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Tampa Bay Rays top prospect Matt Moore and star pitcher David Price have a lot in common. Both Price and Moore are fireballing left-handed starters who were considered the top left-handed pitching prospect coming into the majors. Both share a similar style of pitching, as well as some career experiences that are alike. 

It’s pretty clear how much these two young pitchers resemble each other. However, there’s one question that is debatable and makes a much more interesting conversation.

Which of these phenom talents will be more successful in the big leagues?

Since Price has been a member of the Rays since 2008 and Moore has just pitched 19.1 innings in MLB, it’s hard to answer the question without some thorough thought. Price has already established himself as a bona fide ace in majors, while Moore has proven that he has every bit of potential needed to be.

Looking at some stats, Minor League and Major League, should help explain why Moore will be better than Price.

When comparing Price’s minor league numbers to Moore’s, Moore absolutely dominates. When Price and Moore were at the age of 22, they both spent a minor league season playing in both Double-A and Triple-A. So it seems pretty fair to compare the statistics of those two years. 

Moore posted a 1.92 ERA during his 2011 minor league season, while Price put up a 2.80 ERA during his 2008 minor league season (excluding his 34.2 innings pitched at Class A-plus). I didn’t mention their strikeout and win-loss record, because Moore pitched 45.8 innings more. 

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Three more stats that are worth mentioning as part of their minor league numbers are BB/9 (walks per nine innings ratio), SO/BB (strikeout-to-walk ratio) and SO/9 (strikeouts per nine innings ratio). 

Price posted a 2.6 BB/9 ratio, an 8.9 SO/9 ratio and a 3.41 SO/BB ratio during his 2008 minor league season (including Triple-A, Double-A and A-plus). Moore posted a 2.7 BB/9 ratio, a stunning 12.2 SO/9 ratio, and an impressive 4.57 SO/BB ratio. Once again, it seems as Moore has the statistical edge.

These statistics may not seem to important at first glance, but they are vital when predicting the future success of a young pitcher.

Now let’s compare both Price’s and Moore’s numbers from their short rookie seasons, when they were both 22 years old.

In 2008 (regular season and postseason combined), Price pitched 19.2 innings (one game started), posting a 2.08 while striking out 20 batters. In Moore’s 2011 MLB stint (regular season and postseason combined), he posted a 2.09 ERA with 23 strikeouts through 19.1 innings (two games started). As you can see, the stats are strikingly similar. 

After looking at both Price’s and Moore’s stats, it’s safe to conclude that Moore has the potential to be at least as successful as Price in the big leagues. Pitch selection percentages and pitch F/X statistics are other key devices that can help predict big league success for a pitcher.

According to TexasLeaguers.com’s Pitch FX Database, Price threw 73.6 percent fastballs (including cutters and two-seamers), 18.5 percent breaking balls and 7.8 percent changeups during his big league career. During Moore’s brief MLB stint last season (including playoffs), he threw 73.1 percent fastballs, 19.5 percent breaking pitches and 7.6 percent changeups.

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The balance of fastballs and off-speed pitches from the two southpaws are pretty similar, but further data from the pitch F/X database reveals that Moore’s individual pitches may be more quality than Price’s.

First, Moore’s fastball has a velocity 0.7 MPH faster than Price’s fastball. It may not seem significant, but that could be the difference between a solid hit and a strikeout in Major League Baseball. Moore’s slider (which is the primary breaking pitch for both pitchers) has a spin angle of 63 degrees more, as well as an impressive whiff rate (20.8 percent) that is 12.8 percent more than Price’s. Speaking of whiff rates, Moore’s changeup whiff percentage is also 12.8 percent better than Price’s.

To wrap up all this data in a nutshell, Moore simply has better stuff. We already know that his fastball is top-notch, but he also has a plus changeup that is getting much better. The changeup, which is Moore’s second-most effective pitch (highest swing rate and whiff rate of all his pitches), complements his outstanding fastball and seems to do a great job keeping hitters off balance.

If Moore continues to use his changeup well, he could establish an excellent secondary pitch, which will be crucial to his future big league success.

Mastering secondary pitches is one component that could make Moore a better pitcher than Price. Price is able to keep hitters off balance with his various off-speed pitches, but he hasn’t truly established his go-to secondary pitch yet that he can really trust. With Moore, I see a great possibility he could create his changeup into a pitch like that.

At the end of the day, Moore has done everything to prove he’s as ready for the big leagues as Price was in his rookie year. Both Price and Moore will likely have successful careers if they stay healthy, but Moore clearly has the potential to be the best pitcher in baseball at some point in the future. 

There’s a reason why Matt Moore is the Rays’ best pitching prospect ever.

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With the acquisition of Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers manager, Jim Leyland, might have the most potent offense in all of baseball.
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Jim Leyland doesn’t pull punches. He shoots straight from the hip. “We’re going back to old-fashion baseball. We got power at the corners,” he said today following Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and owner Mike Ilitch’s first introduction of Prince Fielder as a Detroit Tiger.

Today, amongst the celebration of Fielder’s arrival at Comerica Park, where he will take up residence for the foreseeable future, Leyland did not hesitate about the direction the Tigers were headed.

“Mr. Illitch and Dave have given me a lot of nice pieces to this puzzle. It’s my job, along with coaches, to figure out how to put that puzzle all together. I don’t think that’s going to be a issue whatsoever. It’s a pretty nice problem to have,” Leyland confidently said during his portion of today’s press conference.

From there he wasted no time getting to the business at hand of lineups and defensive schemes for the 2012 Tigers.

“Miguel Cabrera is going to play third base, let’s make that perfectly clear today,” Leyland said. Leyland gave no hesitation and he wanted it clear that there would be no waiting to see what happens in spring training with the decision at third base. The big boys will be anchoring the corners. He confessed he knows Cabrera won’t have the agility that Brandon Inge had, but intends to have him in training camp a bit lighter and ready to go as the everyday third baseman.

Leyland’s defense: “You give up a little something, but you get a whole lot in return,” he said. He couldn’t be more right. Cabrera won’t make the flashy plays, and teams with speed will get down a few more bunts here and there, but the big fella is definitely athletic enough to get it done at third. He will make the routine plays and dazzle from time to time. He’s too good not to.

Miguel Cabrera will move up one spot in the order for Jim Leyland’s Tigers this upcoming season.
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With experience already on his resume at that position, Cabrera may find himself comfortable much sooner than expected, putting anxious Tigers fans at ease as they worry about the juggling of Leyland’s lineup—an annual ritual for Tigers fans and something that has often been a mystery, and will most likely remain one, regardless of Fielder’s addition into the lineup.

Leyland also confirmed that he talked with Cabrera and that he is “100 percent on board.” Leyland professed confidently that Cabrera felt good about the move.

It’s probably a safe notion that Dombrowski and Illitch conferred with Cabrera before calling the bank to clear some funds for Fielder’s arrival at first base. It’s doubtful Tigers management would have put themselves in position to have clubhouse interference before the team even heads to Lakeland. Somewhere along the negotiation trail, a commitment was sought from Cabrera before shipping him across the field to third.

Leyland also made it clear that it is not in the plan to make late-inning defensive substitutions for Cabrera at third. Not surprising, the old skipper doesn’t believe in making defensive changes for star players like Cabrera late in the game. Of course, he admitted that the coaching staff would monitor it, but that he intends Cabrera to be the same everyday player at third that he was at first.

Leyland even offered an sincere apology to the newest Tigers utility infielder, Inge. He knew Inge wasn’t happy and he apologized, which really was all he could do considering the circumstances.

Everything happened so quickly, the Washington Nationals seemed to be meeting the demands of Fielder’s agent, Scott Boras, and near terms. A few days ago the news wires lit up full-tilt when Dombrowski confirmed that the Tigers had in fact come to terms with Fielder on a deal that will pay him $23.7 million a year.

The Tigers’ Brandon Inge was frozen out of a position when Detroit signed Prince Fielder and shifted Miguel Cabrera to third.
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The skipper also acknowledged that Inge still has inherent value as a defensive replacement. Certain circumstances could provide an advantage with Inge inserted late at third base. Leyland may employ this strategy purposefully against teams looking to play small-ball against the less agile corner pieces of Cabrera and Fielder. This, however, would be a rare scratch and replacement on Leyland’s scorecard. More likely, Inge will see playing time only when Cabrera needs a breather at third.

Based on Leyland’s comments today, his lineup headed home to Detroit for the season-opener seems pretty well set, barring any spring training oddities. Austin Jackson will lead off, despite last season’s ineffectiveness in that role. Third-year player Brennan Boesch, who is ready and healthy following a season-ending injuring in 2011, will follow Jackson. Cabrera will move up one spot in the order and hit third, leaving American League pitchers to face Fielder in the clean-up spot. 

Hard-hitting slugger Delmon Young will be slotted in the five spot, where Leyland will look for him to pick up where he left off last postseason, having smoked five homers in total during the ALDS and ALCS. Young also knocked in six RBI, with eight postseason hits. With Cabrera and Fielder hitting in front of Young, don’t be surprised if he is in the chase for an RBI title right next to Cabrera and Fielder.

All-Star catcher Alex Avila will bat sixth, a productive place for his left-handed bat in the lineup. Last season’s biggest surprise at the plate, Jhonny Peralta will bat seventh, and also provide extra-base range in a stacked Tigers lineup. 

The eight-spot in the lineup will provide Leyland flexibility, as he noted Andy Dirks, Brad Thomas and Don Kelly will take turns in the wheel. On a team with little speed, Dirks and Kelly provide more than most. Leyland may use their contact hitting abilities to hit and run, as well as to bunt when necessary deeper in the order. 

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Ryan Rayburn will bat last, but may become the first to have a chance at batting leadoff should Jackson struggle early on. Of course, Rayburn has had his own early-season woes and often doesn’t catch stride until mid-July, but his potential to be a classic prototype nine-spot hitter abounds. Yet, he has still failed to find the mark in April, May and June.

Should Jackson and Rayburn struggle, Leyland will be looking to make a move that could put Jackson at the bottom of the order as opposed to the top. Leyland, however, will be hard-pressed to take Jackson out altogether. His defensive presence will be far too valuable with the slower Boesch and Young to his left and right. That scenario would also find Rayburn on the bench and the Tigers on the trade-deadline market for a leadoff man. However, it might land the ever-consistent Ramon Santiago a more consistent role should Rayburn falter.

With that kind of talent, and a few personalities to boot, Leyland knows all about the pressure that will be on his team to go the distance. It’s not every day you sign the fourth guy ever to receive a $200 million-plus contract. As usual, Leyland provided some levity in spite of the pressure. ”Everybody’s already asked me all about the pressure. If you can handle it by the time you’re 67 (years old), you don’t belong in the business,” he said, smirking.

Glaringly missing from the Tigers lineup, other than Jackson, is any sort of real base-stealing threat. For that matter, Leyland hasn’t even given Jackson the green light on the base paths yet. Remember, Leyland has been the manager of the Tigers for the past six seasons, and at no time has he really ever had anythig that could be called a weapon as far as team speed was concerned.

Of course, Leyland had an answer for the Detroit media on this concern as well. “If they hit’em where they’re supposed to hit’em, they can trot,” he said, “so, I’m not as concerned about that as everyone else.”

Leyland is as old-school as you’ll find in all of MLB, confirming that by saying, “I’d rather have a slow guy that can hit, than a fast guy that can’t.” Of all the issues the Tigers could potentially face this season, that shouldn’t be an issue. He was clear that his Tigers aren’t a manufacturing type of ball club. They hit doubles in the gap and shots over the fence—a potentially lethal theory.

*All statistical data provided by baseball-reference.com **Quotes taken directly from Detroit Tigers Press Conference on January 26, 2012. Recording provided by mlb.com

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When he learned that he had been traded to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right fielder Paul O’Neill, Roberto Kelly wasn’t surprised.  He had his theory about the trade.

“If you look at it, left field is open,” said Kelly.  “I think they’re looking to build up the team and win right away. Left field is open and I think they can afford to buy Bonds. He’s out there for them.”

Kelly wasn’t alone. Many in the media held the same position.

The Kelly for O’Neill trade occurred on Nov. 3, 1992. That year, the New York Yankees had finished tied with the Cleveland Indians for fourth place in the Eastern Division.

The year before, they had finished fifth. In each season, they were 20 games behind the division winner.

Bonds, considered the best player in baseball, said that the Yankees hadn’t contacted him. On Dec. 8, 1992, he signed with the San Francisco Giants.

No one in her right mind would conclude that O’Neill was a greater player than Bonds, but neither would anyone in his right mind take Barry Bonds over Paul O’Neill in October.

Bonds only outstanding post-season series was the 2002 World Series. The Giants’ problem was that Bonds made a crucial error that contributed greatly to the Giants losing that Series.

Bonds never played on a world champion.

Paul O’Neill is almost synonymous with clutch, despite never having a hit World Series home run. He was involved in one defensive and one offensive play, without which, the Yankees would not have won two World Series.

In the fifth game of the 1996 Series against the Atlanta Braves, a hobbling Paul O’Neill made an outstanding catch on Luis Polonia’s bid for a game-winning hit in the ninth inning.

In the first game of the 2000 World Series, O’Neill battled New York Mets closer Armando Benitz. After falling behind in the count, no balls and two strikes, O’Neill eventually walked.

Luis Polonia, the same Luis Polonia that O’Neill had robbed in 1996, singled him to second. Former Met Jose Viscaino singled to load the bases, and Chuck Knoblauch’s sacrifice fly scored O’Neill with the tying run.

While Roberto Kelly never reached his potential, everyone knows how Barry Bonds allegedly attempted to outdo Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, and everyone knows about Paul O’Neill.

Thank goodness Kelly was traded to the Reds and Bonds signed with the Giants.

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Scott Boras, Super-Agent to MLBs biggest stars, brought together the Detroit Tigers and Prince Fielder for his third $200 million contract as an agent.
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Earlier this week, while the Nationals, Rangers, and Mariners were all still in the hunt for the last prized free-agent of the 2012 winter off-season, Scott Boras, agent to some of the game’s biggest stars, and Dave Dombrowski, Detroit Tigers GM, were busy having a side-bar conversation that apparently nobody else in baseball knew about.

It is discretion like this that makes Boras the best in the game and the agent of desire by MLB’s greatest talent.

Boras added further lore to his already illustrious career on Tuesday, inking a nine-year, $214 million deal for Prince Fielder.

Interestingly, Dombrowski’s own comments just over a week ago indicated that the Tigers were not realistically chasing the long-term, high-dollar contract Fielder was seeking. No sooner had he spoken, and Dombrowski  was on the horn with Boras brokering another blockbuster contract.

Meanwhile, fans in D.C., Texas, and Seattle are wondering how the rug was just pulled out from underneath their team’s management and owners. It seemed relatively certain that Boras was going to cut a deal with someone other than Detroit, but this wasn’t Boras’ first time playing snake in the grass in an unrelenting effort to get what was best for his clients.

Boras, as his clients have often affirmed, is coldblooded and calculated when it comes to hard-nosed negotiations.

He gets his clients what they want. Even if it is more than they may deserve.

His career tormenting the back pockets of MLB ownership started with a splash in 1985. Boras earned Bill Caudill, of the Toronto Blue Jays, the second-biggest paycheck of any reliever in the game at that time. Since then, he has set the market-standard of player value and led the strategic negotiations that have resulted in epic contracts for baseball’s finest talent.

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The retainer on Scott Boras alone makes plenty of top prospects and zealously chased free-agents seem even more valuable on the market.

Make no mistake however, Scott Boras has driven the cost of baseball up for everybody and is the key contributor to astronomical player contracts across MLB. With the continued growth of the MLB market, it doesn’t seem to bother owners, players, or fans all that much as they continue to shell out big bucks for merchandise, media exposure, and game tickets.

A short look at Boras’ transformation of the money game in baseball includes procuring the largest signing bonus ever for an amateur when in 1998 Andy Benes signed for $235,000 following the amateur draft.

A year later, he initiated the first ever multi-year, baseball-only contract for an amateur, helping Ben McDonald sign a $1.01 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles.

Following these two rabbits out of the hat, Boras stunned MLB leadership in the early 90’s when he secured a guaranteed major-league, million dollar plus contract for the No.14 draft pick, Todd Van Poppel, out of high school. In short time he was at the top of the list as one of the most hated men in baseball.

As Boras was winning the game of wits with team owners and GMs, and even Commissioner Bud Selig, MLB had to work diligently to close-up loop holes in their free-agent negotiation and signing rules because of Boras’ skillful circumventing of draft-provisions.

The record-setting and the trend of the market all belonged to Boras.

The 1992 season brought about a five-year, $28 million contract for perennial All-Star pitcher Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves.

Further grievances by Boras, and continued tinkering with draft provisions, forced baseball’s leadership to again amend their rules in an effort to prevent Boras’ resourcefulness from getting the better of them. Continued embarrassment and court-room victories only added further embarrassment to sky-rocketing player contracts that did not sit well with MLB ownership.

Scott Boras, the premier baseball player agent in the country, generated $444 million plus in contracts during 2010-11.
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However, two decades later, it seems apparent that Boras, and the Boras Corporation (a baseball-only sports agency), show no signs of wavering in their demands for top-dollar compensation for the players they represent. And Boras represents the largest percentage of top-money making All-Stars in the game.

Boras is not simply an agent; he’s an entertainer himself.

He provides almost supernatural reassurance to his clients, and seldom, if ever, does he fail to deliver. From his $20 million headquarters in Newport Beach, CA, which includes 70 flat-screen TVs, a gym, lounge, and enormous patio with a 15-foot waterfall, to Boras Marketing, where he further enriches his clients bankroll through memorabilia, marketing, and commercial endorsements.

Yet, make no mistake, he is a businessman; he invests in his clients and takes great care to provide them every resource to stay in the game, without that, he’s out.

In this vein, Boras invested considerable resources into the Boras Sports Training Institute, where his greatest assets can receive services in athletic training and sports psychology. Boras knows that a sound athlete makes him more money and ultimately allows him to continue to raise the market’s money ceiling.

Included on this care-taking team: an MIT-trained economist, a former NASA computer engineer, several lawyers and even more personal trainers, as well as a renowned sports psychologist, investment team, and a 14-person research team.

Heck, there’s even a guy that gets paid to watch all of his client’s games just for the purpose of reporting to Boras how his clients did that day.

When you have the likes of Adrian Beltre, Jayson Werth, and Matt Holliday all signing $100 million-plus contracts, and rookies signing multi-million dollar guaranteed contracts, laden with enormous performance incentives, you can afford to give back to your clients, even if it’s only a 23,000 square-foot glass and steel oasis on the coast of the Pacific.

Boras and his firm negotiated roughly $444.5 million in contracts during the 2010-2011 offseason, over $120 million more than any other firm.

Boras’ mark on the game changed the landscape of free-agency forever. Boras’ deft negotiation of Fielder’s contract, the fourth-largest ever, was astonishing considering the market certainly didn’t seem open for a nine-year $214 million deal.

In the history of the game, there have only been four contracts doled out greater than $200 million, Boras has brokered three of the four. In reality, it seems Boras may be less man and more the world’s most sophisticated machine.

*All statistical data and financial  information provided by BaseballReference.com

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