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Five things we learned about opening weekend in MLB

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:35:29 +0000

There’s a good chance that this post will be irrelevant in the next couple of weeks but I’m going to write it anyway. You can’t tell me what to do.

Here are five things we learned about opening weekend in MLB.

1. The Orioles are for real.
I’m kidding – relax. The Orioles are for real after just three games? That’s an over exaggeration on my part, although who can blame the Baltimore faithful for being excited about the start of the season? Their team just swept the Rays on the road and did so in rather convincing fashion, limiting Tampa to just three runs in three games. Considering how brash Buck Showalter was this offseason in his comments about Theo Epstein and Derek Jeter, it has to be refreshing for fans that the O’s came out of the gates hot. It’s also nice to see Brian Roberts (4-for-13, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 runs) get off to a good start after injuries limited his production last year, and guys like Nick Markakis make plays both offensive and defensively (what a catch he had over the weekend when he crashed into the wall). Given the young talent that this club has, it’s not a stretch to think that they could surprise this year in the AL. But if nothing else, at least there’s a little excitement in Baltimore again.

2. The Red Sox’ pitching is still a concern.
Again, again, again: It’s early. Just because the Rangers swept the Red Sox over the weekend doesn’t mean that the BoSox won’t make the playoffs or that they’re overrated. That said, this was about as bad of a start for the Red Sox as Yankee fans could ask for. They dropped three consecutive games to open a season for the first time since 1996, they were outscored 26-11 and their pitchers surrendered a whopping 11 home runs in just three games. Jon Lester gave up a career-high three home runs, while John Lackey served up two and Clay Buchholz gave up four solo shots. Granted, pitchers know that when they travel to Texas their chances of serving up a long ball are great. But 11 home runs in three days? Yikes. This was an ass kicking to say the least and one that brings Boston’s pitching concerns back into focus.

3. The Giants’ defensive issues are concerning.
Everyone knew there was going to be a bit of a transition period for Aubrey Huff when he moved from first base to the outfield to make room for rookie Brandon Belt. But considering he logged about 500 innings in the outfield last year, nobody thought he would make right field look like he was playing in the freaking Amazon or some foreign, unknown patch of land. The Giants committed five errors in the first two games against the Dodgers this weekend, and Huff had two foul-ups on Sunday night that cost his team runs. (On one, he turned a single into a triple when he miscalculated on a diving attempt and on the other, he spun around so much on fly ball over his head that you thought he was practicing a dance routine.) Granted, when Cody Ross comes off the DL the Giants can shift Huff to left field and Pat Burrell to the bench. That should, at the very least, limit Huff’s destruction in the outfield. But Huff wasn’t the only one made costly errors in L.A. Buster Posey, Miguel Tejada and Pablo Sandoval all had throwing errors, while pitcher Jonathan Sanchez couldn’t handle a routine comebacker on Friday, which essentially cost the Giants Game 2 of the series. Sloppy doesn’t even begin to describe the defending champ’s play to start the season.

4. Matt Kemp is on a mission.
Kemp was routinely criticized in L.A. last year from anything from his weak batting average to his laziness on the basepaths. But if the first four games are an indication of whether or not he’s motivated to rebound, then he could be in store for a MVP-type performance. Kemp has started the year hitting .417 after going 5-for-12 at the dish this weekend. He drove in three runs, scored four times and hit a home run off Barry Zito on Sunday night that still hasn’t landed yet. He also swiped a bag and scored on a throwing error by catcher Buster Posey to help the Dodgers win Game 1 of the series. Simply put, the guy looks focused again.

5. The Reds aren’t going to just hand over the NL Central.
There were many pundits (this one included) who thought that Adam Wainwright’s injury opened the door for the Brewers to eventually seize the NL Central. But if their play in Cincinnati this weekend is any indication of how the Brewers’ season will play out, then the Reds should have no trouble defending their division title. In Cincy’s three-game sweep over Milwaukee, the Reds scored 23 runs and hit eight dingers. There’s a long way to go but considering Cincinnati essentially returned the same roster as it did a year ago, maybe people should have given the Reds more respect this offseason.

Nothing to worry about or troubling sign? Rays sweep Red Sox.

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:50:07 +0000

Before the first know-it-all reminds me, I’m fully aware that the 2010 MLB season is only 13 games old. We’re not even a quarter of the way through the season and considering teams go on winning and losing streaks all the time, it’s hardly time to hit the panic button.

That said, what the hell was that, Red Sox?

The Rays are a damn fine baseball club, one that will compete for the AL Wild Card throughout the year as long as their pitching stays consistent. I’m completely fine with residing to the fact that the Rays are just better than the Red Sox, but even as good as Tampa is, its not that good to walk into Fenway and make Boston look like the Orioles. In their four-game sweep, the Rays outscored Boston 24-9 even though they faced Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey. That’s unprecedented.

The Red Sox are now 4-9 to start he season, which is their worst record after 13 games in 15 years. Given how good their pitching is and how much veteran talent they have on their roster, the Sox aren’t going to be this bad all season. In fact, they could easily put together a nice run over the next couple weeks, get back to .500 and put this slow start behind them.

But in order for them to do that, they’re going to have to give a better effort then they did this past weekend. It’s not a matter of Tampa outplaying them – Boston looked slow, old and completely unmotivated for the series. It was almost like the Red Sox were playing in slow motion as the fast, youthful, more energetic Rays ran circles around them.

Granted, Mike Cameron was playing with kidney stones and abdominal pain during three of the games and Jacoby Ellsbury missed all four due to a rib injury. John Lackey certainly could have used more defensive help on Monday, but then again, Cameron and Ellsbury’s injuries weren’t the main reason he was lit up for eight runs in 3 1/3 innings. He just didn’t have it today.

Again, it’s early. But Red Sox fans can’t be too encouraged after the piss poor effort their club gave over the last four games.

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2010 MLB Preview: AL East

Anthony Stalter — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:00:04 +0000

In order to help get you ready for the MLB season, we’re doing division-by-division rankings with quick overviews on how each club could fair in 2010. Next to each team, you’ll also find a corresponding number written in parenthesis, which indicates where we believe that club falls in a league-wide power ranking. Be sure to check back throughout the next two weeks leading up to the season, as we will be updating our content daily. Enjoy.

First up is the AL East.

1. New York Yankees (1)
If you think I would get cute in these rankings and suggest that some upstart team would derail the Yankees this season, then you sir, are sadly mistaken. I just don’t have the conjones to bet against them, especially after they added Curtis Granderson, Javier Vazquez and Nick Johnson to their already stacked roster. Sure they lost World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, the latter of which loved to work the count and provided the Yanks with some pop over the last couple of seasons. But thanks to Granderson, Johnson, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Texeira, Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada, the lineup is still stacked from top to bottom. Vazquez, CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Mariano Rivera will once again highlight a strong pitching staff and assuming they don’t suffer any major injuries, there’s nothing to suggest that the Bombers won’t make another championship run. That said, let’s not be oblivious to the potential problems that could arise for the Yanks this season. Age is a factor, as is the fact that Granderson can’t hit lefties and will be under the spotlight as the club’s biggest offseason acquisition. Plus, for as good as Vazquez was over the past couple of years, he was a disaster the last time he wore pinstripes (Boston fans remember this well.) Should the Yankees win another World Series? Yeah – especially considering they have the best-purchased roster in baseball. But just like last year, they still have to prove it between the lines and they’re not immune to hurdles getting in their way.

2. Boston Red Sox (3)
Based on the moves they made this offseason, you either love the Red Sox’s chances this year or you’re willing to write them off like your favorite tax exemption. The club acquired ace John Lackey, outfielder Mike Cameron and infielders Marco Scutaro and Adrian Beltre last winter. Every player will be counted on to contribute this season, but they all come with question marks as well. When healthy, Lackey is virtually guaranteed to win 15-plus games and pitch over 200 innings. But he has to stay healthy. Cameron is a huge upgrade over Jason Bay in the outfield, but he won’t fill Bay’s shoes offensively. Scutaro is coming off a career year but the law of averages suggest that he’ll take a step back in 2010 and there’s no telling what Boston will get out of Beltre after he only appeared in 111 games last season due to an injury. Plus, will Big Papi carry over his production from June to September last year or will he struggle as he did at the start of 2009? That said, the BoSox are still stacked. Along with Lackey, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz give Boston the best pitching staff in the division and their bullpen is solid as well. Ortiz, Beltre, Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury, J.D. Drew, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Victor Martinez comprise an offense that should help Boston win over 95 games this season and compete for a postseason berth. Their defense has also improved dramatically with the addition of Cameron and Ellsbury’s move from center to left. Do they have unanswered questions? Of course – all clubs do at this time of year. Will they overcome the Yankees? Maybe. Will they compete? Most definitely.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (7)
The Rays stumbled out of the gates last year, although they fought through injuries in order to finish with a respectable 84-78 record. But they didn’t make any moves this offseason, so it’s hard to figure out whether or not they’re going to compete for a postseason berth or finish with roughly the same record as they did in 2009. If BJ Upton stays healthy for an entire season and rebounds, then the Rays have more than enough offense in him, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena and Ben Zobrist to compete. And if a No. 1 emerges out of David Price, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann or James Shields, then the Rays will compete. If, if, if, if. I want to believe that the Rays are the perfect team to unseat the Yankees and Red Sox (two teams that have had more than enough time at the top) in the division. But there’s no question that they’ll have to overachieve again like they did in 2008 in order to make the postseason. They have the talent, but they need an ace to emerge, Upton to be productive again and for Crawford (whose contract is up at the end of the year) to stay happy or else they’re destined for another third place finish.

4. Baltimore Orioles (22)
The O’s have several pieces that will get your heat pumping just like the time you stole that car and led the police on a two-hour joy ride down the interstate. Wait…what? Nick Markakis is already a fine ballplayer, Adam Jones showed his vast potential last year before getting hurt and Matt Wieters is already being described as the next Joe Mauer (only with more power). The club also improved in a couple of areas over the offseason, namely at third base with the acquisition of Miguel Tejada, at first base with Garrett Atkins and in their starting rotation with Kevin Millwood. But it’s hard to measure how good this club will be when they play in the AL East and their pitching still has the potential to be down right hideous again. It says a lot about a team’s starting staff when the team leader in ERA finished with a 5.04 mark (Jeremy Gutherie). Maybe Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta will surprise and overachieve this season, but chances are Baltimore will top out around 75-80 wins in 2010. They should be improved, but again, their division will keep them from competing for a postseason berth again this year.

5. Toronto Blue Jays (27)
Mom always said that if you don’t have anything nice to say then you shouldn’t say anything at all. But mom doesn’t have to complete this preview now does she? The Blue Jays traded away ace Roy Halladay in the offseason and while they may benefit from the deal down the road, they don’t have anyone to pick up the slack in 2010. They also lost one of their top offensive pieces from last year in Marco Scutaro and replaced him with Alex Gonzalez. That’s great news if you’re into defensive wizards that can’t hit over .250 on a consistent basis. The club does have a couple of nice/promising/okay/whatever pieces Vernon Wells, Ricky Romero, Brandon Marrow, Aaron Hill and Travis Snider, but the bottom line is that the Jays are in rebuilding mode and will wind up collecting dust all season in the basement of the AL East. They’re going to be horrible and there’s very little to like about their chances to succeed in 2010. Sorry, Mom.

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2010 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Starting Pitchers

Anthony Stalter — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:20:25 +0000

All 2010 Fantasy Articles | 2010 Position Rankings

Sometimes it’s difficult to evaluate what kind of production a player will have when he changes teams over the offseason. This is especially true when it comes to starting pitching, because not only can an unfamiliar ballpark play a role in how a starter fairs, but also what kind of offensive production he can expect from his new lineup and whether or not he’ll have a good spot in the rotation.

Below are eight starting pitchers that either changed teams at the tale end of the 2009 season or will be playing for a completely different club in 2010. We’ve outlined some factors that the pitchers will be facing in their new situation and try to project how they’ll fair in 2010. Some players (like Roy Halladay for example) can be counted on to be great no matter what team they wind up on. But what about guys like Jake Peavy (who will now have to pitch in the AL for a full season for the first time in his career) or Max Scherzer (a strikeout pitcher that is moving to a tougher AL after playing the past couple seasons in Arizona)?

Let’s take a look.

Roy Halladay, Phillies
You’re going to draft Halladay for the same reasons the Phillies parted with multiple players (including Cliff Lee and a couple of key prospects) in order to acquire him from the Blue Jays last winter: he’s outstanding. Halladay finished with 47 complete games last season and 14 shutouts, while also ranking 11th in innings pitched. Now that he’s playing in the NL on a team with a potent offense, he should have no problem winning 17-plus games and notching another 200 strikeouts. The only knock against Halladay’s new home is that the Phillies play in a hitter-friendly ballpark. But we’re thinking the veteran pitcher will adjust fine to his new digs.

Cliff Lee, Mariners
Lee felt he was shafted when the Phillies unloaded him in order to acquire Halladay last winter, but he should love his new surroundings. He’s walked fewer than two batters per nine innings in each of the past two seasons and will now have the luxury of having a solid defensive outfield at his back. He’s used to pitching in the AL from his days in Cleveland, so the league change won’t hurt him one bit. Lee is a top-notch fantasy starter.

Javier Vazquez, Yankees
The last time Vazquez was in pinstripes he finished with a 4.91 ERA and a horrendous showing in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Red Sox in 2004. But Vazquez has been solid since then and is coming off a year in which he racked up 15 wins, 238 strikeouts, a 2.87 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Don’t overvalue him on draft day because pitching in Yankee Stadium will surely cause his ERA to travel north of 3.00, but don’t undervalue him because he’s pitched well over the past couple years and will get plenty of offensive help from the Bombers’ stacked lineup.

John Lackey, Red Sox
There are two concerns about Lackey and one doesn’t really have anything to do with him moving to Boston. Over the last two seasons, arm issues have limited him early in the year and have prevented him from making 30 starts. But considering the Red Sox gave him a lucrative deal during the offseason, it appears that they aren’t concerned with his arm and neither should fantasy owners. Another potential concern is that he’s moving to a division where pitchers had a 4.83 ERA facing AL East clubs last year (compared to 4.22 against other teams), but Lackey remains a candidate to win 15-plus games this year and finish with an ERA around 3.60. He should also benefit from Boston’s solid offensive production and defense. (The addition of Mike Cameron boosts the club’s defense in the outfield.)

Jake Peavy, White Sox
Proceed with major caution. Not only has Peavy had injury issues over the past two seasons, but he’s also moving to the American League where hitters are tougher and to the homer-friendly U.S. Cellular Field will be a stark different from playing in the spacious Petco Park for so many years. We’re not suggesting that Peavy won’t be solid this season; on the contrary, we believe he’ll wind up right around 15 wins if he stays healthy. But don’t overvalue him on draft day – especially considering his ERA is likely to suffer a spike given his new surroundings.

Max Scherzer, Tigers
Scherzer still has plenty of upside and given his penchant for striking hitters out, he’ll be valuable to many owners on draft day. But there were some in the Diamondbacks’ organization that felt he would continue to be a pitcher that can’t work deep into games and would only be a five-inning starter. Moving to the AL doesn’t bode well for his fantasy production, but he could be a pitcher that is eventually worth the risk in the later rounds.

Edwin Jackson, Diamondbacks
Here’s the good news: Jackson had an outstanding first half last year, compiling a 2.52 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Here’s the bad: he fell apart in the second half of the season, racking up a 5.07 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. Moving to the NL will certainly help his value (he’ll get to face the Giants and Padres’ weak offenses a couple times a year), but his overall production will likely fall right in between his first half success last year and his second half failures. You might be better off having some other owner draft him and then scooping him up later if he becomes available on the waiver wire.

Rich Harden, Rangers
Buyer Beware on Harden: just because you’ll likely get him in the later rounds and will love his strikeout numbers, doesn’t mean he’s necessarily a bargain. His home run rate doubled last year and with it came a spike in his ERA. His move to the American League doesn’t help much and neither does pitching in a homer-friendly Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Harden certainly isn’t a bad third or fourth starter, but just be aware that he’s always an injury waiting to happen and with the move to Texas, he might be worth a pass.

Below is our official ranking of starting pitchers.

1. Tim Lincecum, SF
2. Roy Halladay, PHI
3. Felix Hernandez, SEA
4. Zach Greinke, KC
5. CC Sabathia, NYY
6. Dan Haren, ARI
7. Justin Verlander, DET
8. Cliff Lee, SEA
9. Jon Lester, BOS
10. Adam Wainwright, STL
11. Johan Santana, NYM
12. Chris Carpenter, STL
13. Yovani Gallardo, MIL
14. Matt Cain, SF
15. Josh Beckett, BOS
16. Javier Vazquez, NYY
17. Clayton Kershaw, LAD
18. Tommy Hanson, ATL
19. Josh Johnson, FLA
20. Ubaldo Jimenez, COL
21. John Lackey, BOS
22. Cole Hamels, PHI
23. Ricky Nolasco, FLA
24. Wandy Rodriguez, HOU
25. Chad Billingsley, LAD
26. Jake Peavy, CHW
27. Jair Jurrjens, ATL
28. Scott Baker, MIN
29. A.J. Burnett, NYY
30. Jered Weaver, LAA
31. Matt Garza, TB
32. John Danks, CHW
33. Roy Oswalt, HOU
34. Brandon Webb, ARI
35. Brett Anderson, OAK
36. Tim Hudson, ATL
37. David Price, TB
38. Max Scherzer, DET
39. Scott Kazmir, LAA
40. Edwin Jackson, ARI
41. J.A. Happ, PHI
42. Clay Buchholz, BOS
43. Rick Porcello, DET
44. Gavin Floyd, CHW
45. Jorge De La Rosa, COL
46. Ryan Dempster, CHC
47. Rich Harden, TEX
48. Mark Buehrle, CHW
49. Ervin Santana, LAA
50. Jonathan Sanchez, SF
51. Brian Matusz, BAL
52. Jeff Niemann, TB
53. Ted Lilly, CHC
54. James Shields, TB
55. Wade Davis, TB

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Hot Stove Rumors: Lackey, Guerrero & Doumit

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:45:51 +0000

The Red Sox are interested in John Lackey
According to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, the Red Sox met with John Lackey’s agent at the GM meetings last week in Chicago. Lackey, 31, went 11-8 this season with a 3.83 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 139 strikeouts but he also battled elbow issues.

The Rangers are showing interest in Vladimir Guerrero
Already stacked with hitters, the Rangers have shown interest in free agent DH Vlad Guerrero according to FOXSports.com. If Texas can afford him, Vlad would be an ideal fit just based on his .394 batting average in 50 career games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

The Pirates may be open to trading Ryan Doumit
According to FOXSports.com, the Pirates are considering trading catcher Ryan Doumit, who hit .250 last season with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 280 at-bats. He is set to earn $3.55 million in 2010 and $5.1 million in 2011 and could draw interest from several teams.

Mariners interested in Harden?
According to the Seattle Times, the Mariners have interest in Rich Harden, who went 9-9 with a 4.09 ERA and 1.34 WHIP for the Cubs last season. Despite battling injuries, he was successful in five seasons in the AL with the A’s.

Thome returning to Chicago?
According to the Chicago Tribune, Jim Thome said that he would love to return to the White Sox, who traded him to the Dodgers at the deadline last season. Thome is a Peoria, Illinois native.

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Angels win thriller, stave off elimination

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:15:52 +0000

Thanks to their 7-6 victory over the Yankees in Game 5 of the ALCS on Thursday night, the Angels saved themselves from elimination to force a Game 6.

L.A. starter John Lackey gave up three runs on six hits over 6.2 innings of work, while striking out seven and walking three. He was cruising until the sixth inning when he allowed a double to Melky Cabrera, then walked pinch hitter Jorge Posada on a terrible call by home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth.

The call definitely rattled Lackey, who wound up walking the bases loaded before retiring the second out of the inning. He was relieved with the two outs and the bases loaded, but the Halos bullpen wound up getting shelled as the Yankees put six runs on the board to take a 6-4 lead.

But the Angels answered back with three runs of their own and then held on over the final two innings to secure the victory.

The call by Culbreth completely swung the momentum in the Yankees favor. Lackey had every right to be pissed, although he allowed his emotions to get the best of him and Mike Scioscia had little choice but to relieve him. Had New York wound up winning, the Angels could have pointed to that call as their death nail.

Joe Girardi will once again be subject to criticism following his decision to let starter A.J. Burnett go back out for the seventh inning. The Yankees had all the momentum and Girardi should have had more faith in his bullpen, but he allowed Burnett to start the inning and A.J. would up allowing the first two batters to reach base to spark the Halos.

Another Yankee that will face some heat is Nick Swisher, who went 0-for-5 and popped out with bases loaded in the top of the ninth to end the game. He had a solid regular season, but he’s hitting just .118 so far in the postseason and has killed several scoring opportunities for the Bronx Bombers.

Game 6 is set for Saturday at 8:07 p.m. ET and will feature Joe Saunders vs. Andy Pettitte.

Lackey shuts down Red Sox as Angels take Game 1

Anthony Stalter — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:52:10 +0000

John Lackey shut out the Red Sox for 7 2/3 innings on Thursday night as the Angels beat the Red Sox 5-0 in Game 1 of the ALDS.

From MLB.com:

Lackey delivered 22 outs, and Hunter produced the thunder, his three-run fifth-inning homer against Jon Lester providing the impetus behind a 5-0 victory over the Red Sox in front of 45,070 at Angel Stadium.

After the Angels expanded their lead with a pair of seventh-inning runs on Kendry Morales’ RBI single and a throwing error by left fielder Jason Bay, Lackey departed with one out in the eighth, raising his cap to a roaring crowd.

It’s the first postseason win at home by the Angels since Game 5 of the 2005 ALDS against the Yankees. It is also the first time the Angels have held a series lead against Boston — which eliminated them from the past two postseasons — since they took a 3-2 ALCS advantage into Fenway Park in 1986 after their fateful Game 5 demise in Anaheim.

Taking a series lead against the Red Sox was big given that it had become a mental block for the Halos to overcome. This win should give them confidence heading into Game 2 and while traveling to Boston still might be an issue, right now the Angels have the momentum and everything is in place for them to build on it.

For those unaware of Kendry Morales – get aware. He’s one of the rising hitters in the game and he’s coming off a solid regular season, especially in the second half. Players like Hunter are going to get more recognition, but if the Halos make a World Series run, I guarantee a guy like Morales will play a big part.