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Tigers Prospect Nick Castellanos Learning from Al Kaline
Blocked by the slugging Miguel Cabrera at the Major League level, Detroit Tigers prospect Nick Castellanos is trying to make the transition from third base to the outfield. He was recently given assistance from a legend in Al Kaline,... More of this article »
Pirates – Rodriguez, Snider, Sanchez – Since the Trades
Snider is hitting .325 through 14 games with Pittsburgh (Krustation @ flickr) Pittsburgh didn’t make the salary splash some may have wanted at the 2012 trade deadline, one they entered as bona fide buyers for the first time in... More of this article »
Astros Depth at 2B – Jose Altuve and Delino DeShields Jr
In the midst of an extensive rebuilding project, first-year Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow is upgrading the team’s organizational depth at every position, which he hopes will lead to difficult decisions down the road. One... More of this article »
MLB – Baseball’s Best Starting Rotations
If the regular season ended today, the Major League Baseball playoffs would feature the following teams: The New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles in the American League; and Washington,... More of this article »
Yankees Kuroda Stepping Up as One of League’s Best
Kuroda is now sixth overall in innings pitched (159), 16th in K’s (121), ninth in wins (11), fifth in WAR (4.1), and eighth in WHIP (1.15) and ERA (3.06). Forget best pitcher in the Yankees’ injury-riddled rotation, Hiroki... More of this article »
Brett Wallace Hopes Trade Odyssey Stops in Houston
Oklahoma City is the fourth PCL team for which he has played, and this year he batted .300 with 16 home runs, 57 RBI and an .885 OPS over 310 at-bats. For a first round pick (selected 13th overall by St. Louis in 2008) and a former... More of this article »
Diamondbacks – Loaded with Starting Pitching Prospects
Since rejoining the Diamondbacks on August 1, Corbin is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in three starts. Though they are just 58-57, the Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves 4.5 games behind the deadlocked Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco... More of this article »
Yankees’ Depth Making All the Difference
Chavez is hitting .464 in the month of August and has gone deep four times In March, there would have been no way of predicting it. There was no way of knowing in mid-August the Yankees would take over the best record in the American... More of this article »
Seven Players Whose 2013 Options Won’t Be Picked Up
As September nears, and pennant race heat intensifies, it is becoming clearer what Major League teams will do in the off-season with players who have club options. Some decisions are tough. For example, Kansas City closer Joakim Soria... More of this article »
A Look at Six Trade Deadline Deals
Hunter Pence ripped a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning on Sunday to lift the San Francisco Giants to a 9-6 win over Colorado and maintain their one-game lead over Los Angeles in the National League West. It was... More of this article »
Red Sox Adrian Gonzalez Rebounds Post All-Star Break
The 30-year-old San Diego native has a .393 average (42 of 107) with seven home runs and 35 RBI in 107 at-bats since the all-star break. Including his numbers from 2011 and this season, Adrian Gonzalez is batting .326 with 40 home... More of this article »
Mets Prospects Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey – Reasons for Optimism
Middling through a 54-60 season – good for third place in the National League East, 16.5 games behind the Washington Nationals – the Mets are brimming with optimism. The reasons were on display this weekend – in Queens... More of this article »
Ryan Vogelsong – NL Cy Young Contender Through Perseverance
Vogelsong has a 10-5 record, a National League-leading 2.27 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP and a .215 opponent’s batting average San Francisco Giants teammates know not to disturb Ryan Vogelsong on days he is scheduled to start. Usually, the... More of this article »
Which Top Prospects will Join Machado, Olt in the Majors?
In four games, Machado is 6-for-16 (.375( with three home runs, seven RBI, a 1.125 slugging percentage and a 1.500 OPS. (Photo by nflravens flickr) His team in the midst of a pennant race and desperately needing more production out... More of this article »
Hughes’ Struggles Halts Yankees Win Streak
Hughes was hit hard by the Tigers (Photo by njnetfan flickr) The Yankees were back on a roll having taken the back two to earn a split in Detroit before taking the first two across the border in Toronto. The common factor in the most... More of this article »
Fernando Rodney Shooting for Record Books in Tampa Bay
Rodney has a 2-1 record along with a 0.83 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP and a .176 opponent’s batting average. To some people, Tampa Bay’s Fernando Rodney is considered an odd bird, partially because he entertains teammates with bird... More of this article »
Yankees – Which Players Could Make the Playoff Roster
Manager Joe Girardi with GM Brian Cashman Yankees batting practice Since it’s been established some September additions are clearly there just for the month, it’s worth exploring players who may actually have a shot at... More of this article »
Scott Diamond Sparkles for Twins
Chances are, unless you follow the Minnesota Twins, Scott Diamond is the best starting pitcher in 2012 whose name you don’t know. The 26-year-old Canadian left-hander totes a 10-5 record and a tidy 2.91 ERA to the mound tonight... More of this article »
Can Lohse parlay 2012 Success into Buehrle-esque Deal?
Lohse is 12-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 24 starts with the Cardinals this season Could St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Lohse get Mark Buehrle money as a free agent this off-season? At first mention, the idea seems outlandish. After... More of this article »
Red Sox Clay Buchholz Dominant in Second Half
In his last five starts, Buchholz has been masterful. He is 2-0 and his 1.15 ERA is second to only Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore (1.05) in that stretch It is rare for a Major League starting pitcher to have such drastically differing... More of this article »
Potential Changes to the Yankees’ Roster in September
Girardi will have more options to choose from come September Very little change should have been expected from the Yankees’ roster since they completed the Ichiro Suzuki trade in mid-July. Only once Brett Gardner was declared... More of this article »
Top Five 2012 AL Cy Young Award Contenders
If the season ended today, it is unclear who would take home American League Cy Young Award honors. Five AL pitchers appear to be leading candidates, including two former Cy Young winners – Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and... More of this article »
Jordan Zimmermann – Unlikely Cy Young Candidate
Zimmermann has a 2.35 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and a .238 batting average against. Washington Nationals‘ right-hander Jordan Zimmermann doesn’t have a flashy record. At 9-6, there are 22 pitchers among the top 50 in the National... More of this article »
Will Middlebrooks – Midst of Ted Williams-esque Debut Season
Who is the only other player in Red Sox history to stroke 15 home runs and 54 RBIs in his first 73 games Major League games? Some guy by the name of Ted Williams. If it was any other season, chances are Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks... More of this article »
Mike Trout – Miguel Cabrera – Subjects of AL MVP Debate
One is a 29-year-old slugger who hits for average and power, and has belted more than 300 home runs in his 10-year Major League career. The other is a 21-year-old rookie who is a five-tool player who started the season in Triple-A. Meet... More of this article »
Pirates McCutchen, Alvarez in Power Slumps – Role Players Step Up
Pedro Alvarez has 21 home runs and 58 rbi this season, but lately has suffered a power outage and playing time has decreased because of it (Photo by Sports, Trains and Planes Flickr) Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen have a combined... More of this article »
Longoria Sparks Rays – More Offense Needed for Post-Season Spot
Boosted by the left-handed arm of Matt Moore in their 7-1 win over Toronto on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays are staying in the American League wild card race with stellar starting pitching. They lead the AL with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.22... More of this article »
A-Rod, Pettitte – Healthy Impact Players May Decide Yankees’ Fate
For all the criticism A-Rod generally receives, he is a vital part to the Yankees’ lineup. Three weeks ago the Yankees were a lock to make the postseason and run away with the American League East. A 6-12 record and more than... More of this article »
Who Should Bat Second for Struggling Yankees?
Swisher can permanently break up any lefty-lefty issues (Granderson and Cano) among the key hitters. When teams play well, very little is second guessed. When teams struggle, everything becomes an issue. Especially in the biggest media... More of this article »
Yankees Struggling – Who is to Blame?
Inconsistent contact and the inability to get on base has left Granderson with the dreaded “all or nothing” label Over a span of 162 games, a baseball team will go through multiple ups and downs. The key to a successful... More of this article »
Josh Hamilton – Rangers Face Tough Decision
Should the Texas Rangers commit nine or 10 years and at least $200 million to Josh Hamilton when his current deal expires at the end of the 2012 season? That is the question likely confronting club executives Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels,... More of this article »
A’s Bartolo Colon – Winning With Finesse – Not Power
Nothing about veteran right-hander Bartolo Colon makes sense. Colon is the highest among qualified pitchers in the American League by using his fast ball 89 percent of the time In a rotation rich with talented young arms – including... More of this article »
Giants Hope to Retain Cabrera, Pence Long Term
With a pair of shrewd acquisitions, one last off-season and the other at last month’s non-waiver trade deadline, the San Francisco Giants significantly upgraded their lineup for the stretch run and the post-season. Giants general... More of this article »
Jason Bay Relegated to Platoon Role with Mets
Bay’s inability to remain healthy has contributed to his struggles with the Mets ( Photo by mrzeising flickr) Meet Jason Bay, one of the most expensive platoon players in Major League history. According to manager Terry Collins, ... More of this article »
Hutchison, McGowan – Injuries Continue to Plague Blue Jays Pitching
Hutcshison will undergo Tommy John surgery. In Major League Baseball, team officials typically hold their collective breathe when their pitchers have appointments with Dr. James Andrews. Toronto Blue Jays right-handers Drew Hutchison... More of this article »
Chone Figgins Remains Free Agent Bust in Seattle
One of the biggest Major League Baseball free agent busts in recent years, Chone Figgins should be cut loose by the Seattle Mariners, even if it means eating around $10 million that remains on his contract, according to Larry Stone... More of this article »
Anthony Rizzo – Cubs Source of Hope and Perseverance
Anthony Rizzo‘s story is one of perseverance and perspective. A highly acclaimed prospect since he was a sixth round draft pick out of high school by the Red Sox in 2007, the now 23-year-old left-handed hitting first baseman... More of this article »
Matt Garza – Season In Jeopardy With Elbow Injury
Garza won’t be leaving the Cubs anytime soon (Photo by Tims PIcs ) In the weeks leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, Cubs right-hander Matt Garza was one of the hottest pitching commodities. Speculation was rampant... More of this article »
Cueto Headlines Top Five For NL Cy Young Award List
Cueto is 14-5 with a 2.52 ERA With only 57 days until the last day of the regular season, it is time to talk Cy Young Award. With much of the regular season behind us at this point, we have a good clue on who is in the conversation... More of this article »
Rays – Best Pitching – Worst Hitting – Post All-Star Break
Since the All-Star break the Tampa Bay Rays have had the best pitching staff in all of Major League Baseball. At the same time, the Rays have also featured the worst hitting team in baseball since the break. The Rays have played 22... More of this article »
Nationals, Pirates and MLB Draft Spending Leaders Climbing Standings
The Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates, two clubs that many expected to improve but few figured would contend, have made their marks on the MLB standings this season. The NL-East leading Nationals have the second-most wins... More of this article »
Yankees’ Freddy Garcia Quietly Playing Key Role
If the New York Yankees are going to make a deep playoff run in 2012, it’s likely going to be star players in a big city who will get most of the credit and all of the headlines. Of course, sometimes its the quiet contributions... More of this article »
Where are Baseball’s Pre-Season Top 10 Prospects Today?
Ranking Major League prospects is an inexact science, much like filling out an NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket for your office pool. Sometimes, a sure thing is a sure thing. And other times, the can’t miss choice... More of this article »
Betances, Banuelos – Yankees’ Prospects Take Step Backwards
The mark of a great franchise is building for the present and the future. The New York Yankees have the present taken care of as perennial contenders, but arguably their five biggest impact players for the future have all been derailed... More of this article »
Ben Sheets’ Inspiring Comeback Story Continues for Braves
On Monday, Sheets limited the Phillies to one run and seven hits over 7.1 innings in Atlanta’s 6-1 win Not long ago – four years, to be exact – Ben Sheets was one of the top right-handed starting pitchers in the Major... More of this article »
Valentine Remains Ringleader of Unwanted Circus in Boston
Embattled Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine isn’t solely responsible for the team’s lackluster performance on the field, nor is he the lone reason why there is so much dysfunction surrounding a franchise that was noted for... More of this article »
Pirates Lose Series – Not Season, in Cincinnati
Neil Walker had a two-run home run in Pittsburgh’s 6-2 win over the MLB-leading Reds Sunday (Keith Allison – flickr) The Pittsburgh Pirates dropped two of three in Cincinnati over the weekend in what must have been considered... More of this article »
Oswalt Couldn’t Go Any Further – or Wouldn’t ?
The time may be nearing when Texas Rangers RHP Roy Oswalt takes his ball and goes home, then again, perhaps the Rangers will request that he do so. Sunday in a 7-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals, Oswalt declined Rangers manager Ron... More of this article »