It was depressing to learn that the talented writers at Fire Joe Morgan are calling it quits
after years of providing entertaining criticism of the mainstream
sports media. From the Joe chats to food metaphors, Ken Tremendous,
Junior and dak used humor to spread the word about sabermetrics. During
college, visiting the site was one of the first things that I would do
every morning. Now, college is over and FJM is not more. The way I see
it, things can only go up from here.
Deadspin posted an entertaining, though sad, exit interview with the guys, each Hollywood writers. It is a great read.
Michael Schur, who writes under the pseudonym Ken Tremendous, has been a lead writer on The Office and
played Dwight Schrute's cousin, Mose, in a few guest cameos. It is
going to be hard to watch the show in the future without thinking about
David Eckstein or Darin Erstad.
*Jeff Passan, a survivor, offered an excellent tribute to the blog at Yahoo! Sports.
*Peter
Gammons has a new post up on his blog at ESPN.com. Gammons offers some
interesting insights. He wonders why Hanley Ramirez finished 11th in
the voting. I completely agree with him on that front.
Ramirez
is not a great defensive shortstop, but, considering his position, he
is a stud offensive player. He batted .301/.400/.540, with a 146 OPS+
and 33 home runs as the anchor of the Marlins' power-hitting infield.
He also scored 125 runs.
*Albert Pujols clearly deserved
to win the award, but the voters erred in a lot of their other
secondary votes. It was surprising that Lance Berkman did not garner
more serious consideration as well; he finished fifth.
Within
the piece, Gammons also says that the Atlanta Braves are still in the running
in the Jake Peavy sweepstakes. Frank Wren, according to the blog post,
is intent on getting a deal done. There is also word that the Yankees
are not in the running. In my opinion, it would be unwise for Peavy, the ace of the San Diego Padres, to
accept a deal to the American League, where his numbers would surely
suffer.
*According to Jon Heyman, Pedro Martinez is planning to pitch in 2009. Ben Reiter of SI.com ranked
Martinez 44 in his Top 50 available free agents. He is an injury risk,
of course, but his agent told Heyman that he is fully healthy for the
first time in a while. After missing the first four months of the
season with a hamstring injury, he posted a 75 ERA+ in 20 starts for
the New York Mets. I had Martinez ranked higher in my Top 50, which I
will be releasing later this week.
*Jeremy Affeldt signed
with the San Fransisco Giants on Monday. Affeldt was one of the premier
relief pitchers available in this free agent class, so credit the
Giants for locking him for only two years, at a relatively cheap price
of $8-million. As Dave Cameron writes,
the left-hander is seriously underrated, and is coming off an excellent
performance with the Cincinnati Reds. He posted a 3.33 ERA in 74
appearances, striking out 80 in 78.0 innings pitched. His 9.19 K/9 rate
was the best of his career as his average fastball velocity jumped from
92.4 to 94.6, according to FanGraphs.
Brian Sabean deserves some
praise for locking up one of the under-the-radar prizes in this class.
Sabean has had some blunders, from the infamous trade with the the
Minnesota Twins to the Barry Zito fiasco, but he pulled off a steal
here. It looks like that Eckerd College degree has done him some good
after all.
*Pujols won his second M.V.P. on Monday, and Joe Posnanski writes
that it is time to give him due credit for his
out-of-this-world-abilities as a baseball player. I have received some
emails arguing why Ryan Howard deserved to win the award.
Although I touched on this in an earlier post, let us look at the data one last time from a comment I left on the other article.
Howard
was better in one month, September, but not by much. Take that away and
he would be hovering around near league average slash stat numbers at
the position. He was brutal in August, and a non-factor for half of the
year. Do those games not count?
Counting stats are misleading,
context-driven. In the stats that count, Pujols had better numbers. He
had more hits, doubles, walks, stolen bases, runs extra-base hits, and
a higher BA, OBP, slugging, OPS. In the advanced metrics, he ranked
first in the league—and considerably higher than Howard—in adjusted
OPS+, runs created, adjusted batting runs, batting wins and offensive
winning percentage (essentially, a team of nine Pujols in the lineup
would have had the highest winning percentage of any other player).
Pujols
also had a 98.7 VORP—value over replacement player—compared to Howard’s
36.6. That does not account for defense, but is great at distinguishing
real offensive value. Nearly two-thirds higher.
Chase Utley and
Jimmy Rollins each finished with higher totals in VORP on the
Philadelphia Phillies, as did pitchers Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer. The
stat is not perfect, but is pretty solid at determining actual value,
not perceived value—like if we took him away, and so forth.
The
Phillies still would have been dangerous even with an average offensive
1B—Mike Jacobs, for instance—instead of Howard, who was not the M.V.P.
of his own team let alone the entire league.
Pujols also grades out as a better defender in every metric.
Your honor, the defense rests.
*It
was shocking that Utley, who hit 32 home runs and played exceptional
defense at the keystone, finished 15th in the voting. Cameron agrees.
*And, on a sad note, former Rice star Wade Townsend underwent surgery
on his right shoulder this week. Towsend, the Tampa Bay Rays'
first-round pick back in 2005, has battled injuries since signing, and
is now likely to miss the 2009 season. His days in the organization may
be over as a result. The 25-year-old right-hander made three starts in the Arizona Fall League before sustaining the injury.
Nate McLouth had a breakout season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, batting .276/.356/.497, with 26 homers and 94 RBIs. McLouth, who earned the Pirates’ starting center field job in spring training, made his first All-Star team while emerging as a legitimate offensive force. In 152 games, he collected 46 doubles and four triples, scored 113 runs and posted a solid .853 OPS to lead his team in every major offensive statistical category.
McLouth played all three outfield positions throughout the year, serving as the only regular outfielder on the Pirates to remain with the club through the full season. Jason Bay and Xaxier Nady, of course, were dealt to contenders in exchange for prospect packages before the trade deadline. He spent the majority of his time in center, though, and finished second among major qualifying major league outfielders with a .997 fielding percentage. In 1300.1 innings, he collected 380 putouts, sixth among center fielders in all of baseball, while making only one error and compiling five assists.
For these numbers, it seems, the coaches and managers rewarded McLouth, 27, with his first career Rawlings Gold Glove Award on Wednesday afternoon. He joined Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets and Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies as Gold Glove recipients for outfielders in the National League. Unlike Beltran, though, he did not deserve the award, and, in all honesty, should not have been seriously considered.
In John Dewan’s plus/minus defensive rankings—perhaps the most valuable metric used to evaluate defensive value—McLouth ranked as the least effective defender at center field in the majors. He finished with a -40 rating, which was the worst total among all outfielders overall as well.
Beltran, on the other hand, finished with a +24 rating. The New York star, who was recognized by Bill James in the 2008 Fielding Bible Awards, had a fine year roaming the gaps in the final year at Shea Stadium.
It gets worse for McLouth, though. According to Baseball Prospectus’ defensive data, he was 17 runs worse than the average major league center fielder. He also finished 11th in range factor and 17th in zone rating.
Essentially, McLouth has terrible range, and did not convert as many balls hit into a certain area as nearly every other player at the center field position. Which is what matters most. While he was sure handed in the plays that were hit near where he was positioned, he had a difficult time getting to balls out of his zone.
Clearly, the coaches and managers relied on three things to make their decision here: subjective opinions (what they saw with their eyes, in the brief encounters that they had against the Pirates), his offensive output (which should not play a factor in the decision process for a fielding award) and traditional (and meaningless, on their own sometimes) statistics like fielding percentage, which does not account for balls that certain players cannot get to due to poor range.
The Gold Glove award system has lost a lot of its prestige in recent years. First, there was the voters' egregious error during the Rafael Palmeiro fiasco in 1999, when the Texas Rangers slugger played in only 28 games at first base yet somehow managed to take home the prize at his position.
Then, in several instances in the past decade, many outstanding offensive players, and mediocre fielders, earned the hardware based on their offensive output and reputation. Russell Martin, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ backstop, provides a recent example, in 2007, when Yadier Molina was so far superior behind the plate that it was almost comical.
Yet again, even though there is still not perfect metric out there to evaluate defense yet, objective data has proven to be more useful than relying on subjective images and overrated traditional stats.
And, with every McLouth gaffe, winning a Gold Glove Awards become less of an honor on a player’s resume.
Full List of Gold Glove Winners:
P: Greg Maddux, Los Angeles Dodgers—Although Maddux is terrible at holding runners on, he fields his position like a seasoned infielder. Expected to retire, this marks his 18th, and likely final, Gold Glove award, which is by far a major league record. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer finished second in all of baseball, behind only Kenny Rogers of the Detroit Tigers, in John Dewan’s plus/minus system (+14).
C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals—Molina deserved to win the award in 2007 as well, but the voters do deserve some credit for finally getting it right this year. The 26-year-old backstop, who recently won the Bill James Fielding Bible Award and was named the best defensive catcher in the majors, was one of five first-time winners.
1B: Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres—Gonzalez had an incredible season offensively for the Padres, posting an excellent .871 OPS in spacious Petco Park. For this reason, he tends to get overlooked overall while playing in a small market. As far as this award goes, however, he is not the most deserving candidate for the first base position in the National League. Again, it seems, his fielding percentage (.996, which tied for first in the Senior Circuit, with the most chances) played a huge factor here, allowing Gonzalez to win his first Gold Glove.
But some under-the-radar guy named Albert Pujols actually should have won the award. Pujols, a three-time Fielding Bible Award winner, ranked among leaders at the position in nearly every defensive category, advanced to traditional. A sensational athlete, he posted a +20 ranking in the Dewan system, second in the game at first base behind Mark Teixeira, and the highest range factor and zone rating at the position in his league. Throw in Pujols’ 1.013 OPS and a likely M.V.P award and it truly is difficult to make a case for anyone else as the best player in baseball at this point.
2B: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds—No complaints here, as Phillips is arguably the majors’ best defensive second baseman. One could make the case for Mark Ellis or Chase Utley, but the former shortstop was the lone bright spot in the Reds’ atrocious infield defense. Like Gonzalez, McClouth and Molina, he is a first-time winner. Unless he moves back to shortstop, his original position while rising up the ladder as a prospect in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system, adding Gold to his trophy case may become an annual occurrence for him.
3B: David Wright, New York Mets—Wright gets a lot of flack in New York for his errant throws, but that unfair criticism is seriously misguided. While there were not any sensational wizards at the hot corner in the N.L. this year as most of the third base leaders in the Dewan system played in the other league, the Mets star infielder is a decent choice.
SS: Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies—Rollins is the best defensive shortstop in the game, with soft hands, excellent range and a plus throwing arm. With his presence at short, Pedro Feliz at third base and Utley at second, the Phillies have a solid defensive infield, even with Ryan Howard at first base. Bill James and co. recently rewarded the switch-hitting SS the Fielding Bible Award as well. He ranked first among N.L. shortstops in fielding percentage (.988), third in range factor (4.52) and second in zone rating (.855).
Rollins also finished first among all major league shortstops with a +23 ranking in the Dewan system. Case closed.
OF: Carlos Beltran, New York Mets—Best defensive center fielder in the game.
OF: Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates—For those who have a poor short-term memory, reread the main story above.
OF: Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies—Victorino is solid, with above-average range (.899 zone rating, second among CF behind Corey Patterson), but this decision is a bit questionable as well. Cody Ross, of the Florida Marlins, and Chris Young, the center fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, each ranked higher in Dewan’s system. Young, in particular, seems more deserving.
Fuentes, perhaps the premier relief pitcher available outside of Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels, is coming off a solid rebound season after regaining the closer role in Colorado. He picked up 30 saves in 34 chances for the Rockies, posting a 2.73 ERA and 82-to-22 K/W ratio and 1.10 WHIP in 62.2 innings pitched. The 33-year-old left-hander limited opponents to a line of .205/.273/.293 and .566 OPS, scattering only 47 hits.
The Angels, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals, the report says, have all shown serious interest. The market for Fuentes will undoubtedly be affected by the status of Rodriguez, who set the all-time single-season saves record and is now looking to break the bank for his efforts.
Fuentes’ agent, Rick Thurman, is hoping to generate a four-year deal in the $40-million range. As expensive as that seems for a relief pitcher, the most fungible role on a major league roster, he will likely garner some serious offers. Thurman is also expected to meet with the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers about his client.
There is a considerable drop off in the market for relievers after the aforementioned pair, and several teams are looking to address their bullpen needs. The Mets’ relief pitching struggles down the stretch, for example, shed light on a glaring weakness, since prompting the club to announce its plans to search for any ‘pen help possible this offseason. New York will be without Billy Wagner for all of 2009, and is linked to each pitcher.
Fuentes, though, may be the better, more cost-effective bet.
Rodriguez, 26, picked up 62 saves in 69 chances, breaking Bobby Thigpen’s previous single-season mark of 57. Lost in the media hype, though, he also set the benchmark for save chances, a function of opportunity. Due to the Angels’ weak offense and emphasis on small-ball, the right-hander was given a greater number of opportunities to hold a lead in low-scoring games than any other pitcher in baseball history.
While Rodriguez had a historic season, a lot of his current market value is derived from context. Some reports have stated that his asking price may reach around $75-million, and odds are there is a general manager out there who will be willing to meet his demands. However, saves aside, his 2008 campaign was actually one of the worst single-season performances of his career. His strikeout-per-nine innings ratio, which has steadily decreased every year since 2004, reached its full-season career low, 10.1. In fact, this was the first instance in which the total failed to crack 12 K/9.
Rodriguez also struggled with his control at times, walking 34 in 68.1 innings pitched. His 4.5 walks per nine innings, in fact, tied for the highest total of his career, as he also posted his worst K/W ratio (2.27, 77-to-34) since reaching the majors back in 2002.
Perhaps even more telling is this: among major league relievers who registered more than 40.0 innings pitched, Rodriguez did not finish in the top 15 in ERA (19th) or K/9 (19th), top 40 in opponents’ OPS (42), top 60 in WHIP (69) or top 100 in K/W ratio. The flame throwing right-hander, who posted an opponents’ line of .216/.314/.316, led the league in only two statistics, saves and save opportunities. While he grabbed headlines for breaking the record, it is worth mentioning that he was the only pitcher who was given enough chances to come within even four saves of the previous all-time mark—Jose Valverde finished second in SVO with 52.
Essentially, several other dominant closers—from Brad Lidge to Mariano Rivera—had much stronger overall finishes, but did not receive the press due to the severe gap in saves between the leader and every other reliever.
Rodriguez, it is worth pointing out, blew seven saves to finish behind several of his contemporaries in save conversion rate. If he posted a similar mark with fewer chances to shut the door with a lead in the ninth inning, Lidge, for his perfection, and Rivera, for his continued dominance, would have drawn more national publicity.
Rodriguez’s stuff declined as well, coinciding with his inability to throw strikes as consistently as he did in the past. His average fastball velocity, for a pitch that he threw 50.7 percent of the time, nearly fell two full ticks on the radar gun, from 93.4 MPH in 2007 to 91.9. His slider, one of the most devastating in the majors, was not as tight, either, according to numerous scouts. He still generated excellent movement on his pitches, but was not as difficult to hit against as he has been in recent years.
Rodriguez is still a dominant late-innings weapon, of course, and is obviously much more talented than Fuentes. He is likely to get overpaid, though, based on his misleading record-setting '08 campaign. Also, while he has not had any health problems in the past, there is always a serious risk for injury with hard-throwing relievers. Plus, there are a lot of more cost-effective, efficient ways for a baseball team to spend $15-million annually over five years. No reliever, perhaps outside of Rivera in his prime, is worth that kind of coin.
Which is why Fuentes may be the better investment, when taking into consideration price and length of any potential contract. Although he is older, he has a chance to provide better value in a shorter deal.
Either way, two clubs out there are within weeks from adding a new closer. It should be interesting to see which team ends up with the better investment in the long run.
The Tampa Bay Rays excelled at run prevention in 2008, with a solid pitching staff and excellent team defense. The Rays’ defensive unit, in fact, posted the majors’ highest defensive efficiency rating, converting a higher percentage of batted balls in play into outs than any team in the game.
With that being said, it is no surprise that Tampa Bay had several players recognized in the recently released Fielding Bible Awards.
Carl Crawford was the only Rays player to win an award outright, though, as he was voted the premier defensive left fielder in the league.
Shortstop Jason Bartlett, who helped solidify the Rays’ middle infield after coming over from an offseason deal with the Minnesota Twins, received 13 votes at shortstop. Bartlett was voted as Team M.V.P. by the local chapter of the BBWAA, in large part to due to his outstanding range and defensive excellence.
The New York Mets have decided to bring back Fernando Tatis for 2009, signing him to a one-year, $1.75-million deal. Tatis’ comeback story did not receive a lot of press outside of the city, but it was quite remarkable. The former star, who once hit two grand slams in the same inning, returned to the game two years ago with the intention of earning enough to help renovate a church in his native Dominican Republic.
All the hard work payed off.
Tatis, 33, helped saved the Mets’ bacon while filling in for injured New York outfielders Moises Alou and Ryan Church. He finished the year batting .297/.369/.484, with 11 homers, an .853 OPS and 49 RBIs in 92 games following his call up from Triple-A on May 13. He truly provided the club a nice little boost before injuring his shoulder in early-September, causing him to miss the remainder of the year.
"Fernando got so many key hits for us last year," general manager Omar Minaya said in a statement. "Not having him the last few weeks of the season certainly hurt. His versatility certainly makes us a better team."
For his efforts, Tatis earned National League Comeback Player of the Year. While his success was quite a surprise, this deal makes a lot of sense for the Mets. He is a low-risk, cheap option who has the chance to be an important bat off the bench for the Mets as they look to return to prominence in the National League East after missing out on the playoffs the past two seasons.
But, now that Game 5 has finally ended, what are die-hard baseball fans going to do with their time?
Well, to some people, the season is only now beginning—the Hot Stove season, that is.
Several big-time players are available on the free-agent market, from sluggers Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira to record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez and stud left-hander CC Sabathia.
Here is a list of the potential Type A free agents, courtesy of Tim Dierkes at MLB Trade Rumors.
Sabathia, it seems, is going to sell his services to the highest bidder, which will undoubtedly be the New York Yankees. The Yankees are moving across the street into New Yankee Stadium, which will generate even more revenue stream for the game’s ultimate financial superpower.
The Yankees’ rotation has some question marks, as Mike Mussina, who won 20 games, is expected to announce his retirement later this week, and the status of Andy Pettitte is unclear. Also, since the Phil Hughes/Ian Kennedy experiment did not go according to plan this year, the Yankees will almost certainly make a splash in the pitching market. Even if they fail to sign Sabathia, who was unbelievable for the Milwaukee Brewers down the stretch, count on them to make a solid push at several other Type A starting pitchers listed above.
The Yankees are also reportedly planning to pursue Teixeira as well. Jason Giambi’s stint in the Bronx appears to have come to an end either way, unless he decides to take a massive pay cut in a short-term deal.
Some other interesting names include Burnett, Burrell, Dunn and Lowe.
Burnett won 18 games, but his peripheral statistics all declined.
Burrell, who hit a huge double in the Phillies’ clinching Game 5 win last night, has excellent on-base skills and is coming off a decent season in which he hit 30-plus home runs. Although he has some deficiencies in his overall game, especially his poor defense and lack of speed, expect several organizations to make a serious run at him. He has spent his entire career in Philadelphia, but he seems ready to test the market, and it might not be in the Phillies' best interest to bring him back, anyway.
The Boston Red Sox have a big decision in regards to the status of Varitek, the captain. He had a down offensive season, posting a sub-.700 OPS, and was practically a guaranteed out in the second half. He is still a valuable defender behind the plate, however, and does a great job handling a pitching staff. A Scott Boras client, he will likely demand a lucrative, multi-year deal. There is no question that is value has diminished, though, and he may no longer be strong enough offensively to serve as a full-time catcher in the majors. If Theo Epstein can bring him back at a discounted rate, it would be wise for them to do so. He could share catching duties and help mentor a young backstop. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of catching depth in the Boston farm system, making it likely that Epstein will attempt to make a deal for a young catcher this offseason, regardless of what they decide to do with the veteran.
It is definitely going to be an exciting offseason, and there is no telling which players yet which uniforms several big-time stars will be wearing next season.
Two things are almost certain, though.
1. Boras, who represents Ramirez and Teixeira and several other stars, is only going to get richer, with a number of his clients due to receive lucrative deals.
2. The Yankees are going to reload by throwing big dollars at the best talent available, which is going to make the A.L. East all the more competitive.
The roster for the USA Olympic Team was
announced earlier this week. The following minor leaguers will travel
to Beijing to represent their country at the 2008 Olympic Games. The
group is filled with an interesting mix of stud prospects and career
minor leaguers, all of whom have one goal: to take home the gold.
To find out more on a certain prospect, click on the corresponding
scouting reports from Scout.com. Each prospect is listed next to the
organization that they play for.
Anderson, 20, came over to the Oakland Athletics in the deal that sent Dan Haren to the Arizona Diamondbacks
this offseason. The southpaw, one of two Oakland prospects headed to
Beijing, threw a scoreless inning in the Futures Game at Yankee
Stadium. He has been effective since joining the deep Oakland farm
system, going 9-4 with a 4.14 ERA, 80-to-18 K/W ratio and opponents’
batting average of .238 in 13 starts in the California
League before getting promoted to Double-A. He is now pitching for
Midland in the Texas League, where he is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four
starts.
Anderson, selected by the Diamondbacks in the second round of
the 2006 First-Year Draft, has shown strong command over a fastball
that sits in the low-90s, in addition to a slow curve ball, his
strongest offering, and a changeup. He is the son of Oklahoma State head coach Frank Anderson, who has an excellent track record of developing college pitchers.
Click here
for a full scouting report on Anderson, courtesy of Melissa Lockard,
who ranked him the third-best prospect in the Athletics’ farm system in
her pre-season rankings.
Arrieta, 21, was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 draft
out of Texas Christian University, where he went 23-7 over his final
two seasons and was twice named an All American. As a Scott Boras
client, he scared off several organizations with his high asking price,
dropping him several rounds. He has produced in the minors for
Baltimore, though.
Arrieta, in fact, is enjoying a fine campaign in his first
professional campaign, earning an invitation to the Futures Game at
Yankee Stadium. In 20 starts for the Frederick Keys
in the Carolina League, he is 6-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 120-to-51 K/W
ratio. The right-hander, who has earned Carolina League Pitcher of the
Week twice already this season, is leading the circuit in innings
pitched (113.0) and WHIP (1.16). For his stellar first half, he was
elected to the league All-Star team. He has a fastball in the 88-91
range, topping out at 93, which he can paint the corners with.
Arrieta is no stranger to international competition. While in
college, he posted a 4-0 record and 0.27 ERA for the Gold-Medal winning
national team in the ’06 World Championships in Cuba.
Click here for a Q&A with Arrieta, courtesy of Michael Hollman of InsideTheWarehouse.com.
Barden was one of two players selected from the St. Louis farm system, though top outfield prospect Colby Rasmus will miss the Olympics due to a knee injury. The 27-year-old shortstop has been a key offensive player for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, batting .292/.358/.436 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs in 95 games. He was acquired off of waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who selected him out of Oregon State in the 2002 draft, last August.
Barden is clearly too old to be considered a “prospect,” and
actually made the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster out of spring
training in 2007. The veteran minor leaguer, who has a career OPS of
.804 in seven professional seasons, also has the versatility to play
three infield positions. He had an excellent May, earning
organizational player of the month after hitting .377 with a .460
on-base percentage in 27 games.
The Los Angeles Angels have struggled to score runs at times.
Angels’ third base prospect Matthew Brown, though, has done nothing but
hit this season, posting a line of .331/.381/.603 with 20 homers, 63
RBIs and a .985 OPS at Triple-A Salt Lake City in the Pacific Coast
League. The 25-year-old infielder, who has played nearly every position
on the field, is ranked by Scout.com as the seventh-best third base
prospect in the minors.
Cahill is a polarizing prospect. He has posted strong numbers
since the Athletics selected him out of a California high school in the
2006 draft, but does not have an overpowering fastball. In fact, the
young right-hander, who gave up an academic scholarship to Dartmouth to
sign with Oakland, relies more on his pitching intelligence and
excellent command.
Cahill was a force in his first full campaign in ’06, going
11-4 with a 2.73 ERA and 117-to-40 K/W ratio in 105.1 innings pitched
in the Midwest League. He picked up where he left off this spring after
beginning the season in the California League, where he went 5-4 with a
2.78 ERA, 103-to-31 K/W ratio and .174 opponents’ batting average in
87.1 innings pitched. Cahill, selected a CAL Mid-Season All-Star, was
then promoted to the Texas League, where he has flourished alongside
Anderson in the Midland starting rotation. The 20-year-old has
continued to impress, posting a 5-1 record and 2.25 ERA in his first
six starts.
Overall, Cahill, who also was added to the US roster for the
Futures game, is 10-5 with a 2.64 ERA and .178 opponents’ batting
average in 119.1 innings pitched.
Click here for a scouting report on Cahill, courtesy of Melissa Lockard.
Cummings, a career minor leaguer, has one goal left in his
professional career—to reach the majors. Cummings, who began the 2008
season in Taiwan, is perhaps inching closer to that dream with every
start. After signing with Durham as a minor league free agent in May,
he has been one of the most effective starting pitchers in the
International League over the past two months, going 7-3 with a 2.95
ERA and 63-to-20 K/W ratio in 76.1 innings pitched.
Cummings has come a long way since the St. Louis Cardinals selected him out of West Virginia
University in the 1999 draft, but if he can continues to pitch
effectively, his dream of the reaching the majors may just come true
after all; if not with Tampa Bay, an organization stacked with pitching
prospects, then perhaps another franchise in the future.
After a solid but unspectacular collegiate career at the
University of Arizona, Donald has shown some surprising power since the
Phillies selected him in the third round of the 2006 draft. He has
built off a nice performance in the Florida State
League—.300/.386/.491—at the end of last season, proving that he is a
legitimate prospect by performing in Double-A. He has perhaps exceeded
expectations with Reading in ‘08, posting an .884 OPS with 14 homers
and 53 RBIs through his first 84 games in the Eastern League.
It remains to be seen if Donald—who has a rocket arm—is
athletic enough to remain at shortstop at the highest level, because
his range is below-average. Nonetheless, he is an intriguing prospect
who has made marked improvements to his game and may turn into more
than just a utility player in the majors if he can continue to produce.
Click here for a scouting report on Donald, courtesy of Chuck Hixson, who named him the 11th-best prospect in the Phillies’ farm system.
Duensing is command specialist who does not blow scouts away
with his stuff. He has effectively gotten hitters out, though, since
the Twins selected him out of the University of Nebraska—where
he missed two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery—in 2005.
Although he has been consistent at nearly every stop along the way, he
had his finest campaign in '07, going 15-6 with a 3.07 ERA and
124-to-37 K/W ratio combined between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A
Rochester.
Duensing is 5-10 in 22 International League starts in ’08, as
opposing hitters are batting .270 against him. The record is still a
bit misleading, however. The crafty southpaw has registered a 4.18
ERA—while not spectacular, it would perhaps be good enough to put him
among league leaders in wins in the IL if he was afforded Livan Hernandez’s run support—and has posted a high BABIP and a decent K/W ratio.
Duensing has battled through several up and downs already, at 25
years old. So, although he does not have a high ceiling and profiles
more of a back-end starter in the majors, it would not be a surprise to
see him make his debut in the near future.
Brad Weiss ranked him as the 33rd-best prospect in the Twins’ organization in his pre-season top prospect list this November. Here is an old scouting report on him, courtesy of Weiss.
Fowler broke his wrist last year, ending his campaign 65 games
into his season in the California League. The speedy outfielder, who
has plenty of tools but needs needs to cut down on his strikeouts, has
made a full recovery and is enjoying a fine campaign in the Texas
League. He is batting .331/.427/.505, for a .933 OPS for the Rockies’
Double-A affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers.
The 22-year-old Atlanta native has even flashed some surprising
power—he had combined to hit only 14 homers from ’05 through ’07—by
hitting nine balls into the seats. He currently ranks second on the
circuit in walks, third in on-base percentage, fifth in batting
average, sixth in OPS and ninth in stolen bases.
Fowler, who was elected as Mid-Season All-Star by Baseball America,
is a potential star who will benefit from playing in Coors Field when
he reaches the show. Like many of his teammates on the US roster, he
played in the Futures Game at Yankee Stadium.
Gall is 30 years old, so the prospect label clearly does not apply to him. In fact, he was a College World Series hero at Stanford
before the turn of the century. A Triple-A mainstay, he was elected to
the Pacific Coast League All-Star team following an excellent first
half at Albuquerque. He is currently batting .313/.370/.496 with 12
home runs. The journeyman has been clutch as well, posting a .384
batting average and .987 OPS in 112 at-bats with runners in scoring
position. With his prolific production and the opportunity to hit with
runners on, it is no surprise that he is among circuit leaders with 74
RBIs.
While Gall is a nice organizational bat, he is most likely not
going to have an impact on the Marlins’ march towards the postseason.
Hessman is a big, burly third baseman who is having a monster season for the Toledo Mud Hens.
The 30-year-old infielder, in fact, is leading the International League
with 30 homers, sitting fourth in the circuit with a .958 OPS as well.
He is batting .264/.394/.567, was elected to the league All-Star team
and is coming off an ’07 campaign in which he won the league’s Most
Valuable Player. Regardless, it is unlikely that he will stick in the
majors for good—he has eight career homers in the bigs in a brief cup of coffee with the Atlanta Braves and Tigers— in the future, though he will get a shot if he continues to mash.
Mark Anderson of TigsTown.com decided to give Hessman another look in this article.
Drafted out of a Nevada high school in the 2002 First-Year
draft, Jepsen was one of the most effective closers in the Texas League
before earning a recent promotion to Triple-A. The 24-year-old
right-hander racked up 11 saves, striking out 35 while posting a 1.42
ERA in 25 appearances. For his performance, he was named to the
league’s All-Star team.
With Salt Lake City, Jepsen has limited hitters to a .211
batting average, posting a 2.79 ERA in 12 appearances. However, he did
not even crack the top 20 in nearly every Angels’ pre-season prospect
list.
Brandon Knight: RHP, New York Mets—
Knight is another journeyman, hanging onto the dream at
32 years old. He nearly retired at the end of 2006, has spent three
seasons in Japan and was drafted (’95) long before steroids were on the
radar as a major issue in baseball. Through it all, though, he has
remained effective at the minor league level, currently sitting with a
5-1 record and 1.60 ERA in 39.1 innings since he signed with Triple-A
New Orleans on May 21. Still, his claim to fame is perhaps being
included in a trade for former major leaguer Chad Curtis, making it
unlikely that he will ever latch onto to a consistent role in the
majors. However, a Gold Medal in the Olympics will make all of the
struggles worth it, he says.
Koplove is a reliever for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, the
Las Vegas 51s. The 31-year-old has posted a 3.26 ERA and 40-to-16 K/W
ratio in 37 appearances so far, using his unique arm angle to fool keep
hitters off balance. He had a few effective stints in a six-year tenure
with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2001-’06, going 6-1 with a 3.36 ERA
in 55 games as one of the strongest setup-men in the game back in his
career-best campaign back in ’02. He spent most of last year at
Triple-A Buffalo in the Cleveland organization, before signing with Los
Angeles in December.
Matt Laporta: INF, Cleveland Indians—
LaPorta will forever be linked to CC Sabathia. The former University of Florida star was the key prospect involved in the deal that sent Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers
for three months, the blockbuster deal of the ’08 trade deadline
season. LaPorta has the offensive skill set, though, to reach a point
where that tidbit becomes just a site note on his player profile page
on the Indians’ website.
The seventh overall pick of the 2007 draft after a standout
career for the Gators, some scouts compare him to a right-hander
version of Travis Hafner.
At the time of the deal, he was among Double-A leaders with a .978 OPS,
batting .288/.402/.576 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs in the Southern
League. Moving to Cleveland, he may have the opportunity to switch back
to the infield, where is expected to play with Team USA. He has the
skills to turn into a plus defensive first baseman. The 24-year-old
also has strong enough arm strength—he was once clocked at 88 MPH in
the Cape Cod League All-Star game a few summers ago—to remain in the
outfield, but will hit enough to remain at first base.
In his first 10 games with the Indians’ Double-A affiliate in
Akron, he is batting .237/.250/.342/ in a small sample size. Some
scouts project him to hit for 30-plus homers in the majors. Although
the Brewers were criticized for selecting him, as a college senior, so
early back in the ’07 draft, he has truly emerged into a legitimate
hitting prospect. Look for him to make his debut in Cleveland when
rosters expand in September.
Click here for a scouting report on LaPorta and the rest of the prospects included in the Sabathia deal, courtesy of Chuck Murr.
Lou Marson: C, Philadelphia Phillies—
Marson, one of two catchers on the USA roster, is one of the
premier young backstops in the minors. His name has surfaced in trade
rumors, but do not expect Philadelphia to move him.
Marson, 22, has been a key cog in the Reading Phillies’
lineup, batting .322/.438./.431 with five home runs and 46 RBIs in 89
games. He is a solid defensive catcher with an above-average arm as
well, making it likely that he will turn into a capable major league
catcher by century’s end.
Click here for a scouting report on Marson, courtesy of Chuck Hixson.
Neal is the closer for the Toledo MudHens, for whom he has
picked up 24 saves for while posting a 1.31 ERA in 34.1 innings pitched
this season. The 30-year-old journeyman has posted a 5.08 ERA in 113
career appearances in the majors.
Neal and a teammate will be heading to Beijing, writes Paul Wenzer.
Jayson Nix: INF, Colorado Rockies—
Nix batted .125 in a brief stint with the Rockies earlier
this season. The former sandwich pick has spent the majority of the
year at Colorado Springs, though, where he has posted a line of
.300/.371/.583 with 15 homers and 46 RBIs. He was a key producer for
Team USA at the World Baseball Cup in November, helping the US end
their 33-year championship drought at the event. The 24-year-old second
baseman was awarded with the Richard W. “####” Case Award given to the
USA Baseball Athlete of the Year.
Schierholtz is enjoying a nice season in the Pacific Coast
League, where he has posted a line of .309/.355/.552 with 13 home runs
and 62 RBIs. The former second-round pick also is among league leaders
with a .908 OPS. Schierholtz took the roster spot belonging to Rasmus,
who is expected to be out for at least a month with a knee injury. He
batted .304/.316/.402 in 39 games in two stints in the majors in 2007.
While he has flashed excellent power, he needs to cut down on his
strikeouts and improve his plate discipline.
Click here for a scouting report on the San Francisco prospect.
Jeff Stevens: RHP, Cleveland Indians—
Stevens went 5-1 with 2.51 ERA with one save in 17
appearances with Double-A Akron before earning a promotion Triple-A. In
25.0 innings in the International League, he is 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA,
36-to-13 K/W ratio and .182 opponents’ batting average. The 24-year-old
was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, who sent him to
Cleveland as the player-to-be-named later in the Brandon Phillips
trade. The organization thinks that he can make an impact in the
bullpen at the major league level, making it likely that he will make
his debut in the majors sometime in the near future.
Strasburg was the only amateur player selected to the US team.
He is coming off a dominant season in which he captivated the nation
with a 23-strikeout performance against Utah on April 11. The sophomore
right-hander was dominant on the mound all spring for the Aztecs, going
8-3 with a 1.57 ERA, 133-to-16 K/W ratio and opponents’ batting average
of .181 in 13 starts. The local San Diego product, who turned 20 this
week, is a lock to go in the first round in 2009, thanks to a
devastating four-seam fastball that has hit 100 MPH on the radar gun.
Taylor Teagarden: C, Texas Rangers—
Teagarden is an excellent defensive catcher with plus arm
strength, which will allow him to stick in the majors even if he does
not turn into even a league-average hitter. He was drafted out of the
University of Texas in 2005, falling to the third round. He then missed
a large chunk ’06 season following Tommy John surgery, which hindered
his development offensively. He had solid bounce back year in ’07,
finishing the season with a line of .294/.357.529 in 115 plate
appearances at Double-A. He was tearing up the California League before
his promotion, making the jump after posting a 1.054 OPS with 20 homers
in 81 games.
In 2008, Teagarden has spent most of the year at Triple-A
Oklahoma, where he has struggled at the plate. He is batting only
.235/.349/.404 with six homers. While he needs to cut down on his
strikeouts—241 strikeouts in 214 career minor league games—the local
product is still one of the premier defensive catchers in the minors.
In what he referred to as a “whirlwind of a week,” he went from the
Futures Game at Yankee Stadium to playing in the Metrodome, where he
made his major league debut. In his brief stint with Texas—which also
has rookie catcher Max Ramirez—he
went 1-for-6, breaking up Minnesota starter Scott Baker's bid for a
no-hitter with his first career home run, before getting shipped back
down to Triple-A on Monday. The demotion allowed him to be included on
the USA roster.
Click here for a report on all of the catching prospects in the Texas organization, including Teagarden.
Terry Tiffee: INF, Los Angeles Dodgers—
Tiffee made his major league debut four years ago with
the Minnesota Twins. He has bounced around the minors since then, as he
has does not hit for any power and has struggled to get on base
consistently enough in the past. The 29-year-old has been a force for
Las Vegas this year, though, hitting a league-leading .378 with a .415
OBP and .567 slugging percentage. For his performance, he earned an
invitation to represent the Pacific Coast League at the Triple-A
All-Star Game in Louisville last week. With Blake DeWitt blocking Andy LaRoche until recently—despite DeWitt’s .688 OPS—Tiffee will most likely not make an impact at the majors in the Dodgers’ organization.
Casey Weathers: RHP, Colorado Rockies—
Weathers is perhaps the highest-profile prospect making
the trip to Beijing. The Rockies selected him with the eighth pick of
last June's draft out of Vanderbilt University, which produced two
first-round pitchers, including number one overall pick David Price. As
a senior and a relief prospect, many predicted him to make a fast track
to the majors, but he is still pitching in Double-A Tulsa. In 39
appearances with the Drillers, the 23-year-old converted outfielder is
2-1 with a 2.82 ERA and 45-to-24 K/W ratio.
Weathers consistently sits in the 95-97 range with his
fastball, even reaching triple digits on occasion. If he can continue to
miss bats and improve his command, look for him in the next few years
to turn into a high-impact closer for the Rockies, who are currently
dangling soon-to-be free agent Brian Fuentes on the trade market.
The dog days of summer are fast approaching in
the 2008 Major League Baseball season.
With only 60 games left on the docket, around half of the majors’ 30
teams are in striking distance in their respective division. Granted,
this total includes nearly every club from the National League West,
where the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied for the division lead despite sub-.500 records.
So, which teams are legitimate contenders? Here are my contender and pretender picks in the National League East.
Florida is leading the league with 140 home runs as a team, led by their dynamic middle-infield duo of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla.
Uggla—whose Yankee Stadium All-Star dream turned into a nightmare—and
Ramirez have combined to hit 47 homers between them, and each player
has an OPS above .930. They are not alone in the homer barrage down in
Miami, as four other Marlins regulars are already in double digits in
home runs—Mike Jacobs (23), Jorge Cantu (18), Cody Ross (16) and Jeremy Hermida
(12). As a direct result of the Marlins’ power-hitting infield, the
club finds itself fourth in its league with a .438 slugging percentage.
With such offensive firepower, it is perhaps surprising to see
where the Marlins rank in the NL in runs scored, sixth, with 476 runs.
The reason: Florida also ranks 13th out of 16 teams in the league with
a team on-base percentage of .320. It is unlikely that the power will
sustain itself at this level, so the inability to get on base will come
back to haunt the Marlins, who are currently only one game back in the
division.
More concerning, though, Florida struggles with run prevention, evident by its -29 run differential. Scott Olsen (3.84 ERA) and Ricky Nolasco
(3.78 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) have been effective. The rest of the Marlins’
starting rotation—which ranks in the bottom half in starters’ ERA—is
questionable, though, even with the addition of Josh Johnson and top prospect Chris Volstad.
Volstad, who is 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA in his first three starts since
getting called up to the majors, has been one of the best prospects in
the organization since he was selected in the first round of the 2005
First-Year draft.
Despite overpowering stuff at times, command has been an issue for southpaw Andrew Miller, who was one of the key pieces acquired from Detroit in the Miguel Cabrera/Dontrelle Willis blockbuster this offseason. If Miller and Volstad continue to develop, they have the ability to help keep their team afloat.
Dan Uggla (AP)
However, a poor team defense, which ranks 15th in the majors in
defensive efficiency, certainly will certainly not add a boost as the
young arms continue to get adjusted. Uggla, who made three errors in
the All-Star game, has poor range at second base. As good of an athlete
as Ramirez is, his defense leaves a lot to be desired as well. Cantu,
who is has resurrected his career by regaining his power stroke, is
also a butcher in the field, regardless of which corner infield
position he is playing.
With an inexperienced pitching staff and poor defense, Florida is a pretender.
New York Mets: Contenders—
Omar Minaya has built this club around a core of several of the
league’s top players—especially on the left side of the Mets’
infield—surrounding them with below-average, aging talent on the rest
of the roster. In fact, this team brings backs memories of the Boston Red Sox in the Dan Duquette era, a team with several stars—Nomar Garciappara, Pedro Martinez—but a mediocre supporting cast.
Jose Reyes and David Wright
are two of the premier players under the age of 25 in the majors, and
each player is a candidate to break out in the second half. Wright
(.899 OPS) had a monster ’07 campaign, hitting .325/.416/.546 with 30
homers. He has not been quite as good this year, but has the chance to
end up with a similar line if he can finish like he did last fall.
Whether or not Jerry Manuel is the reason, the Mets have surged
to the top of the National League East with a tremendous past couple of
weeks. Even without Ryan Church and Moises Alou,
whose career is probably over, the club has been relying on a number of
replacement-level outfielders. Honestly, who actually thought that Fernando Tatis
still played baseball? The fill-ins will not continue to sustain their
production, though, so Minaya needs to add another impact bat to the
outfield.
Regardless, the Mets also have a solid defense, ranking fifth
in the majors in defensive efficiency. This has helped an inconsistent
pitching staff that ranks seventh in the NL with a 4.03 ERA and has
posted an opponents’ OPS of .714.
Johan Santana has pitched better than his 8-7 record indicates, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey have been getting it done this month and Oliver Perez has the ability to dominate a game when his command is on.
Despite some struggles here and there, closer Billy Wagner
has remained effective at the back of the Mets’ bullpen, picking up 24
saves while posting a 2.20 ERA. Wagner, however, was reportedly expected
to have an MRI on his shoulder on Monday. Although he ended up
foregoing the MRI, he is always a health risk at 36 years old.
There are definitely some holes on this roster—with several
overpaid veterans inching near replacement-level—but the Mets are
legitimate contenders in the division, even if Martinez does not stay
healthy enough to make an impact.
Philadelphia has a potent offense, led by stars Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.
The club, in fact, is currently second in the league with 492 runs
scored and a .442 slugging percentage, third in OPS and sixth in
on-base percentage.
Burrell has been the key, batting .280/.406/.594 with 25 home
runs. In the walk year of his contract, he is picking the right time to
produce, as he is among a handful of players in the majors with a
plus-.1000 OPS.
Howard is on pace to set his single-season record for
strikeouts, is hitting only .238 and has taken on the label as a Three
True Outcome player. He is still leading the majors with 29 home runs,
though, and provides protection in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup.
Utley, an MVP candidate, is an excellent defender at the keystone and has hit 25 homers while posting a .963 OPS.
Outside of command specialist and ace Cole Hamels, the Phillies’ starting rotation has left many analysts skeptical of the Phillies’ chances. Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer, a pair that has been effective at times, are not exactly studs.
Philadelphia did upgrade its rotation to an extent last week by adding Joe Blanton in a deal with the Oakland Athletics.
Blanton has struggled this year, and the transition to the inferior
league is perhaps canceled out by pitching in hitter-friendly Citizen’s
Bank Park. Then there is Brett Myers,
the Phillies’ Opening Day starter who his currently working out his
first-half struggles in the minors. If Myers can regain his velocity
and form, though, the Phils’ have a strong chance to defend their East
crown.
Brad Lidge
has been excellent in the closer’s role, striking out 56 in 41.0
innings pitched while picking up 21 saves in as many chances. Lidge
cannot possibly maintain his current performance, but appears to have
resurrected his closing career in a new city.
The Mets appear to be the favorites, but Blanton should help if
the bullpen can continue to shut hitters down. The East may produce the
Wild Card, but odds are that it will come out of the Central, where the
Milwaukee Brewers, the favorite, and St. Louis Cardinals will not catch the Chicago Cubs.
The Atlanta Braves, by the way, may not be out of it as well. If
Atlanta had not lost so many one-run games, perhaps they would be the
favorite right now. They are only six games out, at 47-52. The next few
weeks will be important for them, as general manager Frank Wren has to
decide whether or not his club should be buyers or sellers at the trade
deadline.
The ballots are in. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Corey Hart and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria are headed to the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. Hart, a budding superstar, and Longoria, the leading candidate for the American League Rookie of the Year, benefited from strong election campaigns all across the Internet, edging out the competition to earn their first All-Star invitations.
With a record 47.8 million votes cast, baseball fans clearly enjoy this new voting feature. However, as is the case with the selection process for starters and reserves—where the coaches, players and fans all struggle to make decisions in an imperfect process—the fans do not always make the right decisions on the final ballot. If you disagree, look at the case of Jason Varitek, who will make an All-Star appearance despite his slash stats line of .220/.300/.360 and OPS+ of 73. Varitek, in fact, is struggling to make contact right now, and certainly did not deserve his selection.
Did the fans get it right in choosing Hart and Longoria, though?
Longoria is a deserving candidate, taking into consideration his role in the Rays’ recent surge to the top of the American League East standings. A smooth-fielding defender at third base, he has delivered enough walk-off hits to make David Ortiz jealous, emerging as the top rookie position player in the league. He is batting .281/.354/.525 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs, and sits atop the leader board in nearly offensive statistical category among AL third baseman.
With the mainstream media’s recent infatuation with the Rays and a strong campaign sponsored by the organization, this decision was almost inevitable, forcing the former first-round pick to cancel a trip to Las Vegas with his buddies. It looks as if this will be the first of many All-Star trips for Longoria, who is leading Tampa Bay in homers and RBIs as well. For all that he has done for his team, in addition to his contributions in all facets of the game, it is hard to disagree with the fans’ final vote selection here.
Dye has enjoyed a fine season to this point in his own right, slugging .550 with 20 home runs in 86 games. The Chicago White Sox outfielder, who has picked up the slack for several of his fellow veteran teammates, ranks ninth in the league in OPS (.902), fourth among outfielders, and is one of only four players on the circuit with 20-plus homers. He has been a key cog in the White Sox’s lineup, producing big hits while Paul Konerko (.679 OPS, eight home runs) and Jim Thome (.846 OPS) have struggled to get things going at the plate.
The performance of Dye and Carlos Quentin, who was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason and is leading the club with 21 jacks and 65 RBIs, is a major factor why Chicago currently resides in first place in a division that was expected to be one of the deepest in baseball. He is on the wrong side of 30 and struggled in the first half of 2007, causing Chicago to put him on the trade block only months after he produced one of the finest campaigns of his entire career last summer. He turned it around in the second half of '07, though, batting .298/.368/.579 for the White Sox, who then decided to sign him to a two-year extension. So far, it looks as Kenny Williams’ decision to keep Dye, who has fared better against right-handed pitchers so far, is justified, as he turned in an All-Star first half. Really, he has performed like an All-Star as well, perhaps even more so than Longoria.
Whether the mustache or the gold thong has anything to do with it, the 37-year-old Giambi is enjoying a nice bounce back season as well. After a foot injury sustained in May of last season sidelined him for several weeks, he did not provide the Yankees much of anything, finishing the year with a line of .236/.356/.433 while earning more than $20-million. Then, after a poor April, it looked as if his days as productive slugger were nearing the end. With the Yankees’ interest in soon-to-be free agent Mark Teixeira, Giambi’s days in New York seemed numbered as well. Since the infamous thong story broke, however, he has helped carry the New York offense, coming up with several crucial hits while Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez
