2011 MLB Prieview Playoffs and Awards

NLDS - Brewers vs Reds 
Winner - Brewers (3-1)
A solid rotation can come up big in the playoffs, and the Reds wont be able to handle the Crew in just 4 games.


NLDS - Phillies vs Giants
 Winner - Phillies (3-0)
Halladay > Lincecum, Cliff > Cain, Oswalt > Bumgarner (at least in the playoffs)

ALDS - Red Sox vs Blue Jays 
Winner - Red Sox (3-0)
The Sox will easily overpower the Jays with an extremely good offense.

ALDS - Rangers vs White Sox
Winner - Rangers (3-2)
The experience and talent of the Rangers will beat the W.Sox in a close one.

NLCS - Brewers vs Phillies
Winner - Phillies (4-1)
The Brewers lineup gets to guys like Oswalt, but the experience and dominance of the Phillies can beat the young Brewers.


ALCS - Red Sox vs Rangers
 Winner - Red Sox (4-2)
In a hitter's ballpark for all the games, the Red Sox have a good edge.


2011 WS - Phillies vs Red Sox
Winner - Phillies (4-2)
The Phillies will win their 2nd WS title in 4 years. With arguably the best rotation ever, not even the Red Sox can consistently pound these guys. A solid lineup on the Phillies side is going to average out the Sox dominance at bat a little bit, too.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 2011 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

Awards

NL MVP - Ryan Braun is one of the best hitters in the game and will have a big year (I'm thinking .330, 30 HR, 15 Steals) in 2011.

AL MVP - Adrian Gonzalez is a great hitter coming to a park that is great for left field hitters. Expect 45 HR from him.

NL Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw is 23 and has had and ERA below 3 the past 2 years. Its going to be very low this year, and he could reach the 20 win plateau.

AL Cy Young - John Lester is getting better, and better, and better, and he will win the AL Cy Young because he keeps on getting better.

Thank you for reading this, and any other sections of my 7 part preview you have read. I will continue posts once the season starts. Once again, thanks. If you have questions about MLB, fantasy, the blog, or anything else, comment or email me. Thanks, and go Brewers!

 

MLB Preview Part 5 and 6 - NL East and West Preview

Well, I got a little messed up on the timing. I had an NL East, West, Playoffs, and awards post planned, but opening day is on Thursday. Here's an abbreviated article on each division.

The NL East is the best division in the NL. The Phillies have arguably the best rotation ever, and a great offense. They should win the division with ease. The Braves won the Wild Card last year, and with the addition of power hitting 2B Dan Uggla, they could make the playoffs. The Marlins have a young team, and pure power hitter Mike Stanton could be a franchise player for the Marlins in years to come. The Nationals have a new ballpark and 2 of the biggest prospects in years, but there is a great chance neither will play this year. The Mets have David Wright as a solid 3B, but a weak team otherwise.

The NL West is lead by defending WS Champions the Giants. With a great young rotation and an average offense, they could repeat as NL West Champs. The Dodgers have ace Clayton Kershaw who is improving every year, and a solid offense makes them a 2011 sleeper. The Rockies have elite OF Car-go, but a weak rotation (besides Jiminez) could hold them back. The Padres lost star 1B Gonzalez, and it is going to show at Petco Park this year, not for good reasons.

2011 MLB Preview Part 4 - NL Central

As we switch leagues, the division by division preview continues.

1. Milwaukee Brewers - 94-68

No bias here - the Brewers are ready to rock. With a completely re-amped rotation, a great new coach, and another solid offense, they are definite pennant contenders. In December the crew picked up durable righty Shaun Marcum, who had an ERA of 3.64 in the toughest division in baseball. Now, as he matures and switches to a somewhat weak NL Central, he should rack up innings and have a low ERA. The Brewers got rid of their top prospect in Brett Lawrie in that trade, but Weeks is already a great 2B to take his space.  

    Macha was gone and Marcum was here, and the crew was having an impressive offseason. Not to mention the pickup of solid SU Takashi Saito which greatly improves any bullpen. The next trade would completely alter the team, though. Zack Grienke and Yuniesky Betancourt for Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain, Jake Odiorzi, and Jermey Jeffress. The last 2 names don't really matter, but Cain and Escobar were both top notch prospects. but an ace is worth it, and now that's 2 aces for the crew, along with Gallardo. Sure, he's injured, but he will rebound and have a solid year.

     Yuniesky Betancourt is arguably the worst defensive player in the bigs. "In 200 years, kids will sit around the campfire and sing about how bad Yuniesky Betancourt was" (SI). That about describes it. He'll hit .240 at best, and his defense is a liability, along with Weeks and fielder. The infield is the weakest defensively in the bigs, which is a problem, but can the offense overdo the problems of the D? 

     Braun-Fielder-McGehee is one of the best 3-4-5 punches in baseball, and Weeks is a solid 20-20 leadoff. Their offense shouldn't be much of a problem. With a great rotation and offense, the Brewers should make the playoffs.

2. Cincinati Reds - 92-70 (NL Wild Card)

A new star emerged in Joey Votto last year, and the Reds had a great year. After a series of aggressive fights with the Cardinals, they easily clinched the division in walk-off fashion. This year, they are just as good, if not better. Aroldis Chapman is a phenomenal relief pitcher, Votto, Bruce, Stubs, and Phillips make a solid lineup. Rookie star Travis Wood is great when he beats injuries, and Cueto and Arroyo make a solid rotation with him. They do have a lot of holes, though, like a 3rd outfield spot with pretty much no one good to fill, and an rotten bullpen (besides Chapman). Also, if Wood is hurt, the Rotation is not-so-great. The Reds are solid, but not as good as the Crew. A solid NL Wild card.

3. St. Louis Cardinals - 83-81

Wainwright's gone, ouch. He's a stud, one of the most valuable players in the NL. Pujols is good, and when Carpenter is healthy he is also. Jamie Garcia could have a good sophomore year, and Yadier Molina is one of the best fielding catchers of all time. The problems for the Cardinals are really bad though, and I will be following them closely. LaRusa's team has dreadful chemistry, and Wainwrights leadership will be missed. Last year's fight with the Reds was brutal, and there have been several bench clearing brawls in this Spring Training already. Plus, the team has a rough bullpen, and a tough division above (but not bellow, as you are about to see).

4. Pittsburgh Pirates - 72-90

You are seeing it right, and I'm not doing this to bash the Cubs. The Pirates aren't the total laughing stock anymore. Tabata is in the bigs, and lots of high draft picks emerging. McCutchen could start in the All-Star game. They are not good, not at all, but they are much better than last year. Work on the rotation, Clint, and you COULD have a decent team in a couple of years.

5. Houston Astros - 69-93

NO OFFENSE. Let me repeat it, this time without the caps - no offense. Besides inconsistent Pence, and washed up Carlos Lee, offense is not existent in Houston. Bourn can steal, and the rotation is also half-way decent, but no offense besides the little bit, I guess.

Wait, am I missing a team? I am looking at championships but I'm having trouble finding another team in the NL Central. Then again, I'm looking in the past 102 years. 

6. Chicago Cubs - 60-102

Okay, so I was kidding. The Cubs with their current team would be more like low 70's in wins, with an average offseason (like Garza, hate Pena). They are having in-team fights (probably frustrated from having to endure the pain of being a cub). I think Zambrano will be great, but the lineup is really rotten. Marmol is ok, but the rest of the bullpen is not. Also, the Cubs have underperformed for 103 years. So, it's a safe bet the Cubbies will avoid the playoffs yet another year. The boo-birds and the Bleacher Bums will cry at dirty Wrigly field yet another year.

2011 MLB Preview Part 3 - AL East

1. Boston Red Sox - 97-65
The Red Sox had the best offseason in the AL, picking up 2 elite players. Carl Crawford easily hits .300 with 30+ steals every year, and his defense is stellar. Adrian Gonzalez is a 40 homer guy, and bringing him to Fenway boosts him over 50. The Division is more balenced than usual, and there is not another dominant team to challenge them each series.

2. Toronto Blue Jays - 90-72 (AL Wild Card)
A shocker! The team from Canada who has done nothing in a long time makes the playoffs? Let me explain. The Blue Jays were not bad at all last year. In fact, they were good. 85-77 in the first year removed from the Halladay era. Now the prospects from that trade can break in. Jose Bautista is a solid player now, and dealing Marcum to the Brewers was a win-win, for the Jays got solid 2B prospect Brett Lawrie.

3. Tampa Bay Devil Rays - 84-78
Solid staff. Terrible offense. Great farm. Those are words that the Milwaukee  Brewers don't know. But the Rays sure know them. Crawford is gone but the prospects are high. Manager Joe Maddon is, in my opinion, the best of the best, and he will be able to raise them well. Look for the Rays to be fantastic - next year.

4. New York Yankees - 78-84
The simple explanation for this is that the Yankees just aren't that good. They have a very good offense, but their staff is not good at all. C.C. and Hughes, studs. Burnett? Not so much. That's it. The Yankees don't have a 4 or 5 pitcher, so they may have to use washed up veterans like Bartolo Colon, or failed prospects like Ivan Nova. In a tough division, you can't have Ivan Nova.

5. Baltimore Orioles - 70-92
Great offseason - I mean really great. They picked up veteran Vlad Guererro, who adds leadership and a fine bat. J.J. Hardy can't hurt when your the Orioles. Derek Lee adds even more leadership. Mark Reynolds adds 40 HR. That's not a bad offseason, but they need to do something about their pitching. Maybe, just maybe, Buck Showalter can make the Orioles great again.