Who Are These Underrated Players?
If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know that I love writing about players (and teams for that matter) that don’t get as much love as they should. After some doing some deep thinking while plunking three kids (including my son) at a Little League game on this borderline-oppressive for late May evening, it’s time for another one of those posts. So it’s time for you to get away from the madness of work (because I know that’s where you are reading this) and recognize some outstanding players that didn’t get all the kudos they deserved.
Harold Baines is ready to make the BP pitcher pay. Image: http://www.bleacherreport.com
Harold Baines My pal Jim wondered when I was going to get toe the former Chicago White Sox great, so buddy this one is for you. Actually, he was a favorite of mine unless he played the New York Yankees, a team he absolutely owned. When you look up the term “professional hitter”, you probably will see a picture of Baines smiling and with his signature wiggling of the bat. For his career, he hit .289 with 384 home runs and an impressive 1,628 RBI’s with the Sox and four other teams over 22 seasons. Most impressive perhaps is his 2,866 lifetime hits, 43rd on the all time list, seven behind Babe Ruth. In eight postseason series, Baines hit .324 with five homers and 16 RBI’s. He had two top ten finishes for the American League MVP and was a six-time All Star. While he knocked in 100 runs or more only three times, he did exceed 90 RBI’s six times. He also seemed to drive in the big run whenever the game was on the line. I would say he and George Brett were the two guys I never wanted to see Yankee pitching face in the later innings. The only thing missing from his career is a World Series ring; he made one appearance with the Oakland A’s in 1990.
Chili Davis Before there was an Edgar Martinez as the prototypical designated hitter, there was Davis, the first Jamacian-born Major League ball player. The switch-hitter pounded out 350 career home runs with five different teams. He totaled 2,380 hits and 1,372 RBI’s while batting .274. He was never the best hitter on a team but you always had to be aware of his presence in the lineup. While he drove in over 100 runs only once, he did compile 90 or more RBI’s in a season six times. He was a winning player as he managed to grab three World Championship rings, one with the 1991 Minnesota Twins and two more with the Yankees in 1998 and 1999. In fact, his final season in the bigs was very memorable. In 1999, he had 554 at bats and clubbed 19 home runs to go along with 78 RBI’s and hit .269. He closed out his career as a World Champion. That’s not a bad way to end a fine career.
Lance Johnson You might think the heat is getting to me or that I am stretching this to get another player on this list. While I am toughing out the heat with some cold water, you are dead wrong about One Dog. Anyone who leads the league in a category five times in a six-year span is a darn good player. From 1991 through 1996, led his league five times in triples including an amazing 21 in 1996 with the New York Mets. Only Curtis Granderson‘s 23 three baggers in 2007 exceeded Johnson’s total over the past 33 years (Willie Wilson had 21 in 1985). He also led the AL in hits in 1995 with 186 for the White Sox and led the NL in the same category in 1996 with 227 for the Mets. That ’96 season was the best of his career as he drove in 69 runs while hitting .333. Johnson finished 18th in the MVP tally and made his only All Star appearance. Johnson retired after the 2000 season with 117 triples, 327 stolen bases and a lifetime .291 average.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at www.venomstrikes.com
An Appreciation of Baseball Broadcasters
The New York Islanders were eliminated from the NHL playoffs this past weekend. Now, I realize most of you reading this don’t care or may not even know who the Isles are. However, their elimination also marked the end of the hockey season for Howie Rose, their TV play-by-play guy who will now go back full-time to doing play-by-play on the radio for the New York Mets. To me, Rose is one of the best broadcasters in the business and his call of the game winning goal in Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils ranks as one of my favorite broadcasting moments of my life. I didn’t listen to it live and even though I am not a Rangers fan at all, there was something about it that will stick with me forever. Perhaps it was the unbridled joy in Rose’s voice or the simplicity of it (“Matteau! Matteau!”) that never allows me to get tired of it.
Howie Rose, one of the best in the business. Image: nypost.com
In the world of baseball, there are many calls where all I need to hear is one word and I can tell you all there is to know about that particular game and what exactly the call was about. For instance, when I hear a high-pitched scream of “Safe!”, I know right away it is Sean McDonough on the last play of the 1992 National League Championship Series. Sid Bream barely beat Barry Bonds‘s throw home as the Atlanta Braves , trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, rallied to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 and punch their ticket to a second consecutive World Series. The following year, right after the Toronto Blue Jays’ Joe Carter ended the 1993 World Series with a three-run home run , McDonough’s line, “Touch ‘em all Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life” is another one that stands the test of time for me.
There is the legendary Jack Buck who had so many great moments both in baseball and football over a long and distinguished career. Who could forget his “I don’t believe what I just saw” line after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson hit his famous home run to end Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Then there was the “We’ll see you… tomorrow night” after Kirby Puckett‘s 11th inning home run for the Minnesota Twins sent the 1991 World Series to a 7th game. This line was used by his son Joe as David Freese also sent the 2011 World Series to a 7th game with an 11th inning home run for the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the three words that did it for me were, “Go crazy folks”! as Ozzie Smith ended Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS with a solo home run as the Cards defeated the Dodgers 3-2 in a series St. Louis won in six game.
One that took place slightly before my time was the call made by Russ Hodges on October 3, 1951. If you don’t know what I am referring to, perhaps the shout, “The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!” will ring a bell. It was Bobby Thomson‘s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” as his New York Giants rallied from 13 1/2 games down in the regular season and then a 4-1 deficit in the 9th inning of a sudden death playoff game to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 to earn a trip to the World Series. It may possibly be the greatest call in the history of sports broadcasting and over 60 years after the fact, the most recognizable one.
No list of baseball announcers would be complete without the mention of Vin Scully. Now in his 62nd year of calling Dodger games, Scully’s is a true living legend, a connection to the great baseball names of the past and possessing a vast reservoir of story-telling second to none. No hysterics, no “signature call”, just a an easy listen focusing on the game and not himself. He is the best broadcaster in baseball history, followed closely by long time Detroit Tigers man, the late Ernie Harwell. These two gentlemen have called games for a combined 100 years with memories of their greatness lasting another 100 more. More of today’s broadcasters should be like these two men and the others on this list. No rehearsing, no silliness. They should just call a game without becoming a sideshow.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
What About Jurickson Profar?
He is the number one ranked prospect in all of Major League Baseball according to mlb.com. Yet, his path to the Major Leagues appears to be blocked because the players on the Big Club that are situated at his positions are locked up with long-term deals. So Jurickson Profar bides his time at Round Rock, the Triple A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. I suppose it doesn’t really bother Profar about his status as hot shot-in sort-of limbo. After all, he just turned 20 in February and he already had a taste of Major League competition at the end of the 2012 season. A competent Ranger organization knows what they are doing so I would say the youngster for the moment is in good hands.
Jurickson Profar will be smiling at the Major League level soon enough. Image: minorleagueball.com
At the end of last season, the Curacao native seemed to be ready to make the leap to Texas to become the everyday shortstop. Incumbent Elvis Andrus was rumored to be sent to any number of places including the Arizona Diamondbacks for Justin Upton. Andrus himself also became the Rangers’ starting shortstop at age 20. It was thought that he could be dealt for a power hitting outfielder to fill the void by the departing Josh Hamilton. Then Andrus was inked to an eight-year extension for around $120 million dollars just as Opening Day arrived. It would be natural to assume that Profar could slide over to second base; however Ian Kinsler is showing no signs of slowing down batting .336 with six home runs in 2013. He is signed through the 2017 season with an option for 2018. Of the two veterans that would be moved to make room for Profar, it would probably be Kinsler as his salary dips from $16 million to $14 million in 2016 and then to $11 million the following season. Or it could be Profar that is moved to become some other team’s everyday shortstop.
Since we are in May, any talk about Profar’s future will probably come after the season. Right now, he has played 21 games at short and 3 games at second for Round Rock. The batting average (.231) isn’t great, the on-base average (.352) is OK but probably needs to be .375 and higher. To view a full profile on Profrar click here and find out why people around the game are so excited about him. Texas seems to be in no hurry to make a decision on the future of its prized prospect. On Opening Day 2014 you can bet that Jurickson Profar will be a in a starting lineup. The question is will it be with the Rangers or somewhere else?
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
The Los Angeles Angels Start Off Badly Yet Again
I thought we were in the year 2013. After all, the Los Angeles Angels were supposed to cruise through the American League West on their way to a possible World Series appearance. After signing away Josh Hamilton from the rival Texas Rangers, the Halos had assembled one of the most potent lineups of the past decade with Hall of Fame lock Albert Pujols and megastar Mike Trout joined by Hamilton in the middle of the lineup. What doomed LA in 2012 was a poor April as they finished the first month 8-15 on their way to a third place 89-73 record. 2013 would be different.
Well, not quite.
Josh Hamilton’s slow start has helped put the Angels in an April hole for the second straight year. Image: yahoo.com
The Angels are 9-15 heading into tonight’s opening game against the (once again) first place Oakland A’s. Much like the 2012 club, I don’t expect the team to make the playoffs. However, I also don’t expect this Angel team to match last year’s 89 win output. For one, LA does not have Jered Weaver pitching every fifth day. The ace right-hander, who went 20-5 with a 2.81 ERA, finishing third in the Cy Young race won’t be back until at least the end of May with a broken left elbow. Last year, Weaver’s superb 1st half stats (14-1 through July 31st) kept the team afloat until Pujols started hitting and Trout became well, Mike Trout. This year, Trout is ordinary at the moment (2 HR’s, 12 RBI’s, .263) Pujols has hit another April skid (2 HR’s, 13 RBI’s .244) and Hamilton has been brutal (2 HR’s, 8 RBI’s, .211). Free agent signing Sean Burnett, expected to bolster the bullpen, just went on the 15 day DL with forearm stiffness. The lefty was off to a great start with a 1.04 ERA in 11 games. Without Weaver, the rotation does not strike fear into anyone and right now, Garrett Richards is the only starter to have an ERA lower than 4.00. Other key injuries include shortstop Erick Aybar who could be back by the end of the week and reliever Kevin Jepsen who is out until at least mid-May with arm trouble.
Although I expect the lineup to start hitting better, I don’t think any of the three guys mentioned earlier will duplicate their 2012 numbers. Outfielders Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos have been great but won’t be able to make up the loss of production of the other guys. The pitching is not as good as last year which spells trouble for a team without its best arm. You have to wonder with the advancing age and declining numbers of Pujols and Hamilton if the window for LA is starting to close. I predicted the Angels would finish in third place. So far, I see no reason to change my mind.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Poor Brian Roberts
After a nearly decade and a half span of baseball irrelevance, it is nice to see the Baltimore Orioles near the top of the Major League Baseball standings. The O’s are proving that 2012 was not a fluke, sitting at third place with a 10-8 record in the tight American League East, having just taken two out of three at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, my pal Nick who is a big Baltimore fan pointed out to me that there is a touch of bittersweetness about their new-found success. There is an excellent player that has spent his entire career in Charm City who has not really had a chance to enjoy much of this run. Second baseman Brian Roberts was put on the disabled list two weeks ago and as of right now is not particularly close to returning any time soon. Last season as the O’s were shocking all of baseball with their Wild Card showing, Roberts played in only 17 games, not appearing in a game until June 12th and his final contest was July 1st. Being the longest-tenured player with the Orioles, if there is anyone who deserves to bask in the glory of this team, it is the 35-year old former All-Star.
Hopefully, Brian Roberts can help the Orioles in 2013. Image: zimbio.com
Brian Roberts was drafted by the O’s in the first round of the 1999 draft and made his Major League debut on June 14th, 2001. He became the starter at second base for good during the 2003 season amassing over 500 plate appearances and hitting .270. Over the next six seasons, he established himself as one of the premier players at his position. In 2004, he led the American League in doubles with 50 and led the circuit in two-baggers again in 2009 with 56, the most ever by a switch-hitter. With 51 doubles in 2008, he is one of only four players (the others being Hall of Famers Tris Speaker, Paul Waner and Stan Musial) to record 50 or more doubles in a single season three times. In 2007, Roberts led the league in stolen bases with 50 and had a streak of six consecutive seasons of 25 thefts or more from 2004-2009. His best campaign came in 2005 when he belted a career high 18 home runs and knocked in 73 runs to go along with a .314 average. His rewards included being named the starting second baseman in the All-Star Game and an 18th place finish in the MVP race. However, since 2010 a series of injuries have derailed an excellent career. A herniated disk and an abdominal strain limited him to 61 games that year while he suffered a head injury on May 16th, 2011 and never appeared in a game the rest of the season. After rejoining the club in June 2012, he suffered a groin strain and then elected to have season-ending hip surgery.
Roberts’s latest injury came during the third game of the 2013 season when he ruptured a tendon behind his right knee. It is anybody’s guess as to when he will return. Given his recent lengthy history of ailments, it may be a while before we see him again. Some will speculate the reason he has been injured so much is that he is an admitted steroid user although he has claimed to have used only once. I would like to believe him. Before his career is through, I would like Roberts to get into the middle of one, bona-fide playoff chase. Given his stellar performance during the darkest days of the Oriole franchise, it would be tremendous if he could close out his career with one final flourish in a series of games that have great meaning.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
Major League Baseball’s Early Season Studs
Most teams in Major League Baseball have played about eight to ten games so what do you say we start handing out MVP awards? I am kidding of course although sad to say, you may find some others who aren’t. In any event I would like to recognize some players who have gotten off to some terrific starts around baseball. They may not be the most well-known bunch in the game and the fast start may not even indicate that a great season lies ahead. This might be the only time they get some love. Or, they could be on their way to a career-best season or even a real, live MVP trophy at the end of the year as opposed to being handed a fake one at the courtesy of a blog or a column at the beginning of May.
Michael Cuddyer celebrating after putting one in the seats. Image: yahoo.com
Michael Cuddyer: The right fielder is hitting .387 with two home runs and seven RBI’s for the Colorado Rockies who, unfortunately for them, were just swept by the San Francisco Giants. He has twelve hits in eight games and needs to stay hot in order for the Rox to hang around the ultra-competitve National League West. If he can play 150 games, something he has not done in three years, there is no reason why Cuddyer couldn’t put up 30 HR, 100 RBI, .300 numbers at Coors Field.
Carlos Santana: The last two days of rainouts certainly helped the catcher’s batting average but hey, .500 is .500 (13 hits in 26 at-bats). There is not a chance that the catcher for the Cleveland Indians can keep up that pace. However, Santana just turned 27 and in his third full season in Cleveland. He has the chance for a tremendous season and with a break or two, the Tribe could find themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot. If that is the case, Santana will have put himself in the MVP discussion.
John Buck: He may not be the starting catcher for the New York Mets at season’s end with prospect Travis d’Arnaud on the horizon. However, the 32-year old Buck is having an April to remember as he among the game’s leaders in home runs with five (fourth) and RBI’s with 15 (second). Buck has always been able to hit for power (he had 20 in 2011 for the Toronto Blue Jays) but the average has always been on the low side. He will have to continue to provide pop for a team that has severe starting pitching issues.
Jean Segura: This is an actual Rookie of the Year candidate. Segura came over to the Milwaukee Brewers from the Los Angles Angels in the deal that sent Zack Greinke to the Halos. The shortstop is hitting a robust .458 to begin 2013 through seven games. Four of his eighteen hits have been for extra bases although a thigh bruise has set him back a little bit. Segura will have to keep on hitting for a team that is still missing Corey Hart and a bullpen that is still missing Consistency.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at www.venomstrikes.com
The Best Teams are in the National League
This past weekend saw rematches from both 2012 League Championship Series. The New York Yankees squared off with the Detroit Tigers on the AL side and the San Francisco Giants battled the St. Louis Cardinals in National League action. I thought about the fact that if you ranked these four clubs right now, it would be Giants 1, Cards 2, Tigers 3 and Yanks at 4. It also reminded about something that I have believed the last two seasons and now is something that should be very obvious to fans of baseball.
Joey Votto’s Reds or some other NL team will win the World Series in 2013. Image: zimbio.com
The best teams are in the National League.
Now I know some of you out there will refer to the fact that the American League has been dominant when the two leagues go head-to-head during the regular season. The record in 2012 was 142 wins for the AL and 110 for the NL marking the ninth straight season that the Junior Circuit has prevailed. It is a very convincing argument. However, I look at the games on the biggest stage which would be the All Star Game and the World Series. The last I looked, the National League has won three straight contests and has crowned four of the past five champions. Last season, as the final four teams met for the right to go to the Fall Classic, I stated that whoever won the NLCS would become the World Champions. The Giants fought back from a 3-1 deficit against the defending WS Champion Redbirds and won the series. From there, it was a breeze as San Fran won four straight against Detroit. In fact, I would argue that the Tigers were the fifth-best team in MLB behind the Giants, the Cards, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals. I think those four still rank ahead of Detroit and the Los Angeles Angels if a “power poll” was to be conducted today. Although the two AL teams have better lineups, their overall pitching depth pales in comparison to their NL counterparts, particularly when it comes to the bullpen. All you have to do is compare the closers for each team and you see a great disparity particularly with the Tigers.
The other side can argue there is better overall depth in the American League. I am not sure I buy that. For example, compare the following small market teams: the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cleveland Indians. The Tribe made significant improvements in the offseason compared to the Brew Crew. However, Milwaukee finished over .500 for the second year in a row and has one of baseball’s most potent offenses. Sorry, I’ll take my chances on the Brewers being better. You might have a stronger case for the Kansas City Royals when compared to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Both franchises have endured rotten season after rotten season over the past 20 years and seem to have turned a corner. Pittsburgh has been slightly better the last two seasons and has the best single player (Andrew McCutchen) on either team. Finally, the AL gets the Houston Astros. who will improve greatly over their 107 loss season of a year ago but will bring down the overall depth of the American League.
Maybe the perception of American League superiority changes during the 2013 season. If the National League wins the season interleague series, then there will be no doubt. What is more certain is that come the end of October, a team from the National League will be your World Series Champions.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
More Than Baseball
Reader alert: although I am extremely happy that Major League Baseball’s regular season has returned, that will not be the crux of this piece. Without using the same old clichés, I will just say that the season is long and I will have plenty to write about. Today’s entry is personal, an item I have thought about writing for quite some time but was just looking for the perfect time to compose it. Easter was less than three days ago, Spring is finally around the corner and there are 161 games left in the season. Therefore, this is the perfect opportunity for me to get this out there.
Mr. Met is great but he is not family. Image: espn.com
I have been writing this blog for about a year and a half now; I have been a part of venomstrikes.com covering the D’backs for almost the same amount of time. My hope was and still is that I will be able to earn a little extra money on the side for combining two of my favorite passions: writing and baseball. So far, it has not materialized although my D’back work is featured on si.com as part of the partnership the Fansided series of blogs enjoys with the site. At times, I would put enormous pressure on myself to get as much material as possible online in the hopes that someone who has clout in the industry can contact me for some sort of part-time gig. Because of constraints, be it work and/or family, I never have gotten the amount of blogging time that I would have liked or felt was needed in order to gain additional exposure to my sites. I was uncomfortable with that feeling with the thought no one would want to give me a look if I was inconsistent with my writing. Then I decided to stop worrying and just enjoy the writing because let’s face it, there is something much more important in my life.
My family.
Now, this doesn’t mean I am done with blogging. Far from it. And it doesn’t mean that my family is suddenly more important. They always have been. It’s just that I want to stop worrying about whether or not I have the writing skills that could earn some money. The days are longer, the sun is warmer and frankly I would rather be outside with my wife and three kids at a park, at the movies, anywhere rather than worry about if I think the Miami Marlins will lose 100 games this year (I don’t). In fact, right now, I don’t want to be put in a position where my job, even if it is writing about Major League Baseball, interferes with my family. Two out of the past three Sundays, I couldn’t have asked for a better time seeing a whole bunch a people I don’t see very often. One of those Sundays happened to be my youngest son’s 2nd birthday party. I can’t imagine not being there for that occasion; it would give me such pangs of guilt and despair. It’s a birthday party I can’t get back. That is why I admire all of those people who spend so much time away from home. I may agree with nothing these guys and gals write about but I feel sorry for them because family memories especially with kids can’t be replicated. Everything could be going smoothly in your life and it can all be changed in an instant; a drunk driver, a doctor’s unfortunate news or a senseless act of violence can take it all away.
I have heard many adults say that baseball bonded them together with their mother or their father or both. My parents didn’t take me to very many ball games when I was younger but they came to the most important ones: mine. That is just one of many things they have done for me and continue to do for me even to this day. There is no end to their kindness and generosity. There is no way I would enjoy this amount of happiness if it wasn’t for them. Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you. I hope I make you proud. To my wife, well I don’t think a couple of lines in a blog that is about baseball can properly express my feelings for you. I’ll start with the fact that you have given me the three best children on God’s Green Earth. The reason why they are so good, so cheerful and so smart is because of you. There is no way any of this means anything without you and the kids in my life. I hope I make you as happy and as proud of me as I am of you. And to you three kids: you are in good hands with Mom. Keep up the good work.
Finally to you, my readers: thank you for taking a little bit of time to read this and all of my posts. Even if I never make a penny off my writing, just knowing that you show an interest in my work gives me more incentive to keep on writing. I hope you have had as much enjoyment reading as I have enjoyed writing. From now on, I will end each post with a thank you as a show of gratitude for sticking by me.
Many thanks. I’ll be in touch soon.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
MLB Outlook for 2013-None of these Predictions Will be Correct
This was originally going to be a post in two parts, one for each league. However, because of time constraints and family demands, I will be giving you my “cliff notes” version of my predictions in Major League Baseball for 2013. I purposely waited until right before Opening Day because how can anyone try to forecast something in January when no one has even taken the field? You would have to quantify everything with “If” and “As long as X stays healthy…”. I refuse to do that. So I wait until the weekend of Opening Day to offer my thoughts on the upcoming season. Of course, I guarantee 90% of what follows will be wrong……..maybe. So here we go in order of predicted finish:
Play Ball! Image: sportstalkflorida.com
American League East: Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox
I actually had the Yankees winning the division up until the injury bug got to General Manager Brian Cashman. Clearly, I am in the minority as I still feel the Yanks are in for a big season. Yes, I know the hitting will take a step or two back but the starting pitching will be better and the bullpen will again be rock-solid. This is the year the Rays get back to the playoffs by winning the division as David Price will win 22 games and Evan Longoria will play 140 games. Everyone loves the Jays but come on, haven’t we seen this before? Team loads up, looks unstoppable on paper, then flops in the regular season. Why, that just happened to the Marlins last year and they had current Jays Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle on the team. The O’s look to be the 2011-2012 version of the D’backs: come from nowhere to make the playoffs, then regress slightly the following season. Boston is heading in the right direction but even a 15 game improvement has them in fourth place, at best.
American League Central: Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins
Justin Verlander just signed a long-term extension, all-around good guy Torii Hunter is in the fold and Victor Martinez is back from injury. Things could not be any sweeter for the defending AL champs who should win the division easily as opposed to sweating it out in 2012. You can flip-flop the Indians and Royals who made tremendous improvements in the offseason and who will challenge for Wild Card spots. They will help make the division one of the best after being mediocre for most of the last decade. The White Sox have promising Chris Sale at the head of the rotation but loads of questions with the rest of the staff. The Sox will score a bunch of runs. General Manager Terry Ryan has wheeled and dealed in his first full offseason since returning but the Twins are still a long way off and locked into pricey deals with Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer.
American League West: Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland A’s, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros
Locking up Felix Hernandez through 2019 already made the M’s winners in 2013. They have beefed up their offense with Mike Morse and Kendrys Morales making this my most intriguing team of the year. This is the choice I am most nervous about but I wouldn’t have made it if I did not have good reasons behind it which I discuss here. The Angels have an insane lineup with Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton but the pitching is a little sketchy after Jered Weaver. Oakland had much go right for it but even the heartiest of fans could not have picked a division title in 2012. See my theory about the Orioles; however, the A’s are little better because of their pitching. I love the Texas organization but I expect them to continue to skid after a dreadful finish to their 2012 season. The blip will only be temporary. Houston will get a rude introduction to the American League but will be better than people think. Avoiding 100 losses for a third straight season will be a step in the right direction.
National League East: Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Miami Marlins
Call this a last hurrah for the Phillies. They finished strong in 2012; look for that momentum to continue into this season with Cole Hamels winning the Cy Young Award. Up until about three days ago, I had Braves and Nats in second and third, respectively. Then I saw that Jonny Venters, a key member of the Atlanta bullpen would have his arm looked at by Dr. James Andrews. I also remembered that Chipper Jones retired. Washington will have Stephen Strasburg all season. That translates into Washington finishing a close second to Philadelphia. Here is what Met fans should hope for: stay somewhat competitive through the first half (no more than five games under .500). Then in the second half, they look forward to two out of every five games, the Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler starts. Another year, another torching by the Marlins that would make Nero proud. Listening to the folks at MLB Network tell us that since it didn’t work last year, it was a good thing that the team was blown up. Try telling that to fans (and taxpayers) who are footing the bill for that new stadium.
National League Central: Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs
After blowing a two games to none lead in the NLDS, the Reds are gearing up for a World Series run. After hedging all spring, the team decided to return Aroldis Chapman to the bullpen and expect to have first baseman Joey Votto healthy all season. Never, ever count out the Cardinals. They are perhaps the game’s premier organization as over the past nine seasons, they have won two World Championships, on NL pennant and two other appearances in the NLCS. The Brew Crew scores runs in bunches; they led the NL in runs scored and home runs in 2012. They just snuck in a deal for 16 game winner Kyle Lohse and are ready for another playoff push as I discuss here. The Pirates will finally break their historic losing streak but still don’t have quite enough pitching yet to contend in the tough Central division. Andrew McCutchen is one of the game’s five best players. The Cubs have something going with 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Starlin Castro and ace Jeff Samardzija but still have a long way to go.
National League West: San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies
This is baseball’s toughest division. The Giants have won two of the last three World Series and kept just about everyone from last year’s team. They are ready to make it three out of four with the best GM-manager combo in the game with Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy plus locking up Buster Posey, this generation’s Derek Jeter. The D’backs do everything well, but nothing great. Having at least two-thirds of their starting outfield on the DL is no way to start a season. The Dodgers are loaded with money and some talent but we all know that does not necessarily translate into winning. Pity Don Mattingly who will probably pay for a non-playoff season with his job. The Padres were my intriguing NL team for 2013 but then catcher Yasmani Grandal got suspended 50 for PED’s and all world third baseman Chase Headley fractured his thumb and won’t return until at least mid-April. The Rockies boast two of the best players at their positions with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and left fielder Carlos Gonzalez. Their pitching is still a mess waiting still to grow their first home-grown ace.
AL division winners: Rays, Tigers, Mariners AL Wild Cards: Yankees, Blue Jays
NL division winners: Phillies, Reds, Giants NL Wild Cards: Cardinals, Brewers
World Series: Reds over Rays in 7
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
You Need to Watch These 2 Teams in 2013
One week from tonight the 2013 Major League Baseball season will open with the Texas Rangers visiting the Houston Astros. Though this isn’t the first time MLB has started their season on Easter, that doesn’t mean I find it any less tacky that such an event will take place on one of our holiest days of the year. However, that’s a discussion for another day. This post will focus on two teams that people may overlook for one reason or another. Either it doesn’t involve a team that made a big splash this offseason (think Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers) or a team that hopes to break decades of misery (think Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates). Rather, the two teams I will look at are vastly underrated and underappreciated and I would not be surprised if they won their respective divisions or crashed the playoff party as a Wild Card. You can hold me to these forecasts and come back to me in five months or sooner when they crash and burn. Heckle me all you want. You do so at your own risk.
King Felix finally has some offense. Image: usatoday.com
Seattle Mariners To me, this is the most intriguing team of 2013. The M’s finally made a push to get some quality bats in order to make star pitcher Felix Hernandez not feel as though he has to throw a shutout in every start. Michael Morse arrived in a trade from Washington for his second stint in Seattle as did Kendrys Morales from the Los Angeles Angels. Raul Ibanez should help in a platoon role as might Jason Bay, who hopes a change of scenery can revive his career into one last payday. Second baseman Dustin Ackley should bounce back from his .226 sophomore season. It is now or never for first baseman Justin Smoak. He had 19 home runs in pitcher-friendly Saefco Field but hit a meager .217. If third baseman Kyle Seager and catcher Jesus Montero can improve even slightly from their 2012 offensive numbers, the Mariners will not be punchless at the plate.
The pitching staff starts with King Felix. The Mariners have given Hernandez only 3.5 runs of support per game over the past three seasons, unacceptable for any pitcher let alone a star like the King. Luckily, the team locked him up through 2019, a major victory for the franchise and its fan base. He has logged over 230 innings per year over the past four seasons. Hernandez is one of the best three pitchers in all of baseball. Seattle had to give up 14 game winner Jason Vargas to get Morales but the organization drools with young pitching talent. The trio of Taijun Walker, James Paxton and Danny Hultzen all will start the season in the Minors but don’t be surprised if one or all of them is with the big club by September. Until then, the rotation should hold up until the youngsters are ready. Hisashi Iwakuma had a good initial campaign with the M’s winning nine games with a 3.16 ERA. Joe Saunders returns to the American League West where he won 33 games in a two season span with the Angels. The bullpen is an unheralded bunch led by closer Tom Wilhelmsen who saved 29 games in his first year as closer.
Seattle could finish anywhere from first to fourth. I think the Rangers’ second half misfortunes from 2012 will continue. We know all about the Angels and their big moves and loaded lineup but I am not sure that after Jered Weaver their staff scares anyone. The Oakland A’s will again be formidable but I think at least one of their young arms will take a step back. Winning their division would probably require an 18 to 20 win improvement from 2012′s 75 but to make the Wild Card 12-15 more wins may get it done. I’ll take my chances and say the Seattle Mariners will win the American League West. Why not, it can’t be any worse than my prediction of New Mexico making this year’s Final Four.
Milwaukee Brewers: If you asked me who led the National League in runs scored in 2012, it would have been a while before I came up with the Brew Crew. Their 776 runs paced the NL as did their 202 home runs. Ryan Braun emerged from the cloud of PED suspicion by having an even better year than his MVP season of 2011. He led the league in homers with 41, OPS with .987 and runs scored with 108 to go along with 112 RBI’s and 30 stolen bases. This was even after he had a sluggish April. Even though his name once again surfaced in connection to PED’s, don’t expect a repeat of a slow April. The team can’t afford it as first baseman Corey Hart will be out at least the first five weeks of the season because of knee surgery. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez may have the quietest 342 home runs in baseball history. The team would love for him to match his 27 HR, 105 RBI, .300 performance of 2012. Expect catcher Jonathan Lucroy and steady second baseman Rickie Weeks to supply additional punch and outfielders Carlos Gomez and Norichika Aoki to be the speed on the base paths. The team will be just fine on offense.
Can Ryan Braun possibly top 2012? image: nydailynews.com
The rotation will be improved in 2013 led by ace Yovani Gallardo. The right-hander has won 47 over the past three seasons and at age 27 is entering his prime. He has logged over 200 innings the last two seasons and is poised to post his first 20 win campaign. While the rest of the rotation is a still a mystery there is a lot of upside. Wily Peralta was near-dominat in a late-season audition going 2-1 in six games with a 2.48 ERA. Mike Fiers struggled late in the season but posted an impressive 2.85 ERA through August 31st. Marco Estrada was tremendous down the stretch allowing zero earned runs in five of his final eight starts. The bullpen is what killed Milwaukee’s hopes of returning to the playoffs. Closer John Axford saved 35 games but sported a sky-high 4.67 ERA and blew enough chances early that he briefly lost his job. Main setup men Francisco Rodriguez and Kameron Loe also posted ERA’s over 4.00. Jose Veras was the most dependable guy for a while last year but he took his services to the Astros.
After struggling much of 2012, the Brewers made a furious charge late that got them as close as two games behind the final Wild Card spot. From August 1st until the end of the season, Milwaukee was 36-23 and this was after they traded Zack Greinke. The bullpen can not possibly be as bad as it was last season. Axford’s stats are slightly deceptive as he was dominat early and then after he regained his closer’s role. The rest of the pen has been revamped with lefties Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez coming to the Crew. Despite Hart’s absence, the bats should cary this team as the rotation gets sorted out. I don’t think they will win the division but I predict they will grab one of the two Wild Card spots for 2013.
Follow me on Twitter @ltj41 and covering the Arizona Diamondbacks at http://venomstrikes.com
