MLB 2019 Predictions: Who will Follow in Houston and Chicago’s Footsteps Post-Rebuild?

March 3, 2019March 3, 2019 Andrew Roberts MLB, Picks & Previews, Red Sox Aaron Judge, Amed Rosario, Andrew McCutchen, Anibal Sanchez, Anthony Rendon, Billy Hamilton, Brian Dozier, Bryce Harper, Byron Buxton, C.J. Cron, Carlos Gomez, Charlie Morton, Chris Sale, Christian Yelich, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Kluber, Craig Kimbrel, Cutch, Dallas Keuchel, Dee Gordon, Eloy Jimenez, Eric Hosmer, Fernando Tatis Jr., Forrest Whitley, Freddie Freeman, Garrett Richards, Giancarlo Stanton, Goldy, Gregory Polanco, Ian Kinsler, J.D. Martinez, J.T. Realmuto, Jacob DeGrom, Jean Segura, Jed Lowrie, Jesus Aguilar, Jharel Cotton, Jhoulys Chacin, Joey Gallo, Joey Votto, Jonathan Lucroy, Jordan Lyles, Jose Altuve, Jose Ramirez, Josh Donaldson, Juan Soto, Julio Teheran, Jurickson Profar, Justin Verlander, Kenley Jansen, Kyle Tucker, Lance McCullers, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Urias, Mad Max, Manny Machado, Marco Estrada, Matt Joyce, Matt Kemp, Max Scherzer, Michael Brantley, Michael Pineda, Miguel Sano, Mike Fiers, Mike Trout, Mitch Keller, MLB, MLB 2019 Predictions, MLB Predictions, NFL, Nolan Arenado, Nomar Mazara, Patrick Corbin, Paul Goldschmidt, Peter Alonso, Predictions, Robinson Cano, Sean Manaea, Sergio Romo, Shohei Ohtani, Spring Training, Starling Marte, Stephen Strasburg, Todd Frazier, Trevor Williams, Tyler Skaggs, Victor Robles, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Walker Buehler, world series, Yasiel Puig, Yasmani Grandal, Yu Darvish, Zack Greinke

The time has finally come. If you are reading this, the NFL season is over, both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado have signed, and Spring Training has begun. After a long off-season, baseball is finally back, and it is time for my MLB 2019 Predictions. I will be predicting each team’s win-loss record, sharing my projected playoff bracket, and sharing some award predictions. My projected World Series winner is a team that began rebuilding a couple years after the Astros and Cubs rebuilds and has now followed in their footsteps to contention. Keep reading to find out who that team is and how they will achieve a World Series victory.

Part I: Projected Records

American League

AL East

New York Yankees (94-68) (2nd Seed in AL Playoffs)
Boston Red Sox (93-69) (4th Seed in AL Playoffs)
Toronto Blue Jays (80-82)
Tampa Bay Rays (75-87)
Baltimore Orioles (67-95)

2018 was Boston’s year. They built up the roster preparing for a World Series, and now the damage is done. Expect a mild World Series hangover due to the departure of closer Craig Kimbrel and the loss of momentum. If Kimbrel returns, they may be more equipped to repeat. But right now, as much as I hate to admit it, the Yankees have the most talent in the division. Their rotation depth issues are finally fixed, the bullpen could go down in record books, and the lineup is still flooded with big hitters, including the superstar duo of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge. Expect New York to win the division this time around, but the Red Sox should still easily score a Wild Card spot.

Toronto should be moving quickly in their rebuild thanks to a talented group of prospects including the leagues #1 prospect, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Now, they are an extra starting pitcher away from becoming a sub .500 team close to contention. Remember, they are just a couple years removed from the start of a rebuild. But this group of prospects will give them a respectable major league roster by the end of the season. With Toronto on the rise, the Rays will take a step back. The Rays never really replaced 1B C.J. Cron, OF Carlos Gomez, or reliever Sergio Romo. If they want to keep using an opener, they’ll need to beef up the bullpen. Otherwise, expect significant regression in 2019. They were right on the verge of contention in 2018. Had they beefed up the roster a little more, they might have had playoff chances this year. But instead, they’ll sit towards the bottom of the AL East. However, the Orioles will remain in the AL East basement after a 47 win season. The Orioles finally began a full rebuild in 2018, but this may be a long, painful rebuild considering their 2018 final record.

AL Central

Cleveland Indians (89-73) (3rd Seed in AL Playoffs)
Chicago White Sox (82-80)
Minnesota Twins (80-82)
Kansas City Royals (68-94)
Detroit Tigers (66-96)

Despite an underwhelming off-season, the Indians should be able to stay atop the AL Central. In most other divisions, the Indians would have to fight for a Wild Card spot, but in the AL Central, they should have an easier route to the playoffs, as none of the other teams in their division are ready for contention. Despite coming up short in the Manny Machado sweepstakes, the White Sox made several improvements this off-season that can assist their young core in the next step towards contention. If they add a starter or two and another infielder, they could be chasing the Indians for the division by 2020. The Twins won’t see a significant improvement this year, but hopefully the return of SP Michael Pineda and better years from Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton will help them move up the standings slightly.

That leaves the Royals and Tigers, two rebuilding teams, in the basement of the AL Central. With Billy Hamilton on board and some of their younger players ready to start, the Royals may see slight improvement. But it will take a couple years for the Tigers to do the same.

AL West

Houston Astros (96-66) (1st Seed in AL Playoffs)
Los Angeles Angels (86-76) (5th Seed in AL Playoffs)
Oakland Athletics (80-82)
Texas Rangers (73-89)
Seattle Mariners (70-92)

Though the lineup will be better with the addition of LF Michael Brantley, the Astros’ rotation took a significant hit thanks to the free agent departures of Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton and an injury to Lance McCullers Jr. If the rotation does well without Morton and Keuchel, the Astros could win another World Series. No matter what, I think they’ll win the division, but if the rotation struggles I wouldn’t expect a deep playoff run.

The Angels will also sneak into the playoffs in an extremely top-heavy American League. In my eyes, the American League will have three 90+ win teams: the Astros, Yankees, and Red Sox. That leaves the door open for slightly above average teams like the Angels to make the playoffs. Led by Mike Trout and the rest of the big-hitting lineup, they’ll snag a Wild Card spot.

The Athletics will take a step back this year after a playoff appearance in 2018. The rotation will be without Sean Manaea and Jharel Cotton for a good portion of the season. Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada cannot lead this rotation alone. Plus, the only Jed Lowrie replacement the A’s were able to find was former Rangers utility man Jurickson Profar. The losses of Jonathan Lucroy and Matt Joyce will also make an impact on the team.

That leaves the Rangers and Mariners. The Rangers won’t improve much quite yet despite an experienced rotation and a core led by outfielders Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara. They’ll need to undergo a full rebuild before significant improvement can occur. The Mariners are starting that process, though they still boast a respectable MLB roster. They could’ve probably contended this year if it weren’t for the start of a rebuild. But instead, they gave up some of their most talented players in exchange for minimal top prospects. The less talented roster will put the team into a situation similar to that of their division rivals, the Rangers. Despite a respectable roster with experience, the team won’t be talented enough to produce above average seasons.

National League

NL East

Atlanta Braves (93-69) (2nd Seed in NL Playoffs)
Philadelphia Phillies (92-70) (5th Seed in NL Playoffs)
Washington Nationals (84-78)
New York Mets (83-79)
Miami Marlins (61-101)

This will undoubtedly be the most competitive division in baseball. I see a young, but emerging Braves team repeating as the division winner, led by a big year from Freddie Freeman, significant contribution from new 3B Josh Donaldson, and a bounce back for SP Julio Teheran. In 2018, the Phillies were a star or two away from greatness. This off-season, they added C J.T. Realmuto, OF Andrew McCutchen, SS Jean Segura, and most of all, OF Bryce Harper. Led by Harper, the lineup will be loaded with talent, leading to a big year.

The Nats and Mets will also contend. The Nats made up for Harper’s departure by boosting the rotation with SPs Patrick Corbin and Anibal Sanchez. To add to it, they signed 2B Brian Dozier. Even without Harper, they should still be in good hands with Max Scherzer, Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, and others. After adding 2B Robinson Cano among other stars, the Mets should also stay in contention, at least for this year.

The only team that’ll be out of this hectic NL East race is the Miami Marlins. The Marlins sold their entire outfield plus Dee Gordon and J.T. Realmuto in trades within the last two off-seasons. Without Realmuto, they will remain one of the worst teams in the league.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs (94-68) (1st Seed in NL Playoffs)
St. Louis Cardinals (93-69) (4th Seed in NL Playoffs)
Milwaukee Brewers (86-76)
Cincinnati Reds (80-82)
Pittsburgh Pirates (69-93)

I know people are concerned about the Cubs due to uncertainty about Yu Darvish’s health. But regardless of Darvish’s health, I think the Cubs have one of the best rotations in the league. Add in an underappreciated bullpen and a respectable lineup, and the roster begins to look underrated. I do have confidence that Darvish will be alright though.

The Cardinals should be Chicago’s biggest concern, as I expect the Cards to be knocking on Chicago’s door in the NL Central. With Paul Goldschmidt on board, they will combine their young, exciting pitching staff with a star-studded lineup and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Meanwhile, despite adding C Yasmani Grandal, I expect the Brewers to take a step back. I don’t trust 1B Jesus Aguilar or Jhoulys Chacin to repeat their strong 2018 seasons. With the rotation depleted and the lineup looking a little less overpowered, Milwaukee will fall behind as the NL Central competition gets more intense.

Meanwhile, the Reds will begin to take steps toward contention, led by new OF star Yasiel Puig and long time Reds 1B Joey Votto. They added a lot of experience to the rotation as well, so that should help. That leaves the Pirates in the division’s basement as they begin a rebuild. Their rotation should look pretty good this year, and when Gregory Polanco gets healthy, the outfield will thrive as well. However, I don’t fully trust Trevor Williams yet, and in such a tough division, I can’t see this rebuilding team finish very well.

NL West

Colorado Rockies (89-73) (3rd Seed in NL Playoffs)
Los Angeles Dodgers (85-77)
San Francisco Giants (84-78)
San Diego Padres (71-91)
Arizona Diamondbacks (68-94)

I think this might be the year when the Dodgers are finally dethroned. Despite a strong rotation led by Clayton Kershaw and the young Walker Buehler, the bullpen lacks depth beyond Kenley Jansen. In addition, they traded Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp for next to nothing. It does open up space in the outfield but the team will take a step back as a result. The infield already lacked depth with Brian Dozier leaving. Failing to sign Bryce Harper after the Puig/Kemp trade just made the depth problems worse.

This will allow the Rockies to win the division. Their rotation isn’t amazing, but they’ll be able to manage thanks to hitter friendly Coors Field and a strong bullpen to back the rotation up. It’s the star-studded lineup that will lead them to a division victory. The Giants are also closer to contention than you might think. They quietly boosted the rotation this off-season. This will add to their strong bullpen and allow them to achieve a winning record despite a subpar lineup and questionable outfield situation.

Even though they signed Manny Machado, the Padres won’t contend unless they significantly upgrade the rotation. Plus, they should have better luck contending once Fernando Tatis Jr. is in San Diego for a full season. They will finish ahead of the D-Backs, who will take a significant step back without Goldschmidt. That leaves SP Zack Greinke as the best player left, and there were trade rumors surrounding Greinke as well.

Part II: Playoff Bracket

When the Cubs won the World Series back in 2016, they set a precedent in the MLB. Their 5-year rebuild led to a World Series victory, and this has become a formula for World Series titles. The Astros, who were already following this formula, won the next year in 2017. Now, I think the Braves will be the next to do this. Their rebuild didn’t feel as long, because prospects like Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. developed quickly. But there are still more top prospects on the way, and thanks to this first wave of young talent, the Braves will be able to contend before their rebuild is finished. I think they may even be World Series ready.

The Bryce Harper-led Phillies, Atlanta’s division rival, will challenge them for the National League. Led by their HR-hitting duo of Stanton and Judge and upgraded rotation, the Yankees will come close as well. But I think the Braves are capable of outperforming these teams.

The Cubs and Astros should still be competitive in these playoffs and stay competitive down the stretch. But I think they will have their playoff runs cut short by a Red Sox team looking to repeat and a Phillies team looking for validation that Bryce Harper was worth the money.

Part III: Awards

Below are my projected finalists for the AL and NL MVPs, Cy Youngs, and Rookies of the Year.

AL MVP

1. Jose Ramirez CLE – Ramirez has emerged as one of the league’s premier power hitters. Expect him to come through at the plate on a more consistent basis and contend for the AL MVP award.

2. J.D. Martinez BOS – At the age of 31, I cannot see Martinez quite repeating what he did in 2018. But he will put up another consistent, 40-homer year despite just falling short of the MVP after playing over half of his games at DH.

3. Jose Altuve HOU – Altuve will return to MVP form after a 2018 that was subpar for his standards. His season will be highlighted by a hint of power mixed in with his speed and ability to get on base frequently.

HM: Giancarlo Stanton NYY

NL MVP

1. Nolan Arenado COL – His 8-year extension will be motivation to live up to expectations in Colorado. Expect an dominant offensive year to go along with his elite defensive skills.

2. Freddie Freeman ATL – Freeman will help lead a young Braves team to the first World Series of what could make for the MLB’s next dynasty. After emerging as the top first baseman in the league last year, he will contend for the MVP as his offensive stats continue to increase.

3. Christian Yelich MIL – After winning NL MVP in 2018, Yelich will run with the momentum and top off the prime of his career with another dominant season.

HM: Starling Marte PIT

AL ROTY

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR – This top prospect has the genetics and he’s been all out dominant in the minors. Expect him to make it up to Toronto early, earn the starting job at third and do the same in the majors, contending for Rookie of the Year.

2. Kyle Tucker HOU – Tucker may not have a starting job – yet. But he showed flashes of potential in 2018 and could get some time in the outfield or at DH in 2019.

3. Eloy Jiménez CWS – Another top prospect who needs just a few weeks in AAA before a major league call up. After that, expect him to earn a time share in the outfield and eventually (after a strong start) a starting job.

HM: Forrest Whitley HOU

NL ROTY

1. Peter Alonso NYM – If Alonso has a strong Spring Training, look for him to compete for the first base job as Todd Frazier, Jed Lowrie, Amed Rosario, and Robinson Cano split time between second, shortstop, and third. Cano could try playing first, but having Alonso there from Opening Day could be beneficial. I see him breaking out in his rookie year and winning NL Rookie of the Year.

2. Fernando Tatis Jr. SD – Tatis Jr. isn’t MLB ready yet, but I think he’ll make an immediate impact if they bring him up when the time is right. I could see a Hosmer-Kinsler-Tatis-Machado infield working out well. Luis Urias will have to wait until 2020 for another starting job.

3. Mitch Keller PIT – The Pirates’ first four starters have their jobs locked down. But if Keller gets off to a strong start in the minors, look for him to challenge Jordan Lyles for the #5 slot in the rotation and contend for NL Rookie of the Year.

HM: Victor Robles WSH

AL Cy Young

1. Corey Kluber CLE – Kluber heads into 2019 with something to prove. He needs to convince the Indians that he’s worth the money to keep around. The Indians don’t have much money to spend, so Kluber will need to put up a Cy Young-caliber year in order to do this.

2. Chris Sale BOS – If Sale can get healthy and stay healthy, he’ll be the best pitcher in this league. But he always ends up collapsing at the end of the year, so I have slightly more confidence in Kluber. However, maybe Alex Cora can figure out a way to allow him to stay healthy all year. If Cora can figure this out, Sale’s definitely worth re-signing.

3. Tyler Skaggs LAA – A healthy Skaggs showed potential last season, especially early on. With no clear ace atop the Angels rotation for 2019 and Shohei Ohtani restricted to just hitting, expect Skaggs to step it up and emerge as LA’s new ace, something they have longed for since Garrett Richards began to decline after LA’s 2014 playoff appearance.

HM: Justin Verlander HOU

NL Cy Young

1. Max Scherzer WSH – Expect Scherzer to emerge as the top pitcher in the league this year when Jacob deGrom takes a slight step back in his age 30 season. Scherzer has not let his age define him, and if anything, he has only gotten better with age. I don’t see a decline happening anytime soon for Mad Max, and he has another Cy Young year or two still ahead of him.

2. Clayton Kershaw LAD – Kershaw has dealt with lingering injuries, but when he’s on the mound and healthy, he has looked like the same Kershaw we’re used to seeing. Despite injuries, he has posted an ERA under 3.00 in each of the last 10 seasons. As usual, I expect Kershaw to contend for the Cy Young, especially if he remains healthy.

3. Julio Teheran ATL – Teheran hasn’t looked like the ace we thought he would be since 2014. But he is still just 28, and as long as it happens in the next year or two, I could definitely see him return to ace form and lead a young Braves rotation.

HM: Stephen Strasburg WSH

That’s all for this year’s MLB predictions. Stay tuned for more Red Sox and baseball coverage soon.

Ranking The Teams 30-25, My Version: The Ugly

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 Andrew Roberts MLB, Predictions, Uncategorized 2017 Ranking The Teams, A's, Alejandro De Aza, Alex Cobb, Athletics, Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Bartolo Colon, Ben Revere, Brandon Phillips, Braves, Brian Dozier, Byron Buxton, Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley, Chris Archer, Clay Buchholz, Colby Rasmus, Dansby Swanson, Desmond Jennings, Domonic Brown, Drew Smyly, Erick Aybar, Freddie Freeman, Freddy Galvis, Houston, Howie Kendrick, J.B. Shuck, Jaff Decker, Jason Castro, Jimmy Rollins, Joe Mauer, John Mayberry Jr., Jose De Leon, Khris Davis, Kurt Suzuki, Logan Forsythe, Logan Morrison, Maikel Franco, Matt Kemp, Michael Saunders, Miguel Sano, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Markakis, Oakland, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Odubel Herrera, Padres, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies, Philly, Power Rankings, R. A. Dickey, Rajai Davis, Rays, Ross Detwiler, Ryan Howard, Ryan Vogelsong, San Diego, San Diego Padres, Sonny Gray, Tampa Bay, Trevor Plouffe, Twins, Wil Myers, Wilson Ramos, Yangervis Solarte

Each year since 2014, David Schoenfield has ranked all 30 teams in tiers during the preseason. For the third year straight, I am creating my own version. I am out of school this week, so throughout the week, I will be posting my rankings. Today they start with the bottom 6.

30. Minnesota Twins

Off-season Review

Image result for jason castro twins

In the process of a rebuild, the Twins let older players Kurt Suzuki and Trevor Plouffe sign elsewhere in free agency. However, they also lost young pitcher Tommy Milone. They signed veterans Jason Castro, J.B. Shuck and Ryan Vogelsong. These guys are nice veteran boosters and mentors, but are unnecessary signings. The young Minnesota Twins just need a little time to develop before coming back to contention.

The Case for the Twins

The Twins will not contend in any way this year. They are in the midst of a rebuild, and actually have a bright future ahead. The Tigers and Royals will get old and decline which will leave room open for the Twins in coming years. For now, they need to focus on establishing their young players, and wins and losses will not matter for them this year. But in coming years, look for the Twins to finally get better.

The Bright Spot

Image result for miguel sano byron buxton

Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier are getting older, and I’m liking the young talent on the Twins. The younger players they have will do well this year, and eventually bring the team up with them. Third year player Miguel Sano is one guy who could make an impact. He will take a full time job at third base in 2017, and will be a bigger contributor to the lineup. He could be a team leader in the future. Byron Buxton is another player to keep an eye on. Despite a disappointing 2016 for both of them, 2017 should be a good year for Buxton and Sano.

Best Case Scenario: The Twins surprise many, as their young guns bounce back and lead the Twins to a second place finish in the AL Central.

Worst Case Scenario: Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano continue to regress and the Twins finish with the worst record in baseball.

Projected Finish: 63-99, 5th in AL Central

29. San Diego Padres

Off-season Review

The Padres didn’t do much in the off-season. After losing veterans they shouldn’t have spent their money on, the Padres are at a desperate state. They will not compete this season, so it’s time for a rebuild. They did sign veteran Erick Aybar to a minor league deal, but he’s no more than a veteran mentor, and will not lead the Padres to contend. The Padres will focus on building upon their young roster, and if they did that a couple of years back, they might of had a legitimate chance this year.

The Case for the Padres

The Padres may be at their worst ever. While building a young roster, they will not compete this season. None of their starting pitchers are very established yet, and the lineup has some bright spots, but needs work. This rebuild could take a long time, but it’s worth it. If the Padres tried to go for it this season, the end result would be the biggest MLB failure in a long time.

The Bright Spot

Image result for wil myers padres

One investment from a couple of years ago that was worth it was the signing of Wil Myers. Myers has done well for the Padres, and him, Yangervis Solarte and Erick Aybar make up a nice infield of veterans to teach the younger players. Myers will actually put up some impressive stats in 2017. In 2016, he was a Home Run Derby participant and All Star. Myers will continue to put up good numbers in 2017, and he will make the Padres look just a tiny bit better.

Best Case Scenario: Wil Myers boosts the lineup, and the young rotation breaks through as the Padres finish just under .500.

Worst Case Scenario: The Padres have their worst season in history, the young players struggle at the major league level, and the Padres barely endure a dismal season.

Projected Finish: 63-99, 5th in NL West

28. Oakland Athletics

Off-season Review

Image result for rajai davis a's

The Athletics weren’t quite as active as they usually are this off-season, but they did fine-tune their team. They aren’t anywhere near contending, but adding some depth with experienced players will at least prevent disaster in 2017. Rajai Davis recently came back to Oakland. Alejandro De Aza, Ross Detwiler and Jaff Decker were invited to spring training among other veterans. They also signed young third baseman Trevor Plouffe. They filled most of their major off-season needs, and that will help them despite other problems.

The Case for the Athletics

The A’s have a nice mix of veterans and younger players. Once their prospects develop, this will benefit them and they will thrive. But that might not happen for a while, and right now, they’re just going to be considered an old team that won’t contend. If they rebuild a little, maybe they’ll season their young players more and see more success soon. But whether they rebuild or stay put, the Athletics aren’t going to have a winning season.

The Bright Spot

Image result for khris davis a's

Khris Davis was acquired from Milwaukee in the 2015-16 off-season, and since joining the Athletics, he has been their best hitter, and has been a bright spot on the Athletics by putting up impressive stats. Davis was a home run hitter in 2016, with 42 dingers. He drove in 102 runs and got a career best 137 hits. The 42 dingers, also his career best, were enough to tie Edwin Encarnacion and Brian Dozier for 3rd in the MLB. Encarnacion and Dozier are team leading stars, and Davis may be developing to be just that. Davis had more home runs than the Rockies’ star third baseman Nolan Arenado! I also think starting pitcher Sonny Gray could look good in a bounce back year, but Davis is the safest bet.

Best Case Scenario: The rotation bounces back, the lineup finally finds a way to do strongly and the A’s attempt to return to the playoffs.

Worst Case Scenario: The injury bug hits Oakland at its hardest, and the Athletics finish terribly, with one of the worst records.

Projected Finish: 65-97, 5th in AL West

27. Philadelphia Phillies

Off-season in Review

Image result for howie kendrick welcome to phillies

The Phillies have finally established a young roster, but it will take a couple years to return to stardom. The rotation still needs work but they added some veteran mentors/big hitters to help their case. They acquired starting pitcher Clay Buchholz, and added Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders to the lineup. Now, with veteran mentors to help a young, talented roster, the Phillies could be back to contention a couple of years from now.

The Case for the Phillies

Image result for jimmy rollins phillies

The era of washed up, old Phillies is over. Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ben Revere, John Mayberry Jr. and Domonic Brown are all gone. Now, it’s time for the young guns to take over this team. This puts this year’s team pretty low in the rankings. However, don’t be surprised if the Phillies are the next surprise wild card in 2018. These young players are very talented, and once they’re developed, which will happen over the next year or two, the Phillies will be good once again.

The Bright Spot

Image result for maikel franco

Putting the older guys aside, there are a few talented young guns that have already broke out. Odubel Herrera, Freddy Galvis and Maikel Franco are already doing strongly. Franco is the Phillies’ bright spot. He is keeping this lineup alive. In a couple of years, Franco could be a superstar. The new environment in Philly leaves him with an important role in the lineup, and I think he will come through in that role.

Best Case Scenario: The Phillies return to contention with an impressive season by a lot of young players.

Worst Case Scenario: The Phillies fail again, and the young guns go full bust.

Projected Finish: 65-97, 5th in NL East

26. Atlanta Braves

Off-season Review

Image result for bartolo colon braves

The Braves are in the midst of a rebuild. The starting rotation is getting old after they added Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey, but the older players are still good. The lineup also includes veteran mentor Matt Kemp. The rest of it consists of young stars and players ready to breakout. Dansby Swanson is the favorite for the NL Rookie of The Year, Freddie Freeman continues to shine, Nick Markakis has done alright in Atlanta, and new acquisitions Brandon Phillips and Kurt Suzuki will help this team improve.

The Case for the Braves

The Braves won’t compete this season, but they’ve put together a nice mix of old and young that could do well in the future. The pitching staff still needs to develop and be fine-tuned, but the lineup is looking better, and could be a lot more powerful this year and in future years. The Braves currently lack depth, but once more prospects break the majors, the Braves could have some of the best hitting in the MLB, with a strong lineup led by Freddie Freeman.

The Bright Spot

Image result for dansby swanson

Some of the older players provide power to the lineup, but younger players Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson make the Braves a little more fun to watch. Freeman really broke out last year, with a stellar performance especially in the 2nd half. Freeman had already established himself as a franchise player, but he really went all out in 2o16. Swanson has a potentially great rookie season ahead of him. The Braves have opened up a spot at shortstop for him, and Swanson will take advantage of that.

Best Case Scenario: The rotation finally gathers itself, the lineup is dominant, and the Braves compete for a wild card in the NL East.

Worst Case Scenario: The rotation is a bust, the lineup doesn’t perform like it should, and the Braves finish last in the NL East.

Projected Finish: 67-95, 4th in NL East

25. Tampa Bay Rays

Off-season Review

The Rays didn’t have a huge off-season. They lost some crucial guys, and they traded away Logan Forsythe and Drew Smyly. However, they added to their pitching depth in that trade by acquiring Jose De Leon. Despite losing Desmond Jennings, they resigned Logan Morrison and signed Colby Rasmus to help fill out the starting lineup. Wilson Ramos and Nathan Eovaldi were also signed but are recovering from injuries. They made a lot of small moves, but nothing major enough to impact the Rays.

The Case for the Rays

The Rays play in the toughest division in the MLB. They have a talented team, but just don’t stack up to the rest of the AL East. They would be a mediocre team in a weaker division. But this is just how it is. The Rays don’t stack up with everybody else. A rebuild is not needed, now is just a big wait. A big wait for the Rays to able to do well again. They have a good roster, but some of these guys are getting old, or just aren’t as good as the other stars of the league.

The Bright Spot

The lineup is just mediocre. The true bright spots in Tampa are Chris Archer and Alex Cobb. Archer struggled in 2016, but is still the ace of the Rays. Cobb has been injured the last two years, but will perform well when healthy. Both of these guys should make a big impact for the Rays in 2017.

Best Case Scenario: The strong rotation leads the Rays to compete towards the top of the AL East, in hopes of a playoff spot.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries hit hard again, and the Rays look worse than ever, finishing not just last in the AL East, but the whole American League.

Projected Finish: 69-93, 5th in AL East

Baseball season is almost here. This is just the start of my rankings series. Comment your thoughts and predictions, and check back tomorrow for my 24-19 rankings. Who will be next on the list? Check tomorrow to find out!

Explosive Lineup Leads Red Sox to Rout Twins

June 12, 2016June 12, 2016 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized Big Papi, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brandon Kintzler, Buddy Boshers, Byron Buxton, Chris Young, Clay Buchholz, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, E-Rod, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Hanley, Hanley Ramirez, Jackie Bradley Jr., JBJ, Kurt Suzuki, Kyle Gibson, Max Kepler, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Mookie Betts, Red Sox, Sandy Leon, Sox, Travis Shaw, Twins, Xander Bogaerts

Yes, the lineup helped, but in a way, the Twins beat themselves up. Throughout the game, especially in the late innings, the Red Sox scored some cheap runs because the Twins were doing what they do best, absolutely blowing the game for themselves. The Red Sox started the game by scoring 4 first inning runs. Mookie Betts reached on an infield single, and was driven all the way home by a Xander Bogaerts double. That was the first of four hits Bogaerts had on the game. Hanley Ramirez walked, and JBJ knocked both Bogaerts and Hanley in by smashing a home run to right. The Killer B’s struck again!

E-Rod started the game smoothly, but things got ugly starting in the 3rd inning. With Byron Buxton on first, Eduardo Nunez hit a single off the right field wall. Nunez started for second, but Betts made an amazing throw to Bogaerts to get him out! Basically, the Killer B’s did it once again, and this time they saved Eduardo Rodriguez from an inning he would regret. However, the next inning E-Rod lost control again. He gave up a walk followed by a single, and after that he really screwed up.

Kurt Suzuki hit a three run bomb off of him! It looked like a batting practice pitch! It was right down the middle and easy to smash. The next inning, E-Rod gave up another run! Two singles made it first and third, and Trevor Plouffe drove in the run on a sac fly. He gave up yet another single after that! That was the end of it for him!

The Red Sox struck back in the 6th though, and in a strange way. It was the Twins fault. Xander Bogaerts got a base hit, and with Big Papi up, the Twins were on heavy shift. Ortiz hit a ground ball to second, and they tried for a double play, but couldn’t get Bogaerts. Bogaerts kept running to third, and there was nobody there to cover! They had no way to get Bogaerts out! He scored on a fly ball by Hanley Ramirez. That knocked out the Twins starter, too! It was shaping up to be a tight slug fest, but things changed.

The 6th inning was a little rough, but the Sox bullpen kept control the next couple innings. The Red Sox kept their 5-4 lead! Then came the 8th inning. With Dustin Pedroia on second due to an outfield error, Xander Bogaerts hit in a two run homer. That was just the start of it. Some of their runs came because of good hitting, others by bad fielding. The Red Sox got 1st and 2nd, Big Papi got a base hit and Chris Young walked. Then came another costly error. Travis Shaw grounded it to Buddy Boshers, the pitcher. He made a terrible throw to Max Kepler, who’s typically an outfielder. It went into foul territory, and a run was in. Two more runners were in scoring position, and they were knocked in by Sandy Leon’s single. The Red Sox ended the inning with a 6 run lead.

That wasn’t even the end. The rally continued an inning later. After Dustin Pedroia missed another chance to extend his hitting streak, the new pitcher gave up two straight base hits. Hanley Ramirez advanced the runners on his ground ball, and Jackie Bradley Jr. was hit by the pitch to load up the bases. Another mistake by the Twins! Chris Young drove in 2 runs on a single, and it was still 1st and 2nd! The bases were loaded once again on Travis Shaw’s walk, and the Twins made a 4th mistake! A wild pitch advanced all runners one base, scoring the 13th run!

Then the craziest thing yet happened! The Twins bullpen was so worn out, that Twins young closer Brandon Kintzler came in, and he gave up another 2 run single! They left the inning with a 15-4 lead! What a blowout! Clay Buchholz came in for the bottom of the inning. He gave up two walks, but who cares? The Red Sox had an 11 run lead! In the end, Buchholz didn’t even give up a run!

The Red Sox have really messed with the worst team in the league this weekend, and it’s worked! Pedroia may have lost his hitting streak, but the Sox lead the series 2-0! Can they do it again? Watch the series finale of Red Sox @ Twins today at 2:00.

Stat Wrap

Sandy Leon had his first four hit game with the Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts now has two straight 4-hit games, can he start a four hit game streak?
Dustin Pedroia may have gone 0-6, but he reached on an error and scored a run
The Red Sox have four players in the league’s top 15 for RBIs. Mookie Betts is just shy of Top 5 and David Ortiz leads the league still
Until today, the Red Sox have had a player that led the league in hitting streaks since the start of May

Opening Day: Modified Standings and Bold Predictions

April 4, 2016 Andrew Roberts MLB, Uncategorized Asdrubal Cabrera, Austin Jackson, Blue Jays, Byron Buxton, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, David Freese, David Wright, Detroit Tigers, Dodgers, Eric Hosmer, Giants, Hanley Ramirez, Jason Heyward, Jays, Josh Harrison, Justin Smoak, Justin Upton, Los Angeles Dodgers, Lucas Duda, Mariners, Mets, Michael Saunders, Miguel Sano, MLB, Neil Walker, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Pablo Sandoval, Pirates, Pittsburgh Pirates, Rangers, Reds, San Francisco Giants, Seattle, Seattle Mariners, Sox, Starlin Castro, Texas Rangers, Tigers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Travis Shaw, White Sox, Yankees, Yu Darvish

opening-day-16

It’s just a couple of hours until the first full day of regular season games starts, and I’m here to get you ready. Sure, you may have have seen my MLB Preview, but this is a condensed, more accurate version. I even have some bold predictions for the season. Let’s get started.

AL East

Boston Red Sox 91-71
Toronto Blue Jays 86-76
Tampa Bay Rays 82-80
New York Yankees 76-86
Baltimore Orioles 72-90

The Red Sox made a good move starting Travis Shaw over Pablo Sandoval, and Hanley Ramirez has adjusted well to first. This lineup is new and improved, and ready to take over a weak but tight division. Even if the rotation behind David Price is a concern, their bullpen makes up for it.

I just don’t believe the Blue Jays can function without better pitching. When they lost David Price and LaTroy Hawkins, it was back to square one. The Rays made some good off season improvements but their lineup still lacks power, and the Yankees are just getting too old to be good anymore. Starlin Castro was a good first step. Lastly, the O’s don’t have anything to convince me. Their outfield is seconds away from shattering, and after Miguel Gonzalez’s release, their rotation is still short a pitcher. So it looks like easy pickings for the Red Sox, even if they’re a shaky team.

yankees-2b-castro

AL Central

Kansas City Royals 93-69
Detroit Tigers 89-73 (WC)
Chicago White Sox 87-75
Minnesota Twins 78-84
Cleveland Indians 74-88

The Royals cannot be beaten in this division, it just won’t happen. With a strong lineup and balanced rotation, they’re not going down. They will be closely challenged however as the Tigers and White Sox improve. They still have weak areas more than the Royals, but they will compete for wild card spots. They made key signings like Justin Upton and Austin Jackson that take their teams to the next level.

The Indians aren’t horrible like I said but can’t compete in a tough division after such a quiet off season.

The Twins have a reborn lineup but the pitching can’t support young sensations Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano yet. This division is up for grabs beyond Kansas City, but the Royals have first place locked up.

AL West

Texas Rangers 95-67
Houston Astros 88-74 (WC)
Seattle Mariners 81-81
Oakland Athletics 76-86
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 68-94

Alright, at least I have the Astros in the playoffs. I just believe that the Rangers have more than Houston. The Astros don’t even have a starting first baseman, and their young rotation is inconsistent. The Rangers probably have the best trio of batters in the AL with Prince Fielder, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. They have some good lineup improvements to support their lineup this off season and their rotation is completely revamped and healthy.

The Mariners went on a full shopping spree this off season, but they didn’t necessarily fill their main holes, so they’ll only be mediocre. The Athletics are only slightly improved, and the Angels clearly aren’t going anywhere with such an inconsistent rotation and lineup. So this division will be a tight dogfight between the Rangers and Astros with the Mariners in the wild card bidding.

AL Playoffs

Wild Card: Tigers over Astros

ALDS: Red Sox over Royals

Rangers over Tigers

ALCS: Rangers over Red Sox

NL East

Washington Nationals 93-69
New York Mets 90-72 (WC)
Miami Marlins 83-79
Philadelphia Phillies 67-95
Atlanta Braves 64-98

Yes, in my modified predictions, the Mets make the playoffs. I have always underrated them so maybe if I predict a wild card, they’ll win the division. Even though I usually overrate the Nationals above them, the Nats have a case this year with an improved lineup, and strong rotation. Who needs Jordan Zimmermann when you have Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez?

The Marlins have the next best chance but are still working on a weak bullpen, and the Phillies and Braves have absolutely no chance and have practically abandoned their teams for the year. So that leaves the Mets and Nats to have the best battle yet. I say they both make the playoffs and lose in the NLDS. What do you think?

NL Central

Chicago Cubs 97-65
St. Louis Cardinals 91-71 (WC)
Pittsburgh Pirates 88-74
Cincinnati Reds 73-89
Milwaukee Brewes 69-93

With the exception of maybe last year, this Cubs team is by far the best Cubs team of the century. They are favorites to win the World Series, and will not be stopped in this division. The Pirates and Cards still had good off seasons, but have tapered off from last season’s teams. They have lost many of their best like Neil Walker, Lance Lynn (temporarily) and Jason Heyward. They will only compete for the playoff spots behind Chicago.

The Brewers and Reds are both in rebuilding stages after making a splash in 2013 and 2014. They are two of the worst teams in the league and will not compete for this division in any way, shape or form.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers 92-70
Arizona Diamondbacks 87-75
San Diego Padres 86-76
San Francisco Giants 86-76
Colorado Rockies 63-99

The Dodgers still rule this division even after a weak off season. The Giants are overrated and young, the D-Backs just aren’t ready yet, and the Padres are a big sleeper but have the potential to be a bust as well. LA has a strong rotation with great depth and despite numerous injuries, the Dodgers’ spot starters are happy to help, and they do. The Rockies have done a minimal amount of improvements, and I don’t see them going anywhere. Their rotation is a mess, and they have such big holes at positions like first base that they’ll have to call up players off of the 40-man roster.

NL Playoffs

Wild Card: Mets over Cardinals

NLDS: Dodgers over Nationals

Cubs over Mets

NLCS: Cubs over Dodgers

World Series: Rangers over Cubs

10 Bold Predictions for the 2016 Season

Former Mariners Smoak and Saunders both bat above .270

Justin_Smoak

Justin Smoak and Michael Saunders’ contributions in Seattle have not yet showed up on the Blue Jays. I say they both have comeback years and Smoak earns his job back from Chris Colabello easily. After a .273 avergage in 2014, Saunders batted just .194 in ’15 in just 9 games played. Saunders missed most of the year. Smoak has never put up that good of stats, but he has a chance to rebound from the last two years, as he sucked in 2014.

Starlin Castro finally breaks through, as the Yankees star player

You can’t spell Starlin without Star. Year after year the Cubs have gotten their hopes up about the young shortstop. However, this young guy has showed his skills and I think he’s ready to fully breakthrough. I have this guy hitting between .310 and .320 with a personal best in average and dingers. Hopefully, he can adjust to the Yankees system and be strengthened by the Yanks.

White Sox and Tigers will each get at least 85 wins

Both teams sucked last season, what happened? They both made very bold moves in the off season, as I had said. The Tigers have a much better rotation in 2016, while the White Sox have revamped their lineup. They may not beat the Royals in the division race, but between the two of them, they could put on a big fight.

Eric Hosmer and Jason Heyward win MVPs

eric-hosmer-jason-heyward

The Royals have had Hosmer his entire career and he’s just been a subpar star the whole time. When will he fully breakout and have a rampage season? 2016 of course. Hosmer’s stats have increased recently as he takes a lead role on the Royals. He is a well known veteran in Kansas City and it’s time that his name is known league-wide. Heyward meanwhile has developed really well and after a strong year with the Cardinals, he looks like a serious MVP candidate. He put up a career best .293 average last season. The Cubs have put him in a crucial role and Heyward’s ready to nail it.

Yu Darvish wins AL Comeback Player and AL CY Young

yu-darvish

I have Yu Darvish winning both the AL Cy Young and AL Comeback Player of the Year. The guy looked outstanding in his rookie season and when he’s healthy, I think he could still do great things.

Mets infield hits 3 times more homers than Yoenis Cespedes

Between Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker, the Mets have made a splash in the infield. Add on David Wright and Lucas Duda, and you’ve got yourself the infield of a super-team. Between all those guys, I think they will hit 3 times the homers of Yoenis Cespedes. I think Cespedes will hit about 40 homers. However, I think each of the Mets infielders will hit 20-35 dingers this year. They have a lot of potential. That’s what potential can do.

Harrison and Freese combine for 70 dingers and Pirates only win 88 games

Yes, even with the Pirates winning just 88 games and missing the playoffs, I see the hitting doing surprisingly well this year. I have two mediocre guys combining for 70 taters, and one of them isn’t even a full time starter. That doesn’t even include Andrew McCutchen, Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte. The Pirates lineup is overpowered to an extreme level.

At least one Reds player comes in the Top 5 in the NL for AVG, HRs or ERA

There are many candidates on the team that could do this. Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, even Raisel Iglesias or Homer Bailey. But I think despite the Reds not being that good as a team, they have veteran players that can do big things when given the chance. The Reds had a somewhat healthy year last year, and I’m feeling it will happen again.

Giants run out of even-year luck, miss playoffs

Yes, the Giants don’t win the World Series in 2016, or even make the playoffs. The NL just has too many teams that are better this year. The Mets aren’t going to miss the playoffs even if the Nats beat them out in the NL East! That leaves the Cards, D-Backs, Pirates and Giants to fight over Wild Card #2. Compared to those three teams, the Giants look like garbage. Well what if they win the division? No way, not happening. The Dodgers are just too hard to beat even after such an empty off season, and if they don’t win, the D-Backs have a pretty good chance too.

Entire Dodgers rotation ends up with ERAs under 3.50

kmaeda

The Dodgers rotation is stacked. Despite injuries, it’ll start the season looking like this:

Clayton Kershaw
Kenta Maeda
Scott Kazmir
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Alex Wood

Even without Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy, that rotation is pretty overpowered. Kenta Maeda was a star in Japan and I think he can adjust, and if Scott Kazmir pitches like he did in Houston, then the Dodgers top 3 is ready to shut down the league. Hyun-Jin Ryu is efficient and powerful when he’s healthy, and Alex Wood can really pitch if they need him.

Enjoy your Opening Day! Go Red Sox!

Ranking The Teams 24-19: My Version: Let’s Get Real

February 18, 2016February 20, 2016 Andrew Roberts MLB, Picks & Previews, Predictions, Uncategorized A's, Alex Cobb, Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Blake Snell, Brad Miller, Byron Buxton, Byung-Ho Park, Cincinnati Reds, Desmond Jennings, Erasmo Ramirez, Hyun-Soo Kim, Jarred Cosart, Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, Jose Fernandez, Jose Urena, Logan Morrison, Mark Trumbo, Marlins, Max Kepler, Miami Marlins, Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins, MLB, O's, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Orioles, Rays, Redlegs, Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, Tom Koehler, Twins, Wei-Yin Chen

Alright, we are getting to the point where it’s a little tougher to rank. But come on, let’s get real. There are still some pretty bad teams out there that I haven’t mentioned.

Alright, let’s go.

24. Baltimore Orioles 74-88

The Orioles didn’t really help their team with the trades made this off season. After Chris Davis (resigned), Wei-Yin Chen and David Lough hit free agency, the Orioles weren’t looking great. They still have holes in their rotation, they are short two pitchers. They also have issues in the outfield.

They got Mark Trumbo and Hyun-Soo Kim, but Trumbo is also a DH candidate, and there is one more spot not filled by Kim or Adam Jones. Right now Jimmy Paredes or Nolan Reimold would be in RF, but they need a better person there. Some of their infielders aren’t hitting, and the rotation is just down to so few pitchers. The O’s already weren’t the greatest in ’15, and they’ve gotten even worse in 2016.

Record Projection: 74-88

23. Minnesota Twins

The Twins may have one of the best farm systems in the MLB, between Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Oswaldo Arcia but besides signing Korean DH/1B Byung-Ho Park, they didn’t do much to improve their big league relevance. Sure, Buxton and crew could put on some good rookie seasons, but this team needs some veterans too. The Twins were mediocre last year, they weren’t in full rebuild, and they had Torii Hunter but they had a good farm system.

They don’t have many veterans to mentor the young guys anymore. Sure, they still have Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Kurt Suzuki and Trevor Plouffe but nobody who’s really all star material anymore. Eduardo Escobar is still developing. So are Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler and Miguel Sano. That’s a large portion of the roster.

Their rotation on the other hand, is old and washed up. Ervin Santana and Phil Hughes don’t have much left in their careers, I would give the spotlight to Kyle Gibson, Tommy Milone and other young pitchers, but they have not done that. The bullpen has also left no room for prospects to develop. Between Kevin Jepsen, Ryan O’ Rourke and Glen Perkins, this is a good bullpen, but just doesn’t have that younger flash to it. Let’s just say this team still needs work.

Projected Record: 73-89

22. Oakland Athletics

This team is in need of a big move. All they’ve done the past few off-seasons is give out contracts to a bunch of minor contributors. This team is still lacking superstars. A team full of mediocre, older players who just aren’t the same anymore isn’t going to bring this team anywhere. Despite the slight splash

MLB 2016 Preview: Cubs, Red Sox Among Most Improved

February 14, 2016February 14, 2016 Andrew Roberts MLB, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Adam Lind, Adeiny Hechavarria, AL MVP, AL Rookie Of The Year, Alex Cobb, Aroldis Chapman, Asdrubal Cabrera, Ben Revere, Brad Miller, Brandon Finnegan, Brandon McCarthy, Brett Oberholtzer, Bryce Harper, Byron Buxton, Byung-Ho Park, C.J. Wilson, Carlos Correa, Carson Smith, Cole Hamels, Comeback Player Of The Year, Corey Seager, Craig Kimbrel, Cy Young Award, Daniel Murphy, David Price, Derek Dietrich, Desmond Jennings, Drew Storen, Erick Aybar, Homer Bailey, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Hyun-Soo Kim, James Shields, Jarrod Dyson, Jarrod Parker, Jason Heyward, Jedd Gyorko, Jeremy Hellickson, Joaquin Benoit, Joey Votto, John Lackey, Jordan Zimmermann, Jose Bautista, Jose Peraza, Justin Bour, Justin Upton, Kenta Maeda, Kyle Seager, Lance Lynn, Leonys Martin, Logan Morrison, Matt Garza, Matt Kemp, Michael Lorenzen, Mike Pelfrey, MLB, MLB Preview, Neil Walker, NL MVP, NL Rookie Of The Year, Pablo Sandoval, Peter Bourjos, Robert Stephenson, Ryan Vogelsong, Scott Schebler, Seung-Hwan Oh, Tim Lincecum, Todd Frazier, Triple Crown Award, Tyler Glasnow, Vincent Velasquez, Wade Miley, Wilin Peralta, Yoenis Cespedes, Yu Darvish

MLB 2016 Preview

There’s just one week till spring training, so its just about time for my MLB 2016 Preview. Below is a video that has some of what I’ll be looking at, but this post is more detailed than the video.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/embed.animoto.com/play.html?w=swf/production/vp1&e=1454716309&f=i3wsqO8iPHL12x2paS1hvw&d=0&m=p&r=360p&volume=100&start_res=360p&i=m&asset_domain=s3-p.animoto.com&animoto_domain=animoto.com&options=

By the way, I actually have the Dodgers winning the world series, but I wanted to show my Red Sox fandom on my Animoto account.

Alright, let’s dig in.

Projected Records

AL East

Boston Red Sox 92-70
Toronto Blue Jays 89-73
New York Yankees 85-77
Tampa Bay Rays 83-79
Baltimore Orioles 74-88

I have the Red Sox bouncing back from an ugly season and going from worst to first once again. The Red Sox were even bolder than they were last off season, acquiring Craig Kimbrel from the Padres, despite giving up former #3 and #7 prospects Manuel Margot and Javier Guerra. Then they signed AL Cy Young runner up David Price to a seven year, 217 million dollar deal. They also signed Chris Young to a two year deal and traded Wade Miley for relievers Roenis Elias and Carson Smith. They now have a strong rotation front and a top closer, along with the powerful lineup the 2015 Red Sox provided.

David Price Red Sox — David Price signing a 7 year, 217 million dollar deal with the Red Sox.

Meanwhile I think the Blue Jays will stay strong even without their 2015 ace and closer (David Price & LaTroy Hawkins). They still have a strong lineup and some amazing prospects, and they acquired some new starters like J.A. Happ and Jesse Chavez, plus closer/set-up man Drew Storen. I think they still have some playoff relevance.

The Yankees meanwhile have done majority of their moves via trade. They acquired Starlin Castro for Adam Warren and Brendan Ryan, plus star closer Aroldis Chapman from Cincy. Having Chapman in New York will heat up the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry as the Sox acquired Kimbrel. The Yanks should be competitive in the division.

The Rays upgraded their pretty empty offense with Logan Morrison and Brad Miller. Centerfielder Desmond Jennings also will return from injury this season. Alex Cobb will also return. I think the Rays are still a little washed up in their lineup, but they have good defense and pitching.

... photo desmond jennings desmond jennings 8 of the tampa bay rays makes — Desmond Jennings returns to the lineup after spending 2015 on the DL.

Meanwhile I don’t think the Orioles’ acquistions are efficient. Mark Trumbo is not a full time starter, Hyun-Soo Kim might not be as good in America, and they still have a serious hole in the rotation. They already had a pretty bad team last year, they just made it a lot worse. The Orioles are by far the worst team in this division. Besides maybe the Rays, every other team in this division will still be in the playoff race at the beginning of September.

AL Central

Detroit Tigers 93-69
Chicago White Sox 89-73
Kansas City Royals 89-73
Minnesota Twins 73-89
Cleveland Indians 68-94

This division’s teams have made many impact transactions but not every team that made an impact in free agency can do well, especially all in the same division.

The Tigers have really improved their pitching game and outfield to match the rest of their good teams. They signed Justin Upton, Mark Lowe, Mike Pelfrey and Jordan Zimmermann and have acquired Cameron Maybin and Justin Wilson via trade. They only gave up Ian Krol to trade and Alfredo Simon and Rajai Davis to free agency. Even after a bad season, I think that the top prospects and star players will combine to make a bad team in 2015 a great, powerful team that will make an impact in 2016.

FullSizeRender(5).jpg — After several signings, the Detroit Tigers’ rotation is looking good.

Meanwhile the White Sox have also been very active in the hot stove. They’ve revamped their infield by trading for both Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie. Lawrie was a third baseman like Frazier but will play at second to make room for Todd Frazier. They still have a hole at shortstop though.

The Royals are still good, but are once again lacking a rotation. They also have a hole in the outfield unless Jarrod Dyson can step it up. So, they’ll compete, but they aren’t necessarily make the playoffs.

Meanwhile, I don’t think the Twins’ youth plus Byung-Ho Park is enough to bring a good season in the Twin Cities. The Indians haven’t done enough by getting Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis. So there are teams in the Central that aren’t competitive as well.

AL West

Texas Rangers 90-72
Seattle Mariners 87-75
Houston Astros 79-83
Oakland Athletics 78-84
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 71-91

I have the Texas Rangers at the top of this division. Look at their rotation. Personally, I think that both Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish are serious Cy Young candidates. The two ace-like pitchers are joined by wing man Derek Holland. They also have a powerful lineup with some guys like Josh Hamilton, Elvis Andrus, Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder who have a ton of potential.

Yu Darvish threw bullpen session yesterday - iFreePress iFreePress — Yu Darvish is ready to bounce back after missing nearly two full seasons.

The Mariners also made a lot of impact trades. Despite giving up Logan Morrison, Brad Miller, Roenis Elias and Carson Smith, they traded for Wade Miley, Joaquin Benoit, Jonathan Aro, Nathan Karns, Adam Lind, Leonys Martin and Luis Sardinas. They also signed closer Steve Cishek, outfielder Norichika Aoki and resigned King Felix’s trusty wing-man, Hisashi Iwakuma. So this is a pretty revamped team.

The Astros are also still a somewhat powerful, young team. Guys like Carlos Correa really stepped it up last year, and they signed some strong veterans like Doug Fister. Some veterans, like Mike Fiers and Carlos Gomez, are also playing their first full season in Houston and others like Brad Peacock are returning from injury this year. The Astros have a lot of potential but aren’t quite as good as the Mariners and Rangers.

There are teams worse than that though. The Athletics made some minor moves as usual, and they’ve recovered from some injuries to players, so they will be better, just not enough to make an impact. Jarrod Parker returns from Tommy John surgery, and hopefully the former star Coco Crisp can bounce back.

The Los Angeles Angels also will get C.J. Wilson back, but this team is in need of some serious luck. Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava must create an efficient platoon in left, the rotation is full of people who are either feast or famine or fresh off a breakout, and they still have serious problems at second.

So the AL West is competitive, but there is a wide division between the good teams, decent teams and bad teams.

NL East

Washington Nationals 93-69
New York Mets 87-75
Miami Marlins 77-85
Philadelphia Phillies 75-87
Atlanta Braves 66-96

The Nationals continue to improve their team. They got solid second baseman Daniel Murphy. They also got Ben Revere for their second unneeded closer Drew Storen. The Jays did need him. They already had a good team, now they have a great and healthy one built off Bryce Harper and star pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer.

The Mets also resigned Yoenis Cespedes and signed Asdrubal Cabrera for the first time. They additionally traded for Neil Walker. They have a strong rotation but still lack power in their lineup. They should be good, but not necessarily a playoff contender as there are much better wild card candidates in the NL.

The Marlins also have improved their pitching to match the lineup they revamped in 2015. But some of the guys like shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, utility Derek Dietrich and first baseman Justin Bour are still developing. At least they have Martin Prado and Don Kelly in the infield, and a pretty powerful, but somewhat old outfield.

The Phillies have gotten better as well. They’ve really improved their rotation, including the acquisition of veterans Jeremy Hellickson, Charlie Morton, Brett Oberholtzer and Vincent Velasquez. Bobby LaFramboise, Jerad Eickhoff, Luis Garcia and Jeanmar Gomez will lead the bullpen. They also have acquired Peter Bourjos to join Odubel Herrera and Cody Asche in the outfield. They have a stronger, more developed lineup and rotation, but still aren’t above .500 material.

Meanwhile, the Braves are much worse. They have some serious holes in the infield, despite acquiring Erick Aybar. Their pitching is worse, even more devastated despite signing minor league players Kyle Kendrick, Alexi Ogando and David Holmberg.

NL Central

Chicago Cubs 96-66
St. Louis Cardinals 91-71
Pittsburgh Pirates 88-74
Cincinnati Reds 79-83
Milwaukee Brewers 65-97

The Cubs already had a good team last year with Kris Bryant and some other dominant young stars making it to the majors. This off season, the really stacked up. They already had Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta, they inked John Lackey to a deal too. Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward also got deals in Chicago. This team now looks to be one of the most powerful MLB teams while still having a starting lineup that’s almost 50% MLB rookies or sophomores.

Offseason moves increase pressure on 2016 Cubs to live up to the hype — Jason Heyward is just one major signing the Cubs made this off season.

The Cardinals still have power in the division, but were fed on just like the 2014-15 Tigers were fed on by the Nationals. What I mean is that without any trades, one team is taking a lot of the Cardinals’ top 2015 free agents, that team is their division rival the Cubs. Their rotation is shorthanded without Lance Lynn and there outfield will miss Jason Heyward, Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos. Even Matt Holliday will hit free agency next season. However they have picked up Jedd Gyorko and Seung-Hwan Oh, and got some good insurance in Brandon Moss and Jonathan Broxton at the 2015 trade deadline. They also could still sign a big bat like Dexter Fowler, Austin Jackson or Ian Desmond.

The Pirates are clearly at loss after losing Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez, but with A.J. Burnett retiring, they stacked up on some pitchers. They acquired Jon Niese, A.J. Schugel and Kyle Lobstein, and signed Ryan Vogelsong. yet they still have thriving prospect Tyler Glasnow. Man, their pitching staff is stacked. They additionally signed slugger John Jaso. But in the end, compared to the Cards and Cubs, they aren’t too good.

The Reds even have some potential. I see potential in this rotation. Homer Bailey, Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan, Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen is who I think will make up the rotation. They could also sign a veteran like Tim Lincecum and let Finnegan or Lorenzen rest after Bailey’s return from Tommy John surgery. If not, Keyvius Sampson or John Lamb will have to start until then, unless Robert Stephenson is in the Opening Day rotation. This team also has some serious holes, and needs some better hitting from Billy Hamilton, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips. They desperately need a third baseman and an outfielder, and may have a ton of last minute signings if they don’t want to suck. Hey, maybe Scott Schebler takes the outfield, Jose Peraza platoons at third with Ivan DeJesus efficiently, and Homer Bailey comes back early and shines. Or they snag the older guys like Juan Uribe last minute.

Homer Bailey Homer Bailey #34 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during ... — In his return from Tommy John Surgery, Homer Bailey should be able to bounce back in 2016.

The Brewers don’t look any better. Right now, Matt Garza and Wilin Peralta are their best pitchers, Will Smith is their closer, and they need some serious help in certain other positions. What are they going to do? Suck is what.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers 94-68
San Diego Padres 91-71
Arizona Diamondbacks 88-74
San Francisco Giants 84-78
Colorado Rockies 67-95

This division may surprise you a lot. The Giants put so much money into this off season, and they only go 84-78. The Padres have the season they were expecting a year ago. The D-Backs and Giants both miss the playoffs and are short of a 90-win season after acquiring or signing a combined four top 50 pitchers in the MLB, two apiece. The Dodgers still rule the division after all that drama. Finally, despite a strong rebuild, the Rockies still suck.

The Dodgers however also acquired some good pitchers in Kenta Maeda and Scott Kazmir. Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy will also return this season. They have a secure lineup with very few holes and a strong rotation.

Kenta Maeda Pictures - Los Angeles Dodgers Introduce Kenta Maeda ... — The Dodgers won a tight race for Japanese star Kenta Maeda.

But what happened to the even year luck in San Francisco? Pablo Sandoval brought it to Boston. Oh well, Giants, all that hard work and my Red Sox still get all the glory, with little to pay up at all.

The D-Backs are also looking better but do you honestly think they can win a division title with the lineup they have? Not happening.

MLB 2016 Postseason

FullSizeRender(6).jpg — My MLB 2016 Playoff Bracket. I have the Dodgers over the Red Sox in the World Series

Okay, okay, I might be getting a little carried away with the Padres doing so well, because the Cubs wouldn’t lose to them likely. Well here’s something I’ll throw at you, even though I have the Dodgers winning the World Series, I nearly considered the Nats to beat them in the NLDS. Bryce Harper is primed for a bigger breakout than even last year’s. I know I always overrate the Nats, and again, I could be wrong with the Nats even making the playoffs. The Mets could take their spot or San Diego’s. You may have actually noticed that I had the Sox over LA in the Animoto video, I was just showing my Red Sox fandom. But lets be honest here, the Dodgers rotation is by far better than the Red Sox’s. They also have a slight edge with their outfield.

Alright, now the AL. Again, I may be exaggerating with the White Sox, I did say the Tigers are ready to bounce back. Now I don’t have them winning a single playoff game. That’s up for debate. But especially if Chicago signs Ian Desmond, think about it. Jose Abreu, Brett Lawrie, Ian Desmond and Todd Frazier all in one infield. Not bad. I see potential for both sides. Again, Red Sox-Rangers could also be debatable, I just believe the Sox have a slight edge in the match-up and will simply win 3-2 in the ALDS. Besides that, I think I agree with my original instinct. What do you think?

MLB Awards

Now its time to make my predictions for some MLB Awards in 2016.

AL MVP

Jose Bautista, RF, Blue Jays

This is just going to make Bautista way more valuable. Well, what’s my case? Bautista was injured for a good amount of 2015, and played through some of it. He had unsatisfactory results for much of the season. But 2016 is the year for Jose Bautista to bounce back. He didn’t have terrible results last year, but he definitely has room for improvement. When he gets heated up, he reaches MVP level.