Results tagged ‘ 2013 ’
R.A. Dickey and David Price On Pace for Rare Feat
Normally when you’re talking about a couple of former Cy Young award winners having a rare season, it’s a good thing, but in this case, it’s just the opposite. Both R.A. Dickey and David Price, who won the Cy Young last year, are off to poor starts this season, putting them with in line to join elite company.
Just five times since 1967, when the Cy Young award began to be given out to a pitcher in each league, have two first-time winners in the same season gone on to have poor seasons the next year–the award originated in 1956, but was given out to just one pitcher each season until 1967.
The select group of players who won their first Cy Young awards only to go on to have poor next seasons include: Jim Lonborg and Mike McCormick, in 1967; Hall of Famers, Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry, in 1972; John Denny and LaMarr Hoyt, in 1983; Willie Hernandez and Rick Sutcliffe, in 1984; as well as Bob Welsh and Doug Drabek, in 1990.
While it’s looking like Price and Dickey may join them, it’s still far too early to count them out just yet. They’ve proven to be too good of pitchers. But it’s something worth looking at, nonetheless.
R.A. Dickey became the first knuckleballer to win the Cy Young award, last year, when he went 20-6, with a 2.73 ERA, however, so far this season he’s experiencing far less success, going 2-5, with a 5.06 ERA, through his first eight games pitched. The one thing that’s most noticeable for Dickey this season is that his knuckleball doesn’t have the late, drastic movement it had last year. Unless he finds a way to get back on track, I don’t see Dickey having a very good season, as the knuckleball doesn’t leave much room for error.
David Price became the first Rays pitcher to win the Cy Young award, in 2012, going 20-5, with a 2.56 ERA, but he’s been struggling this year, having gone 1-3, with a 4.78 ERA, over his first eight games of the season. Price had a decent start his last time out, but his command just doesn’t seem to be there this season, for one reason or another. I could see Price having a better overall season than Dickey, however, if he doesn’t figure things out, Price is likely to still have a disappointing 2013.
Whether or not R.A. Dickey and David Price can turn things around is something that only time will tell. If the first month of the season is any indication, it’s not looking all that promising, but these kind of things are unpredictable; part of what makes baseball such a great sport.
2013 All-Star Game Ballot: The Players I Voted For
It seems a bit too early to be thinking about the 2013 All-Star game, which doesn’t take place until July 16th, but the ballots have already been released, allowing fans all across the 
country to cast their votes for who they want to see participate. Therefore, I figured I’d take the time to type up a blog post discussing who I voted for, and why I voted for them.
Keep in mind, with it being so early, I voted for players I felt would be the best at their position around the All-Star break; given their current stats and past history–there might be a little bit of favoritism thrown in their as well. The All-Star ballot is mostly a popularity vote, anyway. (If you’d like to cast your own vote, up to 25 times, CLICK HERE. But no hurry; you have until July 4th to do so.)
So, with all of that said, here’s my 2013 All-Star Game ballot:
FIRST BASE–Prince Fielder (AL) Joey Votto (NL)
For my American League vote, it came down to Prince Fielder and Mike Napoli. Normally, I would’ve voted for Fielder without a second thought, but Napoli has really been performing well this year, so I had to at least consider him. But in the end, I decided on Fielder, for his overall track record and defensive skills at first.
My vote also came down to two players in the National League: Joey Votto and Ryan Howard. Both are having good seasons so far, and both have great gloves at first base, but I voted for Votto, just because I feel he’s the better player at the current moment, and will probably be so in July.
SECOND BASE–Robinson Cano (AL) Brandon Phillips (NL)
I glanced at Dustin Pedroia’s stats for a few minutes, but for me, the AL portion of this vote is a no brainer. There’s no other second basemen in all of baseball with a better combination of power, range and overall defensive abilities than Robinson Cano. Thus, I voted for Cano, who should see himself taking part in his fourth straight All-Star game.
It would’ve been easy to pick Chase Utley for NL second basemen, with him having a great comeback season, but I couldn’t overlook Brandon Phillips. Though he doesn’t supply the same amount of power as Utley, Phillips still has some pop, but I picked him for his glove alone. Other than Cano, Phillips is the smoothest-looking second basemen in baseball.
SHORT STOP–Jed Lowrie (AL) Troy Tulowitzki (NL)
As much as I wanted to, and almost did anyway (why not?), I couldn’t vote for Derek Jeter to play short stop in this year’s All-Star game, for the AL. With the further setback to his ankle, there’s doubt that Jeter will even be back by then, thus he wouldn’t be able to participate. So I ended up settling on Jed Lowrie. He’s having a fairly good season thus far.
The National Leauge portion of the short stop position was far more difficult to decide. When you have guys like Starlin Castro, Troy Tulowitzki and Andrelton Simmons to choose from, it makes things difficult. But in the end, I went with Troy Tulowitzki, who, if he can keep up his hot start, should be a front-runner for comeback player of the year.
THIRD BASE–Miguel Cabrera (AL) David Wright (NL)
Choosing between guys like Miguel Cabrera, Manny Machado and Evan Longoria, the AL third basemen position took me the longest of them all to decide on, but I went with Miguel Cabrera. Having won the Triple Crown in 2012, and currently sitting just back of the leaders in average and RBI’s, Cabrera stands just above the rest.
I nearly went with Ryan Zimmerman for the NL third basemen, but I changed my vote to David Wright. Wright is one of the best defensive third basemen in all of baseball, and his ability to hit for average as well as power is unmatchable. Wright should easily make the cut to take part in his seventh career All-Star game.
CATCHER–J.P. Arencibia (AL) Buster Posey (NL)
Joe Mauer is having a better season so far than J.P. Arencibia, in terms of batting average, but I decided to vote for Arencibia, nonetheless. Arencibia has never participated in an All-Star game, in his three full season career, but I hope this year things turn out differently. He certainly has the talent, but it’s going to take continued success to make it.
This could’ve been somewhat of a difficult decision, having to choose between Brian McCann and Buster Posey, but given that McCann is yet to play in a game this season, I went with the obvious choice of Posey. On pace to have the best season of his career, Posey is sure to be behind the plate for his second straight All-Star game.
DESIGNATED HITTER–David Ortiz
Designated hitters, Travis Hafner, David Ortiz and Mark Trumbo are all having fantastic seasons so far, but going off of who is performing the best at the current moment, there’s no argument that it’s Ortiz. Considering the fact that he’s on a 23-game hit streak, dating back to last season, I’d say there’s no other DH who deserves a vote more than Ortiz.
OUTFIELD
It’s never easy to narrow down 47 players to just three, especially when you could make a strong case for a dozen of the outfield choices for each league, but it’s a requirement when casting a vote. So while I voted for the players who I felt were All-Star caliber players, there are a few more I would’ve liked to vote for, but couldn’t. Keep that in mind when reading the outfielders I selected for the AL and NL:
Mike Trout, Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Morse (AL)
There’s no doubt that both Mike Trout and Yoenis Cespedes are worthy of the All-Star game, however, Michael Morse is somewhat debatable. Even so, I voted for Morse to participate. I feel that although he doesn’t hit for a high average, nor does he make gold glove caliber plays, Morse is deserving of his first career All-Star game.
Bryce Harper, Justin Upton, Ryan Braun (NL)
Voting for Bryce Harper, Justin Upton and Ryan Braun meant leaving out players such as Matt Kemp, but I feel these three are most deserving of the All-Star game. All are off to great starts so far this season, each leading their team in home runs and RBI’s, and therefore, I felt each was worthy of my vote.
So there you have it: My 2013 All-Star game ballot. I might end up regretting a few of the players I voted for, as their stats might fall short of where I’m predicting them to be in July, however, it is what it is. I’d be happy with whoever participates.
Fastest & Slowest Starts to the 2013 MLB Season
We’re just over a week into the 2013 MLB regular season, and I wanted to post a blog, just like last year, on the fastest and slowest starts to the season for both entire teams and individual players. While it’s a small sample size, the list gives you an idea of what’s been taking place so far this season. Some of the players and teams are performing nearly as well as expected, but others are putting on performances that I never would’ve predicted them to begin the season with.
FASTEST STARTS TO THE SEASON
Teams:
1) Braves (6-1)
2) Diamondbacks (5-2)
3) Rockies (5-2)
4) Red Sox (5-2)
5) Athletics (5-2)
6) Rangers (5-2)
7) Reds (5-2)
8) Mets (5-2)
The Braves currently lead all of baseball with a win percentage of .857. Justin Upton has been making a major impact, hitting six home runs in the first seven games, and I fully expected the Braves to have a season long performance like the one they’re currently starting out with. The Diamondbacks, Rockies, Red Sox and Mets are all surprising me, so far, as I expected them to all have poor seasons, and while it’s still very early, at the moment, they’re making things interesting. As far as the Athletics, Rangers and Reds go, it’s not a shock that they’re doing so well. Though I thought the Rangers would have a bit of a struggle this season, without Josh Hamilton, they seem to be doing just fine. It should be interesting to see if they can keep it up.
Players:
1) Adam Jones (.500)
2) Jed Lowrie (.500)
3) Carlos Santana (.500)
4) Michael Cuddyer (.478)
5) Carl Crawford (.450)
6) Jean Segura (.450)
*Minimum of 20 AB’s
Adam Jones is the only player on the list of fastest start players that I’m not surprised with. Having recorded a 32 homer, 82 RBI season, in 2012, Jones is in the prime of his career, and is set to have another fantastic season. For Jed Lowrie, Carlos Santana, Michael Cuddyer, Carl Crawford and Jean Segura, they better enjoy the hot start while it lasts, because I don’t see any of them having an all that spectacular year. But as with anything in baseball, there’s always the chance for me to be proven wrong.
SLOWEST STARTS TO THE SEASON
Teams:
1) Astros (1-6)
2) Marlins (1-6)
3) Padres (1-5)
4) Pirates (2-5)
5) Brewers (2-5)
6) Phillies (2-5)
7) Cubs (2-5)
After beating the Rangers, 8-2, on Opening Night, the Astros have done nothing but go down hill, ever since. With 155 games left to play, and just 94 losses away from 100, it’s likely the Astros’ season will end with yet another year of 100+ losses. The Marlins, Padres and Pirates are all teams that have the potential to win now, but it’s likely to be a year or two before they start to become big time contenders in their divisions. The Brewers and Phillies are the only teams that surprise me, somewhat, on this list, but they just haven’t performed well so far this year. And as for the Cubs, they’re just being themselves; destined to make it 105 seasons without a World Series title.
Players:
1) Jeff Keppinger (.048)
2) Ryan Hanigan (.050)
3) Aaron Hicks (.067)
4) Pedro Alvarez (.080)
5) Neil Walker (.083)
*Minimum of 20 AB’s
No one on this list surprises me, other than Neil Walker. Walker is arguably the best player on the list, but he hasn’t been able to find his groove so far this season. I look for him to get things going, however, and record another season like he has the past few years–10-15 homers and 65-80 RBI’s, with a high 200′s batting average. For Jeff Keppinger, Ryan Hanigan, Aaron Hicks and Pedro Alvarez, it will be interesting to see if they get their acts together, or if this is a sign of things to come for them this season, as things can certainly only go up.
Keep in mind, while those are the players and teams with the fastest and slowest starts to the season, there’s still a lot of baseball left to be played, and anything can happen. Only time will tell if the current trends will last; that’s why they play 162 games.
Top 10 Story Lines I’m Planning to Watch In 2013
We’re just over 48 hours away from the start of the 2013 MLB regular season, and I couldn’t be more excited. Baseball fans everywhere are making final predictions as to how they feel things will play out, as players are making their final preparations for the long 162 game season. As my last blog post until the season begins, I wanted to do a brief overview of the top story lines I’m planning to keep an eye on in 2013. They may differ slightly from yours, but I feel I covered nearly all of the major topics:
1. How the Astros will fare in the American League:
Having lost 107 games in the National League in 2012, I’m watching the Astros, not for how good they’ll do, but for how bad they’ll do. Sorry to any Astros fans reading this post, but there’s no denying that the odds are against the Astros going into the 2013 season. Playing in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, with the newly revamped Angels, they’re likely to have just as bad of a season as last year, if not slightly worse. I’d say it would be considered a good year for the Astros if they finish with less than 100 losses.
2. If Bryce Harper and Mike Trout can keep up their 2012 R.O.Y. seasons:
Posting some incredible stats, leading to one of the best rookie seasons in MLB history, I’m going to keep a closer eye on Mike Trout than I am Bryce Harper, but I’m planning to watch Harper nonetheless. Both won the Rookie of the Year award in 2012, for their respective leagues, and it should be interesting to see if their amazing rookie years will transfer into the 2013 season. I’m predicting Trout will once again have a 30/30 season, with Harper possibly recording the first 30 home run season of his career.
3. Who will hit the most home runs in 2013:
The 2012 home run leaders consisted of Miguel Cabrera, Curtis Granderson and Josh Hamilton, as the 1-2-3 guys, and if it wasn’t for an injured Granderson, I could see all three being near the top of the rankings again in 2013. However, with Granderson out with an injury for the first portion of the year–while I see Cabrera once again leading all players in homers, with Hamilton coming in a close second–it will likely be a new face who will round out the top three. Maybe it’ll be a guy like Adam Dunn, who’s a free-swinger? Or maybe a guy no one saw coming, who will have a breakout season? It will certainly be fun to keep track of.
4. If A-Rod comes back healthy, if at all:
While it’s 100 percent certain that Alex Rodriguez won’t return to the Yankees’ lineup until late July, there is the slight chance that he could miss the entire season. However, if A-Rod is able to work his way back this season, after having hip surgery in January, it should be very interesting to see if he can become a decent player once again. While Rodriguez will never be the great player he once was, if healthy, he has the ability to make an impact for the Yankees. Although I’m not the biggest fan of A-Rod, I still hope he comes back healthy. But I find it very unlikely that he will ever again play at a competitive level.
5. How the rookies, such as Wil Myers, will impact their teams in 2013:
I discussed this a couple months ago, in my blog post on the Top 100 prospects going into the 2013 season, but this time around I’m only focusing my attention on a handful of rookies who I feel will have the biggest impact for their team this season. Wil Myers is the number one guy on my radar, with Shelby Miller, Jurickson Profar and Billy Hamilton being the other three main rookies I plan on keeping track of. Myers was the minor league player of the year, in 2012, and I fully see him posting more of the same stats, as he begins the the year with AAA Durham. Of the four, Miller is the only player that is starting in the majors to begin the year, but they should all make it to the big leagues at some point this season, and are sure to each play a key role in their teams’ success.
6. How the Upton bro’s do for the Atlanta Braves:
You could argue that, with the addition of both Justin Upton and B.J. Upton to roam the outfield with Jason Heyward, the Braves have the best all-around outfield in all of baseball. All three players have great range, giving them the ability to make plays on balls that other outfielders couldn’t get to, but furthermore, they all have the talent to impact their team offensively as well. Both Upton’s, as well as Heyward, have the ability to blast 25+ home runs and 85+ RBI’s, as well as steal a good amount of bases. If they can perform to their potential this season, combined with the great lineup and pitching rotation they already had, the Braves could be an outstanding team.
7. What kind of a year players who ended 2012 injured will have in 2013:
The reason A-Rod had his own category, and wasn’t included in this one, is merely because his return is uncertain. All of the players in this category didn’t play at all after their injury in 2012, and will make a guaranteed comeback, within at least the first few weeks of the season. With that said, the most impactful players to end last season with an injury, that I’ll be watching in 2013, include Derek Jeter, Troy Tulowitzki and Mariano Rivera.
Mariano Rivera tore his ACL in May, while Derek Jeter fractured his ankle in October, with neither playing any more games for the remainder of the year. Rivera is expected to be ready to go Opening Day, though a slight setback for Jeter will force him onto the disable list to begin the year. In my opinion, the 2013 performances of both Jeter and Rivera will be the deciding factor for what kind of season the Yankees have. If Jeter can return quickly, and Rivera can post his usual stellar numbers, I see the Yankees being just fine.
Troy Tulowitzki injured his groin in May of last season, and although it appeared he would return towards the end of the year, he remained sidelined for the remainder of the season. A healthy Tulowitzki can impact the Rockies more than nearly any other player in all of baseball, though he hasn’t been able to stay healthy for the majority of his career. While I can’t see the Rockies finishing any better than last in their division, I’m planning to watch “Tulo” nonetheless, to see if he can finally have a successful, fully healthy season.
8. How the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Angels perform with their new additions:
The Blue Jays, Dodgers and Angels made the biggest splashes of nearly every other team in all of baseball this past offseason; at least of the teams that stand a chance of competing. Many have the Blue Jays going the distance, and winning it all, with the key additions of Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera and 2012 Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, to name a few, though I don’t see it happening. I find myself siding more with the opinions of those who are betting on the Dodgers and Angels to have a great season.
The Angels’ major addition of the offseason was undoubtedly Josh Hamilton, who, with the help of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, has the ability to transform the Angels into an extremely competitive team. Hamilton might end up being the piece the Angels were missing last season, that will help them make the playoffs in 2013.
The number one addition of the offseason for the Dodgers was Zack Greinke, though they also acquired Hyun-Jin Ryu, the highly praised LHP from Korea. Adding them both, to go along with their already deep pitching rotation, could end up making the Dodgers a team to be reckoned with in 2013.
9. Whether or not the Nationals make it to the World Series:
Last season, Nationals’ manager, Davey Johnson, made the bold statement that he should be fired if the Nat’s didn’t make the playoffs in 2012. Luckily for Johnson, they did, for the first time since 1933. This season, however, it’s “World Series or bust” for the Nationals, and although I was a bit skeptical last year, I’m not putting it past them to make it all the way to the World Series this season, for what would be the first time in Nationals’ franchise history. With a fantastic lineup, as well as one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball, they should go far in the coming season, though they’ll have to make it past the favorited Braves, who many (myself included) have winning the division.
10. Which team(s) will have an unexpected breakout season:
Every season, it seems, there is a team or two that unexpectedly takes the baseball world by storm. On paper, they shouldn’t be winning, but yet they come together as a team and are able to do amazing things. The 2012 example would be the Oakland Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles, as the majority of baseball fans, going into the 2012 season, didn’t see the O’s and A’s exploding the way they did. Truly showing that baseball is extremely unpredictable. Any team has the chance to defy the odds, which is part of what makes baseball so great. Anything can happen.
Which story line from above are you most looking forward to? Leave a comment below.
Q and A With Alex Meyer
Alex Meyer was drafted by the Nationals in the 1st round of the 2011 draft. In his first professional season, Meyer showed off why he’s one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, as he went 10-6 with a 2.86 ERA, to go along with 139 strikeouts in 129 innings pitched. A year which 
included pitching in the 2012 All-Star Futures game, in Kansas City, Missouri, it’s fair to say Meyer had about as good of a first season as you can have.
Going from the Nationals to the Twins in November, in exchange for outfielder, Denard Span, Meyer is up for some new challenges that come with a new organization, but he’s looking forward to being part of the Twins. I fully expect Meyer to have an even better season than he did last year, truly showing off his full potential and finally receiving the recognition that’s due to him. (I feel he’s vastly underrated.)
Though consistency with finding the strike zone has been an issue for Meyer in the past, he did a much better job of it last season, and that alone should enable him to excel in the coming year, if he can continue his progression. Meyer possesses an above average fastball, with a decent slider and changeup, and if things continue to go the way they’re going, barring any major setbacks, Meyer could see time in the majors as soon as the second half of the 2014 season.
Alex Meyer–top pitching prospect in the Twins’ organization–took the time recently to answer some of my questions:
1.) At what age did you first become interested in baseball? Who was your biggest baseball influence growing up?
I started playing ball at age 4. I have had a passion for the game ever since my first practice. My dad played a very influential part in getting me started.
2.) Who was your favorite baseball player growing up? Why?
Ken Griffey Jr. I loved watching him play. Watching him do everything he did was always exciting.
3.) You were drafted by the Nationals in the 1st round of the 2011 draft. What was that process like for you? Where were you when you first found out? Initial thoughts?
It was an exciting process throughout the whole thing. I was excited when I saw on TV my name come up. It was something I had dreamed about happening for a long time.
4.) After spending a full season in the Nationals’ organization, you were traded to the Twins, in November of 2012. What are you looking forward to most with your new team?
Just the opportunity to keep playing. I enjoy baseball and the fact that the Twins thought highly of me and traded for me makes me even more excited to get to playing.
5.) Talk a little bit about life on the road. What’s the most difficult aspect of it? What do you do to pass the time?
I don’t really find anything too difficult about it. I enjoy being with my teammates and getting to check out the different cities. I spend a lot of time listening to music or reading.
6.) You pitched in the 2012 All-Star Futures game, in Kansas City. What did you take away from that experience? What was most memorable about it?
The whole experience is something I’ll never forget. Just being able to be on the field with some of the top players in the minor leagues at a major league venue and a setting like that was truly unexplainable. It’s hard to put how incredible something like that was into words. Being able to call George Brett my manager for a day is pretty cool.
7.) Is there any one stat that you pay attention to throughout the season? Or do you try to steer clear of them altogether?
I try not to read into them. I just worry about every 5th day.
8.) What do you feel went well in 2012? What are your goals for 2013?
I feel in 2012 it was good to be able to go out and throw a full professional season. I had a blast and look forward to doing it again with a new organization in 2013.
9.) Favorite TV show? Favorite food?
I loved the 24 series, but now I am a big fan of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘The Walking Dead’. Favorite food would probably be a nice steak.
10.) Lastly, what advice would you give to kids who are just starting out that dream of playing professional baseball one day?
Work on getting better every single day, and if you do that, good things will come.
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Big thanks to Alex Meyer for taking the time to answer my questions.
You can follow him on Twitter: @Meyer17A
Home Run Milestones That Should Occur In 2013
Below you’ll find a list of the home run milestones that *should* occur in 2013. I say should because there’s no guarantee that any given player on the list will reach the milestone; they could get injured, have a bad season, or whatever. I made the same type of list last season, and it was well-received, so I figured I’d post another one for this year.
In order to make the list, the player had to meet the following criteria:
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You can’t be a pitcher. Although there are some pitchers that can hit home runs, you won’t find any on my list. Reason being is that they’re not everyday players.
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You have to have hit at least one home run in the Major Leagues. There are several dozen players going into 2013 that haven’t hit an MLB home run, but adding them to the below list just didn’t make sense.
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You have to be closing in on an even milestone, like 100, 200, 300, etc. I didn’t include anyone that’s a few homers away from number 50, 75, 125, etc. It just didn’t seem necessary.
The list is organized by player name, team, milestone they’re going for and how many home runs they are from that particular milestone:
2013 Home Run Milestones
Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies–Home Run Number 100 (1 home run away)
Mark Ellis, Dodgers–Home Run Number 100 (1 home run away)
Scott Hairston, Cubs–Home Run Number 100 (5 home runs away)
Joe Mauer, Twins–Home Run Number 100 (6 home runs away)
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins–Home Run Number 100 (7 home runs away)
Russell Martin, Pirates–Home Run Number 100 (7 home runs away)
Ben Zobrist, Rays–Home Run Number 100 (8 home runs away)
Jose Reyes, Blue Jays–Home Run Number 100 (8 home runs away)
Shane Victorino, Red Sox–Home Run Number 100 (10 home runs away)
Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox–Home Run Number 100 (10 home runs away)
Delmon Young, Phillies–Home Run Number 100 (11 home runs away)
Nate McLouth, Orioles–Home Run Number 100 (12 home runs away)
Garrett Jones, Pirates–Home Run Number 100 (13 home runs away)
Shin-Soo Choo, Reds–Home Run Number 100 (17 home runs away)
Andrew McCutchen, Pirates–Home Run Number 100 (18 home runs away)
Chris Davis, Orioles–Home Run Number 100 (23 home runs away)
Chase Utley, Phillies–Home Run Number 200 (1 home run away)
Adam LaRoche, Nationals–Home Run Number 200 (3 home runs away)
Jimmy Rollins, Phillies–Home Run Number 200 (7 home runs away)
Jose Bautista, Blue Jays–Home Run Number 200 (17 home runs away)
Mark Reynolds, Indians–Home Run Number 200 (19 home runs away)
Robinson Cano, Yankees–Home Run Number 200 (23 home runs away)
Torii Hunter, Tigers–Home Run Number 300 (3 home runs away)
Carlos Pena, Astros–Home Run Number 300 (23 home runs away)
Alfonso Soriano, Cubs–Home Run Number 400 (28 home runs away)
Albert Pujols, Angels–Home Run Number 500 (25 home runs away)
Jeter & Rivera Make 2013 Debuts; Rivera to Retire
The baseball world spent most of Saturday focused on the New York Yankees; more specifically, on Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Both played in their first official games since being injured last season–Jeter with a broken ankle, Rivera with a torn ACL–and, not all that shockingly, both had great Spring Training debuts. A good sign for the Yankees. 
But the big news of the day wasn’t the debuts of two veteran Yankees, but rather the announcement by all time saves leader, Mariano Rivera, that the 2013 season would be his last.
“Now is the time”, stated the 43-year-old Rivera, in an early morning press conference. “I have given everything, and the time is almost ending. The thing that I have, the little gas I have left is everything for this year. After that, I’ll empty everything. There’s nothing left. I did everything, and I’m proud of it. That’s why it’s time.”
The time would have come at the end of the 2012 season, had Rivera not have suffered from a torn ACL. An injury which occurred while Rivera was shagging fly balls–his normal pregame routine–during batting practice in Kansas City. But, as expected, Rivera didn’t want to go out like that.
No, not Mariano Rivera. Wanting to go out on his own terms, he has far greater plans.
“The last game, I hope, will be throwing the last pitch in the World Series”, said Rivera. “That’s how I envision to be my last game of my last pitch on the mound. Winning the World Series, that would be my ambition.”
A great ambition indeed, but one that will be somewhat hard to pull off, in my opinion. As although I foresee the Yankees barely making the playoffs this year, with all of the injuries the team currently suffers, I’m not so sure they can make a deep playoff run.
For Mariano Rivera’s sake, I sure hope I’m wrong.
Having already broken a number of MLB records in his 18 seasons, all spent with the Yankees, the 12-time All-Star already has a resume to go out as one of the games’ greats, but a sixth World Series ring would obviously be icing on the cake.
It would truly make for a storybook ending to a storybook career.
Q and A With Adam Greenberg
Adam Greenberg was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 9th round of the 2002 draft. In the years following the draft, Greenberg averaged .284 a season, with an OBP near .400, over the course of four seasons (347 games) in the minor leagues, before receiving a call up to the Cubs, in July of 2005.
Making his MLB debut on July 9, 2005, Greenberg was beamed in the head by a pitch from Marlins’ pitcher Valerio de los Santos, which resulted in a mild concussion. Greenberg returned to the field for the Cubs’ AA minor league affiliate, a few weeks later, with the intention of rejoining the major league club, however, effects of the concussion still lingered. Effects that would end up keeping Greenberg from ever playing for the Cubs again.
Greenberg went on to play several more seasons in the minor leagues, but a second chance at an MLB at-bat wouldn’t come until 2012, when a fan-made petition allowed Greenberg the chance for one at-bat with the Miami Marlins. The at-bat came on October 2, 2012, against R.A. Dickey, with Greenberg striking out on three pitches. Despite striking out, Greenberg finally received his long awaited major league at-bat.
The Orioles have signed Greenberg to a minor league contract for the coming season, giving him yet another shot at making it back to the majors. You can be sure that Greenberg is going to do his absolute best to make it back, as he has a great work ethic, and a lot of people rooting for him. I, for one, hope he gets many more than one more at-bat in the majors.
Adam Greenberg–minor leaguer in the Orioles organization–took the time recently to answer some of my questions:
1.) At what age did you first become interested in baseball? Who was your biggest baseball influence growing up?
As far back as I can remember I had a bat and ball in my hand. Between family members, coaches and teammates, I had many baseball influences growing up.
2.) Who was your favorite baseball player growing up? Why?
Don Mattingly, because of the way he carried himself on and off the field.
3.) You’re one of only six dozen, or so, Jewish players to ever make it all the way to the bigs. What does that mean to you, to be in such an elite category of players?
It is an honor to be included with such great company.
4.) Had you have gotten a career at-bat before being plunked in the head, do you feel things would’ve gone differently?
Yes, I think things would have turned out a lot differently.
5.) Cubs fan, Matt Liston, played a huge role in getting you your at-bat with the Marlins, as he formed a petition and was able to get thousands of fans to sign it. What did it mean to you to know that you had that kind of support from complete strangers?
The human spirit is amazing! To see such a great reception was amazing. Matt had reached out to me through a mutual contact that I trusted and I was surprised at the momentum he brought. I am very thankful for Matt, my fans and Miami for providing me with the opportunity to get back. A dream come true again.
6.) Would it have meant slightly more for you to have received your one at-bat in 2012 with the Cubs, as they were the team you made your MLB debut for, back in 2005?
I was thankful to be in a Major League uniform again and to have Miami sign me was amazing.
7.) Once it was made official that the Marlins were going to give you the one at-bat, what kind of thoughts were running through your mind?
I was excited to be there. My thoughts were to get on base and help contribute.
8.) On October 2, 2012, you came in to pinch hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, against R.A. Dickey. How did you prepare to face Dickey? Did anyone give you any kind of advice as to how to face him, being that he’s a knuckleball pitcher?
There’s not a whole lot you can do to prepare for a knuckle-ball of his caliber. Prior to the at-bat I took a lot of flips and had few teammates toss me some knuckleballs. The advice I received from a lot of people was if it’s ‘high let it fly’….if it’s ‘low let it go!’
9.) Unfortunately, you struck out against Dickey, on three pitches, however you received a standing ovation from the crowd. What kind of emotions were you feeling during that moment, that although you struck out, the fans cheered you on as if you had blasted a home run?
I had mixed emotions. The excitement from the fans was electric. Regardless of the outcome it was still a win having that at-bat and being back in the Major Leagues.
10.) The Orioles signed you to a minor league contract in December, giving you another shot at making it back to the big leagues. What are your plans going forward? What are your goals once the season begins?
I continue to train hard. My goal for this season is to get back to the big leagues, contribute to Baltimore’s success by winning games and helping them get to a World Series.
11.) Favorite food? Favorite TV show?
Seafood….all of it! Seinfeld.
12.) Lastly, what advice would you give to kids who are just starting out that dream of playing professional baseball one day?
Have fun, stay within yourself and don’t ever give up.
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Big thanks to Adam Greenberg for taking the time to answer my questions.
You can follow him on twitter: @adamgreenberg10
Best Players Going Into 2013–By Age
The first players reported to Spring Training nearly two weeks ago, however, the first official games are taking place today. The Tigers are set to take on the Braves at 1:05 EST, with the Reds-Indians, Royals-Rangers and Padres-Mariners games all beginning at 3:05 EST. The remaining teams are all playing their first game on Saturday.
With the first official baseball games of the season starting up, I wanted to take the time to post a “top players” list, of sorts, but instead of making my own version of a top 10 list, or whatever, I decided to make a list of the top player for each year of age throughout Major League Baseball. Meaning, of the 20 year olds in MLB, I’ll list the player I feel is the overall best of them all. With the same holding true for the players age 21, 22, 23, 24, and so on.
The range of ages runs from 20 years old, with Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, etc., all the way up to age 43, with Mariano Rivera. Just so you know, I’m going by the age each player will be to start the season. Therefore, a few players will be listed a year older than they currently are, due to them having a birthday between now and April 1st.
With there being SO many names, I’m not going to be listing my reasoning behind each pick; just a general list with players’ names. The player I feel is the best for their age category can be either a position player, or a pitcher:
20 years old: Bryce Harper
21 years old: Mike Trout
22 years old: Shelby Miller
23 years old: Giancarlo Stanton
24 years old: Stephen Strasburg
25 years old: Clayton Kershaw
26 years old: Felix Hernandez
27 years old: Evan Longoria
28 years old: Prince Fielder
29 years old: Miguel Cabrera
30 years old: Justin Verlander
31 years old: Josh Hamilton
32 years old: C.C. Sabathia
33 years old: Albert Pujols
34 years old: Cliff Lee
35 years old: Roy Halladay
36 years old: Michael Young
37 years old: David Ortiz
38 years old: Derek Jeter
39 years old: Ichiro Suzuki
40 years old: Andy Pettitte
41 years old: Henry Blanco
42 years old: Jason Giambi
43 years old: Mariano Rivera
So, there you have it. The best players by age, in my opinion, from 20 through 43, going into the 2013 season. Do you agree with my picks? If not, who would you pick to replace the name(s) you disagree with? Let me know in the comments section below.
2013 MLB Fan Cave Finalists
The 52 finalists for the 2013 MLB Fan Cave were announced a couple of days ago, and from now until February 13th, you can vote for your favorite(s) from the fans who made the cut. The number of finalists will be narrowed down to 30 after voting has concluded, and those 30 will be invited down to Spring Training to audition to become part of the 2013 Fan Cave. You can vote for as many people as you want, as many times as you want, between now and the deadline, at MLBFanCave.com, so if you find that there are a few people who stand out in you mind, make sure to vote for them as many times as possible to ensure that they move on to the next round.
For those of you who may not know (if you’re a baseball fan I’m not sure how you couldn’t), the MLB Fan Cave, which began in 2011, is located in New York City, and houses some of the biggest die hard MLB fans you’ll ever meet throughout the entire season. The “cave dwellers”, as they’re 
referred to, spend the season watching EVERY single game (2,430 of them) on one the many TV screens located on the “cave monster”; a large wall of 15 TV’s. The cave dwellers, in addition to watching every game, get the chance to interact with current, and former, MLB players, as well as other celebrities, who stop by the Fan Cave throughout the season; doing interviews and short skits with many of them.
It all looks like a blast.
Now, before I continue, I’d like to point out that I’m not writing about the Fan Cave finalists because I am one of them. I wish I was, but alas I still have a few more years before I can even apply. With that said, I’m writing this post for two reasons: a) I have a few twitter followers who made the cut, and (b) I really like the whole Fan Cave concept, and wanted to bring this year’s finalists to your attention.
Before I reveal the fans I’m “endorsing”, let me point out that I’ve spent the past several hours viewing each of the 52 videos (yes, I watched all of them) submitted by the finalists, covering why they feel they should be part of the 2013 MLB Fan Cave, and naturally I have my favorites; 8 of them, to be precise. (Just because I didn’t pick any of the other 44 videos doesn’t mean I didn’t like them, I just liked these 8 the best.) Allow me to tell a little bit about each of them, in no particular order, and state why I think they’d be great for the 2013 MLB Fan Cave (click on their names to be taken to their Twitter accounts):
Calder Cahill: A Rockies fan from Colorado, Cahill states that he’d be great for the MLB Fan Cave, with his main reasons being that he’s ”a people person, lives baseball everyday of the year, and has interview and social media experience”. I agree that Cahill, with his passion for the game, would make a great cave dweller, and thus he gets my vote.
Bryan Mapes: A Braves fan from Connecticut, Mapes runs one of the top fan blogs on MLBlogs.com (Three Up, Three Down) and is extremely active on Twitter. His application video was very entertaining, and Mapes’ outgoing personality and knowledge of baseball makes him one of the top candidates for the MLB Fan Cave, in my mind.
Lindsay Beaver: A Tigers fan from Michigan, Beaver has interviewed multiple MLB stars, including Prince Fielder, and I feel that experience would come in handy in the cave. Beaver has the personality required of a cave dweller, and in her own words, she “loves people, loves baseball, and loves people who love baseball”. That’s good enough for me.
David Greenwald: A Yankees fan from New York, Greenwald states (in a song) that he would be great for the MLB Fan Cave, and I have to agree with him. I enjoyed the creativity of his application video, as Greenwald’s video was one of the more memorable videos of the finalists, and I feel he would be perfect for the cave.
Stephanie Katz: A Rays fan from Florida, Katz would be great for the Fan Cave, as she has a great personality and an immense passion for the game of baseball. Katz’s video was very entertaining and she did a great job of stating why she wants to become a cave dweller. I think she would represent her team well at the Fan Cave.
Hayden Moss: A D-back’s fan from Texas, Moss was a winner of the reality TV show, Big Brother. I was a big fan of Moss’ on the show, and therefore I know I’d be a big fan of him in the MLB Fan Cave. One of the most outgoing personalities of the people who submitted a video, as well as huge baseball fan, I feel he truly deserves to become a cave dweller.
Thomas Roberts: A Dodgers fan from California, Roberts submitted what was, in my opinion, the most thought out and entertaining videos of all those who submitted one. Roberts has a very outgoing personality and I could see him fitting right in up in New York City, at the MLB Fan Cave, and so he gets my vote.
Andrew Fleming: A Cardinals fan from Tennessee, Fleming had one of the more creative videos of the 52 finalists, and he certainly has the baseball passion, and personality, required to be part of the Fan Cave. Fleming would be great for the cave, in my opinion, and thus should become a cave dweller for the 2013 season.
So those are the people I’m voting for (over and over and over again). Vote for whoever you like, but I ask that, if you’re reading this, you please take the time to vote for someone. Just like myself, each of the 52 finalists eat, sleep and breathe baseball, and they all worked extremely hard on their videos to make it this far.
Just remember, when all is said and done, if you don’t vote for your favorite(s), you can’t complain if they don’t move on to the next round.
Matt Huddleston
