Topps Now

Hey everyone, Drew back here. So last season, Topps introduced "Topps Now", which basically recaps all of the big moments over the course of the season. Essentially, a MUCH better version of Upper Deck Documentary; if you remember that monstrosity back from 2008. However, there was definitely one flaw. Every card in the set costs $10 from Topps' website; which is a bit high for my liking.

Yet... I couldn't resist. I was working really hard last summer and making a lot of the money I spent abroad back, and I allowed myself to spend a certain amount of my weekly paychecks on cards in order to keep myself motivated to save up. While this was happening, the Baby Bombers came to town, and I had several opportunities to capture some of their most exciting moments on cardboard. I couldn't pass up.

I resisted Topps Now all season. Until August 13th. Just after A-Rod played his final game, the kids got their chance to prove themselves. 

Tyler Austin kicked off the festivities by hitting a home run in his first at bat just inside the right field foul pole. It probably wasn't a home run in any other stadium, but who cares?

Aaron Judge followed up with what would have been a home run in EVERY stadium, a center field blast that flew 457 feet and probably still hasn't landed yet. He hit 3 more home runs in 2016, but struck out in literally half of his at bats. Hopefully he can correct those issues, because his power is scary, as we saw Friday in the Yankees spring debut. Grant Brisbee put it best.

Austin and Judge's moment was special, but Gary Sanchez stole the show shortly after for the remainder of the season. In fact, he was good enough to almost win the Rookie of the Year award despite only playing in 53 games! This card highlights his torrid 8 home run start in 19 games. Little did Topps know, there would be more to come.

On September 8th, the Rays and Yankees traded blasts all game, but Tyler Austin had the last laugh in the bottom of the 9th to win it! Austin has been through a lot of ups and downs on his way to the big leagues, so he's an easy guy to root for. Unfortunately, he was in line to be somewhat of a utility man this year but fractured his foot after fouling a ball off of it.

But back to El Gary, because, duh. My last Topps Now from the season recognized Sanchez's record home run pace. No matter how good Gary turns out, I don't think he or frankly anyone will ever be able to replicate the start he had. I don't know if there was ever a time in the regular season that I was more excited to turn on a Yankees game than I was during Gary's tear last September. It was a great sign of things to come, that's for sure.

But there was a surprise perk to spending as much money as I did from Topps. I; as well as others who bought into Topps Now, were sent a Christmas card from Topps that included a baseball card (front & back):

This card was quite the reminder of just how fun the 2016 season was for baseball fans. The Cubs won the World Series... does it get any better than that (besides a Yankees title)? Ichiro collected his 3,000th hit in this country, and Big Papi had a farewell tour after criticizing Jeter and Rivera for having farewell tours! Good times.

Sometime last week, Topps sent me yet another surprise celebrating the beginning of the 2017 baseball season!

To be fair, this Mike Trout card is more of a promotion than anything else, but it was definitely cool to get a first look at the new design. I saw people receiving the Christmas card on Twitter before I got mine, but this time I didn't expect it at all. Trout is a special player, and his career statistical comparisons to Mickey Mantle really blow me away. We need to realize what we're watching now and enjoy it for what it is. Now if only we could find a way to get him in pinstripes...

So, I like Topps Now. It's a neat concept, and I think Topps executed it really well! Unfortunately, I probably can't keep spending money on them in 2017 if they're going to be $10 a card. Even for $5, I would consider buying more of them.

What do you think of Topps Now, and how much are you willing to pay for one? Leave their thoughts in the comment section below.

My Midseason Report - AL Preseason Prediction Update

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Hey guys, Drew back here. Just as any of baseball's best may occasionally get in a slump, I have recently been stuck in my very own. To bust out of my blogging funk, I decided to come back to my preseason predictions since today is an approximate halfway point of the season (more or less). I must say, I impressed myself with some of my early thoughts, but others definitely made me look silly. And don't worry: you will get to see both the good and the bad. I'll kick this off updating my American League picks, and will do the National League separately.

If you wish to re-read my initial thoughts and predictions on the league, feel free to take a look:

AL East, AL Central, AL West, Award Predictions, Playoffs

AL East 

My Preseason Standings Prediction - 
Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays

Predicted Division MVP - Josh Donaldson
Predicted Division Cy Young - Alex Cobb
Playoff Teams - Boston, Toronto (Wild Card)

Current Standings (as of July 5th) -
New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox

Division MVP - Josh Donaldson
Division Cy Young - Chris Archer
Playoff Teams - New York, Baltimore (Wild Card)

There is nothing set in stone for this year's weakest division at this point, with each team within at least 6 games of first place. The Red Sox have won seven of their previous ten games, and despite being in last right now this race is far from over. I nailed the hammer on the head with my prediction of Donaldson as division MVP; who recently was revealed to have the most fan votes of any player in All Star ballot history! Manny Machado has also been arguably as good, if not better than Donaldson, but I'll go with Donaldson as MVP considering some of the terrible predictions soon to follow.

I have to be honest here: I completely botched the Alex Rodriguez situation. In March, I wrote "And no, there's absolutely no reason to believe that 39 year old injury prone Alex Rodriguez will make any sort of difference, let alone be relevant next year". Alex has been impressive on and off the field, handling everything more maturely than he ever has. He's been a borderline All Star in my book, but I'm not surprised that he fell short of making the cut. The fact that I have somewhat relinquished my previous distaste for him shows how far he's come over the past year.

AL Central

My Preseason Standings Prediction - 
Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins

Predicted Division MVP - Jose Abreu
Predicted Division Cy Young - Chris Sale
Playoff Teams - Chicago

Current Standings (as of July 5th) -
Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox

Division MVP - Omar Infante (just kidding: Jason Kipnis)
Division Cy Young - Chris Sale
Playoff Teams - Kansas City, Minnesota (Wild Card)

The Royals have made a lot of enemies since their fans ran up the vote tallies for the All Star Game, but luckily only 4 players will be in the American League's starting lineup. The four that made the team are certainly debatable; I personally would've went elsewhere for each position, but I am content with the results. I expected last year's pennant winning squad to make a run for the playoffs and just fall short, but it appears that I may have been wrong there.

What I was more wrong on than just about anything else was my White Sox pick. I probably got a bit too excited over their spending spree, but I know I certainly wasn't alone. They filled a lot of holes on their roster last winter, but it clearly hasn't worked as well as planned. Their one shining light has been Chris Sale, who is a candidate to start the All Star Game coming soon in Cincinnati.

AL West

My Preseason Standings Prediction - 
Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics

Predicted Division MVP - Mike Trout
Predicted Division Cy Young - Felix Hernandez
Playoff Teams - Los Angeles, Seattle (Wild Card)

Current Standings (as of July 5th) -
Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics

Division MVP - Mike Trout
Division Cy Young - Dallas Keuchel
Playoff Teams - Houston, Los Angeles (Wild Card)

Boy, has Houston been a revelation or what? I am proud to have said they would improve substantially in 2015, but I wasn't gutsy enough to place them ahead of the heavily favored Angels and Mariners. In fact, I even picked the Mariners to go to the World Series (more on that later). With the way Carlos Correa has sparked that offense, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if they hold on and win the division.

The Angels have been a disaster internally that is waiting to implode, considering their respected GM Jerry Dipoto recently stepped down after turmoil between he, manager Mike Scioscia, and owner Arte Moreno. And to all those people thinking Billy Beane had a plan for 2015, you appear to be wrong. Luckily, I wasn't one of those people. The organization may be in better hands in the years to come, but this team has been unimpressive, to say the least.

Award Predictions

AL MVP - Mike Trout
AL Cy Young - Chris Sale
AL Rookie of the Year - Rusney Castillo
AL Manager of the Year - Lloyd McClendon
AL Comeback Player of the Year - Chris Davis

I took a safe approach with my MVP and Cy Young choices, and both Trout and Sale have at least merited consideration for the nonexistent midseason award. My Rookie of the Year pick was a wash, and I fully expect Carlos Correa to come home with the trophy by season's end. McClendon has not been half as impressive as I guessed, and the Manager of the Year should definitely be given to my Dark Horse candidate, AJ Hinch (Astros). Finally, I made a gut call saying that Chris Davis would come back with a monster 2015, but it's evident that Prince Fielder and Alex Rodriguez have made better cases for the award.

Preseason Playoff Picks

Wild Card Game - Toronto vs. Seattle
My Pick - Seattle

Division Series - Chicago vs. Boston
My Pick - Chicago in 5

Division Series - Seattle vs. Los Angeles
My Pick - Seattle in 4

Championship Series - Seattle vs. Chicago
My Pick - Seattle in 6

Pennant Winner - Seattle

At this point of the season, the only team of these five that is slated to make the playoffs are the Angels, who would currently be fighting in the Wild Card game versus either the Twins or Orioles. And Seattle? Yeah, I was on that bandwagon too, and I can admit that I was wrong. Very wrong. Robinson Cano has not been half of what I expected him to be as he is settling into the rain capital of the US, while Nelson Cruz started off beyond expectations but since has gone cold. Besides Felix Hernandez, the remainder of their rotation has been inconsistent at best (although Mike Montgomery has recently impressed), and their bullpen is in shambles.

I'm going to stand by my choices, even though the path to having things work out this way would take a lot of maneuvering over the next three months. Every American League team is within 6.5 games of making the Wild Card Game, and the parity is unbelievable, as I did expect early on. Baseball has been more fun to watch than it has been in a while in my opinion, and I'll gladly be wrong with all of my picks if it makes for exhilarating performances by unforeseen teams. Between the surprise Twins, Astros, and even my Yankees, I've had a lot of fun with the 2015 season.

I'll be back with my take on the National League soon. See Ya!

Ten for Tuesday - Worth the Price of Admission

Hey guys, Drew back here! A lot has been said over the past few years how baseball has lost some of its magic among the younger crowd. Kids these days seem to gravitate towards quicker paced games such as football and basketball because this generation has been prone to a lack of attention span. However, the game appears to be at its purest since the Golden Eras of the 1950's and 1960's, thanks in part to the collection of excellent prospects debuting practically every year. Prospects such as Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant have generated more interest before their MLB debuts than the best players in the majors at the time such as Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols. The only piece missing to the game is the peaked interest of young kids, which is vitally important towards keeping our beloved game going strong for years to come.

This week's list will be meant as suggestions of players to perhaps show your kids (or, if you are a kid, to check out) that could make them the fan you are in the future! All of the players on this list are below the age of 27, because I felt like the list needed to be capped at some point, so you won't see Clayton Kershaw, Buster Posey, or Andrew McCutchen on this countdown. Also, this list is not based solely upon statistics and talent, but additionally focuses on the likability and excitement factors.

10 Most Exciting Young Players to Watch in 2015

Honorable Mentions - Nolan Arenado, Masahiro Tanaka, Anthony Rizzo, Manny Machado, Billy Hamilton

If you're looking for premium five tool talents, watch out for Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado. They are big power seasons away from debuting on this list, but in the meantime, check out some of the glovework they've displayed recently. And if you're in a need for speed, Billy Hamilton is the best in the business. If he improves at getting on base, he will easily crack the top 10.

10 - Madison Bumgarner, SP, San Francisco Giants (Video)

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There is nothing about this man that appears to be 25 years old, but sure enough, "Mad-Bum" is only a quarter century of age. His long hair and beard adds to his intimidation, and although he isn't a flamethrower he still knows how to overpower his opponents. The 2014 World Series MVP carved his name into baseball lore with his epic postseason performances; practically winning the World Series for the Giants. His performances also landed him "Mad-Bum" underwear, a Jimmy Fallon Late Night appearance, an endorsement with Carhartt, and 2014's Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. And, if that isn't enough; he can crush the ball at the plate when he's called upon to do so.

9 - Mookie Betts, CF, Boston Red Sox (Video)

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Mookie Betts, as painful as it is to say being a Yankees fan, is extremely good. His talent has surplanted everything he was expected to fulfill thus far for the Red Sox, and he keeps getting better. It may look like an overreaction to have him this high on my list after a huge Spring Training and hot start to 2015, but it's more than just the numbers with Betts. He's a human highlight reel in center field, and last week he stole two bases on a single play; a brilliant baseball play most young players don't seem to pick up on. He's no longer rookie eligible, but you can bet he'll be bringing home hardware in the not so distant future.

8 - Chris Sale, SP, Chicago White Sox (Video)

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Chris Sale has been arguably the best pitcher in the American League the past three years when healthy, but health has been the question mark at times. His lanky, side arm delivery is menacing towards opposing batters; reminiscent of Randy Johnson's legendary mechanics. If he is able to sustain that delivery in the future without suffering a serious shoulder or elbow injury, he may continue to be the most fun pitcher to watch in the league.

7 - Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs (Video)

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Number 7 belongs to a player who has been all the talk lately on social media and throughout baseball. Kris Bryant has been a mega prospect ever since he was drafted 2nd overall in the 2013 Draft by the Cubs. This spring, he was in the middle of a difficult financial position by Theo Epstein and Chicago's front office, but this past Friday he was called up to make his MLB debut! I don't believe he will be as advertised in his rookie season, but I still think he'll either win or come close to winning Rookie of the Year. In the future, this mammoth of a bat has the potential to be a Hall of Fame caliber player, although it would be helpful if he could develop a little better on the defensive end. I have all the respect in the world for Bryant for how he handled the demotion after crushing home runs nearly every at bat in Spring Training. It's difficult for any rookie with his potential to immediately fulfill expectations, but he is a must watch player every time he steps into the batter's box.

6 - Jose Fernandez, SP, Miami Marlins (Video)

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The 2013 NL Rookie of the Year had made an impressive splash down in Miami, but unfortunately Tommy John Surgery brought his career to a halt. When Fernandez returns in June/July of this season, baseball fans hope he can retain the talent he showed off before. His absence from the game for over a year has diminished some of what he did before, but his electric stuff should bring him right back to the top of the game, where his personality and skill belongs. Plus, he works his tail off biking and training, and is still in tip-top shape despite having the surgery.

5 - Yasiel Puig, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Video)

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The next two players on this list are two of the most electric and exciting players in the sport, held back on this list by inconsistency and injury problems. The first is Yasiel Puig, who, in two full seasons had become one of the most fun players to impersonate and watch. Puig plays the game the way it is meant to be played (let us remember, this is a kid's game after all), with passion and exuberance that is hard to replicate. But sometimes he has a bit too much fun, to the point where he's been arrested for reckless driving and frequently arriving late to the ballpark. At 24 years old, I envision Puig growing up more as he gets older and hopefully making smarter choices. But when he's on the field, and all is going right, he has a larger than life persona that even landed him on the cover of this year's MLB The Show video game.

4 - Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals (Video)

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Bryce Harper always seems to go hand in hand with Yasiel Puig, to me. Both players have the potential to dethrone Mike Trout as the best all around player in the game, but haven't quite gotten there yet. Harper was a prodigy, and has faced more pressure than perhaps any other player in baseball history, and I would say that he's done a superb job of handling it all. With new waves of talent being unleashed in the show today (Kris Bryant), Harper has had some of the weight lifted off of his shoulders, which could mean big things for the remainder of 2015. Thus far, he's been off to a hot start, and he absolutely mashed a ball to center field versus the Phillies this past weekend. I love watching Harper play because he gives 110% effort on every single play. It often results in injury, but I love the reckless demeanor he has towards the game and that he gives his heart and soul towards the team. I don't ever see him becoming someone mentioned among the likes of Mays and Mantle, but I think there are many great years to come from the nation capital's biggest star.

3 - Matt Harvey, SP, New York Mets (Video)

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He's back, and just as good as ever before. Matt Harvey, Gotham's new "Dark Knight", may not be off to the start he became famous for in 2013 before also needing to undergo Tommy John Surgery, but he's going to perform. I watched the E60 documentary on Harvey's return from surgery, and realized just how big of a star he is, especially coming from New York. Harvey is the highest ranked pitcher on this list because of the spotlight he receives, and because he can deliver in high pressure situations. His ego may be aggravating to the Mets front office, but ultimately he just wishes to do his job and do it well. Jacob deGrom has been phenomenal too in a larger sample size, but Harvey is New York's finest star at the time (sorry, A-Rod).

2 - Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels (Video)

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You bet your butt that Mike Trout is not #1 on my list. I feel like everyone likes Trout, but some, myself included, can tend to get bored of his consistent excellence. He seems to have mastered the art of the big leagues, despite having led the AL in strikeouts last season. The strikeout has been the kryptonite to his Superman status (you can tell by the past two paragraphs how excited I am for Batman vs. Superman), but like everything else, watch him defeat that too. However, if you are looking to get into the game, just go to YouTube and search his name. The guy is on his way to becoming the next face of the game and ambassador similar to that of Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr., and he's perhaps the most dynamic player we've seen since the turn of the century. If you want to learn how to play baseball, watch this guy (but watch Victor Martinez for plate discipline).

1 - Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Miami Marlins (Video)

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Everyone loves the long ball, and Giancarlo Stanton is perhaps the most talented young player in that facet of the game. Stanton has a great personality, and has proven his insane skill time and time again. Watching this guy hit in batting practice and launch balls into the goofy display in center field of Marlins Park will make you a baseball fan; almost a 99.9% guarantee. I really hope the Marlins can turn their rough start around so we can see him play meaningful games down the stretch, and here's to hoping he doesn't get the same treatment he got last September, which involved a trip to the hospital and multiple operations. Any of these upper tier players are capable of making people who previously hated or were indifferent towards baseball a fan, but Stanton is the most exciting player to watch even when he's not crushing the ball. Every pitch he watches at the plate has the potential to leave the stadium, and that is must-see TV.

Alright everyone, that is how I would rank the most exciting young players in baseball. There are so many guys who barely missed the cut, and I can see this list being completely rearranged. I know I don't have all the answers, but I like to spark conversation, and with the recent promotion of Kris Bryant, I thought this would be a fitting theme for the week.

Who did I miss? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

See Ya!

2015 MLB Award Predictions

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Hey guys, Drew back here. This is it; the grand finale to my 2015 Season Preview! I've had an absolute blast reviewing each team and making my predictions for the playoffs and World Series, and I hope you've enjoyed reading them. I know I'm not Buster Olney or any of the high profile sports writers, but I'm going to college to improve at sports writing and it really is great practice and extra experience that may help put me over the top one day. The final piece to this puzzle is my choices for each of the 5 major awards in both leagues: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Manager of the Year. Some of these awards give you a good chance to correctly predict, but there are certainly some choices that may be way off track. We'll begin with the American League, but first, if you haven't seen any of the rest of my Season Preview, be sure to give it a look:

AL East          NL East

AL Central          NL Central

AL West          NL West

Playoffs & World Series

American League

MVP - Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

It's a truly comforting feeling to know that Derek Jeter left baseball last year with a few excellent young role models that may be able to one day be revered in the same way. Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, and Giancarlo Stanton appear to have the potential to be future ambassadors for the game much like guys like Jeter, Ripken Jr., and Gwynn have in the past. Let's not forget that they are arguably the four best players in the game as well. It's amazing that the widely accepted "Best Player in Baseball" is overrated; he won his first MVP Award in his worst of 3 big league seasons. He will be working on improving on lowering his strikeout rate in 2015, which should result in somewhat of a bounce back year.

Other Predicted Finalists: Jose Abreu (Chicago - AL), Miguel Cabrera (Detroit)

Cabrera still can not be counted out, although I did predict a regression for his Tigers in 2015. I kept both Cabrera, Abreu, and the National League's Carlos Gomez in my fantasy league I play with my friends, and I have a lot of confidence in them. Abreu may not hit for as much power as he did last year, but he seems to be a natural talent with fantastic overall upside.

Dark Horse: Josh Donaldson (Toronto)

I mentioned in my AL East preview that I could have chosen any of the three Blue Jays sluggers (Bautista, Encarnacion, or Donaldson) for this position. However, I can't wait to see Donaldson's first year in Toronto, as he has become one of my favorite all around third basemen in the game, on and off the field. It can be argued that Bautista and Encarnacion have hit their peak already, but Donaldson still may have room to improve. Watch out.

Cy Young - Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

Sale has gotten off to a rocky start in 2015, fracturing his right foot a month ago. He is going to be ready to pitch the 5th game of the Sox season, although he would've been the undisputed Opening Day starter after his past contributions to the team. Health is a primary factor for the unorthodox lefty, but I think he will pitch enough to take this award rather easily.

Other Predicted Finalists: Felix Hernandez (Seattle), David Price (Detroit)

King Felix is starting to get to that age where we have seen some of baseball's top starters decline. Justin Verlander, Tim Lincecum, and C.C. Sabathia have not aged gracefully, and some may question how much longer he will be at the top of his game given the massive workload he's compiled thus far. I predicted the Mariners to go to the World Series though, so clearly I don't believe those talks one bit. Price is a good bet also for the Cy in a contract season, but his value could be hurt if he's traded.

Dark Horse: Masahiro Tanaka (New York - AL)

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Everyone is worried about this guy. Tanaka is returning from a UCL injury in his pitching elbow that could have required Tommy John Surgery, and any poor movement could potentially bring his 2015 campaign to a close. But he has been absolutely electric during Spring Training, showing signs of his brilliant rookie season, and until he does get hurt I think he's as good as any of the aforementioned pitchers.

Rookie of the Year - Rusney Castillo, Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox will have to clear up their outfield mess in order for this prediction to come true, but I believe Rusney's performance may have the ability to do that on its own. Mookie Betts is no longer eligible for this award, or else he would be the favorite, but I think Castillo will be vital to their 2015 success.

Other Predicted Finalists: Aaron Sanchez (Toronto), Andrew Heaney (Los Angeles - AL)

Sanchez was my original pick for the award, but the injury of Marcus Stroman threw that up in the air. He could be a breakout pitcher, without question, however, his role could be as a starter, reliever, or both. Until his place in the Jays pitching staff is secure, I have to give his one to Castillo.

Dark Horse: Alex Meyer (Minnesota)

Minnesota got their hands on one of the best young hurlers around in Meyer, and if he makes his long awaited debut he could provide some added competition to the rest of the rookie pack. He is also possibly the coolest substitute teacher in the country.

Comeback Player of the Year - Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles

"Crush" Davis did about anything but live up to his nickname in 2014. Sure, he still managed to hit 26 balls out of the ballpark, but that's really all he was able to produce after his insane MVP caliber 2013. This year, his suspension for non prescribed Adderall use is up, and he now has a prescription for something similar to use this upcoming year. He's looking sharp in Spring Training, and while I don't see him hit 53 home runs again (or else he would have been my dark horse MVP choice), he should bat much better than .196.

Other Predicted Finalists: Shin-Soo Choo (Texas), Prince Fielder (Texas)

I initially went with Prince for this award, but resorted to Davis as a last second decision. We are yet to see how his neck will play out over the course of a full season, and even despite the injury his performance was beginning to decline as it was. Fielder should have a nice comeback season, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him take this award home in the end, but Davis will be better.

Dark Horse: Alex Rodriguez (New York - AL)

I wanted to get a few extra page views on this one, I guess. Who knows though; A-Rod has looked solid in his work so far. He won't be an everyday player until Teixeira and Beltran go down with injuries as expected, but he will most likely be the Yankees DH every day. I can't stand the drama involved with his name, but he does still have one of the nicest swings in the game, and it could be of some help this year.

Manager of the Year - Lloyd McClendon, Seattle Mariners

Going along with my World Series pick, I have their manager taking the prize here. McClendon helped manage the Mariners to a 16 win improvement in his first year, and he seems to have learned a considerable amount since his initial tenure with the Pirates.

Other Predicted Finalists: John Farrell (Boston), Robin Ventura (Chicago - AL)

Buck Showalter is the best manager in the league, but I still have a hard time seeing Baltimore succeed. Instead, I went with two managers with teams bound to improve in 2015.

Dark Horse: AJ Hinch (Houston)

Hinch wasn't very helpful to the Diamondbacks in his first career stint as manager between 2009 and 2010, but that was half a decade ago. This young Astros team has a lot of potential, and if he moves the pieces well enough he could be in the running for some hardware when the season concludes.

National League

MVP - Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

Hit in the face? No problem. I believe there is a lot more to this kid's game than we have seen, and as established as he is, let us not forget he is still just 25 years old. He hasn't won this one yet, but this could be the first of many.

Other Predicted Finalists: Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh), Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado)

Tulo will have a hard time winning MVP with his team's underwhelming potential, but he's one of those types of players who can turn his entire franchise around. It all comes down to him staying on the field, and having missed 222 games over the past three years, there isn't a strong likelihood of this. But maybe this year he won't face those same problems, and we will see one of the better seasons ever played by a shortstop. By the way, Mr. McCutchen, I love the new hair.

Dark Horse: Bryce Harper (Washington)

May I please have the attention of all of those who have written off this player? Bryce Harper is 22 years old, and has not come close to his "prime" seasons yet. This offseason, he has appeared to have gained at least 20 lbs. of muscle, and looks ripped and ready to go. His downfall is that he plays the game at well over a hundred miles per hour, and while it's exciting to watch, it's dangerous for him in the long run. One of these years, he's going to explode, and it very well may be as early as this year.

Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

There isn't a whole lot else to say about Kershaw, so I'll leave it at that. Until someone gets the nerve to beat him out for this award, he's got the best chance of anyone in this post to add to his trophy room next year.

Other Predicted Finalists: Max Scherzer (Washington), Matt Harvey (New York - NL)

That isn't to say that there aren't any good candidates that could also win. Max Scherzer has looked impressive in Spring Training, and moving to the NL could pay enormous dividends for him. After all, the Nationals are my World Series pick!

Dark Horse: Jordan Zimmermann (Washington)

Speaking of Nationals, Zimmermann is going into a contract year, and although he hasn't quite hit his peak yet, you can tell he's an absolute gamer. He's the type of guy who never wants to be counted out, so it would be more than a fair chance to see him contend for this award as well for the league's best rotation.

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Rookie of the Year - Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

It really is a crime that this kid may not break the club because of contract issues. But it won't be long before he makes his anticipated MLB debut, and I'd be willing to put money on him hitting at least 25 home runs with a chance at much more. Spring Training statistics aren't something to get in the habit of believing in, but his 9 home runs are something all baseball fans have to take note of. I consider him a lock for this award, but there are some other players that may give him a run for his money.

Other Predicted Finalists: Joc Pederson (Los Angeles - NL), Jorge Soler (Chicago - NL)

Joc Pederson is going to face some pressure filling the shoes of long time franchise player turned rival Matt Kemp, but the ascent of Bryant may help alleviate some of that. He will be playing in the shadow of a prospect people have been hyping up for years, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did just as well in his first year. The Dodgers clearly believe in him, and he's been their best hitter this Spring as well.

Dark Horse: Noah Syndergaard (New York - NL)

If the Mets want to have a 5th pitcher in their franchise history to take home Rookie of the Year honors, they may wish to wait until next year to call up highly coveted righty Noah Syndergaard. "Thor" is scary good, and even he could surpass Bryant and Pederson by year's end if he pitches enough. I would not be surprised to see him in the big leagues for a portion of 2015, but I don't think he will pitch quite the amount necessary to beat out the every day studs. If he does, then he could run the table here as well.

Comeback Player of the Year - Matt Harvey, New York Mets

Well, if it isn't "The Dark Knight". What Kris Bryant is bringing to Spring with his bat, Matt Harvey has brought with his repaired arm. He's allowed 2 earned runs in 14.1 innings, striking out 12 in the process. It was a shame to go without him in baseball last year after he had to have Tommy John Surgery, but he appears to take the world back by storm. People have already been comparing him to Clayton Kershaw, and if anyone is to steal some of the Dodgers lefty's shine, it's him. If you haven't read Harvey's piece on "The Player's Tribune" about his year off recovering from surgery, I highly suggest you do so.

Other Predicted Finalists: Joey Votto (Cincinnati), Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado)

Both of these players have been dangerous in two different ways their entire careers. CarGo and Votto are two of the best all around players in the game when they're on the field, but being on the field has proven to be very difficult in recent years. If either of them can rebound from down 2014 seasons, Matt Harvey may have to watch his back.

Dark Horse: Matt Cain (San Francisco)

I would really like to see Cain produce something close to his past statistics next year. The Giants could use a reliable starter to back Madison Bumgarner, especially since so many of their pitchers threw more innings than usual in their championship season. If Cain can come back strong, the Giants may be able to sneak back into the playoffs.

Manager of the Year - Clint Hurdle (Pittsburgh)

Hurdle has won this one before in 2013, and has been a large part of the party occurring in Pittsburgh the past two years. However, they haven't been able to top off the year with a World Series berth, and this could be an intriguing season for them to make a case. He really knows how to identify with this team, and I would love to see him bring the Pirates farther than they've been since before I was born.

Other Predicted Finalists: Joe Maddon (Chicago - NL), Mike Matheny (St. Louis)

Joe Maddon may be slightly overrated in my book, but that doesn't make him a bad manager. I love the enthusiasm and personality he brings to the table; it really feels like he knows how to make his team rally around him. I didn't pick the Cubs to make the playoffs in 2015, but I do expect them to significantly improve, which could give Maddon a shot at this one as well.

Dark Horse: Mike Redmond (Miami)

The Miami Marlins may be the surprise team of 2015 out of the National League, and Mike Redmond will be a huge difference maker of that statement coming true. Even with the expected success of the Nationals, it wouldn't surprise me to see the fish take a stab at a pennant win if all goes as planned.

That will do it for my 2015 MLB Predictions! Thank you to every last one of you readers out there for interacting and checking out what I have to say. As always, please feel free to share your opinions in the comments below; that's what these types of posts are all about! Don't be afraid to disagree, because I certainly may not have all the right answers.

See Ya!

2015 American League West Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! We have already covered the AL East and AL Central, and today we'll have a look at my thoughts on this year's AL West.

2015 AL West Standings Prediction:

Image Source

1 - Los Angeles Angels
X-Factors: Matt Joyce, Andrew Heaney

I could not find any possible way to keep the Angels from the top of this division. They finished with the best regular season record in baseball last year, only to eventually succumb to a sweeping by the red hot Royals. Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, and even the almighty Mike Trout struggled immensely throughout the beatdown. But this year, even with the tragedy surrounding Josh Hamilton (I wish he and his family the best of wishes with a hope for recovery), the Angels are still one of the more intriguing teams in the game. Their pitching staff reemerged last season with the help of future stars Garrett Richards and Matt Shoemaker, and it can be argued that if Richards didn't hurt his knee last year they may have been able to advance further into the postseason. Even after losing Howie Kendrick at second base in a trade for young left handed pitcher Andrew Heaney, they were able to also make a move to add Josh Rutledge to replace Kendrick. Between Rutledge, Heaney, and new fill in right fielder Matt Joyce, I'm not too worried about the Angels falling from first quite yet.

2 - Seattle Mariners
X-Factors: James Paxton, Taijuan Walker, Seth Smith

If the Mariners are going to become the contender many think they can be, this is their year to prove it. Fresh off of issuing a $57 million dollar deal to slugger Nelson Cruz, they now have the right handed power bat to place between Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager in the lineup. Although Safeco Field may lower Cruz's chances of hitting 40 home runs again in 2015, his power bat will certainly improve a lineup that needed an extra boom. They shipped out Brandon Maurer for Seth Smith, which should also supply some additional offense. Cano now has what he said he needed last year, and with the best pitching rotation in the division led by perennial Cy Young Award candidate Felix Hernandez, this could easily be their year. Young pitchers James Paxton and Taijuan Walker will need to stay healthy and take strides to give the M's a legitimate shot, and I think they will do what it takes to pick up the 2nd wildcard spot and make the postseason for the first time since Ichiro Suzuki's rookie season in 2001 (want to know how long that's been?)!

3 - Texas Rangers
X-Factors: Prince Fielder, Derek Holland

This Rangers team has the most "if's" of any team in the American League. If Yu Darvish is healthy, he can potentially be a Cy Young candidate. If Prince Fielder, Derek Holland, and Shin-Soo Choo can rebound from their injury plagued 2014 campaigns, they can be key contributors to the team as well. If father time hasn't caught up to possible future Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre, he will be a huge piece of the Texas sized puzzle. They already lost former top prospect Jurickson Profar for the second year in a row, so Rougned Odor will be taking his place once again in their everyday lineup. Newly added starters Yovani Gallardo and Ross Detwiler might come in handy in picking up the pieces if chaos ensues in Arlington, but I'm going to go with an optimistic approach and say: how much worse could it get? If half the players lost in 2014 are injured again this season, they still will win more than their AL low 67 games.

**UPDATE: Yu Darvish may undergo Tommy John surgery as it was revealed today that he has suffered a UCL sprain in his elbow. This is a huge blow to a team that had more than enough injuries to handle in 2014. With this news, I will flip my predictions and put the Rangers in 4th and the Astros in 3rd for the season.**

4 - Houston Astros
X-Factors: Dallas Keuchel, George Springer

I was so tempted to rank Houston above the Rangers on this list, but ultimately I held off and put them right behind. I didn't actually list predicted W-L totals because I think that's as unpredictable as it comes, but if I were to I'd have the two Texas teams neck and neck in the middle of the division. Neither are ideal playoff candidates, but although they are from the same state, they don't have much else in common. Where the Rangers field a team of former superstars similarly to the Yankees, the Astros are taking the youth approach, which has been known to work lately in St. Louis and San Francisco especially. The Astros may be a fun team to watch in 2015 thanks to budding star George Springer in particular, but also because of their offseason acquisitions. Evan Gattis may be a bit of a defensive liability, but "El Oso Blanco" can and will mash balls into the left field bleachers time and time again at Minute Maid Park. Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek will stabilize what was a shaky bullpen, and lend helping hands to the very young pitching rotation the team has built over years of development. But the player to watch in Houston turns out to be the shortest player in a state loaded with size: Jose Altuve. If he can come close to his MVP-type 2014 season statistics, we'll be in for some fun in this division. Chances are, he will.

5 - Oakland Athletics
X-Factors: Brett Lawrie, Jesse Hahn

Three years in a row Billy Beane has assembled playoff teams, in light of the box office smash Moneyball. But this year, I believe his run has come to a halt (temporarily). Over the winter the team made 9 trades including almost 30 players; and leading that list are 2014 All Stars Brandon Moss, Derek Norris, and Josh Donaldson. Both Jon Lester and Jeff Samardzija, who were traded for midseason in hopes of bringing playoff success, left Oakland as well. I still have no idea what his mindset was in moving Donaldson so soon, as he could've easily been affordably held for 4 more years before hitting free agency. For all they lost, they came back with almost a completely new team featuring Ben Zobrist, Billy Butler, Tyler Clippard, Jesse Hahn, and Brett Lawrie. It may work out, and Beane tends to be a magician with these sorts of moves, but I don't see what they did as enough to have a successful 2015. The prospects gained will be of great value for the future, and maybe this is all part of his scheme to get back to the playoffs (if so, well played), but we won't know how he did this offseason until years down the road. He could either be building a Hall of Fame legacy, or tearing it apart. None of that seems to matter much in 2015.

Division MVP: Mike Trout
Division Cy Young: Felix Hernandez
Playoff Teams: Los Angeles, Seattle (Wild Card)

I hope these three posts have helped you understand that the competition in baseball is at a whole new level. I picked the Orioles to finish 4th in the AL East, the Tigers to finish 3rd in the Central, and the A's to finish last in the West. All three of these teams seemed to have no difficulty reaching the playoffs in 2014, and I picked them to completely miss out this year. Whether or not I look like a genius or an idiot is to be determined, but for now it just goes to show that there is so much talent in the game today, and any team can be made or broken within a matter of a single offseason. You can't base a team off of solely what they look like on paper, but some GM's are starting to learn from past mistakes and only signing players that make actual sense. There isn't one horrible team in this entire league, and it was tough for me to even put the Rays, Twins, and A's in last place. The Red Sox went from worst to first to worst again, thus, any team could face any outcome no matter what people say they're going to do.

I'll have the National League posts coming up soon, and I'll wrap things up with a couple of postseason predictions just to round up all the fun. I've had a blast writing these posts so far, and I hope a few people out there are enjoying them too. It's been tough to afford a lot of what I want lately because I've been looking for a job and paying for college, so I've had to think of some new ways to keep you all interested, and baseball is an absolute passion of mine and I love getting to share it for you.

With all that in mind: agree or disagree? Feel free to leave any comments below; they're greatly appreciated.

See Ya!

Christmas Edition: 2014 Topps Update Blaster Recap!

Hey guys, Drew back here, and miraculously I have a Christmas post for you all! First and foremost, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to each and every one of you reading this, I hope you don't read this until later today and you're currently enjoying your time with your families, but since my holiday is wrapping up I figured I'd show you all how I did with a 2014 Topps Update Series blaster box I was given by my grandma! Enjoy:

Pack 1:

- Drew Stubbs

- Chase Headley

- Cole Hamels World Series Heroes

- Yoenis Cespedes ASG Red Border

- Kurt Suzuki ASG Red Border

- Masahiro Tanaka Rookie Debut

- Kyle Seager ASG

- Glen Perkins ASG

Pack 2:

- Pat Neshek

- Rajai Davis

- Miguel Cabrera Power Players

- Dee Gordon ASG Red Border

- Jon Lester ASG Red Border

- Marcus Stroman RC

- Tony Sanchez RC

- Jon Singleton RC

Pack 3:

- Paul Maholm

- Asdrubal Cabrera

- Chase Anderson Gold Parallel 1237/2014

- Michael Wacha The Future is Now

- Mike Trout ASG Red Border

- Aroldis Chapman ASG Red Border

- Drew Pomeranz

- Vidal Nuno

Pack 4:

- Mike Dunn

- Bryan Holaday

- Boone Logan Red Parallel

- Robbie Ray Red Border RC

- Scott Hairston Red Border

- Jason Bartlett

- Robbie Ross Jr.

- Adrian Nieto RC

Pack 5:

- Joaquin Arias

- Logan Forsythe

- Cole Figueroa

- Robin Yount Fond Farewells

- CJ Cron Red Border RC

- Rougned Odor Red Border RC

- Starlin Castro ASG

- Tyson Ross ASG

Pack 6:

- Chris Colabello

- Daric Barton

- Tucker Barnhart RC

- Jose Abreu 1989 Topps Mini

- Clayton Kershaw ASG Red Border

- Tommy La Stella Red Border RC

- Jackie Bradley Jr.

- Kurt Suzuki ASG

Pack 7:

- Justin Turner

- Aaron Sanchez RC

- Mookie Betts The Future is Now

- Kyle Blanks Red Border

- Julio Teheran ASG Red Border

- Jon Singleton Rookie Debut

- Jon Lester ASG

- Yoenis Cespedes ASG

Pack 8:

- Roger Bernadina

- Ryan Wheeler

- Martin Prado

- Sergio Romo Power Players

- Chris Sale ASG Red Border

- Todd Frazier ASG Red Border

- Eddie Butler RC

- Dee Gordon ASG

Pack 9:

- Eric Chavez

- Delmon Young

- Manny Ramirez World Series Heroes

- Miguel Cabrera ASG Red Border

- Jose Abreu ASG Red Border

- Jake Peavy

- Allen Craig

- Aroldis Chapman ASG

Pack 10:

- Dustin Ackley

- Doug Fister

- Seth Smith

- Roenis Elias Red Border RC

- Erisbel Arruebarrena Red Border RC

- Brendan Ryan

- Scott Hairston

- Mike Trout ASG

Commemorative Patch: David Ortiz

Thoughts - 

Boy, it was a lot of fun to open some packs on Christmas Eve! I remember always asking for high end boxes to open every Christmas for a few year span, and while my priorities have since changed (be on the lookout for something soon!), the fun of box busting will never truly disappear. The Ortiz patch card appears to be on the move because it needs to get out of my house, but otherwise if anyone is interested in any specific cards I'll certainly be open to discussing a trade! My favorite pull of the box was either the Jose Abreu mini card or the Masahiro Tanaka Rookie Debut; both of which will remain in my PC. 

On that note, Merry Christmas everyone, have a great rest of your day and I'll talk to you all soon! Thank you to my Nonnie for the fun gift!

See Ya!

Much Delayed Pickups from COMC!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I haven't had a whole lot coming in over the past few weeks, but I did get this package in a while back that I haven't gotten around to showing off to you all just yet. I ordered some cards off of Check Out My Collectibles after selling a few cards I'd been wanting to move, all of which going towards my new Player Collections box I've been building while I've been away from the blogosphere. Take a look at what I was able to add this go-round:

When I first made my list of players I wanted to collect from this point on, I made sure to look young in some cases. Obviously I love a lot of the legends of the game, and a majority of my list consists of those players, but I was also sure to pick a few new favorites such as Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, and Bryce Harper. Cutch has been a favorite of mine for a few seasons now while I've been warming up to Trout and Harper along the way. The Home Run Derby I attended last summer definitely made me a bigger Harper fan, because I originally labeled him as cocky and arrogant (kind of like Puig). I love the intensity each of these 3 players bring to the table; they're always willing to go the extra mile and that has allowed them to be as successful as they have been. Also, while Robinson Cano left New York, I still decided to collect his cards because I've been a fan of his from the very beginning of his career and I can't let the business part in baseball get in the way of me rooting for one of my favorite players ever. I don't like seeing him in a Mariners uniform but he is still a favorite of mine, without a doubt!

The Knicks suck. I've been so incredibly disappointed with them this season, as I came into the 2013-14 season with high expectations coming off of a very good previous season. Now, I can't even bring myself to watch them, and I think a lot of smart business moves need to be made before I can really take interest in them again. However, I don't see James Dolan making any of those smart moves, so until he's out of the franchise, I don't know if I can get my expectations up again. Amar'e Stoudemire, despite all of his injuries, is still my current favorite Knick, although Carmelo is carrying most of the load. I feel bad for his poor health even though he's making a boatload of money because I see how much he cares about being a part of the team and wanting to contribute. I picked up this relic of his for a few dollars just for the heck of it. It's out of 2012-13 Timeless Treasures and is numbered 76 of 99. 

Tyson Chandler is another favorite of mine on the Knicks during this dark period. I love the way he carries the team on defense and he does a great job in his role. Unfortunately he doesn't have much help, as the defense is basically helpless outside of his performance, so with his frequent injuries it leads to many more problems. I picked up this gorgeous dual patch autograph of Chandler's from 2012-13 Panini National Treasures numbered only to 10 for a pretty fair (while expensive) price, but it's absolutely gorgeous and I'm glad to add it to my collection, despite how pathetic the Knicks have played this season.

Finally, going back to my Cano tangent, here's a really sweet 2011 Topps Triple Threads relic numbered only to 9 featuring Robby along with Hall of Famer's Joe Morgan and Roberto Alomar! The relics spell out Second Sackers, and while sort of cheesy, the card is still amazing to look at in person and it's really cool to see a personal favorite player of mine stacked up with the all time greats at his trade! I think Cano will ultimately go down as one of the best second basemen of all time (especially offensively, while he more than holds his own defensively as well), and quite possibly a Hall of Famer as well!

So that's all I have for now everyone, hopefully I'll be getting some stuff in soon leading up to perhaps the biggest event I've attended yet coming up next month! Be on the lookout for that, but until then, see ya!