The Ugly Side of Moneyball
Written by: Jeff Chase
The Oakland A’s have not made the playoffs since 2006, where they were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. From 2000-2004 the team was a fixture in the playoffs, but only to lose in the ALDS each and every year, including twice to the New York Yankees. Oakland reached the World Series in three straight seasons from 1988-1990, but were crowned champions just once in 1989 when they defeated their rival from across the bay, San Francisco Giants. The Athletics franchise is third all-time in World Series Championships with nine, trailing just the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals.
The main reason the A’s have been so successful in the past is because of the great players the franchise has been fortunate enough to have. However, those fortunes have changed in recent years as the team has been completely gutted multiple times because of financial reasons, most recently this past off-season.
Is it in Yu Darvish?
Written by: Julian Austin
Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish has become the ultimate starting pitching target late this MLB offseason. The young gun and his club, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, garnered a $51.7 million transfer fee from the Texas Rangers in late December, citing their extreme interest in signing him as soon as possible. That price tag has won the team the rights to negotiate with Darvish, a fee which is only paid if he signs with the Rangers.
He was in Arlington on Tuesday to visit the ballpark and meet with team executives. The club has until January 18 to sign him to a contract; if no deal is made then Darvish will head home and report to his former club in Japan.
The Rangers are looking to fill the void and improve the rotation after ace C.J. Wilson left for sunny skies in Southern California.
SoCal steals the headlines at MLB Winter Meetings
Written by: Julian Austin
The Los Angeles Angels were primed to make big moves during the off-season, but I don’t think anyone ever envisioned top-tier free agents Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson both packing their bags for the AL West. As the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings wrapped up last week the most newsworthy clubs were without a doubt the LA Angels and Miami Marlins (still hard to swallow that one). But, it was the Halos that claimed, in my opinion, the top hitter and the top pitcher of the offseason. Angels rookie GM Jerry DiPoto is on cloud nine, but might need a few aspirin after reeling in two players worth a combined $349 million.
Look back at opening day in 2011 and the Angels in Anaheim had the 4th highest payroll in baseball hovering around $139 million. Albert Pujols ($14.5 million) and C.J. Wilson ($7 million) now join Vernon Wells ($26.2 million), Torii Hunter ($18.5 million), and Dan Haren ($12.75 million) as top earning players on the club. Keep in mind this is an annual salary! Now is time for my favorite portion of the program. What could Albert and C.J. buy with their mega contracts? Just go with it…
NL East Preview
Written by: Julian Austin
Same face, new place. Jose Reyes switches clubs as the new look Marlins continue to dominate offseason headlines.
Atlanta Braves
2011 Record: 89-73 (2nd)
The Atlanta Braves continue to possess the best farm system in Major League Baseball. With a surplus of pitching talent, RHP Jair Jurrjens and LF Martin Prado act as the two biggest pieces of trade bait entering the Winter Meetings in Dallas.
Top 5 Prospects: RHP Julio Teheran, RHP Arodys Vizcaino, RHP Randall Delgado, C Christian Bethancourt, LHP Carlos Perez
Miami Marlins
2011 Record: 72-90 (5th)
Jose Reyes (6 years/$106 million) and Heath Bell (3 years/ $27 million) are the latest free agents to call Miami home for the 2012 season. Is Albert Pujols next? Quite a contrast for a team that had a combined payroll of $104.2 million between the 2006 and 2009 seasons.
The Year of the Pitcher
Written by: Julian Austin
The 2011 Major League Baseball season was capped off with a seemingly improbable run by the eventual World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals. As baseball fans we should learn to expect the unexpected, to dream the impossible dream, because year after year, those dreams turn into reality for athletes everywhere. And this year the pitcher dominated all. Now that the voting for major MLB awards is over, we can reflect and praise, or neglect and curse the writers that have chosen the list of baseball's best players for the 2011 season. Keep in mind every award winner is a pitcher, with the exception coming from the National League MVP race.
AL MVP: Justin Verlander (Detroit Tigers)
This somewhat controversial pick, Justin Verlander, became the first starting pitcher since 1986 (Roger Clemens) to win the both the MVP and Cy Young in the same season (Dennis Eckersley did it as a relief pitcher in 1992). Verlander received 13 of 28 votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America en route to winning the AL MVP. "I think this set a precedent," Verlander said. "I'm happy that the voters acknowledged that, that we do have a major impact in this game and we can be extremely valuable to our team and its success."
Marlins don't need a Big Three
Written by: R.C. Sutton
Did I miss something? I took a couple weeks off from baseball following the World Series. I came back and found that the Florida Marlins are courting free agents like a drunken sailor does women at 2 am while on shore leave. They’re throwing themselves at anything moving, just hoping that someone will say yes. Is this the right course of action for the Miami Marlins? (That’s going to take some getting used to)
I’ve seen numerous reports that the Marlins list of free agents contacted, invited in, gone to see and/or contacted in some fashion includes: Albert Pujols, Jose Reyes, Prince Fielder, Mark Buehrle, and Cuban prospect Yoenis Cespedes. That’s quite an impressive list for a team that just a couple of years ago were not spending enough money on payroll to suit the player’s union. The Marlins management must be banking a lot on the new ballpark.
Cubs Marry Their Man
Written by: R.C. Sutton
“Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.”
– Bob Dylan, The Times They are a Changin’
On the Eve of the 2011 World Series Game 6, a potentially series clinching game for the Texas Raangers, the Chicago Cubs have found a way to be relevant in late October. It may not be for on field play, as the Cubs haven’t been to the World Series since 1945, rather it’s for the official press conference for the new savior: Theo Epstein.
The announcement of his 5 year 18.5 million dollar contract has sent shock waves through the Cubbie faithful. Being a Cubs fan means a life of misery, pain and suffering. It’s a badge, not of honor, but of sorrow and tears. I know, I was born into it myself. Being a Chicago Cubs fan was palatable, as the expectation of greatness was never there. The bar was set so low, that the only bar that mattered where the many surrounding Wrigley before and after the game. Wrigley was a place for many to skip work, enjoy an afternoon in the sun, and watch the boys of summer. Cub fans were happy and “lovable” and took some twisted pride in the fact they didn’t resemble the “lunatics” in Boston bemoaning another lost opportunity. All of that changed in 2003.
2011 World Series in review
Written by: R.C. Sutton
Cardinal fans had a sinking queasy feeling on Thursday night after a cut off throw skipped over Albert Pujols’s glove. They had just watched a 1-0 9th inning lead and a 2-0 series lead evaporate right before their very eyes. It was the type of scene that is expected by the Chicago Cubs or was anticipated by the Boston Red Sox for years. The air was heavy around Cardinal fans as they all appeared to be thinking, but afraid to say “We’re going to lose the World Series”.
There is a remarkable turnaround in the aura of Cardinal fans today. Their hero that let them down on Thursday (Pujols) hit 3 home runs and had six RBIs in a 16-7 beating they put on the Texas Rangers. I didn’t believe that the Cardinals had “lost” the series on Thursday nor do I believe they “won” it on Saturday. There is a knee jerk reaction in baseball playoffs that each game determines the momentum and therefore the tone for a series. I believe that while that may be the exception it is nowhere near the rule.
MLB Playoffs: Championship Series Previews
Written by: Matthew Blunk
It's October.
That means the weather is cooling off, the leaves are changing color and falling, children and adults will soon be loitering from house to house in search of candy - and the MLB playoffs!
The American and National League Division Series have wrapped up, and we're down to four teams. The League Championship Series are set to begin: in the AL, the Detroit Tigers against the Texas Rangers, and in the NL, the Milwaukee Brewers versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Let's examine each club's situation heading into their respective series.
Detroit Tigers
Justin Verlander and co. upset the Evil Empire New York Yankees in the ALDS, 3-2. The Tigers overcame New York's star power and millions and millions of dollars in salary to move on to the ALCS. Jim Leyland has done an excellent job managing his ball club, and could very well guide them to the World Series again (2006 rematch with St. Louis?).
Three pitchers to watch instead of the playoff picture
Written by: J.P. Wetzel
So at this point in the season, fantasy baseball is wrapping up with just a few more regular season week games and everybody is starting to compile a list of possible playoff scenarios. You then start looking at the standings and realize, “Wow! This is boring....” Those were my words when looking ahead to the divisional and wildcard series next month.
But don’t give up on this baseball season quite yet, there are a few notable players that really stand out above the rest and guess what? They’re all pitchers.
Baseball has steadily evolved into more of a pitchers game since the crackdown on steroids, forcing sluggers to either get out of the league or clean up their game. Either way, less power equals less home runs. With fewer sluggers popping out long balls all season and driving pitchers’ E.R.A’s through the roof, pitchers become much more valuable players both in fantasy leagues and to their respective teams.
Jim Thome joins the 600 Club
Written by: J.P. Wetzel
On Monday August 15, the 600 home run club gained a new member. Minnesota Twins First Basemen/DH Jim Thome hit career home run numbers 599 and 600 against the Detroit Tigers pitcher Daniel Schlereth. At age 40, Jim Thome is 8th all time in home runs and is only 9 home runs away from moving up to 7th all time to pass Sammy Sosa.
Thome is one of the few genuine home run hitters to have never been involved in some kind of steroids scandal at some point in their career.
Not only is Thome an all around great player, it is always refreshing to see a genuine and friendly player such as Thome hit such a career milestone. In a 2007 poll of over 460 Major League baseball players, Jim Thome was voted as second friendliest player in the game tied with Mike Sweeney.
Thome is considered one of the most complete power hitters in the game due mainly to his ability to generate extra base hits, maintain a consistent batting average for sluggers with a career batting average of .277, and his ability to frequently get on base with a .403 on base percentage. Although Thome is prone to strikeouts, his overall game is solid and is a welcomed addition to the Minnesota Twins and one day, Cooperstown.