Blog Archives

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – August 9, 2015

 (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

 

It is time for the Sunday Request!

You bet. The numbers are on his side. As are many other arguments.

Plus I praise Jeff Banister for managing for the situation rather than the book.

Not all is what it seems on this episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Stephen Strasburg, Andrew McCutchen, Ubaldo Jimenez, Abraham Almonte, Tyson Ross, Curtis Granderson and David Ortiz  all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball



Read the rest of this entry

A Preview Of The Dbacks Starting Rotation In 2014

Corbin has the ace of the rotation since he made his start of the season for Arizona and has not looked back. If the Dbacks make the postseason, he will be one of the reasons why this happens. The young left-hander leads the team in wins with 13 on the season. He also has a 2.79 ERA in 177.2 inning pitched while just walking 45 batters and striking out 154. He has a WHIP of 1.04 and is limiting batters to a .216 average on the season. Corbin is holding left-handed batters to a batting average of just .180 in 150 at-bats this season. He also knows how to pitch well at Chase Field with him winning eight games at home and having a 1.86 ERA. The youngster is stingy with runners in scoring position, as teams only have a .197 batting average in this situation.

Corbin has been the ace of the rotation since he made his first start of the season for Arizona and has not looked back. If the Dbacks make the postseason, he will be one of the reasons why this happens. The young left-hander leads the team in wins with 13 on the season. He also has a 2.79 ERA in 177.2 inning pitched while just walking 45 batters and striking out 154. He has a WHIP of 1.04 and is limiting batters to a .216 average on the season. Corbin is holding left-handed batters to a batting average of just .180 in 150 at-bats this season. He also knows how to pitch well at Chase Field with him winning eight games at home and having a 1.86 ERA. The youngster is stingy with runners in scoring position, as teams only have a .197 batting average in this situation.

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

The Arizona Diamondbacks have had highs and lows this season, and there is still a chance they could make the playoffs. Arizona sits 8 ½ games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West division.

The Dodgers seem like they are running away with the division title, but Arizona still has seven games left against them in September to narrow the gap and put some pressure on them.

Patrick Corbin 2013 Highlights 

  Read the rest of this entry

Buster Posey Can’t Do It Alone

Like us on Facebook here

 Wednesday, July.24/2013

Between his incredible performance in 2010 that led the Giants to the World Series title, and led him to the 2010 Rookie of the Year award, and his MVP-worthy performance in 2012 that gave the Giants their 2nd championship in 3 years, it seems that whenever the Giants have Posey on the field, they have a fighting chance.  The only time before this season the team struggled was in 2011- after Posey was smashed in a home plate collision.  But he needs helps this campaign.

Between his incredible performance in 2010 that led the Giants to the World Series title, and led him to the 2010 Rookie of the Year award, and his MVP-worthy performance in 2012 that gave the Giants their 2nd championship in 3 years, it seems that whenever the Giants have Posey on the field, they have a fighting chance. The only time before this season the team struggled was in 2011- after Posey was smashed in a home plate collision. But he need helps this campaign.

By Jon Schifferle ( Giants Correspondent – visit his own personal website here.)  

It would not take someone very long to find a time that Buster Posey has made a tremendous contribution to the San Francisco Giants.  It seems that ever since his callup in 2010, Posey has been able to provide exactly what the Giants have needed.  

His entrance into the MLB has coincided with 2 World Series in the 2 full seasons he has played, however this year is not looking as promising.  The pitching has been suspect – and the offense has been anemic and hurt.

The team enters play today 6 Games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, while the lead is in single digits, they must start the charge now, considering Los Angeles has won 22 of their last 27 games. 

The Giants conclude a series at home versus the Reds tonight, before the Cubs come to town.  After that, the Defending Champions hit Philadelphia and Tampa on the road in a 6 game span. 

They still have 6 games versus Arizona, and 7 versus the LA Dodgers the rest of the year, it is imperative this club wins the majority of these head to head matchups.

Read the rest of this entry

Patrick Corbin’s Confidence Creates Success For Arizona’s Starting Rotation

Like us on Facebook here

Tuesday, April.23, 2013

The Arizona Diamondbacks have great tandem in the 4th and 5th slots in their rotation.Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin have been as reliable as you can get with pitchers that are in the bottom part of their rotation.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have great tandem in the 4th and 5th slots in their rotation.Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin have been as reliable as you can get with pitchers that are in the bottom part of their rotation.The two pitchers are undefeated this season – and look to be  part of the future for Arizona. They provide some depth to the rotation.

By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer)

The Arizona Diamondbacks knew that their starting rotation was going to be a strength for the club this season, but there are two pitchers who have performed better than they were expected to. The front-end of the Starting Rotation includes; Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill, and Brandon McCarthy.

They have pitched good, but not great in their starts this season. These 3 Starters were expected to carry the rotation, and help Arizona reclaim the NL West Division Title. The three pitchers that Arizona has in the front part of their rotation have under-performed in their starts this season.

Diamondbacks’ Wade Miley Tells A Joke On Intentional Talk. Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance Is Advised

  Read the rest of this entry

Bryce Harper – The Nats LF

Like us on Facebook here

Friday, Mar. 02/2013

Bryce Harper won the NL Rookie Of The Year, made an ALL-Star Appearance - and even clubbed his 1st Post season HR in 2012.  With a full season to play in 2013 - how high might his numbers go?

Bryce Harper won the NL Rookie Of The Year, made an ALL-Star Appearance – and even clubbed his 1st Post season HR in 2012. With a full season to play in 2013 – how high might his numbers go?

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

With the acquisition of Denard Span to play Center Field and bat Leadoff, a new defensive home had to be found for Harper. In 2012, advanced stats didn’t just rate Harper as a good defensive Center Fielder he was rated as a great one.

The Span move makes the Nats better in two positions of weakness and it also allows Harper to move to a more offensive position and focus on that aspect of his game. Left field is the second least important defensive position according to the defensive matrix, and often times it is the home of some of the games best sluggers. 

For a quick comparison the average MLB Center Fielder hit for a 3 Slash Line of.265/.330/.418 in 2012 – and the average Left Fielder .261/.327/.431. While Left Field is traditionally a more offensive position current Left Fielders only managed a .009 OPS advantage over their CF brethren in 2012.

This doesn’t nor should it change the perception of Left Field as the less important defensive position of the higher offensive position. All it means is that there aren’t a lot of good Left Fielders right now. In WAR there are built-in bonuses for playing different positions, a good offensive player at an up the middle position will be rated higher than a good offensive player at a corner position, because an up the middle player that can hit is more valuable.  

Bryce Harper Highlights as a 16 Year old hitting bombs and Tropicana Field 2009:

Read the rest of this entry

Howard And Utley: Healthy And Ready For A Huge 2013

Like us on Facebook here

Friday, March. 1/2013

Chase Utley and Ryan Howard guest starring on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” I love this show and this episode, but it is wildly inappropriate and I would not suggest it for children. Chase and Ryan were awesome in it.

Chase Utley and Ryan Howard guest starring on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” I love this show and this episode, but it is wildly inappropriate and I would not suggest it for children. Chase and Ryan were awesome in it.

By Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Writer): 

Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have played for the Philadelphia Phillies their entire careers to this point. They have been holding down the right side of the infield for the Phillies consistently since 2006 – and have been tearing apart pitching from the 3-4 slots in the lineup for equally as long. They each played in 100+ games every year since the 2006 season, until an injury plagued 2012 campaign for the duo.

Howard managed to play just 71 games, and Utley only 83. Maybe age is starting to catch up with the 33 year old Howard and 34 year old Utley, and if it is, that is a terrible sign for the Phillies playoff aspirations because their offense has been built around the two (plus standout Shortstop Jimmy Rollins). I think the Utley – Howard combo still has productive seasons left with in Philadelphia, and 2013 should prove that. I expect them to be bright spots in the lineup for a team that has become largely reliant on their starting pitching to achieve success.

Baseball Friends Utley and Howard:

Read the rest of this entry

Ranking the Top 10 Hitters In The MLB Right Now: Part 2 (6-10)

Like us on Facebook here

Below is Part 2 of the Top 10 hitters in baseball. You can read Part 1 here.

Tuesday February.26, 2013

Keith Allison, Flicker.com

Cano has only missed 7 games in the last 4 years.  He has hit over .300 in those seasons – belted 40 + Doubles and scored over 100 Runs.  He has averaged 29 HRs and 102 RBI also for that span.  The man has won 3 straight Silver Slugger Awards.  Cano’s Career 3 Slash Line is .308/.361/.854. With this being a contract year, he could stand to land himself a historic contract with an MVP type season. Picture by Keith Allison, Flicker.com

By Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer)

The top hitters in the MLB right now includes 5 awesome hitters.  It was hard to comprise the list, but here it is.

6. Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano is in line for a huge payday after this season, and his numbers can justify his demands.

OK, Yankee stadium partially inflates his power numbers. Cano had a 59.3 HR/FB (Home Run to fly ball ratio) to Right Field, which is quite a figure seeing that the mean for baseball’s best power hitters is in the 20 percent range, to all fields.

It’s safe to say that Cano grasped the idea of the infamous shorter porch in Right Field, and who wouldn’t? On he same token, that shouldn’t give us the wrong idea about his power. According to ESPN’s Hittracker Online, Cano was eighth in the American League with nine “no doubt” Home runs, telling us that his power isn’t solely due to the friendly hitter confines of Yankee Stadium.

The thing is, there’s more to his game then Home runs. He had the fifth highest oWAR (Offensive WAR) in baseball last year, and finished eighth in the MLB in Adjusted OPS+.

Given the dearth amount of talent at Second Base these days, Cano could be in line for a 8-year, $200+ Million contract next winter.

Robinson Cano at the 2011 Home Run Derby:

Read the rest of this entry

MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: September 2012

Monday, September.3/2012

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer):   To say that this year has been a good year for baseball is an humongous understatement.  I thought after last years finish, that nothing was going to duplicate the experience.  Everyone forgets (or maybe not) that there should not even have been many races last year with Atlanta and Boston having such substantial leads on playoff spots.  The Red Sox and Braves collapsed like a couple of bowling pins with King Kong Bundy splashing down on them!  

This year, there are 15 teams still vying for 10 playoff spots.  So far the only probable locks are Washington for a playoff spot-and Cincinnati to probably win their division  The player races for all of the categories is almost as fascinating.  Will Andrew McCutcheon catch Melky Cabrera for the Batting title? Or will 2012 be forever cemented in baseball folklore by a stained player like Cabrera?  He could still end up determining who wins the World Series in the Fall Classic by his Testosterone filled antics in his MVP ALL-Star Game.  The big question is, will the San Francisco Giants fans cheer for him if he comes back in the playoffs?  They cheered for another league leader before when it was obvious he was guilty.  Right now if you are the Giants, you will take an opportunity to boo or cheer for Cabrera because that means you would  be in the playoffs.

Will the spending happy Dodgers have to wait another year to capitalize on their new plan to make the playoffs? If they ultimately  miss the playoffs outright, are they going to buy every player they can in the off-season?  I sure hope Magic knows that there are Luxury Tax penalties for spending over 178 Million Next Year.  1st year fine is 22.5%, 2nd year is 30%, 3rd year and beyond is 40%.  So if they plan on having a 250 Million Dollar Payroll in 2013 (by adding 2 or 3 more top Free Agents) will the Dodgers just forego the worry of any financial penalties on a yearly basis– just to dominate the whole National League (plus baseball for that matter.) Every other team has to consider the urgency in cashing out a World Series right now while the Dodgers have not had a full off season with the new management yet.  Can Oakland and their ‘New Money Ball philosophy’ make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2006? 

The Best Players over the last month were:  Buster Posey, Prince Fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Yovani Gallardo, Kris Medlen, Adam Wainwright, Aroldis Chapman and Felix Hernandez.  The best teams have been Oakland, Washington, San Francisco, San Diego, Baltimore and Texas.  The worst teams have been Houston (at least its better to go down hard and stockpile #1 Draft Picks guys.)  I have a feeling you will be there for a while with the division you are heading into and may even challenge the 120 Loss Single Season Record.  At least you are not going into the NL West  to compete with the LA Dodgers!  The Cleveland Indians have fallen to an epic drop-off as well.  Toronto misses their top sluggers.  What has happened to the Minnesota Twins? The Mets have ownership and payroll problems, so at least they have an excuse.  Plus they lead the world in guys being hurt.  When David Wright has been your healthiest player, you know the season has been backwards!  So sit back, get your notebook and popcorn ready for this Month’s Rankings! Read the rest of this entry

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):  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

Read the rest of this entry

%d bloggers like this: