Friday, December 31, 2010

MLB Power Rankings # 30

It has been a while since my last post, but rest assured i have been working tirelessly on my MLB Preseason Power Rankings. Hopefully each day i will release a new one(although it may take a little longer)so today we start at the bottom with number 30. There were a multitude of contenders for this spot but a certain trade made one team stand out. That would be The KANSAS CITY ROYALS. With the trade of Zack Grienke they no longer have an ace to anchor their staff and provide someone to stop losing streaks. When i was doing these rankings i looked at one major statistic, team WAR (Wins Above Replacement), I made a range that each player could fall into in terms of their war and calculated it for the team. The Royals stood out as being the worst team by far by accumulating only 12-33 Wins Above Replacement. Lets take a more in depth look at the team by analyzing their rotation, bullpen and lineup.

Rotation-
1. Kyle Davies
2. Luke Hochevar
3. Sean O'Sullivan
4. Vin Mazzaro
5. OPEN

The loss of Zack Grienke will be a huge blow to this pitching staff as they lose their ace and have no real option to replace him. Former top prospects in Kyle Davies and Luke Hochevar could provide solid production but more in the lines of middle to back of the rotation quality. Neither one will strike out a ton of guys and do tend to walk some guys so they could fall apart. Sean O'Sullivan acquired in the Alberto Callaspo trade can be a back of the rotation option but will be forced into the middle of the rotation along with Vin Mazzaro (acquired in the David DeJesus trade). After those four guys its fill in the blank for the 5th spot, possibly Gil Meche returning from injury, or any other garbage back of the rotation starter you can find. I would recommend they try Robinson Tejada as he has pitched excellent in relief and proved he could start in 2009. But no matter what they do the Royals pitching staff will struggle this season. But help is on the way with excellent pitching prospects on the way, but we likely see much of them this year.

Bullpen-
CL-Joakim Soria
SU-Dusty Hughes
SU-Robinson Tejada
MR-Blake Wood
MR-Greg Holland

Joakim Soria has been one of the top closers in baseball the past few seasons, but the trouble is getting to him. The staff is going to stink this year and the middle relief and set up men outside of Robinson Tejada are not much better. Joakim Soria will not have many save opportunities to begin with but many of them will get blown by this relief corps before they can get to Soria.

Lineup-
1. Lorenzo Cain-CF
2. Alcides Escobar-SS
3. Billy Butler-1B
4. Kila Ka'aihue-DH
5. Wilson Betemit-3B
6. Alex Gordon-LF
7. Jeff Francoeur-RF
8. Mike Aviles- 2B
9. Jason Kendall-C

They have lost one of their main pieces in David DeJesus but we all knew that was going to happen. Billy Butler is currently the face of this franchise, but we are starting to see some of the pieces that will be a part of the future of this team come together. They got Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar in the Greinke deal, both are speedy top of the order hitters who play good defense and should continue to improve. I am glad to see Ka-aihue being given a chance as he has proved himself in the minors and should provide solid offense as the DH. Wilson Betemit will most likely not play as well as last season but he is a solid option at third considering that he will likely be replaced by Moustakes at some point this season (hopefully). Gordon and Francoeur are both mediocre players at best now, Gordon still has that potential but it has never seemed to translate at the major league level and Francoeur has too many flaws in his swing to be the player he was early in his career. But both players should provide some needed pop to a pretty dead offense. Aviles is a nice middle infielder who can do some damage with the bat but will never be a star, and Jason Kendall provides little offense from behind the plate. All of this culminates in one of the worst offenses in the major leagues even with Chris Getz, Gregor Blanco and Melky Cabrera off the bench. I think the Royals will struggle to prevent themselves from losing 100 games this season. But the pieces are in place to contend in a few years if at least some of their amazing prospects contribute. But for this season they will be the worst team in baseball, barring a major miracle.

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Podcast 12/21/10

Sorry its been so long, but here is our newest Podcast!!! Today we discuss who the elite teams are in the NBA and how the Chicago Bulls stack up against them, why the NFC West deserves a home game in the playoffs despite the winning team possibly having a losing record. We also take a look at the Zack Grienke trade and its impact on the league and finally we give our NFL playoff predictions. So please listen and enjoy!!



Chris Hart & Kevin Erp

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Chicago Bulls an Elite Team?

The Chicago Bulls have been playing some good basketball the past few weeks. After a tough start that was a result of one of the toughest schedules in the league, they have taken off and have built a 5 game lead in the central. With a 16-8 record they have the third best record in the eastern conference and broke their losing steak against the Lakers. So the question remains, are the Bulls an Elite Team? They have proved that they are a really good team, but are they a team that can go to the NBA Finals? I think so, and many NBA experts are beginning to think similarly. The Bulls have built a team that complements each other well, they have perimeter shooters, slashers, low post scoring, great rebounders and defensive specialists. Lets take an in depth look at the Bulls roster to see their strengths and weaknesses.

PG- Derrick Rose
     - C.J. Watson
Derrick Rose has morphed into one of the best point guards in the league and arguably one of the best players in the game today. Before this season he had been primarily a slasher, but in the offseason he developed an excellent 3-point shot. This allows him to put up much higher point totals and opens up shots for other players on his team. We've also seen his assists totals go up as his supporting cast is the best he's had in his career. But his value is not all in his statistics, he has become the undisputed leader of this team which he had trouble becoming in his first 2 years. D-Rose is hard not to love because he is a Chicago kid who is extremely humble and cares more about winning than stats, and now is in the MVP conversation and likely will for years to come. And his backup C.J. Watson is not bad either, he is a scoring point guard who can effectively lead the team when D-Rose is not in the game. In the game in Denver that Rose missed Watson put up 33 points and really showed that the Bulls have some depth at the Point.

SG- Keith Bogans
     -Kyle Korver
     -Ronnie Brewer
While Bogans may be the "Starter", both Korver and Brewer see more minutes. Korver can play both the SG and SF and is known to be deadly from beyond the arc. With the addition of Korver and Rose's improved jump shot the Bulls have developed into a good shooting team to pair with their good post game. Brewer is more of a defensive specialist and a slasher as an old wrist injury prevents him from being an effective shooter. Bogans is more of a seasoned veteran who can hit shots when you need him too, but does not do much in terms of scoring. I think this is an area that the Bulls are looking to improve and have heard rumors of the Bulls wanting to trade for JR Smith. With the addition of a legit starting 2 guard the Bulls would have a complete roster but the tandem of Korver and Brewer is still pretty good.

SF- Luol Deng
    - James Johnson
Deng is the last player from the Baby Bulls team that beat the then defending champion Miami Heat in the first round of the 06-07 playoffs that is still on the team. Deng is a great complementary player who doesn't take over games but is consistent and has developed a great stroke from beyond the arc. Deng is very versatile who can shoot from the perimeter, can slash to the rim and is a solid rebounder. Injuries can be a concern for Deng but he has looked healthy this season and should be a part of this Bulls team for a while. James Johnson doesn't see a lot of playing time but he does have some undeniable physical abilities. But Johnson really hasn't made a major impact at this level yet and i wouldn't be surprised to see him get packaged in a deal to get a SG or a big man to replace the injured Joakim Noah.

PF- Carlos Boozer
     - Taj Gibson
     - Brian Scalibrine
Boozer was the big offseason acquisition that the Bulls made, bringing in an elite low post scorer. He missed the first few weeks but has finally gotten in a rhythm and had a dominating performance against the Raptors last night scoring 34 points with 12 boards. He adds yet another dynamic to the Bulls game as he is an elite low post scorer who can run the pick and roll and the Pick and pop with D-Rose. He also provides a big rebounding presence with Joakim Noah. He is an experienced player who has been to the postseason many times and will provide some good veteran leadership. Taj Gibson is an excellent reserve behind Boozer who was putting up similar numbers while Booz was injured. Taj is another player that might appeal to teams in a trade although he is valuable as a backup because of Boozers injury history. Brian Scalibrine doesnt see major minutes but is another veteran with some experience.

C- Joakim Noah
   - Omar Asik
   - Kurt Thomas
While im writing this Joakim Noah is having surgery on his hand and will miss 8-10 weeks but he will play again this season. The loss of Noah is going to hurt as he is the teams top rebounder and provides excellent defense and heart. Noah is a very passionate player who is arguably the heart and soul of this team along with D-Rose. He may also be the most controversial as he does talk a lot of trash and loves to party but he is an excellent basketball player. While Noah is out we will likley see more Taj Gibson but we will also get to look at Omar Asik. The 7-0 man from Turkey has shown some potential and with his size should provide some solid rebounding. The only problem is that he is pretty inexpierenced so we will likely see a lot more of Kurt Thomas as well. He may not provide a  lot in terms of scoring but should be another big body that can get some rebounds. The loss of Noah will hurt the Bulls post game some but they should still be solid with Taj and Booz.

So we see the Bulls have a combination of different talents, you have the superstar in D-Rose, the sharpshooter in Kyle Korver, the do it all complimentary player in Luol Deng, the low post scorer in Boozer and the passionate defensive center in Joakim Noah. They are definitely in the discussion as one of the best teams in the league and should make it out of the first round. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has made this arguably the best defensive team in the league and is a great motivator and never lets his players take a game off. The Bulls are in the process of building a new dynasty and it wouldn't be surprising to see them get some more championships in the near future.

Friday, December 10, 2010

MLB WInter Meetings Recap

In terms of trades and free agents i think this was a middle of the pack winter meetings. The only really huge move that happened was the Carl Crawford Deal. But over the next few weeks we will likely see a lot of moves go down that were worked on at these meetings. Here are the big moves that went down since day 2, I will do my usual trade/free agent signing recap.

Carlos Pena (1B): Signed with the Cubs
2010 (TB)-  .196/.325/.407  28 HR  84 RBI  5 SB  -2 FLD  1 WAR
Bill James-  .228/.354/.473  30 HR  86 RBI  3 SB

Well its undeniable that Carlos Pena had a bad even awful season in 2010. His batting average has been sinking for the past 3 years and he strikes out too much. But i still can not help but like this signing. It is a low risk signing as they only signed him to a 1 year deal, he is a great club house presence and he is a big time left handed power hitter which the Cubs have been craving. Plus he will be reunited with his former hitting instructor Rudy Jarmaillo who has helped many a hitter turn their careers around (He is the Dave Duncan of hitting coaches). Plus he is attempting to rebuild his value for next year so he wants to be good. If the Cubs can get anywhere near his production from 07' or 08' they would be thrilled and it would put them a few pieces away from contending. They could use another starter and some bullpen help but with a little luck the Cubs could be in it. This could be similar to the Adrian Beltre signing of last year.


Kevin Correia (SP): Signed with the Pirates
2010 (SD)- 145 IP  10-10  5.40 ERA  7.14 K/9  3.97 BB/9  .1 WAR
Bill James- 124 IP  5-8  4.35 ERA  6.6 K/9  3.56 BB/9

The Pirates have been making a lot of small deals that wont hurt them long term but should help them to not get embarrassed. I'm concerned about Correia as he pitched poorly at PETCO park, if you cant pitch well there I'm not sure you can pitch anywhere. But he did post a solid season in 09' so maybe he is a bounce back candidate. He can be a solid back of the rotation guy but Pittsburgh will likely rely on him to be more than that so next season could be a struggle. That being said it is a low risk move so you cant fault the Pirates for taking a flier on him.

Scott Olsen (SP): Signed with the Pirates
2010 (WAS)- 81 IP  4-8  5.56 ERA  5.89 K/9  3 BB/9  .6 WAR
Bill James- 88 IP  4-6  4.81 ERA  6.65 K/9  3.58 BB/9

This is another low risk signing for the Pirates as they pick up a player who has talent but has not been truly effective or healthy since 2008. Although looking at his xFIP from 10' he actually wasn't a bad pitcher, but wasn't able to stay healthy. I like these types of moves because if one of these players rebounds, even if your not in contention you can flip them for prospects at the deadline. These are the types of moves the Pirates have to make to be able to rebuild their franchise.

Ty Wigginton (INF): Signed with the Rockies
2010 (BAL)- .248/.312/.415  22 HR  76 RBI  0 SB  -7.7 FLD  .3 WAR
Bill James-  .257/.324/.430  14 HR  50 RBI  1 SB

The Rockies off season plan has really confused me. They have acquired a group of infielders who all play the same positions and have over payed for them. I don't understand why they acquired Wigginton when they have a very similar player in Jose Lopez that they just acquired from the Mariners. But Wigginton is a consistently mediocre infielder who will likely benefit from Coors field as so many have before him. He can put up decent power numbers and play the corner infield and outfield spots and play second. So he does have versatility which is a big plus but they have so many players that are similar to him that i don't see how he gets a ton of playing time.







Jason Bartlett (SS): Traded to the Padres for Adam Russell and Cesar Ramos
2010 (TB)-  .254/.324/.350  4 HR  71 R  47 RBI  11 SB  -10.4 FLD  .7 WAR
Bill James-  .279/.345/.380  6 HR  79 R  51 RBI  17 SB

Another player of the once great Rays team is gone, flipped for Cesar Ramos a 26 year pitcher and Adam Russell a 27 year old pitcher. Both will likely see time in the Rays bullpen next year as they both have a little big league experience. The Padres are getting a solid shortstop, he is nowhere near as good as what people thought he was after 2009. But last year was also a down year, he is likely somewhere in between those 2 stat lines. Acquiring Bartlett fills a need for the Padres but it does not put them in contention and he will likely never be on a playoff Padres team. But getting Bartlett helps soften the blow of losing Gonzalez and his offensive game should play well in the spacious outfield of PETCO park.





Jeff Francoeur: Signed with the Royals
2010 (NYM/TEX)- .249/.300/.383  13 HR  52 R  65 RBI  8 SB  2.8 FLD  .5 WAR
Bill James-  .267/.318/.425  13 HR  53 R  63 RBI  5 SB

I hate to say bad things about Francoeur because he is one of my favorite ball players in terms of personality. But he is not the all star outfielder that he looked to be in 06' and 07'. That being said his career numbers suggest he is a good defender and still and provides the type of production a team like the Royals would be willing to start. The Royals needed some help in the outfield after losing Dejesus. They are a few years away from their prospects being ready to compete so Francoeur is a nice fit and is a player Dayton Moore loves.


Carl Crawford: Signed with the Red Sox
2010 (TB)-  .307/.356/.495  19 HR  110 R  90 RBI  47 SB  18.5 FLD  6.9 WAR
Bill James-  .300/.350/.453  14 HR  93 R  71 RBI  42 SB

The Red Sox have now constructed the best lineup in baseball, and has left New York scrambling for a response. Crawford is one of the most dynamic offensive and defensive players in the game. He can play anywhere in a lineup, he can leadoff but ideally in Boston he should hit in the 3 hole in front of Adrian Gonzalez. Crawford is the quintessential 5 tool player and is still in his late 20's so his contract should be worth its value the entire time. This may be the move that pushes the Red Sox to the world series this season. I just cannot explain in words how much i love Carl Crawford as a baseball player, he just has the perfect skill set and it is really hard to find a flaw in his game. The only negative anybody has ever been able to say is that he doesn't have a strong arm, but there are conflicting reports on that. This is a great move. I do feel bad for the Rays who have already lost 3 key players to there 10' team.




There were many other major signings/trades that occured and i will write those below but these are the moves that i wanted to highlight. I will likely begin a series of podcasts over the break that will analyze and preview each team for next season so look out for those. And hopefully Kevin and I will make another podcast soon.

Other Major Signings
D.J. Carrasco- Signed with the Mets
Ronny Paulino- Signed with the Mets
Koji Uehara- re-signed with the Orioles
Paul Konerko- re-signed with the White Sox
Miguel Cairo- re-signed with the Reds
Dioner Navarro- signed with the Dodgers
Jack Cust- signed with the Mariners
Dennys Reyes- signed with the Phillies
Matt Diaz- signed with the Pirates
Boof Bonser- signed with the Mets
JJ. Hardy and Brendan Harris- Traded to the Orioles Jim Hoey and another player

Monday, December 6, 2010

Winter Meetings Day 1 Recap

There had been a lot of action leading up to the winter meetings so there are expectations for a lot of moves. Day one has consisted of a lot of rumors and one big move with a couple smaller moves thus far. So i want to keep the same format that i usually do and list the moves with their pictures, 10' stats and Bill James projections for 11'.

Mark Reynolds (3B)- Traded to Orioles for David Hernandez and Kam Mickollio
2010-  .198/.320/.433  32 HR  85 RBI  7 SB  1.7 FLD  2.4 WAR
Bill James-  .233/.337/.490  35 HR  94 RBI  9 SB

You know what your getting in Mark Reynolds, a lot of power and a ton of strikeouts, Reynolds holds the top 3 single seasons records for strikeouts per seasons. The good thing about Reynolds is that he is only 27 years old and played okay defense last year with a ton of pop. I like this move from the Orioles standpoint as he gives their offense some life and only give up some relief pitching for it as Reynolds stock was pretty low after hitting below the mendoza line last season. The D-Backs get some help for their bullpen and get rid of the horrid amount of strikeouts but lose one of their top players. I think getting Reynolds really will help the Orioles stay competitive but is not enough to be in contention.


Melvin Mora (3B/UT)- Signed with Diamondbacks
2010 (COL)- .285/.358/.421  7 HR  45 RBI  2 SB  -9.8 FLD  .5 WAR
Bill James-  .272/.346/.406  8 HR  40 RBI  2 SB

It seems Arizona made all of the moves today, they immediately found Reynolds replacement in Melvin Mora. He will likely platoon with Geoff Blum, which is a move i didn't analyze a few weeks ago. This is a kind of wierd move replacing a 27 year old slugger with a 37 and 38 year old platoon but it is cheaper. This is good for Mora as at the age of 38 he is still able to find a starting job but i dont think the Diamondbacks are going to be able to make up the production lost from Reynolds. The D-Backs are obviously just filling holes with veteran players as they are in a rebuilding phase on Kevin Towers.








J.J. Putz (RP/CL)- Signed with Diamondbacks
2010 (CWS)- 54 IP  7-5  2.83 ERA  10.83 K/9  2.5 BB/9  1.5 WAR
Bill James-  50 IP  4-2  2.88 ERA  9.54 K/9  3.06 BB/9

Kevin Towers continues to rework this team and rebuild the bullpen, as they add a man who can be a legit closer. Putz bounced back from some injuries and dissapointing years to put up a great 2010 (see stats above). I do like this move as i have always been a fan of JJ Putz and i think he will dominate in Arizona. Now i dont know how many games he will have to save as i am not sold on this team but i think he will do a great job and if they are out of contention at the deadline he could get flipped. Not a bad signing and he adds to a much improved bullpen with David Hernandez likely setting him up.
 These were the big moves made today but there are likely many others in the works. Now the interesting story to follow is the Cliff Lee saga, apparently some team has offered him seven years. But it is not the Yankees and they say 7 years is a deal breaker (according to mlbtraderumors.com), so who is this mystery team that has offered him a 7 year deal? Well for one it is not the Rangers as they have said 4 years is their limit so the only team that i can imagine it being is the Nationals. I know their are other teams in on Lee but i cant imagine anybody besides that Nats being crazy enough to offer him a 7 year deal. They have proven that they are willing to over pay to bring talent to Washington and give long contracts so it could happen. That is my big prediction for today, well i cant wait for some more exciting hot stove action tommorow. Please check in as i will keep you updated on the cover it live chat box on the right side of the blog. And please feel free to submit questions and i promise i will answer all of your questions.

Chris "da Franchize" Hart

Sunday, December 5, 2010

MLB Offseason Updates 12-5-10

We are almost to the winter meetings and the hot stove is really starting to heat up. But this past week there were a plethora of big moves that i wanted to take a look at before we get to the winter meetings. Similar to the last post i will include the players previous years stats and Bill James 11' projections.

Ryan Theriot (SS/2B): trade to the Cardinals for Blake Hawksworth
2010 (CHC/LAD)- .270/.321/.312  2 HR  72 R  20 SB  -4.3 FLD  0 WAR
Bill James- .277/.340/.339  3 HR  70 R  18 SB

Neither of these players are going to be all-stars for their teams but Theriot should be able to provide a option for the bottom of the batting order for St. Louis and Hawksworth could be a solid middle reliever for Los Angeles. Although in terms of production this may not be a huge trade, this will heat up the Cardinals v.s Cubs rivalry as they have taken yet another fan favorite from Chicago (Mark DeRosa 2 years ago). Theriot has also decided to rile up the Cubs fans by claiming he is on the right side of the rivalry now. This will make the Cards v.s Cubs matchups much more exciting. In terms of production though Theriot is an average middle infielder and average contact hitter with no pop and moderate speed.



Miguel Tejada (3B/SS): signs with Giants
2010 (BAL/SD)- .269/.312/.381  15 HR  71 RBI  2 SB  -6.8 FLD  1.3 WAR
Bill James- .279/.324/.415  17 HR  84 RBI  3 SB

When the Dodgers snatched Juan Uribe from them they had to make a move to replace his production. I guess Tejada is the answer, he cant really play SS anymore but he may still see some time there. I think Bill James projections are a little generous for the 36 year old but I think he still has a few seasons left in the tank. Tejada is a better overall hitter than Uribe was but he doesn't have the power that Uribe had at this point in his career. Tejada fits in with that club as its built around a group of veterans who many thought were washed up and now are champions.

Juan Uribe (SS/3B/2B): Signs with the Dodgers
2010 (SF)- .248/.310/.440  24 HR  85 RBI  1 SB  6.8 FLD  3.2 WAR
Bill James- .253/.307/.434  20 HR  73 RBI  2 SB
 
The Dodgers have had a great off-season, putting together a great staff and bolstering their offense with Juan Uribe. With Uribe you get some serious pop but not a high average. His most valuable asset is his ability to play multiple positions as he can play third, short and second. They will most likely start him at second but he can fill in at the other positions when needed. The best aspect of this signing from a dodgers standpoint is that they took away a key piece from the division rival Giants.



Adam Dunn (1B/DH): Signs with the White Sox
2010 (WAS)- .260/.356/.536  38 HR  103 RBI  -3 FLD  3.9 WAR
Bill James-  .247/.373/.511  39 HR  102 RBI

 Probably the third biggest transaction this past week behind the Jayson Werth Deal and the Adrian Gonzalez trade. Dunn is the quintessential slugger who hits for power but strikes out a ton and doesn't hit for great average. He will likely play some DH but i know he wants to play the field so you will likely see him play some time in the outfield and at first. At first he is mediocre but in the outfield he is bad, but hopefully they wont play him there that often. With the imminent re-signing of Konerko and the signing of Dunn, the White Sox are going to have some serious pop in that lineup and should put up some big offensive numbers this season.

Lance Berkman (1B/OF): Signs with the Cardinals
2010 (HOU/NYY)- .248/.368/.413  14 HR  58 RBI  3 SB  3.7 FLD  2.1 WAR
Bill James- .275/.393/.486  22 HR  79 RBI  5 SB

This one is a head scratcher, of all the places he could go the Cardinals? I think Berkman can bounce back from a disappointing 2010 but he should not be playing the outfield at his age. He was never a good outfielder and should be playing DH now but right field is the only place the Cardinals can give him a lot of time at. I think we will see some bad defense from him this year but the offensive numbers should bounce back some if he doesn't get hurt playing the outfield. Kind of a weird signing but it could benefit the Cards offensively.




Aaron Harang (SP): Signs with the Padres
2010 (CIN)-  111.2 IP  6-7  5.32 ERA  6.61 K/9  3.06 BB/9  .9 WAR
Bill James-  159 IP  8-10  4.42 ERA  7.53 K/9  2.38 BB/9

Only a few years ago he was one of the top pitchers in the National League, now he is a back end starter. But i do like this signing, he should benefit from playing at PETCO park as every pitcher does and could be a nice bounce back candidate. He never looked the same after a relief appearance 3 years ago and was injured last season. I don't think this makes up for the loss of Adrian Gonzalez though.



Jayson Werth (OF): Signs with the Nationals
2010 (PHI)-  .296/.388/.532  27 HR  105 R  85 RBI  13 SB  -6.9 FLD  5 WAR
Bill James-  .275/.375/.493  28 HR  98 R  91 RBI  14 SB
 
The National are on the rise and they finally attracted a big free agent to Washington! He replaces Dunn as the big bopper on this team and is actually an upgrade, he may hit for less power but he hits for a better average, has more speed and more athleticism and plays better defense. This move also makes it easier to move Josh Willingham and i could see a deal happening for him if the National get pitching our of it. All in all this is a great pickup for the Nats and with a couple more smart moves they could be a competitive team in 2011.

Adrian Gonzalez (1B): Traded to the Red Sox for Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo and Reymond Fuentes
2010 (SD)-  .298/.393/.511  31 HR  101 RBI  1.1 FLD  5.3 WAR
Bill James-  .285/.378/.512  33 HR  102 RBI

Adrian has been one of those players i have loved but has gotten little attention, but now that he is moving to Boston he should become a bonafide superstar. He is one of the supreme left handed hitters in the game and should set career highs in all offensive categories as he is moving from the number 1 pitchers park to a great offensive park and should actually get pitched to. The Red Sox trade raped the Padres to, the only prospect i really like on this list is Rizzo as Casey Kelly really hasn't showed me he is legit. But none of these players are close to contributing at the big league level which i thought was a sticking point for the Padres, but apparently not. The Red Sox now are in a serious position to make it back to the playoffs.

Shaun Marcum (SP): Traded to the Brewers for pitching prospects
2010 (TOR)-  195.1 IP  13-8  3.64 ERA  7.6 K/9  1.98 BB/9  3.5 WAR
Bill James-  203 IP  12-11  3.77 ERA  7.45 K/9  2.44 BB/9

Interesting move and one that i had not heard any rumors about. We all knew the Brewers were looking for pitching and now they have found another starter to pair with Yovani Gallardo and Randy Wolf. He did have surgery in 09' but appeared healthy and strong last season and is 29 years old so is in his prime. I am curious who the prospects are but i think this is a win for Milwaukee as they filled a need and now look to be competitve come 2011. The NL Central looks more difficult now as their are possibly 3 teams in serious contention now. The Brewers could still make some moves as well but i think this really helps solidify that rotation.

Other Notable Trades/Signings
Yorvit Torrealba- Signed with Rangers
Carlos Villanueva- traded to Blue Jays for a PTBNL
Scott Linebrink- traded to Braves for Kyle Cofield

Notable Players who re-signed-
Derrek Jeter- NYY
A.J. Pierzynski- CWS
Bronson Arroyo- CIN
Jorge De La Rosa- COL
Pat Burrell- SF
Erik Bedard-SEA

Well thats all the trade updates i know of thus far. Look for at the end of the week a post recapping all the moves made during the winter meetings and possibly a podcast.



Chris "da Franchize" Hart

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Podcast part 2

Our post was a little long so i had to put it in 2 parts. So here is part 2.

Podcast part 1

Today we discussed NFL coaching changes, MLB Hotstove, The Miami Heat and the NBA, and previewed the weekends NFL games for you. Enjoy

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Top 20 Center Fielders

I am devouring these stats at a rapid pace but its hard not to, these posts are the most fun i have had in a while. Im at the end of the semester in college so this is way more fun than studying. I wanted to continue to look at the positions that are not as deep in terms of offensive talent so i thought i would move to Center Field.The top level of this list is really good but as a disclaimer a lot of the better center fielders are really corner outfielders who can play center field.Oh and before i get into the post i wanted to brush you up on some of the stats i use in case you've been wondering.

UZR- Ultimate Zone Rating- It rates players defense based on how many runs they save or allow compared to the average replacment level player.
WAR- Wins Above Replacment- Rates a players value based on how many wins they create or lose compared to the average replacement level player.
Slash line- Batting average/.On base percentage/.slugging percentage
ISO- Isolated Power- Subtracting a players average from their slugging which gives you an idea of a players power

TOP TIER

1. Josh Hamilton (TEX)
There is no way anyone can argue with this, he was clearly the best player in major league baseball this year and has amazing natural ability. He is in the Prime of his career and has the abilitiy to win multiple batting titles and home run titles along with playing excellent defense. He is one of those players i love because he does everything well, plus he is just a great human interest story with the adversity he faced to get to this point. He is definitely in a league of his own in terms of his position and right up their with Albert Pujols as one of the greatest players in the league right now.

2. Carlos Gonzalez (COL)
Similar to Hamilton he plays all outfield positions but his home is in center field (not his best position though). He has evolved from the best prospect in the Matt Holliday trade to one of the best players in the game. Again he does everything right at the plate, on the base paths and is pretty good defensively. Now what negates some of his value is that he does play at Coors field which really inflates his numbers, take a look at his home/road splits (.380/.425/.737 home, .289/.322/.452 road). But even with the benifit of Coors field he is still and elite center fielder. In terms of defense he is solid but he did not deserve the gold glove (we all know the gold glove awards are a joke now anyways). Gonzalez is no where near as good as Hamilton but is young enough that he could be close in his prime.

SECOND TIER

3. Shane Victorino (PHI)
After the top 2 guys there is a big dropoff in terms of talent and production but i like Victorino as the top of the next tier of guys. He may not put up as sexy numbers as some of the other centerfielders but he is a spark plug in that Philadelphia offense. Like many of the Phillies players he is a gamer and can get those clutch hits. But even without that aspect he is one of those great all around players that i like. He is good in every category (.279/.342/.428 career line, 30+ SB threat with above average defense (career 11.4 UZR). A lot of the guys in this second tier are interchangeable and this is just the order that i like but they are very equal in terms of talent.

4. Curtis Granderson (NYY)
Although he may not have put up the numbers the Yankees were expecting out of him, he is still one of the all around best center fielders in the game. The only major flaw in his game is his tendency to strikeout and his inability to hit for a high average. But he does provide a punch at the plate with substantial power for a center fielder (.213 career ISO) and also has good speed as he has topped 20 stolen bases twice. He plays good defense too as he has a career 21.8 UZR, he has excellent range and is able to cover the whole field. Again he fits the mold of player that i tend to like and he has a great personality and is great to the community. All in all he is a great ball player.

5. Alex Rios (CWS)
I really like the center field position now, there are a lot of players who fit the mold of player that i like. Rios is another guy who gives you postive production in every aspect of his game. At the plate he provides a solid average with the ability to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases (career .281/.331/.446 with 151 SB). Not only does he provide great offense but he also posses good defensive ability as he has a career 10.3 UZR in center. Rios had struggled in 09' but was able to make a strong comeback last season and was probably the best hitter on the White Sox last year. Looking at his career his has a proven track record (exception in 09') and is in the Prime of his career so im sure he will be this good for a while.

6. Andrew McCutchen (PIT)
Yet another player who provides the complete package and is a major cog in his teams offense. Yes he may be on a very bad Pittsburgh team but they are on the rise in terms of their offese with stars such as Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, and Neil Walker emerging last season. McCutchen is also one of the youngest guys on this list and i think he still has room to grow from where he is at right now. His career line is currently at .286/.365/.459 and can steal around 30 bases at the age of 24. Now according to his UZR he had a rough year defensively but i think he will improve upon that he has the speed and the ability to cover the field but his hands and arm are subpar. He will never be at Josh Hamilton's level but could be at the upper level of the second tier in his prime.

7. Colby Rasmus (STL)
The Cardinals have another stud centerfielder in Rasmus, wether he remains in St. Louis is unclear but where ever he plays he is still an outstanding young centerfielder. Colby Rasmus showed off some good power last season as he put up a .222 ISO and improved in basically every offensive category in his second season. He does strike out too much and i doubt he will be able to maintain that .276 average if he continues to strike out in 31.9 percent of his at bats as he did last season. But you can not deny that Rasmus has skills and at the age of 24 has plenty of room to grow. His defense could use some work as he was -6.5 UZR last season but he has the potential to get better. Of  the young centerfielders on this list i think Rasmus has the highest ceiling.

THIRD TIER

8. Franklin Gutierrez (SEA)
He definitely stuggled last season after really breaking out in 09', but his saving grace is that he is arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game (58.3 UZR in the past 3 seasons). His offense is nothing to write home about but he can provide a solid average with average power and plus speed (career .261/.316/.400 and 25 SB last season). He is only 27 so he is entering his prime years and should be able to put up some solid offensive numbers to qualify his outstanding defense. I dont think his offense will ever be able to improve enough to move him into the second tier tough.

9. Matt Kemp (LAD)
A lot of people probably think this guy should be higher on the list and if you look at his overall offensive numbers he is better than Gutierrez and some of the others ahead of him. But i cant put a guy who posted a -24 UZR last season ahead of the best defensive center fielder in the game no matter how good his offensive numbers are. And even when looking at his offensive numbers last season he struggled hitting .249/.310/.450 and was only worth .4 wins. The only reason he even made the top 10 is because of his 09' season and the fact that he is only 26 so i think he can turn it around. He has the ability offensively to hit close to .300 with 20+ home run power and 30+ stolen bases but will have to rebuild his value next year to move up. Kemp could be a second tier guy and maybe even a first tier but he will really need to turn things around next season.

10. Adam Jones (BAL)
Jones is one of those guys that i have always been on his bandwagon and have liked from his days as a top prospect. But he has yet to deliver on my expectations, that being said he is still a very good young center fielder. He is steadily improving each year and at the age of 25 still has plenty of time to put it all together. His career numbers arnt bad either with a career .274/.319/.427 line, he dosnt get on base enough and strikes out too much but provides some pop (.153 career ISO) and a solid average. He plays average defense (career -6 UZR) as he has good speed and a good arm but is below average in the other categories. His ceiling is not as high as many of us thought it would be put in his prime he should be a solid 2nd tier guy.

11. Grady Sizemore (CLE)
12. Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS)
13. Austin Jackson (DET)
14. Michael Bourn (HOU)

FOURTH TIER

15. Chris Young (ARI)
16. Vernon Wells (TOR)
17. Angel Pagan (NYM)
18. B.J. Upton (TB)
19. Marlon Byrd (CHC)
20. Andres Torres (SF)

Almost made the list-

Drew Stubbs, Denard Span

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Top 20 Second Baseman

After looking over my top 20 shortstops list i was very disappointed in myself. I left off some key players who had injury issues but were better than the some of the players lower on my list. So i hope i will redeem myself on this list of the top 20 second baseman where i tried to look much deeper into the stats. Also i am not including guys who i consider utility players on this list as later i will do a ranking of the best utility players.

1. Chase Utley (PHI)
While he may be heading towards the downside of his career and injuries are starting to hit him, he is still the best all around 2nd baseman in the game. He missed some time last year but his bat is still good (.275/.387/.445 line in 425 AB) and he still plays great defense with a 10.3 UZR. Many people may think that Robinson Cano has passed Chase Utley up, and with the bat he has but Utley is still the all around better player specifically when you compare their defense (Cano career -36.8 UZR, Utley career 80.1 UZR). But the gap is quickly closing as Utley is starting to regress and Cano is in his prime.

2. Robinson Cano (NYY)
As we discussed earlier Cano is the best offensive second baseman in the majors right now. He has some problems defensively although he does have a good arm. Not a typical middle infielder as he hits for excellent average (career .309/.347/.489) and power but lacks great speed on the base paths. Like Utley he is more of a middle of the order hitter but unlike Utley he is in the prime of his career with plenty of time to put up more awesome offensive numbers.

3. Dustin Pedroia (BOS)
He missed a lot of time due to injury last year but when healthy he is an elite second baseman. Unlike the 2 guys ahead of him he is more of a top of the order hitter (2 hole), he hits for a good average, has average power with good speed. He also plays good defense, maybe not as good as Utley but significantly better than Cano. He is good in almost every defensive category although he does lack a strong arm. He is a good all around second baseman who can be elite in terms of contact and defense but is average everywhere else.

4. Ian Kinsler (TEX)
Pedroia and him were neck and neck in my analysis but i gave the edge to Pedroia because he has an MVP to his credit. And similar to Pedroia, Kinsler was injured a lot last year but can put up elite offensive numbers for the position. Kinsler doesn't hit for as high of average as Pedroia but he does have more pop (career .281/.356/.466 line and in 09' he hit 31 home runs). Overall i like Kinsler's offensive game a little bit better than Pedroia's but Kinslers defense does not matchup to Pedroia at all. While Pedroia has a career 23.7 UZR, Kinsler has a -9.9 UZR. Kinsler does have more speed which gives him better range but hands are not as good as Pedroia and he is not as accurate. But all in all Kinsler is still and elite second baseman, he may lack great defense but he is an outstanding offensive second baseman.

5. Brandon Phillips (CIN)
The second tier was definitely the hardest to rank as all of the players are equally as good in my opinion. But in terms of all around ability and being a true second baseman Phillips is the best of the second tier. He has some issues offensively as he is not a great OBP guy but he does hit for a solid average and has some pop (career .267/.316/.430 line) and speed. What really sets him apart from the guys below him in this tier is his defense as he is the only one with a positive career UZR (8.1). As you are probably starting to see i tend to favor players who are skilled in multiple areas rather than big power guys or speed guys. The fans really like defense as his fan scouting ranks him as the top second baseman defensively, and he is not rated below a 70 (100 point scale) in any category.

6. Dan Uggla (ATL)
There were some players who put together all around better offensive numbers but none of them have put up those types of numbers consistently. Dan Uggla may not be a good fielder by any means and he may strike out too much but he is a consistent 30 HR power threat at a position that lacks that. He is in the heart of his prime years and so we will likely see this type of production for several more years. But as i said he is somewhat of a one dimensional player, his game revolves around power although he did put up a good average last year (.287/.369/.508 line in 10'). The biggest knock on Uggla's game is still his defense, i will always remember his 3 errors in his first all star game. The fans rate all of his defensive skills below 45 and he has a career UZR of -22. Uggla is a good power hitter but he probably should be playing third base.

7. Rickie Weeks (MIL)
He came back from injury in 09' to put up a career year as he hit .269/.366/.464 with 29 home runs. He is another slugging second baseman who struggles hitting for contact. But i would rate his defensive ability above Uggla's, while he has a career -24.8 UZR he did post a 1.8 UZR last season and has been around average the past few years. The only reason i rank Weeks behind Uggla is because Weeks has not consistently put up these numbers, but he is in his prime years so he may put up these numbers again.

8. Kelly Johnson (ARI)
Johnson is another guy who came out of nowhere to put up some pretty good power numbers. Johnson had put up solid numbers in 07' and 08' but fell out of favor in 09' with the Braves and was non tendered and the Diamondbacks signed him. He then went on to post a .284/.370/.496 line with 26 home runs. His numbers were way off from his career averages in terms of power so there has to be some regression but his strikeout numbers where higher than his career so he may have changed his approach (I haven't watched him so i don't know). He also put up good fielding numbers last season (7.1 UZR) and is in the prime of his career so we could see some more years like this. But as with Rickie Weeks he has not put up these numbers consistently so i cant rank him higher than this.

9. Orlando Hudson (FA)
There is a significant drop off after the second tier, not that Hudson is a bad ballplayer but he is nowhere near as good as the people ahead of him. Hudson has been a good hitter before but showed some regression last season as he has passed his prime years. He is still a guy who can hit around .270/.340/.370 and give you quality defense which can be hard to come by and somebody will give him some money for his skill. He still plays good defense as he had a 9.8 UZR last season and the fan scouting shows he is still a solid defender. The only major weakness in his game is his arm but everything else is near or above average. Hudson is a solid all around second baseman but is firmly in the third tier.

10. Brian Roberts (BAL)
He like Hudson is on the downside of his career but after coming back from injury he showed he can still play and seemed to get the Orioles offense going. He still provides a solid batting average, above average speed and a solid glove. He seems to have lost the power that he did have which is why is 10th on this list and really could go below him but his track record of success is what keeps him this high. As i have said before i think the most valuable guys are the ones that have the complete package and have a proven track record. Roberts defines all of those characteristics and at 33 I still think he has some gas in the tank to put up some solid seasons for the Orioles.

11. Aaron Hill (TOR)
12. Chone Figgins (SEA)
13. Mark Ellis (OAK)
14. Freddy Sanchez (SF)
15. Howie Kendrick (LAA)
16. Neil Walker (PIT)
17. Jeff Keppinger (HOU)
18. Gordon Beckham (CWS)
19. Ryan Theriot (STL)
20. Mike Aviles (KC)

That's my top 20 second baseman and look out for my top 20 center fielders tomorrow.