Facts & Flukes
After a career year that finally paired his superior skills with terrific results, James Shields (RHP, TAM) entered 2012 with high expectations. And while he's been effective, Shields hasn't performed as many expected...
Jun 17 2012 11:04pm
Jun 17 2012 11:04pm
In 2010, little-heard-of Andres Torres (OF, NYM) took over the CF job at AT&T Park and provided some surprising offensive punch for San Francisco's playoff run. Two years later, Gregor Blanco (OF, SF) is trying to come from nowhere and fill the same role. And so far he's doing a good Torres impersonation.
Jun 13 2012 11:04pm
Jun 13 2012 11:04pm
When Andy Pettitte (LHP, NYY) walked into the sunset after the 2010 season, it looked like he had ended his career with 240 wins. But retirement apparently didn’t set well with Pettitte, who returned to the mound this spring. Even with a year off, he hasn’t skipped a beat.
Jun 12 2012 11:04pm
Jun 12 2012 11:04pm
Jay Bruce (OF, CIN) entered the season with high expectations—coming off his first 30-HR season, good xBA trend, still just 25—but a .229 May BA raised some questions. But he's back to his old stroke in the first 10 days of June.
Jun 11 2012 11:04pm
Jun 11 2012 11:04pm
In parts of the past three seasons, Michael Brantley (OF, CLE) gave the impression that he is most effective in a platoon role. This season, however, Brantley is showing he may have been shortchanged by this assessment and has taken advantage of fulltime duties...
Jun 10 2012 11:04pm
Jun 10 2012 11:04pm
There are many reasons for the Mets surprising start. On the surface, Dillon Gee (RHP, NYM) isn't one of them. With a 4-3 record and 4.69 ERA, he seems to be charting a similar course to last year. Look deeper, though, and good things are happening.
Jun 6 2012 11:04pm
Jun 6 2012 11:04pm
Whether it was an early slump or a product of the brisk weather of early Spring, it took Dayan Viciedo (OF, CWS) a while to get going. But starting around mid-May, Viciedo has not only been productive, he's been tearing the cover off the ball...
Jun 5 2012 11:04pm
Jun 5 2012 11:04pm
Johan Santana (LHP, NYM) secured his place in Mets history with his no-hitter on Friday night. But even before his stellar outing, Santana had looked fully recovered from the shoulder concerns that kept him out of action in 2011.
Jun 4 2012 11:03pm
Jun 4 2012 11:03pm
So far in 2012, Kelly Johnson (2B, TOR) has been more like the player the Toronto Blue Jays envisioned when they traded for him this past year. Johnson appears to have put to rest the questions that his struggles last season raised for the most part, but digging deeper reveals that some issues persist...
Jun 3 2012 11:04pm
Jun 3 2012 11:04pm
Carlos Ruiz (C, PHI) has been a Godsend for the Phillies through the first two months of the season. Without two of their big guns, the club has gotten surprising production from the 33-year-old backstop. Most surprising of all if the 7 HRs—only two shy of his career high for an entire season.
May 30 2012 11:04pm
May 30 2012 11:04pm
With the sluggish start that Brett Lawrie (3B, TOR) has had, it’s not surprising that he had a helmet-throwing temper tantrum a couple of weeks ago. After a strong rookie year (nine HR, seven SB in 150 AB), much was expected of the 22-year old Lawrie.
May 29 2012 11:04pm
May 29 2012 11:04pm
After a career year that finally paired his superior skills with terrific results, James Shields (RHP, TAM) entered 2012 with high expectations. And while he's been effective, Shields hasn't performed as many expected...
Jun 17 2012 11:04pm
Jun 17 2012 11:04pm
In 2010, little-heard-of Andres Torres (OF, NYM) took over the CF job at AT&T Park and provided some surprising offensive punch for San Francisco's playoff run. Two years later, Gregor Blanco (OF, SF) is trying to come from nowhere and fill the same role. And so far he's doing a good Torres impersonation.
Jun 13 2012 11:04pm
Jun 13 2012 11:04pm
When Andy Pettitte (LHP, NYY) walked into the sunset after the 2010 season, it looked like he had ended his career with 240 wins. But retirement apparently didn’t set well with Pettitte, who returned to the mound this spring. Even with a year off, he hasn’t skipped a beat.
Jun 12 2012 11:04pm
Jun 12 2012 11:04pm
Jay Bruce (OF, CIN) entered the season with high expectations—coming off his first 30-HR season, good xBA trend, still just 25—but a .229 May BA raised some questions. But he's back to his old stroke in the first 10 days of June.
Jun 11 2012 11:04pm
Jun 11 2012 11:04pm
In parts of the past three seasons, Michael Brantley (OF, CLE) gave the impression that he is most effective in a platoon role. This season, however, Brantley is showing he may have been shortchanged by this assessment and has taken advantage of fulltime duties...
Jun 10 2012 11:04pm
Jun 10 2012 11:04pm
There are many reasons for the Mets surprising start. On the surface, Dillon Gee (RHP, NYM) isn't one of them. With a 4-3 record and 4.69 ERA, he seems to be charting a similar course to last year. Look deeper, though, and good things are happening.
Jun 6 2012 11:04pm
Jun 6 2012 11:04pm
Whether it was an early slump or a product of the brisk weather of early Spring, it took Dayan Viciedo (OF, CWS) a while to get going. But starting around mid-May, Viciedo has not only been productive, he's been tearing the cover off the ball...
Jun 5 2012 11:04pm
Jun 5 2012 11:04pm
Johan Santana (LHP, NYM) secured his place in Mets history with his no-hitter on Friday night. But even before his stellar outing, Santana had looked fully recovered from the shoulder concerns that kept him out of action in 2011.
Jun 4 2012 11:03pm
Jun 4 2012 11:03pm
So far in 2012, Kelly Johnson (2B, TOR) has been more like the player the Toronto Blue Jays envisioned when they traded for him this past year. Johnson appears to have put to rest the questions that his struggles last season raised for the most part, but digging deeper reveals that some issues persist...
Jun 3 2012 11:04pm
Jun 3 2012 11:04pm
Carlos Ruiz (C, PHI) has been a Godsend for the Phillies through the first two months of the season. Without two of their big guns, the club has gotten surprising production from the 33-year-old backstop. Most surprising of all if the 7 HRs—only two shy of his career high for an entire season.
May 30 2012 11:04pm
May 30 2012 11:04pm
With the sluggish start that Brett Lawrie (3B, TOR) has had, it’s not surprising that he had a helmet-throwing temper tantrum a couple of weeks ago. After a strong rookie year (nine HR, seven SB in 150 AB), much was expected of the 22-year old Lawrie.
May 29 2012 11:04pm
May 29 2012 11:04pm
