Unlike last season, when the Twins ended up winning the AL Central by a comfortable six games over the White Sox, the AL Central is shaping up to be a much more competitive division in 2011. While the Twins resigned both Jim Thome and Carl Pavano and will get Justin Morneau back from injury, the Tiger and White Sox made moves that will help them compete with Minnesota this season. Expect a three team race, while the Indians and Royals should have years similar to last season, when they won 69 and 67 games respectively.
Tigers
The Tigers finished last season with a disappointing 81-81 record. They played well at home in Detroit, going 52-29 at Comerica Park, but played horribly on the road, finishing with a record of 29-52. The Tigers, however, should be better this upcoming season. They added slugging catcher Victor Martinez to an already solid lineup that includes Miguel Cabrera (2nd in AL MVP voting in 2010), Carlos Guillen, Brandon Inge, Austin Jackson and a hopefully healthy Magglio Ordonez. Their rotation should also be improved, as starters Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello started to pitch better at the end of last season and will be a solid 2-3 after ace Justin Verlander (18-9, 3.37 ERA in 2010). If they can play more consistently away from Comerica Park, expect them to compete.
Twins
After winning the division last season and returning most of that team, the Twins should be considered the favorite to win the AL Central again in 2011. They have a dangerous lineup that includes two of the best hitters in baseball in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Solid hitters also surround them in the lineup: Delmon Young, Denard Span, Michael Cuddyer, Jim Thome, and Jason Kubel. Third baseman Danny Valencia, who hit .311 in 299 at-bats last season as a rookie, could experience a bit of a sophomore slump now that pitchers have seen him before, but the Twins still have enough hitting to produce runs. The Twins rotation will be the same as last season, with Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano at the top. After a horrendous 2009 season, Liriano bounced back and had a great 2010 season. Can he produce the same type of numbers again this season as Minnesota's ace? The key to the division could be closer Joe Nathan, who saved 47 games in 2009 but missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery.
White Sox
The White Sox are upping their payroll roughly 13 percent for 2011, signaling that Chicago's south side franchise wants to take the AL Central title from the Twins this year. They retained slugger Paul Konerko and also added country-strong Adam Dunn (who hits absolute taters). Both of them will need to have great seasons for the Sox to win the division, as there are question marks throughout the rest of the lineup. The White Sox are still depending on the always questionable AJ Pierzynski behind the plate, they don't really know who is going to step up and take the third base job, and their corner outfielders (Juan Pierre and Carlos Quentin) aren't the most reliable tandem. The middle of their infield is solid, with Gordon Beckham at second and Alexei Ramirez manning shortstop. Their rotation is also one of the best in the American League, with Mark Buehrle, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Edwin Jackson and a hopefully healthy Jake Peavy. If they pitch up to expectations and Konerko and Dunn stay at the level they played at last season, expect to Sox to compete with the Twins for the division title.
Here's how I think it will play out:
1. White Sox
2. Twins
3. Tigers
4. Indians
5. Royals
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Who Will Win the AL East?
So it's been awhile since I last posted, but now that I'm back at Trinity for the spring semester I will start posting regularly again. Tonight I'll look at the AL East and I'll eventually get to each division.
As usual, the main competition for the AL East title will be between the Red Sox, the Yankees and the Rays. However, the dynamics between the three teams have changed drastically since the end of the 2010 season. The Red Sox had the best offseason of any team in baseball, while the Yankees stayed pretty stagnant and the Rays lost a lot of talent. Here is a look at each team...
Red Sox
The Sox are the favorite to win the division after trading for slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and signing free agent outfielder Carl Crawford. They also upgraded their bullpen by signing Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler to complement Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon (who they should trade before he gets worse, in my opinion). Even with all the new faces, the only way Boston goes from third last season to first this upcoming season is by getting bounce back seasons from Josh Beckett and John Lackey. That was their downfall last season and even with the two-headed monster of Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz at the top of the rotation, the season depends on Beckett and Lackey. Expect them to have better seasons and to see the Sox win the AL East
Rays
The Rays lost enough talent that people wouldn't be surprised if there is a significant drop off from their 96 win season in 2010. However, they still have plenty left on their roster to make another division title run. Even after trading Matt Garza, the Rays rotation should be good. They still have ace David Price and solid starters behind him in James Shields, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, and youngster Jeremy Hellickson. In terms of their lineup, they lost Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford, but signed former Red Sox Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. I don't know how effective Damon and Ramirez will be (their signings may have been more about putting fans in the seats than wins in the win column) but they could end up offering good pop in the middle of an order that already included Evan Longoria and BJ Upton. Expect them to be competitive, but to fall short of the playoffs.
Yankees
The Yankees did add some pieces this offseason, but will remain mostly the same as they were in 2010 (which produced 95 wins). Their most significant loss is starting pitcher Andy Pettitte, who would have been a reliable number three starter. After ace CC Sabathia and budding young starter Phil Hughes, the Yankess have an inconsistent AJ Burnett and young unproven starters Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre. Unless there are some surprises, their rotation cannot match that of the Sox and the Rays. Their lineup, however, is still one of the best in baseball, as it includes Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Brett Gardner, Jorge Posada, etc. You get the point: they can mash. Even with a shaky rotation, expect the Yanks to take second in the division and win the wild card (especially if Pettitte comes back to pitch later in the season).
There really isn't any need to talk about the Orioles and the Blue Jays, because, let's face it, they just won't be that competitive. The AL East will again be a three-team race between Boston, New York and Tampa. The Sox revamped lineup and bullpen should be enough to take the division title.
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Blue Jays
5. Orioles
As usual, the main competition for the AL East title will be between the Red Sox, the Yankees and the Rays. However, the dynamics between the three teams have changed drastically since the end of the 2010 season. The Red Sox had the best offseason of any team in baseball, while the Yankees stayed pretty stagnant and the Rays lost a lot of talent. Here is a look at each team...
Red Sox
The Sox are the favorite to win the division after trading for slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and signing free agent outfielder Carl Crawford. They also upgraded their bullpen by signing Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler to complement Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon (who they should trade before he gets worse, in my opinion). Even with all the new faces, the only way Boston goes from third last season to first this upcoming season is by getting bounce back seasons from Josh Beckett and John Lackey. That was their downfall last season and even with the two-headed monster of Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz at the top of the rotation, the season depends on Beckett and Lackey. Expect them to have better seasons and to see the Sox win the AL East
Rays
The Rays lost enough talent that people wouldn't be surprised if there is a significant drop off from their 96 win season in 2010. However, they still have plenty left on their roster to make another division title run. Even after trading Matt Garza, the Rays rotation should be good. They still have ace David Price and solid starters behind him in James Shields, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis, and youngster Jeremy Hellickson. In terms of their lineup, they lost Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford, but signed former Red Sox Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. I don't know how effective Damon and Ramirez will be (their signings may have been more about putting fans in the seats than wins in the win column) but they could end up offering good pop in the middle of an order that already included Evan Longoria and BJ Upton. Expect them to be competitive, but to fall short of the playoffs.
Yankees
The Yankees did add some pieces this offseason, but will remain mostly the same as they were in 2010 (which produced 95 wins). Their most significant loss is starting pitcher Andy Pettitte, who would have been a reliable number three starter. After ace CC Sabathia and budding young starter Phil Hughes, the Yankess have an inconsistent AJ Burnett and young unproven starters Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre. Unless there are some surprises, their rotation cannot match that of the Sox and the Rays. Their lineup, however, is still one of the best in baseball, as it includes Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Brett Gardner, Jorge Posada, etc. You get the point: they can mash. Even with a shaky rotation, expect the Yanks to take second in the division and win the wild card (especially if Pettitte comes back to pitch later in the season).
There really isn't any need to talk about the Orioles and the Blue Jays, because, let's face it, they just won't be that competitive. The AL East will again be a three-team race between Boston, New York and Tampa. The Sox revamped lineup and bullpen should be enough to take the division title.
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Blue Jays
5. Orioles
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Orioles Raise Ticket Prices: Huh?
According to ESPN.com, the Baltimore Orioles have decided to raise ticket prices for this upcoming season. With an average increase of $3 per ticket, the increases for 2011 will range between $1 an $8 per seat. Tickets purchased before game day will cost between $9 and $60. This is the first increase for all tickets to Orioles games since 2007. Why, might you ask, could this even be an issue? Well, 2010 just happened to be the Orioles 13th consecutive losing season. Yup, you are reading that correctly. The Orioles haven't managed to win at least 81 games since 1997, when they registered a spectacular 98-64 record and won the AL East. Their attendance that year? 3,711,132. Their attendance in 2010? 1,733,019. That's a decrease of just about 2,000,000 (check out the Orioles' past records and attendance numbers here).
Obviously, raising ticket prices is part of baseball. It's a business and teams don't want to risk losing possible revenue. However, when you're a team that has been absolutely horrible for more than a decade (the Orioles posted a 66-96 record in 2010 and finished 30 games out of first place) and attendance has gone from a franchise-peak average attendance in 1997 (45,816) to the 24th best attendance in the majors (21,662), you shouldn't necessarily be raising ticket prices. Especially when the Orioles won't be putting a winning product on the field again this year (most likely: if it happens it will be a miracle). Management needs to worry about putting people back in the seats at Camden Yards and should find other avenues to increase revenue.
Of course, the Orioles ticket prices are still nowhere close to being the highest in the big leagues. If they were the most expensive, even fewer people would attend games. FlipFlopFlyBall.com offers what they call baseball info graphics and the following one shows each team's ticket prices from the 2009 season. Click on the image to see it full size.
Obviously, raising ticket prices is part of baseball. It's a business and teams don't want to risk losing possible revenue. However, when you're a team that has been absolutely horrible for more than a decade (the Orioles posted a 66-96 record in 2010 and finished 30 games out of first place) and attendance has gone from a franchise-peak average attendance in 1997 (45,816) to the 24th best attendance in the majors (21,662), you shouldn't necessarily be raising ticket prices. Especially when the Orioles won't be putting a winning product on the field again this year (most likely: if it happens it will be a miracle). Management needs to worry about putting people back in the seats at Camden Yards and should find other avenues to increase revenue.
Of course, the Orioles ticket prices are still nowhere close to being the highest in the big leagues. If they were the most expensive, even fewer people would attend games. FlipFlopFlyBall.com offers what they call baseball info graphics and the following one shows each team's ticket prices from the 2009 season. Click on the image to see it full size.
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| http://www.flipflopflyin.com/flipflopflyball/info-ticketprices.html |
Pavano Stays in Minnesota
By keeping Pavano and the recently resigned Jim Thome, the Twins keep intact most of the team that won ran away with the AL Central last. In 2011, however, the Tigers and the White Sox should improve on their 2010 records. The Tigers added slugger Victor Martinez and their rotation should be more consistent than it was last season, as Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello began to pitch better by the end of last season (and yeah, they have Justin Verlander too). The White Sox added Adam Dunn to an already potent lineup that includes Paul Konerko, Carlos Quentin, Alex Rios, Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham. They also have a great rotation with Mark Buehrle, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Jake Peavy (hopefully healthy) and Edwin Jackson (hopefully effective).
The AL Central race should be a lot closer this season. The key to the Twins winning again is not keeping Thome or Pavano, but having Justin Morneau healthy for an entire season. Last season, he had concussion problems during the second half of the season. The Twins played well enough to capture the second best record in the American League. Don't bet on that happening again if Morneau is out for a lengthy amount of time.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Santo to Pujols: Random Baseball Happenings
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| Ron Santo will be joining Ernie Bank outside of Wrigley Field. |
At this point during the offseason, there really isn't a lot of big news around baseball. We're at the time of the year where most of the big free agent signings have already happened and spring training has yet to start, so suffice it to say that it's been kinda slow in the past few days (besides the Yankees spending wayyyyy too much for a setup man). Here's a quick update on some baseball happenings, before you go use your entire weekend to watch the NFL playoffs.
The Cubs will honor the recently deceased Ron Santo with a statue outside of Wrigley Field. He joins Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Harry Caray (elite company) as the only people to have statues erected by the Cubs organization. Santo is considered one of the best players not to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Over his 15 year career at third base he hit .277 with 342 home runs and 1,331 RBIs. He was a nine time all-star and won five Gold Gloves. Starting in 1990, he was a Cubs radio broadcaster known for actively rooting for the Cubs in the booth.
The biggest contract that fans should be thinking about for the rest of the offseason is the possible extension Albert Pujols will sign with the Cardinals. Pujols has said that he doesn't want distractions during the season, so he will either sign a contract extension before the season starts or wait until after the season, when he becomes a free agent. Yesterday, FanGraphs published an article focusing on Pujols' possible contract. The graph below is from FanGraphs and it shows just how good Pujols (the green line) is. Measuring against Adrian Gonzalez (orange) and Mark Teixeira (purple), who have both received huge contracts recently (Gonzalez hasn't officially signed an extension with the Sox, but it's rumored to be around $150 million), the graph shows each player's WAR (wins above replacement) in their first to tenth best seasons. Uhm, Pujols is in another stratosphere. He is going to get way more than either Gonzalez or Tex received. FanGraphs estimates that Pujols should get a contract valued near what Alex Rodriguez has signed for in the past. Yeah that's right, $250 million. The crazy thing is that based on market value, Pujols actually deserves that much cash. That's insane.
The A's are apparently trying to hard to land free agent reliever Brian Fuentes, a lefty who finished last season with a 2.81 ERA in 48 innings last season. The Blue Jays are also contenders for his services. He is now the top free agent reliever left on the market. Here's the team that should have signed Fuentes: Boston. Instead, GM Theo Epstein resigned declining Hideki Okajima. Who would you rather have as the lefty in your bullpen: Fuentes or Okajima? No question, it's Fuentes.
And just for the hell of it, here are my NFL picks for this weekend:
Ravens over Steelers
Packers over Falcons
Seahawks over Bears
Patriots over Jets
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thome Signs with Twins
After rumors that the Texas Rangers were majorly involved with the aging slugger, Jim Thome decided to stay in Minnesota for another season. The one year deal includes $3 million guaranteed plus incentives based on plate appearances. Last season, Thome added a good deal of thump to the Twins lineup. In 276 at-bats for the Twins, Thome posted a slash line of .283/.412/.627 (avg./obp./slg.), hit 25 home runs and drove in 59 runs. He hit right-handed pitchers especially well, posting a 1.047 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
Thome's new deal is good for both sides. His salary from last season is doubled (before incentives) and the Twins keep an effective power hitter in DH slot. The Twins, as always, seem primed for another possible AL Central title, but both the White Sox and the Tigers should be better then they were last season, when the Twins ended up running away with the division title at the end of the season. Thome stays in a deep lineup that includes Denard Span, Delmon Young, Alexi Casilla, Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, rising young star Danny Valencia and, of course, Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer. If Morneau rebounds from his concussion problems at the end of last season, the middle of the Twins lineup (Young, Mauer, Morneau, Thome) is one of the very best in baseball.
Thome is only 11 home runs away from 600 for his career, having already blasted 589. He is only 20 away from seventh place on the all-time list, which is currently held by Sammy Sosa (609). Last season it took Thome until July 19th to hit his 11th home run of the season, so I'll guess that it will be closer towards the middle of the season when Thome finally hits number 600.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Five Best Ballparks in Baseball
Ok, so the biggest baseball news of today is Rafael Soriano finally signing a contract with the Yankees. It's worth three years, $35 million dollars and gives the Yankees an upgrade in the 8th inning, in order to bridge the gap to closer Mariano Rivera. Unfortunately, Andy Pettitte told Brian Cashman not to count on him to pitch this season, so the Yankees' only problem now is having their shaky rotation actually get through seven good innings, consistently, so that Soriano and Rivera can pitch with a lead. Anyway, on to the topic of today's post: the five best ballparks in baseball.
1. Wrigley Field- Chicago
Even if I wasn't a huge Cubs fan, Wrigley would be at the top of my list. It's the second oldest park in the Majors, built in 1914. (Fenway is first, built in 1912). Here is a list of things that make Wrigley the best, in no particular order: the ivy, the scoreboard, day games, the wind blowing out, the marquee, Wrigleyville, great seats (even in the upper deck), take me out to the ballgame in the middle of the seventh inning (don't try and tell my that another ballpark does it better), and every once in awhile the Cubs might win. You won't find great amenities at Wrigley, but that isn't why you go to the north side of Chicago. You go for great sight lines and the chance to enjoy a ballgame on a warm summer afternoon.
2. AT&T Park- San Francisco
The Giants home park has one of the best locations in all of baseball: right in San Francisco and right next to the Bay. It opened in 2000 and has the retro design that is popular today. The big glove and Coke bottle in left and McCovey Cove in right are just some of the main attractions at AT&T.
3. PNC Park- Pittsburgh
PNC Park is home to the Pirates and is a huge upgrade over the Pirates old stomping grounds, Three Rivers Stadium. With a capacity of only 39,000, PNC is intimate and every fan can feel close to the action. PNC has limited luxury boxes compared to other Major League parks, which allows the upper deck to be closer to field level. There are great views of Pittsburgh's skyline and of the yellow Roberto Clemente bridge. As a new park, PNC also has tons of different concession options, if you're not in the mood for a ballpark dog. And finding a seat is never hard, as the Pirates are basically the equivalent of a AAA team.
4. Target Field- Minneapolis
Opened in 2010, Target Field is the newest field in Major League Baseball. Fans in Minnesota haven't had outdoor baseball since 1981, and Target Field hasn't disappointed. Just like PNC Park, Target Field sits around 39,000 and everyone is close to the action. Target Plaza, just inside the ballpark, allows fans to learn about Twins history and the park offers great views of downtown Minneapolis.
5. Oriole Park at Camden Yards- Baltimore
Opened in 1992, Oriole Park at Camden Yards started the retro ballpark revolution. Many of the parks built after Camden Yards tried to emulate the park in Baltimore. Camden Yards sports the classic red brick exterior and the warehouse in right field is one of the most well known objects in baseball. The park is within walking distance of downtown Baltimore and the harbor.
So there is my list of the top five ballparks in baseball. I know I'm probably going to get a lot of crap from people about leaving Fenway off of this list. Yes, Fenway does have some good things, but it's also cramped and has terrible sight lines (unless you're paying a ton of money for the best seats). If you want to go to an old park, I'd recommend Wrigley over Fenway.
Even if I wasn't a huge Cubs fan, Wrigley would be at the top of my list. It's the second oldest park in the Majors, built in 1914. (Fenway is first, built in 1912). Here is a list of things that make Wrigley the best, in no particular order: the ivy, the scoreboard, day games, the wind blowing out, the marquee, Wrigleyville, great seats (even in the upper deck), take me out to the ballgame in the middle of the seventh inning (don't try and tell my that another ballpark does it better), and every once in awhile the Cubs might win. You won't find great amenities at Wrigley, but that isn't why you go to the north side of Chicago. You go for great sight lines and the chance to enjoy a ballgame on a warm summer afternoon.
The Giants home park has one of the best locations in all of baseball: right in San Francisco and right next to the Bay. It opened in 2000 and has the retro design that is popular today. The big glove and Coke bottle in left and McCovey Cove in right are just some of the main attractions at AT&T.
PNC Park is home to the Pirates and is a huge upgrade over the Pirates old stomping grounds, Three Rivers Stadium. With a capacity of only 39,000, PNC is intimate and every fan can feel close to the action. PNC has limited luxury boxes compared to other Major League parks, which allows the upper deck to be closer to field level. There are great views of Pittsburgh's skyline and of the yellow Roberto Clemente bridge. As a new park, PNC also has tons of different concession options, if you're not in the mood for a ballpark dog. And finding a seat is never hard, as the Pirates are basically the equivalent of a AAA team.
Opened in 2010, Target Field is the newest field in Major League Baseball. Fans in Minnesota haven't had outdoor baseball since 1981, and Target Field hasn't disappointed. Just like PNC Park, Target Field sits around 39,000 and everyone is close to the action. Target Plaza, just inside the ballpark, allows fans to learn about Twins history and the park offers great views of downtown Minneapolis.
Opened in 1992, Oriole Park at Camden Yards started the retro ballpark revolution. Many of the parks built after Camden Yards tried to emulate the park in Baltimore. Camden Yards sports the classic red brick exterior and the warehouse in right field is one of the most well known objects in baseball. The park is within walking distance of downtown Baltimore and the harbor.
So there is my list of the top five ballparks in baseball. I know I'm probably going to get a lot of crap from people about leaving Fenway off of this list. Yes, Fenway does have some good things, but it's also cramped and has terrible sight lines (unless you're paying a ton of money for the best seats). If you want to go to an old park, I'd recommend Wrigley over Fenway.
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