As the calendar changes from March to April, America's pastime returns. No, contrary to popular belief America's pastime isn't watching hours upon hours of LeBron James highlights and analysis on ESPN on how much Rogaine he applies everyday, it's the MLB. With the change from winter to spring, even though it snowed in New York today, the MLB gears up for another season of action. The Red Sox come in trying to defend their crown and the Mariners try to defend why they gave 31-year-old Robinson Cano an astronomical contract. There are certainly a lot of story lines going into this season but I narrowed them down to three for each the AL and NL and at the end I'll give my World Series prediction along with some other predictions.
AL:
1. Who will come out of the loaded AL East?
Every year it seems like this division comes down to the last week of the season and this year will be no different. With four playoff caliber teams in this division every game will matter.
The Red Sox will come in with a target on their back as the reigning division champ as well as the reigning World Series champs. The Red Sox get their championship roster mostly intact but the loss of Jacoby Ellsbury to the rival Yanks will definitely hurt. Acquiring Ellsbury was just one of many big free agents the Yankees brought in to get back into the playoffs. Some of the others were Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, and the supposed Japanese prodigy pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. As always, the Yankees weren't afraid to write some big checks to put themselves back into contention. The Red Sox and Yankees headline this division as always however it might be the Tampa Bay Rays who have the best team in this division.
The Rays will never outspend anyone and are led by their ace David Price and all-star third baseman Evan Longoria. They will have a full season with reigning AL Rookie of the Year Will Meyers and budding pitching star Chris Archer. This team has depth, great pitching and one of the best managers in baseball, which is always a recipe for success.
The Orioles suffered a setback last season after being the darlings of the 2012 playoffs. Pitching remains a question with this team, which led to their downfall last season, but the acquisition of Ubaldo Jimenez definitely bolsters the rotation. If Manny Machado can return to form when he returns from his gruesome knee injury at the end of last season, this team can definitely compete for a playoff spot. Other than the Blue Jays, who will be hurt by injuries again (Jose Reyes already got hurt in the first game), this division will be up for grabs going down the stretch. The Red Sox play the Yankees the last weekend of the season, which could determine the division and could be Derek Jeter's last game.
2. Mike Trout vs. Miguel Cabrera Round 3
The past two years these two guys have been battling it out everyday for the AL MVP. Also, these guys both got nice contract extensions in the off-season so they’ve got that going for them. Miggy has taken the award the past two years much to the displeasure of all the Moneyball, sabermetric baseball fans out there. This rivalry for MVP reminds me of the battles Barry Bonds had with Albert Pujols in the early 2000s.
However, this battle for MVP has a much difference twist to it. On Miggy's side you have the old school guys who look at batting average, home runs, and RBIs to represent a player's value to his team and for Trout is all the nerdy, mathematic guys who measure a players WAR and RC (runs created) as an indicator of someone's value.
When Cabrera won the Triple Crown in 2012 which hadn't been done in 45 years the Trout supporters were still saying Trout should get the MVP honors. Just like every great rivalry whether it was Magic vs. Bird or Gilmore vs. McGavin there are great debates for each side. I think this year Trout will take home his first of many MVP honors. Without Fielder in the lineup, I think Cabrera's production will go down and Trout will stake his claim as the best player in baseball.
3. Can the A's get over the hump?
Ever since Moneyball came out in 2011, it really gave everyone insight into how crazy Bill Beane actually is but how his craziness has paid off. As stated in the movie, Beane won't be satisfied until he wins the last game of a playoff series. The past two seasons the A's have won the AL West with far less talent on paper than the other teams in the division but have been bounced in the ALDS both times by the Tigers. This team has shocked everyone how they have put a winning product on the field with the supposed lack of talent they have. The key for this team will be the production of Josh Reddick. In 2012 Reddick was one of the surprise players in the league but suffered from a nagging wrist injury last season. Reddick is supposedly 100% healthy and this can be the key to get the A's not just past the divisional round but possibly could send them into the World Series. The injuries to Jarrod Parker and A.J Griffin hurt but this team has shown it could pull it together in the worst situations. This could be the year where Billy Beane is finally satisfied with what his team did and hey maybe he'll actually go to a game.
NL:
1. Can the Nats bounce back from a disappointing season?
The disaster last year in Washington wasn't limited to what was happening in the White House but also their baseball team. Going into the year baseball writers were proclaiming them as World Series champs and how they would be the next great dynasty. Well, that didn't really workout and the team mightily underachieved.
I think shutting down Strasburg for the playoffs and the way they lost to the Cardinals in the NLDS loomed over this team.
The Nats upgraded their rotation by adding Doug Fister and along with Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, and Jordan Zimmermann, this rotation can easily be the best in all of MLB. Bryce Harper has been showing off this spring training how he's added on some muscle and if he stays healthy he can easily win MVP. This team has a great pitching staff and a deep lineup which should definitely help them win the NL East. The injuries to Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy for the Braves definitely improve the Nationals’ chances run away with this division that is relatively weak.
2. Can the Cardinals break the record for regular season wins?
This might be a little bold prediction but when looking at the Cardinals roster there are no indicators they can't get this done. This team is loaded at every position and boasts great depth. They have a deep lineup and a loaded rotation. With a full season from Michael Wacha, who I think will be starting in the All Star game, this just makes an already loaded rotation even better.
They did get rid of 2011 World Series hero David Freese but they acquired Peter Bourjous who is one of the best fielding center fielders in the MLB. Getting rid of Freese allows them to move Kolten Wong into the starting lineup who has been ranked a high prospect in the Cardinals organization for a few years.
This team is loaded and shows all signs that they can make a run to the World Series again and break the 2001 Seattle Mariners record of 116 wins in a season. Yes, this prediction might be a little bold but the Cardinals boast one of the best rosters in recent MLB history and it wouldn't be a surprise if they surpassed 116 wins.
3. Dodgers-Giants battle for the NL West
If you’re reading this you may be wondering why this is one of the top story lines I chose but being a huge Giants fan, I had to write something about it and it’s hard not to mention the Dodgers. In almost every prediction I've seen, everyone has had the Dodgers winning the NL West which is reasonable but I think the Giants will bounce back after a disappointing 2013 campaign.
Adding Tim Hudson was one of the most underrated moves of the off-season and he'll definitely help their rotation. Also expect a bounce back year from Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. The Dodgers are loaded again with stars up and down the roster and will be a contender come September. However, the injuries of Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp concern me (not really but I have to try to remain partial).
These teams have been rivals for years and with them competing for the division crown this year the rivalry will be even heightened more this year. These teams play a three game series the last week of the season in Los Angeles and this series could determine the division. I could see it now, Buster Posey hits a home run off Kershaw in the 9th and Sergio Romo strikes out Puig to end the game and the Giants celebrate the NL West crown on the Dodgers field.
I might be getting ahead of myself but I wouldn't doubt it happening.
With the season starting up, there will definitely be a lot of great moments and we'll see some players rise up into stardom. I can't wait for the season to be in full swing and here are some of my predictions for the upcoming season.
Surprise player caught taking PED's: Brandon Phillips
ALCS: Athletics over Yankees in 7
NLCS: Giants over Cardinals in 6
World Series: Giants over Athletics in 6
-Tyler Darwick
