1. Arizona Cardinals
This will be their best chance to run the table in the NFC. Their depth is almost unmatched.
2. Seattle Seahawks
They are starting to become a pass first team, but then again who isn’t these days?
3. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are back in LA and no one will seem to notice while they play at the Coliseum.
4. San Francisco 49ers
It will be interesting to see if the front office is more patient with Chip Kelly than they were with Jim Harbaugh or Jim Tomsula.
For the 86th year of the Midsummer Classic, baseball turns its sights to Petco Park in San Diego, California. This will be the first time the MLB All-Star game will be played at the San Diego Padres new ballpark. It was first opened back in 2004. Now every year there is always a lot of discussion and some of it a little dated about how the teams are put together. No system will ever be perfect. Fans don’t always get it right and managers won’t either. The fact that the players are able to vote for participants was a great choice and they know who is deserving. Regardless of who should or shouldn’t be in the game lets just accept that the best players will always be involved one way or another. Here are my all-stars keeping with the rules that every team be represented and a total of 34 players for each league.
MLB Awards
NL MVP – OF Bryce Harper Washington Nationals
AL MVP – OF Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels
NL Cy Young – Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Cy Young – Chris Archer Tampa Bay Rays
NL Rookie of the Year – SS Corey Seager Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Rookie of the Year – OF Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins
NL Manager of the Year – Bruce Bochy San Francisco Giants
AL Manager of the Year – A.J. Hinch Houston Astros
Postseason Projections
NL Division Winners – Cubs, Giants, Mets
NL Wild Card Winners – Cardinals, Pirates
AL Division Winners – Royals, Blue Jays, Astros
AL Wild Card Winners – Rangers, Red Sox
NLCS – Giants over Cubs
ALCS – Royals over Astros
World Series – Royals over Giants
* – indicates new to team
1. Chicago Cubs
108 years and counting since their last World Series title. That could all end this season for the ‘lovable losers’.
2. St. Louis Cardinals
You want to count them out, but they have one of the deepest talent pools in all of baseball.
3. Pittsburgh Pirates
They would be the favorites to win the division if they weren’t in the NL Central.
4. Milwaukee Brewers
The rebuilding has begun for the Brew Crew and they will look to be contenders in two seasons.
5. Cincinnati Reds
Having Joey Votto keeps them competitive, but they need to rebuild the pitching staff.
Halloween came and went. We stuffed our faces during Thanksgiving and celebrated the season at Christmas. We rang in the New Year and let Valentines go to the wayside. Pretty soon the unofficial holiday of Opening Day will be upon us and there are always a ton of questions as to what the new baseball season will bring us. I only have ten, but they are the ten most important and burning questions going into Spring Training. Continue reading
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