Posts Tagged “MLB”

Mar 10 2011

Power-filled Display

Posted by jstubler in Uncategorized, tags: , ,

Every year in Florida, Major League Baseball hosts the annual High School Power Showcase.

If you haven’t heard of the Power Showcase, you haven’t seen the best young power hitters in baseball.

These kids are more than a little legit at the plate; many of them hit home runs exceeding 500 feet.

The video below includes a demonstration from Virginia native and current George Mason University baseball player Zack Helgeson. Definitely worth a look, as even if you aren’t a big fan of baseball, these guys are at the pinnacle of their game in their youth. Check it out:

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Mar 08 2011

Boom or Bust 3: Bryce Harper

Posted by jstubler in Uncategorized, tags: , , ,

Is Bryce Harper the next Ken Griffey Jr.?

What did you accomplish before you were 18? Whatever it was, you probably were no Bryce Harper.

He’s already been called baseball’s “Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated. He’s drawn comparisons to some of the best players that Major League Baseball has ever seen. He’s already signed a multi-million dollar professional contract.

He’s also been called the future of the Washington Nationals organization and the most talked about prospect in Major League Baseball.

Harper’s talent has been talked about since his sophomore year of high school, when Sports Illustrated revealed that Harper had hit a 570-foot home run (if you can, read that link. A LOT of good info about the home run is in there) as a fifteen year old. If true, metal bat or not, high school baseball or not, 570 feet is 570 feet. Let’s take a look at Harper’s “qualifications”:

The Good: As a baseball prospect, Harper is rock-solid on paper. After getting his high school GED at age 16, Harper spent most of his seventeenth year on Earth playing college baseball at the College of Southern Nevada, where he hit .443 with 31 bombs and 98 RBI. Oh, and a meager OPS (On Base Plus Slugging) of 1.513 (.800 is considered good). His swing is lightning quick, his arm strength is incredible and his defensive strength is improving every day.

The Bad: Almost nothing. The only possible knock against him MIGHT be that he’s too big already. Where do you have to go when you’re already 6’3″ and 225 at 18?

The Ugly: Arrogance. Harper has been often criticized for his cockiness, which is actually not an overwhelmingly bad quality as a ballplayer. As an interview candidate, however, this can be a public nuisance to the team. Just ask the Giants and Barry Bonds.

Prediction: Big boom. Unlike Stephen Strasburg, Harper is a position player. Moving Harper from catcher to the outfield will likely extend his career, and will almost certainly allow him to keep healthy for a decent number of years. I may be biased, wanting to have “baseball’s answer to LeBron James” come to fruition, but Harper’s already being praised by professionals and amateurs alike, and there’s nothing in his past to suggest he can’t succeed.

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Mar 08 2011

MLB replay delay

Posted by jstubler in Uncategorized, tags: , , ,

It’s been debated for years, with only minimal progress being made. No, it is not almost everything in our political situation in America.

It’s Major League Baseball‘s venture into instant replay; or lack thereof.

History: Major League Baseball was the last of the four major sports in the United States to adopt any form of instant replay. While the current system was implemented in 2008, the first use of replay actually predates the new millennium. In 1999, a game between the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals was played where Marlin outfielder Cliff Floyd hit a ball off the top of the left field scoreboard at Pro Player Stadium. Umpire Frank Pulli consulted a monitor in the Marlins’ dugout and ruled that Floyd had to return to second base.

The first official use of replay occurred on Sept. 3, 2008 in a game between the visiting New York Yankees and division rival Tampa Bay Rays. Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez hit a ball down the left field line that was ruled a home run by third base umpire Bryce DePuy. Joe Maddon, the manager of the Rays, demanded the umpires take a look. The umpires obliged, but returned with the same decision as before. Thus, the current system of instant replay was born.

With recent events in Major League Baseball (see: Armando Galarraga’s perfect game spoiled), what exactly is the delay with replay?

(AP Photo)

Arguments For: There are a couple main arguments for replay:

* The technology exists

* Could speed up the game

* Get the call right is the most important thing.

Arguments Against: There are also a couple main arguments against replay:

* Human element should not be compromised

* Could lengthen the game

* How extensive would it get?

One way it could be done: There is a very simple way of implementing a quick form of replay:

* A fifth umpire could be put into the press box.

*If a play comes into question, this umpire could have reviewed the play numerous times already by the time the officiating crew decides to ask for his help.

* The home plate umpire could then make a call from a phone placed in the tunnel behind the plate.

* The decision could be rendered from this official, and time would actually be cut from the game where the manager would otherwise be arguing his case.

The only argument from the critics that now still stands is the view that “the human element is important to the game”. The issue with this logic is that the human element can still be kept in tact by limiting the number of challenges a team can have per game, while also limiting what can be challenged. It is done this way in every other sport, so why would baseball fans be worried about that? It seems like a desperate attempt at being right.

Replay is not the end of baseball; it is the beginning of returning integrity to the game.

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Feb 17 2011

Love (and Spring Training) is in the air

Posted by jstubler in Uncategorized, tags: , , , ,

It’s a date that only comes once a year. It’s a day to remember how much we missed that part of our lives and contemplate how even their imperfections make them perfect for you. Ah yes, February 14th…

The day that pitchers and catchers report back to work.

(AP Photo)

Spring Training is the time of year for players work out all the kinks and get back into playing shape for the long season that awaits them. It’s a time for teams to get excited about the prospects of anything from improvement to winning a championship.

It’s also a time for fans to get excited about the future of their teams.

With love being so much in the air at this time of year, here’s a look at three prospects that baseball enthusiasts will fall in love with over the course of the 2011 Major League Baseball season.

Prospect #1: Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Who is he?: If you’re like me, when you heard the Tampa Bay Rays traded Matt Garza, you couldn’t believe your ears. However, if you’re as like me as you think, you tried not to care because it’s not your favorite team, then curiosity got the best of you and you searched their prospect list. Before you know it, you’re reading about a 23 year old Iowa native with an 89-93 MPH fastball, and plus changeup that projects him into the middle of Tampa’s 2011 rotation. Hellickson already has the polish and development to help the Rays now, and will be working hard all spring to develop a curve ball to round out his repertoire.
2011 Outlook: Expect Hellickson to fill the 5-spot in the rotation, with Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis each sliding up one spot.

Prospect #2: Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

Who is he?: With Derrek Lee leaving for the “greener pastures” of the Baltimore Orioles and Camden Yards (insert massive eye roll here), the Braves will turn to 21 year old Freddie Freeman to man first base. Scouts are divided on Freeman’s power potential, but his .319-18-87 line at Triple-A Gwinnett last year has Atlanta management convinced he’s ready for the next step. The Braves are so confident in the kid, they didn’t even bother to bring in any veteran competition to push him.
2011 Outlook: With Freeman’s only competition being super-utility player Eric Hinske, expect him to easily claim the job in Spring Training. He’ll likely hit eighth initially to get his feet wet, but look for improvement as the season progresses.

Prospect #3: Dustin Ackley, 2B, Seattle Mariners

Who is he?: Ackley, the number two overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft, is overshadowed in large part because the man picked before him, Stephen Strasburg, has gotten all of the attention. That said, Ackley is not exactly a slouch on the baseball field. He swung the bat to the tune of a .267-7-51 line between the Double and Triple-A affiliates of the Mariners last season, but what impressed the scouts was his plate discipline. A BB/K ratio of 75/79 had him rated as one of the most patient minor league hitters of 2010; an attribute displayed by many of the games’ best hitters.
2011 Outlook: Without a better option, Ackley looks like a decent bet to win the Mariners’ second base job outright this spring. Ackley will likely experience some initial growing pains, but don’t be fooled: this kid’s future is bright.

Happy baseball season to all!

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