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The Oakland A’s 2013 Roster Tree Part 1: The Hitters

Saturday, Dec.01/2012

How important was Cespedes to The A's Lineup? They went 83-47 with him in the lineup and 12-20 without him. He was the biggest reason the team has soared into the playoff race and wont the AL East. Beane secured him Free Agency last year without trading any prospects. He is signed for 3 more years.

How important was Cespedes to The A’s Lineup in 2012? They went 82-47 with him in the lineup and 12-21 without him. He was the biggest reason the team soared into the playoff race and won the AL East. Beane secured him in Free Agency before the start of last year. He is signed for 3 more years at 9 Million Dollars Per Year.

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024

A few months ago, our Lead Columnist/Website Founder (Jonathan Hacohen) wrote a brilliant piece about the assembly of the Oakland Athletics roster. He called it “MoneyBall 2.” Right after the piece, the A’s surged to the greatest record in the second half of the season and won the AL West. The team is now constructed of power hitters and power pitchers. The man behind it all is Billy Beane. I will not get into too much of this philosophy as you can read that piece here. What I intend to do is to show the roster of how it was comprised by Beane in the form of a roster tree. It is just like a family tree, however this shows trades dating back 2,3,4,5,6 fold etc.. in order to show you the mastery of the GM’s ability to field a roster on a limited budget.

The Future of the Oakland A’s: The Mustache Gang Meets the Bash Brothers: Revealing Billy Beane’s Master Plan click here.

The Oakland A’s 2013 Roster Tree Part 2: The Pitchers click here.

Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Tags: A.J cole, aaron cunningham, aaron miles, adam rosales, adrian cardenas, AL West, alburquerque, Amateur Draft MLB, andrew bailey, Athletics Active 40 man roster, billy beane, boston redsox, brad peacock, brandon moss, brett anderson, brett wallace, California, carlos conzalez, chad gaudin, chris carter, chris young, Chuck Booth, clayton mortensen, cliff pennington, coco crisp, colling cowgill, connor robertson, corey wimberly, craig breslow, dan haren, dana eveland, daric barton, derek norris, dodgers, dustin majewski, eric patterson, eric sogard, fautino de los santos, freemont, george kottara, gio gonzalez, greg smith, guillermo moscaso, jake fox, jarrod parker, jeff gray, jemile weeks, joe blanton, jonathan hacohen, josh donaldson, josh outman, josh reddick, kevin kouzmanoff, kiko calero, kila ka'aihue, mark Mulder, matt holliday, matt murton, matt spencer, michael taylor, milwaukee brewers, minnesota twins, mlb reports, moneyball 2, nationals, nick swisher, oakland, oakland athletics, padres, pcl, phillies, reds, rich harden, robert gilam, ronny moria, ross wolf, ryan cook, ryan kelly, ryan Sweeney, Sacramento, san jose, ScottHairston Jr., sean gallagher, seth smith, the fastest 30 ballgames, tommy millone, toronto blue jays, trevor cahill, twitter @chuckbooth3024, willy taveras, yoenis cespedes

ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Major Announcement on MLB reports and Melky Cabrera Special Feature

Nov 17

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

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Saturday November 17th, 2012

Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@gmail.com, message us on Twitter, post on our Facebook Wall and leave comments on our website! There are many ways to reach us and we will get to your questions from all social media outlets!

Jonathan Hacohen:

The World, it is changing. It’s a fact of life, it’s something we can’t avoid. Change is inevitable.

Remember when the Chicago White Sox announced a new management structure? Long time General Manager Kenny Williams was promoted to Executive Vice President, with Rick Hahn being the new GM? We are experiencing a new management similarly here at MLB reports. I have been fortunate for the past couple of years to wear many hats at MLB reports. After founding the site and being the Lead Columnist, I was also the Editor responsible for content, updating the website and social media. I have spoken with many of you on Twitter. Yes, that was me.

So today I am thrilled to announce that MLB reports has now changed that structure. Chuck Booth, Lead Writer for MLB reports will now be taking over my role. Chuck, in addition to his weekly columns, will now be the Editor and looking after our social media. Chuck has been very active behind the scenes on MLB reports for some time and we have decided to evolve our roles. As partners in MLB reports, I have been very fortunate to be able to work side-by-side with a great baseball mind like Chuck Booth. This man is a Guinness World Record Holder, having viewed baseball games in all 30 stadiums in only 23 days. How does he do it? The man is a baseball legend.

Going forward, when you are reading our daily tweets, that will be Chuck. When you converse with MLB reports on Twitter, that will be Chuck. The great baseball articles that come every week from MLB reports? Chuck will be the Editor and responsible for all content on MLB reports. So where does that leave me you ask? I guess you could ask Kenny Williams that same question. While Kenny had the passion to have more time for scouting, I have the same passion for writing. There is much work that goes into being an Editor and social media. While I loved those roles, I ultimately want to spend more time writing. I will also be working behind the scenes, focusing on growing the MLB reports brand. It’s change…and change is good.

Not to worry, you will still be able to find me and converse baseball anytime. I am blowing the dust off my twitter handle @jhacohen – be sure to follow me, say hello and most importantly, let me know that I sent ya!

Now for the next announcement. You didn’t think that was it, did you? I certainly hope that you enjoy this edition of Ask the Reports, as it will be the last one that I will be producing. With hot stove season in full force, Chuck and I have decided to put ATR on hiatus for the offseason to concentrate on other baseball areas. The WBC qualifiers are currently going on, with the tournament itself starting in March. Free agency season has begun (which will the topic of today’s ATR). So please continue to send in your questions, we love to hear from you! While we will continue to write back on our site in the comments section, on our Facebook wall and Twitter, we will say goodbye to ATR for the winter months. This has been a weekly feature that was a baby for me. I loved conversing with each of you and featuring your questions. Thank you for taking the time each of you to sending in your questions, we really appreciate it. We look forward to continuing to talk baseball with all of you 24/7 through social media and our site. Send in those questions people, keep sending them in!

In today’s edition of ATR, I focus on the signing that shook the baseball world. Fresh off their major trade with the Marlins, the Blue Jays announced that they signed free agent outfielder, Melky Cabrera. We all know the story- All-Star Game MVP, batting leader with the San Francisco Giants. Gets busted for PEDs, tries to cover up with a fake website, requests to be removed from the batting leaderboard in the NL, does not play in the 2012 playoffs and wins a World Series ring. The sordid tale of Melky Cabrera. Now for a fresh start, Melky is banished to Canada. Ok, I kid. Heck, Chuck and I are both from Canada! But with less pressure than say New York or Boston, Melky gets a fresh start in 2013. My e-mail box has exploded with your Melky Cabrera questions over the last 24 hours. As a result, I have devoted this week’s ATR to your most popular Melky Cabrera questions. This is our Melky Cabrera Special Feature, ATR edition.

So enough talking- more asking! It’s time for Ask the Reports.

Now let’s get to your top Melky Cabrera questions of the week: Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Tags: ask the reports, atr, baseball, colby rasmus, jose bautista, jose reyes, josh johnson, mark buehrle, melkman, melky cabrera, mlb, mlb reports, san francisco giants, toronto blue jays

Philadelphia Phillies: Brotherly Love and the Upton Brothers

Nov 3

Posted by mednickalex

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Saturday November 3rd, 2012

Can Phillies Phans fathom having these big-league-brothers manning the outfield at Citizen’s Bank Park?

Alex Mednick (Baseball Analyst and Writer): Both B.J. Upton and his younger brother Justin will be available this offseason. Bossman Junior (B.J.) will be a top centerfield free agent option, and Justin signed a lucrative 6-year deal just two years ago, is widely known to be on the trading block from Arizona. The Upton brothers are the two highest drafted brothers in sports history. B.J. was a second overall pick in 2002 and Justin, the first overall pick of the 2005 draft. They have both had ups and downs in their young careers, but both have performed extremely well and shown glimpses of brilliance. Justin has already cashed in on his first big major league contract, and B.J. is looking to so this offseason. Where B.J. will sign, we will find out over the next months. But one thing that is clear…he makes since for just about any team out there.

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of those teams that could envision B.J. Upton gracefully patrolling centerfield for 162 games. As a premier center fielder facing free agency, B.J. as become far too expensive a commodity for the Rays to retain going forward. He plays top-notch defense in centerfield and has a cannon for an arm. All he did in 2012 as 27-year-old (in his 8^th year in the MLB) was hit 29 doubles, 28 home runs and steal 31 bags. Yes, with this amazing tool set that combines defense with speed and power comes a lifetime .255 batting average and about 150 strikeouts a year. There are weaknesses in every player’s game, but B.J. Upton’s strengths make him a very attractive target for any team that doesn’t have Joe DiMaggio manning centerfield.

There is no doubt that B.J.’s speed and power will fit very nicely into the Phillies lineup along with Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard. We have to also consider what it is going to take to get B.J. signed to a contract. Right now, we know that the Tampa Bay Rays have offered B.J. a qualifying offer. While the chances of B.J. agreeing to this are virtually ‘zero’, it does mean that whoever signs B.J. is going to have to sacrifice their first round draft pick next year to Tampa. For a team like Philadelphia that can afford to sign top free agents, giving up a top prospect is an acceptable part of doing business. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: alex mednick, alexander ewing mednick, angel pagan, arizona diamondbacks, b.j. upton, bossman junior, chase utley, citizens bank ballpark, Citizens Bank Park, cliff lee, darin ruf, david montgomery, diamondbacks, Domonic Brown, jacoby ellbury, jimmy rollins, joe dimaggio, john mayberry, john mayberry Jr., josh hamilton, justin upton, melky, melky cabrera, michael bourn, mlb reports, nick shierholtz, philadelphia, philadelphia phillies, phillie phanatic, phillies, rays, roy halladay, ryan howard, shane victorino, tampa bay devil rays, upton

Josh Hamilton: Three Reasons To Believe That He Could Sign With The Brewers

Oct 30

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Tuesday October 30th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: This year’s free agent market may be slim on depth, but it does not lack a main attraction with Josh Hamilton set to hit the open market. Hamilton hit a career-high 43 home runs this past season, but a slew of late season miscues have affected his marking price.

While he isn’t the safest of offseason additions, teams will still look to acquire the powerful lefty because of his middle of the order presence which very few others can match.

With the Yankees and Red Sox likely out of the running for the slugger, the Brewers suddenly have a decent chance of bringing in Hamilton.

Here are three reasons why: Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: adrian beltre, baseball, elvis andrus, free agent, gallardo, ian kinsler, john axford, josh hamilton, mike napoli, milwaukee brewers, mlb, mlb reports, MLB Rumors, nelson cruz, playoffs, ryan braun, texas rangers, world series, yu darvish, zack greinke

2012 NLCS Recap: The Cardinals are 1 Win Away from the World Series

Oct 19

Posted by kholland13

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Friday October 19th, 2012

Kyle Holland: The 2012 postseason has been all but “normal” so far, considering all division series went to 5 games. Conclusion? The NLCS has yet to disappoint. The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. Both teams had to battle to even still be playing to this point. The Giants had to come back down 0-2 and beat the hot Cincinnati Reds in three straight games in Cincinnati.

The Cardinals, after first having to win the play-in wild card game, had to beat the Nationals, who had the best record in baseball. To make it worse, the Nationals were up 6-0 in game 5… and blew it. Both of these teams have a lot of fight, and experience this late in the season.

There is something unique about the Giants and Cardinals facing off in the 2012 NLCS. This is the first time in MLB history that the last 2 world champions are playing in the LCS (the Giants in 2010 and the Cardinals in 2011). Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Playoffs

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Tags: 2012 playoffs, adam wainwright, baseball, buster posey, carlos beltran, chris carpenter, Game 5, Marco scutaro, matt cain, matt holliday, mlb, mlb reports, nlcs, nlds, pete kozma, san francisco giants, st louis cardinals, tim lincecum, world series

Jason Giambi: From Slugger to Managerial Candidate in Colorado

Oct 17

Posted by Codey Harrison

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Wednesday October 17th, 2012

Codey Harrison(Lead MiLB Prospect Analyst): Jason Giambi, who was once a superstar with the Athletics and Yankees, is more recently known for his role with the Colorado Rockies as the team’s go-to pinch hitter. Giambi, currently rehabbing from offseason surgery, has been given a chance to interview for the vacant Rockies Managerial position. Most people in baseball believe Giambi doesn’t have a legitimate shot at being named the Rockies next manager, given that Giambi is still an active player and has no coaching experience. However it is worth noting that during his tenure in the Rockies organization, Giambi has helped the young Rockies hitters grow and mature on and off the field, as well as discussing strategies with former Rockies manager Jim Tracy. A mentor and leader, Giambi now has the chance to graduate to MLB manager.

The Rockies this year become known for unconventional decisions running the franchise, whether it was the failed experiment of the 4-man starting rotation, or believing in Jim Tracy for so long as they did- given that so many people in baseball thought of Tracy as arguably the worst manager in all of baseball. This is a team that is seen to be run almost completely by the front office. With so much politics and turmoil surrounding the team, it may be very difficult for the Rockies to get an experienced winning manager to take the job. Thus the team may need to look in order directions, including giving Giambi a shot at the vacant role. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: baseball, Bench Coach, carlos gonzalez, Codey Harrison, colorado rockies, first baseman, Hitting Coach, jason giambi, jim tracy, manager, mlb, mlb reports, peds, slugger, steroids, todd helton

2013 MLB Fantasy Keeper Rankings: Installment #1

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Friday October 12th, 2012

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Peter Stein: Now that the 2012 season is over, it is time to start thinking about the 2013. For many owners, that includes deciding on keepers, although keeper systems vary from league to league. In some leagues, keepers can be held onto for an indefinite period of time, while others build upon the previous year’s draft value. Regardless of your league’s keeper setting, this piece identifies the top keeper player at each position. I chose a time period of five years; therefore, the player at each position should produce the most total fantasy value over the course of the next five years. That is, of course, assuming another Mike Trout doesn’t jump onto the scene.

Here is the first installment of the 2013 fantasy keeper focus:

First Base:

Winner: Joey Votto

Honorable Mention: Paul Goldschmidt

First base is actually the most tenuous and hardest to predict position on this list. Can we really expect Albert Pujols to be super-productive for another five years? He will be 33 next season and his struggles at the beginning of the year are certainly not encouraging. Then again, a .285/30/105/8 season is considered a major down year from him. And, we all know how much better he was after the brutal start. Edwin Encarnacion (.280/42/110/13) emerged into the mix and excluding Miguel Cabrera was the top option at first base. However, he is 29 years old and has just a career .815 OPS in eight seasons. Clearly he has made strides, but he is very tough to predict moving forward. (more…)

Posted on October 12, 2012 | Image

The Athletics and Orioles: Staying Alive in the 2012 ALDS

Oct 10

Posted by samevans87

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Wednesday October 10th, 2012

Sam Evans: The 2012 MLB playoffs have been thrilling so far. From Lew Ford to Derek Jeter, every player on the field is playing like they have something to prove. Two of the most exciting teams during the regular season, Oakland and Baltimore are both trying to prove that they belong in the postseason. So far, both teams have been successful in doing that. Both teams have benefited from outstanding pitching performances, but other than that- the two teams are very different.

Oakland finally looked like the team most hoped they would be on Tuesday, shutting out the Tigers 2-0 at home. Detroit still leads the series 2-1 but Oakland has home field advantage and better back-end starting pitching. With young talents such as Yoenis Cespedes and Jarrod Parker, Oakland, for the first time in what seems like forever, has put together a roster that is exciting to watch. With their pitching, the Athletics have a legitimate shot at advancing in the playoffs. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Playoffs

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Tags: alcs, alds, baltimore, baltimore orioles, baseball, brett anderson, detroit tigers, josh reddick, miguel cabrera, mlb, mlb playoffs, mlb reports, new york yankees, oakland athletics, playoffs, prince fielder, sam evans, wei-yin chen

Cleveland Indians: Terry Francona or Sandy Alomar Jr. for Manager?

Oct 2

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Tuesday October 2nd, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: The Cleveland Indians began their expected renovations early on Thursday, firing manager Manny Acta with just six games left in the season. Acta was at the helm of a team that currently holds a 67-93 record, and more simply, a mess. Acta, who managed the Nationals for three years (2007-2009), also managed Cleveland for nearly three years as well, though never did he lead them to a winning season. In fact, he has never managed a team that has finished the regular season with a winning record, period. So it’s safe to say that he has dealt with some pretty bad clubs, and the Indians of 2012 were just another one of those clubs.

With Acta out of the picture, the Indians have to find a new manager to take on their mess. That will be much easier said than done, but the two early front-runners appear to be former Red Sox manager Terry Francona and assistant coach Sandy Alomar Jr. whose currently serving as the interim manager. With those two, the Indians have two very worthy candidates with two very different managerial portfolios. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: baseball, cleveland indians, jake dal porto, manager, manny acta, mike matheny, mlb, mlb reports, ozzie guillen, Sandy Alomar, Terry Francona

Miguel Cabrera: Baseball Royalty is Ready to Take the AL Triple Crown and a Spot in Cooperstown

Sep 25

Posted by mednickalex

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Tuesday September 25, 2012

Alex Mednick: 1967 was the year that boxer Muhammad Ali was stripped of his boxing world championship because he refused to join the U.S. Army. There were 475,000 US Troops in Vietnam. The Beatles had just come out with Sargeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the Woodstock music festival was still 2 years away. Never had a man stepped foot on the moon, a gallon of gas cost $0.33 and Federal Minimum Wage was $1.40 per hour. It was also the last time that any professional ballplayer was awarded the triple crown: Carl Yastrzemski.

Carl Yastrzemski was the last major league baseball player to ever win the triple crown, 45 years ago in 1967.

Here we are, in present day 2012, and 29-year-old phenom Miguel Cabrera is vying to be the first man to hit for the triple crown since 1967…after almost a half century. Back in 1998 when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire reignited national interest in our pastime, they were pursuing Roger Maris’ single season record for most home runs. Without deducting any valor from the record which I believe still belongs to Mr. Maris, the triple crown does not only take home run power into consideration; rather the triple crown validates a hitter based upon the three most important (Sabremetrician’s may disagree) measures of a hitters overall productivity. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: albert pujols, alex mednick, andre dawson, baseball, brett lawrie, detroit tigers, edwin encarnacion, joe mauer, josh hamilton, mark mcgwire, matt holliday, miguel cabrera, Mike Trout, mlb, mlb reports, peter bourjos, prince fielder, rickey henderson, sammy sosa, ted williams

Kyle Wilson Interview: Haley Smilow Talks Baseball with the Laredo Pitcher and Member of Team Great Britain in the WBC Qualifiers

Sep 18

Posted by smilowfamily

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Tuesday September 18th, 2012

MLB reports: Great news folks, Haley is back! And of course, she has brought a friend. Our Junior MLB Correspondent is featured today with her interview of pitcher Kyle Wilson. The 29-year old Wilson is a baseball story of grinding every day and playing the game he loves. A 22nd round pick of the Dodgers in 2004, Kyle Wilson pitched 4 seasons in the Dodgers system. In 2008, he reached AA Jacksonville of the Southern League. The past few years, Kyle Wilson has played indy ball. In 2012, he spent time with both the Gary SouthShore RailCats and the Laredo Lemurs of the American Association.

Timing for Haley worked out really well (as usual), given that Kyle Wilson is currently in Germany preparing to represent Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers! With the tournament set to begin tomorrow, we get to learn about one of its representatives- up close and personal. Featured today on MLB reports, Haley Smilow speaks one-on-one with pitcher Kyle Wilson:

HALEY: I know your home games are played at U.S. Steel Yard, what are some of your other favorite ballparks?

KYLE: The best park I have played in was in Jacksonville, FL when I played for the Suns. The stadium was great and fans showed great support. The league I am currently in I would have to say that Kansas City and Winnipeg had the best facilities, fans, and accommodations. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Interviews with MLB Stars

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Tags: american association, baseball, gary southshore railcats, germany, great britain, Greg Maddux, haley smilow, ken griffey jr, kyle wilson, laredo lemurs, mlb, mlb interview, mlb reports, pitcher, qualifier round, tony gwynn, wbc, world baseball classic

Your Saves Savior: The Closing Strategy for Your 2013 Fantasy Baseball Team

Sep 18

Posted by pwstein87

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Tuesday September 18, 2012

Peter Stein: Follow @peterwstein

The following stat is the most telling about the roles of closers from a fantasy baseball perspective: 47 players have recorded 5 or more saves and a total of 61 have record 3 or more in 2012. The dispersion of saves throughout baseball reaffirm the old fantasy adage to never overpay for saves, demonstrating just how volatile the closing position is… and the difficulty of predicting saves.

A look at the top-five save leaders tells us even more:

Fernando Rodney (0.66 ERA, 0.78 WHIP 43 saves)

Jim Johnson (2.82 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 43 saves)

Rafael Soriano (2.07 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 40 saves)

Chris Perez (3.48 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 36 saves)

Craig Kimbrel (1.14 ERA, .0.67 WHIP, 36 saves) Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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Tags: addison reed, aroldis chapman, baseball, brian wilson, Casey Janssen, chris perez, closer, craig kimbrel, fantasy baseball, fernando rodney, greg holland, huston street, jim johnson, mariano rivera, matt capps, mlb, mlb reports, peter stein, rafael soriano, santiago casilla, saves, sergio santos, tom wilhelmsen, tyler clippard

Mike Piazza: Still a Hall of Famer Given the Era He Once Played In?

Sep 17

Posted by planguzzi

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Monday September 17th, 2012

Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent, Twitter @PatrickLanguzzi):

Mike Piazza made his last major league appearance on September 30, 2007, which means Piazza will be eligible for his first National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this December (the required five years before a player is deemed eligible).

Nicknamed the “Pizza Man” because he always delivered, Piazza’s record is as impressive as the rumors are pervasive.

Piazza was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a favor to his father by Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda. He was drafted as the 1,390th pick in the 62nd round of the 1988 Major League Baseball (MLB) Amateur Draft. He made his major league debut on September 1, 1992.

In 1993, his first full year in the majors, Piazza won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, hitting an impressive .318 with 35 home runs and 112 RBIs, as well as being selected to MLB’s All-Star game. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Tags: baseball, cooperstown, hall of fame, jeff pearlman, los angeles dodgers, mike piazza, mlb, mlb reports, new york mets, patrick languzzi, roger clemens, the pizza man, the rocket that fell to earth, tom glavine, Tommy Lasorda

The Quiet But Effective Ryan Howard

Sep 15

Posted by johnburnsmlb

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Saturday September 15th, 2012

John Burns: The 2012 season has been anything but normal for the Philadelphia Phillies and Ryan Howard. The 32 year-old was out till June after tearing his Achilles in the postseason last year against the St. Louis Cardinals. Howard has consistently been one of the top first baseman in the league for a while now. This season has been a little different for him so far: First of all, his team the Philadelphia Phillies, are 16.5 behind the Washington Nationals for first place in the NL East, Second, Howard has only had a little over 200 at bats this season due to injury. The power is still there for Howard. In 58 games, played he has 41 RBIs and 10 homers. That might not be the numbers you expect from Howard, but you have to give the guy a break. He is coming back from arguably one of the worst injuries in sports. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: baseball, chase utley, cliff lee, cole hamels, Domonic Brown, hunter pence, jayson werth, jimmy rollins, john mayberry Jr., mlb, mlb reports, mvp, philadelphia phillies, phillies, playoffs, roy halladay, ryan howard, world series

Time For the Nationals to Shut Down Jordan Zimmermann: Why Stop at Strasburg?

Sep 14

Posted by Jonathan Hacohen

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Friday September 14th, 2012

Jonathan Hacohen: Before fans of the Nationals start to write any angry comments in respect of this article, please do me one favor. Stop. Read the article in its entirety and then pass judgement. That’s the least I can ask from each of you.

Now that being said, I have a bone to pick with the Nationals. While I love the game with a passion, I also need to separate the fan in me from the writer. When it comes to the topic of Stephen Strasburg, I honestly have a hard time doing that. Shutting down Stephen Strasburg to me is like ripping up the winning lottery ticket. You just don’t do it. Too many stars have aligned this season for the Nationals, to have the season put into possible jeopardy due to a decision that could have been avoided. Putting it bluntly- Stephen Strasburg should be pitching right now. To the end of the season. And throughout the playoffs. You just don’t take out your ace when you don’t need to.

I have talked with colleagues, players, fans…everyone and anyone who has an opinion on the subject. Believe me, there are many of them. If I had to take an informal poll of say 200 people with knowledge on the game, about 195 are against the move. Plain and simple. In my eyes, it seems that everyone sees the logic to keep him pitching (including Strasburg himself), except GM Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Johnson. Even Johnson I am not that sure about. How often do you criticize your boss? Exactly. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: baseball, bryce harper, davey johnson, drew storen, edwin jackson, gio gonzalez, injury, john lannan, jordan zimmermann, Mike Rizzo, mlb, mlb reports, ross detweiler, stephen strasburg, tommy john, washington nationals

Aroldis Chapman: The Best Closer in Baseball?

Sep 13

Posted by bernieolshansky

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Thursday September 13th, 2012

Bernie Olshansky: Aroldis Chapman has had an unbelievable season for a closer. He has gone 5-5 with a miniscule 1.60 ERA and 119 strikeouts. And, he has only pitched 67.2 innings. His strikeouts-per-nine-innings is 15.8. That would mean that if he were to start, he would strike out more than half the batters he would face if he went the distance. Chapman has established himself as a dominant pitcher, and with Mariano Rivera on his way out, is “the Cuban Missile” the best closer in baseball?

When the Reds signed Aroldis Chapman, they had intentions to make him a starter. Many thought he would be very successful with the plus fastball that he already had, along with other, developing pitches. Chapman spent his first two years towards the back of the bullpen, but not as a closer. He was a bit wild and had not completely gotten control of his ridiculous 103 mph fastball. Even with some of these flaws, Chapman showed major closer potential. He had no problem striking batters out, he had an out pitch, and he had a decent ERA. His only major issue was walks. In his second season—his first full—Chapman walked 41 in 50 innings. If he would make it as a closer, he would have to gain control and make adjustments.

Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: aroldis chapman, baseball, cincinatti, closers, craig kimbrel, cuban missile, elite, jonathan papelbon, mariano rivera, mlb, mlb reports, pitching, postseason, reds, saves

Was Edwin Jackson The Most Valuable Free Agent Signing During The Offseason? Smart Move By The Nationals

Sep 12

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Wednesday September 12th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: During all the chaos that surrounded Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder during the offseason, the Washington Nationals made a very sneaky addition to their pitching staff by adding Edwin Jackson. The deal was signed in early February, which made it the final piece to their rotation, as Gio Gonzalez was added before Jackson. But this move flew under the radar as Pujols and Fielder garnered most of the media. Obviously that didn’t come as a surprise. Now, Jackson looks like the most valuable offseason signing.

The thing about Jackson, is that he didn’t break the Nationals’ bank. He came at a reasonable $11 million price tag, and compared to the contracts that Pujols (10 Year, $254 Million) and Fielder (10 Year $214 Million) brought in, Jackson’s contract is practically nothing. Simply, he’s a value player. Talent-wise, he clearly isn’t as respected and accomplished as Pujols and Fielder. But that’s not the point.

However, Jackson won’t be flying under the radar for much longer now that Stephen Strasburg is out of the equation. He will have to play a much bigger role in a starting pitching staff that leads the National League in ERA (3.32). Yes, the Nationals have decent alternatives to fill Strasburg’s void. Those alternatives being Ross Detwiler and John Lannan, but Jackson takes an immense step up depth chart pyramid. Gio Gonzalez now assumes the “ace” role, Jordan Zimmerman follows him, and now Edwin Jackson is third option which means higher expectations. It also means that Jackson’s production can’t be taken as a bonus anymore. His production is now crucial for the Nationals to continue to find success on the pitching area of the game. If he depletes, the Nats are suddenly down to two consistent arms— Gonzalez and Zimmerman. That’s no longer intimidating.

Can he thrive under the pressure? Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: albert pujols, baseball, bryce harper, drew storen, edwin jackson, free agent, jayson werth, mlb, mlb reports, NL east, playoffs, prince fielder, starting pitcher, stephen strasburg, washington nationals

Mike Trout Is Still The Favorite For The A.L. MVP and ROY Awards

Sep 11

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Tuesday September 11th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: Mike Trout has arubably been the biggest difference maker in all of baseball. When the Angels began their season, the hype was focused on Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, their two big offseason acquisitions. But after enduring a miserable first month of the season, Trout was promoted, and the Angels took off. They went 18-12 in Trout’s first 30 games, and that excellent streak instantly put them back in the race. He was leading them, their 21year-old outfielder. Not Pujols, not Wilson, Trout. Most MVP voters would’ve handed him the award just after those first 30 games.

Nowadays, Trout isn’t quite as dominant. He has hit just .280/.350/.473 since August 15th. Obviously not bad, but they aren’t good under his standards. But if the season concluded today, he would still be the winner. Despite the mini rut, his numbers are still exceptional. As of Sunday, Trout leads the A.L. in batting average (.328), WOBA% (.423), stolen bases (44), and WAR (8.4). Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: al mvp, al roy, albert pujols, baseball, dan haren, detroit tigers, jered weaver, josh hamilton, los angeles angels, mark trumbo, miguel cabrera, mike scioscia, Mike Trout, mlb, mlb reports, mvp, roy, Torii Hunter, vernon wells

Fantasy Advice for the MLB Stretch Run: Waiver Wire Gems

Sep 11

Posted by pwstein87

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Tuesday September 11th, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst): Follow @peterwstein

It’s that time of the year where you are hopefully competing or preparing for the playoffs/stretch run of the fantasy season. That’s why you need to be ahead of the competition and go the extra distance to secure a title because It’s the little moves that will ultimately make a difference. Understanding that the trading season is past, I have identified players likely available on your waiver wire that can help your team, as well as other advice based on player match-ups:

Ervin Santana, with a 5.21 ERA and 8-11 win/loss record has largely been a disappointment for fantasy owners in 2012. However, he has been much more of a reliable pitcher down the stretch. He is most recently coming off a 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 10K, performance against the tough hitting Detroit Tigers. Next up for Santana, who is owned in just 38.5% of ESPN leagues, is the softer hitting Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. Santana produced a 3.58 ERA in August and has allowed just 4 ER in 13.2 September innings to go with a 15:3 K/B ratio. We know he is shaky, but he appears to be a safe start, especially as he has held the Athletics to just 4 ER in 14.2 IP in 2012. Furthermore, Santana is much stronger pitching at home, evidenced by his .210 BAA, compared to .268 on the road. Santana’s following start is slated to be at Kansas City, which could be another decent option depending on Tuesday’s outing. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: adam jones, addison reed, alejandro de aza, anibal sanchez, baseball, brett myers, ervin santana, fantasy baseball, jesse crain, josh donaldson, lorenzo cain, mark reynolds, Matt Thornton, matt wieters, mlb, mlb reports, peter stein, salvador perez

Was Ian Kennedy’s 2011 Cy Young Caliber Season Just A Fluke?

Sep 9

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Sunday September 9th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: Ian Kennedy has had an up and down six-year career in the major leagues so far. He has been really good, average, and really bad, and he can’t seem to stick in one of those categories. Obviously, the Diamondbacks would prefer him to fall in the latter category, but the team that drafted him with the 21st pick in the 2006 draft, the Yankees, saw the former side of him for about three years. New York couldn’t fix him, so they ended up trading him to Arizona in a three-way trade for Curtis Granderson.

Whose the real Ian Kennedy? The 2011 Cy Young contender or the Yankee fallout?

There isn’t a clear answer. I’m making it sound like Kennedy was really bad with the Yankees, but that’s not exactly the case. In 2007, he totaled a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings. That’s not half bad. But in 2008, he posted an 8.17 ERA in 39.2 innings pitched. So with a more sizable role, he regressed greatly. The next year he suffered an elbow injury, and ended up pitching just one lone inning. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: arizona diamondbacks, austin jackson, baseball, curtis granderson, cy young, daniel hudson, ian kennedy, joe blanton, kirk gibson, mlb, mlb reports, new york yankees

Boston Red Sox: Who is to Blame for this Mess?

Sep 7

Posted by bernieolshansky

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Friday September 7th, 2012

Bernie Olshansky: The Red Sox are in a state of disrepair. They just traded two of the key players who were supposed to carry them to several postseasons in the future, and a pitcher who had the stuff to regain his status as the ace of the staff. Not to mention the team also has a manager who does not relate well to players. The Red Sox went from first to worst in the span of about a year. Why?

It all started going wrong in September of last year. The Red Sox started a skid and then information came out that some of the pitchers were drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse during games in which they were not pitching during the pennant chase. The Red Sox had a horrible month and ended up falling out of playoff contention as the Orioles walked off on them in game 162 and Evan Longoria subsequently hit a walk off homer versus the Yankees to clinch a playoff spot for the Rays. Terry Francona, the manager who broke the Curse of the Bambino and won two World Series, was fired and general manager Theo Epstein was rumored to be leaving. Owners John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino promised that a collapse like this would not happen the next year. The good news: Red Sox fans will not have to worry about a collapse like last years’ now. The bad news: the Red Sox have been out of contention for almost the whole year. Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, and Nick Punto have been traded, and it looks like Boston will be rebuilding for at least the next couple of years. Chaos in Boston is an understatement.

Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: adrian gonzalez, AL East, andrew bailey, baseball, ben cherington, boston, carl crawford, collapse, dodgers, john henry, josh beckett, larry luchino, Los Angeles, mark melancon, mlb, mlb reports, nick punto, Owners, pennant race, red sox, salary, theo epstein, tom werner, trades

Chicago White Sox: Should They Pick Up Kevin Youkilis’ Option?

Aug 27

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Monday August 27th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: The Chicago White Sox weren’t expected to be in the race this late in the season, but hey, here they are, 2.5 games ahead of the favorite Tigers in the American League east division. A big piece to their success has been Kevin Youkilis, who came over from Boston during the final week of June. Red Sox fans refer to him to leaving as a curse, while White Sox fans refer to him as a spark. Sure, his overall numbers aren’t anything to write home about (.254/.380/.469), but third baseman are hard to come by these days, especially experienced ones. And Youk is as steady as they come, health permitting. Youkilis, who has a $13 million option that comes into play once the season concludes, will likely gain a fair amount of interest should Chicago let him test open waters. However, Chicago shouldn’t give him the opportunity to test the market.

OK, so he might not be worth $13 million. But who will skipper Robin Ventura pencil in at third base of Youkilis leaves the windy city? They might as well forget about finding someone in free agency as the pickings are slim. David Wright could headline the group. Unless the Mets pick up his option (which they will), in which case he will only come through trade or in free agency in another year. Also, GM Kenny Williams would have to enter a bidding war with the Mets and several other clubs who have a hole at the hot corner to obtain Wright. Then, the rest of the crop boils down the likes of Placido Polanco, Mark Reynolds, and Brandon Inge. Any intriguing options in that group? I don’t think so. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles, MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: baseball, boston, boston red sox, brandon inge, chicago white sox, david wright, jake dal porto, kevin youkilis, mark reynolds, mlb, mlb reports, placido polanco, third base, third baseman, youk

New York Mets: Should They Extend Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey?

Aug 26

Posted by Jake Dal Porto

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Sunday August 26th, 2012

Jake Dal Porto: If there’s one compelling story that will represent the 2012 MLB season, it’s R.A Dickey’s story. At first, he was your normal fastball based type pitcher, but after finding minimal success with the normal approach, he switched gears and became one of the few knuckleballers in baseball. And the approach has worked. Now, the question that the Mets are facing is whether or not they extend him seeing that he can test open waters once the season concludes. Although, Dickey peaked at a much older age than most pitchers, as he’s currently 37 years-old.

What is he worth?

Dickey isn’t going to receive a massive contract considering his age and the knuckleball approach. Although, an annual salary of $8-10 million isn’t out of the question. Perhaps he signs a deal worth even more. However, the length of the contract isn’t going to push more than four years. Even a four-year extension could be too long for Dickey who will be 40 in nearly three years. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Tags: baseball, david wright, dickey, jason bay, johan santana, johnny cueto, jonathan niese, mlb, mlb reports, new york mets, R.A, r.a. dickey, tim wakefield, zack wheeler

Moises Sierra Has a Future in the Majors: A Blue Jays Work in Progress

Aug 26

Posted by samevans87

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Sunday August 26th, 2012

Sam Evans: When Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos traded away both Travis Snider and Eric Thames at the trade deadline, it created an opportunity for unheralded twenty-three year old outfielder Moises Sierra. Sierra has a chance to show Toronto that he should be part of their future in these final couple months of the season. With his 70-grade arm and his ability to produce runs at a solid pace, Sierra could have a job in the majors for years to come. However, Sierra has a lot of work to do to become a candidate for playing time at Rogers Centre in 2013.

Moises Sierra was signed by the Blue Jays out of the Dominican Republic back in 2005. This was before the Blue Jays dominated the scouting world, so Sierra has never been an “Anthopoulos guy”. From 2006 to 2008, Sierra had some rough numbers for different teams, but he showed enough to be promoted from the DSL, in 2006, to earning a starting job in High-A for the 2009 season. Sierra had a 122 wRC+ at High-A in 2009, but he missed most of the 2010 season due to a stress fracture in his leg and a couple of other minor injuries. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in On the Verge: MLB Prospects

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Tags: AL East, baseball, blue jays, brandon morrow, brett lawrie, edwin encarnacion, eric thames, jose bautista, milb, minor leagues, minors, mlb, mlb reports, moises sierra, outfield, prospects, ricky romero, sam evans, toronto, travis snider

Derek Lowe: Is the Veteran Hurler a Playoff Savior for Yankees?

Aug 25

Posted by johnburnsmlb

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Saturday August 25th, 2012

John Burns: On August 13^th the New York Yankees made a move that went well under the radar. New York signed veteran pitcher Derek Lowe to a contract. The signing is looking like a very nice pick up for the Yankees as of right now. Lowe has 2.45 ERA in only 7.1 innings out of the bullpen. With all the injuries the Yankees have suffered through this season, the signing becomes a great insurance policy for New York. The sinker ball pitcher is a proven big time performer when it comes to October. The 39-year-old pitcher was dominant in the 2004 fall classic with Boston. Lowe posted 1.86 ERA and was 3-0 during that playoff run and was key part of the Red Sox winning the World Series. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: baseball, bullpen, cc sabathia, derek lowe, freddy garcia, hiroki kuroda, john burns, mlb, mlb playoffs, mlb reports, new York, phil hughes, playoffs, world series, World Series Champion, yankees

Josh Hamilton: Should the Rangers Extend Their Star Slugger Immediately?

Aug 24

Posted by bernieolshansky

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Friday August 24th, 2012

Bernie Olshansky: In the present time, Josh Hamilton is the Texas Rangers’ best player. One of the best in baseball baseball in fact. Hamilton has enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career thus far, hitting .285 with 34 homers and 102 RBIs. He had a hot stretch at one point that included four home runs in a single game. Players like Hamilton don’t come around often, so if the Rangers are smart, they will extend his contract ASAP.

With Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers have played in two World Series. He won the 2010 MVP award when the Rangers lost to the Giants in the Fall Classic in five games. If the Rangers wait until Hamilton hits free agency this offseason, they will have to compete with other teams and likely pay more than they would if they offered Hamilton right now. They could also risk losing him to the division rival Angels (this is highly doubtful given the large contracts of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson and a future contract of Mike Trout). This would be the worst possible scenario with the Angels already looking like a World Series-caliber team.

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Posted in MLB Player Profiles, MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: albert pujols, baseball, big contracts, contract, elvis andrus, free agency, free agent, josh hamilton, la dodgers, miami marlins, mlb, mlb reports, money, negotiations, prince fielder, rangers, texas rangers, yu darvish

John Farrell for Bobby Valentine: The Second Managerial Trade Ever?

Aug 23

Posted by bernieolshansky

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Thursday August 23rd, 2012

Bernie Olshansky: After the Red Sox cut ties with longtime manager Terry Francona, there were a few options for his replacement. Among those options were former pitching coach for the 2007 World Series Champion team John Farrell, and high-profile former-manager Bobby Valentine. Both seemed to be good options, and the Red Sox signed Valentine. Farrell won the managerial job with the Blue Jays after the retirement of Cito Gaston (Brian Butterfield, DeMarlo Hale, and Sandy Alomar, Jr. were also rumored to be vying for the position). Each team was poised to finish atop or close to the top of the AL East standings. This wasn’t the case for either team.

First I’ll cover the Red Sox. Their main problem was the lack of production. Adrian Gonzalez—who the Sox acquired to help carry the offense failed to produce at the beginning of the season. At the All Star Break, he had less than ten home runs. Jacoby Ellsbury was injured after only a few games, and the pitching was absolutely awful. Carl Crawford took a while to come back from his wrist and elbow injuries, and recently shut his season down to undergo Tommy John surgery. Jon Lester, the number one starter was up and down, and has had an off-year. Josh Beckett received boos after being accused of playing golf in between starts. There was obviously something wrong. The Red Sox fell out of contention fairly early—something that wasn’t expected. A lot of the criticism fell on the manager. Bobby Valentine was accused of demeaning the players, saying something along the lines of “nice inning, kid” to rookie Will Middlebrooks after he made an error. Another of Valentine’s slip-ups was calling into question Kevin Youkilis’ effort. This ultimately led to Youk being traded to the White Sox, ending his successful Red Sox career. Veterans such as Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez didn’t take kindly to this and sent a text to management, spurring a meeting between front office officials and players. The situation in Boston is not good; players are divided into players versus manager and players versus players that support the manager. A change in Boston seems necessary; the pitching coach has already been relieved, and it seems like Bobby Valentine may be next.

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Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Tags: adrian gonzalez, AL East, baseball, blue jays, bobby valentine, boston, canada, contenders, daniel bard, front office, john farrell, managers, mlb, mlb reports, rays, red sox, toronto, trade, unhappiness, yankees

A Fantasy Season for the 2012 Chicago White Sox

Aug 21

Posted by pwstein87

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Tuesday August 21st, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst): Follow @peterwstein

Some of the biggest surprises in fantasy baseball this season have come from the same team: the 2012 Chicago White Sox. As a result, the White Sox are currently sitting in first place in the AL central thanks to big turnaround seasons from Adam Dunn, Alex Rios, and Jake Peavy. Each of these guys were former fantasy studs, but performed like absolute duds in 2011.

However, the contributions to the White Sox success extend far beyond this trio of players. Let’s take a look at the entire roster, which contains fantasy contributors from top to bottom. The White Sox, similar to the Angels, Rangers, or Yankees lineups, are one of the few, and certainly the most surprising, that are almost a fantasy team in themselves.

Alejandro De Aza was finally given a chance to play by the White Sox, and for the better part of the year was one of the game’s top leadoff hitters. Injuries have slowed him down recently, but his numbers to date are great for a number three fantasy outfielder: .280/6/44 to go along with 73 runs and 21 stolen bases. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: a.j. pierzynski, adam dunn, alejandro de aza, alex ríos, baseball, brett myers, chicago white sox, chris sale, dayan viciedo, fantasy baseball, jake peavy, kevin youkilis, mlb, mlb reports, paul konerko, peter stein

Weekly 6-Pack MiLB Prospects Hot/Cold Sheet- Week of August 20th (Pitchers Edition)

Aug 19

Posted by Codey Harrison

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Sunday August 19th, 2012

Codey Harrison (Lead MiLB Prospect Analyst): We are back this week with the weekly prospect hot/cold sheet, this week we will feature starting pitchers. First, We will feature 3 pitching prospects that are on fire, and 3 pitching prospects that are ice-cold. Our list of players will only include those who are still prospect eligible (less than 50 innings pitched at the MLB level). Featured players are generally players who are highly regarded amongst the minors and are regarded as legit prospects. Gaining our ranking as the hottest prospect of the week is Pirates prospect Gerrit Cole, who is starting to show the impressive strikeout numbers scouts have been waiting to see from the 2011 number one overall draft pick.

HOT PROSPECTS

Gerrit Cole (Pirates AA) – The 6 foot 4 Cole is everything scouts look to find in a starting pitcher. Gerrit Cole posses the size, strength, and power stuff that have most scouts believing Cole can become an Ace. A fastball that sits 94-97 MPH, and occasionally touches 100 MPH rates as the top pitch for the very talented righty from UCLA. Cole has recently been putting up the dominant walk/strikeout numbers scouts have been waiting to see from the Pirates prized prospect, which has led to Cole being the feature hot prospect this week. With AA Altoona Cole has gone 11 1/3 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs (1ER), while only walking 3, and striking out 15 in his last 2 starts. In his first full pro season Cole has posted numbers that make it very clear why the Pirates where unwilling to trade Cole, or his new AA teammate Jameson Taillon. Read the rest of this entry →

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Tags: arizona diamondbacks, baseball, Codey Harrison, Cold Prospects, Dallin Betances, gerrit cole, Hot Prospects, jameson taillon, milb, mlb, mlb reports, new york mets, new york yankees, philadelphia phillies, pittsburgh pirates, top 50 prospects, trevor bauer, Trevor May, Weekly 6-Pack, zack wheeler

Top 5 Catching Prospects in Baseball

Aug 17

Posted by Codey Harrison

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Friday August 17th, 2012

Codey Harrison (Lead MiLB Prospect Analyst) – The second installment of a 3-part series featuring the top 5 prospects from middle of the field positions. This week we are focusing on one of the hardest positions in all of baseball to find superstars at. One of the biggest reasons is that catchers take a lot longer to progress defensively than any other position in baseball. Bryce Harper who was known for being a catcher in high school was drafted as an outfielder by the Nationals so he could make it to the Major Leagues much faster. Being able to call a game behind the plate, and knowing the angles that are needed to block pitches in the dirt can take several years to master. The wear and tear on a catcher can be a vigorous one, as most catchers only catch 140 games an entire season even if they are healthy the entire season. With current catchers in MLB who are stars like Joe Mauer, Matt Wieters, Buster Posey, Brian McCann, Yadier Molina, and Miguel Montero, it’s time to take a look at the potential future catching stars who replace the current MLB All-Star catchers. Plus teams look to move star catchers from their primary position to save their bats and extend their careers in the process.

Travis d’Arnaud (Toronto Blue Jays AAA) – Travis d’Arnaud was the prize prospect along with RHP Kyle Drabek the Blue Jays acquired in the Roy Halladay trade. d’Arnaud was named the 2011 Eastern League best catcher by the leagues managers. For the position, d’Arnaud has plenty of future plus tools (Hit, Power, Arm, and Fielding), and is on pace to supplant current Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia by the start of the 2013 season. d’Arnaud is currently on the disabled list, but for the season with AAA Las Vegas he’s batting .333, .380 OBP, .595 SLG, with 16 home runs, and 52 RBIs. One of the very few things scouts are drawn away from d’Arnaud is his approach at the plate, as he is very aggressive having walked on 19 times, while striking out 59 times on the season. Read the rest of this entry →