Tag: MLB

  • Stone Unturned

    Stone Unturned

    It is a smooth sailing Monday afternoon in Santa Monica, CA. Nothing could wrong beside the potential earthquakes that surround and locate the area from time to time. Gavin Stone is a major league pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has been attending this rodeo for less than two years and executing fine.

    This comes off the heels of a Jack Flaherty trade, and injury stints to River Ryan Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Clayton Kershaw. It cannot go without mentioning, Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler have thrown their arms out.

    There is a stone unturned however in the stretch of August to October and his name is Gavin Stone. Stone has pitched a solid 3.63 ERA, 4.04 FIP and lately struck out 10 batters in a seven innings pitched win over Seattle.

    Stone accredited Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior for overcoming easy adjustments as well as learning from Clayton Kershaw. Stone has cleaned some things on his delivery, in the case of not spinning the ball off.

    Bobby Miller was the Dodgers hopeful delivery man last year but considering him and Buehler have combined for 17 ineffective starts, Kershaw is back as always, Yamamoto will likely return, and Tyler Glasnow should be ready.

    The race is on for October.

  • Bryce Harper’s Approach is Unsettling

    Bryce Harper’s Approach is Unsettling

    It is August 11. The summer is winding down. The Olympics is tuned at a high volume but meanwhile, Phillies baseball is in the Arizona desert, and is meant to be played with one objective. Do not get mortified but as it turns out on a 103-degree indoor afternoon, the fielders retreated extra ground and the opposing batters covered the price. The final score resulted in being Philadelphia 5 and Arizona 12.

    The Arizona Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald did throw more than 15 pitches and earned a successful team victory otherwise. (Arizona won 3 of 4 against Philadelphia.) The focus lies on the Philadelphia Phillies. They are 24-30 in their last 54 games and now possess a 69-49 overall record. If the summer were to start today so June 11, the Phillies would be at least 10 and 15 games ahead of where they are currently.

    The Phillies must crush the Mets and Braves now. It is their only hope.

    Bryce Harper said during the All-Star break that the Phillies are destined to compete for a World Series every year and denied the notion that they are World Series or bust considering the Phillies might need to think of changes.

    For example, JT Realmuto was seen aching behind the plate during the recent Arizona game and he has been a backbone for Philadelphia. He suffered a right knee injury that required meniscectomy surgery.

    Another example is the man himself, Harper. No full injury status has been given beyond notice but Harper is an instrumental part of any organization. Since his arrival, Harper has ranked in the top ten of MLB OPS and played most recently at first base begging the question if Harper is willingly built for outfield.

    While Harper might be settled in terms of the Phillies faithful and confidence, it is not too hard to believe if his future is adjacent from ending in red pinstripes soon. The Phillies might be inclined to move forward without Harper to continue their chase at other high profile free agents including Juan Soto.

    There is one sign for certain however and that is the Philadelphia Phillies have a World Series pennant to chase.

  • Jack Flaherty Realizes his Boyhood Dream

    Jack Flaherty Realizes his Boyhood Dream

    Jack Flaherty has pitched for numerous teams such as the Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, and Detroit Tigers but now that he is a Los Angeles Dodger, his boyhood dream is finally realized growing up thirty minutes from L.A. and living in nearby Burbank, CA sporting Dodgers gear.

    Flaherty has pitched a 2.95 ERA in 106 innings pitched to go along with a 3.12 FIP. Again the key has been to motorize the exact zones Flaherty has felt comfortable going on the mound. He pitches these days with different resilience and utmost slickness.

    The main question on Dodgers fans’ minds will be how he handles team injuries going forward but just like his days in St. Louis, Baltimore, and Detroit he is used to the pressure and recently for the first time in Dodgers uniform shutout six innings which means he is obviously off to a good start and for the life of sporting Dodgers blue.

  • Rafael Devers Broke Seat

    Rafael Devers Broke Seat

    The Boston Red Sox picked up a 5-4 win before the MLB All-Star break and as that happened, Rafael Devers broke a seat.

    This is read correctly as Devers hit a home run (114.7 mph) and broke the back of a chair in Fenway Park. Photos can be seen below.

  • Sports Kingdom Livecast – Luis Arraez Traded to Padres

    Sports Kingdom Livecast – Luis Arraez Traded to Padres

  • Mike Trout to Repair Meniscus

    Mike Trout to Repair Meniscus

    Mike Trout will undergo knee surgery to repair his meniscus, according to Perry Minasian.

    This comes as a huge blow but a testament to the direction Minasian must take going forward. Trout led MLB with 10 home runs and played smart considerably at certain hacks. The one determining factor he was not so smart at was staying healthy for more than 82 games.

    Trout achieved a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and could be one of his last, picking up a walk, steal, and run all seemingly okay.

  • Benches Clear in Mets-Brewers

    Benches Clear in Mets-Brewers

    It did not take long for Rhys Hoskins to be reintroduced with open arms. As it turns out, the legs of Jeff McNeil’s interfered just enough for the Mets to throw a tirade and the Brewers to clear their respective dugout on a Friday afternoon at Citi Park.

    Hoskins slid into the bag and disrupted a feasible Mets double-play. Reliever Jacob Rhame and Hoskins have not recollected a solid history between each other. One, two wild pitches to the face of Hoskins. And two, a sweet home-run shot by an individual looking to be reintroduced and makeup time.

  • History of MLB Opening Day

    History of MLB Opening Day

    MLB Opening Day is a grand occasion marked by four letters H-O-M-E. Home to baseball’s national pastime since 1940 introducing the game back each and every season. Some history has taken place throughout that time such as the longest game in Opening Day history. That game did not take place so long ago during a Cleveland Guardians matchup in 2012 and lasted 16 innings.

    MLB Opening Day recently happened in Seoul. Other than Seoul, there have been eight other international Opening Day events and the Los Angeles Dodgers last starred in Seoul and Sydney, Australia in 2014.

    Fifty years ago on April 4, Hank Aaron hit his 714th home run tying Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list. Later, surpassing the record for most home runs ever as an Atlanta Brave.

    Aforementioned, 1940 was a historic day in baseball history. It went on to transcend the makeup of a true quality pitcher. Bob Feller and White Sox Eddie Smith clashed and it was that time period. Feller remained poise and threw the only no-hitter in MLB Opening Day history over the Sox.

    Check local listings and schedule allotments because it is time for another year of baseball.

  • The Dodgers Changing the Game of Business

    The Dodgers Changing the Game of Business

    The Los Angeles Dodgers are not messing around. It is 2024 and the landscape has changed. Shohei Ohtani is a Dodger and Japan’s economy is doing well as the 4th largest in the world. In other news, words must have broken as well that Yoshinobu Yamamoto, another Japanese player of descent, is now wearing blue and white too. It was not the only remark Los Angeles and President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman desired as they also made a play for Teoscar Hernandez, Tyler Glasnow, and Will Smith who is interesting.

    Smith, a gifted offensive catcher, had just become the longest to sign a major league history contract. He signed for 10 years, $140 million, and is not looking back and Andrew Friedman in this case. The luxury tax benefits that come with this profit.

    Now, there have been some lingering issues with the MLBPA, and righteously so but even through stressful economic times. Rob Manfred has not shied away from risk and reward and speaking aloud that it is unlikely at this time for MLB expansion. The teams want it as well as a.previous guest here on Sports Kingdom by the name of Rick Curti and the Charlotte Bats.

    But when the Dodgers have $1 billion accrued in total deferrals. The landscape has changed. With new statures and limitations on the horizon, do not shockingly expect teams to follow the same blueprint and turn it into a colossal cesspool.

    Otherwise, rookie contracts are wagering quite okay by mathematical standards and the game is back to business.

  • What to Make of Shohei and Ippei

    What to Make of Shohei and Ippei

    Shohei Ohtani has been baseball’s sincerest project in the last half decade. He has taken by storm and withered an unlikely rain drought for the Anaheim Angels and now Los Dodgers. If it means one clue to the disappearance of Ippei Mizuhara, it is clearly this.

    Ippei was accordingly under a bookmaking scheme. Why? Why would he jeopardize his job security, future, and court legalities on Matthew Bowyer? Nobody really knows as MLB is undergoing a federal investigation but in the meantime. It begs to question the light of a betting and backstabbing society.

    While Ohtani might be the one at fault, it is not hard to argue the popularity of FanDuel, ESPN Bet, and deceiving looks whether that be a poker table or interpreting words.

    Ohtani is due to earn $700 million and in deferrals too so many eyes are cast upon the latest phenom and righteously so. Last year he obtained his second AL MVP trophy, especially over teammate Mike Trout.

    Speaking of which, Trout recently said he is not taking the easy way out by leaving Anaheim and righteously so. However, what happened during the 2023 World Baseball Classic? And what has occurred in the past couple years with injuries?

    It would be miraculous at this point for Trout to return and lead the Angels. He is not doing selfishly. Ron Washington agreed to become the Angels managers most recently.

    It is not hard to figure Ohtani has surrounded himself with better teammates such as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman but certainly not others around him.