My Midseason Report - NL Preseason Prediction Update

Image Source

Hey everyone, Drew back here. Today holds one of the more fun events of the baseball year: the Home Run Derby. Love it or hate it, the derby still manages to bring an extra element of fun to the game that kids love to watch. I had the pleasure of going with my friends and Dad when it took place at Citi Field in 2013, and it was a blast. Hopefully, this new bracket style competition featuring stars from Albert Pujols to Kris Bryant will live up to the hype!

Last Tuesday, I looked back on the predictions I made in March about the 2015 season in the American League. I was way off on many of my calls in the AL, but did manage to say a few things that have reflected three full months into the year. Today, I bring to you my thoughts on how National League baseball has played out.

If you wish to read my initial predictions and make fun of me, here they are:

NL East, NL Central, NL West, Award Predictions, Playoffs

NL East

My Preseason Prediction -
Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies

Predicted Division MVP - Giancarlo Stanton
Predicted Division Cy Young - Max Scherzer
Playoff Teams - Washington, Miami (Wild Card)

Current Standings (as of July 13th) -
Washington Nationals, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies

Division MVP - Bryce Harper
Division Cy Young - Max Scherzer
Playoff Teams - Washington

The East has been the least competitive of the 3 National League Divisions this year, with only two teams over .500. The Nationals are in control and are one of the better teams in baseball despite playing through plenty of injuries, especially on the offensive side. The Mets have been impressive considering their lack of impact bats, and have provided some fun bringing up future stars Noah "Thor" Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of picking the Marlins to win a Wild Card spot; which may take the cake as my worst prediction. Their front office has been laughable, as their GM is currently doubling as their manager (with no managerial experience, of course). Giancarlo Stanton can't catch a break, and even with Jose Fernandez back at full form, I can't fathom any way this team makes the postseason.

For Phillies fans sakes, I'll leave them out of this (but they really should trade Cole Hamels now rather than later).

NL Central

My Preseason Prediction -
Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers

Predicted Division MVP - Andrew McCutchen
Predicted Division Cy Young - Johnny Cueto
Playoff Teams - Pittsburgh, St. Louis (Wild Card)

Current Standings (as of July 13th) -
St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers

Division MVP - Todd Frazier
Division Cy Young - Gerrit Cole
Playoff Teams - St. Louis, Pittsburgh (Wild Card), Chicago (Wild Card)

Perhaps the most fun division to keep track of in baseball features teams with different styles, from "The Cardinal Way" to Joe Maddon's unpredictable, young Cubs squad. I said in my predictions that I wouldn't be surprised if the Cubs were Wild Card contenders, but I liked the Marlins too much to let that happen (pretty embarrassing, I know). Chicago has plenty of flaws, but they do have a good chance of holding onto their spot as the second Wild Card team. If indeed the Pirates play the Cubs that day, I know for a fact that I'd be glued to the TV.

If I do say so myself, I did a nice job choosing the order of this division. I went with a personal favorite choice of Pittsburgh to win, but the Cardinals to make the playoffs as well. St. Louis got off to a hot start, but the Buccos are only within 2.5 games of first now. Otherwise, the rest of the division was predicted correctly, so for once I get to breathe a sigh of relief and survive another day.

NL West

My Preseason Prediction -
Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks

Predicted Division MVP - Troy Tulowitzki
Predicted Division Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw
Playoff Teams - Los Angeles

Current Standings (as of July 13th) -
Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies

Division MVP - Paul Goldschmidt
Division Cy Young - Zack Greinke
Playoff Teams - Los Angeles

One of my bolder calls early on was picking the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants to miss the postseason. It is an odd numbered year, after all, so I thought it was somewhat justified. As of right now... I was right. I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a run, though, and they are my favorite NL team so I would love every bit of that. The Dodgers have been off to a fantastic start, even though their ace hasn't quite been ace-level all year. Zack Greinke has stepped up amid Kershaw's inconsistency, and even earned the starting gig for the All Star Game tomorrow night.

The Diamondbacks are out of the cellar for the time being, which is one of the better stories in the league. They field a young team with plenty of potential, and although I still can't see them contending for a playoff spot, I've been pleased to see them succeed.

Award Predictions

NL MVP - Giancarlo Stanton
NL Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw
NL Rookie of the Year - Kris Bryant
NL Manager of the Year - Clint Hurdle
NL Comeback Player of the Year - Matt Harvey

Once again, I made sure to keep my Award Predictions as safe as possible because I knew my other predictions would fall apart in some way or another. All five award picks I made are at least contenders for the awards, although it would take a huge second half to give Kershaw his 4th Cy Young Award. Stanton's injury may take him down a few pegs in the MVP race, and my Dark Horse pick, Bryce Harper, has been living up to the hype we all have been excited for since he was old enough to get his driver's license. Considering he's still younger than phenom rookie Kris Bryant, I think we still haven't seen Harper's best yet. He's the MVP, no question about it. Paul Goldschmidt is having a spectacular season as well, helping the D-Backs into the playoff hunt, but without Harper the Nationals offense would be mediocre. They are both enormous difference makers, and should continue to be just that into October (knock on wood).

Preseason Playoff Picks

Wild Card Game - Miami vs. St. Louis
My Pick - Miami

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

Division Series - Miami vs. Washington
My Pick - Washington in 5

Championship Series - Los Angeles vs. Washington
My Pick - Washington in 7

Pennant Winner - Washington

Outside of my horrific Miami pick continuing to haunt me throughout this post, I still feel pretty good about most of these choices. I think we'll see something along these lines, just perhaps with Chicago or San Francisco in the Wild Card game rather than the Marlins. Washington will have a lot of pressure to succeed after their huge offseason, but the Dodgers will too. History has shown that both teams struggle under pressure, but one of them will have to overcome these struggles if they end up playing each other. The winner of this series (if it happens) will win the World Series.

What's great about baseball is that it gives fans the opportunity to explore all sorts of possibilities, and the debate never stops. I could be flat out wrong, as I have proven time and time again, but it's okay to be wrong here. I'll continue to stand by my picks, outside of Miami, and I'm pumped for another equally awesome second half of my favorite game in the world. But for now, I'm going to kick back, relax, and watch some of the best stars in the game go head to head. Home field advantage or not, it's not often that all this star power gathers in one place.

See Ya!

My Midseason Report - AL Preseason Prediction Update

Image Source

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!

2015 MLB Award Predictions

Image Source

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)

Image Source

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.

Image Source

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 National League West Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! After a bit of a delay, we are back on track with my 2015 Baseball Preview! We have covered each of the first five divisions thus far in our series, and following this post I will conclude it with Playoff Predictions and Award Predictions! I may be completely wrong with this picks, but I like to have a little fun with my choices while making sure to look into each team's strengths and weaknesses.

If you've missed any of my prior rankings and wish to take a look, click on the links below:

AL East          NL East

AL Central          NL Central

AL West

Image Source

1 - Los Angeles Dodgers

X-Factors: Joc Pederson, Brett Anderson, Yasmani Grandal

The Dodgers have been the talk of baseball ever since Magic Johnson and Co. took over the reins in 2012. But with all the talk of the Washington Nationals super pitching staff, they have flown a bit under the radar going into 2015. This past offseason, they rebuilt their front office, hiring former Rays GM Andrew Friedman, and his impact was immediately felt. They rebuilt their middle infield, bringing in Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick; two established veterans to improve their clubhouse environment. They also traded longtime Dodger Matt Kemp to the San Diego Padres, opening up the center field position to mega prospect Joc Pederson. Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig will remain the threats of the offense, but the real danger of the Dodgers is their lethal pitching staff. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball, and Zack Greinke is the best #2 starter in any pitching staff around. I don't see how this team misses the playoffs; how deep into the playoffs they'll get another story. (PS: Happy Birthday Kershaw!)

2 - San Francisco Giants

X-Factors: Casey McGehee, Matt Cain, Angel Pagan

Uh oh, it's an odd year season, which is about the worst thing the Giants could ask for. San Francisco has won each of the past three even year World Series, despite being overshadowed by the massive payroll and superstars with the Dodgers. They've got three reasons to feel better than the Dodgers, but in 2015 they're already off to a scary start. Hunter Pence fractured his forearm and will miss the start of the season. Casey McGehee will be replacing fan favorite Pablo Sandoval, who left the team not because of money considerations but of some sort of "disrespect". Madison Bumgarner hasn't looked great in Spring Training, and yes, I understand the "it's only Spring Training" thing. I expect last year's hero to have a good 2015, as long as he doesn't feel too much wear from the excessive amount of innings he pitched. The Giants have become my second favorite team after visiting San Francisco last season, and I'll be rooting for Joe Panik to build off his successful rookie season at second base. However, I see them just missing the playoffs, because so many teams have improved around them. But if anyone embraces negativity, it's this team, and if they can make the playoffs, perhaps they could conquer the odd year!

3 - San Diego Padres

X-Factors: Wil Myers, Jedd Gyorko

I will credit San Diego for their great overhaul this past winter. It was a lot of fun watching their new young GM AJ Preller completely start over with one of the more embarrassing franchises in recent history. He was able to add Matt Kemp, James Shields, Wil Myers, Justin Upton, and Derek Norris to a team in desperate need of leadership and star power. Shields will bolster the rotation into one of the National League's finest, as he will join Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross; two extremely promising right handers. My biggest concern is chemistry. There hasn't been a team rebuild of this caliber that has worked since the 2009 Yankees, showing that it takes so much more than name value to create a winning team. Wil Myers has been traded twice now and is 24 years old. For a player with as much potential as he is said to have, it makes you wonder if there's something about his game that other teams don't want to bother with. He will be taking his talents to center field, where he has played 9 games in his career. And what's a baseball without worrying about Matt Kemp, who this time goes into the year with two arthritic hips. If they don't win this year, will they try to sign Justin Upton long term, or will this be a one year colossal failure? We have yet to see, and until we do, I can't say they'll be making the postseason.

4 - Colorado Rockies

X-Factors: Carlos Gonzalez, Young Pitching Staff

Will the Rockies ever solve their pitching conundrum? It is so rare to see a pitcher succeed at Coors Field, which is especially scary for big name prospects Eddie Butler and Jon Gray, who will be at an unfair advantage from the get-go. But luckily for them, they won't have to worry about run support, as this team is chock full of productive hitters. Last year brought Nolan Arenado, Corey Dickerson, and Charlie Blackmon to the forefront, and they should be expected to bring much of the same to the table in 2015. The key to the Rockies is the health of their two superstars, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. With big seasons from each of them, they could be a surprise team surviving the stretch run. Unfortunately, too much would have to go right for that prediction to make any sense.

5 - Arizona Diamondbacks

X-Factors: Yasmany Tomas, Archie Bradley, Jeremy Hellickson

A few years ago, this would not have been a last place team. The Diamondbacks have acquired some pieces over the years to help advance the rebuilding phase, yet they still are a little bit behind the rest of the West. A healthy season from one of baseball's best, Paul Goldschmidt, could catapult this time in a few years with other players stepping up alongside, but he appears as if he'll have to carry much of the load in 2015. Yasmany Tomas, the recent Cuban player to become part of Major League Baseball, does not seem to have an established position. It will be difficult for him to make strides at the plate until he is comfortable in the field, because frustration does carry over to different parts of the game. Overall though, the D-Backs are not yet relevant, but give it a few more seasons and I feel like they could contend once again.

Division MVP: Troy Tulowitzki

Division Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

Playoff Teams: Los Angeles

The NL West has potential to be one of the more interesting divisions in 2015, but I feel like it will be a bit underwhelming. Can the Giants, and even the Padres make the playoffs? Probably, if things go their way more often that not. But instead, I chose the Marlins and Cardinals to beat out these teams as Wild Cards. My predicted division MVP was Tulowitzki, but it could easily be Paul Goldschmidt, Buster Posey, or even Kershaw as well. Tulo is one of the more fun players to watch when healthy, and I would love to see him make a run for NL MVP, although it will be hard to win on a poor Rockies team.

That will conclude the division by division previews for you all. I hope you enjoyed reading each blurb about your favorite team(s) and be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on how I did with these and if you would like me to try to do them next year as well! Playoff and Award predictions are coming soon to drewscards, and I hope to see you all there!

See Ya!

2015 National League Central Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Moving right along; here is our fifth division preview of the season. Since I started this series, I've had to make two changes thanks in part to pitcher injuries that were critical to the hopes of two teams. I first moved the Rangers from third to fourth in the AL West due to Yu Darvish's impending Tommy John Surgery. Texas will still have a solid team, but Darvish would've made them a contender, and it really sucks that he won't be around in 2015. Also, I just recently decided with the tragic torn ACL young Blue Jays righty Marcus Stroman suffered to lower the Blue Jays to second in the AL East. I had them winning the division due to a breakout year for Stroman, and since this is my blog and I get to do what I want, the Blue Jays will now be a Wild Card team while the Red Sox will now take the division in my opinion. Injuries have been brutal this spring already, and I know it's drastic to move an entire team based on one player, but that just goes to show how competitive baseball should be next year.

If you've missed the beginning of this series, check out my predictions for:

AL East                    AL Central                   AL West                      NL East

2015 NL Central Standings Prediction:

Image Source

1 - Pittsburgh Pirates

X-Factors: Gregory Polanco, Pedro Alvarez, Gerrit Cole, Jung-Ho Kang

The Cardinals have barely bested Pittsburgh two years in a row now, and I don't believe they can do it again. This year will be the first time since 1992 that the Jolly Roger will be raised at the top of the division, and the first time they ever win the Central (at that time they were in the NL East). Mike Trout may be younger and slightly more talented, but that is no reason to put down Andrew McCutchen. Cutch is in the thick of his prime, and should be primed to lead his time into the playoffs for the third straight year. Their young outfield of McCutchen, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco has tremendous potential, and should be explosive on offensive and defense. They were able to sign back A.J. Burnett, who clearly proved that PNC Park was a great fit during his first stint with the team. Francisco Liriano was re-signed, and young fireballer Gerrit Cole will continue to prove that he's their future ace. If this team can continue to play like they have in recent time, they will only get better. And to the rest of the division; that's awfully scary.

2 - St. Louis Cardinals

X-Factors: Michael Wacha, Kolten Wong, Jason Heyward

This has been one of the most consistent teams of recent time, always doing things the right way ("The Cardinal Way"). Led by catcher Yadier Molina, the Birds will be looking to build off their division win and Championship series loss to the reigning champion San Francisco Giants. What the Cardinals have that the Pirates don't have is age, which could be viewed in two different ways. It is great to have players that know how to win, but it's not great having a group of players deteriorating and more susceptible to injury. Molina's performance has declined, but his impact on the team is far beyond his bat, but he's not the only one. Matt Holliday's performance is gradually decreasing, and ace Adam Wainwright is going into a year already with injury concern. But this isn't to say this is a bad team, their potential on paper just doesn't quite seem to top Pittsburgh's at this point. Newly acquired Jason Heyward will be worth every bit of the trade they made involving Shelby Miller and prospects. Heyward may not have reached his offensive ceiling quite yet, but he's considered the best right fielder defensively in the game, and he's only 25 years old. The return of Michael Wacha should balance the pitching rotation while Wainwright battles through what may be a difficult season, as well. Mike Matheny is a fantastic manager, and he'll find a way to get this team to the playoffs; I just don't expect them to win the Central with their stars slowly fading away.   

3 - Chicago Cubs

X-Factors: Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant

Who in their right mind would bet for this team to win the World Series? Considering it's been over a hundred years since they last won, the odds are clearly not in their favor. And while yes, they did improve significantly this offseason adding Jon Lester, Dexter Fowler, Miguel Montero, and manager Joe Maddon; it's not their time yet. People aren't even sure if Kris Bryant is going to make the Opening Day roster due to money reasons, so that alone could set the team back. This core of young talent is unmatched on any other team in the game, and I do agree that they can become at least a Wild Card contender as early as this year. However, I think most of their success is still a few years away. It has to be tough on developing outfielder Jorge Soler, third baseman Bryant, and second baseman Javier Baez hearing all of these World Series talks. Vegas may think it's their time, but the average baseball fan should be able to see that there are far too many already established teams that will be more prepared this year. I'm as excited as the next guy to see these young stars make names for themselves in the big leagues, don't get me wrong. But I don't see them making the playoffs this year.

4 - Cincinnati Reds

X-Factors: Health

Choosing between the Reds and Brewers for this spot was more difficult than just about anything else I've attempted to predict this year. But, given that this Reds team is currently healthy, I can't help but put them ahead for now. If this team could stay relatively healthy this year, I can see them even making a playoff run. Even though they lost Mat Latos, they still have a lot to offer. Jay Bruce and Joey Votto were absent in the lineup for most of last season, and they should provide a spark guys like Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco, and Billy Hamilton needed. Johnny Cueto will most likely be pitching his final season for the Reds, and will be performing for a big contract. He will once again make a case for the Cy Young Award, and now healthy Homer Bailey and Tony Cingrani should contribute too. This team's devastating 2014 paralleled the Rangers in the American League, and like I said for them (before they lost Darvish of course)... how much worse could it get? 

5 - Milwaukee Brewers

X-Factors: Ryan Braun, Jean Segura, Adam Lind

The Brewers won 82 games in 2014, and I just ranked them in last for this upcoming season. And I do not feel comfortable with this decision at all, because this does not feel like a last place team. I just don't know how else to go about this, and thus here we are now. Ryan Braun has been going through Tiger Woods Syndrome ever since his PED scandal, and we may never see the old Braun again. This will be their third baseman and model of consistency Aramis Ramirez's final season, and he can't man the hot corner all that well anymore. Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy will provide the major spark of the lineup; both being potential MVP candidates, but it still isn't enough for me. Why is that, you ask? It all comes down to pitching, and they simply do not have what any of the other teams in the division have. They traded Yovani Gallardo to the Rangers this past winter, and it's going to hurt them not having a dependable ace in the staff. The offense can be as good as it was last year, but the other four teams here have all improved. If anything, the Brew Crew took a step back.

Division MVP: Andrew McCutchen

Division Cy Young: Johnny Cueto

Playoff Teams: Pittsburgh, St. Louis

I ended up choosing the Marlins and Cardinals as my two Wild Card choices for the National League, which means that the defending champion Giants, or the always popular choice, the Dodgers, will NOT make the playoffs at all. Stay tuned to see what I have to say about the West, and shortly after that I'll have my playoff and award predictions! 

Do you agree, disagree? Feel free to start up some baseball chatter in the comments below, I've enjoyed hearing your feedback so far and I'm glad this new series has been appealing to some people so far! I can't wait for the season to begin!

See Ya!

2015 National League East Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I've had a blast with this series so far, and I love hearing what some of you have had to say defending your favorite teams. Remember, this is solely my prediction; I decided to throw some interesting curveballs in my picks to be able to say "I called it" when a team of the Royals caliber makes a deep playoff run next year. With that, if you're interested in checking out my posts regarding the AL East, Central, and West, feel free to click the links! But for now, let's talk about this year's National League East; a division mostly on the rise from being one of the least competitive divisions in the game.

2015 NL East Standings Prediction:

Image Source

1 - Washington Nationals
X-Factors: Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Drew Storen

This was probably my easiest pick of all 30 teams. The Nationals have become one of those yearly great regular season teams (similarly to the Angels), but I have a strong feeling that will change in 2015. Their pitching rotation ranks among the best on paper in the modern baseball era: newly acquired Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister, and Gio Gonzalez. Tanner Roark won 15 games with a sub 3.00 ERA and they won't even have room for him on Opening Day! Zimmermann and Fister are in contract years which will give them even more to play for, and the team knows that 2015 could be their only shot with this particular roster. Shortstop Ian Desmond will be a free agent as well next offseason and, considering he already turned down $107 million from the Nats in 2013, I don't see how they would be able to afford him. The biggest concern for Washington is their bullpen, led by closer Drew Storen, who pitched well last season but will have a much bigger role potentially closing out key playoff games. A rebound season from Ryan Zimmerman and the possibility of a major Bryce Harper breakout year could give them an extra boost and push them deep into the pennant race. The sky is the limit for this team.

2 - Miami Marlins
X-Factors: Jose Fernandez, Dee Gordon, Mike Morse

I really like the Marlins this year, I'm not going to lie. Their core young outfield consisting of Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, and Giancarlo Stanton is one of the best in the business, and they made some other key improvements this offseason too. Martin Prado, Dee Gordon, and Mike Morse should help increase offensive production, although I have a hard time seeing Gordon replicate his 2014 statistics. Henderson Alvarez and trade acquisition Mat Latos should be able to shoulder the load until 22 year old phenom Jose Fernandez returns from Tommy John Surgery around early June. On a personal note, I hope to see David Phelps make the rotation or have a key bullpen role at some point; he will be one of my most missed ex-Yankees next year. But, the main focus of this offense is Mr. Moneybags, Giancarlo Stanton. Six foot six and 240 lbs.; this guy can care less about what happened to his face last year. I think he has the best year of his career, and he helps lead Miami to the postseason as one of the biggest wild card contenders.

3 - New York Mets
X-Factors: Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Wilmer Flores

The unofficial "Good Guy" team starring David Wright, Curtis Granderson, and now Michael Cuddyer should continue to improve from their second place finish in 2015. Unfortunately, I believe the Marlins improved even more and will be the division runner ups by the end of September. This is a team I see getting a little bit better every year, with almost an annual tradition of adding a top pitching prospect to the rotation. "The Dark Knight", Matt Harvey is the cream of the crop, and while his Tommy John comeback will be monitored, I can see him returning to form quickly and easily. Just watch his first Spring Training performance; the guy can seriously pitch. Their offense may be prone to injury and slumps throughout the course of the season, but their fantastic young rotation may be able to lead them into the Wild Card hunt as well.

4 - Atlanta Braves
X-Factors: Nick Markakis, Alex Wood

New Atlanta GM John Hart was awfully busy this past winter, and it became clear that his direction was to throw away last year's team and focus on the future. Poor Freddie Freeman lost the protection of Justin Upton and Jason Heyward in the lineup; who were traded to San Diego and St. Louis, respectively. In addition, power hitting catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis was moved to Houston. Their rotation seems to have improved, led by a solid young trio of Julio Teheran, Alex Wood, and Shelby Miller, and the bullpen is again anchored by star closer Craig Kimbrel. This team may have improved in the long run through all of the prospect acquisitions. Their success in 2015, however, may be partially determined by the health of free agent signing Nick Markakis. Markakis was released by the Orioles after they learned of the herniated disk in his neck that required offseason surgery. This Braves team today doesn't appear likely to make the postseason, but their future should be intriguing thanks to Hart's moves.

5 - Philadelphia Phillies
X-Factors: Cliff Lee, Domonic Brown

It's truly sad seeing how much this team has fallen off ever since their 2008 and 2009 World Series appearances. Their supposed star Ryan Howard has not aged gracefully, batting .223 last season in the first year since 2011 that he managed to play almost a full season (although he did manage to drive in an impressive 95 runs given the team's weak offensive season). Chase Utley is still reliable but injury prone for his age, and Cliff Lee was recently given sad news about his elbow that may end his career a bit prematurely. If I were Ruben Amaro Jr., I would be doing anything in my power to move their terrible contracts and start over. Cole Hamels may be worth his team-friendly contract, but he would fetch the most value in return and therefore should be moved as well, because let's face it: the Phillies don't stand much of a chance next year.

Division MVP: Giancarlo Stanton
Division Cy Young: Max Scherzer
Playoff Teams: Washington, Miami (Wild Card)

The NL East seems to be the youngest division in the game, and there will be so many fun players to watch this season. The Cy Young could've honestly went to any of the Nationals starters, but I picked Scherzer to dominate hitters better than anyone. The adjustment should be fine for "Mad Max", and I'm sure he'll be glad to not have to face DH's such as Victor Martinez, David Ortiz, and Chris Carter as often. I also heard that he's been working on adding a cutter to his arsenal, so we will have to wait and see if that elevates his game further. The Marlins may be a debatable playoff team, but I would personally like to see them make a run with all of their young talent. Plus, how cool would it be seeing Stanton up with a tie game in the 9th inning; bases loaded? The youth movement probably makes this division the weakest in the National League, but it could be one of the best throughout baseball a couple of years from now.

Any thoughts or predictions of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments below! For now, I'm signing off.

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!

2015 American League Central Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! We now return with the second installment of my 2015 MLB Season Preview; this time highlighting perhaps a revamped, competitive AL Central division! If you would like to see the rest of my predictions, click here.

2015 AL Central Standings Prediction:

Image Source

1 - Chicago White Sox
X-Factors: Adam LaRoche, Carlos Rodon

Once again, I'm going with a team that made significant strides this past offseason. The White Sox finished 16 games below .500 last year, but they seemed to improve at just the right places over the course of the winter. Melky Cabrera should be able to contribute extra base hits at the top of the lineup with possible breakout center fielder Adam Eaton. Adam LaRoche should support young superstar Jose Abreu and receive plenty of great pitches to hit in the process. It's clear that it's difficult to win without strong pitching in today's game, and I don't know if there's many "Top 3's" in the American League with as much potential as Chris Sale, Jeff Samardzija, and Jose Quintana have. Quintana has been consistently underrated and improving since his debut in 2013, and Sale has the skills to make a run for the Cy Young award, even despite fracturing his foot last week. This is a winnable division, and Chicago's balanced lineup, defense, starting and relief pitching should make them an easy contender in 2015. Key word: should.

2 - Kansas City Royals
X-Factors: Alex Rios, Yordano Ventura, Lorenzo Cain

The Royals made the World Series last year. Can we please acknowledge that? I personally thought I wouldn't be seeing Kansas City win the pennant for quite some time, but their run was truly magical last year. But just like people are going to automatically sign Madison Bumgarner up as the 2015 Cy Young winner, they will also think that the Royals could repeat their historic 2014. Without James Shields, Nori Aoki, and Billy Butler, I don't see how that's possible. Shields led the team not only as the best pitcher, but also in the clubhouse, and newly acquired Edinson Volquez will be filling his spot in the rotation. No disrespect to Volquez, but he's no Shields. Unless Lorenzo Cain and Yordano Ventura take their postseason performances into the regular season and dominate, I see the Royals falling just a bit short of the playoffs. The American League has gotten stronger as a whole, and I think in the right ways too, which could cause this young team to sputter off the tracks and struggle at times. Ned Yost is a good manager, and I don't think last year was a total fluke, but I have a hard time seeing them beat any of the teams I ranked ahead of them this spring.

3 - Detroit Tigers
X-Factors: Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, Bruce Rondon

This may act as a surprise to most readers here, as the Tigers have been a consistent player in October over the past decade. They have won the Central the past four years, but this offseason they lost their ace Max Scherzer and rising star Rick Porcello. Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, the team's two biggest offensive components; are going into 2015 with health questions. David Price is in the final year of his contract, and if the team spirals early due to injuries he may not even be with the team by the end of the season. Their bullpen has always been a problem for Detroit despite all of their efforts to improve, but Bruce Rondon will be returning and hopefully playing a big role in revitalizing that spot. However, Cabrera and Martinez are still two of the best hitters in the league even while hurt, and Yoenis Cespedes, Ian Kinsler, and JD Martinez will most likely help lead the team into the playoff picture. It all comes down to Justin Verlander's recovery from his core injuries, and if he can take a step back towards his prime seasons the Tigers will be a force to reckon with in 2015.

My biggest problem with the AL Central (and the West for that matter) is that almost every team has a chance of winning the division. I think the only team in this division that can be excluded from the playoff race is Minnesota, who are still a few years away. Because each team in the division plays each other 18 times a year, the teams may suffer worse overall records and it may only allow one team to make the playoffs. It is possible for the Red Sox or Orioles to win wild card spots next year, leaving out possibly better teams from the Central. We'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

4 - Cleveland Indians
X-Factors: Brandon Moss, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Kipnis

Many people are considering the Indians as one of the best possible rebound teams this upcoming season. Coming off a season in which ace Corey Kluber earned a Cy Young Award out of almost nowhere, the Tribe still managed to barely miss the playoffs. Their pitching staff is young but talented, and Carlos Carrasco is this year's Danny Salazar in terms of "the ultimate fantasy baseball sleeper of the year". I just don't see the offense coming together enough for the team to succeed, no matter how dominant the pitching is. Nick Swisher is coming off of multiple knee surgeries, Jason Kipnis had finger surgery and suffered oblique problems throughout 2014, and newly acquired asset Brandon Moss underwent right hip surgery as well. There are far too many things that need to go right for the Indians to surpass the White Sox, Royals, and Tigers to make the playoffs. Is it impossible? Not with Terry Francona calling the shots, but it sure doesn't seem right.

5 - Minnesota Twins
X-Factors: Oswaldo Arcia, Alex Meyer, Byron Buxton

Once again, I don't see much of an improvement with what the Twins have assembled at this moment. I don't think they're an awful team in any way, but I just don't see them stacking up to the rest of the division. Youth is the focus of the organization at the moment, and it should be at least another year before the hype of mega prospects Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, and Alex Meyer rises. The new addition of Torii Hunter was smart not only because he still is a good hitter but also because he can mentor some of the young outfielders on the team. Kirby Puckett taught Hunter a lot about life in and out of baseball, and his influence may have sparked what has been a magnificent career. Their pitching rotation is headed by former Yankee Phil Hughes, who had an underrated 2014 and could possibly build on that next season as he is still only 28 years old. But no matter how you shake it, this team needs a miracle season to be found at the top of the standings come October.

Division MVP: Jose Abreu
Division Cy Young: Chris Sale
Playoff Teams: Chicago

This division really could swing in any direction over the course of the season. Nobody saw the Royals steamroll of the American League coming, and really any of these teams could do much of the same this year. I picked the White Sox to not only win the division, but I chose their stars as division MVP and Cy Young too. All the new faces in Chicago could cause chemistry issues at first, but I still feel most confident about their chances over anyone else. I would not be shocked to see Cleveland make a late season run, as they have seemed to do over the past couple seasons, nor would I be surprised if Detroit dominates. But the injuries are unavoidable, and these teams have one too many questions for me to logically see them contending for the pennant.

Agree, disagree, or both? Feel free to comment below with your thoughts on what should be one of the most interesting divisions in 2015!

See Ya!

2015 American League East Preview + Predictions!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I decided this year to let my 2015 season predictions be known to you all; simply because I have a lot of fun talking baseball and taking guesses at who will come home with the title. We're going to make this an 8 part series consisting of previews for each of the 6 divisions, a playoff prediction, and a season awards post. I hope you enjoy this, because it will hopefully complement my Spring Training TTM's (3 back already!) throughout a month I need to save as much money as possible during. We'll kick this off with my team's division, the AL East.

2015 AL East Standings Prediction:

Image Source

1 - Toronto Blue Jays
X-Factors: Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Drew Hutchison

I know what you're saying: the Blue Jays never seem to put it all together. They took on contracts of the Marlins flop signings from a few years back, and so far it hasn't made a difference. This offseason Canada's team added perhaps the top pitch framing catcher in Russell Martin and an excellent two way third baseman in Josh Donaldson to their lineup already fully loaded with mega sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, and speed demon Jose Reyes. Martin should help improve the pitching staff to an extent, but I'm counting on a big year from 23 year old righty Marcus Stroman to take it to the next level. Their bullpen needs to improve as well, but rookie Aaron Sanchez could be a difference maker for their entire season if he gets an opportunity to close. Overall, the lineup is just too good to avoid at this point, and with a few solid seasons out of young pitchers; veterans RA Dickey and Mark Buehrle can show the Jays how to move forward into the playoffs.

**UPDATE: It appears that I have cursed the Blue Jays and poor Marcus Stroman, who tore his ACL during fielding practice and will miss the entire 2015 season. With the value I put in Stroman's arm leading Toronto to a division title, I will now switch out the Blue Jays and the Red Sox; the Jays winning a Wild Card spot and the Sox taking the division. It's my blog, and my predictions after all, right?**

2 - Boston Red Sox
X-Factors: Wade Miley, Xander Bogaerts, Rusney Castillo

I don't like to rank the Red Sox high, but this only seems logical. They have had some serious ups and downs over the past several seasons; finishing last in 2012, winning the World Series in 2013, and finishing last again in 2014. They have an enormous surplus of outfielders at the moment, and it is left to be seen if they are able to turn some of those players into a staff ace, which appears to be their largest weakness on the roster at the moment. They made strides adding Rick Porcello, Wade Miley, and Justin Masterson to their rotation, but I think they will need to do more before they top Toronto in the division. Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval were added to support the aging David Ortiz and downward trending players Dustin Pedroia, Shane Victorino, and Mike Napoli. It remains to be seen how Hanley will fare in left field since he's always been an infielder, but Fenway Park shouldn't give him much trouble.

3 - New York Yankees
X-Factors: Didi Gregorius, Nathan Eovaldi, C.C. Sabathia

I put my Yankees third on this ranking, and that may be a bit of a hometown discount. I like their moves this offseason acquiring Andrew Miller, Didi Gregorius, and Nathan Eovaldi; along with resigning Chase Headley, but I still don't think it was enough to put them over the top. The pitching rotation is loaded with potential, but even more so injury potential. Masahiro Tanaka is one bad pitch away from missing the next calendar year due to Tommy John Surgery, and although C.C. started eating big macs again I don't see him reviving his entire career (although I do see an improvement). The bullpen will be excellent as usual, but an aging, struggling lineup and scary rotation leaves the Yankees out of the playoffs for the third consecutive year in my opinion. I would love to see them prove me wrong, but with the roster assembled compared to other teams in the division, I find it a bit far fetched. 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.

4 - Baltimore Orioles
X-Factors: Chris Davis, Kevin Gausman

The Orioles failed to make a splash this offseason in free agency to replace last year's 40 home run slugger Nelson Cruz and mainstay Nick Markakis; who left for Seattle and Atlanta, respectively. However, they will be getting Matt Wieters back behind the plate to fill the void he left when he had Tommy John Surgery early in the 2014 season. Chris Davis received a prescription to use an ADHD medicine that he was suspended for using last year, and Manny Machado will hopefully make it through the season healthy. There are definitely question marks surrounding the birds, but Buck Showalter is the best manager in the division and should be able to make this team a contender. I think 96 wins again is pushing the bar too high, but I can see them making a case for a wildcard spot if all goes well.

5 - Tampa Bay Rays
X-Factors: Steven Souza Jr., Kevin Kiermaier

The Rays are a new team in 2015, now without Joe Maddon under the helm for the first time since 2005 and also without GM Andrew Friedman, who fled for the Dodgers over the offseason. Former catcher Kevin Cash is taking the reins of the baseball genius, and he doesn't have nearly as much to work with this year. Ben Zobrist, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Joyce, and Yunel Escobar found new homes, and were replaced with players such as Asdrubal Cabrera and Steven Souza Jr. (of Jordan Zimmermann no-hitter saving catch fame). Evan Longoria seems to be declining every season, and their young rotation has a lot to prove before Tampa Bay can find their way back to the top of this division. Alex Cobb does appear to have the best chance of any AL East pitcher to dominate 2015, as long as he shies away from comebacker line drives.

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

This division may contain the biggest question marks of any division in the game this upcoming season, but I see it playing out competitively. I don't think there will be a team with well over 90 wins like Baltimore accomplished in 2014, because the parity in baseball seems to be stronger than ever. I honestly would not even be surprised if Tampa Bay found a way to crawl out of the cellar and have a great season, because somehow they never seem to be out of the hunt. There is a chance that the Yankees could finish last, but I want to show some faith in my team and I think 3rd place is a more than fair projection.

I picked Josh Donaldson to have the best MVP chances out of any AL East hitter, but it really could be Bautista or Encarnacion. I just feel that Donaldson will have a lot of RBI opportunities hitting behind them in the lineup, and his defensive prowess balances out his game better than it does for the other two. As I said before, I like Alex Cobb a lot in 2015, even if the Rays aren't a competitive team, thus I chose him as the Cy Young pick for the division.

Agree? Disagree? Agree to Disagree? Leave a comment below, let's talk some baseball.

See Ya!