Tag: Dexter Fowler

Dexter Fowler Signs with Cubs Despite Reported Agreement with Orioles

The Chicago Cubs announced they have signed outfielder Dexter Fowler to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2017.

The news comes after Fowler had reportedly signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney initially reported Fowler signed a three-year deal, and Roch Kubatko of MASN confirmed the move. 

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported at the time that the contract was worth $33 million over the three years.

Fowler hit .250 with a career-best 17 home runs as a leadoff hitter with some pop in his bat for the Cubs. He also stole 20 bases and worked a career-high 84 walks, which was seventh-best in the National League. His ability to draw those walks despite a mediocre batting average helped him score a career-high 102 runs as he set the table for sluggers such as Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber.

Fowler’s durability was particularly important in Chicago last season. He played 156 games on a team that was fluid in the outfield around him, as Jorge Soler dealt with injuries and Schwarber, Bryant and Chris Coghlan played a variety of positions.

Now that Fowler has a new contract, he can turn his attention toward improving his defense before Opening Day. According to FanGraphs, he posted a minus-12 mark in defensive runs saved last season even though he did use his speed to cover ground and make a handful of flashy plays.

Fowler still theoretically has a handful of productive seasons ahead of him, as he’s only set to turn 30 in March, making him an important addition to a Cubs squad that has World Series aspirations.

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Fact or Fiction on All of MLB Offseason Week 14’s Free-Agency, Trade Rumors

The unofficial end of baseball’s offseason is quickly approaching. Pitchers and catchers will begin reporting to camp next week, and soon, we’ll have a clear picture of how every team’s roster is going to look on Opening Day.

Of course, with a slew of notable free agents still available and both the inevitable injuries and surprise performances that come along with spring training, those pictures are sure to change. In fact, some teams could be ordering new photos before the exhibition games get underway.

Has a team learned from its past mistakes? Does a contender still have enough trade chips to fill multiple holes? Could we see another free-agent defection within the NL Central?

We’ll tackle all of that and more in this week’s edition of Fact or Fiction.

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Dexter Fowler: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent OF

Free-agent outfielder Dexter Fowler is being coveted by multiple teams but may not have to leave the Windy City—even if he changes teams.

Continue for updates.


Cubs, White Sox Reportedly Most Interested in Fowler

Wednesday, Jan. 27   

Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago reported Wednesday on both clubs who are most keen to acquire Fowler—or in the Cubs’ case, retain him.

“The Cubs are still the most likely landing spot for Fowler,” said one baseball executive to Levine. “He should have taken the Cubs’ qualifying offer and moved into the free-agent class of 2017.”

Fowler was a dynamic offensive threat in 2015 as a member of the Cubs with 17 home runs and 46 RBI to go with 29 doubles, eight triples and 20 stolen bases.

The Cubs boast a talented young core but could use a more veteran player in Fowler who still has plenty of speed to be an asset in the outfield and can catalyze a loaded lineup.

But the White Sox could weaken their city rival by landing Fowler and may be willing to pay a greater price. At some point the Cubs will have to pay all their supremely gifted young stars, and their adversaries from the South Side don’t exactly have that problem as of now.

Plus, the American League’s Chicago club badly needs a spark on offense after ranking 28th in scoring this past season. The Sox had the 14th-best team ERA in baseball and were third in quality starts but couldn’t scrounge out better than a 76-86 overall record due to lack of run support.

Manager Robin Ventura’s bunch also stole the seventh-fewest bases in the league. Fowler could at least pose a threat on the basepaths—provided he can cut down slightly on his strikeout rate, as he was fanned 154 times in 2015.

If winning is Fowler’s primary objective, though, returning to the Cubs may be his best bet. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported as recently as December the New York Mets were considering Fowler, though that was before Yoenis Cespedes decided to return to the Big Apple.

No matter which of the three teams he decides among, Fowler will be playing in a big market and, odds are, have a real chance at a championship with either the Mets or Cubs. Should he opt for the White Sox, though, he’ll likely make more money and be able to have a greater individual impact on the franchise.

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Cubs vs. Pirates NL Wild Card Game: Live Score and Instant Reaction

FINAL SCORE: Cubs 4-0 Pirates

The Cubs are moving on.

In a game that had pitcher’s duel written all over it, Jake Arietta answered the call and helped lead the Chicago Cubs to a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game on Wednesday night.

Arrieta was masterful, twirling a complete-game four-hitter while striking out 11 Buccos. He worked through the game unscathed until the Pirates rallied the bases loaded in the sixth inning. However, Starling Marte ripped into a double play to end the threat.

Arrieta got some early help from the top of Chicago’s lineup, courtesy of Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler. After driving home Fowler with a single in the first inning, the lefty rookie slugger Schwarber blasted a 449-foot home run to right field that drove in Fowler again and put the Cubs ahead, 3-0, in the third.

Not to be outdone, Fowler added a solo shot in the fifth to put Chicago up, 4-0. It would prove more than enough for Arrieta, as the only drama he encountered after the sixth was a bench-clearing brawl in the seventh.

He was plunked in his at-bat and had some words with Tony Watson, which emptied both benches in the process. The lone ejection was Sean Rodriguez, who took out some frustration on the water cooler. Arrieta responded to the chaos by stealing second base and getting through the seventh inning with help from a nifty Kris Bryant double-play turn to end the threat. 

Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole finished the night having given up four runs on six hits and tallying four strikeouts in five innings. The two home runs proved to be the difference, with the Pirates unable to find an answer on offense.

For the second straight year, Pittsburgh was held scoreless on its home field in the Wild Card Game. In those two games combined, the Bucs had just eight hits, nine baserunners and struck out 21 times.

The Pirates end their season with 98 wins, the second most in the majors. That won’t make losing two years in a row feel any better, and winning the division becomes that much more important in 2016.

For Chicago, tonight marked 14 consecutive wins in games Arrieta has pitched. The victory also ended a nine-game postseason losing streak.

The Cubs will now travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals, whom they’ve faced 19 times this year but never in the playoffs. Chicago went 8-11 against St. Louis this season.

First pitch is slated for Friday at 6:45 p.m. ET.

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Rockies Trade Dexter Fowler to Astros for Jordan Lyles and Brandon Barnes

Continuing a day of deals across Major League Baseball, the Colorado Rockies announced Tuesday that they have sent outfielder Dexter Fowler and a player to be named later to the Houston Astros in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles and outfielder Brandon Barnes.   

Fowler added this after the trade was made official:

Fowler, 27, has been on the trade block almost since the moment the World Series ended. Dave Krieger of 850 KOA spoke to Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd in November, who indicated the team was open to shopping its talented leadoff hitter.

“I think it’s fair to say we are more willing to listen to calls about Dexter than we might have been in the past,” O’Dowd said. “He has a lot to prove this year within the industry. He’s got to show up and he’s got to do that.”

The Rockies general manager also openly questioned Fowler’s daily commitment, saying that he needs to get “tougher.” Since that interview, multiple teams have been linked to the speedy outfielder, who hit .263 with 12 home runs and 19 stolen bases in 2013, hoping to buy low on a productive young player still yet to hit his prime.

While a deal was expected at some point, the still-rebuilding Astros are a somewhat shocking destination for him.

Barnes, 27, was a late bloomer and only came up for his first full major league season in 2013. A solid outfielder with above-average range, Barnes scuffled a bit at the plate at the end of Houston’s lineup. He hit just .240/.289/.346 on the season with eight home runs and 41 RBI. He added 11 stolen bases but was caught just as many times.

The brightest spot of Barnes’ season was when he hit for the cycle on July 19 against the Seattle Mariners. Speaking with Mark Berman of Fox26, Barnes indicated he was excited for the move despite some melancholy about leaving the only MLB home he’s had: 

Meanwhile, Lyles is considered the real coup for Colorado. The 23-year-old righty was Houston’s No. 38 overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft and quickly began establishing himself among the most promising young pitchers in the minors. By 2011, MLB.com ranked Lyles as the No. 31 prospect in all of baseball, ahead of players like Jose Iglesias and Chris Archer.

Since making his debut for Houston in August of 2011, however, things haven’t gone as planned. In 72 appearances over the past three seasons, Lyles has recorded a 14-29 record with a 5.35 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. His FIP indicates that he’s gotten slightly unlucky, per FanGraphs, but not so much that a change of scenery will instantly make him an ace.

Nevertheless, the interest in adding someone with Lyles’ stuff is palpable. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has reported teams are already contacting the Rockies in an attempt to gauge their interest in flipping Lyles again:

For now, though, it seems Colorado is happy with its haul. The Rockies have long struggled to bring marquee pitchers into the rarefied air at Coors Field, and in Lyles they have a power arm who could still reach his promise.  

 

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MLB All-Star Game 2013: Players Campaigning to Get Themselves to Citi Field

With fan voting for the 2013 MLB All-Star Game coming down to its final stretch, players ranging from sure things to long shots are using Twitter as their prime method of self-marketing.

All-Star weekend runs from July 12th-July 16th. The most recent vote tallies were released on June 22 for the American League, and June 23 for the National League.

It doesn’t come as a shock that each team is pushing for its players to make the trip to Citi Field. Here’s a recent tweet from the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ official Twitter account regarding Pedro Alvarez, who hasn’t cracked the top five in fan voting for third basemen:

Then there are players who have taken it upon themselves to toot their own horns. The outfield races in both leagues are especially tight, so it’s unsurprising that vocal offenders hail from these positions.

Jose Bautista is a prime example. According to the updated polls, he’s recently closed the gap between his fourth-place standing and the third outfield spot, which is currently in Nick Markakis‘ hands (the two are separated by just under 50,000 votes). Bautista currently has a .250/.345/.481 line—not that impressive—but has been integral to Toronto‘s recent run

Not only is Bautista tweeting up a storm to help his cause, but just on Monday, the Twitter account @TeamBautista was created. The account is serving as a tool to help Bautista edge out fellow outfield candidates Markakis and Torii Hunter. He tweeted this on Sunday:

And then followed with this on Monday:

Here’s an example of a @TeamBautista tweet:

Dexter Fowler, who hasn’t even broken the top 15 outfielders in fan voting but who’s statistically having a better season than Bautista, retweeted this from the Colorado Rockies’ Twitter account on Monday:

Although Fowler’s performance this season does warrant more recognition from fans, this quest is likely pretty futile for the center fielder this late in the game. He’s the third-best hitter on the Rockies, and both Troy Tulowitzki (even injured) and Carlos Gonzalez have better chances of making the team from Colorado—in their respective positions. They are first and fourth, respectively, in fan voting.

Carlos Gomez, who is currently injured but in 11th place in the NL outfield fan voting, is making good use of his retweet button as well:

Gomez is having a breakout season (.313/.355/.570), which is why people have been voting for him. Not only has he been Mr. Consistency at the plate, his clinics in the field are can’t-miss:

There’s no statistic for how much Twitter campaigning sways voters, but if I had to guess, I’d say the influence is negligible. While it’s true that some of these campaigners are deserving players on the bubble, they are baseball players, not politicians. Fans are voting for Miguel Cabrera not because he’s an elite spokesperson for himself, but because he’s one of the best hitters of our time.

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Fantasy Baseball Sleepers 2012: Will Venable and 4 Versatile Value Picks

Fantasy baseball owners hoping to sneak underrated players with quality power and speed need look no further than Will Venable.

The San Diego Padres right fielder will likely be overlooked, as is the case for three other similar players on this list.

Your opponents’ misses are your gain.

These late-round steals offer fantastic versatility. They’ll produce home runs and provide plenty of points through stolen bases.

Patient, risk-taking owners will profit from Venable and more, while friends mistake bigger names as better talent.

Here are the four guys who will be available and will round out your squad nicely.

 

Will Venable

Venable will be disregarded merely because of the team he plays for—the Padres are awful.

Awful teams must be filled with awful players, right?

Wrong!

Venable hits a consistent .250, nothing overwhelming, but he’ll still give you around 15 home runs and 50 RBI.

Better yet, he’ll net you 30 stolen bases.

Decent numbers for a mid-round guy. Great numbers for a player who will fall to the later rounds.

 

Jordan Schafer

In just 82 games last season, Schafer hit two home runs and stole 22 bases.

At just 25 years old, Schafer has found a home as the starting center fielder with the Houston Astros.

Now that he finally has the opportunity to play a full season with one team, he will benefit and so should fantasy owners.

He has the speed to steal 30 bases and enough pop to hit around a dozen home runs.

Schafer, like Venable, plays for a bad team—the Houston Astros—so he’ll likely be forgotten by many when they’re putting together their draft boards.

If you’re daring enough to acquire Schafer, you won’t be sorry.

 

Tyler Pastornicky

The 22-year-old shortstop finds himself starting for the Atlanta Braves.

When considering players from the NL East, most fantasy owners will look at the big names on the Philadelphia Phillies and the Miami Marlins.

Even those who look at the Braves will likely pass over Pastornicky for Brian McCann, Jason Heyward and even Martin Prado, yet Pastornicky has the stuff to garner Rookie of the Year consideration.

In the minors, he averaged about six home runs and 35 stolen bases. The minor leagues haven’t provided him an opportunity to play in more than 125 games though.

His power and speed should continue to develop, and given 30 more games a season, Pastornicky can produce eight to 10 home runs and 40 stolen bases.

 

Dexter Fowler

In his fifth year, Fowler will benefit from consistency as the everyday center fielder.

Like Pastornicky, Fowler will be passed up by owners reviewing the Colorado Rockies lineup for bigger names such as Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez.

Fowler averages about five home runs each season, but hitting at Coors Field, there’s always hope he can produce more.

If he can stay healthy and start in 30 more games than he normally does, his numbers can easily rise.

Though he stole a low number of bases the last two seasons, he has the speed to steal over 25, as shown in 2009.

He’s only 26 years old, so he has youth on his side. Consistency and development will make him worth a look in 2012.

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2011 Colorado Rockies: Projecting the Lineup

The 2011 Colorado Rockies have a lot of potential firepower in their mostly very young lineup.  Jim Tracy has yet to make a final decision on an opening day roster, but in looking at his spring training games so far, piecing a projected lineup together is getting a little easier.

The Rockies have a couple of the game’s hottest bats right now and this could be a breakout year for them, which in turn could lead to a very good year for the Rockies.  A few questions remain, but let’s take a look at what the Rockies lineup might look like on opening day.

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2011 Fantasy Baseball Profile: Can Dexter Fowler Build Upon His Summer Success?

Dexter Fowler had a decent April that saw him hit .256, with 12 runs and four stolen bases in 82 at-bats. He hit the skids in May, batting .158, with six runs and two stolen bases in 57 at-bats. After going hitless in eight June at-bats, he was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

It was there that he regained his confidence…and his stroke. He hit .340 in 27 games for the Sky Sox, scoring 23 runs in 27 games. When he returned to the Rockies, he brought his minor league success with him.

Fowler hit .287 (25-for-87) in July for the Rockies with 21 runs. He went on to hit .275 in both June (25-for-91) and July (28-for-102) and .500 (6-for-12) in October. That’s an average of .288 (84-for-292), with 54 runs from July through October.

While his overall HR (six) and RBI (36) numbers are far from impressive, he had five HRs and 32 RBI in those summer months. While I don’t expect him to turn into power hitter, he could hit around eight-10 next year if he can maintain that swing.

That’s not why you’re drafting him though. You’re looking for runs and stolen bases. He has scored 73 runs in each of the past two seasons in just 433 and 439 at-bats respectively.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was his regression from 27 to 13 stolen bases. If you take a chance on him, it won’t come at a high price. His average draft position, according to Mock Draft Central, is 236. That’s at the back end of the 20th round in 12-team leagues. It’s the perfect spot to take a player with 90 run and 30 stolen base potential.


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Fantasy Baseball’s Home Stretch

 

With baseball’s trading deadline in the rearview mirror, it’s time for fantasy owners to move on to more pressing matters; mainly, to focus on their own league’s cut-off date for trades and transaction.

Commonly, fantasy deadlines are situated somewhere in the second or third week of August. (Although if your league bares any resemblance to mine, the REAL trade deadline has triggered an abundance of swaps in the past week.)

Keeping this in mind, here are several trade tidbits to help you out into your foray in fantasy commerce.

 

Don’t Deal Just To Deal

Many owners get the itch to renovate their roster. Yet the most prevailing problem in fantasy trades is that exchanges are executed strictly on the premise of the owner’s penchant for action.

I assume this same sentiment is at the core of all gambling addictions. While a trade can liven up your league, bare in mind the excitement is fleeting. The last thing you want is buyer’s remorse, so appraise and assess each proposal with care.

 

Shoot for the (Underperforming) Stars

If a high pick has not achieved his predicted potential by August, the consensus seems to indicate that it’s time to part ways with your selection.

I can personally echo this approach, as four months of frustration can cause you to despise the mere existence of a team member.

As an opportunistic owner, you want to cash in on this resentment. Numerous fantasy participants judge a player’s worth on their seasonal stats. In reality, you want to dive deeper and examine the month-by-month numbers of an athlete.

For example, Mark Teixeira has performed admirably this season, but his 2010 output has not validated his top-10 projection. But after discounting the Yankee first basemen’s abysmal April, we find that Teixeira is one of the best five hitters in baseball over the past three months. It’s this type of analysis that can help you get a superstar for less than 80 cents on the dollar.

 

Let Statistical Standings Dictate Deals

This rule alludes to the “trade just for the hell of it” theory. The goal of your dealings should be to boost your standings in a statistical department, most notably when there is a negative discrepancy between yourself and the rest of the league. If you are near the top in home runs, don’t be afraid to sacrifice some of your power to obtain a better average.

 

 

Less Is More

If you have built up substantial depth on your squad, consider turning three of your “good” assets into two all-stars. This theory tends to favor hitting, especially when your trade partner is struggling to fill a certain position. This also allows you the opportunity to take a risk on the waiver wire to complete your empty roster spot.

 

Monitor League Maximums

Some leagues have inning or game limits implemented to ensure a competitive balance. If this rule applies, monitor your accumulated totals. Trade away players whose positions are projected to reach this limit in favor of spots where the estimated figure is far from the ceiling.

In a related note, half of my league just came to this realization of an imposed inning/game max, correlating to a flurry of fire sales that would make the 1998 Florida Marlins proud.

And finally…

 

Stay Away from Yankees

Unless you actually live in New York, it’s unacceptable to side with one in pinstripes. Granted, this eliminates some of the better players in fantasy, but having a Yankee on your roster is a portal for bad karma, so avoid this transgression as much as possible.

 

Start ’em

Francisco Liriano , Minnesota Twins. Liriano has been lights-out his past four starts.

Since getting knocked around in Detroit on July 9th, Liriano has pitched 28.2 innings, giving up just two runs while striking out 33. On the year, the lefty is 10-7 with a 3.18 ERA, and is second in the AL in strikeouts.

 

Sit ’em

Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers. The Milwaukee first baseman asserted persistent trade rumors wouldn’t affect his play; his stats seem to contradict this claim. Fielder is 2-for-his-last-22 at the plate, with zero homers and no RBI.

 

Fantasy Flashback

1911 Joe Jackson . Unfortunately, Jackson’s current legacy is tied to the Black Sox Scandal, which led to being portrayed by Ray Liotta in Field of Dreams.

It’s debatable of which offense is worse.

Jackson’s career deserves higher praise for his contributions on the field. And in 1911, he put up one of the finest hitting displays in baseball history. “Shoeless Joe” finished with a .408 batting average to go along with a league-leading .468 OBP, 41 SBs, and 126 Rs.

 

Waiver Wire Watch

Drew Storen, Washington Nationals. After Matt Capps was shipped to the Twins, the Nationals announced a closer-by-committee configuration would be employed. However, for those looking to add some possible saves, Storen is the safe pickup. Through 33 innings in 2010, Storen has 28 Ks and a 2.45 ERA.

 

Rookie Review

Chris Johnson, Astros. Since being recalled to the Majors in June, Johnson is batting .364 with four HRs and 19 RBI. Johnson just had a 14-game hit streak snapped at the hands of the Brewers on August 1st.

 

This Week in Jonathon Broxton

Broxton’s been in somewhat of a rut, blowing a save against rival San Francisco on July 31st.

Personally, I think Broxton has been pedestrian on purpose, lulling his opponents into thinking he’s human. This delusional hope will only aid the Ox and the Dodgers on their home stretch for a playoff bid. Trust me, Big 51 will return to his “kickin’-ass-and-takin’-names” form within the next week.

 

Trade Talk

This has been alluded to in previous fantasy fever articles, but if you’re employing the services of one of the multitude of talented rookies, sell when the price is high.

Foreseeing an injury is impossible, but with his impending innings-limit on the horizon, how many Strasburg owners are smacking their foreheads at turning down multiple trade requests?

 

Big League Chew Player of the Week

Dexter Fowler , Colorado Rockies. Although Fowler has been raking at the plate (in his last four games, Fowler went 10-for-20 with six runs and five RBI), it’s his defense that earns him this week’s distinction.

Clinging to a slim lead in the ninth, Fowler crashed into the outfield wall in pursuit of an Alfonso Soriano fly ball, maintaining the catch and preserving Colorado’s win over the Cubs. Unfortunately, Fowler’s hustle could direct to a stint on the DL, as the centerfielder is dealing with bruised ribs after the collusion.

 

Spit Your Tobacco At

Alex Rodriguez , New York Yankees. It’s bad enough that baseball purists have to see another historic number become tainted. The fact that A-Rod is taking this long to accomplish said feat (homerless in the last 43 ABs) is just an extra kick in the groin.


Your “Dumb and Dumber” Quote of the Week

Lloyd: I said, “Do you love me?” and she said, “No, but that’s a really nice ski mask!”

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