3 Pitchers Who Will Improve in 2011

Last week I named Three Pitchers Who Will Regress in 2011, but it has nothing to do with me being a pessimistic guy. I can look on the bright side– honestly. So, that’s why today I am bringing you the prettier side of the coin. Here are the Three Pitchers Who Will Improve in 2011:

1. Yovani Gallardo, MIL

If you examine the 24-year-old Gallardo’s numbers you’ll see he was often a product of bad luck. The BABIP (batting average on balls in play) against him was extremely high at .324. His strikeouts per 9 ratio, on the other hand was the usual for this future ace–9.73. If he continues to strike out that many batters (he will) while bringing his walk rate down (he did in last season’s second half), and the luck turns in his favor a bit, he’ll get far better results than the 3.84 ERA he sported in 2010. But numbers aside, what’s going to help Gallardo the most are the additions to Milwaukee’s pitching staff. In years past, Yovani has been asked to be the one bright spot in a glaringly weak rotation. But after the off-season additions of Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, the Mexican native will simply be expected to be one of a few great pitchers. The reduced pressure should do wonders for the youngster, as the Brewers make a charge at the NL Central title.

2. Gavin Floyd, CHW

The White Sox figure to have a strong staff in 2011, and Gavin Floyd is a major part of those plans. Though his numbers weren’t bad last season, his 1.37 WHIP was the highest he’s posted since becoming a full-time starter in 2008. Floyd has a lot of strengths. He strikes out a good number of batters, doesn’t give up many home runs (a difficult feat in U.S. Cellular), and keeps his walk rate fairly low. Like Gallardo, he simply struggled with a high BABIP this past season. He also lost strength in his shoulder at the end of last season, and had to shut it down early. If he returns to camp healthy, as he’s expected to, I fully expect Floyd, who just turned 28, to post an ERA around 3.50–the lowest of his career.

3. Francisco Liriano, MIN

Francisco Liriano had a better 2010 than anyone could have expected him to. After a breakout rookie season in 2006, Liriano needed Tommy John Surgery, and returned a far different pitcher, putting up poor numbers in 2008 and 2009. Luckily for the Twins, he returned to form in 2010. He won 14 games in 191.2 innings pitched. His ERA was a respectable 3.62, he struck out over 200 batters, and he even got some votes for the AL Cy Young. After such a strong year, it’s probably crazy to expect even better numbers in 2011, but there’s reason to believe it’s possible. Last season, Liriano’s FIP (fielding independent pitching) a statistic that helps to measure how a pitcher’s number would be, regardless of the defense behind him, was almost a full run lower than his ERA. FIP is usually a good indication of a pitcher’s true ability and value, and it proves the Twins’ ace could be capable of a whole lot more this coming season.

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Season in Review: San Francisco Giants

Pre-Season Prediction: 2nd in NL West

Regular Season Outcome: 1st in NL West, Won World Series

Summary

Giants fans can breathe easy, as they saw their team win the World Series for the first time since their move to San Francisco. While the fought a difficult battle all season long in the NL West, they finally came out victorious over the Padres and Rockies. Once they reached the playoffs they were an unstoppable force. They handled the Braves with relative ease, then shocked the world by downing the heavily favored Phillies in six games.

The World Series was even easier, as MVP-of-the-series Edgar Renteria lead his team over the Texas Rangers in just five games. The playoffs served as a chance to showcase the talented pitching of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Brian Wilson to the entire country. It was also the perfect way to display one of the league’s newest young stars, rookie of the year Buster Posey.

High Point

They won the World Series. Once you reach that goal (which, let’s be clear, is the main goal for any team) what else could be your High Point?

Low Point

Yes, they had an amazing year, but the Giants wasted money. #5 Starter Barry Zito made $18.5 million last season while going 9-14. Outfielder Aaron Rowand made $12 million while primarily riding the bench. Mark DeRosa raked in $6 million, yet due to injury had only 93 at-bats. Thats over $36 million dollars spent on three players who combined were worth 2.4 WAR (wins above replacement). That money could have been spent somewhere far more important, like improving the middle infield. What’s worse, they’re still tied in to all three guys next season.

Ongoing Prognosis

It’s going to be a fun story line to follow–can the Giants repeat? That pitching staff is as strong as ever, especially considering Madison Bumgarner will be around all season. Add to that a full season of Posey, and the eventual promotion of new hot-prospect Brandon Belt, and the team is solid yet again. The problem seems to be at short, where they’re asking a lot if they want the middle-aged Miguel Tejada to get the majority of the at-bats from the position. Questions remain in the outfield as well. As of now, six guys are competing for the at-bats from three positions. Andres Torres seems to have a regular spot locked up. After him, Pat Burrell, Cody Ross, Mark DeRosa, Nate Schierholtz and Aaron Rowand figure to battle it out.

When compared to most other teams, these are not major questions. The Giants will have a solid offense, backing up one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. At this point, they remain the favorites to take the NL West.

Week in Review: 2/14/11

This was one of the worst winters on record.

The snow was miserable. Ben Roethlisberger was successful in some capacity. Nickleback continues to be played on national radio stations. Tyler Perry didn’t get into a tragic car accident. Hot pockets still taste the same. They stopped showing as many Old Spice commercials, and instead tripled the amount of Geico commercials we see. Friday Night Lights ended, and Outsourced didn’t. The National Anthem was sung incorrectly at the biggest sporting event of the year. As far as we know, there is no Katy Perry sex tape. A film on the life of Justin Bieber, which is shorter than some wars at this point, grossed over 30 million dollars in its first week. Gus Johnson still isn’t commentating ever sporting event in the world. There are plenty of things wrong in the world.

But four little words signify the change of that. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and Shin-Soo Choo isn’t fighting in wars. They’re the four little words we think about anytime we’re grocery shopping and run across Cracker Jacks on display. They’re almost musical. They’re perfect.

Ladies and gentlemen…

Pitchers and Catchers Report.

On to the news…

Winner of the Week: Barry Bonds

Is this guy really going to weasel his way out of all of this?

From 11 charges down to 5, judges and lawyers running around like Ruben Rivera on the bases, and Greg Anderson still isn’t testifying. Most likely, he’s looking at a chunk of money that would make Mark Zuckerberg blush, and rightfully so. Anderson is looking at jail time to last throughout the entire trial if he continues to refuse to testify, which his lawyer says he will do. This is the third time we’ll see Bonds enter a plea of ‘not guilty,’ and who knows if this trial will ever actually begin? It’s like the Arrested Development movie: sure we’ve heard a lot about it, and the people that want to see it are really passionate about it, but none of the people that need to be involved are saying a damn thing. Bonds isn’t even close to out of the clear yet, but the road is a lot shorter than it was a few weeks ago. So far, everything’s going his way. And I hate it. I absolutely hate it.

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Loser of the Week: The St. Louis Cardinals

With the news coming on Sunday that Pujols has rejected the Cardinals’ latest contract offer, the city’s spirit may be on the way out. Pujols has set a deadline of February 16th, which tells you math majors out there that there’s only 3 days left for the Cards to get a deal done. Sources are saying that the two sides are still very far apart on a deal, which is horrible news for residents of the Arch City. It looks pretty likely that Pujols will be heading towards free agency, which of course brings the question: which major league franchise could become a potential Yoko Ono to the Cardinals? The pain of losing Pujols might be compounded further, since the Cubs are waiting eagerly on the horizon. Mark my words, the Southside squad will make a big play for his services if he becomes available. Seeing Pujols multiple times each season in blue would absolutely destroy that city. The Cardinals cannot afford to let the biggest star in the game go, but unfortunately, the may not be able to afford to keep him.

Let’s Turn Two

When you ask the regular fan which National League pitching staff you’d rather have, the kneejerk reaction is, of course, the Phillies. Let’s keep something in mind, though. Most peoples’ number 2 rotation, at least on paper, belongs to the Brewers. After acquiring Greinke in this off season, they’ve got 5 quality starters, along with two legit aces in Greinke and Gallardo. I can’t argue that these guys have more pitching pop than the Phillies. There are too man questions related to health and consistency with these guys. However, we’ve got to remember one thing. These guys can hit the snot out of the ball. Both Greinke and 3rd starter Shaun Marcum are converted position players, who can swing the bat well. 4th starter Randy Wolf has consistently been one of the best hitting pitchers in the league. In a league of small-ball, a potent 9 spot in the order can make a huge bit of difference. A .230 average may not seem great, but when the rest of the league is averaging .200 or worse in the 9 spot, a .30 point advantage is huge. On top of all that, Marcum got 13 wins last year, with a sub 4 ERA. That’s doing absolute work from the 3 spot in your rotation. We’ll see just how good these guys are, seeing as the Brew Crew lost some important offensive pieces acquiring Greinke. They may need to lean on their pitching until the bats can get going. Personally, I think they can handle it.

Balls And Strikes

Roger Clemens issued a subpoena this week to the House committee he’s accused of lying to while under oath. Interesting strategy, big guy. Maybe this will turn out like that Law And Order: SVU episode where Ludacris accuses the entire squad of bad police work, and ends up getting off. But that would be impossible because, as we all know, no government officials have EVER committed any wrong doings. Ever.

Phil Hughes has started work on his changeup again this spring, a pitch that led him to a ridiculous first half last year. Hughes pitched his way to a 7-6 second half, while falling away from using the changeup. Interesting strategy by the Yank’s hurler, as he’s going to continue doing the things that allowed him to be successful. You’d think he’d want to do the things that allowed him to have a garbage second half, but no, he’s throwing us a, well, changeup. More on this story as it develops.

Way to go ESPN. The above Phil Hughes story was one of the only real news stories of the week. Was this it? As teams are preparing to begin preparation for the longest regular season of any major American sport, the best story you could find was that one pitcher on one team is going to practice the things that made him good? Really? Hell of a job, guys.

Bottom of the Ninth

It’s all about Spring Training. Things will start to unfold this week, including reports on who’s in shape and who isn’t, who’s healthier than they were last year, and, of course, the future of Albert Pujols. All eyes will be on the Cards’ camp on February 16th? Can they get the deal done?

Until next time, let the thought of Jobu put a smile on your face.

So long folks.

Season in Review: Minnesota Twins

Pre-Season Prediction 1st in AL Central

Regular Season Outcome 1st in AL Central, Lost to Yankees in ALDS

Summary

The start of the 2010 season was an exciting time to be a Minnesota Twins fan. Caught in the ugly and loud Metrodome since 1982, the club finally moved into Target Field, a beautiful open-air stadium, to kick off the year. Fans and players alike enjoyed the new atmosphere. It was the perfect setting to watch the Twins win the AL Central for the sixth time in the last decade. Unfortunately this was the fourth of those times that ended with a loss to the New York Yankees in the ALDS. Though fans are getting fed up with the same old story, it truly was a successful year for Ron Gardenhire’s team, who finished with a 94-68 record.

The Twins had a fairly even-keeled attack, beating teams with both pitching and hitting. Their pitching staff had the third-best (tied) WHIP in the league (1.29) and was lead by Francisco Liriano, after successfully recovering from Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm. It was a great story for the Twins, as the once dominant pitcher returned to form, striking out 201 batters over the course of the season.

The offense won games simply by getting on base. Their OBP of .341 was good for second in the league. Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Justin Morneau (before injury) and Jim Thome all had strong seasons at the plate.

High Point

While the return of Liriano was exciting to see, I’ve got to say the high point was Jim Thome’s fantastic performance. At 40 years old, nobody was expecting all that much out of Thome, including the Twins. His salary was $1.5 mil, and he was expected to spend some time at DH, while serving as the team’s primary pinch hitter. But after Justin Morneau’s concussion sidelined him for the season’s second half, Thome caught fire. At season’s end, in just 276 at-bats, Thome had clubbed 25 HRs while posting a staggering OPS of 1.039. I think it’s safe to say the Twins got a fantastic return on their investment.

Low Point

Injuries. Before the season even began the team learned they would lose dominant Closer Joe Nathan for the whole year. The powered on, and watched their veterans pick up the slack. One of those veterans, First Baseman Justin Morneau, was on his way to an MVP-caliber season (OPS at 1.055) before suffering a concussion on July 7th. Morneau never recovered, and remained on the bench for the entire season. One has to wonder, if the Twins had both Nathan and Morneau in the playoffs, would they have been able to tackle the mighty Yanks?

Ongoing Prognosis

The Twins didn’t do all that much to bolster their roster, and are instead relying on a successful recovery from Morneau (which still remains a major question mark). The big loss this off-season came to their bullpen, losing four talented set up men in Matt Guerrier, Jon Rauch, Brian Fuentes and Jesse Crain. So again, they’ll be relying on somebody coming off an injury, Nathan, to bolster their pen.

The AL Central, for my money, will be the most exciting division to follow, as three talented teams– the Twins, White Sox and Tigers– all have a great chance to take the crown. Minnesota will have a far better chance if their talented First Baseman comes back fully healthy.

3 Pitchers Who Will Regress in 2011

Whether you’re a stathead, fantasy junkie or just trying to figure out how your team will fare this next season, it’s important to know what to expect from individual players. Beyond simply observing guys from game to game, there are some more advanced statistics that help baseball enthusiasts predict these things. Knowing pitchers can get lucky from year to year, I’ve assembled a list of three guys who are strong candidates to regress in 2011. This by no means should indicate they are no longer good pitchers, they’re just not quite what they showed in 2010.

Tim Hudson, ATL

The 35-year-old right-hander wowed everyone when he came back with a bang from his Tommy John Surgery. Hudson finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting thanks to a 17-9 record, 2.83 ERA and WHIP at 1.15. While Hudson provided amazing value–especially considering he was paid just $9 million–there’s reason to believe much of his year can be attributed to luck. For one, his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was an absurdly low .249. While Braves fans might argue Hudson’s whole job is to use his fantastic sinker to induce weak contact, that BABIP was good for fourth lowest among all starting pitchers. Factor in the his FIP (fielding independent pitching) being 4.09 vs. a 2.83 ERA, and yeah, there was obviously some luck involved. Add to that the addition of the hard-handed fielder Dan Uggla at Second, and a crippled Chipper Jones at Third–while understanding Hudson relies on the defense of his infield– and it’s safe to assume the aging pitcher’s numbers in 2011 will not match those of 2010. Need more reasons for concern? The 228.2 innings he tossed last year appeared to take a toll on him. In September, as Atlanta battled for a playoff berth, the ace’s numbers were atrocious, with batters hitting .291 against him over six starts. He’ll still be good, but the Braves better hope the young guns on their staff are up to the challenge of picking up some slack.

Jeremy Guthrie, BAL

The internet is abuzz with Baltimore’s recent offensive additions. Sure, nobody expects them to win the AL East, but they all expect the team to make some noise. Those who defend the weak Starting Pitching will argue that Guthrie made huge strikes. Yes, his numbers were good, but there’s reason to believe they were a mirage. It’s extremely difficult to maintain a 1.16 WHIP when you can’t miss bats. And Guthrie is clearly an example of somebody who can’t miss bats. He struck out just 5.1 batters per nine innings pitched, and that’s not strange for the right-hander, who had a 5.7 K/9 in 2008, and even worse 5.0 in ’09. If you struggle to rack up strikeouts, there better be some luck on your side, and Guthrie got it in 2010, with a BABIP at .254. If he continues to limit the walks (just 2.15/9 last season) he’ll be a guy you want on the mound. Just not the guy who carries your team.

Trevor Cahill, OAK

The knock on the 22-year-old is, like Guthrie, his inability to strike anybody out. He had just 118 K’s in 196.2 innings pitched last year. And while we do expect him to get better with age– especially as his strong change up further develops to match his masterful sinker– his luck will vary. Remember when I said Hudson had the fourth lowest BABIP in the league. Can you guess who was first? I’ll give you a hint, his name appears directly above the current paragraph. In fact, not only was Cahill’s BABIP of .236 the lowest among all pitchers last year, nobody has had one lower since Chris Young posted a BABIP of .226 way back in 2006! Yes, he’ll be an important fixture on a talented staff. But a sub-3.00 ERA is dreaming. Considering last year’s splits, Oakland fans should be pleased if it’s anything below 4.00.

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Season in Review: St. Louis Cardinals

Pre-Season Prediction: 1st in NL Central

Regular Season Outcome: 2nd in NL Central

Summary

No team underperformed in 2010 more than the Cardinals. They had a fantastic pitching staff (fifth best ERA in baseball), one of the NL’s best Outfielders, and oh yeah, the best player in the game. Their run differential was +95 runs, and they were 52-29 at home. Yet they finished a pedestrian 86-76 good for only second in a sub-par NL Central. With two of the best Starting Pitchers in Baseball to compliment two of the NL’s most feared hitters, this team did not play to the level in which they were capable. Whether it was Tony LaRussa’s classic over-managing, or the supporting casts inability to, ya know, support, the Cardinals were a disappointment in 2010.

High Point

Can you imagine being a season ticket holder in St. Louis? Going to every game, knowing that on a daily basis you are going to get to witness the greatest player of our generation play the game? Yes, year in and year out, Albert Pujols is the High Point of the St. Louis Cardinals. Love raw power? Albert hit 42 HRs this year, slugging .596. Are you a nerd? The dude walked 103 times (best for third in baseball) while posting an OBP of .414, and playing fantastic defense. Maybe it’s a corny commercial, but it’s true. We are going to tell our children “I watched Albert Pujols play baseball.” That is a high point.

Low Point

Colby Rasmus is just 24-years-old. This year he had an OPS of .859, while hitting 23 HRs and playing the game hard. He has no noticeable splits, which is to say he hits lefties just as well as he hits righties. And yet, Tony LaRussa, for some reason, started the youngster in just 116 games. Not because there was a better option than Rasmus. Not because Rasmus was slumping. Just because he’s Tony LaRussa, and he has an ego. This lead Rasmus to ask for a trade, for Pujols to call him out, and a whole lot of media hoopla that the Cardinals simply didn’t need. The guy is the third best hitter on the team, and now he doesn’t even want to be there. There’s your future Hall-of-Fame Manager for you…

Ongoing Prognosis

The Cards are tied up in long-term extension talks with Pujols, and at least for now, it doesn’t appear they’re going to get anything done. This is a scary notion, because it means that come 2012, they could be without their star. But isn’t the notion of giving him $30 mil a year somewhat frightening too? That could really hinder them down the road as they’re trying to lock up other great players. And the NL Central isn’t getting any easier. The Reds figure to be good again, the Cubs improved by adding Carlos Pena and Matt Garza, and how about those Brewers. With the addition of Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke, the Brewers figure to add a strong pitching staff to their already impressive lineup of hitters.

The Cardinals will bring back virtually the same cast they had in 2010, with the addition of the once-great Lance Berkman in the outfield. Though I expect the luck to go more their way than it did last year, now that the Central is more difficult, I expect the Cards to miss the playoffs again in 2011. You simply can’t stand still while the rest of your division improves.

Cheater, Cheater Popcorn Eater? It Only Gets Worse

Where does A-Rod’s embarrassing camera moment rank all-time on the list of embarrassing “caught-on-camera” Yankees moments?

Sure, A-Rod is a total pussy forever and always for being caught having popcorn “shoveled into his mouth,” as one article classified it, but it turns out that the New York Yankees have far worse moments of embarrassing, caught-on-camera moments from their legendary players than they care to admit; the Yankees refused to comment for this story. I dug a little deeper and discovered that this wasn’t the first time a Yankees player was made to look foolish in a moment when he thought there was no way he would be caught:

1. Goose Gossage and the Snow Day Massacre of 1981: New York City is used to heavy snowfall during the brutal winters that the northeast has become accustomed to, so it came as a total shock when New York schools were canceled for a day due to heavy snowfall one day in the winter of 1981. It was an even bigger shock when legendary closer Goose Gossage decided to take this opportunity to ingratiate himself with some of the younger fans of the Yankees in the streets of the city. Goose happened upon some young Yankee fans engaged in a snowball fight and decided he would make their day; tragically, he made it their last day. Forgetting that he was a major league closer, Goose proceeded to pick the children off one by one as they rushed for cover, screaming in terror, and assumed that they had to rush home for dinner.

2. Don Mattingly filmed giving the first moustache ride caught on a non-pornographic film: Everyone knows the temptation that comes with living in New York City, and the sorts of trouble that can emerge when a big-time athlete hits the biggest city on earth for a night on the town, but things took a turn for the ugly when Mattingly was caught on camera providing a, well, unique stage for a stripper’s routine. Unwittingly coining a now-common porno term, Mattingly thought he was only doing the girl a service by letting her ride face to make a decent buck. Being Don Mattingly was the only thing that kept him from getting ostracized for such an offensive gesture in public, and the stripper later confessed that she had never made such good tips as that night.

3. Babe Ruth caught sporting a pro-Kaiser German military helmet during the 1916 playoffs: As though his poor eating habits and chronic boozing weren’t bad enough, the embarrassing photos that emerged of the Bambino dressed in near-matching Kaiser-garb as the true Yanks fought overseas were almost too much to handle. It almost hit the breaking point when, asked if he thought it disrespectful to don German gear during the conflict, he responded, “What, are we playing the German baseball team tomorrow or something?” He redeemed himself by having a hot dog eat-off to raise money for the troops.

4. Reggie Jackson goes on a spree of terror the night he hits three homeruns, does everything in threes: When you have knocked three dingers in a critical game of the World Series, you have to make sure to celebrate in a way that no one will ever forget; who knows if you are ever going to make the big game again and have an opportunity to be a hero? Turns out Reggie Jackson, Mr. October, took this a bit too seriously, deciding that the theme of three was going to be the central tenet for his reign of terror. The final rap sheet totaled over two million dollars in damages, and included, but was not limited to: three stolen cars, three bank robberies, three all you can eat buffets, three mailboxes firebombed, three subway cars tagged, three tattoos on himself and three people that happened to be standing there, three ice cream cones in three seconds, and three rides on The Intimidator, the most difficult roller coaster to ride without getting off in the country. The city is still thankful that Game 6 was the clincher and he wouldn’t have a chance to repeat.

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Video: Wrigley Beer Chug

If you’ve ever sat in the bleachers at Wrigley Field, it’s by no means out of the ordinary to see somebody chugging a beer. The manner in which this guy chugs is what makes it a good watch.

That was Roger McDowell, former reliever and current Atlanta Braves Pitching Coach who threw the ball. No idea who the fan is. Come forward, hero.

Video: Coach Gives Kidney to Player

Talk about going above and beyond your job description. Check out this fantastic story of the Wake Forest Baseball coach, Tom Walkter, donating a Kidney to Kevin Jordan, one of his Freshman players. (Thanks to Jimmy Traina over at SI for the link).

 

You think that kid is going to put in extra time in the cages? I would say so.

The Top 5: Stadiums in MLB

Sometimes you just don’t care who’s playing. You don’t care what the score is and you don’t care how many strikeouts the pitcher has. Instead, you care about the smell of the grass, the leg room in front of you, and the seventh inning stretch. You just want to sit in the sun and breath in the fresh summer air while you drink a $9 beer.

That’s why this week’s list is:

The Top 5: Stadiums in MLB

Dan Sweatt

1. Wrigley Field – It’s a no brainer for me. The Called Shot, Bartman, Rookie Of The Year; the sport’s biggest moments happened here.
2. Fenway Park – The house that the Idiots built; it’s legendary.
3. Yankee Stadium – It’s kind of like Disney World; it’s over the top, it’s gaudy, and you really wish you had it in your city.
4. Turner Field – I cannot stand the team that plays there, but a nice suit on a turd is still a nice suit.
5. AT&T Park – A splashdown bomb to right field (pictured left) is arguably the most picturesque blast in the game right now, so the Giants’ abode gets my nod here.

Evan Hill

1. Wrigley Field – HISTORY! There’s just something about going to a stadium that has been around for just short of a full century. It adds a whole new aspect to the game.
2. Fenway Park – HISTORY! (see above)
3. Petco Park – Maybe it’s because you’re watching a game in the middle of an always perfect climate, but this place is fantastic.
4. Miller Park – A retractable roof, perfect dimensions, great seating, a giant slide and a sausage race. What’s not to love?
5. Safeco Field – I’m a sucker for retractable roofs, what can I say?

Michael Ferrera

1. Fenway Park – I’m from Massachusetts. So speaking objectively, this is a unique ball park with an incredible amount of history. Speaking subjectively, Fenway Pahhhk is tha greatest pahhk in the waaahhld.
2. Wrigley Field – I took my Mom to a game here and she leaned over to me during the 6th inning and said, “This is the way you’re supposed to watch baseball.”
3. AT&T Park – I enjoy watching grown men in kayaks fight over home run balls.
4. Dodger Stadium – There was a stretch in the early 2000′s when it felt like the Dodgers were on Sunday Night Baseball every week (right around 2001 when Paul Lo Duca almost had more HRs than SOs). Watching a night game from Dodgers Stadium makes me think of those summers.
5. Nationals Park – It’s brand new, but I think it’s a pretty nice place to watch a game (pictured right). There were no T-Shirt cannons while I was there.

Obviously, a number of stadiums didn’t make our lists. Anything you take issue with? Throw your own list in the comments section below. We’ll be back next week with an all new top 5.

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