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2011 MLB All-Star Game Recap: National League Defeats the American League for 2nd Year in a Row
Wednesday July 13, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern Candidate for MLB Reports): This year’s edition of the Midsummer Classic, the 2011 MLB All-Star Game, had a record-setting vote-getter. Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays received over 7.4 million votes in fan voting. This game was said to have lost some of its lustre due to the amount of players who elected not to participate. A total of eight players that were voted in by fans or chosen by coaches dropped out due to injury, timing or just plain wanting to rest. For the American League, David Price (TB), Derek Jeter (NYY), Mariano Rivera (NYY), Alex Rodriguez (NYY) and Jon Lester (BOS) all withdrew due to various ailments and injuries. Chipper Jones (ATL), Jose Reyes (NYM), and Placido Polanco (PHI) were the players who bowed out in the National League. One of Major League Baseball’s rules pertaining to eligibility for pitchers is that they must not start on the Sunday prior to the game. Due to this rule, CC Sabathia (NYY), James Shields (TB), Justin Verlander (DET), Felix Hernandez (SEA), Cole Hamels (PHI), and Matt Cain (SF) were ruled ineligible and unable to participate in the game.
Surely not having Price, Sabathia, Shields, Verlander, Hernandez and Rivera hurt the AL. Although he has had an impressive start to the season, CJ Wilson (TEX) probably should not have been pitching when he gave up the 3-run home run to Prince Fielder (MIL). It easily could have been one of those more accomplished aces as mentioned. However, that is the way it turned out, as the National League took advantage early and defeated the American League by a score of 5-1. The MVP of the game was Fielder, because of his huge home run that put the NL on top early and as it turned out, for good.
My pick for MVP was Roy Halladay (PHI), as he started for the National League and was dominant as only the Doc can be. He faced the minimum six batters over two innings, including Curtis Granderson (NYY), Adrian Gonzalez (BOS) and Jose Bautista (TOR); all potential MVP candidates. Halladay managed to throw only 19 pitches as part of his historical pitching performance.
In the 2nd inning, the defensive play of the game occurred when Brian McCann (ATL) hit a towering flyball in foul territory that Bautista caught as he slid into the wall. Aside from being one of the top home run hitters in baseall, Bautista is also an accomplished fielder who is capable of winning a gold glove at either third base or right field.
The scoring in the game started in the top of the 4th inning, when Adrian Gonzalez blasted a Cliff Lee (PHI) cutter over the right center field wall for a solo blast. The AL
followed with three straight singles, the last of which was off Tyler Clippard (WAS). Hunter Pence fielded the ball and threw a laser to the plate to catch Bautista who tried to score from second for the third out. In the bottom of the inning, Carlos Beltran (NYM) and Matt Kemp (LAD) hit singles to set up Fielder`s massive bomb.
Jordan Walden (LAA), another player who probably didn`t deserve to play as much as the other big name starters, began to light up the radar gun last night, hitting 100 mph on his first four fastballs. Starlin Castro (CHC) came in to pinch run at first base after Troy Tulowitzki (COL) hit a leadoff single. Castro proceeded to immediately steal second and third base. He then set up another play at the plate, where Walden bare handed a weak ground ball by Rickie Weeks (MIL) and threw Castro out. Weeks stole second and came around to score when Andre Ethier (LAD) hit a single to right field, making the score 4-1.
The scoring continued in the bottom of the seventh inning when Pablo Sandoval (SF) hit a ground rule double over the wall in the left field corner. This scored Hunter Pence (HOU) after his leadoff single and a passed ball that allowed him to move to second base, and eventually score.
Fan favorite Brian Wilson (SF) came in the top of the nineth inning with runners on second and third. A fly out and ground out later, and the game was in the books. Make the final score 5-1, as the National League wins for the All-Star Game for the second year in a row and secures home field advantage for its league in the up coming World Series in the fall.
This year`s All-Star Festivities were enjoyed by so many fans, and continually impressed me. I have had a great time covering the 2011 All-Star Game, everything from the Futures Game, Home Run Derby and of course, the All-Star Game itself. With Major League Baseball now entering the dog days of summer and the secon half of the season, it is time to speculate on trades and the calling up of prospects. Pure heaven for this baseball writer!
***EDITOR’S NOTE: With Chase Field still buzzing, the trade market has already begun. The Milwaukee Brewers announced right after the game taht they had acquired closer Francisco Rodriguez and cash considerations from the New York Mets for two players to be named later. With the Brewers acquiring Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum in the offseason, clearly Milwaukee is going for it. Will be interesting to see if Brewers allow K-Rod’s $17.5 million option to vest for 2012, which is based on number of games finished in 2011. If K-Rod finishes 55 games, the option will vest. As he has already finsihed 34 this season, so the option could vest depending on how the Brewers use K-Rod and how close they remain to a playoff berth. It will be interesting to see what prospects go from Milwaukee to New York. Long-term this deal could hurt Milwaukee depending on which top prospects they give up. But in the short-term, this deal will make the Brewers’ fanbase happy and their slugging free agent to be, Prince Fielder, may have more thinking to do before selecting his new team for 2012. The ground work has been set with respect to the trade market. Now we will see if the K-Rod deal has indeed open the trading floodgates for the rest of baseball. ***
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| American | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| National | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 9 | 2 |
W: T. Clippard
L: C. Wilson
S: B. Wilson
|
National All-Stars |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| R Weeks 2B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
B Phillips 2B
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| C Beltran DH | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
|
a-A Ethier PH-DH
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
|
b-G Sanchez PH-DH
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| M Kemp CF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | .500 | .667 | .500 |
|
A McCutchen CF
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| P Fielder 1B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .500 | .500 | 2.000 |
|
J Votto 1B
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| B McCann C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
Y Molina C
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
|
c-J Bruce PH-RF
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| L Berkman RF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
|
J Upton RF
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
M Montero C
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| M Holliday LF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
H Pence LF
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
| T Tulowitzki SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
|
S Castro PR-SS
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| S Rolen 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
P Sandoval 3B
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
| Totals | 31 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 126 | |||
| a-singled to right for C Beltran in the 5th b-popped out to second for A Ethier in the 7th c-struck out looking for Y Molina in the 8th |
||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Y Molina (1, C Perez); P Sandoval (1, B League) HR: P Fielder (1, 4th inning off C Wilson 2 on, 0 Out) RBI: P Fielder 3 (3), A Ethier (1), P Sandoval (1) 2-out RBI: A Ethier All-Stars RISP: 3-8 (P Fielder 1-1, J Upton 0-1, S Rolen 0-1, B Phillips 0-1, R Weeks 0-1, A Ethier 1-1, G Sanchez 0-1, P Sandoval 1-1) Team LOB: 3 |
||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: S Castro 2 (2, 2nd base off J Walden/A Avila, 3rd base off J Walden/A Avila); R Weeks (1, 2nd base off J Walden/A Avila) CS: L Berkman (1, 2nd base by D Robertson/A Avila) |
||||||||||
| FIELDING E: S Castro (1, throw); J Bruce (1, throw) Outfield Assist: H Pence (J Bautista at Home). |
||||||||||
|
National All-Stars |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | PC-ST | ERA | |
| R Halladay | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19-14 | 0.00 | |
| C Lee | 1.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25-16 | 5.40 | |
T Clippard |
0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3-3 | 0.00 | |
| C Kershaw (H) |
1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8-6 | 0.00 | |
| J Jurrjens (H) |
1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23-15 | 0.00 | |
| C Kimbrel (H) |
0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14-8 | 0.00 | |
| J Venters | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4-4 | 0.00 | |
| H Bell | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5-2 | 0.00 | |
| J Hanrahan | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14-9 | 0.00 | |
| B Wilson (S) |
0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7-5 | 0.00 | |
| Totals | 9.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 122-82 | ||
| PITCHING First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: R Halladay 4/6; C Lee 4/8; T Clippard 1/1; C Kershaw 1/3; J Jurrjens 5/6; C Kimbrel 0/2; J Venters 2/2; H Bell 0/1; J Hanrahan 1/3; B Wilson 2/2 Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In Play strikes: R Halladay 4-3-2-5; C Lee 4-1-3-8; T Clippard 1-1-0-1; C Kershaw 1-1-2-2; J Jurrjens 3-5-3-4; C Kimbrel 1-2-4-1; J Venters 1-2-0-1; H Bell 1-0-0-1; J Hanrahan 1-2-4-2; B Wilson 1-1-1-2 Ground Balls-Fly Balls: R Halladay 3-2; C Lee 4-1; T Clippard 0-0; C Kershaw 2-0; J Jurrjens 2-2; C Kimbrel 1-0; J Venters 1-0; H Bell 0-1; J Hanrahan 0-0; B Wilson 1-1 Game Scores: R Halladay 57 |
||||||||||
|
American All-Stars |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| C Granderson CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
J Ellsbury CF
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| A Cabrera SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
J Peralta SS
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| A Gonzalez 1B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .500 | .500 | 2.000 |
|
M Cabrera 1B
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
M Young 3B
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| J Bautista RF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
|
C Quentin RF
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| J Hamilton LF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
|
M Joyce LF
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
| A Beltre 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
|
K Youkilis 3B
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
|
M Cuddyer 1B
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| D Ortiz DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
a-P Konerko PH-DH
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | .000 | .500 | .000 |
| R Cano 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
H Kendrick 2B
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| A Avila C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
|
M Wieters C
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Totals | 33 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 122 | |||
| a-walked for D Ortiz in the 7th | ||||||||||
| BATTING HR: A Gonzalez (1, 4th inning off C Lee 0 on, 2 Out) RBI: A Gonzalez (1) 2-out RBI: A Gonzalez All-Stars RISP: 2-5 (M Joyce 1-1, A Beltre 1-1, H Kendrick 0-1, M Cuddyer 0-1, P Konerko 0-1) Team LOB: 6 |
||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (A Avila-R Cano). PB: M Wieters. Outfield Assist: J Bautista (A Ethier at 2nd base). |
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|
American All-Stars |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | PC-ST | ERA | |
| J Weaver | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14-8 | 0.00 | |
| D Robertson | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14-7 | 0.00 | |
| M Pineda | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10-8 | 0.00 | |
| C Wilson (L) |
1.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22-14 | 27.00 | |
| J Walden | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20-13 | 9.00 | |
| C Perez | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15-9 | 0.00 | |
| B League | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19-13 | 9.00 | |
| A Ogando | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6-5 | 0.00 | |
| G Gonzalez | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6-3 | 0.00 | |
| Totals | 8.0 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 126-80 | ||
| PITCHING First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: J Weaver 4/4; D Robertson 1/3; M Pineda 3/3; C Wilson 3/6; J Walden 2/4; C Perez 2/4; B League 3/5; A Ogando 2/2; G Gonzalez 1/1 Called strikes-Swinging strikes-Foul balls-In Play strikes: J Weaver 3-3-0-2; D Robertson 2-1-3-1; M Pineda 3-3-1-1; C Wilson 4-2-4-4; J Walden 2-3-5-3; C Perez 2-2-2-3; B League 1-4-4-4; A Ogando 2-0-1-2; G Gonzalez 2-1-0-0 Ground Balls-Fly Balls: J Weaver 1-1; D Robertson 0-1; M Pineda 0-1; C Wilson 0-2; J Walden 1-0; C Perez 0-2; B League 0-2; A Ogando 2-0; G Gonzalez 0-0 Game Scores: J Weaver 53 |
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***Thank you to Rob Bland for preparing today’s article on the All-Star Game. You can follow Rob on Twitter.***
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Final Results and Recap: 2011 MLB Home Run Derby and All-Star Futures Game
Tuesday July 12, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern Candidate for MLB Reports): The MLB Home Run Derby is one of the greatest events in comparison to the All-Star games of any sport. Fans flock in droves to watch the event, hoping to catch an amazing feat such as Josh Hamilton hitting 28 in the first round in 2008, only to come in 2nd place, and Bobby Abreu hitting 41 total home runs on his way to winning the title in 2005.
When the teams were announced, the fans booed both Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks. Fielder was chastised for his selection of Weeks, as most casual fans were not aware of the pure power that he possesses. Weeks was chosen over Justin Upton, who would have been great in front of his Arizona hometown crowd.
Early on this Derby lacked excitement, save for Robinson Cano’s first round, in which he had his father, former major leaguer, Jose Cano, pitching to him. Cano blasted a number of balls deep into the right center field bleachers, his longest being 472 ft. Jose Bautista was a bit of a disappointment, smashing only 4 home runs and ended up being eliminated in the first round of the derby. Other disappointments included the aforementioned Rickie Weeks and Matt Kemp, who hit 3 and 2 home runs, respectively.
There was some excitement at the end, as both David Ortiz and Fielder hit 5 home runs a piece to tie Matt Holliday, forcing a 3-player swing-off for 3rd and 4th place. In this swing-off, each player received 5 swings in which to hit as many home runs as possible. Holliday led off with 5, Ortiz hit 4, and Fielder hit a perfect 5, two of which were mammoth shots.
The second round started off with Ortiz, and he began to show his age. Ortiz was likely tired after the first round plus enduring the sudden death swing-off. Ortiz hit only 4 home runs in the second round, and his average distance was 426 ft. Then came the Robinson Cano Show again. Cano launched 12 home runs in the second round, averaging 436 ft. His swing was picture perfect, and it seemed as though any time he didn’t hit a home run, his dad would be upset with him. Robinson’s dad knows his son’s strengths, and was confident he could hit that many. That is likely why Cano was named Robinson by his father, after the late and great Jackie Robinson.
Gonzalez was also able to put on a show in the second round, consistently pounding the ball 430+ft. He put on a display, hitting the
ball to the opposite field, and straightaway center field on his way to finishing with 11 in the round, and 20 total, tying him with Cano. Fielder was up next, and aside from his first swing, that he hit 474 ft, he was not able to do much else. He finished with 4 in the round, 9 in total. So, it came down to the Yankees and Red Sox again. Cano and Gonzalez square off in the finals.
Gonzalez immediately impressed, hitting 8 home runs in his first 3 outs. He cooled off and finished with 11 in the finals. With the most impressive rounds of the night, Cano hit 10 in his first 16 swings, needing only 1 more to tie Gonzalez. The crowd erupted as he hit a home run over 470 ft to tie it up. The very next swing was the one that did it, as he hit it out to right center field. Gonzalez had a record 11 home runs in the last round, and Cano was clutch in beating that.
What started off as a slow, uneventful night, wound up being a compelling night of watching the Yankees battle the Red Sox in a pure power slugfest. Robinson and his dad embracing by the mound. The American League beating the National League. All in all, this year’s edition of the Home Run Derby was nothing short of spectacular.
| Chase Field, Phoenix — AL 76 defeats NL 19 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Round 1 | Round 2 | Subtotal | Finals | Total |
| Robinson Cano | Yankees | 8 | 12 | 20 | 12 | 32 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | Red Sox | 9 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 31 |
| Prince Fielder | Brewers | 5 | 4 | 9 | – | 9 |
| David Ortiz | Red Sox | 5 | 4 | 9 | – | 9 |
| Matt Holliday | Cardinals | 5 | – | 5 | – | 5 |
| Jose Bautista | Blue Jays | 4 | – | 4 | – | 4 |
| Rickie Weeks | Brewers | 3 | – | 3 | – | 3 |
| Matt Kemp | Dodgers | 2 | – | 2 | – | 2 |
In a game showcasing most of baseball’s brightest shining up and coming stars, there were several players who stood out from the pack. Although Bryce Harper (WAS) stole the spotlight in both the pre-game and post-game festivities, he did not shine quite as bright during the game. He was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts and 2 ground outs to first. One of which was hit fairly hard but a nice play by Yonder Alonso got the out.
Aside from two big innings, a 4-run 6th inning by the World Team hitters off of Drew Pomeranz, and a 3-run 8th inning off of Kelvin Herrera by Team USA, this was a game largely dominated by flame-throwing pitchers.
For the US Team, my standout hitters were Jason Kipnis, (CLE) who led off the bottom of the 1st with a home run over the right-centre field wall, and Grant Green (OAK). Green crushed a double off the top of the wall in straight-away center that I thought would have been gone in any other park. He also stroked another double, going 2 for 2 with 2 doubles, a run scored and RBI on his way to earning MVP of the game. On the mound, I was blown away by Matt Moore, Tampa Bay’s mega pitching prospect. He threw 11 pitches, 9 of which were strikes. His fastball was clocked consistently between 94 and 98 mph, and he was also throwing a devastating slider at 86 mph. Phillies prospect Jared Cosart was also very impressive. He racked up 2 strikeouts and a fly out on 10 pitches; 8 strikes. Sitting at 96 with the heater, he also displayed a plus change-up.
Jose Altuve (HOU) is a guy that doesn’t get much credit, because he stands at about 5’6”. However, the Venezuelan native has hit everywhere he has played. He was 2 for 3 with a single and a double, and I came away impressed with the diminutive infielder. Jurickson Profar (TEX) may have been the youngest player there, but he was not overmatched, as he stroked a triple off Drew Pomeranz and displayed his impressive speed. On the bump, Canadian James Paxton stood out to me. The University of Kentucky product threw 6 pitches; all fastballs, and induced 3 quick outs. He was between 94 and 96 and showed better control than I remember the last time I saw him. Henderson Alvarez (TOR) was also impressive, with a fastball that topped out at 98 mph, and getting Harper to ground out to first on a 95 mph sinker.
The US team jumped out to an early lead thanks to the leadoff home run by Kipnis in the first, and an RBI fielder’s choice by Wil
Myers (KC) in the 2nd inning. Team USA then made it 3-0 in the 5th on Green’s first double, which scored Gary Brown after he singled and stole second. In the top of the 6th, Drew Pomeranz (CLE) struggled, and gave up 4 runs. Alfredo Silverio (LAD) homered to left, scoring Dayan Viciedo (CWS) who had singled 2 batters prior. A walk to Chih-Hisen Chiang (BOS) and a double to Sebastian Valle (PHI) spelled the end of the night for Pomeranz. With the score knotted at 3, Profar then hit his triple off Kyle Gibson (MIN), scoring Valle in the process.
Green led off the 8th with a double, and Tim Beckham (TB) drove him in with a double of his own to tie the game at 4. After an Austin Romine (NYY) single and a Nolan Arenado (COL) double to right field, the damage was done, and the US had a 6-4 lead. Jacob Turner (DET) and Matt Harvey (NYM) split duties to close out the game for the US Team.
The US has now taken a 7-6 lead in the all-time series. A good number of these players will be on Major League rosters by season’s end, so be sure to check in on the minor league squads of your favorite teams for updates.
| U.S. Futures 6, World Futures 4 | ||||||||||||
| July 10, 2011 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| World Futures | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| U.S. Futures | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | x | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| World Futures | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Marte, CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| c-Fuentes, PH-CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Altuve, 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .667 |
| Schoop, 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Alonso, 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .000 |
| Viciedo, DH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .333 |
| d-Martinez, F, PH-DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Liddi, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 |
| Marte, J, 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Silverio, RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 |
| Chiang, LF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Rosario, W, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| a-Valle, PH-C | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Lee, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| b-Profar, PH-SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Teheran, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Hendriks, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Paxton, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Martinez, C, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Perez, M, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Alvarez, H, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Vizcaino, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Herrera, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Marinez, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 34 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | .235 |
a-Doubled for Rosario, W in the 6th. b-Tripled for Lee in the 6th. c-Flied out for Marte in the 6th. d-Popped out for Viciedo in the 7th.
BATTING
2B: Altuve (1, Skaggs), Valle (1, Pomeranz).
3B: Profar (1, Gibson).
HR: Silverio (1, 6th inning off Pomeranz, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Marte; Altuve 3; Schoop; Viciedo; Silverio 4; Valle 2; Profar 3.
RBI: Silverio 2 (2), Valle (1), Profar (1).
2-out RBI: Silverio 2; Valle; Profar.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Liddi; Viciedo; Fuentes.
Team RISP: 1-for-5.
Team LOB: 6.
BASERUNNING
CS: Schoop (1, 2nd base by Gibson/Romine).
PO: Schoop (1st base by Gibson).
FIELDING
DP: 2 (Liddi-Altuve-Alonso, Lee-Altuve-Alonso).
| U.S. Futures | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Kipnis, 2B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | |
| a-Green, PH-2B | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| Machado, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| b-Beckham, PH-SS | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | |
| Harper, LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .000 | |
| Goldschmidt, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | |
| Mesoraco, C | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| Romine, C | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| Middlebrooks, 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | |
| Arenado, 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | |
| Darnell, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .000 | |
| Myers, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | |
| Brown, G, CF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | |
| Szczur, CF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Skaggs, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Peacock, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Miller, S, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Moore, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Thornburg, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Pomeranz, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Gibson, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Cosart, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Turner, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Harvey, M, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| Totals | 32 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 11 | .313 |
a-Doubled for Kipnis in the 5th. b-Struck out for Machado in the 5th.
BATTING
2B: Green 2 (2, Perez, M, Herrera), Beckham (1, Herrera), Arenado (1, Herrera).
HR: Kipnis (1, 1st inning off Teheran, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Kipnis 4; Green 4; Beckham 2; Mesoraco; Romine 2; Middlebrooks; Arenado 2; Brown, G.
RBI: Kipnis (1), Myers (1), Green (1), Beckham (1), Romine (1), Arenado (1).
2-out RBI: Green; Romine; Arenado.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Beckham; Darnell.
GIDP: Middlebrooks; Myers.
Team RISP: 4-for-10.
Team LOB: 4.
BASERUNNING
SB: Brown, G (1, 2nd base off Perez, M/Rosario, W).
FIELDING
Pickoffs: Gibson (Schoop at 1st base).
| World Futures | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Teheran | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9.00 | |
| Hendriks | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | |
| Paxton | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Martinez, C | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Perez, M | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.00 | |
| Alvarez, H (H, 1) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Vizcaino (H, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Herrera (BS, 1)(L, 0-1) | 0.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40.50 | |
| Marinez | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Totals | 8.0 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6.75 |
| U.S. Futures | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Skaggs | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Peacock (H, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Miller, S (H, 1) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Moore (H, 1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Thornburg (H, 1) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Pomeranz (BS, 1) | 0.2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 54.00 | |
| Gibson | 1.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Cosart (W, 1-0) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Turner (H, 1) | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Harvey, M (S, 1) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Totals | 9.0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4.00 |
Balk: Perez, M.
HBP: Mesoraco (by Martinez, C).
Pitches-strikes: Teheran 19-13, Hendriks 18-10, Paxton 6-4, Martinez, C 11-6, Perez, M 23-11, Alvarez, H 11-6, Vizcaino 6-5, Herrera 23-14, Marinez 11-8, Skaggs 17-11, Peacock 9-7, Miller, S 20-12, Moore 11-9, Thornburg 10-7, Pomeranz 23-14, Gibson 16-11, Cosart 10-8, Turner 9-6, Harvey, M 3-1.
Groundouts-flyouts: Teheran 1-1, Hendriks 2-1, Paxton 2-1, Martinez, C 1-0, Perez, M 1-0, Alvarez, H 2-1, Vizcaino 2-0, Herrera 0-1, Marinez 0-0, Skaggs 1-1, Peacock 1-0, Miller, S 2-0, Moore 2-0, Thornburg 2-1, Pomeranz 0-0, Gibson 0-2, Cosart 0-1, Turner 0-1, Harvey, M 1-0.
Batters faced: Teheran 4, Hendriks 5, Paxton 3, Martinez, C 3, Perez, M 5, Alvarez, H 4, Vizcaino 3, Herrera 6, Marinez 1, Skaggs 5, Peacock 3, Miller, S 5, Moore 3, Thornburg 4, Pomeranz 6, Gibson 5, Cosart 3, Turner 2, Harvey, M 1.
Inherited runners-scored: Marinez 1-0, Gibson 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Ben May. 1B: Will Little. 2B: Jimmy Volpi. 3B: Scott Mahoney.
Weather: 74 degrees, roof closed.
Wind: 1 mph, Varies.
T: 2:38.
***Thank you to Rob Bland for preparing today’s article on the 2011 Home Run Derby and All-Star Futures Game. 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.
Derek Jeter: New York Yankees Captain Joins the 3000 Hit Club
Saturday July 9, 2011
MLB reports: Only in New York. Derek Jeter entered today’s play with 2,998 career hits. Only two hits short of the magical 3,000 mark. Up against tough lefty pitcher David Price of the Rays, there was no certainty that Jeter would achieve the mark today. But this being Jeter, playing in New York in front of the Yankees faithful, you knew that the captain would not disappoint. Jeter ended up putting on a show for the ages today that few will ever forget and cementing his place in history as one of the best Yankees of all time.
Jeter started off the afternoon with a lead-off single. Coming up in the 3rd inning, one hit away from 3,000, Jeter took David Price deep for a home run. The captain hit out of the park in every sense of the word. After celebrating the accomplishment, Jeter proceeded to have three more hits and finish the day a perfect 5 for 5. Jeter is only the second player ever to get five hits in getting to 3,000, Craig Biggio being the other in 2007.
To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at the exclusive 3,000 Hit Club that Derek Jeter has just joined:
|
Player |
Hits |
Average |
Date |
Team |
|
|
|
|
4,256 |
.303 |
May 5, 1978 |
Cincinnati Reds |
|
|
|
|
|
Ty Cobb |
4,191 |
.366 |
August 19, 1921 |
Detroit Tigers |
|
|
|
|
Hank Aaron |
3,771 |
.305 |
May 17, 1970 |
Atlanta Braves |
|
|
|
|
Stan Musial |
3,630 |
.331 |
May 13, 1958 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
|
|
|
|
Tris Speaker |
3,514 |
.345 |
May 17, 1925 |
Cleveland Indians |
|
|
|
|
Carl Yastrzemski |
3,419 |
.285 |
September 12, 1979 |
Boston Red Sox |
|
|
|
|
Cap Anson |
3,012 |
.334 |
July 18, 1897 |
Chicago Colts |
|
|
|
|
Honus Wagner |
3,415 |
.328 |
June 9, 1914 |
Pittsburgh Pirates |
|
|
|
|
Paul Molitor |
3,319 |
.306 |
September 16, 1996 |
Minnesota Twins |
|
|
|
|
Eddie Collins |
3,315 |
.333 |
June 6, 1925 |
Chicago White Sox |
|
|
|
|
Willie Mays |
3,283 |
.302 |
July 18, 1970 |
San Francisco Giants |
|
|
|
|
Eddie Murray |
3,255 |
.287 |
June 30, 1995 |
Cleveland Indians |
|
|
|
|
Nap Lajoie |
3,242 |
.338 |
September 27, 1914 |
Cleveland Naps |
|
|
|
|
Cal Ripken, Jr. |
3,184 |
.276 |
April 15, 2000 |
Baltimore Orioles |
|
|
|
|
George Brett |
3,154 |
.305 |
September 30, 1992 |
Kansas City Royals |
|
|
|
|
Paul Waner |
3,152 |
.333 |
June 19, 1942 |
Boston Braves |
|
|
|
|
Robin Yount |
3,142 |
.285 |
September 9, 1992 |
Milwaukee Brewers |
|
|
|
|
3,141 |
.338 |
August 6, 1999 |
San Diego Padres |
|
|
|
|
|
Dave Winfield |
3,110 |
.283 |
September 16, 1993 |
Minnesota Twins |
|
|
|
|
Craig Biggio |
3,060 |
.281 |
June 28, 2007 |
Houston Astros |
|
|
|
|
Rickey Henderson |
3,055 |
.279 |
October 7, 2001 |
San Diego Padres |
|
|
|
|
Rod Carew |
3,053 |
.328 |
August 4, 1985 |
California Angels |
|
|
|
|
Lou Brock |
3,023 |
.293 |
August 13, 1979 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
|
|
|
|
Rafael Palmeiro |
3,020 |
.288 |
July 15, 2005 |
Baltimore Orioles |
|
|
|
|
Wade Boggs |
3,010 |
.328 |
August 7, 1999 |
Tampa Bay Devil Rays |
|
|
|
|
Al Kaline |
3,007 |
.297 |
September 24, 1974 |
Detroit Tigers |
|
|
|
|
Derek Jeter |
3,003 |
.312 |
July 9, 2011 |
New York Yankees |
|
|
|
|
Roberto Clemente |
3,000 |
.317 |
September 30, 1972 |
Pittsburgh Pirates |
|
|
|
Derek Jeter is only the 28th player in MLB history to reach 3,000 hits. An incredible feat indeed. To put it further into perspective, every member of the 3,000 Hit Club is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, with the exception of Biggio (not yet eligible), Jeter (active), and Palmeiro/Rose (steroids, gambling). With 3,000 hits, a player almost guarantees his entrance to the Hall. With the exception of Rose and Palmeiro, every member of the 3,000 Hit Club has been a first ballot HOFer since 1962. Jeter certainly deserves all the attention that he is receiving today. Not only did he reach the mark, but he did it on baseball’s stage in the true style of a superstar.
Looking at Derek Jeter’s career numbers, the man has definitely proven to be one of the game’s greats:
| Year | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 48 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 11 | .250 | .294 | .375 | .669 |
| 1996 | 582 | 104 | 183 | 10 | 78 | 48 | 102 | .314 | .370 | .430 | .800 |
| 1997 | 654 | 116 | 190 | 10 | 70 | 74 | 125 | .291 | .370 | .405 | .775 |
| 1998 | 626 | 127 | 203 | 19 | 84 | 57 | 119 | .324 | .384 | .481 | .864 |
| 1999 | 627 | 134 | 219 | 24 | 102 | 91 | 116 | .349 | .438 | .552 | .989 |
| 2000 | 593 | 119 | 201 | 15 | 73 | 68 | 99 | .339 | .416 | .481 | .896 |
| 2001 | 614 | 110 | 191 | 21 | 74 | 56 | 99 | .311 | .377 | .480 | .858 |
| 2002 | 644 | 124 | 191 | 18 | 75 | 73 | 114 | .297 | .373 | .421 | .794 |
| 2003 | 482 | 87 | 156 | 10 | 52 | 43 | 88 | .324 | .393 | .450 | .844 |
| 2004 | 643 | 111 | 188 | 23 | 78 | 46 | 99 | .292 | .352 | .471 | .823 |
| 2005 | 654 | 122 | 202 | 19 | 70 | 77 | 117 | .309 | .389 | .450 | .839 |
| 2006 | 623 | 118 | 214 | 14 | 97 | 69 | 102 | .343 | .417 | .483 | .900 |
| 2007 | 639 | 102 | 206 | 12 | 73 | 56 | 100 | .322 | .388 | .452 | .840 |
| 2008 | 596 | 88 | 179 | 11 | 69 | 52 | 85 | .300 | .363 | .408 | .771 |
| 2009 | 634 | 107 | 212 | 18 | 66 | 72 | 90 | .334 | .406 | .465 | .871 |
| 2010 | 663 | 111 | 179 | 10 | 67 | 63 | 106 | .270 | .340 | .370 | .710 |
| 2011 | 280 | 40 | 72 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 33 | .257 | .321 | .329 | .649 |
| 17 Seasons | 9602 | 1725 | 2998 | 236 | 1157 | 972 | 1605 | .312 | .383 | .449 | .832 |
| 162 Game Avg. | 659 | 118 | 206 | 16 | 79 | 67 | 110 | .312 | .383 | .449 | .832 |
| AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Derek Jeter, also known as Mr. November or Captain Clutch, has enjoyed a storybook career. AL ROY in 1996, five gold gloves, 11 All-Star game appearances, a World Series MVP and All-Star game MVP, 4 Silver Slugger awards, 4 World Series rings…the list goes on and on. For a man who grew up cheering for the Yankees, Jeter will one day have his plaque in Cooperstown and jersey retired in Yankee Stadium. Although clearly on the decline at age 37, which started to show rapidly last year, Jeter proved today that he still has some big hits left in his bat. Congrats to Yankee captain Derek Jeter, or as he will be known from now on, Mr. 3000.
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Team USA: Preview of the 2011 MLB All-Star Futures Game
Friday, July 8, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern Candidate for MLB Reports): With the World Team roster covered here on the Reports, we now bring you the potent line-up of Team USA. They are highlighted by standouts Mike Trout (LAA) [named to the squad but just called up to the Angels] and Bryce Harper (WAS). Team USA also boasts an electric mix of pitching arms, including Shelby Miller (STL) and Jacob Turner (DET).
PITCHERS
Jarred Cosart – RHP –Texas – PHI –Clearwater Threshers – A – Florida State League
Jarred sits in the mid 90s and has touched 99 in some starts. This is his second straight year at the Futures Game, although he did not pitch last year. He has average command, as witnessed by his 36 walks in 92 innings, but if he can improve upon that, many scouts see him as a frontline starter.
Kyle Gibson – RHP –Indiana – MIN –Rochester Red Wings – AAA – International League
Gibson has the look of a middle of the rotation innings eater. His fastball has late sink, which gets him a ton of ground balls. With better defense as he moves up, and his ability to throw strikes, he could be a fairly useful 3rd starter.
Matt Harvey – RHP –Connecticut – NYM –Binghamton Mets – AA – Eastern League
Harvey pretty much carved up the Florida State League earlier in the year, but in 3 starts in AA, he has not been able to get past the 5th inning. He strikes a lot of guys out, and doesn’t walk many. As he matures and makes adjustments, he should succeed. He is expected to fast track to the Mets rotation, possibly as early as 2012.
Shelby Miller – RHP –Texas – STL –Springfield Cardinals – AA –Texas League
Ranked as the 4th pitcher in Baseball America’s Midseason Top 50 Prospects List, Miller has been skyrocketing through the ranks, as he got to AA before his 21st birthday. Miller has struck out 119 batters in 91 innings, while his WHIP sits at 1.10. His fastball usually sits in the low 90s with sink and run. He also possesses an above average changeup and a good curveball. Miller has all the tools to win a Cy Young Award someday.
Matt Moore – LHP –Florida – TB –Montgomery Biscuits – AA – Southern League
Moore is rated 3rd overall on BA’s list, and has top of the rotation stuff. He led the minor leagues in strikeouts in both 2009 and 2010, collecting 384K in 267 IP between High-A and AA. Moore has picked up where he left off, with 125 K already this season. His best pitch is a curveball from a low ¾ arm slot.
Brad Peacock – RHP –Florida – WAS –Harrisburg Senators – AA – Eastern League
Another pitcher who seems to finally have put it all together, he has 129 K and hitters have a paltry .179 average against him. Peacock is wiry and should fill out to increase his velocity. I see him as a mid rotation guy with a good fastball and breaking ball and decent change.
Drew Pomeranz – LHP –Tennessee – CLE –Kinston Indians – A –Carolina League
Pomeranz sits at 92 with his fastball, with good command. His breaking ball can be a plus, although it is inconsistent. He keeps the ball in the yard, and due to his large workhorse type frame, he could be an innings eater at the number 2 or 3 spot in a rotation.
Tyler Skaggs – LHP –California – ARI –Visalia Rawhide – A –California League
Skaggs has gained 15 pounds over the offseason, which has allowed him to raise his velocity a couple notches. For a lefty who throws from a ¾ slot, he has surprisingly little movement. His changeup has improved this year, which makes me believe his ceiling could be as a number 2 starter, but most likely settles in the 3-4 range.
Tyler Thornburg – RHP –Texas – MIL –Brevard County Manatees – A –FloridaState League
This 3rd rounder in 2010 has simply overmatched his competition so far this year. With an ERA under 2.00, and opponents hitting under .200 against him, even after a move up to the Florida State League, Thornburg has the tools to succeed. He has a good fastball and a power curve while his changeup needs time to develop. If it doesn’t, a career in a setup role is possible.
Jacob Turner – RHP –Missouri – DET –Erie Sea Wolves – AA – Eastern League
Turner has a heavy fastball with late life that sits around 93, touching 95. He has a sharp, but inconsistent curveball, which if he polishes, could be a devastating combo out of the pen. For a guy who just turned 20 playing AA, Turner has pitched very well with a K:BB ratio at 2.7:1. Opponents have also only hit .233 off of him.
CATCHERS
Devin Mesoraco – C –Pennsylvania – CIN –Louisville Bats – AAA – International League
Catchers with 25-30 homerun power are so rare that they often get moved to first base or even the outfield. Mesoraco’s defense is average at best, so the move does seem likely in a few years. Mesoraco walks a fair amount and is a doubles hitting machine, which makes me think he will be an above average regular by 2013.
Austin Romine – C –California – NYY –Trenton Thunder – AA – Eastern League
Romine hasn’t wowed anyone with his bat, but has shown steady improvements from year to year. In his second year of AA he has raised his average, OBP and OPS. He has a cannon for an arm and quick feet, although his receiving isn’t quite ready. He could be a solid regular in a few years if the Yankees give him the chance.
INFIELDERS
Nolan Arenado – 3B –California –COL –Modesto Nuts – A- California League
This big, strong third baseman has decent feet and an average arm, so I see him being Todd Helton’s replacement in the future. He has a power bat that should develop even further as he matures. Arenado doesn’t strike out much and walks enough to have a decent OBP, so his bat will suffice at any position.
Tim Beckham – SS – Georgia – TB –Montgomery Biscuits – AA – Southern League
Although he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype of his number 1 overall selection in the 2008 draft, he has shown enough skill to keep moving up the ladder. Every year, his numbers have improved, and I believe he is close to a breakout. He is still a plus defender which will keep him in the big leagues for a very long time.
James Darnell – 3B –California – SD –Tucson Padres – AAA –Pacific Coast League
Darnell just got called up to AAA after dominating Texas league pitching. His defense is simply average, and may have to move to a corner outfield. However, his bat is his plus tool, as he has shown even more improvements from his 2010 season in which he struggled. He already has 19 home runs, and has walked 52 times as opposed to only 48 strikeouts, so his approach at the plate is advanced.
Paul Goldschmidt – 1B –Delaware – ARI –Mobile Bay Bears – AA – Southern League
Goldschmidt has unreal power potential. He has been a solid hitter at every level, but has taken his game to another level this year. He already has 25 HR and 77 RBI, and he walks a ton. This guy could be in a big league uniform as early as this September, but more than likely will be sometime in 2012.
Grant Green – SS –California – OAK – Midland Rock Hounds – AA –Texas League
Green profiles as a true shortstop with slightly above average hands and arm, with the ability to produce good numbers offensively. He hit 20 HR last year in high-A, and the move to AA this year has stunted his power, but he still walks and gets on base at a good clip. He isn’t flashy but he gets the job done and could be one of the better regular shortstops in the league.
Jason Kipnis – 2B –Illinois – CLE –Columbus Clippers – AAA – International League
This former center fielder shifted to 2B, where his lack of range still limits him to being only an average defender. However, his bat will keep him in the big leagues for many years. His numbers have improved every year, despite moving up a level. He walks at a good rate and has some pop. Doesn’t have a high ceiling, but what you see is what you will get.
Manny Machado – SS –Florida – BAL –Frederick Keys – A –Carolina League
Machado is still thin, but looks like he could fill out, in which case a move to third would be warranted. He has a plus arm and solid footwork to go along with his very soft hands. Although he has struggled a bit since being called up to high-A, he has the IQ to really succeed at the plate. He takes pitches and isn’t afraid to hit with 2 strikes.
Will Middlebrooks – 3B –Texas – BOS –Portland Sea Dogs – AA – Eastern League
Middlebrooks has had a slow ascent through the minors, and with continued production, he could get a look at the big leagues by next year. He is a solid defender at third, with a good bat. Needs to work on discipline as his K:BB ratio is at 59:18. Could be a regular in the big leagues by 2013.
OUTFIELDERS
Gary Brown – CF –California – SF –San Jose Giants – A –California League
Brown has absolutely blazing speed, with a very good bat. He has stolen 35 bags, but also been caught 14 times, so he must learn to choose his spots more wisely. Brown also shows the ability to hit for power, stroking doubles in the gaps consistently.
Bryce Harper – RF –Nevada – WAS –Harrisburg Senators – AA – Eastern League
By now, everyone knows the legend of Bryce Harper, and he has lived up to the billing. He dominated the Arizona Fall League as a taxi squad player, and showed enough early in A-ball to warrant a call-up straight to AA. The fact that Harper could even surpass people’s expectations is astounding, and I believe he could be a September roster addition for the Nationals.
Wil Myers – OF –North Carolina – KC – Northwest Arkansas Naturals – AA –Texas League
Myers moved from catcher to outfield in the fall of 2010, and this move should pay off for him in the long run. He is aggressive at all times, and he is extremely raw still. He lost part of the season due to an infection from a cut, so he is just rounding into form now. AA has been tough for him, but his tools will shine in the long run. One of the favorites of the Reports, keep an eye on this kid.
Matthew Szczur – OF –New Jersey – CHI Cubs –Peoria Chiefs – A –Midwest League
Szczur has tremendous speed and he covers a lot of ground in the outfield. He hits well for average, but hasn’t quite developed his power yet. This could happen as he matures. He walks at a decent clip, and has the ability to steal a ton of bases, so he could be a mainstay near the top of the Cubs line-up.
**Mike Trout – CF – New Jersey – LAA –Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – MLB
As I began writing this, it was reported that Trout had been recalled to the big league team, and no replacement has yet been named. Trout does everything well, and many people were very excited to see him play alongside Harper. He may not offer as much power as Harper, but he might be one of the fastest players in the big leagues.
Many people will be disappointed that Trout and Harper won’t be playing alongside each other in the Team USA outfield in the Worlds Game, but there is so much talent at this year’s event that nobody will leave Chase Field disappointed. MLB`s ability to showcase not only current talent, but future stars, highlighted by this year’s fanfest events, make the MLB All-Star Weekend festivities the best of any of the major sports. Get ready for an explosive Futures Game this Sunday, as the youngsters duel for the spotlight and the chance to make the major leagues one day soon.
***Thank you to Rob Bland for preparing today’s article on the All-Star Futures Game, preview of the World Team. 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.
MLB All-Star Futures Game 2011: World Team Preview
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Rob Bland (Intern Candidate for MLB Reports): Since its inception in 1999, the Futures Game, now sponsored by XM Satellite Radio, has grown steadily in popularity. The players involved are split into two squads: USA and the World team. The rosters comprise of 25 players each, with every MLB organization represented, and no more than two players from each team. This year’s game will be played at Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field on Sunday, July 10th, a day before the MLB All-Star Homerun Derby.
Previous editions of the Futures Game has been littered with immense talent, and this year is no exception. The MVP of the inaugural event was Alfonso Soriano, and in other years it was Jose Reyes (2002), Grady Sizemore (2003), Aaron Hill (2004), and Billy Butler in 2006. Other notable past participants were superstars Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Robinson Cano of the NY Yankees, and Clayton Kershaw of the LA Dodgers.
This year’s game is no different, as 14 of MLB.com’s Preseason Top 50 Prospects List will be participating in the event. That number could very easily be higher, but more than a dozen of those 50 are currently playing in the MLB. This year’s USA crop is highlighted by Mike Trout, #1 on the top 50 list, (LAA) and Bryce Harper, #3, (WAS) sharing the same outfield. The World team boasts a strong pitching staff, led by Julio Teheran, #10, (ATL) and Henderson Alvarez of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Let’s take a close look at the featured players that will be respresenting this year’s World Team:
WORLD TEAM
PITCHERS
Henderson Alvarez – RHP -Venezuela– TOR –New Hampshire Fisher Cats – AA – Eastern League
Alvarez is a right-handed starter who is in his second turn at the Futures Game. He has always possessed plus command, walking only 1.8 batters per 9 innings in his 5 year minor league career. An increase in weight over the offseason has also helped increase his velocity, as he touches 98 mph.
Liam Hendriks – RHP -Australia – MIN –New Britain Rock Cats – AA – Eastern League
Had an appendectomy just days before last year’s game, so this is a reprise for him. Not unhittable, but throws a ton of strikes; just 18 walks in 90 innings so far. Sits in the 87-91mph range with average secondary offerings.
Kelvin Herrera – RHP -Dominican Republic – KC – Northwest Arkansas Naturals – AA –Texas League
Diminutive right-handed reliever who has been almost untouchable this season. Since his call-up to AA early in the season, he has walked 2 batters to 35 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. He sits around 95-96mph with a plus change-up.
Gregory Infante – RHP -Venezuela – CHISox – Charlotte Knights – AAA – International League
Another flame-throwing righty, he has managed to lower his walk rate and raise his strikeout rate in getting to AAA this year. He gets enough groundouts and doesn’t give up many homeruns. His lack of a consistent second pitch is holding him back, although his curve shows flashes of brilliance in the low 80s.
Jhan Marinez – RHP -Dominican Republic –FLA –Jacksonville Suns – AA – Southern League
Another righty reliever that can touch 98, with an exceptional 2-seamer that sits at 92. His problem, as most young arms, is control. Over his career he has average 6 BB/9, and has so far managed 7.9 BB/9 this year. He has struck out almost 12 per 9 innings though.
Carlos Martinez – RHP – Dominican Republic – STL – Palm Beach Cardinals – A – Florida State League
A Latin pitcher, thin and wiry who sits mid 90s with his fastball which has a good late cut. He has given up only 31 hits in 44 2/3 innings pitched, and is able to induce a lot of ground balls.
James Paxton – LHP -Canada – SEA – Jackson Generals – AA – Southern League
A tall, strong lefty, who didn’t sign after being selected in the supplemental first round in 2009, got a later start on his professional career after three years at the UniversityofKentucky. He sits 92-95mph with an above average curve, a power slider and average change-up. As a starter this year, he has struck out 81 batters in 60 2/3 innings.
Martin Perez – LHP -Venezuela –TEX – Frisco RoughRiders – AA –Texas League
A left handed starter with a fastball that sits around 92mph, his bread and butter is his sharp, hard-breaking curveball. His command is average, as he walks close to 4 batters per 9 innings.
Julio Teheran – RHP -Colombia – ATL – Gwinnett Braves – AAA – International League
It’s not often you see a 20-year old in AAA with his numbers. 9-1 with a 1.79 ERA in 90 2/3 IP. He possess a plus fastball that sits 92-94, with a plus plus change-up with great sink. Projects to be a #2 starter, if not a true ace in the big leagues.
Arodys Vizcaino – RHP -Dominican Republic – ATL –Mississippi Braves – AA – Southern League
Strong, well developed legs allow him to sit in the 91-94 range, topping at 95. His curve and change have yet to fully develop, but show flashes of promise. He has the ability to miss bats, as he has compiled 76 K in 78 2/3 IP.
CATCHERS
Willin Rosario – C -Dominican Republic –COL -Tulsa Drillers – AA –Texas League
He possesses 30+ HR power, but lacks discipline and doesn’t walk. He has power to all fields but strikes out in almost 20% of his at bats. If he can learn some patience, he could be one of the top young catchers in the game.
Sebastian Valle – C -Mexico – PHI –Clearwater Threshers – A –Florida State League
Valle is a catcher who has hit at every level so far, yet still lacks patience, which is very common with young backstops. If he can raise his walk rate, and keep hitting the ball to all fields, he could be a special catcher in the Phillies organization.
INFIELDERS
Yonder Alonso – 1B/OF -Cuba – CIN –Louisville Bats – AAA – International League
Alonso is a very polished hitter. He has begun to play more innings at left field, because the Reds have Joey Votto as a lock at 1B. He hits to all fields, with some pop, and he walks a fair amount, which has led to his .861 OPS in AAA.
Jose Altuve – 2B -Venezuela – HOU – Corpus Christi Hooks – AA –Texas League
Listed at 5’7”, but plays as if he was 6’3”. Altuve is currently hitting .362 with 4 HR and 22 RBI in 31 games in AA after starting the season in A-ball, where he hit over .400 in 52 games. He doesn’t walk much, but when he is hitting everything thrown at him, he doesn’t really need to.
Hak-Ju Lee – SS -South Korea – TB – Charlotte Stone Crabs – A –FloridaState League
He is a plus defender at shortstop with good speed. Lee needs to work on his base stealing to better utilize that speed. He is having the best offensive season of his career, and is really looking like a steal in the Matt Garza trade with the Cubs.
Francisco Martinez – 3B -Venezuela – DET –Erie Sea Wolves – AA – Eastern League
Martinez is a prototypical third baseman with a quick bat and strong arm. Once he fills out his athletic frame, he should develop plus power. He still strikes out too much as he adjusts to AA pitching.
Alex Liddi – SS -Italy – SEA –Tacoma Rainiers – AAA –PacificCoast League
As the first Italian position player to sign a professional contract, he was seen as a bit of a project back in 2005. He has begun to develop his power, bashing 15 HR so far this season, but strikes out a ton; around 30% of his plate appearances end with him walking back to the dugout.
Jeffry Marte – 3B – Dominican Republic – NYM – St. Lucie Mets – A –Florida State League
Marte has good gap power and has a decent eye at the plate, as well as being smart on the base paths. May not be able to stay at 3B long term, but as long as his bat continues to progress, could make it to the big leagues as an outfielder.
Jurickson Profar – SS – Curacao –TEX –Hickory Crawdads – A –South Atlantic League
Premium defender at shortstop, with speed and the ability to drive the ball all over the field. He walks more than he strikes out, and once he fills out his 165lb frame, he could eventually become a 20/20 shortstop in the big leagues.
Jonathan Schoop – 3B – Curacao – BAL –Frederick Keys – A –Carolina League
Possesses the skills to play anywhere in the infield, his long term future looks to be 3B. He has quick feet and a good arm, with a quick bat. As he gets stronger, he could be a 20 HR guy that can drive in a ton of runs.
OUTFIELDERS
Chih-Hsien Chiang – OF -Taiwan – BOS –Portland Sea Dogs – AA – Eastern League
After five years of mediocrity in the minor leagues, he seems to have put it together this year. Hitting in the middle of Portland’s line-up, he has not only driven in 58 runs and hit 14 homeruns, but also hit 26 doubles, giving him a .618 SLG. Over half of his hits have been for extra bases, with gap power, he could prove that Boston’s roots in Asia are only getting stronger.
Reymond Fuentes – CF – Puerto Rico – SD –LakeElsinore Storm – A –California League
One of the pieces in the Adrian Gonzalez deal, he should be able to man center field at Petco Park for years to come with his speed. He already has 34 stolen bases, and he gets on base quite frequently. He may never hit for power, but could be a leadoff type hitter in the big leagues.
Starling Marte – CF -Dominican Republic – PIT –Altoona Curve – AA – Eastern League
There aren’t many players in baseball that could push Andrew McCutchen to a corner outfield position, but Marte could be one of them. He possesses the speed to cover a lot of ground, and although his power hasn’t quite developed, he could be a 10-15 HR player with a good OBP if his discipline continues to progress.
Alfredo Silverio – LF -Dominican Republic – LAD –Chattanooga Lookouts – AA – Southern League
Silverio has always seemed ready to be the power/speed combination outfielder the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him in 2003, and almost eight years later, he may finally be hitting his stride. If his discipline can improve, he could be in the big leagues quickly. Lacks a good arm, so he is basically destined for left field.
Dayan Viciedo – RF -Cuba – CHI Sox – Charlotte Knights – AAA – International League
Finally moved to the outfield this year, he has a solid arm for right field, and he flat out mashes. Many see a 30 HR player in the near future, as he uses all parts of the field with a quick compact stroke.
The World team is comprised of players from twelve countries: eight from the Dominican Republic, five from Venezuela, two from Cuba and Curacao, and one each from Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Italy, Colombia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Stay tuned for analysis on the US roster.
***Thank you to Rob Bland for preparing today’s article on the All-Star Futures Game, preview of the World Team. You can follow Rob on Twitter.***
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2011 MLB Home Run Derby: New Format, Ortiz and Fielder as Captains and Picks
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
MLB reports: Change is in the air as Major League Baseball has revised the format for the Home Run Derby, coming up on Monday, July 11th from Chase Field in Arizona. The biggest change is the appointment of captains. Former home run derby champions David Ortiz and Prince Fielder will serve as the leaders of the AL and NL squads respectively. Each captain is able to select three additional players of their choice to fill out their home run derby team, regardless of being selected as an all-star. The Home Run Derby team selections are due today, but David Ortiz has already jumped the gun to fill out his roster. Papi’s selections are about to be listed, but first the format change for the Home Run Derby this year.
According to Major League Baseball:
“While the format to determine the individual champion will remain unchanged, the total number of home runs hit by all players in all rounds will be tabulated for the AL and NL to determine the winning team, captain and charity recipient. Each player will get 10 outs per round, the four players with the highest total of home runs will advance to the second round, and the two players with the highest cumulative number of home runs in the first two rounds will advance to the Championship Round, where first and second round home runs do not carry over for individual scores.”
Thus the derby now becomes a team effort right up until the final round, where an individual winner will be selected. Thus the 2011 Home Run Derby will have a winning team, as well as an individual champion. With the format of the Home Run Derby becoming somewhat stale and many players declining invitations, change was needed. There was also talk of the “Derby Curse”, where participants in the Home Run Derby would find their home run totals slip in the second half of the season. From Bobby Abreu in 2005 to Josh Hamilton in 2008, the curse has taken on a life of its own. With teams starting to put pressure on its players to avoid the home run contest, the new format is a breath of fresh air. Having the teams and captains brings fun and competitiveness back to the event and should rejuvenate a great brand for Major League Baseball. While this year’s format will likely require future tweaking, in my opinion at least, MLB has done a great job in building excitement to the upcoming derby.
As mentioned, today is the deadline for the team captains to submit their home
run team picks. For the American League, Captain David Ortiz has made his selections. Representing the AL in the 2011 Home Run Derby will be Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox, Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays and Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees. Gonzalez and Bautista were the first two selections by Ortiz that accepted their invitations. Cano teammate, Mark Teixeira, was originally selected as the fourth member of the squad, but declined his invitation. Cano has since happily accepted and will be launching home runs for the AL next Monday.
On the current MLB home run leader board, Bautista sits at #1 with 27 home runs, Ortiz at #11 with 17, Gonzalez at #18 with 16 and Cano at #27 with 14. Ortiz made some interesting choices, as Curtis Granderson, Nelson Cruz and Paul Konerko were not selected despite being in the top 10 home run hitters in the game as of today. I don’t believe that many people would argue with the selections of Bautista or Gonzalez. It is the selection of Cano that would likely have some tongues wagging. Most experts would have preferred Teixeira on the squad, but unfortunately he declined the invitation. Personally, I would have gone with Granderson or Miguel Cabrera for the position. But regardless of preference, the AL squad is a mighty one and should give the AL a strong chance to win this year’s Home Run Derby.
In the National League, Prince Fielder continues to ponder and calculate his
selections, which should be announced later today. Prince, at #6 on the home run leader board with 21, has many candidates to choose from. One selection apparently confirmed is Matt Kemp of the Dodgers, who is #4 with 22 home runs. Other strong candidates are Fielder’s teammates Ryan Braun and Rickie Weeks (with rumors have Weeks likely to receive and accept an invitation). Other possibilities are Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday of the Cardinals, Jay Bruce of the Reds, Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies and Mike Stanton of the Marlins. If you are handicapping at home, my predicted NL squad is Fielder, Weeks, Holliday and Bruce. We will find out later today if Prince and I are on the same page on this one.
No matter who ends up representing the AL and NL, Ortiz and Fielder will captain exciting and dynamic home run hitting squads that will electrify the Arizona crowd next Monday. I cannot recall a more anticipated Home Run Derby in recent history. Good luck Prince and Papi and don’t forget to eat your wheaties this week.
***Get ready for a week’s worth of All-Star reporting, as MLB reports has everything All-Star covered between now and the big game on Tuesday. We will be keeping an eye on the All-Star game itself, as well as the Futures Game, Home Run Derby and everything in between. The All-Star game is a little over a week away and we will bring you all the latest All-Star game news as it develops. To view the AL and NL All-Star Game rosters and Final Vote candidates, click here***
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.
2011 MLB ALL-STAR GAME FINAL VOTING RESULTS:
Here are the final numbers as voted by the fans for the starting lineups in the All-Star game:
American League
CATCHER — 1, Alex Avila, Tigers, 4,144,384. 2, Russell Martin, Yankees, 3,646,033. 3, Joe Mauer, Twins, 2,308,436. 4, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Red Sox, 2,183,113. 5, Yorvit Torrealba, Rangers, 1,810,755. 6, Carlos Santana, Indians, 1,501,053. 7, J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays, 1,024,020. 8, A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox, 963,463.
FIRST BASE — 1, Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox, 6,034,533. 2, Mark Teixeira, Yankees, 4,174,690. 3, Miguel Cabrera, Tigers, 3,473,849. 4, Mitch Moreland, Rangers, 1,680,462. 5, Paul Konerko, White Sox, 1,323,853. 6, Adam Lind, Blue Jays, 860,203. 7, Justin Morneau, Twins, 781,717. 8, Matt LaPorta, Indians, 750,953.
SECOND BASE — 1, Robinson Cano, Yankees, 6,679,976. 2, Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox, 4,391,835. 3, Ian Kinsler, Rangers, 2,729,450. 4, Orlando Cabrera, Indians, 1,538,135. 5, Ben Zobrist, Rays, 1,245,709. 6, Howie Kendrick, Angels, 1,079,227. 7, Will Rhymes, Tigers, 671,674. 8, Aaron Hill, Blue Jays, 587,179.
THIRD BASE — 1, Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, 5,277,823. 2, Adrian Beltre, Rangers, 4,036,191. 3, Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox, 4,018,641. 4, Evan Longoria, Rays, 2,804,004. 5, Brandon Inge, Tigers, 1,113,787. 6, Maicer Izturis, Angels, 666,828. 7, Mike Aviles, Royals, 602,091. 8, Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays, 505,015.
SHORTSTOP — 1, Derek Jeter, Yankees, 4,536,386. 2, Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians, 4,073,992. 3, Elvis Andrus, Rangers, 2,698,902. 4, Jhonny Peralta, Tigers, 2,301,524. 5, Marco Scutaro, Red Sox, 1,642,606. 6, Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays, 1,104,761. 7, J.J. Hardy, Orioles, 956,073. 8, Alexei Ramirez, White Sox, 946,442.
DESIGNATED HITTER — 1, David Ortiz, Red Sox, 6,324,793. 2, Michael Young, Rangers, 3,072,467. 3, Victor Martinez, Tigers, 2,302,988. 4, Jorge Posada, Yankees, 1,998,551. 5, Johnny Damon, Rays, 1,303,471. 6, Travis Hafner, Indians, 1,206,971. 7, Vladimir Guerrero, Orioles, 1,136,364. 8, Billy Butler, Royals, 891,940.
OUTFIELD — 1, Jose Bautista, Blue Jays, 7,454,753. 2, Curtis Granderson, Yankees, 6,683,877. 3, Josh Hamilton, Rangers, 4,646,394. 4, Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox, 4,609,667. 5, Carl Crawford, Red Sox, 3,213,581. 6, Nelson Cruz, Rangers, 2,704,249. 7, Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners, 2,528,532. 8, Nick Swisher, Yankees, 2,277,856. 9, Brett Gardner, Yankees, 2,064,372. 10, J.D. Drew, Red Sox, 2,009,877. 11, Matt Joyce, Rays, 1,597,334. 12, Jeff Francoeur, Royals, 1,505,399. 13, David Murphy, Rangers, 1,458,420. 14, Grady Sizemore, Indians, 1,283,993. 15, Austin Jackson, Tigers, 1,254,267. 16, Carlos Quentin, White Sox, 1,218,968. 17, Melky Cabrera, Royals, 1,201,982. 18, Shin-Soo Choo, Indians, 1,158,749. 19, Alex Gordon, Royals, 1,120,683. 20, B.J, Upton, Rays, 1,081,270. 21, Magglio Ordonez, Tigers, 1,008,145. 22, Torii Hunter, Angels, 927,271. 23, Sam Fuld, Rays, 916,219. 24, Michael Brantley, Indians, 878,556.
National League
CATCHER — 1, Brian McCann, Braves, 4,698,838. 2, Yadier Molina, Cardinals, 2,972,786. 3, Buster Posey, Giants, 2,418,923. 4, Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers, 2,271,498. 5, Ramon Hernandez, Reds, 2,056,263. 6, Carlos Ruiz, Phillies, 1,864,675. 7, Ivan Rodriguez, Nationals, 1,225,342. 8, Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks, 1,149,461.
FIRST BASE — 1, Prince Fielder, Brewers, 4,864,523. 2, Joey Votto, Reds, 4,254,305. 3, Albert Pujols, Cardinals, 4,171,094. 4, Ryan Howard, Phillies, 2,563,736. 5, Freddie Freeman, Braves, 957,816. 6, Brandon Belt, Giants, 917,044. 7, Ike Davis, Mets, 824,681. 8, Todd Helton, Rockies, 761,928.
SECOND BASE — 1, Rickie Weeks, Brewers, 4,460,395. 2, Brandon Phillips, Reds, 4,273,079. 3, Chase Utley, Phillies, 3,345,845. 4, Freddy Sanchez, Giants, 1,627,733. 5, Dan Uggla, Braves, 1,583,903. 6, Neil Walker, Pirates, 993,369. 7, Kelly Johnson, Diamondbacks, 862,204. 8, Skip Schumaker, Cardinals, 856,658.
THIRD BASE — 1, Placido Polanco, Phillies, 4,410,701. 2, Chipper Jones, Braves, 2,849,578. 3, Scott Rolen, Reds, 2,251,425. 4, Pablo Sandoval, Giants, 2,213,057. 5, David Wright, Mets, 2,106,800. 6, Casey McGehee, Brewers, 1,877,744. 7, Aramis Ramirez, Cubs, 1,192,220. 8, Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals, 1,137,696.
SHORTSTOP — 1, Jose Reyes, Mets, 4,707,976. 2, Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies, 3,932,000. 3, Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, 2,311,689. 4, Yuniesky Betancourt, Brewers, 1,695,431. 5, Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks, 1,523,919. 6, Alex Gonzalez, Braves, 1,476,368. 7, Miguel Tejada, Giants, 1,265,544. 8, Paul Janish, Reds, 1,168,551.
OUTFIELD — 1, Ryan Braun, Brewers, 5,928,004. 2, Lance Berkman, Cardinals, 4,345,766. 3, Matt Kemp, Dodgers, 4,293,626. 4, Matt Holliday, Cardinals, 3,948,268. 5, Jay Bruce, Reds, 3,218,003. 6, Andre Ethier, Dodgers, 3,013,030. 7, Carlos Beltran, Mets, 2,631,991. 8, Shane Victorino, Phillies, 2,370,351. 9, Corey Hart, Brewers, 1,875,897. 10, Justin Upton, Diamondbacks, 1,845,385. 11, Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies, 1,733,281. 12, Jason Heyward, Braves, 1,715,925. 13, Raul Ibanez, Phillies, 1,641,389. 14, Drew Stubbs, Reds, 1,572,673. 15, Carlos Gomez, Brewers, 1,508,939. 16, Andrew McCutchen, Pirates, 1,343,144. 17, Hunter Pence, Astros, 1,315,276. 18, Jonny Gomes, Reds, 1,310,142. 19, Martin Prado, Braves, 1,296,763. 20, Alfonso Soriano, Cubs, 1,282,608. 21, Aubrey Huff, Giants, 1,240,980. 22, Chris Young, Diamondbacks, 1,151,443. 23, Ben Francisco, Phillies, 1,124,361. 24, Jason Bay, Mets, 1,114,574.
Final Rosters are Announced: 2011 MLB All-Star Game Vote Totals and Time for the Final Vote
Monday, July 4, 2011
MLB reports: The day has finally arrived. After weeks of voting in stadiums and on-line, the 2011 final rosters for the All-Star game are set, coming up Tuesday July 12th from beautiful Arizona, hosted by the Diamondbacks. Barring injuries and players pulling out, we now know the starting lineups, pitching staffs and reserves representing the American League and National League in the All-Star game. After the fans voted in the starting lineups, the All-Star managers, Ron Washington for the AL and Bruce Bochy for the NL, filled out the rest of their rosters. There were some surprises in the announcements to say the least. We saw some last-minute changes in the voting by the fans to the starting lineups. From there, the All-Star managers made some very interesting selections as well. On the whole, the rosters are fair and well deserved. But some spots are debatable. Then once you account for the selections by the managers, we enter the realm of a week-long debate. Let’s take a look at the rosters for each league, including the starters, the pitching staffs and the reserves. From there, we will analyze the candidates for the coveted “Final Vote” spot as chosen by the fans on-line, between now and 4:00p.m. on July 7th.
American League All-Star Roster:
| Pos | Player | ||||||
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| C | Alex Avila,Tigers | ||||||
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| 1B | Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox | ||||||
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| 2B | Robinson Cano, Yankees | ||||||
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| 3B | Alex Rodriguez, Yankees | ||||||
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| SS | Derek Jeter, Yankees | ||||||
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| OF | Jose Bautista, Blue Jays | ||||||
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| OF | Curtis Granderson, Yankees | ||||||
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| OF | Josh Hamilton, Rangers | ||||||
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| DH | David Ortiz, Red Sox | ||||||
The American League starting lineup as voted by the fans took shape as projected the last few days. The infield remains with Adrian Gonzalez at first, combined with Yankees Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Despite late pushes, Asdrubal Cabrera and Adrian Beltre could not garner enough votes to make the starting lineup, although both are on their way to Arizona as reserves. David Ortiz joins Jose Bautista, Curtis Granderson and Josh Hamilton in a very heavy Yankees/Red Sox lineup. Jacoby Ellsbury also did not attain enough votes to start but will be a reserve. Hamilton, the former AL MVP, proved to be too popular on this day. The one major upset though was Alex Avila, who through very strong play and Tigers fans voting is starting next Tuesday ahead of the reserve Russell Martin. Considering that Martin held onto the spot for the majority of the voting, Tigers fans were very successful in sending the deserving Avila to Arizona.
| Pos | Player | |||||
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| P | Josh Beckett, Red Sox | |||||
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| P | Aaron Crow, Royals | |||||
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| P | Gio Gonzalez, Athletics | |||||
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| P | Felix Hernandez, Mariners | |||||
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| P | Brandon League, Mariners | |||||
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| P | Chris Perez, Indians | |||||
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| P | David Price, Rays | |||||
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| P | Mariano Rivera, Yankees | |||||
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| P | James Shields, Rays | |||||
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| P | Jose Valverde, Tigers | |||||
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| P | Justin Verlander, Tigers | |||||
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| P | Jered Weaver, Angels | |||||
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| P | C.J. Wilson, Rangers | |||||
An incredible pitching staff to say the least, but not without its omissions. Despite such a strong selection, C.C. Sabathia, Jon Lester, Dan Haren, Jeremy Hellickson, Ricky Romero and Bartolo Colon all were left off the roster. Other pitchers deserving consideration with Jordan Walden, Sergio Santos, Kyle Farnsworth and Jonathan Papelbon. The selections of Aaron Crow, Gio Gonzalez, Brandon League and Jose Valverde will receive the most criticism in the coming days. While decent picks, there appears to be more deserving players that were cast aside for the above all-stars. A dilemma every year, I make the submission that the AL pitching staff is one that needs a second opinion given the candidates left on the board.
| Pos | Player | ||||||
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| C | Russell Martin, Yankees | ||||||
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| C | Matt Wieters, Orioles | ||||||
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| 1B | Miguel Cabrera, Tigers | ||||||
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| 2B | Howard Kendrick, Angels | ||||||
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| 3B | Adrian Beltre, Rangers | ||||||
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| SS | Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians | ||||||
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| OF | Michael Cuddyer, Twins | ||||||
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| OF | Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox | ||||||
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| OF | Matt Joyce, Rays | ||||||
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| OF | Carlos Quentin, White Sox | ||||||
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| DH | Michael Young, Rangers | ||||||
Notable absences are Paul Konerko of the White Sox and Mark Teixeira of the Yankees. Despite strong power numbers for each, the AL is only carrying two active first basemen, with Michael Young available as well. Apparently the limit of Yankees was reached and a spot could not be found for either one. Konerko though will get a second kick at the can, who together with Victor Martinez are the strongest candidates for the Final Vote spot. While credit should go to Ron Washington in the selection of Joyce and Quentin, the selection of Cuddyer will be considered curious by some. His roster spot relates more to the representation of a player for each team than being a top all-star. So as a result, deserving candidates like Konerko, Teixeira and Martinez may not be in Arizona for the big game.
National League All-Star Roster:
| Pos | Player | ||||||
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| C | Brian McCann, Braves | ||||||
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| 1B | Prince Fielder, Brewers | ||||||
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| 2B | Rickie Weeks, Brewers | ||||||
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| 3B | Placido Polanco, Phillies | ||||||
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| SS | Jose Reyes, Mets | ||||||
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| OF | Ryan Braun, Brewers | ||||||
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| OF | Lance Berkman, Cardinals | ||||||
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| OF | Matt Kemp, Dodgers | ||||||
We are now in the senior circuit and begin with the starting lineup. The fans were very active in the final week of voting here as four members of the starting lineup were last-minute winners. Prince Fielder is in over Albert Pujols, Rickie Weeks beat out the reserve Brandon Phillips, Jose Reyes is in while Troy Tulowitzki is out of the lineup and on the bench and Matt Kemp beat out Matt Holliday for the starting position. All four were very deserving winners and represent a case where the fans pushed hard and got it right. Together with Brian McCann, Ryan Braun, Placido Polanco and Lance Berkman, the NL has a strong offensive lineup. The Polanco selection was not one of my favorites but more of a result of a very weak third base class in the NL than anything else.
| Pos | Player | ||||||
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| P | Heath Bell, Padres | ||||||
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| P | Matt Cain, Giants | ||||||
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| P | Tyler Clippard, Nationals | ||||||
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| P | Roy Halladay, Phillies | ||||||
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| P | Cole Hamels, Phillies | ||||||
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| P | Joel Hanrahan, Pirates | ||||||
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| P | Jair Jurrjens, Braves | ||||||
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| P | Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers | ||||||
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| P | Cliff Lee, Phillies | ||||||
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| P | Tim Lincecum, Giants | ||||||
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| P | Jonny Venters, Braves | ||||||
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| P | Ryan Vogelsong, Giants | ||||||
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| P | Brian Wilson, Giants | ||||||
The NL pitching staff is certainly controversial and as debatable as the AL squad. Absent are pitchers Craig Kimbrel, John Axford, Drew Storen, Kevin Correia, Tommy Hanson, Daniel Hudson and Ian Kennedy, among others. It is hard to argue with many if not most of the NL pitchers selected, although Ryan Vogelsong and Brian Wilson are two selections which are likely to cause the ire of the rest of the baseball world. How Correia and Hanson in particular were omitted is beyond me. But again this is part of the All-Star process. An issue that is coming up every year is the selection of too many of a team’s own players by the league manager. While Ron Washington was fair in his picks, I see Bruce Bochy as favoring his staff a little too much in this case. Hopefully this issue gets settled out soon once and for all.
| Pos | Player | ||||||
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| C | Yadier Molina, Cardinals | ||||||
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| 1B | Gaby Sanchez, Marlins | ||||||
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| 1B | Joey Votto, Reds | ||||||
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| 2B | Brandon Phillips, Reds | ||||||
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| 3B | Chipper Jones, Braves | ||||||
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| SS | Starlin Castro, Cubs | ||||||
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| SS | Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies | ||||||
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| OF | Carlos Beltran, Mets | ||||||
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| OF | Jay Bruce, Reds | ||||||
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| OF | Matt Holliday, Cardinals | ||||||
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| OF | Hunter Pence, Astros | ||||||
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| OF | Justin Upton, Diamondbacks | ||||||
Names that are missing off this list are Ryan Howard, Danny Espinosa, Mike Stanton and Andrew McCutchen, among others. Looking at the selections overall, Chipper Jones was the one that most stands out. But given the weak third base crop and Jones lifetime contributions to the game, this is actually a fairly classy move in what could be Jones swan song. But overall I am satisfied with the NL reserves. Not as many issues as the pitching staff from my standpoint.
With the All-Star rosters in place, fans now get to select the 34th roster spot for each league. A dog fight is definitely in store for Thursday.
MLB Final Vote Candidates:
AL Nominees:
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Alex Gordon, Royals
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Adam Jones, Orioles
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Paul Konerko, White Sox
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Victor Martinez, Tigers
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Ben Zobrist, Rays
While Alex Gordon is a feel good story this year and Adam Jones and Ben Zobrist deserve consideration, this spot will come down to a popularity contest between AL Central rivals Paul Konerko and Victor Martinez. While both are very worthy candidates, it is a question of to which direction the fans will push. My pick is Paul Konerko but given the success of Alex Avila, I am forecasting Victor Martinez as the Final Vote victor here.
NL Nominees:
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Andre Ethier, Dodgers
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Todd Helton, Rockies
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Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks
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Michael Morse, Nationals
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Shane Victorino, Phillies
Another set of worthy candidates, this one will boil down to the Phillies faithful pushing of Shane Victorino, the hometown Diamondbacks selection of Ian Kennedy or the push for Andre Ethier of the Dodgers. My selection is Ethier but I can see Victorino landing the spot based on the passion and push of his local fans. Call it gut on this one, although I can see the worthy Kennedy squeaking in as an option.
***Get ready for a week’s worth of All-Star reporting, as MLB reports has everything All-Star covered between now and the big game on Tuesday. We will be keeping an eye on the All-Star game itself, as well as the Futures Game, Home Run Derby and everything in between. The All-Star game is a little over a week away and we will bring you all the latest All-Star game news as it develops.***
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.
2011 MLB ALL-STAR GAME FINAL VOTING RESULTS:
Here are the final numbers as voted by the fans for the starting lineups in the All-Star game:
American League
CATCHER — 1, Alex Avila, Tigers, 4,144,384. 2, Russell Martin, Yankees, 3,646,033. 3, Joe Mauer, Twins, 2,308,436. 4, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Red Sox, 2,183,113. 5, Yorvit Torrealba, Rangers, 1,810,755. 6, Carlos Santana, Indians, 1,501,053. 7, J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays, 1,024,020. 8, A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox, 963,463.
FIRST BASE — 1, Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox, 6,034,533. 2, Mark Teixeira, Yankees, 4,174,690. 3, Miguel Cabrera, Tigers, 3,473,849. 4, Mitch Moreland, Rangers, 1,680,462. 5, Paul Konerko, White Sox, 1,323,853. 6, Adam Lind, Blue Jays, 860,203. 7, Justin Morneau, Twins, 781,717. 8, Matt LaPorta, Indians, 750,953.
SECOND BASE — 1, Robinson Cano, Yankees, 6,679,976. 2, Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox, 4,391,835. 3, Ian Kinsler, Rangers, 2,729,450. 4, Orlando Cabrera, Indians, 1,538,135. 5, Ben Zobrist, Rays, 1,245,709. 6, Howie Kendrick, Angels, 1,079,227. 7, Will Rhymes, Tigers, 671,674. 8, Aaron Hill, Blue Jays, 587,179.
THIRD BASE — 1, Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, 5,277,823. 2, Adrian Beltre, Rangers, 4,036,191. 3, Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox, 4,018,641. 4, Evan Longoria, Rays, 2,804,004. 5, Brandon Inge, Tigers, 1,113,787. 6, Maicer Izturis, Angels, 666,828. 7, Mike Aviles, Royals, 602,091. 8, Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays, 505,015.
SHORTSTOP — 1, Derek Jeter, Yankees, 4,536,386. 2, Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians, 4,073,992. 3, Elvis Andrus, Rangers, 2,698,902. 4, Jhonny Peralta, Tigers, 2,301,524. 5, Marco Scutaro, Red Sox, 1,642,606. 6, Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays, 1,104,761. 7, J.J. Hardy, Orioles, 956,073. 8, Alexei Ramirez, White Sox, 946,442.
DESIGNATED HITTER — 1, David Ortiz, Red Sox, 6,324,793. 2, Michael Young, Rangers, 3,072,467. 3, Victor Martinez, Tigers, 2,302,988. 4, Jorge Posada, Yankees, 1,998,551. 5, Johnny Damon, Rays, 1,303,471. 6, Travis Hafner, Indians, 1,206,971. 7, Vladimir Guerrero, Orioles, 1,136,364. 8, Billy Butler, Royals, 891,940.
OUTFIELD — 1, Jose Bautista, Blue Jays, 7,454,753. 2, Curtis Granderson, Yankees, 6,683,877. 3, Josh Hamilton, Rangers, 4,646,394. 4, Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox, 4,609,667. 5, Carl Crawford, Red Sox, 3,213,581. 6, Nelson Cruz, Rangers, 2,704,249. 7, Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners, 2,528,532. 8, Nick Swisher, Yankees, 2,277,856. 9, Brett Gardner, Yankees, 2,064,372. 10, J.D. Drew, Red Sox, 2,009,877. 11, Matt Joyce, Rays, 1,597,334. 12, Jeff Francoeur, Royals, 1,505,399. 13, David Murphy, Rangers, 1,458,420. 14, Grady Sizemore, Indians, 1,283,993. 15, Austin Jackson, Tigers, 1,254,267. 16, Carlos Quentin, White Sox, 1,218,968. 17, Melky Cabrera, Royals, 1,201,982. 18, Shin-Soo Choo, Indians, 1,158,749. 19, Alex Gordon, Royals, 1,120,683. 20, B.J, Upton, Rays, 1,081,270. 21, Magglio Ordonez, Tigers, 1,008,145. 22, Torii Hunter, Angels, 927,271. 23, Sam Fuld, Rays, 916,219. 24, Michael Brantley, Indians, 878,556.
National League
CATCHER — 1, Brian McCann, Braves, 4,698,838. 2, Yadier Molina, Cardinals, 2,972,786. 3, Buster Posey, Giants, 2,418,923. 4, Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers, 2,271,498. 5, Ramon Hernandez, Reds, 2,056,263. 6, Carlos Ruiz, Phillies, 1,864,675. 7, Ivan Rodriguez, Nationals, 1,225,342. 8, Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks, 1,149,461.
FIRST BASE — 1, Prince Fielder, Brewers, 4,864,523. 2, Joey Votto, Reds, 4,254,305. 3, Albert Pujols, Cardinals, 4,171,094. 4, Ryan Howard, Phillies, 2,563,736. 5, Freddie Freeman, Braves, 957,816. 6, Brandon Belt, Giants, 917,044. 7, Ike Davis, Mets, 824,681. 8, Todd Helton, Rockies, 761,928.
SECOND BASE — 1, Rickie Weeks, Brewers, 4,460,395. 2, Brandon Phillips, Reds, 4,273,079. 3, Chase Utley, Phillies, 3,345,845. 4, Freddy Sanchez, Giants, 1,627,733. 5, Dan Uggla, Braves, 1,583,903. 6, Neil Walker, Pirates, 993,369. 7, Kelly Johnson, Diamondbacks, 862,204. 8, Skip Schumaker, Cardinals, 856,658.
THIRD BASE — 1, Placido Polanco, Phillies, 4,410,701. 2, Chipper Jones, Braves, 2,849,578. 3, Scott Rolen, Reds, 2,251,425. 4, Pablo Sandoval, Giants, 2,213,057. 5, David Wright, Mets, 2,106,800. 6, Casey McGehee, Brewers, 1,877,744. 7, Aramis Ramirez, Cubs, 1,192,220. 8, Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals, 1,137,696.
SHORTSTOP — 1, Jose Reyes, Mets, 4,707,976. 2, Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies, 3,932,000. 3, Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, 2,311,689. 4, Yuniesky Betancourt, Brewers, 1,695,431. 5, Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks, 1,523,919. 6, Alex Gonzalez, Braves, 1,476,368. 7, Miguel Tejada, Giants, 1,265,544. 8, Paul Janish, Reds, 1,168,551.
OUTFIELD — 1, Ryan Braun, Brewers, 5,928,004. 2, Lance Berkman, Cardinals, 4,345,766. 3, Matt Kemp, Dodgers, 4,293,626. 4, Matt Holliday, Cardinals, 3,948,268. 5, Jay Bruce, Reds, 3,218,003. 6, Andre Ethier, Dodgers, 3,013,030. 7, Carlos Beltran, Mets, 2,631,991. 8, Shane Victorino, Phillies, 2,370,351. 9, Corey Hart, Brewers, 1,875,897. 10, Justin Upton, Diamondbacks, 1,845,385. 11, Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies, 1,733,281. 12, Jason Heyward, Braves, 1,715,925. 13, Raul Ibanez, Phillies, 1,641,389. 14, Drew Stubbs, Reds, 1,572,673. 15, Carlos Gomez, Brewers, 1,508,939. 16, Andrew McCutchen, Pirates, 1,343,144. 17, Hunter Pence, Astros, 1,315,276. 18, Jonny Gomes, Reds, 1,310,142. 19, Martin Prado, Braves, 1,296,763. 20, Alfonso Soriano, Cubs, 1,282,608. 21, Aubrey Huff, Giants, 1,240,980. 22, Chris Young, Diamondbacks, 1,151,443. 23, Ben Francisco, Phillies, 1,124,361. 24, Jason Bay, Mets, 1,114,574.
Scott Boras: The Contracts. The Clients. Who’s to Blame?
Sunday July 3, 2011
MLB reports: The man behind the billion dollar smile, Scott Boras is a big business. The Boras Corporation represents close to 200 MLB players. This is one of the most influential, if not important people in baseball today. But the man is categorized in many baseball circles as “the devil”, for “forcing” major league teams to dish out excessively large contracts to his clients. Is this really the case? Is Boras bad for baseball or simply a man who knows how to do his job and do it well? Let’s take an inside look at Scott Boras and search behind the contracts.
We took a look yesterday at Randy “Macho Man” Savage, an athlete that aside from being a wrestling superstar, was a baseball player. On the same token, Scott Boras the agent, was at one point Scott Boras the baseball player as well. Here are the numbers that Boras put up in four minor league seasons in the Cardinals and Cubs organizations:
| Year | Lev | AB | R | HR | RBI | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Rk | 95 | 13 | 0 | 10 | .274 | .402 | .347 |
| 1975 | A | 300 | 39 | 2 | 36 | .277 | .402 | .373 |
| 1976 | A | 437 | 2 | .295 | .387 | |||
| 1977 | AA-A | 343 | 54 | 1 | 33 | .292 | .392 | .367 |
| 1977 | A | 78 | 17 | 0 | 7 | .346 | .440 | .423 |
| 1977 | AA | 265 | 37 | 1 | 26 | .275 | .377 | .351 |
| 1977 | AA | |||||||
| 1977 | AA | |||||||
| 4 Seasons | 1175 | 106 | 5 | 79 | .288 | .363 | .374 | |
| A (3 seasons) | A | 815 | 56 | 4 | 43 | .293 | .354 | .385 |
| AA (1 season) | AA | 265 | 37 | 1 | 26 | .275 | .377 | .351 |
| Rk (1 season) | Rk | 95 | 13 | 0 | 10 | .274 | .402 | .347 |
A man ahead of his time, Boras was one of the original moneyball players. For his career, Boras had 133 walks and only 76 strikeouts. Those numbers were for good for a lifetime .363 OBP, to go along with his .288 AVG. Knee injuries unfortunately cut his career short and Boras only made it as high as AA ball. With the baseball experience under his belt, Boras went on to practice law and from there become a full-time baseball agent in the early 1980s. Imagine if the 58-year old Scott Boras had made it to the majors and had played for 10+ years. He would have been playing well into the 1980s, when his agent career took off. But alas, Randy Poffo the wrestler became Randy Savage the baseball player. Scott Boras the baseball player became a player agent. Certain things are meant to be and some roles seem to be predestined. But it is still fun to think what could have been and had Boras been able to continue in for professional baseball as a player for many seasons, Scott Boras the agent might have never come into existence.
The exploits of Scott Boras as an agent are legendary. From the Bill Caudill contract with the Jays, Todd Van Poppel deal, J.D. Drew refusing to sign with the Phillies, the Alex Rodriguez contract, Darren Dreifort contract, negotiations for Stephen Strasburg and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boras has done it all and seen it all. Let’s take a peak at 10 of the biggest contracts negotiated by Boras:
10. Adrian Beltre, Seattle Mariners: 5 years, $64 million
9. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox: 6 years, $52 million
8. Kevin Millwood, Texas Rangers: 5 years, $60 million
7. Carlos Beltran, New York Mets: 7 years, $119 million
6. Kevin Brown, Los Angeles Dodgers: 7 years, $105 million
5.Matt White, Tampa Bay Devil Rays: $10.2 million bonus
4. Andruw Jones, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2 years, $36.2 million
3. Chan Ho Park, Texas Rangers: 5 years, $65 million
2. Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants: 7 years, $126 million
1. Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers: 10 years, $252 million
The list literally goes on and on. Boras Corporation has negotiated contracts well over a billion dollars in my estimation and the number keeps rising by the day. We can pick any contracts negotiated by Boras for review, but these ten deals are particularly interesting ones. What do these contracts all have in common? Firstly, they are for very large dollar amounts and very often far exceed what most experts predicted for each particular player. Secondly, none of the teams that signed their respective deal appeared to have benefited from the deal. In the sense that I would argue each team on this list had buyer’s remorse and would take back the contract if given the chance. Lastly, all of these contracts were negotiated and signed by Scott Boras and each respective major league team owner and general manager. It takes two to tango and in this case, sometimes three or four parties. For as much as teams and fans want to burn Scott Boras at the stake for destroying baseball, these contracts were signed by the free will of each team. Furthermore, each team pursued their respective players and courted them to accept a contract and join their team. At some point, MLB teams need to look at the mirror if they want to change the economic landscape of the game and stop blaming Scott Boras and the player agents of this world.
An agent’s job is to land the biggest contract for his or her client. A team’s job is to field the most competitive team at the most economical price. When a player turns out to be a bust or financial albatross, it is the team that did not do their job. The baseball world fell over when Jayson Werth signed his seven-year, $126 million contract. The blame fell to Scott Boras for the most part for extorting such a large figure out of the Washington Nationals. Why? Mike Rizzo and the Washington Nationals organization are all big boys that can make their own decisions. Without seemingly any strong bidders against them, the Nationals literally outbid themselves in handing Werth such a lucrative and absurd contract. Most analysts, myself included, felt that this contract could only end up failing the Nationals. Werth as an injury prone player without a proven track record was going to likely have a hard time justifying his deal. But don’t blame the player or agent. No, they did their job in the process. It is the team that needs to take responsibility for its actions. An important lesson in life is to learn from one’s mistakes. But teams keep making the same financial blunders, over and over when it comes to player contracts. That is not the fault of Scott Boras. It is the teams.
When free agency opens up each offseason, I compare the winter meetings to children being handed large wads of money and
being thrown into a candy store. They cannot control themselves and have to buy more and more to satisfy their hungers. As it is not the children to blame when they are spoiled, it is really not the General Managers either when they have large spending budgets. As parents need to take responsibility for their children, team owners need to account for their General Managers. The large contracts that are handed out every year must be approved by each team owner beforehand. Thus the way a child comes to ask for a $500 remote control car, a General Manager will ask for a $126 million Werth. When the parent and team owner both say yes, they only have themselves to blame. The toy and player inevitably break down or are seen as too expensive in hindsight. But by then, the toy cannot be returned to the store and the player contract cannot be voided. The lesson is to learn from the experience and to avoid similar mistakes in the future. But teams refuse to listen and learn and as a result, player contracts in baseball are exploding with no end in sight.
Let’s keep Scott Boras in perspective. The man does his job very well and pushes the limit of player contracts in baseball. He might be a very intelligent person and a great salesperson. But at the end of the day, he is simply doing his job. For myself as a consumer, if I buy a brand new car for $30,000 when I could have bought a similar model down the road for $10,000 less, I cannot blame the car dealer or its salesperson. It was up to me as the consumer to shop around and get the best deal I could. There would have been other cars, the same way for MLB teams there will always be other players. But teams don’t see it that way. They get caught up in the negotiations and the thrill of the hunt and get determined to land their “guy”. The Red Sox begged and pleaded to get Dice-K into a Red Sox uniform. The same Sox and Yankees battled it out to land Mark Teixeira. The Texas Rangers and then owner Tom Hicks literally handed Alex Rodriguez a blank cheque to land the marquee free agent. Again and again, MLB teams go out of their way to land the players they want and end up blaming the players and their agent when the contracts do not work out.
One man I will give credit to is Fred Wilpon. In criticizing the Carlos Beltran contract, he blamed the team for overpaying the outfielder based on one good playoff run. This is a man who at the very least took responsibility for his actions and knew where to lay the blame. Since the Beltran deal, the Mets, along with the Braves and Angels, are three teams that tend to stay away from dealing with Scott Boras and the players he represents. That is ultimately the best approach and the only way that any order can be established. If teams do not want to dish the money, all they have to say is no. But as long as the money is there and being handed out by the teams by the truck loads, Scott Boras will be there with open arms, negotiating the best contracts for his clients that he can.
Scott Boras has accomplished some amazing feats during his agent career. From changing the rules on arbitration and free agency, Boras pushes the boundaries and finds all the loopholes to change the economic system of the game. The sign of a great lawyer, negotiator and agent. Before fans are quick to condemn the man, lets step back and appreciate what he has accomplished. Scott Boras and the Boras Corporation are a billion dollar industry. They provide marketing services, training facilities for their clients and look after their clients every needs. Boras has a team of experts that are constantly studying and keeping track of the game. Scott Boras stays on top of the game and thus is able to stay competitive and negotiate the best contracts for his clients. While not everyone agrees with his methods, particularly the Alex Rodriguez opt-out with the Yankees which led A-Rod to leave Boras, he may have the ideas, but it is up to players to accept them and teams to listen. As long as players keep lining up to hire Scott Boras and teams await with open arms and wallets, the system will not change. Scott Boras may be a lot of things, but the devil he is certainly not. He is simply a smart, hard worker who does his job well at levels that few can attain. A baseball pioneer, Scott Boras has certainly left his mark on the game. While many fans and teams do not agree with his methods, at the end of the day he gets the job done. Scott Boras: Genius or madness? You decide.
Please see the list below of some of the clients in the Scott Boras stable. The list is growing by the day:
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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.
2011 MLB All-Star Game: Current Vote Totals Before Final Rosters Announced
Thursday, June 30, 2011
MLB reports: The All-Star rosters for the MLB All-Star game will be announced this Sunday, July 3rd. With the polling stations set to close shortly, we are nearing the end of the voting process. After weeks of fan voting on-line and at all MLB stadiums, decision day is upon us in three short days. But for those of you that don’t like to wait, we have the current vote totals for the AL and NL All-Star rosters by position. We also prognosticate based on the current numbers as to who will win out and make the final squads. Let’s begin in the NL, where some open races still exist:
2011 NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR BALLOTING (as of June 26)
CATCHER
Brian McCann, Braves: 3,062,884
Yadier Molina, Cardinals: 2,271,887
Buster Posey, Giants: 1,849,984
Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers: 1,451,280
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: 1,392,944
Prediction: Brian McCann kept his lead and deserves this spot. He will be behind the plate in Arizona for the NL squad. Despite missing most of the season due to injury, Buster Posey still sits in 2nd place. The state of NL catching is weak this year to say the least. With no competition in the field, McCann is your first named starter.
FIRST BASE
Albert Pujols, Cardinals: 3,358,432
Prince Fielder, Brewers: 2,903,584
Joey Votto, Reds: 2,832,857
Ryan Howard, Phillies: 1,881,711
Freddie Freeman, Braves: 702,911
Prediction: Despite his injury and guarantee to miss the game, Albert Pujols will be voted in as a starter (in name only). Prince Fielder has been enjoying a remarkable season and deserves a better fate. While Prince will go to Arizona, it will be as a substitute for Pujols. The lead is just too large and Pujols has too strong of a name recognition for Prince to overcome.
SECOND BASE
Rickie Weeks, Brewers: 2,869,583
Brandon Phillips, Reds: 2,791,186
Chase Utley, Phillies: 2,406,965
Dan Uggla, Braves: 1,223,812
Freddy Sanchez, Giants: 1,184,145
Prediction: This one is very close to call. Based on his late push, our money is on Rickie Weeks winning out over Brandon Phillips. A recent return by Chase Utley has created a mini-push for him as well. In any other year this position would be Utley’s position to lose. But clearly fans have determined that Utley has missed too much time and Weeks is deserving of his recognition.
THIRD BASE
Placido Polanco, Phillies: 3,261,718
Chipper Jones, Braves: 2,040,594
Pablo Sandoval, Giants: 1,584,671
David Wright, Mets: 1,497,778
Scott Rolen, Reds: 1,417,248
Prediction: The Phillies fans have spoken and Placido Polanco will be starting at the All-Star game. David Wright’s free fall from stardom has paved the way for new/old faces to emerge. This has been Polanco’s spot to lose from the beginning and has steady play has been enough to win out. Sometimes slow and steady does win the race.
SHORTSTOP
Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: 2,955,609
Jose Reyes, Mets: 2,710,777
Jimmy Rollins, Phillies: 1,724,166
Alex Gonzalez, Braves: 1,142,470
Yuniesky Betancourt, Brewers: 1,131,078
Prediction: Another very close race that is difficult to handicap. The gut feel on this one is that Jose Reyes has received enough publicity and media attention to garner the necessary votes to beat out Troy Tulowitzki. Reyes has enjoyed quite the comeback year and a starting role in Arizona would be the icing on the cake.
OUTFIELD
Ryan Braun, Brewers: 3,932,100
Lance Berkman, Cardinals: 3,208,183
Matt Holliday, Cardinals: 2,935,965
Matt Kemp, Dodgers: 2,743,927
Andre Ethier, Dodgers: 2,264,640
Jay Bruce, Reds: 2,119,267
Shane Victorino, Phillies: 1,742,128
Carlos Beltran, Mets: 1,639,362
Jason Heyward, Braves: 1,302,127
Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies: 1,253,728
Raul Ibanez, Phillies: 1,239,678
Corey Hart, Brewers: 1,217,629
Justin Upton, D-backs: 1,141,296
Carlos Gomez, Brewers: 1,016,685
Martin Prado, Braves: 1,012,084
Prediction: Ryan Braun and Lance Berkman have been foregone conclusions for some time. It is the battle for the 3rd and final outfield position that remains. For a while it was Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier on the heals of Matt Holliday. While Ethier has bowed out essentially, Kemp continues to get his push. But will it be enough? MLB reports says yes. In his breakout year, Kemp is getting the respect and attention he deserves. It appears that the fans would agree as well.
2011 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR BALLOTING (as of June 28)
CATCHER
Russell Martin, Yankees: 2,779,592
Alex Avila, Tigers: 2,345,065
Joe Mauer, Twins: 1,699,604
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Red Sox: 1,505,143
Yorvit Torrealba, Rangers: 1,309,802
Prediction: Detroit fans have made a solid plea for the inclusion of Alex Avila as the starting catcher for the AL squad. But the Yankee faithful have spoken otherwise and continue to lead, together with the Boston Red Sox in most spots. Catcher is one of them, with Russell Martin looking to be a lock for Arizona. The one item of note is that Joe Mauer will not be voted in. Mauer when healthy is one of the best, if not the best catchers in baseball. But this year has been a nightmare for Mauer health wise. It looks to be a chance for more new/old blood to shine.
FIRST BASE
Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox: 4,014,722
Mark Teixeira, Yankees: 3,077,242
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 2,184,480
Mitch Moreland, Rangers: 1,209,258
Paul Konerko, White Sox: 932,422
Prediction: Taking a look at the numbers, 3 million votes for Mark Teixeira and 2 million votes for Miguel Cabrera is very respectable. But 4 million+ votes takes the cake in this race for Adrian Gonzalez. The current leading candidate for AL MVP according to many MLB followers has earned his start in Arizona. The Red Sox faithful are certainly not complaining.
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano, Yankees: 4,724,816
Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: 2,979,181
Ian Kinsler, Rangers: 1,896,259
Orlando Cabrera, Indians: 1,127,840
Ben Zobrist, Rays: 963,481
Prediction: Looking at the numbers, it is all Robinson Cano in this one. No AL second baseman has come close to matching his production and it shows in the voting. A well-earned spot for the maturing Cano who is graduating to complete superstar status in New York.
THIRD BASE
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees: 3,735,406
Adrian Beltre, Rangers: 2,935,373
Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: 2,724,286
Evan Longoria, Rays: 2,000,379
Brandon Inge, Tigers: 633,519
Prediction: Alex Rodriguez will have yet another All-Star game appearance. While Adrian Beltre got a sudden surge, it is the popularity and steadiness of A-Rod that will win out.
SHORTSTOP
Derek Jeter, Yankees: 3,392,128
Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians: 2,885,778
Elvis Andrus, Rangers: 1,971,514
Jhonny Peralta, Tigers: 1,178,114
Marco Scutaro, Red Sox: 1,099,744
Prediction: Another fairly weak field, similar to that of third base in the NL. Derek Jeter has slumped and/or been injured all season long. But the name will win out and Yankee fans are excited to see their future hall of fame shortstop going to the All-Star. Does Jeter deserve this spot this year? Probably not. But without a strong Indians base to campaign for Cabrera, the Yankees captain will start. Just too much of a lead at this point.
DESIGNATED HITTER
David Ortiz, Red Sox: 4,237,014
Michael Young, Rangers: 2,235,504
Jorge Posada, Yankees: 1,453,385
Victor Martinez, Tigers: 1,234,879
Johnny Damon, Rays: 1,028,366
Prediction: When you think DH, think David Ortiz. He is his own universe in voting this year. The DH market is starting to thin out and Ortiz has stood head and shoulders above the rest this year.
OUTFIELD
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays: 5,263,840
Curtis Granderson, Yankees: 4,582,419
Josh Hamilton, Rangers: 3,173,000
Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox: 3,051,675
Carl Crawford, Red Sox: 2,294,337
Nelson Cruz, Rangers: 1,912,783
Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners: 1,912,062
Nick Swisher, Yankees: 1,648,599
Brett Gardner, Yankees: 1,499,367
J.D. Drew, Red Sox: 1,428,367
Matt Joyce, Rays: 1,226,439
Jeff Francoeur, Royals: 1,061,445
David Murphy, Rangers: 1,057,887
Grady Sizemore, Indians: 1,033,014
Shin-Soo Choo, Indians: 924,326
Prediction: The first two spots in the AL outfield have been set for some time. Jose Bautista leads all All-Stars in voting and together with Curtis Granderson will definitely be in Arizona on July 12th. Josh Hamilton has held onto the 3rd spot for some time, despite missing part of the season due to injury. Jacoby Ellsbury has narrowed the gap significantly in the last couple of weeks and looks to be a starter by the time the rosters are announced on Sunday. Ellsbury has enjoyed a solid campaign this year and Red Sox nation is making the push for his inclusion in the big game. That is usually a recipe for success.
Get ready for July 12th, as the New York Red Sox (aka the AL All-Star team) takes on the NL squad on Tuesday July 12th to determine home field advantage for the World Series. The rosters will be announced this Sunday July 3rd and MLB reports will bring you all the final details. Stay tuned!
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Latest AL and NL Vote Totals: 2011 MLB All-Star Game
Thursday, June 23, 2011
MLB reports: With the MLB All-Star Game less than three weeks, the race to finalize the lineups is starting to tighten up. The majority of the starters have fairly significant leads and will be in Arizona, barring injury or declining the invitation. However, some of the races have started to tighten up, with the positions up for grabs until the final votes are in. Let’s take a look at the current leading vote getters per league and position:
AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR (as of June 21)
CATCHER
Russell Martin – Yankees: 2,226,797
Alex Avila – Tigers: 1,730,511
Joe Mauer – Twins: 1,341,474
Jarrod Saltalamacchia – Red Sox: 1,135,617
Yorvit Torrealba – Rangers: 980,697
Verdict: Martin is in unless Avila gets a huge spike in votes at the end. While many are pushing for Avila to get the nod, Martin has the numbers and the fan base to likely win out.
FIRST BASE
Adrian Gonzalez – Red Sox: 3,017,960
Mark Teixeira – Yankees: 2,407,665
Miguel Cabrera – Tigers: 1,771,893
Mitch Moreland – Rangers: 890,468
Paul Konerko – White Sox: 676,194
Verdict: A-Gonz will be starting in Arizona. Take it to the bank. He has been one of the best players in the AL this season and plays in Boston. The fans will continue to vote for him until he is announced as the winner.
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano – Yankees: 3,664,498
Dustin Pedroia – Red Sox: 2,239,172
Ian Kinsler – Rangers: 1,452,880
Orlando Cabrera – Indians: 910,941
Ben Zobrist – Rays: 828,771
Verdict: Cano continues to lead the pack by a country mile. His season totals justify his position.
THIRD BASE
Alex Rodriguez – Yankees: 2,876,537
Adrian Beltre – Rangers: 2,307,380
Kevin Youkilis – Red Sox: 2,025,438
Evan Longoria – Rays: 1,639,405
Brandon Inge – Tigers: 490,734
Verdict: A-Rod is still A-Rod. Beltre is getting closer though and could make this one interesting.
SHORTSTOP
Derek Jeter – Yankees: 2,654,040
Asdrubal Cabrera – Indians: 2,242,157
Elvis Andrus – Rangers: 1,513,929
Jhonny Peralta – Tigers: 875,371
Marco Scutaro – Red Sox: 813,888
Verdict: Jeter, the New York Yankees captain, continues to lead the way. However, an injury and poor play this season have led Cabrera to get closer in the voting. If Cabrera has a few more strong games, there is a chance he could be in Arizona as the starter. Either way, expect Cabrera to represent the Indians at the All-Star game.
DESIGNATED HITTER
David Ortiz – Red Sox: 3,116,578
Michael Young – Rangers: 1,760,195
Jorge Posada – Yankees: 1,120,830
Victor Martinez – Tigers: 932,711
Johnny Damon – Rays: 864,535
Verdict: Papi picked a great year to have a strong campaign. A free agent at year’s end, he is a worthy All-Star pick.
OUTFIELD
Jose Bautista – Blue Jays: 4,156,940
Curtis Granderson – Yankees: 3,473,227
Josh Hamilton – Rangers: 2,400,408
Jacoby Ellsbury – Red Sox: 2,249,323
Carl Crawford – Red Sox: 1,789,097
Ichiro Suzuki – Mariners: 1,537,101
Nelson Cruz – Rangers: 1,462,426
Nick Swisher – Yankees: 1,271,843
Brett Gardner – Yankees: 1,120,179
J.D. Drew – Red Sox: 1,112,720
Matt Joyce – Rays: 1,038,098
Jeff Francoeur – Royals: 906,983
Grady Sizemore – Indians: 867,281
David Murphy – Rangers: 785,630
Shin-Soo Choo – Indians: 764,817
Verdict: Bautista and Granderson continue to lead the AL outfielders in voting and deservedly so. Hamilton and Ellsbury are battling it out for the final spot in a competition of what have you done for me lately vs. last year’s statistics. Depending on where you sit in the debate, the 2010 MVP Hamilton or the 2011 resurgent Ellsbury should be the third AL outfielder. With Hamilton banged up and Ellsbury playing so well for a first place Boston squad, expect Ellsbury to win out.
NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR (as of June 20)
CATCHER
Brian McCann – Braves: 2,301,252
Yadier Molina – Cardinals: 1,836,490
Buster Posey – Giants: 1,573,484
Jonathan Lucroy – Brewers: 1,098,507
Carlos Ruiz – Phillies: 1,095,081
Verdict: McCann is the best catcher in baseball, not just the NL. He has received the justified votes and will be starting for the NL squad.
FIRST BASE
Albert Pujols – Cardinals: 2,806,864
Joey Votto – Reds: 2,270,211
Prince Fielder – Brewers: 2,066,327
Ryan Howard – Phillies: 1,477,478
Freddie Freeman – Braves: 559,762
Verdict: Pujols was the leader and remains so despite being placed on the shelf recently. With Pujols out of the picture, Votto and Fielder will continue to duke it out for top spot. The power and flash of Prince will likely rule over the steadiness of Votto.
SECOND BASE
Brandon Phillips – Reds: 2,286,378
Rickie Weeks – Brewers: 2,094,502
Chase Utley – Phillies: 1,827,194
Dan Uggla – Braves: 1,012,370
Freddy Sanchez – Giants: 987,606
Verdict: Phillips and Weeks are neck-in-neck in one of the closest positional battles. Based on Weeks recent play, my money is on him to get the starting role.
THIRD BASE
Placido Polanco – Phillies: 2,599,925
Chipper Jones – Braves: 1,558,895
Pablo Sandoval – Giants: 1,302,098
David Wright – Mets: 1,228,710
Scott Rolen – Reds: 1,102,626
Verdict: Polanco of the NL leading Philadelphia Phillies appears to have this one locked up. Without much in the way of competition, Polanco has been the best of the bunch according to the fans.
SHORTSTOP
Troy Tulowitzki – Rockies: 2,385,991
Jose Reyes – Mets: 1,972,820
Jimmy Rollins – Phillies: 1,354,896
Alex Gonzalez – Braves: 928,992
Yuniesky Betancourt – Brewers: 860,163
Verdict: Reyes of the Mets is making a late charge but Tulo might have too big of a lead to overcome. Expect this one to go to the wire as Reyes has been getting much of the press and attention in the past few days.
OUTFIELD
Ryan Braun – Brewers: 3,034,057
Lance Berkman – Cardinals: 2,562,428
Matt Holliday – Cardinals: 2,390,118
Matt Kemp – Dodgers: 2,062,667
Andre Ethier – Dodgers: 1,889,298
Jay Bruce – Reds: 1,681,613
Shane Victorino – Phillies: 1,357,115
Carlos Beltran – Mets: 1,261,308
Jason Heyward – Braves: 1,059,581
Raul Ibanez – Phillies: 982,046
Justin Upton – D-backs: 950,047
Carlos Gonzalez – Rockies: 944,666
Corey Hart – Brewers: 910,550
Martin Prado – Braves: 830,105
Alfonso Soriano – Cubs: 804,303
Verdict: Braun has the top spot locked up with Berkman almost guaranteed a starting spot in Arizona as well. The third outfield position will come down a battle between Matt Holliday, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Kemp is narrowing the margin but based on the vote numbers, St. Louis will likely have 2/3 of the starting All-Star outfield come July 12th.
MLB reports will continue to keep you up-to-date as the voting for the MLB All-Star game comes to a close. We will announce the starting lineups and rosters as they are made available and let you know on any injury replacements. This year’s field will be a competitive one and we look forward to catching all the action in Arizona, as the American League and National League battle for home field advantage in the World Series.
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2011 MLB All-Star Game Ballots: American League Vote Totals
Tuesday June 14, 2011
MLB reports: In part II of our All-Star game feature, we take a look at the leading vote getters for the American League squad. The MLB All-Star Game is coming up on July 12th from Phoenix, Arizona. With home field advantage on the line, the question every year is whether the American League will continue its domination in the mid-season classic. We might as well call this team the New York Red Sox or Boston Yankees given the current composition of the team. Let’s take a look at the AL vote totals as of today to consider if the fans are getting it right:
CATCHER
Russell Martin, Yankees: 1,712,156
Alex Avila, Tigers: 1,093,070
Joe Mauer, Twins: 1,041,798
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Red Sox: 763,607
Yorvit Torrealba, Rangers: 751,858
Verdict: Round one goes to the fans as Russell Martin for the most part has been the best catcher in the American League thus far. Coming off an unproductive, injury filled 2010 season, Martin has rebounded to reclaim his all-star status. The 2nd leading vote getter, Alex Avila, has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and deserves to be up high on the list. From there, the waters get murky. Mauer has been injured all year and Salmatlamacchia has been fairly unproductive for most of the season in Boston. Names like Arencebia and Suzuki should probably be higher up on the list, as much of this list is based on past production and/or popularity vs. actual production. But Martin is in the lead for being the best catcher in the AL, as much as he is a Yankee.
FIRST BASE
Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox: 2,027,537
Mark Teixeira, Yankees: 1,774,024
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 1,295,547
Mitch Moreland, Rangers: 692,670
Paul Konerko, White Sox: 507,547
Verdict: One of the early season picks for MVP, Gonzalez has been everything that could have been expected and more for Boston. Teixeira and Cabrera have also enjoyed productive campaigns and are rightfully at the top of the voting leader board. A case could be made for any of the three to start at first in Arizona, but A-Gonz has been the best of the bunch and deserves to be at the top. He just happens to play in Boston as well.
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano, Yankees: 2,649,737
Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: 1,518,231
Ian Kinsler, Rangers: 1,129,023
Orlando Cabrera, Indians: 732,308
Ben Zobrist, Rays: 633,533
Verdict: A Yankee in first and a Red Sox player in 2nd in this category. Are we noticing a trend? Based on numbers alone, Cano has been far and away the best second baseman in the American League, if not all of baseball. With almost double the amount of votes compared to Pedroia, fans clearly agree. The list, one through five, appears to be bang-on with listing the top players at the position. The fans got it right yet again.
THIRD BASE
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees: 2,063,520
Adrian Beltre, Rangers: 1,752,729
Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: 1,381,381
Evan Longoria, Rays: 1,226,770
Maicer Izturis, Angels: 364,623
Verdict: This is not your father’s third base and while this group used to be the elite of the league, the numbers are showing otherwise. With Longoria injured for must of the campaign, A-Rod continues to be the leading voting getter with Beltre close behind. I was very surprised to see Longoria as high as 4th, but based on his strong image and popularity, I guess it should have been expected. A-Rod based on the number deserves this spot, but is here as much for his numbers as the fact that he is a Yankee. His position as the top player in the game has clearly been eroding for some time. But for this season at least, A-Rod looks to remain the top third baseman in the American League.
SHORTSTOP
Derek Jeter, Yankees: 1,931,670
Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians: 1,647,802
Elvis Andrus, Rangers: 1,180,962
Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays: 640,395
Jhonny Peralta, Tigers: 540,601
Verdict: Much outcry has been heard over this vote and I will agree. For a player that has given so much to the game, Derek Jeter on the numbers does not deserve to be starting in the All-Star game. Cabrera, Andrus and Escobar have enjoyed very productive seasons for their respective teams and should be ahead of Jeter in the voting. But alas Jeter is Jeter and the fans have chosen the sizzle over the steak in this case. A big double thumbs down here.
DESIGNATED HITTER
David Ortiz, Red Sox: 1,974,918
Michael Young, Rangers: 1,428,833
Jorge Posada, Yankees: 810,672
Travis Hafner, Indians: 691,205
Johnny Damon, Rays: 672,529
Verdict: The designated hitter, the who’s-who of players playing out the string in the American League. Despite strong seasons by Young, Hafner and Damon, it is David Ortiz who has been the best DH of 2011 and as a result has a huge lead in the voting. Jorge Posada should be near the bottom of the pack, but sits in third place based on his name and team. Anyone here besides Ortiz would have been an injustice.
OUTFIELD
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays: 3,042,091
Curtis Granderson, Yankees: 2,406,946
Josh Hamilton, Rangers: 1,799,339
Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox: 1,447,715
Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners: 1,231,035
Carl Crawford, Red Sox: 1,222,687
Nelson Cruz, Rangers: 1,123,608
Nick Swisher, Yankees: 937,365
Brett Gardner, Yankees: 796,905
J.D. Drew, Red Sox: 778,871
Jeff Francoeur, Royals: 752,687
Grady Sizemore, Indians: 739,930
Matt Joyce, Rays: 737,377
Shin-Soo Choo, Indians: 642,387
David Murphy, Rangers: 622,160
Verdict: I will give the fans credit. Two out of three ain’t bad. The top two outfielders in the American League have been Bautista and Granderson. They sit one and two in the lead to be the starting outfielders in Arizona. Bravo fans. Bravo. Josh Hamilton though sits in third place over Jacoby Ellsbury. Based on last year’s campaign, Hamilton was a far stronger player than Ellsbury. But this year, Hamilton has missed much of the season due to injury while Ellsbury has rebounded. Despite the heavy Red Sox and Yankees mix in the lineup, I would have awarded Ellsebury the third outfield spot if given the choice between the two. But looking at the rest of the voting list, it is beyond me how Swisher, Gardner, Crawford and Drew are at the voting list. Aside from playing in Boston and New York, these players have done literally nothing to earn their votes. I am impressed to see Francoeur and Joyce with strong vote totals, proving that smaller names in even smaller markets can still be rewarded for strong play. Ichiro is also on the list despite one of his worst campaigns ever. Where I ask is Carlos Quentin, one of the top hitters this year in the American League? Playing for a poor White Sox team with little attention this year. King Carlos should be starting, but the popularity contest unfortunately did him in.
If the voting for the American League All-Star team ended today, 7/9 of the starting lineup would be made up of Red Sox and Yankees players. While most of the players deserve their positions based on the numbers, it would be curious to see what would happen if those same players were on different teams. But then if those players were on different teams, they may not end up with the same high numbers they are producing. Very perplexing. It would be nice to have greater balance in the voting to include more players from other squads. But when players like Russell Martin, David Ortiz and Curtis Granderson stand out so far from the crowd, they should be voted in regardless of the city they play in. While the bias of fans then results in Derek Jeter starting and inferior players like Drew and Swisher receiving high vote totals, looking at the lineups overall, the fans for the most part got it right. For those critics that do not agree, the best argument is get as many fans from other cities to vote on-line and at the games to make a difference. But the fans have spoken and we look forward to watching the New York Red Sox take on the National League All-Star team in Arizona on July 12th.
Please click here to read yesterday’s NL All-Star team preview.
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Top Home Run Hitters: The MLB Leaderboard
Sunday June 12, 2011
MLB reports: Another week goes by and we find that there are more changes on the MLB Home Run Leaderboard. Jose Bautista finally has some competition and the proven long ball hitters of seasons past have finally made the list. Let’s take a look at the home run leaders in Major League Baseball as of today:
Tie 1st: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: 20
Jose Bautista hit #20 on May 28th. Since then, he has remained stuck on 20 while the rest of baseball starts to catch up. For a man in a home run draught, he still has 58/35 BB/K on the season, with a .338 AVG, .490 OBP and .692 SLG. As Bautista works to recapture his early season form, Adam Lind has come back to the Jays as a man on a mission. Lind is hitting .327 on the season with 11 home runs of his own, a beneficiary of the protection that Bautista can afford him in the lineup. Realistically speaking, Bautista was never going to hit 80 home runs this season. But he remains on pace for 50+ and Bautista may still match or exceed his 54 long balls from last year.
Tie 1st: Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees: 20
There is a 2nd sherif in town and his name is Curtis Granderson. One of three Yankees on our list, Granderson has enjoyed a rejuvenation at age 30. Granderson is close to matching his 24 home runs from last year and well on his way to exceeding his career high of 30 home runs from 2009. Granderson’s 27/65 BB/K ratio tell me that he has not necessarily changed his free swinging ways at the plate and a “market correction” may be in order here. But despite his .267 AVG, Granderson has not shown any slow downs in the power department. 2011 has been Curtis Granderson’s coming out party and if Bautista isn’t careful, we may have another home run king on the season very soon.
Tie 3rd: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: 19
Matt Kemp (“The Bison”) at the age of 26, has finally started to cement his place in the book of baseball superstardom. With 19 home runs on the year, to go along with his incredible .331 AVG, .408 OBP and .632 SLG, Kemp has gone from prospect to star seemingly overnight. After hitting 26 and 28 home runs over the last two seasons respectively, Kemp is on pace to hit 40-50 home runs this year. Hitting in the heart of the Dodgers lineup with Andre Ethier, Kemp has been the heart and soul of the team this year. As he matures as a person and leader, so has his game developed on the field. The sky is the limit for this young superstar, who has future MVP written all over him.
Tie 3rd: Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees: 19
The last two spots on our top-five list should come as no surprise, starting with Yankee slugger Mark Teixeira. With 39 home runs in 2009 and 43 in 2005, Teixeira has showcased his home run strengths in previous years. A consistent 30+ home run threat, Teixeira is on his way to setting a career high in the category, showing his enjoyment playing in Yankee Stadium with its short porch. Teixeira, with his smooth swing, home run park and protection in the lineup, has all the factors in his favor. By season’s end, I expect him to remain near the top of this list and could very well finish at the #1 position.
5th: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers: 18
The final spot goes to Prince Fielder, the impending free agent slugging first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers. Prince has literally done it all this season. He has shown a great eye, with 36/31 BB/K in 2011, to go along with his .300 AVG, .410 OBP and .614 SLG. The man hit 50 home runs in 2007 and 46 in 2009. With a BIG payday ahead (rumored to be in the $200 million range), Fielder is showcasing his skills this year. At 27-years of age, Prince will be able to write his own ticket when picking his next home. He has certainly ensured to give himself the best chance to make the big bucks in the future by his strong play in the present. Fielder’s agent? None other than Scott Boras. Expect Fielder to continue to explode on the field all season with teammate Ryan Braun as the Brewers make one more giant push with its hulking first baseman steering the ship.
After looking at such an impressive top-five list, the rest of the sluggers represent the who’s-who of baseball. Bruce, Braun, Quentin, Pujols, Cabrera, A-Rod…yes, they are all here. Mike Stanton with 16 home runs has come together quickly in his 2nd season to become one of the top home run hitters in the game. As we discussed several times to start the season, the cream always rises to the top as the months go by. As we sit at almost the halfway mark of the season, the proven home run sluggers have proven just that.
The Best of the Rest:
Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds: 17
Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox: 17
Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals: 16
Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox: 16
David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: 16
Mike Stanton, Florida Marlins: 16
Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers: 15
Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers: 14
Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals: 14
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers: 13
Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies: 13
Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees: 13
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Devin Mesoraco: Catcher Cincinnati Reds, On the Verge of Getting the Call
Saturday June 11, 2011
MLB reports: With catching at an all-time premium in baseball, few teams are lucky to have one, let alone two solid catchers in its system. The Cincinnati Reds have an abundance of riches at the position, with two serviceable catchers on its major league roster and two of the brightest catching prospects in its lower levels. For all the talk of the New York Yankees and Montero, Sanchez and all of its up-and-coming catching prospects, a look to the future catching superstars of Major League Baseball points to Cincinnati.
Top catching prospect Devin Mesoraco stands 6’1″ and weighs a very solid 220 lbs. Only 22-years of age, Mesoraco was drafted in the 1st round of the 2007 MLB draft (15th overall).
Catchers typically take longer to develop and Mesoraco has been slowed in his development by the injury bug. But despite missing many games over his short career, his bat has never slowed in the process. Last year at the tender age of 21, Mesoraco played through three levels and rose all the way to AAA. This year, in his first full turn at AAA, Mesoraco has been simply outstanding. With a .323 AVG, .407 OBP, .542 SLG, 8 home runs and 25/39 BB/K, Mesoraco has shown the MLB reports favorite hitting combination: power and patience. A lifetime .270 hitter in the minors with an .802 OPS, Mesoraco has only gotten stronger and better as he has risen through the Reds system. But not far behind him, there is another strong Reds catching prospect waiting in the wings by the name of Yasmani Grandal, as well as two existing roadblocks in Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan.
Grandal is also 22-years of age. Born in Havana Cuba, he was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 27th round of the 2007 draft. After failing to sign, Grandal became the next catching 1st round pick of the Reds, being drafted 12th overall in the 2010 draft. Missing out on three years compared to Mesoraco, Grandal played eight games last year in rookie ball and currently plays high A ball in Bakersfield. With 9 home runs this year in 50 games played, combined with a .279 AVG, .878 OPS and 37/50 BB/K ratio, Grandal is proving himself to be every bit the hitter that Mesoraco is. A promotion is due shortly to AA and very soon the Reds will face a dilemma in choosing their catcher of the future. A great problem to have if you are the Cincinnati Reds, who are the envy of Major League Baseball in their ability to draft and develop talent. Grandal is also a switch-hitter to boot, which will make the Reds catching choice even that much more difficult.
Given that Mesoraco has the most experience and has played at the higher levels, he will be given the first crack at the Reds catching job. His first roadblock is
veteran Ramon Hernandez, the Reds incumbent starting catcher. Hernandez at 35 should be starting to near the end of his career, having played 13 seasons for 4 different major league teams. Hernandez suffered through injuries in both the ’09 and ’10 seasons, but still received a 1-year, $3 million contract for 2011 from the Reds. Hernandez has rewarded the Reds thus far with a strong season. Hernandez on the year has hit .310, with 7 home runs and an .898 OPS. But despite his strong play, Hernandez is injury prone and has otherwise started to show a declining bat over the last couple of seasons, despite playing in a hitter’s park in Cinci. Expect an injury or slump by Hernandez to open the door for Mesoraco to get his chance sometime this year.
Ryan Hanigan, the Reds backup catcher, was signed in the offseason to a 3-year, $4 million contract. Some observers questioned the move, given the up-and-coming catchers in the Reds system. But the Reds were smart to lock-in a highly considered backup catcher to mentor their young prospects and help groom them to be possibly the next Johnny Bench. Hanigan at the age of 30, has played parts of 5 seasons for the Reds. Last year was by far his strongest campaign, with a .300 AVG and .834 OPS. For his major league career, Hanigan has a 98/77 BB/K- thus exhibiting one of the best batting eyes I have ever seen for a catcher. Despite his slow start this season, with a .248 AVG and .673 OPS, Hanigan plays strong defense and does enough offensively to ensure that he will remain as the Reds backup catcher for the foreseeable future.
With Hanigan as the backup and Hernandez playing out the string this season, we can expect to see Mesoraco make his major league debut this year. Given
that he is only 22, the world should not be expected of him yet. As mentioned earlier, catchers take a lot longer to develop into complete major league players compared to other positional player. One only has to look to Baltimore, where Matt Wieters came slowly out of the gate until he started to find his way in the big leagues. While watching Buster Posey‘s run last year with the Giants was exciting, he is definitely the exception to the rule. Scouts and analysts that I have spoken to are divided on Mesoraco and Grandal. From the people that I have spoken to, there was nearly a 50/50 split on which prospect would become the future #1 catcher in Cincinnati.
A similar situation has already developed for the Reds with the blocked path for Yonder Alonso, one of the top Reds prospects still in the minors. Alonso, a first baseman by trade, has been attempting to shift to the outfield in the hopes of eventually joining the Reds. The reports that I have received are that his defense has been graded at far below average and the Reds are not comfortable calling him up as a result. With Joey Votto entrenched at first, Alonso will only make the big leagues at this point by injury or trade. With 8 home runs already on the season in AAA, to compliment his .327 AVG and .911 OPS, the 24-year old Cuban born Alonso has a major league bat. His fellow countryman Grandal may face a similar conflict in a couple of seasons. With such a strong farm system, the Reds are building themselves for a dynasty run for several years to come. The likely quarterback of the pitching staff in the near future will be Devin Mesoraco, who will also hit in the heart of a deep lineup in a great ballpark. The sky is the limit for this great prospect who is on the verge of joining the big leagues. We look forward to watching his debut very soon and hope that Mesoraco will have a long and productive career at the most demanding position in the game.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 25th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 25, 2011
Q: Is Jose Bautista’s start for real? Do you think he can keep it up? From Brian,Toronto
MLB reports: Hello Brian. Great choice of topics as Bautista has been the talk of baseball in 2011. Considering his body of work, every day that goes by you have to believe that the Jays slugger is for real. After a great September in 2009, Bautista hit 54 long balls in 2010 and is already up to 19 in 2011. It is mind boggling considering that Bautista has missed several games this season already for personal reasons and neck issues. We prepared a profile on Jose Bautista at the Reports, which you can view here. Jose Bautista appears to be a late bloomer that has discovered his stroke and is here to stay. He is now the face of the Toronto Blue Jays and a home run force for several seasons to come.
Q: What is your favorite major league ball park and why? FromAngela,Vermont
MLB reports: Although I have not been to every MLB stadium, I have definitely seen my fair share. J If I had to select a favorite, it would likely be PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The view of the water, the layout of the stadium and the overall baseball feel is one that is without comparison. I have enjoyed every seat that I have seen in Pittsburgh and would highly recommend seeing the park if you can. A close second is Comerica Park in Detroit. Comerica is a combination of my love of the Tigers team with a beautiful stadium and rich history. That stadium really has it all. But for overall look and feel, PNC wins out.
Q: If you could watch baseball in any country, which would you pick and why? I am thinking Japan? From Larry, San Francisco
MLB reports: You are correct Larry, Japan goes to the top of the list. Clearly you have been paying attention to my tweets! The enthusiasm and energy from a Japan baseball game, as I have seen on television, literally has no comparison in any other country. I cannot wait until the day when I am in Japan and watch a game live at a local stadium. From the food, cheering fans, uniforms, style of play…Japan has it all. I also have Cuba very high on my list. From what I watched in the World Baseball Classic, Cubans take their baseball very seriously and my gut feel is that diehard fans would love watching live baseball in Cuba. Hopefully it works out for me one day, we shall see!
Q: I have been a Cubs fan for 30 years. I think that I’m done suffering and looking to change teams. Are my cubbies ever going to win? From Bruce, Windy City
MLB reports: Bruce…Bruce…Bruce. Stand by your team! I cannot blame you for being discouraged. But if the Red Sox and White Sox can win the World Series, so can the Cubs. If your team goes all the way and you are off the bandwagon, I think you will feel very sorry. Part of a sports fan, especially baseball, is that you will have to suffer for many years sometimes. In your case as a Cubs fan, for a lifetime potentially. But team loyalty is key and stick with your Cubs. They are on the right track in slowly rebuilding the farm system and should be a contender hopefully in the near future.
Q: Will Mariano Rivera ever stop being good? I wish he had signed with the Red Sox when FA. He throws one pitch and is over 40, what’s up with that? From Gene,Boston
MLB reports: The mystery of Rivera and the famous cutter will live in baseball legendary for years to come. How he does it few of us know, but somehow he was able to master one amazing pitch and has used it to build a hall of fame career. You can dream, but Rivera was never going to leave the Yankees. He came up a Yankee and will retire as a Yankee. The Red Sox did make a play for him in his last free agency year, but he indicated all along that he was staying in New York. But despite his magical career numbers which grow with his strong 2011 season, the time is drawing near for the Sandman. I can see Rivera having 1-2 years at most left in the tank. But once age and injuries finally catch up, we will know when he is done. Mariano Rivera is probably the greatest reliever of our generation, if not of all time. It has been a pleasure to watch him and we wish him the best as he writes the final chapters of his storybook career.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 18th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 18, 2011
Q: Have the dimensions of Citi Field been to the detriment of the Mets franchise? From Yair, Bat Yam, Israel
MLB reports: Great question Yair and shalom (hell0) to you in Israel! With the lacklustre play of the Mets the last few seasons, its great to see that they still have so many fans, even internationally. Getting to your question, the topic of Citi Field has been a continuous one since its opening back in 2009. The $850 million structure replaced Shea Stadium and has not played out in the same way that new Yankee Stadium has to say the least. At a capacity of 41,800, the stadium holds 15,000 fewer fans than Shea and was meant to be more intimate. Citi Field has some interesting features in its design. Citi Field’s fences are not the same size, ranging in height from being 15 feet in left field and 18 feet in right. Shea Stadium had outfield fences that were all 8 feet in comparison. The dimensions overall are not far different from Shea, with approximately 335 feet to the field lines and 408 feet to center. Shea was never a great hitters ballpark to begin with and Citi Field is no better. I would attribute the height of the fences as being a major issue for the team in terms of hurting the amount of home runs in the park. As well, the shortage of quality hitters on the current Mets squad is the main reason for any offensive issues. As a ball park, Citi Field ranks 11th currently in terms of home runs but 27th last year. It will be interesting to see how the field plays out this season. But the bottom line, is that the Mets have the same advantages and disadvantages at Citi Field as all opposing teams. As a pitcher’s park, the team needs strong pitching and defense to remain competitive on its home turf, with good timely hitting. This may sound obvious, but team talent and not the stadium will decide the team’s fate at the end of the day.
Q: Ok how about this? I am not yet dropping Derek Jeter from fantasy team. Can I drop Brett Wallace or Mark Trumbo for Yunel Escobar as insurance for Jeter? From Maury, Boston
MLB reports: Hell0 Maury and no, you cannot make this move. As much as Jeter is struggling, dropping talents like Wallace and Trumbo do not make sense at this point. Wallace is hitting .321 in 2011 with 3 home runs and .869 OPS. Trumbo, while starting to struggle somewhat with a .244 AVG has 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. If you must make this move, then drop Trumbo and grab Escobar, who is hitting .295, with 3 home runs and .775 OPS. Quality numbers for a shortstop. But Jeter is still Jeter and will rebound in my estimation. Keep plugging the Yankees captain in your lineup and expect a rebound soon.
Q: Can the Cubs please just leave Starlin Castro in a fixed spot in the lineup? Like, say, leadoff? Hitting him 3rd is (^*&&*%$! From Reuben, parts unknown
MLB reports: I can’t argue with Castro’s numbers to start the season. .327 AVG, .789 OPS, 23 runs scored, 18 runs driven in, 4 stolen bases and 6/14 BB/K ratio. As a leadoff hitter or hitting in the second slot, Castro has strong abilities to get timely hits and create runs. I couldn’t agree with you more that batting Castro in the third slot does not make sense. With one home run this year and three all of last year, the power is not there for the Cubs shortstop. The move to hit him third would be out of desperation than anything else. It is a relection on the Cubs for a lack of other options, than Castro as a new power guy. As the Cubs continue to gel through the season, expect Castro to have a permanent lineup slot soon. Leadoff appears to be most likely his destination.
Q: Do you think Aaron Hill might be enough to protect Bautista in the Jays lineup? I obviously don’t mean full protection, but maybe just enough for the Blue Jays to be a force. Another great article by the way, I enjoyed reading your feature on Jose Bautista! From Nolan, parts unknown
MLB reports: Thank you for reading the reports, I always appreciate the feedback. The Bautista article was a lot of fun to write and I enjoyed giving the readers a look into the Jays home run king (You can click to read our piece on Bautista). As far as AaRon Hill coming back and providing good protection in the lineup, I will admit that I have my doubts to say the least. Hill has missed several games this year due to injury and when he has been able to play, has hit to the tune of a .237 AVG, no home runs and .573 OPS. If you take aside 2009, Hill has never shown to be a really good hitter and in my opinion, that season has been an outlier rather than the standard. Aaron was actually the subject of the first ever article on MLB reports. If you would like to read more about Aaron and his future on the Jays, please click here. But if you want the brief synopsis: Hill is more likely a candidate for a trade/release over the next year than any guarantee of production. I do not have very much faith in him and neither should you.
Thanks for the e-mails and keep them coming! mlbreports@gmail.com
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Back Stiffness or Sitting Out, The Posada-Gate Report
Sunday May 15, 2011
MLB reports: A big tilt was scheduled for last night, Yankees vs. Red Sox. Always a classic between two of the biggest rivalries in baseball and all of sports. While both teams have taken time to get out of the gate, signs were starting to appear that each was starting to come around and getting ready for a dog battle for the AL East crown with the Rays all summer long. One minor sidenote was the lineups, which was shaken up by Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Struggling DH Jorge Posada, normally batting somewhere in the middle to lower-end of the Yankees lineup, was dropped to the #9 slot. Considering that Jorge was batting .165 and struggling all season for the Yankees, most baseball fans and analysts would not have given the move a second thought. In fact, most would have applauded Girardi for making the necessary move to most help his ball club and perhaps ignite his stagnant DH. But something happened along the way that resulted in Posada missing yesterday’s matchup. As the mystery of the missing Posada is unfolding, tongues cannot stop wagging and the baseball world has its focus on New York to attempt to solve “Posada Gate”.
From the news and people that I have spoken with, it is clear that Jorge Posada came to manager Joe Girardi before the game and asked to be taken out of the lineup. Girardi accommodated Posada in his request and changed the lineup. Somewhere along the way Posada made mention of “feeling disrespected by the Yankees” as well. The issue becomes blurry as it does not appear that Posada indicated at the time of his removal that he had any sort of injury and the comments on being disrespected is being directed to being placed in the #9 slot in the Yankees batting order. During the game last night, damage control was in full effect. Posada’s wife, out of all people, tweeted during the game that her husband was suffering from back stiffness and that was the reason for him missing the game. The “back stiffness” account was confirmed by Posada’s agent as of this morning and by Posada himself last night after the game. But something seems awry and not sitting right with me. Let’s dig deeper to see if we can get to the bottom of this.
Brian Cashman, the Yankees General Manager, informed the media that Posada had removed himself from the game and did not make it known that any injury was behind the decision. From reading Cashman’s comments, I had the distinct impression that the Yankees were not impressed with Posada’s actions. Having Posada indicate that he felt disrespected was the kick in the teeth, the igniter of this Yankees fire. I cannot understand what Posada was thinking in making such a statement, but it is clear that both player and team need to work towards finding a quick resolution to Posada Gate. The team does not need such a distraction coming from one of its elder players and possible future hall of famer. But in order for such a resolution to arrive, both team and player need to come clean, apologize and move forward.
Lets be clear from one end. The New York Yankees do not owe Jorge Posada a single thing. In 2007, the Yankees granted the then 35-year-old Posada a 4-year, $52.4 million contract. On the open market, coming off back-to-back 20+ home run, 90+ RBI seasons, Posada would have been lucky to obtain a 2-year, $20 million deal. The Yankees were essentially bidding against themselves and out of loyalty and reward for Posada’s years of service to the team, compensated him with one last big score. The team knew full well that Posada would not be able to play out the contract as a catcher and would like move to 1B or DH at some point, making him less valuable from a financial standpoint. But the team gave Posada his due and he happily accepted the contract.
Taking a look at the situation following Posada’s signing, the value has not been there. Posada was injured for much of 2008, limited to 51 games. In 2009, Posada at 37 had his last big season, with 22 home runs, .285 AVG and .885 OPS. But as we recall, Posada and teammate A.J. Burnett were having issues, as A.J. was insistent that Molina catch his games rather than Posada, based on Posada’s eroding skills behind the plate. While much of the blame was directed at Burnett, Posada did little to calm the waters. The Yankees stood behind Posada then, even considering that his defense was no longer acceptable at the major league level. Going into 2010, Posada remained the Yankees catcher and played 83 games behind the plate. Finishing the season with a .248 AVG, the Yankees were in a bind. They had one more year to go with Posada with a monster contract. Despite needing to make a change sooner, the Yankees showed Posada loyalty by sticking behind him up to that point. But with the highest payroll in the game and team performance and team results coming first, the Yankees made the right move. Former all-star catcher Russell Martin was signed as a free agent after being let go by the Dodgers. The Yankees were able to outbid the Jays and Red Sox for his services and have been handsomely rewarded with Martin’s strong play behind the plate and with the bat. Beating out the Red Sox, with the second-worst hitting catching tandem in baseball, makes the signing that much sweeter. With also three of the top catching prospects in the game sitting in their farm system, the Yankees clearly had options. Jorge Posada, based on his declining numbers and skills, was not one of them.
So here is where we sit today. Jorge Posada got his big contract. The team stuck with him through injuries and poor play, despite the fact that it was not the best decision from a baseball standpoint. Going into 2011, the Yankees said “no more” and moved Posada to DH full-time. To be able to save wear and tear and focus on offense, experts agreed the move was best for the team and player. Posada offered little resistance, although he did indicate in the media several times that the adjustment was difficult and one that he did not necessarily enjoy. But sitting in the middle of May, hitting .165, Jorge Posada was not in a position to make demands or question his manager’s authority. Posada should be embarrassed with his statistics and working towards improving himself, rather than blaming others. My feel for the situation, is taking a look at the lineup card Posada did remove himself from the lineup out of pride. But where is the pride when he collects his giant paychecks every 2 weeks and does little to show for it? That is the problem with baseball and sports. When a player does well and is underpaid, he demands higher compensation out of “fairness”. But when a player is making a lot of money and does not perform, the player does not return the money despite the fact that the team is not receiving its value. “Respect” seems to go one way but not the other and that is not right.
The Yankees are justified in being upset with Posada, as they have shown him respect to-date as shown above. When Posada removed himself from the
game, the team justifiably took it as a slap in the face and called the player out for his treason. Coming to his senses and realizing I believe the mistake of his ways, Posada is now trying to justify the situation by claiming “back stiffness” caused his decision to not play yesterday. But why would he conveniently forget to tell his manager this piece of information? If the team was aware of Posada’s injury, Cashman would have responded differently to the media. Posada looks to me like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is now trying to get himself out. The truth would have been best but now with the injury claim, Posada has made himself and his team look terrible and guilty. Nobody wins in these situations.
The Yankees, don’t get me wrong, are not without fault. I do not agree with how Cashman spoke to the media. If Cashman spoke to Posada about the situation, both the player and team should have issued a joint statement after the fact. But airing one’s dirty laundry in the media is not the proper method to use. While the team is justified in being upset over Posada’s actions, it should have dealt with the matter privately and in-house. Now the cat is out of the bag and difficult to hide and clear away.
I have seen this situation time and time again with teams and veteran players. The issue is not as much the Yankees and Jorge Posada, but teams giving big money and long-term deals to older players. It rarely works and often blows up in everyone’s faces. Think to Frank Thomas, Raul Ibanez, Milton Bradley, Aaron Rowand, Barry Zito…how many of these big contracts to older players ended up working out. What kills me is that the teams pay $10s of millions of dollars and its the teams that are seen as disrespecting the players by sitting them, moving them around in the lineup or releasing them. That is not fair in my estimation. If the players are cashing their cheques, there comes a point where they need to shut up, play and do as the team tells them. But this notion is getting lost in baseball and is being lost in the Jorge Posada story today.
Where Posada Gates goes from here, few of us know. The likely scenario is that the player will stick to the injury story, the team will grumble under its breath and the relationship will continue smoothly for the rest of the year. Posada’s agent surely told him that he did not have a leg to stand on and to keep his reputation and contract in check, sticking to the injury story would be best for his image. After all, if Posada did come out and state that he sat yesterday because he was upset for being dropped in the lineup, he would branded and blasted in the New York media. But truthfully, I would have respected him more if he had come clean rather than rely on the childish cover-up attempt after the fact. At the end of the day, the deed is done and we all need to move forward. Both player and team need to say their respective stories, make peace and move forward. But based on the Yankees loyalty shown to Posada, let’s remember the full story before we jump to conclusions.
Jorge Posada will be a free agent at season’s end. The Yankees have already indicated that he is not in their plans and that they will be moving forward come to 2012. I do not know of many teams that are looking for ex-catchers in their 40s hitting .165 as their lineup targets. Baseball is evolving like we have never seen before. Teams are going away from 40-something DHs and keeping the spot open for younger players to rotate throughout games to keep everyone healthy. With the steroid era at an end and team salaries at an all-time high, baseball is becoming more than ever a young man’s sport. While many players used to hang around till their 40s to pad their career numbers, players like Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Jermaine Dye essentially had mandatory retirement thrust upon them by a lack of interest. Jorge Posada is one of the lucky ones. He is getting to play to his 40th birthday and earning a maximum career salary. While many players in their mid-30s need to play on minor league deals and incentive structures, Posada is getting full and unconditional pay. Posada had to realize this year that he could no longer play in the field and is looking towards the future and realizing that he soon may not be able to play at all. Rather than blaming the team, it is time to look in the mirror and to think how much he has left in the tank. For a team that has given him so much money, opportunities and shown so much faith in him until this year, it is time for him to pay the Yankees back. I hope to see everyone take the high road on this one at the end of the day. It is better for the player, the team and the game. Posada Gate was interesting and provided all of us with good conversation piece. Now let’s be done with it and turn our attention to the only thing that should matter: baseball action on the field.
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MLB 2011 DL: Injury Updates
MLB reports: To answer many of our readers inquiries, here is an update on some of the casualties and wounded in the world of baseball and when each player is expected to return from the disabled list:
Phil Hughes: Yankees
Hughes went on the 15 day disabled list in mid-April with a “dead arm” and has not returned since. On April 28th Hughes received a cortisone shot and reports have indicated that his shoulder has responded well. The timetable for Hughes to return to the mound is 6-8 weeks, which would put him sometime into July. Hughes has not started throwing yet but has visited specialists who have ruled out surgery at this point. With a dead arm type injury, it is not always easy to predict where the future lies. Justin Verlander went through such an episode in his career and has come back stronger than ever. The fear though is that the velocity will not return and surgery could be lurking in the background. Until Hughes begins throwing and regains his velocity, Yankees fans will continue to huddle in prayer and hope for Hughes to come back and reclaim his 2010 form this year.
Carlos Guillen: Tigers
Guillen has been bothered by a sore left knee and out of action since mid-March and going on the 15 day DL. Reports have indicated that Guillen is taking ground balls, but no other baseball activities at this point. The original prognosis of mid-May does not appear likely, with an end of the month or early June return a possibility. With his wonky surgically repaired knee, Guillen will likely be a DH at best if and when he returns to the Tigers lineup. There is a possibility of a relapse here, so the Tigers are progressing forward without Guillen and any contributions this year will be considered a bonus.
Joe Mauer: Twins
The $184 million dollar man is off to a dreadful start in 2011, the first season
of his monster contract. After having surgery on his knee in the off-season, Mauer has been bothered by leg weakness all season. Mauer has started hitting and throwing, but his return is up in the air. Once considered to be the greatest catcher in baseball, talk has already started about a position change in his future. After moving prospect Wilson Ramos, the Twins cannot be happy about the state of Mauer’s health. Like the other members of this list thus far, Mauer’s return date is unknown at this point. With the Twins off to a terrible start this season, there is much pressure to get Mauer into the lineup to get the team going. But considering the investment in the catcher, the team will likely be cautious and continue to bring him along slowly in the fear that further damage could result in rushing him. Expect Mauer back sometime in June likely, but his catching days appear to coming to an end in the near future unfortunately.
Josh Hamilton: Rangers
After breaking a bone in his right arm from a home plate collision early in the season, Hamilton is nearing his return to the Rangers lineup. Hamilton is taking swings and should hopefully ready soon for a couple of minor league rehab appearances. I would expect Hamilton back in the Rangers lineup in the next two weeks if all goes well. The brittle Hamilton continues to endure bad luck in the health department, with the Rangers sorely needing a healthy Hamilton in order to contend in the AL West.
Chien-Ming Wang: Nationals
After 2 missed seasons, Wang continues to try to come back from a torn
shoulder capsule and pitch once again in the majors. After breaking his right foot in 2008, Wang ended up injuring his shoulder and has not returned to pitch in a professional game since. Still rehabbing in the Nationals system, it appears unlikely that we will see Wang pitch again. Fans still hope that the former back-to-back 19 game winner can find health and pitch again, but after a prolonged absence, the window of opportunity continues to close further every week/month that goes by.
Johan Santana: Mets
Another torn shoulder capsule survivor, Santana underwent his surgery last September. Reports have indicated a possible July return for Santana, which appear to be optimistic at best. With a similar injury to Wang, there is no guarantees of when Santana and what condition he will be in. Good news in that Santana is throwing off a mound and flat ground and reported no setbacks to date. But with these types of injuries, relapses are always a possibility. If the Mets flounder this year as expected, the smart advice is to rest Santana and bring him along slowly, with a 2012 return being the better bet. Only time will tell if Santana will return and reclaim his spot as one of the top starting pitchers in baseball. At this point, I would not be counting on it.
Chase Utley: Phillies
With injuries all around in baseball, few have been more anxious than the
disappearance of Chase Utley. With the Phillies offense built around Utley and Howard, a long-term absence by the second baseman was seen as damaging by the Phillies faithful. Talk at the start of the season was a possible September return by Utley, based on the knee injury. Philadelphia got a great shot in the arm when Utley’s rehab progressed so well to the point that he is already DHing this week in minor league rehab games, with a possible return by the end of the month. Far ahead of schedule, the hope is that Utley is fully recovered and will be strong for the remainder of the season. Utley’s story is one of the few bright spots in our long list of injuries in this report.
Scott Rolen: Reds
Placed on the DL at the end of April with a strained shoulder, Rolen is no stranger to baseball injuries. But being the professional he is, Rolen also works very hard and keeps himself in strong game shape to attempt to avoid long-term absences. Rolen has been taking batting practice this week and has also been running the bases and participating in fielding drills. No timetable on his return at this point, but based on his advanced baseball activity, I would expect a return by the end of this month.
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.
E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 11th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 11, 2011
Q: Where do you see the Boston Red Sox finishing this season in the standings? From Jake, Boston
MLB reports: My crystal ball in March said that the Rays would win the AL East, with the Red Sox finishing second in the division and taking the AL Wild Card. I have no reason to deviate from my prediction thus far. Despite the strength of the Yankees, the Red Sox have so much talent that several hot streaks are in store. When playoff tickets go on sale, go ahead and order for the opening round at least.
Q: Fantasy question: Should I dump Jorge Posada for Ryan Doumit, Chris Iannetta, Wilson Ramos, Ryan Hanigan, or Hank Conger? I probably should have done something Monday, as Posada’s .151 AVG is killing my team. From Bonzi, Parts Unknown
MLB reports: I take it that your league counts average, based on your e-mail. Turning 40 this summer, Posada has definitely seen better days. He does have 6 home runs and 14 RBIs, but his numbers overall are fantasy suicide. I can’t believe Iannetta and Doumit are still available in your league. If so, grab them in that order. Iannetta is 28, plays in Colorado, has 5 home runs, 13 RBIs, .398 OBP, .494 SLG. His .250 AVG is nothing to write home about, but as the #1 catcher for the Rockies, Iannetta has the biggest upside. Doumit will be traded to a contender at some point likely but while he has shown a steady bat this season, he is always an injury risk. If Iannetta is not available though, I like Doumit over Posada. Ramos has been a nice player for the Nationals but is still young and likely won’t play at this level all season. I would trust Posada over him. Hanigan and Conger are nice replacement bats for injury but as part-time players offer little upside at this point. If either was starting, they would still rank below Posada this season for me.
Q:Why do teams not pitch Jose Bautista away, away, away ALL the time? Why even try to challenge him inside? From Garrett, Michigan
MLB reports: It is not that simple Garrett, as Bautista has become
such a dangerous hitter that there are not many pitches that he does not get to. Judging by his 100 walks last year, which will be higher this year, Bautista has a great eye at the plate. Based on the damage that he can do, I frankly don’t understand why teams just don’t walk him 4-5 times every game. Being the strongest offensive option currently in the Jays lineup by a country-mile, Bautista is a long-ball threat every at-bat and taking the bat out of his hands likely will be best at minimizing the damage. With not many healthy hitters in the Jays lineup that are threats to drive him in, I agree that opposing pitchers should not give Bautista much to hit…and in my opinion, not even give him the option at all.
Q: Fantasy Trade Evaluation: Aramis Ramirez & Alfonso Soriano for Jason Bay & Brandon McCarthy. Who’s winning? Who’s losing? I have Ryan Zimmerman on DL. I am giving up Bay and McCarthy. From Mike, Brooklyn
MLB reports: This one is a toughy. I wanted to say Bay and McCarthy to keep, but I can’t do it. My factors are as follows. McCarthy is 27 and has great upside. But he is injury prone and cannot be counted on to stay healthy. He can literally drop at a moment’s notice. Plus he is 1-3, despite a 3.26 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. With little wins potential and health concerns, this trade really boils down to Bay for Ramirez and Soriano for me.
Bay has been a disaster since coming to the Mets. Poor production and concussions issues have done him in. With 6 home runs last year and 1 home run this year with a .213 AVG, 7/19 BB/K ratio, Bay is regretting his decision to leave Boston for New York. Bay is already 32 and his window of opportunity is closing. Ramirez and Soriano are no spring chickens either. Ramirez though has a .286 AVG with 14 RBIs, despite only 1 home run and .718 OPS. Soriano has a league leading 11 home runs, 21 RBIs and 18 Runs, with a whopping .550 SLG despite an unsightly .242 AVG and .270 OBP. If you can stomach some of the warts shown by the 35-year-old Soriano and 32-year-old Ramirez, they will still provide much of the stats and comfort that Bay and McCarthy won’t. In some ways this is a headache for headache trade, but by making the deal, you are getting the likely higher returns. Go for it.
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MLB Top Home Run Hitters 2011: Updated
MLB reports: Here at MLB reports, we consistently get fan requests for features on the top home run hitters in the game. We recently ran a feature looking at the top power hitters and appreciate the feedback and responses. As a bonus, for all those of you that dig the long ball, here is a look at the current MLB leader board and analysis on each of the top long ball threats. Some surprises to this point for sure.
T1) Curtis Granderson, Yankees: 11
For all the talk of the Tigers winning the Granderson trade in obtaining Austin Jackson, Granderson has really made the Yankees look good this year. At 30 years of age and healthy this season, Granderson has really enjoyed his second year with the Bronx Bombers. He has hit 11 home runs, to go together with his .283 AVG, .359 OBP and .646 SLG. Add in 2 triples for good measure as Granderson has done it all for the Yankees in 2011. Hitting higher in the order, Granderson will continue to have increased chances of scoring and driving in runs. With a career high of 30 long balls recently in 2009, Granderson is on pace for a new personal best this year. With his lineup and ballpark, the chances are very good if he stays healthy.
T1) Alfonso Soriano, Cubs: 11
Left for dead by many experts, Soriano has come out of seemingly nowhere to rejuvenate his career… power-wise. On pace for 50+ home runs, Soriano is hitting long balls, driving in and scoring runs at a high pace. However note the key red flag: 4 walks to-date with a .273 OBP. These kinds of numbers are simply unacceptable and with 31 strike outs, Soriano better find some plate discipline soon if he hopes to continue to receive regular at-bats. At his late age, Soriano is slowly morphing into an all other nothing home run hitter and his free swinging ways is actually hurting more than helping the Cubs this season.
T2) Lance Berkman, Cardinals: 10
At the age of 36, Lance Berkman has reclaimed his spot as one of the top hitters in the game for the Cardinals. Healthy and playing like the Puma of old, Berkman has a 1.191 OPS to go together with his 17/16 BB/K ratio. To say that he is paying outstanding baseball would be an understatement. I really liked this signing at the time and playing with Pujols and Holliday has done wonders for Berkman’s bat. With LaRussa as his manager and strong team along for the ride, I see 40+ home runs in the Big Puma’s future…provided he remains healthy of course.
T2) Ryan Braun, Brewers: 10
The Hebrew Hammer just doesn’t let up. The 27-year-old Braun already has 138 career home runs and continues to pile them on. With Prince Fielder protecting him in the lineup, Braun will just continue to be Braun in 2011. Mark him down for 30+ home runs and don’t think twice.
T2) Jose Bautista: 10
As time goes by, Bautista’s numbers slowly but surely are silencing many of his critics. Despite missing games this season with a neck strain and personal leave, Bautista has managed 10 home runs in 88 at bats. Combined with his 30/17 BB/K ratio, .352 AVG, .521 OBP and .773 SLG and you have one of the best, if not the best player currently in the game. Bautista has also produced with Adam Lind and very little else for support in the lineup. The Toronto slugger is proving that he is not a one-hit wonder and here to stay on the MLB home run leader board.
Thank you for reading my feature on the top home run hitters in baseball. Please contact me if you have any questions and suggestions for future topics. The E-mailbag will be posted Wednesday so please be sure to get all your MLB and fantasy baseball questions in by e-mailing me at: mlbreports@gmail.com
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Jeter vs. Swisher: Love and Baseball – Friday Faceoff
MLB reports: This week’s edition of the Friday Faceoff was originally scheduled to be a battle between the Cincinnati Reds top catching prospects or two of the Oakland A’s mega hitting prospects. We get many requests for stories and updates on prospects on MLB reports and try to accommodate whenever we can. We love the MLB stories but stories of up and coming players always carries a soft spot for us. But then an e-mail came through this morning from Jenny in Texas as follows:
” Derek Jeter should have never gotten engaged.. Since his engagement he has been in a slump…. Ha .. Happy Friday.”
Swisher has been linked in the past to dating a model, but otherwise his love life has been kept fairly private compared to Jeter. From his Oakland and Chicago days, Swisher was known as the long-haired party guy who liked to have fun and bring excitement to the clubhouse. Following Swisher on twitter and facebook, he kept very active in the social media corresponding with fans and was not afraid to hold back. 2009 and 2010 were solid campaigns for Swisher, as he immediately adjusted to the Bronx and brought his “A” game to New York. At the tender of age of 30, nothing appeared to hold him back. Then Swisher met actress Joanna Garcia, got engaged during the 2010 season and got married during the past offseason. From there, I started to see a new Nick Swisher emerge.AVG and .614 OPS. Brutal numbers for a man who averaged 29 home runs over the last two seasons and .869 OPS. At 30 years of age, Swisher has not lost his skills…but rather his mojo. There was talk that Swisher is continuing to look for acting opportunities and may get a part in a movie in the future. Great for his acting resume, bad for his baseball career. In my estimation, fair or unfair, he has to get his priorities in order and focus on what pays the bills: baseball. Acting may be fun and works well with his wife’s career, but Swisher needs to get back down to basics to what brought him MLB success. I do not profess to know Swisher personally and do not spend time with him in the batting cages, weight room or at home. But something is going on with Swisher that has caused a dive in his numbers and it appears that his personal life may be playing a part.
When researching and writing this piece, I had an instant issue with categorizing Jeter as suffering on the field by scoring off the field, so to speak. A long-time playboy, Jeter has been linked with many famous females including Mariah Carey and Jessica Biel. The golden boy of endorsements as well, George Steinbrenner criticized Jeter at one point for worrying too much about his life off the field and should focus more on his baseball play. While some critics blasted Steinbrenner, I agreed with the statement. Although Jeter has had solid numbers in his career, I believe he could have done more if he had partied less and worked harder at baseball. My opinion, right or wrong, is how I have always felt. Now watching the Derek Jeter of 2011, I believe lifestyle has finally caught up to him.marketing firm as the most marketable baseball player. He has endorsements with Gillette, Nike and Gatorade, just to name a few. While Swisher learns to become an actor, Jeter is going strong as a pitchman. I don’t think Yankee fans appreciate the extra-curricular activities if it takes away from their playing performances. Based on the start of 2011 and judging by the numbers, I am convinced that both players are guilty of a lack of focus and drive. The fact that Jeter has gotten engaged and planning to get married to Kelly says that there is something different about her for him compared to other relationships. Whatever that it is, I do not see it helping his performance on the field. As soon as things got serious for Jeter off the field, his play on the field declined.The Verdict:
My message to Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher is quite simple. Go rent the movie “Major League 2” and recall what happened when Ricky Vaughn cut his hair, wore suits, dated an executive and was featured in his own television commercials. Willy Mays Hayes starred in his own action movie in the offseason and came to camp with a new attitude and approach. Both players failed miserably and had to go back to basics and lose “the attitude” so to speak to get back to playing at a high level. Still not convinced? Take the case of real life baseball players Kris Benson and Cole Hamels. Each married a celebrity, a model/playmate and reality star respectively and each began to change. Both became focused on marketing themselves and building their image than playing the game of baseball. Look a the stats, the numbers do not lie. I see the same slippery slope for both Jeter and Swisher. My verdict is that both players are guilty of letting their love lives and off-field careers interfere with their baseball play. My hope is that both will shape up before it is too late. At Jeter’s advanced age and rise in the marketing game, he is likely not going to rebound much. I do not see much hope in his case. Maybe Swisher stands a chance, but if his acting career does take off, prepare for the new and declining Swisher to hang around. It goes to show you: love and baseball do not always mix.
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Andre Ethier: Chasing Joe DiMaggio and #56
MLB reports: In the history of baseball, 53 players have been able to achieve a streak of 30+ consecutive games with at least one hit. Andre Ethier, the 29-year-old outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers is ironically sitting as of today on a 29 game hitting streak. Ethier missed yesterday’s game with elbow inflammation and his team has a day off today. On Friday, assuming reports are correct that Ethier will play, he will attempt to become player #54 of this exclusive major league club.
The current members of the 30+ consecutive games hitting streak club are as follows:
| Hitting Streaks: Players With At Least 1 Hit in At Least 30 Consecutive Games | |||||
| Rank | Year | Name | Team | League | Games |
|
1. |
1941 |
Joe DiMaggio (AL Record) |
New York |
AL | 56 |
|
2. |
1896-1897 |
Willie Keeler (NL Record) |
Baltimore |
NL | 45 |
|
3. |
1978 |
Cincinnati |
NL | 44 | |
|
4. |
1894 |
Bill Dahlen |
Chicago |
NL | 42 |
|
5. |
1922 |
George Sisler |
St. Louis |
AL | 41 |
|
6. |
1911 |
Ty Cobb |
Detroit |
AL | 40 |
|
7. |
1987 |
Paul Molitor |
Milwaukee |
AL | 39 |
|
8. |
2005-2006 | Philadelphia | NL | 38 | |
|
9. |
1945 |
Tommy Holmes |
Boston |
NL | 37 |
| 10. | 1896-1897 | Gene DeMontreville | Washington | NL | 36 |
|
11. |
1895 |
Fred Clarke |
Louisville |
NL | 35 |
|
|
1917 |
Ty Cobb |
Detroit |
AL | 35 |
| 1924-1925 | George Sisler | St. Louis | AL | 35 | |
|
|
2002 |
Florida |
NL | 35 | |
| 2006 | Chase Utley | Philadelphia | NL | 35 | |
|
16. |
1938 |
George McQuinn |
St. Louis |
AL | 34 |
|
|
1949 |
Dom DiMaggio |
Boston |
AL | 34 |
|
|
1987 |
Benito Santiago |
San Diego |
NL | 34 |
|
19. |
1893 |
George Davis |
New York |
NL | 33 |
|
|
1907 |
Hal Chase |
New York |
AL | 33 |
|
|
1922 |
Rogers Hornsby |
St. Louis |
NL | 33 |
|
|
1933 |
Heinie Manush |
Washington |
AL | 33 |
| 23. | 1922-1923 | Harry Heilmann | Detroit | AL | 32 |
| 1996-1997 | Hal Morris | Cincinnati | NL | 32 | |
| 25. | 1885-1886 | Jimmy Wolf | Louisville | AA | 31 |
| 1899 |
Ed Delahanty |
Philadelphia |
NL | 31 | |
|
|
1906 |
Nap Lajoie |
Cleveland |
AL | 31 |
|
|
1924 |
Sam Rice |
Washington |
AL | 31 |
| 1965-1966 | Vada Pinson | Cincinnati | NL | 31 | |
|
|
1969 |
Willie Davis |
Los Angeles |
NL | 31 |
|
|
1970 |
Rico Carty |
Atlanta |
NL | 31 |
| 1975-1976 | Ron LeFlore | Detroit | AL | 31 | |
|
|
1980 |
Ken Landreaux |
Minnesota |
AL | 31 |
|
|
1999 |
Montreal |
NL | 31 | |
|
35. |
1876 |
Cal McVey |
Chicago |
NL | 30 |
| 1895-1896 | Dusty Miller | Cincinnati | NL | 30 | |
|
|
1898 |
Elmer Smith |
Cincinnati |
NL | 30 |
|
|
1912 |
Tris Speaker |
Boston |
AL | 30 |
| 1922-1923 | Charlie Grimm | Chicago | NL | 30 | |
| 1927-1928 | Lance Richbourg | Boston | NL | 30 | |
| 1929-1930 | Sam Rice | Washington | AL | 30 | |
|
|
1934 |
Goose Goslin |
Detroit |
AL | 30 |
|
|
1950 |
Stan Musial |
St. Louis |
NL | 30 |
|
|
1980 |
George Brett |
Kansas City |
AL | 30 |
|
|
1989 |
Jerome Walton |
Chicago |
NL | 30 |
|
|
1997 |
Sandy Alomar, Jr. |
Cleveland |
AL | 30 |
|
|
1997 |
Boston |
AL | 30 | |
|
|
1998 |
Baltimore |
AL | 30 | |
|
|
1999 |
Arizona |
NL | 30 | |
|
|
2003 |
St. Louis |
NL | 30 | |
|
2006 |
Houston |
NL | 30 | ||
|
|
2007 |
New York |
NL |
30 |
|
| 2009 | Ryan Zimmerman | Washington | NL | 30 | |
|
Rank |
Yearn |
Name |
Team | League | Games |
| 30+ Game Hitting Streaks | Hitting Streaks Records | |||||
Quite the list of the who’s who in baseball. Pete Rose at 44 and Paul Molitor at 39 are two of the most recent players in recent memory that attempted to break “the record”. One of the most, if not the most holy records in all of sports, is Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak in 1941. Many players have tried but few have come close to DiMaggio’s magic number. Consider that six players EVER have hit for 40+ consecutive games and only two have achieved the feat since 1922. Pete Rose with a 44 game streak back in 1978 and DiMaggio with the record 56 games in 1941. That’s it. It’s not like DiMaggio has the record by a short margin either. Sitting at #2 is Willie Keeler with 45 games between 1896-1897. A full 11 game difference. To put the record in another context: Keeler has the record for 44 years until DiMaggio breaks it. Now DiMaggio has been the holder for 69 years and counting. The consecutive games hitting streak record is one that does not fall very often. Given the pace of DiMaggio’s record, we may never see anyone break it. Ever.
Pete Rose and Paul Molitor were two of the recent athletes that were approaching “the streak”. Jimmy Rollins had a 38 game streak between 2005-2006. 
From there, Luis Castillo and Chase Utley had 35 games each respectively and Benito Santiago had a 34 game streak back in 1987 (the juiced ball year, as often described by baseball experts). If you throw out 1987, you would be left with very few modern-day players at the top of the game hitting streaks leaderboard. 23 out of the top 30 streaks occurred before 1970 and the majority were in the early 1900s. For all the talk of steroids and “cheaters” shattering hitting records, I do not see any of the accused or suspected hitters from recent times on the list. Barry Bonds as a prime example of a hitter that was considered with a near perfect batting eye in his hey-day…not on the list. But aside from Bonds, think of Ichiro Suzuki competing for batting titles year-in and year-out. Not on the list. John Olerud batting close to .400 for much of 1993…not on the list. From there, let’s point to some of the greatest hitters of all time. Stan Musial had a 30 game streak in 1950. Ty Cobb had a 40 game streak as well as a 35 gamer back in the day. But…no Ruth. No Williams. No Mantle. No Ripken. No Puckett. No Rickey. For all the accomplishments of so many of these great hitters, hitting the consecutive games leaderboard was not in the cards. This really starts to put into perspective the difficulty of achieving Dimaggio’s record and how amazing his accomplishment really was back in 1941.
Fast forward to 2011: Andre Ethier going into Friday’s action is at 29 games. He is just over halfway the mark to beating DiMaggio’s record. I have long been an admirer of Ethier’s capabilities on the baseball field and it does not come as a surprise to me that he would reach this point. Ethier has a .295 lifetime AVG with a .367 OBP. This man knows how to get base hits and to take walks, as he has a great eye at the plate. A couple of years with 160+ hits is nothing to sneeze at. With Matt Kemp hitting behind him and still under 30 years of age, the sky is the limit for Ethier. The talent and tools have always been there and now it is just a matter of putting it together.
With a hit on Friday, Ethier will become only the 54th baseball player EVER to reach at least 30 consecutive games. If his streak was to end at that point, a pat on the back will be well deserved for a job well done. In my estimation, anything beyond 30 games will be gravy and good luck to Ethier to try to climb as high up the leaderboard as he can. But as far as breaking DiMaggio’s record? Forget it. Don’t write me off as being pessimistic or anti-Ethier. Far from it. I want to paint a realistic picture of what the record means and the hill that Ethier would have to climb. As already discussed, throughout the history of time, the MLB record books show that few players in our generation have come even remotely close to making a dent in this record book…and for good reason. As time goes by and the years continue, it will become even more impossible for a hitter to break DiMaggio’s record. I could shoot out a million reasons, but let me give you my top factors behind Ethier being unable to surpass DiMaggio:
1) Injuries: Ethier would need to keep perfect health or close to it, in order to hit in 28 more consecutive games. Consider that Ethier missed Wednesday’s game with elbow inflammation. While being fairly durable for most of his career, like most players, Ethier will miss the occasional game to rest his broken down body during a long baseball season. Few players can play as many consecutive games as Cal Ripken and few would want to. When Ethier misses a game, the streak stays intact. But if he ever has to come out of a game after receiving an at-bat, the streak would be broken. Considering the ailments that he could suffer during a game (including the current elbow issue), the chances of being able to play nine innings in every game and produce at least a hit per game is nearly impossible.
2) Lineup protection: Right now the Dodgers offense is based on Kemp, Ethier and hope. With very little solid hitters surrounding him in the lineup, there is a strong chance that teams will be tempted to pitch around both Kemp and Ethier throughout some games. We are not looking at a Yankees type lineup where nearly every hitter is an all-star. Loney, Barajas, Carroll, Uribe and Gwynn are not names that will strike fear into the heart of any opposing pitcher. With so many opportunities to be pitched around, Ethier will have some games where he will be lucky to see maybe a handful of fastballs. As the streak would lengthen and with games on the line near the 8th and 9th inning, I would not count on Ethier receiving quality pitches. If Ethier walks an entire game, the streak remains alive until the next day. But if Ethier is out at least once or has a sacrifice fly with no hit, the streak would die. Unless some of his teammates have rebirths at the plate, the odds are against Ethier having enough pitches to hit every game in order to keep his streak alive.
3) Schedule: Take the month of May alone. The Dodgers have games coming up against the Giants, Brewers and Marlins, plus the Phillies in early June. Ethier may be going up against Lincecum, Cain, Greinke, Johnson, Halladay and Lee. Some of the best pitchers in baseball, who tend to be very stingy with hits allowed. Not only are the above named pitchers great, but they are also very proud. Lincecum and Johnson would have no issue bringing their “A” game and shutting down Ethier for a night. We are talking powerful pitchers with big egos, which is not the best combination for a hitter attempting to keep a hitting streak alive. Friday brings Jon Niese and the Mets, which would be considered a good matchup for Ethier. But not all games are created equally and with a tough schedule ahead and little lineup protection, the odds are against long-term success.
4) Relief Pitching: Once upon a time when starting pitchers used to stay out for 150+ pitches per game and pitch complete games, hitters like Ethier had
easier chances for a consecutive games hitting streak. Check again the timing on the above leaderboard and you will see since the dawn of specialized pitchers, the number of hitters that have achieved 30+ consecutive games hitting streaks is miniscule. This is neither an accident or fluke. We are in an era where starting pitchers go 5-6 innings per start on average, with specialized 7th and 9th inning relievers, right-handed and left-handed specialists and of course, the closer. Take Kansas City, that can throw Collins, Crowe, Jeffress in the middle innings of a game and then turn the ball over to Soria. The Braves have Kimbrel and Venters. The Reds with Chapman and Cordero. Keep in mind Ethier bats left. All opponents will have no problem in throwing out a left-handed specialist in the late innings to get Ethier out in a tight game. Check out the splits this year: In 84 at-bats against right-handed pitchers, Ethier has a .429 batting average. Contrast that to 35 at-bats against lefties and he is hitting to the tune of .229. The lefty-on-lefty matchup will likely be Ethier’s downfall as he is susceptible to more frequent outs against lefties. The game as it is set up today allows for fresh, hard-throwing pitchers to enter games in strategic times to neutralize hitters. Chapman and his 105 mph fastball could end up making or break this streak for Ethier.
5) Pressure and Luck: With the turmoil surrounding the Dodgers team ownership, fans and media are clamouring for any feel good story to grab and hold onto. Ethier is already starting to face a huge amount of pressure in this day and age of internet and instant access (yours truly included) to information and reports for fans. As the streak continues, the amount of attention faced by Ethier will be mind-boggling and while professionals are supposed to block out distractions, the reality is that baseball players are human like you and I, not machines. Ethier cannot help but think about the streak as it is brought to his attention and mental can make physical. If the pressure gets to Ethier in some form, the streak is unlikely to stand a chance. Combined with luck and chance, Ethier has the odds naturally against him. Strong contact and well-timed hits can turn into outs based on the defenses that oppose the Dodgers on any given night. For Ethier to sustain a hitting streak approach DiMaggio’s, he would need lady luck on his shoulders in addition to hard work and strong effort. They say that some people can be lucky for some of the time. But nobody can be lucky all the time. Ethier will need the luck with skill to thrive and the fortunes say that luck has to run out on at least one night during Ethier’s run.
My sincere congratulations to Andre Ethier for what he has accomplished to-date. I will be watching every Dodgers game and Ethier at-bat with interest to see how far he gets. Nobody would cheer for him louder than me if he could come close to Joe DiMaggio. While wishful thinking is hopeful that there is a chance, logic and reason dictate that this is likely, if not impossible to happen. Baseball today is not built the way it used to be and while there are exceptions to the rules, the law of averages tends to win out every time. I cannot even begin to fathom that Andre Ethier would be able to accomplish what Williams and Ruth never could. In our lifetime we have seen home run records shatter, baseball crown a new all-time hits king, no-hitters thrown on almost a monthly basis (including 2 by Halladay last year alone, the second in the playoffs nonetheless)…heck, even the saves record fell. But the legend of Joe DiMaggio and #56 continue to live in the records. Together with Cy Young and 511 wins, Cal Ripken with 2632 consecutive games played and Pete Rose with 4256 career hits are all records that are virtually impossible to break. Until Andre Ethier reaches 40+ consecutive games with hits, let’s leave the legend of Joe DiMaggio apart from the equation. Ethier is on a nice run but has ways to go before coming close to greatness. Good luck Andre: all the best from MLB reports!
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday May 4th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday May 4, 2011
Q: Magglio Ordonez said today he is hitting with one leg. The Tigers should put him on the DL. He looks horrible this year. From Garrett, Michigan
MLB reports: No dispute from my end. In 77 at bats this year, Ordonez is hitting .169 with a brutal .411 OPS. No home runs and two RBIs. Whatever the Tigers need to do to get him off the field, I say go for it. Ordonez was coming off a decent 2010 campaign, where he hit .303, twelve home runs in 84 games with a .852 OPS. But at 37 years old, there are few excuses for the once big time slugger who is starting to show his age and wear and tear. Ordonez was lucky to get a contract with the Tigers for this year, who were planning to let him go after last season. But his steady numbers warranted one more go around for them. In my estimation, father time is calling and has Magglio’s number. With a hurt ankle and pride still on the line, I would like to see Ordonez finish his career on a high note rather than hanging on for too long. The DL is coming soon and retirement should not be far away from there.
Q: Most underrated player in the AL? In your opinion? Mine’s Maicer Izturis. From Taryn, New Jersey
MLB reports: Izturis is a nice pick, with a .340 average, .897 OPS, 9 runs and 10 RBIs going into today’s action. My pick is one of my favorite whipping boys, Jeff Francoeur of the Royals. I am extremely hard on Jeff for his poor eye at the plate. While he will never be Jose Bautista at the plate, Francouer is experiencing a career renaissance this year. .315 average, .956 OPS, seven home runs, 23 RBIs and 19 Runs. Francouer has seven walks to date which is on pace for a career high for him, but his twenty strikeouts are a little alarming. Overall, Francouer has benefitted from playing with Gordon and Butler and has provided the steady veteran leadership that the team needed. While I do not expect him to continue this pace, he is by far the most underrated player in the AL in 2011, rising from the scrap heap to glory overnight.
Q: hows Danny Duffy been doing? What’s his chances of being brought up this year? From Jory, Parts Unknown
MLB reports: What a roller coaster this kid has been to-date. From future game all-star appearance, to leaving camp to considering retirement last year to just coming off Pitcher of the Week honors in AAA. The 3rd round pick from 2007 has been lights out this year. In five AAA starts, Duffy is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 6/33 BB/K ratio. Imagine, 33 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. Outstanding. Duffy played in four levels last year and has risen quickly through the Royals system. At 22 years of age, he has a career 2.51 ERA and 1.093 WHIP. How he ever feel to the 3rd round is beyond me. After top prospect Grant Desme left the A’s last year to enter the priesthood and the psychological issues faced by ex-Royal Zack Greinke early in his career, the Royals have to be pleased that Duffy has been so consistently solid to-date.
Two areas of concern though exist. Firstly, the Royals will be careful not to bring Duffy up to quickly and burn him out. They will want to see him excel over a long period in AAA before making the call. Secondly, he has only pitched 26 innings in five starts and will need to build up his arm strength and endurance to be ready for the majors. At the pace that Duffy is going and the Royals sitting above .500, the Royals cannot keep Duffy down for much longer. With Eric Hosmer tearing up AAA as well (see yesterday’s feature), I can see the two top prospects coming to Kansas City at the same time, earliest by the end of this month and latest July. Duffy is likely to have little prove at AAA this year and is earning his shot. Expect him to get it soon.
Q: With Jesus Montero’s D such an issue, why not let the kid move to DH or 1B and just let him focus on hitting? From Rick, New York
MLB reports: A good question that many baseball analysts have asked: What to do with Jesus Montero? If it were up to me, I would leave at catcher for as long as possible. Here are factors to consider. The Yankees have one of the best all around first basemen in the game right now, Mark Teixeira who is signed to a long-term deal. Russell Martin is the current Yankees catcher, who is still young and has turned around his career. Martin is under team control until 2012 and based on his current play, will possibly be signed to another contract by the Yankees in the future. The Yankees have additional catching prospects in the wings, Francisco Cervelli, Gary Sanchez and Austine Romine. With no opening at first base and a logjam at catcher, the only opening appears to be DH. Here are my thoughts: Installing Montero as a full-time DH is the worst case scenario. If the Yankees keep him and do not feel that he is their best option at catcher, DH is already an option. But to groom him at this point to be a future first baseman or DH doesn’t make sense. Montero at 21 would have his development stunted by moving from catcher to a non-essential position. Plus his trade value would plummet.
The Yankees need a top starting pitcher in the worst way and Jesus Montero is their best shot at one. Montero’s highest trade value will be at catcher and that is where the Yankees will keep him. If the defensive position does not work out, Montero could easily transition to first or DH, as these are not difficult areas to adapt to. But if Montero is to bring strong trade value back for the Yankees or even have a shot as their future catcher, New York must leave him as a catcher in the minors. After 21 home runs last year in AAA, Montero is currently hitting .373 in his second go-around in AAA. The 2/16 BB/K ratio is a concern, as his only one home run on the season. But recall, Montero started off slowly last year and finished the year strong. The bat was never of concern for Montero and he will continue to hit no matter where he plays defensively. The key is to maximum his value at this moment.
Q: Looking at Dodgers minor league players. What do you think of Rubby De La Rosa? From Larry, Laughlin
MLB reports: We end this week’s e-mailbag with #1 fan Larry, a big Dodgers fan and his finding of Rubby De La Rosa. The 22-year-old Dominican pitcher is the 90th ranked prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. After a solid 2010 playing in 2 levels, De La Rosa is back for his first full year in AA. The numbers are there: 2-1 record in 4 starts, 3.38 ERA and 8/29 BB/K ratio. The 29 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings is phenomenal, although his 1.359 WHIP is a little high. In his 5th minor league season, De La Rosa will be brought along slowly and will play most of the year at AA. I could see him brought to AAA near the end of the year, with a chance to make the Dodgers in 2012. The kid has a bright future, no doubt. Baseball America ranks him high on the top prospect list for a reason. At 6’1″ and 185 pounds, he could stand to fill out a little bit and gain better control. The sky is the limit, as we could be seeing the next Pedro/Ramon Martinez. The Dodgers have always been great at finding and developing Dominican pitchers. De La Rosa should be next in line and provided he stays healthy, should see time in the majors by next year. Great find Larry, this kid is a keeper.
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Pujols and Fielder: Where They Will Land in 2012
MLB reports: There are two seasons in baseball: the season in itself with games and statistics to analyze and the offseason, with players moves and signings to report and speculate. I rarely like to combine the two seasons, as fans spend several winter months running through rumors in the winter and are ready for actual baseball come March. I am often told by fans that the MLB season is meant for playing baseball, not running through free agency analysis. Yet, I cannot even begin to count the amount of daily requests I receive asking me on where Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder will sign in 2012. We may not want to discuss it in May, but the truth is that two of the biggest (literally) sluggers that the game has ever seen will be entering free agency at the same time this year. In the back of our minds, we are all curious where each will play. Today, I will help shed some light on the future of Pujols and Fielder.
As I look into the magic crystal ball, the top contending teams for the services of Pujols and Fielder are as follows:
St. Louis Cardinals
I have said from day one that Pujols is not going anywhere and I am sticking to my guns. Pujols leaving St. Louis is like the Babe leaving Boston, franchise crippling (for many…many years at least). The Cardinals, MLB, the fans of St. Louis and even the President of the United States will likely have a say in directing Pujols to re-sign with his current employers. Pujols will get a huge payday, don’t get me wrong, but he does not seem to be the type to take the largest contract offer on the table. Plus with Tony LaRussa at the helm, there will many forces at play to keep Sir Albert (aka “The Great Pujols”) in St. Louis. In the event that the Cardinals lose out on their franchise player, logic dictates that they will make a run at Fielder. I cannot see a fit here, as location and money does not seem to work for Prince. I see the bright lights of the big city ahead for Fielder and with a stable of teams gunning for him, he will be a difficult player to sign.
New York Yankees
Any talk of free agency signings begin and end with the Yankees. They are always a threat to make a run for the top hired guns and often get their way. The Mark Teixeira signing came out of left field and after losing out on Cliff Lee last year, the Yankees are hungry to add more big names to their roster. The top target of the Yankees would be Pujols, but I cannot see him fitting in New York. With a gold glover entrenched at first, Pujols is not and will not sign to be a DH for the balance of his career. The money might be right, but the position and environment does not suit Sir Albert. On the other hand, Prince is a logical candidate for New York. To become the biggest name in baseball, Prince would love to perform on its biggest stage and there is none bigger than New York. Like his dad before him, Prince would look great in pinstripes. Given the strained relationship between father and son, I could see Prince having an added incentive to perform better than his dad did with the Yankees. I am not sure how Prince will take to being a DH but with age, weight and injuries all becoming a risk, I could see Prince getting off the field as a huge bonus for his career. Posada is on the last year of his contract (and leg of his career) and a DH spot is about to open up in New York. But if Prince is determined to keep his glove, then all bets are off.
Kansas City Royals
This team probably comes as a shock to you. Before you start with the angry messages, think about some factors. I had considered this team in the past, but a limited budget and winning prospects left me with many doubts. But after reading some articles on the subject, I began to be swayed. Pujols went to school in the area. Pujols met his wife in Kansas City. Everyone supposedly wants to come home…and perhaps Pujols is the same. The move to the Royals would not be far from his current location. The Royals are a team on the rise with the best farm system in baseball. The signing of Pujols could instantly bring the team to respectability. Even though top prospect Eric Hosmer plays first and Billy Butler is the DH, positions can be realigned for Pujols. The signing of Pujols could be the missing link that the Royals need and I can see this signing as a real possibility. I will give the Royals a 10% chance at best at signing Pujols, but that is 10% better than most teams. As far as Fielder goes, don’t even think about it, Pujols and the Royals are a one-time match only.
San Francisco Giants
The World Series champs have several factors going for them. Money in the bank. Great attendance numbers and incredible pitching. Somehow the Giants won it all in 2010 with weak hitting but if they hope to get back to the fall classic, they will need better hitting. They don’t come better or bigger than Pujols or Fielder. Both players are solid fits for the Giants. Signing with the Giants allows either player to stay in the NL. The ballpark should not be a factor as Pujols and Fielder could launch home runs in San Diego if required. The requirement for offense means the Giants will push heavily to sign one of these guys. Since I see Pujols back in St. Louis, I will not give him much of a chance of signing here. But that being said, it is one of the only credible possibilities. Prince is more likely than Pujols to jump to San Francisco and enjoy the weather and admiration of becoming the next Barry Bonds, sans the steroids. Again unlikely, but one of the only true landing spots for either slugger.
Toronto Blue Jays
Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The Blue Jays have money in the bank and a team on the rise. They shed the huge Vernon Wells contract and despite paying Jose Bautista a king’s ransom, still have room in the budget for the right superstar. Possibly. Let’s not even discuss Pujols here. It is not going to happen as I cannot see a fit for him in terms of market and team. But Prince Fielder is another story. Cecil made his professional debut with the Jays and Prince knows the city well. I remember Prince as a youngster coming to Toronto and hitting home runs at BP when Cecil was with the Tigers. The Jays have a first baseman in Adam Lind that can rotate first and DH with Prince. Together with Jose Bautista, the Jays would have two of the biggest boppers in the game in their lineup. The Rogers Centre, being the launching pad that it is, could see over fifty home runs for Fielder. All the chips could be in place for a Toronto signing in Prince’s future. The issues that I see are that Toronto is not a large enough market, may not hand out the biggest contract, Canadian taxes/visa issues in the minds of players and strength of team on the field. The Jays would be an underdog to sign Fielder, but one of few teams that has the resources and the incentives to lure him away from Milwaukee.
One team that is missing from the discussion is the Milwaukee Brewers, Fielder’s current team. They have been omitted for good reason. The team does not have the finances to sign Prince and does not appear to have the resources to sign either slugger to a long-term contract. With Braun, Weeks, Greinke all locked up, the Brewers are tapped out from the mega-dollars that both sluggers seek. Other teams like the Cubs, Angels and Orioles have the money but do not have the market and/or lineups that Pujols and Fielder will be seeking. The Mets and Dodgers are having ownership issues that will likely limit or eliminate their ability during the next free agency period. So with that being said, the truth is that anything can happen. As we saw last year with Cliff Lee, who went to the Phillies and Mark Teixeira signing with the Yankees before, a mystery team can always emerge. But based on my evaluation and analysis, if you needed a final prediction from me: Pujols to Cardinals, Fielder to Yankees. Final answer.
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E-MAILBAG: Ask the Reports, Wednesday April 20th
Thank you for reading the E-mailbag. Please send all your questions to mlbreports@gmail.com and please include your first name and City/Country.
We will be compiling a list of your questions from our e-mailbag and posting the responses on Wednesdays.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Q: Here’s my plan: Ozzie Guillen as General Manager, Paul Konerko as Manager and A.J. Pierzynski as a coach. What do you think? Sounds awesome to me 🙂 From Tina, Chicago.
MLB reports: A great plan in principle, but I do not see it happening. Firstly, I agree that Kenny Williams is on borrowed time. After winning the 2005 World Series, the White Sox have not even had a sniff at another title. After the Jake Peavy fiasco, I think management will eventually put Kenny’s head on the chopping block as the reason behind the White Sox recent failures. Williams has a way of trading young talent and taking on big contracts which I think will end up being his downfall. From there, the new general manager will likely want to bring in his own manager and will need his stamp on the team in order to gain respectability. Also remember that the Marlins did not hire a big name head coach after the Valentine talks broke down. Further, the Marlins had inquired as to the availability of Ozzie from the Sox in the off-season and were told it would cost them Mike Stanton in return. If Ozzie plays out his deal with the Sox, as a coach with the 2003 World Series champions Marlins, I could see him taking over the as the manager as they open their new ballpark in Miami. Ozzie has a great deal of experience as a manager but not as a general manager and at this stage of his career, I see Ozzie remaining in the dugout.
To rebuild the team and start fresh, I can’t see the Sox going to an existing member of the team to take over the general manager role. With Kenny and Ozzie likely gone, it will be up to Konerko and Pierzynski as to whether they continue on in the game in any capacity after they retire. I have not heard great things about Pierzynski the player in terms of attitude, thus coaching to me does not appear to be a reality. Konerko however, I can see taking such a role on as he is an extremely hard worker and well-respected in baseball circles. But given the difficulties Sandberg had to get a major league managing job and the time Don Mattingly had to put in before landing the Dodgers gig, I can’t see Konerko getting a managing role without a great deal of coaching experience beforehand.
Q: I’m still pulling for Jonathan Broxton. Let’s not kid ourselves. Who else do the Dodgers have to go to? Kuo on DL and Jansen isn’t ready. From Matthew, Los Angeles.
MLB reports: Broxton is 5 for 5 in save opportunities, but that 6.14 ERA is not pretty. Looking at the numbers, the only person with a shot is Mike MacDougal as the veteran has a very solid start to the campaign with the Dodgers. If Broxton continues to give up runs like they are going out of style, MacDougal will get a shot. I seriously hope for your sake and Dodgers fans everywhere, Broxton can get it together. I don’t see many options on the horizon, you know your Dodgers pitching well.
Q: How do you think the Jays will do against the Yankees this week? From MLB reports Agent, Toronto.
MLB reports: For those that are not aware, my niece was kind enough to intern on MLB reports to keep up the tweeting reports while I was away on my honeymoon in February. Now joining us on Twitter, our agent in the field will mostly be looking after postings, articles and photographs on our Facebook page and helping with the occasional tweets. Great first question Ms. Agent. The Jays had a hard-fought win last night with Travis Snider hitting the game winner in the bottom of the 10th to take the first game of the series. Game 2 goes today and has Bartolo Colon for the Yankees and Brett Cecil for the Jays. Should be a high-scoring game as I do not expect either starter to be very effective. After a hard loss I expect the Yankees to come out firing early and take the 2nd game. A 1-1 split would still be considered solid work for the Jays and much to build on going into the weekend series with the Rays. That matchup will really show what the Jays are made of as the Rays are a tough inter-division squad with very solid pitching.
Q: I read on the site this week about some pitchers who had been injured. I felt that there should have been one more. What’s the status on Jake Peavy? It’s just a thought. I just wanted to know how he was doing. From Richard, Roanoke.
MLB reports: Peavy was supposed to return on April 29th but he has been postponed due to arm discomfort. The official word is that Peavy has soreness of the lat muscle that was reattached during his July 2010 surgery. Peavy will be taking anti-inflammatory medicine for a week and if all goes well, could be going back to a rehab assignment by the end of the month. Given that Peavy is getting on in years and had radical experimental surgery, I cannot understand the Sox insistence to rush him. Looking at what happened to Ben Sheets and Brandon Webb, there is nothing to gain by rushing Peavy and everything to lose. I can see Peavy back in uniform if all goes well sometime in May, but a relapse is very probable, if not certain. My prediction is that Peavy will either have another surgery and/or be shut down again at some point this season. He does not seem to be fully healed and apparently can re-injure himself at a moment’s notice. I am a big Peavy supporter and would love to see him out on the field battling for the Sox, but sometimes the body just has a way of saying no. Time will tell. To see my previous updates on Webb, Sheets, Morrow and Francisco that was posted this week on the website, please click here.
Q: What is the chance of Jhoulys Chacin on the Rockies winning the Cy Young this year? From Joe, Atlanta.
MLB reports: At 6’3″ and at the age of 23, Chacin has not even entered his prime yet. You are looking at his 3-0 record, 1.64 ERA and 1.091 WHIP and getting excited. I can’t say I blame you as Chacin had a solid 2010 campaign as well with a 3.28 ERA and 1.274 WHIP. The potential is clearly there and given what Jimenez did in 2010 (19 wins, 2.88 ERA), anything is possible. I give his chance at winning the Cy Young this year at about 2%. Why so low you ask? Mostly the competition: from Halladay, to Lee, Oswalt, Lincecum, Gallardo, Greinke, Lincecum…the list goes on and on. Chacin still plays in a difficult pitcher’s park and likely will be 2nd on his own team behind Ubaldo as the top pitcher. Chacin still has 2-3 years to grow into ace-status and while he has a good chance at 15 wins, I think that a Cy Young is still years away. Pitchers of Chacin’s age still tend to go through ups and downs during their growing pains. Don’t discount the experience factor in overall Cy Young voting and final statistics. Experience often carries the day.
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MLB Scores and Player Highlights from Monday April 11th
MLB reports: A roundup of all the results from yesterday’s MLB action and the players that shined and ones that did not quite perform as well:
Rangers 2- Tigers 0: The Rangers moved to 9-1 on the season while the Tigers fell to a dismal 3-7. Alexi Ogando, the former Rule 5 pickup, upped his record to 2-0 and no runs earned on the season. The entire Rangers pitching corps has been dominant all season and in this game Oliver got his 4th hold and Feliz with his 4th save already. Verlander went the distant in the tough loss and now has a 3.13 ERA on the season. Cabrera with two hits for the Tigers is now hitting .382 on the season, while Peralta is at .344.
Rockies 7- Mets 6: The Rockies won a thriller decided in the 8th inning and are now 7-2 on the season. Mets are still treading at 4-6. Houston Street picked up his 5th save on the season. Both starters, Jason Hammel and Mike Pelfrey pitched ok but nothing spectacular. Tulowitzki hitting cleanup hit his 4th home run of the year while Carlos Gonzalez had 3 ribbies in the 3rd spot for the Rockies. David Wright replied with his own long ball, 2nd of the season and Jose Reyes tripled among his 2 hits for the Mets. Reyes at .340, Wright at .325 and Davis at .351 are all positive signs for the rebuilding Mets.
Rays 16- Red Sox 5: At equivalent 2-8 records, two of the best teams in baseball have been slow out of the game. On this day the Rays brought out their whipping sticks to take it to the Sox. Matsuzaka, Wakefield and Wheeler all got beaten early and often, while Hellickson despite giving up five walks in 5.1 innings pitched two run ball for the win. The big story was Sam Fuld, with 2 doubles, a triple and home run (so close to a cycle) from the leadoff spot for the Rays. A throw-in as part of the Matt Garza trade, Fuld was the hero in this game. The Rays pounded to the Red Sox for 20 hits, as Damon, Zobrist, Upton, Jaso and Brignac all had big games. Crawford had two hits for the Sox in the leadoff spot and Ellsbury hit his 2nd home run of the year.
Cubs 5- Astros 4: In a battle of central division rivals, the Cubs record is now 5-5 while the rebuilding Astros are at 2-8. Ryan Dempster gave up 4 runs but had 9 SO in his first win of the year, while Marmol is now up to 4 saves. Figueroa gave up 5 runs in 4 innings for the loss. Castro had 3 hits for the Cubs in the leadoff spot and stole his first base. Alfonso Soriano chipped in with a couple of RBIs for the Cubs.
Athletics 2- White Sox 1: The Athletics moved to 5-5 on the year while the White Sox felt to 6-4. In a tough matchup, Dallas Braden pitched one run ball over six innings with seven SO, while Brian Fuentes got his 4th save of the year. Mark Buehrle pitched 8 shutout innings and left with a no-decision. Kurt Suzuki had two hits, including his first home run of the season, for an Oakland team that is still having a difficult time generating much offense. Lillibridge had his first home run of the year for the White Sox.
Cardinals 8- Diamondbacks 2: Within 4 wins apiece on the season, the Cardinals finally had a strong offensive showing against a decent Arizona squad. Kyle McLellan, pitching Dave Duncan style ball, gave up one run over six innings for his first win of the year. The star was Lance Berkman, with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs in the 5th spot. Albert Pujols remains at an unsightly .150 average.
Reds 3- Padres 2: The high-flying Reds are now 7-3 on the season, beating a tough Matt Latos and Padres team that is now 4-5. Fantasy Ace Latos in his first start of the year gave up 3 runs in 6 innings with 7 SO. Volquez moved to 2-0 by giving up 2 runs over 6 innings with 5 So, but remains with a 5.82 ERA. Cookie Cordero got his 2nd save of the season. Gomes got his 3rd home run of the young season while Brandon Phillips is hitting .410 on the season and Votto is at .444. Orlando Hudson at 2 hits and is now at .313 for an otherwise dismal Padres offense.
Cleveland 4- Angels 0: The 8-2 Indians, led by Willy Mays Hayes and Wild Thing are hot to start the year (major league 4?) The Angels, after taking 2 out of 3 against Toronto now stand at 5-5. Mitch Talbot pitched 8 shutout innings for the win, while Tyler Chatwood (who? exactly) took the loss. Scott Downs, back off the DL pitched an inning for the Angels. Asdrubal Cabrera is up to 4 home runs on the year (wow!) and Matt LaPorta had a 3-run bomb for the Indians. Travis Hafner, by the way is up to a .355 average on the year and Orlando Cabrera is hitting .361. The Angels only managed 5 hits as a team and 2 total walks, all from Bobby Abreu. For those following my Vernon Wells watch: Again hitting 5th as he has all year. Another 0-4, average down to .091. I believe a benching and move down the lineup is in order if the Angels hope to ignite their offense. Callaspo at .353 and Trumbo with his strong power need to move up in the order.
Mariners 8- Jays 7: In the shocker of the night, the Jays had a 7-0 lead after 6 and 7-1 lead after 7 and still managed to lose 8-7 in the 9th. The hometown Mariners are still a low 3-7 on the year while the Jays are at an even 5-5. Jesse Litsch pitched 5 shutout innings for the no-decision but played with fire all night with 4 walks and 5 hits given up. Purcey, Dotel and Camp all got hit hard as the Jays bullpen imploded in Seattle. The King was not his usual majestic self and gave up 7 runs and 12 hits in his own no-decision. Milton Bradley got 2 hits including his first home run of the year. Rodriguez had 3 RBIs and Justin Smoak finished with 2 hits and 2 walks. Corey Patterson in his first game as a Jay hit a home run, while Encarnacion and Nix both had 3 hits each. Adam Lind was 0-5 with 3 SO while Jose Bautista was 2-3 with 2 walks.
Dodgers 6- Giants 1: In the final game of the night, the Dodgers moved to 6-4 while the World Series Champions Giants moved to 4-6. Clayton Kershaw was his usual dominant self, pitching 6.2 shutout innings with 7 SO for his 2nd win of the year. Madison Bumgarner has been slow out of the gates again, falling to 0-2 with 5 runs given up in 5 innings. Andre Ethier was 2-4 with 2 RBIs and is up to a strong .368 on the season, while Matt Kemp went 1-2 and continued to show a good eye with 2 walks and is at an outstanding .441 on the season. These 2 young hitters are truly coming into their own and Kemp is finally living up to his “Baby Manny” nickname from his rookie season, minus the issues. Huff and Burrell both had 2 hits for the Giants, Burrell with his 4th home run and had 2 walks as well, despite hitting .222 on the year. Posey is at .250 on the season while Brandon Belt is going to be packing his bags soon for AAA with his .143 average on the year. A strong player and future star for the Giants, it appears some seasoning is still required for the youngster.
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RUSSELL MARTIN- THE INSIDE STORY
MLB reports: Imagine living the life of Russell Martin. The starting catcher for the New York Yankees. Nine games into the 2011 season, having a .300 batting average, three home runs, eight RBIs, two stolen bases and a .977 OPS. At the tender age of twenty-eight years older, with two all-star game appearances, a gold glove and silver slugger award under this belt, the world should be at Martin’s feet. Any person that had not followed baseball for the last couple of years and saw these statistics would be in awe of Martin. The second coming of Munson or Berra they may ask? Certainly would seem so, as Martin’s star appears to have been rekindled to its peak levels from 2006 and 2007. However the road for Martin from baseball obscurity to stardom, to bottoming out and a rebirth is a rocky and fascinating one to say the least. I present to you an inside look into Russell Martin, catcher for the New York Yankees.
My first real exposure to Russell Martin was in March 2006. As Major League Baseball was gearing up for it’s ever World Baseball Classic (“WBC”), all of the countries involved finalizing and tweaking their rosters in anticipation of the inaugural event. Residing in Toronto, I was reading a great deal of information and stories on the Canadian contingent. News travelled that the expected starting catcher for Canada, a relatively unknown 17th round draft pick in 2002 for the Los Angeles Dodgers by name of Russell Martin had declined his roster spot at the last minute. Reports indicated that Martin felt that going into spring training he had a strong chance of winning a spot on the Dodgers roster and did not want to hurt his chances by camp and auditioning for his spot in front of the Dodgers’ brass. Dioner Navarro, the catching incumbent, was seen as a declining player and the chance to unseat him was too great for Martin to pass up. Max St. Pierre and Pete LaForest were the catching tandem for Canada in 2006 that came within a hair of advancing to the second round (only the runs allowed to South Africa in a blowout win sealed their fate). Martin ended up making his major league debut on May 5, 2006 and took a stranglehold of the starting catching position for the next five years in LA.
While Canadian fans were clearly disappointed with his decision, Martin
obviously made the right choice for his career. While representing one’s country in international play is an honor and somewhat of an obligation, fighting for one’s livelihood and paycheque when it is unsettled takes the ultimate priority. In the 2009 edition of the WBC, Martin kept his word to play for his country and finally suited up for Canada for the first round in Toronto in front of his hometown crowd. After almost upsetting the United States in game one, Martin and his Canadian teammates went down fairly quietly in another WBC first round exit. But with his Dodgers catching role firmly secure, it was a thrill to watch Martin play in the 2009 WBC and perform at a high level. Having attended all the first round games in Toronto personally, my scouting report is that Martin played an excellent series. He showed tremendous hustle and heart, playing solid defense behind the plate and grinding out at-bats. Russell Martin left a tremendous impression on me during that series has lasted with me to this date.
Before getting into Martin’s playing career with the Dodgers, I wanted to share several interesting inside perspectives on Russell Martin, the person. Born in Ontario, Martin grew up in Quebec and lived for a period in France. Coming from talented bloodlines, his mother is an actress and singer while his father is a saxophone player. Martin’s full name is actually Russell Nathan Jeans on Coltrane Martin Junior. His father named him after the famous jazz musician John Coltrane. Martin for the 2009 season changed the name on the back of his jersey from “Martin” to “J. Martin”. Hailed as a classy move, Martin was paying homage to his mother as an inspiration and force in his life. From honoring his mother and country, to playing with heart and inspiration to win both a gold glove and silver slugger in 2007, Martin appeared to have everything on his side. That is where the move from Los Angeles to New York is a confusing and unsettled story, even to-date.
From all accounts, Russell Martin, the baseball player, was on top of the
world in 2006 and 2007. From earning the starting catching job on the Dodgers to become one of the top two-way catchers in the game in 2007, Martin appeared to be able to do no wrong. 2008 appeared to be a blip for Martin, as his OPS dropped from .843 to .781. Going into the 2009 season, Martin was seen at 26 to be a player just coming into his own and due for a huge rebound. Looking back at 2009 and 2010, everything that had gone so right for Martin quickly soured. Somehow in the span of two years Martin became a scapegoat and noted malcontent in Los Angeles. From a gold glove catcher, Martin began to be known through baseball circles as lazy and unmotivated behind the plate. While previously seen as a growing leader on his team, Martin and the other younger stars on the Dodgers were labeled as disrespectful and cancerous in the clubhouse. While playing nearly full seasons and being durable from 2007-2009, Martin tore the labrum in right hip in 2010 and cast a doubt over his future in the game. From a catcher that was walk ninety times in 2008 and steal twenty-one and eighteen bases respectively in 2007 and 2008, the Russell Martin of the last two seasons appeared to have little pop or spark in his game. At 5’10” and 230 lbs, Martin went from a stocky and agile catcher to an out-of-shape player on the decline. All at the tender age of twenty-eight. Clearly a change was in order.
The Dodgers, not always known for protecting their prized prospects well, had traded away highly regarded up-and-coming catcher Carlos Santana to the Cleveland Indians for the seasoned veteran third baseman Casey Blake. The logic at the time? The Indians gave the Dodgers the choice of absorbing salary or giving up a top prospect. The Dodgers chose to sacrifice Santana and save a couple of dollars. Having had the loss of Santana still fresh in fans’ minds, the Dodgers chose not to tender Martin a contract after the 2010 season in the fear that his hip had not recovered and to save approximately six million dollars in salary. Now a free agent in the last offseason, Martin had the choice of signing with any team of his liking.
The top noted suitors for Martin’s services all lied in the AL East: The Boston
Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees. Reports had indicated that other suitors were calling on Martin but looking at him at third base rather than catcher. After being drafted at the hot corner and moved to catcher early in his career, some teams apparently were nervous about Martin’s abilities behind the plate. The three finalist teams for Martin were apparently comfortable enough the former gold glover still had abilities to catch in the majors and all offered him apparently deals in the one year, four million dollar range. Toronto was Martin’s hometown but had a strong up-and-coming catcher themselves by the name of J.P. Arencebia. Sensing apparently the roadblock in Toronto, Martin from all accounts narrowed his choice to his best opportunity at a full-time catching gig and to win, the Red Sox and the Yankees. A tough decision I’m sure, the lure of the big apple and pinstripes was too much for Martin to turn down. With Jorge Posada newly installed as the designated hitter and the Yankees have catching prospects themselves that were not seen as ready, Martin finally with the Yankees in December, 2010. The baseball world had no idea what to expect from Martin and anticipated his debut in the Bronx in 2011.
Off to a solid start to the year, all reports have been solid thus far on Martin. Showing a strong presence behind the plate and with the Yankee sluggers protecting him in the lineup, his bat has been reborn. I see Martin’s keys to success as keeping quiet, playing hard and going back to the basics that led to his successes back in 2006 and 2007. In an environment filled with hundreds of reporters, Martin will need to be careful of what he says in New York. It was one thing to be a confident rookie in Los Angeles, as that type of attitude quickly became seen as cocky and arrogant in later years and would be no different in New York. As long as Martin plays hard and lets the Yankee veterans police the clubhouse, we could see Martin reinvigorate himself back to being one of the top catchers in the game. With a track record like Martin’s, it is difficult to predict where Martin will be in the next year or two, let alone ten years. But given what has been seen so far, I am confident to say that I see good things happening for him. It has been a wild ride for Russell Martin; let’s hope for his sake that consistency becomes his new calling card.
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Opening Day 2011: No-Hitter?
MLB reports: With the 2011 MLB season commencing today, I started to think about milestones and achievements. Recalling Doc’s no-hitter in last year’s playoffs, I started to blend no-hitter and opening day in my mind. What did I come up with? The only man to throw a no-hitter on opening day, the one and only Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians.
On April 16, 1940, in the old Comiskey Park in Chicago, Feller and the Indians beat the White Sox by a 1-0 score. A tight pitchers duel, Feller and Eddie Smith of the Sox were on their games that day. A cold and blustery day, the hitters could not get their bats going. But Feller at the tender age of twenty-one made in his mark in history.
Bob Feller went on to throw two more no-hitters in his career, during the 1946 and 1951 seasons. Just imagine in that perspective what Roy Halladay was able to accomplish in 2010. Roy threw a perfect game against the Marlins in Miami at the start of the year and then the second no-hitter in post-season history, joining Don Larsen. A perfect game and no-hitter in the playoffs. Boggles the mind doesn’t it? Another entry in the history book is the back-to-back no-hitters thrown by Johnny Vander Meer in 1938 against the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers. It is doubtful that we will ever see that feat again, although I’m sure many pitchers will continue to try.
Halladay broke new ground last year by throwing a no-hitter in the playoffs against the Reds, ensuring that Don Larsen would forever have company in the record books. Vander Meer’s record is likely to remain intact until the end of time, as the probability of a pitcher in this day and age throwing back-to-back no-hitters is likely nil. Thus the next record to go is the opening day no-hitter. Feller, who passed away last December at the age of 92 was a great pitcher and one of the best of all time. Will any pitchers join him this year in the record books? The story will unfold today and tomorrow. Although very unlikely, there a couple of pitchers going who have a chance. The truth is that on any given day, everyone has the chance to be great. That is part of why we all love baseball so much. Enjoy opening day and thank you for walking down memory lane with me. Lets play ball!
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MLB Opening Day Preview: Schedule and Pitching Previews
MLB reports: With the 2011 MLB season about to commence, literally hours away at this moment- my thoughts continue to centre on the Holy Grail: Opening Day. This year, there are 12 teams playing on Thursday March 31st with the remaining teams playing the next day. For each MLB fan rooting for their respective team, there are 15 different opening day games that will be the focal point for them. Regardless of the city you live in or the team you root for, the first game of the year is the most exciting. It is time to shake the snow off your boots, grab your jersey and tickets and get ready for the start of baseball. For you, the diehards, I present the matchups and probable pitchers for each game.
In my brief analysis of each game, I have taken a slight twist in my analysis. I have decided not to crunch the numbers and take the stats route. To predict the outcomes of games, most stat-heads tend to look at historical opening day numbers for each team, head-to-head records, home/away records, day/night games, etc. This article contains none of the above. I am simply looking at the teams, taking a feel for each lineup and starting pitcher for each team, in performing my discussion. I was planning to post this article in a couple of days but with the enthusiasm of opening day on the horizon, I simply could not wait. Thus MLB fans, I present to you: The breakdown of the MLB Opening Day lineup. (Note: all game times are EST. Starting pitchers are subject to change, especially for injuries. Games may be delayed due to weather conditions)
Thursday March 31, 2011
1) Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals:
1:05pm: Derek Lowe vs. Livian Hernandez
There will be 2 games to start the year on Thursday at 1:05pm and this will be the first game previewed. America’s team, the Braves vs. the Nationals in the Nation’s capital. The Nationals are a nice, young exciting team with a great deal of buzz surrounding the team. Unfortunately, neither of its 2 brightest stars-to-be, Strasburg and Harper will not be a part of the opening day lineup. The Braves have a strong, young team led by Heyward and Freeman. Derek Lowe is an experienced veteran who gets the opening day nod out of respect. Livian Hernandez, on the other hand, is the opening day starter by default. The Nationals fans will be likely going home disappointed on this day, as the Braves will be the victors in a high scoring opener.
2) Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees
1:05pm: Justin Verlander vs. C.C. Sabathia
The next opening game of the year to start the year comes from new Yankee Stadium, as 2 historical teams matchup in what should be an excellent pitching matchup. Verlander and Sabathia are 2 of the strongest pitchers in the majors and should go toe-to-toe in this game. While I see the hitters having the advantage in this game while the pitchers break into the season in a strong hitting park, smart money is the Yankees taking the win in their home park.
3) Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds
2:10pm: Yovanni Gallardo vs. Edinson Volquez
This game is the one that will catch my attention the most on Thursday. Two of the most exciting offensive teams in the majors, each led by their young strikeout artists. Gallardo and Volquez are cut from the same mold: when on, both are untouchable. When both are having difficulties, they can be time bombs. In the Cincinnati bandbox, I am predicting a high scoring game and a Reds victory. I am a big Gallardo supporter, but I can’t see opening in Cincinnati working well for him.
4) L.A. Angels at Kansas City Royals
4:10pm: Jered Weaver vs. Luke Hochevar
On paper this matchup looks very easy to analyze and in reality, it is. Weaver is a stud hurler for the Angels, a team with strong defense and fairly balanced offense. The Royals have Cabrera and Francouer in the outfield and Hochevar as their “ace”. The Royals fans are fortunate to be opening the season at home. This will be the last of their fortunes on this day as Weaver and the Angels should easily have their way with a Royals team in their final year of rebuilding as respectability begins for them in 2012.
5) San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals
4:15pm: Tim Stauffer vs. Chris Carpenter
The young and surprising Padres bring their smoke and mirror show to St. Louis to face the Cards and Chris Carpenter. With one of my hyped young hurlers Matt Latos on the shelf, Tim Stauffer gets the nod for the opener for the Padres. With Adrian Gonzalez in Boston, the Padres will find a difficult time to score runs this year. Stauffer, stellar in the bullpen and spot starts for the Padres in 2010, is now moved into the rotation full time this year. Carpenter, one of the best pitchers in the game, will prove to be stingy at home. Regardless of how many runs the Cardinals score on this day, 2 runs will be enough for the Cardinals to start their year with a win.
6) San Francisco Giants vs. L.A. Dodgers
8:00pm: Tim Lincecum vs. Clayton Kershaw
This will be a premier matchup, as the World Series champions Giants face their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lincecum vs. Kershaw will be a pitching matchup for the ages. I see these pitchers battling all night, with the Dodgers emerging victorious. Opening night will be exciting for the Giants, but the hangover effect on the road leans to an advantage to L.A. on this night.
Friday April 1, 2011
7) Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies
1:05pm: Brett Myers vs. Roy Halladay
Day 2 of Opening Day finds Brett Myers coming back to his old stomping grounds to face Halladay and the Phillies. I don’t want to formally go on record and say that Halladay will throw a no-no in the opener…so….let’s just say, I have already said enough. The Phillies fans will be smelling blood and it should not take long for Myers to be shaken as the Phillies hitters have their way with him. Houston goes down quietly and quickly in this one.
8) Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs
2:20pm: Kevin Correia vs. Ryan Dempster
Unless you are a Pirates or Cubs fans…I imagine that only the diehards will be watching this one. Kevin Correia in my estimation was a solid pickup for the Pirates and with decent run support will win at least 12 games in Pittsburgh. Dempster, as a steady pitcher for the Cubs will prove to be a worthy adversary. This game will boil down to which team gets the better pitching and my crystal balls sees a Pirates victory in this one.
9) Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians
3:05pm: Mark Buehrle vs. Fausto Carmona
In the seemingly never-ending Opening Day matchup between the Chisox and Indians, Buehrle and Carmona face off in Cleveland. As most White Sox fans will attest, Buehrle can be steady at the best of times and extremely frustrating in others. The Opening Day nod was given to Buehrle by Ozzie out of respect and years of service, which is well deserved and applauded. But with the hot hand of Fausto going into the opener, the Indians will squeak out a victory in the opener in one of the few bright moments that will likely shine in Cleveland’s otherwise rebuilding 2011 season.
10) Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers
4:05pm: Jon Lester vs. C.J. Wilson
I would have loved to be at this game, as this game features the matchup of two of the best MLB offenses and dynamic left-handed pitchers. This game is being in played Texas, which tends to favor the hitters in the summer…but alas, this game is being played in April. The Red Sox will be buzzing with excitement with the additions of Gonzalez and Crawford, with the home return of Salty. After falling short in the World Series, I foresee the Rangers coming to the game focused and determined. Wilson will be on his game as the Rangers start 2011 with a hard fought victory over the Red Sox in a low scoring game.
11) Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
4:10pm: Ian Kennedy v. Ubaldo Jimenez
One word: Ubaldo. The man with what, a 0.70 ERA in the first half of last year? Ubaldo translates from Spanish to English to mean unhittable. The Rockies take this game in 2 hours or less.
12) Minnesota Twins at Toronto Blue Jays
7:07pm: Carl Pavano vs. Ricky Romero
My live Opening Day game is in Toronto, Canada as Pavano and the Twins take on Romero and the Jays. Both pitchers come into this game after difficult final outings in their last respective spring training games. I was impressed with the Pavano re-signing with the Twins, as there is an excellent fit for him with this team. Romero, while a young exciting pitcher, is still growing into his role as ace on an up-and-coming Toronto team. While game 2 of this series features the true exciting pitching matchup of Liriano and Drabek, the fans attending opening day will have to settle to watch a decent game which will feature a victorious Twins team.
13) Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays
7:10pm: Mark Guthrie vs. David Price
David Price, who will prove to be a serious Cy-Young candidate this year, faces the Orioles at home. My preseason favorites to win the AL East, this game should be a cake walk for the Rays and Price. While the Orioles will have a .500 team this year, Opening Night will not be their night.
14) New York Mets at Florida Marlins
7:10pm: Mike Pelfrey vs. Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson, when healthy, is one of the top pitchers in baseball. Mike Pelfrey, pitching for the bottom-feeder Mets, is like a lamb being led to the slaughter. Playing their final opener in their current home park, the soon-to-be Miami Marlins will give the Mets the first of their likely 90+ losses of the year. Not even close.
15) Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics
10:05pm: Felix Hernandez at Trevor Cahill
The final game of the year features the “Moneyball” Oakland A’s hosting King Felix and the Mariners. The A’s will have an exciting young team that has some of the strongest pitching in the AL with an improved offense that should finish 2nd in the AL West, with the chance of a division win. The Mariners, a young team in rebuild mode, have the reigning AL Cy Young winner on the hill. Despite many bumps ahead in their season, I would never bet against King Felix. Opening Day ends with a Mariners victory and the season being completely underway.
As you, I cannot wait for the season to start. Spring training has been exciting and now it is time for the game and stats to count. While March has been about the hitters and pitchers to get their innings and at-bats in, Opening Day means that the games will be played the way they are meant to. It’s a long MLB season, with 162 games ahead for each of our teams. But with all the teams starting with a 0-0 record, everyone has an equal chance of success. With that in mind and knowing the matchups, let’s get ready for 3 more nights of sleep and then it will be time to play ball. Have a great season everyone; I have a feeling 2011 will be one of the best MLB seasons of all time.
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