Month: March 2019

First place: Boston Red SoxRecord: 99-63Wait, he’s on the team?: Nobody. This is exactly the same team as last year minus Craig KimbrelBreakout?: Andrew Benintendi, maybe? OK rookie season to fine sophomore season to Yaz-like MVP candidate?Not too sure about: Making zero moves. There’s something that you should know about preseason predictions — we like…

First place: Washington NationalsRecord: 90-72Wait, he’s on the team?: Brian DozierBreakout?: Victor Robles. All the tools. Might be his time.Not too sure about: Ryan Zimmerman Let’s talk for a minute about Stephen Strasburg. He was, I believe, the most hyped pitcher of my lifetime. Sports Illustrated sent me to Rochester back in 2010 to try…

First place: Cleveland IndiansRecord: 90-72Wait, he’s on the team?: Carlos Santana (again?)Breakout?: Shane Bieber. I’m totally a Belieber.Not too sure about: The construction of this team. Cleveland has, I believe, the best rotation in baseball. The Tribe also has two of the 10 best players in the game in Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. And…

First place: Milwaukee BrewersRecord: 88-74Wait, he’s on the team?: Yasmani GrandalBreakout?: Brandon Woodruff. He brings some of that fastball/slider strikeout heat that defines the Brewers bullpen for a rotation that needs it.Not too sure about: Orlando Arcia. I’m always fascinated by how guys like Jhoulys Chacin can get people out. He’s been getting people out…

First place: Houston AstrosRecord: 104-58Wait, he’s on the team?: Michael BrantleyBreakout?: Carlos Correa. He’s won the Rookie of the Year and been an All-Star, but you get the sense that this might be the year he becomes an MVP candidate.Not too sure about: George Springer in centerfield. No weaknesses. I don’t really know what else…

We begin our baseball preview in the National League West because … nobody ever begins in the National League West. First place: Los Angeles DodgersRecord: 95-67Wait, he’s on the team?: A.J. PollockBreakout?: Cody Bellinger. Let’s just predict that he puts up MVP numbers.Not too sure about: Clayton Kershaw’s health. I have already forgotten the 2018…

Continuing with your votes for the 100 best Hall of Fame candidates. No. 35: Thurman MunsonScore: 54.3 By bWAR, Thurman Munson was the second-best catcher of the 1970s after Johnny Bench. You can build a pretty convincing Hall of Fame argument around that. Munson won the MVP award in 1976 … in retrospect, that award…

There’s something about Ichiro Suzuki’s Baseball-Reference page that I just don’t like. This is nobody’s fault — certainly not the fault of BR. As far as I know, all the numbers on there are accurate to the last decimal point. The page is brilliantly laid out, like all the rest. The statistical package is incredible;…

You can’t give out awards retroactively. It’s funny to lead off this monster post that way since, over the next few thousand words, it will absolutely look like I’m giving out Cy Young awards retroactively. But I want to explain what I think is a subtle difference. Awards — we’re talking here about baseball awards,…

On July 21, 1975, Joe Torre came to Shea Stadium believing that his slump, finally, was over. He had just turned 35, three days earlier, and he celebrated by cracking three hits against his former team, the Braves. He needed that. For about a month, he hadn’t hit a thing — .179 with just three…