Half way mark: 1st half MVPs

I haven't been able to keep up with this blog as much as I would have liked but with good effort, I will be able to put my thoughts in a concise form instead of spread around Twitter (@StevenPhilNYY). As crazy as it may seem, the MLB season is half way over. 81 games have been completed and a lot has been settled in this 3 1/2 months. The best part about this unique 2012 season is that it is the first time in the history of baseball that we will have two wild card races to look after. This means that a handful of teams that were dead by July, are alive and well. Baseball purists who still stand by the old way of doing things are not properly weighing out the benefits of adding just one more playoff spot. I have been for this move by Bud Selig and I stand completely by my opinion that it is great for the game.

This post will not be long winded but I wanted to take the time to give you some of my thoughts about the first half MVPs in baseball.

So without further stalling, I will dive into the complicated world of the American League.

Standing atop of the AL with the best record in all of baseball is the familiar Yankees. They are doing it in ways we are quite used to seeing it. They win by smashing the ball into smithereens but this team is different. They are overcoming adversity and winning despite their injuries. They have overcome the storm and come out stronger. If the unlikely pieces like Ibanez, Wise,  and Jones continue to produce at a high level paired with the Yankees strong pitching, they will be hard to beat.

The American MVP race is a tough choice and will be a really hard decision at the end of the year for the powers that be. It has been a discussion that will live on around barbecues and in swimming pools. Can a player that missed the first month of the season, come through and win the MVP? Yes, I am talking about Mike Trout. To me, this is a two player race. Obviously Josh Hamilton continues his torrid pace despite recent injury stints but Mike Trout has literally altered the fate of a faltering Angels squad. It has not been a coincidence that the Halos turned around after Trout sped onto the scene. His projected numbers based on this pace are MVP caliber especially when taking the Angels early struggles and recent success into account based on his arrival in Anaheim. The 2nd half will need to be huge for this young man, but if you watch him on a weekly basis, you see a player that is only going to get better. Trout just gets it. He gets my first half MVP.


Moving onto the National League, the MVP will continue to be a 5 horse race all through the summer and early fall. To me, it is between Joey Votto, Matt Kemp,  David Wright Melky Cabrera and Andrew McCutchen. If Kemp didn't fall victim to injury woes this would be no question. He was on his way to becoming the Michael Jordan of baseball with so many epic moments in April. He quickly was grounded by injuries and others took the attention of the baseball world. Joey Votto continues to show the world he is the best 1B in all of the National League. He is expected to be in this discussion every year. David Wright has quietly taken over the Mets clubhouse with his play on the field. He was snubbed in the All Star Game but with a strong 2nd half, he could very well walk away with some MVP hardware. D-Wright, is for sure going to be someone the Mets need to lock up when the time comes. But for now, he will continue batting in the high .300s and leading a renaissance in Queens. Surprisingly, McCutchen and Cabrera are hanging with the big boys all year. It is another debate that will be ironed out at the end of the year but given the fates of all of the teams based on performance, I have to go with McCutchen. The first place Bucs come into the All Star Break surging, in first place for the first time since '97 this late in the year. They are a fun story and it would be not be possible without 'Cutch. Cutch is my first half MVP.


I fully expect to look back on this at the end of the year and be wrong. That is what I love about baseball, it is unpredictable. There very well may be a team or player that will surprise us all in the 2nd half. What we must not forget is that the 2nd half is just as long as the first. We need to take into consideration what was accomplished in the first 81 but the second set of 81 is JUST as important. Until next time...Thanks for reading

It's been a while (Top 3 Pitching Match Ups) 5/1/12

Alright so last time I was here, we were getting ready for the season. I wasn't able to tend to the blog as I had planned but I am back for good. April is too flimsy of a sample size to really make a big deal out of anything, anyway. With April in the rear view mirror, it's time to sort the pretenders from contenders. I'm going to try and do the pitching match ups previews on most days and tell you my top 3. Let's start May right!

Top 3 Daily Pitching Match Ups) 5/1/12

Courtesy of Newsday Sports.

On a Tuesday night that threatens a lot of East Coast games because of wide spread rain, there is a lack of what some would call premier pitching match ups. We have a full slate of National and American League games to choose from and here's what I came up with.

3.) Ricky Nolasco vs. Matt Cain (Miami @ San Francisco)
These two right handers come in with respectable ERAs. I've liked what I have seen from Cain lately, he has one complete game shut out under his belt trying to carry a rotation that was pulled down surprisingly by Tim Lincecum's poor start to the 2012 campaign. You have to imagine that this rotation will fix itself out by the middle of the summer and they will be in the thick of the playoff race especially with two Wild Cards up for grabs. They are too talented to falter. Ricky Nolasco has an ERA greater than 3 which is a whole run lower than his career average. That's good news for Miami but they have other issues to worry about like why they are throwing the ball around the yard and making errors left and right. Yikes.  Either way, this should be a solid match up with two offenses that are trying to figure out who they are exactly.

2) Trevor Cahill vs. Jordan Zimmermann (Arizona @Washington)
Jordan Zimmermann has been part of the reason that the Nats have gotten off to such a stellar start. A 1.33 ERA is something to be proud of and he is fitting right in with the likes of Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez. I believe that Jordan is the key to this rotation because if he can remain consistent and solid, the Nationals have one of the deeper, more dangerous rotations in the league. Can you imagine the Washington rotation in a 5 game playoff series? Lethal. Trevor Cahill is trying to rebound from his last start on 4/25 where he was hung with the loss after giving up 4 runs through 5.1 innings.

1) Cole Hamels vs Brandon Beachy (Philadelphia @ Atlanta)
Hamels is trying to pick up where he left off the last 3 starts. He has won 3 straight decisions since losing his first start. His last start against Arizona, he was superb going 8 strong striking out 7. While Cliff Lee is on the DL, the Phillies need to lean on Hamels more than usual especially with the injuries all over their line up offensively.  Brandon Beachy is really what makes this match up the best of the night. If you are not a Braves fan or just aren't paying attention to Beachy's great start, you may have missed the numbers he is recording. He is 2-1, the 1 loss a hard luck loss so ignore it. His ERA is a minuscule 1.05 but what is even more impressive is his WHIP. His WHIP is hanging around 0.95. He is striking out batters without the walks you worry about with young pitchers. His K/BB ratio is 20/7. Wow!

There you have it. My top picks for pitching match ups tonight. Good observation, if you noticed that all three are NL match ups. That's not being biased, it just so happens that a lot of the AL is tossing up middle or bottom of the rotation guys. So enjoy your time in the sun National League while the likes of King Felix, Sabathia and Verlander have the night off. If you have MLBTV or Extra Innings, you may be able to watch them like myself.

Side note: Matt Kemp is a beast. If you missed it, he clubbed his 12th home run in April alone! Always keep your eyes on the Dodgers. There are some exciting things happening in Los Angeles concerning baseball...unless your name is Albert Pujols.

Submit questions or topics you would like me to discuss on to my Twitter handle (@StevenPhilNYY)
Thanks for reading!

The Friars Club

Guest Blogger: @MattJHolder

2011 was a forgettable year for the San Diego Padres, they finished 23 games back of first place with a 71-91 record. 2012 will most likely end with the same results as 2011 because of the Padres’ lack super-stardom. 

The Padres pitching staff is missing a true ace after they dealt Mat Latos to the Reds for Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez and two other prospects. Volquez could be the ace for the Padres if he returns to his 2008 form when he was an All-Star. Clayton Richard is a consistent lefty who will win games. Tim Stauffer, Corey Luebke and Dustin Moseley finish out the not so intimidating starting rotation. That has to leave fans pessimistic about the season although PETCO Park will help this pitching staff.

The Padres’ bullpen will have new faces after Heath Bell took his talents to South Beach and Mike Adams was traded to the Rangers in 2011. The Padres acquired Huston Street from the Rockies. Street is an exciting acquisition because if healthy he could end up giving the Padres the same production Heath Bell provided. Luke Gregerson is the only reliever really worth talking about as he will be the 8th inning guy and had a 2.75 ERA last year. 

The Padres are going to be an interesting team offensively. They lack a superstar but have a top tier prospect in Yonder Alonso.  Alonso has the ability to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100. Alonso could develop in 2012 and become the superstar that the Padres need. The Padres acquired Carlos Quentin who will help solidify the middle of the order with Chase Headley. Cameron Maybin will play center field for the Friars. He is already entering his 6th year in the big leagues and is only 24 years old. Look for Maybin to blossom into a top 10 center fielder this year. The Padres are solid up the middle with the “O-Dog” Orlando Hudson and Jason Bartlett. Nick Hundley is a solid catcher and is proficient at calling a game.


The Padres are going to have a hard time winning games but we all know that in a crazy NL West, you can be last one year and first the next. San Diego will have fun seeing some young players perform and develop but I don’t expect them to finish above 3rd in the NL West .

The Rays' Magic

Guest Blogger: @MattJHolder

In 2011, The Rays had the magic to make it in to the playoffs on a walk off home run by Evan Longoria and the collapse of the Red Sox, which should have been discussed the same as the Mets collapses in 2007 and 2008, but that is a different article.  The Rays shocked a lot of the baseball world in 2011. Analysts said there is no way they can win. They lost Carl Crawford to the rival Sox and they traded away Matt Garza. They also lost Manny Ramirez who failed a drug test and decided to retire. The Rays won in 2011 with the leadership of veteran Johnny Damon and Casey Kotchman who hit .306 and defensively replaced Carlos Pena nicely. The main reason the Rays made a run in 2011 and won the wild card is because of their pitching staff.
The Rays have the best starting rotation in the American League. They have 5 pitchers who could be number one starters on almost every team in baseball. David Price and James Shields are the veterans of the staff who know how to win and have been in a World Series atmosphere. Matt Moore showed he was major league ready in the postseason when he tossed 7 scoreless innings and allowed only 2 hits to the offensive power house that is the Texas Rangers. Jeremy Hellickson was the AL Rookie of the Year and his future is brighter than anyone in baseball. Wade Davis is a solid five starter and maybe the dark horse of the rotation.

The bullpen is solid every year, they continue to lose arms and are able to pick up arms that deliver. Kyle Farnsworth shocked the baseball world with his consistency in the closer role. Look for J.P Howell to bounce back this year after having a rough 2011 campaign as he was coming back from shoulder surgery. Fernando Rodney is a solid 8th inning man and could close if Farnsworth struggles.

The lineup is a lineup that won’t scare anybody but they know how to get on base and will work counts. They do the small things such as when the Twins were at there best. They have rookie phenom Desmond Jennings who can out run almost anyone. He displayed power hitting 10 home runs in the second half of the year for the Rays. Evan Longoria is the best third baseman in baseball offensively. He can do everything and now with the acquisitions of Carlos Pena and Luke Scott it gives Longoria so much protection. With this new found protection he could be bound for an MVP type year. Is this the year where B.J Upton breaks out and shows that he consistently can be the player he was projected to be?

The Rays may have the best manager in baseball in Joe Maddon who has won 2 Manager of the Year awards in Tampa. His leadership will have the Rays in contention in 2012. They will also thrive with the help of their pitching staff and Evan Longoria in the middle of that lineup. The Trop will be rocking come September and possibly October.

Rock-Climbing the Standings?

One of the teams that comes into 2012 that I feel is a huge mystery on what to expect is the Colorado Rockies. Winners of only 73 games last year, they are flying way under the radar and rightfully so. They have made minor moves but no huge splashes. While other teams have done cannon balls into the pool, they waded in and testing the temperature of the water. They know that they have the core in place to win a World Series, they just need to surround them with the right complimentary pieces. If history lends us any hint on this Rockies' franchise is that they are due for another team that entertains the masses in Denver. In 2009, they won a similar 74 in total and the year after, they took the Wild Card home.

There are returning key cogs in the offense in the form of Troy Tulowitzki, Todd Helton, and Carlos Gonzalez. That locks up three important positions in SS, 1B, and LF. But what about the rest of the team? If you weren't following the Rockies closely, their starting line up will be a mystery because no one is talking about them. It's okay, I'll fill you in.

There will be a battle at different positions during Spring Training which breeds success. At third, it will be high end prospect Nolan Arenado and veteran Casey Blake. The reason it is left between just these two is because third was literally a three person job last year. Ty Wiggington, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Ian Stewart all had significant chunks of starts at the hot corner. However, none of them really helped the Rockies win. Wigginton, Kouzmanoff and Ian Stewart have been since shipped off. Leaving none of that trio. Ian Stewart usually can hide his defensive inabilities with his bat but batting a measly .156 with 0 HRs did not make his case for not being expendable. They say good riddance to the revolving door at third in hopes for one of these two to lock it down for the 2012 campaign. The Rockies will probably tote their new, young prospect out there to see what he's got. If the Rockies solid history of drafting continues, he will be just another example of a team that knows how to build from within. I like the kid to start at the third unless Casey Blake impresses in Spring ball.

Second base was wide open too since Mark Ellis found a new home in Dodger blue. However after acquiring Marco Scutaro, he has filled that cog. Michael Cuddyer was solid in Minnesota for years and now he brings his talents to the high altitude of Coors Field in Right Field. This could improve on his power numbers and he will bring an edge to the team. Ramon Hernandez is projected to be the starting catcher which should bode well for the pitching staff of Colorado who will benefit from his guidance and leadership.

Looking at their projected line up makes me think that Colorado is going for the division crown this year. There is a good mix of veterans and young players that usually can mix well in the postseason. Now let's look at their rotation which no one knows what to expect from.

Yesterday, Orioles' ace Jeremy Guthrie was traded to Colorado and he takes over those duties as the number 1 starter. I love this deal for the Rockies because Guthrie's numbers were inflated due to playing in the American League East. He was being bashed around by the Red Sox and Yankees all year. I think he will thrive in Denver and have a season to remember. Other parts of the rotation are some returnees from last year. They are Chacin and Nicascio. Both of them are so young and will improve. It was Jhoulys Chacin's first season and Juan Nicasio's as well. Most everyone will remember that Nicasio was hit in the head by a line that fractured his neck last year during the season. He is expected to make a full return but it will be interesting to say the least. Alex White will be the 4th starter and he was one of the main pieces in the Ubaldo deal last year from Cleveland. It should be fun to watch him grow as a pitcher. Finally, their 5th starter will be Guillermo Moscoso who was acquired from Oakland in return for Seth Smith. He has only been in the MLB since 2009.  I think the Rockies should call up Drew Pomeranz and keep him there. He should be the 5th starter because in his short work with the big league Rockies, he shined. This rotation has a chance to be great.

While all everyone knows about Colorado sports is Tim Tebow, they should start to get excited for the Rockies. This season has potential all over the board mixed with calming, veteran influence. With teams in the MLB drafting smarter and spending money wisely, it is rare to see a team stay down for too long if they are doing it the way. The National League West is a division that is challenging with young talent on each team but not so far out of reach for anybody. I expect a strong showing from the Rockies in 2012.

Cleaning up the Mess in Queens

If there was ever a real life example of peaks and rock bottom, it is the journey the New York Mets have been on since Carlos Beltran's knees buckled at the hands of the filthiest of pitches in 2006. The Mets were the class of the National League in 2006, leading a renaissance in Queens that left fans hopeful. There is little dispute that the Mets were the best team that year, they just fell into a hotter Cardinal team built for a postseason run. Who would have thought they could have fallen so far...so fast?

Fast forward to 2012 where the Mets are reeling with a impatient fan base and question marks on and off the field. It is because the Mets play in New York in the shadow of the mighty Yankees that the Mets situation looks worse than it really is. Yes, they lost their best player and reigning NL batting champ Jose Reyes to division rival Miami. Yes, their ownership is in question and they are in financial trouble but they have a better team than a lot of people will give them credit for. The financial problems will be fixed eventually, just look at how the Dodgers situation was solved in a short period of time. If this exact Mets team played in Houston, it is doubtful they would be under the same type of scrutiny that the franchise is under. But that all comes with playing under the bright lights of New York.

I am not saying the Mets will win it all, I'm not. But they will be respectable and improve on last year's results. They have a better than 77 win team. They will challenge for the second Wild Card and could surprise a lot of fans this year. It all depends on pitching and staying healthy. Staying healthy is something the Mets haven't been able to do. Looking up and down their line up, they are in better shape than one would think. With moving the fences in at Citi Field, David Wright, Jason Bay and a healthy Ike Davis will bring much needed production offensively. Andres Torres was a big reason that the Giants won the World Series in 2010 and if he can return to form, he will sure up the Mets outfield. Call me crazy but I think their offense matches up with a lot of National League teams. Comparing them to secondary teams in their league, are they really worse than Pittsburgh? A gutted Milwaukee team?

They are playing in a division that is on the rise. It is unfortunate because they are falling victim to playing great teams on a weekly basis. A lot of their losses will come at the hands of Halladay, Lee, Strasburg, Josh Johnson, Jurrjens etc. You put this Met team in the NL Central and they would be a legit threat to win that division. 

The front office put focus on improving the bullpen and they did just that. Terry Collins will have great new additions to utilize at his will in Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco. They have been missing their ace for too long now and Santana needs to come back healthy to guide this team. If they are going anywhere anytime soon, Santana and Pelfrey will need to pitch comparable to the other 1-2s in the National League East.

Do I think the Mets will make the playoffs? No, I don't. However, there is reason to be hopeful because the front office is building the right way and trading away pieces for the future. By looking towards the future, they will be well built to contend once all of this talent is ready to blossom. For a franchise that has been so near sighted for too long, they are improving their way of thinking. The Mets will compete this year. They will be pesky, hard working and full of effort in response to their manager who demands baseball to be played the right way. Terry Collins will make sure that this team is focused on a daily basis and ready to play. If you are a fan of the Mets, isn't that all you can ask for?

Red Sox-Yankees Fraternity Brothers?

This is just a random thought as I have MLB Network on about all of the time in my house but I miss the days when the Red Sox and Yankees legitimately hated each other. Watching highlights of Pedro and Posada screaming at each other from across the field gets me fired up. Everyone talks about Boston and New York as the premiere rivalry in the MLB yet its not even close if you measure level of team hatred.

I am not a fan of when Ortiz hits a go ahead double, Jeter is there to ask him how his night was, with a glove to the chest, complete with a huge smile. That's not me questioning whether Jeter actually takes the game seriously or not because we all know he does. It just is disheartening to see a rivalry with so much flavor get neutered to this point. Yes, the fans do not like each other but ultimately the fans feed off of the field. With players on both of the teams socializing before and during the game, it takes a lot away from the rivalry.

Maybe the rivalry took a hit when the Sox finally got a few rings under their belt. The pressure was off and the jealousy for the Yankees team glittering with gold disappeared. One of my good friends (@bmanimalcracker) made a good prediction that Padilla, if he makes the rotation, will reignite a stagnant spark in the rivalry. I hope he is right.

If you look at Cardinal/Reds games from the past couple of years, those teams legitimately cannot stomach each other. I love that. It brings an edge to the way the game is played and to the ballpark. It makes the games more interesting. Baseball is more fun that way. Don't get me wrong, I know they are real people and are mostly all friends. If you want to hang out and talk, at least save it for after the game because it can send the wrong message.