There is only one substantial problem with the Rockies’ recent rise to prominence. Whenever I think of the Rockies, their recent postseason runs, “Rocktober,” or heck, even when I think of night baseball at Coors Field, I think of the Dane Cook-narrated “Theres only ONE October” commercials that ran ad nauseam in 2007. And I strongly dislike Dane Cook. He contributes very little to humanity and now, to top it all off, his inane narration and appearance in those otherwise decent commercials has robbed me of the ability to enjoy the Rockies success. Maybe the next time the Rockies figure prominently in the postseason, MLB will get Morgan Freeman to narrate its pump-up ads.
The Rockies of 2009 were a good, though not great, team. They benefited from playing in the NL West with 2 teams (Arizona and San Diego) for whom winning proved exceedingly difficult and in a National League which saw its biggest spenders (Cubs and Mets) self-immolate. They took advantage of that situation and made the playoffs as a wildcard before bowing out to the eventual NL champion Phillies in the Division Series. While there are some notable changes going into 2010, the key pieces from last season remain mostly in place. Always a good sign going into a new season.
The Skipper
After limping out of the gate last season, the Rockies’ brass canned manager Clint Hurdle, with whom most of the baseball-following world had become familiar in 2007, and replaced him with ex-Dodger head man Jim Tracy. The team performed noticeably better under Tracy. Matter of style or strategy? Likely not. Baseball Prospectus points out that the marked turnaround under Tracy may have resulted from his willingness to put a slightly different cast of characters in the lineup. Hurdle was wedded to the players who had taken the club to the World Series 2 seasons previous. As a newcomer to the Rockies, Tracy had no such handicaps and his slight lineup tweaks (Ian Stewart regularly at 3rd, Seth Smith in the outfield) coincided with a turnaround in the team’s 2009 fortunes.
The Moundsmen
A discussion of the Rockies players beginning with its pitching? Surely I jest. But no. The Rockies have assembled a competent crew of hurlers who will be at the center of any success they are to have this season. Staff Ace Ubaldo Jimenez won 15 games in 2009 while posting a sub-3.50 ERA and striking out almost a hitter per inning pitched. The departure of Jason Marquis leaves Aaron Cook and his 27 wins over the past 2 seasons as the likely number 2 starter. Lefty Jorge delaRosa and control artist Jason Hammel each posted double digit win totals a season ago. Rounding out the rotation, and rising to its top if the dreams of many Rockies fans come true, will be former staff ace Jeff Francis who missed last season after shoulder surgery. If he is close to healthy, he more than makes up for Jason Marquis departing for Washington, DC. Francis, as anyone who cares to turn back the clock to 2007 may recall, won a cool 17 games 3 years ago.
There is less cause for joy in the bullpen, but, certainly nothing to panic about either. Closer Huston Street threw well in 2009, walking fewer and striking out more hitters than in previous campaigns. To get to Street, Colorado will trust late innings to Manny Corpas, whose ERA has yet to approach his eye-catching 2007 numbers, but, 2007 WAS pretty special all around for the Rockies. Rafael Betancourt came over last season from Cleveland for the stretch run and will share setup duties with Corpas and a group of pitchers whose ERAs orbit the mid-4's with planet-like precision: Franklin Morales, Matt Daley, and youngster Esmil Rogers.
Mile High Swingers
Todd Helton, long the face of the Rockies franchise, brought his batting average back up over .300 last season after it took a one year sabbatical in the land of average players otherwise known as the .260s. Helton's power stroke is not what it once was, but, he still gets on base at over a .400 clip, hits doubles, and drives in runs. The distinction of being the new face of the Rockies offense probably goes to shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who, tell me if this is sounding like a theme, rebounded last year from a disappointing sophomore campaign in 2008, and walloped 32 homers and batted nearly .300. All outfielder Carlos Gonzalez did last year was slug .525in a little more than half of a big league season, leading many to conclude that he's an all-star in the making.
Brad Hawpe returns and will almost certainly beat out Seth Smith for the starting gig in right field. Hawpe, unlike alot of his teammates,had his 2008 funk last into 2009. But, at age 31, Hawpe still has plenty iin the tank. Dexter Fowler brings incredible outfield range, base-stealing ability, and an improving approach at the plate for getting on base. He should be the everyday centerfielder again. Ian Stewart mashed 25 homers last year; he will play 3rd for Jim Tracy again this year.
In case anyone is nostalgic for AL All-Star teams from early last decade, the Rockies will have a bench much to your liking. After providing a lefty pinch hitting bat for the team's postseason run last season, Jason Giambi returns to Denver this spring as a primary pinch hitting option. He will be joined on the bench, and almost certainly on the training table, by Melvin Mora, who after a miserable 2009 season is looking to show that he is not finished as a big-league hitter. There was a time when Melvin Mora was fleet of foot. After many years of wear and tear and several years of getting more puffy in appearance, Mora, like Giambi, will be of most use in the batters box rather than in the field or on the basepaths.
Parting Shots
The Rockies made the playoffs in 1995 as a 3rd year expansion team owing largely to the National League’s unfamiliarity with playing in thin air, a lineup of hulking ball-mashers, and, well, enough good luck to grab a wild card in a strike-shortened season. They rode an ungodly winning streak to the playoffs in 2007 and last season won a berth based on a torrid 2nd half of the season. A winning season in 2010 will not require the same series of furtnate events that propelled them into October in 1995, they just have to follow their recent formula, play solid baseball, and get hot at the right time.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
They Used to be Called the Robins
In 1916 the Brooklyn Baseball Club, known as the Robins, lost the World Series to Babe Ruth and the Boston Red Sox 4 games to 1. In the years that followed, The Brooklyn team would change its name to Dodgers, frequently finish near the bottom of the eight-team National League, return to the World Series 5 times only to lose to the Yankees each time, shock those same Yankees in 1955, and then, before the 50s were over, bolt New York City for Southern California and win the 1959 World Series as the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 2010 incarnation of the Dodgers likely has much more in common with those World Series teams than with the frustrated cellar dwellers who earned the team the pejorative-turned-loving moniker "Bums." The Dodgers of 2010 are anything but bums. In fact, in a National League which appears short on elite teams, Joe Torre's squad may once again find itself with a fighting chance in October to thwart the growing dynastic ambitions of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Why the high praise? The 2010 Dodgers field a lineup which boasts with an exciting mix of homegrown stars on the verge of national superstardom and veteran mercenaries who have the potential every season to hit like all-stars. The Dodgers' front office has been smart enough to sign the young talent nucleus, James Loney, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Russell Martin to rich contracts, ensuring they will remain in Dodger Blue until, at least, the time when the current crop of veterans is ready to retire.
The pitching is no slouch either. Young prospects turning into stars paired with veteran arms who still have at least a few more seasons in them. The starting rotation is anchored by Chad Billingsley, who had an All-Star season last year at age 24 before suffering a second-half collapse. Clayton Kershaw, who turns 22 later this month, posted a sub-3.00 ERA last year, and could be this season's breakout lefty in the Senior Circuit. Jonathan Broxton, Vin Scully's biggest man crush, throws smoke at the back end of the bullpen and George Sherrill has All-Star closer stuff but serves as Joe Torre's primary setup man.
They will pitch well. They will hit well. By most measurements they will field well. That generally translates into wins. Almost always.
The Lineup
C-- Russell Martin .250 BA, 7 HR, 53 RBI
1B-- James Loney .281 BA, 13 HR, 90 RBI
2B-- Ronnie Belliard .277 BA, 10 HR, 39 RBI
SS-- Rafael Furcal .269 BA, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 12 SB
3B-- Casey Blake .280 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI
LF-- Manny Ramirez .290 BA, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 50 Games Suspended
CF-- Matt Kemp .297 BA, 26 HR, 101 RBI, 34 SB
RF-- Andre Ethier .272 BA, 31 HR, 106 RBI
Any discussion of the Dodger lineup must begin with the two budding stars who make things go: Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Kemp is one of those rare 5-tool mega-athletes who is actually turning extraordinary athletic ability into production on the baseball field. Though he struggled against lefties in 2009, Ethier set career highs in every important offensive stat and by all accounts, should put up similar numbers in 2010. Martin and Furcal had disappointing 2009 campaigns. Martin's woeful season calls into question the gaudy numbers the catcher put up for the first few seasons of his career while Furcal mixed occasional flashes of brilliance last year into an otherwise unmemorable season. Manny Ramirez missed 50 games last year because, it turns out, he has some issues with abiding by Baseball's drug testing policy, but, ask any NL pitcher: Manny is still Manny. Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake are the likely 2nd and 3rd basemen respectively, but, they are each in the back half of their 30s and, between injury and inconsistency, both may lose at-bats over the course of the season to other veterans (Jamie Carroll) or youngsters still looking for a steady job (Blake DeWitt).
Reserves
Brian Giles
Garret Anderson
Doug Mientkiewicz
Jamie Carroll
Blake Dewitt
Brad Ausmus
Reed Johnson
Not all of the above will be Dodgers on Opening Day. In fact, in this era of 11 and 12 man pitching staffs, 2 of the above may be on the golf course or in other uniforms as the Dodgers start their run towards the postseason. Garret Anderson signed a minor league deal with the team and is probably in competition with 39-year-old Brian Giles for the role of primary pinch-hitter. Mientkiewicz, still a slick fielder, and Ausmus, still said to be one of the brightest and best handlers of pitchers in the game likely have almost guaranteed jobs in LA. Reed Johnson will spell Manny in left field whenever the situation calls for actual defense. Blake Dewitt and Jamie Carroll will compete with Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake for infield time. The always bi-polar Belliard will almost certainly lose his hold on 2nd base temporarily a few times this season, allowing the veteran Carroll and the still unproven DeWitt a chance at semi-regular playing time. This is a potentially stellar bench. One of the best in the NL.
Starting Rotation
Chad Billingsley 12-11, 4.03 ERA
Clayton Kershaw 8-8, 2.79 ERA
Hiroki Kuroda 8-7, 3.76 ERA
Vicente Padilla 12-6, 4.46 ERA
James McDonald 5-5, 4.00 ERA
Billingsley was an All-Star in 2009 before going into a pretty severe second-half tailspin which bottomed out with his getting passed over for a postseason start. He's still only 25 and, prior to last fall's funk, had demonstrated a superior talent for getting hitters out, a rebound this year is likely. Clayton Kershaw, though also of tender years, has devastating stuff, including a mid-90s fastball, wicked curveball, and way-above-average changeup. Hiroki Kuroda took a linedrive off of the head last year, but, still managed a respectable stat line. Vicente Padilla pitched like a man possessed after coming over to the Dodgers from texas last season, back for more in 2010, if he can provide a performance that even vaguely resembles his 2009 campaign, Joe Torre will have 4 very consistent starters upon whom he can rely and rest easy. According to most accounts, James McDonald, who required more seasoning in the minors for much of last year after getting tenderized in some early season starts, has the inside track on LA's final rotation spot. He pitched well in the 2nd half of last season, almost exclusively coming out of the bullpen.
The Relief Corps
Jonathan Broxton
George Sherrill
Ramon Troncoso
Ronald Belisario
Eric Gagne
Hong-Chih Kuo
Just listen to a Dodger broadcast. Hear how Vin Scully swoons as he describes the pitching arsenal and physical prowess of Jonathan Broxton. At 1 and 1/2 strikeouts per inning, I imagine Scully is not the only member of the Dodger organization whose heart leaps whenever they see the imposing LA closer. George Sherrill cost the Dodgers 2 top prospects (everyone in Baltimore would like to offer a "Thank you, Hun" to the LA front office for that late season gift) but pitched up to his All-Star form upon arrival in LA. He is murder on lefties, and no slouch against righties. In a full season as the primary setup man, he should thrive. Troncoso and Belisario had virtually no big league experience under their belts prior to 2009 but both posted sub-3.00 ERAs and throw smoke. Watch out Dodger fans, Eric Gagne is back in Dodger camp this spring. He was once LA's unhittable end of game force. If he rediscovers any of his previous velocity and movement, he will make a valuable addition to Torre's pen, otherwise, the big Canadian may have reached the end of his baseball road.
There is clearly alot to like about the 2010 Dodgers. Its also easy to like that they play in a division in which the talent pool, though rapidly rising, is still pretty shallow. Put the Dodgers in, oh, lets say the AL East, and the certainty of their making an appearance in October would have to go down considerably. But they don't play in the AL East. They are the most talented and deepest team in the NL West, one of the best teams, on paper, in the entire National League, and more than 50 years after moving to sunny southern California, the 2010 Dodgers are a far cry from so many of their bottom-feeding ancestors.
The 2010 incarnation of the Dodgers likely has much more in common with those World Series teams than with the frustrated cellar dwellers who earned the team the pejorative-turned-loving moniker "Bums." The Dodgers of 2010 are anything but bums. In fact, in a National League which appears short on elite teams, Joe Torre's squad may once again find itself with a fighting chance in October to thwart the growing dynastic ambitions of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Why the high praise? The 2010 Dodgers field a lineup which boasts with an exciting mix of homegrown stars on the verge of national superstardom and veteran mercenaries who have the potential every season to hit like all-stars. The Dodgers' front office has been smart enough to sign the young talent nucleus, James Loney, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Russell Martin to rich contracts, ensuring they will remain in Dodger Blue until, at least, the time when the current crop of veterans is ready to retire.
The pitching is no slouch either. Young prospects turning into stars paired with veteran arms who still have at least a few more seasons in them. The starting rotation is anchored by Chad Billingsley, who had an All-Star season last year at age 24 before suffering a second-half collapse. Clayton Kershaw, who turns 22 later this month, posted a sub-3.00 ERA last year, and could be this season's breakout lefty in the Senior Circuit. Jonathan Broxton, Vin Scully's biggest man crush, throws smoke at the back end of the bullpen and George Sherrill has All-Star closer stuff but serves as Joe Torre's primary setup man.
They will pitch well. They will hit well. By most measurements they will field well. That generally translates into wins. Almost always.
The Lineup
C-- Russell Martin .250 BA, 7 HR, 53 RBI
1B-- James Loney .281 BA, 13 HR, 90 RBI
2B-- Ronnie Belliard .277 BA, 10 HR, 39 RBI
SS-- Rafael Furcal .269 BA, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 12 SB
3B-- Casey Blake .280 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI
LF-- Manny Ramirez .290 BA, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 50 Games Suspended
CF-- Matt Kemp .297 BA, 26 HR, 101 RBI, 34 SB
RF-- Andre Ethier .272 BA, 31 HR, 106 RBI
Any discussion of the Dodger lineup must begin with the two budding stars who make things go: Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Kemp is one of those rare 5-tool mega-athletes who is actually turning extraordinary athletic ability into production on the baseball field. Though he struggled against lefties in 2009, Ethier set career highs in every important offensive stat and by all accounts, should put up similar numbers in 2010. Martin and Furcal had disappointing 2009 campaigns. Martin's woeful season calls into question the gaudy numbers the catcher put up for the first few seasons of his career while Furcal mixed occasional flashes of brilliance last year into an otherwise unmemorable season. Manny Ramirez missed 50 games last year because, it turns out, he has some issues with abiding by Baseball's drug testing policy, but, ask any NL pitcher: Manny is still Manny. Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake are the likely 2nd and 3rd basemen respectively, but, they are each in the back half of their 30s and, between injury and inconsistency, both may lose at-bats over the course of the season to other veterans (Jamie Carroll) or youngsters still looking for a steady job (Blake DeWitt).
Reserves
Brian Giles
Garret Anderson
Doug Mientkiewicz
Jamie Carroll
Blake Dewitt
Brad Ausmus
Reed Johnson
Not all of the above will be Dodgers on Opening Day. In fact, in this era of 11 and 12 man pitching staffs, 2 of the above may be on the golf course or in other uniforms as the Dodgers start their run towards the postseason. Garret Anderson signed a minor league deal with the team and is probably in competition with 39-year-old Brian Giles for the role of primary pinch-hitter. Mientkiewicz, still a slick fielder, and Ausmus, still said to be one of the brightest and best handlers of pitchers in the game likely have almost guaranteed jobs in LA. Reed Johnson will spell Manny in left field whenever the situation calls for actual defense. Blake Dewitt and Jamie Carroll will compete with Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake for infield time. The always bi-polar Belliard will almost certainly lose his hold on 2nd base temporarily a few times this season, allowing the veteran Carroll and the still unproven DeWitt a chance at semi-regular playing time. This is a potentially stellar bench. One of the best in the NL.
Starting Rotation
Chad Billingsley 12-11, 4.03 ERA
Clayton Kershaw 8-8, 2.79 ERA
Hiroki Kuroda 8-7, 3.76 ERA
Vicente Padilla 12-6, 4.46 ERA
James McDonald 5-5, 4.00 ERA
Billingsley was an All-Star in 2009 before going into a pretty severe second-half tailspin which bottomed out with his getting passed over for a postseason start. He's still only 25 and, prior to last fall's funk, had demonstrated a superior talent for getting hitters out, a rebound this year is likely. Clayton Kershaw, though also of tender years, has devastating stuff, including a mid-90s fastball, wicked curveball, and way-above-average changeup. Hiroki Kuroda took a linedrive off of the head last year, but, still managed a respectable stat line. Vicente Padilla pitched like a man possessed after coming over to the Dodgers from texas last season, back for more in 2010, if he can provide a performance that even vaguely resembles his 2009 campaign, Joe Torre will have 4 very consistent starters upon whom he can rely and rest easy. According to most accounts, James McDonald, who required more seasoning in the minors for much of last year after getting tenderized in some early season starts, has the inside track on LA's final rotation spot. He pitched well in the 2nd half of last season, almost exclusively coming out of the bullpen.
The Relief Corps
Jonathan Broxton
George Sherrill
Ramon Troncoso
Ronald Belisario
Eric Gagne
Hong-Chih Kuo
Just listen to a Dodger broadcast. Hear how Vin Scully swoons as he describes the pitching arsenal and physical prowess of Jonathan Broxton. At 1 and 1/2 strikeouts per inning, I imagine Scully is not the only member of the Dodger organization whose heart leaps whenever they see the imposing LA closer. George Sherrill cost the Dodgers 2 top prospects (everyone in Baltimore would like to offer a "Thank you, Hun" to the LA front office for that late season gift) but pitched up to his All-Star form upon arrival in LA. He is murder on lefties, and no slouch against righties. In a full season as the primary setup man, he should thrive. Troncoso and Belisario had virtually no big league experience under their belts prior to 2009 but both posted sub-3.00 ERAs and throw smoke. Watch out Dodger fans, Eric Gagne is back in Dodger camp this spring. He was once LA's unhittable end of game force. If he rediscovers any of his previous velocity and movement, he will make a valuable addition to Torre's pen, otherwise, the big Canadian may have reached the end of his baseball road.
There is clearly alot to like about the 2010 Dodgers. Its also easy to like that they play in a division in which the talent pool, though rapidly rising, is still pretty shallow. Put the Dodgers in, oh, lets say the AL East, and the certainty of their making an appearance in October would have to go down considerably. But they don't play in the AL East. They are the most talented and deepest team in the NL West, one of the best teams, on paper, in the entire National League, and more than 50 years after moving to sunny southern California, the 2010 Dodgers are a far cry from so many of their bottom-feeding ancestors.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2010 Preview
Many thanks to Chris George for an excellent effort. It takes a big man to write an honest preview of the team that ended his team's season in 2009. We at baseballbreaksyourheart.com believe that good honest analysis entitles us to take occasional liberties with the names of rival teams. You may learn some new names for the Yankees in what follows. Enjoy!
--TQ
2009 in Review
During the first decade of the 21st century, Mike Scioscia’s Angels put together the best decade in the franchise’s history. The winning ways continued in 2009. The club won the AL West title in convincing fashion, finishing on top of the second place Texas Rangers by 10 games. It was an emotional season, following the tragic death of 22 year old pitcher Nick Adenhart after his first start in April, but behind Scioscia’s steady hand, the team ended the season with a record of 97-65.
Offensively, the team scored 883 runs, second in the major leagues. First baseman Kendry Morales, in his first full season at the major league level, finished fifth in MVP voting, averaging .306/.355/.569. Third baseman Chone Figgins hit .298/.363/.388 with 42 stolen bases out of the leadoff spot. Torii Hunter (.299/.366/.508) had one of the best seasons of his career at the plate. And 35 year old Bobby Abreu continued to produce in his first season in California (.293/.390/.435, 30 SB), and as we would be told interminably during the postseason, he was an excellent example of patience at the plate for the team’s young hitters. But this was a formidable line up one through nine. The team ranked 1st in the majors in batting average (.285), 2nd in on base percentage (.350), 4th in slugging (.441).
The pitching staff was solid, if not spectacular, finished 9th in the majors with a 4.45 team ERA. Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders paced the club with 16 wins. Scott Kazmir was stellar after being traded from Tampa Bay: 6 starts, 1.73 ERA, 260 ERA+. Darren Oliver continued the resurrection of his career as reliever extraordinaire (5-1, 2.71 ERA, 8.01 K/9, 1.14 WHIP, 30 holds). And new closer Brian Fuentes saved 48 games, albeit many in white knuckle fashion (1-5, 3.90 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 7 blown saves).
In the postseason, the California Anaheim Los Angeles Angels accomplished something that had never been done in franchise history. In 1986, 2004, 2007, 2008 the Angels were knocked out of the playoffs by the Red Sox. This wouldn’t be the case in 2009. After cruising to a 5-0 victory in game 1, the Angels took game 2 4-1 on a 7th inning rally of Josh Beckett. Game 3 went to Fenway, and with Boston up 5-2 going into the 8th, some had visions of a series comeback and another Angels playoff bid ending with a whimper to the Sox. But 2 runs in the 8th, 3 in the 9th, and an epic collapse by Jonathan Papelbon later, the Angels had the 7-6 victory and were off to the next round.
They were off to the Bronx to take on Hell’s Satans…more frequently known as the New York Yankees. And what followed was a veritable heavyweight bout. The Yankees took the first 2 at home, winning 4-1 and 4-3, but the Angels closed the series deficit to 3 games to 2 after the trip west. Game 4 was a decisive 10-1 loss, but the Angels came from behind to win games 3 (5-4 in 11) and 5 (7-6). The Yankees would close out the ALCS the next game, winning 5-2 in the Bronx. And in the end the better team won: the vaunted Angels offense was shut down by Yankee pitching, averaging collectively .236/.300/.352 for the series.
The Offseason
It was a long offseason for the Angels with more talent leaving town than coming in. Career Angel Chone Figgins left for Seattle, leaving a huge hole at the top of the lineup (more on this later). Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero left for the Rangers after six season in Anaheim. Vlad, one of the more consistent hitters in the league for a decade, posted the worst offensive numbers of his career, .295/.334/.460, in an injury shortened 100 game campaign. His presence will likely be missed in the Angels lineup, but given concerns about his durability, it was time for the club to let the 35 year old veteran go and pursue a younger, healthier alternative, which is the opposite of what they ended up doing. Erstwhile ace John Lackey likewise left in free agency for the greener confines of Fenway Park. Lackey had been a solid performer in ’09: 11-8, 3.83 ERA, 7.09 K/9, 1.27 WHIP. Relief pitcher Darren Oliver will be joining Vlad in Texas after his best season since the first Clinton administration. Reliever Jose Arredondo signed a minor league deal with the Reds after a disastrous season (2-3, 6.00ERA, 1.56 WHIP, .269 BAA vs. 10-2, 1.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, .190 BAA in 2008), but will miss the 2010 season following Tommy John surgery on his elbow.
In the club’s only trade of the winter, HGH enthusiast Gary Matthews, Jr. was shipped to the Mets in exchange for pitcher Brian Stokes, ending Matthews disappointing tenure in Anaheim. The backup outfielder signed a 5 year / $50 million deal as a free agent after a stellar 2006 season, but never met the team’s (overly optimistic) expectations. In ’09 he hit .250/.336/.361 in 103 games. Stokes (2-4, 3.97 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, .267 BAA) should at minimum replicate Arredondo’s production from last season, but any more than that is just wishful thinking. The right hander has a 5.02 career ERA with a .302 BAA.
As for other new faces in the clubhouse, the most significant move of the offseason was the acquisition of DH Hideki Matsui. The former Yankee was a solid contributor to the championship club last season, hitting .274/.367/.509 (.349/.462/.674 in the postseason). But he will be 36 in June, and with persistent knee troubles that kept him off of the field defensively for all of 2009, one has to wonder how much longer he can keep it up. Starting pitcher Joel Piniero will find a spot in the rotation after his best season since 2003. And hard throwing former Tiger Fernando Rodney will be a crucial member of the back end of the bullpen.
2010 Roster
The section in which I guess who makes the team out of spring training, and in what role. New additions are in red. Stats are for last season.
Lineup
SS Erick Aybar .312/.353/.423
RF Bobby Abreu .293/.390/.435
CF Torii Hunter .299/.366/.508
DH Hideki Matsui .274/.367/.509
1B Kendry Morales .306/.355/.569
LF Juan Rivera .287/.332/.478
2B Howie Kendrick .291/.334/.444
C Mike Napoli .272/.350/.492
3B Brandon Wood .195/.267/.293, AAA:.293/.353/.557
Bench
2B Maicer Izturis .300/.359/.434
C Jeff Mathis .211/.288/.308
LF Reggie Willits .213/.256/.238
1B/3B Robb Quinlan .243/.275/.339
Rotation
RH Jared Weaver 16-8, 3.75 ERA, 7.42 K/9, 1.24 WHIP
LH Scott Kazmir 10-9, 4.89 ERA, 7.15 K/9, 1.42 WHIP
RH Ervin Santana 8-8, 5.03 ERA, 6.89 K/9, 1.47 WHIP
LH Joe Saunders 16-7, 4.60 ERA, 4.89 K/9, 1.43 WHIP
RH Joel Piniero 15-12, 3.49 ERA, 4.42 K/9, 1.14 WHIP
Bullpen
CL LH Brian Fuentes 1-5, 3.93 ERA, 7,53 K/9, 1.40 WHIP, 48 S, 7 BS
RP RH Fernando Rodney 2-5, 4.40 ERA, 7.30 K/9, 1.47 WHIP, 37 S, 1 BS
RP RH Scot Shields 1-3, 6.62 ERA, 6.11 K/9, 1.75 WHIP
RP RH Jason Bulger 6-1, 3.56 ERA, 9.32 K/9, 1.16 WHIP
RP RH Kevin Jepsen 6-4, 4.94 ERA, 7.90 K/9, 1.56 WHIP
RP RH Brian Stokes 2-4, 3.97 ERA, 5.76 K/9, 1.56 WHIP
RP RH Matt Palmer 11-2, 3.93 ERA, 5.12 K/9, 1.32 WHIP
Prognostications
Throughout his tenure at the helm of the Angels, Mike Scioscia has won baseball games. 900 wins against 720 losses in the regular season. Six postseason appearances in 10 years. One championship. Two Manager of the Year awards (2002 and 2009). In 2010, the Angels will win more games than they will lose. The team that will take the field opening day is weaker than the ’09 edition. It remains to be seen if any diamonds in the rough can be found among the minor leaguers and non-roster invitees to camp – if so they are flying below my radar. The result is a lack of depth, in particular on the bench and in middle relief. If the Angels are going to win the division for the fourth straight season, a few things will need to go their way.
Keys to Success
1) Brandon Wood
By letting Chone Figgins walk, the Angels lost the spark at the top of their lineup. After his 8 seasons, Figgins leaves 1st on the franchise list in career stolen bases (280), 2nd in triples (53), 7th in hits (1045), 7th in runs scored (596), 8th in OBP (.363), 7th in batting average (.291)….The club made no move in the offseason to replace this production. Instead, 24 year old former first round pick Brandon Wood is going to get the chance to play every day.
Wood has been a highly touted prospect, ranked as high as #3 in the country by Baseball America (2006). He has seen some time with the big club in parts of the last three seasons (86 games) hitting .192/.222/.313. In his minor league career, he hit .286/.354/.541, demonstrating both an ability to hit the long ball and from time to time a little speed. He is an average fielder, but with some versatility in the infield: he has seen time in the majors at third base as well as first and short. He is not going to be able to replace Figgins. But if the Angels don’t get at least decent production from Wood, there will be a gaping hole in their lineup.
Age
The Angels have a solid core of established young talent in Weaver (27), Kazmir (26), Santana (27), Saunders (28), Napoli (28), Aybar (26), Kendrick (26), Morales (26). But at the other end of the spectrum, they have an abundance of critical players who are approaching over the hill status. Abreu and Matsui turn 36 this year. Hunter, Shields, and Fuentes will be 35 before season’s end. There is little in the way of a backup plan if they suffer new or recurring injuries (Matsui and Shields have missed significant time in recent years with knee trouble), or if they cannot compete at close to the same level as they have for the bulk of their respective careers.
Santana
Ervin Santana did some time on the DL last season, but when healthy, he took a significant step back.
Santana IP W-L ERA K/9 WHIP
2008 219 16-7 3.49 8.79 1.12
2009 139 2/3 8-8 5.03 6.89 1.47
The Angels, even after losing Lackey, have an excellent rotation on paper. Santana doesn’t need to be an ace, though he showed that kind of potential in 2008. The club will win considerably more games, and if everything else pans out, have a chance at a deeper playoff run, if he can revert to his 2008 form, especially given the weakness in the bullpen.
Which brings us to…
Bullpen
The Angels have a starting pitching staff that will keep them in games. And they have, if healthy, an offense that will put them in a position to win a lot of them. But they need to hold those leads. Three names are critical.
Scot Shields’ 2009 season was a rare blemish on an otherwise sterling career, and ended with season ending knee surgery.
Shields ERA K/9 WHIP
2009 6.62 6.11 1.75
Career 3.03 8.18 1.21
His knee is evidently going to be ready for the season, but its continued health and his reversion to something resembling his previously high level of performance will be crucial to holding the lead in the 7th inning. The rest of the bullpen puts a lot of people on base. A lights out Shields will be essential in late game situations.
Brian Fuentes is still the closer heading into camp, but his 2009 performance is a cause for some trepidation. Fuentes saved a lot of games last year (48), his first in Anaheim. He also blew 7. He was below career average across the board:
Fuentes ERA K/9 WHIP
2009 3.97 7.53 1.4
Career 3.47 9.92 1.26
This makes Fernando Rodney’s role ever more important. Rodney closed ball games for the Tigers last year, converting 37 of 38. He can touch 100 on the radar gun. For his career he’s averaged a 4.28 ERA, 8.56 K/9, 1.42 WHIP. He comes into camp in line to be the set up guy, and like Shields will likely need to put out some fires started by the rest of the pen. If Fuentes continues to be shaky, Rodney will be the one getting the save opportunities.
Without improved production, especially out of the back end of the bullpen, it will be a difficult road for the Angels to qualify for postseason play.
Parting Thoughts
2010 will be less successful for the Angels than was 2009. The offense, at least the aging components, will be less productive, and the pitching should be, barring injury, about a wash.
That being said, looking around the division… Oakland is still rebuilding. Texas always has the offense but never the pitching. They added Rich Harden in the offseason, certainly a guy who can pitch well when healthy, but he has only pitched 150 innings or more once in his career due to injury, and that was in 2004. The Mariners have one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball in Felix Hernandez and newcomer Cliff Lee – 1-2-3 if Erik Bedard (30 starts total in 2 seasons in Seattle) could stay healthy. They picked up Chone Figgins, and I have already extolled the job he does offensively. And they still have Ichiro. But overall, the Angels are fielding the best team in the AL West in 2010, though by a smaller margin than the past couple years.
Prediction: 93-69, 1st place by 3 games over Seattle. A loss in the ALDS to….let’s say Boston.
--TQ
2009 in Review
During the first decade of the 21st century, Mike Scioscia’s Angels put together the best decade in the franchise’s history. The winning ways continued in 2009. The club won the AL West title in convincing fashion, finishing on top of the second place Texas Rangers by 10 games. It was an emotional season, following the tragic death of 22 year old pitcher Nick Adenhart after his first start in April, but behind Scioscia’s steady hand, the team ended the season with a record of 97-65.
Offensively, the team scored 883 runs, second in the major leagues. First baseman Kendry Morales, in his first full season at the major league level, finished fifth in MVP voting, averaging .306/.355/.569. Third baseman Chone Figgins hit .298/.363/.388 with 42 stolen bases out of the leadoff spot. Torii Hunter (.299/.366/.508) had one of the best seasons of his career at the plate. And 35 year old Bobby Abreu continued to produce in his first season in California (.293/.390/.435, 30 SB), and as we would be told interminably during the postseason, he was an excellent example of patience at the plate for the team’s young hitters. But this was a formidable line up one through nine. The team ranked 1st in the majors in batting average (.285), 2nd in on base percentage (.350), 4th in slugging (.441).
The pitching staff was solid, if not spectacular, finished 9th in the majors with a 4.45 team ERA. Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders paced the club with 16 wins. Scott Kazmir was stellar after being traded from Tampa Bay: 6 starts, 1.73 ERA, 260 ERA+. Darren Oliver continued the resurrection of his career as reliever extraordinaire (5-1, 2.71 ERA, 8.01 K/9, 1.14 WHIP, 30 holds). And new closer Brian Fuentes saved 48 games, albeit many in white knuckle fashion (1-5, 3.90 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 7 blown saves).
In the postseason, the California Anaheim Los Angeles Angels accomplished something that had never been done in franchise history. In 1986, 2004, 2007, 2008 the Angels were knocked out of the playoffs by the Red Sox. This wouldn’t be the case in 2009. After cruising to a 5-0 victory in game 1, the Angels took game 2 4-1 on a 7th inning rally of Josh Beckett. Game 3 went to Fenway, and with Boston up 5-2 going into the 8th, some had visions of a series comeback and another Angels playoff bid ending with a whimper to the Sox. But 2 runs in the 8th, 3 in the 9th, and an epic collapse by Jonathan Papelbon later, the Angels had the 7-6 victory and were off to the next round.
They were off to the Bronx to take on Hell’s Satans…more frequently known as the New York Yankees. And what followed was a veritable heavyweight bout. The Yankees took the first 2 at home, winning 4-1 and 4-3, but the Angels closed the series deficit to 3 games to 2 after the trip west. Game 4 was a decisive 10-1 loss, but the Angels came from behind to win games 3 (5-4 in 11) and 5 (7-6). The Yankees would close out the ALCS the next game, winning 5-2 in the Bronx. And in the end the better team won: the vaunted Angels offense was shut down by Yankee pitching, averaging collectively .236/.300/.352 for the series.
The Offseason
It was a long offseason for the Angels with more talent leaving town than coming in. Career Angel Chone Figgins left for Seattle, leaving a huge hole at the top of the lineup (more on this later). Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero left for the Rangers after six season in Anaheim. Vlad, one of the more consistent hitters in the league for a decade, posted the worst offensive numbers of his career, .295/.334/.460, in an injury shortened 100 game campaign. His presence will likely be missed in the Angels lineup, but given concerns about his durability, it was time for the club to let the 35 year old veteran go and pursue a younger, healthier alternative, which is the opposite of what they ended up doing. Erstwhile ace John Lackey likewise left in free agency for the greener confines of Fenway Park. Lackey had been a solid performer in ’09: 11-8, 3.83 ERA, 7.09 K/9, 1.27 WHIP. Relief pitcher Darren Oliver will be joining Vlad in Texas after his best season since the first Clinton administration. Reliever Jose Arredondo signed a minor league deal with the Reds after a disastrous season (2-3, 6.00ERA, 1.56 WHIP, .269 BAA vs. 10-2, 1.62 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, .190 BAA in 2008), but will miss the 2010 season following Tommy John surgery on his elbow.
In the club’s only trade of the winter, HGH enthusiast Gary Matthews, Jr. was shipped to the Mets in exchange for pitcher Brian Stokes, ending Matthews disappointing tenure in Anaheim. The backup outfielder signed a 5 year / $50 million deal as a free agent after a stellar 2006 season, but never met the team’s (overly optimistic) expectations. In ’09 he hit .250/.336/.361 in 103 games. Stokes (2-4, 3.97 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, .267 BAA) should at minimum replicate Arredondo’s production from last season, but any more than that is just wishful thinking. The right hander has a 5.02 career ERA with a .302 BAA.
As for other new faces in the clubhouse, the most significant move of the offseason was the acquisition of DH Hideki Matsui. The former Yankee was a solid contributor to the championship club last season, hitting .274/.367/.509 (.349/.462/.674 in the postseason). But he will be 36 in June, and with persistent knee troubles that kept him off of the field defensively for all of 2009, one has to wonder how much longer he can keep it up. Starting pitcher Joel Piniero will find a spot in the rotation after his best season since 2003. And hard throwing former Tiger Fernando Rodney will be a crucial member of the back end of the bullpen.
2010 Roster
The section in which I guess who makes the team out of spring training, and in what role. New additions are in red. Stats are for last season.
Lineup
SS Erick Aybar .312/.353/.423
RF Bobby Abreu .293/.390/.435
CF Torii Hunter .299/.366/.508
DH Hideki Matsui .274/.367/.509
1B Kendry Morales .306/.355/.569
LF Juan Rivera .287/.332/.478
2B Howie Kendrick .291/.334/.444
C Mike Napoli .272/.350/.492
3B Brandon Wood .195/.267/.293, AAA:.293/.353/.557
Bench
2B Maicer Izturis .300/.359/.434
C Jeff Mathis .211/.288/.308
LF Reggie Willits .213/.256/.238
1B/3B Robb Quinlan .243/.275/.339
Rotation
RH Jared Weaver 16-8, 3.75 ERA, 7.42 K/9, 1.24 WHIP
LH Scott Kazmir 10-9, 4.89 ERA, 7.15 K/9, 1.42 WHIP
RH Ervin Santana 8-8, 5.03 ERA, 6.89 K/9, 1.47 WHIP
LH Joe Saunders 16-7, 4.60 ERA, 4.89 K/9, 1.43 WHIP
RH Joel Piniero 15-12, 3.49 ERA, 4.42 K/9, 1.14 WHIP
Bullpen
CL LH Brian Fuentes 1-5, 3.93 ERA, 7,53 K/9, 1.40 WHIP, 48 S, 7 BS
RP RH Fernando Rodney 2-5, 4.40 ERA, 7.30 K/9, 1.47 WHIP, 37 S, 1 BS
RP RH Scot Shields 1-3, 6.62 ERA, 6.11 K/9, 1.75 WHIP
RP RH Jason Bulger 6-1, 3.56 ERA, 9.32 K/9, 1.16 WHIP
RP RH Kevin Jepsen 6-4, 4.94 ERA, 7.90 K/9, 1.56 WHIP
RP RH Brian Stokes 2-4, 3.97 ERA, 5.76 K/9, 1.56 WHIP
RP RH Matt Palmer 11-2, 3.93 ERA, 5.12 K/9, 1.32 WHIP
Prognostications
Throughout his tenure at the helm of the Angels, Mike Scioscia has won baseball games. 900 wins against 720 losses in the regular season. Six postseason appearances in 10 years. One championship. Two Manager of the Year awards (2002 and 2009). In 2010, the Angels will win more games than they will lose. The team that will take the field opening day is weaker than the ’09 edition. It remains to be seen if any diamonds in the rough can be found among the minor leaguers and non-roster invitees to camp – if so they are flying below my radar. The result is a lack of depth, in particular on the bench and in middle relief. If the Angels are going to win the division for the fourth straight season, a few things will need to go their way.
Keys to Success
1) Brandon Wood
By letting Chone Figgins walk, the Angels lost the spark at the top of their lineup. After his 8 seasons, Figgins leaves 1st on the franchise list in career stolen bases (280), 2nd in triples (53), 7th in hits (1045), 7th in runs scored (596), 8th in OBP (.363), 7th in batting average (.291)….The club made no move in the offseason to replace this production. Instead, 24 year old former first round pick Brandon Wood is going to get the chance to play every day.
Wood has been a highly touted prospect, ranked as high as #3 in the country by Baseball America (2006). He has seen some time with the big club in parts of the last three seasons (86 games) hitting .192/.222/.313. In his minor league career, he hit .286/.354/.541, demonstrating both an ability to hit the long ball and from time to time a little speed. He is an average fielder, but with some versatility in the infield: he has seen time in the majors at third base as well as first and short. He is not going to be able to replace Figgins. But if the Angels don’t get at least decent production from Wood, there will be a gaping hole in their lineup.
Age
The Angels have a solid core of established young talent in Weaver (27), Kazmir (26), Santana (27), Saunders (28), Napoli (28), Aybar (26), Kendrick (26), Morales (26). But at the other end of the spectrum, they have an abundance of critical players who are approaching over the hill status. Abreu and Matsui turn 36 this year. Hunter, Shields, and Fuentes will be 35 before season’s end. There is little in the way of a backup plan if they suffer new or recurring injuries (Matsui and Shields have missed significant time in recent years with knee trouble), or if they cannot compete at close to the same level as they have for the bulk of their respective careers.
Santana
Ervin Santana did some time on the DL last season, but when healthy, he took a significant step back.
Santana IP W-L ERA K/9 WHIP
2008 219 16-7 3.49 8.79 1.12
2009 139 2/3 8-8 5.03 6.89 1.47
The Angels, even after losing Lackey, have an excellent rotation on paper. Santana doesn’t need to be an ace, though he showed that kind of potential in 2008. The club will win considerably more games, and if everything else pans out, have a chance at a deeper playoff run, if he can revert to his 2008 form, especially given the weakness in the bullpen.
Which brings us to…
Bullpen
The Angels have a starting pitching staff that will keep them in games. And they have, if healthy, an offense that will put them in a position to win a lot of them. But they need to hold those leads. Three names are critical.
Scot Shields’ 2009 season was a rare blemish on an otherwise sterling career, and ended with season ending knee surgery.
Shields ERA K/9 WHIP
2009 6.62 6.11 1.75
Career 3.03 8.18 1.21
His knee is evidently going to be ready for the season, but its continued health and his reversion to something resembling his previously high level of performance will be crucial to holding the lead in the 7th inning. The rest of the bullpen puts a lot of people on base. A lights out Shields will be essential in late game situations.
Brian Fuentes is still the closer heading into camp, but his 2009 performance is a cause for some trepidation. Fuentes saved a lot of games last year (48), his first in Anaheim. He also blew 7. He was below career average across the board:
Fuentes ERA K/9 WHIP
2009 3.97 7.53 1.4
Career 3.47 9.92 1.26
This makes Fernando Rodney’s role ever more important. Rodney closed ball games for the Tigers last year, converting 37 of 38. He can touch 100 on the radar gun. For his career he’s averaged a 4.28 ERA, 8.56 K/9, 1.42 WHIP. He comes into camp in line to be the set up guy, and like Shields will likely need to put out some fires started by the rest of the pen. If Fuentes continues to be shaky, Rodney will be the one getting the save opportunities.
Without improved production, especially out of the back end of the bullpen, it will be a difficult road for the Angels to qualify for postseason play.
Parting Thoughts
2010 will be less successful for the Angels than was 2009. The offense, at least the aging components, will be less productive, and the pitching should be, barring injury, about a wash.
That being said, looking around the division… Oakland is still rebuilding. Texas always has the offense but never the pitching. They added Rich Harden in the offseason, certainly a guy who can pitch well when healthy, but he has only pitched 150 innings or more once in his career due to injury, and that was in 2004. The Mariners have one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball in Felix Hernandez and newcomer Cliff Lee – 1-2-3 if Erik Bedard (30 starts total in 2 seasons in Seattle) could stay healthy. They picked up Chone Figgins, and I have already extolled the job he does offensively. And they still have Ichiro. But overall, the Angels are fielding the best team in the AL West in 2010, though by a smaller margin than the past couple years.
Prediction: 93-69, 1st place by 3 games over Seattle. A loss in the ALDS to….let’s say Boston.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Philadelphia Phillies - 2010 Season Preview
Ed. Note: I foolishly left out by far the biggest story from the Phillies' spring training, Jayson Werth's beard. Behold it in all its greatness.
TQ was in St. Louis a few weeks ago and thought it appropriate to send me a picture of my nemesis, Scott Rolen. Rolen (in)famously forced his way out of Philadelphia in 2002, citing the organization’s lack of commitment to winning. What a difference eight years makes. While Rolen toils away in baseball purgatory, Philadelphia has become the preferred destination of many free agents. One of the top pitchers in baseball, Roy Halladay, took a below market value contract extension because he wanted to play for the Fightins. Placido Polanco, the man who was once traded for Scott Rolen, re-signed, saying he never wanted to leave. Cliff Lee, the departed postseason hero, expressed genuine shock that he wouldn't get to finish his career in the City of Brotherly Love. The organization and its players see themselves as a potential National League dynasty, and anything short of another World Series title will be a disappointment.
With all due respect to Halladay, any discussion of the Phillies begins with their potent lineup. Boasting a staggering seven former all stars, the lineup rivals that of any George Steinbrenner has ever bought. Everyone knows the names Rollins, Utley, and Howard. Those players drive the offense, but I contend that it's the re-addition of Placido Polanco which can make this lineup truly great. Last year, the bottom of the lineup was at best effective and at worst frustratingly slow and impatient. At the plate, Pedro Feliz often exhibited the patience of a four year old on a long car ride. Polanco allows Shane Victorino to move down to the 7 hole, which accomplishes two things. First, it moves a contact hitter behind Rollins, increasing the odds that Rollins will be in scoring position when the sluggers come up. Second, it puts speed and on base percentage at the bottom of the lineup - almost like having a second leadoff hitter after the power hitters. When the full starting lineup is on the field, expect the batting order to look like this:
1. Jimmy Rollins SS - L/R
2. Placido Polanco 3B - R
3. Chase Utley 2B - L
4. Ryan Howard 1B - L
5. Jayson Werth RF - R
6. Raul Ibanez LF - L
7. Shane Victorino CF - L/R
8. Carlos Ruiz C - R
And then there's Roy Halladay. What can you say about Doc that hasn't been said before? Anything less than 16 wins and a sub 3.00 ERA was a bad year for him - in the AL EAST. The thought of Halladay facing the young Marlins or the hapless Nats is salivating. He also provides the clear cut ace needed to take the pressure off of Cole Hamels. Call it the Verducci Effect, call it immaturity, call it whatever you want, but Hamels' 2009 was a year of frustration and disappointment. No one knows where his career is headed, but if he can get his head on straight, he and Halladay can be one of the top 1-2 punches in the game. The three and four spots will be held down by Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ just as a year ago. The sabremetrics all point to Happ's 2009 as a result of luck, but even if he regresses, he will still be a capable 4th starter. The 5th spot is undecided, with the most likely candidates being Jamie Moyer or Kyle Kendrick. Not much to say on this one; it's the 5th spot after all.
The bullpen is the one facet of the Phillies which is tumultuous. Can Brad Lidge bounce back from the disaster of a season in which he lead the league in blown saves? Can J.C. Romero recover from his lost season that involved injuries and a 50 game suspension? Will Antonio Bastardo or Sergio Escalona be able to fill the void left by Scott Eyre? Can Jose Contreras replace the traitor Chan Ho Park? I have absolutely no idea and won't even try to guess. One thing is certain though - the bullpen can't be any worse than last year, and that team still came within 2 wins of another World Series title.
I could get into the bench, but I won't. How many of you are likely to follow the team enough to care about the bench players? All you need to know is that it should be better than last year.
Hopes are high again in Philadelphia. The addition of Roy Halladay has people excited, thinking that the last two years have been merely a prelude to greatness. Jimmy Rollins, ever the prognosticator, thinks that if everyone "goes off", they can resemble the 2001 Mariners who won 116 games. That may be stretching it more than a bit, but barring any major catastrophes, look for the Phillies to be players in October again.
Monday, March 1, 2010
March 1 Musings
To quote the old sea captain on the Simpsons, "It wasn't long before this yearly custom became an annual tradition."
He was explaining the origins of Halloween. An event which has managed to survive the test of time and which faithfully reappears every year.
Which brings us to the matter of this blog. Now in its third year of life. The starting of this blog every spring has become an annual tradition. Last year, team-by-team previews throughout the month of March very nearly covered every team in baseball. After that good start, unfortunately, blog posts slowed to a trickle, revived briefly, and then called it a season before Labor Day. In that respect, baseballbreaksyourheart.com has been very similar to the Orioles and Nationals: Early season energy but done by September.
Season 3, I hope, will start a new annual tradition of season-long baseball commentary, lamentation, and unjustified optimism. And why not? Theres alot to talk about. Off the top of my head: We have the Yankees once again on top of the baseball mountain, an off-season swap of Cy Young winning pitchers that has to be one of the biggest deals in recent MLB history, hype over a flame-throwing Cuban defector, Manny Ramirez talking about moving to Japan, and the arrival in Washington DC of a pitcher so highly-touted that he's been unofficially nicknamed "Jesus."
And theres also, higher ticket prices, AGAIN, in Baltimore, the controversial return to the game of Mark McGwire, and the ever-looming but still unrevealed "Selig's List" telling us who among our heroes wasn't playing by the rules in 2003.
Oh, and Jon Miller goes into the Hall of Fame this summer. Will he do his legendary Vin Scully impersonation during his induction speech?
2010 will keep baseball fans busy. To start the year off right, baseballbreaksyourheart.com will preview each Major League team beginning tomorrow and running until Opening Day. Each day, an in-depth look at 30 big league clubs, most written by devotees of each team.
We will kick the season off tomorrow with the World Champion Yankees followed on Wednesday by their vanquished World Series foes, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Play Ball!
He was explaining the origins of Halloween. An event which has managed to survive the test of time and which faithfully reappears every year.
Which brings us to the matter of this blog. Now in its third year of life. The starting of this blog every spring has become an annual tradition. Last year, team-by-team previews throughout the month of March very nearly covered every team in baseball. After that good start, unfortunately, blog posts slowed to a trickle, revived briefly, and then called it a season before Labor Day. In that respect, baseballbreaksyourheart.com has been very similar to the Orioles and Nationals: Early season energy but done by September.
Season 3, I hope, will start a new annual tradition of season-long baseball commentary, lamentation, and unjustified optimism. And why not? Theres alot to talk about. Off the top of my head: We have the Yankees once again on top of the baseball mountain, an off-season swap of Cy Young winning pitchers that has to be one of the biggest deals in recent MLB history, hype over a flame-throwing Cuban defector, Manny Ramirez talking about moving to Japan, and the arrival in Washington DC of a pitcher so highly-touted that he's been unofficially nicknamed "Jesus."
And theres also, higher ticket prices, AGAIN, in Baltimore, the controversial return to the game of Mark McGwire, and the ever-looming but still unrevealed "Selig's List" telling us who among our heroes wasn't playing by the rules in 2003.
Oh, and Jon Miller goes into the Hall of Fame this summer. Will he do his legendary Vin Scully impersonation during his induction speech?
2010 will keep baseball fans busy. To start the year off right, baseballbreaksyourheart.com will preview each Major League team beginning tomorrow and running until Opening Day. Each day, an in-depth look at 30 big league clubs, most written by devotees of each team.
We will kick the season off tomorrow with the World Champion Yankees followed on Wednesday by their vanquished World Series foes, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Play Ball!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Fare Thee Well...
Aubrey Huff and I got off on the wrong foot. When he arrived before the 2007 season hopes ran high in Baltimore that Mr. Huff would fit in nicely in the middle of a lineup that included Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora, Brian Roberts, and the oh-so-promising Nick Markakis.
Huff turned out not to be anything special. A meager 15 homeruns and 72 RBIs was not what Baltimore had in mind. His OPS was a pedestrian .778. He looked stiff. Awkward. Nothing he did was graceful. Nothing he did was anything more than average big league production. Not what the Orioles signed up for.
Then the incident happened.
On a satellite radio show designed for, um, mature audiences, Huff, appearing as a guest alongside an adult entertainer, made some less-than-flattering comments about the City of Baltimore and revealed far too much detail about his unorthodox ways of passing the time on long road trips.
As 2008 dawned, I had already anointed Huff to be my official whipping boy for the upcoming season. Orioles Lose... Blame Huff. Daniel Cabrera can't throw strikes... Blame Huff. Its raining... Blame Huff.
Then something kind of cool happened. Huff spent a decent chunk of the 2008 season knocking the stuffing out of the ball. Homeruns, doubles, line drives to the gap. He hit like a man possessed. He still looked stiff. He still wasn't graceful. And I think I still shouted a bit too loud whenever he failed to reach base. But, as if by magic, Huff's performance at the plate was making him much less of a perfect scape goat for all of the Orioles ills. Its hard to blame a 9-4 loss on someone who has gone 3 for 4 with a double and a homerun. By seasons end I started to almost take it for granted that Huff would make solid contact whenever he stepped into the batters box.
2009 has been more like 2007 for Mr. Huff. He spent the months of June and July mired in a slump that dropped his average from close to .300 to well below .250 for a time. I saw him in person against Zach Greinke in late July and he looked simply awful at the plate. Swinging at balls in the dirt. And with his stiff manner, swings and misses at 57-foot curveballs look doubly awkward.
Huff's trade value plummeted. His potential free agent value to the Orioles vanished. (By way of explanation here, when someone who is a big star leaves via free agency their team gets compensatory draft picks at the end of the 1st round of the MLB Draft. If he had repeated his 2008 numbers this year, Huff would have been such a player) I confided in a friend one day in late July that in order for the Orioles to get anything of real value for Huff something absolutely catastrophic would have to happen to the 1st baseman of a contending team. When the July 31 non-waiver deadline passed with no such calamity befalling any pennant chasers, Huff remained an Oriole for a few more weeks.
Aubrey Huff is now a Tiger. The Orioles netted a Single-A pitcher with a 96-mph fastball in return for him. Not a terrible deal. Not a terribly inspiring one either.
But somehow thats a fitting end for Huff's tenure with the O's. He wasn't bad. He just wasn't great. At least not for longer than a few magical months in 2008.
No hard feelings Aubrey. He's far from the biggest mistake the Orioles have made in my lifetime. I wish him well. really. I wish him the best as he tries, stiffly and ungracefully, to help Detroit make it to another World Series.
Huff turned out not to be anything special. A meager 15 homeruns and 72 RBIs was not what Baltimore had in mind. His OPS was a pedestrian .778. He looked stiff. Awkward. Nothing he did was graceful. Nothing he did was anything more than average big league production. Not what the Orioles signed up for.
Then the incident happened.
On a satellite radio show designed for, um, mature audiences, Huff, appearing as a guest alongside an adult entertainer, made some less-than-flattering comments about the City of Baltimore and revealed far too much detail about his unorthodox ways of passing the time on long road trips.
As 2008 dawned, I had already anointed Huff to be my official whipping boy for the upcoming season. Orioles Lose... Blame Huff. Daniel Cabrera can't throw strikes... Blame Huff. Its raining... Blame Huff.
Then something kind of cool happened. Huff spent a decent chunk of the 2008 season knocking the stuffing out of the ball. Homeruns, doubles, line drives to the gap. He hit like a man possessed. He still looked stiff. He still wasn't graceful. And I think I still shouted a bit too loud whenever he failed to reach base. But, as if by magic, Huff's performance at the plate was making him much less of a perfect scape goat for all of the Orioles ills. Its hard to blame a 9-4 loss on someone who has gone 3 for 4 with a double and a homerun. By seasons end I started to almost take it for granted that Huff would make solid contact whenever he stepped into the batters box.
2009 has been more like 2007 for Mr. Huff. He spent the months of June and July mired in a slump that dropped his average from close to .300 to well below .250 for a time. I saw him in person against Zach Greinke in late July and he looked simply awful at the plate. Swinging at balls in the dirt. And with his stiff manner, swings and misses at 57-foot curveballs look doubly awkward.
Huff's trade value plummeted. His potential free agent value to the Orioles vanished. (By way of explanation here, when someone who is a big star leaves via free agency their team gets compensatory draft picks at the end of the 1st round of the MLB Draft. If he had repeated his 2008 numbers this year, Huff would have been such a player) I confided in a friend one day in late July that in order for the Orioles to get anything of real value for Huff something absolutely catastrophic would have to happen to the 1st baseman of a contending team. When the July 31 non-waiver deadline passed with no such calamity befalling any pennant chasers, Huff remained an Oriole for a few more weeks.
Aubrey Huff is now a Tiger. The Orioles netted a Single-A pitcher with a 96-mph fastball in return for him. Not a terrible deal. Not a terribly inspiring one either.
But somehow thats a fitting end for Huff's tenure with the O's. He wasn't bad. He just wasn't great. At least not for longer than a few magical months in 2008.
No hard feelings Aubrey. He's far from the biggest mistake the Orioles have made in my lifetime. I wish him well. really. I wish him the best as he tries, stiffly and ungracefully, to help Detroit make it to another World Series.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Sunday Evening Musings
Its been awhile.
The question on my mind since I last wrote in mid-April was "I wonder what will shake me out of this non-writing funk." Its not that my opinions on baseball had suddenly dried up. Or that I had stopped closely following the season, and the fading fortunes of the Orioles and Nationals. I just haven't sat in front of my laptop for long enough in the last few months to write a coherent post.
I took a train up to New York this weekend to make my first visit to Citi Field, the Mets new "Home of Amazin," as the stadium PA announcer said at least two dozen times during my visit. Fantastic park. More on that later.
We took the 7 train from Grand Central to Flushing. Walking down the boardwalk-ish ramp from the subway to the stadium I was impressed with the abundance of black, blue, orange, and white walking along with me. Even late in a nightmarish season in Queens (and it got worse on Saturday), Mets fans dress correctly for games. Moving from the ramp to the stadium entrance, i was told by a man with a megaphone and some big signs that I need to get my life right to avoid hellfire. Whats so wrong with my life that this dude is shouting at me with a megaphone? Maybe he was upset that I've been neglecting my blog. Do they read my blog in heaven? Do the postings on baseballbreaksyourheart.com have some impact on my eternal standing? If so, I'd like to point out that I'm kind to my mother, I avoid littering, and I've never abused those "give a penny, take a penny" trays at fast food joints.
So, if megaphone man was trying to call me to repentence for lax blogging, it didn't work. What actually shook me out of my torper was a simple, humble question posed to me by a friend that I met up with at Citi Field. "So are you still doing your blog? I enjoyed reading it." Its not the first time that I've gotten that during this dry spell. But, given the setting (lower deck first base side seats, 8th inning, Mets rallying to tie the score against the Giants bullpen, perfect sunny july afternoon) I vowed to myself that a new entry for this site would soon appear.
And here it is.
Saturday was a rough day for baseball players' heads. Dodger righthander Hiroki Kuroda took a hot smash off of his noggin and headed straight for the hospital. Ian Kinsler was welcomed back from the disabled list with a heater on top of his helmet. And David Wright, two days after telling the New York Times that he would welcome the chance to wear new safer (if uglier) batting helmets, was on the receiving end of a 93mph Matt Cain fastball which, as of this writing, seems likely to have ended his season.
Mr. Wright's misfortune is of particular interest. I saw and heard it happen. From where i was perched in the 4th inning of yesterdays game ($72 seats in the second deck in left field. we didn't move to the lower deck until the 8th inning) Cain's wayward offering to Wright sounded like it had hit the Mets' last remaining healthy mega-star's bat. It made that crisp click. When Wright collapsed in a heap, not moving, and Cain immediately assumed a concerned crouch halfway between the mound and home plate, and 40,000+ New Yorkers instantly became deathly silent it was clear that the ball had hit something far more important than the All-Star's lumber.
The stunned crowd wasn't ever quite the same after Wright left the game with what we later learned is a humdinger of a concussion. The Mets grabbed a 1-0 lead soon after Wright left, but after a rough 6th inning, the Giants held a 3-1 lead. Citi Field started to take on a very funeral-esque feel. The only times the crowd became animated were when opportunities arose to boo Matt Cain during his at-bats. Met fans were headed for the exits in surprisingly large numbers before their team staged a dramatic 8th inning rally to tie the score.
Ordinarily, I would stand on my soapbox over such a display of poor form on the part of fans and i would quote an old beer commercial which declares "He who leaves early misses the miracle!" Those fans who bolted Citi Field before the Mets put up 3 in the 8th to tie the game did indeed miss some excitement. But, I'm inclined to give them a pass on this one. With Wright's injury, the Mets now have the single most star-studded disabled list in the history of disabled lists. Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, JJ Putz, Billy Wagner. Now, David Wright. Its quite a list. And that doesn't even mention all of the role players and pitchers who are ailing. I don't blame Mets fans for being a little quick to flee the premises on Saturday. After a season in which their promising star-filled team has been dropping like flies, seeing David Wright sprawled out in the dust of the batters box may have been too much to take.
I'm no Mets rooter, in fact, I cringed every time the Citi Field announcer made a reference to the 1969 World Series. But, even I hate to see the way 2009 has unfolded for the Amazins. No fan base deserves to watch their heroes fall one-by-one. No one deserves to have to watch each game with the sick feeling in their stomach of "Dear Lord, not another injury, PLEASE!!" Its sad.
And, insult to injury. As if this season wasn't rough enough for the team's fans already. Saturday's defeat provided a clear allusion to the excruciating manner in which the Mets lost the 2006 NLCS to a vastly-inferior St Louis Cardinals team. After rallying to tie the score on Saturday, the Mets lost 4-3 in 10 innings on a homerun by a catcher named Molina.
The question on my mind since I last wrote in mid-April was "I wonder what will shake me out of this non-writing funk." Its not that my opinions on baseball had suddenly dried up. Or that I had stopped closely following the season, and the fading fortunes of the Orioles and Nationals. I just haven't sat in front of my laptop for long enough in the last few months to write a coherent post.
I took a train up to New York this weekend to make my first visit to Citi Field, the Mets new "Home of Amazin," as the stadium PA announcer said at least two dozen times during my visit. Fantastic park. More on that later.
We took the 7 train from Grand Central to Flushing. Walking down the boardwalk-ish ramp from the subway to the stadium I was impressed with the abundance of black, blue, orange, and white walking along with me. Even late in a nightmarish season in Queens (and it got worse on Saturday), Mets fans dress correctly for games. Moving from the ramp to the stadium entrance, i was told by a man with a megaphone and some big signs that I need to get my life right to avoid hellfire. Whats so wrong with my life that this dude is shouting at me with a megaphone? Maybe he was upset that I've been neglecting my blog. Do they read my blog in heaven? Do the postings on baseballbreaksyourheart.com have some impact on my eternal standing? If so, I'd like to point out that I'm kind to my mother, I avoid littering, and I've never abused those "give a penny, take a penny" trays at fast food joints.
So, if megaphone man was trying to call me to repentence for lax blogging, it didn't work. What actually shook me out of my torper was a simple, humble question posed to me by a friend that I met up with at Citi Field. "So are you still doing your blog? I enjoyed reading it." Its not the first time that I've gotten that during this dry spell. But, given the setting (lower deck first base side seats, 8th inning, Mets rallying to tie the score against the Giants bullpen, perfect sunny july afternoon) I vowed to myself that a new entry for this site would soon appear.
And here it is.
Saturday was a rough day for baseball players' heads. Dodger righthander Hiroki Kuroda took a hot smash off of his noggin and headed straight for the hospital. Ian Kinsler was welcomed back from the disabled list with a heater on top of his helmet. And David Wright, two days after telling the New York Times that he would welcome the chance to wear new safer (if uglier) batting helmets, was on the receiving end of a 93mph Matt Cain fastball which, as of this writing, seems likely to have ended his season.
Mr. Wright's misfortune is of particular interest. I saw and heard it happen. From where i was perched in the 4th inning of yesterdays game ($72 seats in the second deck in left field. we didn't move to the lower deck until the 8th inning) Cain's wayward offering to Wright sounded like it had hit the Mets' last remaining healthy mega-star's bat. It made that crisp click. When Wright collapsed in a heap, not moving, and Cain immediately assumed a concerned crouch halfway between the mound and home plate, and 40,000+ New Yorkers instantly became deathly silent it was clear that the ball had hit something far more important than the All-Star's lumber.
The stunned crowd wasn't ever quite the same after Wright left the game with what we later learned is a humdinger of a concussion. The Mets grabbed a 1-0 lead soon after Wright left, but after a rough 6th inning, the Giants held a 3-1 lead. Citi Field started to take on a very funeral-esque feel. The only times the crowd became animated were when opportunities arose to boo Matt Cain during his at-bats. Met fans were headed for the exits in surprisingly large numbers before their team staged a dramatic 8th inning rally to tie the score.
Ordinarily, I would stand on my soapbox over such a display of poor form on the part of fans and i would quote an old beer commercial which declares "He who leaves early misses the miracle!" Those fans who bolted Citi Field before the Mets put up 3 in the 8th to tie the game did indeed miss some excitement. But, I'm inclined to give them a pass on this one. With Wright's injury, the Mets now have the single most star-studded disabled list in the history of disabled lists. Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, JJ Putz, Billy Wagner. Now, David Wright. Its quite a list. And that doesn't even mention all of the role players and pitchers who are ailing. I don't blame Mets fans for being a little quick to flee the premises on Saturday. After a season in which their promising star-filled team has been dropping like flies, seeing David Wright sprawled out in the dust of the batters box may have been too much to take.
I'm no Mets rooter, in fact, I cringed every time the Citi Field announcer made a reference to the 1969 World Series. But, even I hate to see the way 2009 has unfolded for the Amazins. No fan base deserves to watch their heroes fall one-by-one. No one deserves to have to watch each game with the sick feeling in their stomach of "Dear Lord, not another injury, PLEASE!!" Its sad.
And, insult to injury. As if this season wasn't rough enough for the team's fans already. Saturday's defeat provided a clear allusion to the excruciating manner in which the Mets lost the 2006 NLCS to a vastly-inferior St Louis Cardinals team. After rallying to tie the score on Saturday, the Mets lost 4-3 in 10 innings on a homerun by a catcher named Molina.
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