Baseball is truly back this year...

Baseball is back and this season is going to be the most memorable ever. Each division has a team that can win the world series. How many times can you actually say that in your life?  No one would be shocked if the Washington Nationals won the World Series. No one would shocked if the Cincinnati Reds won, the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Tigers, or Oakland A's won the World Series either. This season there are more teams that can eat at the "big boy" table than ever before. So who is going to get it done this year? Who is going to win the M.V.P., Cy Young in both leagues? Here we go....
Usually I give lengthy previews of each division. I will spare you that ad give an synopsis of each division. The American League east will go down to the final day of the season. The Orioles last year shocked the baseball world by the season they had. They won't sneak up on anyone this year. The Rays lost Upton and big game James. The Red sox have a chip on their shoulder but have a lot of holes to fill. The BlueJays spent millions and the Yankees are being counted out with all of its injuries and age issues. I like the Blue Jays and Yankees to come out of this division. The Jays stay healthy they could have a special season. They could put out a speed demon team and a team that can hit home runs. Scary. The Yankees have no one in their corner and that makes them dangerous. If they put their everyday lineup on the field for two months after the all star break, they will be in the post season.
The A.L. central is about as interesting as watching paint dry. The Detroit Tigers are loaded. Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander are the best at their position and want revenge for what happened last year in the world series. Getting Victor Martinez back makes this lineup the most difficult to face. They have bullpen issues. No closer,but they could just outscore e everyone.
The A.L west is just the opposite. No one can name a player on the Oakland A's yet theyre the scariest team in baseball. Every year, they make a second half run and no one can stop them u til post season. Texas lost a lot but they just reload. Losing Josh Hamilton and Michael Young will hurt their chemistry, but they can still rake. The Angels lost Greinke and Haren but gained Hamilton. They are hoping to have the real Pujols and that Mike Trout was not a fluke. Seattle has a lot of pieces and won't be an easy stop on anyone's schedule. Michael Morse and Ackley are looking to make a name for themselves. The Angels and A's will represent in the post season.
The Yankees and A's play in the play in game. Detroit and Angels play for the A.L. title. The Angels represent the A.L. Jerad Weaver is your Cy Young and Robinson Cano is your M.V.P.
The National League east is very top heavy. The Mets, Marlins are rebuilding. The Phillies are a mystery. The Braves and Nationals can win it all. The Nationals are scary good now that they have a closer and no restrictions on Super Steve. They have a balanced offense. They need 140 games from Zimmerman on offense. Zimmerman the pitcher could be x factor all season long.  The Braves have said goodbye to Chipper and Bobby Cox over the last two seasons and haven't missed a beat.  The Nationals and Braves will be in post season.
The Central Division in the National league is for real. The Brewers an Pirates have potential to be dangerous. Ryan Braun and Andrew McCutcheon can carry their teams to a title if  pieces fall into place. The Reds and Cardinals have carried the torch for this division over the past few years. Both teams are licking their wounds after the collapses in the playoffs last season. Yadier Molina is a better player than most think. He stops the running game and he is tough in the clutch. Joey Votto has this beautiful swing but is yet to explode in the post season. They both have great bullpens and good enough starting pitchers.  Both will fight for this division and only one will make post season. The Cincinnati Reds.
The National League west is all about the Giants and Dodgers. The Giants need Buster Posey to stay healthy because every year that he does they win the world series. They have a bunch of guys who have been clutch in big spots over the past three seasons.  A pure team. The Dodgers have a 240 million dollar payroll. They have all stars everywhere.  If they stay healthy, they will be difficult to beat. Matt Kemp pledged last year that he could be a 50-50  guy. He has protection in this lineup. Clayton Kershaw is as good a anyone and if Beckett and Greinke can give them 25 starts, the Dodgers will dominate the National league. Colorado and Arizona are a piece or two away from joining the big two. Arizona is like Oakland. Can't name anyone on the team yet they are always competitive. The Rockies needs healthy Tulo and let's see what they can do. The Padres are still rebuilding but have pieces in place for a good future.
The Giants and Braves will play in play in game. Dodgers and Nationals for N.L title. Nationals in the World Series. Matt Kemp is your M.V.P. and Steven Strasburg is your Cy Young.
The Angels and Nationals world Series. Nationals in 6. 

Were talkin baseball

The trade deadline is gone.  Today is August 1st.  The first place teams are the Yankees, Reds, White Sox, Giants, Rangers, and the Nationals.  The only real surprises in that grouping are the White Sox and Nationals.  Will there be a summer swoon that hits all of these teams?  I think so.  The Yankees have lost four games in a row and they have a ton of injuries that could affect their chances of winning a title.  The Nationals and White Sox have pitchers who are treading in waters that they have never been in and already have shown signs of fatigue and breaking down.  Chris Sale for the White Sox is being rested for arm fatigue and he is their best pitcher.  Steven Strasburg got bombed last night by the Phillies and his inning ceiling is getting closer.  The Reds have a history of slowing down in August and then ramping it up again in September.  The dog days of summer take their toll when the temperature is over 100 in Ohio.  The Rangers have played in consecutive World Series but are now facing team turmoil as the not has the injury bug bitten them in their rotation but they are messing with Josh Hamilton by moving him around in the lineup because his number have come back to earth.  The Giants don't make earth shattering moves and believe in their pitching to catapult them over the Dodgers.  Recently however, the Dodgers embarrassed them in San Francisco by shutting them out in back to back games and sweeping a pivotal series.  I wonder how many people think that a world champion will come from these 6 teams.
The team that is playing the best baseball right now has to be the Oakland A's.  They have just completed a month where they went something like 20-4. They had 7 plus walk off wins in July.  They swept the Yankees in Oakland for the first time in years. They are within four games of the Rangers for the division and history says that August is their month.  You saw moneyball right?  Their only problem is that the team that they are also chasing has probably the A.L. MVP on it and a former 3 time N.L. MVP in Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.  The Angels made a great move in getting Zack Greinke to bolster their rotation and getting Vernon Wells back as a spot player and DH, theyhave so many ways to beat people.  I just wish they would leave Trumbo in one place in the lineup and let him eat.  Trout has been spectacular and the home run he hit last night is still travelling.  No one is talking smack about Pujols as his number are starting to catch up.  He still is due a two week homer binge and after hitting two last night he could be ready to take off.   The Detroit Tigers are also lurking.  They have the lineup to compete with anyone but don't have the consistent staring pitching after Verlander.  Verlander lately has not been great and he is struggling against the good teams.  Cabrera is doing what he normally does but he needs Delmon Young to wake up.  The Rays need Longoria back for their lineup has gone stale.  They made no moves at the tradeline believing that they have enough to at least get in to the wild card.  Boston also needs to consistency and to have their full lineup for about two weeks just to see if they can make some noise.  Don't sleep on the Red Sox.  The Yankees could have buried them last weekend and may have given them life.
The National League is less complicated than the American League. The Dodgers made smart moves to help an offense that can't score runs.  Hanley ramirez and Shane Victorino are proven offensive stars and if the can catch lightning in a bottle for three week maybe they can surpass the Giants and get in a s the division winner.  Arizona was floundering like they are now last year and then got real hot and wound up in the playoffs. They have won the last two against the Dodgers and have that look in their eyes again like they want a piece of the N.L. pie.  The Pirates have quietly come back to earth.  A.J. Burnett near no hitter last night shows me that he is for real this year and I bet the Yankees wish they had him now. The Pirates dont have enough offense and should look into getting Andrew McCutcheon some help at some point.  The Braves are trying to do it for Chipper.  I need another week before I can assess them.  Ben Sheets has been a god send.  Tim Hudson has found his split and sinker.  They scare me for some reason.  The Cardinals are too injury hit and really are unpredictable. I wont dignify the Mets or Phillies issues.  The Brewers and Marlins are baseballs biggest disappointments.
So who do I think is going to be the five teams in the post season from each league?  The A.L. will have Yankees, Tigers, Angels as division winners.  Oakland and Boston will be wild cards.  That's right Texas fans, your Rangers are going to fade away as these other teams get healthy and better.  In the National League I think it will be Washington, Cincinnati, L.A., and the wild card will be Atlanta and San Francisco.    I will do my awards before the season ends but right now the Cy young award are Weaver and Dickey.  The MVP's are Trout and McCutcheon.  Manager of the year would be Davey Johnson and Mike Scosia.  Trout and Harper rookies of the year.  Comeback player of they year is A.J Burnett in the N.L and A.L I would give it to Justin Morneau.   Tim Kurkjian last night said the World Series would be between the Dodgers and Angels.  That would be a a spectacle.  As I evaluate who I think will be in the post season, I dont think that that is a bad selection of teams.  I agree the World Series based on today will be Dodgers and Angels....