Results tagged ‘ Mike Napoli ’
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.
My World Series Game 4 Recap
The Rangers went into last night’s game with their backs against the wall. A loss would give the Cardinal’s a chance to win the World Series in the very next game. While a win would at least guarantee a trip back to St. Louis. As Kevin Millar said, on yesterday’s episode of ’Intentional Talk’, “It’s as close to a must win as it gets.”
On the mound for the Rangers in this game was their young lefty, Derek Holland. Holland, who’s had his 
good games and bad games in the past, would have to pitch the best game of his life to keep the hot Cardinal bats from scoring in the early innings. He got off to a good start in the first, as he set down the first three batters, 1-2-3, including a strikeout of Allen Craig.
Moving on to the bottom of the first, the Cardinal’s had Edwin Jackson as their pitcher. His last start didn’t go as planned, and thus he was looking for a little bit of redemption in this game. But things didn’t go as planned again, as after a single by Elvis Andrus, Josh Hamilton hit a double down the right field line, allowing Andrus to score all the way from first. The score was 1-0, Rangers, just like that.
Moving onto the bottom of the sixth inning, Edwin Jackson found himself in a bit of a jam, after walking the second two batters of the inning. Tony LaRussa had seen enough, as he made the call to the bullpen to 
bring in Mitchell Boggs. Things didn’t turn out as LaRussa had wished, as the first pitch thrown by Boggs was crushed by Mike Napoli over the left field wall. With that home run, Napoli became the first catcher to hit two homers in a Series since Mike Piazza of the Mets in 2000. The score now had the Rangers leading 4-0. With Holland pitching the way he was, you could pretty much feel that the game was as good as over.
Derek Holland, as mentioned earlier, had to pitch the game of his life in order for the Rangers to have a chance at winning. Well, not only did he pitch the game of his life , but he still had a shutout going into the ninth inning. Could he hold on for the complete game shutout? That’s the question everyone, including Ranger’s manager Ron Washington, was asking themselves. Everyone was on the edge of their seat in 
anticipation. Holland retired the first batter of the inning on a groundout. Then after walking the next batter, Washington felt that Holland’s night was over, as he makes the trip out to the mound. You can tell by the look on Derek’s face that he wanted nothing more than to stay in the game, but Washington wouldn’t hear of it, as he called in Neftali Feliz to shut things down. That he did. Final score 4-0, Rangers. The series is now tied at two games a piece.
Matt Huddleston
