The Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals have clinched the American and National League Central divisions on the final day of the 2014 season. The Tigers wrapped up their division behind a fantastic start from David Price. Price, who was acquired from the Rays in a three-team trade on July 31, hasn't been great in a Tigers uniform, coming into today's game 3-4 with a 3.97 ERA in 10 starts. However, his gem today -- 7 1/3 innings, no hits, no runs, eight strikeouts, and two walks -- proved his worth as the Tigers wrapped up a 3-0 victory over the Twins. I predicted the Tigers to win the American League prior to the season, and now that they don't have to play in the one-game AL Wild Card round, their pitching staff could talk them all the way to the World Series. Their starting rotation includes Max Scherzer (18-5, 3.15 ERA), Justin Verlander (15-12, 4.54), Rick Porcello (15-13, 3.43), Anibal Sanchez (8-5, 3.43), and now Price. As for the Cardinals, they wrapped up their division with a little help. The Pittsburgh Pirates were bested by the Cincinnati Reds 4-1. This is their 11th playoff appearance since 2000 and their eighth division title in that stretch. The Cardinals have reached the NLCS or beyond each of the lat three years. Prior to this season, I thought they would reach a fourth, but fall to the Washington Nationals in the series. Pitching is a common theme for postseason teams and the Cardinals are right there atop the best staffs in baseball. Behind Adam Wainwright (20-9, 2.38), Michael Wacha (5-6, 3.20), Lance Lynn (15-10, 2.74), Shelby Miller (10-9, 3.74), Justin Masterson (6-9, 5.97), and John Lackey (14-10, 3.82) the Cardinals have an arsenal of quality starting pitchers that isn't matched by any other team. And behind a lineup featuring Yadier Molina, the Cardinals could make a lot of noise in October. Congratulations to the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals on clinching the American and National League Central divisions. --Devan F.
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The Cincinnati Reds and general manager Walt Jocketty have signed a two-year contract extension, they announced the Saturday morning. Jocketty, 63, has served as general manager for the Reds since April 23, 2008, and has led the team to two division titles, three 90-win seasons, and three playoff appearances over his tenure as general manager. However, the team has yet to advance in any of their three playoff series. Despite some success as general manager, Jocketty has signed veterans such as first baseman Joey Votto, second baseman Brandon Phillips, and starting pitcher Homer Bailey to questionable longterm deals. Votto's 13-year, $263 million contract that he signed back in 2011 appears to be Jocketty's biggest mistake. The 31-year-old Votto is signed through 2023, his age-40 season. Already Votto is missing time due to injury, appearing in only 62 games thus far this season. Jocketty's contract extension will cover both 2015 and 2016, as his current deal ran through this season. "This franchise has had great success under Walt’s guidance, and we’re delighted he has signed a 2-year extension," Reds President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Castellini said. The Reds' payroll continues to be on an upward trend, as Jocketty has already committed $71 million to just nine players in 2015, and that does not include a $10 million team option for Johnny Cueto, nor a $5 million player option for Aroldis Chapman. To keep the Reds' payroll around $100 million, Jocketty will have to make cost-effective moves this offseason, perhaps even dealing some of the Reds controllable talent. He will be put in a tough situation. Jocketty was named the 2010 Sporting News Executive of the Year, an award he won in both 2000 and 2004 as general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. He was hired by the Reds on January 11, 2008, as a special advisor to the team. Merely four months later, he was named general manager. He has led the Reds to continued success since. --Devan F. The Diamondbacks have fired manager Kirk Gibson, they announced in a press release Friday. They have also relieved bench coach Alan Trammel of his duties, but named him interim manager during Arizona's final series this weekend. The firing of Gibson comes just a day after Arizona named Dave Stewart their next general manager. Tony La Russa, the Diamondbacks' Chief Baseball Officer, announced Gibson's firing. "Kirk has done an admirable job under difficult circumstances and we are grateful for his professionalism and his dedicated service to the organization over the past eight years...We feel like it is time for a fresh start and with our recent restructuring in Baseball Operations, we want to get started immediately moving in a new direction. We are also appreciative of Alan Trammell for all that he has done for the D-backs and have great respect for what both men have accomplished in the game of baseball." Gibson took over as manager midway through the 2010 season. He has led the Diamondbacks to a record of 353-375 during his tenure, winning the National League West in 2011. He also claimed National League Manager of the Year that season. Since, however, Gibson has led the talented Diamondbacks to mediocre 81-81 seasons in both 2012 and 2013, and has led them to a MLB-worst 63-96 thus far in 2014. Gibson is known as an "old-school" manager and is often criticized for his style of managing. Earlier this year, it appears as if Arizona pitcher Randall Delgado threw at Pittsburgh Pirates superstar outfielder Andrew McCutchen. It looks as if this was done in "retaliation" of what happened the night before, when Paul Goldschmidt's season ended when he was hit on a pitch that had no intent behind it. The gritty style of managing may not land Gibson another managing job right away, if ever. Baseball is beyond that, making it hard to see him landing a job with another team. As for the Diamondbacks' vacant spot, names to watch out for are Joe McEwing, Jose Oquendo, and Phil Nevin, who managed the Triple-A team this year, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish tweets. As John Gambadoro of 98.7 Phoenix tweets, the Diamondbacks will also take a look at Reds bench coach Jay Bell for the job. As the Diamondbacks continue to clean house in management this year, manager Kirk Gibson and bench coach Alan Trammel are the next to go. Maybe a change in scenery could be the key to bringing this team back to playoff contention in 2015. They have plenty of talent on their roster and a young pitching staff could definitely shoot them up the latter next season. --Devan F. The Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with their next general manager Dave Stewart, they announce. They have also hired Dodgers De Jon Watson to join the team as a senior vice president of baseball operations. The likely hiring of Dave Stewart was first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Stewart had been the leading candidate to become the Diamondbacks' GM during their search. Arizona removed their ex-general manager Kevin Towers from the position back on September 5. Stewart, 57, is a former Major League Baseball player and has spent time as a pitching coach and a player agent since then. He was initially hired into the managing side of baseball in 1997, when then-Padres GM Kevin Towers hired him to be his assistant. However, he then he moved positions out of the front office and became their pitching coach. Stewart left San Diego in 1998 to pursue another career in the front office, and was hired to become the assistant general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. Again he moved positions, becoming their pitching coach as well. After the 2001 season, the Blue Jays passed on Stewart as their next general manager and he left the organization. He then went to Milwaukee to become their pitching coach for 2002. Since leaving coaching following the 2002 season, Stewart has worked as a player agent for his own sports agency named Sports Management Partners, while also overseeing the Dodgers farm system. He currently represents Major League players such as Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley. If he is to get the job in Arizona, he told the San Francisco Chronicle that he would move the business over to former teammate Dave Henderson. Many people speculate that the hiring of Stewart will keep Kevin Towers in the organization. The two worked for each other in San Diego. He also has known Tony La Russa, Chief Baseball Officer of the Diamondbacks, for 26 years. Their relationship has likely led to his hiring. --Devan F. With Clayton Kershaw on the hill, Dodgers fans, executives, and players must've been feeling pretty good about their chances to clinch the National League West last night. Kershaw has all but locked down the NL Cy Young award, coming into last night's start with a 20-3 record and a 1.80 ERA in 26 starts, winning games on two continents (North America and Australia). And if there was any team that could not hit Kershaw, that would be the Giants, who he has gone 14-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) against over his career. So, undoubtedly, Kershaw came through in the clutch. He threw eight innings, surrendering eight hits, but allowed the Giants to just one run. He struck out eleven and walked none. Kershaw lowered his season ERA from 1.80 to 1.77 with the dominant outing. He received the bulk of his run support in the sixth and eighth innings, where the Dodgers put up a pair of four run innings. Leading the charge was Yasiel Puig, who broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with his 16th home run of the year. Everything else was just insurance for Kershaw. Carl Crawford got two hits in two at bats, driving in two, and scoring three. Juan Uribe also got two hits and drove in three more. The Dodgers are serious World Series contenders and are the best team in the National League outside of Washington D.C. With a three-headed monster rotation in Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-jin Ryu, the Dodgers are destined to succeed. Their offensive attack, which includes Puig and Crawford, along with Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez, is as good as anyone's. I correctly predicted the Dodgers to win the division at the beginning of the year and predicted them to lose in the National League Division Series. We will see if they can go to the NLCS and beyond. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers for winning the National League West. --Devan F. |
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