Nicknames and baseball go together like peanut butter and jelly.
There are literally thousands of different nicknames that baseball players have acquired though their careers, and we all have our favorites.
Making a list of the top 50 nicknames is difficult, because there are some great players and nicknames that have to be left off the list. So I guess I’m apologizing in advance if I left your favorite off the list.
Here are the top 50 nicknames in MLB history:
At first glance the N.L. Central would seem to be a two-team race between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers. Some people add the St. Louis Cardinals to the mix because, well, they’re the St. Louis Cardinals. But most analysts seem to agree that it’s between the Reds with their combination of speed, power and pitching, and the Brewers, who have one of the top offenses in baseball.
But hold on!
If you take a closer look you’ll see that each team in the division has significant weaknesses as well as some hidden strengths, making this a five-team race (sorry, Houston) that could come down to the wire and be one of the most exciting in baseball for the 2011 season.
So now, a look at each team and why they can win and why they won’t…
Spring Training is finally in full swing, which means the regular season is just around the corner. For some players, Spring Training is just a time to fine tune their skills before the season. But for others, it’s a chance to earn a spot on a big league roster.
From rookies to free-agent signings, there are many players battling for positions around the majors this spring. Here is a breakdown of the six most intense outfield position battles.
Let me make something clear from the jump: I like Dusty Baker.
I like the way he jiggles toothpicks between his teeth, popping them around anxiously as he stares at his lineup card and contemplates a double switch. I like the way he tells it like it is to reporters, avoiding the tired manager clichés and speaking from his gut.
And, I like the way that when the game is on the line, he becomes as big a fan as the rest of us, slapping his hands together after a crucial strikeout and pumping his brittle, 62-year-old fists in the air when his closer slams the door.
More importantly, however, Dusty has brought success to Cincinnati, something very few managers in recent memory have done.
Since joining the Reds in 2008, Baker made modest strides his first two seasons, only to guide his 2010 squad to a National League Central title, the Reds’ first playoff berth in 15 years.
While many will point to the emergence of young pitching talent and the MVP season of Joey Votto, the Reds’ triumphant 2010 campaign can just as easily be traced back to Baker.
When he isn’t fly fishing in Colorado, spinning yarns from his playing days or traveling to Cuba to sample jazz records, Baker has been the consummate player’s coach. He stands behind his men at every juncture, and (at least in 2010) puts them in the best position to succeed.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that when Baker signed on, his ghosts from Chicago worried me. Known to be partial to crotchety veterans, wary of youth and a Grim Reaper to young power arms (see: Wood, Kerry and Prior, Mark), Baker’s arrival in Cincinnati was met roundly by fan trepidation.
After all, Reds followers had endured years of teams led by the likes of the Rich Aurilias and Jason Larues of the world. In a transition filled with anticipation and hope, the last thing fans wanted was to witness a guy continuously ignore young talent while sending top pitching prospects Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto to the operating table.
To be fair, though, Baker set out immediately to disprove his national reputation. While starting the 2008 season with Scott Hatteberg at first, Baker soon embraced the promise of a young Votto, steadily upping his playing time until he unseated the incumbent first basemen for good.
Baker also deserves a portion of the credit for turning Edinson Volquez, fresh off the plane from the Texas Rangers and saddled with mixed scouting reports, into a 17-game winner and an All-Star his first year with the Reds.
More recently, Baker allowed himself the foresight to let rookie Mike Leake crack the Reds’ 2010 Opening Day roster. Leake quickly became the stalwart of the Reds rotation in the first half.
Yes, in Baker’s three seasons in Cincy, he’s come a long way, not only in cleansing his national reputation, but also in earning the trust and admiration of many Reds fans. However, when Baker named Edinson Volquez his Opening Day starter on Tuesday (barely a week into Spring Training), he took a step backward.
Some will support Baker’s announcement, citing Volquez’ 2008 totals and arguing he is the only Reds starter with true “number one stuff.” Others will blast Baker for the move, as he surely has two more deserving starters in Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto.
A third contingent will look at Baker’s decision and wonder if it wasn’t just a classic case of Baker over-analyzing his way into another stumble-bum move.
Now, before we consider Baker’s reasons for basically designating Volquez the ace, let’s take stock of the options he had to choose from. In one corner, we have Arroyo, a five-year Red and fresh off of two straight seasons of at least 15 wins (17 in 2010) and a sub-4.00 ERA.
In the opposite corner we have Cueto, still only 24, but who has increased his win total in each of the past three years and has been as reliable a starter as the Reds have had in that time frame. Both Arroyo and Cueto were recently awarded lucrative contract extensions, and both are assured spots in Cincinnati’s 2011 rotation.
Then we have Volquez. Proud owner of eight total wins over the last two years, Volquez spent the 2010 season adding insult to injury, as he was suspended for testing positive for an illegal drug. Volquez’ insistence that what the tests showed were female fertility drugs did little to mitigate his case in the eyes of MLB officials or Reds fans.
Conveniently, Volquez was able to serve out his suspension as he rehabbed from “Tommy John” ligament surgery, but between his injury-marred 2009 and his rehab/lady-pill-stunted 2010, Volquez saw very little of the field.
Yet, despite some very obvious signs pointing in several equally-logical directions, Baker chose the road less expected. When naming Volquez as his ‘numero uno’ to start the season, Baker attempted to explain his rationale.
First, he contended, Arroyo didn’t necessarily want the start. Okay. I suppose I can swallow that. Arroyo has long been known to despise pitching in day games (Opening Day’s first pitch is at 2:10 p.m.), preferring instead to spend his afternoons wearing sunglasses and nursing hangovers.
Fair enough.
Next, Baker said he wanted to split up his hard-throwers with a soft-tosser. Again, I am okay with Arroyo going in the two-spot if he prefers it, but that doesn’t mean I’m buying the whole “rotating the rotation” argument.
Last time I checked, the Phillies weren’t worried about pitching the hard-throwing Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee back-to-back, and I’m pretty sure the Giants are fine with their one-two studly punch of Lincecum and Cain.
Yet, let’s say for the sake of argument that Dusty’s second reason held up: It’s still not cause to send Volquez out before Cueto.
Baker went on to address Cueto in his next point. When asked why Cueto wasn’t getting the nod, Baker drew on his extensive psychological acumen, explaining that Cueto had just signed a three-year contract, and was “already under enough pressure” to perform.
Now, I may not be the MOST astute observer in the world, but to me that statement begs a couple of rudimentary questions. First, what exactly are “we” paying Cueto for, if not to step his game up a level and perform well under increased scrutiny?
If, instead of signing Cueto, the Reds went out and purchased some other young fire-baller in his prime, wouldn’t the new guy in town be expected to perform at a level commensurate with his paycheck? Why should Cueto be any different?
Also, if we want to talk about pressure, we shouldn’t forget the weight Volquez carries on his shoulders after being traded for all-world star Josh Hamilton, performing prodigiously in his first Reds season, only to crash suddenly back to Earth.
Volquez has been viewed as the Reds ace-in-waiting since the Hamilton trade (unless you count Homer Bailey—but let’s face it, who really counts Homer Bailey anymore?) and since the end of the ’08 season, has done nothing but disappoint. If anything, it seems that Volquez is the one that should be babied back to prominence, not Cueto.
Finally, Baker cited Volquez’ mental toughness, saying that even in a situation as daunting as Opening Day, nothing seems to rattle his pitcher.
I beg to differ.
One needn’t mine through the annals of baseball history to find the last time Volquez wilted under pressure. In fact, in Volquez’ most recent start (the 2010 NLDS opener at the Phillies…arguably the biggest game of his career), the National Anthem barely ended before Philly had posted four earned runs on the Reds’ overmatched starter.
Volquez labored through 1.2 innings, looking so confused that no one would be surprised if he STILL was having trouble finding the strike zone. It was that bad.
Clearly Baker isn’t remembering that game. Or, if he’s anything like the rest of Reds nation, maybe he’s still trying to do his best to forget. Either way, to (essentially) imply that Volquez is the Reds’ biggest gamer is just absurd.
It doesn’t take a sabermatrician to see that Volquez folded like a moldy card table in that loss to the Phillies; a victim of hype, nerves and quite possibly a still-weakened throwing arm.
As we sit here today, it is entirely possible that many of Baker’s reasons for crowning Volquez his ace are legit. After all, it’s been widely reported that Bronson Arroyo prefers the middle of the rotation, and who knows, maybe sandwiching Arroyo’s looping curve between the heater/slider combo of Cueto and Volquez will be enough to puzzle the Brewers on Opening Weekend.
However, there’s nothing to suggest that Cueto shouldn’t get the start over Volquez. As much as Cueto earned his three-year deal, he’s earned the respect owed to a future potential ace. And, more importantly, as much as Cueto has been the picture of progress in his three years in the majors, Volquez remains a mystery.
Baker’s last point was that Volquez was honored by the opportunity; that he would relish the chance to prove himself. So, are we supposed to believe that, if asked to cap his big offseason with an Opening Day start and the chance to be the club’s ace, Cueto would say no?
Please.
Come on, Dusty, you’re better than that.
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By mid-February, most of us are securely wrapped in our winter cocoons. A multitude of wool coats clutter our closets, nights are spent wrapped in Snuggies (don’t hate) and the thought of getting up in the morning is like an icicle to the nads.
Then, just as we’re ready to give hibernation a shot (show me someone who says hibernation doesn’t sound awesome and I’ll show you a stone-cold liar), we’re reminded of the golden age of summer by one simple phrase: pitchers and catchers report.
When baseball fans hear those four words, it’s as if some bizarre baseball dog whistle pierces through the frigid still of the season, calling us to action. It’s as if a bat signal is lit in the night sky, gleaming triumphantly and reminding us the time has come. Baseball fanatics begin to cling to their Internet feeds, hungry for any nugget of intel from the Promised Lands down South.
Yep, every year, as the temperature slowly climbs and daylight invades our evening commute, America’s pastime begins to pervade our consciousness. For baseball fans, February is the beginning.
And, of course, for Reds fans it’s no different.
This winter, the talk in Cincinnati has been about sustaining a winner. Can they? Will they? What will stand in the way? With most of the roster returning, the Reds have only a select few question marks (the fourth and fifth starters will be selected from three candidates, the last bullpen and bench spots are up for grabs) and those issues have been discussed at length already.
However, while Cincinnati may not see much roster upheaval, their success in 2011 most certainly will depend on the continued development of several key youngsters, and a few new additions. So, to celebrate the pilgrimage of the Reds hurlers to Arizona, here are five pitchers (not named Chapman) whose progress should be monitored closely as Spring Training gets underway.
In articles such as this, many websites give readers a list of the best overall prospects at a given position, but the intention here is to focus on those prospects who are most likely to provide a significant fantasy impact during the 2011 season; thus, a guy like Red Sox SS prospect Jose Iglesias—who is blocked at the big league level by Marco Scutaro and Jed Lowrie—is not on my list.
Here is my list of the five shortstop prospects who will likely have the most impact at the major league level in 2011:
1. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN
2010 performance: .346, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 22 SB, 121 R (for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Nippon Professional Baseball)
Nishioka, 26, was the premier offensive player made available through Japan’s (outdated) posting system last year. The Twins bid $5.3 million for the right to negotiate with him, and then signed him to a three-year, $9 million contract. The switch-hitter is coming off a career-year. He won the NPB batting title with a .346 average, collecting 206 hits in 144 games (the highest hit total since OF Ichiro Suzuki in 1994).
With that said, his success in the United States is anything but assured. As Aaron Gleeman pointed out, he entered last season as a career .280 hitter (batting just .260 in ’09). His performance last year was fueled by a .395 BABIP, a number that is not sustainable over the long term…therefore, he is unlikely to repeat such a performance. “Yoshi” has averaged 28 stolen bases over his last seven seasons of play.
Nishioka will likely play both second base and shortstop for the Twins, though it is very possible he will eventually settle in at second base. Ultimately, the determining factor as to where he’ll end up over the long term is the performance of shortstop Alexi Casilla.
2. Zack Cozart, CIN
2010 performance: .255, 17 HR, 67 RBI, 30 SB, 91 R (at Triple-A Louisville)
There were pundits who felt Cozart might be able to break camp with the Reds in March, but that was before the front office signed free agent Edgar Renteria two weeks ago. So for now it looks like he will probably return to Louisville in an effort to improve on his 107-40 strikeout-to-walk ratio from last year.
But with Paul Janish (a career .226 hitter) and Renteria as the only impediments to his promotion to Cincinnati, it seems very likely he could make his Reds debut during the second half of the season.
Janish has a good glove, but he has registered a lowly .634 OPS over parts of three seasons with the Reds. Cozart has some power, plus he has excellent range, a good glove and a cannon for an arm. For these reasons, it’s plausible he could end up with the Reds anytime after July 1st. As with Grant Green, below, his prospects for a 2011 debut are intertwined with the team’s success.
3. Grant Green, OAK
2010 performance: .318, 20 HR, 87 RBI, 9 SB, 107 R (at Single-A Midland)
Green has drawn comparisons to Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki at the early stage of his professional career, but before fantasy fans get too excited they need to remember he put up last year’s gaudy numbers in the hitter-friendly California League.
The Athletics have SS Cliff Pennington (who hit .250 last year) and utilityman Adam Rosales (a career .241 hitter) ahead of Green on the depth chart, so the road to Oakland may not be lengthy. But, Green will have to improve on his 117-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio to force the door open at the big league level.
Still, the A’s are desperate for offense and could be tempted by Green’s power potential if they have fallen out of the division race in the second half of the season. My gut instinct is that he’ll be overmatched in The Show should he get promoted, so caveat emptor!
4. Nick Franklin, SEA
2010 performance: .283, 23 HR, 65 RBI, 25 SB, 92 R (combined stats at High-A and Double-A, primarily at High-A Clinton)
Franklin didn’t get a lot of respect as a prospect last winter. Baseball America listed him among the team’s Top 10 Prospects because of his defense, not his offense. But he was one of only three players to forge a 20-20 season in the minors last year, and he did for Clinton in the Midwest League.
He is not quite two years removed from being chosen in the first year player draft, but scouts are already saying that he looks like he will develop considerably more power than originally thought. He could reach the majors in 2011—if only because Josh Wilson is all that stands between him and The Show.
5. Andrew Cumberland, Padres
2010 performance: .350, 7 HR, 41 RBI, 21 SB, 68 R (combined stats at High-A and Double-A)
Cumberland doesn’t come with the hype of the other guys on this list, but he grabbed scouts’ attention by hitting .365 with 20 SBs for Class-A Lake Elsinore (but, once again, they’re stats that were accumulated in the heavy-hitting California League and are thus subject to scrutiny).
Considering the Padres do not have an answer at the position right now, it’s possible he will compete for a job on the Opening Day roster during spring training.
More likely, he’ll return to Double-A for additional seasoning, and if he has a solid first half he could be promoted to San Diego after the All-Star break.
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Did the Reds do enough during the offseason to make one think they have the personnel to win the division for the second straight season?
I think so. They were fairly solid with what they had after the season was over. They led the league in BA, HR, RBI, H, SLG, OPS and OPS+.
They led the league defensively in FLD PCT and fewest errors and were really deficient in a couple positions.
Pitching is an area to be improved upon. They were down on the list in most categories and lost a key reliever when they couldn’t forge a deal with All-star Arthur Rhodes.
Anyone who follows the Reds knew that they would not pick up the option on pitcher Aaron Harang. He made $12 million last season, so those savings made it a no-brainer.
They decided against picking up the option for shortstop Orlando Cabrera. Some think the signing of veteran shortstop Edgar Renteria was a mistake. I do not count myself among that crowd. The five-time All-Star has had a very good career and boasts a lifetime average of .287. In 15 seasons in MLB, he has hit over .300 on five occasions.
He was signed to be a reserve to fill in for Paul Janish, who has developed into a decent hitter. He batted .260 last year as a backup for Cabrera. Many think that manager Dusty Baker will use the veteran Renteria as a starter if he has a good spring training.
MVP Joey Votto has matured into the franchise player many predicted. He is as solid as can be at first base, and there is no reason to think this season will not be better than last.
Brandon Phillips returns as a Gold Glove second baseman. His fiery personality makes him a home fan favorite, although he is despised in most other ballparks.
Scott Rolen won another Gold Glove last season and showed very little signs of aging in his first full campaign for the Reds.
Five-year veteran outfielder Fred Lewis was signed because of his speed and ability to perhaps be the leadoff hitter they are looking for. However, he will have a long way to go to steal the job in left field from returning fan pleaser Jonny Gomes.
Gomes was second on the team in RBI last season to Votto, knocking in 86 while batting a respectable .266. He is not nearly as proficient in the field as Lewis but is a clubhouse leader and an inspiration to all of the younger players.
Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce complete the outfield. Stubbs has come along offensively and is more than competent in CF. Bruce just signed a six-year, $51 million deal, which makes for a very happy camper in right field.
Bruce enjoyed his best year offensively in the big leagues, batting .281 with 25 HR and 70 RBI. He is also one of the best, if not the best right fielder in the senior circuit.
Chris Heisey will be contending for a spot also but is most likely to spell any of the three outfielders as often as possible. Todd Frazier will be attending spring training and has high hopes of earning a spot on the squad.
The catching duties will probably be handled as they were last season, with time being split between Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan.
Top prospect catcher Yasmani Grandal will be attending his first spring training. Carrying three catchers is not something Baker is fond of, so it will be interesting to keep an eye on the spring training of all three backstops.
Returning starting pitchers include 17-game winner Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, Mike Leake, Travis Wood and Homer Bailey. They will be joined in the fight for a position in the rotation by Sam LeCure, Matt Maloney and Cuban sensation Aroldis Chapman.
Journeyman Dontrelle Willis was signed to a minor league contract and will display his wares in spring training. If he makes the squad, it is likely that he will be used in long to middle relief situations.
Closer Francisco Cordero anchors a bullpen that will include Nick Masset, Bill Bray, Logan Ondrusek, Jordan Smith and Jared Burton.
Cordero is in the final year of his contract and will most certainly be suiting up for the last campaign as a Cincinnati Red.
It is impossible to foresee how it will all pan out, but I can’t imagine the Reds not being considered the front runner in 2011.
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When the Reds reached the postseason in 2010, it was as if a 15-year siege had come to an end in Cincinnati. At long last, an organization stuck in the trenches of the National League had crossed over the breach.
Joey Votto’s 2010 season will resonate in Reds lore as the end of an era of losing in Cincinnati, and potentially a signal of things to come for a young and talented core.
However, it also begs the question: in a Cincinnati Reds organization with such a storied history, where does Votto’s impressive third season rank?
Our 2011 fantasy baseball projections will be released one by one until the top 100 players have been revealed. These rankings consider past achievements, current performance and expected future results based on standard 5×5 H2H settings.
Joey Votto did work on NL pitching in 2010, setting career highs across the board with 106 runs, 37 HRs, 113 RBI, 16 steals and a whopping .324 batting average.
In fact, Votto’s 2010 campaign was the first 35/100/100/15/.320 season among first basemen not named Albert Pujols since Derrek Lee posted a 45/120/107/15/.335 line in 2005.
So why do we have the 27-year-old left-handed slugger ranked four spots below his Mock Draft Central ADP?
First, Votto led the league in 2010 with a HR/FB rate of 25.0 percent. No other player posted a mark better than 21.7 percent. In the post-steroids era, it’s unlikely that anyone not named Ryan Howard can sustain such a high HR/FB rate in consecutive seasons. This isn’t to say Votto doesn’t have light-tower power. Rather, a rate in the range of his career mark of 19.9 percent is more likely in 2011.
Second, it’s worth noting that Votto posted a ridiculous 40.1 runs above average against fastballs last season, second best in the majors. Only five players have posted a higher mark in the last three years.
While Scott Rolen and Jay Bruce, Votto’s protection, are no slouches, both are much easier to pitch to than Votto, meaning he’ll likely see fewer fastballs in 2011. Of course this will lead to more free passes and fewer RBI opportunities for Votto, preventing him from improving on his 2010 total of 113.
While there’s no doubting Votto’s pure talent, his 2010 campaign fits into the same category as Carlos Gonzalez’s: unrepeatable. Expect a slight regression from Votto this season, though we still project him as the fourth-best first baseman in 2011.
| PA | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | |
| 2010 stats | 648 | 106 | 37 | 113 | 16 | .324 |
| Three-year average | 594 | 86 | 29 | 94 | 9 | .314 |
| 2011 FBI Forecast | 650 | 100 | 34 | 105 | 10 | .310 |
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: FANTASY BASEBALL INSIDERS
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Who was last season’s surprise team? Some may say the Giants for winning the World Series, and some may say the Rangers for making it to the World Series.
But in my opinion, without question…the Cincinnati Reds were THE biggest surprise in baseball last season.
After finishing fourth in the NL Central with a record of 78-84 in 2009, the Reds won the NL Central in 2010 with a record of 91-71. This was the team’s first winning record since 2000, and they won one of the toughest divisions in baseball.
How did this happen? I will say that the NL Central was a bit down last season in comparison to what they normally are. But the fact of the matter is, the Reds had a dominant offense, led by NL MVP Joey Votto.
Votto broke out onto the scene last year, leading the Reds in every major batting statistic (.324 BA, 37 HR, 113 RBI, 106 R, .424 OBP, .600 SLG, 1.024 OPS). A remarkable offensive season from a team that finished in the top-five in BA, R, OBP and SLG.
Let’s take a look at the Reds lineup and starting rotation heading into 2011:
C: Ramon Hernandez
1B: Joey Votto
2B: Brandon Phillips
3B: Scott Rolen
SS: Edgar Renteria
LF: Johnny Gomes
CF: Drew Stubbs
RF: Jay Bruce
SP: Edinson Volquez
SP: Bronson Arroyo
SP: Johnny Cueto
SP: Mike Leake
SP: Homer Bailey
CL: Francisco Cordero
How can the Reds improve their lineup from last season, try adding the 2010 World Series MVP Edgar Renteria. Although he is getting older, and production as an everyday player may be down, Renteria is as clutch as it gets in the playoffs.
The Reds still have Paul Janish in the starting SS slot going into spring training, but I expect Renteria to win the job, or at least take away a significant amount of starts from Janish this season.
The outfield for the Reds was one of the most productive in all of baseball last season, and Jay Bruce should have an even better year this season. Only 23 years old, Bruce has already had three consecutive 20 HR seasons, and his power should only improve over the course of his career.
There aren’t many questions about this Reds lineup, they are still one of the best in baseball. If anything this 2011 version will be improved with the added production of Renteria, and with Bruce and Stubbs both entering their second full seasons.
The Reds starting rotation appears to be the biggest weakness heading into this year, and it showed during their early exit in the playoffs. Being swept 3-0 by the Philadelphia Phillies, the Reds made playoff history.
They were the team that allowed Roy Halladay to throw only the second no-hitter in MLB playoff history, and the first since 1956.
That explosive offense was nowhere to be found, but I would consider the overall team’s lack of experience as the biggest contributing factor in the Reds disappointing postseason.
Cincinnati needs a big rebound year from Edinson Volquez, and his health and performance alone will determine just how good the Reds can be this season.
However, the Reds are still a very good team without Volquez. Bronson Arroyo is a productive No. 2 starter, but the key to this rotation is the depth and young talent this team has.
Cueto and Bailey are 24, Leake is 23 and all three of these pitchers proved last season that they belong.
I know there’s been a lot of much deserved hype in regards to the new Phillies rotation, but WHEN HEALTHY, I strongly believe that the Reds now have the second best rotation in the National League.
When you combine the two, you get a team that figures to be a lock for a playoff spot. But with injury concerns, more pressure on the young talent this season, and a much improved division…well, let’s just say… In regards to another Reds October.
The hunt is on.
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