On Deck Circle 6/23/17: Who's Real and Who's Fake?

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


The MLB season is quickly approaching the halfway point, teams are hitting the 70 game mark on the season. Right now, there is still a ton of sorting to be done among the top of the division and it can turn quickly one way or the other for any team. There are even teams out there that may win their division and make the playoffs, but will be overmatched and aren't truly made of championship material.

It's time to predict which current contending teams are actually real and will remain in contention and be considered a World Series team, and which ones are fake and will eventually fall off, whether it's before the end of the season or if they manage to make the playoffs. Here's a breakdown of the division leaders and contenders and if they are here to stay or if they are fool's gold.


AL EAST

New York Yankees - REAL: It took everyone a little while to start believing that this team has staying power but the Yankees seem to be back. Their offense, led by Aaron Judge, is exploding this year and if Judge, along with Gary Sanchez, Starlin Castro and others, can keep this up then they have what it takes to remain the division leaders. Their pitching is also looking real good, Luis Severino and C.C. Sabathia (no, you're not seeing things) are having good seasons and what's scary about their staff is that Masahiro Tanaka has not been good. If he turns it around a bit then there's no telling what this team is capable of. They have hit a little bit of a slump lately, but nothing to worry about long-term as this team is for real.


Boston Red Sox - REAL: This team has it all and may end up being the team to beat in the American League. Betts, Bogaerts and Benintendi make a powerful triple threat on offense that is making up for the loss of David Ortiz and Chris Sale has been worth every little bit of the trade so far as he has been their ace pitcher. In order for the Red Sox to become that team to beat though, they will need David Price to fully return to form as right now they really do not have a solid #2 starter behind Sale. Still though, the Red Sox are a team that will be in contention all season long.


Tampa Bay Rays - FAKE: The Rays are currently hanging on in the wild card hunt, but I don't see it lasting too much longer. With a slew of teams right behind them and if they fall out just a little bit then expect them to be seller's at the deadline. I'm not counting them completely out, their offense may provide enough to keep them in it, but Chris Archer will again be a hot commodity at the trade deadline and the Rays end up dealing him this year.



AL CENTRAL

Cleveland Indians - REAL: I've been saying for a month now that the Indians are just working things out and they will be fine. Sure enough, they have seemingly turned that corner are now in 1st place in the division. Edwin Encarnacion is crushing the ball after a very slow start to the season and after a brief DL stint, Corey Kluber is looking like his Cy Young form. This is the team that made the World Series last season, they are definitely for real.


Minnesota Twins - FAKE: The Twins had the luxury of the Indians starting off sluggish, so they did what they could to gain a lead in the division. While Brian Dozier and Miguel Sano have been bright spots in the lineup and Jose Berrios looks like a future ace, their playoff hopes seem about up. Put it this way, when a team has over -40 run differential and ranks 28th in team ERA, there's no chance to sustain a first place lead or make up ground on the wild card spots. Because of that, I have to call the Twins as fake.



AL WEST

Houston Astros - REAL: I'm honestly not sure how anyone could consider this team to be fake, they are as real of a team as it gets. They have the best record in the entire MLB, Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve are both legitimate MVP candidates and their pitching is in the top 5 in a majority of stats. There isn't much else to say, this team is for real and the current favorite to win the World Series.



NL EAST

Washington Nationals - REAL: Even though they are going to win their division and have one of the best records in the league, this was tough for me to choose. Don't get me wrong, on paper they are definitely legit and have what it takes to win the NL, but they use their starting pitching so much that there's a decent chance the wear and tear down the stretch could lead to another 1st round exit. But ultimately, I have to go with the Nationals being real, they have everything it takes so can't call them anything but solely based on a hypothetical that their pitching will eventually breakdown. I don't have high hopes for their playoff run, but this team is for real.



NL CENTRAL

Milwaukee Brewers - FAKE: Let me start by saying that the Brewers are fake, for now. They are beginning to prove themselves and win me over, but I'm just not ready to jump all in on them right now. They are just so middle of the road in many team categories, and both batting and pitching and are being led by some unlikely players. While Eric Thames and Chase Anderson have been real good stories, are we 100% sure that they will keep this going all season long? They just have very little margin for error, and while they likely will win the division, it's still too soon to buy them as a real threat.

Chicago Cubs - FAKE: What? The defending World Series champs are fake this season? At first I thought it was just a little lack of motivation after winning it all last year, that they'd shrug it off and turn it up, but this team has some serious holes that do not look fixable. Their offense is just lacking, Anthony Rizzo being the only player that's really living up to his norm this season. They are 29th in batting average, 18th in On Base %, 19th in OPS, 17th in runs and 29th in stolen bases, all the makings of a pretty subpar offense overall. Their pitching isn't much better, with only 1 starting pitcher (Jon Lester) with an ERA under 4. This goes beyond just a "championship hangover" and are real issues that makes this alarming. They need to win the division in order to even make the playoffs thanks to the 3 teams in the NL West and with these problems, don't be surprised if they miss out on the postseason.



NL WEST

Los Angeles Dodgers - REAL: What if I told you at the start of the season that the offensive MVP of the team would be Cody Bellinger and the Cy Young of the team would be Alex Wood? Bellinger started the season in triple A and the Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw, but sure enough, those two are leading the way for the Dodgers. Bellinger leads the entire NL in home runs despite not being called up until April 25th, add him to a lineup that already has Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez and there's reason why this team is one of the best statistical offenses in the league. Kershaw is still typical Kershaw,(10-2 2.60 ERA, 115 K's) but Alex Wood has just been that much better this season. Wood is 7-0, 1.90 ERA and 72K's in 12 games this season, he's a legitimate 2nd ace on the team. With the offense as good as it is and the pitching being top notch(including Kenley Jansen being 15/15 in saves with 50 K's and zero walks), this team is for real.

Colorado Rockies - REAL: The Rockies having a good offense is nothing new, the friendly atmosphere in Denver will always give them a boost in numbers. But this offense has some serious talent and the offensive numbers can't be blamed on the thin air in Denver. Charlie Blackmon may be the best CF in the NL(McCutcheon isn't ready to give that crown up just yet), Nolan Arenado is a star 3B with ridiculous HR ability and Mark Reynolds is having a career renaissance. Their starting pitching isn't great, but their bullpen has been exceptional this year. Greg Holland leads the league in saves as Adam Ottavino sets the table for him, a top 5 offense with a shut down bullpen is a perfect way to mask any issues with the starting pitching. And we're still a month away from the trade deadline, do not be surprised if the Rockies go for Chris Archer or Jose Quintana to help the starting rotation. Rockies are a playoff team that can contend with any team in the MLB, this team is for real.

Arizona Diamondbacks - REAL: I have been hesitant to call them real all season so far, but can't deny what this team is doing and any team that is circling around +100 in run differential needs to be taken seriously. Paul Goldschmidt leads the way for an offense that is also one of the best in the league(it's an NL West thing), with Jake Lamb, Chris Owings and Brandon Drury also providing a ton of pop off the bat. This team last trade deadline was looking to be sellers and the main guy they were looking to unload was SP Zack Greinke. In his first of a 6 year 205 million dollar deal with the Diamondbacks, Greinke underperformed and the team was looking to give up on him, and it's a good thing for them that they didn't. Greinke has returned to All-Star form, 8-4 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, he's also struck out 111 batters while only walking 19. Robbie Ray has also been a solid starter for them and Fernando Rodney has been a perfect 20/20 in save opportunities this season. The NL West will be such a fun race the rest of the season and its a shame that 2 of these 3 teams will have to play in the 1 game wildcard playoff. Not sure who the best of the 3 are, but Arizona has a good of a claim to being the best as any.

On Deck Circle 5/2/17: April MLB Recap

By Pat Luhta, @PLuhta


We have made it through one month of the MLB season as April is now behind us. Typically, the month of April is filled with a false sense of hope or despair, a hot or cold start to the season and fans begin to read too much into it. Baseball is a very long season, teams have only played around 25 games in a 162 game season, so it’s way too soon to jump to any conclusions on how a team or player will fare. So while April is not a true indicator on how a teams’ season is going to go, there are definitely some things to take away from it and also some things to keep an eye on as we head into May. Here are a few highlighted stories to recap the month of April.

1. The New York Yankees - The many of us (myself included) that have been reveling in the struggles that the Yankees have faced over the past couple of seasons may have to wipe that grin off of our faces. Picked to finish 4th or 5th in the AL East in preseason, the Yankees are currently tied for 1st place with the Baltimore Orioles with a 15-8 record. They are not only tied with the Orioles for the AL East, but also tied with them for the best record in the AL. Rookie Aaron Judge is leading the way for them on offense with a .303 batting average with 10 home runs and 20 RBI’s. The pitching has been the key though, Luis Severino and Michael Pineda have been dealing for the team and if Masahiro Tanaka finds his groove like he did towards the end of last season then this rotation could keep this team in the playoff hunt all season long. It would seem as though the Yankees did not stay down long and will be a competitive team again in 2017.

2. Chicago White Sox – While the Yankees’ surprising start to the season is noteworthy, no team has had a more surprising good start than the Chicago White Sox. Over the last 2 seasons, and this offseason in particular, the White Sox have gone into full rebuild mode. They gutted the roster for the most part, trading their best players away for prospects, and being inactive in free agency while they build their farm system up. Some were saying that this team might lose 100 games this season, so the bar was set real low for the south siders but right now they are anything but a potential 100 loss team. They are currently 13-10 and only .5 games back of the Cleveland Indians for 1st place in the division. While we will have to wait it out to see if the hitting of Avasail Garcia and the pitching of Derek Holland and Miguel Gonzalez holds up, but a month into the season and the White Sox are standing toe-to-toe with the defending AL champions. All eyes in Chicago have been on the Cubs lately, but if the White Sox keep this up then they may take some shine off their cross town rival here, and this rebuilding process may be coming along a lot faster than most anticipated.

3. Eric Thames and Chase Anderson – These are two real good stories here and both happen to play for the Brewers. Eric Thames started his MLB career back in 2011 for the Toronto Blue Jays. He then played the 2012 season with the Blue Jays and the Mariners, and that was the end of his MLB career…or so we thought. Thames spent the 2013 season in the minors then the next 3 seasons he played in South Korea before attempting a comeback this season. Thames not only made the team but has been the Brewers best hitter, currently batting .345 and is tied for the MLB lead with 11 home runs. He is also responsible for the best interview clip of the season, after it was revealed that he's been drug tested numerous times already as he hot start is drawing some skepticism, he claimed his innocence and said they could test him as many times as they wanted, saying that he has "plenty of blood and urine to spare." If he keeps this up and the Brewers are in the playoff race, we might see him go from out of the league to a potential MVP candidate.

Starting pitcher Chase Anderson’s time in the MLB was almost up, the 29 year old was in a rotation battle for the final spot and if he were to be optioned to triple A then that could have been the end of his MLB career. He won the job as 5th starter and is currently a big reason that Milwaukee is only 1 game back of 1st place in the NL Central. He’s 2-0 on the season, with a 2.10 ERA and 1.07 WHIP and also leads the team in strikeouts with 24. It’s safe to say that he has locked down a starting job for good and doesn’t need to worry about being sent down to triple A any time in the near future now, a good story of someone that had one more chance and has taken advantage of it.

4. The NL West – 2011 was the last time that an NL West team not named the San Francisco Giants or the Los Angeles Dodgers have won the division, and the Dodgers have won it 4 straight years. This year could be a different story, as the Giants have stumbled big time and have lost their ace Madison Bumgardner for at least 2 months and the Dodgers have been around .500 for majority of this month. The Arizona Diamondbacks (16-11) and Colorado Rockies (16-10) have taken full advantage of the slow starts by the Dodgers and Giants, and have vaulted themselves to 1st and 2nd in the division.

The NL West was originally thought to be a 2 team race between SF and LA but Arizona and Colorado have currently made some good cases to take them seriously as they look to dethrone the 2 teams that have had a stranglehold on the division. The Dodgers ended April on a 4 game winning streak which put them only 2.5 games back of the division lead, so they are making a charge to the top and it will be interesting to see if they can continue to climb or if either Colorado or Arizona can win the division this season.

5. Washington's Offense - The Washington Nationals have been known for their starting pitching, with a rotation that may be the best in baseball. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez make for a dominant 1-2-3 punch. But the story in Washington isn't about their pitching, it's been about their offense which is hitting the cover off the ball this season. Washington's offense is on a record pace, breaking some month of April records and their offense ranks 1st in just about every category. On the last day in April, they put a stamp on the month by scoring 23 runs against the Mets, the 7th time in their 25 games that they've scored at least 10 runs. They are on an absolute tear this season and putting up runs at an incredible pace, making them a very scary team considering the pitching staff that they have as well. They did lose Adam Eaton for the season though so that could definitely affect how their offense performs going forward, but this was a ridiculous month of hitting for the Washington Nationals.

MLB Playoff Preview 2016: The Beauty of October #PostSeason

By Alex Hale, @ThatCLESportGuy


At long last the 6 month marathon of Baseball’s Regular Season has finally come to a close and the Playoffs are about to start.  In a season that was full of surprises, disappointments, close races and sadly tragedy, October Baseball has arrived.  Already numerous writers have made their predictions and it would only be fitting that I chime in.  Going back as early as 2001, I’ve been able to predict multiple World Series winners and surprise runs.  The way I’ve always predicted is simple, which team is the closest unit and which team wants it more.

It’s never been about the talent for me, as we’ve seen that you can have all the talent you want, it won’t necessarily mean you will win a World Series.  It’s not even about which team is hot down the stretch as we’ve seen the Yankees of 2000 have a horrible September, yet won the World Series and the 2013 Indians win their last 10 game to get in, only to lose 4-0 to the Rays in the Wild Card game.  What’s great about the playoff teams we have now is that all of them are so different.  From the nitty gritty teams like the Indians and Giants to the uber talented teams like the Red Sox and Cubs, we’ve got almost every kind of team in the playoffs this year.  So with that said, let’s go into my predictions for the MLB Playoffs.



AL Wild Card Game- Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles

This is a phenomenal matchup of two divisional foes with fairly similar teams.  Both are led by outstanding offensive lineups and very good bullpens.  The big potential mismatch could be in the starting rotation.  The Blue Jays went with their ace SP Aaron Sanchez in the Regular Season finale against Boston and will probably rely on veteran Francisco Liriano (who was brought over in a shrewd MLB Trade Deadline move).  Baltimore is a different story.  As noted from the beginning of the year, the Orioles have a boom or bust rotation.  The question is who goes in this one game playoff?  I think they’ll go with Ubaldo Jimenez or Chris Tillman.  As long as Baltimore can shut down the Blue Jays bats into the 8th and 9th, Baltimore will go to Cy Young candidate closer Zach Britton to finish them off.  But, the reality is a boom or bust rotation never works in a 1 game playoff.  Toronto was forced to beat Boston in the last series to get here and will have the home field advantage.  With Manager John Gibbons potentially fighting for his job, the Blue Jays will come out ready to go to a loud Toronto crowd.  Jose Bautista comes through in the clutch in the middle innings to put Toronto over the top and advance.

Pick- Toronto Blue Jays


NL Wild Card Game- New York Mets vs. San Francisco Giants

This matchup was made for the NL Wild Card Game.  As it stands, it looks like Madison Bumgarner vs. Noah Syndergaard…WOW.  The Mets a month ago looked to be on the outside looking in, but have played their way into this game.  As for the Giants…well it’s an even year, we all know what that means.  If Bumgarner is going for the Giants, I would give a distinct advantage to the Giants for his previous big game performances.  The Giants don’t have one big time bat like the Mets do with Yoenis Cespedes, but they have a balanced and efficient offensive attack that plays against the Mets.  On top of that, the Giants have a very effective bullpen that seemingly always gets the job done.  As tempting as it is to go with the defending NL Champions, their defense of their pennant ends against the Giants.

Pick- San Francisco Giants


AL Division Series

Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

So everyone is just pegging the Red Sox and writing off Cleveland?  Doesn’t this sound awfully familiar to Cleveland?  To these “analysts” they forget the one most important thing about Playoff Baseball…THROW REGULAR SEASON STATS OUT THE WINDOW.  All I’ve heard is Rick Porcello and David Price’s career records vs. Indians.  I’m sorry was that in the Playoffs?  The Indians are a team that has faced so much adversity and haters that they’ve become the one team everyone hates to face…the team that won’t die.  When the Indians are on offensively, all the need to do is get into the 7th/8th inning and it’s over. 

We can talk about the Carrasco and Salazar hurt, but we are missing that Josh Tomlin has returned to form ending the year strong, Kluber will be fine and most importantly the Indians Game One starter is Trevor Bauer, a man who lives for the moment.  Do National analysts want to see David Ortiz’s fairytale ending?  Do the Red Sox have more playoff experience and offensive “star power”? Probably, but the Indians are being overlooked by so many, they’re going to shock everyone.  I’ll say it again, throw everything out the window from Regular Season, the most dangerous team is the overlooked team that doesn’t know when to quit.

Pick- Indians in 5

Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays

I’m gonna be honest here, I’m torn who I’d pick for this series.  The offenses are almost evenly matched up and honestly, the Blue Jays may be a very bad matchup once again for the Rangers.  While some may give the Rangers the bullpen edge, I’m giving it to the Blue Jays due to experience and the ability to move others like an Aaron Sanchez into the bullpen if needed.  The main question for the Blue Jays would be if they can crack Cole Hamels or Yu Darvish early in the series.  If they can beat one of them, or even both the Rangers will be in a very bad spot.  The Blue Jays will have Liriano, Sanchez, J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada to choose from.  The key will be whose rotation can go deep enough to let their back end of the bullpen shut the door.  The Rangers would have revenge on their minds for last year, but there was a reason why the Blue Jays prevailed.  If this was Baltimore, I’d give the Rangers a sweep, but the Blue Jays will be a battle, and one that I can see the Blue Jays winning.

Pick- Blue Jays in 4


NL Division Series

Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants

Can we please just have this as the NLCS instead?  This could be a classic 7 game series, but instead will be in the division series.  The Championship pedigree of the Giants really benefits them against what is the early World Series favorite for most.  The rotation matchup would make for some extremely competitive and low scoring games.  The difference would be in the bullpen and offense.  This is where the Cubs talent jumps off the charts.  With Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant clearly trumping the offensive talent that the Giants have, it gives them that advantage.  When it comes to the bullpens, as efficient as the Giants have been over the years, their relievers aren’t guy who aren’t overly dominant.  The Cubs have multiple relievers that can get batters out in a variety of ways.  The Cubs clearly have the advantage in both offense and bullpen over the Giants.  This should go 5 games with some great pitching performances and great moments along the way, but the Cubs survive and go to the NLCS.

Pick- Cubs in 5

Washington Nationals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

A week ago, this looked a potential war between two extremely talented teams and then the Nationals lost Wilson Ramos with a torn ACL.  One of the worst injuries a team can get for the playoffs is losing your catcher.  While Max Scherzer probably won’t need to worry, outside of Scherzer I worry about him.  On top of that the Nationals really don’t have the bullpen to get the job done.  The Dodgers have consistently been bounced out early from the playoffs, especially with Clayton Kershaw struggling.  That ends this year as the offense has come alive and the team has really come together under Dave Roberts.  The Dodgers might hit a roadblock in the series, but I see them moving on to face the Cubs.

Pick- Dodgers in 4

American League Championship Series

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Indians

After Terry Francona eliminated his good friend John Farrell in the ALDS, the Indians will face off against former President/GM Mark Shapiro’s Toronto Blue Jays.  While once again, the Blue Jays will have the advantage on the offensive side, the Indians hold the big X-Factor in SP Danny Salazar.  While the Indians are contemplating Salazar coming out of the bullpen in the ALDS, I don’t think they’re going to use him until the ALCS when they return him to the starting rotation.  The Indians rotation will finally be back to it’s almost dominant form and will only need to get to the 7th inning until they hand it over to their outstanding bullpen.  The Indians aggressiveness on the bases will be a major factor for their success scoring runs.  This series will also mark the emergence on the National stage for Francisco Lindor becoming one of baseball’s brightest young stars as he takes home ALCS MVP honors as the Indians advance to the World Series for the first time since 1997.

Pick- Indians in 6


National League Championship Series

Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

As much as people may think this could be a potential sweep, I have my doubts on that.  The Dodgers could be a potential threat for the Cubs, especially if Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw are healthy and on their game.  The Dodgers may not have the depth in the rotation, but those two have stuff that baffles all hitters.  The question would be whether or not the Dodgers have the bullpen to finish games?  They got the offense, 2 dominant starters, but do they have the relievers?  That’s where I’m having a problem taking them in a 7 game series.  The Cubs are a complete team that will be battle tested and ready to go as they finally return to the World Series to set up the matchup that will end a Franchise’s World Series drought.

Pick- Cubs in 5


World Series

Cleveland Indians vs. Chicago Cubs

A drought will end…either the Indians end their 68 year drought or the Cubs will finally end their 108 year drought.  Let’s be honest…WHO DOESN’T WANT THIS?  I mean these are two of the most tortured Baseball fanbases and someone is going to end their misery.  On paper, this isn’t a contest the Cubs are by far the superior team in terms of overall talent.  But when it comes to heart and determination, the Indians have that beat.  From the beginning of the playoffs, everyone wrote off the Tribe, yet they get to the World Series.  That’s something that defines a great team.  This World Series would remind me a little bit of the classic 1941 World Series between the Red Sox and Cardinals, one the Cardinals would shock the Baseball world and beat Ted Williams and the extremely talented Red Sox because of their mentality of refusing to die.  This is the series where Francisco Lindor cements himself as one of the games most talented players as I see if he gets here, he’ll have a monster offensive series and win the World Series MVP.  I’m trying extremely hard to not pick the Indians, but this team doesn’t quit.  They’ve been scrapping and crawling all year long and that’s something as we’ve seen translate into the playoffs.  All the Indians need is a couple of players offensively to step up and have their starters go 7 innings and they got a chance.  A lot like how the Royals won the World Series last year, against all odds the Indians will be celebrating its first World Championship since 1948.

Pick- Indians in 6


Understand my pick is not one of personal bias, it’s one of the belief of the Indians will want it more than anyone.  Since Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com wrote his article pretty much writing off any chances the Indians have to win anything, this team has taken the mentality to shut the doubters up.  By pure talent, the Cubs are the favorite in the NL and the Red Sox in the AL.  But as we’ve seen so many times in recent years in the playoffs, it’s not about the talent, it’s about the heart.  Whatever your teams record or stats were in the Regular Season, throw that out the window now.  Everyone is back at the same record of 0-0.  This month will be full of twists and turns and moments that we’ll remember for some time.  It’s the beauty of the MLB Playoffs and this playoff season is one we’re going to remember for some time.

The Stars Shine In San Diego #MLBAllStarGame #AllStarGame

By Alex Hale, @ThatCLESportGuy

It’s that time of year again when the American and National League All-Stars are announced for the MLB All-Star Game.  After last year’s debacle of watching Kansas City Royals fans stuffing the ballots, I realized that there really should be an unbiased opinion giving their own take on the All-Star Game.  So instead of writing about the Indians and their trade options, we’re going to go through my choices for the American and National League All-Stars.  This will include my starting choices and my selections for the reserves.  I decided to do this after the announcement of the All-Star Rosters to compare to see how a Baseball fan like myself compared with how the Fans voted.  I’m pretty sure I’m not going to agree with everything the fans did.  This is a completely unbiased opinion of my choices for the 2016 Mid Summer Classic.


National League

Catcher- Wilson Ramos, Washington Nationals- First off, how can anyone vote Yadier Molina who is past his prime and the numbers clearly show it.  Ramos is having a career year hitting .340 with 13 HR and 46 RBIs.  Most people honestly have no idea who Ramos is and the fact he is a very good hitter.  Ramos has been a big part of the Nationals this year and currently is in 3rd place behind Yadier Molina and Buster Posey.  Compared to those two ahead of him, Ramos is the starter and its not even close.

First Base- Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs- This isn’t much of a debate here.  The leader of the Cubs who is once again having a big year with 20 HRs and 61 RBIs.  This was a tough call because Paul Goldschmidt is just as deserving as Rizzo.  What really was the deciding factor as the numbers in their own rights were equally as impressive was the fact that Rizzo is playing for the Cubs, the best team in baseball.  So in a way by default Rizzo for me would get the nod.  But again for the record, Paul Goldschmidt is just as deserving.

Second Base- Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals- A .347 average, 14 HRs, and 56 RBIs, Washington really looks smart for paying Murphy the money they did to get him.  While I can understand the support for Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist, but the debate isn’t even close.  I’m surprised especially after his October stretch last year from a national standpoint that more people aren’t voting for him.  He should be the starter here over Zobrist.

Shortstop- Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers- First off…HOW IS ADDISON RUSSELL AN ALL-STAR?  That’s a joke, the guy is hitting barely over .240 right now!  Corey Seager in his first full year has clearly lived up to the hype.  He has 17 HRs, is hitting around the .300 level and guys, this kid is for real.  What’s more alarming was Seager was behind Trevor Story and Addison Russell in the voting.  This is a joke if Russell starts.  You cannot deny Seager is the best SS in the NL right now.

Third Base- Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies- I get it Cubs fans…you’re stuffing the ballots this year but once again there’s another player whose numbers are far better than your player.  America meet Nolan Arenado, the 2015 NL HR and RBI leader and your current NL RBI leader.  Nobody knows about him most likely because he plays for the Rockies, but he’s the most talented 3B in baseball today.  He plays great defense and although he plays in Coors Field, he really is that good of a hitter.  I know Kris Bryant is having a good year as well, but if the 2015 NL HR and RBI leader is following up with another strong year like Arenado, he must start.

Outfielder #1- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals- This doesn’t deserve much explanation at all.  Unanimous 2015 NL MVP, and while he isn’t have a strong year, this is the most talked about player in baseball, for the sake of the game he has to start.  Also…Bryce be in the HR Derby please.

Outfielder #2- Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies- Carlos Gonzalez is somehow 7th in the voting for NL Outfielder behind the entire Cubs outfield and that’s a crime.  CarGo is hitting .317 with 18 HRs and 51 RBIs…how is this not as good as anyone in the Cubs outfield?  Reality is this guy should be in the starting lineup without question, yet again fans are too biased to be allowed to vote.  CarGo is a proven MLB star who deserves the respect of fans everywhere as one of the games best.  It’s not his fault people he’s played in Colorado all these years.

Outfielder #3- Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets- As it stands Yoenis Cespedes and Bryce Harper seem to be locks on the current balloting to start for the NL and at least we got 2 of the 3 outfielders right.  Cespedes has followed up his MVP level 2nd Half with the Mets last year and had it carry over this year.  He has 20 HRs, 50 RBIs and has his average at the .300 mark.  There’s no question that the Mets offense revolves around his stellar performance.  He’s earned his spot on the NL Starting lineup.

Starting Pitcher- Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs- Does this really warrant an explanation now that Clayton Kershaw won’t be available for the All-Star Game?  No it doesn’t.  Arrieta has continued his 2nd Half dominance from last year into this year so yeah I’m starting him.

NL Reserves

C Buster Posey SF
C Jonathan Lucroy MIL
1B Paul Goldschmidt ARI
1B Wil Myers SD
2B Ben Zobrist CHC
2B Neil Walker NYM
SS Aledmys Diaz STL
3B Kris Bryant CHC
OF Starling Marte PIT
OF Marcel Ozuna MIA
OF Obdel Herrera PHI
OF Jay Bruce CIN

NL Pitchers

SP- Julio Teheran ATL
SP- Madison Bumgarner SF
SP- Jon Lester CHC
SP- Noah Synergaard NYM
SP- Jose Fernandez MIA
CP- Jeurys Familia NYM
CP- Kenley Jensen LAD
CP- Mark Melacon PIT
CP- AJ Ramos MIA



American League

Catcher- Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals- Arguably the heart and soul of the defending champion Royals has continued his stellar play in 2016 and looking at really the rest of his competition in the AL, this is a no-brainer.  The next choice would be Matt Wieters, but Perez’s stats clearly top Wieters offensively and its arguable the two are equal defensively.  By where their respective teams stand, Wieters’ Orioles are in 1st in the AL East, while Perez and the Royals are in 2nd in the AL Central.  My theory is if the stats are equal, team record is the tiebreaker.  In this case, Perez’s stats surpass Wieters and gets the nod from me.

First Base- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers- Who else am I going to choose?  Chris Davis has shown great power this year, but his average has dropped.  Eric Hosmer might be a good selection as well, but like the case of Perez over Wieters, Miggy’s stats top Hosmer.  Besides who else in the AL should start at 1B?  As long as Miggy is having a, “Miggy” type season, he needs to start.  With a .300 avg, 18 HRs and 51 RBIs, Miguel Cabrera edges Hosmer and gets my selection to start at 1B.

Second Base- Jose Altuve, Houston Astros- This position was extremely hard for me to vote on.  Robinson Cano has had an outstanding first half, looking like the Yankees Robinson Cano who was an offensive force to be reckoned with.  The problem is…Jose Altuve is that damn good now.  Altuve is hitting .353 leading the MLB.  On top of that, Altuve has had a power explosion in the first half with 14 HRs so far (his career high is 15 last year).  Add to that he’s at the top of the AL in steals with 21, Altuve might be a leading candidate in the AL for AL MVP.  At the end of the day, love the bounce back year by Cano, but it’s not enough.

Shortstop- Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians- To the National Fans of Major League Baseball…stop hating on Francisco Lindor.  First off, the Writers Association ROBBED Francisco Lindor of the AL Rookie of the Year last year.  Now because Carlos Correa got all that publicity, nobody knows who Lindor is and it’s shown in the voting for AL Starting SS.  This is not even a debate.  Yes, Xander Bogaerts is having a great year, but Lindor matches him offensively, far surpasses him defensively (can I see seriously Altuve and Lindor turn a double play in this game?)  The National Media is going to rob the fans of last year’s Gold Glove 2B turning two with this year’s Gold Glove SS.  While Bogaerts beats Lindor out in average, the rest of the stats are somewhat the same.  So that tiebreaker comes into play, Indians are in 1st in AL Central, Red Sox are in 2nd in AL East.  Therefore Lindor wins in my book.

Third Base- Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles- We all talk about Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and Bryce Harper as these big name hitters in the game, but where’s the Manny Machado love?  Well I’ll admit people are starting to notice the talent he has.  After a great season last year quietly hitting 35 HRs and had 20 steals, he’s followed it up with 18 HRs and 50 RBIs this year.  Although he doesn’t have any steals this year, his average has jumped from a .286 avg to right now a .330 avg on the year.  Honestly if I had to vote for the AL MVP today, it’s going to be Manny Machado.

Outfielder #1- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels- Well the Angels might be in last place in the AL West, but it’s not because of Mike Trout.  Once again Trout is the one bright spot in the Angels season so far as nothing has gone right for them this year.  After socking 41 HRs last year, he’s followed it up with 17 HRs so far and is back to hitting over .300 on the year.  If he only was on a better team that made it so he didn’t have to carry the load and just play his game…the numbers he’d put up.

Outfielder #2- Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox- My MLB Preview dark horse pick to be the AL MVP hasn’t disappointed me at all.  Mookie has made a major jump from his first full MLB season into his second full season.  While his average is around the same area it was last year (.296 avg.), he’s already hit 18 HRs and has 57 RBIs and 13 steals.  Betts will probably have a 25-25 season when its all said and done, but for right now to put Mookie Betts in the same outfield as Mike Trout is a treat for every MLB fan in the All Star Game.

Outfielder #3- Ian Desmond, Texas Rangers- Yes I’m going out of the box in a way with my 3rd AL Outfielder selection.  Remember last year when Ian Desmond was the SS for the Washington Nationals?  Now he’s the CF for the Texas Rangers and has done an outstanding job with the defensive transition and not letting the change in position and jump to the AL effect his offense.  It’s arguable that he’s better than what he was offensively last year.  Currently he’s hitting a career-high .321 with 15 HRs, 52 RBIs and 14 steals as well.  So basically he’s on pace for a 30-30 season, which basically is Mike Trout/Mookie Betts territory, bottom line…he deserves to start with them.

Starting Pitcher- Danny Salazar, Cleveland Indians- This was a tough call between Chris Sale and Danny Salazar.  Ironically, Sale was my preseason AL Cy Young pick, while Salazar was my dark horse pick.  As of now I’d give the nod to Salazar over Sale.  Right now Salazar leads the AL in ERA at 2.22 with a 10-3 record, while getting June AL Pitcher of the Month with a 5-0 record, with a 1.91 ERA.  Everyone is talking about how historically great the Indians rotation is and as long as Salazar keeps it up, because of how good the Indians rotation has been, Salazar must get the nod.

AL Reserves

C- Matt Wieters BAL
1B- Eric Hosmer KC
2B- Brian Dozier MIN
2B- Robinson Cano SEA
SS- Xander Bogaerts BOS
3B- Danny Valencia OAK
3B- Evan Longoria TB
OF- Jackie Bradley Jr BOS
OF- Carlos Beltran NYY
OF- Mark Trumbo BAL
DH- David Ortiz BOS
UTIL- Jose Ramirez CLE

AL Pitchers

SP- Chris Sale CWS
SP- Josh Tomlin CLE
SP- Cole Hamels TEX
SP- Steven Wright TEX
SP- Marco Estrada TOR
RP- Andrew Miller NYY
CP- Wade Davis KC
CP- Zach Britton BAL
CP- Craig Kimbrel BOS
CP- Alex Colome TB


Now I’m not going to compare pick for pick with what the real MLB All-Star Game rosters are like.  This was my unbiased view of the players who thought should go to San Diego.  It really is a shame that the players couldn’t get the right players in front the teams at the bottom of the division.  For example Adam Duvall who is having a great season for Cincinnati got the nod over teammate Jay Bruce.  In my opinion, Bruce should’ve been the choice.  I also think the Indians were disrespected by the league with only 2 All-Star players.  Everyone keeps talking about how great the Indians rotation is and while Corey Kluber ruined it for himself in Toronto, Josh Tomlin deserved an All-Star appearance.

In the end when it comes to All-Star Starters, fans need to do their homework.  In no way should Cubs SS Addison Russell be a starter.  Over the past 2 years, we had the Royals fans almost vote 2B Omar Infante as an All-Star (who is now a FA), and now Cubs fans picked their entire Infield.  Fans need to know the longer this kind of voting occurs, the more likely that in the future, you might lose your power to vote for All-Stars.


Fans must remember, the Winner of the All-Star Game determines Home Field Advantage for the World Series.  So for next year, make sure your vote is counted.  The All-Star Game is normally a fun and competitive game to watch so enjoy the game because after the All-Star Game, the fun is just beginning…

This Week In The Show 5.11.16 #MLB

By Alex Hale, @DaSportsGenius7

As the Baseball season is entering the middle of its second month, my prediction from last month is starting to come to fruition.  When we saw a lot of unexpected things go down in the first month, like the emergence of Trevor Story and the upside down standings we currently have, we should’ve known more craziness would ensue in the month of May.  Well it hasn’t disappointed us and once again we’re going to go over some of those big stories around the MLB the past few weeks.  Once again I’ll talk about the topic and break down what I think about the situation.

Looming PED suspensions- According to multiple reports about a week ago, the MLB will be handing down multiple suspensions for PED usage.  That started with the suspension of Miami star SS Dee Gordon and as of Tuesday now included Kansas City Royals top prospect SS Raul Mondesi Jr.  It seems there’s either a lack of understanding what substances are on the list of banned substances or players are trying more than in previous years to use those substances.

My thoughts- Supposedly the Mondesi Jr. was suspended for some over-the-counter drug that he used that contained the substance.  First off that’s ridiculous, you can’t buy certain over the counter drugs?  I mean if Mondesi could get a doctor’s note or something his suspension should be gone.  I get a bad feeling the future announced suspensions will be for the same reasons.  Players and ball clubs don’t communicate to each the drugs they use and what is in them.

The Hollywood Injury Bug- The Los Angeles Angels were supposed to be a team that had enough offense and pitching to at least make a run at the postseason.  Suddenly the Angels have lost SPs Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney.  Then their prized trade acquisition SS Andrelton Simmons tore the UCL in his left thumb and is out for the year.  This has started crazy rumors of potential Mike Trout trades.

My thoughts- Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the worst run organization in Baseball, the Los Angeles Angels!  The Angels traded their Top 2 prospects for Simmons and were relying on Heaney and Richards to lead the rotation.  This is a wake up call Angels fans, TIME TO REBUILD.  I would trade Mike Trout, but I’d put OF Kole Calhoun, 1B CJ Cron, and even 1B Albert Pujols on the market to rebuild that farm system which has nothing in it.

The Tale of The Windy City- We all knew the Cubs would be a special team this year, but who saw the White Sox getting off to a hot start.  A big part of this has been the acquisition of 3B Todd Frazier who was a perfect fit to bat behind Jose Abreu and to also hit in Chicago’s hitter-friendly US Cellular Park.  What’s been more impressive is the 1-2-3 combo at the top of the rotation with Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, and Mat Latos.  Add Chris Rondon and a shutdown closer in David Robertson, the White Sox may be a contender this year.

My thoughts- The White Sox are for real.  Jose Abreu hasn’t hit his stride yet, and Chris Sale will keep his pace up and win the Cy Young.  The big question is can the White Sox rotation keep this up for a full season?  Latos has been known to be erratic, Quintana is a solid but not a great pitcher, and Rondon hasn’t hit his stride yet in the bigs.  Things will have to continue to go their way, but they’re off to a good start.

Strasburg is off the Market- In a stunning move, the Washington Nationals locked up Stephen Strasburg to a 7 year, $175 million contract.  In his 7 year career, Strasburg has amassed a 59-37 record with a 3.07 ERA and 959 Ks.  Washington now locks up the dynamic duo of Strasburg and Scherzer together for the next few years.  The next step for Washington will be to try to lock up OF Bryce Harper to a long term deal before he hits the market in the next couple of years.

My thoughts- This certainly makes the Trade market this year that much more interesting because Strasburg was the prized Free Agent this coming offseason.  After him the best FA SP probably will be either Rich Hill or Scott Kazmir, so there’s a significant drop in talent now in the FA market later this year.  Expect potential pitching trade targets to have a significant jump in value.  Bold prediction, this signing leads to the trade of Marlins SP Jose Fernandez.


Well we’re only in the middle of May and we can see this Baseball season is only getting crazier every month.  Now that the NFL Draft season is over, you can be sure all the biggest breaking news stories in the MLB will be discussed along with other big Indians stories will be posted here on TripleThreatCLE.  So enjoy the baseball season and more importantly the warm weather we have ahead. 

Also, one note to Indians fans, GO TO THE GAMES!