Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta is on top of the baseball world. As if hurling a no-hitter last season just 10 starts ago and winning the NL Cy Young Award wasn't enough, the ace of Chicago's staff has already began putting together an even more impressive encore with a dazzling start to the 2016 season. On the road in Cincinnati to face the Reds, Arrieta tossed his second career no-hitter and just the 15th no-hitter in the 141 year history of the Cubs franchise. While the Cubbies ignited the scoreboard with five home runs en route to a 16-0 shellacking of their opponent, the second-largest margin of victory in a no-no, it would be all about the reigning Cy Young Award winner who has been on quite the journey since being traded to the Cubs just three seasons ago where he's evolved into one of the game's best pitchers.
It's hard to believe the last few seasons Arrieta has had considering he was demoted to the Minor Leagues by the Baltimore Orioles back in 2013 after compiling an ERA of 6.63 in four starts which eventually led to the O's parting ways with their struggling starter. It's safe to say Arrieta has turned it around since then as he's now recorded 24 consecutive quality starts, riding an ERA of 0.86 in those 24 games. To put Arrieta's recent dominance into perspective, he's given up only seven earned runs over his last 119 1/3 innings pitched. And interestingly enough, both of Arrieta's no-no's have come on the road, falling one shy of the all-time mark set by Nolan Ryan who tossed three of his seven career no-hitters while a member of the visiting team. Though he did allow four walks in the game and struckout six, Arrieta also out-hit the Reds by collecting a pair of singles on his way to becoming only the third Cub to record a pair of no-no's, joining Ken Holtzman and Larry Corcoran. At the ripe age of 39 years old, it would be the first no-hitter caught by Cubs catcher David Ross who had announced during spring training that the 2016 season would be his last. It would also be the first time Cincinnati would be held hit-less in 45 years.
Not since Philadelphia's Rick Wise no-hit Cincy on June 23, 1971 had the Reds been held without a hit, ending a span of 7,109 games for the longest active streak during the regular season. In his age 30 season, Arrieta who improved to 4-0 on the year with the win and is only the fourth reigning Cy Young winner to toss a no-hitter the following year, has appeared to have learned from those struggles early in his career while a member of the Orioles and has benefited from a change of scenery to quickly help him rise atop the list as one of baseball's best pitchers and on the cusp of reaching elite status if he hasn't already. Favored by many to make it to and win the World Series this year, Chicago is off to a 12-4 start to the season and is out to an early lead in the NL Central division standings. After falling short to the New York Mets in the NLCS a year ago, Joe Maddon's ball club appears poised and hungry for another run at a National League pennant with none other than Arrieta leading the way.
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Until this past Monday, the New York Yankees have had themselves a pretty pedestrian offseason as the Bronx Bombers have watched from the outside looking in as the game's top free-agents signed elsewhere. But the Yanks finally nabbed a sexy talent with the recent acquisition of one of the most dominant closers in the game to add to an already robust back end of the bullpen and create a three-headed monster. That's right, 27-year old Cuban sensation Aroldis Chapman is heading to New York where he'll be donning the pinstripes in 2016 and joining the 1-2 punch of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller.
In what's been a firesale of top talent for the Cincinnati Reds since July, their All-Star closer is the latest marquee name to be moved following the team's 98-loss season in 2015. Other notable names that found new homes after starring for the Reds this past season are Todd Frazier, Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake. Brandon Phillips would also be on that list had it not been for a blocked trade to the Nationals which the second baseman himself ordered just a week ago. Earlier reports this offseason had Chapman being traded to the Dodgers, but the L.A. ball club had a change of heart and the deal fell through after news surfaced of an alleged domestic violence dispute between Chapman and his girlfriend back on October 30. Chapman's girlfriend, the victim of the incident, was hiding in the backyard when more than a dozen policemen showed up to Chapman's home where she claims he allegedly choked her before firing off eight shots in his garage. The incident which is pending investigation, contributed to what eventually became a nixed trade to the Dodgers which ultimately led to a decrease in Chapman's trade value. That's where the Yankees came in to pull off what many (including myself) consider to be a steal.
Given the stability both Betances & Miller provide, the Yankees were one of the few teams that could pull off a trade for Chapman without feeling the immediate effects of a suspension if and when one is handed down. And for the low price of just four Minor Leaguers -- right-handed pitchers Caleb Cotham and Rookie Davis and infielders Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda, none of whom that jump off the page at you, you have to applaud New York for making the move. With an aging rotation no longer reliable like it used to be, the Yankees are now leaning heavily on their relief corps which should help shorten games as the 7th, 8th and 9th innings appear to be in good hands no matter the situation or order they're called upon.
Likely to receive a suspension given Major League Baseball's recent stand on domestic violence and the zero tolerance policy for domestic violence in sports altogether, the Yankees did their homework and believe the reward is worth the risk. Rumors have also occurred regarding a possible trade involving last year's closer Andrew Miller whom Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he spoke to directly and explained his intentions to keep him despite making the deal for Chapman. If the Yanks do keep all three -- Betances, Chapman and Miller, not only would they climb atop the list of the most dominant bullpens in baseball, but they would also be the first team in MLB history to showcase a 'pen with three pitchers who had at least 100 strikeouts in relief the season before. The acquisition of Chapman also gives Yankees manager Joe Girardi the luxury of having the top three relievers by strikeouts and K's per nine innings in the bigs. His latest addition, however, might be his most talented yet. An All-Star in each of the past four seasons, the Cuban defector who will become a free-agent at the end of next season is coming off a 2015 campaign in which he saved 33 games and struck out 116 batters in 66 1/3 innings while posting an ERA of 1.63.
It's no myth that Chapman throws a mean fastball. Just to put Chapman's heat into perspective, the Cuban fire-baller threw the 62 fastest pitches in the big leagues last season, ranging from 102.36 mph to 103.92 mph. And his 1,694 pitches registered at 100 mph and above are 1,192 more than the next closest pitcher (Kelvin Herrera of the Royals) since Chapman's debut in 2009. While a shutdown bullpen is definitely nice to have and figures to help the Yankees contend for a trip back to the postseason, will it be enough to combat the reigning division champion Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox whom made a splash of their own with the free-agent signing of $217 Million dollar man David Price? One thing is for certain, the AL East should make for some interesting baseball in the new year.
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With many new faces in new places this upcoming MLB season like every year following the off-season, two players who will see a drastic change more so than others due to their new surroundings will be Mat Latos and Carlos Quentin. Having dealt such talent as first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and reliever Mike Adams last season, the San Diego Padres made another trade this off-season to continue the franchise's path to rebuild. After making his Major League debut in 2009, the year 2010 saw starting pitcher Mat Latos make his way onto the big league scene with a breakout season where the 24-year old right-hander capped off his first full year with a trip to the All-Star Game by compiling a 2.92 ERA in 184.2 innings to go along with his 14-10 record and 189 strikeouts. Latos would miss the beginning of the 2011 season due to an injury sustained to his throwing arm, but would respond much better than his 9-14 record indicated with a respectable 3.47 ERA and WHIP of 1.18.
But just when it began to look like the Padres had found their long-term answer for an ace, the team shipped Latos to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for former All-Star pitcher Edinson Volquez along with first baseman Yonder Alonso, catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitcher Brad Boxberger, all of which are former first-round Draft picks and are highly touted prospects. For Volquez who has been unable to duplicate the success from his breakout season in 2008 due to injuries and a suspension, if he can stay healthy he could very well regain form while benefiting from one of the league's more pitcher-friendly ballparks in San Diego's Petco Park. Meanwhile, Latos will be forced to make the transition to one of the more hitter-friendly ballparks in all of baseball in Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park which will demand more precision in Latos' pitching location, or that fly-ball that normally resulted in an out could very well end up being a souvenir.
If both hurlers can find success in their new homes, the Padres might have very well found their new ace while the Reds hope to build a formidable tandem at the top of the rotation led by Latos and Johnny Cueto.The Padres followed up their acquisitions from Cincinnati by adding a power hitter to the lineup in Carlos Quentin. The hard hitting slugger will be sent from the Chicago White Sox where he's served the last four years to his home town of San Diego in return for Minor League pitchers Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez. Quentin is projected to be the team's starting left fielder come opening day where he'll join an outfield cast of Cameron Maybin and Will Venable. Since dealing Adrian Gonzalez last December to the Boston Red Sox, the Padres have ranked among the worst teams in all of baseball in the home run department which just so happens to be Quentin's bread and butter. After seeing minimal playing time in the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Quentin amassed a monster 2008 season in his first full year, batting .288 while hitting 36 home runs and driving in 100 RBI's to receive his first of two All-Star nods.
Though he hasn't quite matched those numbers from 2008, logging 24 HR's and 77 RBI's just a season ago, Quentin has remained productive and should generate a majority of San Diego's offense next season. Playing in Petco Park, however, could hurt his home run numbers. If he can pull the ball to the left side of the field though like he's been known to, he should fare well. With pitching being their strong point the last few years, the Padres could once again depend on the pitching staff and bullpen in 2012, something that will be a lot more difficult now with former All-Star closer Heath Bell now setting up shop in Miami. Unlikely to compete for a division title this upcoming season, San Diego appears to be making the right moves that could spring them back to the top of the division and lead to success the franchise has been starving of since bidding a farewell to such Padres as Trevor Hoffman and Jake Peavy.Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
Last baseball season, Reds pitcher Mike Leake became the first player since Xavier Nady (2000) and 21st ever to go directly from the draft to the Majors. And if you're looking for the last pitcher to reach this feat, you'd have to go back even further to 1989 when Jim Abbott did so. A shorter list however, would be that of Major Leaguers who've been busted for stealing sixty dollars worth of t-shirts at their local department store. This past Monday, Leake was arrested by Cincinnati Police for doing just that. The star hurler out of Arizona State University where he went on to win back-to-back Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year Awards, was caught shoplifting from a Macy's in downtown Cincinnati after removing the price tags and attempting to leave the store with six American Rag t-shirts worth a whopping total of $59.88.
Such an act like this comes as a surprise given Leake's current income of $425,000 and that's not counting the $2.27 Million he received in bonuses when signing with the Reds just a year ago. Leake was charged with theft, a misdemeanor in the state of Ohio and could serve a max of 180 days in jail if convicted. Luckily for him, Leake's criminal record is nonexistent, as this is his first run in with the law. Upon first hearing about this story, I thought he had stolen six shirts that were worth $60 each. Though that doesn't appear to be out of Mr. Leake's price range either, it would make a little more sense to steal...At least I thought so
Choosing to let the legal process run its coarse, the Reds organization released a statement but did not issue any disciplinary actions of their own. Still slated to make his scheduled start today, Leake pitched a strong seven innings against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, retiring 16 of the last 17 batters he faced to earn the win. Improving his record to 3-0, Leake allowed 3 earned runs on 4 hits while striking out 6 and walking 2 to help the Reds pull even with the St. Louis Cardinals (10-9) who currently share first place in the division. If the Reds plan to win back-to-back division titles for the first time since 1975-76, they better hope last year's NL MVP Joey Votto doesn't get any crazy ideas and pay a visit to his nearest JC Penny's or else they're really in big trouble.
With baseball's Opening Day set to kick off the 2011 MLB season, one face that won't be in the dugout for the first time in over 20 years, is Lou Piniella. Better known for his infamous on-the-field tirades that included lots of dirt kicking, base throwing and hat tossing, Piniella was one of the more colorful personalities in all of baseball who I'm sure added a little profanity every now and then. Having spent time at the helm of five different Major League ball clubs, Lou made his stamp on the game winning over 1,800 games and a World Series title with the Big Red Machine in 1990. In his third and final year with the Chicago Cubs last season, the 3-time Manager of the Year decided it was finally time to hang up what will undoubtedly be a Hall of Fame career.
Prior to the 2007 season, Piniella was called upon to help the Cubbies overcome and snap their dreaded 98 year World Series-less drought. However, despite their National League leading 97 wins in 2008, the Piniella led Cubs were unable to win a single Postseason game, as the windy city dry spell has now reached a record 102 years and counting. On the positive side of his '08 campaign, Piniella became only the second manager in Major League history to win 90+ games in a season with four different teams, joining Hall of Famer Dick Williams. Similar to his Postseason misfortunes with the Cubs, Piniella coached the 2001 Seattle Mariners squad that went on to win a record-tying 116 regular season games before getting swept in the ALDS by the eventual American League champion New York Yankees.
What many people forget is that Piniella also paid his dues as a player, where he jump started his impressive resume by earning AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1969 with the Kansas City Royals. A lone All-Star appearance in 1972 and two World Series triumphs while a member of the Yankees highlighted his illustrious career. One of the more celebrated players turned skippers of our time, Piniella was embraced by the fans just as much he was by the players, if not more. And although he announced his retirement and has no intentions on returning to coach, sweet Lou isn't a complete stranger to the game of baseball, and is now working in the San Francisco Giants front office serving as a special consultant.
Though he certainly won't be forgotten, I think I speak for everyone associated with baseball when I say we'll never see another character quite like Piniella. Thanks for the memories Lou!
Doctober - In spite of being arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball for several years now, Roy Halladay has never made a single Postseason appearance in his illustrious career, due to being stuck in the powerhouse that is the AL East. Although the Toronto Blue Jays put together a few decent teams, none were ever able to surpass the Yankees and Red Sox in the standings during Halladay's tenure. So when it came time, Halladay burst onto the Playoff scene like the future Hall of Famer that he is. Leading up to the fourth straight division tittle for the Philadelphia Phillies, Halladay made his transition to the National League in a huge way by throwing a perfect game against the Florida Marlins in late May. The rest of Halladay's 2010 campaign would be nothing short of magical as he went on to set career highs in wins (21), strikeouts (219), and tied carer highs in complete games (9), and shutouts (4). 
However, none of the following would be the highlight of Doc's outstanding season. What would be though, is what Halladay put together in his first ever Postseason outing. With every baseball enthusiast expecting a slight bit of Postseason jitters even from one of the games greats, the 7-time All-Star and former AL Cy Young Award winner proved there would be none of that. The moment he had been awaiting some 12 years in the making, Halladay went on to throw only the second no-hitter in Postseason history. The first of coarse would come some 54 years earlier when New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Not only does Halladay's gem stick out because it was his first ever Postseason outing, but also because it was thrown against the best hitting team in the entire National League. Halladay's only fault during the 4-0 victory, would come with 2-outs in the fifth inning, when he surrendered a walk to the potential NL MVP -- Joey Votto.
When being asked in the clubhouse about Hallday's dominant outing, Votto gave the Doc his props by saying, "It was like swinging at nothing." Votto's teammate and Reds shortstop Orlando Cabrera on the other hand, showed some bitterness and believes Halladay benefited from a generous strike-zone and said, "Another umpire and Halladay wouldn't have thrown a game like that." Whether or not the ump played a role in helping Doc make history, Halladay pounded the strike-zone all night long as some 85% of his pitches were for strikes. Game 2, which takes place at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park on Friday, will feature another Roy, as Roy Oswalt is slated to take the mound with Cincy aiming to counter with Bronson Arroyo in what looks to be a battle of righties.
And unless someone throws a perfect-game this Postseason, I think it's clear Doc's no-no will be the talk of the season. Now, the only thing missing on Halladay's track record is a World Series ring. And as much as I'd like to see him hoist one before his career is over, I just hope it won't be in a Phillies uniform.
With the Cincinnati Reds fighting to stay atop of the NL Central (no pun attended) and in the midst of a pennant race against their division foe -- St. Louis Cardinals, a rivalry has been born. Adding fuel to the fire was Reds All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips who had some strong words to say about the Red Birds and didn't shy away from expressing how he truly felt after his team fell, 7-3. "I'd play against these guys on one leg. We have to beat these guys. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them. They're little bitches, all of them. I really hate the Cardinals." Phillips added, "Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Cubs. Let me make this clear, I hate the Cardinals!"One day after his comments made headlines, both teams met on the field for the second match of a three-game series at Cincy's Great American Ballpark. For someone who's been in the league long enough and has never had a similar situation like this occur, I can't say I didn't expect Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa to have his boys retaliate with a bean ball or two. Instead, they didn't have to. As Phillips approached the plate to lead off the bottom of the first inning, he stepped into the batters box and did his usual pre-at-bat routine by tapping the heels of both the opposing catcher and the home plate umpire. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina however, wasn't buying it. When Phillips tried tapping Molina's heels, Molina kicked the bat away and the two began exchanging words and got into each others face.
The benches and bullpens soon cleared as both teams began pushing and shoving. In the middle of it all were both teams skippers, Dusty Baker and Tony LaRussa who have had a history of incidents between one another in the past. Both managers were ejected from the game. The fracas seemed to be just about over with until Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter and Reds hurler Johnny Cueto were pushed to the net behind home plate. Cueto began kicking the back of Carpenter with his cleats, but Cardinals back-up catcher Jason LaRue who played eight seasons with the Reds from '99-'06 encountered the brunt of it, receiving multiple kicks to the head causing lacerations above his lip and resulting in several stitches and a concussion. Despite the dust up, Cueto would eventually pitch 5.1 innings and receive the loss, 8-4.
With another win on Wednesday, the Cardinals completed the first 3-game sweep of the Reds in Cincy since 2005 and now lead the division by a game after entering the series trailing the Reds by two games. As punishments begin to be handed out, one player who's been singled out in the fracas is Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto after doing his best Chun Li impersonation. Cueto kicked his way to a 7-game suspension, as both his manager and Cardinals skipper Tony LaRussa were only issued a 2-game suspension. As for the man of the hour who started the whole thing, Phillips didn't receive any sort of suspension for his derogatory comments (which is a good thing for my fantasy team). Instead he's left looking like a fool as his team lost what may be a pivotal series down the stretch.
