I was thinking the other day that I've not had a lot of time the last couple years to post a roster for the mid-summer classic and I've barely had much time to devote to watching games outside of the surprising first half being enjoyed in Atlanta. But I took some time the last week or so to take a look around baseball and come up with my thoughts for what I would enjoy seeing in terms of the NL roster taking the field in a couple weeks at Nationals Park in the nation's capital.
Before I get too far, indulge me with a couple thoughts if you will. First, replay really needs some tweaks. I agree with the sentiment I've seen from others on th' Twitta that have the idea that New York shouldn't know the original call on the field. The call of the play should stand on its own, really. I'm also really not a fan of the intentional walk without throwing four wide either. Now that I've got that off my chest, let's take a look at my 2018 National League roster.
This year's roster is composed of 20 position players and a dozen pitchers. I'll continue to observe the MLB requirement of having at least one representative from each team. I like to leave a spot open for either middle relievers or utility guys and added two middle relievers to my AS roster. All stats are through the games of Saturday, June 30th.
Starting Pitcher - Jacob deGrom (New York Mets)
Can only have one starter and the margin between deGrom's first half and Max Scherzer's first half was razor thin. I give deGrom the nod primarily on ERA (deGrom's at 1.84 and Scherzer coming in at 2.04). deGrom has a start on Friday at home versus Tampa and Scherzer is on the hill tonight at home against Boston (and trailing 3-1 as I write, courtesy a bases clearing double by Bosox pitcher Rick Porcello). Scherzer has had a Scherzer-esque season so far and is among the league leaders in wins and strikeouts.
Rest of NL All-Star Staff
Max Scherzer (Washington)
Jon Lester (Chicago)
Clay Buchholz (Arizona)
Aaron Nola (Philadelphia)
Miles Mikolas (St Louis)
Junior Guerra (Milwaukee)
Kirby Yates (San Diego) Middle Relief
Tony Watson (San Francisco) Middle Relief
Brandon Morrow (Chicago) Closer
Sean Dolittle (Washington) Closer
Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles) Closer
Just Missed The Nod: Mike Foltznewicz (Atlanta), Jeremy Hellickson (Washington), Sean Newcomb (Atlanta), Kyle Freeland (Colorado), Kyle Barraclough (Miami), Arodys Vizcaino (Atlanta), Raisel Iglesias (Cincinnati).
Catcher - JT Realmuto (Miami - Starter), Francisco Cervelli (Pittsburgh - Reserve), Buster Posey (San Francisco - Reserve)
The Marlin's young catcher gets the start here with a nod to Pittsburgh's Francisco Cervelli as a reserve. Realmuto is a star toiling in the wake of yet another fire sale in south Florida. Realmuto is hitting .306/.364/.543/.907 and hasn't had a whole lot of help in Miami's lineup once Giancarlo Stanton headed north to the Bronx. Cervelli has had a really good year in what has been a disappointing season in Pittsburgh and Buster Posey has hit .290 for the middle of the pack Giants.
First Base - Freddie Freeman (Atlanta - Starter), Jesus Aguilar (Milwaukee - Reserve)
The senior circuit has been stacked with really quality first sackers for quite some time with Votto in Cincinnati, Rizzo in Chicago and Goldschmidt in Arizona. Freddie Freeman has had a stellar first half in Atlanta as the Braves have stormed into first place and while the jury is still out in terms of whether the Braves can ultimately hold off Washington and/or Philadelphia, the Freeman led Braves are in the playoff conversation perhaps a year earlier than most thought. Freeman is hitting .316 and is underrated in terms of his glove. Another big surprise is in Milwaukee with Jesus Aguilar, who looks (and more importantly hits) a lot like former Brewer Prince Fielder (Aguilar has 19 homers, most of all in that position right now.)
Just Missed The Nod: Brandon Belt (San Francisco), Joey Votto (Cincinnati), Jose Martinez (St Louis), Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona).
Second Base - Ozzie Albies (Atlanta - Starter), Scooter Gennett (Cincinnati - Reserve)
Another reason for the surprising first half for the Braves stands at second base at SunTrust Park. Albies came up last year and hit well in 57 games (a .286 average in 2017), however his power at the plate to begin the season helped propel Atlanta up the standings in the East. He was the early leader in homers and is still top five in the NL in homers and leads the league in extra base hits. Scooter Gennett has hit consistently well for the Reds and leads all second basemen in hits (101).
Just Missed The Nod: Javier Baez (Chicago), Asdrubal Cabrera (New York), Cesar Hernandez (Philadelphia).
Shortstop - Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - Starter), Trevor Story (Colorado - Reserve)
Youth has been served at catcher and second base, however one of the two oldest regular shortstops in the game gets the nod in San Francisco's Brandon Crawford, who leads all NL shortstops in batting with a .313 average and is tied for second in homers with 10. Crawford is smooth and steady in the field and is looking for his second All-Star Game appearance. Story leads all shortstops with 16 homers and is third in stolen bases (10).
Just Missed The Nod: Paul DeJong (St Louis - currently on DL), Chris Taylor (Los Angeles), Trea Turner (Washington).
Third Base - Nolan Arenado (Colorado - Starter), Eugenio Suarez (Cincinnati - Reserve)
Nolan Arenado is the NL leader in homers (20) and in the top 10 in the league in hits and in the top five in RBIs. Eugenio Suarez is in the top ten in homers (16) and is tied for the lead in RBIs. Both are still in their 20s and should be mainstays in their team lineups for years to come. Anthony Rendon has come on really strong of late in Washington and made an awfully strong argument to be included.
Just Missed The Nod: Anthony Rendon (Washington), Matt Carpenter (St Louis), Kris Bryant (Chicago).
Outfielders - Nick Markakis (Atlanta), Rhys Hoskins (Philadelphia), Matt Kemp (Los Angeles) Starters. Derek Dietrich (Miami), Kyle Schwarber (Chicago), Bryce Harper (Washington), Lorenzo Cain (Milwaukee), David Peralta and AJ Pollock (Arizona) Reserves.
Nick Markakis is having a great year at the dish for the Braves (.326/.391/.492/.883) and leads the NL in hits. Matt Kemp is another veteran having a great year in LA and Rhys Hoskins has hit 14 homers and has an OBP of .374 for the Phillies. Just outside my list of starters is Bryce Harper, who should have a better second half than he has had a first half and Chicago's Kyle Schwarber. Lorenzo Cain and David Peralta have also had great first halves for Milwaukee and Arizona.
Just Missed The Nod: Scott Schebler (Cincinnati), Odubel Herrera (Philadelphia), Brian Anderson (Miami), Gregory Polanco (Pittsburgh), Gorkys Hernandez (San Francisco), Albert Almora (Chicago), Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta).
Monday, July 2, 2018
Monday, July 6, 2015
My 2015 National League All-Star Roster
Happy baseball friends and neighbors...
It's that time again, time to look back on the first half of the baseball season (which is in the home stretch as I type this) and look at who I feel from the NL side of the house is deserving of inclusion of the mid-summer classic being held at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster, each team must have at least one representative. I usually like to have at least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in although this year I didn't really see a utility guy deserving this go around. I saw a couple more middle relievers and setup guys that I felt deserving, so there's a couple more from that group in 2015. I try and find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time. I'll list a starter and reserve at each position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1 PAs/game). All stats are complete as of the games of 7/5/2015.
Starting Pitcher - Max Scherzer (Washington)
It came down to Scherzer and Zach Grienke as far as best pitching performance in the first half and Grienke's numbers in many respects are as strong as if not better (1.48 ERA for Grienke vs 1.82 for Scherzer, 5 less earned runs). Scherzer's hitless streak a few weeks back is what gives him the nod in my mind.
Rest of the NL Pitching Staff
Zach Grienke (Los Angeles)
Shelby Miller (Atlanta)
AJ Burnett (Pittsburgh)
Jacob deGrom (New York)
Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh)
JP Howell (Los Angeles)
Will Smith (Milwaukee)
JJ Hoover (Cincinnati)
Ken Giles (Philadelphia)
Trevor Rosenthal (St Louis)
Mark Melancon (Pittsburgh)
I've got a roughly 50/50 split between starters and relievers this year. Top 5 in the league right now in ERA are all represented (that being in order Grienke (1.48), Scherzer (1.82), Burnett (2.05), Miller (2.07) and Cole (2.28)). deGrom has pitched well for the Metropolitans and Howell, Smith, Hoover and Giles have pitched very well out of their respective pens. Best closers so far in the first half would be Rosenthal and the NL leader in saves, Mark Melancon.
Catchers - Buster Posey (San Francisco - Starter), Derek Norris (San Diego - Reserve), Yadier Molina (St Louis - At Large)
I've got Posey, Norris and Molina this year behind the plate, however I also believe Yasmani Grandal of the Dodgers, Francisco Cervelli of the Pirates and Miguel Montero of the Cubs are all deserving. Posey is hitting .314 with 14 HRs and is the easy choice for starter in 2015.
First Base - Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Starter), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - Reserve), Adrian Gonzalez (Los Angeles - At Large)
Goldschmidt is having a great year so far for Arizona and is hitting .348 with 20 HRs, 67 RBIs and a 1.087 OPS. First base is usually a crowded position for All-Star consideration on the NL side. I believe Freddie Freeman would also have been in for consideration before his trip to the DL for his wrist injury.
Second Base - Joe Panik (San Francisco - Starter), Kolten Wong (St Louis - Reserve), Dee Gordon (Los Angeles - At Large)
I've got Panik just barely over Wong and Gordon. Wong has the better power numbers, Gordon has the better average, but I like Panik here with a good average (.304), good power (6 HRs for a second baseman) and a whole lot less strikeouts (only 38 versus 50 for Wong and 55 for Gordon).
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Jhonny Peralta (St Louis - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
Last week Crawford would have started at short in my mind, but now it's a familiar face in the Rockies' Tulowitzki who is hitting .321 now in Denver.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Nolan Arenado (Colorado - Reserve), Kris Bryant (Chicago)
Todd Frazier is the home town choice at third sack and has had a great first half for what has been overall a disappointing year to date for the Reds. The Cubs rookie phenom Bryant has not disappointed so far on the north side and Colorado's Arenado has quietly put up great numbers in the first half.
Outfield - Bryce Harper (Washington - Starter), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami - Starter but on DL), Joc Pederson (Los Angeles - Starter), Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh, replacing Stanton), Justin Upton (San Diego - Reserve), Curtis Granderson (New York - Reserve), Chris Coughlan (Chicago - Reserve), Denard Span (Washington - At Large)
My outfield would be Harper, Stanton and Pederson, however with Stanton on the DL, Andrew McCutchen would ably step in without missing a beat. I have Upton, Granderson, Coughlan and Span as reserve/at large selections). Ryan Braun, AJ Pollock and Starling Marte should also be in the conversation for spots also based on their first half performances.
First five out were Joey Votto (Cincinnati), Freddie Freeman (Atlanta), Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles), Matt Carpenter (St Louis) and Michael Wacha (St Louis).
My first half Cy Young Award winner would be Scherzer, first half MVP would be Harper and first half Rookie of the Year would be Bryant.
It's that time again, time to look back on the first half of the baseball season (which is in the home stretch as I type this) and look at who I feel from the NL side of the house is deserving of inclusion of the mid-summer classic being held at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster, each team must have at least one representative. I usually like to have at least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in although this year I didn't really see a utility guy deserving this go around. I saw a couple more middle relievers and setup guys that I felt deserving, so there's a couple more from that group in 2015. I try and find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time. I'll list a starter and reserve at each position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1 PAs/game). All stats are complete as of the games of 7/5/2015.
Starting Pitcher - Max Scherzer (Washington)
It came down to Scherzer and Zach Grienke as far as best pitching performance in the first half and Grienke's numbers in many respects are as strong as if not better (1.48 ERA for Grienke vs 1.82 for Scherzer, 5 less earned runs). Scherzer's hitless streak a few weeks back is what gives him the nod in my mind.
Rest of the NL Pitching Staff
Zach Grienke (Los Angeles)
Shelby Miller (Atlanta)
AJ Burnett (Pittsburgh)
Jacob deGrom (New York)
Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh)
JP Howell (Los Angeles)
Will Smith (Milwaukee)
JJ Hoover (Cincinnati)
Ken Giles (Philadelphia)
Trevor Rosenthal (St Louis)
Mark Melancon (Pittsburgh)
I've got a roughly 50/50 split between starters and relievers this year. Top 5 in the league right now in ERA are all represented (that being in order Grienke (1.48), Scherzer (1.82), Burnett (2.05), Miller (2.07) and Cole (2.28)). deGrom has pitched well for the Metropolitans and Howell, Smith, Hoover and Giles have pitched very well out of their respective pens. Best closers so far in the first half would be Rosenthal and the NL leader in saves, Mark Melancon.
Catchers - Buster Posey (San Francisco - Starter), Derek Norris (San Diego - Reserve), Yadier Molina (St Louis - At Large)
I've got Posey, Norris and Molina this year behind the plate, however I also believe Yasmani Grandal of the Dodgers, Francisco Cervelli of the Pirates and Miguel Montero of the Cubs are all deserving. Posey is hitting .314 with 14 HRs and is the easy choice for starter in 2015.
First Base - Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Starter), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - Reserve), Adrian Gonzalez (Los Angeles - At Large)
Goldschmidt is having a great year so far for Arizona and is hitting .348 with 20 HRs, 67 RBIs and a 1.087 OPS. First base is usually a crowded position for All-Star consideration on the NL side. I believe Freddie Freeman would also have been in for consideration before his trip to the DL for his wrist injury.
Second Base - Joe Panik (San Francisco - Starter), Kolten Wong (St Louis - Reserve), Dee Gordon (Los Angeles - At Large)
I've got Panik just barely over Wong and Gordon. Wong has the better power numbers, Gordon has the better average, but I like Panik here with a good average (.304), good power (6 HRs for a second baseman) and a whole lot less strikeouts (only 38 versus 50 for Wong and 55 for Gordon).
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Jhonny Peralta (St Louis - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
Last week Crawford would have started at short in my mind, but now it's a familiar face in the Rockies' Tulowitzki who is hitting .321 now in Denver.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Nolan Arenado (Colorado - Reserve), Kris Bryant (Chicago)
Todd Frazier is the home town choice at third sack and has had a great first half for what has been overall a disappointing year to date for the Reds. The Cubs rookie phenom Bryant has not disappointed so far on the north side and Colorado's Arenado has quietly put up great numbers in the first half.
Outfield - Bryce Harper (Washington - Starter), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami - Starter but on DL), Joc Pederson (Los Angeles - Starter), Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh, replacing Stanton), Justin Upton (San Diego - Reserve), Curtis Granderson (New York - Reserve), Chris Coughlan (Chicago - Reserve), Denard Span (Washington - At Large)
My outfield would be Harper, Stanton and Pederson, however with Stanton on the DL, Andrew McCutchen would ably step in without missing a beat. I have Upton, Granderson, Coughlan and Span as reserve/at large selections). Ryan Braun, AJ Pollock and Starling Marte should also be in the conversation for spots also based on their first half performances.
First five out were Joey Votto (Cincinnati), Freddie Freeman (Atlanta), Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles), Matt Carpenter (St Louis) and Michael Wacha (St Louis).
My first half Cy Young Award winner would be Scherzer, first half MVP would be Harper and first half Rookie of the Year would be Bryant.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
My 2014 National League All-Star Roster
Hey folks...
We're in the home stretch for the first half of the baseball season, so submitted for your perusal is what would be my 2014 National League All-Star roster for the mid-summer classic at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster, each team must have at least one representative. I like to have at least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in. I try and find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time (which ends in exactly 15 minutes as I type). I'll list a starter and reserve at each position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1 PAs/game).
Anyway, without further ado, here we go...
Starting Pitcher - Adam Wainwright (St Louis)
This could have easily been Johnny Cueto and would have been had I stayed with stats through Monday, however Adam Wainwright edges Cueto out as my starter after posting an 11 win, 1.89 ERA first half (both league leading). Wainwright is also in the top ten in K's and WHIP in the league.
Rest of the Pitching Staff
Johnny Cueto (Cincinnati)
Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles)
Henderson Alvarez (Miami)
Julio Teheran (Atlanta)
Andrew Cashner (San Diego)(on DL)
Josh Beckett (Los Angeles)(replacing Cashner)
Jonathan Broxton (Cincinnati)
Pat Neshek (St Louis)
Tony Watson (Pittsburgh)
Rafael Soriano (Washington)
Huston Street (San Diego)
I usually prefer to have players that have played most of not all of the first half, but have to make an exception for the way Clayton Kershaw is pitching right now after returning from his first career DL stint in time to pitch his no-hitter against Colorado in June. Soriano and Street have been lights out in their closing roles for the Nationals and Padres and have had easily better first halves than any of the other league closers. Both have ERAs at least a full point better than F Rod, Kimbrel, Jansen and Romo.
Catcher - Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee - Starter), Evan Gattis (Atlanta - Reserve (DL)), Buster Posey (San Francisco - At Large), Devin Mesoraco (Cincinnati - replacing Gattis)
The Brewers have the best record in the NL as I write this and one of the unsung heroes of the first half is Lucroy who is 2nd in the NL in hits with 101 and leads the leagues in runners caught stealing with 18. Up until his back injury this week which led to time on the Disabled List, Gattis was leading all NL catchers in homers and Posey has put up unsurprising strong numbers in the first half. The surprise for me here is Mesoraco who is hitting .314 with 15 HRs in only 49 games. Russell Martin could also make a case for inclusion this year.
First Base - Adam LaRoche (Washington - Starter), Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Reserve), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - At Large)
I like Adam LaRoche here as starter just over Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt, who has come on strong in the last few days for a team which is also having their issues winning games in the desert. LaRoche has done a great job keeping his K rate down in the first half (52 versus 88 for Goldschmidt) and is a notoriously slow starter. Rizzo has had a great first half in what has been a below average batting lineup in Chicago (with the exception of Starlin Castro). Freddie Freeman is also having a great first half, but just misses the cut in a crowded field at first in 2014.
Second Base - Scooter Gennett (Milwaukee - Starter), Chase Utley (Philadelphia - Reserve), Daniel Murphy (New York - At Large)
This is where I pretty much go off script for my starter. Gennett has outhit perennial All-Star Chase Utley (whom I give the reserve spot), hitting .311 for the Brewers in the first half. Utley is hitting well, one of the few in the Phillies lineup day in and day out that is producing. Murphy leads the league in hits as of now with 104. Neil Walker just missed the cut here and has had a great first half in Pittsburgh.
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Hanley Ramirez (Los Angeles - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
This would be Tulowitzki's 4th All-Star selection and leads the league in batting average (.350). Ramirez and Crawford have both shown some power at the plate and Ramirez has 10 stolen bases in the first half. Starlin Castro could have also easily made it based on his numbers most other seasons.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Anthony Rendon (Washington - Reserve)
Frazier leads all 3Bs in HRs with 17 and has also swiped 13 bases for the Reds in the first half. Ryan Zimmerman's injury was an opportunity for Matt Williams to move Rendon over from second to third, and he put up great numbers in the first half and is deserving of an All-Star nod (12 HRs, 48 RBIs, .280 BA). I feel like Aramis Ramirez is also deserving but lost out to a couple Brewers that are having a little better season within their positions.
Outfield - Giancarlo Stanton (Miami), Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh), Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles)(Starters), Carlos Gomez (Milwaukee), Justin Upton (Atlanta), Mike Morse (San Francisco)(Reserves), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), AJ Pollock (Arizona-DL), Marlon Byrd (Philadelphia - replacing Pollock)
Stanton, McCutchen and Puig are my starters, each batting over .300 and Stanton leading the senior circuit in homers with 21. Gomez, Justin Upton and Morse would be my next three primarily for their power numbers. Braun's numbers aren't what they were (obviously), however he is hitting .293 and Byrd has hit 16 homers. I like Seth Smith and Hunter Pence also, both have had strong seasons to date.
Utility - Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh)
Harrison has the knack for getting clutch hits for the Pirates and is hitting .299 with 5 HRs, 24 RBIs and 7 stolen bases off the bench.
Mesoraco, Byrd, Braun, Watson, Neshek and Cashner would be the last six on the roster.
First six out were Freeman (Atlanta), Ramirez (Chicago), Seth Smith (San Diego), Samardzija (Chicago), Jonathan Papelbon (Philadelphia) and Craig Kimbrel (Atlanta).
We're in the home stretch for the first half of the baseball season, so submitted for your perusal is what would be my 2014 National League All-Star roster for the mid-summer classic at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster, each team must have at least one representative. I like to have at least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in. I try and find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time (which ends in exactly 15 minutes as I type). I'll list a starter and reserve at each position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1 PAs/game).
Anyway, without further ado, here we go...
Starting Pitcher - Adam Wainwright (St Louis)
This could have easily been Johnny Cueto and would have been had I stayed with stats through Monday, however Adam Wainwright edges Cueto out as my starter after posting an 11 win, 1.89 ERA first half (both league leading). Wainwright is also in the top ten in K's and WHIP in the league.
Rest of the Pitching Staff
Johnny Cueto (Cincinnati)
Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles)
Henderson Alvarez (Miami)
Julio Teheran (Atlanta)
Andrew Cashner (San Diego)(on DL)
Josh Beckett (Los Angeles)(replacing Cashner)
Jonathan Broxton (Cincinnati)
Pat Neshek (St Louis)
Tony Watson (Pittsburgh)
Rafael Soriano (Washington)
Huston Street (San Diego)
I usually prefer to have players that have played most of not all of the first half, but have to make an exception for the way Clayton Kershaw is pitching right now after returning from his first career DL stint in time to pitch his no-hitter against Colorado in June. Soriano and Street have been lights out in their closing roles for the Nationals and Padres and have had easily better first halves than any of the other league closers. Both have ERAs at least a full point better than F Rod, Kimbrel, Jansen and Romo.
Catcher - Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee - Starter), Evan Gattis (Atlanta - Reserve (DL)), Buster Posey (San Francisco - At Large), Devin Mesoraco (Cincinnati - replacing Gattis)
The Brewers have the best record in the NL as I write this and one of the unsung heroes of the first half is Lucroy who is 2nd in the NL in hits with 101 and leads the leagues in runners caught stealing with 18. Up until his back injury this week which led to time on the Disabled List, Gattis was leading all NL catchers in homers and Posey has put up unsurprising strong numbers in the first half. The surprise for me here is Mesoraco who is hitting .314 with 15 HRs in only 49 games. Russell Martin could also make a case for inclusion this year.
First Base - Adam LaRoche (Washington - Starter), Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Reserve), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - At Large)
I like Adam LaRoche here as starter just over Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt, who has come on strong in the last few days for a team which is also having their issues winning games in the desert. LaRoche has done a great job keeping his K rate down in the first half (52 versus 88 for Goldschmidt) and is a notoriously slow starter. Rizzo has had a great first half in what has been a below average batting lineup in Chicago (with the exception of Starlin Castro). Freddie Freeman is also having a great first half, but just misses the cut in a crowded field at first in 2014.
Second Base - Scooter Gennett (Milwaukee - Starter), Chase Utley (Philadelphia - Reserve), Daniel Murphy (New York - At Large)
This is where I pretty much go off script for my starter. Gennett has outhit perennial All-Star Chase Utley (whom I give the reserve spot), hitting .311 for the Brewers in the first half. Utley is hitting well, one of the few in the Phillies lineup day in and day out that is producing. Murphy leads the league in hits as of now with 104. Neil Walker just missed the cut here and has had a great first half in Pittsburgh.
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Hanley Ramirez (Los Angeles - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
This would be Tulowitzki's 4th All-Star selection and leads the league in batting average (.350). Ramirez and Crawford have both shown some power at the plate and Ramirez has 10 stolen bases in the first half. Starlin Castro could have also easily made it based on his numbers most other seasons.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Anthony Rendon (Washington - Reserve)
Frazier leads all 3Bs in HRs with 17 and has also swiped 13 bases for the Reds in the first half. Ryan Zimmerman's injury was an opportunity for Matt Williams to move Rendon over from second to third, and he put up great numbers in the first half and is deserving of an All-Star nod (12 HRs, 48 RBIs, .280 BA). I feel like Aramis Ramirez is also deserving but lost out to a couple Brewers that are having a little better season within their positions.
Outfield - Giancarlo Stanton (Miami), Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh), Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles)(Starters), Carlos Gomez (Milwaukee), Justin Upton (Atlanta), Mike Morse (San Francisco)(Reserves), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), AJ Pollock (Arizona-DL), Marlon Byrd (Philadelphia - replacing Pollock)
Stanton, McCutchen and Puig are my starters, each batting over .300 and Stanton leading the senior circuit in homers with 21. Gomez, Justin Upton and Morse would be my next three primarily for their power numbers. Braun's numbers aren't what they were (obviously), however he is hitting .293 and Byrd has hit 16 homers. I like Seth Smith and Hunter Pence also, both have had strong seasons to date.
Utility - Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh)
Harrison has the knack for getting clutch hits for the Pirates and is hitting .299 with 5 HRs, 24 RBIs and 7 stolen bases off the bench.
Mesoraco, Byrd, Braun, Watson, Neshek and Cashner would be the last six on the roster.
First six out were Freeman (Atlanta), Ramirez (Chicago), Seth Smith (San Diego), Samardzija (Chicago), Jonathan Papelbon (Philadelphia) and Craig Kimbrel (Atlanta).
Monday, July 22, 2013
On Braun... In Rome...
Braun
Okay, thoughts on MLB's announcement that Ryan Braun is suspended for the remainder of 2013. I gave him the benefit of the doubt in the last few days of 2011. If I had a vote, it would have been for Matt Kemp of the Dodgers. Now with today's announcement, I can understand the anger from Dodger fans and the disappointment that Kemp likely feels. Kemp in my mind is the 2011 NL MVP even if MLB (who really doesn't have a dog in the fight) and the Baseball Writers Association of America (which does) keeps the status quo. It's a shame if that doesn't happen, then again, it's also a shame about what happened to Hank Aaron's record as well. I view MLB as complicit in that tragedy, even though they are not in terms of the Braun fiasco.
Braun owes quite a few people apologies. In LA... In Phoenix (remember that the original issue was samples tested during the 2011 NLDS which Milwaukee won 3 games to 2)... To his teammates... The Brewers fan base will probably return if he comes out of spring training in 2014 and puts up the numbers they're accustomed to seeing. Braun's comments in spring training in 2012 are getting a lot of play now on ESPN and the MLB Network and each one of those words ring hollow now. Maybe this is the tipping point, where the silent majority of players in the ranks of the MLBPA begin to be heard. Maybe... One can hope.
Lakewood Blue Claws vs Rome Braves
Great night in Rome tonight at State Mutual Stadium as the Braves' South Atlantic League affiliate (high A) hosted the Lakewood (Philadelphia Phillies affiliate). The Braves 2013 first round pick Jason Hursh started and went 3 IP hitless with 1 walk and 1 K. Really impressive fastball which tailed toward the RH batter. I had him at 32 pitches 19 strikes. Patrick Scoggin came in during the 4th and also pitched 3 innings with 3 Ks and no walks.
Very impressive night from Kyle Wren who went 3-5 with a triple, 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. The triple was a gapper to RC, however Wren also showed a nice opposite field touch with two singles to left in the 5th and 6th innings. Rome got a homer from catcher Chase Anselment and hammered the Blue Claws 10-2.
This was my second trip to Rome. Very nice ballpark. I like the restaurant behind home plate (club seat tickets and season tickets are required), we sat in the front row behind the plate. Great time at Rome.
Tomorrow, heading to Gwinnett to see the AAA International League Braves play Durham.
Okay, thoughts on MLB's announcement that Ryan Braun is suspended for the remainder of 2013. I gave him the benefit of the doubt in the last few days of 2011. If I had a vote, it would have been for Matt Kemp of the Dodgers. Now with today's announcement, I can understand the anger from Dodger fans and the disappointment that Kemp likely feels. Kemp in my mind is the 2011 NL MVP even if MLB (who really doesn't have a dog in the fight) and the Baseball Writers Association of America (which does) keeps the status quo. It's a shame if that doesn't happen, then again, it's also a shame about what happened to Hank Aaron's record as well. I view MLB as complicit in that tragedy, even though they are not in terms of the Braun fiasco.
Braun owes quite a few people apologies. In LA... In Phoenix (remember that the original issue was samples tested during the 2011 NLDS which Milwaukee won 3 games to 2)... To his teammates... The Brewers fan base will probably return if he comes out of spring training in 2014 and puts up the numbers they're accustomed to seeing. Braun's comments in spring training in 2012 are getting a lot of play now on ESPN and the MLB Network and each one of those words ring hollow now. Maybe this is the tipping point, where the silent majority of players in the ranks of the MLBPA begin to be heard. Maybe... One can hope.
Lakewood Blue Claws vs Rome Braves
Great night in Rome tonight at State Mutual Stadium as the Braves' South Atlantic League affiliate (high A) hosted the Lakewood (Philadelphia Phillies affiliate). The Braves 2013 first round pick Jason Hursh started and went 3 IP hitless with 1 walk and 1 K. Really impressive fastball which tailed toward the RH batter. I had him at 32 pitches 19 strikes. Patrick Scoggin came in during the 4th and also pitched 3 innings with 3 Ks and no walks.
Very impressive night from Kyle Wren who went 3-5 with a triple, 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. The triple was a gapper to RC, however Wren also showed a nice opposite field touch with two singles to left in the 5th and 6th innings. Rome got a homer from catcher Chase Anselment and hammered the Blue Claws 10-2.
This was my second trip to Rome. Very nice ballpark. I like the restaurant behind home plate (club seat tickets and season tickets are required), we sat in the front row behind the plate. Great time at Rome.
Tomorrow, heading to Gwinnett to see the AAA International League Braves play Durham.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
My 2013 NL All-Star Roster
It's been entirely too long since I've posted here, so need to get back into blogging again. What better time to do that than at the voting deadline for the 2013 Midsummer Classic? Just for fun, I'll not only lay out who I voted as starters for the NL squad, I've also sat down and worked out who I believe should be on the 34 player NL roster, pitchers and all.
Now I need to preface my selected roster with a couple rules here. Just like NL manager Bruce Bochy, I'll also make sure my roster includes a representative from each NL team. Unlike Bruce however, players have to be eligible at this point in the season for the batting title. In other words, players must have at least on average 3.1 plate appearances to be considered. Why? Well, I believe players should have been playing most of the first half of the season. This would cost some of the elite players which would have normally gotten the nod due to injury (Brian McCann, Chase Utley and Bryce Harper come to mind) as well as players that might not have been playing the full amount of games most regulars would have played to the break (two come to mind: Yaisel Puig and Evan Gattis). All of those I mentioned have a case to be included, however, my roster, my rules. All stats mentioned are as of July 1st, 2013.
Now, without further ado. Here we go...
Yadier Molina - St Louis
Russell Martin - Pittsburgh
Posey gets the nod at backstop after a .319/.393/.538/.931 first half with 12 HRs and 48 RBIs. This would be the Leesburg, GA native's second straight All-Star start after going 0-2 with a walk and a run scored in last year's game at Kaufmann Stadium in KC. Molina has had a splendid first half of the season keeping the Cards at or near the lead in the Central. This would be Molina's 5th straight All-Star appearance. The story of the first half is the resurgence in Pittsburgh, led in part by Martin's 8 HR 30 RBI work at the plate and his work behind the dish with Pittsburgh's staff ERA of 3.11. Martin would be making his 4th AS game appearance.
Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona
Freddie Freeman - Atlanta
Votto would be making his 4th straight appearance at Citi Field in NYC in a couple weeks after posting a .325 batting average for the first half along with 14 HRs and 38 RBIs. I don't think anyone would have expected the kind of season that the Diamondback's Paul Goldschmidt is having (.303/.382/.557/.939 with 20 HRs and 69 RBIs), and on a lineup that is known for their free swinging ways, Freddie Freeman has shown me some outstanding plate discipline this year, particularly with two strikes. A .307 average doesn't hurt either. Goldschmidt and Freeman would each be making their first appearance.
Marco Scutaro - San Francisco
Carpenter's had an outstanding first half for the Cardinals (7 HRs 32 RBIs .322/.397/.482/.879) and Scutaro has played well out in San Francisco after garnering the 2012 NLCS MVP last fall. Utley and the Padres' Jedd Gyorko would also be in the conversation for me with more PAs. Both Carpenter and Scutaro would be making their first AS game appearance.
Everth Cabrera - San Diego
Ian Desmond - Washington
Troy Tulowitzki's broken right rib opened the door for the Brewers' Jean Segura here. Segura has had a stellar first half in what has otherwise been a forgettable first few months of the season in Milwaukee with 11 HRs and 33 RBIs. Cabrera has hit .305 for the Padres in the first half and leads the NL in stolen bases with 32 (Segura ironically is 2nd). Ian Desmond has hit well in the first half for the Nats (15 HRs and 49 RBIs). This would be Desmond's second AS game appearance and the first for Segura and Cabrera.
Ryan Zimmerman - Washington
Wright gets the vote for the home town All-Star team with his typical first half stats (12 HRs 42 RBIs .306/.393/.520/.914) and Zimmerman has played well of late, hitting .297 from June 20th to July 1st and raising his batting average almost 10 points over those 11 games. The Braves' Chris Johnson and the Pirates' Pedro Alvarez also get consideration here. Wright would be making his 7th AS game appearance and Zimmerman his 2nd.
Carlos Beltran - St Louis (Starter)
Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh (Starter)
Michael Cuddyer - Colorado
Carlos Gomez - Milwaukee
Shin-Soo Choo - Cincinnati
Hunter Pence - San Francisco
Domonic Brown - Philadelphia
Lots of outfielders having great seasons this year makes things difficult when trying to settle on 6-7, so 8 made the cut this year for my roster. Gonzalez is the NL HR leader with 23, Beltran is hitting .308 and McCutchen is hitting .292 and has swiped 16 bases. Cuddyer is hitting .344, Gomez is having a great first half in Milwaukee, Choo and Pence are hitting for power and Domonic Brown is coming on strong at the end of the first half. The NL has a tremendous amount of outfield talent thus far in 2013. This would be appearance number one for Gonzalez, Gomez, Choo and Brown, number two for Cuddyer, number three for Pence and McCutchen and number eight for Beltran
Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles
Patrick Corbin - Arizona
Jeff Locke - Pittsburgh
Adam Wainwright - St Louis
Mike Leake - Cincinnati
Cliff Lee - Philadelphia
Jose Fernandez - Miami
Rex Brothers - Colorado
Mark Melancon - Pittsburgh
Kevin Gregg - Chicago Cubs
Jason Grilli - Pittsburgh
Craig Kimbrel - Atlanta
I don't believe middle relievers get the love they should come All-Star time, so I usually pick at least one middle reliever and this year two made my cut. My starter would be Matt Harvey of the Mets, again a home town selection who has really been outstanding in the first half of the season (7-1 record, 2.00 ERA, 10.9 K/9 innings). Locke and Kershaw have both also been outstanding as has Corbin. Rex Brothers and Mark Melancon are my middle reliever selections and my closers are the three-headed monster of Gregg, Grilli and Kimbrel. This would be Harvey, Corbin, Locke, Leake, Fernandez, Brothers, Melancon, Gregg and Grilli's first AS game appearance, 2nd for Wainwright, 3rd for Kershaw and Kimbrel and the 4th for Lee.
Now I need to preface my selected roster with a couple rules here. Just like NL manager Bruce Bochy, I'll also make sure my roster includes a representative from each NL team. Unlike Bruce however, players have to be eligible at this point in the season for the batting title. In other words, players must have at least on average 3.1 plate appearances to be considered. Why? Well, I believe players should have been playing most of the first half of the season. This would cost some of the elite players which would have normally gotten the nod due to injury (Brian McCann, Chase Utley and Bryce Harper come to mind) as well as players that might not have been playing the full amount of games most regulars would have played to the break (two come to mind: Yaisel Puig and Evan Gattis). All of those I mentioned have a case to be included, however, my roster, my rules. All stats mentioned are as of July 1st, 2013.
Now, without further ado. Here we go...
Catcher
Buster Posey - San Francisco (Starter)Yadier Molina - St Louis
Russell Martin - Pittsburgh
Posey gets the nod at backstop after a .319/.393/.538/.931 first half with 12 HRs and 48 RBIs. This would be the Leesburg, GA native's second straight All-Star start after going 0-2 with a walk and a run scored in last year's game at Kaufmann Stadium in KC. Molina has had a splendid first half of the season keeping the Cards at or near the lead in the Central. This would be Molina's 5th straight All-Star appearance. The story of the first half is the resurgence in Pittsburgh, led in part by Martin's 8 HR 30 RBI work at the plate and his work behind the dish with Pittsburgh's staff ERA of 3.11. Martin would be making his 4th AS game appearance.
First Base
Joey Votto - Cincinnati (Starter)Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona
Freddie Freeman - Atlanta
Votto would be making his 4th straight appearance at Citi Field in NYC in a couple weeks after posting a .325 batting average for the first half along with 14 HRs and 38 RBIs. I don't think anyone would have expected the kind of season that the Diamondback's Paul Goldschmidt is having (.303/.382/.557/.939 with 20 HRs and 69 RBIs), and on a lineup that is known for their free swinging ways, Freddie Freeman has shown me some outstanding plate discipline this year, particularly with two strikes. A .307 average doesn't hurt either. Goldschmidt and Freeman would each be making their first appearance.
Second Base
Matt Carpenter - St Louis (Starter)Marco Scutaro - San Francisco
Carpenter's had an outstanding first half for the Cardinals (7 HRs 32 RBIs .322/.397/.482/.879) and Scutaro has played well out in San Francisco after garnering the 2012 NLCS MVP last fall. Utley and the Padres' Jedd Gyorko would also be in the conversation for me with more PAs. Both Carpenter and Scutaro would be making their first AS game appearance.
Shortstop
Jean Segura - Milwaukee (Starter)Everth Cabrera - San Diego
Ian Desmond - Washington
Troy Tulowitzki's broken right rib opened the door for the Brewers' Jean Segura here. Segura has had a stellar first half in what has otherwise been a forgettable first few months of the season in Milwaukee with 11 HRs and 33 RBIs. Cabrera has hit .305 for the Padres in the first half and leads the NL in stolen bases with 32 (Segura ironically is 2nd). Ian Desmond has hit well in the first half for the Nats (15 HRs and 49 RBIs). This would be Desmond's second AS game appearance and the first for Segura and Cabrera.
Third Base
David Wright - New York Mets (Starter)Ryan Zimmerman - Washington
Wright gets the vote for the home town All-Star team with his typical first half stats (12 HRs 42 RBIs .306/.393/.520/.914) and Zimmerman has played well of late, hitting .297 from June 20th to July 1st and raising his batting average almost 10 points over those 11 games. The Braves' Chris Johnson and the Pirates' Pedro Alvarez also get consideration here. Wright would be making his 7th AS game appearance and Zimmerman his 2nd.
Outfield
Carlos Gonzalez - Colorado (Starter)Carlos Beltran - St Louis (Starter)
Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh (Starter)
Michael Cuddyer - Colorado
Carlos Gomez - Milwaukee
Shin-Soo Choo - Cincinnati
Hunter Pence - San Francisco
Domonic Brown - Philadelphia
Lots of outfielders having great seasons this year makes things difficult when trying to settle on 6-7, so 8 made the cut this year for my roster. Gonzalez is the NL HR leader with 23, Beltran is hitting .308 and McCutchen is hitting .292 and has swiped 16 bases. Cuddyer is hitting .344, Gomez is having a great first half in Milwaukee, Choo and Pence are hitting for power and Domonic Brown is coming on strong at the end of the first half. The NL has a tremendous amount of outfield talent thus far in 2013. This would be appearance number one for Gonzalez, Gomez, Choo and Brown, number two for Cuddyer, number three for Pence and McCutchen and number eight for Beltran
Pitchers
Matt Harvey - New York Mets (Starter)Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles
Patrick Corbin - Arizona
Jeff Locke - Pittsburgh
Adam Wainwright - St Louis
Mike Leake - Cincinnati
Cliff Lee - Philadelphia
Jose Fernandez - Miami
Rex Brothers - Colorado
Mark Melancon - Pittsburgh
Kevin Gregg - Chicago Cubs
Jason Grilli - Pittsburgh
Craig Kimbrel - Atlanta
I don't believe middle relievers get the love they should come All-Star time, so I usually pick at least one middle reliever and this year two made my cut. My starter would be Matt Harvey of the Mets, again a home town selection who has really been outstanding in the first half of the season (7-1 record, 2.00 ERA, 10.9 K/9 innings). Locke and Kershaw have both also been outstanding as has Corbin. Rex Brothers and Mark Melancon are my middle reliever selections and my closers are the three-headed monster of Gregg, Grilli and Kimbrel. This would be Harvey, Corbin, Locke, Leake, Fernandez, Brothers, Melancon, Gregg and Grilli's first AS game appearance, 2nd for Wainwright, 3rd for Kershaw and Kimbrel and the 4th for Lee.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
San Diego Padres 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 0
Took the relatively short drive down to San Diego and spent time prior to the game at the USS Midway, which is a floating museum docked downtown. The museum has a mixture of self-guided and guided tours, most of it is self-guided, however the Bridge, navigation and flight operation areas are guided and the whole ship was fascinating to me. Great time to spend a few hours.
The Padres sent Aaron Harang to the hill, the long time Cincinnati hurler has really been the lone bright spot in what has been an overall disappointing year by the San Diego rotation. Going into tonight's game, Harang led the staff in victories (13), the Dodgers countered with Chad Billingsley. With this game playing no role in the championship chase, both managers are trying out some of the kids on the farm, more on that in a moment.
LA's Matt Kemp aspires to be the first NL triple crown winner since Joe Medwick in 1937 and has been blistering the ball as of late. Kemp went 1-4, dropping his average to .325 which trails Ryan Braun (.331) and Jose Reyes (.330), but still leads in RBIs and is tied with Albert Pujols in homers.
In terms of the game, all of the offense came in the home half of the 5th with back-to-back RBI singles by Will Venable and Orlando Hudson, an errant pickoff throw to 1st by Dodger catcher Tim Federowicz allowed Venable to score with the third run.
San Diego shortstop Andy Parrino made two sterling diving stabs on back-to-back grounders to rob both Juan Rivera and James Loney of hits in the 7th.
Another day of photos in LA on tap for tomorrow and I head back to San Francisco for their game Monday night against the Rockies.
The Padres sent Aaron Harang to the hill, the long time Cincinnati hurler has really been the lone bright spot in what has been an overall disappointing year by the San Diego rotation. Going into tonight's game, Harang led the staff in victories (13), the Dodgers countered with Chad Billingsley. With this game playing no role in the championship chase, both managers are trying out some of the kids on the farm, more on that in a moment.
LA's Matt Kemp aspires to be the first NL triple crown winner since Joe Medwick in 1937 and has been blistering the ball as of late. Kemp went 1-4, dropping his average to .325 which trails Ryan Braun (.331) and Jose Reyes (.330), but still leads in RBIs and is tied with Albert Pujols in homers.
In terms of the game, all of the offense came in the home half of the 5th with back-to-back RBI singles by Will Venable and Orlando Hudson, an errant pickoff throw to 1st by Dodger catcher Tim Federowicz allowed Venable to score with the third run.
San Diego shortstop Andy Parrino made two sterling diving stabs on back-to-back grounders to rob both Juan Rivera and James Loney of hits in the 7th.
Another day of photos in LA on tap for tomorrow and I head back to San Francisco for their game Monday night against the Rockies.
Oakland A's 3, Los Angeles Angels 1
Started the day with photos at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, then lunch with a friend from ORHS before heading out to Anaheim to catch the Oakland A's for the second time this week playing the home standing Los Angeles Angels.
Angels fans still held hope of a wild card berth, but those hopes took a severe hit tonight as the A's defeated the Angels 3-1 behind a stellar pitching performance by Oakland's Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez pitched 7 1/3 innings yielding only 3 hits and an earned run courtesy of a 7th inning homer by LA's Torii Hunter. Jered Weaver got off to an inauspicious start with a homer by the A's Jemile Weeks, his second of the season. Weaver would settle down and threw 8 1/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits.
Along with Week's first inning homer, Oakland's David DeJesus would add the icing on the cake with a 9th inning homer off of Weaver who drops to 18-8 with the loss. A's closer Andrew Bailey would pitch a perfect 9th for his 22nd save of the year. Angels fans would cheer a great defensive play in the 5th with one out and Scott Sizemore at the plate. Erick Aybar made a nifty diving stop and leaped up to gun Sizemore out at first.
Tomorrow's game is the Dodgers/Padres from Petco Park in San Diego. Thus far, every visiting team has won, so I'll be interested to see if present trends continue.
Angels fans still held hope of a wild card berth, but those hopes took a severe hit tonight as the A's defeated the Angels 3-1 behind a stellar pitching performance by Oakland's Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez pitched 7 1/3 innings yielding only 3 hits and an earned run courtesy of a 7th inning homer by LA's Torii Hunter. Jered Weaver got off to an inauspicious start with a homer by the A's Jemile Weeks, his second of the season. Weaver would settle down and threw 8 1/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits.
Along with Week's first inning homer, Oakland's David DeJesus would add the icing on the cake with a 9th inning homer off of Weaver who drops to 18-8 with the loss. A's closer Andrew Bailey would pitch a perfect 9th for his 22nd save of the year. Angels fans would cheer a great defensive play in the 5th with one out and Scott Sizemore at the plate. Erick Aybar made a nifty diving stop and leaped up to gun Sizemore out at first.
Tomorrow's game is the Dodgers/Padres from Petco Park in San Diego. Thus far, every visiting team has won, so I'll be interested to see if present trends continue.
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