Red Sox Hit First Rough Patch of 2013

The Red Sox were not going to play .720 baseball all season long.  For the first time in the 2013 season, the Red Sox have hit on hard times.  The injury bug has stung the back-end of the bullpen.  They have not been able to hit with runners in scoring position.  These have been the two main factors in the Red Sox going an abysmal 4-9 since the last time I wrote on this very site.

Joel Hanrahan is done for the season after experiencing tightness in his forearm.  He will undergo season ending surgery at some point in the near future.  Andrew Bailey has also been out with arm trouble.  An anticipated strength coming into the 2013 season is now a massive question mark.  John Farrell has named Junichi Tazawa as interim closer, until Bailey comes off the disabled list.  The only other candidate was Koji Uehara.

Having Hanrahan down for the count and Bailey on and off the disabled list is frustrating for Red Sox fans.  The Red Sox traded Josh Reddick for Andrew Bailey last offseason.  That trade has been one-sided to say the least.  Reddick launched 32 home runs last season and shockingly won a Gold Glove last season.  Yes, he is off to a slow start this season.  By comparison, Andrew Bailey has appeared in just 32 games for the Sox.  Joel Hanrahan was traded to the Red Sox this past off-season with Brock Holt for Mark Melancon, Jerry Sands, Ivan DeJesus, and Stolmy Pimental.  All I need to tell you about this trade? At the time of this writing, Mark Melancon has a 0.47 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP in 19 innings.  Hanrahan likely ends his Red Sox career with an 0-1 record and a 9.82 ERA in 7.1 innings.

My outside the box cure for the Red Sox closing woes?  Move Ryan Dempster to closer.  Bring up Alan Webster and put him in the rotation.  Dempster has had success as a closer before.  He also features two pitches you want your closer to have; a slider and a split finger fastball.  This keeps Uehara and Tazawa in their 7th and 8th inning roles, allows Webster on to the major league roster, and is insurance for the man made of glass, Andrew Bailey.

I blame the lack of offense of late right at the top.  Jacoby Ellsbury’s on base percentage is .311.  I am not looking for Ellsbury to repeat his 2010 video game numbers.  I am not asking Ellsbury to hit over .300, steal 70 bases, or even hit 10 home runs.  I am just asking him to get on base.  What good is a dynamic player like Ellsbury if he can’t get on base?  Too often this season Ellsbury has led off the game either swinging early in the count and popping up to the shortstop or second baseman; or swinging at a bad pitch with a 3 ball count.  It’s truly maddening.  Ellsbury needs to do a better job of getting on base.  The Red Sox have an exciting lineup that has been dull due to Ellsbury incompetence at the plate.  They will go as he goes.  Right now, he is going nowhere.

On a side note, Stephen Drew is hitting .228.  In my last post I guaranteed he would be at .230 the next time I sat at this laptop.  Way to do me proud, Mr. Drew.  The bold prediction this time around?  Dustin Pedroia currently has 1 home run on the season.  He will hit 5 more between now and June 3.

The Red Sox now play 20 days in a row against sub par teams.  (Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and New York.) I believe this stretch will be a true test to see what we have going into the summer.  I am hoping to see a resilient team that can shake off this bad stretch and get back in the win column.  I really believed they were the antithesis of last season’s disaster.  These next 20 days will show an awful lot about the 2013 Red Sox.

I can be followed on Twitter @ScottieNTCF

The Boston Red Sox are the Best Team in Baseball

Go ahead Red Sox fans: Let that headline sink in.  Enjoy it.  Cherish it. Be proud of the home town team.  If  the last few seasons have pushed you away from the club, it is safe to come back now.  This team is a complete “180″ of the 25 individuals from seasons past.  With one game remaining in April, the Red Sox are 18-7.  That is .720 ball, on pace for 117 wins.  Better than the winning? This team has to be the most likable team of any sport I can remember.

Since I last wrote, the city of Boston underwent the most traumatic week a city could possibly endure. During tragic events, like the Boston Marathon bombing, cities generally gravitate toward their sports teams for a sense of comfort or hope.  It happened after 9/11 and it happened in Boston.  The Red Sox embraced this role.  Guys like Will Middlebrooks and Shane Victorino were quick to tweet out their support and love for Boston.  Dustin Pedroia paid visited the victims at the hospitals.  Probably most memorable was Big Papi’s quote when he addressed the crowd at Fenway Park the Saturday after that scum was apprehended.  ”This is our F****** city!” (And to all the people upset about Papi’s language, grow up.  It was said with unparalleled emotion and it built pride in every single person that lives in that city. It needed to be said.) Best of all, the Red Sox came from behind to beat the Kansas City Royals behind Daniel Nava’s 8th inning three run blast into the bullpen.  What an amazing day that was!

The success the Red Sox have had can be attributed to the starting pitching.  Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have been outstanding this month.  Buchholz is 5-0 with a 1.19 ERA. He has to be the early leader in the American League Cy Young debate after 1 month.  Not far behind him in that race is Lester.  Lester is 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA.  The lesson learned here?  John Farrell was a great decision to lead this ball club.  Amazing what happens when the general manager gets to his job, huh Larry?

With Joel Hanrahan due to come off the disabled list, it will be interesting to see if Farrell sticks with Andrew Bailey, or goes back to Hanrahan.  Bailey has been very good in the closers role with Hanrahan out.  I do not have a strong preference toward either guy.  I think they both can do the job.  What excites me is the potential to shorten the game with this bullpen.  The Japanese duo has erased the sour Japanese taste out of my mouth Daisuke Matsuzaka left behind.  Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara have been electric in the middle innings.  Clayton Mortensen has been more than serviceable as a long man. If Andrew Miller ever learned o throw strikes, I might like him too.

David Ortiz has silenced his critics early.  Remember how upset everyone was that he was not ready for Opening Day?  Remember how upset everyone was when the Red Sox signed him to a multi-year deal this offseason?  Well, through 8 games Big Papi has said “shut the hell up” to his critics.  Ortiz is hitting .516 with 11 runs batted in and 2 home runs.  The lineup of Pedroia, Ortiz, Napoli, and Middlebrooks could be a potential murderer’s row.  Napoli has been outstanding as a run producer.  He set the franchise record for most RBIs in April with 27.  He is currently averaging a little over 1 RBI a game!  If Ellsbury and Victorino can get on base for these guys, watch out.

Lastly, I understand Red Sox fans are upset with Stephen Drew.  Most people are upset with him because of his genes.  Others have a more valid reason to be upset.  Drew is currently hitting .146.  Yes, that is atrocious. In an effort to be positive on all accounts, I am going to ask the masses to silence their criticisms of Drew.  I am going to go out on a limb and say he will get the average up to about .230 by the next time I write about the Red Sox.  I am doing my best to write on their off days.  So Stephen Drew has until May 13 to make me look like a genius.

Get behind these guys! They have the pitching.  They have the defense.  They are playing with great energy.  They are everything they haven’t been the past 3 seasons.

I can be followed on Twitter @ScottieNTCF

The Boston Red Sox Culture Change

One week has gone by since the Boston Red Sox started building their 2013 roster.  Their first big move was signing Mike Napoli
to a 3 year $39 million deal.  Two days later, they signed Shane Victorino to the exact same contract.  Many Red Sox fans have been upset with these deals.  Napoli is coming of a year in which he hit .227 with 24 home runs and 56 RBI.  Victorino is coming of a season in which he hit .251 with 11 home runs and 55 RBI.  Neither of these signings are what one would call “sexy.”

The Boston Red Sox aren’t currently in a position to make the “sexy” signings they once made.  The Red Sox desperately need to reinvent their brand and win back their fan base.  The idea behind the signings of Napoli and Victorino center more around what they will do for the clubhouse rather than on the field.  Coming off of the second straight disappointing season, the Red Sox need to change the culture of their clubhouse.  The dominos started to fall in August when they dumped Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett on the Dodgers for a few prospects.  Not only did they get rid of a fortune in salary, they got rid of a diva in Adrian Gonzalez, the perennially grumpy Josh Beckett, and a lost Carl Crawford.

I will be the first to admit, I wasn’t thrilled when the Red Sox signed Victorino.  His stats are clearly on the decline over the last three years.  I then followed the Flyin’ Hawaiian on Twitter and in a short time it became painfully apparent to me that Victorino WANTS to play in Boston.  After dealing with the surly Beckett the past few years, I found this refreshing that someone was genuinely excited to play baseball for the Red Sox.  The past two years the Red Sox have dealt with the chicken and beer fiasco followed by the Bobby Valentine disaster.  I think it will be nice to have coverage of guys having fun playing the game.

Johnny Gomes falls into the category of someone who will help pick up the clubhouse atmosphere.  He may be limited defensively and unable to hit right-handed pitching but he mashes lefties and will remind Red Sox fans of Kevin Millar.  Gomes was a spirited leader on an Oakland team that made an improbable run to the playoffs winning the AL West on the last day of the season in 2012.   There was nothing about the 2012 Oakland Athletics roster that on paper wowed anyone.  I am hopeful the same thing will happen with the 2013 Red Sox.

Last season, I remember asking myself if I was willing for the Red Sox to completely start over in hopes of righting the sinking ship.  Going into 2013, the Red Sox are sure to be in the basement of the AL East in everyone’s preseason rankings.  I think I am ok with that.  I can’t deal with the disappointment the Red Sox were the past 2 years.  I rather they rebuild and get on track toward being a World Series contender again.  The signings they have made so far have done nothing to stop that process.  The Victorino signing allows roster flexibility and buys time for top prospects Jackie Bradley and Bryce Brentz to develop in the minor leagues.  Mike Napoli will be a power bat in the Red Sox lineup that will hit 30 home runs easily if he is able to remain healthy.  He absolutely rakes at Fenway. The other plus? The Red Sox don’t have to face him for 3 years.

The Red Sox will next have to look at what to do with their pitching rotation.  There are two spots to be filled behind Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and (gulp) John Lackey.  The Red Sox could potentially pony up big money for Anibal Sanchez or could make lesser moves in going after Kyle Lohse or Ryan Dempster.  Otherwise, their in-house options are Franklin Morales and Alfredo Aceves.

The off-season has just begun and I am sure the Red Sox are far from done building their 2013 roster.  The Red Sox brass has assured its fan base at least one thing.  There will be a drastic culture change in the clubhouse come April.

I can be followed on Twitter @ScottieNTCF

Trade Jacoby? Whattya Nuts?

I am in dire need of a rant.  So I come back to the NTCF blog once again to explode.

Who started this whole idea that the Boston Red Sox have to trade Jacoby Ellsbury?  Over the past two weeks I have heard both radio stations (WEEI and 98.5) talk about the need for the Red Sox to trade one of the cornerstones of the organization.  Tony Mazz who I really enjoy and respect as one of the best baseball men in the business has started this insane thought and somehow the snowball has rolled down a mountain gathering momentum into an avalanche of epic proportions.

The fear is that Ellsbury will walk at the end of this contract which expires after the 2013 season.  The fear is that he will demand a contract in the neighborhood of 7 years for $200 million.  The fear is that Scott Boras is his agent.  I will tackle these points one at a time.

Even if Jacoby walks after 2013, why not let him play out his current contract and reap the benefits of having an MVP caliber player on your team? As a reminder, Ellsbury put up video game numbers last season. He hit .321 with 32 home runs, 105 RBI, and 52 stolen bases.  Oh, and he also won the Gold Glove award.  Why give any of that up?

Are the Boston Red Sox worried about shelling amount ridiculous money for someone? Spare me.  The Red Sox make money hand over fist.  It is as if they have their own money tree.  Ellsbury contributes to that revenue! All the pink hats love Jacoby.  Ladies love Jacoby for than they love Cool J.  Ellsbury sells more pink hats and shirts than anyone on that roster.  The least they could do is reward him for that from a business standpoint!

Scott Boras is a tough agent to deal with.  But haven’t a fair number of his clients ended up signing with Boston anyway?  (See Drew, JD, Varitek, Jason, Matsuzaka, Daisuke).  Boras was even behind getting Alex Rodriguez to Boston back in 2004.  He even fought the Players Union to keep A-Rod in Boston.  My point being that the Red Sox have dealt with Boras in the past.  There is no reason to shy away from a super star player and money maker because of his agent.

People give Ellsbury a bad rap because of his injury history.  Heck, I was once of them.  But both of his injuries were actual injuries.  He collided with Adrian Beltre in 2010, breaking a few ribs.  Let me rephrase that.  He collided with a high speed Amtrak train and only broke a few ribs.  In 2012, 6’3 190 pound Reid Brignac landed on Ellsbury’s shoulder as he went in hard to break up a double play.  Ellsbury ended up separating his shoulder and missed 3 months of the 2012 season.

In the three seasons Ellsbury played where there weren’t any types of collisions, he played 145, 153, and 158 games.  When he is not on the diamond, it is not reminiscent of JD Drew.  He doesn’t sit out games because he has a tight hammy, a stiff back, or because he has cramps and the Midol isn’t helping.

It would make zero sense for the Red Sox to trade or let go of Jacoby Ellsbury.  There is no player in baseball history that has his skill set.  Yes, I think he is better than Rickey Henderson.  He plays Gold Glove defense, runs like Usain Bolt, hits north of .300, and can hit 30 dingers.

It shouldn’t even come up as a suggestion to trade Jacoby.  It shouldn’t even be a funny joke. If you want to move Jacoby Ellsbury out of Boston, go get your head examined.

 

I can be followed on Twitter @ScottieNTCF

Scottie’s 2012 MLB All Star Teams

Every year I take issue with who is sent to the All Star Game in Major League Baseball.  The reality is that this game is a mid-season popularity contest.  I would have no problem with that if it wasn’t for the winner deciding who gets home field advantage in the World Series.  I also do feel that the guys who put up the numbers and are most deserving should go.  Yes, Matt Kemp was surreal the first month of the season. But he has been hurt for 2 months, and is actually on the DL right now.  But he still gets voted as a starter for the All Star Game? C’mon.

 

If I had the power to pick the starters for each league for the Mid Season Classic, these would be my lineup cards.

American League

C) AJ Pierzynski  

He is the most hated man in baseball. But the man deserves credit where credit is due.  He has put up the best numbers from the catcher position in the American League.  He has been better than Mike Napoli who won the fan vote.  He has 14 home runs and 45 RBI.

1B) Paul Konerko

Prince Fielder won the fan vote and will start.  He and Paul Konerko have nearly identical stats.  Fielder is hitting .294 with 12 home runs, 52 RBI, and has scored 42 runs.  Konerko, meanwhile, is the American League’s second leading hitter (behind Mike Trout who he has 30 more at bats than) at .335 with 14 home runs and 40 RBI and 38 runs scored.

2B) Robinson Cano

Has there been a hotter hitter over the last month than Robby Cano?  Not only is he the clear-cut starting second baseman, I think he and Josh Hamilton are the only real MVP candidate’s out of the American League.

3B) Miguel Cabrera

After slighting Prince Fielder at the first base position, I couldn’t possibly snub another Tiger.  This is another close call.  Adrian Beltre is obviously a better defensive third baseman but Cabrera has him beat in every offensive category except for runs scored.  What is even more amazing is that Cabrera puts up these numbers in a cavernous field like Comerica.

SS) Elvis Andrus

I know I will get ripped here for taking Elvis.  But what’s to hate on me about? Every team needs someone to lead off.  With a lineup this potent (similar to the actual Rangers lineup) all Elvis needs to do is get on base and score runs.  

OF) Josh Hamilton

This is the easiest selection of them all.  Hamilton is in a contract year and is playing better than Roy Hobbs.  

OF) Jose Bautista

Joey Bats hits dingers.  Will he get 60?

OF) Adam Jones

Yes, I took Jones over Granderson.  No, it’s not a slight to the Yankees.  Adam Jones has just been a better all around player than Granderson.   

DH) David Ortiz

The conversation about Cooperstown and Ortiz is getting more interesting by the day.  But it will always boil down to whether he is better than Edgar Martinez or not.  Edwin Encarnacion does deserve some recognition but I am obviously going to take care of my hometown guy.

Starter: Justin Verlander

A pitcher hasn’t dominated like Verlander has since Pedro Martinez was in his prime. 

National League

C) Carlos Ruiz

I am really close to naming Ruiz the best catcher in baseball.  I have liked him for a few years now and he has really put it all together.  The Phillies are 11 games out but it is through no fault of this guy.

1B) Joey Votto

Votto has numbers that would more properly reflect those of an average beer league slow pitch softball player.  He is hitting .350 and has an on base percentage of .471.  That is mind-boggling! He is essentially getting on base every other time he steps to the plate.

2B) Brandon Phillips

It was between BP and Aaron Hill for me.  I do find it impressive that Hill was able to hit for the cycle twice so far this season, the first guy to do it since 1931.  But I have always liked Brandon Phillips dating back to the days he was with the Buffalo Bisons and I was a bat boy for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

3B) David Wright

What’s funny is Wright was up by 464,000 votes going into the last day of voting and he lost.  Giants fans took care of their guy, Mets fans didn’t.  Truth is,  Wright was wronged.

SS) Ian Desmond

Statistically, only Starlin Castro has been better in the National League.  But the Nationals are in first place and the Cubs are the worst team in baseball.

OF) Carlos Gonzalez

The numbers speak for themselves.

OF) Ryan Braun

If anything Braun has proved he doesn’t need performance enhancing drugs to rake.  Or he knows all the loopholes and how to beat the system and is still on them.

OF) Andrew McCutchen

McCutchen has put the Pirates on his back.  They are in a pennant race for the first time since the days of Bonds, Bonilla, and Van Slyke.   He is hitting .346 with 15 home runs, 51 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.

Starter: RA Dickey

I still don’t think this guy is for a real and is the definition of a flash in the pan.  But if I am going to give AJ Pierzynski his due, I am sort of obligated to do the same for RA.

 

Like it? Hate it?  Comment and feel free to rip me apart or praise me.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

I can be followed on Twitter @ ScottieNTCF

Mumbles Therapy

Today is only Wednesday and it has already been one of the longest weeks I’ve ever experienced.  The best therapy is for me to just rant about subject matter that I feel I know best: the world of sports.  Beware here comes a slew of unorganized thoughts better classified as Mumbles.

*Chris Paul will be traded before Christmas 2011.  New Orleans does not want to go through the “Melodrama” the Nuggets went through last year.  With all the leaks about the Celtics wanting Paul, it would be in their best interest to acquire the best point guard in the league by any means necessary.  The Celtics current point guard Rajon Rondo is very talented but is beyond emotionally fragile.  He broke down last year when his BFF Kendrick Perkins was traded.  He broke down when he was “dissed” by President Obama.  Now the Celtics are reportedly (by every media outlet) pursuing Paul.  If the Celtics fail at acquiring Paul, they will be in for a very long and very uncomfortable season with Rondo running the show.  Get Paul now, worry about his contract status later.

*The Miami Marlins (have to get use to saying that) have been the biggest players in baseball free agency thus far.  They landed Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, and Mark Buehrle.  They are also in hot pursuit of Albert Pujols.  While this appears to be great news for South Florida, they have alienated their franchise player in Hanley Ramirez.  HanRam has reportedly asked for a trade because does not want to move to third base for Reyes.  If I am the Red Sox, I make a strong play at reacquiring the troubled shortstop.  He comes with baggage. There is no doubt about it.  But at the end of the day he is 27 years old coming off his worst season but entering his prime.  He is under contract until 2014 at a reasonable price (3 years $46 mil left).  He is a clear upgrade over Marco Scutaro or Jed Lowrie.  If I am Ben Cherrington, I offer Lowrie or Scutaro, Xander Bogaerts or Jose Iglesias, Ryan Kalish or Josh Reddick, and Matt Barnes or Anthony Ranuaudo.  Imagine this lineup:

Ellsbury, Crawford, Pedroia, Gonzalez, HRamirez, Youkilis, Ortiz, Saltalamacchia, Kalish/Reddick.

*The Boston Bruins benched Tyler Seguin last night during a 15 game unbeaten streak due to him missing a team breakfast in Winnipeg.  Now, I may be in the minority but I love that they benched the 19 year old leading scorer.  Nipping any antics that Seguin may be a part of in the bud is essential in his early development.  It’s clear to me that his benching has a lot more to it then missing his team breakfast.  His excuse will also go down as the worst excuse in sports history.  ”My clock was set on Boston time and not Winnipeg time.” Tyler may need a geography/time zone lesson to go along with that benching.  What we all need to remember is that the kid is 19 and he hasn’t had a chance to experience the night life like we all did in college.  I cut him some slack but at the same time applaud the management and coaching decision to discipline him.

* I once hated Tim Tebow with a unparraleled passion.  I think that was because I was an ignorant Longhorns fan that would hear nothing other than Colt McCoy was the best there was.  (In my defense he is the all time winningest quarterback in NCAA history). But after the last two months, how do you not love Tebow? Yes, the whole God squad thing can deter someone but as an athlete? The guy has “it.” Whatever “it” may be Tebow has it.  He wins football games and is exciting to watch.  Yes, I am all aboard the Tebow wagon!

*Unfortunately I don’t have any thoughts on the Patriots.  To me they are the most vanilla franchise in Boston sports.  It may be a reflection of the coach.  They win ball games and move on to the next opponent.  Until the playoffs, there is nothing I can really say about them.

*I love Ed Cooley.  When Providence College first hired him, I was skeptical at best.  My hatred of Keno Davis and his thug culture may have angered me to the point I was blind.  But there truly was no better person to hire for this position then who they landed.  Cooley has demonstrated a willingness to play defense (unthinkable during Keno’s time) and also to discipline players when needed.  (Kadeem Batts is yet to play a game.  Expected back for the URI game 12-23).  I have gone to as many games as I’ve could and have appreciated the development of Bryce Cotton.  I like that Vincent Council is playing under control.  I like that Cooley has Coleman playing defense.  I understand that the Friars may get smoked once the Big East schedule starts.  But I expected that coming into the season.  But because of Cooley, I now know they will play hard for 40 minutes every night.

*I can be followed on Twitter @ ScottieNTCF

The Search for a Manager

I last wrote on this blog on July 8, 2011, 4 months ago.  For whatever reason I lost my motivation to write after the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.  It is fair to say that I am a microcosm of the 2011 Boston Red Sox.  For awhile, I was going at a good clip, writing everyday and generating thought amongst the faithful readers of this blog.  Then I started drinking my beers, eating my fried chicken, playing an absurd amount of PS3, and putting on some lbs.

With those horrid 4 months behind me, I look to start over again and bring this blog back to some form of prominence.  What better way to do it then to address my favorite franchise in all of professional sports and the disaster they have become.  Everyone knows what happened to the Red Sox in 2011, so there is no need to open wounds that have just started to scab.  Instead, I am going to be progressive and look to the future and see what changes can be made that will get the Red Sox out of the pre-2004 era and back into the 2004-2007 timeframe.

First things first; With Terry Francona gone and likely headed to St. Louis, the Red Sox organization needs to find a manager to right the ship.  New general manager Ben Cherrington has probably the most talented all around roster in baseball he just needs someone to steer the unit in the right direction.  Names that have been rumored and/or interviewed to this point have been Pete Mackanin, Dale Sveum, Mike Maddux, Sandy Alomar, Jr, and Bobby Valentine.

Cherrington has said that he wants someone with major league experience.  I disagree with him here.  If someone is available that has major league experience, they are available for a reason.  They couldn’t win where they were before and were relieved of their duties.  In 15 years of managing at the big league level, Bobby Valentine has a record of 1117-1072.  That is a winning percentage of .510.  If 15 years, he has one exactly one pennant and didn’t win a World Series.  Why his name continuously comes up when a managerial job opens up is beyond me.  Sure he won in Japan, but baseball is backwards in Japan.  Isn’t Dice-k tangible evidence of that?  Bobby Valentine? No, thank you.

Dale Sveum was the Red Sox third base coach in 2004 and 2005.  Frankly, I don’t have one happy memory of him being in Boston.  He didn’t do well in Boston and if he couldn’t handle the job as a third base coach, what would make someone think he’d be able to take on additional duties as a manager?  He had a successful year in Milwaukee as a hitting coach, but when you have a lineup that includes Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and Ryan Braun it is difficult to be unsuccessful.  In addition Dale Sveum even looks like Terry Francona.  Bringing in Sveum would just be more of the Sveum old problems.

Pete MacKanin.  To be honest his hair is just way too much for me.  I don’t know a single thing about the man other than he has been in baseball for 35 years and never has had a managerial position.  Theo and the Cubs are interested in him as well.  If I could ever get over the crazy hair style, I think he would be a good candidate to be the fresh voice the Red Sox need in the dugout.

The last two candidates, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Mike Maddux are two guys that I would prefer.  Alomar was a great catcher for a number of years and has a great knowledge of the game.  Like Maddux, he comes from a family of major league baseball players that include Hall of Famers.  There is something to be said coming from a pedigree of that nature.  Just ask Buddy, Rex, or Rob Ryan.  I also believe both of these candidates would be very influential on the Red Sox pitching staff.  The Red Sox pitching crumbled spectacularly in September and proved to be the biggest weakness and a team that on paper looked very good, but on the field was very much flawed.

Because of their baseball pedigree’s I would have to believe that both men would instantly garner the respect of every man in that clubhouse.  If the Red Sox hire either of these 2 candidates, it would be a step in the right direction for a troubled franchise.

Follow me on Twitter @ ScottieNTCF

Patterson’s Week 13 MLB Rankings

Sorry to the faithful readers of this blog for the late post of my rankings.  Over the Fourth of July weekend, I was busy enjoying the beach, cookouts, parades, and my close friends.  There was simply no time to get to a computer and quite frankly no desire to get to a computer either.  But good things come to those who wait and here you are with my Week 13 rankings!

1) Philadelphia Phillies (1)

Cliff Lee’s stat line for the month of June? 5-0 with an ERA of 0.21.  He pitched 42 innings giving up 21 hits with 29 strikeouts.  Lee gave up just 1 run in all of June.  If I had more time on my hands (or if this blogging was a full-time job) I would do some research and find if any pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball has had a comprable month.  I strongly doubt any one has.  Not Cy Young, not Koufax, not Gibson, not even Pedro.

2) New York Yankees ( 2)

After praising Cliff Lee, it would be unfair of me if I didn’t mention the recent run CC Sabathia has been on, thus eliminating my comparisons to Koufax, Young, Gibson, and Pedro.  CC is 4-0 in his last 4 starts having gone no less than 7 innings in each.  Overall?  4-0 in 29.2 innings giving up 9 earned runs and striking out 32.  His last loss was to the Red Sox.  He is 8-1 in his last nine starts.

3) Boston Red Sox (3)

Last season Ryan Kalish had his opportunity to audition for the rights to replace JD Drew in right field for the 2012 season.  Red Sox fans fell in love with Kalish’s grit and hustle reminding Red Sox fans of Trot Nixon.  This year, its been Josh Reddick’s turn to audition for said job vacancy.  And he has been…dare I say it…Reddickulous.  In 18 games and 47 at bats, the Stifler look-a-like is hitting .404 with a home run and 10 rbi’s.  When it comes time to decide who is trade bait and who is here to stay in Boston, the decision will not be an easy one and should get more press than LeBron’s decision.

4) Atlanta Braves (7)

I’ll be the first to say that I didn’t give the Braves a chance in contending for the playoffs this season.  I figured they would never compete with Philly and weren’t good enough to stay in a wild card race to boot.  So far they have proven me wrong.  They sit 4 games back of the Phillies and are 4 games up on the Diamondbacks for the NL Wild Card.  Brian McCann leads the team in all major offensive categories and Jair Jurrgens and Tommy Hanson have been nearly unhittable.  Craig Kimbrell and Jonny Venters have closed the door time and time again.  This is me eating my words.

5) San Francisco Giants (5)

The slogan for the San Francisco Giants 2011 campaign has been Pitching + Resilience = Victory.  It is hard to argue that formula considering the Giants are 27th in all of baseball in runs scored with just 312. Yet they find themselves in first place in the NL West by 2 games over the Diamondbacks.  John Shea wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle that Giants have given their pitchers the worst home field run support since 1902.  At this point what history tells us doesn’t matter as the Giants continue to defy anything that can demonstrate reasonable thought.

6) Tampa Bay Rays (4)

So just a quick look at the Rays through the first half of the season with a fun game called “Who’d you Rather?” Carlos Pena (.228,17, 44) or Casey Kotchman (.338, 3, 25)? Rafael Sorian0 (5.40 ERA and on 60 day DL) or Kyle Farnsworth (2.08 ERA with 17 saves)?  or lastly Matt Garza (4-7, 3.77 ERA) or Jeremy Hellickson (8-7 3.21 ERA)? Keep in mind the Rays players are getting paid millions of dollars less than those they replaced.  I’d say Tampa has been surprised many (including myself) with how they have been able to stay competitive in the toughest division in baseball.

7) Cleveland Indians (10)

Asdrubal Cabrera has gotten the start at shortstop for the American League in the 2011 All Star Game.  And it is much deserved.  Last season Cabrera played in just 97 games and hit .276 with 3 home runs and 29 runs batted in.  In 83 games so far this year, Cabrera is hitting .293 and has 14 home runs and 49 runs batted in.  I think he already has won the most improved player in all of baseball award.  The All-Star honor has been earned.

8) St. Louis Cardinals (12)

The Cardinals received news today that Albert Pujols is in fact, not human and is a machine.  Pujols was activated from the disabled list today (a month ahead of schedule) returning from a broken left wrist.  The injury happened back on June 19 and Cardinals brass were concerned that he wouldn’t be back until August.  It is truly amazing that Pujols was able to recover so quickly.  Okay, I’ll say it.  HGH anyone?

9) Arizona Diamondbacks (8)

I have given props to Justin Upton, JJ Putz, Ian Kennedy, and Daniel Hudson for the Diamondbacks success this season.  Hell, I have even given Josh Collmenter a shout out.  But I have slept on Chris Young pretty much all year.  He is hitting .261 but has quietly put up some rather nice power numbers, clubbing 16 home runs with 47 runs batted in.  The 27-year-old has also stole 11 bases on the season.

10) Los Angeles Angels (19)

Since losing 6 in a row in early June, the Angels have gone 11-3 and gotten themselves right back in the thick of the AL West pennant race.   I made it a regular habit in the season to blast Vernon Wells at every opportunity but now is a time to give the man his due.  He has homered 5 times in his last 10 games, has 10 rbi’s in those 10 games, and has seen his average climb from .205 to .213 in that time.

11) Texas Rangers (11)

One really has to wonder if there is anything to Josh Hamilton’s claim that his blue eyes are to blame for his day time woes at the plate.  During the day Hamilton is hitting .113 in 15 games and 53 at bats.  He has 4 runs batted in and 0 home runs.  At night Hamilton is hitting .362 with 10 home runs and 37 runs batted in.  Being that he is on my fantasy baseball team, I am seriously considering petitioning the MLB to allow Texas to play only night games the rest of the season.

12) Detroit Tigers (9)

As good as CC Sabathia was in the month of June, Justin Verlander was better earning him pitcher of the month honors.  Verlander was 6-0 with a 0.92 ERA.  He had 54 strikeouts and 6 walks, 2 complete games, 1 shutout, and 49 innings pitched.  I sincerely believe that Verlander is the best pitcher in the American League, period.

13) Milwaukee Brewers (6)

Prince Fielder wasn’t only named to captain the National League’s Home Derby team this year but he was also named the player of the month in June.  I have no problem with Prince being named captain and no problem with him being named player of the month, but putting Rickie Weeks on the National League Home Run Derby squad? C’mon Prince! How can you snub the National League leader in home runs in Lance Berkman? Or pick Rickie over Jay Bruce?  Weeks is 12th in the National League in home runs!

14) Pittsburgh Pirates (14)

I don’t know if I am more shocked about the Casey Anthony verdict or about the Pirates being contenders. The Pirates are 3 games over .500.  This is the latest the Pirates have been in contention since 1992, when Bonds, Bonilla, and Wakefield were the playmakers on the roster. Now they are led by Andrew McCutchen, Jose Tabata, and Neil Walker.  They are just 1.5 games back of St. Louis for the division lead.  The question will remain all season how long the Pirates can stay in the pennant race.  With the talent of the Cardinals, Reds, and Brewers rosters, I don’t think they will be in the race come September.

15) New York Mets (17)

The only reason to watch the Mets so far this year has been Jose Reyes.  But he strained his left hamstring over the weekend and is listed day-to-day.  I am really interested to see if the Mets deal Reyes around the deadline.  They should receive a hefty return considering Reyes has been the best player in the National League this year.  I would think the Braves, Reds, Brewers, and Giants would be among the organizations calling the Mets front office.

16) Chicago White Sox (21)

I really need someone to explain to me why Carlos Quentin is going to the All Star Game as the White Sox representative and Paul Konerko was snubbed.  Paul Konerko is hitting .319, Quentin .253.  Konerko has 21 home runs, Quentin 17 home runs.  Konerko has 62 runs batted in, Quentin 47.  Am I missing something?

17) Washington Nationals (13)

The Nationals have surprised many by playing .500 baseball to this point in the season. Jordan Zimmerman is 5-7 on the season but his record doesn’t tell how outstanding he has been this season.  Zimmerman has a 2.82 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.  The 25-year-old has also struck out 92 in 91.1 innings pitched.  When Zimmerman takes the hill, he always gives his team a chance to win.

18) Cincinnati Reds (15)

Ready for a name from the past?  Dontrelle Willis.  Yes, that Dontrelle Willis.  With Bronson Arroyo a bit banged up, there is rumors that Willis will get called up to replace Bronson in the rotation.  Willis claims he is in the best shape of his life.  He currently has a 2.63 ERA in 13 starts in Triple A Louisville.

19) Seattle Mariners (18)

The Mariners lost one of its three aces to injury earlier in the week when (you guessed it) Erik Bedard went on the 15 day disabled list with a leg issue. Bedard is 4-6 with an ERA of 3.00.  That is further proof that the Mariners need to do everything in their power to go out and get a bat to help their putrid offense.

20) Toronto Blue Jays (16)

Jose Bautista has 28 home runs and just 58 runs batted in on the season.  Could you imagine the numbers he would be putting up if someone could get on base for him?  He is basically averaging 2 runs per home run.  If the Blue Jays could surround him with some on base percentage guys, the Blue Jays offense would be very scary.

21) Colorado Rockies (20)

The All Star Break couldn’t come at a better time for the Rockies.  Both Carlos Gonzalez (wrist) and Troy Tulowitzki (quad) are banged up.  On a brighter note Ty Wigginton has heated up hitting 3 home runs and 8 runs batted in his last 10 games.  With CarGo and Tulo out, the Rockies will need all the offense they can get. Wigginton can certainly provide it.

22) San Diego Padres (26)

Since the Padres lost 6 in a row in mid-June, they have gone 9-3 in their last 12 games.  Don’t let the run fool you.  They are still 9 games out of first in the NL West and will not get any closer to the pennant than that.  The fire sale of their strong bullpen will be under way sooner rather than later.  You know about Heath Bell but here are some other names to watch: Mike Adams, Luke Gregerson, Chad Qualls, and Ernesto Frieri.

23) Florida Marlins (25)

The Marlins acquired Mike Cameron from the Red Sox today for cash considerations and a player to be named later.  I was surprised the Marlins would be interested in Cameron because of what I thought was a logjam in the outfield.  The Marlins have Mike Stanton, Emilio Bonifacio, Logan Morrison, and Chirs Coghlan.  Upon further review, Coghlan is in the minors.  And none of the other three are hitting better than .270.

24) Minnesota Twins (28)

The Twins were bitten by the injury bug yet again on Tuesday night.  Scott Baker was removed from the game after sailing through 5 innings against the Rays because of a forearm strain.  The 2011 season has seen long stretches on the DL from Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Justin Morneau, Jim Thome, Denard Spann, and now possibly Baker.  I still boldly predict the Twins will be in the AL Central pennant race come September.

25) Oakland Athletics (23)

The A’s dealt away Mark Ellis this week to the Rockies.  This move assured Jemile Weeks of a starting job at second base without having him look over his shoulder the rest of the way.  Now the A’s need to acquire some bats much like Seattle does to support their stellar pitching.  Oh and a side note, Brian Fuentes is God awful.

26) Baltimore Orioles (22)

Mark Reynolds is so hot right now, if you were to touch him, you’d likely get first degree burns.  Reynolds has 7 home runs and 12 rbi’s in his last 8 games.  His average has also climbed to .233.  The problem is he leads the majors in errors with 20.

27) Los Angeles Dodgers (24)

The news out of Los Angeles just gets worse and worse.  The Dodgers have gone bankrupt.  There are rumors that some of the Dodger employees’ checks have bounced.  They still owe Manny Ramirez $8.3 million.  And now one of their starters, Jon Garland is out for the season.  He is expected to have season ending surgery sometime in the next few weeks.  That would be another waste of $5 million for the McCourt’s.

28) Chicago Cubs (29)

There really isn’t much to say about the Cubs other than they continue to be the lovable losers.  I honestly don’t think I would have the emotional stability to watch my team be so terrifically awful for so many years.  The only bright spot for the Cubs is the play of Starlin Castro.  Yes, he has made 16 errors but he is hitting .307 with 38 runs batted in.

29) Kansas City Royals (27)

Alex Gordon has made the ballot for the Final Vote in the 2011 All Star Game. I personally think Gordon should have made the first vote to go to Arizona.  He is hitting .296 with 10 home runs and 46 runs batted in.  It is sad that Gordon plays in such a small market and will in no way be voted the 34th man for the festivities.  What is also difficult is he is up against Paul Konerko who is the biggest snub in all of the All Star process.

30) Houston Astros (30)

Is it me or does Hunter Pence look like the most unorthodox baseball player in the history of the sport?  Don’t get me wrong he puts up numbers.  But his swing his ugly, the way he throws is ugly, hell the way he runs is ugly!   .325, 10, and 47 is not ugly however.

I can be followed on Twitter @ ScottieNTCF

Patterson’s Week 12 MLB Rankings

With the All Star Break two weeks away, I decided that instead of my usual random blurbs about each team, I will write who I think should be selected to the All Star Game.  I always like to do these things a little early and see how close I come to the actual roster.  Keep in mind that each team needs a representative.  I am doing this based on who deserves the ticket to Arizona, not a popularity contest, that the All Star Game has become.  There are 35 spots on each roster. The starters are in italics.

1) Philadelphia Phillies (1)

Placido Polanco, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee

2) New York Yankees (3)

Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera

3) Boston Red Sox (2)

Adrian Gonzalez, Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz, Josh Beckett

4) Tampa Bay Rays (10)

Ben Zobrist, James Shields, David Price, Kyle Farnsworth

5) San Francisco Giants (6)

Brian Wilson

6) Milwaukee Brewers (4)

Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Shaun Marcum

7) Atlanta Braves (8)

Brian McCann, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurgens, Craig Kimbrel

8) Arizona Diamondbacks (7)

Justin Upton, Ian Kennedy, Miguel Montero, JJ Putz

9) Detroit Tigers (11)

Alex Avila, Victor Martinez, Justin Verlander, Brennan Boesch, Jose Valverde 

10) Cleveland Indians (5)

Asdrubal Cabrera, Chris Perez

11) Texas Rangers (12)

Elvis Andrus, Michael Young, Alexi Ogando

12) St. Louis Cardinals (9)

Lance Berkman

13) Washington Nationals (18)

Michael Morse, Drew Storen

14) Pittsburgh Pirates (17)

Joel Hanrahan, Andrew McCutchen

15) Cincinnati Reds (13)

Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Francisco Cordeiro

16) Toronto Blue Jays (14)

Jose Bautista, Adam Lind

17) New York Mets (19)

Jose Reyes

18) Seattle Mariners (15)

Michael Pineda, Felix Hernandez,

19) Los Angeles Angels (21)

Jordan Walden, Dan Haren, Jered Weaver

20) Colorado Rockies (16)

Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez

21) Chicago White Sox (20)

Paul Konerko, Phillip Humber

22) Baltimore Orioles (22)

Adam Jones

23) Oakland Athletics (24)

Gio Gonzalez

24) Los Angeles Dodgers (27)

Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw

25) Florida Marlins (23)

Anibal Sanchez

26) San Diego Padres (28)

Heath Bell

27) Kansas City Royals (25)

Alex Gordon

28) Minnesota Twins (26)

Michael Cuddyer

29) Chicago Cubs (29)

Starlin Castro

30) Houston Astros (30)

Michael Bourn

 I can be followed on Twitter @ ScottieNTCF

Patterson’s Week 11 MLB Rankings

The baseball season is fast approaching the All Star Break.  This means teams are starting to figure out whether they will be buyers or sellers when the trade deadline rolls around.  At some point this week, I will tell you who the All Stars should be and I will also introduce you to who the buyers and sellers will be come late July.  Until then, enjoy the Week 11 Rankings:

1) Philadelphia Phillies (1)

With all the hype around bringing in Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Roy Oswalt it has been the home-grown Cole Hamels that has been the most impressive this season.  Hamels is 9-2 with a 2.49 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.  If I had to make the decision, Hamels would be the starter for the National League in the All Star Game.

2) Boston Red Sox (2)

Even with all the wins over the past week, the Red Sox have been stung by the injury bug this week losing Jed Lowrie, Carl Crawford, and Clay Buchholz to the 15 day disabled list.  Marco Scutaro is hitting over .400 in Lowrie’s absence.  JD Drew has had a knack for getting hot in June in years past when someone has gone on the DL. With Crawford out, there is no better time than now for JD to get hot.

3) New York Yankees (6)

Derek Jeter landed on the disabled list being just 6 hits shy of 3,000. Even as a Red Sox fan I will most definitely be cheering him on when he gets that coveted hit.  I have long said the steroid scandal of the late nineties and early 2000′s wouldn’t bother me unless Jeter or Griffey were named as users.  Jeter is clearly on the back nine of his career, and I think people should start to recognize how awesome he was during the course of his career.

4) Milwaukee Brewers (5)

The Brewers are finally showing the potential that I had seen in them in the preseason when I predicted they would win the NL Central.  They already have an awesome offense and now their pitching staff has rounded into shape with Yovanni Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, and Zack Grienke.  John Axford is 19-21 in save opportunities as well.  The Brewers have close to zero weaknesses.

5) Cleveland Indians (8)

The Indians fired hitting coach Jon Nunnally on Sunday.  The Indians are in first place by one game and their offense has been underperforming.  Shin Soo Choo and Carlos Santana have been especially disappointing but help is on the way as Travis Hafner is off the disabled list.  Players aren’t happy with the Nunnally firing saying they don’t understand why he is fired when the team surprised everyone to this point by being in first place.  I side with the players here.

6) San Francisco Giants (7)

The Giants have lost four in a row (three to the lowly A’s) and are now only a half game up on the Diamondbacks in the NL West.  The Giants are the only first place team with a negative run differential in all of baseball.  With Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez out, Pablo Sandoval has very little protection in the order.  The Giants will not be in first place for very long.

7) Arizona Diamondbacks (11)

Earlier in the season I remember bashing Justin Upton and the Diamondbacks front office because GM Kevin Towers said that if the Red Sox wanted Upton they would have to give up Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, and Daniel Bard.  (I wrote this in my Week 3 rankings).  I would not move any of those guys 1 for 1 for Upton let alone all three.  But an update on Upton:  He is hitting .302 with 12 home runs and 38 runs batted in with 13 steals.

8) Atlanta Braves (4)

Jason Heyward came back from the disabled list this week and it looked as if the Braves were starting to get healthy again.  But to say that Heyward is in a sophomore slump would be putting it mildly.  He is hitting just .215 with 17 runs batted in through 50 games.  At least he has 7 home runs.  The Braves desperately need to get him going.

9) St. Louis Cardinals (3)

The Cardinals are in a bit of a funk for the first time this season after getting swept by the Nationals.  They have lost their vice grip on first place as the Brewers have leaped frogged over them.  Of the 72 games they have played this season, the Birds have gotten only 36 quality starts.  Jaime Garcia and Kyle Lohse account for 17 of those.

10) Tampa Bay Rays (12)

James Shields now has 5 complete games this season and we are still 3 weeks away from the All Star Break.  Last year Roy Halladay led the majors in that category with 9.  The next closest pitcher was Adam Wainwright with 5.  Shields truly has been remarkable this first half of the season and is deserving of a spot on the All Star team.

11) Detroit Tigers (9)

All year I have been on the Tigers because I felt Miguel Cabrera was shouldering the offense on his own.  Well Victor Martinez is hitting .329, Alex Avila is hitting .305 with 41 runs batted in, Jhonny Peralta is hitting .303 with 11 home runs and 43 runs batted in, and Brennan Boesch is at .295 with 10 home runs and 38 runs batted in.  Finally it looks like Miggy has support in the batting order!

12) Texas Rangers (10)

After starting the season 7-0, Alexi Ogando has fallen on hard times in his last two starts getting absolutely rocked.  Earlier in the week he lasted 1.2 innings giving up 6 runs on 6 hits in a losing effort against the Yankees.  Today against the Braves he lasted just 5 innings in a losing effort.  Are the wheels coming off already for the 27-year-old converted reliever?

13) Cincinnati Reds (13)

Last season MVP Joey Votto hit 37 home runs.  To this point in the season he has just 9.  He is still hitting .327 and has 43 runs batted in but the lack of power has to be a concern for the Reds.  If he can find the home run stroke again, he and Jay Bruce (17 home runs so far this year) would be a mini murderer’s row.

14) Toronto Blue Jays (17)

The Blue Jays announced that they have re-signed shortstop Yunel Escobar to a 2 year $10 million deal with club options for 2014 and 2015.  Escobar has been consistent for the Blue Jays so far this season hitting .281 with 8 home runs, 26 runs batted in, and 42 runs scored.

15) Seattle Mariners (14)

Bill Simmons tweeted it best yesterday when he pleaded with the Mariners GM to make a trade for some offense.  Their top 3 pitchers are pitching lights out (Hernandez, Pineda, and Bedard), they have called up their top prospect who is also a top prospect in all of baseball (Dustin Ackley), and Ackley has already homered in just his second big league game.  They are just 1.5 games out of first place and should definitely be buyers at the deadline.

16) Colorado Rockies (18)

Last week I argued with myself about whether Paul Konerko deserves a plaque in Cooperstown.  This week’s edition of “An Argument with Myself”? Does Todd Helton deserve a plaque in Cooperstown.  In 15 seasons, Helton has 2300 hits, 342 home runs, and 1269 runs batted in and is a lifetime .324 hitter. His best season was in 2000 when he led the league in batting average (.372) RBIS (147) and hits (216). He also led the league in on base percentage, slugging, total bases, and OPS.  Helton would get my vote over Konerko even though Konerko has a ring.  And yes, Helton is in.

17) Pittsburgh Pirates (16)

The Pirates continue to get solid starting pitching from Charlie Morton (7-3 3.21), Kevin Correia (8-6 3.60) and Jeff Karstens (4-4 2.54).  With each week that passes, I become more and more surprised that the Pirates are still around the .500 mark.

18) Washington Nationals (24)

Going into Sunday the Nationals have won 8 games in a row which includes a sweep of one of the best team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals.  Second baseman Danny Espinosa hit a walk off home run earlier this week.  Espinosa is hitting .233 with 12 home runs and 41 runs batted in on the season.  If he can work on that average, he has the potential to be one of the top second basemen in the game.

19) New York Mets (19)

While all the talk has been centered on Jose Reyes, I completely forgot that the Red Sox let Jason Bay walk as a free agent after the 2009 season only to have the Mets sign him to an $80 million deal over 5 years.  Bay is currently hitting .222 with 2 home runs and 13 runs batted in.  I don’t know if this is a curse of the Mets type of situation or “I’m sure glad the Red Sox didn’t resign that guy” type of situation.

20) Chicago White Sox (21)

Speaking of busts.  Adam Dunn signed a 4 year $56 million deal with the White Sox this offseason.  Dunn has not been able to figure out American League pitching to this point however.  Dunn is hitting .182 with 7 home runs and 29 runs batted in.  Paul Konerko has been just the opposite hitting .327 with 19 home runs and 56 runs batted in.  Remember that Hall of Fame discussion?  If Konerko can keep these numbers up he will be joining Helton.

21) Los Angeles Angels (22)

The Angels released Scott Kazmir this week eating $14 million in salary.  Kazmir was getting rocked in the minors and it was evident that he was not going to factor into the Angels plans this season.  I remember when Kazmir was a stud on the then Devil Rays.  My how times have changed.

22) Baltimore Orioles (20)

What happened to Nick Markakis?  I remember a time when I longed for him to patrol right field at Fenway Park.  This year he is hitting just .256 with 5 home runs and 26 runs batted in.  Markakis was once a player Orioles fans saw as the future of the franchise.  It now looks like that future has come and gone and the Orioles still haven’t made up any ground in the American League East.

23) Florida Marlins (15)

With the Marlins in an absolute freefall losing 17 of their last 18, manager Edwin Gonzalez called the staff and team into a private meeting in the clubhouse letting them all know he was quitting.  It wasn’t that long ago that the Marlins were a top 5 team in baseball this season.  Count me as shocked that they have been as awful as they have been lately. He is the second manager to lose his job this year.

24) Oakland Athletics (27)

The Athletics called up Rickie’s little brother, Jemile Weeks late last week.  I had been calling for this move for quite some time seeing that the Athletics have zero offensive fire power and are especially lacking from the infield positions.  Through 11 games Weeks, is hitting .325 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, and 6 runs batted in.  Since the AL West is wide open, the Athletics have a shot of getting back into the race.  If they do, Weeks will be a large part as to why.

25) Kansas City Royals (26)

While the Royals have some of the best young prospects in baseball, they are all offensive players.  Hosmer, Moustakas, Butler, and Gordon will all help put runs on the board.  But the problem with the Royals is the lack of pitching.  Their best starter is Jeff Francis and his ERA is 4.83.

26) Minnesota Twins (29)

The Twins are slowly starting their ascent up the rankings.  After spending the first 2 months of the season teetering between the 29 and 30 spots, they are 8 games back of the Indians in the AL Central, have won 6 in a row, 8 of their last 10, and are 13-3 in June.

27) Los Angeles Dodgers (23)

Dee Gordon was called up by the Dodgers earlier this week.  He is the top prospect in the organization and is the son of ex-Red Sox Tom “Flash” Gordon.  With how fast the young Gordon runs, it won’t be long before he will be called Flash as well.  Through 11 games, Dee is hitting .326 with 4 stolen bases and a triple.  Gordon has game changing speed that will add an element of excitement to the Dodgers, an organization that could use all the excitement it can get.

28) San Diego Padres (29)

Anthony Rizzo has been unable to bring his hot bat to the major league level.  After tearing the cover off of the ball in the minors, Rizzo is hitting .148 through 9 games.  But in his 4 hits, he has a single, double, triple, and a home run.

29) Chicago Cubs (28)

The Cubs will clearly be sellers when the trade deadline comes around.  The problem is Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano’s contracts are albatrosses and the Cubs are tied into them for at least 2 more years.  The Cubs have the potential to be very bad for a very long period of time.  As if they haven’t been like that already, seeing that they haven’t made it to the World Series since 1945.

30) Houston Astros (30)

Hunter Pence is scheduled for an MRI on his hyperextended elbow Sunday.  If the Astros lose him for any extended period of time, I am going to have to start ranking them with the Triple A teams.

I can be followed on Twitter at ScottieNTCF