Month: May 2016

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is more than a name. He is more than a baseball player. He is more than a pitcher.

Clayton Edward Kershaw was born March 13, 1988 in Dallas Texas. Eighteen years later, Clayton Kershaw would be drafted by his current team the Los Angeles Dodgers. A couple of years after being drafted, he made his debut in Dodger Blue. Nobody knew that this young star would become the most dominating pitcher in all of baseball.

Clayton Kershaw is every hitter’s worst nightmare. He has over 200 strikeouts over the last five individual years. He also pitched a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies in 2014. A no-hitter is where you don’t give up any hits but a runner reaches base either on an error or walk. The only baserunner to reach base in that game only got on because the shortstop Hanley Ramirez made a silly error. Besides the error, Clayton struck out 15 other Rockies.  This could be due to his original pitching mechanics.

Clayton Kershaw has one of the most original pitching stances in all of baseball. He picks his foot up with the glove in front of his head. He holds it there for a split second, leans back, and fires it to the catcher. He throws some pretty good pitches out of that stance. He throws a fastball, a slider, a 12/6 curveball, and a deadly changeup. People think that Clayton is a flame thrower like Yordano Ventura or Felix Hernandez, but the truth is he isn’t. His average fastball velocity (speed) on pitch f/x is 94 miles per hour according to Brooks Baseball.

Since Clayton Kershaw was so good, he took home a lot of awards. One of his most famous awards that he received in 2014 was the National League Most Valuable Player. He is one of the only pitchers to win that award. The others are Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Justin Verlander. He had to beat out some of baseball’s best hitters for the award. He had to beat out the mighty Giancarlo Stanton and the great Andrew McCutchen. It was also no surprise when he won the Cy Young award, too. In 2014, Kershaw put up monster numbers. He went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA. He also had 6 complete games with 2 shutouts. This wasn’t the first time that Clayton Kershaw won a Cy Young award. He also won it in 2011 and 2013. He also collected multiple Gibby awards, too.

When you have a pitcher that is this overpowering, you can’t buy it for cheap money. Back in the offseason of 2013, Kershaw and the Dodgers agreed on a record setting 7 year, $215 million dollar contract. Hopefully, Clayton can do what he did this year for the next 6 years.

Clayton Kershaw is also surprisingly good at everything else in baseball. This is different because he is a pitcher. Pitchers normally aren’t that good at fielding and are horrible at hitting. He made a couple of diving plays and had amazing batting statistics for a pitcher. In 2014, Clayton got 11 hits in 63 at-bats. He got one triple and posted a .175 batting average. Once again, that is bad for any other regular everyday player but is great for a pitcher. He also got walked four times.

This pitcher seems to be the invincible pitcher that doesn’t have any weaknesses at all. That is not true. He has one weakness that is really bad. In 2014, he got his team the Los Angeles Dodgers into the postseason. Everybody thought that the Dodgers would dominate any other team that stood in their way for a World Series title. But Clayton fell apart going 0-2 in the 2014 postseason. That would bring his career postseason record to a horrible 1-5.

The upcoming 2015 season is looking like a good one. His Cy Young and MVP awards make him look more intimidating than he has ever been. It still is pretty clear that he is going to be the ace again next year. He is going to have to get used to Josh Beckett not being there and Brandon McCarthy replacing him. But all in all, we hope Clayton has another MVP type year this season.

                                               Career Stats

                                                     Record: 98-49

                                                 ERA: 2.48

                                            Innings: 1378.1

                                             Strikeouts: 1445

                                         Complete Games: 17

                                                Shutouts: 9

                                                 Walks: 424

**********************************************************

                                            Bibliography

‘’Pitch Repertoire At-A-Glance.’’ Brooks Baseball. Web. 12/29/14.

www.brooksbaseball.net/landing.php?player=477132

‘’Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers agree to record $215M Deal.’’ USA Today. Web. 12/29/14.

www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/dodgers/2014/01/15/clayton-kerhsaw-contract-extension-seven-years-215-million/4496119/

ESPN. Web. 12/29/14. espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/28963/clayton-kershaw

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Mike Trout

Mike Trout is one of the best baseball players today. He can hit home runs, steal bases, make diving catches, and sometimes hit over .300. He can do all that and he isn’t even thirty! One thing that stands out is how he is the youngest player to hit for the cycle. The cycle is when you hit a single, double, triple, and home run in a single game!

In his first full season in 2012, Mike’s talent was really there. He was so good that season that he won the Rookie of the Year award. In his award winning season, Trout hit 30 home runs, drove in 83 RBIs and hit .326. He even led the league in runs (129), stolen bases (49), and WAR (10.7). WAR stands for Wins above Replacement. In 2012 Mike Trout would also win a Louisville Silver Slugger award and would finish runner up in votes for the MVP award behind Miguel Cabrera.

Since then, Trout hasn’t slowed down. In the 2013 season prior to the great breakout one, Trout would put up similar numbers which would once again put him behind Miguel Cabrera for the MVP award. He hit 27 home runs and stole 33 bases in addition to driving in 97 RBIs and a .323 average. He would lead the American League in walks (110), WAR (9.2), and runs (109). He would win the Louisville Silver Slugger again.

Mike Trout’s 2014 season is arguably his best. That year he won the American League MVP award with yet another Silver Slugger! That season, he hit 36 home runs, 16 stolen bases, a .287 batting average, and 39 doubles. He would lead the league in runs (115), RBIs (111), and WAR (7.9).

Although he is so good, he needs to cut down on his strikeouts. In 2014, he led all of baseball with 184 strikeouts. Each of his full seasons, he has more than 125 strikeouts. Even though he strikes out a lot, he is still one of the best offensive players in MLB.

Mike Trout is also one of the best defenders in MLB, too. He is known for making spectacular diving catches and robbing home runs. One time, he jumped up and robbed Prince Fielder of a home run. In his career (as of 2014), Mike Trout has thrown out 7 runners. That is really good for a center fielder. Also, in his rookie year in 2012, he had a 6.6 DWAR.

Since Mike Trout is so good, he is a regular at the all-star game. In the 2014, Mike drove in Derek Jeter and scored on a Miguel Cabrera home run. He would finish the night with a .667 batting average, 2 RBIs, 2 hits, a double, a triple, and a run scored. He was named the all-star game MVP.

As you can see, Mike Trout is arguably one of the best all-around players in Major League Baseball. This MVP might be on his way to the Hall of Fame.

Birth: August 7, 1991     Birthplace: Vineland, New Jersey     Height: 6-2     Weight: 230 lbs.

        ********************** 

                                    Stats*

                              Games: 503

                              Home Runs: 101

                              RBIs: 316

                              Runs: 382

                              Stolen Bases: 104

                              Batting Average: .308

                              Doubles: 113

                              Triples: 26

                              Walks: 274

                              Strikeouts: 496

                                  *Stats as of April 17, 2015.*

                                Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Who’s a Better Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester or Cole Hamels

Arguably two of the best left handed pitchers in the game, one big remaining question is ‘’Who’s Better: Cole Hamels or Jon Lester?’’ In this article we will go beyond the win-loss and strikeout column. We will find out who really deserves the crown at the end.

Jon Lester

Jon Lester played his 2014 season with both the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics. In his 11 starts games as an Athletic, he helped them go to the postseason. Lester would blow the Wild Card game to the Kansas City Royals. But during the regular season, Lester went 16-11 with 220 strikeouts in 219.2 innings of work. He only walked 48 batters in that span, too. With both Boston and Oakland, Jon had an overall great ERA of 2.46. Jon Lester did many great things with the Red Sox in his 9 year stint with them. He helped them win the 2007 and 2013 World Series.  He also has a no-hitter under his belt. During the trade deadline in 2014, Jon got dealt from the Boston Red Sox to the Oakland Athletics. In the offseason of 2014, Jon Lester would sign a deal with the Chicago Cubs.

               Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels might just be the ace of the Philadelphia Philles. In past years, Cole was overshadowed by the greats Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cliff Lee. Some of which are the greatest pitcher. But when Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt retired, Cliff Lee started to get injured. So in 2014, Cole finally got the stage for himself. Nobody really knew in that span that Cole was one of the key players for the Philadelphia Philles. In 2014, Cole Hamels went 9-9 with 198 strikeouts over the course of 204.2 innings of work. That doesn’t look that good, right? The thing is that the 2014 Philles offense was horrible and they rarely scored any runs for him. Cole Hamels was actually really good. Like Lester, he also had a very good 2.46 ERA. So maybe if the Philles scored more, Hamels would have 15 or more wins.

Back when the Philles were good, Cole was the real star of the team. In 2008, the Phillies made it to the World Series against the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays. Hamels would pitch phenomenally earning him the World Series MVP award.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Troy Tulowitzki

Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best players in Major League Baseball.  Let’s look at his spectacular current career.

After Derek Jeter retired, Troy Tulowitzki took the name of the best shortstop.  Troy wanted to play like Derek Jeter was an answer in most interviews.  He wanted to play like Derek Jeter.  He didn’t realize he would play better than the old Yankee captain.  ‘’Tulo’’, as some announcers call him, has made numerous all-star appearances.  He even was the captain for the 2014 all-star game and home run derby.  Like Jeter in his old days, Troy makes multiple incredible jump plays to get runners out at first. Besides Troy’s fielding, he is one of the best when he comes to bat.  He gets hits and homers like it is a piece of cake. If you need him to, he can be a threat to run. Troy is also one of the best when it comes to tagging out runners who attempt to steal on him. As you can see, Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best in baseball.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Yankees’ Big Three

It’s the seventh inning. Yankees leading by a run. Joe Girardi makes a call to the bullpen. Out comes Dellin Betances. Betances is just the table setter for what will come next: two dominant lefties.

Dellin Betances

When hitters see Dellin Betances, they already know the drill. Three strikes and go back to the dugout. Standing at 6 foot 8 and 265 pounds, Dellin strikes fear into the hearts of batters.

Dellin Betances comes out of the ‘pen with plus stuff. He brings a fastball that can touch 100 and a wicked breaking ball. In the minor leagues, Dellin was taught to be a starter. In the 2014, Dellin was competing for the fifth starter role. He made the team but got pushed to the bullpen. He would create history that season.

In 2014, Betances created history. He would break a Yankee record previously held by Mariano Rivera. For 20 years, the record for most strikeouts out of the bullpen was 130. Dellin came in and fanned 135 batters, rewriting the record. That would just be the start to more history.

In 2015, after the departure of David Robertson, Andrew Miller came on to the scene. Miller had a historic season to accompany Betances. Dellin, in 84 innings, struck out 131 batters. He would also put up 9 saves and 29 holds. In 2016, Dellin so far has 32 strikeouts from 16 innings of work. He is on track to break his own record!

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller was acquired by the Yankees in the offseason of 2014. When Miller was with Baltimore in 2014, slugger Chris Davis said he was happy that he didn’t have to face Miller anymore. Standing at an intimidating 6 foot 7 and 205 pounds, Miller gives hitters nightmares from both sides of the plate.

When Andrew Miller first signed with the Yankees, he was their closer. In 61.2 innings of work, Andrew was able to strike out 100 batters and post a 0.86 earned run average. On top of that, he also piled on 36 saves in 38 opportunities. All these incredible statistics led Andrew to the Reliever of the Year Award, also known as the Mariano Rivera award.

In 2016, Andrew Miller will serve as the Yankees set up man. He took over the closer role when Aroldis Chapman got suspended for 30 games. In those 30 games, Andrew got 6 saves.

Despite his move from closer to set up, Andrew Miller stills scares hitters. His wipeout slider breaks away from lefties at the last second. For righties, Miller aims his slider at their knees. In conclusion, Andrew Miller’s devastating pitch selection is scary for all batters.

Aroldis Chapman

The Cuban Missile. Guinness World Record holder. 100 miles per hour. These are all traits that could be used to describe Aroldis Chapman. When the Yankees acquired Chapman, it was like putting icing on top of the icing of the cake known as the bullpen.

Aroldis Chapman spent six years playing for the Cincinnati Reds. For the Reds, he accomplished many feats. For instance, Chapman holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest pitch ever thrown. The pitch was officially clocked at 105.1 mph though the scoreboard at Great American Ballpark read 106 mph.

Aroldis has four consecutive seasons with 30 or more saves and 100 or more strikeouts. He has a career high in strikeouts with 122 in 2012 and a career high in saves in both 2012 and 2013. He looks to repeat these numbers in 2016 with the Yankees.

Aroldis Chapman’s success with the Yankees got cut by 30 games. In the offseason, Chapman faced domestic violence charges and got suspended 30 games. In Chapman’s first three appearances, he has two saves and six strikeouts.

Overview

With the Yankees Big Three, they are sure to succeed.  In conclusion, the Big Three bring overpowering stuff to the ballpark every day.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Brian McCann

Brian McCann is a solid catcher for the Yankees. We now break down his excellence.

Brian McCann spent nine years with the Braves before signing with the Yankees. In those nine years, Brian won five Silver Sluggers and hit 176 home runs. In McCann’s rookie season, he hit 24 home runs and batted a career high .333. The following year, Brian hit 18 home runs with 92 RBIs.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Ripping Records with Cal Ripken Jr.

Cal Ripken, Jr. was a shortstop/ third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles.  He is known for breaking Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games played and replaced it with a un-believable record of 2,632 consecutive games played.  Lou Gehrig had the nickname ”Iron Horse”.  But what a better nickname then ”Iron Man”?  Cal Ripken, Jr. knows how that feels.

   Growing as an Oriole Fan.

Cal Ripken Jr. was born on August 24,  1960.  His dad,  Cal Ripken Sr.  was a huge baseball fan.  He loved the Baltimore Orioles. Cal Sr. even was a minor league catcher for the O’s.  Because his Dad was always practicing,  young Cal was always at a ballpark. At a young age,  Cal developed a competitive spirit.  He loved winning.  If he lost a game or something,  he would get really mad.  That would help him in the future. Later in his young life,  Cal would get drafted by the Baltimore Orioles.  He was excited.  He was an Oriole fan. Cal would later play 2,632 consecutive games for this club.

by Jacoby Nolnaho

Ted Williams

Ted Williams was an amazing slugger for the Boston Red Sox.  He fought in World War two which delayed his Hall of Fame career.  He has the most difficult and famous records.  He had two Triple Crowns and was the last player to bat over .400.  Although he only made one World Series appearance  (which the Red Sox lost) ,  he is still one of the best power hitters of all time.