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Cubs and Angels Closers: Who Deserves the Job?

Cubs and Angels Closers: Who Deserves the Job?

May 9

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Wednesday May 9th, 2012

Sam Evans: Today’s two franchises haven’t been able to find a consistent pitcher to close out games this year, and it has resulted in sub .500 starts for both teams. The Cub’s headed into this year with their closer since 2009, Carlos Marmol, expected to have another season closing out games for their team. Jordan Walden, the twenty-four year old who closed out thirty-two games for the Angels last year, was named the Angels’ closer early in Spring Training. Now, only about thirty games into the season, and both of these pitchers have lost their jobs. Both teams secretly want their former closers to regain the job, but neither pitcher has had a successful year so far. Let’s look at what went wrong for these two pitchers and who took their place.

Carlos Marmol has always had the potential to be one of the best closer’s in the history of the game. His repertoire features a 93 MPH fastball, a changeup that he throws at around 86 MPH, and one of the best pitches in the game, his slider which is anywhere from 80-83 MPH. These pitches, the slider in particular, have led Marmol to record some the highest strikeout rates the game has ever seen. In 2010, Marmol’s 16 K/9 set a MLB record for a single-season (for pitchers with more than fifty innings pitched). However, Marmol has always had one thing holding him back from being the best closer in the league, walks.

In 2010, Marmol walked fifty-two in seventy-seven innings. In 2011, he walked forty-eight in seventy-five innings. In 2011, Dan Haren threw 238 innings and only walked thirty-three batters. Marmol has never seemed to realize that if he would let hitters put the ball into play, he would become a much better pitcher. Especially late in ballgames, walking insane amounts of hitters isn’t going to help you close games, no matter how much movement your pitches have. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis, Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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The Boston Red Sox Are Falling Apart

The Boston Red Sox Are Falling Apart

May 8

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Tuesday May 8, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: The Boston Red Sox since last September have been a team that has been falling apart. Ever since the report that pitchers were drinking in the clubhouse (and eating fried chicken), the team hasn’t been the same. After the season, Theo Epstein decided not to bring back Terry Francona… and then left the Red Sox himself. With this being said, the Sox had several holes to fill. First the general manager. This hole was filled by none other than Ben Cherington. Cherington had a lot of pressure placed on him to perform and to win. His first big job was to hire a manager to get the job done. He went and got Bobby Valentine. Bobby Valentine in my opinion was not a good hire for the Red Sox and judging by the Red Sox current record, most would agree.

You can put the blame on many people for the Red Sox woes this early in the season. Not only is it the fault of the manager, but it also goes on the players as they are the ones that play the game. Dustin Pedroia is one of the hardest working players in the league and doesn’t take a day off so it can’t fall on his shoulders (or Big Papi’s). But many of the Red Sox hitters need to be accountable. Mostly though, you could blame the pitching. In my opinion it is the pitching that is causing this down fall for Boston.

Josh Beckett has the best ERA from any starter in the rotation and he is 30th in the American League with a 4.45 ERA. With that number alone, you aren’t going to win many games. The Red Sox have a great offense but giving up that many runs per start you aren’t going to get many wins. Even when the starters throw a decent game, the bullpen usually ends up giving up runs on many nights and losing the game. If the Red Sox are going to do anything this season, Cherington better go find some pitching or it is going to be a long season for Red Sox Nation.

Another big reason the Red Sox are playing like they are is Adrian Gonzalez. Epstein went out and got Gonzalez from San Diego thinking he would be the best hitter in the American League. He was that player for one season but that is no longer the case. We are a little over a month into the season and Gonzalez only has 2 home runs and 16 RBI. For a power guy like Gonzalez, those numbers are subpar to say the least. His power numbers are down and he hasn’t been showing up in big games against the Rays and Yankees as he  did last year. Not only are his power numbers down, his average is a “whopping” .270. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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“The Baseball Hall of Shame: The Best of Blooperstown” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo: Baseball Book Review

“The Baseball Hall of Shame: The Best of Blooperstown” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo: Baseball Book Review

May 6

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Sunday May 6th, 2012

“THE BASEBALL HALL OF SHAME:  THE BEST OF BLOOPERSTOWN” –  BY BRUCE NASH & ALLAN ZULLO

(Lyon’s Press:  2012)

MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen:  Part of our love of baseball, is the art of storytelling. Talking about strange and interesting facts, side stories and statistics. In today’s baseball book review, I have uncovered a gem of a book that contains baseball information that will leave you laughing and fascinated for hours. A little blurb about “The Baseball Hall of Shame – The Best of Blooperstown”:

 

After some 20 years, Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo have returned with the 5th volume of Baseball Hall of Shame, this one called The Best of Blooperstown, but again with original cover art by the great Jack (Mad Magazine) Davis.


These books (and their spinoffs) have sold more than 750,000 copies, making them one of the great publishing success stories in baseball history.  And yes, they are the same books that you read under the covers, afraid that Bowie Kuhn would catch you.  Bet you didn’t know there was a good message behind it all – it’s okay to make a mistake, even these Major Leaguers did!


And here are ten things you WON’T see during this new season, courtesy of the authors: Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – May 6th, 2012

Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – May 6th, 2012

May 6

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Sunday May 6th, 2012





Jonathan Hacohen:  Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.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!

Let’s get to your top questions of the week:

Q:  Watching Jamie Moyer tonite wondering if he reaches 300 wins (2-3 more yrs of pitching). Will that make him HOF bound?  Old Man Mack (via Twitter)

JH:  OMM. We are starting of ATR with one of your questions…and of course, it is a Jamie Moyer one. This is the 3rd Moyer question that I recall receiving from you. He certainly is a great story in baseball and you are on top of this one! Moyer is turning 50 this November. His current records sits at 1-2, 4.01 ERA and 1.663 WHIP. He is 32 wins away from 300. How can I put this nicely…it ain’t happening! As much as all of us would love to see Moyer reach the magical 300 plateau, he would need to win 10+ games for the next 3 years. That would have him pitching until 52. A neat story, but the odds are certainly against that happening. In my estimation, Moyer will be done after this year. He came back, proved he could pitch until 50…and then ride off into the sunset. At his age, we are asking a ton from his body to be able to grind out 3 more years. Plus, he would also have to be effective at such an advanced age. Not impossible…but nearly. Moyer has a career 4.23 ERA and 1.319 WHIP. He was never a true #1 starter and the best among his peers. A good pitcher, but not a great pitcher. Cooperstown is supposed to be reserved for the elite, the best of the best. While Moyer’s story deserves to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, his statistics do not. Even if Moyer reaches 300 wins- I don’t see a Cooperstown plaque in his future. Sorry my man- that’s just the way it goes! Thank you for the great question and your support of ATR and MLB reports. We very much appreciate it!

 

Q:  They should fire Scioscia for how he handled Napoli. I seriously thought Napoli must have slept with Scioscia’s wife for a while.  Mike (Via Twitter)

JH:  Probably one of the funniest tweets I have received in some time. I agree with you that the Angels did not handle Mike Napoli well. I can’t speak on his relationship with Mike Scoscia…but certainly, it did seem strained. Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that I firmly believe that the Angels and Jays blew it by not hanging on to Napoli. The Great Napoli had a season for the ages in 2011. In only 113 games, Napoli hit .320 for the Rangers, with a .414 OBP, .631 SLG (1.046 OPS), 30 home runs, 75 RBIs, 72 runs, plus 58/85 walks/k’s. In other words, Napoli is a beast. This year, Napoli already has 7 home runs in 24 games, with a .241 AVG- but .330 OBP and .506 SLG.  I called Napoli the “Next Bautista” when the Jays acquired him and when you look at his numbers since 2011 over a full season, it is pretty darn close. How great would Napoli’s bat look right now in a slumping Angels lineup? What about at first base for the Jays or catcher over Lind and/or Arencibia?

Now would you like to hear some irony? Here it is. The Angels dumped Napoli in the Vernon Wells trade, really moving his salary and writing him off. In the process the Angels kept Jeff Mathis. How did Mathis do in 2011? In 93 games, he hit a whopping .174 avg, .225 OBP, .259 SLG and 3 home runs all year. That’s how many Napoli hits in many weeks! Mathis had 15 extra base hits all year in fact. Now where is Mathis you ask? In Toronto, of course. The team that couldn’t find a spot for Napoli, now is following the Angels twisted plan of succession. Funny though- how Mathis has played well though in Toronto. In 8 games, Mathis has 2 home runs, .250 AVG, .400 OBP and .650 SLG. Looking at him at the plate, you think Mathis should be a slugger. But it never developed. When the trade was made to the Jays, I thought Mathis could hit 15-20 home runs…if the Jays were able to get him on track. Still could happen, but I see Mathis moving back closer to his career average of .195, .259 OBP and .306 SLG.  Now for Mathis’ replacement in Anaheim? Chris Iannetta, a Mike Napoli-clone as I call him. In 23 games, Iannetta has popped 3 home runs, hitting .220 with a .324 OBP and .441 SLG. Good numbers, but certainly not great numbers. If that was the kind of production though Anaheim wanted, why not just hold onto Napoli and let him explode at the plate? That is certainly the question. So we will never know the truth behind Mike Scioscia’s thinking in wanting Mike Napoli off the Angels. But if Anaheim and Toronto could go back in time, I’m sure they would have done things differently. For the future, they may want to read up on MLB reports before making another blunder like that again! Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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MLB Closer Report: Where Does Your Team Stand?

MLB Closer Report: Where Does Your Team Stand?

May 6

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Sunday May 6, 2012

Bryan Sheehan (Baseball Writer): Seeing Mariano Rivera go down with a torn ACL is like driving by a car accident and reflecting on how easily it could have been you in that accident, or in this case- how it could have been your team’s closer cringing in pain on the warning track. And this is the year of the injured closer: from Boston’s Andrew Bailey to San Francisco’s Brian Wilson, closers across the league have been dropping like flies. Other closers, like the Angels’ Jordan Walden, have stayed healthy but haven’t played well enough to keep their coveted ninth inning role. Even though there has only been a month of baseball so far, much has changed for some clubs.

Today, I’ll be taking a look at every team’s closer situation, and breaking down how it got to be the way it is: Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis, Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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Top 5 MLB Stolen Base Leaders

Top 5 MLB Stolen Base Leaders

May 6

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Sunday April 6th, 2012

Sam Evans: Baseball is full of athletes with not only outstanding speed, but world-class predictive reflexes as well. These players use their power to steal bases as a way to create runs for their ballclub’s. While it might not be that hard to find a player who can steal bases at a productive rate, some players steal more than any other players in the sport. Here are five of baseball’s fastest base runners:

Emilio Bonifacio, CF, Miami Marlins: This year, Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen has taken advantage of his lineup’s speed, and set them free on the base paths. So far, the results haven’t gone exactly as planned. Despite their speed, the Marlins offense is struggling to score runs. Nonetheless, Marlins Center Fielder Emilio Bonifacio has been outrageously productive on the base paths. Despite only a .240 batting average, Bonifacio has a .342 OBP, which has helped produce runs for the heart of the Marlins’ order behind him. However, there is a lot wrong with Bonifacio’s hitting approach that he needs to change immediately. For instance, in 104 at-bat’s, Bonifacio has yet to record an extra base hit. I’m not sure how that’s even possible. Still, in thirteen stolen base attempts, Bonifacio has yet to have been thrown out. To have a perfect success rate is absurd for someone who leads the majors in stolen bases. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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A.J. Pierzynski Interview: White Sox Catcher Discusses His Love for Wrestling and Hatred For Cold Weather

A.J. Pierzynski Interview: White Sox Catcher Discusses His Love for Wrestling and Hatred For Cold Weather

May 5

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Saturday May 5th, 2012

Playing in his 14th season in the major leagues the White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski is the guy other teams love to hate for his particular brand of competition, but they obviously like having him around on the South Side.  He is a 2x American League All-Star that played a vital role in the 2005 World Series Championship.

Despite his reputation of being Public Enemy No. 1, Pierzynski is only hungry to win.  This reputation only applies to his on field play but off the field A.J. is “not what people think.”

Ten-year-old Haley Smilow had a chance to sit down with A.J. before a game and talk baseball, but discovered the White Sox catcher is one of the most genuine, honest and appreciative guys playing baseball today.  He is just a regular guy who likes to have fun and doesn’t like the cold weather.


Haley: My family went to several games at Kauffman Stadium, Target Field and Camden Yards along with stops at Miller Park, Wrigley and Busch Stadium last summer,  do you have a favorite ballpark and why?

AJ: Seattle Mariners Safeco Field would have to be one of my favorites, it is a good field to play ball on and the retractable roof makes it possible to play ball in any weather conditions.

 

Haley: Is there a ballpark where you feel you always play well other than US Cellular Field?

AJ: I don’t know, I think I play well at Wrigley and at Safeco and not so well at Fenway for some reason. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Interviews with MLB Stars

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Chuck Booth’s GWR Streak (Parks 25-29)

Chuck Booth’s GWR Streak (Parks 25-29)

May 4

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The Streak ended at 30 MLB Parks in 23 calendar days!!

I broke my old record of 24 days by being-Fastest to see all 30 MLB parks in 23 days  from April 6th to 28th!

Sked is here: fastestthirtyballgames3021.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/30in20/

Follow me-@chuckbooth3024 on twitter

https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at my official website for all updates!

Friday May.4/2012

Chuck Booth and Lori Martini being interviewed by ‘Did The Tribe Win Last Night’ Blog at the Social Suite at Progressive Field.

MLB Park # 25 Day # 20

COL 2 @ PIT 1

April.25/2012

PNC PARK

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- My stay in Tampa Bay was a nice one the night before(despite having to commandeering a neighboring hotel just to do some laundry at midnight.)  I was too fired up to sleep and there was no chance at all I would risk sleeping in on this day.  I had known for a while that this was going to be an epic day.  Since the fallout of the missed doubleheader for Cleveland and Baltimore was first established on that San Diego flight, I looked forward to this day thoroughly.

Read the rest of this entry →

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Mike Trout vs. Bryce Harper: Who is the Biggest Prospect in Baseball?

Mike Trout vs. Bryce Harper: Who is the Biggest Prospect in Baseball?

May 3

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Thursday May 3rd, 2012

Bernie Olshansky:  For prospect watchers, last Saturday was one of the most exciting baseball days in a long time. Not only was Angels prospect Mike Trout (20) making his season debut against Cleveland, but Bryce Harper, the Nationals prospect and teen-wonder at only nineteen also made his highly anticipated major league debut against the Dodgers. Amazingly, two of Baseball America’s top three prospects debuted on the same day. Harper’s first and second at-bats were a couple to forget, but his third was one to remember. He roped a hard line drive over Matt Kemp’s head in center for a stand-up double. Trout’s debut was nothing special, but after hitting .408 in the minors this year he’s bound to get it going. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Player Profiles

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Will Bryce Harper Lead the Nationals to the Playoffs?

Will Bryce Harper Lead the Nationals to the Playoffs?

May 3

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Thursday May 3, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: The next big phenom Bryce Harper has made his way to big leagues. In the first four games he has played he has shown why he was a number one overall pick in the 2010 draft. If you have been watching recent Nationals games, you would have seen his amazing catch against the wall and his phenomenal throw to the plate. Harper may struggle a bit at the plate for a couple of weeks just getting used to the pitching, but the fielding has been there from day one for Harper. He isn’t the type of player you expect from a rookie. He has confidence through the roof and isn’t afraid to show it. A mo-hawk and eye-black smeared down his face he is the one player in the big leagues that looks like he is playing college ball.

In his first game in the big leagues he was booed by the Dodger faithful. This didn’t change the way he felt about the game and the way he played. Hitting a double off the wall to get his first hit is a memory he will never forget. Does he keep this pace and become the phenom that everyone expects him to be? I believe that the offensive side will hurt him throughout the season putting him in major slumps. On the other side of the coin is his defense, which I believe will help this Nationals team tremendously. Read the rest of this entry →

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

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The 2012 Toronto Blue Jays: Need a Big Bat to Contend in the A.L. East

The 2012 Toronto Blue Jays: Need a Big Bat to Contend in the A.L. East

May 2

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Tuesday May 2nd, 2012

Rob Bland:  Much has been said about the quiet offseason that Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos underwent.  After the uproar that was caused by the media in the Yu Darvis bidding process, and the Prince Fielder free agency, fans became upset that Anthopoulos was just sitting on his hands.  The fact that Anthopoulos stated numerous times that they would not be major players in free agency seemed to fall on deaf ears.  Anthopoulos has been adamant about building this team with young and athleticism, the latter of which is something that Prince Fielder doesn’t necessarily embody.  That’s no knock against Prince, because he is paid to mash, not steal bases. 

The question is asked, do the Jays need a big bat or another arm to take that final leap into contention in the American League East?  Now, I could answer this a few different ways.  Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Los Angeles Angels: Down But Not Out?

Los Angeles Angels: Down But Not Out?

May 2

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Wednesday May 2nd, 2012

Bryan Sheehan (Baseball Writer): It may only be a month into the season, but when your new, $240 million star is in the worst slump of his career, there’s a reason to panic. The Los Angeles Angels, now 9-15, are in near-crisis mode because of their struggling offense helmed by Albert Pujols. Flirting with the Mendoza Line, King Albert’s .208 average and grand total of zero home runs equaled that of Bobby Abreu, who was released by the Angels last week. The bright spot now, it seems, is 20-year-old Mike Trout, a rookie as highly touted as Bryce Harper. But can he, along with new addition C.J. Wilson and fellow ace Jered Weaver rally the team after the franchise’s third worst start in history? Jump it to find out! Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Twins Pitching Prospects to Remember

Twins Pitching Prospects to Remember

May 1

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Tuesday May 1st, 2012

Sam Evans: The Twins have made it obvious they have no plans of contending this year. Their whole infield is pretty depressing and the pitching staff has looked awful. Minnesota doesn’t have an amazing farm system, but they do have some pitchers that probably will be in the majors in the coming years. Here is a review of a couple of the top Twins pitching prospects.

Madison Boer, RHP, A-Ball: Madison Boer is a twenty-two year old right-handed throwing starting pitcher. He was drafted in the 2011 2nd round out of the University of Oregon but he was born in Minnesota. His fastball sits in the low-90’s and he also has a slider and a splitter. Last year, in fifteen games pitching in relief in Rookie ball, Boer struck out thirty-one of the sixty-seven batters he faced.

In 2012, Boer has gotten off to another hot start. Facing A-Ball hitters, Boer has posted a 3.31 FIP. Unfortunately, his strikeout rates have not been close to where they were in 2011. This year, Boer has faced one hundred and sixteen batters, and only struck out twenty. He’s only had five starts, but his strikeout rates will definitely be something to watch this year. Overall, Boer could turn into a solid #3 starter for the Twins. I’m sure the Twins would be thrilled if they could get that kind of value from a second round pick. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in On the Verge: MLB Prospects

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Texas Rangers: Best Team in the Majors?

Texas Rangers: Best Team in the Majors?

May 1

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Tuesday May 1, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: Are the Texas Rangers the best team in baseball? In my eyes they are. They are the most balanced team I have seen in this short period of the season. Going out and getting Yu Darvish was a huge part of the winter for the Rangers. Darvish a Japanese phenom, has come over the United States and gone 4-0 in 5 starts. He has changed his windup 4 times since the first pitch on opening day. Starting with his hands going over his head, to now just pitching from the stretch the whole game.

Darvish isn’t the only stud pitcher on this team. Derek Holland can also throw over 200 innings for this Rangers team. With a team focused around pitching, they sure do get the job done. Add Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan watching every pitch from the first row the pitchers have to succeed. Rangers starters have combined for a 13-4 record, with Darvish and Colby Lewis going 7-0. The Rangers starting pitching is in my opinion what is going to get them a World Series championship this season. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis

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Week 4 – MLB 2012 Season: Fantasy Baseball Report

Week 4 – MLB 2012 Season: Fantasy Baseball Report

Apr 30

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Monday April 30th, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): This offseason, I told myself (and others) to stay away from names like Matt Kemp and Josh Hamilton. It wasn’t even a question. There was no way Kemp could repeat his 2011 season (and his .380 BAPIP). But he appears to be on his way to surpassing last year and making a hard push towards the triple crown. Josh Hamilton, who I also intentionally stayed away from, simply cannot be counted on to play 150 games. Hamilton has had a Kemp-like start to the season and is also single-handedly carrying fantasy teams throughout the first month of the season. However, he did leave Sunday’s game with back tightness (out Monday as well) and this could be a start of a trend that we have seen in seasons past. 

On the pitching side, Jake Peavy was another guy who fell in the same category as Hamilton, having only made 39 starts in his 2.5 seasons with the White Sox. Furthermore, the results were poor in those starts as he transitioned from a pitcher friendly park in baseball’s weakest hitting division to the American League.  But even more of an afterthought in addition to the health concerns, was Peavy’s transition from the NL West and the most pitcher friendly park to the hitting friendly confines of U.S. Cellular Field. However, Peavy looks like the Peavy of old and is pitching like a number one type pitcher again.  But will that last? Are you prepared to take that gamble? Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in Players: Fantasy Baseball Articles

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A New GWR Record and Many New Ball Park Chaser Friends

A New GWR Record and Many New Ball Park Chaser Friends

Apr 30

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The Streak ended at 30 MLB Parks in 23 calendar days!!

I broke my old record of 24 days by being-Fastest to see all 30 MLB parks in 23 days  from April 6th to 28th!

Sked is here: fastestthirtyballgames3021.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/30in20/

Follow me-@chuckbooth3024 on twitter

https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at my official website for all updates!

Monday, Apr.30/2012

Ken Lee, Chuck Booth, Lori Martini and Roger Ratzenberger after the final pitch in Ball Park #30 in 23 days for Chuck Booth’s New World Record. Camden Yards is the sight of this picture.

Monday April.30/2012

MLB Park # 30 Day # 23

OAK 1 @ BAL 10

April.28/2012

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

 

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I am going to do this segment in reverse.  I am jumping right ahead to the last game of the streak.  Sure I have eight other recaps (besides this one) to still post that were technically before this game, but I need to write about this game first.  I will post parks 22-24 on Wednesday and 25-29 on Friday.  I will also have the Expert Interviews for Chase Field, Miller Park, US Cellular Field, The Great American Ball Park, Busch Stadium and PNC Park updated by the week’s end.  Eventually all of this information will be available on my website at www.thirtyballgames3021.wordpress.com. The game had wrapped up in Busch Stadium for what was game #29.  My wing-man Ken Lee, had done some great driving work to help me with 2 straight double-header even before heading to St. Louis.  As we left the city on I-70, I took on the duties of driving.  Ken had exhausted himself in the process of helping me.  I started the 1st 8 hours of driving towards Baltimore.  This would be park number 30 in only 23 days.  For me I knew this would mean another world record.  In the back of my mind it was a long time between cities so I was gearing up to face the challenge.  I was rested up as much as I had been in several weeks.  The driving was actually a nice change from being a passenger.

Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Improving Technology in MLB Ballparks

Improving Technology in MLB Ballparks

Apr 29

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Sunday April, 29 2012 

Ryan Ritchey: With baseball being America’s past time, the game is old-fashioned to say the least. In many of the older ballparks like Fenway, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last week, the stadium is built with poles holding up the upper decks. In these ballparks fans get tickets for seats behinds poles cheaper than any seat in the stadium. Others like Kauffman Stadium have started putting in solar panels above the outfield seats to use the solar energy to power the ballpark. 

With this being said does baseball need to up the ante on technology in the ballpark by adding more things for the enjoyment of the fans? In my opinion it is yes and no. There is no better feeling than going to a ballpark and smelling the peanuts and hot dogs and enjoying a nice game on a hot summer day. For those fans sitting behind those poles, do they need a special TV on the seat in front of them that will allow them to watch the game while also being there? The TVs will need headphones so you can hear the voice of the announcers which is the only bad thing. The cool thing about that would be if you could get the voice of the announcer at the ballpark and only hear what is going on within the ballpark itself. Read the rest of this entry →

Posted in The Rest: Everything Baseball

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Overlooked Veteran Pitchers That Could Pitch in 2012

Overlooked Veteran Pitchers That Could Pitch in 2012

Apr 29

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Sunday April 29th, 2012

Sam Evans:  In a recent interview with The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, former MLB legend Pedro Martinez said that he could be ready to pitch in only twenty days. Even though Pedro was probably joking, pretty much every team in baseball could use a quality back-end starter. So in honor of Pedro’s comments, let’s look at some free agents and veteran pitchers in Triple-A that could help MLB teams this year.

John Lannan, LHP, Syracuse Chiefs (WSH AAA): Perhaps the biggest surprise with the Nationals Opening Day roster had nothing to do with a certain Bryce Harper. National’s manager Davey Johnson decided to use Ross Detwiler instead of the veteran lefty John Lannan as the Nats’ fifth starter. Lannan who had a 3.70 ERA and 4.24 xFIP in thirty-three starts last year, was demoted to Triple-A. The Nationals could definitely trade Lannan, now that Detwiler has become a quality starter in the majors. A team like the Red Sox could acquire Lannan and he could provide some value to a Boston team lacking starting pitching.

Kyle Davies, RHP, Free Agent: Kyle Davies used to be the top pitching prospect in baseball. While he does deserve credit for surviving as a major league starter for a few years, Davies never reached his potential as top of the rotation starter. Last year with the Kansas City Royals, Davies only lasted thirteen starts. Even though his ERA was 6.75, his FIP was only 4.39. If Davies pitched like that for the rest of the season, he would have been worth around 2.3 WAR. That’s better than both Colby Lewis and Chad Billingsley’s 2011 WAR totals. I’m not saying Davies can become that kind of starter, but if someone gives him a fresh start he could hang on in a MLB rotation. He’s still only twenty-nine and a team could sign him to a minor league contract and see if he’s got anything left in the tank. Read the rest of this entry →

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Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – April 29th, 2012

Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – April 29th, 2012

Apr 29

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Sunday April 29th, 2012




Jonathan Hacohen:  Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.com, message us on Twitter and post on our Facebook Wall!

Let’s get to your top questions of the week (LOTS of Expansion talk this week):

Q: Where will the WBC games be played in March  Chris

Q: Does anyone know what the dates are for the 2013 World Baseball Classic and how it will affect the schedule for Spring Training?  Steve

JH: Hello Chris and Steve. Yes, we love talking WBC on MLB reports. So much so, that we have a page dedicated exclusively to the greatest international baseball tournament of all time! Please click on wbcreports.com to find out all the latest World Baseball Classic news and reports. With the WBC qualifiers still coming up, we are still far away from the tournament itself- coming up in March 2013. The qualifiers will be played in Florida, Panama, Germany and Taiwan. Each site will host 4 countries- with 1 winner advancing to the WBC tournament from each pool. For the 1st two tournaments, the finals were held in Los Angeles (Dodger Stadium). As to which cities will be lucky to host the 2013 WBC- stay tuned. I expect the announcement to come sometime between the end of the World Series and New Years. But as soon as we have the info- we will announce it! The WBC will have the effect of extending the spring schedule to some degree. It is a never-ending battle for Major League Baseball, to accommodate spring training while still keeping the WBC schedule on track. It’s not a perfect system, so certainly expect baseball officials to continue to tweak the schedule every tournament until they find the best possible schedule. Read the rest of this entry →

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Michael Pineda’s Early Demise

Saturday April 28th, 2012

Bernie Olshansky: Exactly one year ago today, Michael Pineda was just a few starts into his major league career. He had a fastball upwards of ninety-five miles per hour and seemed to be the next Felix Hernandez in the Mariners organization. It would have been impossible to predict where he is now and what he is going through. The Yankees announced Wednesday that Pineda would miss the rest of the season due to an anterior labrum tear in his shoulder and would need to undergo arthroscopic surgery. The best-case recovery time is 12 months, making a return for Opening Day 2013 nearly impossible.

       

A shoulder injury is one of the worst possible injuries a pitcher could have. Compared to elbow injuries and the recovery from Tommy John surgery, the recovery from a torn labrum is a much longer and tougher process. Pineda most likely suffered this injury due to fatigue from his large workload last year (171.0 IP). The good news for Pineda is that the rotator cuff is not damaged, and the surgery is successful 85-90 percent of the time. A couple of recent pitchers who recovered successfully from this type of surgery are Curt Schilling and Chris Carpenter. Schilling had a similar injury in 1995 when he was 28 years old, which caused him to miss most of the 1995 season. For Schilling, it only took ten months to fully recover and by May 1996, he was pitching again. Carpenter tore his labrum in 2003 and made a full recovery to come back to have a great 2004 season. Pineda’s return isn’t impossible by any means, especially because he just turned 23. Talk about a sophomore jinx for Pineda — he didn’t even get to start his sophomore campaign.


Unfortunately for the Yankees, their highly touted prize in the Jesus Montero trade must be placed on the disabled list for the rest of this season. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik claims he had no knowledge whatsoever about a possible injury for Pineda when he made the trade, so it seems that the Yankees just got unlucky. At the time of the trade, it seemed that both teams were getting a great deal for each of their needs. The Yankees needed pitching and got exactly that from Pineda with a solid 3.74 ERA in his Rookie year with 171.0 innings pitched and 173 strikeouts. This type of performance earned him All Star honors. The only concern was the large number of innings pitched, which, in my opinion, ended up doing him in. The Mariners, knowing that they were going to have sufficient pitching in the future with Felix Hernandez and highly regarded prospect Danny Hultzen, traded Pineda for Yankees prospect Jesus Montero who was ready to be on the big club after spending the majority of 2011 in the minors (tearing it up, I might add with an overall .308 average over a five-year span). For the anemic Mariners offense that needed some pop, Montero promised to help improve a club that, in 2011 ranked dead last in average, runs, slugging percentage, on base percentage, and 25th in home runs. This already perfect deal for the Mariners turned out even better sadly when Pineda went down with this injury.


Now the Yankees are stuck with an injured Pineda, and do not have Jesus Montero in their lineup (who was hitting .263 as of today, but hey, at least he’s playing). The Mariners also got pitcher Hector Noesi, who is also part of the Mariners’ rotation, and the Yankees received minor league pitcher Jose Campos, who has posted a 1.23 ERA so far for the Charleston RiverDogs Single-A team (I guess that’s the only silver lining for the Yankees). Five years from now when all of the players who were involved in the trade are established major leaguers, this may all be a distant memory. But right now for the Yankees, it hurts a lot.


**Today’s feature was prepared by Bernie Olshanksy, MLB reports Intern candidate.  We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers.  You can also follow Bernie on Twitter. (@BernieOlshansky)***

 

Please e-mail us at: mlbeports@me.com with any questions and feedback.  You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook .  To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.

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Painting the Corners – Interview with Author Bob Weintraub

Painting the Corners – Interview with Author Bob Weintraub

Apr 28

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Saturday April 28, 2012

MLB reports:  A new day bring a new baseball book to our world. Bob Weintraub, author has recently published his book “Painting the Corners:  A Collection of Off-Center Baseball Stories.”  Not the typical biography or instructional book – Painting the Corners is a breath of fresh air. A big part of loving baseball is sharing the stories and experiences that are a part of the game for us. As fans. Writers. Viewers. Each of us has our baseball “stories” to tell, those first-hand experiences that stuck with us during key games/moments. Now imagine these tales told by the various personnel within the game. Here is a sneak peek into the world of Painting the Corners:

Bob Weintraub’s marvelous collection of baseball stories goes directly to the core of what the game does for us when we watch it being played on the field, and shows how its heroes and villains can reach into a person’s life and remain a part of us for the rest of our days. The stories are told from various perspectives, including those of the player, manager, general manager, coach, scout, owner, writer, broadcaster and fan.  Each strives for its own sense of authenticity, seeks to introduce characters we’d be comfortable spending time with, and in many cases ends with an unexpected twist.

W.P. Kinsella, author of Shoeless Joe (Field of Dreams), says that “Weintraub has executed a triple play: savvy baseball writing, unforgettable characters and a home run ending for each tale.”

In “Knuckleball,” a manager is beside himself when he can’t let his star knuckleball pitcher start the seventh game of the World Series because the only catcher he’s ever had in the big leagues suddenly goes down with an injury.  The team from Alcatraz, in “The Way They Play Is Criminal,” has a bag full of dirty tricks waiting to spring on its San Quentin rivals, and it uses them all.  A father on a college tour with his daughter happens upon the very same autographed baseball he saw a friend catch in Fenway Park’s bleachers thirty years earlier, and learns, in “The Autograph,” how a twist of fate has brought the friend together with the player who hit it.  A veteran outfielder goes into the last game of his career batting .299 with 299 home runs and, in “Just One to Go,” gets his only chance to hit with two outs in the ninth.  And in “The Short End of Immortality,” we see that it’s essential for a baseball writer to be totally objective when voting on a player for the Hall of Fame, even if that player has always been married to your mother.

 

To learn about Painting the Corners, we went directly to the source. Featured today on MLB reports is author Bob Weintraub, presenting his baseball book – “Painting the Corners”: Read the rest of this entry →

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Michael Pineda is Out for the Year: When Will the Yankees Pitcher Return?

Michael Pineda is Out for the Year: When Will the Yankees Pitcher Return?

Apr 27

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Friday April 27th, 2012

Sam Evans: On this past Wednesday, we learned that twenty-three year old Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda was diagnosed with an anterior labral tear, and that he will undergo surgery on May 1st. Pineda is definitely out for the year, and there is a chance he could never pitch in the majors again. There is talk though that he could be out for less than a year and come back stronger than ever. But that possibility is hopeful at best. Thus is the nature of Pineda’s situation. Let’s take a look at his injury, and when the Yankees could hope to see him pitching in New York.

When Michael Pineda was acquired from the Mariners this offseason, Yankees fans were feeling pretty good about their rotation. They had just traded for one of the top young arms in the majors. In 2011, Pineda was an All-Star and started twenty-eight incredible games for the Mariners. He barely had any issues with control, he struck out a ton of batters, and he had the poise of a veteran. He wore down as the season came to an end, but that was normal given his age and experience. Even though the Yankees gave up two talented players to get Pineda and a prospect, he had a chance to be the #2 starter that they were looking for when they signed A.J. Burnett. Read the rest of this entry →

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Is Zack Greinke Worth $100 Million?

Is Zack Greinke Worth $100 Million?

Apr 27

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Friday April 27, 2012

Ryan Ritchey: The question for all the teams in the major leagues is if Zack Greinke is worth the $100 million that he is going to want…and likely get. With Greinke being a free agent at the end of the season, does he want to stay with the Brewers or does he want to test free agency. At the age of 28, he could get the big 7 -year deal he is seeking. But it won’t be worth 100 million. He could end up getting around $80 million with a great season in 2012. With a 16 win season last year and off to a pretty quick start this season, he is showing the league what he’s got. With Fielder leaving though, I don’t see him staying with the Brewers after this season.

The big question about Greinke is whether he can stay healthy. Last season was his best season in terms of wins, but he didn’t get to the 200 inning mark that every pitching coach wants his pitchers at. If he wants to be the ace that every team is going to want him to be, he is going to need to be a 200 inning guy. I can see Greinke being the guy that throws those 200 innings year after year but the only way this happens is if he can stay consistent and get batters out. Read the rest of this entry →

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Baseball Movie Review: Caught – Life Playing Out on the Softball Field

Baseball Movie Review: Caught – Life Playing Out on the Softball Field

Apr 26

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Thursday April 26, 2012

MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: For those of us that live the game of baseball, we know that baseball becomes part of many facets of our existence. Aside from watching baseball, we talk about it, debate it, read about it and think about it. Baseball consumes us pretty much 24/7…and we wouldn’t have it any other way! But to become “well-rounded” baseball aficionados, many fans read baseball books and watch baseball movies. I have spent many hours talking to our readers about their favorite baseball books and movies of all-time. While I have reviewed many baseball books for you, I have not actually had the pleasure of reviewing a baseball film. Until today. Featured on MLB reports, I am proud to present our first Baseball Movie Review. Starring Lori Martini, the film is called “Caught”. 

Caught is not your typical “feel good” baseball movie. Definitely not a cookie-cutter film. It is a short film…but man, it packs a strong punch. I won’t ruin the film for you by giving away the story. But I will say that I loved the use of baseball as a focal point in the storyline of this film. For the young girl Hannah (played by Lori Martini), her life is a troubled one. With a difficult family life centered around her troubled mother and brother, her ultimate refuge is the diamond. Behind the plate as a catcher, she is safe. Nobody can harm her there. For many ball fans, either as players and/or spectators, we can relate to the effect that the game has on our own lives. Baseball is ultimately an escape. Our sanctuary. Where the troubles in our lives can’t hurt us. That message really hit home for me watching Caught and I can see how many baseball fans will feel the same connection in watching life through Hannah’s life.

I have to admit that I was blown away by Martini’s performance in the film. Not only is she a songwriter, but she also wrote and co-produced the film. This talented young lady played many roles in helping Caught make it to the big screen. The script was strong, with well written dialogue and flow to the film. But ultimately, it was Martini’s presence on the screen that won me over. She has a powerful presence. While Martini had a strong supporting cast around her, the film is driven through her character. I felt Hannah’s words as she spoke. A good actor/actress lives the role that they play. They are not acting- rather, they are the person they are playing. In Caught, Martini was Hannah. She was that rough and tough catcher behind the plate. She was that girl who loved to play baseball and always gave it her all. On the field and in life. No matter how hard things became around her, Hannah battled. Much like Martini in real life. 

Keep an eye on lorimartini.com to find out when Caught will be featured in a movie theatre near you. If you get the chance to watch it, I highly suggest you do so. Life is not always about perfect Hollywood endings. Life can be hard. For an escape into a dramatic life that plays out on the softball field, watch Catch. Martini was named Best Actress in the 2011 Staten Island Film Festival for a reason. This lady loves baseball with every ounce of her being. Now get ready to watch her baseball masterpiece with your own eyes.

 

*** Caught is featured on Facebook and Twitter (@shortfilmcaught). To learn more about Lori Martini and her story click here .  You can also follow Lori on Twitter (@lorimartini) and check out her song ‘Believe’ here on Youtube (Justin Turner of the Mets walkup song and was recently heard on VH1′s House of Consignment)***

Jonathan Hacohen is the Founder & Lead Baseball Columnist for MLB reports:  You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)

Please e-mail us at: mlbreports@me.com with any questions and feedback.  You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook .  To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.

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Who is the Best Center Fielder in Baseball?

Who is the Best Center Fielder in Baseball?

Apr 25

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Thursday April 26, 2012

Bryan Sheehan: Have you ever sat and pondered as to who is the best Center Fielder in the game of baseball today? With so many good options, it is rather hard to make the choice. To make the assessment, you have to look at all the “tools” and come up with the best all-around Center Fielder in the game. Keeping that in mind, here are my top-5 selections- starting with #5:

5. Shane Victorino

The Flyin’ Hawaiian is the epitome of all-around solid player. Not the greatest in any aspect, he has a jack-of-all-trades look that is made extraordinary by his hustle. Though he won’t steal gratuitous amounts of bases, his speed on the basepaths is seen in his league leading 16 triples last year. His three straight Gold Gloves from 2008-2010 are also really impressive, and considering his perfect fielding percentage in 2011, he could have easily won four straight. 

4. Michael Bourn 

Bourn is the prototypical fast center fielder. He’s led the league in stolen bases for the past three years, nabbing 61 in his 2011 campaign between the Astros and the Braves. Like Juan Pierre in his prime, Bourn is extremely fast, and can make good contact with the ball. Though it’s not all-star worthy, his .294 batting average last season was 27 points higher than the league average for leadoff hitters. His speed also translates on defense, giving him great range to run down balls in the gap. 

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Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick – Interview with Author Paul Dickson

Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick – Interview with Author Paul Dickson

Apr 24

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Tuesday April 24, 2012

MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: Today is a big day in the world of baseball, as we are proud to announce the release of the Paul Dickson Biography, “Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick.” Probably the most important person to influence the game of baseball as we know it today, Bill Veeck was a baseball pioneer. From night games, interleague play, racial integration and so much more, Bill Veeck is responsible for many of the key changes to the game that we take for granted. I was very excited to hear that Paul Dickson had written this book, as all baseball fans that truly love the game must get to know Bill Veeck. With so much information to cover on such an important baseball figure- Paul Dickson was certainly up for the role as biographer. 

As the book is launched today in stores, I had a chance to catch up with the author and cover many topics. From the life and times of Bill Veeck, to the process in creating the book and the road ahead for Paul Dickson. You are in for a treat today folks, as you will get to know about the book directly from the author himself. In talking to Paul, I was blown away by the dedication and commitment he showed in putting together The Greatest Maverick. From the number of people he interviewed and the amount of research he undertook, Paul went to great lengths in putting together the book. Now as Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick hits the bookshelves, you will find out why the book will be an important addition to your baseball library.

 

Featured on MLB reports, I proudly present my interview with baseball author, Paul Dickson and his newest baseball book – Bill Veeck – Baseball’s Greatest Maverick:


JH:  Thank you for joining us today on MLB reports Paul. Your new book “Bill Veeck- Baseball’s Greatest Maverick” is about to be launched. You must be very excited!

PD:  Very excited, Indeed. The book releases on Tuesday April 24, 2012. My publisher is Walker & Co. The year is important because it is the 50th anniversary of Veeck’s own biography Veeck: As In Wreck, a groundbreaking book which still commands an immense readership. But that book was Bill’s own story—a true autobiography—mine a true biography.

For example, Veeck’s book has a paragraph on his experiences in a war zone in the South Pacific during World War II. It is a full chapter in my book. This is the situation where Veeck was wounded and this is where he became part of a cohort of men who saw combat and came to baseball. Few know that Yogi Berra was in the second day of the D-Day invasion or that  Monte Irvin went in on the 6th day. I interviewed a lot of war vets for the book including Irvin but also the late Bob Feller, Ralph Kiner, Jerry Coleman, and Lou Brissie who lost part of his leg in combat but came back to pitch for Connie Mack. Read the rest of this entry →

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Will Tim Lincecum Turn it Around in 2012?

Will Tim Lincecum Turn it Around in 2012?

Apr 24

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Tuesday April 24th, 2012

Rob Bland:  Since he burst onto the scene as a 23-year-old rookie in 2007, Tim Lincecum has ranked 6th in fWAR.  Boasting a fastball that sat around 94 mph, and plus changeup, curveball and slider, Lincecum won back to back National League Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009 with the San Francisco Giants.  In his first four full seasons, Lincecum threw 881 2/3 innings.  Listed on baseball-reference.com at a generous 5’11” and 175 lbs, Lincecum’s delivery is a little bit on the herky-jerky side.  How he has been able to withstand such punishment is a bit of a mystery, as his wiry body hurls towards the plate in a violent action that result in a 94 mph fastball.

2012 has not been kind to Lincecum so far.  Now, I am not one to worry about small sample sizes, as baseball is a sport of random fluctuation in statistics.  Albert Pujols does not have a home run as I write this, more than 15 games into the season.  Chase Headley is currently 2nd in fWAR in all of baseball.  The LA Dodgers are already 8 games ahead of the San Diego Padres.  The Kansas City Royals are in an 11 game losing streak.  The season can change on a dime, and we are only 10% of the way through this season.  Lincecum’s story, to me, is a bit of a different story.  His fastball is averaging below 91 mph.  His sinker has less arm side tail; 5 inches in 2012 compared to over 7 inches in 2009.  Tim’s curveball and slider don’t have as much depth as they once did, also.  A good changeup usually has about 8-10 mph difference off of the fastball, which is where he was in 2009, 93 mph to 84 mph.  In 2012, his changeup is still 84 mph, but the biggest problem for Lincecum has been that he has lost velocity off his fastball.  He is sitting under 91 mph, so that changeup is not nearly as effective. Read the rest of this entry →

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Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – April 23rd, 2012

Ask the Reports: ATR Answers Your Baseball Questions – April 23rd, 2012

Apr 23

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Monday April 23rd, 2012



Jonathan Hacohen:  Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.com, message us on Twitter and post on our Facebook Wall!

Let’s get to your top questions of the week:

 

Q:  When do the WBC Qualifiers begin? When does the WBC itself begin?  William

JH:  Starting off with one of our most loyal Twitter followers. A great question Williams, you know we love talking WBC! In fact, we love the World Baseball Classic so much, that we have a dedicated site for it: wbcreports.com. Keep the page bookmarked for all the latest WBC info! To answer your question, the WBC Qualifiers begin September of this year. With the MLB playoffs just about to begin, tensions and debates will begin as playoff-bound teams are unlikely (will not) send their players to the qualifiers. One or two missing players could mean the difference between a WBC berth…or elimination. The tournament itself begins in March 2013. Debates have also raged as to when the World Baseball Classic should be held. Some feel mid-season to replace the All-Star Game. This will NEVER happen, as Major League Baseball depends on the All-Star Game to appease sponsors and is one of the biggest events on the MLB calendar. Some others feel that the WBC should be held after the World Series. This creates issues with players that are tired and worn out from a gruelling MLB schedule…which would likely result in low participation rates. Thus during Spring Training was deemed as the lesser of all the evils as to when to hold the tournament. The start of the tournament has led many to believe that pitchers participating in the tournament run the risk of arm injuries- as they are not prepared and warmed up sufficiently to go all out in March. I wouldn’t necessarily disagree. But it is what it is. Fortunately though we are only several months away from the qualifiers. I for one can’t wait! Read the rest of this entry →

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Week 3 – MLB 2012 Season: Sell High and Buy Low Candidates in Fantasy Baseball

Week 3 – MLB 2012 Season: Sell High and Buy Low Candidates in Fantasy Baseball

Apr 23

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Monday April 23rd, 2012

Peter Stein (Fantasy Baseball Analyst – MLB reports): The name of the game in fantasy baseball is sell high and buy low. This is the best method to improve your team. But it takes careful consideration and analysis to determine who is legit and who is fluking. As we are approximately 16 games through the season, remember that you are playing for a 162 games of stats and thus we are only 10% through the 2012 season. Trust the preseason predictions, and make an upgrade whenever possible. Therefore, in this week’s fantasy focus, I highlight which guys to target and which guys to sell.

 

Sell High:

 

Josh Hamilton is currently playing t-ball (.418/7/17/1). We have seen Hamilton go on stretches like this before, but we know his expected 162 game season still places him outside of the top-ten. Furthermore, we simply cannot expect a full 162 games out of Hamilton. Perhaps he was undervalued heading into this year, and he is playing for a contract, but his hot start has the potential to net you a safer option in one of the buy low candidates listed below.


David Freese I talked about last week, because he will not keep up his current pace (.333/3/15) and has plenty of name recognition after last October. Furthermore, he is prone to prolonged absences due to injury and offers nothing in the stolen base category.  He is certainly an above average fantasy third baseman, but you might as well try to capitalize at his peak value. Read the rest of this entry →

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An Early Season Look at the Top 10 Home Run Leaders

An Early Season Look at the Top 10 Home Run Leaders

Apr 22

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Sunday April 22nd, 2012

Sam Evans: Most major league teams have played about fifteen regular season games so far. Fifteen games are not enough to tell who is going to have a breakout season, but these games do matter just as much as games in September. Some players have gotten off to hot starts by showing their power as evidence by insane home run totals. Let’s take a look at the MLB home run leaders and see if they will be able to keep it up.

Matt Kemp, Nine Home Runs: Matt Kemp is on a tear through his first fifteen games. He is currently on pace for 97.2 homers if he were to play all 162 games. Last year, Kemp hit thirty-nine homers despite being surrounded by a weak lineup and playing half of his games in the spacious Dodger Stadium. As corny as it sounds, he has told the media that he is motivated by his 2011 NL MVP snub. If that what it takes to get him to play on this level, the Dodgers should pay off writers to not vote for Kemp after this year. In all seriousness, Kemp is going to have another amazing year. As crazy as it might sound, fifty home runs is not out of the question for Kemp in 2012. Read the rest of this entry →

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