Introduction
As I pull an all-nighter here catching up on articles, I think about the viability of some of these new features I am introducing. Am I able to produce that much content on a weekly basis. What happens to some of these features after spring training? Well, one of those features is the one you are reading now. It is called the AL East Baseball Report, and is exactly what it sounds like...a report on AL East Baseball. This article will give little snippets of each AL East team this spring. Essentially, news about them, top performers, games results, schedules, etc. My aim is to make it not too big, not too small, but just right. Now, this report will have an added section next month when the local FSL teams start up, and that edition will focus on those teams and their exploits. I figure, what is coverage of teams outside of the AL East that happen to train in our area going to do for us? Besides, that's double the work. So we'll focus on minor league teams for five months, but not major league teams for one as originally planned. But we'll see how the first couple weeks goes, and make adjustments as necessary. As usual, the meaty stuff follows the jump.
AL East Report
News
Sat 3/11
Mon 3/13
Nothing major or unexpected here. The only notable name going is Adam Loewen, a top pitching prospect.
Wed 3/15
Key Performers
OF David Newhan-1.185 OPS
3B Melvin Mora-1.057 OPS
OF Jay Gibbons-1.046 OPS
OF Luis Matos-1.000 OPS
1B Kevin Millar-.920 OPS
C Ramon Hernandez-.762 OPS
OF Corey Patterson-.686 OPS
OF Jeff Conine-.633 OPS
C/1B Javy Lopez-.533 OPS
RHP Daniel Cabrera-2 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP LaTroy Hawkins-5 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Adam Loewen-2 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Hayden Penn-8 IP, 1.13 ERA
RHP Chris Ray-5.1 IP, 1.69 ERA
LHP John Halama-11 IP, 2.45 ERA
LHP Eric DuBose-9 IP, 3.00 ERA
RHP Bruce Chen-10 IP, 5.40 ERA
RHP Rodrigo Lopez-2 IP, 9.00 ERA
RHP Eric Bedard-5.2 IP, 12.71 ERA
Results
3/11 at STL, L 0-5
3/12 vs NYM, W 3-2
3/13 at FLA, W 5-0
3/14 at NYM, L 4-11
3/15 vs BOS, W 3-1
3/16 at STL, W 4-2
3/17 vs WSH, W 12-4
Overall Record
7-10, 17 games, .412 WP
Schedule
3/18 vs STL
3/19 at BOS
3/20 OFF
3/21 vs NYM
3/22 vs FLA
3/23 at WSH
3/24 vs BOS
News
Tues 3/14
That is a lot to sift thorugh. Basicly, prospects and scrubs were sent out. The notables include Murphy, Alvarez, and Lester. Less important, but more relevant to the Rays is Franklin Nunez's departure.
Wed 3/15
The Red Sox returned Rule 5 draftee P Jamie Vermilyea to the Blue Jays.
Well, your only World Series title in almost 90 years was under Francona's leadership, so a contract extension seems due. I'm not sending in a ringing endorsement of Francona as a manager, I'm just saying...
Key Performers
SS Jed Lowrie-1.341 OPS
OF Dustin Mohr-1.236 OPS
OF Coco Crisp-1.109 OPS
IF Enrique Wilson-1.099 OPS
OF Adam Stern-1.078 OPS
2B Mark Loretta-1.062 OPS
1B Kevin Youkilis-1.025 OPS
OF Trot Nixon-.991 OPS
1B J.T Snow-.819 OPS
SS Alex Cora-.750 OPS
OF Manny Ramirez-.741 OPS
3B Mike Lowell-.679 OPS
SS Alex Gonzalez-.504 OPS
RHP Abe Alvarez-4.1 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Matt Clement-4 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Craig Hansen-6.2 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Tim Wakefield-6 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Franklin Nunez-2.2 IP, 3.38 ERA
RHP Manny Delcarmen-6 IP, 4.50 ERA
RHP Jon Papelbon-13 IP, 6.23 ERA
RHP Josh Beckett-8 IP, 6.75 ERA
RHP Curt Schilling-4 IP, 9.00 ERA
RHP David Riske-8.1 IP, 10.80 ERA
RHP Bronson Arroyo-6.2 IP, 17.55 ERA
RHP Jon Lester-4 IP, 18.00 ERA
Results
3/11 at PIT L 7-10
3/12 vs MIN L 3-6
3/13 vs LAD L 5-7
3/14 vs CIN L 7-9
3/15 at BAL L 1-3
3/16 (SS) at RAYS L 2-7, vs MIN W 4-3
3/17 vs FLA T 5-5
Overall Record
5-11-1, 17 games, .313 WP
Schedule
3/18 at TOR
3/19 vs BAL
3/20 OFF
3/21 vs RAYS
3/22 at NYY; 7:15
3/23 at MIN; ESPN2
3/24 at BAL
News
Sun 3/12
The only notable here is Hughes, the top pitching prospect and former Tampa Yankee, who was up for a cup o' coffee anyway.
Key Performers
C Jorge Posada-1.377 OPS
1B Eric Duncan-1.219 OPS
OF Hideki Matsui-1.066 OPS
2B Robinson Cano-.949 OPS
1B Jason Giambi-.669 OPS
OF Bubba Crosby-.608 OPS
OF Gary Sheffield-.228 OPS
RHP Shawn Chacon-11.2 IP, 0.77 ERA
RHP Kyle Fransworth-6 IP, 1.50 ERA
RHP Mariano Rivera-5 IP, 1.80 ERA
RHP Ramiero Mendoza-7.1 IP, 2.45 ERA
RHP Scott Erickson-10.1 IP, 2.61 ERA
RHP Chien-Ming Wang-9 IP, 3.00 ERA
RHP Mike Mussina-11.2 IP, 3.09 ERA
RHP Ron Vllone-9 IP, 4.00 ERA
RHP Aaron Small-6.2 IP, 4.05 ERA
LHP Mike Myers-7.2 IP, 4.70 ERA
LHP Randy Johnson-12 IP, 5.25 ERA
RHP Philip Hughes-5.1 IP, 5.40 ERA
RHP Jaret Wright-11.2 IP, 9.26 ERA
RHP Tanyon Sturtze-3 IP, 15.00 ERA
RHP Jorge DePaula-1 IP, 27.00 ERA
Results
3/11 vs ATL W 7-3
3/12 at CLE L 5-7
3/13 at PIT L 8-9
3/14 vs STL L 3-4
3/15 at HOU W 11-1
3/16 (SS) at DET L 11-4, vs HOU L 5-10
3/17 at STL L 2-5
Overall Record
8-11, 17 games, .421 WP
Schedule
3/18 at FLA
3/19 vs CLE
3/20 at DET
3/21 OFF
3/22 vs BOS; 7:15
3/23 vs HOU; 7:15
3/24 at MIN; ESPN2
News
Tues 3/14
Fri 3/17
The Blue Jays sent 2B Ryan Roberts and Rob Cosby, SS Sergio Santos, 3B John Hattig, C Curtis Thigpen and Ps Josh Banks, Ismael Ramirez and Casey Janssen to the minors.
While I could find worse playerss to blow $13 million on, Halladay's injury last year coupled with his inconsistent past make this another suspect move by J.P Ricciardi. Halladay is not going to be a total bust, you can be sure of that. At the very worst, he will be just average, but for $13 million, you'd better get a perennial Cy Young candidate, and while Halladay certainly has the potential for that, I don't know if he will be.
Meanwhile, the demotions include former Dunedin Blue Jay Thigpen and former top Arizona prospect Santos, who was acquired in the Orlando Hudson trade.
Key Performers
C Gregg Zaun-1.375 OPS
1B Eric Hinske-1.336 OPS
3B Troy Glaus-1.200 OPS
OF Miguel Negron-.975 OPS
C Curtis Thigpen-.736 OPS
3B Shea Hillenbrand-.721 OPS
2B Aaron Hill-.704 OPS
SS Sergio Santos-.701 OPS
C Bengie Molina-.597 OPS
SS Russ Adams-.565 OPS
OF Alex Rios-.536 OPS
SS John McDonald-.524 OPS
C Guillermo Quiroz-.520 OPS
1B Lyle Overbay-.464 OPS
RHP Gustavo Chacin-4 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Jason Frasor-6 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Justin Spier-1.1 IP, 0.00 ERA
RHP Roy Halladay-13 IP, 1.38 ERA
LHP B.J Ryan-6 IP, 3.00 ERA
LHP Ted Lilly-9 IP, 5.00 ERA
RHP Josh Towers-9 Ip, 5.00 ERA
RHP David Purcey-3 IP, 6.00 ERA
RHP Scott Downs-7 IP, 6.43 ERA
LHP A.J Burnett-8 IP, 9.00 ERA
LHP Scott Schoenweis-6 IP, 10.50 ERA
Results
3/11 at CIN L 6-7
3/12 at DET W 3-1
3/13 vs HOU W 7-6
3/14 (SS) vs RAYS L 1-9, at CLE W 11-5
3/15 vs CLE L 3-4
3/16 at PHI L 1-7
3/17 vs CIN L 2-9
Overall Record
6-13, 19 games, .316 WP
Schedule
3/18 vs BOS
3/19 at PIT
3/20 at CIN
3/21 OFF
3/22 vs PIT; 6:05
3/23 at RAYS; 7:05
3/24 at CLE