MLBDirt.com’s Baseball Notes for April 29, 2013

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Andrew Martin

Anibal

The length of a baseball team’s disabled list can have such a strong impact on the outcome of their season. Injuries not only deprive teams of talented players, but alter the chemistry that was so carefully constructed during the offseason and spring training.

The ability of backup players, minor league prospects and the length of time needed for the injured to come back healthy can all determine whether or not a season will be derailed. Just a month into the 2013 season, a number of major league teams have felt the pinch of losing players to the DL. The scrambling has already begun for some to overcome a fractured roster. (more…)

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AL East Players To Watch

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Daniel Marino

WMyers

Dan Marino is trekking through each division in the major leagues and giving you one player he thinks is the: Rookie to Watch, Breakthrough Player, The Party’s Over, Non-Roster Invitee Most Likely to Stick, and Just Not Seeing it.

In part one of six he brings you the American League East:

(more…)

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Who Exactly Has The Last Laugh?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Daniel Marino

Bonds

I’ll make this one short and sweet:  Steroid and PED users are disgraced.  It appears that most, if not all, of the users will never be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  So, how much was it worth to those players?  Was it worth throwing your reputations away?  What is your integrity worth?  Well now, let’s see: (more…)

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Baseball Notes for December 10, 2012

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Andrew Martin

ZGreinke

If you happen to follow many baseball writers on Twitter, chances are your timeline was blowing up this past week. With MLB’s winter meetings taking place in Nashville, Tennessee, there was a lot of activity, as more free agents were taken off the market. Heck, there was even some trading going on. It was all part of the dance as we get closer and closer to the start of spring training.

***Perhaps the most shocking move to come out of the winter meetings was the Red Sox giving a three-year, $39 million deal to outfielder Shane Victorino. The Red Sox have publicly declared their new distaste in  giving out large contracts of lengths exceeding more than three or four years. Apparently they are content with grossly overpaying players on shorter-term deals. (more…)

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Who Are These Guys?

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Daniel Marino

Cashman

Okay, who are you guys and what have you done with the real New York Yankees?  This isn’t the Yankees that we know and love….or hate in many circles.  Typically at this time of the year, the Yankees have thrown millions of dollars at players, and they usually get their man.  This year, despite perhaps more needs than in past years, the Yankees have been sitting on the sidelines watching potential Yankees going elsewhere.  Not only that, but they are letting their own leave as well.  With A-Rod on the shelf, Jeff Keppinger, or resigning Eric Chavez would have been the most logical moves.  Yet, both players have signed elsewhere.  So, what’s going on in the Bronx? (more…)

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Yankee Fans Ire is Misdirected

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Daniel Marino

Okay, the facts are the facts:  Alex Rodriguez stats are declining.  He is aging, and has trouble turning on  a 95 MPH fastball.  He flirted in the middle of a playoff game and he makes more money per season than all of the fans at Yankee Stadium combined.  He comes off as trying to be a saint, when we all know that is not true.  He has admitted to using performance enhancers.  Take all of these facts, add in to the mix yet another poor post season, and you have disgruntled Yankee fans. (more…)

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How A-Rod Has Derailed His Yankee Career and Defined His Legacy

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Andrew Martin

Alex Rodriguez’s alarming inability to make contact during the playoffs leads many to believe that the clock is about to strike midnight on his immensely talented but polarizing career. The Yankees are likely to find the 5 years and $114 million he is due after this season to be an unpalatable mouthful to swallow, making his trade or release a real possibility this off-season. His departure may now be further hastened by his attempt to obtain two female fans’ phone numbers during a Game 1 ALCS loss in which he contributed a hollow 0 for 3 with a strikeout. Some may see this as no big deal, but it is fair criticism and vintage A-Rod. (more…)

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Carlos Beltran and The 300/300 Club

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

I have always been a fan of players who possess both the skill of speed and power. As a kid I was a big Jose Canseco fan who was the first player member of the 40/40 club. I was also a big fan of Eric Davis and Ron Gant, both members of the 30/30 club with Davis narrowly missing out on being the sole member of the 40/50 club in 1987.

As a fantasy league fanatic my love for players with the ability to hit for power and steal bases has never faded, it has only increased. One of my all-time favorite players happens to be a player who possess the rare combination of power and speed that is about to land him in a club that only seven other players have ever entered: The 300/300 Club. (more…)

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Pujols Signs 10-year $250M deal with Angels

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

The Los Angeles Angels, who were a mystery team just two days ago, signed the best hitter on the planet in Albert Pujols to a 10 year deal worth $250M. The deal also has no opt out clauses like C.C. Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez deals did. He will likely be an Angel until the end and that is not a bad thing.

The Cardinals lost their icon. They lost possibly the best hitter we will see in our lifetime. But, David Pinto points out that the Cardinals already received roughly $300M in on-field production for roughly $100M. On top of that, the Cardinals had him as the face of the franchise and banked on his marketable face. This is a big loss but only after an astronomical gain.

The Angels might find it hard to recoup the entire $250M invested in on-field value but they should have no problem recouping the money when you include what they will make off the field.

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My AL All-Star Starting Lineup

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Michael Schwartze

My NL All-Star lineup was posted yesterday and here is my American League starting lineup.

Catcher: Alex Avila has really jumped onto the scene this year and he is my pick for catcher. His AL Leading 2.6 WAR amongst catchers is 0.8 wins higher than the second place Matt Wieters.Avila has an impressive triple-slash line of .304/.375/.542 and the highest wOBA (.394) and ISO (.238) amongstAL catchers. He also has a very solid 10 homeruns and 45 RBI.

First Base: Many believed this guy to be a strong candidate for the AL MVP at the beginning of the year and he is not disappointing. Adrian Gonzalez has posted a terrific 4.5 WAR which ranks second in the entire American League and is 1.2 wins higher than the second best first baseman. He has a major league leading .361 AVG which is .020 points higher than the second best. He has a .415 OBP, .611 SLG, 16 homeruns, and a major league leading 71 RBI to go with.

Second Base: This pick was very close for me, between Ben Zobrist, Dustin Pedroia, and Howie Kendrick but I am going with Kendrick on this one. While Zobrist leads all American League second baseman in WAR (4.0), Kendrick is only 0.4 wins behind. Kendrick has the highest AVG (.304), wOBA (.373), and wRC+ (138) amongstAL second baseman and the second highest OBP (.362) and SLG (.479) His triple-slash line is better across the board compared to Zobrist.

Third Base: This was an easy pick for me as Alex Rodriguez is performing very well this season. He has a 4.0 WAR which leads the majors amongst third baseman and is 1.4 wins higher than the second best. He has a triple-slash line of .304/.382/.515 and a wOBA of .393.He has an ISO of .211 and 13 homeruns and I think he is a clear-cut choice to be the American League starting third baseman.

Shortstop: This pick could go a few different ways as there are a good three or four guys deserving of the start but for me, Asdrubal Cabrera has the slight edge and is myAL starting shortstop. Cabrera leadsAL shortstops in WAR (3.0), hits (93), homeruns (13) and tied for first in RBI (46). He has an impressive triple-slash line of .292/.342/.495 and he has also provided good speed on the base baths with 12 stolen bases.

Left Field: While he is not a true left fielder, Jacoby Ellsbury is my starting left fielder as he has been one of the best outfielders in the American League this year. Ellsbury has a 3.5 WAR which ranks 4th amongstAL outfielders. He has shown a great combination of speed and power as he has 9 homeruns and 25 stolen bases which leads the entire major leagues. He has a triple-slash line of .299/.361/.455 and has provided great fielding as well.

Center Field: Curtis Granderson has really bounced back this year and I am giving him the nod in center field for the American League. He has a 4.2 WAR which ranks first amongstAL center fielders and is third in the entire American League. He has shown great power as he has 21 homeruns, a .301 ISO, and a .579 SLG which all leadAL center fielders. His .405 wOBA is the highest amongstAL centerfielders and he has a very solid 13 stolen bases as well.

Right Field: Jose Bautista could easily be the first half MVP and it’s not even a competition on choosing him as theAL starting right fielder. He leads the majors in WAR (5.2), wOBA (.475), ISO (.336), OBP (.469), SLG (.664), and homeruns (24). He is having a monster season.

Designated Hitter: David Ortiz has easily been the best DH and he has also been one of the better players in general. He has a 2.6 WAR which leads all designated hitters. He has a great triple-slash line of .311/.391/.581 as well as a very good .419 wOBA. His 17 homeruns and .270 ISO also leads all designated hitters.

Starting Pitcher: This was probably one of my hardest picks as I was deciding between Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander but my final choice is Weaver. He leads allAL starting pitchers in WAR with 3.9. He has the lowest ERA in all of baseball (1.97) and the lowest FIP (2.46) in the American League. He is second in theAL in IP (123.1) and has given up the second fewest number of homeruns (5). While Verlander is very deserving of starting the All-Star game for theAL as well, I think Weaver has the very slight edge.

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