Home Run Derby

 Before I get to today’s topic, I would like to encourage people to go back to look at our Nationals preview.  Clearly my “worst team in baseball” labelling has riled up some Nats fan, not to mention my o-fer vs the Mets prediction.   I bring it up, because today’s team in the spotlight, the Baltimore Orioles, will challenge the Nats for the title of “worst team in baeball.”

Before I get too far, I would like take this time to remind eveyone to visit my partner in this feature, SkyKing162.  We take very different approaches to this exercise, but quite often end up with similar answers (except for Rick Ankiel)…Go Figure!  I am sure as we get to more of the upper echelon teams, we will see some striking desparities.

Now to the Orioles. On paper, they have a slightly better team than the Nats, mainly because the have some legitimate starting pitching in Jeremy Guthrie, Daniel Cabrera and Adam Loewen.  That not to say we have the makings of  a dominant staff, but at least a respectable one.  Of course, Cabrera will have to stop walking a hitter every other inning to start to reach his potential.  He’s teetering on the bust label now.

(more…)

  It’s hard to believe that we are just about a quarter of the way done with our 30 in 30 feature.  Thank you to all that have participated to date, either by commenting, linking or participating in our roundtables.  Day 7 moves our attention to the NL Central.  And no, Cardinal fans, God did not create the Cardinals on the seventh day. Give Sky’s Redbird preview a looksie as well.

Last year, the Cardinals hit 141 roundtrippers.  With the news that Albert Pujols will try to play with at torn elbow ligament, which will require reconstructive surgery, that number will be sure to go down this year as he accounted for 23% of the team’s Home Runs last year.

Let’s face it … when you lose one of the five best position players in baseball, your team is going to struggle and the Cards are going to have a tough time competing.  The only thing they have going for them is that they compete in the NL Central, quite possibly the worst division in baseball from top to bottom.  There is a Cubs joke in there somewhere, but I can’t quite get my finger on it.  Please feel free to leave one in the comments section.

(more…)

 Day 6 of 30 and we move on to the San Francisco Giants (Please check out Sky’s preview too!). 

Speaking of moving on, I understand that a certain outfielder is no longer with the team.  I jest of course, this post is about the 2008 Giants, and with Barry Bonds in the rearview mirror, I intend to look at the team that will be in uniform, not the prima donna that is still looking for a job.

One of my favorite players in the league is a brand new Giant, Aaron Rowand.  He will bring a different type of attitude to the Giants, because he is a player that gives it all for the game and the team.  I am willing to bet he and Omar Vizquel will get along very well.   All I know is that San fran Fans will appreciate Rowand the first time he does this.

(more…)

  OK, when I said 30 teams in 30 days, I intententionally left out the qualifier “consecutive” in the description, because I anticipated days like yesterday, where the Greek felt about as good as Jose Canseco’s chances at the Hall of Fame. 

Needless to say, it is time to march on to Day 5, and the real Los Angeles team, the Dodgers.  Be sure to check out Sky as well.

The Dodgers “cranked out” a total of 129 Home Runs last year, but their power prospects look to be on the upside with the addition of Andruw Jones.  The biggest acquisition news for the Dodgers though was their new manager, Joe Torre.  But before we get too far into our analysis of the upcoming Dodgers season. 

Let’s first take a time out to pay homage to the person who regularly adorns this site in Dodger Blue.  No it’s not Ramon spelled backwards, or Jeff Foxworthy … I don’t mean Jeff Kent or the newly acquired Andruw Jones.  It is, of course,  Dodger Fan and TV Witch, Alyssa Milano. 

Sometimes I do wonder if we here at Home Run Derby are more dedicated to the women connected to baseball more than the Home Run (not that it’s a bad thing).  In fact Richie, I think we need to go back to our old tag line, “Because Chicks dig the long ball!”  It is certainly more appropriate.

Anyway, I digress, back to baseball.  The Dodgers are hard to figure out. They have good talent, but tend to see more than their fair share of injuries.  I certainly believe they will hit more Home Runs this year.   I do believe they have as good a chance to win the NL West as the Rockies and Diamondbacks do, especially if Rafael Furcal is back at 100%.  So Let’s get crackin’.

(more…)