What an epic game it was at Safeco Field in Seattle on Tuesday night. It was a playoff-type atmosphere from the first pitch to the last pitch, with many momentum swings along the way. The Angels battled back from an early 5-0 deficit to beat the Seattle Mariners 10-6 and move to 4 games up over Seattle in the AL West race.
This could be the game that is looked back on in 5 weeks and is labeled as the night that officially sprung the Angels onto the AL West title. Ervin Santana gave up 5 runs while getting only one out in the top of the first, leaving his rotation spot in jeopardy for the second time this year.
The Seattle crowd was roaring as the game looked to be over just after it had begun. With a different type of energy in the air, the Angels fell back on their gritty character to methodically chip away at the lead before delivering the knockout punch with a 4-run eigth inning. This is the type of win that could propel a team onto their biggest hot streak of the year at the best possible time. The Angels should have a hard time believing that they are out of any game at any point from here on out, due to the fact that they know they have these types of outbursts waiting to happen.
Dustin Moseley came on in relief of Santana in the first inning to pitch 5 2/3 scoreless before handing the ball over to Justin Speier. Moseley was undoubtedly the player of the game, even though it takes the offense to put the runs on the board to complete the climb out of the deep whole that the Angels found themselves in early. It is vital when a game seems all but out of hand to have a guy come in from the bullpen and pound the strike zone and attack hitters. That establishes the mentality that the offense can now relax and try to chip away at the lead knowing that there shouldn't be any more runs on the board.
Like many nights, Vladimir Guerrero carried the offense going 4-5 with 3 RBI. It was his 2-run single in the 8th inning that took the lead to 9-6 and gave the Angels some breathing room before handing the ball over to Shields. Orlando Cabrera had himself a night, going 3-5, and Kendry Morales and Gary Matthews Jr. helped clean up by hitting back to back homeruns in the 4th inning.
On the flipside of the night, this is the type of loss that can bury a team for the stretch run. After getting out to such a high with the early 5-0 lead, it may have exposed the weakness of this team. Lack of experience when it comes to pennant races. It is possible that the Mariners, who have not been in this position recently, got a bit relaxed after gaining some breathing room. That can be one of the most deadliest faults of a team, and I think tonight was a prime example. Mix that with the makeup of a team like the Angels who pride themselves on chipping away and not giving in and you have a recipe for disaster.
It will take a great outing tomorrow night from phenom Felix Hernandez in order to turn the momentum around just a bit. It is imperative that the Mariners cut the lead down to 3 games before the Angels leave town. Assuming the two teams play at about an even rate until the final showdown in Anaheim in September, they will go into Anaheim 3 games back with a 4 game series looming. Worst case scenario, they will at least have a shot to make a run at the division title. At that point, who knows where they will be when it comes to the wildcard race. That all depends on how the Yankees play the next four weeks.
We typically don't experience playoff type baseball until late September, around the last week or two of the seson, but we got the first taste of it in August. Tonight's game was as intense as it will be at any time during the postseason. Home team busting out of the gates with the crowd going crazy, the energy erupting through the night sky. Only to be outdone by a veteran squad who sent a few missiles a little bit higher into the sky, deflating Safeco Field as they descended into the outfield seats. We had a battle for 7 plus innings before the Angels 8th inning outburst. Maybe now with the experience of what it is like to let a pesky team back into the ballgame, the Mariners will come out more aggressive and will look to put the final nail in the coffin when they get an early lead.
Who knows how the games will play out in the final weeks, but one thing is for sure. Playoff intensity is here and we are getting warmed up for the October atmosphere. Even though spring training, symbolizing the end of winter and our first taste of baseball in months, is a close second, September and October is the best time of the baseball season. Safeco Field Tuesday night proved that time has arrived. Gotta love it.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Digging Deep Into The Well
David Wells came up big for the Dodgers Sunday night in the Big Apple. The 44-year-old southpaw threw five innings giving up two runs and leading Los Angeles to a 6-2 win to salvage the final game of the series. The Dodgers are 7 games out of first place in the National League West and remain 4 games behind the San Deigo Padres in the Wild Card race.
Wells gave the Dodgers rotation the boost that it was looking for, even though he went the minimum needed to record the win. That still was plenty for a guy who has not pitched in about three weeks. In reality, the Dodgers aren't quite out of the division race because they still have two series each remaining against Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego, and Colorado. Given all of those games within the divison, it still is quite a longshot that they will make up a 7 game deficit.
That leaves the Wild Card and they still have hope in that race. With 6 games left against San Diego, they have their work cut out for them down the stretch, but there is a chance if they can get the offense at least generating some sort of pulse. Rafael Furcal showed some great signs of life as he was one base 4 out of 5 times Sunday night.
Brady Penny and Derek Lowe still have to carry the load if the Dodgers are going to make any sort of postseason push. It would be ideal if Chad Billingsley kept throwing the way he has so far in the second half, but that may be a lot to ask of a man who is in his first full season in the big leagues. Only time will tell when it comes to the impact that the increase in innings and the pressure that September brings will have on the young righthander.
As much of a story David Wells would be if he takes charge of the staff and leads them into the postseason, the Dodgers would be fortunate if they can get 7 starts like the one turned in tonight. The veteran is not going to dominating teams with his diminished stuff, nor will he eat up innings down the stretch. But there may not be any pitcher more competitive than David Wells and he will certainly bring an attitude and swagger to a Dodger rotation that has been kicked around a little of late.
That may be all it takes to wake up the offensive side as well. When they know that the rotation is going to go out and compete every night, even without its "best" starters, the bats should be motivated to do the same. Teams get hot that way and we all know how the playoffs work. It's not always the best team that wins in the postseason, it's the hottest team.
On a side note, tonight may have planted the seed for some future bad blood between the Mets and Dodgers. Jeff Kent was hit in the head by a John Maine fastball and the Dodgers were not in an ideal position to retaliate. The two teams don't meet up again, unless it is in the playoffs, but this may not be the end of bean balls. I am not saying that Maine's pitch was intentional, nothing about it would indicate that it was, but teams tend to protect their hitters especially when one is drilled in the head. Jeff Kent is a veteran and he will get the respect from the pitching staff when it comes to protection. The only way that this is over for good would be if Kent is not back with the Dodgers next season. Who knows what will happen, but I can see a fastball meeting David Wright's back in the future. This shouldn't start a full fledged war, it's just baseball.
Wells gave the Dodgers rotation the boost that it was looking for, even though he went the minimum needed to record the win. That still was plenty for a guy who has not pitched in about three weeks. In reality, the Dodgers aren't quite out of the division race because they still have two series each remaining against Arizona, San Francisco, San Diego, and Colorado. Given all of those games within the divison, it still is quite a longshot that they will make up a 7 game deficit.
That leaves the Wild Card and they still have hope in that race. With 6 games left against San Diego, they have their work cut out for them down the stretch, but there is a chance if they can get the offense at least generating some sort of pulse. Rafael Furcal showed some great signs of life as he was one base 4 out of 5 times Sunday night.
Brady Penny and Derek Lowe still have to carry the load if the Dodgers are going to make any sort of postseason push. It would be ideal if Chad Billingsley kept throwing the way he has so far in the second half, but that may be a lot to ask of a man who is in his first full season in the big leagues. Only time will tell when it comes to the impact that the increase in innings and the pressure that September brings will have on the young righthander.
As much of a story David Wells would be if he takes charge of the staff and leads them into the postseason, the Dodgers would be fortunate if they can get 7 starts like the one turned in tonight. The veteran is not going to dominating teams with his diminished stuff, nor will he eat up innings down the stretch. But there may not be any pitcher more competitive than David Wells and he will certainly bring an attitude and swagger to a Dodger rotation that has been kicked around a little of late.
That may be all it takes to wake up the offensive side as well. When they know that the rotation is going to go out and compete every night, even without its "best" starters, the bats should be motivated to do the same. Teams get hot that way and we all know how the playoffs work. It's not always the best team that wins in the postseason, it's the hottest team.
On a side note, tonight may have planted the seed for some future bad blood between the Mets and Dodgers. Jeff Kent was hit in the head by a John Maine fastball and the Dodgers were not in an ideal position to retaliate. The two teams don't meet up again, unless it is in the playoffs, but this may not be the end of bean balls. I am not saying that Maine's pitch was intentional, nothing about it would indicate that it was, but teams tend to protect their hitters especially when one is drilled in the head. Jeff Kent is a veteran and he will get the respect from the pitching staff when it comes to protection. The only way that this is over for good would be if Kent is not back with the Dodgers next season. Who knows what will happen, but I can see a fastball meeting David Wright's back in the future. This shouldn't start a full fledged war, it's just baseball.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Halladay Cut From Old School Cloth
Roy Halladay is flat out pitching in the wrong generation. In this day and age, pitch counts are the most important number on scoreboards across America. Grown men who groom their bodies to pitch every five days for a living are being babied and "protected" by limiting the amount of pitches they throw per game. Like this is actually beneficial to their arms.
Gone are the days of Nolan Ryan throwing complete game after complete game and throwing 130 pitches per start. Didn't see Ryan with arm problems did you? Some of this can also be due to the fact that bullpens have more specialized roles with middle relievers, set up men, and closers.
Halladay, who took the mound Friday night in Anaheim against the Angels, suffered the tough luck loss but recorded his 6th complete game of the season in the process. Halladay gave up three runs, two in the first inning which were both scored off of seeing-eye basehits. He was not as sharp as he is sometimes, but he pitched well enough to win certainly, the only problem being that Toronto put a goose-egg on the scoreboard.
It was amazing to watch the fluidity and elegance of a man as big as Halladay, while pounding the strike zone with low-90s sinkers. His delivery is the definition of smooth and the ball comes out of his hand free and easy while it gets to the plate and proceeds to chew up any piece of lumber that dares make contact.
Not every pitch thrown by Halladay tonight was in the perfect spot or properly executed, as the pitches that caught too much of the plate were hit hard. But out of 12 hits on the night, maybe four or five were actually stroked. A true ace finds ways to at least keep his team in the game on the nights that he doesn't have a whole lot working. You can forget about it on the nights that he actually has his stuff working. That is exactly what Halladay does.
Athletics is purely about competing and grinding through the tough times. That seems to be forgotten sometimes today because with the way the bullpen is set up, there is always someone to clean up the mess for you. Maybe in Canada they have a different pitching philosophy, but a fair assumption would be that because of the high efficiency of Halladay's pitches, he is allowed to go deeper into ballgames. There is that pitch count thing again, and it simply isn't right.
There should be something said for the guys who take the ball and just go to work. Good night, bad night, and anything in between, it simply doesn't matter. They find a way to make a good enough pitch, and by the time you know it, it is the 8th inning and they are still on the hill finding ways to get guys to roll over to second base or to pop up to the left fielder.
It is the art of the battle that only the great pitchers truly master. We aren't lucky enough to witness that much today, mainly because of the advances in health and technology. There is a difference between letting professionals compete within the limits of their bodies, which only they can judge and not a pitch counter, and being idiotic by continuing to run a guy out there who is obviously gased.
Maybe it is just me and I am somewhat crazy, but that is the lost art that I see in Halladay, the pure bulldog mentality. You get the sense that he is not out there to get the attention for dominating games, which he does often, but that he simply has job that he needs to do and he needs to do well. It seems borderline offending when he doesn't take the ball into the 7th inning. That is awesome stuff that every pitcher should strive to make part of his arsenal.
It has nothing to do with physical ability really. It is simply an attitude that it is your job to pitch and get hitters out, and you don't need somebody else to finish your work for you. It is a pride factor. I won't say that players today take less pride in their games than players from past generations, because that is obviously not true. In fact, it really is not the players decision when it comes to staying in a ballgame and working through the jams. Competing. That is the theme of this piece.
The root of the problem really lies inside the heart of professional baseball itself. Somehow the game has somewhat morphed into a game that is played by the books. Halladay is our modern day poster child for the past generations. The more pitchers in the league that take on the mentality as Halladay does, the better off this game will be. No one person can change the entire face of baseball and its "philosophies".
It sure seems sometimes that the heart of the game and its players has been taken out of the equation entirely. Ride a guy as long as he is doing well and as soon as there is trouble, bring another arm out of the bullpen for his specified role. That seems to be the idea, and you know what, that is easy. What are we doing to athletics in general if we are using this as the example?
There is no pride in backing down to a tougher situation and allowing someone else to clean it up. The best moments in sports are not the ones when guys are simply rolling through the game. Games are most intense in the bottom of the 8th in a tie game with the bases loaded, two outs, and Alex Rodriguez at the plate. That is what we live for and the reason we wacth baseball!
The point being, great moments make up baseball, and unbelievably talented players who come out on top of a tough spot due to persistence make great moments. If the "competing" part of baseball is taken out of the game by giving a pitcher a pre-determined pitch count, or allowing him to glance towards the bullpen because it is the 8th inning and the closer should be warming up, then we can just admit that we as fans are not getting the full experience. Baseball is leaving a lot on the table and much to be desired with this type of mentality.
Baseball is, afterall, built upon "the grind" and offers rewards in October when teams can find ways to be the best over the span of 6 months. If that wasn't the case, no man in his right mind would lace up the spikes during hot and humid summers on 162 separate occasions. But that is the face of baseball, the journey that keeps us coming back for more. All of that is put on display during each game, on a smaller scale. Let Roy Halladay be the example of how baseball is suppossed to be played. It is a long year that will have it ups and downs. But nonetheless, you keep jogging out to the mound to eat up that next inning and you keep rubbing the pine tar on the bat to start a 9th inning rally. Then, and only then, can we finally say let the best man win.
Gone are the days of Nolan Ryan throwing complete game after complete game and throwing 130 pitches per start. Didn't see Ryan with arm problems did you? Some of this can also be due to the fact that bullpens have more specialized roles with middle relievers, set up men, and closers.
Halladay, who took the mound Friday night in Anaheim against the Angels, suffered the tough luck loss but recorded his 6th complete game of the season in the process. Halladay gave up three runs, two in the first inning which were both scored off of seeing-eye basehits. He was not as sharp as he is sometimes, but he pitched well enough to win certainly, the only problem being that Toronto put a goose-egg on the scoreboard.
It was amazing to watch the fluidity and elegance of a man as big as Halladay, while pounding the strike zone with low-90s sinkers. His delivery is the definition of smooth and the ball comes out of his hand free and easy while it gets to the plate and proceeds to chew up any piece of lumber that dares make contact.
Not every pitch thrown by Halladay tonight was in the perfect spot or properly executed, as the pitches that caught too much of the plate were hit hard. But out of 12 hits on the night, maybe four or five were actually stroked. A true ace finds ways to at least keep his team in the game on the nights that he doesn't have a whole lot working. You can forget about it on the nights that he actually has his stuff working. That is exactly what Halladay does.
Athletics is purely about competing and grinding through the tough times. That seems to be forgotten sometimes today because with the way the bullpen is set up, there is always someone to clean up the mess for you. Maybe in Canada they have a different pitching philosophy, but a fair assumption would be that because of the high efficiency of Halladay's pitches, he is allowed to go deeper into ballgames. There is that pitch count thing again, and it simply isn't right.
There should be something said for the guys who take the ball and just go to work. Good night, bad night, and anything in between, it simply doesn't matter. They find a way to make a good enough pitch, and by the time you know it, it is the 8th inning and they are still on the hill finding ways to get guys to roll over to second base or to pop up to the left fielder.
It is the art of the battle that only the great pitchers truly master. We aren't lucky enough to witness that much today, mainly because of the advances in health and technology. There is a difference between letting professionals compete within the limits of their bodies, which only they can judge and not a pitch counter, and being idiotic by continuing to run a guy out there who is obviously gased.
Maybe it is just me and I am somewhat crazy, but that is the lost art that I see in Halladay, the pure bulldog mentality. You get the sense that he is not out there to get the attention for dominating games, which he does often, but that he simply has job that he needs to do and he needs to do well. It seems borderline offending when he doesn't take the ball into the 7th inning. That is awesome stuff that every pitcher should strive to make part of his arsenal.
It has nothing to do with physical ability really. It is simply an attitude that it is your job to pitch and get hitters out, and you don't need somebody else to finish your work for you. It is a pride factor. I won't say that players today take less pride in their games than players from past generations, because that is obviously not true. In fact, it really is not the players decision when it comes to staying in a ballgame and working through the jams. Competing. That is the theme of this piece.
The root of the problem really lies inside the heart of professional baseball itself. Somehow the game has somewhat morphed into a game that is played by the books. Halladay is our modern day poster child for the past generations. The more pitchers in the league that take on the mentality as Halladay does, the better off this game will be. No one person can change the entire face of baseball and its "philosophies".
It sure seems sometimes that the heart of the game and its players has been taken out of the equation entirely. Ride a guy as long as he is doing well and as soon as there is trouble, bring another arm out of the bullpen for his specified role. That seems to be the idea, and you know what, that is easy. What are we doing to athletics in general if we are using this as the example?
There is no pride in backing down to a tougher situation and allowing someone else to clean it up. The best moments in sports are not the ones when guys are simply rolling through the game. Games are most intense in the bottom of the 8th in a tie game with the bases loaded, two outs, and Alex Rodriguez at the plate. That is what we live for and the reason we wacth baseball!
The point being, great moments make up baseball, and unbelievably talented players who come out on top of a tough spot due to persistence make great moments. If the "competing" part of baseball is taken out of the game by giving a pitcher a pre-determined pitch count, or allowing him to glance towards the bullpen because it is the 8th inning and the closer should be warming up, then we can just admit that we as fans are not getting the full experience. Baseball is leaving a lot on the table and much to be desired with this type of mentality.
Baseball is, afterall, built upon "the grind" and offers rewards in October when teams can find ways to be the best over the span of 6 months. If that wasn't the case, no man in his right mind would lace up the spikes during hot and humid summers on 162 separate occasions. But that is the face of baseball, the journey that keeps us coming back for more. All of that is put on display during each game, on a smaller scale. Let Roy Halladay be the example of how baseball is suppossed to be played. It is a long year that will have it ups and downs. But nonetheless, you keep jogging out to the mound to eat up that next inning and you keep rubbing the pine tar on the bat to start a 9th inning rally. Then, and only then, can we finally say let the best man win.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Santana Could Prove Valuable Down Stretch
The Los Angeles Angels have been doing their best to hold off the Seattle Mariners in the American League West as of late. It has been working out in their favor since it seems whenever they lose Seattle seems to lose as well. The last five weeks of the season will come down to, what else, who has the most depth at starting pitching. That is how baseball works and that will always be the answer to winning in this game.
The Angels are suppossed to have one of the best rotations in all of baseball. It has been good, but it is not what it once was and there is some room for improvement if it is going to be solid going into the playoffs. Bartolo Colon is an afterthought in this organization and probably will not be back in Anaheim next season. Who knows, Colon may not be pitching anywhere next season if he can't get his elbow healthy.
That leaves Jered Weaver, John Lackey, and Kelvim Escobar from the original rotation that was suppossed to run away with the AL West. Weaver has been enduring sme sophmore slumps this season as his command and overall pure stuff are nowhere close to where they were last year. He isn't pitching terribly, as he sports a 4.16 ERA after his last start in Boston.
John Lackey has been the rock of the rotation for the majority of the year and is tied for the American League lead in wins with 15. He is a Cy Young candidate and will most likely be the Angels Game 1 starter, assuming they make it to the postseason. Lackey has a 3.39 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 172.1 innings this season. He has been coming off to below-average starts against Boston and New York where he gave up a combined 10 earned runs in 11 innings. There shouldn't be too much worry about him as he will achor the rotation down the stretch, starting with his biggest start thus far, a Monday meeting with the Seattle Mariners.
The numbers simply speak for themselves when it comes to choosing who has been the best starter for the Halos this year. That would go to Kelvim Escobar as he seems to sneek right under the radar and turn in numbers like a 14-6 record with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Quite the silent assassin type. Somehow Escobar has avoided the attention and the Cy Young talks through his 2007 campaign. He may be the biggest piece to the Angels success and needs to be a force inbetween Lackey and Weaver.
Joe Saunders has proven time and time again that he is ready for the big leagues full time now, and finally he is here to stay. Not sure what to expect from him, although it should be his same solid performances, down the stretch simply because he hasn't had to pitch in a pennant race before.
The biggest disappointment of the season for the Angels was Ervin Santana, by a long shot. Santana turned in a great 2006 and figured to have a breakout year and possibly contend for the Cy Young, as the majority of scouts admit Santana has that kind of ability. After pitching great at home, and terribly on the road, the Angels couldn't figure out the problem with their young righthander.
After being sent down to the minors to refine his mechanics and to regain his swagger, Ervin was called up to starte the night cap of a double header in Boston, against Red Sox ace Josh Beckett. What did Santana do? He matched Beckett pitch for pitch as he went 6.1 innings yielding only 1 run with 5 strikeouts. That sent a message to manager Mike Scioscia and the Angel front office that Santana may have found his confidence again.
Tonight the Angels opened up a four game set with the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, and they are currently trailing 5-3 in the top of the 6th. Santana was on the hill tonight, as he was pitching in what normally would of been Jered Weaver's scheduled day to pitch.
The score doesn't exactly tell the full story as Santana was dominant early. Showing a live fastball that reached 93 mph and a nasty slider, the righty carved up the Jays until the fifth inning where he ran into some trouble with two outs. That aside, Santana is still continuing to make good pitches, faltering only when he finds too much of the plate, which unfortuanetly has been a little too often.
Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, the Angels need to keep giving the ball to Santana until he proves that he has reverted back to his disatrious ways. The kid has an electric arm and once it is accompanied with a sound mental approach, confidence and composure included, he will be a dominant pitcher in the league. That could be on its way as the demotion to the minors seemed to have lit a bit of a fire while also alowing him to relax.
This would not be a question if the depth of the Angel rotation was what is was suppossed to be. Clearly, though, it is not. It would be a huge risk to rely on Weaver to pitch any better in the playoffs than what he has done for the majority of this season. By slotting Santana back into the rotation, it would allow Mike Scioscia to move fifth starter Dustin Moseley back to the bullpen where he would be much more valuable.
Either way it works out, Moseley or Santana will be in the bullpen when the rosters expand on September 1st. Santana could provide the lift, even if its only through October, that the Angels need in order to make a serious run at the World Series. If he does not pitch weel enough in the rotation, he could be a 7th inning force as Scot Shields has been going through problems of his own. Obviously none of this is my decision, and Mike Scioscia is a great manager because he knows his players best, but it would not be beneficial at all to allow this type of arm to sit on the bench when two-fifths of the starting rotation is a big crapshoot.
The Angels are suppossed to have one of the best rotations in all of baseball. It has been good, but it is not what it once was and there is some room for improvement if it is going to be solid going into the playoffs. Bartolo Colon is an afterthought in this organization and probably will not be back in Anaheim next season. Who knows, Colon may not be pitching anywhere next season if he can't get his elbow healthy.
That leaves Jered Weaver, John Lackey, and Kelvim Escobar from the original rotation that was suppossed to run away with the AL West. Weaver has been enduring sme sophmore slumps this season as his command and overall pure stuff are nowhere close to where they were last year. He isn't pitching terribly, as he sports a 4.16 ERA after his last start in Boston.
John Lackey has been the rock of the rotation for the majority of the year and is tied for the American League lead in wins with 15. He is a Cy Young candidate and will most likely be the Angels Game 1 starter, assuming they make it to the postseason. Lackey has a 3.39 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 172.1 innings this season. He has been coming off to below-average starts against Boston and New York where he gave up a combined 10 earned runs in 11 innings. There shouldn't be too much worry about him as he will achor the rotation down the stretch, starting with his biggest start thus far, a Monday meeting with the Seattle Mariners.
The numbers simply speak for themselves when it comes to choosing who has been the best starter for the Halos this year. That would go to Kelvim Escobar as he seems to sneek right under the radar and turn in numbers like a 14-6 record with a 2.85 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Quite the silent assassin type. Somehow Escobar has avoided the attention and the Cy Young talks through his 2007 campaign. He may be the biggest piece to the Angels success and needs to be a force inbetween Lackey and Weaver.
Joe Saunders has proven time and time again that he is ready for the big leagues full time now, and finally he is here to stay. Not sure what to expect from him, although it should be his same solid performances, down the stretch simply because he hasn't had to pitch in a pennant race before.
The biggest disappointment of the season for the Angels was Ervin Santana, by a long shot. Santana turned in a great 2006 and figured to have a breakout year and possibly contend for the Cy Young, as the majority of scouts admit Santana has that kind of ability. After pitching great at home, and terribly on the road, the Angels couldn't figure out the problem with their young righthander.
After being sent down to the minors to refine his mechanics and to regain his swagger, Ervin was called up to starte the night cap of a double header in Boston, against Red Sox ace Josh Beckett. What did Santana do? He matched Beckett pitch for pitch as he went 6.1 innings yielding only 1 run with 5 strikeouts. That sent a message to manager Mike Scioscia and the Angel front office that Santana may have found his confidence again.
Tonight the Angels opened up a four game set with the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, and they are currently trailing 5-3 in the top of the 6th. Santana was on the hill tonight, as he was pitching in what normally would of been Jered Weaver's scheduled day to pitch.
The score doesn't exactly tell the full story as Santana was dominant early. Showing a live fastball that reached 93 mph and a nasty slider, the righty carved up the Jays until the fifth inning where he ran into some trouble with two outs. That aside, Santana is still continuing to make good pitches, faltering only when he finds too much of the plate, which unfortuanetly has been a little too often.
Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, the Angels need to keep giving the ball to Santana until he proves that he has reverted back to his disatrious ways. The kid has an electric arm and once it is accompanied with a sound mental approach, confidence and composure included, he will be a dominant pitcher in the league. That could be on its way as the demotion to the minors seemed to have lit a bit of a fire while also alowing him to relax.
This would not be a question if the depth of the Angel rotation was what is was suppossed to be. Clearly, though, it is not. It would be a huge risk to rely on Weaver to pitch any better in the playoffs than what he has done for the majority of this season. By slotting Santana back into the rotation, it would allow Mike Scioscia to move fifth starter Dustin Moseley back to the bullpen where he would be much more valuable.
Either way it works out, Moseley or Santana will be in the bullpen when the rosters expand on September 1st. Santana could provide the lift, even if its only through October, that the Angels need in order to make a serious run at the World Series. If he does not pitch weel enough in the rotation, he could be a 7th inning force as Scot Shields has been going through problems of his own. Obviously none of this is my decision, and Mike Scioscia is a great manager because he knows his players best, but it would not be beneficial at all to allow this type of arm to sit on the bench when two-fifths of the starting rotation is a big crapshoot.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Kennedy Could Bridge Gap
For everyone who is not part of the New York Yankees, Tuesday night was a great night to be in Southern California, and especially at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The Angels erupted for 18 runs against a feable stable of Yankee pitchers. Nothing was pretty from the time starter Mike Mussina took the mound in the bottom of the first to the time the field was cleared and the Yankees were showering and dressing after an 18-9 loss.
The loss dropped the Bombers 6 games back of divison leading Boston, who is enjoying a feast on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. There is an obvious hole in the Yankees armor and that comes after the starting pitching, for the most part, and before Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera at the end of the bullpen.
There is nobody to get the ball from the starter to the 8th inning, and due to that, the Yankees are facing quite the uphill battle in order to catch Boston. Coming into Anaheim, the Yankees were the hottest team in baseball and had cut their deficit to 4 games in the divison. But for some reason, it sounds like some sort of broken record when they play the Angels. Wins are hard to come by.
The offense is holding up its end, and the starting pitching had been doing an adequate job. Because of the serious lack of bullpen depth though, the Yankees cannoy afford a horrible outing like the one turned in from Mike Mussina Tuesday night. 1 2/3 and 7 runs is not going to cut it at any point of the season.
The weakness of the Yankees was so exposed after Mussina came out that it hurt to watch each arm get called in by skipper Joe Torre and really have no chance at keeping the Yankees in the ball game. The Angels scored 5 runs in 3 different innings on the night, and never failed to score in their frame after the Yankees had scored in the top half of an inning.
Ron Villone and Sean Henn are merely mop up men in the big leagues, but even they couldn't keep the game within reaching distance. If the Yankees want to solidify the bullpen and give themselves a shot to catch the Red Sox by being able to keep themselves in close ball games in the 6th and 7th innings, then they needd to call up righthander Ian Kennedy from Triple-A.
A September call up would be too late. Kennedy has a sun-2.00 ERA in five starts in Triple-A and has been climbing the system side by side with Joba Chamberlain until Chamberlain was called up to The Show. It isn't ideal to put your two top starting pithching prospects into the bullpen for fear of breaking their routine and putting a different type of stress on their bodies and arms. Chamberlain has adjusted well, and there is no reason to think Kennedy shouldn't do the same.
Prospects are only valuable because of the probability that they will help the big club win. Kennedy will have time in the offseason to prepare for spring training as a starter, but he is desperately needed in pinstripes now. He would provide a fresh arm and young enthusiasm and could handle both the 6th and 7th innings to get the ball to Chamberlain. The Yankees aren't allowing Chamberlain to throw out of the bullpen on consecutive days and they would probably have to follow the same plan with Kennedy.
It is nearly impossible to take a spot in the rotation away from a veteran like Mussina unless there is injury involved. He has postseason experience, along with Pettitte and Clemens. It certaintly would be tough though to wonder what Kennedy could do in the rotation if Mussina continues to falter in the last five weeks. I am assuming that Tuesday night just happened to be one of his worst outings in his career and therefore should not be weighed too heavily. Hopefully that is the case because if the bullpen has to eat up more than three innings in any given night, the Yankees are going to be in some serious trouble. It would be ideal if the starters could take the ball into the 7th inning at least, if not finish a full seven.
Regardless of the rotation situation, that should have no effect on the decisions about the bullpen. The starters, barring injury, will turn in at least adequate performances. But unless the Yankees are going to get 10 runs a game from A-Rod and Co., they need to get effective arms in middle relief and that starts with their hottest pitcher down on the farm, no matter the age or professional experience.
The loss dropped the Bombers 6 games back of divison leading Boston, who is enjoying a feast on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. There is an obvious hole in the Yankees armor and that comes after the starting pitching, for the most part, and before Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera at the end of the bullpen.
There is nobody to get the ball from the starter to the 8th inning, and due to that, the Yankees are facing quite the uphill battle in order to catch Boston. Coming into Anaheim, the Yankees were the hottest team in baseball and had cut their deficit to 4 games in the divison. But for some reason, it sounds like some sort of broken record when they play the Angels. Wins are hard to come by.
The offense is holding up its end, and the starting pitching had been doing an adequate job. Because of the serious lack of bullpen depth though, the Yankees cannoy afford a horrible outing like the one turned in from Mike Mussina Tuesday night. 1 2/3 and 7 runs is not going to cut it at any point of the season.
The weakness of the Yankees was so exposed after Mussina came out that it hurt to watch each arm get called in by skipper Joe Torre and really have no chance at keeping the Yankees in the ball game. The Angels scored 5 runs in 3 different innings on the night, and never failed to score in their frame after the Yankees had scored in the top half of an inning.
Ron Villone and Sean Henn are merely mop up men in the big leagues, but even they couldn't keep the game within reaching distance. If the Yankees want to solidify the bullpen and give themselves a shot to catch the Red Sox by being able to keep themselves in close ball games in the 6th and 7th innings, then they needd to call up righthander Ian Kennedy from Triple-A.
A September call up would be too late. Kennedy has a sun-2.00 ERA in five starts in Triple-A and has been climbing the system side by side with Joba Chamberlain until Chamberlain was called up to The Show. It isn't ideal to put your two top starting pithching prospects into the bullpen for fear of breaking their routine and putting a different type of stress on their bodies and arms. Chamberlain has adjusted well, and there is no reason to think Kennedy shouldn't do the same.
Prospects are only valuable because of the probability that they will help the big club win. Kennedy will have time in the offseason to prepare for spring training as a starter, but he is desperately needed in pinstripes now. He would provide a fresh arm and young enthusiasm and could handle both the 6th and 7th innings to get the ball to Chamberlain. The Yankees aren't allowing Chamberlain to throw out of the bullpen on consecutive days and they would probably have to follow the same plan with Kennedy.
It is nearly impossible to take a spot in the rotation away from a veteran like Mussina unless there is injury involved. He has postseason experience, along with Pettitte and Clemens. It certaintly would be tough though to wonder what Kennedy could do in the rotation if Mussina continues to falter in the last five weeks. I am assuming that Tuesday night just happened to be one of his worst outings in his career and therefore should not be weighed too heavily. Hopefully that is the case because if the bullpen has to eat up more than three innings in any given night, the Yankees are going to be in some serious trouble. It would be ideal if the starters could take the ball into the 7th inning at least, if not finish a full seven.
Regardless of the rotation situation, that should have no effect on the decisions about the bullpen. The starters, barring injury, will turn in at least adequate performances. But unless the Yankees are going to get 10 runs a game from A-Rod and Co., they need to get effective arms in middle relief and that starts with their hottest pitcher down on the farm, no matter the age or professional experience.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
D'Backs Winning With Unity
As I write this, I am watching the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves squaring off on a Sunday afternoon at Turner Field. John Smoltz is on the hill for the Braves, still showing a good fastball and that devastating slider. The youthful D'backs just continue to peck away like they have been doing on the entire NL West since the All-Star break. They enter today with a 5 game lead over second-place San Diego. I sit here and repeatedly ask, how are they doing it?
The answer really isn't as flashy or spectacular as you may expect when regarding a division leader. Their success is due to the fact that they are a complex jigsaw puzzle that has been put perfectly together. There isn't really that bonafide superstar that can carry a team, a la Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols. Granted, there are numerous players that have that potential in their future on this D'backs team, but there is a great combination of youth and gritty veterans.
The offense is lead by Eric Byrnes who is having a career year at the plate. Byrnes is leading the team in average and RBI, with .300 and 70 respectively. He also has 18 homeruns to boot. These numbers couldn't of been expected of predicted of Byrnes, who has a .268 career average. It would be fair to say though, that Byrnes' biggest contribution has not been at the plate this year.
There isn't a sufficient way to judge the impact a certain attitude and mindset can have on a club. We are all aware of Byrnes' all-out, practically maniac, style of play in the outfield which leads to many dented walls and torn up turf. But if even half of that can rub off on a young team with loads of talent, the possiblities are enormous. That is what has happened in Arizona. The entire club is leaving it all out on the field, and due to that, they are letting their natural ability take over.
Orlando Hudson is another veteran who is having a solid year, hitting .299 with 58 runs, serving as more of a catalyst. Hudson is the epitome of a role player who grinds through the at-bats that he is given and does an adequate job. That is a great example for the kids coming up from the farm. Even though Arizona has about 5 or 6 young players who can be impact-players in the future, they all need to start off in the big leagues as filling a certain role. To have the veteran leadership from Hudson is infectious throughout the lineup.
After the tone and attitude is set by the veteran players, it is time to look at the talent that will carry this club however far it is destined to go. Chris Young is an All-Star caliber center fielder who is leading the team in homeruns, with 24, but has had his share of rookie struggles at the plate as he is only hitting .238. It will take some time for him to hit his stride in the big leagues, just like it takes most young players time to adjust, but he can still provide the pop needed down the stretch.
With Young in center, Hudson at second, the middle of the defense is set with Stephen Drew at shortstop. He is not having the season at the plate that is eventually expected from him, but this is only his second season in the big leagues. It will only be a matter of time before he becomes the offensive force that he was drafted as.
Drew has been colder than ice in August, hitting a mere .191, but that doesn't mean that he can't provide some runs during the last 5 weeks of the regular season. If he gets hot, this club will run away with the division because they have been winning without his bat even being a factor for the most part. All of that aside, Drew is a great defensive shrotstop and he will at least bring that to the table. Defense is critical in the postseason, and even more so for Arizona when their ace is sinker-baller Brandon Webb.
The roation is lead by Webb who won the Cy Young Award last year. He is in the middle of a consecutive scoreless innings streak that has reached 42. Even with these remarkable feats, Webb still seems to bore you to death a little bit. It is the same thing over and over. Great command of a solid sinker, leading to endless groundballs. That is what makes this team so great. They have such a plan that everything is monotonous because they are playing so in-tune. Winning doesn't have to be a flashy approach. Consistent pitching, backed by good defense and a few runs will pile up in the win-column.
These D'backs will not provide the most entertaining game to watch. There are many guys that you probably know almost nothing about who are filling individual roles that, when pieced together, is leading to success. It is baseball's way to contiunously show us that any team has the potential to put together a winning formula, no matter if you have a huge payroll like the Yankees or a small one like the Diamondbacks. It is easy to watch a couple innings of this Arizona/Atlanta game and then turn the channel to something else. But if you are a baseball fan and are willing to take the time to look at the pieces that is making this group of youngsters click, it is easier to get caught up in the illusiveness of winning. There isn't one price or pattern that has the answer.
The answer really isn't as flashy or spectacular as you may expect when regarding a division leader. Their success is due to the fact that they are a complex jigsaw puzzle that has been put perfectly together. There isn't really that bonafide superstar that can carry a team, a la Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols. Granted, there are numerous players that have that potential in their future on this D'backs team, but there is a great combination of youth and gritty veterans.
The offense is lead by Eric Byrnes who is having a career year at the plate. Byrnes is leading the team in average and RBI, with .300 and 70 respectively. He also has 18 homeruns to boot. These numbers couldn't of been expected of predicted of Byrnes, who has a .268 career average. It would be fair to say though, that Byrnes' biggest contribution has not been at the plate this year.
There isn't a sufficient way to judge the impact a certain attitude and mindset can have on a club. We are all aware of Byrnes' all-out, practically maniac, style of play in the outfield which leads to many dented walls and torn up turf. But if even half of that can rub off on a young team with loads of talent, the possiblities are enormous. That is what has happened in Arizona. The entire club is leaving it all out on the field, and due to that, they are letting their natural ability take over.
Orlando Hudson is another veteran who is having a solid year, hitting .299 with 58 runs, serving as more of a catalyst. Hudson is the epitome of a role player who grinds through the at-bats that he is given and does an adequate job. That is a great example for the kids coming up from the farm. Even though Arizona has about 5 or 6 young players who can be impact-players in the future, they all need to start off in the big leagues as filling a certain role. To have the veteran leadership from Hudson is infectious throughout the lineup.
After the tone and attitude is set by the veteran players, it is time to look at the talent that will carry this club however far it is destined to go. Chris Young is an All-Star caliber center fielder who is leading the team in homeruns, with 24, but has had his share of rookie struggles at the plate as he is only hitting .238. It will take some time for him to hit his stride in the big leagues, just like it takes most young players time to adjust, but he can still provide the pop needed down the stretch.
With Young in center, Hudson at second, the middle of the defense is set with Stephen Drew at shortstop. He is not having the season at the plate that is eventually expected from him, but this is only his second season in the big leagues. It will only be a matter of time before he becomes the offensive force that he was drafted as.
Drew has been colder than ice in August, hitting a mere .191, but that doesn't mean that he can't provide some runs during the last 5 weeks of the regular season. If he gets hot, this club will run away with the division because they have been winning without his bat even being a factor for the most part. All of that aside, Drew is a great defensive shrotstop and he will at least bring that to the table. Defense is critical in the postseason, and even more so for Arizona when their ace is sinker-baller Brandon Webb.
The roation is lead by Webb who won the Cy Young Award last year. He is in the middle of a consecutive scoreless innings streak that has reached 42. Even with these remarkable feats, Webb still seems to bore you to death a little bit. It is the same thing over and over. Great command of a solid sinker, leading to endless groundballs. That is what makes this team so great. They have such a plan that everything is monotonous because they are playing so in-tune. Winning doesn't have to be a flashy approach. Consistent pitching, backed by good defense and a few runs will pile up in the win-column.
These D'backs will not provide the most entertaining game to watch. There are many guys that you probably know almost nothing about who are filling individual roles that, when pieced together, is leading to success. It is baseball's way to contiunously show us that any team has the potential to put together a winning formula, no matter if you have a huge payroll like the Yankees or a small one like the Diamondbacks. It is easy to watch a couple innings of this Arizona/Atlanta game and then turn the channel to something else. But if you are a baseball fan and are willing to take the time to look at the pieces that is making this group of youngsters click, it is easier to get caught up in the illusiveness of winning. There isn't one price or pattern that has the answer.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Monroe Could Help Dodgers
Excitement comes in small doses these days for the Blue Crew as they try to regain their first-half form. With an offense that has produced next to nothing recently, the Dodgers were left to pick up Shea Hillenbrand and Mark Sweeney to try to bring a spark to the offense. The most important thing for the Dodgers is to get their pitching healthy and back on track. Chasing down the Diamonbacks, which is very possible, will start with the arms the Dodgers throw out there down the stretch.
Nonetheless, the offense has an opportunity to upgrade, even if it looks like the slightest of ways. The Tigers designated outfielder Craig Monroe for assignment today, calling up super-prospect Cameron Maybin. Craig Monroe can bring some punch to a Dodger lineup that doesn't know what it is like to even have a serious homerun threat in its lineup.
The only reason Hillenbrand has a spot on the roster is because he can play the corner infield positions, a hole that Monroe cannot fill. Other than that, what is there to lose in taking a chance on a guy who still isn't even 30 and has shown power potential?
Mark Sweeney is not an upgrade over anything the Dodgers previously ran out there, and therefore should be released to open up a roster spot for a guy who at least has a chance to benefit the ballclub. Craig Monroe has the tools to become a very formidable force, especially in that lineup, and can play solid defense.
Granted Monroe was only hitting .222 at the time of his release, but that was only with 343 at bats which came sporadically as he platooned with Marcus Thames. In his limited role, Monroe still hit 11 homeruns and drove in 55 rbi. If given the opportunity to perform on a day-to-day basis and get 600 at-bats in a season, I am not sure that this guy couldn't be at least a solid third outfielder.
Who knows, he is still young enough to come into his own and possibly hit 30 homeruns in a season. That type of power is not outside the realm of possibility for this player. It is also hard to predict the impact that a change of scenery can have on a player who is struggling in a limited role on a very good team.
The point being, the Dodgers have nothing to lose to take this gamble. Get rid of Sweeney and pick up Monroe for the final month and a half of the season, and possibly the playoffs if the offense can turn it around. It not only makes the roster younger, which is needed when the bench is made up of guys in their mid to late 30s, but it provides the potential to bring some power to a depleted lineup. At this point, potential is the only thing the Dodgers can ask for when looking for an answer to their problems at the plate. If they sit on what they have and hope that Ethier, Kent, Hillenbrand, or Kemp get hot they can start making plans for the spring training roster in 2008.
Nonetheless, the offense has an opportunity to upgrade, even if it looks like the slightest of ways. The Tigers designated outfielder Craig Monroe for assignment today, calling up super-prospect Cameron Maybin. Craig Monroe can bring some punch to a Dodger lineup that doesn't know what it is like to even have a serious homerun threat in its lineup.
The only reason Hillenbrand has a spot on the roster is because he can play the corner infield positions, a hole that Monroe cannot fill. Other than that, what is there to lose in taking a chance on a guy who still isn't even 30 and has shown power potential?
Mark Sweeney is not an upgrade over anything the Dodgers previously ran out there, and therefore should be released to open up a roster spot for a guy who at least has a chance to benefit the ballclub. Craig Monroe has the tools to become a very formidable force, especially in that lineup, and can play solid defense.
Granted Monroe was only hitting .222 at the time of his release, but that was only with 343 at bats which came sporadically as he platooned with Marcus Thames. In his limited role, Monroe still hit 11 homeruns and drove in 55 rbi. If given the opportunity to perform on a day-to-day basis and get 600 at-bats in a season, I am not sure that this guy couldn't be at least a solid third outfielder.
Who knows, he is still young enough to come into his own and possibly hit 30 homeruns in a season. That type of power is not outside the realm of possibility for this player. It is also hard to predict the impact that a change of scenery can have on a player who is struggling in a limited role on a very good team.
The point being, the Dodgers have nothing to lose to take this gamble. Get rid of Sweeney and pick up Monroe for the final month and a half of the season, and possibly the playoffs if the offense can turn it around. It not only makes the roster younger, which is needed when the bench is made up of guys in their mid to late 30s, but it provides the potential to bring some power to a depleted lineup. At this point, potential is the only thing the Dodgers can ask for when looking for an answer to their problems at the plate. If they sit on what they have and hope that Ethier, Kent, Hillenbrand, or Kemp get hot they can start making plans for the spring training roster in 2008.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
You Can't Buy Winning, But You Must Buy Talent
We see it year after year. Spending the most money in the winter does not guarantee winning the following summer. The highest payroll does not prevail every year. The New York Yankees have the highest payroll every year and have not won a championship since 2000. With seven different champions in the last seven seasons, it is obvious that there is much more that goes into winning than a checkbook.
Each team needs role players to plug in to various spots, and they must perform when called upon. Twenty five different players must know their specific roles and stick to them. An All-Star lineup is great on paper, but when it comes time to play the game, no team can sit back and wait for the homeruns to fall every day.
Baseball does a better job than we give it credit for when it comes to making it possible for the majority of teams to compete in September. Every year we have surprise teams to write stories about and we have great teams that falter due to injuries and a lack of unity. That is baseball and that is what makes the game special.
With the August 15 deadline to sign draft picks in the rear view mirror, I sat back and looked at how the signings unfolded and was curious about what the holdups could be in some of these deals that went down to the wire. With the league issuing slot recommendations for draft picks, there shouldn't be too many problems during negotiations. Right?
That apparently is not the case. Slot recommendations are used so the large-market teams don't dominate the signings of the premier players. The small-market teams need their shot at the top amateur talent. That is all great, but it still does not work out that way.
Slot money is rarely issued to top players in the first round. The majority of them hold out until they get at least something more than slot. So one would think that it would be better to save the money and let those players head off to college and take a shot at somebody else.
It is time for the smaller clubs to open up the wallet and start signing the top talent. There is no way around it because it is vital to future success for a club to get young players locked up in their system for the next five years. Championships are won with a mixture of veterans and young players. The premier teams have young prospects graduating to the big leagues and taking on big roles. Thats is the only way to keep a franchise in the hunt year after year.
David Price, the number one overall pick this year, got $8.5 million guaranteed in his deal. That is a huge contract for a player who hasn't yet played professional baseball, but compare that to what would be spent on a mediocre free agent in the winter, and it looks like quite a bargain. The top players are capable of helping out the big league club within two years of being drafted. Teams then have their service for a few years at a huge discount. There is no better solution to an underachieving team than to inject young blood into the lineup. In order to do this, teams must start by signing their draft picks. The cost should be irrelevant for the most part. If poor teams want to compete in the future, stop wasting money on journeyman free agents, and use the extra $6 million to lock up players who could have a huge impact on your club for the next decade.
Each team needs role players to plug in to various spots, and they must perform when called upon. Twenty five different players must know their specific roles and stick to them. An All-Star lineup is great on paper, but when it comes time to play the game, no team can sit back and wait for the homeruns to fall every day.
Baseball does a better job than we give it credit for when it comes to making it possible for the majority of teams to compete in September. Every year we have surprise teams to write stories about and we have great teams that falter due to injuries and a lack of unity. That is baseball and that is what makes the game special.
With the August 15 deadline to sign draft picks in the rear view mirror, I sat back and looked at how the signings unfolded and was curious about what the holdups could be in some of these deals that went down to the wire. With the league issuing slot recommendations for draft picks, there shouldn't be too many problems during negotiations. Right?
That apparently is not the case. Slot recommendations are used so the large-market teams don't dominate the signings of the premier players. The small-market teams need their shot at the top amateur talent. That is all great, but it still does not work out that way.
Slot money is rarely issued to top players in the first round. The majority of them hold out until they get at least something more than slot. So one would think that it would be better to save the money and let those players head off to college and take a shot at somebody else.
It is time for the smaller clubs to open up the wallet and start signing the top talent. There is no way around it because it is vital to future success for a club to get young players locked up in their system for the next five years. Championships are won with a mixture of veterans and young players. The premier teams have young prospects graduating to the big leagues and taking on big roles. Thats is the only way to keep a franchise in the hunt year after year.
David Price, the number one overall pick this year, got $8.5 million guaranteed in his deal. That is a huge contract for a player who hasn't yet played professional baseball, but compare that to what would be spent on a mediocre free agent in the winter, and it looks like quite a bargain. The top players are capable of helping out the big league club within two years of being drafted. Teams then have their service for a few years at a huge discount. There is no better solution to an underachieving team than to inject young blood into the lineup. In order to do this, teams must start by signing their draft picks. The cost should be irrelevant for the most part. If poor teams want to compete in the future, stop wasting money on journeyman free agents, and use the extra $6 million to lock up players who could have a huge impact on your club for the next decade.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Exciting Three To Watch
As the summer begins to wind down and the baseball season hits its home stretch, there is plenty going on to keep us entertained through September. We have more than enough to look forward to in the division and wild card races that seem to change daily.
The Tigers are rolling and regained first place of the AL Central as the Indians continue their slide. It may not be so much that Cleveland is playing that bad, it is just the fact that they ran into the New York Yankees this past weekend.
Anybody who has to play the Yankees these days should be hoping their division rivals hit a bit of a slump. The Yankees have pulled within 4 games of the Red Sox in the AL East, shaving 10 1/2 games off a once unfathomable lead.
The Dodgers out west aren't getting good pitching for their staff, which is suppossed to be their strength, and as we all know, they have had trouble scoring runs the entire year. They continue to slip down the NL West standings as the Diamondbacks retain control of first pla
Even with these recent momentum swings, nothing is set in any division. This is baseball, and there is nearly 2 full months still to be played. Expect some great battles to decide the 8 playoff teams.
Here are three interesting players to watch for the home stretch:
1) Rick Ankiel- This may be the best story in baseball short of Josh Hamilton's rise from drug addiction. For such a talented prospect to flame-out as a pitcher because he couldn't find the strike zone with his high-90's fastball is such a shame. Ankiel, credit to his hard work and determination, went back to the minors and became reborn as a hitter. Now up in the big leagues, the former southpaw has done nothing but rake. He is a great outfielder who brings some energy to a great baseball city which has just happened to be a bit lethargic this summer.
2) Justin Upton- It is about time this kid has gotten his shot at the big leagues. He has gotten off to a solid start, hitting .290 coming into Sunday with a homerun. There is nothing this guy can't do on a baseball field, and we are lucky enough to watch him break in for the final two months. Who knows if Arizona can hold on and find themselves in the playoffs, but if they can, we are talking about a big-time stage for one of the future big-time players.
3) Joba Chamberlain- After flying through the Yankees farm system as a starter, Chamberlain was called up and pressed into the set-up role where he has taken off. This power arm is one of the game's elite prospects and can help out a suffering bullpen in a big way. As long as the pressure of playing in New York in October doesn't get to the 21-year-old, the Yankees could be turning games into 7-inning affairs knowing Chamberlain and Rivera are at the back end. Make no mistake about it though, Chamberlain will come into spring training next year to take a spot in the Yankee rotation.
The Tigers are rolling and regained first place of the AL Central as the Indians continue their slide. It may not be so much that Cleveland is playing that bad, it is just the fact that they ran into the New York Yankees this past weekend.
Anybody who has to play the Yankees these days should be hoping their division rivals hit a bit of a slump. The Yankees have pulled within 4 games of the Red Sox in the AL East, shaving 10 1/2 games off a once unfathomable lead.
The Dodgers out west aren't getting good pitching for their staff, which is suppossed to be their strength, and as we all know, they have had trouble scoring runs the entire year. They continue to slip down the NL West standings as the Diamondbacks retain control of first pla
Even with these recent momentum swings, nothing is set in any division. This is baseball, and there is nearly 2 full months still to be played. Expect some great battles to decide the 8 playoff teams.
Here are three interesting players to watch for the home stretch:
1) Rick Ankiel- This may be the best story in baseball short of Josh Hamilton's rise from drug addiction. For such a talented prospect to flame-out as a pitcher because he couldn't find the strike zone with his high-90's fastball is such a shame. Ankiel, credit to his hard work and determination, went back to the minors and became reborn as a hitter. Now up in the big leagues, the former southpaw has done nothing but rake. He is a great outfielder who brings some energy to a great baseball city which has just happened to be a bit lethargic this summer.
2) Justin Upton- It is about time this kid has gotten his shot at the big leagues. He has gotten off to a solid start, hitting .290 coming into Sunday with a homerun. There is nothing this guy can't do on a baseball field, and we are lucky enough to watch him break in for the final two months. Who knows if Arizona can hold on and find themselves in the playoffs, but if they can, we are talking about a big-time stage for one of the future big-time players.
3) Joba Chamberlain- After flying through the Yankees farm system as a starter, Chamberlain was called up and pressed into the set-up role where he has taken off. This power arm is one of the game's elite prospects and can help out a suffering bullpen in a big way. As long as the pressure of playing in New York in October doesn't get to the 21-year-old, the Yankees could be turning games into 7-inning affairs knowing Chamberlain and Rivera are at the back end. Make no mistake about it though, Chamberlain will come into spring training next year to take a spot in the Yankee rotation.
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