2013. Here we go..

We are a mere three days away from Opening Night.  Four from Opening Day.  Right now I am about as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve.  What is already making this season so exciting is I just cannot pinpoint a front runner.  I feel like this year’s MLB Season looks a lot like this year’s March Madness.  Anything could happen!  Anyone Could Win! Okay not anyone.  I’m looking at you Miami.

So many teams made improvements.  The Angles, the Mariners, the Indians, Braves, oh and Dodgers?  Yea, I see you LA.  That is not even everyone.  There are so many teams with a chance to take it home, and so many who could fall flat on their face.  I will at least take my best shot.

AL West

  1. Anaheim Angels – Angels are the sexy pick.  The team that looks great on paper.  Also, the team that will look great on the field.  Who in their right mind wants to pitch through the first half of the Angles Lineup?  Trout, Aybar, Pujols, Hamilton, Trumbo.  You pray to the heavens you get through that portion and even if you do, they will be right back at the plate before you know it. I feel the Angels one downfall may be their pitching. After Weaver and Wilson, you have Joe Blanton, Trevor Vargus, and Tommy Hanson.  These are all guys capable of getting roughed up.  However, my gut tells me this team will score enough runs so that just wont matter.
  2. Texas Rangers – Rangers are a good team.  I think that is the best word for them.  Good.  Yes Hamilton is gone, but the core of Kinsler, Andrus, Beltre, and Cruz are all still there.  All players no one likes to face.  Yu Darvish proved he can pitch in the majors, I see Matt Harrison getting better, and Derek Holland bouncing back.  Rangers will be in a dog fight for one of those Wild Cards the entire year.
  3. Oakland Athletics – The A’s story in 2012 was great.  Roaring to the top of the NL West in the final week of the year. Pushing the Tigers to 5 games in the Divisonal round.  Then it ended.  I also do not see it happening again this year.  Anaheim looks too good.  I do see Cespedes being a 30/30 guy this year.  However, I feel Josh Reddick will be taking a few steps back.  What, if anything, keeps Oakland in a Division Race?  Pitching.  Oakland’s team ERA has been in the top 10 in the majors every year but two since 2001.
  4. Seattle Mariners – Look at the bright side Mariner fans.  Fourth place isn’t last place this year!  Baby steps folks.  Felix will be Felix.  Kyle Seager could be something special.  He hit 20 home runs last year.  I bet you didn’t know that did you? Something else you possibly didn’t know, the fences have been moved in at Safeco.  This could give him a few more.  Mariners won’t be a joke anymore, but they also will not be a contender.
  5. Houston Astros – Speaking of jokes.  Just kidding, there is nothing funny about 55 wins.  Seriously though, is there anyone out there that can name 5 players BESIDES Jose Altuve on the Astros?  When you can, let me know.  Then I will have something to write about.

AL Central

  1. Detroit Tigers – Better than last year.  You know, that team that swept the Yankees in the ALDS and went to the World Series?  Yes, better than that team.  Why?  Victor Martiniez.  He has back and he is healthy.  A .300 switch hitter with power.  The Tigers not only add him to the lineup, but also a 4 Time All Star, 9 Time Gold Glove winner, in the player of Torii Hunter.  Still an above average player who is a great clubhouse presence.  Like the Angles, their potential downfall could be their pitching.  Not so much the starting, but the back end of the bullpen.  The Tigers decided against bringing back Jose Valverde who had a turbulent postseason leaving them with the young Bruce Rondon to close out games.  Only time will tell how the back end will work out, but if it doesn’t, Jose Valverde is still looking for work…
  2. Cleveland Indians (Wild Card) – Wo!  Cleveland?  Yes.  Cleveland is my sleeper pick.  The Indians are my 2013 version of last year’s Athletics.  Cleveland will be well coached, an absolute nuisance on the base paths, and a team that will not go away.  Terry Francona is the new sheriff in town looking to show the Red Sox they made the wrong move.  As much as I hate the Red Sox, you have to respect what Tito did with those World Series Winning teams.  Teams built of scrubs, has-beens, a few never-was’s, and a couple of all stars.  Now Francona leads a Cleveland team that is hungry to be relevant again.  They have an outfield trio of Bourn, Brantley and Stubbs that will hunt down anything in a 3 mile radius.  Bourn will be a catalyst at the top of the lineup.  Carlos Santana will continue to improve, the addition of Swisher will bring leadership, a positive attitude, and 20 more home runs.  Also watch for Ubaldo Jiminez to come back real strong.  Cleveland Indians.  Wild Card.  Write it down.
  3. Chicago White Sox – The White Sox no longer have that one player that makes you just stop and say “WOW!” What they do have is an average team.  An 81-81 team coached by a solid leader in Robin Ventura.  Paul Konerko is getting older, but he is still a good player.  The White Sox didn’t make any moves in the off season, but instead just aged a year.  They will not be a pushover, but they will not be relevant come October either.
  4. Kansas City Royals – The Royals keep trying to get better.  They keep producing home grown talent, like Wil Myers.  Then they ship him to Tampa Bay.   Granted the Royals received James Shields in return, but was it really worth it?  Only time will tell.  With that said, the Royals are getting there.  They are getting better.  I promise.  James Shields will be a good influence on the other pitchers.  Billy Butler will continue to be a solid player and there is no way Eric Hosmer can be worse than last year.  Can he?
  5. Minnesota Twins – Joe Mauer…  Joe Mauer… I promise I am trying to think of some other positives.  Vance Worley being the team ace certainly isn’t one of them..

AL East

  1. Tampa Bay Rays – This is the hardest division to predict.  I feel like I could pick any of the five teams to finish first and they would all be a viable option.  However, I had to pick someone, so I pick the Rays.  I like Joe Maddon.  What position does he play? Oh right he’s the manger.  I know that.  Every year everyone says there won’t be enough offense.  Every year everyone says not enough stars.  Every year everyone is swallowing their words because there are the Rays in the thick of things come September.  With a healthy Longoria and Maddon leading the charge, I like the Rays to edge out the division crowd.
  2. New York Yankees (Wild Card) – They are too old.  There are far too many injuries.  They are on the decline.  I hear the naysayers.   In my opinion, all the Yankees need to do is tread water to the All-Star break.  Keep the Wild Card and Divisional Crown deficit to single digits.  Eventually Jeter, Granderson, Teixera, and even possibly A-Rod will all be together.  With all them on the field together, and the Yankees pitching staff, I honestly feel they will at least achieve a Wild Card spot.  There is too much pride and leadership (Jeter) on this team to not achieve.
  3. Toronto Blue Jays – Do you believe all the hype?  Because I don’t. Now, am I saying there is zero chance Toronto makes the playoffs?  No.  What I am saying is prove me wrong.  Prove to me that the hype is worth something.  Right now I see the Canadian Marlins.  I see R.A. Dickey coming to the hardest division in the league after just one good season.  I see Melky Cabrera coming off a lengthy PED suspension.  The question marks are there.  I just don’t know if those same question marks are also the answers.
  4. Boston Red Sox – Players like Pedroia and Ortiz (regardless if he plays finally) do not want to go through another season of turmoil.  They care for the game too much.  They put it in too much work to keep coming up completely empty handed.  This Red Sox team really will not be that bad in my opinion.  Ellsbury is in a contract year.  He has to prove himself and he knows that.  This pitching staff has to prove themselves again.  Unfortunately (for them, not me), playing in the AL East means a fourth place finish.
  5. Baltimore Orioles – Wait, the Orioles?  The team that took the Yankees to 5 games in the Divisional Round?  Yes.  Much like the A’s, teams that come out of no where one year, I just do not buy into until they prove they can do it consistently.  This year the AL East is much more talented than last year when the O’s made the post season.  On top of that, they have lost 23 home runs with Mark Reynolds jumping ship to Cleveland.  Also, they do not have one hitter in their lineup that hit better than .288 last year.  To top it off, the lowest 2012 ERA in their starting rotation this year was 4.13.  To me all signs point to  the Orioles taking a step back in 2013.

NL West

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers – Can’t buy chemistry?  This is true.  But winning creates chemistry and that I do believe in.  Beckett and Gonzalez are thrilled to be out of Boston.  Crawford is happy being back home in Southern California.  Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are healthy and Hanley should return in May.  The Dodger’s lineup will finally not be able to make excuses for not scoring runs, nor do I think they will need too.  Also, lets not forget Dee Gordon is back in the minors getting better along with Yasiel Puig who is being compared to Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire as they came up.  Still out of all this, the biggest item that stands out to me is Zack Greinke.  Greinke has had anxiety issues in the past.  Being in LA should help that.  He no longer needs to feel the pressure of being an ace and can sit pretty behind former Cy Young Winner Clayton Kershaw.  Also, a sleeper for 15 wins?  Josh Beckett.  The NL West is no AL East and Dodger Stadium is no Fenway Park.  The heavy nighttime air in LA should save Beckett a couple handful of home run balls that he used to offer up at that Pony League sized ballpark on Yawkee Way.  Dodgers, 95 wins.  Write it down.
  2. San Francisco Giants – Every year we look at their lineup and every year we say no way.  Then come October, we are saying how?  After two World Series titles in 3 years, if you’re still a doubter, you shouldn’t be watching baseball.  The Giants pitching will continue to be a strong point and I see no way Tim Lincecum will be worse that last year.  Can he?  Once again the Giants offense will always do just enough and they will stay on the Dodgers heals the entire year.  Don’t believe me?  Talk to me at the end of September.
  3. Arizona Diamondbacks – Arizona said goodbye to a lot this off-season   Chris Young, Justin Upton, and rising star Trevor Bauer.  They are going to need to work hard to stay within view of the Giants and Dodgers backsides.  Kirk Gibson, in my opinion, is just the guy to do that.  Paul Goldschmidt has everything at his finger tips to be a stud in this league.  How does .280/30/90 sound.  Sounds good to me.  The problem will be the rest of the offense.  Their lineup is weak and when power teams come into the launching pad that is Chase Field, the Diamondbacks will not be able to match them shot for shot.
  4. Colorado Rockies – I see the Rockies battling all year long in the NL West.  Umm, for third place that is.  The Rockies and Diamonbacks can easily flip spots here.  If Tulowitzki and Cargo stay healthy the entire year, Rockies finish in third.  If injuries come knocking on the gates of Coors Field again, they will sit here in fourth.  Everyone knows the damage these two can do when healthy and in the lineup together.  The problem is that has not happened much.  If it does though, the Rockies offense will be just fine.  Their downfall, however, will once again be their pitching rotation.  The Rockies’ starters average ERA is over 4.60.  That just won’t fly.  The home run balls they will be handing out will however.
  5. San Diego Padres – Chase Headley injured + highest batting average in the projected Opening Day lineup of .266 = another log season in San Diego.  Look on the bright side San Diego.  Norv Turner was fired…

NL Central

  1. St. Louis Cardinals – If the AL East is the hardest division to predict, then the NL Central is just a mere fraction behind.  Cardinals…Reds…Reds…Cardinals.  My gut says Cardinals.  I love their lineup. Jay, Beltran, Holliday, Craig, Molina.  I think Pete Kozma could be the NL Rookie of the Year.  Cardinals are a post season team.  That is just what they are.  Wainwright is now their ace for the foreseeable future.  Shelby Miller has potential.  A lot of potential.  This may be the closest division race in the entire league.  How does a one game playoff sound?  Wainwright vs. Cueto?  Hey, it could happen.
  2. Cincinnati Reds (Wild Card)- I guess that means they lost the one game playoff huh?  I like the Reds.  I like Dusty Baker.  He is one of the best. I am still giving the edge to St. Louis this year though.  They Cardinals got robbed in the one game Wild Card last year (InOutfield Fly Rule)and will be hungrier. However, much like the Cardinals, the Reds lineup is looking quite appealing.  Some may argue Joey Votto is the best hitter in the game.  What I don’t like though is Brandon Phillips’ bat is on the decline and Ryan Ludwick’s high strikeout rate isn’t going anywhere any time soon.  Reds will snag up a Wild Card spot in 2013.
  3. Milwaukee Brewers – Carlos Gomez is on the rise.  Aramis Ramirez is on the decline.  Jean Sugura is on the rise.  Alex Gonzalez is on the decline (and at first base to start the year…).  The Brewers have too many offsetting factors to say they can compete for a division title.  Ryan Braun will be Ryan Braun.  I don’t think anyone will question that.  With the signing of Kyle Lohse I have become a big fan on a 1-2 punch of Gallard0 and Lohse.  With that said, I am a bigger fan of Wainwright and Garcia or Cueto and Latos.  The Brewers had their chance in 2011 when Fielder was still in town.  That time has come and gone.
  4. Pittsburgh Pirates – Andrew McCutchen has more and more baseball fans paying attention to Pirate baseball.  The problem is, its more like its just Andrew McCutchen baseball and not Pirate baseball.  Russell Martin now resides in the Steel City, but is coming off is worst hitting season as a pro.  A.J. Burnett is thinking about retirement.  There just are not enough pieces to the Pirates puzzle.  General Manager Neal Huntington knew he was signing up for one hell of a project in 2007, and he has slowly put together a foundation, but it is just not there yet.
  5. Chicago Cubs – Next stop Chi town. One for the roooad. Lido! Theo!  Okay enough Boz Scaggs.  Two things are guaranteed at Wrigley.  First off, they will once again be the Lovable Lovers.  Two, Theo Epstein won’t stand for that for long. Theo is presented with some good building blocks in that of Starlin Casto and Anthony Rizzo.  The problem is, after that, the schematics look blank to finish building.  The Cub’s fans are going to have to sit through another season of few wins, an empty stadium come October, and another year without a Championship.  The best acquisition they had in the off season was indeed Theo Epstein.  He will better this team.  He will set their sites on October.  Just not this year.

NL East

  1. Washington Nationals – The Washington Nationals are my World Series Champion Pick.  Now there’s a sentence I never thought I would say.  The Nationals are better than last year.  They have a full season with Bryce Harper ahead of them.  They have a year with no inning limitations hanging over Steven Strasburg’s head.  They now have Rafael Soriano to shut the door in the ninth and untuck.  There are no glaring weaknesses to this team.  They would have a playoff rotation of Strasburg, Gonzalez, Zimmerman, and Dan Haren.  That is nothing I would want to go up against.  I love this teams roster, their mix of age and youth, and their moxie.  The Nationals will be the last team standing.
  2. Atlanta Braves (Wild Card) – The Braves made great improvements to their lineup in the off-season to go along with an up and coming pitching staff.  Justin Upton is a proven All-Star.  His brother B.J. joins him patrolling the outfield.  B.J. has been known to take plays off and I feel has never lived up to his potential because of this.  I feel that playing with his brother will bring out the best in B.J. making Atlanta even better.  Barring any major injuries, Atlanta will be chasing closely behind Washington all year long and will be good enough to snatch up one of those coveted Wild Card spots.
  3. Philadelphia Phillies – Don’t sleep on the Phillies.  They have power hitting first baseman Ryan Howard healthy again and ready to tackle a full season.  All signs point to Chase Utley being healthy once again.  Ben Revere will be a catalyst as their leadoff hitter and his speed will take away extra base hits in the gaps at Citizen’s Bank Park.  Michael Young will provide excellent leadership skills and he is playing with a chip on his shoulder.  Oh, and lets not forget their pitching staff.  Cole Hamels may have one of the best years of his career in 2013.  Cliff Lee had an ERA of only 3.16 last year.  It was not his fault he got some of the worst run support in the entire league.  Everyone is also writing off Roy Halladay.  Halladay is not going to let himself become a sub-par pitcher.  Phillies will be a nuisance to any opponent all year long and could be a sleeper to steal a Wild Card spot.
  4. New York Mets – I don’t know what was harder to pick.  The AL East winner or the NL East loser.  Why do I not pick the Mets to finish dead last?  David Wright.  He is an All Star.  One of the best third basemen in all of the Major Leagues.  He was recently named Captain and is in fact a leader.  He chose to stay in New York.  He will play to win.  The Mets will be awful, just not completely awful.
  5. Miami Marlins – Here is the completely awful team.  They have one stud.  Giancarlo Stanton.  Wait, the Mets only have one star themselves?  Right, who actually wants to be there.  Giancarlo Stanton is extremely upset with the organization, and especially owner Jeffrey Loria, after he decided to have a fire sale and send all of his talent north of the border.  Can you name who is batting behind Stanton?  I bet anyone 500 dollars that you can’t.  Take your best shot.  Give up?  Rob Brantly.   Because of this Giancarlo Stanton will have a very good chance to break Barry Bonds record for walks in a season.  Why pitch to Stanton, when you could pitch to, um, whats his name, oh yea, Rob Brantly.  Over Under on Marlins wins, 50?  I will take the under.

Let’s Play Ball!

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