2017 NL Central Preview

1. 
   Chicago Cubs - Do I really need to explain this?

Bold prediction: The Cubs will have six players hit 20 or more homers.

Breakout player: Mike Montgomery SP

2. 
   St Louis Cardinals - Like it or not, the Cardinals have as much depth as the Cubs. They also have the talent to not only keep up, but to win the division. Don't expect the St Louis to be railroaded in the Central like they were last year. Dexter Fowler is a great addition.

Bold prediction: The Cardinals make a move for a big bat at the deadline. Perhaps Jose Abreu?

Breakout player: Luke Weaver SP

3. 
   Pittsburgh Pirates - Since the emergence of the Mets and Cubs in the National League, the Pirates have become the odd man out along with the Cardinals. There's plenty there though to remain competitive and get back to the postseason. Andrew McCutcheon needs to bounce back in a big way. Look for the Pirates to deal one of their surplus of outfielders to find more pitching depth.

Bold prediction: McCutcheon and Josh Bell are shipped off for a big arm.

Breakout player: Josh Bell 1B

4. 
   Milwaukee Brewers - The Brewers rebuild is nearly complete. With some terrific pitchers and hitters ready to help them win, it's just not going to be this year. Long year for the Brew Crew but good times are near.

Bold prediction: Ryan Braun moves on to a contender and the Brewers add some more pieces to get them into contention in a few years.

Breakout player: Zach Davies SP

5. 
   Cincinnati Reds - It seems like the Reds are a long ways off. I actually think they are closer than people think. I think they've done a good job of just stockpiling high ceiling guys. The Reds are going to have a long year this year though. You'll start to see some of the guys that should have an impact in the Queen City soon.

Bold prediction: The Reds play spoiler in September and frustrate some teams and their fans.

Breakout player: Jose Peraza 2B

2017 NL East Preview

1. 
   Washington Nationals - From the reigning Cy Young award winner to one of the best young sluggers in the game and perhaps another exciting young shortstop to join a plethora of them across baseball, the Nationals have the look of one of the best teams in baseball. I look for a huge bounce back year from Bryce Harper. The Nationals don't have a very complete lineup but it's exceptional in a lot of places making it very tough.

Bold prediction: Bryce Harper will hit 60 HRs.

Breakout player(s): Trea Turner SS/Joe Ross SP/Koda Glover RP

2. 
   New York Mets - Here's my theory: The 2017 New York Mets will win the world series. Lucas Duda is playing for likely the only payday of his career. Neil Walker is playing for probably his last payday of his career. Same for Jose Reyes and Jay Bruce. It's time for Matt Harvey to start putting together some consistency before he hits the free agent market in a few years. Jacob deGrom looks good in the spring. Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler have a lot to prove. I think there's all the makings of a big season from a lot of Mets and if there's one thing I know, you can bank on guys playing for more money (see what I did there?).

Bold prediction: Was them winning the World Series not bold enough? Here's one - The Mets have three pitchers in the top 5 of the Cy Young award voting.

Breakout player: Bob Gsellman SP

3. 
   Atlanta Braves - I'm not going to lie, I still have no idea what the Braves are doing but good grief do they have an impressive collection of young arms and Bartolo Colon. It's not the flashiest lineup but it should be good enough to give the Nationals and Mets a run for their money atop the division.

Bold prediction: The Braves keep themselves in the pennant race enough to make a few deadline moves. For fun I'm going to predict they add Evan Longoria near the deadline.

4. 
   Miami Marlins - If you don't feel for the Marlins and what happened to them with Jose Fernandez, you're just cold blooded. It'll be hard not to root for the Fish this year and while they have some great players, I just don't think the Fish have enough pitching to keep up in the pitching rich NL East. I think people finally saw how good Christian Yelich is during the WBC.

Bold prediction: Giancarlo Stanton engages Bryce Harper in a Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa like home run showdown.

Breakout player: JT Realmuto C

5. 
   Philadelphia Phillies - The Phillies, like the Braves have a really good collection of young pitchers. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility the Braves, Marlins and Phillies each finish at .500 or close to it. Philadelphia has something special brewing and if their collection of young arms start to contribute, the bandwagon is going to start to fill up fast.

Bold prediction: Philadelphia will get the nod to host the 2019 All Star 🌟 game, making the NL the host for the fifth time in six years.

Breakout player: Odubel Herrera OF

2017 AL Central Preview

1. 
   Cleveland Indians - Perhaps the best pitching staff in all the American League, if not baseball, the Tribe is in great position to maintain their claim as AL champs. Corey Kluber is going to deliver but to me, the key for Cleveland is what they get out of Danny Salazar and Carlos Carasco. If they can get 25-30 starts from each, there's no reason the Indians shouldn't get back to the World Series.
   

The Offseason of the New York Mets

You know guys, I was thinking about this.... It's been the offseason of the New York Mets.

It's crazy. Even though the Royals won the World Series and the Cubs had the headlines early with adding Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist, but the buzz is all about those pitchers - then Mike Piazza gets voted to the Hall of Fame.

Then they swoop in and resign Yoenis Cespedes - stunning everyone.

Now they announce Piazza is gonna get his number retired this summer.

I know a lot of teams are getting better too, but the Mets are winning the offseason with the headlines.

Now they gotta do it on the field.

It's a good time to be a Mets fan.

2015 Rookies Could Be Best Ever

The 2015 Major League Baseball rookie class will be one for the record books.

2015 Preview: Minnesota Twins

A lot of young teams that have fallen on tough times are going to bounce back this year, i.e. Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, etc.

However, one team I think has one more year before they are there is the Minnesota Twins.

To be up front, I love the Twins. I love what they do as an organization with few resources and playing in a tough market, and have found ways to be successful.

2015 MLB Power Rankings

Alright ladies and gentlemen, we are 5 weeks from Opening Night, and it is my favorite time of the year! When I put together my annual Power Rankings list and get a lot opinions.

As the Joker says: Here! We! Go!

Breakout Candidate Profile: Roenis Elias

There’s got to be something in the water in Cuba that gets their pitchers to develop the nastiest sliders you’ve ever seen.

Jose Fernandez has probably the nastiest slider I’ve seen on a right hander.

Obviously Aroldis Chapman has the 100-103 MPH fastball, but his equalizer is that devastating slider.

Add a young Cuban lefty Roenis Elias to that list.

Breakout Candidate Profile: Avisail Garcia

Looking for that next outfielder that’s going to hit you a decent to high average, hit some home runs, steal some bases, and score some runs? Basically do everything you need to help you win your league? Then look no further than White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia.

Pitchers and Catchers: The Biggest Non-Event of the Year

PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT TODAY!!!!!!!! YES, GET PSYCHED OUT OF YOUR SKULLS!!!!!

I’m sorry friends, but I just can’t. I realize this is the symbolic “starting of baseball” and all that crap, but c’mon, you’re going to get psyched today, and then until spring training games start in another 10-14 days, literally nothing is going to happen.

Breakout Candidate Profile: James Paxton

Six-foot-four, 220 pounds, a power left handed arm with a career 2.66 career ERA. Who would you think I AM talking about? David Price? Clayton Kershaw? Chris Sale? Aroldis Chapman?

No.

Seattle’s James Paxton.

Breakout Candidate Profile: Kennys Vargas & Oswaldo Arcia

Ladies and gentlemen, all those of you who follow me know I’m high on the Chicago Cubs and their future. No I’m not a Cubs fan, but it really doesn’t take a genius to sit back and see what that franchise is doing and think, “my God, it’s not will they win a championship, but how many”, amIright?

Well I come to to you today to say, they may be butting heads in an October near you with the Minnesota Twins.

No I’m not doing do my Twins preview early, I’m here to profile two mighty powerful hitters you may, or may not, know about, that are going to have tremendous 2015 campaigns.

Breakout Candidate Profile: Marcell Ozuna

Friends, I come to you today with a question for you.

Do you ever get in the draft room, your draft is going great; you’ve got all your sleeper picks, Zack Greinke fell to you in the fourth round after you passed because you needed power, you’ve found that under the radar guy, or a guy you think no one knows about, and then your buddy, the only guy you’ve told about this particular player, goes and grabs your mancrush? Or even worse, the guy in your league who has no idea who he is grabs him because he saw his picture in a Matthew Berry article or in a Tweet by some second rate fantasy service?

We’ve all been there, am I right?