When the official MLB Scorer got it wrong!

Posted: August 4, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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When it comes to scoring in the MLB it can be very confusing especially to someone new to the sport.  If there is anything, I am so confident in knowing, is how to score a baseball game.  This isn’t something that I googled to understand, I learned how the art of scoring back when I was 9 years old which I hate to admit was almost 30 years ago.  As a kid, my dad worked nights and my mom worked days and with day baseball being a Cubs thing, and my favorite cartoons being on WGN, they were preempted for the Cubs.  We also did not have cable.  During the summer I watched just about every Cubs game.  I was also fortunate enough to receive the superstation TBS, which carried Braves games and a station out of New York that carried the Mets.  Oddly I couldn’t tell you which channel the White Sox were on as I never watched them.

Watching game after game after game and reading the newspaper and the one score card from my first Cubs game, I learned to keep score for baseball.  I made my dad make hundreds of copies of my one score card and from there on I kept score of every game I watched.  To be honest, I wish I still had these packed away in a box in my parents basement.  I literally kept score of every game including the entire World Series starting with the Battle in the Bay, the Oakland Athletics vs the San Francisco Giamts combining with the Braves domination in the 90’s.  It was so important and fun to me I even recorded the games on VHS, when I knew I would miss a game because I had a baseball game.

This to me is an art as not everyone understands the rules of scoring and I would say my level is close to expert, as I would be an expert if I worked for Major League Baseball.  So needless to say it really irritates me when the “Pros” get the call wrong, like in  the Cubs/Mariners game on Sunday, July 31st.  Jon Lester place a perfect bunt that went back to the pitcher but was just out of reach causing the pitcher to scoop it up with his glove and for the toss home with Jason Heyward scoring in walk-off fashion.  With today’s replay reviews, Lester had to run it out and reach first base which he did.

Another instance takes us back to June 6, 2016 with the Cubs in Philadelphia.  In the fifth inning Matt Szczur would pinch hit for Jorge Soler, laying down a bunt in almost the same exact fashion as Lester on July 31st that scores Kris Bryant.  There is no play on Szczur and he reaches first base without a challenge.  When I heard the Cubs broadcast team give the official scoring of the play, I fell out of my seat and immediately tweeted them.

But of course, I did not receive a tweet back, either telling me I’m right or even wrong.  I think what really gets me, these are the pros.  I can’t be mad at them because well if you click the links above to both games where the non sacrifice happened, the official scorer got it wrong and did not correct it.  Now of course you’re saying, is your head that big that you can’t be wrong?  Well I’m prepared to answer that with the actual MLB rule.  

Rule 9.08 Sacrifices 


I know not everyone truly understands legal talk so here goes.  The official scorer has freedom to interpret the rule as they would call for.  However, when it comes to sacrifice bunts it clearly states that before two outs, if a bunt is put into play and the runners, already on base, advance to the next base and no effort was put into throwing the batter out at first base, then the batter shall be credited with a one-base hit.  

In both cases that I brought forward, that is the situation.  Both batters Matt Szczur and Jon Lester laid down bunts that went back to the pitcher.  In both situations not only did the runners advance to the next base, the batter reached first base without so much as an attempt to throw the batter out at first.  Both times, the play was scored as a sacrifice bunt, when it clearly was a single as sacrifice bunt.  The whole idea behind a sacrifice is giving something up.  In baseball, an out is what’s given up, hence the need for MLB Rule 9.08 Sacrifices.  

Am I looking to deep into it?  Am I too big of a baseball nerd? Whatever you think is up to you but I can say I love this game.  Like I said earlier, I may not be an “expert” but when it comes to baseball I do consider myself an expert.  

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Wild Walk Off!

Posted: August 3, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The series finale between the Cubs and Marlins has John Lackey looking for just his ninth win of the season.  He is looking to start this month off on a positive note as he takes on Tom Koehler who also seeks his ninth win of the season.

Lackey starts off the game giving a leadoff single to Dee Gordon who snags his eighth stolen base of the year and then scores on Chritian Yelich’s double to left field.  Through the next six innings, Lackey only allows three singles and is looking very sharp.  He starts the seventh inning off with a strikeout for the first out but hits Derek Dietrich who takes first base.  Jeff Mathis would step into the box and takes a two-seam fastball and launches to left center field for a home run giving the Marlins the lead.  Lackey does allow another hit but gets out of the inning.  Through seven innings, Lackey gives up seven hits, no walks and strikes out eight but does give up three earned runs.

Tom Koehler through five innings would only allow one walk and three hits with no runners scoring.  it wouldn’t be until the sixth inning that he gives up a single to Anthony Rizzo to right.  Rizzo advances to second on Koehler’s wild pitch and then to third on a ground out by Ben Zobrist.  Wilson Contreras drives in Rizzo with a ground ball to center field.

Kyle Barraclough enters in the bottom of the seventh for a 1-2-3 inning.  Joe Smith makes his debut for the Cubs in the top of the eighth getting the first out but gives up a solo home run to Christian Yelich putting the Marlins up 4-1.  Smith gets the second out but gives up back to back singles prompting Joel Maddon to bring in Carl Edwards Jr. to end the inning.  For the bottom half former Cub, Fernando Rodney steps to the mound giving up back to back singles to Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant.  With Fowler on third and Rizzo at the plate, Rodney throws a wild pitch allowing Fowler to score the Cubs second run of the game.  Rizzo would walk and Zo would advance both runners with a sac bunt.  Wilson strikes out and with two outs and two men on, Jason Heyward grounds out to shortstop to end the inning.

Justin Grimm enters the game in the top of the ninth.  He gets the first two outs but gives up an infield groundball hit to Dee Gordon who is 3 – 3 on the day all infield hits.   He then walks Martin Prado with two outs.  With Christian Yelich at the plate both runners advance on a wild pitch by Grimm but he gets Yelich to go down swinging.

A.J. Ramos takes over for the Marlins in the top of the ninth giving up a lead off double to Miguel Montero who is pushed over to third as Javier Baez singles to left.  Ramos then loads the bases walking Matt Szczur.  Dexter Fowler sends a fly ball to Stanton for an out but advances all three batters to put the Cubs down by one.  One out, Kris Bryant at the plate gets called out on strikes.  What could be the last chance for the Cubs, Rizzo steps in the box to receive the intentional walk to load the bases for Ben Zobrist who takes five pitches to draw the walk to tie the game at four for Wilson Contreras who takes the first pitch for a strike.  The 0 and 1 is wild, Szczur scores, Cubs Win! CUBS WIN!

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Let’s Call it Wednesday

Posted: August 3, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in Auto Racing, baseball, NASCAR, sports, Uncategorized
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Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline ended Monday afternoon and there where a lot of players that ended up changing teams. Now I’m not going to try and breakdown every trade that happen, but I want t talk about the way the trade deadline was rated. As you know by now they either rate a team as a trade deadline winner or losers. The one team that everyone seemed to continue to jump on and make sure everyone knew they lost at the trade deadline was the Chicago White Sox. Now the White Sox did trade set up man Zach Duke to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor league outfielder Charlie Tilson. This deal was not enough for the experts or anyone breaking down the trade deadline moves and the White Sox got the brunt of it.

The reason the White Sox where being considered the biggest loser at the trade deadline is the fact that they didn’t trade starting pitcher Chris Sale. This of course is just a huge joke. Sale is one of the top pitchers in baseball and to trade him you’d have to get quite a bit in return. There’s no way the White Sox should’ve traded Sale anywhere unless they could’ve gotten 5 prospects Double-A or higher who are major league ready. Now you’re really limiting which teams you can deal with by handling it that way, but you have to get value if you’re going to move a talent like Sale. So the White Sox couldn’t get a deal done for Sale and I don’t know why it’s such a bad thing for them to hold on to him.

The White Sox are 51-55 and find themselves 10 games behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. They are 7 1/2 games out of a wild card spot, but they have 5 teams they’d need to jump to get one of those spots. It’s starting to look like the White Sox will not be a playoff team; so it’s a viable option to deal Sale, but if and only if your asking price is met. Sake is just 27 years old. He is 14-4 with an ERA of 3.17 in 20 starts. He has 3 complete games this season with 1 of them being a shutout. He has placed in the Top 6 of the Cy Young voting the last 5 seasons and he’s sure to end up there again. He led the American League in strikeouts last season and is currently 2nd this season with 133 strikeouts. So Sale is the best player on the White Sox and would easily bring the most in return if traded, but since the White Sox didn’t trade him they’re losers.

How about a team that is 10 games under .500 at 48-58. They’re 13 1/2 games out in their division and 10 games out of a wild card spot. Now this team didn’t trade it’s best player and they could’ve gotten a lot in return for him maybe even more than the White Sox would’ve gotten for Sale, but I didn’t hear this team lambasted like the White Sox where and put into the loser bracket. Why did no one jump up and down on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for not trading Mike Trout? Aren’t the Angels farther away from competing than the White Sox are and couldn’t a rebuild really get started by dealing Trout for a boat load of prospects. Let’s keep looking for another team.

How about the 43-64 Arizona Diamondbacks. They are probably the most disappointing team in baseball this season. Now they paid big, big money for Zack Greinke in the off season and they also have Paul Goldschmidt on their team. Even though the Diamondbacks are going nowhere this season Greinke and Goldschmidt are still both with the Diamondbacks. It was just laughable that the White Sox where expected to move Sale, but these other under performing teams aren’t expected to move their best players to fix there teams. Are these guys just upset because Sale had that clubhouse freak out and cut up those throw back uniforms and that’s why he has to be moved. Either that or they where secretly rooting for Sale to be dealt to a team they want to see win and he could be the piece that puts them over the top. Anyway the guys breaking down the trade deadline where way, way out of line putting the White Sox where they did and expecting them to just more or less give away a top pitcher in baseball. Stupidity just plain and simple stupidity.

On Sunday the NASCAR race was postponed do to weather and moved to Monday. There where just 21 laps left when the Monday race had to be red flagged because of fog with rookie Chris Buescher in the lead. Buescher had to wait 80 minutes as the NASCAR officials decided what to do. With threats of severe weather and no lifting of the fog, NASCAR decided to end the race and Buescher had his very 1st Sprint Cup victory. Buescher along with 3rd place finisher Regan Smith hadn’t made their final pit stops when the caution flag came out for that fog at lap 132.  The drivers stayed on the track under caution for 7 laps as NASCAR decided to throw the red flag at lap 139. While there was some rain in the area the majority of the drivers pitted either because they needed fuel or because they thought the race would go longer. No one could predict the fog rolling in and ending the race. Buescher became the first rookie to win a Sprint Cup race since Joey Logano did it in 2009. What can be considered an odd win for Buescher had to use an odd Victory Lane. They moved Victory Lane into the garage since NASCAR couldn’t use the real Victory Lane because of the threat of lightning. While Buescher did get the win he hasn’t yet qualified for The Chase for the Sprint Cup. Buescher sits six points behind 30th-place David Ragan in the Sprint Cup standings. A driver has to be in the top 30 to qualify for the Chase via a race victory. Buescher has 5 races to make up those 6 points and get himself into the Top 30 in points and qualify for The Chase. NASCAR Schedule

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Marlins game 2

Posted: August 2, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Jason Hammel is hopefully eating a ton of potato chips for this game as it should be a hot one and he needs to retain as much as H2O as possible.  He went 3-2 in the month of July and looks to take his win streak to 4 games with the possibility of a career high 11th win.  He is taking on Jose Fernandez looking for lucky number 13 in his second career start against the Cubs.  He went seven innings giving up only one run on four hits, but strikes out 13 giving Hammel his fourth loss of the year.

Hammel doesn’t start off too smoothly as he walks the bases loaded with two outs to start the game but on the sixth batter he gets out of the inning.  Fernandez tosses one up for Fowler allowing him to bag a triple his fourth of the year.  Wilson Contreras derives him in with a single to shortstop.  After Rizzo strikes out and Ben Zobrist ends the inning grounding into a double play. 

Addison Russell singles in the second but no one scores in the second.  In the bottom of the third, Dexter Fowler leads off with a single and steals second with Contreras at the plate and makes it to third on Wilson’s line drive to left.  Fowler scores again as Anthony Rizzo flies out to left.  Wilson would try to take second base but is thrown out ending the inning.  Cubs up by two.  

Chris Coghlan leads off the fifth with a ground ball single to center.  Fernandez gives him second base as he balks.  He gets the next two outs but it would Fowler who steps in the box and drives in his first run of the game with a single to right.  Contreras and Rizzo both walk but Zo strikes out to end the inning.  

After Hammels rocky start to the game, he would only allow three more base runners through the top of the sixth.  He would strike out three walking two with four hits as Maddon brings in Pedro Strop in the top of the seventh.  He gives up a single to Derek Dietrich who ends up at third as Chris Johnson sends a ground ball back to Strop who throws it away as he try’s to get Derek out at second.  Adeiny Hechavarria sends a ground ball to left scoring Derek.  J.T. Realmuto sends a grounder to right scoring Johnson putting the Marlins within one run.  Strop strikes out Martin Prado but that would be enough for  Maddon to take the trip to the mound bringing in Travis Wood to end the inning.  

Kyle Barraclough replaces Fernandez in the seventh only allowing one base runner.  Hector Rondon joins the game in the bottom of the eighth striking out Giancarlo Stanton.  Marcell Ozuna sends a line drive to right but gets picked off for the second out of the inning.  Rondon gives up a single to Dietrich but ends the inning when Johnson lines out to left.  

Mike Dunn enters the game in the bottom of the eighth getting the first two outs but Matt Szczur breaks it up by singling but Javier Baez goes down swinging.  

Maddon of course brings in Aroldis Chapman to close out the game.  He gets Hechavarria to ground out for the first out.  Then he strikes out Jeff Mathis.  J.T. Realmuto ends the game by grounding to third giving him second save for the Cubs.  

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Cubs Hook The Marlins

Posted: August 2, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The second series of the season for the Marlins and the Cubs and Adam Conley in his first start this season in Wrigley Field.  Kyle Hendricks searching for his 10th win of the season puts together his best start since May 28th against the Phillies.

Kyle pitches a complete game, his second of the year since the start against the Phils.  Kyle gives up seven hits but only walks three.  He strikes out five batters and it’s a start that the Cubs definitely needed to give the bullpen a much needed rest.

Adam Conley would not be on like Kyle.  He starts the game by walking Dexter Fowler but gets Kris Bryant to flyout.  Anthony Rizzo launches his 30th double of the year pushing Fowler to third.  With two outs, Addison Russell sends a line drive to right scoring both runners.  Jason Heyward singles and Conley loads the bases by walking Contreras but gets out the inning by striking out Matt Szczur.  The Cubs are up by two.

Conley wouldn’t allow another run through four innings but Donny Baseball decides to pull him after four and brings in Dustin McGowan for the fifth.  He gets the first out but walks Contreras and gives up a single to Matt Szczur.  Kyle Hendricks helps himself out by driving in Contreras for the third run with Szczur landing at third.  Dexter Fowler adds another run by sending a fly ball to center scored as a sacrifice.

Anthony Rizzo leads off the bottom of the sixth with a monstrous triple to right and scores on Javier Baez’s sac fly to left credited to Marlins reliever Dustin McGowan.  The Cubs would add a few more hits over the next couple of innings but they wouldn’t need to come out in the bottom of the ninth after Kyle Hendricks finishes them off.

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Mothership Walk Off Win!

Posted: August 1, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Brian Matusz (MATT-iss) is getting his first start of the year and for the Cubs since getting traded to Chicago in May.  On the other side of the diamond, getting his first start at Wrigley Field, “The King” Felix Hernandez who was activated from the disabled list eleven days ago.

Brian starts the game off with a leadoff single to Shawn O’Malley then a wild pitch puts Shawn at second bases and would make it to third on Leonys Martin’s sac bunt.  Shawn wouldn’t need the help to third as Nelson Cruz would drive him home with his 26th home run of the year.  Matusz would load the bases by hitting Kykes Seagar and walking the next two batters but does get the third out in the first.  

Brian gets the first two outs of the second but then gives up a single to Leonys Martin.  In the first, Robinson Cano strikes out but this at bat he drives in his 23rd home run of the season to put the M’s up by 4.  To continue into the third, Brian would give up a one out single and yet again gives up a two run home run this time to Dae-Ho Lee.  The Mariners are now up by 6.  That would be enough for Maddon as in the top the fourth Carl Edwards, Jr enters the game striking out the side.  

The King wouldn’t start off as easy walking Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant but ends up striking out the rest of the Cubs lineup.  Felix would give up his first hit in the top of the fourth to Bem Zobrist but no one would score.  

Edwards would have a quick top of the fifth 1-2-3 but not so easy for The King.  Chris Coghlan leads off with a walk but is out at second as Miguel Montero forces him out.  Felix then loads the bases giving up a single to Fowler and walking Bryant.  With two outs, Zobrist gets an RBI walk.  The second run of the game happens as Felix hits Addiosn Russell but Heyward strikes out to end the inning.  

Joe Nathan enters the game in the walking Dae-Ho Lee and gives up a double to Mike Zunino.  Maddon takes the trip to the mound bringing in Travis Wood who loads the bases by walking Seth Smith.  He however gets the next here batters out to end the top of the sixth.  

Five innings, two runs on two hits would be enough for Felix as Drew Storen enters the game in the bottom of the sixth making it a quick inning.  

Pedro Strop joins the game in the top of the seventh but oddly Maddon has Wood take left field.  Strop only gives up one hit to Seagar but makes it out of top half with out adding a run.  Tom Wilhelmsen steps to the mound to give a leadoff walk to Fowler.  He would them score as Zo sends a line drive to center for his first triple of the year.  Edwin Diaz enters the game to strike out Russell.  

Strop starts the eighth by giving up a double to Zunino who is thrown out by Rizzo trying to reach third on Edwin Diaz’s ground ball.  Diaz is then forced out on O’Malley’s grounder to second.  Travis Wood comes back to the mound while Matt Szczur takes left field.  Wood then ends the inning picking off O’Malley.  

Mike Montogmery enters the game for the top of the ninth.  He gets the first two outs but gives up back to back singles to Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seagar but gets out of the inning.  Steve Cishek is brought in to close out the game for the M’s and give the King a win and starts off striking out Bryant.  Rizzo would launch a double to right, his 29th of the year.  Zo bumps him up to third with a single and Russell would bring him home with single of his own to left.  Cishek them loads the bases by hitting Jason Heyward.  With one out Wilson Contreras sends a ground ball to Seagar at third, he throws to Cano to start the double play but Cano’s throw to first is late.  The Mariners challenge but the call stands and Cubs score a run to put them down by one.  Cishek ties the game up for the Cubs with a wild pitch that scores Russell.  Matt Szcuzr’s flyout sends into extra innings.  

For the tenth inning, Aroldis Chapman retires all three batters.  Hector Rondon takes the eleventh and twelfth innings retiring all six batters.  Cody Martin finishes the game for the Mariners retiring the first six batters but starts the twelfth giving a leadoff double to Jason Heyward.  He advances to third on Contreras’s flyout to center.  With one out, Maddon decides to have Jon Lester pinch hit for Rondon.  It pays off as Lesters looks to be swinging away but at the last moment drops a bunt to the first base side, soft enough that Cishek only has time to scoop it up and toss it with his glove but it’s not in time as Heyward scores in late night walk off fashion.  

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

Mariners Aweigh

Posted: July 30, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game two of the Mariners versus the Cubs.  Jake the Great Arriet is still looking for his 13th win and first win this month.  He would be taking on Wade Miley who is also looking for his first win in July in what would turn to out to be a pitchers duel.  

There would be only one batter to reach first base but it wouldn’t be on a hit.  In the 1st inning, Jake would strike out Leonys Martin but throws a wild pitch that allows him to reach.  Miley would strikeout the side in the bottom half of the 1st. 

Jake would allow two singles and walk but does not allow a run to cross the plate.  In the bottom half of the inning Kris Bryant would reach on a fielding error but Miley would pick him off and both teams would remain scoreless.  Neither pitcher again would not allow a base runner in the 5th and 6th innings.  

Jake continues to hold the M’s retiring his ninth batter in a row.  Miley would start the bottom half off by walking Dexter Fowler and would advance to second on Bryant’s single center.  Both runners would advance on Ben Zobrist’s sac bunt.  Javier Baez steps in the box and sends a ground ball to short, the throw is to home base and on the tag, he would be called out.  The Cubs would challenge the call and it out be overturned for the first run of the game.  Addison Russell strikes out for the second out of the game.  With Jason Heyward at the plate, Miley tries to pick off Baez and Bryant tries to take home.  Adam Lind would throw home and Bryant would score the second run of the game.  The Mariners would challenge the call and it would be overturned to end the inning and run would be pulled from the board.  

Jake starts the 8th by walking the first two batters and that would be enough for Maddon as he brings in Rondon who gets the first two outs and Maddon would bring Chapman in for the last out.  Leonys Martin would send a fly ball to left center scori two runs putting the Mariners up by 1.  He would then steal third with Cano at the plate and then scores the third run on a wild pitch but Chapman gets Cano to go down swinging and a blown save to go along with that.  Edwin Diaz would replace Miley and gives up a single to Heyward but gets Contreras to line out.  He would walk Miguel Montero but strikes out Rizzo and Fowler to end the inning.  

Travis Wood starts the 9th and immediately gives up a single to Nelson Cruz who is removed for pinch runner Franklin Guiterrez who makes it all the way to third base on two ground outs.  But then scores on Chris Innetta’s single to short that is thrown high for Russell’s first error in 28 games.  Travis would load the bases but gets out of the inning 

Steve Cishek enters the the bottom of the 9th striking out Bryant for the first out of the game.  He gives up a sole to Zo but then strikes out Baez and Russell to end the game and gives the Mariners a W in this series.  

Jake would go the entire month of July with out a win going 0-3.  However this would be the best start of the month for him despite the loss.  

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

How Was Your Week?

Posted: July 30, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, sports, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is tomorrow July 31st. After that teams will still be able to make trades, but for a player to be traded he’ll have to go through the waiver process. From my understanding waivers woks more or less like this. A team places a player or players on waivers and every team has a chance to claim them. The teams with the worst records get the first chance all the way to the team with the best record. If a player clears waivers meaning no one claimed him he’s free to be traded to any team in baseball. If a player is claimed by another team his current team has a couple of choices. They can actually just turn him and his contract over to the team that claimed him and he’s theirs.  They can also try to work out a trade with the team that claimed him, but only that team is allowed to make a trade for him. Or they can just pull that claimed player off waivers and keep him. 

Some years teams have put their entire roster through waivers; so don’t be surprised if some bigger names with bigger contracts not only be put on waivers, but make it through the process. We’re not past the trade deadline yet, but I’m not so sure we’re going to get the flurry of activity that a lot of experts where predicting. There was a big 7 player deal yesterday along with a good old fashion one for one trade as well. Let’s take a look at who went where.

The San Diego Padres found a new home for Andrew Cashner. Cashner along with pitcher Colin Rea and minor league pitcher  Tayron Guerrero  where traded to the Miami Marlins for pitcher Jarred Cosart, who at 26 will be joining his 4th teams. Along with Cozaart the Padres received relief pitcher Carter Capps. Capps had Tommy John surgery after injuring his arm in spring training and won’t pitch this season. San Diego also gets minor league Luis Castillo and the Marlins 2015 1st round pick the 12th selection overall in the draft 1st baseman Josh Naylor.  As I’m sure you can guess since the Marlins move a top prospect all the experts went nuts over this deal for San Diego, but lets see what they received.

Miami needed a solid back of the rotation starter and Cashner certainly fits that bill. Cashner was 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts for the Padres. With Wei-Yin Chin just going on the disabled list Cashner will slot into the 3rd spot of the Miami rotation behind Jose Fernandez and Adam Conley. Cashner won’t eat a ton of innings for you and you’ll probably only get 5 or 6 innings per start out of him, but with the better defense behind him in Miami he can keep them in games. Will Rea be a starter for the Marlins or is he headed to the bullpen?  With the Chin injury Tom Koehler and Jose Urena are pitching in the 4th and 5th rotation spot for Miami Could Rea take one of those spots until Chin returns? Or will he go straight to the bullpen as a long man? 26 years old Rea, appeared in 19 games for the Padres this season making 18 starts. He was 5-5 with an ERA of 4.98 this season. Guerrero is a 6’8 25 year old right handed pitcher who has appeared in just 1 game pitching 2 innings in the major leagues. Guerrero has split time between Double and Triple-A this season. He appeared in a combined 32 minor league games, all in relief. He was 0-3 with an ERA of 5.30 in the minors this season. So it looks like the Marlins got a major league starting pitcher along with possibly a second starting pitcher plus a bullpen arm.

San Diego was looking to get young and rebuild a team that tried to go for it last season. Cosart was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies before being sent to the Houston Astros as part of the Hunter Pence trade. The Astros traded him to the Marlins at the 2014 trade deadline and now the Marlins have sent him to San Diego. Cosart has spent most of this season at Triple-A doe Miami. He has made 4 starts this season going 0-1 with an ERA of 5.95. Cosart is just 26 years old and it will be interesting to see if San Diego gives him the time to try and develop the skills that made him a Top 100 prospect early in his career. The injured Capps is an interesting piece t this deal and not only because he was dealt while being hurt. Capps started to break out last season and  there was quite a bit of controversial about his unorthodox delivery. There are even questions of the legality of Capps’ delivery and that came into question on multiple occasions in 2015. Capps appeared in 30 games in 2015 going 1-0, but posting an ERA Of 1.16. Over 31 innings he struck out 58 and walked just 7 posting a WHIP of 0.806. Capps could be a future closer for the Padres as long as MLB doesn’t make a ruling that would change his delivery. Castillo is a 23 year old minor league pitcher who was in High Class-A for Miami. He appeared in 20 games making 18 starts and has a record of 7-3 with an ERA of 2.25. Castillo has hit 100 mph on the radar gun this season.  If he doesn’t work out as a starter maybe he goes to the bullpen as a power arm. 

The Top prospect Naylor being included in this deal is what caught all the experts attention. As you know you’re NEVER supposed to trade your prospects. Naylor was the 12th overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Marlins. At just 19 years old he has made it to Class-A in the South Atlantic League. In 89 games Naylor is hitting .269 with 9 home runs and 54 RBI’s He also has 24 doubles and has stolen 10 bases even though that wasn’t suppose to be part of his game. Naylor’s stats at mid-season Baseball America included Naylor in their Top 100 prospect list. At just 19 years old we may be waiting a few years to see how this trade actually plays out.

The other trade saw the Minnesota Twins send infielder Eduardo Nunez to the San Francisco Giants for minor league left-hander Adalberto Mejia. Nunez is a shortstop by trade, but can also play 3rd, 2nd and even some outfield. He seems exactly like the type of player the Giants would add. Nunez appeared in 90 games for the Twins this season; 51 at 2nd base, 33 at 3rd base and 6 as a DH. Nunez hit .296 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI’s along with 27 stolen bases for Minnesota. He’s on his way to setting career highs in all three of those categories and don’t forget he made his 1st All-Star team this season. With 3rd baseman Matt Duffy still out with an injury and 2nd baseman Joe Panik just returning from the disabled list it gives Giants manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility on the roster. Mejia is 23 years old and has split time between Double and Triple-A this season. Combined he is 7-3 with an ERA of 2.81. He had better success at Double-A (1.94 ERA) then he has at Triple-A )4.20 ERA) so far. He made 18 starts covering 105 2/3rd innings this season. Mejia is projected as a back of the rotation starter and if he reaches that this could end up being one of those trades where people say it helped both teams.

Will we see a big move before the trade deadline is still the question. Will players like Jay Bruce, Jonathan LuCroy or possible an Andrew Miller find new teams soon? Some of these names we’ve heard all season long and they’re still with the team they started the season with. So let me know; who makes the move?  

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Cubs spear the Mariners

Posted: July 29, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Inter-league play continues with Jon Lester searching for his 11th win of the season.  Lester is 5-4 against the Seattle Mariners donning a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts.  This is only the second time the Mariners have set foot in Wrigley Field as Hisashi Iwakuma seeks his 12th win of the season.

Lester would start the game getting Shawn O’Malley out at first but with a coaches challenge he would be called safe.  He would walk Robinson Cano but ends striking out the remainder of the batters. Iwakuma  would give up a double to Kris Bryan and walks Ben Zobrist but gets out of the inning.

Lester gives up a double in the top of the second but that would be all the action for the M’s.  Iwakuma wouldn’t be as lucky giving up back to back singles to Javier Baez and David Ross with one out.  Lester would send a sac bunt back to the pitcher advancing both runners but it would be Chris Coghlan’s line drive to center that scores two runs and Coghlan would advance to second on the throw home.  Bryant would drive Chris in on his liner to left.

Lester would give up a single to Cano and walks Nelson Cruz in the top of the 3rd but no run support for Iwakuma.  Zo leads off with a double and would score on Jason Heyward’s fifth home run of the season.  Iwakuma gives up a single to Baez but gets out of the inning.

Lester would enter the top of the 4th and strike out the side.  After 5 runs and and only 3 innings, Nathan Karns would replace Iwakuma.  Karns gives up a single to Bryant who steals second with Anthony Rizzo at the plate, who sends a ground ball to Kyle Seagar who throws to Shawn O’Malley to get Bryant out.  With Zo at the plate, Rizzo steals second but Karns gets out of the inning.

The 5th inning would only see Franklin Gutierrez singling and stealing second base as the only man to reach.

In the top of the 6th, Lester scores another 1-2-3 inning.  David Ross would lead off the bottom half with his seventh home run of the year.  Karns would then walk Lester, Coghlan and Bryant to load the bases for Rizzo.  Rizzo drives in all three runners taking an inside fastball right on the third base line for a double reaching 79 RBI’s on the year. Vidal Nuno enters the game for the Mariners giving up a single to Zo.  Jason Heyward would foul out scoring Rizzo to put the Cubs up by an even 10 runs.  Baez would sends a single to left scoring Zo and allowing the Cubs to bat through the order bringing David Ross up again but he gets called out on strikes.

Justin Grimm would replace Lester in the top of the 7th.  He’d give up a single to Chris Iannetta but gets out of the inning unscathed.  

After a not too long delay, Tom Wilhelmsen enters the game in the bottom of the 7th giving Matt Szczur a leadoff single then walks the bases loaded with Coghlan And Bryant.  Rizzo would ground out but drives in Szczur for twelfth.

Mike Montgomery would get the opportunity to face his former teammates in the top of the 8th gives up a single to Cano but gets out of the inning.  Luis Sardinas takes on the Cubs in the bottom half making it a quick inning.  

Montgomery would stay in the game for the 9th and gets the first out but gives up a single to Leonys Martin.  Then walks Iannetta but gets Sardinas to go down swinging.  O’Malley would send a line drive to left scoring Martin for thier first run of the game.  Mike then walks Franklin Guiterrez to load the bases.  With that, Robinson Cano steps up to the plate and grounds out to end the game.  Cubs dominate today!

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

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A Series Cut In Half

Posted: July 28, 2016 by Daniel Kupres in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The series finale of the Crosstown Cup has Chris Sale getting his first start since the “scissor” incident last Sunday.  Would he be rejuvenated enough to get another win against the Cubs and John Lackey who is looking for his eighth win of the year. 

Lackey would get the first out of the game but gives up a single to Tim Anderson.  He would then round the bases when Melky Cabrera sends a line drive to right fielder Ben Zobrist for the first run of the game.  Chris Sale’s start would more or less go the same way but he leads off his start of his side of the game with a walk to Dexter Fowler and he would round the bases as Kris Bryant sends a deep fly ball that just misses leaving the park  for the Cubs first run of the game.  

Both pitchers would put a runner on in the second but only Lackey would see just three batters as he would in the top of third.  Sale would put Fowler on first again but this time he would hit him.  Then Kris Bryant reaches on a walk also.  Anthony Rizzo gets the first out of the inning.  Zo sends a sharp ground ball to center driving in Fowler for the second run of the game.  

Lackey and Sale would retire all six batters but it would be Lackey continuing to retire the inning in the top of the 5th.  Sale would give up two singles to Fowler and Rizzo but neither would score.  Lackey would have his ruffest inning yet by giving up a lead off single to his counter part, Chris Sale.  With two outs, Melky Cabrera would single but Sale would not score.  Addison Russell would get a one out double and as Sale would intentionally walks Matt Szczur but it would be David Ross who would strike out to end the inning.  

Pedro Strop would replace Lackey in the top of the 7th and would walk former Cub, Dioneer Navarro but gets his second strike out of the inning to end the inning.  Robin Ventura would counter by bringing in Nate Jones who retires all three batters.  

Hector Rondon comes out for the top of the 8th giving up a leadoff double to Tyler Saladino.  He gets the next two batters out but Joel Maddon decides to bring Aroldis Chapman into the game.  With Saladino at third, Melky steps in to challenge the Heat and goes down swinging.  

Jones still in the game for the Sox and gives up double to Zo who on a fielding error reaches third.  Wilson Contreras sends a sharp ground ball to Todd Frazier who almost tags out Zo, who reaches the first but Wilson wouldn’t.  Russell steps in the box and grounds out to short but Zo is able to score adding that insurance run for the Cubs and Chapman.  

Tommy Kahnle replaces Jones to take on Javier Baez and after 10 pitches Baez walks.  Ventura decides to bring in lefty Dan Jennings to pitch to Tommy La Stella who flys out to center.  

Chapman back out for the top of the 9th with the heart of the Sox order, starting with Jose Abreu who lines one to a sliding Russell for the first out of the inning.  Chapman then strikes out Todd Frazier and now it’s Avisail Garcia’s turn.  Garcia bounces out to Baez and Chapman gets his first save as a Cub!

Go Cubs Go!

Dan the Man

The Podcast now on Tunein.com, Download the app today and follow us or Apple users can download us in the Podcast app today!

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