Blog Archives
The Minnesota Twins Players, Organizational Affiliates, Prospects + Depth Charts (MLB + MiLB)
Ron Gardenhire and Tom Kelly have been the only 2 men to manage the Twins in the last 27 years. Having stability in the Manager and GM position lends itself for a proper run franchise in terms of on the field success. The Twins will give Gardenhire the chance to rebuild with this club yet again. Stocked with several young prospects, we could the club turn around to be a contender again in the next few years.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports and Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
The Minnesota Twins have had 3 – 90+ Losses Seasons in a row. This came right on the heels of the franchise having made the playoffs 6 out of 9 years.
All of those Post Season Appearances were made as Division Champions from the AL Central.
The Twins had enough smarts about them to understand where they were in the 1990’s. The management knew the club was better off building within – rather than spending via Free Agency.
From 1993 – 2000, the team never finished better than 4th in the Division they played. The club drafted really high for this time period, and had a nice renaissance by the time 2001 started.
For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries Posts that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.
Joe Mauer 2013 Highlights
The Miami Marlins State Of The Union – Winter 2013 + A 1 Year Look Back At MIA/TOR Trade
It has almost been a year since the Blue Jays and Marlins deal that saw Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck, Josh Johnson come to Canada – in exchange for a bushel full of prospects, Yunel Escobar and Henderson Alvarez. Toronto suffered the same fate nearly as the 2012 Marlins – in terms of record. All of the Miami players struggled at the MLB level, but primarily that is because they were all 1st or 2nd year players. It will be plenty of seasons until the final verdict is handed down on this trade. Reyes still slashed .296/.353/.780 – and posted 113 Hits and 58 Runs in 93 Games Played the for Toronto Blue Jays. He did miss 69 Games due to injury.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
A year has almost gone by since big blockbuster move made by the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays.
In a bullet version of this story, the Miami team only finished with 7 wins less than the 2012 version of themselves, yet they have stockpiled many of young assets, and all for about a one-third of a payroll they had last year.
Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey (parlayed by throwing Travis d’Arnaud and former Marlin John Buck via trade) had average years only, and Emilio Bonifacio was eventually moved to Kansas City for bad play.
MLB’s Payroll Matters Part 2: Just Because Some Low Payroll Teams Have Bucked The Trend – Doesn’t Mean It Will Continue
It seems the only to way to build a team successfully – is to be atrocious for several (talking 6 – 8 seasons like the Twins, Nationals, Pirates, Rays in recent years – and now the Astros are following suit), stockpile top 5 Draft Picks, and have them all become your nucleus for a matter of a few seasons. The reason is because of Team Controllable Salaries. Teams like the Rays and Pirates have also held players in the Minor Leagues longer than needed – due to salary and Arbitration implications. I can think of Desmond Jennings, Wil Myers, Chris Archer for the Rays, while Gerrit Cole and Jeff Locke come to mind for the Bucs. If a player is ready for action in the Majors, he should playing – end of story.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Lets just take a look at the teams that have played well above their value. The Twins are a story much like the Marlins in 1997 and 2003.
The Twins had a good team in the late 80’s, and won 2 World Series Titles in 1987 and 1991. However the economics of the game hit them hard, and they struggled for an 8 year stretch in the AL Central.
For Part 1 of the MLB’s State Of the Union Part 1: Click here.
Major League Contraction Talk Again?
Add Another Season Of Misery For The City Of Washington: 80 Years + 3 Franchises Have Disappointed
The Nationals are just the latest in a string of failures the city of Washington has seen. It has been 80 years since an MLB club from the District has seen World Series Baseball, and now they will have to wait another season. Despite being the Preseason favorite to make the Fall Classic, Washington has missed the playoffs outright in 2013.
By James O’Hara (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @nextyeardc
Follow the MLB Reports on Twitter Follow @mlbreports
On Oct. 1, 1971 in the last game played by the Washington Senators at RFK Stadium, fans began tearing apart the stadium and field to claim souvenirs. Much like the current Washington Nationals are tearing apart Washington, D.C.
A lot is made of the Chicago Cubs (not winning a World Series since 1909 – or playing in one since 1945) and Boston Red Sox decades long pursuit of World Series titles and the pressure from it – before knocking the monkey from their back in 2004.
But that cannot compare to the pressure of being in town without baseball for 33 years – and having not played in the World Series at all since the Joe Cronin led 1933 squad lost.
From 1971 – 2004, Thirty-three World Series champions were crowned without a team from Washington, D.C. even entering the fight.
It is almost fitting in a way that the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, as you are talking about 1 of 2 teams in the MLB currently, that have never played (other is Seattle) in a World Series before. The Expos/Nats club have now completed their 45th season in the Majors without showing up in the “Fall Classic”.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – September 22, 2013
MLB
It is THE SUNDAY REQUEST on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
@sullybaseball Sunday Request. Preseason 2014; #Jays vs #Mets in #Montreal. What is your take on the possibility of the #Expos return?
— Patrick da Costa (@Patdc) September 12, 2013
Would I be excited to see the Expos return?
OUI!
Is it just crazy talk?
NON!
Russell Martin, Alberto Callaspo, Clayton Kershaw and Alex Cobb all owned baseball on September 21, 2013.
To see the up to date tally of “Who Owns Baseball?,” click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.
The Humidor Effect On Baseballs At Coors Field: 11 Years In
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday Aug.06/2013
Since the Humidor room has been put into use at Coors Field, Team batting averages have dropped 8-10% and HRs have dropped 20-25% yearly. The Rockies still have routinely finished in the top 7 in all offensive categories for every year since 2002. This year, they lead MLB in every offensive category.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
In the first 10 years of Coors Field, or the Rockies existence for that matter, the baseballs were being belted out of the park at a historically record rate.
Some of this was due to the steroid era. Most of it was arrived at by the dry air of Colorado.
The reason is simple, in dry air the ball travels further than in thin air, thus causing more frequent home runs.
Athletics’ Are Putting Distance Between Themselves And The AL West
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, July.31, 2013
Bartolo Colon is anchoring the rotation for the Athletics this season. He is one of the many reasons why they have jumped out to huge division lead this season. He has already won 14 games for them this season to go along with an ERA of 2.54 in 141.2 innings pitched. He is not the strikeout pitcher he was in the past, but is still effective against opposing batters. Colon has displayed great control this season by only walking 18 batters and has a 1.09 WHIP. He is 4th in the AL with a WAR of 4.5 for pitchers . He is also 2nd in the AL with Win-Loss percentage of.824 to include him throwing three shutouts this season.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
For the most of this season in baseball it seemed like the Oakland Athletics were going to have some competition in the American League West Division.
The Texas Rangers were expected to challenge them for the division title, but that is not the case this season. Oakland has a five game lead over the Rangers with more than two months left in the baseball season.
2012 Oakland A’s Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised
How All Of The Nats Players Were Acquired: (Trade, Signed, Drafted, Waiver Wire) + Analysis
How All Of The Washington Nationals Players Were Acquired:
Strasburg and Harper are the franchises future. Through drafting and smart trades, the club is now considered one of the best talented clubs in the MLB as of now. Despite dealing with several injuries this current 2013 season – the future is definitely bright in DC. The club has strong pitching in the Major Leagues – with some help coming for more years to come. They have potential ALL – Stars in almost every position. Lets see how all of the players were acquired.
Tuesday July.23/2013
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
At the MLB Reports, we intend to show you the Roster Tree for the Washington Nationals – and how they assembled their current roster for hitting and Pitching. It will work in a six degrees of separation like format.
Once we figure out the origin of how many trades going back in time it takes to see where the tree started, it will be time to dissect how the team fared on the deals.
If a player has never left the organization at all, the tree will be easy – as it will just be the year they were drafted or signed.
The Rise of the Nationals
2 And A Hook Podcast Ep #9: LAA, SD, MIA And SEA Chat With Great Guests
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, June.28, 2013,
MLB reports and The Benchwarmers Show present 2 and A Hook Podcast.
‘2 And A Hook’ is an expression from Baseball: ‘Throw the guy 2 Fast balls and then a Hook’ (AKA Curve Ball, Wiggly one, Chair etc..)
By James Acevedo – Host (Podcast Veteran ) Follow @yankeeman1973
Guests On The Show
On today’s podcast, brought to you by MLB Reports ( www.mlbreports.com ) & yours truly The Bench Warmers Show, I talk to the boss man Chuck Booth as he returns to do his segment! 8 Minutes and a 18 Segment Follow @chuckbooth3024
Chuck makes a HUGE announcement about MLB Reports & then we talked about contract stuff like arbitration, Super 2, & service time…
Also we talk about these guys Wil Myers, Yasiel Puig & Chris Archer on why they should have been up in the major leagues since the beginning of the season!
Then I talk to LAA correspondent Joshua Jones (34 Minute Mark and a 18 Minute Segment) Follow @JoshJones4 about the Angels season & what might or might not happen…
Next up was Bernie Olshansky (53 Minute Mark and a 13 Minutes Segment) Follow @bernieolshansky about the padres & what moves they might make for the future…after that i talked to Mariners/Marlins correspondent.
The last guest of the show is the 2nd longest active writer on the MLB Reports website Sam Evans (1 HR and 12 Min Mark and a 25 Min Segment) ( @RJA206 ) as we get into the mariners/marlins & whats been going on with both of these teams!
I then get into everyone’s favorite segment Stats & Facts (29, Minute Mark (5 minutes) 1 HR, 7 Min Mark ( 5 Minutes ) and, 1 HR 37 MIN (20 Minutes) – so go check it out & SPREAD THE WORD!!! Thanks Read the rest of this entry
Triple Play Podcast Episode #14: Empire State Of Mind: NYY + NYM Chat
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Follow @mlbreportsSunday, June.23, 2013
The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour. Chuck Booth will guest once a month for MLB Power Rankings,
By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com) Follow @bigticketshow
Guests in this Podcast – James Acevedo (MLB Reports 2 And A Hook Podcast Host – 42 Minute Mark and a 15 Minute Segment) Follow @yankeeman1973
Mike Silva (Radio Host 1240 AM WGBB, Long Island New York – 14 Minute Mark and a 27 Min segment) Follow @mikesilvamedia
New York, New York big city of dreams where not everything is as it seems, so we had Mike Silva of WGBB1240 AM and James Acevedo of the Bench Warmers and 2 and a Hook podcasts come on and break down the Mets and Yankees.Mt Rushmore, BetHubb.com best bets and Blue Jays talk too. Another Home Run show! Read the rest of this entry
Minnesota Twins Organization: Payroll, Depth Charts + Rosters, (MLB + MiLB)
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Ron Gardenhire and Tom Kelly have been the only 2 men to manage the Twins in the last 26 years. Having stability in the Manager and GM position lends itself for a proper run franchise in terms of on the field success. The Twins will give Gardenhire the chance to rebuild with this club yet again.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 and welcome Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
You guys are all in for a treat. Jeff Kleiner recently contacted me about a partnership merge for the website. He has developed a site (prosportsrosters.com) that covers all organizational affiliates in the Minors for all of the Major League Baseball Clubs. We are going to combine efforts to bring you the best look at salaries, current 25 Man Player Rosters and Depth Charts for all 30 teams.
Jeff is going to provide the documents in form of spreadsheets and I am going to accompany the posts with deep analysis of what the numbers tell us from my perspective. If you can’t wait for all of my assessments for each club, go and visit Jeff’s website over at http://www.prosportsrosters.com.
In Speaking with Jeff, he is one of the more passionate fans I have come across towards the game of baseball. He spends enough time in updating his MLB Facts for it to be a Full-Time Job. So after the usual Video Clip and READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY button, you will find some serious &*!@?!#!
Jeff updates this page below on a daily basis. After you click on it….Bookmark it. There is a 3 year salary forecast and stats not listed here on this page. Jeff updates these pages daily and these changes include any Roster moves!
For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Twins Organization click here.
Triple Play Podcast Ep # 13 – Around The Horn w/OAK/KC/COL/TOR + Bean Wars + The Genius Beane
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The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.
By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com) Follow @bigticketshow
Guests in this Podcast – Chuck Booth (MLB Reports Owner and Lead Analyst)
On this week’s show Chuck Booth joins us to break down all the biggest stories in MLB. We also go Around the Horn with Chuck to discuss the A’s, Rockies and Royals current situations and declare the worthy few that belong on their respective Mt Rushmore’s. Bethubb.com best bets end the show as always. Happy Father’s Day!!!!!!!
Intro – 10 Minutes, Toronto Blue Jays talk from 10 Minute to the 18 Minute Mark. OAK chat – 18 minute – 33 Minute Mark, COL Talk 33 Minutes – 44 Minute Mark. Kansas City Royals Chart 44 Minutes Mark – 59 Minute Mark. Late Jays Talk Bethubb Best Bets 1 hour 1 MIN mark to 1 hour 9 Minute Mark.
Quick Facts: Catsfish Hunter was 7 – 2 in the Post Season for the 1972, 1973 and 1974 World Series Winning A’s – and only 2 -4 with the 3 Post Seasons with the Yankees. Still 5 World Series Winners was great. Chuck also meant Ewing Kauffman (Chuck thought his nickname was Charlie in the podcast – maybe because his name his Charlie) when talking about the Royals MT. Rushmore for the franchise.
Yogi Berra did indeed play in 14 World Series and won 10 of them in his Yankees days.
To Keep Reading and Listen to this Podcast click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY or scroll past the Triple Play Logo.
Triple Play Podcast Ep #9: Jays Misery, The Expos Franchise Mt. Rushmore + An Interview With Michael McKnight
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The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.
By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com) Follow @bigticketshow
Guests in this Podcast – Ian Hunter of bluejayhunter.com ( Follow @bluejayhunter and Michael McKnight [twitter-follow screen_name=’mcknight_mike_’ show_screen_name=’yes’
On this week’s show we once again find ourselves lamented the Blue Jays futility but this time Ian Hunter of bluejayhunter.com joins in the misery. Chris’ Expos jerseys inspires a trip down memory lane to pick our Expos Mt Rushmore. Finally Michael Mcknight of Sports Illustrated drops in to recount the tale of Brian Cole. Its a must listen. Read the rest of this entry
Triple Play Podcast Ep #8 – Bucs And Nats Time In The Around The Horn Feature
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The Triple Play Show will have 5 shows per month. Each show will be about 1 hour.
By The Big Ticket Show ( AKA Triple Play Podcast on http://www.mlbreports.com) Follow @bigticketshow
Guests in this Podcast – MLB Reports Nationals Correspondent David Huzzard of Citizensofnatstown.com ( Follow @bigticketshow and MLB Reports Pirates Correspondent Brad Cuprik
Follow @bradcuprik
On a Mother’s day edition of the triple play podcast we heed the advice of our mother’s and turn the lemon of our original guest being unable to join us into the lemonade of Bard Cuprik of mlbreports.com (Check out his latest Roster Tree piece – where he goes through the 6 degrees of separation of a how each pitcher arrived in a Bucs uniform here ) – and David Huzzard of the Citizens of Natstown podcast (and Writer) dissects the pitching and the Nationals start to the 2013 Season. Read the rest of this entry
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 9, 2013
From ESPN.com
Today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast deals with unusual math.
You don’t really start following teams until you turn 8 years old.
That means 10 year old Yankee fans have no memory of a World Series title.
Kids getting their driving license in New England can say the whole “Curse” thing was before their time.
And 26 year old have never experienced anything other than labor peace in baseball.
It sure makes ME feel old.
Also I determined that Brandon Phillips, Matt Harvey, Ervin Santana and especially Robinson Cano owned baseball on April 8, 2013.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.
Players who owned baseball for a Day
Clayton Kershaw – 2
Robinson Cano – 1
Shin-Soo Choo – 1
Alex Cobb – 1
Zack Cozart – 1
Yu Darvish – 1
Chris Davis – 1
Jacoby Ellsbury – 1
Prince Fielder – 1
Adrian Gonzalez – 1
Carlos Gonzalez – 1
Gio Gonzalez – 1
Bryce Harper – 1
Matt Harvey – 1
Felix Hernandez – 1
Adam Jones – 1
Cliff Lee – 1
Jed Lowrie – 1
Justin Maxwell – 1
Bud Norris – 1
Gerardo Parra – 1
Andy Pettitte – 1
Brandon Phillips –
Albert Pujols – 1
CC Sabathia – 1
Ervin Santana – 1
Drew Smyly – 1
Justin Upton – 1
Adam Wainwright – 1
Barry Zito – 1
Its Going To Be A Different Season Without Grady Sizemore And Pronk
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, March.13/2013
2013 will mark the 1st time in a decade that neither Travis Hafner nor Grady Sizemore will be on the Cleveland Indians. For a 4 – 5 years stretch these guys were amongst the best offensive players in the game. Injuries decimated them from action and prevented the team from contending. So how will they be remembered in Cleveland?
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I first went to Progressive Field in the opening week of 2007. I was supposed to see a doubleheader with the Mariners in town to play the ‘Tribe”. What I received instead was a foot of snow and a cancellation. I went to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame instead. That is one cool place to go if you do have a weather related suspension of a game. I was disappointed because I wanted to see Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner light it up for the Cleveland Indians.
I made the drive back to Toronto for a game indoors. As I was driving to Toronto – it was announced that the Cleveland Indians were going to be moving their 3 games series versus the Angels to Miller Park. I was already heading to Wrigley Field for my 1st ever visit and bought tickets to the 1st and 2nd game of the Series in Milwaukee. I would have a chance to see the Cleveland team play after all. I am a Yankees fan – however I really wanted to see this duo swing the sticks.
Grady Sizemore Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised:
How Might Pedro Martinez’s Past Struggles Help This Year’s Red Sox?
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After doubting his own ability – Martinez posted a 55 – 33 Record with the Montreal Expos – and had a 3.06 ERA with them from 1994 – 1998. He turned his 1997 NL Cy Young year with the Canadian Franchise into a possible Hall of Fame selection for the rest of his career. He is trying to help with the confidence issues facing the Sox hurlers now.
By Saul Wisnia, Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here): Follow @SaulWizz
News Flash: Pedro once struggled:
One of the delights of Red Sox spring training this year has been the return of former ace-turned-special instructor Pedro Martinez. In addition to working with young and veteran pitchers on their mechanics, Pedro has been a media darling — smiling his way through numerous radio, TV, and print interviews.
Of all the sound bytes and quotes, however, the one that struck me as the most poignant has been largely ignored. During an early-morning interview on WEEI’s Dennis and Callahan show on Feb. 19, Martinez was asked by Gerry Callahan if he thought he could help Daniel Bard regain his form as one of baseball’s best setup men. “Yes,” the future Hall of Famer said, before adding that he understood exactly what Bard had gone through during a disastrous 2012 campaign that included a demotion to the minor leagues.
Martinez, the Sandy Koufax of his era, relate to an epic slump? How could that be?
Pedro Martinez Career Montage:
The Philadelphia Phillies Franchise Part 4 of 4: Team Payroll 2013 And Contracts Forward (Mar.1)
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Friday, Mar.01/2013
Since Roy Halladay missed almost 2 months of baseball in 2012, his 2014 (20 Million Dollar contract will only become exercised if he pitches 225 Innings in 2013) – Otherwise he becomes a Free Agent.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Phillies are top-heavy for their payroll in 2013. I talked a lot about this in Part 1 of this series (The Franchise). What they really need is for Domonic Brown, John Mayberry and Ben Revere to improve in their role with the club and get as much production as they can out of their superstars. 2013 looks a lot better than the years after. Roy Halladay must return to form in 2013.
I am predicting the team will win at least 90 games in this year with the Starting Pitching having a bounce back season. The fans should all come in droves to the park while this club is competitive. The Phillies will age really fast after 2013, so there will undoubtedly be some rougher times ahead, as Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard all fade into the back half of their careers.
The New York Yankees are facing a similar dilemma. You might even see a Yanks/Phillies World Series rematch in 2013. I am sure the Dodgers, Angels, Tigers and Nationals will try to have their say about that as well.
The smaller market teams might fight for another ring as well. You are starting to see some distances set forth from the high-priced salaried teams to the lower payroll clubs with both Los Angeles teams and Detroit nearing or going over the Luxury Tax Threshold of 178 Million Dollars in Player Salaries.
Again, I am thinking that MLB Baseball might have to realign soon-to make the divisions stack up for payroll and geography reasons. I wrote an article about this some time ago here. The Phillies have led the MLB in attendance for the last 3 years, so they will be able to keep the payroll at a high mark as long as the baseball revenue is able to match it. It is the long-term contracts that won’t garner them much value at the end of these deals, that will ultimately set the Franchise back awhile.
Ryan Howard highlights are below. He must return to his 40 HR self next year otherwise the Phillies will have a tough time competing.
For Part 1 of the Phillies Article Series: The Franchise click here:
For Part 2 of the Phillies Article Series: The Hitters click here:
For Part 3 of the Phillies Article Series: The Pitcher click here
For the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals Franchise 5 Part Series: click here
Why Terry Francona As The Manager Of The Cleveland Indians Makes Sense
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Terry Francona played for five different teams in his playing Career. His best year was in 1984 – where he hit .346 during his 218 AB. He played as a 1B/OF/PH. His only Post Season action was with the 1981 Montreal Expos. He hit .333 in the NLDS but went 0-2 in the NLCS versus the eventual World Series winning LA Dodgers. He has had much better success as Manager.
By Larry Myers (Indians Correspondent): Follow @TribeFanz1969
Terry Francona was hired as manager of the Cleveland Indians on October 6, 2012 – and officially took over the team on October 8th. He will be returning to the dugout after a one-year hiatus of managing in baseball and doing sports broadcasting duties. After Manny Acta was let go as manager of the Indians, only two candidates were interviewed. Francona was picked as manager over Sandy Alomar Jr, who has stayed on as Bench Coach under the veteran skipper.
Before we decide if Francona was the right choice as manager of the Indians, we have to look at who the man is. Francona was born April 22, 1959 in South Dakota to former MLB player Tito Francona, (who played from 1956 to 1970). Tito ‘Jr’ played in the Majors himself from 1981 to 1990, including one year with the Indians. During his ten years, Francona played in 708 Games – with a BA of .274, 16 Home Runs and 143 RBI as a utility player . After Francona’s playing days were over, he went on to become a Minor League coach, before finally becoming manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997. During his four years in Philadelphia, his team never finished above fourth place, but Francona helped develop some young players into stars that have turned the Phillies franchise into the winning seasons in 11 out of the 12 years since his departure.
Terry Francona at TribeFest:
Detroit Tigers Prepare For Spring Training: Invite 17 Players
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Thursday, January.17/2013
Pitchers and Catcher have less than 4 weeks to report in FLA.
By Matthew LaFave (Tigers Correspondent): Follow @MatthewLaFave
The Detroit Tigers announced on Wednesday that they have invited 17 players to Major League camp in Lakeland, Florida.
The names include some familiar faces like Don Kelly, Shawn Hill, and Nick Castellanos.
Kelly, who will turn 33 at the start of spring training, reportedly turned down a National League team to remain with the Tigers. After struggling at the plate last season, his contract was out righted to Triple-A affiliate Toledo. He is the only active MLB player to play all 9 positions in his career.
Don Kelly – Post Game after Game #2 of the 2012 ALDS (Walk off Sac Fly)
The Toronto Blue Jays Franchise 1977-1993 Part 1 Of A 7 Part Series
Friday, Nov.09/2012
Note from Chuck Booth: I am attempting to bring the history for each of the 30 MLB Franchises into a 5 part series that will focus on 1. The teams history. 2. The hitters 3. The pitchers. 4. The Teams Payroll going into 2013 and 5.The Ball Park that they play in. (The stadium articles will all be done next summer when I go to all of the parks in under a month again.) Be sure to check my author page with a list of all of my archived articles section here.
The Blue Jays have not qualified for the Playoffs since they won Back to Back World Series in 1992 and 1993. Only Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Toronto have not made a playoffs appearance since the 1994 strike. At the time they were around the top of the MLB Payroll for all teams.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
In sifting through 35 years of history with the Toronto Blue Jays as a franchise, it is sad that since 1994, only Pittsburgh, Toronto and Kansas City have not made a playoff appearance in the Major Leagues. They have been battling the Red Sox and Yankees powerhouse clubs since the 1994 player strike/1995 Lock-out. This baseball interruption of play was also a deciding factor on the Montreal Expos losing their franchise, however one could say that this has had a profound effect on the other only team North of The Border. The Jays were a model franchise all the way through the 80’s. From 1983-1993, the team carried out 11 straight winning seasons, 5 Pennants and back to back World Series Wins in 1992 and 1993.
Pat Gillick had been with the baseball club from the get go, and after finishing in dead-last for the first 5 years of existence, the Jays rode the backs of several budding stars that were drafted by the man. From the early pitching stars of Jim Clancy and Dave Stieb, to the young outfield that flourished as a core for years in: Lloyd Moseby, George Bell and Jesse Barfield, the team showed that drafting and trading for young players was the way to build an organization. It took until 1985 for the teams first Pennant, barely edging the Yankees by 2 games for the AL East. Playoff disappointment followed from 1985-1991. The team soon would find the promised land as the top team in 1992 and 1993.
Franchise History Part 2 1994-2012: https://mlbreports.com/2012/11/28/jay/
The Hitters: The Toronto Blue Jays Franchise Hitters: Part 3 Of A 7 Part Article Series
The Pitchers: The Toronto Blue Jays Franchise Pitchers Part 4 Of A 7 Part Series
Skydome: An Interview with ‘Rogers Centre Expert’ and “MLB reports Founder” Jonathan Hacohen
For Part 6 of the 7 Part Series: Blue Jays 2013 Team Payroll Click here:
For Part 7 of the 7 Part Series: Blue Jays 2013 Team Payroll: A Readers Thoughts, Click Here:
The Tigers Prevailed in the 1987 AL East Race Before Losing The ALCS: In 2012, They Want a Parade!
Friday, October.19/2012
Most of the 1984 Tigers were still on the roster in 1987 when the Tigers wrestled the pennant away from the Toronto Blue Jays. Those 7 games the two teams played in their final 10 games were better than anything I watched in the playoffs that year including the World Series!
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
In 1987, 3 of the 4 teams that are in the 2012 MLB LCS Round also qualified back then. The Cardinals and Giants won the NL East and West respectively while the Tigers won the AL East. The only difference was that the Yankees are in this version of the ‘Final Four’ now and the 1987 opponent of the Tigers was the eventual World Series Winners the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers were 3 years removed from their World Series Championship team and still held a majority of their core players from that run in 1984.
I was 11. I only point that out because most of us find our true sporting identity around this age. It would also be the last time my 3 brothers, my dad and I would watch every pitch of the post season together ever. That is why I remember the club so well. While I had transformed into a New York Yankees and Don Mattingly fan, I watched the Detroit Tigers all of the time on the WDIV Channel (Channel 4). As someone who lived in BC Canada cable subscriber we only ever received the Tigers, the CUBS (WGN), the Braves (TBS), the Blue Jays (TSN and CBC), the Expos (RDS and French Channel CBC) and the Mariners (KING 5). Those Braves and Mariners were bad in the 80’s and the CUBS you could only watch if you were sick from school because they always played day games. So it was a heavy dose of the Expos, Blue Jays and Tigers. Read the rest of this entry
The Aftermath Of The Stephen Strasburg(less) Nationals sweep in the NLDS Oct 2012
Thursday, September.06/2012
Stephen Strasburg is eligible for Arbitration after the 2013 season. He originally signed a 4 Year/14 Million Dollar Entry Level Deal after he was drafted in 2009. The salary hit for the Nats in 2013 places him tied for 3rd on the team with Mike Morse. He will be Unrestricted Free Agent in 2017, will he remain a National?
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The Nationals are my favorite National League team. It is my firm belief that you are allowed 1 team in each League to cheer for. The Yankees are my team in the American League. The love for the Nationals goes back to when they were the Montreal Expos. It was a lean time for a lot of us fans until the last few years have given us hope. So before I go on about the contracts and payroll for 2013 tomorrow, I officially am going on record in saying that shutting Strasburg down is completely wrong. I don’t care about ramifications of the pitcher throwing his arm out. You never know when injuries are going to occur. The Babying method never worked for Strasburg the first time, or for Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes for that matter. This all stems back to the over using of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior by Dusty Baker in the 2003 year. Innings limits were soon introduced in every franchise to protect the players and managers from going after a championship and maybe shortening their career. It also has a lot to do with teams not being able to insure players any more.
Insurance companies (like Lloyd’s of London) realize that they will pay out teams at a less than profitable rate for Major League Baseball players based on how much these guys make now, so they will not cover any baseball player anymore. So Washington is freely shutting him down because they think it is the best thing to do for the player and the club. They think by preserving him from any injury at all, that this will prolong his shelf life and thus make the baseball team more profitable in the long run. This is a major role of the dice and could end up setting the fan base back with a sour taste in their mouth for generations. If Washington wins the World Series, this would be the only scenario where the question would not be brought up again. Anything short of this and it is going to start an epic debate. Read the rest of this entry
Baseball’s Greatest One Hit Wonders Part 2: The Pitchers
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Wedesday August 22, 2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer) Follow @chuckbooth3024 Pitching is the most unnatural motion I can think of. The human arm is not meant to throw 90-100 MPH repeatedly over and over. It is for this reason why I am never surprised when Pitchers go out for any injury. When I was 15, I was the catcher for former Major League Pitcher Chris Reitsma on our ALL-Star Team. I witnessed this kid throwing 90 MPH as a teenager. Honestly, no one could hit the guy. As a catcher for 10 years and having a a decent baseball IQ, I was mad that the coach never let me call his pitches for him. Why he would even throw sliders, curves and breaking balls is beyond me and it cost us some games versus some California and Arizona teams. There was no denying that he was a mega talented pitcher. He did go onto a decent MLB career, even appeared in 84 games for the Atlanta Braves in 2004. Yet he finished pitching by the age of 29 because he threw junk. Now I will move on here, I am just pointing out that kids should not be throwing junk until they are finished high school. There will be time in future articles to talk about pitching discipline and attitude.
Just like the hitters that I featured last week, the pitchers I am featuring here took the MLB by storm for a while. The fan bases were certain that these players would have great careers, only to see them fade quickly. If you ask me which position is tougher to stay up on top of, I would definitely say pitching! Remember that if you fail 70% of the time as a hitter, you are still labeled a great hitter. Pitchers have to have a success rate of 75% to be elite. Plus when they are out there, it is a continual one after another moment, whereas a hitter has a chance to regroup after an AT BAT.
This set of 5 pitchers (Mark Fidrych, Mark Prior, Jeff Zimmerman, Tommy Greene and Derrick Turnbow) in this list are all pretty much of recent vintage. I saw 4 of them play as I only started watching baseball in 1980 and Mark Fidrych was already done by that time. This doesn’t mean that I have not seen countless highlights from the man in the last 30 years. Here are a couple for your enjoyment before we start.
To see the article about Baseball’s Greatest One Hit Wonders Part 1: The Batters click here Read the rest of this entry
Top Ten Stat Of The Week: Most World Series Appearances since 1961
Sunday August 19, 2012
The Yankees have 27 World Series Titles and 13 Losses in the Fall Classic since 1921. That is 40 Total appearances in 90 Years. Can they make it 41/91 this year. Heading into Sunday Aug.19, they own the 1 seed in the AL.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024 Baseball seasons are 162 games long. They used to be 154 games at one point, just ask all of the Yankees fans who did not want Roger Maris to break Babe Ruth’s HR Record with an additional 8 game schedule. The point is, every year is a marathon. Yes there are teams that can catch a hot streak and ride it all the way through the playoffs. We were privy to this the last few years with the World Series Championship teams of St. Louis and San Francisco. Ironically, both of these teams are on this top ten list. These organizations are on here because of a commitment to excellence as a Franchise. The New York Yankees do have a stacked lineup every year to help aid the World Championship Seasons, aside from them though, is there any other team that has spent money like crazy for decades? The answer is no.
Out of these teams listed in the top 10, The Baltimore Orioles have had the longest stretch since they have made the World Series (1983), yet the Cardinals were the closest to have been in the Fall Classic in wrapping up their 5th title in the last 50 years last year. Of teams that are not on this list, they are 5 teams that did not make the top 11 but have 2 World Series Trophies since 1961: Toronto won the WS in 1992 and 1993, Florida put away wins in 1997 and 2003, Pittsburgh won in 1971 and 1979, Detroit won in 1968 and 1984 and Minnesota in 1987 and 1991. Out of these 11 teams, only 3 teams have winning records in the Fall Classic since 1961: NY Yankees (9-6), Oakland (4-2) and St.Louis (5-4). This clearly shows that is easier to make the World Series than it is to win it. The Atlanta Braves made 5 World Series in the 90’s, only to lose 4 of them. All of these teams did exist in 1961. Some of the teams that are expansion clubs do have great numbers and maybe just haven’t been around long enough. Florida is in its 20th year and still has 2 World Series wins. The Blue Jays have only been around for 35 years and have 2 WS Titles. Arizona is in its 15th year right now and boasts a Trophy already. Tampa Bay has one WS appearance and is looking to make the playoffs for the 4th time in 6 years, to then add their 2nd WS Appearance if possible. It is long-suffering fans like the Chicago Cubs that haven’t won since 1909, or even appeared in the WS since 1945, that are growing extremely restless.
*** MLB Reports does not own the copyrights to the following videos or music. The videos are from MLB.com, courtesy of Fox, TBS, and KMOX, and the music is “Dark Horses” by Switchfoot from their album “Vice Versa”***
The Philadelphia Phillies Part 1 of 4: ‘The Franchise’
Friday August.17/2012
Note from Chuck Booth: I am attempting to bring the history for each of the 30 MLB Franchises into a 5 part series that will focus on 1. The teams history. 2. The hitters 3. The pitchers. 4. The Team’s Payroll going into in 2013 and 5. (The stadium articles will all be done next summer when I go to all of the parks in under a month again.) To follow all of the updates, be sure to check my author page with a list of all archived articles here.
It took the Phillies 77 years to win their first World Series in 1980, however since that time, they have been to 4 more World Series: In 1983, 1993, 2008 and 2009, while taking home the Trophy in 2008.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024 The Phillies started as a franchise in 1883 in the city of Philadelphia-and have the longest continued stretch as their original name. It has been a club that suffered tremendous droughts for the player and fans alike. Only in recent vintage (since 1975) has this team come into permanent prominence, with the now Hall of Fame Mike Schmidt entering the league and turning the fortunes of the city. From signing Pete Rose to put them over the top for their 1st World Series Trophy, to just re-signing Cole Hamels to a 144 Million Dollar Contract, the team has been adamantly aggressive in keeping its name amongst the elite in baseballs annals.
One could even argue that the Phillies had been the best team in baseball from 2008 up until the start of this season. I recently named this club the best team from the years 1980-1983 and then again for the years of 2008-2009. But before the likes of: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, or Curt Schilling, Lenny Dykstra and Darren Daulton, or Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton and Pete Rose, they were plenty of other men who left a mark on this historic NL Franchise. We will look at all of the significant players that ever played for the club as a pitcher or hitter. The pitchers and hitters will be focused on solely in the next 2 weeks. Let us look and how the team has fared in its history.
Here are the final pitches of the 2008 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays. Property of Major League Baseball & Fox.
For Part 2 of The 4 Part Philles Article Series: The Hitters, click here.
For Part 3 of The 4 Part Phillies Article Series: The Pitchers- click here
For Part 4 of the Phillies Article Series: Team Payroll and Contractual Statuses click here
Washington Nationals-The Pitchers and Hitters: 2005-2012 Best 25 Man Roster (Part 5 of Expos/Nats Series)
Wednesday July 25, 2012
Note from Chuck Booth: I am attempting to bring the history for each of the 30 MLB Franchises into a 5 part series that will focus on 1. The teams history. 2. The hitters 3. The pitchers. 4. The Team’s Payroll going into in 2013 and 5. (The stadium articles will all be done next summer when I go to all of the parks in under a month again.) To follow all of the updates, be sure to check my author page with a list of all archived articles here.
Livan Hernandez leads the 2005-2012 version of the franchise in ALL-Time wins and innings pitched.
Chuck Booth (Lead baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I think it safe to say that the best days of the Washington Nationals are purely ahead of them. They have a great nucleus of young talent with Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Drew Storen, Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa, Mike Morse and Gio Gonzalez. These guys are so good that they all made the ALL-Time 25 man roster for the 2005-2012 Washington Nationals. I am a firm believer that these guys will be the best team in the National League within 2 or 3 years. I like Ted Lerner’s attitude on spending for now. This will ensure the money will be spent on the team to keep competing for the city of Washington’s 1st World Series Title since 1924. I would venture to say that not many living fans of the old Washington Senators saw the club hoisting the trophy 88 years ago.
The Nationals Park went soaring up my ranks as a baseball venue to see in the 30 stadium circuit. This place is now electric. I was so elated when I was able to see Strasburg pitch and win for the Nationals back in April. Next year I hope to see Bryce Harper play ball when I go on another 30 park tour. Next year is when I will have the official rankings of all of the ballparks posted here. I can assure you that the President’s Race will probably be voted the most popular race of any in the Majors at the parks. My humblest of apologies to the sausage race fans in Milwaukee and racing legend heads in Arizona. I still follow the campaign to ‘Let Teddy Win’, however that may take all of the fun out of it if Teddy does win one of those races.
As a fan of the old Expos franchise, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Washington Nationals. Playing meaningful baseball in September and October this year would be incredible to witness. So without further speak, let us start with our 25 man roster for the best players in the last 8 years. I picked the roster based on longevity or utter greatness for a couple of players. If this team was to play an alumni game right now, all of the positions would be filled. I don’t think I excluded anyone entirely crucial here. Please feel free to let me know if I did on any social platform. If you make a solid case for someone for whom I may have omitted, I could always add them later.
For Part 1 of the Article Series, The Expos Hitters: click here
For Part 2 of the Article Series, The Expos Pitchers: click here
For Part 3 of the Article Series, The Demise of the Montreal Expos: click here
For Part 4 of the Article Series, The Washington Nationals Franchise 2005-2012: click here
For Part 6 of the Article Series, The Nationals 2013 Payroll and Contract Statuses click here
Here is the highlight reel from Stephen Strasburg’s debut at Nationals Park. 14 Strikeouts is amazing!
The Washington Nationals Franchise 2005-2012: (Part 4 of The Expos/Nats Series)
Friday, July.20/2012
Note from Chuck Booth: I am attempting to bring the history for each of the 30 MLB Franchises into a 5 part series that will focus on 1. The teams history. 2. The hitters 3. The pitchers. 4. The Team’s Payroll going into in 2013 and 5. (The stadium articles will all be done next summer when I go to all of the parks in under a month again.) To follow all of the updates, be sure to check my author page with a list of all archived articles here.
Stephen Strasburg is the new face of the Washington Nationals. Will Bryce Harper and he be able to bring a World Series to Washington?
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)– At the beginning of 2005, MLB returned to Washington for the first time since 1971. So how was this time going to be any different from the first two times in DC? The Minnesota Twins first moved from the old Washington in 1961 and the Texas Rangers moved in 1971 from Washington a decade later. The Washington Nationals (or Senators in the early 20’s where the won a World Series in 1924. The first and only WS the city of Washington has seen) had hall of fame players such as: Goose Goslin, Sam Rice and Joe Cronin to accompany the great Walter Johnston. By the time the team moved to Minnesota before the start of the 1961 season, the club had young phenoms Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison seen as their nucleus of a young Washington team before moving.
Washington’s second go around (in the American League this time) lasted from 1961-1971. The Washington fans were granted an AL Expansion team by MLB-to hold ontotheir anti-trust exemption status. The Los Angeles Angels were their expansion cousins. These AL Washington teams were awful and only were saved by Frank Howard and his 6 foot 7 frame smashing home runs for the years of 1965-1971 as their first baseman/outfielder. The team only managed one winning season in a decade and that was under the managerial guide of Ted Williams. Bob Short had acquired the team with 9.4 Million Dollars that was all borrowed after the previous owner had died in 1967. Short promptly named himself the General Manager. Finances caught up to him and he eventually traded away some of the best talent before selling the club to the city of Arlington after the 1971 season. Washington would be without baseball for 33 years until the Expos moved back into RFK Stadium and changed their name to the Nationals in 2005.
For Part 1 of the Article Series, The Expos Hitters: click here
For Part 2 of the Article Series, The Expos Pitchers: click here
For Part 3 of the Article Series, The Demise of the Montreal Expos: click here
For Part 5 of the Article Series, 2005-2012 Nats Best 25 Man Roster click here
The Humidor Effect On Baseballs at Coors Field: One Decade In Part 2 of 3 Article Series
Saturday, July. 14/2012
Since the Humidor room has been put into use at Coors Field, Team batting averages have dropped 8-10% and HRs have dropped 20-25% yearly. The Rockies still have routinely finished in the top 7 in all offensive categories for every year since 2002. This year, they lead MLB in every offensive category.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)– In the first 10 years of Coors Field, or the Rockies existence for that matter, the baseballs were being belted out of the park at a historically record rate. Some of this was due to the steroid era. Most of it was arrived at by the dry air of Colorado. The reason is simple, in dry air the ball travels further than in thin air, thus causing more frequent home runs. Baseballs being stored in drier air become harder and therefore explode off of a bat when contacted. After nearly a decade with inflated numbers at Coors Field for offense, a decision was made by baseball and the Colorado Rockies to start holding/storing the game baseballs in a room-sized Humidor-that was installed at the Park in order to keep them moist. This was done so the baseballs will not carry as far when hit with impact. Elevation would still play a role in the baseball games. Baseballs carry farther in the thinner air and especially when they are rising in trajectory. Remember that in Denver, you are nearly a mile above sea level already. In fact, there are purple bleacher tickets that you can buy at Coors Field that indicate where that mile marker is.
The cause and effect is harder on pitchers, whose curveballs curve less with the thin air than at sea level-leading to fewer strikeouts and the result is less pitches to use in their arsenal. So has the Humidor worked since being implemented before the start of the 2002 season? The answer is yes. The amount of HRs hit now sits with the rest of the MLB Parks that are amongst the top 10 over the last decade. The averages have dropped only around 10% of what they were, however Colorado is routinely in the top 4 or 5 parks for average on a yearly basis in the MLB and dominate the NL in home average. In 2012, the hotter temperatures(and dry air) have helped the team to lead every offensive category in the Major Leagues once again. Now, there is still a decisive advantage to playing at Coors for hitters when it comes to playing an 81 game schedule there. I am going to look at the careers of some previous players to show you the weighted advantage of having this park as a home venue. We are going to look at the careers of Larry Walker, Todd Helton, Carlos Gonzalez and Garrett Atkins. It is easier to use the hitters as a barometer when deciphering this study because not many pitchers ever prosper again in any city after playing for the Colorado Rockies. See: (Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, Mike Hampton and Jason Jennings once they left Coors Field or before they arrived at Denver after playing somewhere else first.)
For Part 1 of the Article Series: Carlos Gonzalez on the Trade Block? Buyer Beware! click here .
For Part 3 of the Article Series: The Coors Field Effect: Part 3 of A 3 Article Series click here.
The Best Teams from 1980-2012: Will Texas claim the title this year from 2010-2012?
Wednesday July.11, 2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- There is only so much one can read in an article, otherwise I would make these lists up from the turn of the 20th century. If you gave me enough time as a reader, I promise to backdate this topic with another article featuring the best teams dating back further in years. Eventually, all of the years may be dissected and we can have a healthy debate on some of my selections. I really started watching baseball in the early 1980’s. As I became older and discovered ways to research the history of the game, my knowledge and curious mind grew for more information. I have studied and read baseball stat books and breezed through the odd Bill James novel. If I ever take a break from writing or baseball park chasing, I may find some time down the road to watch the 9 part PBS documentary that Ken Burns did on baseball’s history.
Baseball lends itself more to the history than any other sport because of how it has been chronicled throughout their past. Writers, announcers, former players, parents etc.. have always carried on with the stories of America’s favorite pastime. I will never be sold that NFL is the greatest pastime in sports right now. NFL is the greatest gambling sport presently. It is my firm belief that the only reason why the NFL draws in more cash from its sport is because of the gambling factor. If you took that aspect out of it, I believe baseball is the #1 sport. Can you imagine how much attention we would pay to baseball if there were only a 16 game schedule? Enough with that rant, let’s get down to the list. Who were the best teams at any specific time period for the last 32 years? We will start with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1980-1983. Read the rest of this entry
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