- Feb 17, 2007
- 21,784
- 2,957
I miss when the Mariners were good and the Rangers and Angels sucked. Less competition for the division
2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by proshares,
- Start date
- Status
I miss when the Mariners were good and the Rangers and Angels sucked. Less competition for the division
benjamin stone
Banned
- Apr 14, 2010
- 331
- 12
Khalil Greene fell out of the league because of a social anxiety disorder, if I recall correctly. He had "issues" while he was with the Cardinals in 2009 and then signed with the Rangers the next year. Pretty sure he's not playing for anyone now. I guess his story is a bit similar to Royce White now in the NBA.
I don't think it's quite the same as what Royce has. IIRC, he had hurt himself because he was so torn up about struggling out of the gate for the Cards. Whenever he struggled, he fell into some deep depression. It was really sad, I loved watching him on the field.
I don't get the teams Upton has on his no trade list. Seattle, Boston, Cubs and Toronto?
I don't get the teams Upton has on his no trade list. Seattle, Boston, Cubs and Toronto?
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lightweight champion
Banned
- Jun 23, 2007
- 13,481
- 5,271
I never liked him because he played a majority of the time for the Padres. But Khalil Greene looked smooth playing SS, almost looked effortless at times for him to make those plays.
- Jul 14, 2003
- 7,843
- 4,881
The issue with the baseball voters is and always will be the importance of MLB's records. This is the largest issue here that is often talked about the least. Voters by and large will not care if you beat your wife or were racist or possibly popped caffeine pills to make it through games. They are going to care about "steroids." Because "steroids" made MLB's nice lists of all time records get completely turned over and none of the writers, aka caretakers, like that at all and in fact many lose sleep over it.
Part of MLB's foundation has always been DiMaggio's hit streak, Gehrig/Ripken's hit streaks, Hank's 755, Maris' 61, hell even Ruth's 60. These voters were raised on those numbers, went to bed reciting those numbers. Even the 500 and 600 HR club was such an exclusive club it was like a national holiday if anyone ever reached it and the player then would turn into gold.
Now this will never be the case again for the rest of our lives, and this is the issue with them. They hate it. What used to be baseball's foundation is now thrown out the window and the "new age players chemically cheated to screw this up." And now it is pay back time in the only way possible they can. With their votes.
In my opinion I'm not shocked any of this is happening although it's still fascinating to watch unfold and has been all week. And it is going to continue to entertain us (or infuriate us) for years and years as I do not see guys like Clemens and Bonds getting 75% of the vote any time soon after this inaugural year. You also do have to feel bad for the players with no suspicions as they are also getting the shaft too. Still, to me the HOF is always better off not letting enough players in than instead letting too many players in.
- Apr 15, 2005
- 11,588
- 837
Same here. Everytime he trotted around the bases I was like, "that damn surfer boy."
- Jun 14, 2006
- 29,296
- 11,437
really just hit me that i gotta root for kevin youkilis this year 
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- Nov 18, 2007
- 28,107
- 9,249
Not sure if posted yet:
I agree with you for the most part. Which is why the whole HOF process needs a complete overhaul. They're arbitrarily drawing the moral line and choosing which morals to condemn and which to ignore. Who gave them the right to decide which players it was and which year everything starts and ends. It's not only the stats, they also try and dump on players who weren't goo with the media or had character issues. I'm not shocked either but that doesn't mean it's not an appalling process still IMO.
- Jul 14, 2003
- 7,843
- 4,881
Proshares I agree with that, having 600+ voters or whatever with no care about their current status (as mentioned, many are no longer covering baseball) is basically a joke. Just in my area (Minnesota) I know of several of our local voters and I just laugh that they actually have a vote.
I go in phases with my preferences but for now I almost think the NFL way is the best route. Basically one voter per city plus 10 national media members. And they sit in a room and hash it out.
I do think that if this keeps up we are going to see an overhaul by Cooperstown, possibly minor but something.
I go in phases with my preferences but for now I almost think the NFL way is the best route. Basically one voter per city plus 10 national media members. And they sit in a room and hash it out.
I do think that if this keeps up we are going to see an overhaul by Cooperstown, possibly minor but something.
- Aug 2, 2006
- 34,141
- 29,481
Bill Parcels didn't get into the HOF, Art Monk took forever, Cris Carter's still not in, if the room is too small you have an axe grinding old boys club.
- Nov 18, 2007
- 28,107
- 9,249
Totally disagree with this. With so few voters, it only takes a very small group of people to completely influence the direction of the vote. The fact that there are so many voters makes it a more accurate reflection of how a player is viewed.
Now I am not saying that I dont think that the voting needs some serious overhauling....I do. I just dont think significantly dropping down the amount of voters will fix the problems in the slightest bit.
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- Dec 5, 2008
- 6,463
- 1,844
can't wait to see this!!
- Feb 19, 2006
- 13,656
- 1,083
Don't 'eeem mess with HOF discussions anymore, the voting process is beyond stupid.
- Oct 16, 2006
- 3,486
- 93
Dickey, Petitte, and Vogelsong are in the USA WBC roation, and I am disappointed. What's stopping us from sending Verlander, Price, Kershaw, and Cain to represent our country right?
- Jan 19, 2002
- 23,413
- 5,523
the C-Squad out there to pitch for the US
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- Apr 5, 2005
- 6,596
- 2,149
No trout either. I'm really disappointed about that but what can you do...
- Feb 12, 2005
- 58,804
- 30,199
Not even worth it. What a letdown. I think the WBC is a fun idea, but not if the U.S. keeps sending their JV to play.
What a letdown. I think the WBC is a fun idea, but not if the U.S. keeps sending their JV to play.
- Mar 19, 2006
- 4,788
- 359
...looks like there might be a little drama in the club house this off season. i heard kinsler told the club he wasn't moving to 1st so profar can play 2nd. i like ian and can understand his stance, but i don't like what this might do to the team going forward. i'm sure i'm over reacting tho.
Five offseason moves that will backfire.
Recall the saying "it seemed like a good idea at the time" and you'll be able to apply it to a number of baseball's 30 teams. Indeed, most general managers would love to call a mulligan or two during their careers. As such, the following five players are, in my opinion, the most likely to end up as someone's mulligan. Their contracts are simply more than they are worth, whether it be dollars or number of years, and thus could very easily backfire on the general manager.
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1. Angel Pagan | CF | Age: 31 | San Francisco Giants
Contract: Four years, $40 million | AAV: $10 million
Giants senior vice president/general manager Brian Sabean is one of the best in the business, with two world championships in the past three years. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t make his fair share of mistakes on long-term contracts, such as Barry Zito’s seven-year, $126 million deal or Aaron Rowand’s five-year, $60 million albatross. Sabean’s history also includes being loyal to players (read: overpaying) who helped him win rings. After winning the World Series in 2010, he overpaid Aubrey Huff by re-signing him to a two-year, $20 million deal.
Likewise, fresh off winning the 2012 World Series, Sabean handsomely rewarded Pagan, who had a solid defensive year while serving as an effective table setter who got the job done on a consistent basis. It was easily the best year of his career. But this offseason was the first during which scouting reports on Pagan didn’t include phrases such as “loses focus,” “continuously gets bad jumps and leads” and “very inconsistent.”
The length of the deal is more troublesome than the dollars. Pagan has not been a consistent enough player to think he’ll be able to repeat what he did last season, let alone for four more. With financial security, I’m also not convinced he won’t revert back to the player who loses focus on occasion. His decline years are coming soon, and I think the last two years of this deal could end similarly to Rowand’s, which led to his unconditional release well before the contract ended.
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2. Nick Swisher | RF | Age: 32 | Cleveland Indians
Contract: Four years, $56 million | AAV: $14 million
Swisher was one of the most consistent performers to hit the open market this offseason, so the Indians can expect his normal production of 20-plus homers and an OBP above .350 even though he won’t have the same protection in the lineup he had with the Yankees. However, Swisher has never won a Gold Glove or a Silver Slugger and has made it to one All-Star game in nine years. Also, he's a mediocre defender and has an awful postseason track record, though it's unlikely he'll get a chance to correct that in Cleveland.
His high energy and enthusiasm will be a huge plus to the Indians' clubhouse, but $56 million for a player who will be playing in his decline years from age 32 to 36 is extremely risky, especially because he doesn’t profile as a legitimate 3-4-5 hitter. The deal will work for the first two years, but if he’s not traded by the end of 2014, it will come back to bite GM Chris Antonetti.
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3. Jeremy Guthrie | RHP | Age: 33 | Kansas City Royals
Contract: Three years, $25 million | AAV: $8.33 million
When the Royals acquired Guthrie from the Colorado Rockies on July 20, 2012, they were pleasantly surprised as Guthrie went 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.132 WHIP in 14 starts after the trade. General manager Dayton Moore had seen enough, so he signed Guthrie to a deal during which Guthrie will pitch at ages 34 through 36. That makes it risky in itself.
He does bring the strength of being able to give 200 innings pitched a year, which has value. Outside of the 14 starts he made with the Royals, however, the rest of his career doesn’t paint a pretty picture. He led the American League in losses twice with 17 in both 2009 and 2011. Before being traded to the Royals in July, he was almost given his unconditional release by the Rockies after going 3-9 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.68 WHIP. Sure, you can blame some of that on Coors Field, bad defense, run support and bullpens. But after a while, the excuses run out.
The reality is Guthrie has had a total of one winning season in nine years and his numbers are well below the worth of his contract. This could end up being the worst free-agent signing for the Royals since Gil Meche in 2006. It is a deal I believe the Royals will eventually regret.
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4. Joe Blanton | RHP | Age: 32 | Los Angeles Angels
Contract: Two years, $15 million | AAV: $7.5 million
Jerry Dipoto is one of the best and brightest general managers in baseball. In his short tenure as Angels GM, he has acquired Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hanson, Jason Vargas, Chris Iannetta, Ernesto Frieri, Sean Burnett and Ryan Madson. That’s about as impressive as we’ve seen in the history of baseball.
However, giving Blanton more than a one-year contract was simply unwarranted. As good as the Angels are, and as good as the AL West is, the Angels needed a better quality starter for the fifth spot.
Blanton’s ERAs of 4.82, 5.01 and 4.71 in the National League will translate to an ERA of well over 5.00 in the American League. To take a chance on Blanton with even a one-year deal would have been debatable itself, but the two-year deal and depending on him for rotation depth will end up being a mistake.
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5. Marco Scutaro | 2B | Age: 37 | San Francisco Giants
Contract: Three years, $20 million | AAV: $6.6 million
Scutaro is a solid player who knows how to play the game and is fundamentally sound. He can turn the double play, make the routine plays, hit and run when called upon and lay down a bunt when needed. And yet, he came to the Giants because of what his teams thought he couldn’t do. In 2011, the Red Sox decided to trade him to the Rockies because they thought he’d lost some range and bat speed. The Rockies traded him to the Giants after only 95 games when they decided his bat was slow and the adjustment back to second base wasn’t going as smoothly as planned. However, once Scutaro became a Giant he put it all together and ended up as the NLCS MVP.
So why not a three-year deal? Scutaro’s performance was only a snapshot of success, a period of time when he played at his optimum level but not a true reflection of the player he’ll be over the next three years. If he was showing signs of decline with both Boston and Colorado, what will he look like at age 39?
This contract is way too risky. They might get one solid year out of Scutaro, but I doubt he’ll be able to give them three years of the level they witnessed last season and in the postseason. Scutaro made about $20 million over the course his entire major league career from 2002-12. And now, at age 37, will make $20 million for the final three years of his career.
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1. Angel Pagan | CF | Age: 31 | San Francisco Giants
Contract: Four years, $40 million | AAV: $10 million
Giants senior vice president/general manager Brian Sabean is one of the best in the business, with two world championships in the past three years. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t make his fair share of mistakes on long-term contracts, such as Barry Zito’s seven-year, $126 million deal or Aaron Rowand’s five-year, $60 million albatross. Sabean’s history also includes being loyal to players (read: overpaying) who helped him win rings. After winning the World Series in 2010, he overpaid Aubrey Huff by re-signing him to a two-year, $20 million deal.
Likewise, fresh off winning the 2012 World Series, Sabean handsomely rewarded Pagan, who had a solid defensive year while serving as an effective table setter who got the job done on a consistent basis. It was easily the best year of his career. But this offseason was the first during which scouting reports on Pagan didn’t include phrases such as “loses focus,” “continuously gets bad jumps and leads” and “very inconsistent.”
The length of the deal is more troublesome than the dollars. Pagan has not been a consistent enough player to think he’ll be able to repeat what he did last season, let alone for four more. With financial security, I’m also not convinced he won’t revert back to the player who loses focus on occasion. His decline years are coming soon, and I think the last two years of this deal could end similarly to Rowand’s, which led to his unconditional release well before the contract ended.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Nick Swisher | RF | Age: 32 | Cleveland Indians
Contract: Four years, $56 million | AAV: $14 million
Swisher was one of the most consistent performers to hit the open market this offseason, so the Indians can expect his normal production of 20-plus homers and an OBP above .350 even though he won’t have the same protection in the lineup he had with the Yankees. However, Swisher has never won a Gold Glove or a Silver Slugger and has made it to one All-Star game in nine years. Also, he's a mediocre defender and has an awful postseason track record, though it's unlikely he'll get a chance to correct that in Cleveland.
His high energy and enthusiasm will be a huge plus to the Indians' clubhouse, but $56 million for a player who will be playing in his decline years from age 32 to 36 is extremely risky, especially because he doesn’t profile as a legitimate 3-4-5 hitter. The deal will work for the first two years, but if he’s not traded by the end of 2014, it will come back to bite GM Chris Antonetti.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Jeremy Guthrie | RHP | Age: 33 | Kansas City Royals
Contract: Three years, $25 million | AAV: $8.33 million
When the Royals acquired Guthrie from the Colorado Rockies on July 20, 2012, they were pleasantly surprised as Guthrie went 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.132 WHIP in 14 starts after the trade. General manager Dayton Moore had seen enough, so he signed Guthrie to a deal during which Guthrie will pitch at ages 34 through 36. That makes it risky in itself.
He does bring the strength of being able to give 200 innings pitched a year, which has value. Outside of the 14 starts he made with the Royals, however, the rest of his career doesn’t paint a pretty picture. He led the American League in losses twice with 17 in both 2009 and 2011. Before being traded to the Royals in July, he was almost given his unconditional release by the Rockies after going 3-9 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.68 WHIP. Sure, you can blame some of that on Coors Field, bad defense, run support and bullpens. But after a while, the excuses run out.
The reality is Guthrie has had a total of one winning season in nine years and his numbers are well below the worth of his contract. This could end up being the worst free-agent signing for the Royals since Gil Meche in 2006. It is a deal I believe the Royals will eventually regret.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Joe Blanton | RHP | Age: 32 | Los Angeles Angels
Contract: Two years, $15 million | AAV: $7.5 million
Jerry Dipoto is one of the best and brightest general managers in baseball. In his short tenure as Angels GM, he has acquired Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hanson, Jason Vargas, Chris Iannetta, Ernesto Frieri, Sean Burnett and Ryan Madson. That’s about as impressive as we’ve seen in the history of baseball.
However, giving Blanton more than a one-year contract was simply unwarranted. As good as the Angels are, and as good as the AL West is, the Angels needed a better quality starter for the fifth spot.
Blanton’s ERAs of 4.82, 5.01 and 4.71 in the National League will translate to an ERA of well over 5.00 in the American League. To take a chance on Blanton with even a one-year deal would have been debatable itself, but the two-year deal and depending on him for rotation depth will end up being a mistake.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Marco Scutaro | 2B | Age: 37 | San Francisco Giants
Contract: Three years, $20 million | AAV: $6.6 million
Scutaro is a solid player who knows how to play the game and is fundamentally sound. He can turn the double play, make the routine plays, hit and run when called upon and lay down a bunt when needed. And yet, he came to the Giants because of what his teams thought he couldn’t do. In 2011, the Red Sox decided to trade him to the Rockies because they thought he’d lost some range and bat speed. The Rockies traded him to the Giants after only 95 games when they decided his bat was slow and the adjustment back to second base wasn’t going as smoothly as planned. However, once Scutaro became a Giant he put it all together and ended up as the NLCS MVP.
So why not a three-year deal? Scutaro’s performance was only a snapshot of success, a period of time when he played at his optimum level but not a true reflection of the player he’ll be over the next three years. If he was showing signs of decline with both Boston and Colorado, what will he look like at age 39?
This contract is way too risky. They might get one solid year out of Scutaro, but I doubt he’ll be able to give them three years of the level they witnessed last season and in the postseason. Scutaro made about $20 million over the course his entire major league career from 2002-12. And now, at age 37, will make $20 million for the final three years of his career.
Biggest voids created by FAs.
As this offseason's free-agent class has been shaken and largely settled, some of the jilted teams are left in fine shape. Some immediately went out and patched the hole -- the Atlanta Braves, for instance, grabbed B.J. Upton immediately to fill the Michael Bourn void -- while others had replacements ready to go, making their free agents expendable.
Not everybody was so lucky or so prepared, however, as one can see by observing the voids forming where free agents used to be.
Here's a look at the five positions where teams are still scrambling to replace talent or will need an in-house option to exceed expectations lest they face a looming black hole at the position.
Position: Catcher
Team: Chicago White Sox
Departed player: A.J. Pierzynski
The South Siders avoided one potential shortcoming when they were able to replace the departed Kevin Youkilis with Jeff Keppinger at third base. They've chosen to let things be at catcher, and they're likely to see a big offensive drop from 2012, when they were fourth in runs in the American League.
With Pierzynski Texas-bound, it's now on Tyler Flowers, a backup the past two years and a .205/.307/.388 career hitter in 317 major league plate appearances. The minor league numbers and that limited sample indicate some supplemental power and patience skills are present if he can hit for some average. This isn't a case of bad luck so far in the majors, though (.313 BABIP), and he's not exactly young, either. In order to catch on in his age 27 season, he'll have to improve on his strikeouts, which have come in an astounding 33.8 percent of his plate appearances.
Position: DH
Teams: Cleveland Indians | New York Yankees
Departed players: Travis Hafner | Nick Swisher, Andruw Jones, Raul Ibanez
The Indians have an easy fix to their DH shortage -- re-sign Hafner, whose option the team declined at the outset of the offseason. Hafner, while injury-prone and coming off just 66 games last year, is an upgrade over what they have now -- namely either nothing or utility man Mike Aviles on his non-field days, depending on how you look at it.
For the Yankees, this isn't so easy. The loss of Swisher and the two backup types won't go over too badly in the outfield with Brett Gardner replacing Swisher, but it does create a DH vacancy. The Yankees, as old as they are, will often use the spot to rest position players -- Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter should need plenty of time there when they return. But until then, it's just another backup added to an already depleted lineup.
Position: 3B
Team: Atlanta Braves
Departed player: Chipper Jones
The last time the Braves went into a season without Jones in the lineup was 1994. It was Terry Pendleton's last season at third base, when the former "MVP" hit .252/.280/.398 (73 OPS+) before embarking on the four-teams-in-four-years career denouement. The first Chipperless season of this century does not inspire much higher hopes.
Juan Francisco has put together decent numbers on the strength of a selective usage pattern that is endangered by the needs of the Braves' roster. A left-handed hitter, he has an .806 career OPS against righties, but a .446 OPS against lefties that doesn't even carry a BABIP excuse. If he can continue his career rate of taking 83 percent of his plate appearances against righties, then there's some hope, but he doesn't have the look of an everyday player.
Should the Braves acquire Justin Upton or should Bourn run out of needier suitors and sign back with the Braves, it could push B.J. Upton to left, Martin Prado to third and Francisco to a better role. They could end up moving Prado to third no matter what, but that will simply create a huge void in left field. The Braves are missing Chipper -- who posted an .832 OPS in his final season at the age of 40 -- more than they could have expected.
Position: OF
Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Departed player: B.J. Upton
The problem here, as the Rays predictably let Upton walk, is that there's only so much top prospect Wil Myers can solve even if he does open the season with the big league team. (And that's hardly the Rays' MO, as they like to keep prospects down long enough to preserve an extra year of service time.)
A Myers call-up would put an end to an outfield that is forced to start Sam Fuld alongside Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce, but it does nothing to solve the designated hitter conundrum. With Carlos Pena having taken the new DH role in Houston, that has become a void as well.
Ben Zobrist could move to the outfield, putting Joyce at DH, but then what becomes of second base? No matter what, Upton has thrown off the whole mathematics of this lineup construction for Joe Maddon, who has scrambled before and will have to again.
Even in the unlikely case that Myers is set for the majors right away, the Rays would be wise to look for more help in the outfield in the bargain bin or in the cost-controlled portion of the trade market.
Position: C
Team: New York Yankees
Departed player: Russell Martin
The funny part about Martin's making this list is that the Yankees still never saw the best of his ability manifested in results. His two years with New York were by far his two worst in terms of batting average on balls in play, depressing his offensive output until a terrific performance this past September that helped the Yankees hold off the Orioles.
BABIP by year
2006 (LAD): .305
2007 (LAD): .317
2008 (LAD): .309
2009 (LAD): .284
2010 (LAD): .287
2011 (NYY): .257
2012 (NYY): .222
Assuming that number sees even a small bit of natural bounce-back, the combination of his broad offensive skill set with his defensive ability will give the Pittsburgh Pirates a very valuable backstop. Meanwhile, the Yankees muddle through some much lesser options after not obtaining Pierzynski in this new era of Yankees frugality.
Francisco Cervelli fell out of the Yankees' favor after a competent run as backup in 2010 and 2011, and now they come crawling back to the soon-to-be-27-year-old non-power threat as a real option. Chris Stewart, who was picked for the No. 2 job last year over Cervelli, has a backup profile and not a very imposing one (.302 career slugging).
If there is hope, it lies in Austin Romine, but a guy who has played a total of 30 games above Double-A is nothing but hope. Top prospect Gary Sanchez, 20, who played in Class A in 2012, can't get to the Bronx soon enough.
Not everybody was so lucky or so prepared, however, as one can see by observing the voids forming where free agents used to be.
Here's a look at the five positions where teams are still scrambling to replace talent or will need an in-house option to exceed expectations lest they face a looming black hole at the position.
Position: Catcher
Team: Chicago White Sox
Departed player: A.J. Pierzynski
The South Siders avoided one potential shortcoming when they were able to replace the departed Kevin Youkilis with Jeff Keppinger at third base. They've chosen to let things be at catcher, and they're likely to see a big offensive drop from 2012, when they were fourth in runs in the American League.
With Pierzynski Texas-bound, it's now on Tyler Flowers, a backup the past two years and a .205/.307/.388 career hitter in 317 major league plate appearances. The minor league numbers and that limited sample indicate some supplemental power and patience skills are present if he can hit for some average. This isn't a case of bad luck so far in the majors, though (.313 BABIP), and he's not exactly young, either. In order to catch on in his age 27 season, he'll have to improve on his strikeouts, which have come in an astounding 33.8 percent of his plate appearances.
Position: DH
Teams: Cleveland Indians | New York Yankees
Departed players: Travis Hafner | Nick Swisher, Andruw Jones, Raul Ibanez
The Indians have an easy fix to their DH shortage -- re-sign Hafner, whose option the team declined at the outset of the offseason. Hafner, while injury-prone and coming off just 66 games last year, is an upgrade over what they have now -- namely either nothing or utility man Mike Aviles on his non-field days, depending on how you look at it.
For the Yankees, this isn't so easy. The loss of Swisher and the two backup types won't go over too badly in the outfield with Brett Gardner replacing Swisher, but it does create a DH vacancy. The Yankees, as old as they are, will often use the spot to rest position players -- Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter should need plenty of time there when they return. But until then, it's just another backup added to an already depleted lineup.
Position: 3B
Team: Atlanta Braves
Departed player: Chipper Jones
The last time the Braves went into a season without Jones in the lineup was 1994. It was Terry Pendleton's last season at third base, when the former "MVP" hit .252/.280/.398 (73 OPS+) before embarking on the four-teams-in-four-years career denouement. The first Chipperless season of this century does not inspire much higher hopes.
Juan Francisco has put together decent numbers on the strength of a selective usage pattern that is endangered by the needs of the Braves' roster. A left-handed hitter, he has an .806 career OPS against righties, but a .446 OPS against lefties that doesn't even carry a BABIP excuse. If he can continue his career rate of taking 83 percent of his plate appearances against righties, then there's some hope, but he doesn't have the look of an everyday player.
Should the Braves acquire Justin Upton or should Bourn run out of needier suitors and sign back with the Braves, it could push B.J. Upton to left, Martin Prado to third and Francisco to a better role. They could end up moving Prado to third no matter what, but that will simply create a huge void in left field. The Braves are missing Chipper -- who posted an .832 OPS in his final season at the age of 40 -- more than they could have expected.
Position: OF
Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Departed player: B.J. Upton
The problem here, as the Rays predictably let Upton walk, is that there's only so much top prospect Wil Myers can solve even if he does open the season with the big league team. (And that's hardly the Rays' MO, as they like to keep prospects down long enough to preserve an extra year of service time.)
A Myers call-up would put an end to an outfield that is forced to start Sam Fuld alongside Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce, but it does nothing to solve the designated hitter conundrum. With Carlos Pena having taken the new DH role in Houston, that has become a void as well.
Ben Zobrist could move to the outfield, putting Joyce at DH, but then what becomes of second base? No matter what, Upton has thrown off the whole mathematics of this lineup construction for Joe Maddon, who has scrambled before and will have to again.
Even in the unlikely case that Myers is set for the majors right away, the Rays would be wise to look for more help in the outfield in the bargain bin or in the cost-controlled portion of the trade market.
Position: C
Team: New York Yankees
Departed player: Russell Martin
The funny part about Martin's making this list is that the Yankees still never saw the best of his ability manifested in results. His two years with New York were by far his two worst in terms of batting average on balls in play, depressing his offensive output until a terrific performance this past September that helped the Yankees hold off the Orioles.
BABIP by year
2006 (LAD): .305
2007 (LAD): .317
2008 (LAD): .309
2009 (LAD): .284
2010 (LAD): .287
2011 (NYY): .257
2012 (NYY): .222
Assuming that number sees even a small bit of natural bounce-back, the combination of his broad offensive skill set with his defensive ability will give the Pittsburgh Pirates a very valuable backstop. Meanwhile, the Yankees muddle through some much lesser options after not obtaining Pierzynski in this new era of Yankees frugality.
Francisco Cervelli fell out of the Yankees' favor after a competent run as backup in 2010 and 2011, and now they come crawling back to the soon-to-be-27-year-old non-power threat as a real option. Chris Stewart, who was picked for the No. 2 job last year over Cervelli, has a backup profile and not a very imposing one (.302 career slugging).
If there is hope, it lies in Austin Romine, but a guy who has played a total of 30 games above Double-A is nothing but hope. Top prospect Gary Sanchez, 20, who played in Class A in 2012, can't get to the Bronx soon enough.
Top 10 for '13: Tough calls after first three.
Nobody had ever accomplished quite what Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout did statistically during the 2012 season. So it's not merely reasonable, but expected, that some regression is coming in 2013. I mean, let's get real. Trout was incredible, we'll never forget it. The question when judging his immediate future value is figuring out to what degree a few of his numbers will fall -- most likely home runs, batting average and runs scored -- and whether it's still enough to make him the first pick in 2013 fantasy drafts.
But in my book, he's still No. 1.
[+] Enlarge
Benny Sieu/US Presswire
Mike Trout gets the top spot, but you can't go wrong with Ryan Braun at No. 2.
There are three clear candidates for the first overall pick, and the fact is, fantasy owners can't go wrong with any of them. Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun were pretty awesome in 2012 as well. But why can't those fellows regress some, too? Cabrera reached career highs in home runs and RBIs. I don't think he'll turn into Ty Wigginton anytime soon, but we think he's going to improve? Braun also hit a career mark in home runs. I said and wrote it a year ago and will again that I'd take Braun over Cabrera because of the stolen bases. It's a big difference, and life is much easier when your power guys supply steals, too, so you don't have to overdraft the Michael Bourn types. I have Braun at No. 2.
Trout keeps my top spot because even with some regression, perhaps to "merely" a .300 batting average and 20 home runs, I don't see many people viewing the 49 stolen bases as flukish. In fact, I see more steals coming. Trout's high strikeout rate, which he could certainly improve since he's all of 21 years old, as well as his high BABIP seem to suggest him hitting .326 again will be difficult. The 30 home runs in five months was another delightful surprise. Lop Trout's batting average to .300 and the home runs to 20 and he still would have finished third on the Player Rater, behind Braun and Cabrera, a tick ahead of Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen. If Trout hits .300 with 20 home runs, 49 steals and 129 runs scored, I certainly wouldn't be disappointed in taking him first, even if another Braun 30/30 season and another Cabrera Triple Crown makes them worth a tad more on the Rater. I want the extra steals, the potentially league-leading steals.
Ultimately, we're splitting hairs here. In many seasons, there's an obvious No. 1 choice, including Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols in many of the past 10-plus seasons. But I don't think it's so obvious in 2013; you can't go wrong with any of those three.
With that, here is my top 10 for 2013. Baseball will return soon, with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in a matter of weeks. I can't wait.
1. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels
He wouldn't be in this spot if I thought he was going to steal "only" 30 bases. Anyone else remember those incredible Eric Davis seasons, including the one with 27 home runs and 80 stolen bases, and another with 37 homers and 50 steals? Wouldn't it be awesome if Trout, even sacrificing some batting average, did that? Frankly, Trout doesn't need to contend for a batting title to earn this top spot.
2. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Braun was my top choice this time last year, and people thought I was nuts, citing a certain scandal and trying to glean how it would torch Braun's stats. I don't think people are concerned anymore. Look, I'm fine with Cabrera, too, and the third base eligibility is nice, but when you lock up a big power/speed guy early, it changes the rest of your draft.
3. Miguel Cabrera, 3BDetroit Tigers
Cabrera hit 44 home runs with 139 RBIs and 4 steals in 2012. From 2009 to 2011, he averaged 34 home runs, 111 RBIs and 4 steals from 2009 to 2011, and in 2011 he finished seventh on the Player Rater. Yeah, I know, he didn't have Prince Fielder batting behind him then, and now he does, but there could be regression coming here as well.
4. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
The mild concern with McCutchen is that his batting average (.327 in 2012) will take a hit and that his terrible stolen base percentage -- he was 20-for-32 on steal attempts -- will result in fewer tries, but since I can't be sure the next guy will be healthy (or stay that way), McCutchen checks in at No. 4.
5. Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
The first four guys just seem more reliable, even a guy entering his second full season (Trout). Kemp dealt with injuries for the first time in 2012, and it shortened his season and impacted his swing as well as his ability to run. Offseason shoulder surgery is not expected to linger into this season, and certainly he's a potential 30-homer/30-steal guy, though I'd bet it'll be more like 35/25.
6. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
No middle infielder can be counted on to play every day, hit for power and bat .300 every season, except this one. In this case, the reliability -- he finished 17th overall on the Player Rater in 2012 and 18th in 2011 -- from such a miserable fantasy position trumps the relative lack of stolen bases.
7. Albert Pujols, 1B, Angels
I don't think it's living in the past to continue believing in this guy. His 2012 season was the worst of his career, and it still netted 30 home runs, 105 RBIs, eight steals and a .285 batting average. And his April was abysmal (.217, 0 HR, 4 RBI). If you believe in lineup protection, which I usually don't put much stock in, then the Josh Hamilton addition should vault Pujols, as it did for Cabrera. Ultimately, this remains the safest first baseman in the game, and he's not too old to get back to producing MVP-type stats.
8. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies
I realize this choice goes against the grain, so to speak -- my wise colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft ranks Tulowitzki third at his position and 37th overall -- but a year ago, Tulo was the sixth pick in ESPN live drafts (ADP). He battled injuries in 2012, but I don't see why he can't go right back to hitting .300 with 30 home runs. How many shortstops can do this? Tulo's durability is a concern, of course, but from 2009 to 2011, in an average of 139 games per season, he averaged 30 home runs, 97 RBIs and a .304 batting average. I'm still buying, obviously.
9. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies
Yes, I'm buying on Tulo's teammate as well. Who cares if a major portion of his numbers came in home games? That might be an issue in head-to-head formats, but not in standard leagues. His line the past three seasons: .313, 27 home runs, 98 RBIs, 22 steals. That works just fine for me.
10. Jose Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Bautista beats out Prince Fielder, Joey Votto, Buster Posey and Justin Verlander, names you'll found in other top-10 rankings, because, as with Tulo, I don't see why Joey Bats can't lead the majors in home runs again, just as he did in 2010 and 2011. Word is he's healthy again, and there was little wrong with his power and plate discipline last season. Might he hit .250? Perhaps, but he might also hit 50 home runs. I'm expecting 40 blasts and a .280 batting average.
So who just misses? With Fielder, you get durability, consistent power and batting average, but a three-year average of 33-104 and .291 isn't so noteworthy at fantasy baseball's deepest position. … Votto seems a tad overrated. He hit for average in his injury-shortened 2012, and if your league counts OBP he's a top-5 guy, but the home runs were way down. In fact, he has hit 30 home runs just once, and the difference-maker, his stolen bases, has dwindled. … I don't think I've taken a catcher in the first round since Mike Piazza was in his prime. Posey was awesome, but catchers get hurt way too much to invest in one this early. I'll take Yadier Molina in Round 13 instead. … And I continue to avoid pitchers in Round 1. Verlander is my top starter, but there's not enough offense out there, particularly in relation to starting pitching depth, to invest in a pitcher that early.
But in my book, he's still No. 1.
[+] Enlarge
Benny Sieu/US Presswire
Mike Trout gets the top spot, but you can't go wrong with Ryan Braun at No. 2.
There are three clear candidates for the first overall pick, and the fact is, fantasy owners can't go wrong with any of them. Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun were pretty awesome in 2012 as well. But why can't those fellows regress some, too? Cabrera reached career highs in home runs and RBIs. I don't think he'll turn into Ty Wigginton anytime soon, but we think he's going to improve? Braun also hit a career mark in home runs. I said and wrote it a year ago and will again that I'd take Braun over Cabrera because of the stolen bases. It's a big difference, and life is much easier when your power guys supply steals, too, so you don't have to overdraft the Michael Bourn types. I have Braun at No. 2.
Trout keeps my top spot because even with some regression, perhaps to "merely" a .300 batting average and 20 home runs, I don't see many people viewing the 49 stolen bases as flukish. In fact, I see more steals coming. Trout's high strikeout rate, which he could certainly improve since he's all of 21 years old, as well as his high BABIP seem to suggest him hitting .326 again will be difficult. The 30 home runs in five months was another delightful surprise. Lop Trout's batting average to .300 and the home runs to 20 and he still would have finished third on the Player Rater, behind Braun and Cabrera, a tick ahead of Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen. If Trout hits .300 with 20 home runs, 49 steals and 129 runs scored, I certainly wouldn't be disappointed in taking him first, even if another Braun 30/30 season and another Cabrera Triple Crown makes them worth a tad more on the Rater. I want the extra steals, the potentially league-leading steals.
Ultimately, we're splitting hairs here. In many seasons, there's an obvious No. 1 choice, including Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols in many of the past 10-plus seasons. But I don't think it's so obvious in 2013; you can't go wrong with any of those three.
With that, here is my top 10 for 2013. Baseball will return soon, with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in a matter of weeks. I can't wait.
1. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels
He wouldn't be in this spot if I thought he was going to steal "only" 30 bases. Anyone else remember those incredible Eric Davis seasons, including the one with 27 home runs and 80 stolen bases, and another with 37 homers and 50 steals? Wouldn't it be awesome if Trout, even sacrificing some batting average, did that? Frankly, Trout doesn't need to contend for a batting title to earn this top spot.
2. Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Braun was my top choice this time last year, and people thought I was nuts, citing a certain scandal and trying to glean how it would torch Braun's stats. I don't think people are concerned anymore. Look, I'm fine with Cabrera, too, and the third base eligibility is nice, but when you lock up a big power/speed guy early, it changes the rest of your draft.
3. Miguel Cabrera, 3BDetroit Tigers
Cabrera hit 44 home runs with 139 RBIs and 4 steals in 2012. From 2009 to 2011, he averaged 34 home runs, 111 RBIs and 4 steals from 2009 to 2011, and in 2011 he finished seventh on the Player Rater. Yeah, I know, he didn't have Prince Fielder batting behind him then, and now he does, but there could be regression coming here as well.
4. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
The mild concern with McCutchen is that his batting average (.327 in 2012) will take a hit and that his terrible stolen base percentage -- he was 20-for-32 on steal attempts -- will result in fewer tries, but since I can't be sure the next guy will be healthy (or stay that way), McCutchen checks in at No. 4.
5. Matt Kemp, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
The first four guys just seem more reliable, even a guy entering his second full season (Trout). Kemp dealt with injuries for the first time in 2012, and it shortened his season and impacted his swing as well as his ability to run. Offseason shoulder surgery is not expected to linger into this season, and certainly he's a potential 30-homer/30-steal guy, though I'd bet it'll be more like 35/25.
6. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees
No middle infielder can be counted on to play every day, hit for power and bat .300 every season, except this one. In this case, the reliability -- he finished 17th overall on the Player Rater in 2012 and 18th in 2011 -- from such a miserable fantasy position trumps the relative lack of stolen bases.
7. Albert Pujols, 1B, Angels
I don't think it's living in the past to continue believing in this guy. His 2012 season was the worst of his career, and it still netted 30 home runs, 105 RBIs, eight steals and a .285 batting average. And his April was abysmal (.217, 0 HR, 4 RBI). If you believe in lineup protection, which I usually don't put much stock in, then the Josh Hamilton addition should vault Pujols, as it did for Cabrera. Ultimately, this remains the safest first baseman in the game, and he's not too old to get back to producing MVP-type stats.
8. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies
I realize this choice goes against the grain, so to speak -- my wise colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft ranks Tulowitzki third at his position and 37th overall -- but a year ago, Tulo was the sixth pick in ESPN live drafts (ADP). He battled injuries in 2012, but I don't see why he can't go right back to hitting .300 with 30 home runs. How many shortstops can do this? Tulo's durability is a concern, of course, but from 2009 to 2011, in an average of 139 games per season, he averaged 30 home runs, 97 RBIs and a .304 batting average. I'm still buying, obviously.
9. Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies
Yes, I'm buying on Tulo's teammate as well. Who cares if a major portion of his numbers came in home games? That might be an issue in head-to-head formats, but not in standard leagues. His line the past three seasons: .313, 27 home runs, 98 RBIs, 22 steals. That works just fine for me.
10. Jose Bautista, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Bautista beats out Prince Fielder, Joey Votto, Buster Posey and Justin Verlander, names you'll found in other top-10 rankings, because, as with Tulo, I don't see why Joey Bats can't lead the majors in home runs again, just as he did in 2010 and 2011. Word is he's healthy again, and there was little wrong with his power and plate discipline last season. Might he hit .250? Perhaps, but he might also hit 50 home runs. I'm expecting 40 blasts and a .280 batting average.
So who just misses? With Fielder, you get durability, consistent power and batting average, but a three-year average of 33-104 and .291 isn't so noteworthy at fantasy baseball's deepest position. … Votto seems a tad overrated. He hit for average in his injury-shortened 2012, and if your league counts OBP he's a top-5 guy, but the home runs were way down. In fact, he has hit 30 home runs just once, and the difference-maker, his stolen bases, has dwindled. … I don't think I've taken a catcher in the first round since Mike Piazza was in his prime. Posey was awesome, but catchers get hurt way too much to invest in one this early. I'll take Yadier Molina in Round 13 instead. … And I continue to avoid pitchers in Round 1. Verlander is my top starter, but there's not enough offense out there, particularly in relation to starting pitching depth, to invest in a pitcher that early.
- Mar 2, 2011
- 30,498
- 5,958
Opening the season in Toronto! that sucks
- Dec 5, 2008
- 6,463
- 1,844
Who is gonna start in CF for the Athletics? Crisp or Young? I like the Athletics in the West actually, they got a good one in former Nat Tommy Milone
Also really weird to see the Astros in the AL.
Also really weird to see the Astros in the AL.
- Feb 17, 2007
- 21,784
- 2,957
Who is gonna start in CF for the Athletics? Crisp or Young? I like the Athletics in the West actually, they got a good one in former Nat Tommy Milone
Also really weird to see the Astros in the AL.
It's been floated that we may trade Coco at some point. If Young provides us serious production on offense and plays great D I don't think we have much of a choice but to trade. It's a good problem to have as far as I'm concerned. Melvin has demonstrated serious skill in juggling the players' play time without having a significant drop in production.
- Status
