Is it possible the Red Sox are Finished?
Many thought the Red Sox may be the best team in the baseball going into the season, but they are now in jeopardy of not even making the playoffs. Their star of the past 8 years has moved out to the West coast and out of their hair. Some may say that losing Manny means the end of the Red Sox. The Red Sox may be through, but it has nothing to do with Manny.
The A.L. is incredibly competitive this year, more so than any year in recent history I believe. When the 10th best team in the league (Oakland) is still in the race for a wild card spot, there is some serious competition.
The Red Sox may be finished, but it has nothing to do with Manny. Actually, I think the Red Sox will be better with Bay in the lineup. Bay is younger, has more speed, doesn’t have the Manny mood swings, and is actually have a better statistical year than Manny. Manny is not the Manny of a few years ago. He is not a .320 hitter with 45 home runs and 130 RBI. Manny, if he had decided to actually play, would have finished the season with probably 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and a .300 average. Bay will end with about those same statistics, and with the move to the righty-friendly Fenway, he will probably end up with 35+ home runs. And by the way, Bay can play a defense, which is something Manny did only on special occasions.
The reason the Red Sox may be done is that they don’t have the best team in the A.L. and they may not even have one of the top 4 teams in the A.L. The Rays are not slowing down, the Yankees and White Sox made moves to improve, Detroit is getting hot, and the Twins are still in the mix if they can get Liriano out of the minors.
I am not trying to say that the Red Sox will not make the playoffs. I am simply saying that one month ago I would have said the Red Sox would almost certainly make it to the playoffs, and now I would not make such a statement. Out of the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Twins, White Sox, Tigers, and Angels, 3 of these teams have to go home before the playoffs start. Can anyone really be that confident that the Red Sox will make the cut?
Are the Cubs and Angels Separating?
Of course it is still only the regular season, and there are a little over 50 games left to be played, but a couple of teams are starting to move ahead of the rest of the pack. The Cubs have won three straight against the top 3 Brewers starters and the Angels just swept the Red Sox for the 2nd time in a matter of two weeks.
The Brewers shut-down pitchers looked like number 5 starters and the Angels roughed up Dice-K and Beckett along with their young phenom Buchholz. These last few days have surely made many wonder if this is a sign of things to come in the playoffs.
The Cubs have the best 1-2-3 starting punch in the N.L. and have an offense that can hit the big bombs as well as manufacture runs with speed and timely hitting. Jeff Samarja-I don’t know how to spell his name correctly has nasty stuff and can either close, provide middle relief, or even move into the rotation if needed.
The Angels have a great bullpen, great rotation, and excellent hitting. They are the best team in baseball and have gotten even better with the addition of Teixeira.
Both these teams, barring a major collapse are going to be in the playoffs. And in baseball, we all know that anything can happen in the playoffs. That being said, the Cubs and Angels seem to be better prepared than most. In most cases, if you have 2 stud pitchers that can shut teams down, you win in the playoffs. The Cubs have 3 starters with dominant stuff. The Angels have 4 excellent pitchers, none of them blow you away, but Lackey, Santana, Saunders (Go VT), and Weaver make up the best rotation in the A.L.
I’m not about to predict what is going to happen in the playoffs, but the Cubs and Angels are the class of MLB right now. What is going to make the last 50 games interesting is all of the really good teams that are biting at their heels.
How The Mighty Braves Have Fallen
The best franchise in the N.L. for 15 years is falling pretty hard. Much of it is not their fault, and some of it is. I don’t think there is another team in 2008 that has had as many injuries, several of which have been catastrophic. Then again, when you count on 40 year old starters to anchor your staff, whether they are HOF’ers or not, you have to expect problems.
Here is the list of current Braves on the DL: John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Tim Hudson, Chipper Jones, Manny Acosta, and Peter Moylan. The beginning of that list reads like an All-Star team. This doesn’t include the best hitting catcher in baseball in McCann who is not on the DL but is currently not playing because of a concussion. Add to that list the fact that most of the season the Braves have been without their two best relief pitchers as Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano have just come off the DL after prolonged stints.
Let’s take stock of just where the Braves are sitting as of this moment. Their two best hitters (Chipper and McCann) are hurt and not playing. They just traded away a stud hitter in Teixeira and their top 2 starters are out for the season in Smoltz and Hudson. The one supposedly good hitter that they have in their lineup has already been sent down to the minors to “find his swing.”
The Braves are now putting a team on the field that would make the Royals blush with embarrassment. This is a hard pill for me to swallow, as I have been a Braves die hard fan since the mid-80’s and the Dale Murphy reign. Is there any place to put the blame?
The Braves did sign 42 year-old Glavine to an $8 million contract, but Glavine has been injury free his entire career. Smoltz is 41 and has some injury problems, but he still pitches like its 1995 when he is healthy. The other guys, Hudson, Gonzalez and Soriano are all young. Chipper we know is injury prone, but he still plays 135 games a year and is one of the top hitters in the game. In a time like this it is easy to blame the management, but the early season Braves were contenders. Glavine was solid, Smoltz and Hudson were dominant, and Chipper was hitting .400. I think this may be one of the seasons that just have to be written off. No team can overcome so many devastating injuries and still contend.
I do have one problem with the Braves management. In the past, they were able to get younger because they had a fully stocked minor league system. Right now, they have no one in the minors that looks like they can come up and perform. Of all the young future stars in the minor leagues right now, the Braves seem to be fresh out.
The Braves do have to get younger for next season. They need to get rid of Hampton, let Glavine ride off into the sunset, and move Smoltz to the closers role if he doesn’t retire. If Francoeur can find his swing, the Braves have a few pieces of the puzzle with Chipper, Kotchman, McCann, and Escobar. However, if the Braves really want to compete, they need to get young stud pitcher and another slugger. They need someone that can hit 30-35 home runs and now with Tex gone, they don’t have it. With a dry minor league system, they are going to have to go after a big time free agent. It is time to untie the purse strings and outbid the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox. I want to see Sabathia in a Braves uniform in 2009.
Most Underrated Pitchers
Now it’s time to take a look at the most underrated pitchers across both leagues. This will include starters and closers. I could have picked some middle relievers, but most middle relievers are underrated and the list would be way too long.
- Joe Nathan: When they talk about the great closers in the game, you rarely hear them mention Nathan’s name. Not including this year, Nathan has a 4 year average of 40 saves an ERA UNDER 2.00 and a WHIP UNDER 1.00. Nathan is having possibly his best season this year. His ERA is a ridiculous 1.05 (lowest in the league), and he is on pace for 44 saves.
- Jeremy Guthrie: He may be getting the least run support in the majors over the past 2 season. The guy no one has heard of is the ace of the Orioles staff, which isn’t saying much, but Guthrie is pulling his own weight. Over the past two seasons, covering 48 starts, Guthrie has an ERA of 3.65 and a WHIP of 1.22, yet he has only a 13-13 record. He gets no respect and no run support.
- Zack Greinke: It is a shame that someone has to pitch for the Royals, and Greinke is a prime example of the pain one can endure. He would be a star if he pitched for the Yanks or Red Sox. Greinke has had his own struggles, but starting in 2007, he has become more consistent. He has the stuff to make hitters look foolish, and he has a combined 2007-2008 ERA of 3.88. Like Guthrie, he gets no run support and has a 14-14 record over the same span.
- Joakim Soria: Since taking over the closers duty last year, Soria has been one of the best closers in the game when given the opportunity. Soria has saved 27 games this year in 29 chances and was 17 for 21 in 2007. His ERA is a miniscule 1.57 and his WHIP is even more staggering at 0.72. He did make the All-Star game in 2008, one of the few times the Royal representative was actually deserving.
- Dan Haren: I know this guy is an All-Star, and he made some headlines in the off-season when he moved to the N.L., but he doesn’t get the attention he deserves. If I had a vote for the N.L. Cy Young, I would have a tough time choosing between Haren and Lincecum. Haren’s 2.56 ERA leads the N.L. and his 18 Quality Starts in 21 starts leads both leagues. Yet, you probably haven’t heard his name come up in conversations about the Cy Young.
Others Guys Who Don’t Get The Attention They Deserve: Aaron Cook, Matt Cain, John Lackey, Bobby Jenks
Most Underrated Hitters
Are you tired of hearing how good A-Rod and Jeter and Manny and Big Pappi are? We all know they are good, but there are plenty of other guys out there who can swing the sticks just as well or better that don’t get the pub. The main reason these guys don’t get the recognition is because they either play for an average team, or they play in a small market.
I though I would put together a list of guys who are real studs, but that you don’t hear that much about. These are guys that you know, and guys that have even made All-Star teams, but they just don’t seem to get the recognition that they deserve.
1. Lance Berkman
Berkman is having the best hitting season in the majors this year and is one of the top hitters in the league year in and year out. He has averaged 34 home runs and 111 RBI over the past 7 seasons and he looks like he will surpass those numbers this season. Oh yeah, he already has 15 stolen bases this year. He should be talked about in the same breath as Pujols and A-Rod, or at the very least Manny and Ortiz.
2. Carlos Lee
He is just a slight step below Berkman in what he produces every year. You can always count on Lee for 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and .300 average. He didn’t make the All-Star team this year even though he is on pace for 34 home runs and 127 RBI. It would be hard to find 10 hitters who have put up consistently better numbers than Lee has over the past 7 or 8 years.
3. Bengie Molina
The Molina’s are more known for their defense, but in recent years Bengie has really begun to hit. He is on pace for 97 RBI this year, and has hit 19 home runs in each of the past 2 seasons. He will hit .280 or better and plays good defense. It appears that he didn’t even get a smell for an All-Star nod even though he was leading all catchers in RBI at the time.
4. David DeJesus
It’s pretty obvious why no one pays attention to DeJesus: He is a Royal. It’s possible that people reading this have never heard of him. He has been the best Royal for a few years. He is hitting over .300 this year, he plays good defense, and he plays hard every night. I’m in a fantasy baseball points league in which DeJesus has actually scored more points this season that Vlad, Magglio, and Tori Hunter. He gets on base, scores runs, and has enough pop to hit 15-20 home runs.
5. Brian McCann
Yes people know he is a great catcher, and he gets more attention than Molina, but guys like Mauer, Martin, Soto, and Martinez seem to get more respect. McCann is on pace for 32 home runs, 100 RBI and is hitting over .300. McCann is Joe Mauer with power. The only catcher that can touch McCann is Victor Martinez of previous seasons, but Martinez is no where to be seen in 2008.
Other Guys Who Don’t Get Their Due: Matt Holliday, Xavier Nady, Aramis Ramirez, Garrett Atkins
Are the Twins Focused on Winning; Then Where is Francisco Liriano?
The next Johan Santana had a terrible start to the 2008 season. I should know; I drafted him. When Liriano was sent down to the minors, I had to cut him because my league has no bench. I picked him up over the All-Star break expecting him to be called up, but he is still sitting down in the minors. Why?
It appears that Liriano has gotten over his control issues. He has been making fools out of minor league hitter for the past 2 months. He has 9 straight victories. His last start, he went 7 innings and gave up 2 hits, no runs, one walk and struck out 10. He has been pitching this well for a long time now, and the Twins still will not bring him up.
Yes, he has been doing this against double A hitters, but his problem in the bigs was that he had no control with 13 walks in 10 innings. He had the same problem in his first few starts in the minors. He was banged around there as well until he got his stuff back. His stats after his first several starts in the minors was 0-2 with an ERA over 5.00. He is now 9-2 with an ERA of 3.13 and a WHIP of 1.11. He is overpowering once again, and his control is impeccable. Why then is Liriano still in the minors?
The Twins say they have not brought him up because there is no one on the staff that should be demoted or moved to the bullpen. Are you kidding me? Livan Hernandez is 10-6, but not because he is pitching well. He gets hammered all the time and is only winning because he is getting run support. The rumor is the Twins want to trade the has-been, and if that is true, then Liriano will be up on August 1.
Hernandez aside, there is also Kevin Slowey. He is pitching okay, a 4.41 ERA, but Liriano is much better than a middle of the road starter. If you are holding back a true ace of your staff for a guy with a 4.41 ERA, you have to be smoking crack. I would rather have Slowey either in the bullpen or in the minors, than have my franchise pitcher blowing away hitters in the minors.
There has been the rumor that the Twins are holding Liriano back because they are worried about his contract and service time. If that is the case, Twins management should be ashamed. You are in the middle of the pennant race, and you have your franchise pitcher in the minors because you are worried about him racking up service time!
None of this makes any sense. If the Twins really wanted to win, Liriano would be on the roster right now.
I am not a Twins fan, but I have always marveled at their ability to compete year and year out with a limited bank roll. Keeping Liriano in the minors though is the type of decision that kills teams with little wiggle room like the Twins. I have respect the Twins franchise, but they are making me scratch my head with this one.
Bring on the Rookies
So far it has been a good year for the rookies. We all know about Govany Soto, Jay Bruce, Joey Votto’s 3 home runs in one game, and a host of other rookies that have made their presence known during the 2008 season. There are a few more that are starting to make some noise. This is the time of year when the young studs get called up from the minors to either help a contending team get over the hump, or help a struggling team build some experience for the future.
This can be good news for fantasy owners if you have a hole in your lineup and are hoping for a stud rookie to go on a tear. Here are a few rookies who have recently been called up and are playing well. These are guys who can really help your fantasy team in the stretch run.
Chris Davis 1B
This guy is a linebacker playing baseball. He is 6-4, 235 and has as much power as anyone in the big leagues. It’s almost not fair that a team that crushes the ball like Texas can just call this guy up from the minor leagues. In 79 at-bats so far, Davis has 8 home runs and 16 RBI with a .279 average. He is now the everyday 1B for the Rangers and only an injury will change that. He is available in about 50 percent of leagues, so if you have any room on your roster, pick this guy up immediately. Davis hit 36 HR in only 129 games last year in the minors and had 23 HR before being called up this year. He could crank out another 15 home runs for you by the end of the season.
Ian Stewart 2B/3B
Back for his second tour of duty in 2008, Stewart seems to have figured a few things out. He was striking out almost every time up before, but since being called back, Stewart is hitting .550 with 11 RBI’s in only 20 at bats. He has 2B eligibility which makes him all the more valuable. Stewart is a crusher who can also hit .300. He doesn’t technically have a starting gig right now, but Colorado is getting his bat in the lineup everyday now and if he keeps hitting, he will keep playing somewhere.
Adam Lind OF
They have been waiting for Lind to come around in Toronto for a few years now. He is not considered a rookie because he had 290 at-bats last year, but he was recently called up and has been hitting the ball well. In 99 at-bats this year, he has 5 HR and 22 RBI, while hitting .293. He is playing everyday and the Jays are going to give him a shot for the rest of the year.
Chris Volstad SP
Volstad is one of, if not the best, pitching prospect in the Marlins system. In his first start last week, he went 8 2/3 innings and gave up only 1 run, 1 walk and 5 hits. He only has 2 starts so far, but both have been really good. He is not particularly a strikeout pitcher, but he gets guys out. He is pitching for one of the best hitting teams in the NL and if he keeps pitching like he has, he can get you some wins down the stretch.
Armando Galarraga SP
This guy will win the A.L. ROY. He has been pitching lights out the whole season and no one is talking about him. He is available in about 30 percent of all fantasy leagues and the guy is 8-4 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Not only that, but he pitches for a contender down the stretch that is really starting heat up their massive bats. Last night he had a perfect game through 7 innings. Stop wasting time and grab this guy if you still can.
David Price SP
Price may be a little ways off, but he is probably the number one prospect in all of the minor leagues. This is more of a keep-your-eye-out for this guy pick. He was last years #1 pick in the draft and has been tearing up hitters at several different levels in the minors. He is the real deal! There is a good chance the Rays will call up just after August 1, after that, he could be used a little in the bullpen or if one of the starters get hurt or struggle, you may see him start a few games.
Did the Phillies Make a Mistake?
He’s not C.C. Sabathia or Rich Harden, but Joe Blanton is another A.L. pitcher coming to a N.L. contender with the hopes of putting them over the top. The Phillies move has been a bit more controversial than that of the Brewers and Cubs. Blanton has been pretty solid over the last few years and is a real innings eater, but he has been barely average this year with the A’s with an ERA of almost 5.00 and a record of 5-12.
Blanton doesn’t have the “stuff” of a big league ace and doesn’t have an out pitch. He also is not really that much of a ground ball pitcher, which will hurt him more in Philly than it did in Oakland.
So the Phillies traded some minor leaguers who are considered to be some of their top prospects for an average pitcher that could have a big problem with the short porch in Philly. This is why many think the Phillies made a mistake.
This was my first inclination as well, but the more I think about it, the more I can see where the Phillies are coming from. The Phillies are in first place and have a ton of good young hitters. They can afford to trade away some of their minor league hitting talent. The Phillies need starting pitching.
The Phillies have one of the best bullpens in the majors, but after Cole Hamels the starting pitching is pretty pathetic. Jamie Moyer is what he has always been, solid. He will be 46 years old in November, but as of right now he is sporting an ERA under 4.00 and has 9 wins. Adam Eaton is terrible and Kyle Kendrick is serviceable at best. Brett Myers is the major cause of the Phillies pitching woes. He was supposed to be a stud #2 behind Hamels, but he has been worse than Eaton.
Blanton will eat up innings and will be better than Eaton. If the Phillies keep hitting, an average pitching staff will be enough to get the Phillies into the playoffs. However, unless Myers comes back and pitches like he is expected to, the Phillies will not stand a chance in the playoffs against the pitching of the Cubs and Brewers. The Phillies can’t be scorned too much; they did make a move and improved the team. I personally think they should have waited for Burnett, but he has been inconsistent this year as well.
I think the A’s got the better of the deal in the long run, but the Phillies had to do something to make their staff better. It may work out for them and it may not, but they really didn’t give up anything they desperately needed. In professional sports, when you are in a position to win a championship, you mortgage the farm to get that championship.
My thinking is that the Phillies didn’t make a mistake, but they probably didn’t do enough to put themselves in the World Series.
Now That Was An All-Star Game!
There came a point in last night’s All-Star game when I forgot that I was actually watching an All-Star game. No, it wasn’t after Dan Uggla’s third error; it was when the game actually began to look like a real game. It was when I was caring about who was going to win (I have a NL bias). It was when each play brought about anxiousness. It was really when I could tell that the players on the field actually seemed to care about the game.
Brad Lidge warmed up about a million times without whining and Brandon Webb and Scott Kazmir pitched when they were not supposed to. We are used to seeing pampered stars refused to get up and throw again, or not pitch at all to protect their arm.
Maybe it was the magic of Yankee Stadium, but that was the best All-Star game of the 24 ½ (can’t count the tie as a whole game) that I have seen. The pitching was great, there was timely hitting, great defensive plays, plays at the plate, and of course the extra innings. The 15 innings made it possible to actually see some guys hit more than once.
The best thing about the game was the emotion. The players and the fans had emotion. I believe it was the emotion and excitement of the fans that pulled the players along. I hate to say it, being a Yankee hater and all, but the fans were amazing.
I never thought I would say this, but I think the All-Star game helped the reputation of MLB. It certainly has come a long way from the tie a few years ago. Hopefully, this game was a sign of the excitement to come in the next half of the season and throughout the playoffs.
All-Star Break Awards—American League
Just as I did for the N.L., here are the All-Star break awards for the A.L. There is no shortage of guys having good seasons in the A.L., just as there is no shortage of disappointments.
AL Player of the First Half
(1) Ian Kinsler
(2) Josh Hamilton
(3) Grady Sizemore
AL Cy Young
(1) Cliff Lee
(2) Roy Halladay
(3) Justin Duchscherer/Mariano Rivera/Francisco Rodriquez
AL Rookie of the First Half
(1) Evan Longoria
(2) Jacoby Ellsbury
(3) Greg Smith
Most Disappointing Player
(1) Travis Hafner
(2) Melky Cabrera
(3) Miguel Cabrera
Most Disappointing Pitcher
(1) Gil Meche
(2) A.J. Burnett
(3) Francisco Liriano
Most Disappointing Team
(1) Seattle
(2) Detroit
(3) New York
Most Surprising Player
(1) Ian Kinsler
(2) Joe Saunders
(3) Justin Duchscherer
Most Surprising Team
(1) Tampa Bay
(2) Oakland
Most Shocking Moment
(1) Asdrubal Cabrera’s Unassisted Triple Play
(2) Jon Lester’s No-Hitter
There were some tough choices of course, especially for the Cy Young. Rivera has been just sick, K-Rod is getting saves at a record pace, Cliff Lee and Justin “something or other” have been shutting down teams all season, and Roy Halladay means a vacation day for the Blue Jays bullpen.
Kinsler is, in my opinion, the clear winner of the first half POY. Just look at his ridiculous stats and know that he is the spark plug for the team. Hamilton has also been on a tear with 95 RBI’s in 96 games. I sort of feel bad about putting Liriano on the most disappointing list because he is trying to come back from a serious injury, but I drafted him on my fantasy team, and I am disappointed. He is looking better in the minors though and could have a huge second half.
Everyone is talking about the Rays, as they should be, and I hope they hang on to at least a wild card berth. Everyone was in love with the Jon Lester story after he pitched the no-hitter. That is a sentimental favorite, but I picked the Cabrera un-assisted triple play as the most shocking moment because it has only happened 14 times in history.
The rest of the season starts back up tomorrow and all of the above will go out the window. Some of the first half stars will turn into scrubs and maybe a few of the scrubs will turn into stars. Either way, I love baseball season and am ready for the real games to get going again.
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