Pro Baseball

I Love September Baseball

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:23:30 +0000

It’s amazing to think that in early September there is only one true playoff race in Major League Baseball. And no, we aren’t talking about the AL East race (both Boston and New York will make the playoffs, it’s just a matter of who takes the Division and who takes the Wild Card), we are talking about the AL West race between the Angels and the Rangers. As of September 8th, the Rangers lead the Angels by 2 1/2 games. What truly makes this race so interesting is the fact that it seems like the Angels keep playing themselves back into contention no matter how much the Rangers try to get some distance between the two teams. Within the past month we have seen the Rangers take both 6 and 4 1/2 game leads, seemingly putting the Angels in their rear view mirror. Each time, though, the Angels have found a way back into the race. While the Rangers have played better baseball since the All Star Break (the Angels are 28-23 while the Rangers are 30-22), the Angels have played their way back into the race the last three weeks by winning 12 of 18 games, while the Rangers have lost 11 of their last 20. During that time, the Angels have had a six and a three game winning streak, while the Rangers have not won more than two games in a row at any time. Stat’s don’t tell the entire story, though. To the Rangers credit, they have not let their lead dip below 2 1/2 games. Not only have the Rangers won the games they had to win, but the Angels also lost close games where their offense didn’t hold up their end of the bargain and let close games slip away. With less than four weeks remaining in the season, the Angels need to win more close games in order to catch the Rangers. The Halos have 19 games left in the season: a three game series against the Yankees (who they always play strong), six games against the A’s, and three road games against both Baltimore and Toronto. Texas has 18 games left: six games against Oakland, six against Seattle, and three against Cleveland, before the Angels and Rangers meet for the final three games of the season in Anaheim. While Texas seems to have the easier schedule, the Mariners took three of their seven recent games against the Angels, meaning that they are still playing to their highest intensity. It may come down to the final three games of the season before we see a clear winner. Regardless, this is the best division race to watch in all of baseball.

Major League Baseball Teams That Are Currently Dominating The 2011 MLB Season

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:48:42 +0000

The regular season of the Major League Baseball has just recently started and it is still too early to tell who will be emerging as champions this year. The opening week of the 2011 MLB season was highly anticipated by hardcore baseball fanatics. Good news is that, some of the popular teams lived up to the hype and played a good game early in the season. Both the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees both did well during the opening week. The Yankees and Phillies scored a combined total of 44 runs. And for that, the Phils and Yanks are sitting at the top of their respective divisions.

The Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox are both included in the top five of the power rankings. The Rangers and White Sox are expected to be the top contenders for the 2011 MBL Season. In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles (East), Kansas City Royals (Central) and Texas Rangers (West) are currently dominating the divisional standings. The Orioles is still unbeatable with a record of four consecutive wins. The Royals, meanwhile, sits on a 4-1 record. The Kansas City Royals is holding true to their promise that they will run wild in 2011. With nine amazing steals out of 10 attempts, the Royals are showing great potential this season. In fact, Royal’s Wilson Betemit, who failed to steal a base since 2006, has surprisingly scored one this year. This is definitely a good year for the Kansas City Royals if they continue to be on top of their game. The Texas Rangers, on the other hand, holds a 5-0 record and is currently the team to beat in the AL West division.

In the National League, the NY Mets (East), Cincinnati Reds (Central) and San Diego Padres (West) are currently at the top of the National League rankings. The Mets opened the 2011 MBL season by scoring a total of 17 runs. The Cincinnati Reds, on the other hand, picked up right where they left off last season. The Reds is currently holding four winning streaks and is still undefeated in the NL Central division. The Padres have scored 15 runs, so far, thanks to the combined drive of Chase Headley and Nick Hundley. As of the moment, the Padres is holding a 3-1 record.

The Pittsburg Pirates is also showing great potential this season as they rank second in the NL Central division. Neil Walker brought the Pirates to their 2-1 standing this season, and though the team is picked to be one of the worst this season, their current performance is telling us otherwise.

However, it is too early to tell who will emerge on the top of the 2011 MBL Season. The crowd favorites, like the Red Sox, can still up their game and change the order of the current standings. There are still around 158 or 159 baseball games left for this season. And, if the odds are good, the teams at the bottom of the ranking might just heat up and knock down those at the top.

Two Other Professional Baseball Leagues That You Should Know Of

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:41:01 +0000

Aside from the Major Baseball League (MLB), there are two other professional baseball leagues that have been around for many years. Read on below to know more about them:

Minor League Baseball (MiLB)

Baseball teams playing at the Minor League Baseball are mostly independent or members of the MiLB. These teams are not owned by any Major League team but most of them are affiliated with them. However, there are a small number of minor league teams that are directly owned by Major league clubs, though this is very rare.

The current minor league system is divided into five categories:

Triple A – There are two affiliated leagues under this classification, which include the Pacific Coast League and the International League. The Mexican league is also classified under the Triple A class, but unlike the two leagues mentioned above, it is not affiliated with Major League clubs. Veterans and younger players alike play for AAA teams.

Double A – Southern League, Texas League and Eastern League falls under the AA classification. Many of the top players are placed here to compete against each other. Players who compete under the Double A league classification are expected to go major by the end of the minor league season. In addition to that, the salaries of players playing for the aforementioned leagues tend to be higher in comparison to the salary received by other prospects.

Class A – This classification is composed of two sub-classes: Class A-Advanced and Class A. Players who have batting consistency and pitching control issues are often assigned to be in the Class-A category. Players competing under this category are usually less experienced or have certain playing issues that they need to work out.

Class A-Short Season – Though this category shares the same ‘Class A’ designation, this is an entirely different category. Short Season A teams play for a shortened season, as the name suggests, which often starts in June and concludes during early September. Players competing under this category are second year pros or newly signed draftees.

Rookie – Like the Short Season teams, players in the Rookie category also play a shortened season. This category is considered as the lowest level of Minor League Baseball. It is generally consists of six leagues: Gulf Coast, Dominican, Venezuelan Summer, Appalachian, Pioneer and Arizona League.

Independent Baseball League

The Independent Baseball League is composed of a number of professional baseball organizations in Canada and US. They are not affiliated with the Minor Baseball League nor operated by the Major Baseball League. Independent leagues in baseball started to flourish in the Northern states. Since they do not worry about territorial limitations, they can choose to relocate close to major league clubs without asking for their consent. Some of the independent baseball leagues that are still operating up to this day include the Northern American League, Pecos League, American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, Frontier League and Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

A Look on Some of The Best Baseball Stadiums in the US

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:36:53 +0000

Any hardcore baseball fan would know a thing or two about the best baseball stadiums in the US. These ballparks are so popular and quite historic that even if you don’t know anything about a run, hit or pitch, you would surely know these amazing stadiums by name. The United States is home to many of the legendary ballpark stadiums where legends like Babe Ruth came into being.

These stadiums have been hosting countless of baseball games each year. In fact, some of them have been around even before some of us were born. Whether you are an avid baseball fan, a self-confessed baseball enthusiast or just someone who wants to watch an exciting baseball game, there are a great number of wonderful stadiums, which are mostly set in the nation’s top and coolest cities that will surely catch your attention. In this regard, we give you some of the best baseball stadiums that would surely give you the greatest baseball experience of your life.

Coors Field in Denver, Colorado

The Coors field in Denver, Colorado offers superb and fantastic views to the expectators. This stadium is also known to have the most beautiful exterior in all of the baseball stadiums in the US. This is because the stadium features eye-catching and unique entryways and a mile-high upper deck (which is considered as one of its coolest points). The stadiums seats are painted in purple, which sits 5,280 feet high above the ground. For baseball fans who love drinking beer and skiing, Denver is definitely the place to visit. Urban renewal has spurred in the surrounding area of the stadium, paving way to the emergence of a number of great shops and restaurants. After the game, baseball fanatics can decide to go to a nice Winter Park Resort, which is easily accessible via the Ski Train.

Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

This stadium is home to the very popular Boston Red Sox. Fenway Park was built in 1812 but still look fantastic and breath-taking up to this day. It is called as the ‘granddaddy’ of all ballparks in the US. People of Boston love this stadium and would never agree to tear it down regardless of its old age. Instead of constructing a more modern stadium, they installed in more seats to accommodate the growing number of Red Sox fans. However, unobstructed views are one of the downsides of the Fenway Park design. Though this is the case, this does not stop baseball fanatics from seeing a game in this wonderful Boston stadium. The rich history of the city attracts more and more people each year not only to see the Red Sox play a game but also to enjoy the many wonderful sights surrounding the stadium.

Yankee Stadium in New York

Situated at the city that never sleeps, the Yankee Stadium is definitely the place to be to watch one of the most decorated baseball teams, which is none other than the New York Yankees, play a good game. With 26 World Series titles under their belt, the New York Yankees are certainly on top of their game. The stadium is sporting a new look and can accommodate a 51,800 seating capacity. The new stadium was constructed in front of the old ballpark and had an estimated cost of a whopping $1.3 billion. The construction began in 2006 and the new stadium opened in 2009. The exterior of the new stadium replicates the exterior façade of the old ballpark. Inside, the new stadium features a great hall and a retractable roof.

Popular Professional Baseball Leagues in Asia

admin — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:50:51 +0000

Unlike in America, baseball is not that popular in Asia. However, there are a few countries that also have professional baseball leagues. These Asian countries, like the US, hold professional baseball games as a yearly event. Some of the known professional baseball leagues in Asia include the following:

China Baseball League (CBL) – China

Also known as Chinese Baseball League, CBL is founded in 2002 under the administration of the Chinese Baseball Association. There were four original teams playing under CBL which include the Tianjin Lions, Guangdong Leopards, Beijing Tigers and Shanghai Eagles. By 2005, these four teams were joined by two more teams, namely the Sichuan Dragons and Jiangsu Hopestars. The Henan Elephants, meanwhile, was introduced as new CBL team in 2009. The Henan Elephants joined the league as an expansion team. The Guangdong Leopards were hailed as champions of the 2010 CBL Baseball Championship Game, while the Beijing Tigers were the runner up.

Chinese Professional Baseball League – Taiwan

Established in 1989, CPBL is widely known as the top tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. Baseball was first introduced in the country during the time when the Japanese ruled Taiwan. Since then, the sport starts gaining popularity particularly when Taiwan’s National Little League baseball teams bagged the championship in 1970s and 1980s. The National Baseball team performed really well in the international competitions that they have participated in. However, it is very unfortunate that the development of the sport in the country was quite limited. This is because majority of the players are hesitant to really commit to the sport. Currently, there are four teams playing for CPBL. This included the Lamigo Monkeys, Sinon Bulls, Brother Elephants and Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions.

Korea Professional Baseball

This is considered as the highest level of professional baseball league in South Korea. In Korean, KPB is referred as Han-kook Pro Yagoo, which means professional baseball in English. In 1982, Professional Baseball in Korea was originally founded with six teams. But currently, there are eight teams playing for this year’s league. The teams are named according to the conglomerates or businesses that own them. Korea Professional Baseball is one of the two major baseball league, the other one is K-League, which is very popular in South Korea.

There are a total of 133 Korea Professional Baseball League games in a regular season. Each Korean baseball team will have to compete against each other for 19 times. The participating teams for 2011 include the Hanwha Eagles, Kia Tigers, LG Twins, Nexen Heroes, SK Wyverns, Samsung Lions, Lotte Giants, and Doosan Bears.

Nippon Professional Baseball

NPB is divided into two leagues: Central and Pacific League. It is also consists of two professional minor leagues – Eastern and Western League – which plays a much shorter season. Regular season of NPB normally begins during late March or early April and concludes in October. NPB also hosts two or three all-star games that are held in July. Baseball games in a regular season are played in various baseball stadiums in Japan. Currently, there are six Nippon baseball teams playing under the Central and Pacific League. Some of the teams that compose the Nippon Professional Baseball League include the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Yokohama Baystars, Chiba Lotte Marines, and Orix Buffaloes, to name a few.

A Summary of Spring Training 2011

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:32:57 +0000

It’s spring time again and many baseball fanatics are now rushing to see their favorite baseball teams train for the upcoming season. Spring training season has become a ritual for many baseball enthusiasts. In fact, almost every baseball team offer their fans a special weekend package which include accommodation on a hotel that is a few distance away from the spring training complex.

For those who are not really into baseball, here are some important tidbits on how spring training season came about. Truth of the matter is, the specific origin of spring training is unknown up to now. But many have reason to believe that it is as old as the game itself. This is evidenced by the spring training that was held during the 1870. This is the time when the Chicago White Stockings and Cincinnati Red Stockings made organized baseball camps right in New Orleans. However, some historians argue that it was the Washington Capitals who introduced spring training in 1888. During this time, the Washington Capitals held a four-day camp in Jacksonville, Texas. Although the origin of this annual ritual is still debatable, by the 1900’s, spring training has already firmly established itself. Since then, majority of the National and American League teams head out of town to train for the new season. This is also the time when their managers evaluate each player’s performance.

Grapefruit League and Cactus league have posted the schedule of the 2011 Spring training early this year. Spring training programs for both leagues began during the last week of February and all games concluded on the last week of March.

For 2011, Arizona Spring Training game was first held on February 25 and the last game was held on March 29, Tuesday. However, baseballs fans in Arizona should expect more baseball games since the Arizona Diamondbacks will be hosting the All-Star Baseball Game 2011 at Chase Field on the 12^th of July. So, for those of you who have missed the Spring training games in Arizona, there is no reason to mope since you can still expect to see your favorite baseball teams and players during the All-Star Baseball Game on July.

Meanwhile, in Florida, there are over 1.5 million baseball fans that went to see the baseball teams playing at the Grapefruit League. Overall, there are a total 239 Baseball Games that were held for Florida Spring Training 2011. The games were played from Feb.25 to March 31 (a total of 33 days) in 14 different locations statewide.

Indeed, Spring Training season went by really quick but baseball fans would never forget the wonderful memories they had this year. And since the last game has been recently concluded, baseball fanatics and enthusiasts cannot wait to watch their favorite baseball teams play in the regular season.