Baseball

American League West

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* – indicates new to team

+ – indicates injury

1. Houston Astros

Even with the loss of Justin Verlander to free agency, their depth is so good that it won’t affect them much at all. Adding Jose Abreu was a shrewd move on their part.

2. Seattle Mariners

They finally got back into the Postseason, but fell flat. Bringing in Teoscar Hernandez and Kolten Wong brings added experience for October.

3. Los Angeles Angels

All eyes will be on this franchise and whether they extend, trade or eventually let superstar Shohei Ohtani test free agency after the season.

4. Texas Rangers

It was another spending spree of an offseason for this franchise; mostly focused on their pitching staff. The real focus is on who they hired to be their manager as Bruce Bochy makes his return.

5. Oakland Athletics

The clock is ticking on whether they stay in the Bay Area or make an eventual move to Las Vegas.

Player to Watch: P/DH Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Angels

Best Acquisition: P Jacob deGrom – Texas Rangers

New Kid on the Block: C Logan O’Hoppe – Los Angeles Angels

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American League Central

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* – indicates new to team

+ – indicates injury

1. Cleveland Guardians

It starts with their pitching depth and what they can dispatch from the minor leagues. Their lineup is well balanced and Jose Ramirez is a yearly MVP candidate.

2. Minnesota Twins

The trade to acquire Pablo Lopez cost them Luis Arraez, but with them resigning Carlos Correa it isn’t that large of a loss.

3. Chicago White Sox

They are on the cusp of either being a legitimate contender or falling flat on their faces in the cellar.

4. Detroit Tigers

The only thing to watch about them this year is Miguel Cabrera who is playing in his final season.

5. Kansas City Royals

There are a few bright spots with the likes of Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino taking hold of their respective positions. Outside of that it’s another rough year.

Player to Watch: 3B Jose Ramirez – Cleveland Guardians

Best Acquisition: P Pablo Lopez – Minnesota Twins

New Kid on the Block: P Jackson Jobe – Detroit Tigers

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American League East

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* – indicates new to team

+ – indicates injury

1. New York Yankees

After a historic season from AL MVP Aaron Judge, he now wears the title of ‘captain’ and a massive extension to boot for a franchise that desperately wants another World Series title.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

The lineup got even better with the addition of Daulton Varsho, but there are still some serious question marks with their pitching depth.

3. Tampa Bay Rays

They are looked at as the little brother of this division, but they are almost always in contention and that will be the case again this year.

4. Baltimore Orioles

Being that ownership seems to still penny pinch with the best of them, this current group of ‘homegrown’ talent is coming together nicely and could push for a Wild Card spot down the stretch.

5. Boston Red Sox

It was an offseason of puzzling decisions, but extending Rafael Devers was the right move. Now what to make of them going forward in a stacked AL East?

Player to Watch: OF Aaron Judge – New York Yankees

Best Acquisition: P Carlos Rodon – New York Yankees

New Kid on the Block: P Grayson Rodriguez – Baltimore Orioles

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2022 World Series Champions

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HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: The Houston Astros celebrate after they defeated the Phillies, 4-1, in Game 6 of the 2022 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, November 5, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Momentum was an important part of the 2022 World Series. Houston blew a 5-run lead in Game 1 of the series, but rallied to win Game 2 to even the series at one apiece. The Astros were shutout in Game 3 in Philadelphia, but returned the favor in Game 4 pitching a combined no-hitter to even the series at two apiece. At that point the Houston Astros would not relinquish the series and came away with their second World Series title in franchise history.

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2022 World Series Preview

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Two narratives are forming from the 2022 Postseason. One argument has formed that argues the top teams are at a disadvantage because of the layoff i.e, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves getting ousted in the Division Series with relative ease. The other argument is to never discount the Wild Card team in any given Postseason. The latter argument still holds water while the other I would retort with if you don’t handle your business when it’s your turn, why should anyone try to defend your poor play? Either way with this World Series matchup we have a Wild Card team in the Philadelphia Phillies. Their last appearance was in 2009. They won the World Series in 2008, but have been in rebuild mode for over a decade. Now they’ve returned and will go up against the Houston Astros who are making their fourth appearance in the Fall Classic in the last six seasons. So far the Astros haven’t lost a game this Postseason, but that could change with the Phillies vaunted offense and solid bullpen. Houston boasts a stacked lineup and a near shutdown bullpen, but their rotation could be the x-factor in this series. Lets hope for a good series that doesn’t involve a one-sided affair.

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