100 Inning Game

The Catawba College baseball team held their annual 100 inning fundraiser game on November 19th.  The game was played with a set of "speed-up" rules, so even though 100 innings weren't actually played, players got plenty of repetitions.  There were no pitchers, as all batters hit against a pitching machine, and they got one pitch per at-bat.  If they didn't swing or hit a foul ball, it counted as an out. The teams were divided up almost evenly, as the returning players played against newcomers to the program. 

The element of fun was added with two wrinkles.  First, pitchers were allowed to hit.  Because they don't get to hit in actual games, the pitchers were excited about this. The players were also happy about this because this usually meant automatic outs.  Another fun twist was that position players didn't have to play the same position they played in actual games.  Guys who normally play outfield took their turn at shortstop, while infielders wandered out to center field for a few innings. 

The 100 inning game always serves as a huge money maker for the program, and this year was no different.  Each player handed in addresses of family members and friends who might donate money to the program. Many of these fine people came through with donations, which are used to purchase equipment, uniforms, and hotel rooms.  The combination of baseball, fun, money donations, and beautiful weather meant that Catawba's 100 inning fundraiser game was a success once again.

Week Two Recap

Welcome back to the Big Fly.  It’s finally starting to sink in that baseball is back on our television sets, and we’re quickly taking notice of some players and teams who have caught our eye.  Here’s a recap of who’s looking good and who wishes it was still spring training through Week 2 of the 2011 season.

Heating Up

Texas Rangers

·         The Rangers have continued their hot streak to kick off 2011.  They are off to a 9-3 start, including a 6-0 record at the Ballpark in Arlington.  Everything isn’t stellar in Texas now, however, as star OF Josh Hamilton suffered a broken right arm on Tuesday and is expected to miss six-eight weeks.  This is a huge blow to one of baseball’s most powerful offenses.  Players such as Nelson Cruz and Michael Young will have to stay hot, and Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre need to heat up for this offense to not miss a beat.

AL Central underdogs

·         We had a tough time during the predictions for this division deciding who would come in last between the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals.  For now, they’re making us look foolish.  The Tribe reeled off an eight-game winning streak after starting off 0-2, and they didn’t need Pedro Cerrano or Rick Vaughn to do so.  The pesky Royals continue to swing the bat well, with outfielders Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francoeur, and Alex Gordon all hitting above .280.

Prince Fielder

·         In the postseason award predictions, we mentioned Fielder as a potential MVP candidate due to 2011 being his walk year.  He has started off red-hot in his attempt to earn a massive contract this winter.  Through 11 games, he is hitting .385 with three homers and a 1.185 OPS.

Dan Haren

·         Through 4 appearances, including one emergency relief stint, Haren is 3-0 with an 0.73 ERA and an 0.53 WHIP.  In his last start on Tuesday, he stifled the red-hot Indians by throwing a one-hit shutout with only two walks and eight strikeouts.

Honorable Mention: Colorado Rockies, Philadelphia Phillies, Starlin Castro, Gio Gonzalez

Ice Cold

Boston Red Sox

·         Who owns the worst record in baseball through the first two weeks of action?  That would be the winners of the offseason sweepstakes.  The offense is hitting just .230 so far, with 2B Dustin Pedroia the only regular starter swinging a consistent bat so far.  Carl Crawford continues to press and is hitting just .152 with a putrid .204 OBP.  On the bright side, Josh Beckett threw eight shutout innings against the Yankees on Sunday, a big step forward for the rotation.  Daisuke Matsuzaka is a huge question mark with two straight horrible starts.

Minnesota Twins offense

·         For a team that was predicted to win the AL Central again, the Twins’ bats are currently as cold as the weather in the Twin Cities.  The team has scored just 33 runs in 11 games, is 29^th in the majors in OBP and last in slugging percentage.  Jason Kubel and Denard Span are the only regulars over .300, and offensive stalwarts Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are both between .220 and .240.  The pitching hasn’t been great either, but scoring three runs a game won’t bring many wins to Target Field.

Albert Pujols

·         Don’t panic Cardinals fans.  This is probably the only time you’ll see The Machine’s name in this section.  In his defense, his primary protection, Matt Holliday, has missed time with an appendectomy.   But nobody expected Pujols to have a lower slugging percentage than Ryan Theriot at any point this season.  He’ll come around sooner rather than later.

John Lackey

·         It’s never a good thing when giving up six earned runs in five innings brings your ERA down, but that happened to Lackey on Friday, and he lucked out a win as well.  But the Red Sox desperately need the fiery right-hander to become more consistent.  He is scheduled to start again on Tuesday against Oakland.

Dishonorable Mention: Anyone who’s pitched at Chase Field, Braves’ offense, Vernon Wells, Francisco Liriano

Weekend series to watch

Texas Rangers at New York Yankees

o   Texas has been arguably the best team so far in 2011, while the Yankees haven’t blown anybody away as of yet.  Sunday night’s game will be a good one to watch.  Texas starts RH Alexi Ogando, who hasn’t given up a run in his first 13 innings, while the Yankees send CC Sabathia to the mound. 

That’s all for the Week 2 recap.  Let us know what you think about what you’ve seen so far.  We’ll be back next week to look around the majors. See you then.

Week One Recap

Welcome back to The Big Fly.  The first week of the season is in the books, and already we’ve seen some interesting developments.  Let’s recap what we saw in week one of the Major League Baseball season.

Early favorites struggling

                If you remember, The Big Fly picked a Red Sox-Giants matchup in the World Series.  Both teams are struggling out of the gate in 2011, as the Giants lost three of four games to the Dodgers, while the Red Sox have lost their first five games. 

Out by the bay, the Giants have gotten solid pitching led by right-handers Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, but the offense has been inconsistent.  Some good news for the defending champs, however, is that 3B Pablo Sandoval has swung a very good bat after winning his battle with the bulge this offseason.

The Red Sox got swept convincingly over the weekend by the Texas Rangers (more on them in a second).  All five members of the starting rotation were hit hard in their first start, and the offense hasn’t been much better.  LF Carl Crawford was demoted to seventh in the lineup on Sunday, and CF Jacoby Ellsbury and 3B Kevin Youkilis have gotten off to slow starts as well.

We’re not panicking yet about our World Series pick, because both these teams are much too talented to be struggling for long.

“Cellar-dwellers” start out hot

                Raise your hand if you picked the Orioles, Royals, or the Pirates to win the division.  Our hands are not raised.  But we can still acknowledge that these three teams have turned some heads during the opening week of action. 

The Orioles have been the biggest surprise, winning their first four games, including a three-game sweep of division rival Tampa Bay, while only giving up one run in each of those four games.  They’ve done all this without ace LH Brian Matusz, who is out for at least three weeks with a back injury.  Rookie LH Zach Britton jumped into the rotation and had a solid start in his debut, and he and the rest of the rotation will need to step up and pitch well in April.

The Royals have shown an early knack for winning late, with three walk-off wins to their credit already.  So far, DH Billy Butler has started off swinging a good bat, which is not surprising, but LF Alex Gordon has been a pleasant surprise so far, hitting .379 through the first week and showing the promise that made him the number two overall pick in 2005. 

The Pirates have unexpectedly gotten good pitching to start the 2011 season.  Veteran RH Kevin Correia has provided two wins and a 1.37 ERA, and LH Paul Maholm threw 6 2/3 shutout innings in his first start.  Timely hitting from young guns such as CF Andrew McCutchen, LF Jose Tabata, and 2B Neil Walker have propelled the Pirates underrated offense.

Rangers on a mission

              As you read earlier, the Red Sox struggled over the weekend.  They have the defending AL champions to thank.  The Texas Rangers are 6-0 to start the season, and they’ve done it by playing longball, with 13 homeruns already in the first six games. 

Seven of those homers have come from two players.  RF Nelson Cruz homered in his first four games, and staying healthy could be the only thing keeping him from superstar status.  2B Ian Kinsler has three homers and became the first player in major league history to hit a leadoff homer in his team’s first two games of the season.

Despite a somewhat sluggish start from 3B Adrian Beltre, the Ranger offense is clicking early, and the pitching has been very good as well.  This is a dangerous ballclub that will be in the thick of things all season long.

Weekend series to watch

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

o   The Yankees have seen 1B Mark Teixeira go against his norm and start the season swinging a hot bat, and 3B Alex Rodriguez is starting off nicely also.  Friday’s game will be huge for both teams, as both teams will start their struggling number two starters.  Phil Hughes for New York will match up with John Lackey for Boston.

Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves

o   The top two NL East teams from 2010 will face off in Atlanta.  Friday night will see LH Cliff Lee take the hill for the Phillies against Braves’ RH Tim Hudson.  The Braves’ offense has struggled so far and spoiled some good pitching efforts, while the Phillies have done everything well en route to a 4-1 start.

That wraps up our recap of week one in the Major League Baseball season.  Be sure to let us know your opinions about what you’ve seen so far and what you’re looking forward to.  We’ll be back next week to look around the majors once again.  See you then.

Guest Post #2: Brett Underwood

Welcome to The Big Fly.  This goes for me as well! My name is Brett Underwood, writer of The Dugout and Cameron White’s roommate.  Cameron was generous enough to allow me the opportunity to drop by on his blog and make a guest post.  Cameron has done a great job of giving you a season preview and providing a little insight on some of the standout players who could have big seasons. 

In this post, I am going to make some bold predictions.  When I say bold predictions, I mean that these things are not likely to happen, in fact, they probably will not.  They are, however, possible.  So here we go…

• Brian Matusz gets 20 wins and has an ERA under 3.50.

-          The Orioles have to win around 60 games this year, right? Why not win them when your most talented starter is on the mound?  This up-and-coming pitcher just turned 24 and already has a little over a year in the majors under his belt.

-          Matusz finished the season going 7-1 last season in August, September and 1 start in October.  I’m envisioning that momentum will carry into this 2011 season.

• Billy Butler will hit 30 home runs, drive in 110 runs and still hit .300 (this is assuming at least 110 guys get on base in front of him in that hideous Kansas City lineup).

-          I am a huge fan of Billy Butler.  He is beginning his 5^th season in the majors and he is primed for an explosion.  He surprised many with his 21 HR, 93 RBI season in 2009. 

-          The power numbers dropped slightly last season, but he cut back on his strikeouts and increased his walks.  He also jumped from a .301 batting average to .318 from 2009 to 2010.  This season, his 45 doubles from last year start carrying over the wall and the power numbers rise drastically.

•  Jimmy Rollins stays healthy! That is bold enough, but I’m also predicting that he makes a jump back towards the MVP type player he was in 2007.  With this jump will come 20 home runs, 40 stolen bases and a .280 batting average.

-          With Chase Utley’s health in question, there have come questions about this Phillies offense.  10 year veteran, Rollins, will step up and prove the doubters wrong. 

-          With the loss of some Utley home runs, Rollins is likely to run more than usual and try to find more ways to get on base.  Getting on base brings about confidence, and Rollins has shown that when he is healthy and confident, he is one of the best in the league. 

•   Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun combine for 80 home runs (that’s right, I said 80).

-          In the final year of his contract, Prince Fielder is now out to earn a paycheck.  He will also be turning 27 in May which has proven to be a peak year for many players.  Last year was arguably his worst in his 6 year career and he is a man (and a big one) on a mission.

-          Braun, also at the magical age of 27, has hit more than 30 homers in 3 out of 4 seasons (last year he hit 25), including 37 in 2008. This guy is a flat out star and one who you might find near the top of the MVP voting come seasons end.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates finish 4^th in the National League Central.

-          Go ahead and laugh now, this team is not far off.  While the starting rotation may not be up to par (I am sugar-coating that as much as possible), there is a lot of young talent in that lineup.   

-          Look for Andrew McCutchen to lead a young and determined bunch to somewhere around 70-75 wins, which will be good enough for a 4^th place finish.

• Gordon Beckham hits .300 with 25 home runs.

-          To be honest, the only reason I am putting this is because Cameron drafts him every year in our fantasy league, and the way I see it, at some point it will work out for him.

-          In 103 games in 2009, Beckham hit 14 home runs and proved that he has the ability to hit at the major league level.  This kid’s talent cannot be denied and it is only a matter of time before he starts to produce.  Hopefully for Cameron’s sake it is this year and it’s not another season where a fantasy pick is wasted on the White Sox second baseman.

• Miguel Cabrera does NOT get a DUI during the season!

-          That could possibly be the boldest prediction yet, but I am a big Miguel Cabrera fan and am pulling for him to step away from the alcohol.

• Mark Teixiera finishes top 3 in MVP voting.

-          If Teixiera could find some way to put together just an average April and May, there is no doubt in my mind he would finish near the top. 

-          Known for his slow starts, he always finds a way to hit 30+ home runs, drive in 100+ runs and hit close to .300 (excluding a horrid .256 last season).   Imagine what his numbers could be if he didn’t waste the first 2 months of the year. 

•  John Danks finishes top 3 in Cy Young voting.

-          Danks went a quiet 15-11 last season with a 3.72 Earned Run Average.  If you have not seen Danks pitch, you need to tune in for a game.  He has made a name for himself in the Windy City and it will not be long before the rest of the country realizes how good he is.

-          Barring he receives a little run support and the White Sox remain in the playoff race, don’t be shocked to see John Danks near the top of the charts in quite a few pitching categories.

•  The Dodgers represent the National League in the World Series.

-          With hitters in the middle of the lineup such as Ethier and Kemp, and starters on the mound such as Kershaw, Billingsley, and Ted Lilly, the Dodgers could make a run.

-          Last season was disappointing for the Dodgers, as Cameron mentioned in his NL West preview, but the talent is still there and the pitching could carry this team into the playoffs and possibly the World Series.

•  Yankees win the World Series.

-          Wait a second; Yankees winning is a bold prediction? That’s right!  The hype around the New York Yankees is not what it used to be as hated rival, the Boston Red Sox, made some major off-season moves.  There are questions surrounding the Yankees rotation and some of the key position players such as “Mr. November”, Derek Jeter. 

-          I am expecting a major trade or pick-up in the middle of the season, which puts the Yankees right back in the mix with the star-studded Red Sox.  Also, assuming the Yankees make the playoffs again, how can you pick against the Yanks in October?

•  For my last “bold prediction”… wait for it…wait for it…Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan team up to create an Oscar Winning movie!

-          Why not? It appears that both are having some struggles right now, just get together and make a crazy movie.  I think it could be successful.

-          Okay, I lied; I am not seeing that one as a success.  I think this last one officially takes the crown for my “bold pick of the year” award.

Thanks again to Cameron for allowing me to make some bold (you can use the word “crazy” if you’d like) predictions on his blog.  Continue coming back to The Big Fly for more great baseball news with everybody’s favorite blogger, Cameron White.

Guest Post #1: Steffi Cook

This is a guest post from Steffi Cook, a member of my blogging class and the author of the blog Yellow Jackets Tennis, on the importance of being an unselfish team player.

Being part of a sports team is a very rewarding experience.  Whether you are competing on the professional level or are simply in a recreational league to have fun, you will gain an experience that will be very special and memorable for a lifetime.

Working on a team requires one to care about others besides themselves.  An individual can not go in with the mindset that they need to do the best only for their own benefit.  Their best efforts must be done for the entire team to experience, not only for themselves to prosper. 

Let's use a baseball situation.  If Rob is a pitcher, and is hungry for playing time, he most likely has the drive to want to pitch in a lot of games and get time on the mound.  However, if he knows his teammate Ryan is having a really good season filling the position and is helping the team significantly with his performances, he needs to accept that he may not get much playing time over him.  It isn't because he is necessarily a bad pitcher; he could be a real talent.  Nonetheless, if Ryan is a key factor in the team winning games, he needs to realize this and know he is the one that should be playing because he is helping the team be the best it can be. 

It would not do any good for Rob to sit around and complain about how he isn't seeing the mound.  He wouldn't be helping himself, and it surely wouldn't cause any good to the other guys.  The last thing the other players need to be thinking about and concentrating their efforts on is how Rob is upset he isn't getting to throw pitches.  The team mentality would go down and the main focus would not be on winning games.  It would be on stupid drama that is not beneficial to ANYBODY.  If Rob shows the utmost support for Ryan and his other teammates, it will help the team win as much as possible and be the most successful it can be. 

Positive energy is the key to success, especially in a team environment.  Do you use it when you are with your teammates?  Cameron, do you think that this same mentality is employed on the professional teams you discuss in your blog and on your own collegiate squad?

Playoff and Award Predictions

Welcome back to The Big Fly.  Over the past six weeks, we’ve given you a preview of each team and each division in baseball.  We hope you’ve enjoyed reading up on each team.  In this entry, we’ll recap our division winners, then make our playoff predictions and postseason award predictions.

AL Playoffs

·         AL East Champion: Boston Red Sox (AL Champion)

o   Even with the pitching questions, the offense went to another level with the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. A definite World Series contender and arguably the most complete team in baseball.

·         AL Central Champion: Minnesota Twins

o   This is contingent on a healthy Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.  Even if these two miss time, the Twins always find a way to win games and stay in the divisional race.  Looking to get over the hump in the playoffs.

·         AL West Champions: Texas Rangers

o   Even without Cliff Lee, the starting rotation is solid and the addition of Adrian Beltre brings firepower to an already feared offense.  Lack of postseason experience is no longer a question.  Dangerous team once again.

·         AL Wild Card Winner: New York Yankees

o   Predictable? Maybe. The starting rotation definitely has questions, but the offense is too powerful to expect a serious drop off.  Always a scary club.

·         AL Playoff Dark Horses: Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics

o   It wouldn’t be surprising to see the White Sox win the Central or the Wild Card.  Solid at the plate and on the bump.  The Athletics only need their young pitchers to remain consistent all season to make a run in the West.

NL Playoffs

·         NL East Champion: Philadelphia Phillies

o   Dominant pitching staff will make this team tough to beat.  The lineup is productive but aging.  If the position players remain healthy, arguably the best team in the league.  But that’s a big if.

·         NL Central Champion: Cincinnati Reds

o   Don’t let last year’s quick playoff exit fool you.  This team is built for the long haul.  Best offense in the NL in 2010 and decent pitching staff will be enough to repeat.  This team will win the NL sometime soon.

·         NL West Champion: San Francisco Giants (NL Champion)

o   An extremely well-balanced club.  Offense won’t scare anyone but gets the job done, while the pitching staff will once again frustrate opposing hitters.  Very good chance to return to the World Series.

·         NL Wild Card Winner: Atlanta Braves

o   If the Phillies battle injuries, they could win the East.  Solid at the plate and on the mound but not great defensively.  Nobody will want to play them in the postseason.

·         NL Playoff Dark Horses: Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers

o   If the Giants suffer a letdown, the Rockies will make them pay provided they find some consistency.  The Brewers are all-in this season and their offseason pitching upgrades make them a feared squad.

World Series

·         Red Sox vs. Giants

o   This would be quite a series, which would match up baseball’s best offense with one of baseball’s best pitching staffs.  By this point, the Red Sox pitching staff will have answered any questions posed earlier in the season.  This will be the year where good offense defeats good pitching.

- Prediction: Red Sox in six games  

Postseason Awards

·         AL Most Valuable Player

o    1. Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

-  Cano really busted out in 2010, and he will continue to be a major run producer hitting in such a deep lineup.

o   2. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

-  Hitting in the middle of a powerful Boston lineup, Youkilis will set career highs in homers and RBI’s. 

o   3. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

-  As long as he defeats his personal demons, the sky is the limit for his offensive numbers.

·         AL Cy Young

o   1.  Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox

- He won’t be lacking for run support.  He’s one of the best lefties in the game, but this year, he joins the discussion about the best pitcher in baseball.

o   2. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

-  He won it last year while winning 13 games, so if Seattle improves, his numbers could be even more frightening.

o   CC Sabathia, New York Yankees

-  The big guy is as consistent as they come.  Is always a threat to win 20 games with the team he has around him.

·         AL Rookie of the Year

o   1.  Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays

-  He pitched like an old veteran during his September call-up.  He still has a solid offense to score some runs for him.

o   2. Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays

-  Like Hellickson, will receive run support. Jays are excited about his potential.

o   3. Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals

-  Still in the minors, but has the power potential to inject some life into the Royals’ season.

·         NL Most Valuable Player

o   1. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

-  Extremely boring pick, but who cares?  Swirling rumors about his departure aren’t going to distract him because he’s that good.

o   2. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

-  If he avoids any early-season slumps and fluky injuries, don’t be shocked if he walks away with this award.

o   3. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers

-  In the walk year of his contract.  Hitters tend to do crazy things in their walk year.  Always a threat for 40 homers.

·         NL Cy Young Award

o   1. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

-  Like Pujols, a bit of a boring choice.  But he’s the most consistent pitcher in baseball and he played the NL like a fiddle after moving over before last season.

o   2. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

-  He’s always in the discussion due to pitching in the slightly offensively-challenged NL West.  His nasty stuff doesn’t hurt either. 

o   3. Tommy Hanson, Atlanta Braves

-  He’ll receive the run support in 2011 that was sometimes lacking last season.  This is the year he becomes an annual contender for this award.

·         NL Rookie of the Year

o   1. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

-  Won’t face too much pressure due to hitting near the bottom of a good lineup.  Braves are excited about his potential.

o   2.  Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants

-  The Giants’ offense isn’t the most powerful, and Belt should force his way in early.

o   3. Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds

-  Still qualifies as a rookie.  Arguably some of the best stuff in the majors.  Could be closing by the end of the year.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our season previews as much as we’ve enjoyed researching them.  We’ve done our part to get you ready for the season, now it’s your turn to get ready by enjoying Opening Day.  For a baseball fan, it’s the best day of the year.  We’ll be back on Sunday to recap the opening weekend of Major League Baseball.  See you then.