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2009 MLB Playoff Predictions - ALCS and NLDS

Round 1 of the 2009 MLB Playoffs has completed, and I did not do very well in my predictions, which you can point and laugh at here.

Of course, predictions are just that. Results you expect to occur, hopefully with some rhyme and reason to back it all up. Whether they actually become reality or not, is a whole nother story.

So first, a little wrap-up of the ALDS and NLDS before moving onto the ALCS and NLDS.

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES:
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins
My prediction: Yankees in 3 games.

Reality: Yankees in 3 games

The only prediction that I got right, and I suspect that a lot of people got right too. The Twins weren't good enough to compete with the Bombers, and even during the games that they might have actually taken from the Yanks, they couldn't win. Game 2 was the ultimate in that case, with the Phil Cuzzi blown call in leftfield taking center stage, but the Twins had numerous opportunities to score in that game and never did.

Closer Joe Nathan continued his terrible postseason by giving up a game-tying HR in the bottom of the 9th of Game 2 to A-Rod, and also gave up 2 hits to the Yankees in the 9th inning of Game 3. Those hits led to 2 Yankee runs which were charged to other Twins relievers, but Nathan couldn't stop the Yankees from scoring. As great as Joe Nathan is during the regular season, he's been quite awful in the postseason, posting a 7.88 ERA.


AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Boston Red Sox
My prediction: Boston in 4 games.
Reality: Angels in 3 games.

Never so happy to be so wrong on both counts.

The Angels were supposed to be shut down by Jon Lester and Josh Beckett. Instead, it was the pitching of the Angels in the first two games that shut down the Red Sox. Lackey in Game 1, Weaver in Game 2. The Angels' gave up 1 run to Boston in the first two games.

Game 3 was probably the best game of the entire Division Series, because of the unlikeliest of unlikely comebacks against Boston's closer Jonathan Papelbon leading the Angels to a 3-game sweep over their nemesis. I could write more about it here, but my liveblog of the game says it all.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies
My prediction: Colorado in 4 games.
Reality: Philadelphia in 4 games.

Right number of games, wrong team.

The bottom line in this series was Cliff Lee, the Phillies bullpen not blowing things, especially Brad Lidge notching 2 saves in the series. That, plus the Phillies' offense out-hitting and out-running the Rockies, and the inability of Rockies closer Huston Street to stave off the Phillies' comeback in Game 4.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
My prediction: St. Louis in 5 games.
Reality: Dodgers in 3 games.

I definitely figured this series was going to be a lot more competitive than it turned out. Although I was correct in that the Dodgers needed to survive by hitting off of St. Louis' shaky bullpen. I didn't however, expect Matt Holliday to drop the ball in Game 2, and then Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin to be unable to get any of the additional batters out despite having 2 outs. That game was a heartbreaker if you're a St. Louis fan, or a Dodgers despiser like me.

Game 3 was the pitching performance of Vicente Padilla's lifetime, as he shut down the Cardinals over 7 strong innings of 4-hit ball. The Dodgers did not have any problems hitting Joel Pineiro though, en route to a surprising sweep of the Cardinals. It's not that the Dodgers didn't have a chance against St. Louis, but no one expected the Cards to fold the way they did.

The Dodgers pitching was also brilliant in the series, giving up 6 runs over 3 games. 

So with the ALCS and NLCS set, we have a rematch of last year's NLCS between Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and a highly anticipated 7-game series matchup between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  No wild cards this season.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

History favors the Angels here, as they beat the Yankees in both the 2002 and 2005 ALDS. Both times, the Yankees were the favorite. Does history matter this time? After all, Boston owned the Angels in the past.

The main difference that everyone keeps talking about between the Angels and Yankees, is the bullpen. The Yankees have Mariano Rivera, the Angels have the inconsistent Brian Fuentes. But the Yankees had Rivera in 2002 and 2005 too. And while the Angels had better bullpens in those seasons, they still managed to attack Yankee pitching before Rivera could make an impact. For all of the negatives in the Angels bullpen one can lob, they've been outstanding in the postseason thus far. Plus, the postseason Angels bullpen is slightly different from the regular season version, using 2 fairly successful starters (Ervin Santana and Matt Palmer) in middle relief, along with Darren Oliver, Jason Bulger, Kevin Jepsen and Brian Fuentes. 

The Yankees definitely have the sluggers with A-Rod, Tex, Posada, Matsui, with Mr. October/November Derek Jeter always a pest in the postseason against every team he plays against. But the Angels' also have some firepower of their own in Torii Hunter and Kendry Morales. Plus Vlad is always still a power threat, even if he's not the same player he used to be. Still, this is the one undeniable advantage the Yankees' offense has over the Angels. Especially now that A-Rod has been able to hit in the postseason for once as a New York Yankee. Damn you Kate Hudson!

Starting pitching is a big factor in this matchup, with CC Sabathia expected to pitch Games 1, 4 and 7 if needed. CC is a fantastic pitcher without question, but his numbers against the Angels over his career (5-7, 4.72 ERA) are not favorable. Nor has be been successful against them this season, going 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA in 2 starts against Anaheim. Sabathia has also not proven to be the best postseason pitcher, with Game 1 of the ALDS against Minnesota being the first sign that Sabathia can actually pitch well in October. Whether he can do the same against Anaheim remains to be seen. 

Everyone is predicting the Yankees in a long series, and unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree. Less so because of the bullpen, moreso because of the Yankees' offense. The Angels may end up running the bases all day, but with the Yankees getting home field advantage in their band box, I see this series ever so slightly tipping the Yankee's way.

I really really really really hope I am wrong again, but...
My prediction: Yankees in 7 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

This is also a very interesting matchup. A rematch of the 2008 NLCS that Philadelphia won in 5 games. This year, Philadelphia's pitching is weaker overall, but they do have a bonafide ace in Cliff Lee, who was phenomenal against the Rockies in the NLDS.

The Dodgers have probably the best top-to-bottom bullpen of the remaining 4 teams, and that includes the Yankees. But the Phillies have an extremely potent offense, capable of rattling the Dodger's starters, none of which, except perhaps Clayton Kershaw, should have any significant dominant effect on Philadelphia. The resurgence of Brad Lidge as the Phillies closer, at least based on the NLDS, can't go unnoticed, even if it was only 2 games.

Still, if Phillie starters after Cliff Lee can't be effective in the NLCS, they are going to be in trouble. Cole Hamels is going to pitch Game 1, and he's gotta find his 2008 form somehow after suffering a very mediocre 2009 season. Pedro Martinez is slated to pitch Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, although he has been scarce during the last couple of weeks after suffering a stiff neck problem towards the end of the season.

They say that in the postseason, great pitching beats great hitting. But I don't see the Dodgers having great pitching this time. There's no way in hell that Vicente Padilla makes lightning strikes twice in the postseason, is there? I see the Philadelphia offense being able to handle the Dodgers as they did last year, even with the questions surrounding their pitching staff beyond Cliff Lee.

My prediction: Philadelphia in 6 games.
Post a comment Tags: baseball, mlb, new york yankees, alex rodriguez, st. louis cardinals, minnesota twins, boston red sox, josh beckett …

Rudy Jaramillo is available. But is there a spot for him with the Mets?

Mets don't have plans to speak to Rudy Jaramillo

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-don-t-have-plans-to-speak-to-jaramillo-1.1524107 Often when Met fans want someone fired, they don't have a solution to who the replacement is other than someone from the 1986 Mets, or Bobby Valentine. But in this case, if there was ever a person in MLB that could be a significant upgrade over Howard Johnson at the hitting coach spot (and mind you, I don't put a ton of stock into hitting/pitching coaches unless there's significant data that you can't ignore) it'd be Rangers' hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. Like Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, Jaramillo isn't going to stick with his former employer come 2010, and as it would have it, the Mets COULD bring him on board if the club felt Howard Johnson was not the best man for the job. As it turns out, the Wilpons love HoJo, and based on the Mets' team BA of .270 this season (tied with the Dodgers for 1st in the NL), and relatively strong RISP hitting numbers, you can't necessarily find cause to fire him either. From a political perspective, with Rudy Jaramillo once a former managerial candidate for the Metropolitans, you can understand why the club might be somewhat loathe to bring Jaramillo on board in any position other than hitting coach for fear it would be perceived as him waiting in the wings to take Jerry's or Howard Johnson's job. 


Still, you'd like to think someone with a track record as strong as Jaramillo's could be of great benefit to the Mets.

Post a comment Tags: mlb, st. louis cardinals, new york mets, texas rangers, los angeles dodgers, 1986 mets, howard johnson, omar minaya …

2009 MLB Playoff Predictions - ALDS and NLDS

It's the most...wonderful tiiiiime of the year!!!!


October baseball baby, and while the Mets ain't in it, the Angels are. So, there's some joy in Mudville.

The 8 teams are set for the Division Series, so imma gonna break it down...

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES:
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Yo Kanye, imma let you finish, but the Twins are playing Game 1 of the ALDS less than 24 hours after winning the greatest tiebreaker game of all time. OF ALL TIME!!!! Their bullpen is certainly going to be tired, even if the players say they're ready to play after celebrating the AL Central win.

The Twins went 0-7 against the Yankees during the regular season, AND they're likely going to be worn down. Since 2002, the Twins have gone 3-22 when playing in Yankee Stadium. 2-2 in postseason games there. The odds don't look good for Minnesota. The one positive? The 18-4 streak they're riding into the playoffs.

Sure, they might feel better and rejuvenated by Game 2, but in a short series, that could be too late. Add to that the Yankees have Sabathia, Burnett, and the postseason-experienced Andy Pettite in the short series against a relatively unimpressive Twins rotation of Brian Duensing, Carl Pavano, Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker. And then there's that Mariano Rivera, who is still just as unstoppable as he's ever been. Twins closer Joe Nathan has not fared nearly as well against the Yankees over his career.

When these two teams have met in the ALDS before in 2003 and 2004, the Yankees won both series in 4 games.

It won't take them that long this time around.

My prediction: Yankees in 3 games.

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Boston Red Sox

These teams have met in the postseason 4 times so far. 1986, 2004, 2007, 2008. Boston won all of them, and in the last 3 ALDS, the Angels only won one game against Boston. History is certainly not on the side of the Angels.

The Angels have a very potent offense, but the Red Sox have even more potent pitching. The Angels' bullpen is not what it used to be in years past anchored by Frankie Rodriguez. It's not that Brian Fuentes isn't a competent closer, but he has been up and down all year, and the rest of that bullpen is even less reliable. The Angels' bullpen posted a 4.49 ERA during the regular season, the highest of the 4 AL teams in the postseason. 

Is this the year the Angels can finally shake the Boston monkey off their back with their own rally monkey? Unfortunately, as much as I want to see that happen, I don't think it will.

My prediction: Boston in 4 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies

A rematch of the 2007 NLDS between these two teams where the Rockies swept the Phillies in 3 games as they rode a September hot streak straight into the World Series. That is, until they faced Boston, and got swept in 4.

Colorado is once again riding a hot streak into the postseason, 
The defending 2008 World Series champions are not as good as they used to be, most notably in their bullpen. The once-perfect Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge has been anything but this season, saving 31 games while blowing 11. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is probably going to have to play closer-by-committee/situation between Lidge and Ryan Madson. 

But even the Phillies starting pitching isn't as strong as it was a year ago. Jamie Moyer is injured and out for the postseason. Pedro Martinez is questionable, Cole Hamels regressed this year. The Phillies are going to have rely on the pitching of Cliff Lee to get them through this postseason, although he's not looked good on the mound over the last two months, posting a 5.53 ERA in September-October.

The Phillies are going to have rely on their offense to get them past Colorado. Except the Rockies are quite underrated, with a postseason starting rotation of Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, Jason Hammel and Jason Marquis if necessary. With Huston Street anchoring the Rockies' bullpen, the Rockies are a more well-balanced team for the postseason than the Phillies are.

Of course, anything can happen in these best-of-5's.

My prediction: Colorado in 4 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

This is an NLDS rematch of 2004, when the Cardinals won in 4 games. It was the Dodgers first postseason game victory since 1988. The Dodgers fared far better in the 2008 postseason, but not enough to get to the World Series.

It's often said that pitching and defense is what a team needs to win in the postseason. The St. Louis Cardinals not only have the pitching and defense, but the offense too, anchored by Albert Pujols.

The Cardinals have Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Joel Pineiro. The Dodgers have Randy Wolf, Clayton Kershaw and Vicente Padilla. The Cardinals' biggest weakness is in a 7-game series where they have to go to a 4th starter, and there's a significant dropoff in quality after their big 3. But that's not to worry about here.

The Dodgers have a superior bullpen to the Cardinals, with Jonathan Broxton and George Sherrill leading the charge. It's the best bullpen in the majors with a 3.14 bullpen ERA. They do have the depth after 6 innings, but can they defeat St. Louis' starting pitching? Manny Ramirez has had an abysmal September, and while other Dodgers like Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have picked up the slack, they're going to need Manny to revert back to his postseason performance in 2008 where he hit .520 with 4 HRs in the NLDS and NLCS.

If the Dodgers are to survive against the Cardinals, the best shot they have is against St. Louis' iffy middle relief. 

My prediction: St. Louis in 5 games.

Post a comment Tags: baseball, mlb, new york yankees, st. louis cardinals, boston red sox, world series, philadelphia phillies, los angeles dodgers …

2009 Major League Baseball Awards

The season is almost over, save for that 163rd game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to determine the winner of the AL Central, but otherwise, it's time for the 2009 season awards.


American League MVP:
Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins. The only AL player with an OPS over 1.000. The Twins have played meaningful games all season long, much of that due to Mauer. The Twins have been able to weather the loss of Justin Morneau in September because of Mauer's production. Oh yeah, he also lead the AL in OBP and SLG, keeping low strikeout numbers. Mauer has had a phenomenal season, and the idea that other players (Teixeira, Jeter, Morales) should somehow be in the running for this award, is frankly ludicrous.

National League MVP: 
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. The ultimate no-brainer. Pujols is the best offensive player in baseball by a mile. No one else is even in the race here.

American League Cy Young Award:
Zack Greinke of the Kansas City Royals. This was the year that Zack Greinke arrived. He posted a 16-8 record on a team as bad as the Kansas City Royals, and posted a league-leading 2.16 ERA. Only Justin Verlander has had more strikeouts (269) over the course of the season compared to Greinke's 242. But Greinke gave up 9 fewer HRs, and his overall numbers are too fantastic to ignore. CC Sabathia ended up with 19-8 record but a much higher ERA of 3.37. The only other serious contender for this award, and perhaps he wins it in other seasons, was King Felix Hernandez of the Mariners. But Greinke's numbers were still superior.

National League Cy Young Award:
Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants. This is probably the award most worthy of debate, as you could easily make strong arguments for Adam Wainwright or Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals. To me, Lincecum gets the nod because of the dominance in strikeouts, the 2nd-lowest ERA just behind Carpenter, and the 1.05 WHIP, also 2nd behind Carpenter. So if you're asking why not Chris Carpenter instead of Lincecum, it's the extremely low K numbers (144) and that Carpenter didn't reach the 200-innings mark. Wainwright is lauded because of his 19-8 record and very good numbers, but his other numbers don't compete with Lincecum.

American League Rookie of the Year:
Andrew Bailey of the Oakland A's. For all of the talk revolving around Rick Porcello of the Tigers, Jeff Niemann of the Tampa Bay Rays, Ricky Romero of the Toronto Blue Jays, and Gordon Beckham of the Chicago White Sox, the reality is that Bailey should get the award because of his dominance at a position not easy to dominate at. Porcello, Niemann and Romero are all very good rookie pitchers but none of them had ERAs below 3. Niemann's was the lowest at 3.94. That's not award-winning in my eyes. Gordon Beckham has posted decent numbers at 3B for the White Sox, but nothing mindblowing. 

What IS mindblowing, is that Andrew Bailey has been the unsung closer for the Oakland A's in his rookie year. He notched 26 saves while blowing only 4. More impressive is that his overall numbers matched Mariano Rivera, or even beat them. Bailey led all closers in strikeouts (91) and WHIP (0.88), and had the 2nd lowest ERA (1.84) behind Mo (1.76). It's extremely rare for rookies to have such impressive numbers in the closer role, which really should cement the award for Bailey. At least, if you're rational.

National League Rookie of the Year:
J.A. Happ of the Philadelphia Phillies. There's a lot of competition for this award in a relatively unspectacular year for National League rookies. Certainly players like Casey McGehee of the Brewers and Chris Coghlan of the Florida Marlins are in the conversation, but among starting pitchers, Happ came out of nowhere to post a 12-4 record with a 2.93 ERA for the Phillies. That's best among the Philadelphia rotation, including Cole Hamels.

American League Manager of the Year:
Mike Scioscia of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels could've had a very legitimate reason to fail this season. With the death of Nick Adenhart in early April, and the numerous injuries suffered to the team, had the 2009 Angels failed to win the AL West, it would've been excusable. But the Angels persevered, used Adenhart's death as motivation, and weathered the storm of injuries to the club to win their third consecutive AL West title. What's more is that so many players (except Jose Guillen) truly love playing for Scioscia. The idea that Joe Girardi deserves the award is kinda silly considering the talent the Yankees have.

National League Manager of the Year:
Jim Tracy of the Colorado Rockies. Under former manager Clint Hurdle, the Rockies went 18-28 and were already 14 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. They even were 12 games under .500 in early June. Once bench coach Jim Tracy took the reigns on May 29, the club went 74-42 and nearly unseated the Dodgers atop the NL West while holding off the San Francisco Giants. They still won the NL Wild Card, got in the postseason when no one predicted them to even compete this season.





Post a comment Tags: new york yankees, st. louis cardinals, detroit tigers, toronto blue jays, oakland a's, minnesota twins, mvp, san francisco giants …

My All-Star Ballot

Every year, MLB begins their All-Star game balloting near the end of April, which is far too early. I advocate for voting only after June 1, as you simply cannot elect players to the All-Star game based on less than one month of baseball.


This usually leads to uninformed voting by the baseball fans as it pertains to which players are elected as starters. While most players elected as starters are deserving, that's not always the case. Luckily the players and managers get to choose the pitchers and reserves.

Now that it's June 27, definitely late in the game, here's my rundown of the All-Star ballots and current voting totals:

American League: (vote totals as of June 21)
1st Base
RANKPLAYER NAMEAL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Mark TeixeiraYankees1,561,292
2.Kevin YoukilisRed Sox1,525,660
3.Justin MorneauTwins1,275,694
4.Miguel CabreraTigers944,855
5.Chris DavisRangers632,895
Interesting numbers overall. Miguel Cabrera should probably be higher up in the vote totals than Kevin Youkilis, but any of these 4 choices are very respectable picks. Seattle's Russell Branyan is having a remarkable year and isn't in the top 5. He's certainly more deserving than Chris Davis. Tampa's Carlos Pena is a home run machine but his BA is too low.

My pick:  Mark Teixeira (Yankees). Defense matters too, and Mark is the best defensive 1B in the game.

2nd Base
RANKPLAYER NAMEAL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Ian KinslerRangers1,791,177
2.Dustin PedroiaRed Sox1,732,787
3.Robinson CanoYankees1,062,863
4.Aaron HillBlue Jays775,200
5.Placido PolancoTigers660,693
The small-market playing Aaron Hill should be higher up in this race as well, though Ian Kinsler is certainly a respectable pick. Boston's Dustin Pedroia is not worthy of starting, and I'm not even sure he belongs on the team as a reserve either. 
Tampa's Ben Zobrist is not on the list at all, probably because he wasn't on the original ballot. Since he's taken over for the injured-for-the-season Akinori Iwamura, Zobrist is having a phenomenal season and is just as deserving as anyone.
Robinson Cano doesn't deserve the nod this year. He's good, but not an All-Star in 2009. There's ZERO justification for Placido Polanco being in the top 5.

My pick: Ben Zobrist (Tampa Bay) as a write-in. I would also be fine with picking Aaron Hill or Ian Kinsler. 

3rd Base
RANKPLAYER NAMEAL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Evan LongoriaRays2,488,076
2.Alex RodriguezYankees1,165,243
3.Michael YoungRangers933,630
4.Mike LowellRed Sox890,138
5.Brandon IngeTigers535,226
Not surprisingly, this is a two-man race between A-Rod and Longoria, but the one player who isn't on this list who certainly deserves consideration, is the Angels' Chone Figgins. Figgins is currently 2nd in BA among all AL 3B, has 23 SB and is a fantastic leadoff guy. But Figgins has no power, which is why he'll never make the team as a starter.

So back to reality... A-Rod isn't hitting at a level worthy of election and he missed 6 weeks of the season. For him to be #2 on this list is a complete joke.

My Vote: Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay). I'm not even sure you can justify voting for anyone else above Longoria as a starter. Plenty of other good options for reserves (Figgins, Rolen, Lowell, Young) but Longoria is clearly heads and shoulders the best pick.

Shortstop
RANKPLAYER NAMEAL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Derek JeterYankees2,563,093
2.Jason BartlettRays1,148,988
3.Elvis AndrusRangers844,349
4.Marco ScutaroBlue Jays684,883
5.Jed LowrieRed Sox459,732
I think this shows how poor the AL depth is at SS this season, especially when you compare the depth at the position in the NL. Derek Jeter is the leader, and it's tough to argue against him this year, although Tampa's Jason Bartlett with just over 200 ABs, is hitting .363 and is outpacing Jeter in all other categories. 

Elvis Andrus is really mediocre, while Toronto's Marco Scutaro is being overlooked. Jed Lowrie is clearly a joke pick by the Boston fans.

My Pick: Jason Bartlett (Tampa Bay). Can't ignore the numbers, but I can't say Jeter is a bad option for once.

Catcher
RANKPLAYER NAMEAL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Joe MauerTwins2,298,544
2.Jason VaritekRed Sox1,108,054
3.Jorge PosadaYankees947,887
4.Jarrod SaltalamacchiaRangers827,063
5.Victor MartinezIndians754,571
This should really be a two-player race, period. Any other options are complete jokes, especially Jason Varitek. Oh those hilarious Boston fans, always trying to elect goof picks to the game.

There are only two options here. Joe Mauer, and Victor Martinez. There's no rationale for anyone else.

My Pick: Joe Mauer (Minnesota). The premiere catcher in baseball. While both Mauer and Martinez have 14 HRs as of today, Mauer has done it with a lot less ABs and is hitting JUUUUUST a smidge under .400.

RANKPLAYER NAMEAL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Jason BayRed Sox2,077,504
2.Ichiro SuzukiMariners1,455,266
3.Josh HamiltonRangers1,385,212
4.Torii HunterAngels1,186,097
5.Carl CrawfordRays1,172,241
6.Jacoby EllsburyRed Sox1,051,270
7.Johnny DamonYankees1,021,394
8.Ken Griffey Jr.Mariners1,009,584
9.Nelson CruzRangers956,294
10.Adam JonesOrioles894,664
11.J.D. DrewRed Sox818,459
12.Nick MarkakisOrioles756,316
13.Curtis GrandersonTigers641,102
14.Grady SizemoreIndians626,014
15.Bobby AbreuAngels614,244
Picking outfielders for the All-Star game can sometimes be tricky cause you're not voting for LF, CF, RF. You're voting for the 3 outfielders who have been the best in the game, and sometimes centerfielders aren't an option. That's not the case this year.

First, examining the fan voting so far... Josh Hamilton wasn't exactly having a great year to begin with, has been on the DL twice, and that's where he is currently. Even if he makes it to the team, I don't think he's healthy enough to play.

How Ken Griffey Jr. can be on this list, well, fans are fucking dumb. Granted it's only #8, but Chicago's Jermaine Dye doesn't even make the list? 

My picks: Jason Bay (Boston), Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle), Torii Hunter (Los Angeles)  Since Hamilton won't play, it looks like my top choices will actually be in line with the fan totals. 

Now, to the pitching staffs, which are not chosen by the fans, but I'll list my 12 picks anyways.

Starting Pitchers: 
Zack Greinke (Kansas City) - STARTER
Roy Halladay (Toronto)
Edwin Jackson (Detroit)
Kevin Millwood (Texas)
Jered Weaver (Los Angeles)
Felix Hernandez (Seattle)

Relief Pitchers:
Jonathan Papelbon (Boston)
Mariano Rivera (New York)
Joe Nathan (Minnesota)
David Aardsma (Seattle)
George Sherrill (Baltimore)
Brian Fuentes (Los Angeles)


National League: (vote totals as of June 22)
1st Base
RANKPLAYER NAMENL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Albert PujolsCardinals2,934,794
2.Ryan HowardPhillies1,393,546
3.Prince FielderBrewers1,155,529
4.Adrian GonzalezPadres894,600
5.Lance BerkmanAstros512,879
If you vote for anyone other than Albert Pujols, you should probably be punched in the face until you are dead. But if you MUST vote for someone other than Prince Albert, then the only real other options are Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzales. Ryan Howard whiffs far too often and doesn't have the BA to warrant the vote. 

My Pick: Albert Pujols (St. Louis). DUH!

2nd Base
RANKPLAYER NAMENL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Chase UtleyPhillies2,922,796
2.Orlando HudsonDodgers1,082,248
3.Rickie WeeksBrewers832,870
4.Skip SchumakerCardinals729,722
5.Dan UgglaMarlins475,372
If you vote for anyone other than Chase Utley, you should probably be punched in the face until you are dead. What I'm trying to say is that at 1B and 2B, the NL starters are no-brainers. There's Chase Utley, and then there's everyone else.

However, the one person not making the top 5 who probably should, is Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez. especially since Rickie Weeks is out for the year. Skip Schumaker is obviously getting a hometown vote, but he's not really deserving. Dan Uggla has become a feast-or-famine power guy. So his HR totals are up with Utley's, but the rest of his hitting is not.

My pick: Chase Utley (Philadelphia)

3rd Base
RANKPLAYER NAMENL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.David WrightMets1,698,366
2.Ryan ZimmermanNationals1,148,054
3.Chipper JonesBraves1,104,485
4.Pedro FelizPhillies954,945
5.Bill HallBrewers842,295
It's tough to pick against David Wright here, as he leads the entire NL in BA, and also leads all 3B in stolen bases. His power numbers are down, his strikeout numbers are up.

Probably the most surprising thing about the current vote tallies for this position is that there are a bunch of players deserving of votes who aren't in the top 5. Casey Blake of the Dodgers, Mark Reynolds of Arizona, Pablo Sandoval of San Francisco. It's probably not a coincidence that all 3 of them are in the NL West, but all 3 are certainly more deserving of a spot than Bill Hall or Pedro Feliz.

My pick: David Wright (New York)

Shortstop
RANKPLAYER NAMENL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Hanley RamirezMarlins1,648,482
2.Jimmy RollinsPhillies1,494,466
3.J.J. HardyBrewers1,051,309
4.Miguel TejadaAstros834,754
5.Jose ReyesMets754,579
You can't justify voting for Jose Reyes anymore since he's been on the DL for a good portion of the season and no one knows when he's coming back. It definitely won't be in time for the All-Star game.

Nor can you justify voting for Jimmy Rollins here, who is having an abysmal season hitting .211 as of today. The fact that he's getting any votes is truly sad. JJ Hardy is just as bad. Washington's Cristian Guzman should be in the top 5 instead.

This vote really comes down to two players. Hanley Ramirez, and Miguel Tejada.  

My Pick: Hanley Ramirez (Florida). The power numbers are overwhelming, although Tejada should certainly make the team as a reserve. 

Catcher
RANKPLAYER NAMENL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Yadier MolinaCardinals1,496,285
2.Brian McCannBraves1,180,312
3.Ivan RodriguezAstros1,002,882
4.Jason KendallBrewers995,633
5.Carlos RuizPhillies980,164
Clearly the weakest position in all of the NL. Yadier Molina is the best defensive catcher of the bunch, but Brian McCann has the bat which Yadier does not. The other Molina brother, Bengie, should certainly be in the top 5. How the hell can anyone vote for Jason Kendall or Carlos Ruiz?

My pick: Brian McCann (Atlanta)
Outfield
RANKPLAYER NAMENL TEAMTOTAL VOTES
1.Raul IbanezPhillies2,465,539
2.Ryan BraunBrewers2,178,144
3.Carlos BeltranMets1,779,344
4.Alfonso SorianoCubs1,639,664
5.Shane VictorinoPhillies1,371,362
6.Manny RamirezDodgers1,162,507
7.Mike CameronBrewers1,140,167
8.Rick AnkielCardinals1,011,527
9.Jayson WerthPhillies1,008,256
10.Corey HartBrewers959,614
11.Ryan LudwickCardinals950,662
12.Adam DunnNationals742,515
13.Matt KempDodgers673,979
14.Andre EthierDodgers642,983
15.Justin UptonD-backs594,185
This is interesting. While Carlos Beltran should definitely make the All-Star team, he's not going to be healthy enough to play, as he went on the DL just a week ago.

Raul Ibanez is also on the DL but he'll be back shortly. He's a no-brainer as far as the voting goes. Ryan Braun is an excellent second choice, so now who would the third best option be? Definitely not Alfonso Soriano. If I'm strictly picking a backup CF, either Michael Bourne of the Houston Astros or Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies would be my choices. Matt Kemp of the Dodgers isn't a bad pick for CF but he does whiff a lot.

However, I'm looking to elect the best 3 outfielders, period. And somehow my third pick isn't even in the top 15, which is completely absurd considering who DID make the list and shouldn't have.

My picks: Raul Ibanez (Philadelphia), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), Brad Hawpe (Colorado).

And now to the 12 pitching choices, though again, it's not up to the fans.

Starting Pitchers:
Tim Lincecum (San Francisco) - STARTER
Dan Haren (Arizona)
Matt Cain (San Francisco)
Javier Vasquez (Atlanta)
Josh Johnson (Florida)
Yovani Gallardo (Milwaukee)

Relief Pitchers:
Frankie Rodriguez (New York)
Heath Bell (San Diego)
Trevor Hoffman (Milwaukee)
Ryan Franklin (St. Louis)
Jonathan Broxton (Los Angeles)
Francisco Cordero (Cincinnati)


Now, it should be said that a lot can change in a week from now. Players can get injured. Someone may end up being more well-deserving that was overlooked, so I may do another ballot in a week from now if things change drastically. 





Post a comment Tags: baseball, washington nationals, seattle mariners, mlb, oakland athletics, san diego padres, new york yankees, atlanta braves …

The Mets are in trouble.

Today's plethora of roster moves:

- Carlos Beltran to the 15-day DL.
- Fernando Martinez is back WAY too soon out of necessity, again.
- Lefty reliever Ken Takahashi optioned to Buffalo.
- Lefty reliever Pat Misch promoted from Buffalo to Mets.
- Utility man Wilson Valdez DFA'd.
- Reliever Elmer Dessens promoted from Buffalo to Mets.
- Minor league outfielder Wily Mo Pena released from Buffalo Bisons.
- Minor league outfielder Bobby Kielty released from Buffalo Bisons.
- Minor league catcher/infielder Javier Valentin released from Buffalo Bisons.

Mets' Current Disabled List (both 15 and 60 days):
Major Names: Billy Wagner, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, John Maine, Oliver Perez, JJ Putz.
Minor Names: Angel Pagan, Ramon Martinez.

The Mets are 6-12 for the month of June, which is a big big problem.

With the Mets playing the Cardinals and Yankees over the next 7 at CitiField, this schedule is not getting any easier and with more players getting hurt and certain members of the bullpen temporarily losing whatever talent they once had (Parnell, Takahashi), this team is limping badly, figuratively and literally.

Post a comment Tags: baseball, mlb, new york yankees, st. louis cardinals, new york mets, oliver perez, john maine, carlos delgado …

Putting a shitty Mets start to 2009 in perspective.

The New York Mets are not off to a good start.

None of the starting pitchers except for Johan Santana are pitching with any semblance of consistency.

With the exception of a winning start over San Diego on April 15, Oliver Perez has been absolutely terrible.

The jury is still out on Mike Pelfrey and John Maine, and Livan Hernandez has so far only been able to pitch well against the Marlins and no one else. As it is, the expectations for Livan Hernandez are quite low.

While Frankie Rodriguez has not blown any saves yet, and he will, JJ Putz and Sean Green have not held leads during the last two games of the series against the Florida Marlins at CitiField. While these things are bound to happen, you don't want to see them happen two games in a row.

David Wright is off to a very bad start, and he's whiffing at a record pace for him. Slow starts are one thing, but striking out like you're Ryan Howard is another. On the other hand, you can see that his numbers for the month of April 2009 are still better than his start to April 2007, with only the strikeouts being the major increase.
April 2005: 17 strikeouts in 76 ABs, 23 games, .303 / .418 / .539
April 2006: 13 strikeouts in 89 ABs, 24 games. .303 / .377 / .584
April 2007: 23 strikeouts in 90 ABs. 24 games. .244 / .370 / .311
April 2008: 16 strikeouts in 96 ABs. 26 games. .281 / .417 / .531 (one game on March 31, 2008 also included)
April 2009: 27 strikeouts in 82 ABs. 21 games. .280 / .372 / .390

The highest amount of strikeouts David Wright has ever had in a single month was May 2006, when he struck out 29 times, but in 27 games and 110 ABs. He still remained far more productive during that period though, hitting .336 / .408 / .500.

However, slow starts do not rule out a team's ability to get to the posteason come October.

Here are the 21-game records of the World Series teams (both winner and loser) dating back to 2000. I use 21 as the benchmark since that's how many games the Mets have played in the 2009 season as of April 30.

(Teams with below .500 records after 21 games are bolded and italicized.)
2000: New York Yankees (14-7) and New York Mets (14-7)
2001: Arizona Diamondbacks (11-10) and New York Yankees (11-10)
2002: Anaheim Angels (7-14) and San Francisco Giants (13-8)
2003: Florida Marlins (10-11) and New York Yankees (18-3)
2004: Boston Red Sox (15-6) and St. Louis Cardinals (10-11)
2005: Chicago White Sox (16-5) and Houston Astros (8-13)
2006: St. Louis Cardinals (14-7) and Detroit Tigers (13-8)
2007: Boston Red Sox (14-7) and Colorado Rockies (8-13)
2008: Philadelphia Phillies (11-10) and Tampa Bay Rays (10-11)

The 2009 Mets are 9-12 after 21 games.

Is it better to have a strong start than not? Absolutely.
Can teams come back from slow April starts to win the World Series or make the postseason? Absolutely, although you might have to settle for the Wild Card (2002 Angels, 2003 Florida, 2005 Houston, 2007 Colorado,)

It's also important to remember that you can have the best regular season record over the course of a season, and not even make the World Series. Just ask Lou Piniella and his 2001 Seattle Mariners with their 116-46 record. They lost the ALCS to the Yankees in just 5 games. Or last year's Los Angeles Angels that ran away with the AL West crown and an MLB season-best record of 100-62, only to lose to Boston in the ALDS (again... grrrr!) in 4 games.

Can a strong April be absolutely worthless when it comes to the end result in September? Look no further than the 2008 Arizona Diamondbacks, who were 15-6 after their first 21 games, only to end up in 2nd place in the NL West when the season ended. Conversely, the Los Angeles Dodgers started 2008 9-12, and ended up winning the NL West division. The Oakland A's were 12-9 after their first 21 in 2008, and finished the season well below .500 at 75-86.

There's no shortage of examples on both sides of the coin. So when people panic about their team in April if they're not off to a 20+ win month, it's generally unwarranted. Of course, if you're a Washington Nationals fan, you can safely throw in the towel.

The Mets do have cause for concern, and they're going to need to kick things into high gear over the month of May if they want to compete for the NL East crown or the NL Wild Card. With 16 of 29 games against NL East teams in May, the Mets are going to need to win as many of those games as possible to get back into this race.

Post a comment Tags: perspective, baseball, mlb, new york yankees, st. louis cardinals, detroit tigers, boston red sox, new york mets …

My MLB All-Star Ballot as of June 10, 2008

The MLB All-Star game is a little over a month away. Voting began on May 1, which is way too early to make All-Star picks, but as of June 10, with the latest results available, and the timing right, here are my votes and analysis for the 2008 All-Stars.

Keep in mind that there is still a lot of baseball left to be played between now and the end of the initial voting period which ends on July 2. Player performances can drastically change over that time period, so a ballot submitted then could look a lot different than one submitted on June 10.

American League:
1B Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Kevin Youkilis (Boston)            926,758
2. Justin Morneau (Minnesota)     678,037
3. Jason Giambi (New York)        437,656
4. Carlos Pena (Tampa Bay)        296,769
5. Paul Konerko (Chicago)           270,410

My Pick: Justin Morneau (Minnesota)

Kevin Youkilis is practically neck-and-neck with Justin Morneau in stats across the board, so either one is a fine choice.

The Angels' Casey Kotchman should be getting more votes than he has, leading all AL 1B in BA (currently .307) and has been consistently good all season. The Tigers' Carlos Guillen is also a good pick, but he's since been moved out of 1B for the defensively-challenged Miguel Cabrera, who this year would be a terrible pick at any position.

Paul Konerko isn't remotely reasonable in that spot when he's been hitting under .220 practically the entire season, and doesn't have the power numbers that a Jason Giambi has to justify the votes. Carlos Pena is also a bad choice here, as he has more HRs than Konerko, but similar BA. Pena leads all AL 1B in strikeouts, and is also on the DL. A terrible choice.

2B Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Dustin Pedroia (Boston)          809,114
2. Ian Kinsler (Texas)                  512,894
3. Robinson Cano (New York)      512,045
4. Placido Polanco (Detroit)         333,336
5. Brian Roberts (Baltimore)        233,752

My Pick: Ian Kinsler (Texas)

Red Sox nation may be stuffing the ballots here, but these results are completely absurd. Kinsler has better stats than Pedroia across the board to the point that it's ridiculous to vote for anyone BUT Ian Kinsler at this point. Brian Roberts would be a better pick than Pedroia, but still not close to Kinsler.

Robinson Cano is having a terrible year and doesn't even belong in the top 5. This category is a joke if Kinsler doesn't win. There's not a single justifiable reason for anyone else to get it.

SS Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Derek Jeter (New York)            1,218,881
2. Michael Young (Texas)               533,582
3. Edgar Renteria (Detroit)              365,269
4. Julio Lugo (Boston)                     281,408
5. Orlando Cabrera (Chicago)          271,702

My Pick: Michael Young (Texas)

Derek Jeter is in this spot for two reasons. One, legacy at the position. Two, the All-Star game is in Yankee Stadium, so he's getting a LOT of hometown voting. But again, the fans are completely wrong and should be ashamed for voting this way.

This is a terrible pick when Michael Young's numbers trump Jeter's across the board in the same way Kinsler's stats obliterate the entire field at 2B.

The Rangers' middle infield is clearly getting short-changed in the voting because they're not a major market like New York or Boston, even though Young and Kinsler are the ONLY reasonable choices at these two positions.

3B Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Alex Rodriguez (New York)         1,109,916
2. Mike Lowell (Boston)                     584,563
3. Miguel Cabrera (Detroit)                 379,813
4. Joe Crede (Chicago)                      334,024
5. Scott Rolen (Toronto)                     204,472

My Pick: Alex Rodriguez (New York)

A-Rod's stint on the DL makes his stats this season seem on the weak side. What, ONLY 10 HRs? But he's still the best pick at the position.  Mike Lowell also spent time on the DL this season, but his stats don't compare to A-Rod's in the least.

Miguel Cabrera isn't at 3B anymore, and even if he were, doesn't have the stats to warrant the votes.

The only other slightly reasonable pick at 3B is Chicago's Joe Crede, who leads all AL 3B with 14 HR and has a very good .291 BA.

C Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Jason Varitek (Boston)               681,451
2. Joe Mauer (Minnesota)               630,372
3. Ivan Rodriguez (Detroit)               505,645
4. Jorge Posada (New York)            445,455
5. Victor Martinez (Cleveland)          321,063

My Pick: Dioner Navarro (Tampa Bay)

Based on stats, there are only two reasonable choices at what is a fairly weak field of catchers. Joe Mauer, and the Rays' Dioner Navarro, who despite a .349 BA leading all catchers, and has been hitting well over .300 all season, doesn't crack the top 5, which is ridiculous.

Varitek is a poor choice here, as he is every year. Red Sox Nation continues to try and flood the All-Star team with their players, even when very few of them should be involved.

Both Rodriguez and Varitek get votes based on how they performed 7 years ago, instead of in 2008. Jorge Posada spent a fair amount of time on the DL this season, and while he is hitting .311, hasn't played enough this year to matchup with Mauer and Navarro's stats.

DH Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. David Ortiz (Boston)                   1,261,879
2. Hideki Matsui (New York)             672,267
3. Jim Thome (Chicago)                   403,881
4. Gary Sheffield (Detroit)                 192,557
5. Frank Catalanotto (Texas)             188,622

My Pick: Hideki Matsui (New York)

David Ortiz is a great pick except he's on the DL and may be done for the season. Gary Sheffield is also on the DL, but is not a good pick at all this year.

Jim Thome has very good power numbers but that's about all. He's hitting .212 and strikes out at a very high rate.

Matsui is hitting .323 with 6 HR, 29 RBIs and a 1-to-1 BB/K ratio. With Ortiz out of the mix, no one else should get a vote except for Hideki Matsui.

OF Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Manny Ramirez (Boston)              1,179,884
2. Josh Hamilton (Texas)                     922,220
3. Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle)                     696,176
4. Vladimir Guerrero (Los Angeles)       610,877
5. Bobby Abreu (New York)                 545,852
6. Magglio Ordonez (Detroit)               512,245
7. Johnny Damon (New York)              444,973
8. Melky Cabrera (New York)               439,893
9. Torii Hunter (Los Angeles)                421,694
10. Grady Sizemore (Cleveland)           410,465

My Picks: Josh Hamilton (Texas), (write-in) Carlos Quentin (Chicago), Manny Ramirez (Boston)

Josh Hamilton is having an amazing season so far, 17 HR, 69 RBIs (wow), and .315 BA. Clearly deserves the vote.

Carlos Quentin is an unfortunate victim of not being on the ballot, so he's not getting the votes. He'll definitely make the team thanks to the players' voting, but fans should be writing him in at a faster clip. If I could write-in Milton Bradley (Texas) as well, I would.

And Manny Ramirez is a fine choice this season based on his numbers.

There are a good number of options for the AL outfield. I have no quarrel with guys like Ichiro, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu making the top 10.

There are still people on the list though, who shouldn't be. Vladimir Guerrero is having a very mediocre season. Melky Cabrera is good, but is no All-Star. Torii Hunter isn't having the season that other better players are.

Pitching:
Fans of course, don't get to vote for pitchers in the All-Star game. But here are my 10 picks in case the players need some guidance. J 5 starters, 5 relievers, in no particular order. 

Starters:  Cliff Lee (Cleveland), Roy Halladay (Toronto), Ervin Santana, (Los Angeles), Scott Kazmir (Tampa Bay), Jose Contreras (Chicago).

Relievers:  Mariano Rivera (New York), Frankie Rodriguez (Los Angeles), Jonathan Papelbon (Boston), George Sherrill (Baltimore), Joakim Soria (Kansas City)


So, in conclusion, my AL ballot:
C: Dioner Navarro (Tampa Bay)
1B: Justin Morneau (Minnesota)
2B: Ian Kinsler (Texas)
SS: Michael Young (Texas)
3B: Alex Rodriguez (New York)
DH: Hideki Matsui (New York)
OF: Josh Hamilton (Texas), (write-in) Carlos Quentin (Chicago), Manny Ramirez (Boston)     

 

Overall, the fan voting is leading to some absolutely terrible choices so far at 2B, SS and C positions, picking 3 guys who don’t belong starting.

 

 

Onto the National League Ballot!!!

 

National League

1B Current Leaders (as of June 10, 2008)
1. Lance Berkman (Houston)            1,046,249
2. Derrick Lee (Chicago)                     771,516
3. Albert Pujols (St. Louis)                   700,777
4. Ryan Howard (Philadelphia)              368,012
5. Prince Fielder (Milwaukee)               317,039

My Pick: Lance Berkman (Houston)

Berkman is the best pick of them all by far, although I wouldn’t necessarily spit on someone for voting for Pujols, Lee, or San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez.

Ryan Howard doesn’t deserve to be on the All-Star team with a .214 BA. Prince Fielder isn’t putting up the numbers that other more worthy candidates are.

 

2B Current Leaders (as of June 10, 2008)
1. Chase Utley (Philadelphia)     1,284,961
2. Mark DeRosa (Chicago)            589,637
3. Kazuo Matsui (Houston)            523,335
4. Dan Uggla (Florida)                   366,848
5. Orlando Hudson (Arizona)          333,998

My Pick: Chase Utley (Philadelphia)

Up until recently, no one was even remotely close to being a reasonable option OTHER than Chase Utley.

Florida’s Dan Uggla has experienced an offensive surge which is still short of Utley’s numbers, but would make a good option as a backup. DeRosa is a good hitter but doesn’t have the power of Utley or Uggla.

 

SS Current Leaders (as of June 10, 2008)
1. Miguel Tejada (Houston)             726,835
2. Hanley Ramirez (Florida)             607,528
3. Ryan Theriot (Chicago)                583,433
4. Jose Reyes (New York)               498,007
5. Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia)         442,885

My Pick: Hanley Ramirez (Florida)

Up until he went on the DL in early May, Rafael Furcal of the Los Angeles Dodgers was having an All-Star caliber start to his season. Alas, he’s been out for over a month now and there’s no definitive timetable on when he’ll return.

With the current field of shortstops, it’s really a 2-man race and the fans have it right for once. Miguel Tejada and Hanley Ramirez are the best options. Jose Reyes has improved greatly from his slow April, but he’s still not as good a choice as Ramirez or Tejada.

I give the edge to Hanley because of the power numbers (14 HRs compared to Tejada’s 7), but don’t find Tejada to be a bad pick since he’s been hitting hover .300 most of the season.

Ryan Theriot and Jimmy Rollins are good choices, but not the best. Atlanta’s Yuniel Escobar is at the same level.

 

3B (Current Leaders (as of June 10, 2008)
1. Chipper Jones (Atlanta)            1,110,171
2. Aramis Ramirez (Chicago)           726,973
3. David Wright (New York)              655,105
4. Ty Wigginton (Houston)                359,989
5. Mark Reynolds (Arizona)              292,702 

My Pick: Chipper Jones (Atlanta)

Open and shut. Chipper Jones is hitting .420 on June 10 and leads all NL 3B with 15 HRs. Any other vote is retarded. Seriously. And I HATE Chipper Jones.

C (Current Leaders (as of June 10, 2008)
1. Geovany Soto (Chicago)          969,853
2. Brian McCann (Atlanta)           578,276
3. Yadier Molina (St. Louis)         458,084
4. J.R. Towles (Houston)             367,248
5. Russell Martin (Los Angeles)   350,694 

My Pick: Brian McCann (Atlanta)

Brian McCann and Geovany Soto are the top 2 in the voting, and either one would be a good choice at starting catcher. Currently McCann has the better numbers, but they’re so close, either one would be fine.

Yadier Molina is hitting .295, but older brother Bengie Molina is hitting .333 with better overall numbers. Bengie isn’t in the top 5 votegetters.

J.R. Towles might be the most ridiculous pick ever, with a .145 BA. Embarrassing.

Russell Martin is hitting very well but doesn’t have the power numbers of Soto or McCann. He still should be higher in the voting than Molina or Towles.
 

OF (Current Leaders (as of June 9, 2008)
1. Alfonso Soriano (Chicago)               1,088,866
2. Kosuke Fukudome (Chicago)             918,262
3. Ken Griffey Jr. (Cincinnati)                 775,759
4. Carlos Lee (Houston)                         587,027
5. Carlos Beltran (New York)                  518,838
6. Ryan Braun (Milwaukee)                     514,913
7. Matt Holliday (Colorado)                     507,628
8. Hunter Pence (Houston)                     500,857
9. Pat Burrell (Philadelphia)                    487,131
10. Rick Ankiel (St. Louis)                     478,136

 

My Picks: Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), Alfonso Soriano (Chicago), Ryan Ludwick (St. Louis)

This is an interesting result that the fans have put together. Kosuke Fukudome has become a fan favorite of the Cubs and had a very good start to the season but has cooled off considerably. He’s probably good enough to be a reserve OF, but in no way should be a starter.

Ken Griffey Jr. is a nostalgia pick but doesn’t have the numbers to warrant being here.

Carlos Beltran is a ridiculous choice unless you’re voting for the best defensive CF of the bunch. Otherwise, he has no business on the team having the nothing season he’s having.

Matt Holliday would probably be one of my picks if not for him being on the DL.

Carlos Lee’s BA isn’t good enough to warrant so many votes, although Astros fans are clearly voting in big numbers when guys like J.R. Towles, Kazuo Matsui and Carlos Lee are garnering as many votes as they’ve gotten.

A lot of absurd people in the top 10 here, as opposed to the AL’s top 10, which are mostly good picks.

Pitchers:
5 starters and 5 relievers, in no particular order.

Starters: Edinson Volquez (Cincinnati), Tim Lincecum (San Francisco), Brandon Webb (Arizona), Ben Sheets (Milwaukee), Ryan Dempster (Chicago).

Relievers: Billy Wagner (New York), Brad Lidge (Philadelphia), Kerry Wood (Chicago), Matt Capps (Pittsburgh), Brandon Lyon (Arizona).

So, in conclusion, my NL ballot:
C: Brian McCann (Atlanta)
1B: Lance Berkman (Houston)
2B: Chase Utley (Philadelphia)
SS: Hanley Ramirez (Florida)
3B: Chipper Jones (Atlanta)
OF: Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), Alfonso Soriano (Chicago), Ryan Ludwick (St. Louis) 

Overall, the fans have put together much better picks for the NL starters except in the Outfield, with only Alfonso Soriano being deserving of starting in the current top 3 votegetters.

 

 

2 comments Tags: baseball, seattle mariners, mlb, san diego padres, new york yankees, atlanta braves, baltimore orioles, alex rodriguez …

At the end of May, the Mets are 27-27.

The Mets begin the month of June at 27-27, a record which needs to improve substantially for the team to make a run at the playoffs come October.

The good news is that Pedro Martinez comes back to pitch against San Francisco on June 3. The team can't afford to lose him again.
Ryan Church is (allegedly) healthy and free of post-concussion symptoms.
Moises Alou should be ready to go again on Thursday when the Mets open up the series against San Diego.

June is a month in which the Mets schedule should be one they can take advantage of as 21 of 28 games will be played against teams that have a .500 record or worse. The 7 "tough" games will be 3 against Arizona at Shea, 3 against the Angels in Anaheim, 1 against St. Louis at the end of the month which is the beginning of 4 games with the Cardinals that goes into July.

The team went 14-12 in April (plus March 31), but finished 13-15 in May.

The month of June is going to be boon or gloom. Feast or famine. They will be playing teams like Colorado, San Francisco and San Diego in the laughable NL West division, although all on the road. These are all absolute must-win series, if not series sweeps.

Another month of 14-14 baseball is not going to cut the mustard. This Mets team has the talent, but they're going to need to go 20-8 over the next month or the 2008 season basically ends for the Mets before the All-Star break.


Post a comment Tags: baseball, mlb, san diego padres, st. louis cardinals, new york mets, san francisco giants, pedro martinez, los angeles angels of anaheim …

BASEBALL IS BACK!

This is a great beginning to the 2007 MLB season!

The Angels swept the Rangers in 3 games.

The METS swept the fucking Cardinals in 3 games and held the defending World Series champions to 2 runs over 3 games (27 innings). Of course I'd gladly trade those 3 games for a 2006 Game 7 NLCS win over St. Louis, but we can't change the past.

The spanking during the third game was truly beautiful. John Maine was perfect through 5 innings, and only gave up 1 hit through 7 innings. If this wasn't the beginning of the season and the bullpen needed some "real work," Maine probably would've continued to pitch.

Of course it's still very very very early in the season, and as we know, you can be the best team in the league and still lose in the playoffs, but at least the Mets are off to a good start. Plus with the NL East expected to be more competitive this season with the Braves and Phillies having made improvements during the offseason, it's comforting to know that the Mets have bitchslapped the Cardinals, and will hopefully do the same to the Braves at Turner Field over the weekend.


Post a comment Tags: baseball, mlb, st. louis cardinals, new york mets, texas rangers, john maine, los angeles angels of anaheim …