Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Augustine

Crawling Out Of The Basement? Part 5: Pittsburgh Pirates

Dave Augustine — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:38:16 -0400

Wow, where to start. By the time I'm done writing this article the players I mention may not even be on the team anymore. That’s how much this team has changed.

It seems as if every year the Pirates are constantly in, "rebuilding mode." Every time they rebuild they tend to tear down their nucleus for the time being and try another one out.

Pirates' fans saw the trade of their beloved outfielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves for Gorykys Hernandez, Charlie Morton and Jeff Locke. The move shocked everyone. First baseman Adam LaRoche is quoted as saying; "There ain't a guy in here who ain't ticked off about it."

It seemed as if the Pirates had a nice core of young pitchers in Ian Snell, Zach Duke and Paul Maholm. Currently Snell is in AAA trying to work his way back to the Pirate rotation while Maholm is sporting a snazzy 4.60 ERA. Duke is the only one that has respectable numbers for a team with very little to cheer about these days.

Duke currently (7-9-2009) is 8-7 with a 3.28 ERA in 118 innings. Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh's lone All-Star representative leads the way on offense. Currently Sanchez is hitting .316 with 25 doubles. Not bad numbers considering the lineup he's in.

When McLouth was traded in June the door was open for Pittsburgh's newest piece to the puzzle. Andrew McCutchen is one of the top prospects in the game today and has shown no signs of slowing down. McCutchen has hit .291 with five triples and 21 RBI in the 33 games since his call up. McCutchen also has good range in the outfield and should be (fingers crossed) a staple in the Pirate outfield for years to come.

Along with McCutchen is Brandon Moss who was acquired from the Red Sox as part of the Manny Ramirez-Jay Bay trade last year. Moss is considered one of the best young outfielders in the game.

Pittsburgh made a bold move in acquiring incumbent outfielder Lastings Milledge from Washington in exchange for Nyjer Morgan. Many seemed to balk at the idea of this trade but in the long run it may end up being very beneficial to Pittsburgh.

Since Pittsburgh is in a major overhaul mode, it may be time to move the likes of Freddy Sanchez and Adam LaRoche while their value is still high. The rest of the season can be very dismal but it’s the only option the Pirates have in the state they're in now.

New York Rangers Add by Subtracting, Subtract by Adding

Dave Augustine — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:59:19 -0400

Ok, Bleacher Report hockey community, I'm here. I have yet to write a hockey article, but I needed to after the first day of free agency.

I'll get started by saying that I've followed the Rangers since the 1992-93 season (just in time) and have been through the highs and lows of the past 16 seasons. We've seen players come and go since their improbable run to the '94 Stanley Cup Championship.

Now, already 15 years later, one may begin to grow a little weary of the Blueshirts and their teasing.

The Scott Gomez and Chris Drury acquisitions in 2007 are what they are—they were never the "go-to guy" in New Jersey and Buffalo, respectively.

Gomez was a playmaker, who scored a career-high 33 goals in the 2005-06 (his previous high was 19 in his rookie season). Gomez stayed on par, in terms of career averages, in his two seasons with New York (70 points in '07-'08 and 58 in '08-'09).

Drury, on the other hand, is a role player, who only scored 30 or more goals twice in his 10-year career. Scoring 25 goals in the 2007-08 season and 22 season last season was to be expected.

So, why are Ranger fans frustrated with these two players?

Simple—they want results, and they want them now. That’s how it is on Broadway. Obviously, Gomez and Drury are not perennial All-Stars, and they never had the goal-scoring ability to lead a team's offense.

However, as proven playoff veterans, they are looked upon in a way similar to Mark Messier in his early years with the Rangers. As a result of depending on these two players to carry New York to the Promised Land, they now see No. 19 (Gomez) up in the northern lights with Montreal.

The best move of the early offseason so far may be the subtraction of Gomez's contract. It’s unfortunate for him to come across as the scapegoat, but the real victim is Glen Sather.

The new NHL and its salary cap stipulations have seen Sather overspend on players that obviously don’t deserve it (Gomez, Drury, Redden, and Rozsival).

Now, Sather has to keep the team competitive while staying under the cap. With Gomez being shipped off to Montreal this week, it opened up cap space for Sather to use.

Enter Marian Gaborik and his new 5-year, $37.5 million contract. Compare that to Wade Redden (three goals in '08-'09) and the 6-year, $39 million contract he received last year, and Gaborik looks like a steal.

I've always been a fan of Gaborik and what he can bring to the table (notice the keyword, "can"). With two groin injuries and hip surgery (January 2009), one may be skeptical. I, for one, am wary of this signing; however, I expect big things from Gaborik when he is healthy.

I am happy with this signing, knowing that the Rangers didn’t trade away the likes of Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, and/or Marc Staal for Dany Heatley and the attitude he carries with him.

With the money Gaborik is receiving, one would think the Heatley trade possibilities are now out the window.

Gaborik is still considered one of the fastest skaters in the league with the goal-scoring abilities that the Rangers have lacked since Jaromir Jagr. If you put Gaborik on a line with Dubinsky and Zherdev (if he stays), you could see a whole new team at the Garden.

The Rangers still need a top center with Gomez gone, and they could make a more realistic move for Dallas's Brad Richards. With Richards winning a Stanley Cup under John Tortorella, it seems logical; however, with his inflated contract (just like Gomez's), the Rangers would almost be back at square one.

If Dallas could pick up some of Richards's contract, this could help make the move easier. With New York taking Sean Avery and his contract back, it almost seems like the Stars owe us, right?

If no moves are made to acquire a new center, then maybe Tortorella and Sather are comfortable enough with Brandon Dubinsky's development.

Personally, I am a big Dubinsky fan, but I do not think he is ready for that role.

With Gaborik's injury history, it would be smart to have another offensive threat. Richards may or may not be the answer, though. Getting him would still require the subtraction of either Dubinsky, Callahan, or Staal.

The Rangers would be better suited for a cheaper alternative in this department.

Only time will tell with the way Sather works his "magic."

In closing, I will argue for the sad signing of Donald Brashear. With Colton Orr leaving, Sather found it necessary to add the enforcer who ended Blair Betts's season during the playoffs.

This addition almost guarantees that Betts (the staple to the Rangers penalty killing) will not be re-signed. If Betts does stay with the Rangers, let's just hope that half of his salary is coming out of Brashear's pockets.

Crawling Out of the Basement? Part Four: Washington Nationals

Dave Augustine — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:33:29 -0400

Could a team needing to get out of the basement be any more obvious than the Washington Nationals? At 21-49 (as of June 25), the Nats look to be leading the races to the top pick in the 2010 entry draft.

Maybe that isn't such a bad thing, considering the fortunes of Stephen Strasburg being taken first overall by the struggling franchise this summer. Agent Scott Boras is aiming for a six-year, $50 million contract for his prized possession. With the way Jim Bowden ruined this franchise with players like Paul Lo Duca and Dmitri Young, Strasburg is a steal.

The offseason brought slugger Adam Dunn to what looked like a potent lineup. Cristian Guzman currently has a .336 batting average, and first baseman Nick Johnson is hitting .310. Mix into the equation a blossoming superstar in Ryan Zimmerman, and voila! You have the worst team in baseball!

So how is this possible?

Look 60 feet, six inches in front of home plate, and you've answered the $10 million question. The Nats rank at the bottom of the NL with their starters' ERA of 4.97 and an overall 5.17 team ERA.

That's not even the worst of it. Washington currently leads the majors in errors with 66 (Major League average is 43).

Three weeks ago, I attended a Mets-Nationals game at Nationals Park and was disgusted before I even had a chance to sit down in my seat. The stadium was in a part of town where traffic is a mess, and parking was so scarce I wanted to rip my hair out! I ended up spending $40 to park! I'm told there are cheaper spots, but that's just ridiculous!

The ticket prices weren't too bad, but the concessions were nothing special. The only special part was the extremely long waiting time it took to get anything. You would think the stadium would be more convenient for fans. No average fan is going to want to see a losing team at these prices.

For the Nationals to get any better, they are going to need to start trading away the "pieces to the puzzle." Keep Ryan Zimmerman and Jordan Zimmermann and work on trading away players like Johnson, Dunn, Austin Kearns, and Guzman while there is still some value for them.

This is one of those teams that's not going to get fixed overnight, but with the right moves, they can be duking it out with the Mets and Phillies at the top of the NL East before too long.

Crawling Out Of The Basement? Part 3: Seattle Mariners

Dave Augustine — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:41:42 -0400

OK, I get it, a team that's 35-34 cant be all that bad right?

Seattle is a special case though. Coming off a horrendous 61-101 mark in 2008, the Mariners looked more lost than Matthew Fox. OK, that was a little corny, but I had to say it. The odd part is that pretty much the same team put up an 88-74 mark in 2007 and looked like they were ready to challenge the Angels in the west.

Ken Griffey Jr made his mark felt in Seattle and brought a new fan base to the Pacific Northwest. Alex Rodriguez and Randy Johnson only solidified this following. Johnson was dealt to Houston in 1998, followed by Griffey's departure in '99, and finally A-Rod leaving for greener pastures in 2000.

With a new ball park and their foundation players gone, the Mariners turned west and found a savior in Ichiro. In his 8+ seasons with Seattle, Ichiro has already broken the single season hits record and has attracted a new wave of baseball fans.

Seattle compiled a .621 winning percentage in Ichiro's first three seasons, including an American League all time best 116 win campaign in 2001. The M's have only had one season over .500 since their drubbing of opponents between 2001-2003.

Seattle had a strong offense for the most part but had struggled on the mound. In 2008 Seattle made a blockbuster trade sending highly touted prospect Adam Jones along with George Sherrill and Chris Tillman to Baltimore for Erik Bedard. Many claim that Baltimore got a steal with this trade.

After a rough 2008 season, Bedard has bounced back nicely with a 5-2 record and a 2.47 ERA. There is speculation that Seattle may trade the 6'1" lefty. However, with Seattle only 2.5 games out of first, they may be more of buyers than sellers. Bedard has proven to be a great addition to the Seattle pitching staff.

Now in his fifth year, "King Felix" Hernandez (23) leads a Mariner staff that leads the AL with a 3.59 ERA. His 98 strikeouts are good enough for fourth in the AL and his 2.74 ERA lands him in the six spot in the AL.

Seattle may sneak into the playoffs this year with their young pitching staff and emergence of Russell Branyan (.305, 16HR, 31RBI). They may be better off trading Bedard to solidify their starting line up which isn't getting any younger.

If the Angels and Rangers start to falter and Seattle keeps winning, look for the M's to add a few pieces to their lineup to make a push for the playoffs this season. If not, Seattle could make out well on the trade market with several teams desperate for a starting pitcher of Bedard's caliber.

Crawling Out Of The Basement? Part 2: Kansas City Royals

Dave Augustine — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:02:09 -0400

In part two of my series of struggling franchises trying to find their way back to the top, I will look into the Kansas City Royals.

Unlike Baltimore, the Royals have had a .500 season (83-79 in 2003) within the last decade. The drawback, though, are the four seasons of 100+ losses (2002, 2004-2006). Fortunately for Royals fans, Kansas City did not have a fourth-straight 100+ loss season in 2007.

Kansas City entered the 2009 season with high hopes.

Alex Gordon, the second pick in the 2005 MLB Draft, suffered a hip injury in mid-April and has hurt KC's chances to compete in a relatively weak AL Central. The 25-year old has been compared to David Wright and has put up strong numbers—32 home runs and 122 RBIs in his first 292 games—in his first two seasons.

Combine a healthy Gordon with future star Mike Moustakas (Second overall pick 2007) and KC will have quite a left side of the infield. Of course Moustakas is only 20 and playing A ball so don't get too excited just yet.

Thanks to the superb pitching of Zach Grienke, the Royals started off 2009 with a 12-10 April. The young pitcher currently holds an 8-3 record with a league-leading 1.96 ERA and 106 strikeouts. Grienke has lived up to expectations and is having his coming out party this year.

Joakim Soria led the AL in saves in 2008 with 42 and has solidified his spot as a top closer in the league. Gordon, Greinke and Soria—all age 25—are the cornerstones to the franchise.

Besides these potential stars, there is not a whole lot to get excited. Luke Hochevar has had some glimpses of hope but still sports a 6.61 ERA. Veteran Gil Meche has been fairly consistent.

Outfielder David DeJesus hit .307 in 2008 but has seen his average dip to .244 through 65 games this season. First baseman Billy Butler is only 23 and has a .284 average through 279 career games. Third baseman Mark Teahen hit 18 homeruns in only 109 games in 2006 but has not hit more than 15 since.

Kauffman Stadium was renovated this season and with fairly cheap ticket prices you would think more fans would show up to games. KC is only averaging 22,459 fans per game through 36 home games. Two games have seen an attendance mark under 10,000.

As of June 19, KC is only 5.5 games out of first place and have won four of their last five games. The next few weeks will determine if the Royals are buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. KC does have a lot of young arms in their minor leagues and can swap them out for a power bat.

Time will only tell how Kansas City will do the next few years. They have one of the best pitchers in the game and some young talent with Major League experience. With a weak AL Central division in front of them, a division title may not be too far fetched in the next few years.

Crawling Out of The Basement? Part 1: Baltimore Orioles

Dave Augustine — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:27:51 -0400

This is part one of a six part series of articles focusing on one team from each division with little success in recent history. I will be covering the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres.

I was inspired to write this after making a visit to Nationals Park a few weeks ago and Oriole Park at Camden Yards last night.

Some of these teams seem to be heading in the right direction while others just cant seem to keep it together.

For part one I will focus on the Baltimore Orioles.

Not since Cal Ripken's final game in October of 2001 has there been much buzz in Birdland.

There have been many failed attempts with former superstars such as Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmerio and Miguel Tejada. Sure they may have added a few more ticket sales to the box office but not much else came of that.

Baltimore has not made the playoffs since winning the AL East in 1997 and have yet to finish the season with a .500 record since. There may be hope for this once storied franchise however.

In 2003, Baltimore used its first-round pick on outfielder Nick Markakis. In his three-and-a-half seasons in Baltimore, Markakis has hit .299 with 67 HR and 303 RBI. Markakis recently signed a 6-year, $66 million contract to stay with the O's until 2014.

The offseason of 2008 saw Erik Bedard moved to Seattle in what may end up being one of the smartest moves in President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail's tenure with the O's.

The O's were able to bring in starting centerfielder Adam Jones along with closer George Sherrill, farmhand Chris Tillman (considered Baltimore's second best prospect) and Kam Mickolio (considered one of Baltimore's top 10 prospects).

Jones had a strong 2008 season and has done even better to begin the 2009 campaign. Currently he has the same amount of home runs now (12) than he did in his previous 205 games. Jones is 10th in the AL with a .316 batting average and he can only get better from there.

The only problem with Jones may be the money he demands once he's up for arbitration. I'm sure Baltimore will do all that is possible to keep him in an O's uniform.

In 2005, Baltimore drafted outfielder Nolan Reimold in the second round. Reimold made his big league debut this year and so far the results have been pleasing.

After hitting seven home runs in his first 30 games, Reimold should be a staple in left field with the O's.

The top prospect in baseball, Matt Wieters, made his most anticipated arrival to the Big Show in May. A friend of mine who attended the game said that it was as if Baltimore found its baseball Messiah.

Wieters got off to a slow start but has hit very well the past two weeks including his first career home run on June 17 against the Mets. The 6' 5" switch-hitting catcher is being counted on to bring Baltimore back to the Promised Land.

With the combination of Markakis, Jones, Reimold and Wieters, the Oriole's have a solid young foundation. The leadership of veterans like Brian Roberts can help guide this team to the top of the AL East.

Baltimore also has the option to become flexible at the trade deadline and move players like first baseman Aubrey Huff and DH Luke Scott for some young pieces to the puzzle.

The pitching staff may be the biggest question mark. However, they have already seen bright spots from rookie Brad Bergesen and have seen a glimpse to the future with David Hernandez. With Tillman waiting in the wings Baltimore may have its Big Three (Tillman, Brian Matusz, and Jake Arrieta) ready to roll by 2010.

I'm not saying it's the next Glavine-Smoltz-Maddux combo, but its a far cry better than the Guthrie-Uehara-Eaton combo to begin 2009.

Anything is possible in baseball and even though this may be the toughest division, it can be won by someone other than the Yankees or Red Sox.

Take the Rays for example who finally climbed out of the AL East basement in 2008 to reach the World Series. Give it a little time O's fans, your time may come sooner than you think.

MLB: Top Five Best and Worst Free Agent Signings of the Offseason

Dave Augustine — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:45:58 -0400

After a little more than 1/3 of the way into the season I will revisit the 2009 MLB Offseason and list the 5 best signings and 5 worst. I will update this again sometime in July and see where these players rank and if they have improved or declined. This is based on opinion and any input is glady welcome. I took into consideration the teams impact with their new acquisitions and the amount of money/years on their new contracts. We will start with the 5 worst followed by the 5 best.

Begin Slideshow

Mets-Phillies Giving Yankees-Red Sox a Run for Their Money

Dave Augustine — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:12:50 -0400

As an avid Bleacher Report follower, I find it appropriate to give back to the readers with my first article.

I could never find the right topic to write about until this week, when I saw the lopsidedness of the Yankees-Red Sox compared to the nail-biting cliffhangers between the Mets and Phillies.

Don't get me wrong, I respect the Yankees and Red Sox as two storied franchises with lots of hostility. The hatred between the fans and the bragging rights are great for the game and are what a rivalry is all about.

The Yankees' dominance of the Red Sox over the years has been evident until the 2004 ALCS, when Boston became the first team in Major League Baseball history to come back from three games down to clinch the AL pennant against their rivals and eventually win their first World Series title in 86 years.

As a baseball fan, I can honestly say that was the greatest playoff series I have experienced. Had I been old enough to remember the 1986 World Series, my thoughts may differ.

With another Red Sox World Series under their belt in 2007, the role of underdog slipped away from the Sox. As recently as last night's game, the Sox are 7-0 against their rival Yankees.

Seems as if ESPN and other networks covering the great sport of baseball have forgotten about the rivalry taking place in the Senior Circuit.

After 11 years, the Mets finally took the NL East crown from the Atlanta Braves in 2006.

After Endy Chavez's home run-robbing catch of Scott Rolen in the sixth inning of Game Seven, destiny seemed to be on the Mets' side. Unfortunately, an Adam Wainwright breaking ball ended New York's hope of becoming title town.

The next offseason began what may now be the best rivalry in baseball when Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins called out the Mets by claiming the Phillies as the team to beat in the NL East.

Philadelphia was able to back that up easily after the Mets made what is considered one of the worst collapses of all time by squandering a seven-game lead in the final 17 games of the 2007 season.

The collapse was complete when Philadelphia stole the division, leaving many Met fans wondering what had happened.

The 2008 offseason led to some more "smack talking," as Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran staked his claim that the Mets were the team to beat in the NL East.

Despite an 11-7 record against Philadelphia, the Mets still found a way to fall out of playoff contention and watch their rivals beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.

I guess actions speak louder than words.

So what's next? The Mets worked on their bullpen this offseason by signing Francisco Rodriguez, who got in on the fun by claiming the Mets as the team to beat. Meanwhile, World Series MVP Cole Hamels called the Mets "choke artists" on the Mets' flagship station 660 WFAN.

As recent as June 10, 2009, the Yankees are 0-7 against Boston with losses of 5-4 in 11 innings, 16-11, 4-1, 6-4, 7-3, 7-0, and 6-5. The Mets are currently 4-2 against Philadelphia with victories of 7-4, 1-0, 7-5, and 6-5, and losses of 6-5 and 5-4, both in 11 innings.

The fight on and off the field has shown this rivalry to be baseball's best. The Yankee-Red Sox matchup, at times interesting, has lost its luster. Meanwhile, the Mets-Phillies rivalry has just begun to peak.

So the next time you see a commercial for a Yankee-Red Sox matchup on ESPN or Fox, just know that you may be missing out on an even better one.