Blog Archives
Who Owned Baseball August 5, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB
Morry Gash – AP
For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.
Jon Gray threw 8 strong innings, striking out 8 Brewers and allowing just 4 hits and 1 run. He did not get the decision but Colorado won 5-4 in extra innings.
Trevor Cahill struck out 10 in 6 innings of shutout ball as the A’s blanked Detroit, 6-0.
Nick Markakis went 4 for 5 with the go ahead 10th inning homer to power the Braves past the Mets, 5-4.
Mark Trumbo homered twice and singled, driving in 5 runs to give the Orioles a rare victory, 9-6 in Texas.
They all owned baseball on August 5, 2018
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball May 28, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB
Boston Herald Staff photo by Christopher Evans
For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.
Andrew Benintendi singled, tripled and homered, driving in 4 to help Boston beat Toronto, 8-3.
Justin Verlander pitched 6 2/3 innings in Yankee Stadium, allowing 1 run and 4 hits and won the 5-1 game for the Astros.
Anthony Rizzo reached base 4 times, homered and drove in 3 as the Cubs shutout the Pirates 7-0.
Gio Gonzalez pitched a shutout into the 8th, finishing with 7 2/3 scoreless frames, striking out 3 Orioles and earning the 6-0 decision for Washington.
They all owned baseball on May 28, 2018
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
Who Owned Baseball May 5, 2018 (Daily #MLB AL/NL Pitcher + Hitter MVP’s) + 2018 #WOB
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
For an explanation of how WOB works, click here.
Chad Bettis threw 7 shutout innings, allowing 6 hits as the Rockies blanked the sinking Mets, 2-0.
Trevor Cahill struck out 12 Orioles over 6 shutout innings setting up the A’s 2-0 extra inning win.
Alen Hanson doubled and homered in the Giants 11-2 thrashing of Atlanta.
Eddie Rosario got 4 hits, including a homer, driving in 5, as the Twins topped the White Sox, 8-4.
They all owned baseball on May 5, 2018
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings, plus see who gained 1/2 WOB’s – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON OR SCROLL DOWN.
How John Hart Is Quickly Fixing The Braves
The Braves acting GM John Hart has traded the entire OF, shed payroll, and tried to stockpile the Minor Leagues with a boatload of prospects – that should coincide with the opening for the new ballpark in 2017. The transformation has been swift and just.
By Jordan Gluck (MLB Reports Writer/Part-Owner): Follow @jgluck777
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
How John Hart is quickly fixing the Braves
When you think of the Atlanta Braves you think of three things:
Their dominant pitching once composed of Hall of Fame trio Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz.
Their former brash manager Bobby Cox.
The face of this franchise since Hank Aaron Chipper Jones.
They were perennially the best team in the NL for about 15 years and they are looking to get back to that especially once their new stadium opens in Cobb County in 2017. Read the rest of this entry
The Oakland A’s Payroll In 2015 + Going Forward: Beane Counting
For the 2015 season, the staff will not cost much more money than this campaign, with the highest monies going to Kazmir ($13 MIL) the Bullpen doesn’t make much money, while only losing Gregerson, and most of the SP are on entry-level deals or 1st year Arbitration. The A’s payroll is slated to be right around $80 MIL in 2015 (down about $10 MIL from 2014), and the club should still be competitive, and if not, they have plenty of assets to trade near the deadline and reload for another run of success.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
MoneyBall 1..MoneyBall 2… So we all have seen the movie or at least read the book – or heard about somebody referencing it all the time on the Baseball airwaves. Beane does it a different way, and he keeps the rest of the landscape second guessing.
This website has been one of the frontrunners of dissecting his moves over the last few years, and have accurately predicted a lot of what would happen with the terms of the club.
As much as the MLB Reports has loved the movements the team has done, we have not picked them to advance in the postseason in any prognostications, but we have continuously marveled on how the GM keeps wheeling and dealing.
Chuck Booth likened him to a “Baseball Rounder”, using a nice analogy from the world of poker.
The A’s GM is the best at creating value to his team but exercising all of the freebies in the league, coupled with knowing how to maneuver when the time is right.
Trading Josh Donaldson may come back to haunt him, but he did receive a plethora of young talented throwers, and perhaps Brett Lawrie will emerge into his talent after all.
Being a “Baseball Rounder” is being the smartest guy in the room, and knowing your opponents moves before even they do.
For a Year to Year Breakdown For all of the A’s players salaries please visit here
How All Of The A’s Pitchers Were Acquired: Lots Of Depth Even For 2015 Without Breaking The Bank!
Part of the lure in acquiring Samardzija was that he had 1 year left of Arbitration. He will likely cost in the $12 – 15 MIL range for 2015. He tops the list of several A’s players that will be ARB eligible in 2015 like Moss, Donaldson, Cook, Parker, Jaso, Reddick and Gentry. While the club is going for it in 2014, their unloading of Cespdes’s $10.5 MIL 2015 salary will be used to pay these guys raises for next year, which should ensure them of another chance to compete for it all.. The Pitching Staff will remain almost intact, with losing just Lester, Hammel and Gregerson, while 12 guys are still under Team control, and 3 more guys with lots of MLB experience are in Sacramento waiting for a callup.
How All Of The A’s Pitchers Were Acquired:
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Billy Beane has assembled quite the Pitching Staff for his 2014 final playoff push despite having both Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin out for the year with Tommy John Surgery.
Sonny Gray, A.J. Griffin and Sean Doolittle (although he was drafted as a hitter) are the only active pitchers on their staff that are homegrown products.
Jon Lester was acquired with Yoenis Cespedes (who signed as an International Free Agent.
Much like the hitters, the ‘Moneyball GM’ has wheeled and dealt until he put together one of the best run prevention teams in the game baseball.
Bringing in Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel cost the team 2 young prospects and Dan Straily, all of whom were team draft picks. Read the rest of this entry
Oakland Athletics Roster In 2014: How All Of The Pitchers Were Acquired
Jarrod Parker is out for the year with Tommy John Surgery. You are talking about a guy that was 25 – 16 with a 3.68 ERA over the last 2 years combined. He has top of the rotation stuff and will be greatly missed. The A’s also had a TJ scare with A.J. Griffin, but it has been downgraded to an elbow strain for now. Parker was traded for by the Athletics in a major package sent to Oakland with Collin Cowgill and Ryan Cook for Starter Trevor Cahill. The club still has Parker and Cahill. While it is bad Parker is out in 2014, he will be back. Cahill has been ineffective for the D’backs in 2014 – with a 9.17 ERA and an MLB leading 4 losses.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
I just finished writing an article about how Billy Beane was smart not to have signed Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson to extensions here.
You really wont find him do this anytime soon with any of his chuckers.
The Scott Kazmir deal is the one he likes to do. It is simple as to why the man operates like this. He doesn’t have to give up any assets in the process.
Beane is a “Baseball Rounder”.
It is not unlike him to do manage 50 – 60 transactions per year. He was won more than he has lost – whether it is Free Agency or trades. His ballclub has the best record in the Majors since the start of play in 2012 – at 200 – 144 (.581 baseball).
We will go through the Pitching First, and then the hitting by the weekend. Read the rest of this entry
The Game Odds Are Posted For Opening Series MLB 2014 in Sydney: Dodgers Vs Dbacks + Picks
Clayton Kershaw gets the nod in Sydney, Australia for the MLB opener. He may also pitch the MLB North American Opener next Sunday in San Diego, before potentially throwing 5 days later for the Dodgers Season Opener. This could mean he Starts 3 of the clubs 6 games. If Greinke follows him in SD, that could mean 5 Starts for these guys in the teams first 8 games, with potentially Ryu also throwing 2 starts in. For those people who don’t think this season starter in Australia could benefit the Dodgers, think again. They could lead the NL West for every day of the 2014 season, and could net 3 wins before anyone in the NL West or MLB in total has their 1st victory.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Chuck Booth gave me this mission to kick of the year writing this article. We both come from a long history of predicting outcomes of games.
Some years we have done well, and some years have not been okay.
It has been researched and studied that Doubleheaders have a high probability of seeing a split for the 2 games.
You throw in the neutral site factor of this series, and all home field advantage is thrown out the window.
Chuck nailed the prediction of what they would put the game odds for the 2 games – based on the Starting Pitchers. Read the rest of this entry
Oakland Athletics State Of The Union: 2014 Preview
When does Beane ever sleep? 56 transactions over the last calendar year, and he may be prepping the phone with another rash of injuries to 60% of his Starting Staff. Beane has at least addressed the teams depth for next 2 – 3 years, and when you look at the salary for their Pitchers, you will be able to detect why. They never overpay on long-term deals for Starters.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
It has been a tough week in Oakland for the Starting Pitching. Jarrod Parker will need Tommy John Surgery and is out for the 2014 year.
A.J. Griffin received better news, but also will be sidelined for the near future with a UCL strain.
To complicate the opening roster even more, Scott Kazmir has Triceps soreness and is currently also on the shelf.
Billy Beane doesn’t seem that worried, as he has Tommy Milone and Jesse Chavez stretched out to work some starts if needed. Read the rest of this entry
The MLB Opens On Saturday With ARI/LAD Playing In Sydney: Opening Series Prediction
The Dodgers open up the year against the DBacks in the MLB Opening Series. For those hardcore home fans, the games start at 1 AM PST and 7 PM PST on Saturday. Look for an article on Friday that will have an in depth look at some of the bets that will be available for this 2 game set. This series does scream a split between the feel of a Doubleheader, and the weirdness of the neutral site and country.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
It should have been Clayton Kershaw vs Patrick Corbin in Game #1, and Zack Greinke and Trevor Cahill in Game #2 in Sydney this Saturday.
While technically it is two different days in Sydney, the games are held at 4:00 AM and 8 PM EST on Saturday Mar.22.
For those brave enough to watch the early game, it is listed as Kershaw vs TBD (MLB.com not listing it, although Miley has been named., and Game #2 is listed as Hyun-jin Ryu vs Trevor Cahill. Read the rest of this entry
Arizona Diamondbacks 2014 Payroll + Contracts Going Forward
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 & Jeff Kleiner (Org Depth + Payroll Expert – find his website here) Follow @prosportsroster
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
The Diamondbacks brass hit a proverbial HR, when they extended Paul Goldschmidt to a 5 YRs/$32 MIL deal prior to the 2013 campaign.
The Then 25 Year Old finished runner up to the NL MVP Voting, and likely would have won it based on his .302/.401/.551 year with an NL leading 36 HRs, 125 RBI, (he also led in Slugging, OPS and Scored 103 Runs.)
Having a franchise player for the next 4 years at such a feasible rate in terms of payroll enables them to do so many things with their salary structure.
The club added Bronson Arroyo (2 YRs, min $23.5 MIL – or 3 YRs/$30 MIL), were able to deal for Mark Trumbo (who entered 1st Year of Arbitration at $4.8 MIL in 2014) and recently signed Reliever Oliver Perez to a modest 2 YRs/$4.25 MIL deal. Read the rest of this entry
The Dodgers On Field Management Should Be Showing As Much Urgency As The D’Backs For The 2014 MLB Opening Series!
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer): Follow @stokes_hunter21
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I started talking about something in my Power Rankings yesterday and it festered with me all day until I decided to expand on the subject a little more today.
As I was listening to XM Radio explain that Kirk Gibson was going to start Patrick Corbin and Trevor Cahill in the 1st 2 games of the MLB Season in Australia, the Dodgers have been quiet to name a starter.
I wrote a few months back, that I would like to have seen them throw Clayton Kershaw for that opener, pitch versus the San Diego Padres a week later, and to conclude with the Dodger Stadium Opener.
We all know now that Zack Greinke won’t even be making the trip due to health concerns.
I understand that one fully, but don’t sit there and tell me that the 2 time NL Cy Young Winner is now going to throw in either of the 1st 2 games. Read the rest of this entry
Arizona Diamondbacks Roster in 2014: State Of The Union
Patrick Corbin pitched like the ace of the staff for Arizona and gave them a chance to win every time he pitched. The DBacks went 23-9 in the games that he started. He used the combination of a good fastball and a devastating slider that confused hitters when they came up to the plate against him. The southpaw won 14 games and pitched over 200 innings in his first full season in the rotation. He struck out 178 batters and only walked 54 with a 1.16 WHIP. Corbin held opposing batters to a .240 average and left-handers only hit .203 against him. He did struggle in the final month, as it looked like he ran out of gas. The rotation for Arizona is promising with him leading the way.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
Follow The MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks had some expectations that the team would play better in 2013 and they made some moves to ensure that this would happen.
However this did not happen, as the team finished for the second consecutive season at 81-81. They ended up finishing second in the National League West division behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.
The Arizona Diamondbacks Players In All Organizational Affiliates, Prospects, Depth Charts, (MLB + MiLB) Fall 2013
The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t have the type of year in 2013 that they had wished for, however the future looks really strong. Aided by a slugging 1st Baseman (Paul Goldschmidt), and great young Staring Pitching like Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin, added with Veterans Miguel Montero, Martin Prado and Aaron Hill, with prospects A.J. Pollock and Adam Eaton being the future core, this team should see some heavy duty improvement from year to year.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports and Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of the better run franchises in the MLB In fact, they are in a constant battle with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, for the best record ALL – Time for an expansion team.
The club has made the playoffs in 5 of its 15 years existence. While they won’t make the Post Season in 2013, they have been competitive for yet another campaign.
One of the best things they could have done was to lock down Paul Goldschmidt to a a lengthy (team friendly contract, that will see the big First Baseman be the pillar behind the offense for the next several seasons.
Kevin Towers and his scouting staff are always on top of the mark for player development, and it will probably result in the team having a chance every year in both the NL West Race and for a Wild Card Birth.
For a Full 3 year Salary Outlook plus last years Stats for every player in the D-Backs Organization click here.
Paul Goldschmidt Highlights 2013
A Preview Of The Dbacks Starting Rotation In 2014
Corbin has been the ace of the rotation since he made his first start of the season for Arizona and has not looked back. If the Dbacks make the postseason, he will be one of the reasons why this happens. The young left-hander leads the team in wins with 13 on the season. He also has a 2.79 ERA in 177.2 inning pitched while just walking 45 batters and striking out 154. He has a WHIP of 1.04 and is limiting batters to a .216 average on the season. Corbin is holding left-handed batters to a batting average of just .180 in 150 at-bats this season. He also knows how to pitch well at Chase Field with him winning eight games at home and having a 1.86 ERA. The youngster is stingy with runners in scoring position, as teams only have a .197 batting average in this situation.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks have had highs and lows this season, and there is still a chance they could make the playoffs. Arizona sits 8 ½ games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West division.
The Dodgers seem like they are running away with the division title, but Arizona still has seven games left against them in September to narrow the gap and put some pressure on them.
Patrick Corbin 2013 Highlights
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (August.24th) – Updated Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Photo: J. Meric – Getty Images
Evan Longoria smacked a go ahead RBI single in the 6th and added a home run in the 8th, leading the Rays in a come from behind victory over the Yankees, 4-2.
Jon Lester dominated the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine, pitching shutout ball into the 8th. Eventually he gave way to the bullpen but finished with an impressive 7 1/3, 1 run, 3 hit performance and got the decision in the Red Sox 4-2 win.
Carlos Beltran helped slug the Cardinals back into a first place tie by collecting three hits including a tie breaking home run in the third and an RBI single in the 8th. St. Louis would beat Atlanta, 6-2
Trevor Cahill gave the Diamondbacks 4 innings of shutout ball out of the bullpen on a night where he was supposed to have the night off. Instead he entered a game critical for Arizona’s thin playoff hopes in the 15th inning and proceeded to keep the Phillies off of the board, despite having the winning run at the plate for every batter he faced in the 15th, 16th and 17th innings. Eventually Philadelphia ran out of pitchers. But Cahill was triumphant as Arizona outlasted the Phils, 12-7 in 18 innings.
They all owned baseball on August 24, 2013.
My explanation for “Who Owns Baseball” can be found here.
At the end of the year, we will tally up who owned baseball the most individual days and see how it compares to the final MVP and Cy Young vote.
To view the Yearly Leaders for Who Owned Baseball Standings – Click the READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY ICON
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To View The List of just the nightly winners (WOB dedicated Page) starting from Mar.31/2013 – today click here Read the rest of this entry
Dbacks’ Make Move At Trade Deadline To Improve Their Bullpen
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Joe Thatcher was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks on the last day of the Trade Deadline. This acquisition makes their bullpen stronger with having a pitcher that can get lefties out on a consistent basis. He has 2.10 ERA in 30 innings pitched this season, while only giving three HRs, and walking four batters. He has a WHIP of 1.06 and has struck out 29 batters. He is holding the opposing batters to a .243 average this season, while holding left-handed batters to a .215 average. Thatcher is very good with runners in scoring position as well, by holding teams to a batting average of .121 in this situation. He does not throw hard with a fastball that sits in the mid 80s and a sweeping slider. He has held lefty batters to a 209./.269/.586 triple-slash in 344 career at-bats.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks were the kings of the National League West division for most of this season, and that’s not saying much. That division is not what you would call competitive, with only two teams that have a record over. 500.
Arizona was able to maintain their lead in large part because the Los Angeles Dodgers were dealing with numerous injuries.Then once the Dodgers had key players healthy, Los Angeles started to play better.
Paul Goldschmidt 2013 Highlights – Parental Guidance Is Advised
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Targets For The Trade Deadline
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Patrick Corbin has been the ace of the Diamondbacks rotation this season, and Arizona is 15-2 in his starts this season. Corbin did suffer his first defeat this season, but he received almost no run support in this start and his previous five starts. Corbin has 2.49 ERA with a WHIP of 1.01 with 89 strikeouts in 115 innings pitched this season. He is holding opposing batters to a .209 average this season, and lefties are only hitting .140 against him this season. Corbin is especially tough when runners are in scoring position, as the opposition is only hitting .194. He is ranked 7th in the NL with a WAR of 3.0 for pitchers.
By Chris Lacey (Lead Baseball Columnist/Minority Website Owner) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks are the leaders in the National League West, and normally when a team leads a division they are considered the strongest or the best team in that division.
This is not the case with Arizona; they are one game over.500 at 42-41 and have lost five straight games. They are could be the weakest first place team in baseball.
Paul Goldschmidt Highlights- So Parental Guidance Is Advised
The Billy Beane Way Of Contracts + His Trade History Since MoneyBall!
Wednesday July.03, 2013
Updated January.05, 2014
Updated July.05, 2014 for Samardzija deal link
Beane Spins Magic Again In World Series Quest: Picks Up Samardzija + Hammel For Straily + Prospects
Updated July 31, 2014 for Trade Deadline deals.
Beane Acquires Lester + Gomes For Cespedes: Then Acquires Fuld For Millone
Updated Aug 8, 2014 for Hitters Roster Tree
How All Of The A’s Hitters Were Acquired: 2014 Roster Tree Shows Incredible Beane Trading Record
Beane does his transactions throughout the entire year – and very little at the deadline. He is never finished with re-arranging his franchise. Perhaps his best Trade Deadline deal was to acquire Jermaine Dye in 2001. Conversely, he had to pay Dye a big FA contract afterwards (3 YRs/$30 MIL). Between he and Eric Chavez’s deal, (6 YR/$66 MIL deal) Beane learned not to be burned on long term contracts. He is a big fan of 1 – 2 Year Deals with Veterans. A lot of his players have not fared as well when they have left the organization. Even the guys that have, simply cost too much money for the A’s liking. The Oakland team received the same kind of production from them for a small percentage of the salary paid out.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter: Follow @mlbreports
We have talked a ton about Billy Beane‘s genius way on the website. The Website founder ‘Jonathan Hacohen’ was one of the first baseball writers to uncover the new Beane strategy last year.
I further studied some of his brilliant work – by figuring out the current roster tree for all of the current team last November. I was able to pick up a lot more patterns from his work as a GM.
Arizona Diamondbacks: How Good Can Their Rotation Become?
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Wade Miley finsihed 2nd in the NL Rookie of the Year in 2012. Now he is part of a young formidable Starting Rotation that features Patrick Corbin and Tyler Skaggs. Only a few years ago, the club had a trio set of Starters that looked front line. One guy never played again (Webb) – while Haren was traded for 4 prospects. Arizona picked up Corbin and Skaggs in that trade for Haren by way of Los Angeles. Randy Johnson was the 3rd member and soon retired.
Jake Dal Porto (Baseball Writer) Follow @TheJakeMan24
The Arizona Diamondbacks aren’t generally known for pitching, specifically starting pitching, but a trio of young southpaws could remove that reputation.
Of course, I’m talking about Wade Miley, Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin. All three are under the age of 26, and none of them sport more than three years of experience at the major league level.
Miley boasts the most experience of the three with a little less than 1.5 years under his belt. Corbin has made 27 career starts (32 games), and Skaggs made six starts last year and one so far this year. At 21, he’s the youngest and perhaps most intriguing of the bunch.
So, we’re talking about three pitchers that are affordable and under Arizona’s terms through 2018. By that time, the scope of Arizona’s rotation could be entirely different. Trades are never out of the question, but for the present, the Diamondbacks’ future from a pitching standpoint surely looks brighter than it’s been in recent years.
Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – May 1, 2013
I recorded The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast at the Willie Mays statue in front of AT&T Park in San Francisco. There was no Giants game. I just felt like going there.
I talked about the transition from April to May in baseball and wondered what being in first place at the end of April means.
Edwin Encarncion, Justin Verlander, Rickie Weeks and Jaime Garcia owned baseball on April 30, 2013.
To see the up to date tally of “Who Owns Baseball?,” click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.
Patrick Corbin’s Confidence Creates Success For Arizona’s Starting Rotation
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The Arizona Diamondbacks have great tandem in the 4th and 5th slots in their rotation.Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin have been as reliable as you can get with pitchers that are in the bottom part of their rotation.The two pitchers are undefeated this season – and look to be part of the future for Arizona. They provide some depth to the rotation.
By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks knew that their starting rotation was going to be a strength for the club this season, but there are two pitchers who have performed better than they were expected to. The front-end of the Starting Rotation includes; Ian Kennedy, Trevor Cahill, and Brandon McCarthy.
They have pitched good, but not great in their starts this season. These 3 Starters were expected to carry the rotation, and help Arizona reclaim the NL West Division Title. The three pitchers that Arizona has in the front part of their rotation have under-performed in their starts this season.
Diamondbacks’ Wade Miley Tells A Joke On Intentional Talk. Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance Is Advised
Athletics 8 Game Win Streak Is Nothing New To Pattern Formed Since Last Year
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Oakland Athletics’ Jed Lowrie has made Billy Beane look like a genius once again – with clubbing 16 hits, (8 of the Extra Base Variety), Scoring 10 Runs and Walking 6 times so far in the teams 8 – 2 start. He has an OPS of 1.258. He was acquired from the Houston Astros in a February trade which sent Chris Carter the other way. The man can play several defensive positions well. He is due for Arbitration at the end of this season, before becoming a Free Agent in 2015. Beane doesn’t seem to make a bad move these days.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Hands up.. How many people would have thought that the Oakland Athletics would start the 2013 season with the best record in the Major Leagues so far?
Of course this website is not surprised at all. Jonathan Hacohen (Website Founder and current Oakland A’s Correspondent) wrote a brilliant piece in the 1st week of July/2012 – breaking down Billy Beane‘s new MoneyBall Philosophy here.
I have to admit something right now.. I had not seen the movie “MoneyBall” even by this time. Yes…brutal and I was kicking myself for not seeing it before hand.
After the movie, I did some digging and was extremely flabbergasted with what I found about Beane’s magic. I wrote a Roster Tree for the Hitters and Pitchers in the organization. I studied every single transaction to back track how each of the current member of the team had arrived in an Oakland uniform. You can find that 2 part series here.
Can the Oakland A’s Do it Again in 2013 Preview:
Oakland A’s Player Roster in 2013: State Of The Union Part 2: The Pitchers
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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 for the 24 Year old for some Quality Starts in 2013. The former University of San Diego Pitcher yielded a 1.13 WHIP during his time last year. As the teams #4 Starting Pitcher on the depth chart, Griffin should be able to see some favorable matchups in 2013. If he throws like 2012 again in 2013, he might very pole vault to being the ace of the rotation. We may have another 3 – 4 staff that contend for the AL Cy Young like the days of Hudson, Mulder and Zito.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Billy Beane has always recycled his great starting pitchers once they hit the experience level that he could not pay them for. His new crop of pitchers include Jarrod Parker, Brett Anderson, Tommy Milone and new Starter A.J. Griffin.
They also are bringing back Bartolo Colon for the 2013 season, despite taking a 50 game suspension for PED use last year. Billy Beane is a master tactician on assessing a players worth and especially pitchers. Just like the hitters, the pitchers are all mostly in the 25-30 Age bracket. He has a quality set of controllable relief pitchers in the barn to close out games too.
A.J. Griffin at University of San Diego:
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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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?
Arizona DiamondBacks Payroll In 2013: And Contracts Going Forward
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Follow @mlbreportsThursday, February.14, 2013
Arizona have won 5 Division Titles in just 15 years of existence – including winning the World Series in 2001. The franchise consistently is rated as one of the top rated front office organizations – and routinely rank as the most fan-friendly team in the MLB. The Franchise is 2nd amongst Expansion Clubs for Winning Percentage (.498) behind the Angels (.499.) The DBacks are only 10 games below .500 for their ALL-Time record (1210-1220). Will they be able to compete with the Dodgers and Giants in future years by increasing Payroll?
By Chris Lacey (Diamond Backs Correspondent) Follow @aecanada12
The Diamondbacks finished the 2012 season with disappointment as they struggled to get over .500 for much of the season. They lost the last game of the season to the Rockies that summed up what happened during the year. When they got good starting pitching, the defense would make a costly mistake, and then the offense would struggle to score any runs. The Diamondbacks enter the 2013 camaign with plenty of new faces on the club.
General Manager Kevin Towers has changed the makeup of this team these past two off-seasons. He has put an emphasis on players who can make consistent contact, rather than hitting the long ball. The Dbacks GM is always looking to improve upon the bullpen. He did this by taking a risk on Heath Bell who had a bad year with the Marlins, but Towers believes a change of scenery will help. Towers not only brought in bullpen help, but also signed some key players’ to long-term contracts that will aid the team to not only contend now, but for the future.
2011 DiamondBacks Post Season Highlights. Lyrics May Contain mature content so Parental Guidance is advised:
Braves Selling Low on Hanson and Jurrjens: Moneyball Ain’t Alive in Atlanta People
Monday December 3rd, 2012
I was thinking back this week to one of my fave articles from this past year. Being an admirer of the Oakland A’s methods of building a ball team and the “Moneyball Movement”, this past July I published a Billy Beane article – focusing on the modern Moneyball movement. Back in 2011, many critics were quick to jump on Beane and the A’s, mocking the A’s GM and the release of the movie Moneyball. Panned as a historical piece, Beane was viewed as a dinosaur. His methods outdated. The rest of the baseball world had caught on to his sly ways and overtook him. I refused to buy into it and was unwilling to write-off Beane. But nobody, not even the A’s GM himself saw was to come in 2012. We know how the season went down- the A’s slipped in as the AL West champs and make a good run in the playoffs. Nobody was laughing anymore and Beane went from hack back to genius overnight. While in my last article I focused on Beane’s construction of a young and talented lineup, most analysts view Beane’s success in terms of being able to flip pitchers at their peak. Billy Beane is a master of this art and it has led to much success in Oakland. Compare this now to Atlanta, which has essentially lost Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens for almost nothing. Not the Billy Beane way of doing business- and now the Braves will be paying the price. 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
The Oakland A’s 2013 Roster Tree Part 1: The Hitters
Saturday, Dec.01/2012
How important was Cespedes to The A’s Lineup in 2012? They went 82-47 with him in the lineup and 12-21 without him. He was the biggest reason the team soared into the playoff race and won the AL East. Beane secured him in Free Agency before the start of last year. He is signed for 3 more years at 9 Million Dollars Per Year.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
A few months ago, our Lead Columnist/Website Founder (Jonathan Hacohen) wrote a brilliant piece about the assembly of the Oakland Athletics roster. He called it “MoneyBall 2.” Right after the piece, the A’s surged to the greatest record in the second half of the season and won the AL West. The team is now constructed of power hitters and power pitchers. The man behind it all is Billy Beane. I will not get into too much of this philosophy as you can read that piece here. What I intend to do is to show the roster of how it was comprised by Beane in the form of a roster tree. It is just like a family tree, however this shows trades dating back 2,3,4,5,6 fold etc.. in order to show you the mastery of the GM’s ability to field a roster on a limited budget.
The Future of the Oakland A’s: The Mustache Gang Meets the Bash Brothers: Revealing Billy Beane’s Master Plan click here.
The Oakland A’s 2013 Roster Tree Part 2: The Pitchers click here.
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