Sunday, June 23, 2013

7 Good Closers, 3 Bad Ones


A team’s ability to win close games is often the difference between a playoff berth and an October vacation. A team’s ability to win those close games is dependent on their bullpen, and more specifically their closer. Up to this point, the 2013 season has been an interesting year for closers, some have been great, others suspect. Here’s a list of my top 7 closers and three bad ones.

Bad Closers

     1.  Heath Bell


Since his departure from San Diego, Heath Bell has been suspect in the back of the bullpen. In his defense, JJ Puts was supposed to be the closer, but he was worse, so Arizona has been subject to an adventurous last three outs. Heath has blown only three saves, but his ERA and WHIP are 5.02 and 1.64 respectively, OUCH.


2. Brandon League


The Dodgers settled in with Kenley Janson last year as their closer, and he had a very good year. Then they acquired Brandon League, who was awful for Seattle as a closer, and fell in love with his 95 mph sinker and promoted him to be the closer. Turns out tattoos and sinkers aren’t enough to be a good closer, (5.08 ERA 4 Blown Saves) and the Dodgers have reverted back to Jansen as their closer. Look for the Dodgers ninth inning pitching to improve.

3.  Jose Valverde


Papa Grande made an admiral comeback, after last years playoff implosion, to resign to a triple A contract with the Tigers and work his way back to the closer role. However, Valverde already has 3 blown saves and only nine saves, looks like Detroit’s closer problem is still up in the air.




Good Closers

7. Aroldis Chapman


Chapman has the ability to be the best closer in the big leagues, but lack of save opportunities and 3 blown saves have knocked him down the list a little. He has a solid 2.53 ERA and he will be important in the Reds push for a playoff berth.

6. Joe Nathan
 
No one thought the Rangers would be this good, partly because they didn’t appear to have to pitching to compete. The experts were wrong and Nathan’s 24 saves and sub 2 ERA have been a big part of that.







5. Grant Balfour


Balfour has had a stunning 0 blown saves, with a miniscule 1.17 ERA. He ranks 10th in the MLB with 18 saves, but he has been very important in the A’s success this year.


4.  Craig Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel has the best slider in the game, and his fastball is an unhittable compliment. His 3 blown saves keep him from being higher on the lis








3. Edward Mujica




The Cardinals have the best record in the MLB, and that’s partly because when they go into the ninth with a lead Mujica has converted it into a victory every time. He has come out of nowhere and done more than a great job replacing the injured Jason Motte.

2. Mariano Rivera

The best closer of all time is having another unbelievable season. He is tied for first in the bigs with 26 saves and has a 1.61 ERA.








1. Jason Grilli
Grilli has been unbelievable this year for the Pirates converting a league best 26/27 saves and a 1.31 ERA. He rarely lets runners on (WHIP 0.82) and he leads all closers with 57 strikeouts.




-Blake Dale Lepire

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Top Ten: Players to be Cautious of for Fantasy

Before I get started, I want to take the time to state that these are just my opinions of  players that have either statistically been good in years past, or who I do not believe will play up to their potential this year. These are just tips as well as a heads up to watch out for these players in upcoming fantasy drafts. I would be happy to have a lot of these players on my fantasy team; however, I just want to make sure that you are wary about drafting some of these players too early for the production that they will most likely give you. I also won my fantasy baseball league last year which basically makes me an expert.

10. Jose Bautista (TOR)

Jose Bautista
With that in mind, I’ll start with number  10, Jose Bautista. Bautista has put up unreal power numbers in the last few seasons, but a wrist injury that he suffered last year worries me. Power is his complete game because he is not going to wow anyone with his average (.241 last year, .253 for his career). Despite his injury he was able to put up 27 bombs, but I would be cautious to draft him too high, relying on him to produce at the level that he has in previous years coming off of a serious wrist injury that could definitely limit his power numbers. 

It’s hard for me to bet against a guy who hit 134 homeruns between September 2009 and July 2012, but he is definitely under my radar for players to be cautious of because of his wrist. If healthy, I have no doubt that Bautista could produce at the level that he has the last 3 years (roided or not).


9. Carl Crawford (LAD)                                                           

Carl Crawford
Crawford is another guy coming off of an injury, but I do not think that his injury will hinder him as much as Bautista’s. My concern with Crawford is his tremendous “upside.” He’s a guy who was virtually a fantasy MVP in 2009 hitting .305 with 15 bombs and 60 stolen bases. But now on the wrong side of 30, fantasy owners should be wary about drafting Crawford too high, expecting similar numbers. He isn’t likely to put up steal numbers anywhere near his old totals and I don’t really expect him to hit above .280 either. And as a guy without great power numbers, I feel as though there are a lot better players that could give the same value as Crawford much lower in the draft.

Now as a Dodger fan, I really hope that Crawford absolutely tears up the NL West this year. I would be ecstatic if he proved me wrong, but unfortunately I think Crawford’s best years are behind him and there are a lot better values in the outfield for where Crawford is projected to be picked.


8. Jim Johnson (BAL)

Johnson is a guy who had a stellar year last year as the closer for the Orioles racking up 51 saves. But when you look at the overall picture, his saves don’t seem as impressive. The Orioles set an MLB record for one run games last year and Johnson clearly benefitted from it statistically last year. He is a great pitcher, don’t get me wrong, but I find it extremely unlikely that he can put up numbers anywhere near his last year’s total.

Jim Johnson
Also concerning are Johnson’s strike out numbers. In reality, no one cares how the closer gets it done, as long as he can get the last three outs of the game. But this is fantasy baseball we are talking about and numbers mean everything. He had only 41 strikeouts all year and in a year where relievers set a Major League record for strikeouts per 9 innings (8.37), Johnson was well below the league average. I would love to have him closing down games for me in real life, but as a predicted top 5 closer in fantasy, I would be very cautious taking him when there are others with greater value below him.


7. Derek Jeter (NYY)

Derek Jeter
Apart from the recent news that Jeter may start out his 2013 campaign on the DL, I had already made up my mind that Jeter would not produce at the level he did last year. Jeter suffered a foot injury at the end of last year, then fractured his ankle in the ALCS possibly as a result of playing on that injured foot. Obviously, sidelining him at the beginning of the year is just a precaution but it does make me worry about how productive Jeter really can be this year.

He came off a great year where he had over 200 hits and hit .316 but at 39 years of age and with a shaky ankle I am not sure he will be able to put up similar numbers in 2013. Also, as a guy who hits the ball on the ground a ton (63.7 percent), I don’t know if he will be able to beat out as many infield singles on his bummed ankle. I have always loved Jeter and the way he played the game, but as for a fantasy player, I feel as though his value is dwindling fast.

6. Chase Headley (SD)

Chase Headley is seen to be a young and rising star in the MLB and his numbers last year showed that he could be up for discussion as one of the top hitting 3rd basemen in baseball. But where did his sudden numbers come from? We are talking about a guy who hit 27 homeruns total between 2009-2011 and then erupted for 31 last year to go along with 115 RBIs. 
Chase Headley

This spring training, Headley did suffer a fracture to his left thumb and he is likely to miss the beginning of the year. Regardless of his injury, I believe that Headley isn’t likely to put up the same power numbers as last year. Because of his career numbers, I find it hard to believe that he could put up another 30 homeruns this year. As he is projected as the number three 3rd basemen in a lot of drafts, I would be skeptical to draft him as high expecting the same output as last year.



5. Alex Rios (CWS) 

Alex Rios

Alex Rios has been known throughout his career to be an on and off player. In 2011 he hit only .227 with 13 homeruns but then he bounced back last year to hit .304 with 25 bombs. With this year slated to be a down year, I am skeptical to believe that Rios will have another year like he did in 2012. There is also a possibility that he moves from 5th to 3rd in the White Sox line up which could either greatly help or hurt fantasy owners depending on Rios’ production.

When Rios is playing at his best, he could be considered one of the top outfielders in the game; however, his track record has shown that after a statistically solid year, he tends to tank. Rios is the kind of guy I would love to have as my 4th outfielder in fantasy and if he plays to his potential, he could work his way up to a starter, but I would be cautious as to draft him high expecting another .300 season from him.



4. Jon Lester (BOS)

Jon Lester
Lester had a rough year last year going 9-14 with a 4.82 ERA. It was an awful year for the Red Sox in general as they went an abysmal 69-93, the worst in franchise history since 1965. In watching Lester pitch last year, he just seemed to be off. Although the velocity was there, he seemed to lack command and often left the ball up in the zone, resulting in his first full season where he had more hits than innings pitched. And not only was he giving up hits, but he was getting hit hard often.

Lester is the kind of guy that a lot of people expect to bounce back in 2013 because from 2009-2011 he was one of the top statistical pitchers in baseball. Maybe he just had a down year last year, but if Lester doesn’t make some adjustments, I would not be surprised to see another down year for the southpaw. He could be a solid reserve pitcher, but I would not trust him in the number 2 slot where many predict he will be.


3. Ryan Dempster (BOS)

Ryan Dempster
Dempster started out the 2012 season on fire while posting a sub 2.00 ERA for almost half of the season. His performance made him a hot commodity at the trade deadline as playoff hopefuls attempted to boost their starting rotations. He ultimately landed with the Rangers where he had an awful second half of the season with a 5.09 ERA.

Many say that he just needs to get acquainted with the American league and expect another solid season out of Dempster, but I only foresee a mediocre season from Dempster as he now has to face one of the toughest divisions in baseball. In coming to the American league for the second half of the season, Dempster gave up almost the same amount of hits in 35 less innings of work. Like Lester, I would not want to trust a guy like Dempster as my number 2 fantasy pitcher.


2. Melky Cabrera (TOR)

Despite all of the cloudiness surrounding Cabrera because of his positive test for PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) in the latter half of the 2012 season, the Blue Jays decided to take a shot at the lefty outfielder. Cabrera set an unbelievable mark last year hitting .346 before serving his 50 game suspension. Although there is no evidence that Cabrera’s production will decrease as a result of his stoppage of taking PEDs, drafting Melky high expecting similar numbers is extremely risky. 
Melky Cabrera

Before the last two seasons where Cabrera was juicing, he was a career .260 hitter without much pop. Recently, there have also been rumors that Cabrera could serve another suspension if evidence comes up proving that last year was not his first offense for taking PEDs. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather not waste a solid OF draft pick on a guy that might not even end up being in my lineup for the major chunk of the year.



1. Tim Lincecum (SF)

Tim, the freak, Lincecum put up some freaky numbers last year for a 2 time Cy Young award winner. Despite winning consecutive Cy Young awards in the 2008 and 2009 seasons as well as finishing in the top 10 in the voting for 2010 and 2011 seasons, Lincecum finished the 2012 campaign with an abysmal 5.18 ERA while going 10-15 on the year. Much of his struggles could be attributed to his decline in his fastball velocity. Lincecum averaged 92.2 MPH on his fastball in 2011 while he only averaged 90.3 MPH in 2012.
Tim Lincecum

As a power pitcher his whole career, Lincecum has been able to blow the ball by hitters while baffling them with his change-up. But it 2012, the decline in his velocity made not only his fastball easier to hit, but his change-up much less effective. There are many that believe Lincecum just had a down year last year, but it was kind of strange to me that a player supposed to be in the prime of his career at 28 years old would lose 2 full MPH off of his fastball. Perhaps the doubters were right, that Lincecum’s small stature and frame would not be able to hold for an extended MLB career. Perhaps Lincecum recreates himself as a finesse pitcher in 2013, but as of right now, I don’t trust him.

 -Daniel Kolodin

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Top Ten: Spring Training Hats 2013


Many teams have unveiled sick spring training/ batting practice hats and I took the liberty of listing my ten favorite. Hopefully this will help you with your next addition to your collection.

10. Philadelphia Phillies

They kept the same logo but they did a great job switching up the color scheme.


9. Tampa Bay Rays

I don't know what the star looking thing has to do with a "Devil Ray," but I give them points for creativity and uniqueness. 
8. Seattle Mariners

I love the trident and the simplicity of the hat.












7. Colorado Rockies

Not a big fan of purple in uniforms but I think its pretty cool that they incorporated a different logo.












6. Houston Astros

I'm a big fan of the resurgence of their old logo. The orange cap may be a little obnoxious for some people, but I think it's really cool. 

5. Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are the only team in the MLB from Canada, so I love that they are representing their county with their spring training hats. The hats are very simple and very cool. 
4. New York Mets

Wow, super cool hat, love the logo. 

 
3. Cincinnati Redlegs

Another old school logo, very similar to the Mets' hat but the Reds get the edge because they have better colors.

















2. Oakland Athletics

The Athletics are also known as "the White Elephants" or simply "the Elephants", in reference to then New York Giants' manager John Mcgraw calling the team a "white elephant"




1. Atlanta Braves

The most unique hat of the bunch, but the Braves received deserved criticism for their depiction of a Native American which caused them to strip this design and go with their typical "A." Racism aside, I think it's a really really cool hat.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Top Ten: Best Starting Rotations in 2013


1. Detroit Tigers
Justin Verlander


1. Justin Verlander
2. Doug Fister
3. Anibal Sanchez
4. Max Scherzer
5. Rick Porcello/Drew Smyly

Breakdown: Detroit has a solid starter from top to bottom. Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in baseball, so that always helps. Doug Fister wins game for the Tigers and Anibal Sanchez has been outstanding for the Tigers since joining the team at the trade deadline last year. Also, Max Scherzer was second in the league in strikeouts, so Scherzer is capable of dominating an opponent every fifth day. Rick Porcello had some productive years, but the Tigers rotation is better off with Smyly. Any series with Detroit is going to be difficult when you know you’re going to be facing 3 starting pitchers that are capable of shutting your offense down.

Tim Lincecum
2. San Francisco Giants

1. Matt Cain
2. Madison Bumgarner
3. Tim Lincecum
4. Ryan Vogelsong
5. Barry Zito

Breakdown: The defending World Series Champions have their rotation still in tact for the 2013 season. Cain, Bumgarner and Vogelsong are the best starting pitching trio in the game and they’re only going to get better. Zito had a surprisingly good season in 2012, so hopefully he’s figured everything out in San Francisco. The only thing that keeps this rotation out of the number 1 spot is the uncertainty surrounding Tim Lincecum. Is Lincecum going to bounce back or is he going to go through another subpar season similar to 2012? Lincecum controls the fate of this rotation, but on paper, the Giants have arguably the best starting rotation in baseball.

3. Washington Nationals
Gio Gonzalez

1. Stephen Strasburg
2. Gio Gonzalez
3. Jordan Zimmermann
4. Ross Detwiler
5. Dan Haren

Breakdown: A year removed from Tommy John Surgery, Stephen Strasburg should see an increase in innings and will make a bigger impact for the Nationals in 2013. Pending the Miami Clinic investigation regarding PED distribution, Gio Gonzalez has Cy Young Award candidate written all over him going into 2013. Jordan Zimmerman is the best starting pitcher no one knows about, and Ross Detwiler won 10 games for Washington in 2012. Dan Haren rounds out the back of the rotation for the Nationals, and if he can bounce back from a disappointing 2012 season with the Angels, Washington will have the best rotation in baseball.

Clayton Kershaw
4. LA Dodgers

1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Chad Billingsley
4. Josh Beckett
5. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Breakdown: The Dodgers brought in Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu during the offseason, are both pitchers are vital for the Dodgers’ success. Kershaw will be dominant yet again in 2013, and, in my opinion, should win the National League Cy Young Award. Billingsley is coming off an arm injury, so it is unknown how good he will be for the Dodgers. Josh Beckett was outstanding for LA after coming over from Boston, and if Greinke performs well, the Dodgers will possess a rotation just as formidable as San Francisco’s.

5. Tampa Bay Rays
David Price

1. David Price
2. Jeremy Hellickson
3. Matt Moore
4. Alex Cobb
5. Jeff Niemann

Breakdown: Although the Rays lost James Shields and Wade Davis, Tampa Bay still has the reigning Cy Young Award winner in David Price. Hellickson, Moore, and Cobb all won at least 10 games last year for the Rays, so with the inclusion of Jeff Niemann, Tampa Bay will have a very deep and formidable starting rotation for 2013.

C.C. Sabathia
6. NY Yankees

1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Huroki Kuroda
3. Andy Petitte
4. Ivan Nova
5. Phil Hughes

Breakdown: The Yankees return 3 veteran starters in Sabathia, Kuroda, and Petitte who have all had success over their careers. Nova is inconsistent, but when he is on his game, he can dominate any American League lineup. Hughes has been successful for the Yankees over the years, but his issue is staying healthy. If New York wants to compete with Tampa Bay for the best rotation in the AL East, Nova and Hughes will have to step up and stay healthy in 2013.


7. Toronto Blue Jays
R.A. Dickey

1. R.A. Dickey
2. Josh Johnson
3. Mark Buerhle
4. Brandon Morrow
5. Ricky Romero

Breakdown: The Blue Jays starting rotation underwent a complete makeover over the offseason, and boy was it a drastic makeover. The Blue Jays now have the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner in R.A . Dickey, who will continue to have success even in the AL East. They also acquired Josh Johnson, a legitimate ace when healthy, and Mark Buerhle, who will give the Toronto a crafty lefty that will eat up innings. Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero are the only starters returning, and they should have better seasons now that the pressure of being the top 2 starters is gone. Toronto has a well-rounded rotation going into 2013, and should be a major strength for the Blue Jays.

Chris Carpenter
8. St. Louis Cardinals

1. Adam Wainwright
2. Chris Carpenter
3. Jake Westbrook
4. Lance Lynn
5. Jaime Garcia
6. Shelby Miller

Breakdown: Assuming Chris Carpenter doesn’t miss the 2013 season, the Cardinals have one of the most experienced pitching staffs in the National League. Lance Lynn was the Cardinals best pitcher in 2012, and should improve after one year of experience under his belt. Wainwright and Westbrook are both coming off solid 2012 seasons, and should continue to stabilize the Cardinals rotation.  Everything comes down to health for the Cardinals; if Carpenter and Jaime Garcia can stay healthy, St. Louis will be in contention for another postseason berth.

9. Texas Rangers 

Yu Darvish
1. Matt Harrison
2. Yu Darvish
3. Derek Holland
4. Alexi Ogando
5. Colby Lewis

Breakdown: Harrison, Darvish, and Holland are the 3 pitchers who will carry the load in the 2013 season. Ogando is erratic at times, but if he can limit the walks, Ogando will be a dangerous number 4 starter. Getting Colby Lewis back from Tommy John Surgery is huge for the Rangers. Lewis will complete the Rangers rotation and will make Texas contenders in the AL West yet again.

Jarrod Parker

10. Oakland A's

1. Brian Anderson
2. Bartolo Colon
3. Jarrod Parker
4. Tommy Milone
5. A.J. Griffin


Breakdown: The A’s 2012 season was fueled by pitching and timely hitting, and Oakland seems to have all of its starting pitching returning for this season. Jarrod Parker, Tommy Milone, and A.J. Griffin are 3 of the best young starting pitchers in the game and Brian Anderson will continue to improve coming back from Tommy John Surgery. The only question mark is Bartolo Colon; how will he perform after testing positive for PEDs? Even with the speculation surrounding Colon, Oakland still possesses a young and talented starting rotation. 

-Hayden Carter