Blog Archives
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (May.27) – Updated MLB Yearly ‘WOB’ Standings
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Lance Lynn threw a complete game 5 hit shutout, dominating the Yankees 6-0 in St. Louis.
Andre Ethier homered and hit a three run triple, leading the Dodgers past the Reds 6-3.
Collin McHugh won a tense pitchers duel by throwing 7 scoreless innings, striking out 9 Royals and walking none as the Astros won 3-0.
Adam Lind kept the torrid bats alive for Toronto, going 3-5 with a homer and 2 RBI in the 9-6 slugfest against Tampa.
They owned baseball on May.27, 2014.
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.
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
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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
2 And A Hook Podcast #16: 2014 MLB Preview + Predictions – Over/Unders + Post Season + Opening Series in Sydney
’2 And A Hook’ is an expression from Baseball: ‘Throw the guy 2 Fast balls and then a Hook’ (AKA Curve Ball, Wiggly one, Chair etc..)
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024 & TBWS Podcast Host James Acevedo Follow @yankeeman1973
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
WE ARE BACK!! On this podcast I have on the owner & head writer of www.mlbreports.com, Chuck Booth as we go over first the Australian series to start the 2014 MLB season with a double header with the Dodgers & the Diamondbacks!!
Then we go over each division in the American League & the National League with our division predictions!!
But not only do we do that but we also give our wild card & championship series predictions for both leagues!!
Plus we gave our World Series & World series winner predictions to put the cherry on this baseball podcast sundae.
so go check it out baseball fans & SPREAD THE WORD!!! Thank you all for your continuous support!!! 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
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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
Arizona May Have To Rethink Their Team Salary In The NL West With High Spending LA + SF
The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t have the type of year in 2013 that they had wished for, however the future looks really strong. Aided by a slugging 1st Baseman (Paul Goldschmidt), and great young Staring Pitching like Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin, added with Veterans Miguel Montero, Martin Prado and Aaron Hill, with prospects A.J. Pollock and Adam Eaton being the future core, this team should see some heavy duty improvement from year to year. Having said this, they compete with the two most expensive payrolls in the NL – in their Division with the Dodgers and Giants.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow MLB Reports On Twitter Follow @mlbreports
Chase Field is a pretty cool ballpark. The Diamondbacks have been often voted as one of the better organizations in the MLB for how they treat their fanbases for guest services, value and overall baseball experiences.
While the D’Backs finished in 14th for NL Attendance this year, they cracked the 2 Million fan barrier for the 15th straight year since entering the league.
Over the last 8 years, the team has kept comfortably between 2.0 MIL and 2.5 MIL.
Back in the first few seasons of MLB in the desert, the franchise was drawing well over 3 Million fans..
Paul Goldschmidt 2013 Highlights
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
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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
MLB 30 Team Power Rankings: Week 21
42 – 8, 25 – 3, 19 – 1, 10 wins in a row. These are all significant numbers put up with a team with deep pockets, the ability to outdraw everyone for park attendance, and owners willing to do whatever it takes to bring home the 1st World Series Title since 1988. No one can touch these guys right now. Best 3 Starters in the NL and hottest 2 NL Hitters in Puig and Ramirez. Oh yeah, the Bullpen has been lights out for the last 50 contests!
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports
It is time for the MLB Power Rankings. These are based on my thoughts on whether who has the best chance to win the World Series.
A lot of these positions are based on who has the toughest Strength of Schedule left, who their competition is for the Division, and possibly even the League they are in,
The races for the Divisions (AL East, AL West and NL Central are starting to tighten up, while the NL West, AL Central and most notably NL East are looking to be foregone conclusions
The Braves have rattled of a 18 – 3 stretch, and have been ousted by the Dodgers for the #1 spot in the MLB Rankings .
The Rangers are trying to ricochet off of a couple of great deals, in order to flame down the Oakland Athletics.
Who Owned Baseball Yesterday (July 6th) – Updated Yearly “WOB” Standings
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Torii Hunter just missed the cycle, doubling, tripling and homering and driving in three runs in the Tigers’ 9-4 win over the Indians.
Andrelton Simmons also just missed hitting for the cycle. He singled, tripled and homered and scored three, leading the Braves in a 13-4 thrashing of the Phillies.
Wade Miley pitched 8 strong innings, letting up only 5 hits and 1 run, getting the victory for the Diamondbacks, 11-1 over the Rockies.
Matt Moore pitched shutout ball into the 7th, setting up Tampa Bay’s 3-0 win over the White Sox.
They all owned baseball on July 6th, 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
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Have Potential Ace In 2013 MLB Draft Pick Braden Shipley
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Braden Shipley is a right-hander from the University Of Nevada. He was taken with the 15th pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2013 First Year Player Draft. This also makes him the highest pick in any sport in Wolf Pack history. He has a great fastball that tops out at 98 mph, to go along with an improving curve ball, and a plus change up. He went 7-3 with a 2.77 ERA while striking out 102 batters in 107 2/3 innings this season for Nevada. He has the potential to be a future ace for the Diamondbacks. Arizona also believes that because he has only been pitching full time for a couple of seasons, there is more room for growth than most college pitchers.
By Chris Lacey (Featured Baseball Columnist) Follow @aecanada12
Arizona Diamondbacks have one of the deepest farm systems in all of baseball, in terms of quality arms. They have Patrick Corbin pitching great for them this season, and Tyler Skaggs has already made two starts for them.
There is another pitcher they have in Archie Bradley, who is pitching lights out for Double-A Mobile and could be an ace for them in the rotation.
Pack Profiles – Braden Shipley – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is Advised
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.
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
Arizona Diamondbacks Third Week In Review
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The Arizona Diamondbacks got off to a great start at 8-4, but have recently cooled off. They have struggled on offense in key situations late in ballgames. They are ale also missing some key members from their line up. The team has also encountered some hot teams and one of the tougher schedules in terms of playing team with winning records thus far. Arizona is 2 – 1 vs STL, 3 – 0 vs MIL, 1 – 2 vs PIT, 1 – 2 vs NYY and 1 – 2 vs the Colorado Rockies. All of these teams have a +.500 record. The only team is the LA Dodgers (who they are 2 – 1 against this year, 8 – 10 overall – and were above .500 when they played them.) The DBacks sit in 3rd in the NL West, 3 Games Behind the Colorado Rockies heading into play Monday night.
By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks started off the season great by going 8-4 in their first 12 games. They were going to face a challenge in the third week of the season by staring a nine game road trip.
They were going to face The New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, and San Francisco Giants. These three teams each represent a different degree of difficulty for Arizona.
The Yankees can score plenty of runs in short time frame because of their ability to hit HRs. The Rockies have a lineup that is strong top to bottom. The Giants have a great bullpen with an offense that is improving each game.
Arizona Diamondbacks 2013 Intro Video. Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance Is Advised:
Arizona Diamondbacks First Week in Review
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The Diamondbacks have started the 2013 season off great at 5 – 2 – including a great kickoff series versus the St . Louis Cardinals at home – before sauntering into Milwaukee and brutalizing that club for a 3 game stanza. The Starting Pitching looks a lit like it did in 2011 – and the Bullpen has been good in playing at two hitter friendly parks thus far for full series. They club has received contributions from everyone in their line up. The biggest impacts have been by Gerardo Parra, Martin Prado, and Paul Goldschmidt. The team lost the opener of the 3 game series vs Pittsburgh last night 5 – 3.
By Chris Lacey (Baseball Writer) Follow @aecanada12
The Arizona Diamondbacks had a very good start to their 2013 baseball season. The Diamondbacks have managed to start the season 5-1, and they are tied for first in the National League West division with the Colorado Rockies.
The Diamondbacks just finished a series sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. This is also the first time they have swept their opening road series in team history.
The Brewers did not have Ryan Braun play at all in the series, and the Brewers slugging Third Baseman Aramis Ramirez was injured in the first game. The Brewers still played very well without their two best offensive players unavailable.
2011 NL West Champion Arizona Diamondbacks. Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance Is Advised:
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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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:
2012 AL and NL Rookie of the Year Predictions
Sunday November 11th, 2012
Sam Evans: Even though it may seem as if all of baseball is already focused on 2013, some of the major awards for the 2012 MLB Regular Season have yet to be announced. The AL and NL Rookie of the Year awards will be announced on Monday. Bryce Harper, Wade Miley and Todd Frazier are the finalists for the National League. Mike Trout, Yoenis Cespedes and Yu Darvish are the last three in the American League. I predict that Bryce Harper and Mike Trout will be the two players rewarded for their outstanding rookie seasons by taking home the hardware. Read the rest of this entry
The Case for Bryce Harper as the 2012 National League ROY
Friday September 21st, 2012
Sam Evans: Bryce Harper is two years removed from high school and he is a young leader on a team leading the competitive N.L. East. Baseball has never seen a high school prospect draw as much attention that Harper got yet somehow, he has managed to live up to the hype at every level he’s faced. As with any rookie, Harper has had struggles. What has impressed me the most about him is how he responded to those slumps. Harper has a 181 wRC+ in the month of September and he is showing no signs of slowing up. For these reasons and others, I believe Bryce Harper deserves to be the National Rookie of the Year. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Reports Monthly Power Rankings: September 2012
Monday, September.3/2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer): Follow @chuckbooth3024 To say that this year has been a good year for baseball is an humongous understatement. I thought after last years finish, that nothing was going to duplicate the experience. Everyone forgets (or maybe not) that there should not even have been many races last year with Atlanta and Boston having such substantial leads on playoff spots. The Red Sox and Braves collapsed like a couple of bowling pins with King Kong Bundy splashing down on them!
This year, there are 15 teams still vying for 10 playoff spots. So far the only probable locks are Washington for a playoff spot-and Cincinnati to probably win their division The player races for all of the categories is almost as fascinating. Will Andrew McCutcheon catch Melky Cabrera for the Batting title? Or will 2012 be forever cemented in baseball folklore by a stained player like Cabrera? He could still end up determining who wins the World Series in the Fall Classic by his Testosterone filled antics in his MVP ALL-Star Game. The big question is, will the San Francisco Giants fans cheer for him if he comes back in the playoffs? They cheered for another league leader before when it was obvious he was guilty. Right now if you are the Giants, you will take an opportunity to boo or cheer for Cabrera because that means you would be in the playoffs.
Will the spending happy Dodgers have to wait another year to capitalize on their new plan to make the playoffs? If they ultimately miss the playoffs outright, are they going to buy every player they can in the off-season? I sure hope Magic knows that there are Luxury Tax penalties for spending over 178 Million Next Year. 1st year fine is 22.5%, 2nd year is 30%, 3rd year and beyond is 40%. So if they plan on having a 250 Million Dollar Payroll in 2013 (by adding 2 or 3 more top Free Agents) will the Dodgers just forego the worry of any financial penalties on a yearly basis– just to dominate the whole National League (plus baseball for that matter.) Every other team has to consider the urgency in cashing out a World Series right now while the Dodgers have not had a full off season with the new management yet. Can Oakland and their ‘New Money Ball philosophy’ make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2006?
The Best Players over the last month were: Buster Posey, Prince Fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Yovani Gallardo, Kris Medlen, Adam Wainwright, Aroldis Chapman and Felix Hernandez. The best teams have been Oakland, Washington, San Francisco, San Diego, Baltimore and Texas. The worst teams have been Houston (at least its better to go down hard and stockpile #1 Draft Picks guys.) I have a feeling you will be there for a while with the division you are heading into and may even challenge the 120 Loss Single Season Record. At least you are not going into the NL West to compete with the LA Dodgers! The Cleveland Indians have fallen to an epic drop-off as well. Toronto misses their top sluggers. What has happened to the Minnesota Twins? The Mets have ownership and payroll problems, so at least they have an excuse. Plus they lead the world in guys being hurt. When David Wright has been your healthiest player, you know the season has been backwards! So sit back, get your notebook and popcorn ready for this Month’s Rankings! Read the rest of this entry
Weekly 6-Pack MLB Prospects: Hot/Cold Sheet – Week of August 13TH
Monday August 13th, 2012
Codey Harrison: This is the second installment of the weekly prospect hot/cold sheet. We will feature 3 prospects that are on fire, and 3 prospects that are ice-cold. Our list of players will only include those who are still prospect eligible (less than 130 MLB at bats, less than 50 innings pitched at the MLB level). Featured players are generally players who are highly regarded amongst the minors and are regarded as legit prospects. This week’s hottest player goes to Arizona Diamondbacks LHP Tyler Skaggs who has posted a 1.70 ERA in 8 AAA starts.
HOT PROSPECTS:
Tyler Skaggs LHP Diamondbacks – The prize prospect in the trade that sent Dan Haren to the Angels, Tyler Skaggs has been dominant in his 2 season in the Diamondbacks organization, especially of late with AAA Reno. Skaggs has the kind of stuff scouts drool over, 3 pitches that grade out from above average to plus, to compliment his above average command. In Skaggs’ last 3 starts, he has gone 20 innings, allowing 2 runs on 11 hits, with a very impressive 25 strikeouts to only 7 walks. Tyler Skaggs is considered the best southpaw of the loaded Dbacks pitching prospects entering 2012 (Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Patrick Corbin, Wade Miley). Read the rest of this entry
Will the Arizona Diamondbacks Win the NL West?
Monday August 6th, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Diamondbacks fans spoke out about our last piece on the Dodgers and Giants, so here’s one devoted just to the Dbacks. After last year’s run when they dethroned the world champion Giants, Arizona was poised for something similar this season. In the offseason, they acquired Trevor Cahill from the A’s. He provided some extra depth in the already-strong pitching staff that included Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, and Joe Saunders. With Cahill, Justin Upton, Chris Young, Aaron Hill, and offseason signing Jason Kubel, the Diamondbacks were ready to defend their NL West title.
Arizona however, started off a bit slow. Daniel Hudson needed Tommy John Surgery and Stephen Drew wasn’t quite ready to come off the DL. Catcher Miguel Montero went into a slump and Chris Young—after a hot start—was headed to the DL. While all of this was happening, the Dodgers were absolutely on fire. Matt Kemp was already on the fast track to winning MVP, and the team was in first place by a nice margin. The Giants were doing well too. With no competition from the Padres, the D-Backs were in third place. As the season went along, Matt Kemp was sidelined by a hamstring injury and the Dodgers faltered. The Giants kept pace and ended up passing the Dodgers to take first place. Meanwhile, the D-Backs rebounded and stayed in contention. At the All Star Break, the Dodgers led the West by half a game over the Giants and by four games over Arizona. The standings haven’t changed drastically over time, as now the Giants lead by half a game over the Dodgers and by three over the Diamondbacks.
In The Year of The Rookie: Who’s For Real? Comparing MLB Prospects and Suspects in Fantasy Baseball
Monday July 30th, 2012
Peter Stein: 2012 truly has been the year of the rookie.
With all of this new talent and many surprises, it most likely means that there is a lot of parity amongst fantasy leagues. This is great. But the question you must ask moving forward: which players can actually sustain this level of play? Remember that last year, the entire buzz was around Eric Hosmer, whose sophomore campaign (.232/9/42) indicates that he might actually need some time in AAA. Don’t forget about Jason Heyward’s disappointing encore after his breakout rookie campaign too. And didn’t we all write of Anthony Rizzo after he was completely over matched by major league pitching in 2011?
Amazingly, Yoenis Cespedes has produced a stat line of .305/14/54 and 8 SB through 69 games played and has no shot of winning rookie of the year. That honor will belong to Mike Trout – .350/16/49 and 31 SB in 79 total games. A plethora of other rookies are mashing too, including Rizzo (.941 OPS), Todd Frazier (.857 OPS), Will Middlebrooks (.848 OPS), and Matt Carpenter (.836 OPS). Not included in this list is Bryce Harper, who is already a dynamic fantasy option at the age of nineteen. Read the rest of this entry
Do the Diamondbacks Have a Strong Enough Rotation to Win the NL West?
Wednesday January 11th, 2012
Sam Evans: Last year, the Diamondbacks came out of nowhere and won 94 games. This was thanks mostly in part to their offense. But having three pitchers throw over two hundred innings each didn’t hurt. This offseason, the Dbacks gave up some of their premium minor league talent to acquire Trevor Cahill, who should prove to be another solid pitcher in their rotation.
Last year, Arizona’s best pitcher was Ian Kennedy. He had a breakout year, finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young voting. Kennedy had a 3.22 FIP, 2.88 ERA, and was worth a 5.0 WAR. Kennedy has turned into an ace ever since coming over from the Yankees in 2010. If Kennedy can turn in another workhorse season, the Diamondbacks will have their first All-Star pitcher since Dan Haren in 2009.
Daniel Hudson deserves almost as much credit as Kennedy for the Dbacks success. Hudson was worth a 4.9 WAR in 2011, and was better than his 3.49 ERA suggested. Another Dbacks pitcher who has less than two years of throwing two hundred innings is going to be heavily relied upon in 2012.
On December 9th, Arizona traded top prospect Jarrod Parker, outfielder Collin Cowgill, and reliever Ryan Cook for Trevor Cahill, Craig Breslow, and cash considerations. The Dbacks will probably come out on top in this trade. Jarrod Parker is going to be a stud for the A’s, but he still has some developing to do. Arizona acquired a front of the line starter, who brings much-needed consistency to the Diamondbacks rotation.
If the Diamonbacks have an area to improve in 2012, it’s their league worst GB% ( 41.9%). Cahill will already be a big boost to that, as he brings his 55.9 GB% from 2011.
After Josh Collmenter had pitched only 36.1 innings last season, he had garnered a following of non-believers. They said that once Collmenter faced the team for a second time, his effectiveness would disappear. Part of this opinion was probably formed because Collmenter was never a top prospect, yet was making the prospect experts look silly. Collmenter proved the haters wrong, finishing with a 3.38 ERA in 154 innings. This just goes to show that we can’t be right about prospects all the time.
In 2012, Collmenter will have a bigger workload and higher expectations. But if he proved anything last year, it’s that he’s up for a challenge.
The fifth starting spot for the Diamondbacks is still unknown. The Dbacks could bring in a free agent like Hiroki Kuroda or Jeff Francis. They also have some organizational options such as Wade Miley, who started seven games last year, or even 2011 first-rounder Trevor Bauer, who seems to be major league ready.
All of the Dbacks top three starters have come in through trades. With pitchers like Tyler Skaggs and Trevor Bauer on their way to the majors, it looks like the Dbacks are starting to find homegrown talent as well.
I would say that the Dbacks rotation is second in the N.L. West only to the Giants. With a far superior offense than the Giants, it looks like Arizona has a pretty good chance of being able to win their division again in 2012.
**Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Sam Evans. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Sam on Twitter***
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