MLB 2021 Predictions: American League

April is almost here, and when the month begins, so will the MLB season. Just like in my last 7 years writing this blog, I have put together predictions for the season. We only got 60 MLB games last year, but for this year we’ll have a full 162 game season. I just went on my cousin Michael Philipkosky’s podcast, the Master Plan, to discuss all 30 teams, with one episode for the AL and one episode for the NL. You can check out the AL podcast here, and I have my full AL predictions below.

AL East

New York Yankees (96-66, #2 seed)
Toronto Blue Jays (89-73, #5 seed)
Tampa Bay Rays (84-78)
Boston Red Sox (80-82)
Baltimore Orioles (58-104)

I think the Yankees are in a good position to win this division. They lost some of the pitching depth they had last year, but this lineup is still on another level compared to the other teams in the AL East. Even with some injuries last year, the Yankees were able to dominate the AL East, and I expect the same this year. The question is whether they have the pitching staff to go all the way.

This should be a competitive division behind the Yankees. The Blue Jays, Rays, and Red Sox should all finish somewhat close in the standings. The Jays are really starting to come together. The young talent in the lineup is improving and they’ll be supplemented by new outfielder George Springer and new middle infielder Marcus Semien. Their rotation is also really starting to look sharp.

Tampa was the AL pennant winner last year, but this was a team that was highlighted by its dominant rotation and the Rays lost two of their top three starting pitchers. As a small market team, they tend to subtract in the offseason as opposed to adding. As they lose a key element of their 2020 team, they will see a significant World Series hangover.

The Red Sox should get Chris Sale back towards the end of the year, and when they do they could force the Rays into 4th place. After bringing back Alex Cora and making some underrated signings, I see the Sox finishing around .500 like they did back in 2019. However, this team is hard to read. They have a low floor (they could be a repeat of last year), and a high ceiling (they could potentially contend for a Wild Card). The signings by GM Chaim Bloom have included multiple utility players. Bloom, a University of Pennsylvania alumnus, explained some of his reasoning behind this in a Q&A at a UPenn event on Wednesday. He stated that in the past, utility players were often limited to utility role because they weren’t good enough to play a position every day. However, in modern baseball, there are utility players who can play every day at a variety of positions, like Enrique Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez who he signed. These players likely flew under the radar due to the fact that they’re utility guys.

I can’t really see the Orioles competing with these teams. The Orioles have improved since 2019, but their early 2020 success was a bit of a fluke. I think the young talent is starting to come along but it won’t be enough to make a noticeable difference just yet.

AL Central

Chicago White Sox (101-61, #1 seed)
Minnesota Twins (90-72, #4 seed)
Kansas City Royals (77-85)
Cleveland Indians (75-87)
Detroit Tigers (66-96)

The White Sox are really starting to come together. They have a good ace in Lucas Giolito. The lineup is looking great between young talent like Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, and Nick Madigral and more experienced players like Jose Abreu and Yasmani Grandal. I think they have what it takes to make a deep playoff run this year. I have them ahead of the Twins, who choked in the playoffs last year. Minnesota has a strong rotation headlined by Jose Berrios, Kenta Maeda, and Randy Dobnak, but their lack of elite lineup talent compared to other top teams is going to hold them back from more than a Wild Card. The Twins should be able secure 2nd place though, as the rest of this division is unlikely to compete.

The Royals have added talent, including starting pitcher Mike Minor, and they have a decent core led by Hunter Dozier and Whit Merrifield. However, I don’t think they have quite enough firepower to contend. I think they will get third place over the Indians, who dealt away Carlos Carrasco and Francisco Lindor in an effort to lower payroll. Star hitter and third baseman Jose Ramirez is still in Cleveland, but the Indians don’t have any other big name hitters. They also lack rotation depth behind defending Cy Young winner Shane Bieber. Aside from Bieber and Ramirez, the Indians lack star power. The Tigers got off to a strong start last year thanks to the emergence of outfielder JaCoby Jones. They should perform better than they did in 2019, but I still don’t think they’ll be anywhere close to playoff contention in a 162 game season.

AL West

Los Angeles Angels (87-75, #3 seed)
Houston Astros (84-78)
Oakland Athletics (76-86)
Texas Rangers (65-97)
Seattle Mariners (63-99)

This division is not nearly as strong as it was last year. The Angels always tend to disappoint with a lack of success surrounding star outfielder Mike Trout, but I think they’ll be able to win this weakened division. That doesn’t necessarily imply playoff success. The Angels did add some pitching help and that should put them in position to win the AL West but taking down the Yankees or White Sox will be a difficult feat. The Astros should come close as well, even though they lost outfielders George Springer and Josh Reddick. This lineup’s success between 2017 and 2019 was likely boosted by sign stealing, and the depth of the rotation is slowly dwindling, so I have the Angels edging out Houston here, but it will be close.

The A’s will probably have the biggest drop off in the division. They have a very talented young rotation, but without shortstop Marcus Semien and designated hitter Khris Davis, this lineup is lacking standout hitters. Corner infielders Matt Olson and Matt Chapman are improving at the plate, but that’s not enough lineup talent for a playoff team. I have them falling to third place, but finishing ahead of the Rangers and Mariners.

The Rangers failed to contend last year with an awkward mix of young talent and older players, so they’ve torn it down and prepared for a rebuild headed into this season. Joey Gallo is still here but I don’t expect him to stay for long. Seattle has some young talent that is starting to develop and could have a very strong outfield soon once Kyle Lewis and top prospect Jarred Kelenic fully develop alongside Mitch Haniger. Even with the outfield and the rotation improving, this isn’t the year for Seattle to contend.

That’s all for these American League predictions. I’ll have my NL predictions out in the next couple days. In the meantime, feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Ranking The Teams #24-19, My Version: Who will have to Wait till Next Year?

March 24, 2019March 30, 2019 Andrew Roberts MLB Adrian Beltre, Asdrubal Cabrera, Austin Meadows, Blue Jays, Bo Bichette, Brent Honeywell, Cavan Biggio, Christian Arroyo, Curtis Granderson, Dallas Keuchel, Danny Santana, Dee Gordon, Edwin Diaz, Edwin Encarnacion, Elvis Andrus, Eric Hosmer, Evan Longoria, Fernando Tatis Jr., Ian Kinsler, Jay Bruce, Jays, Jed Lowrie, Jerry Dipoto, Jharel Cotton, Joey Gallo, Joey Wendle, Josh Donaldson, Jurickson Profar, Justin Verlander, Khris Davis, Kyle Seager, Logan Forsythe, M's, Manny Machado, Marco Estrada, Mariners, Matt Chapman, Matt Davidson, Matt Duffy, Matt Olson, Mitch Haniger, MLB, MLB 2019 Power Rankings, MLB 2019 Preseason Power Rankings, MLB Power Rankings, MLB Preseason Power Rankings, Nelson Cruz, Nomar Mazara, Padres, Power Rankings, Rangers, Ranking The Teams, Ranking The Teams #24-19, Rays, Robinson Cano, San Diego, San Diego Padres, Sean Manaea, Seattle, Seattle Mariners, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas, Texas Rangers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Troy Tulowitzki, Tyler Glasnow, Vlad Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Willy Adames, Yandy Diaz

Welcome to Article #2 of my 2019 MLB preseason power rankings. In this article, though I am covering teams that are unlikely to contend, all of these teams have something to look forward to, and I will be discussing that. Click the links below for other articles in the series (I will add them as I post them):

2019 MLB Preseason Power Rankings Series:

Ranking The Teams #30-25, My Version: The Bottom of the Barrel

Ranking The Teams #24-19, My Version: Who will have to Wait till Next Year?

Ranking The Teams #18-13, My Version: Who else Misses out on Playoff Contention?

Ranking The Teams #12-7, My Version: Who has Playoff Chances?

Ranking The Teams #6-1, My Version: Super Six?

I also released my 3rd annual preseason Baseball Bits!

Let’s jump right back into the rankings:

24. Seattle Mariners

The Case for the Mariners

There were rumors that the Mariners would finally rebuild this off-season after Jerry Dipoto’s roster retooling has failed the Mariners time and time again. But Dipoto was back at it this winter. He did make the roster a bit younger, but there were no blatant signs of a full rebuild. The Mariners did, however, trade away Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, two of the team’s best players. He also let Nelson Cruz walk. That will lead to some regression this season. Most teams regress after losing their best player or two. Look at what happened to the Tigers without Justin Verlander. Adding Edwin Encarnacion gives them a new centerpiece for now, but how long will he remain elite, and how long will Dipoto keep him around for?

Something to Look Forward to

The Mariners haven’t really found an identity yet this season. But by the end of the year, I think they will be known as a power-hitting team. Encarnacion and Jay Bruce add power to a lineup that already has Mitch Haniger, Dee Gordon, and other big hitters. Maybe Kyle Seager will even bounce back this year. Dipoto seems to have confidence in Seager. The rotation may struggle, but this lineup could be a nightmare at times for opposing pitchers.

Projected Finish: 71-91, 5th in AL West

23. San Diego Padres

The Case for the Padres

The Padres are taking small steps back towards contention after a rebuild before 2017. They signed 1B Eric Hosmer before 2018 to enhance their lineup, and they enhanced it further by signing 26-year old free agent 3B Manny Machado, one of the top two free agents on the market. They also added 2B Ian Kinsler for the year as well and are targeting top remaining SPs like Dallas Keuchel. They should continue to gradually add pieces to the puzzle as their incoming prospects develop and make their way up. Top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. will likely make his way up this year. Though the Padres won’t contend in 2019, the future is bright in San Diego, and maybe Tatis’ first full season in 2020 will spark something alongside a few more veterans.

Something to Look Forward to

I think the #1 thing to look forward to here is what’s ahead in San Diego. Padres fans might be disappointed in the team right now, but that will all change in the years to come. After attempting to rush to contention in 2016, the Padres have tried to take things slow this time around. It has made for a painful few years in San Diego, but the Padres are more likely to succeed now that they have a mix of veteran talent (Machado, Hosmer, Myers) and intriguing prospects like Tatis. The rotation is still a major issue though. That will have to be fixed before the Padres even think about contention.

Projected Finish: 71-91, 4th in NL West

22. Texas Rangers

The Case for the Rangers

The Rangers may not be what they used to be, especially with 3B Adrian Beltre retiring. But they won’t be as bad as people think. People don’t give enough credit to the non-roster invites Texas handed out this off-season. A lot of the players they added deserved major league deals, but waited too long and missed out. This group includes OF Hunter Pence, two-way player Matt Davidson, 2B Logan Forsythe, and UT Danny Santana. They also added Asdrubal Cabrera on an MLB deal. These veterans could add to the lineup’s core of Joey Gallo, Elvis Andrus, and Nomar Mazara. The rotation has some nice veteran pieces as well, but there is no true ace – most of the starters are about equally talented. The bullpen could also be better, but this team should still avoid last place in the AL West.

Something to Look Forward to

The Rangers may not be ready for contention yet, and the future is uncertain. But their lineup could be pretty powerful considering the veterans they added this off-season like Pence and Cabrera. Andrus, Gallo, and Mazara already made for a pretty powerful trio.

Projected Finish: 73-89, 4th in AL West

21. Tampa Bay Rays

The Case for the Rays

The Rays were on the verge of contention in 2018 despite making numerous subtractions in the 2017-18 off-season and at the 2018 Trade Deadline. They lost more of their players in 2018 free agency, and they didn’t bring in replacements. I think that their money-saving tactics will get to them in 2019. It will be hard to maintain a viable rotation even with the opener. This is especially true when you consider the fact that #3 starter Tyler Glasnow has minimal experience as a starting pitcher. The lineup lacks a true centerpiece as it has since Evan Longoria left. Playoff contention is not sustainable for the second year in a row as the Rays continue to subtract. What they are doing is starting a rebuild. The 2018 team was never supposed to contend, and I expect the same here.

Something to Look Forward to

Though I see the team taking a step back after dumping away some of their veterans, young talent has already began to populate the roster, and it could mean good things for the future of this team. Yandy Diaz is an underrated player, and Matt Duffy, Willy Adames, Austin Meadows, Joey Wendle, Glasnow, Brent Honeywell, Christian Arroyo, and others will also make a significant impact in the long run if they don’t in 2019.

Projected Finish: 75-87, 4th in AL East

20. Toronto Blue Jays

The Case for the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are beginning a rebuild after trading away Josh Donaldson and Curtis Granderson and releasing Troy Tulowitzki. Yet they are in the same spot as last year. This is because their next wave of prospects, headlined by future All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., is on their way up. I believe that if these prospects live up to expectations, the team will not regress so much from last year. If things work out, the Jays might be a couple starting pitchers away from contention by 2020. But for now, the Blue Jays will sit around .500 as they struggle to keep up with their AL East rivals, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Something to Look Forward to

The Jays could contend very soon, as they were able to get rid of declining players without suffering from the holes they left. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and others give me confidence in the future of the team. This year, they’ll look to replace the players the Blue Jays moved on from.

Projected Finish: 79-83, 3rd in AL East

19. Oakland Athletics

The Case for the Athletics

The A’s are coming off a surprise playoff appearance. But though they did add SP Marco Estrada and INF Jurickson Profar to replace 2B Jed Lowrie (left in free agency) and Sean Manaea (injured), expect regression in 2019. Their miraculous playoff run will not be repeated. The rotation lacks the same depth is had in 2018 with Jharel Cotton and Manaea injured. The bullpen could make up for that, especially if the A’s use the opener again, but a playoff contender needs a good rotation and multiple power hitters in the lineup. You could argue the A’s already have the latter in Matt Chapman and Khris Davis, but the rotation is definitely a problem, and the A’s could have used another power hitter.

Something to Look Forward to

If Chapman, Matt Olson, and Davis produce like they did last year, this lineup could lead the Athletics to exceed expectations. This lineup also gives me confidence that though the Athletics don’t have much money, they are capable of crafting contending teams that are mostly homegrown.

Projected Finish: 80-82, 3rd in AL West

That’s all for this 2nd article in my MLB 2019 preseason power rankings. Stay tuned for more MLB and Red Sox coverage soon. In my next power ranking article, I’ll be looking at the teams in the middle of the pack, #18-13.

Live on Boston Herald’s “The Rundown”, My First Sports Talk Radio Experience

July 22, 2018October 10, 2021 Andrew Roberts Special Occasions, Uncategorized All Star Final Vote, All Star Game, American League, Baseball Bits, BITBAR, Blazers, Boston, Boston Celtics, Boston Herald, Boston Herald Radio, Boston Herald Radio Experience, Boston Red Sox, Bravehearts, Bravehearts-Rox, Brockton, Brockton Rox, Carmelo Anthony, Celtics, Celts, Christian Burgoyne, David Price, FCBL, Fenway Family Night, fenway Park, Futures League, J.D. Martinez, Jet Striar, Joe Sciacca, John Sapochetti, Kawhi Leonard, Kings, LA, Lakers, LeBron James, Little League, Little League World Series, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Lakers, Luke Vargas, Marcus Smart, MLB All Star Game, New York, New York Yankees, Portland, Portland Trail Blazers, Rangers, Raptors, Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Road to the LLWS, Rox, Sacramento, Sacramento Kings, Sox, Texas, Texas Rangers, The Rundown, Toronto, Toronto Raptors, Trail Blazers, Will Finley, Worcester, Worcester Bravehearts, Yankees, Yanks

On July 10th had the opportunity to co-host a Boston Herald radio show called “The Rundown” with John Sapochetti and Jet Striar. I was invited by the Herald editor-in-chief, Joe Sciacca, who has been so generous to me these last few years, giving me an incredible tour back in 2015 and also inviting me back twice to do mini internships for the last two summers.

I had first met John Sapochetti in 2015 when I did my first mini internship at the Herald. He is one of their most well-known sports talk radio personalities so I was really excited to learn that I would be his guest co-host.

We arrived at the Herald about 45 minutes before the show to discuss the on-air topics we would cover. John greeted us in the Herald lobby and we sat in a break room near the newsroom and the radio studio. I told him about my recent experiences covering the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle and my experience at the Red Sox game I attended the night before. I had taken some notes at the game that I used on the air later on. I also met his intern, Will Finley, who is also a huge Boston sports fan and specializes in sports research. He had an impressive amount of stats that I found inspiring. Shortly before we went on the air, I met John’s co-host, Jet Striar, an NBA guru and also a Boston sports fan.

006 - After Show Selfie — In the studio with John Sapochetti (left) and Jet Striar (right), my co-hosts for the day.

As I walked into the studio, I also met the show’s producer, Christian Burgoyne. You may hear him make comments in the highlights from the show that I put in this blog post. Moments later we put our headsets on and the show began.

In the first segment, John introduced me to his audience and we talked about some things I noticed at the Red Sox game the night before. After that, I took a quick break while John and Jet hosted a political guest, Luke Vargas. It gave me a breather and a chance to reflect on how I did early on in the show.

When I returned, we talked about the All-Star Final Vote and how David Price has not met the expectations of the Red Sox fan base after receiving a 7 year, $217 million dollar contract. Towards the end of the first hour, we discussed J.D. Martinez. He did not have a lot of suitors and he was underrated during the off-season. I think that made it easier for Boston to sign him and so far the signing looks like the best Sox signing/acquisition since Chris Sale.

Below are some of the highlights from the first hour of the show:

In the second hour, we started with a continuation of our earlier baseball discussions. We talked about what the Red Sox and Yankees might do at the trade deadline and how despite the fact that the Sox may catch a break with their easy schedule ahead, their next big test comes August 2^nd against the Yanks. The Yankees could upgrade their roster by then but the same could occur with the rest of the AL’s top teams, making the American League even more of a league of extremes as I mentioned later in the segment.

During our final segment we discussed some trending NBA off-season news like the Marcus Smart to Sacramento rumor. We also talked about LeBron James’ signing with the Lakers, Portland’s need for another guy up front, Carmelo Anthony, and Kawhi Leonard. At the end of the show, John thanked me for being on then I told him it was an honor.

Being on a live sports talk radio show was so surreal, which is why I’m so glad Christian gave me a copy of the whole show to listen to again and create highlights from the unbelievable experience. I was on air for so much of the show that I had to break up the highlights into two 15-minute segments.

Check out the second segment below.

I’d like to thank Joe Sciacca, John Sapochetti, Jet Striar, Christian Burgoyne, and Will Finley for making this experience possible. Stay tuned for a more baseball posts coming soon including Bravehearts-Rox game experience from the press box. For now, I’ll be taking a week off as I have more broadcasting training at Play-By-Play Sports Broadcasting Camp.

Red Sox @ Yankees May 8-10 2018: Series Preview

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Andrew Roberts MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized 'Stros, Aaron Judge, AL East, American League, Anaheim, Angels, Astros, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, C.C. Sabathia, Christian Vazquez, Cleveland, Cleveland Indians, Craig Kimbrel, David Price, Didi Gregorius, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Greg Bird, Hanley, Hanley Ramirez, Houston, Houston Astros, Indians, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley, Jackie Bradley Jr., JBJ, Joe Kelly, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC, KC Royals, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Andujar, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, NY Yankees, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Rick Porcello, Royals, Sandy Leon, Sox, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas, Texas Rangers, Twins, Tyler Austin, X-Man, Xander Bogaerts, Yankees, Yanks

The Red Sox have had it easy in terms of their schedule over the last week and a half. They played the Rays, Rangers, and Royals, taking 7 of 10 during that stretch. But now they face the Yankees, who have won 15 of 16 against some of the AL’s best. They swept the Twins, Indians, and Angels, and nearly swept Houston. They have been boosted by the emergence of Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, and are doing fine without 1B Greg Bird. How will they fare against Boston, the only AL team that still has a better record than the Yankees? They will fight for not just the AL East crown, but the American League crown in this series. They are arguably the two best teams in baseball right now, which makes this intense rivalry even better.

Previous 2018 Results

The Red Sox have already played the Yankees once this season at Fenway Park. The Yankees had even more injury problems and did not have Gleyber in the majors back in mid-April when this series occurred. Despite losing Xander Bogaerts to the DL shortly before the series, the Red Sox, who had started 8-1 due to spotless pitching and an easy schedule, took advantage. They took 2 of 3 in the series. The Red Sox lineup had dominated in Game 1 to bring the Sox a 14-1 win. David Price had a rough Game 2 and left early with an injury. But the Red Sox attempted to come back, and after Tyler Austin spiked the infielder sliding into 2nd, Joe Kelly got revenge when he hit Austin. It ended in a bench-clearing brawl that got Kelly and Austin suspended. Porcello continued a strong start in the 3rd game as the Red Sox won, 6-3. I did a recap of that game when the Sox and Bruins won important games on the same night.

Big Night For Boston: Sox, Bruins Win On Big Stage

How They Line-Up Now

Both teams have powerful, home-run hitting lineups. But both of these lineups have a weak spot. The Yankees have seen several hitters who are usually pretty good slump. Brett Gardner, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez all have a batting average under .230. Sanchez is batting .198. It is balanced out by strong seasons from Didi Gregorius and Aaron Judge, as well as early success out of Andujar and Torres. I was never too high on Gregorius, but he has really proven himself this year. The Red Sox do not have reliable hitters at the end of the lineup. Both regular catchers and JBJ are batting under .200, and Eduardo Nunez has also struggled. But J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez, and Xander Bogaerts have all thrived and led this team.

The Red Sox have the starting pitching advantage, but not all of the pitching match-ups in this series are favorable for the Red Sox. The Red Sox don’t have too much of a bullpen to rely on, either. Craig Kimbrel has been flawless, but the rest of the bullpen has not always stepped it up when the starter struggles. The Red Sox have to rely on either an offensive explosion or a spotless, long-lasting starter to win quality games.

Pitching Match-Ups

Game 1 (5/8): BOS: Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 6.14 ERA)

vs. NYY: Luis Severino (5-1, 2.11)

By no means is Severino going to be easy to face but I could see Pomeranz stepping it up on the big stage here. Once Severino leaves, it will be the offense’s turn to make an impact.

Note: Price has been scratched from his Wednesday start due to hand numbness. I’m beginning to agree with that 98.5 caller who talked about the stress disorder with David Price. Can he handle the pressure of a Red Sox-Yankees game?

Game 2 (5/9): BOS: Rick Porcello (5-0, 2.14 ERA)

NYY: Masahiro Tanaka (4-2, 4.39 ERA)

Tanaka has been pretty good this year, but Porcello has been flawless this year. Moving him a day up brings this pitching match-up into our favor.

Game 3 (5/10): BOS: Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 5.29 ERA)

NYY: C.C. Sabathia (2-0, 1.39 ERA)

I like Eduardo Rodriguez. He has very high potential, but C.C. Sabathia has been great when healthy, and I’m wondering how E-Rod will perform under the pressure of Yankee Stadium.

My Prediction: Red Sox Take 2 of 3

Red Sox Report: Sox Slowing Down, But It’s Understandable

May 6, 2018May 6, 2018 Andrew Roberts Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Uncategorized 'Stros, A's, Aaron Hicks, Anaheim, Angels, Astros, Athletics, Austin Maddox, Baseball Bits, Blue Jays, Bobby Poyner, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brock Holt, C.C. Sabathia, Chris Sale, Christian Vazquez, Cleveland, Cleveland Indians, Dustin Pedroia, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Hanley Ramirez, Houston, Houston Astros, Indians, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jays, Joe Kelly, Johnny Mize, Jordan Montgomery, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC Royals, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Manny Machado, Marathon Monday, Marco Hernandez, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, Oakland, Oakland Athletics, Paw Sox, Pawtucket, Pawtucket Red Sox, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Royals, Sammy Sosa, Sandy Leon, Sean Manaea, Sox, Steven Wright, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Ted Williams, Texas, Texas Rangers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Twins, Tyler Thornburg, world series, Xander Bogaerts, Yankee Stadium, Yankees, Yanks

When the Red Sox began the season 17-2, I knew they would not be able to finish the season going at that pace. So it is understandable that the Red Sox have gone 8-7 in their last 15 games. It does not mean the Red Sox are a fluke. They have still shown signs in the last 14 games that they are capable contenders. But they cannot win every game, and 8 to 10-game winning streaks interrupted by just a loss or two is not realistic for any team to maintain.

But Mookie Betts is still on fire, and Hanley Ramirez has still put up much better numbers to start 2018. J.D. Martinez has also begun to heat up. Betts has gotten to the point in his hot streak where he’s breaking HR records. We will look at Betts’ records, the cooling off of the Red Sox, and much more in this edition of the Red Sox Report.

Red Sox Beginning to Cool Off, But It’s Not a Major Concern

As I said above, although the Sox have cooled off, the Red Sox have still shown qualities of an elite playoff contender. I still think they have the potential to make a deep run this year. What concerns me a little bit is who they have been losing to. They lost a series to the Rays to start their most recent homestand. Tampa barely has a starting rotation. But even a blind squirrel eventually finds an acorn. They also struggled and got no-hit against the Athletics. The A’s are not terrible, they have a powerful young lineup and an improving rotation. But after a 17-2 start, I did not expect A’s SP Sean Manaea to no-hit the Red Sox. It shows that our lineup is very streaky, feast or famine.

Struggles against the mediocre teams is a problem, but the Red Sox have been pretty good against tough opponents like the Angels and Blue Jays. What the Red Sox need right now is to be competitive against playoff contenders. If they continue to prove that they are capable of that, I will be much more confident in their World Series chances. But if they cannot show up against subpar teams, how will they be able to continue to thrive against contenders?

Sox Lineup Has Been Streaky But Has High Ceiling

The Red Sox lineup has really struggled at times. They have scored 3 or fewer runs in 4 of their 9 losses so far. But when the lineup is on a good streak, it can carry the team. At its best, this lineup could probably carry the Red Sox all the way to the World Series. But several guys have failed to come through in recent weeks. Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon, and Jackie Bradley Jr. are all batting under .200, and Eduardo Nunez hasn’t looked like the same guy that boosted the Red Sox lineup on the brink of contention. Everyone in this lineup has struggled at some point this season.

But when on a hot streak, this lineup can take the league by storm. There were several hot hitters that led us to our amazing start, and a few of our hitters are still on fire. J.D. Martinez is 21 for his last 47 (.447) and has hit 3 dingers in that span. Mookie Betts has been on fire all season. Read more about Betts’ hot streak in the next section.

Mookie Betts Still On Fire, Now He’s Making History

Betts is batting .352 (5th in the league) with 13 home runs (leading the league) and a 1.257 OPS (leading the league) on the season. In addition, he’s 12 for his last 23 (.522). He has hit 11 of the homers in his last 15 games and has had two 3 HR games this season (one soon after Marathon Monday in Anaheim, and another at Fenway this week against the Royals). It’s only the start of May, and he had these 3 HR games within two weeks of each other. He also had a pair of 3 HR games back in 2016. He and Johnny Mize are the only players to ever have a pair of 3 HR games two times in their career.

Betts also passed Ted Williams for the most 3-HR games in team history. Betts is only 25. He has plenty of time in his career for more multi-HR games. Could he become the first person to have two 3-HR games in three different seasons? Could he eventually break the MLB 3 HR game record? It is currently held by Mize and Sammy Sosa (6). Betts is in the Top 10 with 4. Betts is tied for 2nd with Manny Machado for multi-HR games since 2016 (11). Betts and Machado are behind just Giancarlo Stanton (14). Betts is more than just our leadoff hitter. He is one of baseball’s biggest stars. But there is an argument for why he should remain our leadoff hitter, and I look at that in my next Baseball Bits.

Injury Report: Thornburg Begins Rehab, Several Activated Over Last Two Weeks

The Red Sox have continued to be hit by the injury bug. Brock Holt went on the DL in late April with a hamstring strain. Mookie Betts was also hurt for a few days in late April with hamstring issues but has since returned and continued to dominate. He also left today’s game with a wrist injury. But several of our previously injured players have returned over the last couple of weeks. Xander Bogaerts was activated last weekend, and he lost his hot streak on the DL, but he went 3-4 in his first game back and has continued to hit well, batting .303 since his return. Bobby Poyner has also returned from his injury but did not return to the big league roster until May 4th after a stint with the Paw Sox.

Steven Wright has returned from the DL too, but he is currently serving a 15-game domestic violence suspension. Joe Kelly recently returned from his 6-game suspension after the Sox-Yankees brawl in April. Eduardo Rodriguez was also out for a few days on a family medical leave but was activated on the 5th to start against the Rangers. He did not miss a start during his absence. Tyler Thornburg, Austin Maddox, Marco Hernandez, Brock Holt, and Dustin Pedroia are the players that remain on the DL. Thornburg has begun his rehab assignment, and Pedroia has been rehabbing at extended spring training. Pedey is targeting a May 25 big league return. Brock Holt is expected to return next week.

Sox Have Caught a Break vs. Royals, Rangers, But Round 2 With Flaming Hot Yankees Ahead

After a tough road trip, the Red Sox have enjoyed a relatively easy schedule over the last week and a half. They have played the Rays, Royals, and Rangers. Despite having a tough time against the Rays (who have won 11 of their last 14 on a hot streak), the Red Sox have caught a break against the Royals and Rangers, who they won 5 of 7 against. But after that, the Red Sox could have another difficult stretch ahead, starting with a 3 game series at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have won 14 of their last 15, and this was against playoff contenders.

The Yanks have swept the Twins, Indians, and Angels, and took 3 of 4 in Houston. If the Yankees continue to thrive against Boston, they will be proven as serious contenders. But Boston had an impressive 17-2 stretch of their own. Although it may not have been against as difficult opponents, the Sox did take 2 out of 3 when they hosted the Yankees. However, the Yankees were without C.C. Sabathia and Aaron Hicks in that series. They have also called up Gleyber Torres, who has done very well since that series. They have lost Jordan Montgomery and a couple relievers to the DL since the series though.

That’s all for this edition of the Red Sox Report. Stay tuned for more Red Sox posts coming soon.

Ranking The Teams 24-19: My Version: Teams That Will Struggles

March 25, 2018March 25, 2018 Andrew Roberts MLB, Predictions, Uncategorized Baltimore, Baltimore Orioles, Blue Jays, Jays, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, MLB, O's, Orioles, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies, Philly, Power Rankings, Rangers, Ranking The Teams, Rays, Royals, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas, Texas Rangers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays

Welcome to Part 2 of my MLB pre-season power rankings. Last time, I covered the bottom 6 teams. I talked about what they did in the off-season, what the case for them this season is, and what their bright spot is. I also discussed best and worst case scenarios for each team and projected their records and division placements. Today I will do the same for the next 6. Some of these teams at least have a chance to contend, but things do not look great for them. Read below to find out who these six teams are and where they’re headed.

Boston Sports Mania MLB Pre-Season Power Rankings

Friday, March 23: Ranking The Teams 30-25, My Version: Who’s In The Basement?

Saturday, March 24: Ranking The Teams 24-19, My Version: Teams That Will Struggle

Sunday, March 25: Ranking The Teams 18-13, My Version: The Middle of the Pack

Monday, March 26: Ranking The Teams 12-7, My Version: Who Will Contend in 2018?

Tuesday, March 27: Ranking The Teams 6-1, My Version: How The Best of the Best Line Up*

*I will also have my latest Baseball Bits coming sometime next week.

24. Tampa Bay Rays

Off-Season Review

The Rays are headed in a rebuilding direction. I would be shocked to see them contend anytime in the next three years. This off-season, they began their rebuild, trading away SP Jake Odorizzi, star 3B Evan Longoria, DH Corey Dickerson, and OF Steven Souza Jr. They did acquire Denard Span in the Longoria trade to add outfield depth, which will be needed without Dickerson and Souza. They also added veteran slugger and RF Carlos Gomez. They brought in C.J. Cron to replace Corey Dickerson, the one dumb move they made during the off-season.

They could’ve just kept Dickerson or let a prospect take over at DH, but they had to bring in a new DH who was worse than Dickerson. It shouldn’t even be considered rebuilding; Cron is practically the same age as Dickerson. These moves will give key roles to younger players though. 3B Matt Duffy, SS Christian Arroyo, SS Willy Adames, OF Mallex Smith, and SP Jacob Faria are all in line to have a significant role this season.

The Case for the Rays

The Rays have some nice pieces that could’ve led them to contend if they had held on to Odorizzi, Dickerson, and Longoria, but now they’ve made it clear that they’re ready to rebuild. This year, the Rays will need to find younger guys to lead the rotation with Odorizzi gone. They will start with a 4 man rotation but should hope to add a prospect in the #5 slot eventually. Brent Honeywell is out of the picture; he is now recovering from Tommy John Surgery. They will also need to find new leaders in the lineup with Evan Longoria gone.

The Strong Point

Tampa Bay made some interesting moves last season that we now know were preparing them for a rebuild, and some of the guys they acquired have major league experience but are still young, and they could serve as mentors for even younger players this season. SS Adeiny Hechavarria, OF Mallex Smith, and 3B Matt Duffy are among these guys. They will help lead a relatively strong Rays lineup. OF Carlos Gomez will also be a leader in this lineup. The rotation still needs plenty of work during this rebuild, but the lineup is in a pretty good position, despite a need for a first baseman/DH alongside C.J. Cron that they failed to fulfill.

Best Case Scenario: The Rays find a pitcher to round out the rotation, and he helps another young Rays rotation dominate the league. The Rays also do well at the plate, leading them just above .500.

Worst Case Scenario: The Rays cannot find a fifth man for their rotation, Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob Faria struggle from the start, and a Rays 4 man rotation lacking depth falls apart by July. Meanwhile, they cannot get anything better than decent out of the lineup, as guys like Hechavarria, Smith, and Duffy do not break out, and the Rays finish last in the American League.

Projected Finish: 70-92, 5th in AL East

23. Baltimore Orioles

Off-Season Review

I was not so high on Baltimore in the making of my MLB predictions. But they have since finished off their rotation by signing Alex Cobb, who could serve as their ace. Cobb was the last big name starter left on the market. They also resigned Chris Tillman and signed Andrew Cashner in order to at least pursue a respectable rotation after losing many starters to free agency. They were also in talks with teams about Manny Machado, who’s in a contract year, but decided to hold onto him for now. Their roster is looking better than it did before the late off-season moves they are known for. But it’s still nothing more than mediocre.

The Case for the Orioles

The Orioles have to decide what direction they are going in. They have a nice roster but need a little more to contend. That will be decided this season. They will either sell at the deadline after early season disappointment, or they will add a couple key pieces after a decent start and head in an upward direction. The O’s have a good lineup, and their new look rotation could surprise us, but it’s nothing extra special, and the team is getting old. Adam Jones and Chris Davis are past their prime, Manny Machado is in a contract year, and the Orioles lack the young talent to take over. Could it be time to rebuild?

The Strong Point

The Orioles have relied on their lineup over the years, but this year, I think their pitching is their strong point. Their bullpen could still be great if they can get healthy, and the rotation looks much better with Cobb, Cashner, and Tillman on board. Dylan Bundy will also be a factor. Their lineup is getting older and declining, but despite questioning what direction they should be going in, the Orioles have really made some nice upgrades to their pitching staff. But will they pay off?

Best Case Scenario: The O’s new look rotation takes the league by storm, Chris Davis bounces back to lead Baltimore’s lineup, and the Orioles head in an upward direction and contend for a wild-card slot.

Worst Case Scenario: The bullpen is plagued by injuries, the rotation and lineup are no better than average, and the Orioles are forced to enter rebuild mode.

My Prediction: 73-89, 4th in AL East

22. Philadelphia Phillies

Off-Season Review

The Phillies are another team that has improved since my early March MLB predictions. They signed Jake Arrieta to serve as the ace to a young, but improving rotation. They could have added a veteran outfielder to fill in if their younger guys struggle, but the Phillies need to establish their new core post-rebuild. Relying on veterans is not what they want to be doing too much unless they’re 100% ready to contend and want to add a star player, which is not quite the case yet. They did sign 1B Carlos Santana though, moving Rhys Hoskins to the outfield and trading Tommy Joseph.

The Case for the Phillies

The Phillies are getting ready to contend in coming years after a rebuild. Now that they have filled the roster with young talent, it’s time to find out who will lead them. That all depends on who breaks out this year. Rhys Hoskins, Maikel Franco, Odubel Herrera, Cesar Hernandez, and Aaron Nola are potential candidates. I do think it is good that they have started to add veterans though because they will need to surround their young talent with elite, experienced players in order to reach the playoffs in coming years.

The Strong Point

The Phillies have a pretty consistent lineup that does not have any major holes, and that really helps in an MLB that can be very streaky. They have a lot of strong players that full out their lineup, but no breakout stars yet, which is what they need. I personally think that by the end of this season, Odubel Herrera, Cesar Hernandez, or someone else in the Phillies lineup will emerge as a breakout star and carry the team in coming years.

Best Case Scenario: Many of Philly’s young stars breakout, their rotation improves as Jake Arrieta, Jerad Eickhoff, and Aaron Nola make a great trio while Vince Velasquez also makes major contributions, and the Phillies finish 2nd or 3rd in a relatively weak NL East.

Worst Case Scenario: Arrieta and the Phillies rotation bust, the lineup is nothing more than mediocre, and the Phillies don’t get any better, finishing with just below 70 wins.

Projected Finish: 71-91, 4th in NL East

21. Kansas City Royals

Off-Season Review

The Royals were planning to rebuild after losing much of their core to free agency. But they brought back both 3B Mike Moustakas and SS Alcides Escobar in the end. They also signed CF Jon Jay and 1B Lucas Duda to replace Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain. They still aren’t the same team they were a couple years back though. If they were still attempting to contend, they would’ve added another starting pitcher and they would have held on to DH Brandon Moss.

The Case for the Royals

The Royals were planning to rebuild, but I think their decision to keep their lineup pretty much the same implies that guys like Hunter Dozier and Cheslor Cuthbert might not be MLB ready yet. The Royals need a couple years before they’ll be able to successfully rebuild. But in the meantime, they’re not making any long-term investments, so you shouldn’t expect more than mediocracy from them.

The Strong Point

The Royals have no plans to be legitimate contenders, but their lineup is underrated. I don’t know why people think their lineup is old and washed up. I could see Alcides Escobar bouncing back for a half decent season. Mike Moustakas is still elite. He may be frustrated back in KC, but if he’s not elite, why were other contending teams making such a big push for him? There were other options. Yunel Escobar and J.J. Hardy are still free agents. At this point, they are unlikely to be signed. Moose was picked over those two, who are decent players. Lucas Duda and Jon Jay can hit too, although it’s been a while since they were in their prime.

Best Case Scenario: Escobar and Alex Gordon bounce back for strong seasons, Moose, Duda and Jay do well in the lineup as well as young 2B Whit Merrifield, and the Royals finish just above .500 after strong hitting and decent pitching.

Worst Case Scenario: The Royals lineup collapses, Moose, Gordon, and Escobar want out, and the Royals are forced to rush prospects to the majors in order to prevent the Royals from falling due to a bad decision/unwillingness for change. The prospects then struggle due to needing more time to develop, and the Royals collapse, finishing last in the division, with below 70 wins.

Note: The Royals are one of those teams that will be very hard to predict this season.

Projected Finish: 73-89, 3rd in AL Central

20. Toronto Blue Jays

Off-Season Review

The Blue Jays had a very interesting off-season. It’s almost like the Jays are rebuilding without overhauling, which is a unique way to do things. Rather than trading Josh Donaldson or even Troy Tulowitzki, and completely emptying out all the vets on their roster, they just made a few good decisions that will help them get younger. They let OF Jose Bautista walk, which was good after his 2017 decline, but they brought in OF Randal Grichuk in a trade. Grichuk is a younger option for them who is also a viable starter, so it works out.

They also brought in Curtis Granderson to platoon with younger outfielders like Dalton Pompey. But they’re still holding on to Tulo and Donaldson for another year to give prospects Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. more time. They also acquired young infielder Yangervis Solarte from San Diego to assist in that job. They signed a couple good relievers as well, just so they could have a full bullpen.

The Case for the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have managed to hold on to a decent MLB ready roster while still rebuilding, and I think it’s a very good idea that will keep them close to contention throughout their rebuild. But it’s nearly impossible to rebuild and contend at the same time, so the Blue Jays won’t be anything more than decent until they are fully rebuilt. This approach will get them there quickly though. It will be like nobody even noticed their rebuild due to their fast execution. The future is bright.

The Strong Point

The lineup in Toronto is nothing more than decent right now, although they have a nice core between Josh Donaldson, Kendrys Morales, and Justin Smoak. But the rotation is their real strength. They don’t really have an ace, but many of their pitchers could emerge as an ace and are pretty good despite inconsistency. Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, Aaron Sanchez and J.A. Happ have all had good stretches. They just need to remain healthy and consistent, which is the difficult part.

Best Case Scenario: The mix of youth and experience in the Jays lineup thrives, the rotation takes the league by storm, and the Blue Jays finish as a close third to the Red Sox and Yankees despite missing the playoffs.

Worst Case Scenario: The rotation is plagued by inconsistency and injuries and the lineup’s older players struggle, forcing prospects up early. The Blue Jays find themselves in a pickle with both veterans and prospects struggling and finish right around 70 wins.

Projected Finish: 76-86, 3rd in AL East

19. Texas Rangers

Off-Season Review

The Rangers need to make up their mind. Are they rebuilding, or are they contending? They went out and signed Doug Fister, Bartolo Colon, Matt Moore, Mike Minor, Jon Niese, and Tim Lincecum to compete for rotation slots but ended up releasing Colon and Niese after they only made the roster older. The rotation will now look something like this, and I still can’t tell you if this will be accurate:

Cole Hamels LHP
Doug Fister LHP
Martin Perez LHP
Matt Moore LHP
Tim Lincecum RHP

I put Lincecum in there over Minor so they could at least have one RHP in the rotation. Jesse Chavez could also occupy that role. But they also declined to sign an outfielder or a 1B/DH, implying that they might consider a rebuild. They did add 3B Trevor Plouffe and 1B Tommy Joseph though. This is a very confusing team. They don’t even know for sure where guys are starting for them. Jurickson Profar, Joey Gallo, and Adrian Beltre could all play third, first or DH. The Rangers have gotten younger, but if they want to rebuild, why did they sign five veteran starters, and why did they hold on to their veterans like Adrian Beltre?

The Case for the Rangers

The Rangers are one of the hardest MLB teams to predict this year. They could dominate or be terrible. They have the tools to contend but also face the risk of holding on to the wrong veterans and collapsing. This season is all about choosing a direction. If they do well early, they’ll get what they need at the deadline and make a run. If not, they’ll likely sell Beltre, Shin-Soo Choo, and other veterans in a rebuilding effort. They did not make it easy for themselves to choose a direction. They could very well end up stuck in the middle if they decline to choose.

The Strong Point

The Rangers still have a lot of power hitters. Big hitters Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus will lead this lineup alongside younger sluggers like Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo. If Beltre and Andrus stay elite, you can still expect a lot of dingers and big hits in Texas. Rougned Odor and Shin-Soo Choo are also strong hitters who are very familiar in Texas.

Best Case Scenario: The new look rotation actually does surprisingly well, the lineup continues to thrive as usual, and the Rangers finish above .500, placing 2nd or 3rd in the AL West.

Worst Case Scenario: The Rangers decline, as the older players on the team struggle, and the Rangers are forced to rebuild.

Projected Finish: 74-88, 4th in AL West

That’s all for Part 2. Stay tuned for Part 3 coming soon. On a side note, I am proud to announce that we have reached the 4 year anniversary of this blog. I have come a long way, writing 534 posts in 4 years. In that time, I have received almost 20000 views and almost 300 followers. I will be posting more about that later today.

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!

Red Sox Top Rangers, Rodriguez Aces MLB Debut

May 29, 2015June 24, 2015 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox Adrian Beltre, Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox, Carlos Pegeuro, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Hamilton, Koji Uehara, Mike Napoli, MLB, Rangers, Red Sox, Tanner Scheppers, Texas Rangers, Tommy Layne, Twins, Xander Bogaerts

After being swept by the red hot Twins, Eduardo Rodriguez and the Red Sox nearly shutout the Texas Rangers 5-1.in Josh Hamilton’s first home game at the Rangers’ stadium this season. In his first start, Rodriguez had 7.2 IP, 3H, 2 BB, 7 K, 0 ER and the win. It started out slow, and pitching was key. Early in the game, it was quiet. The only hits were a leadoff Boston single, a Mookie Betts infield single, where he got caught stealing second and a Josh Hamilton double. The Sox also had one walk and had been hit by the pitch. Bogaerts left the game, after getting hit. Carlos Pegeuro, a new acquistion from the Rangers replaced Bogaerts for the rest of the game.

It was first and second for the Sox in the fourth. Ramirez doubled, followed by Brock Holt walking. Holt moved to shortstop while Carlos Pegeuro went to left field after his first at bat. In the fifth, the Sox rallied to score their first run. Swihart and Pedroia singled, to get themselves 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Betts followed by a single to score Swihart and send Pedroia to second. Still, the Rangers struggled to hit with only one more walk and one more hit.

In the 6th, Ramirez got in a solo home run to make it 2-0 Red Sox before 3 straight outs. Pedroia singled again to make him 3-4, between three outs. He had the only hit of the entire seventh inning. But the Red Sox rallied to secure their win in the 8th. Tanner Scheppers came in. Sandoval singled to start, but Ramirez grounded into a double play. Two outs. Nobody on. Sounds like a huge rally, right? Napoli then walked, and Freeman came in for Scheppers. Holt was hit by the pitch and it was first and second. They advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a passed ball. Pegeuro then walked the bases loaded. Two outs. Two runners in scoring position. Normally for the Sox, Swihart would be out. But no. He hit an RBI single, sending both Napoli and Holt home. 4-0 Sox. With Pegeuro still on third, Castillo drove him in and reached on an infield single. 5-0 Red Sox.

Kela had to relieve Freeman to receive the third out. With 1st and 2nd in the 8th, Tommy Layne came in after Rodriguez’ amazing night. He secured the third out. The Rangers were on their fifth pitcher by the ninth, who gave up a triple to Mookie Betts and intentionally walked Napoli, but Holt grounded into a double play to end it all. In the bottom of the 9th, the Rangers scored their only run, but it wasn’t enough to win. Beltre doubled, and Hamilton hit the RBI single that drove him home. Hamilton went to second on fielder’s indifference. Uehara came in to get the final out as the Red Sox won 5-1. If you’re wondering why David Ortiz didn’t play, due to a slump, he will rest until the Sox get back to Fenway and play Ortiz’s former team.

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