So there was this guy once, and he pitched so well they named an award after him.

I decided that I wanted to take on the Cy Young candidates for this year because my hat is currently in the ring, so to speak. Although I’m the Orioles writer here, I’m also a noted long-suffering Mets fan, and I’ve got a candidate to back this time around!

That being said, it’s time to get this show on the road, so here are your three candidates for National League Cy Young Award.

R.A. Dickey, New York Mets: I’m not even going to lie about my bias here, because I’d absolutely love to see a knuckleballer — from a team I watch, nonetheless — take home the Cy Young. A knuckleballer has never won the coveted pitching prize, but perhaps this is the year.

Let’s talk about Dickey’s year for a minute here. He went 20-6 with the Mets. THE METS. That’s practically impossible in this day and age. He started 33 games and turned five of them into complete game performances, with three of those being complete game shutouts. In the 233.2 innings he pitched, he struck out 230 people whilst only walking 53 people, less than his two non-knuckleballer rivals. For a knuckleballer, a 2.73 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP are nothing to dismiss, either. The man was simply on fire this season.

That’s not to say that the other two weren’t on fire at all. It’s just really unusual to see a knuckleballer with such glowing stats.

» Continue reading “Some Guy Named Cy: National League Candidates”

Before the season, the goal of any club is to make the post-season.  Then, of course, the goal is to move up the ladder, and hopefully be that last team standing.  But the Manager of the Year award is given based on the regular season.

With the honor being based on the attrition of a 162-game grind, three managers have come to the forefront as finalists in the National League: Davey Johnson of the upstart Washington Nationals, Dusty Baker of the Cincinnati Reds and, finally, Bruce Bochy who led the San Francisco Giants to a second World Series title in the past three seasons.

Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals

Several weeks ago, Johnson took The Sporting News Manager of the Year honor.  He is most certainly a strong candidate to win the Major League Manager of the Year Award, which is voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

With the old-school, play with swagger, give me your best effort Johnson at the helm, the Nationals took care of business, winning 98 regular season wins to lead all Major League teams.

How difficult was it for Johnson?  Well, the club was expected to cause some problems in the National League East, and possibly even contend for a playoff spot.  The club had a kid by the name of Bryce Harper who would be making his name known as a brash, old-school, five-tool rookie.  The club had to deal with serious injury issues to key players:  outfielders Michael Morse and Jayson Werth suffered injuries, with Werth’s keeping him on the bench for three months.  Catcher Wilson Ramos went out with a season-ending injury. Closer Drew Storen went down in spring training and ended up pitching only 30.1 innings in 2012, as opposed to 75.1 in 2011.  He had only four saves, as opposed to 43 in the 2011 campaign.

» Continue reading “Looking At The National League Manager Of The Year Finalists”

Courtesy of Wikimedia

Today begins the nearly week-long, year end Baseball Writers of America Awards celebration and starting tonight at 6 p.m. EST, MLB Network will be airing nightly programs to present those awards. The first honor will be for the Rookie of the Year.

American League Candidates

In the American League it’s an all-Western affair where the Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels are represented.

First up, we have Yoenis Cespedes of the Oakland Athletics. Cespedes, the 27-year-old (as of October) rookie from Cuba had a stellar first year for Oakland batting .292/.356/.505/.861 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI in 129 games all while helping the A’s to a surprise AL West Division title.

Cespedes was an interesting case of a guy who started off slowly – he batted .236/.309/.418/.727 in the first two months of the season, was able to make adjustments and go on to have a great season overall.

Cespedes favored playing at home batting .319/.406/.531/.937 in Oakland compared to .268/.308/.483/.791 on the road but there was a place which houses a team in his Division where Cespedes seemed to be very comfortable playing. He had a .324/.343/.647/.990 line in the Ballpark in Arlington which just so happens to be the home of our next Rookie of the Year candidate…

» Continue reading “Looking At The Rookie Of The Year Candidates”

I like to think of Washington’s Jayson Werth as a diamond in the rough. I can see the hotness through his excessive facial hair. Also, that walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th to force Game 5 in the NLDS between the Nationals and the Cardinals didn’t hurt his Designated Hotter odds.

[All photos from Keith Allison.]

» Continue reading “Designated Hotter: Jayson Werth”

Standings via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

The Nats have clinched a playoff berth and the club is sitting atop the NL East with a magic number of 6, and a near-unbelievable-yet-so-believable record of 92-60.

Lefty sensation Gio Gonzalez recorded his 20th win of the season on Saturday against the Brewers when his offense was certainly not feeling shy. The Nats trumped the Brew Crew with a final score of 10-4, and Gio held ‘em scoreless through five. Gio is the first National to reach a 20-game season, and is needless to say a contender for the Cy Young Award.

Meanwhile, rookie phenom Bryce Harper continues to astound and could be in a race for a title of his own: the NL Rookie of the Year Award, that is.

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: Rounding Third…”

National League East Standings. Image via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

Despite losing the series to the Marlins, not to mention with the rubber match culminating in an [embarrassing] 8-0 loss, the Nats continue to prove that it is still possible to move up from the top. Right now their record is 86-54.

Manager Davey Johnson announced that ace Stephen Strasburg won’t be back on the mound this season, due to inning limits in place from his Tommy John surgery in 2010. Of course, the news also came after one of Stras’s worst starts of the season- he allowed seven runs through only five innings. Lefty John Lannan should pitch against the Mets at Citi field this Wednesday in Stephen’s stead.

Meanwhile, on the mound Monday against the Mets, Gio Gonzalez will toss to try to be the first to reach 19 wins this season. Cy Young-speak continues to stir around the Washington southpaw.

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: We’re Going Streaking!”

NL East standings as of 8/25. Graphic via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

The Nats are high above all other teams in the majors with a picturesque win percentage at .611, and even a small losing streak really ain’t no thang but a blip on the radar.

Catcher Kurt Suzuki had a broken-hand scare Wednesday, but returned to the lineup Friday after negative X-ray results came through. Shortstop Ian Desmond should be out through Monday to play it safe with his hamstring strain. Likewise, Michael Morse took Sunday off to rest his hand, which remained painful after being hit by a pitch on Friday’s game against the Phillies.

… Just ask Jayson Werth, (or check his email in/outbox), those two teams just can’t seem to get along. Somehow injury is always added to insult in such rivalries.

Stephen Strasburg is set to miss his final two or three starts of the season by order of his Tommy John recovery schedule. In his absence, the Nationals could switch to a four-man rotation come October.

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: Dark Horse Play On Horizon?”

Pitch counts.  Innings pitched.  And what can be done to save pitchers from the disabled list?  Is there an eye test for issues with the arm?

Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals is going to be shut down this season.  Before the end of the regular season, and well before the playoffs begin.  After having Tommy John surgery in 2010, he pitched 24 innings at the tail-end of last season.  Soon, he is to be exiled to the dugout, with somewhere between 160 and 180 innings pitched.

Nolan Ryan and the Texas Rangers give their starters the ball and expect them to go deep into games, only giving it up when it’s ripped from their hands.  That’s old school.  New school is all about pitch count, and now about innings pitched.

In actuality, there is no true study out there regarding major leaguers and pitch counts and innings pitched that is definitive regarding injury.  At youth league levels, there are studies that appear conclusive:  over-use leads to injury.  But not so with the big boys.

» Continue reading “Ask The Coach: What About Pitch Counts?”

NL East Standings as of 8/12. via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

Jayson Werth rejoined the Nationals on Thursday (over a week ago) and the Nats have been winning with him since. Werth was moved up to the leadoff spot, and is hitting an insane .400 with a .500 on-base percentage.

Meanwhile, shortstop Ian Desmond took his first live swings during his rehab assignment, and manager Davey Johnson is antsy to have Desmond back in action.

Unfortunately, Chien-Ming Wang exited his Minor League rehab start with hip soreness on Tuesday night. His return to the Nats, which could have been as early as this past Saturday, is of course pushed back until he can make another rehab start.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy 

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: They Tried To Make Me Go To Rehab…”

Standings via MLB.com

Washington Nationals

It might be a bit premature to break out the champagne, but Washington has already won more games so far this season than their totals of either the 2008 or 2009 seasons. So, hooray.

But on the flipside, Nats first baseman Adam LaRoche left the game Sunday against the Brewers for back tightness, and he is listed as day to day.
Outfielder Xavier Nady was released on Sunday and the Nationals recalled John Lannan. Additionally, the Nats signed free-agent Mike MacDougal to a Minor League contract in Triple-A.

Read more on the Nationals on Win For Teddy

» Continue reading “NL East Recap: Record-Breakers & Re-Runs”