Blog Archives

Talking Padres with Neal Hughlett: Locked On MLB – July 3, 2019

DB814602-E9BC-4CBA-9D15-F3DC0F364DC1Neal Hughlett is a die hard Padres fan living in Boston. We talked about his fandom and the state of his team in today’s episode.

Follow Neal on Twitter by going to @NMH13

This is the Locked On MLB Podcast hosted by me, Paul Francis Sullivan. Please call me Sully.

Click HERE to listen to the show

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – March 28, 2017

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Matt Roberts/Getty Images AsiaPac

A few years ago, Jurickson Profar was the consensus best prospect in baseball.

Now he is a man without a position with the Rangers.

Jurickson Profar could still be a star shortstop… maybe not in Texas but in San Diego

Proposing moves on this episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – January 28 2017

padres

The San Diego Padres can be a unique fan base if 35,000 people can show up to PetCo Park a day.

Why not? It is a fun time at the ball game!

Love the Friars on this episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – January 11, 2017

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The city of San Diego is now a one team city. The Padres have the city to themselves. Fans need to support them like never before.

It is a Gaslamp episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – September 27, 2016

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Fox

I watched the premiere of the new Fox baseball show Pitch.

There are good things about the show, some concerns but mainly with the prospect of a baseball TV show in the first place.

It is a Prime Time episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Dee Gordon, Robinson Cano, Tim Adleman, Andrew Miller, Trea Turner, Carlos Gomez and Sean Manaea all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball yesterday.

See the updated listing of WOB on MLB Reports

 

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – September 9, 2016

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The Padres gave David Ortiz a surfboard… man could they be any lazier in giving gifts?

Plus I talk Instant Replay and pennant races on this episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

 

Ivan Nova, Hernan Perez, Kyle Seager, Nick Vincent, Kolten Wong and Kevin Kiermaier all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball yesterday.

See the updated listing of WOB on MLB Reports

ORDER SPACEMAN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE

 

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Colin Rea Traded Back To The Padres After One Start With The Marlins

Colin Rea and Andrew Cashner were acquired by the Miami Marlins on July 29th from the San Diego Padres. The Marlins sent top prospect, Josh Naylor, and multiple other prospects to the Padres in return. Unfortunately, it looks like Rea’s time in Miami has been cut short after an arm injury suffered in his first start. Little did we all know, but there was a return policy also included in the original trade.

 

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Midseason Top 100 MLB Prospect Rankings Analysis (21-30)

Below you can find my analysis for the prospects ranked between 21-30 for the 2016 midseason top prospect list. If you want to see the full top 100 list, please visit the following link: SEE THE TOP 100 PROSPECT RANKINGS. I will be posting daily analysis of every player listed in the top 100, so please follow my blog and other social media for updates.

 

  1. Orlando Arcia (MIL, 21 Years Old, SS): The smooth-fielding shortstop has struggled a little during the 2016 season, but his future remains bright. In 382 plate appearances at Triple-A, Arcia is batting .269, with seven home runs, 44 RBIs, 56 runs, 13 stolen bases, .325 OBP, and a .407 slugging percentage. He still profiles as an above average shortstop in the big leagues, but I’m not convinced he is going to be an elite fantasy baseball player. He has the ceiling to produce 15-20 stolen bases, .270 BA, 10-15 home runs, and a .340 OBP once he reaches the bigs. If he does put up those numbers, I retract my statement about his fantasy baseball value.

 

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Midseason Top 100 MLB Prospect Rankings Analysis (51-60)

Below you can find my analysis for the prospects ranked between 51-60 for the 2016 midseason top prospect list. If you want to see the full top 100 list, please visit the following link: SEE THE TOP 100 PROSPECT RANKINGS. I will be posting daily analysis of every player listed in the top 100, so please follow my blog and other social media for updates.

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROSPECTS RANKED 61-70

51. Jake Bauers (TB, 20 Years Old, 1B): Bauers has improved his game a lot in 2016. Last season, he hit .272, with 11 home runs, eight stolen bases, .342 OBP, and a .418 slugging percentage in 534 plate appearances. In only 368 plate appearances this season at Double-A, Bauers is batting .285, with 10 home runs, seven stolen bases, .373 OBP, and a .430 slugging percentage. He also has very advanced plate discipline, which should serve him well in his career. Bauers has one of the prettiest left-handed swings you will see, so it is no surprise that he is hitting so well this year.

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Matt Kemp To The Seattle Mariners

a matt kemp

Trey Rose (Featured BBBA Fantasy Baseball Writer/Owner – dynastydigest.sportsblog.com) 

Matt Kemp has had quite the 2016 campaign so far for the San Diego Padres. In 167 plate appearances, he is batting .244, with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 20 runs. While he doesn’t have the value he once did, he could improve many competing teams who have a lack of talent in their outfield.

His power and run production could be a big boost to many lineups, including the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners are currently 22-17 and sitting at the top of the American League West. They aren’t necessarily struggling with run production, but their outfield doesn’t strike fear int

o many pitcher’s eyes. Their outfield is currently manned by Nori Aoki (.224 BA, 0 HR, 6 RBIs, 20 R, 2 SB), Leonys Martin (.203 BA, 6 HR, 14 RBIs, 16 R, 7 SB), and Seth Smith (.240 BA, 4 HR, 14 RBIs, 18 R). Realistically, Kemp could take over for any one of these players and provide an upgrade to the Mariners’ lineup.

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – November 14, 2015

 (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, File)

(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, File)

I recorded a podcast ahead of time, wanting the Padres to start rebuilding in earnest. And then I looked up and saw they did and made my podcast irrelevant.

So I recorded another one.

Consider this take TWO of the November 14 episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – December 22, 2014

Lenny Ignelzi - AP

Lenny Ignelzi – AP

I swear I am not obsessed with the Padres.

But they ARE having the most interesting off season in baseball. And if they acquire Cole Hamels, it would finally make sense.

It is yet another San Diego episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

 

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ALL – Time Tommy John Surgery Tracker, Updated For Tyler Chatwood

For all the talk of baseball players (pitchers mostly) that will be undergoing Tommy John Surgery, we will be keeping a running list!  E-mail us at mlbreports@gmail.com if you have any names to add to our totals.

How many players are having or had TJ in history? You are about to find out: Read the rest of this entry

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – June 16, 2014

Jeff Topping Reuters

Jeff Topping Reuters

Today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast. is a tribute to Tony Gwynn, the best hitter of his generation and one of the easiest players to root for in baseball history.

May he rest in peace.

Derek Norris, Travis Wood, Troy Tulowitzki, Hisashi Iwakuma, Mike Trout, Chris Tillman, Jonathan Lucroy and Madison Bumgarner all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball

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Is Masahiro Tanaka The Next Young International Superstar Pitcher?

Mashahiro Tanaka was 24 - 0, with a 1.27 ERA in with his team in the NPBL last year.  He has followed countrymen Yu Darvish, Hiroki Kuroda and of course the 1st man from Japan, Hideo Nomo as superstars to take their talents to North America.

Mashahiro Tanaka was 24 – 0, with a 1.27 ERA in with his team in the NPBL last year. He has followed countrymen Yu Darvish, Hiroki Kuroda and of course the 1st man from Japan, Hideo Nomo as superstars to take their talents to North America.  Tanaka has pitched with the whole world watching him, as part of the 2013 WBC team for Japan.  He will be counted on at the top of the New York Yankees rotation for years to come.  Fans in New York can only pray this guy is much more like the guys aforementioned in this caption – rather than former Yankees Starting Pitcher Kei Igawa, who never panned out in his time with New York.

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

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Today we are talking about young International Phenom pitchers.  I picked 5 former and current pitchers that hailed from other places other than the USA to concentrate the story on. 

I came up with Fernando Valenzuela from Mexico, Hideo Nomo and Yu Darvish from Japan, Eric Gagne from Canada and Juan Marichal from the Dominican Republic. 

The 5 baseball players all flashed onto the scene as young pitchers, 3 of them dominating their peers from the get go. 

Eric Gagne, the 5th member of this study, only started to dominate when the Los Angeles Dodgers sent him to the bullpen.  

Speaking of the Los Angeles Dodgers, three of these five pitchers were both with the club when they started out.  It is a credit to their scouting staff. 

There is a reason why no other team has turned out more ‘Rookie of the Year’ players in the last 30 years than the Dodgers.

Hideo Nomo’s No – Hitter Game

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Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – January 6, 2014

Photographer: Andy Hayt/San Diego Padres/Getty Images

Photographer: Andy Hayt/San Diego Padres/Getty Images

Today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast is a salute to Jerry Coleman.

The man did so many things with his life as a baseball player, a soldier and an announcer and reached the pinnacle in all of them.

His was a life worth celebrating.

To subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes, click HERE.

To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – January 6, 2014

Arizona May Have To Rethink Their Team Salary In The NL West With High Spending LA + SF

The Arizona Diamondbacks didn't have the type of year in 2013 that they had wished for, however the future looks really strong.  Aided by a slugging 1st Baseman (Paul Goldschmidt), and great young Staring Pitching like Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin, added with Veterans Miguel Montero, Martin Prado and Aaron Hill, with prospects A.J. Pollock and Adam Eaton being the future core, this team should see some heavy duty improvement from year to year.

The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t have the type of year in 2013 that they had wished for, however the future looks really strong. Aided by a slugging 1st Baseman (Paul Goldschmidt), and great young Staring Pitching like Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin, added with Veterans Miguel Montero, Martin Prado and Aaron Hill, with prospects A.J. Pollock and Adam Eaton being the future core, this team should see some heavy duty improvement from year to year.  Having said this, they compete with the two most expensive payrolls in the NL – in their Division with the Dodgers and Giants.

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

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Chase Field is a pretty cool ballpark.  The Diamondbacks have been often voted as one of the better organizations in the MLB for how they treat their fanbases for guest services, value and overall baseball experiences.

While the D’Backs finished in 14th for NL Attendance this year, they cracked the 2 Million fan barrier for the 15th straight year since entering the league.

Over the last 8 years, the team has kept comfortably between 2.0 MIL and 2.5 MIL.

Back in the first few seasons of MLB in the desert, the franchise was drawing well over 3 Million fans..

Paul Goldschmidt 2013 Highlights

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (September.26th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

 (AP Photo/Jim Cowsert)

(AP Photo/Jim Cowsert)

Jurickson Profar came off the bench to crush a walk off homer that kept the Rangers in the Wild Card hunt by topping the Angels, 6-5.

Tommy Medica got on base 3 times and scored the winning run in the bottom of the 11th, giving Padres fans something to cheer about in PetCo’s season finale, 3-2 over Arizona.

Alex Cobb was not intimidated  by an emotional Yankee Stadium crowd. He kept New York off the scoreboard with 7 innings of 3 hit shutout ball, giving Tampa Bay the 4-0 victory and inched closer to the post season.

Tim Lincecum pitched what could have been his final game as a member of the Giants. He made it a good one, letting up only 2 runs over 7 innings. He did not get the decision but was the star of San Francisco’s 3-2 victory over the arch rival Dodgers.

They all owned baseball on September 26, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.

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

(AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

(AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Alexei Ramirez scored twice in the first inning and reached base five times, homering and missing the cycle by just a triple. He also drove in three as the White Sox embarrassed the Twins, 12-1.

Alex Cobb retired the first 9 batters he faced and gave the Rays 8 strong innings, letting up just 2 runs and striking out 10 Rangers as Tampa Bay finally won a crucial game, 6-2.

Andrew Cashner nearly threw the first no hitter in San Diego Padres history when he held the Pirates hitless for the first six frames. He settled for a 1 hit, 2-0 shutout of Pittsbugh for his first major league complete game.

And Cliff Lee was brilliant on the mound with his 8 inning, 14 strikeout domination of the Marlins. But he is on this list for his bat as he went 3-4 with a triple and 4 RBI, winning the game for the Phillies in every way, 12-2.

They all owned baseball on September 16, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.21st) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Shin-Soo Choo led off the game with a home run and finished with 4 hits, driving in 3 and scoring 3 as the Reds hung on to top the Diamondbacks, 10-7.

Ian Kennedy threw 7 shutout innings, giving up just 4 hits and striking out 8, leading the Padres past the Pirates, 2-1.

Jacoby Ellsbury led a Boston attack with three hits, including a double, a stolen base and a pair of runs scored, as the Red Sox won a much needed laugher in San Francisco, 12-1.

Wei-Yin Chen helped keep the struggling Orioles in playoff contention. He threw 7 strong innings, allowing only a pair of solo homers, and got the 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

They all owned baseball on August 21, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

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

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

David Price dominated the Red Sox for the second time in less than a week. He pitched into the 8th inning, finishing with 7 1/3 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 8 strikeouts and no walks, as the Rays leap frogged past Boston into first place, 2-1.

Yoenis Cespedes was a double shy of the cycle, driving in 3 runs, as the A’s defeated Toronto 9-4.

Francisco Liriano pitched another gem for the Pirates. He stifled the Cardinals over 7 innings, striking out 8 and letting up only 4 hits and 1 earned run. Pittsburgh’s 9-2 triumph over the Cardinals pulled the Bucs within 1/2 a game of first place.

Chris Denorfria came off the bench to club a bottom of the 9th, 2 run, walk off, come from behind homer off of Aroldis Chapman, as the Padres stunned the Reds, 2-1.

 

 They all owned baseball on July 29th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

San Diego Padres: Within Striking Distance

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Tuesday June 18th, 2013

Within the first 12 games of the MLB season, the baseball world, after watching the San Diego Padres struggle, knew the team was headed for yet another rough year. This still might be the case. But, currently, the Padres sit just one game back from the top of the National League West standings. The team carries a 36-34 record—a record that many would deem impossible to achieve after watching the team start off 2-10.  Bud Black has seen his time ascend to near the top of the NL West by going 34 - 24 in their last 58 games played

Within the first 12 games of the MLB season, the baseball world, after watching the San Diego Padres struggle, knew the team was headed for yet another rough year. This still might be the case. But, currently, the club sits just one game back from the top of the National League West standings. The team carries a 36 -34 record —a record that many would deem impossible to achieve after watching the team start off 2-10. Bud Black has seen his time ascend to near the top of the NL West by going 34 – 24 in their last 58 games played.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

The NL West is not exactly living up to expectations, though. The Dodgers are having a disaster year with Matt Kemp, the team’s superstar, spending time on the DL. Hanley Ramirez, whom the Dodgers acquired last season to provide offense, has spent all but a few games on the DL. Carl Crawford, who the Dodgers expected to be healthy this year, has also caught the injury bug. 

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Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June 14th) – Updated Yearly “WOB” Standings

AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi

AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi

Eric Stults let up a lead off double and a hit in the ninth, and no hits in between as he went the distance in San Diego’s 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Gregor Blanco led off the game with a homer and then drove in a second inning run, setting the tone for the game going 2-5 as the Giants clobbered the Braves, 6-0.

Justin Masterson didn’t get the decision, but his 7 innings of 2 hit, 1 run and 10 strikeout pitching set up the Indians 2-1 walk off win against the Natioals.

Billy Butler drove in three runs during three separate rallies leading the Royals to a 7-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays .

They all owned baseball on June 14th, 2013.

My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.

At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.

To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON.

To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – May 9, 2013

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The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast is jammed packed today.

I talk about steroids, bad instant replay, the surging Padres, the free falling Dodgers and Angels. And I am at peace with WAR.

Paul Goldschmidt, Felix Hernandez, Mike Minor and bad call victim Adam Rosales owned baseball on May 8, 2013.

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

Subscribe on iTunes HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – May 9, 2013

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Chase Headley: Contract Talks Or Trade Bait?

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Monday May 6th, 2013

Headley led the NL with 115 RBI in 2012 amongst 31 HRs, he will need to put up monster numbers for the Padres to compete with the LA Dodgers going forward.  Headley caaptured a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger in 2012. He ended up finishing 5th in NL MVP voting.  He hit 23 HRs and 73 RBI in just 75 Games after the 2012 ALL-Star Game.. Chase Headley actually fared well at Petco Park in 2012 - with a 3 Slash Line of .272/.357/.812.  He added 13 HRs and 51 RBI.  He could potentially hit a few more out with the fences drawn in.

Headley led the NL with 115 RBI in 2012 amongst 31 HRs, he will need to put up monster numbers for the Padres to compete with the NL West teams  going forward Chase Headley actually fared well at Petco Park in 2012 – with a 3 Slash Line of .272/.357/.812. He added 13 HRs and 51 RBI. He could potentially hit a few more out this season with the fences newly drawn in.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

For the past few seasons, Chase Headley has been the one guy on the roster that the San Diego Padres can rely on. Last year, he put up MVP-like numbers, hitting 31 HR and driving in 115 runs.

This year, he is really the only guy in the lineup that can truly produce runs. Yonder Alonso has that capability, but he is still a bit raw. Headley is signed to a one-year $8.58 million contract.

He becomes Arbitration-eligible in 2014 and is a Free Agent in 2015. The Padres are faced with a conundrum: should they trade Headley?

This third baseman is 28 years old—about the time when most players enter their prime. With the season we saw from Headley in 2012, I think it is safe to say that he has already entered his prime, and probably has two or three more years similar to 2012 ahead of him.

If the Padres are building for the future, which I sure hope they are, they need to trade Headley right away.

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San Diego Padres 2013 Rotation: What To Make Of It?

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Wednesday April 24th, 2013

Volquez is coming off an up-and-down year with the Padres. He went .500 with an 11-11 record and had an average ERA at 4.14. He should be prepared for the 2013 season as he threw against real competition in the 2013 WBC so he'll already have all of his stuff developed for the duration of 2013.

Volquez is coming off an up-and-down year with the Padres. He went .500 with an 11-11 record and had an average ERA at 4.14. He should be prepared for the 2013 season as he threw against real competition in the 2013 WBC so he’ll already have all of his stuff developed for the duration of 2013.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

The San Diego Padres currently have one of the most boring Starting Rotations in all of baseball. I cannot think of a rotation with more average pitchers than the one the San Diego organization has.

If someone presented me with the statistics of each pitcher in the Padres rotation, I probably would not be able to discern between the number one and five starters. The ace of the Padres — if we can call him that — is Jason Marquis. So far this season in four games, he has a 4.63 ERA to go with a 1-2 record.

Now some pitchers do get off to rough starts, so we cannot judge him based on his ERA and record. But, after looking further into Marquis, I found that his career ERA is 4.60. Is this really the career ERA a team would want for their “ace”?

Tyson Ross, whom the Padres acquired from the A’s was penciled in and made three starts in the five-slot in the rotation. Ross recently went on the 15-day DL with a left shoulder subluxation.

This year, Ross made three starts, none of them more than 5.1 Innings. Although Ross has a solid 3.86 ERA through those starts, it is unlikely that he will keep this up.

Edinson Volquez at the 2013 WBC:

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San Diego Padres: How Will They Fare Without Chase Headley?

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Tuesday April 2, 2013

Chase Headley actually fared well at Petco Park in 2012 - with a 3 Slash Line of - .272/.357/.812.  He added 13 HRs and 51 RBI.  He could potentially hit a few more out with the fences drawn in

Chase Headley actually fared well at Petco Park in 2012 – with a 3 Slash Line of – .272/.357/.812. He added 13 HRs and 51 RBI. He could potentially hit a few more out with the fences drawn in.

Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer):

2013 was going to be a rough year for the San Diego Padres even before they got the news that their highest powered offensive weapon would miss a significant amount of time. Chase Headley was the only spark in the weak Padres lineup in 2012, hitting 31 HR and driving in 115 runs. A performance like this could not get the Padres out of second-to-last place in the NL West, so I am afraid to see how the Padres will fare after they start 2013 without their third baseman.

This year, the West is stronger as Zack Greinke has been added to the Dodgers most notably, the Diamondbacks have improved their team, and the Giants are the defending World Champions, having extended the reigning NL MVP. The Rockies also have power-hitting shortstop Troy Tulowitzki back in the lineup after missing most of last season due to injury.

If the Padres were going to contend this season, they would need to get off to a hot enough start to keep up with the rest of the teams. Without Chase Headley, I do not see how that is possible. Even with Headley it would be a very tough task. The Padres have not made any notable additions, so it looks like it will be more of the same in San Diego.

Headley Highlights _ Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised

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Petco Park: The Effect Of Moving In The Fences

Sunday, January 20th, 2013

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Yonder Alonso will be one of the benefactors for Petco Park once the fences are brought in.  He only hit 3 HRs in 261 AB in SD last year - absolutely abysmal power from the First Baseman Position.

Yonder Alonso will be one of the benefactors for Petco Park once the fences are brought in. He only hit 3 HRs in 261 AB in SD last year – absolutely abysmal power numbers from the First Baseman Position.

Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): 

By altering the dimensions of Petco Park, the Padres could be playing a very different brand of baseball in these coming years. Long thought of as one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in all of baseball, Petco Park might have a new identity in the future. Due to their decision to move the fences in, the Padres will have to build their team in a different way. For players like Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko, the new dimensions could be extremely beneficial to their success at the plate. However, for pitchers like Edinson Volquez and Eric Stults, they are going to have to learn to keep the ball on the ground more in 2013.

Petco Park As A San Diego Attraction:

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

Saturday, Dec.01/2012

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

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

Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner):

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

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

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

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The Reds Sunday Select – Mesoraco vs. Grandal: Did the Reds Make the Right Choice? Plus the Billy Hamilton Report

Sunday July 8, 2012

Ryan Ritchey (Reds Expert): Welcome back to the 2nd edition of Reds Sunday Select. As the All-Star Break approaches, the weekend will be filled with All-Star Weekend previews. This week I have a little sympathy for the catchers out there with this one. The big debate around Reds country is: did Walt Jocketty keep the right catcher for the future? It is my job to debate this and I am going to do just that. The two catchers I am talking about are Devin Mesoraco and Yasmani Grandal. Yasmani was given up to the Padres in the Mat Latos trade over the winter. Yes the Reds picked up a pitcher that become an ace in the present and future. But did they send the wrong catcher in the deal?

Lets start out with the positives of keeping Mesoraco, as I am in a positive mood at the moment. Mesoraco is a solid young catcher with some pop in his bat. He can become one of the top catchers in the National League, hit 15 homers and be solid behind the dish. The only problem is that he is splitting time with Ryan Hanigan, who in my mind is the right guy for the job at the moment. Mesoraco on the bright side has a lot more power than Hanigan does. The downfall to that statement is that he also strikes out a lot, and does not currently have the ability to hit for average. Mesoraco, who strikes out almost double the amount of times he walks, isn’t the kind of hitter you want hitting in front of the pitcher. You want a contact guy who can get on base in front of the pitcher, so he has a chance to bunt him into scoring position. Hanigan is that strong OBP kind of guy. Read the rest of this entry