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BP's Power Rankings: First Impressions Week 1

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 0:06:01 EDT

Here are my power rankings through the first week of the season. Note that all stats and records mentioned are as of this morning before any games were played. The rankings will also be retroactive to this morning as well....

1. Texas Rangers (8-1)

Wow. The Rangers are off to one of their best starts in club history. Mike Napoli is looking to be a steal of a pickup as he has already belted three home runs in just 14 at bats. The most surprising part about the Rangers start to the season has to be their pitching staff. The injury to Tommy Hunter just before the season might have been a blessing in disguise as Alexi Ogando looks like a force to be reckoned with.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (7-2)

Lock 'Em In: BP's 2011 Season Predictions

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 21:18:08 EDT

AMERICAN LEAGUE

EAST 1. Boston Red Sox

2. New York Yankees*

3. Tampa Bay Rays

Revenue Sharing Solution: Baseball in Brooklyn

Thu, 12 May 2011 19:04:09 EDT

If there is one certainty in this great sport, it is that baseball belongs in Brooklyn.

Returning baseball to Brooklyn would be creating the Field of Dreams of the modern era. It would reunite the present fans with one of the most historical baseball areas of the past. For 54 years now, the Brooklyn borough of New York has been without a major league baseball team as the Brooklyn Dodgers moved west to Los Angeles.

That needs to change soon.

Moving a team back to a historical area like Brooklyn would draw more attractiveness to the game. In addition, it could solve some of Major League Baseball's more pressing problems such as revenue sharing. Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner recently expressed his discord with the current revenue sharing system in baseball and is calling for it to be fixed.

The Ranking of the Greatest New York Athletes

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 0:15:58 EDT

According to a Sienna College Institute Sports Poll that was released on Wednesday, Derek Jeter was named the greatest New York Athlete of all-time. Jeter accounted for 14 percent of the vote while Babe Ruth had 11 percent. Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle tied for third while Joe Namath finished 5th. In addition, according to the report, 30 percent of those polled said that the Yankees were their favorite team.

As good as Jeter has been throughout his career, it's hard to believe that the majority of people out there consider him the greatest New York Athlete of all-time. Part of the reason may have something to do with not being able to watch others play. While Ruth's name is legend, the majority of the people living in the world today never saw the Sultan of Swing play in person. The same holds true for Joe DiMaggio.

NL Comeback Player of the Year Candidates

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:10:42 EDT

A brief look at some potential candidates for the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award......

1. Jimmy Rollins - SS - Philadelphia Phillies

For the third consecutive season following his 2007 MVP campaign, Jimmy Rollins numbers have dropped. Gone is the player that once would consistently hit .280, hit 20+ home runs, and steal 40+ bases. Rollins used to be the ultimate threat in baseball. He has three gold gloves, three all-star appearances, a silver slugger, and an MVP award under his belt and is still relatively young at age 32. Rollins was the best shortstop in the National League a few years ago, but some feel his MVP season in 2007 may have gotten to him as Rollins hasn't been the same type of player since. After hitting 25 and 30 home runs in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Rollins power dropped considerably in the seasons that followed. Not only were his home run totals down, but Rollins could no longer hit as many extra base hits as he used to. His batting average has decreased every season as well as Rollins hit a measily .243 last year. Compounding to the problems at the plate, Rollins has had multiple injuries that have held him back. Last season alone, Rollins missed 74 games with injuries to his calf, a bruised left foot, and a right hamstring. While the Phillies picked up Rollins 8.5 Million Dollar option for 2011, Rollins remains without a contract for next season. If his play doesn't improve, there are serious questions as to whether or not the Phillies should invest to keep him around long term. Rollins has the potential to turn his career around. He has the right skillset and considering the lineup and ballpark he plays in, he should be capable of putting up big numbers. Considering Rollins is in a contract year and is coming off the worst season of his professional career, "J-Roll" is and excellent candidate for the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

AL Comeback Player of the Year Candidates

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 8:06:34 EST

A brief look at some potential candidates for the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award......

1. Grady Sizemore - CF - Cleveland Indians

Just three seasons ago Grady Sizemore was an all-star, silver slugger, gold glover, and an MVP candidate. At age 25, Sizemore hit a career high 33 home runs and 90 RBI to go along with 38 stolen bases....Oh how things have changed. Sizemore is a rare athlete. He is what many in baseball would call a five tool player. He is capable of playing solid defense with an accurate arm, hitting for power, maintaining a decent batting average, and can cause opposing teams nightmares on the bases. However, we haven't been able to see Grady at his finest in a long while. 2011 could be the year that Sizemore return to form. Grady has been a frequent visitor of the disabled list over the past two seasons. In 2009, he missed half the season with an elbow injury and last season he sat out 137 games due to a knee injury. It's unclear whether the injury will have any affect on Sizemore's 2011 season. However, Sizemore was running at full speed at spring training and while there is some speculation as to whether or not he'll be ready for opening day, the latest he'd be on the roster is by mid-April. At age 28, Sizemore should have been entering the prime of his career. His young age and previous talent make him a perfect candidate to bounce back in 2011 and a likely contender for the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

MLB Should Expand # of Teams, Not Playoff Format

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:28:11 EST

I have been tired of hearing Bud Selig talk about expanding the playoffs to five or six teams as the format of the playoffs wouldn't make sense whatsoever. It seems to me that Major League Baseball is only considering that option to make more money in ticket sales throughout the course of the year. The idea of a 1 game or even a 3 game series among wild-card teams seems ridiculous to me as you still have to consider tie break scenarios as well. Not to mention, the World Series already ended in November this past year to cater to the television companies.

Anyway, if Major League Baseball wants to make more money, they should just follow in the NFL's footsteps. Expand the league to 32 teams and have divisional realignment to where there are four teams. Under this format, MLB would go back to the way it used to be. The wild card would be abolished and the only way a team would make the playoffs would be by winning their division outright. With the American League already having two fewer teams than the National League, it only makes sense to even things out by adding two more teams to the American League. It would also make sense for interleague play and help balance the schedule when that happens as each division could evenly match up against a division from the other league (currently impossible with NL Central at 6 teams and AL West at 4).

Winter Rankings

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:54:26 EST

Every January, I post winter rankings on these boards for fun. Here are this years rankings. And yes...I do realize the offseason is not over, which is why they get updated on my blog when new signings occur.

1. New York Yankees

As long as Alex Rodriguez is in the lineup, the Yankees will win ballgames. The team was 90-44 last year during the regular season after Rodriguez returned from injury and went on to win their 27th World Series title. The addition of Javier Vasquez gives this team a much needed 4th starter that will eat innings. Vasquez is coming off of a career season with the Braves and has made at least 32 starts in 11 of the past 12 seasons. The Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson acquisitions help with the loss of Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. However, going forward, the team desperately needs to acquire a right handed bat.

Bradley is a Perfect Fit For The A's....Again

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 9:56:23 EST

There was an interesting quote I saw on the A's website the other day coming from Athletics General Manager Billy Beane.

"He was pretty happy here -- and he did help us into the only ALCS we've had in all my years here.....But I can't comment on other teams' players."

Could it be possible? Could the A's actually bring back Milton Bradley? After the spat that Bradley and Beane had just two years ago, it seemed nearly inconceivable. And yet, here I am....wondering....and the same time..... hoping that Milton Bradley comes back to Oakland.

It makes too much sense for both parties involved.

Bradley is a Perfect Fit For The A's....Again

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 4:24:53 EST

There was an interesting quote I saw on the A's website the other day coming from Athletics General Manager Billy Beane.

"He was pretty happy here -- and he did help us into the only ALCS we've had in all my years here.....But I can't comment on other teams' players."

It makes too much sense for both parties involved.

Shaping the 2010 Roster for the Oakland Athletics

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:39:05 EDT

Players That Will Be Free Agents Following the Season:

UT Bobby Crosby (09 Salary: 5.25 Million)

UT Adam Kennedy (09 Salary: 4 Million)

RHP Justin Duchscherer (09 Salary: 3.9 Million)

A's Notepad: August 11th

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 1:59:13 EDT

Notes for the day:

Rajai Davis - OF - Oakland Athletics (MLB)

Rajai Davis hit the 10,000th double in Oakland A's History.

Davis drove a 2-2 pitch by David Hernandez into left center field and got the double easily. Davis has really emerged for the A's recently. He is batting .357 since June 17th. The double tonight gave Davis a 7 game hitting streak. Davis also has 6 stolen bases in his last 9 games.

Adam Kennedy Needs to Remain in Oakland

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 2:54:58 EDT

Forget trading him or letting him walk in the offseason. Adam Kennedy needs to re-sign with the Oakland Athletics.

Wait a minute....strike that and reverse it...

The Oakland Athletics need to re-sign Adam Kennedy. He's become just that valuable to the team. Acquired at the beginning of May from Tampa Bay, Kennedy has given the A's offense life when it was practically dead. He is a versatile player that is willing to play anywhere to help the team win. So far this season, Kennedy has played games at first base, second base, third base, and outfield. If the A's were to resign him, he would be the newest version of what Marco Scutaro was for this team for so long. A dependable utility player.

Granted, Kennedy is 33 and having the best season of his career so many might wonder if he'll want to leave when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season and cash in on his success. However, with the economy in a downturn and a second market next season that features Orlando Hudson, Placido Polanco, Freddy Sanchez, and Mark DeRosa, Kennedy might be an afterthought to start for many teams and he might not be able to get a contract that he would want.

A's Midseason Report Card

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 3:41:46 EDT

2009 Record: 37-49, 4th Place in American League West

Offensive Grade: F

Defensive Grade: D

Starting Pitching Grade: B-

Kurt Klutch

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:47:01 EDT

Suzuki Could Be A's All-Star Representative

He was nickamed "Kurt Klutch" by his college teammmates at Cal State Fullerton. Most A's fans have christened him with the nickname "Hawaiian Punch" for his strong play in the big leagues. However, I simply call him "the best defensive catcher in the American League". Of course. I'm talking about A's catcher Kurt Suzuki.

Drafted in 2004 out of Cal State Fullerton, Suzuki had quite the college career. In 2004, Suzuki was named an All-American by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He also won the Johnny Bench Award, which named him the country's top collegiate catcher and was honored with the first ever Brooks Wallace Award, which is given to the college baseball player of the year. Suzuki's Cal State Fullerton Titans also won the College World Series thanks to an RBI single by him in the 7th inning of the championship game. He was drafted by the A's in the second round of the 2004 draft and moved up through the system rather quickly making his big league debut in mid-2007.

(Travis) Buck Stops Here

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:47:03 EDT

A's Young Outfielder Proving to Management He Belongs

Travis Buck is angry. He's let it be known that he's not happy with A's management, nor manager Bob Geren.

And I don't blame him.

After returning from the 15 day disabled list on June 14th, the A's optioned Buck to AAA-Sacramento.

Green Day

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:40:58 EDT

A's Select USC SS Grant Green in First Round Come draft day, Billy Beane is always put under the microscope. Baseball experts are always wondering who the next big player to come through the Oakland A's system will be. With one simple pick, Beane answered that question.

With the 13th pick of the 2009 amateur draft yesterday, the Oakland Athletics selected University of Southern California shortstop, Grant Green. The move could pay off huge dividends for Oakland in the near future.

Regarded by many as the best shortstop in the draft, Green was once viewed as a top 3 selection and the best position player in college baseball. At 6'3 and 180 pounds, many think Green could be a 5-tool player in the major leagues and their are many comparisons to current major leaguers Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki.

Earning Their A's

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:33:40 EDT

A's Young Staff Exceeding Expectations

The Oakland Athletics are 25-30, 7th worst record in the majors, sitting 7.5 games out of first place and in dead last in the AL West.

So why are A's fans still smiling?

Well, it's simple, really.

Up and Adam

Tue, 26 May 2009 23:02:05 EDT

A's Kennedy Provides Offense With Spark Having scored the fewest runs and having the lowest OPS of any American League team in 2008, Billy Beane's offseason goal for 2009 was simple ---The offense had to get better. So Beane started on his quest by trading for outfielder Matt Holliday, signing Jason Giambi to come back and play first base, and getting himself a top of the order middle infielder in Orlando Cabrera.

That alone should have been enough to get the A's offense out of the American League cellar for scoring runs, right? I mean, after all, Holliday was coming off of three All-Star seasons in Colorado, Giambi was coming off of a season in which he hit 32 homers and over 90 runs batted in for the Yankees, and Cabrera hit .281 last year, a batting average higher than all but one A's regular in 2008.

Sigh of Relief

Tue, 12 May 2009 19:41:02 EDT

A's Rookie Leads Majors Best Bullpen Co-closer Joey Devine is out for year needing Tommy John surgery. The teams other Co-closer has been battling the flu for the past week and a half and their main set-up man has found himself on the 15 day disabled list. Yet despite the setbacks the Oakland A's have faced in regards to their bullpen, it has been the best in the majors.

A good bullpen is invaluable, especially for a team such as Oakland, which features three rookie pitchers in its starting rotation. The A's bullpen averages four innings per game, most in the majors, but features a league leading 2.73 bullpen era, 1.15 WHIP and batters are hitting just .207 off of Oakland relievers. All three of those statistics are best in the league.

What About Bob?

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:06:27 EDT

A's Manager Infuriating Fan Base If a loss was an actual statistic applied to the manager of your team, how many do you think he's accumulated so far? In Oakland, third year manager Bob Geren has already cost the team several games and fans are becoming impatient.

Hired in November of 2006, Geren replaced former Oakland skipper Ken Macha, who was fired when the A's failed to advance to the World Series after getting swept by the Tigers in the 2006 ALCS. The justifications behind the Macha firing were mainly explained by Macha's methods of communication with players and upper management. Most notably, Macha had called injured pitchers Rich Harden and Joe Kennedy "non-entities" and became frustrated when Mark Ellis didn't want to play through a hurt finger in the 2006 playoffs. He also was criticized for not communicating with bench players and had differing views from GM Billy Beane on several managerial issues. However, Macha still managed to get results during his tenure as he was 355-268 during his four years in Oakland and averaged 92 wins a season.

Power Rankings: Week 1

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 4:38:22 EDT

1. Chicago Cubs

The Cubs winning the National League Central is the easiest no brainer of all six MLB divisions and they should make their third consecutive postseason appearance. Whether or not they win when they get there is still up for debate. The only surprise this spring from manager Lou Piniella was naming Kevin Gregg the closer over Carlos Marmol. While Marmol is the likely closer of the future for the Cubs, I don't think this affects their win shares. While Gregg was ineffective at closing games in 2008, he did convert 90% of his opportunities the season prior.

2. Boston Red Sox

The more I start thinking about the Red Sox offseason moves, the more and more I like them. This team has a solid base of both young and old that should put wins on the board. The Red Sox probably have the most depth of any team in the majors at starting pitching and that should work to their advantage. Aside from getting John Smoltz back halfway throughout the year, if any player were to go down with an injury Clay Buchholtz and Michael Bowden are waitining patiently in AAA. I still want to see whether or not Kevin Youkilis' rise in power numbers last season was a fluke or not.

Warning: World Baseball Classic is Here

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:24:50 EDT

Well...The World Baseball Classic has finally started again and while the concept of the tourney is a great and all, I don't really think it's fair to the MLB teams involved. The tournament requires players to perform at a high level early on in the season and many aren't prepared. If your team has a pitcher pitching in this tournament, look out. Things haven't faired well for them during the 2006 year.

Notable Pitchers from 2006 World Baseball Classic and Their Performance in 2006:

COL - Brian Fuentes posts highest era he's had in past 4 seasons

DET - Todd Jones era doubles from the previous season

2009 AL East Preview

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 6:32:38 EDT

Baltimore Orioles

2008 Record: 68-93, Last Place in the AL East

BP's 2009 Projection: 70-92, Last Place in the AL East Notable Additions: UT Ryan Freel (via trade w/Reds) SP Mark Hendrickson (Free Agent) SP Rich Hill (via trade w/Cubs) SP Koji Uehara (Free Agent) SS Cesar Izturis (Free Agent) OF Felix Pie (via trade w/Cubs) 1B Ty Wigginton (Free Agent) C Greg Zaun (Free Agent) Notable Departures: C Ramon Hernandez (traded to Reds ) SP Daniel Cabrera (Nationals ) SP Garrett Olson (traded to Cubs ) OF Jay Payton (Free Agent)

While most Orioles fans are probably disappointed with the teams offseason movement, I like what GM Andy MacPhail is doing. MacPhail realized long ago that the current makeup of the team could not win him ballgames, let alone the AL East. He decided to firesale the team, starting with Erick Bedard and Miguel Tejada. These two deals brought the Orioles some much needed depth in a farm system that was ravaged dry. MacPhail continued that firesale this offseason by trading away Ramon Hernandez to Reds for Ryan Freel. While Freel won't do much for the team other than be a backup, the move has now cleared an opening for Matt Wieters to eventually take over as the everday catcher. In addition, MacPhail made some under the radar moves with the Cubs acquiring both Felix Pie and Rich Hill for spare parts. Both of these players have struggled at the big league level, but they both are considered to have high upside. This team is slowing progressing forward, and even though they didn't get Mark Teixeira this offseason, the team remains committed to winning longterm. Such is evidenced by MacPhail's moves since he arrived at Baltimore. O's fans can at least enjoy Nick Markakis for another 6 seasons as he signed an extension this offseason. Projected Lineup: 2B Brian Roberts (S) 3B Melvin Mora (R) RF Nick Markakis (L) 1B Aubrey Huff (L) CF Adam Jones (R) DH Luke Scott (R) C Greg Zaun (S) SS Cesar Izturis (S) LF Felix Pie (L)

2009 AL West Preview

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:05:24 EST

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2008 Record: 100-62, 1st Place in AL West, Lost in ALDS to Boston

BP's 2009 Projection: 92-70, 1st Place in AL West

Key Additions:

2009 AL Rookie of the Year Candidates

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:38:45 EST

1. David Price - SP - Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay traded away Edwin Jackson to the Tigers this offseason to make room for David Price as the 5th starter in the Rays rotation. Price is projected to be an ace by most scouts and has excellent stuff and features a very good fastball and slider. He was the number one pick by the Rays in 2007 and excelled through all three levels of the minors last season and into the pros late in the year. Price was one of the Rays postseason heroes last season as he pitched the final inning of game 7 against the Boston Red Sox to advance the Rays to their first ever World Series appearance. The kid seems poised and ready to take on major league hitters and it will be fun watching what he can do with his first full season in the majors.

2009 NL Comeback Player of the Year Candidates

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:32:52 EST

1. Rafael Furcal - SS - Los Angeles Dodgers

Furcal is one of the few players that could play less than 40 games a season ago with a back injury and still manage to get 10 million a year. Before falling victim to injury last season, Furcal was hitting a remarkable .357/.439/.573 in just under 150 at bats. While it's unrealistic to expect anything along those lines for Furcal this season, he still will be an important part of the Dodgers lineup. The team will be counting on him to set the table for James Loney, Matt Kemp, and possibly Manny Ramirez to drive him in. It will be interesting to see if Furcal can stay off the disabled list next year as well. Usually back injuries tend to linger and don't really go away.

2. Eric Byrnes - LF - Arizona Diamondbacks

2009 AL Comeback Player of the Year Candidates

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:27:18 EST

1. Eric Chavez - 3B - Oakland Athletics

Eric Chavez missed most of last season when he reaggravated a shoulder injury he had surgery on the previous offseason. Chavez has only played in a total of 23 games since July 27th, 2007 and has had three different surgeries since. However, all signs have been positive for Chavez in his recovery so far and the A's fully expect him to be in their starting third basemen on opening day. Chavez remains the longest tenured player on the A's. The six-time gold glove winner remains a great candidate to receive the comeback player of the year award. If he can return back to form, Chavez is capable of hitting 30 homeruns and driving in well over 100. He should also have plenty of RBI chances while batting behind Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi in the lineup.

BP's Rewind: Winter Rankings 2009

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:30:15 EST

It's been a little over a year since I did my last version of winter rankings (the first featured blog on CBS), but now that we are less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting, it is time to have a look at where each team stands this season. The offseason has been a long, slow, and drawn out process. Several impact players, including Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn have yet to sign with a team. It is because of this reason, that I will be continually editing this blog entry as those players sign.

While the Phillies are the defending champions, they have remained rather complacent on the free agent market which begs to question whether or not the team can repeat last years success. Meanwhile, the Yankees have had the biggest offseason of any team, but will a team full of superstars finally get the job done? Also, the Rays were baseballs surprise team of 2008. Can they repeat the success? Who will be the surprise team in 2009?......These questions and more are answered in my latest rankings.

Time to Disown The Golden State Warriors

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:07:08 EST

This fan has had enough. This fan no longer believes.

I started watching NBA basketball at the beginning of the 1993-94 season. I know. I missed out on Jordan's first three titles, but hey....I probably wouldn't have remembered them anyway as I'd have been super young. Because of where I grew up and who my role models were, I began to follow the Golden State Warriors. It was an exciting time. The team had one superstar that I loved to watch. He was the first pick in the draft that year and he ended up being (in my opinion) one of the best power forwards the league has seen the past 15 years.....Of course I'm talking about Chris Webber.

The more and more I learned about Chris Webber, the more and more I respected what he brought to the floor. Even now after all these years, never once did I hear anything negative about Chris Webber unless people were talking about his mistake in the NCAA finals or how his knees gave out on him.