A few weeks back, we took a look at the 2014 offensive ball-in-play leaders and laggards from both leagues. As the second half of the offseason kicks into gear, let’s now take a look at the same information from the pitcher’s perspective. Today: the American League. Read the rest of this entry »
Well, the 2015 Hall of Fame voting results rolled in Tuesday, and just about every member of the baseball media has already checked in with his or her opinion. With any luck, I’ll have the last word — at least chronologically. What are we to make of the election of Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio, and its resulting future impact upon the holdovers? Let’s take a look at some trends, and hone in on a couple of players most significantly impacted by this week’s proceedings. Read the rest of this entry »
Like the draft year, the baseball offseason has a feel to it once you’ve been around the game for awhile. Like some draft years, some offseasons are just different, and we are currently living through one of them. The 2005 draft was different; if you had scouting director or national crosschecker-level responsibilities, you stood a good chance of seeing a future major-league All Star on any given day, and you knew it. This offseason, after what seemed to be a few years of relative winter calm, all hell has seemingly broken loose, especially with regard to position-player movement. Today, let’s take a look at team position-player turnover in the divisional era, to get a sense for the historical norms to which 2015 will someday be compared. Read the rest of this entry »
For the American League version of this same exercise, click here.
The final page has been ripped from the old calendar, and 2015 is finally upon us. Before “The Offseason – Phase II” kicks in for earnest next week, let’s again take a look at some leftover 2014 data over this extended weekend. This time, let’s take a look at the offensive ball-in-play (BIP) frequency and production leaders and laggards in the National League.
The holidays are upon us, and transactional activity is about to take a short hiatus, if history is a guide. (Though I do remember Jeff Suppan signing as a free agent on Christmas Eve when I was with the Brewers, but I digress.) Just some fun data for readers to chew on as they sip their beverage of choice over the next few of days.
Today, let’s take a look at the 2014 offensive ball-in-play (BIP) frequency and production leaders and laggards in the American League. Sometime around New Year’s, we’ll check out the NL. Caution: there is a fairly healthy dose of Danny Santana information to follow. Continue at your own risk.
Well, the final 24-36 hours of the Winter Meetings sure were fun-filled. The Red Sox rebuilt their rotation, importing a slew of ground ball guys to help combat the Fenway effect. Their rotation, however, will not include Jon Lester, who was lured away by the Cubs and a nifty $30M signing bonus, among other amenities. Perhaps most notably, the baseball world got an inkling of what the Dodgers’ new braintrust is all about, as they largely re-made their club, installing a brand new middle infield, adding to their already imposing starting rotation, deploying multiple clubs’ prospects here, there and everywhere, and moving slugger Matt Kemp within the division, to the Padres. It’s all pending physicals, of course. How will moving from Dodger Stadium affect Kemp? Are the Padres getting an impact bat, or something less than that? Read the rest of this entry »
Last July, the New York Yankees still fancied themselves a 2014 playoff contender, and struck 10 days before the trading deadline to upgrade their short-term third base situation. Yangervis Solarte, a six-year minor league free agent signing made good, plus minor league pitcher Rafael De Paula were sent to San Diego in exchange for Chase Headley, set to become a free agent at the end of the season. A few months later, with Pablo Sandoval setting a very high salary bar in a thin hot corner market, Headley has gone from being an affordable mid-level hole-filler to a potentially very rich man. While Headley did play better down the stretch for his new club, is he worth the years and dollars he is rumored to be about to receive from clubs like the Yankees or Giants? Read the rest of this entry »
It’s Winter Meetings time, so that means the ratio of rumors to actual stuff happening is exponentially high. Some modestly sized moves have happened, however, and the possibility of something really big is in the air. The one big shoe that could drop at any given moment is the signing of lefty Jon Lester, most likely by one of four primary suitors: the Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers or Giants. Where might he head, how might that destination treat him, how much money might he earn, and how wise of an investment might that be? Let’s answer those somewhat loaded questions as best we can. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been quite a few days since the biggest trade of the offseason to date was consummated, but the Nelson Cruz signing intervened, preventing me from getting around to it until now. The move of Josh Donaldson from Oakland to Toronto in exchange for a significant package headed by Brett Lawrie and hotshot shortstop prospect Franklin Barreto is not only large in scope, it is complex both on and underneath the surface. Is it the Brinks Job that some pundits assert, another example of Billy Beane zigging while everyone else zags, or something altogether different? Read the rest of this entry »
On Monday, one of the more anticipated transactions of the past two off-seasons finally came to pass: Nelson Cruz finally signed with the Mariners. Seattle’s interest in him dates back to at least last winter, but for various reasons, he ended up settling for a one year, $8 million deal with the Orioles for 2014 in order to re-establish his value. 40 home runs later, and Cruz is finally cashing in, landing a $58 million deal that will carry him through his age-37 season.
Now, however, his movable force will meet the irresistible object that is Safeco Field, the most pitcher-friendly park — especially for right-handed hitters — in the game. How might his new home treat him over the duration of his contract? Read the rest of this entry »