An Interview with the One and Only Tim Dierkes, of MLBTradeRumors.com

    Tim Dierkes, the founder of the notoriously popular baseball page, MLBTradeRumors.com, agreed to talk a bit with MLBwithEvered. Tim Dierkes explains how great it was to fill a need for hungry baseball fans, like ourselves, by creating a website, not owned by a major corporation, that provided quick updates and breaking news of the MLB and MILB.Tim has been a fan of baseball his whole life. As a child he was obsessed with the Chicago Cubs and then-star players such as Mark Grace.


1: If you could interview any Hall-of-Famer, who would it be and why?

A:  I'd suppose I'd take the chance to interview Babe Ruth, because he would be opinionated and give interesting answers about how the game has changed.

2: Growing up, did any baseball player or broadcaster inspire you?

A: I grew up a Cubs fan, so I admired obvious choices like Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, Kerry Wood, and Sammy Sosa. But I was fully invested, so I was aslo big on guys like Kevin Orie, Brant Brown, Terry Mulholland, Steve Trachsel, Jeremi Gonzalez, Jon Lieber, and Kevin Tapani. I met Jim Bullinger a while bad and I was really excited about it.


3: Did you feel that Brady Aiken was the correct choice as the first overall draft pick, last year?

A: Yes, I think most experts considered him the best player available. Certainly it would have been preferable if teams could have seen his medicals prior to drafting him; perhaps he'd be in an solid organization by now, in that case.

4: I'm usually on MLBTradeRumors.com at least three times a day, what effect do you think made your website so popular?

A:   I think we stumbled into a niche that needed to be filled, back in 2006 or so. We've always been very quick about putting the latest stories up, which people like and wasn't as easy before Twitter. Even with Twitter, I think we provide a filter so that people can just browse the best-written, most important, trustworthy stories and not have to wade through everything. We are able to add context and analysis by virtue of consuming so much information. As we've grown, we've done more original reporting, which is always good. The fact that we are not owned by a major corporation might be appealing to some people as well, as we have more of an independent vibe.


  Big shout out to Mr. Dierkes and his team at MLBTradeRumors.com
Not only does Mr. Dierkes provide insightful information about trades that can happen on moments notice, or the trades rumors that continue for over 4 years ( Tulowitzki ). Thank you Mr. Dierkes

   Click here to visit Tim's website.

An Interview with Professional Baseball Blogger Sterling Myhre!

Sterling and Jose Lobaton

Sterling Myhre is a 16 year old Junior at St. Albans  High School in Washington, DC. Sterling started his blog, The First Week Of Summer, in October of 2013 with the goal of chronicling his annual baseball trips with his Dad that take place during the first week of summer vacation. In July of 2014, Sterling's blog became a MLB Pro Blog and one of only four "youth pro blogs." Since then Sterling's blog has evolved to also focus on various other baseball subjects like the MLB Draft, his stories of acquiring MLB players autographs, and his favorite team, the Washington Nationals. You can find Sterling's blog at www.thefirstweekofsummer.mlblogs.com, follow it on Twitter @1stWeekOfSummer, and like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thefirstweekofsummer.

As we head into the interview, I would just like to say a huge thank you to Sterling for his cooperation, and the insight.

1: Now let me ask you, how many MLB games have you attended?

   So far this season I have seen 30 games if you include the two spring training games and the one exhibition game that I saw before the season. In total, in my life, I'm not sure exactly how many games I have seen. My first game was an Orioles vs Mariners game all the way back in 2004. I recently started using a website called hardball passport to try to log every game that I have ever attended. So far I have entered 140 games into the system, with 64 of those coming at Nationals Park. 140 is a pretty good number but in some seasons, like 2013 for example, I've only logged eight games. In reality, I probably attended between 20 and 25 games that season. So I'd say I've probably been to somewhere between 200-250 games in my life.

2: Are you excited about the recent acquisition of Jonathan Papelbon from the Phils to the Nats?

  I'd say that I'm definitely excited that the Nats got a good relief pitcher because I think that the bullpen has consistently been the weakest part of the Nats roster this season. Although, I'm not so sure that Papelbon was the right guy to get. Drew Storen definitely did not deserve to lose his job as the closer, especially not to Papelbon who has, in my mind, had a worse season than Storen this season. If the Nats had gone out and gotten one or two good setup men, I'd be extremely pleased. So, like I said, I do think that it is a good thing that the Nats got another good reliever but I really don't think Papelbon was the right guy. I've heard that he doesn't have a good attitude and him demanding to be the closer has to bring a lot of tension and turmoil to the clubhouse. 

3: Who is you preferred baseball player on the Washington Nationals?

  I've been following the team ever since they moved to DC in 2005, and for the longest time Ryan Zimmerman was my guy, and I still find it hard to admit but I am starting to gravitate more towards guys like Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer. Obviously their on-field performance is awesome, but I think it's really that competitive spirit that they both display game in and game out that make me love each of them so much. I'm also a big fan of some of the lesser known players on the team like Manny Burris, Matt den Dekker, and Jose Lobaton. Burris is a former coach and camper at the baseball camp that I work at, Home Run Baseball Camp, and I've coached his nephew so altogether, him being a DC guy and being a part of Home Run Baseball Camp is a big deal to me. When den Dekker was on the Mets, I saw his first career home run which was and upper deck homer which was pretty cool because his Twitter handle is @UpperDekker. I also got a chance to meet den Dekker which was really cool. Jose Lobaton just seems like an all-around awesome guy who is pretty funny, and he has some awesome hair. He has had a lot of playing time this season and he had performed well, and like den Dekker, I got a chance to meet him which was pretty cool.

4: Any trades that you thought the Nationals should've conducted before the trade deadline "expired."

   I think the Nats' biggest issue is the bullpen which they did strengthen by adding Papelbon, but I would have rather seen them acquire a couple of good setup men like, Tyler Clippard and maybe Tommy Hunter, Kevin Jepsen, or Steve Cishek.

5: What's the best part about your annual trips to various ballparks every summer?

   There's really a lot that I love about the trip. During our 9 trips, we have had a lot of long drive so I get to spend a lot of quality time with my Dad. I also love getting to see new cities that I probably wouldn't have visited yet if I hadn't gone there on the baseball trips. Also, you know, seven baseball games in seven days... Whats not to love about that?

6: You ( and your blog ) are one of the few pro- youth baseball bloggers for MLB.com, how has this experience helped you as a writer?

   I think being part of the MLB Pro Bloggers group had helped me most as a writer by just giving me more confidence in my blog. I started my blog back in October of 2013, but didn't really start writing until May of 2014 and I'm not sure how long I would've kept going if I didn't get that "boost" from becoming a Pro Blog in July of 2014.

7: Where would you like to see yourself in ten years?

   If you ask my friends they'll probably tell you that baseball really is my passion, and they would probably say that I'm going to be the General Manager of some MLB team. I defiantly love to do that, but with their only being 30 jobs available in the entire country, I think that it might be somewhat of a stretch. I'm really interested in becoming an agent for athletes or even continuing as a baseball writer.

8: Have you made plans to see the new Washington Nationals exhibit at the NEWSEUM in Washington, DC?

    This is going to sound really bad since I tell everyone that my favorite museum in DC is the NEWSEUM but, I hadn't actually heard that there was going to be a Nats exhibit. I actually visited the NEWSEUM back in late June and I'm surprised that I didn't hear about the upcoming exhibit. Now that you mention it, I'm going to do some research about the exhibit and will make sure to go and see it as soon as I can.

9: Like all sportswriters who have a motivation to write, what is yours?

     I think my main motivation, and the reason I created my blog originally was to document all the awesome baseball experiences that I've had. Back in 2007, when I started going on the baseball trip with my Dad, I kept a hand written journal of the trip and I did that for the first four trips but then I got tired of it and stopped. So the first idea for the blog was to be an online journal so I could remember all those great trips and let other people hear about them. Another form of motivation is being an MLB Pro Blog, I'm one of only four "youth bloggers" in the Pro Blog system and I feel like they made an investment in me and I have to return the favor by producing good, consistent content. I'm also hoping the blog will help me make good contacts in the baseball world and will help me out later in life. Another thing is that I really just love talking, thinking, and researching about baseball so I figured I should record my thoughts and findings somewhere.

Photo Courtesy of Nationals.com

10: As seen from your recent blog posts, you have many autographs, A) How many autographs do you have? B) What is your most-cherished autograph in your collection?

       You know, I wasn't really sure how many autographs I had until you asked me this question. But I did a little "research" and as far as I can find, I have 621 signatures. I'm sure there are some others that I haven't counted because I couldn't find them, but for now that is as many as I can assure you that I have. I think my most cherished autographs have to be a signed, game-used bat from Michael Morse, and a signed, game-used jersey from Jeff Kobernus. But, I cherish those more because they are on such valuable items, I think if I had to choose based on signature alone, I think it would be an extremely hard choice. I have multiple Bryce Harper autographs, which I really love, and same goes for Stephen Strasburg and Ryan Zimmerman. For awhile my favorites were some Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun signatures I have. But as of right now, I would have to say the best, and therefore most cherished autograph I have is Miguel Cabrera. I have a lot of other great players like Ozzie Smith, Ivan Rodriguez, Paul Molitor, Jim Palmer, Jim Thome, Yogi Berra, Andre Dawson, Justin Verlander, and Goose Gossage. But, I'd have to say that Miggy (Miguel Cabrera) is the best. Right now the two autographs that I'm after are Mike Trout and Max Scherzer. Trout has skipped me a couple of times when I've been trying to get his autograph and I haven't really had a shot a Scherzer but I'm sure I will get both eventually.

11: How do you tend to know where the visiting team of an MLB team is staying?

     Finding out where a visiting team stays is really kinda random. According to my Dad, teams used to publish in their media guides where they stayed in every town but recently took that out because they were worried about the safety of the players. We use various different ways to try to figure out where teams are staying. There is some website that is probably pretty out-of-date that has where teams at least used to stay. Recently we asked the local ticket agent that we bought from in Tampa, and he knew where the teams stayed. Once when I was in Toronto I actually asked one of the Nationals assistant coaches, and he told me where they were staying. If I can't find a suggestion online and asking around doesn't work, normally we just walk around the city about 4-5 hours before game-time to see if there are any autograph seeker standing outside of some of the fancier hotels.

12: In your mind, what was the biggest blockbuster deal of the 2015 trade-deadline?

    There were really a lot of big name guys dealt at this years deadline, personally I think there were the most in recent memory. When I think about the biggest blockbuster of the deadline, there are a couple of names that come to mind. Yoenis Cespedes, Cole Hamels, David Price, Carlos Gomez, Troy Tulowitzki, and Johnny Cueto. I think it is pretty obvious that the Hamels deal will have the biggest long term affects. That's just bound to happen when you have a trade with eight players involved. But right now, for this season, I'd have to say the Yoenis Cespedes trade is the biggest deal. This decision was pretty hard seeing as I think both the David Price deal and the Carlos Gomez deal will give the Blue Jays and the Astros a much better chance to win their divisions, and the Johnny Cueto deal will help the Royals run away with the AL Central even more. But when I look at the Cespedes deal, the Mets have had literally the worst offense in all of baseball, and they are now getting a big bat. That combined with the fact that they are tied with my favorite team, the Washington Nationals, for first place in the NL East makes it the biggest trade of this season in my mind.

13: Favorite MLB player? (Aside from Nats)

    This is actually a really tough question that I myself have been pondering in my free time. I've come up with a list of guys who I really like and its pretty hard to pick out who my favorite is. Right now my list includes, Steven Souza Jr., Kevin Kiermaier, Munenori Kawasaki, Carlos Rodon, Zach Walters, Huston Street, Bartolo Colon, Yoenis Cespedes, Odubel Herrera, Nick Hundley, Yasiel Puig, and Justin Maxwell. Out of that group of guys, I'd have to say my favorite is Yoenis Cespedes. Its a really tough decision and I almost like Kevin Kiermaier better. I really love the hustle that Kiermaier plays the game with but talent and swagger that Cespedes plays with just over matches Kiermaier. Yo - as they call Cespedes - is just really awesome to watch.

14: Describe the sport of baseball in one word.

Life.

Sterling's Blog!

New York Mets Get Big Bat

 2:48 pm: A deal between the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers has been made official, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score.

   Mets Receive:                                                           Detroit Receives:

   Big bat that can be fit into                                              Two unknown minor league pitchers.
the middle of their ((Mets') lineup.

An offensive edge and upgrade over bats like
Juan Lagares and Wilmer Flores.

Photo Courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

My Predictions for the Rest of the Regular MLB Season

Division Predictions for 2015

American League

   AL East:

1:  Baltimore Orioles

2: New York Yankees

3: Toronto Blue-Jays

4: Tampa-Bay Rays

5: Boston Red Sox

  AL Central:

1: Kansas City Royals

2: Detroit Tigers

3: Minnesota Twins

4: Cleveland Indians

5: Chicago White Sox

AL West:

1: LA Angels

2: Houston Atros

3: Oakland Athletics

4: Texas Rangers

5: Seattle Mariners

National League

NL East:

1: New York Mets

2: Washington Nationals

3: Atlanta Braves

4: Miami Marlins

5: Philadelphia Phillies - My guess for team that

                                         will get the #1 overall pick in next years draft.

NL Central:

1: St. Louis Cardinals

2: Chicago Cubs

3: Pittsburgh Pirates

4: Cincinnati Reds

5: Milwaukee Brewers

NL West:

1: San Francisco Giants

2: LA Dodgers

3: San Diego Padres

4: Colorado Rockies

5:Arizona Diamondbacks

Zack Hample: The Ball-Hawk

   Now how, out of all the people, did ballhawk, Zack Hample catch Alex Rodriguez's 3000th home-run  ball? That is a question even I am asking, as Hample seems to be a magnet for baseballs.

   Zack Hample, a baseball enthusiast, caught A-Rod's 3000th hit earlier this week, but declined to give it back. " I have never sold a ball in my life," Hample states in an interview, " and i'm not prepared to give one up now."  If you don't know Zack Hample, get to know him, as you will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. Hample is what we call, in the modern day, a " ballhawk." One who attends a baseball game and does whatever it takes to get a souvenir baseball. Helping his cause to support why he has so many baseballs,  Hample has attended hundreds of MLB games since the 1990s.

    Hample, a season ticket holder for the NY Yankees, for all long as he can remember, has written best-seller books about how to snag your first MLB ball. Which includes countless tips, such as speaking the basics of other languages to communicate with players of different nationalities. Hample has earned a enormous reputation for the MLB, that has helped him gain much needed popularity for him to continue doing what he loves, ball-hawking. 

   In the picture above, Hample poses with one of the many piles of baseballs he has collected from games, whether they be a foul ball, a home-run ball, or a ball from warm-ups during the pre-game. 

    Check out his website: zackhample.com

  

   Please order his book, I have read my share of Zack Hample stories, and so should you. 

The Amazin' Steven Matz

  Have a day, Steven Matz!


    The Met's stud rookie proved a few days ago that the Mets have a new star, in all positions. Steven Matz was called up from triple-A, Las Vegas about 4 days ago to make his MLB debut, for the desperate Mets. As Matz took to the field moments before his debut, all his family was present. Yes, his grandpa, dad, mom, sister, etc. This was a special day for the Matz family, but later on, it would be a historic, monumental day as well.

     Matz, pitching against the Cincinnati Reds, gave up his first home-run in the first inning to Brandon Phillips; however, Matz responded to the early home-run by pitching seven innings for the hard-earned win. Not only did he get the "W," but Matz proved he could hit as well. The rookie went 3-3 in his debut,  doubling in his first at-bat, after hitting a long ball over Billy Hamilton's head, a feat not many can accomplish.


    Matz's family was speechless, as this was a big-time performance for an up-and-coming star. However, let's remind ourselves of the talented arms the Mets now have in their starting rotation: Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jacob DeGrom, and now, Steven Matz. Hence, for the first time in years, the Mets seem to be serious contenders for the World Series, starting possibly next year, if all the young, talented arms stay healthy.




Photo courtesy of nydailynews.com

                                                                                                             

Q and A with the Gotham Baseball Club's Manager, Charles Klasman!

  Charles Klasman is the manager of the Gotham Baseball Club a club that originated back in 1865! During the time period in which the Civil War was happening. Please read the Q and A, I've conducted with the gracious Mr. Klasman! If you enjoy what you've read, please help the club by visiting their website and potentially making a donation, or even to read MORE about the fascinating history of the " Pioneer" baseball club. Big thanks to Mr. Klasman for participating in this interview!

1) Can you please tell me a little history about the Gotham Baseball Club?

 

The Gotham Club started as the Washington Base Ball Club in the 1840s and later became the Gotham Base Ball Club. Members of the team were also part of the New York Nine which played the first recorded game in 1845. In those days they played for fun and for "health". But it became a passion for many and the popularity of the game grew. The Gothams had several homes in New York, one notable site was the St. George Cricket Grounds which today has the landing site for the Staten Island Ferry and the Staten Island Yankees stadium on the old property. The Gothams last season played the Hoboken Club in the stadium a match in 1864 fashion. About 1854 the Gotham team moved from St. George to Elysian field in Hoboken. Some of the vintage players, myself included took a picture at the old "home plate" after our winter meeting this past December. 

 

The Gothams had several iterations of the team over the years, the last incarnetin became part of the National League where in 1884 after the Manager Jim McMutrie began referring to his players as Giants the name changed again. They moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season and we've never charged them royalties. It was not until the year 2000 when Drew Frady, who now lives somewhere in Colorado revived the Club and began playing once more as the Gothams in 1864 fashion. Along with the Mutuals, Atlantics, Neshanock, Hoboken Nine, Bog Iron Boys and Eckofrds we make up the New York area of the Mid Atlatic Vintage Base Ball Association. 

 

2) As a child, were you ever aware of this historical team?

 

No, just the stories about the New York Giants I heard from my father and other family members. I do recall seeing games at the original Yankee Stadium and getting a seat right behind a post! But I became a Mets fan and regarded them as a modern New York surrogate for both the Dodgers and Giants. 

3) What made you want to become the manager of this prestigious club?

 

I'll stop short of saying I "wanted" to become manager of the team. I was simply an enthusiastic player and committed to the team itself. So when our previous manager John Hyslop retired myself and Rafael "Wickets" Garcia took over. Wickets has taken a step back this year in lieu of personal commitments so our centerfielder Ben "Collector" Levinsohn has stepped up as co-manager. Too much work for just one man! I'm proud to be a part of the team in any capacity. 

4) Has there ever been any well - known ball - players who have come out  from the club?

 

Many, of course. George Wright was a Gotham as well as a Red Stocking. He was arguably one of the best and most influential short stop in the history of baseball. He was an engineer of how a short stop and second baseman would share second base and turn double plays. He was also an outspoken supporter of running past first base in order to avoid frequent collisions. His brother Harry Wright and pitcher Candy Cummings who invented the "Curveball" also were early Gothams. All three are in the Hall of Fame. 

5) Prior to taking this job, was there any learning to be done, of terminology, etc.

 

Yes, it is an on the job learning process, one that I am still learning. There are many players in the league that are far more knowledgable than I am. Collector (Ben) is our team historian. We call him that because he collects memorabilia and historic artifacts. Everyone on the team earns a nickname at some point. There are often debates with league historians about which terms were used and how they were used. We do try to keep in charachter when we play in front of spectators. We don't "high five" and try to resist using modern baseball terms. We tally "Aces" when we score, the umpire won't call you safe, he either says nothing or pronounces you "not out". There is a lot to learn and I often get confused watching modern games. 

 

I think there are some things that MLB might consider reverting back towards. Like when we step to the plate the pitcher may throw. Even if we step away, the pitch may be thrown, but the umpire is not obligated to call any of the pitches. I'd like to see the umpires have less of a propensity to allow batters to step away. If they can't put on their gloves to bat and keep them on, don't wear them. We play without gloves in the field. And what if on a 3-2 count the umpire had the instructions to not call a pitch which was borderline? Instead letting the players decide the outcome of the at bat. Carlose Beltran might be a Met hero today. 

 

 

6) Tell me about yourself, how have you been able to help other people with the general knowledge of baseball and the Gotham Club.

 

Its a great subject for parties to talk about. We participate in educational days for schools. The Cyclones have a date each year where we play in the years of 1864, 73 and 77 for school kids. Once people see the game the questions start coming. They all want to know what the differences are and when the game changed. All the players enjoy sharing with the spectators. A simple pleasure that so many people enjoy. 

 

Happy to be able to share with you John. It would be nice to meet you sometime in the future. Please let us know if we can help you or the magazine in any way. You have all been most gracious. Huzzah! Baseball season is starting soon. 

http://www.gothambbc.com/view/Gothams/WebHome

 

Rags to Riches? The New San Diego Padres in Review

    Out of all 30 MLB teams, hundreds of thousands of fans are ecstatic to catch a glimpse of the new San Diego Padres. Ever since the arrival of new general manager, A.J. Preller, the team has been, " Hyperactive," multiple sources report. With the additions of Will Middlebrooks, Wil Myers, Justin Upton, Matt Kemp, and recent signee, James Shields. The Padres have now played the " Do - or - die" card ( win or lose). Although the Padres have been able to fulfill the positions at which they were initially weak at, they must watch their salary cap. Kemp, Myers, Upton, and Middlebrooks have all proved to have " Gap years," between efficient and non - efficient seasons. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see if the new San Diego Padres will have a disappointing season such as the 2014 NY Yankees ( No disrespect, just that they did not seem to play as well as sources had predicted ), or a miraculous  success story, such as the 2001 Diamondbacks ( WS Winners ).Will the Padres crumble like a cookie, under the pressure, or shine bright like a diamond? That question is yet to be answered.

Rebuilding Red Sox Sign Cuban Star

     Cuban powerhouse Yoan Moncada signed two weeks ago with the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox continue to improve their offense, by adding the swift, agile Cuban outfielder and signing him to the largest signing bonus one has ever heard of, 31.5 million dollars; the largest among any international free - agent this year and before. Boston, with the signing of Yoan Moncada, adds him to a superior lineup that consists already of David " Papi" Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez. However, some beat reporters now claim that with all the offense the Red Sox have compiled, they have not been addressing their weak, young pitching staff. In addition, the Red Sox's chance of reclaiming the AL East title have improved steadily. Yoan Moncada has been described as one of the powerful outfielders, with " Wheels," a " Hose," as an arm, and a fantastic swing. For his first showcase, about 65 scouts from around Major League Baseball came to determine whether this super - charged prospect was living up to the speculation around him. I think we all know the conclusion to that story. Please comment on who you think will win the AL East division title.

An Interview with MLB.com's Prospect Expert , Jonathan Mayo

I am greatly honored to announce that I had the pleasure of interviewing the one and only, Jonathan Mayo! Jonathan Mayo has been MLB.com's prime man when it came to minor league baseball prospects since 1999. Enjoy!

Interview Code -
Small Font: JE
Large Font: JM

  Q: B3, how did you come to naming your baseball blog that?

I wanted it to be something fun and not necessarily hard-core baseball-related. At one point, I had a friend tease me by saying I was “Big, Bald and Beautiful” – and B3 was born.

Q: Where do you receive your information or breaking news from?

I’ve worked hard to build relationships and cultivate sources. I talk to people all around baseball, from agents to front offices.

Q: How did you develop this strong interest in Minor League Baseball?

I’ve always been interested in talking about prospects. Even when I was focusing more on Major League stuff, when I first started at MLB.com, I tried to write stuff on the young guys. I guess I like telling stories about guys that aren’t as well known, sometimes introducing them to a wider audience. These days, there’s a ton of information about prospects out there, but I like adding to that.

Q: Has any of your former jobs in sports helped you understand how to evaluate and rank certain players?

Not really. I’ve always been a writer or analyst of some sort. I guess being around the game for a long time and hanging out with scouts a lot certainly hasn’t hurt my critical eye. But I’m not really an evaluator. The scouts out in the field really know what they’re doing and I prefer to let my opinions be informed by gathering as much information from the experts as possible.

Q: Did you attend the 2014 MLB Winter Meetings in San Diego, California

I did indeed attend. I’ve gone to every Winter Meetings since 1999, I think, except for one.

Q: If so, did you ever visit an actual MLB team War Room?

At the winter meetings, you mean? There have been times when I’ve filled in covering a team where I, along with other reporters covering a team, gain access to the team suite with a general manager. But I’ve never sat in the suite while they’ve had private discussions about trades and free agents, if that’s what you mean.

Q: Who has been the most solid prospect this past year?

Basing it on performance, that’s easy. Kris Bryant of the Cubs.

Q: The breakout prospect in 2015 will be...?

Franklin Barreto, of the Oakland A’s

Q: Why did you decide to have Byron Buxton remain as the top prospect on the Top 100 Prospect List? ( Great Choice )

We took some flack for that one because Bryant had such a great year in 2014. And we love Bryant, but when we make a list, it’s not just about current performance. It’s about what we think will happen in the future. And Buxton still has the best all-around tools in the game among prospects. His injuries were all unrelated and there’s nothing that’s chronic or recurring. Yes, he needs to stay on the field, but people jumped off his bandwagon in a hurry just because he missed a bunch of 2014. He’s still only 21.

Q: Can you please describe the book that you wrote?

Facing Clemens was a look at how hitters tried to hit Roger Clemens over the course of his career. Each chapter was about a different hitter who had that challenge at different times, from Dave Magadan in college (and MLB), to Cal Ripken Jr. (who faced him the most) to Ken Griffey Jr. (most success), etc. Torii Hunter was great because he was terrible against Clemens and was generous with his time in talking about it with me.

Q: How often do you travel to have an advanced look at a prospect, team or to a special event?

I wish I had more time to get out there and see more guys. But we  cover a good amount of showcases to see Draft talent ahead of time. If it’s not me, it’s Jim Callis or Teddy Cahill (the MLBPipeline.com team). But we get out a good amount – Spring Training, the Futures Game, the Arizona Fall League, all give us opportunities to see Minor League prospects.

Q: Are you already examining the prospects of the 2015 MLB Draft?

We put out a Top 50 list in the fall. And we covered some things over the summer – I was at the East Coast Pro Showcase, for instance. But we won’t really dig into the Draft stuff until April. 

 Thank you Mr. Mayo once again for forgoing a few minutes and answering these questions!

Phil Deal the Phading Marlon Byrd to Cincinnatti

   Marlon Byrd is officially a Cincinnati Red. The aging right - fielder gave Philadelphia a good season; however, many Philly Phans could have predicted this to happen once they sign Marlon to an atrocious deal. The two teams receive what they want. Philadelphia receives a young, talented pitcher, Ben Lively, a fourth round pick, while decreasing in age. Cincinnati receives a nice right - fielder or utility man who can platoon nicely in their outfield.

  Grade : B+

Luxery Lefties

    Heading the free agent market in the starting pitching category is none other than former Red Sox and Oakland Athletic Jon Lester. Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies is also said to have his name mentioned multiple times in trade talk. These two lefties symbolize one thing: Domination. Throughout their careers ( So far ), Lester and Hamels have been classified as aces of their rotation and the blackjack pitchers of baseball. Lester has arguably a better career overall than Hamels, recording multiple All-Star appearances and a few World Series rings.

    Hamels has been overshadowed by the regular season record of the Phillies these past seasons and the lack of run support. Although, Hamels is still under contract for a few more years, the Chicago Cubs have apparently shown strong and serious interest in the lefty. The Philadelphia Phillies have not been the same since 2009, the year they lost in the World Series to the New York Yankees. Their farm system lacks in depth, development, and performance, they had a managerial issue in the past year and many players have walked away from the club in spite of playing on a better, contending team. The Chicago Cubs have just what the Phillies want, an array of talented prospects, pitching depth and solid minor-league players who have been consistent throughout their playing years.

   Jon Lester is another story; In 2014, Lester, among with Johnny Gomes was traded to the Oakland Athletics for powerful hitter and overall solid player Yoenis Cespedes. Lester, unsatisfied at how the playoffs went for his new team is rumored to not want to return to Oakland for another year or for many years to come. Reportedly, over ten teams have contacted Lester's agent about the potential of signing him. The Red Sox, Yankees, Oakland, Kansas City, San Franciso, Atlanta, and the Chicago Cubs have shown an above average of interest so far in the off-season,

   These luxery lefties could find themselves in a new home either in 2014 or 2015, so do not be surprised if a transaction is made.

Ike to the Mic: Ike Davis to Oakland

 
    Former Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ike Davis has reportedly been traded to the Oakland Athletics in a deal that first occurred on November 23rd. The Oakland Athletics now have a starting first baseman, if Ike Davis continues to remain healthy. The full deal was Ike Davis and International Bonus Slot 86 from the Pirates for International Bonus Slot 27. Although the deal was not exactly on the radar by popular websites, many scouts, and general managers knew that Ike would be traded during the off-season.

   
     The trade seems to be fair, as Oakland received some offense and the Pirates received a top of the line International Bonus Slot. Ike Davis has enjoyed a muffled career, where he either has been as hot as the sun or as cold as ice. Before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates this past season, he hit just a hair over .200. However, in a new environment after his departure from the NY Mets, he hit .235, with the Pirates. An accomplishment he said was due to the help of the Pirate's hitting coach and adjustments in his batting stance.

     Ike has proved to be a steady, under the radar player, that's what gives him his motivation for his career. By adapting to a new environment with well known coaches, he will fit in just fine with the Oakland Athletics in 2015!

USNA Baseball Takes Over the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony

 The United States Naval Academy's baseball team was given the chance to volunteer at the annual Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony, on November 5th, in Washington D.C. 28 players and staff attended the ceremony, where they were received with praise and respect from spectators and others in the room.

The award ceremony was created in 2013 by the United States Navy, Major League Baseball, and the Baseball Hall of Fame. The award ceremony goes out to three deserving recipients every year, one MLB player, one Navy Chief Petty Officer and once dead or alive baseball hall of famer.

   Midshipmen were even given the opportunity to talk and sit next to former players and current players Nick Swisher, Tommy Lasorda and Bobby Valentine. The midshipmen came prepared in their Dress Blues, wowing every person seeing the presentation. The United States Naval Academy, or the USNA, is located in Annapolis, Maryland, where top students from around the country apply to the vigorous, yet rewarding school. Tuition is free, many life-lessons are learned and after your completion from the academy, you are required to serve either in the Marine Corps or the United States Navy for at least five years.