Prospect Rumor Roundup: Early Draft Returns
2013/07/prospect-rumor-roundup-early-draft-returns.htmlDespite a bit of a layoff between the college season and his first pro appearance, the Stanford alum has displayed good control with just one walk in 13 innings while striking out 13 batters. … The third baseman popped six home runs and posted a .915 OPS in 29 games.
A-Rod Will Be Suspended Through 2014 Season
2013/08/alex-rodriguez-will-be-suspended-monday-through-2014-season.html"I'll have an opportunity, when the time is right, to tell my full story," Rodriguez told reporters, including Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press (via Philly.com), last night after a four-walk performance for Double-A Trenton. … Rodriguez, sidelined by various injuries, has been on a minor league rehab assignment where he has posted a pedestrain slash line of .214/.333/.452 with three home runs and ten RBIs in 51 plate appearances across four levels of the Yankees' system.
2014 Free Agent Power Rankings
2013/08/2014-free-agent-power-rankings-2.htmlThe 30-year-old sports a 2.97 ERA in 151 1/3 innings, which is partially backed up by the best strikeout and walk rates since his stellar '08 campaign. … He has a shot at his sixth consecutive 20 home run season, but I thought he'd have more than 14 bombs at this point.
NL West Notes: Mattingly, Cabrera, Young Jr.
2013/08/nl-west-notes-mattingly-cabrera-young-jr.htmlYoung has been outstanding with the Mets, hitting .270/.350/.362 with a home run (of the walk-off variety) and 15 steals in 19 attempts. … The red-hot Dodgers suffered just their third loss of the second half last night and have expanded their lead on the NL West to five games over the second-place Diamondbacks.
Red Sox Notes: Bullpen, Cherington, Victorino, Peavy
2013/08/red-sox-notes-bullpen-cherington-victorino-peavy.htmlIt should be noted that Tazawa has continued to post the same impressive strikeout-to-walk rate that he did last year: in 2013, he has 9.45 K/9 and 1.35 BB/9. … He has seen his ERA inflate to a still-solid 2.70 (in 60 innings pitched) due primarily to a much higher home run rate (1.20 HR/9) than the very low rate (.20 HR/9) he put up last year.
Yankees Release Melky Mesa
2013/09/yankees-release-melky-mesa.htmlMesa saw his most extensive big league action this year, but only logged fourteen plate appearances in the bigs, though he did notch five hits and a walk. … His Triple-A line stands at .261/.295/.452 over 332 plate appearances, including thirteen home runs.
Adam Dunn Considering Retirement
2013/09/adam-dunn-considering-retirement.htmlThe soon-to-be 34-year-old would probably feel differently if the White Sox were having a good season rather than one that he termed "a great letdown." Manager Robin Ventura acknowledged that Dunn has expressed his frustrations to him, but he doesn't see Dunn walking away from the game. … Adam Dunn is guaranteed $15MM next season, is within reach of notching 500 homers, and is just 33 years old.
Minor Moves: Jhan Marinez, Aaron Harang
2013/09/minor-moves-aaron-harang-1.htmlHarang was signed to a minor league deal by the Mets a week ago today and appeared in just one game at Triple-A Las Vegas: four innings, two runs (both earned), seven hits (one home run), five strikeouts, and one walk. … He had big-league cameos with the White Sox in 2012 and Marlins in 2010.
Free Agent Profile: Omar Infante
2013/09/free-agent-profile-omar-infante.htmlHowever, since he generally only draws a walk in about 4% of his plate appearances these days, he's not going to be an OBP threat if he settles back into a batting average in the .270s. … Infante has a few double-digit home run seasons on his resume, but he's not a middle of the order hitter.
Top 34 Free Agent Starting Pitchers
2013/09/top-34-free-agent-starters.htmlHe's still young, he's got strikeout stuff from the left side, and he's sporting the lowest walk rate of his career. … He had a respectable 2.85 K/BB ratio in 26 starts, but the extreme flyballer also allowed 23 home runs.
Todd Helton To Retire After 2013 Season
2013/09/todd-helton-to-retire-after-2013-season.htmlHe has had a few more injury issues this season and had mostly settled into a part-time role with the…… The left-handed slugger spent his entire career in Colorado and is the franchise's leader in virtually every counting stat, including…
Free Agent Profile: Brian McCann
2013/09/free-agent-profile-brian-mccann.htmlAlong with the big-time power, McCann can also draw a walk, with a career rate of 9.5%. … McCann has played eight full seasons in the Majors, ranking worse than third in home runs at the position only one time.
Free Agent Profile: A.J. Pierzynski
2013/09/free-agent-profile-aj-pierzynski.htmlWeaknesses/Cons Pierzynski has never been one to draw many walks, but his 2.1 percent walk rate in 2013 is the lowest of his career. … Strengths/Pros The only catcher in all of baseball with more home runs between the 2012-13 seasons than Pierzynski is Colorado's Wilin Rosario, and he's not hitting the free agent market for another four years.
Free Agent Profile: Mike Napoli
2013/09/free-agent-profile-mike-napoli.htmlA right-handed hitter, Napoli's on-base percentage is boosted by a strong career walk rate of 12%. … He's tied for sixth among all free agents with 23 home runs and is fourth in slugging at .482, assuming Adam Lind's option is picked up.
Free Agent Profile: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
2013/10/free-agent-profile-jarrod-saltalamacchia.htmlSaltalamacchia's walk rate continued to rise, as his 9.1% this year was his best since 2008. … Strengths/Pros Among catchers, Salty is one of the biggest power threats in the game, ranking fifth with 55 home runs since 2011.
Offseason Outlook: Chicago Cubs
2013/10/offseason-outlook-chicago-cubs.htmlHe may never draw walks, but the Cubs will need him to at least return to making better contact and showing moderate power, even if he doesn't develop into a star. … After hitting 11 home runs in 163 plate appearances, Donnie Murphy may have earned himself a contract for 2014 and the initial crack at the hot corner.
Offseason Outlook: Seattle Mariners
2013/10/offseason-outlook-seattle-mariners.htmlThe 2009 first-rounder posted a strong 10.2% walk rate and .157 isolated power in his first taste of the majors, though he cooled off after a hot June. … Raul Ibanez helped prop up the Mariners’ flailing attack in 2013, belting 29 home runs, but his -17.1 UZR suggests that he’s a major defensive liability in left field.
Free Agent Profile: Jose Dariel Abreu
2013/10/free-agent-profile-jose-dariel-abreu.htmlThere are few questions about Abreu's power, but will he be able to hit for average or draw a walk? Badler has noted that scouts and teams have extensive history watching Abreu, but based on reports, it's unclear whether they project him over or under Morales' .333 career OBP. … His calling card is power, prompting Athletics assistant GM David Forst to say to Grantland's Jonah Keri in February 2012, "There are legitimate comparisons to Ryan Howard." Badler elaborated in August this year, "Abreu is a physically imposing righthanded hitter with tremendous raw power to all fields." In an ESPN article, former GM Jim Bowden gave Abreu a 70 hit tool and 70 for power on the scouting scale, after talking to "a few execs and scouts who have seen him play." One scout told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick Abreu has "monstrous power." Many different reports suggest Abreu could hit 30 home runs for an MLB team right away, a level no free agent reached in 2013.
Free Agent Profile: Joe Nathan
2013/10/free-agent-profile-joe-nathan.htmlNathan walked 3.1 batters per nine innings this year, his worst rate since '03. … It may seem like nitpicking, as Nathan surrendered only two home runs in his 64 2/3 innings.
Jim Leyland Steps Down As Tigers Manager
2013/10/jim-leyland-to-step-down-as-tigers-manager.htmlHe came within a game of a fifth playoff appearance in 2009, but the Tigers fell victim to a late surge from the Twins and saw their season end in a Game 163 walk-off in Minnesota. … Mazawey adds that Leyland informed the team of his decision on their flight home from Boston.
Free Agent Profile: Carlos Beltran
2013/10/free-agent-profile-carlos-beltran.htmlThe 36-year-old will head into free agency for the third time in his career, this time sporting a .296/.339/.491 batting line with 24 homers in his walk season. … Over the past eight seasons, he's averaged a 135 OPS+ and 31 homers per 162 games, and he posted a 128 OPS+ in 2013.
Free Agent Profile: Corey Hart
2013/10/free-agent-profile-corey-hart.htmlHart struck out in nearly 23 percent of his plate appearances from 2010-12, and he's never been one to take many walks (career 7.1 percent walk rate). … He's posted an ISO north of .225 each season from 2010-12, averaging 29 homers per season in each of those campaigns.
Arbitration Eligibles: Baltimore Orioles
2013/10/arbitration-eligibles-baltimore-orioles.htmlThat's not to say Johnson is a bad reliever -- his ERA has been under 3.00 in each of the past three seasons, he maintains a low walk rate, and he gets tons of groundballs. … Davis put together a monster, MVP-caliber season: .286 average, 53 home runs, 138 RBI, and 103 runs scored as the Orioles' first baseman.
Arbitration Eligibles: Los Angeles Angels
2013/10/arbitration-eligibles-los-angeles-angels.htmlHis flaw is a .299 career on-base percentage, which should improve if he holds onto gains in his walk rate and his batting average recovers. … Mark Trumbo (3.027): $4.7MM Jerome Williams (5.049): $3.9MM Tommy Hanson (4.114): $3.9MM Ernesto Frieri (3.101): $3.4MM Kevin Jepsen (3.163): $1.4MM Juan Gutierrez (4.035): $1.1MM Peter Bourjos (3.062): $1.1MM Chris Nelson (2.122, Super Two): $1MM Trumbo projects for a healthy salary his first time through arbitration, with career numbers of 95 home runs and 284 RBI and a platform year with 34 homers and 100 knocked in.
Free Agent Profile: Shin-Soo Choo
2013/10/free-agent-profile-shin-soo-choo.htmlPros/Strengths Choo was the quintessential leadoff man for the Reds this year, parlaying a career-best 15.7% walk rate and a career-high 26 times hit by a pitch into that fantastic OBP. … He also hit 21 home runs this year, the third time in his career he's hit at least 20.