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.

Predicting the Shortened 2020 MLB Season: AL and NL Central

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We’re just a few days away from the return of baseball, and today, the second episode of my 2020 MLB prediction podcast series with my cousin, Michael Philipkosky, was released as a part of his podcast, the Master Plan. After covering the AL and NL East in the first one, we covered the AL and NL Central in the second one.

You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify using the links below:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/al-nl-central-predictions-for-2020-mlb-season-andrew/id1495662343?i=1000485436003

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/21plmNvVQXzPR2H1SmDDbu

In addition, I have added both of our standings predictions below alongside my brief breakdown of each of these 10 squads. Keep reading to check that out.

Continue reading →

March Madness 2019: Previewing the Sweet 16 and Beyond

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The Sweet 16 is almost here, and though my bracket isn’t anywhere near perfect, 8 of my projected Sweet 16 and my 2 finalists are still alive. Remember, I have Kentucky over Duke in the championship. You can see my initial bracket below for reference:

But luckily, ESPN has allowed everyone a second chance bracket. I did not have many upsets on my bracket, but there haven’t been many yet, so I don’t want to overdo it in these later rounds, especially because there’s only two teams left that don’t own a Top 4 seed in their region. Here is my Second Chance bracket below:

But how did I come up with these picks? Read below for an analysis of each game in the Sweet 16 and and a brief look ahead to the later rounds. I also wrote regional previews before the tournament: so you can check those out below:

March Madness 2019: Regional Previews

March Madness 2019: Previewing the East Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the West Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the South Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the Midwest Region

Sweet 16 Preview

East Region

#1 Duke vs. #4 Virginia Tech

The Blue Devils nearly choked against Tacko Fall and the UCF Knights. But they know Virginia Tech well. Even though the Hokies beat Duke earlier this season, I feel that Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and company will rise to the occasion to take down Virginia Tech. Plus, Williamson was out when Duke lost to Virginia Tech, and though Duke was pretty good without Zion, they are nearly unstoppable with Zion.

The Pick: Duke

#2 Michigan State vs. #3 LSU

The Spartans dominated in their first two games of the tournament, led by star guard Cassius Winston. But the Tigers will not be an easy opponent, as Tremont Waters and Naz Reid led LSU to similar results in their first two games. Whoever wins this game should head into the Elite 8 with momentum and confidence. Though these teams are pretty evenly matched, LSU lost their head coach for the tourney, and I see Tom Izzo out-coaching LSU and winning this game.

The Pick: Michigan State

West Region

#1 Gonzaga vs. #4 Florida State

‘Zags was able to squeeze in here after Syracuse was upset by Baylor, but Florida State is not here to mess around. The Seminoles put up a very strong season in a tough ACC, and they followed that up by holding off Vermont ending Murray State’s run. I have Terance Mann and the Seminoles pulling the upset, as Gonzaga made it here on pure chance.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: Florida State

#2 Michigan vs. #3 Texas Tech

I did not see this coming, but the Red Raiders powered their way past Buffalo to make the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. They were led by Jarrett Culver after a strong regular season in the Big 12 that almost led to a Big 12 win. But Michigan was undefeated for nearly half the season despite a late stumble. After they shut down an underrated Florida team, I think they’re ready to make a big run, starting with the win here. I know I underrated Texas Tech a bit, but their run should end here as expected.

The Pick: Michigan

South Region

#1 Virginia vs. #12 Oregon

I originally had the Cavaliers losing to Oklahoma in the Round of 32. They were fine against Oklahoma, but they were struggling in the first half against #16 Gardner-Webb. Though I think the Cavs are overrated, I did not expect Oregon to make this deep a run or even defeat Ethan Happ and the Wisconsin Badgers. Kyle Guy and De’Andre Hunter should at least lead Virginia to the Elite 8 at this point. But don’t expect a crazy deep run.

The Pick: Virginia

#2 Tennessee vs. #3 Purdue

The Boilermakers were able to shut down the Old Dominion Monarchs in the first round. Since then, things have been smooth sailing thanks to the leadership of Carsen Edwards and Matt Haarms. But Tennessee is their toughest opponent yet in this tourney. After struggling in their inter-conference play early this season, Purdue may have momentum in their favor. But I cannot see them taking down Grant Williams and the Volunteers, who dominated against both #15 Colgate and #10 Iowa.

The Pick: Tennessee

Midwest Region

#1 North Carolina vs. #5 Auburn

The Tar Heels were able to get past Washington easily despite a first half scare from #16 Iona. Auburn’s also in a good position. Though they barely won, they did hold off upset-hungry New Mexico State in the first round and went on to upset an upset-prone Kansas team as I had expected NM State to do. Led by Luke Maye and Nassir Little, I think North Carolina will outplay Auburn, but this will be a close game; a battle of two imperfect, but strong teams.

The Pick: North Carolina

#2 Kentucky vs. #3 Houston

Houston did impress this year, losing just a few games. Even in the AAC, which is technically a mid-major conference, this should be considered a good performance. But despite some inconsistencies earlier this season, Kentucky has been nothing but dominant in this tournament, just like they were against SEC teams this year and just like they were expected to be. Led by freshman Tyler Herro, they should get past the Cougars and come into the Elite 8 with momentum in their favor.

The Pick: Kentucky

Elite 8 and Beyond

Here are my projected Elite 8 match-ups:

#1 Duke vs. #2 Michigan State

#2 Michigan vs. #4 Florida State

#1 Virginia vs. #2 Tennessee

#1 North Carolina vs. #2 Kentucky

Sparty should have a good chance to defeat Duke after being coached to victory against LSU. But the Blue Devils are extremely difficult to beat, and after losing Joshua Langford for the season this year, I have Michigan State falling just short. Michigan should be able to get past an overrated Texas Tech squad, but Florida State will power past the Wolverines after a triumphant upset over Gonzaga and head to the Final 4. Virginia’s run will also end here, as Grant Williams and the Vols finally eliminate a flawed Cavaliers team. Virginia’s regular season was pretty impressive, but they have never been the best playoff team. The Wildcats should get past UNC. They performed almost as well as UNC during the regular season, and they have outperformed UNC so far in this tournament.

And my projected champion is….

#2 Kentucky

The Wildcats began a dominant run before this tournament even started. Since their loss to Alabama to begin January, they have gone 19-3, only losing to Tennessee (twice) and LSU (with their head coach). I think they’ll continue to run with the momentum and get revenge on Tennessee. Duke will knock out FSU, and the championship will be set. Though Duke is much better on paper, I think Kentucky will outmatch Duke and win the championship.

That’s all for my preview of the Sweet 16 and beyond. Stay tuned for more basketball coverage and coverage on other sports soon.

Baseball Bits #12: Can Sox Repeat like Few Teams have?

March 25, 2019March 28, 2019 Andrew Roberts Baseball Bits, MLB, Red Sox, Special Occasions 'Stros, 2019 MLB Preseason Power Rankings, ALCS, Alex Cora, American League, Astros, Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball Bits, Blogaversary, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Braves, Cardinals, Chicago, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Reds, Craig Kimbrel, Cubs, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, FCSN, Federation for Children with Special Needs, Houston, Houston Astros, J.D. Martinez, Mets, MLB, MLB 2019 Power Rankings, MLB Power Rankings, MLB Preseason Power Rankings, New York, New York Mets, New York Yankees, NLCS, NY, NY Mets, NY Yankees, O's, Orioles, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies, Philly, Red Sox, Reds, St. Louis, St. Louis Cardinals, Tigers, Visions of Community, world series, Yankees, Yanks

Welcome to my annual preseason Baseball Bits article!

If you were unaware, today marks 5 years since I started my Boston Sports Mania blog! The Red Sox were just about to begin their regular season when I started, and just like this year, they were coming off a World Series victory. On my first day, I posted an article titled “MLB 2014 Preview”, which included my predictions for the 2014 MLB season. I still write these prediction articles every year, including this year.

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I call March 25th my “blog-a-versary”, and this year is a big milestone. All of my opportunities are a result of this blog. Most recently, I delivered a motivational keynote speech about my story so far at the Visions of Community Conference hosted by the Federation for Children with Special Needs at the Boston Seaport World Trade Center (see below):

I started this blog to write about my favorite sports like baseball, which is what today’s post is about.

9de8f0c9-6ee9-4ee2-a397-8d905fbe772d — Top: After the Red Sox’s 100th win Bottom: After the Red Sox’s World Series win

In 2018 the Red Sox became the 16th team in the 162-game era to win over 100 regular season games and then go on to win the World Series. They were led by new manager Alex Cora and a new star in J.D. Martinez. But what most Boston sports fans are wondering about now is how the Red Sox will do in 2019 and whether they will repeat. I did some research on 100+ win World Series winners in the 162-game era and how they did in their next season below.

The Research

Baseball Bits #12_ 100-Win World Series Winners – Sheet1

The “Baseball Bits”

Note: In the context of this article, a team who repeats for 2 years in a row is counted for 1 repeat, 3 years in a row is counted for 2 repeats, 4 years in a row is counted for 3 repeats, etc

Only 23 of 115 (20%) World Series winners have repeated
In the 162-game era, only 16 of 57 (28%) 100-win teams have won the World Series, including the 2018 Red Sox
In the 162-game era, only 9 of 56 (16%) World Series winners excluding the 2018 Red Sox have repeated, with 4 of the teams repeating after 100-win seasons
Of the 15 100 win World Series winners excluding the 2018 Red Sox:9 teams (60%) made the playoffs4 teams (26.67% of the 15) repeated2 of those teams reached 100 wins when they repeated:1976 Cincinnati Reds
- 1978 New York Yankees
2 of those teams failed to reach 100 wins again when they repeated:1962 New York Yankees
- 1999 New York Yankees (repeated again in 2000
The Red Sox did not win the World Series in an 100 win season in the 162-game era until 2018
Another 2 of the 15 (13.33%) lost the World Series:1968 St. Louis Cardinals
- 1978 Baltimore Orioles
3 of the 15 (20%) lost in the LCS2010 New York Yankees
- 2017 Chicago Cubs
- 2018 Houston Astros
6 of the 15 (40%) missed the playoffs entirely1969 Detroit Tigers
- 1970 New York Mets
- 1977 Cincinnati Reds
- 1979 New York Yankees
- 1985 Detroit Tigers
- 1987 New York Mets
Each of the last 3 100-win World Series winners lost in the LCS the next year

The Verdict

Based on the research, I believe the Red Sox have a 20 to 25% chance to repeat. I believe that there is still a select group of elite teams that could win the World Series this year. World Series repeats are less common during the 162-game era as just 9 of 56 (16%) World Series winners repeated. However, 4 of those teams were 100-win teams. World Series winners who did not reach 100 wins in this time frame only repeated 12.1% of the time since 1961. That’s more like a 1 in 8 chance. 100-win World Series winners have repeated 26.67% of the time during the same time frame. I think the significance of being a 100-win team helps improve the Sox chances to repeat.

However, as much as I hate to admit it as a huge Boston fan, I am sticking with my prediction that the Sox will fail to reverse the trend of World Series winners. I think they will lose in the ALCS to either the New York Yankees or Houston Astros. The odds are stacked against the Sox reaching 100 wins as well since only 4 of the 15 100-win World Series winners even reached 100 wins again the next year. I don’t think the Red Sox will reach the century mark but will come close at somewhere between 92 and 96 games. A bullpen with no proven closer to start the season helps support my prediction A World Series repeat is unlikely to happen, though you shouldn’t rule it out yet.

Alex Cora did wonders for this team last year, so maybe he’ll be able to recreate the magic of 2018. If he can, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be 2019 AL Manager of the Year.

That’s all for today’s Baseball Bits. After all I have accomplished in the last 5 years, I look forward to creating even better content over the next 5 years. Stay tuned for more soon, including the next portion of my MLB Preseason Power Rankings.

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

March 23, 2019March 30, 2019 Andrew Roberts MLB 2019 MLB Preseason Power Rankings, Adam Jones, Alcides Escobar, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, Arizona, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore, Baltimore Orioles, Billy Hamilton, Cam Gallagher, Casey Mize, Cedric Mullins, Chris Davis, Chris Owings, Christin Stewart, D-Backs, Dan Straily, David Peralta, David Schoenfield, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, Diamondbacks, Dylan Bundy, Eric Hosmer, ESPN, Goldy, Gregory Polanco, Hunter Dozier, J.T. Realmuto, Jeimer Candelario, Jordy Mercer, Jorge Lopez, Jose Urena, Josh Harrison, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC, KC Royals, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Luke Weaver, Manny Machado, Marlins, Matt Manning, Miami, Miami Marlins, Miggy, Miguel Cabrera, Mike Moustakas, Mitch Keller, MLB, MLB 2019 Power Rankings, MLB Power Rankings, MLB Preseason Power Rankings, Moose, Nate Karns, Nathan Karns, O's, Orioles, Paul Goldschmidt, Ranking The Teams, Robbie Ray, Royals, Salvador Perez, Salvy, Sergio Romo, Taijuan Walker, Terrance Gore, Tigers, Wei-Yin Chen, Yusniel Diaz, Zack Greinke

Welcome to Article #1 of my 6th annual set of MLB preseason power rankings and 5th annual MLB power ranking series. Back in 2015, I got the idea to break up my pre-season Power Rankings into 5 articles from David Schoenfield of ESPN. Even though Schoenfield no longer posts power rankings in this format, I have stuck with it and given the rankings my own flavor in recent years. In this article, though I am covering some of the worst teams in the league, all of these teams have some good pieces, and I will be pointing those out. 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!

30. Miami Marlins

The Case for the Marlins

The Marlins traded away most of their best players a year ago, and after dealing away C J.T. Realmuto this off-season, things can only get worse from here. The hole Realmuto left behind should outweigh the upside of Miami’s younger players, for now. The Marlins did add a couple veterans to the lineup and signed a new closer in Sergio Romo. Plus, the bulk of the prospects acquired from their recent rebuild should be making their way up as 2020 and 2021 approach, and when that time comes, this team will be on the rise again. But for now, they remain in the NL East basement after a rough 2018.

The Bright Spot

It was not easy coming up with something here. A lot has gone wrong in Miami in the last year and a half. But I think the bright spot of this team is the top of the rotation. Jose Urena, Miami’s longest tenured player, leads the group, with seasoned veterans in Wei-Yin Chen and Dan Straily behind him. Straily has had a lot of success with the Marlins, and when Chen is healthy, he shows flashes of dominance.

Projected Finish: 61-101, 5th in NL East

29. Baltimore Orioles

The Case for the Orioles

Baltimore’s 2018 season was historically bad, as they won just 47 games. But with Dylan Bundy and Alex Cobb (likely out of it early in 2018 after lack of Spring Training time) primed to bounce back, they should improve at least slightly from their nightmare season. Adam Jones’ departure hurts, but Cedric Mullins is ready to replace him, and Yusniel Diaz will be here soon. Maybe Chris Davis can even rise to the occasion with Jones out of the lineup. The bullpen is still a major concern, and the lineup could be better, but I don’t think we’ll see any team perform worse than the 2018 Orioles for a long time.

The Bright Spot

The rotation could be better, but so long as Bundy and Cobb bounce back, the rotation could potentially be a bright spot for this team. Bundy and Cobb could provide Baltimore a 1-2 punch, with Andrew Cashner and Nathan Karns among others serving as depth.

Projected Finish: 66-96, 5th in AL East

28. Detroit Tigers

The Case for the Tigers

Detroit’s rebuild kicked into full swing in 2018 after they dealt away several older players at the 2017 Trade Deadline. Their remaining veterans, even Miguel Cabrera, are declining quickly. This rebuild has dragged on for a while now, leaving the Tigers among the league’s worst teams for a third straight season. Even in a weak division, I can’t see them doing much. Before they contend, Casey Mize and Matt Manning will need to make their way up and Christin Stewart, Jeimer Candelario, and others will need to make their big break through. In the meantime, it could be a long year for the Tigers despite some new additions to their lineup including Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison.

The Bright Spot

The infield could shine with the additions of Mercer and Harrison. If Candelario continues to develop this year, and Cabrera regains a bit of what he has lost during the last couple of years, people may begin to wonder how the Tigers are stuck in the AL Central basement.

Projected Finish: 66-96, 5th in AL Central

27. Kansas City Royals

The Case for the Royals

The Hosmer-Moustakas era in Kansas City is officially over, with Alcides Escobar leaving in free agency, and Mike Moustakas leaving at the 2018 Trade Deadline. The team still has a capable rotation, but the bullpen lacks the depth it has contained in past years. The lineup may lack power this year with Salvador Perez on the IL and Hosmer and Moose gone, but hopefully, Billy Hamilton’s speed will at least partially make up for it. Even with Hamilton and Chris Owings on board, this team is bound to decline a little bit more before the rebuilding is over. The next crop of prospects is not ready yet, and during this transitional period for the Royals, things could get ugly.

The Bright Spot

Speed and youth will make the Royals special this year. A lot of young players are primed to breakout, including INF Hunter Dozier, RHP Jorge Lopez, and C Cam Gallagher. Hamilton and Gore will make for a dynamic outfield and add speed to an otherwise dull starting lineup.

Projected Finish: 67-95, 4th in AL Central

26. Arizona Diamondbacks

The Case for the Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks declined a bit in 2018 despite minimal roster subtractions. You might think they would bounce back considering their young roster, but after trading away star 1B Paul Goldschmidt, this team is not going far. The lineup lacks big hitters beyond underrated outfielder David Peralta and new addition Adam Jones. The pitching staff is thin behind Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray. In a tough division, the Diamondbacks will struggle this year, as Manny Machado leads the Padres to outperform them, the Giants exceed expectations, and the Rockies and Dodgers sit on top.

The Bright Spot

The rotation may have lost some of its depth. But until Greinke or Ray leaves, the rotation will still highlight this team. Taijuan Walker’s return from the IL will only boost this strong rotation further. Luke Weaver is also underrated and could make an impact.

Projected Finish: 68-94, 5th in NL West

25. Pittsburgh Pirates

The Case for the Pirates

The Pirates exceeded expectations with a sub-.500 season in 2018. But the departures of Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer (both fled for Detroit) leave a huge hole in the middle infield, and the rotation is extremely top-heavy. The Pirates would perform better with 5 average starters than their Big 3 and little depth behind them. The outfield is this team’s strong point right now, but Gregory Polanco will be missed during his time on the IL. 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes and other top prospects may fix Pittsburgh’s infield problems once they make their way up, and Mitch Keller could make this rotation even scarier. But for now, the Pirates will be stuck on the bottom of a tough division.

The Bright Spot

There are multiple bright spots to consider for this team. But the infield is in such bad shape that it’s hard to rank them much higher than this in such a tough NL Central. The outfield could make things interesting once Polanco returns, as they will own three outfielders who could be considered Top 10 at their positions. The incoming prospects could help accelerate their progress as well.

Projected Finish: 67-95, 5th in NL Central

That’s all for Part 1 of my MLB 2019 preseason power rankings. Stay tuned for my next power rankings article, where I will look at the teams I ranked #24-19 and discuss things to look forward too for those teams.

March Madness 2019: Previewing the Midwest Region

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Welcome to my 4th and final regional preview for March Madness. Today, I’ll be taking a look at the Midwest Region. WIll UNC go far, or will someone upset them along the way? What other big upsets could happen? Keep reading to find out what I think. You can also check out the rest of my regional previews at the links below:

March Madness 2019: Regional Previews

March Madness 2019: Previewing the East Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the West Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the South Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the Midwest Region

I will be previewing the Sweet 16 next week as well!

Now let’s get started with the Midwest:

Round of 64 Preview

Columbus, OH: Games start Friday, March 22, 2019 at 6:50 PM EST on TNT

#8 Utah State vs. #9 Washington

Utah State may have won the MWC after San Diego State’s take down of Nevada, but I still think Washington is the better team here. The Huskies were a bright spot in an unusually weak Pac-12. Expect them to outplay the Aggies, who struggled to keep up with Nevada in a mid-major conference, especially early on. You could argue that the Huskies didn’t win enough games outside the Pac-12, but Utah State hasn’t won many more outside their conference.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: Washington

#1 North Carolina vs. #16 Iona

The Tar Heels should be able to take care of Iona. The Gaels have found a way to pull some upsets after subpar seasons. But a 16-1 upset is not happening. North Carolina will not have it easy in this tournament like they did last season. But led by longtime Tar Heel leader Luke Maye, they should be able to snuff Iona’s torch before it’s too late.

The Pick: North Carolina

Salt Lake City, UT: Games start Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 1:30 PM EST on TNT

#5 Auburn vs. #12 New Mexico State

This should be a close one, and it was one of the hardest games for me to predict. New Mexico State has a long history of pulling upsets in this tourney, and they have reigned over the WAC for at least a few years. The Tigers might not quite be on the level of the SEC’s top teams in Kentucky, Tennessee, and LSU, though they managed to win the SEC tournament. However, I don’t think Auburn will have the same luck in this game.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: New Mexico State

#4 Kansas vs. #13 Northeastern

The Jayhawks had some bad losses this year, including losses to Arizona State, Texas, and West Virginia. But I think Kansas should be able to take care of the Huskies. Northeastern struggled to keep up with Hofstra in a relatively weak Colonial conference. There’s no way they’ll be able to defeat the Big 12 champion, even though Kansas has been inconsistent within their conference.

The Pick: Kansas

Tulsa, OK: Games start Friday, March 22, 2019 at 7:20 PM EST on TBS

#3 Houston vs. #14 Georgia State

The Cougars dominated the AAC this season. Their only losses? Cincinnati, UCF, and Temple. They were also undefeated outside the AAC. That gives me plenty of confidence for them in this tournament. I see them as the best mid-major team this season, and the Panthers should be a pretty easy opponent despite plenty of recent NCAA tournament experience.

The Pick: Houston

#6 Iowa State vs. #11 Ohio State

The Cyclones weren’t quite on the level of the Big 12’s top teams, but they did improve from their 2017-18 performance and will have a shot to make a run in the tourney this year. Ohio State may be inconsistent, but they have beat some elite teams like Iowa and Cincinnati. The Cyclones don’t have that kind of upside, and the Buckeyes will take advantage.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: Ohio State

Jacksonville, FL: Games start Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 7:10 PM EST on CBS

#2 Kentucky vs. #15 Abilene Christian

Fun fact: this is the only Round of 64 game in which both teams have the same mascot. This is a battle of the Wildcats. Abilene Christian was able to thrive in the weak Southland conference. But they don’t have many quality victories, and Kentucky will be a very tough opponent. Expect Tyler Herro and P.J. Washington to lead Kentucky as they take care of business against ACU. But this won’t even be close to the end of Kentucky’s March Madness run.

The Pick: Kentucky

#7 Wofford vs. #10 Seton Hall

The Terriers came out on top in an unusually strong SoCon. UNC Greensboro, who came in second to them, nearly made it on an at-large bid. But Seton Hall managed to put up a respectable record in their mid-major conference despite placing behind Marquette and Villanova. The Pirates have pulled some interesting upsets in the past, and Wofford may have been consistent, but they lack quality wins outside the SoCon. Look for Seton Hall to take care of business here even though I think the committee overrated them.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: Seton Hall

Round of 32 and Beyond

Here are my projected Round of 32 match-ups:

#1 North Carolina vs. #9 Washington

#4 Kansas vs. #12 New Mexico State

#3 Houston vs. #11 Ohio State

#2 Kentucky vs. #10 Seton Hall

UNC should be able to take care of Washington. The Tar Heels had a consistent track record this year, especially within the ACC. The Huskies cannot say the same. KU may struggle against New Mexico State, who will be fresh off upsetting Auburn. Kansas lost a lot this off-season, and they may be upset prone, so Bill Self and the Jayhawks won’t be enough to end New Mexico State’s run this year. Houston should win easily over an inconsistent Ohio State squad, and Kentucky will show Seton Hall who’s boss, especially since they will have momentum in their favor after dominating against Abilene Christian.

And the Projected Midwest Winner is…

#2 Kentucky

The Wildcats’ toughest game might be their Sweet 16 battle with Houston. Led by Corey Davis Jr., Houston has done very well in a competitive AAC conference, but Kentucky nearly won everything in an even stronger SEC conference that has 7 representatives in the NCAA Tournament. Despite the tough Regional Finals match-ups, Herro and Washington should lead John Calipari’s team back to the Final 4. UNC will look to stop Kentucky after putting an end to New Mexico State’s run, but even the NM State game will be a rocky ride for UNC, as NM State can really tear apart quality teams, even in games they don’t end up winning. Kentucky is the best equipped for the Final 4: they have easier match-ups, a top head coach, and a duo of leaders on the court. I even picked them to win the championship.

That’s all for this year’s March Madness regional previews. I’ll give you an update on my bracket and revise my predictions next week before the Sweet 16, so stay tuned.

March Madness 2019: Previewing the East Region

March 17, 2019March 20, 2019 Andrew Roberts March Madness, NCAAM Bears, Belmont, Belmont Bears, Billikens, Blue Devils, Bradley, Bradley Braves, Braves, Bulldogs, Cam Reddish, Cassius Winston, College Basketball, Columbia, Des Moines, Duke, Duke Blue Devils, East Region, Eastern Regionals, Elite 8, Elite Eight, Fighting Tigers, Final 4, Final Four, First Four, Flames, Golden Gophers, Gophers, Hokies, Jacksonville, Knights, Liberty, Liberty Flames, Louisville, Louisville Cardinals, LSU, LSU Fighting Tigers, LSU Tigers, March Madness, Maryland, Maryland Terrapins, Matt McQuaid, Michigan State, Michigan State Spartans, Minnesota, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Mississippi State, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Naz Reid, NC Central, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, NCAAB, NCAAM, North Dakota State, Owls, R.J. Barrett, Rams, Round of 32, Round of 64, Saint Louis, Saint Louis Billikens, San Jose, Skylar Mays, Spartans, Sparty, St. Louis, St. Louis Billikens, Sweet 16, Sweet Sixteen, Temple, Temple Owls, Terrapins, Tigers, Tremont Waters, UCF, UCF Knights, V-Tech, VCU, VCU Rams, Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech Hokies, Yale, Yale Bulldogs, Zion Williamson

The bracket is out. At 6PM today, the Selection Show aired on CBS, revealing this year’s March Madness bracket. Right after, I put together my primary bracket. Throughout the week, I’ll be breaking it down region by region, starting with the East Region today. Below is my official 2019 March Madness bracket:

My final four is made up of:

Duke
Syracuse
Wisconsin
Kentucky

I have Kentucky winning it all this year. But how will these four get there? In these previews, I will look at each of these team’s paths to the Final Four. Now, let’s get started with the East Region. I have also included links to all articles in the series below (I will add links as articles come out):

March Madness 2019: Regional Previews

March Madness 2019: Previewing the East Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the West Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the South Region

March Madness 2019: Previewing the Midwest Region

I will be previewing the Sweet 16 next week as well!

Round of 64 Preview

Columbia, SC: Games start Friday, March 22, 2019, at 7:10 PM EST on CBS

#1 Duke vs. #16 North Dakota State/NC Central

The Blue Devils put up a dominant season led by Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish, and R.J. Barrett. Williamson was hurt for a little while, and Duke wasn’t quite as dominant during that time, but Williamson returned just in time for the ACC semifinals. In this game, Duke took down UNC and they went on to win the ACC. It is no longer unprecedented to predict 16-1 upsets after last year’s shocker, but it won’t happen here. Duke is one of the strongest college teams in a long time. They should easily grab a win here, even if they face NC Central, who earned their way into the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.

The Pick: Duke

#8 VCU vs. #9 UCF

UCF’s season was above average, but they did not have the consistent track record in the AAC that VCU had going in the A10. VCU struggled mildly early in the season, but their season came together when A10 conference play began. VCU may have struggled in the A10 tournament, but you should expect them to back up their strong regular season with a victory here.

The Pick: VCU

San Jose, CA: Games start Friday, March 22, 2019, at 7:27 PM EST on truTV

#5 Mississippi State vs. #12 Liberty

Mississippi State was competitive in the SEC, backing up a strong start to the season with a respectable finish. They may have tumbled slightly towards the very end of the regular season, but they should be able to recover here and defeat Liberty. Liberty will not be an easy opponent though. They come in with momentum after a 28-6 season and an Atlantic Sun tourney victory.

The Pick: Mississippi State

#4 Virginia Tech vs. #13 Saint Louis

The Hokies also tumbled slightly late in the regular season, but they kept up with Virginia, Duke, and UNC in the ACC for most of the season. However, Saint Louis comes in with momentum after early A10 dominance and a surprise A10 tournament victory. Virginia Tech lost their momentum after their late season slip, so the Billikens could capitalize on this momentum and pull the upset.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: Saint Louis

Jacksonville, FL: Games start Thursday, March 21, at 12:40 PM EST on truTV

#3 LSU vs. #14 Yale

Yale also comes in with momentum after a late season surge to the top of the Ivy League standings. But LSU also finished on a good note as they began to catch up with Kentucky and Tennessee after finishing the SEC regular season with 5 straight wins, including one win over the Volunteers. Expect them to outplay Yale in this game despite a close one led by the trio of Naz Reid, Tremont Waters, and Skylar Mays.

The Pick: LSU

#6 Maryland vs. #11 Belmont/Temple

I’ll tell you one thing for sure: the Belmont-Temple First Four game will come down to the wire. Belmont may have lost the OVC championship, but their 5-loss season was enough to qualify them for an at-large bid. They will take advantage of the opportunity. But Temple will provide a challenge after an underrated regular season performance. They are not as far behind their AAC rivals as it seems, and they may surprise people here as well. Either of these teams is capable of defeating Maryland. Maryland may have improved from last year, but could be upset prone after an inconsistent B1G performance and an early B1G tournament exit.

The Pick: UPSET ALERT: Belmont/Temple

Des Moines, IA: Games start Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 12:15 PM EST on CBS

#7 Louisville vs. #10 Minnesota

The Cardinals were somewhat inconsistent for the second year in a row. But they have proven that they can beat top teams, so I have a certain level of confidence in them. Despite losing to them later in the ACC tournament, they did defeat UNC in January. They also defeated Virginia Tech. They may have gotten off to an underwhelming start and regressed a bit heading into the ACC tournament, but they should be able to take down Minnesota, who probably wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t made it to the B1G semifinals.

The Pick: Louisville

#2 Michigan State vs. #15 Bradley

Bradley surprised many when they won the MVC. Their momentum could have helped them make a run. However, with the #15 seed and a Round of 64 date with Sparty, I can’t see it happening. The Spartans made a miraculous comeback today in the final two minutes when they played rival school Michigan in the B1G championship. They were led by guards Cassius Winston and Matt McQuaid. They come into this with more experience, far more quality wins, and just as much, if not more momentum. It should be easy pickings for MSU.

The Pick: Michigan State

Round of 32 and Beyond

Here are my projected Round of 32 match-ups:

#1 Duke vs. #8 VCU

#5 Mississippi State vs. #13 Saint Louis

#3 LSU vs. #11 Belmont/Temple

#2 Michigan State vs. #7 Louisville

Duke has a much better track record than VCU and their freshman trio should easily outplay the Rams. The Rams just found their footing in January and February and could lose steam easily as the later rounds occur. Mississippi State may have been able to take down Liberty, but Saint Louis is out here to prove something after nearly missing out on the tourney thanks to a late regular season stumble. They will be highly motivated to win and should be able to take down an inconsistent Mississippi State squad. Maryland was easy to get past, but LSU will provide a challenging match-up to whoever they face here. I can’t see an 11 seed taking them down. Sparty will put an end to Louisville’s run after a huge win over Bradley.

And the Projected East Champion is…

#1 Duke

Michigan State and LSU will be fun to watch at the Eastern Regionals. Whoever of the two faces Duke in the East championship will make sure Duke has to earn their Final 4 bid. But Duke should easily defeat Saint Louis, and building on their momentum, I have this team winning in the Elite 8 to go to the Final Four. At full health, this team has the potential to be legendary. I cannot see them being dethroned for a while. We will at least have to wait until the Final 4 to see it happen if it happens at all. But this tournament is called March Madness for a reason: anything can happen.

Next up, I’ll be previewing the West Region, where we may see madness in its most chaotic form.

Making My Mark with the Fidrych Foundation

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Today, thanks to The Mark Fidrych Foundation, I was invited to play in their 8th annual charity softball tournament. They sponsored me and all the friends and family of the Northborough Challenger Baseball League. Like in past years, it was a great way to put a closing on my Challenger Baseball season. The Fidrych Foundation has sponsored my team for the last 5 years and I am so appreciative to have the opportunity to play organized baseball.

Today’s event, held at Memorial Field and Casey Field in Northborough, was even more exciting than last year’s event. I played third base on the Challenger/Miracle League team and my dad Ken played with me on the field at first. He batted after me and you can see us both on the bases below.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with some of my teammates after the game, including NCAA 1989 Final Four basketball star for Illinois, Matthew Schnaderbeck, along with his wife, Catherine, and his two daughters, Jessica and Alexis. Here’s me with Matthew and his daughters after we had lunch.

I had a lot of fun playing softball and even caught a hot line drive hit right to me at third and also made a few plays throwing to my dad at first. My teammates and I all got to bat twice, once each inning, so I was happy to get two hits. After I finished playing, I met up with one of my long time Challenger coaches, Sean Durkin, who has taught me so much over the years and he told me he was proud to see how well I played.

Before leaving, I was very excited to get some photo opportunities with some well-known sports personalities. First, I took a photo with Tessie the Green Monster. After that, I met up with Women’s Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist Haley Skarupa. Last but not least, I met up again with sports broadcaster Joe Braverman, who graduated from my high school, Algonquin Regional High School and now I am trying to follow in his footsteps with the same great high school sports coverage that Joe did for four years. I have already started with “Gonk Knocks” covering the T-Hawks football team and look forward to getting some help from Joe during the year.

I’d like to thank Ann Fidyrich and the entire Fidrych Foundation staff and volunteers for sponsoring me year after year to play baseball and softball in the Spring and Summer. Today’s event was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to play again in the Spring.

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

March 23, 2018March 23, 2018 Andrew Roberts MLB, Predictions, Uncategorized A's, Athletics, Austin Meadows, Bucs, Chicago, Chicago White Sox, Corey Dickerson, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, Eric Hosmer, Gregory Polanco, J.T. Realmuto, James Shields, Jose Abreu, Justin Bour, Khris Davis, Marlins, Miami, Miami Marlins, Miguel Cabrera, MLB, MLB Power Rankings, Oakland, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Padres, Pirates, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pirates, Power Rankings, Ranking The Teams, San Diego, San Diego Padres, Sox, Starling Marte, Tigers, Victor Martinez, White Sox

Each year since 2014, David Schoenfield has ranked all 30 teams in tiers during the preseason. For the fourth year straight, I am creating my own version. Throughout the week, I will be posting my rankings. However, I started a little late this year due to the MLB’s slow off-season. Today they start with the bottom 6.

Boston Sports Mania MLB Pre-Season Power Rankings

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

Friday, March 23: Ranking The Teams 24-19, My Version: Teams That Will Struggle

Saturday, March 24: Ranking The Teams 18-13, My Version: The Middle of the Pack

Saturday, March 24: Ranking The Teams 12-7, My Version: Who Will Contend in 2018?

Sunday, March 25: Ranking The Teams 6-1, My Version: How The Best of the Best Line Up*

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

30. Miami Marlins

Off-Season Review

The Marlins underwent a complete overhaul this off-season. They traded four key pieces from their lineup last year: Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Dee Gordon. Those guys were leaders for the Marlins. They could have gone on to contend with that group, but after no success making the playoffs in recent years, they decided to fully rebuild. Rather than signing a couple pitchers and going for an NL East title, they decided not to sign too many pitchers and to make the series of trades they made. In these trades, they added members of their future core, such as Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison, and Magneuris Sierra. They also acquired Starlin Castro to play second and signed a veteran or two including Cameron Maybin to be placeholders in the new look outfield. These trades further advanced teams like the Yankees, Cardinals, and Brewers as well.

The Case for the Marlins

The Marlins have no intention of contending in 2018. This year, expect to see veteran placeholders make up the lineup alongside their more seasoned prospects like J.T. Riddle and Lewis Brinson. In the meantime, the Marlins will be getting their next generation of players ready to play at a big league level. Starlin Castro was only acquired as a veteran mentor, don’t think he’s a sign that the Marlins aren’t ready to rebuild yet. They are in full rebuild mode. But did they rebuild too early? Could they be contending down the stretch rather than sitting in the basement of the NL East, waiting for their prospects to further develop, and carrying around a bunch of older veterans who are past their prime?

The Bright Spot

The Marlins may have overhauled most of their lineup, but they still have a couple strong pieces in catcher J.T. Realmuto and first baseman Justin Bour. Their lineup will remain their strong point in 2018, especially the very core of it. Their rotation needs work. They may have a couple good pitchers, but they need to find guys within their system who can lead the next generation of pitching in Miami. They have plenty of hitting/fielding prospects already making their way towards the majors.

Best Case Scenario: The veterans Miami has signed are consistent and show signs that they still have what it takes to be as successful as they were earlier in their career, and Miami’s prospects get called up quickly and thrive in the majors, leading the Marlins just over 70 wins in Year 1 of a rebuild.

Worst Case Scenario: Miami’s top prospects struggle at the major league level, and their veteran leaders fail to find momentum, as the Marlins lose 100+ games.

Projected Finish: 64-98, 5th in NL East

29. Chicago White Sox

Off-Season Review

As they plan to let a strong group of prospects lead the team in 2018, the White Sox were relatively quiet this off-season. They added Wellington Castillo after several young catchers failed them, and they added a few guys to their bullpen. They also signed Hector Santiago to top off the rotation. But for the most part, they are happy with their young roster. Sure, they could’ve added a veteran leader in the outfield or at third, or even added a new ace, but they can manage with the roster they have, especially if their younger players begin to break out.

The Case for the White Sox

After a rebuild, the White Sox are ready to take steps back towards contention. They will start off slow, but they will improve over the next few years, slowly but surely. Guys like 2B Yoan Moncada, SS Tim Anderson, and CF Adam Engel are hoping to have strong seasons and help lead the team. Meanwhile, guys like Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, and Lucas Giolito are looking to make an impact at the big league level. This year will be about finding young leaders to help lead the team in the future alongside veteran 1B Jose Abreu. I could see Giolito and Engel having strong seasons.

The Bright Spot

It’s younger players who are looking to become the new faces of the team. But in the meantime, the White Sox have some strong veteran leaders. Expect Jose Abreu to build upon a strong season. I could also see James Shields bouncing back to lead the pitching staff and become a mentor for young pitchers like Kopech and Giolito. Also, keep an eye out for younger breakout players. Who do you think will emerge as a star on the White Sox in 2018?

Best Case Scenario: Chicago’s strong group of prospects are successful in the majors very quickly and lead the White Sox to a decent year in the AL Central alongside their veteran influences, who have very strong seasons. In this scenario, they would come in 3rd over Kansas City and Detroit.

Worst Case Scenario: Jimenez, Kopech, and others fail to succeed at the major league level, and Abreu and Shields begin to decline quickly as the White Sox crumble.

Projected Finish: 66-96, 5th in AL Central

28. Detroit Tigers

Off-Season Review

The Tigers started off 2017 expecting to contend. But injuries and old age caught up with them, and they ended up trading away their older players and heading into rebuild mode. They still held onto Miguel Cabrera, Nick Castellanos, Jose Iglesias, and Victor Martinez though. Those four will mentor the younger players taking over, like Jeimer Candelario and Dixon Machado. They could’ve used another veteran infielder, but instead, Candelario and Machado will start full time, and the only major free agent signings by Detroit were signing OF Leonys Martin and SP Mike Fiers, both of which they got done much earlier in the off-season than most of the free agent signings occurred. Meanwhile, veterans Jordan Zimmermann, Francisco Liriano, and Mike Fiers, as well as younger starters Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris, will headline the new look rotation.

The Case for the Tigers

The Tigers don’t have any blatant holes on their roster, but their roster lacks upside. They have a lot of average players, but no clear superstar. Even Miguel Cabrera’s numbers have taken a dip from dominant to average. The question is, can Miggy rebound and lead this young team in 2018? The Tigers will need someone to step it up and emerge as a true leader. They have a good amount of veteran mentors, but nobody who can carry the team. Who will break out and emerge as a star for them?

The Bright Spot

Like I said, it’s hard to name one leader or bright spot on this mediocre team, and mediocre teams with a lack of a leader and few experienced players are known to struggle. I see Miggy and Victor Martinez rebounding for strong seasons and emerging as leaders. Once the Tigers can find themselves a leader, they could be going places, as the younger players follow in their footsteps and help bring the Tigers back to the playoffs a couple years down the road.

Best Case Scenario: Detroit’s young roster gets off to a hot start, the well-balanced rotation thrives and Miguel Cabrera bounces back to lead the team as the Tigers jump right back into third place in Year 2 of a rebuild.

Worst Case Scenario: The rotation cannot find an identity, Detroit’s younger players struggle and disappoint, Miggy continues to struggle, and nobody else steps up to lead as they end up in the American League basement.

Projected Finish: 69-93, 4th in AL Central

27. Pittsburgh Pirates

Off-Season Review

In 2016 and 2017, the Pirates found themselves stuck in the middle. They had a strong, but declining lineup and a rotation that was beginning to collapse. This off-season, they made a definitive choice to begin a rebuild, and they started by trading Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole, their best hitter and their best pitcher. After that, their off-season was very quiet, and Spring Training will be focused on getting their young prospects ready to play every day in the MLB. They got some of those prospects as a return from the Astros (who acquired Cole) and the Giants (who acquired Cutch). That group includes RHP Kyle Crick, RHP Joe Musgrove, and 3B Colin Moran.

The Case for the Pirates

The Pirates have made it clear what direction they’re headed in, and they will not contend in 2018. They have some nice pieces that will help them alongside their top prospects in the coming years, but right now, the veterans are just there to keep the Pirates playing at a major league level (at the very least). In the meantime, the Pirates will focus on getting their prospects ready. Expect to see a lot of Austin Meadows, Colin Moran, Jordan Luplow, Josh Bell, Bryce Brentz and Max Moroff in the Pirates lineup. All those guys are potential leaders for the next generation in Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, their biggest need is a successful young pitcher. They have yet to find one, but as soon as they do, expect to see him up in the majors getting a chance to prove himself. The Pirates still have a decent lineup, so if they can get a few young hitters ready and fix up their rotation, expect to see them back in the playoffs in a few years.

The Bright Spot

The Pirates still have a great group of guys in the outfield. Not only do the Pirates have some good defense out there, but these guys will continue to lead the Pirates lineup. Despite trading away Cutch, they have brought in Corey Dickerson, another power hitting outfielder to replace him. They also have plenty of prospects who will see time back there including top prospect Austin Meadows. Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco will also continue to serve as leaders on this team. Their rotation may need work, and the infield has yet to find their starting mix, but this Pirates outfield is all set.

Best Case Scenario: Pittsburgh’s prospects crack the majors and make an impact quickly, Polanco and Marte continue to serve as leaders and mentors, and the young rotation looks a little better as the Pirates get right above the 70-win line.

Worst Case Scenario: Injuries and struggles plague the Pirates rotation, Pittsburgh’s veterans decline, and the prospects are forced to lead the team and fail to handle the pressure as Pittsburgh collapses in Year 1 of their rebuild.

Projected Finish: 67-95, 5th in NL Central

26. San Diego Padres

Off-Season Review

Last season I said the Padres were in a horrific rebuild after making a mistake in signing a bunch of veterans past their prime to lead the 2016 team and some of you disagreed, saying that the Padres have talent that will anchor their next generation. Whoever said that is correct because now that the Padres have gotten their top prospects MLB ready, they are ready to take steps back toward contention mode. Manuel Margot and Fernando Tatis Jr. are some of the young guns who can help lead this team, and the Padres have added a couple veterans to further boost the roster.

They may have made the biggest signing of the off-season when they added 1B Eric Hosmer. They also acquired SS Freddy Galvis and 3B Chase Headley (who was here to start his MLB career) after giving up infielder Yangervis Solarte. Wil Myers will also continue to be a veteran mentor as he returns to the outfield. He will allow San Diego’s younger outfielders to platoon, and they will not be pressured to perform like everyday starters.

The Case for the Padres

After a brief rebuild, the Padres are headed back in an upward direction. But legitimate playoff contention will take a year or two. This year, their young roster will continue to develop as their veterans lead the team in an upward direction. Once guys like Carlos Asuaje and 19-year old prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. are ready to contend alongside Hosmer, Myers, and co., the Padres will be going places.

The Bright Spot

In my opinion, Hosmer will emerge as a leader, star, and mentor on his new team. With the Royals, Hosmer was never a sole leader or the face of the team, but he was on the brink of stardom as he continued to thrive in Kansas City. In San Diego, he will emerge as one of the league’s premium position players as he leads the team and emerges as a superstar. He is already an All-Star Game regular, but he hasn’t received the love and respect he deserves. Now that he’s arguably the best player on his new team, he will completely breakout, and the league will recognize that.

Best Case Scenario: With an upgraded, well-balanced roster, the Padres will get off to a fast start and compete in the NL West. However, in what’s arguably the toughest division in the league, they will not see the playoffs quite yet.

Worst Case Scenario: San Diego’s prospects disappoint in their first years, and the Padres fail to find leaders and mentors in their veterans, which will further affect the young guns as the Padres end up in dead last after they cannot handle the pressure of their division.

Projected Finish: 69-93, 5th in NL West

25. Oakland Athletics

Off-Season Review

Oakland did not do much this off-season, as many of their younger players are finally ready to become everyday players. But they did make a few moves to enhance the roster. They added young OF Stephen Piscotty to take some pressure off rookie CF Dustin Fowler. Now Boog Powell and Jake Smolinski will be able to back Fowler up. They also signed SP Trevor Cahill when Jharel Cotton lost his 2018 season to Tommy John Surgery. Now the rotation will look something like this:

Kendall Graveman RHP
Sean Manaea LHP
Andrew Triggs RHP
Trevor Cahill RHP
Paul Blackburn/Daniel Mendgen*

* A.J. Puk could eventually snag this rotation slot

Other than that, Oakland was pretty quiet this off-season, and it will not hurt them. They didn’t need to do much to keep the roster in good shape. But they will not contend yet. That all depends on when guys like Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, and A.J. Puk breakout.

The Case for the Athletics

Like I said, the A’s are on the brink of contention, but they need a breakout star or two first. They have a lot of great young pieces, and they are headed in an upward direction now. They have a home run hitter too. But they need a couple younger players to lead the A’s if they want to get back to the playoffs. I don’t care who. It could be Matt Olson, Sean Manaea, Matt Chapman, Andrew Triggs, anyone. I could personally see Manaea or Triggs breaking through, and I also like Olson and Chapman. A.J. Puk is also a breakout candidate. Although I do not have the Athletics contending this year, they could be in a great position by Opening Day 2019.

The Bright Spot

The A’s may not be contending yet, but if they can combine rotation and lineup consistency with the power hitting core they already have, they can make a run at the playoffs. Khris Davis was one of the Top 5 HR hitters of 2017 (the top three are now all part of the AL East). Yes, only Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and J.D. Martinez hit more. I see Davis repeating this over the next couple years, and combining that with Oakland’s flurry of young talent on the brink of a breakout could make for great things. The future is very bright in Oakland.

Best Case Scenario: Davis continues to keep up with the best in the power-hitting department, many of Oakland’s younger players break through, and the A’s jump right back into contention with a record around .500, putting them in great shape for 2019.

Worst Case Scenario: Davis drops off, the rotation is plagued by injuries, and nobody emerges as a leader/star as the A’s disappoint and bore many in 2018.

Projected Finish: 68-94, 5th in AL West*

Note: Although I see a lot of potential here, they need to prove themselves before I can rank them too much higher.

That’s all for this article. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon. I will also have my preseason Baseball Bits up before the regular season begins next week. On a side note, I was unable to finish my March Madness previews, but my bracket is busted anyway, and you can click here for my second chance picks. Also, stay tuned for my update on NFL free agency.

Red Sox Rally Their Way to Victory over Detroit

June 10, 2017June 10, 2017 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox Alex Wilson, Boston Red Sox, Brian Johnson, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, Hanley Ramirez, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley Jr., JBJ, Justin Upton, Mike Mahtook, Mitch Moreland, MLB, Mookie Betts, Nicholas Castellanos, Pablo Sandoval, Red Sox, Tigers, Victor Martinez, Xander Bogaerts

3-3 ballgame. It was the bottom of the 8th, and ex-Red Sox pitcher Alex Wilson was on the mound. It was high in the air. I knew it was gone the minute I saw it. JBJ had just nailed a go-ahead home run to give the Red Sox the 5-3 lead.

The Red Sox went on to top the Tigers 5-3. Each team got 11 hits in this big hitting game. Mitch Moreland went 3-4 with 2 RBI, JBJ went 2-4 with another 3 RBI. Lots of good plays by JBJ and Mookie Betts made the game interesting and I was at the game and witnessed the great comeback victory.

It started out ugly for the Sox though. Brian Johnson gave up a dinger with 1 out in the 1st inning to Nicholas Castellanos. But the Tigers weren’t done. Both Victor and J.D. Martinez got on base, and it was 1st and 2nd with 2 down. Then Justin Upton knocked Victor Martinez in with his single up the middle. It was 2-0 Tigers after 1 inning and Brian Johnson had thrown almost 30 pitches. Johnson tried to settle down after that, but in the next two innings he reached 70 pitches. He had given up 5 hits and a walk in 3 innings.

Then to begin the 4th, Mikie Mahtook nailed a dinger into the bleachers. 3-0 Detroit.

However, the Red Sox began to rally in the 4th inning. Mitch Moreland answered with a leadoff home run to center. Then after a Benintendi single and Ramirez walk, it was 1st and 2nd. Then Bradley Jr. hit a line drive single to knock in a 2nd run. 3-2 Tigers.

However, Pablo Sandoval ended the rally on a double play. Panda struggled all game, striking out twice and grounding into this double play. He also made 2 plays that could’ve been called errors.

The Tigers tried to strike back. Victor Martinez got a base hit, and then J.D. Martinez doubled to center and Victor was on third, but it wasn’t enough. After Brian Johnson and Heath Hembree were done, Joe Kelly was an absolute machine against Detroit in the 7th.

Mookie Betts tried to start another rally when he doubled, but it failed. However, the Red Sox came back in the 8th. Alex Wilson, the former Red Sox player, was pitching. Fans were booing and taunting him. Bogaerts got on base, and then he reached second when Wilson wildly tried to pick him off at first. Then Moreland drove in another run with an RBI single. It was a tie ballgame, 3-3. Benintendi lined out, and Ramirez was out on a lazy fly ball.

Then, JBJ hit a huge dinger to right. Everyone was cheering. They had come back! The Red Sox were up 5-3 going into the top of the 9th, and Craig Kimbrel came right into the game. After a strikeout, a foul pop up and another strikeout, the Red Sox won 5-3. Kimbrel got the 3 out, 10 pitch save.

Here’s the final strike. My good luck may have factored in again. I even got a picture of the win dance, where JBJ was honored. They did their ski jump and I got it on camera.

Can they get into a good stretch after a big win tonight? Chris Sale starts tomorrow and it should be a rude awakening for Detroit tomorrow night.

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