Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has been dealing with tendinitis in his left ankle since spring training, but that didn't slow him down in April.
In fact, Abreu became the first player in American League history to win the Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month in the first month of his MLB career.
After leaving last night's game in the seventh inning, however, Abreu was placed on the 15-day disabled list today.
Back in Chicago, Abreu will get another MRI, but general manager Rick Hahn said "it's reasonable to believe" that Abreu will be back once his 15-day stint on the DL is up.
“I dislike speculating on return timeframes. ... as of right now, it’s reasonable to believe we’ll be able to resolve this thing within the 15-day period,” Hahn said, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago.
In a corresponding move, the White Sox activated Adam Eaton from the DL.
Abreu currently leads all of baseball in home runs (15) and trails only Miami's Giancarlo Stanton in runs batted in (42).
Showing posts with label Chicago White Sox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago White Sox. Show all posts
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Friday, February 22, 2013
Five MLB Team Prop Bets from John Trifone
Now that spring training games are under way, the March 31st regular-season opener between the Rangers and Astros will be here before we know it.
With clean slates, 30 MLB teams (and their fan bases) have that new-year optimism. Not all of them should, however.
Based on team win prop bets from Sportsbook.com, John Trifone came up with five that he likes (or doesn't like, depending on your perspective). Here they are:
[Editor's note: This post is by John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122), who also contributes at our NFL site: Eat, Drink and Sleep Football (see John's archives). Throughout the MLB season, John will be handicapping some games and you'll be able to follow his picks throughout the season this year.]
With clean slates, 30 MLB teams (and their fan bases) have that new-year optimism. Not all of them should, however.
Based on team win prop bets from Sportsbook.com, John Trifone came up with five that he likes (or doesn't like, depending on your perspective). Here they are:
Baltimore Orioles - under 78.5 winsThoughts on John's picks? Other teams?
They were a great story last year and I hate to bet against Buck Showalter, but the AL East is just too tough, and Baltimore way over achieved in close games last year.
Chicago White Sox - over 80.5
The White Sox have a strong offense in a division that is fairly mediocre outside of Detroit. Chris Sale emerged as a star that can anchor the rotation. I like this team to be better than .500.
Houston Astros - under 59.5
There's not a lot of good news for the Astros so I'll start with the bad. A team that won 55 games last year in the NL is moving to the AL West with the Rangers, Angels, A's, and Mariners. I can't see them winning five more games in a tougher league and one of the most competitive divisions in baseball.
Los Angeles Dodgers - over 91.5
The Dodgers did not finish strong after all of their big acquisitions last year. However, starting fresh, I believe they're going to be a force to be reckoned with. They are one of the most balanced teams in baseball and are a legitimate threat to win it all.
Philadelphia Phillies - over 83.5
A few years ago the Phillies were dubbed to be perennial favorites behind an incredible pitching staff. After an injury-plagued season last year, look for Philly to bounce back. They have three aces on the staff, and with lower expectations and a lot less pressure this year, I think they'll thrive.
[Editor's note: This post is by John Trifone (@JohnnyT0122), who also contributes at our NFL site: Eat, Drink and Sleep Football (see John's archives). Throughout the MLB season, John will be handicapping some games and you'll be able to follow his picks throughout the season this year.]
Friday, April 8, 2011
Adam Dunn unlikely to play (or pinch hit) this weekend
Disappointed that he didn't play Thursday, White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn hoped to play against the Rays on Friday.
Instead it's highly likely that Dunn, who had an emergency appendectomy on Wednesday, won't play on Saturday or Sunday, either, and maybe beyond.
And if manager Ozzie Guillen needs a pinch-hitter, it's probably not going to be Dunn.
"Hopefully we don't have to. I'd rather lose a game than lose a guy for another month," Guillen said, per Dave Van Dyke of the Chicago Tribune. "If I have to pinch-hit Adam Dunn with the game on the line, I'd rather lose the game than have him hurt himself and lose him for we don't know how long."
Mark Teahan, who's batting eighth, started at designated hitter for the White Sox.
Instead it's highly likely that Dunn, who had an emergency appendectomy on Wednesday, won't play on Saturday or Sunday, either, and maybe beyond.
And if manager Ozzie Guillen needs a pinch-hitter, it's probably not going to be Dunn.
"Hopefully we don't have to. I'd rather lose a game than lose a guy for another month," Guillen said, per Dave Van Dyke of the Chicago Tribune. "If I have to pinch-hit Adam Dunn with the game on the line, I'd rather lose the game than have him hurt himself and lose him for we don't know how long."
Mark Teahan, who's batting eighth, started at designated hitter for the White Sox.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Adam Dunn hopes to play Friday
Despite having an emergency appendectomy Wednesday morning and expectations that he'd miss five games, Adam Dunn was hopeful that he'd be able to play in the home opener for the White Sox.
"I'm really disappointed that I'm not playing in this game today," Dunn said, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "I know it probably doesn't mean a lot, just another game to a lot of people, but home openers are really special -- especially when it's your first one. I definitely wanted to be out there and it's not going to work."
Dunn also said, "... I feel like when I swing, my belly button is going to go shooting at the pitcher. That's a bad visual. Seriously. That's what it feels like."
With a 13-strikeout performance from Edwin Jackson today, the White Sox beat the Rays, who are now 0-6 on the season. Although they didn't need Dunn tonight, he is hopeful that he'll be able to play on Friday.
Since 2004, Dunn has hit 38-plus home runs every year and has driven in 100-plus runs every year except 2006 (92 runs batted in).
Through four games this season, Dunn has one home run and five runs batted in.
"I'm really disappointed that I'm not playing in this game today," Dunn said, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "I know it probably doesn't mean a lot, just another game to a lot of people, but home openers are really special -- especially when it's your first one. I definitely wanted to be out there and it's not going to work."
Dunn also said, "... I feel like when I swing, my belly button is going to go shooting at the pitcher. That's a bad visual. Seriously. That's what it feels like."
With a 13-strikeout performance from Edwin Jackson today, the White Sox beat the Rays, who are now 0-6 on the season. Although they didn't need Dunn tonight, he is hopeful that he'll be able to play on Friday.
Since 2004, Dunn has hit 38-plus home runs every year and has driven in 100-plus runs every year except 2006 (92 runs batted in).
Through four games this season, Dunn has one home run and five runs batted in.
Edwin Jackson: 2-0 and 20 K's in two starts this year
With today's victory over the Rays, White Sox starter Edwin Jackson allowed only one run while striking out 13 batters as he improved to 2-0 on the season.
The Rays have lost all six of their games and scored a league-low eight runs to start the season.
Jackson, who is owned in 58 percent of Yahoo! leagues, has struck out 20 batters in only 14 innings and has an ERA of 1.93 in his two starts.
In his 13 starts since being traded from Arizona to Chicago, Jackson has struck out 97 batters in 89 innings.
The Rays have lost all six of their games and scored a league-low eight runs to start the season.
Jackson, who is owned in 58 percent of Yahoo! leagues, has struck out 20 batters in only 14 innings and has an ERA of 1.93 in his two starts.
In his 13 starts since being traded from Arizona to Chicago, Jackson has struck out 97 batters in 89 innings.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Shortstop Rankings
The top two fantasy shortstops are two of the best options in all of fantasy baseball, regardless of position. After Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki are gone, however, major question marks exist with many of the rest.
Here are our top 15 fantasy shortstops for 2011:
1. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: Ramirez has hit .300-plus and 20-plus home runs in each of the past four seasons. In addition, HanRam has stolen 30-plus bases in four of five seasons. The ceiling? A season of .342-125-33-106-51 (BA-R-HR-RBI-SB) would tie all of his career highs.
2. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: Tulowitzki is one season removed from a 30-20 season. Despite missing one-quarter of last season, Tulo still managed to hit 27 home runs with 95 runs batted in while hitting .315. While he's the second-rated shortstop on our list, Tulowitzki could be one of the top three or four overall players selected in your draft based on average draft position from Mock Draft Central.
3. Jose Reyes, Mets: From 2005 to 2008, Reyes stole 58-plus bases per season while missing only 15 games during that four-year span. Over the last two seasons, Reyes has stolen 41 bases in 169 games. With a new contract on the line, how many steals and games will we see from Reyes in 2011?
4. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies: Over the past three seasons, Rollins has missed 106 games. While he likely won't duplicate his 2009 numbers (21 homers and 31 steals), it wouldn't surprise me to see Rollins finish with 15 home runs and 25 steals (or better).
5. Derek Jeter, Yankees: The good news? Jeter posted double-digit homers and steals for the 15th consecutive season. The bad news? Jeter hit only .270, his lowest average during that 15-year span, and only ten home runs, which ties a low during that span. Jeter will likely score more runs and hit for a higher average than Rollins while Rollins will likely hit more home runs and steal more bases.
6. Alexei Ramirez, White Sox: Through his first three seasons, Ramirez has been remarkably consistent in the five standard categories in 5x5 leagues. Career lows for Ramirez: .277 average, 65 runs, 15 home runs, 68 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases. Career highs: .290 average, 83 runs, 21 home runs, 77 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases.
7. Elvis Andrus, Rangers: In each of his first two seasons, Andrus has stolen 30-plus bases. But hamstring issues slowed him down last year as he had 18 of his 32 steals in the first two months of the season.
8. Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks: At a position with a scarcity of power, Drew is one of a handful of shortstops with 20-homer potential and he had double-digit steals last year. If you're league rewards for triples, Drew has finished in the top three in the category in each of the past three seasons.
9. Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: Over the past three seasons, Furcal has missed a total of 203 games including 65 of them in 2010. On a positive note, Furcal stole 22 bases, which is his highest output since 2007 (25 steals) and he enters a walk year.
10. Starlin Castro, Cubs: As a 20-year-old, Castro hit exactly .300 in his rookie season. Through 20 spring games, Castro is hitting .344 with four home runs and 15 runs batted in. Although he has four homers this spring, he hit only three in 125 games (463 at bats) last season.
11. Ian Desmond, Nationals: In his first full season with the Nationals, Desmond had double-digit home runs and steals with ten and 17, respectively. Desmond hit higher after the All-Star break (.283) than before it (.255) so a season with a .280 average, 15 home runs and 20 steals seems reasonable.
12. Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians: Cabrera failed to play 100 games last season due to a broken forearm, but he's having a great spring, for what it's worth. Through 17 spring games, Cabrera it hitting .385 with three home runs, 12 runs and four steals. He won't help in homers, but when he played 131 games in 2009, he hit .308 with 81 runs scored, 68 runs batted in and 17 steals.
13. Erick Aybar, Angels: Aybar won't help much at all in the power categories, but he stole a career-high 22 bases last year and hit a career-high .312 the year before that. If he hits .300 with 20-plus steals, he's a solid value at this spot.
14. Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays: Escobar entered 2010 as a career .301 hitter while coming off career highs in runs (89), home runs (14) and runs batted in (76). However, last season was mostly a year that Escobar would like to forget as he posted career lows in batting average (.256) and home runs (four) while driving in only 35 runs. Perhaps a higher post-trade average in Toronto (.275) over his average in Atlanta (.238) bodes well for a bounce-back in 2011.
15. Jhonny Peralta, Tigers: Although Peralta is struggling this spring (.206 with no home runs or runs batted in through 21 games), you can do worse than get 15 homers and 81 runs batted in from a late-round shortstop as he put up last season. In addition to shortstop, he's eligible at third base, another talent-scarce position. Since 2005, Peralta has driven in 68-plus runs every season with 81-plus in each of the past three. During that same span, he has belted 20-plus homers three times.
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Here are our top 15 fantasy shortstops for 2011:
1. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: Ramirez has hit .300-plus and 20-plus home runs in each of the past four seasons. In addition, HanRam has stolen 30-plus bases in four of five seasons. The ceiling? A season of .342-125-33-106-51 (BA-R-HR-RBI-SB) would tie all of his career highs.
2. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: Tulowitzki is one season removed from a 30-20 season. Despite missing one-quarter of last season, Tulo still managed to hit 27 home runs with 95 runs batted in while hitting .315. While he's the second-rated shortstop on our list, Tulowitzki could be one of the top three or four overall players selected in your draft based on average draft position from Mock Draft Central.
3. Jose Reyes, Mets: From 2005 to 2008, Reyes stole 58-plus bases per season while missing only 15 games during that four-year span. Over the last two seasons, Reyes has stolen 41 bases in 169 games. With a new contract on the line, how many steals and games will we see from Reyes in 2011?
4. Jimmy Rollins, Phillies: Over the past three seasons, Rollins has missed 106 games. While he likely won't duplicate his 2009 numbers (21 homers and 31 steals), it wouldn't surprise me to see Rollins finish with 15 home runs and 25 steals (or better).
5. Derek Jeter, Yankees: The good news? Jeter posted double-digit homers and steals for the 15th consecutive season. The bad news? Jeter hit only .270, his lowest average during that 15-year span, and only ten home runs, which ties a low during that span. Jeter will likely score more runs and hit for a higher average than Rollins while Rollins will likely hit more home runs and steal more bases.
6. Alexei Ramirez, White Sox: Through his first three seasons, Ramirez has been remarkably consistent in the five standard categories in 5x5 leagues. Career lows for Ramirez: .277 average, 65 runs, 15 home runs, 68 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases. Career highs: .290 average, 83 runs, 21 home runs, 77 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases.
7. Elvis Andrus, Rangers: In each of his first two seasons, Andrus has stolen 30-plus bases. But hamstring issues slowed him down last year as he had 18 of his 32 steals in the first two months of the season.
8. Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks: At a position with a scarcity of power, Drew is one of a handful of shortstops with 20-homer potential and he had double-digit steals last year. If you're league rewards for triples, Drew has finished in the top three in the category in each of the past three seasons.
9. Rafael Furcal, Dodgers: Over the past three seasons, Furcal has missed a total of 203 games including 65 of them in 2010. On a positive note, Furcal stole 22 bases, which is his highest output since 2007 (25 steals) and he enters a walk year.
10. Starlin Castro, Cubs: As a 20-year-old, Castro hit exactly .300 in his rookie season. Through 20 spring games, Castro is hitting .344 with four home runs and 15 runs batted in. Although he has four homers this spring, he hit only three in 125 games (463 at bats) last season.
11. Ian Desmond, Nationals: In his first full season with the Nationals, Desmond had double-digit home runs and steals with ten and 17, respectively. Desmond hit higher after the All-Star break (.283) than before it (.255) so a season with a .280 average, 15 home runs and 20 steals seems reasonable.
12. Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians: Cabrera failed to play 100 games last season due to a broken forearm, but he's having a great spring, for what it's worth. Through 17 spring games, Cabrera it hitting .385 with three home runs, 12 runs and four steals. He won't help in homers, but when he played 131 games in 2009, he hit .308 with 81 runs scored, 68 runs batted in and 17 steals.
13. Erick Aybar, Angels: Aybar won't help much at all in the power categories, but he stole a career-high 22 bases last year and hit a career-high .312 the year before that. If he hits .300 with 20-plus steals, he's a solid value at this spot.
14. Yunel Escobar, Blue Jays: Escobar entered 2010 as a career .301 hitter while coming off career highs in runs (89), home runs (14) and runs batted in (76). However, last season was mostly a year that Escobar would like to forget as he posted career lows in batting average (.256) and home runs (four) while driving in only 35 runs. Perhaps a higher post-trade average in Toronto (.275) over his average in Atlanta (.238) bodes well for a bounce-back in 2011.
15. Jhonny Peralta, Tigers: Although Peralta is struggling this spring (.206 with no home runs or runs batted in through 21 games), you can do worse than get 15 homers and 81 runs batted in from a late-round shortstop as he put up last season. In addition to shortstop, he's eligible at third base, another talent-scarce position. Since 2005, Peralta has driven in 68-plus runs every season with 81-plus in each of the past three. During that same span, he has belted 20-plus homers three times.
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 Second Basemen Rankings
The biggest question at second base heading into the 2011 season is what will fantasy owners get from Phillies second baseman Chase Utley.
When healthy and at his best, Utley is elite. He has posted career highs in the standard five rotisserie categories, as follows: .332-131-33-105-23.
The problem is the health, or lack thereof, of Utley's knee, which will likely land him on the disabled list to start the season. From a fantasy perspective, the bigger worry is that improvement in his knee seems to be moving a snail's pace. How soon will he be back? Will the injury linger and affect his performance when he's back on the field?
Here are our top 15 fantasy second basemen for 2011:
1. Robinson Cano, Yankees: With the exception of stolen bases, Cano puts up elite stats across the board at a relatively weak position. Cano, who set career highs in home runs (29) and runs batted in (109) in 2010, has the second-most hits in all of baseball over the past two seasons.
2. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: In addition to hitting over .300 for his career, Pedroia gives fantasy owners the potential for a 15-20 season. Despite missing half of last year, Pedroia ranks tenth in the majors in runs scored (286) from 2008 to 2010.
3. Dan Uggla, Braves: At a position where power hitters are less common, Uggla has a been a model of consistency when it comes to power. In each of the past four seasons, Uggla has hit 31-33 home runs and has driven in 90-plus runs including a career-high 105 last season. But will you get his career-low .243 (2009) or career-high .287 (2010) batting average? Although he's a career .354 hitter in his new home ballpark (Turner Field), the answer likely falls somewhere in between that range.
4. Ian Kinsler, Rangers: The biggest knock on Kinsler is playing time (123.6 games per season over past five years). If healthy, Kinsler has the potential to put up elite numbers. For example, when he played a career-high 144 games (2009), Kinsler hit 31 homers and stole 31 bases.
5. Brandon Phillips, Reds: For the first time in four seasons, Phillips failed to have a 20-20 season. In 2010, he finished with 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases. The majority of Phillips' at-bats in 2010 came at one of the top two spots of the lineup after mostly batting cleanup in 2009. The effect? His runs batted in dropped from 98 in 2009 to a five-year low of 59 in 2010.
6. Chase Utley, Phillies: Two seasons removed from a 30-20 season, Utley will most likely begin the 2011 season on the disabled list after missing a total of 47 games last year. If he were healthy, Utley would be second on this list.
7. Rickie Weeks, Brewers: Speaking of health, Weeks played an average of 95 games per season from 2005 through 2009 before playing a career-high 160 games last year. Naturally, he set career-highs in runs scored (112), hits (175), home runs (29) and runs batted in (83) in 2010. The only way he approaches those numbers again is if he can stay healthy for two seasons in a row. Before last year, he hadn't done that for one season in a row.
8. Martin Prado, Braves: Prado, who played mostly second base and some third base last year, is moving to left field for the Braves and soon will be eligible at three fantasy positions. In a career-high 140 games last season, Prado hit .307 and 15 home runs with 100 runs scored.
9. Gordon Beckham, White Sox: After hitting 14 homers with 63 runs batted in over 103 games in his rookie season, Beckham seemed poised for a breakout season last year. The eighth overall pick in the 2008 draft got off to an incredibly slow start in 2010, but he picked up the pace as he hit .310 after the All-Star break. Beckham, who will bat second for the White Sox this season, is a guy I've targeted in most of my drafts this year.
10. Ben Zobrist, Rays: Like Prado, Zobrist has multi-position eligibility as a second baseman and outfielder (and first baseman in Yahoo! leagues). After a breakout season in 2009 (.297-91-27-91-17), Zobrist really struggled down the stretch last season. After the All-Star break, Zobrist hit only .177 and hit .200 or lower per month from July to October. On a positive note, Zobrist stole a career-high 24 bases in 2010 and will likely have even more base-stealing opportunities as the team's leadoff hitter.
11. Aaron Hill, Blue Jays: Not only did Hill have the lowest BABIP (.196) of his career, it was the lowest in all of baseball. Even with the horrible BABIP and batting average (.205), Hill still managed to hit 26 home runs in 2010.
12. Kelly Johnson, Diamondbacks: In his first season with the Diamondbacks, Johnson set career highs in runs (93), hits (166), home runs (26), runs batted in (71) and stolen bases (13) in 2010. Johnson hit .311 with 16 of his 26 home runs at Chase Field last year.
13. Howie Kendrick, Angels: The direction of his batting averages over the past four seasons isn't what you'd like to see: .322 (2007), .306 (2008), .291 (2009) and .279 (2010). That said, he set career highs in several counting statistics: runs scored (67), runs batted in (75), stolen bases (14) and tied his career high in home runs (ten).
14. Chone Figgins, Mariners: Since 2004, Figgins has stolen 30-plus bases every season. In five of the past six seasons, he has stolen 40-plus bases. Figgins is having a good spring (.349 average and four steals in 16 games).
15. Brian Roberts, Orioles: When healthy, Roberts has provided fantasy owners with lots of runs and stolen bases and a decent batting average. Before missing 100-plus games in 2010, Roberts stole 30-plus bases for four consecutive seasons although he went from 50 (2007) to 40 (2008) to 30 (2009).
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
When healthy and at his best, Utley is elite. He has posted career highs in the standard five rotisserie categories, as follows: .332-131-33-105-23.
The problem is the health, or lack thereof, of Utley's knee, which will likely land him on the disabled list to start the season. From a fantasy perspective, the bigger worry is that improvement in his knee seems to be moving a snail's pace. How soon will he be back? Will the injury linger and affect his performance when he's back on the field?
Here are our top 15 fantasy second basemen for 2011:
1. Robinson Cano, Yankees: With the exception of stolen bases, Cano puts up elite stats across the board at a relatively weak position. Cano, who set career highs in home runs (29) and runs batted in (109) in 2010, has the second-most hits in all of baseball over the past two seasons.
2. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: In addition to hitting over .300 for his career, Pedroia gives fantasy owners the potential for a 15-20 season. Despite missing half of last year, Pedroia ranks tenth in the majors in runs scored (286) from 2008 to 2010.
3. Dan Uggla, Braves: At a position where power hitters are less common, Uggla has a been a model of consistency when it comes to power. In each of the past four seasons, Uggla has hit 31-33 home runs and has driven in 90-plus runs including a career-high 105 last season. But will you get his career-low .243 (2009) or career-high .287 (2010) batting average? Although he's a career .354 hitter in his new home ballpark (Turner Field), the answer likely falls somewhere in between that range.
4. Ian Kinsler, Rangers: The biggest knock on Kinsler is playing time (123.6 games per season over past five years). If healthy, Kinsler has the potential to put up elite numbers. For example, when he played a career-high 144 games (2009), Kinsler hit 31 homers and stole 31 bases.
5. Brandon Phillips, Reds: For the first time in four seasons, Phillips failed to have a 20-20 season. In 2010, he finished with 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases. The majority of Phillips' at-bats in 2010 came at one of the top two spots of the lineup after mostly batting cleanup in 2009. The effect? His runs batted in dropped from 98 in 2009 to a five-year low of 59 in 2010.
6. Chase Utley, Phillies: Two seasons removed from a 30-20 season, Utley will most likely begin the 2011 season on the disabled list after missing a total of 47 games last year. If he were healthy, Utley would be second on this list.
7. Rickie Weeks, Brewers: Speaking of health, Weeks played an average of 95 games per season from 2005 through 2009 before playing a career-high 160 games last year. Naturally, he set career-highs in runs scored (112), hits (175), home runs (29) and runs batted in (83) in 2010. The only way he approaches those numbers again is if he can stay healthy for two seasons in a row. Before last year, he hadn't done that for one season in a row.
8. Martin Prado, Braves: Prado, who played mostly second base and some third base last year, is moving to left field for the Braves and soon will be eligible at three fantasy positions. In a career-high 140 games last season, Prado hit .307 and 15 home runs with 100 runs scored.
9. Gordon Beckham, White Sox: After hitting 14 homers with 63 runs batted in over 103 games in his rookie season, Beckham seemed poised for a breakout season last year. The eighth overall pick in the 2008 draft got off to an incredibly slow start in 2010, but he picked up the pace as he hit .310 after the All-Star break. Beckham, who will bat second for the White Sox this season, is a guy I've targeted in most of my drafts this year.
10. Ben Zobrist, Rays: Like Prado, Zobrist has multi-position eligibility as a second baseman and outfielder (and first baseman in Yahoo! leagues). After a breakout season in 2009 (.297-91-27-91-17), Zobrist really struggled down the stretch last season. After the All-Star break, Zobrist hit only .177 and hit .200 or lower per month from July to October. On a positive note, Zobrist stole a career-high 24 bases in 2010 and will likely have even more base-stealing opportunities as the team's leadoff hitter.
11. Aaron Hill, Blue Jays: Not only did Hill have the lowest BABIP (.196) of his career, it was the lowest in all of baseball. Even with the horrible BABIP and batting average (.205), Hill still managed to hit 26 home runs in 2010.
12. Kelly Johnson, Diamondbacks: In his first season with the Diamondbacks, Johnson set career highs in runs (93), hits (166), home runs (26), runs batted in (71) and stolen bases (13) in 2010. Johnson hit .311 with 16 of his 26 home runs at Chase Field last year.
13. Howie Kendrick, Angels: The direction of his batting averages over the past four seasons isn't what you'd like to see: .322 (2007), .306 (2008), .291 (2009) and .279 (2010). That said, he set career highs in several counting statistics: runs scored (67), runs batted in (75), stolen bases (14) and tied his career high in home runs (ten).
14. Chone Figgins, Mariners: Since 2004, Figgins has stolen 30-plus bases every season. In five of the past six seasons, he has stolen 40-plus bases. Figgins is having a good spring (.349 average and four steals in 16 games).
15. Brian Roberts, Orioles: When healthy, Roberts has provided fantasy owners with lots of runs and stolen bases and a decent batting average. Before missing 100-plus games in 2010, Roberts stole 30-plus bases for four consecutive seasons although he went from 50 (2007) to 40 (2008) to 30 (2009).
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Fantasy Baseball: 2011 First Basemen Rankings
Without question, first base is the deepest position for everyday players. The top seven or eight first basemen will likely be drafted in the first two rounds of your 12-team league.
Some players on our list played 10-19 games at first base in 2010, which means the player may or may not qualify as a first baseman in your league. For example, Yahoo! leagues require a player to appear in at least ten games at that position in the previous year. For ESPN leagues, the requirement is 20-plus games.
Based on lower eligibility requirements, first base is even deeper for participants in Yahoo! leagues than those participating in ESPN leagues.
Here are the top 20 fantasy first basemen for 2011:
1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals: Through ten seasons, Pujols has had career lows of .312 batting average (2010), 32 home runs (2007) and 103 runs batted in (2007). While that is the worst-case scenario, a typical (average) season for the career .331 hitter is 41 home runs and 123 runs batted in.
2. Joey Votto, Reds: While first base is loaded with talent, Votto finished no lower than top-five in all five standard rotisserie categories. The reigning N.L. MVP set career-highs in runs scored (106), home runs (37), runs batted in (113), steals (17) and batting average (.324) as well.
3. Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox: During his five years as a Padre, Gonzalez hit .267 and 57 home runs (one per 24.7 at bats) with 201 runs batted in at home. On the road, however, Gonzalez hit .307 and 104 home runs (one per 15.1 at bats) with 300 runs batted in. The change of scenery can only do Gonzalez some good despite finishing 2010 with an average of .298, 31 home runs and 101 runs batted in.
4. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: Over the past three seasons, only two first basemen have hit over .300 with 100 home runs and 350 runs batted in: Cabrera and Pujols. If it weren't for his alcohol problems highlighted by his run-in with the law in February, Cabrera would have been ranked ahead of all first basemen not named Albert Pujols.
5. Mark Teixeira, Yankees: Teixeira, who hit a career-low .256 in 2010, hit .280-plus every season and over .300 three times from 2004 to 2009. With seven consecutive seasons of 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBIs, you know what you'll get in the power department from Teixeira. But will Teixeira hit .256, .280 or .300?
6. Prince Fielder, Brewers: Last year, Fielder set a four-year low in home runs (32) and runs batted in (83) while hitting a career-worse .261. The year before, Fielder set career highs in runs batted in (141) and average (.299) while posting the second-highest homer total (46) of his career. Splitting the difference would be 39 home runs, 112 runs batted in and a .280 average. Sounds good to me.
7. Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: Over the past five seasons, Youkilis has not played more than 147 games in any year. Provided he stays healthy for a full season, Youkilis could/should put up around or more than 100 runs, 100 runs batted in, 30 homers while hitting .300. His bigger value will come once he gains eligibility at the much more talent-scarce position of third base.
8. Ryan Howard, Phillies: Over the past five years, no player has more home runs (229) or runs batted in (680) than Howard. In addition, Howard leads the majors in strikeouts (922) during that span.
9. Adam Dunn, White Sox: From 2004 to 2010, Dunn has hit 38-plus home runs and driven in 100-plus runs six times (the 'off' season of 2006 was 92 RBIs). Trading in a half-season of games in Washington for U.S. Cellular Field can't hurt Dunn's power production and it wouldn't surprise me to see Dunn lead baseball in home runs. However, will he hit .260-plus for a third straight season?
10. Justin Morneau, Twins: Although he hasn't played a regular-season game since suffering a concussion in July, a full season from a healthy Morneau would make him a huge bargain at this spot. Morneau played exactly one-half of a season (81 games) last year and hit .345 with 18 home runs and 56 runs batted in. Before last season, Morneau drove in 100-plus runs for four straight years and hit 30-plus homers in three of those seasons.
11. Buster Posey, Giants: As one of the top three catchers in our fantasy rankings, however, you will more likely use Posey as your team's catcher despite his eligibility at first base. Manager Bruce Bochy has stated that Posey will get full days off when he's not catching, which means a season of around 135 games. That said, Posey should hit around .300 and 20 home runs in 2011.
12. Billy Butler, Royals: If there's one thing you can bank on from Butler, it's his strong batting average. Whether we see a power surge from Butler remains to be seen, but he's only 24 years old and has hit the most doubles (96) in baseball over the past two years combined. If only he could turn a few of those doubles into homers ...
13. Pablo Sandoval, Giants: With 11 games logged at first base in 2010, Sandoval may be eligible at first base in your league. He disappointed in the follow-up performance to his breakout season of 2009 (.330 average, 25 homers, 90 runs batted in). Sandoval, who is only 24 years old, could be primed for a bounce-back season after losing weight in the off-season and shortening his swing.
14. Paul Konerko, White Sox: It's unlikely that Konerko will duplicate his 2010 numbers (.312 average, 39 home runs and 111 runs batted in). Then again, only five other players hit .300-30-100 or better last season. Three of those other five were first basemen: Pujols, Cabrera and Votto.
15. Kendry Morales, Angels: Morales, who will begin the 2011 season on the disabled list, hasn't played a game since May 29th. In his only full season or close to it (152 games), Morales hit .306 with 34 home runs and 108 runs batted in.
16. Carlos Lee, Astros: Ending a four-year streak of hitting .300-plus, Lee posted a career-low batting average (.246) while hitting only 24 home runs (lowest total since 2001) with 89 runs batted in (lowest since 2002). Considering Lee also had his lowest BABIP (.238) of his career in 2010, an improvement over last season seems reasonable.
17. Aubrey Huff, Giants: Last year, Huff hit .290 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in. Huff, who is a career .283 hitter, should hit relatively close to .290 again although I would be surprised to see him exceed his home run total from 2010.
18. Carlos Pena, Cubs: The good news? Pena will go yard in one out of every 13.4 (or so) at bats, which was his average during his four years in Tampa. The bad news? He got a hit in less than every five at bats last season. (Take small consolation in the fact that only Aaron Hill had a lower BABIP in all of baseball than Pena last year.) The moderate news? He was tied for 11th in baseball in walks (87) last year so his on-base percentage isn't horrible if that helps you.
19. Adam Lind, Blue Jays: After a breakout season in 2009 (.305 average, 35 homers, 114 runs batted in), Lind disappointed fantasy owners in 2010 (.237-23-72). Not only did he hit .174 and .156 last May and June, respectively, but he hit only one home run in 90 at bats during June. Perhaps his better second-half performance and solid spring (hitting .341 through 16 games) bodes well for Lind.
20. Adam LaRoche, Nationals: LaRoche is a career .295 hitter that hits a homer every 18.3 at bats. In the second half, that is. LaRoche is notorious for his poor first-half performances (career .252 hitter and homer every 24.8 at bats before the All-Star break) and his (relative) strong performances (noted earlier) after the break.
As we noted above, first base is exceptionally deep. Players outside our top 20, such as Gaby Sanchez (Florida), Ike Davis (Mets), Mitch Moreland (Texas) and Brandon Belt (San Francisco) as a few examples, of players with upside that are viable fantasy options.
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Some players on our list played 10-19 games at first base in 2010, which means the player may or may not qualify as a first baseman in your league. For example, Yahoo! leagues require a player to appear in at least ten games at that position in the previous year. For ESPN leagues, the requirement is 20-plus games.
Based on lower eligibility requirements, first base is even deeper for participants in Yahoo! leagues than those participating in ESPN leagues.
Here are the top 20 fantasy first basemen for 2011:
1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals: Through ten seasons, Pujols has had career lows of .312 batting average (2010), 32 home runs (2007) and 103 runs batted in (2007). While that is the worst-case scenario, a typical (average) season for the career .331 hitter is 41 home runs and 123 runs batted in.
2. Joey Votto, Reds: While first base is loaded with talent, Votto finished no lower than top-five in all five standard rotisserie categories. The reigning N.L. MVP set career-highs in runs scored (106), home runs (37), runs batted in (113), steals (17) and batting average (.324) as well.
3. Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox: During his five years as a Padre, Gonzalez hit .267 and 57 home runs (one per 24.7 at bats) with 201 runs batted in at home. On the road, however, Gonzalez hit .307 and 104 home runs (one per 15.1 at bats) with 300 runs batted in. The change of scenery can only do Gonzalez some good despite finishing 2010 with an average of .298, 31 home runs and 101 runs batted in.
4. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: Over the past three seasons, only two first basemen have hit over .300 with 100 home runs and 350 runs batted in: Cabrera and Pujols. If it weren't for his alcohol problems highlighted by his run-in with the law in February, Cabrera would have been ranked ahead of all first basemen not named Albert Pujols.
5. Mark Teixeira, Yankees: Teixeira, who hit a career-low .256 in 2010, hit .280-plus every season and over .300 three times from 2004 to 2009. With seven consecutive seasons of 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBIs, you know what you'll get in the power department from Teixeira. But will Teixeira hit .256, .280 or .300?
6. Prince Fielder, Brewers: Last year, Fielder set a four-year low in home runs (32) and runs batted in (83) while hitting a career-worse .261. The year before, Fielder set career highs in runs batted in (141) and average (.299) while posting the second-highest homer total (46) of his career. Splitting the difference would be 39 home runs, 112 runs batted in and a .280 average. Sounds good to me.
7. Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: Over the past five seasons, Youkilis has not played more than 147 games in any year. Provided he stays healthy for a full season, Youkilis could/should put up around or more than 100 runs, 100 runs batted in, 30 homers while hitting .300. His bigger value will come once he gains eligibility at the much more talent-scarce position of third base.
8. Ryan Howard, Phillies: Over the past five years, no player has more home runs (229) or runs batted in (680) than Howard. In addition, Howard leads the majors in strikeouts (922) during that span.
9. Adam Dunn, White Sox: From 2004 to 2010, Dunn has hit 38-plus home runs and driven in 100-plus runs six times (the 'off' season of 2006 was 92 RBIs). Trading in a half-season of games in Washington for U.S. Cellular Field can't hurt Dunn's power production and it wouldn't surprise me to see Dunn lead baseball in home runs. However, will he hit .260-plus for a third straight season?
10. Justin Morneau, Twins: Although he hasn't played a regular-season game since suffering a concussion in July, a full season from a healthy Morneau would make him a huge bargain at this spot. Morneau played exactly one-half of a season (81 games) last year and hit .345 with 18 home runs and 56 runs batted in. Before last season, Morneau drove in 100-plus runs for four straight years and hit 30-plus homers in three of those seasons.
11. Buster Posey, Giants: As one of the top three catchers in our fantasy rankings, however, you will more likely use Posey as your team's catcher despite his eligibility at first base. Manager Bruce Bochy has stated that Posey will get full days off when he's not catching, which means a season of around 135 games. That said, Posey should hit around .300 and 20 home runs in 2011.
12. Billy Butler, Royals: If there's one thing you can bank on from Butler, it's his strong batting average. Whether we see a power surge from Butler remains to be seen, but he's only 24 years old and has hit the most doubles (96) in baseball over the past two years combined. If only he could turn a few of those doubles into homers ...
13. Pablo Sandoval, Giants: With 11 games logged at first base in 2010, Sandoval may be eligible at first base in your league. He disappointed in the follow-up performance to his breakout season of 2009 (.330 average, 25 homers, 90 runs batted in). Sandoval, who is only 24 years old, could be primed for a bounce-back season after losing weight in the off-season and shortening his swing.
14. Paul Konerko, White Sox: It's unlikely that Konerko will duplicate his 2010 numbers (.312 average, 39 home runs and 111 runs batted in). Then again, only five other players hit .300-30-100 or better last season. Three of those other five were first basemen: Pujols, Cabrera and Votto.
15. Kendry Morales, Angels: Morales, who will begin the 2011 season on the disabled list, hasn't played a game since May 29th. In his only full season or close to it (152 games), Morales hit .306 with 34 home runs and 108 runs batted in.
16. Carlos Lee, Astros: Ending a four-year streak of hitting .300-plus, Lee posted a career-low batting average (.246) while hitting only 24 home runs (lowest total since 2001) with 89 runs batted in (lowest since 2002). Considering Lee also had his lowest BABIP (.238) of his career in 2010, an improvement over last season seems reasonable.
17. Aubrey Huff, Giants: Last year, Huff hit .290 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in. Huff, who is a career .283 hitter, should hit relatively close to .290 again although I would be surprised to see him exceed his home run total from 2010.
18. Carlos Pena, Cubs: The good news? Pena will go yard in one out of every 13.4 (or so) at bats, which was his average during his four years in Tampa. The bad news? He got a hit in less than every five at bats last season. (Take small consolation in the fact that only Aaron Hill had a lower BABIP in all of baseball than Pena last year.) The moderate news? He was tied for 11th in baseball in walks (87) last year so his on-base percentage isn't horrible if that helps you.
19. Adam Lind, Blue Jays: After a breakout season in 2009 (.305 average, 35 homers, 114 runs batted in), Lind disappointed fantasy owners in 2010 (.237-23-72). Not only did he hit .174 and .156 last May and June, respectively, but he hit only one home run in 90 at bats during June. Perhaps his better second-half performance and solid spring (hitting .341 through 16 games) bodes well for Lind.
20. Adam LaRoche, Nationals: LaRoche is a career .295 hitter that hits a homer every 18.3 at bats. In the second half, that is. LaRoche is notorious for his poor first-half performances (career .252 hitter and homer every 24.8 at bats before the All-Star break) and his (relative) strong performances (noted earlier) after the break.
As we noted above, first base is exceptionally deep. Players outside our top 20, such as Gaby Sanchez (Florida), Ike Davis (Mets), Mitch Moreland (Texas) and Brandon Belt (San Francisco) as a few examples, of players with upside that are viable fantasy options.
Feel free to send fantasy baseball questions to me via Twitter at @EDSBaseball or post them in our fantasy baseball forum.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Gordon Beckham to bat second
The White Sox will bat Gordon Beckham second in their lineup to start the season, per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
Beckham, who was the eighth overall pick in 2008, struggled mightily in the first half of 2010.
Before the All-Star break, Beckham hit only .216 and three home runs in 273 at bats. His batting average in the first three months: .235, .159 and .233.
After the break, however, Beckham hit .310 with six home runs in 171 at bats.
In early mock drafts, Beckham is the 16th second baseman and 200th player selected, according to Mock Draft Central.
Beckham, who was the eighth overall pick in 2008, struggled mightily in the first half of 2010.
Before the All-Star break, Beckham hit only .216 and three home runs in 273 at bats. His batting average in the first three months: .235, .159 and .233.
After the break, however, Beckham hit .310 with six home runs in 171 at bats.
In early mock drafts, Beckham is the 16th second baseman and 200th player selected, according to Mock Draft Central.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Amazing play by Mark Buehrle
White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle, who started his eighth season opener, pitched seven scoreless innings against the Cleveland Indians today.
More impressively, one of those 21 outs could "end up being the Sox' defensive play of the year," as pointed out by Kyle Koster of the Chicago Sun-Times.
"Unbelievable," said Cleveland right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. "I think that was the best play I've ever seen. I thought he had no chance."
More impressively, one of those 21 outs could "end up being the Sox' defensive play of the year," as pointed out by Kyle Koster of the Chicago Sun-Times.
"Unbelievable," said Cleveland right fielder Shin-Soo Choo. "I think that was the best play I've ever seen. I thought he had no chance."
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Perfect game for Mark Buehrle
Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle became the 18th pitcher in Major League history to pitch a perfect game beating the Rays 5-0 at U.S. Cellular Field.
For the first out of the ninth inning, White Sox outfielder Dewayne Wise made a spectacular grab to rob a home run from Gabe Kapler.
It becomes the second perfect game in franchise history. The other was thrown by Charlie Robertson in 1922.
Back in 2007, Buehrle pitched a no-hitter and walked only one batter (Sammy Sosa). In fact, Sosa was picked off two pitches later and Buehrle faced the minimum 27 batters in that game as well.
Buehrle improves his record to 11-3 with an ERA of 3.28 and the White Sox are now tied with the Tigers for first in the A.L. Central. The Tigers lost to the Mariners today.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Are you smarter than a Cubs' fan?
You are if you're a White Sox fan. At least, that's according to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella noted the surge in attendance at U.S. Cellular Field when the cross-town rivals played each other this weekend compared to the 22,000 that showed for the Dodgers-White Sox series.
Why?
Of course, the never-shy Guillen had the answer:
Cubs manager Lou Piniella noted the surge in attendance at U.S. Cellular Field when the cross-town rivals played each other this weekend compared to the 22,000 that showed for the Dodgers-White Sox series.
Why?
Of course, the never-shy Guillen had the answer:
"Because our fans are not stupid like Cubs fans," Guillen said. "They know we're [expletive]."I'm not a Cubs fan. Or a White Sox fan. But how can you not love Ozzie?
Guillen said Cubs fans will watch any game at Wrigley Field because "Wrigley Field is just a bar."
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Twins pound White Sox 20-1
Calling the Twins' 20-1 win over the White Sox today is a gross understatement.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire decided to "mix things up a little bit" by batting catcher Joe Mauer second in the lineup. And he certainly responded with six runs batted in and a grand slam.
White Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon allowed seven hits and eight runs in two innings. However, only one of the eight runs was earned.
Today's loss matches the biggest loss in White Sox history. The White Sox lost to the Angels 19-0 on May 10th, 2002.
It's been a rough day for the White Sox as Jake Peavy also vetoed a trade today that would have sent him to Chicago.
Twins manager Ron Gardenhire decided to "mix things up a little bit" by batting catcher Joe Mauer second in the lineup. And he certainly responded with six runs batted in and a grand slam.
White Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon allowed seven hits and eight runs in two innings. However, only one of the eight runs was earned.
Today's loss matches the biggest loss in White Sox history. The White Sox lost to the Angels 19-0 on May 10th, 2002.
It's been a rough day for the White Sox as Jake Peavy also vetoed a trade today that would have sent him to Chicago.
Peavy says no to White Sox deal
Per the Chicago Sun-Times, the deal agreed upon by the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox to send Jake Peavy to Chicago has been vetoed. The Sun-Times reports that sources indicate Peavy has told the Padres that he won't accept the trade.
Although both teams agreed to the deal, Peavy has a no-trade clause in his contract.
Peavy spoke with his former Padres teammate Scott Linebrink about the team and playing for manager Ozzie Guillen.
Although both teams agreed to the deal, Peavy has a no-trade clause in his contract.
Peavy spoke with his former Padres teammate Scott Linebrink about the team and playing for manager Ozzie Guillen.
"At this point, it's 50-50," Linebrink said, adding he spoke to Peavy with Sox general manager Ken Williams blessings. "It's his decision and his family's, but given the trade rumors that haven't come to fruition, especially with the Cubs, I think he might want to get this behind him. I'm sure it was tough for him to go back [to San Diego, after the near-trade. He's probably ready to put on whatever uniform he's going to have."Peavy, who prefers to pitch in the National League, has $63 million left on his contract and is due $11 million this season.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Jenks admits to throwing at (behind) Kinsler
Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks didn't beat around the bush. Jenks says that he meant to throw behind Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler to "send a message."
After Rangers pitchers hit six White Sox batters, Jenks said that he was "sick" of it.
After Rangers pitchers hit six White Sox batters, Jenks said that he was "sick" of it.
"No, I meant to. To send a message. Basically I was saying, 'I'm sick of seeing our guys get hit and hurt and almost get taken out of the game.' I threw it with intention."Jenks got Kinsler out and the White Sox won 3-2, but both teams were warned by umpire Lance Barksdale.
"I'm not going to put a guy on in that situation," he said. "I was not going to hit him. I made my point with that pitch and it came across the way I wanted it to.
"I'm not going to go dirty. I was going to keep it low and behind him."
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Jose Contreras sent to minors
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has decided to send pitcher Jose Contreras to the minors.
Clayton Richard will start Wednesday in place of Contreras.
Contreras is 0-5 with an ERA of 8.19 in six games.
Clayton Richard will start Wednesday in place of Contreras.
Contreras is 0-5 with an ERA of 8.19 in six games.
"Good deal,'' [Richard] said when told he would start Wednesday. "Coming up last year and my whole career has been starting, I'm comfortable with that role. Any time you get an opportunity, you want to make the most of it and hopefully go out there and do what I'm capable of - but really just put the team in a position to win.''Last year, Richard, who is 25 years old, made eight starts. This year, Richard has an ERA of 4.41 in 11 relief appearances.
"His work ethic is second to none, and to see him struggling is tough,'' he said. "He'll figure it out. It's just a matter of time before he gets it clicking.''
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Gavin Floyd gets 4-year, $15.5 million deal
The Chicago White Sox have signed Gavin Floyd to a four-year contract worth $15.5 million.
Floyd, who signed a one-year deal on Feb. 25th for $520,000, is now under contract until 2012. The White Sox have an option for 2013.
In 2008, Floyd was 17-8 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Floyd, who was the fourth player selected in the 2001 draft, struck out 145 batters last year.
Floyd, who signed a one-year deal on Feb. 25th for $520,000, is now under contract until 2012. The White Sox have an option for 2013.
In 2008, Floyd was 17-8 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Floyd, who was the fourth player selected in the 2001 draft, struck out 145 batters last year.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Ozzie Guillen: I see your 50 and raise you 112
Major League Baseball has become tougher on steroids and performance-enhancing drugs when compared to its past. Only 5 years ago did mandatory testing begin. In fact, no players were suspended for steroid use in 2004.
Beginning in 2005, the penalties became stiffer and public.
2005 penalties: 10-game suspension (1st offense), 30-game suspension (2nd offense), 60-game suspension (3rd offense) and full-season suspension (4th offense).
2006-present penalties: 50-game suspension (1st offense), 100-game suspension (2nd offense) and full-season suspension (3rd offense).
Now Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is calling for even stiffer penalties that will show the sport is more serious about combatting steroid use in the game. He proposes a one-year suspension for a first offender.
It is certainly a harsh penalty, and the MLBPA is as likely to go for this as they are for a salary cap, but I think it would do a lot to improve the image of the game.
Baseball's current penalties are in line with other sports, especially football. By comparison, an NFL player who violates the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing drugs receives a 4-game suspension (or 1/4 of the season). Baseball players get a 50-game suspension (or roughly 3/10 of the season).
Many suspect that everyone in baseball (players, coaches, GMs, the commissioner, etc.) is culpable in this whole mess. But a drastic measure, such as a full-year suspension, will demonstrate to everyone including the skeptics that the sport is ready to turn the corner.
Beginning in 2005, the penalties became stiffer and public.
2005 penalties: 10-game suspension (1st offense), 30-game suspension (2nd offense), 60-game suspension (3rd offense) and full-season suspension (4th offense).
2006-present penalties: 50-game suspension (1st offense), 100-game suspension (2nd offense) and full-season suspension (3rd offense).
Now Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is calling for even stiffer penalties that will show the sport is more serious about combatting steroid use in the game. He proposes a one-year suspension for a first offender.
It is certainly a harsh penalty, and the MLBPA is as likely to go for this as they are for a salary cap, but I think it would do a lot to improve the image of the game.
Baseball's current penalties are in line with other sports, especially football. By comparison, an NFL player who violates the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing drugs receives a 4-game suspension (or 1/4 of the season). Baseball players get a 50-game suspension (or roughly 3/10 of the season).
Many suspect that everyone in baseball (players, coaches, GMs, the commissioner, etc.) is culpable in this whole mess. But a drastic measure, such as a full-year suspension, will demonstrate to everyone including the skeptics that the sport is ready to turn the corner.
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