July 13th: Home Run Derby Preview

While this year’s Home Run Derby comes with some rule changes, including a new timed format, as well as a bracket of eight contestants, it remains one of the top events in showcasing the fun and exciting sides of the sport of baseball. Last season, I was able to experience it first hand at Target Field, and while this year will not be quite as exciting, there is still plenty to look forward to.

With two Cubs, two rookies, a former winner, and last year’s runner up, there is plenty of excitement to anticipate for today’s event. Great American Ballpark is also one of baseball's best smaller parks, meaning home runs will be flying out of there. Here is the ZP: Left Fielder breakdown of how Monday’s action will play out.

First Round:

Albert Pujols vs. Kris Bryant

From the past generation of home run kings to the future, this is the matchup of the rookie against the wily veteran. Pujols has gotten his stride back, and is pacing the Junior Circuit in bombs, while Bryant has the pop to be a major power threat. While the youngster has an amazing swing, it might not translate into the derby, and Pujols has the leg up on experience, so in this case, Pujols is like a fine wine: he’s getting better with age.

Winner: Pujols

Joc Pederson vs. Manny Machado

Pederson has been this season’s top rookie, and has proven it with his glove, his contact, and his power. Meanwhile, Machado has bounced back quite nicely from injury and is turning in a monster season. In this case, Pederson’s swing is a thing of beauty that will be better served for the new format. Youth movement wins this time around.

Winner: Pederson

Josh Donaldson vs. Anthony Rizzo

Two of the game’s most compelling sluggers draw the matchup to watch in this year’s Derby. Donaldson found his home run swing a year ago, and has kept the Blue Jays on a tear with his bat. Anthony Rizzo is leading a very young Cubs team by simply raking. Rizzo’s looping swing will cause a mighty number to leave the yard, and his familiarity with the park may be to his advantage here.

Winner: Rizzo

Todd Frazier vs. Prince Fielder

The home-town hero against the two-time past winner leaves fans with plenty to cheer for. Fielder has been feeling it this year, bouncing back from injury and keeping the Rangers afloat. Meanwhile, Frazier has been the one bright spot in a Reds team limping into the home-hosted All-Star Break. Look for Frazier to ride the high of the home fans and take down the Prince.

Winner: Frazier

Second Round:

Pujols vs. Pederson

It seems like Pujols will be spending much of the night beating back rookies with a stick. Well, that’s exactly what he will be doing. While Pederson is an impressive young slugger, he is no match for the Machine.

Winner: Pujols

Rizzo vs. Frazier

Division rivals square off in what will be the future of two franchises hoping to bring glory to their midwestern homes. Again, Frazier’s hometown help won’t hurt, but it is his having been through this competition before that will best serve him as he sends Rizzo packing in the second round.

Winner: Frazier

Third Round:

Pujols vs. Frazier

Albert Pujols continues his season of bringing everyone back on his bandwagon by squaring off against Cincinnati’s future Mayor in the finals. While Frazier’s experience has gotten him here, he is facing someone also familiar with the finals, after Pujols went there in 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field. Pujols has the perfect footwork to put on a fireworks display and hoist the trophy at the end of the night.

Winner: Pujols

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June 24th: Not Rosey, but Fishy

We already knew Pete Rose bet on baseball games. We already knew he bet on baseball games while he managed. We already knew that Pete Rose bet on baseball games THAT he managed. So yesterday’s news that he bet on games as a player-manager really doesn’t change much of anything.

After a special report by ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” it was revealed that notebooks kept by Rose’s bookie show that his betting included games during his final year as a player for the Reds, and included bets that were on the games that the Reds played in. This is in contrast with the many reports by Rose himself that, while he did bet on baseball, he never bet during his playing days, only while he was a manager.

The timing of the report is curious, as it comes right before the All Star Game which is being played in Cincinnati, an event that Rose was planning to participate in in some role, at the permission of the Commissioner of Baseball, Rob Manfred. Rose was even set to sit down with Manfred to discuss the possibility of lifting his life-time ban and becoming eligible for induction into the MLB Hall of Fame.

Many within the baseball community are critical of Rose, saying that he deserves the ban that he is currently serving. Some say this new revelation slams the door on any hopes for Rose to ever get back into the game. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said that the game survived steroids but that it would never survive gambling.

This is hyperbole, to say the least, and fails to understand the gravity of steroids on the game, as opposed to what Rose did. Rose never once bet against a team he participated with. He never bet for his Reds to lose, or let his gambling impact the performance on the field. If anything, Rose betting on himself was a showing of the effort with which he attacked the game. You don’t bet on yourself unless you’re bringing your all, and isn’t that really what we want out of our ballplayers? As a fan, I don’t want players on my team that WOULDN’T be willing to bet on themselves (ignoring the fact that it is against the rules).

Yes, Pete Rose broke the rules by betting on baseball. And yes, he lied about gambling during his career as a player. The revelations of yesterday, though, should have no bearing on whether or not Rose is allowed to re-enter the baseball community and find his permanent place in Cooperstown.

Alex Rodriguez lied about his steroid use, and cheated in a way that tarnished his on-field production. He did irreparable damage to his career and to the credibility of the game while he played it. Yet, we celebrate him today, forgiving him and moving on only two years after he was baseball’s Great Satan. How can it be that Pete Rose, who was part of baseball’s greatest era in Cincinnati, cannot be forgiven for a mistake he made that had no impact on his production on the field?

Rose needs to be immediately reinstated into the game, allowed to participate in any way teams or networks choose, and allowed to be on the ballot into the hall of fame as both a player and manager. It is up to the voters whether to enshrine him, but if I had my vote, he would get it.

April 1st: AL and NL Central Division Preview

Yesterday, we took a look at the National League and American League East Divisions. Today, it’s the Central’s turn. Both Chicago teams saw great improvement over equally abysmal years last year, while the Tigers and Cardinals look to maintain their firm grip at the top. How will things shake out? The ZP: Left Fielder predicts!

American League Central:

1. Tigers

Four time defending Central Champs has a nice ring to it. The Tigers have a solid rotation, a deep lineup, and a manager who has already seen success after just one year in the Majors. The addition of Yoenis Cespedes is huge, as he is one of the premier bats in the American League, and will benefit from protection from Cabrera and Martinez.

2. Indians

Everyone tried to forget about Cleveland, but the Tribe kept fighting last year, falling only a few games short of a Wild Card spot. Corey Kluber is a dominant, filthy pitcher, who will anchor an otherwise unpredictable staff. The roster looks to have the depth to keep the Indians in contention for the long hall. This is going to be one of the most intriguing teams to watch this year.

Michael Brantley was a force for the Indians. He will be a huge
part of the success for this year's Tribe.

3. Royals

Baseball’s greatest feel-good story of the past decade, the Royals came 90 feet away from the greatest postseason story anyone could have imagined. The emergence of Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, and even Mike Moustakas as young talents in the AL only bodes well for the future in Kansas City. This year, they will have to balance great talent with even greater expectations.

4. White Sox

Everyone is jumping on the White Sox bandwagon, and for good reason. A huge offseason left the made-over White Sox looking like contenders. The problem is that many of these additions will not be able to add up to team success, and will instead lead the Sox to flounder come July. Look for great individual performances from many, but very few collective wins.

5. Twins

Minnesota has embraced the full-scale rebuild mode, and has made some great moves to help make the process more successful in years to come. The addition of Torii Hunter gives the young guys a role model to admire, and should lead to an even brighter future. All that being said, don’t go looking for any kind of winning at Target Field this year.

National League Central:

1. Cardinals

It brings me great sadness to put the Cardinals at the top of anything. A team that made it to the NLCS for the fourth straight year, though, is hard to vote against. The addition of Heyward adds to their threatening lineup, but the rotation is an area of concern. Look for the Cardinals to be sweating it out late in September.

2. Pirates

My vote for best outfield in baseball goes to the Pirates, who have five-tool players at all three positions. The Pirates are fun to watch and go about the game the right way. They will compete with the Pirates til the very end, but still may be a transcendent ace away from stealing the Central.

3. 

   The arrival of Bryant will be the most
   anticipated event of the summer.

   Cubs

Who doesn’t want to be a Cubs fan right now? Chicago has made it known that they are done dwelling in the cellar, and that they want to compete. The greatest young talent in the game makes that a very real possibility. This team doesn’t even need ALL of the stars to pan out, just a few to make this team scary. Kris Bryant’s arrival the first week in May will be a sight to see. Bold prediction: This is a playoff team.

4. Reds

The Reds are getting no respect. They have the best righty in baseball, a former MVP coming back from injury, and a third baseman who, I believe, is ready to be a superstar. The Reds don’t have the depth to stay competitive for the entire season, but they will be a factor in a very competitive NL Central.

5. Brewers

The Brewers were in first place for much of last season and came away with nothing. Now, the jig is up. This team is not nearly as talented as they pretended to be, and Jonathan Lucroy is not enough of a superstar to carry this team by himself. This team is going to sink like a stone, and will serve as the punching bag for the far more talented competition in the NL Central.

Check back tomorrow for the breakdown of the AL and NL West!

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July 31st: MLB Trade Deadline Review

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is by far my favorite couple of days of the year. Leading up to July 31st at 4 pm, the internet is abuzz with insight, speculation, and rumors. Every team seems to be involved at some level.

My favorite part is watching what actually happens, as compared the the wild rumors that lead up to the event. With that being said, ZP:Left Fielder is reviewing the deals that happened, and commenting on some of the deals that should have.

Best Move:

• David Price to the TIgers: Of course, as it should be. The Tigers now have the past three AL Cy Young Award winners. They made this move to compete with the Oakland As. The difference between the As and the Tigers? The Tigers have four starters with World Series experience. The As have two. Price makes the Tigers the favorite in the AL.

Move That Should Have Been:

• Marlon Byrd to...ANYWHERE: WIth the second Wild Card spot, more teams are looking to get ready for playoff runs. That being said, there aren’t that many bats available. Byrd would have been a good addition for the Reds, Mariners, Yankees, or, frankly, anyone else. This was a waste by the Phillies, and a missed opportunity for the rest of the middle-range contenders.

Deal I’m Glad Didn’t Happen:

• Matt Kemp leaving Los Angeles: I’ve been a Kemp fan since the beginning, and hoped he would turn things around. While there is a full outfield in Los Angeles, no team has ever complained from having too many stars in preparation for the playoffs. Kemp has the ability to explode offensively at any time. The Dodgers may be very happy they didn’t do something drastic come October.

Best Move, Worst Location:

• Emilio Bonifacio to the Braves: Plenty of teams could have used a speedy middle-infielder with experience. Well, frankly, all teams could have used him. To give him and a top notch lefty reliever go for just a single-A catcher was a bummer for the Cubs, who started off the deadline so boldly.

Move They’ll Wish They Could Take Back:

• 
  John Lackey to the Cardinals: The Cardinals seem to forget that Lackey has been the worst pitcher in baseball in the not-so-distant past. Giving up last year’s best hitter and a big-future pitcher for an aging veteran may be a short-sighted answer that will come back to bite them. Despite Craig and Kelly’s struggles this year, they will have better long-term success than Lackey will provide short-term.

Biggest Winners:

• The 2015 Red Sox: While this year may be a lost cause, the Red Sox traded this year like a team that knew they were going to be back in contention soon. Two big-hitting outfielders, and a pitching prospect that has a high ceiling, the Sox look like they are getting ready for a rebound. Lester has even talked about coming back in a few months. This team won’t go away for long.
• The Chicago Cubs: Yes, you read that right. The Cubs were able to do what every team hopes to do in April: sign a whole bunch of older talent for dirt cheap and flip them in July. They’ve now done it three years in a row, acquiring their current ace, their future superstar, and their top set-up man that way over the past three years. To give away Hammel and Bonifacio for top level minor league talent is something of a 2016 coup d'etat.
• The 2015 Twins rotation: See a pattern here? While teams are going crazy trying to put winners together for this year, a few teams are quietly getting ready for the future. A new deal with catcher Kurt Suzuki and acquiring Tommy Milone are just that for the Twins. Has anyone noticed the Twins have a nice little rotation going with Milone, Correia, Hughes, and Nolasco? Not Oakland or Detroit, but it’s a start.

Biggest Losers:

• Yoenis Cespedes: How must it feel to go from the cleanup hitter on a World Series favorite to a last-place team? Cespedes is an incredible hitter who has gone from the top to the bottom. Next year may be a fun time (MAYBE), but for the remainder of the 2014 season, this is going to be a miserable team. It will be hard to watch his old team make a long postseason run while he’s watching from home.
• The Pirates and Brewers: If any year were the year to beat out the Cardinals, it was this one. The pieces were available to improve their teams, and both sat relatively quietly at the deadline. The Cardinals moves weren’t great, but they will probably be enough to beat the their two divisional foes.
• The National League: Sorry guys. Whether the biggest winners were the Tigers or the As, the biggest loser was whichever National League team has to try to win the World Series against either of the best rotations in baseball. Can Clayton Kershaw pitch seven games in a row. Cygh...

February 22nd: National League Preview

The 162 game baseball season is a marathon. Yet, in Spring Training, it is easy enough to let the excitement get the best of you. Everyone is trying to guess where the standings will wind up September 29^th. In this case, the Zoot Perspective Left Fielder will attempt to predict the standings for the 2014 baseball season. This week we’ll tackle the National League, next week the American League.

NL East:

     1,  Washington Nationals: Last year was a season to forget in DC. With their mysterious hitting woes behind them, the Nationals should prove why they were such heavy favorites to win last year. One of the strongest starting rotations allows even a rough start for the lineup to remain a scary threat for the division title.

     2. Atlanta Braves: The first team to clinch last year has a lot of question marks, including which pair of Upton brothers will show up. This team will live and die by the bat of Freddie Freeman, who is out to prove that his big new contract was no accident.

     3.   New York Mets: Young pitching leads another new wave of Mets, led by Dillon Gee and Zack Wheeler. Missing Matt Harvey will hurt, though, and David Wright’s questionable durability may be the difference for a franchise that lacks the offense to put up big numbers. Another mediocre year awaits.

     4. Philadelphia Phillies: The past few years have not been kind to the aging Phillies, as the 2008 World Series is shrinking in the rearview mirror. An identity crisis is in the cards as Philadelphia attempts to decide whether they want to compete now or rebuild for their future.

     5.  Miami Marlins: An offseason of smart moves makes this Marlins team better than the terrifyingly bad on from a year ago. Jarrod Saltalamacchia does not make you a champion, though. This team will be better, but not by much.

NL Central:

      1. St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals are perennial threats to make the playoffs, and this year appears to be no exception. A strong core of talent and some offseason improvements from last year’s NL pennant winners should put them in contention to return to the World Series. The one question mark will be to see how young pitchers Michael Wacha and Shelby Miller respond to their sophomore campaigns.

     2. Pittsburgh Pirates: The loss of some key rentals from last year’s playoff team could bode badly for the Buccos. The taste of victory is on the lips of Pittsburgh fans, though, so the club should be hungry for more. Having defending NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and rising stars OF Starling Marte and SP Gerrit Cole should make this team contenders for quite a few years to come.

     3.  Cincinnati Reds: Two years ago, this team won the division in stunning fashion. Last year, they fell in the Wild Card game. Unfortunately, the slide may continue for a team that is relying heavily on the production of some young stars. This will be a good ball club, but most likely not a great one.

     4. Chicago Cubs: The future looks bright in Chicago. The question is, how long will fans have to wait? Bounce-back years from Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo should lead a young team into a more comfortable place. This year isn’t the year, but it’s going to be good practice for the very exciting 2015 season.

     5.  Milwaukee Brewers: Although stealthily subtle moves to improve the rotation have helped, the Brewers are far removed from the days of competing in the NL Central. This team will most likely flounder unless Carlos Gomez can continue to rise and Ryan Braun can return in full form (minus the steroids).

NL West:

     1.  Los Angeles Dodgers: The biggest question facing the Dodgers is who will be the odd man out in a too-talented outfield. That’s a good problem to have. Starting pitching and young talent headline a team with an expectation for a World Series win. This team looks like the real deal.

   

     2. San Fransisco Giants: A team that wins the World Series and returns almost the whole lineup should do pretty well, right? Apparently not, as last year’s Giants proved. This year, though, things should be back to normal, as the Giants take a stab at the wild card or even a chance to unseat the Dodgers. Either way, that rivalry will be fun this summer.

     3.  Arizona Diamondbacks: This team is going to be hard to predict. The potential is there for a real playoff threat, while there is also the chance for a big flop. The big questions are whether Mark Trumbo can provide some support for Paul Goldschmidt, and whether or not the starting pitching can keep the Diamondbacks going.

     4. San Diego Padres: A very similar group from the 2013 squad, this team is supposed to develop into a solid core of players. Key words: supposed to. Expectations are high and, unless someone steps up as the star of this team, they will most likely not be met.

     5.Colorado Rockies: Some young stars exist in Nolan Arenado and Wilin Rosario, and Carlos Gonzalez will continue to be a yearly MVP candidate, but otherwise this team appears a little lackluster. In an otherwise strong division, this team just doesn’t look to have what it takes to make a big impact on the race come August or September.