Top Free Agents Up for Grabs

Posted on November 6, 2013 by thedogdaysofbloggin

Cano

With the post season now officially over (congrats to the Red Sox), it is now time to look forward and think about all of talent up for grabs. In this post, I will give you my top 5 free agents and let you know which So-Cal team(s) I feel will most benefit from the addition.

1. Robinson Cano

I think no matter who you ask, Cano would be a great addition to most ball clubs. He has already expressed an interest in “exploring his options” and I feel it will take a 10 year contract to keep him around. Although I think its likely he will stay with the Yankees, my gut feeling is that he wants to go somewhere new. Most benefit: 1) Angels 2) Dodgers

2. Jacoby Ellsbury

Ellsbury will more than likely be receiving at least a $100 MM contract. However his history of health issues and lack of power in 2013 will likely have only the big market teams chancing his signing. When healthy, Ellsbury is an All Star both with his bat and glove.  I think  there is a good chance he will leave Bean Town in search of a new team to win a World Series with. Most benefit: 1) Padres 2) Angels

3. Hiroki Kuroda

When Kuroda was let go by the Dodgers in 2011, he was, I think the best, #3 pitcher in baseball. With a declining rotation, Kuroda took over as the Ace for the Yankees and did a pretty good job. Also, flat numbers over the course of his career suggests an improvement since he left the dodgers, considering the move to the AL, and the addition of a DH. Back in the NL I think he could get his ERA as low as 2.90, which is where I hope he ends up. Most Benefit: 1) Angels 2) Padres 3) Dodgers

4. Shin-Soo Choo

Choo gets hits, steals bases, and has decent power. He has a career OBP of .389, and in 2013, he hit 21 home runs and stole 20 bases. He has also managed to stay healthy for the last 2 years. Signing him will translate into a lot more runs for teams that lean on their their power to win games. Most Benefit: 1) Dodgers 2) Angels 3) Padres

5. Masahiro Tanaka

If you haven’t heard about Tanaka, he is an absolute beast on the mound. If a team signs him, it will be his first year in the big leagues, but his numbers last year were near perfect. 24-0, 1.27 ERA, 0.43, 7.8 K/9 innings. If he is going to become a top pitcher in MLB, he will need good coaching, and a catcher who he can develop with, But out of the box, I could see him putting up numbers like Hyun-jin Ryu did last year for the Dodgers. Most Benefit: 1) Angels 2) Dodgers 3) Padres

Please let me know what you think of my list and who your top 5 free agents are. Also make sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks!

– DDB

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Post Season Woes

Posted on October 28, 2013 by thedogdaysofbloggin

If there is one thing Angels, Dodgers, and Padres fans have in common right now, it is the pain of watching another World Series go by and witnessing another season that failed to meet expectations.

For the Dodgers, many people (myself included) thought nothing could stop them from winning the NL, both going into the season and into the playoffs. In fact, after their amazing turn-around lead by the hot bats of Hanley and Puig, and the electric arm of Clayton Kershaw, who could blame someone for thinking that this team was destined to win its first World Series in 25 years? It is easy to blame the loss of the season on injuries and inexperience in the dugout, but the bottom line is that this was a hot team that cooled off just in time for the playoffs.

In a division with all eyes on the Giants and Dodgers, I felt the Padres were the perfect sleeper team to come out of the fog and come out on top, or at least take a wild card spot. With a pitching staff that looked pretty average and a lineup with a couple of big bats, all they needed was a couple of hot streaks and a little bit of luck within the NL West. Like most teams, the Padres found lots of adversity throughout the season. Injuries, suspensions, and close losses all proved to be too much to handle for this club. Looking to the future, this team will need a couple good arms and some young home-grown talent to take a division that may be the best in baseball this time next year. Fortunately for the Padres, they matched their record from last year despite key losses due to injury. They also have rookie second baseman Jedd Gyorko, who shows promise both at the plate and with his glove.

After the All-Star break, I had all but given up on the Angels making it to the World Series, which was my prediction at the beginning of Spring Training. Going into the season, the Angels’ lineup looked absolutely stacked. This team was built for big innings, and top to bottom, it looked better than any other in baseball. But with my eyes glazed over by the likes of Albert Pujos, Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, and Mark Trumbo, I never considered how poor the pitching on this team was, especially in the bullpen. Talking to other Angel fans, I almost exclusively hear the blame go to the constant battle with injuries, but after witnessing the plague of injuries the Dodgers overcame, thanks to their great pitching, I’m chalking this season up to bad pitching. From the starting five to the back end of the bullpen this team would never have been able to put up the numbers to get much higher than .500 healthy or not.

Please like my post and feel free to comment. Also, don’t forget to follow me.

– DDB

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