Will the Tiger Finally Lose Its Bite?

Will the Tiger Finally Lose Its Bite?

 

The Detroit Tigers have dominated the AL Central for the last few years. Sure they’ve had very good teams, which cannot be taken away from them. However, the dominance has had more to do with the other teams in the division having a severe lack of talent to compete with them. That changes this season. The White Sox will not sniff the playoffs but they are an improved team who can steal some wins away. Also, Kansas City has improved to the point that not being in the wild card hunt this season would be a disappointment. Then there is Cleveland. They were a wild card team last season under new manager Terry Francona and have the pieces to make a division title run. Many factors have led me to one conclusion; Detroit will not make the playoffs this year.

With Brad Ausmus in his first year at the helm there will be some growing pains as he gets accustomed to managing at the big league level. Managing the bullpen will be a big indicator of how he will fare as a manager. Behind Verlander and Scherzer there is a big dropoff in talent. Everyone points to Anibal Sanchez being so underrated and a terrific pitcher but I don’t see it. Sure you could have a lot worse but I don’t think he’s the be all end all everyone makes him out to be. Drew Smyly is a question mark in the rotation over the long haul of a season. There’s no telling how he will perform. Then there’s Rick Porcello. Everyone is waiting for this guy to have his breakout year which hasn’t happened yet and after a few seasons of waiting people may need to accept that it isn’t going to happen and this is the exact type of pitcher he will be. The infield is completely remodeled and should be better defensively. Miguel Cabrera is no defensive whiz wherever he plays but being at first is much better for him. Ian Kinsler replaces Omar Infante which is an upgrade on defense but may prove to be a wash on offense. I see Kinsler as a guy in regression and taking him out of Texas and putting him in Ford Field will hurt his numbers even more. Nick Castellanos is a rookie who is much better with the bat than he is with the glove. Starting out he is going to have some defensive inefficiencies as he continues to improve but the Tigers have to hope those early struggles in the field do not carry over to the plate. Jose Iglesias is the polar opposite of Castellanos. Thrives in the field and lags behind at the plate. He is out to start the year with bilateral tibia stress fractures and it is uncertain how long he will miss. Losing Prince Fielder will hurt Miguel Cabrera as far as protection is concerned. Pitchers can be more careful and work around Cabrera.

I expect this team to be in the hunt for the second wild card spot, they won’t be falling to 2013 Nationals levels of losing, but I expect them to come up just short. They need to work on their depth and find better protection for their almost quarter of a billion dollar man. Often injured Victor Martinez is not the answer.

We will be back tomorrow with predictions on the playoffs and awards for the year. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.

The Many Questions Facing the Atlanta Braves

The Many Questions Facing the Atlanta Braves

 

 

The Atlanta Braves are coming off a season in which they won the NL East with ease. Between injuries, questions about production from some players, and an improved Washington Nationals team, it won’t be so easy this season. The NL East is going to be a two team dogfight between the Braves and Nationals. I feel both teams will make the playoffs because the National League wild card situation is murky. In order for the Braves to be the division winner and not have to play in the wild card game there are some questions that they will need to answer.

How much will losing Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy hurt the rotation? There’s still plenty of talent with Teheran, Santana, Wood, and Minor when he comes back. If these guys can stay healthy, and not tax the bullpen, the Braves will be in good shape. Another question they have to answer is whether Evan Gattis can be an everyday catcher. There’s no question El Oso Blanco can hit but how good can his defense and pitch framing be? Ryan Doumit isn’t much better but hopefully between the two they can hold steady until Christian Bethancourt is ready. If the Braves can get any production out of the cadavers known as Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton it would be a miracle. Lucky for them the rest of the lineup is so good they can somehow get away with two everyday players playing well below replacement level. 

That’s enough of the question marks; let’s talk about the players that make this team great. Freddie Freeman had a phenomenal year last year and signed an extension in the offseason, solidifying him as the face of the franchise. I expect great things from Freeman again this year and he is my pick to win the NL MVP Award. I look forward to many instances of him stretching out into a split to pick a ball at first and make the out. With Derek Jeter and his jump throw retiring at the end of the season that patented Freeman play may become the new signature move everyone knows about. Speaking of shortstops, let’s talk about the best defensive shortstop in baseball, Andrelton Simmons. This guy is a vacuum with a rocket arm that will have a trophy case full of Gold Gloves. He does need to work on his pitch selection because he swings at everything. A more patient approach at the plate with the flashes of power he’s shown and he will be one of the best all-around players in the game. The top of the order with Jason Heyward and Justin Upton is as dangerous a 1-2 combo as you’ll find. Huge credit has to be given to Fredi Gonzalez for making that move. Heyward should have a good season if he can stay healthy and I expect Justin Upton to have a typical Justin Upton season. Closing out games for the Braves is the best closer bar none in the sport Craig Kimbrel. The fastball he is equipped with is a gift from the heavens. The guy does not rattle and is the definition of consistency. With Mariano retired the torch has been passed and Kimbrel will not let it burn out for a very long time.

We will be back tomorrow for our last team preview with a look at the Tigers and why they will lose their grip on the AL Central. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.

Not Even The Wizard Can Help Emerald City

Not Even The Wizard Can Help Emerald City

 

 

Seattle, known as The Emerald City, is the land of Starbucks, Macklemore, and underwhelming baseball. The Mariners have not had consistent winning seasons since 2000-2003. They have done a horrendous job of putting teams together and also developing quality homegrown hitters. They’ve done pretty well with pitchers but some of that success has to be attributed to the dimensions of Safeco Field as much as talent. Seattle solved the hitting problem by signing Robinson Cano this offseason, their first middle of the order threat since the days of Alex Rodriguez. The only problem is, after Cano, there is absolutely no one in this lineup. The Mariners also acquired Corey Hart and Logan Morrison to shore up their offense. Only problem is Hart is coming off injuries and is a shell of himself and Morrison can’t produce wins just by being great on Twitter. Social media acumen aside, Morrison is injury prone, horrendous in the field, and too inconsistent with the bat. Mike Zunino and Brad Miller join the team for a full season this year and can potentially be good but knowing the team’s track record with hitters I’m not too optimistic. Dustin Ackley is at another position where he will underperform and not hit and Justin Smoak is getting yet another chance to show he cannot be an everyday first baseman.

Pitching is the strength of this team and there are few stronger than King Felix. He will once again dominate the competition and waste a year of his prime in Seattle. He very well may not have a running mate this year to dominate alongside him as Hisashi Iwakuma has never had back to back good seasons in his career thus far. Tiajuan Walker will be starting the year on the DL but he, along with James Paxton are the future of this rotation. They may start off slow due to nerves, coming off injuries, and being full time starters but they will develop into top of the order starters. Once again, it will all be for naught though if the Mariners cannot find some hitters to consistently contribute other than Cano.

The bullpen is very good as well but that has as much to do with Safeco. Like the Padres and Petco Park, you can plug any reliever in and their stats will see a positive uptick. Fernando Rodney should do very well with the opportunities he will get to close, when he does in fact get them. Daniel “Lord” Farquhar will be a bright spot as well. He proved last year how well he can pitch and I expect that to continue.

Seattle needs to be very thankful, at least for now, that the Astros are not ready to contend. It will save them from a last place finish once more but the Astros have major pieces ready to contribute come the second half of this season and beyond. If Seattle cannot get the hitters they need and surround Cano with better talent, it could be a very long time in the cellar for this team.

We will be back tomorrow with a look at the Atlanta Braves and their chances of repeating as NL East Champions. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.

The Cardinal Way

The Cardinal Way

 

 

As far as Major League Organizations, there are none better than the St. Louis Cardinals. Year in and year out they field a winning and contending team and are second to none from top to bottom. Whether it’s scouting, player development, signings, or trades no one hits the jackpot as often as the Cardinals do. Not many teams are capable of letting a Hall of Famer like Albert Pujols walk and not miss a beat. This team reached the World Series last season and has to be the favorite to do it again.

On the pitching side of things they have developed so many quality arms that top prospect Carlos Martinez and his Twitter fascination with porn will be used in a setup role. The unquestioned ace and leader of the staff is Adam Wainwright who despite some injuries has come back stronger than ever. After Wainwright there’s Michael “Fozzy Bear” Wacha, who burst onto the scene last season in dominating fashion. Lance Lynn, who has had a phenomenal spring, leading in strikeouts, and Shelby Miller give them two more young horses to throw out. The bullpen other than Martinez and Rosenthal could be a little weak but time will tell on that.

If there is one defined weakness of this team, at least for now, it’s the bench. However, once Oscar Taveras is ready to slide into right field and allow Allen Craig to play first and move Matt Adams to a reserve role, that problem will be fixed. Shortstop was a position of weakness for St. Louis last season but the signing of Jhonny Peralta solidifies the position. The team traded David Freese in order to free up third base for breakout star Matt Carpenter and allow Kolten Wong to play second. Being able to get better and younger at two positions is rare in baseball. Matt Carpenter could have easily won the MVP last season over Andrew McCutchen. He became the first player since Pete Rose in 1976 to lead the league in doubles, runs scored, and hits. If he continues to play anywhere near that pace he could have the hardware in his possession. The criminally underrated hit machine Matt Holliday is back and although his defense is nothing to brag about, he will be helped by Peter Bourjos in center. With the speed Bourjos possesses the defensive burden of Holliday can be hidden well. Then of course there is Yadier Molina who will continue to do Yadier things and be the best catcher in the game.

The Cardinals very well could run away with the NL Central and the best record in the National League. Many people will consider the Dodgers the favorite for best record and to be the National League representative in the World Series but I am not one of those people. St. Louis will once again find themselves in the Fall Classic and who knows; maybe they bring the trophy home this year.  

We will be back tomorrow with a look at Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.

Forget the Outfield, Anaheim Needs Angels on the Mound

Forget the Outfield, Anaheim Needs Angels on the Mound

 

 

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have not been to the postseason since 2009, despite being a playoff regular for much of the aughts. Even though pitching has been their main problem, the offense has certainly deserved some blame as well, despite some pretty impressive talent. The Angels have the best player in all of baseball, one of the greatest players of all time, and a guy who is one of the greatest pure talents in the game over the last 20-25 years. How can a team be on a playoff drought with such quality talent? The answer is simple. Management from Mike Scioscia on up to General Manager Jerry Dipoto and Owner Arte Moreno are to blame. Spending big money on superstar talent and then filling the roster out with replacement level talent doesn’t work, especially when most of that replacement level talent is in charge of run prevention and getting the other team out.

All discussions about the Angels begin and end with Mike Trout, the best baseball player on planet Earth. Honestly, he may be even better than whatever baseball talent is in outer space also. What he has accomplished over the past two seasons are unlike anything we as fans have ever seen. He is fourth in the Majors in WAR over the last three seasons, and again, HE’S ONLY PLAYED TWO SEASONS!!!! Unfortunately though, the guy can’t do everything by himself. Big money was spent on both Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton and so far nothing to show for it. Pujols is certainly on the downside of his brilliant career and Hamilton may have had the talent drained from his body by the Monstar from Space Jam that is most likely inhabiting Trout’s body. Hamilton is a swing and miss machine who has never seen a pitch he didn’t like. Pujols and Hamilton need to regain some of that old mojo if the Angels want to compete for a playoff spot, especially when they play in a division with both Texas and Oakland. Both of those teams are dealing with injuries and the Rangers have some depth issues, so the time is now to capitalize and return to form in Anaheim.

In order for that to happen though it is going to take a pitching miracle. Jered Weaver is a decent pitcher when healthy, C.J. Wilson is one of the most hit or miss pitchers in baseball, and the rest of the rotation has more question marks than The Riddler’s suit. The bullpen isn’t much better. They are going to have to catch lightning in a bottle if they want to sustain success. Another big problem for this team is a farm system that is pretty barren with talent. This is a team that could be in big trouble until the Pujols and Hamilton money come off the books, and if I were Mike Trout I would think long and hard about my future after this season and whether I would want to continue to waste my prime with this team.

We will be back tomorrow with a look at the National League Champion Cardinals who are primed to make another World Series appearance. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.

Can The Jolly Roger Set Sail for October Once Again?

Can The Jolly Roger Set Sail for October Once Again?

 

 

Last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped their playoff drought of over 20 years. They would love to build off that success and keep the momentum going but it’s going to be a tough voyage. They face stiff divisional competition from the Cardinals, and also wild card competition from the Diamondbacks, Braves, and Nationals. Can they strike gold once again with the pitching staff and bullpen? Can they overcome having to play Gaby Sanchez at first base? Will the young kids come up to the big show and shine like they did last season? There are many questions facing this team’s journey to find the treasure chest. 

MVP Winner Andrew McCutchen returns as the backbone of this lineup and the engine that makes it run. Pedro Alvarez took a step forward to stardom by having a career year, but he does need to cut back on the strikeouts. Starling Marte is a perfect table setter and Neil Walker will continue to improve and be an important piece for his hometown team. Russell Martin is having a terrific spring but he is in the lineup more for his ability to pitch frame and work with a staff than he is for his offense. Having to play Gaby Sanchez at first base is going to be a problem for this team. First base is obviously a premiere position and giving Sanchez as many at bats as he will have could give Pittsburgh one of the worst first basemen from a production standpoint in all of baseball. Top outfield prospect Gregory Polanco will get the call up at some point in 2014 and I see him being an immediate contributor.

The Pirates struck gold when it came to the pitching staff and especially the bullpen in 2013. Gerrit Cole came up and showed he can be the ace to carry this staff for years to come. Jeff Locke has a tremendous first half but tired out and slipped in the second half. Now that he knows what to expect and can better prepare himself for the long haul I see a return to first half form. Francisco Liriano had a phenomenal year and expecting him to do that again is asking too much. Expect a big time regression year from him. Brandon Cumpton made some spot starts last season and showed he could be a good back end of the rotation starter. The biggest question the Pirates face this season is when they will pull the trigger and bring up Jameson Taillon. It seems like we as fans have been waiting forever to see this guy on an MLB mound, and that time should come before the All-Star break.

If the Pirates can tread water for most of the first half and can pull off a trade for a more productive first baseman they could enjoy a second straight trip to the postseason. If these guys all hit a regression stage at the same time and have trouble getting out of the gate it will be a long summer in Steel City.

We will be back tomorrow with a look at the Angels and whether or not they can get back to contention. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.

Despite Big Spending Yankees Are No Contender

Despite Big Spending Yankees Are No Contender

 

Quick disclaimer to start things off here; I am a diehard Yankee fan and most Yankee fans will not share my same opinion, but I hope this is one outcome on the season I get completely wrong. The Yankees came into this offseason almost certain they would be losing Robinson Cano after his outlandish contract demands were made public. While Cano certainly is someone who can be questioned for his hustle there’s no mistaking the fact that he is one of the best pure hitters in baseball. Due to Cano leaving town it freed up money for the Yankees to acquire every item on their wish list and then some. Trouble is there are still too many problem areas and question marks surrounding this team.

On offense the Yankees have an infield surrounded by uncertainty. Mark Teixeira has already said his wrist is still not 100% and it will be a while before it will be. Asking Brian Roberts to come in and be a starter when he hasn’t played a full season since 2009 is asking way too much. The injuries began piling up and the after effects of a concussion have just been too much for Roberts lately. At shortstop there is God himself Derek Jeter, but despite worshipping the ground the man walks on, he is 40 years old and coming off a major ankle injury which will limit his already limited range at short. Kelly Johnson will be playing third base and while he is a fine utility infielder to have to spell guys or start a few games, giving him 500-600 at bats in a season will shine a light on his shortcomings as an everyday player. Brian McCann is the only bright spot behind the plate, a position the Yankees needed to upgrade desperately. The short porch in right field should help his power numbers and the attitude and feistiness he brings to the team is a welcomed addition. The bench for the Yankees is not very strong. Brendan Ryan, Ichiro, Eduardo Nunez, Francisco Cervelli just to name a few are not guys I have much confidence in should an injury occur or a big hit is needed late in a game.

On the pitching side of things, the ace of the staff, C.C. Sabathia was battling velocity issues last season and now looks like a child I want to support for the price of a cup of coffee so that will not help matters. He deserves tremendous praise for the discipline and commitment to get into better shape but it could end up hurting him from a pitching perspective. Hiroki Kuroda is a suitable hand to have available. He may not be lights out like he was for the first part of last season but I don’t think he’s as bad as he was in the second half. Big money acquisition Masahiro Tanaka is a wild card in this deck. His stuff translates well and he should have great success, but the bright lights of Broadway have affected far better than him. Michael Pineda has looked fantastic this spring and if he can stay healthy and sustain the success throughout the year then the Yankees have the young building block they thought they were getting when they gave up Jesus Montero. The bullpen is filled with question marks as well. The talent is there but the ability to handle high leverage situations in New York is certainly lacking. With Mariano Rivera gone, David Robertson should slide in just fine as the closer, but fans need to worry about the guys who need to get the game to him. If they can be successful then this bullpen could be one of the best, but for now it looks suspect.

 The Yankees are an improved team from the disaster that was last season, but still not improved enough. A lot of things will have to break right for this team to reach the playoffs with all the strong competition in the American League, especially within its own division. Getting to say goodbye to The Captain in person this season for 20 games will make this season a memorable one no matter what happens but I would love for you to prove me wrong fellas. Please, I’m begging you.

We will be back tomorrow with a look at whether the Pirates can sustain their 2013 success. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @changingspeeds for all our coverage of the national pastime.