Author Archive
Yankee Stadium, The House That Lundqvist Built?
Today, the NHL officially announced that Yankee Stadium will become the first stadium to host not one, but TWO hockey games during the 2013-14 season. The New York Rangers will host both of their cross-bridge rivals as part of the 2014 NHL Stadium Series.
The first game will come Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 12:30 eastern against the New Jersey Devils. Game two will be Wednesday, January 29th at 7:30 eastern against the New York Islanders.
The Phillies Citizens Bank Park was the last MLB stadium to host an NHL game for the NHL Winter Classic where the New York Rangers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2.
Yankee Stadium isn’t the only ballpark to be featured in the NHL Stadium Series as Dodger Stadium will host the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings on January 25th. Good luck with the potential melting ice!
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Andrelton Simmons is Ridiculous
In a short time, Andrelton Simmons has become the best defensive shortstop in baseball and maybe even better than that, at least according to former teammate Chipper Jones.
Y’all are watching the best all around shortstop in the big leagues! Andrelton Simmons.
— Chipper Jones (@RealCJ10) May 7, 2013
That was after this incredible tag on a pick-off of Reds Shin-Soo Choo.
Seriously, he tagged him between the legs!
This caused me to realize we need a definitive blog with all of Simmons’ defensive exploits so far.
From Tuesday, May 7th’s game against the Reds, including a great barehand play that went off of Eric O’ Flaherty.
It can go off Paul Maholm’s glove, it’s alright, Simmons is there.
He has the best arm in the Majors, he can even show it off from the seat of his pants.
Here he shows off the range going deep into foul territory at PNC Park for an amazing grab.
This play is not as easy as he makes it look on Royals Lorenzo Cain.
No prejudice against great plays even in Spring Training.
My favorite play from the 2013 World Baseball Classic, honkbal!
That’s not the only time he’ll go into center field for a diving catch.
There were numerous plays of Simmons charging a slow roller and getting the out, but getting the speedy Juan Pierre is the most impressive.
And from the same game, the diving stop, up the middle.
Simmons makes this short hop look too easy.
Even when Simba makes a mistake and overruns a ball, he’s just doing it to make the play look that much more spectacular.
The play that really started it all against the Orioles all-star Adam Jones.
He can even turn an amazing double play with Dan Uggla.
It hasn’t even been a full season in the Majors and you can put Andrelton Simmons’ highlight reel against anyone in the league. What’s your favorite play? Let us know in the comments!
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Metallica Night in San Francisco
It was “Metallica Night” at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The band was on hand and even performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the pre-game ceremonies.
Even better, the Giants players on the Jumbotron have been “Metallica-ized”.
Dont’t forget tonight’s starter Barry Zito getting to have a jam session with the metal legends.
Things could get awkward though if “Enter Sandman” is played and Mariano Rivera doesn’t appear.
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Julio Borbon Won’t Be Winning an Oscar Anytime Soon
Cubs outfielder Julio Borbon will do anything to get on base it seems. Even try and make it look like he got hit on the foot even though the ball hit the dirt a good foot away. Can’t fault a guy for trying, but that’s the worst acting I’ve seen since Gigli.
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
The 2013 Way Too Early MLB Awards
It’s May Day! Meaning the first month of the MLB season is in the books, also meaning it’s time for the monthly awards rankings. Last year, I finished by picking four of six awards correctly, missing out on NL Rookie of the Year (I still think Wade Miley should’ve won) and AL MVP (ditto Mike Trout). Here’s who I think is in line for some hardware after April.
American League Rookie of the Year
Silver Medal: Nick Tepesch, Texas Rangers
Normally, we do a top three with a bronze medal, but the American League rookie crop is so poor right now that you’re only getting two. Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Aaron Hicks both had promise coming into the year and underwhelmed. Wil Myers or Dan Straily should hurry up and get called up and take the award you’re supposed to win. Tepesch has been solid for the Rangers going 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA and an inpressive 14:3 K:BB ratio.
Gold Medal: Justin Grimm, Texas Rangers
Unfortuately for Tepesch, his teammate has been slightly better for now. Grimm is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and a 15:4 K:BB ratio that’s been impressive in place of Matt Harrison. There’s still plenty of time for someone to step up and become the frontrunner for this award.
In the Running: Stephen Pryor, Seattle Mariners
National League Rookie of the Year
Bronze Medal: Jim Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers
Unlike the American League, there is a plethora of rookie candidates in the NL that had a great start to the season. Jim Henderson has wrestled away the closer’s role in Milwaukee from John Axford and isn’t giving it back. He’s six for six in save chances, with a sparkling 0.75 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12 innings.
Silver Medal: Evan Gattis, Atlanta Braves
It’s clear that Gattis has been the best rookie hitter in the Majors leading all MLB rookies with six home runs and 16 RBI. He’s journey back to baseball has been nothing short of remarkable. Can he keep it up though is the main question. Especially with Brian McCann returning from injury, there might not be a daily spot in the Braves lineup for El Oso Blanco.
Gold Medal: Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals
If Tony Cingrani of the Reds had been called up for one more start this month, he might be in the top spot. For now, I’m giving the edge to Shelby Miller who’s been everything Cardinals fans hoped he would be in place of Chris Carpenter. Miller is 3-2 with a 2.05 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 30.2 IP this season.
In the Running: Tony Cingrani, Cincinnati Reds, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Los Angeles Dodgers, and A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks
American League Cy Young
Bronze Medal: Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners
My love for Hisashi Iwakuma has been strong from the preseason. Iwakuma is only 2-1, but has 1.67 ERA and leads MLB in WHIP at 0.69. He’s also become more in command of his pitches with a fantastic 7.4 K:BB ratio. The Mariners have a formidable 1-2 punch now with Iwakuma and Felix Hernandez. All due respect to Yu Darvish, who leads the American League in strikeouts, I have a feeling he’ll crack the top three at some point this season.
Silver Medal: Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays
It’s a close call for the top spot and Matt Moore gets the short end of it for now. He’s given the Rays rotation a great boost as defending Cy Young winner David Price has been a little bit of a disappointment thus far. Moore leads the American League in wins, ERA, and hits/9 innings, but his inability to work deep into games keeps him in the silver spot.
Gold Medal: Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox
It’s really splitting hairs between Buchholz and Moore, but I’m going to give the razor-thin edge to the Red Sox starter. Both pitchers are 5-0, Buchholz has slightly worse ERA and WHIP, but has gone deeper into games for Boston. Buchholz also has the advantage over Matt Moore in WAR and is tops in the AL in that stat.
In the Running: Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez, Detroit Tigers, Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers, Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners, and Hiroki Kuroda, New York Yankees
National League Cy Young
Bronze Medal: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
Kershaw or Verlander? Who’s the best pitcher in all of MLB? That’s a debate for another day, but right now based on the stats, Kershaw has been 3rd best in the National League. The Dodgers ace finished the opening month with a 1.71 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and is tied for 2nd in the National League in strikeouts.
Silver Medal: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
Wainwright looks fully back from Tommy John surgery and better than ever. His streak of not walking a batter to start the season reached epic proportions and leads the league in K:BB, wins, and innings pitched. He sports a beautiful 2.03 ERA and 0.99 WHIP and hasn’t given up a home run yet this season. Let me repeat, HE LEADS THE LEAGUE IN BATTERS FACED AND HASN’T GIVEN UP A HOME RUN TO ANY OF THEM. Amazing.
Gold Medal: Matt Harvey, New York Mets
Who would’ve thought that when the Mets traded 2012 NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, they would have another Cy Young contender this year? Harvey has been a revelation for the Metropolitans going 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA and a league-leading 0.81 WHIP. It’s a shame that he’s not eligible for Rookie of the Year, because he’d be leading that race as well.
In the Running: Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants, Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler, Washington Nationals, Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds, Jake Westbrook, St. Louis Cardinals, and Paul Maholm, Atlanta Braves
American League MVP
Bronze Medal: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
The defending AL MVP picked right up where he left off in 2012. The Triple Crown winner is hitting .363 and is tied for the lead in runs batted in with a player we’ll get to soon. Could there be back-to-back Triple Crowns in the works?
Silver Medal: Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
Probably the best player this season you haven’t heard anything about. Santana leads the American League in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, and offensive WAR. He’s blossomed into the AL’s Buster Posey so far this season, we’ll see if he can keep it up. If the Indians can make the playoffs with Santana performing at this level, he’ll be the MVP.
Gold Medal: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
He’s cooled slightly since his blistering start to the season, but “Crush” Davis leads the AL in home runs, runs batted in, total bases, and slugging. He’s even hitting .348 with a great .448 OBP. He’s one of the reasons the Orioles are proving 2012 wasn’t just a fluke. Let’s not forget his clutchness too!
In the Running: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees, Coco Crisp, Oakland Athletics, Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers, Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox, and Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers
National League MVP
Bronze Medal: Shin-Soo Choo, Cincinnati Reds
I may have made a mistake having Carlos Gonzalez over Choo on my preliminary All-Star Game ballot last week. Choo has been a fantastic pick-up for the Reds. He’s hitting .337 with a league-leading .477 OBP, that has paced the Cincinnati lineup. He’s also 4th in the NL in runs scored, OPS, and total bases. That was a great trade for the Reds so far.
Silver Medal: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
It’s entirely possible that Harper is about to repeat Mike Trout’s twenty year-old season (minus the stolen bases). He’s 3rd in the NL in offensive WAR and leads the league in OPS and OPS+. Harper also is hitting .344 and getting on base at a .430 clip, both top five in the league. It’s going to be beat into the ground that he’s doing this before he can legally drink, so get used to it.
Gold Medal: Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves
It’s pretty safe to say that Justin Upton enjoys playing with his brother B.J. The younger Upton has almost carried the Braves lineup leading the National League in home runs, slugging, runs scored, total bases, and offensive WAR, while hitting .298. If Upton can start to hit better with runners in scoring position, he could have one of the greatest seasons in Atlanta Braves history.
Who would win your awards after April? Let us know in the comments!
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Yankees Place Kevin Youkilis on DL
Another Yankees player goes down to injury. Kevin Youkilis who strangely enough has almost been the heart of the Yankees lineup this season, was placed on the 15-day DL with a back injury.
Corban Joseph here in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse; Kevin Youkilis placed on the 15-day DL
— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 30, 2013
Here’s an updated list of Yankees players on the disabled list.
Shortstop Derek Jeter
Third Baseman Alex Rodriguez
Center Fielder Curtis Granderson
First Baseman Mark Teixeira
First Baseman/Third Baseman Kevin Youkilis
Catcher Francisco Cervelli
Starting Pitcher Ivan Nova
Starting Pitcher Michael Pineda
That DL-lineup could probably contend in couple divisions in baseball. The Yankees are currently 15-10 this season, because anything can happen when you put on the pinstripes.
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Bryce Harper Loves the Wave
There’s been a long debate over the wave at baseball games since it’s inception in the 1980′s. Many seem it was fun when it first started and is still awesome to do when there’s a full crowd that makes it look good. It seems that the tide has turned on the wave and true baseball fans want to just enjoy the game without fans standing up in front of them repeatedly. After this column from Dan Steinberg from the DC Sports Bog, Nationals superstar is the next to weigh in and wants the wave to stay, especially at Nationals Park.
Nats fans keep doing the wave, it’s a beautiful thing! Keep the wave in Nats park! #baseball #keepthewave
— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) April 30, 2013
And followed it up with the backing of teammate Jayson Werth.
JW just said “Nothing cooler than seeing a packed house do the wave” #Nats — Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) April 30, 2013
All-star shortstop is also in on Nationals fans continuing to do the wave during games.
Wave on DC, wave on.
— Ian Desmond (@IanDesmond20) April 30, 2013
Nationals relief pitcher Ryan Mattheus also weighed in on the controversy.
As a player I could care less if people do the wave. And I think it is ridiculous if fans are being ejected for doing the wave.
— Ryan Mattheus (@RyanMattheus) April 30, 2013
What are your thoughts on the wave? Should it stay or should fans be paying more attention to what’s on the field than in the stands? Let us know in the comments!
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Chowin’ Down: Citi Field’s BLT Dog and Garlic Fries
“Chowin’ Down” is back for another season, where we bring you the best in ballpark bites! I’ve long been a connoisseur of garlic fries and finally got to try Citi’s Field’s offering. Straight way in center field is Box Frites where they have specialty hot dogs and garlic fries that come with a variety of dipping sauces.
I grabbed a BLT dog, but I held the mayo (sorry, not a fan). The garlic fries were pretty good, but don’t compare to Yankee Stadium or AT&T Park’s versions. The prices weren’t too bad at $6.25 for the BLT dog, but I would’ve liked more than one slice of bacon. Garlic fries prices were $6.50 for a small and $8.25 for a large. For my money, I’ll stick with the Gilroy garlic fries in San Francisco…..for now.
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
The Why am I Filling Out All-Stars on April 24th? Ballot
The 2013 MLB All-Star Game is 83 days away, but never fear you can start voting for your favorite players today here. You get 25 votes that gets bumped up to 35 if you log in with your MLB.com account. Of course there are still paper ballots that can be found at every stadium and the MLB Fan Cave for you to fill out. While I don’t fill out mine until I get a better grasp of who deserves it (like that ends up mattering) here’s what my ballot would look like on April 24th.
First Base
American League: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles Davis is off to a hot start for Baltimore. He’s hitting .382 with an AL-leading 7 home runs coming into the games on the 24th. Mike Napoli and Prince Fielder have cases and Napoli would be my pick if he was on the ballot at catcher, not first base. (Runner-up: Prince Fielder, Tigers)
National League: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds The power numbers aren’t there, but Votto-matic is automatic at getting on base leading the league with 26 walks so far and a crazy .485 OBP. The next highest walk total is 16 by David Wright. (Runner-up Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers)
Second Base
American League: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees I can make a case that Robinson Cano is the MVP of the American League right now. Then you can make the case that it’s April 24th and that’s stupid. (Runner-up Ian Kinsler, Rangers)
National League: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds It must be nice for Phillips to just get to drive in OBP-machines Joey Votto and Shin-Soo Choo getting on base ahead of him all the time. He leads NL second baseman in RBI and is tied for the lead in home runs. Plus, he’s the best defender at the position in the league. (Runner-up Daniel Murphy, Mets)
Shortstop
American League: Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics Lowrie has been quite a coup for Billy Beane’s boys. Lowrie leads AL shortstops in runs, RBI, and batting average. (Runner-up: Jose Reyes, Blue Jays, I’m not joking either)
National League: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies Why have the Rockies been surprising in 2013? A healthy and hitting Troy Tulowitzki is a big part of it. He leads NL shortstops in home runs, RBI, and runs, while hitting .292. (Runner-up: Jean Segura, Milwaukee Brewers)
Third Base
American League: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers The defending AL MVP is off to a quiet start, but is still among the league leaders in hits and is best among AL third sackers in batting average. (Runner-up: Evan Longoria, Rays)
National League: David Wright, New York Mets I really wanted to have NL batting leader Chris Johnson here, but Wright has had the overall better start to the season, especially on the basepaths. There’s a lot of depth here right now with Todd Frazier, Pablo Sandoval, and Martin Prado off to solid starts. (Runner-up: Chris Johnson)
Catcher
American League: J.P. Arencibia, Toronto Blue Jays Napoli not being on the ballot at catcher is Arencibia’s gain for now. He leads the American League in home runs with eight after another one on Wednesday. He’s my least likely from here to be on my actual ballot in a couple months. (Runner-up: Carlos Santana, Indians)
National League: John Buck, New York Mets Let’s just sum up Buck’s start with this meme. (Runner-up: Evan Gattis, Braves, wait he’s not on the ballot?!?)
Outfield
American League: Coco Crisp, Oakland Athletics, Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox, and Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles These three have been the best all-around outfielders in the American League this season. It’s not my fault that they’re all center fielders. (Runners-up: Austin Jackson, Tigers and Alex Rios, White Sox)
National League: Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves, Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, and Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals There is a ton of depth at National League outfield right now. You could take the next four on my list and make a case they deserve it on to the squad. Justin Upton has been hands-down the best hitter in the game so far this season, it’s ridiculous that he’s still on pace for 90+ home runs. (Runners-up: Shin-Soo Choo, Reds, Dexter Fowler, Rockies, Ryan Braun, Brewers, and Andrew McCutchen, Pirates)
Designated Hitter
American League: Mark Reynolds, Cleveland Indians Reynolds has been a great find for Cleveland with seven home runs and 18 RBI, both are top ten in MLB right now. (Runner-up: Travis Hafner, New York Yankees)
Who would you have on your All-Star ballot on release day? Let us know in the comments!
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Jason Heyward has Emergency Appendectomy
Not a fun Monday for Braves fans. First, their teams game gets snowed out in Denver. Then early-Tuesday morning news that star outfielder Jason Heyward had an appendectomy tonight.
OF Jason Heyward underwent successful appendectomy surgery Monday night (April 22). Procedure performed at Rose Medical Center in Denver.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 23, 2013
No word yet if the successful surgery will land Heyward on the disabled list, but Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday had the surgery in 2011 after his Opening Day game on April 1st and was back in the St. Louis lineup on April 10th. Holliday spent no time on the DL. The typical recovery time is in the 2-3 week range. The Braves could save a roster move by giving Heyward a full 15 days off, with first baseman Freddie Freeman returning to the lineup for the doubleheader on Tuesday. A DL stint would keep Heyward out past the Braves next series with division rivals the Nationals and Mets. He would be likely to return for a 10-game road trip at Cincinnati, San Francisco, and Arizona.
UPDATE: Jason Heyward has been put on the 15-day DL and the Braves recalled Tyler Pastornicky.
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
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