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World Series 2013: Breaking Down Game 3 Between Red Sox and Cardinals

Game 3 of the 2013 World Series will be played on Saturday night, and if this game is anything like we’ve seen through the first two, it should be quite a fun one to watch.

The Boston Red Sox were able to take Game 1 quite easily, winning 8-1 over the St. Louis Cardinals. Game 2 was a different story, however, as the Cardinals were able to win 4-2 thanks to a wild seventh inning.

Below is a full breakdown of Game 3, including viewing information, previewing both teams and predicting the final score.

 

Viewing Information

Date: Saturday, Oct. 26

Time: 8:07 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

 

Boston Red Sox

Starting Pitcher: Jake Peavy

At 32 years old, Jake Peavy will finally be making his first career start in the World Series, but it hasn’t been the most successful postseason for the established veteran.

In his two starts during the playoffs this year, Peavy has struggled.  He’s allowed eight earned runs and 10 hits in just 8.2 innings of work, giving him an ERA of 8.31.  In his 23 starts during the regular season, Peavy wasn’t great, but he was solid with a 12-5 record and a 4.17 ERA.

Before this year, Peavy had just two career postseason starts.  Both of those starts happened to be against the Cardinals in 2005 and 2006 when he was with the San Diego Padres.  They didn’t go well, however, as he gave up a total of 13 runs.

This is a huge opportunity for Peavy to add to what has been a very successful career, but he’s going to really turn it around after giving up seven earned runs in just three innings against the Detroit Tigers in his last start.

 

Player to Watch: David Ortiz

When it comes to the Red Sox, there’s no player more popular than David Ortiz.

Ortiz has already come up with a home run in each of the first two games of the World Series. He’s gone 4-for-6 with five RBI, making his case for the World Series MVP award if the Red Sox can win it all.

In the playoffs, Ortiz is hitting .268 with 12 RBI and five home runs, the most of any player this postseason. He’s also been walked nine times, giving him an on-base percentage of .392.

After hitting 30 home runs and 103 RBI while hitting .309 this past season, Ortiz has had an equally impressive postseason. At 37 years old, his career is slowly starting to wind down, but if he can have another solid game or two in this series, he could be the MVP.

 

St. Louis Cardinals

Starting Pitcher: Joe Kelly

At just 25 years old, Joe Kelly is starting to develop nicely as a starting pitcher for the Cardinals, but he needs to step up big in Game 3.

Kelly got limited action as a starter in 2013, playing in 37 games and starting in 15 of them. When he was out there, he was solid, posting a 2.69 ERA and 124 hits in 124 innings pitched.  

In the postseason, Kelly has been an average starter, not living up to how he played in the regular season. He’s allowed nine total runs and 18 hits in 16.1 innings pitched, leaving something to be desired.

Kelly struggled limiting walks in the regular season, giving up 44, but he’s also done a good job forcing ground balls and limiting extra-base hits. If he can focus on continuing to get batters out with balls in the dirt, Kelly could have a shot to pull out the win.

 

Player to Watch: Carlos Beltran

The clear leader of the Cardinals stepped up in Game 2, but before the game there was fear that he wasn’t even going to be able to play.

In Game 1, Beltran was able to rob Ortiz of a grand slam, but the Cardinals likely wished he had just let it go in the loss. According to Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com, Beltran suffered a severe rib bruise on the play and was listed as day-to-day.

That didn’t stop Beltran from playing in Game 2, however. He was big in the win, going 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the seventh inning.

This postseason, Beltran is hitting .273 with two home runs and a league-leading 13 runs batted in. He’s come up with plenty of big plays in the playoffs, including a walk-off single in the bottom of the 13th inning in Game 1 of the NLCS.

The big question will be if Beltran can continue to play at a high level with the rib injury. If he can, then the Cardinals could rally behind him.

 

Prediction

Both starting pitchers have had their struggles, but I think that Peavy is the first one to get rattled and pulled.

Peavy has dealt with inconsistency this season, and he’s yet to have a solid outing in the postseason. Kelly has the age advantage and likely has a less tired arm.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are going to be playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in this series, and that can actually play a big role in the game.

While all eyes will be on Beltran, look for others like Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday and Allen Craig to step up in this one and give the Cardinals some much-needed runs.

Prediction: Cardinals 7, Red Sox 4

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MLB Rumors: Possible Landing Spots for Star Players

With the World Series starting up on Wednesday, the rumors are starting to swirl about some big names in the MLB, and a few of them could be heading to new teams for the 2014 season.

Players like Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury and Curtis Granderson are getting a lot of attention regarding their future as the season winds down, but there are actually more than a few really good players that will likely be on the move over the next month or two.

With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most recent rumors regarding some marquee players.

 

Billy Butler on Trading Block

The Kansas City Royals had a strong season in 2013, going 86-76 on the year.  This team is certainly improving and looking to make a push in the AL Central, but it also looks like they’re going to try and get rid of one of their more well-known players.

Buster Olney from ESPN reported that the Royals are looking to move designated hitter Billy Butler in a potential trade.  

As Olney points out, Butler is due $8 million in 2014 and $12.5 million in 2015 before his contract is over. That’s a pretty big price tag for a player that’s really ideally suited to be a designated hitter, which means that there is likely going to be a limited market for the slugger.

Still, Butler is a very solid player.  He played in all 162 games last year, hitting .289 with 15 home runs and 82 RBI this past season.  He had a strong on-base percentage of .374 and a 1.5 WAR.

At 27 years old, Butler is still in his prime and can put up some really big numbers.  In 2012, he had over 100 RBI and 29 home runs, and he has a chance to put up numbers like that for the next few seasons.

The price may be a bit steep, but there’s bound to be a couple of teams willing to trade for a DH that can put up some solid numbers like Butler.

 

Braves Looking to Trade for Brandon Phillips?

After being knocked out of the playoffs in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves are looking to add some more talent and possibly trade for a new second baseman.

With Dan Uggla struggling this past year, the Braves are reportedly interested in acquiring Brandon Phillips from the Cincinnati Reds.  David O’Brien from ajc.com reported that the Braves are looking to trade for Phillips, and would likely have to give up Uggla and a top prospect for the 32-year-old second baseman.

Uggla seriously struggled this season, hitting a career-low .179 and posting a -1.3 WAR.  His production continues to dip and he’s still due $26 million over the next two seasons.

For Phillips, he didn’t have his best season either, but he was a more productive player than Uggla.  He batted .261, his lowest mark since 2008, but also had 103 RBI and 80 runs scored.

If the Braves decide to make this move, it will show that the Braves’ plan on trying to win now rather than later.  It would be a good move for the Braves to try and get an upgrade, and the Reds could get a talented young prospect to begin building for a new era in Cincinnati with Dusty Baker gone.

 

Brian McCann Preparing For Huge Potential Payday

While the Braves are looking for an upgrade at second base, they may also have to find someone to replace their star catcher, who is now a free agent with their season over.

Jon Heyman from CBS Sports reported that a number of teams could be interested in the seven-time All-Star catcher, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and several others.

In his report, Heyman goes into more detail about what McCann could be worth, saying:

McCann’s consistent offensive numbers, his relative youth and even his serious attitude should aid him as he approaches the free-agent market. But another big plus is the large number of big-market teams that’ll be seeking a catcher.

Early predictions that he could reach $100 million may be a bit ambitious, but it has to help that the Red SoxYankeesRangersCubs and Angels all are candidates to sign a catcher and could be major McCann players. The Blue Jays and White Sox are among ther teams that could have an interest, as well.

There are few catchers that are as exciting to watch as McCann.  He played in only 102 games this past year, due to having surgery to repair his torn right labrum, but he had strong numbers for a catcher when he was able to come back.  He hit .256 with 20 home runs, 57 RBI and a 2.2 WAR.  

McCann is clearly one of the best all-around catchers in the majors, and with a number of teams desperately needing a game-changer at the position, he’s bound to get a massive payday this offseason.

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MLB Playoffs 2013: Most Exciting Pitchers to Watch in Championship Series

As exciting as big-time hits can be in the MLB playoffs, some of the best pitchers in all of baseball are still standing in the AL and NL Championship Series, and the performances we will see from them will be just as thrilling.

There were some very impressive pitching performances in the Division Series.  We saw Sonny Gray toss eight shutout innings for the Oakland Athletics in Game 2 of the ALDS, striking out nine batters in the process.  We also saw Michael Wacha bring a no-hitter into the eighth inning before getting blasted for a home run.

With just four teams remaining, let’s take a look at the biggest pitchers left in the playoffs, followed by a breakdown of what has made them so good.

 

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

 

When it comes to dominant pitchers, there might not be a better one than Clayton Kershaw.

A 1.83 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 232 strikeouts and 236 innings pitched in the regular season makes Kershaw the clear front-runner for the NL Cy Young Award.  He’s been even more dominant in his two playoff starts, pitching 13 innings while allowing just six hits and one earned run.

Kershaw has three absolutely deadly pitches with his four-seam fastball, slider and curveball.  According to Pitch f/x data from Baseball Prospectus, Kershaw‘s four-seamer has more vertical movement than any other starting pitcher in the majors.

The curve for Kershaw is one of the best in baseball.  According to FanGraphs.com, his curveball has a pitch value of 11.6, the fourth-highest in the majors behind A.J. Burnett, Adam Wainwright and Stephen Strasburg.

We will see Kershaw pitch again in Game 2 of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Cardinals will bring out their own star pitcher in Game 3 of the series.

 

Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

While Kershaw has the NL Cy Young locked up for the 2013 season, Adam Wainwright still had an absolutely fantastic season in the National League.

Wainwright finished the regular season with a 19-9 record, posting a 2.94 ERA and striking out 219 batters in 241.2 innings.  He pitched in five complete games during the season, including two shutouts.

His two outings against the Pittsburgh Pirates were quite impressive in the NLDS.  He pitched seven innings and allowed just one earned run in a 9-1 victory during Game 1, then finished the series in Game 5 with a complete game, allowing one run and striking out six in the series-clinching win.

The curveball is Wainwright’s best pitch, much like Kershaw‘s.  Based off of those pitch value numbers from FanGraphs.com, Wainwright’s curve was the second-best in the majors with a value of 17.1.

Combined with a four-seam fastball, sinker and cutter, Wainwright has a great repertoire to take down any opposing batting order.

Like I said earlier, we will see Wainwright in Game 3 of the NLCS, although everyone would agree that it would be amazing to see both Kershaw and Wainwright pitch in the same game.

 

Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers

As crazy as it would have sounded at the beginning of the season, Justin Verlander was not the best pitcher on the Tigers in 2013.  That title was instead given to Max Scherzer, who simply lit it up this season, and should be the AL Cy Young Award winner.

In 32 starts this past season, Scherzer was terrific.  He had an ERA of just 2.90, held opposing batters to just a .198 average, struck out 240 batters and boasted a 21-3 record.

Scherzer only started one game against the Athletics, but it was a good one.  He pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and three hits while striking out 11 batters in the win.  He then came on in relief in Game 4, pitching two innings and allowing just one run to take another win.

The Tigers’ pitcher throws a simply filthy fastball, with some of the best movement you’ll see anywhere.  He’ll usually throw that fastball at around 94 miles per hour, while also throwing a nice sinker, changeup, slider and curveball.  According to Brooks Baseball, hitters only had a .199 average against Scherzer‘s slider.

Scherzer will be starting Game 2 in the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, but it will be no easy task.  With sluggers like David Ortiz and Mike Napoli in the lineup, Scherzer will have to be very careful in how he pitches to this stacked batting order.

 

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MLB Playoff Schedule 2013: When to Catch Remaining Championship Series Games

After the long night that got things started, it’s time to look forward to the remaining MLB playoff games in the NL and AL Championship Series.

Carlos Beltran came away with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals the win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, putting them up 1-0 in the series.  Beltran accounted for all three runs batted in for the day.

Below is the remaining schedule for both the ALCS and NLCS, followed by a quick breakdown of both series.

 

ALCS: Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox

It just seems fitting that arguably the best offense in the majors is going against one of the best groups of starting pitchers in the ALCS.

The Tigers have some tremendous pitchers with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez.  Verlander was especially dominant in the ALDS, starting twice and pitching 15 innings with six hits, zero runs and 21 strikeouts.

The bats took a while to get going, but the Tigers were able to score when it mattered. Miguel Cabrera, who had been hobbled in the series, came up with a huge two-run homer in Game 5 to put the Tigers on top.

For the Red Sox, they had no problem breezing through the Tampa Bay Rays, taking them out in four games.  David Ortiz played a big role in the team’s Game 2 win thanks to two home runs.

After scoring 26 runs in just four games, you can bet that those bats are hot in Boston.

This is going to be an explosive series with a lot of big plays for both teams.

 

NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

If every game in this series is going to be like Game 1, we’re going to be in for one heck of a ride.

Zack Greinke had a terrific outing for the Dodgers, going eight innings. He allowed only two earned runs and four hits in the game and struck out 10 batters.

We will see Clayton Kershaw once again in Game 2 for Los Angeles, and that’s a treat.  In the two starts he had against the Atlanta Braves in the ALDS, Kershaw pitched 13 innings, struck out 18 batters and allowed just one run.

The Cardinals will be countering the Dodgers by sending out Michael Wacha in Game 2, and he was incredible in his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He had a no-hitter going through 7.1 innings, but then gave up a solo home run to Pedro Alvarez.  

He threw 96 pitches and struck out nine batters in the process.

Both teams have weapons on offense as well. The Dodgers have guys like Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Juan Uribe. The Cardinals have players like Matt Carpenter, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday.

It was just one game, but we got a really good look at both of these teams.  If this game was any indication, the series could go seven games and be one of the more memorable NLCS in recent memory.

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MLB Playoff Predictions 2013: Projections for National League Bracket

The American League Wild Card race may not be over yet, but the National League playoff picture is finally set, and we can begin making our predictions for that entire half of the playoff bracket. 

The Wild Card teams have been set, with the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates taking the spots in the first year with two wild card teams playing a one-game playoff round to determine who will advance to the NLDS.

With everything set, here are my predictions for how the NL playoffs will turn out.

Note: Seeding projections based off of CBS Sports’ playoff picture as of Sept. 27.

 

NL Wild Card

Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

In their first playoff appearance since 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be taking on their divisional rivals, the Cincinnati Reds.

This is going to be a good one.

The two teams will be sending out their aces in this one, but both lineups have enough pop in to bring in runs. Andrew McCutchen has had another great season for the Pirates, batting .317 with 20 home runs and 83 runs batted in. Joey Votto has had a solid season as well, putting up 24 home runs while batting .305.

This is a tough one to guess at, but in a one-game series, I like the Pirates’ magic to continue into the NLDS.

Pirates advance to NLDS, beat Reds 5-3

 

NLDS

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers may have had that blazing streak a month or so ago, but the St. Louis Cardinals are on a hot streak of their own right now, winning eight of their last 10 games.

The balance between batting and pitching for the Cardinals has been impressive this season.  

They rank third overall in the majors—766 runs and on-base percentage at .331—while their pitching staff ranks sixth with a 3.47 ERA and eight with a 1.25 WHIP.

The Dodgers’ bats have been on and off, but their pitching staff has been one of the best in the league, with an ERA of just 3.29 and WHIP of 1.23. Yasiel Puig has become a superstar over the past few months, batting 3.22 with 19 home runs and 42 runs batted in in just 102 games played.

Despite all of the hype surrounding the Dodgers this season, I don’t think they can get past the Cardinals. With how much talent is spread out on their lineup, it’s really hard to see them losing this one.

Cardinals advance to NLCS, win series 3-1.

 

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta Braves

As magical as the Pirates’ season has been, this might be where they finally fall.

The Braves arguably have the best pitching staff in all of baseball right now.  Kris Medlen has been brilliant this season, posting a 3.11 ERA with 157 strikeouts in 197 inning pitches.  Julio Teheran has been even better, striking out 167 in 180.2 innings pitched with a 3.09 ERA.

There is a lot of star power in the batting order.

Players like Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman and Brian McCann have make big plays with their bats throughout the season. The bats may be held to fewer runs in this series with the likes of Burnett and Francisco Liriano going against them, but they’ll find ways to generate some runs.

A strong pitching staff can take you a long way. The Braves have the stronger pitchers in this one, and should come away with a series win.

Braves advance to NLCS, win series 3-2.

 

NLCS

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves

This is the matchup that almost everyone wants to see, and it’s going to be a good one.

If this series goes for six or seven games, we could get to see Adam Wainwright twice, and he’s been fantastic this year.  

He’s gone 18-9 with an ERA of just 3.01 and gone 236.1 innings. Matt Carpenter and Yadier Molina have been the leaders on offense, batting .321 and .316 respectively and combining for 23 home runs, 193 runs scored and 156 runs batted in.

The Braves have three strong pitchers to go through the series with Medlen, Teheran and even Mike Minor. Minor has gone 13-8 this season with 175 strikeouts and a WHIP of just 1.08.  

The return of Jason Heyward could give this team a lift in the postseason as well. Before leaving with a broken jaw, he played in 102 games and hit 2.56 with 14 home runs and 65 runs scored.

This will be a tight series, but the Cardinals have too much depth on their roster for them not to pull out the series. They have a strong pitching staff and a superior lineup with playmakers coming from almost everywhere.

Cardinals advance to World Series, win series 4-3.

 

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September Call-Ups 2013: Exciting Prospects Who Will See Late MLB Action

After a long season, September call-ups are almost here, and there are a number of exciting prospects that will be getting called up to the majors in the coming weeks.

From September 1 until the regular season ends, any player on the 40-man roster is allowed to play in an MLB game.  This means that guys on the Triple-A and even some Double-A teams will be allowed to move up to their organization’s MLB team, many for the first time in their careers.

This year features a number of very exciting prospects.  From incredible speed on the bases to a nasty curveball, there are all sorts of prospects to look out for in September.

 

Jameson Taillon, P, Pittsburgh Pirates

All of the prospect hype for the Pirates this season has been about Gerrit Cole, the hard-throwing right-hander who has gone 6-7 with a 3.80 ERA in his first season in the big leagues.

While Cole has been great, Jameson Taillon is getting close to being ready to join the Pirates’ pitching staff as well.

Taillon is used to being overshadowed at this point.  He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft, behind none other than Bryce Harper.  

Since being called up to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, Taillon has gone 1-2 with a 3.77 ERA.  He’s thrown 31 strikeouts in 31 innings while holding opposing batters to a .231 average.

His fastball is certainly a plus-pitch and he has terrific break on his curveball, and the Pirates could certainly use him in the bullpen this month.  Just wait a little bit longer, and Taillon will be a household name up in the big leagues.

 

Billy Hamilton, OF, Cincinnati Reds

When it comes to speed, there’s probably no one that’s faster than Billy Hamilton.

When you can steal over 150 bases over two levels of the minor leagues in just a single season, you know that you’re pretty fast.  Hamilton was able to do just that last year in the Single-A plus and Double-A leagues.  Through 123 games in 2013, he’s put up another 75 stolen bases.

There are still some things that Hamilton needs to work on, however.  He’s hitting just .256 and is striking out 18.6 percent on the time.  He has yet to establish himself as a strong hitter, but his speed has made up for that at this level.

It will be interesting to see how the Reds utilize Hamilton in September.  He could be an incredibly valuable pinch runner that could come in and run the bases with blazing speed.  He may struggle as a hitter at this level, but he could still make some plays.

 

Nick Castellanos, OF, Detroit Tigers

There are few players that have the potential of Nick Castellanos, and he has enough of it to eventually become one of the most complete players in the major leagues one day.

As a hitter, Castellanos does a good job adjusting and has some nice pop in his bat.  He’s hitting .276 with an on-base percentage of .343 at the Triple-A level, driving in 74 runs.  He’s also shown off his power, hitting 17 home runs this year with a slugging percentage of .446.

As an outfielder, Castellanos has a terrific arm and can be an above-average fielder.  He has some nice speed and can catch up to line drives and make big plays on defense.

The Tigers are starting to put some space between themselves and the rest of the AL Central, and they could always use some fresh legs.  Castellanos could be just the guy that they’re looking for.  

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Johnny Cueto Injury: Updates on Reds Pitcher’s Lat

It appears that Johnny Cueto is in trouble once again, and the Cincinnati Reds will have to deal with their top starting pitcher potentially being out due to injury.

UPDATE: Saturday, June 29, at 5:24 p.m. ET by Kyle Vassalo

John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer provides the update Reds fans have been dreading:

—End of Update—

UPDATE: Friday, June 28, at 9:38 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

The Reds announced Cueto’s specific injury via Twitter:

—End of update—

*Original Text*

According to Mark Sheldon, the Reds beat reporter for MLB.com, Cueto was injured for the third time this year after only one inning of work against the Texas Rangers on Friday.

Cueto has had a tough season battling injuries.  He has on the disabled list from April 15 to May 19 with a strained muscle in his right shoulder to start the season.  He came back to pitch a couple of outings but was then put back on the DL on June 6.

In his nine games he’s started for the Reds, Cueto has gone 4-1 with a 3.33 ERA and a WHIP of only 1.07.  However, in his two games back from the most recent DL, he went 1-1 with a 6.97 ERA.

The Reds certainly needed all of the help they could get at this point, and losing Cueto once again won’t help.  Despite a solid 45-34 record before this most recent injury to Cueto, they are still only third in the NL Central.

The pitching staff has been doing solid without Cueto, however, boasting a team ERA of only 3.52, the fourth-best mark in the National League.  Their opposing batting average of .241 is also second best in the NL, next to the Pittsburgh Pirates at .226.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out for the Reds later on in the season, but there’s one thing that’s certain: Yet another injury to Cueto is bad news for the Reds.

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Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw Reportedly Making Progress on Blockbuster Extension

In a year that has featured a couple of blockbuster deals for pitchers, it appears that Clayton Kershaw may very well be the next pitcher to land a megadeal.

According to a report by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers are currently in talks with Kershaw about a contract extension.  The extension would likely be for seven years and over $180 million, which means it would top the deal Justin Verlander got back in March.  Felix Hernandez was able to sign a seven-year deal worth $175 million back in February. 

That means that if this deal goes over the $180 million mark, Kershaw will be the highest-paid pitcher in baseball.

Apparently, the two sides also talked about a few other deals, including a deal that would be for 12 years and worth $300 million.

The 2011 NL Cy Young Award winner has a 66-41 record and 2.71 ERA to go along with 1,070 strikeouts over his career. In 2011, he went 21-5 with a 2.28 ERA and 248 strikeouts.

This season has been just as impressive for Kershaw.  Although his team has been struggling, he has an ERA of only 1.84 paired with a microscopic 0.97 WHIP.  He leads the National League with the best ERA and most strikeouts with 104.

At only 25 years old, the two-time All-Star certainly appears to deserve a big contract.  He’s been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season for the Dodgers, who are currently last in the NL West division.

Although nothing has been decided as of yet, the two sides appear to be working hard at getting this deal done. Once it is finalized, expect yet another huge contract for a fantastic pitcher.

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Josh Hamilton’s Wife Had to Call Security in Star’s Return to Arlington

Josh Hamilton’s wife Katie had some problems at the Rangers game on Friday.

According to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com, Katie had to call for security at the Ballpark in Arlington as Hamilton’s new team, the Los Angeles Angels, took on his old one, the Texas Rangers. It continues:

“People were being ugly, not necessarily [just] booing,” Hamilton, the former Rangers star, said. “They were being inappropriate with kids around. And that was before the game even started.” Hamilton said the security guards remained stationed in Katie’s area of the stands throughout the game, and there were no more incidents after the pre-game insults.  Rangers spokesman John Blake said Saturday afternoon that the Angels requested additional security because of a few “overexuberant fans.” There were no ejections, according to Blake.

The heckling was likely due to the departure of Hamilton from the Rangers this offseason.  He signed with the Angels for a 5-year contract worth $125 million in December.

Fans often boo players who leave their home teams, but this time things went a little too far, and Hamilton’s wife no longer felt safe at the ballpark.

The season hasn’t been good to Hamilton thus far. In his first five games, he’s only gotten one hit, batting .050 with ten strikeouts. His first game back at Arlington didn’t go so well either, as the slugger went 0-for-4 with two punch-outs. 

This won’t be the last series between the Angels and Rangers. The two teams are both in the AL West, meaning that they play each other several times this season, both in Arlington and Anaheim. 

The situation with Hamilton’s wife is sure to add a measure of intensity to the remainder of this series.

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