Mets vs. Yankees; Dickey vs. Sabathia

By: Mike Wagenman

Sunday night baseball.  Citi Field.  Mets vs. Yankees.  An important game for both teams, and a great pitching matchup for the fans.  Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s starting pitchers.

One starter has a 9-3 record, a 3.55 ERA, and 102 strikeouts, while the other has an 11-1 record, a 2.00 ERA, and 103 strikeouts.  The names attached to these statistics are CC Sabathia and R.A. Dickey, but who would have guessed the second cluster of numbers would be owned by Dickey?

So far in 2012, R.A. Dickey has been spectacular.  Some may even say he has been the best pitcher in major league baseball and deserves to start for the National League in the All-Star Game.  And why not?  He has the stats and consistency to back up the hype.  In fact, Dickey is one of five pitchers in baseball history to have 11 wins, an ERA of 2.00 or below, and a K/IP of 1.03 or better in his first 14 starts.  He is the first pitcher in 24 years to throw back to back one-hitters, and he currently owns a 42 2/3 scoreless inning streak coming into tonight’s bout with the cross-town rival Yankees.  Believe it or not, Dickey is just seven strikeouts behind Washington’s Stephen Strasburg for the MLB’s pitching triple crown.  “R.A.-dick-ulous” has a chance to prove himself as the real deal tonight against one of the strongest lineups in baseball and against one of the most proven aces in the past few seasons, CC Sabathia.

While Dickey has been nothing short of amazing in Queens, Sabathia has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride in the Bronx.  A 9-3 record may seem nice, but a 3.55 ERA from a number one starter is not so glamorous.  CC is coming off a complete game, two-earned-run win over the Braves, and is looking to carry that momentum into Citi Field tonight.  The Mets lineup isn’t exactly filled with the best hitters in the league, but it is a formidable one that has done just enough to win close ballgames all season long.  Sabathia needs to limit his mistakes early, and especially needs to lower the number of hits he gives up with less than two outs.  Those two points seem obvious, but also have proven to be the key downfalls of his poor outings.

To a casual fan of the game and on paper, the Yankees seem to be the favorites tonight.  That monster lineup, CC Sabathia on the hill, and a solid bullpen going up against an average Mets lineup and R.A. Dickey.  Not so fast, though.  R.A. Dickey and his hot streak may be too much for the Yankees to handle, especially at home where the fans have loved rallying behind the knuckleballer all season long and especially when the Yankees have been notorious for struggling against pitchers they are facing for the first time in a long time.  Sabathia has a 4.58 ERA on the road while Dickey is undefeated with a 1.20 ERA at home.  Factor in the return of shortstop Ruben Tejada (.305 AVG, .362 OBP) and reliever Ramon Ramirez for the Mets, and it sure looks as though the boys from Queens have the advantage. 

Tune in to ESPN at 8:00 PM as the Mets try to win part two of the 2012 Subway Series and as the Yankees look to win five of six over the Mets on the year.

MLB Trade Deadline Recap

By: Mike Wagenman

After weeks of MLB trade talk, the trading deadline has come and gone, and like every July 31^st, nothing turns out as expected. Many players who were expected to be dealt, were not; ex. Heath Bell, Wandy Rodriguez, Hiroki Kuroda. But, some teams surprised the baseball world and made unexpected moves to improve their club or their farm system. The trading deadline always creates winners and losers, and this year was no different. Although moves can still be made via the waiver wire, this article will take a deeper look into the biggest winners at the deadline, plus trades that benefitted both parties. Note: I am not a huge proponent of making teams who acquired many prospects as “winners” because very few top prospects actually pan out into what they are expected to become. Please check out MLB.com's 2011 Trade Deadline Tracker for all of the trades that occurred in the past few days, as not all will be listed in this article.

WINNERS (in no specific order):

Pittsburgh Pirates – The Buccos did exactly what they needed to do at the deadline to go from a nice turnaround story, into a legitimate playoff contender. Their division foes (St. Louis and Milwaukee) made a few small moves to fill voids, prompting the Pirates to make two big moves. They acquired first baseman Derrek Lee from the Orioles, and although he is 35 years old and is only hitting .246 with 12 home runs, 41 RBI and a .302 OBP, he provides an experienced veteran presence in the young Pirates locker room. Lee has been in many playoff races with the Cubs, and won a World Series with the Marlins. His bat is also an upgrade over Lyle Overbay, who is hitting .228 and provides little protection or pop in the middle of the lineup. Next, the Pirates went out and snagged outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the Padres. He is another veteran presence to help in the locker room and in the middle of the lineup. One final note about these two players, they both have years of experience in the NL Central, and are familiar with NL Central pitching and playing style.

Texas Rangers – The Rangers addressed their only glaring hole before the deadline; their bullpen. They snagged two of the best relief pitchers on the market. First, they traded first baseman Chris Davis, who strikes out far too many times and did not really see much playing time behind Michael Young and Mitch Moreland in Texas, and starting pitcher Tommy Hunter to Baltimore for Koji Uehara. The righty has a 1.69 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP, and could become the closer if Neftali Feliz continues to sputter. Next, the Rangers sent prospects to San Diego for reliever Mike Adams. Adams, another righty, has a near spotless 1.13 ERA and averages 9.2 K/9. These two lethal arms in the Texas 'pen seem to be the lockdown pair the Rangers were looking for.

Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies yet again tapped into their Texas pipeline for some stretch run reinforcements at the trading deadline. First Brad Lidge, then Roy Oswalt, and now Hunter Pence. The Astros shipped their All-Star right fielder to Philadelphia for four prospects, including the Phillies top two prospects. With Pence, the Phillies get a bat to protect Ryan Howard in the five-slot, and a hustle machine who can steal bases and play a hard-nosed right field. He is hitting .306 with 11 home runs and 63 RBI so far this season. Pence is a manager's dream because he gives maximum effort on every play, and for the Phillies, this filled a big void. They have the starting pitching, and maybe not the bullpen, but Lee and Halladay go deep into games. They have the left-handed power. They have speed. They have youth. And they have veteran experience. All they needed was a right handed bat, and they got one. Pence solves future problems in Philly as well, because Domonic Brown can slide back into left field once Raul Ibanez's time is up with the Phils, and Pence can stay in right field.

Cleveland Indians – I was a bit reluctant to put the Indians up here, but acquiring two former All-Stars is a win. They gave up some prospects, especially in their monster package to the Rockies, but they got back an ace to pitch along side Fausto Carmona and Justin Masterson. However, the acquisition of Ubaldo Jimenez does not help the fact that the Indians cannot hit. Sure, he does ensure that the other team probably won't score much, but the Indians needed a bat. Ubaldo is a solid starter, and in acquiring Kosuke Fukudome, the Tribe gets a solid outfielder and a decent bat as well. Once Shin-Soo Choo returns, these trades by Cleveland will begin to make more sense.

Detroit Tigers – This is one of my big sleeper winners. Who is David Pauley and who is Doug Fister? Young pitchers, that's who they are. Pauley will pitch out of the bullpen in Detroit, and everyone loves bullpen help. But the big acquisition here is Fister. He is a young talent who got absolutely no run support in Seattle (surprise, surprise), but pitched to a 3.33 ERA with 89 strikeouts. Fister is a Jered Weaver prototype because he steps right at the batter, but delivers from a strange side angle. He is quick to the plate, his stuff is great, and he is fearless. The Tigers desperately needed a pitcher behind Justin Verlander, and they got a good one for the future.

Atlanta Braves – The Braves addressed a big need at the deadline. They matched the Phillies and traded for a Houston outfielder. Atlanta received speed demon Michael Bourn, who is hitting .303 with 39 stolen bases. He will be an instant igniter at the top of the Braves lineup, and dramatically improves their playoff chances. Speed doesn't go into slumps, and with the power bats in Atlanta's lineup, Bourn may find himself scoring an unprecedented amount of runs.

SMALL, BUT HELPFUL DEALS:

Boston Red Sox – The Red Sox quitely snatched up lefty Erik Bedard from Seattle along with infielder Josh Fields. Although they shipped out prospects, none of them really fit into their future plans. Bedard will help fill holes in the rotation from injuries. More importantly, he was a Yankee killer in his last season in Baltimore, when he went 3-0 against the Bombers, and has pitched better in each start since his knee injury. The Red Sox also traded for Kansas City infielder Mike Aviles.

Arizona Diamondbacks – The D-Backs are quietly having a solid season. They traded for Jason Marquis to help Ian Kennedy in the rotation, giving them a better chance to push for a playoff spot. Marquis is always a solid pitcher, and had a 3.95 ERA in Washington this year. Arizona also acquired reliever Brad Zeigler from Oakland.

Toronto Blue Jays – Obviously wanting to get stronger so they can compete in the AL East, the Jays got the hard to coach, but extremely talented center fielder Colby Rasmus from St. Louis. Rasmus plays a great defensive center field, can hit for average and some power, and can steal bases. If he matures a bit, he can be a great player for the Jays.

EVEN TRADES:

New York Mets & San Francisco Giants – Earlier in the week, the Mets shipped off right fielder Carlos Beltran to the Giants and got young righty Zack Wheeler in return. The Giants get Beltran as basically a rental player, unless he wants to sign back in the offseason. In addition, he is a much needed switch hitting bat in the middle of the lineup, and his stats while playing in New York this year already are tops in San Francisco. Finally, the Giants do not have to pay Beltran much, because the Mets have to pay much of the rest of his contract for the season. He will be a key piece in the Giants trying to repeat as champions. Some experts say the Giants gave up too good of a pitching prospect in Zack Wheeler, but their pitching is young and talent as it is, and trading for hitting was necessary. As for the Mets, they opened the door for some of their young players to gain experience filling the right field void with Beltran gone. They knew he would not sign back with the team this offseason, so they wanted to get value for him. They succeeded as they got the 2009 6^th overall pick, Zack Wheeler. He is only 21 years of age, and he throws in the mid to upper 90s with his fastball. A potential top of the rotation pitcher, Wheeler will spend the next couple of years in the Mets farm system trying to lower his walk total and mature.

Los Angeles Dodgers & St. Louis Cardinals – The Cardinals got a top of the lineup hitter from the Dodgers in Rafael Furcal. Furcal has playoff experience with the Braves and is the speedster the Cardinals needed to ignite to offense. He is also a solid fielder at the shortstop position. The Dodgers get a win from this trade as well, because they can promote top prospect Dee Gordon back to the majors. The young shortstop, and son of former relief pitcher Tom Gordon, spent 22 games in the big leagues already this season where he stole nine bases. Gordon is only going to improve, and the Dodgers effectively opened up a spot for him in their every day lineup.

New Beasts of the East

By: Mike Wagenman

The consensus around the MLB over the past few years is that the American League East is the strongest division in baseball. And why not? They have had three different teams reach the World Series (Red Sox, Rays, Yankees), two different teams win the World Series (Red Sox, Yankees), and three different teams finish in first place (Red Sox, Rays, Yankees) since 2007. That is strong, hard-nosed, bitter inter-division competition. That competition has only been found in one place recently, the AL East. Granted, other divisions have had heated races, such as the AL Central competition between Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota. But, it is nothing like the AL East, where the Yanks, Sox, and Rays always seem to be not only three of the best teams in their division or league, but in baseball as well.

However, it is beginning to seem like their may be a power shift in baseball approaching. The American League East may have some upcoming competition from another division on their side of the map for the title of strongest division in baseball, the National League East.

For the five teams in the NL East, the future is looking bright, and the sky is the limit. Obviously, the Philadelphia Phillies are the powerhouse, and do not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. The Phils have won one of the last three World Series, 2 of the past 3 NL pennants, and all of the last 3 NL East Titles. With one of the best pitching staffs ever assembled, the Phillies are destined for greatness this season. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are two proven aces who are both in their prime, even though they are both over the age of 30. Cole Hamels has pitched like the ace that Philadelphia had hoped he would be, and he is still young and getting even better. The fact that Roy Oswalt is much less effective and much more banged up than he was in his Houston days opened the door for Vance Worley to step up, and he has pitched to a 7-1 record with a 2.02 ERA at the age of 23. That four-man rotation seems nearly unbeatable, and could be unbeatable for the next few years. Also, the Phillies top prospect Domonic Brown has become the full-time right fielder, and although some of the Phillies position players are a bit older, their farm system is surprisingly strong, so many players are prepared to step in. Incredible pitching, veteran leadership, and solid prospects will keep the Phillies in the hunt for the NL East title for years to come.

The Atlanta Braves are another NL East team that is producing right here and now. They, like the Phillies, have an incredible pitching staff. The Braves also have an advantage that most teams cannot seem to perfect; a lockdown bullpen. Closer Craig Kimbrel has already set the Braves rookie record in saves with 30 and made the NL All-Star squad, all at the age of 23. Eric O'Flaherty has a 0.92 ERA in 48.2 innings as a 26 year old, and fellow 26 year old Jonny Venters has a 1.30 ERA and an All-Star selection. The youth and effectiveness of the Braves bullpen, plus Cy Young candidate Jair Jurrjens and starter Tommy Hanson will keep the Braves in contention for the NL East crown for a long time to come. Also, rookie first baseman Freddie Freeman and second year right fielder Jason Heyward will help the league's best catcher in Brian McCann and power hitting second baseman Dan Uggla anchor the lineup for the future.

The New York Mets are often the laughingstock of baseball because of their high payroll and lack of success, but that is about to change. The Mets just unloaded Carlos Beltran to the Giants and got back their top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, who, if he gets his control down pat, has the potential to be a true ace. His mid-to-upper 90s fastball got him drafted 6^th overall out of high school in 2009 by the Giants, so he is still very young. The Mets already have young pitchers in the big leagues getting better by the start. Dillon Gee started this season winning his first seven decisions, plus Jonathon Niese and Mike Pelfrey have plus-stuff and big league experience. The Mets youngsters in the bullpen also bode well for them moving forward. Pedro Beato started his career with 18.2 consecutive scoreless innings, and flame throwing Bobby Parnell is the developing closer. Plus, Johan Santana is rehabbing and is a proven ace. The fact that the Mets position players usually get injured actually helps them in this scenario. In a year that they have little chance to make the playoffs, many young talents have emerged as staples in their lineup. Justin Turner came from nowhere and is now the second baseman of the future, Ruben Tejada defied his critics and proved that at the young age of 21, he is ready for the big stage, and Josh Thole, Lucas Duda, and Jason Pridie, although not putting up eye-popping stats, have been solid fill-ins and have collected valuable experience in the majors. They could become key role players in years to come for New York. Also, don't forget Fernando Martinez is still in the minors, and Ike Davis and David Wright will be healthy next season. Add all of that with Jose Reyes' electrifying play (if the Mets can keep him), and you have a force to be reckoned with in the National League.

The Florida Marlins are always exciting. They have tons and tons of young, talented players that light it up year after year. However, the fact that some high schools draw more fans than the Marlins often causes them to trade away their stars for prospects, because they cannot afford them. In 2012, this problem may be solved. The Marlins are moving into a new, beautiful, state-of-the-art stadium in Miami which is sure to draw much more fans than their current ballpark. This will generate revenue, and will allow the Marlins to re-sign and lock up their stars for the future. Mike Stanton, Logan Morrison, Hanley Ramirez, Gaby Sanchez; the list can go on and on. These players are middle-of-the-lineup caliber players who the Fish must keep around for the future. Think about it, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis, Derek Lee, Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Dan Uggla, Ivan Rodriguez, Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett, Carl Pavano, Andrew Miller, Brad Penny, Mike Lowell; that list can go on and on as well. Those are just some of the players that played for Florida in their prime or younger years that the team just could not hold on to because of financial reasons. The Marlins current pitching staff is young and effective, with Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad, and Ricky Nolasco as starters and Leo Nunez closing out games. If the Marlins can pay their players and keep them around, they may be able to win themselves a third World Championship.

The Washington Nationals, the usual bottomfeeders of the NL East, have an exciting future ahead of them. Ryan Zimmerman is the face of the franchise, and soon enough, he will have a supporting cast. Danny Espinosa and Ian Desmond are two young middle infielders who are producing at the big league level already. Couple that with the world's top prospect Bryce Harper, who is slated to arrive in the MLB sometime in 2012. Wil Ramos is a young, stud catcher who is learning from Pudge Rodriguez, and Jayson Werth will be the power bat in the middle of the lineup for the next seven years. Pitching has been a bit suspect, although reliever Tyler Clippard was an All-Star and closer Drew Storen is young and lethal. But, 2009 top pick Stephen Strasburg will be back to lead the rotation next year with his blazing heat and knee-buckling curveball. If Jason Marquis sticks around and John Lannan pitches to his ability, the Nationals may be a young team who will rapidly improve.

MLB Surprises

Top 5 surprises of the 1^st half of the MLB Season

By: Corey Donetz

5: Jose Reyes; .354 AVG (1^st) , 124 hits (1^st), 22 doubles, 15 triples (1^st), 32 RBI, 30 stolen bases (2^nd).

Reyes couldn’t have picked a better time to have an MVP type season. In a contract year, Reyes leads the Major Leagues in batting average, triples, and hits, while ranking second in stolen bases and third in runs scored. Reyes has led the Mets to an above .500 record, and is widely regarded as the best/most exciting player in the league this year. Good play from Reyes isn’t a surprise, but not many could’ve predicted these types of numbers from Reyes.

4: Josh Beckett; 7-3, 106 IP, 2.12 ERA (2^nd), 0.906 WHIP (2^nd), 91 K’s.

If I were to tell you Beckett would have the 2^nd best ERA on his own team before the season started, you probably wouldn’t have believed me, let alone have the 2^nd best ERA in the American League. Beckett has allowed just 5.5 hits per nine, which ranks best in the American League.  He has been the constant for the shaky Boston rotation so far. Beckett’s play has kept the Red Sox within striking distance of the New York Yankees for 1^st place in the A.L. East, and to lead the Wild Card race. He was named to the 2011 All-Star team for his play. Beckett has relied heavily on his 2-seam fastball, which has been a key to the strikeout totals, and limiting base runners, allowing less than one per inning (0.906 WHIP). Staying healthy will be key for Beckett as the season continues following the all-star break.

3: Freddy Garcia/Bartolo Colon;

Garcia: 7-6, 92 IP, 3.13 ERA, 1.271 WHIP, 57 K’s.

Colon: 6-3, 84.1 IP, 2.88 ERA, 1.055 WHIP, 78 K’s.

Coming into the season one of the biggest question marks for the New York Yankees was the back end of their rotation. Colon and Garcia have combined to go 13-9, with more consistency than anyone could’ve imagined. The two pitchers have found the fountain of youth and have given the Yankees a solidified rotation behind ace C.C. Sabathia leading them to a first place record. Aside from a short D.L stint from Colon, the two have stayed healthy for the most part, which is another added surprise to Yankees fans. If Colon and Garcia can keep this up, along with stellar play the Yankees have gotten around the diamond, a 1^st place finish seems pretty evident for New York.

2: Cleveland Indians; 1^st Place, 45-39, 25-15 (Home), 20-24 (Road).

The Tribe has led the A.L. Central for essentially the entire season thus far, and has succeeded greatly and appears to be a playoff contender during a time when many thought the team would be rebuilding. Cleveland’s offense is anchored by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and the resurgence of DH Travis Hafner. Cabrera is hitting .292 and leads the team with 14 homeruns, 49 RBI, 100 hits, 22 doubles, three triples, and 12 stolen bases. The MVP caliber season led to Cabrera being named to the A.L All-Star team. Cleveland’s bullpen has been a pleasant surprise as well; led by closer Chris Perez who is 20 for 21 in save opportunities posting an impressive 2.30 ERA. Josh Tomlin leads the tribe with ten wins, while Justin Masterson has a 2.85 ERA, going 6-6 through season’s 1^st half. Cleveland has a slim lead over Detroit in the A.L Central, it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up after the all-star break and close out the division as the season winds down.

1: Pittsburgh Pirates; 2^nd Place, 45-41, 21-20 (Home), 24-21 (Road).

The Pirates are led by a plethora of young talent, with the spotlight on centerfielder Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen has a .291 average, 12 homeruns, 46 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. He leads the team in average, homeruns, runs scored, stolen bases, and is second in RBI. Perhaps the biggest surprise within the Pirates has been their pitching as a whole. All-Star closer Joel Hanrahan has gone 25 for 25 in save opportunities, posting an incredible 0.93 ERA. Jeff Karstens has gone 7-4 with a 2.55 ERA, while Kevin Correia and Charlie Morton have won 11 and 7 games, respectively. Pittsburgh is 45-41, just 1.5 games behind the Cardinals for 1^st place. It’s been quite some time since the Pirates were relevant, and with the N.L Central still wide open, they have a chance at winning the division if their young players can keep winning. The second half story for the Pirates will be if their pitching can remain as consistent as it was in the first half of the season.