Well, Spring Training is in full swing, and the regular season is just around the corner. Anybody have any early season predictions for division leaders? How will The Sox do after winning last year? Any thoughts on Jeter and his final season? Anything to do with the regular season can be posted here. Hopefully the Tigers can still win the division, even though they have made some extremely questionable trades and signings.

AWESOME!!! I can finally be let loose!!

Originally, I would have said that the Braves were going to make the playoffs this year, but after their terrible start to the spring, I am beginning to think otherwise. Atlanta is now 1 and 6 with 1 tie. If it takes them 8 games to win with half the players regular MLB caliber players, and the other half being prospects who are expected to play later in the year, then I don't expect the Braves to make any noise this year.

I feel that all 4 wild card spots will go to East teams. In the A.L. I feel that Boston will win with Yankees and Oioles taking the Wild Card spots. In the N.L. I see the Philles winning with the Nationals and Mets taking the Wild Card. Elsewhere, I see the Cardinals, Dodgers, Tigers, and Angels making pushes for the playoffs.

In other news, I am very happy to see Curtis Granderson on the Mets and after a few spring days, I say he can win MVP. After the second inning of today's game, Granderson had 6 total ab bats during the spring, he is 3 for 6 with 1 double, 2 home runs, and 4 runs batted in. Even though it was in a different stadium dimensions, it had been determined that both home runs would have still been home runs in major league parks.

I can honestly see the Mets taking all major awards. The most likely Candidate is Travis d'Arnuad for Rookie of the Year. Granderson could easily win MVP if he plays like this during the regular season and I see Colon, Kershaw, and Fernandez facing off for the Cy Young.

In the A.L. I see either Cabrera or Trout winning MVP, Darvish, or maybe even Tanaka winning Cy Young, and Xander Bogearts winning Rookie of the Year.

AHHH you jerk. I was gunna make this thread before but I procrastinated. Im running low on Viz from being in the chatroom so I was hoping I could make some back with this thread, but you friggen beat me to it. Now my Viz will be all gone and its all your fault.


Anyway, I wonder if Kansas City can make the additional step forward from the great progress they made last season. I wonder if the reds decision to fire their coach will backfire or put them to the next level. I wonder if the pirates and indians can make the playoffs again. I wonder if the LA angels with that great 1-2 punch of Hamilton and Pujols will produce this season, or if with their amazing contracts they will half try for the rest of their careers. Will Seattles promising prospect pool be ready to take the next step, and if Cano will be that spark the mariners need? We will find out soon.

zanderlex :

Hold up. I wouldn't take anything that happens in Spring Training too seriously. The players aren't playing 100% on either side, and everyone is just getting warmed up and the like.

Let's look at some stats from last year.

The Seattle Mariners went 22-11 last year in Spring Training. In the regular season? They sucked.

The Los Angeles Dodgers? 13-20. They missed going to the World Series by a couple games.

Last year's World Series Champion Boston Red Sox were only 17-17. And the runners up were 16-15.

Last year during Spring Training, the following players "looked" like MVP players: Mike Morse (.357/.439/.893, 9 HR), Jon Lester (3-0, 24 IP, .101 AVG against, .50 WHIP, 0.75 ERA), Jackie Bradley Jr. (.419/.507/.613 in 28 games).

Of the three above, not one of them had an All Star season, let alone MVP season. Morse played half the season, and seemed to forgotten how to play baseball, Lester was fine, though inconsistent, and Jackie Bradley was sent back to AAA, and ended the season not even the Red Sox top prospect in the majors.

The Braves will be fine. They will likely either win the division or finish second to the Nationals, Curtis Granderson is almost certain to not be the MVP, too many great players in the NL for him to really have a shot of it. Nothing that happens in Spring Training will really matter in the end.

I think the Atlanta Braves would do pretty well. They did pretty good last season..

I think that they could keep this up and possibly do good at the playoffs.

zanderlex : That post is full of bias. First, the Mets will not make the playoffs. Sorry, but there is no way that will happen. Second, Granderson will not even come close to winning the MVP. He will be lucky to hit .265 with 30 home runs. He will also be in the top 5 for strikeouts, guaranteed. Granderson is not a good hitter, but he does have some power. However, he was in Yankee stadium last season and now he is in Citi Field. I expect his homerun totals to drop dramatically, making him completely useless offensively. He is still pretty solid defensively, though. Third, the thought of Colon winning the Cy Young is even more unrealistic than Granderson winning the MVP. Colon will have a .500 record at best. He is fat, old, and can't do anything without PEDs. I am still shocked that anyone would give him a 2 year deal.

Some more accurate predictions for those 2 awards:

MVP possibilities: Mike Trout (AL), Miguel Cabrera (AL), Ryan Braun (NL), Paul Goldschmidt (NL)

Cy Young possibilities: Clayton Kershaw (NL), Felix Hernandez (AL), Yu Darvish (AL), Masahiro Tanaka (AL), Stephen Strasburg (NL)

I will admit that D'Arnaud is a possibility for NL Rookie of the Year, but he will have a lot of competition in the form of Oscar Tavares, Carlos Correa, Mark Appel, etc.

Well, Iglasias is going to be out until at least the all-star break due to stress fractures on both legs, although originally they said all year, so most likely longer. Kind of upset that they didn't find out about this after last season ended, because apparently, the pain has been bad for quite a while now. Not sure what we are going to do now. Hopefully whoever takes his spot is able do alright.

This year seems to be shaping up to be similar to last year's playoffs. There is a good chance that Detroit, Boston, the Dodgers, and the Cardinals will win the divisions again. Atlanta has a chance to still win the division, but with their ailing pitchers, the Nats could possibly snag the division. The AL West will be the most interesting division at the top since LA has underachieved the past couple of years, the Rangers are still decent, and Oakland won last year, so its a toss up. The AL wild card will probably not include the central at all since Cleveland and KC are both iffy and the Twins and White Sox are bad. Its possible that both wild cards would come from either the west or east, but more likely one from each. The Rays and the Orioles have a chance in the east, with the Yankees still the Yankees, and the division losers in the west to duke it out. In the NL for the wild card, Atlanta has a chance, but injuries to pitching seem to ruin those plans. The Giants and D-backs out of the west and the Reds and Pirates from the central seem likely, but Pittsburgh seems ready to regress. Chances are the Giants and Reds will get the wild cards. 

AL: Detroit, Boston, Baltimore, Texas, Oakland
NL: St. Louis, Washington, LAD, San Francisco, Cincinnati

Well, the season literally kicks off in a matter of hours. The game between the Cardinals and Dodgers will begin in Australia I believe at 3 AM server time. The second game will be tomorrow night at 9 PM.

   Didn't realize this until yesterday, but apparently the MLB is totally in love with the Dodgers, because they have already played 3 games before most teams have played one. Anyway, can't wait for a true Opening Day today! With Miggy signing a huge deal to become a Tiger for life, I'm exited to see what I will think will be a season long battle between us and the Royals for the top spot in the division. I think the new Tigers will be exciting to watch this year. Looking for great fielding, and a lot of base stealing.

patar4097 :

I hated the Miggy extension, absolutely terrible deal, and that was possibly all the money you guys had for Scherzer too. Hope it costs your team Scherzer. No player is worth what Miggy is getting. (8 year extension, worth 248 million - 31 million annually - applied on top of current contract - 2 years left, worth 44 million - for a total of 10 years, 292 million - or 29.2 million dollars annually)

For a player who is going to be playing through his mid-late 30s, and then at the age of 40... this contract is absolutely deplorable.

If not for the club options near the end, that would let you cut bait when he's like 39 years old, I would say this is the second worst contract in history, behind only the Pujols contract.

Compare it to Mike Trout (who is arguably, a better player). He signed a 6 year, 144.5 million dollar extension, on top of his current one year deal for one million. That contract is about 24 million dollars, annually. They will be paying Trout about 5 million dollars less per year, for the next 6 years. It's lower risk, for what many see as a higher level talent.

That's the difference between a terrible deal, and a great deal.

Miggy's contract is easily the worst signed this year. Worse than even Cano signing with the Ms for 10/240. 24 million a year is a lot for Cano, but he plays a position where talent is hard to come by, and does it clearly better than anyone (except for Dustin Pedroia)

legacyme3 : It had already cost them Scherzer. A few days ago it was announced that they offered Scherzer a 6 year
deal worth 144 million and he refused the extension, which means he will be a free agent next year. Sure, the Tigers would have been able to offer more, but with Miggy's extension, they probably won't even have enough money next year to match the last contract.

He can have a few more MVP seasons, but just a few, he might even hit his decline bye the time the extension is put into place. The Tigers did to Miggy what the Dodgers did to Kershaw, they are paying them to play elite baseball for a couple of years and then to essentially be the "Face of the Team" for the rest of their years and just rake in revenue.


Well, anyway. Baseball. That is all.

zanderlex :

The thing is, Scherzer hasn't been cost yet, because he's not gone yet. Extensions in season, even to players alienated by their clubs are not unheard of, and until he's actually gone, he's not gone.

I heard about the offer, and think it's a little silly he would decline that extension. That's 24 million a year. That's a LOT of cash for a guy coming off what is likely to be his best year. If I am the Tigers, I'm upset Scherzer didn't sign that. That's more than a fair offer.

I get why they paid Miggy what they did.

But it's still absolutely stupid.

It's taken me a while to write this up, but I finally have my season preview with predictions.

Again, only predictions.

AL East
1st - Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are currently the favorite for one reason. Pitching. Of all the teams in the East, the Rays are the only ones that can boast of having a top 5 rotation. A weakness in the past, they've even started to fill out offensively, as they now have several offensive tools that are all threats. Ben Zobrist, Evan Longoria, Desmond Jennings, Matt Jyce and Wil Myers give this team an offense that can stand toe to toe with most teams in the NL, and several teams in the AL. They still have one of the most anemic offenses in the AL East, but this won't matter, because their pitching staff (which features David Price, Alex Cobb, Matt Moore, and Chris Archer) is going to keep teams from getting too far ahead, if at all. Their bullpen is still intact, and they even possibly upgraded at the "closer" position, letting Rodney (who was always a regression risk in that park) leave, and letting Grant Balfour (who has struggled with injury) take control. I would not be surprised to see the Rays win the division, and expect them at worst to win a Wild Card. Story line to watch is Wil Myers sophomore season. Will he fall victim to the famous Sophomore Slump? Grade - A

2nd - Boston Red Sox
The 2013 World Series Champions are unlikely to repeat in 2014. They replaced their catcher with a brick wall that is more famous for getting into fights than playing baseball, they let Stephen Drew walk, in favor of rookie Xander Bogaerts, allowed Jacoby Ellsbury to become the new Yankees CF, replacing him with Grady Sizemore, a player who hasn't played in over 2 years, and lost several bullpen pieces, in Matt Thornton, Andrew Bailey, and Joel Hanrahan. Their replacements are Drake Britton, Burke Badenhop, and Edward Mujica. Getting past that, they also have to deal with regression candidates Mike Napoli, Daniel Nava, and Shane Victorino, as well as continual disappointment Will Middlebrooks. Add in an adjustment period for Jackie Bradley Jr and Xander Bogaerts, the key rookies for the Sox, and at best, this team is a Wild Card team. They will be competitive from start to finish, and will have their share of moments, but they've simply lost too much to be a serious World Series threat in 2014. Story line to watch this year is Grady Sizemore's comeback story. He hit a homerun in his first game in 2 and a half years, and may well be a steal. May have Red Sox fans saying "Jacoby who?" Grade - B+

3rd - New York Yankees
The Yankees grabbed headlines with their offseason. It was a return to form for the Yankees. If you can't grow top stars (their farm system is terrible) you can always buy them. This philosophy powered the Yankees over the past century, and only recently has it backfired on the Yankees. However, it's hard not to be intimidated by their signings. They brought in Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury to shore up their outfield. They join Brett Gardner, Ichiro, and Alfonso Soriano in a packed outfield. The good news is that Gardner, Ichiro, and Soriano should draw interest at the trade deadline. They also brought in Brian Roberts, who is a decent player when he's healthy, and have the returning Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter to help compensate for the loss of star second baseman Robinson Cano. But all of those story lines pale in comparison to the acquisition of Masahiro Tanaka. His splitter is nasty, and he could end up being closer to Yu Darvish in talent level than he is to Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Yankees are banking on this, as they paid a relative boatload to acquire the Japanese sensation. He'll slot in as the #2 or #3 pitcher for the Yankees this year, and give them a frightening front end if CC Sabathia can find his old form. But that's a big if. The Yankees rotation and bullpen are full of holes and question marks. Will CC get back to being CC? Is Hiroki Kuroda going to continue to defy age? Is Tanaka as good as advertised? Will Michael Pineda return from injury well enough to give us a decent #5 starter? Can we convince Mo to come back over David Robertson? (Probably not). Story line to watch is going to be Masahiro Tanaka, and if the Yankees can buy their way to a division title like the Yankees teams of old. Grade - B-

4th - Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles are in a tough spot. They don't have the money to keep up with the Red Sox or Yankees, and don't have the genius front office the Rays have to develop the best possible talents. They aren't a sexy landing spot for free agents, and they play in the AL Beast. Regardless of all this, they did a fine job of improving, given what they had to work with. They improve at second base with the promotion of Jonathan Schoop, and also in LF with the addition of Nelson Cruz. Cruz had some power before his PED scandal, and I'm convinced he'll find that old level of power. And he should hit well at Camden, sporting a .337/.378/.518 line in 22 career games there. He's still a cheat, but when you are the Orioles, you have to settle for whatever you can get. They were also able to attract Ubaldo Jimenez, who while in actuallity is an average major league pitcher, has shown the ability to be an ace for short stretches of time. Considering the state of Orioles pitching, they should be happy to have him there for the time they do. Story line of the season has to be if Chris Davis can sustain his torrid pace from last year. If they want to contend they need him to bash. Grade - C+

5th - Toronto Blue Jays
I had trouble putting the Jays here, because I really don't think they are this bad. On paper, they should be at least as good as the Orioles, and hell, better than the Yankees. But that's paper. The game isn't played on paper, it's played on the baseball diamond, where all the stats in the world don't matter. They need to stay healthy (which looks like it's not happening, as Jose Reyes is already injured) and need the pitching to find itself in a hurry. At present though, the more pressing concern is the offense, as the only offensive threat they have that's proven is Jose Bautista. Edwin Encarnacion and Colby Rasmus are both fine talents, but both have serious question marks coming into 2014. Can they repeat past success? When you look at the rotation, it doesn't inspire confidence either. You have Dickey, who was brought in to be the ace of that staff. He hasn't been an ace at all, he's been one of the worst acquisitions in recent history for the Jays. You have unknowns in Morrow, Hutchinson, and McGowan. There's so much promise for Morrow and Hutchinson, but mediocrity and injury (respectively) have held them back. In short, there's just too many question marks for this team to be a threat. Although, with it being the AL East, they will certainly contend until August. Probably. Grade - C-

AL Central
1st - Detroit Tigers
Like anyone is going to unseat the Detroit Tigers. You have one of the top rotations in baseball, one of the top offenses in baseball, and they haven't lost much since last year. In fact, were it not for the magical Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers likely would have beaten the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. And the scary thing is, they are just as good if not better, then they were last year. They may have lost Doug Fister in the most bizarre trade of the offseason, but they replace him with Drew Smyly, who while not as good, could be a revelation in Detroit in the near future. They also traded Prince Fielder and his contract to the Rangers... but got back Ian Kinsler, who may give that Tigers lineup more speed and fluidity. A decent hitting second baseman is hard to come by, and he's going to make Tigers fans very happy. Their biggest weaknesses right now are shortstop and third base. Third base, because they moved Miguel Cabrera to first (smart move) and have decided to play rookie Nick Castellanos, who isn't a sure thing yet. Shortstop because of the injury to Jose Iglesias. They've decided to replace him with Alex Gonzalez, who, despite looking fantastic in the first game of the year, isn't the answer Detroit needs. They would have likely been better off signing Stephen Drew, who does everything Alex Gonzalez does much much better. Their bullpen, which has always been a big worry, is much improved, as they now have a legitimate closer. Joe Nathan is going to be closing games out this year, and giving Tigers fan's hearts a much needed break from years of Jose Valverde and co. Story line of the year is going to be whether or not they improve at the shortstop position. As it stands, Alex Gonzalez is a decent fill in until they bring in someone for the grind of the season, but time is running out. Will they pounce on Stephen Drew, giving up a draft pick for a World Series Championship? Grade - A+

2nd - Kansas City Royals
However, even though the Tigers all but have won the Central, the Royals are on the rise, and very soon, they are going to be a legitimate threat to the Tigers. Offensively, they still lack in a few areas, but they are slowly getting there. Mike Moustakas had an incredible spring. If that can translate to games that matter, the Royals will have that big slugger they've always hoped he could be. When coupled with Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon, and Billy Butler, there could be a lot of runs coming in bunches. There could also be no runs, because all of these players struggle at times with consistency. Sneaky addition Norichka Aoki could end up being one of the steals of the offseason. Their bullpen is still incredible, but they have a big question mark with the rotation, that keeps them from being Division crown winners. They retained James Shields, and even brought in Jason Vargas, but beyond that, there is too much we don't know. Jeremy Guthrie has his moments, but isn't to be relied on, and Bruce Chen, while always underrated is very much a #3/4 starter at this point in his career. It's going to be on rookie Yordano Ventura to make or break the backend of the rotation. Could be the difference between winning 4 of 5 and winning 2 of 5. He's got an electric fastball, but not much else. Story line of the year is how Mike Moustakas plays after a stellar spring. Can he keep doing the ridiculous? Or will he return back to his pumpkin state? Grade - B+

3rd - Cleveland Indians
Largely, this team is exactly the same as last year. That is to say they didn't improve or degrade in any particular fashion. They lost Ubaldo Jimenez to the Orioles, but Corey Kluber, the love of Sabremetricians everywhere, could end up making that totally irrelevant. Offensively, they are just mixing up what was already there. Carlos Santana is now a third baseman, in addition to being the backup catcher. This will be good for Santana's knees, and he could be in for an offensive breakout. The bullpen is also mostly the same, although they did bring in John Axford to replace Chris Perez. If Axford finds old form, I doubt Indians fans will miss Perez. Story line of the season for this very bland looking team is how Carlos Santana adjusts to playing third base. Offensively, the offense runs through him, as he's the catalyst for this team. If he's stellar, this team could threaten for a Wild Card. If not, this team will threaten for the cellar of the division. Grade - C+

4th - Minnesota Twins
I'll admit, up until yesterday, I had the White Sox ahead of the Twins on my list, but after looking over both teams, I think I like the Twins more right now. Offensively, the team is still anemic, having only Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham as serious offensive threats. But then again, this team was never going to win by outslugging the other team. No, the key to this team finishing 4th, rather than 5th, is going to be their pitching. They added Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes, who both could benefit from a change in scenery (although Nolasco was good for the Dodgers down the stretch last year). They won't even miss Joe Nathan all that much, Glen Perkins came into his own as a closer last year, and at his cost, the decision to go with him was the right one. Story line to watch for 2014? I'm going to go with Oswaldo Arcia. He showed flashes of promise in 2013, and I expect him to expand upon that in 2014. He could become the next Twins favorite if they let him become it. Grade - D

5th - Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are a strange team to judge. For years, I've been overestimating them, and saying they'd do better than they would. Well no more. I don't know what ever compelled me to say the White Sox wouldn't be dead last, but it doesn't matter. The White Sox, as a baseball team, are absolutely terrible. If not for the Astros, they'd be the worst team in the AL, and possibly worst team in baseball. Their offense is anemic, consisting of aging clunkers like Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn, they are relying on rookies to carry them, in Jose Abreu, Adam Eaton, Marcus Semien, and Avisail Garcia (not a rookie, but whatever). Aside from those players, their other every day players are Conor Gilaspie, Tyler Flowers, the platoon of Dayan Viciedo/Alejandro De Aza, and Alexei Ramirez. Their rotation isn't in much better shape. Without Chris Sale (which they may be in a couple years) the rotation is among the worst in baseball. John Danks hasn't been an effective starter in ages, at this point in his career he's a #4/5, Felipe Paulino had an insane season for the Royals... in 2012. He missed all of 2013 due to injury, and I can't see him being his 2012 self. Outside of 2012, he's been the epitome of mediocre. There's hope for Erik Johnson and Jose Quintana (mostly Quintana), but I'm wary to put my faith in a pitcher who has made all of 5 MLB starts (in Johnson's case). Then, they traded away their closer, Addison Reed, and decided to go with Nate Jones as their new closer. Jones isn't bad, but he's certainly not that great (at least, not yet). Baffling decision, and I fear it's another basement dwelling season for the hapless White Sox. Story line to watch has to be the young guys in Chicago. Namely Abreu, Eaton, and Garcia. They are really counting on these players to pan out, and if they don't, more painful seasons await White Sox fans. Grade - D-

AL West
1st - Seattle Mariners
Now, I know what you must be thinking, "They are only offseason champs! They didn't do anything major outside of signing Cano!" This is common and justified thinking. Offseason champs (though I'd argue the offseason champs this year are the Yankees) rarely take flight. In some cases, they completely flop (see: 2012 Boston Red Sox). But the Mariners legitimately improved, and in a tough division, currently, I like them to break the mold, and become a playoff team. Let's revisit the offseason for a moment. They brought in Robinson Cano to play second. Regardless of price, the Mariners now have themselves one of the top 3 second basemen in baseball. They named Brad Miller their starting shortstop (and he's got some massive power for a shortstop). They brought in Logan Morrison and Corey Hart to shore up the previously mediocre offense. With the above talents, in addition to what they had, such as the powerful Justin Smoak (who is finally starting to realize some of his promise), the defensive Mike Zunino (who I really like as a catcher), and the underrated Michael Saunders and Kyle Seager (Seager may be one of the most underrated in all of baseball), the offense is no longer the worry it once was. It could still flop, of course, as some of their additions are injury risks (Hart/Morrison), but they at least made a conscientious effort. The question now, is their pitching. Outside of King Felix, there have always been a few hazy signs that pitching is on the way. One of those pitchers is stud prospect James Paxton, who is with Seattle now. Last year, in limited action, he was absolutely stellar, so much so that I feel he's going to end up becoming the #3 to King Felix/Walker by the end of the year. Erasmo Ramirez is a bounceback candidate after a disappointing 2013, and Chris Young was a sneaky addition for the M's. Their last starter, Taijuan Walker is missing the start of the season, but if 2013 was any indication, they've got a really special starter on their hands. They also have Hisashi Iwakuma, who will slide in for either Ramirez or Young (depending on who is pitching worse). Needless to say, their pitching is not to be underestimated. Even if it is at present injured, the season is very long. They will have their time. Story line of the year is Robinson Cano, or the young pitching of Paxton/Walker. I'll go with Cano, because he was the big signing of the offseason. The Mariners paid a high ransom for the former Yankees superstar, and now he has to prove he's worth the cheddar. His stats will be hurt from playing in Safeco for half of his games, as opposed to the Yankees bandbox, but he should still be one of the top 3 second basemen in baseball. Grade - A-

2nd - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels are likely to be in the division race, as well as the wild card race, and shouldn't be underestimated. They are a playoff level team, as are most teams in the AL West. However, of the 4 playoff level teams, only 2 or 3 max can make it, and with the heavy competition, there's always a chance only 1 of them will make it. Of those teams, the Angels seem to have the best window right now. They are still in the middle of the albatross contracts of Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, but whatever poor will they generated with fans over the past two years with those signings, they have effectively wiped it away. They signed superstar Mike Trout to a 6 year extension (on top of the 1 year deal he already had) and will get to enjoy him until he's about 29 or 30 years old. With that stressful contract out of the way, they can finally play ball. They brought in David Freese (who while incredibly overated, is still a decent addition) for Peter Boujos, and committed to Kole Calhoun in right field (who could surprise people). Pujols and Hamilton are bounceback candidates, and I have a strong feeling both will do so. Their offense is going to be fine. However, their pitching is more suspect. CJ Wilson is overrated, and Jered Weaver is exiting the prime of his career, so regression in the near future is likely. However, despite that, the bright side of things is more overwhelming. Garrett Richards has made big strides each year in the league. Hector Santiago, who they acquired from the White Sox, has looked like an ace on some nights. And then there's Tyler Skaggs, the top prospect once traded for Dan Haren. And then traded for Mark Trumbo. His track record in the majors isn't all that impressive yet, but the potential he brings is too much to ignore. Story of the season: Albert Pujols. Can he turn his contract around after a disappointing couple of seasons? Can he be the Machine again? If so, I like this team's chances. Grade - B+

3rd - Oakland Athletics
The Athletics are constantly underrated, and it always confuses me as to why that is. In fact, I'm probably underrating them by putting them just outside the playoff picture. I'm sure I'll regret this. Their team is one of the most well rounded in all of baseball. Coco Crisp, Josh Reddick, Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Donaldson, and Jed Lowrie. Brandon Moss and Derek Norris. They have the weapons, and their lineup is tailor made for the spacious colliseum that Oakland calls home. Their pitching staff is too. Sonny Gray is a stud. Dan Straily and Tommy Milone have shown ace like stuff in the past, though inconsistency has plagued them. Scott Kazmir looks healthy, which could be huge, considering they've already lost Jarrod Parker for the year (which is why I place them third). On top of Parker, they are also missing AJ Griffin, though he should be back rather shortly. They definitely have the best bullpen in the AL West, adding Jim Johnson to a core that includes the underrated Sean Doolittle and Luke Gregorson. Story line of the year is going to be the whole San Jose move thing. Are they going to move? Or not? Why are they in Oakland, where they have zero market because of their proximity to the Giants? What the hell MLB? Grade - B+

4th - Texas Rangers
If it's any consolation Rangers fans, I was shocked to find that I placed them here too. Ultimately though, one team has to finish 4th, and you have 4 really tough teams in this division. However, injuries are going to set you back. Big time. Here is what Rangers fans have to look forward to missing: Yu Darvish (neck, but he'll be back soonish), Matt Harrison (back surgery. Never good), Derek Holland (knee surgery, he'll be back in July?), Jurickson Profar (torn right shoulder, be out for 10 weeksish? His power won't be the same upon coming back either), and Geovanny Soto (knee surgery, out 10 weeksish?). Their replacements, respectively, are Tanner Scheppers (great opening day start by the way... not), unknown (really, I have no idea who his replacement will be, they don't have one named yet), Robbie Ross (? Really? He has never started in the majors), Donnie Murphy (Career .215/.280/.404 hitter...), and JP Arencibia (Having watched several games where Arencibia played... you'll be missing Soto). Injuries aside, they do look like a great team. They kept Alex Rios, and added Shin-soo Choo (who is one of my favorite players), as well as Prince Fielder. Adrian Beltre will combine with those 3 to make a very potent offense. Thankfully, the absence of Profar won't be felt profoundly, as the Rangers do have the offensive firepower to weather the storm. However, the pitching isn't so lucky. Currently, they only have 4 starters, that I know of. Of those 4, one has never pitched as a starter, and another made his first start on Opening Day (and sucked). Their rotation needs Yu Darvish to return ASAP, or they are going to be losing a lot of games, no matter how potent their offense is. And in the bullpen, they are counting on the return of Joakim Soria, who hasn't been phenominal in years, though he was decent in limited appearances last year. Story of the year is whether or not Yu Darvish is healthy. Even if he returns soon, neck injuries are no joke, and have derailed many a career. Grade - B-

5th - Houston Astros
Yeah, like you expected anything different. The Houston Astros, 2013's worst team, is likely to be 2014's worst team. They play in what may be the toughest division in baseball (or second toughest, if you believe the AL East is tougher), have a team that would get wrecked in the AL Central (which is the weakest division in baseball outside of the Tigers), and are a few years away from having a decent team. That said, this is going to be a fun season for Astros fans. A full season from Robbie Grossman, an extended look at Jonathan Villar. More Jason Castro and Chris Carter. New acquisition Dexter Fowler. These are things Astros fans can look forward to, while they wait for top prospects Carlos Correa, Mark Appel, George Springer, and Jonathan Singleton to break camp. They aren't that far away either. The day is quickly approaching in that the Houston Astros can contend with the behemoths in the AL West. They draft smart, and are almost certain to take top draft prospect Carlos Rodon in June's draft. There's not much to say about 2014 though, as they are one of the few teams with absolute zero chance at a playoff spot. Story line to watch, predictably, is the minor leagues. For many years, the Astros have been less fun than their minor league equivalent. This time is ending soon, however. Grade - F (Though they get an A for looking awesome in the minor leagues)

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NL East
1st - Washington Nationals
The Nationals may be the most fortunate team in baseball right now. They acquired Doug Fister for the equivalent of nothing. They come into 2014 relatively uninjured. Their chief competition (read: Only competition) in the NL East is so injured, that as long as the Nationals capitalize in the first months of the season, they could run away with the division early. The Nationals, offensively, should be intriguing to watch. Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, and Jayson Werth have been sneaky good the past few years, and I see no reason for regression. Anthony Rendon is quickly jumping on the radar of fantasy players, and could end up in the top 10 second basemen by year's end. And then there's the enigma, Bryce Harper. Harper looks healthy (which has been an issue in years past, because of his rough style of play) and much much bigger. If he stays healthy, and plays in 150 games, he could clock 35 home runs. And if he does it will be great for baseball. Kids like him and Mike Trout don't come along every year. Once Doug Fister returns from injury, he'll join a pitching staff that already boasts Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, and Gio Gonzalez. Even if the Braves were healthy, this is a team that could go toe to toe with them. Now with injuries, I just can't see the Nationals fading barring something catastrophic. Story line to watch: Bryce Harper, and Stephen Strasburg. Back to back #1 picks, tons of hope in DC. Tons of injuries, that have prevented both from reaching new heights. Is this the year both are healthy? Is this the year we see a championship level team in DC? Grade - A-

2nd - Atlanta Braves
The Braves, like the Rangers, looked like a playoff level team in the offseason. Then Spring Training started, and injuries happened and... long story short, the Braves pitching staff has been decimated by injuries. Brandon Beachy needs a second Tommy John surgery. Kris Medlen will be joining him. Mike Minor dodged the bullet, but has tendonitis, and that's not just going to go away. Odds are he struggles with command this season. Gavin Floyd is recovering from his own surgery. Jonny Venters too (though he's not in the rotation). The Braves rotation currently consists of Julio Tehearn and Alex Wood (who are good #3 starters, but not the aces they need. That's not to say they can't become that pitcher, the Braves do have a history of developing top level pitchers, but they need them to get there in a hurry. Can they make it? In addition to those two, and the injured Mike Minor, you also have David Hale (who is a rookie!) and Aaron Harang, who pitched well for the Mets last year. Not so well for the Mariners though. Craig Kimbrel is going to need to be lights out, because the rest of the bullpen looks less than stellar. Story of the season: Injuries. No matter what happens in 2014, Braves fans are going to have to talk about the injuries. Grade - B (would have been an A- without all the injuries)

3rd - New York Mets
The top two seem pretty clear. The bottom three, not so much. You have three very mediocre teams fighting it out for third in the division. However, I'm going to give the Mets the edge for third, based on what they did over the offseason. They don't have Matt Harvey, and they lost Marlon Byrd, who was one of their top players to the rival Phillies. These two moves hurt the most. Last season, they were a sub .500 team WITH those talents. Without? They need Curtis Granderson to return to 2011 form, Ike Davis to become something that isn't terrible, and Travis D'anaud to reach John Buck's level in a hurry, as well as hope that Bartolo Colon's 2013 wasn't a fluke, Zack Wheeler becomes a #2, or better yet, an ace, and that their bullpen doesn't completely implode. The last thing on that list may already be in jeopardy, as Bobby Parnell tore his MCL, and could miss all of 2014. Their new closer would be Jose Valverde, who struggled with the Tigers last year. If they want to contend in 2014, they need to acquire a decent shortstop (only free agent available of value is Stephen Drew), a decent first baseman (Kendrys Morales is still available I think), and a better bullpen (which isn't going to happen any time soon). The bottom line is this, the Mets need to decide if they want to win now, with the Braves out, or want to contend in 2015 and beyond. If I'm the Mets, I do the latter, and punt 2014. Story of the year: Noah Syndergaard. The Mets have a lot of good young pitchers, such as Harvey and Wheeler... the third of these names is Noah Syndergaard, who could come up this season. If he can realize his own lofty potential, the Mets will have a strong core to build off of. Grade - C-

4th - Miami Marlins
There's really no wrong order with 3rd through 5th in this division, as all three teams that will take up those three spots are pretty much equal in their terribleness (in regards to the 2014 season). I think all three teams are going to be within 5 games of each other, honestly. I'm going with the Marlins here, because of the promise of their players. Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna could become high level players at their position in the near future. Giancarlo Stanton is still Giancarlo Stanton. They brought in Jarrod Saltalamacchia to work with their pitching staff. Salty may not be the best offensively or defensively, but he knows how to work a pitching staff. It might be rough at times, but Salty will learn these new pitchers, and he'll get them to new heights. Speaking of those pitchers, Jose Fernandez is a real special kid, and may be the 2nd best pitcher in baseball behind only Clayton Kershaw. Jacob Turner, Henderson Alvarez, and Nathan Eovaldi have shown promise, and though inconsistency has plagued them, it's hard to ignore talent in a place like Miami. Their bullpen could be sneaky good. Carlos Marmol, Michael Dunn, AJ Ramos, and Steve Cishek head up a bullpen that has several options for any situation. Not the most talented bullpen, but could be one of the more versatile. Story line of the year, as always is the same. Is Giancarlo Stanton going to stay in Miami? Or is he going to be traded for an intense haul? If he's traded, the Marlins will get enough young talent that they could jump up the standings in time. Even if they don't, the Marlins have lots of young talent. Personally, I think they should move Stanton. On top of the three outfielders they already have, they also have promising stud Jake Marisnick. Also in their farm system are stud prospects Andrew Heany, Justin Nicolino, and Colin Moran. A great haul would make that farm system the best in baseball. Grade - D+

5th - Philadelphia Phillies
They could well shock me, and finish third, well above the Mets and Marlins. However, I think age and time are against them. One of the oldest teams in the league, they only got older in the offseason, adding Marlon Byrd and AJ Burnett, and retaining Carlos Ruiz. The secret to this team's success (or whatever success they've had) has basically been Cliff Lee. Cliff Lee is now 35 years old. And they may have missed a chance to get the most back for Lee last trade deadline. Rather, their misguided attempt to contend this year will likely be met with poor results, as their rotation, bullpen, and lineup are full of holes. I believe they have the oldest infield in all of baseball, or would, were it not for Cody Asche, have one of the oldest starting catchers in the league, and an ineffective rotation that features Roberto Hernandez, Kyle Kendrick, and Jeff Manship, in addition to Lee and Burnett. Jonathan Papelbon is the only pitcher in their bullpen worth watching, and he's been in a steady decline, although Jake Diekman could change that. Story line of the season: Will the Phillies finally cut bait and decide to get younger? Or will they continue to attempt contention. Grade - D

NL Central
1st - St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals have to be the favorites in the Central, as well as the entire National League. Last year's runners up, they are a threat every single year. This year should be no different, as there has been very little changeover from years past. The biggest difference most will notice is the addition of Jhonny Peralta as the club's shortstop/3rd baseman/left fielder. Defensively, he's a joke, but they didn't get him for his defense. He can hit the ball, and he's a frustrating player to play against. Adding to that are 2013's breakout in Matt Carpenter, Allen Craig, Matt Holliday, and Yadier Molina, among many others. Speed sounds like a concern at this point, until you remember that the Cardinals traded away David Freese and brought in Peter Boujos. But the secret to the Cardinals success isn't their offense, it's their never ending supply of pitching. This year, they may have the best rotation in the game. Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller, and Joe Kelly take up key spots, with Lance Lynn in support. But you could put my grandmother in that fifth spot, and you'd still have a top 5 rotation. They won't even miss the loss of Edward Mujica (who signed with the Red Sox) as they effectively replace him with fireballer Trevor Rosenthal, who could become one of the best closers in the game by season's end. Story of the season is going to be Rosenthal, actually (at least in my opinion). If you don't know who he is yet, you will very very soon. Grade - A+

2nd - Pittsburgh Pirates
Are they for real? Or are they just a once in a decade fluke? No matter which it is, the Pirates are the most curious team in baseball. Last season saw a historic drought end, as the Pirates finally had a winning season. A large part of why they won often was AJ Burnett, who left for the Phillies, however, there's reason to believe winning is back in Pittsburgh. Largely, the team is the same, and that's a good thing. They are basically replacing AJ Burnett with Francisco Liriano in the #1 spot, who should continue to benefit from the shift to the National League. Taking his spot on the roster however is Edinson Volquez, who is a huge question mark. Change is on the way though, as Jameson Taillon could be set to make his major league debut in time. Combine him with Gerrit Cole, and you could have one of the most dominant 1-2 punches in the majors. Story line of the year: Gerrit Cole. How good is this kid? If 2013 is any indication, the answer is "very very good." Grade - B

3rd - Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are really going to miss Shin-Soo Choo. No one in recent Red history was as good at getting on base as Choo was, and the void will be felt. They replace him with Billy Hamilton, who while fast, lacks the ability of getting on base. He shocked people, getting on base at a Choo-like clip last season in limited action, but minor league numbers suggest regression. In 2013, at AAA, he batted .256/.308/.343. While this isn't terrible, it's a far cry from what Choo did for this ball club. Hamilton's speed will be a great asset, as he's likely the fastest player in the majors, but outside of Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce, this team lacks much in the way of firepower. They need their pitching to be lights out. Which it can be. Johnny Cueto is a beast when healthy. The same can be said for Mat Latos. And Homer Baily. But that's "if" healthy. Most of the time, one of those three is injured, and sometimes, two of three are. The bullpen doesn't inspire enough confidence for me to say this is a playoff team this year. Too many holes. Most costly of which being offensive firepower and health concerns. Story of the season: Will Billy Hamilton beat the odds and become a good leadoff hitter? Or will speed be the only tool he can boast of? Grade - B-

4th - Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are not a good ball club. Neither are the Cubs. A duel for the cellar will be the highlight of both seasons, I feel. The Brewers ultimately though, have the edge, because they are built to win in 2014, but won't, whereas the Cubs are built to win in 2015. The Brewers on paper look better than they actually are. Their outfield consists of Khris Davis (who I would call underrated), Carlos Gomez (who I actually think is overrated), and Ryan Braun (which is actually uncertain, who knows how good he is after being busted for PEDs?). They have a sneaky good infield of Jean Segura, Scooter Gennett, Aramis Ramirez, and Mark Reynolds. Their catcher, Jonathan Lucroy has a case for top 5 MLB catcher. Even their pitching doesn't look ugly. Matt Garza, Kyle Lohse, Yovani Gallardo, Marco Estrada, and Wily Peralta. How on earth did this team finish only 8 games ahead of the Cubs last year? The NL Central is a tough division, but this doesn't "look" like a sub-.500 team. The proof is in the pudding. Last year, Carlos Gomez carried this team. Ryan Braun sat out. They lost Aoki, but also lost Yuniesky Beatancourt. I expect Gomez to fall back to earth (he posted about 9 WAR last season, I think Braun+Gomez results in about 10 WAR) and for Braun to be decent, though not as awesome as his roided self. It's going to come down to the pitching, like it so often does. Story line of the year - Even though it's tempting to go with Braun/Gomez, Matt Garza interest me more. Is he going to be the missing piece, that propels the Brewers above the Reds? It's certainly possible. Grade - C

5th - Chicago Cubs
Wait till next year. No seriously, this time, it actually means something. The 2014 Chicago Cubs will not win. The 2015 Chicago Cubs though, look scary. They already have most of the 2015 Chicago Cubs on the roster this year, and they'll be broken in by then. The few members of that team not up yet will be in short order. Their outfield is sneaky good, Junior Lake would be a dark horse for Rookie of the Year, if he were eligible. Justin Ruggiano has made big improvements over the past couple years. They added Ryan Kalish as a backup, and he could find himself a starter if given a chance, and if he remains healthy (always a concern with him). Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro are main stays, and will only be getting better. Mike Olt could end up being a sneaky pickup. The former top prospect tore up the minors, but struggled in the majors with the Tigers. Now, he has a full season to figure it out. If he does, you can move him to the outfield, and have a star studded lineup. If he doesn't, you have Kris Bryant coming up. Kris Bryant is definitely the most appealing prospect from the 2013 MLB Draft so far, as unlike Jonathan Gray and Mark Appel, his impact will be felt every day, and unlike Clint Frazier and Austin Meadows, he'll be ready shortly. Joining him will be powerful shortstop Javier Baez, who hit incredible monster home runs this spring. He may be moved to second base, but there's plenty to love there. The pitching is always going to be questionable in Chicago, but CJ Edwards, a Cubs top prospect, could be up in the next 3 years to save them from that fate. Already there are Jeff Samardzija, Travis Wood, and Jason Hammel. The bullpen is terrible though. No saving that. Story to watch: Kris Bryant and Javier Baez. The future is almost here Cubs fans. And boy is it sweet. 2015 could be a fun year. Grade - D

NL West
1st - Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are loaded. Don't even try to deny it. They have money, and like the Yankees, they aren't afraid to spend it. Also like the Yankees, everyone is quickly starting to hate them. Like Yasiel Puig, who sportswriters like to pick on. They can't pick on his talent though, as truly, he is one of the most gifted young players in the game. The Dodgers are missing Clayton Kershaw due to injury, and could be without him for a month plus, but they have so much pitching, they probably won't miss him that much. One such pitcher is reclamation project Dan Haren. He had strings of excellence with the Nationals, albeit lacking in consistency. Should he return to old form, the Dodgers will have three aces on that staff in Kershaw, Haren, and Zack Greinke. To say Hyun-Jin Ryu and Josh Beckett are the worst starters in your rotation is to say your rotation can lay claim to being the best in baseball. Story line to watch: Yasiel Puig. Love him or hate him, he makes things interesting. Grade - A

2nd - San Francisco Giants
I've never been a big fan of the Giants as a team. The players on their team just aren't guys you really want to watch. Aside from Buster Posey and Tim Lincecum, none of their players are all that fun to watch. However, you cannot argue that their team gets results. And by adding Tim Hudson to be the #4/5 in an already loaded rotation, you know how they are going to try to win games. And with a strong looking Pablo Sandoval seemingly locked in, they could be in for a big season. Story line to watch - Pablo Sandoval. I think he's in a contract year? Always fun to watch guys in contract years. Grade - B

3rd - Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks reloaded the offense, adding Mark Trumbo to their cast of characters. And with Goldschmidt being the only major power threat before his addition, it makes sense. Trumbo has trouble putting the bat on the ball, but when he does, it goes far. They also added Bronson Arroyo to shore up the middle of their rotation, and Addison Reed to beef up their bullpen. Quiet moves, but neccesary ones. They could contend for the division crown. Story line to watch - Paul Goldschmidt. Can he continue to mash? My guess is yes. Grade - B-

4th - Colorado Rockies
There's not much to say about the Rockies. They are almost exactly the same team as last year, with changes in CF and the rotation, and that's pretty much it. They traded Dexter Fowler for Brandon Barnes and Jordan Lyles. I get the feeling they'll regret that trade. Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki will still draw fans, but that's about all they'll do. Winning isn't going to be a thing in Colorado this year. Story to watch - Carlos Gonzalez/Troy Tulowitzki. What else? Grade - D

5th - San Diego Padres
Well, the final team (thank god, I'm drained). The Padres (unless I'm mistaken) are pretty much exactly the same as last year (like the Rockies). They made a couple of bullpen moves, and added in Seth Smith, but didn't make any moves to inspire confidence in them. They'll be dueling it out with the Rockies for last. Story to watch - Let's go with Andrew Cashner. He's a fun guy to watch. Rank - D-


ALE
Rays
Red Sox (WC)
Yankees
Orioles
Blue Jays

ALC
Tigers
Royals
Indians
Twins
White Sox

ALW
Mariners
Angels (WC)
A’s
Rangers
Astros

NLE
Nationals
Braves (WC)
Mets
Marlins
Phillies

NLC
Cardinals
Pirates (WC)
Reds
Brewers
Cubs

NLW
Dodgers
Giants
D’Backs
Rockies
Padres

AL
WC Game – Red Sox over Angels (barely)

ALDS1 – Tigers over Red Sox in 4
ALDS2 – Mariners over Rays in 5
ALCS – Tigers over Mariners in 5

NL
WC Game – Pirates over Braves

NLDS1 – Pirates over Cardinals in 5
NLDS2 – Nationals over Dodgers in 5
NLCS – Pirates over Nationals in 6

WS – Tigers over Pirates in 6.

AL MVP - Mike Trout
NL MVP - Bryce Harper (good feeling about him this year)

AL CY - David Price (alternatively, Yu Darvish if he's healthy)
NL CY - Jose Fernandez (though Kershaw is going to make it close)

AL ROY - Xander Bogaerts
NL ROY - Billy Hamilton

I really haven't been paying all that much attention, but I know that the indians had to change the logo that they have on their hats, and I really don't like that desission. Also, the braves seem to be doing pretty good.

I don't know why but I think the marlins will win it all, they have some of the leagues best pitchers and hitters, but I got a funny feeling. 

IgorBird122 :
patar4097 :
Global Mods :

Someone please edit this post and ignore the word count.

17faughtj : Uh... Yeah, I find that laughable. Sure, they have been doing really well so far, and they have Fernandez and Stanton who are both capable of winning awards, but I find it almost impossible for them to keep it up for the entire season. They are on the rise though, if they can make a few good signings or trades, they could have a few good years down the road. But not right away.