NL Cy Young Candidates in 2011

March 14, 2010 – Evan Hill

When you can almost taste the season (just over two weeks away, folks), it’s time to start making predictions. Division champs, award winners, everything. But before you can make a prediction, it’s nice to know who is in the running and why. Here, I’ll break down some of the frontrunners for the National League’s 2011 Cy Young Award.

Tim Lincecum, SFG: I know, I know, not much of a news-flash to predict a two-time winner can do it again. Lince had, by his standards, a down year in 2010. His ERA was 3.43, not in the 2′s like he had done the two previous seasons. He did improve in the season’s second half, and there’s good reason to believe that will carry over into 2011. He ran into some bad luck last season, and his numbers were still pretty impressive. After all, he still lead the league in strikeouts. Expect that ERA to dip back to his career average as the youngster fights for his third Cy Award.

Phillies Not Named Blanton: Much has been written about the Phillies’ new rotation, namely 2010 Cy winner Roy Halladay and new acquisition Cliff Lee. It’s because they’re amazing. Each one of the top four has a legitimate shot at the 2011 award (less so for Roy Oswalt), and I know it’s crazy to pick against Halladay, but the best choice could be lefty Cole Hamels. He really put thing back together last season, and early spring numbers indicate he’ll be right back to it. If someone asks you who you think will win NL Cy Young in 2011, your safest bet is to say “that guy on the Phillies.”

Josh Johnson, FLA – Right now, he’s my pick. My mind is likely to change in say, three hours, but as of now, he’s my guy. He had a great shot at it last season with an ERA at 2.30, WHIP at 1.11 and 186 K’s, but the Marlins shut him down after one start in September. So, despite the league-leading ERA, Johnson finished 5th in the voting. Johnson has progressively stepped up his game in each of the last three seasons– expect that trend to continue, as Johnson flat out dominates the National League.

Clayton Kershaw, LAD – Kershaw won’t turn 23 until this Saturday, yet he’s already put it all together and established himself as one of the best pitchers in the league. He still has room to improve, and perhaps he’s a couple years away, but before the end of his career, Kershaw will have won a Cy Young award.

Zack Greinke, MIL – Greinke is going to miss a couple starts thanks to injuring his rib while playing pickup basketball, but you’ve gotta think a healthy Greinke can dominate the National League. The 2009 AL Cy Young winner saw his ERA balloon to 4.17 last season with the Royals, but a lot of that was a product of bad luck–his FIP was 3.34. Facing the Pirates and Astros this year shouldn’t hurt. Expect Greinke to pile up the K’s as he establishes himself as an NL ace.

Other Pitchers of Note: Tommy Hanson, ATL. Matt Cain, SFG. Shaun Marcum, MIL. Yovani Gallardo, MIL. Mat Latos, SD.

Week in Review: 3/14/11

March 14, 2011 – Dan Sweatt

Winner Of The Week: The Cincinnati Reds

This pick has a lot less to do with what the Reds did, and a lot more to do with what their competitors did this week.

First of all, Zack Greinke: way to go buddy. You just pulled an Aaron Boone, and got injured in a meaningless basketball game with some buddies. No big deal, it’s not like the Brewers traded their entire future away so they could get one shot with you and Prince on the same team. No, wait a second, hold on… I’m checking the facts, and… yes, I’m showing that’s exactly what happened. Way to go. A broken rib is bad for most players, and even worse for starting pitchers. Reds 1, Brewers 0.

The Phillies rotation is rock solid and terrifying, this we know. But as I’ve contested all year, we shouldn’t hand them the pennant just yet, mostly because their position players get injured with the frequency of Bengals’ arrests. Chase Utley looks like he’s on his way towards another injury plagued season, one in which he plays 2-3 games a week, and come playoff time, gets forced into the lineup because the Phillies are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. Pile that on top of the fact that future star Domonic Brown is out 4-6 weeks with a hand injury, and these guys are in rough shape. We all know the Phils can win a lot of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 games. But with two major offensive weapons hobbling through the first half (and maybe more) of the season, they’re quite capable of losing those games too. Reds 1, Phils 0 (unless you count the playoffs last year, which I don’t even remember).

The Cardinals still have questions (how to replace Wainwright, how is Lance Berkman going to survive another Major League Season). The Mets continue to amuse me with their mismanagement. The Braves can’t possibly succeed as long as they continue Tomahawk chopping with Nazi-like devotion. And the Reds just keep chugging along. They resigned another key role player this week (Ryan Hanigan, for 3 years), and face very little injury problems (Cueto has a sore arm, just like every pitcher is spring training). Like I said last week, the boring teams in the spring are the ones to watch out for. And, thankfully, the Reds are boring the hell out of me.

Losers Of The Week: The Washington Nationals

I tend to not buy into hype. You have to understand, that I was raised in Cincinnati. People tend to give unconditional love to unproven heroes without thinking twice here, kind of like when Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize for winning an election. I was a 3 time student council representative in high school, and I’ve got nothing to show for it. I could run a damn fine campaign. Well, so can the hype-builders surrounding Bryce Harper, who now have baseball fans across the country convinced he’s a super hero. I wasn’t so sure. I’d seen the highlights of him hitting 600 foot bombs in batting practice. I’d seen the stats from his sole college season, a season he spent tearing up a league full of 22 year olds. But I saw Akili Smith do some pretty cool things, too.

What’s a guy got to do to get at bats at Nationals spring training? Harper was demoted to the Washington Single A club, which I think plays in Anchorage, or something. All he was doing was hitting .389 through 13 games. That’s it. An 18 year old hitting .389 in his first Spring Training action… just digest that information for a minute. Unreal. That wasn’t enough to warrant consistent playing time from the Nats, who sent their newly converted right fielder to pick up 4 or 5 at bats a game against people nowhere near this kid’s ability. Nats, you’ve signed Jayson Werth to a 48 year contract, a guy who’s going to have to play right field as he gets older because he’s nowhere near athletic enough for the other two outfield positions; not now, and not when his knees start to go. So why turn this kid into a right fielder, when he absolutely can’t play there once he gets to the majors? I’m completely lost. Granted, Harper’s .389 average came in at bats spread out over several games, where he tallied one or two at bats a game. But you’re telling me that if there was a guy raking at a near .400 clip on your bench through 1/8th of a season, you wouldn’t give him a start or two?

Harper is quickly making a believer out of me, and he already has believers spread all over the world. Why is that not enough to get this guy on the fast track? The argument that he needs more seasoning due to his age is a gloriously stupid one, as demonstrated by his ridiculous start statistically and professionally (all of his teammates give him glowing reviews). Find places for your impact players, Nats. Give the people (and more importantly, me) what they want. That’s rule # 1.

Let’s Turn Two

I’ll be the first to admit that I find this Charlie Sheen madness to be sickly entertaining. Do I read the articles detailing his dazzling ramblings whenever I find a dead spot? Absolutely. Have I started referring to the women in my life as ‘The Goddesses’? You know it. Have I considered creating a Twitter account just to follow this guy? Sadly, affirmative. But, that’s not to say I feel good about any of this.

Part of me knew it was wrong from blow up # 1. There’s a look in Sheen’s eyes that reminds me way too much of Jack Nicholson in “The Shining”. But hell, he was making me laugh, so, what the hell? Then, I read about the accounts of Miguel Cabrera this week from people who saw him in his drunken stupor. I read the quotes from his psychotic, depressive pleas to police. I realized that I could never, ever feel the way Cabrera felt, a state that led him to beg police to shoot him. I could never know what’s going on in a man’s head that leads him to that point. Sheen’s experiencing the same thing. Every coked-up, hazy stare into an Access Hollywood camera is just a white flag. This guy needs help, only he can’t find the words. Neither could Cabrera, clearly, who found a way to plea for someone to kill him. The health of our athletes has been a story multiplying in complexity and danger over the past few years, from steroids, to concussions, to hyper-examples of the same old sins: addiction. It’s a scary thing.

I’m tired of feeling guilty about laughing. That’s not to say that I’m going to start watching ABC Family exclusively, but maybe I’ll hold off on that Twitter account.

Balls And Strikes

-Chris Carpenter went to the media this week and assured all 8 of his loyal followers that he is pain free. Chris, you’re a 35 year old man who’s thrown more than Tim Donaghy. I’m guessing you hurt a little bit.

-Josh Beckett threw 3 2/3rds innings of great baseball after being struck in the head by a baseball in practice. After the game, Red Sox management brought in comedian Gallagher to treat Beckett’s noggin like a watermelon in an effort to knock 20 wins into him.

-Why is Dontrelle Willis having a successful spring? As a Reds fan, I’m not even happy about this. I’m preparing myself for his eventual demise (see: above, as well as Smith, Akili).

-Charlie Manuel got a 2 year extension from the Phils this week, which he rightfully deserves. Then again, if they wanted to save money, they could have paid for a really nice mop to manage this club. If you can’t make the playoffs with this rotation, learn how to weld, because you will need a brand new profession.

-Yogi Berra fell down at Yankees camp this week. After taking a bump to the head, he got up, dusted himself off, and said something that made complete, logical sense. People were stunned.

Bottom Of The Ninth

Spring rolls on this week. Teams will start to iron out some more regular line ups this week, announce opening day starters, and tweak their personnel before opening day. Saddle up people, it’s getting exciting.

Until next time, let the thought that Carl Everett used to be highly regarded in this game put a smile on your face.

So long folks.

Commercial Understands the Beauty of Baseball

March 9, 2011 – Evan Hill

MLB the Show has been helping us fans get through the off-season the past couple years, thanks to the work they put into their fantastic video games. It would appear their advertisers have joined in, because the most recent commercial for the 2011 game plucks at the heart strings.

Seriously. If you’re a true baseball fan, try to watch this commercial without your heart racing.

The music. The view of the field. The setting sun. The fan reactions. And most of all, the narration. Playstation 3 flat out nailed this commercial– and no, they’re not paying me to say that (if you’re reading this and you work for Playstation 3, please pay me to say that).

Amazing Bat Catch by Fan

March 8, 2011

Sure you look at the picture for just a second and you can see what happened. A bat flew into the stands during a Spring Training game, and this fan refused to lose a drop of beer as he caught the bat!

But isn’t it cooler to instead let yourself imagine that this guy got drunk and decided to go crazy on some random fans? Take a look again.

In reality though, awesome catch.

Top 10 Third Basemen in MLB

March 8, 2011 – Evan Hill

It’s only natural. Baseball players get older, and as they age they lose ability. Injuries hamper them, they lose speed and power, and before they know it, they’re not what they used to be. A-Rod is no longer the best Third Baseman in the game. And though Chipper Jones still has some talent, his inability to stay on the field has knocked him off our list. Yes, the times are changing–our 3B rankings are proof:

1. Evan Longoria, TB – Signed to an extremely team-friendly contract, Evan Longoria has been a fantastic player since he broke into the bigs in 2008. Longoria has improved with each season, and there’s no reason to expect that trend to end now.

2. Ryan Zimmerman, WAS – A close second in the rankings, Zimmerman is under-appreciated thanks to beginning his career in Washington. But as the Nationals improve, a larger fan base will witness the 26-year-old’s power, defense, and on-base skills.

3. Kevin Youkilis, BOS – Though he spent the last few season’s as the starting First Basemen for the Red Sox, Youkilis will be sliding to third to accommodate Adrian Gonzalez. With the change in position comes a rise in the rankings. The versatile Youk brings a lot to a talented team, as evidenced by his career .394 OBP.

4. Alex Rodriguez, NYY – A-Rod is the highest paid player in the history of the game, and at one time that made sense. While he’s still very good, the slugger’s skills have diminished. While last season’s .847 OPS is nothing to scoff at, it’s over 100 points below his career mark.

5. David Wright, NYM – Wright had a down year (power-wise) in the new Citi Field in 2009, and it’s as if everyone gave up on him. He bounced back last season with 29 HRs, reminding everyone that he’s a great player on an awful team.

6. Adrian Beltre, TEX – I can’t quite wrap my mind around Adrian Beltre. He goes from dominant season to mediocre with the drop of a hat. His OPS+ was a dismal 93 in 2009. In 2010 it jumped all the way to 143. One thing is for sure, he always plays fantastic defense–and if the Rangers get the 2010 version of Beltre, their offense will be tough to handle

7. Jose Bautista, TOR – While I’m not completely sold, that 2010 season had to count for something, right? Bautista’s league-leading 54 HRs came out of nowhere, and while he probably won’t reach that total again, his season warranted a place on this list.

8. Pedro Alvarez, PIT – He has just 95 games under his belt, but he has given Pirates fans (is anybody there?) a reason to cheer. Though he just turned 24, there’s reason to believe he could club 25-30 HRs in 2011.

9. Aramis Ramirez, CHC – The Cubs’ clean-up hitter struggled with injuries this past season while having a dismal first half. But before 2010 he was a consistently tremendous player, and it’s too early in his career to count him out. He just needs to limit the wear and tear on his body in order to stay healthy and help his team compete.

10. Casey McGehee, MIL – 2010 was McGehee’s first full season after earning the starting third base job in Milwaukee in 2009, and though he seems to blend into a fantastic offense, he’s a major player. In just his second year in the bigs, McGehee was able to hit 23 HRs while driving in 104.

You can also read our rankings for C, 1B, 2B and SS.

Check us out on Twitter @DugoutDoctors

Yankees “Total Underdogs,” says Man of Steel

March 7, 2011 – Brennan Lowery

The greatest superhero in history understands the recent claims by the New York Yankees to be the underdogs, saying he can appreciate what it feels like to be handicapped in a situation. Superman joined the media fray recently to express his support for the claim by Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Brian Cashman, and manager Joe Girardi that the Yankees are going into this season as the underdogs. The lackluster offseason signings for them, combined with a newly stocked Boston Red Sox lineup, spells trouble for the perennial AL East powerhouses.

“I know people think it is crazy, considering that they have unlimited money and I have unlimited superpowers, but the reality of the situation is that some days you just don’t have your best stuff,” said Superman via telephone, which he broadcast directly from a satellite he was standing on in space. “I get what they are feeling; some days when it is overcast, I feel like I can’t fly through steel armor or melt walls with my eyes, and I bet some days they feel like they can’t go out and hit a combined 200 homeruns and almost 1,500 hits.”

“Holy shit that’s a lot of offense.”

There is a growing perception amongst major league clubs that the Yankees are trying to use this underdog claim to offset the lowered expectations that are emerging from their spring training camp. After no significant signings to bolster their club, an emerging reality that could see star ace C.C. Sabathia gone after this season, the feud between management and Derek Jeter, and the retirement of fan-favorite Andy Pettite, the Yankees are trying to paint a different sort of picture for their upcoming season, a picture that does not have them as the mighty giant of the major leagues.

“People just don’t get it,” said Cashman. “They don’t know what it is like to, year in and year out, have enough money, prestige, and power to build the best possible team you, or any person could ask for, and then have everyone expect you to go out and win it all. It really takes its toll on the guy, which is why we have to pay them obscenely bloated salaries to make sure they don’t totally lose it.”

“Don’t even get me started on how pathetic only 27 World Series titles are.”

It’s something Superman has had to wrestle with his whole existence, and he is rooting for the Yankees to come out of this unscathed and not in total depression.

“When I saved the world from Lex Luthor’s floating Kryptonite fortress or Titano’s ape Kryptonite eye-beams, or even Brainiac’s brain ray, there were times when I just wanted it to all go away and I didn’t want to be immortal, I didn’t want to be unstoppable, and I didn’t want to have infinite abilities anymore.”

“I guess you could say I just wanted to be the Kansas City Royals some days. Go Yankees.”

Week in Review: 3/7/11

March 7, 2011 – Dan Sweatt

First, we have Miguel Cabrera playing his own real-life version of Grand Theft Auto on the highway. Then, this week, we were privileged to the DUI arrests of Coco Crisp and Austin Kearns. I’ve really never understood how this happens. If every weekend I find a way to cough up 10 dollars for some cigarette-stenched weirdo to drive me to some broken down bar to watch a woman 20 pounds too heavy to ride a mechanical bull actually attempt to ride a mechanical bull, then any professional athlete should be able to cough up the dough. Cabrera hulls in superstar dollars, Crisp has made mega dollars, and Kearns surely has some loose change hanging around his couch. I don’t know whether Major League Baseball was dared to do their best Cincinnati Bengals impression, but this is a trend that has to stop.

On to the news.

Winner of the Week: Quiet Teams

This may seem like a weird choice, but let me explain.

At this point in time, when spring is awakening and the boys of summer are a long way away from mid-season form, the boring teams are in the best shape. I guess it’s a spin on the old phrase ‘no news is good news.’ In this case, the media isn’t going to report on teams that have everything going to plan. That’s boring. It’s like the weather report on the local news in Honolulu. “What’s the weather going to be like today, Tim?” It’s going to be the exact same that it’s been for the last 800 years. Teams like the Braves, the Reds, the Rangers, and the Twins are all enjoying mostly quiet pre-seasons, with a few minor exceptions (Morneau’s health status, the Rangers’ pitching rotation). These teams all had successful seasons last year, and figure to be players again. No drama as we head into April has got to be exactly what these teams were looking for. And who’d have thunk it; Dusty Baker is facilitating a positive work environment. That’s like Pete Sampras running an eyebrow maintenance seminar that people actually attend. And learn something.

Loser of the Week: Josh Beckett

Look out Josh!

Are we sure that Ino Guerrero isn’t an assassin? Seriously? I wouldn’t put this past the Yankees. For those of you who missed it, Red Sox staffer attempted to murder Boston legend Josh Beckett with a fungo this week, when he laced a line drive off of the back of the Beantown hurler’s head. According to reports from camp soon after, Beckett was experiencing “concussion like” symptoms the next day. Really? Beckett had a headache the day after getting whacked in the back of the head like a piñata? In depth reporting, right there. In all seriousness though, these guys are professionals. Beckett was been a major leaguer since the Roosevelt administration (Teddy), and the Red Sox have one of the most experienced, professional staffs in baseball? How do these guys even find themselves in this position to begin with? One thing is for certain. There will be very little Pepper being played at Red Sox camp this year.