Posts Tagged Matt Holliday
NFL Playoffs, HOF and Bears Firings
After our extended break, Chris and I return for our 6th Podcast to preview the NFL playoffs, as well as some baseball topics…
Here is our rundown of topics
1. Quick recap of Texas-Alabama Championship Game
2. NFL Wild Card playoff preview
3. Bears Fire Ron Turner. What’s next for Bears Coaching Staff?
4. MLB HOF inductee Andre Dawson. Who else deserved to get in?
5. Matt Holliday given $120 million dollars by STL. Was this a good move?
6. Fantasy Baseball Projections
7. Jersey Shore thoughts and Jay Leno taking over his Tonight Show slot?
Monty’s Off-Season Opinions
I think Adrian Gonzalez will stay in sunny San Diego
Adrian Gonzalez to Boston?- I didn’t buy into this rumor at the trade deadline and don’t this off-season. I know the new Padres GM Jed Hoyer was a former Red Sox executive, but his asking price is so ridiculously high. Gonzalez is in his prime at a market-friendly contract, so trading him would be really tough for SD. I doubt Boston, let alone anyone, will pay the rate SD is asking for at this time. Also, ESPN’s Jayson Stark is also telling people not to buy this rumor…
Monty’s Thought: Gonzo to stay in SD
Matt Holliday- Is anyone going to come to St. Louis’ suspected 5 year, 17-18 million dollars per year offer to Holliday? Reports are that the Yankees and Red Sox aren’t interested. The Orioles pulled out after finding out Holliday’s quote and the Mets seem to be keen on Jason Bay. At this point, I have to imagine, barring a surprise, that Holliday will be a Cardinal for years to come
Monty’s Thought: Holliday to come back to St. Louis Read the rest of this entry »
Free Agency Is Upon Us…
Placido Polanco has returned to Philadelphia after some time in Detroit
And the big names, Holliday, Bay, and Lackey haven’t found a new home yet, but Chone Figgins, Placido Polanco and Marco Scutaro are now off the market.
Let me say, as a White Sox fan, I’m glad Placido Polanco is out of the division, as well as AL, because it seemed like he killed the White Sox every time he was at the plate. His .319/.361/.434 in 79 games vs. the Sox was better than his career .303/.348/.414 splits, not to mention his gold glove in 2007. So I’m not shedding any tears for him leaving Detroit.
Our First Podcast
Posted by Monty in Baseball, Football, Miscellaneous, Podcast on November 12, 2009
I'm on the left, Chris is on the right
Chris Cwik and I completed our first podcast earlier today.
Here were the topics we discussed…
1. MLB GM Rankings
2. Ken Griffey signed again by the Mariners
3. Who would you rather have, Bay or Holliday
4. Bears vs. 49ers preview
5. Brady Quinn to start/Michael Vick to Buffalo?
6. Wildcat Formation
7. Pop Culture notes
Here it is and hope you enjoy it.
Holliday To Blame For Cards Loss?
Who is responsible for the Cardinals loss in Game 2?
With two outs in the bottom of 9th, Dodgers 1B James Loney hit a liner at Cardinals LF Matt Holliday. Holliday lost the ball in the lights and it dropped in for a two base error. You can’t catch what you can’t see. If Holliday catches the ball, the game is over. According to Fangraphs.com, after the Holliday error, the Cardinals still had an 87% chance of winning that game, leading 2-1 with a runner on 2nd and two outs.
Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin got Manny Ramirez to fly out to center for the second out of the 9th. It appeared the Cardinals were heading to St. Louis for games 3 and 4 with a 1-1 series split. Then Loney reached on the Holliday error. Franklin couldn’t work around this mistake. The next four Dodger hitters went: walk, single, walk, single, including a game-tying hit by former-Cardinal Ronnie Belliard.
MLB Playoff Analysis: St. Louis Cardinals
Posted by mradenkovich in Baseball on October 4, 2009
Can Tony LaRussa bring St. Louis another World Series?
The Cardinals came into 2009 as a team full of questions. They had Albert Pujols, but that was about it. Troy Glaus began the season on the disabled list, Khalil Greene went on the DL early, they were using a converted outfielder at second base, and were playing a rookie in center field. But as always, LaRussa and company found a way to get the job done.
After acquiring Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa, the Cards pulled away from the Cubs and Brewers in July. This can be attributed to their two aces, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, as well as big performances from Joel Pineiro and Ryan Franklin. They’ve been one of the hottest teams in the NL in the last two months, and they are on their way to the World Series. Read the rest of this entry »
MLB Playoff Analysis: Colorado Rockies
Are the Rockies a serious postseason threat?
Before the 2009 season, the Colorado Rockies traded their best player, Matt Holliday, to Oakland for Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith and Huston Street. Each of the four baseball writers for CBSSports.com picked the Rockies to finish 4th this season. They weren’t the only ones to think that. It is safe to say the Rockies are the biggest positive surprise this season in baseball.
The Rockies fought with the Giants, Braves and Marlins for the NL Wild Card. Also, with the Dodgers’ recent ineptness, the Rockies had a shot to win NL West. Colorado plays in a hitter-friendly Coors Field, park factor of 105 this year, and the Rockies know how to play there. They are 51-30 at home, the second best home record in the NL, and they boast the best home record among NL playoff teams. Finally, they have a +91 run differential entering the final game of the year.
Season Recap: Colorado got off to a rocky start. They finished May at 20-29. As a frame of reference, the Dodgers were 35-17 at the end of May. On May 29th, the Rockies fired then-manager Clint Hurdle and promoted bench coach Jim Tracy to take over the reigns. Six days later, the Rockies went on an 11-game winning streak. Under Jim Tracy this year, the Rockies are 74-41, compared to 18-28 under Clint Hurdle. Jim Tracy can’t be the lone reason for the Rockies success. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki’s re-emergence has significantly improved the Rockies. Tulo leads Rockies hitters with a 5.5 WAR, followed by Todd Helton and Seth Smith! Seth Smith? All I remember about him was that he made the final out in the 2007 World Series. Also, the emergence of Ubaldo Jimenez has anchored a rotation that has surprised and impressed the rest of baseball. Colorado is finishing the season strong, going 20-10 since the start of September.
No Holliday, No Atkins, No Problem!
The Colorado Rockies at 65-53 lead the NL Wild Card by 1 ½ games over division rival San Francisco. What has been more impressive; the fact that the pitching staff has an ERA of 4.19, good for 11th in all of MLB, in the worst pitchers park in baseball? Or that the top two run producers over the past four years for the Rockies have made nearly zero impact on this year’s team? While their ERA at Coors is nearly a run worse than it is on the road, the change in the offensive guard, in my opinion, is a better storyline for the Rockies season.
From the 2005-2008 seasons, Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins led the Rockies in RBI by a significant margin over the next closest player, Brad Hawpe. Holliday and Atkins hit 426 and 419 RBI respectively, Brad Hawpe slugged 332 RBI. During that time, Holliday and Atkins were in the top 3 for Rockies hitters in BA, Hits and HR.
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