You never know what's gonna happen when you're a pitcher. You could go on a two-month slump out of nowhere. Steve Blass disease could rear its ugly head. You could suddenly become close personal friends with Dr. James Andrews. There are no sure things, really, but if you're Cliff Lee or Brandon Webb, you can probably start making space on your shelf for a Cy Young Award.
Webb gave up one run on six hits against the Braves yesterday, boosting his record to 17-4 and lowering his ERA to 2.88. He's head and shoulders above everyone in the NL in wins and at the moment trails only Tim Lincecum, Jake Peavy, and Johan Santana in the ERA race. But not by much, and more important to the win-crazy BBWAA writers, none of those guys are going to match his win totals when it's all said and done. What's more, two of those three are certain to be watching the playoffs from home this October, and Santana's Mets stand a worse chance of playing in the postseason right now than Webb's Diamondbacks. Out of all of the challengers I think Linceucm poses the biggest threat in that two stellar months for him might have older voters reminiscing about Steve Carlton wining 27 games for a pathetic Phillies team in 1972, but this is really Webb's award to lose at this point.
Cliff Lee was even more impressive yesterday, shutting out the Blue Jays over eight innings. Lee is leading the AL in wins and ERA, and none of the three guys trailing him in the latter category -- Justin Duchscherer, Roy Halladay, or Felix Hernandez -- are playing for winning teams, ensuring that only Lee truly has a shot at both titles. Yet somehow Lee seems less of a lock for a Cy Young than Webb does, for the simple reason that Francisco Rodriguez is likely to break the saves record for the best team in baseball. AL voters haven't given a Cy Young to a closer since Dennis Eckersley got it in 1992 -- and the early season K-Rod buzz is certainly dying down -- but the save, she is a seductive stat, and to the extent Lee falters down the stretch, the writers have a fallback option in Rodriguez.
But it's not a smart option, because Lee, as Webb, have been dominant this year. And though it's only August 11th, we haven't had a a clearer choice for Cy Young this early in recent memory.
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Call The Cy Young Races Off
Posted Aug 11th 2008 2:27PM by Craig Calcaterra (author feed)
Filed under: Diamondbacks, Indians, AL Central, NL West, MLB Awards
Pressure on Arizona's Promising Youth
Posted Aug 9th 2008 9:33PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Diamondbacks, NL West
The time has come for the Baby Backs to grow up, at least a little bit. Earlier this week, the Diamondbacks handed out a contract extension to co-ace Dan Haren which will keep him in Arizona until at least 2012. Former NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb is going to be his teammate until 2010, though he has had on-again, off-again extension talks with the club himself.Throw the resurgent Randy Johnson -- who is pitching well enough that he might return next year -- in there and Arizona has a formidable front three in its rotation. Webb, Haren and Johnson have combined for 37 wins and the team ranks third in the NL in ERA despite a bullpen that has been shaky at times.
In short, the Diamondbacks have the pitching to win a championship.
And yet, here they sit hovering just above the .500 mark and clinging to their lead in the NL West, with the improved Dodgers bearing down on them and less than 50 games left in the regular season. Arizona is capable of much better, especially with the pitching on hand, and yet it continues to play a frustrating waiting game with its young hitters.
Danny Haren Is Getting Straight Paid: D-Backs Cough Up $44.5 Mil Extension
Posted Aug 5th 2008 7:45PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Diamondbacks, MLB Biz, MLB Transactions
The Arizona Diamondbacks, with Carlos Quentin excepted, have shown a pretty strong proclivity towards cultivating long term talent. Now, Dan Haren, of course, came over via trade, but the Snakes are at least making a strong effort to make sure he hangs around. At least through 2012 anyway, as he agreed to an extension that was announced today.The Diamondbacks and right-hander Dan Haren have agreed to a $44.75 million contract extension that runs through 2012 and includes a club option for 2013, a deal that will be announced today at a 3 p.m. news conference at Chase Field.That's a pretty stout deal, but Haren's been a pretty stout pitcher this year. And some might say that 12.75 for a 31 and 32 year old pitcher is way too much to pay immediately on the backend, but I'm not one of those people. Probably because I'm unapologetically a Haren backer (see: 2008 MLB predictions I'm not linking to right now).
The contract, which nullifies Haren's previous deal, is worth $41.25 million over the next four seasons and includes a $15.5 million option for 2013 with a $3.5 million buyout.
Haren will be paid $7.5 million in 2009, $8.25 million in '10, $12.75 million in '11 and $12.75 million in '12.
Point is the Snakes, once they lock up Brandon Webb as well, have a ridiculous 1-2 punch for the next five years.
On Deck: Another Oakland Bubble Burst?
Posted Jul 20th 2008 10:00AM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Yankees
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.
Oakland Athletics (51-46) at New York Yankees (52-45) - 1:05 PM ET
In case yesterday's Yankee starter Joba Chamberlain needs a role model to help him make a more seamless transition from reliever to starter, he need look no further than across the diamond at today's Oakland starter, Justin Duchscherer. "Duke" is 10-5 with a 1.82 ERA after making the transition, and has been keeping the Athletics in the race even after guys like Rich Harden and Joe Blanton were sent packing. But with Duchscherer looking for a long term deal, could he be the next to go? Just as Duchscherer would be looking to cash in on his best season, Billy Beane may be looking to cash in as well, as Duchscherer is a free agent after this season.
But in the meantime, Duchscherer will try like heck to prevent a Yankee sweep as he goes up against Andy Pettitte.
On Deck: Your Move, Philadelphia
Posted Jul 9th 2008 12:26AM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Red Sox, Twins, Mets, Phillies, Cardinals, Giants
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
So in the last 48 hours the Milwaukee Brewers have added CC Sabathia to their rotation, and the Chicago Cubs picked up Rich Harden to add to theirs. All the Phillies have managed to do in during that span was lose two games in the standings.
The Phillies have now lost four in a row, and unfortunately for them their losing streak directly coincides with a four-game win streak by the New York Mets. Now both the Mets and Marlins sit only a game and a half behind the Phillies. So the pressure is on the Phillies to add an arm of their own to the rotation.
If you look around the National League right now, things aren't set up too well for Philadelphia. The Brewers now have Ben Sheets and Sabathia. The Cubs have Harden, Carlos Zambrano, and Ryan Dempster. In Arizona the Diamondbacks feature Brandon Webb and Dan Haren at the top of their rotation, while in Los Angeles the Dodgers have a NL-best 3.70 ERA.
The Phillies have Cole Hamels and, um, Jamie Moyer? While the Phillies have the fifth best team ERA in the National League, Hamels is the only member of their rotation who has an ERA under 4.00. Their offense may be pretty dangerous, but once the playoffs start (if the Phillies get there) it's pitchers who dominate, and the Phillies just don't have enough of them.
So when will the Phillies make their move in the NL Arms Race?
All-Star Grievances: National League West
Posted Jul 6th 2008 7:00PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: New York, NL West, MLB All-Star Game
Maybe the All-Star Game is a meaningless to the players and just an excuse for Bud Selig to admire himself for a week. That doesn't mean that the selections should be stupid. Today, the MLB 'Haus gives you All-Star Grievances.Grievance: Aaron Cook over Cole Hamels, or to stay in division, Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Sanchez. Mmmm-mmm. Home cookin'! Cook has been pretty good this year, but to call him All Star quality dominant might be a bit of a stretch. Hamels is a no-brainer and Billingsley and Sanchez have been erratic at times, but both have helped shore up their respective team's rotations with high strikeout pitching (they are 20 shy of collectively quadrupling Cook's totals.) Also, it really bothers me when the manager for a team uses his power to grab a homer pick. Or when people reward wins (which, partially = luck).
Grievance: Brandon Webb starting over Edinson Volquez or Tim Lincecum. Webb has been great this season, but he's scuffled recently. All three deserve to be heading to New York, but the reality is that Lincecum or Volquez should be starting, if we're basing the "award" on recognizing the entire first half of the season.
Brandon Webb and Cliff Lee Are Your All Star Starters
Posted Jul 6th 2008 1:26PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Indians, Diamondbacks, MLB All-Star Game, MLB Rumors
While the All Star teams won't be announced until later tonight, we have a pretty good idea who most of the starters will be thanks to the fan voting. What we usually have to wait a bit to find out about, though, is who the starting pitchers will be in the game. That won't be the case this season, as word has leaked out that this years starting pitchers will be Cleveland's Cliff Lee and Arizona's Brandon Webb.
Cliff Lee, who had to fight for a job in Cleveland's rotation this spring, will be the starting pitcher for the AL, the Post reported. Lee is 11-1 with a 2.26 ERA.It's pretty hard to argue against either selection, as Cliff Lee has been one of the lone bright spots for the Indians this season, and Brandon Webb is, well, Brandon Webb.
He'll go against Arizona's Brandon Webb, who will be playing in his third consecutive All-Star game and getting his first starting assignment.
In the American League, Terry Francona probably could have picked either Lee, Joe Saunders, Mike Mussina, Roy Halladay, and Gavin Floyd without getting too much flak for it. Other candidates in the National League included Aaron Cook, Ben Sheets, Edinson Volquez, and Tim Lincecum, but it looks like Webb's reputation preceded him.
On Deck: The White Sox Are at It Again
Posted Jul 3rd 2008 12:53PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, White Sox, Athletics, Brewers, Diamondbacks
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
I've been a White Sox fan my entire life, and through my years of watching the team, I've generally always had a good feel for what kind of team they are. Usually by the time July rolls around, I know exactly what I'm dealing with. Sometimes they're a good team, but I have no expectations for them to win their division. Sometimes I think they're going to win the division, but not do anything else. Thankfully, it's a rarity that I realize the team sucks some years, and I should be happy if they get 75 wins.
Back in 2005 I was telling anyone that would listen that the Sox were going to win the World Series as early as May. Nobody believed me, nor should they have. I mean, they hadn't won a championship in 88 years at that point, so my proclamations were generally met with blank stares or a pat on the head and a "Sure they are, Tom. Sure they are."
This year, though, this year I have no idea what this team is capable of. Two weeks ago they were busy getting worked over by the Cubs at Wrigley Field, and everything that I thought was wrong with the team was apparent those three days. Now the Sox have won their last seven games (the third time they've had such a streak this season), winning their last two in dramatic walk-off fashion, and they look like world beaters.
Will they continue their dominant play of late tonight as they start a four-game series with the Oakland A's, or will they continue to confuse me? Find out after the jump.
On Deck: Break Up the Twins
Posted Jun 26th 2008 12:35PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Tigers, Twins, Reds, Cardinals, Padres
On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups
San Diego Padres (32-47) vs. Minnesota Twins (42-36) - 3:35PM Est.
I tried to put an end to it yesterday by mentioning it in the On Deck, but apparently the On Deck Curse is only effective when I lead the post with it. So today, now that the Minnesota Twins have climbed within a half-game of the White Sox and won their last eight games, the Twinkies are getting the star treatment.
As I've already explained in recent days, I have no idea how the Twins are winning so much this season, yet here they are. Earlier this month the Twins were three games under .500 and 6.5 games behind the White Sox, and I thought their record then was a lot more indicative of the type of team they had.
It was only a matter of time before the suddenly resurgent Tigers and maybe even the Indians passed them by, and the Twins became merely a footnote in the 2008 season. All they've done since then is win, win, and win some more.
Brandon Webb Blaming His Slump on Contract Negotiations
Posted Jun 23rd 2008 7:35PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Phoenix, Diamondbacks, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Biz, Fantasy MLB
Brandon Webb is still on pace for 23 wins, which is absolutely ridiculous, considering he's scuffled his way to losses in four of his last seven starts. Obviously he wasn't going to go 118-0, or whatever he started out heading towards, but he should still have a really good, Cy-Young-worthy season.And it seems, based on what Webb is saying, that he could be due for a drastic improvement, now that negotiations for a contract extension have been called off. Because these negotiations, which have been going on since Spring Training, were clearly just killing him.
'It's off my mind now,' Webb said. 'It's not something I'm thinking about. I'm just going to go out there and pitch; we're still talking about 2 1/2 years here. Yeah, I was very disappointed that we didn't get it done, but I'm moving on from that. I've got a responsibility to pitch for these guys in here and for the fans.'Yes. Yes, you do, Brandon. And you also have a responsibility to get my fantasy team off the schnide. I tend to side with Bob Melvin on this one when he points out that "it's not like he hasn't pitched in games with that out there" already this year.
I understand the point that continued discussion of the extension finally just wore on him, but come on. It seems like a pretty feeble excuse.
Fantasy Spin: Webb is actually a pretty good buy low right now. There has been discussion about his "dead arm" and his continued struggles over the past four starts might make his owner think injury. Now there's a possibility that there is an injury, but Webb has too much upside not to make him worth the risk.
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