During last weekend’s series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Field, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp went above and beyond to make the day of one Dodgers fan seated alongside the field of play following one of the games. After giving the young fan — who apparently is undergoing a battle related to a disability — a signed baseball, Kemp went a step further, giving him a hat. Then his jersey. Then his shoes. Awesome. A description of the amazing moment that transpired between Kemp and the fan in the YouTube description of a video uploaded on Monday and discovered by Vin Scully is My Homeboy and published on Tuesday: Matt Kemp is sucha great person. He came over after the game and made one of my best friends night : ) he’s fighting a tough battle and this was sucha great gift by Matt Kemp ! I’ll never forget this. And the video: What a touching, inspiring and heartwarming scene. Kemp continually demonstrates class, integrity and a genuine respect for h…
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Matt Kemp Gives Fan Autographed Ball, More
Posted on 07 May 2013.
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Should the Chicago Cubs Spend More?
Posted on 09 April 2013.
The Chicago Cubs are spending less money and winning fewer games, but it could be a good thing.
Between 2008-2011, the Cubs spent no less than $ 120m on payroll, excluding special bonuses and players that were called up or acquired mid-season. In the same time period, Cubs losses increased every year (64, 78, 87, and 91, respectively). After ballooning in 2010, the Cubs payroll has since shrunk from $ 146m to $ 80m, due in large part to dwindling success.
Bite-sized payrolls don’t keep a team from winning games. The Tampa Bay Rays spent $ 41m in 2011 and made it to the NLDS. The 2010 Rangers spent $ 56m and reached the World Series. The 2012 Athletics spent $ 61m and were very, very good.
The Cubs spent $ 80m in 2012 and lost 101 games.
To reverse the process in 2013, however, Chicago needs to find out whom to pay to win games. Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo are the only hitters on the roster that hit over .280 last season, and Matt Garza is the only pit…
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St. Louis Cardinals Lose More Than a Pitcher in Chris Carpenter
Posted on 06 February 2013.
The St. Louis Cardinals have lost a lot with the potential retirement of right-handed ace Chris Carpenter.
They lost a post-season wonder that has helped take them to glory.
They lost a veteran that could be counted on to do what it took to play if it could be done.
They lost a valuable face of the franchise. Most importantly they lost a leader that led by example.
Chris Carpenter the man means more to the Cardinals than Chris Carpenter the player.
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Marlins to Trade More Players?
Posted on 15 November 2012.
After pulling off one of the most shocking trades in recent baseball memory, the Miami Marlins are apparently not done shedding payroll. After shipping Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Emilio Bonifacio and John Baker to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Marlins are reportedly looking to trade outfielder Logan Morrison as well. The Marlins are looking to move both starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco and Morrison, but it’s more likely that the 25-year-old outfielder gets shipped away. He could probably be moved for a lot less than Nolasco, since he’s coming off of a disappointing season. Morrison also made just $ 480,000 in 2012 and he is not yet eligible for arbitration. Morrison had a solid year in 2011, hitting .247 with 23 home runs and 72 RBI. His OPS of .798 was average, but he played in 123 games and it was a solid showing for his first season in the big leagues. But the Kansas City native underachieved in 2012, as he played in 93 games and hit just .230 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI…
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Thanks to Prince, Cabrera Got More Pitches
Posted on 04 October 2012.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Prince Fielder giggled. Then again, there was a lot of that going around the Detroit clubhouse late Wednesday night.
With waves of cameras and tape recorders circling Miguel Cabrera on his historic, Triple-Crown clinching evening, a reporter approached the Tigers’ burly first baseman, standing just two locker stalls away, with news: While holding down a front-row seat to watch history, Fielder had actually made a little piece of his own.
“Did I really?” Fielder chuckled after the Tigers’ 1-0 victory over Kansas City, the contest that saw Cabrera nab baseball’s first Triple Crown in 45 years. “What did I do?”
“You were the first guy since 1947 to hit regularly behind the league MVP one season, then hit behind the Triple-Crown winner the next,” the reporter replied.
“Wow,” Fielder said, allowing himself a grin. “That’s good. Sweet. Sweet.
“Like I said, I’m just glad I’m able (to see it). I had the best seat in the house, so I got to watch it every night.”
The dude did more than watch. Miggy’s numbers in 2011 before Prince: .344, 30 home runs, 105 RBI, .586 slugging, 108 walks.
Miggy in 2012 with Prince as protection: .330, 44 home runs, 139 RBI, .606 slugging and just 66 walks.
More chances. More swings. More pitches to hit. More mojo.
“That’s why Miggy has been able to have the season that he’s had,” Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer noted. “Because you can’t just pitch around Miggy, because Prince is so good. And when Miggy gets pitches to hit, that’s what he’s capable of doing.”
Cabrera’s always had the goods. But when your alternative is rolling the dice with the two-time Home Run Derby champ, kids, it’s a different deal entirely. Pick your poison. Pick your pain.
“I think what’s happened with him is that, because Miguel had such a good year, and you have (Justin) Verlander on the club coming back as the MVP,” Tigers CEOgeneral manager Dave Dombrowski said, “People don’t notice what a good year he’s had.”
They should. In his first year with Detroit, the big lug wound up leading the club in walks (85) and on-base percentage (.412) while finishing second in home runs (30) and RBI (108), the left-handed thunder to Cabrera’s right-handed lightning.
And the later it got, the more dangerous Miggy became. In 2011, before Prince, Cabrera hit five of 30 home runs and collected 16 of his 105 RBI in the eighth inning or later, while being walked 19 times.
In 2012, with Prince on deck, Cabrera hit 11 of his 39 home runs and collected 30 of his 139 RBI in the eighth inning or later, while receiving just 13 free passes.
That’s the power of Prince. That’s the cushion he gave Ryan Braun during the latter’s MVP season with Milwaukee a year ago. And unlike the last two men to ride the Triple Crown-MVP coat-tails back-to-back Bobby Doerr behind Ted Williams in 1946-47, and Don Hurst behind Chuck Klein in 1932-33 Fielder turned the trick with two different teams, in two different leagues, behind two different bats.
“That’s why our team was able to have the season (that) we are this year,” Scherzer continued, “because those two guys were able to produce so much offense for us.”
Since 1920, the end of the “Dead Ball” era, 16 batters have hit four home runs in a single game. Since 1920, 15 players have turned unassisted triple plays. Since 1920, there’ve been only 12 Triple-Crown winners. Twelve. Like they say, it takes village.
“I wouldn’t have been able to be here to see this unless he gave me the chance,” Fielder said of Cabrera, who made the switch from first base over to third base when the former was signed as a free agent this past January. “And I’m very happy and fortunate that he’s the kind of guy he is.
“Like I said before, he didn’t have to move anywhere; he just won the batting title (in 2011), and that’s MIGUEL CABRERA if he doesn’t want to do it, he doesn’t have to do it.”
But he did it.
Actually, they did it. Together.
You can follow Sean Keeler on Twitter @seankeeler or email him at seanmkeeler@gmail.com
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Trout Reels in Greater Awards, More Followers
Posted on 03 August 2012.
One of the problems with playing on the West Coast is that players sometimes get overlooked at post-season awards time.
That’s not likely to happen this year, certainly not with Angels rookie Mike Trout on virtually everyone’s radar.
Trout has been at the head of the American League Rookie of the Year class almost since he joined the Angels on April 28. He’s been a subject of AL Most Valuable Player talk for several weeks.
At first, it seemed ludicrous to consider him an MVP candidate, but now it has become matter of fact to include his name in discussions. His dual selection as AL player of the month and rookie of the month for July a first for any AL player since the awards were established will only ratchet up his candidacy.
So will this: a comparison of Trout with Ichiro Suzuki, the last AL player to pull off the Rookie of the Year and MVP double, which Suzuki did in 2001.
Through 82 games of their rookie seasons, here is how they match up:
Suzuki, Seattle Mariners: .345 average, four home runs, 39 RBIs, 73 runs, 28 stolen bases, .373 on-base percentage, .465 slugging average.
Trout, Angels: .348, 18 home runs, 55 RBIs, 81 runs, 31 stolen bases, .410 on-base, .601 slugging.
As comparisons go, there’s no comparison.
Suzuki was new to the U.S. in 2001, having arrived after playing nine seasons with the Orix Blue Wave of Japan’s Pacific League. But he was 27, a veteran in a sense; Trout doesn’t turn 21 until next Tuesday.
Trout hit .392 in July with six doubles, two triples, 10 homers and 32 runs scored in 25 games. His runs tied a major league record for rookies previously established by Al Trosky of the Cleveland Indians in 1934.
When it comes to post-season awards, the Angels have been caught short, perhaps because the time difference means their home games don’t start on TV until 10 p.m. But Trout and the arrival of social media may change that.
The kid’s exploits are popular subjects on Twitter and Facebook. His Twitter followers now number more than 105,000.
The Angels have had just one Rookie of the Year winner, Tim Salmon in 1993. Their only MVP winners have been Vladimir Guerrero in 2004 and Don Baylor in 1979.
At the rate he’s playing, Trout’s name may soon be among theirs.
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Detroit Tigers Trade Rumors: One More Deal
Posted on 27 July 2012.
The Detroit Tigers made a big pre-deadline trade as expected. Bringing in Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez shored up two of the team’s biggest needs, another capable starting pitcher and a solid 2nd baseman.
The only apparent need still on GM Dave Dombrowski’s wish list is a right-handed hitting outfielder, preferably one with some pop and defensive acumen. Carlos Quentin re-upped with the Padres last week so his name has been crossed off the list. Josh Willingham is another hot name being bounced around but the Tigers are not in on those rumors.
Dombrowski seems intent on adding someone, but there just isn’t much left that won’t cost a payout the Tigers aren’t willing to give. 35-year old Reed Johnson of the Chicago Cubs is one name that has been mentioned in the last few days.
Ryan Raburn’s struggles necessitate one more move
Johnson hits right handed and is batting .329 against lefty starters, which is the void the Tigers are trying to fill. Overall, Johnson is hitting .305 …
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Are the Red Sox or Phillies More Likely to Get Hot and Make the Playoffs?
Posted on 27 July 2012.
The Philadelphia Phillies have been a superb team during manager Charlie Manuel’s tenure. But this year, Manuel’s eighth with the team, has been a major disappointment.The Phillies are 45-54, last in the National League East. For a team that has one of the strongest lineups in the majors with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, the offense has been a disappointment. The Phillies’ offensive statistics rank just about in the middle of baseball. The team’s pitching is just slightly better. Thought to have one of the best starting staffs in baseball, the Phillies offer three…
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