Gurriel shames the Houston franchise

Yulieski Gurriel is an ass. He antics are so way off base, it's ridiculous.

Gurriel's mocking of Yu Darvish goes way beyond a 5 game 2018 league suspension.

It deserves the book to be thrown at him, by the league. A 3 game suspension now is what would have been more appropriate. Instead, he is given a 5 game suspension that will begin next season , and we still await some type of opposition to a 5 game suspension, possibly reducing it by a game or two.

Gurriel , who is a visible minority himself, makes him a selfless ass. He demeans the fine city of Houston.  Think of all the fine citizens of Houston , many of them visible minorities, many of them are probably Asian or off Asian decent, which were displaced by Hurricane Harvey, and many of them represent first responders.

Okay, I think I have sufficiently made my point.

Fall Classic

You might not have been able to guess it based on the 100-plus degree temperatures in Los Angeles, but after two baseball-less days the Fall Classic is slated to get underway in the City of Angels on Tuesday.

The pitching matchup in Game 1 of the World Series will pit two left-handed former Cy Young winners up against each other, with Dallas Keuchel taking the ball for the Astros and Clayton Kershaw toeing the slab for the Dodgers.

Kershaw will actually be starting two straight games for the Dodgers, as he helped to close out the Cubs in NLCS Game 5 last Thursday, tossing six innings of one-run ball. In three outings this postseason, the ace southpaw holds a 3.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 16/5 K/BB ratio over 17 1/3 innings.

The Astros’ roster has a total of 107 plate appearances versus Kershaw, and they’ve hit a combined .229/.292/.312 with zero home runs. Of the players with more than three plate appearances against the lefty, the guy that’s had the most success is – you guessed it – Jose Altuve (he’s 6-for-15 with four doubles).

The Dodgers’ roster has only 29 plate appearances against Keuchel, and Logan Forsythe has 20 of them. He’s managed seven hits – including a triple – versus the left-hander and is a safe bet to be penciled into the lineup at second base. Keuchel wasn’t great in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Yankees but overall has been excellent in three postseason outings, putting up a 2.60 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 25/5 K/BB ratio across 17 1/3 frames.

Speaking of former Cy Young winners, the Astros will send another one to the bump in Game 2 in Justin Verlander, who will oppose Rich Hill. Yu Darvish and Alex Wood are slotted in as the Dodgers’ Game 3 and 4 starters, respectively, while the Astros are expected to go with some combination of Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers. Morton earned the opportunity after he went five scoreless innings in Game 7 of the ALCS, and McCullers will get the shot after he tossed six frames of one-run ball in ALCS Game 4 and went four scoreless in relief in Game 7.

Seager “Good to Go”

The Dodgers needed only five games to dispatch of the Cubs in the NLCS, doing so without star shortstop Corey Seager. They’ll have the reigning National League Rookie of the Year back for the World Series.

Seager went through a simulated game Monday at Dodger Stadium, showing no ill effects of the lower back sprain that kept him out of the NLCS. The Dodgers won’t officially announce their World Series roster until Tuesday, but Seager said Monday that he’s “good to go.”

Seager injured his back on a slide in the NLDS-clinching Game 3 win over the Diamondbacks. The 23-year-old noted that he hasn’t tried sliding again yet in workouts, but it doesn’t appear that’s something that will keep him from being in the lineup in Game 1.

On Sunday, manager Dave Roberts left open the possibility that Seager could serve as a designated hitter for the games in Houston as a way to give his back a little more rest. That might give some starts at shortstop to Charlie Culberson, who filled in admirably for Seager in the NLCS by going 5-for-11 at the plate while playing solid defense. For what it’s worth, though, Seager said his back soreness wasn’t any more pronounced in the field or at the plate.

Seager struggled down the stretch of the regular season while battling an elbow injury, but obviously the Dodgers will be thrilled to get his bat back into the lineup.


Quick Hits: Justin Turner (general soreness) went through agility drills in the outfield at Dodger Stadium on Monday and will be ready for Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday … The Mets officially hired former Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway as their new manager on Monday … Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post has reported that the Nationals have requested and received permission to interview Mets hitting coach Kevin Long for their manager job. They’re also interviewing Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez this week … The Braves declined R.A. Dickey's $8 million club option for 2018. Dickey is considering retirement. The club exercised Tyler Flowers' $4 million club option for 2018 …

Pitching previews

Starting Pitching Projections Review

Top 25

1. Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers
Projection: 19-7, 2.08 ERA, 0.863 WHIP, 15 HR, 253/28 K/BB in 212 IP
2017 stats: 18-4, 2.31 ERA, 0.949 WHIP, 23 HR, 202/30 K/BB in 175 IP

It wasn’t quite the same Kershaw this year; after three straight years with sub-2.00 FIPs, he came in at 3.07 this year. He gave up as many homers in 175 innings as he did in 383 innings between 2015 & 2016.

2. Noah Syndergaard - Mets
Projection: 17-6, 2.65 ERA, 1.051 WHIP, 14 HR, 223/41 K/BB in 190 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 1-2, 2.97 ERA, 1.055 WHIP, 0 HR, 34/3 K/BB in 30 1/3 IP

3. Max Scherzer - Nationals
Projection: 17-9, 3.23 ERA, 1.071 WHIP, 28 HR, 255/47 K/BB in 214 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 16-6, 2.51 ERA, 0.902 WHIP, 22 HR, 268/55 K/BB in 200 2/3 IP

While most saw their home run totals rise this year, Scherzer’s fell from 31 to 22, albeit in 28 fewer innings.

4. Chris Sale - Red Sox
Projection: 17-8, 3.19 ERA, 1.050 WHIP, 24 HR, 224/39 K/BB in 205 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 17-8, 2.90 ERA, 0.970 WHIP, 24 HR, 308/43 K/BB in 214 1/3 IP

5. Jake Arrieta - Cubs
Projection: 16-9, 2.96 ERA, 1.050 WHIP, 17 HR, 198/53 K/BB in 201 IP
2017 stats: 14-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.218 WHIP, 23 HR, 163/55 K/BB in 168 1/3 IP

6. Madison Bumgarner - Giants
Projection: 16-11, 3.10 ERA, 1.078 WHIP, 24 HR, 224/47 K/BB in 218 IP
2017 stats: 4-9, 3.32 ERA, 1.090 WHIP, 17 HR, 101/20 K/BB in 111 IP

7. Corey Kluber - Indians
Projection: 16-10, 3.33 ERA, 1.083 WHIP, 26 HR, 231/45 K/BB in 216 IP
2017 stats: 18-4, 2.25 ERA, 0.869 WHIP, 21 HR, 265/36 K/BB in 203 2/3 IP

8. Kyle Hendricks - Cubs
Projection: 16-8, 3.02 ERA, 1.066 WHIP, 18 HR, 167/41 K/BB in 197 IP
2017 stats: 7-5, 3.03 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, 17 HR, 123/40 K/BB in 139 2/3 IP

Hendricks amassing a 3.03 ERA this year while throwing 86 mph was even more impressive than his 2.13 ERA in 2016, especially considering the decline in the Cubs’ defense. His velocity was a little better at the end of the year than at the beginning, but I’m still not going to be nearly this high on him again next spring. His margin for error is going to be razor thin unless he somehow gets more on his fastball.

9. Yu Darvish - Rangers/Dodgers
Projection: 15-8, 3.32 ERA, 1.132 WHIP, 23 HR, 244/61 K/BB in 190 IP
2017 stats: 10-12, 3.86 ERA, 1.163 WHIP, 27 HR, 209/58 K/BB in 186 2/3 IP

10. Jacob deGrom - Mets
Projection: 16-8, 3.22 ERA, 1.133 WHIP, 21 HR, 207/44 K/BB in 198 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 15-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.187 WHIP, 28 HR, 239/59 K/BB in 201 1/3 IP

11. Jon Lester - Cubs
Projection: 15-9, 3.24 ERA, 1.086 WHIP, 21 HR, 187/46 K/BB in 194 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 13-8, 4.33 ERA, 1.323 WHIP, 26 HR, 180/60 K/BB in 180 2/3 IP

12. Justin Verlander - Tigers/Astros
Projection: 16-11, 3.53 ERA, 1.136 WHIP, 30 HR, 222/48 K/BB in 214 IP
2017 stats: 15-8, 3.36 ERA, 1.175 WHIP, 27 HR, 219/72 K/BB in 206 IP

A 15-8 record because of those five late starts with the Astros. If he stayed with the Tigers, he’s probably 12-10 at best.

13. Stephen Strasburg - Nationals
Projection: 13-7, 3.17 ERA, 1.062 WHIP, 19 HR, 184/34 K/BB in 162 IP
2017 stats: 15-4, 2.52 ERA, 1.015 WHIP, 13 HR, 204/47 K/BB in 175 1/3 IP

He still couldn’t quite turn in a full season, but this is the closest that Strasburg has come to pitching to his full potential. His 2.72 FIP was best in the NL.

14. Johnny Cueto - Giants
Projection: 14-11, 3.35 ERA, 1.142 WHIP, 20 HR, 181/47 K/BB in 209 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 8-8, 4.52 ERA, 1.446 WHIP, 22 HR, 136/53 K/BB in 147 1/3 IP

15. Aaron Nola - Phillies
Projection: 13-9, 3.27 ERA, 1.139 WHIP, 18 HR, 184/40 K/BB in 181 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 12-11, 3.54 ERA, 1.208 WHIP, 18 HR, 184/49 K/BB in 168 IP

16. Masahiro Tanaka - Yankees
Projection: 13-9, 3.36 ERA, 1.121 WHIP, 24 HR, 163/31 K/BB in 184 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 13-12, 4.74 ERA, 1.239 WHIP, 35 HR, 194/41 K/BB in 178 1/3 IP

17. Carlos Carrasco - Indians
Projection: 13-10, 3.50 ERA, 1.138 WHIP, 23 HR, 184/41 K/BB in 185 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 18-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.095 WHIP, 21 HR, 226/46 K/BB in 200 IP

18. Carlos Martinez - Indians
Projection: 15-8, 3.24 ERA, 1.206 WHIP, 14 HR, 174/58 K/BB in 189 IP
2017 stats: 12-11, 3.64 ERA, 1.220 WHIP, 27 HR, 217/71 K/BB in 205 IP

Martinez’s home-run rate doubled from his career mark this year; he went from allowing 0.60 per nine innings to 1.19 in 2017. There still aren’t any real red flags here, though.

19. David Price - Red Sox
Projection: 12-9, 3.50 ERA, 1.120 WHIP, 21 HR, 165/33 K/BB in 169 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 6-3, 3.38 ERA, 1.192 WHIP, 8 HR, 76/24 K/BB in 74 2/3 IP

20. Gerrit Cole - Pirates
Projection: 13-8, 3.31 ERA, 1.149 WHIP, 14 HR, 167/43 K/BB in 174 IP
2017 stats: 12-12, 4.26 ERA, 1.251 WHIP, 31 HR, 196/55 K/BB in 203 IP

Cole is another one who had been really good at eluding the home run ball until this year. In fact, his spike was bigger than Martinez’s; he went from allowing 0.56 HR per nine innings to 1.37 this year. His strikeout and walk rates were strong, and apart from the homers, he allowed fewer hits than usual. I assume we’ll see some sort of rebound next year.

21. Jose Quintana - White Sox/Cubs
Projection: 13-11, 3.56 ERA, 1.166 WHIP, 23 HR, 183/44 K/BB in 205 IP
2017 stats: 11-11, 4.15 ERA, 1.224 WHIP, 23 HR, 207/61 K/BB in 188 2/3 IP

22. Lance McCullers - Astros
Projection: 12-7, 3.09 ERA, 1.192 WHIP, 12 HR, 180/59 K/BB in 154 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 7-4, 4.25 ERA, 1.298 WHIP, 8 HR, 132/40 K/BB in 118 2/3 IP

23. Matt Harvey - Mets
Projection: 12-9, 3.53 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 21 HR, 165/33 K/BB in 176 IP
2017 stats: 5-7, 6.70 ERA, 1.694 WHIP, 21 HR, 67/47 K/BB in 92 2/3 IP

Is he still paying for throwing so many innings in 2015? We’ll never know whether that’s really the case, but things seem awfully bleak at the moment. The Mets will tender him a contract and sign him for about $5.5 million, but if he doesn’t show something in spring training, they could cut him and owe him just a quarter of the amount.

24. James Paxton - Mariners
Projection: 13-8, 3.45 ERA, 1.197 WHIP, 19 HR, 180/51 K/BB in 174 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 12-5, 2.98 ERA, 1.103 WHIP, 9 HR, 156/37 K/BB in 136 IP

25. Cole Hamels - Rangers
Projection: 15-10, 3.72 ERA, 1.211 WHIP, 25 HR, 198/58 K/BB in 205 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 11-6, 4.20 ERA, 1.203 WHIP, 18 HR, 105/53 K/BB in 148 IP  

The 6.4 K/9 IP is going to scare off a bunch of people next year. Hamels fanned 200 in 200 2/3 innings in 2016, so the decline was really sudden. His velocity drop wasn’t all that severe, but if he loses more off his fastball next year, things could get ugly in a hurry.
27. Rick Porcello - Red Sox
Projection: 15-11, 3.87 ERA, 1.150 WHIP, 28 HR, 175/38 K/BB in 214 IP
2017 stats: 11-17, 4.65 ERA, 1.397 WHIP, 38 HR, 181/48 K/BB in 203 1/3 IP

28. Chris Archer - Rays
Projection: 13-10, 3.57 ERA, 1.227 WHIP, 22 HR, 198/58 K/BB in 186 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 10-12, 4.07 ERA, 1.259 WHIP, 27 HR, 249/60 K/BB in 201 IP

29. Julio Teheran - Braves
Projection: 13-11, 3.75 ERA, 1.155 WHIP, 28 HR, 175/45 K/BB in 206 IP
2017 stats: 11-13, 4.49 ERA, 1.370 WHIP, 31 HR, 151/72 K/BB in 188 1/3 IP

30. Rich Hill - Cubs
Projection: 10-6, 3.16 ERA, 1.106 WHIP, 13 HR, 147/41 K/BB in 128 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 12-8, 3.32 ERA, 1.091 WHIP, 18 HR, 166/49 K/BB in 135 2/3 IP

34. Marcus Stroman - Blue Jays
Projection: 14-10, 3.64 ERA, 1.204 WHIP, 19 HR, 159/45 K/BB in 197 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 13-9, 3.09 ERA, 1.308 WHIP, 21 HR, 164/62 K/BB in 201 IP

Stroman’s 3.09 ERA this year came with slightly worse peripherals than his 4.37 ERA in 2016. I still feel pretty good about him going forward, but because his ERA was so good this year, he probably won’t be much of a value pick next spring.

38. Dallas Keuchel - Astros
Projection: 14-9, 3.66 ERA, 1.206 WHIP, 19 HR, 161/47 K/BB in 194 IP
2017 stats: 14-5, 2.90 ERA, 1.119 WHIP, 15 HR, 125/47 K/BB in 145 2/3 IP

43. Alex Cobb - Rays
Projection: 12-9, 3.61 ERA, 1.204 WHIP, 18 HR, 161/53 K/BB in 184 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 12-10, 3.66 ERA, 1.221 WHIP, 22 HR, 128/44 K/BB in 179 1/3 IP

45. Matt Moore - Giants
Projection: 12-11, 3.67 ERA, 1.233 WHIP, 23 HR, 183/62 K/BB in 189 IP
2017 stats: 6-15, 5.52 ERA, 1.532 WHIP, 27 HR, 148/67 K/BB in 174 1/3 IP

Matt Less.

47. Zack Greinke - Rays
Projection: 12-12, 3.90 ERA, 1.210 WHIP, 26 HR, 182/45 K/BB in 203 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 17-7, 3.20 ERA, 1.072 WHIP, 25 HR, 215/45 K/BB in 202 1/3 IP

The lesson here is never to assume you have Greinke figured out. I didn’t expect much of a rebound with his velocity and strikeout rate dipping. Well, the velocity continued to drop, yet he came up with his second biggest strikeout rate ever. Greinke’s ERA has started with a different number each of the last four years (2.71, 1.66, 4.37, 3.20).

49. Danny Duffy - Royals
Projection: 11-10, 3.89 ERA, 1.199 WHIP, 24 HR, 173/50 K/BB in 176 IP
2017 stats: 9-10, 3.81 ERA, 1.257 WHIP, 13 HR, 130/41 K/BB in 146 1/3 IP

58. Robbie Ray - Diamondbacks
Projection: 11-11, 3.86 ERA, 1.291 WHIP, 24 HR, 215/67 K/BB in 191 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 15-5, 2.89 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, 23 HR, 218/71 K/BB in 162 IP

61. Michael Wacha - Cardinals
Projection: 12-9, 3.74 ERA, 1.242 WHIP, 18 HR, 147/49 K/BB in 170 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 12-9, 4.13 ERA, 1.358 WHIP, 17 HR, 158/55 K/BB in 165 2/3 IP

67. Jharel Cotton - Athletics
Projection: 10-10, 3.90 ERA, 1.212 WHIP, 25 HR, 161/44 K/BB in 168 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 9-10, 5.58 ERA, 1.442 WHIP, 28 HR, 105/53 K/BB in 129 IP

I was high on Cotton going in, but it seems his fastball just isn’t good enough, at least not as a starter. Maybe he’d get a velocity boost in relief.

71. Tyler Glasnow - Pirates
Projection: 11-9, 3.73 ERA, 1.341 WHIP, 16 HR, 182/79 K/BB in 164 IP
2017 stats: 2-7, 7.69 ERA, 2.016 WHIP, 13 HR, 56/44 K/BB in 62 IP

Big yikes. Glasnow was lights out in Triple-A after losing his spot in the Pirates’ rotation, but when he rejoined the team in September, he just couldn’t throw strikes. Spring training will determine whether he’s worth taking a chance on next year. His ceiling remains sky-high.

74. Alex Wood - Dodgers
Projection: 9-7, 3.57 ERA, 1.238 WHIP, 14 HR, 136/45 K/BB in 141 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 16-3, 2.72 ERA, 1.057 WHIP, 15 HR, 151/38 K/BB in 152 1/3 IP

78. Sonny Gray - Athletics/Yankees
Projection: 11-10, 3.86 ERA, 1.277 WHIP, 18 HR, 141/52 K/BB in 174 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 10-12, 3.55 ERA, 1.207 WHIP, 19 HR, 153/57 K/BB in 162 1/3 IP

82. Lance Lynn - Cardinals
Projection: 11-9, 3.79 ERA, 1.323 WHIP, 16 HR, 157/64 K/BB in 178 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 11-8, 3.43 ERA, 1.229 WHIP, 27 HR, 153/78 K/BB in 186 1/3 IP

83. Hyun-Jin Ryu - Dodgers
Projection: 9-7, 3.66 ERA, 1.221 WHIP, 14 HR, 109/31 K/BB in 132 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 5-9, 3.77 ERA, 1.366 WHIP, 22 HR, 116/45 K/BB in 126 2/3 IP

84. Mike Leake - Cardinals/Mariners
Projection: 12-12, 3.94 ERA, 1.237 WHIP, 22 HR, 130/40 K/BB in 194 IP
2017 stats: 10-13, 3.92 ERA, 1.280 WHIP, 20 HR, 130/37 K/BB in 186 IP

When Leake ended May with a 2.24 ERA, it didn’t seem likely that this would go down as one of my best projections. It actually took a late rally; Leake had a 4.21 ERA for the Cardinals before he went 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in his five starts for the Mariners.

85. Gio Gonzalez - Nationals
Projection: 11-10, 3.94 ERA, 1.290 WHIP, 18 HR, 159/59 K/BB in 171 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 15-9, 2.96 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, 21 HR, 188/79 K/BB in 201 IP

93. Zach Davies - Brewers
Projection: 11-12, 4.18 ERA, 1.233 WHIP, 25 HR, 157/47 K/BB in 187 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 17-9, 3.90 ERA, 1.354 WHIP, 20 HR, 124/55 K/BB in 191 1/3 IP

Way under in wins and WHIP. Way over in strikeouts. Somewhat over in ERA. Davies was about as effective as expected, but this looks like it should be a projection for a totally different pitcher.

97. Dylan Bundy - Orioles
Projection: 9-9, 4.21 ERA, 1.269 WHIP, 22 HR, 149/48 K/BB in 147 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 13-9, 4.24 ERA, 1.196 WHIP, 26 HR, 152/51 K/BB in 169 2/3 IP

98. Dan Straily - Marlins
Projection: 11-12, 4.23 ERA, 1.270 WHIP, 26 HR, 164/62 K/BB in 187 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 10-9, 4.26 ERA, 1.299 WHIP, 31 HR, 170/60 K/BB in 181 2/3 IP

102. Jhoulys Chacin - Padres
Projection: 10-11, 3.95 ERA, 1.306 WHIP, 19 HR, 148/61 K/BB in 180 IP
2017 stats: 13-10, 3.89 ERA, 1.270 WHIP, 19 HR, 153/72 K/BB in 180 1/3 IP

A sneaky good season from Chacin. He worked for $1.75 million for the Padres this year. I wouldn’t want to give him a multiyear deal as a free agent this winter, but he should be in line for a rather nice salary on a one-year deal.

104. Luke Weaver - Cardinals
Projection: 8-7, 3.97 ERA, 1.227 WHIP, 18 HR, 115/31 K/BB in 133 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 7-2, 3.88 ERA, 1.260 WHIP, 7 HR, 72/17 K/BB in 60 1/3 IP

107. Trevor Bauer - Indians
Projection: 11-12, 4.33 ERA, 1.301 WHIP, 26 HR, 175/67 K/BB in 191 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 17-9, 4.19 ERA, 1.367 WHIP, 25 HR, 196/60 K/BB in 176 1/3 IP

114. Luis Severino - Yankees
Projection: 9-10, 4.25 ERA, 1.285 WHIP, 24 HR, 150/50 K/BB in 167 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 14-6, 2.98 ERA, 1.040 WHIP, 21 HR, 230/51 K/BB in 193 1/3 IP

122. Jose Berrios - Twins
Projection: 8-9, 4.21 ERA, 1.303 WHIP, 21 HR, 143/48 K/BB in 147 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 14-8, 3.89 ERA, 1.229 WHIP, 15 HR, 139/48 K/BB in 145 2/3 IP

135. Ervin Santana - Twins
Projection: 10-13, 4.41 ERA, 1.312 WHIP, 28 HR, 157/55 K/BB in 193 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 16-8, 3.28 ERA, 1.126 WHIP, 31 HR, 167/61 K/BB in 211 1/3 IP

140. CC Sabathia - Yankees
Projection: 9-11, 4.39 ERA, 1.304 WHIP, 25 HR, 130/56 K/BB in 168 IP
2017 stats: 14-5, 3.69 ERA, 1.271 WHIP, 21 HR, 120/50 K/BB in 148 2/3 IP

I wouldn’t have imagined back in 2014 that Sabathia would still be a quality pitcher in 2017. That said, while he just posted his best ERA since 2012, his 4.49 FIP wasn’t so impressive. He’s not someone who typically outpitches his FIP, either; in fact, his career ERA and FIP are both right at 3.70.

146. Jimmy Nelson - Brewers
Projection: 9-12, 4.40 ERA, 1.343 WHIP, 22 HR, 152/61 K/BB in 172 IP
2017 stats: 12-6, 3.49 ERA, 1.249 WHIP, 16 HR, 199/48 K/BB in 175 1/3 IP

177. Chase Anderson - Brewers
Projection: 7-11, 4.65 ERA, 1.327 WHIP, 25 HR, 121/45 K/BB in 153 IP
2017 stats: 12-4, 2.74 ERA, 1.090 WHIP, 14 HR, 133/41 K/BB in 141 1/3 IP

An extra two mph on his fastball did wonders for Anderson.

185. Mike Clevinger - Indians
Projection: 5-6, 4.52 ERA, 1.375 WHIP, 14 HR, 88/37 K/BB in 91 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 12-6, 3.11 ERA, 1.249 WHIP, 13 HR, 137/60 K/BB in 121 2/3 IP

188. German Marquez - Rockies
Projection: 5-5, 4.39 ERA, 1.360 WHIP, 13 HR, 79/26 K/BB in 96 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 11-7, 4.39 ERA, 1.377 WHIP, 25 HR, 147/49 K/BB in 162 IP

289. Brad Peacock - Astros
Projection: 5-8, 4.77 ERA, 1.438 WHIP, 16 HR, 95/43 K/BB in 105 2/3 IP
2017 stats: 13-2, 3.00 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, 10 HR, 161/57 K/BB in 132 IP

301. Matt Garza - Brewers
Projection: 6-10, 4.83 ERA, 1.404 WHIP, 19 HR, 93/42 K/BB in 130 1/3 IP
2017 stats: 6-9, 4.94 ERA, 1.448 WHIP, 17 HR, 79/45 K/BB in 114 2/3 IP

Because I have to wrap this up on a good one, of course.

Gentleman Joe out as Yankee manager

 Joe is not returning.  He has parted company with th New York Yankees.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi will not be returning to the team next season.
Girardi led the Yankees to the World Series in 2009, and took them within one game of returning this season before falling to the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS. The decision appeared to come from the Yankees side.
“With a heavy heart, I come to you because the Yankees have decided not to bring me back,” Girardi said in a statement released by his agent. “I’d like to thank the Steinbrenner family for believing in me and giving me this wonderful opportunity.”
Girardi’s four-year contract was up after this month, and despite this season’s success his future was undecided. Yankees GM Brian Cashman’s contract is also expiring, but he is fully expected to return.
The Yankees confirmed the news after days of meetings with Girardi and Cashman.
“I want to thank Joe for his 10 years of hard work and service to this organization,” Cashman said in a statement. “Everything this organization does is done with careful and thorough consideration, and we’ve decided to pursue alternatives for the managerial position.
“As Hal Steinbrenner and I mentioned to Joe directly this week, he has been a tremendous Yankee on the field and away from it, as a player, coach and manager. He has a tireless work ethic, and put his heart into every game he managed over the last decade. He should take great pride in our accomplishments during his tenure, and I wish Joe and his family nothing but success and happiness in the future.”
Girardi, the former Yankees catcher, had been on board since 2008 and finishes his run with a 910-710 record as Yankees manager.
“I would like to thank Brian Cashman and his staff for hiring me and always trying to improve the team. I would like to thank my coaches and support staff for their dedication to always trying to make the players better and get the most out of them,” said Girardi, who thanked countless members of the organization in his goodbye address.

Girardi came under harsh criticism during Game 2 of the ALDS after he opted not to challenge a play that likely cost the Yankees a win against the Indians. The team rallied to advance by winning the final three games and advancing to the ALCS.
“Finally, I’d like to thanks the Fans for their great support as a Player, Coach and Manager and the lasting memories of their passion and excitement during the Playoff Games, especially the final six games which will remain in my heart forever,” he concluded.
The Yankees will now be late entrants into the process of finding a new manager. The Tigers landed Ron Gardenhire, the Red Sox will get Alex Cora when the World Series is over and the Mets lured Mickey Callaway from the Indians.

The Nationals and Phillies still have openings, and the Yankees could make it three clubs looking for a manager.
Since Cashman has a history of hiring people he is familiar with, the names of Kevin Long and Rob Thomson may prove to be in play.
Long was the Yankees’ hitting coach from 2007-2014 when he was fired with a year left on his contract. He has been the Mets’ hitting coach since 2015. He interviewed for the job Callaway got and is a candidate for the Nationals’ opening.
Thomson has been in the Yankees’ organization for 28 years and has been Girardi’s bench coach for the past four seasons after serving as the third-base coach for six years.
Another name to consider should there be an opening is Pete Mackanin, who was a pro scout for the Yankees in 2013 before coaching third base for the 2014 Phillies. In 2015 Mackanin took over when Ryne Sandberg was fired.

A year later the interim tag was removed and Mackanin signed a three-year deal. This past September the Phillies informed Mackanin he wouldn’t return to the dugout. Instead he was shifted to the front office with one year remaining on his contract.

We are all tied up in knots

If this wasn’t the best game of the 2017 World Series, we’re all in for a real treat.

In a contest that featured a little bit of everything, the Astros were able to hold off the Dodgers in a 7-6 victory on Wednesday in extra-innings to tie the series at a game apiece.

In all honesty, this one didn’t look like it was going to be all that memorable, although that’s not to say that it wasn’t a well-played game. But when Corey Seager hit a two-run homer off of Justin Verlander to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, there was certainly more than a few folks who thought the dominant Los Angeles bullpen would be able to take care of business.

But in the top of the eighth inning -- and really from that point on -- things got real fun, especially if you didn’t have a rooting interest in the game.

Carlos Correa knocked in Alex Bregman with a single up the middle off of closer Kenley Jansen to cut the lead to one. An inning later, on an 0-2 pitch, Marwin Gonzalez hit an opposite-field blast to tie the game at 3-3. It was the first time Gonzalez had hit a homer to left-center as a left-handed hitter in his career. And it came on a two-strike pitch off of one of the best relievers in baseball.

An inning later, the Astros superstar combo of Jose Altuve-Carlos Correa went back-to-back with homers that put Houston up 5-3 in the top of the tenth. In the bottom of the tenth, Yasiel Puig homered to pull the Dodgers within one, and then Enrique Hernandez had a terrific at-bat that ended with a game-tying single.

And the offense wasn’t done. After Cameron Maybin nailed a single to center, George Springer rocked a two-run blast that gave the Astros a 7-5 lead. The Dodgers weren’t done either, as Charlie Culberson -- yes, Charlie Culberson -- hit a two-out homer to bring Los Angeles within a run. Ultimately, Chris Devenski was able to get Yasiel Puig swinging on a 3-2 change with two outs to give the Astros the crucial victory.

Simply put, this was one of the most exciting games of the 2017 season. There were eight homers hit on the night, which is the most in a World Series game. There was clutch hitting with a sprinkle of quality pitching as well, and it showed that these two teams are more evenly matched than you might have anticipated after Game 1. Houston now has home-field advantage, but the Dodgers have been one of the few teams that have played well on the road in these playoffs.

Game 3 of the series takes place on Friday in Houston.

Astros set Game 3 and 4 starters.

The Astros have decided on their starters for their first two home games of the World Series, and while it’s not a huge surprise who is starting, the order might be.

AJ Hinch announced that he’ll start Lance McCullers in Game 3, and Charlie Morton in Game 4.

The only reason it could be considered an upset that McCullers is starting on Friday rather than Saturday is that Morton has been the Game 3 starter for the Astros in every other series. However, after pitching well in Game 4, and dominating the Yankees with his curveball in Game 7 of the ALCS, it does make sense that McCullers would get the ball earlier, and giving him a chance to pitch two or more times in the series.

Morton has pitched well, too, but there’s very little doubt that McCullers offers more upside, and Houston would probably feel much more comfortable with him on the mound than Morton, even after the latter pitched well in the winner-take-all game against New York. With the Astros able to win Game 2 on Wednesday, there’s a very good chance we’ll see at least one -- possibly both -- of these hurlers multiple times in this series.

McCullers will go up against Yu Darvish in Game 3, while Morton is scheduled to take on Alex Wood in Game 4. Dallas Keuchel will very likely get a rematch with Clayton Kershaw in Game 5, assuming neither pitches before.

Quick hits: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia  underwent surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee Wednesday, and will likely be out until the end of May in the 2018 season. …Rangers RHP Matt Bush underwent an arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint resection in his right shoulder. He’s expected to be ready by Spring Training ... The Phillies are zeroing in on Dusty Wathan to manage Philadelphia in 2018. He spent 2017 as the manager of Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and has been coaching in the Philadelphia system since 2008. The Mets outrighted five players from the 40-man roster, including RHP Erik Goeddel, 2B Phillip Evans, RHP Tyler Pill, OF Wulimer Becerra, and OF Travis Taijeron.

A move to third ?

CLEVELAND: The early and disappointing end to the Indians’ 2017 post­season run left them with several weeks before they have to make some crucial decisions about the major-league roster.
But some top prospects are already getting some additional work in the Arizona Fall League. That includes top prospect catcher Francisco Mejia.
The Indians liked the defensive advancements Mejia made in 2017, though he’s still considered an offense-first catcher. Although he continues to progress behind the plate, the Indians are using the Fall League to see how Mejia takes to some exposure at third base.
“We’ll see how that goes, and that can help shape our plans in spring training,” president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said in an end-of-the-season news conference last week. “It’s important not to lose sight of the developmental year Francisco had as a catcher. He did an extraordinary job at continuing his development, both offensively but more specifically defensively, the way he led the staff, some of the nuances of catching.”
Mejia is off to a hot start offensively in the Fall League, hitting .375 in his first four games. He also hit .297 with an .835 OPS in 92 games with the RubberDucks after impressing coaches last spring.
Mejia is still considered one of the better catching prospects in baseball. But with the Indians having both Roberto Perez and Yan Gomes signed to long-term deals, Mejia taking to third base could accelerate the timing of his arrival as a major leaguer.
“We talk about it all the time: The more versatility guys can have, the better,” Antonetti said. “If he can be an option for us not only behind the plate, but at another position, that’s a huge asset.”
Always be consistent
The saga of Danny Salazar’s unfulfilled potential due to injuries continued in 2017. Salazar didn’t look like his normal self to begin the year and then dealt with shoulder and elbow issues. During stretches, he looked as dominant as ever, which included his final start of the season.
But it was difficult for the Indians to utilize Salazar in anything more than a bullpen role in the American League Division Series. Concerns about his health led to him throwing only 1⅔ innings.
When healthy, Salazar has been an All-Star, a strikeout machine capable of holding his own even on a staff with Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco. But the Indians haven’t seen that side often enough as he’s struggled to stay on the mound. That consistency is something the club wants to see.
“We have to find a way, and Danny included, to get him more consistent,” manager Terry Francona said. “That’s such a big word in our game. And he’s had times, you look he made the All-Star team … And again, he’s still very young and with young players, young pitchers especially, we’ve seen it with Carrasco or look at Kluber, you can’t give up on good, young pitching or they’ll be pitching good for somebody else.”

Moving up?
Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway is one of the more sought-after managerial candidates around the league.
According to multiple reports, Callaway has garnered heavy interest from both the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets and could interview with both this week.
Callaway is one of the more well-respected pitching coaches in the game, lauded for his work with Ubaldo Jimenez and others.
This time of year can be bittersweet for teams, proud to see coaches getting promotions but sad to see valuable members leaving the organization.
“The pride always wins out,” Francona said. “It never fails, guys deserve a chance because of the work they do, and then it’s on us to find the next best person. And, yeah, it hurts when you lose guys, but believe me, the pride wins out, because they deserve that.”

More post game fodder

After the Dodgers took Game 1 of the NLCS from the Cubs behind five strong innings from ace Clayton Kershaw and tremendous work out of the bullpen, the Cubs couldn’t stand to let Sunday’s game slip by and fall behind 2-0 in the series.

Both starting pitchers came to play, trading zeroes back and forth through the first four innings. The Cubs finally broke through in the fifth inning, where Addison Russell clubbed a Rich Hill offering over the wall in left field to give the Cubs a 1-0 advantage.

It wouldn’t last long.

The Dodgers struck back off of Jon Lester in the home half of the fifth inning. Charlie Culberson, who’s only on the roster for his defensive prowess in place of the injured Corey Seager, led off the frame with a double. The Dodgers then opted to pinch-hit for Rich Hill, despite him pitching very well and having thrown only 79 pitches in the game, with Curtis Granderson. That move did not pay off, as Granderson fouled out to third base. Culberson advanced to third on a ground out by Chris Taylor, bringing postseason star Justin Turner to the dish. Turner battled Lester to a 2-2 count before lining a game-tying single into right field.

Hill had been terrific over his five innings of work, allowing just one run (the Russell homer) on three hits and a walk while punching out eight. The Dodgers then turned to right-hander Brandon Morrow to give them a lift, and the 33-year-old hurler obliged. Morrow retired all six hitters that he faced, two of them via strikeout, keeping the score knotted at 1-1 heading to the eighth.

The Cubs bullpen did some heavy lifting of their own to keep the game tied. Carl Edwards came on for Lester after Turner’s single in the fifth, getting the final out and avoiding any further damage. He stayed in the game to work a scoreless sixth inning, striking out three in 1 ⅓ innings. Pedro Strop followed him with a scoreless seventh inning and Brian Duensing was able to navigate his way through the eighth without any trouble.

The Dodgers went back to their bullpen in the eighth, using right-hander Josh Fields to get the first out, then turning to southpaw Tony Watson to get the next two hitters.

That meant that this game would be decided in the ninth inning or later.

The Dodgers weren’t messing around and sent out All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to start the ninth inning in a tied game. Jansen threw 17 pitches during a four-out save on Saturday, striking out all four hitters that he faced. He was dominant again in this outing, striking out two in a scoreless inning of work, though he did hit Anthony Rizzo.

Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon on the other hand, decided to go a different direction in the ninth inning rather than giving the ball to closer Wade Davis. Duensing was left in to start the inning and promptly issued a four-pitch walk to Yasiel Puig. Culberson then laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, putting the potential winning run in scoring position with one out. Duensing bounced back to whiff pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer before getting replaced by veteran right-hander John Lackey.

The 38-year-old hurler had never worked back-to-back games in his career and had thrown 27 pitches while recording the final five outs in Saturday’s Game 1 loss. Chris Taylor worked a six-pitch walk, once again setting the stage for the Dodgers’ hottest hitter, Turner.

After taking Lackey’s first offering for a ball, Turner clobbered the next pitch over the wall in center field for a walk-off three-run homer. He’s now hitting a mighty impressive .429/.500/.714 with a pair of homers and 10 RBI in the postseason.

When asked about the decision to go to Duensing and Lackey in the ninth inning, rather than Davis, Cubs' manager Joe Maddon stated "I really needed him for the save tonight. He had limited pitches."

Sounds eerily similar to the rhetoric spewed by Orioles' manager Buck Showalter after his decision to not use Zach Britton while Ubaldo Jimenez gave away their postseason life a season ago.

The series will now shift back to Chicago on Tuesday with the defending World Champions facing a 2-0 deficit. The Dodgers will send Yu Darvish to the mound, looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The Cubs will counter with right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who was hit hard in a rain-shortened start against the Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS.

Elsewhere, in New York...

In American League action, the ALCS will shift back to New York on Monday with the Yankees looking to battle back from their own 2-0 deficit.

For the Yankees, it’ll be veteran left-hander CC Sabathia taking the hill, fresh off of his out-dueling of Corey Kluber in the decisive Game 5 of the ALDS. In that game, the southpaw racked up nine strikeouts over his 4 ⅓ innings before turning the ball over to the Yankees’ bullpen.

Sabathia has pitched well historically against the current Astros’ roster. As a club, they are hitting just .193/.273/.375 with 24 strikeouts in 88 at-bats against him. Evan Gattis is expected to start behind the plate for the Astros on Monday. He’s 1-for-3 lifetime with a home run off of Sabathia.

He’ll be opposed by Astros’ right-hander Charlie Morton He wasn’t at his best in his lone postseason start, allowing a pair of runs over 4 ⅓ innings against the Red Sox in Game 4 of the ALDS.

Several Yankee hitters have had tremendous success in their careers off of Morton, but none jump off the page the way that Todd Frazier does. The veteran third baseman has slashed .389/.421/.944 with two doubles, a triple, two homers and six RBI in 19 plate appearances against him.

 He missed the entire 2017 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery... Jake Marisnick (thumb) played catch for the first time on Sunday since undergoing surgery to repair his fractured thumb. There's still a chance he could return in time for the World Series should the Astros advance past the Yankees... Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Alex Cora is viewed as the "top candidate" for the Red Sox' managerial vacancy... The Red Sox have also requested permission from the Diamondbacks to interview bench coach Ron Gardenhire... According to John Perrotto of FanRag Sports, Fredi Gonzalez is "considered the favorite" to become the Tigers next manager.