MY WORLD SERIES PICK IS THE...
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By Trevor Utley I know the sharing program will show the first picture on the article. So here is a picture of a kitten. Don't worry the actual pick is right below. MY WORLD SERIES PICK IS THE...Image Credits: Kitten (sereedmedia.com), Vintage Cardinals logo (sportslogos.net)
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By Trevor Utley So here we are at numero uno! The runner-up in last year's ALCS will be the best regular season team in the Major Leagues this year. They have the two time reigning MVP and the 2012 Triple Crown winner in Miguel Cabrera, newly christened as the league's highest paid player ever. They have two of the last three AL Cy Young Award winners in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer (playing for a megadeal bigger than the $24 mill. a year deal he turned down already) as well as Anibal Sanchez who pitched to a 2.57 ERA last year. They have made the playoffs three straight years. They just can't get over the hump come October. So, they decided to shake it up. They traded Prince Fielder after just two seasons for Texas' Ian Kinsler, a player whose game is made for Comerica Park. The second baseman had spent his whole career in Texas but now hopes that his former mates go 0-162 according to an ESPN interview. He won't get his wish on that front but he'll get to play in a park quite conducive to his affinity for hitting doubles. Kinsler wasn't the only big name to land in Detroit this offseason from Texas. Joe Nathan will close games for the Tigers in 2014 and even at 39 is putting together superb campaigns. Getting to Nathan may be a bit of an issue though. The Tigers' middle relief is suspect to put it gently, with Al Alburquerque as its best option. Drew Smyly, the top lefty out of the pen (6-0, 2.37 ERA) in 2013 will move to the rotation. I think the deficits in their bullpen will be shielded however by the fact that the starters will go far into games, lessening the burden on new manager Brad Ausmus. The lineup and defense took a big hit in Spring Training with the loss of Jose Iglesias, who came over in a trade from Boston last year, due to stress fractures in both legs. This will put more stress on rookie Nick Castellanos on the left side of the infield who is more known for his bat than his glove. Alex Gonzalez will try to replace the slick fielding Iglesias. The outfield corps received a speed overhaul with the signing of Rajai Davis. The former Blue Jay stole 45 bases last year in only 108 games. He'll join Torii Hunter and Austin Jackson in the spacious Comerica outfield. Victor Martinez will continue to rake as a designated hitter and cleanup man for the second best offense in the Majors. All in all, I think the Red Sox are a better team than the Tigers but in the putrid AL Central they'll put together the only 100 win season in the Majors this year. Will that lead to a World Series title? You're just going to have to keep reading to find out! PREDICTED RECORD: 100-62 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Miguel Cabrera, first baseman; Justin Verlander, starting pitcher; Joe Nathan, relief pitcher; Victor Martinez, designated hitter AWARD WINNERS AL MVP- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels After twice running up to Miguel Cabrera, the Angels' playoff appearance puts Trout over the top. NL MVP- Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves I think this is the year the 24 year old breaks through and puts himself into the upper tier of National League hitters. AL CY YOUNG- Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers Verlander will bounce back from a subpar 2013 to win his second Cy Young Award. NL CY YOUNG- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers Did you expect anything else from me? AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR- Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees The Japanese import will beat out Boston's Xander Bogaerts in a close vote after winning at least 14 games. NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR- Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati Reds The centerfielder will become the first person since Vince Coleman in 1987 to steal 100 bases in a season if given the playing time. Image Credits: Tigers logo (sportslogos.net); Trout, Freeman, Verlander, Kershaw, Tanaka, Hamilton (espn.com) By Trevor Utley By process of elimination you should already know who number one is. That is why I am putting headphones on to block out the moaning of Red Sox Nation as to why the defending World Champions aren't #1 and the team they ousted in last year's ALCS is. I'll tell you why. The AL East is an exponentially tougher division than the Central. The Rays and Yankees will be in the playoff mix and even Baltimore and Toronto are dangerous. If Detroit doesn't get 50 wins inside their division I'll be shocked. The Red Sox however will be hard pressed to get to such a mark. The World Series champs didn't exactly set the world on fire this offseason but quite frankly they didn't need to. They were able to let Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jacoby Ellsbury leave (and get vastly overpaid) in free agency. They replaced the former at catcher with AJ Pierzynski, a two-time All-Star who has had at least 500 plate appearances in ten of the last eleven seasons. In the one outlier, he had 497. While Pierzynski has been a beacon of durability in his career, Ellsbury's replacement hasn't had the same reputation as of late. Grady Sizemore was on the brink of superstardom between 2005 and 2008 with Cleveland. Injuries derailed that steep ascent and he managed only 104 games in 2010 and 2011 before missing the last two seasons completely. The centerfielder signed a mere 1 year/$750,000 deal with the World Champs this offseason and was expected to mentor Jackie Bradley Jr. to take over for the departed Ellsbury. Instead, Sizemore took hold of the job himself with a productive spring and will join some combination of Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava, and Shane Victorino in the outfield. The infield has one change but is one that baseball insiders and Red Sox faithful have been clamoring for. Potential Rookie of the Year Xander Bogaerts takes over at short for Stephen Drew after playing third base mostly during his September call-up and Boston's postseason run. The Aruban will have familiar faces around him: Mike Napoli at first, Dustin Pedroia at second, and Will Middlebrooks at third (even if those faces aren't as bearded as they were in October). David Ortiz will resume his role as DH for the foreseeable future after signing another extension. The pitching will be just as strong. Jon Lester heads a rotation that is battle tested in October and ready for a repeat attempt. Clay Buchholz was 12-1 last year but dealt with injuries of differing severities and was limited to just 16 starts. If he can stay healthy that makes the rotation that much stronger. John Lackey was almost run out of town with "Chicken and Beer" cohort Josh Beckett but gained back Sox fans' trust with a solid season and three wins in last season's playoffs. Jake Peavy and Felix Doubront man the last two rotation spots and both on their best days can possess ace stuff. The bullpen will once again fall behind Koji Uehara. Uehara put together one of the best relief seasons in Red Sox history in 2013 when called into action following injuries to Joel Hanrahan and Andrew Bailey. Koji struck out 101 batters and walked only 9 saving 21 games. Edward Mujica will set up and provide invaluable insurance for manager John Farrell's pen. Mujica saved 37 games for St. Louis last year garnering an All-Star nod though he didn't pitch in the World Series against his new employers. Junichi Tazawa will get the other late inning work but expect cameos from young guns Anthony Ranaudo, Allen Webster, and Rubby De La Rosa at one point or another. The Red Sox will win the AL East again going away but I am not going to spill my prediction yet as to whether or not they'll be the first team since the 1998-2000 Yankees to have back to back World Series parades come October. I should have those thoughts out by the fifth inning or so of tonight's Dodgers/Padres game. PREDICTED RECORD: 97-65 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Dustin Pedroia, second baseman; Jon Lester, starting pitcher; David Ortiz, designated hitter; Mike Napoli, first baseman; Felix Doubront, starting pitcher Image Credit: Red Sox logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley As a Dodgers fan and an eternal pessimist, I am scared that I have the Dodgers this high. They have all the talent in the world, including in my opinion the best pitcher currently on the planet in Clayton Kershaw. They will win the NL West with little opposition and are the favorite to win the National League pennant in most circles. Why am I so worried then? It's because it's the fucking Dodgers that's why. They always find new creative ways to pull the rug out from under me. Kershaw's meltdown against St. Louis in the NLCS last year was just the latest installment in my saga of Dodger misery. Even with all this negativity coursing through my veins, I still could not rank the Dodgers any lower than this. Hey, they are already the best team in baseball at 2-0! The previously mentioned Mr. Kershaw heads a staff that is one of the best in the sport. Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu (HADOUKEN!) went 15-4 and 16-8 respectively last year though neither hit the 200 inning mark. Dan Haren was brought in as a free agent. Haren had a rough go of it in Washington last year but I think a return to the West Coast, pitching in pitcher's paradise Dodger Stadium, will be the tonic to cure Haren's ills. The fifth spot is a toss up between two candidates: Josh Beckett (who was filled diaper foul in '13) and Paul Maholm (14-16 in 1 1/2 seasons in Atlanta). Former All-Star Chad Billingsley still lurks as an option whilst recovering from yet another injury but don't sleep on Stephen Fife (who pitched well last year) or Zach Lee (top pitching prospect) either. The pen leading up to closer Kenley Jansen is chock full of closers (Brian Wilson, Brandon League, Chris Perez) and dynamic arms (Paco Rodriguez, Chris Withrow) so they'll be all set if the Curacaoan struggles. The lineup however poses some important questions. Question One: Is Yasiel Puig due for a sophomore slump with his antics already getting on manager Don Mattingly's nerves? I think Puig will be an MVP some day (some analysts even have them as their pick this year) but for all his exploits he still makes you pull your hair out. Overthrown cut off men and baserunning bungles can make just as big of an impact as a home run in close games. It is crazy to say that an All-Star needs to sure up the fundamentals but Puig does. Question Two: Who joins Puig in the outfield? They have four All-Star caliber options without the AL designated hitter as a safety net. Matt Kemp will be the odd man out come Opening Day but what will happen when he makes his return in the first weeks of April? I think Andre Ethier will sadly be jettisoned (even if the Dodgers can afford to keep him) to solidify the infield but I don't agree that it should happen. Question Three: Can said infield stay healthy? Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, and Juan Uribe have shown fragility in recent years but for this team to contend they'll need all three to be healthy. They'll be needed even more since both second baseman candidates Alexander Guerrero and Dee Gordon are natural shortstops learning a new position. When I write it all out, I keep telling myself that this is the year that the rug stays under my feet. I truly hope letting my guard down doesn't end up with me on my ass again. PREDICTED RECORD: 97-65 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Yasiel Puig, outfielder; Clayton Kershaw, starting pitcher; Zack Greinke, starting pitcher; Hanley Ramirez, shortstop Image Credit: Dodgers logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley I think the Rangers organization is sick of being the bridesmaids. Arlington's favorite sons have won 90 games for four straight years. They made it to two consecutive World Series in 2010 and 2011, losing first to the Giants and then again in a seven game spectacular to the team directly below them in this countdown, St. Louis. Last year they became the first team to win 91 games and miss the playoffs in eight years. The Rangers cannot seem to catch a break but this winter they've tried to make their own. Firstly they lured one of the top outfielders on the market in Shin-Soo Choo. The centerfielder will hit leadoff for Texas allowing Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar to move down in the order. The highly touted latter will take over at second base for Ian Kinsler, the longtime Ranger who was traded to Detroit on November 20th. Profar struggled last year while being jostled throughout the outfield and infield but is only 21 and too talented to not make adjustments with a stable everyday role. But back to the Kinsler trade, which netted Texas quite a prize. Prince Fielder adds a big bat in the heart of an order that scored the fewest runs at Rangers Ballpark in the stadium's history. The new park will be a welcome sight for the first baseman after two years in Detroit's spacious confines. Adrian Beltre and Alex Rios will also be quite elated having Fielder to hit behind. The pitching didn't make any big additions but with all the players they have returning from injury it will almost have the same effect. Yu Darvish and Derek Holland will once again be the one-two punch at the top of the rotation. The combo went 23-18 last year while striking out over 450 batters between the two of them. From there Matt Harrison, Martin Perez, and Alexi Ogando will try to rebound from a 2013 in which each missed large stretches of the calendar. They'll also have Tanner Scheppers, who may start Opening Day, who made 76 appearances out of the bullpen in 2013. That bullpen may be without the dependable Joe Nathan but will have an old face returning to a role he once thrived in. Neftali Feliz, the 2010 Rookie of the Year, converted 72 saves in his first two seasons before an attempt to convert him into a starter wiped out most of his past two campaigns. Feliz was looking as if he was in line to reclaim the closer role. He was just sent down Triple-A (presumably to stretch him out to be a starter again for some unexplainable reason) leaving Joakim Soria, almost back in the All-Star form from his Royals days, to close and Neal Cotts, who went 8-3 with a 1.11 earned run average last year, to set up. It would be easy with all this fluctuation to expect a transition year from the Rangers. I think they'll stay as steady as ever and win the AL West again. PREDICTED RECORD: 94-68 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Yu Darvish, starting pitcher; Elvis Andrus, shortstop; Adrian Beltre, third baseman Image Credit: Rangers logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley There are some organizations in professional sports that just get it. They know how to put a product out on the field, promote it well, and keep it relevant even in down times. Since the millennium turned, the Cardinals have been the penultimate National League organization. Like the Spurs in the NBA and Patriots in the NFL, the Cardinals have built a tremendous core around shrewd free agent signings, good coaching, and player development. Last year they rode the young arms of Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Carlos Martinez, and Trevor Rosenthal all the way to the NL Pennant. Though they lost to the Red Sox in the World Series, the Cardinals have restocked their ammunition like they always do; just this time with their hitting instead of their pitching. In 2013, the Cards plugged in their young arms behind ace Adam Wainwright. In 2014, they will plug in the young bats around MVP third runner-up Matt Carpenter. The hitting machine Carpenter remains in the leadoff spot in the lineup but will move to third base to make way at second for Kolten Wong. Wong won't be the only talented lefty making an impact for St. Louis in 2014. Oscar Taveras may not be in the starting nine on Opening Day but I fully expect him to be a regular contributor in right field at some point in the spot vacated by Carlos Beltran. Not all of St. Louis's additions are highly regarded prospects though. In a trade that sent former World Series MVP David Freese to LA, centerfielder Peter Bourjos made his way to the Gateway City. He'll add stability to an outfield defense that is shaky on the corners with sluggers Matt Holliday and Allen Craig. Jhonny Peralta comes over from Detroit, one of the other teams Boston conquered on their way to the title. St. Louis will look for Peralta to solidify the shortstop position, even after a 50 game suspension last year, that has seen a different occupant the past seven seasons. Their farm system supplemented their staff and pen last year and now the lineup is getting their shiny new toys. The Cardinals will win the NL Central on autopilot and I wouldn't be surprised if they were back in the World Series come October. PREDICTED RECORD: 94-68 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Matt Carpenter, third baseman; Adam Wainwright, starting pitcher; Trevor Rosenthal, relief pitcher Image Credit: Cardinals logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley 2013 wasn't supposed to go the way it did for the Washington Nationals. After a Major League best 98 wins in 2012, the Nats regressed to just 86 victories in 2013 leaving them a full ten games behind the division champion Braves. What went wrong? Their top three starters (Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez) all made at least 30 starts. Five of their nine regulars (Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche, Ian Desmond, Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth) hit 20 home runs even with the last two missing significant time. Rafael Soriano stayed reasonably healthy and racked up 43 saves. So what the hell happened? Washington could not beat their peers. Against the three National League division winners, they went a putrid 7-24. That isn't to say they were any better against everybody else until the end of the July. Their record for the first four months was 52-56. Matt Williams takes over for the legendary Davey Johnson to try to be better earlier. To do so they have made several significant moves in the offseason. First, they acquired Doug Fister from the Tigers for a pu pu platter of prospects. Fister went 14-9 for the AL Central champions in 2013 and the move to the NL can only help the talented right hander. After losing Werth and Harper for a combined 77 games a year ago, they signed utility outfielder Nate McLouth from Baltimore. The 32 year old McLouth had a return to form after three disappointing seasons with 12 home runs and 30 stolen bases for the O's. He can play all three outfield positions and gives the Nationals much needed depth that they lacked last year. The third move was a bit more under the radar in lefty reliever Jerry Blevins. The southpaw went 5-0 in 67 appearances for the A's in 2013 and will be the primary left handed set up man opposite the Drew Storen/Tyler Clippard pairing from the right side. If the Nationals can stay healthy, they will be the class of the division. Even if they get a bit dinged they've done enough through Major League transactions (see above) and stockpiling quality young hitters (Anthony Rendon, Michael Taylor) and pitchers (A.J. Cole, Taylor Jordan, Matt Purke) to keep themselves buoyed at the top of the NL East podium. PREDICTED RECORD: 93-69 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Bryce Harper, outfielder; Ian Desmond, shortstop; Stephen Strasburg, starting pitcher; Doug Fister, starting pitcher; Rafael Soriano, relief pitcher Image Credit: Nationals logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley The New York Yankees do not like missing the postseason. I get that every team doesn't like losing but for the Yankees it is different. When most teams don't make the playoffs they are disappointed; when the Yankees miss baseball's second season it seems as if it is a revocation of a birth right. The last time they missed the playoffs the subsequent response was an offseason influx that cost the Bronx Bombers $439.4 million give or take. So when you saw the Yankees fall short of the postseason in 2013, you knew a spending deluge was imminent. They did just that splashing out over $535.5 million in free agent contracts and extensions. The first shoe to drop was a 5 year, $85 million deal for catcher Brian McCann. The former Brave will stabilize a position that saw the likes of Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart man it for periods of time. His lefty power will most likely mean an uptick in homers with Yankee Stadium's short porch in right. The next big expenditure was a 7 year, $153 million pact for Jacoby Ellsbury from the arch rival Red Sox. The speedy centerfielder will fill the hole in center more than admirably left by Curtis Granderson's departure to the cross town Mets. Ellsbury joins an outfield with Alfonso Soriano (or Ichiro) and Brett Gardner forming a triumvirate that can cover quite a bit of ground in the house that Ruth built. Next up was Carlos Beltran, coming off a trip to the World Series with the Cardinals. Beltran cost only a measly $45 million over three years and should factor into the outfield picture as well as serving as an exemplary designated hitter. The biggest expenditure of them all was of Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka who garnered a 7 year, $155 million deal from the Pinstripers. The former Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagle, Tanaka comes to the States fresh off a season for the ages in Japan's Pacific League going 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA, his second season in three years with that earned run average. All these shiny new toys are all well and good but what will become of all the old ones already in the toy chest? Can Derek Jeter give himself a proper sendoff, 2014 will be his last season, after a 2013 mired by injury? Can switch hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira redeem himself after having similar injury woes? Who will emerge as (NAME REDACTED)'s replacement at third? Which Hiroki Kuroda is the real one: the first half Kuroda or second half Kuroda? Is C.C. Sabathia done? I think the answers to all these questions will be positive ones. Like Mariano Rivera, Jeter is too much of a professional to not ride off into the sunset on a high note. Mark Teixeira will be handled with kid gloves to avoid him behind rushed back just to get hurt again. Kelly Johnson will probably get first crack at third but I'd expect Brian Cashman to splurge on reinforcements if the former Ray and Blue Jay struggles. Hiroki Kuroda and C.C. Sabathia will be better. We will get the much anticipated Yankee debut of Michael Pineda in 2014, who came over in exchange for Jesus Montero two years ago. The bullpen is filled with question marks but I feel that David Robertson taking over the reigns from the legendary Rivera is not one of them. Wrapping this all up, I think that the Yankees make it back to the postseason. I am just not ready to go out on the limb yet that they'll repeat the results of what happened the year after their last absence. PREDICTED RECORD: 92-70 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Derek Jeter, shortstop (lifetime achievement vote-in); Masahiro Tanaka (starting pitcher); Brian McCann (catcher) Image Credit: Yankees logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley The Braves have been one of the most successful regular season franchises in the Majors over the last twenty seasons. In fact, Atlanta has only been under .500 twice since 1990. Their prosperity has been linked to their overwhelmingly good starting pitching over that span. Gone are the days of Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz but the Braves still have a bunch of highly skilled hurlers. Similarly to Cincinnati and Oakland though, Atlanta has been dealt a major blow to their pitching corps. Kris Medlen, the projected #1 starter after 15 wins in 2013, will undergo his second sojourn under the knife for Tommy John surgery. I wish it ended there. Brandon Beachy will also be having the surgery himself after pitching only five games last year. The Braves still have a good rotation even with these two deletions. They signed Ervin Santana this offseason. He will mesh together with lefties Mike Minor and Alex Wood. Recently signed Gavin Floyd and Julio Teheran join Santana on the right handed side of the rotation. David Hale could provide a rotation plug if problems arise. Their arms on the farm such as Lucas Sims and Mauricio Cabrera are a long ways away so this lot is going to have to hold down the fort. Speaking of holding down the fort, Craig Kimbrel returns as the best closer in baseball. Kimbrel will be 26 this May and he has already cemented himself as the premier game ender in the sport with his third consecutive 40+ save season. He had 50 saves in 2013. He isn't the only flamethrower in the Atlanta pen however. From the middle relief all the way to set-up, the Braves arms do not quit. From the left side, Luis Avilan (5-0, 1.52 ERA in '13) pairs up with the returning Jonny Venters, a 2011 All-Star who missed all of last season. Righties Jordan Walden (a 2011 All-Star), Anthony Varvaro, and set up man David Carpenter all provide a nearly unbreakable bridge to Kimbrel. Oh yeah, the lineup isn't too shabby either. Even with the loss of catcher Brian McCann, the Braves have quite a potent lineup. I expect bounce back years from both Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton. Really though anything for them will be better than the double sub-Mendoza line performance the duo put up in 2013. Upton's brother and outfield mate Justin will look to put together a complete 2014 season. He started off like gangbusters only to fade in the summer months. The two Uptons would also like to see fellow outfielder Jason Heyward stay on the field with more regularity. The two headed replacement for the departed McCann will be Evan Gattis and Ryan Doumit. Gattis, a Kurt Warner-esque story, hit 21 homers as a rookie last year. He will spend some time in the outfield as well to allow the new Brave Doumit to get his hacks behind the dish. They won't be the leader McCann was but they'll hit. The rest of the infield around Uggla will be looking to improve upon success instead of recovering from failure. Slick fielding Andrelton Simmons balanced out his glove with 17 home runs and 59 RBIs. If he can raise his .248 batting average he'll be even more of a dual threat. Each side of the diamond will be manned by a .300 hitter in Chris Johnson (.321) and Freddie Freeman (.319). Johnson came out of nowhere to finish second to Michael Cuddyer for the National League batting title. Freeman finished 3rd and was 5th in NL MVP voting. Freeman will only keep getting better and better and should crack the top three of said MVP balloting in 2014. In the end, even with the turnover and injuries, I expect the Atlanta Braves to win the NL Wild Card. They may not be at full speed right now but they have a GM that will get them the pieces they need to fill any holes that are created. PREDICTED RECORD: 92-70 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Freddie Freeman, first baseman; Andrelton Simmons, shortstop; Craig Kimbrel, relief pitcher Image Credit: Braves logo (sportslogos.net) By Trevor Utley I shouldn't feel like I am going out on a limb putting the Los Angeles Angels in the playoffs. They have the best player of the past decade (Albert Pujols) as well as the best one currently (Mike Trout) in their lineup. Those two luminaries are flanked by an ubertalented hitter in Josh Hamilton. The rest of the order is filled with a mix of players who when healthy can perform at an All-Star level. Along with Pujols, the rest of the infield is composed of Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, and David Freese. Freese, acquired from St. Louis for Peter Bourjos, was a former World Series MVP who reunited with Albert Pujols should spark something in the Angels slugger. Aybar and Kendrick are a former Gold Glover and All-Star respectively. They provide a firm veteran presence both up the middle and at the back end of the lineup. Losing a power bat like Mark Trumbo will be tough but Kole Calhoun and J.B. Shuck will only improve off their rookie seasons. The big question mark for the Angels will once again be their pitching, both starting and out of the bullpen. I differ from most in the thought process that they'll be much better than they were last year. Jered Weaver battled injuries for the majority of his year but still managed 24 starts. Wilson was outstanding winning 17 games and anchoring a staff that kept crumbling around him. They've substantially upgraded at third starter procuring Hector Santiago in a three way trade with Arizona and Chicago. I think Garrett Richards has potential but the Angels were forced to use him out of the pen in several stretches last year hurting his numbers a bit. Said bullpen is another crop of pitchers that are a lot better than the critics say. Ernesto Frieri had his hiccups after taking the closer role from Jordan Walden but saved 37 of the Angels' 78 wins in 2013. Sean Burnett is a superior lefty specialist while Joe Smith excels from the right side. If Frieri falters or gets hurt, Fernando Salas is an option who came over from St. Louis with Freese. The Angels have not made the playoffs since their 97-win 2009. I don't think Albert Pujols or Josh Hamilton are done. I think Mike Trout has only just begun. If their pitching can keep itself sound this team will be the force that everyone thought they were going to be the past two cash splashing seasons. PREDICTED RECORD: 91-71 PREDICTED ALL-STAR REPS: Albert Pujols, first baseman; Mike Trout, outfielder; C.J. Wilson, starting pitcher; Ernesto Frieri, relief pitcher Image Credit: Angels logo (sportslogos.net) |
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