Co-host Baden Bagley and I talk about the Pacers/Heat series and what to expect for game five in Miami. We also talk the top pitchers in major league baseball and which teams are the top three teams in major league baseball.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lockertalk/2013/05/29/locker-talk
The American League West has a shot to have three teams within the division in the playoffs. How far any of them go is a matter of pitching and leadership. Continue reading “The Locker Major League Baseball Preview 2013: American League West”
**Update (9:36 p.m., 2/7/2013): Reports have the agreement between Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners as a five-year extension (beginning in 2015) worth $135.5 million dollars ($27.1 million dollars annually will make him the highest annually paid pitcher in baseball history)**
For the sake of the article lets assume that Jack Zduriencik, general manager of the Seattle Mariners, is a smart man.
While I personally do not understand what he is doing with this franchise, lets all assume that the reported seven-year, $175 million dollar deal they have with Felix Hernandez was necessary for them as a team and that it will be good for them in the long run. Continue reading “Seattle Mariners Deal With Felix Hernandez Will Set Off Major Free Agent Movement For Young Pitchers”
In the American League, things aren’t always what they seem.
Last season, the Boston Red Sox spent over a quarter of a billion dollars reloading their lineup for what they thought was a World Series run. Many (this writer included) picked them to win their division, their league, and the World Series.
Like most who made this knee-jerk reaction, many still brought up the fact that their pitching wasn’t as dominant past Jon Lester as it could have been, and while no one could have predicted their epic meltdown, many saw their pitching as something to be concerned about and proved prophetic. Continue reading “MLB 2012 Predictions: American League Division Races Will Come Down To Pitching”
There are things in fantasy baseball that can perpetually frustrate a manager. None more frustrating than banking on a hot rookie and eating crow for it later. That being said I’m here to help. Because for every sensation (Craig Kimbrel, 2011) there are bound to be misses (seriously? What happened Brandon Belt?). Lets take a look at some who will help you in your quest for fantasy supremacy and bragging rights with your friends. Continue reading “2012 MLB Fantasy Baseball 101: Top Five Fantasy Rookies To Watch”
While the Winter Meetings in Dallas have proven to be more about establishing a foundation for deals to be made at a later date, there was some action that took place that could allow for some major chips to begin falling. News of the day (which is a relative term when Albert Pujols is a free agent) revolved around the Marlins continued attempt to imitate the New York Yankees this offseason by signing Mark Buehrle to a four-year deal. This is huge because in Buehrle they gain a perennial All-Star and stalwart left-handed veteran to anchor their rotation. He becomes a major addition behind Josh Johnson and his true value will come in stopping any sustained losing streaks the Marlins may incur. We have to keep in mind that even with the signing of Reyes this is still a very vulnerable offense. Reyes’ legs are still an issue, Logan Morrison will need to make strides and Gaby Sanchez needs to put together two solid halves in order for this thing to work.Â
While things were getting hammered out with Buehrle, Jose Reyes, who just signed a six-year pact with the fish, was being introduced. One of the most telling reasons for his departure from New York was his statement that he “felt wanted” in Miami. While I know this is a determining factor at any level for an athlete I don’t think Reyes fully understood two things. First, the toll his injuries took on the team as they waited on leg injury after leg injury was a lot more massive than he might realize. Whether he wants to believe it or not, he is a catalyst and he needs to make things happen at the top of the order. When he plays he does just that; but when you can only depend on him for an average of 98 games per season it takes its toll. Financially the Mets just don’t have it right now. They’ve albatross contracts to David Wright, Johan Santana (remember him?) and Jason Bay still on the books and they are all coming off of sub-par, injury riddled seasons. In the case of Santana both. Not to mention the Wilpon’s ongoing legal troubles involving Bernie Madoff and already declining attendance it doesn’t make things easy on a now financially strapped team to give another player almost $18 million per season.Â
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