What will the Boston Red Sox Pitching Look Like This Year?
March 13th, 2011 | 
Author: If the Boston Red Sox pitching staff can play up to its potential in 2011, then it will rival the Philadelphia Phillies’ staff for the moniker of “best staff in baseball.” The problem for the Red Sox is that, for the past two years, their pitching has been disappointing. As the team gets closer to the stretch run of the season, the pitching seems to get worse. When you look at the starting rotation and closer Jonathan Papelbon, you should be looking at a great staff. But the Red Sox love to keep people wondering.
This discussion will start with closer Jonathan Papelbon. One of the driving forces in the Red Sox 2007 World Series win was Papelbon. As the team got closer to the World Series title, he became more impossible to hit. But in 2010, Papelbon blew 12 save opportunities and had the worst single-season ERA of his career at 3.90. Things got so bad that the Red Sox tried to sign Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. But Rivera declined, and the Red Sox have named Papelbon the closer again. If Papelbon can get his form back, he will be one of the dominant closers in the league. But if Papelbon continues his woes from 2010, then the Red Sox may be in the market for a new closer by August.
Jon Lester is the ace of the Red Sox staff, and he is the most consistent pitcher the Red Sox have had over the past five years. Last year’s 19 win season
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The Tampa Bay Rays – From Contender to Also Ran for 2011
Manager Joe Maddon will have a difficult time repeating his championship season of 2010. The Tampa Bay Rays have captured two American League East Championships over the past three years. Manager Maddon has been able to get the most out of his lineup every day for three years. The small market Rays have surged to the top of the baseball world and won in the most hotly contested division of the major leagues. That may all change in 2011.
The heart of the team that won two division championships and made it to the World Series has been lost. Carl Crawford has left Tampa Bay after spending his first nine seasons there. Crawford provided the power in the lineup and was a base stealing threat every time he got on to the base paths. Carlos Pena, a onetime journeyman first baseman with untapped potential truly blossomed during his years in Tampa Bay.
His explosive bat came to life and his good defensive qualities anchored one corner Read the rest of this entry »
2011 Atlanta Braves – No Bobby Cox and Probably No Playoffs
As the 2011 baseball season begins Bobby Cox will be remembering his cruise. For the first time in many years the skipper will not be taking the field to manage the National League East’s most dominant team of the 1990s. As the team reshapes itself and enters into a new managerial era with Fredi Gonzalez at the helm.
The Braves return most of the team that lead the Eastern Division of the National League for most of the season last year. The Braves late season slump, coupled with the Phillies resurgence had Atlanta chasing the Phillies into the playoffs as the wildcard team in the National League. With the Braves returning such stars as Justin Heyward, Brain McCann and Alex Gonzalez they retain the core of the team that made the playoffs last year. The addition of a real slugger and stellar defensive player increases the chances that the Braves will return to the playoffs again.
Dan Uggla was acquired in a trade with the Florida Marlins early in the offseason. The slick fielding second baseman adds some offensive power to a lineup that already and some big bats. Eric Hinske should once again provide solid defense and timely hitting tallow the Braves to compete in what has to be the second toughest division in baseball.
Alex Gonzalez returns to anchor an infield that will include Uggla, Martin Prado and phenom Read the rest of this entry »
Pirates, can they win their division next year?
The Pittsburgh Pirates appear to have been in a constant rebuilding mode since former Jim Leyland left the team in the early 1990′s. Clint Hurdle knows that he has quite a task on his hands when he took the job as the team’s new manager. The Pittsburgh Pirates have dealt away some of their best pitching talent in recent years such as Zach Duke.
The fact that they traded a player like Zach Duke could make it harder for them to win the division next season. You want to be able to say that you have top notch talent when it comes to your starting rotation if you can.
Lyle Overbay was the big offseason signing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Overbay is someone who should be able to add some power to the middle of the lineup and he happened to hit quite a few home runs with the Toronto Read the rest of this entry »
Famous Baseball Players
Baseball, again that many Americans would consider their favorite past time is also one filled with many wonderful players. Unlike many other sports baseball is one where the genius of the player can truly shine.
Baseball stars vary greatly. They come from various backgrounds, from poor to rich man’s mansions. They are tall, small or any other shape and size. Even the level they play at varies greatly. One thing they have in common though, they all can mesmerize a baseball audience.
Read the rest of this entry »
2011 AL West Preview
In 2010, the AL West brought us the least competitive division in all of baseball. The Texas Rangers won the division by nine games, and no other team finished above .500. Is this a sign of things to come? Let’s examine each team and their outlook for 2011. Texas made it to the first World Series in team history, losing to the Giants. With new ownership and a new television contract on the way,
the Rangers will have future revenues to contend with the Yankees and Red Sox. The team also has the right players in place to make an annual appearance in the postseason, especially if the other teams don’t improve. If the Rangers Read the rest of this entry »
Who Will Be 2011 MLB Home Run Champion
Home runs are usually the most exciting part of a baseball game. If your team has a good home run hitter, they have an advantage because they can strike at any time. While 2010 saw pitching dominate, there are still plenty of players capable of putting up big home run numbers. Here is a look at how the 2011 home run race will unfold.
Jose Bautista Home Runs:
Toronto’s Jose Bautista was the surprise home run champion of 2010. Bautista hit 54 home runs, 12 more than anyone Read the rest of this entry »
Shortstops To Look Forward To.
The best shortstop in baseball may be Troy Tulowitzki in Colorado. In 122 games this season, he batted .315 with 27 home runs and 95 RBI. Tulowitzki is the star power of that team and when he’s on the field, they are legitimate contenders to win it all. He has an excellent glove and makes all of the necessary and spectacular plays required of the position. Also, he provides a substantial amount of offense from a position generally played by quicker and less powerful hitters.
But, in the history of the game, there may be no better shortstop than Yankee captain Derek Jeter. Jeter had another respectable year, bating .270 with an on-base of .340 in the top of the New York lineup. He scored 111 of the Yankees runs this season. He’s past the prime of his career, but the savvy Jeter will still be a viable shortstop until the management decides he needs to move aside to the outfield to end his career.
Chicago houses a couple young shortstops who are moving into their own careers. Alexei Ramirez of the White Sox originally started off a second baseman, but his volatile arm and inaccuracy had them move him further from first base and he’s improved dramatically. Ramirez’s lean frame is deceiving, he batted .282 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI’s in 148 games. On the north side, Starlin Castro made a strong case for rookie of the year, storming onto the scene in Atlanta, hitting a home run in his first at-bat and driving in seven runs in his first game. He finished the season batting .300 with only three homers and 41 RBI’s for the struggling Cubs.
Another solid shortstop comes from South Florida with Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins. He bated .300 with 21 home runs and 76 RBI’s, also stealing 32 bases. Ramirez has a pretty good eye, he drew 64 walks compared to striking out 82 times this season.
If you want to build a dynasty in Major League Baseball, shortstop is the cornerstone to start.
Tags: Best Catchers in the League 2010
When looking at the best defensive catchers in Major League Baseball Yadier Molina has to be considered the best catcher behind the plate. The problem with Molina being rated as the best overall catcher is the fact that he cannot provide the spark for his team while at the plate.
The best hitting catcher in Major League Baseball for 2010 was Joe Mauer despite being injured. Mauer is not a bad defensive catcher but he does not rank in the top five as a steady defensive catcher. Still Mauer does have good control of his pitchers and leadership skills to make him the best overall Major League Baseball catcher in the game.
Joe Mauer‘s numbers were off this season because he missed 25 games but he finished with a batting average of .327 and scored 88 runs along with 75 RBI’s. Mauer’s best power season was 2009 when he hit 28 homers but this was an aberration. Mauer is good for an average of 80 RBI’s and 80 runs scored over the past six Major League Baseball seasons.
The Atlanta Braves Brian McCann is a solid choice as the number two all around catcher in baseball and the best in the National League. McCann was the 2010 MVP of the All Star Game in Anaheim and provides a spark on offense for the Atlanta Braves as well as a strong defensive resence behind the plate.
McCann caught 36 base runners in 2010 for a 30% average and he managed one of the better pitching staffs in the National League while still producing solid numbers at the plate. McCann hit 21 home runs or more for the third season in a row and has averaged over 85 RBI’s over the last four seasons.
Boston Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez is a distant third to Mauer and McCann but he did hit 20 home runs in the 2010 season and hit for an average of .302. Martinez defensively cut down 27 runners of 99 for a 21% success rate against base runners.
Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays Game Recap for Sept. 30th
The Minnesota Twins faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, September 30th in the first game of their four game series that will finish off the MLB regular season. The Toronto Blue Jays sent Shawn Hill to the mound and the Twins started Francisco Liriano, who often shows signs of potentially being the team’s ace, but that wasn’t the case in this game.
The Blue Jays were able to get on the board first as Edwin Encarnacion had a two run homer in the bottom of the second with Aaron Hill on. The Jays were able to keep their momentum going as they powered their way through the top of the fifth as both Encarnacion and Jose Molina homered.
In the bottom of the fifth the Twins were finally able to put one on the board as catcher Drew Butera singled in rookie phenom Danny Valencia. Unfortunately for the Twins, the Jays were able to get that run back in the top of the sixth inning as John Buck doubled in a run.
The Twins did show some signs of life in the bottom of the sixth as Micheal Cuddyer hit a triple which scored Jason Kubel. The Twins pitching could not cool down the bats of the Jays, as they continued to hit the ball hard as Jose Bautista hit a three run homer in the top of the seventh, his first of two in the game.
Jays outfielder Travis Snider continued the home run derby with a two run shot in the top of the eighth. Jose Bautista followed up his home run in the seventh with another in the ninth continuing his career year with fifty-four home runs. The Jays knocked around a few more runs in the ninth to finish up he game with a win by the score of 13-2.
Francisco Liriano got the loss bringing his record to 14-10. Casey Jaansen of the Jays was credited with the win bringing his record to 5-2. Obviously this is another tough loss for the Twins as they are fighting the Yankees and Rays to get the best record in the American League, which would give them home field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. For the Jays, this shows promise for a young team that held its own against a team many are picking to win the World Series.