Tag / Reds

by jim

All Stars

13641138_10155133635628298_1460960993873466313_oMinutes before today’s game against the Braves, the White Sox announced that Jose Quintana will join fellow starter Chris Sale in San Diego for Tuesday’s All Star game, replacing Danny Salazar, who is suffering with a sore right elbow.  Quintana will be making his first All Star appearance, and will be the third Colombian to appear in the Mid Summer Classic.

Third baseman Todd Frazier, who won the home run derby last year as a member of the Reds, will get the chance to defend his title despite not being named to the team.

On the other side of town, Dexter Fowler, voted in to start for the National League, will miss the game due to injury.  He is currently on a rehab assignment in Class A and hopes to return in the next 2 weeks.

by admin

All Time Team Records

baseballs3Another exciting baseball season is upon us, and it is time once again to look at the all-time team records for games that I have attended.  Despite disparate seasons on the two sides of town last season, both the White Sox and the Cubs saw their overall winning percentage drop.  The 2016 season looks to be hopeful for both teams, so this trend should reverse itself.

All-Time Team Records
TeamName Won Loss Winning Pctg
California Angels 1 0 1
Arizone Diamondbacks 13 2 0.866666666666667
Florida Marlins 15 8 0.652173913043478
Philadelphia Phillies 10 6 0.625
Toronto Blue Jays 12 8 0.6
New York Yankees 12 9 0.571428571428571
Colorado Rockies 7 6 0.538461538461538
Los Angeles Angels 15 13 0.535714285714286
San Francisco Giants 8 7 0.533333333333333
Chicago White Sox 250 222 0.529661016949153
Chicago Cubs 197 177 0.526737967914439
Detroit Tigers Continue reading →
by admin

Reds All Time Leaders – Through 2015

redsWith 3 months until baseball in Chicago returns, I thought it would be interesting to look at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We continue today with the Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds began life in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association, joining the National League in 1890.  I’ve seen them play 38 times, at 4 separate stadiums across 2 states.

Home Runs

Name Total
Adam Dunn 12
Austin Kearns 3
Edwin Encarnacion 3

Hits

Name Total
Adam Dunn 24
Ken Griffey Jr. 19
Sean Casey 18

Runs

Name Total
Adam Dunn 22
Sean Casey 12
Brandon Phillips 9

RBI

Name Total
Adam Dunn 27
Ken Griffey Jr. 12
Austin Kearns 10

Doubles

Name Total
Jason LaRue 5
Adam Dunn 4
Austin Kearns 4

Triples Continue reading →

by admin

#119 – Tim Belcher

belcher

Name: Tim Belcher

Rank: 119

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1993

With the White Sox looking for their first division title in a decade, the team bolstered their pitching staff at the trade deadline in 1993, acquiring Tim Belcher from the Reds for Jeff Pierce and Johnny Ruffin.  Belcher was inserted into the rotation, starting 11 games down the stretch and finishing with a pedestrian 3-5 record and a 4.40 ERA.

Belcher made one appearance in the ALCS, picking up the win in relief in game 4 against the Blue Jays by giving up 1 run in 3 2/3 innings.  Following the season, Belcher left the White Sox as a free agent.

Belcher’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

Continue reading →

by jim

Upgrading The Hot Corner

todd_frazier1cThe White Sox continued their attempts to upgrade their offense by acquiring third baseman Todd Frazier in a 3 team deal yesterday.  Frazier, who hit 11 more home runs last year than White Sox third baseman managed in the past 2 seasons combined, comes to the from the Reds.  The Sox send Micah Johnson, Frankie Montas, and Trayce Thompson to the Dodgers, who, in turn, will send  Jose Peraza, Brandon Dixon, and Scott Schebler back to the Reds.

With this move, the previously acquired Brett Lawrie will move to second base, filling two long-term holes for the south siders.  If Frazier is able to match his production for the Reds over the past few years, he will easily surpass any White Sox third baseman since Joe Crede went down with a back injury in 2008.

Of the 3 prospects going to the Dodgers, the only big loss would appear to be Frankie Montas, a young pitcher acquired in the Jake Peavy deal.  Montas put up a 2.97 ERA for AA Birmingham last year while also appearing in 7 games for the White Sox.  He likely would have found a spot at the end of the rotation or in the bullpen in 2017.  Micah Johnson was the Opening Day second baseman for the White Sox last year, but defensive problems sent him back to the minors and injuries took part of the season away from him.  Trayce Thompson also spent time with the big league club in 2015, despite a middling minor league career.  He was red hot as a platoon player at first, but cooled down and seemingly looks to be a fourth outfielder at best.

To be fair, the White Sox appeared to be much improved last winter as well, and the 2015 season did not play out as anyone would have anticipated.  One can only hope that, with the upgrades at catcher and now second and third base, the 2016 season will turn out much different.

by admin

#126 – Brook Fordyce

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Name: Brook Fordyce

Rank: 126

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 1999-2000

Brook Fordyce came to the White Sox via trade from the Reds towards the end of spring training in 1999.  The defensively challenged catcher became the team’s starter, and put up the best offensive numbers of his career, finishing with a .297 average, 9 home runs and 49 RBIs.

A broken foot during spring training delayed the start of his 2000 season.  When he returned in mid-May, he wound up splitting the catching duties with Mark Johnson.  He had raised his average to .272, though with only 21 RBIs, when, on July 29th, he, along with a triplet of minor league pitchers, was traded to the Orioles for catcher Charles Johnson and familiar White Sox target Harold Baines.

Fordyce’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

Continue reading →

by admin

2016 Hall Of Fame Ballot – The Newcomers

baseballhof

The BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2016 last Monday.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 6th, with induction taking place next July. After Craig Biggio, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, and John Smoltz were elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 17 holdovers along with 15 newcomers, which may start to cause a bit of a problem.  The current BBWAA rules continue to limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10, and there may be more than 10 deserving candidates, so there will be too many qualified candidates fighting for limited spots in a shorter amount of time.  Once again, the BBWAA and the Hall may find themselves with a mess on their hands.

Last Thursday, we looked at the returning candidates.  Today, it’s time to look at the newcomers and who will be thankful come January.

Garret Anderson

The long-time Angel had a proud career, but has no chance to stay on the ballot for another year, let alone earn election at some point.

Brad Ausmus

It should be a quick one and out for the current Tigers manager.

Luis Castillo

Again, a perfectly acceptable career, but will be lucky to get a sympathy vote from a hometown writer.

David Eckstein

Wow, this batch of newcomers is starting to look a little weak.

Jim Edmonds

The defensive whiz will likely get some support, but not enough to get elected in this, or any other, year.

Troy Glaus

Another long time Angel who has no chance of being elected.

griffeyKen Griffey Jr.

The former Mariner, Red, and White Sox outfielder is likely to be the only newcomer elected in his first year of eligibility.  630 career home runs, without a hint of PED suspicion, will let him easily surpass the 75% threshold.

Mark Grudzielanek

Yeah, that’s not going to happen.

Mike Hampton

The one-time poster child for bad long term contracts is unlikely to get much support in what should be his one HOF election.

Trevor Hoffman Continue reading →

by admin

2015 Final Standings

baseballs3Now that the Cubs have been swept from the NLCS by the Mets, the physical attendance portion of the 2015 baseball season, for me, has come to an end.  I made it to 39 games this year, in 4 stadiums (1 new) across 2 countries.  Here are the final standings for those games, and the 15 different teams that I saw in person this year.

2015 Team Records
Team Won Loss Winning Pctg
New York Mets 2 0 1.000
Kansas City Royals 3 1 0.750
Detroit Tigers 3 1 0.750
Toronto Blue Jays 2 1 0.667
St. Louis Cardinals 2 1 0.667
Minnesota Twins 4 3 0.571
Seattle Mariners 1 1 0.500
New York Yankees 1 1 0.500
Cincinnati Reds 1 1 0.500
Chicago White Sox 16 18 0.471
Chicago Cubs 3 5 0.375
Baltimore Orioles Continue reading →
by admin

Looking Ahead To Next Year

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersMajor League Baseball released their tentative 2016 schedule earlier this week and, while the 2015 squad focuses on taking the second Wild Card slot, let’s take a look at what’s on tap for next summer for the North Siders.

The Cubs open the season on April 5 on the road against the Angels, the first time they will start the year in inter-league play.  The home slate kicks off the following Monday with a night game against the Reds.

This year’s inter-league slate is against the AL West, with the Rangers, Mariners, and Angels making trips to Wrigley Field, while the Cubs hit the road to visit the aforementioned Angels, A’s, and Astros.  The club also has a 2 and 2 series with the White Sox during the last week of July.

The Cubs finish the season on the road against the Pirates and Reds, which should make for a great pennant race if the team is once again in contention.

by admin

#142 – Dylan Axelrod

daxelrod

Name: Dylan Axelrod

Rank: 142

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2011-2013

Dylan Axelrod joined the White Sox organization as a minor league free agent in 2009.  He made his major league debut on September 7, 2011, pitching 2 innings in relief in a White Sox loss to the Twins.

Axelrod split time between Triple A Charlotte and the White Sox in 2012.  He made 7 starts with the big league club, in addition to being the long man out of the pen.  He finished the year with a 2-2 record and an elevated 5.47 ERA.

2013 saw Axelrod stick in the major leagues for the entire season, but success was elusive.  While he started 20 games for the White Sox, his ERA was again well over 5 and he finished the year with a dismal 4-11 record.

Axelrod returned to Charlotte for the 2014 season, where he would remain until July 17, when he was purchased by the Reds, ending his White Sox career.

Axelrod’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

Continue reading →