In honor of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the second round of which is now underway, I will be discussing the key contributors on several teams, without whom playoff runs and, in some cases even playoff hopes, would have been dead weeks or months ago. Many of these names are unknown to the casual fan and exist only in the shadows on names like Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Getzlaf, Datsyuk, Jagr, and Thornton.
Below these superstar, high-scoring names lies a second tier of major talent that includes names such as Chris Drury of the New York Rangers, Patrick Marleau and Mike Grier of San Jose, Mike Ribiero of Dallas, Ryan Whitney of Pittsburgh, Tomas Holmstrom of Detroit, and many others.
Drury, throughout his years with Colorado, Calgary, and Buffalo, established himself as an elite offensive playmaking talent with clutch scoring ability. Drury is a rare player in that his game is one that combines gritty play along the boards with finesse passing and an extraordinary goal-scoring capability. He emerged as one of the league’s true number one centers during his tenure with the Sabres and earned himself a long-term, high dollar contract with the Rangers last offseason. In addition to his offensive patience and slickness with the puck, Drury is an excellent defender. He is arguably the best penalty-killing forward in the National Hockey League. His patience and hockey sense are evident in his defensive zone coverage capacity. Watching Drury play defensively, especially as a penalty killer, it is apparent that he has an exceptional feel for the opposition’s passing and shooting lanes. He has a quick stick and explosive speed, which allow him to fill these lanes and force the puck carrier to either hold the puck longer, or to make a mistake. He is also a selfless defender, and will sacrifice his body to stop any shot from getting to the net. Finally, Drury is one of the best face-off men in the business. In every key defensive situation, Drury can be seen on the ice, winning defensive zone draws with his quick hands, feet, and body positioning in the circle.
Grier is a player who is not as talented as Drury offensively, but is comparable defensively to the aforementioned centerman. He is a defensive specialist who is an asset to any team’s top penalty killing unit. During his time with Buffalo, he combined with Drury to make up Buffalo’s top PK forward pair.
Michael Ribiero of the Dallas Stars is one of the most underrated players in the playoffs right now. He has emerged as the Stars’ most effective centerman. The 28 year old tallied career highs in goals (27), assists (56), and points (83) in 76 games to lead the team. He also contributed 7 goals on the power play this past season and has eclipsed Mike Modano and others as the Stars’ premier scorer.
Another big-time player to watch is Defenseman Ryan Whitney of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Much of the credit for the team’s high-scoring offense is attributed, and rightfully so, to forwards Sidney Crosby, team scoring leader Evgeni Malkin, deadline acquisition Marian Hossa, veteran sniper Petr Sykora, and big gun point-man Sergei Gonchar. Whitney played 76 games for the Pen’s this year and registered 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points as a defenseman, including 7 goals on the power play. Coach Michel Therrien utilizes Whitney’s heavy shot and slick puck handling/passing abilities to quarterback one of the team’s powerplay units, in a way similar to the manner in which Gonchar is used at the point on the other unit.
The Detroit Red Wings’ tough, grinder of a Left Winger, Tomas Holmstrom, is one of my personal favorite players in the National Hockey League to watch. His contributions offensively to the team reach far beyond his goal scoring abilities. Holmstrom is one of the toughest, grittiest, and gutsiest players in the league. His job description is simple: obstruct the goaltender, bury rebounds, and get a tip on shots from the point and perimeter. His hand-eye coordination is second to none in the league, and he is simply the best at working defensemen in front of the net and getting body position below the hashmarks to set an effective screen. Other big men, such as Thomas Vanek and Paul Gaustad of Buffalo, watch film of Holmstrom under the direction of Sabres’ head coach Lindy Ruff as a means of learning how to best work in front of the net. For a player of Vanek’s caliber and pure scoring ability to study Holmstrom’s technique to improve, one can conclude that Holmstrom is one of, if not the, best in the league at his job. He just scores in the shadow of show-stopping tallies by players like Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Johan Franzen. He also has one of the most difficult and physically taxing jobs in the league. As he obstructs the goaltender’s line of vision, he is constantly getting beaten up by defenseman in front and is vulnerable to errant shots, as he does his work in the shooting lanes of defensemen teeing off from the point.
There is also another group of players I would like to acknowledge in this column, whose names don’t find their way into many blogs or onto many scoresheets. These players are a part of what I call the third tier contributors. They possess the intangible abilities and attitudes that fuel playoff runs and provide the energy necessary to propel teams through the regular season. These guys collectively are the epitome of consistency, while the big time scorers who hoard what little air time is available on ESPN and the Versus network endure cold stretches and scoring droughts. They do not lead the team in ice time, but make the absolute most of the time they get. I am talking about players like Sami Kapanen of the Flyers, Kris Draper of the Red Wings, Rob Niedermeyer of the Ducks, Mike Fisher of the Senators, my personal favorite energy player, Adam Mair of the Buffalo Sabres, and Defenseman Brooks Orpik of the Penguins.
Kapanen played in 78 games for the Flyers this year and recorded only five goals and three assists for the entire season. However, He served as one of Philly’s prime penalty killers. Kapanen’s legs never stop moving, and they are always moving fast and hard. He contributes pressure and up-tempo shifts, which are more important than simply registering more points on what is arguably the most offensively deep team in the NHL. Often, Flyers’ coach John Stevens uses Kapanen and some combination of two other gritty, defensively sound forwards such as Jim Dowd or Mike Richards on what I call “follow-up shifts.” These are the shifts after your team scores, especially in a tight game. The goal of the follow-up shift is to gain possession of the puck on the faceoff and maintain offensive pressure for the duration of the shift in order to carry the momentum, thwarting any immediate comeback attempt by the opposition.
Detroit’s Draper often centers the second line, but plays in key defensive situations, such as when the Red Wings hold a slim lead or are tied with their opponent. He possesses scoring ability, but is most valuable to the Wings anchoring a solid second line to keep the pressure on the opposition following strong offensive shifts by their first line comprised of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Daniel Cleary. Draper’s gritty style of play nicely complements that of linemate Tomas Holmstrom, whom I described above.
Ottawa C Mike Fisher contributes more offensively than the others mentioned just above, but his defensive contributions and knack for penalty killing make him one of the elite defensive and special teams players in the league. He is also an explosive and opportunistic player on the penalty kill, and is a constant threat to pick off a pass or block a shot and dart down the ice unimpeded. His specialties, physical play, and all around outstanding talent level draws, from me, a close parallel to Chris Drury, who will always receive my highest praise. Though Fisher’s name is often forgotten in the midst of big guns like Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley, and Jason Spezza, he is, in my opinion the most valuable all-around player on the Senators’ roster.
Adam Mair of the Buffalo Sabres has virtually no goal scoring ability, but he generates offense. He is a reliable centerman, and perhaps the best fourth-line center in the league. Many are surprised to see that Mair, who scored only five goals this past year, take shifts late in games in which the Sabres either trail or are tied. He routinely anchors a line with snipers on his wings such as Ales Kotalik, Danny Paille, Drew Stafford, and big man, Steve Bernier. Mair’s never-quit style and attitude provides valuable energy to his teammates on the ice and on the bench. He is ready to fill any role, whether it be to put pressure on the opposition’s defensemen, finish some hard checks on big forwards in chippy games, or lead a line to score a big goal, as he did when assisting on Begin’s goal against the Bruins late in the year to force overtime and keep Buffalo’s playoff hopes alive. Mair is also a middle-weight fighter in the league who will drop the gloves and go toe to toe with legitimate goons. He is a special role player for head coach Lindy Ruff. One image of Mair that is forever etched in my memory is his role in the Buffalo vs. Ottawa brawl in February, 2007. After Drury took a dirty hit from Ottawa’s Chris Neil, Ruff sent out a line of Mair, Sabres’ heavyweight Andrew Peters, and the hard hitting Patrick Kaleta to fire back at Ottawa’s top line of Alfredsson, Heatley, and Spezza. Mair immediately went after Spezza upon the drop of the puck and while being tackled to the ice by three Senators, Mair carried out Ruff’s orders and fired punches at Spezza. Point is, Mair gets the job done, whatever it may be, whatever it takes.
The final player I would like to mention whose play to often goes unnoticed is Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik. Orpik is a true shut-down defenseman, who can play with anyone as his partner and make him a better defenseman. Goals from Orpik are very few and far between, but goals prevented help the team as much, if not more. Orpik is a tough, shot-blocking defenseman with a knack for making big hits.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tiger's Offense Alone not to Blame
Despite the victories they have squeaked out in the past two nights against the struggling Twins, the Detroit Tigers are showing signs of being a huge disappointment given the potential of their dynamic offense that essentially does not feature a bottom of the order. The Tigers' dreadful start can certainly be attributed to a lack of offense. They are supposed to have a lineup filled with run-producers from top to bottom. As of 4/16/08, Placido Polanco, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Cabrera, Ivan Rodriguez, Jacque Jones, and Marcus Thames are all hitting .216 or lower. RBI totals are extremely low as Sheffield (2 RBI), Ordonez (6), Cabrera (5), Edgar Renteria (4), and Carlos Guillen (6) are not driving in runs, partially because nobody is ever on base, and partly because they are just not hitting. Polanco, Renteria, and OF Clete Thomas have all seen time in the top two spots in the order, combining for just 9 runs scored. Polanco, a mainstay in the 2-hole, has scored just 2 runs, as has Thomas. Thomas has batted leadoff for the Tigers eight times this year (all 8 of his starts), carrying a .306 batting average, and has crossed the plate only twice. That is how collectively unproductive the Detroit offense has been, thus far.
Additionally, through 14 games, they are 4-10 and have been shut out 4 times. The list of starting pitchers who blanked the Tigers' supposedly high powered offense this season includes Kansas City number two starter Brian Bannister (3.66 career ERA, 3rd season), Daisuke Matsuzaka (4.22 career ERA, 2nd season), Gavin Floyd…remember him? (6.00 career ERA, 3rd full season), and Javier Vazquez (4.27 career ERA, 11th season). Floyd’s and Vazquez’s shutouts of the Tigers’ lineup came on back to back days, in which the White Sox outscored Detroit 18-0. All four of the aforementioned pitchers are right-handers. In fact, the Tigers’ generally right-handed lineup did not win a game until their eighth contest of the season in which they beat Boston lefty Jon Lester. Polanco, Sheffield, Ordonez, Cabrera, Renteria, Thames, Rodriguez, and Brandon Inge are all right handed. Only Jones and Thomas, who do not play every day, are left handed hitters, and Guillen is the only switch hitter in the lineup. Upon Curtis Granderson’s return, a much-needed speedy left hander will be added to the top of the lineup.
Pitching-wise it doesn't get much better. Ace Justin Verlander’s ERA has soared to 6.52 through three starts, and Kenny Rogers’ ERA is 6.75 and has an 8:8 ratio of K:BB in three starts. Jeremy Bonderman boasts the staff’s best ERA of 4.58 and has the same K:BB as Rogers. Thirty year old lefty Nate Robertson’s ERA has ballooned to 7.02, as he is 0-1 through three starts after inking his recent three-year extension with the club. Dontrelle Willis just joined the Tigers’ two key setup men, flamethrowing righty Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney, on the DL. Willis’ ERA topped all at the time of his injury at 7.20. Twenty-six year old rookie Armando Galarraga makes his season debut tonight for Detroit in Cleveland, where, by the way, he is set to face C.C. Sabathia. He carries a 6.23 ERA in three career appearances, including one start in 2007 for Texas, into tonight’s game.
In any case, don't be surprised when the bats come alive in the next few games.
Additionally, through 14 games, they are 4-10 and have been shut out 4 times. The list of starting pitchers who blanked the Tigers' supposedly high powered offense this season includes Kansas City number two starter Brian Bannister (3.66 career ERA, 3rd season), Daisuke Matsuzaka (4.22 career ERA, 2nd season), Gavin Floyd…remember him? (6.00 career ERA, 3rd full season), and Javier Vazquez (4.27 career ERA, 11th season). Floyd’s and Vazquez’s shutouts of the Tigers’ lineup came on back to back days, in which the White Sox outscored Detroit 18-0. All four of the aforementioned pitchers are right-handers. In fact, the Tigers’ generally right-handed lineup did not win a game until their eighth contest of the season in which they beat Boston lefty Jon Lester. Polanco, Sheffield, Ordonez, Cabrera, Renteria, Thames, Rodriguez, and Brandon Inge are all right handed. Only Jones and Thomas, who do not play every day, are left handed hitters, and Guillen is the only switch hitter in the lineup. Upon Curtis Granderson’s return, a much-needed speedy left hander will be added to the top of the lineup.
Pitching-wise it doesn't get much better. Ace Justin Verlander’s ERA has soared to 6.52 through three starts, and Kenny Rogers’ ERA is 6.75 and has an 8:8 ratio of K:BB in three starts. Jeremy Bonderman boasts the staff’s best ERA of 4.58 and has the same K:BB as Rogers. Thirty year old lefty Nate Robertson’s ERA has ballooned to 7.02, as he is 0-1 through three starts after inking his recent three-year extension with the club. Dontrelle Willis just joined the Tigers’ two key setup men, flamethrowing righty Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney, on the DL. Willis’ ERA topped all at the time of his injury at 7.20. Twenty-six year old rookie Armando Galarraga makes his season debut tonight for Detroit in Cleveland, where, by the way, he is set to face C.C. Sabathia. He carries a 6.23 ERA in three career appearances, including one start in 2007 for Texas, into tonight’s game.
In any case, don't be surprised when the bats come alive in the next few games.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Covering Ground or Taking up Space?
My topic today is the LA Dodgers' outfield. I have seen CF Andruw Jones' new, ever-expanding physique, and I am not impressed. The Dodgers' website lists him at 6'1", 210, and looking at him, I find that hard to believe.
His career fielding percentage is .991. That number hasn't declined this year since he has not committed an error, and he has not committed more than 3 errors in a season since 2001. These are great stats but they are not indicative of the fact that his range has declined greatly over the past four years or so. Oh, and he is only 30. More balls are dropping in front of him and in the gaps. Not only has he become a defensive liability, but he is not hitting my weight (160, give or take), let alone his own. His average is .100 as he has 4 hits in 40 at-bats through 12 games thus far, only one of which went for extra bases (a double). He has also struck out 14 times in those 12 games.
The Dodgers really have an interesting dilemma in their outfield. Juan Pierre signed a 5 year/$44 million contract going into last season, so he has three expensive years remaining after this season. They committed to Jones for two years and were the only team dumb enough to deal seriously with his agent, Scott Boras. They also continue to hype prospect Matt Kemp. He is a big right hander who hits for power to all fields and is capable of hitting for high average as well, although he has been inconsistent in his stints in the majors.
They also have a guy I have liked for a couple of years named Andre Ethier who is a left handed hitter. He has good pop in his bat and hits for high average. Defensively, is an average corner outfielder. His playing time is really being compromised because of the contracts dished out to Jones and Pierre. He is 25 and is beginning his third full season with a .295 career average and does not strike out much.
They also have a young, switch-hitting fifth outfielder named Delwyn Young, not to be confused with Twins' outfielder Delmon Young. He is also 25 years old and has almost no time in the bigs. In limited time last year with the Dodgers, he was able to collect 13 hits in 34 at-bats, striking out only 5 times and homering twice.
Also, I am sure you are interested in the Dodgers' minor league outfield depth situation, so:
In AAA Las Vegas
Jason Repko has also long been an outfielding prospect for the team, but is almost out of minor league options and probably does not have a future with the team. They also have a 23 year old named Xavier Paul, who might be one to keep and eye on.
Beyond that, there is not much going on in the Dodgers' system outfield-wise above Class A. GM Ned Coletti will either be eating some contracts over the next few years, or dealing away some young talent. It will be tough to unload Pierre's contract simply because of the pricetag and lack of production compared with that of his days in Florida. Andruw Jones might be appealing to some teams in the next year or so, but he will have to start hitting the ball the way he did for years in Atlanta. He will also have to find his second gear in the outfield and stop watching balls drop all around him.
His career fielding percentage is .991. That number hasn't declined this year since he has not committed an error, and he has not committed more than 3 errors in a season since 2001. These are great stats but they are not indicative of the fact that his range has declined greatly over the past four years or so. Oh, and he is only 30. More balls are dropping in front of him and in the gaps. Not only has he become a defensive liability, but he is not hitting my weight (160, give or take), let alone his own. His average is .100 as he has 4 hits in 40 at-bats through 12 games thus far, only one of which went for extra bases (a double). He has also struck out 14 times in those 12 games.
The Dodgers really have an interesting dilemma in their outfield. Juan Pierre signed a 5 year/$44 million contract going into last season, so he has three expensive years remaining after this season. They committed to Jones for two years and were the only team dumb enough to deal seriously with his agent, Scott Boras. They also continue to hype prospect Matt Kemp. He is a big right hander who hits for power to all fields and is capable of hitting for high average as well, although he has been inconsistent in his stints in the majors.
They also have a guy I have liked for a couple of years named Andre Ethier who is a left handed hitter. He has good pop in his bat and hits for high average. Defensively, is an average corner outfielder. His playing time is really being compromised because of the contracts dished out to Jones and Pierre. He is 25 and is beginning his third full season with a .295 career average and does not strike out much.
They also have a young, switch-hitting fifth outfielder named Delwyn Young, not to be confused with Twins' outfielder Delmon Young. He is also 25 years old and has almost no time in the bigs. In limited time last year with the Dodgers, he was able to collect 13 hits in 34 at-bats, striking out only 5 times and homering twice.
Also, I am sure you are interested in the Dodgers' minor league outfield depth situation, so:
In AAA Las Vegas
Jason Repko has also long been an outfielding prospect for the team, but is almost out of minor league options and probably does not have a future with the team. They also have a 23 year old named Xavier Paul, who might be one to keep and eye on.
Beyond that, there is not much going on in the Dodgers' system outfield-wise above Class A. GM Ned Coletti will either be eating some contracts over the next few years, or dealing away some young talent. It will be tough to unload Pierre's contract simply because of the pricetag and lack of production compared with that of his days in Florida. Andruw Jones might be appealing to some teams in the next year or so, but he will have to start hitting the ball the way he did for years in Atlanta. He will also have to find his second gear in the outfield and stop watching balls drop all around him.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
All The Small Things
I attended the Phillies game on 4/11/08 when the Phils hosted the Chicago Cubs. The night was highlighted by Pat Burrell’s continued thumping of opposing pitching and by Jimmy Rollins’ absence from the starting lineup for the third straight night with an ankle sprain. Burrell homered and doubled, each for the fourth time this season and drove in three runs boosting his total to 12 for the year. Also garnering some attention in the game was starting pitcher Brett Myers’ performance which was solid, contrary to popular belief early in the game. Myers settled down nicely after surrendering back to back solo homerun balls in the first to Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez.
For those of you not familiar with Myers’ temperament, giving up a homerun often translates to manifest frustration on the mound. A second homer in a row would normally be expected to precipitate the immediate implosion of any focus he might have maintained after the first blast. The fact that Myers maintained his composure, especially following back to back homeruns early in the game, should give manager Charlie Manuel a boost of confidence in his ace, who experienced some struggles in his first two starts. In those outings combined, he gave up seven earned runs and two homers over just ten innings. In that time, he struck out just six and walked five. Friday night against Chicago’s loaded lineup, which includes Alfonso Soriano, Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Mark DeRosa, and young stud receiver Geovany Soto, Myers scattered just five hits over eight innings, giving up three earned while striking out five and not walking a batter. In fact, the only walk surrendered in the ballgame came at the expense of Carlos Zambrano, as he issued the lone free pass of the contest to Shane Victorino.
I was pleased with Victorino’s performance filling the leadoff spot of the order in Rollins’ absence. Victorino led off the game with a single. Immediately, that put the Cubs in a situation where they had to be aware of Victorino’s speed. Lee held Victorino on the bag at first, while second baseman Mark DeRosa cheated towards second base at double play depth. This set of circumstances creates the optimal amount of empty space on the right side of the infield for the left handed Greg Dobbs, who was batting behind Victorino. Victorino took his lead off first in anticipation of a ball hit in the hole on the right side, and right fielder Daryle Ward was playing Dobbs extremely deep, just a few steps from the warning track. It was almost as if Lou Piniella had decided to concede third base to Victorino on a single to right field. Dobbs capped off the at-bat with a single to right, sending Victorino to third base with nobody out. The Phillies stranded Victorino there, but this little bit of offensive life prevented Zambrano from getting into too good of a rhythm for the Phillies to battle back against after falling behind 2-0 in the first inning.
Victonino finished the night 2-3 with a walk, and Dobbs, who also collected an RBI double to left-center field, exited the game early as Pedro Feliz was called upon to pinch hit against left hander Sean Marshall for Dobbs. The Feliz substitution also served to provide better defensive support later in the game
Now, the focal point of this particular column is Chase Utley. I highlighted some individual performances by Myers, Victorino, Dobbs, and Pat Burrell, but without Utley’s contributions, it would be a stretch to say that the Phillies would have won the game. Utley finished the night going 1-4, striking out twice, and leaving four runners on base. He even struck out into a double play in the first inning, leading to Victorino’s being stranded on third in the opening frame. I am a die-hard Phillies fan, but I took the time last night to watch Chase play the game just as an observer and as student of the game.
What is obvious about Chase Utley on his best and average nights is that he has tremendous power and possesses the ability to hit for a very high average. Utley is the ideal three-hole hitter on this team with the big-bopping Ryan Howard protecting him. He thrives in this setting because he sees more pitches to hit. Pitchers cannot afford to have him on base when Howard comes up, so Utley sees more fastballs that he can anticipate, or “sit on,” and drive than do most hitters. He hits to all fields and possesses one of the smoothest, most perfect strokes in all of baseball. Other aspects of Chase that are apparent to the casual fan are that he hustles constantly, never wants to take an inning off, and plays through pain. In one game last week, Utley got plunked by three pitches. Often, he can be caught leaning into 90+ mph fastballs, and is rarely one to jump out of the way of a pitch. He keeps his mouth shut and does his job extremely well every day. He plays with the same intensity now as he did several years ago while making the league minimum before he signed his $85 million contract before last season. This probably impresses me most about him as a baseball player. It distinguishes him from the businessmen who wear baseball uniforms.
The crowd of about 35,000 at Citizen’s Bank Park that night remembers Utley as having had a “bad game,” recalling his two strikeouts and 4 LOB’s, if they happened to take note of that statistic during the game. What slips past most people is Utley’s ability to keep innings alive offensively. He does little things that make the defense’s job as difficult as possible. Utley runs out every ground ball. He takes the extra base on balls that drop in front of lackadaisical outfielders.
That night, Utley was on first base with Ryan Howard at bat and no outs. Howard rolled over a pitch to the right side of the infield that looked to be a double play ball to kill the Phils’ threat. Howard does not run well, and most players on first would be inclined to make a soft slide at the bag at second and concede the twin killing. Utley broke from first into a full sprint to the outside of the bag at second, and went hard after SS Ryan Theriot turning the double play. Theriot’s throw was late and off-line, and Howard lived at first because of the hustle and hard base-running by Utley. Pat Burrell hit next and belted a two run homer that put the Phillies on top for good. Without Utley’s presence of mind and determination to break up the double play, Burrell’s blast ties the game instead of giving the Phils the lead, and the complexion of the game is completely changed. Myers would not be pitching ahead, and the Phillies might have had a harder time continuing to jump on Zambrano. Utley also beat out a potential double play ball in the game. He did not end up scoring, but that hustle and ability to turn an out into a baserunner will not go unrewarded.
While Utley led off of first base after beating out the double-play attempt, Zambrano moved to pick him off and had him dead to rights at first base. When Utley recognized the pickoff, he could have either tried in vain to dive back to the bag or to bolt for second. Chase Utley is a smart baseball player, and no coach, teammate, or fan of his can debate that fact. He is able to assess situations and make the decision that is more advantageous to his team before most players can even react to what is happening in front of them on the field. When Zambrano moved to first, Utley recognized that since Ryan Howard was at bat, the Cubs infield was slightly askew. As Zambrano threw to Lee at first Utley made a dash for second and saw the positioning of Theriot’s body in relation to the bag. He slid in the throwing lane from first, making the exchange between Lee and Theriot more difficult. Utley was safe at second instead of picked off first. That is the difference between Chase Utley having his head in the game, and an average player getting caught napping off first base by a right-handed pitcher.
In the past, I have also seen Utley let a ball hit softly in the air drop with a runner on first because the batter jogged out of the batter’s box down to first base. Utley allowed the ball to fall in front of him and flipped to Jimmy Rollins covering the bag at second, who threw to first base to turn a double-play on Carlos Beltran as he was loafed down to first. The umpires disallowed Utley’s thoughtful play, allowing the Met runner to stay at first and calling Beltran out, even though the Infield Fly Rule was not in effect. Utley’s baseball smarts and unrelenting style of play make him one of the best ball players in the game and certainly my favorite to watch, not because he plays for the Phillies, but because he plays the game the right way and plays it well.
For those of you not familiar with Myers’ temperament, giving up a homerun often translates to manifest frustration on the mound. A second homer in a row would normally be expected to precipitate the immediate implosion of any focus he might have maintained after the first blast. The fact that Myers maintained his composure, especially following back to back homeruns early in the game, should give manager Charlie Manuel a boost of confidence in his ace, who experienced some struggles in his first two starts. In those outings combined, he gave up seven earned runs and two homers over just ten innings. In that time, he struck out just six and walked five. Friday night against Chicago’s loaded lineup, which includes Alfonso Soriano, Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Mark DeRosa, and young stud receiver Geovany Soto, Myers scattered just five hits over eight innings, giving up three earned while striking out five and not walking a batter. In fact, the only walk surrendered in the ballgame came at the expense of Carlos Zambrano, as he issued the lone free pass of the contest to Shane Victorino.
I was pleased with Victorino’s performance filling the leadoff spot of the order in Rollins’ absence. Victorino led off the game with a single. Immediately, that put the Cubs in a situation where they had to be aware of Victorino’s speed. Lee held Victorino on the bag at first, while second baseman Mark DeRosa cheated towards second base at double play depth. This set of circumstances creates the optimal amount of empty space on the right side of the infield for the left handed Greg Dobbs, who was batting behind Victorino. Victorino took his lead off first in anticipation of a ball hit in the hole on the right side, and right fielder Daryle Ward was playing Dobbs extremely deep, just a few steps from the warning track. It was almost as if Lou Piniella had decided to concede third base to Victorino on a single to right field. Dobbs capped off the at-bat with a single to right, sending Victorino to third base with nobody out. The Phillies stranded Victorino there, but this little bit of offensive life prevented Zambrano from getting into too good of a rhythm for the Phillies to battle back against after falling behind 2-0 in the first inning.
Victonino finished the night 2-3 with a walk, and Dobbs, who also collected an RBI double to left-center field, exited the game early as Pedro Feliz was called upon to pinch hit against left hander Sean Marshall for Dobbs. The Feliz substitution also served to provide better defensive support later in the game
Now, the focal point of this particular column is Chase Utley. I highlighted some individual performances by Myers, Victorino, Dobbs, and Pat Burrell, but without Utley’s contributions, it would be a stretch to say that the Phillies would have won the game. Utley finished the night going 1-4, striking out twice, and leaving four runners on base. He even struck out into a double play in the first inning, leading to Victorino’s being stranded on third in the opening frame. I am a die-hard Phillies fan, but I took the time last night to watch Chase play the game just as an observer and as student of the game.
What is obvious about Chase Utley on his best and average nights is that he has tremendous power and possesses the ability to hit for a very high average. Utley is the ideal three-hole hitter on this team with the big-bopping Ryan Howard protecting him. He thrives in this setting because he sees more pitches to hit. Pitchers cannot afford to have him on base when Howard comes up, so Utley sees more fastballs that he can anticipate, or “sit on,” and drive than do most hitters. He hits to all fields and possesses one of the smoothest, most perfect strokes in all of baseball. Other aspects of Chase that are apparent to the casual fan are that he hustles constantly, never wants to take an inning off, and plays through pain. In one game last week, Utley got plunked by three pitches. Often, he can be caught leaning into 90+ mph fastballs, and is rarely one to jump out of the way of a pitch. He keeps his mouth shut and does his job extremely well every day. He plays with the same intensity now as he did several years ago while making the league minimum before he signed his $85 million contract before last season. This probably impresses me most about him as a baseball player. It distinguishes him from the businessmen who wear baseball uniforms.
The crowd of about 35,000 at Citizen’s Bank Park that night remembers Utley as having had a “bad game,” recalling his two strikeouts and 4 LOB’s, if they happened to take note of that statistic during the game. What slips past most people is Utley’s ability to keep innings alive offensively. He does little things that make the defense’s job as difficult as possible. Utley runs out every ground ball. He takes the extra base on balls that drop in front of lackadaisical outfielders.
That night, Utley was on first base with Ryan Howard at bat and no outs. Howard rolled over a pitch to the right side of the infield that looked to be a double play ball to kill the Phils’ threat. Howard does not run well, and most players on first would be inclined to make a soft slide at the bag at second and concede the twin killing. Utley broke from first into a full sprint to the outside of the bag at second, and went hard after SS Ryan Theriot turning the double play. Theriot’s throw was late and off-line, and Howard lived at first because of the hustle and hard base-running by Utley. Pat Burrell hit next and belted a two run homer that put the Phillies on top for good. Without Utley’s presence of mind and determination to break up the double play, Burrell’s blast ties the game instead of giving the Phils the lead, and the complexion of the game is completely changed. Myers would not be pitching ahead, and the Phillies might have had a harder time continuing to jump on Zambrano. Utley also beat out a potential double play ball in the game. He did not end up scoring, but that hustle and ability to turn an out into a baserunner will not go unrewarded.
While Utley led off of first base after beating out the double-play attempt, Zambrano moved to pick him off and had him dead to rights at first base. When Utley recognized the pickoff, he could have either tried in vain to dive back to the bag or to bolt for second. Chase Utley is a smart baseball player, and no coach, teammate, or fan of his can debate that fact. He is able to assess situations and make the decision that is more advantageous to his team before most players can even react to what is happening in front of them on the field. When Zambrano moved to first, Utley recognized that since Ryan Howard was at bat, the Cubs infield was slightly askew. As Zambrano threw to Lee at first Utley made a dash for second and saw the positioning of Theriot’s body in relation to the bag. He slid in the throwing lane from first, making the exchange between Lee and Theriot more difficult. Utley was safe at second instead of picked off first. That is the difference between Chase Utley having his head in the game, and an average player getting caught napping off first base by a right-handed pitcher.
In the past, I have also seen Utley let a ball hit softly in the air drop with a runner on first because the batter jogged out of the batter’s box down to first base. Utley allowed the ball to fall in front of him and flipped to Jimmy Rollins covering the bag at second, who threw to first base to turn a double-play on Carlos Beltran as he was loafed down to first. The umpires disallowed Utley’s thoughtful play, allowing the Met runner to stay at first and calling Beltran out, even though the Infield Fly Rule was not in effect. Utley’s baseball smarts and unrelenting style of play make him one of the best ball players in the game and certainly my favorite to watch, not because he plays for the Phillies, but because he plays the game the right way and plays it well.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Tampa Bay Will Have Its Day
For all those excited about the new arrival of all the young pitching talent to the American League East, not only must you include Tampa Bay’s pitching youth into the conversation, but names like Kazmir, Shields, Garza, and Price should begin to be major topics of discussion. It is not my goal to take anything away from the trio of Yankee phenoms Phil Hughes (age 21), Joba Chamberlain (22), and Ian Kennedy (23) or Boston’s young tandem of John Lester (24) and Clay Buchholz (23), but rather to highlight the often unseen flow of truly gifted hurlers in their early twenties into the rotations of the other AL East teams, more specifically to Tampa Bay. The Rays’ scouting continues to amaze me year after year with the quality and quantity of prospects they continue to produce and bring into Major League Baseball.
The clear-cut Ace of the Tampa staff is 24 year old strikeout artist, Scott Kazmir. In his three full seasons as a staple of the Tampa rotation, the lefty has not finished with an ERA above 3.77. Keep in mind his age and the caliber of hitting he is called upon to face night in and night out. He pitches for a team that sees the high-powered Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays lineups between 17 and 20 times apiece each year. Also, Kazmir needs to earn every out he records since he pitches in the hitting frenzy that is the American League. Thanks to the DH travesty, he faces pitchers in only about ten to fifteen at-bats each year during inter-league play.
Behind Kazmir is 26 year old righty James Shields who is now under the Ray’s control for the next four years due to the four year deal the sides agreed on this past winter. The contract includes three club options following the four guaranteed years and could push the total value of the contract to $44 million. Shields is coming off a season in which he started 31 games totaling 215 innings, showing signs of great durability. He finished with an ERA of just 3.85 while punching out 186 and walking just 36.
Also in the rotation is 24 year old hard throwing righty Matt Garza. Garza, acquired in a trade in the offseason with the Twins for OF Delmon Young and IF Brendan Harris, cruises with an electric fastball that reaches 96-97 mph. To complement his heat, Garza’s repertoire features a devastating 12 to 6 curve with a hard break. He can get batters to chase this breaking ball, or locate it for a strike. Garza can use either of these two pitches effectively as strikeout pitches to keep hitters guessing in any count. Garza finished 2007 with a 3.69 ERA in 16 games, 15 of which he started.
At some point in the next two years, this star-studded rotation will also feature left-hander David Price, who last season broke his own all-time, single-season strikeout record at Vanderbilt with 199. Price, 22, has an immediate edge on opposing hitters due to his imposing 6’6”, 225-pound frame. He was the first overall pick in the 2007 First Year Player Draft and is currently sidelined with an elbow strain that is not being described as serious. However, Price’s fastball this spring in Major League camp was clocked at 99 mph. Keep in mind, pitchers do not fully build up their arm strength until several weeks or even months into the regular season. In other words, a rusty 22 year old threw 99 mph while nowhere near the top of his game. This kid will continue to impress with dominant stuff comparable to that of the healthy Randy Johnson of old. Remember him?
I project the rotation of the future for the Rays to also include 25 year old right hander Jason Hammel. Hammel’s extensive repertoire includes a fastball that tops out in the low 90’s in addition to a big, deceptive curveball that arrives around 75-76 mph. He often freezes hitters with this pitch for strike three. He also incorporates an off-speed pitch that has a sharper, harder movement to it as it approaches the plate at around 82 or 83 mph. Hammel, like Price, sports and intimidating 6’6” frame. Right handers Edwin Jackson and Andy Sonnanstine are also options for the theoretical fifth rotation spot, but Jackson has struggled mightily with control problems and Sonnanstine has good movement on his pitches, but lacks velocity and surrenders home runs at an astonishingly high rate. Imagine having a rotation than boasts four legitimate aces. In the coming years, the worst part of manager Joe Maddon’s job is going to be informing one of the group that includes Kazmir, Shields, Garza, or Price that he is the team’s fourth starter. What a luxury to have.
The Rays' days in the basement are officially done, at least for quite a while. There's no room for them there anymore with the push that the Orioles are making for that fifth spot in the AL East, as their young ace Jeremy Guthrie will attempt to carry a substandard rotation that invariably will garner no run support. The rotation also features left-hander Adam Loewen, who on his best day shows some promise, the historically underachieving Daniel Cabrera, with whom the organization is growing impatient, the 37 year old "Human Rain Delay" named Steve Trachsel, and Brian Burres... Ever heard of him? Neither has anyone else.
Tampa's offense could outperform that of the Blue Jays if Vernon Wells' and Lyle Overbay's numbers continue to drop and if Scott Rolen continues to watch from the waiting room of doctor's office, as appears will be the case. Most importantly, on the mound, the Rays' pitching will be shutting down offenses night in and night out for years to come. With that kind of pitching and their blossoming young offensive talent, anything can happen, and I do mean anything. You heard it here first, Tampa will edge Boston and the declining Yanks for the AL East Crown in '08 if the rotation stays healthy.
On the Side
Over the past ten years, the Tampa Bay front office has scouted and acquired Outfielders Josh Hamilton, Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, and Delmon Young. Each of these players is (or in Baldedlli’s case, has been) hailed as a five-tool, impact player. Infielders Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria (another five-tool draftee), and Pitchers Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza, and David Price have also been acquired by the club’s top flight general management and scouting executives.
Of the aforementioned players, Hamilton, Baldelli, Crawford, Upton, Young, Longoria, Shields, and Price were drafted by the team. Crawford, Upton, Pena, Longoria, Kazmir, Shields, Garza, and Price remain with the organization, while Hamilton has turned his career around with a strong first half performance last year in Cincinnati and earned a starting job in center field for the Texas Rangers. Baldelli was released by the Rays last week due to a mitochondrial disorder that causes the former center-fielding prospect to experience constant fatigue. If this health issue is resolved, the Rays plan to begin contract negotiations with Baldelli for a second stint with the team. Young was moved along with IF Brendan Harris for Garza and SS Jason Bartlett in an offseason trade to the Minnesota Twins, where Young currently occupies Left Field in an every-day role.
The clear-cut Ace of the Tampa staff is 24 year old strikeout artist, Scott Kazmir. In his three full seasons as a staple of the Tampa rotation, the lefty has not finished with an ERA above 3.77. Keep in mind his age and the caliber of hitting he is called upon to face night in and night out. He pitches for a team that sees the high-powered Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays lineups between 17 and 20 times apiece each year. Also, Kazmir needs to earn every out he records since he pitches in the hitting frenzy that is the American League. Thanks to the DH travesty, he faces pitchers in only about ten to fifteen at-bats each year during inter-league play.
Behind Kazmir is 26 year old righty James Shields who is now under the Ray’s control for the next four years due to the four year deal the sides agreed on this past winter. The contract includes three club options following the four guaranteed years and could push the total value of the contract to $44 million. Shields is coming off a season in which he started 31 games totaling 215 innings, showing signs of great durability. He finished with an ERA of just 3.85 while punching out 186 and walking just 36.
Also in the rotation is 24 year old hard throwing righty Matt Garza. Garza, acquired in a trade in the offseason with the Twins for OF Delmon Young and IF Brendan Harris, cruises with an electric fastball that reaches 96-97 mph. To complement his heat, Garza’s repertoire features a devastating 12 to 6 curve with a hard break. He can get batters to chase this breaking ball, or locate it for a strike. Garza can use either of these two pitches effectively as strikeout pitches to keep hitters guessing in any count. Garza finished 2007 with a 3.69 ERA in 16 games, 15 of which he started.
At some point in the next two years, this star-studded rotation will also feature left-hander David Price, who last season broke his own all-time, single-season strikeout record at Vanderbilt with 199. Price, 22, has an immediate edge on opposing hitters due to his imposing 6’6”, 225-pound frame. He was the first overall pick in the 2007 First Year Player Draft and is currently sidelined with an elbow strain that is not being described as serious. However, Price’s fastball this spring in Major League camp was clocked at 99 mph. Keep in mind, pitchers do not fully build up their arm strength until several weeks or even months into the regular season. In other words, a rusty 22 year old threw 99 mph while nowhere near the top of his game. This kid will continue to impress with dominant stuff comparable to that of the healthy Randy Johnson of old. Remember him?
I project the rotation of the future for the Rays to also include 25 year old right hander Jason Hammel. Hammel’s extensive repertoire includes a fastball that tops out in the low 90’s in addition to a big, deceptive curveball that arrives around 75-76 mph. He often freezes hitters with this pitch for strike three. He also incorporates an off-speed pitch that has a sharper, harder movement to it as it approaches the plate at around 82 or 83 mph. Hammel, like Price, sports and intimidating 6’6” frame. Right handers Edwin Jackson and Andy Sonnanstine are also options for the theoretical fifth rotation spot, but Jackson has struggled mightily with control problems and Sonnanstine has good movement on his pitches, but lacks velocity and surrenders home runs at an astonishingly high rate. Imagine having a rotation than boasts four legitimate aces. In the coming years, the worst part of manager Joe Maddon’s job is going to be informing one of the group that includes Kazmir, Shields, Garza, or Price that he is the team’s fourth starter. What a luxury to have.
The Rays' days in the basement are officially done, at least for quite a while. There's no room for them there anymore with the push that the Orioles are making for that fifth spot in the AL East, as their young ace Jeremy Guthrie will attempt to carry a substandard rotation that invariably will garner no run support. The rotation also features left-hander Adam Loewen, who on his best day shows some promise, the historically underachieving Daniel Cabrera, with whom the organization is growing impatient, the 37 year old "Human Rain Delay" named Steve Trachsel, and Brian Burres... Ever heard of him? Neither has anyone else.
Tampa's offense could outperform that of the Blue Jays if Vernon Wells' and Lyle Overbay's numbers continue to drop and if Scott Rolen continues to watch from the waiting room of doctor's office, as appears will be the case. Most importantly, on the mound, the Rays' pitching will be shutting down offenses night in and night out for years to come. With that kind of pitching and their blossoming young offensive talent, anything can happen, and I do mean anything. You heard it here first, Tampa will edge Boston and the declining Yanks for the AL East Crown in '08 if the rotation stays healthy.
On the Side
Over the past ten years, the Tampa Bay front office has scouted and acquired Outfielders Josh Hamilton, Rocco Baldelli, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, and Delmon Young. Each of these players is (or in Baldedlli’s case, has been) hailed as a five-tool, impact player. Infielders Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria (another five-tool draftee), and Pitchers Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza, and David Price have also been acquired by the club’s top flight general management and scouting executives.
Of the aforementioned players, Hamilton, Baldelli, Crawford, Upton, Young, Longoria, Shields, and Price were drafted by the team. Crawford, Upton, Pena, Longoria, Kazmir, Shields, Garza, and Price remain with the organization, while Hamilton has turned his career around with a strong first half performance last year in Cincinnati and earned a starting job in center field for the Texas Rangers. Baldelli was released by the Rays last week due to a mitochondrial disorder that causes the former center-fielding prospect to experience constant fatigue. If this health issue is resolved, the Rays plan to begin contract negotiations with Baldelli for a second stint with the team. Young was moved along with IF Brendan Harris for Garza and SS Jason Bartlett in an offseason trade to the Minnesota Twins, where Young currently occupies Left Field in an every-day role.
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