Detroit Tigers: The Peralta – Iglesias Dilemma of 2014
Jhonny Peralta‘s 50-game suspension is good for baseball. Bud Selig, as much as the XN Sports staff has enjoyed ribbing him over the past year, has got this one right. Bud appears to be nipping it in the bud. With the wake of the thirteen suspensions now slowly smoothing out, questions begin to arise as […]
Ryan Braun Suspended, More Suspensions Likely to Come
Ryan Braun was let off the hook in 2011 when he successfully appealed the 50 game suspension handed down by the league at the end of the season. He denied that his relations with Biogenesis owner Tony Bosch had to do with anything PED-related when rumors surfaced late last year and early this year. And […]
Gabe Kapler: Traditional Baseball Stats vs. Sabermetrics
Last year, the debate between sabermetricians and traditional baseball analysts took center stage when Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout both had MVP-worthy campaigns, but made their cases in different stat columns. Today, in 2013, the debate is no less pertinent. I had a chance to chat with former MLB outfielder Gabe Kapler about the rift between […]
The Case Against Yasiel Puig as an All-Star: One Great Month ≠ All-Star
MLB.com’s Richard Justice believes Rookie phenom Yasiel Puig should represent the National League in the 2013 MLB All-Star Game, because he says, “Puig is the most interesting player in baseball, and isn’t that part of what the All-Star Game is about?” Actually, Richard, it was supposed to be about who has played the best baseball […]
2013 MLB Power Rankings – Week 13
The 2013 MLB Power Rankings have just become interesting. With the recent surge of the Toronto Blue Jays, it’s safe to say that the American League East is now a five-team race. The AL East is now the only division in baseball in which every team has a win percentage above .500, and there are […]
Justin Verlander Is Human
Justin Verlander has a ritual — he eats Taco Bell the night before every start. But no; this has nothing to do with it either.
Who is Max Scherzer?
Scherzer’s quietly been one of the American League’s best pitchers since his arrival in Detroit, but he’s hidden behind even greater things like Miguel Cabrera’s bid for a second Triple Crown, Justin Verlander’s mediocrity, and Jose Valverde’s uncertainty.
The Jose Valverde Experiment is Over
This year, Valverde has pitched 17.1 innings over 18 games, earning nine saves and blowing three with a 4/15 ERA. Here’s the catch, and hopefully the straw that breaks the camel’s back: Valverde has given up five home runs and seven runs in his last 5.1 innings.