As Spring Training approaches (pitchers and catchers report in six weeks) LeRoy will begin its preseason analysis of the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and the hated New York Yankees. We will begin with the starting rotations and will continue with the New York Mets.
They might as well change Mets to Mess. The Mets mixed and matched their way through 2010 largely because of a number of well-stocked quality starters. That likely won't happen twice. Unfortunately for the Citi faithful, GM Sandy Alderson is hopeful that it will.
1. LHP Johan Santana: Santana is the ace of this club, there's really no doubt about. However, he's been hurt since the Mets got him in 2008. First it was a knee, then it was an elbow, now it is a career-threatening shoulder injury. He hasn't been ruled out on the season and it is still possible - however unlikely - that he could be back by April. More than likely, though, he'll start the year on the disabled list. And to make matters worse, he could miss the entire season or even be forced into early retirement.
2. RHP Mike Pelfrey: Pelfrey emerged last season as the team's second ace. With the injury to Santana he'll likely emerge as the de facto ace this season. The Mets are hoping that he will at least. Pelfrey has yet to put together back-to-back good seasons. He's never really been terrible either, but he's still taking steps. The Mets hope he's ready to step up, but he's still a young player physically and there's reason to suggest that he still needs room to grow. A bigger issue is Pelfrey's mental state. He uses a sports psychologist and has had fits on the mound before. In the past, that has led to a snowball effect. He won't be able to become a true ace until he conquers his mental demons. In another potential problem, Henry Blanco, who served as his personal catcher last season, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and has been replaced by some combination of Ronny Paulino and Mike Nickeas.
3. LHP Jon Niese: Niese had a good rookie season last year. He was enslaved by run support problems on a team that didn't have much of it, but he still emerged as a quality starter. The Mets are hopeful that he can step up as the teams de facto second ace given the injury to Santana, but that's asking a lot. He'll only be 24 and he has a lot of room to go. Niese should progress as a quality third starter, but a number two ace is a bit much.
4. RHP R. A. Dickey: Dickey had a magical season last year at the age of 35. In a lot of ways, he should be considered the team's true ace with Santana injured, but knuckleballers like Dickey are too unpredictable and usually sandwich their good seasons around sub par ones. Dickey should be a good middle-of-the-order starter with mostly quality starts and a lot of eaten innings, but a repeat of last season is unlikely.
5. RHP Jenrry Mejia: Mejia spent last season between starting in AA Binghamton and AAA Buffalo and pitching out of the bullpen in New York before being added to the rotation in September. He was dominating in the minors and pitched sufficiently in relief, but he got shelled during his turn in the rotation in September. He's still the leading candidate to win a vacant rotation spot, but he's still young and might be better suited for work out of the bullpen. He utilized Nickeas as a personal catcher last season during his starts, and he likely won't be able to use Nickeas again for anymore than one or two starts at the beginning of next season.
6. RHP Dillon Gee: Gee pitched decently at Buffalo last season but he turned heads by leading the AAA International League in strikeouts. After he was recalled in September he filled Johan Santana's rotation spot admirably. He's probably their best starting pitching prospect (not counting the still young Niese and Pelfrey) only he suffers from a lack of the hype afforded Mejia. With Santana likely to miss the beginning of the season however, Gee is the front runner to win the fifth starter's job.
7. RHP Tobi Stoner: Stoner pitched in one game in relief last season with the Mets. It was April 30. How do I remember that game? Two reasons: 1. It was the day after the epic 20-inning marathon against St. Louis and the Mets needed fresh bullpen arms for a day. 2. To make room for Stoner on the roster they designated 1B Mike Jacobs for assignment. When they sent Stoner back down the next day they needed to call up a first baseman to replace Jacobs, Frank Catalanotto, and Fernando Tatis at first base. Who did they recall? Ike Davis. Stoner pitched admirably in his lone relief outing of the season, but his season at AAA wasn't nearly as productive. He's still a prospect and there's no reason to close the book on him, but he's here purely for depth purposes. And the way things have gone with the Mets rotation the past two seasons, Stoner will probably be in the Majors sooner than anyone would like.
8. RHP Armando Rodriguez: Rodriguez is a big prospect with the Mets but he's never pitched above A-ball. They expect him to make big strides next season and he'll probably pitch in AA by the end of the year. It's possible that he could be recalled by the team in September. The fact that he's even in the mix is evidence of the thinness of New York's rotation.
Note: Many experts expect the Mets to sign another starter (Brandon Webb and Chris Young have had discussions with the team) to help fill the void caused by Santana's injuries and the general ineffectiveness of other starters like Oliver Perez and the non-tendered John Maine. They've already signed Boof Bonser to a minor league contract and invited him to Spring Training, but right now he's no more than a mid-level AAA starter. If Alderson wants to have any chance to win, he needs to sign one more bona fide starter.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Steroids Still hot Topic
Rafael Palmeiro is on the Hall of Fame ballot. He was voted onto the ballot recently along with a host of other former players hoping for induction into the Hall. He joins numerous other players who are holdovers from previous ballots. The holdovers receive between five and 74 percent of the vote.
Palmeiro is hoping to be elected on the first ballot. Upon first glance his chances seem good, given his 569 home runs and 3,020 hits. But throw in the steroids that he's no-doubt-about-it taken, and his chances dim quite a bit. Palmeiro failed a drug test in 2005 shortly after recording hit number 3,000. In the previous offseason he infamously waved his finger at members of Congress and denied his involvement with steroid use as described in Jose Canseco's book Juiced.
Palmeiro's chances probably aren't good. Former steroid users have been summarily rejected from the Hall. Mark McGwire has been denied entrance into the Hall since 2006, never gaining anymore than 25 percent of the vote. Still, McGwire has gotten enough support to consistently stay on the Ballot. That's better than other admitted and confirmed steroid users like Canseco and Ken Caminiti who were each voted off the ballot on their first tries in 2006. Caminiti died of heart failure brought on by a variety of causes in 2004. Among those causes was improper use of anabolic steroids.
McGwire was caught with a questionable substance in his locker in 1998 and again in 2000. Both substances were available over-the-counter and not on the banned substance list at the time. In the years since, however, both have been banned by the FDA and added to Major League Baseball's list of banned substances.
He came dangerously close to exercising his fifth amendment rights in the now infamous congressional hearing brought about by Canseco's book. McGwire's phrase "I'm not here to talk about the past" became fodder for baseball purists and helped to launch MLB's vendetta against performance-enhancing drugs.
Last year McGwire finally admitted his steroid use in an interview on ESPN but attempted to say that he would have broken Roger Maris' single-season home run run record in 1998 and belted over 500 in his career (he eventually hit 583) without the drugs. Most have found this statement to be ludicrous. LeRoy has devised a confidential formula to calculate career totals of confirmed PED users. Our formula has McGwire at about 452 career home runs, well shy of 500 and about 131 less than he actually hit. 1998 totals yielded a 60-home run season, lending some credence to McGwire's claim.
Most other experts agreed with figures similar to these and assessed that McGwire was thereby not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Some expected him to be voted in on the second ballot, or at least receive a substantial increase in votes on future ballots. Instead, McGwire has received an almost identical amount of votes in the ensuing years.
Now that he has admitted his transgression some expect McGwire to once again receive a large increase in votes. However, others suspect that the 25 percent of voters who did vote for him were just giving him the benefit of the doubt and that he will fail to receive the necessary five percent of the votes to remain on the ballot.
Palmeiro is not in McGwire's boat. He still claims that his positive test was the result of a tainted B12 vitamin supplement. This statement is particularly damning for Palmeiro, as it is now all but confirmed to be a lie. Miguel Tejada was convicted of federal perjury (a misdemeanor at the federal level) after he denied any knowledge of steroid use by Palmeiro. As it turns out, Tejada knew plenty. So either the Congress strong-armed Tejada into telling them what they wanted to hear, or Palmeiro is as guilty as sin. Who should be the judge? Unfortunately, the BBWAA will likely have the final say here.
Something to chew over: LeRoy's formula yields only about 385 home runs for Palmeiro without steroids, about 184 less than he actually hit. However, the same formula yields about 3,395 hits, around 375 more hits than Palmeiro recorded. The sad thing being that he probably would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer without the drugs.
LeRoy's verdict: McGwire and Palmeiro probably won't get elected to the Hall of Fame. Will voters forgive McGwire's transgression now that he has admitted his guilt? Unlikely. Palmeiro figures to be waving his finger at the BBWAA for years to come.
Note: Of the six players who testified before Congress about their involvement with steroids in the now-infamous 2005 Canseco hearings, none have been elected into the Hall of Fame. Jason Giambi is still playing, Jeremy Giambi failed to play the necessary ten seasons in the Major Leagues to qualify for induction into the Hall of Fame, Canseco was voted off of the ballot on his first try, McGwire has continuously failed to gain support in his Hall campaign, Palmeiro will be on the ballot for the first time, and Sammy Sosa will become eligible for induction in 2012 (aka the end of time).
Palmeiro is hoping to be elected on the first ballot. Upon first glance his chances seem good, given his 569 home runs and 3,020 hits. But throw in the steroids that he's no-doubt-about-it taken, and his chances dim quite a bit. Palmeiro failed a drug test in 2005 shortly after recording hit number 3,000. In the previous offseason he infamously waved his finger at members of Congress and denied his involvement with steroid use as described in Jose Canseco's book Juiced.
Palmeiro's chances probably aren't good. Former steroid users have been summarily rejected from the Hall. Mark McGwire has been denied entrance into the Hall since 2006, never gaining anymore than 25 percent of the vote. Still, McGwire has gotten enough support to consistently stay on the Ballot. That's better than other admitted and confirmed steroid users like Canseco and Ken Caminiti who were each voted off the ballot on their first tries in 2006. Caminiti died of heart failure brought on by a variety of causes in 2004. Among those causes was improper use of anabolic steroids.
McGwire was caught with a questionable substance in his locker in 1998 and again in 2000. Both substances were available over-the-counter and not on the banned substance list at the time. In the years since, however, both have been banned by the FDA and added to Major League Baseball's list of banned substances.
He came dangerously close to exercising his fifth amendment rights in the now infamous congressional hearing brought about by Canseco's book. McGwire's phrase "I'm not here to talk about the past" became fodder for baseball purists and helped to launch MLB's vendetta against performance-enhancing drugs.
Last year McGwire finally admitted his steroid use in an interview on ESPN but attempted to say that he would have broken Roger Maris' single-season home run run record in 1998 and belted over 500 in his career (he eventually hit 583) without the drugs. Most have found this statement to be ludicrous. LeRoy has devised a confidential formula to calculate career totals of confirmed PED users. Our formula has McGwire at about 452 career home runs, well shy of 500 and about 131 less than he actually hit. 1998 totals yielded a 60-home run season, lending some credence to McGwire's claim.
Most other experts agreed with figures similar to these and assessed that McGwire was thereby not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Some expected him to be voted in on the second ballot, or at least receive a substantial increase in votes on future ballots. Instead, McGwire has received an almost identical amount of votes in the ensuing years.
Now that he has admitted his transgression some expect McGwire to once again receive a large increase in votes. However, others suspect that the 25 percent of voters who did vote for him were just giving him the benefit of the doubt and that he will fail to receive the necessary five percent of the votes to remain on the ballot.
Palmeiro is not in McGwire's boat. He still claims that his positive test was the result of a tainted B12 vitamin supplement. This statement is particularly damning for Palmeiro, as it is now all but confirmed to be a lie. Miguel Tejada was convicted of federal perjury (a misdemeanor at the federal level) after he denied any knowledge of steroid use by Palmeiro. As it turns out, Tejada knew plenty. So either the Congress strong-armed Tejada into telling them what they wanted to hear, or Palmeiro is as guilty as sin. Who should be the judge? Unfortunately, the BBWAA will likely have the final say here.
Something to chew over: LeRoy's formula yields only about 385 home runs for Palmeiro without steroids, about 184 less than he actually hit. However, the same formula yields about 3,395 hits, around 375 more hits than Palmeiro recorded. The sad thing being that he probably would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer without the drugs.
LeRoy's verdict: McGwire and Palmeiro probably won't get elected to the Hall of Fame. Will voters forgive McGwire's transgression now that he has admitted his guilt? Unlikely. Palmeiro figures to be waving his finger at the BBWAA for years to come.
Note: Of the six players who testified before Congress about their involvement with steroids in the now-infamous 2005 Canseco hearings, none have been elected into the Hall of Fame. Jason Giambi is still playing, Jeremy Giambi failed to play the necessary ten seasons in the Major Leagues to qualify for induction into the Hall of Fame, Canseco was voted off of the ballot on his first try, McGwire has continuously failed to gain support in his Hall campaign, Palmeiro will be on the ballot for the first time, and Sammy Sosa will become eligible for induction in 2012 (aka the end of time).
Red Sox Rotation
As Spring Training approaches (pitchers and catchers report in six weeks) LeRoy will begin its preseason analysis of the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and the hated New York Yankees. We will begin with the starting rotations and will start with the Boston Red Sox.
Boston plays in a small ballpark and in a league and division with a lot of hitting and not a whole lot of pitching. In order to win consistently the Red Sox have employed a Moneyball formula under Theo Epstein which stresses a lot of offense, good metrics players on defense, and pitching that is both good and effective. Their rotation should reflect that philosophy in 2011:
In the mix:
1. RHP Josh Beckett: Beckett is an example of a pitcher who is effective as opposed to good. He serves as the team's ace despite the fact that he's never been the best pitcher in Fenway since his time with Boston, but he carries the burden of the ace and deflects attention away from Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. Last season he went 6-6 with a 5.21 ERA, which under any baseball philosophy is a disappointment. He had an injury last season which limited him to 21 starts, but his health is not an issue. His rotation spot is a virtual lock on account of his status and contract.
2. LHP Jon Lester: Lester was a Cy Young candidate last season with his 19 wins, 208 innings pitched, and 225 strikeouts. Behind the figurehead Beckett, Lester is the team's second ace and Boston's only true ace. His rotation spot is a lock.
3. RHP John Lackey: Lackey pitched 215 innings last season and won 14 games despite pitching below expectations in the eyes of some in his first year in Boston. Realistically, he pitched true to form. After going from pitcher-friendly Angel Stadium to hitter-friendly Fenway Park a raise in ERA should have been expected. He's got a big contract - too big actually - for a third starter but he still does everything a third starter has to do. He's a lock.
4. RHP Clay Buchholz: In a lot of ways Buchholz is Boston's best pitcher. On any given turn through the rotation, I'd expect Buchholz to give up the fewest runs of all five starting pitchers. He was a strong Cy Young candidate last year with his 17 wins, but he only pitched 173.2 innings spread out over 28 starts. He's still young (he turns 27 next August) and the Red Sox are being careful with him, but he needs to pitch more innings. Still, his rotation spot is a lock and he's the best fourth starter in baseball.
5. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka: Dice-K has been a disappointment like almost every other Japanese import signed to an enormous contract, save Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, and Kazuhiro Sasaki. He didn't get to double-digit wins last year, but he did his job by having a winning record and turning in what has become a typical Dice-K season. The Red Sox expect him to do the same next season and Red Sox Nation better hope he does, because with his contract he isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
6. LHP Felix Doubront: Doubront is a young lefthander (he'll be 23 next season) who is starting to come onto the scene. The Red Sox aren't sure if he fits better as a starter or reliever but he'll definitely get a long look as a starter this Spring. He made three starts last season and wasn't inept enough to remove himself from the conversation. He's really only here for depth, but keep an eye on him.
7. RHP Matt Fox: Fox is a righthander who is expected to come into his own soon. The Red Sox picked him up off waivers last September from Minnesota. In his Major and Minor League career he's both started and relieved, but he's looked a lot better as a starter, especially at the Major League level. He's here for depth, and he's old enough where he could handle irregular work better than some of Boston's younger options.
8. RHP Stolmy Pimentel: Pimentel is a righthander who the Red Sox are starting to look at as a promising young pitcher. He'll only be 21 next season and he's never pitched above Class-A Advanced, but he's expected to make a huge jump in 2011. He's not really an option for depth at this point in time, but he could be in the Majors by September.
9. RHP Junichi Tazawa: Tazawa is a righthander with high expectations from Japan. He missed all of last season due to injury and is trying to make a comeback from his Tommy John surgery. At only 25 years old, he's got plenty of time to do that. Tazawa has been pummeled in his brief time in the Majors but has dominated in the Minors. The Red Sox are hoping for something in between, but don't expect to see Tazawa starting games for Boston anytime soon.
Boston plays in a small ballpark and in a league and division with a lot of hitting and not a whole lot of pitching. In order to win consistently the Red Sox have employed a Moneyball formula under Theo Epstein which stresses a lot of offense, good metrics players on defense, and pitching that is both good and effective. Their rotation should reflect that philosophy in 2011:
In the mix:
1. RHP Josh Beckett: Beckett is an example of a pitcher who is effective as opposed to good. He serves as the team's ace despite the fact that he's never been the best pitcher in Fenway since his time with Boston, but he carries the burden of the ace and deflects attention away from Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. Last season he went 6-6 with a 5.21 ERA, which under any baseball philosophy is a disappointment. He had an injury last season which limited him to 21 starts, but his health is not an issue. His rotation spot is a virtual lock on account of his status and contract.
2. LHP Jon Lester: Lester was a Cy Young candidate last season with his 19 wins, 208 innings pitched, and 225 strikeouts. Behind the figurehead Beckett, Lester is the team's second ace and Boston's only true ace. His rotation spot is a lock.
3. RHP John Lackey: Lackey pitched 215 innings last season and won 14 games despite pitching below expectations in the eyes of some in his first year in Boston. Realistically, he pitched true to form. After going from pitcher-friendly Angel Stadium to hitter-friendly Fenway Park a raise in ERA should have been expected. He's got a big contract - too big actually - for a third starter but he still does everything a third starter has to do. He's a lock.
4. RHP Clay Buchholz: In a lot of ways Buchholz is Boston's best pitcher. On any given turn through the rotation, I'd expect Buchholz to give up the fewest runs of all five starting pitchers. He was a strong Cy Young candidate last year with his 17 wins, but he only pitched 173.2 innings spread out over 28 starts. He's still young (he turns 27 next August) and the Red Sox are being careful with him, but he needs to pitch more innings. Still, his rotation spot is a lock and he's the best fourth starter in baseball.
5. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka: Dice-K has been a disappointment like almost every other Japanese import signed to an enormous contract, save Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, and Kazuhiro Sasaki. He didn't get to double-digit wins last year, but he did his job by having a winning record and turning in what has become a typical Dice-K season. The Red Sox expect him to do the same next season and Red Sox Nation better hope he does, because with his contract he isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
6. LHP Felix Doubront: Doubront is a young lefthander (he'll be 23 next season) who is starting to come onto the scene. The Red Sox aren't sure if he fits better as a starter or reliever but he'll definitely get a long look as a starter this Spring. He made three starts last season and wasn't inept enough to remove himself from the conversation. He's really only here for depth, but keep an eye on him.
7. RHP Matt Fox: Fox is a righthander who is expected to come into his own soon. The Red Sox picked him up off waivers last September from Minnesota. In his Major and Minor League career he's both started and relieved, but he's looked a lot better as a starter, especially at the Major League level. He's here for depth, and he's old enough where he could handle irregular work better than some of Boston's younger options.
8. RHP Stolmy Pimentel: Pimentel is a righthander who the Red Sox are starting to look at as a promising young pitcher. He'll only be 21 next season and he's never pitched above Class-A Advanced, but he's expected to make a huge jump in 2011. He's not really an option for depth at this point in time, but he could be in the Majors by September.
9. RHP Junichi Tazawa: Tazawa is a righthander with high expectations from Japan. He missed all of last season due to injury and is trying to make a comeback from his Tommy John surgery. At only 25 years old, he's got plenty of time to do that. Tazawa has been pummeled in his brief time in the Majors but has dominated in the Minors. The Red Sox are hoping for something in between, but don't expect to see Tazawa starting games for Boston anytime soon.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Mets Acquire Hu from Dodgers
The New York Mets have acquired SS Chin-lung Hu from the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league LHP Michael Antonini. Hu has been placed on the 40-man roster. He is a career .191 hitter with two home runs and 17 runs batted in in 96 career games in the Major Leagues spread out over four seasons. Hu will be 27 next season.
Antonini went 8-12 with a 4.49 ERA and 131 strikeouts last season between AA Binghamton and AAA Buffalo. He has never played in the Major Leagues. An 18th-round draft pick out of Georgia College & State University in 2007, Antonini was sufficient enough to survive and advance in the Mets' system but never distinguished himself and was not considered a prospect.
Hu was a top prospect in the Dodgers' organization and is considered a rising star by Major League Baseball. He participated in the 2006 and 2007 Futures' Game where he played for the World Team and was named the MVP of the 2007 Games. He also participated in the 2006 World Baseball Classic where he represented his native Chinese Taipei. Hu is expected to compete with a host of players to battle for the starting second baseman job and/or a spot on the team as a utility player.
Antonini went 8-12 with a 4.49 ERA and 131 strikeouts last season between AA Binghamton and AAA Buffalo. He has never played in the Major Leagues. An 18th-round draft pick out of Georgia College & State University in 2007, Antonini was sufficient enough to survive and advance in the Mets' system but never distinguished himself and was not considered a prospect.
Hu was a top prospect in the Dodgers' organization and is considered a rising star by Major League Baseball. He participated in the 2006 and 2007 Futures' Game where he played for the World Team and was named the MVP of the 2007 Games. He also participated in the 2006 World Baseball Classic where he represented his native Chinese Taipei. Hu is expected to compete with a host of players to battle for the starting second baseman job and/or a spot on the team as a utility player.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Oswego Ranks #2 in USCHO Poll
November 8, 2010 Poll: Courtesy of uscho.com
1. Norwich (14)
2. Oswego (6)
3. St. Norbert
6. Elmira
7. Bowdoin
8. Plattsburgh
9. Gustavus Adolphus
10. Wisconsin-Stevens Point
1. Norwich (14)
2. Oswego (6)
3. St. Norbert 4. Middlebury
5. Manhattanville6. Elmira
7. Bowdoin
8. Plattsburgh
9. Gustavus Adolphus
10. Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Whiteout Weekend in the Land of Oz
Oswego, NY - AceWith SUNYAC play well under way the Oswego State Men will face two tough home games this weekend. The 1-1-0 Potsdam Bears come into town Friday night with an improved program looking to score a big time upset. Potsdam returns two of their top three leading scorers from last season in Todd Hosmer (Jr) and Fraser Smith (Sr), and their goaltender Trever O'Neill (Jr). Oswego is 9-1-0 against Potsdam in their last ten meetings. Oswego should win this game easily but it could be much closer if Potsdam is overlooked for Saturday night's opponent.
Saturday night features the annual Whiteout Rivalry game at the Campus Center Ice Arena with preseason ranked #4 Plattsburgh taking on preseason ranked #2 Oswego. Oswego comes into this game riding high with big wins over Elmira, Buff State, and Fredonia. The Lakers can put up some major points, led by their top line of Chris Laganiere (6pts), Justin Fox (5pts), and Ian Boots (5pts). They can also play great defense led by senior captains Kevin Huinink and Steve Mallaro, and so far this season Paul Beckwith as been spectacular between the pipes. The Plattsburgh Cardinals are looking to redemption after a blowout loss to Geneseo last weekend. A big win in Oswego would keep them in the national spotlight. The Cardinals return four of their five top scorers from last season and goaltender Ryan Williams is looking for redemption after giving up 5 goals to Oswego in last seasons SUNYAC championship. Either way we are in for one hell of a game. Tickets sold out in record time for this year's meeting and I expect the crowd to be louder then ever, and in true whiteout fashion snow is in the forecast.
Listen to Leroy in the Afternoon tomorrow for our full breakdown of both games.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Syracuse at (#20) West Virginia: Keys to the Game
Submitted by: Ace 10/21/10
After a disappointing 45 to 14 loss at home against Pittsburgh, the (4-2) Orange are looking to make a better stand in Morgantown. The betting line has West Virginia favored by 14, but Syracuse could have a chance at an upset if they keep things simple. Here are my keys to the game:
1. Run the Football: Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey have to have a big days if Syracuse wants any chance at keeping this one close. You cannot expect Nassib to set back and throw it 46 times like last week. Stick with the run and control the clock.
2. No Mistakes: West Virginia's defense ranks 5th in the nation only allowing an average of 245.8 total yards per game. Syracuse's offense will struggle to put points on the board. One turnover or one boneheaded penalty could be the difference. Play smart and win the turnover battle.
3. Special Teams: Syracuse cannot give up a big special teams play. Special teams is commonly overlooked, but it has killed them over the last few weeks. Last week Syracuse was forced to start almost every drive deep in their own territory. Help the offense put points up by giving them good field position.
Syracuse faces (#20) West Virginia Saturday at Noon and for the first time this season they will be playing in front of a national TV audience on ESPN 2.
After a disappointing 45 to 14 loss at home against Pittsburgh, the (4-2) Orange are looking to make a better stand in Morgantown. The betting line has West Virginia favored by 14, but Syracuse could have a chance at an upset if they keep things simple. Here are my keys to the game:
1. Run the Football: Delone Carter and Antwon Bailey have to have a big days if Syracuse wants any chance at keeping this one close. You cannot expect Nassib to set back and throw it 46 times like last week. Stick with the run and control the clock.
2. No Mistakes: West Virginia's defense ranks 5th in the nation only allowing an average of 245.8 total yards per game. Syracuse's offense will struggle to put points on the board. One turnover or one boneheaded penalty could be the difference. Play smart and win the turnover battle.
3. Special Teams: Syracuse cannot give up a big special teams play. Special teams is commonly overlooked, but it has killed them over the last few weeks. Last week Syracuse was forced to start almost every drive deep in their own territory. Help the offense put points up by giving them good field position.
Syracuse faces (#20) West Virginia Saturday at Noon and for the first time this season they will be playing in front of a national TV audience on ESPN 2.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
American League Cy Young Award Winner
Submitted by: Dan
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
The Cy Young voting, like the MVP voting can be difficult to assess. Cy Young is most well-known for winning 525 games in his amazing career. The wins are a record, and no other pitcher has ever reached the 500-win plateau. Some voters believe that the Cy Young Award should go to the pitcher with the most wins in the league. However, voters are instructed to vote for the best pitcher in the league. This isn't always the pitcher with the most wins, although some voters will refuse to vote against the winningest pitcher. In my opinion, that should not be the case. Any person who saw Phil Hughes pitch Game 2 of the ALCS know that his 18 wins are not indicative of his ability.
The only real way to discover the best pitcher in the league is to the real out the ones who aren't the best. This pitcher could be a horse in his rotation, a strikeout artist, or a winner. In the end though, only the best pitchers will be at the top.
Here are the pitchers who came on my radar for the CY Young Award:
27: James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays: Shields fanned 187 batters this season but he had a losing record on a winning team and a terrible ERA.
26: John Lackey, Boston Red Sox: Lackey pitched 215 innings for Boston and had a decent record but his ERA ruled him out.
25: Mark Buerhle, Chicago White Sox: Buerhle pitched 210.1 innings and had a respectable record but his ERA is too high.
24: Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays: Cecil had a good record but his ERA takes him out of contention.
23: Phil Hughes, New York Yankees: Hughes won 18 games but he had the best run support in the league and his ERA reflects that. On any other team Hughes wouldn't even be in this conversation.
22: Zach Greinke, Kansas City Royals: Greinke pitched 220 innings but his ERA is too high and his record terrible.
21: Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Santana won 17 games and pitched 222.2 innings with a 3.92 ERA. Unfortunately, that won't cut it this year in the AL.
20: Matt Garza, Tampa Bay Rays: Garza won 15 games and had a 3.91 ERA. Solid, but not good enough.
19: Jeremy Guthrie, Baltimore Orioles: Guthrie pitched 209.1 innings and had a 3.83 ERA but his record takes him out of the discussion.
18: Fausto Carmona, Cleveland Indians: Carmona pitched 210.1 innings and had a 3.77 ERA but posted a losing record.
17: Carl Pavano, Minnesota Twins: Pavano won 17 games and pitched 221 innings with a 3.75 ERA. That's good, but not Cy Young material.
16: Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays: Romero posted a decent record and pitched 210 innings with a 3.73 ERA, but he just wasn't good enough.
15: Colby Lewis, Texas Rangers: Lewis pitched 201 innings ans fanned 196 batters with a 3.72 ERA but he had a losing record on a winning team.
14: John Danks, Chicago White Sox: Danks had a good record and pitched 213 innings with a 3.72 ERA, but that's just not good enough in the AL this year.
13: Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins: Liriano fanned 201 batters with a 3.62 ERA but his record was only so-so and he didn't get to 200 innings pitched.
12: Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers: Scherzer fanned 184 batters with a 3.50 ERA but his record was only so-so and he failed to reach 200 innings.
11: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers: Verlander had 18 wins, pitched 224.1 innings and fanned 219 batters with a 3.37 ERA. Good, but not good enough.
10: C. J. Wilson, Texas Rangers: Wilson had 15 wins and pitched 204 innings with a 3.35 ERA. He's in the top ten, but he's clearly not the winner.
9: Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox: Lester won 19 games, pitched 208 innings and fanned 225 batters with a 3.25 ERA. Good, but there were better pitchers than him this season.
8: Gio Gonzalez, Oakland Athletics: Gonzalez won 15 games and pitched 200.2 innings with a 3.23 ERA. He was one reason Oakland's turnaround this year, but he isn't Cy Young material yet.
7: Cliff Lee, Texas Rangers: Lee pitched 212.1 innings with a 3.18 ERA but his record was only so-so. He probably would have had a lot more consideration had he not pitched for the Seattle Mariners for four months this season.
6: C. C. Sabathia, New York Yankees: Sabathia had a league-leading 21 wins with 237.2 innings pitched and a 3.18 ERA. The wins are watered down, as he gets the second-best run support in the AL (behind his teammate Phil Hughes) and they only account for about 20% of his team's victories. Without the run support he wouldn't have pitched as many innings either. Take that away and you don't have much left.
5: Jerad Weaver, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Weaver pitched 224.1 innings and fanned 233 batters with a 3.01 ERA but his record was only so-so due to a lack of run support.
4: Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics: Cahill won 18 games with a 2.97 ERA but failed to reach 200 innings.
3: David Price, Tampa Bay Rays: Price won 19 games and pitched 208.2 innings with a 2.72 ERA but there are better candidates out there than him.
2: Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox: Buchholz won 17 games with a 2.33 ERA but he failed to reach 200 innings pitched.
And the 2010 American League Cy Young Award Winner is:
Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners: Hernandez only posted a so-so record, but he received horrible run support on a terrible team and still managed to post a winning record, which is essentially a miracle. He also led the AL in ERA (2.27), games started (34), innings pitched (249.2), and was second in strikeouts with 232.
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
The Cy Young voting, like the MVP voting can be difficult to assess. Cy Young is most well-known for winning 525 games in his amazing career. The wins are a record, and no other pitcher has ever reached the 500-win plateau. Some voters believe that the Cy Young Award should go to the pitcher with the most wins in the league. However, voters are instructed to vote for the best pitcher in the league. This isn't always the pitcher with the most wins, although some voters will refuse to vote against the winningest pitcher. In my opinion, that should not be the case. Any person who saw Phil Hughes pitch Game 2 of the ALCS know that his 18 wins are not indicative of his ability.
The only real way to discover the best pitcher in the league is to the real out the ones who aren't the best. This pitcher could be a horse in his rotation, a strikeout artist, or a winner. In the end though, only the best pitchers will be at the top.
Here are the pitchers who came on my radar for the CY Young Award:
27: James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays: Shields fanned 187 batters this season but he had a losing record on a winning team and a terrible ERA.
26: John Lackey, Boston Red Sox: Lackey pitched 215 innings for Boston and had a decent record but his ERA ruled him out.
25: Mark Buerhle, Chicago White Sox: Buerhle pitched 210.1 innings and had a respectable record but his ERA is too high.
24: Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays: Cecil had a good record but his ERA takes him out of contention.
23: Phil Hughes, New York Yankees: Hughes won 18 games but he had the best run support in the league and his ERA reflects that. On any other team Hughes wouldn't even be in this conversation.
22: Zach Greinke, Kansas City Royals: Greinke pitched 220 innings but his ERA is too high and his record terrible.
21: Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Santana won 17 games and pitched 222.2 innings with a 3.92 ERA. Unfortunately, that won't cut it this year in the AL.
20: Matt Garza, Tampa Bay Rays: Garza won 15 games and had a 3.91 ERA. Solid, but not good enough.
19: Jeremy Guthrie, Baltimore Orioles: Guthrie pitched 209.1 innings and had a 3.83 ERA but his record takes him out of the discussion.
18: Fausto Carmona, Cleveland Indians: Carmona pitched 210.1 innings and had a 3.77 ERA but posted a losing record.
17: Carl Pavano, Minnesota Twins: Pavano won 17 games and pitched 221 innings with a 3.75 ERA. That's good, but not Cy Young material.
16: Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays: Romero posted a decent record and pitched 210 innings with a 3.73 ERA, but he just wasn't good enough.
15: Colby Lewis, Texas Rangers: Lewis pitched 201 innings ans fanned 196 batters with a 3.72 ERA but he had a losing record on a winning team.
14: John Danks, Chicago White Sox: Danks had a good record and pitched 213 innings with a 3.72 ERA, but that's just not good enough in the AL this year.
13: Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins: Liriano fanned 201 batters with a 3.62 ERA but his record was only so-so and he didn't get to 200 innings pitched.
12: Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers: Scherzer fanned 184 batters with a 3.50 ERA but his record was only so-so and he failed to reach 200 innings.
11: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers: Verlander had 18 wins, pitched 224.1 innings and fanned 219 batters with a 3.37 ERA. Good, but not good enough.
10: C. J. Wilson, Texas Rangers: Wilson had 15 wins and pitched 204 innings with a 3.35 ERA. He's in the top ten, but he's clearly not the winner.
9: Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox: Lester won 19 games, pitched 208 innings and fanned 225 batters with a 3.25 ERA. Good, but there were better pitchers than him this season.
8: Gio Gonzalez, Oakland Athletics: Gonzalez won 15 games and pitched 200.2 innings with a 3.23 ERA. He was one reason Oakland's turnaround this year, but he isn't Cy Young material yet.
7: Cliff Lee, Texas Rangers: Lee pitched 212.1 innings with a 3.18 ERA but his record was only so-so. He probably would have had a lot more consideration had he not pitched for the Seattle Mariners for four months this season.
6: C. C. Sabathia, New York Yankees: Sabathia had a league-leading 21 wins with 237.2 innings pitched and a 3.18 ERA. The wins are watered down, as he gets the second-best run support in the AL (behind his teammate Phil Hughes) and they only account for about 20% of his team's victories. Without the run support he wouldn't have pitched as many innings either. Take that away and you don't have much left.
5: Jerad Weaver, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Weaver pitched 224.1 innings and fanned 233 batters with a 3.01 ERA but his record was only so-so due to a lack of run support.
4: Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics: Cahill won 18 games with a 2.97 ERA but failed to reach 200 innings.
3: David Price, Tampa Bay Rays: Price won 19 games and pitched 208.2 innings with a 2.72 ERA but there are better candidates out there than him.
2: Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox: Buchholz won 17 games with a 2.33 ERA but he failed to reach 200 innings pitched.
And the 2010 American League Cy Young Award Winner is:
Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners: Hernandez only posted a so-so record, but he received horrible run support on a terrible team and still managed to post a winning record, which is essentially a miracle. He also led the AL in ERA (2.27), games started (34), innings pitched (249.2), and was second in strikeouts with 232.
Monday, October 18, 2010
NFL Week 6: What We’ve Learned
Submitted By: Ace
10/18/10
10/18/10
1. Parity in 2010: On any given week almost any team in the NFL can beat any opponent. The field is closer than it’s ever been in recent years, making it impossible to consistently pick winners (Vegas has got to be loving it). This past week we saw St. Louis upset San Diego and Seattle took down Chicago. Eight of Sunday’s thirteen games were decided by less than a touchdown. Every division is still up for grabs with at least three contenders in each. We may see a division winner with a losing record (hint NFC West). We may see only a few playoff teams break the 10 win mark. Get use to it, it’s going to be one hell of a season.
2. Concussions on the Rise: This week we saw another batch of violent collisions that resulted in concussions. Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson, Atlanta’s Dunta Robinson, Cleveland’s Mohammed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs, Detroit’s Zack Follett, and Baltimore’s Todd Heap all had to leave their games. Dunta Robinson’s helmet to helmet hit on DeSean Jack, Brandon Meriweather’s on Todd Heap, and James Harrison’s on both Massaquoi and Cribbs should have resulted in immediate ejections from the game. I know violence is part of the sport but the NFL needs to step in sooner rather than later before someone gets maimed on national TV.
3. More Injuries: This week we saw another swarm of injuries that makes any fantasy owner’s stomach turn. Antonio Gates, DeSean Jackson, Todd Heap, Joseph Addai, Malcom Floyd, and Shaun Hill just to name a few. Why are so many big names going down this season? I really don’t know, it could be poor conditioning or just bad luck, but it makes me wonder how teams will ever be able to survive an 18 game schedule. Star power and fantasy players are driving the league's popularity past casual fans and gamblers. If an 18 game schedule becomes a reality this patter will likely increase. Star loses will result in frustrated fans and lower ratings.
4. You are Done: The following teams can pack it in, your season is officially over. Buffalo (0-5), Carolina (0-5), Cleveland (1-5), Detroit (1-5), and yes Dallas (1-4). Better luck next year.
5. My Power Rankings (Top 10): 1. Jets 2. Steelers 3. Ravens 4. Colts 5. Falcons 6. Packers 7. Patriots 8. Giants 9. Eagles 10. Chiefs
Sunday, October 17, 2010
American League Hank Award Winner
Submitted by: Dan
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
There has been controversy in the past regarding the Most Valuable Player vote. Namely the selection of IF Alex Rodriguez with the 2003 Texas Rangers. But the selection of A-Rod raised an interesting question. What was the MVP Award for? For the most valuable player? This would be the player who most single-handedly helped his team win. Or for the most talented player? A-Rod's selection with the '03 Rangers is an example of the latter. Were the Rangers better off with A-Rod in 2003? Maybe, I mean he must have helped them win at least a few games. Right? Hard to tell. A better question might be would the Rangers have been any worse without A-Rod in 2003? The answer: Probably not.
There's not much of a point in honoring the best player in the league with an MVP Award. To begin, the best player isn't always the most valuable. And secondly, we have an award that honors the league's best player. I feel that ana ward honoring the best player in the league should be called the Willie Mays Award, who I consider to be the game's greatest player of all-time. But at the inception of the award MLB was infatuated with home runs, and the award was named the Hank Aaron Award (Aaron also ranks in my top five all-time best players).
Without further adieu, this season's American League Hank Aaron Award winner is:
1B Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers. It's hard to argue against Cabrera. He's a slugger, but he turned in a .328 batting average in 180 hits, both impressive numbers for a power hitter. He also scored 111 runs and had 128 runs batted in, leading the league. He didn't disappoint in the power categories either, hitting 38 home runs to go along with 45 doubles. Props to 1B Mark Teixera of the New York Yankees.
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
There has been controversy in the past regarding the Most Valuable Player vote. Namely the selection of IF Alex Rodriguez with the 2003 Texas Rangers. But the selection of A-Rod raised an interesting question. What was the MVP Award for? For the most valuable player? This would be the player who most single-handedly helped his team win. Or for the most talented player? A-Rod's selection with the '03 Rangers is an example of the latter. Were the Rangers better off with A-Rod in 2003? Maybe, I mean he must have helped them win at least a few games. Right? Hard to tell. A better question might be would the Rangers have been any worse without A-Rod in 2003? The answer: Probably not.
There's not much of a point in honoring the best player in the league with an MVP Award. To begin, the best player isn't always the most valuable. And secondly, we have an award that honors the league's best player. I feel that ana ward honoring the best player in the league should be called the Willie Mays Award, who I consider to be the game's greatest player of all-time. But at the inception of the award MLB was infatuated with home runs, and the award was named the Hank Aaron Award (Aaron also ranks in my top five all-time best players).
Without further adieu, this season's American League Hank Aaron Award winner is:
1B Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers. It's hard to argue against Cabrera. He's a slugger, but he turned in a .328 batting average in 180 hits, both impressive numbers for a power hitter. He also scored 111 runs and had 128 runs batted in, leading the league. He didn't disappoint in the power categories either, hitting 38 home runs to go along with 45 doubles. Props to 1B Mark Teixera of the New York Yankees.
Giants 4, Phillies 3
FOX has been fighting with Cablevision over sporting rights recently, and there was some specualtion that they would lose TV coverage of MLB postseason games. The was speculation that people would turn to MLB.com or ESPN Radio to catch the NLCS and World Series. There was speculation that FOX's ratings would be terrible. Luckily for them, they couldn't have asked for a better Game 1 matchup in Philadelphia last night, pitting RHP Tim Lincecum against RHP Roy Halladay.
Both pitchers cruised through the first two innings. But the Giants got to Halladay in the third. Or, more like RF Cody Ross got to Halladay in the third. Ross had spent his entire carrer with Florida Marlins before the Giants claimed him off waivers in August. Not getting much publicity in Miami, Ross had been a valued, underrated player for the Marlins. Now he's getting a chance to shine on a national stage. In the top of the third inning, Ross took Halladay deep for a long home run to left field at Citizens Bank Park. Expect the Giants to take advantage of the homer-friendly ballpark this postseason. San Francisco has never been a great home run city, and AT&T Ballpark is no exception. Power hitters like Ross will probably revel playing in the tiny stadium.
The lead was short-lived for the Giants, though. In the bottom of the third, C Carlos Ruiz answered for the Phillies, hitting a lazy fly ball to right field which somehow managed to clear the fences. Ruiz's homer tied the game at one.
Unfortunately for Halladay and the Phillies, Ross was due up again in the fifth. He responded with another homer to left. This one, too, was a no-doubter to give the Giants the lead once again. The Giants padded the lead in the sixth when C Buster Posey scored on a double by LF Pat Burrell. San Francisco pinch-ran for Burrell with the speedy Nate Schierholtz. This proved to be a smart move as the speedster scored on a single by SS Juan Uribe.
A three-run cushion isn't much in Philadelphia, and the Phillies proved that again in the bottom of the sixth. 2B Chase Utley singled to lead off the inning. Two batters later, RF Jayson Werth hit an inside-out fly ball to right-center field. Once again, this lazy fly ball improbably turned into a home run to narrow the margin to 4-3. But Lincecum stopped the bleeding there.
LHP Javier Lopez relieved Lincecum in the eighth and retired the only two batters he faced, earning a hold. RHP Brian Wilson entered the game and recorded a four-out save to preserve the 4-3 victory. Lincecum was solid as usual, giving up three runs in seven innings. Halladay, though, may have to reevaluate his game plan against the Giants. He was roughed up for four runs in seven innings.
Game two will be played tonite at 8:00 PM, following the NFL on FOX.
Both pitchers cruised through the first two innings. But the Giants got to Halladay in the third. Or, more like RF Cody Ross got to Halladay in the third. Ross had spent his entire carrer with Florida Marlins before the Giants claimed him off waivers in August. Not getting much publicity in Miami, Ross had been a valued, underrated player for the Marlins. Now he's getting a chance to shine on a national stage. In the top of the third inning, Ross took Halladay deep for a long home run to left field at Citizens Bank Park. Expect the Giants to take advantage of the homer-friendly ballpark this postseason. San Francisco has never been a great home run city, and AT&T Ballpark is no exception. Power hitters like Ross will probably revel playing in the tiny stadium.
The lead was short-lived for the Giants, though. In the bottom of the third, C Carlos Ruiz answered for the Phillies, hitting a lazy fly ball to right field which somehow managed to clear the fences. Ruiz's homer tied the game at one.
Unfortunately for Halladay and the Phillies, Ross was due up again in the fifth. He responded with another homer to left. This one, too, was a no-doubter to give the Giants the lead once again. The Giants padded the lead in the sixth when C Buster Posey scored on a double by LF Pat Burrell. San Francisco pinch-ran for Burrell with the speedy Nate Schierholtz. This proved to be a smart move as the speedster scored on a single by SS Juan Uribe.
A three-run cushion isn't much in Philadelphia, and the Phillies proved that again in the bottom of the sixth. 2B Chase Utley singled to lead off the inning. Two batters later, RF Jayson Werth hit an inside-out fly ball to right-center field. Once again, this lazy fly ball improbably turned into a home run to narrow the margin to 4-3. But Lincecum stopped the bleeding there.
LHP Javier Lopez relieved Lincecum in the eighth and retired the only two batters he faced, earning a hold. RHP Brian Wilson entered the game and recorded a four-out save to preserve the 4-3 victory. Lincecum was solid as usual, giving up three runs in seven innings. Halladay, though, may have to reevaluate his game plan against the Giants. He was roughed up for four runs in seven innings.
Game two will be played tonite at 8:00 PM, following the NFL on FOX.
Rangers 7, Yankees 2
The Yankees took Game 1 of the American League Championship Series from the Rangers in front of their home crowd in Arlington. Texas had a four-run lead when LHP C. J. Wilson left in the top of the eighth. But the Yankees then rallied to score five runs and take the lead in the midst of a Texas bullpen meltdown. Texas looked to break even before heading back to New York on Monday.
Starting the day for Texas was RHP Colby Lewis, a diamond in the rough plucked out of Japan. Lewis pitched a scoreless first and hoped to get something from his team that he lacked during the regular season, run support. It wasn't conventional, but he got it. With runners on first and third and RF Nelson Cruz at the plate with two outs, CF Josh Hamilton broke for second. C Jorge Posada threw down to second base. The throw was bad; SS Derek Jeter, covering the bag with Cruz at the plate, had to go several steps to the right side of second base to field the throw. Hamilton, however, appeared to have no interest in stealing the bag, as he was content to force a rundown. SS Elvis Andrus then broke for home, scoring the game's first run on the back end of a double steal. The Yankees had a chance to nail Andrus at the plate, but a short, off-line throw by Jeter back to the plate nixed any chances of that.
The Rangers did it the small way in the first, and the big way in the second, when LF David Murphy crushed a homer to right field. Later on in the inning, 1B Mitch Moreland and Andrus lined base hits before 3B Michael Young hit a booming double to right field scoring Moreland for Texas' third run of the game. That would be all the Rangers would need, although they went onto score four more runs in the game.
The Yankees had some chances to get back into the game. They had a rally going in the fourth with 2B Robinson Cano on third and no outs. But Lewis then rebounded to strike out RF Nick Swisher and Posada. DH Lance Berkman finally broke through with a single to right field but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double for the third out, debilitating New York's offense. Cano hit a solo home run in the sixth, but the Yankees couldn't get anymore there either.
The real story of the day was pitching. The two starters couldn't have been more different. RHP Phil Hughes has a great record this season but a sub-par ERA, the beneficiary of the best run support in the AL. Lewis has a great ERA this season but a losing record, as he gets some of the worst run support in the league. In the postseason, though, the good starters prosper while the bad ones wither. That's exactly what happened in Arlington yesterday. Hughes was unable to complete five innings and gave up all seven of Texas' runs (all earned). Lewis pitched 5.2 stellar innings, allowing only two runs and really only throwing one bad pitch (the homer to Cano). The Rangers bullpen cruised this time, ensuring that they wouldn't be down going back to New York.
Starting the day for Texas was RHP Colby Lewis, a diamond in the rough plucked out of Japan. Lewis pitched a scoreless first and hoped to get something from his team that he lacked during the regular season, run support. It wasn't conventional, but he got it. With runners on first and third and RF Nelson Cruz at the plate with two outs, CF Josh Hamilton broke for second. C Jorge Posada threw down to second base. The throw was bad; SS Derek Jeter, covering the bag with Cruz at the plate, had to go several steps to the right side of second base to field the throw. Hamilton, however, appeared to have no interest in stealing the bag, as he was content to force a rundown. SS Elvis Andrus then broke for home, scoring the game's first run on the back end of a double steal. The Yankees had a chance to nail Andrus at the plate, but a short, off-line throw by Jeter back to the plate nixed any chances of that.
The Rangers did it the small way in the first, and the big way in the second, when LF David Murphy crushed a homer to right field. Later on in the inning, 1B Mitch Moreland and Andrus lined base hits before 3B Michael Young hit a booming double to right field scoring Moreland for Texas' third run of the game. That would be all the Rangers would need, although they went onto score four more runs in the game.
The Yankees had some chances to get back into the game. They had a rally going in the fourth with 2B Robinson Cano on third and no outs. But Lewis then rebounded to strike out RF Nick Swisher and Posada. DH Lance Berkman finally broke through with a single to right field but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double for the third out, debilitating New York's offense. Cano hit a solo home run in the sixth, but the Yankees couldn't get anymore there either.
The real story of the day was pitching. The two starters couldn't have been more different. RHP Phil Hughes has a great record this season but a sub-par ERA, the beneficiary of the best run support in the AL. Lewis has a great ERA this season but a losing record, as he gets some of the worst run support in the league. In the postseason, though, the good starters prosper while the bad ones wither. That's exactly what happened in Arlington yesterday. Hughes was unable to complete five innings and gave up all seven of Texas' runs (all earned). Lewis pitched 5.2 stellar innings, allowing only two runs and really only throwing one bad pitch (the homer to Cano). The Rangers bullpen cruised this time, ensuring that they wouldn't be down going back to New York.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
American League Gold Glove Award Winners
Submitted by: Dan
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
Some of the most disgraceful awards have been given out in the form of American League Gold Gloves over the past two decades. Perhaps the most notorious was given to Rafael Palmeiro in 1999, who was a Designated Hitter for the Texas Rangers at the time. But there have been other travesties, including a snub of former Cleveland Indians SS Omar Vizquel, considered by many to be the greatest fielding shortstop of his generation. There will likely be more disasters in this category this year, but LeRoy in the Afternoon will make you happy with the right picks.
Here they are:
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins: Mauer has won the last two Gold Glove Awards at his position in the AL. There's a reason: He's the juggernaut, bitch. Mauer will undoubtedly win a third Gold Glove this season, as he is still the best fielding catcher in the AL.
First Base: Casey Kotchman, Seattle Mariners: Kotchman probably won't win because he's not exactly a household name. But he's a superb fielding first baseman. In fact, Kotchman is known for his glove work and not his bat. So he probably should win. But, like I said, he won't. Why? Because he's not a good enough hitter.
Second Base: Mark Ellis, Oakland Athletics: Ellis is a guy who has been in Oakland for years. He's a moneyball-type player whom despotic GM Billy Beane likes. Since he came on the scene, he has persevered as a good, solid middle infielder. But it's about time that he got a little recognition for his fielding. In a league still searching for its next Roberto Alomar, managers and coaches have stopped looking at players like Ellis. The smart money says that the AL Gold Glove Award for second baseman may go to Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees, which would be a shame of Biblical proportions. Again, Ellis probably won't win, because he's not a great hitter.
Third Base: Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers: Peralta played almost as much at short as he did at third this season for Detroit. In fact, play at shortstop was so pathetic in the AL this season that I named Peralta as my runner-up offensively at that position. So how does Peralta win the Gold Glove at third base? Well, AL shortstops turned in the worst all-around season collectively that I've ever seen. But fielding at third base this season was overly pathetic, the absolute worst that I've ever seen, at any position, ever. Go ahead, take a look at the stats. Three of the starting 14 third basemen in the AL had fielding percentages below .950. Peralta probably won't win, but he should by default. I think that maybe the AL should hire Brooks Robinson to teach these guys how to field at the hot corner.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees: Did I mention that shortstop play was terrible in the AL this season? Well, it just got worse. Jeter has won four Gold Gloves, he didn't deserve any. He has no range to his right, can barely throw across the infield, and makes a good amount of errors. Remember that snub to Vizquel I mentioned earlier? They snubbed him for Jeter. It wasn't like shortstop play in the field was terrible in the AL this season, it just wasn't that good. Jeter will probably win his fifth Gold Glove this season. He should be winning his first.
Outfielders: Ah, the dilemma. To name three center fielders? To name one left fielder, one center fielder, and one right fielder? I usually opt for center fielders, but this time I'm making a well-deserved compromise. CF Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays, CF Franklin Gutierrez of the Seattle Mariners, and RF Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays all turned in flawless seasons in the outfield in the AL this season. Wells and Gutierrez are no-doubters. I wouldn't normally vote for a player like Zobrist, a natural infielder-turned utility player-turned outfielder. But he didn't make any errors this season.
Pitcher: RHP Jerad Weaver, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: When I went looking for the link for Weaver's profile I scrolled to the bottom of the Angels' roster. Did you know that there are three people lower alphabetically than Weaver on the Angels' roster? After scrolling all the way down, I had to move my cursor four slots up. All that to name the best fielding pitcher in the AL. He didn't make any errors.
Coming Tomorrow: American League Hank Aaron Award Winner
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
Some of the most disgraceful awards have been given out in the form of American League Gold Gloves over the past two decades. Perhaps the most notorious was given to Rafael Palmeiro in 1999, who was a Designated Hitter for the Texas Rangers at the time. But there have been other travesties, including a snub of former Cleveland Indians SS Omar Vizquel, considered by many to be the greatest fielding shortstop of his generation. There will likely be more disasters in this category this year, but LeRoy in the Afternoon will make you happy with the right picks.
Here they are:
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins: Mauer has won the last two Gold Glove Awards at his position in the AL. There's a reason: He's the juggernaut, bitch. Mauer will undoubtedly win a third Gold Glove this season, as he is still the best fielding catcher in the AL.
First Base: Casey Kotchman, Seattle Mariners: Kotchman probably won't win because he's not exactly a household name. But he's a superb fielding first baseman. In fact, Kotchman is known for his glove work and not his bat. So he probably should win. But, like I said, he won't. Why? Because he's not a good enough hitter.
Second Base: Mark Ellis, Oakland Athletics: Ellis is a guy who has been in Oakland for years. He's a moneyball-type player whom despotic GM Billy Beane likes. Since he came on the scene, he has persevered as a good, solid middle infielder. But it's about time that he got a little recognition for his fielding. In a league still searching for its next Roberto Alomar, managers and coaches have stopped looking at players like Ellis. The smart money says that the AL Gold Glove Award for second baseman may go to Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees, which would be a shame of Biblical proportions. Again, Ellis probably won't win, because he's not a great hitter.
Third Base: Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers: Peralta played almost as much at short as he did at third this season for Detroit. In fact, play at shortstop was so pathetic in the AL this season that I named Peralta as my runner-up offensively at that position. So how does Peralta win the Gold Glove at third base? Well, AL shortstops turned in the worst all-around season collectively that I've ever seen. But fielding at third base this season was overly pathetic, the absolute worst that I've ever seen, at any position, ever. Go ahead, take a look at the stats. Three of the starting 14 third basemen in the AL had fielding percentages below .950. Peralta probably won't win, but he should by default. I think that maybe the AL should hire Brooks Robinson to teach these guys how to field at the hot corner.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees: Did I mention that shortstop play was terrible in the AL this season? Well, it just got worse. Jeter has won four Gold Gloves, he didn't deserve any. He has no range to his right, can barely throw across the infield, and makes a good amount of errors. Remember that snub to Vizquel I mentioned earlier? They snubbed him for Jeter. It wasn't like shortstop play in the field was terrible in the AL this season, it just wasn't that good. Jeter will probably win his fifth Gold Glove this season. He should be winning his first.
Outfielders: Ah, the dilemma. To name three center fielders? To name one left fielder, one center fielder, and one right fielder? I usually opt for center fielders, but this time I'm making a well-deserved compromise. CF Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays, CF Franklin Gutierrez of the Seattle Mariners, and RF Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays all turned in flawless seasons in the outfield in the AL this season. Wells and Gutierrez are no-doubters. I wouldn't normally vote for a player like Zobrist, a natural infielder-turned utility player-turned outfielder. But he didn't make any errors this season.
Pitcher: RHP Jerad Weaver, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: When I went looking for the link for Weaver's profile I scrolled to the bottom of the Angels' roster. Did you know that there are three people lower alphabetically than Weaver on the Angels' roster? After scrolling all the way down, I had to move my cursor four slots up. All that to name the best fielding pitcher in the AL. He didn't make any errors.
Coming Tomorrow: American League Hank Aaron Award Winner
Yankees 6, Rangers 5
Submitted by: Dan
Game one of the American League Championship Series got under way last night in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers played host to the New York Yankees (the Bombers had a better record but are the fourth-ceded team in the AL because they won the Wild Card) in the first playoff game there in ten years. The Rangers had some bad news from the beginning, as New York has dominated Texas in postseason play (although none of the players on the current Rangers roster were there the last time the two teams met in the postseason). More bad news came to the Rangers as LHP Cliff Lee was unavailable to start game one due to pitching game five of the American League Division Series.
It was a different story for the Yankees. They've dominated Texas in the postseason (and four Yankees were there the last time these two teams met in the postseason), LHP C. C. Sabathia was available to start game one, and the Yankees were unbeaten in postseason play in 2010. The only negative surrounding this team was the six-day layoff between their sweep of the Minnesota Twins and the start of the ALCS.
The game started on a promising note for Texas, as LHP C. J. Wilson turned the Yankees away scoreless in the top of the first. Things were not as promising for Sabathia. After allowing base hits to SS Elvis Andrus and 3B Michael Young, CF Josh Hamilton ripped a three run homer to give the Rangers a quick early lead.
It looked like three runs might be all the cushion Wilson would need. He's not Lee, but the rest of the AL is starting to find out how good this guy actually is. He baffled the Yankees for six innings, dominating their lineup like few pitchers have this season. In between, the Rangers added a couple of more runs when C Matt Treanor and Andrus scored on a two-run double by Young. That made it 5-0 Texas.
The Yankees got on the board in the seventh when 2B Robinson Cano hit a solo home run. But Wilson stopped the damage there.
Then everything fell apart in the eighth. LF Brett Gardner hit an infield single to lead off the inning, barely beating Wilson to the bag on a ball fielded by 1B Jorge Cantu with a headfirst slide. Wilson followed that up by allowing a more traditional single to SS Derek Jeter. Manager Ron Washington then went to his 'pen. With RF Nick Swisher and 1B Mark Teixera due up (Swisher a switch-hitter and weaker batting righthanded and Teixera left-handed) Washington opted to bring in LHP Darren Oliver, his most trusted southpaw. Oliver responded by walking both batters, the second walk bringing in Gardner with New York's second run. With 3B Alex Rodriguez due up, Washington went with RHP Darren O'Day, a submarine-arming right-handed specialist. O'Day threw one pitch which A-Rod turned into a two-run single, scoring both Jeter and Swisher to narrow the margin to 5-4. Then, with Cano due up and runners on first and second, Washington went with LHP Clay Rapada. Rapada threw one pitch which Cano laced for a single, scoring Teixera to tie the game at five. Both O'Day and Rapada only lasted long enough to throw one pitch each. Washington then brought in LHP Derek Holland with DH Marcus Thames due up. Holland was the fifth pitcher Texas used in the inning. None of the previous four had recorded an out. Thames responded by hitting a broken-bat RBI single to score A-Rod and give the Yankees a one-run lead. Holland then rebounded to retire the Yankees without allowing any further runs and went onto pitch a scoreless ninth, but the damage was done.
RHP Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth to record the save for the Yanks and preserve the 6-5 victory. Sabathia will have a lot to think about before his next start, as he lasted only four innings and allowed five earned runs. RHP Dustin Moseley earned the win in relief by pitching two scoreless innings. RHP Kerry Wood earned a hold in the victory. Wilson pitched seven innings and was charged with three earned runs, two of which came into score after Wilson yielded to the bullpen. He received a no-decision. O'Day was charged with the loss, as he allowed A-Rod to reach base who eventually came around to score the game-winning run.
It will be curious to see how Texas responds after imploding in the eighth. They play game two in Arlington today at 4:00 PM. RHP Colby Lewis is set to start beside RHP Phil Hughes. Hughes has the best run support in the AL, so Lewis will try to stymie what should prove to be an overly potent offense.
Note: The Rangers loaded their pitching staff with left-handers for the ALCS, apparently with the belief that New York would be susceptible to lefthanded pitching. Four of the five Texas pitchers in the disastrous eighth inning were lefthanded.
Game one of the American League Championship Series got under way last night in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers played host to the New York Yankees (the Bombers had a better record but are the fourth-ceded team in the AL because they won the Wild Card) in the first playoff game there in ten years. The Rangers had some bad news from the beginning, as New York has dominated Texas in postseason play (although none of the players on the current Rangers roster were there the last time the two teams met in the postseason). More bad news came to the Rangers as LHP Cliff Lee was unavailable to start game one due to pitching game five of the American League Division Series.
It was a different story for the Yankees. They've dominated Texas in the postseason (and four Yankees were there the last time these two teams met in the postseason), LHP C. C. Sabathia was available to start game one, and the Yankees were unbeaten in postseason play in 2010. The only negative surrounding this team was the six-day layoff between their sweep of the Minnesota Twins and the start of the ALCS.
The game started on a promising note for Texas, as LHP C. J. Wilson turned the Yankees away scoreless in the top of the first. Things were not as promising for Sabathia. After allowing base hits to SS Elvis Andrus and 3B Michael Young, CF Josh Hamilton ripped a three run homer to give the Rangers a quick early lead.
It looked like three runs might be all the cushion Wilson would need. He's not Lee, but the rest of the AL is starting to find out how good this guy actually is. He baffled the Yankees for six innings, dominating their lineup like few pitchers have this season. In between, the Rangers added a couple of more runs when C Matt Treanor and Andrus scored on a two-run double by Young. That made it 5-0 Texas.
The Yankees got on the board in the seventh when 2B Robinson Cano hit a solo home run. But Wilson stopped the damage there.
Then everything fell apart in the eighth. LF Brett Gardner hit an infield single to lead off the inning, barely beating Wilson to the bag on a ball fielded by 1B Jorge Cantu with a headfirst slide. Wilson followed that up by allowing a more traditional single to SS Derek Jeter. Manager Ron Washington then went to his 'pen. With RF Nick Swisher and 1B Mark Teixera due up (Swisher a switch-hitter and weaker batting righthanded and Teixera left-handed) Washington opted to bring in LHP Darren Oliver, his most trusted southpaw. Oliver responded by walking both batters, the second walk bringing in Gardner with New York's second run. With 3B Alex Rodriguez due up, Washington went with RHP Darren O'Day, a submarine-arming right-handed specialist. O'Day threw one pitch which A-Rod turned into a two-run single, scoring both Jeter and Swisher to narrow the margin to 5-4. Then, with Cano due up and runners on first and second, Washington went with LHP Clay Rapada. Rapada threw one pitch which Cano laced for a single, scoring Teixera to tie the game at five. Both O'Day and Rapada only lasted long enough to throw one pitch each. Washington then brought in LHP Derek Holland with DH Marcus Thames due up. Holland was the fifth pitcher Texas used in the inning. None of the previous four had recorded an out. Thames responded by hitting a broken-bat RBI single to score A-Rod and give the Yankees a one-run lead. Holland then rebounded to retire the Yankees without allowing any further runs and went onto pitch a scoreless ninth, but the damage was done.
RHP Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth to record the save for the Yanks and preserve the 6-5 victory. Sabathia will have a lot to think about before his next start, as he lasted only four innings and allowed five earned runs. RHP Dustin Moseley earned the win in relief by pitching two scoreless innings. RHP Kerry Wood earned a hold in the victory. Wilson pitched seven innings and was charged with three earned runs, two of which came into score after Wilson yielded to the bullpen. He received a no-decision. O'Day was charged with the loss, as he allowed A-Rod to reach base who eventually came around to score the game-winning run.
It will be curious to see how Texas responds after imploding in the eighth. They play game two in Arlington today at 4:00 PM. RHP Colby Lewis is set to start beside RHP Phil Hughes. Hughes has the best run support in the AL, so Lewis will try to stymie what should prove to be an overly potent offense.
Note: The Rangers loaded their pitching staff with left-handers for the ALCS, apparently with the belief that New York would be susceptible to lefthanded pitching. Four of the five Texas pitchers in the disastrous eighth inning were lefthanded.
American League Silver Slugger Award Winners
Submitted by: Dan
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
The American League Silver Slugger Award is awarded to the best hitters in the AL at eight of the nine positions and a ninth award is given to the the League's best DH (it would be pretty stupid to give an award to a pitcher in the AL in spite of Interleague Play). Selection of Silver Slugger Award winners in the AL have not been as ridiculous as Gold Glove Award winners have over the past two decades, but some mistakes have definitely been made. It is easy to see why. What is "the best hitter at each position?" Is it the best hitter? Or is it the best home run hitter? The voting rules do not specify, and voters seem to be split over how the award should be voted on. I scoffed at first, but after thinking all day about my decisions, I came to realize that picking the best hitter at each position is pretty hard, at least in the AL in 2010 (I had to decide between two players at all but two positions). In all but two situations, I will name the runner up in my explanation (those two explanations were the only positions where there weren't two potential winners).
The choices were far from obvious and are probably the most debatable of my picks, but here are my 2010 AL Silver Slugger Award Winners:
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins. Some would say that Mauer regressed horribly in 2010, hitting only nine home runs and producing 75 RBIs. But he still batted .327 and led all AL catchers with 88 runs scored. Bottom line is that he’s still the best hitting catcher in the American League. Props to Victor Martinez of the Boston Red Sox.
First Base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers. A lot of people forgot about Miguel Cabrera late in the season after Detroit stopped playing good baseball. But his end of the year numbers don’t lie: A .328 batting average, 111 runs scored, 38 home runs, and 126 RBIs, which led the AL. Props to Mark Teixera of the New York Yankees.
Second Base: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees. This wasn’t much of a competition. Robinson Cano led all AL second basemen in batting average, runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, and was tied for the league lead in doubles among second basemen.
Third Base: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees. A-Rod catches a lot of flack around the league. He has a huge ego, gets a lot of attention, has been criticized for his play in the clutch, is surrounded by over paid All-Stars, has been involved in numerous scandals, and is an admitted cheater. None of that stops him from being the best third baseman in the AL. It didn’t take a whole lot. 30 home runs and 125 RBIs sets him apart from the rest of the league. Props to Michael Young of the Texas Rangers.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees. Talk about a total buzzkill. Shortstop play in the American League this year was pretty intolerable. Who led AL shortstops in batting average? Alexei Ramirez, at .282. The award goes to Derek Jeter who was one of four standouts at the position this season. The others – Elvis Andrus, Erick Aybar, and Cliff Pennington – are base stealers. Jeter scored 111 runs. He benefits from sitting atop the Yankee lineup and playing in their miniscule stadium, but those are his benefits to reap. Props to Jhonny Peralta of the Detroit Tigers, I guess.
Outfielders: In many ways, picking the three outfielders is the hardest choice. Are we to pick one left fielder, one center fielder, and one right fielder? Or are we to simply pick the three best hitting outfielders? I opt for the latter, although I admit I may be wrong in doing so. This was a little easier to pick than other positions at the same time, though, because there weren't six deserving winners (this being the second occasion where I couldn't find a runner up for one of the winners; I also couldn't justify naming a runner up to Cano at second base). Jose Bautista was an easy choice. He hit 54 home runs for the surprise Blue Jays and also chipped in with 124 RBIs and 109 runs scored. Delmon Young finished 33 homers shy of Bautista’s total, but he batted .298 and knocked in 112 runs in his own right, all while playing in spacious Target Field. Carl Crawford batted .307, scored 110 runs, and stole 47 bases for Tampa Bay, behind only Juan Pierre and Rajai Davis and tied with Brett Gardner in the AL. Crawford also pitched in with 19 homers and 90 runs batted in. Props to Austin Jackson of the Detroit Tigers and Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.
Designated Hitter: Vladimir Guerrero, Texas Rangers: The Designated Hitter position is about offense only. There was a time when all 14 teams in the AL could center a lineup around their star DH. Those days are past, as only two DH’s in the AL got to the 100-RBI plateau. Vladimir Guerrero batted .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs and was the center of his lineup in Arlington with the surprising Texas Rangers. Props to David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox.
Coming Tomorrow: American League Gold Glove Award Winners
The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made. LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason. All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew. Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks. We will continue in the American League.
The American League Silver Slugger Award is awarded to the best hitters in the AL at eight of the nine positions and a ninth award is given to the the League's best DH (it would be pretty stupid to give an award to a pitcher in the AL in spite of Interleague Play). Selection of Silver Slugger Award winners in the AL have not been as ridiculous as Gold Glove Award winners have over the past two decades, but some mistakes have definitely been made. It is easy to see why. What is "the best hitter at each position?" Is it the best hitter? Or is it the best home run hitter? The voting rules do not specify, and voters seem to be split over how the award should be voted on. I scoffed at first, but after thinking all day about my decisions, I came to realize that picking the best hitter at each position is pretty hard, at least in the AL in 2010 (I had to decide between two players at all but two positions). In all but two situations, I will name the runner up in my explanation (those two explanations were the only positions where there weren't two potential winners).
The choices were far from obvious and are probably the most debatable of my picks, but here are my 2010 AL Silver Slugger Award Winners:
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins. Some would say that Mauer regressed horribly in 2010, hitting only nine home runs and producing 75 RBIs. But he still batted .327 and led all AL catchers with 88 runs scored. Bottom line is that he’s still the best hitting catcher in the American League. Props to Victor Martinez of the Boston Red Sox.
First Base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers. A lot of people forgot about Miguel Cabrera late in the season after Detroit stopped playing good baseball. But his end of the year numbers don’t lie: A .328 batting average, 111 runs scored, 38 home runs, and 126 RBIs, which led the AL. Props to Mark Teixera of the New York Yankees.
Second Base: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees. This wasn’t much of a competition. Robinson Cano led all AL second basemen in batting average, runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, and was tied for the league lead in doubles among second basemen.
Third Base: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees. A-Rod catches a lot of flack around the league. He has a huge ego, gets a lot of attention, has been criticized for his play in the clutch, is surrounded by over paid All-Stars, has been involved in numerous scandals, and is an admitted cheater. None of that stops him from being the best third baseman in the AL. It didn’t take a whole lot. 30 home runs and 125 RBIs sets him apart from the rest of the league. Props to Michael Young of the Texas Rangers.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees. Talk about a total buzzkill. Shortstop play in the American League this year was pretty intolerable. Who led AL shortstops in batting average? Alexei Ramirez, at .282. The award goes to Derek Jeter who was one of four standouts at the position this season. The others – Elvis Andrus, Erick Aybar, and Cliff Pennington – are base stealers. Jeter scored 111 runs. He benefits from sitting atop the Yankee lineup and playing in their miniscule stadium, but those are his benefits to reap. Props to Jhonny Peralta of the Detroit Tigers, I guess.
Outfielders: In many ways, picking the three outfielders is the hardest choice. Are we to pick one left fielder, one center fielder, and one right fielder? Or are we to simply pick the three best hitting outfielders? I opt for the latter, although I admit I may be wrong in doing so. This was a little easier to pick than other positions at the same time, though, because there weren't six deserving winners (this being the second occasion where I couldn't find a runner up for one of the winners; I also couldn't justify naming a runner up to Cano at second base). Jose Bautista was an easy choice. He hit 54 home runs for the surprise Blue Jays and also chipped in with 124 RBIs and 109 runs scored. Delmon Young finished 33 homers shy of Bautista’s total, but he batted .298 and knocked in 112 runs in his own right, all while playing in spacious Target Field. Carl Crawford batted .307, scored 110 runs, and stole 47 bases for Tampa Bay, behind only Juan Pierre and Rajai Davis and tied with Brett Gardner in the AL. Crawford also pitched in with 19 homers and 90 runs batted in. Props to Austin Jackson of the Detroit Tigers and Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.
Designated Hitter: Vladimir Guerrero, Texas Rangers: The Designated Hitter position is about offense only. There was a time when all 14 teams in the AL could center a lineup around their star DH. Those days are past, as only two DH’s in the AL got to the 100-RBI plateau. Vladimir Guerrero batted .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs and was the center of his lineup in Arlington with the surprising Texas Rangers. Props to David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox.
Coming Tomorrow: American League Gold Glove Award Winners
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)