MLB Recaps

2012 Washington Nationals = 2010 San Francisco Giants

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Stephen Strasburg will continue to baffle line-ups.
Source: AP Photo - Manuel Balce Ceneta

We all know what wins ball games, pitching. While offense is certainly nice, it's really not what the Washington Nationals have prided themselves on this season. The Nationals' pitching has been completely lights out and here's the greatest part, their best pitcher is only 23. Stephen Strasburg has had a tremendous 2012 so far after coming off of Tommy John Surgery. The Nationals' acquisition of Gio Gonzalez paid off extremely well as he has put up some fantastic numbers as well. The entire Nationals rotation has been lights out, followed by the bullpen led by set up man Tyler Clippard and closer Henry Rodriguez (who was just placed on the DL today). Doesn't this sound a lot like what the San Francisco Giants had in their 2010 World Series championship year? An amazing pitching staff, primarily young, with a dominant bullpen and the duct tape offense? Now granted, Washington's offense does not struggle nearly as much the Giants' did, but it still has quite a few problems. Regardless, don't expect Washington to fall at all in NL East.

The Nationals' pitching staff currently ranks 1st in ERA (2.97), WHIP (1.14) and opponent's batting average (.221) while ranking 4th in quality starts with 36. That is out of ALL 30 teams in the MLB. Quite an astronomical feat for any team to pull off, but ranking 1st in three out of the four pitching categories? That's a recipe for success. Gio Gonzalez has contributed a lot to that, going 7-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 84 strikeouts. When he was with Oakland, Gonzalez put up similar numbers, but didn't get the recognition as most teams in the cellar typically don't. The Nationals are something new and a place where Gonzalez shows his talents and rewards his team in big ways. Stephen Strasburg has done the same thing and with only 2 years of experience. This year, he's currently 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 79 strikeouts. While manager Davey Johnson does have Strasburg on an innings limit this year, it shouldn't affect the Nationals too much. Edwin Jackson's signing also proved to be in the best interest of the Nationals as he's performed well. Jordan Zimmerman these days may become known better for his ability to hit the ball, but that does not make him a bad pitcher. He, like Gonzalez and Strasburg has managed an ERA below 3.00. Chien-Ming Wang makes up the last part of the rotation (which even still it could be Ross Detwiler). He's only pitched in two games this season, though his third is today. The Nationals' bullpen has been pretty lights out and it's been a combined effort. With Henry Rodriguez out and Drew Storen still on the DL, they'll probably look to Tyler Clippard (who was an All-Star in 2011) to close their games for the time being. It's been pretty spectacular to see what the Washington pitchers have done.

Michael Morse was huge in 2011.
Source: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images

Offensively, the Nationals have been seeing the ball better than the 2010 Giants, but not by much. The Nationals offense is led primarily by Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond. LaRoche is batting .273 on the year with nine home runs, 39 RBIs, and an OPS of .871. Desmond leads the team in runs scored with 28. While the offense hasn't put up the strongest of numbers, it doesn't need to. If it can score enough runs, which at this point doesn't seem like it needs to be too many because of the fantastic pitching, they'll win. Fortunately enough, Michael Morse, who had a great 2011 is back, but Jayson Werth still remains on the DL. The rookie sensation Bryce Harper has not let the Nationals down at all. In his short MLB career so far, Harper is batting .282 with five home runs, 14 RBIs and an on base percentage of .367. He's even had his first walk off hit. He, along with Stephen Strasburg, are the two youngest talents this team has and will hopefully keep. Ryan Zimmerman had battled with injuries earlier in the season and has really been struggling ever since, only batting .238 with two home runs and 19 RBIs. The Nationals aren't at all a power hitting team, but more of a contact team with a touch of speed. Danny Espinosa leads the team in steals with seven. Yet again, this is a thing the 2010 Giants lacked, a powerful offense. Their pitching got it done and got them the World Series trophy, can it be repeated here with the Nationals?

The question of whether or not the Nationals can make it to the World Series is obviously one that will be answered with time. They certainly don't have the playoff experience, but neither did the Giants. There are just so many things that popped out to me when I got the idea to write this. Do the Nationals make the playoffs this year? Without a doubt. The NL East has pretty much been flipped upside down and the Nationals have been holding a lead that they absolutely refuse to let go of. The Giants had sole possession of the NL West in 2010, so who is to say it can't happen this year in the NL East? The Washington Nationals definitely have the potential to make the NL run for its money, and maybe, the entirety of baseball going forward.

Big Time Trouble for Big Time Timmy Jim?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Sun, 27 May 2012 22:10:00 +0000

Tim Lincecum's season is a mystery.
Credit: Mathew Sumner

It's really been no secret that Giants fans are use to their dominating performances by their starting pitchers. Matt Cain has easily been the Giants most consistent starter this season followed by Madison Bumgarner, Barry Zito and Ryan Vogelsong, who all have done a fairly good job. However, that success has almost become a foreign concept to two time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. Lincecum has been having a very uncharacteristic year so far and nobody expected it to happen. We've seen Lincecum struggle before, however that was only for a few starts, namely August 2010 before he rebounded as the Giants would go on to win the World Series. This time however, things are much different. The ace of the Giants staff has only had one quality start in 10 starts this season. His record, which usually is due to the lack of the Giants' offense, has been all on him this season at 2-5. His ERA is an extremely high 6.41 followed by a 1.61 WHIP. These are numbers nobody thought Lincecum would ever have but it's reality. How long will this last? Who knows.

The thing that seems to be hitting Lincecum hard is the middle part of the ball game. He does pretty well in the first few innings but has seem to hit this mental wall when the fourth or fifth innings roll around. The only figure Lincecum is keeping up with is his strikeouts, on which he as 58 on the year. However with that, Lincecum also has 29 walks, something that has been somewhat of a freakish trend for him in the past year. His high WHIP is evident of that and the fact that he isn't lasting long into ball games. He's only gone beyond the sixth inning three times this season, and only getting one win after six innings. The Freak has been uncanny in years past with his unorthodox delivery, but have the hitters finally warmed up to him? Perhaps so. In his 10 starts, the Giants have only won two games, which happened to be against some of the lesser hitting ball clubs in the MLB, the Padres and the Mets. In his past four outings, Lincecum has given up 18 runs in only 21.2 innings pitched. He hasn't given up many home runs, only four so far, so that means he's getting into un-fixable jams. We knew prior to this, Lincecum had struggled with getting wins because of the lack of run support. That is not the case so far this season. Lincecum has struggled tremendously, and against teams he's typically done very well against.

So what's wrong with the Freak? Well...nothing. Pitchers have slumps too. It's just a bit more obvious than when an everyday batter is in one. Should Giants' fans hit the panic button yet? No. Is there a cause for concern heading into June? Well, that I will say yes to. The stat that should be rather eye popping is how Lincecum has only had one quality start this entire season. We've know for awhile his control has struggled at times with the walks. He also hits this brick wall more often than naught, this season in particular, when heading into the middle of a game. He's been laboring in games too, going over or nearly reaching 100 pitches, sometimes while only completing five innings of work. He did have a nasty collision with A's Collin Cowgill a week back, but Lincecum has shown no signs of injury or worse, a concussion as Cowgill's head rammed up into Lincecum's jaw at a close play at the plate. Lincecum will turn it around, he's not this type of pitcher. I mean, at 27 years old, he's won two Cy Young Awards, a World Series and is a 4x All Star. Unless Lincecum can't turn it around in June, Giants fans must rally behind him now so he can get his mind straight for the rest of the season.

Bright spots in Beantown?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia have been doing extremely well.
Source: ESPN

So, when you get a plethora of injured outfielders, a pitcher who would rather golf than pitch sometimes and a rookie who is threatening to take over third base, what do you have? Well, the Boston Red Sox of course. 2012 has started out the same way for Boston that 2011 did, slow. The expectations of last year were perhaps much greater as the acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez were supposed to be monumental, but only Gonzalez has produced as Crawford remains injured. With the way the AL East has been going, Baltimore and Tampa Bay are going nowhere else but up. Who would have thought going into mid-May that the Red Sox would be battling the New York Yankees to get out of the cellar? Not me certainly.

The one thing that has plagued Boston so far is what has hurt many teams, pitching. The Red Sox pitching staff sits at 28th overall in ERA at 4.89. Jon Lester leads the Sox in ERA at 3.71 and WHIP at 1.27 while Clay Buchholz leads the team in wins with four. Ouch. There's been a bit of deflation in the Red Sox's rotation, especially after last September when it was very apparent. Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have been struggling and with Clay Buchholz returning from an injury, Boston will need more dependability from the fourth and fifth guys. However, Daniel Bard (3-4, 4.30 ERA) has been having problems coming from a set-up man role to a starter and Felix Doubront (4-1, 4.46 ERA) has been shaky at best. Fortunately (well I say this lightly) for Red Sox fans, Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled to make two more rehab starts so he may be back sooner than later. The closer role has been an absolute mess. Andrew Bailey, the man who could literally shatter his shoulder opening a car door, has been lost for the season. In his place, Bobby Valentine decided Alfredo Aceves was the best fit. Aceves, who was probably Boston's most reliable relief guy last season, seemed like a perfect match for the role. However, it was just flat out ugly. Aceves started off shaky and throughout the season has calmed down a bit. Despite his 5.74 ERA, Aceves has seven saves and will try to improve in this temporary role. The rest of the bullpen is a bit more stable, but Vicente Padilla and Franklin Morales continue to struggle with their command.

Jon Lester's (center) complete game should help build confidence.
Source: Bill Greene/Globe Staff

Offensively, Boston has been demolishing the ball. In their past 10 games, the Red Sox have gone 6-4 with two close games that resulted in losses to Kansas City. They do however have a two game split with the Rays and then head to Philadelphia. Tough games are a part of any team's season, but lately, Boston has been turning it around and Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz have been a huge part of it. The rookie, Will Middlebrooks, has been pulling more than his weight and has earned serious consideration to take over third, even when Kevin Youkilis comes back. There have been rumors that Boston is considering even trading Youkilis for starting pitching, particularly left handers. In the 12 games that Middlebrooks has played, he's already hit four home runs and has 14 RBIs. Regardless, Boston has been seeing the ball extremely well, ranking 2nd in runs (194), 3rd in batting average (.276), 5th in on base percentage (.339) and 4th in slugging percentage (.460). David Ortiz is currently leading the team in every offensive category (he's currently batting .353). Ryan Sweeney, who has become one of Boston's best acquisitions this season, is doing very well, hitting .319 with 12 RBIs and 13 doubles. Boston has always been a power house team and the injuries of Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford seem to cause little concern as the Sox are getting the job done.

So what does this say for the rest of the season? Well, you can score 134 runs in a game, but if your pitching gives up 135, you're still going to lose. The bullpen for Boston, aside from its little black marks, has been pretty solid. The starting rotation has been struggling hard and with very good outings recently from Jon Lester (a complete game against the Mariners) and Josh Beckett (shutting the M's out for 7 innings), it may be what the Red Sox need to bounce back. The Red Sox's bats have been tremendous and show no signs of slowing down. The season looks like it may be turning around for the Sox, but there are still a lot of games to play. I also get the distinct feeling we'll be hearing a lot more about Will Middlebrooks as this season progresses, and perhaps even talk of a Rookie of the Year Award race. What still lingers is the ache of September 2011. That is a feeling every Red Sox player wants to get rid of, but in order to do so, they must play with full conviction to avoid another collapse.

Are Yu Kidding Me?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Sun, 13 May 2012 23:37:00 +0000

Yu Darvish pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 30th.
Source: Getty Images

So, it's been a little after the season has begun and the baseball world has now seen Japanese phenom Yu Darvish. The Texas Rangers acquisition of Darvish did not come cheap, but so far, Darvish has been worth the money and more. In his first seven starts (44.1 innings pitched) in the MLB, Darvish is 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA, 51 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.42. Besides the earlier control issues, which attribute to his high WHIP, Darvish so far has been as good as advertised, something that keeps Nolan Ryan smiling.

The 25 year-old righty from Habikino, Japan has impressed many American scouts through the years and now it's clear as to why. In his debut against the Seattle Mariners, Darvish had a very rough first inning, allowing four runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out two. The nerves were quite apparent, but Darvish soon settled in and dominated the Mariners' line-up by only allowing one more big hit, a double by Kyle Seager, that would score the final and fifth run Seattle would get off of Darvish. After that, Darvish shut the Mariners down til Rangers' skipper Ron Washington pulled him in the sixth. In his debut, Darvish would also get his first major league win.

Darvish's next start would come in Minneapolis against the struggling Twins. 2011 was not a pretty year for the Twins organization and 2012 has started off the same way. In this game, Darvish only allowed two runs (one unearned) on nine hits while striking out four. He would go 5.2 innings again, but this time he would get a no decision. His control seemed to be a bit wavering as after his first two games, he had one less walk than strikeouts and he had allowed 17 hits. His second win was in his next start against the Tigers in Detroit. Darvish allowed only one run on two hits while striking out five and walking five. Yet again, Darvish's control was struggling, but his dominance was what Texas needed in their rotation.

The best start so far for Yu Darvish came on April 24, his fourth start in America. In this game, Darvish would be pitching against one of baseball's best franchises in the New York Yankees. This match-up also noted the seventh time two Japanese born pitchers would face off in a MLB game as it was Yu Darvish against the Yankees' Hiroki Kuroda. However, the pressure of pitching in the major league really hadn't intimated Darvish as he pitched seven years for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham-Fighters, starting at the age of 18. Darvish's start was masterful as he struck out 10 batters while walking two and allowing seven hits. He blanked the Yankees for 8.1 innings, giving the game to Joe Nathan who would save the game, securing Darvish's third win.

Darvish has impressed everyone, including Ron Washington.
Source: Getty Images

Prime time games are nerve racking for anyone, including players who have played in America their entire careers. Yet again, pitching against the AL East, Darvish would make his Monday Night Baseball debut on April 30 against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. In his start against the Blue Jays, Darvish would continue his high strikeout rate by striking out nine. In seven innings of work, he allowed one run on four hits while walking two. Darvish would earn his fourth win, making his stats at this point: 4-0, with a 2.18 ERA and 33 strikeouts inside of 33 innings pitched. Absolutely lights out at this point.

His next start would be in Cleveland against the Indians. On a bright, sunny day in Cleveland, Darvish got into trouble early. Indians' shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two run double scoring Jason Kipnis and Johnny Damon. In the fourth inning, the Rangers defense was having problems.Cabrera scored on an error by Elvis Andrus, which allowed Shin-Soo Choo a hit. Ian Kinsler had also missed an easy pop up due to not wearing sunglasses, allowing the Indians to get on the bases. In the fifth inning, Darvish gave up his first home run, a solo shot by Kipnis. This game, while not entirely Darvish's fault, would end up being his first major league loss. He did manage to strike out 11 Indians hitters.

Darvish's most recent start came against the Los Angeles Angels at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. This outing would be another short one for Darvish as he would go 5.1 innings. However, after he pitched to the Angels' hitters in the top of the first, there was a two hour rain delay. Angels' starter C.J. Wilson would not return but Yu Darvish would. Darvish would give up two more home runs, a two run shot to Mike Trout and a solo shot to Torii Hunter. When all was said and done, Darvish was 5-1 on the year. On his return after the rain delay, Ron Washington had this to say,

"Darvish was adamant. He stayed going. He didn’t come here, he said, not to pitch. So he pitched. He’s got heart. He’s a winner. He’s for real. All this guy has ever done is win. I know it was in Japan, but he doesn’t know anything else. He’s committed to what he’s doing and what you saw last night was commitment. That’s what that Texas across our chest is about."

Needless to say, Darvish has done extremely well over here in America. He's reportedly been working on a knuckleball to add to his arsenal of pitches. He has a nasty curve, a devastating slider with at least five other pitches to work with. He's been a strikeout machine lately and has been able to settle his control to a degree. His WHIP still remains a little high, but that's mainly due to the earlier damage. Darvish's next start will come this Wednesday, May 16 as the Rangers take on the Oakland A's in Texas. Good job to Yu Darvish on the performances he has put forth so far. He can only get better from here.

Hip Hip, Jorge!

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 00:40:00 +0000

Posada was the catcher for the Yankees for 17 years.
Source: Franklin/AP

Even though it's been nearly two months since his announced retirement, there's something that a lot of baseball fans wonder about. Is former Yankee, Jorge Posada, a Hall of Famer? Comparing him not only to other great catchers like Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra and Roy Campanella, but to other active catchers like Joe Mauer and Brian McCann has to put his career in perspective. Was he the greatest catcher of all time? No. Was he a great player? Yes. However, does that necessarily mean he's HOF worthy? In terms of the Yankees, he's in the top five catchers behind Berra, Bill Dickey, Elston Howard and Thurman Munson. To say he achieved HOF status is something that should not be taken lightly. The main question still remains, is Posada worth a spot in Cooperstown? Let's find out.

Bench only played for the Reds in his career.
Source: Field of Dreams

Looking at the career of Johnny Bench (who in my opinion was the best catcher to ever play baseball), he pretty much got into the Hall of Fame unanimously. During his 17 year career, Bench played with the Cincinnati Reds from his start in 1967 to his end in 1983. Bench was a 10x Gold Glove Winner, a 14x All-Star, Rookie of the Year in 1968 along with a 2x World Series champion. His batting average was .267 with 389 home runs and 1,376 runs batted in. He had over 2,000 hits with 2,048 and had a fielding percentage of .991. For a catcher, the most demanding position in baseball, Bench absolutely was a force to be reckoned with. Not only would his power mow down the opposition, but his accuracy and precision behind the plate defensively was also a menace to other teams. During his tenure with the Reds, manager Sparky Anderson had this to say about Bench as a reporter tried to compare him to the Yankees' Munson,

"You don't compare anyone to Johnny Bench. You don't want to embarrass anybody."

Needless to say, Bench had a special career that no other catch can compare to. His power was one thing, but his defense surpassed any catcher. Not many catchers have ever won double digit Gold Gloves, aside from Ivan Rodriguez. Bench truly was the greatest catcher of all time.

At 86, Yogi is still very active with the Yankee organization.
Source: Sipsey Street Irregulars

Fellow Yankee catcher Yogi Berra made a legacy of his own. While noted for his spectacular play on the field, Berra is also known for his quotations or "Yogi-isms" throughout baseball history. His most famous "Yogi-ism" is probably "It ain't over til it's over". All of Berra's career was spent in New York. He played with the Yankees from 1946-1963 and with the Mets in 1965. Berra has the distinction of being the only catcher in the AL to ever win 3 MVP awards. During his time with the Yankees as a player (as he would later manage them in 1964 and 1984-1985), he was an 18x All Star, won the World Series 10 times and made the MLB's All Century Team. His number is one of the many retired Yankee numbers, and one out of the four retired Yankee catchers. In his career, Yogi batted .285 with 358 home runs and 1,430 runs batted in. Berra has been noted as one of the quickest catchers in the game and has the honor of being only one of four catchers to ever field for 1.000 in a season. His 1954 season featured no errors in 88 games. Berra was a one of a kind catcher, on and off the field.

Campanella had a short, but fulfilling career with the Dodgers.
Source: Biography.com

Roy Campanella was another name the Brooklyn Dodgers, later the Los Angeles Dodgers, would never forget next to Jackie Robinson. Campanella helped Robinson break the color barrier of the MLB in the 1940's and did so by proving himself as a legend. In his time in the MLB, Campanella spent his career entirely with the Dodgers. Much like Berra, Campanella also is the only catcher in the NL to ever win 3 MVP awards. These two remain the only catchers to have ever done that in their respected leagues. Campanella was an 8x All Star and a one time World Series winner in 1955. His career numbers were yet again astounding for a catcher. In his short career (1948-1957), Campanella batted .276 with 242 home runs and 856 runs batted in. Unfortunately in January of 1958, Campanella was involved in an automobile accident that would end up cutting his career short. The accident made Campanella paralyzed from the shoulders down, but eventually he began to use his arms and hands again. Even after his career, he was very involved with the Dodgers system. Sadly on June 26, 1993, Roy Campanella passed away at the age of 71. Campanella will always be remembered as one of the best catchers and heroes to ever break the color barrier in the game.

Munson's untimely death in 1979 left the Yankees in a funk.
Source: Bleacher Report

So, how does Jorge Posada compare to these all time greats? To be honest, he's a bit under the radar. Posada's career produced four World Series wins, five All Star trips and five Silver Slugger Awards. His tenure with the Yankees was something that not a lot of players have anymore, but something his fellow teammates in Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte all had. His stats were pretty above average for a catcher: a .273 batting average, 275 home runs and 1,065 runs batted in. So, with all of this information, do I think Posada is HOF material? Well yes, but there's something that holds me back from saying a complete yes. Until and if Thurman Munson is ever elected, will I say Posada should also be elected. Munson nearly tied Posada in a lot of categories, if not surpassed him, besides home runs. Munson also won AL MVP in 1976 and a was a multiple recipient of the Gold Glove Award, something Posada never achieved in 17 years, but Munson did in 10. If Munson's accident had never occured, I definitely think he would have been a first ballot inductee. However, it still surprises me to this day that he is not in the Hall of Fame. Yet again, I will say my decision. I do not believe Jorge Posada should be inducted into the Hall of Fame until Thurman Munson is. If Munson never is, then Posada should not be. I am not trying to be harsh or critical of Posada's career, but there are things Munson accomplished that not every player, let alone catchers, ever do. Maybe the voters at Cooperstown see this differently, and if they do, well then good for Jorge. I've always liked Posada and I've thought he was a great catcher, but to say he is Hall of Fame worthy is a bit out there.

Comeback Kid?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:54:00 +0000

Something I think not only most baseball fans asked, but Detroit Tigers fans asked was along the lines of the legitimacy of Doug Fister. Knowing his prior struggles with his former team, the Seattle Mariners, the Tigers were taking a gamble in Fister. A pitching rotation that had been completely centered around Justin Verlander needed a serious overhauling, and the latter half of the 2011 season definitely brought that. Fister put up some incredible numbers from August to the end of the season. So yet again, even though we only saw half a season from him, is Doug Fister for real?

Doug Fister may have solidified his job as a number
two man behind Justin Verlander.
Source: Corey Sipkin

I honestly would like to think so. Fister's record in Seattle is actually really unfair. A 12-30 record should not be the numbers that go with a 3.81 ERA. Maybe a 25-17 record, but definitely not his actual record. Hey, that's Seattle's offense for you. I would never categorize Fister as a bad pitcher and we all know win/loss records can be a bunch of bologna, right Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain? In his two and a half years in Seattle, Fister, next to Mariners' ace Felix Hernandez, was about the only bright spot in the rotation. Jason Vargas had not fared too well, Ryan Rowland-Smith imploded in 2010, Luke French had consistently struggled (though 2009 was a good year for him) and the former Mariner, Michael Pineda, didn't even come up until 2011. So really, Fister didn't get much credit and a lot of ignorance against him is pointed in that direction. "Well, he has 30 losses and only 12 wins, so he must be terrible". What an uneducated thing to say. Okay, so you're telling me that his record, that does not even coincide with his ERA, makes him terrible? Does that mean pitchers who 18-5 with an ERA over 4.10 are elite? Of course not. Until Fister was traded to Detroit, he never had fully received the credit he deserved.

Coming to Detroit must have been quite the breath of fresh air. In his ten starts with the Tigers in the latter half of 2011, he went 8-1 with an ERA of 1.79 and a WHIP of 0.839. That is beyond in incredible. Besides Justin Verlander, I don't think there was a better pitcher in the AL, if not the entirety of baseball from August to the very end of September than that of Fister. Looking at the playoffs, Fister went 2-1, with an ERA of 4.76. This was the first time Fister had ever pitched in the postseason, so I give credit where credit is due. Even after his rebound with Detroit, Fister's career numbers thus far are as follows: a 20-31 record, a 3.49 ERA, 275 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.175. Needless to say, if Fister has another season like 2011, his memories of being with Seattle are long gone.

Justin Verlander definitely has great company behind him
in the Tiger rotation.
Source: AP

So, going into 2012 where does that put him? The Tigers' rotation is already very good with four good starters: Verlander, Fister, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello. If Fister can really gain back the momentum of last season, he'll shine brightly this season. A lot of people will say it was a fluke, but I don't buy that. You don't become this consistently good just on a whim. Even before being in the Motor City, Fister didn't do bad in Seattle, his team just lacked in offensive support. There's absolutely no reason to discredit Fister. Sure, I'll assume he'll fly under the radar again with most of your analysts, but he's got something. Fister does feature five pitches: a two-seam fastball, a four-seam fastball, a slider, a changeup and a curveball. He's a very accurate pitcher and throws a lot of strikes, especially against right handed hitters. Not many pitchers can get away with what he does, so watching him pitch in 2012 is definitely going to be interesting. If 2011 was any indication of what 2012 may bring for Fister, I definitely think he's the greatest comeback kid in baseball in the past few years.

Arr. Sail ship ahead!

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:13:00 +0000

Does the addition of A.J. Burnett really make the Pirates automatic contenders? No. Does it finally give them that winning record that they haven't had since before 1992? Perhaps. That and other factors highly contribute to what may raise the hopes of the Pittsburgh Pirates this season.

Constantly having their hopes dashed every season has honestly had to have hit a nerve with the Pirates. Last year gave fans a very high hope that it could be the season to end the win-less streak, but however, the season went crashing down in flames. While many may point their fingers at the pitching, the offense was a tad more lax in their production. This off season may have changed things for good. The additions of A.J. Burnett, Casey McGehee, Rod Barajas, Clint Barmes and Erik Bedard may not get them to the World Series, but it is certainly a step in the right direction, especially after previous seasons.

How much of a factor will A.J. Burnett be in Pittsburgh?
Source: Bleeding Yankee Blue

Looking at the newly formed rotation, my best guess is it'll go like this:

1. A.J. Burnett
2. Erik Bedard
3. Charlie Morton
4. Jeff Karstens
5. James McDonald

I'm sure somewhere along the line Clint Hurdle might toy with the idea of putting Kevin Correia back in the mix, but for now, that's a rotation that could make some noise. Last year, the Pirates were 17th overall in ERA at 4.04, 27th in WHIP at 1.41 and 28th in opponent's batting average at .270. Obviously, there's much room for improvement, and maybe that starts this year. Last year with the Yankees, Burnett went 11-11, had a ERA of 5.15, a WHIP of 1.73 and 173 strikeouts. It's no big secret that Burnett struggled in New York, but what a lot of people fail to realize is Burnett has not always struggled this badly. In fact, his tenure with the Blue Jays proved to be the best. He went 38-26, had an ERA of 3.94 and struck out a total of 525 batters. Yes, his career with the Marlins was his longest at seven years, but if Burnett had pitched a season or two more with the Blue Jays, he would have obliterated his previous numbers. There's no doubting Burnett is a solid pitcher, but the aging process is kind to no one. At 35, Burnett more than likely only has three more good years left in his arm, but until then, I think he'll have a better career in Pittsburgh than he did in New York.

Looking at the rest of the Pirates' rotation, the main factor behind it last year proved to be Jeff Karstens. While he went 9-9 on the year, Karstens managed a fairly decent ERA at 3.38, mind you that's in 26 starts. He also threw one complete game shutout, which is a rarity. While I have Karstens as a four man, this could easily change in the season. I'm not going to say the Pirates have a clear cut ace, but in the next few years, with the potential Karstens has, he could be it. Charlie Morton also proved to be a rather decent piece of a confused Pirates' rotation in 2011. Morton went 10-10 in 2011 with a 3.83 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He, up until the Pirates' collapse, was the most consistent pitcher until Karstens' ERA started to lower. Morton has only three years experience and can certainly learn from his mistakes. While his ERA is that of a good pitcher, his record in 2011 should have been a little better, perhaps 13-7. The lack of offense can frustrate many pitchers, just ask Cliff Lee before his days as a part of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Is Jeff Karstens a future ace?
Source: Jeff Roberson - AP

The second half of the Pirates' rotation is one that I think has a lot of underrated potential. Really, before 2011, the name James McDonald wasn't too familiar with anyone, including Pirates' fans. Well, last season definitely cleared things up for McDonald. While last season wasn't McDonald's first in the majors, it was certainly credited as his first in which he stayed up in the MLB the entire time. He, like teammate Charlie Morton, went 9-9 on the year. McDonald managed a 4.21 ERA and struck out 142 batters. The most interesting thing about McDonald last season was that he pitched a total of 171 innings, only .2 behind Morton. For not really having much of a name for himself, McDonald ranked in the top 50 of all pitchers last season for innings pitched. Coming from the Pirates, that's pretty impressive. The other pitching addition the Pirates made was that of Erik Bedard. 2011 was such a wishy-washy year for Bedard as he pitched with two teams (Seattle and Boston) and really didn't produce for either one. When the Red Sox picked him up in July, they thought they would have a decent starter. Well, sometimes plans just don't go the way we want them to. In his eight starts with Boston, Bedard went 1-2 with an ERA of 4.08 and only had 38 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched. Pittsburgh is tremendously holding their breath with this signing, hoping that Bedard can show some productivity out of a speculated two man spot in the rotation. If this happens, great, if not, can't say we didn't see it coming. It's ironic though because during his career, Bedard really is not that bad of a pitcher: a 56-50 record, a 3.70 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP and 926 strikeouts. Not too shabby.

Neil Walker is a vastly underrated 2B.
Source: dbking

One major thing that the Pirates hope may be fixed is the offense. The trade of Jose Veras for Casey McGehee was practically a steal on the part of the Pirates because let's face it, Pedro Alvarez was not getting the job done at third. Yes, 2011 was not of McGehee's better career years, but he's a very productive third baseman. His overall numbers are really not that bad: a .265 batting average, a .320 OBP, 52 home runs and 242 RBIs. He's really only played three seasons (he only played 9 games in 2008) and I'm positive he'll still be a very solid option. The addition of shortstop Clint Barmes really just helps the Pirates' infield as defensively he only committed 12 errors last year and had a fielding percentage of .978%. His bat is really nothing extraordinary, but decent enough for a contact hitting shortstop. Neil Walker has been a tremendous force in the Pirates' lineup, ever since his first full year in 2010. He batted .273 last year with 83 RBIs and .334 OBP. On the defensive side of the ball, Walker is one of the most underrated second basemen. He only had six (yes that's right boys and girls), SIX errors last year with a fielding percentage of .992%. That was second overall in second basemen in the NL, right behind Orlando Hudson. Needless to say, Walker is a special talent.

First base is probably a big mystery as nobody really knows who is filling that void. Will the Pirates resign Derrek Lee? Will they look elsewhere? Nobody really can say for sure at this point. Behind the plate is the veteran catcher Rod Barajas. Barajas is a typical power hitting, low average, high OPS, high slugging percentage catcher. Oh, not to mention how good he is behind the plate. He only committed two errors last year. Basically, Barajas is the type of catcher any team would like, Pittsburgh being no exception. In the outfield, it'll more than likely be what it was last year, Andrew McCutchen in center, Garrett Jones in right and a combination of what I'd assume to be Jose Tabata and Nate McClouth in left. Overall, with the few additions the Pirates have made, it definitely boosts them way beyond Houston in the NL Central.

Clint Hurdle has a lot to work with this season.
Source - Matt Zabierek

Going into this season, manager Clint Hurdle has to be somewhat satisfied for what happened in the off season. There's hope here, a real chance to play above .500. It sounds sad, and well, most fans will say it is, but if the beginning of last season was any indication of the potential this team has, this season can show some true results. Sure, they didn't run out and sign the best guys (not as if they could really afford to) but they got the second best thing. Guys with experience who are pretty good players. It's exactly what Pittsburgh needed, that little extra boost. Who knows what'll happen. It can't be any worse than 2010's season, that's for sure.

How dangerous are the Rays?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:19:00 +0000

It seems being the bottom feeders of the AL East really hit a spark with the Rays in the past few seasons. No longer are they considered to be a joke. The Rays are for real and they aren't backing down.While the AL East is primarily dominated by either the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays have been making noise. That noise, to the displeasure of the two teams named before, just won't go away.

Jeremy Hellickson proved himself in 2011. Can he
do it again in 2012?

The 2011 season was no different in the eventual comeback for the Rays' franchise. In a season that started off with so many questions, mainly how would they rebound after losing their top six salaried players, the Rays made an impossible shot into the playoffs. In Tampa, pitching was the name of the game. Led by David Price, James Shields, and the rookie Jeremy Hellickson, the Rays' pitching was very solid. 8th overall in ERA, 3rd in quality starts, and 2nd in WHIP and Opponent's Batting Average, this is by no means a slack rotation. When other rookie Matt Moore was thrown into the mix, skipper Joe Maddon didn't know what to expect, nor did many Rays' fans, but what Moore had shown us is that he is definitely a young talent. Perhaps what was the biggest game of Moore's very young career so far was Game 1 ALDS win over the Texas Rangers. In that start, Moore went seven innings, struck out six, walked two and only allowed two hits. His teammate James Shields had an incredible season. Shields threw eleven complete games, four of those being shutouts. He also led the Rays in wins (16), strikeouts (220) and ERA (2.82). Rays' other rookie sensation Jeremy Hellickson definitely pulled his weight this season. Overall, Hellickson managed a 13-10 record, 117 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.95. An ERA below three is a very special goal for a pitcher to get, but for a rookie to get it? That says something huge. Oh, not to mention Hellickson also won Rookie of the Year for the AL. One of the biggest questions was who was going to replace Rafael Soriano in the closer role? Well, I think Kyle Farnsworth did a pretty good job, racking up 25 saves last season. Not only is the starting pitching solid, but with guys like J.P. Howell, Brandon Gomes, Joel Peralta and Cesar Ramos, the middle relief is just as good. Just my opinion, but going into this season, this is how I believe the Rays rotation will go: Shields, Hellickson, Price, Wade Davis, Moore. Look out New York and Boston.

The addition of Desmond Jennings really
replaces Carl Crawford's spot

On the opposite side of the ball, the offense was somewhat of a mystery. The loss of Carl Crawford really stymied the speed of the Rays, mainly leaving it up to B.J. Upton, but they would soon find out about the speed of Desmond Jennings. Though his debut was in September of 2010, Jennings really came up with the Rays on July 23 of 2011 and has not looked back since. When he came up to the majors, Jennings absolutely started crushing the ball and ended up stealing a total of 20 bases. As he began to cool down a little, the Rays had definitely found a solid replacement for Crawford. In left field was the virtually unknown Sam Fuld. During his tenure with the Cubs, Fuld was mostly in the minors. Even when he was up in the majors, he was mainly a defensive backup. Now with the Rays, Joe Maddon sees Fuld as a everyday guy, and he definitely flourishes in that role. Right field produced the heavy hitting Matt Joyce, who was even an All-Star in 2011. In the infield, the Rays and Carlos Pena are now together again, Ben Zobrist is tearing it up at second, the combination of Sean Rodriguez and Reid Brignac isn't too shabby, Evan Longoria will always be an effective third basemen and behind the plate, the duo of Jose Molina and Robinson Chirinos is a power house. The Rays obviously have some more offensive work to do, as they ranked 25th overall batting average at .244. The question of who will be the DH is still up in the air. If they can rebound a little stronger with the bats, it'll be hard to see them lose a lot of games.

In reality, I honestly think within the next three years, the Rays will win the AL East. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind. The pitching is tremendous, the offensive is improving, but decent and Joe Maddon just knows how to manage a team, I mean he didn't win Manager of the Year for nothing. The way the Rays got into the postseason last year was just incredible. You talk about a team that never says die, the Tampa Bay Rays are it. Mark my words, the Rays are a very serious threat not only inside their division, but in the AL and perhaps the rest of baseball.

Fitting Prince into Detroit

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:13:00 +0000

Wow. That's pretty much all I can say at this point. While I speculated that Prince Fielder would more than likely end up with a different team, I would have never suspected the Detroit Tigers. I really thought the Rangers would be Fielder's top suitor, next to the Cubs. However, I was wrong. I think this move surprised everyone.

Fielder signed a 9 year contract worth $214 million.

Now that Fielder is in Detroit, this obviously means Miguel Cabrera is not going to play first anymore. Cabrera has said that he will switch over to third base, much like Hanley Ramirez did for Jose Reyes in Miami, but come on, how long will that last? While the transition worked in Boston between Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Gonzalez, I just don't know if it can happen in the Motor City. While Prince is a rather large man, he is also very athletic. Cabrera is also in the same boat as Fielder, so can he truly play third? There's a bit of a corner difference between the two. Most hitters who try to sac bunt usually end up bunting toward the third base side. Not to say Cabrera can't get there in time, but when Brandon Inge played third consistently, it would be an assured out. If this move was just to replace the injured Victor Martinez, it definitely was not a smart move by the Tigers' management. The Tigers offense isn't really lacking, so to wrap up an investment in Fielder is something I just don't get. Not to mention the fact that Cabrera has out hit (not counting home runs) Fielder during both of their careers, so shouldn't Prince make the adjustment? I can see Cabrera playing third for about a week before something is said. At that point, do you really make Cabrera or Fielder (who both have really good gloves) a part-time DH? What happens in 2013 when Victor comes back? What if Jim Leyland decides to split up time between Alex Avila and Gerald Laird behind the plate? One will be the DH for sure. There are a lot of options to choose from now in Detroit, but too much talent to simply bench.

How will Miguel Cabrera fare at third base?

The question still stands, what do you do with all these players? Okay so, Cabrera is at third, where does that put Inge? The outfield is full with the combinations of Austin Jackson, Delmon Young, Ryan Raburn, Brennan Boesch and Don Kelly. Shortstop is occupied by Jhonny Peralta. Unless Inge splits time at second with Ramon Santiago, he's either benched or the DH. Like I mentioned, what happens next year when Victor is back? I don't see Detroit just flat out getting rid of guys like Inge or Santiago, but at the same time, someone is going to be losing their position. It's an interesting twist to things with Fielder in the mix, but I don't think Detroit's lineup will suffer at all. Comparing their 2011 numbers, Cabrera hit .344, 30 HRs, and 107 RBIs. Not too shabby of a year, but Fielder hit .299, knocked the ball out of the ballpark 38 times and drove in 120 runs. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself. That said, I really can't see moving the face of your franchise (obviously next to Justin Verlander) for the new guy. It didn't fly in New York when Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter teamed up, I don't know if it'll happen here.

At this point, all I can really do is speculate as to what the Tigers' lineup will be. If I had to take a guess, it'd go something like this:

1. A. Jackson - CF
2. R. Raburn - RF
3. M. Cabrera - 3B
4. P. Fielder - 1B
5. D. Young - LF
6. J. Peralta - SS
7. A. Avila - C
8. B. Inge - DH
9. R. Santiago - 2B

I'm not setting that in stone, but really, it's more or less the same line up, just replace Victor with Prince. The Tigers proved in 2011 that their pitching could get the job done. The offense isn't struggling either, and the addition of Fielder adds a lot. Not saying they won't be a threat in 2012, but I think taking V-Mart out of the lineup is a little disheartening. They'll contend in 2012 no doubt, but look for the Tigers in 2013 to start making some serious noise.

The Rangers and Yu

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:19:00 +0000

Boy, this deal sure took its sweet time didn't it?

Darvish signed a 6 year, $60M deal with the Rangers
on Wednesday.

Now that the Texas Rangers have successfully made a deal with Yu Darvish, what's next? Reconstruction of the rotation? Perhaps so. Looking at what the rotation was when C.J. Wilson was still there, I don't expect it to change much at all. Alexi Ogando himself has said he will go back to the bullpen in favor of the Rangers' decision to get Darvish. Okay, so that makes things a little simpler. Darvish will obviously be the number one in the rotation, more than likely followed by Derek Holland. After that, this rotation can go many ways. Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz can really be assorted in any order, but I'd think more or less, Feliz will be the fifth as he will be new to the starting role.

In the long run, what does this do for Texas? Getting Darvish was by no means easy. In 2006, the Red Sox paid the most money to a foreign player, just to negoitate at $51.1M with Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Rangers paid $51.7 just to talk to Darvish, setting a new record. Darvish can pitch, and pitch well. However that was in Japan, which is not only an entirely different league, but it's on the opposite side of the world from America. There are a lot of factors and risks that go into having Darvish. First off, how will he fare with the power hitters of Robinson Cano, Adrian Gonzalez and Joe Mauer? Typically, most Japanese hitters hit mainly for contact and not power, though there are exception, see Hideki Matsui. The MLB is an entirely different animal for Darvish to tackle, and I'm not saying he can't do it, but it's a lot different from what he's used to. Second of all, he has to get used to the culture and society of America. I mean, he signed a six-year deal, that's quite a long time. I mean sure, he'll go home to Japan in the off season, but adapting to a different country is also a factor. Lastly, he has to readjust his pitches. The baseball used in the Japanese professional leagues is actually smaller than the baseballs used in America. Not saying it's going to be that drastic of a change, but the grip of his pitches may change a little bit.

I say this because mainly, these were questions the Rangers faced. GM Jon Daniels and CEO Nolan Ryan knew the risks of signing a Japanese pitcher, as most have not fared well over here. However, I think Darvish will be different. He's the equivalent to a Randy Johnson or Cy Young in the Japanese league, so some of that talent has to rub off here. I don't expect him to put up an ERA below 2.5 or even 3 his first year but perhaps a winning record. He may take some time to adjust, but then again, maybe this won't even affect him. Time will tell how Darvish will do .

What's left of the free agency market?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:46:00 +0000

As the signings of Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Aramis Ramirez and Jose Reyes took place, players such as Prince Fielder, Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt are still looking for work. Obviously, when the season rolls around in less than three months, they all will be with a team. However, will most of them be resigned by the same team or do other teams lurk in the shadows?

Not only was Fielder an All-Star in 2011,
he was the All-Star game MVP.

In the case of Prince Fielder, he was the number one ranked free agent after the 2011 season. The 2011 season was a pretty big season for the Milwaukee Brewers and Prince Fielder contributed to that quite a bit. A power hitting first baseman is what every team wants. Honestly, it'd be pretty foolish of Milwaukee not to resign Fielder. With the uncertainty of Ryan Braun's 2012 season start, the offense will have a dent in it. The bat of Casey McGehee is gone, so the power is mainly in Corey Hart and Jonathan Lucroy. The speed of Nyjer Morgan and Rickie Weeks helps as well. That said, the bat of Fielder is something the Brewers desperately need to keep. Fielder had a very good season in 2011. He batted .299, had 38 home runs (second in the NL) and even had his first 3 home run game. He came in third in the voting for NL MVP (behind teammate Ryan Braun and Dodgers' OF Matt Kemp). Throughout his career, Fielder has put up some pretty impressive numbers, accruing a .282 overall batting average, 230 home runs, 656 RBIs, and is four hits shy of 1,000. Fielder is also a three-time All-Star (2007, 2009, 2011), a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2007, 2011) and is part of the 50 home run club, as he hit 50 home runs back in 2007. There have been a few teams that have shown potential interest in Fielder. The Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs were closely tied with Fielder's name, but even the Texas Rangers have been linked to rumors about wanting to get him. Fielder though, is a type of player that is a crucial piece to a team, and to see him leave the Brewers would be a shame.

In his no-hitter, Jackson walked eight batters and
threw a total of 149 pitches.

C.J. Wilson was the biggest free agent pitcher this off season, but questions arose after he was signed by the Angels. Who was the next best? Why, former Cardinals' pitcher Edwin Jackson of course. Edwin Jackson has pitched for a multitude of teams (Dodgers, Rays, Tigers, Diamondbacks, White Sox and the Cardinals) throughout his young career, as he is only 28. While his overall record will indicate that he is only an average pitcher, Jackson has had success in his past two years. He was an All-Star in 2009. On June 25, 2010, as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jackson threw a no-hitter against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2011, as a member of the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, Jackson posted some pretty decent numbers. He was 12-9 overall with an ERA of 3.78 and 148 strikeouts. In a Cardinals' rotation without Adam Wainwright, a struggling Chris Carpenter, and the rebounds of Jaime Garcia and Kyle Lohse, Jackson fit in perfectly. Jackson has a variety of pitches, a fastball, a curveball, a slider and a changeup. In his career, Jackson has been noticed mainly as a fastball/slider pitcher and has an usual twist to his pitching method; he makes most opposite handed batters get out. Whatever method Jackson actually uses is a unique style of pitching and has definitely helped him in the past few years. Not too many teams have been biting on Jackson's name this off season, but the New York Yankees have reportedly shown interest.

Oswalt had a nine year tenure with the Astros. It lasted
from 2001 to 2010.

The Phillies had one of the most lethal rotations in all of baseball. Yes, Roy Halladay was a huge factor to that, but so was former Phillies' pitcher Roy Oswalt. When Oswalt came over in 2010 from a trade that sent J.A. Happ to the Houston Astros, the Phillies were pretty much analyzed as having the best pitching rotation in all of baseball. Now that Oswalt is gone, the Phillies can still rebound with pitchers like Vance Worley and Kyle Kendrick, but another team can benefit by picking up Oswalt. While he hasn't been one of the bigger name pitchers in baseball, Oswalt has some very impressive numbers in his career. At 34, he shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. His overall win-loss record is 157-91. His ERA is 3.21 and he has a total of 1,724 strikeouts (and I'm pretty confident he'll reach 2,000). He's been an All-Star three times (2005-2007) and won NLCS MVP in 2005. Even though 2011 was somewhat injury plagued, Oswalt still managed a 9-10 record (which sounds a lot worse than it is), a 3.67 ERA and 93 strikeouts. What's interesting about his 2011 season is that before and after his injury, Oswalt never faded. He stayed very consistent, around a 3.50 ERA and still gave the Phillies quality starts. Teams that need pitching help are obviously interested in a name like Roy Oswalt, but just who will get him is the mystery.

There are quite a few other free agents looking for a club. Guys like Carlos Pena, Javier Vazquez, Johnny Damon and Kelly Johnson are still out there. Time isn't necessarily running out for the teams, but if they want talent, they better snatch it up fast before it's all gone.

Switching up teams.

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:41:00 +0000

Now obviously, the title can be a bit misleading, but I assure you, I do not mean it to be. There are two specific teams that have had a serious overhauling, one for the good, and one for the bad. The former Florida, but now Miami Marlins have not only cleaned house with the manager, but also made quite a few player tweaks as well. The Oakland Athletics on the other hand have literally fallen apart. Will both teams rise, fall, or something else?

Ozzie Guillen managed the White Sox
for seven years (2004-2011).

Looking at the Miami Marlins, the biggest change is that of the new manager, Ozzie Guillen. His former team, the Chicago White Sox had done fairly well during his tenure in Chicago. They won a World Series in 2005 and did fairly well when Guillen was the manager there. In Miami, he leads a ball club full of young talent and a few superstars. Placing guys like Mike Stanton, Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes in a line up has to make him grin. Pitching wise, the Marlins just got Carlos Zambrano from the Cubs in a trade that saw Chris Volstad's departure from Miami. Mark Buerhle followed Guillen from Chicago to Miami and pitchers Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez are very good in that rotation. Offensively, Jose Reyes adds quite a bit to an already good infield. Gaby Sanchez is a good power hitting first baseman, and at the age of 28, he definitely can do nothing but improve. Second base is usually played by Omar Infante or Emilio Bonfacio, but even still, the Marlins are very versatile with infield utility players. The outfield is also really solid. Lead by Mike Stanton, the Marlins' outfield also consists of Chris Coghlan and Logan Morrison. Oh, not to mention the signing of former Padres' closer Heath Bell. 2012 looks to be a very promising year in Miami.

Brandon McCarthy will more than likely
be the number one man in the A's rotation.

On the flipside (not to mention the entire other side of the country and a completely different league) the Oakland Athletics are literally grasping straws to see what is next. The trades of pitchers Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez did not appease many A's fans, and to add insult to injury, Andrew Bailey went to the Red Sox and Rich Harden is a free agent. Offensively, it doesn't get any easier. The free agents used to literally line out the door but Josh Willingam (who went to the Twins) and David DeJesus (who went to the Cubs) are no longer factors. The A's did manage to resign Coco Crisp, but have not offered a contract to Hideki Matsui. The pitching will rest on the shoulders of Brandon McCarthy and Dallas Braden, both who really are average pitchers that really rebounded off of Cahill and Gonzalez. The A's are gasping for air and are shooting themselves in the foot by getting rid of the players their need. 2011 was not a pretty year for their offense as Josh Willingham lead in every A's category, except batting average (that was held by Cliff Pennington at .264). Already being in a tough division does not help the A's chances, especially now that the Angels have recently signed C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols and that Rangers are on the verge of trying to form a contract with Japanese pitching star Yu Darvish. 2012 will be a mystery season in Oakland.

The Eventual Shift

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:12:00 +0000

Nolan Ryan has been a very vocal supporter of
the MLB's shift to make the Astros an AL team.

As we all found out just a month or two ago, in 2013, Major League Baseball plans to move the Houston Astros to the AL West. Personally, I think the idea of making the AL/NL equal is brilliant, except, I don't think it should be the Astros. Honestly, I think a team like the Colorado Rockies not only fit the playing style of the AL West, but geographically are the best suited. The Astros for the past few years have been nothing short of terrible. Is it management's fault? Are the players to blame? Losing players like Jeff Keppinger, Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn all in the past year have not helped, but what about the younger talent? The pitching is far from good, but it's certainly not the worst. Starters Wandy Rodriguez and Bud Norris had a pretty decent season, but with no offensive support. Texas Rangers' GM and former player Nolan Ryan has applauded the idea of bringing Houston into the AL West, making the Rangers not only a state rival, but a divisional rival now. Ryan pitched for both teams so he is fully on board with the idea.

Obviously 2011 did not bring about the best in the Astros. A 56-106 record, alongside being dead last in not only the NL Central, but the entirety of baseball yet again. Statistically, the pitching was a nightmare. They were 28th out of 30 teams in ERA at 4.51. The opponent's batting average was .266. The offense was not any better. Perhaps what should be done is to put Houston in a division where they can start to have a fighting chance. I say that they should be switched to the NL West and the Colorado Rockies should be switched to the AL West. Not only does this make sense in terms of baseball statistics, it also makes sense geographically. In the NL West, there are already three California teams (Giants, Dodgers, Padres) and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rockies fit more into the AL West because that division stretches from Texas to California to Washington state.

Troy Tulowitzki has established
himself as one of the best power-hitting
shortstops in the game today.

Matching up the Rockies in the AL West makes so much more sense. They have a decent offense with some struggling pitching, but could complete well against Seattle and Oakland. Topping off the Angels' power pitching and the Rangers' explosive offense is a bit more challenging. Some offensive numbers were put up by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, first baseman veteran Todd Helton, and outfielders Dexter Fowler and Seth Smith. Pitching wise the Rockies have room for reconstruction. Starter Jorge De La Rosa was having a tremendous year before his arm injury. De La Rosa posted a 3.51 ERA, 52 K's, and a 5-2 record before his injury. Behind him in the rotation, the Rockies laid their hopes upon Jhoulys Chacin and Jason Hammel. Losing Ubaldo Jimenez did give way to the Indians' top pitching prospect in Alex White. Honestly though, the Rockies could compete in the AL West.

The Astros fitting in the NL West is also a very good idea. The Padres have collapsed, the Dodgers are unable to make progress (not counting Clayton Kershaw), the Giants are still on a manhunt for their offense, and the Diamondbacks pose the only real threat. The Astros have lost a lot of young talent, but in rookies like Jimmy Paredes, Jordan Schafer, Brian Bogusevic and Jose Altuve, there is some hope. Even in veteran players like Carlos Lee and Humberto Quintero can help. Even the GM, Jeff Luhnow, is new to the Astros' environment. Perhaps there could be a turn around in Houston. All in all, the decisions have been made and the Houston Astros will become apart of the AL West in 2013.

The Elite Pitchers?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:25:00 +0000

Okay, I admit, it's 3:34 a.m. and I'm just bored. I needed something to talk about, so why not the elite pitchers in baseball. Of course, everyone has their own interpretations of the meaning elite, but still, I think there are a few universal pitchers we can agree on.

Justin Verlander has always been one of the most
underrated pitchers in baseball. In 2011, he made a statement.

First off, let's start with 2011 AL Cy Young/AL MVP winner Justin Verlander. In 2007, Verlander threw his first no-hitter. In 2011, he threw his second. Since his debut in 2005, Verlander has been the caliber pitcher that every manager wants to pitch, that every fan wants to see when they go to the ballpark. 2011 was hands down his best year thus far. Verlander had a dominating record of 24-5, alongside a 2.40 ERA and 250 K's. What's incredible is his WHIP was 0.92. At the age of 28, Verlander still has a lot of years left in his arm. His overall record is 107-57, with an ERA of 3.54. Honestly, Verlander is going to be a hall of famer. The last pitcher to ever win MVP was Dennis Eckersley back in 1992. He's a four time All-Star, won Rookie of the Year in 2006, has pitched two no-hitters, won a Cy Young, won MVP, what else do you really need? Perhaps a World Series ring, but there are plenty of players who are in the Hall without one. Going into 2012, Verlander has support not only from the offense, but by his fellow starters: Doug Fister, Max Scherzer and the young Rick Porcello. Tigers' manager Jim Leyland highly respects Verlander's work, and even goes on to say that he is a special talent. Needless to say, Justin Verlander is definitely an example of elite.

Clayton Kershaw is easily one of the best, young pitchers
in the game at the age of 23.

On the other side of things, let's talk about 2011 NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. In a season where not much was going right in LA, from the battle of ownership thanks to Frank McCourt (of course this is sarcasm and this legal battle is still happening), to who was even going to play for the Dodgers, Kershaw helped his team shine. Kershaw has some of the nastiest pitches in the game right now, from his 12-6 curveball, to his devastating circle change-up, he has an arsenal of pitches. 2011 proved to be another great year for Kershaw, as he posted a 21-5 record with a 2.28 ERA and 248 K's. The only other pitcher who was close in wins with him was the Arizona Diamondbacks' Ian Kennedy who also had 21 wins. Regardless, Kershaw is a talent and at such a young age. In his match ups against the division rival San Francisco Giants' ace Tim Lincecum, Kershaw completely dazzled the Giants and beat Lincecum all the times he faced him this year. Game in, game out, Kershaw seems to go the distance as he did pitch five complete games in 2011, two of those being shut outs. 2011 is a stepping stone in a very promising career for Clayton Kershaw.

Tim Lincecum has won the NL Cy Young twice (2008, 2009).

Speaking of Kershaw's rival, Tim Lincecum is also one of the better pitchers in the game today. When Lincecum came up in 2007, nobody expected him to be the type of pitcher he is today. At such a lanky build, 5'11", 165 lbs, Lincecum has used it to his advantage. I can't say myself that I've ever seen such an extravagant wind up than that of Lincecum's. That said, Lincecum has become one of the more dominant and talked about pitchers in the MLB. When he came up, the Giants needless to say, were not very good. After coming out of the shadow of the whole Barry Bonds' case, the Giants were temporarily a tainted team. Lincecum helped change that by giving Giants fans a 2008 and 2009 to remember, at least pitching wise. Lincecum was a crucial factor in the Giants' 2010 World Series win. 2011 however was an unfair year to Lincecum. He was 13-14 on the year, but with a 2.74 ERA, something doesn't add up. Oh, that's right, the Giants offense. Tim Lincecum has his starts that are pretty good, then he has starts that are even better. At the age of 27, Lincecum has already won the NL Cy Young twice and has had four seasons with 200 or more strikeouts. Going into 2012, Tim Lincecum will continue to be the dominant pitcher he is.

Typically, being the ace of the New York Yankees is not easy,
but CC Sabathia makes it look effortless.

In Cleveland, there have been many big names to come and go throughout the years. In the past few years, Clevelanders are still highly bitter about LeBron James, but really, they've let much better talent slip away. When CC Sabathia debuted in the MLB in 2001, the Indians would be opened up to the talented pitcher they had. In 2003, Sabathia became an All-Star, an achievement he has accomplished five times in his career. In 2007, Sabathia won the AL Cy Young. Sabathia has earned the nickname of being a work horse in the MLB, and well, that's because he is. Typically, a game started by Sabathia, is typically finished by Sabathia, not the bullpen. Not many pitchers can attribute to that, but Sabathia can. After leaving Cleveland, Sabathia would go on to a short stint with the Milwaukee Brewers before ultimately landing with his current team, the New York Yankees. 2009 brought about not only another World Series championship for the franchise, but Sabathia's first. His overall record is 176-96 with a 3.51 ERA and 2,017 strikeouts. 2011 was a typical CC year (that is not a bad thing at all) as he had 19-8 record, an ERA of 3 and 230 K's. 2012 will be another great year for the work horse of the Yankees.

Roy Halladay is a two time Cy Young winner, but for
both leagues (AL in 2003, NL in 2010).

Lastly (oh I know, there a ton more to talk about but I'm tired), the Philadelphia Phillies' ace Roy Halladay needs to be mentioned. Much like with Justin Verlander, teammates of Roy Halladay have to wonder if his next start is going to be no-hitter or a perfect game. Halladay has always been a very dominant pitcher, even in his days with the Toronto Blue Jays, he nullified the opposition's offense. On May 29, 2010, just weeks after Oakland A's Dallas Braden's perfect game, Halladay threw one himself against the Florida Marlins. The constant start after start dominance that Halladay has is truly unbelievable. 2011 was just another example of how truly good Halladay really is. In 2011, Halladay had a 19-6 record, with a 2.35 ERA, and 220 K's. Like every year, Halladay was in talks for the NL Cy Young, but fell just short in 2011. In the Phillies' rotation, aside from Halladay, there's amazing pitching in Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, heck, even the young Vance Worley did very well in 2011. In 2012, the story will be the same. Halladay will continue to befuddle hitters and help his Phillies try and get to the World Series yet again.

Now I know, I didn't talk about EVERY elite pitcher, but in my opinion, these are my top five. Yes, I would've included Verlander and Kershaw even if they didn't win their respected Cy Young awards. Others I could've talked about would be: Felix Hernandez, Josh Beckett, Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Tim Hudson, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright (yes, I still count him) and Matt Cain. All of these pitchers in my opinion, are the definition of what it takes to be a true elite pitcher start after start. There are other young talents such as Stephen Strasburg, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova, who in time will become very great pitchers. Overall, the amount of talent of the pitchers in the MLB is immense and will only expand. Now, it is 4:25 a.m. and it has taken me awhile to write this. Perhaps I should get some sleep.

MLB Recap Episode 37: San Francisco Giants

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:04:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia700801.us.archive.org/27/items/MlbRecap37/dec19giants_0001.wav

Discussion on the San Francisco Giants' 2011 season.

MLB Recap Episode 36: San Diego Padres

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:39:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia600809.us.archive.org/5/items/MlbRecap36/dec16padres.wav

Discussion on the San Diego Padres' 2011 season.

MLB Recap Episode 35: Los Angeles Dodgers

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:26:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia600805.us.archive.org/23/items/MlbRecap35/dec15dodgers_0001.wav

Discussion on the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2011 season.

MLB Recap Episode 34: Colorado Rockies

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:11:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia700804.us.archive.org/7/items/MlbRecap34/dec14rockies_0001.wav

Discussion on the Colorado Rockies' 2011 season.

MLB Recap Episode 33: Arizona Diamondbacks

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia700800.us.archive.org/30/items/MlbRecap33/dec13dbacks_0001.wav

Discussion on the Arizona Diamondbacks' 2011 season.

MLB Recap Episode 32: St. Louis Cardinals

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:54:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia600800.us.archive.org/32/items/MlbRecap32/dec12cards_0001.wav

Discussion on the St. Louis Cardinals' 2011 season.

So where does the MLB go from here?

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:42:00 +0000

As I was browsing the internet last night, as I typically do, I came across ESPN's front page around 8:30. Just wanted to see who was winning in college basketball. See, I'm a Tar Heels fan (born and raised for two years, if that counts, in Raleigh) so I wanted to see if they were winning. However, the box scores were far from what caught my eye. As I looked at the center of the page, I saw BREAKING NEWS, followed by the caption "Ryan Braun tests positive for PEDs". My jaw literally dropped. I couldn't believe it. I thought that surely there was some kind of mistake or perhaps it was only the result of one test. I was wrong. Braun tested positive on TWO tests. In a statement by Bud Selig in 2009, he said that baseball had one of the most thorough testers of performance enhancing drugs and every player from Ryan Howard to Ryan Braun was clean. Guess not Bud.

Braun hit for .332 average, 33 HRs, 111 RBI, and was
an All-Star in 2011.

So my question is, where does the MLB go from here? Braun was this year's NL recipient of the NL MVP. What baffles is me that Major League Baseball knew that Braun tested positive a month before hand. Dodgers' outfielder Matt Kemp was very close behind Braun in the voting for NL MVP, and some people say he was cheated, especially now. I'm not here to say Kemp was cheated, but baseball itself was again. Even now, I still read about how Barry Bonds may face up to fifteen months in prison for obstruction of justice in his case. While there is no hard evidence at the moment, most fans are pretty confident in saying that Bonds did steroids. He however is not the only one in hot water. Former All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens is in the same boat as Bonds. I'll give Mark McGwire credit in admitting he did steroids, alongside Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, and Andy Pettitte. However, if Braun continues to deny that he had no idea that he was injected, it'll only ruin his reputation further. I try to not be biased in my recaps and blogs and I will admit, Ryan Braun was one of my favorite players. He was a quiet, well respected, power hitter who just did his job. You never heard his name in the news for drunk driving or whatever it may be. He helped led a good Milwaukee team this year to the NLCS. Braun even ended up winning the 2011 NL MVP. Now, what does Braun face; a fifty game suspension. It's only fair.

My second question, is where do the Brewers go from here? If they don't keep Prince Fielder, then for the first two months of the 2012 season, not only is Fielder gone, but so is Braun. That is a huge dent in the Brewers' offense. That said, it is possible to rebound. If Braun's appeal fails, which no appeal has ever been over turned, not only will Brewers' fans be shocked, but baseball in its entirely will. This is a man who the commissioner himself deemed one of the best, young, true players of the game. I wonder who else is hiding behind the curtains. On second, I don't want to know. It'll only cause more irreparable damage.

The Free Agent Market: Post Pujols/Wilson

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:39:00 +0000

Here again come the Angels.

When the Angels signed Dan Haren in 2010, nobody saw it coming. This time around, it was kind of expected, but still a rather large catch, no pun intended. For the past two weeks, it had been well known that the Angels were highly interested in free agent pitcher CJ Wilson. Texas obviously made a big stab to get their lefty back from free agency, were unsuccessful. So, where does this leave Texas? With no clear closer in sight, perhaps the talk

Wilson posted a 2.94 ERA in 2011, alongside a 16-7 record
with 206 strikeouts.

of making Neftali Feliz a starter becomes an even higher possibility. Rangers' skipper Ron Washington had not ruled out the possibility, but without Wilson, the title of ace may go to Derek Holland. Holland had a pretty decent year this year and with Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison, and Alexi Ogando behind him, the Rangers pitching is still nothing to shrug at. The Angels however, rival to the AL West Rangers, have increased their very good pitching rotation, to a practical World Series caliber rotation. Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Ervin Santana and now CJ Wilson. Yikes. I think all the talk of when Philly was the big shot team with Halladay, Hamels, Lee and Oswalt has shifted to LA. Providing the Angels can wake the bats up, they
could be a serious threat, not only to the AL West, but to the rest of the AL in general.

Pujols has been one of the greatest hitters in the MLB
ever since he started in 2001.

Not only is CJ Wilson now an Angel, but his opponent from the World Series, Albert Pujols joins him. Pujols signed one of the biggest deals in baseball history, a ten-year, $254 million contract. Now with Pujols in the Angels, it's more or less a guessing game of what happens with guys like Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales. While the Angels have said Trumbo will more than likely play third base, then where does Morales go? With Erick Aybar at short stop and Howie Kendrick at second, the Angels just created more breathing room for utility guys. My guess is that Morales will do the DH work and guys like Maicer Izturis and Alberto Callaspo will just be backups or utility guys that can switch off with the starters. Needless to say though, the Angels have a serious offense. Pujols, Kendrick, Aybar, Hunter, alongside the newly acquired Chris Ianetta and rookies Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, they could do some serious damage.

Teams such as the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins
still express an interest in Fielder.

Now, where does that leave the free agent market? Clearly the top two players in each category, offense and pitching, are taken. Mark Buerhle and Jose Reyes went to the Marlins. As for pitchers, the top few that remain would be Edwin Jackson, Javier Vasquez and Hiroki Kuroda. As I mentioned in my previous blog, the Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish has declared his interest in coming over to the MLB. Offensively, Prince Fielder becomes the big name. Regardless of how many teams post an interest in Fielder, I think he'll stay with Milwaukee. Why not? You have solid hitters with him in that lineup with a very decent pitching staff. Unless, it's for money, I don't see Fielder leaving the Brewers. There's also the issue of the Giants and Carlos Beltran. The Giants did get Beltran's former teammate in Angel Pagan in a trade, but will that be enough for Beltran to stay? There's no doubt Beltran has a good pitching staff in San Francisco, but offensively the Giants struggle and maybe Beltran and Pagan can be the two to turn it around. Jimmy Rollins is also a big question. The Mets need a shortstop after Reyes' departure, but then again so do the Braves. Needless to say, the free agency market is still very full and interesting.

MLB Recap Episode 31: Pittsburgh Pirates

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:08:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia700805.us.archive.org/32/items/MlbRecap31/dec9pirates_0001.wav

Discussion on the Pittsburgh Pirates' 2011 season.

MLB Recap Episode 30: Milwaukee Brewers

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:59:00 +0000

Podcast: http://ia700807.us.archive.org/13/items/MlbRecap30/dec8brewers.wav

Discussion on the Milwaukee Brewers' 2011 season.

Yu Darvish and the MLB

noreply@blogger.com (ThatOneMLBGuy) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:41:00 +0000

Darvish has been one of the best pitchers
in the Japanese Baseball League.

By now, the half-Japanese, half-Iranian phenom pitcher known as Yu Darvish is no surprise to the world. Ever since his Japanese professional debut in 2005 with the Nippon Ham Fighters, Darvish has been nothing short of spectacular. The most impressive thing about Darvish is that he started pitching professionally at the age of 18. Since then, Darvish has put up some pretty unbelievable numbers, such as a 93-38 record, 1.99 ERA, alongside 1,259 strikeouts. He has won the Pacific League MVP twice (2007, 2009) not to mention a whole bunch of other awards. Needless to say, I think Darvish can live up to the expectations if he fully decides on coming to the MLB. However, Darvish will not come cheap. Initial reports indicated that he could cost around $100M, not a price many teams are willing to pay. Of course, the front runners already would be the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Mets and so on.

Let's say for the sake of argument, Darvish goes to the American League. Now, which teams are willing to pay for him? Yankees' GM Brian Cashman had announced that besides marketing AJ Burnett, that they have no interest in shopping for the biggest name players anymore, including Darvish. Cashman stressed that the main point of his announcement was to pave the way for minor league players inside the system. Okay so, the Yankees are temporarily out, what about Boston? The Red Sox know Dice-K had been one of the best pitchers in Japan, but with his struggles in America and his arm problems, does Darvish look like the player they could focus on? Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine had spoken very highly of Darvish, saying that he is one of the greatest pitchers he's ever seen play, and that's comparing him to guys like Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. How about Texas? Is Nolan Ryan willing to take a stab at the Darvish auction? With CJ Wilson nearly gone from the Rangers, his starting core will be center around a young Derek Holland and Colby Lewis. Not to discredit the Rangers pitchers, but having Wilson in the rotation solidified it.
Are there any potential sleeper teams? The Blue Jays come to mind, at least for me. Ever since the departure of Roy Halladay, Ricky Romero has had to step up, and quite frankly, has done just that. Alongside Brandon Morrow and the rookie (well not really anymore) Kyle Drabek, Darvish could fit very nicely into the Blue Jays rotation. How about the Angels? Though they are in a bidding war currently with the Cubs and Cardinals for Albert Pujols, why wouldn't they consider Darvish? Already having Weaver, Haren and Santana is deadly enough, but adding a fourth powerful force into that could be a one, two knockout punch in the AL West. Providing the Angels can get the bats on the right track, they could be one of the most dangerous teams in baseball.

Regardless, Yu Darvish is something special. He's an absolute talent in the Japanese league and only we can speculate how he could do over here. Though many Japanese players have not fared well here, I believe Darvish can overcome that. He's in his prime, throwing with a nasty slider and an un-hittable fastball. Darvish and the MLB in 2012? You betcha.