I always wondered about this. I knew there wasn't any active switch-pitcher in the major-leauges, but I was curious as to whether or not it would be possible and also whether or not it would be in accordance with the rule book. Although Division I baseball doesn't necessarily follow the same rules as the MLB, I'm still happy to have learned that there is such a thing as a switch-pitcher.
"Pat Venditte Jr., isn't your ordinary college pitcher. He's the only active switch-pitcher in NCAA Division I. Venditte employs his ambidextrous abilities as a reliever for Creighton University. In a game last week against Kansas, Venditte retired six batters, three right-handed and three left-handed, and he recorded a strikeout with each arm. Through Wednesday, Venditte had a 2.51 ERA in 46 2/3 innings. "
Friday, May 05, 2006
Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (and the Pretty!)
The Good:Jonathan Papelbon. I know I probably gush about this kid too much, but it's not without reason. His stat line on the season so far easily makes him the top closer in the game, after he's pitched 5 innings with zero runs scored, one hit and no walks, going 4 for 4 in save oppurtunities (t-1st). What makes this all even more impressive is that Papelbon never had a major league save coming into the season (just one career minor league save) and he spent most of spring training preparing as a starter. He's really something special, and his dominance hints at good things to come with the Red Sox pitching staff, and also continues with a wave of spectacular young pitchers in the major leagues. As the Steroid Era fades away, baseball will become more of a pitcher's sport, and names like Papelbon, Rich Harden, and Felix Hernandez will soon become as well known as Roger Clemons, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson.
The Bad:
Barry Bonds. Not only is he not hitting on the season (.167 average and the big number- zero home runs), but he's a cancer in the lung of Major League Baseball. Currently there's an investigation as to whether or not Bonds perjured himself in a federal grand jury hearing about steroid use. The MLB needs to put the lingering effects of the Steroid Era behind it, and the biggest symbol of that Era is bonds, who is threatening to tarnish 2 records that were posted by two of the greatest hitters of all time in Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. It doesn't help that Bonds has made himself a sideshow in the otherwise professional world of baseball. His new ESPN program "Bonds on Bonds" is just one more joke in the repertoire that is Bonds' major league career. I myself haven't watched the show, but just seeing the ad was enough for me: it has Barry saying something to the effect of "there's no better place to here it than from me." Right B, because everyone knows you're just a simmering cauldron of credibility. And those circus acts around spring camp - like when he dressed in drag to judge a rookie singing competition - had nothing to do with camp morale or camraderie, it was simply a means of getting something of interest to film for his show. Bonds has soiled the image of baseball long enough, it's time for him to let himself fade from the spotlight.
The Ugly:
David Wells. His tough outing last night isn't just a matter of one loss on the season; like it or not, his performance was symbolic of his attitude during the offseason and through spring training. After a spectacular week in Red Sox pitching, Wells - who asked to be traded over the offseason and then went through a minimal workout regimen in the spring - became the fumbler and paved the way for the Blue Jays to take a three game opening series at Fenway with wins over Wells and Matt Clement. Also, the fat biker guy look went the way of Dan Conner and 1994. Lose some weight, lose some ego, and add some heat to your fastball. You don't win 15 games by pitching a batting practice season.
The Pretty
Bronson Arroyo. Pretty face, pretty voice, pretty breaking ball, pretty...swing? Bronson is the first pitcher in the modern era to have two wins and two homeruns in his first two starts of the season. Of course, both dingers came from pitches by the same guy - the Cubs' Glendon Rusch, but there's no denying that Arroyo is the whole package. I miss him. :-(
Crisp junked, Pedro plunked?
-Red Sox centerfielder Coco Crisp, who is currently on the 15-Day DL with a broken knuckle, was signed to a three year contract extension yesterday with a club option for 2010. This continues a busy week for the Sox front office, after they signed slugger David Ortiz to a four-year extension. Likely on the horizon: an extension for Josh Beckett, who has dazzled in his two starts in a Boston uniform. Not as likely, but would be a good move: locking Jonathan Papelbon into a long-term deal before his value goes up much more, which it will.
-Outfielder Dustan Mohr, who had a pretty great spring for the Sox, was called up to replace Crisp on the roster, and he started yesterday's game in center field. All he did was hit a two-run home run in his first game for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, Wily Mo Pena started in right field in place of the hurting Trot Nixon (who is listed as day-to-day with a groin injury) and he, too, smashed a long ball. But these two smashs and another by Ortiz would not be enough to lift the Sox over the Blue Jays, who won 8-4.
-It was the rematch everybody was waiting for. After Pedro Martinez plunked three Nationals
in their meeting last week, yesterday saw Petey on the mound against Washington again. Everybody and their dog expected old-school Nats manager Frank Robinson to respond by beaning Pedro, but it didn't happen. Nobody was hit in the game and the Mets rode a fine performance by Martinez to a 3-1 victory.
-Right handed Sox reliever Julian Tavarez will return today from his 10-day suspension, which came in response to his punching Tampa Bay center-fielder Joey Gathright in the face during a spring exhibition game. His presence will add to what projects to be a fantastic bullpen, especially with Papelbon pitching the way he is.
-Rookie second baseman Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers - the replacement of super slugger Alfonso Soriano - was put on the DL today because of a dislocated left thumb. His spot on the roster was taken by outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., who was being activated from the DL after a rib-cage injury.
-With the activation yesterday of starter David Wells of the Red Sox, most expected lefty Lenny Dinardo to be sent back to Pawtucket. Not so, as reliever David Riske was put on the DL with a back strain, leaving room for Dinardo. It was a good thing, too, as Dinardo (who usually starts in the minor leagues and makes a good long-man out of a major-league bullpen) picked up for David Wells in the fifth inning and didn't let the Blue Jays get too far ahead in the game, although the Sox offense would never recover from the six-run performance by David Wells. Speaking of Wells, he better watch his performances closely. Yesterday's was most likely a result of his not getting enough work in during spring training, but he has to remember that the Sox have Papelbon just waiting to take his spot in the rotation if he falters.
-Outfielder Dustan Mohr, who had a pretty great spring for the Sox, was called up to replace Crisp on the roster, and he started yesterday's game in center field. All he did was hit a two-run home run in his first game for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, Wily Mo Pena started in right field in place of the hurting Trot Nixon (who is listed as day-to-day with a groin injury) and he, too, smashed a long ball. But these two smashs and another by Ortiz would not be enough to lift the Sox over the Blue Jays, who won 8-4.
-It was the rematch everybody was waiting for. After Pedro Martinez plunked three Nationals
in their meeting last week, yesterday saw Petey on the mound against Washington again. Everybody and their dog expected old-school Nats manager Frank Robinson to respond by beaning Pedro, but it didn't happen. Nobody was hit in the game and the Mets rode a fine performance by Martinez to a 3-1 victory.-Right handed Sox reliever Julian Tavarez will return today from his 10-day suspension, which came in response to his punching Tampa Bay center-fielder Joey Gathright in the face during a spring exhibition game. His presence will add to what projects to be a fantastic bullpen, especially with Papelbon pitching the way he is.
-Rookie second baseman Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers - the replacement of super slugger Alfonso Soriano - was put on the DL today because of a dislocated left thumb. His spot on the roster was taken by outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., who was being activated from the DL after a rib-cage injury.
-With the activation yesterday of starter David Wells of the Red Sox, most expected lefty Lenny Dinardo to be sent back to Pawtucket. Not so, as reliever David Riske was put on the DL with a back strain, leaving room for Dinardo. It was a good thing, too, as Dinardo (who usually starts in the minor leagues and makes a good long-man out of a major-league bullpen) picked up for David Wells in the fifth inning and didn't let the Blue Jays get too far ahead in the game, although the Sox offense would never recover from the six-run performance by David Wells. Speaking of Wells, he better watch his performances closely. Yesterday's was most likely a result of his not getting enough work in during spring training, but he has to remember that the Sox have Papelbon just waiting to take his spot in the rotation if he falters.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Another fantastic game
Today was the Red Sox home opener, and the new-look '06 Sox didn't fail to put on a show. Prized off-season acquisition Josh Beckett pitched beautifully, young flamethrower Jonathan Papelbon dazzled in the ninth, and the Sox offense put together a nifty second inning, scoring the four runs that would have been enough to beat Toronto. The Sox moved to a 6-1 record (first time since 1999) on the season in their 5-3 victory over the Jays.Beckett's first inning was a bit of an adventure, but after he walked in the Blue Jay's first run, a double play off the bat of first baseman Shea Hillenbrand saved him from any more damage. But, not unlike in Beckett's debut in Texas, the pitcher settled down and put the Blue Jay's offense away for the rest of the game. He pitched 7 innings in the game, allowing three hits, four walks and one run while striking out 2. After a 36 pitch first inning, Beckett left the game with just 105 in the game.
The Sox bats came alive in the second inning. After Josh Towers allowed a walk to Trot Nixon
and a single by Jason Varitek, third baseman Mike Lowell (4-4) hit the first of his three doubles to score Nixon and tie the game. The next batter, center fielder Adam Stern (who started in place of Coco Crisp), also doubled and scored Varitek and Lowell, putting the Sox in the lead for good. Stern then stole third base and scored on a double by first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who was batting in Crisp's leadoff spot.The only other Boston run of the game came on David Ortiz's second homerun of the season, his first of many at Fenway Park.
Keith Foulke came on in the eighth inning and allowed a base hit to Blue Jays shortstop Russ Adams. Then outfielder Frank Catalanotto hit a fly ball to right field that bounced out of right-fielder Wily Mo Pena's glove and into the bullpen for a two-run homerun, cutting the Sox lead to two runs. Two fly outs got Foulke out of any more trouble and paved the way for Papelbon to come on in the ninth.Papelbon sparkled. He easily put down Jays sluggers Lyle Overbay,
Hillenbrand and Bengie Molina on just ten pitches, eight of which went in for strikes. Papelbon's dazzling stat line on the season moved two 4 for 4 in save oppurtunities, five strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in his five innings of work.
Other notes:Trot Nixon left the game in the fourth inning today with a groin injury and was replaced by Pena. More on his status to come.
The Sox did not call up Willie Harris to take Crisp's spot on the roster, but instead went for Dustin Mohr. Francona said it was so they could have another right-handed bat in the outfield, but after Trot went down today Francona might be kicking himself because Adam Stern may be the only lefty remaining in the outfield.
Meanwhile, across the majors:
Bronson Arroyo is doing some amazing things for the Cinncinatti Reds. Not only did he pitch seven scoreless innings to improve his record to 2-0, but he hit his second homerun in as many starts! Arroyo came into the season without ever having hit a homerun in his career, and without having a hit since 2001. Now he's got more homeruns than Barry Bonds! Good for you Bronson. It seems like you are going to thrive in the National League, so keep it up.
The Cubs and slugging first baseman Derrek Lee agreed to a five-year deal with a no-trade
clause that's reportedly worth around $65 million. It's the biggest contract signed by the club since Sammy Sosa's four-year, $72 million deal in 2001.Former Cy-Young winner Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays left his team on their road trip, returning to Toronto to nurse a sore forearm. He's expected to miss at least one start. With AJ Burnett spending time on the DL and Ted Lilly's persistent back problems, what has the potential to be a star rotation in the American League East is facing some adversity to begin the season.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Those of us Boston fans who were just waiting for Johnny Damon's shoulder to give out so we can laugh at the Yankee's stupid purchase may have to stick their feet in their mouths right about...now. Coco Crisp, Damon's replacement in Boston's center field and leadoff spot, is to be put on the 15-day DL tomorrow because of a non-displaced fracture at the base of his left index finger. He hurt the finger during a botched steal attempt in Baltimore, and he could miss up to a month because of the injury. The Sox, however, will move on. They're rather deep in the outfield, and this will be a chance for Wily Mo Pena to get some regular at-bats. Terry Francona also gets to call up another position player before tomorrow's game (my guess is it'll be Willie Harris). Then in just a few more days they can send Adam Stern back down to Pawtucket and replace him on the roster with more of an impact position player, or perhaps a pitcher (most likely Manny Delcarmen).
Yesterday Rockies outfielder Cory Sullivan made history when he became just the eleventh player in baseball history to hit two triples in one inning. The last player to accomplish this rare feat was Gil Coan of the Washington Senators in 1951.
After dragging their feet since spring training, the Red Sox front office finally inked a contract extension for designated hitter David Ortiz. The deal has the big lefty playing for Boston through 2010, with a club option for the 2011 season. The monetary value of the extension was not discussed, but expect Ortiz to make substantially more than the $6.5 million he's owed this year.
Braves third baseman Chipper Jones was put on the disabled list today after he banged up his
leg during Sunday's game against the Giants. He isn't expected to take long to heal, but with sprains in both his right knee and ankle, he'll have to let the leg heal before he can get back on the field.Baseball's opening week is over, and every team finally has at least one win and one loss. Only two of the current six division leaders (Oakland As and New York Mets) are from my picks, but of course it's far too early to start looking at standings. It is important to note, however, that the Yankees are currently last in the American League-East with a record of 2-4, while the Red Sox are riding a 5-1 season start at the head of the division. However early in the season it is, starting the season 3 games back of your chief rival can't be good for morale.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Looks like my top-picked Dodgers are falling apart left and right. The Boston Globe reported today that Dodgers closer Eric Gagne will have surgery on his pitching elbow to remove a nerve. A huge part of the reason the Dodgers performed so poorly last year was that Gagne was hurt for most of the season, and if that's also the case for '06, then I'd say that along with the injury to Nomar Garciaparra's ribcage, which landed him on the fifteen day disabled list on tuesday, will severely hurt Los Angeles' chances this season. The Dodgers currently have five players on the DL, and Wednesday saw a game in which two players had to leave the game with minor injuries and three other players came dangerously close to having to leave the game. Clearly something is working against this team and their hopes at a division title.
Meanwhile, the hitting streak of Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins ended yesterday in Philliadelphia's third straight loss to the Cardinals. I'm a little upset about this because I was just working on a column about whether Rollins' historic streak was a more important story to baseball than the steroid scandal plaguing the big leagues.
People in San Fransisco are too nice. Despite Barry Bonds' tarnished image and the apparent hatred of road fans, the patrons at AT&T Park on Thursday gave him a standing ovation when he was introduced. Don't they realize that he's been duping them for like five years now? I certainly wouldn't be too quick to cheer for a man that has lied to us between his teeth and helped support an era that will forever leave a cloud over the game.
After getting beaned three times in three game series between the Mets and the Nationals, Washington outfielder Jose Guillen had enough, charging the mound and causing the dugouts to clear. Poor Guillen was so shaken by the number of times he's been hit by Pedro Martinez that he says the former friends' relationship is over. C'mon man! Grow some junk will you? If you're going to crowd the plate, then you have no place blaming a pitcher when you're beaned by an inside 
pitch. Pedro has always been known for commanding the interior of the plate, and considering the fact that he'd hit you three times before Thursdays game, one might think you'd make an adjustment at the plate so as not to get hit.
pitch. Pedro has always been known for commanding the interior of the plate, and considering the fact that he'd hit you three times before Thursdays game, one might think you'd make an adjustment at the plate so as not to get hit. Young Guns Pumped Up
Last night was good for young Boston pitchers.
Josh Beckett (25) started and went seven strong, allowing one run, one walk, and seven hits while striking out five.
Jonathan Papelbon (25) came on in the ninth inning, despite the fact that with a 2-1 lead, closer Keith Foulke should have been called upon. No matter. All Papelbon did was go 1-2-3 with 2 strikeouts to convert his first major league save.
Meanwhile Mike Timlin (40) pitched the eigth and allowed two hits, a walk, and a passed ball. He managed to get out of the inning unscathed thanks to a putout at homeplate on a relay play by Manny Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez.
Now, I realize much of this was related already in my last post, but I really just wanted an excuse to get these cool pictures up.
Josh Beckett (25) started and went seven strong, allowing one run, one walk, and seven hits while striking out five.
Jonathan Papelbon (25) came on in the ninth inning, despite the fact that with a 2-1 lead, closer Keith Foulke should have been called upon. No matter. All Papelbon did was go 1-2-3 with 2 strikeouts to convert his first major league save.
Meanwhile Mike Timlin (40) pitched the eigth and allowed two hits, a walk, and a passed ball. He managed to get out of the inning unscathed thanks to a putout at homeplate on a relay play by Manny Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez.
Now, I realize much of this was related already in my last post, but I really just wanted an excuse to get these cool pictures up.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
What a Night
You know, I had a feeling when I woke up today that it was going to be a fantastic day for baseball. Maybe it was because it was snowy and I was looking forward to sitting down and 
watching the game, but I was really excited to see the Red Sox debut of pitcher Josh Beckett against the Texas Rangers. -->
Beckett scared me a little in the first inning, allowing one run. But that was it. Beckett's Boston debut couldn't have been better, scattering seven hits and getting a nice little ovation from Curt Schilling as a reward. Texas' Kameron Loe pitched a superb game, but allowed a two-run homer by Trot Nixon to put him behind in the game.
Beckett pitched a full seven innings and struck out five, but the momentum appeared to shift in the eighth inning when Mike Timlin came out and allowed two batters to get on base. Then when appeared to be a base hit that should have sent the runner from second all the way home became a put out on a relay from left fielder Manny Ramirez to shortstop Alex Gonzalez to Jason Varitek at home. Timlin got out of the inning miraculously unscathed.
Then Terry Francona made the bullpen call of the century when he asked for Jonathan Papelbon to prepare for the ninth inning instead of closer Keith Foulke. Papelbon didn't dissapoint, putting up a 1-2-3 ninth, earning his first major league save (and just his second save in professional baseball), and handing Beckett his first win of the season in what was a very tense game.
Other baseball notes:
<--Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins extended his two-season hitting streak to 38 games, putting him just one game behind Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor and 18 behind record holder Joe DiMaggio.
Bronson Arroyo, in his debut with the Cinncinatti Reds, not only earned the win but hit the first homerun of his carreer to hand himself a lead in the third inning against the Cubs.
The new ad for MLB 2K6 featuring Derek Jeter and Josh Beckett is pretty good. It's intense. It's kinda hot. I like.
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his career 537th homerun to pass Mickey Mantle and claim the #12 spot on the all-time home runs list.
You heard it here:
-The Sox will trade or release Josh Bard before the end of the season, not because he can't catch the knuckler, but because his offense is a liability when Tim Wakefield pitches.
-The 2007 Red Sox starting rotation: Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, Wakefield, John Lester. Clement will be traded this offseason and David Wells will retire. If Clement manages to impress this year and, more importantly, to stay strong down the stretch, there's the possibility of keeping him in the rotation and sending Wakefield to the bullpen.
-Rollins will keep the streak going until April 13, when he'll face Tim Hudson and the Braves.
-Barry Bonds will hit at least twenty homeruns before the All-Star break, but scrutiny and fan dissaproval will leave him disenfranchised and he'll end up on the disabled list for exhaustion, if nothing else, finishing short of Hank Aaron's home run record.
-Nomar Garciaparra will make a decent recovery from
his rib-cage injury and come back to hit .300 on the season. C'mon Nomah! I picked the Dodgers in the NL West, and you were a big reason. Don't let me down!-->
watching the game, but I was really excited to see the Red Sox debut of pitcher Josh Beckett against the Texas Rangers. -->Beckett scared me a little in the first inning, allowing one run. But that was it. Beckett's Boston debut couldn't have been better, scattering seven hits and getting a nice little ovation from Curt Schilling as a reward. Texas' Kameron Loe pitched a superb game, but allowed a two-run homer by Trot Nixon to put him behind in the game.
Beckett pitched a full seven innings and struck out five, but the momentum appeared to shift in the eighth inning when Mike Timlin came out and allowed two batters to get on base. Then when appeared to be a base hit that should have sent the runner from second all the way home became a put out on a relay from left fielder Manny Ramirez to shortstop Alex Gonzalez to Jason Varitek at home. Timlin got out of the inning miraculously unscathed.
Then Terry Francona made the bullpen call of the century when he asked for Jonathan Papelbon to prepare for the ninth inning instead of closer Keith Foulke. Papelbon didn't dissapoint, putting up a 1-2-3 ninth, earning his first major league save (and just his second save in professional baseball), and handing Beckett his first win of the season in what was a very tense game.
Other baseball notes:
<--Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins extended his two-season hitting streak to 38 games, putting him just one game behind Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor and 18 behind record holder Joe DiMaggio.Bronson Arroyo, in his debut with the Cinncinatti Reds, not only earned the win but hit the first homerun of his carreer to hand himself a lead in the third inning against the Cubs.
The new ad for MLB 2K6 featuring Derek Jeter and Josh Beckett is pretty good. It's intense. It's kinda hot. I like.
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his career 537th homerun to pass Mickey Mantle and claim the #12 spot on the all-time home runs list.
You heard it here:
-The Sox will trade or release Josh Bard before the end of the season, not because he can't catch the knuckler, but because his offense is a liability when Tim Wakefield pitches.
-The 2007 Red Sox starting rotation: Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, Wakefield, John Lester. Clement will be traded this offseason and David Wells will retire. If Clement manages to impress this year and, more importantly, to stay strong down the stretch, there's the possibility of keeping him in the rotation and sending Wakefield to the bullpen.
-Rollins will keep the streak going until April 13, when he'll face Tim Hudson and the Braves.
-Barry Bonds will hit at least twenty homeruns before the All-Star break, but scrutiny and fan dissaproval will leave him disenfranchised and he'll end up on the disabled list for exhaustion, if nothing else, finishing short of Hank Aaron's home run record.
-Nomar Garciaparra will make a decent recovery from
his rib-cage injury and come back to hit .300 on the season. C'mon Nomah! I picked the Dodgers in the NL West, and you were a big reason. Don't let me down!-->
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
MLB Preview '06
Well, the season starts in less than a week so I guess it's time to throw out my predictions for how the standings will look 162 regulation games from now.
American League East:
1. New York Yankees - With an offense led by reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees could clobber their way to 90 wins even with sub-par pitching. And one thing they will not have this season is sub-par pitching. That said, the rotation doesn't match that of Boston and the defense doesn't come close, either.
2. Boston Red Sox - May not score as many runs as they did in '04, but they will score more than they did in '05. This is a more complete team than it was last year, and the superior pitching and highly improved defense, along with power duo David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez manning the 3-4 slots, the Sox should win 95 plus games this year.
3. Toronto Blue Jays - An increase in payroll led to an offseason spending spree that makes for a club that looks worthy of a division title...on paper. A.J. Burnett will start the season on the DL, Roy Halliday is coming off a big injury, and B.J. Ryan hasn't been a closer for a whole season yet.
American League Central:
1. Chicago White Sox - They did nothing but improve over the offseason (though I'm not so hot on Javier Vazquez as everyone else seems to be) and with the best starting rotation in baseball and an improved offense, they should roll to a victory in the Central division.
2. Cleveland Indians - This is a good young team, and if they don't take the division this year there's a good chance they can do so in '07. The front office has done a great job of signing its young talent to long term deals - as evidenced by yesterday's inking of a six year contract for leadoff man Grady Sizemore.
3. Minnesota Twins - Still just 2 years off from a division win, this is a strong team that has a lot of talent coming up in the system. May not be much of an offensive force. Johan Santana won't be the pitcher he was in '04.
American League West:
1. Oakland Athletics - Barry Zito might not be on the team after July 31st, but that's only because this team has a wealth of young arms waiting to prove their worth. Frank Thomas will prove that he's still an offensive force and Eric Chavez will make a run for MVP.
2. Las Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Bartolo Colon won't repeat his Cy Young winning performance, but a healthy Vladimir Guerrero will mean more runs for this team. Still, I can't pick their offense and bullpen over Oakland's starters and all-around talent.
3. Seattle Mariners - The addition of Kenji Johima might be the spark the Mariners have been looking for, but it won't be enough to put them over Oakland and LA.
AL Wild Card:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Las Angeles Angels
3. Toronto Blue Jays
National League East:
1. New York Mets - Every year the Braves are overlooked before the season, and for at least the past 14 seasons they've proven the doubters wrong, but I still have to go with the Mets for '06. They've made a bevy of improvements over last year: Paul lo Duca is a better catcher than Mike Piazza, Carlos Delgado is a better first baseman than Doug Menkievitz, and Billy Wagner is a far better closer than Braden Looper.
2. Atlanta Braves - They lost their greatest strength over their championship run: pitching coach Leo Mazzone. They lost their leadoff man in Rafael Furcal (another key in the championship run) and Edgar Renteria may never return to form over at short. Still, they manage to surprise us every year.
3. Florida Marlins - Everyone's saying that they're going to lose 100 games this year after they got rid of all but two of their big names. I say they've got a squad full of young talent and the two big names they did hang on to - Dontrelle Willis and Daniel Cabrera - are both young'ins themselves that are proven winners. Watch for the NL Rookie of the Year to come out of this team, and if they surprise everyone and take the division, you're looking at someone like Cabrera to take the MVP award.
National League Central:
1. St. Louis Cardinals - They still have the reigning MVP and the Cy Young Award winners in Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter. They have a healthy Scott Rolen who will produce. This team is even more dangerous than it was last year, and you can bet they'll win around 100.
2. Houston Astros - If they'd managed to sign Roger Clemons, I would have given them all the gold. This team has a hell of a starting rotation and an underrated offense. If they can add some power mid-season, they still have a shot at the division.
3. Milwaukee Brewers - Ben Sheets and Prince Fielder. Contenders for Cy Young and Rookie of the Year. These two names are the only reason I put this team above the Chicago Cubs.
National League West:
1. Las Angeles Dodgers - I really like this team - maybe because so many of them are former Red Sox! Look, Bill Meuller may never hit as many homeruns as Adrian Beltre, but he'll hit for average from both sides of the plate and his performance with runners in scoring position may make him even more valuable than Beltre was in '04. Nomar Garciaparra will stay healthy for the first time in three years, and Eric Gagne will recover from his shoddy '05. This is the team to beat in the NL West, and I don't care how many dingers Bonds puts in the water.
2. San Diego Padres - Jake Peavy will be back to anchor a decent rotation in a pitcher's park. Dewon Brazleton will put his past behind him, and the additions of Mike Cameron and Mike Piazza should be enough for an offensive improvement over last year.
3. San Francisco Giants - I gotta be nuts to put a team with Barry Bonds in the lineup at third in the division, right? Face it, the Giants are depending on Bonds to carry their team, and mark my words he will not produce as much as they need him to. He'll be lucky to start 100 games. He may very well crush 30 big boys in that time, but that will not be enough to power this team to the top of the division.
NL Wild Card
1. Houston Astros
2. Atlanta Braves
3. San Diego Padres
American League East:
1. New York Yankees - With an offense led by reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees could clobber their way to 90 wins even with sub-par pitching. And one thing they will not have this season is sub-par pitching. That said, the rotation doesn't match that of Boston and the defense doesn't come close, either.
2. Boston Red Sox - May not score as many runs as they did in '04, but they will score more than they did in '05. This is a more complete team than it was last year, and the superior pitching and highly improved defense, along with power duo David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez manning the 3-4 slots, the Sox should win 95 plus games this year.
3. Toronto Blue Jays - An increase in payroll led to an offseason spending spree that makes for a club that looks worthy of a division title...on paper. A.J. Burnett will start the season on the DL, Roy Halliday is coming off a big injury, and B.J. Ryan hasn't been a closer for a whole season yet.
American League Central:
1. Chicago White Sox - They did nothing but improve over the offseason (though I'm not so hot on Javier Vazquez as everyone else seems to be) and with the best starting rotation in baseball and an improved offense, they should roll to a victory in the Central division.
2. Cleveland Indians - This is a good young team, and if they don't take the division this year there's a good chance they can do so in '07. The front office has done a great job of signing its young talent to long term deals - as evidenced by yesterday's inking of a six year contract for leadoff man Grady Sizemore.
3. Minnesota Twins - Still just 2 years off from a division win, this is a strong team that has a lot of talent coming up in the system. May not be much of an offensive force. Johan Santana won't be the pitcher he was in '04.
American League West:
1. Oakland Athletics - Barry Zito might not be on the team after July 31st, but that's only because this team has a wealth of young arms waiting to prove their worth. Frank Thomas will prove that he's still an offensive force and Eric Chavez will make a run for MVP.
2. Las Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Bartolo Colon won't repeat his Cy Young winning performance, but a healthy Vladimir Guerrero will mean more runs for this team. Still, I can't pick their offense and bullpen over Oakland's starters and all-around talent.
3. Seattle Mariners - The addition of Kenji Johima might be the spark the Mariners have been looking for, but it won't be enough to put them over Oakland and LA.
AL Wild Card:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. Las Angeles Angels
3. Toronto Blue Jays
National League East:
1. New York Mets - Every year the Braves are overlooked before the season, and for at least the past 14 seasons they've proven the doubters wrong, but I still have to go with the Mets for '06. They've made a bevy of improvements over last year: Paul lo Duca is a better catcher than Mike Piazza, Carlos Delgado is a better first baseman than Doug Menkievitz, and Billy Wagner is a far better closer than Braden Looper.
2. Atlanta Braves - They lost their greatest strength over their championship run: pitching coach Leo Mazzone. They lost their leadoff man in Rafael Furcal (another key in the championship run) and Edgar Renteria may never return to form over at short. Still, they manage to surprise us every year.
3. Florida Marlins - Everyone's saying that they're going to lose 100 games this year after they got rid of all but two of their big names. I say they've got a squad full of young talent and the two big names they did hang on to - Dontrelle Willis and Daniel Cabrera - are both young'ins themselves that are proven winners. Watch for the NL Rookie of the Year to come out of this team, and if they surprise everyone and take the division, you're looking at someone like Cabrera to take the MVP award.
National League Central:
1. St. Louis Cardinals - They still have the reigning MVP and the Cy Young Award winners in Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter. They have a healthy Scott Rolen who will produce. This team is even more dangerous than it was last year, and you can bet they'll win around 100.
2. Houston Astros - If they'd managed to sign Roger Clemons, I would have given them all the gold. This team has a hell of a starting rotation and an underrated offense. If they can add some power mid-season, they still have a shot at the division.
3. Milwaukee Brewers - Ben Sheets and Prince Fielder. Contenders for Cy Young and Rookie of the Year. These two names are the only reason I put this team above the Chicago Cubs.
National League West:
1. Las Angeles Dodgers - I really like this team - maybe because so many of them are former Red Sox! Look, Bill Meuller may never hit as many homeruns as Adrian Beltre, but he'll hit for average from both sides of the plate and his performance with runners in scoring position may make him even more valuable than Beltre was in '04. Nomar Garciaparra will stay healthy for the first time in three years, and Eric Gagne will recover from his shoddy '05. This is the team to beat in the NL West, and I don't care how many dingers Bonds puts in the water.
2. San Diego Padres - Jake Peavy will be back to anchor a decent rotation in a pitcher's park. Dewon Brazleton will put his past behind him, and the additions of Mike Cameron and Mike Piazza should be enough for an offensive improvement over last year.
3. San Francisco Giants - I gotta be nuts to put a team with Barry Bonds in the lineup at third in the division, right? Face it, the Giants are depending on Bonds to carry their team, and mark my words he will not produce as much as they need him to. He'll be lucky to start 100 games. He may very well crush 30 big boys in that time, but that will not be enough to power this team to the top of the division.
NL Wild Card
1. Houston Astros
2. Atlanta Braves
3. San Diego Padres
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Post-Spring Break Update
Sorry I haven't updated in a while; I've been on spring break. A lot happened with the Red Sox while I was gone, so I'd just like to talk about a few of the moves they made.
1. 3/14/06 - Returned Rule-5 pick Jamie Vermilyea to Toronto.
If you read my mailbag question from the last post, you know my thoughts on this. Vermilyea should never have been picked in the Rule-5 Draft. The front office (which made the move during Theo Epstein's absence) failed to think the pick through, and apparently knew nothing about their own minor league organization and the prospects that are ready to come up. The move cost money and experience on all sides.
Yay or Nay: Nay. Boo front office. Boo.
2. 3/16/06 - Signed Catcher Javier Cardona to Minor League contract.
This move became neccessary after an off-season that saw the trades of Doug Mirabelli and Kelly Shoppach, and the retirement of off-season acquisition John Flaherty. The Sox no longer had a top catching prospect in their system, nor really any options for backstop in the minor leagues. Cardona is a career minor leaguer but has the kind of veteran experience that may help the Sox if things go wrong with Josh Bard or Ken Huckaby. Of course, none of this matters a whole lot at the major league level except on every fifth day, when Josh Bard will now be expected to catch for Tim Wakefield. Regardless of whether Bard masters the art of catching Wakefield's knuckleball, the absence of Mirabelli's bat in the lineup on those days will make for some closer games and perhaps a dip in Wakefield's win percentage.
Yay or Nay: Yay. You can never be too deep behind the plate. The Sox may have the reigning AL Silver Slugger AND Gold Glove behind the plate (AKA the best catcher in the American League) in Jason Varitek, but he won't be there forever.
3. 3/19/06 - Signed OF Juan Gonzalez to minor league contract.
What does this mean for the 2006 Red Sox? Almost nothing. ESPN analysts don't call him "Juan Gone" for no reason. Gonzalez has lost his bat, and he probably won't see any time in the major leagues this season, especially since the Sox have Adam Stern, Gabe Kapler, Dunstan Mohr, Willie Harris, and David Murphy - all of whom have far more potential than Gonzalez. What does this mean for the future of the Red Sox? Simple. Gonzalez's addition to the Pawtucket outfield left Brandon Moss out of the job. Moss was sent back down to double-A Portland, and now is even less likely to make the major leagues any time this season or next.
Yay or Nay: Nay. Gonzalez has nothing to offer this organization except a wasted roster spot.
4. 3/20/06 - Traded RHP Bronson Arroyo and cash to Reds for OF Wily Mo Pena.
Oh Sox! Sox! How could you trade him? He won 14 games last year! He had the ability to dominate out of the bullpen! He was effing cute! Boston fans loved Arroyo, and he loved Boston, which is why he took a steep discount on his contract to stay here. The move, as it seems, was merely made to heighten Arroyo's trade value. What did they get in return? A career .248 with 51 homeruns and 288 strikeouts in 830 at-bats. How. Could. You?
Okay now that I've let loose that rant, I must admit that this move actually works for the Red Sox in a number of ways. The Sox lost a lot of power from the bench when they moved Mirabelli, so this gives management a strong right-handed bat to work with. Pena is young, and Trot Nixon (entering his contract year) is not, making Wily Mo a top candidate to roam right field when Nixon inevitably flies the coop. His bat makes him seem like a risk, but keep in mind that the Sox are somewhat deep in the outfield, with a number of players like Gabe Kapler (who will return from his achilles tendon injury mid-season) who will be able to pick up some slack if necessary. Also, this move is a message to David Wells. The Sox, by trading Arroyo and relegating Jonathan Paplebon to the bullpen, are giving Wells the chance to help this team at the same time as telling him that they have a very capable young arm waiting in the bullpen to take over for him in the rotation if he falters.
Yay or Nay: Yay. It's really hard for me to say that because I love Arroyo, but the Sox may have spent some of their surplus of pitching depth to improve on the somewhat lacking bench offense.
5. 3/24/06 - Claimed 1B Hee-Seop Choi off waivers from the Dodgers.
You might be saying - gee, with Kevin Youkilis, JT Snow, and David Ortiz all slated for some playing time at first base this year, why make the move for Choi at all? Frankly, this move doesn't do anything really to improve the Sox's first base outlook. What it does, however, is provide some insurance over at third base. Mike Lowell is coming off a very down offensive 2005, and he hasn't been shining at the plate this spring, so the addition of Choi means that if the Sox are forced to move Lowell and send Youkilis back to third, then Choi can come up and provide some depth at first.
Yay or Nay: Yay. It's not often that a move for a first-basemen can help improve third base, yet here we are.
6. 3/26/06 - Royals claim IF Tony Graffanino off waivers.
What a mess. The Sox screwed Graffanino by offering him arbitration even though they had no intention of starting the 2006 season with him in the infield. Any team that signed Graffanino then would have to give the Red Sox a draft pick, severly decreasing his value. So what was Tony to do? He accepted arbitration and forced the Sox to sign him to a one-year, 2.05 million dollar deal. Smart, but it left the Sox with a logjam in the middle infield and virtually guaranteed him to be traded before the season. However, the front office dragged their feet on the trade, and no move was made before Graffanino's contract would have become guranteed, so instead the Sox put him on waivers, to be plucked by the team that the Sox originally acquire Graffanino from in '05. By offering Graffanino arbitration and then by not being aggressive in trading him, the Sox have wasted another huge chunk of money (they still have to pay a quarter of the money owed to Graffanino) and not gotten anything in return. Add this to the money the Sox are paying Edgar Renteria to play for the Braves and Bronson Arroyo to pay for the Reds, and you end up having to shake your head at the money that this front office has wasted during the offseason.
Yay or Nay. Nay. If the Sox like throwing money away so much, they should pay me to go cover the Pittsburg Pirates.
1. 3/14/06 - Returned Rule-5 pick Jamie Vermilyea to Toronto.
If you read my mailbag question from the last post, you know my thoughts on this. Vermilyea should never have been picked in the Rule-5 Draft. The front office (which made the move during Theo Epstein's absence) failed to think the pick through, and apparently knew nothing about their own minor league organization and the prospects that are ready to come up. The move cost money and experience on all sides.
Yay or Nay: Nay. Boo front office. Boo.
2. 3/16/06 - Signed Catcher Javier Cardona to Minor League contract.
This move became neccessary after an off-season that saw the trades of Doug Mirabelli and Kelly Shoppach, and the retirement of off-season acquisition John Flaherty. The Sox no longer had a top catching prospect in their system, nor really any options for backstop in the minor leagues. Cardona is a career minor leaguer but has the kind of veteran experience that may help the Sox if things go wrong with Josh Bard or Ken Huckaby. Of course, none of this matters a whole lot at the major league level except on every fifth day, when Josh Bard will now be expected to catch for Tim Wakefield. Regardless of whether Bard masters the art of catching Wakefield's knuckleball, the absence of Mirabelli's bat in the lineup on those days will make for some closer games and perhaps a dip in Wakefield's win percentage.
Yay or Nay: Yay. You can never be too deep behind the plate. The Sox may have the reigning AL Silver Slugger AND Gold Glove behind the plate (AKA the best catcher in the American League) in Jason Varitek, but he won't be there forever.
3. 3/19/06 - Signed OF Juan Gonzalez to minor league contract.
What does this mean for the 2006 Red Sox? Almost nothing. ESPN analysts don't call him "Juan Gone" for no reason. Gonzalez has lost his bat, and he probably won't see any time in the major leagues this season, especially since the Sox have Adam Stern, Gabe Kapler, Dunstan Mohr, Willie Harris, and David Murphy - all of whom have far more potential than Gonzalez. What does this mean for the future of the Red Sox? Simple. Gonzalez's addition to the Pawtucket outfield left Brandon Moss out of the job. Moss was sent back down to double-A Portland, and now is even less likely to make the major leagues any time this season or next.
Yay or Nay: Nay. Gonzalez has nothing to offer this organization except a wasted roster spot.
4. 3/20/06 - Traded RHP Bronson Arroyo and cash to Reds for OF Wily Mo Pena.
Oh Sox! Sox! How could you trade him? He won 14 games last year! He had the ability to dominate out of the bullpen! He was effing cute! Boston fans loved Arroyo, and he loved Boston, which is why he took a steep discount on his contract to stay here. The move, as it seems, was merely made to heighten Arroyo's trade value. What did they get in return? A career .248 with 51 homeruns and 288 strikeouts in 830 at-bats. How. Could. You?
Okay now that I've let loose that rant, I must admit that this move actually works for the Red Sox in a number of ways. The Sox lost a lot of power from the bench when they moved Mirabelli, so this gives management a strong right-handed bat to work with. Pena is young, and Trot Nixon (entering his contract year) is not, making Wily Mo a top candidate to roam right field when Nixon inevitably flies the coop. His bat makes him seem like a risk, but keep in mind that the Sox are somewhat deep in the outfield, with a number of players like Gabe Kapler (who will return from his achilles tendon injury mid-season) who will be able to pick up some slack if necessary. Also, this move is a message to David Wells. The Sox, by trading Arroyo and relegating Jonathan Paplebon to the bullpen, are giving Wells the chance to help this team at the same time as telling him that they have a very capable young arm waiting in the bullpen to take over for him in the rotation if he falters.
Yay or Nay: Yay. It's really hard for me to say that because I love Arroyo, but the Sox may have spent some of their surplus of pitching depth to improve on the somewhat lacking bench offense.
5. 3/24/06 - Claimed 1B Hee-Seop Choi off waivers from the Dodgers.
You might be saying - gee, with Kevin Youkilis, JT Snow, and David Ortiz all slated for some playing time at first base this year, why make the move for Choi at all? Frankly, this move doesn't do anything really to improve the Sox's first base outlook. What it does, however, is provide some insurance over at third base. Mike Lowell is coming off a very down offensive 2005, and he hasn't been shining at the plate this spring, so the addition of Choi means that if the Sox are forced to move Lowell and send Youkilis back to third, then Choi can come up and provide some depth at first.
Yay or Nay: Yay. It's not often that a move for a first-basemen can help improve third base, yet here we are.
6. 3/26/06 - Royals claim IF Tony Graffanino off waivers.
What a mess. The Sox screwed Graffanino by offering him arbitration even though they had no intention of starting the 2006 season with him in the infield. Any team that signed Graffanino then would have to give the Red Sox a draft pick, severly decreasing his value. So what was Tony to do? He accepted arbitration and forced the Sox to sign him to a one-year, 2.05 million dollar deal. Smart, but it left the Sox with a logjam in the middle infield and virtually guaranteed him to be traded before the season. However, the front office dragged their feet on the trade, and no move was made before Graffanino's contract would have become guranteed, so instead the Sox put him on waivers, to be plucked by the team that the Sox originally acquire Graffanino from in '05. By offering Graffanino arbitration and then by not being aggressive in trading him, the Sox have wasted another huge chunk of money (they still have to pay a quarter of the money owed to Graffanino) and not gotten anything in return. Add this to the money the Sox are paying Edgar Renteria to play for the Braves and Bronson Arroyo to pay for the Reds, and you end up having to shake your head at the money that this front office has wasted during the offseason.
Yay or Nay. Nay. If the Sox like throwing money away so much, they should pay me to go cover the Pittsburg Pirates.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Veterans still learning after all these years
It's good to see that even those pitchers that we consider the most elite are still able to improve themselves and expand their horizons when neccessary.
A couple days ago Curt Schilling said that he was getting ready to use two new pitches this season. Traditionally a power pitcher with a mean splitter, Curt plans to add a changeup to his aresenal in '06. A good changeup always brings a whole new layer of depth to a pitcher, and if Curt can master the pitch (which, with his work ethic, shouldn't be a problem) as well as continue to pound the strike zone with power, he looks to be very dominating this year. Not only that, but he also spoke of throwing fastballs inside on batters, not something he's been known to do in his career. Historically, the most dominating pitchers (Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemons, Randy Johnson) use the inside fastball as a means to intimidate batters and perhaps break some bats, and even some batters should the need arise. These two pitches look to increase the value of Schilling as a power Ace.
Meanwhile, Keith Foulke (who has made his career out of having the best changeup in any bullpen, and has always been known to have nice command of his fastball and his third-best pitch, the slider) spoke today of adding a split-fingered fastball to his arsenal. Are Schilling and Foulke working together to make sure they each have better '06 seasons that '05 or something? The splitter is Curt Schilling's signature pitch and if Foulke can indeed master it, it'll bring a whole 'nother level to what he does, because each of his pitches not only moves differently, but they all have different speeds and the same (or damn close to the same) delivery, so the batter (who already had to make a decision as to whether he was throwing a fastball or a changeup) will now have to decide if that fastball is going to stay up in the zone or if it's going to "roll off the table" as the splitter does.
These are two great pitchers and by adding these pitches, you know they can only improve their stuff because they know better than to add fluff to their repertoires.
A couple days ago Curt Schilling said that he was getting ready to use two new pitches this season. Traditionally a power pitcher with a mean splitter, Curt plans to add a changeup to his aresenal in '06. A good changeup always brings a whole new layer of depth to a pitcher, and if Curt can master the pitch (which, with his work ethic, shouldn't be a problem) as well as continue to pound the strike zone with power, he looks to be very dominating this year. Not only that, but he also spoke of throwing fastballs inside on batters, not something he's been known to do in his career. Historically, the most dominating pitchers (Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemons, Randy Johnson) use the inside fastball as a means to intimidate batters and perhaps break some bats, and even some batters should the need arise. These two pitches look to increase the value of Schilling as a power Ace.
Meanwhile, Keith Foulke (who has made his career out of having the best changeup in any bullpen, and has always been known to have nice command of his fastball and his third-best pitch, the slider) spoke today of adding a split-fingered fastball to his arsenal. Are Schilling and Foulke working together to make sure they each have better '06 seasons that '05 or something? The splitter is Curt Schilling's signature pitch and if Foulke can indeed master it, it'll bring a whole 'nother level to what he does, because each of his pitches not only moves differently, but they all have different speeds and the same (or damn close to the same) delivery, so the batter (who already had to make a decision as to whether he was throwing a fastball or a changeup) will now have to decide if that fastball is going to stay up in the zone or if it's going to "roll off the table" as the splitter does.
These are two great pitchers and by adding these pitches, you know they can only improve their stuff because they know better than to add fluff to their repertoires.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Minor leaguers showing up the big guys
An odd occurance has taken place this spring; with all the talk of how deep the Red Sox major league pitching staff is, the fruits of that labor are not being reaped in Grapefruit League action. Out of the top thirteen pitchers in innings pitched (most = 4.2, least = 3.0) at camp, eight project to be in the minor leagues and five in the majors.
Look at this:
Jonathan Papelbon, headed for the 25 man roster when camp breaks, has a 7.71 ERA so far in his 4.2 innings.
Craig Hansen, most likely starting the season at Pawtucket, hasn't allowed a run, so his ERA is 0.00 after his 4 innings.
David Riske, a major leaguer, has pitched four innings so far and taken away an 11.25 earned-run average.
Mike Bumatay, a minor leaguer, has put up a 4.91 ERA in 3.2 innings.
Major leaguer Bronson Arroyo has lobbed himself to a 19.64 ERA in his 3.2 innings.
Abe Alvarez, minor leaguer, 0.00 ERA in 3.1 innings.
Josh Beckett, major leaguer, 15.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
Manny Delcarmen, minor leaguer, 0.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
Rudy Seanez, major leauger, 18.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
and Cla Meredith, minor leaguer, 0.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
The other minor leaguers, Matt Ginter, Mike Holz, and David Pauley, have posted ERAs of 18.00, 6.00, and 9.00 respectively. Those aren't spectacular numbers, but still better than some of the major leaguers.
In fact, out of all the major leaguers on this list, the only one with an ERA in the single digits is Papelbon, who just came up from the minors. Still, his 7.71 is very high considering that the benchmark ERA - the one everyone shoots for - is around 3.50.
Now I know that ERA is a stat that will lie on the extremes when the innings pitched is very low. Just look at Meredith, whose ginormous 2005 ERA of 27.00 doesn't mean a whole lot since he only pitched 2.1 innings with the Red Sox. Earned-run average is a projected average over nine innings, and none of these pitchers have even thrown nine innings yet.
Still, I just think it's funny that the minor leaguers are performing at a much better clip than the major leaguers. We'll see how it turns out at the beginning of the season, but if by that time someone like Hansen has posted a 2.75 ERA and someone like Riske has posted a 6.75 ERA, I'll be very upset with Terry Francona if Hansen doesn't make the squad.
Look at this:
Jonathan Papelbon, headed for the 25 man roster when camp breaks, has a 7.71 ERA so far in his 4.2 innings.
Craig Hansen, most likely starting the season at Pawtucket, hasn't allowed a run, so his ERA is 0.00 after his 4 innings.
David Riske, a major leaguer, has pitched four innings so far and taken away an 11.25 earned-run average.
Mike Bumatay, a minor leaguer, has put up a 4.91 ERA in 3.2 innings.
Major leaguer Bronson Arroyo has lobbed himself to a 19.64 ERA in his 3.2 innings.
Abe Alvarez, minor leaguer, 0.00 ERA in 3.1 innings.
Josh Beckett, major leaguer, 15.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
Manny Delcarmen, minor leaguer, 0.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
Rudy Seanez, major leauger, 18.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
and Cla Meredith, minor leaguer, 0.00 ERA in 3.0 innings.
The other minor leaguers, Matt Ginter, Mike Holz, and David Pauley, have posted ERAs of 18.00, 6.00, and 9.00 respectively. Those aren't spectacular numbers, but still better than some of the major leaguers.
In fact, out of all the major leaguers on this list, the only one with an ERA in the single digits is Papelbon, who just came up from the minors. Still, his 7.71 is very high considering that the benchmark ERA - the one everyone shoots for - is around 3.50.
Now I know that ERA is a stat that will lie on the extremes when the innings pitched is very low. Just look at Meredith, whose ginormous 2005 ERA of 27.00 doesn't mean a whole lot since he only pitched 2.1 innings with the Red Sox. Earned-run average is a projected average over nine innings, and none of these pitchers have even thrown nine innings yet.
Still, I just think it's funny that the minor leaguers are performing at a much better clip than the major leaguers. We'll see how it turns out at the beginning of the season, but if by that time someone like Hansen has posted a 2.75 ERA and someone like Riske has posted a 6.75 ERA, I'll be very upset with Terry Francona if Hansen doesn't make the squad.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
More of Wells causing problems
Remember last year when it seemed like some of the Major League administration had something against the Red Sox, as certain players on the Sox (David Wells - allegedly making contact with an umpire) did not have their suspensions reduced when certain players on other teams (Rafael Palmeiro - testing positive for an illegal substance) did get reductions after appeal? At that time David Wells had some harsh words for MLB Commissioner Bud Selig; harsh enough to draw an apology from the Red Sox.
They might need to make another gesture to the commish now.
According to the Hartford Courant Wells said that Selig should resign, in response to Selig's request that the New York remove signs apologizing for the loss of stars Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon from their spring training games to the World Baseball Classic.
Don't be surprised if the Sox see some trouble from the higher ups this year because of Wells comments. This is just another example of Wells being a pain in the butt to the Sox, albiet indirectly. Sure, he hasn't been able to speak with Selig face-to-face. Write the guy a damn letter! Or burst into his office and confront him violently, just do it on your own time and let the Sox void your contract if you mess up. That would solve a lot of problems, wouldn't it?
They might need to make another gesture to the commish now.
According to the Hartford Courant Wells said that Selig should resign, in response to Selig's request that the New York remove signs apologizing for the loss of stars Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon from their spring training games to the World Baseball Classic.
Don't be surprised if the Sox see some trouble from the higher ups this year because of Wells comments. This is just another example of Wells being a pain in the butt to the Sox, albiet indirectly. Sure, he hasn't been able to speak with Selig face-to-face. Write the guy a damn letter! Or burst into his office and confront him violently, just do it on your own time and let the Sox void your contract if you mess up. That would solve a lot of problems, wouldn't it?
Monday, March 06, 2006
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Wells a monkeywrench in the Red Sox's gears
First he wanted to be traded. Okay, the Sox have a starter with huge potential coming up from the minors and they traded for Josh Beckett. Even with Wells gone, they'd have a logjam in the rotation, which in all respects is a good problem to have. Now Wells is saying that he wants to stay in Boston.
He really isn't much more than a thorn in Theo Epstein's side, is he?
Don't get me wrong, I like Wells a lot. I think he's a great pitcher and he's positioned to have a great year (that whole nonsense about not going about a normal starter's routine to start the season because his knee - which he had arthroscopic surgery on in October - was sore was just that: nonsense. Matt Clement had the same surgery at the same time and he hasn't even mentioned it this spring. The fact is, Wells hates spring training, and doesn't want to be involved in any competition that doesn't count). But don't ask for a trade and have a team make moves to absorb the move, and then rescind the request. Now because of you, and because you're damn sure not going to make a move to the bullpen, both Bronson Arroyo AND Jonathan Papelbon will have to move to the 'pen, that is if Papelbon makes the final cut at all. Either that or the Sox will make a different trade involving Arroyo or Clement, sending away a pitcher that actually wants to be here, and that fans want to see here, in order to keep some crotchety old bastard that can't make up his mind and is probably going to retire in a year. Great.
If I had my way Wells would have been traded as soon as the Sox acquired Beckett. Forget the West coast - Wells doesn't have a no-trade clause and he's caused enough problems. Send him to whatever team needs pitching no matter where they play their home games, and let them deal with him.
The fact of the matter is that almost every team needs pitching, and they're willing to trade away some talent to get it. How about that deep outfield down in Tampa Bay? Think they'd throw down some Joey Gathright for some Wells and another minor leaguer - maybe one of the glut of backup catchers the Sox are dealing with right now? I think they would, and I think it would be worth it for the speed-starved Red Sox.
Yes, I think Wells is a good pitcher. But I don't think he should ruin the chances of two major leaguers that have proven they belong here just because he's fickle. David Wells, it's time to get out of Boston.
He really isn't much more than a thorn in Theo Epstein's side, is he?Don't get me wrong, I like Wells a lot. I think he's a great pitcher and he's positioned to have a great year (that whole nonsense about not going about a normal starter's routine to start the season because his knee - which he had arthroscopic surgery on in October - was sore was just that: nonsense. Matt Clement had the same surgery at the same time and he hasn't even mentioned it this spring. The fact is, Wells hates spring training, and doesn't want to be involved in any competition that doesn't count). But don't ask for a trade and have a team make moves to absorb the move, and then rescind the request. Now because of you, and because you're damn sure not going to make a move to the bullpen, both Bronson Arroyo AND Jonathan Papelbon will have to move to the 'pen, that is if Papelbon makes the final cut at all. Either that or the Sox will make a different trade involving Arroyo or Clement, sending away a pitcher that actually wants to be here, and that fans want to see here, in order to keep some crotchety old bastard that can't make up his mind and is probably going to retire in a year. Great.
If I had my way Wells would have been traded as soon as the Sox acquired Beckett. Forget the West coast - Wells doesn't have a no-trade clause and he's caused enough problems. Send him to whatever team needs pitching no matter where they play their home games, and let them deal with him.
The fact of the matter is that almost every team needs pitching, and they're willing to trade away some talent to get it. How about that deep outfield down in Tampa Bay? Think they'd throw down some Joey Gathright for some Wells and another minor leaguer - maybe one of the glut of backup catchers the Sox are dealing with right now? I think they would, and I think it would be worth it for the speed-starved Red Sox.
Yes, I think Wells is a good pitcher. But I don't think he should ruin the chances of two major leaguers that have proven they belong here just because he's fickle. David Wells, it's time to get out of Boston.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
You can't write this stuff
Today was the first spring exhibition game of the season. How more fitting a time to...immediately judge the ability of EVERY PLAYER ON THE SQUAD!
Actually, that's not true at all. But the exhibitions can still be a time when we can take a symbolic look at the season ahead, if you will. Today the Yankees played the Phillies at 1:05pm, and the Red Sox played the Twins at 7:05pm. Johnny Damon started in center for New York and Coco Crisp started in center for
Boston.
Damon's debut performance was impressive. He went 2-3 with a double. Not bad. He didn't score any runs or knock any RBI, but not bad.
Coco's performance, after Johnny's was completed, was fantastic. Crisp trumped Damon offensively by going 3-3 with a double AND a triple. That's just a homer short of the cycle, people, and the guy might have done that if he had had a fourth at bat. Along with that, he scored a run AND he kocked one in.
Classic.
Perhaps even more fitting, the Sox and the Yankees both lost. By the same score. 3-6.
****
And right now I just want to gush for a minute. I love baseball season so much. Reading the box score today made me so happy. I realized that the last time I had done so was in October, and I really had missed it. The little things, people. This is my favorite time of year! :-)
Actually, that's not true at all. But the exhibitions can still be a time when we can take a symbolic look at the season ahead, if you will. Today the Yankees played the Phillies at 1:05pm, and the Red Sox played the Twins at 7:05pm. Johnny Damon started in center for New York and Coco Crisp started in center for
Boston.Damon's debut performance was impressive. He went 2-3 with a double. Not bad. He didn't score any runs or knock any RBI, but not bad.
Coco's performance, after Johnny's was completed, was fantastic. Crisp trumped Damon offensively by going 3-3 with a double AND a triple. That's just a homer short of the cycle, people, and the guy might have done that if he had had a fourth at bat. Along with that, he scored a run AND he kocked one in.
Classic.
Perhaps even more fitting, the Sox and the Yankees both lost. By the same score. 3-6.
****
And right now I just want to gush for a minute. I love baseball season so much. Reading the box score today made me so happy. I realized that the last time I had done so was in October, and I really had missed it. The little things, people. This is my favorite time of year! :-)
A Prospective Look at the Red Sox
No team has any chance of success if it doesn't have a deep minor league organization. Even teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox that are traditionally stacked with veterans depend on their minor leaguers - first, as trade bait in order to acquire some of those veterans, and also in order to plug a hole where one of those veterans inevitably goes down with an injury. Such was the case last year with the starting rotations in New York and Boston, where injuries allowed for call ups of Chien-Ming Wang and Jonathan Papelbon. Both pitchers proved that they belonged with the big clubs, and both earned spots on the 2006 rosters of their clubs. That said, I'd like to introduce you to the top ten prospects in the Red Sox organization, and talk a little bit about the impact I think they will make on the club, and when they will make it. Keep in mind that baseball is a very unpredictable sport, and depending on injuries and performance, the estimated-time-of-arrival for any given prospect can be much sooner or much later than expected. Also, I'm giving you scouting reports for all the prospects. Those reports, the pictures, and the rankings are provided by http://www.soxprospects.com. This is a great site, you should check it out.
#1 Prospect - Jonathan Papelbon
Scouting Report: Good pitcher's build with a live arm and solid delivery. Fastball has been clocked up to 95 mph, typically hitting the low-90s with great command. Very good slider and changeup, as well as a slurve curveball. All can be thrown for strikes, and Papelbon has improved his consistency with these pitches. Papelbon also added a splitter to his arsenal in the spring of 2005, after some tutoring from Curt Schilling. Projects as a frontline starter.
Papelbon projects as a frontline starter, meaning that when Schilling retires or his contract runs out, Papelbon might have a new job at the top of the Red Sox rotation. That is, of course, if he doesn't get traded before then. He's the only prospect on the list that is pretty much guaranteed to start the season on the 2006 active roster, but whether or not he'll be in the starting rotation is another issue. The Sox have seven starters (six if they finally manage to trade David Wells) to fill five slots, and as it stands the number five slot is Bronson Arroyo's to lose. Still, both Arroyo and Papelbon have proven that they can be dominant out of the bullpen, so just having Papelbon on the roster immediately improves both areas of the pitching staff.
# 2 Prospect - Jon Lester
Scouting Report: Very athletic lefty. 2-seam and 4-seam fastballs sit in the low 90's, top out in the mid-90s, and have good movement. Lester also utilizes an above-average change-up, an 11-to-5 curveball which sits in the low 70s, and in 2005 worked on developing a cutter. Easy delivery motion with good explosion, similar to Andy Pettitte. Power strikeout pitcher, uses his fastball and occasionally his curve as his out pitch. While Lester typically has top notch control, occasionally he will have games where his control of certain pitchers is off. Very hard worker, prepares will for each game. Has also been compared to Mark Mulder. Great pickoff move.
The Sox are blessed to have two starters with very high ceilings in their organization. Just look at Lester's scouting report; with comparisons to Andy Pettitte and Mark Mulder, clearly this kid has what it takes to man the top of a pitching rotation. If things work out for the best, the Sox look to have the next "Big Three" (formally Mulder, Barry Zito, and Tim Hudson of the Oakland Athletics) in Papelbon, Lester, and newly acquired fireballer Josh Beckett. That situation, should it play out, is still a few years down the road. Lester will start this season at triple-A Pawtucket, but there's a good chance you'll see him in Boston long before the roster expansion in September. He was last year's Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and he made the Eastern League All-Star team. Don't be surprised if he garners both honors again this year, that is if he doesn't spend most of his time with the big club.
#3 Prospect - Craig Hansen
Scouting Report: Hansen's fastball (the best in the system) has topped out in the high 90s, and he consistently hits the mid-90s. He also possesses an excellent high-80s slider, which also was voted best in the system by Baseball America. A fierce competitor who has an excellent closer mentality. Does not walk many batters. Named "closest to the majors" of all players in the 2005 draft.
The fact that this kid was on the major-league roster at all last season is a huge testament to his ability; he had only been closing for St. John's University just months before! He also swooped in and stole the closing job in Pawtucket from the formerly highly-touted Cla Merideth (who, by the way, dropped severely in the prospect rankings after putting up a startling 27.00 ERA with the Red Sox last season). The rookie impressed with the big club last year, but that was just the beginning. No doubt, if the Sox can resist the temptation to trade him off (his trade value as a closer is tremendous), then this is your closer of the future. He'll definitely join the Red Sox when the roster expands in September, but he could even get here sooner. In the meantime Pawtucket is lucky to have a closer of his caliber on the roster.
#4 Prospect - Dustin Pedroia
Scouting Report: Small infielder had a tremendous career at Arizona State. Average power for a middle infielder, with good bat speed and excellent plate discipline. Loves the game and has fantastic instincts. Plays top-notch defense up the middle, named the 2003 National Defensive Player of the Year. Very scrappy; a great teammate. Moved to second base prior to the start of the 2005 season; Boston hasn't ruled out moving Pedroia back to shortstop.
The cool thing (and fortunate, for him) about Pedroia is his versatility. Cleary the Red Sox's first pick in the 2004 draft has what it takes to be either a starting second baseman or shortstop. The Sox, this season, are deep up the middle with names like Alex Gonzalez, Mark Loretta, Alex Cora, and Tony Graffanino; but expect Graff to be traded, so if any of the other three go down with an injury, their job goes to either Pedroia or Alex Machado - a prospect that you don't hear a lot about, but he impressed the club enough to make the playoff roster last season. Pedroia will get one more season of triple-A under his belt, and then he'll be more than ready to be a major-league contributer by the 2007 season. You never know in a big market like Boston, though, and he might end up suffering the same option-shuffling fate that Kevin Youkilis did for two seasons.
#5 Prospect - Manny Delcarmen
Scouting Report: Boston native always dreamed of playing for the Sox. His career was on the fast track with a mid 90s fastball, and an outstanding curveball - until he injured himself in May 2003. Delcarmen had Tommy John surgery in May 2003, but returned to the mound a year later in May 2004. Post-surgery, Delcarmen's fastball may have actually gained velocity, as he has topped out in the high 90s. Delcarmen has average control, with decent changeup and a very good curve which he uses as his out pitch. Delcarmen's father played in the Phillies Organization.
Last season Delcarmen made an impression on the Red Sox; enough so that he was called up by mid-season to contribute to an ailing bullpen. Now, this offseason the Sox went out and added big names to their relief corps, meaning that Delcarmen, for now, is out of a job. One worry last season was that Delcarmen's out pitch, his curveball, was lying flat and not breaking the way it should. Well in a recent report on mlb.com Delcarmen said that he spent all winter trying to find his curve, and it seems to be going well for him so far this spring. You can't help but hope for big things for this Beantown Boy. As for 2006, he'll start the season in Pawtucket, and he might get called up in case of injury, but his greatest contribution to Boston won't come until September and then on a much more regular basis in 2007.
# 6 Prospect - Jacoby Ellsbury
Scouting Report: Ellsbury was on of the best players in the NCAA in 2005. He is very fast, plays excellent defense, and has shown a great ability to get on base. Decent gap power for a centerfielder who projects as a lead-off hitter. Has often been compared to Johnny Damon. Also said to be a team leader.
Along with Hansen, Ellsbury was the prize of the 2005 draft selection. He still has a long way to go in the organization, but in him the Sox have their centerfielder and leadoff hitter of the future. He proved to be a star in last year's College World Series, and continued to hit well with the low single-A Lowell Spinners afterward. I doubt he'll make an appearance with Boston in 2006, and he may only be called up in September 2007, but after that you can expect him to be a star. As for this year, he'll start the season with the high-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, but he'll probably end up with the Sox's double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs before the end of the season.
#7 Prospect - David Murphy
Scouting Report: Murphy is a tall, athletic lefty with a sweet swing. Pulls a lot of pitches, and displays excellent patience at the plate. Loves the game, and displays excellent leadership skills. Needs to work on adding more power. Accurate arm with decent range. Average speed. Injury-plagued 2004 season showed mediocre stats.
He was the Sox's number one draft selection in 2003, and he's been having a little bit of trouble living up to the hype that goes with that kind of status since then. Still, his scouting report says that he shows patience at the plate, which is the kind of discipline the Sox typically love to get out of their hitters. He'll start 2006 as the PawSox's centerfielder, and he may get a callup in September. If not, barring a trade, you'll definitely see him with Boston in 2007.
# 8 Prospect - Brandon Moss
Scouting Report: Athletic outfielder with a good arm. Excellent approach at the plate - good swing with a raw power. Moss is a competitor. He didn't show much at the plate in his first two professional seasons, but put in a good amount of work in the off-season prior to 2004, producing an outstanding 2004 season in all respects.
Moss impressed in winter ball this season, earning him a spot in Pawtucket's right field. If he continues to improve his plate discipline, then the Sox are looking at a great replacement for Trot Nixon (whose contract is up after this season). Whether or not he'll be called up this September depends a lot on his performance throughout the season, but don't be surprised if he does make it. Otherwise he might be a big contributor off the bench in 2007 (I expect the Sox to sign a veteran to a one-year deal to replace Nixon as starter), and as a starter after that.
#9 Prospect - Jed Lowrie
Scouting Report: Excellent fielder with a strong arm and above average range. Above average speed on the basepaths with great power for a middle infielder. Hits equally from both sides of the plate. Smart and athletic.
His scouting report makes him sound like we have the next Alex Rodriguez-esque, five-tool middle infielder on our hands. The fact that he's a switch hitter simply adds to his value (though if the development team notices a strength from either side of the plate, they'll try to get him to stick with that). I'm very excited to see what Lowrie can bring to our team, though I don't expect him to make it up here until September 2007 or later. I just really hope they don't trade him. Lowrie and Pedroia have huge potential to be a talented double play combination that will bring offensive production that's typically uncommon in the middle infield.
#10 Prospect - Clay Buchholz
Scouting Report: Buchholz has a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a slider, curveball, and a circle change. Also played outfield at Angelina College after transferring from McNeese State.
With names like Hansen and Ellsbury floating around the 2005 draft talk, you might be surprised to learn that Buchholz was actually the Sox's #1 pick last year. This kid has an arsenal of major-league caliber pitches. Still, the development team will probably make him figure out which three or four pitches are his strongest, and stick with those. Because he projects as a starter, a position that the Sox are traditionally very deep in at the major- and minor-league levels, he won't appear with the big club for a few years yet. He'll make an impression when he does though, and if he can survive the trading block (unlikely, given his trade value and the aforementioned pitching depth) he'll be a big contributor to the starting rotation in 2009 and beyond.
#1 Prospect - Jonathan Papelbon
Scouting Report: Good pitcher's build with a live arm and solid delivery. Fastball has been clocked up to 95 mph, typically hitting the low-90s with great command. Very good slider and changeup, as well as a slurve curveball. All can be thrown for strikes, and Papelbon has improved his consistency with these pitches. Papelbon also added a splitter to his arsenal in the spring of 2005, after some tutoring from Curt Schilling. Projects as a frontline starter.
Papelbon projects as a frontline starter, meaning that when Schilling retires or his contract runs out, Papelbon might have a new job at the top of the Red Sox rotation. That is, of course, if he doesn't get traded before then. He's the only prospect on the list that is pretty much guaranteed to start the season on the 2006 active roster, but whether or not he'll be in the starting rotation is another issue. The Sox have seven starters (six if they finally manage to trade David Wells) to fill five slots, and as it stands the number five slot is Bronson Arroyo's to lose. Still, both Arroyo and Papelbon have proven that they can be dominant out of the bullpen, so just having Papelbon on the roster immediately improves both areas of the pitching staff.
# 2 Prospect - Jon Lester
Scouting Report: Very athletic lefty. 2-seam and 4-seam fastballs sit in the low 90's, top out in the mid-90s, and have good movement. Lester also utilizes an above-average change-up, an 11-to-5 curveball which sits in the low 70s, and in 2005 worked on developing a cutter. Easy delivery motion with good explosion, similar to Andy Pettitte. Power strikeout pitcher, uses his fastball and occasionally his curve as his out pitch. While Lester typically has top notch control, occasionally he will have games where his control of certain pitchers is off. Very hard worker, prepares will for each game. Has also been compared to Mark Mulder. Great pickoff move.
The Sox are blessed to have two starters with very high ceilings in their organization. Just look at Lester's scouting report; with comparisons to Andy Pettitte and Mark Mulder, clearly this kid has what it takes to man the top of a pitching rotation. If things work out for the best, the Sox look to have the next "Big Three" (formally Mulder, Barry Zito, and Tim Hudson of the Oakland Athletics) in Papelbon, Lester, and newly acquired fireballer Josh Beckett. That situation, should it play out, is still a few years down the road. Lester will start this season at triple-A Pawtucket, but there's a good chance you'll see him in Boston long before the roster expansion in September. He was last year's Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and he made the Eastern League All-Star team. Don't be surprised if he garners both honors again this year, that is if he doesn't spend most of his time with the big club.
#3 Prospect - Craig Hansen
Scouting Report: Hansen's fastball (the best in the system) has topped out in the high 90s, and he consistently hits the mid-90s. He also possesses an excellent high-80s slider, which also was voted best in the system by Baseball America. A fierce competitor who has an excellent closer mentality. Does not walk many batters. Named "closest to the majors" of all players in the 2005 draft.
The fact that this kid was on the major-league roster at all last season is a huge testament to his ability; he had only been closing for St. John's University just months before! He also swooped in and stole the closing job in Pawtucket from the formerly highly-touted Cla Merideth (who, by the way, dropped severely in the prospect rankings after putting up a startling 27.00 ERA with the Red Sox last season). The rookie impressed with the big club last year, but that was just the beginning. No doubt, if the Sox can resist the temptation to trade him off (his trade value as a closer is tremendous), then this is your closer of the future. He'll definitely join the Red Sox when the roster expands in September, but he could even get here sooner. In the meantime Pawtucket is lucky to have a closer of his caliber on the roster.
#4 Prospect - Dustin Pedroia
Scouting Report: Small infielder had a tremendous career at Arizona State. Average power for a middle infielder, with good bat speed and excellent plate discipline. Loves the game and has fantastic instincts. Plays top-notch defense up the middle, named the 2003 National Defensive Player of the Year. Very scrappy; a great teammate. Moved to second base prior to the start of the 2005 season; Boston hasn't ruled out moving Pedroia back to shortstop.
The cool thing (and fortunate, for him) about Pedroia is his versatility. Cleary the Red Sox's first pick in the 2004 draft has what it takes to be either a starting second baseman or shortstop. The Sox, this season, are deep up the middle with names like Alex Gonzalez, Mark Loretta, Alex Cora, and Tony Graffanino; but expect Graff to be traded, so if any of the other three go down with an injury, their job goes to either Pedroia or Alex Machado - a prospect that you don't hear a lot about, but he impressed the club enough to make the playoff roster last season. Pedroia will get one more season of triple-A under his belt, and then he'll be more than ready to be a major-league contributer by the 2007 season. You never know in a big market like Boston, though, and he might end up suffering the same option-shuffling fate that Kevin Youkilis did for two seasons.
#5 Prospect - Manny Delcarmen
Scouting Report: Boston native always dreamed of playing for the Sox. His career was on the fast track with a mid 90s fastball, and an outstanding curveball - until he injured himself in May 2003. Delcarmen had Tommy John surgery in May 2003, but returned to the mound a year later in May 2004. Post-surgery, Delcarmen's fastball may have actually gained velocity, as he has topped out in the high 90s. Delcarmen has average control, with decent changeup and a very good curve which he uses as his out pitch. Delcarmen's father played in the Phillies Organization.
Last season Delcarmen made an impression on the Red Sox; enough so that he was called up by mid-season to contribute to an ailing bullpen. Now, this offseason the Sox went out and added big names to their relief corps, meaning that Delcarmen, for now, is out of a job. One worry last season was that Delcarmen's out pitch, his curveball, was lying flat and not breaking the way it should. Well in a recent report on mlb.com Delcarmen said that he spent all winter trying to find his curve, and it seems to be going well for him so far this spring. You can't help but hope for big things for this Beantown Boy. As for 2006, he'll start the season in Pawtucket, and he might get called up in case of injury, but his greatest contribution to Boston won't come until September and then on a much more regular basis in 2007.
# 6 Prospect - Jacoby Ellsbury
Scouting Report: Ellsbury was on of the best players in the NCAA in 2005. He is very fast, plays excellent defense, and has shown a great ability to get on base. Decent gap power for a centerfielder who projects as a lead-off hitter. Has often been compared to Johnny Damon. Also said to be a team leader.
Along with Hansen, Ellsbury was the prize of the 2005 draft selection. He still has a long way to go in the organization, but in him the Sox have their centerfielder and leadoff hitter of the future. He proved to be a star in last year's College World Series, and continued to hit well with the low single-A Lowell Spinners afterward. I doubt he'll make an appearance with Boston in 2006, and he may only be called up in September 2007, but after that you can expect him to be a star. As for this year, he'll start the season with the high-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, but he'll probably end up with the Sox's double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs before the end of the season.
#7 Prospect - David Murphy
Scouting Report: Murphy is a tall, athletic lefty with a sweet swing. Pulls a lot of pitches, and displays excellent patience at the plate. Loves the game, and displays excellent leadership skills. Needs to work on adding more power. Accurate arm with decent range. Average speed. Injury-plagued 2004 season showed mediocre stats.
He was the Sox's number one draft selection in 2003, and he's been having a little bit of trouble living up to the hype that goes with that kind of status since then. Still, his scouting report says that he shows patience at the plate, which is the kind of discipline the Sox typically love to get out of their hitters. He'll start 2006 as the PawSox's centerfielder, and he may get a callup in September. If not, barring a trade, you'll definitely see him with Boston in 2007.
# 8 Prospect - Brandon Moss
Scouting Report: Athletic outfielder with a good arm. Excellent approach at the plate - good swing with a raw power. Moss is a competitor. He didn't show much at the plate in his first two professional seasons, but put in a good amount of work in the off-season prior to 2004, producing an outstanding 2004 season in all respects.
Moss impressed in winter ball this season, earning him a spot in Pawtucket's right field. If he continues to improve his plate discipline, then the Sox are looking at a great replacement for Trot Nixon (whose contract is up after this season). Whether or not he'll be called up this September depends a lot on his performance throughout the season, but don't be surprised if he does make it. Otherwise he might be a big contributor off the bench in 2007 (I expect the Sox to sign a veteran to a one-year deal to replace Nixon as starter), and as a starter after that.
#9 Prospect - Jed Lowrie
Scouting Report: Excellent fielder with a strong arm and above average range. Above average speed on the basepaths with great power for a middle infielder. Hits equally from both sides of the plate. Smart and athletic.
His scouting report makes him sound like we have the next Alex Rodriguez-esque, five-tool middle infielder on our hands. The fact that he's a switch hitter simply adds to his value (though if the development team notices a strength from either side of the plate, they'll try to get him to stick with that). I'm very excited to see what Lowrie can bring to our team, though I don't expect him to make it up here until September 2007 or later. I just really hope they don't trade him. Lowrie and Pedroia have huge potential to be a talented double play combination that will bring offensive production that's typically uncommon in the middle infield.
#10 Prospect - Clay Buchholz
Scouting Report: Buchholz has a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a slider, curveball, and a circle change. Also played outfield at Angelina College after transferring from McNeese State.
With names like Hansen and Ellsbury floating around the 2005 draft talk, you might be surprised to learn that Buchholz was actually the Sox's #1 pick last year. This kid has an arsenal of major-league caliber pitches. Still, the development team will probably make him figure out which three or four pitches are his strongest, and stick with those. Because he projects as a starter, a position that the Sox are traditionally very deep in at the major- and minor-league levels, he won't appear with the big club for a few years yet. He'll make an impression when he does though, and if he can survive the trading block (unlikely, given his trade value and the aforementioned pitching depth) he'll be a big contributor to the starting rotation in 2009 and beyond.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Why It Sucks to be Jon Miller
David Wells spoke to the media today about baseball-related matters for the first time all spring. He told reporters about the bullpen session he tossed today (his first this spring) and about how his right-knee (which was operated on back in October) was responding to his workout regimen. Then Jon Miller from WBZ dropped the bomb everyone there had their mitts on and asked Wells if he was still seeking a trade away from Boston. At that Wells immediately ended the media session, saying that that was the wrong question to ask. He also said that it wasn't Miller's fault, that he didn't know not to ask such a question, but I guarantee you that that was of no comfort to the other reporters that were present at the media session. Aside from his own embarassment, what tortures were beset upon Miller by his colleagues? I wonder if he was tarred and feathered and then left to bake in the Florida sun. Probably not. But I sure never want to be in his position.
Bonds in Drag
Guess who that is in the middle. That's right. For some silly singing competition the Giants put on for charity, Barry Bonds decided to show up in drag - as Paula Abdul, no less! - and act as judge. Barry...no. Just...no.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Red Sox v. Yankees II: Corner Infield
First and third base, for most major league teams, are positions out which managers expect to get production first, defense second. That's not to say that defense at these positions is an afterthought, but since they're not as demanding as, say, the middle infield, it's reasonable to expect players at first and third to focus more on the plate than on the field. That said, I'd like to take a look at the men in the corners in Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, and we'll decide which team is going to get the most production out of those positions. I'll begin with the most probable starters at those positions and then talk a little bit about the bench players on each team for the corner infield.
Third Base:
Gone is fan-favorite Bill Meuller from Boston; he'll be joining former Red Sox teammates Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra along with manager Grady Little with the Las Angeles Dodgers. He takes with him highly underrated defense and clutch hitting. His replacement, Mike Lowell, has nice potential at the plate but is recovering from an off-year in '05, in which he hit .236 with 8 homeruns and 58 RBI. Compare that to his '04 numbers (.297 - 27 - 85), and perhaps you'll see that the Sox may have gotten a deal when they acquired Lowell along with Josh Beckett and Guillermo Mota (who was later spun to Cleveland in the Coco Crisp deal) for four minor leaguers. He also won a Gold Glove last season, his first, so if he can improve his hitting (very probable given the hitter-friendly confines of Fenway) Boston should boast of a very solid third baseman in '06.
Meanwhile New York has the reigning American League MVP in their hot corner. Alex Rodriguez challenged for the triple crown in '05, hitting .321 (second, behind Texas shortstop Michael Young) with a league-leading 48 homeruns, and 130 RBI (fourth in the league behind Boston's David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez and Texas' Mark Texeira). Along the way he silenced all those critics in New York who said he couldn't handle the pressure. He's also one season removed from a Gold Glove award, so clearly he can play his position (even though he was made famous at shortstop).
First Base:
Kevin Youkilis will finally get the chance to prove himself on a regular basis this season (all it took was three years and a position switch to do it)- partly because the Sox like his polished swing and partly because he's out of options and they don't have the choice of shuttling him back to Pawtucket to make room on the active roster anymore. Offensively Youkilis should be pretty productive- at the very least he'll put up better numbers than that other first-base Kevin (who will now provide humor in the clubhouse and at the plate in Baltimore). His biggest plus at the plate is his ability to get on base. In the last two seasons Youkilis combined for just 287 at bats with the sox, but he maintained a .376 on-base percentage. The Sox covet those kind of stats. He also projects to hit 20+ homers in regular at bats, which will be another nice improvement over the power-starved Millar. Defense is a question; Youkilis came up as a third baseman, but he's been practicing at first since last spring and he can't be any worse than Millar in that respect, either. An added plus: his experience at third base means that he can spell Lowell and give lefty JT Snow some starts at first at the same time.
I'll admit, I was one of the many that counted Jason Giambi out after the 2004 season. The former MVP posted terrible numbers, suffered from numerous injuries, and was neck-deep in a steroid scandal that threatened his entire career. Fast-forward to '05 (specifically June '05 and beyond) and suddenly Giambi is back to where the Yankees want him to be and on his way to becoming the American League Comeback Player of the Year. After terrible months of April and May and the threat of being sent back to the minor leagues, Giambi gritted his teeth and went crazy, never looking back until by the end of the season he had posted a .271 average with 32 homeruns (only three of which he had knocked before May 10) and 87 RBI. If he can maintain that momentum into '06, the Yankees will have a hitter in the number six slot of their lineup that would easily be number 3 or 4 elsewhere.
Bench:
J.T. Snow will fill the role in '06 that John Olerud filled last season; namely, he'll be a late inning defensive replacement and get some starts against right-handed pitching. Like Olerud, Snow is known for his spectacular defense at first. Unlike Olerud, Snow never has and never will challenge for a batting title. Last year with the Giants (where he was more of an everyday player than he will be in Boston) he hit .275 with 4 homeruns and 40 RBI. Those numbers are sure to go down as does the number of at bats he gets. The Sox are banking on his defensive prowess (he won six consequtive Gold Gloves between 1995 and 2000) to make up for his offense.
You can also expect slugger David Ortiz to get some starts at first, especially as the Sox move into interleague play mid-season. I don't need to tell you how much of an offensive force Big Papi is (and I plan to do so in my DH section anyway) but I'll just say that last season Ortiz led the league (actually, he led the entire MLB) in RBI with 148, and he placed second in long balls with 47. He's even proven to have a pretty strong arm when he plays defense, but he's been having trouble catching fly balls this spring, according to a chuckling Willie Harris.
In New York, expect to see Andy Phillips give Giambi a break or two over at first. He had a poor showing in his 27 games with the big club last year, but in 75 games at triple-A Columbus, Phillips hit .300 with 22 homeruns and 54 RBI. If Joe Torre can somehow find him some regular at-bats, his major league numbers should definitely improve.
Meanwhile, the Yankees brought back Miguel Cairo to help man the left side of the infield. After his 2004 Yankee season, Cairo went across town to the Mets and batted .251 with 2 homeruns and 19 RBI in 327 at-bats. Those are hardly Yankee caliber numbers, and considering the durability of Rodriguez and shortstop Derek Jeter, don't expect to see Cairo very often in '06.
And the winner is: Do I even need to say? The Yankees are sure to outblast the Sox once again at their corner positions. Unless both Rodriguez and Giambi get hit by busses or some other freak injury affects their performance, the two of them should combine for around 85 homeruns and 225 RBI. The Sox - if they're lucky - will get 45 homers and 140 RBI out of their starters.
Third Base:
Gone is fan-favorite Bill Meuller from Boston; he'll be joining former Red Sox teammates Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra along with manager Grady Little with the Las Angeles Dodgers. He takes with him highly underrated defense and clutch hitting. His replacement, Mike Lowell, has nice potential at the plate but is recovering from an off-year in '05, in which he hit .236 with 8 homeruns and 58 RBI. Compare that to his '04 numbers (.297 - 27 - 85), and perhaps you'll see that the Sox may have gotten a deal when they acquired Lowell along with Josh Beckett and Guillermo Mota (who was later spun to Cleveland in the Coco Crisp deal) for four minor leaguers. He also won a Gold Glove last season, his first, so if he can improve his hitting (very probable given the hitter-friendly confines of Fenway) Boston should boast of a very solid third baseman in '06.
Meanwhile New York has the reigning American League MVP in their hot corner. Alex Rodriguez challenged for the triple crown in '05, hitting .321 (second, behind Texas shortstop Michael Young) with a league-leading 48 homeruns, and 130 RBI (fourth in the league behind Boston's David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez and Texas' Mark Texeira). Along the way he silenced all those critics in New York who said he couldn't handle the pressure. He's also one season removed from a Gold Glove award, so clearly he can play his position (even though he was made famous at shortstop).
First Base:
Kevin Youkilis will finally get the chance to prove himself on a regular basis this season (all it took was three years and a position switch to do it)- partly because the Sox like his polished swing and partly because he's out of options and they don't have the choice of shuttling him back to Pawtucket to make room on the active roster anymore. Offensively Youkilis should be pretty productive- at the very least he'll put up better numbers than that other first-base Kevin (who will now provide humor in the clubhouse and at the plate in Baltimore). His biggest plus at the plate is his ability to get on base. In the last two seasons Youkilis combined for just 287 at bats with the sox, but he maintained a .376 on-base percentage. The Sox covet those kind of stats. He also projects to hit 20+ homers in regular at bats, which will be another nice improvement over the power-starved Millar. Defense is a question; Youkilis came up as a third baseman, but he's been practicing at first since last spring and he can't be any worse than Millar in that respect, either. An added plus: his experience at third base means that he can spell Lowell and give lefty JT Snow some starts at first at the same time.
I'll admit, I was one of the many that counted Jason Giambi out after the 2004 season. The former MVP posted terrible numbers, suffered from numerous injuries, and was neck-deep in a steroid scandal that threatened his entire career. Fast-forward to '05 (specifically June '05 and beyond) and suddenly Giambi is back to where the Yankees want him to be and on his way to becoming the American League Comeback Player of the Year. After terrible months of April and May and the threat of being sent back to the minor leagues, Giambi gritted his teeth and went crazy, never looking back until by the end of the season he had posted a .271 average with 32 homeruns (only three of which he had knocked before May 10) and 87 RBI. If he can maintain that momentum into '06, the Yankees will have a hitter in the number six slot of their lineup that would easily be number 3 or 4 elsewhere.
Bench:
J.T. Snow will fill the role in '06 that John Olerud filled last season; namely, he'll be a late inning defensive replacement and get some starts against right-handed pitching. Like Olerud, Snow is known for his spectacular defense at first. Unlike Olerud, Snow never has and never will challenge for a batting title. Last year with the Giants (where he was more of an everyday player than he will be in Boston) he hit .275 with 4 homeruns and 40 RBI. Those numbers are sure to go down as does the number of at bats he gets. The Sox are banking on his defensive prowess (he won six consequtive Gold Gloves between 1995 and 2000) to make up for his offense.
You can also expect slugger David Ortiz to get some starts at first, especially as the Sox move into interleague play mid-season. I don't need to tell you how much of an offensive force Big Papi is (and I plan to do so in my DH section anyway) but I'll just say that last season Ortiz led the league (actually, he led the entire MLB) in RBI with 148, and he placed second in long balls with 47. He's even proven to have a pretty strong arm when he plays defense, but he's been having trouble catching fly balls this spring, according to a chuckling Willie Harris.
In New York, expect to see Andy Phillips give Giambi a break or two over at first. He had a poor showing in his 27 games with the big club last year, but in 75 games at triple-A Columbus, Phillips hit .300 with 22 homeruns and 54 RBI. If Joe Torre can somehow find him some regular at-bats, his major league numbers should definitely improve.
Meanwhile, the Yankees brought back Miguel Cairo to help man the left side of the infield. After his 2004 Yankee season, Cairo went across town to the Mets and batted .251 with 2 homeruns and 19 RBI in 327 at-bats. Those are hardly Yankee caliber numbers, and considering the durability of Rodriguez and shortstop Derek Jeter, don't expect to see Cairo very often in '06.
And the winner is: Do I even need to say? The Yankees are sure to outblast the Sox once again at their corner positions. Unless both Rodriguez and Giambi get hit by busses or some other freak injury affects their performance, the two of them should combine for around 85 homeruns and 225 RBI. The Sox - if they're lucky - will get 45 homers and 140 RBI out of their starters.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Rookie Boxer Run
I found this picture on Boston.com (link at right). It's hard to tell from just their tooties, but after studying this picture for a little while [;-)] I've decided that, from left to right (the naked ones), are Jonathan Papelbon, Craig Breslow, Edgar Martinez, Jamie Vermilyea, and Jon Lester. If I'm wrong, let me know. Anyway they're being watched by Manny Delcarmen (left) and Abe Alvarez (right) and that could be Jimmy Serrano in the middle of the clothed guys, but it's a little too blurry to be sure.
Why Number Five in the East is Really a Beast (originally posted 2/20/2006)
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Ever the underdog, always last in the standings, and constantly brushed off by AL East. It must suck to be a Devil Ray.
But wait. Something happened recently that might change our minds for ever for this mighty team with a tiny payroll ($38 million- 29th in the majors above the Royals). All of a sudden, they're starting lineup looks capable of trampling any pitching in the majors, never mind those of their eastern rivals. They have perhaps the deepest and most talented outfield in the majors. They have both speed and power in their infield. Their pitching - well, that may be calls for questioning, but what more can you ask of this team?
In 2005, five Devil Rays made more than $1 million, and only two - Aubrey Huff and Julio Lugo - made more than $2 million. To put that in comparison, in 2005 TWENTY Red Sox made more than $1 million, and the top two earners - Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling - made $19.8 million and $14.5 million, respectively. Now, the Sox held a 12-6 record over the Rays in '05, but what about that giant goldmine in New York? The Yankees have far-and-away the highest payroll in baseball ($205 million in '05; nearly twice that of the #2 Red Sox) yet the Devil Rays, whose players made roughly one fifth the money that players in the Bronx made, beat the Yanks in the season series, going 8-7 against the Bombers.
This is a team that has always been pesky against their competitors in the East, and '06 will finally be their chance to prove that they can do that throughout baseball. I'm not predicting any October action for the Rays this season, but I wouldn't be completely surprised if the Rays, at the very least, move up to #4 in the division, considering the direction Baltimore has taken their club (more on that in an upcoming post).
Let's look at that sparkling young outfield:
Carl Crawford - Simply put, this left fielder has it all. He's improved his offense every year that he's been in the majors. He's fully capable of batting leadoff, second, and even third - a slot reserved for the most versatile hitter on the squad, someone who can both knock baserunners in and get on base for the clean-up hitter. In '05 he batted .301 (12th in the AL), with 15 homers, 15 triples, and a sizeable 46 stolen bases (ps, that's only five fewer nabs than the entire Sox staff had last year combined).
Rocco Baldelli - He missed all of last season with injuries to his elbow and knee, but if he can come back healthy and productive, the Ray's will have one of the best centerfielders in the game, and a fast improving offensive force on their hands. Given the fact that the front office signed him to a multi-year deal this offseason despite missing all of 2005, the organization is banking on Rocco returning to form in '06. By the way, Baldelli has one of the most feared arms in the outfield, something that has cost the Sox a run or two in the past.
Aubrey Huff - The right fielder/first baseman had an off-year last season, batting .261 with 22 homeruns and 92 RBI (I use the term "off-year" somewhat loosely here). In 2003 Huff smashed his way to a .311 average, 34 homers and 107 RBI. He's perfectly capable of coming back in '06, giving the Rays a very powerful number 3 or 4 hitter to work with. Huff (who was rumored to be included in a few deals this offseason - including one that would have landed him Boston) is known to be a Red Sox killer, so watch for him to keep up his reputation this season.
Johnny Gomes - Gomes will play as the DH on most nights, but he is capable of playing in the outfield as well. Last year the rookie impressed the organization when, in just 348 at bats, he smashed 21 homeruns, knocked in 54 runs and maintained a .281 average. He is widely considered to be the sparkplug that helped the Rays go on a torrid streak in the second half of '05.
Joey Gathright - The fastest runner in the major leagues. End of story. If he was an everyday player he would collect 60-70 stolen bases, easy. Last season he nabbed 20 in only 203 at bats. In '05 he'll remain on the bench, but expect him to spell Baldelli in center in case of injury or fatigue. He's been the talk of the trade block all offseason, but I expect him to be around at least for the first half of '06.
Damon Hollins - He was Rookie of the Month back in May. By the end of the season he'd hit .249 with 13 long balls and 46 RBI in 342 at bats. A very capable fifth outfielder that could have a breakout season if he can improve his average a little.
Delmon Young - If you ask him (and most player development people in the majors), this five-tool player is ready for the big leagues. If injury or poor performance land him on the 25-man roster by season's end, he'll get the chance to prove himself. If, in fact, new manager Joe Maddon finds around 300 at bats for the youngster, he'll be a surefire candidate for Rookie of the Year. That's a lot of "ifs," but all it adds up to is outfield depth for Tampa Bay.
That, people, is one of the deepest outfields in the majors, and certainly a lot more talkented than even some division rivals'. In the middle infield, they have the talented and capable Julio Lugo at short and Jorge Cantu at second. The corner infield positions will be filled by strong defenders that have potential at the plate in Sean Burroughs (third) and Travis Lee (first). And behind the plate the Rays feature Toby Hall, who ranked third in the AL last season by throwing out 37.8 percent of the opposing baserunners. He's not a huge offensive force, but he hits for average and will knock some guys in.
Now, the pitching staff is a question mark, but starter Scott Kazmir is capable of putting up a Cy Young-worthy season. If the rest of the staff can keep up, you might see more than just a gritty little team in '06. You might see a real contender.
But wait. Something happened recently that might change our minds for ever for this mighty team with a tiny payroll ($38 million- 29th in the majors above the Royals). All of a sudden, they're starting lineup looks capable of trampling any pitching in the majors, never mind those of their eastern rivals. They have perhaps the deepest and most talented outfield in the majors. They have both speed and power in their infield. Their pitching - well, that may be calls for questioning, but what more can you ask of this team?
In 2005, five Devil Rays made more than $1 million, and only two - Aubrey Huff and Julio Lugo - made more than $2 million. To put that in comparison, in 2005 TWENTY Red Sox made more than $1 million, and the top two earners - Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling - made $19.8 million and $14.5 million, respectively. Now, the Sox held a 12-6 record over the Rays in '05, but what about that giant goldmine in New York? The Yankees have far-and-away the highest payroll in baseball ($205 million in '05; nearly twice that of the #2 Red Sox) yet the Devil Rays, whose players made roughly one fifth the money that players in the Bronx made, beat the Yanks in the season series, going 8-7 against the Bombers.
This is a team that has always been pesky against their competitors in the East, and '06 will finally be their chance to prove that they can do that throughout baseball. I'm not predicting any October action for the Rays this season, but I wouldn't be completely surprised if the Rays, at the very least, move up to #4 in the division, considering the direction Baltimore has taken their club (more on that in an upcoming post).
Let's look at that sparkling young outfield:
Carl Crawford - Simply put, this left fielder has it all. He's improved his offense every year that he's been in the majors. He's fully capable of batting leadoff, second, and even third - a slot reserved for the most versatile hitter on the squad, someone who can both knock baserunners in and get on base for the clean-up hitter. In '05 he batted .301 (12th in the AL), with 15 homers, 15 triples, and a sizeable 46 stolen bases (ps, that's only five fewer nabs than the entire Sox staff had last year combined).
Rocco Baldelli - He missed all of last season with injuries to his elbow and knee, but if he can come back healthy and productive, the Ray's will have one of the best centerfielders in the game, and a fast improving offensive force on their hands. Given the fact that the front office signed him to a multi-year deal this offseason despite missing all of 2005, the organization is banking on Rocco returning to form in '06. By the way, Baldelli has one of the most feared arms in the outfield, something that has cost the Sox a run or two in the past.
Aubrey Huff - The right fielder/first baseman had an off-year last season, batting .261 with 22 homeruns and 92 RBI (I use the term "off-year" somewhat loosely here). In 2003 Huff smashed his way to a .311 average, 34 homers and 107 RBI. He's perfectly capable of coming back in '06, giving the Rays a very powerful number 3 or 4 hitter to work with. Huff (who was rumored to be included in a few deals this offseason - including one that would have landed him Boston) is known to be a Red Sox killer, so watch for him to keep up his reputation this season.
Johnny Gomes - Gomes will play as the DH on most nights, but he is capable of playing in the outfield as well. Last year the rookie impressed the organization when, in just 348 at bats, he smashed 21 homeruns, knocked in 54 runs and maintained a .281 average. He is widely considered to be the sparkplug that helped the Rays go on a torrid streak in the second half of '05.
Joey Gathright - The fastest runner in the major leagues. End of story. If he was an everyday player he would collect 60-70 stolen bases, easy. Last season he nabbed 20 in only 203 at bats. In '05 he'll remain on the bench, but expect him to spell Baldelli in center in case of injury or fatigue. He's been the talk of the trade block all offseason, but I expect him to be around at least for the first half of '06.
Damon Hollins - He was Rookie of the Month back in May. By the end of the season he'd hit .249 with 13 long balls and 46 RBI in 342 at bats. A very capable fifth outfielder that could have a breakout season if he can improve his average a little.
Delmon Young - If you ask him (and most player development people in the majors), this five-tool player is ready for the big leagues. If injury or poor performance land him on the 25-man roster by season's end, he'll get the chance to prove himself. If, in fact, new manager Joe Maddon finds around 300 at bats for the youngster, he'll be a surefire candidate for Rookie of the Year. That's a lot of "ifs," but all it adds up to is outfield depth for Tampa Bay.
That, people, is one of the deepest outfields in the majors, and certainly a lot more talkented than even some division rivals'. In the middle infield, they have the talented and capable Julio Lugo at short and Jorge Cantu at second. The corner infield positions will be filled by strong defenders that have potential at the plate in Sean Burroughs (third) and Travis Lee (first). And behind the plate the Rays feature Toby Hall, who ranked third in the AL last season by throwing out 37.8 percent of the opposing baserunners. He's not a huge offensive force, but he hits for average and will knock some guys in.
Now, the pitching staff is a question mark, but starter Scott Kazmir is capable of putting up a Cy Young-worthy season. If the rest of the staff can keep up, you might see more than just a gritty little team in '06. You might see a real contender.
Red Sox v. Yankees I: Pitching Rotation (originally posted 2/15/2006)
One thing that I'm fond of doing throughout the season is making comparisons between AL East rivals. I'll start with an analysis of the starting rotations of the Yankees and the Red Sox. I touched on this a bit in my last post, but here I'll go into a bit more detail and analyze each pitcher.
Each of these teams is going into the 2006 season with fairly deep rotations. In fact, as of this post both teams have seven viable starters to fill five spots. For the purposes of this entry, I'll begin with the ace of each team and move down what I project to be the five-man rotation; the final two spots will be referred to as the wildcards. Bear in mind that this is my own opinion on what the rotations of these teams will look like in '06, and by April the situation might be completely different.
ACE (#1 Starter): The Yankees will return veteran Randy Johnson to the top of their rotation in '06. The southpaw had an "off" year in '05, going 17-8 with a 3.79 ERA and 211 strikeouts. He also led Yank's starters with 225.2 innings pitched. That's a career season for most pitchers, but the Yankees hope that Johnson will show glimmers of '02 in '06. That season with the Diamondbacks, Johnson had a remarkable 24-5 record, sparkling 2.32 ERA and a ridiculous 334 strikeouts. To me, the Big Unit is sitting on the edge of a knife, and one of two things can happen as a result. Either he will pull an Alex Rodriguez and have a huge comeback in his second year in pinstripes, or we will see that the dropoff in his numbers has more to do with his age than with his location. The 42 year old is ancient by MLB standards, and it won't help that his personal catcher John Flaherty with be catching knuckleballs in Boston this season. If Johnson can overcome the pressurized situation in Yankees Stadium, then New York looks to have the most dominant left-hander in the game starting every fifth night.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, have two top-of-the-rotation guys to fill the role of ace. However, assuming that he can return to 2004 form, I'm projecting Curt Schilling as the true #1 man in this squad. Yes, he's coming off a horrendous, injury marred 2005 campaign in which he went 8-8 with a huge 5.69 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched. Yes he's 39 years old and a huge comeback will be much tougher at that age. But no pitcher in the major leagues has a better work ethic than Schil, and if he says he's ready to be our ace again, I believe him. History tells us that Schilling is pretty good at bouncing back. In 2002 the big righty went 23-7 with a 3.23 ERA alongside his buddy and now rival Johnson with Arizona. The next year Schilling was limited to 168 innings and came out with a 8-9 record. Then came 2004, that magical year in Red Sox Nation and Curt's big comeback, when he went 21-6-3.26-203 in 226.2 innings. If he stays true to his past, following his poor 2005 season Schilling should be poised to win another 20 games for the Sox this year.
#2 Starter: Formally the ace of the Yankees pitching staff, Mike Mussina was demoted with the acquisition of the Big Unit. Known to be one of the most durable pitchers in baseball as of two years ago, Mussina has failed to reach 200 innings in each of the last two seasons. Age (he's 37) and the health of his arm will be a factor this season. In 2005 Mussina went 13-8-4.41-142 in 179.2 innings. If he can overcome the odds, however, he figures to be a big part of the rotation in New York.
The Sox also have an potential ace filling their #2 slot. Acquired in a huge trade with the Marlins for top prospect Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett is a young fireballer with a high ceiling that has already proven himself at the major league level. In 2003 Beckett was the MVP of a young World Series squad that defeated that fearsome Yankees. Last season Beckett went 15-8 with a 3.37 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 178.2 innings. That last number is what has some in Boston worried - he has continually suffered problems with blisters and last season he missed his last few starts because of a sore shoulder. But the medical staff in Boston would lead us to believe that they can handle any blister this side of Derek Lowe, and that the shoulder issue was more precautionary than neccesary. Regardless, Beckett is coming into a situation where the pressure won't be all on him, given the Sox's deep pitching staff, and if he lives up to his potential he'll be Terry Francona's new best friend.
#3 Starter: Here's where the Yankees begin to fall apart a little bit - the bottom half of their rotation. I'm projecting starter number three this year to be Chien Ming Wang, who in his rookie campaign last year went 8-5-4.02-47 in 17 starts (116.1 innings). Yes, those are impressive numbers for a rookie, but who knows if Wang can keep that up in his sophomore showing? Also, given the fact that Wang was indeed the Yankee's third best starter in '05 and he only made 17 starts, that says a lot for a rotation that returns each of its components from last year.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, boast of a number three man that went 13-6-4.57-146 in 191 innings last year. Naysayers will point to Matt Clement's sub-par second half (only 4 of his 13 wins came after the All-Star break), but for goodness sake's the man got his head caved in by a line drive! You come back and post even four wins after that! Still, Clement has a history of sputtering later in the season, but he definitely has the potential to win 17 games in '05 if he can finally prove everyone wrong about his second-half performances. Watch closely though, because with all the trade rumors floating around this winter, we might not even see Clement in Boston for very much longer.
#4 Starter: Carl Pavano was one of the Yankee's prized free agent acquistion last offseason. Remember Carl-lapalooza? The nationwide tour-de-force Pavano took, shopping himself to various contending teams (including the Red Sox)? Well, the Yankees won his huge contract, but in return all they got was a 4-6 record, 4.77 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and months on the disabled list. Can Pavano make a comeback in '06? If so, the Yankees will feature a #4 man that went 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA and 139 strikeouts for the Marlins in '04. If not, then perhaps that was $40 million they should have spent elsewhere.
The Red Sox look to start veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in the number four slot this season. As evidenced by the nearly unlimited contract the front office signed Wakefield to during the '05 season, this is a man the team can count on. Emerging as the ace of last year's staff, Wakefield went 16-12 with a 4.15 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 225.1 innings. He also led the squad with three complete games. The thing about Wakefield is that his knuckleball doesn't have the devastating affect on his shoulder that a hard-thrower's fastball does. Therefore, age is hardly a factor for Tim, and you can expect him to continue baffling hitters with his knuckler in '06. One thing to watch for: Doug Mirabelli, Wakefield's personal catcher of the last four years, will be joining the battery in San Diego in '06. His replacement, John Flaherty, is known for his defensive prowess but may not be the offensive force that Mirabelli was during Wakefield's starts.
#5 Starter: Shawn Chacon had a pretty crazy season in '05. After starting out 1-7 with the Colorado Rockies, Chacon joined the Yankees and went 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 79 innings. Many speculate that his improvement can solely be attributed to the change of leagues and batters' unfamiliarity with his style. The Yanks are hoping that it was no fluke, and the he can maintain his momentum in '06. If so, they'll have a quality #5 man for the first time in years; if not, we may not see Chacon in the rotation for very long, as Jaret Wright and Aaron Small will be waiting in the wings to take over for him.
The Red Sox will have a sore time trying to choose their number five guy for '06. That's because Bronson Arroyo has already proven himself capable of posting 14 wins, yet Jonathan Papelbon is a pitcher with a much higher ceiling than Arroyo. After all the dust from spring training has cleared, however, I predict you'll see Arroyo back in his familiar number five slot this season. In 2005 Rockin' Bronson went 14-10 with a 4.51 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 205.1 innings. Arroyo is the type of pitcher that will shutdown lineups for entire games; he nearly pitched a no-hitter early last season and in 2003 he hurled a perfect game for triple-A Pawtucket. Don't be surprised if he makes baseball history this season. Arroyo has proven himself effective out of the bullpen, and if he does make that move you can expect him to be the best long-reliever on the staff.
The Wildcards: Aaron Small put together perhaps the most impressive season of any Yankee's starter last season. A reliever by trade, Small started nine games in New York, pitched in fifteen, and posted a 10-0 record, including a complete game. In 76 innings Small gathered 37 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA - second only to Chacon in pitchers with nine or more starts. But because he has more experience out of the bullpen, expect him to start the season there and be pulled into the rotation in the event of injury or poor performance. Jaret Wright, meanwhile, is a starter by trade that is expected to remain in the bullpen as a long reliever in '06. The Yankees signed Wright as their fifth starter for a pretty big contract prior to the 2005 season, but the right hander failed to return on their investment, battling injuries and posting a 5-5 record, 6.08 ERA, and 34 strikeouts in 63.2 innings. Wright projects to be added insurance for a rotation that is historically prone to injury.
During the '05-'06 offseason, veteran left hander David Wells requested a trade to a west coast team, where he can be closer to home and play in warmer conditions. So far, the Sox have not found a suitable trade for Wells, but in all likelyhood they'll manage something before the end of spring training. If they decide to keep Wells, they'll have one of the best big-game pitchers in the game, a man who went 15-7 last season, with a 4.45 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 184 innings. Like Arroyo, Wells is the type of pitcher that can destory a lineup for an entire game. He has a perfect game in his career and I wouldn't be surprised if he nails another if he doesn't retire first. The other Wildcard in the Sox rotation this season will be Jonathan Papelbon. Last year the rookie impressed the entire organization when he appeared in 17 games (three starts) and posted a 3-1 record, 2.65 ERA, and 35 strikeouts in just 34 innings. He figures to be an extremely valuable piece of the bullpen puzzle, and if anyone in the rotation is sidelined by injury, expect him to prove that he's meant to be a starter.
And the winner is: The Red Sox. They have more of a proven staff coming into the season and have had fewer injury problems than the Yankees. Both clubs are stacked though, and you can expect some great pitcher's duels between the division rivals.
The Rocket Factor: The Astros this season didn't offer Roger Clemens arbitration, effectively making the Rocket a free agent and disqualifying Houston from signing him until May 1. Though Clemens may very well wait that long to make his season debut and stay in his hometown, he has suggested that there are three other teams he would consider signing with: the Rangers, the Yankees, and the Red Sox. Should either of the division rivals land him with a contract, then you can pretty much call the division theirs. Clemens brings with him a career 341-172 record, 3.12 ERA, and a whopping 4502 strikeouts. Should he sign with the Sox, with one win he will surpass Cy Young's all time win record with the team. The Sox seem to be the team most interested in signing Clemens, but frontrunners at this time appear to be the two Texas teams, allowing Clemens to stay close to home and keep a close eye on his son (who is a catcher in the Astro's organization).
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