Shohei Otani has everyone talking, but will he be able to bring glory to Los Angeles and the Angels
In sports, sometimes you watch a player and you know they are going to be something special. Many people who watched the FIFA World Youth Soccer Championships in 2005 knew that Argentina’s Lionel Messi was going to make it at the top level. Onlookers at Lebron James’s high school games could tell they were witnessing […]
Kershaw Is MLB’s Only Hope to Have a 20 Game Winning Pitcher this Season
With the end of the 2017 MLB regular season close to an end, it’s time to take a look at the season and review some of the interesting stats and try to guess where things will end up when the season finishes. While this won’t affect the betting odds of the baseball game, it does shed […]
It’s time to go get Verlander
I very rarely ever do this publicly. I like to think of myself as a dispassionate analyst of the game, but at my core I am a fan first. So, when the Astros didn’t make a deal at the deadline (okay, fine, they got a lefty with an ERA around 6.00) I was pretty disappointed. […]
Dog Days at Fenway Park
With the crowds having fun at the hub in Boston, with the team gearing up to go deep this October, with a roster loaded with talent and more on the way, a flashback to Sox in the Sixties is almost like culture shock. September 28th, 1960, Red Sox vs. Orioles. Overcast, dank, chilly the final […]
Why the Astros are here to stay
When a team explodes on the scene like the Astros have this season there are numerous explanations that need to be explored. As the Cubs will attest, awesome success does not always follow you from season to season. Sometimes serendipity is the best explanation there is. Still, that won’t stop all of the pundits from […]
The Evolution Of Baseball—The Mariners, & King Felix
I was listening to Sports Radio on 710 AM in Seattle today. My dad likes the show. They were talking about the Mariners—specifically, our ace pitcher, Felix Hernandez. What does everyone think? Does he like it here? Is he happy about the changes that have been made to the team structure? He did pitch a […]
SF Giants Championship Parade Video & World Series Prints to Buy
Congratulations to the Giants who have now won World Series Championships in both New York and San Francisco! From the perspective of a non-Giants fan, someone who hasn’t had the priveledge to see them play very often if at all, I’d have to say that I was impressed by the pitching in general on this […]
Around the Horn in the MLB
Image via Wikipedia The Current State of the Playoff Picture Last week saw the first team clinch not only a playoff spot, but their division as well. For those of you who missed their celebration, here’s some video of it… The second team to clinch both a playoff spot and their division was the Texas […]
The Steve Garvey Interview
Image via Wikipedia I recently had the privilege of asking Dodger great, Steve Garvey (1B) a few questions. I was put in contact with Mr. Garvey by Athlete Promotions. AthletePromotions manages the website, corporate appearances, speaking engagements and endorsement deals for 10 time All-Star, Steve Garvey. To see who else Athlete Promotions represents please […]
Thoughts On The Trade Deadline: The Angels
Another trade deadline passed, another swirl of rumors connecting the Angels to nearly every premium player out there, and disappointingly but not unexpectedly – another stretch run in which the Angels have decided to sit on their hands and stand pat. Last year’s acquisition of Mark Teixiera not withstanding, the Angels have been quiet more […]
Helton Reaches Career Milestone
Amidst the ups and downs of playing for a small-medium market club for your career Todd Helton has been about the only constant in a Colorado Rockies uniform. Todd’s 13 year MLB career in my opinion has been Cooperstown worthy. He is a career .320 hitter, 300 plus home-runs and 500 doubles and counting. Image […]
The Rangers Still Have Hope For A Playoff Chance
The Texas Rangers have traditionally had a rough time with the second half of the season, but this season seems to be a little different. While they are winners of 7 out of 10 games, they do have hit a bump in the road with the AL-worst Oakland Athletics. The Rangers were quiet during the […]
How Good Is Dan Haren?
When the Arizona Diamondbacks traded six of their best prospects for Dan Haren in December of 2007, I was vehemently opposed to the deal from the Diamondbacks’ perspective. Not only was I extremely high on the prospects involved – Outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Aaron Cunningham, Southpaws Brett Anderson, Greg Smith, and Dana Eveland, and first […]
Reflections on the Mariners in July
It’s been 10 days since the All-Star break, the Mariners have been 5-3; 51-45 overall, 25-19 at home, and .500 on the road. The momentum is good. Since the All-Star break Felix Hernandez won his 50th game, becoming the 15th-youngest to reach that mark since 1919. The Mariners won the series against Detroit. Ryan Rowland-Smith […]
Schmidt’s long road back ends with victory, tentative hope for future
In a Dodgers season full of compelling stories, add one more that is perhaps the most unlikely: The return of Jason Schmidt. Image by Getty Images via Daylife The veteran right-hander signed a three-year $47 million contract before the 2007 season and, before the other night, had given the Dodgers just six starts in return. […]
Can the Rockies stay hot after the break?
Coming off a June record of 21-7 and finishing with a 10 game home–stand before the break, but there are still many questions to be answered in Colorado regarding the second half of the season. The Colorado Rockies began the season as many fans would have anticipated, slowly. But after the firing of Clint Hurdle […]
Manny Returns to the Dodger Lineup
Image by Getty Images via Daylife Manny Ramirez returns to the Dodgers’ lineup tomorrow not as a pariah, but as a prodigal son. All has been foriven after his 50-game exile for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs when he takes the field for the Dodgers in San Diego. Mannywood, otherwise known as the left-field bleachers, […]
The Rangers Struggled in June
“The Rangers have lost the lead in the AL West with the Angels taking the spot that they have been so familiar with over the last four years. Texas has lost steam, but ironically, the pitching has kept them afloat and the offense has let them down. The Rangers have finished the past two seasons […]
Dodgers Looking Great with 2/3 of the Season to Go
Editor’s Note: Due to my being on vacation, Jim’s article that he wrote on June 5th below has been posted just now. According to Chris at Dodgerfan.net, the Dodgers are the favorite in Las Vegas to win the World Series, with odds at Mandalay Bay at 7-2. But now, with one-third of the season under […]
Oakland Still Sitting In Last Place
Although they were originally looked at as the number one contender to knock off the two time reigning American League West champions, the Oakland Athletics find themselves ten games under .500 and in last place in the division. General Manager Billy Beane deviated from his usual plan this past offseason by adding aging veterans and […]
What’s Wrong With Josh Hamilton?
The Texas Rangers are 30-19 after 49 contests, leading the Angels in the AL West by 5.5 games after play on Saturday. The Rangers’ quick start can be attributed to their potent offense, which ranks fifth in the majors, scoring 5.44 runs per game. Ian Kinsler, Michael Young and Nelson Cruz have led the way […]
The Texas Rangers Are In First Place Still!
The surprise Rangers are sitting in first place in the AL West! This time it’s their pitching that’s carrying them. Unlike last season, the Rangers are relying more on balance from the starting pitching and offense to win games. Last season, the Rangers lost many close games (3 runs or less) and this season, they’re […]
The Giants Road Struggles
The Giants road struggles have little to do with the road. The Giants are struggling on the road this year, just 2-8 entering Tuesday’s game in Chicago. So the easy excuse is to blame the ivy on the brick walls of Wrigley field for being out of bloom, or the cavernous alleyways of Petco Park. […]
Diamondbacks Fire Manager Bob Melvin
Bob Melvin has been fired as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and replaced by A.J. Hinch, the club’s director of player development since 2006. Melvin was a good guy and a great interview. What he did with the 2007 Diamondbacks was incredible, leading that team to the best record in the National League despite fielding […]
Rangers Reflections: The First 3 Weeks
One month into the season and we know two things about the Rangers: their offense is picking up where it left off last season and their pitching has drastically improved from last season’s horrendous output. Though both facets of the team are virtually the same as last season’s mark, the team has managed to stay […]
Arizona Wants Ex-Diamondbacks Back
On Sunday, Randy Johnson no-hit his old team through six innings, finishing with seven strikeouts and just three baserunners allowed through seven frames. Adding to the insult, the Big Unit erased both of the runners he let on base via free passes, picking off Chris Young and inducing pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds into an inning-ending double […]
Reflections on the Mariners
So what’s been happening in Mariner land over Spring Training? Not a lot of good. With frontline pitchers John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Kelvim Escobar and Justin Durocher out for significant amounts of playing time for the Angels and Athletics, the Mariners had an increased opportunity to steal the AL West out from the baseball world’s […]
2009 Season Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers
Last year: 84-78 Projected 2009 record: 91-71 Projected finish: First Place, National League West Key additions: Manny Ramirez, Orlando Hudson, Randy Wolf Key subtractions: Jeff Kent, Derek Lowe, Brad Penny, Takashi, Saito, Greg Maddux, Andruw Jones Quick-hit synopsis: Joe Torre will have an almost embarrassing level of riches in his 25-man roster — a hard-hitting […]
Reflections on the Rockies Past, Present & Future
Looking at the 2009 Rockies is a lot like looking at the 2008 Rockies. Only with a bit more urgency attached. Urgency in that if these Rockies don’t get off to a solid start, Clint Hurdle may not be in charge for long. This is Hurdle’s eighth season, and for the first time, he is […]
D-Backs Fantasy Impact
The Arizona Diamondbacks have won more games than any other National League team over the past two seasons. Considering that, you would figure that they would have a myriad of impact Fantasy Baseball players from which to select, but that really isn’t the case. General manager Josh Bynes and company have created a team for […]
