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twins2994 · 4 years ago

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Minnesota Twins Offseason Checklist

Now that the Major League Baseball, American Association, and Korean Baseball Organization season’s are over, I thought I’d take a look at what the Twins need to do this offseason.

1.) Re-sign Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz has very quickly become the leader of the Minnesota Twins ever since they signed him prior to the 2019 season. He sets a tone in the lineup and the locker room. He should be credited for changing Miguel Sano’s mindset at game preparation. He was fantastic to start the year with 13 homers and 29 RBI’s in the first 35 games this season. He did falter down the stretch, but maybe that was due to the fact that he had to shoulder a lot of the offense’s production. Cruz hit just three homers in September as the lineup struggled to score runs at times. If the team doesn’t re-sign Nelson Cruz than they would basically rotate the DH spot with Alex Kiriloff or Brent Rooker and give other guys days off as the season goes on. I think getting Cruz back will be key for the 2021 season for the Twins.

2.) Bring Back Jake Odorizzi and Trevor May

We don’t know what kind of payroll the Twins will have in 2021 or how much money on free agents they will be allotted. Jake Odorizzi had an injury plagued 2020 season, so he might be a cheaper option to come back. He enjoyed his time in Minnesota and even took a few moments after the season ending loss to the Astros to go back to the Target Field mound and reflect. Odorizzi was set to make $17 million last year and I bet the team could sign him to a one-year deal worth $10 million and give him a team option for 2022. Trevor May wants to sign the biggest deal he can get from any team. I don’t think teams will want to spend on relief pitchers as much as starting pitchers in this offseason. The top tier free agents will get their money, but the middle-of-the-road free agents might not have deals in place until late in Spring Training. If May cannot find a suitor then the Twins could swap up and sign him to a one-year deal worth $5 million or so.

3.) Figure Out How To Replace Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza

I highly doubt a mid-market team will want to spend millions of dollars on utility infielders in a pandemic situation. Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza will likely walk and find deals elsewhere. Both are versatile players and great clubhouse guys. Do the Twins go internally and say Travis Blankenhorn or Nick Gordon are going to be these utility players or go to the free agent market? There are a few cheap guys like Eduardo Nunez, Jonathan Villar, Dee Gordon, and Adeiny Hechavarria, who could sign spring training invites and make the club out of camp. It will be interesting to see how the Twins replace these guys.

-Final Thoughts- Overall, the Twins are fairly set with position players for the 2021 season. Ryan Jeffers and Mitch Garver will split time at catcher, Miguel Sano will man first base, Luis Arraez will start at second, Jorge Polanco will be at short, and Josh Donaldson will be at third base. The outfield should consist of Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, and Max Kepler since Rosario’s trade market is really low at this point. Nobody wants to take on his arbitration deal of nearly $13 million. Nelson Cruz needs to be back at the DH spot, but the bench will look different. Obviously you’ll have Mitch Garver or Ryan Jeffers backing up at catcher. There will be new utility infielders next year and who knows if that’s internally or externally done. Jake Cave, LaMonte Wade, and Alex Kiriloff should be the extra outfielders. The Twins have a decent starting pitching staff already with Jose Berrios, Kenta Maeda, Michael Pineda, Randy Dobnak, and Devin Smeltzer. I think they’ll add an arm either in the form of Jake Odorizzi or somebody cheaper. The bullpen has some familiar faces with Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Matt Wisler, Cody Stashak, Caleb Thielbar, and Jorge Alcala. Will Trevor May be brought back is a huge question? I highly doubt Sergio Romo will be back. This will be one of the most interesting offseasons in baseball history.

-Chris Kreibich-

#Twins #MnTwins

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nauseateddrive · 5 years ago

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BACK ALLEY SORCERY by Turner Odorizzi

There's nothing like getting that text at 11:30pm from your dealer. Unsolicited, he tells you "HMU. I got it." You know what 'it' is, because you asked him for it two nights ago. At the time, he told you "out, sry", and then to your roommates you said "Fuck. He just responded and he's out." Your roommates start to fight with passive-aggressive jabs that morph into screaming. All the way up the stairs, you could hear it outside.

But he's got it.

I'm at a bar with two shots in front of me, and the bartender snarls at me for taking my phone out as I was ordering. To satisfy him, I put it up and mumble a vague apology. I turn around to see that everyone else in here is under red lights, faces bathed in pale blood, behaving like there's a comfortable toxin drifting around. All sweating. I slug the two shots and leave the red babble into the back hallway where the bathroom is, but I apologize to the bartender for real before I leave.

He says he can meet me two blocks away in an hour.

That's a long time when you've started to become drunk. The first phase of it materializes convex feelings that flip a mental switch and turn you into a false prophet. I'm so transparent when drunk lately that it's become my default setting. I think I am a false prophet.

I often have these waking nightmares when I'm drunk, usually concerning the haphazard and brutal way the world maintains itself. Lately, they've become increasingly unreal.

I finally leave after debating, and as soon as I step out onto the street, I smell the falafel drifting out of that long white truck across the street. To my right, a homeless woman snaps at this girl's ankles while they're talking; the girl likely deserves to have been bit. She's what I would call a talker: one of those placating the downtrodden with a lousy quarter, iPhone in hand. These people on the streets are treated like a dogs, so it's only natural that they react as a dog would.

I digress.

There's an hour before my dealer can meet me, and now I'm thinking I could become a runner of his, you know? A loyal soldier.

A text comes in, but not from my dealer. I'm becoming angrier and spewing emotion like piss out of my eyes.

It reads: 'What r u doing? I'm downtown. Derek and I just picked up. Wanna join?'

She knows me well enough to know I'm getting drugs. It's got nothing to do with her. My anger is vitriol that's been forcibly caged, ready to gnash its teeth and make a feral attack, but I'm sure I'll be more kind when I'm high. By that point, I'll be knee deep in the oblivion I burn into my stomach, and less acquainted with how lucid and fractured all the days seem. Hopefully I'll be nicer then.

I text back: 'Yeah, maybe. Running errands first.'

Errands always means drugs in my world.

There's something unfair about being robbed of my self-image in a place so low-lit. How dare they take me for such a simple projection?

Goddamn, he should be here already.

He knows I'll linger on this stool until he strolls up, grinning like he's got a secret, however late or tempestuous he seems. I’m a cool condensation on a tall glass, just waiting like hell to fall.

But then he taps me on the shoulder. My mind snaps to attention, the neurons all firing with voracious action potentials, and it feels like a stroke but good and warm; my mouth is drowning in saliva. Finally, I can just feel serene and let the drug do its goddamn job.

"Come on. Hit the bathroom with me."

I trail him back to the bathroom, around the corner. He hands me the bag; I hand him the money in the same motion. We do a bump together and then I'm sent on my way to do my drugs in peace.

She texts again:

" At Carrie's. No cover tonight. Would love to see u."

I must be more drunk than I thought, because I don't remember getting here, or being checked for ID. I only remember getting this drunk. But here I am at Carrie's, the bar where she is and where she wants me to meet her. Here. What an absurd concept under the cover of night, blinded by the drugs and the drinks, especially since I could just as easily be there as here. Here or there? I'm already drunk, and I can't tell.

When I first see her, I'm stuck in the memory of our last encounter where, at the wrong moment, I wilted.

About a gram in with twelve drinks washing it down, I looked down to a flaccid dick. Hyper-flaccid. I was on my knees behind her, so she couldn't actually see, but she could definitely feel it. Trying to maneuver it then, in that faltered state, is like death throes in the aftermath of a waning battle, where she's standing there waiting on my surrender to it, because she's seen failing infantry before. She's waiting for me to run down the hill, pants hanging sloppily around my ankles, bellowing that I'm not dead yet.

It happened so quick and mutated to become furiously disappointing. Wilted flowers limp over the edge of the vase, unable to photosynthesize or cope. The question: Does she remember? I'll never let it go; my dick happens to be a good three quarters of my personality. I still remember what she said to me when I huffed and leapt off of the bed like some wounded coyote, to go out for a cigarette.

"Come on! Turner? It's fine, I swear! Please just come back to bed, you can smoke that in here, and we will just open the window. Please, you know it's not a big deal."

She kissed me, and I felt marginally better...but I had stumbled onto my curse.

She stroked the back of my neck while I laid horizontally across her lap. Scorched ego; Typical male bullshit. But that's what chaos looks like for me. Destruction is my motif.

In my head, my dick would never work again, for good or ill. It was permanently soft with embarrassment and inability and extraordinary self-loathing. Without that crucial three quarters, what am I?

He's nobody. He's faceless.

We go upstairs to the balcony dance floor, one step and then two at a time. The staircase is made of new, stained wood steps. Reminds me that this is the point of the night where all highs coalesce and I am... boisterous.

Once we get a drink, she tells me she dropped her small bag of coke when we hugged by the downstairs bar. She must have lost some of it in the process, maybe all, because now she turns to me morose, verging on drug tears in the middle of the dance floor. She asks me if I had bought any from Stone earlier.

She leads me to the darkest stall in the most remote corner of the bathroom.

"Did you pick any up, baby?"

"I don't like it when you call me baby, so please don't. But yeah, I bought some. I met him at the bar, but I waited longer than I wanted to. I should've left."

"I'm glad you didn't. Can I have some, baby?"

Now she's doing it on purpose.

I'm already feeling the pretense to the emotional crash which is requisite in the valleys with uppers. It's fingering my spine, and my ass is cold.

That crash acts as a proving ground to see which drug users will spill over into the abyss.

We finish off what I had left, both of us licking the top of the container earnestly afterward. It's clean by the end.

My fugue state is resolute, allowing me to float through all of this as if it were a dream. But I have sparse hopes, and I want to cry. Badly. There is something welling up, and I need to cry.

"What did you just say?"

"What?"

"I'm asking you what you just fucking said, you drunk-ass."

She chuckles in between drinks.

"I don't...really know. It just feels like I really need to cry right now."

"Um...okay. Did I, like, do something to you?"

In moments like this, I wish there was more booze in the world than I could handle. Like so much booze, that it spews from and falls over the sides of all of those high rises downtown, raging throughout the city, happy to pick me up and transport me to some other place. A place where it's okay to be catatonically fucked up on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, the coke is really getting on top of me.

"No, I never said that. Look, it's not you, and honestly it has nothing to do with you. I just...I can't explain it. I feel gravity more than anyone should, I don't know. That seems like the best way to describe it."

She looks forward.

"It's ridiculous. Fucking tears."

"Well, do you want a hug or something? Or...maybe you need another drink?"

There's a tone in her voice that's covered in moss. Furtive, too. Judging by her oblique reaction, this is what nullifying the rules of engagement is like. Sensory destruction. I can feel that dogging me.

"No, just...never mind. I'm going outside, but I'll be back. I need a cigarette."

I won't see her again tonight, unless darker forces are at work.

Somewhere, in a grand tower with walls of cinder-colored brick, there's an aging wise man, with eyes like surreptitious black pearls, wearing what I could only describe as an onyx-colored warlock's cloak. The cloak trails behind him while he mans the strong brass bell at the top of the antechamber like a ringing monument. It chimes in step with those darker forces.

I sit down on the front steps of a hotel, searching my pockets for...no, there it is, my wallet. I am still me. How fucking disappointing after all the drugs, the alcohol, that some catalytic change didn't materialize. If only I could use alchemy to transmute myself into something productive, maybe someone or something else. As above, so below won't fucking cut it anymore. Those platitudes are hanging from that bell tower as shredded banners.

Can't the warlock hear me over that goddamn bell?

She's texting me again, realizing I'm not good on my word.

"WTF. Where did u go? Are u getting more? I'll pitch on it if you just meet me."

"Pls. Text back. I'm going to Line Bar. Meet me."

I can't help but wonder whether the beginning of hatred is always so subtle? I mean, is it always so...slippery? That I cannot exhale. She won't see me for the rest of the night, except as a useful vision of drugs but I'm just an outline there. A... falsehood. But that doesn't matter, because I would rather smoke on these steps in mute conversation with the warlock, listening carefully as he heaves back and forth, tugging the rope that bids the bell to toll.

Now It's clear that we're approaching the point in the night where the residual effects of all highs begin to wane and shrink up into themselves. They're dull, lanky fingers tickling the insides, fading quickly.

Fading toward an end.

The word of the hour is ‘terminate’. It comes from the Latin word terminus meaning border or end. We're approaching that end. Of everything: the night, the bell, the protective haze of the drugs and the booze. The warlock is shedding his cloak right there by the bell and watching it settle with the dust on the floor. He looks like me, but older, harder; He's just as close to total annihilation.

I don't hate her because I should, or because I have a rationale beyond self-loathing, or even because I'm some noble man saving her from my affliction. I look at her, or anyone, and it's easier to stomach while I'm drunk. Who can survive with that kind of doped up blanket? Better yet, who would want to?

It's getting colder as I sit here and suck down cigarettes all the way to the charred filter.

Wait.

If I'm right I think I... Do I hear...a bell? No, that's just the violent squeak of an Uber driver's horn. Couple the squeak with the image of two homeless and yellow-eyed men fighting nearby, and then you've got the whole picture. Now, one of the men’s knocked the fuck out on the sidewalk, breathing like he's smoking in his sleep.

The warlock whispers, "He's nobody. Now, grab the knife."

Drunkenness is making a hard comeback now. Confusion of...me? Am I not me? The most pressing concern I have is the warlock fading in and out of my vision. Who is he, and why does he keep prodding me to grab some presumably nonexistent knife?

It’s the drugs, I swear.

Am I swearing to the warlock? If so, that begs the question as to whether or not he can hear me.

Who am I?

Only after the haze has made its comeback do I realize I'm no longer on those steps but am walking in the direction opposite the bar where she implored me to meet her. While weaving through crowds and lines of people on the sidewalk, I see a couple standing on the precipice of the curb next to a mangled pile of scooters, fighting about something. They fight like good omens, and I can see...well...something about them. Maybe it's the brutish mannerisms of traitors and bullies.

The girl thrusts out her arms in a half-baked attempt to tell the guy to fuck off; she tells him to leave. Perhaps she doesn't want him to, but he does; he's frustrated, yelling 'fuck you' over and over, alternating between tripping on the curb and the street.

I’ve been there, in those shoes. I've been the brick wall of a person she collided with, only to remain solid and immovable.

I need another drink or to crash, whichever can make it first.

Another text. Two, actually.

"Fuck you. U said seee u later."

"Why di you leave?"

When I look up, I'm at some dive bar, but it's impossible to tell which one. There are old beer signs glowing all over, and everything has a thin, nostalgic dust covering it.

Would that I could feel sorry, but I'm too volatile now. There's a corrosive quality to these things I do. I bleach skin with every word and eat through the rest, like the worst dissolving agent ever conceived. Even then, I'll go on knowing its wrong and stand perfectly still.

My dick deserves to never work again. Perhaps I should take the knife the warlock keeps taunting me with - the short one I notice is sitting there on the bar mat - and turn myself into a eunuch, and then, after the dust has settled, I can take my severed dick and paste it up on the wall like some anti-trophy.

I could see that.

The bartender hands me the last shot of the night, and it tastes like nothing, feels like vapor and kicks me straight in the liver with a twelve-pound steel toe.

After some time, the bar staff ushers us out like drunken cattle, and everybody descends into their phones.

But something happens in that flood of people, among the fucked up din of their cries and slurred shouts. There are far too many people crying outside of the bars tonight, and it's shameful that I'm not even one of them. By the way, how do you cry? Can someone tell me, because I'm drawing a wide blank? What are the mechanisms and motions? If only I could give someone five dollars just so they would teach me how to cry, like an in-person tutorial.

In a bizarre twist, I've become a zealot for crying in the vicinity of bars tonight.

But the bells start again; I hear them ringing out, chime after full, throaty chime. Bells, like the fucking Edgar Allan Poe poem repeating 'the bells' line after line. The warlock has really dug in.

I can't keep ignoring him.

My phone buzzes, but it feels more neurotic and nagging every time it vibrates, and I can sense that neuroses summiting my spine, hovering there like a curse.

I slink down along the wall next to a cluster of dumpsters, the alcohol taking control of basic motor functions this time. I grab my phone with violence in mind.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! STOP! GODDAMN, STOP! SHUT.THE.FUCK.UP."

I rear back and chuck it at the wall opposite me. It hits the brick with a plastic thud and shatters slovenly. I can hear all the words escaping from it into the air. It flashes and breathes with little electric impulses, the life finally going out as something shuffles up beside me.

"You asked it to shut the fuck up y'know. Bit dramatic, heh."

"What? Where the fuck did you come from?"

"I'm Lenny, yeah. Just sayin', yeah...it did what you asked."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks?"

He gazes down at me, fiddling with some glass thing between his fingers and tossing it from hand to hand. Crack pipe, is it? No. Maybe? Well, if it is, and If I ask him, he might toss some my way, which could be a great way to pass the time while I lose my mind up against this filthy alley wall. It will just be a small hit, you know, just enough to take me away for a second.

Before I can ask, something overtakes me. I can't tell if this man is real.

My vision is blinded by an esoteric haze, and I can't be sure Lenny isn't just a facsimile of something or someone I've encountered in my worst dreams, because he does look familiar. Maybe he's never touched a drug in his life. I envy him. He's scruffy, but smiling. I think it's me who is the junkie.

Even better, this could be the warlock passing himself off as a man living off the street, like a messiah.

The bells come back fuller, and they ring louder as I feel psychosis encroaching on me, daring me to go just one step further and fall over my edge, to cross that border and finally come to the crucial end. The last stage, and the whole world's a stage. What a stage this godforsaken alley will be when this is a play in some dinky theater.

Dong, Dong, Donggggggg.

"Hey man, let me ask you, you got a dollar?"

"No. Uh, No, man, I'm sorry. I don't have a phone either."

He grunts and whispers something about me lying, which I am. I'm a liar. Tonight is full of these strange thoughts and lies. How...fucked up am I, really? How much more miserable can I get? Those are the thematic concerns of my whole fucking life. Those studying me will have to accept my capricious self and take these fundamental themes with them, because there's nothing left: no cigarettes, no drugs, no real me.

In fact, I think this would be as good a place to die as any. Better here than someone else's bed; the light is good enough to show that I don't seem the kind of person who should die in an alley, adjacent to shit and sewer water.

The bells are ringing out across my mental landscape. I can't hear anything else, I can't feel anything but the warlock's gaze. He's not laughing, just looking down with placid eyes. What does he see?

I look at my reflection in the puddle where my dead phone lays. Is this me?

Smile.

There's always tomorrow.

Turner Odorizzi is an author that lives in Austin, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin's English and Creative Writing programs, in addition to being an intern for the Bat City Review. As of yet, he is previously unpublished.

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ibatreviews · 5 years ago

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Why these 5 MLB playoff groups from 2019 might miss the 2020 postseason

With Opening Day 2020 simply three weeks away, we have reached the a part of the spring when prognostication turns into the baseball media's second faith. There isn't a scarcity of inquiries to reply with guesses at this level. Who would be the fifth starter? What concerning the final participant on the bench? What are the chances this or that harm is healed in time for the season?

At minimal, these workouts are a great way to run down the clock. Typically, although, they show to be greater than filler, and might spur some attention-grabbing ideas. As an illustration, this week we intend to reply two inquiries to one of the best of our capacity: 1) what sub-.500 groups will ascend and develop into contenders?; and a couple of) which playoff groups from final season will miss this yr's dance? We answered the primary query yesterday, so as we speak let's deal with the second inquiry.

Let's start with some pertinent data. The 10-team postseason has been round since 2012, when Main League Baseball launched the Wild Card Sport as a way of making extra drama. Within the seven postseasons since that inaugural version, at least three groups have fallen out of the bracket on a year-to-year foundation. The common turnover is 5, or half the sector.

Which groups sail over their Vegas win totals? And what number of wins will each single MLB staff have this season? Go to SportsLine now to get the highest 10 season win complete bets, and see each staff's projected file, all from a pc mannequin that went 14-5 on win complete picks final yr.

The previous does not all the time guarantee the long run, however on this occasion it makes for a helpful framing machine. Under you may discover final yr's playoff groups cut up into two tiers: "secure" and "dangerous," or the 5 groups we predict are likeliest to return and the 5 we predict are likeliest to fall out. We have ranked the groups inside every tier as effectively, as a way of displaying our confidence degree in every membership.

Now, let's get to it.

The secure groups

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

This is how safe the Dodgers are: PECOTA, Baseball Prospectus' storied projection system, provides them a 100 p.c probability at making the playoffs. That is based mostly on their simulations of the common season, which have the Dodgers averaging 23 wins greater than the second-place finisher within the Nationwide League West. For some extent of reference, contemplate that PECOTA thinks the hole between first and final within the Nationwide League Central can be 16 video games.

You do not have to know diddly squat about PECOTA to understand the stacked nature of this Dodgers membership. They received 106 video games final season, after which added the second-best participant within the recreation (Mookie Betts) and a veteran starter (David Value) with out giving up a lot. They did lose Hyun-Jin Ryu and Wealthy Hill to free company, however there's important room for inside progress, relying on the progress of Will Smith, Dustin Might, and Gavin Lux, amongst others.

With most groups, you'll be able to envision them lacking the postseason. Not right here, not even if you happen to're N.Ok. Jemisin. Andrew Friedman builds depth charts resembling spider webs, with protection and contingency plans in all places. Possibly the Dodgers win solely 100 video games as an alternative of 110 or extra, however they've an excessive amount of expertise and an excessive amount of depth to examine them failing to qualify for October.

2. New York Yankees

The chance with the Yankees is harm. New York modified its power and conditioning workers after main the league final season in days missed as a result of harm, however to this point it hasn't paid off. Luis Severino is out for the yr; James Paxton will miss the beginning of the season; and each Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Choose are coping with health-related issues of their very own. Woof.

Assuming the Yankees do not have key contributors drop like flies all season, once more, they're about as secure as an American League staff can get. PECOTA has them successful the East by greater than 10 video games, thanks partially to the Boston Crimson Sox prioritizing income to wins. Possibly the Tampa Bay Rays can provide the Yankees extra of a scare than projected, however that is to be seen.

3. Minnesota Twins

The chance with the Twins is regression, as their roster loved quite a lot of profession seasons in 2019. It is modern today to credit score these banner years to expert teaching, subsequently suggesting real adjustments of the true-talent selection. Possibly that proves to be the case for a couple of Twins gamers, however do not forget that their teaching workers was raided by the remainder of the league. The instructors in place now will be pretty much as good as their predecessors with out getting the identical outcomes.

The excellent news for the Twins is that they do not seem complacent. The entrance workplace added the second-best free-agent hitter accessible, in Josh Donaldson, and restocked the rotation by buying Kenta Maeda, Wealthy Hill, Homer Bailey, and Jhoulys Chacin, in addition to retaining Jake Odorizzi and Michael Pineda. That the Twins nonetheless have some items of observe on their farm system ought to afford them the potential to enhance in-season, ought to the necessity or alternative come up.

It does not damage the Twins' probabilities that they play in a reasonably weak division. The Detroit Tigers and Kansas Metropolis Royals serve no risk; Cleveland needs to be respectable regardless of doing little to assist its trigger; and the Chicago White Sox did lots to assist their trigger, however is perhaps solely a contender for a wild card spot. PECOTA has the Twins successful the Central by seven video games. Although the hole is perhaps smaller when all is alleged and completed, we agree with the algorithm that the Twins can be on prime.

4. Houston Astros

PECOTA has the Astros down for one of the best file within the American League, and second within the majors solely to the Dodgers. Why do we've them fourth? As a result of we predict there's extra crater potential right here than meets the attention -- and we're not speaking concerning the manifestation of dangerous karma from their dishonest scandal. Somewhat, we've considerations about Houston's rotation.

Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke are a mixed 73 years previous and have almost 6,000 regular-season innings below their belts. Each are super abilities who will find yourself in Cooperstown sometime, however accidents and age-related slippage can (and sometimes do) occur to everybody -- even one of the best of one of the best, even when neither appears to be on the desk.

The Astros appear particularly weak to that risk now that Gerrit Cole is elsewhere. The remainder of Houston's projected rotation consists of Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidy, and Josh James. McCullers missed all of final season as a result of harm, and in 4 big-league seasons has topped out shy of 130 innings every time. Urquidy, Houston's breakout star final October, set a brand new career-high by tossing 144 innings between the majors and minors in 2019. In the meantime James, the Urquidy of the postseason earlier than final, had a 4.70 ERA in reduction final yr.

The Astros are going to should depend upon their bullpen, and can possible should dig into their beginning depth. These might show to be dicey propositions. The Astros misplaced Will Harris with out changing him, and their assortment of near-ready starters have blemishes of their very own. Forrest Whitley had a horrible 2019, ravaged by underperformance and harm; Cionel Perez's yr wasn't a lot better; and it might be in Houston's greatest curiosity to keep away from relying upon Rogelio Armenteros, Cristian Javier, and Cy Sneed for important contributions.

Houston will most likely determine it out and be wonderful, but it surely's simple to think about stretches the place the staff appears to be like uncovered as a result of a rotation that is not as robust or deep because it was.

5. Atlanta Braves

We thought the Braves had a strong offseason regardless of shedding Josh Donaldson, as they landed Marcell Ozuna, Cole Hamels, and Travis d'Arnaud, and rebuilt their bullpen by securing Will Smith and Chris Martin. Might they've completed extra? Most likely, however they've Cristian Pache and Drew Waters coming, they usually nonetheless have the potential to consolidate a few of their pitching on the deadline. For these causes, we put the Braves right here over the groups beneath.

There is a honest probability we find yourself trying silly for it, too.

The East options three different potential postseason golf equipment, together with the defending World Collection champions, giving the Braves probably the most divisional competitors of any staff on this tier. That is notable contemplating the Braves had the worst run differential of those 5 groups. Whereas the opposite 4 golf equipment posted the 4 greatest run differentials, the Braves had been tied for eighth. (Their run differential suggests they overachieved by six video games in notching 97 wins.)

Our reservations concerning the Braves are supported by PECOTA, which has them ending third within the East with 83 wins. We're not keen to go that far, however we will see the logic to it.

The dangerous groups

1. Tampa Bay Rays

We're amenable to the concept the Rays ought to've been the fifth "secure" staff. They've a strong roster, honest depth, and the power to deal and promote from a top-notch farm system. Additionally they simply noticed their closest risk deal the second-best participant in baseball to avoid wasting coin. If we needed to identify one staff in baseball the likeliest to win a wild card spot, it is the Rays.

Ultimately, that designation landed the Rays right here as an alternative of within the above tier. They had been a rung down from the Yankees final season, once they completed seven again, and this winter hasn't modified that. The Rays did not do a lot to handle their pitching workers, as each one in all their projected 13 was a member of the group final season.

As an alternative, the Rays prioritized their lineup, and particularly including platoon items of the right-handed selection. Slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, who came visiting from the Yokohama Bay Stars, is the one new left-handed addition to the roster. In any other case, the Rays are banking on the likes of Hunter Renfroe, Jose Martinez, and Manuel Margot to fight lefties and supply depth.

That ought to work out wonderful, however most likely no higher than wonderful. Sadly for the Rays, scaling the AL East would appear to require greater than wonderful.

2. Oakland Athletics

The A's had been a a lot better staff final season than folks notice. To wit, they completed the common season with the fifth-best run differential in baseball. That is with Khris Davis having an terrible season; with their catchers giving them little on the plate; with their prime high-leverage relievers falling aside; and with Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, A.J. Puk, and Jesus Luzardo combining for 21 begins. That is quite a lot of dangerous stuff for a staff to beat, however they did it.

So, why are they on the dangerous facet? It has extra to do with probabilistic considering and the power to improve than any expertise deficiency. The A's already seem capped out, and do not have a Rays-like farm system to advertise and deal from throughout the season. If that leaves the A's behind the Rays within the standings, which means they're going to be duking it out for one playoff spot with the Los Angeles Angels, Cleveland, the White Sox, and others. Their danger of shedding out is way increased.

The A's, then, might discover themselves in an uncommon place of being one of many higher groups within the recreation, based mostly on their expertise and efficiency ranges, with out being concerned within the playoffs.

3. Washington Nationals

We imply no disrespect to the defending champions, who will possible be aggressive once more inside the division and maybe inside the league. We simply suppose there's quite a lot of draw back in D.C.

The Nationals primarily introduced again their roster from final season, minus Anthony Rendon, plus Starlin Castro, Eric Thames, and Will Harris. Sounds wonderful ... besides it means the Nationals have 1) much less impact-level expertise and a couple of) a higher reliance on getting old veterans. Put one other means, six of the Nationals' 13 projected place gamers are a minimum of 33 years previous. That is a ton of attrition danger for a staff that doesn't have a lot minor-league depth to its credit score.

We will not ignore the likelihood that the heavy workload from final October will affect Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, and Patrick Corbin, both. These three mixed for 93 begins final season. What occurs in 2020 if they begin solely 85 instances? Or 80? Once more, the Nationals simply do not have the depth to make up for a major decline or absence.

Baseball hasn't had a repeat champion because the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. We do not suppose that is altering this yr.

4. St. Louis Cardinals

By run differential, the Cardinals had been the weakest division winner in 2019. They did not do a lot to enhance their membership this winter, both, save for signing Kwang-Hyun Kim and a few bit items.

St. Louis let Marcell Ozuna stroll and did not make an addition to counter his loss. Additionally they traded Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena for an A-ball pitcher, albeit in a deal that might work out effectively for them over the lengthy haul. On the harm entrance, they're more likely to be with out Miles Mikolas and Jordan Hicks for a piece of the season. That is not an ideal set of developments.

Dylan Carlson's arrival will assist, and the Cardinals all the time appear to discover a three-win contributor within the sofa cushions. For now, although, they appear like probably the most weak division winner.

5. Milwaukee Brewers

We lined the Brewers intimately when naming their offseason one of many worst in baseball. The brief model is that they bought cheaper however not higher, and that they arguably lowered their ceiling as a staff. We might nonetheless see the Brewers competing for a wild card spot, however there's quite a lot of draw back right here and it should not shock anybody in the event that they end third or fourth within the NL Central.

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beersfromthebleachers · 5 years ago

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2019 Season Review and Post Season Predictions

The 2019 MLB regular season is in the books as October approaches and the playoffs get underway. To compare what I predicted at the beginning of the season, click here for the original post. This post will break down each division champion and their pathway to the playoffs. Finally, this post will finish with my predictions on what will happen in the playoffs. Let's dive in:

American League Wild Card Teams:

Oakland Athletics

Another year where the Athletics will face off in the Wild Card matchup, and this time they have home field advantage in order to advance to the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros. The Athletics finished the regular season at 97-65, ten games behind the first place Astros. The Billy Beane faithful kept the competition together from the second half of the season while the remainder of the competition fell apart amongst the Texans, Angels, and Mariners. Mike Fiers was the club's best pitcher, throwing his second career no-hitter during the first half of the season. Shortstop Marcus Semien led the team in WAR, setting a career-high with 8.1 and also led in RBIs with 92. First baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Matt Chapman led the team in home runs with 36 apiece respectively. The Athletics are out for revenge after being eliminated by the Yankees last season. They will be hosting the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card Game on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays remained in playoff contention from the very start of the 2019 campaign. In the beginning, they led their division for the first third of the season. By the time the Yankees took over at first, the Rays did not trickle far off behind. The Rays finished the season at 96-66, stomping out the reigning champion Boston Red Sox from returning to the playoffs. Free agent addition Charlie Morton brought talents to St. Petersburg and led the rotation over Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who struggled with injury on and off during the season. The Rays' hitting was slightly below average, but the team's OPS was .757. To win in the playoffs, you must have the bullpen bolstered in order to close out games. The Rays, however, they know how to take advantage of bullpens late in the game. It will be interesting to see how this team will do facing the Athletics on Wednesday in the Wild Card game.

American League Central Champion Minnesota Twins

It was unfortunate to see the Cleveland Indians fall apart and start to see the beginning of their "window close" for a chance to go for a title after being in the World Series three seasons ago. The Minnesota Twins took advantage of the American League Central and did not let off the gas to win the division for the first time in almost a decade. The Twins had the second-best record in franchise history at 101-61 and was one run short of tying their best record in a regular season. The Twins' rotation was spearheaded by Jose Berrios and a handful of ragtag pitchers like Jake Odorizzi and Kyle Gibson. The rotation alone owned a K/9 of 8.76 which is more than impressive from a group of seasoned veterans. The Twins' hitting is also nothing to sleep on either, as their entire staff holds an OPS of .832. These boys can hit, get on base, and score very fast. Behind All-Star Jorge Polanco, this is a Twins team that will look dangerous in October.

American League East Champion New York Yankees

After watching in the shadow of their all-time rival win another championship, the New York Yankees went to work and geared up to take the division back and make it rightfully theirs. The fight for the division was not easy, the Yankees started the season battered and bruised without some of their best players. Players that stepped up for the Bronx Bombers were Gio Urshela, Luke Voit, and DJ LeMahieu, who was arguably the best Yankee this season. Yankees pitching struggled to keep their rotation's total ERA under four, as the only one that went under that number was James Paxton, who the Yankees traded for in the offseason. However, Paxton struggled with injury and could not maintain his dominance as he had with the Seattle Mariners. The Yankees' bullpen is still one of the best in the league and will be the most difficult to hit against in the American League playoffs. Expect the Yankees to run deep, but they need to get passed the Twins first in the division series.

American League West Champion Houston Astros

Insert the team that is out for blood and looking to return to the Fall Classic after winning their first franchise title two years ago. The Houston Astros were cut short of returning to the World Series after losing to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. Locked and loaded with even a better roster than the season before, the team looks like the favorite to win it all once again. The batting is familiar, but it is Alex Bregman that takes charge as the best player in the batting order, followed by the man who was the MVP for them when they won it; George Springer. Not to mention their rotation is lethal for postseason after adding Zack Grienke to go alongside Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. The Astros are scary good and will take a miracle to beat. They will host the Wild Card winner between the Rays and Athletics.

National League Wild Card Teams

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals did everything possible to return to the playoffs for the first time, and they did it without the player that they missed out on resigning; Bryce Harper. With tenacity and skill, the Nationals ended the season with a final record of 93-69 which earned them the first Wild-Card spot of the National League. Their pitching has remained consistent behind Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and the newly added Patrick Corbin, while their offense has been firing on all cylinders especially behind third baseman Anthony Rendon. The bullpen for the Nationals is what holds the biggest question mark for the team. Struggling to close out games that are close, their bullpen will most likely need help from their starters going deeper in games this October. This postseason run might be all or nothing for the Nationals, they might be losing some key players in the off-season, including Rendon and Strasburg.

Milwaukee Brewers

After scrapping and clawing their way back from the brink of elimination, the Milwaukee Brewers returned to the playoffs in back to back seasons. With help from division rival of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Brewers were able to return as a Wild Card team after the elimination of the Chicago Cubs. It didn’t come easy for the Brew Crew, but the team limped to the finish line with Final season record of 89-73. In a season after being crowned the National League MVP, Christian Yelich looked like he was going to continue where he left off from last season. His numbers included 44 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases while hitting .329 in batting average. The Brewers pitching, however, is in some trouble, even in an elimination game format they will have a tough time sending Brandon Woodruff to the mound against Max Scherzer. Sleeping on the Milwaukee Brewers could be dangerous, as they have a fast-hitting offense and a great caliber defense. If they get past the Wild Card expect them to give the Dodgers a difficult time.

National League Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals

The Saint Louis Cardinals returned to the playoffs after a four year hiatus. The Red Birds loaded up on talent in the offseason by filling their gap at first base with Paul Goldschmidt, who made a huge impact on the team with 34 home runs and 97 RBIs. Marcell Ozuna finally came out of his shell and got back to looking like the player he was in Miami, slashing with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs. Paul DeJong made a statement being one of the best shortstops in the game on both sides of the field, and he complimented it with his bat with a total of 30 home runs. The Cards' pitching was also phenomenal led by Jack Flaherty in the rotation that exceeded expectations accompanied by Dakota Hudson and veteran Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals have some of the best experience with handling the postseason. They have all the right tools to run deep enough in the playoffs and compete with anyone. It will be interesting on how the division series will matchup against the Atlanta Braves.

National League East Division Champion Atlanta Braves

Alongside the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves are one of two teams that defended their division title and is returning to the postseason for the second year in a row. The fruits of the young farm system are coming in at the best time for a team that is young and hungry to becoming a championship caliber team. The Braves ended the season 97-65, defending against a heavily talented division that was loaded with competition. Ronald Acuña Jr. was on his way to make history and became a 30-30 man with 41 home runs and 37 stolen bases before getting injured. He was accompanied from the heavy bats of Josh Donaldson, Ozzie Albies, and Freddie Freeman. Even former first overall draft pick, Dansby Swanson finally started pulling his weight with the team. The Braves pitching is sneaky with getting quick innings done. A rotation including Mike Soroka, Max Fried, and Dallas Kuechel is more than ready to face any opponent in the playoffs. Watching this series between the Cardinals and Braves will be more than entertaining, whoever comes out of this fight will most likely be a fan favorite in the National League Championship Series.

National League West Division Champion Los Angeles Dodgers

If at first you do no succeed; try, try again…and again…and again for the third time in a row. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the favorite to compete and win the World Series, except this year they have everything to show for it. After dropping the World Series for the second straight year in a row, the team has been succeeding with a formula of having as many players as possible play the field and score late in games. The playstyle is almost foolproof, there is little to no show of failure in this Dodgers team. Cody Bellinger was the only baseball player showing his talents and challenging Yelich for his MVP title. He finished the season with 47 home runs, 115 RBIs, and a batting average of .305. His supporting cast is collection of young talent that has transitioned well with Max Muncy, Austin Barnes, and the resurgence of Corey Seager to the Dodger lineup. The rotation also had the rise of Hyun-Jin Ryu who led the National League in ERA for the first half of the season. Walker Buehler also did not fall to the sophomore curse and proved his worth to bolster the rotation. Clayton Kershaw kept his cool and remained supreme being the ace of this rotation. The only Achilles' heel to the Dodgers is their bullpen, who have been giving up more runs late in the game than they should. Still, they were the king of the walk-off, so do not be surprised if you see late-game dramatics from this young Dodgers team.

Where does this leave my prediction of the playoffs? In a perfect world, I would love to see a team that has never won a title in their franchise history between the Tampa Bay Rays or the Milwaukee Brewers, both Wild Card teams that no one should ever sleep on in the playoffs. The realist in me has strong consideration of seeing the return matchup between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the same result as before. Zack Grienke will get his bitter revenge by blanking the Dodgers in a championship game resulting him to be the World Series MVP. The pennant championships will be wild series to watch as well. The American League Championship Series will be the Astros beating the New York Yankees in quick orderly fashion. The National League Championship Series will see the Atlanta Braves dragging out a seven-game series against the Dodgers, who will go on to win it in walk-off fashion. It will be one crazy October to watch, let's see who we will see in the Fall Classic!

#journal #2019 season #baseball #playoffs #october #fall classic #mlb #mlb playoffs #Oakland Athletics #Tampa Bay Rays #minnesota twins #new york yankees #houston astros #Washington Nationals #Milwaukee Brewers #St. Louis Cardinals #atlanta braves #los angeles dodgers

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thesportssoundoff · 5 years ago

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Sometimes Good Enough Just Ain’t Good Enough: 10 Challenges For The Yankees Going Forward

Joey

October 21st

At the end of the year, 29 teams will head into the latter stages of the Fall simply saying they weren't good enough. On Saturday night, it was the Yankees turn to stand up, look in the mirror and say "Not good enough" as they bowed out of the ALCS in the deciding sixth game of the series. When you win 100 games, survive countless injuries, win with a sweep in the ALDS and lose on a walk off in game 6 of the ALCS it's normally a successful season but this is New York where expectations aren't the same as Milwaukee, Oakland, St. Louis or any of the teams who played into October before finally saying "Not good enough!" as they hung up their hats. The Yankees expect championships and it's sometimes mutant fanbase (of which I am firmly a member of) are now going on 10 years of no ticker tape parades. Still let's not lose ourselves to delirium and point out that this is a damn good team with a deep core and plenty of organizational depth to take the next step. The Yankees aren't falling off or in a rebuild; they have a team that guarantees every October, they'll be talking about the chase for 28 in earnest. With the season in the rear view mirror, let's chit chat about ten things the Yankees have to do or figure out as they continue that chase for 28.

1. Fire the training staff

Easy enough! Injuries can sometimes be fluky but good lord, the Yankees were besieged with them. All three starting outfielders (Judge, Stanton, Hicks) saw IL time, their back up OFs saw IL time, their starting catcher saw IL time, starting 1B saw IL time, pitchers both high on the totem pole and in the jabroni ranks went on the IL. Clean house!

2. The same ol' same ol' scramble for a lead starter

Since the end of 2016 when the rebuild was officially over, this team has been chasing the #1 starter you normally need in the post season. At the end of the day, it's just easier to win in the playoffs when you have a game 1 starter you have endless confidence in. While Boston got away with it in 2018, they also had Chris Sale who maybe didn't pitch like an ace but was clearly one of the top 5 starters in the AL that year. The big myth is that the Yankees don't have good starting pitching and that is for the most part a lie. The Yankees pitching after the All Star break was pretty solid and in the playoffs they got quality enough from guys like Severino, Paxton and Tanaka on an inconsistent basis. The Yankees pitching rotation is NOT awful and plenty of teams would kill for a 1-2-3 of a healthy Louis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka in big games and James Paxton after the All Star Break where he went 10-3 with a 3.59 ERA and an 11 K/9. In the playoffs, Paxton was more good than bad and Tanaka shoved in two of the three games he pitched in. That said those three have all battled injuries (Paxton admittedly pitched with a knee he never quite felt great about) and all three of them weren't good enough in the playoffs. Maybe that changes with Severino healthy, Paxton more comfortable and Tanaka staying his usual course but it would be difficult to return with the same rotation in tact and say you feel confident about your chances against the Astros. This has been a chase that has spanned three years now as the Yankees tried with James Paxton, Sonny Gray and J.A Happ, were outbit on the likes of Carlos Quintana, Yu Darvish and Gerritt Cole and allegedly never tried for the likes of Marcus Stroman, Patrick Corbin, Justin Verlander and countless others. 2019 will be yet another year where they'll enter Christmas hoping to have a starter locked up.

The two obvious names will play next week when Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg take the bump for Houston and Washington respectively. In the Yankees of old, George Steinbrenner would hand Brian Cashman a blank check and tell him to pay for one IF not both. Time's have changed for better and/or worse with the Yankees. Brian Cashman is a man of due diligence and a man with the longest leash in sports. The Yankees didn't spend on Corbin, didn't try on Harper and made a modicum of effort for Manny Machado last year. In the free agent market, they're likely to not play heavily unless Hal Steinbrenner pretty much demands it. Paying for Cole and Strasburg is the easier fix but it's an avenue they've shied away from recently plus there are teams who "need" those guys more. The Yankees probably aren't as desperate as, say, the Angels are to win in the Mike Trout era and they've got money to play with so why not? The solution may be the trade market where the Yankees can make some hay in their search for a #1. Brian Cashman has parlayed his farm system (which is still plenty deep) into the opportunity to trade for arms in the past which figures to once again be the case. Conversely in the trade market, the farm is thinner than it's been in recent years AND Cashman prides himself on not losing trades. Also there's not much TO trade out there. Obviously it's his job as a GM to go out and find a potential solution that maybe the public hasn't heard is available but right now who is the best starter knowing that the Mets and the Yankees won't trade? It's not a robust market.

So your solutions are to pull a rabbit out of your hat or pay or hope Severino becomes an ace again after an injury plagued season. I suppose the only potential opt out route would be to sign a Hyun Jin-Ryu or a Jake Odorizzi and hope you can just build a deep rotation of names and faces that will give you quantity (while not high end quality) at the end of it.

3. Figure out Luke Voit

Let's play a game.

Player A- .333/.405/.689 195 wRC+ 14 HR 26.4% K rate Player B- .280/.393/.509 140 wRC+ 19 HR 25.8% K rate Player C- .238/.348/.368 95 wRC+ 4 HR 32.3% K rate

Player A is Luke Voit during his 2018 run with the Yankees Player B is Luke Voit up until he got hurt in the London Series Player C is Luke Voit from July 12th to the end of the year

Voit will never be the guy who took over the MLB in 2018. The sample size was bound to even itself out over time and Voit was bound to cool off when pitchers got to know him better. Player B though is a borderline All Star level first basemen. A power hitter who could hit for average, got on base at a solid clip and play a somewhat manageable first base is an asset for any team but especially a Yankees squad that has been hungry for competent first base play since injuries robbed Mark Texeira of his ability. Then? Voit got hurt. Back issues limited down the stretch and as you can tell by the numbers, Player C was awful. He just looked timid and afraid like he had been sapped of his confidence entirely. Luke Voit got left off the ALCS roster and had to watch as the offense struggled without him. Imagine a confident and healthy Luke Voit at the DH spot instead of Edwin Encarnacion when he went ice cold in the ALCS and maybe the series is a bit different. The Yankees are saddled with determining which half of the Luke Voit story is the real one. The Yankees are a better team when DJ LeMahieu is freed up to play 2B where he's an insanely elite defender and Luke Voit could help in that regard. At the same time? The Yankees have been burnt in the past by gambling at 1B (like when they kept thinking Greg Bird would finally put it together) and options would help. Even if he ran out of gas, Edwin Encarnacion did some good work when he was healthy and few dudes hit dingers the way he does when he's locked in. There's also Greg Bird I guess? Which reminds me....

4. MAYBE chase better balance

I don't believe a team gets better by marrying itself to letters next to names ie: we have to have x amount of leties in our pen. I do think that the Yankees righty heavy lineup could use some better balance. The team was batting Gardner 3rd in the playoffs despite his inability to do much of anything for stretches because they felt like they needed someone to break up the righties at the top of the bill. With two lefties about to hit free agency, maybe the Yankees need to flirt a bit with shaking things up in their lineup. Getting back a healthy Hicks would help of course but in general, this team could benefit from having maybe one more competent lefty bat especially if Did is out of here. It's not the sexiest name alive but given Voit's struggles down the stretch and the fact that they could probably use a more competent 1B defensively, maybe Mitch Moreland (former Red Sox 1B) as a back up/defensive replacement could make sense. Coming off an injury plagued season where he was still pretty damn productive vs righties. Maybe this is even where Mike Ford (who caught on late) fits as a future part of the team.

5. Figure out your free agents

Dellin Betances- There's some serious rebound value in bringing Betances back at fair market value. The Yankees just never had a replacement for what Betances could do as a pseudo fireman; a guy with low contact rates who can K a side and come in the middle of an inning to calm things down. Betances at a multi year deal would be a fair and modest investment.

Brett Gardner- There's a group of mutant Yankee fans who hate Brett Gardner and I feel like people forget Gardner was supposed to be at the very most a part time 4th OF. Injuries forced Gardner to continually play and he answered the bell quite well every time. He'll likely take a step back next year BUT he'll also be asked to play less.

Edwin Encarnacion- Was absolutely brutal in the ALCS but hits for power and usually has composed at bats. Was always a hired gun who the Yankees were probably gonna buy out when the time was right.

Didi Gregorios- Ugh. Didi went from being one of Brian Cashman's biggest steals and a potential cornerstone to a guy who will probably be allowed to test the open market. Didi's strengths are his defense, his clubhouse presence and his better than advertised bat but the Yankees have been waiting on him to take a firm step into top 10 SS for about two years now and it's not coming. He deserves a lot of credit for battling back from injury but he was brutal outside of games vs the Twins. I also sort of feel like his approach is all wrong for the Yankees as its constructed. For a team that preaches patience at the place and commanding the strike zone, Didi's approach often gets worse the more pitches he takes so he often swings at the first pitch and often does so when it's the wrong time. Defensively it looked like he took a step back as well although that may have been due to injury. The Yankees are better with DJ at 2nd and Gleyber at short and a competent 1B manning that spot but they love Didi so much (and he's so valuable when he's right) that they kept forcing him into the spot.

Austin Romine- Catching across the league is bad and Romine, noodle arm aside, is a solid back up catcher. Those tend to get signed for decent coin and normally for multi year deals. As such the Yankees need to maybe consider their options at the BUC spot because they won't have Romine.

Cameron Maybin- I'm not entirely sure Maybin's got a real fit here now. If Stanton, Judge and Hicks are healthy then it's probably him vs Gardner because Mike Tauchman has a long term future here. I wish Cameron Maybin well, he was a breath of fresh of air in the locker room and he deserves to have a good spot on a team somewhere.

6. Figure your outfield situation out

We know Judge, Stanton and Hicks are going to be here. Mike Tauchman was a star and a half for a month and change before injuries finally sapped him of his super powers. Gardner is a free agent but I'm betting the Yankees will bring him back comfortably so. Beyond them you have Estevan Florial (a former Yankees top prospect on a slide), Clint Frazier (a borderline toxic fit for the Yankees) as well as pseudo OFs Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada. The Yankees OF depth tends to get tested throughout the year but is Clint Frazier better suited to be a trade piece for some team in desperate need of an outfielder?

7. Settle the 'pen out a bit.

Yankees have four tremendous bullpen arms tied up with Britton, Ottavino, Green and Kahnle comfortably under wraps. Aroldis Chapman will probably opt out in a so-so closer's market and the Yankees will probably re-sign him (they took the PR smear after trading for him and then brought him back so clearly they value him). If not? Britton was an ace closer but in general the bullpen needs more arms. Remember the CLOSEST they got for a trade in July was for Bluejays closer Ken Giles so I'd imagine they'll poke around there too. If you can't find a starter of high quality and won't trade for one then you need one more big arm in the pen. It'd be pretty cool to both a) get a stud reliever and b) hurt your primary rivalries by signing either Joe Smith or Will Harris from under Houston.

8. Find a role for whatever J.A. Happ is.

The Yankees got ace level production of J.A. Happ when they had him in 2018 and even including his playoff bust vs Boston, bringing him back in some form or fashion seemed like a can't miss concept. Well it done missed. Pick whatever metric you want and Happ was genuinely bad for a Yankees team that desperately needed him to ONLY be a competent arm. He did improve as the season went along (imagine how awful he had to be that his last five starts with a 2.33 ERA that it managed to ONLY finish at a sub 5 ERA) and a lot of his game felt like it was just blitzed by the juiced ball and a lack of adapting to that. Happ is still under contract for 2020 and it's going to be hard to shake his deal so you're stuck with him. Figure out I guess if he's a long man, a 5th starter or a really overly expensive LOOGY type.

9. Battle royal the 5th spot

Keeping with that, the Yankees were roasted for their lack of SP depth and it showed up big last year. The fact that this team turned to an opener and wound up riding the likes of Chance Adams and Nestor Cortes as long men suggests they got got by the lack of options in the rotation. Turn the 5th spot into a battle royal position. Jordan Montgomery, J.A. Happ, Johnny Lasagna, a few retreads on other teams who are a tinkered arm angle away from being a competent 5th starter etc etc etc. Don't go into the year just figuring your minor league depth options are going to be enough because it probably won't be.

Unless you want to sign Zack Wheeler or Jake Odorizzi and be done with it.

10. Accept Gary Sanchez

I guess this is more for Yankees fans than anybody else. Gary Sanchez is a good catcher. Offensively when he's healthy, he's among the game's best and defensively? He's actually improving really well to be one of the better catches in the AL. He has a crazy throwing arm and while stolen bases are becoming less frequent, he's still got the ability to further mitigate that. Sanchez is a good player who plays the most physically demanding position in baseball and does a good job at it. His playoff numbers were abysmal this year but I still have faith.

#MLB #Yankees #playoffs #2019 #aaron judge #tanaka #severino #chapman #baseball #sports #hicks #stanton #sanchez

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investmart007 · 6 years ago

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MINNEAPOLIS | Odorizzi takes no-hit bid into 8th as Twins top Yankees 3-1

New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/minneapolis-odorizzi-takes-no-hit-bid-into-8th-as-twins-top-yankees-3-1/169686/

MINNEAPOLIS | Odorizzi takes no-hit bid into 8th as Twins top Yankees 3-1

MINNEAPOLIS — As he inched closer to a no-hitter, Jake Odorizzi was ready to throw 140 pitches if needed. He was nearing his career high against the New York Yankees, but was confident he could talk Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor into leaving him in for the ninth inning if it got to that point.

Odorizzi never made it that far.

His no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird laced a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth, and the Twins beat the Yankees 3-1 Wednesday night to take two of three from New York.

The Yankees’ lead over Oakland for the top AL wild card was cut to one game as they completed a 4-5 trip.

A tiring Odorizzi walked Luke Voit before Bird lined the next pitch deep into the left-center gap. Odorizzi was immediately pulled and he tipped his cap to the crowd as he walked off to a standing ovation.

“It’s been a tough year. There’s no if ands or buts about it,” Odorizzi said. “So it’s good to have one of these outings toward the end, feel the energy, show them kind of what I’m capable of doing.”

Odorizzi (6-10) struck out five and walked three, matching his big league high of 120 pitches set while pitching for Tampa Bay against the Twins on June 3, 2016.

There was no hesitation on Molitor’s part as he went to take out his starter after Odorizzi finally allowed a hit in the eighth. Odorizzi needed just seven pitches to get through the seventh, but that brought his pitch count to 109 entering the eighth.

“It was a good kind of stress for me, trying to negotiate with Jake in between innings,” Molitor said. “No one wants to see anyone get hurt, but he’s a veteran. He said he felt great, and I know he would be smart about trying to find ways to take it a pitch at a time, a hitter at a time.”

Taylor Rogers relieved Odorizzi and promptly struck out Gleyber Torres before Trevor Hildenberger fanned Andrew McCutchen. Hildenberger finished for his sixth save.

Luis Severino (17-8) allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 3-6 in his last 11 starts. Severino unsuccessfully tried to persuade manager Aaron Boone to keep him in the game in the sixth.

“He wanted to stay in the game. I’m fine with my guys wanting to stay in the game,” Boone said. “He was very pitch efficient.

Obviously it wasn’t a pitch count issue, it was just starting to get a little away and he’s in the fight right now. I respect the hell out of that.”

Severino permitted one hit in the first five innings, then gave up a one-out single to Max Kepler in the sixth followed by Ehire Adrianza’s go-ahead double.

Joe Mauer’s single put runners at the corners, Jorge Polanco struck out on a wild pitch that advanced Mauer, and David Robertson relieved and retired Eddie Rosario on a groundout.

“My confidence is always up,” said Severino, tagged with the loss in consecutive starts. “I’ve had some struggles but that’s nothing I can’t fix. So I was going to go give 110 percent and compete for my team.” Minnesota opened a 3-0 lead in the seventh when Willians Astudillo hit an RBI single and scored on Kepler’s double.

Twins catcher Mitch Garver was removed after two innings. He took a foul tip to the mask in the second, and the team said initial tests did not indicate a concussion.

TRAINER’S ROOM Yankees: All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman could return next week from nearly a month on the disabled list. Chapman has not pitched since Aug. 21 because of left knee tendinitis, which has bothered him throughout the season. The 30-year-old left-hander threw a bullpen Wednesday and was to return to New York for treatment.

Boone anticipates another bullpen session this weekend, then a return.

Twins: 3B Miguel Sano (left leg) said he hopes to play again before the end of the season. “I want to finish strong,” he said. Sano was hurt last week when he slid awkwardly into second base against Houston.

UP NEXT Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka is to start Friday against Toronto. Tanaka has won consecutive starts in September after going winless in August.

Twins: LHP Stephen Gonsalves will make his fifth big league start Thursday at Kansas City.

By TYLER MASON,Associated Press

#hildenberger finished #jake odorizzi #odorizzi needed #press minneapolis #promptly struck #scoring double #severino permitted #severino unsuccessfully #Standing ovation #TodayNews

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thewritersworkout · 3 years ago

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NEW BLOG POST!

Let’s talk about SYMPATHETIC ANTAGONISTS (the best kind)!!

Check out our latest post by Lindsey Odorizzi!

Excerpt:

What’s better than a cruel, bloodthirsty villain? One we can’t help liking! This month is all about sympathetic antagonists and what makes them so compelling to us. Readers love to root for characters, so why not have them root for your antagonist (and feel oh-so conflicted about it)? It’s a great way to keep your story fresh and interesting, and leave your reader questioning their morals.

Some quick definitions

Protagonist: in order to understand your antagonist, you first need a protagonist. Protagonist literally means “first actor.” They’re the main character of the story, and usually (but not always) the main point of view. Generally, they’re the one the reader is meant to root for.

Antagonist: Who is the antagonist then? They’re just as necessary as the protagonist, if not more so. They work against the protagonist, the “opposing actor.” (See how we swap “pro-” for “ant-”). They can also act as a foil to the protagonist, highlighting their differences. A classic example of this is Batman and the Joker. The antagonist doesn’t have to be as obvious as the villain in a superhero story, though. An antagonist is simply there to be a roadblock or an obstacle in the protagonist’s way.

#writers #writing advice #sympathetic antagonists #antagonists #blog post #the writer's workout

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newsfact · 3 years ago

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Why was Red Sox-Astros ALCS Game 2 delayed? MLB pitching change rules, explained

When a baseball game is delayed, it’s usually because of inclement weather. Playing in a retractable-roof stadium like Minute Maid Park in Houston usually helps to eliminate just about any delay.

But fans watching the Astros host the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALCS on Saturday had to wait nearly 15 minutes for the game to resume after it was stopped in the top of the second inning.

The delay began when Astros manager Dusty Baker came out to the mound to take the ball from starter Luis Garcia. Jake Odorizzi came on in relief.

MORE: Dusty Baker reacts to Kiké Hernández’s Game 1 home run during interview

But if it was just a pitching change, why did it need to take so long?

Why was the Red Sox-Astros game delayed?

Normally when a pitching change is made, a reliever has only a certain amount of time to get ready.

When the game is broadcast locally, pitchers have 2 minutes, 5 seconds to get ready, according to MLB rules. That number goes up to 2 minutes, 25 seconds for a nationally televised regular-season game and 2 minutes, 55 seconds for postseason and tiebreaker games.

MORE: Astros-Red Sox ALCS Game 1 takeaways

The timer starts when the final out of an inning is recorded, with only a few exceptions, none of which applied in this situation.

Why not?

The biggest exception to the rule is in the case of an injury replacement. It was later reported that Garcia was removed from the game because of knee discomfort. MLB rules state that if a pitcher enters a game after another was removed due to injury, they are “granted as many warmup pitches as the umpire allows.”

Baker was hoping to bring in a pitcher who was capable of giving him a starter or long reliever’s workload. According to The Complete Pitcher, starting pitchers typically like to take about 20 minutes to warm up before a game. That includes several minutes of jogging and stretching, nearly 15 minutes of throwing and a few minutes of rest before going out to mound.

MORE: 2021 MLB playoff schedule

Now, consider the case of Odorizzi. He has relieved just four times in 220 career major league appearances (he started once in the 2019 postseason). He was added to the Astros’ ALCS roster after being left off their ALDS roster.

The last time Odorizzi threw a competitive pitch for Houston was on Oct. 2, exactly two weeks earlier, when he went 4 2/3 innings against the Athletics.

Odorizzi was going to need plenty of time to get loose, especially because he is not used to being called in on the spur of the moment.

The Red Sox did not exactly give him a gracious welcome. He served up singles to two of the first three batters he faced before Rafael Devers hit the Red Sox’s second grand slam in two innings. Two innings later, Kiké Hernandez continued his hot hitting with a solo shot off Odorizzi to extend Boston’s lead to 9-0.

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#IFTTT #WordPress

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twins2994 · 4 years ago

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Chicago White Sox-Minnesota Twins Series Preview

8.31.20- Lucas Giolito RHP (3-2) 3.09 ERA Vs. Rich Hill LHP (1-1) 3.55 ERA

9.1.20-Dallas Keuchel LHP (5-2) 2.70 ERA Vs. Michael Pineda RHP (11-5) 4.01 ERA (2019 Stats)

9.2.20-Reynaldo Lopez RHP (0-1) 9.00 ERA Vs. Jose Berrios RHP (2-3) 4.75 ERA

The White Sox At A Glance- The Chicago White Sox are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now. They are (11-2) in their past thirteen games and have rocketed themselves to a first place tie with the Cleveland Indians ate (21-13) overall. The Sox have hit their way to first place with some good pitching mixed in. Tim Anderson leads the American League with a .343 average and has added six homers and eleven RBI’s. Jose Abreu leads the team with twelve home runs and Eloy Jimenez has eleven homers on the year. Since we last saw the Sox, they traded for Jarrod Dyson and recently called up Yolmer Sanchez, who was in camp with the Giants, but got released. The Sox didn’t make any huge trades leading up to the trading deadline. The Sox have pitched well with a 3.75 team ERA. Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, and Dylan Cease have been their best starters. Closer Alex Colome has given up just one run in 12 1/3 innings. Evan Marshall owns a 2.51 and Aaron Bummer is out with a left biceps strain. The team released Kelvin Herrera, who had a tough time in a Sox uniform.

The Twins At A Glance- The Minnesota Twins have been a streaky team in 2020. They started (10-2) and were off to that great start. The team then lost five of six games before winning five of six. The Twins have lost five games in a row and return home, where they are (12-3) on the season. I think this team just needs to return home and relax. The front office didn’t make any big moves at the trade deadline and I’m glad. The Twins will get back Mitch Garver, Josh Donaldson, Byron Buxton, Jake Odorizzi, Zack Littell, Homer Bailey, Michael Pineda and Cody Stashak. There’s no sense to make a trade to have a player come over for 25 games in this shortened season. Over the course of a 162-game season, the Twins would be able to use their depth and wear down the young White Sox, who haven’t been in a pennant race before or exploit the lack of offense in the Cleveland Indians. The Twins offense has been awful lately. They scored two runs in all three games in Detroit. The Twins had thirteen total hits in the three games and hit 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. That’s not going to get it done against any team let alone the Detroit Tigers. Randy Dobnak had some bad luck in 4 1/3 innings on Saturday, Matt Wisler only got five outs when the team needed him to go two innings, and Kenta Maeda threw the ball well on Sunday. The bullpen is having success from odd places. Matt Wisler and Caleb Thielbar have sub-2.00 ERA’s and are looking good. Tyler Clippard (1.23 ERA) and Tyler Duffey (2.13 ERA) are getting it done as well.

What To Watch For- The Twins won two out of three games against the White Sox to start the season. The Twins amassed 27 runs in that series and it seems like forever ago. The White Sox offense has surged, while the Twins has looked dreadful at times. The Twins went (6-3) against the White Sox in games played at Target Field in 2019. Lucas Giolito is (4-6) with a 5.34 ERA in eleven starts against the Twins. Nelson Cruz and Max Kepler each have two homers off him. Rich Hill owns a 6.41 ERA in seventeen appearances against the White Sox. Dallas Keuchel is (4-3) with a 3.57 ERA in seven games versus the Twins. Nelson Cruz has five career homers off Keuchel. Michael Pineda is (5-3) with a 3.24 ERA in eight starts against the Sox. Reynaldo Lopez is (1-5) with a 6.48 ERA in eight starts versus the Twins. Max Kepler has two career homers off Lopez. Jose Berrios is (11-2) with a 2.76 ERA in fifteen games against the Sox. James McCann has homered off Berrios four times. The Twins will likely send Juan Minaya down after Monday’s game to make room for Michael Pineda on Tuesday.

-Chris Kreibich-

#Twins #MnTwins

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guardiannews24 · 4 years ago

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RHP Jake Odorizzi, Astros agree to two-year deal

The Houston Astros added to their starting rotation on Saturday, agreeing to a two-year deal with right-hander Jake Odorizzi, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The Astros were in desperate need of a pitcher for the starting rotation. Justin Verlander will miss the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Framber Valdez reportedly could miss the whole season if he undergoes…

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nrunshoes · 4 years ago

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Colorado Rockies, mlbfantasygm.com, Team Logo Face Masks

The excitement around the Padres, and what it signals about the direction of this upstart franchise, is already noticeable.Los Angeles Dodgers If, after a whole spin through the grind, the various changes feel natural and becoming of competitive integrity, it would show flexibility not usually attributed to baseball. But, after an offseason spent wondering what the rules would even be, the changes could also compromise the much-needed feeling of legitimacy a 162-game schedule should again impart.Tampa Bay Rays Jake Odorizzi and Taijuan Walker remain on the free agent market, and the Mets should nab one of them -- or address the rotation via trade.Washington Nationals The Dodgers will exceed the luxury-tax threshold this year and have accepted the strong possibility that they'll do so again in 2022. They also have the impending free agencies of Corey Seager (after the 2021 season), Cody Bellinger (after 2023) and Walker Buehler (after 2024) to consider. Doug and Andy also dive into how the NL East will shape up and where they see the Mets in the division race. Andy provides some insight into why fans might not know the full story when it comes to teams not fighting harder for a free agent and why adding depth players has been a secret to the Dodgers success and is now looking like a mantra for the Mets moving forward. Lastly, why didn't the Mets push harder for reliever Justin Wilson and let him head north to the Yankees in the Bronx? All that and more on this week's Shea Anything podcast.Colorado Rockies mlbfantasygm.com Team Logo Face Masks He's one of the rare prospects on this list for whom plus hit and power tools seem like a reasonable projection, but he's not a huge walk type as he relies more on bat control than pitch selection to make contact. The risk here would be that the pitch selection undermines his in-game power and he's worse than a 45 in left field, making him a platoon first base/designated hitter fit in the short and maybe long term. There's also a bit of an injury history, with a Tommy John surgery in 2017 and a wrist injury that muted his production in 2019. The Braves appear to have gotten the ultimate bargain with Ronald Acuña Jr. once the news of Fernando Tatis Jr.’s deal dropped.

#Colorado RockiesWashington NationalsLos Angeles DodgersTampa Bay Rays

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thewritersworkout · 3 years ago

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Hey, hey writers! We've got a new post up on our blog! You can read all about creating your own writing rituals by Lindsey Odorizzi right here!

Excerpt:

What is a writing ritual?

A writing ritual is any repeated action you do before or during your writing sessions. It can be as simple or complex as you’d like, and it’s usually personal and specific to your own needs. One thing might work great for you but doesn’t do the trick for someone else. Generally, though, the goal of a writing ritual is to get you in the mood to write and create constructive writing habits.

Creating your own writing rituals is a personal experience, but these suggestions will give you inspiration for effective, creativity-sparking rituals you can implement in your writing life.

A note

Writing rituals can be great, until you rely on them too heavily. If you need the perfect conditions in order to write (midday, slightly overcast, exactly 71 degrees F), odds are you won’t be able to actually sit down and write very often. Remember the ultimate goal of your ritual: inspiring you to write!

#writing #writing rituals #writing advice #writing in 2022 #the writer's workout #writing help

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iloveyoupittsburghpirates-blog · 7 years ago

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It’s Time To Move Forward, Pittsburgh Pirates

My Dearest Pittsburgh Pirates,

Why hello there. It’s been a while. I believe it’s been since “The Trades” occurred. You look well. Opening Day has come and gone. We usually talk before that day but it felt important to allow myself some “me” time to allow things to properly digest. It took a little longer than I initially anticipated but I’m ready to move on. I’m not going to discuss “The Trades” anymore. It’s in the past and I think it’s vital for us to keep our focus forward. Your 2018 roster is set and we will see where the year takes you and me. You did make one move this offseason that immediately made me more optimistic. That was the trade that allowed you to acquire outfielder Corey Dickerson. It’s old news by now but adding a player that bats lefty with a career OPS of .864 against right handed pitching, had a WAR almost identical to a certain former center fielder of your’s last year, and only cost you Daniel Hudson and a prospect who wasn’t even in your top 30 is a big get. He’s only 28, he only costs 6.5 million, and he’s under your control through 2019. With his addition and Moran’s, you add two left handed bats with pop. That won’t necessarily make up for what you lost by itself but it’s a start. I’m going into this season optimistic because the one thing every team has in common is that they all start the season 0-0. Right now, we have the same shot as every other team. Kind of…

The offense was one of the worst in home runs last year in a season defined by the home run ball. The additions of Dickerson and Moran that we already discussed will hopefully make an impact on that. Ideally other players can personally improve in order to help matters. Josh Bell, Francisco Cervelli, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco all had monster springs with OPS’ around or over .900. It seems unlikely that Cervelli will do that in the regular season but it’s not out of the question the other three could. For Cervelli or Polanco to have a chance at that, they will need to be healthier than last year. A full season of Marte and Bell hopefully progressing from his very impressive rookie campaign would make a huge difference. If those four can stay healthy plus Moran and Dickerson providing more pop, then this lineup could be very interesting.

Harrison/Marte/Polanco/Bell/Dickerson/Cervelli/Moran/Mercer

If that’s your typical starting lineup against righties, that works for me. Frazier can slide in for spot starts here and there and your left with a righty dominant bench of SRod, Freese, Diaz, and eventually Osuna. If Marte, Bell, and Polanco do anything like they did this spring, this lineup could be much more dynamic that I originally expected.

I wouldn’t have originally anticipated the pitching would be my biggest concern after the way the offense performed last season but that’s the reality of this situation. While the rotation is set, it’s far from a group I’m confident in. Your second-best pitcher is probably Trevor Williams and, nothing against him, but that’s nerve-racking. He was your best pitcher in the second half of last season and I actually have pretty high hopes for him. The rotation centers around Jameson Taillon turning into a reliable ace. He has all the tools to accomplish that but his health is always a concern. I loved what I saw in training camp and I have a feeling he could break through this year. Kuhl, Nova, and Musgrove are question marks. They could be anything from good 3’s, to great 4’s, to not even worthy of being a #5. Only time will tell. The bullpen is by last year’s dominant closer Felipe Rivero, fresh off his contract extension. He had a bit of a rough spring but if his performance in game one of the double header is any indication, he will be he’s still his dominant self. George Kontos provides the experience and will mostly like serve as the 8th inning guy. Michael Feliz, acquired from Houston when we traded our former ace, is a hard thrower with plenty of upside but could be an adventurous 7th inning option. Dovydas Neverauskas and Edgar Santana made the team this year after seeing some action last season. They both possess powerful arms but neither performed well enough last season to put too much on them. You have three long relievers in Steven Brault, Josh Smoker, and Tyler Glasnow. Brault has made a handful of starts in his career and could be a decent weapon out of the pen especially as a lefty. Smoker is another lefty who was an underdog to even make the roster so not someone you want pitching in high leverage situations. Glasnow should have started the season in Triple-A in my opinion to keep working on his control. You have a new concept of having starters spend time in the major league bullpen. Glasnow pitched two scoreless but chaotic innings in Game Two today. He walked two, struck out two, but did throw 21 of 37 pitches for strikes. I don’t know where this is going but it’s safe to say that every time he pitches stress will be at optimal levels. This bullpen is filled with lively arms which is something to like but there is little experience which can lead to shaky results.

Opening Day proved anti-climactic when the game in Detroit against the Tigers was rained out. Friday was an off day so that’s when you opened the season with a high scoring affair. In the top of the 13th of a 10-10 game, Gregory Polanco hit a towering 3 run homer game-clinching homer to give you the 13-10 win. Saturday was yet again rained out so that meant an Easter Sunday double header. Game One saw Polanco keep a hot bat with a first inning RBI double that would prove to be the difference in a 1-0 game. Trevor Williams had a no-hitter through 6 innings but had walked five and threw more balls than strikes. Hurdle smartly took him out before the 7th inning which is when Michael Feliz gave up the first hit of the game. He worked a scoreless 7th, Kontos worked a scoreless 8th, and then Felipe Rivero came in for the 9th. There had been concern in Spring Training about his control issues, but those fears seemed like a distant memory as Rivero easily struck out the middle of the Tigers lineup. It really wasn’t fair. Two games. Two wins. Game Three of the series had Chad Kuhl on the hill but this turned into the Josh Harrison show. JHay was 3 for 5 with a homer, a double, two runs, and 2 RBIs. Marte and Freese also hit absolute bombs in another dominant offensive performance. The 8-6 victory means the offense is averaging over seven runs per game. The Tigers’ pitching staff is one of the weaker staffs in the league, but you should dominate and did. I can remember plenty of games last season when you were shut down by less than average starters. You swept a team on the road to start the season. You won’t hear one complaint out of me the rest of this letter.

Tomorrow is the Opening Day at beautiful PNC Park. Jameson Taillon will get the start in Game One of an odd two-game series against the Minnesota Twins. Tuesday is an off day and Wednesday Ivan Nova gets the start in the series finale. The Twins made the playoffs last season and have an underrated lineup. You will face newly acquired starter Jake Odorizzi followed by former Cardinals’ pitcher Lance Lynn. They are better than any pitcher you faced on the Tigers. This team is much better than the Tigers too so you better come in prepared. Thursday marks the start of divisional play when the Cincinnati Reds will come to PNC Park for your first four-game series of the year. The Reds are still rebuilding but they have some high-end talent in the rotation and some big bats in the lineup. They are beatable but they aren’t going to make it easy for you. After the Reds’ series, you go to Chicago to play the Cubs so getting wins this week will be important. I honestly couldn’t have hoped for a better start. More than anything, it’s just nice to see you. I know I can be critical but that’s only because I care so much. There are legitimate reasons to be excited about this season and I really mean that. I have no idea where it will go but I’m excited about the ride. It’s great to have you back and have a great week!!

Eternally Optimistic,

Brad

P.S. stands for plugging something. I might want to come up with a different name for that. I would just like to make people aware that I co-wrote a radio play podcast called DEATH AT SUNSET: HARD TIMES AND SOFT DRINKS with my friend Chris Maxwell that is now available on Apple Podcasts (aka iTunes), Stitcher Radio, Google Play Radio, and SoundCloud. It’s a comedy noir that follows P.I. Jack Dime as he takes cases in modern day Los Angeles. All Four Episodes of the first case are ready for download now. Follow us at @deathatsunet on Twitter, check out DeathatSunset.com, and please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Thanks so much for your support!!

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