Now that the trade deadline has passed, the final two months of the season begin to take their course. Now that the All-Star break has passed, it’s interesting to see if any frontrunners have fallen or any new faces have made shocking gains.
Except for Ubaldo Jimenez, this is not really the case. The NL frontrunners remain the same top four as it has been all season, though the rankings of the AL may be a surprise. Who finishes below Lee as the obvious frontrunner?
With a week to go before the trading deadline, the Angels have acquired Dan Haren of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who has been a big name on the trading circuit. The Angels gave up three players to get Haren: pitchers Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez, and a player to be named later.
On the surface, it looks like the Angels gave up too much for too little, given that they’re several games behind the now Cliff Lee-led Texas Rangers. Bringing in Haren and his struggling stats this season is not going to push them over that hump. As a result, many are going to bash this trade when the Angels don’t make the playoffs, saying that it was a waste.
This move is not for this year, however.
Haren is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA this year. He has not had stats that bad since his time in St. Louis many years back. He’s in his pitching prime right now, and working with a good pitching coach in Mike Butcher, who made Jered Weaver into a star and can put Haren in that category again.
If you compare Haren’s and Saunders’ stats this season, the comparison is quite similar. Haren’s and Saunders’ ERAs are nearly identical (4.60 vs. 4.62). In nearly every other stat though, Haren is slightly better than Saunders, and easily has him bested in strikeouts.
Needless to say, if the Angels want a championship in 2011, they’ll have a much better chance with Haren than Saunders.
Nonetheless, Rafael Rodriguez has been putting up solid numbers, and the 20-year-old Patrick Corbin has amazing upside and is pitching well in Rancho Cucamonga, so is there a possibility the Angels gave up too much? Certainly, but it’s a price that teams have to be willing to pay.
Back to my earlier point however, there is one big difference between this deadline trades and many others. Cliff Lee will not be in a Rangers uniform in 2011. Nor will Roy Oswalt be in an Astros uni, or anyone else who gets traded to another team.
While those pieces move on to better places, suddenly the AL West becomes wide open again, as Cliff Lee will disappear and Oakland and Seattle likely will be going nowhere. As a result, by bringing in Dan Haren, the Angels have the inside track on a playoff spot and a World Series appearance in 2011, though they won’t be there this year unless the Rangers implode.
The Angels know what they’re doing, and while it may take some time (they have time; Haren’s contract goes into 2012 with an option), the rewards from Haren should be big.
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In the second half of the 2010 season, the Indians have begun looking at some minor league talent. Jason Donald was brought up, as was Hector Ambriz, Anderson Hernandez, and Frank Herrmann.
On June 18, the Tribe needed a spot starter for their matchup against Detroit, so they brought up 22-year-old Jeanmar Gomez, a right-handed pitcher from Venezuela. The move was a surprise as Gomez was actually pitching rather poorly in Columbus this season, going 6-8 with a 5.70 ERA.
So, why the Indians promoted a player pitching like that to the major league roster is a question I’m not going to think about, as when he pitched against Detroit that same night, he got the win. Gomez pitched seven innings and allowed two unearned runs in a 7-2 victory against the Detroit Tigers.
The Indians finally found a pitcher who looks like he could do a good job for the rest of the season as a starter, since Laffey doesn’t look like he’s pulling it off, and one has to think that Westbrook or Carmona will be done within two weeks.
So naturally, the Indians do the smart thing and demote him back to Triple-A the next day.
Wait, what?
You promote a guy, he gets you the win, which none of our other pitchers have been able to do all that often, and you send him back? If someone is pitching poorly in the minors, but does a good job when promoted, then there’s really no reason to send him back down.
Jess Todd was brought up to replace Gomez, which is fine since he’s had a good year in Columbus, but I’m not getting the thought process behind bringing up a guy for one game who hadn’t earned it performance-wise, and then when he actually does a great job you throw him back down.
It’s not good for him morale-wise, and it makes it look like the Indians are picking names out of a hat on who starts and who’s on the roster. I’d whine about it, but if I do, then they’ll promote him and demote Jensen Lewis for no reason yet again.
I understand that this was planned, that he would come up for one game and go back down, but…why?
Perhaps I’m making too much of this. Maybe Gomez will suddenly get better in the minors now that he’s had a taste of the majors. That hasn’t worked for Carlos Carrasco though, who’s just pitching okay in Columbus, or Jeremy Sowers, who I unfortunately think can be considered done now.
All I can hope for now is that when one of our starters is traded, if that happens, Gomez is given that fifth spot. If not, that’s taking the dangling carrot and eating it in front of the guy, laughing maniacally. He’s earned a spot in the rotation with that one snap decision.
Gomez is only 22 and has time to develop, but it’s the age of the young guys this year, hopefully the right move will be made and he’s given more than one opportunity now that he’s shown he can do it.
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It goes without saying that Jeff Francoeur has pretty much worn out his welcome in New York. He is hitting a paltry .253, can’t run all that well, or play other positions. Also, with the return of Carlos Beltran to the Mets lineup, New York is rather deep in outfield talent.
The Mets have Carlos Beltran in center and Jason Bay in left. Right now, Angel Pagan and Francoeur are platooning in right, though the two have comparable OPS stats when facing lefties (.695 for Pagan vs. .737 for Francoeur). As a result, the platoon looks like it will be Pagan mostly playing, rather than anything split.
This leads to one question: What do the Mets do with Jeff Francoeur?
Releasing him is an option that is starting to gain steam. Matt Meyers of ESPN wrote, “Francoeur is still running on the fumes of his former potential, but it’s time to realize that he is what he is: A 26-year-old plodding outfielder with a great arm who is capable of hitting some singles when a lefty is on the mound. Does that sound like a player who can help a team in the midst of a nip-and-tuck playoff race?”
Harsh words, but when you look at his stats, they are not what you expect to get from a right fielder. Since June 1, he has hit .265 with three home runs and 15 RBI. They’re not terrible numbers, but where did the 100 RBI player from Atlanta go?
It goes without saying, at least to me, that Pagan is the outfielder to hold on to as the playoff race thickens, not Francoeur. However, I don’t think his stats are so horrendous that an outright release is necessary.
If he was put on the trading block, then there might be a suitor or two. The Red Sox have enough injuries to their outfield that having Francoeur just as insurance could help then keep pace in the AL East. The Giants may take a flier on him, as they could use an outfielder. They signed Dontrelle Willis, so I wouldn’t put it past them.
Beyond that, I can’t think of all that many teams who would want him. He’s only 26, so there is always the chance that he returns to his old form. The Mets also have Jesus Feliciano, who’s playing quite well and is proving to be a much better option due to his versatility.
The only thing the Mets can be glad about, perhaps, is that the person they traded to get him last year, Ryan Church, is hitting .186 and playing even worse.
I do not see Francoeur being in a Mets uniform in 2011 though, in any case. What’s your take? Should the Mets give up and release him? Should they trade him to salvage any value they can? If there are teams looking at Kerry Wood and Dontrelle Willis, there will be some looking at Francoeur, so it’s worth a shot to me.
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The first half of the Major League Baseball season is now over. For some, this means discussions can start about MVP races, Cy Young races, the trading deadline, and of course division standings.
For me, it is instead a time to look at the types of statistics and awards not often looked at.
These awards are not for the best pitcher, or the best team. Rather, they are for various players who fit a certain trait, whether it is having a hard luck season, having all power and no speed, etc.
After a long 14-year drought, the National League finally beat the American League in the All-Star Game, 3-1. The hero of the game for the NL was Brian McCann, who hit a bases-clearing double in the 7th inning.
Now that the NL can finally relax knowing they can actually win this game, it is now time to look at next year to see what they can improve upon, and see what they need to do to win again.
The All-Star Break is just about upon us, which marks the real halfway point for the baseball season. Awards can start to be discussed, playoff pictures can start to be formed, and those who are playing the best and worst can be looked at as well.
There are those who started off strong but have completely disappeared, and those who have had an amazing June for their team. This is not an end-all be-all list; there are many others who are hot and cold as well.
Here’s an analysis of five of the hottest and five of the coldest players in the league right now.
The year 2010 has been the year of rookies and farewells.
Stephen Strasburg and Jason Heyward make their mark, while Key Griffey, Jr. and Chipper Jones make their final path around the bases. Likewise, the steroid era finally seems past us as home run totals are shrinking and pitching is making a comeback.
When it comes to the Home Run Derby, this makes it harder to expect pure dominance.
We won’t have a McGwire vs. Sosa matchup, though we could always get lucky and have another Josh Hamilton story. Still, one of the problems with the derby has always been the inability to get the cream of the crop in home run talent.
Last year seemed to take the top level of home run hitters, with Prince Fielder and his 46 homers that season winning in the derby. This year looks to be the same, with Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano, and others taking the plunge.
While I don’t have a problem with the Home Run Derby, I have an idea for something that could make it even better.
In an episode of Around The Horn this week, Woody Paige suggested having a Home Run Derby for the grizzled vets of the league, such as Matt Stairs and Ken Griffey, Jr. In keeping with that idea, I suggest an old vs. new style of derby.
Much like how the derby is currently divided into American and National Leagues, the new derby would be divided into the same, but then four others will be added in.
Those four will be players between 35 and 50 years old (we want to make sure they can still hit, and we also wouldn’t mind the recently retired to participate) who have participated in derbies past or are known for their home run hitting.
If Prince Fielder does not wish to participate, then we’ll being in Cecil Fielder; have Bernie Williams face off against David Ortiz.
These are just a couple examples of what may happen. Naturally, the rounds would have to be modified; it would move from 12 to 6 to 2 so as not to make it last too long.
Here’s how it may look.
Home Run Derby Lineup, Old v. New Projected:
AL: Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz, Vernon Wells
NL: Corey Hart, Matt Holliday, two TBD
Vets: Chipper Jones, Ken Griffey, Jr., Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Garret Anderson, Andres Galarraga, the possibilities are many, especially coming off the steroid era.
Of course, this is not without its drawbacks.
The current players are earning their spots on the derby, while the vets would just be handed spots, which is not exactly fair.
Also, how do we know these players can still hit?
They may end up being terrible. What might be the major thing against it is the same thing that the current derby already faces.
If the current stars aren’t participating, and the veteran stars aren’t either, then it takes away from watching it. I’d love to see Barry Bonds hit in the derby again; Dante Bichette not so much.
There are other options that could be implemented as opposed to a new section.
Instead, there could be an extra slot each year reserved for derby winners past, and the format otherwise would remain the same.
There are plenty of ways to tweak the format to make it work if anyone higher up liked the general idea of the past and present duking it out for superiority.
So, what is your opinion of a Home Run Derby expansion?
Is it a good idea, an idea that needs work, or a terrible idea?
Have I struck gold, or am I sounding entirely moronic?
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Stephen Strasburg is one of the most hyped pitchers baseball has seen in a long time. So far, he’s shown his dominance in his first three outings, and seems to be living up to the hype. In fact, some columnists, such as MLB.com’s Mike Bauman, are saying that Strasburg should be in the All-Star game on July 13.
It’s the funniest thing I’ve heard this week. There are a mountain of reasons why he shouldn’t get the nod, many of which have already been mentioned. First off, he’s pitched in three games. Let that sink in a bit. He’s played great in those three games, of course, but putting in someone that new just doesn’t make sense.
Are we going to put Carlos Santana in the All-Star game too? He’s hitting nearly .400 in his first nine career games. Even Mike Leake may not get in, but at least he’s been performing the entire season and not two weeks.
Also, keep in mind who he’s faced. He played against the Pittsburgh Pirates (poor hitting team), the Cleveland Indians (poor hitting team), and the Chicago White Sox (poor hitting team). Strasburg better be playing well against them. He’ll be playing next against the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves, who are much better hitting teams. If he wound up 4-0 at the end of that with a 1.50 ERA, that would look a lot better.
Even if he did that though, I wouldn’t put him in for one reason: The starters in the National League are dominant this year. Aside from Ubaldo Jimenez, you have Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, and about eight other possibilities in the NL West alone. There’s so many options for Charlie Manuel to pick from that Strasburg won’t be in that list.
Looking through some of the arguments for having him in the All-Star game, my thoughts don’t change at all. Among them are, “it would be a more popular All-Star Game with him,” “it’s the 32 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings,” along with others. The All-Star game is supposed to recognize the best, not the most popular. If we were going to pick based on hype and popularity, then half the players this year would be rookies this year.
Yet, looking at the MLB.com poll, 40% say that he should be in it.
He’s been amazing so far. I get that. He’s going to be in many All-Star games in his career. Putting him in one after he’s played against three bottom-rung teams is just ridiculous though. Let him continue to perform before we even speak of this. If he can dominate against Kansas City and Atlanta, then I’ll at least consider the possibility.
Until he performs over a long period of time (more than a handful of starts), let’s not give him more credit than he deserves. He’s going to have a great career. We don’t have to exhaust our praise of him now.
After all, for every Juan Marichal, there’s a Dwight Gooden and three Karl Spooner’s. He’s had an amazing minor league rise and first three starts, but that’s what they are: his first three starts. That does not equal an All-Star appearance.
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It’s a wonder seeing a starting pitcher winless this far into the season. After 13 or 14 starts, one would expect several wins, losses, and no decisions from them. When you’re paying a guy over $7 million to pitch for your team, you expect a few wins, especially if your team’s in first place.
The Baltimore Orioles feel this way about Kevin Millwood, certainly. He has 14 appearances, a 5.16 ERA, an 0-8 record, and leads the American League in home runs and hits allowed. It could be that his career is nearing his end.
He’s not the hard-luck pitcher of 2005, but a battered down shell of himself.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Kenshin Kawakami, on the other hand, could be the new heir to the hard luck crown, or an absolute joke, depending on one’s view.
He currently has an 0-9 record, a 4.42 ERA, 25 walks, 50 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.418 in 13 games. Most of those stats look like ones from your typical 4th or 5th starter, except for that first one.
In Kawakami’s case, should he really be winless this far into the season? That answer is a resounding no. Atlanta’s 3-10 when he starts, which isn’t good by any means, but let’s look at those three wins:
May 14 vs. Arizona—Four runs, three earned in 4.1 innings. The Braves won thanks to a two-run ninth, 6-5, so no credit to Kawakami there.
May 19 vs. Cincinnati—Kawakami threw six shutout innings with five strikeouts, but the Reds scored eight runs in the eighth to tie the game and give Kawakami the no decision. He would have gotten the win if not for a rare bad performance by Takashi Saito.
June 9 vs. Arizona—Same story. Six shutout innings, eight K’s, but no run support until the eighth inning. Should have a win.
So Kawakami should have at least two wins in those shutouts. Does he deserve the losses he has though? He gave up at least three runs in each of those losses, so I can’t write any of them off.
A 2-9 record is nonetheless still quite poor, and still keeps him in the company of Wandy Rodriguez and Charlie Morton, both of whom have nine losses, though they have wins at least.
Kawakami’s other stats also seem to support the hard-luck theory. He’s not in the top 10 NL pitchers in any bad categories (hits allowed, earned runs, wild pitches, etc.) and his WAR is a very average 0.0. In fact, his WAR, ERA+, and WHIP are all better, albeit slightly, than fellow Braves’ pitcher Derek Lowe, who is sitting pretty with an 8-5 record.
To argue the side of him being bad though, he needs to keep the earned runs down if he wants to win. If he allows three earned and the Braves lose, 3-2, then oh well, he should’ve allowed fewer. Furthermore, he has one very concerning stat: He has never finished out the seventh inning, and five times he failed to make it past the fifth.
It’s hard to win a game when you don’t pitch a good deal of it.
Nonetheless, I’m going to fall into the camp that thinks Braves’ fans need to give the guy a break. He’s not pitching all that well, but he’s not terrible. Some teams would love to have him. I’m sure the Orioles would trade Millwood for him, and the Pirates could use a decent starter (Never said they were good teams).
It’s difficult to think of a pitcher for a first place team as hard-luck, but if anyone falls under that umbrella besides Zack Greinke, it’s Kawakami. He allows some earned runs, but they’re few enough that Heyward or Prado should be able to knock a few runs in for him.
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