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Rondon’s Struggles Continue For Tigers, Valverde And Wilson Rumors Emerge
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Bruce Rondon is 1-1 in Spring Training so far with a 5.79 ERA. He has allowed 7 Hits (including 1 HR) and Walked 5 in 4.2 IP. Not such a hot start for the rookie phenom. With World Series Aspirations this year – can the Tigers afford to not enter the Regular Season with a proven Closer?
By Matthew Lafave (Tigers Correspondent) Follow @MatthewLafave
Panic in Motown?
Not quite yet.
But the Tigers ‘chosen’ Closer isn’t making things easy.
Bruce Rondon, 22-Years-Old, is expected to be the closer for this coming season and hopefully many more to follow. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland have both made it known that it’s his job to lose this spring.
Losing it is just the path he is on. Through 4.2 IP, he has given up 7 Hits, 3 ER, 1 HR, and yielded 5 Walks..It’s early we know, but at what point does early become too late?
If he happens to pitch himself out of the Closer spot then who will be our fearless Closer?
Bruce Rondon hits 103 MPH!
San Francisco Giants Payroll in 2013: And Contracts Going Forward (Updated Mar.8)
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Angel Pagan (31) led the NL in Triples with 15 in 2012 amongst his 61 Extra Base Hits and 95 Runs. Pagan parlayed his great campaign into a 4 Year/$45 MIL Contract.
By Kyle Holland (Giants Correspondent): Follow @TheKHolland13
Coming off of the 2012 World Series victory, the Giants haven’t really done much this offseason. Either way every team in the league is going to be trying to take them down. When you’re the Champion of all of baseball, what team wouldn’t be gunning for you? Their biggest contest is going to be their rivals in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team has made more moves since August than you can count. The Giants realize what a great team they have and how little moves they made have shown they are confident in what they can do in 2013.
The possibly most important move they have made is resigning the Second-Half-hero Marco Scutaro. His 3 yr./$20,000,000 deal is a great deal for San Francisco. After what he did the Giants probably would have considered paying more for Scutaro. You just can’t match .500 AVG in the NLCS. This man was the definition of clutch for the club. Other very important deals include Hunter Pence, Angel Pagan, and Jeremy Affeldt. Pence, who was acquired at the Trade Deadline from the Phillies, was a huge reason the Giants even made it past the NLDS. His inspirational speeches got the entire squad ready before every game. Him resigning for a 1 YR./$13,800,000 deal was huge for him and the Giants. The team gets to utilize his skills for another year – while he gets to prove he’s worth more come next winter.
San Francisco Giants: 2012 World Series Highlights. Mature lyrics- parental guidance is advised:
Marco Scutaro: From Underrated To Post Season Hero – To Multi Year Re – UP!
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If it wasn’t for the Scutaro-Culberson trade in July, the Giants may not have played as well as they did. He hit .362 as a Giant and only swung-and-missed 59 times throughout the entire season. Trading a top prospect for the 36 year-old may have seemed crazy at first, but it without-a-doubt paid off in the end. As one of the best contact hitters in the MLB, he has a Career 3 Slash of .276/.340/731. Last year his 3 Slash Line with the Giants was .362/.385/.859 in 61 Games. The guy also hits well at AT & T for his Career (.322/.377/.827) – a park known to be extremely tough on Right Handed Batters.
By Kyle Holland (Giants Correspondent): Follow @TheKHolland13
2012 was certainly a season to remember for the NLCS MVP Marco Scutaro. After spending 8 years in the American League with the Oakland A’s, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Boston Red Sox, Scutaro made his return to the National League appearing in a Colorado Rockies uniform. Halfway through the season they shipped him out to San Francisco in return for Second Base prospect Charlie Culberson. This turned out to be probably the Giants most important move of the season.
When Scutaro made his return to the Bay Area he was only hitting .271, about average for the league. Colorado thought it would be a good idea to trade the 36 year-old for a top prospect and plan for the future. The Rockies weren’t the only team to benefit from gathering a solid prospect for a 36 year-old average ball player.
Marco Scutaro 2012 NLCS Highlights:
Starting Pitching For The DBacks Will Make Or Break Their Season
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The Diamondbacks will need their rotation to be a strength as they compete in the NL West for a playoff spot this season.
By Chris Lacey (DiamondBacks Correspondent) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks will have to rely on their starting pitching more than ever this season. The two division rivals they have to contend with feature very good pitching rotations along with potent offensive lineups.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Hyun-jin Ryu from South Korea as a Free-Agent, and they also signed the top Free Agent pitcher this winter in Zack Greinke.
The San Francisco Giants have the 2012 NL MVP Award Winner & Batting Champion in Buster Posey. The Giants also have two very good pitchers in Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum to anchor their staff.
30 Clubs in 30 Days Arizona Diamondbacks:
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Ricky Nolasco: Should Marlins Deal Him Or Keep Him For 2013?
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Tuesday March 5th, 2013
Nolasco might be the next guy to be traded for more prospects. The man has a Career Record of 76 – 64 (.543) with a lifetime ERA of 4.49 in 7 seasons for the Marlins. However, despite a higher ERA – he does not walk that many hitters (2.1 BB / Per 9 IP) – and his SO Ratio is 7.4 / Per 9 IP. He might be able to help a team that is playoff bound in 2013. The Marlins will not offer him a 1 YR Free Agent deal to retain a Draft Pick – so it is either deal him or lose him for nothing at the end of the campaign.
Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @BernieOlshansky
The Miami Marlins are in a state of disrepair. 2012 was meant to be their return to contention with the signings of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Heath Bell. A healthy Hanley Ramirez and Giancarlo Stanton were meant to provide power to the lineup that supported the pitching staff anchored by Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco.
The excitement of the new-look team combined with the anticipation of the new stadium. Unfortunately, the Marlins had a terrible season and shipped Hanley Ramirez to the Dodgers, and every notable player except Giancarlo Stanton and Ricky Nolasco to the Blue Jays, most notably.
Ricky Nolasco Warming Up:
Raising Cain: The New Ace Of The San Francisco Giants
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Wednesday February 20, 2013
Matt Cain had been living in the shadow of Tim Lincecum ever since the 2008 season. After Cain’s brilliant 2012 campaign – coinciding with Lincecum’s worst year to date, he has proven himself as the new ace of the Giants’ pitching rotation. He is 55-35 (.611) over the last 4 seasons -with an ERA under 3.
By Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Writer): Follow @TheKHolland13
On Saturday, February 16, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced, to no one’s surprise at all, that Clayton Kershaw would be the Opening Day starter for the third straight year. You didn’t have to be a baseball expert to see that one coming. What may have possibly come as a surprise to some is who his opponent will be on April 1 at Dodger Stadium.
Bruce Bochy announced Monday, February 18 that Matt Cain will be making his first career Opening Day start. For the last 4 years Tim Lincecum took the hill on Opening Day. The 2 years before that was Barry Zito and the 2 before him? Jason Schmidt. That brings us all the way back to when Matt Cain first suited up in 2005. Matt Cain has had a brilliant career since debuting in 2005 with the Giants. Throughout these fantastic years though, Matt Cain has been unable to call himself the ace of the Giants staff.
Matt Cain Perfect Game All 27 Outs:
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:
Arizona DiamondBacks Roster In 2013: State Of The Union
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The Diamondbacks will look to regain the magic that aided them in winning the division in 2011.
By Chris Lacey (Diamond Backs Correspondent) Follow @aecanada12
Arizona Diamondbacks fans had some high hopes coming into the 2012 season after winning the division in 2011 and making their way back to the playoffs for the first time 2007. The 2012 off-season saw them bring in free agent OF Jason Kubel. The season started off great with a three game sweep of the San Francisco Giants, but when CF Chris Young went crashing into the wall to catch a deep ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates the team was never the same. The Diamondbacks are in tough division the NL West, which is known for pitching. They will have to rely on their young starters if they hope to compete with San Francisco Giants & Los Angeles Dodgers. The offense will have to get better with manufacturing runs and instead of depending on the long ball to score runs. They traded away RF Justin Upton and 3B Chris Johnson, but they brought in versatile player Martin Prado and pitching prospect Randall Delgado.
Game #7 of the 2001 World Series – Gonzalez Game Winner – Can the 2013 DBACKS get back to the WS?
Chris Carter: The Future Star That Will Make Billy Beane Regret His Trade Mistake
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Chris Carter: A career .283 hitter in the minors, with a .378 OBP and .535 SLG. The perfect combination of power and patience. He will prove to be the one that got away from Billy Beane.
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist, Oakland A’s Correspondent and Website Founder): Follow @Jhacohen
Mark down the date of February 4th, 2013. The day that Billy Beane broke my heart. In preparing for my latest A’s feature, the working title of the article was “Chris Carter: The Next Great A’s Superstar”. Then fate intervened. Or rather, Beane decided to pull off one too many trades. After a successful offseason that saw the A’s GM bolster significantly bolster his playoff squad, Beane decided that one more blockbuster move was in order. Jed Lowrie was headed to Oakland, with Chris Carter (the good one), Max Stassi and Brad Peacock going over to the Astros. For the purpose of this piece, I will be focusing on the loss of Carter. Stassi is a former 4th round pick of the A’s and a young 21 Year Old catching prospect. With Derek Norris ready to grab the A’s catching job for the next decade, I can see how he was expandable. Peacock was a 41st round pick of the Nationals. A 25 Year Old arm that may develop one day, but crashed and burned last season in AAA. With the A’s pitching depth, I can see how he could be ticketed out-of-town for a change of scenery. But Chris Carter? Really Billy??!! You worked your magic to get him in the first place from the Diamondbacks. I certainly hope that your return pans out (Jed Lowrie and Fernando Rodriguez). Right now, I simply cannot see the logic of this move.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – February 8, 2013
Felix Hernandez has about 175 million reasons to celebrate now.
On today’s edition of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast, I talk about Felix Hernandez’s contract, why the Mariners and Expos are similar, Tim Lincecum’s hair and the personality of the San Francisco Giants.
San Francisco Giants Payroll in 2013: And Contracts Going Forward
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Without Marco Scutaro during the second half of the 2012 season – who knows if the Giants would’ve gone nearly as far as they did. He hit a very impressive .362 after joining the Giants in July. He hit a new NLCS record .500 versus the Cards last year. Resigning him was definitely a priority for the Giants so signing him through 2015 on a 3 YR/$20,000,000 was huge for both sides of the deal.
By Kyle Holland (Giants Correspondent): Follow @TheKHolland13
Coming off of the 2012 World Series victory, the Giants haven’t really done much this offseason. Either way every team in the league is going to be trying to take them down. When you’re the Champion of all of baseball, what team wouldn’t be gunning for you? Their biggest contest is going to be their rivals in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team has made more moves since August than you can count. The Giants realize what a great team they have and how little moves they made have shown they are confident in what they can do in 2013.
The possibly most important move they have made is resigning the Second-Half-hero Marco Scutaro. His 3 yr./$20,000,000 deal is a great deal for San Francisco. After what he did the Giants probably would have considered paying more for Scutaro. You just can’t match .500 AVG in the NLCS. This man was the definition of clutch for the club. Other very important deals include Hunter Pence, Angel Pagan, and Jeremy Affeldt. Pence, who was acquired at the Trade Deadline from the Phillies, was a huge reason the Giants even made it past the NLDS. His inspirational speeches got the entire squad ready before every game. Him resigning for a 1 YR./$13,800,000 deal was huge for him and the Giants. The team gets to utilize his skills for another year – while he gets to prove he’s worth more come next winter.
San Francisco Giants: 2012 World Series Highlights. Mature lyrics- parental guidance is advised:
Brian Wilson’s Legacy In San Francisco
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Friday January 25, 2013
Brian Wilson suffered a season ending injury in April of 2012. He could only scrape together 1 save in 2 opportunities. The Giants wound up winning the World Series even without their star closer.
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
Brian Wilson has been a member of the San Francisco Giants since the summer of 2006. He started off as a reliever, beardless might I add, and gradually made his way up to the closer he is today. Back then he wasn’t the big name player that he is now. Back when they still had the likes of Barry Bonds on the team. Only recently has he made his way to one of the best closers in the league, and one of the craziest.
2010 is when he really made his way onto the scene. Sure, he was an All-Star in 2008 but quite frankly; the Giants weren’t nearly good enough for him to be noticed. San Francisco finished fourth in the NL West with a 72-90 record, a little surprising considering Tim Lincecum won the Cy Young Award. Out of those 72 wins, Wilson saved 41 and got the win in 3 of them.
Best Brian Wilson Interview Of ALL-Time:
Colorado Rockies Roster In 2013: State Of The Union
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Todd Helton has to be the greatest Colorado Rockies player of All-Time. In what could very well be his last season of baseball, can he somehow push the team back into the playoffs?
Ryan Dana (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @ryandana1
The Colorado Rockies finished 2012 with a 64-98 record – just escaping the dreaded 100 loss season. This record was bad enough to not only get them last place in the NL West, but also give them the 3rd worst record in the National League, only better than that of the Cubs and Astros. It was the Rockies worst season to date – and the 1st time in team history they failed to have a Winning Percentage of above .400. After having a season like the Rockies did in 2012, one would hope that the only place to go is up.
The franchise was established in 1993 – and have made the playoffs 3 times (’95, ’07, ’09). All of these were Wild Card births, and in ’07 they won the NL Pennant, before being swept by the Red Sox in the World Series. 2007 was a remarkable season though, as they won 21 of their last 22 regular season games just to get in the playoffs. It was one of the great runs in recent memory, maybe even more impressive than the ’02 Athletics 20 game win streak – since this streak propelled them into the playoffs seemingly out of nowhere. To get back to the playoffs in 2013 might be a little far-fetched considering they are in a division with the reigning World Series Champs (Giants), and a team with a seemingly infinite payroll (Dodgers). It isn’t far-fetched to say they will be better than last year, and could be contenders in the near future.
Carlos Gonzalez Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised:
Billy Beane Found His Catcher in Seattle: John Jaso is Ready to Lead the A’s Back to the Playoffs
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A .372 OBP in 2010. A .394 OBP last season. Can you blame Billy Beane for LOVING John Jaso?
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist, Oakland A’s Correspondent and Website Founder): Follow @Jhacohen
My name is Jonathan Hacohen. And I am a John Jaso fan. There…I have said it. Feels very good to get it out. Ok, so I don’t own any John Jaso t-shirts or jerseys. I wouldn’t recognize him if I hit him with my car. But when #27 (formerly #28 on the Rays) comes up to bat, I know that good things will usually happen. Remember that .372 OBP in 2010? I sure do. So do many Tampa Bay Rays fans. For you see my friends, John Jaso is a special breed of baseball player. He is a catcher with patience. He won’t hit for great pop, but he finds ways to get On Base. That is a skill that served him very well back in his aforementioned first full MLB season.
From that season on, I came to expect great things from Mr. Jaso. But then 2011 hit. Or actually, he didn’t. A .224 AVG with a .298 OBP was good enough for the Rays to dump Jaso on the Mariners for Josh Lueke. Remember him? Do I really have to say more? The Rays, for all the talk of their poor offensive showing and need for major league bats, decided that John Jaso just didn’t fit into their system. So Jaso was off to Seattle and Jose Molina was brought on board. The same Jose Molina who hit .223 last season with a .286 OBP. The same Jose Molina who got paid $1.5 Million last season. John Jaso on the other hand got paid $495,200 last year. What did he do? Only hit .276 with a .394 OBP. Plus a .456 SLG for good measure. His reward? A one-way ticket to Oakland with a 30 second stopover in Washington. The man can’t win. A good or bad season, either way MLB GM haven’t shown faith in this kid so far in his career. But then, most GMs are not Billy Beane. Despite being apparently set at the position for 2013, Beane proceeded to trade for Jaso and dump George Kottaras, to catch with Derek Norris. Beane said on record that he would have kept Kottaras unless Jaso was made available. So does Billy Beane know something that Andrew Friedman, Jack Zduriencik and Mike Rizzo don’t? The answer is yes. Beane knows which players he wants and usually, he will get them at the end. Now John Jaso is set to bring flair, leadership and of course, On Base skills to Oakland. The playoff picture just got much rosier for the A’s.
The Texas Rangers Payroll In 2013 And Contracts Going Forward
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Texas has doubled their total team payroll since the new ownership group took over. As good as they are doing right now for Payroll – the Angels still have them beat by 35-40 Million Dollars.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (MLB Reports Trade Correspondent): Follow @NRoss56
It is easy to equate a big market team’s success with merely a willingness to overspend on free agents and use their superior earning power to dominate the sport. While the Rangers certainly are not afraid of spending all that money that playing the Dallas/Fort Worth area provides, it would be inaccurate to equate the team’s recent string of success with only their ability to outspend a fair portion of their competitors. As we enter the 2013 season, the Rangers have built a very strong base – while managing to not tie themselves to any back-breaking, future altering contracts. That is a testament to the organization’s belief in its system – and its refusal to spend on player just because they are able to. With that being said, let’s take a look at the Rangers 2013 payroll as of now and see where Texas will be spending its money next season.
Rangers 2011 ALCS Clincher:
The 2013 Texas Rangers Roster: State of The Union
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday January 14th, 2013
The Rangers had back to back World Series Appearances in 2010 and 2011 – does this club have another run in them without Josh Hamilton and Michael Young? They regressed in the 2012 Season – losing a 13 Game Division Lead in the AL West before barely capturing a Wild Card Spot. They eventually lost the Play In Wild Card-Game to the Baltimore Orioles.
By Brooke Robinson (Rangers Correspondent): Follow @bka_9
Looking back on the end of the 2012 season, and how the AL West lead was given up in a matter of days to Oakland, it’s clear the Texas front office wanted change in the clubhouse for 2013. It seems as though GM Jon Daniels’ motto for the offseason is “out with the old, in with the new….er”. Daniels is eager to bring a World Series victory to Arlington and has pieced together a team of new players with old postseason successes. There is also a chance that the Rangers will also bring up some of their promising prospects that they protected throughout the offseason trade frenzy. This makes for some very interesting lineup possibilities for the upcoming season, especially with the major roles needing to be filled by former Ranger departures such as 1B/C Mike Napoli, U Michael Young, OF Josh Hamilton, and P Ryan Dempster.
Ian Kinsler Highlights for 2012:
Bartolo Colon: Ready For One More “BIG” Season in Oakland
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Bartolo Colon saw his 2012 season end early due to a PED suspension. He is scheduled to return in April. Does he have one more big year left in the tank?
Jonathan Hacohen (Lead Baseball Columnist, Oakland A’s Correspondent and Website Founder): Follow @Jhacohen
Bartolo Colon (or Fatolo as he is known in inner-baseball circles), is set to make his major league return in April, 2013. Back in August, 2012 Colon received a 50-game suspension for the use of a Performance Enhancing Drug (PED). This suspension came a week after Melky Cabrera received his 50-game ban. With only 5 games left in his suspension, Colon will be back in early-April (health permitting). But as much as fans discuss his performance on the field, Colon’s weight always seems to be the center of attention. Generously listed at 5’11” and 265 lbs. on the Baseball Reference site, Colon won’t be winning modelling contests anytime soon. Billy Beane said it best in Moneyball, when he made it clear to his scouts that the team wasn’t trying to sell jeans. They were trying to win ballgames. Regardless of his weight and appearance, as long as Bartolo Colon can get the job done, I say hand him the ball every 5th game. Babe Ruth wasn’t a small guy, but he sure got the job done. Colon may not have the talent possessed by Ruth, but he can still be effective on most given nights. When baseball has 1-2 pitchers falling to Tommy John surgery on a weekly basis, there is something to be said for a pitcher that can go out there and give his team a good chance of winning. That is the Bartolo Colon that the A’s are hoping for in 2013. With a $3 Million salary this year and approximately $2 Million in incentives to be earned, Colon has all the incentives in place to give the A’s the workhorse they need this upcoming season.
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
St. Louis Cardinals Roster For 2013: State Of The Union
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Wednesday, January.09/2013
The Cardinals have been the most consistent Franchise in the National League, having appeared in 7 of the last 11 NLCS since 2000 (3-4). They have also won 2 World Series in that time (2006 and 2011.) They held a 3-1 NLCS lead over the San Francisco Giants before losing to the 2012 World Champions. They are ready for another great 2013 campaign. The NL Central goes from 6 teams to 5 – with the departed Houston Astros.
By Landen Crouch ( Cardinals Correspondent) Follow @LandenCrouch
The current St. Louis Cardinals roster, set to take them into the 2013 season, has seen little changes from what was a very successful 2012 season. This really is not much of a surprise, though, as the front office has told fans they were not planning to change too much this offseason. After a gut-wrenching offseason a year ago, in which Albert Pujols headed west to the Angels, a quiet offseason really does not seem like such an awful thing. In the upcoming season, the St. Louis Cardinals will be hoping for more of the same from a team that was one win away from a second straight World Series Berth. The Cardinals will look to continue recent success, while filtering in some young prospects in the process.
Game #5 of the NLDS (Comeback win versus the Washington Nationals)
Giants Player Profile: The Return Of Andres Torres in 2013
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Wednesday January 9, 2013
Torres (right) did not enjoy his time as a Met hitting only .230 with a .327 OBP in 132 games. He was done in New York after just one year as they decided not to tender him by the November 30 Deadline – making him a Free Agent.
Kyle Holland (Giants Correspondent): Follow @TheKHolland13
The Giants’ offseason thus far hasn’t been very exciting from most fans point-of-views. They haven’t made any blockbuster moves. Actually they haven’t made any new moves at all. They resigned the second half hero, Marco Scutaro. They resigned Centerfielder Angel Pagan. They also resigned one of their star pitchers in the bullpen Jeremy Affeldt. The 2013 is going to shape up to be essentially the same exact team as the 2012 World Champions. One new addition to the team? He’s a familiar face actually and was on the 2010 World Series Champions team.
On December 13, 2012, the Giants resigned Outfielder Andres Torres. Torres was a key contributor in the 2010 World Series run with a .268 BA and a .343 OBP. He hit (.350 in the NLCS) and .318 in the 2010 World Series,. He was very reliable in the outfield, playing all 3 positions as he had a very impressive .997 Fld% throughout the 2010 campaign.
Andres Torres Triple Against Jon Garland (Padres) 2010:
Torres as a member of the Giants in 2009. He hit for an Average of .253 in his 3 years as a Giant.
After a disappointing 2011 season in San Francisco, the Giants shipped him off to the New York Mets in exchange for Angel Pagan. The deal clearly worked in the Giants favor as Pagan was giant in the World Series run. As he was tearing it up in San Francisco, Torres struggled big time. He hit .230 with a .327 OBP in 132 games. He had a very sub-par season this summer as a part of the Mets.
When the Mets decided not to offer Torres a contract on November 30 – he had plenty of options. Although more than enough teams were showing interest, he displayed his intent to sign with the Giants from day 1.
“No disrespect to [the other teams], but I told my agents that I wanted to play for the Giants. My heart was there. The Giants were the team that gave me an opportunity.”
Torres reportedly signed for the “low” salary of 1 Year/ 2 Million Dollars. He likely got higher offers from other contending teams but San Francisco is where he wanted to participate in 2013.
The playing time is going to be very limited in San Francisco for Torres. The Giants have a set outfield. Blanco in Left Field, Pagan in Center Field, and Pence in Right Field. Torres is likely going to be playing when one of those guys needs an off day. He may also be in the lineup against Left-Handed Pitchers as the Giants have been looking for a Right-Handed Batter, or switch hitter, to replace Blanco.
Torres was a great signing for the Giants because of a few reasons. First, the Giants needed that player to replace Blanco in the lineup. Second, the Giants weren’t looking to spend a large sum of money this offseason. 2 Million Dollars is not a huge amount of money. It’s perfect because Torres knew that he was not going to be making the big bills next year. His disappointing season as a Met basically told him he wasn’t worth a lot of money. Plus he was willing to take any amount of money from the Giants just in order to be a part of the club.
Back through 2009-2011, Torres made himself a fan-favorite among the San Francisco faithful. Instead of signing Shane Victorino for a huge amount of money, they ultimately chose Torres. Fans hate Shane Victorino. For one he’s a dirty player in general. Giants specific fans mostly hate him because of that brawl that happened on August 5, 2011. I went to the game the next day on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I’ve never heard louder boos. I’ve been to Red Sox vs Yankees games and the Sox game against the Rays after Luke Scott made those comments about Fenway Park. Those boos to Victorino were by far the loudest. Giants fans hate this man. There is no doubt they would take a lousy fan favorite over a hated, overrated, and dirty player.
With Torres knowing he wasn’t going to be a starter in 2013 – he just wanted to go where he knows he will have fun playing. There’s not a prayer he starts the majority of the games next year unless injury occurs. He is just happy to have another opportunity to bring home another ring while playing in San Francisco.
Andres Torres (right) strongly expressed his interest in coming back to San Francisco in 2013. He was big in their World Series Championship in 2010 hitting .350 in the NLCS and .318 in the World Series.
(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)
Welcome to our newest Baseball Intern: Kyle Holland:
Kyle is a life long baseball fan outside of Boston. He is a sophomore in high school has played baseball since he was 5. Although growing up in one of the best baseball towns in the major leagues, he has been a Giants fan since 2009. He credits his aunt with the Giants being his favorite team as she lives in San Francisco. Some of his favorite players include Buster Posey, Stephen Drew, Trevor Bauer, Stephen Strasburg, and Minor leaguer Danny Hultzen. You can find Kyle on Twitter Follow @TheKHolland13.
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MLB Player Profile: The Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano
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Sunday, January.06, 2013
Alfonso Soriano has hit 373 Career HRs in 14 Years and has clubbed 164 of them with Chicago over the last 6 years. He is on the 7th Year of an 8 YR/136 Million Dollar Contract. He has made 2 ALL-Star Appearances with the Cubs. The Man also has 270 SB and 836 Extra Base Hits. He should end his Career with over 1000 XBH, which would place him in the top 40 of ALL-Time for that Category.
Alfonso Soriano: Misunderstood, Good, But Never A Fit
Alex Kantecki (Guest Baseball Writer and Cubs Correspondent): Follow @Akantecki
It’s no secret Alfonso Soriano isn’t the most liked player among Cubs fans. Following the 2006 season when then general manager Jim Hendry signed the Outfielder to the largest contract in team history ($136 Million over eight years), fans dreaming of a World Series title pinned their hopes on the unconventional Leadoff hitter that hit 46 HR and stole 41 bases with the Washington Nationals the year before. Soriano did his part and helped lead the Cubs to two straight National League Central titles in 2007 and 2008, but the Cubs were swept away in the Division Series both years. Like his teammates, Soriano struggled to do much of anything in the postseason, collecting three hits in 29 Plate Appearances and failing to score or drive in a single run in six games.
Alfonso Soriano 2012 Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised
The San Francisco Giants 2013 Player Roster: State Of The Union
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Monday December 24, 2012
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern): Follow @TheKHolland13
There’s no question that the San Francisco Giants have been one of the best teams in the MLB in recent years. This includes 2 World Series championships in 2010 and 2012. Without an injury to Buster Posey in 2011, we could be talking about a three-peat right now. 2012 was without a doubt the greater year between 2010 and 2012 making sure they would have a spot in October baseball. In 2010, they cut it close by not clinching the NL West until Game 162. This year, they wasted no time at all as they took out the Dodgers by clinching the Division on September 2nd. When they were in the playoffs, they won won 6 straight elimination games during the NLDS and NLCS, versus the Reds and Cardinals respectively, erasing 2-0 and 3-1 deficits. The Giants then swept Detroit on their way to their second World Series ring in 3 Years.
Now the question all Giants fans are asking: What is needed for the Giants to have the possibility to repeat in 2013?
So far the Giants have done a lot this winter. That all but means you’ll see a different 9 guys on the field opening day. Right now it looks like it may be the same 9 that started game 4 of the World Series. The Giants haven’t really made any changes so far. They have resigned their 2 Major Free Agents, Marco Scutaro and Angel Pagan. They even resigned their major pitching Free Agent, Jeremy Affeldt. Their projected 25 Man Roster is going to be a tough one to take down in the NL West. Even with he Dodgers looking to eclipse the 250 Million Dollar Mark in Payroll, the Giants should still make a push for the Division in 2013
First, let’s look at their starting pitching. It’s not going to change much besides the order. You can expect Matt Cain to be taking the bump when the Giants open up on the road against the Dodgers on April 1st. Cain was their ace in 2012. He led the team in Wins (16) ERA (2.79) and SO (193). He also got the W in-Game #5 of the NLDS, Game 7 of the NLCS, and he started Game 4 of the World Series. His most memorable moment of the 2012 season was a Perfect Game against the Houston Astros on June 14. Read the rest of this entry
The Oakland A’s 2013 Roster Tree Part 2: The Pitchers And Analyzing Mulder, Hudson and Zito Post Oakland
Sunday, Dec.02/2012
A.J Griffin was 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 15 Games Started for the A’s in his 2012 Rookie Season. The A’s will look to the 24 Year old for some Quality Starts in 2013.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Yesterday we talked about the hitters of the Oakland Athletics current roster and today we will talk about their pitching. This has been an organization that has thrived on brilliant drafting of young arms. In the early 2000’s, the team featured three ace pitchers in Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. Billy Beane had to let each of them leave Oakland because they couldn’t pay them the kind of dollars needed to secure them long term. With the exception of this year, Barry Zito has not lived up to his 7 Years and 126 Million Dollar contract he signed with the San Francisco Giants since leaving the Athletics. Despite a 15-8 year for the SF club this past year, he holds a 58-69 (.447) record for San Francisco lifetime with a 4.47 ERA. He was 102-63 (.618) and a 3.55 ERA with the A’s before leaving at the age of 29. The guy made 18.25 Million in his Oakland days and has already pocketed 99 Million with SF.
Mark Mulder never was the same pitcher in the NL and was out of baseball four years after being traded to St. Louis. His A’s career had netted him an 81-42 (.659) record with a 3.92 ERA. He was only 22-18 (.550) and a 5.04 ERA with the Cardinals before retiring. As you will read in this article below, the franchise made a worthy trade in returns for this man. Mulder made 25.3 Million in his contract with the Cardinals after making only 8.4 Million with the A’s.
Tim Hudson on the other hand, has been one of the better pitchers in the NL for the last decade, still towing the hill for the Braves at the age of 38. He was 92-39 (.702) with a 3.30 ERA for the A’s. He has since gone 105-65 with a 3.52 ERA for the Braves in in 8 years. He definitely has been worth the $ invested (84.5 Million plus another 9.0 Million in 2013.) He only made 4.5 Million in his 6 years with Oakland. The sandwich pick they landed for Hudson’s Free Agent signing was Travis Buck. Unfortunately Buck only played 170 games for the franchise, hitting .250 with 18 HRs and 71 RBI in 571 AB.
Total Record for 3 other teams is 185-152 (.549) and they have made 208.8 Million away from Oakland, whereas they were 275-144 (.656) and made a total 33.15 Million Dollars with the Athletics. I would say, Beane made the right decision in not signing them.
The Future of the Oakland A’s: The Mustache Gang Meets the Bash Brothers: Revealing Billy Beane’s Master Plan click here.
For The Oakland A’s 2013 Roster Tree Part 1: The Hitters Click Here
My Experience at AT and T Park
Friday November 30, 2012
Kyle Holland (MLB Reports Intern):
Anyone who has read my bio knows that I’m from one of the best baseball cities in America, Boston. That means I have grown up going to games at Fenway Park, America’s most beloved ballpark. I’ve been to countless Red Sox games, including Derek Lowe’s no-hitter in 2002. I’ve been to the Rogers Centre in Toronto to watch the Sox take on Toronto. As these are absolutely beautiful ballparks, nothing can compare to my trip to San Francisco in August 2011 to see my favorite team the San Francisco Giants play in AT&T Park.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that AT&T Park is the best park in all of baseball. The team, the staff, the food, the view, none of it can be beaten.
I got the experience of going to two games in this beautiful stadium. I got to see it from all angles as I sat on the first base line and upper deck third baseline, perfect view of the McCovey Cove. Read the rest of this entry
Is Anibal Sanchez Worth An Ace-Like Contract?
Monday November 19th, 2012
Anibal Sanchez bolsters a career record of 48-51 (.485), with a Career ERA of 3.75. With a limited number of Free Agent Starting Pitchers on the market, he is likely to command big dollars. Whether or not he is successful in his plight remains to be seen.
Jake Dal Porto: Let’s get something straight—that Anibal Sanchez is not quite an ace. He is a great middle of the rotation arm until he proves otherwise, but with that said, he is still worth ace-esque money. And ace-esque money is what suitors will seemingly be willing to pay him this offseason. Those handful of suitors are a smart bunch.
The longtime Marlin and stellar in-season addition to the Tigers in 2012, has his demands out there, and they are lofty. According to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports, Sanchez is looking for roughly a six-year contract worth $90 million. That ratio would equate to exactly $15 million per year.
Is Sanchez worth an annual salary of $15 million, though? Well, that’s a tough decision. There is a side of Sanchez that’s clearly well deserving of a wealthy salary, but there’s also a side that is, well, not worthy, to say the least. Read the rest of this entry
ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Major Announcement on MLB reports and Melky Cabrera Special Feature
Saturday November 17th, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen:
The World, it is changing. It’s a fact of life, it’s something we can’t avoid. Change is inevitable.
Remember when the Chicago White Sox announced a new management structure? Long time General Manager Kenny Williams was promoted to Executive Vice President, with Rick Hahn being the new GM? We are experiencing a new management similarly here at MLB reports. I have been fortunate for the past couple of years to wear many hats at MLB reports. After founding the site and being the Lead Columnist, I was also the Editor responsible for content, updating the website and social media. I have spoken with many of you on Twitter. Yes, that was me.
So today I am thrilled to announce that MLB reports has now changed that structure. Chuck Booth, Lead Writer for MLB reports will now be taking over my role. Chuck, in addition to his weekly columns, will now be the Editor and looking after our social media. Chuck has been very active behind the scenes on MLB reports for some time and we have decided to evolve our roles. As partners in MLB reports, I have been very fortunate to be able to work side-by-side with a great baseball mind like Chuck Booth. This man is a Guinness World Record Holder, having viewed baseball games in all 30 stadiums in only 23 days. How does he do it? The man is a baseball legend.
Going forward, when you are reading our daily tweets, that will be Chuck. When you converse with MLB reports on Twitter, that will be Chuck. The great baseball articles that come every week from MLB reports? Chuck will be the Editor and responsible for all content on MLB reports. So where does that leave me you ask? I guess you could ask Kenny Williams that same question. While Kenny had the passion to have more time for scouting, I have the same passion for writing. There is much work that goes into being an Editor and social media. While I loved those roles, I ultimately want to spend more time writing. I will also be working behind the scenes, focusing on growing the MLB reports brand. It’s change…and change is good.
Not to worry, you will still be able to find me and converse baseball anytime. I am blowing the dust off my twitter handle @jhacohen – be sure to follow me, say hello and most importantly, let me know that I sent ya!
Now for the next announcement. You didn’t think that was it, did you? I certainly hope that you enjoy this edition of Ask the Reports, as it will be the last one that I will be producing. With hot stove season in full force, Chuck and I have decided to put ATR on hiatus for the offseason to concentrate on other baseball areas. The WBC qualifiers are currently going on, with the tournament itself starting in March. Free agency season has begun (which will the topic of today’s ATR). So please continue to send in your questions, we love to hear from you! While we will continue to write back on our site in the comments section, on our Facebook wall and Twitter, we will say goodbye to ATR for the winter months. This has been a weekly feature that was a baby for me. I loved conversing with each of you and featuring your questions. Thank you for taking the time each of you to sending in your questions, we really appreciate it. We look forward to continuing to talk baseball with all of you 24/7 through social media and our site. Send in those questions people, keep sending them in!
In today’s edition of ATR, I focus on the signing that shook the baseball world. Fresh off their major trade with the Marlins, the Blue Jays announced that they signed free agent outfielder, Melky Cabrera. We all know the story- All-Star Game MVP, batting leader with the San Francisco Giants. Gets busted for PEDs, tries to cover up with a fake website, requests to be removed from the batting leaderboard in the NL, does not play in the 2012 playoffs and wins a World Series ring. The sordid tale of Melky Cabrera. Now for a fresh start, Melky is banished to Canada. Ok, I kid. Heck, Chuck and I are both from Canada! But with less pressure than say New York or Boston, Melky gets a fresh start in 2013. My e-mail box has exploded with your Melky Cabrera questions over the last 24 hours. As a result, I have devoted this week’s ATR to your most popular Melky Cabrera questions. This is our Melky Cabrera Special Feature, ATR edition.
So enough talking- more asking! It’s time for Ask the Reports.
Now let’s get to your top Melky Cabrera questions of the week: Read the rest of this entry
2012 American League and National League Manager of the Year Predictions
Tuesday November 13th, 2012
Jake Dal Porto: While the baseball world has shifted the focus to the hot stove rumors, the main yearly awards are starting to be announced. This year, the manager of the year is very intriguing with several surprise teams making their mark on a memorable MLB season.
Here’s who should win and who will win in both leagues:
National League Manager of the Year Finalists: Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Davey Johnson
Who Should Win: Davey Johnson
Johnson transformed the Nationals into a middle of the pack team to baseball’s best team record wise in the span of a year. That alone, is an impressive feat, but his case goes on. Read the rest of this entry
Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey are Signs of Hope in New York
Sunday, November 4th, 2012
Sam Evans: It has been over a decade since the New York Mets ranked in the top five in the majors in Fielding Independent Pitching. Last year, the Mets had roughly league-average production from their pitching staff and it led to a 74-88 finish. With Citi Field being a pitcher’s park, the Mets are going to need a lot more from their pitching staff in order to be a successful ballclub. Luckily, New York is breeding two very talented young pitchers, both of whom could start for the Mets next season. Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey should provide hope and confidence to the Mets and their fans.
Zack Wheeler is a twenty-two year old right-handed starting pitcher who has yet to pitch in the majors. Wheeler was drafted out of a Georgia high school in the 2009 MLB Amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants. Standing 6’4’’, Wheeler throws a fastball that can reach up to 95 MPH. His arsenal also includes a plus curveball, a changeup and a cutter. Wheeler came over from the Giants organization in the Carlos Beltran trade after one and a half years in the lower minors. In 2012, his first full season with the Mets, Wheeler split time between Double-A and Triple-A. Read the rest of this entry
Jose Valverde: Ready to Rejoin the Houston Astros?
Follow @mlbreports Friday November 2nd, 2012 
Kyle Holland: Although postseason baseball is a wonderful time for baseball fans everywhere, the end of the World Series becomes a devastating time. The start of November means no more major league baseball for almost 5 months. Ironically enough though, some fans love the offseason. They enjoy seeing where some of their favorite players will go and who their favorite team will get.
One prime example of these players during the this 2012-13 offseason is the ex-Detroit Tigers closer, Jose Valverde. He enjoyed great success during the 2011 season closing 49 out of 49 save opportunities. The 2012 season wasn’t nearly as impressive, as Valverde “only” saved 35 games. Then September and the postseason rolled around and he just wasn’t himself. On October 10th in game 4 of the ALDS, Valverde blew a 3-1 lead in the ninth against the Oakland A’s. On October 13th in game 1 of the ALCS, although not a save opportunity, Valverde blew a 4-0 lead against the New York Yankees before being pulled.
Jose Valverde became a free agent on October 30, two days after the Tigers got swept by the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. The Tiger publicly announced they are not going to make an attempt to re-sign Valverde. Now the question becomes: where will Jose Valverde end up for Opening Day 2013? Read the rest of this entry
Baseball’s Best Bullpen: Arizona Diamondbacks
Friday November 2nd, 2012
The Diamondbacks are looking at having an incredibly strong bullpen in 2013.
Alex Mednick (Baseball Writer and Analyst):
In 2011, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a really nice push in the AL West and finished with 94 wins, 8 games ahead of the second place San Francisco Giants. They performed well above expectations, and they did so with a relatively unglamorous starting rotation, that consisted mainly of Ian Kennedy, Joe Saunders, Josh Collmenter, Daniel Hudson and a revolving 5th starter. What really carried the team in 2011 and made the Arizona Diamondbacks a competitive in 2011, happened to be their weakest link in their miserable 2010 season: the bullpen.
The Diamondbacks won 29 more games in 2011 than they did in 2010. The most drastic changes made by the organization were in the bullpen where the D-Back’s added closer J.J. Putz and setup man David Hernandez. The 2011 bullpen allowed 100 fewer runs than their predecessors in 2010 and dropped their group ERA from 5.74 in 2010 to just 3.71 in 2011. It goes without saying that their newly revamped bullpen allowed Arizona to stay close in a lot more games and gave them a better chance to be winners.
Following their great 2011 season, the D-Back’s found themselves reverting back to their former ways in 2012. Finishing 13 games behind the first place Giants, and just barely hanging on to a .500 record, the Diamondback’s finished 81-81. You want to know something interesting? It was their bullpen, once again, that failed. Read the rest of this entry
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