ESPN.com presents SweetSpot http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot 60 en-us Mon, 20 May 2013 05:31:33 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 Well, Miguel Cabrera was due. I mean, he'd gone a whole four games without a home run. He'd driven in just two runs in his previous eight games. He was probably taking extra batting practice before Sunday's game. The bum. Cabrera was a one-man wrecking crew on Sunday for the Detroit Tigers, however, going 4-for-4 with three home runs, a walk, four runs and five RBIs. Unfortunately, the Texas Rangers had more than one man and won 11-8 to capture the first showdown of the season between the two teams many consider the best in the American League by winning three of four games, including a battering of Justin Verlander on Thursday.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36126/miggy-unstoppable-but-what-about-tigers Mon, 20 May 2013 01:30:09 EDT 36126 A quick warning about Jurickson Profar's call to the majors to replace the disabled Ian Kinsler: Do not expect Mike Trout; do not expect Bryce Harper; do not expect Manny Machado. Yes, the performance of those three wunderkinds has, unfortunately, raised the expectations for all prospects, especially one deemed the best in the game entering this season. In time, maybe Profar joins them as generational talents (I can see the corny nickname already: "The Four Tops"), but it would be unfair to believe Profar will hit like they have, at least right off the bat.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36110/weekend-wrap-here-comes-profar Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:44 EDT 36110 When the Tampa Bay Rays changed their name in 2008 and transformed overnight from the hapless laughingstock of the American League to 97-win division champions, their rotation featured five pitchers 26 or younger: At 26, James Shields was the old man of the group, which included Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, Edwin Jackson and Andy Sonnanstine. The genius of the Rays since then has been their ability to consistently replenish the staff with young starters and yet remain one of the best in the league.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36107/rays-still-the-favorite-in-the-al-east Sun, 19 May 2013 21:01:43 EDT 36107 For a four-season stretch, from 2008 to 2011, Jair Jurrjens started 108 games for the Atlanta Braves and posted a 47-32 record with a 3.34 ERA. He maintained decent but not great strikeout-to-walk ratios, and allowed fewer than a home run per nine innings. After making the All-Star team in 2011, Jurrjens fell off in the second half. His troubles carried over into 2012, where he went 3-4 with an ERA above 6.00 in 11 appearances. The Braves demoted the beleaguered right-hander in early April, and he never recaptured his former flourish, thanks in part to a groin issue.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36098/jurrjens-shows-he-can-help-orioles Sun, 19 May 2013 12:42:23 EDT 36098   The Braves might be atop the National League East, the beneficiaries of Justin Upton's slugging largesse, and they just got Jason Heyward back from the disabled list after getting Brian McCann back in action earlier this week. Yet for all that, the news in the bullpen seems dire after the past 72 hours or so. Start off with Jonny Venters' Tommy John surgery on Thursday: expected, but glum. Then, Jordan Walden landed on the DL on Friday. And then Eric O'Flaherty joined him there on Saturday -- with the always-ominous appointment with Dr.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36082/braves-pen-woes-deepen-but-theyll-be-ok Sun, 19 May 2013 00:40:11 EDT 36082 CHICAGO -- As Anna McDonald noted, there are plenty of reasons to question why anyone would move Troy Tulowitzki from shortstop anytime soon. Despite his checkered injury history, only one of Tulo’s injuries came while fielding. The Yankees have done pretty well for themselves with Derek Jeter at short despite the Captain’s repeatedly low ranking via just about every fielding metric available -- but Tulo’s a fine shortstop. But, perhaps most fundamentally, any logical impetus to shift Tulo over to third base would trip over a true blue-chip stumbling block: top Rockies prospect Nolan Arenado.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36070/arenado-stocks-rockies-hot-corner-needs Sat, 18 May 2013 22:00:16 EDT 36070 ST. LOUIS -- Troy Tulowitzki belongs on the baseball field. Whether a product of self-determination or God-given talent or a little of both, he was made to play shortstop. Where other shortstops simply take their position on the field, Tulowitzki becomes one with his. As the Rockies go on to the field, Tulowitzki kicks the dirt with his cleats, backward and forward, making a path on the infield. It's ready. Then he spits in his glove, wipes it with his throwing hand and punches the inside.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36048/dear-chipper-tulo-not-moving-from-short Sat, 18 May 2013 10:30:56 EDT 36048 San Francisco Giants ace Matt Cain struggled again on Thursday in Colorado, giving up six runs, including three home runs, although he managed to get the win as the Giants won 8-6. Cain's ERA rose to 5.43 and he's now allowed 13 home runs in just 56.1 innings. This is a guy who gave up 21 last year, and just nine in 2011. The strikeout and walk rates are still close to his career norms, but this obviously is not the solid, consistent Cain we've grown used to over the years.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36037/matt-cains-release-point-has-changed Fri, 17 May 2013 12:30:40 EDT 36037 Eric Karabell and myself discuss four teams off to surprising starts: The Yankees, Indians, Pirates and Rockies. Which ones are for real?]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36035/sweetspot-tv-real-or-fake Fri, 17 May 2013 11:15:59 EDT 36035 Four of the AL East teams will be facing off head-to-head this mid-May weekend, with the Tampa Bay Rays traveling to Baltimore and the mighty Vernon Wells-led New York Yankees hosting the last-place-but-hot Toronto Blue Jays. The other team is the Boston Red Sox, hoping to gain ground playing the Minnesota Twins after an exciting win against Tampa Bay on Thursday night. This is the lone division in which four of five teams are at .500 or better, so which team is on the hot seat?]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/36032/five-things-to-watch-this-weekend-3 Fri, 17 May 2013 10:50:51 EDT 36032