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(08/03/15 8:26pm)
St. Louis Cardinals
Who else would it be? The Red Birds continue to roll as they hold the Major’s best record at 67-38. According to FanGraphs, the Cardinals are on pace to win 97 games. St. Louis has been one of baseball’s best since the All Star break with an 11-5 record. Randall Grichuk continues to be a Godsend for the Cardinals. He is hitting .312 with an on-base percentage of .400 with four homers and 10 RBIs since the break. He will need to continue his hot play as Matt Holliday was placed on the DL for the second time this season. St. Louis will go on the road this week to take on two division rivals, the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals have been the clear-cut favorite to win the American League for some time now, and just this past week they got stronger with the additions of Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. The additions are quickly paying dividends as Zobrist has three homers and six RBIs in just four games for KC and Cueto tossed six quality innings in his first start. Kansas City owns the AL’s best record at 62-42, and it will look to improve upon that this week with series against the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh owns a 61-43 record, which is good for the second best record in the National League. The Bucs got swept to start the second half, but are 8-5 since then are playing better ball. The Pirates are winners of their last three series and are trending upward going into two big series against potential playoff teams in the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers arguably have the best one-two punch in all of baseball in Zack Grienke and Clayton Kershaw. Greinke had a 45.2 inning scoreless inning streak earlier this season, and Kershaw is in the midst of a 37 scoreless inning streak. Assuming the Dodgers do stave off the Giants in the west Greinke and Kershaw will be awfully tough to beat in a five- or seven-game series. LA finally got its starting pitching help this week as it acquired Alex Wood from the Braves and Mat Latos from the Marlins. The Dodgers now have a fairly deep starting rotation rather than Greinke and Kershaw and then praying for three days of rain. The Dodgers will take on the hapless Phillies and the Pirates this week.
Houston Astros
The Astros might have made the best move of the 2015 trade deadline this past week with the acquisition of Scott Kazmir. Kazmir has quietly been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, as he owns the third-best ERA in the league. The Astros swept a three-game series over the Angels earlier this week to take sole possession of the AL West. Houston has been rolling since the All Star break with an 11-4 record. FanGraphs has the Astros on pace for 90 wins, which would more than likely be good enough for a playoff birth. Houston will take on the Texas Rangers and the Oakland Athletics this week.
San Francisco Giants
New York Yankees
Washington Nationals
Chicago Cubs
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
New York Mets
Toronto Blue Jays
Minnesota Twins
Baltimore Orioles
Tampa Bay Rays
Chicago White Sox
Texas Rangers
Detroit Tigers
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks
Atlanta Braves
Oakland Athletics
Seattle Mariners
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Boston Red Sox
Colorado Rockies
Miami Marlins
Philadelphia Phillies
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(08/03/15 6:26pm)
David Price from the Tigers to the Toronto Blue Jays for prospects.
The Troy Tulowitzki pickup was nice, but this was the move Toronto NEEDED to make. The Jays already owned the best offense in baseball, but they lacked an ace, a true number one that can start game one of the playoffs. They got their man in David Price. Price is a perennial top-10 pitcher and comes to the Jays with loads of playoff experience. The Jays had to give up their top prospect in Daniel Norris, and yes, prospects are cool, but championship parades are cooler. Toronto has the longest postseason drought at 22 years. This may be the trade that puts Blue Jays over the top and into the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers to the Mets for prospects.
Heading into the trade deadline it was no secret that Mets absolutely needed a bat. The Mets have the worst offense in baseball, as they rank dead last in runs scored. Although even with the worst offense in baseball, the Mets are somehow just one game out of first place, and much of that can be credited to their top-notch pitching staff. One would think that by adding just a little bit of offense the Mets can easily catch and overtake the Washington Nationals for first place in the NL East. Yoenis Cespedes should provide that little bit of offense the Mets have desperately needed. Cespedes was having a great year with the Detroit Tigers. He was hitting .293 with 18 homers and 61 RBIs. The Mets could be a scary team if they make it to October because one through four in their pitching staff is as good, if not better than everyone else.
Johnny Cueto from the Reds to the Royals for prospects.
The Royals need for an ace was not as pressing as the Blue Jays’ because the Royals own the best record in the American League, but they did need a starter, and they got their man in Johnny Cueto. Cueto has been one of the most dominant pitchers over the four seasons. Over that stretch he has compiled 51 wins, and if it wasn't for Clayton Kershaw, Cueto would have run away with the NL Cy Young in 2014. The Royals’ starting rotation is at the bottom of the league in innings pitch, so Cueto will certainly give them a boost in that area. He will also give KC a guy who can start game one of the playoffs. The Royals’ window to a win a championship could be closing sooner rather than later, so this was a move they needed to make. We saw what kind of run they went on last October, and they can definitely do that again.
Scott Kazmir from the A’s to Astros for prospects.
This pickup could end up being the best pickup of the season because the Astros are getting a very quality pitcher for a pretty reasonable price. They had to give up only two prospects for him, but they were the top prospects. Kazmir is second in all of baseball in terms of ERA. He gives the ‘Stros a bit more depth in their starting rotation, and they now have a very formidable 1-2-3 of Dallas Kuechel, Kazmir and Lance McCullers. With the moves the Astros have made, they have shown that they are going for their first postseason birth since 2005.
Cole Hamels from the Phillies to the Rangers for prospects
Both teams came out as winners here. The Rangers got a proven reliable ace in Cole Hamels, and the Phillies got a plethora of prospects to help get their rebuilding process going. The Rangers will probably not grab a playoff spot this year, but next year they will have a pretty good rotation with Hamels and Yu Darvish and Derek Holland coming back from injury.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(07/24/15 2:03pm)
We are now only days away from the July 31st trade deadline and the trade talks are starting to heat up. We’ll now go into what each AL contender needs going into the deadline.
New York Yankees (52 - 41) 1st place in the AL East
Need – Starter, second basemen, bullpen help
The Yankees sit atop the AL East with their current roster, and even if they didn’t make a move, this team could still win the division. That being said, the Yankees could still use another starter because it is hard to count on Mashiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda to stay healthy. Tanaka and Pineda have had elbow troubles recently, and it could only take one pitch to take them out of the Yankee rotation. In recent years the Yankees have been committed to developing home grown talent, so I wouldn't expect them to give up their top prospects for a guy like Cole Hamels, although they could go out and get a guy like a Jeff Samardzija or Scott Kazmir and not give up that much to get them. Stephen Drew, the Yankees starting second basemen, is hitting .181, so there is not doubt they could upgrade at that position. Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller have been lights out at the back end of the bullpen this season, but they have been relied on heavily thus far. Miller has already had a DL stint, so another bullpen guy to take a little bit of the heat off Betances and Miller would not hurt.
Potential Pickups – Jeff Samardzija (SP White Sox), Scott Kazmir (SP A’s) , Johnny Cueto (SP Reds), Brandon Phillips (2B Reds), Ben Zobrist (2B A’s), Francisco Rodriguez (RHP Brewers), Brad Ziegler (RHP Diamondbacks), Tyler Clippard (RHP A’s)
Toronto Blue Jays (48 - 47 4.5 of 1st place, 3 out of Wild Card
Need – Bullpen help, Starting Pitcher
The Blue Jays own the best offense in baseball and have a potential MVP winner on their team in Josh Donaldson, yet they only stand at 48-47 and are 4.5 games out of first place and three games out of a wild card spot. So one might ask, “how?” Well, the Jays have a glaring hole in their starting staff and in the back end of their bullpen. If the playoffs started today, the Jays would have Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey and Marco Estrada starting games 1, 2 and 3. While Buehrle and Estrada have pitched well this year, that threesome doesn’t exactly strike fear into opposing American League lineups. It has been rumored that Cole Hamels would not waive his no trade clause to go to Toronto, so it is unlikely they can land him. It is more likely they would be able to land a Johnny Cueto or a Jeff Samardzija and because both guys are under contract until the end of the year the Jays would not need to give up a lot to get them. A guy like Cueto or Samardzija would instantly bolster Toronto’s pitching staff. It has been no secret since the beginning of the year that the Jays need bullpen help. In fact they are in dead last in Major League Baseball in saves with 14. Johnathan Papelbon or Francisco Rodriguez would look very good at the back end of the bullpen. General manager Alex Anthopoulos is in the last year of his contract, so he needs to go out and make some moves to get this team into the playoffs. If they can pick up a starter and a reliever, they can easily catch the Yankees and win the division with how good their offense is.
Potential Pickups – Johnny Cueto (SP Reds), Jeff Samardzija (SP White Sox), Mike Leake (SP Reds), Scott Kazmir (SP A’s), Johnathan Papelbon (RHP Phillies), Francisco Rodriguez (RHP Brewers), Koji Uehara (RHP Red Sox), Brad Ziegler (RHP Diamondbacks)
Baltimore Orioles (46 - 47) 6 out of first place, 3.5 out of Wild Card
Need – Offense, Starting pitching
The Orioles need an impact bat. They need someone who cat hit behind Adam Jones and Manny Machado. There are two guys out there that I think the O’s should have on their radar and those two guys are Justin Upton and Jay Bruce. Upton would fit perfectly into right field, which would force Chris Davis back to his original position of first base. Upton is the premier bat on the market right now, but he is in the last year of his contract so he would not cost the Orioles as much as he would if he was under contract longer. Jay Bruce is the exact opposite position as Upton. Bruce is under contract until the end of 2016 so he would cost the Orioles a little bit more. Bruce and Upton would give Baltimore power from either corner outfield position. They do have some question marks in their starting rotation, but I would not expect them to go after a Hamels or a Cueto. I think they would go after a the second or third tier starters like Mike Leake or Scott Kazmir, but with that being said I am not all too sure they will acquire a pitcher.
Potential Pickups – Justin Upton (RF Padres), Jay Bruce (RF Reds), Carlos Gomez (CF Brewers), Carlos Gonzalez (RF Rockies), Mike Leake (SP Reds), Scott Kazmir (SP Reds)
Tampa Bay Rays (48 – 49) 6 out of 1st place, 3.5 out of Wild Card
Need – Offense
If you go and look at any box score of any Rays game this year, you would probably think to yourself “how is this team even in the conversation for the playoffs?” Outside of Evan Longoria there are not too many guys the casual baseball fan can name off the Rays lineup. The Rays are in one of the smallest markets in baseball and have pretty poor fan support, so I don’t expect them to go after a big name like Upton or Bruce. I think they would go after a guy like Martin Prado of the Marlins or Will Venable of the Padres. Neither guy is super star, but they are versatile players that would instantly bolster a rather anemic lineup. I don’t expect them to make a major move, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they make one of those under the radar moves.
Potential Pickups – Martin Prado (IF Marlins), Will Venable (OF Padres), Gerrado Parra (OF Brewers), Adam Lind (1B Brewers)
Kansas City Royals (57 – 36) 1st place in the AL Central
Need – Starting Pitching
There is no complete team in the American League, but if there is anything close to it it's the Royals. The Royals have a balanced attack on offense, a great defense and lockdown, lights out bullpen. With that all said, the Royals desperately need a starter. And it doesn't have to be a bona fide ace, they just need an innings eater who can get to that bullpen. The Royals starting staff ranks last in innings pitched, so they are putting heavy innings on their bullpen. I think the perfect guy for the Royals is Mike Leake. Leake, much like the Royals, isn’t anything flashy but he will go out and will throw 6-7 solid innings and turn it over to the bullpen. The Royals wouldn't need to give up much for Leake as he is in the last year of his contract. Kansas City is already the favorite in the American League so adding another starter will only help that argument.
Potential Pickups – Mike Leake (SP Reds), Scott Kazmir (SP A’s), Johnny Cueto (SP Reds), Jeff Samardzija (SP White Sox), Mat Latos (SP Marlins)
Minnesota Twins (50 – 44) 7.5 out of 1st place, 2nd place in the Wild Card
Need – Starting Pitching
The Twins have overachieved for much of the year, and I think they are probably one year away from seriously competing for the division, so I don’t think they will make move at the deadline. I think they are willing to take their chances with what they have for the rest of the season, and then make their moves in the offseason. If they do happen to make a move at the deadline I think they would be in play for a starting pitcher, but not any big name pitcher. They would be more likely go after a lower tier starter like a Kyle Lohse of the Brewers or Dan Haren of the Marlins. They are currently in one of the wild card spots in the AL, but I don’t see them being there at the end of the year. This year has to be considered a success no matter where the Twins end up finishing because everyone (including me) was picking them dead last in the AL Central.
Potential Pickups – Kyle Lohse (SP Brewers), Dan Haren (SP Marlins), Josh Collmenter (SP Diamondbacks)
Detroit Tigers (47 – 47) 10.5 of 1st place, 3 out of Wild Card
Need – Need to be sellers.
Detroit is in an unfamiliar position going into the trade deadline. For the last 4-5 seasons the Tigers have been buyers at the trade deadline, but I believe they won’t be this year. The Tigers need to desperately retool their team and that starts with trading David Price and Yoenis Cespedes. Both are essentially rental players because their contracts are up after this season, so they need to trade them and get something for them while they can. Even with just a year left on his deal Price would be worth a pretty penny and would bring back some nice prospects. Cespedes is a productive players, not nearly as valuable as Price, but he would also bring back some nice prospects. The Tigers should look at what the Phillies were a few years back. From 2007 to 2012 the Phillies were constantly making the playoffs, making runs to the World Series and at the end of that run the Phillies decided to hold on to their aging veterans instead of trading them and getting something for them. Now the Phillies are a complete mess and have really nothing in the minor leagues. If the Tigers don’t make these moves they could end up being the Phillies in a year or two. The Tigers farm system is depleted, but they can start rebuilding it with trades of Price and Cespedes.
Los Angles Angels of Anaheim (54 – 40) 1st place in the AL West
Need – Offense, bullpen
The Angels are currently one of the hottest teams in baseball and scoring close to six runs a game in July so you might be thinking, “how could they need offense?” Well you can always get more offense. The best player in baseball Mike Trout and a resurgent Albert Pujols have teamed up to be one of, if not the most formidable offense duo in baseball this season. They make up a great 3-4 in the lineup, but it quickly falls off after that. For most of the season they have has Erick Ayber hitting five or six in the lineup, when Ayber should be hitting eight or nine. I believe the Angels should make a strong push for Jay Bruce of the Reds. Bruce would give the Angels a left handed power bat to go with the righties of Trout and Pujols. Imagine a 3-4-5 of Trout, Pujols and Bruce, that would be pretty fearsome middle of the order. They also could go after a reliever or two to help build a bridge to the closer Huston Street.
Potential Pickups – Jay Bruce (RF Reds), Yoenis Cespedes (OF Tigers), Francisco Rodriguez (RHP Brewers), Brad Ziegler (RHP Diamondbacks)
Houston Astros (53 – 43) 2 out of 1st place, 1st place in the Wild Card
Need – Starting pitching
The surprise story of the season certainly has to be the Astros. I don’t think many people thought they would be in the hunt for the playoffs this season, but I think they should go for it. They need to make a big splash at the deadline. The Angels are getting ready to take off, and the Astros cannot sit back and do nothing. The Astros are one of the few teams that have the prospects to acquire a Cole Hamels or a David Price. Imagine if the Astros could go into the playoffs with Dallas Kuechel and either Hamels or Price starting games 1 and 2. That would arguably be the best 1-2 punch in the playoffs. I know it would be tough, but I really believe Houston should give up the prospects and go acquire Cole Hamels, David Price or Johnny Cueto.
Potential Pickups – Cole Hamels (SP Phillies), David Price (SP Tigers), Johnny Cueto (SP Reds), Jeff Samardzija (SP White Sox)
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(07/14/15 3:31pm)
St. Louis Cardinals (Last week #1)
The Cardinals will close out the first half of the season atop the power rankings with the major league’s best record at 56-33. After winning six in a row a few weeks ago the Cards have not played their best baseball of late, only going 5-9 since then. It seems the injury bug is finally catching up for the Cardinals, and they certainly will be buyers before or at the trade deadline. They dropped three of four in a crucial series with the Pirates over the weekend, and now the Pirates are just 2.5 games back of the Cardinals. St. Louis will look to use the All Star break as a time to rest and heal up before what should be an exciting second half of the season.
Pittsburgh Pirates (#3)
Even though the Cardinals still remain No. 1 in the power rankings, the Pirates are right on their heels. Pittsburgh has won eight of its last nine ballgames and is now just 2.5 games behind St. Louis. It was only a few weeks ago when the Pirates were out of first place by eight games. After a slow start to the season Andrew McCutchen has picked it up towards the end of the first half and goes into the break hitting .295 with 12 homers and 56 RBIs. With another strong second half, ‘Cutch will certainly be a MVP candidate if the Pirates make the playoffs.
Washington Nationals (#2)
While they are in first place in the NL East going into the break, you almost get the feeling that the Nats have underachieved this season. Washington has been ravaged by injuries to Jayson Werth, Anthony Rendon, Denard Span, Stephan Strasburg and Ryan Zimmermann, and yet here they are in first place. You could also make the case that while Jordan Zimmermann and Gio Gonzalez have pitched okay to date, they have not pitched up to their potential, and that makes the Nats one of the scariest teams going into the break. If the Nats can get all their injured players back healthy and if their pitchers can start pitching up to their potential, there is no telling how far this Washington team can go.
Kansas City Royals (#4)
There is not much more you can say about the job the Royals have done in the first half. They are a team that just knows how to win. There is nothing flashy about them, they just show up, play and win. They have showed that last year’s playoff run was no fluke by getting out to a 52-34 start (the AL’s best) and opening up a 4.5 game lead on the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. The AL Central is the Royals’ to lose at this point, and without some unforeseen collapse I don’t see them relinquishing first place to anyone.
Los Angeles Dodgers (#6)
The Dodgers became the fourth team to 50 wins over the weekend with a win over the Milwaukee Brewers. LA goes into the break playing good ball as it has won five of its last seven games. The Dodgers will open up the second half with a 10-game road trip, including a big series with the Washington Nationals. Clayton Kershaw has been pitching to his form as of late, a good sign after that early season slump during which people were asking if Kershaw had lost it. He has answered those questions with a resounding no, as he leads the majors with a 160 strikeouts and has an ERA of 2.69. The Dodgers hold a 4.5-game lead on the Giants going into the break, but the Giants have not played their best ball yet and one would think they have a run in them. It should be an exciting finish in the NL West.
New York Yankees (#7)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#8)
Minnesota Twins (#14)
Houston Astros (#5)
Chicago Cubs (#9)
New York Mets (#18)
Tampa Bay Rays (#9)
Baltimore Orioles (#10)
Toronto Blue Jays (#11)
San Francisco Giants (#12)
Detroit Tigers (#15)
Texas Rangers (#16)
Arizona Diamondbacks (#19)
Boston Red Sox (#22)
Chicago White Sox (#25)
Cleveland Indians (#17)
Atlanta Braves (#20)
Seattle Mariners (#24)
Miami Marlins (#26)
San Diego Padres (#21)
Cincinnati Reds (#29)
Milwaukee Brewers (#23)
Oakland Athletics (#27)
Colorado Rockies (#28)
Philadelphia Phillies (#30)
Top Offensive Performer of the Week
Mike Trout, CF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Last Week’s Stats - 11/23, .478, 5 HRs, 10 RBIs, 8 runs
The reigning AL MVP takes home this week’s top offensive performer. His performance of late has helped vault the Halos into first place in the AL West. Trout is having another MVP caliber season as he is hitting .312 with 26 HRs, 55 RBIs and 68 runs scored. He will start the All Star Game for the American League tonight.
Top Pitching Performer of the Week
Top Pitching Performer of the WeekChris Sale, LHP, Chicago White Sox
Last Week’s Stats – 16 innings, 16 strikeouts, 1 walk, 3 earned runs, 2-0, 1.69 ERA
Although he saw his historic streak of 10-plus strikeout games come to an end this past week, Chris Sale continued his dominance. Last Monday he shut down the league’s top offense in the Toronto Blue Jays, holding them to only two runs as he went the distance to pick up the victory for the Pale Hose. Then on Saturday afternoon he shut out the crosstown rival Cubs over seven innings and striking out 10. He has arguably been the most dominating and most electric pitcher in the game so far this year. He will be the White Sox lone representative at the All Star Game in Cincinnati.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(06/30/15 3:49pm)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (Last week #1)
This past weekend the Cardinals became the fastest team to 50 wins since the 2005 Chicago White Sox (who later went on to win the World Series). Also over the weekend they showed the road to a NL Central crown still runs through St. Louis with a sweep of the Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals have shown they’re far and away better than any other team in baseball. St. Louis owns a +95 run differential, which is 29 runs better than the next closest team. They got one of their most reliable starters back from the DL this week in Lance Lynn, and he turned in a fine performance against the Marlins. He is just one of the many injured Red Birds expected to return in the coming weeks. It is hard to imagine how good this team will be once they are all healthy. The Cardinals will continue their home stand this week with series against the White Sox and Padres.
2. Kansas City Royals (#3)
The Royals have slowly separated themselves from the rest of the American League during the past couple of weeks. They are 6-4 over their last 10 games, fresh off a four-game win streak, which was just broken last night by a talented Astros squad. KC owns 5.5 game lead over the Minnesota Twins. The AL Central seems to be the Royals’ division to lose with the play of the Twins and Tigers of late. Kansas City has a tough week ahead of them as they continue their series with arguably the AL’s second best team in the Houston Astros, and then they will take on the second place Minnesota Twins over the weekend.
3. Houston Astros (#6)
One of the best stories in baseball continues to be the surprising success of the Houston Astros. The Astros currently hold the second best record in the American League at 45-34 and a four-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I wrote a few weeks ago how Carlos Correa should give the ‘Stros offense a shot in the arm, and he certainly has. Since being called up on June 8th Correa is hitting .318 with five homers and 15 RBIs while playing stellar defense. He has thrust himself into the middle of the Rookie of the Year conversation. He and the emergence of George Springer to go along the consistency of Jose Altuve give Houston three dynamic and versatile offensive pieces. The Astros will take on the AL’s best in the Royals this week and then they’ll end the week with a three-game series at Fenway Park with the Boston Red Sox.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates (#2)
After starting the week out on the wrong foot by dropping two of three to the Reds, the Bucs wrote the ship by taking two of three over the Atlanta Braves. The Pirates have the misfortune of being the same division as the Cardinals because even with a record of 42-33, they are still nine games out of first place. If they were in any other division they would either be first place or a game or two out of first. That just speaks volumes to how good the Cardinals are. I believe the Pirates will be one of the two wildcard teams in the National League. I think they have a great pitching staff and would be scary to face in a short series, especially with the emergence with of Gerit Cole. Pittsburgh will go on the road for a quick three-game series against the Tigers. Then they'll come home for a 10-game home stand where they will wrap up the first half with series against the Indians, Padres and the first place Cardinals.
5. Washington Nationals (#10)
The Nationals are on the verge of running away with the NL East. One more hot week, and you can forget about the Mets in that division. Over this past week the Nats saw their seven-game winning streak come to a halt after a loss to the Phillies on Sunday evening. Max Scherzer is looking like he’s worth every single penny of that seven-year $210 million contract he signed in the offseason. With all due respect to Zack Greinke and Gerit Cole, Scherzer has been the best pitcher in the National League this season. With all the injuries and mishaps the Nats have experienced so far this season, it would be amazing to see where they would be if they didn't have Scherzer. The Nats own a 10-5 record when Scherzer starts and he owns a 1.79 ERA with 130 strikeouts over 110.1 innings. He has been great. Bryce Harper has arguably ben the MVP of the NL so far by single handedly carrying a beaten and battered Nationals lineup. Harper is hitting .339 with 24 homers and 59 RBIs thus far and a slugging percentage of .715. The Nats will look to stay hot this week as they take on NL East rival, the Atlanta Braves. Then they will come home for a weekend showdown series with the San Francisco Giants.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (#5)
7. San Francisco Giants (#9)
8. Baltimore Orioles (#13)
9. Tampa Bay Rays (#4)
10. Toronto Blue Jays (#8)
11. New York Yankees (#7)
12. New York Mets (#17)
13. Chicago Cubs (#11)
14. Detroit Tigers (#15)
15. Minnesota Twins (#14)
16. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#19)
17. Texas Rangers (#13)
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (#18)
19. Atlanta Braves (#16)
20. San Diego Padres (#22)
21. Cincinnati Reds (#20)
22. Cleveland Indians (#21)
23. Seattle Mariners (#23)
24. Boston Red Sox (#25)
25. Chicago White Sox (#26)
26. Oakland Athletics (#27)
27. Colorado Rockies (#28)
28. Miami Marlins (#24)
29. Milwaukee Brewers (#29)
30. Philadelphia Phillies (#30)
Offensive Top Performer
Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies
Last Week’s Stats: 7 HRs, 14 RBIs, .391
The conversation for best third basemen in the National League begins with Arenado. Arenado is not only a premier hitter, but he can throw some leather. He had a great week by blasting seven homers and knocking in 14 RBIs. Not to knock Matt Carpenter (leads NL 3B voting) of the Cardinals, but Arenado should start the All Star Game for the National League. For the season he’s hitting .290 with 24 homers and 68 RBIs. He’s been a bright spot for the Rockies in what has been a subpar season thus far.
Pitching Top Performer
Zack Grienke, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Last Week’s Stats: 1-0, 11 Ks, 13.1 Innings
Greinke is currently in a stretch where he has not allowed a run in his last three starts. He has been nothing short of dominant as he leads all of Major League Baseball with an ERA of 1.59. In a staff that includes Clayton Kershaw its hard to believe that anyone could be better than him, but Greinke certainly has outperformed Kershaw by far this year. Greinke will look to extend his scoreless streak this week in a Fourth of July start against the Mets.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(06/23/15 5:25pm)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (Last Week #1)
There is not much more you can say about the Cardinals other than they are the best team in the game. Their big offseason acquisition, Jason Heyward, is finally starting to heat up. After a slow start to the season Heyward is hitting .320 with four homers and 13 RBIs through his last 30 games. The Cards had another solid week last week as they went 4-3 in games against the Twins and Phillies. St. Louis will finish off its road trip this week with a three game set in Miami against the Marlins. Then the Cardinals will come home to Busch Stadium where they are 26-7 (best home record in MLB) this year to take on their fierce division rival, the Chicago Cubs.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates (#3)
Despite getting swept by the Nationals during the weekend, the Pirates move up to No. 2 this week’s power rankings. Not only are the Pirates getting great efforts from their pitching staff, but also their big offensive pieces are finally starting to come alive. Josh Harrison, last year’s breakout star, has been on a torrid pace through his last 30 games. He is hitting .339 with 18 RBIs, 16 runs scored and an on-base percentage of .373. His emergence at the top of the order is no coincidence with the Pirates recent success. Andrew McCutchen is back to MVP-like form after a slow start as well. He’s hitting .351 with four homers, 20 RBIs, 17 runs scored and an on-base percentage of 415 through his last 30 games. The Bucs will look to get back on a hot streak this week, as they will play host to the Reds and Braves at PNC Park.
3. Kansas City Royals (#6)
For the first time in a few weeks the Royals are back in the top five of the power rankings. Kansas City has opened up a 3.5 game lead on the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central after the two teams were neck and neck for so long. If you look at the Royals closely, it is kind of amazing how good they have been with all the injuries to their pitching staff they have suffered. Three of the five starters who were in the opening day rotation are on the disabled list for KC, but Chris Young and Joe Blanton have filled in admirably for Ned Yost’s pitching staff. The Royals are scheduled to get Danny Duffy back from the disabled list this week, and he is set to start on Wednesday against the Mariners. He should provide a boost to what already is a very good team. Kansas City will go on a West Coast road trip this week with stops in Seattle and Oakland to take on the A’s.
4. Tampa Bay Rays (#8)
Although the Lightning lost the Stanley Cup to the Blackhawks last week, Tampa Bay still can hang its hat on the play of the Rays. Perhaps the most surprising story in baseball this season is the Rays. Tampa Bay is a team that has been decimated by injuries, but still is on top of the AL East. They are playing without four of their five starting pitchers who were scheduled to start the season in the rotation. Not only are the Rays playing with a patchwork pitching staff, they are also playing with a patchwork lineup. Aside from Evan Longoria it is hard to name one player in the Rays lineup and, yet the Rays are still in first place in the AL East. Chris Archer has stepped into the ace role of the starting rotation and thus far is having a Cy-Young caliber season. He is 8-4 with a 2.18 ERA and 116 strikeouts. He, Chris Sale and Dallas Kuechel have to be the three favorites to start the All Star Game for the American League. The Rays have won eight of their last 10 games and will look to stay hot this week with home series with the Blue Jays and Red Sox.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (#2)
The Dodgers had a real tough week by losing three of four to the Rangers and two of three to the Giants. For whatever reason the Dodgers have had a really hard time against the Giants this season and because of that they are probably happy they won’t face them until late August. Expect the Dodgers to be active as the trade deadline approaches. They are in dire need of another starter to go with Zack Grienke and Clayton Kershaw. I would not be surprised if they are right in the middle of the Cole Hamels sweepstakes. The Dodgers will look to get back on track this week as they head out for a road trip against the Cubs and Marlins
6. Houston Astros (#7)
7. New York Yankees (#4)
8. Toronto Blue Jays (#5)
9. San Francisco Giants (#9)
10. Washington Nationals (#12)
11. Chicago Cubs (#13)
12. Baltimore Orioles (#17)
13. Texas Rangers (#15)
14. Minnesota Twins (#10)
15. Detroit Tigers (#14)
16. Atlanta Braves (#19)
17. New York Mets (#11)
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (#20)
19. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#16)
20. Cincinnati Reds (#23)
21. Cleveland Indians (#21)
22. San Diego Padres (#18)
23. Seattle Mariners (#24)
24. Miami Marlins (#25)
25. Boston Red Sox (#26)
26. Chicago White Sox (#22)
27. Oakland Athletics. (#28)
28. Colorado Rockies (#27)
29. Milwaukee Brewers (#29)
30. Philadelphia Phillies (#30)
Pitching Performer of the Week
Max Scherzer – Pitcher, Washington Nationals
Last Week’s Stats – 18 innings, 0 earned runs, 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, 26 strikeouts.
I think Max Scherzer is a pretty obvious pick for performer of the week. Last week Scherzer threw a no-hitter (which was almost a perfect game) and would have thrown two no-hitters if it weren’t for a broken bat single by Carlos Gomez of the Brewers last Sunday. It is not unrealistic to think that Scherzer could throw two no-hitters in a row (something that has only been done once by Johnny Vader Meer in 1938) as he faces the worst offense in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies. So far it looks like money well spent by the Washington Nationals.
Offensive Performer of the Week
George Springer – Right fielder, Houston Astros
Last Week’s stats - .452 (14-31), 4 HRs, 5 RBIs, 8 Runs scored, OBP .469
I had trouble picking between Springer and Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox because both had amazing weeks, but in the end Springer’s power numbers helped put him over the top. His four homers last week were tied for second most and his eight runs were good for third most in the league. Springer hasn’t just been on fire over the past week, but he’s been on fire for the past month. He has raised his batting average by 70 points in the past month and has given the Astros something more than just a guy who just hits home runs and strikes out a lot.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(06/15/15 6:23pm)
1. St. Louis Cardinals
The best team in baseball keeps on rolling with the punches. The Cardinals lost star outfielder Matt Holiday this week to the disabled list as he suffered a partial quadriceps tear. They also lost their most reliable starting pitcher in Lance Lynn to a forearm strain in his right arm. This is now five injuries to five major pieces of this team (Wainwright, Adams and Walden are the others), but the Red Birds are not slowing down. St. Louis stayed hot this week as they went 3-2, including a two game sweep against the Royals (Sunday’s series finale was rained out). Jhonny Peralta is off to a scalding hot June as he is hitting .349 with two homers and five RBIs to start the month. He also leads the team in homers and RBIs for the season. The Cardinals will take on the Minnesota Twins for two two-game series, and then they’ll be off to Philadelphia for a three-game weekend series.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers churned out another impressive week to move up to No. 2 in this week’s power rankings. LA went 5-1 with a three-game sweep against the Diamondbacks and taking two of three from the Padres. Clayton Kershaw looks like he has shaken off his early season rust and is now back on top of his game. Through his last four starts Kershaw has given up three earned runs in 28.2 innings while striking out 39 batters. The Dodgers will have four games against the Texas Rangers this week, and then they’ll play a tough San Francisco Giants team for a three-game weekend series. The Dodgers are just 2-7 vs San Francisco this season.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
Outside of the Cardinals there might not be a hotter team in the National League than the Pirates. Pittsburgh has won 17 of its last 22 games and has vaulted itself right back into the race in the National League Wild Card. The combination of AJ Burnett and Gerit Cole has been lethal thus far for the Bucs. The two righties have combined for a 16-4 record and an ERA of 1.80. Pittsburgh will take on the White Sox for four games this week, and then they’ll be off to our nation’s capital to take on the Nationals.
4. New York Yankees
After a terrible month of May, the Yankees have picked it up in June. Since the turn of the calendar the Bronx Bombers are 8-3 and have found themselves back in first place in the AL East. Alex Rodriguez has been a pleasant surprise this season. A-Rod has hit .268 with 12 homers and 32 RBIs thus far. Mark Teixeira is also having a bounce-back year. The switch-hitting slugger is hitting .256 with 17 homers and 47 RBIs (team leader in both) and an on-base percentage of .370. The Yankees have four games against the Miami Marlins, and then they’ll wrap up their week with a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.
5. Toronto Blue Jays
They may be only 34-30, but the Blue Jays are the hottest team in baseball. Winners of their last 11 games the Blue Jays have lifted themselves right back in contention for the AL East. During their 11-game run the Jays have outscored their opponents 88-40. They have the best offense in baseball scoring 5.5 runs per game. Josh Donaldson is proving to be one of the best offseason acquisitions as he is hitting .315 with 17 homers and 45 knocked in to go with a .369 on-base percentage. The Blue Jays will look to continue their roll, as they will take on the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles this week.
6. Kansas City Royals
7. Houston Astros
8. Tampa Bay Rays
9. San Francisco Giants
10. Minnesota Twins
11. New York Mets
12. Washington Nationals
13. Chicago Cubs
14. Detroit Tigers
15. Texas Rangers
16. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
17. Baltimore Orioles
18. San Diego Padres
19. Atlanta Braves
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Cleveland Indians
22. Chicago White Sox
23. Cincinnati Reds
24. Seattle Mariners
25. Miami Marlins
26. Boston Red Sox
27. Colorado Rockies
28. Oakland Athletics
29. Milwaukee Brewers
30. Philadelphia Phillies
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(06/10/15 3:56pm)
1. St. Louis Cardinals
This is a no-brainer putting the Cardinals at No. 1 this week. The Cards own the best record in Major League Baseball at 38-21. They have the largest lead over a second place team at 6.5 games. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Cardinals success is that they are doing this all without their No. 1 starter Adam Wainwright, first basemen Matt Adams and top setup man Jordan Walden as they are all out with injuries. St. Louis churned out another impressive performance this past week as they took two of three from the Brewers and went into Dodger Stadium and took three of four from the Dodgers. The Cardinals will continue their west coast swing this week with a series with at the Rockies, then they will come home for a weekend series with the Kansas City Royals.
2. Houston Astros
Although the Astros have lost six in a row, they are still tied for the second best record in the American League and first place in the AL West. Houston should receive a shot in the arm as they recently called up their top prospect Carlos Correa. Correa’s game has been compared to Troy Tulowitzki’s of the Colorado Rockies. He will be a name to keep your eye on as the season progresses. Houston will finish off its road trip this week with a three-game set with the White Sox and then they’ll return home to face a struggling Seattle Mariners team.
3. Minnesota Twins
Now the Twins are probably even more a surprise than the Astros. Coming into the season most predictions had the Twins finishing in last place, but they have proven everyone wrong thus far. They are also tied for the second best record in the American League. Minnesota might not have that one hitter that's going to hit 40 homers and drive in 100 runs, but it has a lineup that is well balanced and comes through in the clutch. Minnesota is batting .294 with runners in scoring position this season, which is among the tops in baseball. The Twins have been a pleasant surprise, and I do think they will be in the race throughout the season, but their starting staff does raises some questions for me. They will get Ervin Santana back from suspension in the middle season, but even then I think the Twins will need to acquire another. Minnesota has a big series this week, as they will host the second place Kansas City Royals at Target Field. Then it will be off to Texas to face a hot-hitting Rangers team.
4. San Francisco Giants
The Dodgers might be in first place in the NL West, but I think the Giants are the better team in the division. San Francisco was scuffling through mid-May until Hunter Pence rejoined the Giants’ lineup. Since Pence has rejoined the lineup the Giants are 15-8 and put themselves right back into the race in the NL West. He has been a spark plug for a lineup that was really struggling when he was gone. A sign of good things to come is that the Giants have owned their rivals, the Dodgers, this year. San Francisco owns a 7-2 record over the Dodgers. There might not be anything flashy about the Giants, but they know how to win. They’re going to be in the race, and it would not surprise me if they make another postseason appearance. San Francisco will wrap up its East Coast road trip this week with a three-game set in New York against the Mets, and then they’ll come home for a series against the Diamondbacks.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
Everyone has been waiting for the Pirates to catch fire, and they finally have. The Bucs have won five of their last eight, and 13 of their last 18. Gerrit Cole has been absolutely lights out for Pittsburgh this season. Cole owns a Major League best nine wins. He also has a 1.73 ERA, which is also among the tops in the league. He is definitely among the frontrunners to start the All Star Game for the National League. The Bucs will come home this week for a three-game sets against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers
7. Kansas City Royals
8. New York Yankees
9. Tampa Bay Rays
10. Washington Nationals
11. Texas Rangers
12. New York Mets
13. Chicago Cubs
14. Detroit Tigers
15. Toronto Blue Jays
16. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
17. San Diego Padres
18. Atlanta Braves
19. Cleveland Indians
20. Boston Red Sox
21. Arizona Diamondbacks
22. Chicago White Sox
23. Baltimore Orioles
24. Cincinnati Reds
25. Colorado Rockies
26. Seattle Mariners
27. Oakland A’s
28. Miami Marlins
29. Milwaukee Brewers
30. Philadelphia Phillies
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(05/26/15 4:40pm)
Besides being elected to the Hall of Fame, there is no individual honor higher than having your number retired by an organization. On Saturday afternoon the Chicago White Sox did just that for one of their all-time greats by retiring Paul Konerko’s No. 14. Konerko was one of the most beloved players to ever put on a White Sox uniform. Known to the fans as Paulie, Konerko came to the White Sox before the 1999 season. The once first-round pick had bounced around from the Dodgers to the Reds before finding his permanent home on the south side. He was something a lot of players aren’t these days, and that was loyal. Paulie had a number of times when he could have walked away from the White Sox, but every time he came back. After his phenomenal 2005 season, which was capped with a World Series victory, he could have cashed in in free agency, but Paulie came back and the Sox named him team captain. After a renaissance year in 2010, again Paulie could have left, but yet again he came back to his home on the south side.
Paulie will go down as one of Chicago baseball’s immortals. He was the best player on a team that brought Chicago its first World Series Championship since 1917. Perhaps what cemented his legacy as a White Sox icon was in game two of the 2005 World Series. Paulie came to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning and sent Chad Qualls’ flying offering over the left field wall to send US Cellular Field into a frenzy. Konerko finished his White Sox career with 432 home runs (second all-time), 1,383 RBIs (second all time), 2,292 hits (third all time), 406 doubles (third all time) and 4010 total bases (first all time).
He was the true embodiment of a south sider. He was a hard worker, never took anything for granted and always played with a chip on his shoulder. He was a blue-collar worker. He might not have had the most talent or the most tools, but no one was going to outwork him. Paulie was never a controversial character. He was the role model every franchise wishes they could build around.
It was a true honor to watch Paulie play for the White Sox for 16 fantastic seasons. I was one of the 39,000 lucky ones on hand for his number retirement ceremony on Saturday. In a time where it could have been easy to take in the entire spotlight for himself, Konerko made it a point to talk about his teammates, coaches and most importantly the fans. He even managed to get in a shout out to the Blackhawks. He handled with it class, just like he handled his whole career. So one last time, thank you Paulie for all the memories.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(05/26/15 4:30pm)
1. Kansas City Royals (Last week #3)
The Royals continue to roll as they swept the Reds and took two of three against last week’s No. 1 team the St. Louis Cardinals. I believe the Royals are the most complete team in all of baseball. They possess a great pitching staff, a lockdown bullpen, a potent offense and a rock-solid defense, all of which are key components to winning teams. They continue to prove last year’s run to the postseason was not a fluke. Kansas City’s schedule doesn’t get any weaker this week as they travel to the Bronx to take on the Yankees and then on to the north side of Chicago to take on the Cubs.
2. Houston Astros (#2)
As the Astros schedule got tougher last week, so did they. Houston went into Detroit last weekend and split a series with the Tigers. Through their last 10 games the Astros are 6-4. Dallas Kuechel is leading their pitching staff with a Cy Young caliber series. Kuechel is 6-0 with a 1.83 ERA. He has to be the early favorite to start the All-Star game for the American League. Houston’s schedule takes a step back in competition this week as the ‘Stros will take on the Orioles and White Sox.
3. St. Louis Cardinals (#1)
For the first time three weeks the Cardinals are not the No. 1 team in the power rankings. St. Louis has been playing .500 ball of late, but to its credit it has played some pretty good teams in the Tigers, Mets and Royals. I still believe they do need to acquire another starter and another bullpen man, but they are still one of the best teams in the National League. The Cards will welcome two NL West foes to Busch Stadium this week in the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers.
4. Washington Nationals (#6)
The Nats crack the top five for the first time all season in this week’s power rankings. The Nationals are finally starting to play up to their potential. They are 7-1 in their last eight games and recently just took over first place in the NL East. Bryce Harper is having an MVP-caliber season and is leading the charge for Washington. Harper is batting .333 with 16 homers, 41 RBIs and slugging .471. He is finally coming into his own in his age 22 season, his fourth in the majors. The Nats are starting to put it all together, and I don’t see the Nats falling out of the top 10 for the rest of the season. (They were my preseason pick to win the World Series) The Nationals will go on the road this week to take on the Cubs and the Reds.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (#4)
Los Angeles had a tough week last week when rival San Francisco swept them. The Dodgers are just 2-7 against the Giants this season. Zack Greinke has carried the pitching staff so far, and Clayton Kershaw has not enjoyed a Kershaw-like season to date. Kershaw is just 2-3 with a 4.32 ERA this season. He will surely need to step up his game as the Giants are right on the Dodgers’ heels in the NL West. LA will welcome the Atlanta Braves into Dodger Stadium to begin the week, and then it will be off to St. Louis for a showdown with one of baseball’s best, the Cardinals.
6. Minnesota Twins (#8)
7. San Francisco Giants (#11)
8. Detroit Tigers (#5)
9. Tampa Bay Rays (#11)
10. Chicago Cubs (#10)
11. New York Mets (#9)
12. Atlanta Braves (#16)
13. New York Yankees (#7)
14. Pittsburgh Pirates (#17)
15. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#13)
16. Boston Red Sox (#16)
17. Toronto Blue Jays (#22)
18. Cleveland Indians (#16)
19. Seattle Mariners (#19)
20. San Diego Padres (#14)
21. Texas Rangers (#25)
22. Chicago White Sox (#15)
23. Baltimore Orioles (#20)
24. Arizona Diamondbacks (#27)
25. Philadelphia Phillies (#25)
26. Miami Marlins (#21)
27. Cincinnati Reds (#23)
28. Milwaukee Brewers (#28)
29. Colorado Rockies (#30)
30. Oakland Athletics (#29)
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(05/18/15 5:47pm)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (Last week #1)
For the third week in a row the Red Birds nab the No. 1 spot in the power rankings. They took two out of three on the road in Cleveland to start the week and had a rough series against the Tigers over the weekend by losing two out of three. The Cards are still the best team in the league, as they own the best record in baseball at 25-12. Jhonny Peralta has been rolling as of late. Peralta is hitting .289 with four home runs and seven RBIs through his last 10 games. Jason Heyward is starting to heat up as well as he’s hitting .333 with five RBIs and nine runs scored over his last 10. Heyward was a big offseason acquisition and has been off to a slow start, so it must be nice for Cardinals fans to see him heating up. St. Louis has a tough week coming up, as they’ll travel to New York and Kansas City to take on two of baseball’s best, the Mets and the Royals.
2. Houston Astros (#4)
The Astros keep proving the doubters wrong as they move up to No. 2 in this week’s power rankings. They are currently riding a five-game win streak after sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend. Houston does it by outslugging its opponents, as the Astros lead the league in home runs, and then handing it off to their lockdown bullpen that is second in the league in bullpen ERA. The ‘Stros are showing they don’t lack fight as four of their five wins on their streak have been come-from-behind wins. Houston will look to extend its streak this week as they welcome the struggling Oakland A’s to Minute Maid Park. They will then be off to Detroit for a four-game weekend series with the Tigers.
3. Kansas City Royals (#2)
The Royals took a step back this week, but that is mostly because of how hot the Astros have been. Kansas City had a good week as it went 4-2, taking two out of three from the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. The Royals continue to be one of the best teams in baseball. They own one of the best offenses in the game. They lead the league in hits, batting average, doubles, triples and are second in runs scored, total bases and slugging percentage. Eric Hosmer is going to be in the running for the MVP if he keeps up his play. He’s hitting .324 with seven homers and 29 RBIs while playing Gold Glove defense. The Royals host the Cincinnati Reds and instate rival the St. Louis Cardinals this week.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (#3)
If the Royals are the one best offenses in baseball, then the Dodgers are the best. LA is first in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, OPS, second in home runs and runs scored. Adrian Gonzalez is having a monster year and is one of the best offensive players in baseball. Gonzalez has nine home runs, 32 RBIS with a batting average of .356, an on-base percentage of .429 and a slugging percentage of .681. The Dodgers went 4-3 this week, taking two of three from the Marlins and split a four-game series with the Rockies. LA will travel to San Francisco this week to take on their rival the Giants and then will come home to host the San Diego Padres.
5. Detroit Tigers (#7)
The Tigers have had a great week by taking three of four from the Twins and winning two of three from the Cardinals. Miguel Cabrera had an unreal week by hitting career home run No. 400, but he also hit .375 with four home runs and nine RBIs. He’s having another MVP caliber season. Detroit will enjoy some home cooking this week as they’ll welcome the Milwaukee Brewers and the red hot Houston Astros to Comerica Park.
6. Washington Nationals (#8)
7. New York Yankees (#5)
8. Minnesota Twins (#9)
9. New York Mets (#6)
10. Chicago Cubs (#15)
11. Tampa Bay Rays (#10)
12. San Francisco Giants (#11)
13. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#17)
14. San Diego Padres (#12)
15. Chicago White Sox (#24)
16. Atlanta Braves (#21)
17. Pittsburgh Pirates (#16)
18. Boston Red Sox (#18)
19. Seattle Mariners (#19)
20. Baltimore Orioles (#20)
21. Miami Marlins (#13)
22. Toronto Blue Jays (#14)
23. Cincinnati Reds (#22)
24. Philadelphia Phillies (#27)
25. Texas Rangers (#25)
26. Cleveland Indians (#26)
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (#23)
28. Milwaukee Brewers (#30)
29. Oakland Athletics (#28)
30. Colorado Rockies (#29)
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(05/13/15 5:41am)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (Last Week #1)
The Cardinals keep No. 1 spot in my power rankings this week as they continue to roll. They took 3 out of 4 from the division rival Chicago Cubs this week but dropped 2 out of 3 to Pittsburgh this past weekend. St. Louis has not missed a beat without staff ace Adam Wainwright. Michael Wacha has stepped up nicely. He’s 5-0 with a 2.09 ERA over 38.2 innings. The Cardinals own the best record in baseball at 23-9. They’ll go on the road this week to face the struggling Cleveland Indians, then they’ll come home to face a tough Detroit Tigers team.
2. Kansas City Royals (#5)
Kansas City had another stellar week by going 4-2 and taking the division lead from the Detroit Tigers. The Royals offense is second in baseball in runs scored led by Eric Hosmer, who is enjoying his best season to date. The Royals are one of the most complete teams in baseball with a solid pitching staff, great offense, slick fielding and lock-down bullpen. Kansas City will continue its roadtrip in Arlington, Texas, this week before the Royals come home to face the AL East leading New York Yankees.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (#4)
Much like the Cardinals, the Dodgers continue to roll. The Dodgers are 8-2 in their last 10 and are currently on a three-game winning streak. The scary thing about the Dodgers is they have been this good so far, and Clayton Kershaw has not been very good ... yet. Once Kershaw gets rolling this team will be even scarier to play. The Dodgers need to shore up their bullpen a little bit, but from top to bottom they are a top-five team. They’ll host the Miami Marlins and the reeling Colorado Rockies this week at Dodger Stadium.
4. Houston Astros (#3)
The Houston Astros by far are the most surprising team in baseball. The Astros are among the best in the American League at 20-13. Who would have thought the Astros would have a five-game lead on the Angels on May 11? With the way the rest of the division has played the Astros have real shot to make the playoffs this year. Jose Altuve is playing like a MVP candidate hitting .338 and leading the league in hits. Houston took a step back this week by getting swept by the Rangers and splitting a series with the Angels. The Astros will play host to the Giants and Blue Jays this week.
5. New York Yankees (#6)
The Yankees have been a bit of a surprise to begin the year, but this team of aging veterans has played pretty nicely. Alex Rodriguez has surprised almost everyone in the early going. He recently smacked home run No. 661 to pass Willie Mays on the all-time home run list. Michael Pineda has had a great start by going 5-0 with a 2.72 ERA. Last Sunday he struck out 16 Baltimore batters in seven innings. The Bronx Bombers will look to continue their hot play, as they will go on the road to face two tough teams the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals.
6. New York Mets (#6)
7. Detroit Tigers (#2)
8. Washington Nationals (#15)
9. Minnesota Twins (#13)
10. Tampa Bay Rays (#10)
11. San Francisco Giants (#9)
12. San Diego Padres (#8)
13. Miami Marlins (#16)
14. Toronto Blue Jays (#18)
15. Chicago Cubs (#11)
16. Pittsburgh Pirates (#14)
17. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#21)
18. Boston Red Sox (#17)
19. Seattle Mariners (#23)
20. Baltimore Orioles (#12)
21. Atlanta Braves (#19)
22. Cincinnati Reds (#20)
23. Arizona Diamondbacks (#24)
24. Chicago White Sox (#28)
25. Texas Rangers (#29)
26. Cleveland Indians (#27)
27. Philadelphia Phillies (#26)
28. Oakland A’s (#25)
29. Colorado Rockies (#23)
30. Milwaukee Brewers (#30)
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(04/27/15 6:39pm)
1. New York Mets (last week No. 3)
The Mets continued their hot start this week as they were able to extend their win streak all the way to 11 games before losing to the Yankees on Friday night. Lucas Duda has led the offensive charge for the Metropolitans since David Wright was placed on the disabled list. Duda is hitting .324 in the early going with two home runs and 11 RBIs. Matt Harvey, Bartolo Colon, Jacob deGrom and Jonathon Niese have all pitched exceptionally well, and they’re getting great work out of the bullpen from Jeurys Familia, Jerry Blevins and Alex Torres. Looking ahead, the Mets have a tough week ahead of them with the streaking Miami Marlins and the talented Washington Nationals.
2. Detroit Tigers (No. 1)
The Tigers lost their spot at No. 1 as they went 3-4, including losing four in a row at one point. Nonetheless, this is still one of the best teams in the league. Miguel Cabrera is off to a scalding start hitting .377 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. Jose Iglesias was lost for all of 2014 with a leg injury and has come back this year on a tear. The shortstop is hitting a robust .379 while playing some Gold Glove caliber defense. One thing Tigers fans should be concerned about is their bullpen. The Tigers are ranked 26th in the league in bullpen ERA. That is one thing to keep your eye on as the season progresses.
3. Kansas City Royals (No. 2)
Since starting off 7-0, the Royals are just 5-6 but still one of the better teams in baseball. The Royals so far are making more headlines with their antics on the field than for their actual play. So far the Royals have been involved in three on field altercations with the other team. This week it reached a full boiling point as the Royals and White Sox had a full on brawl leading to suspensions of staff ace Yordano Ventura, centerfield Lorenzo Cain, starting pitcher Edinson Volquez and reliever Kelvin Herrera. The Royals need to clean up their act, as they can’t afford to lose players to suspension.
4. St. Louis Cardinals (No. 5)
The Cardinals had a tough end to a great week as they most likely lost their ace Adam Wainwright for the whole season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. This is a huge loss for the Cards. Wainwright has the most wins since the start of the 2013 season with 41. Michael Wacha and Lance Lynn will need to step up in the absence of Wainwright. Other than the loss of Wainwright, the Cardinals had a great week as they went 4-2. They took two of three from both the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. They’ll play hosts to the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates this coming week.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 4)
After having one heck of a week last week, the Dodgers went on to get swept by the last place San Francisco Giants. They did manage to bounce back and take two out of three from the San Diego Padres to salvage what would have been a terrible week. The Dodgers will get a chance at some revenge, as the Giants will visit Dodger Stadium this week. They will then play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks next week.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates (No. 10)
7. San Diego Padres (No. 6)
8. New York Yankees (No. 11)
9. Boston Red Sox (No. 9)
10. Colorado Rockies (No. 12)
11. Houston Astros (No. 12)
12. Chicago Cubs (No. 13)
13. Tampa Bay Rays (No. 25)
14. Baltimore Orioles (No. 8)
15. Atlanta Braves (No. 7)
16. Toronto Blue Jays (No. 18)
17. Chicago White Sox (No. 23)
18. Minnesota Twins (No. 22)
19. Miami Marlins (No. 29)
20. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (No. 16)
21. San Francisco Giants (No. 28)
22. Seattle Mariners (No. 20)
23. Arizona Diamondbacks (No. 19)
24. Washington Nationals (No. 14)
25. Cincinnati Reds (No. 21)
26. Oakland Athletics (No. 15)
27. Cleveland Indians (No. 24)
28. Texas Rangers (No. 26)
29. Philadelphia Phillies (No. 27)
30. Milwaukee Brewers (No. 30)
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorrell_III
(04/21/15 6:53pm)
Ten Takeaways from Week 1
10. The Astros will strikeout, and they will strikeout a lot.
A lot of talk was made about the new-look Astros lineup during the offseason, but boy do they strike out. They strike out at an incredible rate — in just 12 games, Houston has struck out 114 times. That's just und ten strikeouts a game. This should be an improved team, but they need to cut down on strikeouts.
9. Mookie Betts is for real.
Betts had a phenomenal spring training for the Red Sox and has not skipped a beat since the season has gotten under way. Betts is batting just .191 through the first 11 games but has shown he can go get it in centerfield by making dazzling play after dazzling play. Betts has also shown impressive power for a guy of small stature. I think he’s going to have a great season and will be a mainstay in center field for the Red Sox.
8. The Mets look like a contender
The Mets have looked really impressive this season. I think they could give the Nationals a run for their money in the East. Jacob deGrom looks like he is not a one year wonder and Matt Harvey has not been fazed after coming back from Tommy John surgery. David Wright, Lucas Duda and Michael Cuddyer have carried the offense so far, and if those guys can keep playing up to their potential, the Mets have the pitching to contend.
7. Age does not slow down Miguel Cabrera.
Miguel Cabrera is 32-years-old this season, and some would think that his production would start to drop, but Cabrera’s play says otherwise. Cabrera won the American League Player of the Week this past week and is off to a torrid start. During the first seven games he is hitting .426 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. He looks like he is poised for another monster MVP-like season.
6. Jon Lester is not worth his contract.
The Cubs probably hoped for a better start to the season for Jon Lester when they gave him a six-year $155 million contract in the offseason. Lester has had three starts and has yet to get past the sixth inning. He owns an ERA of 6.89 and has been hit around in all three starts. In just 15.2 innings, Lester has given up 24 hits. So far, he has not looked like the ace the Cubs hoped for.
5. J.D. Martinez might be the best Martinez on the Tigers.
What a difference a year makes. This time last season Martinez was just released from the Astros and on the Tigers Triple-A team. Now he is in the middle of one of the premier lineups in baseball. Martinez is off to hot start with five homers and 10 RBIs. The other Martinez, Victor, is bound to see a drop off in production in his age 36 season, so I think J.D. will have the better year. J.D. was good last season, but this will be the season he really breaks out.
4. The San Diego Padres are for real
They might be only 9-5, but the Padres have looked much improved. Their two big offseason additions Matt Kemp and Justin Upton are both off to a great start hitting well over .300. Their top three pitchers Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner and James Shields are all as good as advertised. This team will compete for the division crown with the Dodgers, especially since trading for Craig Kimbrel to shore up the bullpen.
3. The White Sox and Marlins, the two “winners” of the offseason, have not looked great, but there is hope for both.
The White Sox got off to a horrendous 0-4 start, but bounced back to go 5-3. Overall they have not looked great, but there is some hope. Chris Sale just came off the DL and was great in his first two starts. Jeff Samardzija bounced back in his second and third starts after a terrible opening day start. David Robertson has looked great at closer. The bats will come around as the weather warms up. They really need to get Adam Eaton going as he is the table setter for this lineup. The only area where I see to be a continuous weak spot is catcher. Tyler Flowers might be the worst catcher in baseball. This team should be just fine, it just needs to give it some time.
The difference between the White Sox and Marlins is the Marlins don't have anyone like Chris Sale on their roster right now. Until Jose Fernandez comes back from Tommy John surgery, the Marlins starting pitching will continue to be a weak spot. I have cause for concern with Mat Latos looking terrible to begin the season and Henderson Alvarez having just being placed on the DL. Besides Dee Gordon, the Marlins lineup as a whole has been pretty underwhelming to begin the season. That might be a good thing though, because when this lineup gets turned around the Marlins will be a better team.
2. The Nationals desperately need Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Denard Span to come back.
The Nationals lineup has been decimated by injury to begin the season. Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Denard Span all started the season on the DL. Rendon was probably the Nats best offensive player last season, and they are missing him badly. There is no timetable set for his return, which is not a good sign for Nats fans. They need Span to come back and be the leadoff man he was last season. Werth recently was activated from the DL but has yet to produce. They have wasted some pretty good pitching performances to start the season because of their lack of offensive production.
1. The Kansas City Royals are the best team in baseball.
My AL Central prediction could prove to be way off if the Royals play like this all season. They have picked up right where they left off last season as they got off to an undefeated start and have played nearly flawless baseball. They play defense better than anyone else and have the best bullpen in the league. I do want to see if their starting rotation can keep up their great start even without a true ace on their staff. Lorenzo Cain has been spectacular in centerfield and could be on his way to a breakout season. They might not have any superstars on their roster, but this is the best team in baseball.
Week 2 MLB Power Rankings
1. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers have continued their hot start into the second week of the season by improving their record to 11-2. They are getting great pitching from David Price and Shane Greene, and their lineup is proving to be one of the best in baseball. They lead the league in run differential with a differential of +33.
2. Kansas City Royals
The Royals took a pretty big blow this week by losing right fielder Alex Rios and closer Greg Holland to injury. Even with the loss of Holland, the Royals still boast the best bullpen in the game. The loss of Rios should hurt more, as he was hitting well above .300 and was one of their leading run producers.
3. New York Mets
The hottest team in baseball might be the New York Mets. The Mets are winners of their last eight games. Matt Harvey has looked quite impressive early on, as has reigning Rookie of the Year winner Jacob deGrom. David Wright was placed on the DL this past week, and the Mets’ offense has not missed a beat. Mets fans have to be pleased with their 10-3 start.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
If the Mets are the hottest team in baseball, then the Dodgers are the second hottest. Los Angeles has won its last seven games. Adrian Gonzalez is the hottest in the league batting well over .500 and leading the league in hits and extra base hits. The scary thing is Clayton Kershaw hasn't pitched his best ball yet. Once he gets going the Dodgers could find themselves farther up this list.
5. St. Louis Cardinals
There seems to be three certainties in life: death, taxes and the Cardinals fielding a competitive baseball team. This season has shown to be no different. The Cards are winners of their last five. Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter are off to scolding hot starts as they lead the St. Louis offensive charge. So far, Michael Wacha has rebounded from his shoulder injury, and Adam Wainwright has looked like the same ole guy. Expect the Cardinals to be in the top 10 throughout the year.
6. San Diego Padres
7. Atlanta Braves
8. Baltimore Orioles
9. Boston Red Sox
10. Pittsburgh Pirates
11. New York Yankees
12. Colorado Rockies
13. Chicago Cubs
14. Washington Nationals
15. Oakland Athletics
16. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
17. Houston Astros
18. Toronto Blue Jays
19. Arizona Diamondbacks
20. Seattle Mariners
21. Cincinnati Reds
22. Minnesota Twins
23. Chicago White Sox
24. Cleveland Indians
25. Tampa Bay Rays
26. Texas Rangers
27. Philadelphia Phillies
28. San Francisco Giants
29. Miami Marlins
30. Milwaukee Brewers
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(04/14/15 7:01pm)
1. Kansas City Royals
The Royals picked up right where they left off in 2014. Kansas City did not miss a beat to start the season as they swept the new-look Chicago White Sox and also my favorite for the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Royals won’t score many runs, but they will win many games with their lockdown bullpen and rock solid defense.
2. Detroit Tigers
What more can you say? The boys from the Motor City have looked dominant in their 6-1 start. The Tigers could not have dreamed of a better start. They should be high in the rankings throughout the year, but I am concerned about their bullpen.
3. Atlanta Braves
The 6-1 start is a pleasant surprise for Braves fans. This is a team not expected to go very far this season, so this might be the highest I have the Braves in the power rankings all year.
4. Boston Red Sox
I expect the Red Sox to be in the upper echelon of teams throughout the season. They’re off to a 5-2 start and have played pretty good baseball. The Red Sox will open up the home portion of their schedule this week, as they will host the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park.
5. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are off to a solid 4-3 start by taking two out of three against the Yankees and Orioles. The Blue Jays should get used to be in the top 10, as they should be competing for the AL East crown.
6. Cincinnati Reds
7. San Diego Padres
8. Colorado Rockies
9. Washington Nationals
10. Los Angeles Dodgers
11. New York Mets
12. St. Louis Cardinals
13. Seattle Mariners
14. Philadelphia Phillies
15. Houston Astros
16. San Francisco Orioles
17. Chicago Cubs
18. Baltimore Orioles
19. Texas Rangers
20. Tampa Bay Rays
21. Chicago White Sox
22. Cleveland Indians
23. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
24. Oakland Athletics
25. Pittsburgh Pirates
26. New York Yankees
27. Arizona Diamondbacks
28. Miami Marlins
29. Milwaukee Brewers
30. Minnesota Twins
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(04/02/15 6:58pm)
NL Wild Card Game
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres
Winner – San Diego Padres
The Padres will be hungry in their first playoff game since 2006. Their lineup will be too much for the Pirates to stop, and the Padres will move on to the NLDS for the first time since2006.
AL Wild Card Game
Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners
Winner – Seattle Mariners
This will be one hell of a game. David Price vs. Felix Hernandez will the duel all the way through, but the Tigers bullpen will let them down once again, and the Mariners will move on to the ALDS before a raucous crowd at Safeco Field.
National League Division Series
San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals
Winner – Washington Nationals
Two great pitching staffs will face off against each other in this series, but one will be just a little bit better than the other. The Nats will ride their dominant rotation of Scherzer, Strasburg, Zimmermann, Gonzale, and Fister to their first NLCS in franchise history.
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Winner – Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw will face his kryptonite once again, the St. Louis Cardinals, but this time he’ll get by his arch nemesis. The Dodgers will finally get a great playoff performance out of Kershaw, and they will finally get by the Cardinals and back to NLCS for the first time since 2013.
American League Divisional Series
Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Winner – Seattle Mariners
For the second year in a row the Angels will finish the year with the best record in the American League but will be an early exit in the playoffs. The Mariners will have too much pitching, and the Angels will not have enough. The Mariners will move on behind King Felix and Co.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox
Winner – Chicago White Sox
The White Sox will come out on top this time in a rematch of the 1993 ALCS. Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija will be dominant, and Jose Abreu will become a postseason star. The White Sox will bring back memories of 2005 as they will move on to the ALCS.
National League Championship Series
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
Winner – Washington Nationals
I can see this series going all seven. The pitching staff of the Washington Nationals once again will be too much. They’ll move on to their first World Series in franchise history.
American League Championship Series
Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox
Winner – Seattle Mariners
This will be another great series. Two great pitching staffs. Two great lineups. Two great bullpens. This series will go down to the wire, but in the end I think the Mariners will just edge out the White Sox. Felix Hernandez will lead Seattle to their first ever World Series appearance.
World Series
Seattle Mariners vs. Washington Nationals
Winner – Washington Nationals
For the first time since 1924, our nation’s capital will be home to a World Series champion. The Nationals will ride their top-notch pitching staff to their first ever World Series championship.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(04/02/15 6:50pm)
National League MVP
Giancarlo Stanton – Miami Marlins
The only thing that has kept Stanton out of the conversation for MVP in the past is the mediocrity of the teams on which he played. That shouldn’t be the case this year as the Marlins revamped their roster in the offseason and should contend for a playoff spot this season. If the Marlins are going to contend, Stanton is going to need to put up big numbers to front the charge.
Other Notable Candidates –
Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers), Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates), Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants), Anthony Rendon (Washington Nationals), Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles Dodgers).
National League Cy Young
Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers
Kershaw has won three of the last four Cy Youngs and has put up absolutely ridiculous numbers in all four of those years. The crazy part is he’s just entering his prime at age 26. The Dodgers are poised to have another great year, and Kershaw will surely lead the way. This is Kershaw’s award until someone proves otherwise.
Other Notable Candidates –
Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals), Stephan Strasburg (Washington Nationals), Madison Bumgarner (San Francisco Giants), Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals), Gerit Cole (Pittsburgh Pirates), Zack Greinke (Los Angeles Dodgers).
National League Rookie of the Year
Kris Bryant – Chicago Cubs
When he does reach the big leagues Bryant should have an immediate impact. He wowed all of baseball during spring training by leading the league in home runs. He won’t start the season in the majors, but when he does get called up he’ll put up big numbers and capture the Rookie of the Year award.
Other Notable Candidates –
Jorge Soler (Chicago Cubs), Joc Pederson (Los Angeles Dodgers), Noah Syndergaard (New York Mets), Yasmany Tomas (Arizona Diamondbacks).
American League MVP
Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The scary thing about Trout is he won the MVP last season by arguably putting up the worst numbers in his three-year career. Even his “bad” years are not so bad. I think he’ll cut down on his strikeouts this season, which will cause his average to go up. He’s a perennial candidate for the award and should have another big year in 2015.
Other Notable Candidates –
Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers), Jose Abreu (Chicago White Sox), Victor Martinez (Detroit Tigers), Robinson Cano (Seattle Mariners), Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays), Josh Donaldson (Toronto Blue Jays), Hanley Ramirez (Boston Red Sox), Adam Jones (Baltimore Orioles)
American League Cy Young
Chris Sale – Chicago White Sox
Since becoming a starter in 2012 Sale has finished in at least the top six in the Cy Young voting each year, including a third place finish in 2014. This 2015 version of the White Sox should be the best team Sale has had a chance to play for, which should translate into more wins for the young southpaw. He has the makings to be one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. If he stays healthy for the whole season, it could mean the first Cy Young award in the young career of Chris Sale.
Other Notable Candidates –
Felix Hernandez (Seattle Mariners), David Price (Detroit Tigers), Corey Kluber (Cleveland Indians), Garrett Richards (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), Yordano Ventura (Kansas City Royals), Masahiro Tanaka (New York Yankees).
American League Rookie of the Year
Aaron Sanchez – Toronto Blue Jays
Sanchez is one of the most highly touted prospects in the Blue Jays system, and they will be depending on him an awful lot this upcoming season. He was set to pitch this season out of the bullpen, but with the loss of Marcus Stroman for the whole season, Sanchez has been slotted into the starting rotation. He pitched a little bit out of the bullpen for the ‘Jays last season and was really effective posting an ERA of 1.09. The young righty has electric stuff. He has high strikeout potential with his mid- to high- 90s fastball. For Toronto to have a shot at the playoffs this year, Sanchez will need to step up. If he does, his play could warrant the Rookie of the Year award.
Other Notable Candidates –
Daniel Norris (Toronto Blue Jays), Carlos Rodon (Chicago White Sox), Rusney Castillo (Boston Red Sox), Brandon Finnegan (Kansas City Royals), Alex Meyer (Minnesota Twins).
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(04/02/15 6:30pm)
In the last rendition of the MLB Divisional Preview I will be previewing the NL West. It should be an exciting race in the West this summer with the defending World Series Champions the San Francisco Giants, the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers and the much improved San Diego Padres.
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
Manager – Chip Hale
General Manager – Dave Stewart
Home Ballpark – Chase Field
2014 Record – 64-98
Key Departures – Miguel Montero, Didi Gregorious, Wade Miley
Key Additions – Yasmany Tomas, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Jeremy Hellickson
Key Returners – Paul Goldschmidt, Patrick Corbin, Bronson Arroyo, Josh Collmenter, Addison Reed, Trevor Cahill, Aaron Hill, Chris Owings, AJ Pollack, Mark Trumbo
Arizona was ravaged by injuries last season. The Diamondbacks spent the whole season without staff ace Patrick Corbin and most of the season without their two best bats, Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo. This Diamondbacks team just does not have enough talent at the big league level in the lineup and on the pitching staff to stay out of the NL West cellar.
Pitching Staff
Corbin emerged as the staff ace in 2013 when he won 14 games and was named to the All-Star team. It looks like he won’t be ready for opening day, but the team is looking for him to return sometime this season. Josh Collmenter was recently named the Opening Day starter for Arizona and has been a reliable pitcher since his debut in 2010. Collmenter is not going to overpower hitters with his fastball. He has to really work to get hitters out by changing speeds and using his off-speed pitches effectively. At best he’s a No. 3 starter, but on this Diamondbacks team, he is probably the No. 1 or No. 2 guy in the rotation. Behind Collmenter the Diamondbacks have a plethora of youngsters. Rubby De La Rosa was acquired in the offseason from the Boston Red Sox and has really impressed this spring. He will probably break camp with the big club and be in the rotation on Opening Day. The once top prospect in the Dodgers organization has a ton of talent and potential but has yet to put it all together. Another guy who has impressed this spring is the Diamondbacks’ overall top prospect Archie Bradley. Bradley is only 22, but he is the type of pitcher who can anchor a rotation. He has a fastball in the low to mid 90s with a devastating curveball to boot. If he keeps on impressing this spring, the Diamondbacks would have no choice but to let him to break camp with the big league club. Jeremy Hellickson was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2011 for the Tampa Bay Rays and since then he has kind of fizzled out. The Rays decided to ship him to Arizona this offseason, and maybe a change of scenery will help out the young right-hander. If he regains the form he had in 2011 and 2012, the Diamondbacks could come out as bandits in this trade. Veterans Trevor Cahill and Bronson Arroyo will also be a part of this rotation. Cahill might be on a bit of short leash since his performance has really taken a nosedive during the past two seasons. If he doesn’t get the job done, the Diamondbacks have three guys behind him who can take his spot in Chase Anderson, Allen Webster and Randall Delgado. Those three guys will also battle it out for the fifth spot in the rotation as well. In the bullpen the Diamondbacks have veterans David Hernandez and Brad Ziegler to be setup men to closer Addison Reed. Hernandez and Ziegler could probably be used as trading pieces at the trade deadline as there won’t be any need for them on a team that projects poorly for the 2015 season. The Diamondbacks are not too far off from being a pretty good team. They have a lot of youth in their starting rotation, and if Archie Bradley continues to develop at a positive rate, he can be the ace of this staff. That being said, a contending team just is not in the cards for Arizona this season.
Lineup
The Diamondbacks might have the most overlooked player in baseball in Paul Goldschmidt. He’s a guy that doesn’t get as much pub as Miguel Cabrera or Jose Abreu, but he is just as good as those guys. His being overlooked has much to do with him playing out on the West Coast; so much of the country does not get to see him play. Goldschmidt was having another great season in 2014 before being sidelined with an injury mid-year. He is an MVP-caliber player, and I expect him to bounce back from the injury and put up big numbers this season. Arizona made a bit of splash this offseason by signing Cuban import Yasmany Tomas. Tomas could provide another big back behind Goldschmidt as he is known to have 25-30 home run power. But Tomas is just 24, so there is a chance he might start the season in the minors. He has struggled this spring, which has upped the chances even more that he will begin 2015 in Triple-A. Mark Trumbo is also another big bat that will likely hit behind Goldschmidt. Trumbo has huge power but is also troubled by strikeouts. He strikes out an awful lot, but he still puts up some decent power numbers. If he and Goldschmidt stay healthy, the Diamondbacks will have a potent 1-2 in the middle of the order. It looks like Arizona will go young at every other position. In centerfield the talented A.J. Pollack will get the nod. Pollack is pretty much the type of player who can do it all. He hits, fields and runs at an exceptionally high level. He had trouble staying healthy in 2014, but the Diamondbacks seem pretty set on Pollack being the fulltime centerfielder. It will be interesting to see what the young man can do in a full season. The Diamondbacks are also going to go young at shortstop with the 22-year-old Chris Owings. Owings saw some action at the big league level last year when he split time with Didi Gregorius. Owings is an exceptional talent at shortstop. He can pick it in the field. The Diamondbacks are just waiting for his bat to come along. He can definitely hit in that .270-.275 range, and we’ll see what he can do in a full season in 2015. The Diamondbacks will be an incredibly young team in 2015, and it should be a season filled with growing pains. I still see a few years before this team in ready to compete again.
4. Colorado Rockies
Manager – Walt Weiss
General Manager – Jeff Bridich
Home Ballpark – Coors Field
2014 Record – 66-96
Key Departures – Michael Cuddyer, Josh Rutledge
Key Additions – None
Key Returners – Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arrenado, Charlie Blackmon, Corey Dickerson, Justin Morneau, Willin Rosario, D.J. LeMahieu, Jorge De La Rosa, Eddie Butler, Rex Brothers, Jordan Lyles, Tyler Matzek, Latroy Hawkins
The Rockies have some of the most talented position players in baseball. Their lineup is loaded from top to bottom. They just have one issue: pitching. Since the team’s inception in 1993, the Rockies have never had a dominant pitching staff, which might be because of the very hitter-friendly Coors Field. Once again, the Rockies should have the ability to surprise some people in 2015 because of their great lineup, but their pitching will really hold them back.
Pitching Staff
The Rockies pitching staff is nothing to write home about. It was the worst staff in terms of ERA last season as it ranked dead last in team ERA. The 2015 staff is filled with young and fairly unproven players, so there is some hope in the Mile High city. Tyler Matzek, Jordan Lyles and Eddie Butler are three pitchers that Colorado is very high on. The trio is under the age of 25 and has the talent to be the core of the rotation going forward. Matzek and Lyles saw significant action at the big league level in 2014 and were so-so. Lyles has been a big league starter since 2011, when he was 20 years old and with the Houston Astros. Luckily he’s still fairly young, so he still has a chance to figure it out. Matzek’s first big league season was anything but forgettable. He won only six games and had an ERA of 4.05. Growing pains were to be expected in his first season, so I think he will be improved in 2015. Eddie Butler has a chance to be very good. The hard-throwing right-hander saw only 16.1 innings in the big leagues last year, but he has the stuff to make him a dominant pitcher. Butler has a fastball in the upper 90s, but he needs to be able to harness it. He runs into some control issues at times which lead him to be ineffective. If Butler finds his control, he can be a great pitcher to put behind the guy I’m going to talk about next. Jonathan Gray was the Rockies first round pick in 2013, and he has the stuff to make him the best pitcher the Rockies have ever had. Gray is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound right-hander, so he has the body type to be a horse and an ace in the pitching staff. His fastball runs up to the mid to high 90s, with an absolutely devastating slider. He’s performed considerably well so far in spring training and has a chance to break camp with the big club. If not, he’ll surely be with the big league team at some point this season. Jorge De La Rosa was set to be a candidate for the Opening Day starter, but injuries have held him back this spring and will not be ready for opening day. He is the only true veteran in the Rockies rotation. Kyle Kendrick was also signed during the offseason and will be the Opening Day starter. Colorado’s bullpen is full of question marks. Latroy Hawkins in entering the last season of his career and is the only certainty. He’ll be the closer after saving 23 games last season. Rex Brothers and Adam Ottavino had pretty average years last season, and the Rockies will need those two to step up in the ‘pen. Overall the Rockies have some talent in the rotation; it’s just a matter of that talent developing at the big league level. Until that happens the Rockies will have nothing better than a mediocre pitching staff.
Lineup
One of the best offenses in the game resides in Colorado. The Rockies were the third-best offense in baseball last season in terms of scoring runs. Troy Tulowitzki is the best shortstop in baseball when he is healthy, but that’s the problem with Tulowitzki. He’s averaged only 88 games during the past three seasons and has only played in 150-plus games during his nine-year career. If he can stay healthy, the Rockies’ offense should be even better than it was last season because he is bound to put up big numbers in the thin air of Colorado. Carlos Gonzalez is kind of a similar story. He also hasn’t stayed healthy during the past three seasons. When he and Tulowitzki are both healthy, there might not be a better combination in baseball. The Rockies really need these two guys to stay healthy as they have invested much of their future in CarGo and Tulo. Nolan Arenado is one of the most underrated and un-talked about third baseman in baseball. He has proven his abilities in the field as he won back-to-back Gold Gloves in his first two seasons and looks to be a perennial winner of the award. He was out because of an injury for a good amount of time last season, but his bat looked like it was coming around. A full season from Arenado will help out of the Rockies immensely. He has a chance to develop into one of the best third basemen in the game. After having down years in his last few years in Minnesota and Pittsburgh, Justin Morneau reemerged last season in his first year in Colorado. Morneau won the National League batting title in 2014 by hitting .319. On top of his great hitting prowess he is also a great fielder. He has certainly reemerged as one of the best first basemen in the National League. Last season the Rockies received breakout campaigns from Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson in 2014. Blackmon hit 19 homers, knocked in 72 runs, played in 154 games, was named an All-Star and hit .288. Dickerson had an even more impressive year. He hit 24 homers, knocked in 76 and hit .312. Assuming Carlos Gonzalez stays healthy, the Rockies have an elite offensive outfield. Colorado has the offensive pieces to compete for a championship right now. Unfortunately, the Rockies’ pitching staff will bring them down to the bottom half of the division.
3. San Francisco Giants
Manager – Bruce Bochy
General Manager – Brian Sabean
Home Ballpark – AT&T Ballpark
2014 Record – 88-74 (WORLD CHAMPIONS)
Key Departures – Pablo Sandoval, Michael Morse
Key Additions – Casey McGehee, Nori Aoki
Key Returners – Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Tim Hudson, Hunter Pence, Angel Pagan, Brandon Belt, Yusmeiro Petit, Jake Peavy, Hunter Strickland, Brandon Crawford, Joe Panik, Gregor Blanco, Santiago Castilla, Sergio Romo
By winning three of the last five World Series, the Giants have inserted themselves into a class above the rest. It should be no surprise they won the World Series last season, as last year was an even year (they won it in 2010 and 2012 as well). That being said, the Giants will take a step back this year as the rest of the division got that much better.
Pitching Staff
The name Madison Bumgarner became synonymous with the word legendary after his performance in the World Series last season. His postseason performance was so good that it overshadowed his regular season work. He won 18 games for the Giants in 2014 and posted an ERA of 2.98, and with his performance in the postseason, he has worked himself into the category of elite pitchers. He did throw more than 270 innings in 2014, so it will be interesting to see if he can hold up for a whole season in 2015. The Giants are going to expect more out of Tim Lincecum this season. The former two-time Cy Young winner’s performance has really trailed off during the past three seasons. He’s been so bad at times he has had to be moved to the bullpen. His velocity has dropped considerably, and he just isn’t the pitcher he once was. That being said, he can still be a valuable pitcher if he learns to pitch like the pitcher he is now and not the pitcher he was four years ago. Matt Cain did not get a chance to pitch in the postseason in 2014 due to injury, but before that he and Bumgarner formed a pretty formidable duo at the top of the Giants’ rotation. If he manages to stay healthy and pitch up to his potential, then missing out on big name pitchers such as Jon Lester in free agency should not hurt as much. The Giants’ rotation should round out with Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong. Peavy was once one of the elite pitchers in baseball, but he has gotten older and his skills have diminished. He can still be an effective No. 4 or No. 5 starter and win 10-12 games. Vogelsong was re-signed by the Giants this offseason after two pretty mediocre years in 2013 and 2014. He’ll probably be on a short leash to begin the season, as the Giants have Yusmeiro Petit, who was great in long relief and in-spot starts last season, waiting in the wings. I expect the Giants to have a great bullpen again this year with Sergio Romo and Santiago Castilla at the back end. Hunter Strickland’s role should expand after we saw him used extensively in the 2014 postseason. The Giants have a good enough pitching staff to compete, but with the improvements of the other two teams, I don’t know if they stack up. That being said, the Giants are a team that always finds a way to win, so I could see also see them grabbing a wildcard spot.
Lineup
The lineup took a blow this offseason with the loss of Pablo Sandoval. The Kung Fu Panda was one of the major contributors in the middle of the Giants’ lineup for the past six seasons. He was almost a guarantee 15-20 homers and 80-90 RBIs, not to mention his performances in the post season. The Giants replace him in the form of Casey McGehee, a guy who had a bounce-back year in Miami last season. He doesn’t provide as much pop as Sandoval did but should be a good replacement for the Panda. One of the best catchers in the game resides in San Francisco. Buster Posey has solidified himself as the face of the Giants’ franchise and maybe Major League Baseball as a whole. Posey gets it done with the bat while playing one of the most demanding positions in sports. Besides breaking his leg in a home plate collision in 2011, he has managed to stay pretty healthy. I expect the former MVP-winner to have another fantastic season and keep the Giants in the race throughout the summer. The Giants have one of the most consistent and eccentric players playing right field for them in Hunter Pence. Pence has played in all 162 games for the past two seasons. He is one of the most reliable and durable players in Major League Baseball. He hit 20 homers and knocked in 74 runs in 2014, but he does have the ability to hit 25-30 homers and knock in 90-100. I think for the Giants to be in the race, Pence will have to do the latter. Brandon Belt will also need to stay healthy. He played in only 60 games last season, but when he is healthy he has the potential to hit 20-plus homers. That’s something the Giants need with the loss of Sandoval and Morse. Nori Aoki was brought in during the offseason to play left field. Aoki will be a valuable on-base guy batting in the lead-off or two-hole spot in the lineup. Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik will have a full season to play with each other in 2015 as the Giants double-play duo. Panik was fantastic after being called up in the middle of the year last season to play second base. He hit .305 in 73 games for San Fran in 2014 while playing a great second base. You know what you’re going to get with Crawford: very little offense but a pretty reliable glove. Lastly, Angel Pagan had a great 2014 before being sidelined for the postseason with a back injury. He should return and be the leadoff man this season. I think the Giants will compete for a wildcard spot in 2015, but I think with the improvements of the Padres they will come up just short.
2. San Diego Padres
Manager – Bud Black
General Manager – A.J. Preller
Home Ballpark – Petco Park
2014 Record – 77-85
Key Additions – Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, Derek Norris, James Shields, Will Middlebrooks, Clint Barmes
Key Departures – Everth Cabrera, Seth Smith, Jesse Hahn
Key Returners – Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Joaquin Benoit, Ian Kennedy, Yonder Alonso, Jedd Gyorko, Cameron Maybin, Kevin Quackenbush, Nick Vincent, Dale Thayer
For the first time since I can remember, the Padres should have an offense — a real, live offense that actually scores runs. For the past 13 seasons San Diego has finished in the bottom half of Major League Baseball in runs scored. I expect that to change dramatically in 2015 with the additions of Justin Upton, Matt Kemp and Wil Myers. Not mention the already fantastic pitching staff they already possessed. The additions the Padres made in the offseason should propel them to their first playoff appearance since 2006.
Pitching Staff
This was a staff that ranked in the top 10 in almost every major pitching category a year ago, and they just might have gotten better with the addition of James Shields. Shields had been the ace of the Royals staff for the past two seasons, but he does not need to play that role in San Diego. Andrew Cashner has the potential to be the anchor of this staff. He has a mid 90s fastball with an ankle-breaking curveball. He had trouble with injuries a year ago but should be a go in 2015. Ian Kennedy won 13 games for the Friars in 2014, but it was not too long ago he won 21 games for the Diamondbacks. He is only 30 years old and can be a pretty valuable No. 2 or No. 3 starter on this Padres team. His win total should rise as he finally has an offense that can put up runs. Tyson Ross put up incredible numbers last year. He did only win 13 games, but he had an ERA below three and struck out 195 batters in 195.2 innings. Much like with Kennedy, Ross’s win total should only rise with the presence of a top-notch lineup behind him. The foursome of Cashner, Shields, Kennedy and Ross should be one of the best in the National League. Joaquin Benoit will be the closer of a relatively unknown bullpen. Kevin Quackenbush, Dale Thayer and Nick Vincent all should be setup men for Benoit. The Padres definitely have the pitching pieces to compete for the playoffs this season.
Lineup
There is finally some thump in the middle of the Padres lineup with Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers. Kemp had the makings of a superstar before injuries brought him down during his past few years in Los Angeles. He has huge power potential for 30-40 home runs and hit more than .300. He’ll play right field for San Diego this season and probably hit at the three or clean up spot in the order. He has the potential to hit for big power numbers even with playing in a pitcher friendly park. Justin Upton should complement Kemp very nicely in the order. Upton also has the potential for 30-plus homers and 90-100 RBIs. The Padres haven’t seen a duo like this in since Greg Vaughn and Ken Caminiti. Wil Myers had a great rookie year for the Rays in 2013. His play was so good he earned the AL Rookie of the Year award. He had a sophomore slump in 2014, a season filled with injuries and slumps for many former rookies. The Padres are banking on the once top prospect to have a bounce-back season in 2015. Jedd Gyorko had a 2014 much similar to Myers. Gyorko had a great rookie season in 2013 hitting 23 home runs for the Padres, and last season he just hit 10 homers with an average of .210. He’s poised to have a bounce-back year for San Diego. Yonder Alonso should not have as much pressure on him to produce with the additions of Kemp and Upton. Without that pressure his numbers should go up this season. He is a former first round pick with 20-plus home run potential. Derek Norris will give San Diego a catcher with some major run producing potential. Norris had an All-Star season for the Oakland A’s last season while splitting time with Stephen Vogt and Geovany Soto. He should get the bulk of the work for the Padres, and his numbers should only go up. Will Middlebrooks was once a prized possession of the Boston Red Sox, but he never lived up to the hype and was shipped to San Diego this offseason. With a less pressured environment in San Diego Middlebrooks should finally start to produce. The revamped San Diego Padres have the lineup to make the playoffs this season. I see them grabbing one of the wildcard spots along with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Manager – Don Mattingly
General Manager – Ned Colletti
Home Ballpark – Dodger Stadium
2014 Record – 94-68
Key Additions – Jimmy Rollins, Howie Kendrick, Brandon McCarthy, Yasmani Grandal, Chris Heisey, Joel Peralta, Brett Anderson
Key Departures – Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Brian Wilson
Key Returners – Clayton Kershaw, Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Zack Grienke, Carl Crawford, Juan Uribe, Hyun-jin Ryu, Kenley Jensen, Joc Pederson, JP Howell, Brandon League, Andre Ethier, AJ Ellis
The Dodgers are one of the most talented teams in baseball and were probably the best team during the regular season last year, but they ran into the St. Louis Cardinals again in the postseason and were sent packing early. 2015 should be another big year for the Dodgers, and they should capture the NL West for the third consecutive year.
Pitching Staff
When you have the best pitcher on the planet in your rotation, you know you’re going to have a pretty good chance of being a really good team. That’s exactly what the Dodgers have in Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw had a historically great season in 2014. He won 21 games, struck out 239 batters and posted an ERA of 1.77, a performance which won him his fourth consecutive ERA title. In fact the Dodgers went 23-4 in games that Kershaw started. He did all this while missing the first month of the season with an injury. Unless he gets injured, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be the best again in 2015. Behind Kershaw is Zack Greinke, and he is no slouch. He probably does not get the recognition he deserves behind Kershaw. Greinke won 17 games for the Dodgers in 2014, and I expect to have another great season for LA this season. Hyun-jin Ryu has been nothing but good since migrating to Major League Baseball in 2013. The Korean South Paw has posted back-to-back 14-win seasons for the Dodgers. He battled with injuries last season, and it seems to be the same heading into 2015. He is slated to begin the season on the DL, but the Dodgers are not too concerned with this being a season-long issue. Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson should round out the rotation for LA. McCarthy was great after being traded to the Yankees in the middle of the year in 2014. He really started using his cut fastball more, and it made him a much more effective starter. Anderson has struggled with injuries during the past few seasons, but when healthy he can be an effective starter. Kenley Jansen posted 44 saves for the Dodgers in 2014 and was one of the best closers in the National League. He is also expected to start the season on the DL with a foot inury but should be back by the middle of May. JP Howell, Joel Peralta and Brandon League will all get a shot to close while Jansen is sidelined. With Kershaw at the top of the rotation the Dodgers will win the NL West for the third consecutive year.
Lineup
Not many teams can lose a guys like Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp and be still in a good position to win like the Dodgers are. Yasiel Puig has been great since debuting in 2013. He really catches your eye with his flashy diving catches, towering home runs and all-around exciting play. The Dodgers are going to expect more run production out of Puig in 2015. He looked like he was well on his way to a career year after the first three months of 2014, but his production really fell off during the past three months. He definitely has the ability to hit 30 homers and knock in 100 RBIs, he just now needs to go out and do it. Adrian Gonzalez is one of the best first basemen in baseball. Last season was the fourth out of the last five seasons in which Gonzalez knocked in 100 RBIs. He is a model of consistency, and he’ll have another great season in 2015. In my opinion, Jimmy Rollins is an upgrade over Hanley Ramirez at the shortstop position. Even in his old age Rollins is a better fielder than Ramirez, and he can still produce with the bat. Yes, Ramirez might be the better offensive player, but Rollins is a better all-around shortstop. Joc Pederson will be a name to be aware of as the season. He is the Dodgers top prospect and possesses a ton of power. He hit 33 home runs a year ago in the minors and is expecting to be the Dodgers Opening Day center fielder. If he performs up to expectations, Dodger fans will forget all about Matt Kemp. Howie Kendrick will take over at second base for Dee Gordon this season. Kendrick has quietly been one of the better offensive second basemen in baseball during the past six seasons. He definitely is not a downgrade to Gordon. Yasmani Grandal will probably get a shot at starting catcher for the Dodgers. Grandal was once a top prospect of the Padres organization but was traded to the Dodgers after they acquired Derek Norris. If Grandal plays up to his potential he will provide more production than AJ Ellis, who has been the starter for the last three seasons. The Dodgers have the lineup to win the NL West and have a pretty deep run into October.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(03/09/15 5:30pm)
This week’s edition of MLB Divisional Preview features the National League Central. This division should be one of, if not the best division in baseball. Every team is loaded with young talent. There are two teams that can easily win this division, and the other three can all compete for a Wild Card. It should be an interesting summer in the NL Central. This was one of the hardest divisions for me to rank because teams three-five could easily be interchangeable.
5. Milwaukee Brewers
Manager – Ron Roenicke
General Manager – Doug Melvin
Home Ballpark – Miller Park
2014 Record – 82-80
Key Departures – Yovani Gallardo, Mark Reynolds, Zach Duke, Rickie Weeks
Key Additions – Adam Lind, Luis Sardinas, Neal Cotts
Key Returners – Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez, Matt Garza, Jean Segura, Aramis Ramirez, Jonathan Lucroy, Kyle Lohse, Francisco Rodriguez, Wily Peralta, Jimmy Nelson, Jonathan Broxton, Scooter Gennett, Khris Davis, Gerardo Parra
The Brewers were a first-place team all season last year, but faltered down the stretch and became an almost-.500 team. This team could easily compete for a Wild Card or even divisional crown, but with the rest of the division being so competitive, I see the Brewers in last place.
Pitching Staff
Losing Yovani Gallardo could end up being a huge loss for the Brew Crew. Gallardo had been the anchor of the rotation since 2009 and had pitched in many big games for the Brewers. His contract was up after this season, so the Brewers decided to get something for him while they could. Though they lose Gallardo, they have some veterans to fill his shoes. Matt Garza had a so-so season in his first campaign in Milwaukee last year, but he’s shown in the past that he can carry a ball club. Garza is being paid like a No. 1 starter, so he’ll need to step up this season. Kyle Lohse is getting older but is a model of consistency. He’s going to win 11-16 games and give the Brewers 30-plus starts. Wily Peralta had a breakout season in 2014, when he won 17 games. Peralta is only 25 years old and the Brewers will look for him to continue his success. Milwaukee has high hopes for Jimmy Nelson. Nelson had a great year in Triple A last season, which led to a Major League call-up in 2014. The former second-round pick will slide into the rotation this season with Gallardo gone. The Brewers should have a pretty solid staff. The back end of the bullpen should be a plus for the Brew Crew. With Frankie Rodriguez closing and set-up men like Jonathan Broxton, Will Smith and Neal Cotts, the Brewers should have one of the better bullpens in the division.
Lineup
During the past two seasons, Carlos Gomez has become one of the best centerfielders in baseball. The flamboyant Dominican can do it all. He can hit, run and, boy, can he field. Gomez is a Gold Glove-caliber fielder and is one of the best at robbing home runs. He and Ryan Braun should be a pretty solid 1-2 punch in the middle of the order. Gomez can hit for power as well as steal bases. Braun’s numbers have taken a bit of a dip the past two years, but he is still one of the better hitters in baseball. If Braun can get back to his old ways of 30-plus homers, 100-plus RBIs and a .300 batting average, the Brewers could be better than last place. Jonathan Lucroy has played himself into the category of best catchers in baseball. He’s right up there with Yadier Molina and Buster Posey. If the Brewers had made the playoffs last year, there could have been an argument for Lucroy to win the MVP. Lucroy led the league in doubles last season. He may miss Opening Day with a strained hamstring but should be back by mid-April. Jean Segura had a letdown sophomore season. He batted .294 with 174 hits and was an All-Star in 2013. Those numbers dropped considerably in 2014. I expect him to bounce back this season. Lastly, Aramis Ramirez just announced that 2015 will be his last. Ramirez has been nothing but consistent throughout his whole career. Even as he ages, he still produces. I expect another good year out of the 36-year-old third baseman. The Brewers have a really solid lineup, but the rest of the division will be too good for them to avoid last place.
4. Chicago Cubs
Manager – Joe Maddon
General Manager – Jed Hoyer
Home Ballpark – Wrigley Field
2014 Record – 73-89
Key Departures – Luis Valbuena
Key Additions – Jon Lester, Dexter Fowler, David Ross, Miguel Montero, Jason Motte, Tommy La Stella
Key Returners – Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro, Javy Baez, Jorge Soler, Arismendy Alcantara, Wellington Castillo, Mike Olt, Chris Coghlan
As a die-hard White Sox fan, it pains me greatly to put the Cubs this high. That being said, the Cubs made a big splash this offseason by signing Jon Lester. I see it more as a signing to help them in 2016 and 2017 than something to help them this year. Cubbie fans need to temper their expectations for 2015. Historically, it is not good to bank on a team to win with so many unproven young players. Yes, some of them saw limited big-league time last season (Baez, Soler and Alcantara), but we didn’t see enough to know if they can do it more than 162 games. It is ludicrous that Sporting News picked them to win the World Series this year, especially with all the other great teams in the National League.
Pitching Staff
Yes, Jon Lester has shown he can win big games in the past. The problem with that is that he been on teams that get him to the big games; I don’t see that happening with this team. Lester had the best season of his career last season at age 30, his contract year. He pitched his way into a six-year, $155-million contract. That contract could prove to be a dumb one as he is getting older, and his numbers are bound to drop at some point. I think he is a really good pitcher, but I would not put him in the same class as Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner or Max Scherzer like some Cubs fans have. If I were a Cubs fan (and thank God I’m not), I would be cautiously optimistic about the next six years of Jon Lester. Will he be the Jon Lester of 2014 or will he be the Jon Lester of the previous eight years? Time will tell. As for the rest of the starters, Jake Arrieta was highly thought of in the Baltimore Orioles organization but never panned out and was shipped to the Cubs. He figured it all out in 2014 and had a great season. He was 10-5 with an ERA of 2.53. It will be interesting to see if he can repeat that success in 2015. The North Siders signed Jason Hammel during the offseason. Hammel had a solid first half with the Cubs, but after being traded to Oakland midseason, he was not the same pitcher. It will be intriguing to see if Hammel will be the pitcher of the first half of 2014 or the second half. Kyle Hendricks is one of the many prospects Cubs fans have been ranting and raving about and had pretty good success in a limited amount of starts in 2014. This will be his first full season and we’ll see if he can do it for a full year. After having an All-Star season in 2013, Travis Wood had an absolutely terrible year in 2014. I don’t think he is anything more than No. 5 starter and I don’t have high expectations for him in 2015. Edwin Jackson has proved to be one of the dumbest contracts in baseball during the last five years. He was awarded a four-year, $52-million contract before the 2013 season and has been nothing but terrible. He led the league in losses in 2013 with 18 and had an ERA of 6.33 in 2014. For all the kudos Theo Epstein gets for being one of the best minds in baseball, that was one of his dumbest moves. Wood, Jackson and a few others should battle it out for the fifth spot in the rotation. As for the Cubs bullpen, I really don’t know what to think of it. The group is pretty young, but has some good arms in Hector Rondon, Predo Strop and Justin Grimm. They are all pretty young but were all pretty good in 2014. I need to see them for a whole season before I can get a good read on them. I just don’t see it in their rotation to be good enough to contend this year. I think they’re still in transition mode, but could be on their way to contending.
Lineup
I’ll give the Cubs this, Anthony Rizzo looks to be legit. He has big power and socked 32 homers last season. He should be a fixture in the middle of the Cubs lineup for years to come. Starlin Castro was the hit king in 2011, when he led all of baseball with 207 hits. He is a solid shortstop but has shown to be a liability in the field. He’s averaged 24 errors a year since his rookie season in 2010. You pretty much know what you’re going to get out of Rizzo and Castro, but for the rest of the Cubs it’s all questions marks for me. Most of them are all unproven, highly touted prospects. They all could easily pan out and be great, and then they all could easily fizzle out and be awful. The Cubs are banking on too many unproven prospects for them to compete this season. They need at least a couple of years of big league experience for them to seriously compete for a divisional or Wild Card crown. Jorge Soler was great as a September call-up last year. He batted .292 with five homers and 20 RBIs. I think this is too little a sample size to judge what kind of player he is going to be. He’s seen only 24 games of big-league pitching. These are Major League pitchers we’re talking about, and they are bound to make adjustments to him He’s a great talent, but we just need to see if he can do it for a full 162. Now, one player that has received a ton of hype and I’m not sure why is Javy Baez. He gets a lot of “oohs” and “ahhs” because of his big swing, but that is his problem. He has such a big swing that he strikes out so much. He had a batting average of just .169 and struck out in 45 percent (95 Ks in 213 at bats) of his at bats in 2015. When he connects, the ball goes a long way, but he doesn’t connect all that much. Right now I see him as the Adam Dunn of second basemen. He is only 21, so he has a lot of time to make adjustments. The Cubs should have three solid backstops in Miguel Montero, David Ross and Wellington Castillo. Montero and Castillo would easily be starters on any other team, but all three should split time this season. The North Siders picked up Dexter Fowler from the Astros this offseason. He should provide a good glove and a veteran presence on such a young team. The Cubs’ top prospect, Kris Bryant, should see time at the big league level sometime this season. He hit 43 homers, knocked in 110 and hit .325 in the minors last season. Those are minor league numbers, so don’t expect those exact figures in the big leagues. He looks to be a stud, but needs to prove himself at the big-league level. I said it before and I’ll say it again: Cubs fans need to temper their expectations for this season. The Cubs have the talent to be good, but that talent needs to prove itself first. I just think the Cubs are way too young to compete this year. I’m not buying into the hype. I’ll believe it when I see it.
3. Cincinnati Reds
Manager – Bryan Price
General Manager – Walt Jocketty
Home Ballpark – Great American Ballpark
2014 Record – 76-86
Key Losses – Mat Latos, Ryan Ludwick, Chris Heisey, Alfredo Simon
Key Additions – Marlon Byrd, Eugenio Suarez
Key Returners – Johnny Cueto, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier, Homer Bailey, Mike Leake, Billy Hamilton, Zack Cozart, Devin Mesoraco, Tony Cingrani
The Reds were one of the best teams in National League in the first half of last season. Then the All-Star break hit, and they totally collapsed. I expect the Reds to compete for a Wild Card spot throughout the summer. They have the players to do it. They just need those players to produce.
Pitching Staff
Johnny Cueto was one of the best pitchers in the game last year. He went 20-9 with an ERA of 2.25 in 243.2 innings. If it weren’t for Clayton Kershaw, Cueto would have had something to say about the National League Cy Young. His contract is up after this season and, with another great season, he’ll work himself into big bucks. Homer Bailey’s season was cut short last season because of injury. If Bailey can bounce back in a positive away, the Reds will have themselves a good No. 2 starter. Mike Leake has been nothing but consistent since debuting in 2010. He’s not great, but he’s good. He’ll win you 11-13 games and get 30 starts. Tony Cingrani is a hard-throwing southpaw and has shown he can be a pretty good starter. He needs to become a little more consistent from start to start and, if he does, the Reds will have a pretty good lefty in their rotation. Cincinnati has one of the best closers and hardest throwers in the game in Aroldis Chapman. The Cuban fireballer runs up well more than 100 MPH. If he comes in with a lead in the ninth, you can chalk up a W for the Reds almost every time. He is the definition of dominance. The rest of the Reds bullpen should be solid with Sean Marshall, J.J. Hoover and Sam LeCure, who leave the club with a pitching staff that is good enough to compete if it stays healthy.
Lineup
Joey Votto really needs to have a bounce-back season for the Reds to be successful. He was hurt for most of 2014, but before that his numbers have dropped every year since his MVP season in 2010. Votto has focused a lot on getting walked and getting on base, but he’s not being paid an insane amount of money to get walked. He’s shown to he can hit 30-plus bombs, 100-plus RBIs and bat .300. He needs to get back to those numbers instead of focusing on walking. Jay Bruce had his worst season of his career in 2014, but that season will be an aberration. Bruce is not the player of 2014, and he should bounce back in 2015 with 30-plus homers. Brandon Phillips was also hurt for much of 2014 but, when healthy, he’s one of the best second basemen in Major League Baseball. He can pick it on defense and can definitely hit. Assuming he stays healthy for 2015, he’ll be relied upon for production in the middle of the Reds’ order. Billy Hamilton received a lot of accolades in the minors for his base-running prowess. In his first full season in the big leagues, Hamilton stole 56 bases and showed he can be a real good centerfielder. He needs to improve his on-base percentage and cut down on his strikeouts this season. If he does, the Reds will have a real weapon at the top of their lineup. Cincinnati did lose leftfielder Ryan Ludwick during the offseason, but found a nice replacement for him in the form of Marlon Byrd. Byrd has had back-to-back solid seasons in 2013 and 2014. He is getting older, but if he can produce at the same level he’s been at, he’ll be an upgrade from Ludwick. Devin Mesoraco had a breakout season in 2014. He hit 25 homers, knocked in 80 runs and was named to the All-Star team. Mesoraco gets overlooked because he’s in the same division as Yadier Molina and Jonathan Lucroy, but he is quietly one of the better catchers in the National League. I can see the Reds’ season going two ways. I think they can completely fall flat and trade away their veterans (Cueto, Chapman, Bruce) and decide to go young. Or their stars will produce, and they contend for a playoff spot.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates
Manger – Clint Hurdle
General Manager – Neil Huntington
Home Ballpark – PNC Park
2014 Record – 88-74
Key Departures – Russell Martin, Edinson Volquez
Key Additions – Jung Ho Kong, A.J. Burnett, Antonio Bastardo, Francisco Cervelli
Key Returners – Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Neil Walker, Francisco Liriano, Mark Melancon, Gerrit Cole, Charlie Morton, Josh Harrison, Vance Worley, Tony Watson, Pedro Alvarez
After not making the playoffs for 20 years, the Buccos had back-to-back postseason appearances in 2013 and 2014. I see more of the same from the Pirates this season. Pittsburgh will be one of the two Wild Card teams for the third consecutive year. This should be a fun team to watch led by Andrew McCutchen.
Pitching Staff
The Pirates might not have the best staff in the division in terms of having an ace at the top of the rotation, but they sure do have the deepest rotation. Gerrit Cole has the potential to morph into an ace-like pitcher. He was drafted No. 1 overall in 2011 and got to the big leagues in 2013. When he’s healthy, Cole has been really good. If Cole stays healthy, the Bucs will have a stud atop the rotation. Behind him, Pittsburgh has Francisco Liriano and A.J. Burnett. Liriano has been very good since coming to Pittsburgh in 2013, when he posted 16 wins. Burnett pitched for the Pirates in 2012 and 2013 and was pretty effective, but he signed with the Phillies for 2014 and had a pretty bad year. For the Pirates’ sake, hopefully he can regain the form he pitched with in 2012 and 2013. Vance Worley and Jeff Locke round out the rotation for the Bucs. Worley was quite the find for Pittsburgh in 2014. After being released by the Twins, the Pirates took a chance on Worley and it paid off. He went 8-4 with an ERA of 2.85 in 110 innings last season. He showed he can be a pretty reliable starter. Look for him to build upon what he did in 2014 this season. Locke was an All-Star in 2013 for the Pirates, but he didn’t pitch well down the stretch in 2013, which led to him not being in the rotation at the start of 2014. He did pitch himself back into the rotation last season and did pretty well. Mark Melancon had 33 saves for the Pirates in 2014. He proved he can be more than just a setup man. He has some pretty good arms in front of him with Tony Watson and Jared Hughes. From top to bottom, the Pirates have a pretty deep staff. Their bullpen might not have well-known names, but they get the job done well. Up and down the rotation, they’re as good as anyone, especially if Cole has a breakout season. They have the pitching to make a third consecutive playoff appearance.
Lineup
The Pirates are led by their 28-year-old centerfielder Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen is a perennial MVP candidate. He’s finished in the top three in the MVP voting the past three seasons and won the award in 2013. He’s going to have another big year in 2015. He’s wedged between two young and talented players in the outfield in Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco. Marte has been tremendous since being called up in 2012. He had 41 stolen bases in 2013 and 30 in 2014. He’s also an exceptional fielder. Polanco is the former No. 1 prospect in the Pirates system and saw some time in the big leagues last season. He can certainly hit. He hit above .300 twice during five years in the minors. If he makes the turn this year at the Major League level, the Pirates could have one of the best outfields in baseball. Josh Harrison had a great season in 2014 as a do-it-all player for the Buccos. Harrison played all around the diamond last season. He was named to his first All-Star team last year. Harrison batted .315 and played lights-out defense at third base. He should be the Pirates starting third basemen on Opening Day and be there throughout the year. Pittsburgh brought in Korean import Jung Ho Kung this offseason, and he should battle it out with Jordy Mercer for the shortstop job. Pittsburgh native Neil Walker is one of the longest-tenured Pirates. Walker has been a pretty consistent performer since debuting in 2009. He’s averaged 15 homers and 69 RBIs since 2010. Walker enjoyed his best season of his career in 2014 by socking 23 homers and driving in 76 runs. He’s one of the better hitting second basemen in baseball. Pedro Alvarez will make the move across the diamond to first base this season as the one-time franchise third basemen struggled in 2014. Alvarez was an All-Star in 2013, when he 33 home runs and drove in 100. Those numbers dropped off considerably in 2014. He only hit 18 homers and 56 RBIs and lost a lot of his playing time at third base to Harrison. Maybe a change of scenery position-wise will help him have a bounce-back year. The Bucs did lose a valuable player in Russell Martin during the offseason. He provided a good bat in the lineup but more importantly was great at handling pitchers and on defense. Francisco Cervelli will get his chance to be the starter behind the plate in Pittsburgh this season. He’s never played more than 93 games in a season, so the Pirates could be asking a lot out of him. If Alvarez struggles, I would not be surprised if they go after another bat via trade, but I think the Pirates should have enough to make a third consecutive trip to the postseason.
1. St. Louis Cardinals
Manager – Mike Matheny
General Manager – John Mozeliak
Home Ballpark – Busch Stadium
2014 Record – 90-72
Key Additions – Jason Heyward, Jordan Walden, Mark Reynolds
Key Departures – Oscar Taveras, Pat Neshek, Shelby Miller, Justin Masterson
Key Returners – Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Matt Carpenter, Jhonny Peralta, Michael Wacha, Kolton Wong, John Jay, Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martinez, John Lackey, Marco Gonzalez
For the past 15 seasons, the Cardinals have been the class of the National League. Eleven postseason appearances, eight NL Central titles, five NLCS appearances, four NL pennants and two World Series titles — quite an impressive record. They are one of the best organizations with one of the most passionate fan bases in sports. The NL Central runs through St. Louis, and the Cardinals will win this division again for the third consecutive year in 2015.
Pitching Staff
The Cards’ pitching staff is headlined by Adam Wainwright. He is an absolute workhorse. He takes the ball every fifth day and more times than not he’s going to lead the Red Birds to a W. Wainwright had another Cy Young-worthy season in 2014 by winning 20 games, posting an ERA of 2.38 and throwing 227 innings. He’s almost a guarantee to win 15-20 games, make 30-plus starts, throw 200-plus innings and have a sub-3 ERA. He’s one of the best pitchers in the sport, and I expect another good year out of him. The Cards have a nice mix of veterans and promising youngsters behind Wainwright as well. Michael Wacha had a coming out party during the 2013 playoffs, but injuries held him back for much of 2014. He should be healthy for this season, and if he does stay fit, the Cards should have a two-headed monster at the top of the rotation. Lance Lynn enjoyed arguably the best season of his young career in 2014. The 27-year-old Indiana native won 15 games and posted a 2.74 ERA, the lowest of his career. Lynn has the type of stuff to dominate hitters. He showed himself to be a pretty effective and consistent through his first three seasons in the league, so expect more of the same from Lynn in 2015. John Lackey was acquired from Red Sox at the trade deadline last year and helped the Cardinals reach the playoffs. He is not the pitcher he used to be, but he can be a pretty effective No. 4 starter. Jaime Garcia, Marco Gonzalez and Carlos Martinez should battle it out for the fifth starting spot in Spring Training. Garcia had two good years for the Cards in 2010 and 2011 but has been injured for the better part of the last three seasons. At this point in his career, it is hard to know what to expect out of Garcia because you don’t know if he can hold up for a whole year. Gonzalez was drafted 19th overall in the 2013 draft and is currently ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Cardinals system. He saw some action out of the bullpen for the Cards in 2014, but he has a shot to be a starter this season. He won’t overwhelm hitters with his fastball, but he knows how to get hitters out with his off-speed pitches. Martinez, on the other hand, is almost the complete opposite of Gonzalez. Martinez has a fastball that sits in the upper 90s and overwhelms hitters. He’s pitched out of the bullpen the past two years but will also get his shot as a starter this season. The Cardinals have one of the best arms in baseball at the back end of their bullpen with Trevor Rosenthal. Rosenthal can run it up over 100 mph; he just needs to be able to control it. He did save 45 games last season, but made a lot of those games interesting in the ninth by letting many runners on base. St. Louis lost its setup man, Pat Neshek, to free agency but acquired Jordan Walden to hopefully fill that void. Seth Maness, Randy Choate and Sam Freeman will all see time out of the bullpen as well. The Cardinals have a great rotation with Wainwright at the top, and if Rosenthal tightens things up at the back end, the Cards should have a lock-down bullpen as well.
Lineup
After losing Albert Pujols following the 2011 season, many people didn’t know how the Cards would score runs. Since then, they have had one of the best offenses in baseball year in and year out. Yadier Molina has stepped up his production since the loss of Pujols to go along with his top-notch defense. Molina was hurt for a portion of 2014, but he should be 100 percent for this season. He’s in a class of his own among catchers. Matt Holliday has been a pretty consistent performer since coming to St. Louis in 2009. He’s going to give you 20-plus homers and knock in 90-100 runs. He can be a liability in the outfield, but his bat is so good that it outweighs his mishaps in the field. Matt Carpenter has been one of the best players in the game since becoming a regular starter in 2013. He led the league in hits in 2013 with 199 and is great guy to have at the top of the order because he can get on base. Jhonny Peralta proved to be a great signing last season as he had one of the best offensive seasons for a shortstop. Peralta hit 21 bombs and knocked in 73 runs. He doesn’t have the best range on defense but can make the routine play. Peralta’s double-play partner, Kolton Wong, had a great postseason in 2014 capped by a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the NLCS. His regular season stats were pretty decent for his rookie year. I expect Wong to develop even more this season and take a good hold of the second base job in St. Louis. In my opinion, the Cards have one of the most underrated first basemen in Matt Adams. Adams hasn’t shown it yet, but he has the ability to hit 20-plus homers and knock in 80-90 runs. He’s also a very good defensive first basemen. Adams posted a .993 fielding percentage in 2014. During the offseason, the Cards lost of one the games budding stars in Oscar Taveras. In late October, Taveras lost his life in a car crash in his home country of the Dominican Republic. He was only 22. It was a crushing blow to the organization. Not only on the field, but off it as well. Taveras was known to be a great guy and would have been a fixture in the Cardinals outfield for years to come. The Cards have found a worthy successor in Jason Heyward. They acquired Heyward in the offseason from the Atlanta Braves for Shelby Miller. Heyward was once the top prospect in all of baseball a few years back. He has not really put up the power numbers yet, but he’s only 25 and has the chance to develop that power. He’s already one of the best fielding right fielders in baseball. For the Cardinals’ sake, if he works out he should ease the loss of Taveras. The Cardinals are poised to make another run at the NL Central. They are a team that figures out how to win no matter what is thrown at them. I see the Cardinals winning the NL Central and making another deep run into October.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(02/28/15 10:12pm)
After covering the three divisions of the American League over the past few weeks, I now turn my focus to the National League. First off, the National League East. The NL East probably will be one of the least competitive divisions in baseball this season. With the Washington Nationals being the 5000-pound gorilla on top of the division, I believe the other four teams will be battling it out for second through fifth place.
5. Philadelphia Phillies
Manager – Ryne Sandberg
General Manager – Ruben Amaro Jr.
Home Ballpark – Citizens Bank Ballpark
2014 Record -73-89
Key Departures – Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd, A.J. Burnett, Antonio Bastardo
Key Additions – None
Key Returners – Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Jonathan Papelbon, Carlos Ruiz, Dominic Brown, Jake Diekman, Ben Revere
It was not too long ago when the Phillies were the class of not just the National League East but the entire National League. It also was not too long ago when Ryan Howard was a top-five first basemen in the game. Sadly for Phillies fans, those days are long gone. The Phillies have sunk to one of the worst teams in baseball and are not very proactive about trading their aging stars for top prospects.
Pitching Staff
When you have a staff that is headlined by Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, one would think this should be a pretty good team. The problem is there’s really no one else around those guys. Hamels has been brought up in numerous trade rumors this offseason, and his days in Philly seemed to be numbered. The same can be said for Cliff Lee. Though Lee has not been brought up nearly as much as Hamels, he still is a guy many playoff teams would be interested in acquiring. Both Hamels and Lee could bring back a plethora of young talent, which could turn the Phillies organization around. Behind Hamels and Lee the Phillies have two veterans in Chad Billingsley and Aaron Harang. Both are serviceable big league starters, but they definitely are not guys that can help contend for a playoff spot. In the bullpen Jonathan Papelbon comes back as the closer. He may have worn out his welcome in Philly, and thus his name has also been brought up in trade rumors. He does have a pretty lucrative contract and is only a closer, so he probably wouldn’t bring back as much as Hamels or Lee would. The Phillies are pretty excited about the young guys in their bullpen, Jake Diekman and Ken Giles. Diekman is hard throwing southpaw and has been nothing but lights out since debuting in 2012. Giles has a fastball that runs up to 100 mph. He seems to be the closer in waiting once Papelbon is traded. Giles had a great rookie season posting an ERA of 1.18 in 45.2 innings while striking out 64 batters. The Phillies seem to be a team that is stuck in neutral for the time being. Once they trade Hamels and Lee for prospects, then Phillies fans can have hope for the future.
Lineup
During the offseason the Phillies traded away the face of their franchise, Jimmy Rollins. The franchise all-time leader in hits was dealt to the Dodgers for two pitching prospects. It is really the only time the Phillies have been proactive in trading their veterans. Freddy Galvis will probably have the duty of replacing him at shortstop. Chase Utley is on the downside of his career, but that being said he is still a pretty darn good second basemen. He played in 155 games last season (the most since 2009) and was named to the All-Star team. He is 36 years old, but if he can produce like he did in 2014, the Phillies could get something nice in return for him. Ryan Howard has not been the same player since rupturing his Achilles in the 2011 NLDS vs. the Cardinals. Howard, much like Utley, is on the downside of his career. Though Howard has always been a player that strikes out, that was often neutralized by his power numbers. Well his power numbers have dropped and his strikeouts have remained constant, and now the Phillies are stuck with an Adam Dunn. Howard’s contract does run through next season, so at this point if any team were willing to take him, the Phillies would pull the trigger on that deal. Right now the Phillies are an aging team, and their farm system is pretty barren. That could all change though if they pull off some trades this season.
4. Atlanta Braves
Manager – Fredi Gonzalez
General Manager – John Hart
Home Ballpark – Turner Field
2014 Record – 79-83
Key Departures – Justin Upton, Evan Gattis, Jason Heyward, Ervin Santana, Kris Medlan, Jordan Walden, Aaron Harang, Emilio Bonifacio
Key Additions – Nick Markakis, Shelby Miller, Jason Grilli, Jim Johnson, A.J. Pierzynski, Jonny Gomes
Key Returners – Julio Teheran, Alex Wood, Mike Minor, Craig Kimbrel, Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons, Melvin Upton Jr., Chris Johnson
After falling off considerably in 2014, the Atlanta Braves decided to dismantle their team and start over anew. The Braves have a new ballpark opening up in an Atlanta suburb in 2017, and they are aiming to have a competitive team when it opens. They dealt three of their top offensive players during the offseason for prospects. But unlike the Phillies, they do have some hope because of their strong pitching staff and prospects. 2015 and 2016 should be transition years for the Braves, then in 2017, they should be ready to compete as their new ballpark will be ready to open.
Pitching Staff
Julio Teheran is the future ace of this Atlanta Braves staff. The 24-year-old Colombian has been outstanding since entering the Braves rotation in 2013. Last year was his best work so far. Teheran posted an ERA of 2.89 in 221.0 innings. He has lived up to the hype since he was once the top prospect in the Braves organization. He along with Mike Minor and Alex Wood gives the Braves three young and most importantly proven starters to build on for the future. The Braves also picked up Mike Foltynewicz from the Astros in the Evan Gattis trade. Foltynewicz is known as a flame-throwing strikeout pitcher and is ranked the second prospect in the Braves’ farm system. He should get a chance to start for the Braves in 2014. Shelby Miller was also brought in via a trade this offseason. Miller has been a pretty good starter for the Cardinals and has shown flashes of dominance. If Miller can find control, he will be a steal for the Braves. Craig Kimbrel anchors down Atlanta’s bullpen as the one of best closers in the game. The Braves could get a pretty nice return for Kimbrel in a trade, but it would be unwise for the Braves to let go of him. Overall, the Braves have set themselves up nicely for the future with the moves they have made right now. I think these next two years will be transition years, with 2017 being the year they’ll make some noise.
Lineup
The Braves were one of the worst offensive teams in baseball last season, and that was with Justin Upton, Evan Gattis and Jason Heyward. It’s hard for me to believe they will be any better in 2015. Freddie Freeman headlines the lineup. The Braves rewarded him last season with a lengthy contract extension, so they see him as a franchise cornerstone type of player. Andrelton Simmons is the best defensive shortstop in the game, and when his offense eventually comes around, the Braves will have arguably the best shortstop in the game. Nick Markakis was signed in the offseason to a four-year deal. I found it odd because as the Braves have made an effort to get younger, yet they signed a 31-year-old to a four-year deal. However, he should provide some offensive production in right field. Christian Bethancourt is expected to get the starting nod behind the dish for the Braves. He is their top catching prospect and saw limited action in the majors last season. Overall the Braves have some promising young talent to be excited about, but they are a few years away from being contenders for this division.
3. New York Mets
Manager – Terry Collins
General Manager – Sandy Alderson
Home Ballpark – Citi Field
2014 Record – 79-83
Key Departures – None
Key Additions – Michael Cuddyer
Key Returners – David Wright, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Bartolo Colon, Lucas Duda, David Murphy, Zach Wheeler, Curtis Granderson, Juan Lagares, Noah Syndergaard, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee, Bobby Parnell
Pitching Staff
The Mets have an exciting future on their hands with a foursome of stud pitchers to anchor their rotation. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Zach Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard are the four pitchers that should anchor the Mets staff for many years to come. We’ve already scene what Harvey, deGrom and Wheeler can do at the big league level, and they haven’t disappointed. Harvey is coming off of Tommy John surgery, so it will be interesting to see if he can rebound in a positive way. If he does, the Mets will have themselves an ace. deGrom won Rookie of the Year last season, and the Mets look for him to repeat his success. They also have high hopes for Zach Wheeler. Wheeler had a good season in 2014, his first full season in the big leagues. Noah Syndergaard has not gotten his chance in the big leagues yet, but he’s expected to see some action in 2015. Syndergaard is a 6-foot-6 right-handed fireballer who has the ability to dominate hitters. If he develops the way the Mets see him developing, they then will have four young and very good starters. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention Jon Niese or Bartolo Colon. Niese and Colon are the elder statesmen of the pitching staff. They will be important to help bring the young guys along. Bobby Parnell and Jenrry Meija are back to headline what should be a very young bullpen. The Mets do have some young and promising pitchers, which makes me believe they will compete for a wildcard this season, but in the end I see them coming up short.
Lineup
The Mets lineup is not nearly as promising as their lineup but should be a pretty good if their veterans perform according to track record. David Wright has been the face of the franchise since debuting in 2004. Wright had his worst season of his career last season, but it was probably just a blip on the radar rather than a sign of things to come. I expect Wright to rebound in 2015 and lead the Mets once again. Michael Cuddyer was signed to a three-year deal this off-season, and though he is getting older, the man can still hit. It wasn’t too long ago that he was the National League batting champion, so he should provide some veteran leadership, as well as production, to what otherwise should be a young lineup. Lucas Duda had a breakthrough year in 2014 by belting out 33 home runs. The Mets hope he can continue his success rather than falling off like Ike Davis did after his 30-plus home run season in 2012. Curtis Granderson had a down year in his first season in Queens in 2014. Granderson had a pair of 40-plus home run seasons with the Yankees in 2011 and 2012, so the Mets had higher expectations that the 20 home runs and 66 RBIs he gave them last season. If Granderson can find more contact rather than a bunch of swinging and missing the Mets should see more success out of him. Daniel Murphy was the lone All-Star from the Metropolitans in 2014. He is quietly one of the better second basemen in the National League. Expect another solid year out of Murphy in 2015. Juan Lagares returns are the center fielder, and he is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. The 25-year-old is just another young player Mets fans can be excited about for years to come. I like what the Mets have going for them in the future, but as for the moment I don’t see them having enough in their lineup to contend through a whole season.
2. Miami Marlins
Manager – Mike Redmond
General Manager – Mike Hill
Home Ballpark – Marlins Park
2014 Record – 77-85
Key Additions – Dee Gordon, Mat Latos, Michael Morse, Ichiro Suzuki Martin Prado, Aaron Crow, David Phelps, Dan Haren
Key Departures – Casey McGehee, Dan Jennings, Nathan Eovaldi
Key Returners – Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Fernandez, Marcel Ozuna, Christian Yelich, Adeiny Hechavarria, Jared Cosart, Tom Koehler, Steve Cishek, Henderson Alvarez, Jarrod Saltalamacchia
The Miami Marlins were one of the most active teams this offseason and should be one of the most improved teams in baseball. Miami has a nice mix of young, talented players as well as proven veterans. This being so, I expect to see the Marlins in the playoff hunt throughout the season.
Pitching Staff
The Marlins will be without their 22-year-old ace, Jose Fernandez, until about June or July as Fernandez is recovering from Tommy John surgery. When healthy, Fernandez is one of the most dominating pitchers in baseball. Fortunately, the Marlins have bolstered their staff enough that it should soften the blow of not having Fernandez. Mat Latos was brought over via trade this offseason from the Cincinnati Reds and should anchor this rotation until Fernandez comes back. Behind Latos, the Fightin’ Fish have three young arms in Jared Cosart, Tom Koehler and Henderson Alvarez. Cosart was lights out for the Marlins after coming over from the Houston Astros in the middle of last year. Koehler was also very effective in his first full season starting, and Alvarez was probably the best of the three in 2014. Alvarez went 12-7 and posted a 2.65 ERA in 187 innings. The Marlins have high hopes for him this upcoming season. The Marlins also have a veteran at the backend of the rotation in Dan Haren. Haren was acquired in the offseason from the Dodgers as part of the Dee Gordon trade. He is not the pitcher what he used to be, but he will provide a solid, veteran presence in a pretty young rotation. In the bullpen, the Marlins have a great closer in Steve Cishek. Cishek had 39 saves in 2014, and that number should go up as the Marlins should win more games this season. Mike Dunn and A.J. Ramos will be the setup men leading up to Cishek. They both were great in 2015. I think the Marlins have the pitching to compete for a wildcard berth, especially if Fernandez comes back healthy. There are some teams in front of them that are better than them, so I see the Marlins competing for a wildcard spot, but coming up just short.
Lineup
Miami might have made the biggest move in the offseason by signing Giancarlo Stanton to a 13 year, 325 million-dollar extension. Stanton is already one of the best players in baseball and is just entering his prime at age 25. Though it is a risky move to give a player so many years and so much money, the Marlins might show to be wise for signing him at age 25 rather than at 30. For what they are paying him, the Marlins expect him to be the cornerstone of the franchise for many years to come. He will headline the lineup and will have another monster season barring injury. Miami might have the best outfield not only in the division but in the National league. With Stanton, Marcel Ozuna and Christian Yelich, the Marlins are set for many years to come. None of them are older than 25 and all have proven to produce at the big league level. The Marlins have bright future with this talented outfield. The Marlins went out this offseason to bring in help for Stanton. They did that in the form of Michael Morse. Morse will provide some valuable right-handed power behind Stanton. Dee Gordon was traded for in the offseason. Gordon immediately gives the Marlins one of the best leadoff hitters and base stealers in baseball. Gordon stole 64 bases in 2014, leading all of baseball. From top to bottom, the Marlins have a pretty complete lineup. That being said, Miami will fall just short of the playoffs, but will contend throughout the summer.
1. Washington Nationals
Manager – Matt Williams
General Manager – Mike Rizzo
Home Ballpark – Nationals Park
2014 Record – 96-66
Key Additions – Max Scherzer, Yunel Escobar, Casey Janssen
Key Departures – Adam LaRoche, Tyler Clippard, Rafael Soriano, Asdrubal Cabrera,
Key Returners – Jordan Zimmerman, Stephan Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Bryce Harper, Jason Worth, Ian Desmond, Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, Denard Span, Drew Storen, Matt Thornton, Tanner Roark, Doug Fister
The Nationals were one of the best teams in baseball last season, and they only got better in the offseason. They signed Max Scherzer to a seven-year deal in the offseason to add to what already was a great pitching staff. The Nationals on paper are so much better than anyone else in this division. They should run away with this division and have a deep run into the postseason.
Pitching Staff
In my opinion, this is the best starting rotation in the game. From one through five, they have a stud. On any other staff Scherzer, Zimmerman and Strasburg would all be the No. 1 option, but on this staff they are all option 1A, 1B and 1C. This team should win a lot of games because there are no off days for the opposing team. Every starter in this rotation has the ability to dominate the opposition. Gio Gonzalez had a down year in 2014, but it was just two seasons ago when he won 21 games. He has shown he can be a dominant big league starter. He just needs to find a little bit more control. I expect Gonzalez to return to form this season and have a nice season for the Nats. Doug Fister will round out the rotation as their No. 5 starter. On any other team, Fister would be more of a No. 2 or No. 3, but with a rotation like this he is the Np. 5. Having so many great starters is a good problem for the Nats to have. The Nats should also have a very good bullpen. Drew Storen should take over at closer as the Nats chose not to bring back Rafael Soriano. He took the place of Soriano late last season as Soriano faltered down the stretch. Storen had 11 saves with an ERA of 1.18 in 2014. The Nats did trade away Tyler Clippard in the offseason. He is one of the best setup men in baseball, but the Nats should have some good replacements for him. Casey Janssen was signed in the offseason, and Matt Thornton was great after coming to the Nats mid last season. Both should solidify the back end up the bullpen. It’s no question who has the best pitching staff in baseball. It’s the Washington Nationals, and it should lead them to an exciting summer and fall in our nation’s capital.
Lineup
The Nats lose a ton of production with Adam LaRoche leaving for the White Sox, but I don’t think that should slow them down. Ryan Zimmerman will slide across the infield to first base from third base, and if he stays healthy, he should be able to match the offensive production of LaRoche. The left side of the infield is one of the best. Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon both had great seasons in 2014. Desmond socked 24 home runs while driving in 94 RBIs. Rendon had a breakout season in 2014 and showed to be one of the better hitters in baseball. Rendon belted 21 home runs and drove in 83 runs. He is just coming into his own, and I expect him to only get better. Now the guy the Nats really need to turn the corner this season is Bryce Harper. Harper has all the tools to be the one of best players in the game. The good thing for him is that he is only 22 years old and already has three big league seasons under his belt. He was hurt for a good portion of the 2014 season, which led to low power numbers. Harper had a phenomenal postseason in 2014 by hitting .294 and three home runs in four games. If Harper can stay healthy and cut down on the amount of swing and misses, he should have a great season. It’s only a matter of time until Harper is hitting 30-40 home runs and knocking in 100-plus RBIs; he’s that good. Jason Werth had one of his best seasons in a Nats uniform in 2014. He is the old man on this team and should be relied on to provide leadership along with his offensive production. The Nats have the most complete team in Major League Baseball. Pitching. Bullpen. Hitting. Fielding - The Nats have it all. They will ride their top-notch rotation to a second consecutive NL East Crown and much more.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III