VIDEO: Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees Hitting HRs

Drew Brees Can Mash!

Drew Brees comes from a very athletic family, and grew up in Texas, where baseball is the second most popular sport. He shows us how good he used to be, and hits a few out of the park.

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya
Twitter.com/DugoutDoctors

Power Ranking Each Position

Who is off to the hottest start?

April is a tough month for players. They are still knocking the rust off of the off-season and often playing in less than ideal weather. It poses challenges for players.

However, some players are have taken to April like they are in mid-season form. We ranked every player at every position coming into the season, now we’ll look at the Top 5 in each position as the end of the first month.

CATCHER

Jorge Posada (New York Yankees) – Perhaps it’s the wonderful protection he finds in the Yankees lineup or the bandbox that is the new Yankee Stadium. He’s hitting .316 with 5 HR and 12 RBI. He’s off to a great start.

Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins) – When all is said and done, him and his .356 avg will be at the top of this list.

Kurt Suzuki (Oakland Athletics) – We liked him before the season and his .852 OPS is proving us right.

Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves) – Off to a great start from one of the best at his position.

Russell Martin (Los Angeles Dodgers) – I bet you can’t name Russell Martins back up.

FIRST BASEMEN

Justin Morneau (Minnesota Twins) – 4 homeruns, 15 RBI, this is another great start for a perennial MVP candidate.

Paul Konerko (Chicago White Sox) – The notoriously streaky hitter is in a hot streak right now, even if his team isn’t.

Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals) – .333, 7 HR, 18 RBI’s, ho-hum.

Adrian Gonzalez (San Diego Padres) – You think the phone is ringing off the hook from teams looking for this guy?

Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers) – 24 RBI’s?! Looks like Detroit is getting their money’s worth.

SECOND BASEMAN
Robinson Cano (New York Yankees) – Exactly the place on this list you are starting to expect him.

Kelly Johnson (Arizona Diamondbacks) – A 1.136 OPS will get you second on this list.

Ty Wigginton (Baltimore Orioles) – I didn’t have him ranked. But I did have Kelly Johnson ranked…28th.

Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies) – It’s a shame no one talks about him more.

Martin Prado (Atlanta Braves) – The man is hitting .358. He can’t be stopped!

THIRD BASEMAN

Pablo Sandoval (San Francisco Giants) – 1.027 OPS. Ridiculous. We’ll see if he can keep that up.

Casey McGehee (Milwaukee Brewers) – 5 home runs to start the season.

Ian Stewart (Colorado Rockies) – The stigma of Coors Field will continue as the season goes on.

Casey Blake (Los Angeles Dodgers) – a .930 OPS is good enough to make the top 5 on most lists.

Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays) – batting .320 for the hottest team in baseball. He’ll move up this list, mark my words.

SHORTSTOP

Alex Gonzalez (Toronto Blue Jays) – 5 HR and 15 RBI’s are good enough for Gonzalez to make the top of this list but it’s doubtful he’ll stay there.

Stephen Drew (Arizona Diamondbacks) – He’s one of the best young shortstops around.

Cliff Pennington (Oakland Athletics) – The surprise of this list. Let’s hope he stays there.

Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies) – The man has returned to form.

Hanley Ramirez (Florida Marlins) – Number 5 on this list…but not for long.

LEFT FIELD

Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers) – Hitting .349 and cementing his place as a force in the league.

Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies) – Why can’t I respect the Rockies hitters even when they seem to deserve it?

Josh Willingham (Washington Nationals) – .917 OPS, there is reason to watch in Washington.

Carl Crawford (Tampa Bay Rays) – Hot Carl is up to his old tricks.

Adam Lind (Toronto Blue Jays) – Two Blue Jays in the top 5 at their position?!!!

CENTER FIELD
Colby Rasmus (St. Louis Cardinals) – Anyone wanna take bets if he’ll be number 1 when the season is over?

Vernon Wells (Toronto Blue Jays) – What has gotten into the Blue Jays?

Kosuke Fukudome (Chicago Cubs) – Finally, a little return on their investment. But haven’t we seen this kind of start before?

Franklin Gutierrez (Seattle Mariners) – Hitting .367 is good enough for any top 5.

Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers) – Still the best outfielder in his division.

RIGHT FIELD

Nelson Cruz (Texas Rangers) – Here’s a surprise story for you.

Andre Ethier (Los Angeles Dodgers) – Do you see why I said LA had the best outfield in baseball?

Jayson Werth (Philadelphia Phillies) – Should earn as much respect in that lineup as anyone.

Shin Soo Choo (Cleveland Indians) – Another guy I didn’t give much credit too…there’s still time!

Jose Guillen (Kansas City Royals) – .318 with 7 round trippers, not bad at all.

STARTERS

Mike Pelfrey (New York Mets) – I wouldn’t get that Cy Young engraved just yet.

Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado Rockies) – Another surprise and extra credit for pitching at Coors Field.

Livan Hernandez (Washington Nationals) – See, who needs Strasburg?

Francisco Liriano (Minnesota Twins) – A whip of .97 will get your team lots of wins.

Brad Penny (St. Louis Cardinals) – Is there anything that Dave Duncan can’t do?

CLOSERS

Matt Capps (Washington Nationals) – Does he really have that many saves?

David Aardsma (Seattle Mariners) – This guy is unreal. How did the White Sox let him go?

Ryan Franklin (St. Louis Cardinals) – Still one of the best in the business.

Francisco Cordero (Cincinnati Reds) – 7 saves and a 1.41 Whip. Nice start.

Jon Rauch (Minnesota Twins) – Joe who? Welcome to the new closer for the Twins, and he’s making people take notice.

Mike Cahill

Power Rankings: Rookie of the Year

Who is Leading The ROY Watch Thus Far?

One month into the season the watch is on for Rookie of the Year. Players who start hot will fade, others that start off slowly will pick up steam in the summer months, but it’s never too early for The Dugout Doctors to start positioning the horses in the race.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Austin Jackson (Detroit Tigers) – This rookie is delivering one month into the season. Hitting .322 with a .390 on base percentage puts him at the front of the race. AJ is also mentioned in our Waiver Wire.

Mitch Talbot (Cleveland Indians) – This guy has been lights out with a 3-1 record in 4 starts, with an ERA of 2.05, and you should also pick him up!

Wade Davis (Tampa Bay Rays) – Has 17 strikeouts and a 1.41 WHIP. And he’s holding his own for baseballs hottest team.

Brian Matusz (Baltimore Orioles) – 27 strikeouts in 24 innings. He’s a long shot at this point, but he’s in the running.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Jaime Garcia (St. Louis Cardinals) – The kid is killing it right now with an ERA of 1.04 and a 2-1 record.

David Freese (St. Louis Cardinals) – He’s hitting .295 and making himself a force in an already potent lineup.

Gaby Sanchez (Florida Marlins) – An .844 OPS good enough to keep him in contention for the ROY honors.

Jason Heyward (Atlanta Braves) – Even in a slump he’s got an OPS over .800 and people think he has too much talent to slump for long.

Mike Leake (Cincinnati Reds) – The young starter is 2-0 with a 1.41 WHIP. He’s a long shot but he’s in the race.

Mike Cahill

Waiver Wire: Pick ‘Em Up!

There Are a Bevy of Players You Should Pick Up

Three weeks into the season a few players have started to separate themselves from being known as flukes, and we have waited long enough to now recommend picking them up.

There are still a few players we are waiting for so we can recommend them to you, but here are the newest guys we think you should pick up.

Miguel Olivo is now the full-time catcher for the Rockies as Chris Iannetta has struggled mightily to start the season. Olivo is such a beast he passed kidney stones earlier last week, and played later that night. He is hitting .313, with five HR, 13 RBI and is one of the best hitting catchers in MLB right now.

Austin Jackson is currently hitting .322 with 17 runs, and should be picked up in your league as long as he is hot. A lot of people in Detroit love Jackson, but he will eventually finish the season below .300, so get him in your lineup as long as he is hitting this well. Jackson is not a patient hitter, and strikes out too much, but as long as he is hitting well over .300 you can probably find a spot on your roster for him.

Ty Wiggington is hitting the cover off the ball in Brian Roberts’ absence, but the good thing is Roberts will not be back until mid May. Pick up Wiggington and immediately put him in your starting lineup, because he is hitting .322, with six HR, and 12 RBI. Meaning, he is likely hitting better than the guy you have ahead of him.

Andruw Jones will likely lead your team in HR the instant you pick him up. Jones, the aging, but effective once again OF, is hitting nearly .275, with six HR, and three SB. He only has nine RBI, which is not his fault, but his lowly White Sox teammates’. Pick up Jones and hope he can continue to produce.

Frank Francisco started out slowly and was slightly demoted, but it looks like he is righting the ship. He has not given up a run in his last four appearances and it seems like he will be the Rangers full-time closer very soon. Neftali Felix might get a few more chances to close in the mean time, but keep a close eye on Franky, or be proactive and pick him up.

Andy LaRoche is on fire, to say the least. He is currently hitting .380, with only two HR, and five RBI, but he has six BB and only eight K. He is getting on base at a .456 clip, and if you are looking for a 3B, and some instant offense, LaRoche might be your guy. He is more of an on base guy, who will score runs, rather than a slugging 3B, but he is an adequate replacement for the time being.

Although Tom Gorzelanny is 0-3, has been very impressive for the lowly Cubs. Gorzo is sporting a 2.45 ERA, and a very impressive 1.04 WHIP, but the Cubs cannot score any runs. He faces a mediocre Diamondbacks team in his next start, meaning expect another solid outing from him, but do not expect a win.

Mitch Talbot is throwing very well for the Indians and he is only a rookie. Talbot is 3-1, with a 2.05 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP in 26 1/3 IP. He faces an average Blue Jays offense next time out, and expect much of the same from the rookie.

Alberto Callaspo should have been drafted in your league, and be sure to pick him up if he is still available. He should have 2B and 3B eligibility and he is nearly hitting .300 in 2010 and he has three HR and 12 RBI so far in this season.

Jon Garland is 2-2 for the upstart Padres with a 2.57 ERA, but JG is walking too many people, leading to his ugly 1.42 WHIP. If you need an emergency starter, you can try Garland against the Brewers, who only score runs against the Pirates.

Kevin Correia is 4-1 for the first place Padres and it is because of his 3.85 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. KC does not walk many people, and has a K:BB ratio over 2:1, and he should be available in most leagues.

John Maine had one bad start this year when he allowed eight ER against a tough Rockies team, but he has been better than average since. He has only allowed six ER in his last three starts combined and faces a lowly Reds team his next time out. It is a good matchup start for Maine, and you might have found another starting pitcher when you pick him up.

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya
Twitter.com/DugoutDoctors

Power Rankings: Cy Young Race

Which Pitchers Are Leading the Cy Young Race?

Cy Young Race

We are only in the fourth week of the season but there have been more than a few starting pitchers that have stood out. There are some standard names in the Nationaly League Cy Young race, but there is nary a Cy Young winner in the AL race.

There is still a long way to go, and the names will change, but please enjoy our first installment of the Cy Young power rankings.

National League

1. Ubaldo Jimenez has already thrown a no-hitter this season and is second in MLB with his ridiculously miniscule .79 ERA. Jimenez is undefeated this season at 4-0, with a 1.05 WHIP, and is sixth in the NL with 33 K.

2. Roy Halladay’s change of address has gone as smoothly as expected, as the NL is much easier to pitch in than the AL. Doc is 4-1, with two complete games, and ninth in the NL with a 1.80 ERA. He also has a .97 WHIP and a strikeout to walk ratio of 11:1.

3. Adam Wainwright finished in second place for the 2009 NL Cy Young and will surely be in contention by the end of this season. Wainwright is 3-1, with two complete games, a .81 WHIP, and is seventh in the NL with a 1.69 ERA. He also has a K/BB ratio over 4:1 and is clearly one of the best pitchers in baseball.

4. Tim Lincecum has already won two Cy Youngs in his brief career and he is on the right track to winning his third. The Freaky Franchise is 4-0, with a 1.00 ERA, which is good for sixth in the NL, a .93 WHIP, and a K:BB ratio of over 5:1. There is no doubt Lincecum will be near the top of the NL Cy Young race by the end of the season.

5. Livan Hernandez, yup that same Livan Hernandez who should have retired ten years ago, is dominating the NL so far. Hernandez is 3-1, with the third best ERA in MLB, and has one complete game. He will probably not be in the top 50 by the end of the season, but it is fun to have Hernandez near the top for the time being.

American League

1. Francisco Liriano finally looks healthy after a few years of injuries and is 3-0, with an AL leading .93 ERA. Liriano’s ERA is actually lower than his WHIP (.97) and he is almost at a 3:1 K:BB ratio. Liriano will probably not keep up this torrid pace but he will probably have his best season as a pitcher in 2010.

2. John Danks is another newcomer to the AL Cy Young race, but it is for good reason. He is 3-0, and third in the AL with a 1.55 ERA. He has a ridiculous .86 WHIP, and has a K:BB ratio over 4:1. Danks turned down a heft extension last season, but he might be right.

3. Ricky Romero flirted with a no-hitter this season and is only 1-1 in 2010 but his peripheral numbers are outstanding. The former first rounder is sixth in the AL with a 1.80 ERA, and has a great .87 WHIP, while striking out 25 and only walking nine. Romero is a very good pitcher and will be one of the best pitchers in baseball next season.

4. Jered Weaver has taken over as the Angels ace since John Lackey left for Boston and while Lackey’s numbers have gone, Weaver’s have gone up. Jeff’s younger brother is 3-0, with a 2.53 ERA, but a very nice 1.07 WHIP, and 22 K and only nine BB. Weaver should remain near the top of the AL race by the end of the season.

5. Andy Pettitte might be thinking about retirement, but he will be back for at least another season if he keeps up this pace. Pettitte is 3-0, with a 1.29 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a K:BB ratio of 22:9. His aging arm will likely not hold up, but Pettitte is having a great month of April.

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya
Twitter.com/DugoutDoctors

VIDEO: Best 3 Year Old Baseball Player

Meet Beau, The Next Great Baseball Player

This is Beau. He likes the White Sox, Paul Konerko and mashing the ball out of the park.

The kid could definitely start for my softball team and I have played at that field with the 150′ fence.

Enjoy.

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya
Twitter.com/DugoutDoctors

Meet The (Justin) Smoak Monster

Meet the latest power hitting youngster, Justin Smoak

Rangers’ fans have been talking about Justin Smoak since the day the Rangers took Smoak with the 11th pick in the 2008 draft. Few have ever seen him in person nonetheless seen him play, but that will change moving forward.

Last Friday Smoak made his well anticipated major league debut. He went 0-2 with 2 walks.

Chris Davis, whom many saw as the guy simply keeping first base warm until Smoak was ready to come up, has struggled tremendously. Davis hit a measly .188 in 15 games, with just one RBI and a team-high 17 strikeouts in 48 at-bats. A supposed power hitter, Davis has yet to hit one long ball.

The fans have gotten their wish, and should become accustomed to seeing Smoak at first base for the rest of the season. The Rangers have optioned Davis to triple A, and Ron Washington has said that he has no intention of sitting Smoak on the bench.

“He will be our regular first baseman,” Washington said. “I told him to be himself, have some fun, enjoy it. He’s certainly not our savior.”

While Davis was struggling to find his stroke, Smoak lit up the stat sheet for Oklahoma City. He was hitting .300 with 2 homers and 5 RBIs in 15 games. More importantly, Smoak walked 16 times with only 8 strikeouts. He has proven to be a weapon from both sides of the plate, something that will be very important for the Rangers moving forward, hitting .321 from the left side and .273 from the right.

“I’ve got to be myself and just go out and play,” Smoak said this weekend. “I’m not going to go out there and hit a home run every time at the plate. Hopefully I will walk more than I strikeout, something I have been doing this year. I try to be myself in the field, not to do too much and see where it takes me.”

Justin Smoak has been highly regarded as a top project since he joined the Rangers’ organization. In the top-20 in all preseason rankings for prospects, Smoak hit .290 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs across 3 stops last season. In 471 plate appearances last year, Smoak stuck out 81 times while taking 75 walks.

As a switch-hitting first baseman, Smoak is undoubtedly going to be compared to the Yankees All-Star Mark Teixeira. Smoak early on has hit righties better than lefties, and has shown an eye at the plate much like Teixeira, and has the plate discipline as well. He can spray the ball in all directions, and although his power hasn’t been as expected, Smoak is still projected to be a 30-35/season home run guy.

The Angels and Mariners have blown past the Rangers, and calling up Smoak might simply be seen as making a change rather than a punishment for Davis. Fans and fantasy owners with take either explanation, just as long as Smoak is the every day first baseman.

The Rangers are hitting .235 as a team, and if you take away Nelson Cruz (7 home runs), the rest of the team has hit only 4 home runs.

Chris Davis’s professional career has been a roller coaster to say the least. In his rookie season in 2008, Davis impressed fans with 17 home runs in 80 games. Yet 2009 started out the same way it has this year. Davis was sent down to the minors last year as well, and when he was called up last August he improved some.

One scout said this about Davis. “He has one of the worst combinations of poor plate discipline and poor contact skills in the league.” Until he rectifies this problem, Davis shouldn’t be trusted to live up to the potential some see for him.

So for the time being, the Rangers are hoping that where there is Smoak, there is fire.

Jay Maguire

MVP Power Rankings

Who is leading the MVP race?

The Docs understand we are only three weeks into the season, but as the first month of the seasons draws to an end, there are a few players that are standing out more than others.

MLB MVP Power Rankings

American League

1. Nelson Cruz OF Texas Rangers (.317 AVG, 7 HR, 17 RBI, 5 SB, .416 OPB) There is not a clear cut No. 1 AL MVP but Nelson Cruz is having the best season so far. Cruz came out of nowhere last season and made the AL All Star team, but no one could have imagined him winning the 2010 AL MVP. It is still early but Cruz is cruising his way to the top, as he is tied for second in MLB with his seven HR, and he is tied for 7th in MLB with his 17 RBI.

2. Jose Guillen OF KC Royals (.351, 7 HR, 17 RBI, .371 OBP) is another player that no one expected to be near the top of the 2010 AL MVP, but he is smoking hot right now. Guillen is tied for the third most hits in MLB, tied for second in MLB with seven HR, is in seventh place in the AL with his .351 AVG, and is tied for seventh in MLB with 17 RBI. Guillen is having a remarkable season, and if he keeps this up he will not be in KC for very much longer.

3. Robinson Cano 2B NY Yankees (.367, 5 HR, 14 RBI, .415 OBP) is off to a monster start for the Yankees and has been there best player this month. Cano has been a slow starter, but his fast 2010 start should help him have one of his best years of his career. He is tied for the fourth most hits in MLB, and is also tied for the fourth highest average in the AL. Cano is also scoring a boat load of runs, as he is tied for third place in MLB with 17 runs.

4. Miguel Cabrera 1B/DH Detroit Tigers (.346, 4 HR, 22 RBI) is not hitting the ball out of the park as much as the other candidates, but he is tied for the most 2B in MLB, is tied for eighth place in the AL with his .346 AVG, and leads all of MLB with his 22 RBI.

5. Justin Morneau 1B/DH Minnesota Twins (.368, 4 HR, 17 R, 15 RBI) is off to a very nice start for the first place Twins, as he is tied for fourth place in the AL with his .368 AVG. Morneau is also tied for third place in MLB with his 17 runs, and the Twins might have two MVP candidates by the end of the year.

National League

1. Ryan Braun OF Milwaukee Brewers (.366, 5 HR, 20 RBI, .432 OBP, 4 SB) has a new nickname and it is “Braunzilla”. The dude is on fire with his 26 hits, which is one hit off the MLB lead, he is fourth in the NL with his .366 AVG, and is tied for second in MLB with his 20 RBI. Braun had an amazing 2009 campaign, but he might be getting better.

2. Matt Kemp OF Los Angeles Dodgers (.315, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 2 SB, .379 OBP) is my hero. He is huge, athletic, plays CF for the Dodgers, is having an MVP type season, and is dating Rihanna. Kemp is tied for second in MLB with seven HR and 20 RBI, leads MLB with 20 runs, and is becoming the complete package on 2010.

3. Chase Utley 2B Philadelphia Phillies (.294, 18 R, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 16BB/12K) is having the best season for one of the best teams in baseball, and is clearly the best offensive second baseman in the NL. Utley is tied for third place in MLB with his 6 HR and is in second place in MLB with his 18 runs. Utley also plays great defense, runs the bases well, and has more walks than strikeouts.

4. Albert Pujols 1B St. Louis Cardinals (.301, 12 R, 7 HR, 17 RBI) is off to a slow start for his standards but still finds himself in fourth place for the NL MVP. Pujols will be near the top of this list by the All Star break, but his pedestrian .301 average is not helping. He is tied for second place in MLB with his seven HR and is tied for seventh place in MLB with his 17 RBI.

5. Andre Ethier OF Los Angeles Dodgers (.356, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 7BB/5K) missed a handful of games earlier this season, but is back on track. Ethier had a monster 2009 season, and is getting right back at it this year, as he is sixth in the NL with his .356 average. He is also tied for the fourth most HR in MLB with five, and is tied for 11th place in MLB with his 16 RBI. Ethier also has two more walks than strikeouts, and his numbers will increase as he stays healthy.

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya
Twitter.com/DugoutDoctors

Are The Rays The Best in Baseball?

The Rays are making things tough in the AL East

Are the Tampa Bay Rays the Best Team in Baseball?

We are three weeks into the baseball season, and, unsurprisingly, the team with the best record comes from the AL East.

But it’s not the Red Sox or Yankees leading all of baseball in wins, it’s the Tampa Bay Rays with a 14-5 record (including an outstanding 9-1 on the road).

With their young pitching staff living up to its immense potential, the Rays have allowed only 63 runs (fewest in the AL) and all of the starters have an ERA below 4.00.

Not to be outdone, the Rays hitters have sent 113 runners around the bases, which leads the majors.

But could the Rays really be the best team in baseball?

Yes, I think they could.

The Yankees have a better lineup top to bottom, but the Rays have shown plenty of ability to score runs in the early going.

While guys like Pat Burrell and Dioner Navarro are major weaknesses in the lineup, the Rays have the potential to improve as both Jason Bartlett and Ben Zobrist are off to less than stellar starts.

Carl Crawford is a dynamic force near the top of the Rays lineup, and Carlos Pena and Evan Logoria are established superstars.

The wild card in the lineup could be Reid Brignac, who has played well whenever he has been given playing time. A former highly rated prospect, he hasn’t been able to find a spot in the everyday lineup yet.

Despite the promise in their lineup, the reason the Rays could potentially be the best team in baseball lies in their starting rotation.

“Big Game” James Shields headlines the staff, yet is the only member who wasn’t drafted in the top three rounds of the MLB draft. While he hasn’t yet repeated his performance from 2008 (which helped lead the Rays to the playoffs), Shields is already 2-0 with a 3.96 ERA, and provides a veteran presence to a staff full of youngsters.

With former first rounder picks Matt Garza, David Price and Jeff Niemann filling in the 2-4 spots in the rotation, the Rays obviously have plenty of potential. Garza has been established for a couple of years, and Niemann finally had a breakout season in 2009, finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting.

David Price could be a huge wild card for the Rays if he finally lives up to his tremendous potential. After throwing a complete game, four hit shutout, Price has a 2.20 ERA and a 3-1 record on the year. While he won’t be able to keep those numbers up all year, anyone who saw Price dominate in 2008 knows he has the stuff to be a major league ace.

The fifth starter is Wade Davis, who made an impressive debut late in 2009 with a 3.72 ERA in 6 starts. Although he has struggled with walks early in 2010 (11 in only 17 innings) a look at Davis’ minor league numbers shows that he is clearly ready to make an impact at the major league level.

As if five young starters weren’t enough, the Rays have another budding star in Jeremy Hellickson, who is currently pitching in AAA. In his 13 starts at that level, he has posted a 2.48 ERA and an impressive 10.4 K/9 against only 2.4 BB/9.

While the bullpen certainly has some issues, they are greatly improved from last year, and will get even better once J.P. Howell returns from the disabled list. Rafael Soriano isn’t a top flight closer, but he allows Howell to move back into a setup role, which strengthens the bullpens depth.

There is still plenty of baseball to be played this year, and any team still has a chance to end up with the best record in the majors. But with their young dominant pitching staff, and potent lineup, the Rays could be the best team in baseball.

Brett Kettyle
Twitter.com/BaseballBrett5

Bryce Harper Season Debut on the Mound

Bryce Harper Airs It Out On The Bump

The legend in the making Bryce Harper continues to add to his story as he made his first relief appearance of the season. Harper actually got the Loss in the game, but hit a Home Run a few innings before. Ha.

The Natural is now hitting .401, getting on base 50% of the time, with a team high 17 HR and 46 RBI. Harper also has 12 SB, an astounding 52 runs, and should be the first player taken in the June MLB draft.

Harper is only 17 years old, but is reportedly the “Anti-Joe Mauer” when it comes to his attitude.

Eh, who cares? The kid is an animal and the Nationals will have two of the best American prospects in baseball history (Stephen Strasburg and Harper) if they draft the 17 year old sensation.

Matt Anaya
Twitter.com/MatAnaya
Twitter.com/DugoutDoctors

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