MLB 2013

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Baseball is my favorite sport. To watch, to play, to speculate about. This is they way it has been since I started paying attention to the sporting life probably sometime around 1998 (Do children younger than 8 years old have the capacity to follow sports?). 

During baseball season, at least. During football season I am often informed by my constantly chattering inner monologue that football is my favorite sport to watch, play, and speculate about. The two sports' regular seasons couldn't be more opposite, as baseball is a daily 162-game marathon and football is a 16 game, once a week hype-building workout. I find beauty in both seasons. My heart probably lies with baseball, all things being considered, due to baseball-hating becoming pretty chic based on my observation. It's too boring, season is too long, intentional walks, Alex Rodriguez, whatever. Baseball operates, to me, as more of a work of art, as opposed to football and other faster-paced sports catering more to instant gratification (my blogging has really painted me as an art appreciator...). 

The ever-sexual captain of the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter.

 The Yanks have only missed the postseason once during my time on Earth as their fan, and with a sense of great remorse I predict that the second time will come this season. Yankee ownership's self-imposed salary cap, in an effort to avoid luxury taxes from MLB next season, has relegated the Yanks to signing third tier, washed up, way- past-their-prime free agent placeholders. Not to mention that the oldest roster in baseball has been hit with a rash of early-season injuries (who would've figured old guys get hurt more often?), forcing these free agents into prominent roles with the team. Depth, the calling card of Yankee teams of yore, is nonexistent. The starting rotation is questionable beyond CC Sabathia. The bullpen is decent, but anchored by 43-year-old Mo Rivera coming off of an injury in his swan song season. The AL East, as always, is stacked and reloaded. I have never felt less optimistic about any Yankee season. And with that, here are Travis Reyes's official 2013 Major League Baseball blog predicitons. I will try my best to avoid the sexual language that so often typifies baseball scouting reports.

AL EAST 

1. Tampa Bay Rays - Tampa will always be in the hunt with GM Andrew Friedman calling the shots. The tiny-budget Rays focus on maximizing specialty players' values, a la Moneyball. They develop young pitchers and play great defense. A great young rotation headed by Cy Young David Price and a full season of 3B Evan Longoria should be enough for the Rays to claim the East. 

2. Toronto Blue Jays- A flurry (Canadian snow pun?) of offseason moves including adding NL Cy Young knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, spurned cheating OF Melky Cabrera, and the most productive half of the Miami Marlins roster, proves Jays' management is not content with another 84-win, fourth-place finish. Toronto has missed the playoffs every season since 1993, and the drought will finally end. A solid mix of established veterans and dynamic stars in their primes. My wild-card pick #1. 

3. New York Yankees- This is as far as I will ride my sentimental heart. I do not see the Yanks climbing any higher (reverse jinx?). See above for a systematic nitpicking of the team's flaws. Alas, Derek Jeter is the shortstop (he is turning THIRTY NINE this season). CC is large and in charge. Cano is an MVP candidate every season. Beyond them, I'm afraid the New York Yankees' dynasty cruise is shipwrecked. 

4. Baltimore Orioles- The luckiest team in the league, by far, last season. This can only be attributed partially to Buck Showalter's shrewd managing. 16 consecutive wins in extra innings? 29-9 in one-run games? These statistics will regress to the mean. Mean-ing, closer Jim Johnson will no longer be mistaken for Mo Rivera. CF Adam Jones, C Matt Weiters, and 3B Manny Machado provide offensive optimism, but the planets will not perfectly align in 2013. 

5. Boston Red Sox- Trying my best for an objective assessment of the team I love to hate. Side note: Kevin Youkilis earned his keep as the quintessential Red Sox buffoon during his eight-plus seasons in Boston. Happens to be my personal nemesis. Now he plays for the Yankees. Vendetta aside, the Red Sox suffered through one of the most spectacular single season falls from grace ever last season with 93 losses. Scapegoat manager Bobby Valentine is gone, but this is still a deeply flawed roster filled with underachievers. 2B Dustin Pedroia will scrap his heart out nightly and OF Jacoby Ellsbury is a star when he can avoid the DL. Any improvement this year rides on the shoulders of P Jon Lester, whose inconsistencies define the team. 

AL CENTRAL

1. Detroit Tigers: The weakest division in the sport, and one of the most balanced teams in the sport. Going out on a limb and predicting the Tigers will win the AL Central. The stacked World Series lineup returns with the additions of C/DH Victor Martinez from injury and RF Torii Hunter from free agency. I would venture into the trenches with the starting five of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister, and Rick Porcello over any other in the league. No reason this team is not poised for a Fall Classic redux.  

        

2. Cleveland Indians: Quite the offseason overhaul from last season's Central also-rans. Underrated and unheralded, yet hole-plugging: classic leadoff CF Michael Bourn, 1B and former Yankee life-of-the-party Nick Swisher, slugger Mark Reynolds, and the fleet OF Drew Stubbs. I would be pleased with this calculated aggressiveness as a fan of any team. The small-market Cleveland Indians and their fanbase certainly have reasons for optimism. Good luck taming the Tigers, though. 

3. Kansas City Royals: Third place would be a step in the right direction for everyone's favorite team to anoint as this season's breakout every offseason. Improvements from former golden boys 1B Eric Hosmer and 3B Mike Moustakas are necessary for the Royals to dream of being taken seriously, however. Trading current golden boy OF Wil Myers for ace P James Shields will be scrutinized forever if the Royals don't progress this season. Put your faith in the young lineup and buckle up. 

4. Chicago White Sox: Frankly, (insert Frank Thomas pun here), this is a team without much upside. A lineup highlighted by 1B Paul Konerko, a 14 year MLB veteran and 37 year life veteran, and Adam Dunn, who hit fucking .159 over a full 2011 season. OF Alex Rios is as inconsistent as they come. P Chris Sale is a future Cy Young winner, but the rotation lacks depth. A mediocre baseball team. 

5. Minnesota Twins: The perennially overachieving and scrappy big brother team of my hometown AA-affiliate New Britain Rock Cats, the Twins won't be achieving much this year. Something tells me that the former Rock Cats on this roster weren't touted for 5 years by Baseball America. A weak lineup with a soft-tossing pitching staff to boot, Minnesota won't be many baseball pundits' dark horse wild-card contender this year. At least C Joe Mauer is Minnesotan. 

AL WEST 

1. Los Angeles Angels: Just noticed as I type this blog (without looking at the keyboard) the Spanish-to-English translation of my predicted AL West winner is "The Angels Angels." When this franchise changed the identity of their location from Anaheim to Los Angeles a few seasons back, without actually changing their geographical location, was it simply for the purposes of inside-joke amusement among those versed in both Spanish and English? If so, I am attracted this team's upper management in terms of friendship potential. The Angels Angels (this blog is not in Spanish) have I've Been Gone A Long Time  blog favorite OF Mike Trout, as well as OF Josh Hamilton pirated from the division rival Rangers. Also the greatest hitter of this generation, 1B Albert Pujols. No excuse for this team to be playing golf in late October. 

2. Oakland Athletics: Surprised myself with this prediction. Not that any prediction I make is a surprise, since I am able to forsee the actual future in my homemade crystal ball. I guess that sentence should read "surprising the audience with this prediction" (changing over to present tense). The A's were huge surprises to every baseball fan last season, and a glance at their roster tells me it was not a fluke. With a foundation of young, talented, inexpensive and now playoff-experienced starting pitchers, this team is built for regular trips to the postseason, a la Moneyball era. 

3. Texas Rangers: Losing OF Josh Hamilton and the steadying veteran presence of IF Michael Young will hurt. After back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010/2011, Texas collapsed with a huge division lead in September last season and got bounced in the new, sexy, one-game playoff wild-card round. I predict this downward slope will continue, as the rotation is underachieving and the lineup is looking a lot less punchless without the aforementioned bats. 

4. Seattle Mariners: Seattle moved the fences in this offseason in an effort to make it easier for their offense to hit home runs. My hunch is that this strategy, seemingly often employed by teams with cavernous ballparks and shitty offenses, has a success rate of 0%. In each baseball game, two teams come to bat. If shorter fences are benefiting the home team, they are also benefiting the visiting team. And if the visiting team has a better offense than the home team, which is the case at every Seattle home game, the visiting team will have an even greater advantage. Good try, Seattle. 

5. Houston Astros: The worst team in the league, relocating to a very competitive division. New throwback-esque uniforms will not save the Astros from the basement. At least Houston's management is refreshingly honest and straightforward with the fans about their "rebuilding" process. Maybe a cameo this season from OF prospect and New Britain, CT homeboy George Springer? 

NL EAST 

1. Washington Nationals: In somewhat of an unforeseen turn of events last year, the Nats got off to a great start and never looked back. This team is loaded with young talent and veterans entering their primes all throughout the roster. 3B Ryan Zimmerman, OF Bryce Harper, P's Steve Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez have the chops to turn this into a dominant franchise for years to come. With these stars locked up for years, a dynasty is on the horizon in Washington. And I don't mean of the imperial variety. 

2. Atlanta Braves: I am more certain of the standings in this divison panning out in this specific order than any other division, by far. The Bravos (Chipper Jones's retirement Twitter account) are a formidable, balanced team, but in a way that puts them in second place behind the Nats. The Disney-movie storyline of the underachieving OF Upton brothers uniting (brothers unite!) in Atlanta will only be captivating if they hit a combined 80 home runs and the Braves win the pennant. All while taking down the upstart, but mighty, Washington Nationals. I say bet on a wild card berth and a division-round loss. 

3. Philadelphia Phillies: Is there a more lazy professional sports nickname than the "Phillies" of Philadelphia? Unlike the Angels Angels, a stroke of ironic genius, the "Phillies" sound like their nickname was conceived at a 1920's dive bar's last call with a quill pen. If you're still reading this, the "Phillies" are an overpaid, over-the-hill pack of veterans with one championship to show for their current core group of players. (Much like my favorite team). Their decline began last season, and with the renowned rotation including Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels, only Hamels remains an ace. The true "rebuilding" will begin in 2014. 

4. New York Mets: A team on the upswing? Loyal 3B in-his-prime David Wright just signed a long term (8 year) contract. Maybe he knows something we don't? 1B Ike Davis has slugger potential? P's Jon Niese and Matt Harvey are for real? Fourth-place team. Only because Miami is a division rival.

5. Miami Marlins: An utterly disgraceful fire sale orchestrated by owner Jeffery Loria less than 10 months after opening a season with a brand-new, taxpayer-funded stadium. Not to mention promises of competitive spending habits in free agency and trades. Hope they draw 500 "fans" per game. It will be a while before Miami returns to relevancy in the NL East, and even longer (probably eternity) until fans start supporting Miami baseball again. How long until the best power hitter in the game, OF Giancarlo Stanton, is traded to a contender for A-ball prospects? 

NL CENTRAL

1. St. Louis Cardinals: A model of consistency and player development. C Yadier Molina is probably the best all-around backstop in the game. 1B Allen Craig is a late-bloomer spoiling Saint Louis with yet another slugging first baseman. A solid, underrated rotation led by Adam Wainwright should not miss tenured DL-er P Chris Carpenter too much. Never the most glamorous franchise, the Cards will be in the World Series conversation late this season yet again. 

2. Cincinnati Reds: Another franchise at the doorstep of greatness. They forgot their keys, though. One of the best lineups in the National League, with hit-machine 1B Joey Votto headlining. One key, however, will only be pitching one inning at a time. Flamethrowing P Aroldis Chapman was reinstated as the closer for 2013, rather than making his transition into the starting rotation, as was originally projected. I argue that your best weapons should be utilized the most. He could be blowing 100 MPH heat past hitters for 200 innings this season, but will settle for around 80 innings of dominance. It will come back to haunt the Reds.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates: The North American professional sporting team record 20 consecutive losing seasons will sadly be extended in Pittsburgh this year. But they are close. After leading the NL Central into July last season, the Pirates ran out of gas the final two months of the season. CF Andrew McCutchen is an MVP candidate in the middle of the order. The rest of the lineup isn't a far cry from Murderer's Row, as far as recent Pirate history is concerned. But rotation will be this team's demise. If A.J. Burnett, Wandy Rodriguez, and James McDonald all perform as they are capable of performing for the entire season, the Pirates will shake off infamy. But, the chances of season-long consistent performances from that trio are slim to none. 81 wins gets to .500. I predict the Pirates win 80. 

4. Chicago Cubs: CUBBIES are closer to avoiding being a punchline than you may think. Young stars SS Starlin Castro and 1B Anthony Rizzo will lead the Cubs back to respectability. Not this season, but soon enough. P Jeff Samardzija is an ace to build a rotation around. The supporting cast will not be cutting it in the short or long term, however. Once proper complimentary pieces are acquired, the Cubs will set their sights on erasing the longest championship drought in recorded history.

5. Milwaukee Brewers: Looking at this roster does not scream last place. Upon further review, however, the safe bet is OF Ryan Braun. P Yovani Gallardo is a second-tier ace assuming (never assume) he can stay healthy. Not the worst collective of baseball players by any means, the Brew Crew is as deep as a wading pool. My prediction is that the bottom will fall out this season. 

NL WEST

1. Arizona Diamondbacks: The most wide-open division in baseball, per my blogging opinion. Thus, I will be referring to the "NL West" as the "NL Wild West." The Snakes don't blow you away (tumbleweed pun) by any stretch of your blog-reading imaginagination, but seem to have no major weaknesses either. In the NL Wild West, this is recipe for a 2013 division title. Underrated cornerstones Ace P Ian Kennedy and new acquisition LF Martin Prado will exemplify the underrated character of this team. A surprise division crown and promising future is in store in the desert.

2.Los Angeles Dodgers: The best team Magic Johnson’s wallet can buy, this is a makeshift all-star team. The catch is that most of the players are overrated. Lost OF Carl Crawford, not-ready-for-his-close-up 1B Adrian Gonzalez, aloof P Josh Beckett and socially anxious P Zack Greinke will all fail to live up to expectations.  All-world talent OF Matt Kemp still resides at the heart of the order and there will be enough personnel here for a playoff berth. But questions will be posed about ownership as early their 2013 playoff exit.

3.  San Francisco Giants: The G-Men peaked during the fall last season and cashed in with a World Series trophy. GM Brian Sabean stood pat this offseason and regret it when October 2013 rolls around. C Buster Posey will likely go down as one of the best of all time and P’s Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner will keep missing bats. But the lineup is full of holes and the rest of the rotation is relying on returns to form. The San Francisco treat will be more of a trick this Halloween.

4. Colorado Rockies: An ocean will exist between third and fourth place in the NL Wild West. The Rox couple an above average lineup, hinging on a full season of fragile star SS Troy Tulowitzki, with an awful starting rotation of players whose first names all begin with the letter J. Their J needs work. Their lineup will help Colorado avoid a second consecutive last place effort, however.

5. San Diego Padres: Like Seattle of the AL West, San Diego moved fences in to jumpstart an anemic offense. Like Seattle, San Diego has been held back by their offense for multiple seasons. Moving fences in will not solve this issue, as better opposing offenses will also be taking advantage of shorter porches. With king of the Dads 3B Chase Headley sidelined a month, San Diego will be looking up at the rest of the NL Wild West.   

2013 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Wild Card Round: A's over Blue Jays. Dodgers over Braves.

Divisional Round: Tigers over A's, Rays over Angels. Nationals over Dodgers, D'Backs over Cards. 

Championship Round: Tigers over Rays. Nationals over D'Backs. 

World Series: NATIONALS OVER TIGERS IN 6. 

So concludes my massive (relative to my previously blogged standards) 2013 baseball preview. It was my nerd wet-dream come true to write. So, come late October 2013 be sure to dig this up from the archives to print out and mock. Or at least mock on your computer screen. Or just mock them now. Every baseball season, as in life fantastic, is full of surprises. I tried to pinpoint some surprises but the weird thing about surprises is that you cannot anticipate them. I look forward to 2013 MLB surprise and the surprises in my life. Hope you do too. Thank you very much for reading, especially if you've made it all the way down to this sentence in this post. I appreciate you, audience. Let's relax:

My '92 Geo Prizm beast (Rest in Peace) relaxing on an autumn road in Mansfield, CT

 Listening...NOFX- The Idiots Are Taking Over