Monthly Archives: September 2018

Just name Jacob deGrom the Cy Young winner already

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New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom has put together one of the better seasons by a pitcher in recent memory. Even though the end of the season is primetime for MLB award discussions, the National League Cy Young race is over. The award belongs to Jacob deGrom.

In 32 starts for the Mets, Jacob deGrom has an ERA of 1.70 and a WHIP of .912 with 269 strikeouts in 217 innings. deGrom allowed 10 home runs to opposing hitters this season, his lowest mark in seasons with at least 24 starts. deGrom allowed seven in 22 starts as a rookie in 2014.

ESPN’s Buster Olney sent out a tweet Thursday morning which displayed just how dominant deGrom has been this season.

If the Mets were able to score just three runs per game this season it can be argued that he could have 23 wins this season. However that is not what happened. deGrom has a record of 10-9 on the year. Hardly the win total that most Cy Young winners own. In fact if deGrom were to win it would be the lowest win total ever for the award, (this excludes non-starters).

How does Jacob deGrom stack up against Max Scherzer or Aaron Nola

The win-loss debate is unfortunately an obstacle that deGrom will have to overcome. Both Max Scherzer (18) and Aaron Nola (16) beat him in that category. Scherzer also has the edge over deGrom in strikeouts, 300-269. However deGrom has Scherzer and Nola beat in WAR and ERA. deGrom has a WAR of 10.3 which edges out Scherzer’s 9.7. and Nola’s 9.3.  Additionally,  deGrom’s microscopic 1.70 ERA beats Scherzer’s 2.53 by nearly three-quarters of a run. Nola’s 2.45 ERA is also a far cry away from deGrom.

Ultimately what the award will come down to is how the voters view deGrom’s value in comparison to pitchers who are on better teams. Scherzer and Nola had the benefit of playing for teams that were in playoff contention and got run support on a regular basis. It is not hard to imagine Scherzer or Nola struggling if they were in a Mets uniform this season. If that were the case Schezer or Nola would have some rough numbers in the win category. deGrom was a victim of his team this season, suffering from no decisions from blown leads or lack of run support. A similar fate would belong to Scherzer or Nola if they were in New York.

deGrom has been the best pitcher this season and the Cy Young Award should be his. Scherzer and Nola have also been fantastic, but deGrom has clearly been the better pitcher this season. Instead of waiting until the conclusion of the MLB season, it would be best to just give him the award now instead of pretending any other pitcher will win the award.

Josh Donaldson heating up at the plate

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Cleveland Indians third baseman Josh Donaldson has endured an up and down season. In fact early on Donaldson did not look good. A lengthy stint on the disabled list caused many to wonder if he would play again this season. Even upon his arrival in Cleveland his bat came along slow. Now as the playoffs near, he is hitting like everyone expected him to.

Granted this is the literal description of small sample size, but Donaldson has been fantastic at the plate over the last seven days. Donaldson again looks like Donaldson and this is a good thing for the Indians.

Donaldson is slashing .278/.458/.500 with an OPS of .958. During this span Donaldson has one home run, one double, two runs driven in, three runs scored and six walks. One of the more important statistics is that Donaldson has only struck out four times. Donaldson is seeing the ball well and is getting on base. Two aspects of baseball that lead to good future results.

The reason for the small sample size is simple. Donaldson missed the majority of the season due to injury. After being acquired by the Indians it took some time for Donaldson knock the rust off. It appears that Donaldson has and is displaying it on the field.

Donaldson will be an integral part of the Indians as the playoffs near. Playing well defensively at third and lengthening the Cleveland lineup. Before the Donaldson deal the Indians were extremely top heavy in their lineup. Now with Donaldson in the middle of the order, the lineup is longer and more difficult to get through. Instead of the rotating cast of characters that have absolutely no business in the fifth spot, Donaldson is an anchor. Now guys like Yonder Alonso and Melky Cabrera are moved down in the order where they belong. As batters in the five spot they are not great, but now as sixth and seventh in the lineup hitters they are at least league average if not better. Donaldson transforms the look of the Indians lineup and makes the team appear to be rather formidable in October.

The NFL has a roughing the passer problem

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The NFL has decided to excessively call roughing the passer this season. Defensive players are basically unable to hit a quarterback. This is a problem. 

For the third consecutive week Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was called for an extremely questionable roughing the passer penalty. Honestly calling it questionable is generous. The penalty was non-existent. The NFL is doing everything they can to protect quarterbacks, this is a good thing. However it is coming at the expense of defensive players being able to do their job.

The NFL decided that a defensive player cannot land on a quarterback with all their bodyweight. A decision that without a doubt came after an injury to Aaron Rodgers. In theory this rule is a good idea. Doing everything to protect a position that it is extremely difficult to find premium talent at is smart. The execution of said protection is absolutely unacceptable. Players such as Matthews are being penalized for plays that are not egregious in any way. Matthews had a textbook wrap-up on Redskins quarterback Alex Smith and because he landed on him it was determine to be a penalty.

Everyone but the NFL realizes this is not a penalty but this did not stop the NFL’s operations Twitter account from backing up the call. Just because the NFL utilizes a Twitter account to explain and support the penalty does not mean it is correct. Michael Lombardi has suggested that if a bar full of drunk guys can watch a play and determine whether a certain play is a catch instead of the bloated NFL review system that often botches calls. Maybe this same suggestion should be applied to roughing the passer calls.

The NFL’s ineptitude has caused a season-ending injury, to a defender

In a world where the NFL has provided even more protection to quarterbacks an injury to a defensive player has occurred as a result of the new emphasis being placed on roughing the passer. While attempting to avoid a penalty, Miami Dolphins defensive end William Hayes tore his ACL. Hayes shifted his bodyweight onto his right leg which resulted in the injury. Hayes’ season is now over because the NFL has botched enforcement of their own rules. This injury should not have occurred, Hayes should still be healthy and taking the field with his teammates. Instead his year is over and has to watch from the sidelines.

Hayes is just the first of what could be many injuries to defenders this season. The NFL has stated they will not change the rule. Some members of the competition committee want the rule applied differently while others do not. The entire situation is a mess.

Preventing injuries to quarterbacks is fine, but this is overkill

As the above states, injury prevention is fine. Protecting the most important position on the field is entirely reasonable. Often an injury to a quarterback will derail a season for a team, (the Eagles from last year are definitely an exception).  What it all comes down to is that this is overkill. There were not (excessive) problems with the previous enforcement of the rule. Sure quarterbacks suffered injuries, but sometimes that happens. The NFL overreacts to a premier player in Rodgers getting injured. Here is the deal, the majority of the time if a player is going to get hurt, he is going to get hurt. The overwhelming majority of injuries are suffered on routine plays. Attempting to change one aspect of the game will not prevent the majority of injuries suffered to players. This includes quarterbacks. Throwing in new terms to prevent quarterback injuries will not prevent anything.

Terms such as “burping” and “scoop and lift” are absolute nonsense. Even monitoring the amount of bodyweight a player places on a quarterback is excessive. Ordinary tackles on a quarterback are now subject to a penalty . Defenders are not body slamming quarterbacks like they are wrestlers or part of a game of NFL Blitz. For absolutely no reason penalty flags are present on the majority of plays.

The modern NFL is now an NFL where a pass rusher cannot do their job

The job of a pass rusher is to sack the quarterback. The NFL wants to make that as difficult as possible. Even hitting a quarterback is beneficial to a defense. A hit can make a quarterback jumpy and get happy feet in the pocket. Resulting in potentially more sacks or bad decisions resulting in turnovers. Apparently the NFL would rather not have that happen.

Welcome to the modern NFL, where offense rules and defenses should just not show up.

Baker Mayfield named Browns starter

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The Cleveland Browns have named Baker Mayfield their starting quarterback. The announcement comes after Mayfield came in after an injury to Tyrod Taylor and led the Browns to their first win in nearly two years.

Tyrod Taylor left Thursday’s contest against the New York Jets with a concussion and the Browns trailing 14-0. Baker Mayfield entered the game and led the Browns to a 21-17 comeback victory, Cleveland’s first since 2016. Mayfield completed 17 of 23 passes for 2o1 yards in just over two quarters of play.

No announcement was made immediately after the game however the team announced Sunday that Mayfield will be the starter moving forward.

Mayfield gives the Browns offense an entirely new dimension moving forward. When Taylor is in the game the opposing defense can crowd the line of scrimmage and blitz with reckless abandon. Taylor is not one to take chances which leads to holding onto the ball too long and taking unnecessary sacks. Additionally, the offense tends to stall and big plays downfield are non-existent. The same cannot be said for when Mayfield is in the game. Mayfield will get the ball out quick, create his own windows and throw the ball downfield. Essentially everything that Mayfield does, Taylor does not.

When Mayfield took the field the entire offense appeared to have an entirely different energy. Everything was upbeat and ready to attack. This is in contrast to the rather lethargic look that the Cleveland offense had with Taylor under center. This may be due to the fact that Taylor is limited as a quarterback while Mayfield is not. Taylor manages the offense, Mayfield commands it. The difference is night and day.

The Browns head out to Oakland to face the dysfunctional Raiders in Week 4. Mayfield will look to build upon a successful NFL debut against an Oakland team that is susceptible to getting carved up by opposing quarterbacks. Bakermania has just started and could reach a fever pitch with another Browns victory next Sunday.

Cavaliers re-sign Rodney Hood

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After months of waiting Rodney Hood finally signed his one-year qualifying offer to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hood’s deal with the Cavaliers is worth $3.4 million.

Bringing back Rodney Hood seemed inevitable for the Cavaliers. Part of the reason is that he was a restricted free agent. The other part is that interest in Hood was essentially non-existent. Teams were not exactly lining up at the door for Hood’s services and it showed. Hood waited until September to finally sign.

During his stint with the Cavaliers last season Hood was quite disappointing. Averaging 10.8 PPG on 44.2 percent shooting from the field including 35.2 percent from deep during the regular season. The postseason was a completely different story. Hood’s numbers dropped tremendously. Averaging only 5.4 PPG on 42.4 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from three-point range.

(It is also worth noting that Hood played 10 less minutes in the postseason when compared to the regular season).

Hood essentially disappeared during the postseason. This led to speculation that he would not return to Cleveland. However Hood is back and ready to prove himself.

A potential new role could lead to better results from Hood

The elephant in the room is the absence of LeBron James. In Cleveland James required a lot of playing time and when on the court required the ball in his hands. The offense went through James. Now that James is gone the entire roster will be impacted in regards to playing time and role.

Hood, among others, will without a doubt see an increase in playing time. This additional playing time will also require Hood to perform at a higher level than he did last season. Something that Hood is more than capable of accomplishing.

Before the trade to Cleveland Hood averaged 16.8 PPG on 42.4 percent shooting with 38.9 percent from three. While Hood’s overall field goal percentage increased his points and three-point field goal percentage dropped. Part of the reason is that over a third of Hood’s attempts came inside 10 feet in Cleveland. While in Utah this number was only about one quarter of his overall attempts. Essentially Hood got better opportunities in Cleveland while playing with one of the best players ever to play the game.

This season Hood will need to find a way to increase his production and efficiency without the benefit of defenses keying in on James. If Hood does indeed accomplish this will benefit both Hood and Cleveland. Hood will be able to potentially turn this into a long-term contract and Cleveland will get excellent play from one of their players.

Shohei Ohtani situation is a mess

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Shohei Ohtani has the potential to be a generational talent. Being advertised as the “Japanese Babe Ruth” before he even signed with a Major League club. While there were some bright moments, ultimately the handling of his injuries cast clouds over a bright future.

There is no question about the talent of Shoehi Ohtani or what he can produce. Ohtani can throw a fastball past the best hitters in the game and when in the batters box and hit home runs with ease. Through September 10, Ohtani has a slash line of .294/375/.595 with an OPS of .975. With 19 home runs, 18 doubles and three triples, Ohtani has driven in 54 runs this season and stolen nine bases. On the mound Ohtani has a record of 4-2 in 10 starts with an ERA of 3.31. Ohtani has struck out 63 batters in just 52.1 innings pitched. When healthy Ohtani is exactly what he was believed to be before coming over from Japan.

The only problem is that Ohtani is not healthy and his injury is being mismanaged.

Shohei Ohtani has damage to his Ulnar Collateral Ligament. Any damage to this ligament is a concern but there is a certain point when surgery is a necessity. Ohtani is at that point. Ohtani needs to have Tommy John surgery which should sideline him for the entirety of the 2019 season. In all honesty Ohtani should have the surgery now in what is a lost season for the Angels.

However that does not appear to be the plan.

The Angels are letting Ohtani hit and while he is hitting well, this is a mistake. The last thing the Angels and Ohtani need is for him to damage it further and causing even more damage. This level of mismanagement is on the same level as the New York Mets and their ineptitude in recent years.

There is even talk of letting Ohtani hit next season after having the surgery. This is absolute nonsense and should not happen. Sure Ohtani can swing the bat well and can put up some impressive numbers but that is not why the Angels signed Ohtani.

The Angels signed Ohtani because he can hit AND pitch at an extremely high level.

Los Angeles continued to let Ohtani pitch even after suffering the original injury back at the beginning of July. Instead of opting for surgery in July, everything but surgery was considered in order to allow Ohtani to play. If surgery would have been performed Ohtani would potentially be able to pitch at the end of next season. Instead Ohtani will be absent from the mound until 2020.

Ohtani should have had the surgery in July. Ohtani should already be recovering but instead he is playing in meaningless games for a baseball team that will not be playing in October.

Browns tie Steelers 21-21 in season opener

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Nobody likes a tie in the NFL but that is what happed in the Week 1 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. After the conclusion of the overtime period the scoreboard showed a tie at 21 and no chance to break it. Cleveland displayed both signs of promise and areas in needs of improvement in the rare tie.

Mixed results for Tyrod Taylor’s Browns debut

While Tyrod Taylor did engineer a comeback in the 4th quarter to tie the game, there was a lot to be desired in his overall performance. Completing 15 of 40 passes for 197 yards one touchdown and one interception. Taylor also added 77 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

While it is easy to look at the box score and criticize Taylor, not everything falls on him. This was his first game in a Browns uniform. It happened to be against a division rival in awful weather. Taylor is guilty of a few bad passes. Most notably an under thrown pass before the end of regulation which resulted in an interception. However the Cleveland receivers were pretty well covered throughout the game. This led to tucking and running with the ball often. Additionally with receivers not being able to get open it led to Taylor being sacked seven times by the Pittsburgh defense.

Taylor does need to improve next week against New Orleans. The fact that the next contest is in a controlled environment should certainly help.

Jarvis Landry is the real deal

There were ample amounts of criticism after the Browns acquired Jarvis Landry from the Dolphins. Mostly it was in regards to his yards per catch. Other criticism existed simply due to the fact Landry was essentially the only real threat in the passing game. Some wondered whether he could duplicate his earlier success in Cleveland. Landry was able to put together quite the performance.

In his debut in a Cleveland uniform Landry did not disappoint. Hauling in seven passes for 106 yards, an average of 15.1 yards per catch. Landry led all Browns receivers in both yards and receptions.

Taylor and Landry obviously have chemistry and should continue to grow as the season progresses. Landry is an absolute monster in the passing game. The volume of receptions and yards accumulated by Landry should continue no matter who lines up under center.

Myles Garrett gets his shot at Ben Roethlisberger

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett came away with two sacks Sunday. (via @Browns on Twitter)

When the Cleveland Browns drafted Myles Garrett he made it known he wanted to sack Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. However due to an early season injury and Roethlisberger not playing in last year’s season finale, Garrett did not get the chance.

That all changed Sunday.

Garrett sacked Roethlisberger twice and put pressure on him throughout the contest. A questionable at the time roughing the passer penalty kept a Pittsburgh drive alive which led to points. Although the NFL admitted their mistake Monday. While it does not change the outcome on the scoreboard it should certainly help Garrett moving forward in how he pressures a quarterback.

Denzel Ward is as good as advertised and then some

When the Browns selected Denzel Ward fourth overall it caused some waves. Many expected Cleveland to select Bradley Chubb, pointing towards the mythical bookend pass rushers. However as good as having good pass rushers is, it does not matter if the secondary is unable to cover. Selecting Ward give the pass rush more time to get to the quarterback.

Cleveland Browns rookie cornerback Denzel Ward had a spectacular performance in the 21-21 tie Sunday. (via @Browns on Twitter)

In his Browns debut Ward intercepted two passes and defended three others. Ward made it difficult for Pittsburgh to pass towards his side of the field. The Ohio State product displayed exactly why the Browns took him fourth overall and that he has a bright future in the Cleveland secondary.

Ward really had one blemish on his day and it took a spectacular play from Antonio Brown for it to happen. Ward had Brown absolutely covered and Brown made an incredible catch for a touchdown. There is nothing Ward could have done to prevent the score outside of having eyes in the back of his head. Since that is not realistic it is best just to give a tip of the cap to Brown and move on.

Takeaways from the tie

Penalties were a common theme for both teams Sunday. Cleveland needs to cut them down in order to win some games this season. Some were on the shoulders of rookie left tackle Desmond Harrison, but it is understandable why they occurred. Starting as a rookie against Pittsburgh will make just about anyone make a few mental errors.

The blocked field goal in overtime is concerning. Apparently the Browns had the exact same snap count on the field goal attempt as every other play in the game. This allowed Pittsburgh to jump the snap and T.J. Watt to get his hand on it. This is inexcusable and needs to never happen again.

Defensively the Browns played fantastic. Forcing six turnovers and giving the team a legitimate chance to win. Not much more to discuss here.

On the other side of the coin the team needs to better execute offensively. Being unable to capitalize on turnovers is an issue and needs to resolved immediately.

Calls for Baker Mayfield to start at this point are premature. Giving Taylor the proper amount of time to prove himself either capable or incapable of running the offense. If he is incapable then brining in Mayfield is warranted, but again this should not be a discussion anytime soon.

If the Browns offense can improve upon a sloppy performance it is not out of the question that they can come away with a win in New Orleans against the Saints this upcoming Sunday.

Jason Kipnis’ turnaround at the plate

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Before making a swing adjustment Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis was in the midst of a disappointing season. However thanks to a rolled up magazine in a Kansas City hotel room things are changing for the better. 

Strikeouts and lack of clutch hitting was a cause for concern with Jason Kipnis. (via @Indians on Twitter)

From March 29 through August 25th Jason Kipnis put together a lackluster slash line. Slashing .216/.305/.345 with an OPS of .650. Kipnis did accumulate some respectable counting stats. Stats including 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 49 RBI and 51 walks. While these numbers are nice there were areas of concern. Mainly 93 strikeouts and grounding into four double plays.

The main concern with Kipnis was coming up short in key situations. The way Kipnis was struggling on the plate was putting him on a fast track for one of his worst seasons in that regard. While it is rather unlikely that he would eclipse his most (146) and second-most (143) strikeouts, third seemed almost to be guaranteed to happen. Currently Kipnis’ third-most strikeouts in a season is 109 from his first full season in Cleveland (2012).

Jason Kipnis made a change and it is paying dividends

According to a story from Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, Jason Kipnis reportedly made a swing adjustment in Kansas City on the last road trip. Using a rolled up magazine Kipnis compared his current swing to his swing from his 2016 campaign. Finding something that was clearly inconsistent, Kipnis made a change. A change for the better.

Since the last night in Kansas City Kipnis is slashing .424/.444/.818 with an OPS of 1.263. This includes three home runs, four doubles and 11 runs batted in. One home run was of the inside-the-park variety but it counts nonetheless. While these numbers are unsustainable they are quite impressive.

After the acquisition of Josh Donaldson Kipnis will be fighting for playing time. With how well his performance has improved it will be difficult to keep him out of the lineup. Kipnis can certainly play in center field, second base and even DH if necessary. As long as Kipnis continues his hot hitting, having him in the lineup will pay dividends. No longer does the Indians lineup hit a lull at the bottom of the order. Kipnis is driving in runs and getting on base.

If this turnaround is short lived there is an easy solution, send Kipnis to the bench. However if it is here for the long haul, Kipnis will certainly provide valuable at-bats in October.

Browns have tough matchup against Steelers

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Le’Veon Bell is still yet to report to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even if Bell does not play the Cleveland Browns have a tough task ahead of them.

It is an extreme case of deja vu. Le’Veon Bell is not reporting to the Steelers before their Week 1 matchup with the Browns. Last year Bell ended up playing and struggling mightily, rushing for only 32 yards on 10 carries and catching three passes for 15 yards. This is far from the production expected from Bell on both sides. This year it does not appear that Bell will play in this years season opener. Even if he does not play the Browns are in for a fight.

Pittsburgh can seemingly sign guys off the street and have them perform in their offense. That is how good the Steelers offense has been over the years. Although there is a difference between when they have a playmaker at the running back position and when they do not. While they did finish 2-1 last September it can be argued they should have been 1-2. Cleveland could have won the season opener last year, but they did not. Pittsburgh did lose to Chicago in overtime in Week 3. Throughout the first three weeks Bell was not himself. Averaging 60 rushing yards per game and just over 18 yards through the air. Pittsburgh managed to win two of three without peak Bell, that is just how good the team is. That is why Cleveland will still have their hands full on Sunday.

As long as Ben Roethlisberger is lining up under center the Steelers offense just produces. Roethlisberger is able to find extend plays and find open receivers with ease. Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster will give opposing defenses fits. Brown is arguably the best receiver in the league and Smith-Schuster is able to take advantage of defenses scheming for Brown. This team should in theory be able to handle the Browns in Week 1.

But this does not appear to be the same old Browns

The Browns have their best quarterback in a long time in Tyrod Taylor. There is a three-headed monster in the backfield with Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson Jr., and Nick Chubb. The receiving corps is an overlooked unit that could line up with the best of them. Jarvis Landry, Josh Gordon and Antonio Callaway will do their fair share of damage this season.

On the defensive side of the ball Cleveland has a scary defensive line. Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Emmanuel Ogbah are a young group but have a chance to take a massive step forward this year. The secondary is as deep as it has ever been. There is talent and versatility all across the defensive backfield and they can certainly hold their own against just about any opponent.

The Browns appear to be ready to fight and show they are for real this Sunday. There has been a massive talent upgrade all across the roster. A mix of draft picks, free agent signings and trades have brought the Browns out of the cellar and ready to compete in 2018. The Browns may be able to sneak away with a win to start the 2018 season. Winning against Pittsburgh would build confidence on a team that is usually nonexistent.

This of course all relies on the Browns winning a tough matchup against a perennial playoff contender.

Indians wise to let Donaldson heal

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Newly acquired Indians third baseman Josh Donaldson has been placed on the disabled list and sent on a rehab assignment. Ensuring Donaldson is healthy is a must for Cleveland’s postseason chances.

While many wanted Josh Donaldson to be in the Indians lineup as soon as possible, it is best to let him get healthy. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the DL stint.

Donaldson’s rehab stint begins today as he will play with the Columbus Clippers. Tom Withers had this report Monday morning.

Rather than rush Donaldson back unnecessarily they are making sure he is healthy. There are a few reasons why they have this luxury.

Their Division

The American League Central was essentially decided before the season began. The Indians were runaway favorites to win the division and are well on their way. As of the morning of September 3rd the Indians are 14 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins. They are not embattled in a fight for the division title. It is also unlikely that they surpass the American League West division winner in wins. What this means is that their playoff seed is essentially locked and they will face the AL West winner in round one.

Depth on the roster

There is not an immediate need for Donaldson to play.  They can afford to essentially play anybody they want. That means playing time for Yandy Diaz and Erik Gonzalez among others. Additionally Cleveland can start playing Jason Kipnis in the outfield.. The Indians are able to operate as before without Donaldson and not miss a beat. the only difference is that Donaldson will join the team after his rehab assignment.

Donaldson is basically a lottery ticket for the postseason

The Indians are taking a chance on a player who has not lived up to expectations this season. The Indians acquired Donaldson to perform in the playoffs due to his previous success.

Donaldson has a good track record in the playoffs. A career slash line of .292/.361/.475 with an OPS of .836, Donaldson poses quite the threat to opposing pitchers.

While Donaldson has endured a disappointing season they are hoping on cashing in on his previous postseason success. The Indians allowing Donaldson to rehab properly ensures that their lottery ticket has a better chance of working out in their favor.