Going against PECOTA – Pitchers I’m not high on in 2013
Ben Lindbergh from Baseball Prospectus released a piece on ESPN showcasing 10 players projected to have comebacks in 2013 coming off of disappointing 2012 campaigns. The list is stacked with players who either performed below what their peripherals suggested they should, have reasonable sample sizes of minor league production/major league ability without the results, or […]
Valentines day is a day for lovers <3
Valentines day is a day for lovers. You’re single like me? No problem, I’ve got your solution. Think about this holiday as a celebration of the things/people/events.. really anything you love. I love my family, my friends, my passions. There’s a whole lot of love in your life, it just depends on how you look […]
The Justin Upton trade is another example of why No-Trade clauses have to go in MLB
Justin Upton is a 25 year old super star in the making and was recently traded to the Atlanta Braves in what looks to be a landslide transaction in favor of Atlanta. Not to take anything away from Martin Prado (the main player exchanged to Arizona), but Upton’s upside is in another universe than Prado’s […]
The biggest issue with the Hall of Fame voting process
Yesterday was a big day for the BBWAA and the baseball Hall of Fame as we saw several ‘tainted’ names come up on the ballot results. When the results came out we learned that none of the players eligible had been granted entry. Names that include a pitcher with 350+ wins, the all-time home run […]
My Pre-Season Top 5 World Series Contenders
It has come to that time where most of the major free agents have found their homes and it seems like most major deals are done, barring a Justin Upton deal. Today I sat back and really gave some thought as to who is a true contender and narrowed it down to the top 5. […]
Breaking: Angels add Josh Hamilton for 5/$125MM
The story just broke on twitter that the LA Angels have acquired All-Star slugger Josh Hamilton for 5 years and $125MM. This comes as a surprise to many, as it was thought that Hamilton would likely decide between the offensively starved Seattle Mariners or his former team, the Texas Rangers. In the end, Angels owner Arte […]
Royals get James Shields at a high cost
Last night the Kansas City Royals made a huge move to improve their 2013 chances of being relevant and competitive by acquiring James Shields in a 7-player deal. This deal has immediate and future implications on both the AL East and Central, with impact talent exchanging on both ends. The Royals finally get their ace […]
Tommy Hanson is why scouts will always have value
Atlanta Braves former top prospect and oft-injured starter Tommy Hanson was traded over the weekend to the LA Angels for relief flame thrower Jordan Walden. It is scary to think that three years ago Hanson was one of the most valued assets in the game with scouts raving about his ability and three above average […]
Tampa Rays lock up Longoria well ahead of schedule
Evan Longoria was already signed for several seasons at a clubhouse friendly deal. He had already shown that he has a propensity to get hurt, but when on the field he presented value on both sides of the ball. Today, Tampa decided they would jump the gun and lock him up before someone else fell […]
A solution to the Andrus/Upton trade scenario: A third team
Any time you talk about a major trade involving a potential superstar player you will get a lot of opinions. Since Justin Upton has been rumored to be on the trading block, there have been no shortage of trade scenarios talked and written about. Recently it has become pretty clear that the Texas Rangers are […]
Royals add Ervin Santana, Angels save some longballs
Word broke today that the Kansas City Royals picked up Ervin Santana pretty much right after Anaheim picked up his 2013 option at $13MM. In return Anaheim will receive LH reliever Brandon Sisk, who has yet to appear in a major league game at age 27. Instead of giving Santana the $1MM buyout and allowing […]
Tim Lincecum & Jon Lester – Similar yet entirely different
While at work a few days ago I was catching up on Twitter and Boston sports media and there seems to be this developing trend that because John Farrell is in as manager, that he has the magic solution for the Red Sox pitching staff. Not so fast. That’s just not simply how pitching works […]
Finding the true meaning of MVP: Analyzing the 2012 AL MVP
A hotly debated topic among my baseball friends has been the discussion of whether or not Miguel Cabrera is the AL MVP. Interestingly, it almost seems like an overwhelming majority of the public thinks that Cabrera MUST win if he wins the triple crown. I saw a poll on ESPN this morning that shows just how brainwashed […]
Salary Dump? Not So Fast.. Red Sox & Dodgers Make History
Just when it seemed like the 2012 dust had settled and most teams were what they are, the Boston Red Sox and L.A. Dodgers pulled off a transaction that will be talked about for years. A trade for any single one of the players (well, except for Punto) would have made headlines just due to […]
The Toronto Blue Jays will win the World Series in 2015
Yes, I said it. The Toronto Blue Jays, who are more affectionately known as the AL East‘s younger brother who always gets picked on will win the World Series in 2015. Why not? They could do it, right? Anything is possible! Thing is, this prediction doesn’t come at JUST the regression of the Red Sox […]
Brewers Re-Stock System in Greinke Deal
The Milwaukee Brewers traded ace starting pitcher Zack Greinke to the LA Angels over the weekend in what looks to be like a huge blow to the Texas Rangers playoff hopes. This is a big step in the rebuilding process of Milwaukee’s desolate farm system, and a declaration that Angels management and ownership are moving […]
What if Carl Crawford is 100%?
Close your eyes, count to ten.. pretend you’re in Tampa, Florida. It’s warm and muggy, except not around you because you’re in Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. You’re really excited because you get to see a great and competitive baseball game. Now tell me what you think of when you hear these […]
The O’s Dylan Bundy May Be The Most Important Player in The Minors
Not too long ago we were all dazzled by the enormous amount of talent on display at this years All-Star Futures Game, which aired on ESPN the day before the Home Run Derby. The Baltimore Orioles had two players in that showcase game: Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy. The two of them are some of […]
Scouting Seattle’s Erasmo Ramirez
Scouting Seattle Mariners’ Erasmo Ramirez 6/30/12 vs Boston Red Sox Over the weekend I had a chance to catch Seattle right hander Erasmo Ramirez. This was my first time seeing Ramirez after hearing a lot about him. He has had some success while being a big leaguer, so I decided to take a look at […]
Youkilis to White Sox: Trade Reaction & Analysis
The Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox made a trade yesterday that sent former All-Star third baseman Kevin Youkilis to the AL Central race. In return, the Boston Red Sox receive a couple of wet napkins in Zach Stewart and utilityman Brent Lillibridge. For Red Sox fans, this solution was a bit less painful […]
David Freese Coming Back to Reality, or Change in Approach?
During the offseason there was a lot of discussion about David Freese after his highly productive playoff run. 2011 was a magical year for Freese and the Cardinals. David posted career numbers both in the regular season and carried that success into the playoffs, leading St. Louis to a World Series title. However lately he […]
Why Adrian Gonzalez Isn’t Hitting for Power
A midst the massive failure that is the Boston Red Sox from the Fall of 2011 and though this point in the 2012 season, there have been a lot of fingers pointed and opinions formed. One point I heard being discussed on a Boston sports talk radio show over the weekend was asking why Adrian […]
The Daniel Bard Dilemma… Sort of.
Lets forget about the disastrous start by the Boston Red Sox for a moment, shall we? .. Well, never mind, but lets try for the sake of making a sound baseball decision for just this article. Lets face it, Sweet Caroline isn’t going to get the Red Sox out of this slide to start the […]
Mark Melancon’s Struggles with Red Sox
During the 2011-’12 offseason the Red Sox and Astro‘s made a trade that brought the Red Sox their next set-up man, and the Astro’s an injury plagued, yet talented middle infielder who was looking for an opportunity in Jed Lowrie. There wasn’t a ton of reaction to this trade, but it’s proving rather significant through only […]
My ECFBL 12-team Dynasty H2H Category League Draft Plus Analysis
Last night I participated in the first draft for my new dynasty keeper league. The league is filled with some smart baseball minds (including one not-so-smart) so I was excited to see how it would go. Based on the scoring categories and layout, I had devised my strategy before the draft and stuck with […]
The Future of Baseball Analytics – Cognitive Intelligence
I am a naturally inquisitive guy. In fact, the statistical side of baseball really appeals to me because it’s a direction to the path of knowledge. With more information and data, we can more appropriately get closer to a conclusion or at least a very sound hypothesis. Sometimes we sit and wait until the data […]
The Burnett Acquisition Offers Optimism in Pittsburgh
The Yankees and Pirates completed a trade yesterday that sent veteran right hander A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for two warm bodies and some salary relief. Pittsburgh is expected to pick up $13MM of the $31.1MM left on his contract, and immediately be placed atop the rotation for a team severely lacking […]
Aramis Is The Wrong Direction For Brewers
The Brewers signed Aramis Ramirez to a 3-year deal today to play 3rd and fill in the gap in offense that the departed Prince Fielder left via free agency. Although Fielder has yet to sign with another team, it’s all but a guarantee that the slugger will land somewhere other than Milwaukee for the next decade. […]
Braun Tests Positive, Could Mean Big Changes in Milwaukee
It was just made public that NL MVP Ryan Braun has tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and will serve a 50-game suspension barring an appeal. This is extremely significant for Milwaukee going forward and all but surely takes them out of the bidding for Prince Fielder as Braun will miss 1/3 of the season […]
Arizona nabs Cahill and Breslow, send Jarrod Parker and others to Oakland
Billy Beane decided to essentially toss any hope for A’s fans out the window yesterday when he dealt young ace in the making Trevor Cahill and effective RP Craig Breslow to the Diamondbacks for SP prospect Jarrod Parker and two “prospects”. This move is significant for the D’backs as their outlook on 2012 takes a […]
