LNHM: Week 9

Hey guys we are back!

Last week was my last week for classes and finals so you will be getting consistent articles from here on out, maybe even some new columns so please stay tuned!

Lets get started with some new players that you should keep an eye on

Batters

Byron Buxton OF, MIN: Widely considered the best prospect in baseball, Buxton will be given his first cup of coffee on Sunday afternoon. Typically I would not profile a high end prospect like Buxton without telling you the stereotypical "watch out for growing pains" warning, however Buxton is special. Not only will he be inserted into a thriving lineup that only looks to get better with some other names looming in the mix (Berrios, Meyer and Sano) but Buxton offers a lot to be excited about. Buxton's value from the get-go is going to come from his plus ability to get on base followed by his excellent speed. Buxton has also flashed excellent power in the minor leagues tallying 25 extra base hits out of 76 hits this season so far. Because he is highly touted, by the time this article comes out it could be that he is no longer available in your league but if he is, act now!

Eugenio Suarez SS, CIN: Every time we hear a player go down for the whole season, we always ask, who is behind him? Likely the replacement will be getting an extended look and especially when talking about a replacement in the top of the order on a decent hitting team. Suarez is no where near the same player as Buxton, however he is very similar to the guy he is replacing, Cozart. Cozart will be out this year and it will Suarez who will get the extended look at Shortstop. Suarez doesn't have a great power speed combo but his ability to get on base should lead to a decent amount of at-bats and runs. Expect him to be the starting SS from here on out. Suarez is owned in less than 5% in both leagues.

Hector Olivera, INF, LAD: Not even in the Yahoo system yet, There is a lot to like in Hector Olivera. Recent defector turned Dodger, Olivera has been given the fast track up to AAA and now sits waiting for his chance in the MLB. Olivera is 30 years old (a little old to be called a prospect) and LA has shown that they are not afraid to promote him. New posting fee rules make it ridiculous to pay 35+ million dollars for a minor league player so the front office will likely promote Olivera some time this summer. Keep Olivera on your watch list as he has a great eye and decent defensive skills that can be easily moved around the diamond.

Jake Lamb, 3B, ARI: A lot of people were asking me who was the real winner of the Trumbo trade and while it may have been easy to say Castillo or Trumbo, I believe the real winners were Tomas and Lamb. The Diamondbacks had a log jam on the left side of their field and although Tomas and Lamb are under preforming, this could be because of scattered PT. Now that this log jam has been broken up, these two have effectively locked down their position and now the fun starts. Don't be fooled by there sub-stellar numbers, Lamb was once considered the best ARI had to offer prospect wise and like Olivera, ARI wasn't going to pay those high posting fees to a bench warmer in Tomas. Tomas is owned in about 2/3 of all ESPN and Yahoo leagues but Lamb is owned in less than 15% of leagues. Picking up lamb and waiting for the hits to come in might not be such a bad idea.

Mitch Moreland 1B, TEX: Moreland was one of last weeks most exciting players hitting .360 with 2 homeruns and 9 RBIs. Surprisingly this has not been out of character for Moreland who is hitting a cool .300 with 30 RBIs this season. If your looking for a quick and cheap source of hitting, Moreland is probably your answer. Also I don't believe Texas is this bad, I am expecting their bats to heat up as the summer does, so Moreland hitting .300 may be a lot more valuable come July.

Pitchers

Jose Berrios SP, MIN: It must be an exciting time to be a Minnesotan baseball fan right now. A mere 2 games behind the Royals in the central the Twins have pushed the button for this year by promoting Buxton and the other names mentioned above are not far behind. Berrios and Meyers will be up this year either in the bullpen or as starters but both have the pedigree to be excellent starting pitchers. As Minnesota continues to thrive expect Berrios and Meyers to play big parts.

Vincent Velasquez SP, HOU: Just like Minnesota, Houston has also green lit a couple of their top prospects and Velasquez and Correa are the two to remember. Owned in 25% of ESPN leagues and 15% of Yahoo leagues, Velasquez got his first start last week did well throwing five innings of no run ball allowing 4 walks with 3 hits to go along with 5 Ks. The walks are a little concerning but how many walks did you give up on your first start?? Bothered by injuries for most of his career Velasquez was putting up excellent numbers in AA this year. Throwing 37 Ks with 9 walks. This excellent control plus a 6'3 frame could be the makings of an exciting young arm.

Steven Cishek RP, MIA: Those of you that drafted Cishek may be scoffing at the mere idea of picking him up but you may want to look again. Cishek really never got started this year after blowing up in a non-save scenario on opening day and it didn't get much better from there on. Cishek may have just had a semi case of the yips that was nothing a little time in AA couldn't fix. No one likes getting demoted but Cishek must have known that a strong performance in the minors would mean a quick return to the big club and now he is back. Although A.J. Ramos blew a save last week, the management has said that Ramos is their closer for the foreseeable future. However I see things differently. Cishek has always had excellent stuff and I believe that he will be back in the 9th inning soon. Now that he hopefully has some confidence back, keep Cishek on your radar should you need saves as the season progresses.

Charlie Morton, SP, PIT: On the cusp of a two start week, Morton is a good look for a quick pickup next week. In fours starts so far he has yet to give up more than three runs in each of his starts. That along with a scoreless 7 innings performance in his last outing gives him the hot hand. Moron may be worth owning next week but I would look elsewhere for more lasting value. Morton is owned in less than 20% of ESPN and Yahoo Leagues.

Finem Cogitationum
Final Thoughts

I called it at the beginning of the year and so far it looks like it will come true, Bryce Harper will win NL. MVP

This has been some of the best prospects seasons that I can remember with Buxton, Gallo, Russel, Correa, and Syndergaard. 

Soon to be added to his list will be the very cool Corey Seager!

What was the best prospect season you remember? Are you still waiting for your favorite prospect to get the call?

While the prospects have been fun to watch, this year feels like a special drought for Shortstops. ESPN's Player Rater has Johnny Peralta as the best shortstop followed by Hanley Ramirez who isn't even playing SS anymore.

My dog named Smoke is a fan of Justin Smoak but not Jason Smolinski, interesting....

This Week in Baseball History June 7-June 13

With the Draft fully behind us (unless they’re in some 50th round we didn’t know about), we continue our look at Baseball history this week. This time with comedy!

June 7, 1966

In the second amateur draft in sports history, the A's (then in Kansas City) select future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in the first round as the second overall pick. The Mets, with the first overall pick (again), choose Steve Chilcott, a high school catcher who will see a single day of major league action. Gosh, that’s a stark juxtaposition isn’t it? Thankfully, make-it or break-it guys like Chilcott are much less common then we saw back in the ‘good ole days’. Hey, how many of them would have ended up in a Lady Gaga outfit? The world may never know.

An unidentified Lady Gaga fan

June 8, 1955

You can make it to the show, but sometimes you can end up being just another Wally Pipp. Take the case of tough time Tommy. After eight games and 13 innings, the Dodgers (then in Brooklyn) option rookie left-hander Tom Lasorda to Montreal (at the time they’re triple-A affiliate) to make room for a bonus baby who was also a southpaw. The kid is a guy by the name of Sandy Koufax, heard of him? Koufax had injured his ankle that spring, putting him on the 30-day disabled list to begin the season. While his first five seasons were forgettable, he would lock in by 1961, becoming the youngest player elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. It just gives me chills down my spine to think of what would have happened if Tom Lasorda hadn’t been optioned after all had worn a Lady Gaga suit.

June 9, 1999
Bobby Valentine’s got a checkered history with the national pastime. He’s been known for some off-the-wall antics, but this probably steals the show(well?). After being ejected in the 12th inning for arguing a catcher's interference call, Bobby V. returns to the dugout wearing some new shades and lip hair. The National League suspends the Mets' manager for an additional two games and fine him for the stunt. Luckily for Bobby, being the manager of a New York team meant that he had access to some top-shelf acting talent on Broadway. While this performance wasn’t TONY worthy, we won’t close the book yet on a future acting career for this spunky manager. Even George Clooney had a bad film or two (I’m looking at you ‘Batman and Robin’).

June 10, 1944

At least for Bobby, his ‘debut’ was at a more ‘mature’ age of forty-nine. For some guys, they just get thrown out there to the lions. Just six weeks shy of his 16th birthday (voice change much?), Joe Nuxhall (that’s a keeper) becomes the youngest person to play in a major league contest in the 20th century. After being called in the ninth inning into a 13-0 rout by the Cardinals at Crosley Field, the 15 year-old high school southpaw will stay with the Reds organization for over sixty years (playing all of them? WOW!). He becomes best known as the voice for the team's radio broadcasts but his start was pretty memorable enough. He retired the first batter he ever faced, but was unable to get out of the inning, yielding five walks, two hits, one wild pitch and five runs. Well, at least he had time to develop for sure.

Joe Nuxhall (right) presumably being explained what a baseball is before his big day

June 11, 1995

History has a funny way of making you thank your lucky stars things go your way after the fact. Just take the case of Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera as a startling reminder of this fact. After allowing five runs on seven hits in the first 2.1 innings in the team's eventual 10-7 victory over Seattle, Mariano is sent down and optioned to the minor leagues. By being sent down for the fifth time this season, Mariano was placed on waivers for an entire week before being cleared back to the Yankees triple-A farm team in Trenton. On that date, the American League team with the worst record would have had the first crack at acquiring the struggling starter. That team, was the Boston Red Sox. Oh boy that’s an image, Mariano with a big puffy beard. Along with Mariano, the Bombers' also sent down a 20 year-old infielder and fellow future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, after his first trip to the big leagues. I think it’s safe to say both ended up okay.

June 12, 1970

Baseball stats have a way of making certain players look like their sky high in performances. This time, you’d have to say it was meant for real for on this memorable day, Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis threw a 2-0 no-hitter against the Padres in San Diego (his hometown) during the first game of a day-night doubleheader. The eccentric former Pirates' right-hander, who later became a staunch proponent of drug decriminalization, would later famously claim that he was under the influence of LSD while tossing the most outstanding outing in his decade long career. Is it safe to say that he was the first guy to admit to using performance enhancing drugs or is that too much? A new movie on his tragically short life and story (No-No) is out if you want to know more.

June 13, 2006

Sure, sports have a love hate relationship with new technologies, but eventually the two have a way of reconciling their differences. Baseball back in its stone age used smoke scr . . . I mean, semaphore flags to signal for a pitcher from the bullpen (if they indeed had a bullpen), but soon landline phones came in vogue by the 50’s and 60’s. But times they were a changing.  By 2006, Baseball bowed to the inevitable call (get it?) of progress when the first wireless bullpen communication system in baseball history was used at Wrigley Field (not U.S. Cellular?, that's ironic) on this day. A cell phone, which will be sent to the Hall of Fame, is first used to call the bullpen. From the dugout, Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild calls the bullpen during the third inning to start warming up reliever Angel Guzman (that early?). It only took 30 years for baseball to adopt it? That was fast! On a serious note, I wonder if the Cubs ended up getting a team plan and how they managed their roaming and data charges. Some baseball players were above the curve as we see in baseball phenom Brian Harper (any relationship to Bryce) who was rockin' the cell before it was cool.

We'll see you again next week.

A-Rod’s Wide Ride to 3000 Part 1:The Early Years (1994-1995)

Alex Rodriquez, just the name itself should evoke a stream of emotions and memories. For the man himself, he seems to have figured out (at least for now) that perhaps his outsized reputation has preceded him and has taken to let his performance at the plate speak for itself. It seems like a good thing too, as he’s been performing well above expectations for someone playing though their 39 career season.  Along with his improved playing time and performance from last playing year in2013 (.244/.348/.423 through 181 Plate appearances and 44 games) he’s also been passing and moving though some historic offensive categories.

Early this May, A-Rod tied and then passed Willie Mays for fourth place all time in Home Runs and last week he passed Barry Bonds (for the sake of decency, I’ll refrain from mentioning him again by name) for second place all time in RBI’s (now behind only Hank Aaron). But as you all know, A-Rod is now at the doorstep of one of Baseball’s most coveted hitting clubs, the three thousand hit mark.

With his expected arrival to this austere group, I thought we’d take a moment and look at the long, checkered (being diplomatic here) and always colorful journey that A-Rod has taken over his two decades of play to mark the many hits that he’s taken to get to this great achievement, and perhaps get an idea of where he’ll be when his career is long over.

From the Minors to the Majors

Considering its draft time for baseball, you could be forgiven if you don’t remember where one of baseball’s greatest young prospect players came from. They all started somewhere, and for A-Rod, his start came as the first pick of the 1993 amateur player draft out of Westminster Christian High School in Miami, Florida by the Hapless (at the time anyway) Seattle Mariners.

The controversy would start almost immediately for the Baseball High School prodigy, when like John Elway, A-Rod expressed disinterest in going to the Mariners considering they were the furthest city from Miami in the lower 48 states. Despite his reservations, A-Rod began his laborious ascent to the Kingdome (remember that place?) where after only 114 minor league games (hitting a prodigious .312/.376/.577 in 475 PA’s and 114 Games) he finally made it to the show. Stroll with me, as we take a walk down memory lane and review the many hits of Alex Emmanuel Rodriguez.

Hit #1

After being called up just after the July 4 weekend, Alex made his debut for Seattle at Fenway Park on July 8. His first hit came the next day in the fourth inning to third base, of Boston starter Sergio Valdez. On first, he promptly stole second, where the inning ended after shortstop Felix Fermin (remember him?) grounded out. He had gone 0-5 before his first two hits. Few could have realized that he had just begun a journey that would be one for the record books, as well as the tabloid covers.
After playing in seventeen games for the strike shortened 1994 season, A-Rod’s performance was un-inspiring for a mid-season call up, (.204/.241/.204 and 11 hits in 59 PA’s). 1995 however, would be the breakout year for this 18 year old as the strike came to an end.

Hit#24

After a short stint in triple A for most of April and May, A-Rod got the call to once again join the show. It would be the last time he would make over 200 plate appearances in the minors ever again. He was ready to stay. Coaches had been working on improving his power game and he did not disappoint.  His twenty fourth hit came on June 12, and was the kind of hit he would long be known for; a Home Run off Kansas City starter(and father of current Marlin Second Baseman) Tom Gordon in the bottom of the fourth with no one on and his team trailing the Royals 3 to 8. A-Rod would continue to hit Tom Gordon very well (.316/.409/.579 in 22 PA’s) over the next four years while Gordon would play well for another decade.

As his second strike shortened season came to an end, A-Rod would play only a minor role with the Mariners as they completed their miracle comeback, first catching up to and then winning a one game playoff against the California Angels, then winning against the Yankees in a thrilling five game divisional series. In all, A-Rod didn’t participate in the play-in game and only made two plate appearances in the playoffs; but his spot as regular third-baseman for the Mariners was secured. The next year would be baseballs introduction to the nineteen year old that his agent said would one day “save baseball”.

Our next installment will cover his first of many All-Star caliber seasons of A-Rod Career as he passes 100 and 200 hits. A-Rod now sits on 2,993 hits, so the race is on to have this series close out before he closes in on the magic 3K mark. As for prediction about when and how, my calculations (based on multiple factors of current playing time and batting performance) say that he’ll tie Robert Clemente (3000) on the Sixteenth of June (in Miami, his birth town) at around the second plate appearance. Anyone willing to take pools on this shouldn’t take this as set in stone, because that’s why they play the game!

The 3K Hit Club: A look at its newest (and future?) members

               Somewhere in the next week or so, Alex Rodriguez will become the 29 member of the Three-thousand-hit club, becoming the newest member since Derek Jeters arrival at the mark nearly four years (that long, yeesh!) ago in 2011. With this milestone fast approaching, perhaps now is a good time as any to think forward project not only Alex’s final hit mark, but who will be joining A-Rod in this coveted list of hitters.

Alex Rodriguez (2,991 hits as of June 8) Passing another milestone in a rather rocky career

           Despite the controversy, the hatred, and yes, the numerous suspensions, A-Rod has continued to deliver at the plate year in, year out. And while people sadly sighed when he passed Willie Mays for the sixth place on the career Home Run list with 661, few have seen his surpassing of the three-thousand mark as a milestone worth observing and recognizing. Perhaps this is because the bubble has already been burst with the attainment of that mark by Rafael Palmeiro in 2005.

But maybe we should look at these two players in a different light; considering that while PED’s give you a slight edge in hitting a ball farther (or in the case of A-Rod WAY Farther), they can’t give you the skills you need to successfully hit a 93 MPH slider through the gap for a clean safety. Hits are hits, in other words. So while A-Rod’s ‘real’ home run total should be debated every time he makes a trip to Cooperstown (maybe they should at least let him in on an all-day senior pass if he visits) lets appreciate his reaching of this mark as less tainted by fraud than most other records he will certainly pass before his career ends.

               As to where he’ll end up on the list when all is said and done? No one can really be sure. His production this year certainly dispels any notion that a years (forced anyway) semi-retirement has diminished his skills at the plate at any rate. If his decline is kept at an absolute minimum, there could be a real possibility in him approaching and possibly lapping fellow Yankee Derek Jeter (3,465 hits; Sixth all time), but only time will tell. For now, A-Rod is looking to likely reach and possibly pass the only inactive member of the list in Rickey Henderson by the end of this historic year for the bruised slugger. Only time will tell. 

                Ichiro Suzuki: (2,878 hits as of June 8) Biding (or fighting) for time

                Things have not come easy for the light hitting outfielder these last two seasons, as his production (and thus his playing time) have quickly diminished. 2014 marked the very first time in Ichiro’s American career that he did not qualify for the batting title, instead settling as a late game pinch hitter and defensive substitution in the outfield for the Yankees.

                With his signing with the Marlins (for one-year; five million dollars), Ichiro has effectively acknowledged his role as the fourth outfielder in a team loaded with young slugging outfielders. Under these circumstances, Ichiro is on pace to have the lowest playing time in his fourteen years of major league service.

                For a man on the hunt for three thousand hits, this means that he faces a much more daunting climb to the mark than the next likeliest player on our list. Still, the Marlins might suffer some serious long term injuries and setbacks at the corner outfield position. Christian Yelich is still very vulnerable at the moment, batting .222/.287/.285 through this season; and Giancarlo Stanton, while providing pop is still whiffing for a pallid .230/.318/.531.

The Marlins may also decide to cash in on the celebration of the achievement (perhaps by moving his to another position in the infield?) and have him play out the season should their playoff dreams soon fall out of reach. Regardless, considering Ichiro’s current playing time and batting performance (both better than Yelich and Stanton; at.279/.331/.410), he looks set to roll the number dial over sometime early next season.

While it’s likely that he’ll get three-thousand major league hits, once he passes that number, his days as an ball player will be preciously numbered. Nearing nearly 4,100 hits by adding his American and Japanese careers combined, he’ll likely shut it down sometime after passing the magic 4,256 hit mark; buttressing his already strong resume for the Hall of Fame, both in Japan and in Cooperstown as well.

Adrian Beltre (2,657 hits as of June 8) The 'Omega Man' just keeps Rolling along

Mr. Beltre as of this writing is on the DL with a sprain on his left thumb, likely sidelining him for most of this month. Still, this will be a rather short bump in the road as he tries to join a group of only seventeen Halls of famers to primary man the hot corner. The headline on that calling card will most certainly be his three-thousand plus hits, likely to occur somewhere early in the 2018 season if he plays healthy and proficiently enough. He’ll likely become the fifth third baseman to achieve that mark, joining the likes of Brett, Molitor, and Ripken Jr., hallmarking a career studded with offensive and defensive consistency, many highlight gems, as well as some funny lighter moments in the game (got cup Adrian? Need I say more?).

All kidding aside however, his consistency will also likely net him 450+ home runs, 1,500 Runs and RBI, and over 5,000 total bases, all with a 110 OPS+ and lifetime .280/.330/.460-ish slash line (assuming some natural regression due to age). Considering he began his playing time in 1998 as the youngest player in baseball at the time, I think I wouldn’t be a stretch to see him crack the list of some of the oldest ballplayers in the next half decade or so. Predicting his final hit total makes it difficult as he’s still a season out. For now, it seems safe to say he’ll land somewhere over 2,700 hits this year. Well on his way to become member number thirty of the Three thousand hit club.

While there are numerous players today that have an inside track on 3,000 hits, injuries and other setbacks make realistic predictions beyond these three players more conjecture than an educated guess. While the next man in line may be pretty controversial among baseball circles, the club itself is still something we can all appreciate. If you want to see a montage of players getting hit number 3000 you can find it here. Enjoy! 

This Week in Baseball History May 31st to June 6th

Baseball is a game with a great future as well as a great past. Even though you might like its future prospects and fantasy projections, without its rich history, characters, and storylines baseball would be a lot less interesting than it is today. With that in mind, we at the AA Baseball Blog proudly present this weekly installment of ‘The Week in Baseball History’ column, where history, present and future meet. Here, you’ll find some interesting stories, amazing facts, and practically everything in between, from the amazing and incredible to the everyday and mundane, to the downright bizarre and odd.  So without further ado, lets dive into the history, shall we?

Today, baseball is turning its focus from off the field today, to the impending amateur draft to be held in Baseballs Studio 42 in New Jersey. While it’s not the most compelling of television (being over 50 rounds long with compensation picks galore) it’s certainly not worth the honorable mention of this little dive into baseball history this week.  However, our story takes us to the ends of baseball’s greatest careers rather than the beginning, as you’ll see below.

Tuesday, May 31st, 1927

Detroit First baseman John Neun completes the seventh unassisted triple play in MLB history by snagging Cleveland’s right fielder Homer Summa line drive. He then tagged left fielder Charlie Jamieson, who was on first, and beat pinch hitter Glenn Myatt to second base for the third out of the inning. Neun performs the feat in the top of ninth inning, sealing the Tigers 1-0 victory, making it the first time that a game ends on a triple killing. Incredibly, it makes for only the second unassisted triple play in as many days, following Cubs Second baseman similar feat of the day before. Another similar play would not be seen for another 42 seasons, during the days that men flew to the moon and hitters couldn’t hit the likes of Bob Gibson.

Unassisted triple plays are as rare as perfect games and happen in the blink of an eye.  Luckily, a game ending triple play has occurred in our lifetime (get your lotto numbers ready!). Just ask the hapless Mets (especially Jeff Francouer) when their late game rally was unceremoniously snuffed out by dependable Chase Utley stand-in Eric Bruntlett. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DviV7CYrc-E)

Monday, June 1st, 1925

Lou Gehrig is the owner of many records (some attainable, most not) in the vaunted books of Baseball; but his most cherished began almost as an accident. By making his only appearance as pinch-hitter in his entire career (that’s 14 full seasons in the majors!), begins his streak of playing in 2,130 straight games when he comes off the Yankee bench to hit for rookie infielder Pee-Wee Wanninger. Ironically, Wanninger had ended a consecutive-game streak of 1,307 consecutive games when he started the May 5th contest in place of Everett Scott, the team's shortstop. Gehrig at the time was a benchwarmer (that’s right!) who mostly served as a defensive substitution in the outfield before he took his chance as an everyday (and boy was he every day!) player on the team.

As for Yankee First Baseman Wally Pipp, his days on the Yankees roster were numbered from that day on. He would be thankfully traded to the Cincinnati Reds later in the offseason, where he played decently (thought no less anonymously) hitting .279/.335/.379 for the remaining three seasons of his career (again 14 seasons).  Lou Gehrig was, well Lou Gehrig, joining my favorite club in baseball statistics (the 300/400/500 club), and setting the bar for the next decade and a half of consistent day-in, day-out offense in some of the most vaunted lineups in baseball history.

If Gehrig knew of the incredible journey that he was embarking on, we can’t be sure. All we have is a simple film from that historic day, when FOX films showed up to film fellow teammate Babe Ruth’s return to baseball after recovering from  abdominal surgery that spring, known as ‘the bellyache heard round the world’. Who knew that history could be captured like that? (http://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc%3A20955)

Sunday, June 2nd, 1935

Speaking of Babe Ruth, on this day the aging Braves outfielder Babe Ruth announced his retirement from baseball. The 40 year-old former slugger wanted to retire three weeks earlier, but Boston owner Emil Fuchs persuaded him to continue because the Braves hadn't played in every National League park, thereby increasing the turnstile flips for all owners despite the wreck that was the Sultan of Swat. On the scale of Boston owner mismanagement, this fax-pas ranks pretty low on the list. His worst campaign as a ball player (even though he played for 28 regular games) was still impressive as he swatted a .181/.359/.431 slash line (wow.250 ISO). He would spend the rest of the season as base coach for the Braves as they would post the worst winning percentage in National League history for the twentieth century; All for a team with Babe Ruth playing and coaching for it? smh

Friday, June 3rd, 1932

The Yankees 1927 Murderers Row didn’t end with Ruth and Gehrig, it also included the likes of Shortstop Mark Koening, Left fielder Bob Meusel, and Third baseman Joe Dugan, but it also included Hall of Famers Earle Combs and rookie Tony Lazzeri. His short but terrific career included many standout performances, but none as terrific as this. The young centerfielder blasted a grand slam on this day  to complete a natural cycle, a cycle accomplished in sequential order: single, double, triple, home run. This rare and amazing feat was overshadowed by Yankee teammate  and fellow murderer (not actual, only alleged) Lou Gehrig hitting four home runs in the same game, and the announcement of long-time Giants manager John McGraw's retirement on the same day. Talk about a big baseball news day.

Tuesday, June 4th, 1974

Ten Cent Beer Night! Few words evoke such extreme feelings of unadulterated joy on the part of sports fans, and such extreme terror on the part of sports executives and security personnel.  Since there’s been professional sports there have been many a sporting promotion made by teams of all sports and all levels. In the annals of Baseball anyway, few are as successful, or as poorly thought out as this one was. On this day in 1974, approximately 60,000 cups were sold to a paying (and likely not so sober) crowd of 25,134. For those counting that’s 2.34 drinks for each attendant, likely more if the kiddies were left to drive home.

The Cleveland Indians (playing at the time at Cleveland municipal stadium) unfortunately were to suffer for their brief success and had to forfeit the game, due to the boisterous (and that’s being generous) behavior of their fans. Home plate ump Nestor Chylak stoped play with the score tied at five in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Rangers the victory (your forfeited score Rangers 9, Indians 0). Don’t believe me? Check out this retrospective and form your own thoughts about what happened hosted by Mike’s brother Bob Golick!?! Now we know why beers so expensive at the ball park these days! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeTpnOzoPdw)

Saturday, June 5th, 1982

Cal Ripken's 8,243 consecutive innings (not games) begins with the Baltimores 3-1 win over Minnesota at the Metrodome. The record streak, spanning the course of over nine-hundred games, will end when he is replaced in the eighth inning by pinch runner (and future Manager/Coach) Ron Washington during an 18-3 September loss to the Blue Jays in 1987. This streak runs along with, but is different to his vaunted consecutive game streak in which he started and played through the first five innings of each game to extend his streak, which he managed to do for 2,632 games in a row.

This record however, seems eminently more impressive as well as infinitely harder to achieve as it means Cal Ripken played in nearly 904 games straight from beginning to end, no substitutions/replacements or in-game adjustments. His consecutive games record seems more breakable then this one.  I’d pay top dollar for that type of dependability.

Tuesday, June 6th, 1944

Annabelle Lee, aunt of major league pitcher Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee, hurls the first of five perfect games in the 12-year history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The Minneapolis Millerettes southpaw knuckleballer, who’d also pitch a no-hitter for the Fort Wayne Daisies exactly one year later, throws the first perfect game in league history (and the first recorded for a women) in a 18-0 rout of the Kenosha (Wisconsin) Comets.

Her accomplishment however, was shadowed by the events across the sea, where Allied Expeditionary Forces began the largest amphibious assault in military history. The Normandy Invasion on Fortress Europe began the end of the armed conflict in Europe, and ultimately the end of popular appeal of the AAGPBL which would cease operations in 1954.  Mrs. Lee and her companions would see their deeds enshrined in Cooperstown however, and on the silver screen by the Penny Marshall film ‘A league of their own’ starring Gena Davis, Tom Hanks, and singer/actor (really?) Madonna.

LNHM: Week 6

Listening to Noise and Hearing Music: Week 6

Back again and let us start of as we did with our last entry, taking a look at how the players I recommended have done over the past two weeks.

Wil Middlebrooks: 1/25 with 3 runs and an RBI
Caleb Joseph: 9/32 with 2 runs and homeruns with 5 RBIs
Kevin Plawecki: 8/36 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs
Alejandro De Aza 3/19 with a homerun and 2 runs and RBIs
Joe Kelly: 16.1 innings with 16 strikeouts, 16 earned runs and no wins
Aaron Harang: 19 Innings with 10 strikeouts to 3 walks and 1 win.
Carlos Rodon: 10 innings with 5 walks, 11 strikeouts and 1 win.
Mike Leake: 16 innings with 2 walks, 5 strikeouts and 2 wins.
Phil Hughes: 17.1 innings with 2 walks, 10 strikeouts and 2 wins.

On the surface it looks like a two week set of trash. However a closer look, will lead you to the same conclusion. Not a lot to be happy about in this crew seeing as the batters didn't produce and the pitchers had a propensity to give up runs. The one very slim silver lining in all this is that Carlos Rodon was given the start on Saturday and although manager Robin Ventura has not confirmed it, I think Rodon should be the White Soxs 4th starter from here on out.

Lets ditch all that noise and try to get some music.

Batters

Jose Pirela 2B, NYY: As a Yankee fan, I am often weary when it comes to profiling Yankee players. In recent years we have seen the Yankees struggle to maintain their perennial playoff status and it is because of this that very few yanks have been fantasy worthy. Pirela is returning from a concussion and subsequent rehab assignment and will immediately be plugged in versus lefties. Although he has had fielding problems in the past, he has the tools to man the keystone. On the fantasy side, Pirela is an attractive option because he has speed, and will hit on the hot Yankee lineup. Pirela will likely only have immediate value in deep deep leagues, but you would be wise to put him on your watch list. Given PT and a slump from Stephen Drew we could be seeing the new Yankee second baseman. Pirela is owned in less than 1% of both ESPN and Yahoo leagues.

Allen Craig OF, BOS: Allen Craig was just demoted to AAA. You might be asking why on earth would I be recommending him if he was just demoted, to which I say, the writing was on the wall in the spring. In the spring, the Red Soxs had 7 outfielders for 3 spots and with Betts and Hanley locking their spot down it really meant that Craig, Castillo, Victorino, Nava and Bradley had to duke it for one spot. Therefore we knew that PT would be scare and most likely Boston would be looking to trade. Craig has the most experience and upside in the bunch and therefore makes the most sense to move. If Boston agrees to eat most of his contract Craig could be starting for a new club in the upcoming weeks. He, like Pirela is a deep league play but given a new team and substantial at-bats, Craig is a good option at OF. He is owned in less than 1% of ESPN leagues and in 2% of Yahoo leagues.

Jung-Ho Kang SS, PIT: Leading the Korean league in HRs might be a stat to take with a grain a salt, but power at the SS position cannot be ignored. Alen Hansom figures to be the SS of the future for Pittsburgh but in the meanwhile if Kang hits well, he could displace Mercer easily. It is also worth noting that Kang has played 7 games at 3B and 3 more would mean 3B eligibility in ESPN leagues. He already has 3B in Yahoo leagues so consider that icing the on the cake. Kang is owned in 5% of ESPN leagues and 15% of Yahoo leagues.


Pitchers

Henderson Alvarez SP, MIA: After two starts Alvarez went down with a inflammation and tightness on his right shoulder. Behind Jose (who is still hurt) Alvarez will be MIA's best pitcher this summer. He could need 2 or 3 weeks to get back into the system and then some time to get back into rhythm but I see him helping out the Marlins rotation in a much needed way. Henderson will be owned in most leagues in 2 months but now he is owned in 7% on ESPN leagues and 34% on Yahoo leagues.

Carlos Rodon, RP, CWS: Two weeks ago I wrote about Rodon so I am going to keep this short. In his first ever start he threw 6 innings with 4 walks and 8 strikeouts. Although that is high on the walk side, we can chalk that up to rookie jitters. Rodon has everything we like in top pitching prospects and now that he has shown he can start it might not be long before his own % start to climb. Get him now while they are low. Rodon is owned in 23% of ESPN leagues and 47% of Yahoo leagues.

Noah Syndergaard SP, NYM: Widely consider a top pitching prospect, Syndergaard ( I am calling him Syn for short) moved from TOR to NY and figures to be another bright young arm in the Mets rotation. Although many thought he would factor more in 2016, injuries to Wheeler and Gee. There is a lot to be excited about in Syn. Standing tall at 6'6, 240 pounds he has immense downhill velocity which can get scary good. As excited as am for Rodon, I am even more pumped to watch him play for the Mets. As all prospects I expect growing pains, but if he continues to show us his talent in the big leagues, he will be here to stay. Syn is owned in 44% of ESPN leagues and 53% of Yahoo leagues.



Jim Johnson RP, ATL: Closers have some of the toughest jobs in baseball. They play for one inning and the game often rest on their 15 pitches sometimes less. Yanks fans have been blessed for a long time with Mariano closing for so long that we have forgotten that many other teams struggle to find reliable closers. Jason Grilli has been a great story with great success on the Pirates and Angels in the past few years which ultimately led to his earning the closing role in Atlanta. However on the other side of the coin while Grilli has gotten better, Johnson has tried our patience. Normally I love a closer who likes groundballs as much as strikeouts but Johnson's uncanny ability to give up runs has lost him many a closer job and now he sets up for Grilli. However how that Grilli is hurt, Johnson will take the 9th inning. I might not be so quick to recommend a backup closer but there are a couple reasons why this situation is different. Grilli's injury is a bit of a mystery as currently it is listed as "undisclosed". This for a young arm might not be too much of a worry but for an older vet, this warrants some attention. The second reason is like I said, Johnson has the stuff to be a great closer. With the 9th inning his to loose, he could be a quick and easy supply of saves. Johnson is owned in 3% of ESPN leagues 14% of Yahoo leagues.



Finem Cogitationum
Final Thoughts


If you didn't trade for Harper when I advised you too, it is too late now.

Who is the best team in the AL West? The Astros......you heard me right the Houston Astros.

I do not like what I am seeing in Clayton Kershaw, but I am not ready to sell my shares yet.

I wonder how much Fountain of Youth water Torii Hunter has? I would like some too.

I have oscillated on my feelings to Danny Salazar. First I loved him, then I didn't want anything to do with him, now I am envious of the people that have him now. As the writers of BaseballHQ like to  say, regression is the worlds strongest force.

Who saw the Avengers movie and what were your thoughts? I didn't like it as much as the first one.

Don't Stop the Music with Mark Nessel

Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper (2013, Self Released)

Genre: Hip-Hop 

In honor of Carlos Rodon this weeks album comes from Chi Town.  Chance the Rapper is another rising star in Chicago, not on the baseball field but in its budding rap scene.  After his 2011 mixtape "10 Days" created a lot of buzz in the underground rap blogosphere he followed up with another mixtape (yes both of his release are self released, and free to download on mixtape websites).  It received almost universal acclaim upon release and, featured other Chicago native rappers including BJ the Chicago Kid, Vic Mensa, Twista and Lili K.  His much anticipated major label debut will be called Surf and is scheduled to be released later this year.  Until then feel free to check out his other stuff.  It won't cost you anything.

Week 4 LNHM

Listening to Noise and Hearing Music: Week 4

Hello all and welcome back to TheAABaseballBlog! Sorry about my absences in the recent weeks, with baseball and midterms I have been a little backed up, but we are back!

Lets not mess around and get right into the good stuff!

First lets take a look at the players that I recommended in last post and see where they are now.

Marcus Semien: 12/53 with 6 runs, 4 HRs, 6 RBIs and 2 steals
Dalton Pompey: 13/51 with 8 runs, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs and no steals
Kendall Graveman: 13 innings 8 earned runs, lets just stop it there and say it doesn't get better
Archie Bradley: 12.3 innings, 3 earned runs, 7 walks and 6 Ks.

Semien earned a SS eligibility so that on top of those nice stats have further increased his value. Pompey has proven himself and will be a strong member of an even stronger TOR lineup. Bradley's walk rate is a little concerning but he doesn't give up a lot of hits, expect the walks to come down with the strikeouts to stay constant. Ok, I am not wrong a lot but I will admit I was wrong about Graveman, he isn't this bad but he has lost his rotation spot to Jesse Chavez.

On to some new faces!

Batters

Wil Middlebrooks 3B, SD: SD is among the hottest teams in baseball right now and no one has a strong claim on the hot-corner. Middlebrooks however has made his case and appears to have taken his claim on third-base. His average last year was an awful .190 but at .240 this year we could be seeing the makings a of breakout season in San Diego's new lineup. Middlebrooks is owned in 25% of ESPN leagues and 18% in Yahoo leagues.

Caleb Joseph C, BAL/Kevin Plawecki C, NYM: Catchers woes got you down, look no further! Weiters and D'Arnaud are the two newest installments of the "Catchers to the DL clan" which is of course leaving vacancies in these powerful lineups. The Mets are the best team in baseball right now so it would make sense to take a look at Plawecki. Always in the shadow of ultra-prospect D'Arnaud, Plawecki has often been overlooked, however Plawecki however hasn't done much. He has shown some decent pop but his best tool is his ability to get on base. Slashing .283/.345/.421 last year in the minors shows us that he does have the ability to get on base and with the boys from flushing flourishing, expect Plawecki to be a decent option at backup backstop. Joseph is less unknown as he already had a full year of service in 2014. However injuries to Matt Wieters have left the door open to Joseph and he seems ready to fill. Hitting .311 with 8 RBIs combined with an amazing 16.4 walk-rate (this will normalize) has Joseph primed to see a majority of the time behind the plate in Wieters' absence. He is continues to hit well we could see Wieters taking time off at first base in order to save his knees which would further help Joseph's value. Joseph is owned in 53.4 % of ESPN leagues and 42% in Yahoo leagues, where Plawecki is owned in 9.5% of ESPN leagues and 15% in Yahoo leagues.

Alejandro De Aza OF, BAL: Much like the Boston, Baltimore has a good problem to have in that they have too many outfielders, De Aza has never been one to flaunt a great average but has the ability to obtain some decent counting stats if given the time. With Jones, Pearce, Paredes, Snider, Young and De Aza, Buck is going to have to make some decisions if he wants to employ some continuity in his outfield. De Aza may be listed as a fourth outfielder on their depth chart but has 51 at-bats so far this season showing us that Buck does have plans for De Aza and so far De Aza has been quietly putting together some good numbers. Hitting just .228 is quite lackluster but 9 runs, 2 HRs, 9 RBIs and 2 steals have created an interesting combo in counting stats. I expect De Aza to displace Paredes and become BAL true third outfielder. De Aza is owned in 16% of ESPN leagues and 15% in Yahoo leagues.

Pitchers

Joe Kelly SP, BOS: With two starts this week Kelly may be more of a pickup for just this upcoming week but you would be wrong to over look him. Kelly is owned in 25% of both ESPN and Yahoo leagues and there is one reason why you should go pick him up right now, currently Kelly owns the fastest fastball average in baseball. Averaging around 96 MPH, Kelly is making enemies with not only a high average fastball but his ability to miss bats. in just 17 innings so far this year, Kelly has 18 strikeouts! If you can ignore his ERA and except the fact that he is going to give up some hits and runs, Kelly could be a source of excellent strikeouts if only for this week,

Aaron Harang SP, PHI: Every year there are dozens of pitchers that balance themselves on the line of "rosterable" or not. One of my favorites in my early days of fantasy baseball was Wandy Rodriguez as every year would be just bad enough that no one expected anything but still could be good enough that he warranted a space on your roster, Harang is one of those pitchers. Harang has bounced around quite a bit and has landed in the rebuilding mess that is Philadelphia. In Harang's four stats with the PHL he has done rather well with a high K/BB and has only given up 4 runs in 26 innings. Currently Harang is on the good side of the fringe but you should expect some regression coming soon. However in that meanwhile grab him and squeeze as much juice as you can. Harang is owned in 47% of ESPN leagues and  38% in Yahoo leagues.

Carlos Rodon, RP, CWS: Rodon is widely considered the best pitching prospect in baseball got called up at the beginning of last week but hasn't created the splash we would have hoped. This is primarily due to the fact that the White Soxs have brought up Rodon to serve in the pen. This was to me an odd move as he has more than proved his ability to mow down batters. These uber-prospects do a really good job of getting picked up of free agency but Rodon has stayed available to a lot of leagues because they brought him up to the bullpen. You can pick up Rodon now and place him on your bench until the White Soxs realize how awful John Danks is and give Rodon the job that he deserves.


Mike Leake, SP CIN: Like Harang, Leake has been a fringe player for a long time and his success in the early going of 2015 is giving us nothing to change that. In each of his four starts he has given up at least 2 runs and 4 hits without getting one win and being on the Reds, this may not change soon. However there are reasons to be optimistic, Leake has been able to keep the ball in the strike-zone only giving up 2 walks since his first start in which he gave up 6 walks. If Leake can keep the ball in the park and the walks down I expect the ERA to go down while the strike-outs stay attractive. Leake is owned in 11% of ESPN leagues and 36% of Yahoo leagues.



Phil Hughes, SP MIN: At the end of the 2014 baseball season, Hughes was making waves for having a breakout season, however with what is considered a bad start in 2015 those rumblings have died down. Owned in half of ESPN leagues many people have given up on Hughes and I am here to tell you to hold your course. Hughes problem has always been the long ball. HR/9 measures how many home-runs a pitchers gives up in 9 innings and last year Hughes owned a cool .69 HR/9 rate. To start 2015, Hughes HR/9 rate currently sits at an monstrous 2.03 which has of course led to the spike in ERA. However there are a couple reasons why I say to hold the course for Hughes. For one a HR/9 rate of 2 is for sure unsustainable, his highest HR/9 rate was in 2012 but that was in Yankees Stadium, where fly-ball pitchers go to die, expect HRs to go down. The second and third reasons I am excited about Hughes this year is that he is actually striking out more and walking less so far this year. He has 2 walks to his 22 ks! That K/BB rate on any other pitcher would have us salivating but on Hughes it is masked by lack of run support and a tendency for the long ball. If he keeps the HRs in check expect Hughes to continue the success he started last year.



Finem Cogitationum
Final Thoughts

Two weeks ago I said the Mets look good, now we are all seeing it.

I also said the Yanks would struggle, I can't be right all the time.  Their team ERA is 3.49 which is really good, but not sustainable with the arms they have.

At the pace he is pitching I would not be surprised to see Gerrit Cole make a play for NL CY.

Victerino goes down for the Red Soxs and their solution is Allen Craig? Brock Holt? Nope it is Daniel Nava. Bostons outfield is quite stacked up I would have played Brock Holt who is batting .457 in 35 at-bats.

Speaking of Boston, Matt Barnes is getting a cup of coffee and I am really excited to see him pitch. He has an exciting arm which when coupled with his huge body creates an interesting combo. Even though he is working in the pen, I expect him to get some starts and we could see something special here.

Bryce Harper is on the cusp of a breakout season, if you don't have him trade for him now and watch the greatness ensue.

The most exciting player in baseball right now is Nelson Cruz, I know some where out there Jason Collette is smiling.


Don't Stop the Music with Mark Nessel


I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One by Yo La Tengo (1997, Matador Records)

Genre: Indie Rock, Noise Pop

As a Phillies fan, it pains me to see the Mets in their place on top of our division.  However, everyone has a team, and for the band Yo La Tengo that team is the Mets.  Hailing from Hoboken, New Jersey, their name is actually a reference to Mets player Elio Chacón.  Throughout their career they have released a ton of critically acclaimed albums.  I would recommend 1997's "I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One" where we find Yo La Tengo blending several genres and showing off their chops as both songwriters and musicians.  Maybe if I'm lucky I'll get the opportunity to highlight some Phillies fans when they are leading the division.  It's still anyone's season.

Listening to Noise and Hearing Music.

 

With all the noise in baseball, where can you find the music?

ESPN? CBS? Yahoo? OnRoto?BaseballHQ? 162 games, 30 teams, 40 man roster! Gezz that is a lot of noise! But if you listen closely you can hear some great tunes.

Listening to Noise and Hearing Music or LNHM for short is going to be a weekly article for you to learn about some players that you may never have heard before and quickly add them to your roster.

Before you read

I want you to be familiar with some of the metrics that we talk about here and although I could spend hours writing about them and barely do them justice, I decided it would be better to go elsewhere. The link that follows is an article that gives you a good base of sabermeterics without being too confusing. It is worth the read if only just to know what I am talking about below.

http://www.fangraphs.com/library/offense/offensive-statistics-list/
Scroll down for the pitching metrics.

When I talk about own % I am going to be using ESPN and Yahoo sites as those seem to be the two largest providers when it comes to fantasy leagues. However I would like to give a shout-out to OnRoto.com. Although this is not a free site as the other two are, it is far and away the best for the true fantasy pro.

For this week I am going to scout 2 batters and 2 pitchers along with some notes at the end.We are still getting started here so expect the section below to grow in the upcoming articles.

Batters

Dalton Pompey, TOR OF: I wanted to start off this blog in a very helpful spot. Pompey is currently owed in 38% of Yahoo leagues and a measly 21% in ESPN leagues. In these post-Trout days it seems outrageous that any prospect worth his salt could be passed up but for some reason, Pompey has yet to receive much love. Ron Shandler and his excellent colleagues at BaseballHQ will tell you to draft skills and the stats will follow. Pompey is an excellent example of this. Pompey cruised through the Jays minor league system jumping from High A Dunedin all the way to the MLB last year. One of Pompey's best asset is his above average defense which has earned him a spot on the opening day roster this year. So where most of your league will be waiting 15 days for Kris Bryant (100% owned in ESPN and 92% on Yahoo) to get the call, you can get a high caliber rookie who has a job on day 1. Because Pompey bounced around quite a bit last year he really didn't stay put long enough to accrue a lot of stats, but his skills are there. Pompey had flashes of high ISO power (.179 in AA) and high contact rates throughout all levels. Pompey struggled in this 39 at-bats with the MLB squad but everyone feels growing pains. Expect Pompey to be a bright spot in a good TOR lineup.

Marcus Semien, OAK 2B/3B: Currently owned in 7.6% of ESPN leagues and 24% of Yahoo leagues. Siemen moved from the CWS to OAK this offseason in a move that will hopefully get him some PT. Some might look at his paltry .234 batting average and lack of counting stats last year and not give him another look but you would be wise to look again. Once again we turn to the old mantra, draft skills and playing time and stats will follow. Semien showed us that the skills are there and his time in the sun will come. Semien displayed a nice PX, SpX combo last year (110 and 143 respectively) , which by the way is what made Trout so attractive way back in 2012. Now of course I am not saying that Semien is the next Trout but now that he looks to angle is way into the OAK infield don't be surprised if you see his own % climb as the weather gets nicer. Also worth nothing is his current 2B and 3B eligibility which is nice in its own right but with him slated as the starting SS he will be eligible for every spot in the INF besides 1B.

Pitchers

Kendall Graveman, OAK SP: More so than batters, when it comes to evaluating pitchers, it is all about skills. With most batters playing everyday their sample sizes grow quicker than that of pitchers, Therefore we are more comfortable in our evaluations of batters over pitchers because we see batter more. So when we get an unknown like Graveman we have a hard time pinning him down. Owned in 8% of ESPN leagues and 17% of Yahoo leagues, Gravemen might be the definition of "diamond in the rough". Gravemen won the last rotation slot for OAK earlier this spring and at first look he might just seem as another young Oakland arm, but a closer look reveals more. Drafted in 2013 by the Blue Jays he quickly rose through the system to then be sent to Oakland in the Josh Donaldson/Brett Lawrie deal. An exiting young gun stands 6 foot 2, 185 pounds which profiles as a great size for a pitcher. Graveman presents quite an unknown but his spring stats are interesting. In 25 innings this spring Graveman gave up a whopping 1 earned run, this one run came from a solo shot. Opponents were hitting a pathetic .147 versus Graveman but possiblly the sweetest stat were the 7 walks, 17 strikeouts in 25 innings. Originally profiled as a groundball machine, Graveman showed us that has found that elusive strikeout pitch. This combined with a FpK rate of above 70% (First pitch Strike ratio) could lead to an interesting player this spring. Also playing in OAK will help.

Archie Bradley, ARI SP: Of all the people in this profiles, I like Bradley the best. Bradley has always had the talent and pedigree of a top starting pitcher. Looming at 6'4, 230 pounds Bradley has been Arizona's best prospect for two years running  and now it is finally his time. There were musings that he would get his cup of coffee last year but that came and went with nothing new. The former first round draft pick has boasted high K/9's in previous years along with maddening low Hr/9 rates and walk rates. I don't expect him to win the Cy Young (this year) but expect to see Bradley at the top of starting pitcher lists in the coming years.

Finem Cogitationum
Final Thoughts

Mets, Cubs and Padres fans have been saying "It will be better future" for a long time and now it could be true. It is time for Yankees, Braves and Phillies fans to learn this phrase.

I don't believe one player (Kris Bryant) can change the Cubs year. Although he might be #worththewait, I will be waiting until next year when the team is 100% established.

Remember when Justin Verlander went for 30 dollars in a mixed league draft, I do have to admit , Kate Upton is real pretty.

I don't have a clear favorite for the AL Central but I think the Tigers and White Soxs will give us a good show.

Mark Teixeira said Didi is the best SS he has ever seen, cut him some slack, Jeter was really never a good fielding SS.

Speaking of the Yankees, It is not a matter of if but when Tanaka needs Tommy John Surgery

Don't Stop the Music with Mark Nessel

I would like to end each LNHM with this small segment about an album that Mr.Nessel wants to highlight. This way even if all my recommendations turn out to be busts, at least you will get some good music at the end of the day.




"Endtroducing....." by DJ Shadow (1996, Mo' Wax)

Genre: Instrumental Hip-Hop

When you make a fantasy baseball lineup you have to look through all that's out there to find the best lineup.  In keeping with the theme of music and noise the album this week is the debut work by DJ Shadow.  Cited as the first album to be created entirely from sampled sources, DJ Shadow sifted through the noise; drawing from movies, music and other sources to build his "lineup" that is still credited as a benchmark of the genre today.  Hopefully you mix turns out as good as this one.

Getting to know the Author/Blog

Hello Fantasy Baseball Brethren,

What you have stumbled upon here is an idea that I have had for many many years and finally after much waxing and waning, I grew the stones to start writing. The main column here will be about finding the diamonds in the rough ie. players that are being overlooked and could be possibly be breakout candidates. There will be more columns to follow but those are still cooking.

First let me give you a little background about myself.

My name is Andy Anderson (I know what were my parents thinking?) and I am a senior at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. I have been playing fantasy sports for many years and have a few titles under my belt. I, like some of you might believe that I have more wisdom than you and what I have is worth reading but hey go make your own blog, this is mine. Many of my friends ask me for fantasy advice and have even suggested that I start my own blog. Hoping they weren't just blowing smoke at me, I am finally taking their advice. I would love to say that all the information your going to receive is going to be original but the truth is that just like you, I don't exist in vacuum and it would be silly to get advice the same way. You should (like I do) use other sites and other people to help you as much as you can while still remembering that too many cooks does spoil the broth. My template for these articles is going to be writing about a few players each week, looking at some stats and metrics (we will get to this) and then making predictions and evaluations. I fully expect to be wrong sometimes but that just comes with the course. Also expect this column to evolve with time, because if Dan Duran (Drexel Professor) has taught me anything it is that evolution has happened and will happen again. So without further ado, lets get started.

Hopefully you will find this blog; easy, fun, insightful and not a waste of time although I have found that when it comes to researching fantasy players, it is never a waste of time!

Andy