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From the Windup: I'm Thankful For ...

Matt Snyder — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Media Watch

From the Windup is Matt Snyder's extended look at some aspect of America's pastime each Thursday.

Just because something is corny, doesn't mean it can't be done. Saying what you are thankful for on Thanksgiving is an American tradition. Sure, it may be a bit played out -- and some would even say lame -- to write a column about things we're thankful for in a given sport. But I'll be damned if I'm gonna spit in the face of all the great Americans before me who began the tradition and kept it alive for all these years. So, let's do it, baseball-style.

I'm Thankful For ...

... Will Carroll and Keith Law. These are the two voters who left Chris Carpenter off their respective Cy Young ballots. I'm thankful for them because they perfectly illustrated how there needs to be a balance between sabermetrics and reality. Look, I love stats, but sometimes less is more. You can throw innings pitched, FIP, ERA+, WAR or anything else you want at me. That's fine. I know what the numbers mean and I understand the concept behind them. I can also tell you real baseball isn't played on the computer. You tell me this: if you were a manager and had one game to win in 2009 to save your job, would you rather have had Carpenter, Dan Haren (on Carroll's ballot) or Javier Vazquez (on Law's) take the ball? Put down the calculator and simply answer that. Anyone would be hard-pressed to convince me Carpenter is not the choice. For the record, my ballot would have read: 1. Carpenter; 2. Tim Lincecum; 3. Adam Wainwright. Carpenter versus Lincecum was nearly neck-and-neck for me, and I'm good with Haren being fourth in line.

... Sammy Sosa's face.

... Baseball Reference. Hey, I told you I like numbers, too. This site can solve any argument concerning historical statistics. It has everything. It's not a new revelation, as it's been loved for years by many, but it never hurts to continually thank the heavens for its existence.

... The fact that I don't have to hear Chip Caray's voice until April.

... Jeremy Affeldt. He was a superb middle reliever/setup man for the Giants in 2009, but that's not why I'm thankful for him. He had a 1.73 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 62 1/3 innings (with zero saves!), but that's not why I'm thankful. I'm thankful because one writer thought he was the 10th most valuable player in the entire National League. That's right, Mr. Affeldt was able to garner his first career MVP vote this year.

... Fantasy baseball. It's not for everyone, but it's a fun hobby for die-hard baseball fans who like to sift through every box score and love stats.

... The Internet, because not only can I get any stat I want at any given time, but because an old newspaper or magazine would have never published fun, non-serious stuff like this, this or this. Also, if it's not your thing, you are free to ignore. It's all free, after all.

... MLB Extra Innings. Seriously, between the Internet and being able to watch up to 15 games a night, the middle of the summer is never, ever boring.

... The fact that every first place vote in the NL MVP went to Albert Pujols. Though, judging from some of the comments, a few Phillies fans are deluded enough to think Ryan Howard deserved it. Guys, go back to the start of 2009 and imagine if the Phillies had duped St. Louis into trading Pujols for Howard straight up. If you seriously think you would have been upset instead of excited about this fictional trade, it may be time to seek counseling.

... Curb Your Enthusiasm. Hey, they said Derek Jeter's name in one episode this season, so I can count it as baseball-related.

... Hot Stove season. Seriously, baseball never stops. In other sports there is a lull where everyone is waiting for free agency to begin, then the draft, then training camp to start (order is different in some sports). In baseball, there are trades immediately after the World Series ends, then free agency, then arbitration, then the Winter Meetings, personnel shifting until the middle of February and then pitchers and catchers report to camp. There isn't one day that goes by in the baseball calendar without anything of interest.

... The resurgence of speed and defense as an emphasis, while home runs remain at a premium. I'll take being well-rounded over one-dimensional any day.

... The fact that we don't always have to be talking about steroids anymore. Oh, wait. Nevermind. Hopefully I'll be able to actually use this submission someday with a straight face.

... Chase Utley. I'm so jealous of Phillies fans for getting to cheer for that guy. Carl Crawford isn't far behind, either.

... How many fans think there is some vast media conspiracy against their favorite teams and/or players. So, basically, the media hates: the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Phillies, the Cubs, all small-market teams, all Midwest teams, all West Coast teams, etc. But the media also loves: the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Phillies, the Cubs, the Cardinals, underdogs and feels sorry for all teams not on the East Coast. Now it all makes sense! It's the highest of high comedy. People, life is too short to go around with such paranoia. Enjoy your team(s) and the game.

... Wrigley Field

... The good guys in the game like Joe Girardi and Matt Kemp. There are loads and loads more, but we hear too much about the bad and not enough about the good.

... Every single waking day I live without hearing or seeing an update on Roger Clemens. Rocket-free is Pleasantville for me.

Finally, I'm thankful for Milton Bradley. Without him, people may be focusing on the shortcomings of the rest of the Cubs. Instead, the other members of my favorite team will get to rest easy this offseason, even though many of them had pretty miserable campaigns in 2009 as well.

And I'll be a helluva lot more thankful once Bradley's finally not on the Cubs anymore. Even if that doesn't happen until 2012. Thank you, Jim Hendry!

From the Windup: I'm Thankful For ... originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodgers, Angels Interested in Halladay

Matt Snyder — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Dodgers, AL East, AL West, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, both L.A.-area teams are in pursuit of Blue Jays' ace Roy Halladay via trade. The report cites sources familiar with talks from both teams and places the chances of the Dodgers getting the right-hander a "long shot," but it sounds like the Angels have a realistic chance at acquiring Halladay.

Reportedly, Halladay would cost the Angels a young starting pitcher, such as Jered Weaver or Ervin Santana, in addition to a prospect. New Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopolous is also said to be willing to allow a potential trading partner to negotiate a contract extension with Halladay before any deal is finalized.

Halladay is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2010 season and there is likely little hope for the Blue Jays to retain him -- due to financial constraints.

The 6-foot-6 Halladay, 32, is one of the more durable workhorses in baseball. He has thrown more than 220 innings in the past four seasons and six times in his career. He's completed 25 games (in 96 starts) in the past three seasons, and it's not like Halladay is just eating innings out there. He's as productive as anyone, sporting a stellar 2.78 ERA over the past two seasons.

If the Angels could land Halladay, they could let free agent starter John Lackey leave, though it's possible they bring Lackey back and trade for Halladay, which would give them quite an imposing 1-2 punch.

If the Dodgers did somehow pull off the unlikely heist, Halladay would immediately become the anchor to their staff and likely give them an early leg up on the Giants and Rockies in the NL West for 2010.

Of course, there will be many more teams in trade talks with Toronto when it comes to Halladay. He's a bona fide elite starter.

Dodgers, Angels Interested in Halladay originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Footprints in the Snow: Padres

Matt Snyder — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

About halfway through the 2009 season, the San Diego Padres looked poised to be among the worst teams in baseball. They were 38-62 and being outscored at an alarming rate. All of a sudden, though, they seemed to put some things together. In their last 62 games, they won 37 (a .597 winning percentage). There seems to be a foundation of youth in place, though they aren't yet ready to compete with the Dodgers, Giants or Rockies in the NL West.

The biggest issue is their offense. It's been well-documented it's tough to score runs in their home park because it sucks the power out of anyone. True to form, the Padres were last in the NL in slugging percentage and 13th in home runs. Still, it's not just the ballpark. Their .321 OBP was 12th in the NL, which was a major they scored fewer runs than everyone in the NL except the Pirates.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Henry Blanco, C; Brian Giles, OF; Adrian Gonzalez, 1B; Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B; Heath Bell, RP

Shopping List

Regardless of how they get there, the Padres must find a way to generate more offense. They are never going to be a great offensive team because of their park (they were seventh in road OPS and 15th overall), but there are several places where they could stand to upgrade offensively. It's not like the defense was so stellar that they can't mix it up.

One place they could upgrade with just about anyone is at second base. David Eckstein is, frankly, a terrible hitter and fielder at this point in his career. He shouldn't be more than a good clubhouse guy as a backup, so they need to get a real second baseman. Also, the Padres could create a hole for a solid outfielder by trading either Kevin Kouzmanoff or going for the big splash by trading Adrian Gonzalez.

Moving Gonzalez would net the Padres a huge return, as he's a budding superstar. They would then move the gargantuan 23-year-old slugger Kyle Blanks to first base and would have an opening in the outfield for a free agent signee. Former Padre Mike Cameron would add some punch and is a very solid defender.

More likely, though, the Padres would trade Kouzmanoff -- a 28-year-old former prospect who has yet to greatly impress on offense or defense. That would allow them to move the still-developing Chase Headley to third (his natural position) and make a run at someone like Cameron for the outfield.

The best move would be to find a suitor for Kouzmanoff and keep the star Gonzalez. The Padres would then be able to use Tony Gwynn Jr. and Blanks in the outfield and sign a solid bat to join them. Additionally, bringing in someone like Orlando Hudson to play second base would make sense. This would give the Padres a pretty respectable offense and defense.

As far as the pitching staff, some rumors have them trading Heath Bell. This would make sense to not only help them financially, but most also agree the 32-year-old will never have more trade value. The starting staff looks to be young but has some serious promise, especially with burgeoning star Mat Latos entering his first full season.

Money Matters

Things aren't nearly as dire this time around because the Padres shed a ton of payroll in the past 13 months. After last season, they let Trevor Hoffman walk. This year, they traded Scott Hairston and Jake Peavy. Now, they'll let Brian Giles walk. In the end, this team should have enough money left to add about $15 million in payroll.

Don't expect them to be big spenders, so the thought of John Lackey, Matt Holliday or Jason Bay in Petco Park isn't realistic. It's possible they'd have enough to make a run at Chone Figgins, who would be a perfect table-setter and could fit at third, second or anywhere in the outfield.

Further, in some really great news for the future of the franchise, the new ownership group reportedly has their sights on a payroll in the mid-$70 million-range. Not this year and not necessarily next, but this should give hope to Padres fans. In the meantime, they'd be better served to only sign veteran free agents to one- or two-year deals as they see how the economy and the state of their franchise improve.

Offseason Goals

They want to contend in 2010, plain and simple. The 37-25 finish prorates to 97 wins over the course of a full season, so it's difficult to say they can't be in the mix. With that in mind, they better hold onto Gonzalez and build around him, unless they get at least two guys who can help the team win now. Upgrading offensively at second base, at least one outfield spot and maybe even shortstop would do wonders for the club in 2010. They need to be careful not to mortgage the future, however, because there is promising youth all over the place. In fact, the team would be better served to focus more on 2011 than 2010. Continue developing the youngsters, while not spending a bunch of money on a multi-year deals to aging veterans should be the path.

Footprints in the Snow: Padres originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Footprints in the Snow: Rockies

Matt Snyder — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rockies, NL West

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

After an awful start to 2009, the Rockies fired Clint Hurdle, promoted Jim Tracy and proceeded to play like the best team in the National League for the rest of the regular season. They lost an exciting playoff series to the eventual NL champion Phillies, but there is no reason to think the Rockies are going away with all their young talent.

In fact, the Rockies are in position to make themselves a candidate to be a dynasty. Seriously. They can move forward with a starting lineup of Todd Helton, Clint Barmes and six proven guys who are 27 or younger. The pitching staff and minor-league talent are equally as impressive. Now it's simply a matter of cultivating their young talent while making sure they don't halt any momentum.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Yorvit Torrealba, C; Jason Giambi, 1B; Jason Marquis, SP; Jose Contreras, P; Josh Fogg, P; Alan Embree, RP; Joe Beimel, RP; Rafael Betancourt, RP; Matt Herges, RP

Shopping List

The Rockies could realistically say their "shopping list" reads more like a post-Christmas visit to the mall. They will look to trade Garrett Atkins all winter. Also, they aren't necessarily actively trying to get rid of them, but they could stand to shed Huston Street and Brad Hawpe.

Atkins is an obvious candidate to trade, because he makes more than $7 million a year and the Rockies are ready to move forward with Ian Stewart at third base. Atkins is only 30 and hit .305 with 75 homers from 2006-2008, so he could be attractive to teams looking for a one-year fix at third.

Street is expendable because of the lofty price tag for a closer -- especially considering they could slot Franklin Morales into his role. With Street injured in early September last season, the 23-year-old Morales closed six consecutive games, not allowing a single run in those six outings. It's a small sample, but he definitely has what it takes to handle the job. Still, it couldn't hurt to hold onto Street if there aren't many suitors; this is a strong free agent class in terms of closers.

Hawpe would be a good candidate for a trade because he'd be a great complement to a right-handed hitter in a platoon situation (Hawpe kills righties and is sub-par against lefties). In Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler and Seth Smith -- in addition to some minor-league talent -- the Rockies have their outfield of the future, so Hawpe is virtually eating payroll space.

If the Rockies do shed payroll, it wouldn't hurt them to add a solid starting pitcher, bullpen depth or even an upgrade at second base for Barmes (though they do have a young Eric Young Jr. waiting in the wings there).

The thing is, they don't have to do anything and they'll be ready to compete for the 2010 NL West title.

Money Matters

Ridding themselves of the aforementioned contracts would enable the Rockies to start working up early extensions on future stars like Gonzalez and Fowler, but, for now, the Rockies aren't in any sort of a financial quagmire. They could ride out the deals of Atkins, Hawpe and Street if they want.

Todd Helton has an albatross contract. He's set to make $16.6 million in 2010 and $19.1 million in 2011. There's no way anyone is trading for that, so the Rockies will move forward with him at first base. Still, it could be worse. He's a great leader and enjoyed a bounce-back 2009 (.325, 15 homers, 86 RBI, .904 OPS, solid defense).

Offseason Goals

They'll be looking to trade Atkins and will listen to offers for Hawpe and Street. In the meantime, the emphasis will be on how to make sure there is continued development of their youth. In addition to Gonzalez, Morales, Fowler, Stewart and Smith -- who we mentioned above -- Troy Tulowitzki, Chris Iannetta, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Hammel and Jhoulys Chacin are already major league ready players who appear to have at least six solid years ahead of them (and most have more than that). There is plenty of depth coming from their stacked farm system as well.

Basically, the Rockies are going to look to put themselves in position to win the World Series and not just in 2010. They are looking to put together a group that will compete for the title for the next five years and they appear to have many of those pieces in place. Any moves will be minimal and would involve plugging small holes without jeopardizing the rock-solid foundation already in place.

Footprints in the Snow: Rockies originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Footprints in the Snow: Dodgers

Ed Price — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

The Dodgers went to the National League Championship Series for the second year in a row, and lost again.

So they now realize -- or at least should -- that they need to retool some to take the next step. And as if that already didn't make this a critical offseason, owner Frank McCourt is divorcing his wife Jamie, leaving everyone to wonder who will control the team and whether it will affect their spending, as happened down the road in San Diego.

The Dodgers did some fixing on the fly over the summer, with Vicente Padilla, Jon Garland and Ronnie Belliard. But all three of those players are now free agents, so the holes are back to be patched.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Brad Ausmus, C; Ron Belliard, 2B; Jon Garland, RHP; Orlando Hudson, 2B; Mark Loretta, IF; Guillermo Mota, RHP; Will Ohman, LHP; Vicente Padilla, RHP; Jim Thome, PH; Jeff Weaver, RHP; Randy Wolf, LHP

Shopping List

Pitching is the priority. The NLCS exposed the Dodgers' lack of starting pitching; they had lots of options but not many good ones. And with Wolf and Padilla free agents, there's even more pressure to add to the top of the rotation.

One general manager not involved in Roy Halladay talks predicted the Blue Jays ace would end up on the Dodgers. L.A. might like to move Chad Billingsley, who had a rough second half and is arbitration-eligible, but at 25 could still be attractive to a rebuilding team.

The other major need could be at second base. Hudson and Belliard are free agents, so it's either turn the job over to Blake DeWitt or pursue a replacement. The Mets are probably willing to move Luis Castillo, but he's signed for two more years and $12 million.
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Money Matters

That remains to be seen. But other than re-signing Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers over the past few years haven't spent like a large-market team.

And seven mainstays are eligible for arbitration, which could mean large raises: Billingsley, closer Jonathan Broxton, right fielder Andre Ethier, center fielder Matt Kemp, first baseman James Loney, catcher Russell Martin and set-up man George Sherrill.

Martin, on a sharp downturn the past two years, could be moved to save some money.

Offseason Goals

It will be a balancing act for general manager Ned Colletti to add frontline starting pitching while staying within whatever the budget is. What helps the Dodgers is a strong farm system that allows them to add via trade. Just as Broxton, Billingsley, Kemp, Martin and Loney arrived in a wave, another wave is on the way.

But there is a sense of urgency, since 2010 is the last year of Ramirez's contract and manager Joe Torre certainly isn't around to rebuild.

Footprints in the Snow: Dodgers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Footprints in the Snow: Diamondbacks

Andrew Johnson — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Diamondbacks, NL West

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

Since the moment they were swept out of the 2007 NLCS, the Diamondbacks have been waiting. Waiting on their impressive collection of young talent. Waiting on their dynamic rotation duo of Dan Haren and Brandon Webb to deliver a playoff spot. Waiting for everything to come together.

It hasn't happened yet. Arizona was passed by the Dodgers in late 2008 after holding the NL West lead for much of the season. Then, this past year -- one filled with calamity, including a major shoulder injury to Webb that limited him to one start -- saw the Diamondbacks dip all the way to last place.

Arizona is still waiting. There is still promising young talent on hand, including the terrific Justin Upton. There is still hope. It's just tempered by all the work that needs to be done to get the Diamondbacks back in contention.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Doug Davis, LHP; Scott Schoeneweis, LHP; Chad Tracy, IF; Daniel Cabrera, RHP; Tom Gordon, RHP; Chris Snyder, C; Eric Byrnes OF

Shopping List

For a last-place team, the Diamondbacks don't actually need a whole lot of pieces, but the pieces they do get will be critical to their hopes of contending next year.

Offensively, the right side of the infield could use work. Arizona needs reliable options at first and second base (assuming Conor Jackson, who should be ready to go this spring, sticks in left field). There are a number of decent first base options out there -- Nick Johnson, anyone? -- and the second base market isn't bad either, with two of the top free agents there -- Felipe Lopez and Orlando Hudson -- already familiar with the club.

The Diamondbacks may not have the money to fill both holes on the free-agent market and take care of their primary need -- pitching -- but at least they'll have options.

About that pitching. With Doug Davis departing and Webb coming off a major injury, Arizona could use reliable rotation-filler, even if the club thinks about putting the recently acquired Aaron Heilman in the rotation. The good news is with Haren and Webb on hand, the D'backs don't need a top-of-the-rotation arm, just a guy who can eat innings. There's a paucity of elite starting talent on the market, and Arizona probably couldn't afford a guy like John Lackey anyway.

Money Matters

Like many clubs, the Diamondbacks are looking to shed payroll. Arizona has been looking to move Eric Byrnes, who is in the final year of a regrettable three-year, $30 million deal, for the better part of two years and is certain to try again this winter. It has also put catcher Chris Snyder squarely on the block, nearly trading him to Toronto at the outset of the offseason.

Look for the D'backs to get creative as they try to move money around. Their coffers are not deep, and they have holes to fill on the roster and younger players already on it who are due raises or merit long-term extensions. Stephen Drew is in his first year of arbitration and Conor Jackson is in his second, while Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds are a year away from arbitration eligibility themselves.

Can they pay all four on a limited budget going forward? Unless they are able to clear significant payroll, probably not. A guy like Drew might have to be sacrificed in trade so the club can take care of a special talent like Upton and keep him in Arizona for years to come.

Offseason Goals

The Diamondbacks are one of the more intriguing clubs to watch this winter. They have special talent in guys like Haren, Upton and Reynolds -- players that, surrounded by average talent elsewhere, could make Arizona contenders all by themselves. Of course, the club isn't that complete. That's why it struggled last year and why there is work to be done by general manager Josh Byrnes this winter. Byrnes will have to get creative to turn the Diamondbacks into a first-division team, and he should. It'd be a waste for them not to be contending with unheralded, but outstanding talent like Haren and Upton around.

Footprints in the Snow: Diamondbacks originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jason Schmidt Likely to Retire

Pat Lackey — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:24:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Giants, NL West

Though he hasn't made anything official and he's gone ahead and filed for free agency, Jason Schmidt is sounding more and more like a man who's thrown his last major league pitch. When approached by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Schmidt says that he field for free agency simply to "keep his options open," but in his mind, he retired when his season ended in August.

If that is the case, that means that Schmidt's All-Star career will end with a whimper. After signing a three-year, $47 million contract with the Dodgers prior to the 2007 season, two shoulder surgeries limited Schmidt to only 10 starts in Dodger blue. Because of the injuries, he missed all of the 2008 season and huge chunks of 2007 and 2009.

The nature of his contract and the amount of time missed to injury (Schmidt ended up being paid almost $5 million per start in LA) are what a lot of people associate Schmidt with now, but there was certainly more to his career.

In the five full seasons he pitched with the Giants before moving to L.A., Schmidt never made less than 29 starts or threw less than 172 innings. He struck out a batter an inning with a 2.70 K/BB ratio and had a 3.36 ERA and 1.18 WHIP during his time in San Francisco. If not for Eric Gagne's amazing 2003 season, he might even have a Cy Young Award to his name.

That's the Schmidt worth remembering, even if his tenure in L.A. was disastrous.

Jason Schmidt Likely to Retire originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pablo Sandoval and 'Operation Panda'

Matt Snyder — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NL West

If Pablo Sandoval took a month or two off after the season to enjoy himself before working back into game shape, no one would have blamed him. After all, the rotund 22-year-old slugger blossomed into a star in just his first full season at the major league level. He hit .330 with 25 home runs and 90 RBI. His OPS of .943 was incredible for a player so young and without much lineup protection.

Apparently, Sandoval wasn't satisfied, though. He hasn't been resting, nor does he plan to. In fact, he's going through an intense training regimen in which he intends to lose a significant amount of weight and build muscle instead of fat. Naturally, it's been dubbed "Operation Panda."

"I love this team and the way they treat me,'' Sandoval says later in the afternoon, after he finishes about 10 minutes of alternating between warm and cold tubs to minimize muscle soreness.

"The fans, I love them and want them to know I'll always be the guy who's working hard. I know I have to lose weight so I can play this game for a long time.''

Believe this: Sandoval has never lifted weights before in his life until this offseason. He's teaming with a nutrition professor at Arizona State University and eating a special diet. He's riding more stationary bikes and running more than he ever has.

It's not that Sandoval was morbidly obese or anything. Far from it. At an estimated 5-foot-11, 245 pounds, Sandoval was simply a bit thicker than most major league players. It didn't hold him back at the plate in 2009, either, as many National League pitchers would attest.

Thus far, Operation Panda has already helped Sandoval drop 10 pounds. It's only Nov. 12, so there's a long way to go this offseason. He reportedly plans to continue hitting everything this hard throughout the entire offseason. That means we shouldn't be surprised to see Sandoval show up at spring training with a lot more muscle and a lot less fat than last season.

When that happens, it only means good news for the Giants and bad news for the rest of baseball. We've already seen Sandoval's physical tools and know they can translate to superstardom. Now, we're seeing that he has the mentality to match.

It would appear the Giants have their offensive centerpiece for a long time -- even if he's a bit slimmer than they imagined.

Pablo Sandoval and 'Operation Panda' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If the Dodgers Go on Sale, Mark Cuban's Interested in Buying Them

Josh Alper — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:50:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Biz

Mark Cuban is back on Bud Selig's doorstep with a sack full of money. This time he's got his eyes on the Los Angeles Dodgers.

As the divorce drama of Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife (and, depending on the courts, co-owner) Jamie plays out in Los Angeles, speculation has started that the team may hit the market. That's what happened with the Padres, you'll remember, when John Moores sold a stake in the team to pay off his ex-wife. If it plays out that way further up the California coastline, Cuban told the Los Angeles Times that he'd be interested in buying the team.

What's more, he says that more Dodgers fans than he can count have already reached out to him to swoop in and scoop up the franchise. The sticking point, the one beyond the fact that McCourt insists the team isn't for sale anyway, is that Moores only sold a minority stake in the Padres, while Cuban says he'd only be interested in being the controlling shareholder of the Dodgers as part of an ownership group.

"I'm not a fan of debt-driven acquisitions," Cuban wrote. "If a unique situation came up where I could contribute capital to buy out a majority shareholder and gain control, with existing shareholders or note holders staying in place, I would consider it."

Cuban famously bid on the Cubs, but his bid was rejected, in part, because of how reliant it was on the credit market. When the economy nosedived last year, so did the financing for Cuban's bid and both sides are probably better off that nothing went forward with a deal structured that way.

While the prospect of Cuban owning a MLB team remains an intriguing prospect, we appear to be a long way off from any resolution to the Dodgers situation. Mrs. McCourt is fighting to be considered a co-owner, Mr. McCourt contends he's the only owner and the absurdly public and acrimonious proceedings will surely keep it moving at a glacial pace as huge sums of money are at stake. That's bad for the Dodgers as it may keep them from making moves financially to keep pace with their rivals and could, at some point, have Selig and other owners pushing McCourt to find new capital to keep the high-profile franchise in the pink.

If the Dodgers Go on Sale, Mark Cuban's Interested in Buying Them originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joe Torre May Not Retire After 2010

Pat Lackey — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Rumors

For most of the summer, Joe Torre indicated that he was planning on retiring from managing after his contract with the Dodgers expires in 2010. Both he and people who have followed his career closely noted that he's made similar statements in the past, and he's still in the dugout. Accordingly, Torre admitted to T.J. Simers on Sunday that he's considering negotiating a contract extension with the Dodgers that would keep him in L.A. beyond the 2010 season.

In his two years with the Dodgers, Torre's taken the team to the NLCS twice, but failed to get past the Phillies both times. Dating back to his years with the Yankees, he's taken his team to a playoff spot in 14 consecutive seasons. Unsurprisingly, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti indicates in the same story that he'd be happy to negotiate with Torre, should he want an extension.

The one person this might affect adversely is the Dodgers' hitting coach, Don Mattingly. Mattingly has long been thought to be a future major league manager and he was supposed to have interviews with the Indians and Nationals this fall, but he turned the Nats down and the Indians hired Manny Acta before he met with the team. Most people thought that was because he was expecting to take the Dodgers job in 2011 after Torre retires.

Mattingly says that it's not a big deal if Torre sticks around a few more years, but he's already been passed over once as Torre's heir (by Joe Girardi in New York). If Torre's not planning on retiring any time soon, Mattingly may not stick around L.A. long enough for it to happen again.

Joe Torre May Not Retire After 2010 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Manny Ramirez Exercises His Option to Stay in Los Angeles

Tom Fornelli — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Transactions

In what wasn't much of a surprise, Los Angeles Dodgers left-fielder Manny Ramirez has decided to exercise his player option for 2010 and will return to the Dodgers next season. His agent Scott Boras let Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti know about Ramirez's decision on Friday night.

All of which means that Ramirez will make $20 million with the Dodgers rather than becoming a free agent, which is a smart move considering it's highly unlikely Manny would get that much money anywhere else next year. Manny didn't have the greatest season for the Dodgers in 2009, but Colletti is confident he'll bounce back next season.

"There was no doubt he had his struggles this past season," he said. "We still feel that he's a very good hitter and maybe with a winter off and a chance to regroup, he can come back with a better frame of mind and his confidence rebuilt."

Those struggles were no doubt aided by the 50-game suspension Ramirez had to serve midway through the season after violating MLB's drug policy. Before the suspension Ramirez was hitting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBI. After the suspension his average dropped to .269 with 13 homers and 43 RBI.

Since Ramirez will be returning, you can expect Colletti will be trying his hardest to move Juan Pierre at the general managers meetings in Chicago on Monday. Pierre has two years and $18.5 million remaining on his contract, and that's a lot of money to pay your fourth outfielder, especially when there are other holes on the roster that need to be filled.

Manny Ramirez Exercises His Option to Stay in Los Angeles originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giants Ace Tim Lincecum Busted for Possession of Marijuana

Pat Lackey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NL West, MLB Police Blotter

Tim Lincecum was cited by the state police in Washington for possession of marijuana this week. The pot was found in his car after he was pulled over for speeding near the Oregon border on Oct. 30. It was a small amount, and the police determined that Lincecum was not intoxicated while driving, so he's been cited for misdemeanor possession. After his hearing on Nov. 23, that will likely be the last we hear of this particular incident.

Andrew Baggarly, the San Jose Mercury writer who wrote the blog entry linked above, guesses that this incident won't be much more than an embarrassment for Lincecum and that it's unlikely to affect his potential arbitration hearing early next year. He's probably right that it'd be wrong for the Giants to accuse their superstar pitcher of being a dirty hippie for having a few grams of pot in his car, but that's a funny mental image I'm stuck with and now I hope you are, too.

Lincecum was probably pretty high on most people's list of MLB players that could potentially get caught with a little bit of pot, but there will probably be some Giants fans disappointed by this news (then again, maybe not, they are mostly from San Francisco) nonetheless. Still, Lincecum wasn't high while he was driving, he wasn't excessively speeding, and if he'd just get a haircut this entire incident probably could have been avoided entirely.

Of course, marijuana is illegal and so that disappointment isn't necessarily unjustified, but he owned up to it and there are really much, much worse ways he could be spending his offseason.

Giants Ace Tim Lincecum Busted for Possession of Marijuana originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Clay Zavada Is Your 'Mustached American of the Year'

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:09:00 EST

Filed under: Diamondbacks, NL West, MLB Awards

While the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are busy battling for the meaningless title of World Series champion Arizona reliever Clay Zavada was in St. Louis to receive some real hardware. Yes, after much debate throughout the country and campaigns that cost American taxpayers millions of dollars, Zavada was named the "Mustached American of the Year" by the American Mustache Institute on Sunday night.

We shall all now bow to the power of Zavada's Rollie Fingers-esque mustache, and hope that through the will of being too lazy to shave, we too can one day achieve such greatness for ourselves.

"Clay and his menacing mouth garden were a great story throughout the 2009 baseball season, and Quicken and the American Mustache Institute are proud to honor him as the 'Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year' award winner," said Chelsea Marti of Quicken(R), who herself is a robust supporter of the Mustached American way of life.

Zavada won the Goulet award after more than 100,000 total online votes were cast. He was joined at 'Stache Bash by fellow finalists Dr. John Yeutter, a Northeastern State University professor and CBS News reporter Bill Geist, who grabbed the microphone after the announcement and bellowed "Kayne West was right." Other finalists included U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Brendan Ryan of the St. Louis Cardinals, USA Today blogger Whitney Matheson, US Airways pilot Sully Sullenberger, and Mayor Dan Snarr of Murray City, Utah. Several cartoon characters including JStache and FOX Television's "Cleveland" received votes, but after much debate, were disqualified because they violated a clause that required the winner to sign an ethics agreement as well as actually exist in real life.

It's hard to disagree with Kanye West. Zavada really did deserve this award over any other members of his "competition." Captain Sullenberger? Please, how hard can it be to land a plane in the Hudson River? It's so wide! Bring that beast down in Times Square without killing anybody, and we can talk.

Let's see Sullenberger strike out 52 batters in only 51 innings. Not even his mustache could help him there.

Clay Zavada Is Your 'Mustached American of the Year' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giants Sign Freddy Sanchez to Extension

Pat Lackey — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:35:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NL West

The San Francisco Giants announced today that they've come to terms with second baseman Freddy Sanchez on a two-year deal. Terms weren't announced, but with the Giants holding an $8 million option on Sanchez, it's probably safe to assume that the cost for them per year will be less than that. T

That option would've vested for Sanchez on its own if he'd reached 600 plate appearances, but a shoulder and knee injuries limited him to just 25 games in a Giants uniform after he was traded to San Francisco from Pittsburgh. The shoulder's been a nagging problem for Sanchez for some time, but when healthy Sanchez has been one of the best hitting second basemen in the NL over the past few seasons, being named to three of the last four All-Star teams and winning a batting title in 2006.

"We are pleased to have Freddy in a Giants uniform for at least the next two years as we continue to improve our club", said general manager Brian Sabean in a team press release. "We saw a glimpse of him this past season and will look forward to his All-Star caliber play at the top of our lineup and in the middle of our infield. He provides a steady veteran presence and professional approach."

Because of the shoulder problem, that glimpse the Giants got this year was none too impressive. Sanchez hit just .284/.295/.324 in those 25 games in orange and black. In the past two seasons, Sanchez has only put up OPSes of .669 and .742, a substantial drop from .851 in 2006 and .787 in 2007. He's struggled a bit with injuries in each of the last two years, though, so the Giants are taking a bit of a gamble here that he'll be healthy going forwards. If he is, he could be an important addition to a lineup that needs as much help as it can get.

Giants Sign Freddy Sanchez to Extension originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rockies Near Extension With Jim Tracy

Pat Lackey — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST

Filed under: Rockies, NL West

The Rockies and manager Jim Tracy are nearing a three-year extension, the Denver Post is reporting, though an official announcement on an extension will likely wait until after the World Series. Tracy took over for Clint Hurdle after Hurdle was fired on May 27 and led the Rockies to a 74-42 record and the wild-card berth in the National League playoffs.

When Tracy took over, the Rockies were 18-28 and 14 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. Under Tracy, they challenged L.A. for the division title. That sprint to the playoffs makes this extension more or less a foregone conclusion. What team in their right mind wouldn't extend the interim manager that had his team playing at a 103-win pace over a large chunk of the season?

For Tracy, the extension completes the career rebirth he's had in Colorado after his firing by the Dodgers in 2005 and his disastrous two-year run in Pittsburgh in 2006 and 2007. Tracy's Rockies won more times in 114 games than his 2005 Dodgers, 2006 Pirates, or 2007 Pirates won in a full seasons. His laid-back style meshed with the Rockies, though, and he deserves the extension and the dropping of the interim tag. His task now? Lead the Rockies to a second straight winning season for only the second time in franchise history.

Rockies Near Extension With Jim Tracy originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frank McCourt, Wife Jamie Separate

Matt Snyder — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Biz

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, have confirmed to the Associated Press that they have separated a few days after Frank attended the Cardinals-Dodgers game alone. This is intriguing news in terms of how it may effect the inner workings of the Dodgers' front office. Jamie McCourt is the team president and CEO of the Dodgers -- making her the highest ranking female in all of baseball.

If the separation continues and evolves into a divorce, how will all their substantial assets be divided? They've been married since 1979, so the ownership of the Dodgers -- and the job of the team president -- will likely be at stake during proceedings.

Frank McCourt has repeatedly glorified the work done by his spouse throughout the past several years, giving her credit for helping to build a "first-class organization" in Los Angeles.

Is it possible the two could co-exist through divorce hearings in running a Major League Baseball team? If not, someone is going to have to part with the ballclub. There is, however, no further information concerning this situation, just that they have separated and are keeping everything else private.

The Dodgers play the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series Thursday evening.

UPDATE: According to the LA Times, Jamie has no interest in ending her role with the Dodgers, nor does Frank. Both sides appear to be digging their heels in, too. Check out this quote:

"I firmly believe each of them is going to try to keep the team," a high-ranking baseball source said today, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

"I think it's going to be pretty ugly."

Not only that, there seems to be some dispute as to whether or not Frank is the sole owner of the Dodgers. Apparently, the couple (at the time) appeared before commissioner Bud Selig to gain approval when buying the Dodgers. Her attorneys believe the ownership is a 50/50 split between Frank and Jamie. Yet, Frank's attorneys are stating that he is listed as the "control person" and is the sole owner of the team.

Don't expect this story to go away for quite a while, as the ownership of one of major league baseball's premier franchises will probably remain unsettled for quite a while.

Frank McCourt, Wife Jamie Separate originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huston Street and Ryan Howard Illustrate The Closer Fallacy

Pat Lackey — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:41:00 EST

Filed under: Phillies, Rockies, NL Central, NL West, National League Division Series

Let's start by looking at two stat lines. Some of you have probably already guessed where I'm going with this, but bear with me.

Player A: .319/.395/.691, 1 HR/11.56 plate appearances
Player B: .207/.298/.356, 1 HR/37 plate appearances

If you haven't already figured it out, both of those players are Ryan Howard. "Player A" is Howard against righties in 2009 and "Player B" is Howard against lefties in 2009. To simplify, Ryan Howard is Albert Pujols against righties and David Eckstein against lefties. So why does no one question Jim Tracy's decision to leave right-hander Huston Street in the game to face Howard with the Rockies' season on the line?

The answer, of course, is that Street is Colorado's "closer." The Rockies were winning 4-2, so Street had to be on the mound. It was Tracy that made the decision to not bring Joe Beimel (the only remaining lefty in the Rockies' bullpen) in to face Howard, but I'm willing to bet you could count on one hand (or maybe even no hands), the managers in baseball that would've made that move.

Watching the post-game coverage tonight, not one on-air analyst or reporter is questioning Tracy's decision to stick with Street. He probably won't take much heat for the move in the Denver papers tomorrow. That's all because sticking with your "closer" is what's done in baseball.

Now flip the situation around; imagine that Tracy had brought Beimel in to face Howard. Beimel's a decent but not great reliever with a slight platoon split. If he had given up the hit to Howard, everyone would be frothing at the mouth over Tracy's decision without even mentioning Howard's platoon split. In fact, people would probably be questioning the move even if Beimel had gotten Howard out, because that's how out of place the move would've seemed.

Maybe using Beimel against Howard isn't a slam dunk move given the history between the two (Howard is 3-for-10 with a double, a triple, and a homer), but Howard's platoon split is still about as big as it gets and if it's not an easy decision, it's one at least worth thinking about. It's telling that no one has even mentioned the thought of pulling Street for a lefty against Howard. It's not even part of the discussion.

Closers are an ingrained part of baseball, but the Rockies and Red Sox were eliminated by blown saves and the Twins and Cardinals both had their chances to win crippled by them. Why is it so crazy to rethink this model a little bit?

Huston Street and Ryan Howard Illustrate The Closer Fallacy originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 MLB Postseason Schedule

Pat Lackey — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, Twins, Yankees, AL Central, AL East, AL West, NL Central, NL East, NL West, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series, National League Division Series

With two series over, Major League Baseball has updated the schedule for the rest of the Division Series.

The Rockies and Phillies will play their Game 4 at 4 PM ET if the Yankees-Twins series is still going on. Should the Yankees finish off a sweep Sunday night, the NL Game would move to 6 PM ET.

Series-by-series times are after the jump (all times Eastern).

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees:

Game 1- Twins at Yankees, 10/7, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 2- Twins at Yankees, 10/9, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 3- Yankees at Twins, 10/11, 7:07 PM, TBS
Game 4- Yankees at Twins, 10/12, 7:37 PM, if necessary, TBS
Game 5- Twins at Yankees, 10/14, 8:07 PM, if necessary, TBS

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Game 1- Red Sox at Angels, 10/8, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Red Sox at Angels, 10/9, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 3- Angels at Red Sox, 10/11, 12:07 PM, TBS

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Game 1- Cardinals at Dodgers, 10/7, 9:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Cardinals at Dodgers, 10/8, 6:07 PM, TBS
Game 3- Dodgers at Cardinals, 10/10, 6:07 PM,TBS

Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Game 1- Rockies at Phillies, 10/7, 2:37 PM, TBS
Game 2- Rockies at Phillies, 10/8, 2:37 PM, TBS
Game 3- Phillies at Rockies, 10/11, 10:07 PM,TBS
Game 4- Phillies at Rockies, 10/12, 6:07 PM (7:37 PM if AL still going), TBS
Game 5- Rockies at Phillies, 10/13, 8:07 PM, if necessary TBS

AL Championship Series

Game 1-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/16, Fox
Game 2-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/17, Fox
Game 3-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/19, Fox
Game 4-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/20, Fox
Game 5-Yankees at Angels or Angels at Twins, 10/22, if necessary, Fox
Game 6-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/24, if necessary, Fox
Game 7-Angels at Yankees or Twins at Angels, 10/25, if necessary, Fox

NL Championship Series

Game 1-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/15, TBS
Game 2-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/16, TBS
Game 3-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/18, TBS
Game 4-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/19, TBS
Game 5-Dodgers at Rockies or Philliies, 10/21, if necessary, TBS
Game 6-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/23, if necessary, TBS
Game 7-Rockies or Phillies at Dodgers, 10/24, if necessary, TBS

2009 MLB Postseason Schedule originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rockies' Jorge De La Rosa Out of Division Series With Groin Injury

Pat Lackey — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:39:00 EST

Filed under: Rockies, NL West, MLB Injuries, National League Division Series

The Rockies announced Tuesday that starter Jorge de la Rosa will miss the NLDS with a sore groin. He suffered the injury on Saturday and manager Jim Tracy said before Colorado's workout day that the training staff informed him that de la Rosa's injury isn't progressing, though his season isn't necessarily over if the Rockies play deeper into October.

"He was scheduled to throw a bullpen today. We're not even going to take that chance. We're not going to have him do that. We're going to continue working with him," Tracy said. "If we're fortunate to advance beyond here, could he end up in the mix and be a guy that could be considered for a League Championship Series if we're fortunate enough to get there? I think that's definitely a viable possibility."

Without De La Rosa, the Rockies will go with Ubaldo Jimenez, Aaron Cook, and either Jason Hammel or Jason Marquis in De La Rosa's spot as their third and fourth starters (if they choose to go four deep). Losing De La Rosa is a big blow; since he dropped to 2-7 on June 16th, he's been dominant. Over his final 20 appearances (19 starts) he went 14-2 with a 3.51 ERA, striking out 117 hitters in 115 1/3 innings against 50 walks. His turnaround was a big part of the Rockies' team turnaround.

Marquis, on the other hand, has struggled since the beginning of September and while Hammel's been fairly solid most of the year, the Rockies will certainly miss their De La Rosa, both because of his dominant second half and because he's left-handed, a big advantage against a lineup featuring Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. In Cook and Jimenez the Rockies probably still have enough starting pitching to at least challenge the defending champions, but they're starting in a big hole now without their southpaw.

Rockies' Jorge De La Rosa Out of Division Series With Groin Injury originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National League Division Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Pat Lackey — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Dodgers, NL Central, NL West, National League Division Series

At first glance, this series pits Manny Ramirez against Albert Pujols; two of the best right-handed hitters of this generation. But it runs much deeper than that.

Both teams have secondary weapons on offense. Matt Holliday has raked in his short time in St. Louis. Andre Ethier mixed in a career high 31 home runs with his six walk-off hits this year. On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals could have the top two finishers in the NL Cy Young race in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, while the Dodgers finished tied with the Giants for the fewest runs allowed in the National League.

These are two good baseball teams. They've both spent most of the season in first place in their respective divisions and the fight between them for home-field advantage in the National League went down to the wire. In a five-game series, almost anything can happen. In a series between two teams this evenly matched, all bets are off.

Latest News

Fletcher: Padilla Proves Plenty in Pitching Dodgers to NLCS
Game 3: Dodgers 5, Cardinals 1 | Box Score
Piliere's Scouting Notebook: Read Latest

Series Schedule

G1	Oct. 7	Dodgers 5, Cardinals 2 \| Box \| Jeff Fletcher	9:30 PM ET
G2	Oct. 8	Dodgers 3, Cardinals 2 \| Box \| Jeff Fletcher	6 PM ET
G3	Oct. 10	Dodgers 5, Cardinals 1 \| Box \| Jeff Fletcher	6 PM ET

No.	Dodgers	Pos	Cardinals	Pos.
Lineup
1	R. Furcal	SS	Schumaker	2B
2	A. Ethier	RF	C. Rasmus	CF
3	M. Ramirez	LF	A. Pujols	1B
4	M. Kemp	CF	M. Holliday	LF
5	J. Loney	1B	R. Ludwick	RF
6	C. Blake	3B	M. DeRosa	3B
7	R. Belliard	2B	Y. Molina	C
8	R. Martin	C	B. Ryan	SS
9	Pitcher	P	Pitcher	P
Rotation
1	R. Wolf	L	C. Carpenter	R
2	C. Kershaw	L	A. Wainwright	R
3	J. Garland	R	J. Pineiro	R
4	C. Billingsley	R	K. Lohse	R
CP	J. Broxton	R	R. Franklin	R
SU	G. Sherrill	L	K. McClellan	R
SU	R. Belisario	R	J. Motte	R
Scout's Eye View
"The Dodgers are paced by their youthful stars, but if you can turn that against them and force youthful mistakes, then you can stop them." Dodgers Scouting Report "Let's not sugarcoat it -- Carpenter and Wainwright are who they are for a reason, and beating them will take a patient, intelligent approach." Cardinals Scouting Report

Why the Dodgers Will Win

The Dodgers had some trouble clinching the National League West. After taking first place on April 19, they immediately opened up a huge lead on the NL West and looked to be running away with the division for the better part of the season, holding a six-game lead just over a week ago. Their subsequent five-game losing streak nearly cost them the division and has cast some doubt on their playoff aspirations.

It shouldn't. In 2006, the Cardinals ended August 71-61 with a five-game lead in the NL Central. They went 12-16 in September, including nine losses in their last 12 games, but bounced back to win the World Series. Their opponent in the Fall Classic that year was the Detroit Tigers, who blew a 10-game lead in the AL Central and ended up with the wild card. In 2005, the Chicago White Sox went from a 13-game lead on Aug. 7 to a 1 1/2 game lead on Sept. 24. They won their division and the World Series.

The point is, it doesn't matter how a team finishes the season. The Dodgers were the best team in the National League this year for a reason. Their lineup, with Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier in the outfield, is as imposing as any group in the National League. Between their three main starters (Randy Wolf, Chad Billingsley, and Clayton Kershaw) and their top relievers (Jonathan Broxton, Ramon Troncoso, Ronald Belisario, Guillermo Mota, and James McDonald), not one has an ERA below league average.

That's what makes this Dodger team so dangerous -- they don't really have a weakness. Their worst hitters in 2009 were Russell Martin and Rafael Furcal, two players that have shown they can really hit in the past.. They have Jim Thome as a pinch-hitter. They can use Blake DeWitt and Juan Pierre as defensive subs late in the game. While the Cardinals have questions in their rotation after Carpenter and Wainwright and in their bullpen in general, the Dodgers have overwhelming depth, and that's why they'll win this series.

Why the Cardinals Will Win

They'll win because they have the best player in baseball and two of the best starting pitchers. Obviously, those three players alone wouldn't be enough to beat the Dodgers, but they go a long way.

In Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals will get three -- and maybe even four, depending upon how much rest they need -- starts from two of the top three candidates for the NL Cy Young. Carpenter's redemption season was as sparkling as any the former Cy winner has ever had; he went 17-4 with a 2.24 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. Wainwright went 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA and 212 strikeouts. The Cards' third starter isn't too shabby either, as Joel Pineiro checks in with a 3.44 ERA.

Offensively, Albert Pujols -- easily the best hitter I've ever seen, which isn't even mentioning his sparkling defense and cerebral base-running -- is the anchor. He'll win the NL MVP again this year, and deservedly so. His presence in the lineup makes everyone around him better, like midseason acquisition Matt Holliday, who has been crushing the baseball since arriving in St. Louis. They mix in some power (Ryan Ludwick, Mark DeRosa) with some good on-base guys, and, thus, will definitely be capable of scoring the few runs they need to support Carpenter, Wainwright and Pineiro.

One portion of the team which appeared to be a grave concern early in September was the back-end of the bullpen. Ryan Franklin had been stellar for most of the season, but he hit a major speed bump in the final month. From Sept. 1-12, Franklin appeared in four games. He allowed six earned runs and five walks in just 2 2/3 innings. In fact, going down to Sept. 19, he blew three consecutive save chances. He closed out the season with three straight scoreless outings, though, so he's set to go in October (for the first time in his 10-year career).

The Cardinals are taking this series and the NLCS en route to their 18th World Series trip -- the third under Tony La Russa.

-- Matt Snyder

National League Division Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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