DG150 - Part 1

I hope you weren't too disappointed, but last summer was the first summer since I began this blog that I did not do a dread news report on baseball. I spent too much time on basketball and by the time I was finished, it was already time to start getting ready for football. Honestly though, you didn't miss anything. If I had done a report, it would have been a lot of moaning and groaning about what a lousy season it was. With one exception - the brilliantly bright exception by the name of Andrew McCutchen - there was a lot of darkness in the house of dread when it came to MLB's players with dreads in 2013.

After both performed poorly in 2012, I thought things couldn't get any worse for the Weeks brothers. They did. Johnny Cueto spent most of the season on the disabled list before finishing it with a humiliating defeat. Eric Young and Carlos Santana had dreads when the season began but not when it was over. Ervin Santana actually pitched well but still somehow managed to end up with a losing record. Prince Fielder did well too, but he certainly has done better. And the woe didn't end when the season did, as three more players joined Young and Carlos Santana on the ex-dread list during the offseason.


But baseball is an everyday deal for 6 months. So even amid all the darkness, there were some very good days and performances by players with dreads last season. And I'm going to try to emphasize those - and not so much the negative - in my annual dread gallery on MLB. I wanted to post this DG on the 2013 season at the beginning of the 2014 season; but as usual, I'm running late. Thanks for bearing with me. Once again several of the photos will be accompanied by links to MLB.com, so that you can enjoy the video version of each photo if you'd like to (but as always, if you click on any of the links, you'll likely first have to endure a 15-second ad). OK, without any further delay, here's DG150, a look at the dreads seen at MLB ballparks in 2013.
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With Eric Young's dreads finally long enough to be easily visible, I found myself tuning in to Colorado Rockies' games as much as possible when the season began. I was hoping to see EY continue the blazing finish he had to his 2012 season. But it didn't quite play out like that.

1. This is a fitting photo to begin with, because running is Eric Young's best asset. One of the fastest players in MLB, EY here rounds 2nd but has to throw on the brakes and settle for a double to leadoff the game at Houston on May 27. Young would score on a Carlos Gonzalez RBI double for a 1-0 lead. Young reached base twice more in the game but did not score again as the Rockies lost to the Astros 3-2 in 12 innings.

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2. After leading off the game with a single, Eric Young gets his 5th stolen base of the season, beating the tag by Cardinals SS Pete Kozma on May 10 at St. Louis. EY was stranded though, and the Rockies never got another hit the rest of the evening, as P Shelby Miller retired the next 27 batters in a row to lead the Cardinals to a 3-0 victory. 

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3. Eric Young can't resist taking a walk through the snow piled up on the field while waiting for the start of a doubleheader against the Mets on Apr. 16. With the previous night's game already snowed out, a doubleheader had to be scheduled, and the 1st game was delayed 2 hours while 8 inches of snow were removed from the field. Game time temperatures were 39 and 36 degrees for the two games, and EY went 4 for 11, with 3 runs and 2 RBI as the Rockies swept the doubleheader, 8-4 and 9-8, part of an early 8-game winning streak.
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4. You might think the Rockies would have saved this for Father's Day, but instead they decided to bring the Youngs together on Apr. 21. Eric Young Jr. gets set to hug Dallas Young (left photo) after his 6-year old son threw out the first pitch before the game against Arizona, and then the two are joined by their father and grandfather, former Rockies player Eric Young Sr. (right photo). Unfortunately the game didn't finish as happily as it started. After the Diamondbacks scored 2 in the 9th to take a 5-4 lead, EY grounded out with two runners on in the bottom of the 9th to end the game and the Rockies' 8-game winning streak.
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5. After reaching 3rd on his 3rd triple of the season (and only hit of the game) with 1 out in the bottom of the 11th on Apr. 24, Eric Young is tagged by Braves C Evan Gattis out while trying to score the winning run on a grounder by CF Dexter Fowler. But the Rockies scored a run in the 12th to win 6-5.
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6. Eric Young follows through after crushing his 1st home run of the season (437 feet, according to the game play-by-play on ESPN.com) to center field, a 2-run shot to increase Rockies' lead to 4-0 over Cubs on May 14 at Wrigley Field: http://m.mlb.com/video/v27112823/colchc-young-knocks-a-tworun-homer-to-center-field/?c_id=mlb .... Young also doubled and scored in the 1st as the Rockies won 9-4.
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7. After hitting his 3rd double of the game, Eric Young finally scores his 1st run of the game, diving across home plate on an RBI single by Dexter Fowler to cut the Diamondbacks' lead to 4-1 during 6th inning at Phoenix on Apr. 28: http://m.mlb.com/video/v26680023/colari-fowlers-single-puts-rockies-on-the-board/?c_id=mlb ..... EY did not score after either of his first two doubles because he was retired both times thanks to poor baserunning. The Rockies lost 4-2.
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When the season reached the middle of June, I noticed that Young hadn't played for a couple of days. I assumed he was injured; but when I checked to find out, I was shocked to discover he had been designated for assignment on June 12, meaning he was no longer with the team and that the Rockies had 10 days to either trade him, release him, or send him to the minors. I didn't want him to leave the Rockies, the only organization he had played for since being drafted back in 2003, but I was OK with it when I found out he had been traded to the Mets, because he figured to get more playing time. Sadly though .....
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8. ..... Eric's dreads didn't make the trip to New York with him. I was even more shocked when I saw that he had cut off his dreads sometime during the week he was out of action. These photos are from his first game with the Mets on June 19. I didn't search very hard, but I never found any stories or videos where Eric explains why he lost his dreads.
In 57 games with dreads EY hit .242 (40 for 165) with a .290 on base average (OBA), 22 runs, 9 doubles, 3 triples, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 11 walks, 33 strikeouts, 8 SB, and 4 CS (caught stealing). Defensively, playing almost exclusively in the outfield, he was charged with only 2 errors; but there were too many balls he should have caught that went for hits, and I think that was biggest reason he was traded.
The rest of the story: Eric started almost every game with the Mets and finished with career highs in almost every category, including games played (148) and plate appearances (598). He ended up leading the NL with 46 stolen bases. Yes, I'm still an Eric Young fan and am happy he's finally playing up to his potential. But I sure would be enjoying it a lot more if he had kept his dreads.
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I first noticed it during the World Baseball Classic in March, but only when he took his hat or helmet off: Cleveland Indians C Carlos Santana, playing for the Dominican Republic team, was growing dreads. And so it was during the first half of last season, occasionally fans at Indians' games would get a chance to see them.

9. Unfortunately everybody got a chance to see his dreads in the 9th inning of the Indians' home opener on Apr. 8, when P Chris Perez threw a fastball instead of the breaking ball he was expecting, resulting in the pitch bouncing off his wrist instead of him catching it and leaving him writhing in pain: http://m.mlb.com/video/v26129337/nyycle-santana-exits-game-with-injury-in-the-ninth/?c_id=mlb ..... Fortunately Carlos suffered only a bruised (not broken) thumb, but he was unable to play for a week, and the injury put an end to a scorching start in which he batted .500 with 2 HR, and 5 RBI in the first 7 games of the season. 
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10. Carlos Santana is back in the dugout after doubling and scoring on a sacrifice fly by LF Michael Brantley during 7th inning of a 10-4 road loss to the Tigers on May 10. Santana went 1 for 4 in the game, lowering his BA to .354.
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11. Carlos Santana is congratulated by RF Nick Swisher but seems more interested in somebody in the seats after his 330-foot home run increases the Indians' lead over the Astros to 15-3 in the 3rd inning at Houston on Apr. 20: http://m.mlb.com/video/v26442667/clehou-santana-belts-a-towering-solo-homer/?c_id=mlb ..... Carlos also doubled and scored twice more in the game, which the Indians won 19-6.
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12. No sense in showing Carlos Santana with his helmet on, but here you can see the dreads a little bit, as he celebrates after his home run with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th on May 5 gives the fans a little something to cheer about before Indians go down to a 4-2 defeat: http://m.mlb.com/video/v26869271/mincle-santana-goes-deep-to-keep-the-indians-alive/?c_id=mlb ..... The loss ended Cleveland's 6-game winning streak and was their only loss during a 10-1 stretch from Apr. 28 to May 9.
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13. Carlos Santana congratulates C Yan Gomes just before he touches home plate after hitting a 3-run HR in the bottom of the 9th to give the Indians a 10-8 victory over Seatlle on May 20. Santana went 1 for 5 with a double as Indians won their 5th in a row and improved to 26-17. But then they went 4-16 in their next 20 games.
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14. Carlos Santana has trouble getting a handle on a grounder out in front of the plate by Reds C Devin Mesoroco that went for an infield single during bottom of 7th at Cincinnati on May 28. After picking the ball up, Santana threw wildly to 1st and was charged with an error, allowing a run to score (this video gives you a great look at Carlos' dreads): http://m.mlb.com/video/v27531851/clecin-phillips-scores-from-second-on-infield-hit/?c_id=mlb ..... Indians went on to lose 8-2. Playing mostly at C (a few games at 1B), Santana finished the season with 5 errors. Opponents were successful on 51 of 62 SB attempts with him behind the plate.
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15. Carlos Santana looks on from the dugout at Seattle on July 24 in what turned out to be his last game with dreads. He had 3 hits in the game, including this RBI double in top of the 1st of a 10-1 victory: http://m.mlb.com/video/v29092853/clesea-santana-plates-asdrubal-with-an-rbi-double/?c_id=mlb ..... Returning home after the road trip, Santana cut off his dreads the next day and was clean cut for the Indians' next game on July 26. "I was just trying to change things up. I look professional, right?" Well, yes Carlos, if you want to work in an office. But this is baseball; and despite what some teams insist, having dreads doesn't make you look unprofessional. What I really liked about Carlos during his brief time in the house was that he never had a skull cap over his dreads. Just about everybody with dreads does. Hopefully some day we'll be able to welcome Santana into the house again; but I don't think that day is coming any time soon.
In his 94 games with dreads Carlos batted .272 with a .378 OBA, 42 runs, 26 doubles, 1 triple, 11 HR, 45 RBI, 55 walks, 69 strikeouts, and 1 SB.
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16. Beginning his 8th MLB season - and his 2nd season with dreads - Detroit Tigers 1B Prince Fielder launches a no-doubt-about-it 2-run HR to right field, increasing the Tigers' lead to 8-3 over the N.Y. Yankees in 7th inning of their home opener on Apr. 5. It was Fielder' 2nd HR of the season, and the game, as he had hit a 3-run HR in his previous AB in the 5th. The Tigers won 8-3. Here are the two home runs: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/11493214/v26035437/must-c-combo-fielder-clubs-two-homers-in-tigers-win/?c_id=mlb 
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17. Prince Fielder stands and watches after connecting for his 6th home run of the season, a 3-run shot that turned a 3-1 Twins lead into a 4-3 Tigers lead in 6th inning at Detroit on Apr. 29: http://m.mlb.com/video/v26698685/mindet-prince-puts-tigers-up-with-threerun-homer/?c_id=mlb ..... The Tigers held on to win 4-3, the 4th victory during a 5-game winning streak to end April. Fielder finished April with 7 HR but then didn't hit more than 4 homers in any month after that.
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18. Prince Fielder hurts the Twins again on their next trip to Detroit, hitting an RBI single in bottom of the 8th to give the Tigers a 7-6 victory on May 23. At first it looked like the ground ball would be an inning-ending double play, but P Jared Burton tried to field it and deflected it out of the path of the 2nd baseman and into right field. Fielder also had an RBI single on his previous AB in the 7th and upped his season total to 41 RBI in the first 45 games.
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19. Prince Fielder swings at an inside fastball and muscles it into center field for a 2-run single, increasing Tigers' lead to 4-1 over Tampa Bay during 2nd inning at Detroit on June 4. Prince also had a sac fly and a solo HR in the game, finishing 3 for 4 with 4 RBI in an easy 10-1 victory.
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20. Against the Rays again three weeks later on June 28, Prince Fielder and C Jose Lobaton watch the flight of what might have been Fielder's longest home run of the season. But we'll never know how far the ball would have traveled because its progress was stopped when it hit the catwalk near the roof at Tropicana Field: http://m.mlb.com/video/v28420851/dettb-princes-tworun-blast-extends-tigers-lead/?c_id=mlb ..... Wow! That was reminiscent of Reggie Jackson's home run in the '71 All-Star Game. The 2-run HR finished the scoring in a 6-3 Tigers win, their only win during a 1-6 stretch between June 25 and July 1.
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21. According to the caption with this photo, this swing resulted in Prince Fielder's 23rd HR of the season, a solo shot to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead over the White Sox in top of the 3rd at Chicago on Sept. 10. Fielder also had an RBI single and finished 4 for 5 in the Tigers' 9-1 victory.
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22. The 2012 Home Run Derby champion, Prince Fielder follows through on a swing as he defends his title at Citi Field on July 15, one night before the All-Star Game. Unfortunately Prince decided to compete with a skull cap over his dreads after letting them hang loose the previous season. Fielder was eliminated after the 1st round, as his 5 HR were not enough to advance: http://m.mlb.com/video/v28925389/hrd-rd1-prince-lifts-five-homers-in-first-round/?c_id=mlb
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23. During the All-Star Game the next night Prince Fielder dives into 3rd (left photo), beating the tag by Pirates 3B Pedro Alvarez, and then celebrates (right photo) after hitting a triple in his only at bat in the game, leading off top of the 9th for the American League: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/52573420/v28928799/asg-prince-slides-in-safely-with-a-triple/?c_id=mlb ..... I wonder what the odds were that Fielder would be the only player with a triple in the ASG. Prince was stranded at 3rd, however, as the next three batters were retired. The AL held on to win 3-0, clinching home field advantage in the World Series for the AL pennant winner.
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24. Prince Fielder hands the ball to Twins rookie CF Aaron Hicks after his 1st career hit during bottom of 8th at Minneapolis on Apr. 4. Hicks started 0 for 11 with 7 strikeouts before his 2-run single capped a 5-run 8th inning in an 8-2 win as Twins took 2 out of 3 from the Tigers to begin the season.
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25. Prince Fielder hangs on to keep from oversliding 2nd base and is safe with a double leading off top of 2nd at Cleveland on Aug. 8. Fielder was stranded here but doubled again in 3rd inning, driving in 2 runs. Tigers went on to win their 12th in a row, 10-3, sweeping the 4-game series and increasing their lead from 3 to 7 games over the 2nd place Indians.
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26. With Tigers trailing Royals 1-0 in bottom of 9th on Sept. 14, Prince Fielder, after leading off the inning with a walk, rounds 3rd, trying to score from 1st on a 2-out double by 2B Omar Infante .....
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27. ..... But C Salvador Perez, after making a nice catch of a short-hop throw, gets the tag on Fielder in time for the final out of the game: http://m.mlb.com/video/v30618357/kcdet-prince-cut-down-trying-to-score-tying-run/?c_id=mlb
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28. Prince Fielder doesn't cleanly field a grounder by Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins but uses his big body to knock the ball down before picking it up and throwing to P Doug Fister at 1st base for the final out of top of 1st inning at Detroit on July 26. Tigers won 2-1, the game that started their 12-game winning streak. Fielder came away unscathed this time, but ......
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29. ..... but not here on Aug. 17 when he tried the same thing on a ground ball by Royals LF Alex Gordon. To his credit, Fielder made the play, getting the throw to P Jose Veras the 3-1 putout at 1st base and getting the Tigers out of a bases loaded jam in top of 8th before going down after the ball struck him you know where. MLB.com titles the video "Prince shaken up", but it should say "Prince learns the lesson of what happens when you decide to play without the proper protection": http://m.mlb.com/video/v29803547/kcdet-prince-shaken-up-after-play-at-first/?c_id=mlb ..... Fielder fared better at the plate, going 2 for 4 with an RBI double and solo HR. Tigers won 6-5 on a Miguel Cabrera HR in bottom of the 9th.
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30. Prince Fielder crushes this pitch for a solo HR, tying the game with the White Sox at 1 on the first pitch in bottom of 4th inning of Tigers' final regular season home game on Sept. 22: http://m.mlb.com/video/v30842031/cwsdet-princes-last-homer-as-a-tiger-ties-it-at-1/?c_id=mlb ..... It was Fielder's 25th HR of the season, and unfortunately for Tigers fans, his last home run in a Tigers uniform as he did not hit any homers in the final week of the season or during the Tigers' two playoff series. Prince had 56 home runs in his two seasons with Detroit. 
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Tigers finished in 1st place in the AL Central with a 93-69 and eliminated Oakland 3-2 in the ALDS. But things didn't go their way against the Red Sox in the ALCS, and Fielder played the lead role in a couple of key plays in the series. 

31. In bottom of the 9th in Game 2 at Boston, Prince Fielder has a foul ball by C Jarrod Saltalamacchia bounce off his glove near the front row of the seats. Prince wanted a fan interference call from the umpire, but clearly it wasn't interference; he just dropped it: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v31138023/alcs-gm2-salty-stays-alive-after-missed-foul-catch/?c_id=mlb ..... You know, if you look at the slow motion replay, it looks like one of the fans did make slight contact with Fielder before the ball came down. But he still should have caught it. Two pitches later, of course, Saltalamacchia singled to drive in the run that gave Red Sox a 6-5 victory - after they had trailed 5-0 in the 6th - to tie the series 1-1.
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32. Back in Boston in Game 6 on Oct. 19 - after Red Sox won 2 out of 3 in Detroit to take a 3-2 lead in the series - Tigers scored 2 runs in top of the 6th for a 2-1 lead and had a chance for more with runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs. But on a ground ball to 2B by LF Jhonny Peralta, Fielder, the runner at 3rd, headed home but then inexplicably stopped halfway between 3rd and home. This allowed the Red Sox to tag the runner going from 1st to 2nd and then get Fielder in a rundown. Prince heads back to 3rd and tries to run into 3B Xander Bogaerts to draw an interference call, but Bogaerts gets out of his way .....
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33. ..... After missing Bogaerts, Fielder falls down short of 3rd base and is tagged out b y C Jarrod Saltalamacchia to complete the rally-killing, momentum-changing double play .....
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34. ..... 3rd base umpire Ron Kulpa makes it official with the out call; and from the look on Prince's face, I think he already knows he messed up: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v31165453/alcs-gm6-pedroia-tags-vmart-gets-tumbling-prince/?c_id=mlb ...... I wonder what Prince was thinking. If he just keeps running, it's probably still going to be a DP, but at least he'll score the run. Wow. The Tigers never scored again, and Red Sox came back with 4 runs in the 7th to win 5-2 and take the series 4-2.
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35. Prince Fielder signs autographs for fans before the Tigers' road game against the Rangers at Arlington on May 18. As you probably know by now, Rangers' fans have many more opportunities to get Fielder's autograph this year after the Tigers traded him to the Rangers last November about a week before Thanksgiving. And also as you probably know, when Fielder showed up for his first Rangers' press conference four days after the trade, his dreads were gone. If I understand it correctly, the Rangers have a no long hair policy only for their minor league players; so I'm assuming it was Prince's decision to lose the dreads. And it's not that surprising, because he's changed his hair several times throughout his career. At least he gave the dreads a try for a couple of years. Fielder's stats for 2013: .279 BA (174 for 624), .362 OBA, 82 runs, 36 doubles, 25 HR, 106 RBI, 9 HBP, 75 walks, 117 strikeouts, and 1 SB in 162 games. In the playoffs he hit just .225 (9 for 40) with 1 run, 1 double, and 0 RBI (ouch) in 11 games. In the 2012 playoffs he had just 1 HR and 3 RBI in 13 games. When you're getting paid $23 million, those numbers just are not good enough.
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36. In DG139 I mentioned that IF Emmanuel Burriss did not make the Cincinnati Reds' roster at the end of spring training. He spent the entire season with the Reds' top minor league team, the Louisville Bats, dropping the throw as Leandro Castro of Lehigh Valley steals 2nd (left photo) on May 7. Burriss batted .241 with 1 HR, 24 RBI, and 17 SB in 2013. During the offseason, just before Christmas, Emmanuel signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals and is currently playing for the Syracuse Chiefs (at media day on Apr. 1 in right photo). Burriss is a DC native, so hopefully he'll get promoted to the Nationals at some point this season (but don't bet on it). 
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At the beginning of the 2013 season I was tracking 2 pitchers with dreads. But by the time the season was over, much to my (pleasant) surprise, four pitchers with dreads had appeared in MLB games.

37. I have been a fan of Edwin Jackson since his MLB debut back in 2003 and even as he has bounced around from one team to another (mostly because he has too much trouble locating his pitches where he wants) throughout his career. After pitching well with the Nationals in 2012 (10-11, 3.85 ERA), he signed a 4-year contract with the Chicago Cubs worth a total of $52 million. The 4-year deal meant his traveling days figured to be over; and I'm guessing that played a part in his decision to (finally) start growing dreads. Here's Jackson talking with P Kyujui Fujikawa before the Cubs took on the Mets on May 18, still trying to get his hair long enough before converting it to dreads - not that I knew anything about it.
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38. On June 9, Edwin Jackson throws a pitch during 1st inning against the Pirates in his first game with dreads. Of course, since he was wearing a skull cap, you couldn't see the dreads, and at this point I still didn't think he did have dreads (there have been a few players without dreads who have worn skull caps). His dreads never did get long enough to be seen; but a couple of weeks later I saw an interview of him where you could see his baby dreads. After going 1-8 with a 6.29 ERA in 11 starts before switching to dreads, Jackson held the Pirates to 4 hits and 1 run in 7 IP, striking out 8, in a 4-1 victory in his first game with dreads. 
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39. Edwin Jackson points out to CF Brian Bogusevic after his fine catch of a deep drive off the bat of Cardinals 1B Matt Adams leading off top of the 7th on July 11. Jackson pitched his best game of the season, holding the Cardinals to 3 hits, walking none and striking out 5 in 7 IP as the Cubs won 3-0: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/70091656/v28821933/stlchc-jackson-holds-cards-scoreless-over-seven/?c_id=mlb
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40. Edwin Jackson straightens out his jersey after advancing from 1st to 3rd on a single by SS Starlin Castro during 4th inning at Cincinnati on Sept. 10. Jackson, who reached base on a FC after failing to successfully sacrifice, scored shortly thereafter on a Darwin Barney RBI single to make the score 6-0. Edwin later hit his 1st HR of the season and was the winning pitcher despite allowing 9 hits in 7 IP: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/32862096/v30499727/chccin-jackson-dominates-reds-on-mound-at-plate/?c_id=mlb ..... The final score was 9-1, raising Jackson's record to 8-15, and it was his only victory over his final 10 starts during the last 2 months of the season.  
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41. This is the only photo I found where you get a good look at Edwin Jackson's dreads, as he walks in from the bullpen to the dugout before facing the Rockies on July 21 at Denver. If you've seen Jackson so far in 2014, you already know that when I do my DG next season, his dreads will be much easier to see although they're still short. And hopefully I'll be writing about the much better performance he had on the mound. Of course, it won't take much to top his 2013 numbers. He finished 8-18 with a 4.98 ERA in 31 games. That's 18 losses, as in the most losses by any pitcher in MLB last season; and a 4.98 ERA, as in his worst ERA since 2007. He allowed 197 hits in 175.1 IP (opponents BA of .281), 110 runs, 16 HR, 59 walks, 5 HBP, and 135 strikeouts. Following his lead, the Cubs finished 66-96, 2nd worst in the NL. When Edwin is at his best, his pitches are good enough to make opposing batters look bad trying to hit them. That's why he's been around for so long despite a 78-89 career record. But he isn't at his best very often, and that's got to be extremely frustrating, both for him and the teams he's played for. By now, it seems destined that he'll continue to be mediocre. But he's still only 30 years old; and if he can somehow find the consistency that has eluded him so far, he still has a chance to have a good career. But no matter how he pitches, let's hope he's planning to keep the dreads for a while.
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42. If you blinked, you probably missed Tampa Bay Rays rookie Alex Colome last season, shown here with beginner dreads while pitching during 1st inning of his MLB debut on May 30 at Miami. After winning his debut (5.2 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts), 5-2, Colome was sent back to the minors then called back up to the Rays in late June and started a couple of games. He was sent back to the minors in July and suffered a season ending elbow injury. Here is the highlight video of his debut: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/26271672/v27598669/tbmia-colome-goes-5-23-fans-seven-in-mlb-debut/?c_id=mlb ..... In his 3 games with the Rays Colome went 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA, 16 IP, 14 hits, 8 runs, 2 HR, 9 walks, 1 HBP, and 12 strikeouts. When he showed up at spring training this season, his dreads were gone. And pretty soon he was gone too after being handed a 50-game suspension for steroids on Mar. 24.
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Ervin Santana has had his hair in dreads on occasions prior to the 2013 season, but I never welcomed him to the house before then because he just never would let them grow long. Santana, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound Dominican Republic native, has been on my radar since as far back as 2006, when he had a mini afro during his 2nd season with the Angels. In 2008 he switched over to dreads for the first time, then did again in 2010, and again at the end of 2011 - only to cut them off each time before they barely got long enough for you to notice them. So when he spent 2012 growing his hair again and again switched over to beginner dreads at the start of spring training last year, well, you can't blame me for being skeptical. Finally though, it looks like he's committed to letting his dreads get longer; so I've welcomed him into the house ... but I'm still skeptical.

43. After 8 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ervin Santana makes his debut in a Kansas City Royals uniform against the White Sox during the 2nd game of the season at Chicago on Apr. 3. Traded after a poor 2012 season (9-13, 5.16 ERA), Santana opened on the wrong foot with his new team, striking out 8 but allowing two solo home runs and a 2-run homer in 6 IP in a 5-2 loss.
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44. According to the caption that was with this photo, this is Ervin Santana throwing the first pitch of the game in the Royals' home opener on Apr. 8. Santana turned in the first of many excellent performances, allowing 1 run and striking out 7 in 8 IP, and getting his 1st victory in a KC uniform, 3-1 over the Twins: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26122369&c_id=mlb&topic_id=vtp_head_and_shoulders ...... Notice all the strikeouts on pitches out of the strike zone. Santana has one of the best sliders in baseball. Notice also the Royals didn't score any runs the entire time he was on the mound. This would be something he had to deal with on a regular basis throughout the season.
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45. Ervin Santana waits for C Chris Iannetta to round the bases after allowing a solo HR to him, giving the Angels 3-1 lead during top of 5th on May 23. It wasn't Santana's turn to pitch in the Royals' series at Anaheim May 13-15, so Ervin faced his former team only once - and gave up 4 home runs in a 5-4 defeat. After leading MLB with 39 HR allowed in 2012, Santana cut that number down to 26 last season, ranking him tied for 11th most allowed. Santana went 0-4 with a 4.72 ERA in 5 games in a miserable May before bouncing back strong.
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46. Ervin Santana fires away against the Rays at St. Petersburg on June 13. With the game scoreless, Royals' offense exploded for 8 runs in the 6th to make it an easy night for Ervin, who allowed 1 run over 7.2 IP to even his record at 5-5: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=28007299&c_id=mlb&topic_id=vtp_head_and_shoulders
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47. I apologize if all the pictures are the same, but what am I supposed to do? He's a pitcher ..... After getting hammered at Yankee Stadium (8 runs allowed) four weeks earlier, Ervin Santana fares much better on Royals' second trip to New York, here against the Mets at Citi Field on Aug. 4. Santana allowed 1 run in 6 IP in a 6-2 victory. Ervin went 3-0 in 4 starts during Royals' 12-1 run from July 23 to Aug. 5 that improved their record to 57-52.
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48. Here's something different. After dodging a broken bat flying past his head, Ervin Santana goes down to stop a dribbler off the bat of Rangers CF Leonys Martin with 2 out during top of 5th on Sept. 20 (left photo); but as he tries to throw Martin out, the ball slips out of his hand (right photo) and Martin is safe with a single: http://m.mlb.com/video/v30787689/texkc-santana-ducks-broken-bat-on-grounder-to-mound/?query=ervin%2Bsantana ..... Ervin walked the next batter to load the bases then struck out SS Elvis Andrus to get out of trouble. Santana allowed 1 run in 7.1 IP but had to settle for a no decision in Royals' 2-1 victory.
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49. In his first start after the All-Star break Ervin Santana pitches during 1st inning against the Tigers (left photo) on July 19 and leaves the game to a standing ovation (right photo) with 1 out in the 8th after allowing just 2 hits (thanks to some nice defense by CF Lorenzo Cain): http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/70091656/v28956827/detkc-santana-shuts-down-the-tigers-for-sixth-win/?c_id=mlb ..... Of course, the only reason he was relieved with a 2-hit shutout in progress was that the Royals scored only 1 run, so he couldn't afford to give up any. After a lineout and a walk to begin the 8th, and with his pitch count at 106, it was time to let the bullpen do its job, and two relievers got the last 5 outs to save the 1-0 victory.
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50. It was more of the same in Ervin Santana's only other appearance against the Tigers, as he delivers during bottom of 1st at Comerica Park on Sept. 14. Royals scored 1 run in the 1st inning, and Santana made it stand up until ......
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51. ...... at the first sign of trouble (runners on 1st and 3rd and 2 out) manager Ned Yost comes to the mound to take him out of the game, because giving up even one run wasn't going to be good enough: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=30617853&c_id=mlb&topic_id=vtp_head_and_shoulders ..... Once again the bullpen got the job done, but not without some drama, as this was the game where the Royals threw out Prince Fielder at home plate for the last out of the game. Santana picked up his 9th- and final - win of the season as Royals won 1-0. 
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52. Ervin Santana looks for help from above as he exits his final start of the season during bottom of 7th at Seattle on Seattle on Sept. 25, trailing - fittingly - 4-0. "O Lord, thank you for allowing me to pitch so well during my contract year. But next year, please, I want to pitch somewhere where they're gonna score me some runs!" The 6-0 defeat left Ervin with a losing record at 9-10 - his 3rd straight losing season since winning a career high 17 games in 2010. But his ERA for the season was 3.24 - the best of his career. In 32 games he pitched 211 innings, allowing 190 hits (.239 opponents BA) and 85 runs, including 26 HR, with 51 walks, 6 HBP, and 161 strikeouts. He allowed 1 run or fewer 10 times but had only a 6-0 record to show for those games. 21 of his 32 starts met the requirement for a quality start and yet he finished with only 9 wins. At 86-76 the Royals finished with a winning record for the first time in 10 years and with their best record in 24 years.

And then we waited and wondered. Would Ervin still have his dreads when the 2014 season began? Well, we had to wait longer than expected because he missed a lot of spring training while holding out for a better contract. He turned down a $14.1 million offer (wouldn't we all love to be able to do that) from the Royals and became a free agent. Apparently though, his asking price was too high, and he remained unsigned until the Atlanta Braves, with a lot of injuries to their staff, came calling. This time Ervin was glad to take the same $14.1 million he rejected earlier and signed with the Braves on Mar. 14. And, most importantly, he kept his dreads! I had a big smile on my face and a huge sigh of relief when I saw a picture of him (on right) during his first appearance on Mar. 20.

One month does not a season make, but Ervin seems to be even better with the longer dreads. And if his first 4 starts of 2014 are an indication of how he's going to pitch all season, he might just walk away with the NL Cy Young Award. That is, of course, unless Johnny Cueto beats him to it.  
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Cueto, who if he hasn't already done it is well on his way to surpassing the 2011 version of Edinson Volquez as the pitcher with the longest dreads ever, had a very disappointing season in 2013 - not because he didn't pitch well, but because he didn't pitch enough. When he was healthy, he was as tough to hit as ever. But a strained lat (back) muscle he suffered in mid-April turned into a whole-season ordeal and limited him to a career low 11 games.

53. Beginning his 6th season in MLB, all with the Cincinnati Reds, Johnny Cueto pitches against the L.A. Angels on Opening Day at Cincinnati on Apr. 1, his 2nd straight starting nod on Opening Day and the 3rd straight for the Reds by a pitcher with dreads (Volquez started the opener in  2011).
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54. After retiring the first 7 batters, Johnny Cueto waits for C Chris Ianneta to round the bases (left photo) after his HR gives the Angels a 1-0 lead, the first of 7 homers allowed by Cueto in 2013. Later Cueto celebrates after striking out PH J.B. Shuck with the bases loaded (right photo) to end top of the 7th, finishing his day allowing only 3 hits and striking out 9: http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25945549&c_id=mlb&topic_id=vtp_head_and_shoulders ..... Johnny got a no decision, as the game remained tied until Angels scored 2 runs in the 13th to win it 3-1. 
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55. After picking up his 1st win of the season in a 6-3 victory over the Nationals on Apr. 7, Johnny Cueto has to leave his next start early, escorted by trainer Paul Lessard, after feeling pain in his arm during 5th inning at Pittsburgh on Apr. 13, a game in which he had allowed only 2 hits through the first 4 innings: http://m.mlb.com/video/v26262625/cinpit-cueto-exits-in-the-fifth-with-lat-injury/?c_id=mlb
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56. Life on the DL ..... Johnny Cueto blows a bubble to pass the time while watching the Reds defeat the Cubs 1-0 on a 48-degree Cincinnati afternoon on Apr. 24. Johnny's first stint on the disabled list lasted 5 weeks.
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57. Back in action on May 20, Johnny Cueto pitches in the 1st inning against the N.Y. Mets at Citi Field. Cueto allowed a 3-run HR to RF Marlon Byrd in the 3rd inning then struck out 6 of the next 8 batters, finishing with 8 strikeouts in 5 IP and getting his 2nd win as Reds defeated Mets 4-3.
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58. Johnny Cueto's second appearance of the season against the Pirates on May 31 had a much happier ending than the first. Cueto is all smiles, both in the dugout in top of the 9th (right photo), his work for the night done after 8 scoreless IP, and at the end of the game - a 6-0 Reds' victory - alongside manager Dusty Baker (left photo). Johnny allowed only 1 hit as he improved to 13-4 vs. the Pirates in his career: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=27632231&c_id=mlb&topic_id=vtp_head_and_shoulders 
Unfortunately the lat injury flared up again, and when he was unable to make his next scheduled start on June 5, it was back to the DL.
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59. Cueto spent the minimum 15 days on the DL and was back in action against the Brewers on June 16. With 2 out in top of the 3rd, both he and 3B Jack Hannahan try to field a dribbler down the 3rd base line off the bat of SS Jean Segura ......
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60. ..... Hannahan ends up hindering Johnny as he tries to throw to 1st; and the throw is late, allowing Segura to reach with a single. But no damage was done, as Cueto retired the next batter. Johnny improved to 4-0, allowing 5 hits and 1 run in 6 IP and getting his only RBI of the season with a squeeze bunt, as Reds won 5-1.
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61. Uh-oh, not again. Johnny Cueto was hit hard in his next start after the win over Milwaukee, allowing 11 hits and 7 runs to Arizona on June 21, and then on June 28 has to come out of the game against Texas in bottom of the 2nd inning: http://m.mlb.com/video/v28417425/cintex-cueto-leaves-game-after-apparent-injury/?c_id=mlb ...... This time, hoping to get his injury fully healed, the Reds kept Cueto on the DL for a much longer period of time.
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62. After two and a half months on the DL, Johnny Cueto returns to action on Sept. 16, pitching here during 2nd inning at Houston. Other than having to work out of a bases loaded jam in the 5th, it was smooth sailing for Cueto, as he struck out 5 and allowed no runs on 5 hits in 5 IP, improving to 5-2 as Reds defeated Astros 6-1.
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63. After leading off bottom of 4th with a single on Sept. 23 and advancing to 2nd on a walk, Johnny Cueto takes a break (probably while the Mets held a meeting on the mound). At one time in his career an automatic out at the plate, Cueto was a bit better in 2013, batting a career high .150 (3 for 20) with 1 run scored. On the mound Johnny went 7 innings in his final regular season start, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs in a no decision as Reds scored a run in the 10th to defeat Mets 3-2.
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The Reds finished in 3rd place in the NL Central with a 90-72 record, good enough to clinch the second NL Wild Card playoff spot. With preferred starter Mat Latos unable to pitch due to an elbow injury, Johnny Cueto was on the mound at Pittsburgh for the 1-game Wild Card playoff on Oct. 1. Unfortunately though, the way it turned out, Reds fans wish he hadn't been.

64. Cueto sits dejectedly on the bench after being knocked out of the game in bottom of the 4th. Against the team he usually dominates, he faced 19 batters and 9 of them reached base - 8 hits and a walk. According to the game recap, in bottom of the 2nd inning Cueto "appeared rattled by a raucous crowd that taunted him by chanting his name." So rattled that he dropped the ball while getting set to pitch to C Russell Martin. Johnny picked up the ball, got back on the mound and promptly gave up a home run to Martin on the very next pitch, making the crowd even more raucous: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/11493214/v31068525/must-c-clutch-martin-homers-after-fans-rattle-cueto/?c_id=mlb ..... It doesn't get much worse than that. The Reds went on to lose 6-2, with Johnny being charged with 4 of the runs.
Cueto's numbers for the 2013 regular season: 5-2, 2.82 ERA, 60.2 IP, 46 hits, 20 runs, 7 HR, 18 walks, 1 HBP, 51 strikeouts. Opposing batters hit only .209 against him, a career best for him.
Johnny, you may have noticed, has begun 2014 like he's trying to make up for last season. So far he has pitched well enough to be 6-0 but is only 2-2 thanks to the Reds' offensive woes. He's been sensational. And so have his dreads, which he still has hanging loose even though they're now long enough to completely block out the name on the back of his jersey. If he can stay healthy (and obviously that's a big if), it's going to be a lot of fun watching him this season.
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We have now reached the halfway point of dread gallery150. For the rest of the dreads around the ballparks in 2013, go to the post titled DG150 - Part 2.