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2011 MLB Season Preview – San Diego Padres

March 18th, 2011 Posted in MLB
Mar, 18 2011
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In 2011, the San Diego Padres are looking to build upon their success as they managed a solid season in 2010. Backed by a pitching staff that outperformed every other pitching staff in Major League Baseball, the Padres managed a 90-72 record.

In MLB Betting, the Padres are at 45-1 odds to win the 2011 World Series.

No matter where they play the Padres are built to be successful. The Padres had an identical record while playing at home and on the road last season while some teams tend to fare much better at their home field.

In duplicating the success that the Padres had last season, they will have a tough task ahead of them. In the NL West, one of the most difficult divisions in baseball, they are now playing. There were 4 teams in the division that managed to win at least 80 games last season.

They need to step things up offensively if they hope to have success again this season, while the Padres managed to win 90 games with a fantastic pitching staff. They batted just .246 on the season last year. In Major League Baseball this was just the 28th best batting average.

Last season all of the offense for the Padres relied on Adrian Gonzalez. He knocked in 101 RBIs last season as he pounded 30 homeruns. Gonzalez will now be helping out the Boston Red Sox as he has jumped ship. The Padres will be a sub .500 teams this season with the stiff competition in the NL West Division otherwise they will need someone to step up and fill in for Gonzalez.

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New York Mets Spring Training: Carlos Beltran Will Move To Right Field

March 1st, 2011 Posted in MLB
Mar, 01 2011
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Carlos Beltran initiated a move that could affect the New York Mets World Series MLB Odds this season as he reported to the Mets spring training camp Monday.

On Monday Beltran reportedly approached Mets’ manager Terry Collins and told him he wanted to talk, after that he said, he wanted to jumpstart the long-debated move from center field to right field.

Beltran said, “I came today thinking in my heart, ‘I still think I can play center field. But, at the same time, this is not about Carlos. This is about team.”

Angel Pagan told he would be starting the season in center field, and that Beltran would be playing right field. Pagan did a decent job filling in for Beltran when Beltran missed the first half of last season after arthroscopic knee surgery.

To cut off the possibility of weeks of media speculation about a potential move, he initiated the moved in order to avoid a last-minute move just as the season begins, what Beltran said.

Beltran further added, “In order for me to play center field, I need more time. I want to be on the same page with everyone here. I want Terry to have his time and to come to the ballpark ready to play the lineup without thinking where he is going to play Pagan, where he’s going to play me. At the same time I’m thinking about Pagan coming to the ballpark and preparing himself and focused to play baseball. I don’t want to create any distractions here.”

Beltran has started three games in right field in his career, all in 2000 for the Kansas City Royals and at 33, he is in the final season of a seven-year, $119 million contract.

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Albert Pujols And St. Louis Cardinals Trade Talks

February 15th, 2011 Posted in MLB
Feb, 15 2011
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As the St. Louis Cardinals negotiates a new deal with slugger Albert Pujols, World Series Betting Odds and MLB futures for them could be hanging in the balance.

General Manager John Mozeliak said, Pujols’ agent and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a Wednesday deadline for contract extension talks.

The all-star first baseman received and rejected a contract proposal from the Cards, two weeks ago. A source told ESPN the Magazine’s Buster Olney, there has been no progress in the talks since then.

With the Cardinals, Pujols is in the last year of his contract. If a deal is not reached by the time he reports for spring training on Wednesday, that he will break off talks to avoid distractions during the season, he has said.

A deal that would make him one of the highest paid players in MLB and allow him to retire as a Cardinal, Pujols, 31, is seeking a contract reportedly for as long as 10 years.

With 42 HRs as well as 117 RBIs last year, he is the only player in major league history to hit 30 or more home runs in his first 10 seasons. Behind the Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto, he finished second in MVP balloting.

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On Friday – Andy Pettitte Officially Announce His Retirement

February 5th, 2011 Posted in MLB
Feb, 05 2011
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On Thursday with word that pitcher Andy Pettitte is calling it quits, the New York Yankees chances at winning the 2011 World Series took a hit.

According to baseball news, at a news conference at Yankee Stadium on Friday, Pettitte, the MLB all-time leader in playoff wins, is expected to officially announce his retirement.

Above all after the Yankees were disappointedly eliminated from the 2010 MLB Playoffs against the Texas Rangers, many saw this coming.

Compare to Pettitte who has 19, no pitcher in Major League Baseball history has more playoff wins. With 15 the next closest is John Smoltz, followed by Tom Glavine with 14 and Roger Clemens with 12.

Pettitte phoned Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner to tell him of his decision, ESPN reported Thursday.

Even though Pettitte only starting talking seriously about it last season, he will turn 39 on June 15 and has made hints about retiring for several seasons.

Pettitte would reconsider as spring training drew closer as he’s done in the past, what the Yankees seemed to be holding out hope. When the Yankees failed to sign Cliff Lee as a free agent this winter that hope became more urgent.

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DUI Arrest for Mariners’ Kennedy

January 28th, 2011 Posted in MLB
Jan, 28 2011
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Adam Kennedy was stopped by the Highway Patrol, when he was driving on the freeway near Newport Beach around 9PM. He was a key member of the 2002 World Series winning Anaheim Angels. He was booked at a nearby jail and released several hours later on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The Mariners had nothing to comment. To express regret and apologize for his actions, Kennedy called up several Mariners beat writers. He told The Seattle Times that this is not his typical character and for him this incident is something he is really ashamed of. He added that this is his first legal trouble and he is definitely not looking to ever do the same again.

When asked by reporters following a Thursday morning pre-Spring Training media gathering, the club’s general manager, Zduriencik said that he was unaware of Kennedy’s arrest and said he’d have no comment until he knew more details. Shortly thereafter, Kennedy contacted Zduriencik and told him he wanted to clear the air with the team, fans and media.

After being released from jail Thursday morning, Kennedy said he called Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik. Kennedy said that that Jack was very stern. Jack was supportive to Kennedy trying to rectify as much as Kennedy can on a personal level. He was also supportive about moving forward.

Despite being signed to a Minor League deal, Kennedy is expected to battle for the starting second-base job when Spring Training opens. He said to his fans that this incident was definitely out of character and he is hopeful that with some time spent in a Seattle uniform along with good play and good attitude, he will get off on a better foot.

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MLB: Trevor Hoffman Confirms Retirement

January 13th, 2011 Posted in MLB
Jan, 13 2011
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Trevor Hoffman, Major League Baseball’s save king confirmed he was retiring. He made an art of getting the last three outs of a game. With the San Diego Padres, the 43-year-old will take a front office job. It is the same team with which he became a star.

During his 18 major league seasons, he posted 601 saves in 667 opportunities, which included 552 saves in 618 opportunities in his 15 1/2 seasons with the Padres.

To put that staggering total in some context, in baseball history consider that only one other pitcher has even 500 career saves and in retirement only one active pitcher has even 300 career saves, with Billy Wagner joining Hoffman.

Unfortunately for Hoffman’s chances, in both scenarios of hanging on to the all-time record, the “only one other pitcher” is Mariano Rivera and he’s just 42 saves away from 601. In 1998 and 2006, a seven-time All-Star and the Cy Young Award runner-up, he also pitched for the Florida Marlins and for Milwaukee.

Hoffman said that he was very thankful to be a part of major league baseball and that is the one word that kept recurring. He was thankful that until he was 43, he was to be able to put a uniform on and be a kid and to be a part of the baseball family.

As Hoffman headed toward the mound, his menacing aura was enhanced by the music that became his theme song, AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” that played then. He was well-known for staring down opposing batters.

On September 24, 2006, Hoffman became the career saves leader when he notched number 479. The previous mark of 478 established by Lee Smith was broken by him. With the Brewers, this last September, he crossed the 600-save barrier. Entering 2011, Rivera stands 42 behind it and no one else is even close.

Four postseason saves are included Hoffman’s most public viewings but on home runs, he had two series-clinching losses, as well as the 2006 All-Star Game in which Michael Young’s triple extended the American League’s winning streak. Off the field, with teammates as someone who could be a cutup but also a professional dedicated to fitness and preparation, Hoffman made his mark. To literally hundreds of players with whom he played, he is a trusted veteran and mentor.

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1967 MLB Playoffs

December 29th, 2010 Posted in MLB
Dec, 29 2010
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MLB 1967 playoffs featured a team that was just dying to break a streak. The Boston Red Sox were led by Triple Crown Winner Carl Yastrzemski and pitcher Jim Lonborg. They had already been without a World Series Championship for a long time though things looked good for them throughout the playoffs.

In all of MLB, St. Louis Cardinals were the only team to win 100 games and they had high hopes entering the playoffs. MLB news reported that, to take on the Boston Red Sox the Cardinals would advance to the World Series.

Bob Gibson for the Cardinals and Jose Santiago for the Red Sox would feature in the First game. Gibson was an ace for the Cardinals, but he was trying to overcome a leg injury. Santiago was a young pitcher that seemed ready to meet the challenge. Santiago hit a homerun in the 3rd in order to keep pace with the Cardinals, allowed just 2 runs on the game. Unluckily Gibson would only allow one, giving the Cardinals the first win.

In game two Lonborg would take the mound for the Sox. He would pitch an absolute gem, helping the Sox shutout the Cardinals. On the offensive end Yastrzemski managed to knock two balls out for homeruns. There series was then tied 1-1. In game 3 the Cardinals were able to bounce back. This momentum would help them hold off the Sox. The Cardinals won the 3rd game 5-2.Gibson managed to shutout the Red Sox 6-0. This would give the Cardinals the 3-1 advantage. Lonborg took the mound and pitched brilliantly. The series was brought 3-2.

Including two from Rico Petrocelli and one from Yastrzemski, his 3rd of the series, in Game 6, the Red Sox managed to hit 4 homeruns. The series was then tied 3-3 after an amazing comeback from the Red Sox. In game 7 would not disappoint the fans of the Cardinals as he pitched yet another solid game. Gibson won 3 games in the series for the Red Sox and even homered to help his cause in game 7. The Cardinals were World Series winners.

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Cliff Lee Spurns Yanks, Rejoins Phillies With $120M Deal

December 18th, 2010 Posted in MLB
Dec, 18 2010
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This week free agent pitcher Cliff Lee rejoined the Philadelphia Phillies that he led to the 2009 World Series title with a guaranteed five-year $120 million contract.

The Phillies chances of winning the 2011 World Series in MLB Betting Odds will be increased with this move.

Last December 16th, the 32-year old lefthander was traded and then Seattle swapped him to the Texas Rangers this past July. Even though he became a free agent on November 1st, Lee helped the Rangers reach their first World Series.

What the New York Yankees would offer him most observers figured he couldn’t turn down that. Cliff Lee became a Phillies once more when on December 15th, a day shy of what would have been a year since they traded him.

Comparatively to the Phillies, the offer of Yankees and Rangers were reportedly significantly higher but Lee turned down offers from both of them. With the same length of Roy Halladay’s agreement from last year, the length of the contract was a departure from Philadelphia’s traditional policy of not offering contracts of longer than three years.

Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt will no doubt make Philadelphia prohibitive favorites in the National League East Division and Lee’s addition to the Phillies’ starting rotation of Halladay. The potential for an incredibly formidable pitching staff is undeniable with 13 All-Star appearances among them and a combined 481-275 won-loss record.

If Lee pitches 200 innings in 2014 or a total of 400 innings combined in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, his contract reportedly contains a $12.5 million buyout clause as well as a $27.5 million option that kicks in. The contract will pay him $135 million, if he remains with Philadelphia for six seasons.

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New York Yankees, Texas Rangers throw more money at Cliff Lee

December 11th, 2010 Posted in MLB
Dec, 11 2010
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The New York Yankees have added a seventh year to their offer for pitcher Cliff Lee, according to ESPN the Magazine. The Yankees original offer to Lee was for six years and 140 million according to MLB news.

In another development, the Texas Rangers met with Lee face-to-face in Little Rock, Ark. The Texas brass presented Lee a variety of increases in salary. Rangers’ general managing partner Chuck Greenberg said the organization is committed to fielding a championship-caliber team.

Rangers President Nolan Ryan was told of the Yankees adding a year on ESPN’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” show. He later remarked that tacking on a seventh year to the contract could be dangerous. However, Ryan didn’t say that seven years went beyond the Rangers limit.

Texas general manager Jon Daniels also declined to say whether the Rangers would adjust their offer. He did admit though that the team is “willing to take on a level of risk that we wouldn’t for another player,”.

At the winter meetings in Florida, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed that the team had made a formal offer to Lee, but wouldn’t reveal anything more about the Yankees plans.

New York manager Joe Giradi called Lee the “complete package” and is very hopeful that the Yankees will sign him.

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Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez wins AL Cy Young Award

November 20th, 2010 Posted in MLB
Nov, 20 2010
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Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has won the 2010 AL Cy Young Award.

Hernandez boasted a MLB-leading 2.27 ERA and 232 strikeouts, although he had a so-so 13-12 record during the regular season. He beat out Tampa Bay Rays’ David Price and the New York Yankees‘ CC Sabathia, who had better win-loss numbers.

Hernandez’s overall record was the victim of the Mariners’ poor hitting all season, but is performance on the mound earned him the majority of votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Hernandez got 21 of the 28 first-place votes and 167 points. Price had four first-place votes and had a total of 111 points while Sabathia got three top-spot ballots and a total of 102 points.

“This confirms the Cy Young is an award not only for the pitcher with the most wins but the most dominant,” a teary-eyed Hernandez said while celebrating with relatives at the family home in Valencia, Venezuela.

The 13 wins by Hernandez marked the fewest for a Cy Young starter in a full season — Tim Lincecum set the record last year with 15 victories for the San Francisco Giants.

Fernando Valenzuela won the NL award in strike-shortened 1981 after going 13-7. His mark of six games over .500 had been the lowest for any Cy starter until Hernandez.

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