http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/players/jorge_velandia/21692 Recent articles about Jorge Velandia en-us Team picture day at training camp is absolutely the best. It is the best because some of the pictures that emerge are the absolute worst. It is a day where true legends are made, like Nick Johnson and Jeff Samardzija. Well, picture day has arrived and a new batch of photos are ready to go down in Google Image Search infamy. Let's take a look at some of the standouts! Matt Purke - Maybe we scheduled picture day too early in the morning? Brandon Inge - Team photo or hostage video screencap? You make the call!   Harold Baines - Legendary DH, as in Designated Haunter of nightmares Anthony Gose - An 80 on the awkward scale Alex Castellanos - You guys want to see a dead body? Grant Balfour - Just had his mind blown Mat Latos - Totally nailed that scowl, bro! Justin Morneau - Is not impressed Jorge Velandia - Would like to know if you've accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? ... Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:00:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/the_bestworst_photos_from_mlb_team_photo_day/12970216 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/the_bestworst_photos_from_mlb_team_photo_day/12970216 The best/worst photos from MLB team photo day http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/the_bestworst_photos_from_mlb_team_photo_day/12970216 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Dan Szymborski’s ZiPS projections, which have typically appeared in the pages of Baseball Think Factory, are being released at FanGraphs this year. Below are the projections for the New York Yankees. Szymborski can be found on Twitter at @DSzymborski. Other 2013 Projections: Angels / Astros / Athletics / Blue Jays / Brewers / Cardinals / Cubs / Diamondbacks / Dodgers / Giants / Mariners / Marlins / Mets / Nationals / Phillies / Pirates / Rangers / Rays / Reds / Rockies / Royals / Tigers / White Sox. Batters It’s probably not entirely correct to say that Robinson Cano is twice as good as any of his field-playing teammates. What does appear to be the case, however, is that — owing to a combination of offensive production, positional adjustment, and durability — Robinson Cano is likely to be twice as valuable in 2013 as any of those same teammates. Elsewhere, there are a lot of rather low plate-appearance projections among the Yankees batting corps. Brett Gardner, Travis Hafner, Alex R... Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:00:51 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_zips_projections_new_york_yankees/12831133 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_zips_projections_new_york_yankees/12831133 2013 ZiPS Projections – New York Yankees http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/2013_zips_projections_new_york_yankees/12831133 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Dan Szymborski’s ZiPS projections, which have typically appeared in the pages of Baseball Think Factory, are being released at FanGraphs this year. Below are the projections for the Los Angeles Angels of You-Know-Where. Szymborski can be found on Twitter at @DSzymborski. Other 2013 Projections: Astros / Athletics / Cubs / Giants / Nationals / Phillies / Rangers. Batters It’s impossible to ignore the very optimistic projection for 2012′s Champion of WAR, Mike Trout — so, let’s not. While an eight-win season is certainly aggressive so far as a forecast is concerned — if for no other reason than only two or three players surpass the eight-win threshold per year — it’s also the case that ZiPS is being at least somewhat conservative with regard to Trout, forecasting him to hit fewer home runs, steal fewer bases, post a considerably lower BABIP, and save fewer runs afield in 2013 than in 2012. Otherwise, the Angels are almost uniformly above average: with the exception of Mark Trumbo, eve... Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:00:18 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_zips_projections_los_angeles_angels/12595417 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_zips_projections_los_angeles_angels/12595417 2013 ZiPS Projections – Los Angeles Angels http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/2013_zips_projections_los_angeles_angels/12595417 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Dan Szymborski’s ZiPS projections, which have typically appeared in the pages of Baseball Think Factory, will be released at FanGraphs this year. Below are the projections for the very newest addition to the American League, the Houston Astros. Szymborski can be found on Twitter at @DSzymborski. Batters It’s good news for Houston that young third baseman Matt Dominguez — acquired last July in a deal with Miami for Carlos Lee — that Dominguez is projected to post a roughly league-average WAR in 2013. What’s less good news for Houston is that Dominguez is projected to be the second-best player on the team — after Jose Altuve, that is. Of note regarding Houston’s forecasts is this: there are a number of starters (or two, at least) whose plate-appearance projections are rather low. Shortstop Jed Lowrie (332 PA) and center fielder Justin Maxwell (358 PA), for example, could conceivably produce almost twice as many wins, were they to play something closer to full-time. Pitchers Only one A... Thu, 03 Jan 2013 08:00:47 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_zips_projections_houston_astros/12566293 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_zips_projections_houston_astros/12566293 2013 ZiPS Projections – Houston Astros http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/2013_zips_projections_houston_astros/12566293 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png November is a great month for many reasons for sports fans: basketball season is in full swing, college football’s playoff picture gets clearer, and, most importantly, baseball’s Hot Stove gets fired up. The term Hot Stove is in reference to the practice of discussing sports in the winter, literally around a hot stove. For baseball, it’s strictly for off-season talk while our friends up north in Canada also use the term to discuss in-season hockey goings-ons. There has been a lot of news and rumors floating about already, just a few weeks after the Giants were crowned 2012 World Series Champions. We try to follow these news and rumors by doing a daily wrap-up post but many times, our faithful readership asks follow-ups on our blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Yesterday, we solicited questions and we will do our best to give some answers based on the top news and rumors. Side note: The mailbag concept has been around for quite sometime but this particular mailbag was sparked explicitly by... Sun, 18 Nov 2012 08:00:11 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/sunday_hot_stove_mailbag_first_edition/12240742 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/sunday_hot_stove_mailbag_first_edition/12240742 Sunday Hot Stove Mailbag! – First Edition http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/sunday_hot_stove_mailbag_first_edition/12240742 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png In a press release from the Phillies, they announced that Ryne Sandberg will return to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs as manager.I’m happy they were able to bring back Sandberg, as he’s succeeded at basically every level as both a player and coach. It’s a shame for him that he was unable to secure a position as a manager in the majors after another great season in 2011, however, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.Former Phillies Andy Tracy and Aaron Fultz and newcomers Andy Abad and Lino Connell have been added to the Phillies’ player development staff, Joe Jordan, Director, Player Development, announced today.  The staff also includes 21 returning members.At triple-A Lehigh Valley, the entire staff of manager Ryne Sandberg, coach Sal Rende and pitching coach Rod Nichols will return.  Sandberg, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is back for his second season after leading the IronPigs to their first playoff appearance in club history in 2011.  Rende... Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:30:45 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/sandberg_returning_as_lehigh_valley_manager/8241559 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/sandberg_returning_as_lehigh_valley_manager/8241559 Sandberg Returning as Lehigh Valley Manager http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/sandberg_returning_as_lehigh_valley_manager/8241559 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The “we” and the “us” was not at all out of line, nevertheless I found it surprising how much Octavio Dotel engaged in first-person plural pronouns when interviewed after the St. Louis Cardinals won the 2011 World Series. He hasn’t been a Cardinal much longer than he’s been most anything else in the big leagues, but  his champagne-soaked t-shirt and cap didn’t deceive. Dotel was and is, in fact, a World Champion St. Louis Cardinal. So there’s that to like from the 6-2 win the Cardinals hung on the Rangers in Game Seven of the just-comleted aptly named Fall Classic. And there’s a slew of players whose pre-tee gamewear couldn’t quite bring me down as much as my traditional personal antipathy for those two Redbirds perched on that yellow bat would suggest (even if the sight of so many sad Texas Rangers in one losing dugout kind of did). Unless you are brutally partisan, it was tough to find anything wrong with David Freese, the kid from St. Louis, winning the MVP for St. Louis. Shoot, ... Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:28:26 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/99_faltered_but_dotel_aint_done/7731190 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/99_faltered_but_dotel_aint_done/7731190 ’99 Faltered, But Dotel Ain’t Done http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/99_faltered_but_dotel_aint_done/7731190 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/5/85c85e8e4c98c8d97f5b130402f20836bb5ac42e/mini/White_Sox_vs_8e97.jpg The baseball season is going to last a little bit longer than what we've become accustomed to. With Texas and St. Louis splitting the first four games, it means after playing Game 5 in Texas tonight, the Rangers and Cardinals will head to St. Louis for a Game 6 on Wednesday and, if necessary, a Game 7 on Thursday. This is only the second time in eight years that the best-of-seven World Series has extended past five games. The other was 2009 when the New York Yankees knocked off Philadelphia in six games. There were four-game sweeps of Boston against St. Louis in 2004, the Chicago White Sox against Houston in 2005, and Boston against Colorado in 2007. It took five games in 2006 for St. Louis to knock off Detroit, in 2008 for Philadelphia to beat Tampa Bay, and last year when San Francisco beat the Rangers. First, though, the Rangers and Cardinals have to deal with Game 5 tonight, which includes these five storylines: GAMER St. Louis right-hander Chris Carpenter is the guy the Cardinals want on the mou Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:29:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/world_series_game_5_pitching_is_key/7621888 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/world_series_game_5_pitching_is_key/7621888 World Series Game 5: Pitching is key http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/world_series_game_5_pitching_is_key/7621888 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Though once again we will be watching two teams other than the Mets in the Fall Classic, this year’s series features several players with Met ties. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Texas Rangers win their first ever World Series, but I would more so like to see the former Mets play well. Texas has five players/personnel with Mets ties. ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz was actually a Met farmhand. Our old buddy Steve Phillips traded Cruz to the Oakland A’s in 2000 for back up shortstop Jorge Velandia. As I’m sure most of you remember, Rey Ordonez went down with an injury that season, so the Mets traded for Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick. However, Phillips thought it best to bring in another shortstop in exchange for Cruz. Granted with prospects, it’s always difficult to determine if they will pan out. But just imagine if the Mets had NELSON CRUZ batting in the middle of their order. The guy has raw power that he will hopefully keep displaying this week. The Rangers have another outfielder with Met ti... Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:19:49 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/from_left_field_players_with_mets_ties_in_world_series/7531822 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/from_left_field_players_with_mets_ties_in_world_series/7531822 From Left Field: Players With Mets Ties In World Series http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/from_left_field_players_with_mets_ties_in_world_series/7531822 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Nelson Cruz was first drafted out of the Dominican Rebuplic by the NY Mets. In 2000 he was traded to the A's for the worst hitting SS in all of baseball, Jorge Velandia. Velandia posted a .000 batting average in his time with the Mets. The trade has come to be know as the "Steve Phillips is too busy banging a very talented intern-while focusing on potential of banging the other very talented Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:11:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/nelson_cruz_was_drafted_by_the_mets/7418779 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/nelson_cruz_was_drafted_by_the_mets/7418779 Nelson Cruz was drafted by the Mets http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/nelson_cruz_was_drafted_by_the_mets/7418779 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png In 1998 the New York Mets signed an 18 year-old, Nelson Cruz, out of the Dominican Republic. However, the Mets then traded Cruz in 2000 to the Oakland Athletics for Jorge Velandia. Just another scenario to show off the great moves our franchise has made! Nelson Cruz’s 2011 Regular Season Stats: (He was injured for roughly a month.) Cruz also has four homeruns this postseason, including this huge walk-off grand slam against the Tigers in game two. Update: Nelson Cruz is a beast. He just hit a two-run homer off of Verlander in the top of the 8th inning. Detroit is still up 7-4. Tweet Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:13:07 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/fyi_nelson_cruz_was_a_met_in_2000/7404583 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/fyi_nelson_cruz_was_a_met_in_2000/7404583 FYI… Nelson Cruz was a Met in 2000 http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/fyi_nelson_cruz_was_a_met_in_2000/7404583 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/c/2cb2960470b81984b92592e22d4354271b7ac568/mini/Nelson_Cruz_2840.jpg The Mets signed Nelson Cruz in 1998 out of the Dominican Republic when he was just 18 years old. He was traded in 2000 by Steve Phillips to the A’s for Jorge Velandia. So far this week for the Rangers, in the ALCS, Cruz has a walk-off grand slam, he gunned down a key runner at home late in a game, and then he hit an extra-inning, three-run home run to put his team up three games to one.   In a post to Twitter, Gemini Keez asked: “Hey Matt, take me back to 1998. How was Nelson Cruz rated in the Mets farm system?” Matthew Cerrone: I see a lot of revisionist history going on, as people question why Phillips traded Cruz to the A’s. The thing is, he was signed at 18, and spent the next year and half in instructional leagues; and so he never even had a professional at bat while in the Mets organization. He was so young. In fact, as best I can tell, Cruz was labeled as being ‘raw,’ with power potential, but a very big swing, and with lots of concerns about his plate discipline. He was ... Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:05:18 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/why_did_the_mets_trade_nelson_cruz_in_2000/7397269 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/why_did_the_mets_trade_nelson_cruz_in_2000/7397269 Why did the Mets trade Nelson Cruz in 2000? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/why_did_the_mets_trade_nelson_cruz_in_2000/7397269 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/d/2d42fb2194de593623ccb0e7644de6e59265f226/mini/MLB_APR_26_f9c8.jpg