Blog Archives
Dodgers Climb Into Second Place Behind Quiet Heroes
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday, July.09/2013
Ramirez had 5 hits including two triples during the weekend series against the San Francisco Giants as the Dodgers took two out of three games against the defending champions.Probably another impressive thing about Hanley’s recent success is the fact that he has SO’d only three times during the last 10 games. He hasn’t SO’d more than once in any of those 10 games.Hanley Ramirez has taking the role as the cleanup hitter pretty well as he has an 18-game hitting streak and is hitting .488 (20 Hits and 12 Runs Scored) – with 2 HRs and 7 RBIS in his last 10 games.
By Enrique Rivera (Dodgers Correspondent) Follow @eriqwiththeq
Much has been said about Dodgers’ rookie Yasiel Puig and rightfully so. He has had one of the most memorable first months in MLB history. He has played in 32 games and is hitting .409 with 8 HRs and 19 RBIs.
You can easily connect Puig’s success with the Dodgers’ success as they’ve quietly got back in the division and are in fact now 2nd place in the NL West.
But another guy who has had the same if not better success than Puig during their first 32 games of the season is Dodgers’ shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
Hanley Ramirez smashes a homerun to the third deck at Petco Park:
2 And A Hook Podcast Ep #9: LAA, SD, MIA And SEA Chat With Great Guests
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Follow @mlbreportsFriday, June.28, 2013,
MLB reports and The Benchwarmers Show present 2 and A Hook Podcast.
‘2 And A Hook’ is an expression from Baseball: ‘Throw the guy 2 Fast balls and then a Hook’ (AKA Curve Ball, Wiggly one, Chair etc..)
By James Acevedo – Host (Podcast Veteran ) Follow @yankeeman1973
Guests On The Show
On today’s podcast, brought to you by MLB Reports ( www.mlbreports.com ) & yours truly The Bench Warmers Show, I talk to the boss man Chuck Booth as he returns to do his segment! 8 Minutes and a 18 Segment Follow @chuckbooth3024
Chuck makes a HUGE announcement about MLB Reports & then we talked about contract stuff like arbitration, Super 2, & service time…
Also we talk about these guys Wil Myers, Yasiel Puig & Chris Archer on why they should have been up in the major leagues since the beginning of the season!
Then I talk to LAA correspondent Joshua Jones (34 Minute Mark and a 18 Minute Segment) Follow @JoshJones4 about the Angels season & what might or might not happen…
Next up was Bernie Olshansky (53 Minute Mark and a 13 Minutes Segment) Follow @bernieolshansky about the padres & what moves they might make for the future…after that i talked to Mariners/Marlins correspondent.
The last guest of the show is the 2nd longest active writer on the MLB Reports website Sam Evans (1 HR and 12 Min Mark and a 25 Min Segment) ( @RJA206 ) as we get into the mariners/marlins & whats been going on with both of these teams!
I then get into everyone’s favorite segment Stats & Facts (29, Minute Mark (5 minutes) 1 HR, 7 Min Mark ( 5 Minutes ) and, 1 HR 37 MIN (20 Minutes) – so go check it out & SPREAD THE WORD!!! Thanks Read the rest of this entry
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – June 1, 2013
The Blue Jays need to get their act together, the Padres should let people in for free and Bruce Bochy should win manager of the year.
All of those topics and more onn today’s edition of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.
CC Sabathia, Chris Dickerson, Jonathan LuCroy and Johnny Cueto all owned baseball on May 30, 2013.
To see the up to date tally of “Who Owns Baseball?,” click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – June 1, 2013
Current Top 5 MLB Home Run Leaders in the AL + NL: Home Runs Hit May 19th
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday, May.20, 2013
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
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.
Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @BernieOlshansky
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:
The Rockies Record Is Misleading
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday Apr.16/2013
Last year, position hitters (1-8) hit for a .315. Batting Average at home. The team played at Coors Field and Miller Park during week 1, pasting the Brewers and the Padres . Week 2 saw the Giants sweep them at AT and T Park, before they returned the favor to San Diego at Petco Park. The team will host 16 of the next 22 games in Denver – and will need to make some hay because they haven’t played well on the road in the past few years .
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner and Rockies Correspondent): Follow @chuckbooth3024
If you take a look at the Standings in the NL West, you would see that the Colorado Rockies are among 4 teams over .500 right now. They are tied with the Arizona DiamondBacks at 8 – 4 – and 1 game behind the defending World Series Champion Giants.
Judging by a lot of other publications placing the Rockies so high on their MLB Rankings, I am guessing these place do not give out much credence to Strength of Schedule. at http://www.mlb.com – the club is listed #9 on the Power Rankings.
The Rockies are 6 – 0 this year already versus the hapless San Diego Padres and 2 – 1 versus the Milwaukee Brewers ( a team that is 3 – 8 itself and not looking so great). The Rockies played the San Francisco in a 3 game set at AT and T Park – and were swept, surrendering 23 Runs Scored, while only scoring 9 Runs themselves.
2013 Rockies Commercial:
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – April 10, 2013
The Padres and Angels were the last teams to have home openers. Naturally they wait to have the cities with the best weather open last. I talk about that on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast along with the fact that I think the Luxury Tax has worked wonderfully so far. Also I determined that Cliff Lee, Will Venable, Nick Tepesch and Miguel Cabrera owned baseball on April 9, 2013. Subscribe on iTunes HERE. Players who owned baseball for a Day Clayton Kershaw – 2 Cliff Lee – 2
Madison Bumgarner – 1 Miguel Cabrera – 1 Robinson Cano – 1 Shin-Soo Choo – 1 Alex Cobb – 1 Zack Cozart – 1 Yu Darvish – 1 Chris Davis – 1 Jacoby Ellsbury – 1 Prince Fielder – 1 Adrian Gonzalez – 1 Carlos Gonzalez – 1 Gio Gonzalez – 1 Bryce Harper – 1 Matt Harvey – 1 Felix Hernandez – 1 Adam Jones – 1 Jed Lowrie – 1 Justin Maxwell – 1 Will Middlebrooks – 1 Bud Norris – 1 Gerardo Parra – 1 Andy Pettitte – 1 Brandon Phillips – Albert Pujols – 1 CC Sabathia – 1 Ervin Santana – 1 Drew Smyly – 1 Nick Tepesch – 1 Justin Upton – 1 Will Venable – 1 Adam Wainwright – 1 Barry Zito – 1
Clear Skies Empty Stadium – A Sully Baseball Video
I made this video in 2011 when I couldn’t believe the season was opening in cold weather cities and stadiums like AT&T Park were empty.
Why guess what?
The Padres and the Angels are the last two teams to have their home openers.
How the hell does that makes sense?
Watch other Sully Baseball videos HERE.
Confessions Of A Ball Park Chaser: 2013 Edition
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Cat and I at Angel Stadium after driving all night from San Francisco. We drove by or watched a game in all 5 California Parks.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Last year at this time, I was embarking on an all 30 MLB Park Trip in just 20 Calendar Days. I was attempting to best my own World Record of 30 MLB Parks in 24 Calendar Days in 2009. I managed to put forth a 30 – 23 Record Streak, plus than celebrate with attending another 6 games the next week. You can read about that here.
I initially planned to do a similar trip this year – however I decided to invest my baseball time and money into this website instead. It is a choice I have wondered about for the last 4 months.
Last Sunday I boarded a flight from Seattle to Oakland – and then proceeded to hit Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. The whole purpose of the trip was to witness the Season Opener at Dodger Stadium on April Fools Day.
Dodger Stadium Opening Ceremonies:
San Diego Padres Payroll In 2013: And Contracts Going Forward
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Thursday, February.21, 2013
San Diego GM Josh Byrnes did little in the off-season aside from signing Freddy Garcia. This team will surprise people with their lineup and their starting rotation. They will be Oakland Athletics of the NL West Division.
By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer) Follow @aecanada12
The San Diego Padres 2012 season is one that can be split into a tale of two seasons. There was the first half of the season where they struggled to score runs and their record reflected that. They went 34-53 and only managed to score a total of 305 runs as a team. The first month is what really set them back; they had a team batting average of .215. The second half of the season the Padres did a complete 180 degree turn in the way that they played. They scored 346 runs and their record was 42-33 in second half of the season. The team batting average increased to a season high in September of .267. The Padres can carry over what happened in the end of 2012 season into 2013 this could be a very competitive division.
General Manager Josh Byrnes did not do much in free agency. He did sign former All-Star pitcher Freddy Garcia to a minor league deal. The Padres have a history of not having a high payroll. They prefer to use their farm system to generate their major league talent, rather than spend money on Free Agents.
Chase Headley 2012 Highlights. Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance is Advised:
Master Schedule For All 30 MLB Parks In Double Header Opportunities In 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsUpdated Last on March.25/2013
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Over the course of 4 years of massive baseball travel, I have attempted 28 MLB Doubleheaders – and completed 22 of them. I Every year I take a look at the new MLB schedule and the 183 days worth of games. In the list (after the youtube clip I post), will feature every doable double-header scenario for a fan to view baseball games. Keep in mind that if you have never seen a MLB Park before – that rushing a day is not advised at all in these journeys.
The most common doubleheader is Wrigley Field or US Cellular Field – to be combined with Miller Park as part of a day-night doubleheader. The Yankees and Mets do play a few games on the same day together and are listed. The o.Co Coliseum in Oakland and AT & T Park also have a few doubleheader chances this season.
Other great doubleheader partners include both Dodger and Angel Stadium – combined with Petco Park if there is a matinée contest involved. Progressive Field and PNC Park also lends itself to easily connected doubleheaders if one has a day contest. Also watch out for Sunday Night ESPN games as part of programming as Eastern teams feature that 8:05 PM EST start time – which will lend it available to double up with a day matinée. The Phillies are compatible with both New York teams Via Amtrak Train option – and also with the Baltimore Orioles.
These doubleheaders mostly are located in different cities and some might even include a doable flight in the middle.
https://mlbreports.com/2012/03/02/field-of-dreams-site/
Field of Dreams Has To Be Part Of Your Trip Link Up Top and Video Down Below:
The Chicago Cubs Schedule In 2013: (The Wrigley Field Ticket Is Still The Best Pure Baseball Experience)
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Wrigley Field might just be the best place just to watch a baseball game (Fenway Park rivals it for entire ballpark experience). AT &T Park and PNC Park usually round out the top 4 Parks
By Richie Devotie (MLB Schedule Correspondent): Follow @MrBaseballMan and Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner) Follow @chuckbooth3024
I love Wrigley Field more than any other park just to watch a game.
Having been to all of the MLB Parks a minimum of 3 times (and most closer to 5 and above) – there is something so unique about this baseball cathedral that makes me think it is the 1920s still.
We have another video presentation from our Baseball Schedule Correspondent’ Richie Devotie down below that has all of the Cubs opponents in the upcoming season in 2013 – plus a recap of how the team fared in 2012.
After viewing it – plus read about one of the craziest, yet rewarding days of my ballpark chaser streaks.
The setup to this was that I was 13 days into my 1st World Record Attempt – at breaking the category of “The Fastest Person to view a full game at all 30 MLB Parks”.
I had already had to restart my streak attempt after some chaos that happened just a few days prior. This day in Chicago would be my 3rd straight day of trying to fit 2 games in on one day.
On the 1st day of the new streak, I nailed a doubleheader between Petco Park (day game) and Dodger Stadium (night game).
I then boarded an overnight flight to Detroit (at 1 AM- Arrival in Motown at 10:30 AM. I was poised to watch a day game at Comerica Park (1:05 PM) – before jettisoning 168 Miles to Cleveland right after for a 7:05 PM start at Progressive.
The Tigers looked to nail down a victory until Todd “the Hammer” Jones blew the save by letting the Twins tie it up in the ninth – to prolong the game into extra innings.
An hour later and the game finally ended but I couldn’t even try to head to Cleveland. So I made my way to Chicago/Milwaukee. I had a Wrigley Field/Miller Park doubleheader.
The next day after – I was to fly to Toronto to see the Yankees play. 2 days after that, I would see if I could hit on a Nationals Park/Shea Stadium Sunday day/night double-header.
It would be 4 doubleheader attempts in 5 days. I was only 1 for 2 so far.
Richie Devotie Presents His Power Point Cubs 2013 Schedule Breakdown
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 numbers from the First Baseman Position.
Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206
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:
San Diego Padres Roster In 2013: State Of The Union
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Thursday January 10, 2013
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer) Follow @TheJakeMan24
The San Diego Padres haven’t made a move that will conceivably make them contenders in a competitive National League West division. San Diego went 76-86 in 2012, which was good enough for fourth place in the NL West.
A move could still be made, and Padres’ pundits have went as far to suggest some type of signing and/or trade before Spring Training. Still, their aren’t a ton of options that would fit into their constrained payroll, especially after they signed Carlos Quentin and Huston Street to extensions. They still have a decent bullpen anchored by Street and set-up man Luke Gregerson.
Pending a significant addition, San Diego should be a bit better in the win department. Some of their key starting pitchers will be returning from injuries, and a couple of top prospects could take the fast track to the Major Leagues and make an impact by season’s end. Most notably, they will need Clayton Richard to improve to the next level, having won 14 games in 2 of the last 3 years – while holding an ERA under 4.00. Eric Stults was the surprise of the Starting Rotation of last season – posting a 8-3 Record, with a 2.92 ERA in 14 Games Started.
More importantly, they went on a nice streak in the final few weeks in 2012. Perhaps this could fuel a hot start in 2013.
Let’s preview this young team.
Chase Headley – 2012 Highlights for the NL RBI Champion
MLB Reports Junior Reporter Haley Smilow Interviews Joel Hanrahan
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday January 5th, 2013
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Haley Smilow was a busy reporter last year. So much so, that we couldn’t keep up with her. In her latest interview from last summer, Haley talked to Joel Hanrahan (of the Pirates back then) about his favorite Ball Parks to Play in, who he doesn’t like to face, what he does for pre and post game rituals, what he likes to cook, what he does on the road. Haley pulls no punches in asking the Relief Pitcher about his life in this candid interview. Amongst other topics discussed were: What Hanrahan does for charity work, what his favorite animal is…etc Read the rest of this entry
Chase Headley: Flash In The Pan Or Bonafide ALL-Star?
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Friday December 28, 2012
Headley caaptured a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger in 2012. He ended up finishing 5th in NL MVP voting. He hit .286 with 31 HRs and an NL leading 115 RBI. More impressive were his post ALL-Star numbers -in which he hit .308 with 23 HRs and 73 RBI in just 75 games, carrying a .978 OPS for that time frame. The man also scored 56 Runs in the 2nd half.
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
What exactly is needed to be able to call yourself a “superstar?” All-Star Game Appearances? Multiple MVPs? How about all this and being a fan favorite. You need to have you superstar moments throughout the years. A World Series ring looks real good on a superstar’s finger. Having your name in the history books and then maybe being an eventual Hall of Famer. This is what defines a superstar years after they are retired.
What does one breakout season make you? Certainly not a superstar. Not right away at least. Star’s need to prove themselves in more ways than just one breakout season.
This is the question with San Diego Padres Third Baseman, Chase Headley.
The Padres May Never Compete With the Dodgers Financially, But They Are Making Strides
Tuesday November 27th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer):
The Padres seem poised to eventually become mild-spenders. For an organization that’s highest payroll since 2002 has been roughly $73 million (in 2008), moving up in the spending chain would certainly be good for a change. This transformation could come as soon as 2013 or maybe a few years down the road.
But let’s be sure of something—the Padres have a steep hill to climb before they can compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers in terms of financial freedom. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t be able to compete with the newly labeled ‘Yankees’ of the West coast, but it surely prevents them from signing talented free agents. The A’s and Orioles are a pair of most recent teams to win on a cheaper payroll, while the Rays have been the very definition of that over the past few years. Read the rest of this entry
The Coors Field Effect: Part 3 of A 3 Article Series
Wednesday, September.19/2012
Even with playing teams in the NL West with Parks like Petco, Dodger Stadium and AT &T Park, a Rockies player gets 81 games of AB versus 27 against the other 3 California parks or a 75-25 % split. The Rockies continue to lead the MLB for Home Averages year in and year out-even with the Humidor Room taking effect.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Both myself (and Lead Baseball Columnist and Founder) Jonathan Hacohen think alike on some points as writers will often do when working for the same website. Jonathan wrote a brilliant piece on the ballooned numbers that a player in Colorado receives as a byproduct of playing at Coors Field. My head started spinning and swirling and I knew it to be true from my memory bank. My Part 2 column, dissected the Coors Field Effect on some previous players, plus what has transpired in the last decade since the Humidor Room has been implemented. You must read the 1st 2 parts of this series to fully understand what I am going to tell you here.
For Part 1 of the Article Series: Carlos Gonzalez on the Trade Block? Buyer Beware! click here
For Part 2 of the Article Series: The Humidor Effect at Coors Field-One Decade in click here
The numbers don’t lie in either of the first two parts to this series- with the Rockies having led the league in 19 out of the 20 Years for Home Batting Average overall in the MLB and every year in the NL since they have existed. This includes heavy hitting AL clubs, with hitter friendly parks such as: Yankee Stadium (Old or New), Citizens Bank Ball Park or Fenway Park. What people also fail to realize is that the Pitchers also account for about 140-150 AB at home per year. So really there is no way a Colorado team should have a higher BA than a team from the AL if that is the case? Wrong. The Batting averages for positional players from 1993-2002 in Colorado ranged from an average of .325-.345 every year. May I point out they also led the Major Leagues in overall batting average every year for this span in the Pre-Humidor days too!
A Todd Helton Walk-off Shot at Coors:
Padres to Sign or Trade Carlos Quentin: Decision Time in San Diego
Tuesday June 12, 2012
John Burns: The Padres who are in last place in the NL West and 18.5 games back of the first place L.A. Dodgers have obviously struggled tremendously in the 2012 season so far.
The Padres have seen some positives in this awful season and the most notable is the emergence of Carlos Quentin. The San Diego native Quentin has been on a tear since being activated from the Disabled List; in 10 games, Quentin is hitting .429 with 5 homers. Quentin has quickly become one of the Padres best players and a hot trade commodity.
Carlos Quentin is making $7 million for the 2012 season and becomes a free agent in 2013. So if the Padres want to lock up there “hometown hero”, it will have to be fairly soon. With the trade deadline coming up in July, Quentin has been a commonly referred to name on the trade block since coming back from knee surgery.
San Diego will have to make a tough decision in the coming weeks on the future of Carlos Quentin. With Petco Park being such a harsh park for power hitters, the Padres might want to lock up their superstar while he’s producing. It is very hard for the Padres front office to convince power hitters to sign with San Diego because of the unforgiving dimensions of Petco Park. So it may be easier for the Padres to get Quentin because he is a native of San Diego and is a fan favorite. Plus, his swing seems to be tailor-made for Petco, as one of the few hitters to enjoy hitting in San Diego. If the Padres were serious on signing the 29 year-old star outfielder it could cost between $45-60 million and 4-6 years.
There are plenty of ball clubs that would inquire on Quentin if he was made available at the deadline. His trade value keeps rising the more games he plays and his power numbers stay consistent. Quentin has struggled to stay healthy in his career; He hasn’t played in more than 130 games since 2010 with the Chicago White Sox. If the Padres were to trade Quentin it would be for 1 to 2 top prospects. Some teams would view Quentin much like the San Francisco Giants did last year with Carlos Beltran, the best hitter available at last year’s deadline as a rental player. If Quentin gets traded his new team though would not receive compensation if he leaves, which could further hurt his trade value.
In my opinion Carlos Quentin’s days in San Diego are numbered. The Padres are currently in a rebuilding stage, so it would not make much sense if San Diego signed Quentin who is 29-year-old when they could easily trade him for a pair of top prospects. The Padres could acquire better prospects trading Quentin then they had to give up to acquire Quentin in the first place. Contending ball clubs will keep a very close eye on Quentin as the season progresses and if he continues to play very well his value will just continue to rise.
Meet our newest Baseball Intern – John Burns: I am a highschool junior, play 1st base and catcher. I am a diehard Phillies fan. I was born in Philadelphia but now live in Virginia. I come from a huge baseball family and just love the game. My cousin was drafted by the New York Mets in the 2008 MLB draft. My favorite players are Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz, and Ryan Howard. I tweet all the time andyou can follow me on twitter (@JohnBurns_MLB)
Please e-mail us at: mlbeports@me.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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Chuck Booth’s Game and Streak Updates for MLB Parks 6-10
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Follow my streak all the through to the bitter end. Schedule is this link:
https://mlbreports.com/gwr-tracker/ or at my official website for all updates!
Tuesday April 17, 2012
Chuck Booth and Lori Martini are interviewed by Sports NY
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- “In what technically is Park #1 on Day #1 of the streak after a retro-active option I capitalized on, this game is the 6th write-up. So let us go back to April.5th First. I watched the New York Mets Season Opener with Lori Martini and we were both interviewed by Sports Net New York and were featured on Mets Weekly Episode 2 on SNY.tv . This episode aired on Sunday April.15th. After the incredible adrenaline rush of being on camera for an extended interview, the Mets won the season opener on a well-pitched effort by Johan Santana of the Mets. Directly after the game, Lori and I were taken to Don Peppe’s in Queens by her friend Mike. This place serves great Italian platters and was featured on the hit TV Series “Entourage.” A nice meal with some great new friends then saw me make the trip to Boston. I had to take a Greyhound Bus to Boston(for only $15) because that airport was the only one in the radius that Southwest could fly to Phoenix in time for the opener.”
The First Five Games of The Streak
Tuesday April.10/2012
Douglas “Chuck” Booth at Citi April 9th
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- Well, I finally get a chance to breathe for one second. Too bad it was at the expense of the events that transpired yesterday. Contrary to popular belief, this world record streak is not a walk in the park. Traveling is a hard thing to do at the best of times. I will break down the trip synopsis game by game. I am breaking down the travel games at Parks day by day. Read the rest of this entry
An Interview with Petco Park Expert Ken Lee
Saturday April.07/2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- I had the chance to talk to my fellow co-author of the “Fastest 30 Ballgames” Ken Lee recently about Petco Park. Ken has made numerous trips to San Diego to visit this newer ball yard. This is what we discussed.
DB: “Welcome to the MLB Reports Experts Interview Series Ken. Please tell us about yourself and then give us a bit of background information on your life as a baseball fan?”
KL: “My name is Ken Lee, I am a General Manager for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service and I live in Marysville, WA with my wife Yvonne and our 2 pup pups, Boomer & Tilly. I am a co-writer of the book titled “The Fastest 30 Ballgames – A Ballpark Chasers World Record Story” that came out last year. I grew up playing baseball and loving every aspect of the game. I attended my first MLB game in April of 1977 @ the Kingdome in Seattle (Yankees vs Mariners). Since then I have attended about 1,000 games or so. I have seen games at 29 outta 30 current ballparks (the lone exception being the new Marlins Park – which I will pick up on May 14th & 15th) and I have seen 42 different MLB ballparks overall.”
DB: “You recently joined me in writing the book “The Fastest Thirty Ballgames”. What does having your name permanently as an author in the ‘Library of Congress’ mean to you?” Read the rest of this entry
An Interview With Angel Stadium Expert Chuck Booth
Sunday April.07 /2012
Kenneth A. Lee (Guest Baseball Writer and co-author of the Fastest 30 Ballgames)- I guess the shoe is on the other foot for Chuck in this interview. I met Chuck online a mere few days before he went on his last streak. I had to admit it has been a new goal for me to go on a journey like Chuck is doing for the 3rd time in 5 Years. Over the course of a few days visiting in Marysville, Wa, we conducted a total of 7 combined interviews with each other. We also have Craig Landgren being an expert for Coors Field and submitting a chaser guide for Kauffman Stadium as well. Like I have said a lot in the last 3 years, we all must thank Craig Landgren for creating http://www.ballparkchasers.com so we could all meet and eventually corroborate on the book “The Fastest 30 Ballgames.” Onto today’s interview. Having been to Angel Stadium a lot myself, Chuck Booth and I talked at length about the park. 
KL: “Chuck, tell us why you decided to start your record streak in Angels Stadium? Also, what are your impressions on seeing Albert Pujols in the red uniform?”
DB: “I noticed this particular game for day #1 as a possibility for the streak to match up with San Diego all the way back to last September. Each year I do a doubleheader master schedule for all possible parks that you could do 2 games in one day-whether it is by ground or air. I was not as happy when I saw that San Diego has changed their Saturday night games to 5:35 PM PST though. We will keep that for another time though. I liked Los Angeles to start also because of the weather factor. You can pretty much bank on the game being played. The next day I have a doubleheader attempt for Houston and Texas, so it is good weather for the first two days.”
KL: “You know where I am going next, I have had some run-ins with the Ball Park Staff in Orange County, what are your thoughts on the staff there?”
DB: “When In first went to this park in 2005, the staff wore the throwback cracker jack hats and were genuinely enthusiastic to see you walk in the doors. In the years I have been back since the staff seems to be very testy. I somehow think it has a direct result from when Artie Moreno didn’t make them wear those hats anymore.”
KL: “Angel Stadium didn’t rank very high in our book, would you care to explain why you think this is so?”
DB: “I think it is hard to rate KC and LAA’S parks because of all the other cities having brand new facilities. When you think of O.co Coliseum, Tropicana Field now, they are the worst with Miami and Minnesota opening the gates on new parks recently. At least Oakland it talking abut a new park. Toronto, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and LAA seem to be stuck with their parks. Really Angel Stadium is not that bad, it is just against some stiff competition from the rest of the league?”
KL: “The last time at Angel Stadium you parked for free? Where did you do this?”
DB: “I can’t even remember who told me about the spot, but it is right across from E. Orangewood Ave. Basically you drive on W. Chapman ave and take a long windy left after a Denny’s Restaurant, before finally encounter a Fire Hall. If there is no one parked on the street, you can park there for free. I tend to think it is a better option for day games and especially on the weekend. There are lots of offices. I will let the reader try to guess where. I want to park there for the game and get out of there ASAP to drive to Petco Park.”
KL: “What is the food like at Angel Stadium? What do you like there?
DB: “Man the selection is terrible, hotdogs or California Pizza Kitchen personal pizzas for $10 are the best options. You are better of to drive up W.Chapman Ave to eat Little Caesars Pizza before the game. There is also a Denny’s within a mile of the park. Eat before you get in is my honest advice. There is also a Burger King and McDonalds right near the yard as well.”
KL: “What is your favorite method of transportation to the game?”
DB: “Having that free parking spot makes driving all the worth while. I have spent a great deal of time taking the public buses in Orange County. This is an affordable option for sure. Los Angeles does charge a lot for weekday car rentals out of LAX. If you have kids and you are incorporating an Angels game with a visit to Disneyland, there is a Disney Shuttle Bus that runs out of LAX that offers you to and from your Orange County hotel (front curb service). This is the way to go if you are staying in this general area.”
KL: “What about seats? Where do you sit for the games?”
DB: “As you are aware Ken, for guys that like to watch most of the games at the concourse level, this park is not very conducive for that kind of fan experience. I sit in the upper levels anywhere. I will say that anywhere in the park gives you a great view including the waterfalls. At least the tickets are still affordable.”
KL: “Where do you think the Angels will finish up this year?
DB: “Signing Albert Pujols is a huge upgrade on the talent. Even with aging veterans such as: Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells, this team is poised to win the AL West with their starting pitching rotation. I think that Texas will have an off-year and that the Angels will take the division, however I think the Tigers or the Yankees will take them out in the playoffs before they reach the World Series.”
KL: “What advice wold give to a novice Angel Stadium Park Hopper?”
DB: “Whatever travel time you give yourself, double that to ensure you arrive at the game on time if you are coming from a long way away. The highways in the Los Angeles can be pulverizing on traffic, (including public transportation) at any given time.
KL: “Thank you for helping us out Chuck.”
Thanks to our Guest Writer Kenneth A. Lee. To find out more about him click here, otherwise you will be seeing a lot of him in these future expert interviews and post game write-ups by Chuck.
Follow Ken Lee on twitter- @seeall30
Follow Chuck Booth on twitter- @chuckbooth3024
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MLB Ballpark Traditions: National League
Sunday December 25, 2011
Doug Booth- Guest Baseball Writer: The entire baseball community is looking forward to the ‘New Marlins Ballpark’ in 2012. This new opening will give some of extreme ballpark chasers a chance to tack another ballpark to their viewing history. I will be attending the opening of this Ballpark in April and that will make it 35 Major League Stadiums for me, 5 that are defunct and this park in Miami will help me re-establish the 30 current MLB Parks. We all assume that Oakland will have a new baseball park eventually so I will have a few years before attending a new baseball park again. These traditions only help the folklore of baseball. I believe it helps distinguish the sport from the other major sports leagues.
Here are the National League Parks Traditions:
Wrigley Field
1. 7TH inning stretch-made famous by Harry Caray and kept up by guests now.
2. They started throwing the ‘opposition’s’ home runs back onto the field and have not stopped even though it is illegal to throw the baseballs back on the field.
3. They have their own song “go Cubs go” which they play after every win.
4. Of course they have the curse of the ‘BILLY GOAT’ and also have not won a World Series in 103 years.
Minute Maid Park
1. They have a train that goes from side to side whenever they hit a homer.
2. They play the song “Stars at Night” right after 7th inning stretch
3. They play all their games indoors and only open up the roof when the park is cleared.
Miller Park
1. They do 2 really cool waves. One is a reverse wave where the goes clockwise all around the ballpark and then change direction. The other one they do is a slow motion wave which is hilarious.
2. They have the sausage race!!!
3. The sing the song “Over The Barrell” after “Take me out to the ballgame”.
4. ‘Bernie Brewer, (Brewers mascot) goes down the slide in upper left field bleachers-and has recently started throwing t-shirts from there.
5. They give out fridges for who has the best-“Tailgate Party”.
Busch Stadium
1. Easily the most respectful fans in baseball.
2. They cheered the 2004 Boston Red Sox even when they lost the World Series, so they are classy.
PNC Park
1. They have the pierogi races.
2. Between every inning they have text messages posted on-screen from people.
3. They have one of the coolest beginnings where they have a pirate ship full of pirates and they take over the opposing team’s ship on the scoreboard.
Great American Ball Park
1. They have fireworks that explode from the ship in center-field when there is a home run.
2. The Reds Museum is the best “Hall Of Fame” out of all the teams.
Dodger Stadium
1. The beach balls are still being thrown around.
2. It is routine to show up 4 innings into the game and leave at the 8th inning-Last year I watched a game that lasted only 2 hours and the parking lot was jammed because people had arrived late and did not leave early because the game was so quick. I still love the replay of the ‘KIRK GIBSON’ homer because of all the tail lights in the parking lot that were leaving.
AT&T Park
1. The Kayaker’s in McCovey Cove are fun to watch.
2. The hecklers in center-field always are after the opposing outfielders with this chant’ “What is the matter with (insert player here)? The answer is: “He’s a bum!” They do this all game.
3. They have a Panda Bear now because of Pablo Sandoval-(Kung-Fu Panda.)
4. They chart the splash hits that go into the cove.
Coors Field
1. They sell food and beverages outside the ballpark with their own vendors for a good price.
2. They use the ‘humidor’ to reduce the flight of the baseballs by 8-10%.
Chase Field
1. They sing “Sweet Caroline” like the Boston fans do.
2. They are the only park that plays a second verse of “Take me out to the Ballgame”.
3. They are very fanatical at security about you operating camera/videos so watch out.
Petco Park
1. There is a picnic area where you can watch the game for 5 dollars.
2. They are the most pet-friendly stadium as pets are allowed into the game a lot.
Turner Field
1. ‘The tomahawk chop’ is the worst tradition in baseball, but it is here to stay-routinely sections of people will get up and stand while doing the chop.
2. Skip Caray and Mark Lemke do the pregame show from the media gondola in center-field every home game.
3. They routinely have ‘concerts’ on weekend night games free of charge and are decent groups. I saw Arrested Development there last year.
Citi Field
1. The ‘BIG APPLE’ still comes out after every homer is hit (unless it is stuck which has happened at Citi Field).
2. There are planes that come over every five minutes–I find this very disrupting to the game and that is why I have the park ranked 11th overall.
Sun Life Stadium coming soon/New Marlins Ballpark in 2012!!
1. You can buy a parking pass that will work for any home date online-which is convenient.
2. The mascot is always featured on the big screen throwing fake pies at people in the stands who have on opposing gear.
Nationals Park
1. The president’s race is a definite highlight of every game-and one of them always falls flat on their face–usually it is Teddy Roosevelt.
2. They shoot t-shirts into the crowd-that have chili-dogs wrapped up in them–just ask the 20 people or so that were pelted with the contents when they failed to wrap the t-shirts tight enough with the food.
Citzens Bank Ballpark
1. The Phillie Phanatac is always in trouble with the ‘grounds crew’ because he whips around in the ATV.
2. There is about 4,000 S.R.O’S for every game and most hang out in ‘Ashburn’s Alley’.
3. They boo the home players more than any other team including Boston and both NY clubs. That is understandable considering they booed Santa Claus–and cheered when Michael Irvin was knocked unconscious at the old ‘VET’.
4. They have the biggest fine in the league for jumping on the field.
Click here to view Part 1 of Doug Booth’s Ballpark Traditions feature on MLB reports, with a look at the American League Traditions.
*** Thank you to our Guest Baseball Writer- Doug Booth for joining us today on MLB reports. To learn more about “The Fastest 30 Ballgames” and Doug Booth, you can follow Doug on Twitter (@ChuckBooth3024) and click here for Doug’s website, fastestthirtyballgames.com***
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Top 10 Closers: MLB Saves Leaders
Thursday August 25, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern- MLB reports): Closers are a topic a lot of people ask about, but I never really got around to writing about. Mainly because, in my opinion, it is a position that is completely overrated. While it certainly helps to have a guy that can go in and slam the door and collect saves for over a decade a la Mariano Rivera, it isn’t necessary to have a “closer” to be a contending team. One need only to look at the top 20 leaders in saves in baseball to notice that the Texas Rangers’ closer Neftali Feliz sits 19th with 25 saves, and Philadelphia Phillies’ Ryan Madson is 20th with 23 saves. It also doesn’t guarantee success, as Heath Bell, Drew Storen, Leo Nunez, Joel Hanrahan are all in the top 10 in saves, while their teams are not in playoff contention.
Top 10 Saves Leaders in MLB as of today:
| Pitcher | Team | Saves | K/9 | BB/9 | ERA | FIP | WAR |
| Craig Kimbrel | Atlanta Braves | 40 | 14.56 | 3.53 | 1.70 | 1.20 | 3.1 |
| John Axford | Milwaukee Brewers | 37 | 10.86 | 3.32 | 2.26 | 2.36 | 1.7 |
| Jose Valverde | Detroit Tigers | 37 | 8.31 | 4.79 | 2.72 | 4.08 | 0.2 |
| Brian Wilson | San Francisco Giants | 35 | 8.72 | 5.20 | 3.19 | 3.40 | 0.7 |
| Heath Bell | San Diego Padres | 35 | 6.79 | 3.23 | 2.55 | 3.07 | 0.7 |
| Drew Storen | Washington Nationals | 34 | 8.03 | 2.19 | 2.77 | 3.48 | 0.6 |
| Mariano Rivera | New York Yankees | 33 | 8.45 | 0.92 | 2.20 | 2.23 | 1.8 |
| Leo Nunez | Florida Marlins | 33 | 8.31 | 2.88 | 4.63 | 4.02 | 0.1 |
| Joel Hanrahan | Pittsburgh Pirates | 32 | 7.85 | 2.04 | 1.73 | 2.17 | 1.8 |
| JJ Putz | Arizona Diamondbacks | 32 | 8.28 | 2.17 | 2.76 | 3.10 | 1.0 |
I look at this list and a few things come to mind:
1) Craig Kimbrel is absolutely filthy.
2) Mariano Rivera is still one of the very best.
3) Closers are more overrated than I originally expected.
4) A lot of saves does not equal success.
5) Craig Kimbrel. Wow.
Craig Kimbrel is having the best year ever for a rookie closer. It isn’t even September and he has 40 saves. Not only that, but he is striking out more than 14 batters per 9 innings. His FIP is a ridiculous 1.20, and his WAR is at 3.1, which is 1.3 higher than any other closer in the Major Leagues. His ground ball rate is 43.7% and has only given up 1 home run in 63 2/3 innings. If the Braves end up winning the Wild Card and have a lead late in games, the shutdown duo of Johnny Venters and Kimbrel should be able to save the game for the Braves in most instances.
John Axford has had a strange way to becoming one of the premier closers in all of baseball. It took him many years to get there, but under the tutelage of Trevor Hoffman, the career saves leader, whom Axford took his job from, he has flourished. In 2010, Axford had 24 saves after taking over for Hoffman mid-season, and this year’s 37 so far are tied for 2nd in the big leagues. Axford gets over 50% ground balls, and keeps the ball in the yard, two main factors for his success.
Jose Valverde is one of the closers whom I find to be overrated. Part of his success can be attributed to a lucky .250 BABIP. He also
walks close to 5 batters per 9 innings, which is extremely high, especially when he does not strike out a very high number of batters. Valverde may appear to be very good with 37 saves, but his 0.2 WAR suggests that he is basically a replacement level pitcher. Surely he is not worth the $7M he is being paid.
Brian Wilson is loved by many in the game. He is funny, has a strange personality, (which seems to be perfectly suited for the bullpen) and he has an outrageous beard. Since 2008, he has accumulated 162 saves, so he is very valuable at the back-end of the Giants’ bullpen. He keeps the ball on the ground, with a career 50% ground ball rate, but he walks a ton of batters (5.20/9IP). He gets a lot of save opportunities because the starting rotation is very good, and his team doesn’t score many runs, so there are a lot of close games.
Heath Bell has put up some ridiculous numbers over the last few years, but these numbers come with half of his games played in the cavernous PETCO Park. While his last two seasons had his K rate over 10, he sits at 6.79 for this season. His ground ball rate is also down 5% to 43. Although his ERA is a good 2.55, his xFIP is 3.89, and like Wilson, gets saves because of an anaemic offense that results in his team often being in close games.
Drew Storen is another of the Washington Nationals’ young phenoms. He moved up the ranks, throwing only 53 2/3 innings in the minor leagues before making his debut in 2010. He has been a tad lucky as his BABIP is .241, but he gets a lot of ground balls, so the hits will even out. He also gives up a higher than average home run per fly ball rate at 11.1%. Storen doesn’t walk many, and as he matures, should probably strike out a higher number. When Washington starts winning more games, he will have even more opportunities for saves.
Mariano Rivera is up to his usual tricks. Even at 41 years old, he is carving up hitters with his signature cut fastball. Rivera has a ridiculous 9:1 K:BB ratio, as well as getting ground balls 47% of the time. His WAR sits at 1.8, tied for second best for closers. The only question is when will this guy ever slow down?
Leo Nunez of the Florida Marlins may be the most overrated closer in baseball. Nunez doesn’t get a lot of ground balls, nor does he strike out a ton, as he gives up a ton of fly balls (49%) and home runs (8 in 56 IP). Nunez’s ERA of 4.63 actually looks worse than his 4.02 FIP, so he has been a little unlucky, but still not very good.
Joel Hanrahan has found a home at the back-end up the Pirates’ bullpen, and is thriving there. While his K rate has dropped to 7.85/9 IP from almost 13 last year, he has walked less batters. Hanrahan has been able to induce ground balls on over half of his plate appearances, and only given up 1 home run in 57 1/3 innings. His stellar numbers have allowed him to tie Rivera for 2nd in closer’s WAR this year.
JJ Putz’s resurgence as a closer this year comes as no surprise to many. Last year as a setup man for Bobby Jenks with the Chicago White Sox, Putz’s K rate was just below 11/9IP, while he walked only 2.5 per 9 innings. He hasn’t put up the same strikeout numbers this year, but he is walking less batters. Putz’s WAR of 1.0 puts him towards the top of the list of closers.
Out of the top 30 relievers in WAR, only 9 are full-time closers. Francisco Rodriguez is among those pitchers, but since he does not close games since traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, he was not counted. Although this doesn’t mean that just ANYONE can close games and earn saves, it does show that many pitchers who have not been given the opportunity probably could get the job done.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Intern, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
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