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Nationals Hope Home Field is An Advantage in Game 3 vs. Cardinals

(Brad Mills-US PRESSWIRE)

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

After a Series-opening loss to the Nationals that displayed nothing short of a host of failed opportunities for the Cardinals, the Redbirds came back with a significant roar in the second game. The Nationals don’t have any postseason history to refer to, but at a higher level…a Game 1 loss with a Game 2 rebound (and usually a significant one) is par for the course for the Cardinals, at least as far as 2011 is concerned.

Last year’s postseason hustle for the Cardinals may indeed be an exercise in evaluating outcomes with a small sample size, but let’s face it…if there is anything consistent between their postseason performances this season (so far), as compared to last season it’s a rise of unexpected occurrences that result in a nearly improbable finish. Beginning with the one-game Wild Card playoff against the Atlanta Braves, this was fairly established.

Who to Watch for in the Arizona Fall League

Jarred Cosart                           (Karen Warren/Chronicle)

With the Arizona Fall League starting earlier today, let's take a quick look at some of the prospects to watch on each team.

By Jared Thatcher | @Jared_Thatcher

Mesa Solar Sox

Solar Sox appear to have a weak pitching staff, but will field a very strong outfield this year with a handful of top prospects.

Pitchers of note: Jarred Cosart (Astros), Steven Rodriguez (Dodgers)

Cosart will still be a starter although I expect him to be transitioned to a reliever at some point. Rodriguez is the youngest pitcher on the staff, but look for him to have a great AFL.

Infielders of note: Javier Baez (Cubs), Jonathan Singleton (Astros)

Baez rocketed up prospect lists with a strong showing between two levels this season and should get some good work in the AFL. The extra playing time should help Singleton and Houston desperately needs him to break out and be a contributor soon.

Outfielders of note: Nick Castellanos (Tigers), Joc Pederson (Dodgers), Yasiel Puig (Dodger), Matt Szczur (Cubs), George Springer (Astros)

This could be the best outfield in the AFL this year. Most of them are top 100 prospects and I expect Pederson (the youngest) to really up his prospect status. Go to a Solar Sox game just to watch the outfield.

Yankees vs. Orioles: Looking Ahead To the Remainder of the ALDS

(Patrick Semansky/AP)

By Bernadette Pasley | @LadyBatting

It should not surprise anyone that the ALDS series between the Orioles and Yankees is tied at a game apiece. These two teams know quite a bit about ties. After all, they sat tied atop the AL East for what seemed like the entire month of September. They split their last regular season series of the year. They split their 18-game season series. Even Game 1 of the ALDS was tied at 2 for four long innings on Sunday night.

Things will remain tied today, a travel day before the series resumes tomorrow night in the Bronx. All the remaining games will be at Yankee Stadium, which leads one to believe that the Yankees now have home field advantage. But, do they really? I don’t think so.

The Education of Mike Matheny

(Paul Nordmann/Getty Images)

--This column was originally written for the September issue of our e-magazine. The October issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine launched recently so be sure to check that also.

By Daniel Shoptaw | @C70

For years, the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans knew what they had in the dugout. With Tony La Russa, a Hall of Famer just waiting for the official call, there was a comfortable familiarity that was similar to wearing an old sweater. Sure, it could itch you and drive you crazy, but it fit well, you knew where it was going to be itchy and it made you look good in public.

Cardinal fans knew all the drawbacks with La Russa and had the memes to fall back on. Tony hated young players. Tony would always stick with the veteran. Tony would use five pitchers to get four outs whether he needed to or not. You knew the arguments, you knew the counterarguments, and you knew that Tony was always going to do something that would likely drive you crazy but he had the gravitas to get away with it.

Winning two World Series in the last five years of his career softened a lot of the criticism and second-guessing that La Russa got and even the harshest of critics were more likely to shake their heads and say, “That’s Tony” after another questionable call blew up on the Cardinals. While people still didn’t agree with his over-reliance on platoon splits and small sample sizes, he’d earned the right to pull a Frank Sinatra and do it his way.

Oakland Tries to Stay Alive in the ALDS

( Dave Reginek/Getty Images)

By Devin Pangaro | @devinpangaro

The Oakland Athletics are in a hole. A deep, dark cavernous abyss to be sure, but not entirely bottomless as they attempt to dig themselves out of the 0-2 disadvantage they currently find themselves in. They can really only blame themselves. While one can attempt to rationalize a 3-1 loss to Justin Verlander as nothing to be bent out of shape over, Sunday's loss was excruciatingly painful to watch unfold.

Solid relief pitching and sound defense, the two constants of this Oakland team suddenly failed them. The ever reliable Coco Crisp, a man whose defensive reputation for making highlight reel plays precedes him, suddenly cannot make a routine catch?

How did the three-headed relief monster of Sean Doolittle, Ryan Cook, and Grant Balfour suddenly quiver in the cold, hostile territory of Detroit surrendering multiple late game runs?
Are my eyes playing tricks?

Perhaps this isn't the team that came within one game of leading the American League in wins. Perhaps the walk-offs and the good feelings are over. Perhaps, the A's will head home, bow to the home fans one last time and die by the sword for a final time in 2012.

Jose Altuve’s Short Story

(AP Photo)

By Bernadette Pasley | @LadyBatting

There were many interesting storylines in the 2012 regular season. Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown, seven no-hitters, and the amazing runs of the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland A’s all grabbed the headlines this year. But there was also another story, one that went on in Houston, Texas, that I enjoyed following. I am not sure why. Perhaps it was because it demonstrated determination to succeed in the face of obstacles. Or, maybe it was because it was just a cute and, at times, funny story. That story was Jose Altuve.

At 5’5”, Jose Altuve was the shortest player in Major League Baseball in 2012. An All Star and the Houston Astros’ most valuable player, he batted .290 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and 33 stolen bases. But his height was more a topic of conversation than his stats were. The media and fans alike enjoyed watching the pint-sized second baseman from Venezuela put together a fine first full season in the Majors. One fan even devised a unit of measurement called Official Standard Listed Altuves (OSLA). If you go to his blog How Many Altuves? you can type in any height or distance in feet, and the number of Altuves (height or distance times 5’5”) will be calculated for you.

Review process for players with 2013 contract options begins now for non-playoff teams

(J. Meric/Getty Images )      

By Nathan Aderhold | @AdrastusPerkins

As 10 teams begin their quest to World Series glory today, the other 20 are already laboring over how to best begin their offseason. The first step heading into the winter for many of these squads is the quandary of whether or not to exercise the contract options they have on players for the 2013 season.

Teams only have until a few days after the conclusion of the World Series to decide on picking up options for the following year giving front offices about a month from Game 162 to square everything away. While these options typically manifest themselves in four varieties – club, mutual, player and vesting – an overwhelming majority (49 of the 54) are club options*. In fact, there is not a single player option for 2013 and the only two vesting options still on the table – Brett Myers and Alex Gonzalez – did not actually vest, making the players effectively free agents.

Final Regular Season MLB Power Rankings - October 4, 2012

By Chris Carelli | @Chris_Carelli

The road to the World Series begins on October 5 with the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals set to face off against the team they caught from behind last season to reach the 2011 playoffs, the Atlanta Braves in the afternoon play-in game. In the night game the Texas Rangers meet the Baltimore Orioles after each team succumbed to their division competitors in the final days of the regular season.

The division series this year will run in a 2-3 format, with the lower seed hosting the first two games of the series and then the final three games will be played in the higher seed's park.

The winner of each one game playoff mentioned earlier will determine who gets to welcome the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees to their respective ballparks. In the other matchups, the San Francisco Giants will host the Cincinnati Reds, and the Oakland Athletics will travel to Detroit to face the Tigers.

As for the rest of the league this is a time to evaluate the year and begin to shape rosters for the 2013 season. So, here are the final regular season rankings. Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Scouting Notebook featuring Byron Buxton

(William DeShazer/Naples Daily News)

By Nathaniel Stoltz | @stoltz_baseball

In the September issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine, I wrote up a “scouting notebook” of sorts with my thoughts about players I had seen in person in the past month. I’ve had the opportunity to see over a dozen games involving several highly-touted prospects, encapsulating the Carolina League, the South Atlantic League, and the Appalachian League. Here are my thoughts on some of the most notable names I saw—I have more to share beyond this, but that can wait until next month!

Byron Buxton, OF, Twins (Rookie-Advanced Elizabethton)

Buxton, the second overall pick in the 2012 draft, clearly boasts all sorts of tools. He’s got wiry strength, power projection, and plenty of athleticism. However, he’s just 18 and has a lot standing between himself and the majors; at times, he looked like the rawest player on the field in the Appalachian League, taking fastballs down the middle, waving at curves in the dirt ten inches off the plate, and misplaying balls in the outfield. But for every head-scratching play he makes, he’ll wow you with something you don’t expect an 18-year-old to be able to do, like pull his hands inside a fastball on the inside corner and rip it to left field, or lay down a perfect drag bunt. He clearly has first-division upside if he can refine his game, but at this stage, any number of developmental paths are possible. Just because his issues are theoretically fixable doesn’t necessarily mean they will be fixed, after all. As with former Twins first-round outfielder Aaron Hicks, it could be years before we know quite how well Buxton’s tools will translate.

One NL Wildcard Spot Left, Final Series Preview

(AP Photo)

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

--Standings as of end of play 9/30/12--

Atlanta Braves (clinched Wild Card 1)

Entering their final series of the regular season, math is now on the side of the Braves as they head for Pittsburgh with sole possession of the first Wild Card slot in the National League. This will be a no-pressure series for the Braves; no offense against the Pirates intended. With their 20th record-setting consecutive losing season officially in the books, the Pirates have nothing left to play for but their pride. The Braves, however, have turned their playoff push into reality this season, where last season they fell short by one game. What’s ultimately ironic about this is that while they have certainly earned the Wild Card slot they now proudly possess, if the Cardinals continue their push they will be in the same boat they were in last year…facing the very same upstart team that previously upset their chances for an NLDS appearance, albeit this time, facing them quite literally in a one-game playoff.

Matchups:

10/1 Maholm (13-10) v Locke (0-3)

10/2 Hanson (13-9) v Correia (11-11)

10/3 Hudson (16-7) v Burnett (16-9)

Ted Williams’ Last Game

(Brearley Collection Photo from Opening Day 1947)

By Lew Freedman | Staff Historian

He refused to tip his cap to the fans after the last majestic hit of his wondrous 21-year Major League career with the Boston Red Sox. He refused to step out of the dugout to acknowledge the cheers filling the air at Fenway Park in the last game of his professional life. And that was so Ted.

The ballplayer who said his only ambition in life was to have people see him walk down the street and say, “There goes the best hitter there ever was,” achieved his goal and slipped away from his sport on his own terms.

Ted Williams may well have been the best hitter in baseball history, although some can argue statistics for Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby or Babe Ruth, those who like Williams are in the penthouse of the Hall of Fame.

It is 52 years since Williams retired his Boston Red Sox spikes on September 28, 1960, as was true throughout most of his career, they were going nowhere but home as the regular-season ended. Williams saw too few Octobers in his career with the Red Sox.

Analyzing the AL Wild Card Race

(Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

By Devin Pangaro | @devinpangaro

The race for the American League Wild Card positions is not for the faint of heart. With four teams in the mix for two spots, the seasons waning days are set for excitement and heartbreak. One can't help but imagine Commissioner Selig holed up in an office, with an Emperor Palpatine like smile across his face as he watches this weekend’s games unfold. While the drama may never compare to the final day last season, be assured that the intensity and magnitude of what does remain should more than suffice. Four teams. Two positions. Everything is on the line. Let's take a look at the contenders.

Baltimore Orioles (89-67, +1 up on Wild Card 1)

Despite an underwhelming run differential for most of the season, Buck's bunch has defied expectations and stayed in the mix all season long, thanks to excellent starting pitching and clutch hitting. Failing to fall in September, Baltimore has held strong with a 16-9 record including four extra-inning wins that have added on to their record of 16 straight over the course of 2012. In fact, much of their success is derivative of their ability to win close games. They are currently a lead leading 27-9 in one run games thanks largely in part to an underrated bullpen led by AL saves leader Jim Johnson, and setup men Pedro Strop and Troy Patton. One thing to keep in mind is that this Baltimore team is very much fighting a war on two fronts. With the Yankees holding a precarious one game lead in the division, Baltimore must continue to click on all cylinders.

A cause of concern may be first year starter Wei-Yin Chen who has led the Orioles staff in a myriad of pitching categories in a very solid season. September however has not been kind to Taiwanese lefty. Whether it be exhaustion, or simply the league catching up to him Chen has struggled during the season’s final month. In five starts, Chen is 0-3 with a 5.90 ERA. Furthermore, he has allowed se
ven home runs in 29 innings making that his highest monthly total all season long.

Previewing this weekend's NL Wild Card Race

(Marc Serota/Getty Images)

 

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

-- standings as of end of play 9/27/12 --

Atlanta Braves (Clinched Wild Card Spot, currently Wild Card 1)

With an exhilarating five-game winning streak behind them (having swept the hapless Miami Marlins), the Braves charge on to meet the visiting New York Mets in their final homestand of the season. Not only are they continuing to add a sincere exclamation point to their race for the Wild Card, they are making it rather difficult for the NL East leading Washington Nationals to clinch the division title. The Mets are mildly enjoying a two-game winning streak, also underlined by R.A. Dickey’s stellar performance yesterday. The Mets are 10-14 in September and are 36-39 on the road this season…yet they are 7-5 in their last four road series. The Braves are 10-3 in their last four home series, which isn’t saying much…they are nearly as good on the road as they are at home. A closer look at the pitching matchups reveals that the Mets are 5-6 in September with the scheduled starters on the mound, their lines are 4-3 with 19 ER and a combined 3.51 ERA. By comparison, the Braves’ starters have allowed more ER (22) but the team is 11-3 when these three guys start in September (they are 9-2 with a 2.11 ERA in those starts).

Matchups:

9/28 Niese (12-9) v Hudson (16-6)

9/29 Young (4-8) v Minor (10-10)

9/30 Mejia (1-1) v Medlen (9-1)

 

St. Louis Cardinals (Wild Card 2, currently 7 GB the Braves)

As if it couldn’t be expected, this year’s Cardinals bear some resemblance to last year’s Cardinals in their unyielding push for the playoffs. Heading into the weekend they are tentatively locked into one of the Wild Card spots opposite the Braves, which of course will result in a one-game playoff should either team stay within reach of the standings they currently possess over their next six-games. Where the Braves are providing a challenge for the Nationals’ division clinch, the Cardinals (returning to Busch after a successful 4-2 road trip) are sure to provide even more as Washington comes roaring into town on their second consecutive, and so far winning, road series. The highlight of this upcoming series is sure to be the face-off between the rebounding Jordan Zimmermann and the equally formidable Lance Lynn in game three. Zimmermann is 3-0 with a 4.45 ERA in five September starts, Lynn is 4-2 in three starts with a seismic 0.93 ERA in September (he pitched 4.2 innings out of the bullpen during four consecutive games to start the month, with a 5.79 ERA during those outings alone).

The Great Miami Marlins Mistake

(AP Photo)

 

By Devin Pangaro | @devinpangaro

The 2012 season was meant to be the start of something big in South Beach. The team formally known as the Florida Marlins abandoned their old identity and rechristened themselves the Miami Marlins, adopting a brand new look. Like a high school nerd returning from summer break with a flashy new wardrobe and a brash attitude, the Marlins set forth to abandon everything that once defined them.

Sure, maybe their uniforms were in dire need of an alteration. Teal is, after all, so 90's. However, is a grossly enlarged M on the hat truly an improvement? With the odd multi-colored scheme and futuristic design of the current uniforms bringing back memories of the ill-fated "Turn Ahead the Clock Day" from 1999, it became increasingly difficult to take this team seriously. Unfortunately for Marlins fans, the joke doesn't end there. This season has been nothing short of a disaster. Let's take a look at what went wrong.

MLB Power Rankings - September 24, 2012

By Chris Carelli | @Chris_Carelli

Since last week's rankings went up three National League teams earned postseason berths with the Cincinnati Reds winning the NL Central, the San Francisco Giants winning the NL West and the Washington Nationals who are closing in on the NL East title, securing at least a wild card bid.

The Atlanta Braves are inching closer to a playoff appearance which alluded them in 2011 after a massive collapse. The St. Louis Cardinals, who overtook the Braves last season are being pursued closest by division rival Milwaukee Brewers after the Crew has staged a magnificent two month blitz and the Los Angeles Dodgers who haven't played all that well since May.

In the American League all spots are very much up in the air. In the AL East, New York and Baltimore are separated by one game with the Rays holding on. The same differential holds true in the AL Central between Chicago and Detroit. The Texas Rangers have had a hard time closing the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels out of the AL West race but still have a fairly big lead (4 games) with ten games remaining. The Yankees, Orioles, Rays, A's and Angels are all contenders for the wild card spots after the division races filter out.

So, here are the power rankings for this week. Please let us know what you think in the comments below.

Previewing the NL Wild Card Race

(Rob Carr/Getty Images)     

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

-- standings as of end of play 9/23/12 --
 

Atlanta Braves (1st Wild Card)

The fighting Braves welcome the visiting Miami Marlins for a three-game series starting in Atlanta on Tuesday, 9/25. The Braves are 14-7 in September, their current mark of 23 games over .500 equals their greatest margin of victory so far this season. With Kris Medlen opening the series against hard-throwing Nathan Eovaldi, Medlen (the Cy Young candidate we should be talking more about) and the Braves have a clear advantage right out of the gate. Paul Maholm’s rough outings seem to be alternating through his last 10 starts, so he’s due for another strike against his sub-4.0 ERA; however, he handled the Marlins well (in Miami) in his last start on 9/18, despite that outing being a no decision with a Braves loss, so there’s at least hope that he can keep the wins moving along for Atlanta. Tommy Hanson is 2-0 against the Marlins this season, but is 0-2 in four September starts, giving up 11 ER in 21.2 IP. On the flip side, he has 25 strikeouts and an opponent BABIP of .245 during those outings.

Matchups:

9/25 Eovaldi (4-12) v Medlen (9-1)

9/26 Johnson (8-13) v Maholm (12-10)

9/27 Turner (2-4) v Hanson (12-9)

Why are Professional Baseball Players still taking PEDs

(Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

By Chris Carelli | @Chris_Carelli

-- This column was originally written for the September issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine. --

The use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) is a major issue in sports, but this is a baseball magazine so I’m going to focus my efforts on trying to determine why professional baseball players still get caught taking these drugs after everything the sport has endured since the 2007 Mitchell Report.

There are many forms of PEDs, but the most typical of the bunch linked to baseball are anabolic steroids, typically testosterone, though designer synthetic drugs have become popular as well. Androstenedione or ‘Andro’ is another popular steroid known to be used. Human growth hormone (HGH) is also prevalent but requires blood tests to detect, where steroids can be found through urinalysis. MLB players are not currently tested for HGH. Lastly there is the old standby, greenies, better known as amphetamines by those outside the sport.

I’m not going to discuss the past transgressions of famous baseball players who have succumbed to PEDs or have been linked to them. We know who they are and the stories that are associated with each of them. I won’t deliberate on whether or not they did or did not take them. Instead, we’re going to try to figure out why, with a fairly uniform and well-tested drug enforcement policy, we still see professional ballplayers getting caught in the web of PED use.

First, we should review why they take the drugs in the first place. The long and short of it is the desire to rise to the top or maintain a presence at the top of the sport and the ease at which they can be found. Baseball players and athletes in general, especially superior ones, have a driving energy that supersedes anything we know as casual sports participants. Sure, we want to win when we’re playing our pickup games, but there isn’t millions of dollars being waved around the neighborhood park. The goal to reach star status or maintain it is penultimate to professional ballplayers, because being seen as a superstar leads to cash, loads and loads of cash.

Scouting Diamondbacks Prospect Archie Bradley

(Charlie Leight/The Arizona Republic)

By Jared Thatcher | @Jared_Thatcher

With so many 19 and 20 year old players making their Major League debut in 2012 (Harper, Bundy, Machado, Profar), I wanted to do some in-depth analysis of a few players who may make their debuts at a very young age in 2013.

It takes a whole lot to be a first round draft pick, and it takes even more to live up to that hype. Many players who are drafted in the first round often snap, crackle, and pop in rookie ball, then fizzle out in the upper minor leagues.

A team’s top prospects are usually the guys who have the “highest ceiling” – or the most “upside” – but rarely does upside AND performance cross paths. In the words of the Ghostbusters, when you cross the streams it could destroy everything OR a dynamic All-Star caliber baseball player is created.

Archie Bradley will be the focus of this report because he has a serious shot to break into the Diamondbacks rotation in 2013. Bradley was drafted 7th overall in the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft – the Dbacks took Trevor Bauer at number 3 – and signed for a $5 million bonus.

He only pitched two innings in 2011 for Missoula in the Pioneer league and allowed one hit. 2012 saw Bradley begin and end the year at South Bend where he went 12-6 with a 3.84 ERA and 152 Ks in 136 IP.

Braves Look for 21st Win in a Row with Kris Medlen on the Mound

(Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE)

By Carlos Collazo | @CarlosCollazo__

Kris Medlen has been one of the most talked about pitchers recently, and for good reason. The Braves have won his past 20 starts (dating back to 2010), and he is going for his 21st tonight against Josh Johnson and the Miami Marlins.

I wrote an article a week or two ago on Tomahawk Take and you can check that out if you’d like, but he hasn’t done anything but get better since then so why not have a continued discussion on the reliever-turned ace pitcher?

If you check Fangraphs stats for over the past 30 days, you will find out that Medlen is putting up elite numbers with the best of ‘em.

·         He has the lowest ERA in the majors with .73. The closest to that mark is Cliff Lee with 1.29

·         He has the highest LOB%, with an absolutely ridiculous 95.6% mark. That pretty much means that even if you get on base against Medlen, you have less than a 5% chance of scoring. No biggy right?

·         Kris has the fourth best FIP at 1.75

·         His xFIP is ranked first at 2.08

·         A K/BB ratio of 11 is easily good for first, again topping that Lee fellow.

·         His WHIP is the third best at .81 behind James shields and Yu Darvish

Orioles Promote Dylan Bundy to the Big Leagues; plus Scouting Notes

(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

By Jim Pratt | @BigLeaguesMthly

With an 18-inning, five-plus hour affair with the Seattle Mariners last night now in their hip pocket, the Baltimore Orioles continue to defy logic as they find themselves in a deadlock atop the AL East.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports, the Orioles contacted their top pitching prospect, Dylan Bundy, shortly after their 4-2 win against the Mariners to inform him of his promotion to the big leagues.

The Orioles have been reluctant to call-up Bundy, deciding to send him to Instructional League once the Double-A season ended, but the use of seven relievers last night has seemingly forced their hand.

Bundy is expected to be in uniform for tonight’s series finale with the Mariners.

In the August issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine, columnist Nathaniel Stoltz discussed his thoughts on Bundy in his Scouting Notebook.

MLB Power Rankings - September 18, 2012

The wild card race in the National League got very interesting over the last week as the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies have positioned themselves for a late run. 

Both teams should be commended for continuing to go out and play hard despite being written off by many fans. The Brewers could be up in the race had they had more success in the holding leads this season. The Phillies have gotten healthier and have a three-headed monster in the rotation consisting of Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee who could give any National League team a fit in a short series. 

This is exactly what MLB had in mind with the additional wild card team; a frenzied finish with as many teams left in the mix as possible. In the American League, there are eight teams vying for the five spots. In the National League, there are eleven teams within six games of the last spot (a stretch true, but a possibility) which has been made possible by recent swoons from the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Without further delay, let’s check out the rankings. As always please tell us what you think in the comments.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Taste of a Winning Season



(Keith Srakocic/AP)

By Stevo-Sama | @yoshiki89

While many baseball fans are still managing the hope that their team can maintain and/or gain ground on their chances for postseason play, realistic or otherwise, fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates are literally standing on the edge of a season that still, with only 16 games left, has several outcomes. The most unattractive of these has to be the distinct possibility that 2012 could mark the 20th consecutive losing season for the Pirates, extending a record for the longest such streak in North American professional sports history.

Yes, it has been 20 long years since the Pirates lost their third consecutive NLCS contest (to the Atlanta Braves, in seven games) after finishing 96-66 under manager Jim Leyland, their third consecutive season finishing over .500.

Aroldis Chapman: The Cuban Missile Crisis

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

A great deal of attention has been focused upon Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman and his stunning performance during a concise time frame, unfortunately the attention after his performance in a loss against the Houston Astros on September 7^th has been focused on Chapman’s apparent shoulder fatigue and how the Reds are going to manage his workload just as they are on the cusp on breaking into the playoffs. 

This concern was underlined on Monday, September 10^th when Chapman entered the game against the Pirates and lasted only 0.2 (luckily) scoreless innings, facing 5 batters, walking 3 and striking out 1 in 22 pitches.  Only 7 of those pitches were thrown for strikes.

Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs eloquently examined Chapman’s drop in velocity in this article posted Tuesday.  Sullivan hints that there may be more than fatigue at hand in Chapman’s situation, and with the level of hype the Reds reliever has been subject to throughout his brief career with the organization, the level of concern amongst Reds fans and many baseball analysts is magnified greatly.

The drop in velocity could be a very telling sign of fatigue, and data presented in Sullivan’s article validates what the box score already tells us…his velocity as well as his pitch location are not what we’ve seen from Chapman this season.  The question remains, is fatigue truly a factor in what has happened during these two games?

The management of pitchers via innings limit has been a subject of morose controversy in light of the Strasburg shutdown; how has Aroldis Chapman’s innings workload this season compared to those in the past?

Eric Hosmer’s Lost Season

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

By Matt Hunter | @MHunterYGY

After shining in his rookie debut to the tune of a .293/.334/.465 line, Eric Hosmer of the Kansas City Royals has experienced what many well-informed and attentive fans may call a “sophomore slump” - referring, of course, to a poor second performance following a strong first. Indeed, Hosmer’s second performance has been exceedingly disappointing to both fans of the Kansas City Royals and fantasy owners who may have expected an improvement from last year, not a regression.

Let’s take a look at the positives first, for I am a “glass half full” kind of guy (especially when that glass contains a certain alcoholic malted beverage). Conveniently for me, Hosmer has accrued close to the same number of plate appearances this year and last, making for easy comparisons. Here’s one such comparison: last year, Hosmer stole 11 bases and got caught five times, while this year, he has stolen 14 bases and been caught only once. This isn’t a huge improvement, not is it particularly important, but at least Hosmer has improved at least one aspect of his game.

Another comparison: Hosmer is walking 9.1% of the time this year compared to only 6.0% of the times last year. Now, this is a much more substantial and important improvement than the above and indicates an improved plate approach for Hosmer. Indeed, if we take a look at his plate discipline this year, we see that he is only swinging at 31.6% of pitches outside of the strike zone, compared to 36.3% last year. He is doing this without also swinging less at pitches inside the strike zone. This indicates to me that Hosmer’s eye, or at the very least his patience, has improved this year…a very positive sign for a young player.

MLB Power Rankings - September 10, 2012

Joey Votto is back, Stephen Strasburg is done for the season and the Baltimore Orioles are indeed for real. There were plenty of story lines this past week which played a part in the rankings and the races for playoff berths in both leagues.

The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are streaking; winning five and six straight games respectively. The Braves' streak has them seven games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers who are right now the first team out of the National League wild card race.

The Angels have moved within one game of the Orioles for the last spot in the American League playoffs and only 2 1/2 games behind division rival Oakland who holds the top position.

With their excellent weeks both teams made moves up the charts while the Washington Nationals swap places with the Texas Rangers mostly due to Strasburg's departure from the field. Please let us know what you think about the rankings in the comments below.

Are the Cardinals Doing Right by Adam Wainwright?

(Photo by Chris Lee/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

By Devin Pangaro | @devinpangaro

The defending World Series champion St.Louis Cardinals have faced an uphill climb in their quest to return to the post season in 2012. Staff ace Chris Carpenter has missed the entire season due to nerve-related shoulder problems that led to surgery, and Adam Wainwright has dealt with bouts of inconsistency in his return from Tommy John surgery.

 

With the season in the midst of its final month, St. Louis continues to lean heavily on the thirty-one year old right hander and have thus far contradicted a preseason claim by general manager John Mozeliak that the Cardinals would limit Wainwright to around 150-175 innings pitched as precaution. The dilemma over what's best for the Cardinals and what's best for Wainwright career remains in play.

The question that remains:  Why haven't the St. Louis Cardinals enforced an innings limit on their recovering ace?

Playoff Risk Mitigation: Are the Nationals concerned about Jordan Zimmermann?



(Getty Images)

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

There can be no question about the continued success of the Washington Nationals in the NL East this season and the alarming reality that after years of mediocrity, they are something more than a valid playoff contender. The franchise’s last winning season was their inaugural season as the Nationals in 2005, as a .500 team that still floundered in the basement of the division. Prior to that, only the 2002 Montreal Expos could boast a winning season and a division title berth, finishing 2nd at 83-79.

There should be dancing in the streets as September arrives. The taste of playoff baseball is in the air, and the team leads the NL East over the Atlanta Braves by 6.5 games. However, the cause for pre-emptive celebration in DC has been dampened somewhat not only by the inevitable exeunt of phenom Stephen Strasburg as a playoff pitcher but also by the recent struggles of Jordan Zimmermann.

Strasburg’s highly-publicized innings limit this season has been a highly debated and thoroughly analyzed question mark in the Nationals’ potential post-season strategy for the past few weeks. Some of the alarm in this plan has been magnified by Zimmermann’s performance in August.

MLB Power Rankings - September 3, 2012

By Chris Carelli | @Chris_Carelli

We're into the final month-plus of the season and just in the last week the landscape has begun to dramatically shift in the America League division races, while the National League seems to be settling into a race for the wild card spots.

The Baltimore Orioles won two of three from the New York Yankees, shaving the Bombers' lead in the AL East to two games.

The Detroit Tigers swept the Chicago White Sox to even up the AL Central.

In the AL West, the Oakland A's are on a nine-game winning streak putting pressure on the two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers.

The NL East is firmly in the grasp of the Washington Nationals despite going 4-6 in their last ten games.

The Cincinnati Reds are running away with the NL Central, doing so without their best player, Joey Votto. He is making rehab starts now and the Reds look to be a dangerous team heading toward the postseason.

In the NL West, the San Francisco Giants are taking advantage of the slumping play of the Los Angeles Dodgers and have opened up a five-game lead in the loss column.

The AL Wild Card race features the red-hot A's, the Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels, not to mention the division leaders who could easily be overtaken with almost a full month to play.

In the National League, the race for the last two playoff spots is headed by the Atlanta Braves at the moment, with the St. Louis Cardinals, Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates separated by just 1.5 games.

The Reds are now heading the power rankings and there was plenty of movement among the rest of the teams this past week. Please let us know what you think in the comments.

Cubs Lean on Anthony Rizzo to be the Cornerstone of the Future

(Jake Roth/US Presswire)

By Lincoln Hamilton | @LHamiltonPP

(Cover Story for August Issue of Big Leagues Monthly | Magazine)

One of the biggest and, oftentimes, most misunderstood findings of baseball’s analytical revolution concerns a player’s ability in the clutch. For generations players and coaches, writers and announcers, die-hard and casual fans alike have bemoaned or glorified certain players based on how they performed when the game was on the line. How players faired when the chips are down, their backs are against the wall, and any other clichés surround them said more about their character as men than their specific abilities as a player.

An otherwise mediocre player can be lauded as a “gamer,” “winner,” and, the highest of compliments, the axiomatic “Baseball Player” based on a string of achievements when the outcome of the game was in doubt. The reasons for winning and losing went beyond skill and moved toward virtue. The good guys win. Losing means a lack of desire or strength of will.

We create these narratives from the outside in sports in order to give meaning and order to our lives. Good things happened to the grasshopper because he was industrious, George Washington because he was honest, and David Eckstein because he tried so hard. Cues on how to act in our daily lives can be taken from a fable, history, or a diminutive middle infielder. Stories make morals easily digestible.

But, in business, objective truth is more useful than compelling stories. Are some people or teams just destined to fail? Via moral defect? Or curse?

Have The Royals Really Been “Yost'ed”?

(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

It’s always hard to evaluate the ways and means by which a losing team continues to lose, and no evaluation seems to hurt the greater majority the most than those that involve the 2012 Kansas City Royals.

This is primarily part of an unfair media backlash as a result of their stunning rankings in the developmental realm during the 2011 season. They famously had the best farm system in baseball throughout 2011 and generated the kind of hype and buzz that many of us have never seen. It’s hard for even the most complacent fan to not embrace the excellent culture that so many read volumes about last year; it’s even more difficult for loyal Royals fans to accept the differential between the swell of last year’s blazing hope and the smoldering reality that the Royals are going to do no better than even the most hopeful pre-season projections…and quite possibly, even worse than that.

Putting a Bow on the Red Sox/Dodgers Trade

(REUTERS/Danny Moloshok)

By Ben Wertz | @RangersExaminer

The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers completed a trade over the weekend that might go down as the biggest blockbuster trade in baseball history. On one side, you have the Red Sox beginning the process of revamping their team by cutting a ton of salary. On the other side, you have the Dodgers looking to win now with new ownership that has money to burn.

When you look at the trade on paper, it’s amazing it even got done with the big names that were involved and the salaries that were exchanged. The Red Sox sent Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles in exchange for James Loney and a package of minor leaguers. In total, there were nine players involved and over $250 million in salaries taken on by the Dodgers.

MLB Power Rankings - August 27, 2012

By Chris Carelli | @Chris_Carelli

The stretch run in Major League Baseball is set to begin as the calendar will turn to September over the weekend. Teams will use their ability to increase roster size for varying reasons. Teams out of the race will make call-ups looking to the future, while contenders will use their minor league talent to provide depth for what amounts to a grueling month of pressure packed baseball.

The wild card races have the added drama of an extra team this season, though it will be hard to match the final day of the 2011 regular season. There are some teams who were not expected to be part of the playoff talk when the season began; Chicago (AL), Oakland, Baltimore and Pittsburgh have all made their mark and continue to dictate or maintain pace in their respective leagues.

There was little movement at the very top of the charts, with the Washington Nationals hanging onto the top spot despite losing four straight. Once again there can be arguments for any of the top four teams being #1. Here are the rankings, please let me know what you think in the comments.

Why Washington Fans Shouldn’t Worry About Shutting Down Strasburg



(Alex Brandon / AP)        

By Carlos Collazo | @CarlosCollazo__

How’s it going guys? Man it’s been a while since I have managed to write anything about baseball and let me tell you; it’s good to be back. For those of you who don’t know (probably a large number of you), I have just recently moved into college. I have been getting my dorm set up, getting accustomed to classes, eating a lot of food, and getting my internet set up. That last little part turned out to be extremely cumbersome, but I have some great tech guys around here to help me out.

Regardless of all of my issues, I’m back and, more importantly, ready to talk some baseball.

Today’s column—which is actually my first column for the Daily Site—is going to cover one of the best teams and one of the best pitchers in baseball. If you haven’t already deduced from the title, it is Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals of Washington.

The Nationals are 77-47 so far during the season, helped out significantly by Strasburg and his 15-5 record in 25 starts. So, clearly he is a good pitcher right? He’s got a lot of wins and not a lot of losses, so he must be. If you know me then you know that I don’t put too much stock in Wins and Losses for pitchers (say hello, Felix). I like to look a little bit deeper.

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that most of you know about Stephen Strasburg and are aware that he is an elite pitcher. We won’t need to analyze all of his advanced stats because there is no real need. He is good, we know he is good, and we know why he is good. He throws ridiculously hard, has a ridiculous curve ball, and a ridiculously cool beard to top it off (the high socks he normally wears can’t hurt either).

Watching a Grandmaster at Work: Jerry Dipoto Getting Zack Greinke (August Issue)

(Kyle Terada-US Presswire)

By David Saltzer | @DaveSaltzer

A good chess player knows the rules of the game and has some understanding of strategy. More often than not, he can align the pieces in such a way as to win the game. Since nothing is hidden on a chess board, a good opponent can easily spot the moves far in advance to counter any end-game that may ensue.  

A grandmaster chess player, on the other hand, has a much deeper understanding of the game. He isn’t just thinking about the move he is making presently; he’s thinking about how the present move sets up a strategy several moves later. Sometimes, it involves making an opportunity happen that wouldn’t otherwise exist. But, for a grandmaster, any move made is always part of the bigger picture—winning the game.

Being a baseball general manager is a lot like playing chess. In most cases, the needs and opportunities are available for all to see. All teams scout every other organization in baseball, so there are not that many surprises when it comes to making deals.

Sometimes being a GM can be easy, such as when an owner opens his wallet to buy what his team needs. That was the case when Arte Moreno committed several hundred million to Albert Pujols and C. J. Wilson this offseason. While it took a lot of skill for Jerry Dipoto to sign both, especially simultaneously, it took even more courage for Mr. Moreno to commit to writing checks that large.

The Curious Case of Pedro Alvarez and his Diurnal Explosion

(Gene J. Puskar / AP)        

By Stevo-sama | @yoshiki89

There has been some discussion, most recently following the Pittsburgh Pirates’ dramatic 19-inning win over the St. Louis Cardinals, surrounding Pirates infielder Pedro Alvarez and his peculiar AVG/OBP/SLG day/night splits this season.

In 582 AB during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Alvarez was batting .241/.313/.354 (158 AB) in day games and .226/.301/.406 (424 AB) in night games, a percentage difference of 5.8% in OPS. However, in 2012 so far Alvarez’ day/night splits are profoundly shocking. In 125 AB, Alvarez is batting .312/.385/.752 in day games and 255 AB, .196/.280/.322 in night games. His most notable conventional offensive metric is his HR rate in those ABs; he’s hit 16 HR in 125 AB (12.8%) during the day, 7 HR in 255 AB (2.7%) at night.

There have been other notable day/night splits poster children in recent seasons. Justin Morneau’s 2011 splits found him struggling considerably during night games after several fairly consistent seasons (Day: 100 AB, .320/.361/.490; Night: 164 AB, .171/.239/.238). Morneau’s troubles may or may not have begun after his mid-2010 concussion (he finished the season with a 1.13% difference in OPS between day and night), but there’s enough doubt around his lingering symptoms starting in 2011 to perhaps explain the drastic change during that season. What isn’t easily explained is why, in 2012, Morneau is experiencing a swing in the opposite direction, .682 OPS in 129 Day AB versus .870 OPS in 256 Night AB.