Here’s a big hint: the aces dominated the rookie squad by far this season when it all boiled down to the 2011 Rookie of the Year Awards. If you need a refresher, click the links to MLB.com below to familiarize yourself with the American League and National League Rookie of the Year candidates.

Duquette on 2011 NL Rookie of the Year candidates and Duquette on 2011 AL Rookie of the Year candidates

The National League Rookie of the Year was awarded to Atlanta Braves Craig Kimbrel, who unanimously won with 32 first place votes. Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote:

 Feeding off the experience he gained during the final month of the 2010 season and that year’s playoffs, Kimbrel found immediate comfort this past season and proved to be one of the game’s top closers. He set a Major League rookie record with 46 saves and recorded 127 strikeouts in 77 innings.

Kimbrel limited opponents to a .178 batting average and recorded 14.84 strikeouts per nine innings, joining Carlos Marmol (2010), Eric Gagne (’03) and Billy Wagner (1998 and ’99) as the only pitchers to post at least 14 strikeouts per nine innings and notch at least 30 saves in the same season.

The American League Rookie of the Year was awarded to Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays. According to Jane Lee of MLB.com:

 

The 24-year-old has the credentials. Hellickson posted a 13-10 record and 2.95 ERA spanning 189 innings in 29 starts, 20 of which were quality starts. He led all Major League rookies in ERA, which was the lowest among qualifying AL rookies (based on a minimum 162 innings) since Kevin Appier compiled a 2.76 mark for the Royals in 1990.

Furthermore, Hellickson’s .210 opponents’ batting average ranked third in the Majors only behind Cy Young contenders Justin Verlander (.192) of the Tigers and Clayton Kershaw (.207) of the Dodgers.

Clearly, the naming of the “wild card” was prophetic. Where else do you see a team 10+ games out of a division race with 20 games to go make a stunning, last ditch effort and claw their way back into playoff contention?

I’ll tell you one thing for sure — it’s made September baseball more exciting (or more stressful, I suppose!) Thanks to the wild card races in both the American League and the National League, there’s plenty of buzz to chat about in the office, via Twitter or over dinner with the family. And it changes almost daily.

Currently, it’s all about the Red Sox collapse and the Rays chances, or the Braves struggles and the Cardinals surge.

Where does that leave us?

With four teams (six, if you count the two in third by less than five games) vying for two spots, it’s bound to get a little, well, wild.

The Red Sox started the day by adding to their own pressure, losing game one of a double header with the Orioles. But not to worry (today, anyway) — they pulled it together in game two and piled on 18 runs for the win. It’s a good thing the bats were hot because generally, giving up nine runs to Baltimore anyone makes for a very bad night. To make matters worse, they head to New York to take on the red-hot Yankees next week. They’ll then end the season with Baltimore, once again.

With a day off after taking 2-of-3 from Boston, Tampa Bay sits just two behind the Sox, with the Yankees and the Blue Jays standing in their path to October. For the Rays, it’s business as usual (kind of …) as they try to maintain their yearly goal of playing significant games in September. Not everyone buys the idea that these Rays have a legitimate chance — or that the Red Sox will continue to lose crucial games — but don’t tell manager Joe Maddon that. He’s as excited as ever.

“It’s palpable. You wake up in the morning, it’s there,” Maddon said. “It’s your buddy, and you carry it around with you all day. And when you don’t win, it’s not there, you’re looking for where it is and you can’t find it. And you have to try and manufacture it on your own.”

The trick will be manufacturing that energy against a Mariano Rivera-laden Yankees team. (Congrats on save 602, Mo!) » Continue reading “The Wild And The Wacky — Playoff Race Special”

NL East Standings courtesy of: MLB.com

As the regular season winds down and playoff wishes are either granted or dashed, for this edition of the National League East for Around the Horn, I got a little perspective from Aerys Sports lead writers for the Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals.

Miri Diaz, lead writer for A Fishy Situation:

As a Marlins fan, I am used to seeing my team struggle a bit. This season was the worst that I can remember. June… no one wants to think about June. I think we only won as many games as I can count with my 10 fingers. August was almost just as bad.   This year has also seen it’s fair share of drama. This team is like the Real Housefish of Miami. Logan Morrison is not one to keep his mouth shut, so he’s always involved in something somehow. Hanley Ramirez, the team diva and Mr. Do No Wrong in team owner, Jeffrey Loria’s eyes, acting like a drama king. Then Wes Helms and Mike Cameron are released from the team due to conduct. Sigh…

I just want this year to be over with so we can look at 2012 with a lot of great things coming. I just hope the ownerships respects the history of this team and the fans and keep changes decent.

Keara Dowd, lead writer for Win For Teddy:

To sum up the Nats season in a word, only one comes to mind: future.  This season we got to see the development of young talent finally pay off with Danny Espinosa, Wilson Ramos, and Ian Desmond.  Stephen Strasburg returned, Jordan Zimmermann emerged, and Bryce Harper debuted.

There wasn’t much expectation for this year from the beginning.  The team improved from last season, which is a victory in itself.  This team grew closer with the sudden resignation of Jim Riggleman, and they pushed through a bad situation.  While many aspects of the team are still up in the air, one thing is certain: the next couple of years are going to be very, very fun to watch.

Thanks Keara and Miri!

The Philadelphia Phillies just won their 5^th consecutive NL East Division title and are on pace to have the best overall record in the National League, and possibly in all of baseball.  I’ll be completely honest, I’m beyond STOKED!  I’ve been a Phillies fan since birth, I watched them win the whole thing in 1980 and 2008, almost win it in 1993 and 2009, and hopefully will see them win it in 2011!

The Atlanta Braves are still leading the Wild Card race by 3 1/2 games over the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Cards are hot on the their trail and don’t look like a team that’s going to go away easily.  So the Braves who lost two games to the NY Mets over the weekend, need to step it back up if they want to see the postseason. For more on the Braves, visit:  She Is Out Of Your League.

As for the NY Mets, they definitely need to make some changes. And it doesn’t appear they will get much help from their minor league guys, most aren’t ready to be called up to the majors or they just don’t have real strong prospects to choose from, not yet anyway.  For more on the Mets, visit:  Curious Case of Sidd Finch

Heather Carnassale is lead writer for a View From Section 116 (Aerys Sports Phillies Site)

NL East Standings 9/5/11 - MLB.com

The Philadelphia Phillies still reign supreme in the National League East with a 88-48 record.  In fact they still have the best record in the majors.  But the Phillies have had a couple losses lately against Eastern rivals Washington Nationals and Florida Marlins, which are two teams the Phillies should have no trouble beating.  The Phillies hot and cold offense is a contributing factor to the losses.  Though they have had some blow outs in their favor, it seems that when one of the Phillies gets into a hitting slump, it becomes viral and they all catch it.  Can’t always rely on the pitchers to bail them out.

And speaking of pitching, the Phillies bullpen is suddenly not looking so reliable and that’s definitely a concern heading down the stretch. But with the best record and what some still consider to be the best starting rotation in baseball, the odds are still in the Phillies corner.

On Monday night, the Atlanta Braves begin a 3-game series against the Phillies, who they have been desperately been trying to catch in the east.  And though the Phillies maintain a considerable lead on the Braves (7 and 1/2 games) they are resting comfortably as top dog in the Wild Card race.  With the San Francisco Giants a good 8 and 1/2 games back, the Braves are in a good position right now.  However, there is no doubt they would LOVE to knock the Phillies off the NL East pedestal and win the division.  But if they have to get in with the wild card, can’t see them being too upset about that.

» Continue reading “NL East Division: Labor Day Edition”

Standings courtesy of: MLB.com

What do the Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, and New York Mets all have in common?  They are at least 20 games back behind the division leading Philadelphia Phillies.  But can’t say the same about the surging Atlanta Braves who are making a serious playoff push.

Here’s a breakdown of the National League East, starting from last to first.

The Florida Marlins have definitely had their ups and downs this season.  They’ve been no stranger to drama with the firing of their coach and more recently with their Twitter-loving, young left fielder Logan Morrison.  A little over a week ago, he was optioned to Triple-A and allegedly never got a definitive reason why.  Rumors swirled that it was due to his outspoken tweets but Morrison himself felt it was more than likely his offensive struggles.  Regardless, Morrison recently tweaked his groin in a minor league game last Wednesday and that’s not good.

The Marlins will hopefully get a much needed boost with the return of second-baseman Omar Infante, who had been on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured right middle finger.  The Marlins were 2-13 after Infante’s injury and even though they have no shot of seeing the post season, his return is a welcomed sight.

To get more info and the latest news on the Florida Marlins, check out:  A Fishy Situation

The New York Mets are another team who have had their struggles this season. Last weekend they were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks and this past weekend swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.  Granted both of those teams are hot right now but its not like the Mets didn’t have their chances nor were exactly blown out. In fact in Saturday’s loss to the Brewers, the Mets had a 9-7 lead heading into the top of the ninth, where Mets pitchers Jason Isringhausen and Manny Acosta gave up four runs combined to blow the game and give the Brewers an 11-9 victory.

Shortstop Jose Reyes has been out with a strained left hamstring but there’s a possibility he will begin rehabbing by the end of this week.  Reyes ran to first base before Sunday’s game and around the outfield, a little bit.  He’s not at 100% but hopefully he keeps improving.

To get more info and the latest news on the New York Mets, check out:  Curious Case of Sidd Finch

» Continue reading “Rounding Up the NL East”

Standings courtesy of: MLB.com

The Philadelphia Phillies continue to reign supreme in the National League East.  And still boast the best overall record in the majors.  Pretty much everything is working well for them, except the occasional lack of offense. Even with losing starters Joe Blanton and Roy Oswalt, they still have aces Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. With the addition of rookie pitchers Vance Worley and Michael Stutes, and of course having a healthy Chase Utley back only improves an already formidable team.

For more on the Phillies, please visit Aerys Sports Philadelphia Phillies site:  View from Section 116

Though the Phillies are still the ‘team to beat’ the surging Washington Nationals are sneaking their way into the mix. But not without controversy. After sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals then a week later sweeping the Seattle Mariners their manager Jim Riggleman resigned. And as of Monday, one-time Mets skipper Davey Johnson took over.  Currently the Nats have dropped two to the Los Angeles Angels and are hoping tonight to avoid being swept themselves.

For more on the Nationals and Riggleman’s resignaton, please visit Aerys Sports Washington Nationals site:  Win For Teddy

If you thought the Nationals sudden winning was shocking, the collapse of the Florida Marlins was probably even more astonishing.  The bottom dwelling Marlins are having an abysmal June, with a record 23 losses, its no wonder their manager Edwin Rodriguez quit on June 19th.

Their interim manager is Jack McKeon who was at the helm back in 2003 when the Marlins won the World Series. McKeon is 80 years old, making him the second-oldest manager in major league history.  The Marlins have lost a record 23 games in the month of June, with wins coming few and far between.  The Marlins were hoping to get right-handed pitcher Josh Johnson back sooner rather than later but they can’t do the happy dance just yet.

The two-time All-Star, who is on the 60-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, resumed throwing off the mound on June 17. He has continued tossing in side bullpen sessions every couple of days since.  To make sure there aren’t any complications with his shoulder, the 27-year-old right-hander will get another medical opinion from Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama.  - Marlins.com

For more on the Marlins, please visit Aerys Sports Florida Marlins site:  Fishy Situation

The Atlanta Braves have held onto the second spot for a while now, but they just can’t seem to catch the Phillies, not yet anyway. The Braves swept the Toronto Blue Jays in three games last week and could possible sweep the Seattle Mariners tonight.  Their pitching continues to be their strong suit except for maybe a struggling Derek Lowe. But they are getting help from the likes of catcher Brian McCann whose batting average is .317 and first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Freeman has hit safely in eight of his last 12 games and is batting .304 (45-for-148) with five homers and 20 RBIs over his last 38 games (since May 14) to raise his season batting average 45 points in that span (from .220 to .265). - Braves.com

For more on the Braves, please visit Aerys Sports Atlanta Braves site:   She is Out of Your League

The New York Mets are above .500 for the first time since April 6th.  With a 40-39 record and in third place behind the Phillies, the Mets are 15-10 in the month of June.  Last night they had an impressive 14-3 romp over the Detroit Tigers and broke a grand slam drought thanks to both Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran.  The Mets’ last grand slam before last night’s game was on August 1, 2009 by Angel Pagan.

For more on the Mets, please visit Aerys Sports NY Mets site:  Curious Case of Sidd Finch

Standings courtesy of: MLB.com

The Good:

The Philadelphia Phillies, the Florida Marlins, and the Atlanta Braves.

The Phillies (36-24) have had their ups and downs, especially in the injury department and lack of offense.  But they have led the NL East for most of the season and currently have the best record in the Majors.  They’ve hit a slight snafu by losing back-to-back series to below .500 teams, but bounced back last night with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. With their highly lauded starting rotation, which includes Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels they are still considered the team to beat.

• Check out Aerys Sports Philadelphia Phillies Site:  View From Section 116

The Marlins (31-27) are on a 5-game losing streak and are 4-games back. This young team is facing an uphill battle without two of its biggest stars.  Shortstop Hanley Ramirez was just placed on the 15-day disabled list, due to lower back inflammation.  He hasn’t played since May 29th. Right handed pitcher  Josh Johnson has been on the DL since May 21st with right shoulder inflammation.  Last night RHP Javier Vazquez gave up six runs on eight hits in four innings to the Milwaukee Brewers.  So though they are still considered “good’ being tied for second place in the east, they need to find a way to turn the ship around.

• Check out Aerys Sports Florida Marlins Site:  Fishy Situation

The Braves (32-28) are tied with the Marlins being 4-games back.  In the off-season they bolstered the starting rotation, which has been comparable to the Phillies’ pitchers.  With the addition of second baseman Dan Uggla, and the ever inspiring if not annoying (this coming from a Phillies fan) Larry “Chipper” Jones, the Braves are good.  And two of those Braves, right fielder Jason Heyward and center fielder Nate McLouth are eligible to come off the DL tonight.  Their return would be a big boost.

• Check out Aerys Sports Atlanta Braves Site:  She is Out of Your League

The Bad (but getting ugly)

The Mets (28-31) are 7 1/2-games back and are in danger of falling even further.  Errors and lack of defense, their bullpen choking on more than one occasion, and injuries are all killing this team.  All-Star third baseman David Wright is on the 15-day DL with a stress fracture in his lower back.  He’s not expected back until at least July and even then there are no guarantees.  Right fielder Carlos Beltran fouled a pitch off the inner part of his right leg in Sunday’s night’s game.  An x-ray was negative and he’s currently listed as day-to-day.  Thing have gone from bad to worse.

• Check out Aerys Sports NY Mets Site:  Curious Case of Sidd Finch

The Ugly

The Nationals (26-34) are 10-games back.  With the offseason signing of right fielder Jayson Werth, the Nats were hoping he would be a much-needed spark.  Not saying he hasn’t been to some extent, but the Nationals still find themselves in the basement of the NL East. Hot pitcher Stephen Strasburg who had successful Tommy John surgery, could possibly return in September, but the Nationals might be so far out that even he won’t make a difference.  They also have 18 year-old phenom Bryce Harper biding his time in the minors but absolutely tearing it up while down there.  Can’t imagine it being too long before we see young Mr. Harper in the Majors.  Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman who has been out since April 9th with a torn abdominal muscle and surgery to repair it, recently began rehabbing in Single-A Hagerstown.  There’s a slight possibility he could be back with the Nats by next week.

• Check out Aerys Sports Washington Nationals Site:  Win For Teddy