Features Archives | Baseball Essential

Cameron Maybin Has Found A Home With The Angels

Jun 28, 2017

Over a decade ago, the Detroit Tigers selected Cameron Maybin 10th overall. Since then the 30-year-old has bounced around, never finding his niche with an organization -- until now. When the Los Angeles Angels ...

Javier Baez is Criminally Underrated in Fantasy Baseball

Cody Goggin

Jun 20, 2017

Chicago Cubs, Fantasy

Disclaimer: I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan about to praise a Chicago Cubs player. It feels so wrong, and yet, I feel confident that I’m right here. Javier Baez is considered a mid-low tier fantasy option on the...

Most Versatile Player: Paul Goldschmidt Should Win NL MVP

Tom Dorsa

Jun 20, 2017

Arizona Diamondbacks, Opinions & Predictions, Statistics

When Paul Goldschmidt trotted onto the field in his August 1, 2011, major-league debut, fans and experts denoted the 6'3" righty as potentially the next Jeff Bagwell. Goldschmidt shares a position with the form...

Relax Philadelphia, Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

Ryan Waterman

May 30, 2017

Opinions & Predictions, Philadelphia Phillies

If you're a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, the past month has been absolutely brutal. Through their first 20 games, Philadelphia seemed to be living up to the expectations that many fans had for this seas...

Opinion: Fastball-Oriented Pitching Is Ultimately Bad For Baseball

Tom Dorsa

May 30, 2017

Opinions & Predictions

From a baseball fan's standpoint, taking in masterful pitchers like Clayton Kershaw or Dallas Keuchel is a goosebumps-inducing activity. Their variety on the mound and their pure ability to keep the batters gue...

Hard Work, Patience Paying Off for Furman RHP Will Gaddis

Jeff J. Snider

May 22, 2017

College, Draft, Features

It's easy to look at star athletes and think their success was inevitable. Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw and Bryce Harper and LeBron James and Aaron Rodgers -- they all used to be the "next big thing," and the...

Brett Cecil: Big Bucks, But No Payoff

Billy Collins

May 16, 2017

Opinions & Predictions, St. Louis Cardinals

This past offseason, the St. Louis Cardinals signed relief pitcher Brett Cecil to a four-year contract worth $30.5 million. This deal was one of many in the deepest free agent class of bullpen arms in recent me...

Cody Bellinger is Trying to Force the Issue

Jeff J. Snider

May 2, 2017

Features, Headlines, Los Angeles Dodgers

After his first three games in the big leagues, Los Angeles Dodgers top prospect Cody Bellinger looked like he wasn't ready for prime time. He was hitting .100/.250/.100, with his lone hit a squibber to thi...

Washington Nationals’ Ridiculous April Featured Various Milestones

Tom Dorsa

May 1, 2017

Features, Statistics, Washington Nationals

With a 17-8 record, the Washington Nationals have materialized as perhaps the strongest team in Major League Baseball. Their lead in the National League East has extended to five games over the Miami Marlins, w...

ESPN Layoffs Reflect the Changing State of Baseball Journalism

Billy Collins

Apr 27, 2017

Headlines, Opinions & Predictions

The journalism industry is a complex one to say the least. In today’s world, hard-hitting, high quality journalism is not valued nearly as much as what I’m going to call “ratings drivers.” Hot takes are a bette...