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Top 5 Home Run Leaders in 2013
Chris Davis was awarded a 1 YR/$3.3 MIL contract in Arbitration for 2013, but based on his AL and MLB leading 53 HRs and 139 RBI. exactly what stratosphere of money will he enter based on those totals? The Baltimore franchise must consider 2014 to be their best chance for a deep playoff run. After this year, Davis will be making megabucks in 2014 and 2015 even in Arbitration – before hitting the Free Agency Market in 2016. Can he duplicate his feats in 2013? We will find out in about 9 and a half months. I think with his swing, and playing in the AL East, he will have a chance to finish in the top 5 in HRs again in 2014 – if not take the crown again.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
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It is time to start preparing for upcoming fantasy leagues. While I don’t participate in them anymore, I will do some top 5 and top ten list in order to aid you in your quest.
I will stick with the main categories. Over the next few weeks this site will be tackling Saves Leaders, Holds, Stolen Bases, Wins, and we may sprinkle in a few others.
In addition, Active Lists for top players in offensive and defensive stats are to be presented. This is done so we can see who is close to making the mark historically.
Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about Alex Rodriguez breaking anymore historical records in 2014, so hallelujah!
Chicks Dig The Long Ball
Who Owns October? (WOO) Tally Updated for October 7, 2013
Photo: Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports
Each winning team for every post season game gets a pitcher and a hitter who earn a full WOO.
And at my discretion, I award a 1/2 WOO to a worthy player on the losing team.
For a full explanation, click HERE.
From today’s games:
Receiving 1 WOO
Alex Cobb was not on top of his game but he kept the Red Sox from breaking open the game in his 5 innings of work and helped set up Tampa’s 5-4 come from behind win.
Matt Holliday provided all the offense the Cardinals with need with his 2 run homer that sparked St. Louis’ 2-1 win over the Pirates.
Clayton Kershaw pitched on short rest and threw 6 innings with 2 unearned runs, 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. He would not get the decision but the Dodgers would prevail, 5-4.
Evan Longoria saved the series with one swing of his bat by launching a 2 out 3 run homer in the 5th that woke the Rays up. Tampa would go on to win 5-4.
Dan Otero worked out of trouble in two scoreless innings from the bullpen and prevented the Tigers from staging a comeback as the A’s won 6-3.
Seth Smith got two hits including a 2 run homer that gave the A’s insurance in their 6-3 win in Detroit.
Juan Uribe launched a 2 run 8th inning go ahead come from behind homer that gave the Dodgers the clinching lead over the Braves that they would not relinquish, 5-4.
Michael Wacha threw a no hitter into the 8th inning and kept the Cardinals alive, defeating the Pirates in Pittsburgh, letting up just 1 run and 1 hit for a final of 2-1.
Receiving 1/2 WOO:
Jose Alvarez stopped the bleeding in Detroit with 3 innings of no hit shutout ball out of the bullpen. It would not be enough as the Tigers could not score or mount a comeback, losing 6-3.
Pedro Alvarez broke up the no hitter with a towering home run that brought the Pirates to within one run. It would be practically all of the Pirates offense in their 2-1 loss.
Jacoby Ellsbury got three hits, two of them doubles, and a stolen base and scored 2 of the Red Sox 4 runs in their 5-4 loss to the Rays.
Freddy Garcia stunned the Dodger Stadium crowd with a wonderful 6 inning performance where his lone blemishes came on a pair of solo homers. He struck out 6 and let up only 2 runs and would have received the win if the bullpen did not melt down in the 8th.
Charlie Morton let only 2 Cardinals score and allowed only 3 hits while pitching into the 6th in the Pirates 2-1 loss.
Jhonny Peralta drove in 1/3 of the Tigers entire run total for the series with his game tying 2 run single in the 4th. The Tigers would lose 6-3.
Ric Flair endorsing the new “SullyMetric” – WOO!!
To view the Playoff Leaders for ‘Who Owned October Standings’ – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON
OR SCROLL DOWN.
Cardinals’ Wrap Up Division, While Pirates’ & Reds’ Still Have Plenty To Play For
Francisco Liriano has been the best pitcher in the rotation for the Pirates’ this season. He now has the opportunity to send Pittsburgh back to NLDS. Liriano has been making hitters look foolish the whole season, by holding the opposition to a .224 average and left-handed batters can’t touch him with them only managing a .131 average. He loves to pitch at home, where he has an 8-1 mark with an ERA of 1.47. The southpaw handles pressure well by limiting teams to a .233 average with runners in scoring position and two outs. He has faced Cincinnati four times this season and his holding them to a .193 batting average.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The National League Central has been the most exciting division to watch in baseball this season. There were three teams each with their own strengths and weaknesses vying for one spot.
It was expected that it would take up to the final weekend in baseball to determine the winner of this division. The St.Louis Cardinals just recently wrapped up the division title and are now focusing on trying to finish the season with the best record in the NL.
Pittsburgh Pirates: 2013 Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (September.24th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Photo: Chris Lee – St. Louis Post Dispatch
Michael Wacha no hit the Washington Nationals until there were 2 outs in the 9th inning. He let up an infield single, but his 8 2/3 innings were enough for St. Louis’ 2-0 win.
James Paxton dominated for 7 innings, letting up 4 hits, walking none and striking out 10 as the Mariners seriously damaged the Royals post season hopes, 4-0.
Pedro Alvarez doubled twice and drove in 3 leading the Pirates closer to home field in the Wild Card game by topping the Cubs, 8-2.
Jason Giambi came off the bench and delivered a 2 out 2 run walk off come from behind homer that gave Cleveland the 5-4 win over the White Sox and turned what could have been a devastating loss into possibly the highlight of the Indians’ season.
They all owned baseball on September 24, 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.
Pirates, Dodgers, & Rays Improve Team With Good Deals
Justin Morneau is a great addition to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team is hoping that he can propel them to a division title along with the other new faces to their squad. Morneau is having a very productive season with him hitting .259 to include 17 HRs and and 74 RBIs. He is not the guy who was the AL MVP in 2006 that hit 34 HRs while driving in 130 RBIs and had an average of .321. He can still provide a team with solid at-bats in a game and is a good guy to have in the clubhouse. The left-hander can hit righties as good as southpaws. He has a .286 average facing right-handers and hist .282 against left-handed pitchers. He still knows how to handle the bat with runners in scoring position, as indicated by him having 54 RBIs in this situation.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The waiver wire during the month of August is way for teams that are either contending for a playoff spot or leading their respective division to improve their team.
Since we are in the final month of the baseball season, there are a couple of teams that made moves to ensure that they have players to help them for the stretch run.
Justin Morneau Career Highlights– Parental Guidance Is Advised
MLB 30 Team Power Rankings: Week 21
42 – 8, 25 – 3, 19 – 1, 10 wins in a row. These are all significant numbers put up with a team with deep pockets, the ability to outdraw everyone for park attendance, and owners willing to do whatever it takes to bring home the 1st World Series Title since 1988. No one can touch these guys right now. Best 3 Starters in the NL and hottest 2 NL Hitters in Puig and Ramirez. Oh yeah, the Bullpen has been lights out for the last 50 contests!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports
It is time for the MLB Power Rankings. These are based on my thoughts on whether who has the best chance to win the World Series.
A lot of these positions are based on who has the toughest Strength of Schedule left, who their competition is for the Division, and possibly even the League they are in,
The races for the Divisions (AL East, AL West and NL Central are starting to tighten up, while the NL West, AL Central and most notably NL East are looking to be foregone conclusions
The Braves have rattled of a 18 – 3 stretch, and have been ousted by the Dodgers for the #1 spot in the MLB Rankings .
The Rangers are trying to ricochet off of a couple of great deals, in order to flame down the Oakland Athletics.
The Kings of Pop: Who Are The Five Best Home Run Hitters In Each League?
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday July 24th, 2013
The Home Run might be the most exciting aspect of baseball, and this year we have some players who are definitely spoiling us with the shows they have been putting on so far. One of these players is Chris Davis. Davis lead the American League in Home Runs at the All-Star break but he is not the only player who has enjoyed going yard numerous times this season. Who are the best Home Run hitters in the league right now? Here’s my thoughts:
By Dan Wanser (MLB Reports Writer) Follow @danwanser
Whether you’re a casual fan who just enjoys watching whatever games on or you’re a diehard who eats, sleeps, and breathes the game we can all agree that everyone loves the longball.
This season, numerous players are entertaining us by showing off their power whenever they can with some mid-game fireworks.
From the big names like Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera to the rising stars in Yoenis Cespedes and we definitely have some powerhouse hitters who are fun to watch.
So who are the best Home Run hitters in the game today? Lets rank them:
Chris Davis 2013 Home Runs:
2 And A Hook Podcast #10: All Star Chat, Yankees, Dbacks + Trade Deadline Talk
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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
Im back & ready after being off during the 4th of July week to give you all another baseball packed podcast. On today’s show, brought to you by MLB Reports ( www.mlbreports.com ) & yours truly The Bench Warmers Show.
I star by paying respect to the great Yankee Stadium PA announcer Bob Sheppard on the 3 year anniversary to the day that he passed away…
I talk to the boss man Chuck Booth as he returns to do his segment! 16 Minutes in and a 31 Minute Segment Follow @chuckbooth3024
Chuck makes some notions about the New York Yankees and Brian Cashman needing to risk it all for this year – for the legacies of Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Robinson Cano. Plus whether the club can trade Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes – and maybe acquire a bat. Read the rest of this entry
Top MLB Teams 1 – 30: Monthly Rankings + (Top 200 Stats For Reading And Fantasy Baseball)
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The Giants have gone 9 – 23 in their last 32 Games – and are in danger of having a brutal campaign just one year after capturing the World Series. Key injuries and overlogged pitchers have been the main point of contention. They lost 8 Ranking Spots this past time. Should they also become sellers at the Trade Deadline, Tim Lincecum and Hunter Pence could fetch a few players in return. The Giants are currently 40 – 50 and 6.5 Games behind the NL West Leading DBACKS – but are in last in the NL West.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The time has come for the July Power Rankings with Stats Edition. There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.
I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during these weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.
These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.
I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams. I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or scroll past the video and picture.
Potential All – Star Candidates For All 30 MLB Teams:
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Saturday, July.06/2013
Citi Field is one of the newest Ball Parks in the Majors and will be host to the 2013 ALL – Star Game. It is light years ahead of where Shea Stadium was. The home club should have the Starting Pitcher and Third Baseman for the NL, who else will be picked for the NL and AL – will all be revealed in a matter of hours. MLB Reports gave its candidates and choices in this blog. Citi Field also modified its fences last year in hopes of hosting this event. This is the RF cavernous portion that used to be what Right Field was. I took this photo in 2009 – during its 1st season in existence.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
I am doing this list based solely on whether the player is a viable candidate or not. I don’t care if the fans vote someone else in – although they have done a decent job.
This website’s stance on Yasiel Puig is known by know – if you are reading this for the 1st time. We feel the man belongs based on his numbers. He has numbers comparable to Bryce Harper – and his BA and OPS is far above and beyond.
In a recent article our Dodgers Correspondent Follow @eriqwiththeq also mentioned Hanley Ramirez deserves a shot to make the team.
Ordinarily, I would say no – but Troy Tulowitzki is hurt.
Han- Ram might be a victim of all teams needing to be represented as the Padres best candidate is definitely Everth Cabrera – unless Bochy takes Jason Marquis to replace him.
I think behind Bochy should take Ramirez behind David Wright and Pedro Alvarez at 3B. With Segura, Cabrera and Desmond taking spots at SS. Read the rest of this entry
Pirates’ Will End The Playoff Drought This Season
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday, July.06, 2013
Grilli has done a phenomenal job in closing games for the Pirates this season. He has saved 28 games for the Pirates this season which is first in the NL, and has a chance to possibly save 60 games. Grilli has a 2.15 ERA with only one blown save, and has only surrendered two home runs in 37.2 innings pitched. The right-hander has struck out 60 batters, and has a strikeout rate of 14.3 SO/9. He also has a terrific SO/BB ratio of 8.57. The opposition is only hitting .187 against him this season, with right-handers hitting just .155. The Pirates know that with a lead in the ninth inning, he is the guy they trust the most.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
Who can remember the last time the Pittsburgh Pirates were in the playoffs, because it seems like it has been a long time. The reason that I can’t remember is that it happened in 1992, when they went 96-66.
This is a long time for a sports franchise to go without at least making the playoffs. The Pirates in the past seasons have started out fast, only to fade away in the second half of the baseball season.
Pittsburgh Pirates Early 2013 Season Highlights- So Parental Guidance Is Advised
30 MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 14
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The Bucs have won 9 straight games and now possess a record of 51 – 30. You have to think that the club will finally put the nail in the coffin on its 20 year losing streak – with just needing to win 31 of their 81 games remaining. Better yet, ESPN has them listed as a 88 Percent chance to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1992 season. At the halfway point in the season, the Bucs have the best record in the MLB – and have reached #2 in our power rankings.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Another Week has come and gone in the MLB.
Week Stats Ending – June.29/2013
(MLB Reports) AL Hitter Of The Week – Jason Kipnis (CLE – He reached base 24 times in the 8 games (14 hits, 9 Walks and 1 HBP) – with 3 HRs, 6 – 2B, 9 Runs and 11 RBI. He hit .519 for the week).
Runners up were: Miguel Cabrera (DET – OPS of 1.583, with 4 HRs and 7 RBI), Dustin Pedroia (BOS – .560 BA, 14 hits), and Raul Ibanez (SEA – OPS of 1.455 – 3 HRs and 5 RBI.)
(MLB Reports) AL Pitcher Of The Week– R.A. Dickey (TOR – 2 hit CG Shutout versus the Tampa Bay Rays.)
Runners up were: Koji Uehara (BOS – 3 Perfect Saves) and Joe Blanton LAA (1 – 0, with a 1.88 ERA in 2 GS). Read the rest of this entry
30 MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 13
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EE continues to show his metal this year – by clutching up for 21 HRs thus far . He has a 3 Slash Line of .274/.355/.900. EE had an OPS of 1.326 – with 3 HRs and 3 Doubles over the last 6 games, and also scored 7 Runs. He was part of key rallies that led to the clubs 6 – 0 week. The 1B only Struckout 1 time for the 6 Games. Encarnacion is now tied with Miggy Cabrera with 63 HRs since the start of the 2012 year. He is the MLB Reports hitter of the week!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Another Week has come and gone in the MLB.
(MLB Reports) AL Hitter Of The Week – Edwin Encarnacion (See Picture Above).
Runners up were: Chris Davis (BAL) – (1.357 OPS, with 4 HRs and 10 RBI), Nelson Cruz (TEX) – (.379 BA, 3 HRS and 11 RBI) and Miguel Cabrera (.536 BA, 20 times reached on base in 7 Games, 15 Hits – with 2 HRs and 6 RBI).
(MLB Reports) AL Pitcher Of The Week– Max Scherzer – who went 2 – 0 with a 2.08 ERA in 2 Game Starts and 16 SO in 13 IP.
Runners Up were: Casey Janssen (1 – 0, with 3 Saves – while only yielding 1 Hit and 1 Walk in 4 IP), Jarrod Parker 2 GS (1 – 0, with a 0.79 WHIP in 14 IP.)
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (June 20th) – Updated Yearly “WOB” Standings
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Evan Longoria drove in runs in three different innings, including a pair of home runs, as the Rays beat the Yankees 8-3.
John Lackey kept the Tigers off the board for 6 of his 7 innings of work. His terrific effort was for nothing as the Red Sox bullpen collapsed in Detroit’s 4-3 9th inning victory.
In a National League Central showdown, Pedro Alvarez drove in 5 runs over three different innings, clobbering a 6th inning homer and falling a triple short of the cycle as the Pirates beat the Reds, 5-3.
And Jordan Zimmermann‘s outstanding performance of 8 innings, no earned runs, 6 hits, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts, got the Nationals back to .500 with their 5-1 win over the Rockies.
They all owned baseball on June 20th, 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
MLB Team Power Rankings: Week 12
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Adam Dunn has finally put together an awesome week this year. He hit for a 3 Slash Line of .389/.455/1.510 – with 4 HRs and 8 RBI. His efforts didn’t stop the team from losing 4 straight, however he is the MLB Reports AL Hitter of The Week!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Another Week has come and gone in the MLB.
(MLB Reports) AL Hitter Of The Week – Adam Dunn (See Picture Above).
Runners up were: Teammates Evan Longoria, (.305, 4 HRs and 6 RBI) and Matt Joyce (385, 4 HRs and 5 RBI), plus Adam Lind (.407, 2 HRs and 6 RBI.)
(MLB Reports) AL Pitcher Of The Week – Corey Kluber
Kluber threw in 16 IP, featured a 2 – 0 Record on back to back 8 IP starts – including a 0.56 ERA.
Runners Up were: Bartolo Colon (2 – 0, 1.38 ERA,) Jim Johnson (4 Saves in 4 Opportunities) and Miguel Gonzalez (2 – 0, 2.54 ERA).
Top Teams In The MLB 1 – 30 + (200 Best Stats For The Last Month)
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday June.06/2013
Chris Davis was the AL hitter of the month for the MLB Reports. The guy has 20 HRs and 20 2B on the season – after hitting 11/11 for both columns in the last 30 Days. The Orioles slugger also hit for a 3 Slash Line of .385/.448/1.256. Davis also Walked 11 Times, drove in 22 RBI – and collected 40 Hits in just 24 Games Played. He is on pace for a 50 HR/50 Doubles Season. “Crush” is due for Arbitration after this year – and will garner a considerable payraise from the $3.3 MIL he will earn this season.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
The time has come for the June Power Rankings with Stats Edition. There will be one each for May, June, July, August, September – and then a special playoff edition Power Rankings will be done in October.
I will not do a weekly Power Rankings during this weeks, because in essence, these are the weekly rankings done on a much larger scale.
These Reports are done with a heavy thought to how the teams project by the end of the season – along with how the clubs have fared so far.
I will point out who has had great months for the all 30 MLB Teams. I reward the good performances in these rankings – and leave the poor ones for the Podcasts or future articles. CLICK THE READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON or scroll past the video and picture
Chris Davis 2013 Highlights:
Current Top 5 MLB Home Run Leaders in the AL + NL: Home Runs Hit May 19th
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Miguel Cabrera has hit 332 HRs, 398 Doubles and 13 Triples in his 11th year in the Major Leagues. With 1170 RBI, and just barely being 30 Years of age, the man has a serious chance to chase the ALL – Time RBI record of 2297 By Hank Aaron. After his 3 HR night on Saturday, he has a 2013 – 3 Slash of .387/.457/1.116 (all lead the AL). He has added 11 HRs (tied for 2nd) and 47 RBI (1st in the MLB). He could challenge a 2nd straight Triple Crown in 2013. Something that hasn’t happened since Honus Wagner in the 1920’s.
DH on our home site pages – Stands for Daily HR Hitters in the Majors.
We are going to run the gauntlet on the previous days HRs for all MLB Players.
I loved it when MLB XM Radio used to do a running total every night on their Roundtrip with Mike Ferrin (Laser Show). So I am bringing it every day on this website. To view every nights big boppers for the whole year (from May 8th on) visit the DH page!
Click beyond the Youtube link or click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON to see who hit yesterdays big flies.
Cabrera’s mammoth night May.19th/2013
Current Top 5 MLB Home Run Leaders in the AL + NL: Home Runs Hit May 17th
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Alex Rios has been quietly piecing together a solid campaign in 2013, with 10 HRs (T 5th in the AL), He has 8 2B, 7 SB and has scored 25 Runs in 40 GP. His 3 Slash line reads .297/.363/.917. Behind Great Start Pitching, plus recent good play of Adam Dunn, the Southsiders have won 4 Games in a row to climb within 4 Games of the AL Central with a 19 – 21 Record.
DH on our home site pages – Stands for Daily HR Hitters in the Majors.
We are going to run the gauntlet on the previous days HRs for all MLB Players.
I loved it when MLB XM Radio used to do a running total every night on their Roundtrip with Mike Ferrin (Laser Show). So I am bringing it every day on this website. To view every nights big boppers for the whole year (from May 8th on) visit the DH page!
Click beyond the Youtube link or click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON to see who hit yesterdays big flies.
Triple Play Podcast Ep #8 – Bucs And Nats Time In The Around The Horn Feature
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, May 13th, 2013
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
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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
Top 5 MLB Home Run Leaders in the AL + NL: Home Runs Hit May 9th
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Friday May 10th, 2013
The Indians continue to lead the MLB in HRs with 49. They are now 18 – 14 for the year – after winning 11 out of their last 12. They also lead the MLB in SLG % with a .475 clip – and OPS – with a .809 mark. They boast the AL HR leader in Reynolds (11) and Santana is leading the world in OPS of (1.129). The Cleveland fans have not bought into the next exciting offensive play. The team is dead last in MLB Attendance – having only drawn 239,765 in 17 home dates thus far. This translates into just over 14100 people per contest. C’mon Cleveland, support your club! The Tribe is only 1 GB behind Detroit heading into a weekend showdown series
DH on our home site pages – Stands for Daily HR Hitters in the Majors.
We are going to run the gauntlet on the previous days HRs for all MLB Players.
I loved it when MLB XM Radio used to do a running total every night on their Roundtrip with Mike Ferrin (Laser Show). So I am bringing it every day on this website. To view every nights big boppers for the whole year (from May 8th) visit the DH page!
Click beyond the Youtube link or click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON to see who hit yesterdays big flies.
Cleveland Indians with 7 HRs 4/30 versus the Phillies:
Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 Team Salary, Pirates Roster + Organizational Depth Charts (MLB and MiLB)
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, Apr.26/2013
The Pittsburgh Pirates organization is looking a lot better over the last few years. They have had 20 Losing season in a row – and are one of the 3 teams to not make the playoffs since the 1994 Player Strike (KC and Toronto) and are the the only National League team to hold this distinction. The club were one of the best franchises around the game of the MLB in the 1970’s. The club has started 13 – 9 in 2013. This pattern has formed over the last few campaigns, – in the NL Central contention until just after the ALL – Star Break – before swooning in 2011 and 2012.
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 &*!@?!#!
For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the Pirates Organization click here
Pittsburgh Pirates Look at Buc Nation 3 Videos:
MLB (R) Weekly Power Rankings – Week 2
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday Apr.15/2013
Billy Beane has seen his club roar out of the gates – leading in most offensive and defensive categories so far. This year’s team is 9 – 4 (Leading the AL West) – and have put up a 81 – 40 Record since starting last year 23 – 32. The Tigers seem to be the only toxic for the franchise. The Athletics at least played in front of decent crows at 0.co Coliseum on Saturday drawing 35K – with the team trying to go for a 10th straight win. Justin Verlander stopped the streak.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Well, the Atlanta Braves are the toast of the MLB right now, Prince Fielder is the hottest hitter on the planet, John Buck is doing his best Johnny Bench impersonation – while Chris Davis is giving new definition to the nickname ‘Crash’.
The Mets and Rockies have had the biggest ‘Cupcake Schedules’ thus far in the Major Leagues – and I am still not buying stock in these teams.
The Angels pulled out a couple of wins versus the Houston Astros to end the week 5 – 8 (You guys are supposed to beat Houston whenever you play them this year!
The Yankees rode a 4 – 1 week among a schedule that was blown apart by weather induced cancellations in Cleveland, to climb the standings.
To quote Joe Pesci in (‘ My Cousin Vinny” when Fred Gwynne tells him he is in contempt of court) in response to Jose Reyes being injured. “There is a f—— surprise!
3 Reasons That The Pirates Will – Or Won’t End 20 Years Of Consecutive Losing Records
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The Pirates are hoping to bring winning baseball for the beautiful PNC Park in 2013.
By Brad Cuprik (Pirates Correspondent) Follow @bradcuprik
The statistical improvements are easy to decipher in Clint Hurdle‘s first two years as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2011, the Bucs were 72-90, scored 610 Runs and gave up 712 Runs. Those were improvements of 15 victories, 23 Runs Scored and an impressive 154 less Runs Allowed.
This past season, Pittsburgh improved in all three categories again – earning 79 victories with 651 Runs Scored and 674 Runs Allowed. If it seems like an excruciatingly long time since Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Andy Van Slyke and Doug Drabek were leading the Pirates to a winning season and a third consecutive NLCS, that’s because it has been – two decades to be exact.
Bill Clinton was just starting his first term as President of the United States and something called Color Me Badd was popular on the radio.
Questionable music aside, if the Pirates want to put an end to all that losing, another year of similar improvement will get them over the .500 hump.
Here are three reasons why 2013 will be the year it happens for them and three reasons why the longest consecutive streak of losing seasons in professional sports will reach 21 years.
Sid Breams 1992 NLCS Game 7 Slide kicked off a 20 Year Consecutive Losing Records Streak
The Method To Pirates GM Neal Huntington’s Team Building Strategy
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday March 12, 2013
Neal Huntington was named General Manager by the Pirates in 2007 – and has yet to produce a winning season. Expectations are becoming higher with each passing year. The Pirates are the only NL Team not to make the playoffs since the 1994 Lockout.
Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @BernieOlshansky
There is no question that the Pittsburgh Pirates have gone through their fair share of struggles. They have not had a winning season since 1992, and the closest the team has come to a .500 season was last year, when they went 79 – 83. It looks, though, as if there is light at the end of the tunnel for Pirates fans.
General Manager Neal Huntington has made some nice moves to strengthen the team since he was named in 2007.
He immediately went to work, hiring a new manager and making major trades up to the 2008 trading deadline. One of two major trades included sending Xavier Nady to the Yankees for pitchers, notably Jeff Karstens, Ross Ohlendorf, and Outfielder Jose Tabata.
The second major trade was sending Jason Bay to the Red Sox for Brandon Moss, Andy Laroche, and others. Although these deals never really came to fruition, Huntington made it clear that he would not stand idly by and let his team suffer.
Pittsburgh Pirates Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:
Ranking the Top 10 Hitters In The MLB Right Now: Part 1 (1-5)
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday February 19th, 2013
Miguel Cabrera: Cooperstown Bound. Undoubtedly, “Miggy” is one of the great players of this generation. Watching him play the game every day is a gift to baseball lovers.
By Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer) Follow @thejakeman24
The best hitters in baseball aren’t hard to identifying, but arranging them is the tough part.
The “new” era of hitters have arrived on the scene. This doesn’t necessarily imply that some of the older hitters might as well call it quits, rather, it means that they have taken the backseat.
So, here we go: Baseball’s Top 5 hitters. This is part 1 of a 2 part series. Next week, we go through the 6-10 best hitters.
Mike Trout is baseball’s consensus best overall player, factoring in defense and speed, but Miguel Cabrera gets the nod as baseball’s best hitter.
Cabrera won the Triple Crown award in 2012, and in turn, beat out Trout for MVP honors.
As for the stats, well, they’re also impressive. He was second in the American League in oWAR (offensive WAR), third in ISO (Isolated Power), led the MLB in OPS, slugging percentage, total bases and extra base hits.
Cabrera’s compact swing enables him to do damage on most pitches. In 2012, he hit .344 on hits to left field, .412 on hits to center field and .424 on hits to right field. These three figures simply imply that Cabrera hits the ball where it’s pitched. Yes, it’s a simple approach, but it’s proven to be the most effective approach in baseball. The stats speak for themselves.
For Part 2 of the Top 10 Hitters Series (6-10) click here
Miguel Cabrera 2012 Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised:
Pirates Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, February.8, 2013
Pittsburgh GM Neil Huntington has found creative ways to help the Budget out – by taking risks on Wandy Rodriguez and A.J. Burnett. They are both being paid portions of their contracts by their previous teams. Signing Andrew McCutchen to a long-term contract has also given the franchise the ability to add players in 2013 if need be.
By Brad Cuprik (Pirates Correspondent) Follow @bradcuprik
On August 8 of last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates were 63-47, 2.5 games back of the First-place Cincinnati Reds, securely into the second Wild-Card Spot – and had the fourth-best record in the National League. The wheels came off, the Bucs finished on a 16-36 slide, 18 games back of the Reds and with the 10th-best record in the NL. Reality could have caught up to a overperforming squad, or a youthful team took the next step in learning how to win. Either way, the Pirates enter 2013 with breaking a streak of 20 losing seasons on their minds.
General Manager Neal Huntington has been shrewd and active, signing MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen to a long-term deal in 2012 and getting other clubs to eat up significant chunks of their largest contracts when acquiring their top two starters. Starting pitching depth has been added and Huntington is even taking more high-priced risks, landing Catcher Russell Martin as a Free Agent.
Pittsburgh Pirates 2012 Highlights:
Pittsburgh Pirates Roster in 2013: State Of The Union
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, January 23, 2013
The Pirates have not made the playoffs since the 1992 Season. That year, Barry Bonds could not throw out Sid Bream from deep Short in Game #7 of the NLCS versus the Braves – and they were eliminated for the 3rd straight year in the playoffs before reaching the World Series. Bonds subsequently left the team for the SF Giants in 1993 – and 20 losing seasons have since occurred. Only the Kansas City Royals have a longer streak of not making the playoffs (1985). Will this change in 2013?
By Brad Cuprik (Pirates Correspondent) Follow @bradcuprik
Although the Pirates made significant strides in 2012, they still finished in fourth place in the National League Central – with a 79-83 mark – extending their professional sports record for consecutive losing seasons to 20. After being active at last season’s trading deadline, the Bucs added two key Free Agents in the offseason. One of those signings, LHP Francisco Liriano, agreed to 2 YR Deall for just under $13 Million – but broke his arm from an undisclosed injury in late December. The two sides agreed to a deal that lowers the first-season payout if Liriano misses any time due to the injury.
That has not dimmed the enthusiasm swelling around Pittsburgh and very few roster spots are up for grabs as the 2013 season nears. With the Houston Astros moving to the American League West, the division is down to five teams, but the Pirates still have numerous questions surrounding their ability to compete for a Post Season Berth.
Andrew McCutchen hitting mechanics: Mature Lyrics Content – Parental Guidance is Advised
Post Chipper Jones Era: Is David the Wright Solution?
Saturday September 22nd, 2012
John Burns: As you all know, the almighty Chipper Jones will be retiring from baseball after this season. He is it calling it quits after 19 seasons in the Majors. The 40 year-old Chipper Jones has been one of the best players in baseball for a longtime. With his outstanding career numbers, it is no question that one day he will be inducted into Cooperstown. A lock to be a first-ballot inductee. Jones has been part of Atlanta’s organization for 22 years after being drafted number first overall to the Braves in the 1990 MLB Draft. That is a lot of years at the hot corner, as well as some time spent in the outfield.
How will Atlanta recover without Chipper playing third every day? Are there any possible replacements? Besides his play on the field, can his leadership be replaced? This might shock a lot of you… but could David Wright be the one to replace Chipper in Atlanta? Read the rest of this entry
Pedro Alvarez: Finally Meeting The Hype in Pittsburgh
Saturday September 15th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: Pedro Alvarez is starting to turn the corner. Taking the next step. But, early career struggles had insiders, fans, writers, and everything in-between, labeling him as a “bust”. Let’s not forget that he was the second overall pick in the 2008 draft. So pressure and expectations are sky-high for him, and that’s not anything out of the ordinary. That’s a common theme with almost all high MLB draft picks. Alvarez, however, didn’t meet or exceed those expectations when he first broke into the majors, which caused some concern throughout the club.
In an article on Baseball America, one writer called him “the biggest waste of hitting talent in draft history”. That’s a pretty bold statement especially from a respected baseball publication. Sure, if it came from some snobby fan, then a statement like that would simply be shrugged off. That wasn’t the case, however. And believe it or not, that bold statement was pretty precise. Harsh? Yes. True? You bet. Yes Alvarez was young, but there were too many red flags to ignore at this stage of his young career. Read the rest of this entry
Pittsburgh Pirates: Do they Have Enough to Stay in the Playoff Race?
Saturday August 4th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: The Pittsburgh Pirates have been one of the many surprising teams in baseball this season. Led by perennial MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen, they trail the first place Reds by just four and a half games in the National league Central division and retain the third best record in the entire N.L. If the playoffs started today, the Pirates would be playing postseason baseball for the first time since 1992. While they made a push at the playoffs last season as well, an August collapse ultimately diminished their chances of playing October baseball for the first time in over two decades.
However, an August breakdown doesn’t seem to be in the cards for these 2012 Pirates. Players like Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, and Garrett Jones were all on the 2011 team that plummeted from first place on July 25th to 16 games back of first place on August 25th. Nearly a year later, the same core group has the Pirates back in the thick of the playoff chase, but their mentalities have significantly changed with the experience they garnered in 2011. Why? It’s cliche, but the more experience a player or team can refer to, the better they will perform. And in this case, that team is the Pirates. Read the rest of this entry
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