Wild Weather and its Affect on the Rest of the MLB Season

By Nicholas Diminich, 2015

Source: Jack Dempsey/AP

They Say April Showers bring May Flowers, but no one said anything about snow.  Several teams have fallen victim to the insane amount of snow and wintry mix postponements early in this season, which is sure to have an affect come late July and August. The Mets visited Minnesota (for some reason they thought making an outdoor stadium in Minnesota would be a good idea) and suffered a postponement due to winter weather, that will have to be made up on an off day some time later this summer, a time of the year where the off days are so pivotal especially for teams that are on the bubble in terms of a Wild Card playoff race. As if playing in the freezing cold weather in Minnesota wasn’t bad enough, the Mets traveled straight to Denver, Colorado, for a four game series mind you, and suffered two snowed out games. Luckily they made one up with a double-header right away but again, are suffering a lost off day later in August. The Twins and Rockies just started games as this article is being written with temperatures at 38 degrees and 23 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively.

These instances brings up the issues of scheduling that claim that games this early in the season, with weather so unpredictable that the early months games should only be played in domes and warm weather places. Another argument would be for only inter-divisional games for the beginning month of the season, due to the close proximity of division teams. The latter is definitely a route that MLB should look into because in case of such meteorological emergencies, the make up in say July or August would involve much shorter travel such as New York to Philadelphia as opposed to Minnesota or Denver.

Seattle to New York

The scheduling of having some teams travel cross country so early in the season with no way knowing what the weather will be like is yet another flaw in the history of MLB’s scheduling. They have done several things in the past few seasons such as scheduling games in Japan for Seattle and Oakland in late March that counted as regular season games and Spring Training games for both teams upon their arrival to the United States. Yes, they played regular season games and then Spring Training games and then regular season games again.  Last season the Cardinals and Marlins opened the season with a 1 game series, and then continued the season the next day in different cities. This attempt at shaking things up and making each season unique is absolutely ridiculous and causes more problems than it does well. Each team plays the teams in each other’s division 18 times a year, which in my opinion is not enough. Why should the Yankees have to travel to Seattle every single season, and vice versa for games that mean little to nothing? That’s a six-hour flight with almost no implications on a yearly basis. Luckily, Seattle is one of 5 stadiums with a retractable roof (Miami, Toronto, Houston, Milwaukee are the others) so there won’t be any rainouts in the Emerald City but New York is always vulnerable for a rainout. If the MLB is going to make teams travel cross-country for games that are non-divisional, it should be much later in the season especially for games in the cold weather cities without a dome (Denver, Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago and New York.) Of course rainouts will happen and apparently so will snow-outs but there have to be better measures taken so that later in the season when the games really matter and the races are extremely tight, teams can put their best lineups forward as well as their best pitchers pitching on normal rest. 162 games is not too long of a season but measures must be taken where if games have to be cancelled completely, they are games that won’t have an affect in any kind of way.

It will be interesting to see in teams that are a few games out of the second Wild Card spot if they are negatively affected by this horrible early season weather. It is easy to see fatigue in baseball during the dog days of summer, a time where bad errors occur, less hustle on teams, and more players need days off on game days. The All-Star break to September is a sprint where players easily tire out especially because there is increased pressure. It is a shame that early April weather affects the playoffs and end of the season especially this year more than ever. MLB needs to take measures to avoid this in every way possible.

2013 MLB Season Preview: NL Central

By Nick Diminich, 2015, and Brian Wagner, 2015

With the upcoming 2013 Major League Baseball season, Baseball Writers Nick Diminich and Brian Wagner have their previews and predictions. This week we cover the NL Central.

The NL Central is a little different this season, with the Houston Astros moving to the AL West. This change, however, doesn’t change the dynamic in the division. The Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, and Milwaukee Brewers have dominated the division over the past few season while the Pittsburgh Pirates seem to be on the verge of joining them in the race to win the division. The Chicago Cubs seem to be a few years away from being a serious contender but they will show flashes of their future this season. Here are our thoughts:

Chicago Cubs

Source: nburgie/Flickr

Brian: 2013 will likely mark the 105th year in a row that the Cubs do not win the World Series. I can’t imagine how tough that is to hear for Cubs fans. Theo Epstein has his ongoing plan to break this Curse of the Billy Goat and it will be a few more years to see if he can actually do it. However, there is much to be excited about in Wrigley Field this season. For one, Starlin Castro is slowly, but surely making progress into being one of the best shortstops in the game. Additionally, Anthony Rizzo is also on the rise to be top a first baseman in a few years. These two players alone should be enough to bring people into the ballpark, not that the Cubs have any issues doing that. Jeff Samardzija had a great 2012 season, ranking 4th in K/9 (strikeouts per 9 innings ratio) in his first year as a full-time starter and hopefully for the Cubs it is a sign of things to come. This can quite possibly be another 100 loss season for the Cubs as this team finished in the bottom 5 in homeruns, runs scored, and team batting average but fans will see signs of a bright future and hopefully an end to the curse. Predicted Finish: Last Place

Nick: There isn’t much to say about the Chicago Cubs other than you know you’re going to have to “wait ‘til next year!” Sure they have a young star shortstop in Starlin Castro and a blossoming star in first baseman Anthony Rizzo but there’s not much help anywhere else at the moment. Matt Garza who was once an ace, is starting the season on the DL which hurts the Cubs in the fact that his trade value is down at the moment. If he can come back and have a strong few months look for Theo Epstein and Co. to pull some strings and ship him off to a contending team for a solid prospect or two. The Cubs aren’t in an abysmal state like some other franchises but they’re still at least 2 years away from getting out of the cellar. They certainly have a higher upside than most franchises with Epstein as the President and the draw of a big city like Chicago (not to mention Wrigley Field and it’s history) so the future isn’t so dim. Watch out for the Cubs in a few years. Predicted Finish: Last Place 

2013 MLB Season Preview: NL West

By Nick Diminich, 2015, and Brian Wagner, 2015

With the upcoming 2013 Major League Baseball season, Baseball Writers Nick Diminich and Brian Wagner have their previews and predictions. This week we cover the NL West.

For the past few seasons, the NL West has been a very strong division, with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks all capable of winning the division. The Giants have had the upper hand, winning the 2 of the last 3 World Series. However, the Dodgers made headlines last season in their blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox and also this offseason when they signed Zack Greinke to the third-most lucrative contract ever for a pitcher. The D’backs also made headlines when they traded their star rightfielder Justin Upton to the Atlanta Braves. Here are our thoughts:

Arizona Diamondbacks

Source: usatoday.com

Brian: The D’backs took a huge step backwards last season, finishing 81-81 a year after winning the division. After the season, General Manager Kevin Towers decided to trade star outfielder Justin Upton to the Atlanta Braves. While getting rid of a player of Upton’s caliber is certainly a tough pill to swallow, they did acquire Martin Prado in that deal, who has quietly been one of the most important Braves for the past several years. Prado is a prototype #2 hitter. He K% (strikeout rate) was good for 11th out of all players in baseball with at least 500 plate appearances. He also had a career high 17 stolen bases and hit 42 doubles. The team also signed Cody Ross, who is known for his toughness and comes with plenty of experience as a former NLCS MVP. On a last place team, Ross still produced very good numbers. While his 22 homeruns and 81 RBIs may not be in the top 10 in their categories, they are still above-average production from a corner outfielder. Paul Goldschmidt may have a breakout year in his second full season in the Major Leagues. The 25-year-old has the potential to hit 30 homeruns this season and I believe he will. However, with Ross and rookie Adam Eaton likely to be unavailable to start the season, Arizona will have to turn to speedy Gerardo Parra and likely either Eric Hinske or prospect A.J. Pollock to fill the void. While these injuries are obviously not ideal, Arizona has the depth to handle these injuries. Starting pitching is one thing that this team struggled with last season. Ian Kennedy, after an outstanding 2011, really struggled to a 4.02 ERA and a 4.04 FIP. These are not numbers you want out of your ace pitcher. If Kennedy can bounce back somewhere near his 2.88 2011 ERA, the D’backs will contend for a playoff spot. Trevor Cahill and Rookie of the Year runner-up Wade Miley should be expected to improve. While their bullpen, led by closer J.J. Putz, may be one of the best in the National League, their starting pitching is still lagging behind other teams in the division. Predicted Finish: 3rd Place

Nick: The Arizona Diamondbacks traded away their best player, young star outfielder Justin Upton, as well as their top draft pick a couple of years ago, pitcher Trevor Bauer, yet still look like an improving team. Despite shipping Upton off, the Diamondbacks outfield contains powerful Jason Kubel, gold-glover Gerardo Parra, newly acquired Cody Ross as well as rising star and speedster Adam Eaton. The major piece of the Upton deal that the Diamondbacks acquired was All-Star Martin Prado. The members of the Braves were devastated upon hearing of his loss, due to his hard work and hustle as well as his ability to perform in big spots. He will hold down third base as Paul Goldschmidt, a very strong young first baseman, has the potential to hit 35 home runs will down the middle of the line up. Miguel Montero is a young stud of a catcher and he looks to improve on his rising star quality. The pitching for the Diamondbacks is above average, with Ian Kennedy only two years removed from a 20 win season and young Wade Miley showing early signs of an ace in the making last year. Former Mets bust J.J. Putz has had a few solid years with the D-Backs as closer and can close out the tight games down the stretch, which will help the Diamondbacks shake things up in the West. This team is still a year or two away from winning a division or playoff series, but it shouldn’t be a shock to anyone if they made a run this year and made it in as a 2^nd Wild Card. Manager Kirk Gibson is an old school, hard nosed manager who demands the most out of his players and that is when teams that aren’t expected to win surprise people. It will be interesting to see how this team responds after losing Upton but they are in pretty good shape. Predicted Finish 3rd Place

2013 MLB Season Preview: AL West

By Nick Diminich, 2015, and Brian Wagner, 2015

With the upcoming 2013 Major League Baseball season, Baseball Writers Nick Diminich and Brian Wagner have their previews and predictions. This week we cover the AL West.

The AL West has a brand new look to it this season, and not just because Josh Hamilton jumped from the Rangers to the Angels. For the first time in the history of the league, the West has 5 teams in it, with the Houston Astros making the switch to the American League which requires interleague play year-round, from game 1 to game 162. It should add a somewhat interesting dynamic however to see if the Astros can help improve the record of their division rivals, and there is certainly enough talent atop the division to compete for a championship. Here are our thoughts:

Houston Astros

Source: espn.com

Brian: I’m not going to lie, I don’t know too much about this team. I think some people in Houston don’t know too much about this team. Jose Altuve was great last year by batting nearly .290 with a .340 OBP. He also doesn’t strikeout much, which is rare from such a young player. Carlos Pena was a nice pickup to be the DH they need now that they are in the American League. The problem with the team is everything but those guys. Every other position is filled with unproven players or just players that should be coming off the bench. It’s a real shame they are going into a division that rivals the AL East for the best division in baseball. Lucas Harrell and Bud Norris will lead the pitching staff for the Astros and, if they pitch well, they will find themselves on a contender by the end of July. The fans in Houston will have to suffer through another 100 losses but at least they’ll get to see the development of Jose Altuve, Jordan Lyles, and Jason Castro. Also, they can see Mike Trout on a regular basis. Predicted Finish: Last Place

Nick: Oh boy. This team has the makes for another first overall pick and dubious recognition as the worst team in baseball, and for the first time in the team’s 50-year history it will be done in the American League. I suppose something for the Astros to look forward to is the revival of the old school uniforms, even though they’re not aesthetically pleasing. Jose Altuve is a young second baseman who lead the league in hitting for a while last season, however he might be the only player on the Astros worthy of playing Major League baseball. A new manager, Bo Porter, looks to deal with the young and unknown players on this team to at least attempt to play Major League level baseball. It is at least 5 years until this team has anything close to a winning season as they are just piecing things together to make it through 162 games for this season and the foreseeable future. For a team with no World Series wins in their history and only one appearance (2005) it doesn’t seem that the Houston fans are going to see any October champagne showers in the Astros clubhouse. Predicted Finish: Last Place

2013 MLB Season Preview: AL Central

By Nick Diminich, 2015, and Brian Wagner, 2015

With the upcoming 2013 Major League Baseball season, Baseball Writers Nick Diminich and Brian Wagner have their previews and predictions. This week we cover the AL Central.

The AL Central is not a division that turns a lot of heads in terms of talent and depth. While they do have the reigning American League champs in the Detroit Tigers, the rest of the teams were not postseason contenders. Here are our thoughts:

Chicago White Sox

Source: chicagotribune.com

Brian: Robin Ventura’s first year as manager will be remembered as a successful season as he finished only 3 games back of the Tigers for a playoff spot in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. It will be interesting to see if this team can repeat last year’s success after almost the entire division improved this offseason. Ageless wonder Paul Konerko continues to be the most important player on the team. He will have to be even more of a leader now that A.J. Pierzynski is no longer with the team. Adam Dunn, who bounced back and had a typical Adam Dunn season, will need to further prove that the historically horrific 2011 season was not a sign of his decline. The lineup certainly does not lack power with Konerko, Dunn, Dayan Viciedo, and Alex Rios all capable of hitting over 20 homeruns each. In fact, they were third in all of baseball with 211 homeruns as a team and they will most likely have a similar ranking this season (per ESPN). Their season, though, fully depends on their pitching. Their starting rotation, when healthy, is very good. Chris Sale’s first season as a starter showed that he can be a top of the rotation starter. Jake Peavy was healthy for the first time since he was a Cy Young candidate with the Padres. Health, of course, can be unpredictable. If Peavy and John Danks have 30 starts each, this team will contend for the second wild card spot. However, I’m not so sure that will happen. Chicago’s bullpen is also questionable as closer Addison Reed is an unproven commodity. Predicted Finish: 3rd Place

Nick: The Chicago White Sox were a major surprise last year when they competed for the division title up until the last month of the season. First year manager and Manager of the Year Candidate Robin Ventura led a group of somewhat unknowns to an 88 win season, not too shabby. Don’t look for this group to do the same, however, mainly due to the loss of long-time catcher and tough guy A.J. Pierzynski. He had an amazing season last year with the bat, and he got paid for it by the Texas Rangers. The White Sox have a good team, but the Tigers are a great team. Losing Pierzyski will be too much for this team to handle as “Mr. Consistency” Paul Konerko and “Mr. Consistently Strike Out” Adam Dunn begin the twilights of their careers. 23-year-old outfield Dayan Viciedo is a solid young talent, but he’s not yet ready to put a team on his back to win a division. You never know what you’re going to get with Jake Peavy but overall the rotation is pretty solid. The Sox will most likely have a winning record, but not enough to reach the postseason. Look for this team in the next 3-4 years as they add more pieces in this stage of semi-rebuilding that they’re in. Predicted Finish: 3rd Place

2013 MLB Season Preview: AL East

By Nick Diminich, 2015, and Brian Wagner, 2015

With the upcoming 2013 Major League Baseball season, Baseball Writers Nick Diminich and Brian Wagner have their previews and predictions. This week we cover the AL East.

When looking at this division compared to the other five throughout Major League Baseball, it is easy to recognize that this is by far the deepest, most talented one. There are polar opposite organizations that will compete until the final days of September to determine who wins the Division, makes the postseason as a Wild Card and who misses the postseason. Here are our thoughts:

Baltimore Orioles

Source: nydailynews.com

Brian: Buck Showalter’s team has bought into his philosophy and shocked everyone with their 93-69 record last year. This year, they won’t surprise anyone. This team can play with anyone in the American League. Their biggest problems lie with their starting rotation and second base. Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen, and Chris Tillman were all solid last year and will be looked on to repeat their success. With Miguel Gonzalez likely to be the #4 starter, the question remains who will be their fifth starter. The Orioles hope Atlanta outcast Jair Jurrjens can find his pre-2012 form but even if that isn’t the case, Baltimore has depth with Zach Britton being a suitable starter and, of course, Dylan Bundy waiting for a mid-season call-up. If Brian Roberts can stay healthy, that lineup will make Baltimore one of the most balanced teams in the league. Even if they have to settle for Alexi Casilla or Ryan Flaherty, this team will make a hard push for the playoffs and even a division title. Predicted Finish: 1st Place

Nick: The Baltimore Orioles had their first winning season in recent memory last year, built around a young core of talent that is there to stay. Adam Jones, the young centerfielder, showed why he is a budding superstar in the league and Matt Wieters looks to add more All-Star game appearances to his résumé and continue to anchor the lineup with his bat in the cleanup spot. The big question mark for the Orioles this season will be their starting rotation, with no standouts from top to bottom. Overall, it is a group of pretty good pitchers but no clear number one. Top prospect Dylan Bundy will remain the minors for at least the first month or two of the season leaving the number one spot up to manager Buck Showalter to decide. The bullpen was among the best in baseball last year and nothing has changed in that department, the guys just have to show up and perform. Losing Mark Reynolds, the slugging first baseman, could hurt the Orioles this season due to his immense power. This team is built to compete for future seasons, especially after Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy burst on to the scene at some point. Predicted Finish: 3rd Place

A Review: Long Shot by Mike Piazza

By Nick Diminich, 2015

A lot of mystery has surrounded Mike Piazza during his career as well as after it. During his playing career, he was surrounded by rumors and controversy, while after it he seemed to disappear until he was denied in his first shot at the Baseball Hall of Fame. No one knew definitively if he was a player who used the performance enhancing drugs, as many stars of his era did, however his numbers were so good he was lumped together with players with far more evidence against them such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Many of the questions that swirled around him went largely unanswered, until now.