As with past deadline deals these will be highly scrutinized for many years. Instantly we see and decide who got the better end of the deal, but we really won’t know until at least two or three seasons down the road. The only way to know in real time is if the team getting the established major leaguer goes on to win a World Series. Time will tell if that happens this year with the flurry of names (a few marquee ones) being dealt this July. Continue reading
For the 88th year of the Midsummer Classic, baseball turns its sights to Nationals Park in Washington D.C. This will be the first MLB All-Star game played at Nationals Park and the first in the nation’s capital since 1969 at RFK Stadium, the home of the then Washington Senators. 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 32 players for each league.
AVG – Batting Average
ERA – Earned Run Average
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
SV – Saves
BAA – Batting Average Against
WHIP – Walks/Hits Per Innings Pitched
K – Strikeouts
Stats are accurate as of July 13
* – asterisk indicates starter Continue reading
MLB Awards
NL MVP – 1B Paul Goldschmidt Arizona Diamondbacks
AL MVP – OF George Springer Houston Astros
NL Cy Young – Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Cy Young – Justin Verlander Houston Astros
NL Rookie of the Year – OF Lewis Brinson Miami Marlins
AL Rookie of the Year – SS Willy Adames Tampa Bay Rays
NL Manager of the Year – Torey Lovullo Arizona Diamondbacks
AL Manager of the Year – Aaron Boone New York Yankees
Postseason Projections
NL Division Winners – Dodgers, Nationals, Cubs
NL Wild Card Winners – Diamondbacks, Cardinals
AL Division Winners – Astros, Yankees, Indians
AL Wild Card Winners – Red Sox, Angels
NLCS – Dodgers over Nationals
ALCS – Yankees over Astros
World Series – Dodgers over Yankees
* – indicates new to team
+ – indicates injury
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
There’s no reason to think that they can’t make another trip to the World Series.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
If their pitching staff can take another step in the right direction, they could contend for the NL West.
3. Colorado Rockies
They have possibly the best lineup in the National League and that will keep them in Wild Card contention.
4. San Francisco Giants
With all of their offseason moves to fix their lineup, they hope that will keep them out of the cellar.
5. San Diego Padres
By adding Eric Hosmer to a young roster, the Friars hope they can create some magic that Hosmer experienced with the Royals. Continue reading
This could be another scenario where one team that is in the midst of a long title drought has the chance to end it. While the other can simply win their first title in the franchise’s history. That is what lies before both the Dodgers and Astros respectively. Los Angeles hasn’t won a World Series since 1988 and that was their last appearance in the fall classic. Houston last appeared in the World Series in 2005 when they were apart of the National League. Both were considered the two best teams in baseball throughout the season. Now we can see who will be able to raise the trophy. Continue reading
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