 1 Post Page

Milwaukee Brewers 2014 Full Year Schedule On 1 Page Post

Ryan Ritchey (Featured Baseball Columnist): 

Monday Mar.31/2014

Braves @ Brewers 1:10 PM

Tuesday April.01/2014

Braves @ Brewers 7:10 PM

Wednesday April.02/2014

Braves @ Brewers 12:10 PM

Thursday April.03/2014

Off Day

Friday April.04/2014

Brewers @ Red Sox (Interleague) TBD

Saturday April.05/2014

Brewers @ Red Sox (Interleague) TBD

Sunday April.06/2014

Brewers @ Red Sox (Interleague) TBD Read the rest of this entry

2014 MLB Season Schedule – Week 2 (April.07 – April.13/2014)

The MLB Reports is going to be the #1 place to come for the 2014 Major League Baseball Schedule: Dates, Days, Home Openers, # Games Per Day: Break Downs into pages of a Year Long Calendar, Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar - all on one page for each, so you can know your favorite teams schedule, or plan to do a MLB Road Trip. I will also do a doubleheader Master Schedule for - two parks in one day for that extreme Ball Park Chaser (Coming in Feb).  Also, we will have a Sunday Night ESPN schedule page, an Interleague Schedule Page for all year, 6 different 30 Ballparks in 30 days trip schedulers, and a couple of schedules I feel could break the records for ballpark viewing.  Those last few pages all are coming in February.

The MLB Reports is going to be the #1 place to come for the 2014 Major League Baseball Schedule: Dates, Days, Home Openers, # Games Per Day: Break Downs into pages of a Year Long Calendar, Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar – all on one page for each, so you can know your favorite teams schedule, or plan to do a MLB Road Trip. I will also do a doubleheader Master Schedule for – two parks in one day for that extreme Ball Park Chaser (Coming in Feb). Also, we will have a Sunday Night ESPN schedule page, an Interleague Schedule Page for all year, 6 different 30 Ballparks in 30 days trip schedules, and a couple of schedules I feel could break the records for ballpark viewing. Those last few pages all are coming in February.

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

A lot of things that will affect any given schedule for the ‘MLB’ are weather cancellations, ESPN Sunday Night Game positioning and of course if there any other delays.

The MLB Reports will work hard to keep up with the schedule changes as they come.  While we are not going to be a big proponent of putting up links for tickets, we have many friends that do such a thing.

Plus if you haven’t done so yet. join http://www.ballparkchasers.com – and join the discussion with the gang over at Facebook here.

You will be doing yourselves a favor by joining – as a lot of the people in there have vast knowledge and expertise about all of the 30 MLB Parks.

All 30 MLB Parks – in 30 Days by Blind Fan Reggie Deal (He is the man!)

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2014 MLB Season Opener Date for Games In Sydney, Australia + Week 1 Of The MLB Schedule (March.23 – April.06/2014)

The MLB Reports is going to be the #1 place to come for the 2014 Major League Baseball Schedule: Dates, Days, Home Openers, # Games Per Day: Break Downs into pages of a Year Long Calendar, Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar - all on one page for each, so you can know your favorite teams schedule, or plan to do a MLB Road Trip. I will also do a doubleheader Master Schedule for - two parks in one day for that extreme Ball Park Chaser (Coming in Feb).  Also, we will have a Sunday Night ESPN schedule page, an Interleague Schedule Page for all year, 6 different 30 Ballparks in 30 days trip schedulers, and a couple of schedules I feel could break the records for ballpark viewing.  Those last few pages all are coming in February.

The MLB Reports is going to be the #1 place to come for the 2014 Major League Baseball Schedule: Dates, Days, Home Openers, # Games Per Day: Break Downs into pages of a Year Long Calendar, Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar – all on one page for each, so you can know your favorite teams schedule, or plan to do a MLB Road Trip. I will also do a doubleheader Master Schedule for – two parks in one day for that extreme Ball Park Chaser (Coming in Feb). Also, we will have a Sunday Night ESPN schedule page, an Interleague Schedule Page for all year, 6 different 30 Ballparks in 30 days trip schedulers, and a couple of schedules I feel could break the records for ballpark viewing. Those last few pages all are coming in February.

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

With the exception of that we don’t know who is going to have the North American Home Opener on Sunday March.30/2014 yet, these are the tentative schedule – and I have highlighted home openers for each club.

Only a few teams like:  St. Louis, New York (AL), Seattle, and San Francisco will not have hosted games from Mar.30 – April.06.  Everybody will have played a home game by April.08/2014.

All 30 MLB Parks – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance Is Advised

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Official Home Openers At All 30 MLB Parks In 2014

The MLB Reports is going to be the #1 place to come for the 2014 Major League Baseball Schedule: Dates, Days, Home Openers, # Games Per Day: Break Downs into pages of a Year Long Calendar, Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar - all on one page for each, so you can know your favorite teams schedule, or plan to do a MLB Road Trip. I will also do a doubleheader Master Schedule for - two parks in one day for that extreme Ball Park Chaser (Coming in Feb).  Also, we will have a Sunday Night ESPN schedule page, an Interleague Schedule Page for all year, 6 different 30 Ballparks in 30 days trip schedulers, and a couple of schedules I feel could break the records for ballpark viewing.  Those last few pages all are coming in February.

The MLB Reports is going to be the #1 place to come for the 2014 Major League Baseball Schedule: Dates, Days, Home Openers, # Games Per Day: Break Downs into pages of a Year Long Calendar, Monthly Calendar, Weekly Calendar – all on one page for each, so you can know your favorite teams schedule, or plan to do a MLB Road Trip. I will also do a doubleheader Master Schedule for – two parks in one day for that extreme Ball Park Chaser (Coming in Feb). Also, we will have a Sunday Night ESPN schedule page, an Interleague Schedule Page for all year, 6 different 30 Ballparks in 30 days trip schedules, and a couple of schedules I feel could break the records for ballpark viewing. Those last few pages all are coming in February.

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

With the exception of that we don’t know who is going to have the North American Home Opener on Sunday March.30/2014 yet, these are the tentative home openers for each club.

30 MLB Park Rankings – According to a Fan

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Jeter Passes Eddie Collins For 10th On The ALL – Time Hit List: Next Up – Paul Molitor – Only 4 Hits Away!

I am sure that Derek Jeter will attempt to play in 2014 - regardless of how this season ends up.  #2 has a Player Option for $8 MIL in 2014.  It would behoove he and the club if Jeter exercises it.  After he led the MLB in hits last year with 216, he is sitting on 11 hits in 2013 - due to 3 DL stints and just 49 AB this year.  Jeter passed Eddie Collins, and will soon blow by Paul Molitor, but how much longer will he play after this campaign?

I am sure that Derek Jeter will attempt to play in 2014 – regardless of how this season ends up. #2 has a Player Option for $8 MIL in 2014. It would behoove he and the club if Jeter exercises it. After he led the MLB in hits last year with 216, he is sitting on just 11 knocks in 2013 – due to 3 DL stints and just 49 AB. The Yanks are hoping that Jeter can provide them a spark towards a 2013 playoff spot.  The worst the team has ever done in his 19 year career, is finish 87 -74 in 2000 (still won the WS). The only time the club missed the playoffs – was in 2008, when they were 89 – 73.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst and Website Owner)

This season has to have been the most mentally grueling campaign for EL Capitan.  Jeter has fought through several injuries, DL stints, and seen his teammates struggle for the 1st time in 5 years.

Despite all of that, Derek Jeter smacked two base hits last night (including his 3315th) – to pass Eddie Collins for 10th on the ALL – Time Hit List (If you are on mlb.com).  It was just the Shortstops 11th hit on the year.

Next on the list is long time Brewer great, and Baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor at 3319 Career hits sitting 9th.  With any luck, Jeter will pass this legend by the week’s end.

Derek Jeter’s only HR this year

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Aug.31 Trade Deadline Maneuvers Part 1

 had his best year in 2011 with the Nationals, where he hit .303, with 31 HRs and 95 RBI during his 515 AB.  The Orioles would love that kind of production to aid their DH core of hitters.  The club however, would simply settle for his Career 3 Slash Line of .284/.338/.816 in parts of 9 seasons and 1827 At-Bats.  Morse makes $6.75 MIL this year, and will be a Free Agent after the campaign is finished.

Mike Morse had his best year in 2011 with the Nationals, where he hit .303, with 31 HRs and 95 RBI during his 515 AB. The Orioles would love that kind of production to aid their DH core of hitters. The club however, would simply settle for his Career 3 Slash Line of .284/.338/.816 in parts of 9 seasons and 1827 At-Bats. Morse makes $6.75 MIL this year, and will be a Free Agent after the campaign is finished.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst and Website Owner)

The Orioles picking up Mike Morse is a good move.  The  guy is familiar with Region, is a nice contrast to Chris Davis – and cost the club a minimal amount to bring over.

I think the big 6 FT 5 players is just the kind of guy the Baltimore team has missed over the year.

The Designated Hitters slot has been abysmal – and if Morse can to the back of his bubblegum card, this move will pan out.

The team’s lineup will now feature  Manny Machado 3B, , Nick Markakis RF, Chris Davis 1B, Adam Jones CF, Matt Wieters C, J.J. Hardy SS, Mike Morse DH, Nate McLouth LF and Brian Roberts 2B.

Morse joins Scott Feldman, Francisco Rodriguez and Bud Norris as late season acquisitions.  All of them have contributed to the franchise.

All of a sudden having a 7 – 9, with a 25 – 30 HR powers in Morse, added with veteran Brian Roberts (if healthy) and Nate McLouth, could add a speed element when the team swings around back to the top of the lineup.

It is good for depth and when consider the team is only 5 games out of the 2nd Wild Card Spot, this is plausible with 3o games left.

Chris Tillman has asserted himself an up and coming #2 Pitcher on the team. I must say, him doing this 2 years in a row, has made a believer out of me now.

The man is 24 – 7 over his last 31 decisions – and has a mid tier 3 ERA – competing in a donnybrook of a Division.  Yesterday’s win over Boston was just another example of how much the 25 year old has bailed the club out of a losing streak.

You know Buck Showalter will have his guys ‘game ready’ for the challenge.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.29th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Photo: Gene J. Puskar - AP

Photo: Gene J. Puskar – AP

Yovani Gallardo kept the Pirates out of first place with 7 shutout innings, getting the 4-0 win for the Brewers.

Daniel Murphy went 4-5 with a pair of doubles, a run scored, 2 RBI and a stolen base, leading the Mets offense in a 11-3 mauling of the Phillies.

Jason Vargas continued the Angels winning ways in Tampa Bay by blanking the Rays over 7 innings of 3 hit shutout ball and getting the 2-0 decision .

Torii Hunter launched a 2 out, 3 run, come from behind, walk off homer that salvaged a game for the Tigers and avoided an Oakland sweep, 7-6.


They all owned baseball on August 29, 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

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Breaking Down A Potential Suitor For My World Record Of 30 MLB Parks in 23 Days with a 30 – 21 bid

30 in 21 chance by Jake Beham

The schedule of Jake Beham, who is trying to chase down my World Record of Seeing all 30 MLB Parks (every pitch) in 23 calendar days or less.

The schedule of Jake Beham, who is trying to chase down my World Record of Seeing all 30 MLB Parks (every pitch) in 23 calendar days or less.  This schedule must have been done without knowing you have to witness all plays of the game to qualify.  Jake is going to have a tough time dodging a miss on day 2 – where he will try to beat Labor Day Monday traffic from after the game – in order to make 1st pitch at CBP.  He will never make it by car.  The Yankees always play games that are 3 Hours or longer as well.  Even Amtrak train is a longshot.  I give him a 10% chance to make it on his 1st Doubleheader attempt.

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

2 days later he flies to Chase Field – and has scheduled a Doubleheader with Angel Stadium For DH #2.  I am assuming he is planning on taking a Southwest Airlines flight that arrives at John Wayne Arpt.  The flight leaves Phoenix at 455 PM.

That is 4 hours and 15 minutes after 1st pitch.  The flight that arrives in SNA at 605.   If he makes the flight, he could make this.  However it is about a 67% chance.  Most NL games last about 2 hours and 35 minutes.

The airport is close enough to the park in PHX – as is SNA airport.  Any extra innings though, and it is over.

On FRI, Sept.6th, he has scheduled a Wrigley Field and Kauffman Stadium doubleheader for DH #3.  This one is impossible.  The game starts at 120 PM local Chicago Time.

The closest flight I saw that leaves ORD or MDW in time for Kansas City, leaves at 441 PM.  That is 3 hours and 21 minutes from 1st pitch at Wrigley Field.

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.23rd) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

Adam Wainwright pitched a complete game against the Braves, surrendering just a single run and no walks while striking out 9. He also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly as the Cardinals prevailed, 3-1.

Khris Davis hit a pair of homers, driving in 4, leading the Brewers to a 6-4 victory over the Reds .

Chris Archer tamed the hot Yankee bats with 7 strong innings, allowing just 4 hits and a pair of runs, getting the 7-2 win for the Rays.

Torii Hunter homered in the first, hit an RBI double in the second and came around to score as the Tigers made short work of the Mets, 6-1.  

They all owned baseball on August 23, 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

The History Of Extreme Ballpark Chasing (1993 – 2013)

The days of not being able to visit all MLB parks in consecutive days ended in 1993, when the Rockies were introduced, and enhanced even more with the Arizona Diamondbacks entering the league in 1998.  In the last 15 years, several people have tried to see all 30 MLB parks in under a month.  Some successful, some broke some rules, and one guy even bought this website 6 months after he set the World Record for visiting all 30 MLB Parks in just 23 Calendar Days - completing 7 Doubleheaders.

The days of not being able to visit all MLB parks in consecutive days ended in 1993, when the Rockies were introduced, and enhanced even more with the Arizona Diamondbacks entering the league in 1998. In the last 15 years, several people have tried to see all 30 MLB parks in under a month. Some successful, some broke some rules, and one guy even bought this website 6 months after he set the World Record for visiting all 30 MLB Parks in just 23 Calendar Days – completing 7 Doubleheaders.

Ballpark Chaser definition:  Someone who is actively pursuing quests to view Baseball Parks.

Guys talked about in this Article:  Completely Insane!

By Josh Robbins (Special Guest Writer And Co – Creator for The Factor12 Rating Pitching Metric.)  Factor 12 (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com.

MLB Expansion Makes Ballpark Chasing Possible

Twenty years ago, the course of history changed for ballpark chasing.  In 1993, the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins debuted in the National League, increasing the total number of MLB teams to twenty-eight. 

The two new franchises created positions for fifty players and expanded the pursuits for ballpark chasers.

In prior years, the nearest connection between a west coast team and the mid-west was Anaheim Stadium to Royals Stadium, a 23-hour drive covering 1,619 miles. 

As a result, it was impossible for fans to attend games in consecutive days at every MLB stadium during one concurrent driving trip.  Consequently, the only method to complete the entire circuit was to combine land and air travel.

The new league structure dramatically altered the traveling landscape by adding Mile High Stadium in Denver, a 14-hour, 1,011-mile drive from Anaheim Stadium. 

Reggie Deal’s- 30 Day. 30 Park Compilation (A Blind Fan Who visited all 30 MLB Parks in 30 Days last year)

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Pressure Building For Pirates; Cardinals Winning Again – But Face Tough Schedule Coming Up

Cardinals

The Cardinals are only (12-15) since the All-Star Break in mid-July, far off the pace from their Major-League leading (57-36) record in the first half of the season. However, the recent series win over the Pirates gives the fans hope that the Cardinals can overcome their tough month and still win the NL Central Division.

By Landen Crouch (Cardinals Correspondent)

Early last week, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates twice in a crucial mid-August three-game series.  

It was most definitely a thrilling series that saw two extra-inning walk-off singles (one on Tuesday by Adron Chambers in the 14th inning, and one Thursday afternoon by Matt Holliday in the 12th inning).  

The Cardinals definitely could have used a sweep in the series, but two out of three is the next best thing.

Over the weekend, the Cardinals took two of three on the road against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.  And then they topped that off with a come-from-behind win at Miller Park on Monday night to beat the Brewers 8-5.

Cardinals Walk-Off On Pirates in 12th:

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.16th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

AP Photo/Duane Burleson

AP Photo/Duane Burleson

James Shields lived up to his “Big Game” nickname by throwing 7 shutout innings against first place Detroit and completing a doubleheader sweep for the Royals, 3-0.

Jake Arrieta dominated the St. Louis Cardinals, pitching 7 two hit shutout innings and getting a rare victory for the Cubs, 7-0.

Alfonso Soriano continued his torrid hitting pace by putting the Red Sox away early. He went 3-4 with a homer, a stolen base and 4 runs batted in, leading the Yankees to a 10-3 victory in Fenway.

Jonathan Lucroy went 3-5 and 3 RBI. He clocked a bottom of the ninth, 2 run, come from behind, walk off home run to stun the Reds and give Milwaukee the 7-6 win.

They all owned baseball on August 16, 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

Prince Fielder’s Consecutive Games Streak Is Haunting The Team

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Wednesday, August.14/2013

Prince Fielder was signed to a 9 YR/$214 MIL contract before the start of the 2013 season.  He is not Slugging as much as his Brewers days, however his OBP is just slightly lower.  Fielder has a chance to have a Hall of Fame Career.  If he can bring a World Series to Detroit, he will enhance his chances.

Prince Fielder was signed to a 9 YR/$214 MIL contract before the start of the 2012 season.  With the Tigers thus far, he is not Slugging as much as his Brewers days, however his OBP is just slightly lower. Fielder has an opportunity to have a Hall of Fame Career. If he can bring a World Series to Detroit, he will enhance his chances.  Heading into play today, He has played 461 games in a row – and has held the longest active streak since May.15/2012.  He took over the ranks when Matt Kemp went out of the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Apparently, this streak is very important to Fielder, but at what cost can he hold it against Jim Leyland and Dave Domnbrowski if they want to have the big guy take a game off?

By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent)

When Prince Fielder inked his monstrous 9 year/$214 million deal back in January of 2012, the Tigers knew exactly what they were getting: a very good hitter in his prime.

At the time of the signing, Fielder was hitting a career .282 with 230 home runs and 656 RBIs.

But the Tigers were also getting a little 181 consecutive game streak. Not too major at the time but following Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox, the streak now sits at 461 games.

Fielder once had a streak of 327 games but eventually ended due to flu-like symptoms on September 13, 2010. That was also the last game he missed.

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A Look Back At Ken Griffey Jr.’s Time As A Mariner

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Tuesday, Aug 13th, 2013

Former Mariners great, Ken Griffey Jr. walks in from center field as he is introduced during a ceremony inducting him into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Safeco Field on August 10, 2013 in Seattle, Washington.

Former Mariners great, Ken Griffey Jr. walks in from center field as he is introduced during a ceremony inducting him into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame prior to the game against the Brewers at Safeco Field on August 10, 2013 in Seattle.

Sam Evans ( Baseball Writer and Marlins, Mariners Correspondent):

Ken Griffey Jr. is without a doubt the greatest player in the history of the Seattle Mariners. From his breathtaking defense in center field, to the 417 home runs he hit with the franchise,

“The Kid”  truly was a five-tool talent and one of the most electrifying players in the game. While his career might not have ended perfectly, Mariners fans will never forget what he did to help bring playoff baseball to Seattle.

In honor of Griffey being just the seventh player inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame on Saturday, here’s a look back at Griffey’s thirteen seasons in Seattle.

HD Ken Griffey Jr. HALL OF FAME SPEECH

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30 MLB Team Power Rankings: Audio Version

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Monday, Aug.12, 2013

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month.  Each show will be about 1 hour

The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour. Chuck Booth will guest once a month for MLB Power Rankings,

By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com)

Patrick sits in as the Producer and only representative of the Big Ticket Show – and Chuck Booth joins him to break down all 30 current rankings, plus what the clubs are up to.

To listen to the audio for this Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY logo or past the Triple Play Logo. 

If you want the written version of these rankings click here Read the rest of this entry

MLB 30 Team Power Rankings: Week 20

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Sunday Aug.11/2013

Texas has fought off a July slump - and are 9 - 1 in their last 10 games.  They have added reinforcements in the way of Alex Rios and Matt Garza.  If they can just hold the course - and win the AL West, they have the horses and experience to challenge every other team.  The club was the biggest mover upwards in our rankings this week - going from #10 - #4

Texas has fought off a July slump – and are 9 – 1 in their last 10 games. They have added reinforcements in the way of Alex Rios and Matt Garza. If they can just hold the course – and win the AL West, they have the horses and experience to challenge every other team in October. The club was the biggest mover upwards in our rankings this week – going from #10 – #4.  It was not too long ago that the Rangers were sitting at just a half – dozen games above .500 – and behind the playoff bar.

Audio Version Of These Power Rankings

Audio Monthly Rankings – Aug

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

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

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

The races for the Divisions in the NL are becoming less competitive every week.  The NL East and NL West look to be done.  The Pirates are within weeks of ending a 20 year playoff drought.

The Braves rattled off a 14 game winning streak – and should cruise to the NL East crown.

The Athletics are in big trouble with some of their talented offensive players not putting up numbers like they did in 2012.  They now find themselves in 2nd place in the AL West.

Adrian Beltre 2 HR day in July

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MLB 30 Team Power Rankings: Week 19

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Sunday Aug.04/2013

The Braves have charged out of the ALL - Star Break at a pace like they did to start the year. an 11.5 Games Lead, most of their offense is starting to click have helped the team hold down the fort now that the pitching has had vast injuries

The Braves have charged out of the ALL – Star Break at a pace like they did to start the year. They have an 11.5 Games Lead in the NL East over Washington, and most of their offense is starting to click –  which have helped contributed to the team hold down the fort now that the pitching has had vast injuries.

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

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

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

How unfortunate it is for the Indians and the Royals to have the Tigers winning 9 of their last ten – to fend off their those absurdly hot AL Central counterparts?

The good news for the KC and CLE teams is that the AL East are beating up on each other in the last month, while Texas will see a Nelson Cruz suspension dampen their odds of making the Post Season.

Check out the Show we did on AL and NL Rankings Here on the 2 And A Hook Podcast

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5 Things To Watch About The Brewers In The 2nd Half

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Sunday, August.4, 2013

Kyke Lohse has been the one bright spot for the Brewers starting rotation this season. He is the ace of the staff and  he can be someone that the younger pitchers can look up to. The right-hander has won seven games for the club this season, with an ERA of 3.22 in 134.1 innings pitched. He has also has a WHIP of 1.13 and has only walked 88 batters. Loshe relies on having control of all his pitches to have success against opposing batters. He is limiting batters to a .254 average on the season and left-handers can only manage a .232 batting average in 233 at-bats. He is very impressive while pitching with runners in scoring position, as teams just have a .194 average.

Kyle Lohse has been the one bright spot for the Brewers starting rotation this season. He is the ace of the staff and he can be someone that the younger pitchers can look up to. The right-hander has won seven games for the club this season, with an ERA of 3.22 in 134.1 innings pitched. He has also has a WHIP of 1.13 and has only walked 22 batters. Lohse relies on having control of all his pitches to have success against opposing batters. He is limiting batters to a .254 average on the season and left-handers can only manage a .232 batting average in 233 at-bats. He is very impressive while pitching with runners in scoring position, as teams just have a .194 average.

By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner)

The Milwaukee Brewers season in 2013 is one both the fans and team would like to erase from their memory. They have the 2nd worst record in the National League at 46-64 and they are also last in the NL Central with them 20 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates.

They just had the face of the franchise Ryan Braun suspended for the rest of the season, because he was named in the Biogenesis scandal. For a team to lose a player like him, this would be normally be a crushing blow.

Kyle Lohse 2012 Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised

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Dbacks’ Make Move At Trade Deadline To Improve Their Bullpen

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Thursday, August.1, 2013

Joe Thatcher was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks on the last day of the Trade Deadline. This acquisition makes their bullpen stronger with having a pitcher that can get lefties out on a consistent basis. He has 2.10 ERA in 30 innings pitched this season, while only giving three HRs, and walking four batters. He has a WHIP of 1.06 and has struck out 29 batters. He is holding the opposing batters to a .243 average this season, while holding left-handed batters to a .215 average. Thatcher is very good with runners in scoring position as well, by holding teams to a batting average of .121 in this situation.

Joe Thatcher was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks on the last day of the Trade Deadline. This acquisition makes their bullpen stronger with having a pitcher that can get lefties out on a consistent basis. He has 2.10 ERA in 30 innings pitched this season, while only giving three HRs, and walking four batters. He has a WHIP of 1.06 and has struck out 29 batters. He is holding the opposing batters to a .243 average this season, while holding left-handed batters to a .215 average. Thatcher is very good with runners in scoring position as well, by holding teams to a batting average of .121 in this situation. He does not throw hard with a fastball that sits in the mid 80s and a sweeping slider. He has held lefty batters to a 209./.269/.586 triple-slash in 344 career at-bats.

By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner)  

The Arizona Diamondbacks were the kings of the National League West division for most of this season, and that’s not saying much. That division is not what you would call competitive, with only two teams that have a record over. 500.

Arizona was able to maintain their lead in large part because the Los Angeles Dodgers were dealing with numerous injuries.Then once the Dodgers had key players healthy, Los Angeles started to play better.

Paul Goldschmidt 2013 Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised

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The MLB Needs To Amend Its Weighted Schedule/Payroll Flaws By The 2016 CBA Renewal!!

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Thursday August.1/2013

If you are a Mariners fan, your park is the furthest geographically away from an NL home park or vice versa (806 Miles).  If you are a fan of the NL, get your bags packed, because chances are, you will need to head on a roady in order to see your favorite NL team every year.

If you are a Mariners fan, your park is the furthest geographically away from another Leagues (NL) home park or vice versa (806 Miles). If your favorite team is in the NL, get your bags packed, because chances are, you will need to head on a roady in order to see your team every year.  The MLB needs to address the situation for complete fairness to every single team.  My plan would still be to have 44 – 52 Divisional Games, 60 other games against the 10 teams in your own league, and then to play 50 Interleague Games.  Of course this isn’t even possible until the MLB and MLBPA workout a new CBA in 2016.

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

Maybe it is because I am a West Cost (Vancouver B.C Canada) guy that lives 1100 Miles away from the nearest NL Ballpark, or maybe it is because I have seen it work well in other professional sports – when I worked as a pro handicapper for 3 plus years.

I am sick of seeing teams come in to town for 3 series in a year – when it might take another team 6 years to visit in Interleague.

Sure if I lived in the East Coast, in a place like New Jersey, I could have my pick of any home parks (AL + NL) within a 450 MILE radius, I may not feel the same, but even that I doubt it.

My friend Doug Miller (from Washington State), also wrote a column worth reading on this subject.  He called it “Team Fatigue”. read that article here

I also wrote a similar column on MLB Baseball’s need to adapt a Payroll/Geographical Re – Alignment that could bring a huge amount of parity to the MLB in future years here.

With the Orioles playing good baseball all year, I fear they will not be playing baseball in October.  You know why?  It is not because they don't deserve too be, and it will likely not be their fault.  The reason is:  they will have had the toughest Strength of Schedule: playing the Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Rays, while the Indians and Royals play extremely weak clubs like Minnesota and the White Sox a quarter of their schedule. The same can be said for the Oakland and Texas franchise feasting on the hapless (Trade Depleted Astros), and a steady dose of the Mariners (who are far easier to play than any of the AL East teams).

With the Orioles playing good baseball all year, I fear they will not be playing baseball in October. You know why? It is not because they don’t deserve to be, and it will likely not be their fault. The reason is: they will have had the toughest Strength of Schedule: playing the Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Rays 76 times this year, while the Indians and Royals play extremely weak clubs like Minnesota and the White Sox a quarter of their schedules. The same can be said for the Oakland and Texas franchises feasting on the hapless (Trade Depleted Astros), and a steady dose of the Mariners (who are far easier to play than any of the 5 AL East teams).

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