Category: Baseball
Yankees’ Long-Time Player Offers Encouraging Message for Fans
(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) The New York Yankees didn’t build enough outfield depth last season and were forced to use the likes of Jake Bauers, Willy Calhoun, Billy McKinney, Franchy Cordero, and Estevan Florial more than they would have preferred. They learned the lesson, and made it a priority to reinforce the outfield in…
Examining the Early Performances of Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell
Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training about two months ago, ushering in the start of a fresh new season. However, as exhibition games began, two notable pitchers were missing from action: Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. These two pitchers, ranked fifth and sixth on the list of free agents entering the offseason, signed contracts…
Braves Maintain Top Spot in MLB with Impressive Performance
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) Every week, MLB posts its power rankings: the exercise allows fans to get a better idea of who is hot and who is, well, not. People love rankings, and they are always an excellent way to spark a debate. In this week’s edition, the Atlanta Braves are ranked number one…
FanGraphs Chat with Ben Clemens on April 22, 2024
As a professional baseball journalist, I had the privilege of attending a Fangraphs chat session with Ben Clemens from April 22-24. Clemens shared valuable insights and analysis during the chat. You can read more about the session on the Fangraphs website.
The Houston Astros Sink Further into Trouble
The Houston Astros are off to a rough start in April 2024, with a record of 7-16 that has them at the bottom of the AL West. The loss of Cristian Javier to injury further depletes a struggling team that is in dire need of help to turn their season around. Historically, only two teams…
Strikeout Rate, Early 2024 Season Analysis
Tyler Stephenson made a statement on Saturday with a grand slam off of Angels starter Patrick Sandoval despite a slow start to the season. In 18 games and 58 plate appearances, he’s batting .200/.293/.420. However, a closer look at his stats shows that he has been the victim of bad luck, with nearly a quarter…
FanGraphs Rankings: MLB Power Rankings for April 15–21
With over 10% of the regular season completed, some of the teams that started strong have now cooled off. It’s still early to make any definitive judgments, as there are plenty of games left to play. This season, a new power rankings model has been introduced. The old model didn’t adjust well to changes in…
Mets Continue to Dominate the Diamond, Despite Francisco Alvarez’s Absence
In baseball news, the New York Mets have bounced back from a rough start to the season with a 12-4 record, despite a recent setback involving catcher Francisco Alvarez. Alvarez tore a ligament in his thumb during a slide into second base and is expected to undergo surgery, potentially sidelining him for up to eight…
A Visual Scouting Primer: Hitting, Part Three
Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports Welcome back for another installment of FanGraphs’ Visual Scouting Primer! For previous editions, or an introduction explaining the concept of this ongoing series, you can click here, here, and here, but in an effort to tamp down my word count, I’m diving right into it this time. Fluid vs. Stiff Generally…
Tigers Prospect Jace Jung Is (And Isn’t) Like His Older Brother
Evan Petzold/USA TODAY NETWORK Jace Jung is following in his brother’s footsteps, albeit via a distinctly different path. Unlike his older sibling, Texas Rangers 2023 rookie standout Josh Jung, the 23-year-old Detroit Tigers infield prospect isn’t a self-professed hitting nerd. Which isn’t to suggest he lacks the skills needed to one day wield an impact…