Welcome to my MLB Dream Job blog!
Scan through and you will find plenty of posts that I have created in the last couple of weeks as a portfolio for the MLB Dream Job. There are published baseball writing samples, as well as content I have developed recently covering spring training. I have also written extensively about all my experiences and how they relate to the candidate you are looking for. Take a look around and let me know if you have any questions.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
AL West Preview
1. Athletics
2. Rangers
3. Mariners
4. Angels
Not to toot my own horn, but I had this division on lock down last year by predicting the correct finish one through four. All that, despite most people having the Rangers and Athletics at the bottom of the division and the Mariners and Angels at the top. Bank on this year's AL West to be more balanced than last year.
1. Athletics - The one standout in this division is Oakland's pitching. Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Dallas Braden and Josh Outman form a formidable, young rotation. The lineup does not have a whole lot of offensive firepower, but the Athletics added Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui in the offseason. Even now, the offense does not strike fear into the hearts of pitchers, but it is not the liability it was in 2010.
2. Rangers - The defending AL Champion will continue to hit fireworks, but the pitching certainly takes a step back without Cliff Lee. Now the Rangers want Brandon Webb to fill some of the void, but not many pitchers have come back from similar shoulder surgeries successfully. Meanwhile, the Michael Young situation just feels like it could completely deteriorate and become a distraction.
3. Mariners - Great expectations were not met in 2010. Not even close. The good news is that this team has promising young talent in Michael Pineda and Dustin Ackley who can make a difference right off the bat. A quick look at Felix Hernandez's innings count might give pause, but as long as he holds up he can win several move Cy Youngs in his career. The bad news is that he can only start once every five days for a pitching-thin team.
4. Angels - Kendry Morales learned how not to celebrate a home run and the Angels' season spiraled downward after. In the offseason the team failed to woo Carl Crawford and had to settle to a trade that netted Vernon Wells. The veteran offense is complimented by a pitching staff anchored by Jered Weaver. No. 2 starter Dan Haren allowed nearly two hits more per inning in 2010 than he did in 2009. The rest of the pitching staff seems below average, leading one to believe this could be a middle of the road team.
2. Rangers
3. Mariners
4. Angels
Not to toot my own horn, but I had this division on lock down last year by predicting the correct finish one through four. All that, despite most people having the Rangers and Athletics at the bottom of the division and the Mariners and Angels at the top. Bank on this year's AL West to be more balanced than last year.
1. Athletics - The one standout in this division is Oakland's pitching. Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Dallas Braden and Josh Outman form a formidable, young rotation. The lineup does not have a whole lot of offensive firepower, but the Athletics added Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui in the offseason. Even now, the offense does not strike fear into the hearts of pitchers, but it is not the liability it was in 2010.
2. Rangers - The defending AL Champion will continue to hit fireworks, but the pitching certainly takes a step back without Cliff Lee. Now the Rangers want Brandon Webb to fill some of the void, but not many pitchers have come back from similar shoulder surgeries successfully. Meanwhile, the Michael Young situation just feels like it could completely deteriorate and become a distraction.
3. Mariners - Great expectations were not met in 2010. Not even close. The good news is that this team has promising young talent in Michael Pineda and Dustin Ackley who can make a difference right off the bat. A quick look at Felix Hernandez's innings count might give pause, but as long as he holds up he can win several move Cy Youngs in his career. The bad news is that he can only start once every five days for a pitching-thin team.
4. Angels - Kendry Morales learned how not to celebrate a home run and the Angels' season spiraled downward after. In the offseason the team failed to woo Carl Crawford and had to settle to a trade that netted Vernon Wells. The veteran offense is complimented by a pitching staff anchored by Jered Weaver. No. 2 starter Dan Haren allowed nearly two hits more per inning in 2010 than he did in 2009. The rest of the pitching staff seems below average, leading one to believe this could be a middle of the road team.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
I Appreciate These Kind Words, Braverman!
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is being written on behalf of Anthony Tynan; a former classmate and colleague, and one of my closest friends to date. While attending Ohio University, Anthony was instrumental in helping me carry out day-to-day obligations in both television and radio. Whether it be writing copy, editing audio or video or simply directing traffic in the newsroom, Anthony was always willing and never hesitant to put his best foot forward. As the former host of SportsBeat (WOUB AM-1340), I was able to not only choose my panel of guests, but also my co-host, and from working previously with Anthony on a multiple play-by-play broadcasts, he was the first and only person I approached for the job; his work ethic, attention to detail and communication skills clearly set him apart from the rest of the students vying for the position.
I am extremely lucky to still be able to call Anthony a friend to this day and know first hand how well he asserts himself within a working and family environment. He is an active member of the Columbus, Ohio community, a coach for various youth sports and camps and a truly humble and selfless individual, one that I am certain would excel as a part of Major League Baseball. Anthony's passion, knowledge, and wholehearted fandom has enabled him to work with Baseball America as well as Rotowire.com, and his marketing experience has allowed him to grasp the business of sports-media in addition to knowing how to produce accurate and engaging content. With a blog and the title of Fantasy Baseball Commissioner, Anthony has made Major League Baseball a priority in his life and I am certain he will do the same when he makes it to "The Show."
Like any budding prospect, all he needs is the call-up to the majors, and I would be happy to assist in any way possible; please feel free to contact me at the email address or phone number below at any time.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew Braverman
Patch.com
ESPNChicago.com
North Shore Sports, INC
(847) 421-6385
andrew.j.braverman@gmail.com
This letter is being written on behalf of Anthony Tynan; a former classmate and colleague, and one of my closest friends to date. While attending Ohio University, Anthony was instrumental in helping me carry out day-to-day obligations in both television and radio. Whether it be writing copy, editing audio or video or simply directing traffic in the newsroom, Anthony was always willing and never hesitant to put his best foot forward. As the former host of SportsBeat (WOUB AM-1340), I was able to not only choose my panel of guests, but also my co-host, and from working previously with Anthony on a multiple play-by-play broadcasts, he was the first and only person I approached for the job; his work ethic, attention to detail and communication skills clearly set him apart from the rest of the students vying for the position.
I am extremely lucky to still be able to call Anthony a friend to this day and know first hand how well he asserts himself within a working and family environment. He is an active member of the Columbus, Ohio community, a coach for various youth sports and camps and a truly humble and selfless individual, one that I am certain would excel as a part of Major League Baseball. Anthony's passion, knowledge, and wholehearted fandom has enabled him to work with Baseball America as well as Rotowire.com, and his marketing experience has allowed him to grasp the business of sports-media in addition to knowing how to produce accurate and engaging content. With a blog and the title of Fantasy Baseball Commissioner, Anthony has made Major League Baseball a priority in his life and I am certain he will do the same when he makes it to "The Show."
Like any budding prospect, all he needs is the call-up to the majors, and I would be happy to assist in any way possible; please feel free to contact me at the email address or phone number below at any time.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew Braverman
Patch.com
ESPNChicago.com
North Shore Sports, INC
(847) 421-6385
andrew.j.braverman@gmail.com
Monday, March 7, 2011
Fantasy Action
I run a fantasy baseball league composed almost entirely of my good friends. We are entering our second year of a dynasty league and tonight was our keeper deadline. I made a couple of moves and I can keep all of these players for 2011 at the same value.
Traded Hunter Pence ($12) for Casey McGehee ($1) and a third round pick in the supplemental draft that follows the auction. This pick will be either a key reserve or a quality minor leaguer.
Traded Adrian Gonzalez ($27), Jordan Zimmermann ($5) and Rickie Weeks ($6) for Cliff Lee ($21), Jason Heyward ($15) and Roy Oswalt ($5)
I'm really happy with the McGehee deal, but I can't figure out how much I like the second deal. Gonzalez was supposed to be untouchable for me, but I found out Heyward was supposed to be untouchable for my trade partner. Both players should be much better this year. I traded a very good value on Weeks and sold Zimmermann, but the opportunity to grab both Lee and Oswalt was one I could not pass up. Deadline deals are fun in these leagues!
That leaves me with the following eight keepers:
Casey McGehee ($1)
Ryan Braun ($40)
Nelson Cruz ($16)
Logan Morrison ($3)
Trevor Cahill ($5)
Roy Oswalt ($5)
Cliff Lee ($21)
Tim Hudson ($5)
Yes, I'm very pitching heavy and three of my four offensive players are outfielders. Neither one of those things is a good one. Truth be told, I did not have great keepers.
Among my non-keepers:
Chris Carpenter ($30)
Austin Jackson ($1)
Jose Valverde ($8)
Gordon Beckham ($14)
Travis Wood ($6)
I gave the most serious thought to Jackson, but I did not need another outfielder and my league also uses OPS, where he is weak. Beckham was on the radar and so was Wood.
Now it is time to begin prepping for the auction, which is just a week away. Anyone have any thoughts on my trades and keepers?
Traded Hunter Pence ($12) for Casey McGehee ($1) and a third round pick in the supplemental draft that follows the auction. This pick will be either a key reserve or a quality minor leaguer.
Traded Adrian Gonzalez ($27), Jordan Zimmermann ($5) and Rickie Weeks ($6) for Cliff Lee ($21), Jason Heyward ($15) and Roy Oswalt ($5)
I'm really happy with the McGehee deal, but I can't figure out how much I like the second deal. Gonzalez was supposed to be untouchable for me, but I found out Heyward was supposed to be untouchable for my trade partner. Both players should be much better this year. I traded a very good value on Weeks and sold Zimmermann, but the opportunity to grab both Lee and Oswalt was one I could not pass up. Deadline deals are fun in these leagues!
That leaves me with the following eight keepers:
Casey McGehee ($1)
Ryan Braun ($40)
Nelson Cruz ($16)
Logan Morrison ($3)
Trevor Cahill ($5)
Roy Oswalt ($5)
Cliff Lee ($21)
Tim Hudson ($5)
Yes, I'm very pitching heavy and three of my four offensive players are outfielders. Neither one of those things is a good one. Truth be told, I did not have great keepers.
Among my non-keepers:
Chris Carpenter ($30)
Austin Jackson ($1)
Jose Valverde ($8)
Gordon Beckham ($14)
Travis Wood ($6)
I gave the most serious thought to Jackson, but I did not need another outfielder and my league also uses OPS, where he is weak. Beckham was on the radar and so was Wood.
Now it is time to begin prepping for the auction, which is just a week away. Anyone have any thoughts on my trades and keepers?
Rotowire Samples: Player Updates
Here are some recent updates I posted today:
Zach Britton
RotoWire Headline:
Britton tossed three shutout innings against Yankees starters in Monday's spring training game, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out one.
Recommendation:
Britton drew raves from manager Buck Showalter, according to MASN Sports. "I want to see how they're going to handle each step, and this is another part of it," Showalter said. "He pitched in Bowie and Norfolk, and now he's pitching in a big league game in spring training. It's part of the process. Instead of keeping him from that, I want to expose him to it and see how they're going to handle it. I thought Zach handled it well tonight." This could be a big step forward in a bid to make the rotation out of spring training, but it is still like the Orioles want to limit him to a June promotion because of the arbitration clock.
Jeremy Accardo
RotoWire Headline:
Accardo has gone four scoreless innings with the Orioles this spring, including two shutout innings in relief on Monday.
Receommendation:
He was stretched out to throw the two innings, according to MASN Sports. Manager Buck Showalter wants Accardo to be able to go more than one inning when necessary, a strong indication that he fits more of a middle relief profile.
Kevin Gregg
RotoWire Headline:
Gregg pitched a 1-2-3 inning in Monday's spring training tie against the Yankees.
Recommendation:
Gregg seems like the easy choice to close, losing most of his competition when Koji Uehara was shelved almost a week ago. Gregg has thrown three shutout innings with three strikeouts this spring.
Chris Tillman
RotoWire Headline:
Tillman allowed three runs in three innings against the Red Sox in Monday's Grapefruit League game.
Recommendation:
Tillman allowed all three runs in the first inning, but settled down from there. He is not doing himself any favors in trying to win a rotation spot. Zach Britton three three shutout innings in the other split squad game and if he continues to pitch this well he may make the team out of camp instead of Tillman.
Zach Britton
RotoWire Headline:
Britton tossed three shutout innings against Yankees starters in Monday's spring training game, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out one.
Recommendation:
Britton drew raves from manager Buck Showalter, according to MASN Sports. "I want to see how they're going to handle each step, and this is another part of it," Showalter said. "He pitched in Bowie and Norfolk, and now he's pitching in a big league game in spring training. It's part of the process. Instead of keeping him from that, I want to expose him to it and see how they're going to handle it. I thought Zach handled it well tonight." This could be a big step forward in a bid to make the rotation out of spring training, but it is still like the Orioles want to limit him to a June promotion because of the arbitration clock.
Jeremy Accardo
RotoWire Headline:
Accardo has gone four scoreless innings with the Orioles this spring, including two shutout innings in relief on Monday.
Receommendation:
He was stretched out to throw the two innings, according to MASN Sports. Manager Buck Showalter wants Accardo to be able to go more than one inning when necessary, a strong indication that he fits more of a middle relief profile.
Kevin Gregg
RotoWire Headline:
Gregg pitched a 1-2-3 inning in Monday's spring training tie against the Yankees.
Recommendation:
Gregg seems like the easy choice to close, losing most of his competition when Koji Uehara was shelved almost a week ago. Gregg has thrown three shutout innings with three strikeouts this spring.
Chris Tillman
RotoWire Headline:
Tillman allowed three runs in three innings against the Red Sox in Monday's Grapefruit League game.
Recommendation:
Tillman allowed all three runs in the first inning, but settled down from there. He is not doing himself any favors in trying to win a rotation spot. Zach Britton three three shutout innings in the other split squad game and if he continues to pitch this well he may make the team out of camp instead of Tillman.
Rotowire Sample: Orioles 2011 Preview
Being stuck in the same division as the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays has not been kind to the Orioles in recent years. A decent Blue Jays team further compounded Baltimore’s misery in 2010. Some would call it an accomplishment that the Orioles finished with the fourth worst record in the majors.
Things went wrong from the start. Brian Roberts was hampered by injuries that were rooted in spring training and nagged all season. Kevin Millwood began the season with an abominable line and did not improve. Nick Markakis had a down year. Matt Wieters failed to take the throne as the next great hitting catcher. The coveted pitching prospects disappointed. Indeed, it was a challenging year.
To put it bluntly, the Orioles probably won’t win the division in 2011 either. The goal now is to develop a nucleus that will be around for years to come and to start contending in the near future following the Rays' organizational model. Markakis and perhaps Adam Jones seem like the two pieces that are in place. Now it is up to Wieters, Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta to build a foundation.
Baltimore utilized both the trade market and free agency in an effort to put a decent product on the field this year. The corner infield spots are much better than they were a year ago and the bullpen is a bit deeper. There was no splash in the rotation, but the plan now is to let the youngsters continue to develop since they have already proven everything they can in the minor leagues.
Offseason Moves:
Traded David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Mark Reynolds
Desperately needing corner infielders, the Orioles sacrificed some pitching depth to get the slugging third baseman Reynolds. Some say either Hernandez or Mickolio could turn into a closer some day, but both are overdue in producing in a consistent role (although Hernandez made a smooth transition to the bullpen from the rotation last season). Reynolds failed to break his own single-season strikeout record (223), but he eclipsed the 200-whiff mark for the third consecutive season while hacking his way to a .198 average thanks to a 58 percent contact rate and surprisingly low .262 BABIP. Fortunately, there is at least some silver lining in that he was playing hurt throughout the season as a lingering quad injury, hand and wrist ailments, as well a concussion limited him at various points last season.
Signed Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year deal.
Guerrero gave Texas everything they could have reasonably expected, as Vlad managed to remain healthy and eclipsed the 150-game and 100-RBI barrier for the first time since 2007. It's his poor numbers (.278/.322/.426 and just nine home runs) after the All-Star break that had the Rangers balking at offseason demands for a two-year contract. Guerrero finally landed with the Orioles after he could find no other takers for his salary demands. The signing moves Luke Scott to left field and sends Felix Pie to the bench as the fourth outfielder.
Signed Derrek Lee to a one-year deal.
Lee got off to a slow start, hitting .205 in April and then put up arguably the worst stretch of his career since he became an everyday regular. He hit just .251/.335/.416 with 16 home runs with the Cubs before he was traded to Atlanta in August. He turned his season around by hitting .287/.384/.465 with the Braves. While Lee dealt with a bulging disk in his back with the Cubs, he also played with a torn ligament in his right thumb after he was traded to Atlanta. Lee still has the skill set to be a productive regular at first base as he draws walks at a good rate and hits for power. Injuries and a low BAPIP rate (.309 compared to .321 career average) may have played a part. Still, his power may never rebound to the 35-homer season of 2009. However, he could offer decent value after signing with Baltimore if others think he's washed up at age 35.
Signed Justin Duchscherer to a one-year deal.
Duchscherer was once again limited by injuries with continued hip and back problems being the culprit this time. If healthy, Duchscherer brings some sense of stability to the rotation, but those injury concerns certainly linger. He should be the No. 3 starter. If he can produce anything close to his 2008 line at 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 22 starts, it would be a victory for the Orioles.
Signed Kevin Gregg to a two-year deal.
Gregg inherited the closer's role last season after a couple of shaky outings from Jason Frasor in April and recorded a career-high 37 saves as a result. His overall numbers kept him from joining the elite closers, but his cheap draft-day price tag made that easy to swallow for most owners. He'll likely find his way into the ninth inning again in Baltimore given Koji Uehara's injury history and the fact that he has 121 saves over the last four years.
Signed Jeremy Accardo and signed Mitch Atkins to a minor league contract
Accardo saved 30 games in 2007 while B.J. Ryan was hurt, but he has had just one good season since. He had a 3.48 ERA and 24 saves in 42 games in Triple-A in 2010. Baltimore snatched him up in the offseason to shore up its middle relief. Atkins will fight for a spot as a swing reliever who can make a spot start. The bullpen’s outlook is crowded, so starting the season in Triple-A is more than likely.
Re-signed Koji Uehara and Mark Hendrickson
Uehara missed most of the first half of the season, but he was well worth the wait. He had a 2.86 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and 13 saves in 43 games. Though he is not a power pitcher, he struck out 55 in 44 innings. Despite Uehara’s success in 2010, Kevin Gregg enters spring training as the favorite to close. Hendrickson will return to a long relief role or serve as a left-handed specialist.
Traded Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson to the Minnesota Twins for JJ Hardy and Brendan Harris
Looking for an upgrade over Cesar Izturis at shortstop, the Orioles made a move to get Hardy. Hardy spent six weeks on the DL after hurting his left wrist while sliding in early May and it remained a problem all season. When healthy he was productive (.714 OPS) while putting up his usual strong defense (8.1 UZR last season). He also posted a .791 OPS in September when his wrist was finally close to full strength. Hardy has power and the move away from Target Field could make him a bargain, but he'll need to stay healthy. Jacobsen is an interesting pitching prospect that never had the buzz of the organization’s top tier pitchers. It seems the Orioles knew they could get something for Hoey when they added him to the 40-man roster after the season, rather than letting him go.
Signed Randy Winn to a minor league contract
Winn's downward spiral continued in 2010 as first the Yankees and then the Cardinals realized he doesn't have much left in the tank anymore. As recently as 2008, he had 10 homers, 25 stolen bases and a .306 batting average, but since the calendar turned to 2009, Winn has been one of the worst offensive outfielders in the league. He will have to overcome Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold to win a spot as the fourth outfielder, or a fifth if the Orioles keep five.
Re-signed Cesar Izturis
Izturis still has a career because of his glove, not his bat and 2010 was no exception to his pathetic display at the plate (it's rare that a player posts a lower slugging percentage than on-base percentage given more than 500 plate appearances, but Izturis achieved that feat). The Orioles won't give him everyday at-bats with the acquisition of J.J. Hardy, and the cheap 20 steals he used to deliver withered away even before he was forced into a part-time role.
Projected Lineup/Rotation
Lineup (vs. RH/vs. LH)
1. 2B Brian Roberts
2. RF Nick Markakis
3. 1B Derrek Lee
4. DH Vladimir Guerrero
5. 3B Mark Reynolds
6. LF Luke Scott
7. CF Adam Jones
8. C Matt Wieters
9. SS J.J. Hardy
It seems every year the Orioles release a lineup that has young talent and they sign a couple of veterans past their prime to try to keep things competitive. We aren’t here to scream about how the team could have bankrolled Vladimir Guerrero’s contract to use it when the team is competitive or invested it in the draft. The truth is this lineup just might actually work.
Lee and Guerrero may have already seen their best years, but consider that this lineup was banking on similar contributions from Miguel Tejada and Garrett Atkins last year. That type of veteran infusion is enough to push Nick Markakis to the No. 2 spot, where he can use his solid on-base skills in front of the meat of the order. Mark Reynolds and Luke Scott have plenty of pop to offer in the middle of the order. Either Scott or the developing Adam Jones could wind up batting sixth. Matt Wieters remains a wild card, but it doesn’t look like he will be the juggernaut many were expecting as his OPS sat at just .695 in 130 games.
Rotation:
1. Jeremy Guthrie
2. Brian Matusz
3. Justin Duchscherer
4/5. Jake Arrieta/Chris Tillman/Bradley Bergesen/Zach Britton
The lone departure is Kevin Millwood following his horrendous season. Guthrie’s “ace” status is relative considering he is not better than many other No. 1’s in baseball, let alone 2’s and 3’s. His poor strikeout ratio (119 K in 209.1 IP) causes him to lose fantasy value and it was just two seasons ago that he put up a 5.04 ERA and 1.420 WHIP. Matusz posted a league average ERA as a rookie in a tough division, but his strikeout rate (7.3 K/9IP) fell while his walk rate (3.2 BB/9IP) rose. However, he really shined at the end of the season, posting a 2.17 ERA and 1.032 WHIP from August-October.
With Duchscherer joining the team as the likely third starter, there are two rotation spots open. Arrieta and Tillman were top pitching prospects and made 29 starts between the two of them, but neither one saw much success. Arrieta couldn’t translate his minor league strikeouts (4.7 K/9 IP) to his 18 MLB starts (5.8 K/9IP) and posted a 52:48 K:BB ratio in 100.2 innings. Tillman faced a different problem. Despite displaying control in Triple-A (2.2 BB/9IP), he was wild with the Orioles (5.2 BB/9IP). Like Arrieta, Tillman had a lousy K:BB ratio at 31:30, a reason both were shuttled back and forth from Triple-A.
While Arrieta and Tillman are the favorites for the final rotation spots, Bradley Bergesen and Zach Britton try to unseat them. Bergesen spent almost the entire season with the Orioles, making 28 starts. After allowing 11 home runs in 123.1 innings in 2009, he was more prone to the long ball in 2010, giving up 26 dingers in 170 innings. He is a control pitcher who plays to contact, but like Guthrie, he will never be a strikeout pitcher and it makes him marginal at best in fantasy. Britton is the latest pitching prospect to emerge from the system and he put up a 2.70 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in 27 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A. He allowed just seven home runs on the season, so expect him to run into a learning curve when he faces major league power. It is more likely Britton starts in Triple-A and is called up midseason.
Rick VandenHurk and Troy Patton are extreme dark horses to crack the rotation this spring, and both more likely to handle relief roles.
CL: Kevin Gregg
Gregg will enter as the favorite to close, but there is closing experience all over the place. Koji Uehara had the best 2010 of any of the relievers and he should be the primary setup man. Then there is Mike Gonzalez, who spent plenty of 2010 on the shelf with a shoulder problem that lowered his velocity. It seems as though the velocity returned later in the season, which eases his outlook for now. Meanwhile, Jeremy Accardo and Jim Johnson also have closing experience, but they should be forced back to middle relief given the better qualifications of the aforementioned pitchers.
Notes of Import, Fantasy and Otherwise:
Can newcomers Derrek Lee, Mark Reynolds and Vladimir Guerrero put up fantasy worthy numbers with the Orioles?
Lee and Reynolds should be much more productive offensively than Garrett Atkins and Miguel Tejada were at the corner-infield spots a year ago. However, Lee and Guerrero should be on the downswing of their careers and banking on their hay days is not advised. The usual injury concerns follow both players. In the last two years, each player put together one good half-season and they did it with a better offense around them. Reynolds' power should remain consistent moving into Camden Yards, but his batting average will likely be something to overcome.
What can we make of Matt Wieters?
A very productive September in 2009 made Wieters a hot commodity on draft day and few players ended up as much of a disappointment as he did in 2010. He never hit .300 or more than three home runs in a month. That means he will come cheaper on draft day this year and it could be the time to buy. Unfortunately, his expectations as a superstar do seem to be a bit premature as of now.
The Orioles may be active in trade talks this summer. What do we need to know about how this could impact both potential trade chips and the players who could see playing time as a result?
Lee and Guerrero jump off the page as eventual trade candidates, unless the Orioles are in the thick of the playoff race come July. That could mean Brandon Snyder and Josh Bell could find another audition in the second half of the season. Keep in mind that if Luke Scott is moved, he will likely take on a bench role elsewhere. That type of move could pave the way for Felix Pie or Nolan Reimold in left field.
Will Nick Markakis rebound?
The phrase “model of consistency” and the name “Markakis” were known to be synonymous prior to his subpar 2010 season. Historically, his strongest month is August, but he hit just .257 with one home run for the month. On the season, most of his numbers quietly stayed around his career norm with the exception of his 12 home runs, the lowest output in his five seasons. He will get a lot more protection this season with the help of Derrek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero and Mark Reynolds. However, it will be tough for Markakis to get to his normal RBI range assuming he hits second in the order as expected.
Should anyone from the rotation be drafted in standard leagues?
Jeremy Guthrie, Brian Matusz and Justin Duchscherer should not be overlooked completely, but each of the three is associated with a certain risk. Guthrie had a 2.76 ERA and 0.990 WHIP in the second half, but his on-the-field successes are often outweighed in fantasy by a weak strikeout rate and low win totals on a poor Orioles team. In Duchscherer’s case, he has accumulated a 2.60 ERA and 1.055 WHIP in 27 starts, but that is over three injury riddled seasons. Matusz closed 2010 with nine quality starts in 10 turns (leaving out a start in which he left after one inning with an injury concern). It is just one half of a season and Matusz is young, but the future looks bright.
Strengths
A young core in the lineup now blends with legit offensive capability in the offseason acquisitions. There is still a solid young nucleus of pitchers, but it is time for Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta to prove something at the MLB level.
Weaknesses
There is no superstar in his prime in the lineup. The rotation has some room for improvement, but it can't stand up against division rivals. Several minor league prospects have emerged over the last couple of seasons, but Zach Britton is the only minor league player capable of making a real splash in the near future.
Sleepers
Rising: Luke Scott – There would have been more reason to be excited about Scott had the team not signed Vladimir Guerrero. Now Scott could end up hitting as low as eighth in the order. He has averaged 25 home runs over the last three years despite an average of just 457 at-bats per season and in 2010 he pushed his OPS to .902. Besides the question of where he belongs in the batting order, Scott was probably above his head with that .284 average and as a late bloomer he is already 32 years old. Still, that discount power is worth a late round pickup.
Declining: Brian Roberts – Various ailments, primarily his back, prevented Roberts from getting in all but 59 games in 2010. He still showed a propensity to steal (12 SB), but he slugged just .391, well below his 2005-2009 seasons when he averaged a .452 percentage. He is 33 years old this season and back injuries never seem to go away completely.
Sleeper: Nick Markakis – Last season was a down year for Markakis, right? Just 12 home runs and 60 RBI on the year. Don’t be so sure. He actually managed to increase his lines to .297/.370/.805 (OPS), though his slugging percentage dropped from .453 to .436. Now consider how bad the offense around him was. Brian Roberts was not there to set the table, while both Miguel Tejada and Garrett Atkins disappointed behind him. Even if Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero disappoint, it is difficult to believe Markakis would not get back to his usual productivity. However, keep in mind he will not see as many RBI opportunities in the No. 2 spot in the order.
Supersleeper: Nolan Reimold – After being sent to Triple-A following what seemed like a breakout 2009, Reimold managed just a .249 average and 10 home runs in 337 at-bats. Things didn’t go any better when the Orioles recalled him late in the season as he slugged just .610 in 116 at-bats with the Orioles. To make matters worse, left field is more crowded than ever with Luke Scott, Felix Pie and Randy Winn seemingly ahead of him on the depth chart. However, Scott could be trade bait, Pie has not exactly set the world on fire offensively and Winn is in a huge decline.
Roster
Here’s the rundown on the rest of the team not mentioned above.
Robert Andino – Andino gives the Orioles depth in the middle infield, but he spent most of the 2010 season in Triple-A. A September audition didn't go too badly, but the Orioles traded for J.J. Hardy to address their organizational need at shortstop. Don't bank on Andino as a starter, as the Orioles are not sold on him in an everyday role. His .226/.275/.318 line over 403 career big league at-bats should say enough about why you should avoid him.
Josh Bell – Bell showed slight improvement in the minors against left-handed pitching, a matchup that has been a big concern as he has developed. Still, the Orioles lost faith in him during the season after he didn't overwhelm at Triple-A, and he hit just above the Mendoza Line in more than 150 at-bats with the big club while striking out in a third of them. The Mark Reynolds trade certainly does not do Bell any favors and it looks like a full season at Triple-A could be on tap while he attempts to improve his plate discipline.
Bradley Bergesen – Bergesen was a pleasant surprise in 2009, but he struggled from the outset in 2010. As a control pitcher, Bergesen relies on getting players out with the ball in play. However, he allowed 26 home runs in 2010, the same number as he gave up throughout several levels in the previous two seasons combined. With the organization stocked on starters the Orioles may try to convert him into a long reliever, where his arsenal could be a better fit given his ability to induce groundballs, but he doesn't miss enough bats to project into a high-leverage role.
Jason Berken – The Orioles converted Berken into a reliever in 2010 and he really seemed to catch on. In fact, Berken may have been the most valuable pitcher on the staff in the first half as he racked up a 1.95 ERA in 32 games before the All-Star break. Shortly after the break, his shoulder became a bother and he had to be shut down early. Look for Berken to jump back into long relief, but his shoulder may not be conditioned properly for his new role.
Jake Fox – Fox is a roster wild card, but he is hurt by the fact the Orioles don’t need a third catcher. He can play anywhere, but the Orioles don’t have a need for a super utility player given they expect to have flexibility from others on the roster.
Troy Patton – In the time since the Orioles obtained Patton for Miguel Tejada, the team again signed Tejada and again traded him, all before Patton finally threw at the MLB level. That’s why teams don’t take on players despite known injury issues. Patton is an extreme long shot for the rotation and it looks more likely he will be a bullpen guy in the future.
Felix Pie – Pie is the fourth outfielder now, though he should see frequent at-bats. Luke Scott tends to see frequent days off and Vladimir Guerrero may see rest periods too. Last year was supposed to be a critical season in Pie's development, but a significant shoulder injury in April lost half of his season. When he returned, Pie stagnated at the plate, walking just 13 times in 288 at-bats. The comparisons to Corey Patterson remain pertinent, though Pie hasn't yet hit for the same power that Patterson once displayed.
Alfredo Simon – Simon is facing accusations that he murdered someone in the Dominican Republic this winter and it seems almost certain he won’t be back in the U.S. this season.
Brandon Snyder – With Derrek Lee and Luke Scott on the club, there won’t be any need for Snyder at the big league level. He is 24 now and it feels like a make or break season. His 2010 season at Triple-A Norfolk was especially stagnant in the power department as he slugged just .407 in 339 at-bats.
Craig Tatum – Tatum served as a capable backup to Matt Wieters, but the Orioles also used Jake Fox as a backup and sent Tatum down to Triple-A for a time. It is unlikely he will ever see starting time with the Orioles, but he should be able to stick around as a backup for defensive reasons.
Rick VandenHurk – VandenHurk doesn’t have any options left, so he could be released if he doesn’t make the roster. He has a lot of work to do if he wants to make the rotation and long relief is a better bet.
Pedro Viola – Viola hopes to be a lefty specialist, but it is a crowded bullpen in middle relief and he may not make the roster.
Top Prospects
Manny Machado – He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 draft and has drawn A-Rod comparisons. That’s a bit lofty, but he is a prime keeper candidate if you can wait a few years. Those lofty projections include hitting for average and 20-homer power. Consider him the best hitter out of high school in last year’s draft class.
Zach Britton – See ROTATION above.
Mychal Givens – A big dropoff in the organizational rankings after Britton. Givens may slide to second base now that Machado is the shortstop of the future, but his bat may not be good enough to be an MLB regular. He barely got his feet wet in 2010, hitting .286 with three home runs in 84 at-bats throughout four low minor league levels.
L.J. Hoes – After surprisingly signing Hoes over slot out of high school, he hit .290 and topped out with a few games at Double-A in 2010. He will need some fine tuning in High-A before making a jump and it doesn’t look like he will have much power to speak of.
Xavier Avery – Avery was a second round pick in 2008 and he has plenty of speed, swiping 28 bags in 52 attemptes between High-A and Double-A. He needs to develop some power in order to get a shot in Baltimore’s outfield some day after hitting just seven all season.
Dan Klein – Klein could move through the organization quickly as a reliever out of UCLA. He had ten strikeouts in 5.1 innings in a brief debut in the New York-Penn League and could be Baltimore’s new closer in waiting.
Wynn Pelzer – Pelzer made a nice organizational leap to Double-A, but he is 24 years old and may wind up as a reliever. With 103 strikeouts in 114.1 innings in 2010, he is one of the few power pitching prospects in the organization. However, a 4.25 ERA and 1.65 WHIP at levels no higher than Double-A are cause for concern.
Ryan Berry – The Orioles want Berry to continue to progress as a starter and he impressed in Low-A and High-A. He compiled a 3.22 ERA and 1.21 at the two levels and even saved a couple of games in relief at the end of the season. Look for the 22-year old out of Rice to get to Triple-A this year.
Ryan Adams – Adams could get a call later in the season. He hit .298 with 15 home runs in Double-A in 2010 and should be pegged to start in Triple-A this spring. Still, it is doubtful the Orioles view him as a long term option to replace Brian Roberts.
Matt Hobgood – Hobgood was an unimpressive pick for a first round selection in 2009. He had a ho-hum line in Low-A with a 4.40 ERA. A shoulder issue means he won’t start throwing until this May at the earliest and that is obviously not a good sign.
Things went wrong from the start. Brian Roberts was hampered by injuries that were rooted in spring training and nagged all season. Kevin Millwood began the season with an abominable line and did not improve. Nick Markakis had a down year. Matt Wieters failed to take the throne as the next great hitting catcher. The coveted pitching prospects disappointed. Indeed, it was a challenging year.
To put it bluntly, the Orioles probably won’t win the division in 2011 either. The goal now is to develop a nucleus that will be around for years to come and to start contending in the near future following the Rays' organizational model. Markakis and perhaps Adam Jones seem like the two pieces that are in place. Now it is up to Wieters, Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta to build a foundation.
Baltimore utilized both the trade market and free agency in an effort to put a decent product on the field this year. The corner infield spots are much better than they were a year ago and the bullpen is a bit deeper. There was no splash in the rotation, but the plan now is to let the youngsters continue to develop since they have already proven everything they can in the minor leagues.
Offseason Moves:
Traded David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Mark Reynolds
Desperately needing corner infielders, the Orioles sacrificed some pitching depth to get the slugging third baseman Reynolds. Some say either Hernandez or Mickolio could turn into a closer some day, but both are overdue in producing in a consistent role (although Hernandez made a smooth transition to the bullpen from the rotation last season). Reynolds failed to break his own single-season strikeout record (223), but he eclipsed the 200-whiff mark for the third consecutive season while hacking his way to a .198 average thanks to a 58 percent contact rate and surprisingly low .262 BABIP. Fortunately, there is at least some silver lining in that he was playing hurt throughout the season as a lingering quad injury, hand and wrist ailments, as well a concussion limited him at various points last season.
Signed Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year deal.
Guerrero gave Texas everything they could have reasonably expected, as Vlad managed to remain healthy and eclipsed the 150-game and 100-RBI barrier for the first time since 2007. It's his poor numbers (.278/.322/.426 and just nine home runs) after the All-Star break that had the Rangers balking at offseason demands for a two-year contract. Guerrero finally landed with the Orioles after he could find no other takers for his salary demands. The signing moves Luke Scott to left field and sends Felix Pie to the bench as the fourth outfielder.
Signed Derrek Lee to a one-year deal.
Lee got off to a slow start, hitting .205 in April and then put up arguably the worst stretch of his career since he became an everyday regular. He hit just .251/.335/.416 with 16 home runs with the Cubs before he was traded to Atlanta in August. He turned his season around by hitting .287/.384/.465 with the Braves. While Lee dealt with a bulging disk in his back with the Cubs, he also played with a torn ligament in his right thumb after he was traded to Atlanta. Lee still has the skill set to be a productive regular at first base as he draws walks at a good rate and hits for power. Injuries and a low BAPIP rate (.309 compared to .321 career average) may have played a part. Still, his power may never rebound to the 35-homer season of 2009. However, he could offer decent value after signing with Baltimore if others think he's washed up at age 35.
Signed Justin Duchscherer to a one-year deal.
Duchscherer was once again limited by injuries with continued hip and back problems being the culprit this time. If healthy, Duchscherer brings some sense of stability to the rotation, but those injury concerns certainly linger. He should be the No. 3 starter. If he can produce anything close to his 2008 line at 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 22 starts, it would be a victory for the Orioles.
Signed Kevin Gregg to a two-year deal.
Gregg inherited the closer's role last season after a couple of shaky outings from Jason Frasor in April and recorded a career-high 37 saves as a result. His overall numbers kept him from joining the elite closers, but his cheap draft-day price tag made that easy to swallow for most owners. He'll likely find his way into the ninth inning again in Baltimore given Koji Uehara's injury history and the fact that he has 121 saves over the last four years.
Signed Jeremy Accardo and signed Mitch Atkins to a minor league contract
Accardo saved 30 games in 2007 while B.J. Ryan was hurt, but he has had just one good season since. He had a 3.48 ERA and 24 saves in 42 games in Triple-A in 2010. Baltimore snatched him up in the offseason to shore up its middle relief. Atkins will fight for a spot as a swing reliever who can make a spot start. The bullpen’s outlook is crowded, so starting the season in Triple-A is more than likely.
Re-signed Koji Uehara and Mark Hendrickson
Uehara missed most of the first half of the season, but he was well worth the wait. He had a 2.86 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and 13 saves in 43 games. Though he is not a power pitcher, he struck out 55 in 44 innings. Despite Uehara’s success in 2010, Kevin Gregg enters spring training as the favorite to close. Hendrickson will return to a long relief role or serve as a left-handed specialist.
Traded Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson to the Minnesota Twins for JJ Hardy and Brendan Harris
Looking for an upgrade over Cesar Izturis at shortstop, the Orioles made a move to get Hardy. Hardy spent six weeks on the DL after hurting his left wrist while sliding in early May and it remained a problem all season. When healthy he was productive (.714 OPS) while putting up his usual strong defense (8.1 UZR last season). He also posted a .791 OPS in September when his wrist was finally close to full strength. Hardy has power and the move away from Target Field could make him a bargain, but he'll need to stay healthy. Jacobsen is an interesting pitching prospect that never had the buzz of the organization’s top tier pitchers. It seems the Orioles knew they could get something for Hoey when they added him to the 40-man roster after the season, rather than letting him go.
Signed Randy Winn to a minor league contract
Winn's downward spiral continued in 2010 as first the Yankees and then the Cardinals realized he doesn't have much left in the tank anymore. As recently as 2008, he had 10 homers, 25 stolen bases and a .306 batting average, but since the calendar turned to 2009, Winn has been one of the worst offensive outfielders in the league. He will have to overcome Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold to win a spot as the fourth outfielder, or a fifth if the Orioles keep five.
Re-signed Cesar Izturis
Izturis still has a career because of his glove, not his bat and 2010 was no exception to his pathetic display at the plate (it's rare that a player posts a lower slugging percentage than on-base percentage given more than 500 plate appearances, but Izturis achieved that feat). The Orioles won't give him everyday at-bats with the acquisition of J.J. Hardy, and the cheap 20 steals he used to deliver withered away even before he was forced into a part-time role.
Projected Lineup/Rotation
Lineup (vs. RH/vs. LH)
1. 2B Brian Roberts
2. RF Nick Markakis
3. 1B Derrek Lee
4. DH Vladimir Guerrero
5. 3B Mark Reynolds
6. LF Luke Scott
7. CF Adam Jones
8. C Matt Wieters
9. SS J.J. Hardy
It seems every year the Orioles release a lineup that has young talent and they sign a couple of veterans past their prime to try to keep things competitive. We aren’t here to scream about how the team could have bankrolled Vladimir Guerrero’s contract to use it when the team is competitive or invested it in the draft. The truth is this lineup just might actually work.
Lee and Guerrero may have already seen their best years, but consider that this lineup was banking on similar contributions from Miguel Tejada and Garrett Atkins last year. That type of veteran infusion is enough to push Nick Markakis to the No. 2 spot, where he can use his solid on-base skills in front of the meat of the order. Mark Reynolds and Luke Scott have plenty of pop to offer in the middle of the order. Either Scott or the developing Adam Jones could wind up batting sixth. Matt Wieters remains a wild card, but it doesn’t look like he will be the juggernaut many were expecting as his OPS sat at just .695 in 130 games.
Rotation:
1. Jeremy Guthrie
2. Brian Matusz
3. Justin Duchscherer
4/5. Jake Arrieta/Chris Tillman/Bradley Bergesen/Zach Britton
The lone departure is Kevin Millwood following his horrendous season. Guthrie’s “ace” status is relative considering he is not better than many other No. 1’s in baseball, let alone 2’s and 3’s. His poor strikeout ratio (119 K in 209.1 IP) causes him to lose fantasy value and it was just two seasons ago that he put up a 5.04 ERA and 1.420 WHIP. Matusz posted a league average ERA as a rookie in a tough division, but his strikeout rate (7.3 K/9IP) fell while his walk rate (3.2 BB/9IP) rose. However, he really shined at the end of the season, posting a 2.17 ERA and 1.032 WHIP from August-October.
With Duchscherer joining the team as the likely third starter, there are two rotation spots open. Arrieta and Tillman were top pitching prospects and made 29 starts between the two of them, but neither one saw much success. Arrieta couldn’t translate his minor league strikeouts (4.7 K/9 IP) to his 18 MLB starts (5.8 K/9IP) and posted a 52:48 K:BB ratio in 100.2 innings. Tillman faced a different problem. Despite displaying control in Triple-A (2.2 BB/9IP), he was wild with the Orioles (5.2 BB/9IP). Like Arrieta, Tillman had a lousy K:BB ratio at 31:30, a reason both were shuttled back and forth from Triple-A.
While Arrieta and Tillman are the favorites for the final rotation spots, Bradley Bergesen and Zach Britton try to unseat them. Bergesen spent almost the entire season with the Orioles, making 28 starts. After allowing 11 home runs in 123.1 innings in 2009, he was more prone to the long ball in 2010, giving up 26 dingers in 170 innings. He is a control pitcher who plays to contact, but like Guthrie, he will never be a strikeout pitcher and it makes him marginal at best in fantasy. Britton is the latest pitching prospect to emerge from the system and he put up a 2.70 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in 27 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A. He allowed just seven home runs on the season, so expect him to run into a learning curve when he faces major league power. It is more likely Britton starts in Triple-A and is called up midseason.
Rick VandenHurk and Troy Patton are extreme dark horses to crack the rotation this spring, and both more likely to handle relief roles.
CL: Kevin Gregg
Gregg will enter as the favorite to close, but there is closing experience all over the place. Koji Uehara had the best 2010 of any of the relievers and he should be the primary setup man. Then there is Mike Gonzalez, who spent plenty of 2010 on the shelf with a shoulder problem that lowered his velocity. It seems as though the velocity returned later in the season, which eases his outlook for now. Meanwhile, Jeremy Accardo and Jim Johnson also have closing experience, but they should be forced back to middle relief given the better qualifications of the aforementioned pitchers.
Notes of Import, Fantasy and Otherwise:
Can newcomers Derrek Lee, Mark Reynolds and Vladimir Guerrero put up fantasy worthy numbers with the Orioles?
Lee and Reynolds should be much more productive offensively than Garrett Atkins and Miguel Tejada were at the corner-infield spots a year ago. However, Lee and Guerrero should be on the downswing of their careers and banking on their hay days is not advised. The usual injury concerns follow both players. In the last two years, each player put together one good half-season and they did it with a better offense around them. Reynolds' power should remain consistent moving into Camden Yards, but his batting average will likely be something to overcome.
What can we make of Matt Wieters?
A very productive September in 2009 made Wieters a hot commodity on draft day and few players ended up as much of a disappointment as he did in 2010. He never hit .300 or more than three home runs in a month. That means he will come cheaper on draft day this year and it could be the time to buy. Unfortunately, his expectations as a superstar do seem to be a bit premature as of now.
The Orioles may be active in trade talks this summer. What do we need to know about how this could impact both potential trade chips and the players who could see playing time as a result?
Lee and Guerrero jump off the page as eventual trade candidates, unless the Orioles are in the thick of the playoff race come July. That could mean Brandon Snyder and Josh Bell could find another audition in the second half of the season. Keep in mind that if Luke Scott is moved, he will likely take on a bench role elsewhere. That type of move could pave the way for Felix Pie or Nolan Reimold in left field.
Will Nick Markakis rebound?
The phrase “model of consistency” and the name “Markakis” were known to be synonymous prior to his subpar 2010 season. Historically, his strongest month is August, but he hit just .257 with one home run for the month. On the season, most of his numbers quietly stayed around his career norm with the exception of his 12 home runs, the lowest output in his five seasons. He will get a lot more protection this season with the help of Derrek Lee, Vladimir Guerrero and Mark Reynolds. However, it will be tough for Markakis to get to his normal RBI range assuming he hits second in the order as expected.
Should anyone from the rotation be drafted in standard leagues?
Jeremy Guthrie, Brian Matusz and Justin Duchscherer should not be overlooked completely, but each of the three is associated with a certain risk. Guthrie had a 2.76 ERA and 0.990 WHIP in the second half, but his on-the-field successes are often outweighed in fantasy by a weak strikeout rate and low win totals on a poor Orioles team. In Duchscherer’s case, he has accumulated a 2.60 ERA and 1.055 WHIP in 27 starts, but that is over three injury riddled seasons. Matusz closed 2010 with nine quality starts in 10 turns (leaving out a start in which he left after one inning with an injury concern). It is just one half of a season and Matusz is young, but the future looks bright.
Strengths
A young core in the lineup now blends with legit offensive capability in the offseason acquisitions. There is still a solid young nucleus of pitchers, but it is time for Chris Tillman and Jake Arrieta to prove something at the MLB level.
Weaknesses
There is no superstar in his prime in the lineup. The rotation has some room for improvement, but it can't stand up against division rivals. Several minor league prospects have emerged over the last couple of seasons, but Zach Britton is the only minor league player capable of making a real splash in the near future.
Sleepers
Rising: Luke Scott – There would have been more reason to be excited about Scott had the team not signed Vladimir Guerrero. Now Scott could end up hitting as low as eighth in the order. He has averaged 25 home runs over the last three years despite an average of just 457 at-bats per season and in 2010 he pushed his OPS to .902. Besides the question of where he belongs in the batting order, Scott was probably above his head with that .284 average and as a late bloomer he is already 32 years old. Still, that discount power is worth a late round pickup.
Declining: Brian Roberts – Various ailments, primarily his back, prevented Roberts from getting in all but 59 games in 2010. He still showed a propensity to steal (12 SB), but he slugged just .391, well below his 2005-2009 seasons when he averaged a .452 percentage. He is 33 years old this season and back injuries never seem to go away completely.
Sleeper: Nick Markakis – Last season was a down year for Markakis, right? Just 12 home runs and 60 RBI on the year. Don’t be so sure. He actually managed to increase his lines to .297/.370/.805 (OPS), though his slugging percentage dropped from .453 to .436. Now consider how bad the offense around him was. Brian Roberts was not there to set the table, while both Miguel Tejada and Garrett Atkins disappointed behind him. Even if Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero disappoint, it is difficult to believe Markakis would not get back to his usual productivity. However, keep in mind he will not see as many RBI opportunities in the No. 2 spot in the order.
Supersleeper: Nolan Reimold – After being sent to Triple-A following what seemed like a breakout 2009, Reimold managed just a .249 average and 10 home runs in 337 at-bats. Things didn’t go any better when the Orioles recalled him late in the season as he slugged just .610 in 116 at-bats with the Orioles. To make matters worse, left field is more crowded than ever with Luke Scott, Felix Pie and Randy Winn seemingly ahead of him on the depth chart. However, Scott could be trade bait, Pie has not exactly set the world on fire offensively and Winn is in a huge decline.
Roster
Here’s the rundown on the rest of the team not mentioned above.
Robert Andino – Andino gives the Orioles depth in the middle infield, but he spent most of the 2010 season in Triple-A. A September audition didn't go too badly, but the Orioles traded for J.J. Hardy to address their organizational need at shortstop. Don't bank on Andino as a starter, as the Orioles are not sold on him in an everyday role. His .226/.275/.318 line over 403 career big league at-bats should say enough about why you should avoid him.
Josh Bell – Bell showed slight improvement in the minors against left-handed pitching, a matchup that has been a big concern as he has developed. Still, the Orioles lost faith in him during the season after he didn't overwhelm at Triple-A, and he hit just above the Mendoza Line in more than 150 at-bats with the big club while striking out in a third of them. The Mark Reynolds trade certainly does not do Bell any favors and it looks like a full season at Triple-A could be on tap while he attempts to improve his plate discipline.
Bradley Bergesen – Bergesen was a pleasant surprise in 2009, but he struggled from the outset in 2010. As a control pitcher, Bergesen relies on getting players out with the ball in play. However, he allowed 26 home runs in 2010, the same number as he gave up throughout several levels in the previous two seasons combined. With the organization stocked on starters the Orioles may try to convert him into a long reliever, where his arsenal could be a better fit given his ability to induce groundballs, but he doesn't miss enough bats to project into a high-leverage role.
Jason Berken – The Orioles converted Berken into a reliever in 2010 and he really seemed to catch on. In fact, Berken may have been the most valuable pitcher on the staff in the first half as he racked up a 1.95 ERA in 32 games before the All-Star break. Shortly after the break, his shoulder became a bother and he had to be shut down early. Look for Berken to jump back into long relief, but his shoulder may not be conditioned properly for his new role.
Jake Fox – Fox is a roster wild card, but he is hurt by the fact the Orioles don’t need a third catcher. He can play anywhere, but the Orioles don’t have a need for a super utility player given they expect to have flexibility from others on the roster.
Troy Patton – In the time since the Orioles obtained Patton for Miguel Tejada, the team again signed Tejada and again traded him, all before Patton finally threw at the MLB level. That’s why teams don’t take on players despite known injury issues. Patton is an extreme long shot for the rotation and it looks more likely he will be a bullpen guy in the future.
Felix Pie – Pie is the fourth outfielder now, though he should see frequent at-bats. Luke Scott tends to see frequent days off and Vladimir Guerrero may see rest periods too. Last year was supposed to be a critical season in Pie's development, but a significant shoulder injury in April lost half of his season. When he returned, Pie stagnated at the plate, walking just 13 times in 288 at-bats. The comparisons to Corey Patterson remain pertinent, though Pie hasn't yet hit for the same power that Patterson once displayed.
Alfredo Simon – Simon is facing accusations that he murdered someone in the Dominican Republic this winter and it seems almost certain he won’t be back in the U.S. this season.
Brandon Snyder – With Derrek Lee and Luke Scott on the club, there won’t be any need for Snyder at the big league level. He is 24 now and it feels like a make or break season. His 2010 season at Triple-A Norfolk was especially stagnant in the power department as he slugged just .407 in 339 at-bats.
Craig Tatum – Tatum served as a capable backup to Matt Wieters, but the Orioles also used Jake Fox as a backup and sent Tatum down to Triple-A for a time. It is unlikely he will ever see starting time with the Orioles, but he should be able to stick around as a backup for defensive reasons.
Rick VandenHurk – VandenHurk doesn’t have any options left, so he could be released if he doesn’t make the roster. He has a lot of work to do if he wants to make the rotation and long relief is a better bet.
Pedro Viola – Viola hopes to be a lefty specialist, but it is a crowded bullpen in middle relief and he may not make the roster.
Top Prospects
Manny Machado – He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2010 draft and has drawn A-Rod comparisons. That’s a bit lofty, but he is a prime keeper candidate if you can wait a few years. Those lofty projections include hitting for average and 20-homer power. Consider him the best hitter out of high school in last year’s draft class.
Zach Britton – See ROTATION above.
Mychal Givens – A big dropoff in the organizational rankings after Britton. Givens may slide to second base now that Machado is the shortstop of the future, but his bat may not be good enough to be an MLB regular. He barely got his feet wet in 2010, hitting .286 with three home runs in 84 at-bats throughout four low minor league levels.
L.J. Hoes – After surprisingly signing Hoes over slot out of high school, he hit .290 and topped out with a few games at Double-A in 2010. He will need some fine tuning in High-A before making a jump and it doesn’t look like he will have much power to speak of.
Xavier Avery – Avery was a second round pick in 2008 and he has plenty of speed, swiping 28 bags in 52 attemptes between High-A and Double-A. He needs to develop some power in order to get a shot in Baltimore’s outfield some day after hitting just seven all season.
Dan Klein – Klein could move through the organization quickly as a reliever out of UCLA. He had ten strikeouts in 5.1 innings in a brief debut in the New York-Penn League and could be Baltimore’s new closer in waiting.
Wynn Pelzer – Pelzer made a nice organizational leap to Double-A, but he is 24 years old and may wind up as a reliever. With 103 strikeouts in 114.1 innings in 2010, he is one of the few power pitching prospects in the organization. However, a 4.25 ERA and 1.65 WHIP at levels no higher than Double-A are cause for concern.
Ryan Berry – The Orioles want Berry to continue to progress as a starter and he impressed in Low-A and High-A. He compiled a 3.22 ERA and 1.21 at the two levels and even saved a couple of games in relief at the end of the season. Look for the 22-year old out of Rice to get to Triple-A this year.
Ryan Adams – Adams could get a call later in the season. He hit .298 with 15 home runs in Double-A in 2010 and should be pegged to start in Triple-A this spring. Still, it is doubtful the Orioles view him as a long term option to replace Brian Roberts.
Matt Hobgood – Hobgood was an unimpressive pick for a first round selection in 2009. He had a ho-hum line in Low-A with a 4.40 ERA. A shoulder issue means he won’t start throwing until this May at the earliest and that is obviously not a good sign.
Baseball America: Daily Dish Blog Sample
Short-Season Dish: Norris Reaches Eight Times In 18-Inning Marathon
Posted Jul. 29, 2008 10:30 am by Anthony Tynan
Filed under: Daily Dish, Short-Season Dish
Prospect Of The Day
Vermont catcher Derek Norris (Nationals) had a huge game in the Lake Monsters’ 18 inning win over Lowell. (More on the game below.) Norris made nine plate appearances and reached in eight of them, going 3-for-4 with a home run and five walks. The 2007 fourth-rounder out of high school now leads the New York-Penn League in walks (30) and OBP (.456) at just 19 years old.
Prospect Nuggets
After Vermont tied the game at 4-4 with a run in the seventh, the teams played 10 scoreless innings until the Lake Monsters scored the winning run in the bottom of the 18th. After James Keithley and Blake Stouffer (Nationals) walked to start the inning, Norris singled to left, but Luis Sumoza (Red Sox) threw out Keithley at the plate and Stouffer moved to third. The next hitter was Michael Guerrero (Nationals), who hit a walk-off single to left to score Stouffer. The game lasted five hours, 31 minutes. . . The Jason Castro/Phil Disher (Astros) combination is beginning to work very well for Tri-City. Each had a double and combined for four runs and three RBIs as Castro went 3-for-4 and Disher went 2-for-3. . . Steve Susdorf (Phillies) is on fire since joining the NYP League. The College World Series champion went 4-for-4 with his fourth home run, eighth double and three RBIs and is hitting .400/.464/.800 through 16 games. . . Dennis Raben (Mariners) went 2-for-4 with his third home run and despite that cold streak, he still has an OPS of 1.110. . . Centerfielder David Paisano (Rangers) is flourishing in the Northwest League since being demoted from Clinton of the low Class A Midwest League. He went 2-for-5 with a home run, double and stolen base for Spokane on Monday. . . A couple of normally steady pitchers in the Northwest League had poor performances. Righthander Chris Carpenter (Cubs) allowed two runs on two hits in 2 1/3 innings and walked four and righthander Brad McAtee (Rockies) made it through just one inning and got into trouble by walking four. He gave up two runs on one hit. . . Meanwhile Nick Barnese (Rays) and Scott Shaw (Mets), both righthanders, were their normal selves in the NYP League. Barnese threw five shutout innings and struck out five, but Shaw may have been even more impressive. The Brooklyn pitcher allowed one run on two hits, walked one and matched a season high with eight strikeouts. Aside from a bad start against Oneonta on July 18, in which Shaw gave up five earned runs in 2/3 of an inning, Shaw has given up just five runs in 38 1/3 innings on the season.
What To Watch For Today
After throwing a scoreless inning last week in the Arizona League, Cubs first round pick Andrew Cashner will make his debut for Boise tonight. Meanwhile, Brad Holt (Mets) makes a start for Brooklyn in the NYP League.
Posted Jul. 29, 2008 10:30 am by Anthony Tynan
Filed under: Daily Dish, Short-Season Dish
Prospect Of The Day
Vermont catcher Derek Norris (Nationals) had a huge game in the Lake Monsters’ 18 inning win over Lowell. (More on the game below.) Norris made nine plate appearances and reached in eight of them, going 3-for-4 with a home run and five walks. The 2007 fourth-rounder out of high school now leads the New York-Penn League in walks (30) and OBP (.456) at just 19 years old.
Prospect Nuggets
After Vermont tied the game at 4-4 with a run in the seventh, the teams played 10 scoreless innings until the Lake Monsters scored the winning run in the bottom of the 18th. After James Keithley and Blake Stouffer (Nationals) walked to start the inning, Norris singled to left, but Luis Sumoza (Red Sox) threw out Keithley at the plate and Stouffer moved to third. The next hitter was Michael Guerrero (Nationals), who hit a walk-off single to left to score Stouffer. The game lasted five hours, 31 minutes. . . The Jason Castro/Phil Disher (Astros) combination is beginning to work very well for Tri-City. Each had a double and combined for four runs and three RBIs as Castro went 3-for-4 and Disher went 2-for-3. . . Steve Susdorf (Phillies) is on fire since joining the NYP League. The College World Series champion went 4-for-4 with his fourth home run, eighth double and three RBIs and is hitting .400/.464/.800 through 16 games. . . Dennis Raben (Mariners) went 2-for-4 with his third home run and despite that cold streak, he still has an OPS of 1.110. . . Centerfielder David Paisano (Rangers) is flourishing in the Northwest League since being demoted from Clinton of the low Class A Midwest League. He went 2-for-5 with a home run, double and stolen base for Spokane on Monday. . . A couple of normally steady pitchers in the Northwest League had poor performances. Righthander Chris Carpenter (Cubs) allowed two runs on two hits in 2 1/3 innings and walked four and righthander Brad McAtee (Rockies) made it through just one inning and got into trouble by walking four. He gave up two runs on one hit. . . Meanwhile Nick Barnese (Rays) and Scott Shaw (Mets), both righthanders, were their normal selves in the NYP League. Barnese threw five shutout innings and struck out five, but Shaw may have been even more impressive. The Brooklyn pitcher allowed one run on two hits, walked one and matched a season high with eight strikeouts. Aside from a bad start against Oneonta on July 18, in which Shaw gave up five earned runs in 2/3 of an inning, Shaw has given up just five runs in 38 1/3 innings on the season.
What To Watch For Today
After throwing a scoreless inning last week in the Arizona League, Cubs first round pick Andrew Cashner will make his debut for Boise tonight. Meanwhile, Brad Holt (Mets) makes a start for Brooklyn in the NYP League.
Baseball America: Blog Samples
Negro Leagues Honored at 2008 Draft
By Anthony Tynan
June 4, 2008
As we draw to just 24 hours before the 2008 MLB Draft, we know there will be a lot of excitement and hype surrounding players and teams. But before the Draft begins, MLB will take time to honor the Negro Leagues with the Special Negro Leagues Player Draft.
Each MLB team will “draft” a surviving member of the Negro Leagues to celebrate a part of the game’s past. The player will emerge wearing a cap of the team that made the pick.
Most of the Negro Leagues existed from 1920-1952, five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional sports by signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The “draftees” include:
• Emilio “Millito” Navarro, who at age 102, is believed to be the oldest living professional baseball player.
• Walter McCoy, who twice defeated Hall of Famer Whitey Ford in the Mexican Winter League. He also was the first black player for Sacramento, the Triple-A team in the Pacific Coast League.
• John “Mule” Miles, who homered in 11 consecutive games in 1947. (The MLB record is eight, shared by Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956).)
• Charley Pride, who most notably pitched for a team of Negro League All-Stars. In 1956, he held a team of then-current MLB African-American All-Stars, including Hank Aaron, Willy Mays and Ernie Banks, scoreless into the ninth inning. Pride went on to a successful music career as a country and western singer.
• Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, the first woman to pitch in a men’s professional baseball league. She was a teammate of Hank Aaron on the Indianapolis Clowns.
By Anthony Tynan
June 4, 2008
As we draw to just 24 hours before the 2008 MLB Draft, we know there will be a lot of excitement and hype surrounding players and teams. But before the Draft begins, MLB will take time to honor the Negro Leagues with the Special Negro Leagues Player Draft.
Each MLB team will “draft” a surviving member of the Negro Leagues to celebrate a part of the game’s past. The player will emerge wearing a cap of the team that made the pick.
Most of the Negro Leagues existed from 1920-1952, five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional sports by signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The “draftees” include:
• Emilio “Millito” Navarro, who at age 102, is believed to be the oldest living professional baseball player.
• Walter McCoy, who twice defeated Hall of Famer Whitey Ford in the Mexican Winter League. He also was the first black player for Sacramento, the Triple-A team in the Pacific Coast League.
• John “Mule” Miles, who homered in 11 consecutive games in 1947. (The MLB record is eight, shared by Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956).)
• Charley Pride, who most notably pitched for a team of Negro League All-Stars. In 1956, he held a team of then-current MLB African-American All-Stars, including Hank Aaron, Willy Mays and Ernie Banks, scoreless into the ninth inning. Pride went on to a successful music career as a country and western singer.
• Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, the first woman to pitch in a men’s professional baseball league. She was a teammate of Hank Aaron on the Indianapolis Clowns.
Baseball America: Sample 2
When Matthew Purke made the U.S. 16-and-Under Team two years ago, bought a U.S. Baseball hat, brought it home and proudly displayed it.
Matthew’s older brother, Jason, saw the hat and made sure it would not gather any dust on the family mantle.
“I told him he would train in that hat,” Jason said.
Rather than gathering dust, the hat has gathered sweat as Matthew trained in the summer heat. Instead of admiring the hat, it served as a symbol of the dedication it takes for Matthew to keep his body conditioned for elite levels of baseball.
The Purke family is a family of basketball players, but it was clear at an early age that Matthew was cut out for baseball. To help Matthew grow into a pitcher’s body, his brother Jason, now 26, put Purke through punishing workout routines.
“I always made him work really, really hard, a lot harder than other kids his age,” Jason said. “Other people told me, ‘You’re going to burn him out.’ I said, ‘No, he’s different. He likes to practice.’”
As young as 11 years old, Jason had split the field and had Matthew sprinting down and back.
“He taught me hard work technique and work ethic,” Matthew said.
“He always took the level that I placed the workout and then pushed himself even harder,” Jason said.
Today, Purke continues to go about baseball with an appreciation for the value of physical training. While running is still the biggest part of his routine, Purke puts himself through a rigorous workout as he tries to add muscle throughout this summer.
Purke may take his strong physical approach to the field with him, but he is absorbed in the game at all times on the mound. One way he channels his mentality is by sprinting to and from the mound.
“It’s his way of getting pumped,” Jason said. “He plays it like the old boys. That’s what the old boys did and he’s not above the game.”
Workouts and bullpen sessions with Jason are not the only thing Matthew has done with his summers. He has been coached by Jeff Livin since he was 11. Since then, Purke has gotten better and better.
“I go back to his makeup,” Livin said. “He never took anything for granted. He’s got a real good grasp on what it takes to succeed at higher levels.”
Purke credits Livin with developing his pitching mechanics.
“He taught me the right way to deliver the pitch and at what time to throw what pitches,” Purke said. “He helped me to understand what hitters are looking for.”
By the time Purke reached Klein (Texas) High, his coach, Barry Smith, knew Purke was something special right away.
“You could tell (as a high school freshman) just how he throws that he’s real effortless,” Smith said. “It’s almost like he was born with a baseball in his hand.”
Despite Purke’s status as one of the top prep lefthanders in the 2009 class, Smith is impressed by Purke’s team-first philosophy, a stance taken despite all the radar guns pointed at his left arm.
“He’s a great teammate. All the kids love him” Smith said. “Most of his goals are team-oriented, which I think is rare for a kid of his talent.”
Purke throws his fastball at 89-92 mph and mixes it with two other plus pitches. His curveball registers in the upper-70s with good bite and his changeup tops out at 80.
Meanwhile, Purke’s mentality already shows maturity, as it allows him to tune out the many scouts that track seemingly his every move.
“I know they’re there, but I try to play my game and play it simple,” Purke said.
The radar guns again will be pointed in his direction as Purke prepares for the Under Armour game, aware of its higher profile in 2008.
“It makes it more of an honor for me to play,” Purke said. “For a high school kid to play on a major league field, it (will be) the best feeling ever.”
Matthew’s older brother, Jason, saw the hat and made sure it would not gather any dust on the family mantle.
“I told him he would train in that hat,” Jason said.
Rather than gathering dust, the hat has gathered sweat as Matthew trained in the summer heat. Instead of admiring the hat, it served as a symbol of the dedication it takes for Matthew to keep his body conditioned for elite levels of baseball.
The Purke family is a family of basketball players, but it was clear at an early age that Matthew was cut out for baseball. To help Matthew grow into a pitcher’s body, his brother Jason, now 26, put Purke through punishing workout routines.
“I always made him work really, really hard, a lot harder than other kids his age,” Jason said. “Other people told me, ‘You’re going to burn him out.’ I said, ‘No, he’s different. He likes to practice.’”
As young as 11 years old, Jason had split the field and had Matthew sprinting down and back.
“He taught me hard work technique and work ethic,” Matthew said.
“He always took the level that I placed the workout and then pushed himself even harder,” Jason said.
Today, Purke continues to go about baseball with an appreciation for the value of physical training. While running is still the biggest part of his routine, Purke puts himself through a rigorous workout as he tries to add muscle throughout this summer.
Purke may take his strong physical approach to the field with him, but he is absorbed in the game at all times on the mound. One way he channels his mentality is by sprinting to and from the mound.
“It’s his way of getting pumped,” Jason said. “He plays it like the old boys. That’s what the old boys did and he’s not above the game.”
Workouts and bullpen sessions with Jason are not the only thing Matthew has done with his summers. He has been coached by Jeff Livin since he was 11. Since then, Purke has gotten better and better.
“I go back to his makeup,” Livin said. “He never took anything for granted. He’s got a real good grasp on what it takes to succeed at higher levels.”
Purke credits Livin with developing his pitching mechanics.
“He taught me the right way to deliver the pitch and at what time to throw what pitches,” Purke said. “He helped me to understand what hitters are looking for.”
By the time Purke reached Klein (Texas) High, his coach, Barry Smith, knew Purke was something special right away.
“You could tell (as a high school freshman) just how he throws that he’s real effortless,” Smith said. “It’s almost like he was born with a baseball in his hand.”
Despite Purke’s status as one of the top prep lefthanders in the 2009 class, Smith is impressed by Purke’s team-first philosophy, a stance taken despite all the radar guns pointed at his left arm.
“He’s a great teammate. All the kids love him” Smith said. “Most of his goals are team-oriented, which I think is rare for a kid of his talent.”
Purke throws his fastball at 89-92 mph and mixes it with two other plus pitches. His curveball registers in the upper-70s with good bite and his changeup tops out at 80.
Meanwhile, Purke’s mentality already shows maturity, as it allows him to tune out the many scouts that track seemingly his every move.
“I know they’re there, but I try to play my game and play it simple,” Purke said.
The radar guns again will be pointed in his direction as Purke prepares for the Under Armour game, aware of its higher profile in 2008.
“It makes it more of an honor for me to play,” Purke said. “For a high school kid to play on a major league field, it (will be) the best feeling ever.”
Baseball America: Sample 1
Loree goes from 50th round to 'different world'
By Anthony Tynan
Perfection is rare enough in baseball that no one would think any player–let alone a 50th-round draft pick–could put together the kind of performance Mike Loree completed over three games.
Loree threw one of the most impressive stretches imaginable when he allowed just a solo home run in 20 innings, retiring 62 of 63 batters he faced in that span and taking a perfect game at least six innings in each of the three starts. The Salem-Keizer righthander had gone from barely squeezing into the draft to being one of the short-season Northwest League's toughest pitchers.
The Giants drafted Loree out of Villanova last year and promptly sent him to the Arizona League to pitch as a reliever.
"I enjoyed it," Loree said. "I learned the importance of locating my pitches and being able to establish the strike zone."
Loree's season was cut short when a staph infection was diagnosed in his foot in late July. He had two surgeries in early August, but was unable to pitch again in 2007.
Loree returned in 2008 with a sense of vigor and impressed in extended spring training before the start of the Northwest League season.
"We thought we had a guy who could keep us in ballgames and could help us succeed," Salem- Keizer manager Tom Trebelhorn said.
After allowing two runs in four innings in his season debut, Loree threw five shutout innings and gave up just two hits against Tri-City. His comeback was taking shape following the staph infection and he had already impressed his coaches.
"He's not the kind of guy that you see that makes you go 'Wow,'" pitching coach Jerry Cram said. "He's not afraid of contact. He's got movement and he keeps a low pitch count."
Precision Pitching
Cram had no idea how efficient Loree was about to be over his next three games.
Loree pitched six perfect innings and struck out seven in a June 30 road game against Eugene.
Loree again faced Tri-City in his next outing. This time he threw 62⁄3 perfect innings before Leonardo Reyes took him deep to right field. Loree retired the next batter he faced and left the game after the seventh inning.
Two spectacular outings was impressive enough, but Loree wasn't finished yet. His next start came on the road, just as he had been during the first perfect performance. Loree dazzled Yakima and was perfect again, throwing seven innings.
"I don't feel like I did anything different," said Loree, whose Salem-Keizer team emerged from the stretch winning just one of the three games. "I was able to locate my pitches down in the strike zone, which helped me out."
Through Loree didn't notice a difference, Trebelhorn was taken aback.
"I've never seen anybody retire that number of people the way he did," Trebelhorn said. "Throwing out the home run, there were only three or four nice plays in the field. He went through lineups with a precision and pace that was amazing."
Though Loree dominated hitters through those 20 innings, he rarely received praise from his teammates because of a baseball superstition where a perfect game is not mentioned as long as the pitcher still has it.
"Nobody said anything to me," Loree laughed. "So I didn't say anything either."
Loree could not recapture the magic for a fourth time in his next start. This time the perfect game ended with the first batter and Loree went on to allow three runs in the first inning, but did not allow Vancouver to score again through the fifth inning.
"I think he pitched not to give up a hit," Cram said. "He wasn't as aggressive as he was in the past."
"After the first inning I told myself I had to keep it at three runs," Loree said.
The three games continued to stick in his coaches' minds throughout the next week. They couldn't remember anyone dominating to the degree that Loree had over three games.
"It's a once in a lifetime performance," Cram said. "One time I struck out nine guys in a row. His performance is as dominating as that, only he kept it going for a long period of time. It is something he is going to get to remember for the rest of his life."
"To maintain that level of excellence over those three games, you're talking about a different world," Trebelhorn said.
Employee Of The Month
While the three-game stretch speaks for itself, Loree has put up another incredible feat this season. He had not walked a batter all season until he issued an intentional walk in the game that ended his perfect run. In 34 innings, that was Loree's only walk.
Loree throws a fastball at 84-88 mph, a changeup and a slurvy slider that he has been working on with Cram.
"During spring training and extended (spring training) we were working on the changeup and slider," Loree said. "We kept working on my slider to get it better."
"The one thing we are working on is his slider," Cram said. "His mechanics are pretty good. If his slider and changeup improves, he's a guy that could eat up middle innings in the big leagues some day. He is a pleasure to watch."
The ability to confuse hitters at the plate while still throwing strikes on a consistent basis has been Loree's calling card.
"He has command of his fastball," Trebelhorn said. "He has the ability to throw three pitches at different speeds and at different locations. I think he has enhanced his prospective status with (these three games) and our organization is taking another look at him."
Trebelhorn spoke highly of Loree's ability on the field, but even higher of the way he carries himself as a teammate.
"It's not too often that we refer to baseball players as employees anymore," Trebelhorn said. "But if I were to write up a job report on him it would say he is reliable, does his job, fits in well with co-workers and follows our rules and regulations."
By Anthony Tynan
Perfection is rare enough in baseball that no one would think any player–let alone a 50th-round draft pick–could put together the kind of performance Mike Loree completed over three games.
Loree threw one of the most impressive stretches imaginable when he allowed just a solo home run in 20 innings, retiring 62 of 63 batters he faced in that span and taking a perfect game at least six innings in each of the three starts. The Salem-Keizer righthander had gone from barely squeezing into the draft to being one of the short-season Northwest League's toughest pitchers.
The Giants drafted Loree out of Villanova last year and promptly sent him to the Arizona League to pitch as a reliever.
"I enjoyed it," Loree said. "I learned the importance of locating my pitches and being able to establish the strike zone."
Loree's season was cut short when a staph infection was diagnosed in his foot in late July. He had two surgeries in early August, but was unable to pitch again in 2007.
Loree returned in 2008 with a sense of vigor and impressed in extended spring training before the start of the Northwest League season.
"We thought we had a guy who could keep us in ballgames and could help us succeed," Salem- Keizer manager Tom Trebelhorn said.
After allowing two runs in four innings in his season debut, Loree threw five shutout innings and gave up just two hits against Tri-City. His comeback was taking shape following the staph infection and he had already impressed his coaches.
"He's not the kind of guy that you see that makes you go 'Wow,'" pitching coach Jerry Cram said. "He's not afraid of contact. He's got movement and he keeps a low pitch count."
Precision Pitching
Cram had no idea how efficient Loree was about to be over his next three games.
Loree pitched six perfect innings and struck out seven in a June 30 road game against Eugene.
Loree again faced Tri-City in his next outing. This time he threw 62⁄3 perfect innings before Leonardo Reyes took him deep to right field. Loree retired the next batter he faced and left the game after the seventh inning.
Two spectacular outings was impressive enough, but Loree wasn't finished yet. His next start came on the road, just as he had been during the first perfect performance. Loree dazzled Yakima and was perfect again, throwing seven innings.
"I don't feel like I did anything different," said Loree, whose Salem-Keizer team emerged from the stretch winning just one of the three games. "I was able to locate my pitches down in the strike zone, which helped me out."
Through Loree didn't notice a difference, Trebelhorn was taken aback.
"I've never seen anybody retire that number of people the way he did," Trebelhorn said. "Throwing out the home run, there were only three or four nice plays in the field. He went through lineups with a precision and pace that was amazing."
Though Loree dominated hitters through those 20 innings, he rarely received praise from his teammates because of a baseball superstition where a perfect game is not mentioned as long as the pitcher still has it.
"Nobody said anything to me," Loree laughed. "So I didn't say anything either."
Loree could not recapture the magic for a fourth time in his next start. This time the perfect game ended with the first batter and Loree went on to allow three runs in the first inning, but did not allow Vancouver to score again through the fifth inning.
"I think he pitched not to give up a hit," Cram said. "He wasn't as aggressive as he was in the past."
"After the first inning I told myself I had to keep it at three runs," Loree said.
The three games continued to stick in his coaches' minds throughout the next week. They couldn't remember anyone dominating to the degree that Loree had over three games.
"It's a once in a lifetime performance," Cram said. "One time I struck out nine guys in a row. His performance is as dominating as that, only he kept it going for a long period of time. It is something he is going to get to remember for the rest of his life."
"To maintain that level of excellence over those three games, you're talking about a different world," Trebelhorn said.
Employee Of The Month
While the three-game stretch speaks for itself, Loree has put up another incredible feat this season. He had not walked a batter all season until he issued an intentional walk in the game that ended his perfect run. In 34 innings, that was Loree's only walk.
Loree throws a fastball at 84-88 mph, a changeup and a slurvy slider that he has been working on with Cram.
"During spring training and extended (spring training) we were working on the changeup and slider," Loree said. "We kept working on my slider to get it better."
"The one thing we are working on is his slider," Cram said. "His mechanics are pretty good. If his slider and changeup improves, he's a guy that could eat up middle innings in the big leagues some day. He is a pleasure to watch."
The ability to confuse hitters at the plate while still throwing strikes on a consistent basis has been Loree's calling card.
"He has command of his fastball," Trebelhorn said. "He has the ability to throw three pitches at different speeds and at different locations. I think he has enhanced his prospective status with (these three games) and our organization is taking another look at him."
Trebelhorn spoke highly of Loree's ability on the field, but even higher of the way he carries himself as a teammate.
"It's not too often that we refer to baseball players as employees anymore," Trebelhorn said. "But if I were to write up a job report on him it would say he is reliable, does his job, fits in well with co-workers and follows our rules and regulations."
Sunday, March 6, 2011
AL Central Preview
Predicted Finish:
1. Twins
2. White Sox
3. Tigers
4. Indians
5. Royals
Yes, those are the same standings from 2010. I expect the Twins and White Sox will fight it out as they have for a couple of seasons now, while the Tigers again can't figure out if they are contenders or pretenders. The Indians have some upside if healthy, while the Royals have a system loaded with players who could make a difference starting this season.
1. Twins - Even though I do believe they will come out on top in this division, I always have a few questions. Is Justin Morneau ever going to bounce back from his concussion? Will Joe Nathan be fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery? At the end of the day this team won the division without these two and I see no reason why it will not happen again.
2. White Sox - The White Sox may have a higher ceiling than Minnesota because of its pitching depth. Heck, Jake Peavy is the fifth starter. I do have questions about the bullpen outside of new closer Matt Thornton and the lineup is heavy on power and light on contact. They need more than just Alex Rios to set the table.
3. Tigers - This is a team that feels like the wheels could come off the bus at any time. The rotation is thin beyond Justin Verlander and the lineup does not scare me outside of Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, the latter when he is sober. Austin Jackson may have set the bar too high for himself last year as any numbers guru would tell you he is due to tail off. And Magglio Ordonez is aging and has injury liabilities.
4. Indians - I could easily see the Indians in the cellar if they can't stay healthy and I'm surprised they were ahead of the Royals last year. The emergence of Carlos Santana behind the plate should help, but the lineup has plenty of holes. Jayson Nix is starting at third base? The rotation expects Fausto Carmona to be an ace when he is ideally a No. 3 and most members of the rotation outside of Carmona would not make the roster on good teams.
5. Royals - The last place team traded away its only game changing talent in Zack Greinke in the offseason and the outlook is not good for 2011. Neither the lineup nor the rotation boasts a superstar, so let's just talk about 2012. Remember when the Reds brought up Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Johnnny Cueto and Homer Bailey right around the same time? That is going to be the Royals very soon, with a motherload of talent on its way. Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer could very well be household names in the near future. Wil Myers is a very good catching prospect who can hit well enough to play another position if he has to move. Then there are four or five pitchers who could take over the rotation in a hurry. This is going to be a very fun team to watch in 2012 and beyond.
1. Twins
2. White Sox
3. Tigers
4. Indians
5. Royals
Yes, those are the same standings from 2010. I expect the Twins and White Sox will fight it out as they have for a couple of seasons now, while the Tigers again can't figure out if they are contenders or pretenders. The Indians have some upside if healthy, while the Royals have a system loaded with players who could make a difference starting this season.
1. Twins - Even though I do believe they will come out on top in this division, I always have a few questions. Is Justin Morneau ever going to bounce back from his concussion? Will Joe Nathan be fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery? At the end of the day this team won the division without these two and I see no reason why it will not happen again.
2. White Sox - The White Sox may have a higher ceiling than Minnesota because of its pitching depth. Heck, Jake Peavy is the fifth starter. I do have questions about the bullpen outside of new closer Matt Thornton and the lineup is heavy on power and light on contact. They need more than just Alex Rios to set the table.
3. Tigers - This is a team that feels like the wheels could come off the bus at any time. The rotation is thin beyond Justin Verlander and the lineup does not scare me outside of Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, the latter when he is sober. Austin Jackson may have set the bar too high for himself last year as any numbers guru would tell you he is due to tail off. And Magglio Ordonez is aging and has injury liabilities.
4. Indians - I could easily see the Indians in the cellar if they can't stay healthy and I'm surprised they were ahead of the Royals last year. The emergence of Carlos Santana behind the plate should help, but the lineup has plenty of holes. Jayson Nix is starting at third base? The rotation expects Fausto Carmona to be an ace when he is ideally a No. 3 and most members of the rotation outside of Carmona would not make the roster on good teams.
5. Royals - The last place team traded away its only game changing talent in Zack Greinke in the offseason and the outlook is not good for 2011. Neither the lineup nor the rotation boasts a superstar, so let's just talk about 2012. Remember when the Reds brought up Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Johnnny Cueto and Homer Bailey right around the same time? That is going to be the Royals very soon, with a motherload of talent on its way. Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer could very well be household names in the near future. Wil Myers is a very good catching prospect who can hit well enough to play another position if he has to move. Then there are four or five pitchers who could take over the rotation in a hurry. This is going to be a very fun team to watch in 2012 and beyond.
Marketing & Original Ideas
I mentioned in my last post that I rode my bike in a grassroots ride for charity, but I want to expand on that.
You can read more about Pelotonia on the blog or the Facebook page I set up for my efforts. What I want to do here is point out that I developed a successful effort that raised $2,300 (over 50% more than my requirement) for cancer research. I developed a unique idea for my campaign that seemed to be very successful called the Pelotonia Playlist. Those who donated $25 or more got to choose a song for the playlist I listened to on my ride. Some chose inspirational songs, but others stuck me with Justin Bieber.
Another example of an idea I developed is a weekly email that goes out to the parents of my sixth grade basketball team. It started as a tool that I used to point out our strengths and our areas for improvement during the week between games. Then I expanded it to be a full article, just like a recap of a game you would find online or in a newspaper. I also throw in some humor when I can, but the parents seem like they really get an added value out of it. Many of them have told me they sit down and read the email to their kid every time I send.
Meanwhile, I also developed and presented a marketing plan to the Greater Columbus Sports Commission last fall. The plan was geared toward an event they were bidding on to bring to Columbus. I pitched my best ideas and received positive feedback from the organization.
The reason I share this now is because not only would I perform the job as described, but I believe I could also help develop original ideas for the MLB blog and the experience to make it even more successful. As you can see from my experiences, I have no problem working extra to do the things I enjoy doing. I have already thought of some concepts that could be of interest, but would rather share them in a professional setting with MLB than post here.
You can read more about Pelotonia on the blog or the Facebook page I set up for my efforts. What I want to do here is point out that I developed a successful effort that raised $2,300 (over 50% more than my requirement) for cancer research. I developed a unique idea for my campaign that seemed to be very successful called the Pelotonia Playlist. Those who donated $25 or more got to choose a song for the playlist I listened to on my ride. Some chose inspirational songs, but others stuck me with Justin Bieber.
Another example of an idea I developed is a weekly email that goes out to the parents of my sixth grade basketball team. It started as a tool that I used to point out our strengths and our areas for improvement during the week between games. Then I expanded it to be a full article, just like a recap of a game you would find online or in a newspaper. I also throw in some humor when I can, but the parents seem like they really get an added value out of it. Many of them have told me they sit down and read the email to their kid every time I send.
Meanwhile, I also developed and presented a marketing plan to the Greater Columbus Sports Commission last fall. The plan was geared toward an event they were bidding on to bring to Columbus. I pitched my best ideas and received positive feedback from the organization.
The reason I share this now is because not only would I perform the job as described, but I believe I could also help develop original ideas for the MLB blog and the experience to make it even more successful. As you can see from my experiences, I have no problem working extra to do the things I enjoy doing. I have already thought of some concepts that could be of interest, but would rather share them in a professional setting with MLB than post here.
Business of Sports and Marketing Background
After I completed my undergrad in journalism, I earned a Master's in Sport Management at UMass. While I truly enjoyed my experiences in broadcast, sports was always the reason I wanted to pursue that career. I figured out that I wanted to consider a more professional environment for my career in sports and that is the reason I decided to go to UMass, a very prestigious school for this discipline. Check out the program. (The school just finalized a deal to house the Mark McCormack Collection!)
My goal since attending UMass has been to work for a MLB team or the Major League Baseball. I hope to realize that goal soon!
While I was in the program, I worked on several graduate level projects. I worked in a team of other graduate students to develop a sponsorship activation strategy for an international beverage company and we pitched it to the sports and lifestyle marketing firm that manages that brand. We pitched one activation strategy for the Ryder Cup, with whom the brand had already established a relationship, and one strategy outside of sports.
Some other things I did in the program include working as the teaching assistant for the facilities management undergrad course and work on SoccerFest. It is a grassroots soccer tournament hosted by the Sport Management program and organized entirely by students. We marketed the event, made sponsorship deals and managed all the activities over the course of the day.
As I have mentioned, I have not found the job I have been looking for since I completed the program in 2008. However, I have done whatever I can to continue to gain experience. I currently coach a sixth grade basketball team and work with managing leagues at a local community center. (My team just lost a heartbreaker in the final four, but I pride myself on how much we improved over the course of the season.) I also rode my bike in Pelotonia, a grassroots bike ride in Columbus, Ohio that raises funds for the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University. I continue to write for Rotowire and I also manage events for Ohio University alumni in Columbus.
I currently work for Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH) in a position completely unrelated to sports. That is not a knock on OCCH because the organization does some very good work for people in Ohio and surrounding states who need affordable housing options and I am honored to work there. The important thing is that I continue to work as hard as I can to find the right career fit while making ends meet and having a positive impact on everything I do. When it comes to most of the things I listed above, I want to make it clear that I work but I also am fulfilled in the meaningful work that I do.
My goal since attending UMass has been to work for a MLB team or the Major League Baseball. I hope to realize that goal soon!
While I was in the program, I worked on several graduate level projects. I worked in a team of other graduate students to develop a sponsorship activation strategy for an international beverage company and we pitched it to the sports and lifestyle marketing firm that manages that brand. We pitched one activation strategy for the Ryder Cup, with whom the brand had already established a relationship, and one strategy outside of sports.
Some other things I did in the program include working as the teaching assistant for the facilities management undergrad course and work on SoccerFest. It is a grassroots soccer tournament hosted by the Sport Management program and organized entirely by students. We marketed the event, made sponsorship deals and managed all the activities over the course of the day.
As I have mentioned, I have not found the job I have been looking for since I completed the program in 2008. However, I have done whatever I can to continue to gain experience. I currently coach a sixth grade basketball team and work with managing leagues at a local community center. (My team just lost a heartbreaker in the final four, but I pride myself on how much we improved over the course of the season.) I also rode my bike in Pelotonia, a grassroots bike ride in Columbus, Ohio that raises funds for the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University. I continue to write for Rotowire and I also manage events for Ohio University alumni in Columbus.
I currently work for Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH) in a position completely unrelated to sports. That is not a knock on OCCH because the organization does some very good work for people in Ohio and surrounding states who need affordable housing options and I am honored to work there. The important thing is that I continue to work as hard as I can to find the right career fit while making ends meet and having a positive impact on everything I do. When it comes to most of the things I listed above, I want to make it clear that I work but I also am fulfilled in the meaningful work that I do.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Journalism Experience
Let me cast aside any doubt and say I love to write about sports - baseball, in particular.
Begin a writer for a newspaper always sounded interesting to me, so I went to school for journalism at Ohio University. It has a fine journalism school and I focused on news writing and editing for about a quarter. Then I gave broadcast a shot and I decided to stick with it.
There is tremendous opportunity at OU because the campus is in Southeast Ohio, which often finds itself as an underserved area in a no man's land between two television markets. For students, it is a chance to do work that matters and the University hosts a public television station, WOUB. I had the opportunity to work in radio and television for nearly four years.
Everyone wants to be in TV right when they walk through the door, but they soon find they must work their way up through radio. After I finished training, I got my first gig on the air - at around 6:30am. That meant getting to the station by 5am. I mispronounced Gallipolis. Soon I began to cover stories for our live news program and before I knew it I was a sports and news anchor. Yes, I even covered a story on some cows that escaped from a truck. My best experience was going up to Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) to interview Nick Swisher and Jay Payton. Each player was with the Athletics and were born in my viewing area. For those of you who don't know, Swisher is a funny guy.
I also co-hosted an hour-long sports talk show with my good friend Andrew Braverman. Braves and I built the rundown, booked guests and talked about sports both locally and nationally. We usually had plenty to rant about, as Andrew was a life-long Cubs and Bears fan, while I was a life-long Reds and Browns fan. On the local level, the Ohio Bobcats basketball team gave us plenty of thrillers, none more so than the time Leon Williams tipped this one in. Yes, the O-Zone did storm the court.
The experience that every sports broadcast student enjoys most is Gridiron Glory, a live program that covers high school football on Friday nights. How many college kids would give up Friday nights to do something like this? More than you would think, because we had up to 50 people working on it. I was a reporter for three years, then a producer for my last year. We were recognized with a Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Students Production in my final year after submitting a show that went live from three different locations. In my four years, I built rundowns, wrote stories, shot video, edited highlights and reported on air.
While I have not had a full-time career in journalism since then, I now write for a fantasy sports website, Rotowire. I edit player profiles to keep them updated with news and write a weekly column for the website. More on all that in a later post.
Begin a writer for a newspaper always sounded interesting to me, so I went to school for journalism at Ohio University. It has a fine journalism school and I focused on news writing and editing for about a quarter. Then I gave broadcast a shot and I decided to stick with it.
There is tremendous opportunity at OU because the campus is in Southeast Ohio, which often finds itself as an underserved area in a no man's land between two television markets. For students, it is a chance to do work that matters and the University hosts a public television station, WOUB. I had the opportunity to work in radio and television for nearly four years.
Everyone wants to be in TV right when they walk through the door, but they soon find they must work their way up through radio. After I finished training, I got my first gig on the air - at around 6:30am. That meant getting to the station by 5am. I mispronounced Gallipolis. Soon I began to cover stories for our live news program and before I knew it I was a sports and news anchor. Yes, I even covered a story on some cows that escaped from a truck. My best experience was going up to Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) to interview Nick Swisher and Jay Payton. Each player was with the Athletics and were born in my viewing area. For those of you who don't know, Swisher is a funny guy.
I also co-hosted an hour-long sports talk show with my good friend Andrew Braverman. Braves and I built the rundown, booked guests and talked about sports both locally and nationally. We usually had plenty to rant about, as Andrew was a life-long Cubs and Bears fan, while I was a life-long Reds and Browns fan. On the local level, the Ohio Bobcats basketball team gave us plenty of thrillers, none more so than the time Leon Williams tipped this one in. Yes, the O-Zone did storm the court.
The experience that every sports broadcast student enjoys most is Gridiron Glory, a live program that covers high school football on Friday nights. How many college kids would give up Friday nights to do something like this? More than you would think, because we had up to 50 people working on it. I was a reporter for three years, then a producer for my last year. We were recognized with a Regional Emmy Award for Outstanding Students Production in my final year after submitting a show that went live from three different locations. In my four years, I built rundowns, wrote stories, shot video, edited highlights and reported on air.
While I have not had a full-time career in journalism since then, I now write for a fantasy sports website, Rotowire. I edit player profiles to keep them updated with news and write a weekly column for the website. More on all that in a later post.
AL East Preview
Predicted Finish:
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Orioles
5. Blue Jays
These predictions should not differ too much from many of those you will see by baseball experts. The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry will dominate the headlines once again, but I think the Yankees and Rays will decline. Baltimore hopes to see its youth movement pay off, while the Blue Jays are in an all out rebuilding mode.
1. Red Sox - The new Red Sox lineup is downright scary, every bit as much as the Yankees. Health was the main concern in 2010, with Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis out for much of the season. With the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, Boston's Nos. 1-6 hitters are the best in the business. The rotation is headlined by Jon Lester, but there are some concerns for varying reasons with other pitchers. Is Josh Beckett healthy? What was up with John Lackey? Can Dice-K put it together for a full season? The bullpen saw several upgrades and should be productive. By the end of the season, I bet the Red Sox win the division decisively.
2. Yankees - Their hitting needs no introduction and should be good enough to keep the team in contention, but we could see declines from Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. The bigger question concerns pitching, as in where is it? C.C. Sabathia is a legit ace. Behind him is Phil Hughes, who many analysts believe was a "lucky" pitcher in 2010. A shaky A.J. Burnett is the No. 3 and he was such a disaster last year the Yankees would have done anything to avoid using him in the playoffs. Behind him, you are looking at potential comebacks by Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon. That is just depressing.
3. Rays - No doubt the loss of Carl Crawford will sting, but the team is good enough that it would only be a mild surprise to see the Rays get a playoff spot. There are some holes on the roster, from players who have not contributed before in Sean Rodriguez and Dan Johnson, to aging veteran signees such as Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. What holds this team together is its deep pitching. Led by David Price and finishing with top prospect Jeremy Hellickson, it seems like there is no end to the organizational depth for the Rays.
4. Orioles - Book me now for saying this Orioles team will not be that bad. It could even be a good team if the young rotation takes a step forward. The lineup looks competitive and veteran experiments on Vladimir Guerrero and Derrek Lee have a better chance of working out than disasters like Garrett Atkins and Miguel Tejada. Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz should do fine in the rotation. The future of the deep depends on the development of Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton. This team needs those two to hang with the division heavyweights in order to compete.
5. Blue Jays - The team is in an all out rebuilding mode having rid themselves of the nasty Vernon Wells and Alex Rios contracts. However, it does not seem to be particularly loaded with prospects and the remaining veterans are not exactly impact players. Jose Bautista would need to repeat and huge rebounds are necessary from Adam Lind and Aaron Hill for the team to have any shot. The rotation is in decent shape with Ricky Romero followed by up-and-comers Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil. Keep Morrow's name in mind. You will be hearing his name a lot this season.
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Orioles
5. Blue Jays
These predictions should not differ too much from many of those you will see by baseball experts. The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry will dominate the headlines once again, but I think the Yankees and Rays will decline. Baltimore hopes to see its youth movement pay off, while the Blue Jays are in an all out rebuilding mode.
1. Red Sox - The new Red Sox lineup is downright scary, every bit as much as the Yankees. Health was the main concern in 2010, with Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis out for much of the season. With the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, Boston's Nos. 1-6 hitters are the best in the business. The rotation is headlined by Jon Lester, but there are some concerns for varying reasons with other pitchers. Is Josh Beckett healthy? What was up with John Lackey? Can Dice-K put it together for a full season? The bullpen saw several upgrades and should be productive. By the end of the season, I bet the Red Sox win the division decisively.
2. Yankees - Their hitting needs no introduction and should be good enough to keep the team in contention, but we could see declines from Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. The bigger question concerns pitching, as in where is it? C.C. Sabathia is a legit ace. Behind him is Phil Hughes, who many analysts believe was a "lucky" pitcher in 2010. A shaky A.J. Burnett is the No. 3 and he was such a disaster last year the Yankees would have done anything to avoid using him in the playoffs. Behind him, you are looking at potential comebacks by Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon. That is just depressing.
3. Rays - No doubt the loss of Carl Crawford will sting, but the team is good enough that it would only be a mild surprise to see the Rays get a playoff spot. There are some holes on the roster, from players who have not contributed before in Sean Rodriguez and Dan Johnson, to aging veteran signees such as Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. What holds this team together is its deep pitching. Led by David Price and finishing with top prospect Jeremy Hellickson, it seems like there is no end to the organizational depth for the Rays.
4. Orioles - Book me now for saying this Orioles team will not be that bad. It could even be a good team if the young rotation takes a step forward. The lineup looks competitive and veteran experiments on Vladimir Guerrero and Derrek Lee have a better chance of working out than disasters like Garrett Atkins and Miguel Tejada. Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz should do fine in the rotation. The future of the deep depends on the development of Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton. This team needs those two to hang with the division heavyweights in order to compete.
5. Blue Jays - The team is in an all out rebuilding mode having rid themselves of the nasty Vernon Wells and Alex Rios contracts. However, it does not seem to be particularly loaded with prospects and the remaining veterans are not exactly impact players. Jose Bautista would need to repeat and huge rebounds are necessary from Adam Lind and Aaron Hill for the team to have any shot. The rotation is in decent shape with Ricky Romero followed by up-and-comers Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil. Keep Morrow's name in mind. You will be hearing his name a lot this season.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
You Mean Learn How to Hit?
MLB.com posted this story today. As Reds fans who watched Dunn man left field in Cincinnati for several years, we often joked that a move to the American League where he could play his "natural position" would be in order some day. Now with the Chicago White Sox, that day is here. But isn't it just a smack in the face for a player to see this headline?
Initial Reactions
I would like to post the reactions of friends and colleagues as I continue to work on this. Here are the first couple:
This came in an unprompted email from a friend of mine who wanted to make sure I knew about the job:
"this is all you..." he said as he provided a link.
From another friend:
"Good luck!!!!!!! I know that this would be your dream job and you would be great at it!"
Sure, these are a bit superficial and I have no doubt there are thousands of people wishing someone luck in pursuing this. I hope to get some meaningful statements over the next few days from people who know how passionate and talented I would be at this job. We will see what trickles in.
This came in an unprompted email from a friend of mine who wanted to make sure I knew about the job:
"this is all you..." he said as he provided a link.
From another friend:
"Good luck!!!!!!! I know that this would be your dream job and you would be great at it!"
Sure, these are a bit superficial and I have no doubt there are thousands of people wishing someone luck in pursuing this. I hope to get some meaningful statements over the next few days from people who know how passionate and talented I would be at this job. We will see what trickles in.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Love Those Warcats
In my last post, I briefly mentioned the Warcats. That is a sixth grade basketball team I coach. Since I don't currently have a full-time job in sports, I began coaching last year.
This is my first season as a head coach. We lost our first five games, then finished the regular season with two wins. Unfortunately, our record does not do us justice as we lost three tight games. Despite the 2-5 record, we were only outscored by eight points on the season (and that includes one player scoring in the wrong hoop!). We played a team with a 5-2 record in the first round of the playoffs and won on Saturday. On to the final four!
This is a picture of my team and you can see me over a player's shoulder standing on the sideline.
Each week, I write a "press release" that I send to parents. Most of them seem to appreciate it and they say they read them with the sixth graders. For me it is just an excuse to tie my writing skills into what I do and I feel like the parents really appreciate me going an extra step or two. Here is this week's post:
Westerville, OH -- The road to the Rike Center and the championship game will require two wins and the Warcats are halfway there.
Despite a 36-33 loss to the Tar Heels in the regular season, the Warcats won in convincing fashion Saturday with a 36-27 win in the first round of the tournament.
After losing Solomon to an injury just a few minutes into the game, the Warcats (3-5) remained strong and led by as many as eight in the first half. A pesky Tar Heels (5-3) press collapsed the lead, but the Warcats rebounded late in the second quarter and never trailed again.
Mitchell led the most balanced Warcat scoring effort of the season with 12 points. Hunter had a season high six points, while Solomon returned in the fourth quarter to score five points including a highlight reel basket. Nathan continued his improved play with four points and three rebounds. Brandon also had four points. Clayton chipped in his his first basket of the season and Austen had three points and the Warcats' only two assists of the game. Josh did not score, but the offense continually ran through him.
The Warcats continued to improve in transition. Nearly everyone was in on the rebounding effort and ball handlers frequently found the open man.
"That was our most complete team effort of the season," coach Anthony said. "I love looking at the scoresheet and seeing marks on nearly every player for both scoring and rebounding, as opposed to having a ton of marks for just one or two players and blank spots for the rest of the team. It is no coincidence at all that the games we have won are the games in which everyone is making a solid contribution."
"Why not us? Why not now?" an impressed Westerville recreation manager Eric Dicke said after the game.
Indeed, the word is out on the Warcats. The coach of the top seeded Blue Bombers told one Warcat parent he does not want to face the Warcats in the playoffs. The undefeated Blue Bombers had their closest call in the regular season against the Warcats, a one point win.
"We played a good game (against the Tar Heels)," coach Matt said. "But we need to play a great game against And1. We need to have a focused practice, continue to share the ball and improve our help defense. Help defense is the key to victory Saturday."
And1 (7-1) is the only thing standing in the way of a championship appearance for the Warcats. That team defeated the Warcats 33-19 in the season opener, but everyone seems to know this is a different Warcat team than the one that showed up in early January.
Practice returns to Robert Frost Elementary on Friday night and the game is Saturday morning at 9:15.
--30--
This is my first season as a head coach. We lost our first five games, then finished the regular season with two wins. Unfortunately, our record does not do us justice as we lost three tight games. Despite the 2-5 record, we were only outscored by eight points on the season (and that includes one player scoring in the wrong hoop!). We played a team with a 5-2 record in the first round of the playoffs and won on Saturday. On to the final four!
This is a picture of my team and you can see me over a player's shoulder standing on the sideline.
Each week, I write a "press release" that I send to parents. Most of them seem to appreciate it and they say they read them with the sixth graders. For me it is just an excuse to tie my writing skills into what I do and I feel like the parents really appreciate me going an extra step or two. Here is this week's post:
Westerville, OH -- The road to the Rike Center and the championship game will require two wins and the Warcats are halfway there.
Despite a 36-33 loss to the Tar Heels in the regular season, the Warcats won in convincing fashion Saturday with a 36-27 win in the first round of the tournament.
After losing Solomon to an injury just a few minutes into the game, the Warcats (3-5) remained strong and led by as many as eight in the first half. A pesky Tar Heels (5-3) press collapsed the lead, but the Warcats rebounded late in the second quarter and never trailed again.
Mitchell led the most balanced Warcat scoring effort of the season with 12 points. Hunter had a season high six points, while Solomon returned in the fourth quarter to score five points including a highlight reel basket. Nathan continued his improved play with four points and three rebounds. Brandon also had four points. Clayton chipped in his his first basket of the season and Austen had three points and the Warcats' only two assists of the game. Josh did not score, but the offense continually ran through him.
The Warcats continued to improve in transition. Nearly everyone was in on the rebounding effort and ball handlers frequently found the open man.
"That was our most complete team effort of the season," coach Anthony said. "I love looking at the scoresheet and seeing marks on nearly every player for both scoring and rebounding, as opposed to having a ton of marks for just one or two players and blank spots for the rest of the team. It is no coincidence at all that the games we have won are the games in which everyone is making a solid contribution."
"Why not us? Why not now?" an impressed Westerville recreation manager Eric Dicke said after the game.
Indeed, the word is out on the Warcats. The coach of the top seeded Blue Bombers told one Warcat parent he does not want to face the Warcats in the playoffs. The undefeated Blue Bombers had their closest call in the regular season against the Warcats, a one point win.
"We played a good game (against the Tar Heels)," coach Matt said. "But we need to play a great game against And1. We need to have a focused practice, continue to share the ball and improve our help defense. Help defense is the key to victory Saturday."
And1 (7-1) is the only thing standing in the way of a championship appearance for the Warcats. That team defeated the Warcats 33-19 in the season opener, but everyone seems to know this is a different Warcat team than the one that showed up in early January.
Practice returns to Robert Frost Elementary on Friday night and the game is Saturday morning at 9:15.
--30--
Stats Geek From an Early Age
There is no doubt MLB is looking for a baseball nut and I am well aware there are countless millions of baseball nuts out there. One might ask what sets me apart. The answer is that I am just a bit nuttier than most other baseball fans and I have been that way for as long as I remember.
When I was a kid my favorite subject was math. I loved it until right around the time we hit the quadratic formula. Now I know the real reason I like math is I like it when numbers tell me something. In work and school settings, I have never minded being the one that breaks down the numbers because it helps me tell a story.
Looking at box scores in the morning paper was always a highlight to my morning. As soon as I discovered what those numbers meant, I began to read the paper every day at breakfast before school.
I'm sure I wasn't the only kid who did that, but I took it a step further. When I played by myself, I would head over to my next door neighbor's yard (dad's garden always got in the way in my yard) and I pretended I was all the players in the game. I tossed the ball and hit, then ran around the base paths. (These games usually ended with a Cincinnati Reds victory.) After each at bat I recorded the result of the "play" into a notebook and I have no doubt I filled a few of these with mock box scores of the games that went on inside my head.
I did the same thing with video games long before the season mode captured stats. Then I wrote a quick summary of the game. Here is one of the box scores from a Game Gear game at the end of a fine season.
Yes, you're darn right that Ron Gant and Barry Larkin have averages well above .400, Bret Boone has 24 triples on the season and John Smiley just moved to 13-0. If anyone can get a hold of my Game Gear and the Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball game, you can use my password to take over a season headed to the playoffs.
When I was a kid my favorite subject was math. I loved it until right around the time we hit the quadratic formula. Now I know the real reason I like math is I like it when numbers tell me something. In work and school settings, I have never minded being the one that breaks down the numbers because it helps me tell a story.
Looking at box scores in the morning paper was always a highlight to my morning. As soon as I discovered what those numbers meant, I began to read the paper every day at breakfast before school.
I'm sure I wasn't the only kid who did that, but I took it a step further. When I played by myself, I would head over to my next door neighbor's yard (dad's garden always got in the way in my yard) and I pretended I was all the players in the game. I tossed the ball and hit, then ran around the base paths. (These games usually ended with a Cincinnati Reds victory.) After each at bat I recorded the result of the "play" into a notebook and I have no doubt I filled a few of these with mock box scores of the games that went on inside my head.
I did the same thing with video games long before the season mode captured stats. Then I wrote a quick summary of the game. Here is one of the box scores from a Game Gear game at the end of a fine season.
Yes, you're darn right that Ron Gant and Barry Larkin have averages well above .400, Bret Boone has 24 triples on the season and John Smiley just moved to 13-0. If anyone can get a hold of my Game Gear and the Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball game, you can use my password to take over a season headed to the playoffs.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Job Description
I realize there are thousands of people out there who have the same dream job as I do. To be honest, I wish each of them the best. However, I would not apply for a job for which I am not qualified. Upon reading the job description below, I immediately thought about how so many of my skills can translate to this position.
Let's start breaking this down, shall we? Here is the job description:
-Strong writing skills
I started in print journalism at Ohio University, but quickly switched to broadcast. Obviously there is still a heavy writing element and I have the ability to tell compelling stories. My duties included reporting and producing for Gridiron Glory and Newswatch, two public television programs produced almost entirely by broadcast journalism students on a volunteer basis.
After I closed out my time as a Bobcat I studied for my Master's in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts. To complete the program I interned at Baseball America, where I followed baseball prospects at the minor league, college and high school levels.
This spring I am entering my fourth year as a baseball writer for Rotowire, a fantasy sports website and resource. My duties includes covering the news on the Baltimore Orioles, updating player notes and profiles, and writing a column that previews the day's fantasy matchups.
-Strong verbal communication skills
My broadcast background plays up to this skill set. While I was at Ohio University, I worked on baseball and women's basketball play-by-play for the Ohio Sports Network for three years. I also co-hosted a radio sports talk show and was on-air talent for sports and news programming. Needless to say, I feel quite comfortable on TV and radio.
-Strong organizational skills
If it is a multitasker who knows how to prioritize and complete deadline driven tasks that MLB seeks, look no further. My current day job is working for an affordable housing finance company. Today I finished synthesizing data for a project that is not even due until early next week. Then I went to my youth basketball practice, where I worked to get my sixth grade boys team ready for our playoff game tomorrow. (Go Warcats!) After coming home and eating some boxed mac-and-cheese, I checked in on Baltimore Orioles news and posted some updates. Now I am writing and strategizing on this blog.
Yes, I would say I have the ability to juggle lots of tasks.
-Must be a baseball expert
There really is no other way to say it than to admit that I am a baseball junkie. I love watching the game live and on television, and I love breaking it down. More than anything, I enjoy communicating with my friends during the season. I have friends with whom I play fantasy baseball and every year we comment on how we talk so much more during baseball season. It really is a beautiful game.
In my spare time I take quizzes like this one and I enjoy them for every MLB team. My favorite classes in college were HIST 319B HIST 319C, otherwise known as Baseball History pre-1930 and Baseball History post-1930, taught by historian Charles Alexander. Alexander truly is a cult hero to any baseball fan who has taken his class. And yes, we do have a Facebook group devoted to him.
I once took a seven hour road trip and played the baseball name game the entire way. (That's where I say Albert Pujols and my opponent must say a player whose first name starts with "P" since Pujols starts with "P." It goes back and forth until someone runs out of players. Strikes are optional.
-Must be comfortable in front of the camera and able to present a positive public image
I touched on my work in front of the camera already, so I will emphasize that I truly care about being an upstanding person. My work experience includes working for two non-profit companies. Last year I rode in Pelotonia, a grassroots bike tour that requires riders to raise funds for cancer research. My efforts resulted in more than $2,300 for this cause.
-Must have a witty and creative personality
Ask my older brother and younger sisters about this one and they would probably say this is me to a fault. But I am the guy forever immortalized in my high school yearbook for wearing footie pajamas on picture day just because I could. And that was after I used the computer in my AP Biology class for fantasy baseball all year long. (Ah yes, the cowboys days of the internet when schools did not know how to block certain pages yet.) In recent years, I have tried to work on my first standup comedy routine. That one is still a work in progress.
-Must complete a background check
I have nothing to hide.
Much more to come on my qualifications as I flush out many of these experiences. For now, I have to concentrate on my basketball game tomorrow. It is tournament time, so wish the Warcats luck!
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