Mel Antonen

One writer's Hall of Fame ballot

One writer's Hall of Fame ballot
Ballots for the Hall of Fame had to be postmarked by New Year's Eve, so, here's a look at one voter's ballot: I voted for Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Jack Morris, Tim Raines, Mike Piazza, Edgar Martinez, Alan Trammell and Lee Smith. * With 3,060 hits, Biggio was an easy selection. And wouldn't it be great if he and Bagwell, his Astros teammate, could go into together? In his first two seasons on the ballots, Bagwell's vote totals were likely hurt by unfair suspicions to steroids, but he...
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Mel Antonen

Winter Meetings are over, but there's still work to be done

Winter Meetings are over, but there's still work to be done
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Winter Meetings are over. The Orioles continue to look for a bat and pitching. The Nationals need a lefty reliever and a decision from first baseman Adam LaRoche. Here's what the other American League East and National League East teams are doing: * Yankees: Strange how quiet they were at the meetings, considering they need a catcher, third baseman, DH and right fielder. "Patience is a good thing,'' Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. "We have plenty of time.'' * Red...
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Mel Antonen

While waiting for the first domino to fall in Nashville ...

While waiting for the first domino to fall in Nashville ...
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - We don't know where Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke are going to wind up next season. We don't know if there is going to be a blockbuster three-team trade or not. So on another slow news day at the Winter Meetings, here are answers to the questions that linger in the hotel corridors: * Is the pace of transactions slower than the normal winter meetings? Without a doubt, that's true. Most of the transactions have been predictable and there have been no blockbusters, such as...
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Mel Antonen

Recapping Day 2: Are the Red Sox better with Victorino?

Recapping Day 2: Are the Red Sox better with Victorino?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The second day of the Winter Meetings is best described as quiet. Here's a summary: * Are the Red Sox a better team now that they've added Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino? The Red Sox signed 32-year-old Victorino to play right field, alongside Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonny Gomes, who could end up DHing. Fenway Park's right field is spacious, so the Red Sox think Victorino, a centerfielder with the Phillies when they won the 2008 World Series, will do fine. Red...
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Mel Antonen

Rounding up the first day of the Winter Meetings

Rounding up the first day of the Winter Meetings
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Thoughts of the biggest stories on the first day of the Winter Meetings at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center and Hotel. * The Yankees announced that third baseman Alex Rodriguez will have surgery on his left hip and miss the start of the 2013. It's the same story as last season, when he had surgery on his right hip and didn't return until May 8. A-Rod will be out longer this time. The Yankees aren't sure how they will replace A-Rod, but it appears that it will not...
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Mel Antonen

Nationals among favorites for Greinke, Rays may make run at Reynolds

Nationals among favorites for Greinke, Rays may make run at Reynolds
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Welcome to 2012 version of baseball's Winter Meetings: The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center is an overwhelming maze of corridors, two million Christmas lights, restaurants and shops. Visitors can ride a showboat down the Cumberland River, visit the Holly Jolly Town Square, take a carriage ride or check out the two million pounds of ice sculptures with the theme of "Shrek the Halls." And, of course, a visitor can walk anywhere and get into a baseball...
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Mel Antonen

Let the annual Hall of Fame debate begin

Let the annual Hall of Fame debate begin
December is a month for holiday celebration, but for baseball writers, it's a time for Hall of Fame debate. Once again, the issue is performance-enhancing drugs, with Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa coming on the ballot for the first time. There are no updates or guidelines on how to handle players linked to steroids, so the 575 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will be left to decide. Results are to be announced Jan. 9. The voting members of the BBWAA have...
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Mel Antonen

Even after potential Blue Jays blockbuster, O's might still have brightest future in AL East

Even after potential Blue Jays blockbuster, O's might still have brightest future in AL East
With one trade, the Toronto Blue Jays have filled holes and become instant contenders in the American League East. The Blue Jays have rolled the dice big-time by trading prospects - including three pitchers - to the Miami Marlins for $160 million worth of proven players, a deal that needs approval from Commissioner Bud Selig. It's always a gamble to raid the farm system and add payroll, especially for any team that isn't the Yankees. But the acquisition of pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark...
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Mel Antonen

Will new-age stats or traditional thinking rule baseball's awards week?

Will new-age stats or traditional thinking rule baseball's awards week?
The American League's Most Valuable Player race is between the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and the Angels' Mike Trout. The subplot is about new-age statistics versus traditional MVP thinking. Of all the awards given out this week by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, the AL MVP should spark the most vigorous debate, much like when the Mariners' Felix Hernandez won the 2010 Al Cy Young Award over the Rays' David Price and the Yankees' CC Sabathia. That year, Hernandez had 13 wins,...
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Mel Antonen

Experienced pitcher and leadoff hitter top Nats' wish list

Experienced pitcher and leadoff hitter top Nats' wish list
As the offseason kicks into high gear, the Nationals are a defending champion in an unusual position: They could stand pat and be picked to win the National League East for a second consecutive season in 2013. But that's not how the Nationals operate. They'll likely be looking for an experienced pitcher and a leadoff batter. The Nationals rotation will have Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez and Ross Detwiler, but the fifth guy is up for debate. It could be Zack Greinke,...
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Mel Antonen

Offseason has a distinctly different feel in AL East

Offseason has a distinctly different feel in AL East
For the first time in what seems like forever, the Yankees and Red Sox are the American League East teams with the most questions going into the offseason. Neither team can write a check and become the favorite for 2013. Meanwhile, the Orioles and Rays continue to build, while the Blue Jays hope for health and a few acquisitions. A look at AL East teams: * New York: Alex Rodriguez will get plenty of attention this offseason, but given the $114 million left on his contract, he'll be in...
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Mel Antonen

While questions abound, conventional wisdom means little in World Series

While questions abound, conventional wisdom means little in World Series
Justin Verlander, the reigning AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner, is the best pitcher in baseball. On average, he throws his fastball at a higher speed in the eighth and ninth innings than he does in the early innings. He has a 0.74 ERA with 25 strikeouts in the postseason. So given that he's on proper rest, the Tigers ace should mow through the Giants in Game 1 of the World Series tonight in San Francisco. Not so fast. Ace pitchers don't always dominate and there's never a predictable...
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Mel Antonen

O's need a Sabathia-like, big-game pitcher while Nats must decide whether to bring back LaRoche

O's need a Sabathia-like, big-game pitcher while Nats must decide whether to bring back LaRoche
Thoughts as the League Championship Series get started: * The Orioles need a big-game, season-saving pitcher, ala the Yankees' CC Sabathia. The Orioles' pitching depth is nice, but a Sabathia-type pitcher would be ideal. Sabathia beat the Orioles twice in the Division Series, once with 120 pitches and another with 121. This offseason, the Orioles should sign Nate McLouth and renegotiate with Mark Reynolds - maybe two years and $11 million instead of picking up the one-year option. The...
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Mel Antonen

What's to come for the postseason-bound Nats?

What's to come for the postseason-bound Nats?
Now that the Nationals have become the new champions of the National League East, they have a chance to finish with the best record in the league. They are tied with Cincinnati for that position, and if they finish with the best record, they'll have home-field advantage if they make it to the National League Championship Series. If they tie, the Nationals have the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series. And the best record means they'll start the Division Series on Sunday, and...
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Mel Antonen

How Nationals might factor into NL postseason awards

How Nationals might factor into NL postseason awards
As the Nationals take aim at wrapping up the National League East, here's a look at how they're shaping up in the postseason awards voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America: Cy Young Award: Gio Gonzalez has 20 wins, the gold standard for pitchers, but that might not be enough to win, especially when new-age statistics are redefining how pitchers are judged. Consider that Tim Lincecum (16 wins), Zack Greinke (16) and Felix Hernandez (13) won the award in the last two...
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Mel Antonen

Do Orioles deserve AL award recognition at end of season?

Do Orioles deserve AL award recognition at end of season?
As the baseball season winds down, here's a look at how the Orioles fare in the American League's season-ending awards: AL Manager: The Orioles' Buck Showalter and the A's Bob Melvin are the top candidates, but the White Sox's rookie manager, Robin Ventura, deserves more credit than he's getting. Ventura has a chance to knock off the Tigers, the AL Central's heavy favorite. Ventura has led the White Sox through rotation injuries and has won with a rookie closer. Ventura has turned...
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Mel Antonen

An O's-Yankees showdown for first place is just what everyone expected, right?

An O's-Yankees showdown for first place is just what everyone expected, right?
Isn't this weekend just what was expected? The Orioles and Yankees playing on Labor Day weekend in Yankee Stadium with first place in the American League East on the line? The Orioles have a good chance to challenge the Yankees. The Orioles have more pitching depth, a stronger defense and a better offense with Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy heating up. The Yankees are injured and struggling in their last 45 games. Their offense misses injured Alex Rodriguez, who is going to be out another 10...
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Mel Antonen

Of pitchers dealt before July 31 deadline, who's the biggest bust?

Of pitchers dealt before July 31 deadline, who's the biggest bust?
With Texas pitcher Ryan Dempster getting a win against the Orioles on Monday, that leaves two candidates for the biggest busts among pitchers acquired in trades before July 31. That distinction goes to either the Angels' Zack Greinke or the Tigers' Anibal Sanchez. The Pirates' Wandy Rodriguez should be in the mix, but while he's not helping the Pirates, he hasn't been as bad as Greinke or Sanchez. Sanchez has a 7.79 ERA since moving from Miami to Detroit. He was supposed to fill the back...
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Mel Antonen

Just because July 31 deadline has passed doesn't mean trades will end

Just because July 31 deadline has passed doesn't mean trades will end
Baseball's non-waiver trade deadline has passed, but doesn't mean players can't change teams. The Orioles could still get a third baseman, and the Nationals a catcher. But there's a slight twist in the process. In August, players can be traded if they clear waivers. For example, if the Nationals wanted to trade a big league player for Boston catcher Kelly Shoppach, all big league players in the deal would have to clear waivers. The Nationals and Red Sox would have to let other teams know...
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Mel Antonen

Added wild card team means new twists for trade deadline

Added wild card team means new twists for trade deadline
With the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching, there's a new wrinkle in the discussion: How much of the future should a team give up for a chance to become a wild card team that could play just one postseason game? Usually, there are dozens of players moving in trades at this time of year, but with compensation rules and so many more buyers than sellers, it's hard to determine how adding two wild card teams, one in each league, will affect transactions at the deadline. A year ago...
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