Transactions

Liriano is Back

The biggest addition to a contending roster over the last week may have been through a minor league call-up rather than a trade for a big name. Francisco Liriano made his long awaited come back to the Major Leagues with a bang. He was mostly un-hittable on Sunday, as he threw 6 shutout innings, KO’ing 5 and allowing only 3 singles. He showed that his dominance in the minors was not just a product of facing non-major leaguers.

Liriano regaining his old form means the A.L. playoff race just got a little more interesting. Once again, the Twins are contenders when no one thought they would be. They lost possibly the best pitcher in all of baseball in the off-season and Liriano has been in the minors for most of the season, but the Twins find themselves smack dab in the middle of a playoff race, and they have as good a shot as anyone.

The Twins are an amazing organization and with Liriano back, this young and talented team could even be considered the favorite to win the A.L. Central. They are doing it with outstanding young starters, a good bullpen, and good enough hitting to get by.

Liriano looked amazing, but he did have a few control issues. He walked 3 batters, and went deep into the count with many of the hitters he faced. He should improve in this regard with each passing start. Liriano may end up being the most dominant A.L. starter down the stretch and that is something the Twins will take advantage of.

As much as Liriano will make a difference, there is still a ridiculous amount of competition in the A.L. The Yankees improved from trades and are making a push, and the Tigers are starting to hit well. There is also the White Sox and the Red Sox to deal with. If Liriano keeps it going though, the Twins could once again make the playoffs when most think they didn’t have a shot.

 

Fall Out From the Trade Deadline: Cubs, Brewers, Yankees

All the big news of late has been about what big name would end up where. This has been one of the busiest trade deadlines in recent memory and a ton of big names traded uniforms. With all the controversy and talk all that really matters is what does it mean in terms of the pennant race. Did any of these trades really affect the pennant races and the playoffs?

The answer to that is, of course; however, maybe not so much as the pundits like to make out, but some teams certainly improved and helped their chances to make the playoffs and some of the teams made themselves more difficult to knock out during the playoffs. There is a difference in players that help you get to the playoffs and players that help you win in the playoffs.

The Yankees helped themselves more than any other team to get to the playoffs in my opinion. They added a big time bat in Nady, a reliable reliever in Marte, and they filled the hole left by Posada with Pudge.

I think the Yankees will pass the Red Sox and be in a battle with Detroit and Minnesota for the Wild Card spot (Yes that means I think the Rays are going to win the division). If I had to pick right now, I would go with the Yanks, but I think they will get bounced from the playoffs due to their lack of dominant pitching.

I think the Cubs, along with the Brewers, helped themselves out the most when it comes to winning in the playoffs. Pitching is the key to the playoffs and if you have 2 shutdown pitchers, you are in good shape in a 7 game series. Consider the combo of Schilling and Randy Johnson for the Diamondbacks in 2001. The schedule for the playoffs and World Series allow you to get your 2 studs to each pitch 2 games. For those of you who are not whizzes at math, that adds up to the 4 wins you need.

The Cubs added Harden to its ace Zambrano to give them an awesome 1-2 punch, and the Cubs also have Ryan Dempster who is suddenly one of the top starters in all of baseball. The Brewers gave themselves a formidable 1-2 punch by adding Sabathia. If there offense gets hot during the playoffs and Sheets and Sabathia do their thing, I don’t know if anyone can beat them. The only problem with the Brewers is that they may not make the playoffs. If the Brewers make the playoffs, then it will be quite a pitching battle with the Cubs.

When you think about the Cubs, there is another transaction that didn’t seem like such a big deal when it happened, but it will make the Cubs more difficult to beat during the playoffs. The Jim Edmonds signing has given the Cubs an experienced bat that has been killing the ball since he signed with the team. The Cubs are using Edmonds enough to keep him sharp, but not too much to wear out the veteran.

I think the Yankees did the most to improve, but in the end I think it is still going to be the Cubs breaking their own curse and becoming the World Series champs.

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 10^th 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?

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.

Countermove or Checkmate?

The Brewers nabbed C.C. Sabathia for a few months, so the Cubs go out and get themselves a stud pitcher of their own. Rich Harden is now a Cub, and the N.L. Central is trying to pull away from the rest of the N.L.

The Cubs were the best team in the N.L. before the Harden trade, and now they have the type of pitching that wins in the post-season. Harden is a big-time health risk, but he is also a big-time talent. He actually has better stuff than last year’s Cy Young winner Sabathia; Harden just can’t seem to beat down the injury bug.

When the Brewers grabbed Sabathia, they set up a scenario were they could throw out Sheets and Sabathia and be half way to winning a playoff series. Of course they have to get to the playoffs first, but they also have Manny Parra and Dave Bush to help them gather up wins through the season.

The Cubs, on the other hand, now have the best pitching staff in the N.L. and maybe all of baseball. Zambrano, Harden, Dempster, and Lilly can all dominate. If Harden stays healthy and Dempster keeps it going, the Cubs are looking at 100+ wins.

The wild card will come out of the Central, with St. Louis still ahead of the Brewers, and the Cardinals may have Chris Carpenter back for the very end of the season. The N.L. West is unexpectedly bad and the East is full of inconsistent teams with large payrolls.

The Cubs were the best team in the Central and the N.L. even after the Sabathia trade, so I think adding Harden is a checkmate for them. I say checkmate for the regular season; the playoffs are a different story. I think the Cubs are the favorite to come out of the N.L.; however, we all know that once you get into the playoffs any team can get hot and become the World Champs. All the Brewers have to do is make it past the Cardinals and a couple of teams from the East and take their chances in the playoffs.

Fantasy News and Notes

There is plenty of news in major league baseball this week as with any other week. There are a few stars expected back in action, which should bode well for your fantasy teams as well as your favorite teams. 

• A-Rod: He made it back on Tuesday and promptly went yard, he then went yard again on Wednesday. 
• Chone Figgins: He returned to the starting lineup on Wednesday and reached base twice. It is probably a safe bet that he will miss some more time to injury later in the season. He is very familiar with the DL. 
• Hank Blalock: He has finished his rehab assignment and is ready for the move to first base when he returns on Friday. 
• Mark Ellis: Ellis has not officially gone on the DL, but he hasn’t played since May 11 missing 8 games. He is hoping to play on Friday after taking some ground balls and running the bases on Wednesday. 
• Rafael Furcal: Furcal is expected back as early as Friday, but certainly sometime over the weekend. He is not expected to be sent down for any rehab games. 

In other news, after all the in-fighting and media second guessing, it appears that Joba Chamberlain will be making his appearance in the starting rotation fairly soon. Chamberlain pitched 2 innings in a relief appearance against the Orioles on Wednesday. Afterward, Manager Joe Girardi confirmed the suspicion that he was being stretched out for a rotation spot. It’s hard to say when he will get his first start, but it should come within the next couple of weeks. 

Chris Young took a line drive off the nose from Albert Pujols on Wednesday, and it is still unsure of how much damage is done or whether or not Young will go on the DL. Young and the rest of the Padres have had a rough start to the season and this does not make things any better. 

Eric Gagne has been shut down indefinitely with a stiff shoulder. If you still have him on one of your fantasy teams, you have either a deep league or you haven’t been paying attention to how bad he sucks. He is not worth a spot on most rosters and who knows how long he will be out.

Some Baseball Notes

Baseball has yet to get into full swing, but there are some interesting stories going on.  There are even some stories that are not interesting that just will not die (Clemens and steroids). 

The season is getting closer every day and Barry Bonds still does not have a team.  The latest rumblings have him talking with Tampa Bay.  As silly as it may seem, I think that would be the perfect place for him.  He still is a good major league hitter and he could help out the Rays (no longer the Devil Rays).  Also, it could help the Rays sell a few tickets, which is something they desperately need.  Will Bonds end up in Tampa, I say it’s 50-50, but he has to be getting anxious to sign with someone. 

Also, just a quick not on the Clemens deal.  So, he was at a party and he lied about it.  He took steroids and lied about it.  He is the only one to do this?  I don’t care anymore.  I just want to watch baseball and not listen to some geezers on Capital Hill grandstand instead of doing their job. 

Scott Kazmir is injured and will be out at least 2 weeks.  What else is new?  My fantasy advice is to not draft him, or Ben Sheets, or A.J. Burnett, or Mark Prior.  They get hurt, every year—period. 

Finally, it looks as if Wrigley Field will not be called Wrigley Field for much longer.  It will, soon enough, sell its naming rights.  It will not be the same with the Cubs playing in Viagra Park.  I suppose Yankee Stadium and the Fenway Park will be next.  I understand the need to increase the bottom line and the amount of money generated from the naming rights, but I don’t have to like it.

Santana to the Mets!!

The Minnesota Twins are sending the best pitcher in baseball to the Mets for a lifetime supply of Twizzlers and the rights to Keith Hernandez.  This was not the best deal the Twins were offered, but there are reports coming out of the Twins organization that quite a few of the top brass just can stop eating that addictive red “candy.”

I don’t know a whole lot about these prospects of the Mets (now the Twins).  They are supposed to be the numbers 2, 3, 4, and 7 ranked prospects in the Mets organization according to Baseball America, but we all know, especially in baseball, that prospect rankings mean very little.  What does mean something is having the proven best pitcher in the league.

The Twins turned down earlier offers from the Yankees and Red Sox that included young but proven major league talent.  I understand that the Twins could not afford to keep Santana, but you can’t let him go for a bunch of prospects.  He IS the best pitcher in baseball, and you need to get someone in return who IS a major leaguer and not a possible major leaguer.  Five years from now these prospects could be leading the Twins to the World Series: I doubt it, but if they do I will then have to eat my words.

The Twins have been a very good organization for a long time now, but I think they really screwed the pooch on this one.  They could have had Jacoby Ellsbury, or Melky Cabrera, or Phil Hughes, or Jon Lester.  They could have had these guys plus a couple of prospects if they would have just made a trade earlier.  Instead, they waited too long and, like George Costanza, they lost their ”hand.” 

I suppose they are at least happy Santana is out of the American League; that is the one good thing about the trade in Twins favor.     

Where will Bonds End Up?

Spring Training is just around the corner, and Barry Bonds is still without a team.  The greatest hitter of our time (the steroid era) still has some gas left in the tank, but as of yet has had no takers.  Everyone knows the biggest problem is all the baggage that comes with the signing of Mr. Friendly. 

We all know that someone will sign Bonds, and for more money than he is worth.  The thing is, he can still swing the bat, and he is still a feared hitter among pitchers.  He had 28 home runs last year in only 340 at bats and an OBP of .480.

There has been much speculation as to where he may end up; most people thinking he will go to an American League West team so he can DH and still stay on the west coast, because that is where Bonds wants to be.  That really cuts down on the number of suitors and as things have progressed, it appears that none of these particular suitors are all that interested.

Seattle looks like they are happy with their lineup and do not seem to want to pay out the money for Bonds.  The Angels have already spent quite a bit of money and have a crowded outfield  They also want to use Vlad as a DH as much as possible this year.  Texas has already made some moves, and they probably aren’t west enough for Bonds anyway. 

That leaves Oakland.  They appear to be the perfect match.  They have quite a few younger players that could (theoretically) be helped by the presence of a future Hall of Famer.  They could move Jack Cust to the outfield and let Bonds DH, and Bonds would probably not even have to move.  But Oakland doesn’t seem to be showing any interest in Bonds.  That is not to say they will not eventually sign him, but they seem to have cooled on the idea.

That doesn’t leave much for Bonds on the west coast.  There were rumors of him possibly staying in the NL and signing with San Diego, but that rumor is dead now.  San Diego has spent too much money already this off season, and they want to move one of their top hitting prospects from third base to the outfield to fill that hole.  All of the other NL West teams have full or overfull outfields.

With all of this being said, we still have no answer for what is going to happen to Bonds.  I still think he will end up in Oakland and for less money than he wants, but if not I think he will end up a Met. 

I really think he should move down south and play a couple of years in Tampa.  He would be a better DH than Johnny Gomes, there would be no pressure, and Tampa is a fun city with nice weather. 

Look Out For The Diamondbacks

Is the National League getting stronger?  The Astros and the Diamondbacks are making moves, while the Yankees and the Red Sox are getting bogged down in talks as the Twins attempt to screw one of them.  Meanwhile, Billy Bean is getting rid of another talented pitcher for a slew of prospects.

The Diamond Backs have been busy in the past week, trading away their inconsistent closer for some cheaper talent, and then making the big splash by landing Dan Haren.  With Haren and recent Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, they now have a lethal 1-2 punch, and history has shown how far that can get you in the playoffs. 

Not too mention, if old man Johnson can stay healthy and youngster Micah Owings can continue to improve, the Diamondbacks are going to be one tough team to deal with.  They have good young hitters, and they now have one of the best staffs in the NL.  Even if they don’t win the World Series, or the NL, at least they are going out and adding talent and making moves.

It is hard to argue with much of what Billy Bean has done, but I am not so sure about this one.  Bean does this type of trade every couple of years and the A’s are always competitive and they are always efficient with their payroll.  The problem is they have no World Series appearance or rings.  It is a nice story that they can compete every year with the Yanks, the Red Sox, and the Angels, but they have to start holding on to some of their proven players if they want a chance at a championship.

I am glad to see some of the National League teams, other than the Mets, go after some of these bigger name players like Tejada (though he is possibly past his steroid prime) and Haren.  I grew up being more of a National League fan and would like to see the talent even out.

keep looking »