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).