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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Baseball Notes for March 31, 2013

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Andrew Martin

JoseFern

Major League Baseball’s 2013 Opening Day is finally here! With another season comes the return of Baseball Notes. Without a single regular season game having yet been played, there is already plenty to talk about. (more…)

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AL Central Players To Watch

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Daniel Marino

Bauer

Dan Marino continues his trek 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.

Now, in part three of six, he brings you the American League Central:

Part 1: AL East Players to Watch.

Part 2: National League East. (more…)

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The Gates Brown Hot Dog Story

Posted on February 15, 2013 by gawlowskib

GatesBrown

One of my favorite baseball books is Rob Neyer’s Big Book of Baseball Legends. In it, Neyer examines some of baseball’s urban legends, re-telling dozens of the sport’s biggest whoppers and then examining their validity. It’s a bit of a bummer that most of them wind up being false or inaccurate, but the tales are generally amusing, the process is impressively thorough, and it’s an entertaining read throughout. Neyer and Bill James call these types of stories ‘tracers’ and with a nod to the two of them, I thought it might be fun to try my hand at tackling a tracer myself.

Today, we’ll examine a story about Gates Brown. Brown is a notable part of baseball history for three reasons. Infamously, he will be remembered as one of two prominent Tigers who were signed out of prison in the 1960′s and 70′s (Ron LeFlore was the other). On a happier note, Tiger fans remember him fondly for his pinch-hitting exploits as a member of the club, particularly during their run to the World Series in 1968. That season, Brown hit a preposterous .455/.538/.818 with three home runs in fifty-two plate appearances off the bench, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest pinch hitters of all time. (more…)

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2013 Detroit Tigers Top 16 Prospects

Posted on February 13, 2013 by mlbdirtstaff

Castellanos

The Detroit Tigers have been drafting and signing high upside talent recently and their system is very heavy with prospects in the lower minor and most are a few years away. Only two prospects in our top 16 are over 23 years of age.

Below are our top 16 prospects with 2013 opening day age, position, and comments on each player. Below the top 16 is a small list of additional notable names. Enjoy.
(more…)

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Why The Tigers Have The Best Rotation In Baseball

Posted on January 9, 2013 by mlbdirtstaff

Verlander

The Detroit Tigers were rolling just a season ago, winning the American League. Although they were eventually topped by the San Francisco Giants in the World Series, overall it was a solid season for Motor City fans. While many point towards their offense, which is led by Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, the biggest reason why they will contend again in 2013 is because they have the best rotation in baseball.

Justin Verlander headlines a staff full of power arms. The right-hander is pretty much a Cy Young candidate each and every year, and he is right in the middle of his prime seasons. Every strong staff needs that go-to ace, and as anyone who plays fantasy baseball will tell you, he might be the best in the game. (more…)

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This May Be Jack Morris’ Year to Get Into the Hall of Fame

Posted on December 4, 2012 by johnczech

JMorris

On July 26, 1977, Jack Morris took the hill for the very first time at Comiskey Park against the Chicago White Sox. The 22-year-old Morris pitched four innings of relief and gave up two hits and two earned runs while striking out three in his major league debut.

Little did the people of the windy city know, that day, they were witnessing the birth of a career that would compile the most wins by a pitcher in the 1980′s, become one of the best big game pitchers in baseball history, win four World Series titles, and lead the Tigers’ staff for 14 years. (more…)

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Hunter Could Be Worth Five Wins to the Tigers

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Jonathan C. Mitchell

The Detroit Tigers have reportedly agreed to terms with former Los Angeles Angels right fielder Torii Hunter on a two-year deal worth $26M.

The 37-year old Hunter is coming off of a 2012 campaign where he hit .313/.365/.451 with a 130 wRC+ and 16 homeruns with 9 stolen bases in 10 attempts. His average and wRC+ were both career bests while his on-base percentage was .001 from his career high. Hunter does add value, especially with his glove in right field, but do not expect a repeat of his 2012 season where he was a +5.3 fWAR player although he could still be worth five wins to the Tigers. Let me explain. (more…)

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Mike Trout Is The 2012 AL MVP Any Way You Look At It

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Andrew Martin

WAR, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing; at least within the confines of this article. While they aren’t the end-all, be-all, I am a major proponent of advanced baseball stats because I believe they greatly enhance the understanding of many components of the game. Not everyone agrees, and traditionalists prefer more time-honored metrics like batting average, home runs, and RBIs in lieu of WAR, UZR, and other acronymic gauges. The 2012 American League MVP, which has already become the most hotly debated baseball topic in recent memory, is hurtling the two sides of the baseball stat spectrum to their Antietam and promises to last well after the final vote is announced tomorrow. (more…)

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Picking the 2012 MLB Award Winners

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Andrew Martin

With the focus in baseball being on the fantastic matchups being waged in the playoffs, the intense debate about the end-of-season awards has been tempered for the time being. It’s a temporary lull that will heat up again once the announcement of the award winners near, as many will try to get in their opinions in the form of parting shots, in the attempt to support the various candidates. There have been some truly incredible performances this season, and there are literally no categories without multiple candidates having legitimate chances to have their name drawn from the proverbial envelope. That being said, here are my picks for the 2012 baseball awards. (more…)

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