Candy Coated

 

A team with a guy stealing every base in the league, a hitter with a consecutive hitting streak, and two pitchers that no one can hit...is under .500 while the Cardinals with a median age of like 35 are over .500 in 2nd. This is hellish.

The NL Central race is great because pretty much all four lower teams are on equal footing, but the problem is that the Reds, Pirates and Cubs will start winning and then lose even more games and wind up flat on their ass again. And the only team that's actually making headway are the frigging Cardinals, a team I never want to do well because they always decide to do so midway through the year rather than actually being good the whole way like a normal team. The closest to a good team of those lower three are the Pirates, but they'll just blow games right when they're getting good, and not get much higher in the standings, despite having Paul Skenes, Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz all surging.

The Reds, though, might be the single most shockingly bad team of the competitors. By all accounts, they should be good. Elly de la Cruz is having an excellent season. Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott are all excellent. Jonathan India's on a streak to end all streaks. Jeimer Candelario's gotten hot in the last month and he's piled up 14 homers and 39 RBIs. And yet despite the insanely hot start to the month, the Reds have been stop-start ever since. Just plodding along, basically.

The main issue, as it was last year, is rotation durability. Nick Lodolo, after some outstanding stuff, is hurt again. Graham Ashcraft is back but the Pirates clobbered him. They're going with Carson Spiers for the fifth spot, and while he's better than he was last year, he's still not to the quality of Greene or Abbott. And Frankie Montas, who began the year with some strong starts, has evened out to a 5 ERA. This is where not having Brandon Williamson, or even Lodolo, feels evident. The lineup is similar, with CES, Matt McLain and ONCE AGAIN T.J. Friedl casting a shadow over this team. 

And look, clearly they're trying. The core here does work, and this team can power-hit. But with lesser Spencer Steer, sub-.200 Will Benson, and many replacement level hitters like Nick Martini and Stuart Fairchild just hanging around, you can't really take this lineup that seriously. The Pirates at least have multiple people right now who are hot and bringing the team with them. The Reds have far less of that, which is why they're in fourth.

The next two teams the Reds have to play are the Cardinals and Yankees. This won't be easy, especially with this level of momentum.

Coming Tonight: A guy who probably thought he'd spend a few years in the minors after being drafted who's now very much driving the team in the bigs.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Cubs

 

I got to watch the 2023 Chicago Cubs play a game at Yankee Stadium this year, and I was very pleased with how many pieces had fallen into place. Some of the extra parts you didn't expect to kick into gear, like Miles Mastrobuoni, Mike Tauchman and Javier Assad, put up some excellent stuff against us, even if the Yankees small-balled Drew Smyly away to pick up the W. 

The Cubs, generally, had more to come away with this year than they did in any year since the exodus. Not all of the tune-up signings worked, but Dansby Swanson sure did, and he brought out the best in people like Nico Hoerner, Chris Morel and Yan Gomes. Plus, Justin Steele brought ace material, on a season that should have earned him more Cy Young votes than it did. It was an excellent effort foiled by a messy September, but it's a year this Cubs squad can build on, especially with Craig Counsell in the driver's seat. 

You can tell the Cubs are finding themselves because Patrick Wisdom, who was deemed a necessary and vital player during the dark ages, had less to do this year than ever. Yes, Wisdom still hit 23 homers, but with only a .205 average, and 11 strikeouts in 97 games. He was also a defensive liability, which led to both Nick Madrigal and, eventually, Jeimer Candelario, being plugged in at third longer term.

2024 Prediction: Midyear cut. It ain't 2021 anymore, folks.

After some decent seasons in New York, Jameson Taillon was brought on for a multi-year deal in Chicago, in the hopes that he'd be a solid mid-rotation option for a while. Taillon delivered on the grounds of consistency and innings-eating, making 30 starts and totaling 150 innings, with 140 Ks. His ERA was close to 5, and his 8-10 record wasn't to the standard Stroman and Steele were setting, but he proved a reliable third-man in a season that thankfully didn't require many starting reinforcements.

2024 Prediction: He's due for a lower-ERA season, and I think his first half is gonna impress a lot of people.

I can admit to being one of the people who had counted Kyle Hendricks out, as I saw a start of his in 2021 and it wasn't great at all, despite having so much respect for everything he'd done for this team since 2015. Though he had a later start than usual, Hendricks blossomed into a skilled performer for this Cubs team, even at 33, and his 3.74 ERA was the lowest by a Cubs starter not named Steele. Now going into the last year on his Cubs contract, Hendricks has recouped some goodwill and looks to be a big part of a different-looking rotation.

2024 Prediction: Finishes strong, with a consistent, classic year [down in Ks] that opens him up for a modest end-of-career contract, possibly even still in Chicago. 

With the rise of people like Javier Assad, Hayden Wesneski and Keegan Thompson, it was looking like there was even less of a place for Adbert Alzolay in the Cubs' pitching plan than ever. Then, despite the presence of a few actual closers in the bullpen, Alzolay found himself ahead in the depth chart, and thereby given the ninth. As a closing man, Alzolay found his groove, with 22 saves, a 2.67 ERA and a 1.8 WAR, finally confirming his place on these forthcoming teams.

2024 Prediction: The team trusts him with the ninth permanently, and he becomes one of the league's great closers. 

For my money, one of the most fitting trade deadline deals happened when the Cubs finally staged a reunion between them and Jeimer Candelario, the third base prospect they'd dealt to Detroit in exchange for Alex Avila. Candelario had become a well-loved power bat in Detroit, and had gotten off to an excellent start in Washington, so the trade was set. Upon arriving in Chicago, Candelario, though not to Washington standards, delivered on some solid 3rd base, and hit .234 with 6 homers and 17 RBIs in 41 games. Not bad, but perhaps not the playoff-making performance I figured.

2024 Prediction: I question why exactly the Reds would want to plug someone like Candelario into an infield of mostly youngsters that's relatively set, but I think the hope is that Candelario provides a first-half veteran aid to the team that can be phased out over time, which I reckon will happen. Maybe some June 2023 style numbers at times, but I don't see this working out as well.

With a rare hole in their rotation, thanks to injuries to Marcus Stroman and the demotion of Hayden Wesneski, the Cubs turned to a rookie named Jordan Wicks who had done quite well for himself in Iowa. In 7 MLB games, Wicks went 4-1 with 24 Ks, though his ERA ballooned to 4.41 despite an impeccable debut. With some competition for that fifth spot, Wicks will have to prove himself in spring training to ensure the continuation of his MLB progress.

2024 Prediction: Some Rookie of the Year votes for sure. 

And then you have the golden boy. The Cubs' system's pride and joy for the last few years, a huge-tier prospect named Pete Crow-Armstrong, who got the call for the stretch run this year. PCA is going to be something for the Cubs, let's be clear on that, but through 13 games he could not muster a hit, despite batting a run in and stealing two bases. It's not a damning stat yet, but considering that a similar immediate slump befell fellow Cubs prospect Matt Mervis earlier this year, it's slightly worrying.

2024 Prediction: Not an Opening Day roster pick, but will get back here and make up for this last-month stuff. With apologies to Wicks, PCA might be a ROY favorite for 2024.

Coming Tomorrow- There's only a few D-Backs left I didn't get to during the season. 

Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2023

 I think I brought this all on myself.

Sometime yesterday, as a few more deals limped into the gate, I said to myself '...kind of a weak trade deadline this year'. And then 24 hours later I'm regretting that. 

In a sense, this was a weaker deadline year, because a lot of the big names on the board were actually kept, as teams that were thought to be dealing ended up competing anyhow. While there was a large volume of deals, especially in the last hours of regulation, a lot of deals were done solely just to make trades rather than to make sense of them. I have a post full of deals that made no sense ready to go after I'm done with the impressive ones. I'm also doing the Top 10 before I do the honorable mentions, as I think it's more sensible to just get this out there before the topic is stale, and then just post the auxiliary ones.

Needless to say, I did have enough for a Top 10 list, and what I tried to do was not just weigh these trades by the size of the exclamation point, but also by the needs they fulfill. There was no obvious blockbuster deal that I had no choice but to top the list with this year. The best trade of this deadline is gonna be the single smartest move, and that may be different than what you may think. In fact, one of the biggest exclamation point moves of the deadline didn't even make this list. I'll...have words on that one soon enough. 

But for now, my picks for the Top 10 most important trade deadline acquisitions of 2023:

#10: Mark Canha to the Brewers, prospect to the Mets.

There will be some Mets on this list, needless to say. Maybe not all of the ones you think will be here, but...there are some here. One that I think might be an underrated roster boost is the Brewers getting Mark Canha. Right now their outfield, Yelich notwithstanding, isn't great. Joey Wiemer's great defensively but he's not there as a hitter yet. Sal Frelick's a decent option but he's still finding the learning curve. Blake Perkins and Tyrone Taylor aren't doing much better. What Canha does is give the Brewers a strong, versatile option that can fill several roles as well as make sure Yelich isn't the only competent player in that outfield. As the Brewers fight to compete, they need more guys like Canha, and they did manage to stock themselves with decent rentals for a run. Ultimately, Canha's the only one that made this list.

#9: David Robertson to the Marlins, prospects to the Mets.

Second Mets deal in a row, not the last. This is, however, the only Marlins deal on this list. The Marlins made a lot of wacky moves, especially today, to bulk themselves up for a wild card brawl, and while a lot of them didn't make sense, this was their best one because it fulfills a gaping need for the Marlins, and that is a competent closer. The Marlins tried A.J. Puk in the ninth, and he was doing well for a while, but he got hurt, and now he's got an ERA around 5. Everybody else in this bullpen is more suited to middle relief work, including the also-recently-dealt Jorge Lopez. D-Rob gives them an excellent closer who's been having an excellent season, and even though this makes his second straight trade deadline venture, and the fifth team he's played for since the 2021 Olympics, his stock is super high and he's already been fantastic even in early appearances for Miami. Hopefully he'll be able to stay strong in October this year.

#8: C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk to the Angels, prospects to the Rockies

A trend I noticed a lot this deadline especially was more cathartic, 'all things as they should be' trades. Mostly players who either came to prominence with or were drafted by teams that brought them back. There's a few further up on the list. But this one charmed me. Not only does it bolster a lineup that was already going in for help in terms of bench support, but it gives the Angels two great hitters in positions where they need help. The Angels just demoted Jared Walsh, and had been using Mike Moustakas and Trey Cabbage at first. Meanwhile, they just lost Taylor Ward and are still without Mike Trout. Both Cron and Grichuk fulfill deep needs, and both return to the organizations they came up with. Grichuk never played a game for the Angels before getting traded to St. Louis in exchange for David Freese, while Cron came to prominence as a Halo before finding fame in Denver. With both back where they started, the Angels have a stronger lineup and way more hard-hitting options.

#7: Michael Lorenzen to the Phillies, prospect Hao-Yu Lee to the Tigers

Nothing like a quaint, respectable addition to denote an otherwise quiet deadline for Sam Fuld. Michael Lorenz's been sharp as hell since becoming a starter, and after a solid year with LA last year, he became an All-Star with Detroit and cemented himself as a starting option. With no offense meant towards Cristopher Sanchez, we needed a trusted fifth man, and Lorenzen will do just fine. Now the Phils have a pretty ironclad rotation, with five guys I'd throw out there against the best of 'em, and while I thought Noah Syndergaard would be similar last year, Lorenzen has shown less signs of wear and tear, and also isn't as hard-throwing as Thor was. It sucks losing Lee, who looked like a fun prospect, but Lorenzen makes me very confident going forward. Also, cool that the Phils have just started adding long-haired lanky guys every July, it makes me feel seen.

#6: Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers, Trayce Thompson and prospects to the White Sox

Not the biggest pitching acquisition the Dodgers thought they'd be leaving the deadline with, but the lack of Cease or Rodriguez aside, adding Lance Lynn to an ailing rotation is a very good move. For one, the Dodgers don't have to start Michael Grove as much. Also, even if Lynn isn't quite as consistent as he was, he's a reliable veteran who can eat innings and give you strong starts, and with the only guys left in this rotation being mostly young guys, that kind of presence will pay off. I don't know what Lynn has left, but I also said something similar when the Yankees got him in 2018, and he responded with some excellent seasons for Texas after that. Also, Kelly is yet another 'let's bring him back' style move this deadline, and I certainly can't argue with the Dodgers having Kelly around again. They love him over there.

#5: Aaron Civale to the Rays, prospects to the Guardians

This was one of those where I had an audible reaction of "oh shit." The Rays have bobbled a huge lead over the AL East solely due to injuries to Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, Zach Eflin and, albeit briefly, Shane McClanahan. They've had numerous open rotation spots buckling, and as Taj Bradley's learning curve spoils a few more wins, they've needed an upgrade. Aaron Civale is perfect for this Rays team, and he's a strong, durable arm that makes me very nervous for the rest of the season. Even as people start to come back, you have one more basically guaranteed day, as Civale's been having a great season, and doesn't need to lead the rotation to impress you [a lot like Eflin]. The Rays didn't need to do much this deadline, but the thing they did do was make it even harder for anyone else to finish the season atop the AL East. 

#4: Lucas Giolito & Reynaldo Lopez to the Angels, prospects to the White Sox

Though it took him a while to rebound after the tack ban, Lucas Giolito reaffirmed himself as a great pitcher this year, and once the White Sox fell below the Tigers in the standings, a deal like this became inevitable. This deal, however, marked the first real instance by the Angels of deciding to pursue competition this offseason, and it was a hell of a statement to start with. Giolito strengthens that rotation even further, even as Sandoval, Canning, Detmers and, yes, Ohtani roll. He's not quite the ace anymore, but he's an excellent foil to Ohtani as a pure flamethrower, and will hopefully give the Angels some great stretch starts. We do know how good he can be in October, remember that. Also, Lopez gives them another solid bullpen arm, as well as more flexibility if need be.

#3: Max Scherzer to the Rangers, prospect Luisangel Acuna to the Mets

Nope, not #1. Scherzer heading to Arlington may have been the biggest flex of the deadline, but I will admit that there's two moves that I think are more advantageous. But still, you can't deny that handing Scherz over to the Rangers is a boss move. Eovaldi's hurt, deGrom's hurt, so there's room, but with Scherzer and newly-added Jordan Montgomery in there, it gives Dane Dunning, Martin Perez and Jon Gray even more reassurance, and it takes some of the pressure off of Andrew Heaney. Scherzer may not be what he was in Washington, but he was still throwing pretty well with the Mets, with a 9-4 record and 114 Ks in 19 games. He still has some excellent material to work with, and he could be the force that keeps the Rangers ahead of the Astros, despite their similar deadline tactics. While this does have a tendency to backfire, especially considering Scherzer's age and human-ness lately, it's still a big statement that could heavily benefit the Rangers if all goes well.

#2: Jeimer Candelario to the Cubs, prospects to the Nationals

Maybe if I were younger I wouldn't rank this so high, but everything about this deal just screams perfection to me. First of all, Candelario came up in the Cubs system, knows it well, and prospered there before being traded for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila [???]. This is another homecoming deal, and it's gotta be cool that Candelario finally gets to get reps in at third in Chicago. But also...Chicago was a seller till a couple weeks ago, and was looking for suitors for Bellinger, Stroman and Steele. Once they got hot, and realized they did have enough to chase the competition this year, they realized they could net an upgrade for Patrick Wisdom at third. Candelario's a perfect fit for this lineup, and a fantastic upgrade from what they already have. I also think that a lot of the Brewers' panicking in the last 24 hours is due to this deal, because they know the Cubs are gonna be even better with Candelario and need to stay above them. I absolutely love this deal, and I hope he keeps his Nats numbers up with the Cubs, cause this could be the last piece they need to sneak into October.

And so, the #1...it is a pitcher, an extremely good if recently-injury-prone pitcher...going to a market that needs to fight to win a division....but it's not the one you might think.

#1: Jack Flaherty to the Orioles, prospects who are not Jackson Holliday to the Cardinals

This, to me, was the smartest move of the deadline. The Cardinals needed to move Flaherty, the Orioles needed a unifying ace, they needed each other. The Orioles pitching, as good as it's been, has been a series of #2 and #3 men in search of a #1. Bradish, Gibson and Kremer have been good this season, but none have felt like an ace. Said ace would have been somebody like John Means, but he's still injured. I was thinking Tyler Wells would fall into that category, but he's fallen apart since the beginning of the season. The O's did try to get Dylan Cease, but the White Sox wanted Holliday in return, so that didn't happen. That's why I'm so won over by them getting Jack Flaherty, because he can be that ace-type guy, and can deliver OMG starts, and the Orioles have needed a guy like that. The injuries do worry me, but I think he's just on a decent enough pace this year, and won't need to sit out as much as somebody like Means. Flaherty might not be the HUGEST piece the Cards could have dealt, but it's an important piece, and it's even more important that Baltimore got him, because this could keep them ahead of Tampa and give them a healthy spot in the playoffs.

Again, I may be wrong about the promise of some of these deals, but this is how they look right now. Tomorrow, I'll reveal the honorable mentions, and why they didn't make the list.

Candy Everybody Wants

 

Full disclosure, I did see Jeimer Candelario walk off during a game in Detroit, and a lot of times when I see somebody do a walk off, I go to bat for them going forward. I've seen a lot of people have walk-off moments. Travis Hafner, Neil Walker, Christian Vazquez, Jesse Winker, and Candelario. And I always want good things to happen to those people. So Candelario I thought good things about, and then he sort of petered off over time for the Tigers, and when he signed with Washington this offseason I kinda went '...well that was a good run'.

But...apparently Jeimer Candelario isn't done. He's got a 1.9 WAR so far, is hitting .258 with 28 RBIs, 7 homers and SEVENTEEN DOUBLES. Cause this is the kind of mashing he can do, he can just pop it right where the outfielders aren't and make you look silly. Every team needs a guy like that, even the Nationals. He's got the best batting stats for any National not named Lane Thomas, and he's actually doing well enough defensively [unlike Thomas]. Though 2022 was more of a slight dip than a complete drop-off, Candelario seems to be getting his career back on track in a new city and delivering statistics that respond favorably to his prime years. It is excellent to see, and a nice piece of a varied, if flawed, team.

I mean, the thing with the Nats right now is that they have players who are doing one thing really well, but their lack of versatility is holding them back. Like Lane Thomas, who leads the team in home runs with 9 but is terrible defensively. Or Joey Meneses, who's DHing and not quite a power guy but still leads the team in RBIs with 30 and is hitting .301. The Nats' best starters right now, Josiah Gray and MacKenzie Gore, are both efficient pitchers who have WHIPs around 1.4 right now. And, yes, Kyle Finnegan does have 11 saves, but his ERA is around 5. The pieces are there, but they're not all fitting together exactly.

What's odd is that the team average is .264, which is on the higher side, and is incidentally fourth in all of the MLB. And that's the funny part. Last in the NL East, clearly one of the bottom feeder teams in the league this year, and their batting average is higher than every team except the Rays, Blue Jays and, well, the Rangers. Highest average in the NL, too, higher than Arizona. That is odd. Of course, the team ERA is sixth-highest in the league and they've hit the fourth-least home runs of anyone in the league, so...that'll do it.

Obviously the Nats aren't great this year, but it is nice that they're finding little performances and heroes to take away from the season, which is a decent step towards a future regime. Hopefully they can build on this a little and not have to start completely over anytime soon.

Coming Tonight: So weird that this guy's been around since 2004. 

Sour Candy

 

The Detroit Tigers this year have hit just 72 home runs.

Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton this year have hit 72 home runs combined. In fact, if we're sticking with Yankee comparisons, EIGHT Yankees have more home runs than any member of the Tigers does right now. Which isn't a very high bar, as the Tigers' home run leader is Javier Baez with 11. 

...Joey Gallo hit 12 home runs as a Yankee. And people point to his Yankee tenure as a failure. If THAT's what a failure is, who even knows what to classify any of these Tigers as?

The Tigers are just dripping with people brought in to perform to standard and refusing to. Javier Baez is comparatively having a nice year, but he's hitting .224 with 45 RBIs. In 2018, he hit .290 with 111 RBIs, and nearly won an MVP, ultimately thwarted by Christian Yelich. Now, on a team that is relying on him to perform to his peak, Baez is providing his most subpar season since his .203 pandemic-shortened year in 2020.

Even worse, the preexisting power hitter, Jeimer Candelario, is hitting just .194 with 65 hits and 10 home runs. This comes after Candelario had the best season of his career in 2021, leading the league in doubles and hitting his career high RBI mark with 67. Candelario is 28, is still in an important role in keeping the Tigers along, and even he's floundering. Meanwhile, Miguel Cabrera is hitting .260 but because he's not getting on base much, the WAR gods are calling his season another negative one. 

So many people this team banked on to succeed this year, like Akil Baddoo, Eduardo Rodriguez, Tucker Barnhart, Spencer Torkelson and Casey Mize, have all let them down. One of their best success stories, Tarik Skubal, just got shut down for the rest of the season. The people helping this team along have been mostly pitchers, bullpen pieces, and spare parts like Willi Castro, Eric Haase and Victor Reyes. The core this team was trying to cement has caved in.

And I feel like a lot of 2023 is gonna be spent undoing a lot of this year's mistakes. Waiting for some contracts to expire. Maybe shuffling some out the door at the deadline. And then actually picking the right guys to rebuild and compete again. I hate that this wasn't the year for the Tigers, but I hate even more that this year might have made things worse.

Coming Tomorrow- A rookie pitcher for the Reds. No, not that one. Not that one either. Ooh, yeah, I should do that one eventually, but no. Yeah, that's the one. 

Candy Caned

Harold Castro hit a single into right field to break up a no-hitter against the Indians. Which means...Jeimer Candelario, Jonathan Schoop, Miguel Cabrera and Robbie Grossman couldn't get anything done...and Harold Castro could.

This is Tigers baseball this decade. The Indians start Triston McKenzie in peak form, they start Drew Hutchison, who gives up 6 runs in one inning. What can you do?

The good-ish news is that, even after today's loss is taken into account, the Detroit Tigers are still technically a second place team. Which is...an odd sentence to type out loud. Second place teams, the Red Sox, the Dodgers, the Reds...and the Tigers. That fits. It owes itself to how decided the AL Central is right now. It's the White Sox, clearly. Being swept by the Yankees isn't gonna change that, cause they're still amazing and have a playoff spot ready. What do the Tigers have? Uh...they have enough draft picks that are gonna bloom in the next 2 seasons?

It's still very much a mishmash. Casey Mize is a rare pitcher that doesn't rely too much on heat and because of that isn't quite as dominant as other strong pitchers in his field. Candelario, Grossman and Schoop are having good seasons but none are especially complex. Akil Baddoo could be a Rookie of the Year candidate but he's also not very multi-dimensional. Gregory Soto has blossomed into a great closer but the rest of the bullpen is piecemeal at best. Matt Boyd and Spencer Turnbull are still out so the Tigers have to have people like Wily Peralta, Tyler Alexander and the aforementioned Hutchison start games. 

There's also a lot of tension on when Miguel Cabrera will hit his 500th home run. He's hit 12 so far this year, but this is also late career Miggy who isn't what he used to be at the plate. So maybe it'll happen in the next week or so? You never know. I think it will happen this season, and that'll be a huge milestone for the big man, who punched his ticket to Cooperstown like 10 years ago but keeps trucking regardless. 

That may be the extent of the news that comes out of this Tigers team in the remaining month and a half. Which isn't nothing, but it's still not great.

Coming Tomorrow- A hard-hitting first baseman who is desperate for his team to squeeze into the playoffs, despite the lack of good odds for him.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards #145-153

 What is undoubtedly one of the bigger rookie cards in 2021 Topps appears in this batch of 2020 Topps Final Edition cards, along with some odds and ends of veteran careers, a few potential All Stars, and some guys who could factor into the 2021 season.

Card #145- Luis Guillorme, New York Mets

After a decent come-up in 2019, Luis Guillorme still needed the right moment to convince the Mets that he'd be a successful infield choice for the coming years. He got 29 games in 2020 to do so along with Andres Gimenez covering short, and the two melded immediately. Guillorme had the slightly less showy season of the two, but he still hit .333 with 9 RBIs in that time. So far he's been used as a backup for the Mets in 2021, but his contact abilities seem to be retained.

Card #146- Jose Ramirez ASG, Cleveland Indians

It should not shock you that if the 2020 season had been played in full, and there had been an All Star Game in LA, Jose Ramirez would have been starting at 3rd base for the AL. Ramirez was the best third baseman in the AL last year, the best position player in Cleveland, and the runner-up to the MVP voting. It's that simple. 

Card #147- Jake McGee, Los Angeles Dodgers

Jake McGee is one of those relievers that doesn't exactly make the news, but does solid work and is rewarded for it. He's been with the Rockies for the last 4 seasons, so 2020 was his first year out of there, and he made camp with the Dodgers in the nick of time. McGee had a 2.66 ERA in 24 games with 33 Ks, and managed one scoreless inning in the World Series to account for his shakier stuff in the NLCS. McGee is now closing games for the San Fransisco Giants, and is already off to a fantastic start.

Card #148- Kyle Tucker ASG, Houston Astros

Yeah, here's an All Star shocker- if things has gone statistically by position rather than '3 wrangled outfielders at the top of the heap', Kyle Tucker would have been the starting left fielder for the AL. May not look like much from a name brand standpoint, but Tucker had an excellent breakout season last year, with 42 RBIs and a league-leading 6 triples. Looks to be off to a decent start this year as well.

Card #149- Matt Adams, Atlanta Braves

Matt Adams had a weird career, man. He only played for 3 teams over the course of a 9-year career...but he just played for them multiple times. It just goes...Cardinals-Braves-Nationals-Cardinals-Nationals-Braves. It's like remembering how Henry VIII's wives died. Still, 2020 was Adams' return to Atlanta after impressively filling in for Freddie Freeman in 2017, and it was...far less good. In 16 games, he hit .184 with 9 RBIs and 18 strikeouts. It looks like the end of Adams' career, although he did sign a minor league deal with Colorado last month, and he could potentially still make the Rox at some point. Which would be odd. A fourth team? 

Card #150- Joey Bart, San Francisco Giants

From the beginning of the season, when it became clear that Buster Posey would not be playing at all in 2020, and as the catching options became Tyler Heineman and Chadwick Tromp, the chorus of Giants fans bellowing 'PROMOTE BART' gradually built over time. Eventually the Giants had no choice, and brought up the much-touted catching prospect Joey Bart, and gave him 33 games in the majors. And he did...alright in that time. He hit .233 with 7 RBIs and a 0.4 WAR, which wasn't BAD, but it also wasn't the heir apparent stuff Giants fans were hoping for. So, the Giants are giving him a bit more time in the minors as Posey reclaims his spot, which isn't a bad idea.

Card #151- Hector Rondon, Arizona Diamondbacks

Hector Rondon won a ring with the Cubs and chased glory with the Astros, so he's been on ferocious, competitive teams before, but his greatest struggle as a relief specialist may have come last year in Arizona. Brought in to give the D-Backs an expert force in a mostly youth-driven bullpen, Rondon hit a 7.65 ERA in 23 games. Not a great showing at all. Rondon missed camp with the Phillies this year but is still employed by the Red Sox organization.

Card #152- Jeimer Candelario ASG, Detroit Tigers

Jeimer Candelario would have been the Tigers' only ASG representative had the game happened last year. A relief as well, as Candelario's better numbers appeared for the Tigers when all hope was lost, and when Cron and Schoop both were injured. The third baseman surprised many by hitting for average, .297, with 29 RBIs and 7 home runs, a solid run for a 60 game season. He's taking a similar slow approach this season so far, but hopefully he'll come along as we go.

Card #153- Tyler Webb, St. Louis Cardinals

A season after pleading for stationary growth after bopping around the leagues like a supernal, Tyler Webb took the Cardinals' trust in him as a means to coast for a little while. In 21 games, Webb had a 2.01 ERA and 19 Ks, and was a trusted arm in a season of slight disarray for that pitching squad. So far he's not having as smooth of a time of things in St. Louis, but hopefully things turn around.

And in the next 9 cards on Friday, we get another highly-touted rookie, plus some neglected relief stars of last year.

Tigers Update: There's No Point Edition

The Tigers lost their two best players last week: Shane Greene and Nick Castellanos are now playing for competitors, and working towards rings they had no chance of getting in Detroit.

So, where does that leave the worst team in baseball? Arguably in the right direction.

In the past week, the Tigers have called up two top prospects: catcher Jake Rogers, and right fielder Travis Demeritte. They're both 24, they've both cooked in the minors for a while, and they both have spots, finally, on the 40-man. Rogers' is really because their catching options are so dire right now, but Demeritte is up because Castellanos, their previous right-field option, is gone, and...any others can't hit after a while.

Rogers and Demeritte will hopefully break the trend of great prospects coming up and hitting like hell for a week only to hit .170 the rest of their time up. Because Christin Stewart, Greyson Greiner and Ronny Rodriguez have been big disappointments for their farm system, which needs to cough up ready players before the inevitable playoff run caused by the call-ups of Casey Mize, Isaac Paredes and Riley Greene. In like 2023.

The pitching prospects have done...a little better? Tyler Alexander and Spencer Turnbull have made the most of their call-ups, while Ryan Carpenter...has not. At least I can say with certainty that once Fulmer returns next year, and once Matt Moore figures out how to stay healthy, we could run with a Boyd-Fulmer-Moore-Turnbull-Norris/Alexander rotation. Which...in the grand scheme of things, is not bad.

The lineup is what needs the most overhaul work. Jeimer Candelario is probably their best offensive asset, and even HE'S batting .201. At least Brandon Dixon has FINALLY figured how to hit for average, with a .260 along with his [sigh] CLUB-LEADING 14-home runs. At least Miguel Cabrera's batting .283, despite his...general inefficiency. But even if the kids are coming, a LOT of this lineup needs to be thrown out, because none of it is working.

I don't know how many crappy Tigers teams I'll be forced to cover. At least the White Sox after a while picked a strategy and ran with it. And...interestingly enough, I'll be seeing how well they fare against my hometown team later today.

Coming Tonight: It's his birthday today! He's a hard-hitting rookie in a plummeting NL Central team, but at least he's a trusted asset by the time he's turned 26.

Baseball Road Trip 2018: Indians @ Detroit Tigers or The Long Haul

Last night was a thrilling, close, climactic battle between two teams that both wanted the victory. And  it almost didn't happen.

For two hours, I stood against a wall in Comerica Park, waiting for the rain to stop. To be fair, there are worse stadiums to be stuck in during a rain delay. The concourse is great, with a cool food court area, there's a ton of devotion to history with standees around displaying familiar legends, and a souvenir soda cup with Charlie Gehringer on it, and while the food does pale in comparison to the other MLB stadiums I attended this week, there's still a lot of it. So, the only sucky part about the rain delay was...the fact that it took 2 hours.

But, just as I was thinking we'd be better off heading to our next destination earlier, the tarps began to lift, and the rain stopped. And we made it to our seats, and the fun began.

Before I go into the game, I should mention that this game took place on Negro Leagues Weekend, as the team took time to honor several Negro Leaguers who played for the Detroit Stars. Also, everyone in attendance got a free Stars hat, which is always nice, because free hats are better than ones you have to pay for. I did, however, have to pay for that '68 Tigers pin.

Everyone was wearing Negro Leagues throwbacks tonight, including the Tigers' opponents for the night, the first-place Cleveland Indians.

THESE...were my seats, by the way. Not bad at all. There was a pretty nice crowd, too. Even for a team that's below .500, a lot of people turned up.

The game started with an indication that it would potentially be more about pitching than previously thought, with two guys named Mike (Clevinger for the Indians, Fiers for the Tigers) on the mound. Both let runs go by; Clevinger allowed a Victor Martinez RBI, and Fiers gave up a renegade Yan Gomes home run. But, for the most part, it was a game of defense- Miguel Cabrera proved that he's still a rock at 1st base, while Jose Iglesias is still one of the best defensive middle infielders in the game. But, alternatively, the infield combo of Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez was similarly unfazed.

The game kind of chugged along for a while at a tied score. And don't get me wrong, it was good baseball, but it was so evenly matched that it became very ho-hum after a while. The kid sitting near us, who was attending his first-ever Tigers game and was so excited for the entire thing, was even eating up the quieter moments.

The tie, polished off by a single from Iglesias and a homer from Rajai Davis of all people, remained up until late. However, things looked promising for Detroit in the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded (thanks to a bit of overconfidence from Neil Ramirez), and Jeimer Candelario stepped to the plate. We knew he was capable of something big, and we were just waiting for it...


and it didn't happen. He hit into an easy out, and the game, once again this trip, went to extra innings. Which was great for us, but for my mom, who isn't as big on baseball, was slightly less great.

Once again, every opportunity seemed futile, and every promising base-runner was left on, and it kept going, and going. But...hope persisted. As many Tigers fans left the stadium early in extras, many stayed. They were insisting that something big was gonna happen. And they were pinning this hope on a goose.

The Rally Goose, who had been essentially deified in Detroit, was being shown as much as possible, projected onto the stadium, heralded by all of the fans. They were convinced that something was going to happen. My family, on the other hand, were insisting on leaving after the 12th.

And through the bottom of the 12th, it seemed like we'd be leaving at the right time. The rain was starting again, the big guns were striking out, even Mr. Walkoff, Jacoby Jones, and it was looking very dire. Plus, Cody Allen was on the mound. And he's pretty intimidating.

Well, Miguel Cabrera cracked a single off of him. Which was a start. And then the same guy who broke the hearts of fans 3 innings earlier, Jeimer Candelario, the rising star, gets up. And we're thinking, 'oh, if only he could'.

...and he did.

And not only did he hit this ball out, he MASHED it. There was no doubt in anybody's mind that this thing was gone. It was a slam that was heard 'round Detroit. Everyone went wild, especially me and my dad. The place was shaking, nearly, as the rally goose's cry had worked.

This was a game that wasn't 100% perfect, and thanks to the rain, the defense, and the middle bit, wasn't the most entertaining...but my gosh, the ending more than made up for it. It was a nice stadium, a nice game, and a nice experience. Plus, I got a free hat out of it.

There was one more MLB stadium left on the docket, and it was a pretty unique one. And I assure you, this game did not go into extras. It never would have needed to.

Something Seems to be Working in Detroit??

I'm just as surprised as you are.

Now, granted, they still aren't over .500, and they may lose some traction as the Twins eventually have a good week, but...thanks to some very crafty mid-April work, and a surprisingly adept pitching staff, the Tigers are in second place in a weak AL Central, and nobody seems to be stopping them.

Yes, the team's not perfect, but there are sparks of greatness, like Matt Boyd, Michael Fulmer and Francisco Liriano in the rotation, the return of Miguel Cabrera's 2012 self, and a great full-season performance from Jeimer Candelario, a guy who showed promise last year in his call-up, post-Cubs-trade, and some more great work from Nicholas Castellanos, one of the few pieces from the mid-2010's-squad that's continued to be consistently good ever since.

Now, obviously there are still problems, like some of the bullpen, a majority of the hitters, and the fact that it's become so easy to lose games in the AL Central. And it's very unlikely that this Tigers team, however likable, can pull off a full-scale competitive streak this year. But...they're fun. They win games, they have goofy moments, and they're a fun, harmless team for a very pathetic division.

I'm gonna be seeing these guys at their home stadium next month. I'd really like to see a fun little game, as I already know I'll enjoy the stadium.

Coming Tomorrow- A pitcher for a team in flux, trying to compete but fending off injuries and demotions.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Tigers

During the 2017 season, the Tigers gained four extra letters, the ones added to formerly Nick Castellanos' first name. This was the only net gain the Tigers had this year. The rest of the year, be it matches, players, fans...all losses.

Even as his teammates were disappearing, Castellanos didn't have too bad of a year, hitting .272 with a career high 26 homers, despite an infield whose quality worsened with every acquisition. I imagine Castellanos, along with Miguel Cabrera, Jose Iglesias and Michael Fulmer, will be the sole pillars of experience in Detroit next year.

As starting options disappeared for the Tigers, opportunities arose for defensive extraordinaire Andrew Romine, a guy who's probably been on your favorite team without knowing it. As Justin Upton left, Romine nabbed a starting spot in the outfield and made up for inefficient offense by playing well in the field. Hell, Romine capped off the season with a rare 'all-nine-positions' game, one prompted by Brad Ausmus' generosity, and the lack of draws for fans.

Jeimer Candelario, a prospect whose arrival in Detroit was made possible by a trade that brought Alex Avila and Justin Wilson to Chicago, had a pretty fantastic season post-call-up, hitting .330 with 31 hits in 27 games. These stats should translate to a strong full season, and Candelario is one of the guys the Tigers are banking on if they wanna return to the top of the AL Central.

Coming Tomorrow- Due to their amazing finish, I only have a few new ones, but some highlights from Minneapolis.