Most Deserving All-Star Candidate From Each American League Team

Most Deserving All-Star Candidate From Each Team: AL Edition   Baltimore: Manny Machado While Mark Trumbo is enjoying a bounce back season and currently leading the American League in homers, Manny Machado has been one of the best players in the MLB this season. He’s hitting .325, good for fourth in the American League, and […]

Seattle Could Fly Before It Could Swim

Hey baseball fans! The Seattle Mariners were created in 1977 and were placed in the AL West division and have remained there ever since. However, did you know that there was a team prior to the Mariners that played Major League Baseball in Seattle? Did you know that they only played there one season (1969) […]

Bob Lazzari’s Baseball Predictions: 2013

Yes, it’s that time of the year, folks–time to offer some MLB predictions.  *DISCLAIMER:  If one chooses to use the following as “gospel”, just remember that I picked the Angels and Phillies to play in the World Series last year (ughh).  Here’s how they’ll finish in 2013…… AL EAST T.B. Rays Toronto Blue Jays N.Y. […]

The Greatest Youngster Around

Hey baseball fans! Let’s get something straight: not all Hall of Famers have a World Series ring. For example, Ernie Banks never got one because he played on the Cubs. Harmon Killebrew almost got a ring in ’65 with the Twins, but never got that close to a championship again in his career. Finally, even the great Ted Williams never got […]

NJBM Kids’ Hot Korner: Ichiro Suzuki

Hey baseball fans! I just put up my latest post in the Kids’ Hot Korner section of New Jersey Baseball Magazine.  This one is in honor of my aunt Rie Suzuki’s favorite player. Can you guess who it is?  If you want to read more about my aunt’s favorite MLB player from Japan, just click here. And […]

Jose Cruz, Jr.: Carrying On His Family’s Baseball Legacy

Talented baseball players who have fathers who played in the major are often viewed as the gold standard when evaluating player development. On top of their innate ability, the access to elite instruction and being exposed to what it takes to be a big leaguer puts them at a major advantage over other prospects. The […]

Hal Keller Remembered

Hal Keller, former catcher for the Washington Nationals and baseball executive for the expansion Washington Senators and Seattle Mariners, died this week at the age of 85. Hal was a local product, born in Western Maryland–Middletown to be exact–and started his career at Hagerstown, MD playing in the baseball organization just down the road in […]

Humble Phil, Powerful Paul

April 26, 2012 Philip Humber will always be associated with perfection. He just won’t always pitch that way. One start after throwing a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners, the White Sox right-hander plummeted back to reality Thursday night at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field, surrendering nine earned runs in a 10-3 loss to the Boston […]

The Mariners Still an Expansion Team after 35 Years

I have not written a post in a couple of days mostly due to the fact that I have simply been uninspired. It seems to be a common theme amongst people around town who like myself have followed the Mariners for so long and see no real hope for a return the playoffs in sight […]

Bob Lazzari’s Baseball Predictions

Yes, it’s that time of the year, folks–the obligatory crapshoot better-known as making MLB predictions.  Here’s how they’ll finish in 2012…… AL EAST N.Y. Yankees T.B. Rays Boston Red Sox Toronto Blue Jays Baltimore Orioles AL CENTRAL Detroit Tigers Cleveland Indians K.C. Royals Minnesota Twins Chicago White Sox AL WEST L.A. Angels Texas Rangers Oakland […]

Mariners Win With Montero Trade Too…

Last night saw the rare exchange of top young players, when the New York Yankees traded catcher/designated hitter Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi to the Seattle Mariners for pitchers Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. So far the reaction seems to be focused on what a terrific deal this was for the Yankees, and how […]

Touring the Bases with Italian Baseball Coach Andrea D’Auria

If you ever wondered about baseball in Italy, and if it is even played there, you will love this interview. Andrea sounds like a great guy and I am sure he is and displays the passion for baseball that is like the great coaches here in America. This year was especially rewarding and momentous for Italian baseball, as […]

Consummate Captain

If Sandy Koufax is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, why not Don Mattingly? OK, OK, maybe that’s like comparing apples to oranges. How about Kirby Puckett vs. Don Mattingly? Take a look at this and more in “Donnie Baseball” by longtime journalist Mike Shalin. Read this book because: 1. Nobody worked harder than Mattingly. […]

24-Year-Old on Top of Indy Baseball World

It Is Another Busy Week in the Indy World With One 24-Year-Old Sitting on Top of It Every 24-year-old involved in Independent Baseball dreams of landing an honest-to-goodness major league opportunity. It has happened once more, although this time it was not a 95-mile per hour fastball or rare power that provided the launch. I […]

Mariners Win one for Rick “The Peanut Man”

The Seattle Mariners snapped a painful 17-game losing streak by trouncing the New York Yankees 9-2 as all of us in Mariners Nation let out a sigh of relief. Mariners Ace Felix Hernandez went 7 frames allowing only a run and for once he got the backing of his teammates who scored 9 runs thanks […]

Meet Kate Wedge the wife of Mariners Skipper Eric Wedge

Kate Wedge at the Safe While much has been written about the great job that manager Eric Wedge has done this year with the Seattle Mariners, not much has been said about the skipper’s wife, Kate Wedge. I was fortunate enough to meet her last night through a mutual friend as I was enjoying the […]

Math v. March Madness

On July 27, 1975, a child was born in Washington Heights, New York. Four years later, his family moved to the Dominican Republic, and soon after to Miami, Florida. He grew up rooting for the New York Mets, and idolized Cal Ripken and Keith Hernandez. Like most children, he dreamed about becoming a professional athlete. […]

Belated 2011 MLB Predictions

Yes, folks, the 2011 MLB season is underway.  Rosters have changed and managers have changed; Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens HAVEN’T changed.  Here’s how they’ll finish: AL EAST Boston Red Sox N.Y. Yankees T.B. Rays Baltimore Orioles Toronto Blue Jays AL CENTRAL Chicago White Sox Minnesota Twins Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Cleveland Indians AL WEST Texas […]

Clearing The Bases: Starting Pitchers

Clearing The Bases                                                                                                                                          March 30, 2011 By George Kurtz Once again Starting Pitching is generally an area I will select later on in my drafts as I’m a big believer in loading up on hitting early on.   Sure I would love to have a top notch starter to anchor my staff, but I’m not willing […]

2011 Pre-Season Preview: AL East – Baltimore Orioles

Orioles RF Nick Markakis Baltimore Orioles (2010 record: 66-96) Two words: Buck Showalter. His hiring has meant instant credibility for a moribund franchise. He brought energy, intensity, knowledge and savvy to the baseball diamond and the clubhouse… and he directed the team to a 34-23 finish after his arrival in Charm City – the second-best […]

2011 Pre-Season Preview: AL West – Seattle Mariners

Staff ace, Felix Hernandez Seattle Mariners (2010 record: 61-101) Many pundits believed the Mariners could win the American League West last season – I am numbered among those people. The joke was on us. Instead of making a run at the Angels and the Rangers, the Mariners turned in one of the more disappointing efforts […]

Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Top Five (Starting) Pitching Prospects For 2011

Tampa Bay’s Jeremy Hellickson is targeted for stardom. By the end of 2012 he will slide into the #2 spot in the rotation to create a dynamic duo, along with David Price. In articles such as this, many websites give readers a list of the best overall prospects at a given position, but the intention […]

Before Ichiro: Masanori Murakami

Ichiro Suzuki, of the Seattle Mariners, has established himself as one of the most reliable players in Major League Baseball.  In 2009, the Japanese sensation broke a 108-year-old mark of eight straight 200-hit  seasons set by Wee Willie Keeler in 1901.  Since his rookie season, the incomparable Ichiro has tormented  MLB pitchers by amassing hits […]

2011 Fantasy Baseball Preview: Top Ten Sleepers (Part V)

Different editors/writers have differing definitions of the term, “sleeper”. The concept has been watered down in the current fantasy baseball lexicon, probably because there are writers who can’t be bothered to do the analysis required to uncover real “sleepers”. In my opinion, rookies have no place on a sleeper list. They aren’t sleepers. They are […]

Is Mark Belanger a Hall of Famer?

If we grant admission to players such as DHs and relievers who were one-dimensional, then we should think seriously about admitting players who played Hall of Fame caliber defense, but were weak with the stick. And that brings me to former Oriole shortstop Mark Belanger.

2011 MLB Power Rankings, The Ides of January Edition (Part I, #21-#30)

  With most of the top free agents now signed and teams starting to take shape as we approach spring training, I thought I would share my pre-pre-season pespective on the relative strengths (and weaknesses) of all 30 major league teams. I have broken the article down into three installments, and will publish one of […]

Lindsey Looms Large Even With New Indy Players Appearing

We have pinpointed at least two worthy candidates who could break into the major leagues for the first time in 2011, but even if they make it they will have some distance to travel before they nudge this year’s best headline-maker into the shadows.  Big John Lindsey continues to do and say the things that […]

The Sweet Swing of a Slugger

Nowadays, it’s difficult to think of baseball players without talk of steroids, performance enhancers, or at least strength training. More than a century ago, however, raw skill and equipment formed a power-packed duo that dictated a player’s success. “Sweet Spot: 125 Years of Baseball and the Louisville Slugger” by David Magee and Philip Shirley is […]

Lazzari’s Baseball Roundup 4

TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1987 Cincinnati Reds–who finished 2nd in the NL West under Pete Rose–had four players who hit more than 20 home runs apiece. How many of these players can you name? Answer to follow……….I used to think that a Steve Carlton slider was a pure thing of beauty–that is, until I saw a […]

The Seattle Mariners, a mystery off the field

The Mariners get a day to rest before starting a series with the Cleveland Indians tomorrow so there is no need for my usual ranting about the dismal state of this fading season. Instead I thought I would talk a little about the players themselves and their lives off the field. Of course being that […]

Comparing the Cliff Lee Hauls

Two weeks and three starts ago, the Texas Rangers swooped into the mix and pulled off a trade with the Seattle Mariners for starting pitcher Cliff Lee – easily the most coveted pitcher available this season. Despite the weeks of rumors, there was little said about the likelihood of Texas being able to make a […]

Touring the Bases (Again) With…Jack Perconte

After batting .334, .322 and .326 in three of his first five minor league seasons, second baseman Jack Perconte made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 13, 1980.  He was back in the minors in 1981 where he batted .346 for Albuquerque, then was traded to the Cleveland Indians, with […]

Straight To The Show

After pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning of his major league debut, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake settled down and pitched seven innings, allowing only one run against the Chicago Cubs. Leake’s debut was a unique one; not only was it his major league debut, but the game doubled as his […]

Some Stories About John Marzano

John Marzano died two years ago today at his home in Philadelphia. He’d spent his last three years as a player, 1996 through 1998, with the Seattle Mariners. To help remember him, here are some quotes and anecdotes from his time with the Mariners. With his fairly marginal status as a long-term backup catcher, Marzano […]