If you don’t agree with a pick here and there, that’s OK; half of the authorship probably doesn’t either. As always, we welcome your comments at info@baseballprospectus.com. Catcher Starter: Javier Lopez (Atlanta) Reserves: Jason Kendall (Pittsburgh), Mike Piazza (NY Mets) The real shock here is that Piazza isn’t the starter, but the sad fact is…
Oakland Athletics: Acquired OF Bip Roberts from the Detroit Tigers for a PTBNL. I have a great deal of respect for Billy Beane. He’s a competent, confident young executive who has an idea of his goals for the A’s, and he’s got a plan attain those goals. But everybody has a bad day. To say…
Here’s a look at a couple of prospects who have been turning heads with their solid play over the last month. Gabe Alvarez, 3B Bats R Born 1974 Age 24 Year Team Lge AB H DB TP HR BB R RBI SB CS Out BA OBA SA EQA 1995 R Cucmng Cal 208 60 9…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed RHP Erik Hanson to a minor-league contract. [6/25] An insurance move, since the Angels have gambled and lost on Jack McDowell and William VanLandingham. Keep in mind it isn’t a good insurance move, since Hanson may well be done himself. If they’re desperate, calling up Rich Robertson would be a better idea….
ATLANTA BRAVES Optioned pitcher Mark Wohlers to Gulf Coast League Braves (Rookie League). [6/20] Wohlers requested this demotion so he could straighten out his mechanics; although he’s limited batters to a .217 average, he’s walked 18 in 16 innings after walking 38 in 69.1 innings last year and 21 in 77.1 innings in 1996. Kerry…
THE ALL-STAR GAME "I’ve always said that people get voted into the All-Star Game who probably don’t deserve to be there … and it looks like that’s going to happen to me this year." — Larry Walker, Rockies outfielder "If you ask some ballplayers around the game, they’d love to have those days off instead….
Scattershooting around the Oriole organization, plus an old favorite. Joel Bennett, SP Born 1970 Age 28 Year Team Lge IP H ER HR BB K ERA W L H/9 HR/9 BB/9 K/9 1994 New Brit Eas 119.3 162 80 11 63 92 6.03 4 9 12.22 0.83 4.75 6.94 1994 Pawtuckt Int 21.0 23 16…
The topic of pitcher abuse is one we follow closely here at Baseball Prospectus. The injury rate of pitchers, in particular young pitchers, is astonishing. Pitchers are several times more likely to get injured than hitters, and for every prospect that becomes a successful major league pitcher, a dozen more have their careers stalled or…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Placed RHP Ken Hill on the 15-day DL (elbow – bone spurs); purchased the contract of C Ben Molina from Midland (AA). [6/12] Purchased the contract of RHP Steve Sparks from Vancouver; optioned C Ben Molina to Midland (AA); outrighted 2B Carlos Garcia to Vancouver. [6/15] The chicanery involved was getting a backup…
WINNING "It’s no fun losing day in and day out, and that’s what has been happening here. More so than retiring a Red, I want to win a championship." — Barry Larkin, Reds infielder "Why should I be happy here? They screwed me on my contract the last three years. They took a team with…
Today, we take a quick glimpse into the Oakland A’s farm system at two more gems from Billy Beane’s Amazing Offense Factory, and that rarest of creatures, the A’s pitching prospect. Bring your cameras. Eric Chavez, 3B Born 1978 Age 20 Year Team Lge AB H DB TP HR BB R RBI SB CS Out…
Many baseball observers expected an offensive explosion this year as a result of expansion. It has been true in the past that expansion years have coincided with seasons that have featured significant increases in overall offensive levels. These increases have been “explained” as the result of the weak pitching expansion brings into the major leagues….
BALTIMORE ORIOLES Acquired RHP Pete Smith from San Diego for RHP Eric Estes; designated RHP Richie Lewis for assignment. [6/9] When he’s going good, Pete Smith has a lot in common with Scott Kamieniecki: adequacy. He’ll enter to Orioles rotation, moving Sid Ponson back to the bullpen. That still won’t be enough to really shore…
Two months is a brief piece of a baseball season to be basing sweeping pronouncements on, yet I’ll step in front of the gale and do it. One of the strangest things I noted in setting this up, looking for the ten best teams, is how exactly ten teams have seperated themselves from the general…
Top Ten Teams 1. Atlanta Braves: All this, without particularly sterling performances from Andruw Jones or John Smoltz. Wow. 2. New York Yankees: Depth, walks, power, a nasty bullpen, and rotation. This is what the Baltimore Orioles had in mind — they just did it with old, bad players. 3. Houston Astros: Rotation depth is…
Top Ten Teams 1. NY Yankees: they’re strong enough to survive injuries almost anywhere in the lineup or on the pitching staff and still not suffer a noticeable dropoff. 2. Atlanta: the key hitters are all young and can get better (I don’t consider the Big Cat key, whatever the last two months say), while…