Tagged: Brandon Phillips
The Winning Run 2024 Hall of Fame Ballot
The beginning of the new year means it is time for the annual debate about who is and is not a Hall of Famer. Ultimately only the opinions of Hall of Fame voters matter. They decide who goes to Cooperstown. The BBWAA is the sole voting body for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Voters must be a member of the BBWAA and meet the following eligibility requirements.
Hall of Fame Voter Eligibility
- Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
- The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers.
The BBWAA sets the following rules for how eligible voters can vote.
- Vote for no more than 10 players.
- A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria:
- They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played.
- The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues.
- The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball.
- The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot.
- The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast.
In addition to the official voting rules for the Baseball Hall of Fame set forth by the BBWAA, The Winning Run has an additional rule for its ballot.
- Known PED users are ineligible.
Every player dreams of reaching the Major Leagues and playing their way to Cooperstown. However, this dream is a reality for only 1% of Major Leaguers. Thousands of players begin their professional careers dreaming of the Hall of Fame and never spend a single day in the Major Leagues. Reaching the Major Leagues is extremely difficult. Appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot, even for a single year, is reserved for baseball’s elites. Making the ballot is an honor, even if the candidate does not receive a single vote.
The 2024 Hall of Fame ballot has 26 candidates. There are 14 returning candidates and 12 new candidates. The 14 returning candidates are:
- Todd Helton- 6th year (72.2%)
- Billy Wagner- 9th year (68.1%)
- Andruw Jones- 7th year (58.1%)
- Gary Sheffield- 10th year (55.0%)
- Carlos Beltran- 2nd year (46.5%)
- Alex Rodriguez- 3rd year (35.7%)
- Manny Ramirez- 8th year (33.2%)
- Omar Vizquel- 7th year (19.5%)
- Andy Pettitte- 6th year (17.0%)
- Bobby Abreu- 5th year (15.4%)
- Jimmy Rollins- 3rd year (12.9%)
- Mark Buehrle- 4th year (10.8%)
- Francisco Rodriguez- 2nd year (10.8%)
- Torii Hunter- 4th year (6.9%)
The 12 first time candidates are:
- Adrian Beltre
- Joe Mauer
- Chase Utley
- David Wright
- Bartolo Colon
- Matt Holliday
- Adrian Gonzalez
- Jose Bautista
- Jose Reyes
- Victor Martinez
- James Shields
- Brandon Phillips
Following our own rule, 5 of the 26 candidates were removed from consideration due to their connections with PEDs.
- Gary Sheffield
- Alex Rodriguez
- Manny Ramirez
- Andy Pettitte
- Bartolo Colon
The sad part of our PED rule is every one of these players posted the necessary numbers to be seriously considered for the Hall of Fame. Their decision to use PEDs has hampered their own election to Cooperstown and left them on the ballot for additional years. These extra years have siphoned votes away from other worthy candidates, harming their Hall of Fame chances through no fault of their own.
Two players we voted for in 2023 were removed from the ballot. Scott Rolen was elected to the Hall of Fame. Jeff Kent failed to be elected in his 10th and final year of eligibility. This means our 2024 ballot has two open spots. None of the candidates we voted for last year received less than 5%, so the other eight candidates have returned. After much research and debate we arrived at our 10 candidates.
Adrian Beltre could do it all on a baseball field. The Third Baseman played 21 seasons with 4 teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004), Seattle Mariners (2005-2009), Boston Red Sox (2010), and Texas Rangers (2011-2018). He played in 2,933 Games, scored 1,524 Runs, collected 3,166 Hits, including 636 Double, 38 Triples, 477 Home Runs, 1,707 RBI, 121 Stolen Bases, drawing 848 Walks, with 1,732 Strikeouts, posting a .286 BA, .339 OBP, .480 SLG, .819 OPS, 116 OPS+, and 5,309 Total Bases. Beltre won five Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, and was a four time All Star. If elected, Beltre will rank first among Hall of Fame Third Basemen in RBI. He will be second in Hits, Doubles, and RBI. Beltre will have the third most Home Runs. He is a clear cut Hall of Famer. Just make sure you do not touch his head.
Joe Mauer never left Minnesota. The hometown boy made good. Mauer Caught 15 seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2004-2018). He played in 1,858 Games, scored 1,018 Runs, collected 2,123 Hits, including 428 Doubles, 30 Triples, 143 Home Runs, 923 RBI, 52 Stolen Bases, drawing 939 Walks, with 1,034 Strikeouts, posting a .306 BA, .388 OBP, .439 SLG, .827 OPS, 124 OPS+, and 3,040 Total Bases. He was a six time All Star, won five Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and three Batting Titles. Mauer was named the 2009 American League MVP. If elected, Mauer will have the most Walks among Hall of Fame Catchers. He will be third in Doubles, fourth in OBP, sixth in Hits, and seventh in BA. Mauer should easily reach Cooperstown.
Chase Utley put together an outstanding career. He was one of the leaders for the great Phillies teams, including their 2008 World Series championship. The Second Baseman played for two teams in 16 seasons: Philadelphia Phillies (2003-2015) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2015-2018). He played in 1,937 Games, scored 1,103 Runs, collected 1,885 Hits, including 411 Doubles, 58 Triples, 259 Home Runs, 1,025 RBI, 154 Stolen Bases, drawing 724 Walks, with 1,193 Strikeouts, posting a .275 BA, .358 OBP, .465 SLG, .823 OPS, 117 OPS+, and 3,189 Total Bases. Utley was a six time All Star and won four Silver Sluggers. If elected, Utley would rank fifth among Hall of Fame Second Basemen in Home Runs and seventh in SLG and OPS.
Our ballot has three additions this year. We filled our two open slots with Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer. We had one player, Jimmy Rollins, replaced by a former teammate, Chase Utley. The choice of Utley over Rollins is extremely close, but Utley is a more deserving candidate. The real issue is both Rollins and Utley are deserving candidates, but the idiotic Rule of 10 once again costs a deserving Hall of Fame candidate votes. If the Rule of 10 was not in place, we would also include Omar Vizquel, Jimmy Rollins, and Torii Hunter on our ballot. Now we wait for the official results for the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Who is heading to Cooperstown in July?
DJ
2024 Hall of Fame Ballot
The 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has 26 candidates. The ballot returns 14 candidates, while adding 12 first time candidates. Once the votes are tallied, any candidate receiving 75% or more of the vote will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this coming July. Any candidate receiving less than 5% of the vote will be removed from future consideration. The results of the voting will be released on January 23rd. The Hall of Fame ballot is separate from the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for Managers/ Executives/ Umpires, which recently elected Jim Leyland to Cooperstown.
The 26 candidates played a combined 455 MLB seasons. Omar Vizquel played the most seasons, 24 seasons of outstanding defense, and James Shields commanded on the mound for the fewest, 13 seasons. Simply making the ballot is no easy task and places a player in elite company.
The 14 returning candidates are:
- Todd Helton- 6th year (72.2%)
- Billy Wagner- 9th year (68.1%)
- Andruw Jones- 7th year (58.1%)
- Gary Sheffield- 10th year (55.0%)
- Carlos Beltran- 2nd year (46.5%)
- Alex Rodriguez- 3rd year (35.7%)
- Manny Ramirez- 8th year (33.2%)
- Omar Vizquel- 7th year (19.5%)
- Andy Pettitte- 6th year (17.0%)
- Bobby Abreu- 5th year (15.4%)
- Jimmy Rollins- 3rd year (12.9%)
- Mark Buehrle- 4th year (10.8%)
- Francisco Rodriguez- 2nd year (10.8%)
- Torii Hunter- 4th year (6.9%)
Last year Todd Helton fell just 11 votes short of induction. Will he find 11 more votes to reach Cooperstown? This is the final year of eligibility for Gary Sheffield. Can the bat wiggling slugger make it into the Hall of Fame?
The 12 first time candidates are:
- Adrian Beltre
- Joe Mauer
- Chase Utley
- David Wright
- Bartolo Colon
- Matt Holliday
- Adrian Gonzalez
- Jose Bautista
- Jose Reyes
- Victor Martinez
- James Shields
- Brandon Phillips
Who gets into Cooperstown this Summer? We will find out in a few weeks. There are several candidates that should go in the Hall of Fame come July. The only question is can enough of the voters agree to make this a reality?
DJ
Yadier Molina Marches On
The Opening Week of the baseball season was full of stories. The All Star Game being pulled from Atlanta, Miguel Cabrera’s Home Run in the snow, Yermin Mercedes going 8 for 8, benches clearing in Cincinnati, Joe Musgrove’s No Hitter, and so much more. What was lost in the excitement is Yadier Molina continues to catch for the Cardinals.
Molina has made 17 consecutive Opening Day starts for St. Louis, the most for one team. He tails only Ivan Rodriguez and his 20 consecutive Opening Day starts, but Rodriguez started for multiple teams during his Hall of Fame career. Making 17 consecutive Opening Day starts is an impressive feat, as only a select few players remain in the Majors for close to two decades. Every position has its own demands, but none demand more than catcher. The toll from squatting alone is enough to shorten plenty of careers. Then add in the abuse from blocking balls in the dirt, getting hit by foul balls, and rocked by bats on the follow through. Baseball did change the rules about running into the catcher, but Molina survived the first half of his career before Rule 7.13, the Buster Posey Rule, was instituted. Beyond the physical abuse, catchers also have the added responsibility of calling pitches. Catchers are a different breed.
Surviving the abuse has not made Molina timid. He never shies away from confrontation when he feels it is necessary. Molina came to the aid of his pitcher as Cincinnati’s Nick Castellanos stood over Jake Woodford after scoring on a Wild Pitch. It is not the first time Molina has defended his team against the Reds. He confronted Brandon Phillips after the Cincinnati second baseman had some less than flattering things to say about the Cardinals. That confrontation sparked an all out brawl. Molina is willing to fight anyone who disrespects him or his team, including Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo. The St. Louis catcher never backs down.
There are numerous other examples of Molina standing up for himself and his team. He may not be loved across baseball, but every team wishes he had spent his career wearing their uniform. He remains a master of his craft in what could be his final season. Yadier Molina’s record setting Opening Day start did not garner all the headlines, but it is another line on his Hall of Fame resume.
DJ
My Own Cooperstown
Every fan wants to own part of their obsession. Star Wars fans want everything from shirts to full on costumes. Baseball fans are no different. Every die hard baseball fan wants to own a piece of the game. You collect a piece here and there, and over time it grows into a small collection. Few people can rival the collection of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but it does not mean we should not have our own version of Cooperstown.
This painting of Buck Leonard was a gift from my wife. (The Winning Run/ DJ)
I am under no illusion that my baseball collection of is vast, or even valuable. The value is the joy I get every time I walk through my baseball room. Every piece is a tiny part of baseball history and my own history. It is a reminder of my love for the game and what I have done in life. A wall can turn into two walls, then a room, and then hopefully into something even greater.
My baseball wall. It is small, but growing a little every year. (The Winning Run/ DJ)
My centerpiece is a signed Andruw Jones jersey my wife bought me. He is my all time favorite player. Jesse met Andruw Jones and Otis Nixon and had them sign a baseball for me. My other signed memorabilia has been collected through winning charity auctions; this includes signed baseballs by Billy Hamilton, Joey Votto, and Johnny Cueto. My wife bought me a signed Craig Breslow baseball. Our first real trip together was to Boston and a game at Fenway, Breslow was the winning pitcher that day for the Red Sox. I won cleats signed by Kal Daniels and a signed photographs of Brandon Phillips and Devin Mesoraco from charity auctions. My wife found the program from Johnny Bench night at Riverfront Stadium at a thrift store for me. I have the program from the 2016 South Atlantic League All Star game, which I attended in Lexington, Kentucky with my sister-in-law. I have a score card from a game I attended in Houston after a friends wedding. The Astros defeated the Blue Jays that day with the roof closed while it monsooned outside. I have a Dodgers cup and a Pirates plastic nacho helmet from attending games with friends and family. I have a Moneyball movie poster and a poster of all the professional baseball team names broken down by category. I have a reprint of a Norman Rockwell painting and a painting of Buck Leonard as a member of the Homestead Grays. These pieces of art have been given to me as gifts along the way. I have a Louisville Slugger signed by my friends and family from our wedding shower. My lamp is filled with baseballs signed by friends and family from our wedding.
Devin Mesoraco no longer plays for the Reds, but this photograph is still striking. (The Winning Run/ DJ)
Some of my collection has actual monetary value, however small. However, much of my collection is important for sentimental reasons. All of it helps to create my personal version of Cooperstown. I love it and I know it will continue to grow a little every year as I experience new things in life and my love for the game grows.
DJ
2016 New Year’s Resolutions for the NL Central
The midwest got to enjoy some great baseball in 2015, especially NL fans. When the 3rd place team in your division would have won every other division in MLB, the offseason becomes a treacherous minefield of making the right minor tweak to improve or maintain the status quo. For the Brewers and Reds, offseason trading goals are clear but often seem like a management nightmare. The other teams need to maintain or improve their lineups, replace aging talent, and make sure they can afford it all. Baseball remains the team game that one single superstar cannot change a team’s fortune from struggling scrapper to playoff contender.
The Cubs are hoping Jason Heyward is not a big swing and a miss. (www.foxsports.com)
The Moves
The Chicago Cubs were that third place team in the NL Central but they were also seen as a legitimate World Series contenders. With some good front office management, the Cubs were able to sign both Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist to beef up their batting lineup. They also got John Lackey and Adam Warren to solidify the rotation behind Jake Arrieta. It’s almost like the Cubs bought a whole new team that’s going to supplement the young guns they already have in Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler, and Kyle Schwarber. This isn’t a 450ft HR move but more like a 6-5-3 double play move – a collection of several good moves but we’ll have to see how it works out.
Brandon Phillips and the Reds are rebuilding in a hurry. (Joe Robbins/ http://www.datdudebp.com)
In a completely different direction, the Reds cleaned house for salary space and prospects. They made this space with Todd Frazier going to the White Sox and Aroldis Chapman going to the Yankees. Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips have big contracts but the Reds probably wouldn’t have been able to find the buyers to pick them up. So what does that leave the Reds? A lot of room to build up some young talent. Cincinnati is a good sports city with patient and loyal fans. The only question is “Do the Yankees have good talent scouts?” because, in return for Chapman, the Reds got Rookie Davis, Eric Jagielo, Tony Renda, and Caleb Cotham who have all gone through the Yankees’ system. If you ask us, the Reds are looking to be respectable in 2016 but to win big in 2017-2018 as their competition ages out.
The Advice
There really isn’t a lot of advice to give out for any of the teams in this division. They pretty much owned the rest of the league. But what’s a baseball blog for except to play armchair manager for our own amusement.
St. Louis Cardinals
BL – The Cardinals have an aging lineup but the sort of talent that’s been able to play for a long time. It’s part of the reason for their continued success. But El Birdos are soon going to feel the pains the Yankees are now as a storied core of players are starting to lose their elite edge. Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright…scouts and minor league managers better be working overtime to build up the talent to start taking over for them soon.
Yadier Molina continues to be the backbone of th Cardinalds success. ()
DJ – St. Louis is a smart baseball town. Yes the Cardinals have lost Jason Heyward and John Lackey to the Cubs, but these players are not irreplaceable. St. Louis needs to make some minor moves to shore up their bench and build up some power the team seemed to lack last season. Matt Adams and Jason Heyward were not the power hitters many expected, due to injuries and too high expectation. The Cardinals need to add some pop to the line up and continue to produce Major League quality players from their farm system.
Pittsburgh Pirates
BL – When the 2015 playoff picture was decided, I really thought that the Pirates would go much deeper into the playoffs, if not get to the World Series. They’ve got a stellar rotation, elite closer and bullpen, a young rockstar outfield, and a strong infield. If they can get some solid core guys in their infield, who’s going to keep them from taking the division? The Cubs? Maybe. The Cardinals? Only if they find some temporary fountain of youth. But really, I think it’ll be the Pirates in 2016.
Josh Harrison’s ability to do and play anywhere on the diamond has kept the Pirates moving up the standing. (www.post-gazette.com)
DJ – The Pirates seem to be one player away from making a deep run in the playoffs. Pedro Alvarez and Sean Rodriguez are solid Major Leaguers, but if Pittsburgh wants to get past the Wild Card game they need to upgrade at first base. Platooning at first is never a good sign. Pirates first basemen hit 30 HR with 88 RBI in 2015, however they also hit a combined .231. First base is never going to be where you play a slap hitter, but Pittsburgh needs a player who can put the ball in play on a more consistent basis if they are to be successful in 2016.
Milwaukee Brewers
BL – To be perfectly honest, I don’t see what the Brewers can do to be competitive in the NL Central. Nothing exciting about the rotation and on the wrong side of the league average in nearly every hitting category. There are some oversized contracts that I don’t think they’ll be able to unload without a fire sale. The Brewers need to clean house and rebuild like the Reds. I just don’t think they’re going to do it until it’s too late to try.
The Brewers and Ryan Braun are tied together for better or worse. (www.thesportsfanjournal.com)
DJ – The Brewers are hurting in every area. Ryan Braun was unable to stay healthy in 2015, and with an immoveable contract, along with history, he will remain the foundation for Milwaukee. Matt Garza and the rest of the rotation under performed. Only Jimmy Nelson was able to reach double digits in wins, he finished with 11 wins, but he was also second on the team with 13 losses. Milwaukee needs to find bullpen help and innings eating arms in the rotation, Nelson led the team with 177 ⅓ innings pitched. Milwaukee cannot fix it all at once but getting starting pitching that can eat up innings to prevent the bullpen from being too tired to hold leads when they do exist is key to starting the turn around.
BL & DJ
Speed, Speed, and More Speed
Speed is the name of the game for Billy Hamilton of the Cincinnati Reds. Blazing speed and smart base running have made Hamilton a threat. A single easily turns into a double when Hamilton swipes second base. He can go first to third on hits that would force other runners to stop at second. It is almost surprising if Hamilton does not steal a base and score a run every time he reaches base.
The baseball adage that speed never slumps is true but in the case of Hamilton, he is having difficulty using his speed because he is not getting on base enough. Hamilton has played 208 career games entering Sunday, roughly one and a quarter seasons in the Major Leagues. He has collected 89 stolen bases, been caught stealing 27 times (76.7% success rate), scored 106 runs, 187 hits, 29 doubles, 11 triples, 9 home runs, and walked 46 times. However, Hamilton is a career .248 hitter, with a .290 OBP, and 151 strikeouts in 753 at bats. When he does hit the ball, Hamilton is batting .297 on BAbip (Batting Average on Balls in Play). It might be time for Reds Manager Bryan Price, Hitting Coach Don Long, and Assistant Hitting Coach Lee Tinsley to institute the Willie Mays Hayes rule on Hamilton. If he hits the ball in the air or strikes out, he owes them 20 pushups. If Hamilton can make more contact he can put more pressure on the defense to make mistakes while fielding the ball and/or once on base by stealing a base or three, or by taking the extra base.
Billy Hamilton can show off his speed more once his bat comes around. (www.sportsonearth.com)
Billy Hamilton has the talent to climb the ladder towards Rickey Henderson’s record of 1,406 stolen bases. Although it may be unfair to compare Hamilton to Henderson at this point in his career, it is a compliment this early in Hamilton’s career. After his first two seasons in the Major Leagues, Henderson had played 247 games, with 133 stolen bases, been caught stealing 37 times (78.2% success rate), scored 160 runs, 275 hits, 35 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs, walked 151 times, and struck out 93 times in 989 at bats. Henderson was batting .292, with a .392 OBP, and .314 BAbip.
Rickey Henderson was a great hitter and knew that his abilities with the bat were necessary if he was to utilize his legs. Hamilton has the lineup behind him to see pitches to hit. Opposing pitchers cannot take Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, and Jay Bruce lightly. Pitchers have their hands full with any of this trio at the plate, and having Hamilton on base only adds to the stress for each pitch. Do you want to give up a hit or a stolen base; this is the dilemma facing the other team when Hamilton reaches. Hamilton can change the fortune of the Reds offense by improving his ability to get on base. He knows what to do once he is on base. He just needs to increase the frequency that he is on base.
D
Predictions Sure To Go Wrong 2.0
Last season The Winning Run attempted to predict the outcome of the 2014 Major League Baseball season. We were not highly successful in our first attempt. Not to be deterred by our lack of success, we are back to try again. Once again, let us apologize in advance for jinxing everyone’s favorite team, whether it is by dooming your team before it had a chance to do much better or by sending it spiraling down in flames as it does much worse than expected. Either way in which we have ruined the chances of your team this season, we are sorry.
The Giants are still recovering from winning the World Series last October. (www.espn.go.com)
Let us begin with the Senior Circuit.
National League
| East | ||
| 1 | Washington Nationals | Division Winner/ 1st Seed |
| 2 | Miami Marlins | |
| 3 | New York Mets | |
| 4 | Atlanta Braves | |
| 5 | Philadelphia Phillies |
The National League East could be one of the weakest Divisions in all of baseball. Beyond the Nationals, the rest of the division could struggle. The Marlins and Mets could threaten for a Wild Card spot, but each have deficiencies that could prevent it from reaching the playoffs. The Braves could surprise people if the bats and pitchers keep up with one another and hover around .500. The Phillies will be the worst team in all of baseball. A successful season would be to avoid 100 games, but even this could be out of reach in Philadelphia.
It will be a long season in Philadelphia, with or without Cole Hamels. (www.hardballtalk.nbcsports.com)
| Central | ||
| 1 | St. Louis Cardinals | Division Winner/ 3rd Seed |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Wild Card |
| 3 | Chicago Cubs | |
| 4 | Milwaukee Brewers | |
| 5 | Cincinnati Reds |
Every team in the National League Central could win the Division or finish last. The Cardinals should continue to be the class of the Central, as they have the pitching and the bats to match up against any team in baseball. The Pirates could pace with the Cardinals all season, but they may fall a few games short of the division based upon a few miscues throughout the season. The Cubs are dramatically improved, but playing in the Central will keep them out of the playoffs in addition to their young stars not all fully rising to their potential this season. The Brewers are dependent upon their lineup supplying the offense that the pitchers need, but there are too many chances for the bats to go quiet throughout the season. The Reds are recovering from losing several keys pitchers from last season. The Reds could rise out of the cellar, but only if Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, and Brandon Phillips all have productive and healthy seasons.
| West | ||
| 1 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Division Winner/ 2nd Seed |
| 2 | San Francisco Giants | Wild Card |
| 3 | San Diego Padres | |
| 4 | Colorado Rockies | |
| 5 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
Wil Myers and the new look Padres are not going quietly. (www.sports.yahoo.com)
The Dodgers are the clear class of the National League West; they have the arms and bats to compete with any team in baseball. Ultimately, the Dodgers will chase the Nationals for the best record in the National League. The Giants will recover from their October success last season, breaking the cycle of boom and bust that they have experienced the last four seasons. They will make the playoffs as a Wild Card, but they will not win another World Series this season. The Padres like the Marlins and Cubs are greatly improved, but will not be able to put it together this season to reach the playoffs in the first season of their new reality. The Rockies will continue to be successful offensively, but their pitching staff is not ready to take the team to the next level and compete for a playoff spot. The Diamondbacks are in full rebuild, and will be searching for answers in every phase of the game. The trade of Trevor Cahill was the clearest sign of Arizona looking to the future beyond the 2015 season.
Now let us examine the Junior Circuit.
American League
| East | ||
| 1 | Toronto Blue Jays | Division Winner/ 3rd Seed |
| 2 | Baltimore Orioles | |
| 3 | Boston Red Sox | |
| 4 | New York Yankees | |
| 5 | Tampa Bay Rays |
2015 could be painful in the Bronx. (www.nydailynews.com)
The Blue Jays finally have all the players they need to win the American League East. Even with the loss of Marcus Stroman for the season, Toronto has the arms and bats to win the Division. The Orioles will return with another strong team. If Chris Davis or Manny Machado can return to half of their 2013 form Baltimore will stay in the hunt for the playoffs into the final days of the season, but could ultimately fall short. The Red Sox are better than last season, but their pitching leaves too many questions for the bats to make up. Boston should finish above .500, but they will not play in October. The Yankees are a mixture of old talent and youthful ignorance. New York may face more injury worries as the season progresses, which could derail any dreams of reaching the playoffs, or even .500. The Rays are in full rebuild mode. Tampa has to rediscover the magic of over performing if it hopes to avoid finishing last in the East.
| Central | ||
| 1 | Detroit Tigers | Division Winner/ 1st Seed |
| 2 | Cleveland Indians | Wild Card |
| 3 | Kansas City Royals | |
| 4 | Chicago White Sox | |
| 5 | Minnesota Twins |
Nick Swisher and the Indians will have a reason to smile this year. (www.en.wikipedia.org)
The American League Central could be the best Division in all of baseball. The Tigers should be the class of the Division so long as David Price, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, and Victor Martinez are able to stay healthy. The Indians will finally get over the hump and make the playoffs as a Wild Card. Corey Kluber needs another good season, not necessarily another Cy Young season, and young stars like Michael Brantley need to emerge to power Cleveland back to October. The Royals are still recovering from their World Series hangover. While they will be competitive until late in the season, they will not make a return trip to the playoffs, as the loss of James Shields and Billy Butler will be the difference this season. The White Sox should be much improved but in the Central, it could be difficult to crack the top three in the division even with the addition of Jeff Samardzija to the rotation and David Robertson to the bullpen. The Twins need their bats and arms to light up the box score this season. The continued worry about the health of Joe Mauer and the suspension of Ervin Santana could prevent Minnesota from reaching .500.
| West | ||
| 1 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Division Winner (won 1 game playoff)/ 2nd Seed |
| 2 | Oakland Athletics | Wild Card (lost 1 game playoff) |
| 3 | Seattle Mariners | |
| 4 | Houston Astros | |
| 5 | Texas Rangers |
The American League West has three potential Division winners. The Angels once again have a tremendous offense led by the best player in the game, Mike Trout, a star looking to rediscover his old form, Albert Pujols, and a declining star, Josh Hamilton. If the Angels pitchers can stay healthy, they could win the Division. The Athletics will once again work their magic and surprise everyone to finish the season tied with the Angels. Another star will emerge in Oakland, a player who another club gave up on and let go. The Athletics and Angels will have to play a one game playoff to determine who wins the Division and who is the Wild Card. Ultimately, the Angels will win the Division and send Oakland to the Wild Card. The Mariners will unfortunately fall just short once again and miss the playoffs. They need a bit more offense in Seattle if they are to reach to playoffs, but that will have to wait until 2016. The Astros are once again going to take a huge step forward. Houston should finish .500 or better thanks to the continued development of its young stars in Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Collin McHugh. The Rangers should be able to avoid the injury plague they suffered from last season; however, they still lack the pitching to compete, especially after losing Yu Darvish for the season due to Tommy John surgery.
The laughable Astros are only a memory now. (www.diehardsport.com)
Playoffs
October will once again give us some great moments to remember, beginning with the Wild Card games.
Wild Card
| American League | National League |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Cleveland Indians |
In the American League Wild Card game, the Athletics will have spent too much energy getting to the Wild Card game to overcome the Indians. Cleveland will continue on their excellent season into the Divisional Series. In the National League Wild Card game, the Pirates will finally give Pittsburgh the full playoff series it has been waiting for since 1992. The Giants will finally run out of gas after back-to-back seasons of hard-fought competition to reach October.
Divisional Series
| American League | |
| ALDS | |
| Toronto Blue Jays | |
| ALDS | |
| Detroit Tigers |
| National League | |
| NLDS | |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| NLDS | |
| Washington Nationals |
Albert Pujols and the Angels will come up short again. (www.monkeywithahalo.com)
In the American League Division Series, the Blue Jays will run through the Indians after Cleveland runs out of gas fighting through the Wild Card. Pitching should be fairly even, but offensively Toronto should have an advantage with Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. The Angels will once again come up short due to a lack of pitching to match up against the rotation of the Tigers. Detroit has the best hitters in baseball in Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, who can make up for any problems the pitching staff encounters. In the National League Division Series, the Cardinals will fall to the arms of the Dodgers, as Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke finally translate their dominance to October. The Nationals will continue their dominance as they fight past the Pirates. While the series could be tight, Washington has the pitching staff to quiet the bats of Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison, and the rest of the Pirates.
Championship Series
| American League | |
| Detroit Tigers |
| National League | |
| Washington Nationals |
The Championship Series will pair off great offenses in the American League as the power bats of the Blue Jays match up against the all-around hitting ability of the Tigers. The experience and rotation will be the difference for Detroit, even if Justin Verlander and David Price are not in vintage form. In the National League, the Championship Series will see the matchup of two great pitching staffs. Los Angeles will send Kershaw and Greinke to the mound to face off against Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez, and Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals will stop the Dodgers as Washington has a deeper roster and the ability to recover if any of its starters faulted.
World Series
The 2015 World Series will pit the Washington Nationals against the Detroit Tigers. Both have excellent pitching staffs and line-ups. Detroit has the better lineup, while Washington has the better pitching staff. The biggest advantage exists in the lineup for the Tigers, which will propel Detroit to another World Series victory in six games.
| Detroit Tigers | 4 games |
| 2 games |
The Detroit Tigers will be celebrating again in October. (www.blog.detroitathletic.com)
These are our predictions for the 2015 Major League Baseball season. Love it? Hate it? Time will tell if we are right or wrong. We never claim to know what will happen, but this is what we are predicting to happen. Now it is time to watch how bad our predictions turn out to be once they meet reality, while enjoying another great season of baseball.
D, J, and B
The Winning Run 