The Curious Case of Josh Hamilton

The Curious Case of Josh Hamilton

Let’s start off by stating the obvious. Josh Hamilton is a good baseball player. Problem is, he could be a really great baseball player but unfortunately he has never met a pitch he hasn’t liked. Hamilton puts up stats there’s no question about it, but when you swing at everything that’s bound to happen. Last season he hit 31 doubles and 43 home runs, but also had 162 strikeouts and 60 walks. To put that into perspective, the strikeout number puts him just outside the top 10 in the league and the 60 walks puts him behind guys like Kelly Johnson and Mark Reynolds (MARK REYNOLDS!!!!). On no planet should Mark Reynolds have more walks than Josh Hamilton.

It was well documented last year that Hamilton was having trouble hitting and seeing the ball in day games. His blue eyes, and any light colored eyes, due to lack of pigment, will attract more unwanted light and cause glare problems. His hitting at night was better, but he still leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to pitch selection. Watching Hamilton play regularly you can’t help but shake your head at some of his swings and say to yourself, “What is he swinging at?”

Pitchers fear him and rightfully so. He has been called “The Natural” because of his effortless ability to drive pitches and his all-around talent being next to none. He is pitched to very carefully but so many times he will bail them out by swinging at pitches a foot out of the strike zone. You would think by now he would make the adjustment to be less aggressive and put his numbers into another stratosphere but maybe he is content with what he’s doing. That has to be the only explanation for a guy with 266 walks and 633 strikeouts in his career.

Growing Grass in the Concrete Jungle

Growing Grass in the Concrete Jungle

                                       

 

Opening Week of the season has provided New York with hope for an eventful summer. The Yankees are keeping their heads above water battling through injuries and the Mets are proving to be a tough out while at the same time showing that the future is full of promise. Today we’re going to look at both teams, how they’ve fared and why this will be one of the most fun baseball summers in recent memory.

Let’s start with the Yankees since they’re my favorite team and also because let’s face it, I make the rules around here. Coming into the season all signs pointed to the offense struggling with run producers like Teixeira and Granderson out and the Captain nursing his injury. The pitching will keep them in games but they will struggle to score. That’s what we all thought but it turns out that isn’t the case. In actuality the offense has played well and the pitching has been the Achilles heel. I fully expect this veteran pitching staff to come around and start doing what they’re capable of and when the offense is at full strength look out because this will be a dangerous team.

Another factor to remember is that this is the Yankees and trades and waiver pickups are never out of the question. The World Series victories may not be there but the team is a consistent postseason presence, save 2008, and that is thanks to the maneuvers of GM Brian Cashman. He has been fortunate to make some smart moves and also get lucky and catch lightning in a bottle when it comes to mid-season moves and I don’t see this year being any different.

Now let’s get off the 4 train at Grand Central and hop on the 7 over to Citi Field.

The Mets have played phenomenally thus far and though I don’t see it lasting all season and into the postseason they can be competitive and give the Nats and Braves a scare every now and again. John Buck will not last as the National League RBI leader but he’s a good veteran player who can handle a young staff and be a nice stopgap until Travis D’Arnaud is ready. As a matter of fact, the Mets have to be ecstatic because the longer Buck plays well the longer D’Arnaud’s service clock doesn’t have to be plugged in and using up juice.

On the pitching front Jonathan Niese and Matt Harvey have arguably been the best righty-lefty tandem in the game thus far. Niese is starting to put it all together and show that he can be a decent number 2 but more likely a phenomenal number 3 in a rotation and Matt Harvey is giving Met fans flashbacks to Dwight Gooden. Harvey became only the second pitcher in Mets history with consecutive starts of 7+ innings pitched and 3 hits or fewer hits to start a season. The other? Just some guy named Nolan Ryan. With Zack Wheeler waiting in the minors, the Mets will have a fantastic trio of young arms to build around in due time.

Offensively, this team is no longer David “Captain America” Wright and a bunch of fill-ins and castoffs. Daniel Murphy may never put up monster stats but the guy can handle a bat and work the hit and run game to perfection. Ike Davis and Lucas Duda may not fight for batting titles but they have huge power that teams need to be weary of and must be pitched to carefully. They could use another middle of the order righty, and D’Arnaud will be that guy soon enough but for now, as stated above, John Buck is doing just fine.

Ownership claims the money issues are behind them so look for the Mets to spend a little more money to help build up the roster and bring them back to prominence for years to come. The Yankees may have more promise in the present but the future belongs to the kids from Queens.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @changingspeeds for more coverage of the baseball season.

Opening Week

Thoughts on Opening Week

 

 

 

 

            Opening Week is in the books and what a week it was. Surprises, disappointments, drama, and walk offs, this week had it all. The Reds, a team I predicted to not make the playoffs came out of the gate swinging. Facing the Angels and Nationals, the Reds took two of three from each and played great ball. There are teams with a better record than the Reds 4-2 mark but they didn’t play the same caliber of competition. Shin Soo Choo has been great for the Reds in the leadoff spot, something I predicted would not happen, and yes it is an early sample size but if he can keep up this type of play the Reds will run away with the Central Division. Todd Frazier has also been a huge help in the team’s winning ways, amassing three home runs and nine runs batted in over the week. The bullpen is a strength and if they can get consistency from their starters like they did last year this team will be at the top of the standings all season long.

            Bryce Harper carried his hot spring over into the season, batting .360 with three home runs and five runs batted in. He leads the team in all three categories and will be a permanent fixture in the three hole for Davey Johnson and the Nationals. The Nationals will have some stiff competition for the division in the Atlanta Braves who beat up on some inferior opponents this week. Thanks to Justin Upton and his resurgence in Atlanta, the Braves ended the week with a 5-1 record. Upton has five home runs and is batting at a .375 clip to start the year and also made some history with his brother B.J. They became the first pair of brothers to homer in the ninth inning to tie a game and also homer to win the game that same inning with B.J. hitting the tying homer and Justin providing the walk off.

            Another team I would like to mention in the National League is the Colorado Rockies. This is a team that come the end of the year will probably not be near the top of the standings but playing against lesser opponents to open the year allowed them to finish the week tied with best record in baseball at 5-1. They are a fun team to watch and have a slew of home grown talent developing at the major league level. The present looks good for now but the future looks very bright.

            While typing that paragraph I believe the Houston Astros struck out another ten times. With 74 strikeouts thus far on the year they are well on their way to breaking a record.

            Over in the American League there is far more parody than the National League, and if things stay this way it will be a great summer in the league of the DH. No team really jumped out to a scorching or overpowering start but two players in particular had torrid weeks. Mike Morse of the Mariners enjoyed his first week on the road with the new team belting five home runs and driving in eight. Now that he will be home and in Safeco Field let’s see how he sustains the power. The fences being moved in may help some but I still see that ballpark being the Sahara Desert of the Major Leagues. Another player absolutely destroying the ball is Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles. He has hit four home runs this week while driving in a staggering seventeen runs. His four homers came in the first four games of the season and he failed to become the first player ever to homer in his team’s first five games.

            Looking ahead to week two there are some intriguing matchups on deck. The most intriguing of which is Atlanta at Washington this weekend. Both teams are playing well and the Nats are a tough team at home but if Atlanta can take the series it will go a long way in showing the Nats there’s a real serious threat for the division crown. That’s all for today folks. Enjoy your week of the greatest game on Earth and follow me on Twitter @changingspeeds for more coverage of the baseball season.

Running Diary of Diamondbacks and Brewers

Game 3: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers

 

 

 

After a brief hiatus we’re back once again for our final running diary of Opening Week. Tonight’s matchup pits the DBacks against the Brewers. The Brewers could be in some trouble as the heart of their order is all out with injuries. Braun, Ramirez, and Hart are all out and that is a trio who are major run producers for this club. The Brewers have lost three straight and turn to Michael Fiers to get them back on track. He will be opposed by Arizona starter and New York native Patrick Corbin.

 

- Carlos Gomez chases down a fly ball in center and bangs up against the wall. The speed that this guy has and the amount of ground he can cover may very well be unparalleled

- The DBacks strike first as Aaron Hill, who owns Brewers pitching, rips a double down the third base line that takes a bad carom off the wall allowing the run to score

- Fiers is struggling with his command early on but gets out of the inning giving up just one

- The Brewers lineup, as discussed in the opening, is in shambles. This lineup is not one that will instill confidence in the Milwaukee fans. Braun will most likely be out for one more game, but with Ramirez and Hart on the DL, it’s not going to be easy for this team

- Jean Segura gets a hit and he has been playing well to open the season. He hit his first career home run last night

- Jason Kubel makes a great catch in right center showing great extension

- Next half inning Khris Davis one ups Kubel making a phenomenal sliding catch against the tarp

- The one thing these young Brewers have going for them is speed. Between Davis, Aoki, Gomez, and Segura they should be able to manufacture runs when the opportunities of being on base occur

- Jean Segura continues the hot streak as he rips a double into the gap and putting a really good swing on the ball

- Next half inning the Segura show continues as he put his rocket arm on display in the field. To say this kid has a cannon at short is an understatement. He is a great young player with tremendous potential

- Paul Goldschmidt just misses a home run high off the wall but gets into second easily for a double

- The very next pitch to Jason Kubel couldn’t have been served up any better as he crushed it into the seats in right field to take a 3-2 lead

- Arizona has reeled off 4 straight hits and the bullpen better start moving around because Fiers has lost it

- Goldschmidt’s next at bat results in the home run he missed previously as he gives the DBacks a 6-2 lead

- Next Milwaukee at bat Jean Segura gets his 3^rd hit of the game. I’m thoroughly impressed with this kid he has a bright future for sure

- Eric Hinske comes up to bat as a pinch hitter the next half inning and drives in a run with a single. It was only Hinske’s 3^rd at bat of the season

- Aaron Hill collects his 2^nd hit of the game and it’s a two run home run. He continues to destroy Brewer pitching. The two run shot gives the DBacks a 9-2 lead and they aren’t looking back

-Milwaukee has lost its fourth straight game and looks to Yovani Gallardo to stop the bleeding on Sunday as he goes up against Ian Kennedy

Running Diary of Indians and Blue Jays

Game 2: Cleveland Indians vs Toronto Blue Jays

 

 

 

 

            Back in the Man Cave once again tonight ready for some baseball action. Tonight the Toronto Blue Jays open up at home against the Cleveland Indians. Both teams have rosters that look totally different than last year and both teams have improved tremendously. Should be a good pitching matchup as R.A. Dickey and his knuckleball face off against Justin Masterson and his sinker. Let’s get underway.

 

- We’re joined by Buck Martinez and Pat Tabler in the booth. Will be a much different announcing feel tonight as Martinez is one of the better play by play guys in the game and Tabler, while not providing any Earth shattering analysis, doesn’t say anything to make himself look bad or foolish.

- Catch 22 with Terry Francona this season as its great having him back in the dugout but means we lose him in the booth on Sunday Nights. As far as analysts and color guys go, he was at, if not near, the top of the charts.

- In the other dugout John Gibbons and his new hair style make him look like Vigo the Carpathian and yes I just made that reference. If Dr. Janosz comes out at any point to talk to Dickey the Blue Jays will become my new favorite team.

- Cleveland doesn’t score in the top of the 1^st but makes Dickey work, throwing 22 pitches.

- In the bottom of the 1^st Jose Reyes starts his Blue Jays career with a 4 pitch walk.

- Melky Cabrera comes up and we get some hometown spin on him. Buck Martinez informs us Melky started later in his career with going to all fields and shortening his swing with 2 strikes…he also started using performance enhancing drugs later in his career too Buck.

-Jose Bautista comes up and Joey Bats rockets one down the third base line that caroms off the wall so hard he’s held to a single.

- Masterson is struggling with his command as he hits Edwin Encarnacion with a pitch.

- Adam Lind comes up and we’re informed he’s 10 for 15 in his career on Opening Day. That is an absurd stat especially since he may be 0 for the rest of his career.

- Masterson gets out of the inning but needs 21 pitches to do so.

- Indians are being extremely patient.

- Arencibia through 1 1/3 has been charged with 3 passed balls. He needs to work on catching the knuckleball or Henry Blanco will be Dickey’s permanent catcher real quick.

- Indians strike first as Lonnie Chisenhall grounds out and drives in a run. If Arencibia doesn’t allow the passed ball it’s a tailor made double play and the Jays are out of it.

- Drew Stubbs is up next and hits an RBI single to make it 2-0.

- The Jays get out of the inning and threaten in their half but Reyes grounds out to end the inning. They’ve left 4 men on base.

- Next inning Melky Cabrera leads off and reached 2^nd on an error by Drew Stubbs with no one out.

- Back to back walks from Masterson loads the bases for Toronto, still no one out.

- Indians turn a fantastic double play as Asdrubal Cabrera dives to snag it. One run scores.

- Next inning Michael Bourn hits a leadoff single followed by an Asdrubal Cabrera 2 run home run that had no business leaving the park off the bat. That ball CARRIED and the look on Dickey’s face was priceless.

- Not much else follows as Cleveland fails to threaten and the Indians combine to retire 19 straight Jays.

- Bottom 9 Chris Perez comes in and other than a double to Arencibia to break up the hitless streak gets the Jays to end the game. It’s his 100^th save as an Indian.

 

The Indians have reason to be hopeful from a pitching standpoint as their bullpen was fantastic tonight and their defense was also great, making a lot of nice plays to kill any hopes of the Jays. Masterson pitched well but really had to work to get outs. His sinker was hit or miss tonight for the most part but it didn’t really cost the team. Toronto struggled out of the gate but the patience they showed is a positive sign. A lot of contact made that unfortunately went right to a fielder. Game 2 is in the books and Game 3 tomorrow night will see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim taking on the Cincinnati Reds. Hopefully it won’t go 13 innings like their first game.

Running Diary of M's at A's

Game 1: Seattle Mariners vs Oakland Athletics

 

            Coming to you live from Changing Speeds Headquarters a.k.a. the Man Cave, we have our first running diary of the week, the Opening Night matchup between the Mariners and Athletics. The pitching matchup tonight is Felix Hernandez against Brett Anderson, which should be a good one. This may not be a running diary like many of you are used to, but will be my thoughts, observations, and comments on events of the night as it progressed. Seattle comes in winners of six straight opening games, and on the other side of the spectrum, Oakland is losers of eight straight. Will things hold true to form tonight or will something give and trends get bucked?

-We start our coverage with highlights from the spectacular season of the AL West Champion A’s and the unveiling of their Division Winner banner in right field. Glen Kuiper and Ray Fosse, or as I like to call him, Captain Obvious, are in the booth and excited for the start of the season. Surprisingly Fosse hasn’t pointed out the start of the season means its Game 1.

-Brett Anderson comes out firing, striking out the side on 13 pitches. King Felix tells Anderson anything you can do I can do better as he gets out of the inning after only 7 pitches.

-Noticed while Josh Reddick was up in the bottom of the 1^st that his beard has reached mythical proportions. Not really sure how he and Daniel Bryan could be having a beard war as Reddick is far and away winning.

-Eric Sogard makes a great diving play and flips to 2^nd to get the force out but that’s all they would get. Sogard made one hell of a play there.

- Brett Anderson escapes a 1^st and 2^nd 1 out jam with a double play.

- Here we have our first Captain Obvious statement of the night as Fosse alerts us that Spring Training numbers don’t carry over into the start of the season and everyone starts at .000. Thanks for showing up Ray.

-Thru 2 innings King Felix is dealing and only at 19 pitches.

-Brendan Ryan comes up to bat and this guy may be the greatest example of offensive inefficiency and defensive superiority. Arguably the best defensive shortstop in all of baseball, and arguably the worst offensive shortstop in all of baseball.

-We’re treated to a stat that tells us Brett Anderson is the 1^st A’s pitcher ever to strikeout the first 4 batters on Opening Day. Anderson is a good pitcher and has gotten himself into better shape, hopefully he can reap the rewards of that accomplishment.

-Sogard follows up the great diving play from earlier with a booted ball for an error but a double play follows that so no harm done.

-Want to take a moment and point out that the crowd at the O.co Coliseum is loud and raucous tonight. It’s great to see but hopefully they can sustain these crowds throughout the year and this isn’t just because of Opening Day.

-It may be a new season but the Bernie has returned to Oakland. The fans won’t let the dance die and I for one applaud that decision as Weekend at Bernie’s is a phenomenal movie. The sequel however, we will never talk about.

-Captain Obvious returns telling us that Suzuki on the Yankees is Ichiro and not Kurt, while talking about the lineup fielded by the Bronx Bombers yesterday.

-John Jaso collects the first hit for the A’s in the bottom of the 4^th with a double into the gap.

-Brendan Ryan makes a great play deep in the hole to get Yoenis Cespedes and save a run for the M’s.

-Mariners come up in the top of the 5^th and get an opportunity to strike as they have 2^nd and 3^rd with 1 out for Franklin Gutierrez. He singles to center scoring both runners, putting the M’s up 2-0.

-King Felix is at 46 pitches and is dominating the A’s right now.

Captain Obvious returns once again, I was hoping he went to bed for the night. Showing a graphic for the most innings pitched in the last 3 seasons, we see the top 5 pitchers are King Felix, Justin Verlander, James Shields, CC Sabathia, and Clayton Kershaw. Upon seeing this graphic Fosse alerts us that these 5 guys are good. I was unaware so thanks for sharing Ray.

-Brett Anderson is finished after 7 innings. He pitched well but got no run support. Totaled 108 pitches on the night.

-Brendan Ryan makes his 2^nd phenomenal play of the night sliding in the Sahara Desert of foul territory to make the catch and end the inning.

-Chris Resop comes in for Oakland and gets 3 quick outs. Despite not hitting well and getting dominated Oakland isn’t out of this game.

-King Felix gets 2 quick outs in the bottom of the 8^th but follows up with a double and walk. Here comes Eric Wedge who looks like he wants to challenge Ron Gardenhire in the look like an old Scott Steiner contest. Felix is done after 109 pitches.

-Charlie Furbush comes in and surrenders a walk to load the bases for pinch hitter Derek Norris. Scott Steiner makes another change bringing in Stephen Pryor. The crowd is reaching playoff level decibels hoping for a big hit here. It’s not to be as Norris grounds out to end the rally.

-Jerry Blevins comes in for Oakland and gets the M’s in order. The A’s are down to their last shot but with the way things have gone tonight this one is probably over.

-Tom Wilhelmsen comes in and gets the save. No threat by the A’s at all and that’s our ballgame. Both streaks continue and we were treated to a dominant performance by one of the best in the game. Can’t ask for anymore on Opening Day.

To continue the theme of Opening Week running diaries I will be tuning into the Cleveland Indians at the Toronto Blue Jays tonight and will have that write-up online around the same time tomorrow.

NL East Preview

2013 NL East Preview: Will the Nationals Repeat as the Best Team in Baseball?

 

Final Standings

Washington Nationals 96-66

Atlanta Braves 89-73

Philadelphia Phillies 82-80

New York Mets 79-83

Miami Marlins 64-98

 

1.  Washington Nationals (96-66)

Last season the Nationals finished with the best record in baseball and were upset in the NLDS by the Cardinals. I see the best record part of that happening again, but this year there will be no upsets. The Nationals will reach the World Series and cross their names off the list of teams never to reach a World Series (the Mariners are the only other team). An argument can be made that the Nationals have not only the best rotation in baseball but also the best lineup top to bottom. The signing of Dan Haren will work out well for this team as he will be in a much friendlier pitcher’s park and he won’t be asked to do much in terms of carrying the staff due to pitching behind Gonzalez, Strasburg, and Zimmerman. The bullpen is stacked with quality arms including Rafael Soriano who is coming off a phenomenal year for the Yankees, filling in for Mariano Rivera.

During spring training Davey Johnson has been batting Bryce Harper third in the order, and that should absolutely carry over into the season. Harper will take the next step forward in development, anchoring the lineup, and will have what I believe to be an MVP season. The addition of Denard Span will do wonders for this team as he may be one of the more underrated leadoff men in the game. A full season of Kurt Suzuki will be great for the pitchers as he is a veteran who knows what it takes to handle a staff. He may not offer much offensively but with the rest of the guys ahead of him he won’t need to. Adam LaRoche had a fantastic year last year and I see the power numbers being about the same, although his run production will go down some due to the lowering of Harper in the lineup. There is a sports renaissance going on in the nation’s capital thanks to RG3 and the Nationals and DC has many reasons to keep the excitement up. On a side note, I would just like to add that anyone who hasn’t had the chance to see a game at Nationals Park needs to do so. It’s a great stadium, great atmosphere, and a bunch of great fans. I made the trek out there last summer and am hoping to again this season.

 

2.  Atlanta Braves (89-73)

The Atlanta Braves made waves in the offseason with their acquisition of Justin Upton from Arizona and the signing of his brother B.J. Adding these two players to a lineup that already had some good talent makes the Braves a scary team to have to contend with. Andrelton Simmons begins his first full season in the majors and jumps right into the fire by becoming the everyday leadoff man. Freddie Freeman had a good year last year and will look to build on that. The average needs to be higher but with the defense he provides at first he more than makes up for it. This will be the first season in a very long time where Atlanta opens the season without Chipper at third and Juan Francisco certainly has some Hall of Fame worthy shoes to fill. Brian McCann will look to have another undervalued season, or as undervalued as you can get as a multiple time all-star. He battled through injuries last year, and will be starting this season on the DL but once back, he will look to be the Brain McCann we all know and never fully appreciate.

Atlanta’s pitching is what could either derail their season or move them past the Nationals in the division. The talent is there to be a great staff, but questions will need to be answered. Can Tim Hudson at age 37 have a similar type year to last year? Can Kris Medlen continue to dominate like he did as a starter? Can Julio Teheran pitch anywhere near the level his potential should allow him to? If the answer to all these questions is yes, look for Atlanta fans to be a happy group this season, and there will be no need to take cover from flying debris.

 

3.  Philadelphia Phillies (82-80)

The Phillies are a team that is getting old in a hurry. Too many of their key pieces are on the other side of their prime years. Roy Halladay has had an abysmal spring so far and questions are being asked about whether or not he’s totally lost it with the drop in velocity and loss of command. Cliff Lee had a horrible season last year, by his or any other standards. John Lannan and Kyle Kendrick are not exactly guys who strike fear into the hearts of batters either. Cole Hamels back may give him trouble this year for the carry job he’s going to have to do with this staff.

On offense the Phillies will have a lot of work to do. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are coming off injury plagued seasons and that’s never a good sign for your two best players and the heart of your batting order. Carlos Ruiz starts the year on suspension due to Adderall, but after the year he had last year setting career highs in most offensive categories at age 34 it makes you think about what else he could be taking. The signing of Michael Young was a puzzling one, because his days as an everyday starter are probably over. He can still rake a bit with the lumber so he would be more suited as DH or infield platoon player off the bench. The city of Brotherly Love is not one known for sitting by and watching mediocrity so if things break down for the Phillies this year; it’s not going to be pretty.

 

4.  New York Mets (79-83)

The Mets and their fans won’t be experiencing a miracle season in 2013 but they should feel very optimistic about their future. Young bats and arms with all the potential in the world are on this team and down on the farm and will make this division very interesting in the years to come. Add to that the presence of Captain America himself, David Wright, and you’ve got one hell of a leader and a guy the young kids can look to for an example on how to carry themselves and play the game the right way. The financial woes are reportedly over and that means all good things for a franchise with a great fan base and the money/lure of New York City to attract free agents.

 

5.  Miami Marlins (64-98)

            What can be said about the Miami Marlins and their ownership that hasn’t already been said? From the start of last offseason and the spending bonanza the team went on to complement their new stadium, to this offseason where the Marlins traditional fire sale occurred, it’s been a rollercoaster ride that Six Flags would welcome with open arms. The guy you truly have to feel sorry for is Giancarlo Stanton. He will be wasting a year of his life getting pitched around and running with a supporting cast right out of Major League. It’s going to be a long season in South Beach, but realistically, based on Marlins attendance, is anyone really going to care?