Tag: Giancarlo Stanton

Fantasy Baseball 2013: Top 60 Outfielders Heading into Exhibition Play

Here’s my early top-60 listing of outfielders heading into exhibition play, with an emphasis on 5×5 roto leagues.

This position will likely produce baseball’s largest number of four- and five-category studs by season’s end.

But that star power still cannot obscure the uncertainty of taking inexperienced young players or injury-riddled veterans later in the draft, or household names that will invariably fall short of last year’s amped-up stats.

Hopefully, this listing will eliminate some of the draft-day doubt and consternation that come with the territory.

Especially with leagues that require five starters at the position.

Enjoy the show!

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Why Giancarlo Stanton Is Reason Enough to Watch the Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins‘ talent exodus reached laughable heights this offseason, but even with Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle playing above the border, there’s still one reason to tune on the Marlins every night: Giancarlo Stanton

While the 6’5″, 248-pounder can’t replace the 230 career wins left behind by Johnson and Buehrle, the 23-year-old slugger can mash home runs unlike any other young star in the game. 

And if anything causes fans to stay glued to baseball, it’s the long ball. 

Whether it was the epic 1998 chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa or the record-breaking season by Barry Bonds in 2001, there’s nothing quite like the allure of the home run. 

After just three seasons in the league, one thing is clear about Stanton—the kid can flat out rake. 

He’s not going to fool anyone into thinking he’s a five-tool player. 

But he doesn’t have to. 

No one’s going to lose sleep over his 16 stolen bases or 432 strikeouts in 373 career games; that’s not why Marlins fans, scouts and general managers around the league lust over the rising superstar. 

It’s his bat. 

The California native is an absolute animal at the dish, mashing homers at an ever-improving rate. 

The scary part is, he’s getting better. 

Since breaking into the lineup as a 20-year-old in 2010, Stanton displayed rare power. In just 100 games he smashed 22 homers to go along with 21 doubles in just 359 at-bats. 

The following year he improved to 34 homers and 30 doubles in 516 at-bats, while drawing 70 walks and posting a wins-above-replacement mark of 3.4. 

However, the All-Star outfielder turned in his best season in 2012. In just 123 games, Stanton hit .290 with 37 home runs, 86 RBI and posted a 5.4 WAR—good for 10th in the National League. 

According to FanGraphs.com, the towering slugger has increased his isolated power (which subtracts a player’s batting average from his slugging percentage) every year he’s been in the big leagues. As a rookie he posted an ISO of .248, but that number jumped .275 in 2011 and topped out at a league-best .318 last season. 

Only Josh Hamilton (.292) was even remotely close to the developing slugger, who is also an adept outfielder, finishing 13th among all outfielders in Ultimate Zone Rating, according to FanGraphs.

As Stanton continues to refine his approach at the plate and cut down on his strikeouts, he’s only going to ascend. He’s on the cusp of superstardom, and at just 23, he’s already one of the premier outfielders in the game. 

Stanton’s opportunities may be limited with a weak lineup around him, but the slugger is capable of putting on a show any night of the week. 

You don’t want to miss this one. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


5 Best Options Left for Seattle Mariners to Improve

With the clock ticking down to the beginning of Spring Training, General Manager Jack Zduriencik and the Seattle Mariners continue to search high and low for ways to improve their roster.

To recap, GM Z has made a slew of minor moves including the acquisition of Robert Andino, re-signing Hisashi Iwakuma and Oliver Perez, and bringing in veteran outfielders Raul Ibanez and Jason Bay.

To date Seattle has made only one “big” move, trading Jason Vargas to the Los Angeles Angels for 1B/DH Kendrys Morales.

With questions still remaining on how the Mariners will improve their roster, GM Z and the rest of ownership have a bevy of options still available to them.

Here’s a look at the top five ways the Mariners can improve before spring training.

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MLB Rumors: Should Rangers Trade for Upton, Stanton or Build from Within?

The Texas Rangers have been in the market for an impact bat all offseason. They have been in discussions with the Arizona Diamondbacks regarding Justin Upton for what appears to be months now. As the months go by, Arizona continues to flip-flop on trading Upton. According to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Upton is once again on the block. 

The Miami Marlins traded virtually their entire roster to Toronto in December, and now are reportedly “willing to listen” to offers for Giancarlo Stanton, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

What is the best move for the Rangers going forward? Depleting their farm system to acquire Justin Upton or Giancarlo Stanton, or building from within? 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Mariners Contact Marlins about Giancarlo Stanton

Could the Mariners be making a play towards Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton?

Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports recently tweeted that Seattle has contacted Miami about Stanton’s availability. However, Morosi also stated that sources doubted anything would occur.

The uber-talented 23-year-old has been the subject of many rumors this offseason ever since Miami Marlins general manager Jeffrey Loria traded most of his major league talent to Toronto in order to dump salary.

The move left the Marlins with very little MLB-ready talent on the current roster and an infuriated young star:

After the trade in November, Marlins ownership made it clear that Stanton would not be going anywhere, as reported by Jon Heyman at CBS Sports. However, ESPN’s Jim Bowden recently reported that Assistant General Manager Dan Jennings stated the Marlins would listen to any offer for Stanton, but were not looking to deal him away:

Now there is a big difference between listening to offers and considering offers, but this does show that general manager Jack Zduriencik is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to improving Seattle’s anemic offense.

It also shows that no prospect in the Marinerss farm system is untouchable, as a trade for Stanton would almost certainly have to start with highly-rated prospects such as catcher Mike Zunino and pitcher Taijuan Walker.

Even that may not be nearly enough. Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported that almost every other team in the MLB has contacted the Marlins about Stanton’s availability, with one source stating that it would be “easier to list who hasn’t called.”

 

It would be hard for any team not to be interested in Stanton. He’s one of the top young hitters in the game and already has 93 homers in his first two-and-a-half seasons in the big leagues. Along with that, Stanton has four more years before he hits free agency and is very disgruntled with the direction the Marlins are going in.

If the Mariners are really serious about Stanton, it will probably take a package of prospects that would dwarf the talent sent to Baltimore for Erik Bedard back in 2008, and even that may not convince the Marlins to move Stanton.

At the very least, it shows again that ownership remains aggressive in trying to upgrade Seattle’s offense. But talk is cheap, and Mariners fans will not be happy until they start seeing deals, not rumors.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Giancarlo Stanton Hopes to Return August 10, to Begin Rehab Assignment Wednesday

The Miami Marlins are in the midst of a disappointing season that they did not anticipate when they made their free-agent signings.

Although their season is not going as planned, Giancarlo Stanton, a big piece of their future, is hopeful that he will be able to return to the lineup very soon.

Stanton is on track to begin rehab games starting on Wednesday with High-A Jupiter, according to Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post.

On Saturday, he  tweeted:

Despite the Marlins’ disappointing record (45-54 as of July 27, which puts them 14 games behind the first-place Washington Nationals in the NL East), the news is still a breath of fresh air for a team that has been reeling in 2012.

A return by Stanton on August 10th might give them new life as they finish out this season.

Stanton’s knee problems have been prevalent all season, and the surgery to remove cartilage chips should relieve Stanton of a looming problem going forward. At very least, the Marlins can be optimistic that the future of their franchise is going to have his knee issues behind him for the time being, which will allow him to prosper in the upcoming years.

Stanton had smashed 19 HR and 50 RBI in his first 80 games of the season before having the surgery on July 8th. Last season, he hit an impressive 34 HR in 150 games and has shown that he has some of the best power in the game with his mammoth home runs.

His expected return is a positive for both the Marlins organization and Stanton as he further establishes himself as a premiere young talent in the MLB.

 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


MLB Trade Rumors: 5 Possible Destinations for Giancarlo Stanton

As crazy as it may seem, there is a possibility that the Miami Marlins could trade Giancarlo Stanton prior to the 2012 MLB Trade Deadline, according to Buster Olney of ESPN (Insider required).

Joe Frisaro of MLB.com has also confirmed that it makes sense for the Marlins to listen to offers for Stanton. MLB general managers would salivate at the chance to acquire one of the best young players in baseball today.

There is no doubt that the cost for Stanton would be incredibly high, but he is probably worth the small army of prospects that he would cost. Stanton is type of player who can be a cornerstone for years to come.

While Stanton is currently on the disabled list after he underwent knee surgery, that does not mean that the Marlins can’t trade him (h/t Larry Stone of The Seattle Times). Stanton would be a fit for any of the teams in the majors, but some would be more inclined than others to go after him.

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Home Run Derby 2012: Andrew McCutchen Replaces Giancarlo Stanton for NL

Andrew McCutchen has been announced as Giancarlo Stanton’s replacement for the Home Run Derby just hours after Bryce Harper was named (h/t Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post) as Stanton’s replacement for the All-Star Game itself.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the news via their official Twitter account:

McCutchen has led a resurgence in the Steel City so far this season. He’s a top contender for the National League MVP award at this point because of his legitimate five-tool talents. He’s hitting .359 with 16 home runs and 56 RBI this far.

He isn’t your traditional Home Run Derby participant. He doesn’t have towering power, but his production has increased gradually over his career. He hit 12 home runs as a rookie in 2009, 16 in 2010 and 23 last season. Given that he already has 16 bombs this year you have to imagine he will clear his total from the 2011 campaign.

Fans outside of Pittsburgh may wrinkle their nose at McCutchen as a derby participant, but they shouldn’t. He is one of baseball’s rising stars, and this year’s production, coupled with the Pirates play, has vaulted him to superstar status.

When you look at McCutchen you don’t see a menacing hitter with prodigious power potential. You see an excellent all-around hitter who has home run capabilities but isn’t a consistent threat to go yard.

Don’t let McCutchen’s 5’10”, 185-pound frame fool you. He has one of the quickest bats in the league, and his bat speed gives him a chance to compete Monday night. He has an easily repeatable swing because of his discipline and rhythmic approach.

Stanton was a “sexy” pick to win this year because of his propensity for towering shots. His power has been well-documented since his days in the Marlins farm system.

McCutchen doesn’t bring that same reputation to the table, but his presence will be exciting. He’s the face of the up-and-coming Pirates franchise and one of baseball’s brightest young stars.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


3 Bizarre Lineups Ozzie Could Use to Try to Break the Miami Marlins’ Slump

Ozzie Guillen has done almost everything he can to try and turn this season around.

The Miami Marlins find themselves desperately trying to make a run at the postseason. Meanwhile, the team stands nine games back in the division and 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.

Guillen is a very unconventional big-league manager who isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit when it comes to setting a lineup.

With the All-Star break approaching and the recent acquisition of first baseman Carlos Lee, the Marlins hope to turn things around in the second half of the season.

Now with Giancarlo Stanton reportedly out four-to-six weeks (according to an earlier tweet from CBS Sports) due to knee surgery, Guillen and the rest of the Marlins staff have to experiment with their lineup in hopes that one may stick.

For a team that is struggling to keep a .500 record, here are three rather bizarre lineups Guillen could try to break this Marlins slump.

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MLB All Star Game 2012: Knee Surgery Knocks Giancarlo Stanton out of Lineup

For two glorious innings, Giancarlo Stanton returned to the Marlins lineup on Saturday. Then he left with discomfort in his right knee.

Not surprisingly, he has been ruled out of the All-Star game as a consequence, and it was later revealed he is now scheduled for surgery.

The MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweeted that news about the All-Star appearance. 

My guess is this will open the door to the Nationals rookie Bryce Harper to make the squad, but back to Stanton.

Stanton was in the game long enough to get an at-bat. He singled and later scored, but the result of his at-bat is of little concern given his new battle with knee pain. 

CBS Sports’ Eye on Baseball reports that Stanton is now going to undergo surgery and will be out four-to-six weeks. 

Stanton had already come to the grips with the fact that he was going to need surgery; he just was hoping it wouldn’t be quite so soon. Last Tuesday, he had an MRI that revealed bodies in his knee. Prior to today’s action, he had been out since Monday. 

While Stanton is surely frustrated about not being able to make his All-Star appearance, it is wise for he and the Marlins to take care of this situation now. He is just 22 years old, and the sky is the limit for this talented right fielder. 

He is hitting .284 with a .364 OBP and 19 home runs and 50 RBI. If he returns to form from this injury and is lucky enough to enjoy a run of good health, this is just the first of many All-Star games he will earn the right to play in. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


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