Posts Tagged ‘Mark Teixeira’
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Teixeira for Kotchman? I Just Don’t Know.July 31st, 2008
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19th in runs scored. 19th in hits. 22nd in home runs. 19th in RBIs. 24th in total bases. 22nd in on base percentage. And 22nd in slugging.
On paper, this doesn’t really sound like a division contending team, let alone the best team in baseball by a fair margin. But when you factor in 8th in ERA, 7th in shutouts, 1st in saves (by ten saves, between first and second), 25th in earned runs against (yes, that’s a good thing), a winning starting rotation, a solid bullpen, a slid defense, a consistent running game, and you get the Angels.
Up until last night at about 5-something eastern time, the Angels were not the media’s favorite team to look at. In fact, the Angels crept slowly into first place without so much as a sneeze. It wasn’t until about three weeks after the Angels took first place that ESPN even took notice on their power rankings. The Angels were clearly the underdogs of 2008, who’s game was so much more old-school than any other teams, besides maybe the Minnesota Twins and a more distant example in the Baltimore Orioles.
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End of the Road for Boston Woes OR Just the Beginning of Boston’s Road WoesJuly 20th, 2008
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A few short months ago a la October, the Angels were basically running away from Fenway’s bombers with their proverbial tails between their legs. After losing two series ending in sweeps to the Red Sox on two separate post-season occasions since the turn of the millennium, the Angels seemed to have their work cut out for them again in 08 if they wanted any chance at another World Series run.
The Angels have been, in their career, weak against the formidable Boston lineup. It is because of this that so many sports writers have criticized the Angels’ management for not acquiring a more fear-inducing bat for the middle of the lineup to back Big Daddy Vladdy. In fact, despite a successful first half, power rankings on ESPN still give little credence to the team and still stress this same overly-repetitive theme: “The Angels are the clear favorites in the AL West despite an offense that ranks 23rd in the majors in OPS and runs scored. Will they make a run at Mark Teixeira or Matt Holliday, or cling to the hope that starting pitching, a great closer and a flair for one-run victories can propel them deep into October?” (Crasnik’s “Starting 9” on ESPN.com). Though that last little statement, ending in a rhetorical question, seems to be rather connotative of a negative sentiment, I beg to differ, and offer up a definite YES. Great pitching > great hitting. Almost always. Read more
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Dodgers need more offensive star powerJuly 6th, 2008
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The Dodgers season thus far has been a train wreck offensively. Sometimes the boys in blue can turns lemons into lemonade like they did the other day beating the Angels without getting a hit.Most of the time however, the Dodgers offense hangs their pitchers out to dry with little to no run support. Needless to say, the team has not lived up to its potential at the plate. Half way through the season the Dodgers are within striking distance of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West. The Dodgers have as good a chance as anybody of winning the division. Injuries are one reason the Dodgers offense has stalled. Ever since Rafael Furcal first felt a twinge in his gimpy back. Furcal recently underwent back surgery and will be out for the next 8 weeks if not for the rest of the season. As if that weren’t bad enough, Juan Pierre is out with a knee injury. Meaning the Dodgers have lost their top two lead off hitters. It is time for Joe Torre to get outside of the box with his line up. Torre could go with either Matt Kemp or Russell Martin as the table setter for his Dodger line up. Currently he has been going with Kemp who has performed decently. Read more
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Scouting The Draft PicksJune 7th, 2008
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I’m not one of those people who lives and dies with the draft in professional sports. Unless you have a really, really high pick, they probably won’t step in and change the fortunes of your franchise. And in baseball, guessing how a high school player is going to fill out and become a professional is better left to the talented scouts, especially those in the Mariners system. Having said all that, here is the quick take on the first five picks by the Rangers:
In the 1st Round, the Rangers took 1B Justin Smoak from South Carolina, although it would have been better if he was a pitcher for two reasons: (A) the Rangers are again playing a game they like to call “Batting Practice” with the Indians tonight, and (B) it would be super cool to have a pitcher named Just Smoak. The 6′4″-220 lb Smoak is already being compared to Mark Teixiera, meaning he will sign with Scott Boras, hold out, start slowly every season so that his team gets buried, and then question the team’s direction. Afterward he will declare that he wants to be part of the solution while he shops for a house in suburban Atlanta. Read more
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The $20 Million Man-nyApril 20th, 2008
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While one slumps, the other thrives—a perfect summation so far on the young season for the dynamic one-two punch of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
It’s the type of luxury few teams can afford. It’s a combo that serves as a constant between the Red Sox two World Series championship runs over the past four years. And it’s partly why the Boston lineup, despite Ortiz’ early season bat-swinging malaise, has remained near the top in all the important offensive categories after three weeks of April baseball.
But it’s also, quite possibly, the last year we’ll see the Dominican duo stacked side-by-side in the same lineup—midsummer classics and fantasy baseball leagues excluded.
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Extrapolator’s DelightApril 13th, 2008
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“Stop telling such outlandish tales. Stop turning minnows into whales.”
Dr. Seuss, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
April is the month of irresponsible prognostication. All across baseball, there is loose talk of things to come. In the bleachers and papers alike, rashness abounds. It’s been a long winter, and in the anxiousness to fully immerse ourselves in the new season, we seem to forget that it’s a long season, and that the laws of the universe will apply to all of it. Everywhere, emperors are being overthrown and paupers are rising to take their place. Temporary, minor concerns are made to be fatal flaws. Countless mountains from many mole hills. Easy fellas, it’s early yet.