Early Cy Young Look - AL

Earlier in the week, I promised I'd dive into the AL, and I'm here to deliver on the promise.  While the AL Cy Young competition doesn't excite me as much as the NL, there's no question that some of the top arms in the bigs are in the DH league. Here's a look at the top 5:

1. Justin Verlander, DET


Justin Verlander


You could probably stop the list right here and be alright.  Verlander has already thrown a no-hitter this season, and just missed a second.  In fact, he's so good, you almost expect a complete game shutout every time he takes the hill. 

The numbers are outstanding- 0.89 WHIP (best in MLB), 10 wins (T-1st - AL), 124 strikeouts (1st in AL), and a 2.38 ERA (4th in AL).  Opponents are hitting a mere .176 against him. 

Combine the fact he plays for a decent team, and Verlander becomes the clear front-runner.  No offense to the other guys on this list, but at this point in the season, it's all academic after Verlander right now.

2. Jered Weaver, LAA

Remember how quick this guy got out of the gates?  And then how quick he slowed down?  Well, he's found a much more sustainable pace this time, and hasn't lost in close to a month. 

Weaver has put up some great numbers- 9 wins (2nd in AL), a 0.93 WHIP (2nd in AL), a 1.97 ERA (1st in AL), and 106 strikeouts (5th in AL).  He's also thrown 3 complete games, 2 of them shutouts, and opponents are hitting just .196 against him.

Hard to believe he's not leading the pack with those numbers, but Verlander has been that good.  I don't have any qualms saying Weaver would be the front runner in the other league, but that's the world we live in.

3. James Shields, TB

The triumphant return of Big Game James is here.  Personally, I was never worried.

Cliff Lee may be stealing all the headlines in the complete games department (3 shutouts in a row), but Shields has quietly thrown 6 CG this year, 3 of them shutouts.  THATS RIGHT- I said 6.  There are a lot of guys that won't throw 6 CG's in their career- yet alone in the first three months of a season.  Shields has only started 16 games this season- so he's going the distance about once every three times out- now that's old school right there.

Shields' number are outstanding - 0.96 WHIP, 2.28 ERA, 117 K's, and 8 wins- all in the top 10 in the AL. 

I'm not sure the Rays will still be willing to trade Shields, but he was on the block at one point.  If the Rays are dealing, someone will call.  He's only due to make $4 million this year, and just $2 million next.  Even if he completely tanks next season, it's a very small gamble.

4. Josh Beckett, BOS

I feel shaky putting Beckett on this list, especially with the time on the DL and the injury history.  The problem with not putting him on the list is when Beckett has been on the mound this year, he's been outstanding:  A 0.93 WHIP (2nd in AL), 2.20 ERA (2nd in AL), and 80 K's in just 90 IP.  Opponents are hitting just .176 against him this season.

His walk total has been a little high- 30 BB in 90 IP, but is not completely out of line given the 80 K's.  It finally looks like the Beckett of old is back, and just in time given the injuries to Dice-K and Bucholz.  If there's a team out there that might look for another arm for a stretch run, call me crazy, but I think Boston will be the first to pick up the phone.

5.  Felix Hernandez, SEA

I really struggled to fill the fifth and final spot in this list, so I took the east road and went with the reigning winner.  Hernandez has been good, but not great- 3.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 116 K's, and 8 wins.  Really, once you get past #1 on this list, it doesn't much matter.

Honorable Mention: Michael Pineda, SEA; David Price, TB; Dan Haren, LAA

Coming later this week: The best MLB pitching staffs.  Let the debate begin.

Early Cy Young Look - NL

I'll get around to talking AL baseball at some point, but I'll make no secret of the fact I'm not a huge fan of the DH, and much prefer to watch NL ball.  After yesterday's post about the top teams in the NL turned into a critique of pitching staffs, I figured I'd expand and pick my top 5 Cy Young candidates to date on the senior circuit.

1. Roy Halladay- Philadelphia Phillies
The numbers are mind numbing.  Even after a rough outing, Halladay sports a 2.40 ERA (2nd in NL), 123 K's (2nd in NL), 10 wins (1st in NL), and a WHIP of just 1.03 (Tie- 2nd in NL).  Add in the fact that Doc is on track to throw north of 220 innings this year, and it's tough to argue he won't repeat as winner of the award.  I've said it before- if I had to take one guy to throw one game that I had to win, Halladay would be my guy. 

2. Jair Jurrjens - Atlanta Braves



Jair Jurrjens

 Jurrjens has quietly moved into the runner up spot, posting 10 wins (1st in NL), an ERA of just 2.07 (1st in NL), and a WHIP of 1.14 (14th in NL).  Jurrjens is not a overpowering strikeout guy, recording just 55 K's thorough 95+ IP.  When he's been healthy, he's been a dynamite ERA pitcher over the past three seasons, but injuries have hampered his progress.  He's still a young arm, and one that will be around in Atlanta for a while.  If he can put together an extended injury free run, he's the type of player that could put a sub 2.00 ERA together deep into the season.

3. Clayton Kershaw- LA Dodgers
The Dodger's economic turmoil has overshadowed Kershaw's great performance this season.  He leads the league in strikeouts (128), and has won 8 games while compiling a 2.93 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.  Kershaw has been on a roll lately, having won his last 5 decisions, not taking a loss since April 26.  He's thrown 2 complete games in a row, allowing just 2 earned runs while striking out 22.  He might be the hottest arm in the NL heading into the All Star break.

4. Cole Hamels - Philadelphia Phillies
Here's where it starts to get dicey- a lot of good candidates to round out the last two spots.  It's also hard to believe that I'm throwing a #3 starter into the Cy Young mix, but then again, it is the Phillies.  Hamels is the NL WHIP leader at 0.97.  It's the stat that speaks loudest to me as to how good a pitcher really is.  His ERA is 4th best in the league at 2.49, and he's racked up 108 K's, also 4th in the NL.  Too bad for him he's not the best pitcher on his team- and you just can't give the award to 2nd best.

5. Tommy Hanson- Atlanta Braves
The numbers say it all - 2.48 ERA (3rd in NL), and 1.03 WHIP (2nd in NL).  89 K's in 83.1 IP.  In just his second full season, Hanson has established himself as the Brave's co-ace of the future.  You see two Phillies and two Braves on this list (with good reason)- the good news if you're a Braves fan?  Jurrjens-Hanson's combined age: 49.  Hamels-Halladay's: 61.  The future is bright in Atlanta.

Next man out: Ian Kennedy, ARZ

Honorable Mention: Shawn Marcum, MIL; Tim Hudson, ATL; Matt Cain, SAN; Cliff Lee, PHI; Anibal Sanchez, FLA. 

Feel free to disagree, and let me know if I missed on anyone.

The JQ Baseball Power Rankings- NL Top 5

While carousing the internet this morning during the show, I saw a few of MLB power rankings, and thought I might give my own a shot- take the best of the best if you will.  I'm not a huge fan of interleague play, at least not in it's current form (maybe a topic for tomorrow), so I'll keep the leagues separate.  The NL gets center-stage today, and the AL will come later.

We'll stick to the top 5 for now.

1. Philadelphia Phillies
I just don't think there's any substitute for good pitching, and the Phillies have it.  Roy Halladay is the guy I'd want to send to the mound if I have to win one game for all the marbles- there is still no one in the NL that can deal like the Doc.  Oh, and their 2-3-4 punch of Lee, Hamels, and Oswalt isn't bad either. 

Offensively, the Phils still have a few question marks- can Chase Utley stay healthy?  Can Ryan Howard keep his strikeout total under his weight?  Will Jimmy Rollins start to hit like an MVP again?  I think the Phils will realize just how much Jason Werth meant to them at some point this season. 

2. Atlanta Braves

Jair Jurrjens

Sure, call me a homer if you want, but this team is good.  In fact, I'd say it's the best Braves squad since the turn of the millennium (sounds more impressive than what its actually is).  Like the Phils, the Braves have pitching, and the staff is actually deeper than their division rival. 

While Philly gets all the name recognition, Tim Hudson, Jair Jurrjens, Derek Lowe, Tommy Hanson, and Brandon Beachy have been just as good- a team ERA of 3.08 (just .03 points higher than Philly), and a better BA and OPS against. 

Plus, with all due respect to Roy Hallady and Tim Lincecum, Jair Jurrjens is making a case for why he's the best pitcher in the NL.  Despite a trip to the DL, he was the first in the NL to 10 wins, an ERA of 2.08, and just 24 runs allowed through 95.2 IP.  Jurrjens doesn't have Doc's strikeout totals or big game persona, so I'll keep him as runner up for the Cy Young Award for now. 

The Braves problems also come with their offense.  They're getting very old at a few key spots- Chipper Jones is never a sure-bet to be in the lineup at #3, and they've had injury problems- Jason Heyward and Martin Prado have both been on the DL.  Plus, is there anyone in the system that can play a decent center field and hit above .220?  Maybe Jordan Schafer is finally the answer. 

3. San Francisco Giants
Pitching wins titles.  Just ask San Franscisco.  No coincidence that I have them right up with the Braves and Phillies.  With Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner (yes, I know he gave up 8 runs and recorded just 1 out last week- but did you see the line from last night?), the Giants will be ready for another post-season run. 

Once again, offense is what's lacking, and Giants may be worse off than most after losing Buster Posey for the season.  To steal a quote from "Major League," I've never heard of most of these guys and the ones I have are way past their prime... If San Fran wants to repeat, it might be time to add a bat to the lineup.  The rank 30th in runs scored, 25th in batting average, and 27th in on-base percentage. 

4. Milwaukee Brewers
The pitching is good, the offense is better.  Everyone knows that Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder can hit.  What people are finding out is that Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, and Jonathan Lucroy can be tough outs as well. 

On the pitching end, Zack Grienke needs to really get it going.  He's been hit and miss since returning from injury, and needs to be the ace of the staff. 

I'd rank the Brewers higher, but I'm not sure the the team chemistry is where it needs to be.  Its a foregone conclusion that Prince Fielder will be picking up some change of address forms after this season, and I'm still not sold the Brewers won't try to trade him before the deadline.  That kind of uncertainty can kill a ballclub down the stretch. 

5. Arizona Diamondbacks
3 words- up and coming.  A young team with a ton of upside- Justin Upton has had a red-hot week, Kelly Johnson is proving why he was once thought of as a top-notch prospect, Chris Young has had a good season so far, and the list goes on. 

Pitching wise, Ian Kennedy has been good at the top of the rotation.  A 2.90 ERA so far with 8 wins.  Do you remember a few years ago when Kennedy, Phil Hughes, and Joba Chamberlain were the "young arms" for the Yankees, and they refused to trade Joba?  Hughes panned out alright as a #3 starter in NY, Kennedy is on fire, and Joba is...well, a middle reliever. 

Biggest mover up: Washington Nationals
Yes, that's right, the Washington Nationals.  Riggleman walking out in the midst of a nine game winning streak is unusual, but these guys will be dangerous in the coming years.  Imagine adding Steven Strausburg and Bryce Harper to the lineup next season to compliment Werth, Zimmerman, and Michael Morse. 

Biggest mover down: St. Louis Cardinals
No Adam Wainwright and now no Albert Pujols until August.  You don't take your two best players off the field and expect not to be put on the "massive collapse" watch list.  They are still in it- but I won't be placing any bets on the Cards anytime soon.   





 

 

and the LA Lakers select...

Chukwudiebere Maduabum?  Huh? 

The loudest cheers at last night's NBA draft may have been for The Jimmer getting picked at #10 overall, but the biggest roll around on the floor laughing moment goes to the LA Lakers picking Chukwudiebere Maduabum at #56 overall.

Hopefully he just goes by "Chuck."

Not only was is great to hear the commissioner try and read his name (he obviously wasn't on the radar as someone that might get picked), but the ESPN commentators have no clue who the guy is.  Fran Fraschilla comes up with something along the lines of "...well, he was born in Nigeria, and came over to the D-League last year where he averaged 0.7 points per game..."  To which Stuart Scott says, "Well, what can the Lakers do with him...?" 

The response: "I have no idea, I've never heard of him." 

Quality television at it's best gents.  Just wait until this guy starts driving your play-by-play team nuts.  For their sake, I hope he just goes by "Chuck."  Just watch- we all laugh now, but "Chuck" will probably end up being a future hall of famer that the media just glossed over.

As it turns out, Maduabum was then traded to the Nuggets for a future 2nd round pick- so he must have been a hot commodity. 

I'm sad to see that Diante Garrett from Iowa State didn't get picked up last night, but he'll have a chance to play professionally somewhere.  It might be overseas for a while, or in the D-League, but he still has a chance to make it to the show someday, which is all that matters.

The clock is running, and as of now, we are officially keeping score...

The Case for Hanrahan



Joel Hanrahan

All right sports fans, its officially time to buck up and get Joel Hanrahan to this year's all-star game.  The guy has been the best closer in the National League this season, and it's time he get the recognition he deserves. 

Take a look a the numbers- 20 saves in 20 chances (the only other regular closer to boast a 100% conversion rate is Valverde from the Tigers) with a 1.31 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 34.1 IP.  He's only given up 25 hits the entire year, with a WHIP of 0.96.  You could keep going- just 5 earned runs all season, and only 1 HR...opponents are hitting a meager .205 against him.  Only Huston Street of the Rockies has more saves than Hanrahan (22), and no one boasts better overall numbers. 

The first (and maybe only) knock on the Norwalk native is that he plays for the Pirates, but take a closer look at the standings before you throw out the Pittsburgh hatred- the Pirates are 37-37 as of today, only 3.0 games out of first place in the NL Central.  We're deep enough into the season to start thinking it's not a fluke, and that Hanrahan has something to do with the Pirates no longer being the cellar-dwellers in their division.

Barring a major meltdown in the next week or so, there's no reason why the central Iowa native shouldn't be playing over the break.   

Big Z finally out of Chicago?

Finally, the Chicago Cubs may have an opportunity to start investing in their future. 

In the past couple of weeks, Carlos Zambrano announced that he is willing to waive his no trade clause, and finally cut ties with the Chicago Cubs.  Now before all you Cubs fans have a heart attack (why would we trade HIM?), here's your chance to trade a guy while he still has some value and get some nice young pieces in return.  Cubs fans 

There's nobody in baseball that can deny when the guy is on, he's still a bona-fide staff ace.  He'll never be accused of being a "clubhouse guy," but if you can live with the occasional temper-tantrum and have a manager that can channel the aggression, someone could make a nice trade deadline pickup that will last into next season.

Zambrano's contract is not great, but it's not the worst in the bigs (or on the team for that matter).  He's due to make just under $19 million this season, $19 million next year, and has an option for 2013.  Figure the Cubs have already paid close to half by the time they trade him, and may have to eat some of the dollars from next year, and all of the sudden you may have some teams interested. 

If the Cubs decide to shop Big Z (which they should), expect some of the usual suspects to come calling.  Despite reports that Zambrano isn't on their trade radar right now, I'd be blown away if the Yankees didn't pick up the phone.  Joe Girardi is the type of manager that Big Z could play for (they had a good relationship when Girardi played with the Cubs), and the Yankees could be in need of pitching help for a stretch run.  No offense to Ivan Nova, but does a rotation of CC, AJ Burnett, Phil Hughes, and...? really sound like a Yanks rotation that could win the series? Zambrano would slot in nicely, and you know money isn't a concern in the Bronx. 

The other half of the AL East juggernaut, the BoSox, seem to be in better shape pitching-wise, but that could change with another season ending injury.  Dice-K is out (probably for good), Bucholz is on the DL, but a 1-2-3-4 punch of Lester, Beckett, Lackey, and Wakefield makes me feel better than what the Yanks are working with.  Assume Bucholz will be back soon, which sets up the staff nicely in Boston. 

The west coast players don't look to make a big splash.  The Dodgers could really use the pitching help, but with MLB taking control of the team in the wake of the McCourt divorce drama, they won't dare let the team pick up another large chunk of payroll.  The Angels seem to be in good shape, even with the departure of Scott Kazmir.  The lineup of Dan Haren, Joel Piniero, Ervin Santana, and Jered Weaver is solid, and the Angels need offense more than pitching.

If the Cubs decide to eat a large chunk of next year's salary in exchange for top-flight young talent, it opens the door for all kinds of fun possibilities.  The Oakland A's have all kinds of young pitching, and we all know  everyone is available when Billy Beane is at the helm.  The Pirates are a team that could use a big time player to build their young nucleus around, but they simply can't afford a $19 million player.  How about the Royals?  You could make the case to add one veteran arm to a great young team.  Or perhaps the Twins...? 

If the Cubs decide young talent is more important than money and agree to eat some of the deal, it could make it a fun summer on the hot stove.   


    

Pujols out, Braves hurting

Happy Tuesday morning, and first day of summer.  We've already had more hail this spring than I remember in my entire life here in Des Moines- hopefully we dry out soon.

The dog days of summer are officially upon us, which means my favorite sport, baseball, takes center stage until college football fires up.  Lucky for us, baseball has given us some great story lines at the perfect time of year.

I'll start with my Atlanta Braves, who are still in the hunt despite a slew of injuries over the past few weeks.  Martin Prado, arguably the best pure hitter in the Braves lineup, is out with a staph infection in his calf, which just sounds like a really nasty ailment.  Prado has proven to be one of the most versatile players in the organization, stepping into left field after the Braves signed Dan Uggla this past off-season to play second base.  It's tough to replace a career .300 hitting in the middle of your lineup, but even tougher when you look at the Braves' outfield options.  Erik Hinske is a nice bench player, but not an everyday type player.  Jordan Schafer has made a nice comeback, but has been playing in center.  Nate McLouth...well...enough said. 

The injury troubles continue for the Bravos- Chipper Jones is never really 100%, Tommy Hanson is on the DL with "shoulder inflammation"- always scary to hear of a pitcher with arm troubles, Jason Heyward is finally back from his shoulder injury, and Brandon Beachy should be back soon.  If the Braves ever get 100% healthy, they'll give the Phillies a run for their money...but that's a big IF. 

I know Philly is stacked with both pitching and hitting, but I'm not sure that Hudson/Jurrjens/Hanson/Beachy doesn't stack up too badly against Halladay/Lee/Hamels/Oswalt.  Add in the fact the Braves have Derek Lowe (who was lights out late last year and earlier this season despite recent struggles), Mike Minor, and two of the top pitching prospects in the game in Julio Tehran and Radall Delgado, and the Braves have the depth to withstand an injury or two.  Once you get past the Phillies top 4, you've got Joe Blanton (yippee!) and.....

On the injury scene, the bigger news comes from the St. Louis camp, where Albert Pujols will be out 4-6 weeks with a forearm fracture.  Bad news for the Cards- you just don't replace an MVP-caliber player by making a call-up.  Bad news for Albert- aside from the injury, its also a "contract year."  The national media is going crazy with the story, so I'll just say this- the Cards chances in the central may have just taken a major hit.  No Wainwright for the year, now no Albert for 4-6 weeks, and Matt Holiday has already been on the DL twice.  Imagine how good this team could have been. 

The clock is running, and as of now, we are officially keeping score...

    

Roaring Rory

Despite a great sports weekend, I don't have a lot to add this morning.  It seems like most of the stories were open a shut this past weekend without much drama. 

I did manage to catch most of the final round of the US Open yesterday, even after I said I wasn't particularly interested without Tiger in the mix.  Rory put on quite a show, but the tournament was largely without drama and excitement, which in turn made it kind of boring.  The main reason I kept it on was so I could someday tell my kids that I watched Rory destroy the field in one of the greatest US Open wins in history. 

Other members of the media can say what they will, but I still won't rank Rory's victory above Tiger's win in 2000 at Pebble Beach.  You've got to remember that Tiger also led it wire to wire, and was 15 shots clear of the field after the 72nd hole.  Woods was also the only player under par (-12) on a course that played much tougher than Congressional did yesterday- (the USGA should be ashamed of how easy the course played on championship Sunday- but that's a different topic for another day). 

Good job by Rory- I hope this win starts a Rory-Tiger rivalry...something like that could really re-charge Woods' career.

Otherwise, kind of a ho-hum weekend.  The NASCAR race at Michigan was without major incident (thank god it didn't turn into a fuel mileage race...), no NHL or NBA, and despite some good potential match ups, baseball was not terribly interesting either.  A bunch of guys got hurt- Pujols, Crawford, Hanson, among others - but that's about it. 

The clock is running, and as of now, we are officially keeping score... 

NHL and US Open

The Stanley Cup has officially left the building...and it's headed back to Boston for the first time since James Brown was topping the pop charts. 

Tim Thomas was fabulous.  He won the Conn-Smythe in what had to be a landslide vote.  The Boston defense was fabulous.  To hold the NHL's previous two scoring champions (The Sedin twins) to just two goals over a seven game series is outstanding.  All the credit in the world to the Bruins. 

The big story for me is still Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo.  WHERE WAS HE?  When this guy shows up, he's the best- hands down.  He can make saves no one else can come close to touching.  BUT, he is very streaky, and fell flat on his back when his team really needed him.  He got hooked twice in the series, and probably should have gotten it a third time. 

Luongo will need to make some major adjustments in the coming years if he wants to survive in Vancouver.  Bad news for Cannucks fans, is this guy's contract makes Carl Pavano's old deal with the Yankees look like a bargain.  He's signed for the next 11 years (through the 2021-22 season) at $5.3 million a year.  When you consider the NHL salary cap stands at $62 million, and you need 20 guys on your roster day in and day out, its tough to justify spending just under 10% of your resources on a guy that couldn't stop a basketball shot at him.  Unless his play improves, he'll be making over $5 million a year to ride the pine for the next decade- because Vancouver can't afford to give up 5 goals a game, and no one will take on that kind of deal in a trade. 

With Luongo, forget the gold medal.  That seems like eons ago.  He got yanked twice in the Stanley Cup finals.  Enough said.

Quick hit on the US Open- I'm sure I'll end up watching some of it, but it doesn't have its usual sparkle without Tiger.  Eldrick needs to heal quickly and get back on the course before the British Open.  You can bet PGA Tour officials are thinking the same thing.  Some good picks for the weekend seem to be Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, and Martin Kaymer. 

The clock is running, and as of now, we are officially keeping score...

     

NHL- THE CUP IS IN THE HOUSE!

So I've got to get back to this blogging thing- apologize for the long layoff.

It's showtime in Vancouver tonight- the Stanley Cup is in the building, and someone is going to walk away with it tonight.  This series has been all over the place, with one player making the difference both ways. 

Even in defeat, Tim Thomas has been great.  It's a good bet he leaves with the Conn-Smythe trophy tonight whether or not the Bruins leave with the cup.  The Cannucks have only scored something like 7 goals in the series- pretty tough defense from the Bruins netminder. 

The X-factor has been Roberto Luongo.  When his head is on straight, he's the best in the game.  When its not, watch out- he's a siv and a half.  For Luongo, the game isn't about the space between the posts...it's all about the six inches between his ears.  If the Bruins get an cheap goal past him early, you may as well put one of the Sedin twins in net, because Luongo will have left the building. 

The hoisting of the cup is one of the best moments in sports, and someone is going to do it tonight.  My bet?  Give me the Cannucks-Luongo won a gold medal last year on his home ice with a great performance.  I'll always take the higher ceiling over a safer bet.