2021 MLB All-Star Voting Phase 2

The second phase of the MLB All-Star voting ends at 1:59 p.m. ET on July 1, 2021. If you haven't voted yet, be sure to get in your votes in here before then! The players I voted for are above.

2021 MLB All-Star Voting

MLB All-Star voting ends Thursday. If you haven't voted yet, be sure to get in your votes in here before then! The players I voted for are above.

 

2016 NLDS and ALDS Preview

American League

Blue Jays vs. Rangers

How they got here: The Blue Jays won the AL Wildcard Game over the Orioles behind an explosive offense and solid pitching. Meanwhile, the Rangers won the AL West and homefield advantage throughout the AL Playoffs for the second straight year with an insane 36-11 record in 1-run games. 

Prediction: In this series, I like Rangers to get revenge on the Blue Jays for beating them last year in the ALDS. Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish are two aces that Toronto can't match.

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Red Sox vs. Indians

How they got here: The Red Sox slugged their way to the AL East title, with a fearsome lineup top to bottom, led by MVP candidate Mookie Betts and retiring DH David Ortiz. Meanwhile, the Indians own the AL Central behind solid starting pitching and timely hitting. 

Prediction:  Can't go against the retiring Big Papi and the playoff experience of the Red Sox.

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National League

Dodgers vs. Nationals

How they got here: LA won the NL West behind an outstanding pitching staff, led by ace Clayton Kershaw, trade deadline acquistion Rich Hill, and rookie Kenta Maeda. Washington's pitching was also outstanding as it won the NL East, behind ace Max Scherzer, Steven Strasburg, and Tanner Roark.

Prediction: Runs will at a premium in this series, with outstanding starting pitching on both sides. It comes down to clutch hitting and I think the Nationals suffer due to the loss of Wilson Ramos and the banged up Daniel Murphy.
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Giants vs. Cubs

How they got here: Giants rode a Madison Bumgarner shutout to win the NL Wild Card last night 3-0 in New York, while the Cubs won the NL Central with ease, behind the best pitching staff in baseball and an equally great offense.

Prediction: I might be a fool to pick against the Giants in an even numbered year, but this is the Cubs year and they are the team to beat. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo produce just enough runs for the Cubbies to advance.

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My 2016 MLB Awards

The regular season has ended, with my Astros missing the playoffs =(. The playoffs begin Tuesday night with the AL Wildcard between the Orioles and Blue Jays (I'm picking the Jays), but before then, here are my picks for the regular season awards.

AL MVP: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox (.318 AVG, 31 HR, 113 RBI, 26 SB)
Mike Trout had another unbelievable season, but can't give the award to a team that finished 14 games under .500. And Betts has been the catalyst at the top of the explosive Red Sox lineup which won the AL East.
NL MVP: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs (.292 AVG, 39 HR, 102 RBI) 
Easy pick here, Bryant has been the most complete offensive player on the best team in the major leagues. 
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers (16-9, 3.04 ERA, 254 K)
Close one between Verlander and Boston's Rick Porcello but I give Verlander his 2nd Cy Young award for leading the league in strikeouts and WHIP. 
NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer (20-7, 2.96 ERA, 284 K)
Clayton Kershaw's back injury lost him this award. Scherzer gets it based on his 20 wins and league leading 284 strikeouts.
AL Rookie of Year:  Michael Fulmer, Detroit Tigers (11-7, 3.06 ERA, 132 K)
Fulmer was a consistent force at the top of the Tigers rotation, cumulating 10 straight starts allowing 2 or less earned runs and a stretch of 15 of 21 straight of 6 or more innings.
NL Rookie of Year:  Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers (.308 AVG, 26 HR, 72 RBI) 
The 22-year old Seager might already be the face of the Dodgers in their lineup, leading them in average and slugging percentage.

MLB All-Star Voting

MLB All-Star voting ends Thursday. If you haven't voted yet, be sure to get in your votes in here before then! The players I voted for are below.

MLB Final Vote Picks

The majority of the MLB All-Stars have been announced this year, but there are two spots left, one on each team, to be determined by the MLB Final-Vote, which goes on now until Friday.

Here are my picks for the final vote:


That's Brett Gardner of the Yankees for the AL and Johnny Cueto of the Reds for the NL.

Vote here.

Happy Independence Day!

HAPPY JULY FOURTH everyone. Today, our country is 239 years old. I hope everyone will enjoy the fireworks tonight and stay cool.

Earlier today, Matt Stonie upset Joey Chestnut in the Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest, downing 62 hotdogs in 10 minutes, to win by 2 hotdogs.

Also, at Wimbledon, the defending champion on the women's side is out, as Jelena Jankovic upset Petra Kvitová 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the third round.

If you're in front of a TV tonight, you can watch America's pasttime, with America's Game of the Week on FOX (regional action, led by Mets @ Dodgers).

2014 World Series Prediction

Have blown my last three World Series picks, but here's to trying to break my streak.

The 2014 World Series Champion will be...

Here's why:

Both league championship series were quick dominations by the streaking Royals and Giants. Here's why San Francisco will win their third World Series title in 6 years.

Lineups

Both teams were middle in the pack in the runs scored during the regular season, and rely more on small ball and getting the timely hits. The Royals have stolen 13 bases in 8 postseason games so far, which leads the majors, and have the hottest two hitters in this series in Eric Hosmer (.448, 2 HR, 8 RBI this postseason) and Mike Moustakas (.241, 4 HR, 5 RBI). Meanwhile, the Giants have relied on taking advantage of opponents' fielding errors, as well as getting timely hits from the Pablo "Mr. October" Sandoval (14 hits in 10 games) and Brandon Belt (6 RBI), in addition to their usual production from Buster Posey and Hunter Pence.

Edge: Royals

Pitching:

Championships are determined by pitching, and both teams have outstanding staffs. Kansas City's strength is in its bullpen, with fireballers Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, and Greg Holland being virtually unhittable this postseason, as they have a combined 0.89 WHIP in their 25.2 innings pitched. Meanwhile, the Giants' starting pitching has been equally impressive, as NLCS MVP Madison Bumgarner (2-1, 1.42 ERA, 28 K), Jake Peavy (1.86 ERA), and Tim Hudson (1.02 ERA) bring a wealth of playoff experience may be the best three starters in the series.

Edge: Giants

This series is about as even as they come, and the question will be whether the Royals, who have yet to lose a postseason game, will be a team of destiny. I certainly am rooting for them to finish of 29 years of misery with a title.

In the end, however, I think the Giants have the better pitching, experience, and managing edge (Bruce Bochy has yet to lose a series he has managed), and will establish a mini-dynasty with their 3rd title in 6 years.

Giants in 7

2014 LCS Picks

ALCS
Two Cinderella's in the American League Championship Series, as the Royals are back for the first time since 1985 and the Orioles for the first time since 1997. The Orioles swept the Tigers, beating the last three AL Cy Young winners, while the Royals swept the Angels with continued late game heroics. 

Both pitching staffs are good, with James Shields, Yordano Ventura, and Jason Vargas on one side and Chris Tillman, Bud Norris, and Miguel Gonzealez on the other. However, its the outstanding bullpens which has brought these teams so far. Greg Holland and Wade Davis for the Royals and Zach Britton and Andrew Miller for the Orioles have allowed the teams to win close games, by not allowing leads to be blown. As far as the offenses, the Orioles rely on the longball, and ranked 1st in the majors in HR, with Nelson Cruz, Adam Jones, and Chris Davis in the middle of the lineup. Meanwhile, the Royals rely on small ball, leading the league in steals, with guys like Jarrod Dyson, Alcides Escobar, and Lorenzo Cain causing havoc on the basepaths. Whichever team can assert their style of play the best will win the series. 

Ultimately, although I'm rooting for the Orioles, I don't think you can continue to rely on the home runs this late into October, and KC is all too big of a role at the moment.
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NLCS
Here we go again, with a rematch of the 2012 NLCS, and the winners of the last 4 NL pennants going at it, as the Giants upset the top-seeded Nationals and the Cardinals knocked around Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.

It starts and ends with pitching for the these teams, and the quality of starters is markable, with Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy, and Ryan Vogelsong on one side, and Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, and John Lackey on the other side. Safe to say runs will be hard to come by in this series, especially given how each team scored in the NLDS, with the Giants taking advantage of shoddy defense by the Nationals, and the Cardinals getting unlikely power from Matt Carpenter and Matt Adams.

In the end, although it's a tossup, I'm going to go with the Giants due to the fact it is an even number year (They won World Series in 2010 and 2012).

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2014 NLDS and ALDS Preview

National League

Cardinals vs. Dodgers

How they got here: St. Louis won the NL Central for the second straight season, behind their usual awesome starting pitching staff of Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller, and John Lackey, who was acquired at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Dodgers proved money does buy division titles, as they won the NL West behind Cy Young/NL MVP-favorite Clayton Kershaw and the offensive production of Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig.

Prediction: In this series, the pitching should be sensational, with the Dodgers matching St. Louis with Kershaw, Zack Grienke, and Hyin-Jin Ryu. It'll come down to the offenses, and LA definitely has more depth up and down the lineup than the anemic Cardinals
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Giants vs. Nationals

How they got here: Giants rode a Madison Bumgarner shutout to win the NL Wild Card last night 8-0 in Pittsburgh, while the Nationals won the NL East with ease, behind the best pitching staff in the National League (1st in ERA, 2nd in WHIP)

Prediction: In this series, I like the Nats' pitching of Steven Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, and Doug Fister to shut down a Giants lineup that relies Buster Posey and Hunter Pence way too much to produce in the clutch.

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American League
Tigers vs. Orioles

How they got here: Detroit won the AL Central for the fourth straight season, despite some shoddy pitching this year, even after the addition of David Price from the Rays. Meanwhile, the Orioles won a relatively weak AL East for the first time since 1997.

Prediction: In this series, I like Baltimore's superior pitching and bullpen to beat a Detroit team that is running out of time to prove that it can still win a World Series.

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Royals vs. Angels

How they got here: The Angels cruised to their first AL West title since 2009, behind an offense which scored the most runs in the American League, led by MVP-favorite Mike Trout and a rejuvenated Albert Pujols. Meanwhile, the Cinderalla-run of the Royals continues, as they won came back from 4 runs down to tie the A's in the 9th, then tied them and beat them in the 12th inning in the AL Wild Card.

Prediction: As much as momentum often plays in the playoffs, I just think the Angels have a more experienced team, with a more explosive offense.

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My 2014 MLB Awards

The regular season has ended, my Astros having another record-setting season for worst team ever (15 straight losses to end the year!). The playoffs begin Tuesday night with the NL Wildcard between the Pirates and the Reds, but before then, here are my picks for the regular season awards.

Thrilling AL Wild Card game last night, with KC winning in 12 innings. NL Wild Card is tonight with Giants visiting Pirates. Before then, here are my picks for awards in baseball this year.
AL MVP: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (.287 AVG, 36 HR, 111 RBI)
Trout's overall batting average and stolen bases numbers are actually down, but he has career highs in home runs, RBIs, and the Angels won the AL West. Michael Brantley of Indians finishes a distant second.
NL MVP/Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (21-3, 1.77 ERA, 239K)
Not only should the best pitcher in baseball win the Cy Young, I think he is also deserving of the MVP, given his ridiculous record, minuscule ERA, gaudy strikeout totals. Also, the fact that the Dodgers won the NL West rather easily helps him best the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton, whose team was under .500.
AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners (15-6, 2.14 ERA, 248 K)
King Felix wins his second Cy Young, with the lowest ERA and lowest WHIP in the AL since Pedro Martinez in 2000. Corey Cluber of the Indians finishes a close second.
AL Rookie of Year: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox (.317 AVG, 36 HR, 107 RBI)
The Cuban signing should finish in the top 5 of most AL MVP ballots, given his amazing hitting stats (5th in AL in average, 3rd in HR, 4th in RBI. There were big expectations bestowed on him before the year began, and he's only exceeded all of them. Dellin Betances of the Yankees finishes a very distant second.
NL Rookie of Year: Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati Reds (.250 AVG, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 56 SB)
Hamilton was lethal on the bases, finishing second in the league in steals, behind only Dee Gordon. He also played outstanding defense in centerfield for the Red. Jacob de Grom of Mets finishes close second.

MLB Trade Deadline Central

Athletics Acquire Jon Lester
Oakland goes all-in on its World Series chances, as they trade for star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for starting pitcher Jon Lester and outfielder Jonny Gomes. Lester, who was the ace on the Red Sox championship team a year ago and will be a free agent this offseason, joins a stacked Oakland rotation that now features Scott Kazmir, Jeff Samardijza, Sonny Gray, and Jesse Chavez. Meanwhile, the A's offense takes a bit of a hit, while Boston gets a middle-of-the-order run producer for 1 1/2 years at the least.
Tigers Acquire David Price
A few hours after the A's improved their pitching, the Tigers drastically improved theirs, acquiring 2012 AL Cy Young David Price from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that also saw Tampa getting Drew Smyly, Nick Franklin, and Willy Adames and Seattle getting Austin Jackson.
Astros Trade Cosart
My hometown Astros continue their annual firesale, trading 24-year old Jarred Cosart, Kiké Hernandez, and minor leaguer Austin Wates in exchange for Colin Moran, Jake Marisnick, Francis Martes, and a 2015 compensation draft pick. Can we please go back to 2005?
Yanks Get Stephen Drew
Yankees and Red Sox swap infielders, with Stephen Drew going to the Bronx, while Kelly Johnson and cash goes to Red Sox.
Nationals Acquire Cabrera
Washington upgrades its infield, getting former all-star SS Asdrubal Cabrera from Cleveland in exchange for Zach Walters
Cardinals Acquire Lackey
Boston's firesale continues as they trade SP John Lackey, Corey Littrell, and cash to St. Louis in exchange for postseason heroes Joe Kelly and Allen Craig.
Brewers Acquire Parra
Milwaukee boosts its outfield depth, getting Geraldo Parra from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Mitch Haniger and Anthony Banda.
Twins Acquire Millone
Minnesota gets lefty SP Tommy Millone from the A's in exchange for outfielder Sam Fuld.
Braves Acquire Russell, Bonifacio from Cubs
Atlanta acquires James Russell and Emilio Bonifacio from Cubs in exchange for Victor Caratini and cash.

MLB All-Star Voting

MLB All-Star voting ends on Thursday night. So if you haven't voted 25 times yet, be sure to vote at MLB.com. The players I voted for are below (Click images to enlarge)

Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2014

For the first time since 1999, the Baseball Writers of America elected three players to the Hall of Fame, as pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, as well as DH Frank Thomas all will be enshrined in Cooperstown on July 27 this year.

Maddux was a no-brainer first ballot Hall of Famer, as he won 355 games, 8th-most in major league history, winning four Cy Young Awards and posting a 3.16 ERA in his 23 seasons, mostly with the Braves and the Cubs.

Glavine, similarly, was a no-brainer selection, winning 305 games, good for fourth-most among left-handed pitchers, winning 2 Cy Young awards, and posting five 20-win seasons in a 22-year career with the Braves and Mets.

Thomas, a long-time DH with the White Sox was also deserving, as he hit .301 lifetime, with 521 home runs and 1704 RBI in 19 major-league seasons, winning two MVP awards.

However, for the second straight year, lifetime Astro Craig Biggio was snubbed from the Hall of Fame, as he received only 74.8% of the votes, missing election by two votes. Absolutely ridiculous that he isn't in yet. His credentials speak for themselves:

• 668 doubles, most ever by a right-handed hitter
• 3060 hits, third all-time among second basemen
• 1844 runs, most all-time among second basemen
• 291 homeruns, second most all-time among second basemen
• 285 hit by pitch, second most all-time

Not to mention he played four different positions (catcher, 2B, LF, CF) and was the face of the Astros franchise during his 20 year career.

So, while he'll get in next year for sure (he better), it's a slap in the face that he, his family, and Houstonians that he hasn't been voted in already.

MLB Hot Stove 2013

Yankees Sign Beltran
On the same day the Yankees lose Robinson Cano, they add veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran, signing him to a three year, $45 million contract. Beltran, 36, is one of the best postseason hitters in baseball history, and hit 24 homeruns, and had 84 RBI last year for the Cardinals.
Mets Sign Granderson
The Mets sign OF Curtis Granderson to a four year, $60 million contract. Granderson, 32, suffered an injury-plagued 2013 season with the Yankees, hit an average of 42 homeruns in 2011 and 2012.
Mariners Get Cano
The biggest free agent of the off-season has a new home. And it's in Seattle, as the Mariners shell out 10 year, $240 million for the 31 year old all-star second baseman, to get him to leave the Yankees.
Yankees Sign Ellsbury
Jacoby Ellsbury becomes the latest Boston outfielder to be bought by the Bronx Bombers, as he agrees to a crazy 7 year, $153 million contract.
Rockies Sign Morneau
Colorado signs 32-year old former MVP 1B Justin Morneau to a two year, $13 million deal to replace the recently retired Todd Helton.
Yankees Sign McCann
In a bit of a shocker, the Yankees sign ex-Braves catcher Brian McCann to a five year, $85 million contract, with an option for a sixth year. The Rangers and Red Sox also had interest in the top-free agent catcher on the market.
Rangers Swap Kinsler for Fielder
In a blockbuster, the Rangers acquire 1B Prince Fielder (and his gigantic contract) and $30 million from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for 2B Ian Kinsler. Fielder, who will make $168 million over the next seven years, bolsters Texas' lineup with power, while Detroit saves a bunch of money while still getting a top-5 second baseman in the game.
Angels Trade for Freese
Anaheim acquires another key member of the 2009 World Series champion Cardinals, as they get 30-year old 3B David Freese and Fernando Salas from St. Louis in exchange for outfielder Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk.

2013 World Series Prediction

Have blown my last two World Series picks, but here's to trying to break my streak.

The 2013 World Series Champion will be...

 

Here's why:

Both league championship series were dominated by pitching, but timely hits by Boston and St. Louis have set up this rematch of the 2004 Series.

So, let's break it down.

Lineups

The best offense in baseball in the regular season faced an incredible Detroit starting rotation in the ALCS and found a way to advance. Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Napoli did most of the damage, while David Ortiz and Shane Victorino's grand slams in Games 2 and 6 proved to be the difference in the series. Losing the DH for Games 3-5 could be an issue for Boston because Napoli has been the great this postseason, but will be relegated to the bench no DH, since Ortiz will move to first base. This means Boston might have to play more small ball, with Ellsbury and 2B Dustin Pedroia being the catalysts. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have gone on their typical postseason run (2nd World Series in 3 years) riding the hot bat of living legend Carlos Beltran, and the three Matts (Holliday, Adams, Carpenter)

Edge: Red Sox

Pitching:

Championships are determined by pitching, and both teams have outstanding staffs, both in the rotation and in the bullpen. St. Louis' Adam Wainwright and NLCS MVP Michael Wacha have been almost unhittable this postseason, as they have gone a combined 5-1, with a 0.98 ERA in their run through the Pirates and Dodgers in the NL. In the bullpen, Carlos Martinez and Trevor Rosenthal have been lights out, while lefty specialist Randy Choate could play a key role in the series against David Ortiz. Boston's pitching staff, meanwhile, is anchored by ace Jon Lester, with the real strength of the staff in the bullpen in the form of Junichi Tazawa and ALCS MVP Koji Uehara.

Edge: Cardinals

This series is about as even as they come, and I think the biggest question mark will be whether the Boston lineup can score enough runs off the outstanding St. Louis pitching staff. In the end, although they are the favorites, I don't think they will be able to. 

Cardinals in 7.

2013 NLDS and ALDS Preview

National League

Pirates vs. Cardinals

How they got here: The Pirates earned their first postseason trip in 20 years by securing the 1st Wild Card berth and then beat the Reds in the Wild Card game 6-2. St. Louis, meanwhile, won their first NL Central title since 2009, behind an outstanding lineup and pitching staff

Prediction: I think postseason experience will play a role in this series, as the Cards are full of veterans which know how to win games in October, while this is the first postseason for most of the Pittsburgh players. Matt Holliday, Matt Carpenter, and the hot Matt Adams anchor a good St. Louis lineup, while their pitching staff (5th in ERA) led by Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn is always solid. The Pirates do have the best player in the series in MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen, best home run hitter in Pedro Alvarez, and are riding an emotional high at the moment, but in the end, I think the balanced St. Louis roster is just more talented.

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Dodgers vs. Braves
How they got here: The Dodgers bounced back from a horrible start to the year to put together one of the most remarkable two-month runs in baseball history, going 40-8 at one stretch and running away with the NL West. Meanwhile, Atlanta started out hot and maintained their big lead in the weak NL East, capturing their first division title since 2005.

Prediction: It should be a series dominated by pitching as LA and Atlanta ranked 1st and 2nd in overall ERA this year. Clayton Kershaw and Zach Grienke on one side and Kris Medlen and the outstanding Atlanta bullpen of David Carpenter and Craig Kimbrel on the other side should mean that runs might be hard to come by in this series. If pitching is a wash, then advantage LA on the hitting side. Atlanta has the hottest hitter at the moment in Freddie Freeman, but LA has the balance the Braves can't match

in 5.



American League
Rays vs. Red Sox

How they got here: The Rays survived a late season swoon to capture the 2nd Wild Card after beating the Rangers in a one-game playoff and followed that up by beating the Indians in Cleveland in the AL Wildcard game on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the Red Sox completed an unexpected last-to-first turnaround this year to capture the AL East once again.

Prediction: In this AL East showdown, it will come down to the potent Boston bats with David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Mike Napoli against Tampa's outstanding pitching in David Price and Alex Cobb. Boston's pitching isn't great (although SP Clay Buchholz and closer Koji Uehara had great seasons), but neither is Tampa's lineup, other than Wil Myers and the suddenly hot Delmon Young, so look for a close series, but with Boston coming out on top.

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Tigers vs. Athletics

How they got here: The Tigers cruised to their third straight AL Central title, wrapping it up by early-September behind likely-MVP Miguel Cabrera and Cy Young Max Scherzer. Meanwhile, Billy Beane's A's did it again, repeating as AL West champions despite having a payroll about half of what Texas and Anaheim spent.

Prediction: In this rematch of last year's ALDS, which was won by the Tigers in 5, I'm going to go with the hotter team. Detroit has been on cruise control for the last month, having wrapped up the Central division early on, and although they have the best pitcher and hitter in this series, Oakland's lineup is hot, as Coco Crisp, Josh Donaldson, Yoenis Cespedes, and Jed Lowrie have keyed the A's run to the AL West title in the last month. In addition, despite losing A.J. Griffin for the series with tendinitis, Oakland has more than enough live arms in Bartolo Colon, Sonny Gray, and Jarrod Parker, who can match Detroit's trifecta of Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, and Justin Verlander.
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My 2013 MLB Awards

The regular season has ended, my Astros having another record-setting season for worst team ever (15 straight losses to end the year!). The playoffs begin Tuesday night with the NL Wildcard between the Pirates and the Reds, but before then, here are my picks for the regular season awards.

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (.344 AVG, 48 HR, 137 RBI)
The reigning MVP followed up his Triple Crown season of 2012 with an even better 2013, while leading the Tigers to their third straight AL Central title. A distant second to Baltimore's Chris Davis and his league-leading 53 home runs, as well as to Mike Trout of the Angels.
NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates (.317 AVG, 21 HR, 84 RBI, 27 SB)
Pittsburgh erased 20 years of losing seasons this year by clinching its first playoff berth since 1992, and McCutchen was the biggest reason why, as the Pirates' best offensive and defensive player. Honorable mention to Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks, who probably should have won it, had the Diamondbacks not collapsed down the stretch.
AL Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers (21-3, 2.90 ERA, 240 K)
Detroit gets its second Cy Young winner in three years, as Scherzer, who started the season an incredible 13-0, finishes with the most wins, as well as lowest WHIP (0.98). Yu Darvish of the Rangers gets a distant second.
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (16-9, 1.83 ERA, 232 K)
Kershaw finished 2013 with the lowest ERA of a starting pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 2000, while also leading the league in WHIP and strikeouts. Enough said. Distant honorable mentions to Adam Wainwright and Jose Fernandez.
AL Rookie of Year: Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays (9-7, 3.22 ERA, 101 K)
Archer really provided a lift for Tampa Bay's rotation this year, finishing second among AL rookies in strikeouts and with an outstanding 1.13 WHIP. Honorable mention to teammate Wil Myers.
NL Rookie of Year: José Fernández, Miami Marlins (12-6, 2.19 ERA, 187 K)
The phenom was simply unhittable at times during the second half of the season, as he posted a 1.32 ERA after the all-star break and finished with a minuscule 0.98 WHIP. Amazing to think that he is only 21 years old. Honorable mention to Shelby Miller of the Cardinals.

MLB All-Star Voting

MLB All-Star voting ends on Thursday night. So if you haven't voted 25 times yet, be sure to vote at MLB.com. The players I voted for are below (Click images to enlarge)

2013 AL West Preview

So my Astros were forced to switch from the National to American league, so from now on, I'll be publishing AL West previews.

1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2012 Record: 89-73
Projected 2013 Record: 94-68
The Lineup

The Angels broke the bank for the second straight off-season, signing away  OF Josh Hamilton from the rival Rangers, to add to a potent lineup already containing MVP runner-up Mike Trout, 1B Albert Pujols, and DH Mark Trumbo. Ridiculous contract, aside Hamilton improves the Halos' lineup from the left side of the plate instantly, and makes the Angels a contender for not only the AL West, but a World Series. 

The Pitching

The Angels once great pitching was mediocre last year, finishing ranked 18th in ERA. It looks to be just about the same this year, with journeyman starters Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas, and Tommy Hanson, behind ace Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson. The bullpen, equally bad last year, looks to Ernesto Frieri and ex-Phillie Ryan Madson to slam the door on wins, something which did not occur time and time again last year.

The Key

It always comes down to pitching. The Angels have a lineup capable of winning the World Series, but if they don't get consistent starting pitching from the back-end of the rotation, they might be the biggest waste of money not named the Dodgers.


2. Texas Rangers

2012 Record: 93-69
Projected 2013 Record: 90-72

The Lineup

The Rangers may have lost Josh Hamilton, but the top scoring team in MLB will still put up a lot of runs, as they signed veterans Lance Berkman and A.J. Pierzynski to fill holes at DH at catcher, respectively. 3B Adrian Beltre and RF Nelson Cruz, as well as 2B Ian Kinsler should still be great, but the Rangers really need Berkman, Pierzynski, as well as LF David Murphy to produce from the left side of the plate.

The Pitching
The Rangers starting pitching wasn't terrible last year, but it wasn't great either. Righty Yu Darvish looks to follow up an outstanding rookie season and become the ace of the staff, while lefties Matt Harrison and Derek Holland, as well as converted reliever Alexi Ogando round out the staff. In the bullpen, the Rangers have reliable Joe Nathan, as they converted 83% of save opportunities last year, 2nd best in the majors.
The Key

In order for the Rangers to get over last September's collapse and get back to the World Series, they are going to have to get great starting pitching from a rotation that was average last year, as well as consistent production from declining veterans Lance Berkman and A.J. Pierzynski. 

3. Oakland Athletics
2012 Record: 94-68
Projected 2013 Record: 88-74

The Lineup

The A's lineup was average last year, and should be again this year, as Bob Melvin's team got production from a lot of different guys last year on their way to stunning the Rangers and winning the AL West. RF Josh Redick and LF Yoenis Cespedes are the anchors of the lineup, which will also need consistent production from 1B Brandon Moss, and new DH Chris Young.

The Pitching

The Oakland rotation is what got them to the ALDS last year, as Brett Anderson, Jarrod Parker, and Tommy Millone were outstanding last year. The bullpen may be even better, as Grant Balfour, Ryan Cook, Jerry Blevins, and Sean Doolittle make up the strength of this team.

The Key

Has to be consistent offensive production up and down the lineup, like what happened last year. Cespedes has all-star potential, but getting production from Moss, Young, and Reddick will determine if the magic continues.

4. Seattle Mariners
2012 Record: 75-87 
Projected 2013 Record: 81-81

The Lineup

The Mariners’ offense was among the worst in major league baseball last year, finishing 27th in runs scored. To improve that, Seattle signed DH Kendrys Morales and LF Michael Morse to anchor the middle of a lineup that also has C Jesus Montero and 3B Kyle Seager. Veteran outfielders Jason Bay and Raul Ibanez are also available off the bench.

The Pitching

The Mariners' starting pitching is the strength of the team. Felix Hernandez, who signed an enormous contract in the off-season is the best pitcher in the division, and behind him, Hisashi Iwakuma and Joe Saunders are decent major leaguer starters. In the bullpen, the Mariners are average, as Tom Wilhelmsen will hope to duplicate his 38 saves from a year ago. 

The Key

Has to be offensive consistency. Morales and Morse have to be the 3-4 combination in the middle of the lineup to jump start an offense that has been among the worst in baseball for the last five years.

5. Houston Astros

2012 Record: 55-107
Projected 2013 Record: 52-110

The Lineup

Still in full scale rebuilding, hometown team's offense was dead last in the majors in runs, and looks to about the same this year. 2B Jose Altuve should be an all-star second baseman again, but behind him are a lot of unknowns. New LF Chris Carter, acquired from Oakland for Jed Lowrie, has the most power and potential, and CF Justin Maxwell looks to build off of last season, when he hit 20 home runs. Former prospects 1B Brett Wallace, C Jason Castro, and 3B Matt Dominguez also look to improve and prove they are major leaguers.

The Pitching

The Astros’ pitching got a few nice surprises last year, as righty Lucas Harrell came out of nowhere to post a respectable 11-11 record. Bud Norris is the team's best pitcher, but is coming off a disappointing 2012, when he was 7-13 with a 4.60 ERA. The rest of the rotation consists of perfect game wonder Phiip Humber trying to make the majors, Brad Peacock, acquired from the A's, and ex-Mariner flop Erik Bedard. In the bullpen, ex-Rockie Jose Veras will be the closer.

The Key

New league, new logo, new uniforms, but should be same result for a team that has the potential to lose the most games in MLB history. Getting any consistency in terms of batting average from the everyday lineup would be nice for a team that has a total team salary less than that of Alex Rodriguez.