Saturday July 28th, 2012
(Image Courtesy of Businessinsider.com)
Brendan Henderson: If you’re a baseball fan, you have heard the name Yoenis Cespedes. Recently, you have been hearing A LOT about his team, the Oakland Athletics. Just how much has Yoenis Cespedes helped the A’s this year and especially as of late? That is what I’m going to analyze below. Read the rest of this entry
Monday July 23, 2012
With only one World Series Win and a 2003 Loss to the Florida Marlins, it hasn’t stopped the Yankees from raking in wins every year. They have averaged 95 wins a season since 2003.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- This weeks installment is actually a top 11. I bent the rules a little to accommodate the A’s. It is hard to maintain a great franchise in today’s Major Leagues. Sure the heavy hitters like New York and Boston will always be sniffing around the top of the league with their huge payrolls, but most teams don’t have the luxury to spend like these two teams do because of their limited revenue streams. In the last few years, the Phillies, Angels and Tigers have entered the echelon of top spenders. Spending money doesn’t always equal great results. The Texas Rangers have only had success lately and were often victim to heavy payrolls and not great results. How many years did Peter Angelos try to buy a contender with Baltimore? He has dedicated himself back to the right way of building a team the last couple of years and it has worked through player development.
Minnesota and Oakland have been run incredibly well for a long time. If this list was for a five-year stretch, you would have seen the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the top 10. These are the small market teams that have been consistently playing well against the big boys. The Twins have only faded back in the standings in the last couple of seasons. The Atlanta Braves finally had their consecutive playoff years stopped in 2005 and they were only mediocre for a few seasons. Right now, they might be the best team in the National League. The Angels, Twins, Dodgers, Athletics, Dodgers and Braves did not make any World Series appearances since 2003. Out of these teams, the Angels have the most wins.
According to the movie ‘The Natural,’ losing is a disease, and like other diseases, (insert disease here) it is curable. Most of these teams have not even struggled in the last 10 years. The Yankees have only won one World Series in this time frame, despite dominating the win total every year. In fact, the last time the Yankees has a losing season was 1991. The Cardinals and the Red Sox both have won 2 World Series, and the Cardinals are the only team to have appeared in the Fall Classic 3 times during this stretch. Read the rest of this entry
Sunday July 22nd, 2012
By Patrick Languzzi (Guest Baseball Writer):
As we embark on baseball’s most exciting weekend, the eyes of baseball fans everywhere will be on Cooperstown, NY for the induction of Barry Larkin and Ron Santo into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Larkin was elected through the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) and Santo via the Veterans Committee after falling off the ballot in 1998.
The Veterans committee consists of 16 members made up of veteran media members, executives and current members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For a player to be elected, they must receive 75 percent or 12 of 16 votes.
But there’s another player that I’ll take a special interest in come the winter meetings of 2013. That’s when the Expansion Era ballot (Veterans) finalists are announced. It’s also when former Red Sox great Dwight “Dewey” Evans becomes eligible again. Evans fell off the BBWAA ballot back in 1999. Now his chance to shine comes up again very soon. Read the rest of this entry
Thursday July 19th, 2012
John Burns: The 2012 season for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim looks like it might be getting saved by a 20 year-old named Mike Trout. The L.A. Angels had a record of 6-14 before they called Trout up from Triple-A, and has a 44-27 record since the call up of Trout. Mike Trout leads the A.L. and is 3rd in baseball with a .353 batting average and is tied with Dee Gordon for the MLB lead in stolen bases with 30. Trout is almost a lock for the A.L. Rookie of the Year. But if he keeps this up and leads L.A. to the playoffs, he could be the A.L. MVP. Read the rest of this entry
Wednesday July.11, 2012
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- There is only so much one can read in an article, otherwise I would make these lists up from the turn of the 20th century. If you gave me enough time as a reader, I promise to backdate this topic with another article featuring the best teams dating back further in years. Eventually, all of the years may be dissected and we can have a healthy debate on some of my selections. I really started watching baseball in the early 1980’s. As I became older and discovered ways to research the history of the game, my knowledge and curious mind grew for more information. I have studied and read baseball stat books and breezed through the odd Bill James novel. If I ever take a break from writing or baseball park chasing, I may find some time down the road to watch the 9 part PBS documentary that Ken Burns did on baseball’s history.
Baseball lends itself more to the history than any other sport because of how it has been chronicled throughout their past. Writers, announcers, former players, parents etc.. have always carried on with the stories of America’s favorite pastime. I will never be sold that NFL is the greatest pastime in sports right now. NFL is the greatest gambling sport presently. It is my firm belief that the only reason why the NFL draws in more cash from its sport is because of the gambling factor. If you took that aspect out of it, I believe baseball is the #1 sport. Can you imagine how much attention we would pay to baseball if there were only a 16 game schedule? Enough with that rant, let’s get down to the list. Who were the best teams at any specific time period for the last 32 years? We will start with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1980-1983. Read the rest of this entry
Monday July.9, 2012
The Yankees pay at the rate of +190 to win the American League and +375 to win the World Series. They are actually the 2nd favorite in the MLB for both to Texas. These odds are not flattering to throw any money down on either team.
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024)- I thought we would try a different top ten today with the ALL-Star Break here today. This morning I did some research on the odds of what http://www.bet365.com thinks will happen for the rest of the MLB Year based on their gambling futures. Gambling is an increasing industry like no other entity in the world. The NFL is better suited for ‘punters’ to throw down some bucks at Vegas. They have only one game a week and the gambling experts think that baseball is easier for the bad teams to beat the good teams. I will tell you as one of these ‘so called experts’, they are completely right. The worst teams in baseball usually can still beat the best teams 1 out of 3 games in a series. This makes normal gambling for a regular season game really hard to make any money, or minimize losses. I do think that betting who makes the playoffs and who wins it all has some good value picks.
Y0u have to search for the value in anything. I never like to play the #1 favorites of each league because they simply don’t pay enough of an odd. Right now, Bet365.com has the Texas Rangers at +175 to win the AL, or The Yankees at +190. I love these two teams to probably represent the AL in the World Series, however these odds are not good at all. As I list all of the odds for each league first, then the World Series, I will make some notes up. I have two teams in the NL that I have already wagered with and I am coming up roses on them so far. It is time for Gambling 101. Read the rest of this entry
Monday July.02/2012
Gary Sheffield hit 30 HRs and 120 RBI in both 2004 and 2005 for the Yankees before injuries held him to just 39 games in 2006. Sheffield also hit 40+HRs on 5 other teams (per stay) besides the Bronx Bombers in his career. –Photo courtesy of exposay.com
Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- As the world of Twitter and Facebook has invaded the internet these days, I am brainstorming about all sorts of stats I have had in my head for years. This stat came to my head because of Gary Sheffield. A few years back, I watched a game on my birthday at Safeco Field. It was the New York Yankees and Sheffield visiting. There are players that you are sure to watch live in person. Gary Sheffield was one of these hitters. Not only is he one of 25 player in history to hit 500 HRs, but he had one of the fiercest swings ever. The man would wiggle that bat back and forth like a toothpick before striding and swinging with daunting ferocity. It was an unorthodox style that must have made Little League coaches cringe, yet it was effective. Sheffield was a bit of a hot head though, this may have led to him being traded or not re-signed by several teams. Hitting 40 HRs for 6 different teams is definitely impressive and may never be duplicated. I knew he had played on several teams already so the seed of today’s article was planted back in 2005.
Fred McGriff was the exact opposite of Gary Sheffield when it came to temperament. This man was traded several times in his career because he could flat-out hit. Jose Canseco is the only other player besides McGriff and Sheffield to hit 40 HRs with 5 different teams. The reason many older players are not on this list is because free agency never arrived in the MLB until the early 70’s when Curt Flood challenged a trade and the Players Union saw it through. Now player movement has enabled more players switching teams each season than ever before. Rusty Staub was the 1st to make this list and Alfonso Soriano is the last player to make this list and the only current player left. I have a feeling we will see more players arrive on this list in the next 25 years.
Wednesday June.27/2012
Note from Chuck Booth: I am attempting to bring the history for each of the 30 MLB Franchises into a 5 part series that will focus on 1. The teams history. 2. The hitters 3. The pitchers. 4. The Team’s Payroll going into in 2013 and 5. (The stadium articles will all be done next summer when I go to all of the parks in under a month again.) To follow all of the updates, be sure to check my author page with a list of all archived articles here.
Drafted in 1985 by the Montreal Expos, Randy Johnson was erratic in his early days. After trading away Mark Langston to acquire the young fireballer, the Mariners worked him into the rotation and he developed into a Hall of Famer.
Chuck Booth (Baseball Writer and @chuckbooth3024 on twitter)- When looking back at some of the pitchers that the Montreal Expos have had in their organization, you don’t have go down the list very far to find Randy Johnson. He is the ‘crown jewel’ of the draft history record for the club. It is unfortunate the ‘The Big Unit’ was traded to the Seattle Mariners with Brian Holman and Gene Harris to the Mariners for rental player Mark Langston and a player to be named later. To be fair to the Montreal Expos, they were in serious contention for the pennant in 1989 and were trying to chase down the Chicago Cubs. Langston was one of the top Left Handed Aces in the Majors and he was available. Johnson was completely wild in the Minor Leagues and the Expos had a lot of veteran pitchers like Dennis Martinez and Bryn Smith that were on the back end of their careers. The time to try and win was now and they could not wait for Johnson to come around. The Expos did not succeed in capturing the pennant and Langston moved onto the California Angels as a free agent while Johnson blossomed into the premier left handed pitcher in his generation. Speaking of Martinez and Smith, they won 100 and 81 games respectively for the club. While they were not drafted by the Expos, they are 2nd and 3rd on the all-time win list.
Along with Smith and Dennis Martinez (who threw a perfect game as an Expo in 1991 and note: Bill Stoneman also threw two no-hitters for the franchise), you have to factor in the career of Pedro Martinez as an Expo for guys that were great pitchers during their prime. Pedro was acquired prior to the 1994 season from the Dodgers in exchange for the Expos departed ALL-Star second baseman Delino DeShields. Martinez went 11-5 in the strike shortened year and formed an impressive 1-2 ace combination with Ken Hill. Pedro went onto a 55-33 record and a 3.06 ERA for his 4 year Expos career. Pedro’s best year with the club was 1997 where he was the NL CY Young with a 17-8 record and a 1.90 ERA. Martinez finished the year with 305 strikeouts and a ridiculous 13 complete games. Pedro ended up signing with the Boston Red Sox before the 1998 season and he ultimately won a World Series with the Beantowners in 2004. In his post game celebration, Martinez mentioned the Expos franchise and their fans. Pedro shared his triumph as a testament to them. It was talent like this that Expos could never afford to resign and would lose outright- or have to trade for prospects based on their economic viability. I will get more into this in Part 3 of the Article Series on Friday.
For Part 1 of the Article Series, The Hitters: click here
For Part 3 of the Article Series, The Demise: click here
For Part 4 of the Article Series, The Washington Nationals Franchise 2005-2012: click here
For Part 5 of the Article Series, The Nats Best 25 Man Roster 2005-2012 click here
Saturday May 5th, 2012
Playing in his 14th season in the major leagues the White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski is the guy other teams love to hate for his particular brand of competition, but they obviously like having him around on the South Side. He is a 2x American League All-Star that played a vital role in the 2005 World Series Championship.
Despite his reputation of being Public Enemy No. 1, Pierzynski is only hungry to win. This reputation only applies to his on field play but off the field A.J. is “not what people think.”
Ten-year-old Haley Smilow had a chance to sit down with A.J. before a game and talk baseball, but discovered the White Sox catcher is one of the most genuine, honest and appreciative guys playing baseball today. He is just a regular guy who likes to have fun and doesn’t like the cold weather.
Haley: My family went to several games at Kauffman Stadium, Target Field and Camden Yards along with stops at Miller Park, Wrigley and Busch Stadium last summer, do you have a favorite ballpark and why?
AJ: Seattle Mariners Safeco Field would have to be one of my favorites, it is a good field to play ball on and the retractable roof makes it possible to play ball in any weather conditions.
Haley: Is there a ballpark where you feel you always play well other than US Cellular Field?
AJ: I don’t know, I think I play well at Wrigley and at Safeco and not so well at Fenway for some reason. Read the rest of this entry
Monday April 9th, 2012
Ryan Ritchey (MLB reports Intern): This coming June, Barry Larkin will be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. This is a special day for all the Cincinnati fans throughout the world. As a young kid, I grew up idolizing Barry Larkin and always wanted to be like him. Now as an 18-year-old, I am going to see my favorite player of all time go into the Hall of Fame. Many people idolize the home run hitters, but for me it was about his hustle and heart to make the big plays when he needed to.
Larkin, as a young man growing up in Cincinnati was a huge Reds fan. Graduating from Moeller High School and being drafted by the Reds in the second round, he had a huge decision to make. He was also offered baseball and football scholarships to the University of Michigan. He decided to take his talents to Michigan and only focus on baseball. Playing three seasons with the Wolverines was all he needed to be drafted 4th overall by his hometown team the Cincinnati Reds. Read the rest of this entry
Wednesday March 14th, 2012
Sam Evans: Tony La Russa and Joe Torre were two of most successful managers of all time. They combined for over five thousand managerial wins, and there is no chance either manager won’t make the Hall-of-Fame. Two years ago, Torre retired, and after the Cardinals World Series championship in 2011, La Russa called it quits as well. Join me as we look back at the careers of two of the best managers the game of baseball has ever seen. (more…)
Saturday March 10th, 2012
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: Today’s featured guest on MLB reports needs no introduction. But he is still getting one anyways! Chad Moeller was a catcher for seven teams over eleven MLB seasons. The man won a World Series and hit for the cycle. Few players can say that. To say that Chad has lived the dream would be an understatement.
Here is a rundown of Chad’s baseball bio:
Born: Upland, California
College: University of Southern California – Majored in Economics
1st Team All Pac Ten in 1996.
College World Series 1995
Professional:
Drafted and Signed with the Minnesota Twins in 96 (7th Round)
Major League Debut in 2000 (Twins)
Arizona Diamondbacks 2001-03
Milwaukee Brewers 2004-2006
Cincinnati Reds 2007
Los Angeles Dodgers 2007
New York Yankees in 2008
Baltimore Orioles in 2009
New York Yankees in 2010
Individual Accomplishments:
Caught in over 500 major league games
Hit for the Cycle in 2004
Catcher for Randy Johnson 2002-2003
Caught Randy Johnson’s 16 strike out game
Caught Ben Sheets’ 18 strike out game
Played in the Big Leagues for 11 seasons
Played professional baseball for 16 seasons
Member of 2001 AZ Diamondbacks World Series Team
Resides: Scottsdale, Arizona since 2001
(courtesy of Chad Moeller Baseball, via chadmoellerbaseball.com) Read the rest of this entry
Sunday February 5th, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@gmail.com, message us on Twitter and post on our Facebook Wall!
Let’s get to your top questions of the week:
Q: I know you are a Jays fan. What’s your opinion on Joey Bats? How can he go from 15 HRs to leading the league 2 years in a row? Joe
JH: I am??!! I have been accused of many things, but a Jays supporter is not one of them. Being based in Toronto, many people naturally assume that I am a Jays fan. Plus we have many Jays readers and followers, so their team often comes up in conversation. Here is the scoop on many Jays fandom. If you have to categorize me a particular “team fan”, then the Tigers will be that pick. Only since AA has taken over the team have I been excited about the Jays prospects. JP did a masterful job of destroying the Jays farm system and creating a mediocre Jays squad for years. AA has swooped in and created a team that looks like they are on the verge of contention for years to come. I am a fan of the game overall (obviously). I like what the Jays are doing and see a bright future ahead…and that’s all I have to say about that.
As far as your Jose Bautista question, I see where you are going with it. Here are my thoughts. Back in August 2008, I was horrified when the Jays traded Robinson Diaz for Bautista. A young catcher with upside for a limited utility player? No thanks I said. From there, I was mortified when Bautista proceeded to become the home run king. I have heard the whispers of steroids/HGH/PEDs and how Bautista became a star overnight. I also heard the talk that Cito Gaston fixed his swing and got him to become more aggressive instead of swinging late. I think the latter, rather than the former are true. With drug testing in full swing, I would like to think that Bautista would have been caught had he been “juicing”. Can I guarantee? Absolute not, considering the Braun scandal. Some players do figure it out late in life and Jose Bautista appears to be one of the lucky few. Unfortunately, our cynical society does not allow us to be 100% confident in many of our modern athletes, with the amount of PEDs that have apparently flowed in the game. I would like to believe in Bautista. I really do. Let’s stick with the ‘innocent until proven guilty’ mentality and give him his due. Unless proven otherwise, Jose Bautista figured it out and turned into one of the best all-around players in the game. I am prepared to give credit where credit is due.
Q: Arbitration hearings have started. Is there a count of how many have been heard, how many left to hear and winners/losers? Old Man Mack
JH: A shout-out to the final people over at MLB Trade Rumors, as Tim, Ben and the gang do some fine work in providing the latest transactions in the world of baseball. If you haven’t visited it already, they have a dedicated page called Arbitration Tracker which will answer all your arbitration questions. You will be able to see all the figures submitted by both players and teams, the mid-point and the award amounts. By my count there are still 19 players left with scheduled arbitration cases (who could still settle beforehand). I have seen 2 cases heard and the players are 0-2 (Lannan and Niemann both lost their cases). A fascinating process, in my opinion most of these cases should be settled before arbitration. Likely a lot of hard feelings can be achieved but little else from going through arbitration. But budgets are budgets and money is money. Welcome the business side of baseball.
Q: Is Brett Lawrie in the top 100 (fantasy players)? Forrest
JH: Now that is interesting. Hmmmm….is Brett Lawrie a top-100 fantasy baseball right now? My answer off the cuff is…no. Maybe one day. But not today. Reason? There are thirty MLB teams. I can think of the top of my head at least 3-4 players per team that are better than Lawrie in fantasy terms right now. Don’t get me wrong, Lawrie is a stud. He is good and will get better. But we only have a very small sample size for him thus far in the big leagues. With his blazing start in 2011, you have to expect a bit of regression this year. It’s called the “sophomore jinx”. Will Lawrie fall victim? Maybe. Possibly. It also depends on your league. Lawrie to me is a strong player to have in a keeper league, while being less valuable in a non-keeper league. Right this minute, I would rather have players like Youkilis, Verlander, Fielder, Halladay, Rivera, Strasburg, Cabrera, Avila, Choo, Gallardo, Weaver, Haren, Mauer, Hernandez…and the list goes on. Lawrie is not far off and would make my top 120 or 130. Give him another year and you could be seeing a top 50 player…or higher!
Q: Do you think the Miami Marlins will Contend in the NL East this upcoming Season? Marty
JH: Contend- yes. Win- no. The Marlins are definitely improved, no doubt. But they have not done enough in my mind to take them over the top. The Phillies are still the team to beat, with the Braves being close behind. The Nationals? With their improved rotation, I would be very nervous about them. Reyes will bring excitement and Buehrle/Zambrano will help stabilize the rotation and Bell solid as the closer. But I just see some of the other teams being too strong. At best, I see the Marlins in 2nd place. But at worst? A 4th place finish. They are still missing a big bat and need all their key players to stay healthy. Too many if’s for my liking.
ATR: Who will enjoy being stretched out in 2012: Feliz, Sale, or Chapman? Justin
JH: Looking at the crystal ball, I am seeing clear visions. Neftali Feliz and Chris Sale are both headed back to the bullpens by June at the latest. Both have enjoyed success in the bullpen and I can see each being ok but not great starters. They could develop over time, with the White Sox having more patience than the Rangers. But in a sport with a “win now” mentality, both will be relievers if they cannot succeed early on. Chapman on the other hand, I am seeing a different vision. With Ryan Madson entrenched as the closer, I can see Chapman being needed more in the rotation. With his stuff, he would be a very dangerous starter if he could learn some control. That could come sooner rather than later, as early as 2012. At the very least, Chapman could be a fine 4th or 5th starter. He will go 5-6 innings per start and rack up a ton of K’s. So yes to Chapman, no to Feliz and Sale right now. Especially Feliz- as he will turn one day (if he hasn’t already) into a Papelbon lock-down closer. But if the Rangers aren’t careful, they could be hurting his long-term growth if they continue this see-saw back and forth like the Mariners did with Brandon Morrow some years ago.
Q: Who do you think will be in the World Series? Ethan
JH: I was discussing this with a reader the other day. He predicted the Dbacks and Tigers. I have to like those picks. If I had to look at the top-4 teams, I am seeing the Tigers/Angels in the AL and Reds/Dbacks in the NL. The Yankees, Rays and Rangers will still be strong, as will the Red Sox. The Phillies, Cards, Brewers and Giants will provide a challenge in the NL. But I can’t get over the look to the Angels and I am sensing good things coming out of Anaheim this year. The Dbacks look very powerful and have built a team that will contend for the next several years. But the Reds are a strong force and manager Dusty Baker should be able to get the most out of that squad this year. I would like to say Tigers and Dbacks as well- that would be my heart pick. But looking at the crystal ball, I am seeing Angels and Reds right now. I can’t say why. The crystal ball says what it says. If it changes in picture, I will let you know.
Q: What do the Nats gain from banning Phillies fans??? Tammy
JH: If this is not THE dumbest thing I have ever heard, it definitely comes close. For those that are not familiar, the Nationals are trying to block Philadelphia fans from buying tickets to Phillies/Nats games by curbing where you reside when buying single game seats. Silly. Silly. Silly. Firstly, the Nats have enough of an attendance problem as it is, so they certainly should not be limiting ticket sales. Secondly, by discouraging Phillies fans at the stadium, it will create a hatred type mentality for those fans that do make the games. Baseball is about the love of the game. Rather than discouraging certain fans, the Nats should encourage all fans to buy tickets to their park. This new idea will have the effect of creating a bitter rivalry between the two teams every time they play in Washington, which might actually be a good thing. But the issues and conflict that it could create in the stands between opposing fans is a negative one. Let’s not forget what recently happened between Dodgers and Giants fans when hatred becomes spread. People can become injured or even yet, have a risk of life. Let’s spread baseball love- not hatred people.
Q: Are the Tigers done? And not will they do this or not, but your thoughts on Jeff Francis for Detroit’s lefty problem? J Raddy
JH: They are not done. The Tigers are never done. With the addition of Prince Fielder, the Tigers are even more serious World Series contenders in 2012, despite the loss of V-Mart. When you have Verlander and Fister in the rotation, Avila behind the plate and Cabrera/Prince in the heart of the lineup- you are going to be winning a ton of baseball games. Jeff Francis, or a Francis type pitcher is not the answer. Firstly, he was already signed by the Reds. But secondly, too many question marks surround him. If the Tigers can score a true #3, like Roy Owalt- they will be unstoppable (if they aren’t already). The more likely scenario is the team going with what they have, with a tweak or two. Turner could be the #5 if he has a strong spring, with the club picking up a Fister type pitcher at the deadline. If no Oswalt, the Tigers could sign 1-2 veteran pitchers to minor league contracts and invite them to spring training. Near the end of spring, come cut time, they could then pick someone up to start the year. Dombrowski is a smart guy and knows what he doing. By the time October rolls around, don’t expect the exact same Tigers roster that you see today.
Q: Realignment 2013 Proposal: Dennis
al east nyy, bost , tap b, Miami. and balt
al central detr . min, chic w, torn, and clevel
al west tex, oak, sea, laa, and houst
nl east phil, atl, nym, wash, and pitts
nl central milw, stl, cin, chic c, and kann
nl west arz, sd, sf, col, and lad
play 4 divisional teams 18 games each and other 10 league teams 7 games each and one divisional of the league 4 games each. would only need to play 2, 2 games series in interleague play against the same team home and away all other series would be 3 or 4 games series. Only houst , kann, and miami would change leagues, and only Pittsburgh and Toronto would change divisions.
JH: Very ambitious my friend. Very ambitious indeed. I prepared an article on MLB realignment back in May 2011 that you should check out. I caught a ton of flack for it, but many people have a tough time with change. It is interesting the route that you have gone. Currently, only the Astros are moving (to the AL West), with the rest of the teams staying put. I agree that the current divisional alignments don’t work and need a shakeup. Ultimately, I would like to have 2 more expansions, bringing the total amount of teams to 32. I think only upon expansion will you see a true realignment in baseball. It’s not that I don’t like your plan- it has merits. But I am not sure geographically and with team rivalries why some of the changes would be implemented. KC and St. Louis in the same division is a no-brainer, as is Miami and Tampa Bay. We can definitely agree that more realignment is needed, but perhaps a shift in the number of divisions or the format on playoff seeding needs to shift as well. For now, we will have to live with Houston in the AL West in 2013 with 2 more likely added Wild Card teams for now.
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Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen) Follow @mlbreports
Saturday January 28, 2012
Jonathan Hacohen: On Thursday it became official. January 26, 2012 will forever be known as the day that Prince Fielder came home. We all know the story. Hitting home runs out of Tiger Stadium at the age of 12, Prince Fielder was a baseball legend from a very tender age. The former Brewers slugger hit the jackpot though, as the Tigers inked him to a 9-year, $214 million contract. At the age of 27, Prince already has 230 career home runs. Think about that one. Six full seasons in the big leagues. Close to forty home runs average per year. A man who has taken 100+ walks each of the last three years. Career .282 AVG. .390 OBP. .540 SLG. Plus he is still 27-years of age. The time in a player’s life when they are just entering their prime. If Prince has not hit his full stride yet…then watch out American League pitchers!
For a homecoming that seemed forever in doubt, the end result was a signing that felt right. Given the strained relationship between father and son, most suspected that Prince would not want to come to Detroit. The connections and comparisons to his dad would just be too much for him to handle. For a man who seemed to be very private and low-key, a Detroit signing seemed to contradict what he was seeking. But yesterday, Prince’s childhood dream did come true. Father and son according to reports are repairing their relationship. While it would have been nice to have seen Cecil at today’s press conference, it was not to be. Once Victor Martinez got injured, the Tigers came calling. Mike Ilitch, who knew Prince from when he was a young boy, wanted the young slugger in Detroit. After missing Prince by 1 selection in the 2002 draft, Ilitch was not going to let Prince escape again. The result was the cleanup hitter behind Miguel Cabrera that the team has dreamed of and the lifetime contract of security that Fielder and his agent, Scott Boras sought.
With a contract of this magnitude, there will always be debates, speculation and doubt. To help shed some light and clear up the confusion, I went ahead and prepared my top-ten list of reasons why the Prince Fielder Contract will work in Detroit.
I see this as a very smart signing by the Tigers and here are my reasons why:
1) Health and Durability: In six full seasons, Prince has missed a total of thirteen games. That’s it. For all the talk of weight, this is the modern-day Cal Ripken. Prince is a lot stronger and athletic than people give him credit for. Some consider a contract to be paid based on past experiences, while some believe it should be on future potential. In five years, Prince will only be 32. Based on his track history, it is expected that he should continue his iron-man type legacy for at least half of his contract…maybe more. Until proven otherwise, Prince is reliable and comes to the park to play everyday. There is value in durability, especially in a slugger of this magnitude.
2) The Power Bat: As shown earlier, the numbers are there. Averaging close to 40 home runs per year for his first six seasons. With more to come. Looking at his home/road splits over the years, he varied year to year. I am not sold that Prince was entirely dependant on Miller Park, as he hit well most years away from home. While Comerica is a less hitter friendly park, it surely will not hold Prince back much. Playing in front of the home town crowd, Prince should thrive in Detroit as well. Prince could very well hit 400+ home runs over the next 9-years. Time will tell. But from what he has shown so far, there is no slowing down. Heck, even Cecil hit 17 home runs in his last season at the age of 35. Clearly it can be done.
3) Age: Prince will be 28 in May 2012. For a power hitter of his stature, we should still see 5-6 prime years from him, with the potential to put up strong numbers right up until the end of the contract. While many stars still sign big contracts well into their 30’s, Prince is still in the prime of his life. Compared to Albert Pujols (even without the age uncertainty), Prince is a young slugger playing in his key years. Perfect for a team that plans to make a playoff runs for the next few years.
4) Consistency: Look at Prince’s numbers every year since he started to play full-time in the majors. The numbers speak for themselves, he has been as consistent as they come with no signs of slowing down.
5) Legacy: Many felt Prince would not sign with the Tigers, with the rationale that he wanted nothing to do with his father and to as separated from him as possible. My theory is that Prince actually craves the notion of going onto his father’s turf and breaking all of his records. To become the #1 Fielder in Tigers’ history. The Fielder name on the back of a Tigers jersey is legendary. To have Prince in Detroit now, he will be cementing his place in major league history. Success in Detroit will lead to endorsements beyond Prince’s wild imagination and a greater chance at the hall of fame. Not many people would have remembered Washington once Prince retired, had he played there. But after his career is done in Detroit, few will likely remember him as a Brewer. That is how powerful the Detroit and Fielder connection is.
6) Father and Son: If you haven’t done it already, check out the video at the top of this article to view the full press conference. Notice something interesting? Prince has his son with him the whole time. Remind you of anyone? That’s right. Prince and Cecil. The two were inseparable. I like this signing on a personal level for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it allows Prince to come home and play for the team and city that he spent much of his childhood with. Prince will be able to share the same experiences with his own son that he got to experience as a youngster. But mostly, I can only see this move as a strong indication of the progress and repair to the relationship between Prince and his own father. Considering that his dad raised him, taught him the game and made him into the player and man that he is today, in a perfect world it would have been a beautiful moment to see Prince and Cecil together at the Tigers’ press conference. While that may not have happened, I expect to see the day when the two will be hanging out together at Comerica Park. Three generations of Fielders in Detroit. The way it was meant to be.
7) Miguel Cabrera: Probably the only person happier about this signing besides Prince, Scott Boras and Cecil, would be Miguel Cabrera. While he did enjoy good protection in the lineup from Martinez last year and Ordonez in previous years, having Prince hit behind him will take Miggy to another level. Miggy’s walks have been jumping like mad in the last couple years, given that he has been the Tigers main offensive threat and fave choice of pitchers to pitch around. With Fielder in Detroit, Miggy has the potential to put up even greater numbers if that is possible. Look at what Prince did for Braun. With Miggy and Prince batting 3-4, teams will definitely have difficult choices to make.
8) V-Mart and Alex Avila: Avila, who will turn 25 tomorrow (happy birthday Alex!) had a season for the ages in 2011. The Tigers pitchers were on fire and loved how he called games. Blocked pitches. Threw out runners. Then there was the offense. .389 OBP. .506 SLG. 19 home runs. 82 RBIs. If he wasn’t the best catcher in baseball, he was at the very least top three. This was all done for the most part batting near the bottom of the Tigers lineup. Now imagine him batting 2nd next year. Batting in front of Miggy and Prince, Avila could have a .450 OBP or higher. Avila, like much of the Tigers hitters will greatly improve by having Prince in the lineup. Then come 2013, when V-Mart is in the lineup, the Tigers lineup will become nearly unstoppable. Miggy, Prince, Avila and V-Mart…all in the same lineup? I am practically drooling.
9) The Price is Right: Once upon a time, Vernon Wells signed a 7-year $126 million contract. Approximately $18 million per season. Jayson Werth with nearly the same deal. Pujols signed for 10 years $240 million. Pujols is also 32 (in Dominican years). Even if he is only 32, when Pujols turns 36 he will only be 5 years into his deal. At age 36, Prince will be done his. Werth will be 38 when his deal is done. Wells will be 36. The point is that there are many worse contracts out there. Compared to Wells and Werth, Prince is younger and far more consistent and productive. While Pujols is Pujols, you have to feel a bit edgy about his chances of completing his monster deal. Prince is a slugger and still has many more key years left. Considering what some of the other top contracts looked like, Prince money is not far off to what the elite are supposed to receive. At least in the case of Prince, compared to Werth and Wells, he had the track record to earn what he received. Relatively to the other “stars” I mean.
10) World Series: The Detroit Tigers of 2006 and 2011 really stick out in my mind. Two ballclubs that really needed an injection of runs to get over the hump. Especially last year’s edition. The squad had Verlander and Fister to start, with Valverde and the bullpen to keep the team close in games. But the team needed far more pop, other than Cabrera, Avila and V-Mart. Now with Prince, the team has the potential to challenge for baseball supremacy for the next 5+ years. Few players are difference makers. Prince is one of those players. Look at the Giants with Barry Bonds in the lineup. They always a had a chance. That is the biggest reason I saw the Giants being the team to grab Prince. I got the orange color right, but not the league. With such a high payroll and great band of stars and supporting players, the Tigers were seemingly one piece away from going to the World Series last year. Now hopefully, Prince is that missing piece to complete the Tigers playoff puzzle.
Without a doubt, some people have concerns about this signing. Most of the criticism falls around the dollars involved, length of contract, Prince’s weight and defensive questions. Let me answer those questions quickly. Firstly, the pay is the pay. The going rate for an elite superstar hitter is $20+ million per season. The number is still rising believe it or not. Remember, Prince will be only 28 this season. If he became a free agent in say 3 years, what would the market price be then? The dollars per year is market rate, whether we like it or not. As far as length of contract, by year 6- Prince will still be 33. Still very young in baseball terms. So the question for me is not the total length of contract, but the production the Tigers will receive in years 7-9. But even in the worst case and the Tigers get superstar numbers for approximately 6 years and decent numbers for the last 3, the contract will still make sense. If the Tigers win it all in any of those years, then nobody will even remember the contract. All they will remember is the ring and trophy.
As far as Prince’s weight and defense, I will say this. I have already shown in this article Prince’s durability. Not one issue was made of Prince’s weight in the press conference or by the team. Prince is a big man, no doubt. But he is a good athlete who is in much better shape than he is given credited for. As long as he is not missing games and his production is of an elite level, people should not be concerned. We are not trying to sell jeans people…we are trying to win ballgames. Lastly, I think Prince gets an unfair label from a defensive standpoint. While he may never win a gold glove and has the occasional lapse, for the most part he does the job. He works hard on the defensive aspect of his game. Moving Miggy to 3B or the OF is not a reflection on Miggy being an inferior 1B candidate. Rather, Miggy has experience at other positions and is still young enough to conquer them again. Prince did not sign this deal to be a DH. Yes, it will be an advantage to have him DH in back-to-back night/day games and for occasional breathers. But Prince is still young and capable. Like most young players, you don’t want them to strictly DH, since it takes them off the field and out of the game in many cases (see Adam Dunn). Prince will get the job done and having him at his natural position will make him most comfortable and likely productive. That is a good thing for the Tigers. At the end of the day, I have one last message for any last doubters left. Mike Ilitch just spent $214 million of his money, without hurting his ballclub. It’s his money and he can afford it. At the end of the day, this is not my money or yours. It’s the Tigers cash. If they want to spend it on Prince, all the power to them. This article addresses why the signing will work and makes sense. But ultimately, the Tigers wanted Prince from the time he was 12 and now he is home. Welcome back to Detroit Prince. Enjoy him Tigers fans…you are getting a bona fide superstar coming to your town.
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
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Sunday January 22nd, 2012
Sam Evans: Last year, the Yankees won 97 games in the talented American League East. 97 wins was enough for the Yankees to win the division and guarantee themselves home field advantage in the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Yankees, they ran into the Tigers and their superb pitching staff. The Yankees long season came to a early close when the underdog Tigers took three out of five from New York in the ALDS. Now, with only a couple of new faces on a veteran roster, the Yankees will try yet again in 2012 to return to the World Series.
If the Yankees win the World Series, it will be with their veterans leading the way. The average age of the Yankees Opening Day lineup will be 32. This might be something that Yankees GM Brian Cashman should be worried about in the future, but not especially in 2012. Position by position, the Yankees are one of the strongest teams in baseball. Their weak spots are obvious, but let’s see how they stack up against the other teams in the A.L. East.
Catcher: Russell Martin: Martin struggled in 2011. He had a 57 wRC and hit only .237 in 125 games. Part of his offensive struggles were due to a .252 BABIP; but the reality is that he has never been able to play at the level he did in 2007. For 2012, Martin should play five days a week with Francisco Cervelli getting the other starts. I love watching Cervelli play because of his competitive grittiness. If he could learn how to hit, he’d be one of the best catchers in the league. Overall, the Yankees catchers aren’t very good. Luckily for them, they have top prospect catchers Gary Sanchez and Austin Romine on the way. In two years, the Yankees will have some of the best catchers in the league.
Rank at the Catcher position out of A.L. East teams: 3 out of 5
First base: Mark Teixeira: Tex had just an average 2011. He is still one of the best offensive and defensive first basemen in the American League. Teixeira hit .248 with 39 home runs. A lot of his bad average was due to his miniscule BABIP ( .239)- which compared to Matt Kemp‘s .380 BABIP, shows how unfortunate Teixeira was. Teixeira should see some of his numbers get back to where they were before last year.
Rank at the First Base position out of A.L. East teams: 2 out of 5
Second Base: Robinson Cano: Robinson Cano wasn’t ever considered a highly touted prospect, but he never failed at any level the Yankees had him at. Ever since Cano was called up in 2005, he has been morphing into a perennial All-Star. 2011 was a great year for Cano. He won a Silver Slugger award, the Home Run Derby and he was the second best hitter in a loaded Yankees lineup. In 2012, Cano could improve his defense and keep producing offensively, in order to improve as a player and possibly become the best second baseman in the game.
Rank at the Second Base position out of A.L. East teams: (A close) 2 out of 5
Shortstop: Derek Jeter: Derek Jeter has seen his overall production plummet in the last two years. He had a solid second half in 2011, but you have to wonder how many more years he’ll be the Yankees starting shortstop. There’s no question that the thirty-seven year old will be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer one day. However, there will be a time when the Yankees need to find a new shortstop… and that time is coming soon. 2012 could be Jeter’s last year at the position, and I’m sure he’d like nothing more than another World Series championship.
Rank at the shortstop position among A.L. East teams: 3 out of 5
Third Base: Alex Rodriguez: As much as I can’t stand him, A-Rod is one of the best players in baseball. The only thing that has kept Rodriguez from numerous MVP awards is his health. He hit 16 homers in 99 games in 2011. This offseason, A-Rod went to Germany to have an experimental procedure done on his knee. In the NBA, Kobe did a similar thing, in going to Germany receive some sort of voodoo procedure on his knee. He came back feeling rejuvenated with a new healed knee. I’m not sure that the surgery will work for Alex Rodriguez, but if it does- it could add a year or two to his career. If A-Rod is healthy this year, the Yankees will have a huge boost to their lineup.
Rank at the hot corner amongst A.L. East teams: 2 out of 5
Corner Outfield: Nick Swisher: Nick Swisher is known as one of the most likeable and funny players in the league. The one time Oakland Athletic has been a solid outfielder for the Yankees the last three years. Swisher got off to a rough start in 2011. He hit only .213 up until June, causing Yankees fans to wonder if they would need to trade for a new outfielder. Then all of a sudden, Swisher starting making solid contact and he hit .326 and .323 in the coming months. Swisher is a solid outfielder who is capable of hitting .260 with 25 homers and ninety walks in the coming year.
Corner Outfield: Brett Gardner: Gardner is one of the best players on the Yankees, but he never seems to get enough recognition. The pesky outfielder played resplendent defense and posted 5.1 WAR last year. He stole 49 bases in 2011, and in 2012 he should get the steal sign from his coaches more often. The biggest mistake the Yankees could make would be to trade Gardner away.
Rank among other A.L. East Corner Outfielder pairs: 1st out of 5
Center Field: Curtis Granderson: The ” Grandy Man” has become one of New York’s most beloved players in recent memory. Granderson had a bounce back year in 2011, hitting 41 home runs. Granderson’s contract has a team option in 2013, which they Yankees will most likely pick up. For 2012, Granderson probably won’t hit forty home runs again, but he could easily take advantage of the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium and hit 30 to 35 bombs.
Rank among other A.L. East Center Fielders: 2nd out of 5
Rotation: C.C. Sabathia is one of the best pitchers in the games and the perfect candidate to lead the Yankees pitching staff. With his large frame, it should come as no surprise that Sabathia has thrown over 180 innings eleven straight years. Sabathia showed no signs of age last year. He posted a 2.88 FIP and struck out 230 batters during the regular season. Sabathia’s 2011 WAR ( 7.1), was worth over $32.2 million according to fangraphs. Sabathia is set to make $23 million in 2012. So while it might not look like it, the Yankees are actually getting a bargain for Sabathia’s production.
A week ago, the Yankees traded their most promising young bat (Jesus Montero) for Michael Pineda. The Yankees are betting that Pineda will evolve into a top of the rotation arm for years to come. Pineda is by no means a complete pitcher. He has an above-average fastball and slider, but his changeup is below par. The impressive thing about Pineda is that he’s already learned how to control his pitches and he demonstrates great command. If he wants to take his game to the next level, then he is going to have to improve his changeup.
On the same day the Yankees acquired Pineda, they also signed former Dodger Hiroki Kuroda to a 1 year, $10 million deal. This is a low risk deal for a team with such a high payroll. Kuroda didn’t come cheap, but this looks like a solid acquisition for the Yankees. In 2011, Kuroda had a 3.07 ERA in thirty-two starts. His numbers might not be as strong moving from a pitcher’s park to the hitter friendly Yankee Stadium. I could see Kuroda struggling somewhat in New York, but he brings much-needed talent to the Yankees rotation.
C.C. Sabathia was the only Yankees pitcher who threw two hundred innings in 2011. The Yankees need their pitchers to work deeper into games, so they don’t have to overwork the bullpen. The back-end of the rotation will be critical for the Yankees success. They have the veterans A.J. Burnett and Freddy Garcia, and then the younger pitchers Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes. Most likely, all of these guys will see time starting in 2012. I think that Nova is the best of the bunch, but Burnett might have a slight advantage for a rotation spot with his huge contract.
Starting Rotation rank out of A.L. East teams: 2nd out of 5. They would’ve been third or fourth without adding Pineda and Kuroda. Adding those pitchers were good moves, since they want to keep up with the best teams in the East.
Bullpen: is as strong as it’s been in years. As all Yankee fans know, Mariano Rivera doesn’t age so he should be ready for another year of closing for NY. David Robertson was last year’s unsung hero out of the Yankees ‘pen. The difference between Robertson in 2011 and the Robertson of old, is simple. In 2011, he increased his fastball velocity. This led to a higher strikeout rate (13.50 K/9 in 2011, 10.42 K/9 in 2010) and a lower amount of home runs allowed(0.14 HR/9 in 2011, 0.73 HR/9 in 2010).
The Yankees bullpen should also include Joba Chamberlain, who fell into a nice groove as the Yanks 7th inning man last year before falling to Tommy John surgery, should be back. He will face competition from those pitchers who lose the race to become the Yankees’ fifth starter. Dellin Betances, considered by most as one of the Yankees top prospects, might see more innings this year as a long reliever. The loss of Noesi will hurt, but the Yankees have the pieces in place to trade midseason for extra bullpen help as they have done in the past.
Bullpen Rank out of A.L East Teams: 2nd out of 5
With a loaded team and a smart General Manager who knows how to operate a large payroll, Manager Joe Girardi should led the Yankees back to the playoffs in 2012. There are not very many teams that can compete with this Yankees offense… and if Pineda and Kuroda thrive in New York, they will have a very solid rotation. Yankees fans have a lot to be excited about for the upcoming year. But then again, don’t they always?
***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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Monday January 2, 2012
MLB reports – Jonathan Hacohen: One of the pleasures I enjoy in writing for MLB reports is that I get to speak with many of the key personalities in the game of baseball. Over the past year, I have been very fortunate to interview some of baseball’s most important movers and shakers. Derrick Hall, President and C.E.O. of the Diamondbacks. Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Adam Jones, star outfielder of the Baltimore Orioles. Casey Bond, former baseball player and actor in a little film known as Moneyball. Writer Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Author Howard Megdal. From each interview, I always walk away with more wisdom by having received the opportunity to talk baseball with leading industry people. While my love of baseball fuels me to write about the game, analyze and discuss it, I never believe that I am above the game. I always feel that there is more to learn and understand. Baseball is an endless pursuit of knowledge. With its long rich history, it is impossible to know everything about the game. We just try to keep up as best as we can.
With that in mind, there is one baseball personality that I have longed to interview for some time. One of my idols in the business. He may not be a walking baseball encyclopedia, but he is pretty darn close. Jon Heyman, formerly of Sports Illustrated and now with CBS Sports. Jon’s story is well-known in the industry. He worked for Newsday for 16 years covering the New York Yankees. Jon was also at one point a Baseball Columnist for the Sporting News. He became the Senior Baseball Writer for Sports Illustrated before joining CBS Sports just last month. There are several aspects to Jon Heyman’s writing that I was always found appealing. He is very well-connected in the industry. If there is a story to be broken, generally he is one of the first (if not THE first to break it). He has a strong ability to analyze different aspects of the game and to break down various subjects (whether it be a trade or free agent signing) in concise terms. Jon is opinionated and is not afraid to share his two cents. He is engaging with his readers and is very accommodating in answering the many questions and comments he receives. But most importantly, he is human. Jon Heyman does not believe that he is superior to his readers and writes to them, not above them. It is a very fine skill that only the top writers possess. Jon Heyman is one of those writers in my estimation.
When I speak to young writers starting in the industry (usually those starting their own websites/blogs), I tell them all one key point. The most important thing to remember in writing is that you want to invoke reactions from your readers. They could be good reactions…or negative. But at least you are able to elicit emotions. There is nothing worse for a writer than to produce material that nobody reads or cares about. Some posts may fuel anger and backlash. Young writers tend to be afraid of turning off or losing readers by upsetting them. It is a delicate balance, but my advice is those posts that are received negatively are often the ones most read. From there, readers will return because “they want to see what you will say next”. Nobody knows this better than Jon Heyman. For the writing genius that Heyman is, I have never seen a writer that receives more negative backlash and criticism from readers. Yet the ironic twist is that those same “haters” are the ones that are the first to read Jon’s work. It is almost like some readers are watching his every move, just waiting to find a mistake so that they can pounce and call him out on his errors. Jon knows this and thrives on it. Another reason why he is one of the best in the industry.
Baseball writing is a high stakes field. Reputations are built by the strength of a person’s writing and ability to report the news. In this golden age of internet and social media, getting the “scoops” is more competitive than ever. But as the reporting game changes, Jon Heyman remains a constant. A leader in his field, he inspires other writers like myself to grow and develop our craft. Today Jon joins us to discuss his storied career. From his start in Newsday, to his shift to Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports. To his possible future in baseball broadcasting (including his analyst role on the MLB Network). Jon shares his favorite all-time interview (you won’t believe this one!) To his opinions on a variety of baseball topics, including the next MLB commissioner, realignment and an international draft. After bringing so many interviews to his audience, the tables are turned- and today Jon Heyman becomes the featured subject. You know the scoops. You know the stories. Now get ready to know the person behind the headlines. I am proud to present my interview with famed baseball writer (and Cooperstown candidate, regardless of what he says): CBS Sports Baseball Writer, Jon Heyman.
MLB reports: Welcome to MLB reports Jon Heyman. It is an honor to be speaking to you today. You were born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A beautiful area that I have visited before (my uncle lived for many years in Taos). At what age did your family move to New York and why the relocation?
Jon Heyman: I was 6 when we moved to New York. My mother was from New York, and she had a nice childhood, so I’m guessing that is why we moved to New York (it’s so long ago I can’t be sure).
MLB reports: If you hadn’t grown up in New York, would you still have pursued journalism?
Jon Heyman: I guess I’ll never know the answer to that one. I’d guess so.
MLB reports: At what age did the writing bug first bite you? When did you decide that you would write about baseball for a living?
Jon Heyman: At Lawrence High School on Long Island I wrote for the school newspaper, The Mental Pabulum, which is a dumb name that I think means ‘food for thought’… or something like that. It was probably my senior year that I started to think about it. Then when I went to Northwestern, it seemed like the thing to do. It really wasn’t much more complicated than that.
MLB reports: If you had not pursued writing as a career, what would you be doing today for a living?
Jon Heyman: Maybe something with numbers. The sabremetric folks may find that hard to believe. But I loved math as a kid. I outgrew that though.
MLB reports: Being a well-regarded baseball writer, you must be constantly on the go. What percentage of the year are you on the road?
Jon Heyman: First of all, thanks for the nice word. Not everyone would agree with that characterization. I’m on the road for spring training, the All-Star Game, the playoffs, the World Series and the GM and Winter Meetings. So about three months out of the year. Although since I live in Miami, I spend about two weeks of spring training at home.
MLB reports: I understand that you are now primarily located between Miami and New York. What factors played a role in your decision on residence?
Jon Heyman: We lived in New York when I was at Newsday, and it’s a good spot for baseball so we keep a small place there. My family loves Miami.
MLB reports: Aside from a successful career, you are also married with a daughter. How do you balance work and home life?
Jon Heyman: Family is much more important. Sometimes I need to remind myself of that, especially when I’m spending hours trying to nail down a Guillermo Mota signing.
MLB reports: What was your first big break in the industry? I presume it was the job with Newsday as a Yankees beat writer?
Jon Heyman: My first break was the opening of The National. Although they didn’t hire me, they opened up jobs at newspapers all over the country by hiring tens of sports writers at major papers. The best day of my career was the day I got the call from Jeff Williams of Newsday offering me a job at Newsday, the paper I delivered as a kid. I was working at the Copley Los Angeles papers at the time, covering the Angels for the Santa Monica Outlook and the Torrance Daily Breeze, and that was a great way to break into daily beat coverage, on the West Coast for an afternoon paper. But Newsday was the pinnacle for me at the time. I got a call the same day from the Los Angeles Times for a possible backup Angels job. But I wanted to go home. My mother still lived in New York. So it was an easy call for me.
MLB reports: Did you choose to cover the Yankees….or did the Yankees choose you?
Jon Heyman: The job Newsday had was covering the Yankees. They decided to promote Tom Verducci to national baseball writer (good decision there), and Marty Noble preferred the Mets, so the opening they had was for the Yankees. A lot of folks were afraid to cover the Steinbrenner Yankees. I didn’t know any better. They were my favorite team growing up. At that time it was a dream job.
MLB reports: Since leaving Newsday, do you find you still have a special relationship/affinity for the Yankees? How did you find the change from Newsday to SI?
Jon Heyman: Once I started covering baseball, I stopped rooting for the Yankees or any one team. There’s someone on the web who claims I am a big Yankees honk, but some of the pro-Yankees websites know better. The only team I root for now is Northwestern football.
MLB reports: You arrived at Sports Illustrated in 2006 after a lengthy stint with Newsday. Tell us about the process of joining Sports Illustrated and how you were selected to become one of their senior baseball writers.
Jon Heyman: My time was about up at Newsday. They had new management that wanted to pay themselves high salaries while cutting the writing staff to bare bones. I went to Sports Illustrated and pitched a mostly Web job, and they decided to give me a shot. As it turned out, I was pretty fortunate, because as I suspected, Newsday laid off its two other general sports columnists. There isn’t a question in my mind they would have laid me off, too.
MLB reports: What is your favorite interview that you have conducted in your career?
Jon Heyman: That’s easy. It was Pascual Perez in a limo outside a strip club in Pompano Beach after he failed a (recreational) drug test. Don Burke, the beat guy from the Bergen (N.J.) Record and I went from strip club to strip club in the Fort Lauderdale area (there were plenty of them) looking for Pascual, and we finally found him a bit north of Lauderdale on US 1.
MLB reports: Best baseball event/moment that you covered?
Jon Heyman: Got to the Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Great game. Unreal performance by Jack Morris and John Smoltz.
MLB reports: Do you end up forming many personal relationships/friendships with the players through your role, or is it kept to a neutral basis?
Jon Heyman: I’m friendly with some of the guys I covered as players: Chili Davis, Mike Gallego, Jim Abbott, but not friends. So no, it’s not like the really old days where players and writers used to hang out. Back in the ’60s and ’70s, the players weren’t gazillionaires and maybe had a bit more in common with the writers. That changed to some degree by the ’80s.
MLB reports: After so many years as one of the faces for SI baseball, what brought you to CBS Sports this December? (Please give us an insight as to why you left SI and decided to join CBS Sports.)
Jon Heyman: I’d established a relationship over the years with the editor at CBSSports.com, Mark Swanson. I don’t recall how it started, but they are located in Fort Lauderdale (seems like Fort Lauderdale has played a big role in my career). We did lunch at the Longhorn Steakhouse maybe a dozen times over the past several years. They have been an increasingly big player in the sports internet world but this year they made huge strides in content and breaking stories by hiring several established and talented writers like Jeff Goodman, Bruce Feldman, Brett McMurphy and many others. It was clear they were serious. I interviewed right after the World Series, and we had a deal a month later.
MLB reports: Has your role changed from your time at SI to CBS Sports? What is your primary focus with CBS Sports?
Jon Heyman: It isn’t too much different. CBS has me doing more blogs to get the news out there more quickly. There are two other veteran baseball writers, Danny Knobler and Scott Miller, who are also actively seeking news and working on newsy angles. There’s a lot of discussion, planning and teamwork at CBS, and fortunately, the teammates are great. Sports Illustrated was great in many ways but totally different.
MLB reports: If you were the commissioner, what would you do to the change the game of baseball? Is the current system working?
Jon Heyman: In general, yes. I am worried about the new rules to contain bonuses for drafted amateur talent, and whether that will curtail poor teams from making up the talent gap.
MLB reports: Time to play Rapid Fire: Tell us your immediate reaction to the following words:
Realignment
Jon Heyman: There should be 15 teams in each league. Even steven.
Expansion
Jon Heyman: I don’t think that’ll be in the baseball lexicon for a while.
Contraction
Jon Heyman: Not happening.
Expanded Playoffs
Jon Heyman: Sorry to be wishy-washy, but I’m taking a wait and see approach.
Future of the Designated Hitter
Jon Heyman: It’ll be here awhile.
International Draft
Jon Heyman: Against.
World Baseball Classic
Jon Heyman: Like it. Wish it would catch on more in the U.S.
Baseball in the Olympics
Jon Heyman: Not necessary.
Collective Bargaining Agreement
Jon Heyman: Looks good, except for the draft thing.
Hall of Fame Voting
Jon Heyman: A privilege, but one I get hit over the head for annually (that’s ok, too).
MLB reports: Who do you expect will be the next commissioner of baseball and why?
Jon Heyman: Rob Manfred. He’s the guy doing the heaviest lifting. Anyone else would be for unfair, and strictly for name recognition.
MLB reports: What are your future plans Jon? Where will find you in the next 10+ years? As an insider for the MLB Network, do you have plans to move into full-time broadcasting?
Jon Heyman: After 10 years of broadcasting, I think I am finally starting to improve to the point where I occasionally know which camera to look at. Heavens no! I enjoy it, and the producers at MLB Network are nice and incredibly patient and forgiving. But I am a writer. I’d probably be docked at one of those places where the interviewer fancies himself a great intellectual, but I think CBS is my last job.
MLB reports: What are your feelings on the explosion of baseball blogs and social media like Twitter and Facebook? Is it good for the game?
Jon Heyman: I’m OK with twitter. It makes me nervous 24 hours a day, but I’m getting used to it. Facebook isn’t something I know anything about.
MLB reports: One day you will likely be getting a call confirming election into Cooperstown as a Baseball Writer. Have you considered it? How would you feel about being elected into the Hall of Fame?
Jon Heyman: Ha, ha. I don’t think writers should be in the Hall of Fame. (Technically, I’m told they aren’t.) It’s self aggrandizing and a popularity contest and serves no purpose. I liked when Ross Newhan was elected because he’s a nice man and very good writer. But maybe we should have just elected Murray Chass and Peter Gammons, and called it a day (although we could have done without Murray’s speech). Those really were the game changers.
MLB reports: Final question: What advice would you give to aspiring baseball writers? What does it take to become the next Jon Heyman?
Jon Heyman: Not sure anyone would want to be that. But I’d stay to find some aspect of journalism, and concentrate on that, whether it be writing, reporting, editing or whatever. If it’s writing, write a lot. And read a lot. Read the New York Times even if you think it’s too liberal, because on average, noting compares as far as daily newspapers. In general, journalism is like anything else. With a few exceptions, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.
MLB reports: Thank you again Jon and I look forward to speaking to you soon. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Jon Heyman: You, too!
***A special thank you to Jon Heyman for taking the time out of his hectic schedule today for us on MLB reports. You can follow Jon on Twitter (@JonHeymanCBS) and yes, he responds to questions and comments! Be sure to also catch Jon’s column on CBS Sports. It is a MUST baseball read for all fans!***
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Friday December 30, 2011
Sam Evans: This has been anything but a fun offseason for Cardinals fans. Losing you best player from the past ten years has got to be rough on a franchise. However, they did win the World Series in 2011, and they have the right mix of players to potentially return to the playoffs in 2012.
Offseason: Despite losing Albert Pujols to the Angels, the Cardinals signed six-time All-Star Carlos Beltran and brought back middle infielder Rafael Furcal. Beltran was signed to a two-year, $26 million deal. This was a very nice move for the Cardinals. They acquired a proven veteran outfielder who will be a large upgrade over Allen Craig.
Rafael Furcal is another solid player to have in your lineup. The Cards signed Furcal to a two-year $14 million deal. In 2011, Furcal hit only .231 in 87 games, but as recently as 2010, Furcal was worth 4.2 WAR. Furcal will be 34 heading into the upcoming season. Heading into the season, Furcal will be the fifth-oldest Opening Day shortstop. The main problem holding Furcal back is injuries. He hasn’t played one hundred games per year for two straight years since 2006. For 2012, IF Furcal can find a way to stay healthy, he should be able to hold down the shortstop position for St.Louis and be the spark at the top of the lineup.
Starting Rotation: 
At the head of the rotation is Chris Carpenter. Carpenter is the kind of pitcher that you build your franchise around. He threw 273 innings last year and he started game seven of the World Series. For 2012, Carpenter should have another mid-3’s ERA and be the true ace at the top of the rotation.
Following Carpenter will be Adam Wainwright. The return of Wainwright is really the wild card heading into the season. Wainwright was injured during spring training in 2011. His injury required Tommy John surgery and he missed the entire 2011 campaign. If Wainwright could return to his 2010 form, in which he was a Cy Young contender with a 2.42 ERA, then the Cardinals would be one of only a couple of teams with two true aces.
Next, comes the twenty-five year old lefty Jaime Garcia as the third starter. Garcia had a breakout year in 2010, but was somewhat inconsistent in 2011. If you take the average of Garcia’s last two years, you can find a realistic projection for this upcoming season. In this projection, he would be worth roughly 3.4 WAR per year. He’s signed through 2015, making roughly $6.5 million a year, so technically if Garcia is valued at 3 or more wins above replacement, he will be worth his contract. Overall, Garcia is a solid number three pitcher that is outperforming most pitchers his age.
Kyle Lohse will probably fall after Garcia in the rotation. Lohse is the Cardinals third-highest paid player, but he is simply not that good. Lohse had a 3.39 ERA in 2011, but a 4.04 xFIP suggested that he wasn’t as good as his numbers may imply. Lohse is a dependable number four starter who just happens to be overpaid.
Filling in the last spot in the rotation will likely be Jake Westbrook as the veteran fifth starter. Westbrook is a decent hurler who posted a 4.66 ERA last year. However, one has to wonder just how long it will be until Shelby Miller takes over the fifth spot in the Cardinals rotation.
Bullpen: Bullpen’s are easy to assemble in the world of baseball, so I never try to get too worked up over a bullpen. The Cardinals have a couple of hard throwing relievers in Jason Motte and Fernando Salas. Not to mention, Mark Rzepczynski made a good impression after coming over from the Blue Jays. My guess is that Fernando Salas may eventually become their closer because of his young age and upside.
First and Third Base: Starting at first base for the Cardinals will be Lance Berkman, who takes over for the departed Pujols. Berkman had a bounce-back year in 2011 making his first All-Star team since 2008. I’d expect Berkman to perform more like his 2009 numbers, where he hit .274 with 25 homers. That is still a large discrepancy compared to Pujols’ stats, but the Cardinals will try to make up for it in other places.
At third base will be David Freese, the new Cardinals golden boy. Freese of course, was the NLCS and World Series MVP. Without Freese, the Cards probably wouldn’t have won the World Series. During the regular season, Freese hit .297 with ten homers in 97 games. Who knows if Freese can perform at the level he did during the playoffs in 2012. The key for Freese is going to be his health. He has never played over a hundred games at the major league level before. If he can stay healthy during the season, he is a great candidate to have a breakout year.
Middle Infield: At shortstop Rafael Furcal will be starting. You have to think that the Cardinals regret trading away Brendan Ryan last year. They believed that Ryan Theriot was their shortstop of their future, and traded away Ryan who was under a minimal contract through 2012. Besides Furcal, the Cardinals have Tyler Greene and Ryan Jackson as backups. Greene will stick with the major-league club, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Green was a midseason call-up who got some playing time.
Skip Schumaker should be the Opening Day Cardinals second basemen. Schumaker is an average hitter who plays below-average defense for a second basemen. The Cardinals should look to sign Carlos Guillen, or another second basemen that will be an upgrade over Schumaker.
Outfield: Most likely, Beltran will start in right field. He should be a crucial key to the Cardinals success. If Beltran can play like he did last year, then he will be worth his new contract.
In centerfield will be the youngest outfielder, Jon Jay who also played a key role in last year’s playoffs. Jay played in 159 games and hit .297. If Jay is to improve in 2012, he needs to have a more disciplined approach at the plate. Jay only walked 28 times last year. Jason Bay played in thirty-six fewer games than Jay, but he walked twice as many times as Jay.
In left field, Matt Holliday is the starter. Matt Holliday’s 7-year $120 million contract was part of the reason that the Cardinals couldn’t afford Pujols this offseason. Nonetheless, Holliday is a very good four-tool player. Holliday was worth 5.0 WAR last year, which is roughly how much he should be producing given the size of his contract. Looking at his peripherals, Holliday is due to have a somewhat better year than his 2011 campaign. Similar to many of his teammates, if he can stay healthy, Holliday should have another great year patrolling the Cardinals outfield.
Minors: In the last couple of years, St.Louis has greatly improved the depth and talent of their farm system. With names such as Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez, and Tyrell Jenkins on the rise, there is no doubt that the St.Louis rotation will be very strong in the coming years.
Conclusion: 2012 will be a enthralling year for Cardinals fans. The team’s first year without Manager Tony La Russa and their franchise player Albert Pujols will have a much different feel than their previous seasons. Fans will be expecting a lot out of their players, and the team will need some breakout years from its key players to compete in 2012. However, given the current state of the NL Central, I believe the Cardinals can win the division once again and be a force in next year’s playoffs.
***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***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click hereand follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Saturday December 17, 2011
Jeff P (Guest Writer – MLB reports): It was a long season for Yankee fans in 2011, with an abrupt ending to the season with a brutal series loss to the Detroit Tigers in the AL Divisional series. This is even after the Yankees receiving surprising seasons by Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and the Yankees receiving production from its usual core players. However, in the 2011 season, there were noted declines of several Yankee players. Due to injuries and other factors, one of the biggest culprits was Alex Rodriguez. Limited to only 99 games on the season, A-Rod hit 16 homers, with a batting average in the .270 rang. A-Rod’s stats were some of the worst of his career and he was one the big reason the Yankees did not make it far into the 2011 playoffs.
The Yankees have a long path to go to get to the World Series this coming year, especially given that their team remains at a standstill, unexpected to improve greatly from last year. It is not a positive sign that the Yankees rotation will most likely consist of C.C. Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia, with a likely spring training knockdown competition between Hector Noesi, A.J. Burnett, Dellin Betances and Phil Hughes for the final two rotation spots.
Both Hughes and Burnett had horrific seasons this past year, while Noesi and Betances were both late season call-ups. Adding to the equation, Ivan Nova might enter a sophomore slump (always a possibility), while Freddy Garcia is unlikely to repeat his astonishing 2011 season.
The Yankees have very little margin for error going into 2012, which can ruin the chances of them not only winning the World Series, but even making the postseason. With the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim now serious contenders, the Rays adding a nice hand to the rotation with Matt Moore and the Red Sox players starting to adjust to their new team, it will be a dogfight to the finish in the American League postseason race this upcoming season. The Yankees will have to play their cards right this year, and not sit back and assume that making the postseason is a given.
If the Yankees want some rings in 2012, here are several “must do” items for the team to succeed in 2012:
First of all, the Yankees must get rid of A.J. Burnett. For the last two years, Burnett had horrific seasons and should not be given another
chance, despite his large contract. Without Burnett, the Yankees could consider trying a new arm in the rotation, such as Dellin Betances, who is clearly ready for a major league stint. The Yankees this offseason should trade Burnett to a team desperate for a starting pitcher (which should not be difficult given the shallow pool of available talent) and who are willing to give up a useable prospect, which would provide the Yankees with future depth.
Even though it is unlikely, the right thing to do with Joba Chamberlain is to give him a strong opportunity for a comeback season in 2012. I am not saying he should be in the rotation for the season, but he should definitely be given a strong look. Pitchers often improve after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Chamberlain left the rotation after the 2009 season, with a stint in the bullpen for the last two seasons. Up to the time of his injury, Chamberlain pitched well in the bullpen, mostly as the seventh inning option. The Yankees are considering Hector Noesi and other rookies for the starting rotation in 2012. So why not try Joba? Perhaps he will surprise all of us and fulfill the hype that accompanied him since being drafted in the 1st round by the Yankees in 2006.
Another option (although unlikely) is to place Adam Warren in the rotation. He is 24-years-old, and has a powerful fastball in the mid 90’s. His four-seamer can reach 97 mph and could leave major league batters clueless. He has a world of potential, and is ready for a major league stint sooner rather than later.
The Bronx Bombers roster is certainly not set and Brian Cashman needs to search the trade market before his squad will be able to compete for a World Series title. Other teams are considerably high on Eduardo Nunez and the Yankees would be well advised to find a deal involving Eduardo Nunez, Dellin Betances and one of their surplus catching prospects for Gio Gonzalez or similar available starter, who could help provide the Yankees with a balanced and deep rotation.
The Yankees also must keep Montero in New York. Montero had a great stint at the end of the season, and will hopefully continue to provide an offensive spark for the Yankees throughout the 2012 season. Montero is a great offensive force and would make the dangerous Yankees offense (Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, A-Rod, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, Russell Martin etc.) that much more powerful.
Lastly, the Yankees must monitor Manny Banuelos‘ status. Handled correctly, Banuelos could be this season’s Nova. To get through the regular season and then be a force in the 2012 postseason, the Yankees will need to make changes and several decisions as to their roster. But a successful offseason can minimize the risks and chances for failure in the coming season, by filling critical spots with the right players. The Yankees have many needs in their offseason to-do list in order to repeat their 2009 performance. If the Yankees play their cards right, the path to World Series #28 could be in sight.
***Today’s feature was prepared by Jeff P, Guest Writer to MLB reports. 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 Jeff on Twitter.***
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Friday December 9, 2011
MLB reports: Chris Swauger (aka Swags) is back in North America and returns to the Reports! Swags has wrapped up his Winter Ball season in Panama and shares his experiences with us. We even get an inside look at a Winter Ball All-Star Game! A big thank you to Swags for his time in preparing his second blog feature on MLB reports, as well as the photographs used which were supplied for from his personal collection.
Chris Swauger– Guest MLB Blog: The end of a season is always an interesting time. Depending on the team’s position in the standings, players have a few different perspectives. When they are cruising in first place, the main objective is to not get hurt. When they are in a playoff chase or jockeying for positions, the intensity is cranked up to the max and everyone seems to take their focus to a new level. When they are completely out of the race altogether, it becomes a tragic comedy. Regrettably and hysterically, my experiences in Panama fall into the third category.
Safely buried in third place out of four teams, our team accepted the fact that we were out of contention. Admirably, we did not completely mail in the season. Maybe it was because we had so many guys with MLB affiliated teams in the states. Maybe it was because some guys were playing to try to get seen and signed to play with an affiliated or independent team. Maybe it was just pride. Whatever it was, guys continued to show up early and get their work in regardless if a practiced schedule was posted or the coaches even bothered to show up before the national anthem. No staff meant no authority, rules, or organized workouts…which also meant my tan improved significantly.
Our last three game series was against the last place team in our league who had
won a total of nine games all year. Six were against us…stay hot Caballos. With both teams out of the race the games became more of a friendly, stat-chasing fiesta. Oddly enough, the Panamanian TV station decided it would be a good idea to put two of these games on national television. The opposing team had sent all of their foreign (not from Panama) players home and had three players who were moonlighting as taxi drivers. Their starting pitcher in game one was missing a finger and the tip of another, although I will admit it did give his pitches some wicked movement. One of our pitchers rolled his ankle on the mound, called timeout in the middle of an at-bat, went to the locker room to get it taped, then came back out to resume pitching. He must have known the game was on TV and wanted some face time. I think the other team’s left fielder wanted some as well, because by my official count (One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi…) it took him 73 seconds to get off the field after being called out at first base. He did not say one word to the umpire AND his team was in the first base dugout. He did have three gold chains, two enormous cubic-zirconia earrings, and a fresh tight-fade haircut though.
Apparently these two guys didn’t get the memo that when games don’t mean anything, the objective becomes to play as fast as humanly possible. It doesn’t mean sacrificing the integrity of the game or playing nonchalantly. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Guys who haven’t hustled all year are sprinting down the line and on and off the field in an attempt to finish nine innings under two hours (which is amazing considering average game time in winter ball is closer to five). What it DOES mean is any attempt to delay the game, like mound visits or calling timeout for any reason other than a seizure, will be met with harsh criticism from both dugouts. Throwing first pitch breaking balls and not swinging at first pitch strikes are also highly frowned upon. I practice what I preach; the last game of the season I swung at all 7 pitches I saw in my 5 at-bats. I would not have been nearly as proud of that if I hadn’t snuck 2 hits out of those 5 at-bats, but the point remains the same: play fast, avoid injuries.
After the final out was made, everyone exchanged handshakes, hugs, e-mail
addresses, and phone numbers. The crazy thing about the end of a season in professional baseball is there is a legitimate chance it is the last time you will ever see some of the guys on your team in your life. Guys you are together with nearly 24/7 and share intimate details of your life with become distant memories after lockers get cleaned out. It’s a harsh reality of a cutthroat game, but it is a fact. Baseball keeps rolling along. The players, coaches, and their careers are merely passengers that can be thrown off as quickly as they are scooped up. I have enjoyed my ride thus far and can’t wait to see what road lies ahead.
My ride in Panama culminated with a trip to the All-Star Game in Panama City. I was extremely excited because our game was being piggy-backed by a celebrity softball game that included Derek Jeter, C.C. Sabathia, Ozzie Guillen, Curtis Granderson and many other big leaguers. It was also going to be a fun experience because my father was able to make the trip down to see me play in the game. He even got an all-access pass into the dugout and onto the field for the event (it’s amazing what Panamanian security officers will let you get away with if you are a gringo, act like you don’t speak English, and pretend you know exactly what you are doing. Wearing absolutely zero credentials my dad got to hang out with the team and sit in the VIP section right next to the dugout. He volunteered to shag balls during batting practice but we ended up not having it. It was cancelled because there were no baseballs. We ended up hitting in the batting cage with the dozen balls the league brought in for the team to autograph.
The game itself is more of a friendly expo than an intense competition. While players still want to win and show off what got them into the game in the first place, the atmosphere is more like a country club than a Roman coliseum. The same last-game-of-the-season rules apply about throwing a lot of fastballs and swinging early in the count. Well, at least I thought they did. That is until the pitch sequence of my first at-bat went curveball, change-up, slider, curveball, change-up, fastball to the backstop, change-up. I still swung at every pitch. I had a few choice words and slightly inappropriate body language for the pitcher. I also, had zero remorse when our team of “Internacionales” (American, Dominican, Venezuelan, Cuban, Brazilian, Japanese, and Korean) commenced to trouncing the Panamanian players to the tune of a 6-0 lead and a perfect game into the 6th inning. Save for an error and a meaningless 3 run homer with two outs in the last inning, the International team dominated the game. Keeping my Panamanian teammates in mind, I respectfully say “WEAR IT!!! That’s what you get for playing a showcase game like it’s Game 7!”
After the game both sides shook hands and thanked the fans. They were what this game was really about and we acknowledged that. One last cold shower and we were back on the field to mingle with the big names with big wallets playing in the next game. Like an idiot I left my camera in the hotel room, paranoid that it might get stolen on the last day. I seem to have inherited this ability to brain fart from my father, who forgot to charge his camera’s battery and it died before the first game ended. So, I have no proof that I met any of these awesome guys that made an appearance. Just take my word for it.
As I finish this blog entry reminiscing on my time in Panama, I am extremely happy. Happy that I jumped at the opportunity and happy that I got to experience this journey. I grew as a man and as an athlete during my time in Panama and am a better person and player because of it. There were hysterical moments and miserable ones, but they were all a good time and will make great stories. I hope to use this blog to continue to tell those stories and the ones that lie ahead.
Thanks for the opportunity
Chris Swauger
PS: Follow me on Twitter @cswag8 for daily doses. However, be warned: my followers have an extremely high rate of eye-rolling.
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Friday December 2, 2011
MLB reports: We are proud to welcome Chris Swauger (aka Swags) back to the Reports! After our interview with the St. Louis Cardinals prospect, we are fortunate to have Swags return as a Guest MLB Blogger. Have you ever wondered what goes through a player’s mind playing winter ball in a foreign country? Swags is here to give you the scoop on the experience of playing ball in the offseason. A big thank you to Swags for his time in preparing this feature, as well as the photographs used which were supplied for from his personal collection.
Chris Swauger- Guest MLB Blog: I was walking out of a LA Fitness in Tampa when I got the call to play winter ball in Panama. After an hour of being stared at like I was an alien by the juice-monkeys for actually using the squat rack and leg machines, I figured why not be a true alien in a foreign country again? Having played the last two years in Colombia, I was used to the funny looks and had become fluent in Spanish. It seemed like a great opportunity to see a new place and continue to improve my baseball skills. So a week later I said goodbye to my family and the motherland and got on a plane to the middle of nowhere.
I didn’t see the sun for the first 5 days I was down here. I was a new member of the Caballos de Cocle, and I felt like I should have been playing in galoshes instead of cleats. Our practices started at 9 AM because it poured every afternoon. It felt a lot like Spring Training, with the heavy eyes and constant practicing of fundamentals. However, the practice field was slightly different. I had played on fields with pebbles and rocks sprinkled on the field, but this place had full-blown boulders laying around. The warning track consisted of grass as tall as me and was home to a family of iguanas. But I figured if we could play defense on this field, when we got on ours we would all be Gold-Glovers. We grinded it out for a week and went into opening night feeling invincible.
We were exactly that for two games. We pitched, hit, and played defense like seasoned veterans en route to two straight walk-off wins. I had both of the walk-off hits, but before we crown me a clutch performer, I must inform you that they were the only hits I had in either game. I would have probably been put on a plane home if I hadn’t come through in those at-bats. Going into the final game of our first series, we were pretty much fitting ourselves for championship rings. Then reality kicked in.
We started blowing saves and our clutch hitting disappeared. Guys on the team, including myself, continued to put up good numbers but the wins did not come. As a team we could not get in sync. We would pitch well and not hit. Then we would put up four runs in the first and our pitchers struggled to hold the lead. It is one of those things that happens in this game. Rough patches are bound to happen, but they take the highway to panic mode when the season is only 36 games long. I sit here today writing this blog with our team sitting 5 games out of the playoff race with 3 games left to play. On paper our team should have not lost a game, but that’s why you play. The better teams are in the playoff hunt, and ours is sitting here like me trying to figure out where we went wrong.
When the game starts challenging you on the field you start to look for positives off of it. In a town as small as Aguadulce, Cocle, Panama, you have to look really hard. By my official head count the town has 50 people in it (I might be off by a few hundred). The biggest structure in the town is the church, and, outside of a few restaurants and dollar stores, there really isn’t much to do. My roommates and I began to find humor and entertainment in the smallest things. Such as:
The gym that has every piece of Tony Little endorsed equipment from the 80s and 90s…but has no free weights or squat rack.
The clubhouse that has TWO washing machines but no dryer. When I show up to the stadium early, right field looks like a Goodwill
clothing yard sale.
The ability for men to wear Capri pants and be considered stylish.
The maid that works diligently every day cleaning and scrubbing the entire 4 room two-story house every day…and also has a habit of turning off the A/C every morning so we wake up like we are in the middle of a Bikram yoga class.
The Korean player on our team who plays “light-field” and complains about the “blain fleeze” he gets when he eats ice cream.
The fact that one of my roommates thought a mothball was a Mentos.
The flocks of geese people have as pets.
The chauffeur that honks at every female we passed regardless of age (extremely creepy).
The amount that the Latin guys on my team enjoy mayonnaise sandwiches.
The Thanksgiving meal of ham and cheese sandwiches.
The clubhouse attendant who scrubs down our lockers, shoes, uniforms, AND batting practice balls. No one has hit a home run in BP for 3 weeks because they are water-logged but they sure do shine like pearls.
The fact that I only eat at two restaurants because the others have made me do my best bus-driver impression on the toilet seat.
The team bus that is an Aladdin movie prop during the day, and the hottest club in town at night.
As you can tell it’s not the most glamorous of lives, however it is quite amusing. Paying dues in the Minor Leagues and foreign countries can be a bit of an adventure, but it has provided me with many life experiences. I hope to use this blog as a means to share those experiences. I would like people to see what players like myself go through to chase their dreams. Follow me on Twitter @cswag8 if you would like to get a daily perspective and interact with me.
Until next time,
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Sunday November 27, 2011
Jonathan Hacohen: We are proud to welcome to MLB reports: Chris Swauger, outfield prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals system. When your nickname is Swags and your parent team wins the World Series, life is very sweet. Swags was originally a 26th round pick for the Cardinals in the 2008 draft. A steal for the Cardinals, Swags recently completed his 4th professional season. 2011 was his first full season in AA ball and Swags definitely did not disappoint. Hitting .296 on the season, Swags popped 12 home runs in only 114 games, with 56 RBIs, 52 runs scored, .343 OBP and .442 SLG. Swags also showed a good eye at the plate by only striking out 67 times. The upcoming season represents a big one for Swags, as he looks to move up to AAA Memphis and eventually, the show. One of the most down to earth people that I have ever met, Swags had me in stitches every time we spoke. In my estimation, Swags represents everything that is good and real about the game of baseball. While he is 110% devoted and dedicated to the sport, he does not take himself too seriously and keeps the game fun and loose. Get ready for some great baseball talk- Swags is definitely one of a kind!
Featured on MLB reports, I proudly present my interview with Swags, aka Chris Swauger – Cardinals Prospect:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Swags: Honestly, I was convinced it wasn’t going to happen. After a few months of every scout telling me I was one of the best seniors available and would go in the top 10 rounds, I sat at my computer for almost two days waiting. I nearly went blind tracking it into the 20th round and just walked away from the computer. After being told by my mother to get a real job, I happened to walk by the study where the online radio broadcast was being streamed and heard my name. I figured it was a mistake and checked the Draft Tracker. There was my name in the 26th Round by the St. Louis Cardinals. As upset as I was before, my emotions turned to pure elation that I would have a chance. They say senior-signs play for a plane ticket and a jockstrap. My jockstrap must have gotten lost in the mail.
Swags: Let me clarify that I PLAYED BASEBALL at The Citadel. That is completely different from being a regular cadet. I did get some mandatory ROTC Training and ran a few obstacle courses, but the only tanks and planes I can pilot are the GI Joe models stuffed in the attic with all my old baby toys. However, I can shine shoes, sweep floors, and make hospital corners on beds with the best of them (I may be qualified to open a retirement home with that type of training). Basically, I gained a great understanding of discipline and time management going to a military school and it has absolutely made me the man I am today.
Swags: I had gotten a letter from the area scout, but the first time I talked to him was when he called me to congratulate me on being selected. I honestly had no idea where I was headed I just wanted to play. I had no idea who wanted me or where I would go. And, for 784 picks, I was certain I was going to graduate school.
Swags: First of all, a Muckdog is a CHAMPION! One of the best experiences of my life was that championship season in Batavia. It was my first dose of professional baseball and I got the prescription strength. First day of practice our cleats were clicking on the rocks in the outfield that used to be a parking lot. I was fortunate enough to get a host family that provided me with transportation, a 1989 Huffy 5-speed mountain bike. The swiveling seat and rotating handlebars came standard on that model. A kickstand did not. The good news was that I could be anywhere I wanted in Batavia in 20 minutes on that hog. The lack of anything really fun to do made our team rely on itself for entertainment and with a group like ours that was not hard to find. In an attempt to keep this interview below an NC-17 rating, I will not go into detail but I will say the shenanigans involved a one-eyed dog, two broken chandeliers, swimmies, M-80s, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and a clothes hamper being mistaken for a urinal. As far as on the field, we started the season with more errors than hits in our first 3 games, rattled off 12 wins in a row at one point, and rode solid pitching and clutch hitting to a championship celebration. We were rewarded with a trophy, banner, and a Venezuelan flag. Not sure how that snuck in there.
Swags: I appreciate the compliment but I don’t think i deserve to be mentioned with those names just yet. There is no doubt the key to my game is hard work. I will admit I am talented and would not be here if I were not, but work ethic that I learned at the Citadel and with the Cardinals is the only reason I am still around. I have no problem with that. I would not change one thing about my career path thus far. I would change about 20 things. I would have gone in the first round, signed for $4 million, would have been 6’5″…
Swags: There really isn’t that much difference between the teams I have played for in my career. That is a testament to the consistency that exists within our system. We preach executing the fundamentals…and don’t be afraid to hit a 3-run homer. Each team has been my favorite at the time because each stop has its own new experiences and team personality. Looking back I would have to go with Palm Beach because I’m a native Floridian and I loved getting to play in front of my family and friends quite a bit. The weather wasn’t too bad either. I lobbied for shirtless BP a few times but our coaches had no concept of tan lines. I still cherish the memories of the other places as well. The atmosphere and the people in Quads and Springfield were unmatched. Batavia became like a home to me, if only because I was on a first name basis with all 50 residents. Everywhere I have gone I have enjoyed and will continue to do the same.
Swags: I see myself playing catcher if that’s what I have to do to get to the big leagues.
Swags: Rock-star is still my back-up plan. I only recently learned to drive a stick-shift, so I will require more education in order to get in a monster truck. “The Plan” with baseball started out with making my high school team. Then, it was try not to embarrass yourself in high school. Then, it changed to try to play in college. Then, it became try to get drafted my junior year. Then, it became well, there’s always senior year. Then, it was woohoo I got drafted. Then, I thought does this really count as a signing “bonus”? Then, it switched to wow I never knew how bad I was at this. Then, I got better. And THAT has been the key to the whole plan and why it is still in progress. I AM A WORK IN PROGRESS. There is an end game, but “the plan” keeps adjusting with every pitch, out, inning, game, and season.
Swags: I hope so because I certainly don’t want to gain Double A Veteran status. I think I have earned a spot in Memphis, but this game is fickle sometimes and our organization has a tremendous amount of talent. That being said, if my career turns into a NASCAR race (aka another lap around the Texas League) the only thing I can do is be thankful to still be playing and fighting for an opportunity.
Swags: To play in a World Series is every 6-year-old’s dream. Conveniently, I still act like a 6-year-old so it’s still my dream. It was great getting to see some guys that I have played with get to experience that and I hope and pray I get that opportunity some day. It’s what gets me up in the morning; that and the rooster that lives next door to me right now.
Swags: Swag, Swags, Schwaugs, Schwaaaaaaaaugs, Swagga, and Swagness. The only name I’ve never heard on a baseball field is Chris. As far as the swagger goes, that must be a rhetorical question.
Swags: The entire starting outfield to get hurt.
Swags: That would have to be an old St. Louis farmhand who now plays in the Angels organization, Matt Meyer. In only a couple of at bats against him, he has effectively gotten me to swing at a pitch that hit me, shattered two of my bats, and is the reason I started wearing a shin guard.
Swags: In Batavia, I hit one on the basketball court behind right field. I was told later that it went through the hoop and gave someone an H in HORSE.
Swags: I remember the home run and the advice I was given prior to it. I was in Batavia, getting ready to face my first knuckleballer. My hitting coach said, “See the ball at your eyes and swing as hard as you can.” I was fresh out of the Citadel and pretty good at following orders, so I went up there and tomahawked the first pitch I saw out to center. I remember running around the bases with a huge grin knowing a career in beer league softball was waiting for me if the MLB didn’t work out.
Swags: “Here Comes The Hotstepper” by Ini Kamoze. My goal is to make everyone in the stadium’s head perk up and then immediately start bobbing. Done.
Swags: I try to stay away from superstitions and rituals because it always ends up being too much to keep up with. For some guys it becomes an obsession. I once had a summer ball coach question guys who wrote Bible verses on their shoes. He said “I guess everyone needs a crutch in life.” I think he has reserved his spot in hell.
Swags: I should be allowed to eject the umpire. Self-explanatory.
Thank you again to Chris Swauger for taking the time to join us today on MLB reports. We highly encourage our readers to post at the bottom of the article any questions and/or comments that you may have for Swags. As well, please follow Swags on Twitter (@CSwag8)
Jonathan Hacohen is the Lead Baseball Columnist & Editor for MLB reports: You can follow Jonathan on Twitter (@JHacohen)
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Wednesday November 2, 2011
Rob Bland (Baseball Writer – MLB reports): Allan H. Selig, or Bud, as he is known around baseball, will go down in history as the commissioner of baseball during one of its darkest times. Bud took over as acting commissioner for Fay Vincent in September 1992, and was almost immediately embroiled in controversy. With the collective bargaining agreement due to expire after the 1993 season, Selig knew that an agreement between the MLBPA and MLB owners was vital. The owners voted to implement a salary cap, eliminate salary arbitration and free agency would begin after four years instead of six. The MLBPA said that while this would solve parity problems in baseball, it would not benefit the players whatsoever. August 12, 1994 was set as a strike date by the players’ association if an agreement was not reached on the new CBA. When that day came, the players walked off the job. By September 14th, when no agreement was reached, the World Series was cancelled by Selig.
It wasn’t until most of Spring Training in 1995 was completed (with replacement players) that Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor issued an injunction against the owners. On April 2nd, the strike was over, which had lasted 232 days. This caused the 1995 season to be 144 games, as opposed to the regular 162 games. Baseball attendance declined by 20% in 1995, and it took a long time for fans to recover. Fans never recovered in Montreal, where their payroll had to be slashed due to losses and eventually the MLB took ownership of the team. The team was eventually moved to Washington for the 2005 season.
In 1998, baseball fans flocked to the baseball stadiums to watch a race of historic proportions. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were blasting balls into the stratosphere at alarming rates, and Roger Maris’ single season record of 61 home runs was being challenged. McGwire ended up with 70 and Sosa hit 66 as America and the rest of the world watched in awe as these two larger than life men hit prodigious home runs. Two expansion teams, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks proceeded to join the MLB.
Home runs over the next few years continued to climb, as in 2001, when Barry Bonds then broke McGwire’s record with 73 home runs of his own. Steroids were allegedly running rampant in the MLB and there was no legitimate testing protocol. In 2005, Selig met with US Congress on the issue. Amphetamines were also on the table to be banned. By March 2006, Selig appointed Senator George Mitchell to investigate the usage of performance-enhancing drugs in the MLB. The Mitchell Report, a 409 page document, was released in December 2007 after a 21 month investigation. It released names of many high-profile baseball players who used PEDs.
Because of this report, stricter policing and testing of PEDs has been put in place, as well as very strict penalties if players are caught. Selig has taken flak over the years for not being more proactive in the matter, however, early in the “Steroid Era”, it would have been almost impossible to know how widespread steroid use was.
Selig brought in two expansion teams, brought the MLB out of a dark time after the strike, has improved MLB’s PED testing and punishment policies
. Most importantly, there has been labor peace for 17 years.
Bud Selig never wanted to be the full-time commissioner, but he had been voted unanimously in 1998 when the acting commissioner title was changed to commissioner. In January of 2008, Selig wanted to retire, but after the owners begged him to stay, he signed a 3-year extension. His current contract is set to expire after the 2012 season, about a year from now. He has been adamant that this will be the end of his tenure as Commissioner of Major League Baseball. He will be 78 years old. Since there has not been a search party constructed to find his successor, it can only be assumed that a short list has already been created, or the owners plan to attempt Bud to stay. Many have been on record of saying that they wish he would stay as commissioner for life.
Major League Baseball must at least entertain the notion that Selig will not be returning as commissioner, and thus, must include these people on their list of candidates:
Andy MacPhail
He has the lineage to succeed in this role. His father Lee was the GM and president of the Baltimore Orioles from 1958-1966. He then became president of the American League and is enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Andy’s grandfather, Larry, was a chief executive with the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees. It has been said he was one of the main driving forces of televising baseball games regularly as well as playing night games. Andy has 2 World Series rings as a GM with the Minnesota Twins, and was the president and CEO of the Chicago Cubs from 1994 to 2006, when he took a job as the President of Baseball Operations with the Baltimore Orioles. He recently stepped down from this role, and has been suggested as a man who could succeed as the commissioner. MacPhail understands the history of the MLB and the commissioner’s role, and has been involved in baseball in many different facets.
Tim Brosnan
Brosnan is currently serving as the Executive Vice President, Business of the MLB. He has been in this role since February of 2000. Tim’s roles with the MLB include licensing, broadcasting both domestically and internationally, and special events. Since the MLB is making every effort to grow globally, it should be noted that Brosnan began working in the Commissioner’s Office in 1991 as Vice President of International Business Affairs. His work internationally would include the many trips to Asia for teams, as well as directly working with the World Baseball Classic.
Derrick Hall
Derrick joined the Diamondbacks in May 2005 after working in the front office of the Los Angeles Dodgers for many years. In September 2006, Derrick was named President of the Diamondbacks and later added the title of Chief Executive Officer in January 2009.
The Diamondbacks are very fortunate to have one of the most progressive and dynamic baseball leaders at their helm. Derrick developed the “Circle of Success” mission statement, the foundation for the management of the Diamondbacks. A true ambassador to the game, Derrick Hall is a tireless worker in promoting and developing baseball in Arizona. Derrick is often mentioned by many baseball commentators as a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as Commissioner.
Rob Manfred
Selig’s right hand man’s role is Executive Vice President, Labor Relations & Human Resources. His main roles are to keep the peace between MLB and MLBPA, as well as HR work with the Commissioner’s Office. 17 years of labor peace as a direct participant in two rounds of collective bargaining with the MLBPA make him a great candidate for the commissioner’s position. He has also represented teams in salary arbitration and has provided advice to teams on salary negotiations with players.
Sandy Alderson
The New York Mets GM could potentially leave his current post to fulfill this role next offseason. Alderson has a career path unlike any of the other 
men on this list due to the fact that he has worked not only as a general manager, but has spent significant time working with the commissioner. Billy Beane’s mentor first began working for the Oakland A’s in 1981, and was the GM from 1983 until 1997. He then worked in the Commissioner’s Office as the Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations for 7 years. Most recently, after being the CEO of the San Diego Padres from 2005 to 2009, he was a liaison for the commissioner to address the issues of corruption in baseball in the Dominican Republic. Alderson is also a chairman of MLB’s Playing Rules Committee.
While Selig has been most adamant that he will be retiring at the end of the 2012 season, I believe that, once again, he will be convinced to stay on as commissioner. It would be in the best interest of baseball if he were to stay on, with a protégé being in place to learn the ropes from him. With Selig at the helm, the MLB owners have been happy, the players’ union has been happy, and the best product is displayed on the field. Baseball has been more exciting than ever, and I think we all owe a big thanks to Mr. Selig for being a big part of that.
A big congratulation goes out to Tony La Russa. On October 31, 2011, he announced his retirement just days after managing the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title. La Russa will surely be a Hall of Famer after his 33 year managing career that saw him compile 2,728 wins with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals. His teams reached the playoffs 14 times, and he won 3 AL pennants with the A’s, winning one World Series title. He also won 3 NL pennants with the Cards, winning two more World Series. Tony won 3 Manager of the Year Awards in the American League, as well as one in the National League. La Russa will go down as one of the greatest managers in the history of the MLB, and he went out on top. Congratulations, Tony, for a great career.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
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Friday October 21, 2011
MLB reports – Rob Bland: Expanding the playoffs has been a hot topic for many years now. While the move will not be as drastic as when the MLB added the first wild card team in each league, it has drawn the ire from a lot of critics. In 1994, MLB was to use the postseason system currently in place; however the season was cut short due to a player strike. It was then that the MLB went to three divisions in each league (East, Central, and West) as well as a wild card team (the best non-divisional winner record in the league). The American league Divisional winners would have been the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox in the Central and Texas Rangers in the West (with a record of 52-61). Conversely, the Cleveland Indians would have been the wild card winners at 66-47. In the National League, the East would have been won by the Montreal Expos, who had the MLB’s best record of 74-40. The Central and West would have been won by the Cincinnati Reds and LA Dodgers, respectively, while the wild card winner would have been the Atlanta Braves.
However, due to the strike, which also shortened the following season, 1995 was the first year this system actually came into play. This season saw a shortened 144 game schedule. The NL East winners, Atlanta Braves had to go through the slugging Colorado Rockies; the first NL wild card team. They then faced the Reds, and the eventual World Series Champions Cleveland Indians. The Indians took a very peculiar path to the World Series. After leading the MLB with a 100-44 record, the Indians faced the Boston Red Sox, winners of the AL East, who had the 2nd best record in the American League. The Yankees were the wild card winners, who were defeated by the Seattle Mariners in the AL Division Series.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the commissioner, Bud Selig, with the MLB and its players’ union expires in December of this year, and an extension of five years is expected to be reached any day. One of the main hold-ups to a deal is the addition of another wild card team. The 2nd best non-divisonal winner would get into the playoffs. This may not seem like much, where every other major sports league in North America has at least 3 “wild card” teams, but in baseball, tradition is always at the top of people’s minds. Adding a team to each league’s postseason picture could lengthen the MLB season, which is something that is a major concern to most people involved in the process.
One option that was bandied around was to have the two wild card teams face off in a best 2 out of 3 series. The advantage of this short series is that both teams that didn’t win their division would have to play extra games while the winners get a short break to recuperate their injured players. Also, the extra games give opportunities to more teams to earn extra postseason revenue, which benefits the league. However, the extra 2-4 days off that the other teams would have to endure could also cause a team to lose its momentum gained at the end of the season.
However, it is believed that the MLB will go to a one game sudden death playoff between the two wild card teams. In my opinion, the biggest advantage to this is that it gives the winner of the game a monumental disadvantage going into the second round. The wild card teams would be forced to pitch their ace in the playoff, and therefore would not be able to pitch until at least game 3 of the next round. This means the team’s best starter would only get one start in a best of 5 series. Not only would the team with the best record in the league have home-field advantage, but they would see their opponent’s best pitcher in only one game.
In the current state of the MLB postseason, ten wild card teams have made it to the World Series, out of a possible 34 teams going back to 1995, including 2011. Roughly 29% of wild card teams make it into the World Series. If you figure that 1 out of 4 teams in each league make it to the World Series, or 25%, then you have a better chance of making it as a wild card than as a divisional winner. Four World Series have been won by wild card teams. 25% of World Series have been won by a team that should have a distinct disadvantage, but obviously do not. It is due to this that MLB must make it a bigger hindrance for not winning your division. Playing an extra game, extra travel and burning your ace are ways to weaken a wild card team’s chance of making it to the World Series.
With the union and MLB reps meeting every day trying to hammer out the extension for the CBA, you should see the added teams in the playoffs in 2012 or 2013. It is widely expected that the deal will be reached in the middle of the World Series to take advantage or the added publicity it would gain. I am fairly certain that the new playoff format will come into effect for the 2012 season, and there will be a lot of teams looking to push the envelope and make an appearance.
World Series: Game 2 Recap
Game 2 was a bit of a surprise, as Jaime Garcia, whom many picked to implode in this guy, had a great start. Through 7 solid innings, he gave up only 3 hits and 1 walk to 7 strike outs. Colby Lewis was equally as impressive until the 7th inning, where he was able to strike Matt Holliday out to lead off the inning. David Freese then singled and Yadier Molina flew out. Nick Punto then hit a ground ball towards first base that went off of Michael Young’s glove and into right field, moving Freese to third. With runners on the corners and one out in the 7th, Alexi Ogando came in to face the hitter in the pitcher’s spot. That hitter: Allen Craig. The same hero of game 1 that hit a single to right field that scored the go ahead and eventual winning run. Craig promptly lined a ball to right field to score David Freese, breaking the dead lock.
What would a playoff game be without drama? Jason Motte came in the 9th to close out the 1-0 game. So far in the postseason, he had given up 1
hit in 29 plate appearances. Ian Kinsler led off the inning with a bloop single off the end of the bat. Elvis Andrus came up to the plate and looked to get a sac bunt on the ground, but Kinsler decided to take matters in his own hands, and stole second base by the smallest of margins. Andrus then lifted a 2-2 pitch to center field for a single. While Kinsler was held at 3rd, Cardinals CF Jon Jay threw the ball wide of the cutoff man, which allowed Andrus to slide safely into 2nd base.
Manager Tony La Russa then yanked Motte for lefty Arthur Rhodes to face Josh Hamilton. On the first pitch, he hit a fly ball to right that scored Kinsler and advanced Andrus to third. Even more like La Russa, he brought in Lance Lynn to face Michael Young, who hit a 3-2 curveball deep enough to center to scored Andrus, and the Rangers lead the game 2-1.
Rangers closer Neftali Feliz took the mound in the bottom of the 9th and walked Yadier Molina on 5 pitches 97 mph or faster, hitting 100 on the radar gun with the first pitch. Nick Punto came to the plate, bunted two balls foul up around his eyes, then swung feebly to strike out. Feliz then struck out Skip Schumaker and induced a fly ball off the bat of Rafael Furcal to seal the victory.
With the series tied at one game apiece, an off day tomorrow and game 3 slated for Saturday night in Texas, this series is only going to get better. Keep checking MLB reports for your daily fix of updates on the World Series.
Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan onFacebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Thursday October 13, 2011
Rob Bland (Baseball Writer – MLB reports): On October 12, 2011, Theo Epstein, former GM of the Boston Red Sox agreed to a 5 year deal worth more than $15M. With the Chicago Cubs. This all comes as no real surprise to anyone, as it had been speculated since the Cubs fired GM Jim Hendry in August that Epstein was their top target. The real surprise is that Epstein and the Boston Red Sox’s falling out happened so swiftly. Within two weeks of the Red Sox collapse, which has been widely discussed by everyone in baseball circles, manager Terry Francona and the team parted ways, as well as, now, their general manager Theo Epstein.
It has been well-documented that Epstein was able to overcome the “Curse of the Bambino” by employing a bunch of “idiots” in the locker room that went on to win a World Series in 2004. This mentality has been a similar mantra of the Red Sox throughout his tenure. Because they won in 2004, and also in 2007, it was completely acceptable for players to do what they pleased in the locker room. Now that the epic collapse took place, the organization needed a change, and true accountability never took place for the Red Sox.
Epstein is a GM of great stature. He is trusted and many people believe in his abilities. He employs a “Moneyball” type strategy, which is also aided by having a large payroll, something he will also have the ability to create in Chicago. Ownership of the Cubs have not been afraid to spend money, and most of the time have put themselves in unfortunate situations.
Two contracts come to mind when I think of the Cubs. Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano. Prior to the 2007 season, Soriano inked a contract worth $136M over 8 years. In 2007, Zambrano signed an extension for the 2008-2012 seasons, with a vesting option for 2013 worth $91.5M. Epstein has a lot of work cut out for him with an aging, mediocre core, but finding a suitor for these two players, or finding a way for them to produce and not be distractions in the clubhouse is paramount.
Another major task for him is to figure out what he wants to do with incumbent manager, Mike Quade. Quade was hired as the Cubs’ interim
manager on August 22, 2010, and in October, the interim title was stripped. Quade led the Cubs to a 71-91 record and a 5th place finish in the NL Central, only ahead of the lowly Houston Astros. This record was tied for the 5th worst in all of baseball. When Quade was hired, much to the dismay of Cubs fans, who wanted Ryne Sandberg to take the helm, he was highly regarded as a smart, methodical baseball thinker. Was the year and month enough of a trial, or will Epstein want to bring in his own talent to manage this struggling franchise?
Epstein will also consider bringing in his own front office, using members from his group with the Red Sox. With news breaking that Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Ben Cherington will take over as GM in Boston, Epstein will be fighting to bring his favorite guys over with him.
The last thing holding up this deal is compensation for the Red Sox. Since Epstein had one year remaining on his contract with Boston, the Cubs had to ask permission to even speak with him. Epstein had made it known to the organization that he would be leaving after 2012, so the Red Sox allowed talks to run smoothly, as they would have owed him $3M for the season, and a contract bonus of $4M. Cash and/or prospects will easily get the job done.
The deal has not yet been completed due to some of these complications, but should be done by the beginning of next week. Epstein will have a major challenge in Chicago, as they are not even close to competing. Major decisions need to be made, and even with his high level of competency, it will take up to five years for the Cubs to be a major contender in the NL Central.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan onFacebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
September 29, 2011
Rob Bland (Baseball Writer – MLB reports): In order to write all of this, I needed to step away from my TV and computer, take a deep breath, and sleep for a while. The excitement of last night was almost too much for my fragile heart to bear, so the time away to clear my head was necessary.
I find myself repeating, “What just happened??” in my head. What happened last night was unfathomable. Not only were there two teams in each league tied for the Wild Card, but both teams that had been leading, suffered epic failures along the way. Go back to September 1, and the Boston Red Sox held a 9 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Atlanta Braves held an 8.5 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. Both teams chances of reaching the postseason were over 99%. Nobody could have actually predicted seriously at that time, that both the Cards and Rays would win the Wild Card on the final day of the regular season. Especially not the way that the AL Wild Card was eventually decided.
The Rays started David Price against the Yankees. Sounded promising enough, until Price gave up 6 runs in 4 innings. The game was pretty much over with th
e score at 7-0 in the Rays’ half of the 8th inning. 3 runs plated in the bottom of the 8th, then Evan Longoria took over the game. A 3-run home run put them within one run, and Tropicana Field exploded. Then with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, Rays manager Joe Maddon made one of the gutsiest calls I have ever seen: pinch hit with Dan Johnson. Johnson was 9 for 90 this season. He hadn’t gotten a hit since April. He had 36 hits since 2008. With one swing of the bat, the pandemonium levels in Florida had never been so high. Then, as if he hadn’t done enough already, Longoria blasted another home run, this one of the walk-off variety that would vault the Rays to the postseason.
What hasn’t been said about Boston and their collapse? It has been covered by so many people from so many angles. You could blame the whole organization from top to bottom, and you wouldn’t be wrong. What happened was an epic collapse, capped off by a 2 out rally by the Baltimore Orioles of all teams in the bottom of the 9th inning of game 162. The Orioles had nothing to play for but pride, and the love of the game. Robert Andino’s walk-off single to win the ball game will be remembered by Boston fans for years to come.
Hunter Pence hit a bloop-ish 120 ft infield single to win it for the Phillies over the Braves. In the 13th inning. After Craig Kimbrel, the super rookie, blew a lead in the 9th inning. The game saw the Phillies march out nine pitchers and the Braves used 8, including Scott Linebrink, who eventually gave up the winning run in the 13th.
Chris Carpenter twirled a gem for the Cardinals, a 2 hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and 1 walk against the Astros. This performance sealed at the very least a one-game playoff game against the Braves had they won.
Wow what a night.
Now onto LDS matchups:
Rays vs. Rangers
The Rays come in with unlimited momentum, and a pitching staff that is so deep, that manager Joe Maddon is having a difficult time naming the starter for game 1. While Matt Moore seems to be the obvious choice to me, Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis could be viable options as well.** James Shields would have to go on short rest, and Price pitched last night, so one of the other three will be chosen to go against C.J. Wilson and a Rangers offense that is ready to take on all comers. Shields will go game 2 and Price go the 3rd. Beyond that is a toss-up. For the Rangers, Wilson will go Game 1, Derek Holland game 2, and still undetermined the rest of the way.
Adrian Beltre had a phenomenal September, earning AL Player of the month, and Mike Napoli has been dominant all year, bashing home runs all over the field. Michael Young worked his way into the MVP race after a tumultuous offseason that saw him switch positions yet again. Josh Hamilton is as dangerous as ever, and Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler are still hitting home runs at a high rate. Kinsler actually became only the third 2nd baseman to join the 30-30 club, with 32 HR and 30 SB. The Rays may not have the prodigious bombers that the Rangers have, but they have athletic, smart ballplayers that never say die. They ultimately seem like a team of destiny, and I will not discount the fact that they may have the best manager in all of baseball at the helm.
** Note: Matt Moore has been named the starter for game 1.
Rays in 4
Yankees vs. Tigers
So the Yankees have the highest payroll in baseball, and the Tigers have the 10th, about $100,000 between them. Should be easy, right? Yankees
should take this series in 3 games. Wrong. Detroit has one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball in 2011 in Justin Verlander, who should win the Cy Young vote unanimously. He should also garner serious MVP interest. Against him will be CC Sabathia, who has been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball the last 7 or 8 years. Doug Fister was brought in to shore up a shaky Tigers rotation, and with Max Scherzer, the Tigers look like they have a pretty decent chance. Behind Sabathia will be rookie Ivan Nova, who I am not sold on, and after him is Freddy Garcia, who is having a fine year, but is nowhere near the pitcher he used to be.
Robinson Cano has been his usual stellar self playing 2nd base for the Yankees, but there were a lot of subpar seasons by other Yankees. Derek Jeter was better than last year, A-Rod was almost nonexistent for a lot of the season, and aside from Curtis Granderson, the lineup struggled to find consistency. The Posada soap opera continues, but giving Jesus Montero more at bats needs to happen. The kid can swing it. The Tigers have another MVP candidate in Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez has been stellar, and they have a young kid behind the plate named Alex Avila who could be in line for a Silver Slugger award. The Tigers are younger, and hungrier to win, but the Yankees have more overall talent. Even if their roster is aging, and this one should go down to the final out.
Tigers in 5
Diamondbacks vs. Brewers
The two best managers in the NL this year; Kirk Gibson of the DBacks and Ron Roenicke of the Brewers square off in this ultimately tight series. Arizona did it this year with a cast of relative nobodies and no real superstar other than Justin Upton. The Brewers have Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Zack Greinke, John Axford and Francisco Rodriguez. They have star power up and down the lineup and rotation, and they have a great fan base.
Ian Kennedy may be a Cy Young candidate, but the Brewers have more depth in their rotation. Yovani Gallardo will oppose him in game 1, followed by Shaun Marcum and Greinke, who will be opposed by Josh Collmenter and Daniel Hudson. The Brewers also have the dominant back-end of the bullpen in K-Rod and John Axford, who was 46 for 48 in save opportunities.
Brewers in 5
Cardinals vs. Phillies
Prince Fielder just missed his 11th straight season of .300/ 30 HR/ 100RBI. He hit .299 with 37 home runs and 99 RBI. The cards are not just a one trick pony, however, as Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, and Yadier Molina have been stellar all season long. If they can get solid contributions from their secondary players they could make the series interesting. The Phillies, like the Brewers, have tremendous star power in Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Not to mention one of the best deals of the year in Hunter Pence. They have a veteran presence filled with guys who have been to the postseason five years in a row, and have the ability to hit any team’s pitching.
If you ask anyone who knows anything about baseball what team has the best pitching, the unanimous decision would go to the Phillies. The 4 Aces look to lock up Philly’s second World Series in the last 4 seasons. Led by Roy Halladay, or Cliff Lee, or Cole Hamels, every team in the postseason should be scared. It is not very often that a team could have 3 pitchers in the top 5 for the Cy Young Award, but it could happen this year. Roy Oswalt will pitch game 4 if necessary. Tony La Russa has decided to open the series with veteran Kyle Lohse, which seems asinine. Edwin Jackson will go Game 2 and Chris Carpenter game 3. Jaime Garcia, who could be their most talented pitcher, will throw game 4 if necessary.
Phillies in 4
All 4 series should play pretty close, and the series I am most excited to watch is Arizona vs. Milwaukee. If Game 162 was any indication of what is to come of the postseason this year, then everyone needs to grab their popcorn and beverages, get bunkered down, and get ready for a long, gruelling, exciting month of baseball.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
September 14, 2011
Rob Bland (Baseball Writer – MLB reports): Red Sox Nation is panicking. On September 1, the Boston Red Sox held a 9 game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. Today, on September 13, they sit only 3 games ahead. Since then, the Red Sox have gone 2-9, while Tampa has gone 8-3. Many people believe that Tampa Bay has the pitching to get the job done. Led by “Big Game” James Shields and David Price, they have a rotation that has been one of the top in the league all season. As a team, they have given up the least amount of hits by 80 in the American League. Their team ERA is also tops in the American League at 3.56.
Boston is limping into the end of the season, with 3 of their 5 opening week starters injured in some fashion in the last month. Jon Lester has been every bit of the ace the Red Sox need him to be, with a 15-7 record and 3.07 ERA. However, when the Sox leaned on him on September 11 against Tampa, he lasted only 4 innings, giving up 4 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks. John Lackey has been awful this year. I cringe when I look at his stats. 6.30 ERA, 180 hits in 144 innings, and 18 hit batsmen to lead the league. How has he won 12 games? Buchholz was solid before going on the disable list, giving up only 76 hits in 82 2/3 innings, but hasn’t pitched since June 16. It is believed he could be back as soon as next week, but in a limited bullpen role at best, so his impact won’t be felt much. Josh Beckett has been great this year as well, but rolled his ankle in the 4th inning of his last start. At one point, after throwing a complete game, 1 hit shutout on June 15, his ERA sat at 1.86. He is currently 12-5 with a 2.49 ERA, and a WHIP of 0.985. Daisuke Matsuzaka was a bust this year and required Tommy John Surgery in June. In his place is knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who currently sits at 200 wins on his career. Wakefield hasn’t made it look pretty this year, but has put in 139 2/3 valuable innings to date.
Tampa Bay boasts one of the top rotations in baseball, with Opening Day starter David Price pitching very solid, without much run support. He has a 12-12 record but his ERA is 3.40 and has reached the 200 strikeout plateau for the first time in his young career. Big Game James doesn’t need much of an introduction, as his 11 complete games and 4 shutouts lead the MLB. He has already thrown 226 innings, a career high, with 210 strikeouts, also a career high. Wade Davis has thrown 165 soli
d innings as a follow-up to being 4th in Rookie of the Year balloting last season. Jeff Niemann is really blossoming into a dependable middle of the rotation pitcher, going 10-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 129 innings. He doesn’t strike out a ton of hitters, but doesn’t walk many either, shown by his 3 K/BB ratio. One of the frontrunners for AL Rookie of the Year is Jeremy Hellickson, who has been pretty much lights out all year. With a 2.96 ERA and only giving up 135 hits in 170 innings, he will surely garner some votes. The one wild card that the Rays hold, however, is Matt Moore. Moore was just called up to fill a role similar to David Price in 2008. He will be electric out of the bullpen after a minor league season that will rank him in the top 5 of all prospects going into next season.
Boston’s offense is abound with potential MVP’s and great hitters. 1 through 9, the Red Sox boast one of the best lineups I can remember. Jacoby Ellsbury may win the MVP, but he will have to go through Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez first. Also, David Ortiz is again proving the naysayers wrong, as he is hitting .313 with 29 home runs and 92 RBI. When a player of JD Drew’s caliber can go on the disabled list and be replaced with Josh Reddick, who is hitting .298 and slugging .491 in 250 plate appearances, it gives a lot of confidence to a pitching staff. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia finally seems like the player who the Atlanta Braves envisioned when they drafted him in the 1st round in 2003. Jason Varitek is also enjoying a fine season as a backup to Saltalamacchia, hitting 11 home runs in only 234 plate appearances. This offense is one that no team will want to face in the final weeks of the season or the playoffs if they reach that far.
Tampa Bay may not have the “sexy” offensive players that the Red Sox do, but they have some players having mighty fine seasons. Ben Zobrist has overlooked his mediocre 2010 season, and has put up numbers closer to his breakout 2009. Although he probably won’t ever match that season, his 45 doubles lead the American League, and has a very good OPS of .820. Casey Kotchman is still an on-base machine with little pop from first base. He has hit at a .313 clip with a .382 on-base percentage, setting the table for the big run producers. Evan Longoria may be having a down year by his standards, but most teams would be happy with a third baseman hitting 25 home runs and slugging .818. Through May, Matt Joyce was an early favorite for AL MVP, but really tapered off in June and July, before turning it back up in the last month. His .843 OPS leads the team, and he also has 12 stolen bases. BJ Upton continues to be a low average, high power type of hitter, with 20 home runs and 27 stolen bases while hitting just .234. The worst position in terms of offensive production has been shortstop, where Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez have handled most of the duties. The Rays’ high-tempo style of offense has wreaked havoc on opposing batteries, as they have stolen 130 bases, good for third in the American League.
Both teams have completely different styles and techniques, but are successful in their own ways. With the Rays aggressive style, and the Red Sox more reliant on taking pitches and making pitchers work, getting deep into bullpens early, this could be a battle to the bitter end. The schedules they play the rest of the way will also dictate who is more likely to win the race for the Wild Card.
Boston:
1 vs Toronto
4 vs Tampa Bay
7 vs Baltimore
3 vs New York
Tampa Bay:
1 vs Baltimore
4 vs Boston
7 vs New York
3 vs Toronto
It is quite evident that Boston has a much easier schedule, and should win a fair number of them. The Red Sox have gone 11-4 against the Yankees this year also. Tampa has gone 5-6 against the Yankees, whom they see 7 more times. Boston gets Baltimore 7 more times, and have beaten them 8 out of 11 games so far. The pivotal series of all will be this weekend when the two teams square off against one another. The game of the weekend may be on Friday September 16, where James Shields faces off against Josh Beckett.
I believe that Tampa Bay will come within a game or two, but the schedule differences give Boston a HUGE advantage. The Red Sox 18-6 drubbing of the Blue Jays on Tuesday will be a catalyst for the team over the next two weeks, where they will produce runs and pitch just well enough to get into the postseason.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan onFacebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Saturday September 10, 2011
Rob Bland (Baseball Writer – MLB reports): When a team has a disappointing season, the most likely candidate to lose his job is the manager. So far in the 2011 season, there has already been three managers who have either resigned or been fired. The Oakland Athletics fired Bob Geren on June 9th and replaced him with Bob Melvin. A week and a half later, Edwin Rodriguez resigned from his post as manager of the Florida Marlins. Jack McKeon became the oldest manager since Connie Mack at 80 years old. Yet another week later on June 26th, Jim Riggleman of the Washington Nationals resigned and was replaced by Davey Johnson two days later. With only a few weeks left in the regular season, who are the frontrunners to be replaced after the World Series?
With eight managers being new to their respective teams to start the 2011 season, one would think there can’t be too many jobs to lose. The first criteria I look at in order to predict who will not be returning his club is if the team was expected to contend for the playoffs, and fell short. Another thing I look at is the perception of the clubhouse, ie. if players get along, or if the manager is able to manage egos. Of course, the manager’s ability to create a lineup and manage a bullpen is taken into consideration. Other factors such as injuries and expectations of players are measured as well. The list that follows are my top 3 managers who could be canned after this season.
Mike Quade, Chicago Cubs
It is not oft
en that I would think a first year manager would be fired like this, but there are so many circumstances that make me believe he will be gone. First, there has been grumbling since day one in Chicago that Quade was hired over franchise icon Ryne Sandberg. The Cubs have been packed with talented players such as Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, Geovany Soto, Ryan Dempster and Carlos Marmol. Add in Matt Garza and Starlin Castro, and you would think they could at least come close in the terrible NL Central. They are 22 games behind the streaking Milwaukee Brewers, and 21.5 behind Atlanta for the Wild Card. Their record is 62-81 with a 35-40 record at Wrigley Field.
Bud Black, San Diego Padres
With 2011 being Black’s 5th season with the Padres, a 62-82 record and already 21 games behind Arizona for the NL West title, he could be on the way out. The Padres have yet to reach the postseason under Black, however they were involved in a 1-game playoff with Colorado for the Wild Card title in 2007 that many of us will never forget as one of the most exciting games we have ever witnessed. In 2010, the Padres held a 6.5 game lead over eventual World Series Champs San Francisco Giants on August 25th. After a 10 game losing streak, the Padres were still in contention, and were not officially eliminated from the playoffs until the final day of the regular season with a 90-72 record. Those were the only winnings seasons in Black’s tenure and his time in San Diego may be up.
Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins
Is it really fair to say Gardenhire’s job is in jeopardy? Probably not, but it definitely is possible. Over his 10 year career with the Twins, he has amassed an 861-740 record and they have been in the playoffs 6 times. However, they have only won 6 games, 4 of which were in one series, in Gardenhire’s first season; 2002. The Twins have not won a playoff game since 2004, being swept in 2006, 2009 and 2010 in the American League Division Series. This year, Gardenhire has had to deal with crippling injuries of former AL MVP’s Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer. Statistically, the best hitter has been Michael Cuddyer, hitting .282 with 18 home runs and 64 RBI. The best pitcher has been Scott Baker who is 8-6 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 131 2/3 innings. Francisco Liriano has not been the same as he was before undergoing Tommy John surgery after the 2006 season, and aside from his no-hitter against the White Sox on May 3, he has been downright awful and is now on the 15-day disabled list. When the best players don’t perform, or are hurt, the manager is forced to do the best he can with what he is given. However a 59-84 record may just be the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back for Gardenhire.
This year, with 3 mid-season changes already, and eight new managers at the beginning of the season, shouldn’t see too much activity. I do believe that with the Cubs’ search for a new general manager under way, Quade’s days are numbered in Chicago. I also believe that Black’s inability to get the always promising Padres to the next level will leave him without a job by November. Gardenhire has not proven to me that he can bring the Twins to the World Series, and that is what the job description entails. Has it ever happened where both Managers of the Year from their respective leagues gets fired the following year? It could happen if Black and Gardenhire are let go.
***Today’s feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer, Rob Bland. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan onFacebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
Sunday July 17, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern- MLB Reports): January 21, 2011 is seen as a bit of a turning point in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays. General Manager Alex Anthopolous traded away long-time face of the franchise, Vernon Wells. Wells had been with the Blue Jays since he was drafted in the first round, fifth overall by the Jays in the 1997 amateur draft. After making his debut in 1999, he played in a Toronto uniform through the 2010 season. His name is littered across franchise record books, and he was a beloved figure in the clubhouse. On December 15, 2006, Wells signed a seven-year, $126 million contract extension, which at the time was the 6th largest contract in MLB history. Over the next few years, Wells’ lack of production and time spent on the disabled list, made his contract “unmoveable”.
That was of course until Alex Anthopolous took the helm as Jays GM, and was able to find a taker for Wells and the four years and $86 million remaining on the contract. Into the picture came Tony Reagins, GM of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It has been said that Reagins approached Anthopolous about Wells. One would think that in order for a deal to work, the Blue Jays would have had to send a large sum of cash to the Angels in order for the deal to go through.
The deal that was finally consummated was to send Wells and approximately $5 million to the Angels in exchange for OF Juan Rivera, and C/1B Mike Napoli. Rivera was seen as a throw-in, as his $4M contract was more than the Angels wanted to pay. Napoli had fallen out of favour in manager Mike Scioscia’s eyes; despite hitting at least 20 home runs in each of the three previous seasons despite receiving limited playing time. Toronto then flipped Napoli to the Texas Rangers for standout reliever Frank Francisco. The Rangers received the powerful, right-handed versatile hitter they coveted, and the Blue Jays thought they received the closer they needed.
It is quite obvious that no matter how any of those players perform, the Blue Jays are the big winner because of the payroll space they have cleared and can use to extend their star players, see Jose Bautista. However, this deal has not been so cut and dry. While Napoli has swung the bat with authority, Juan Rivera has been traded to the LA Dodgers, and Francisco has been awful out of the Jays bullpen.
Let’s take a quick look at each player’s production and how their respective teams have fared so far.
Again performing as a part-time player at three positions, Napoli has been very solid for the Rangers. He has hit 13 home runs and driven in 34 RBI in only 187 plate appearances. While his average leaves something to be desired, he makes up for it in his ability to take walks and hit the ball to the gaps. With his OPS at .906, he has proven that he is a tremendously underrated player. His WAR through half the season is at 1.7, and he is on pace to break his career high of 2.6.
Because he was seen as a salary dump for the Angels, the Blue Jays took him on and saw him as the everyday left fielder and DH out of spring training. He was never able to get it going, and quickly fell out of favour in Toronto. His OPS sat at .666 when traded, with a limited ability to get on base and very little power. This on top of the fact that he played atrocious defense led to his -1.2 WAR. He was traded to the LA Dodgers for a player to be named later or cash considerations on July 12, 2011.
Seen as a pretty successful power arm for the late innings, Francisco was picked up from the Texas Rangers along with cash. He continues to strike out a ton of batters, (10.1 K/9), but he is giving up more hits than he has in the past. However, part of this is due to a batting average on balls in play (BABIP) of .359. His xFIP is actually almost two runs lower than his ERA, 3.56 as opposed to 5.40. I think that Francisco has been unlucky, and when it all evens out, it will show that he is at least a competent late inning reliever.
Wells was obviously the big fish in this trade. He has the ability to be an MVP-caliber player (see his 2003 and 2006 seasons). He has two gold gloves in center field, as well as three All-Star appearances in his career. He has hit 30 home runs three times and driven in 100 RBI three times. Wells’ production in 2011 has been nothing short of horrendous. He has 14 home runs so far, but other than that, hasn’t done anything particularly well. His OPS is .671 with an OBP of .254. Wells is striking out in over 20% of his plate appearances, and walking in less than 4%. Now, you could look at his BABIP (.228) and think he has been unlucky, but it is that low because of his awful 10% line drive rate. With a flyball rate of 47% and by hitting a ton of infield flies, his BABIP won’t likely rise much. It is unlikely that Wells will ever return to being the player he once was.
VERDICT:
Taking a look at these stats, we can see that the Rangers were an instant winner. They gave up an expendable reliever, and gained a valuable bat off the bench. The Angels are the big losers in the deal, as they owe Wells over $60M over the next 3.5 years. That kind of production out of a left fielder is unacceptable for a team trying to contend for the playoffs. Toronto knew that with the trades they made, they would not be as good of a team without Wells. They are in a rebuilding mode, and the money they save can be used on drafting and developing young talent. Francisco could be a Type B free agent at the end of the year, so another draft pick could be theirs.
**The grand winner in this series of moves is the Blue Jays, as with the departure of Wells, they have been able to extend Jose Bautista with a five-year, $65M contract. They have been aggressive in international signings this month as well, and look to pour more resources into the draft. ***
***Thank you to Rob Bland for preparing today’s article on the Vernon Wells trade. You can follow Rob on Twitter.***
Please e-mail us at: MLBreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook . To subscribe to our website and have the daily Reports sent directly to your inbox , click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.
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