Predicting the 2019 Season: The Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman Award Winners

The best relief pitcher in the American League is now awarded the Mariano Rivera Award, while the best relief pitcher in the National League is given the Trevor Hoffman Award. Who will win each prestigious award in 2019? Keep reading…

Brad Hand of the Cleveland Indians is my pick for the Mariano Rivera Award. No, I’m not picking Aroldis Chapman, but I did seriously consider it to be completely honest. I just feel like Hand pitched extremely well for Cleveland after being traded from the Padres last season and I think that will translate to a strong 2019 campaign. Hand was splitting the closing duties with Cody Allen in 2018, but Allen has since departed via free agency at the time of this writing and will leave all the save opportunities to Hand. Hand has struck out at least 100 batters in three consecutive seasons and will look to make it a four-peat here in 2019.

Jeremy Jeffress of the Milwaukee Brewers is my pick to win the Trevor Hoffman Award for the National League. I have the Brewers making it to the World Series in 2019 and that cannot be done without a strong bullpen. I know some probably expected me to pick Josh Hader, if I was going to pick a Brewers player, or Edwin Diaz of the Mets, but I just had a gut feeling with Jeffress that I simply cannot ignore.

Predicting the 2019 Season: The Managers of the Year

Some fans would say that a manager has very little to do with the overall outcome of a game. Some fans would argue that a manager has little-to-no outcome on the team’s wins and losses throughout the season. Some fans didn’t watch Aaron Boone fumble through the American League Division Series in 2018. Aaron Boone did not win Manager of the Year in 2018, despite his team winning 100 games and beating the Oakland Athletics in the AL Wild Card Game, but these two men here will likely win the award for their respective teams in 2019.

If you read my predictions post for the 2019 season these two Manager of the Year Award candidates should be simple to predict. In the American League, I had one team taking a huge step forward in their rebuild, adding a bunch of wins onto their total from the 2019 season. Rocco Baldelli of the Minnesota Twins, the youngest manager in Major League Baseball at just age 37, will lead this team into the 2019 season and will ultimately win the award in his first season at the helm.

If you read my standings, postseason, and World Series predictions you also know that I had a bit of a surprise team not only winning their division but winning the National League pennant as well. No team has ever won a NL Penannt, and I am assuming this, but I feel confident in saying it, without a great manager, and the Brewers won’t this season either without Craig Counsell. Congrats on the award and the trip to the Fall Classic.

Predicting the 2019 Season: The World Series

The field is set and it’s the New York Yankees with the home field advantage over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers already slayed one goliath when they took down the team with the best record in all of Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the NLCS, and the team will look to do so again against the New York Yankees in the World Series. Will Milwaukee win its first World Series in their franchise’s history? Or will the Yankees win their 28^th world championship overall and their first since the 2009 season?

Game One – Yankee Stadium – Tuesday, October 22th

Luis Severino vs. Jhoulys Chacin

The Milwaukee Brewers have made just one appearance in the World Series and that was back in 1982 as a member of the American League. The Brewers would ultimately fall to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games marking their only trip to the Fall Classic. The nerves of their first World Series trip in over 30 years, mixed in with a great pitching performance by Luis Severino, and the Yankees take a quick 1-0 series lead with a commanding victory.

Yankees lead the series 1-0

Game Two – Yankee Stadium – Wednesday, October 25th

James Paxton vs. Chase Anderson

James Paxton will make his first World Series start of his career for the Yankees while Chase Anderson will make his first World Series start for the Brewers. Neither pitcher will be incredibly effective, but the Yankees bullpen will lock down the game and give the Yankees a commanding 2-0 lead behind a big game from Didi Gregorius.

Yankees lead the series 2-0

Game Three – Miller Park – Friday, October 25th

Masahiro Tanaka vs. Zach Davies

The curious case of Masahiro Tanaka. Sometimes Tanaka can be absolutely unhittable with his splitter striking out opposing batters, and then sometimes he is just incredibly hittable. Unfortunately, for the Yankees anyway, the latter Tanaka and not the former will show up to this start tonight. The Brewers will ride the emotions and energy from the crowd to a huge victory, setting the tone for the remainder of the home stand.

Yankees lead the series 2-1

Game Four – Miller Park – Saturday, October 26th

JA Happ vs. Jimmy Nelson

Happ is a stone-cold veteran that has been here before. Happ has a World Series ring on his mantle and another trip to the Fall Classic against the New York Yankees in 2009. There is ice in Happ’s veins when it comes to pitching in the postseason and he will be completely overwhelming for the Yankees in this start tonight. Happ leads the Yankees to the victory and brings them within one game of their 28^th World Series championship.

Yankees lead the series 3-1

Game Five – Miller Park – Sunday, October 27^th

Luis Severino vs. Jhoulys Chacin

The Brewers are better than a lot of teams with their backs against the wall, and they will do that again tonight against the Yankees ace. Severino will pitch well, but the Brewers offense will be relentless against him and the Yankees bullpen, grinding out a victory and allowing the series to shift back to New York.

Yankees lead the series 3-2

Game Six – Yankee Stadium – Tuesday, October 29th

James Paxton vs. Chase Anderson

James Paxton is back on the mound for his second start of his World Series career, but unfortunately, he will be equally as ineffective as he was in Game Two? Why? Because it’s more dramatic if these predictions go seven games, even though I really see the Yankees closing the door at home in Game Six behind Big Maple.

Yankees and Brewers tied at 3-3

Game Seven – Yankee Stadium – Wednesday, October 30th

Masahiro Tanaka vs. Jhoulys Chacin

Game seven of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. It doesn’t get any better than this. The Yankees have Masahiro Tanaka on the mound with a short leash, while the Brewers were forced to bring back their ace on just two days rest. Both teams will go all-in and remove their starter at the first sign of trouble, but the difference is that the Yankees have a much deeper, and ultimately much better, bullpen. The bullpen will be the difference maker. While the Yankees bullpen puts up six shutout innings, the Brewers bullpen will fold when it matters most, giving the Yankees their 28^th World Series championship.

Yankees win series 4-3

Congratulations to the New York Yankees! All the patience, getting under the luxury tax, and waiting on the new core to come up through the minor league system finally paid off. See you all in the Canyon of Heroes.

Predicting the 2019 Season: The Postseason

162 games are in the books, the field is set, and the new season is upon us. Welcome to October, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the postseason. If you tuned into the blog yesterday you saw the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics win their respective divisions in the American League while the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros clawed their way to the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. In the National League the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers captured their respective divisions while the Washington Nationals and the Colorado Rockies will battle it out in the one-game Wild Card playoff game in the National League. Who will win the pennant? Keep reading to find out!

American League Wild Card Game

Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros

Anything can happen in a one-game playoff, which is why the Houston Astros, despite how much pitching they lost during this offseason, at least have a chance in this game against the Boston Red Sox. Undoubtedly the Red Sox will have Chris Sale on the mound against Justin Verlander, so I expect a low-scoring affair for much of the night. The Astros are a scrappy team, and the Red Sox have a great offense, but the battle of the bullpens may decide it. If this were a seven-game series, or even a five-game series, I’d be inclined to pick the Astros because of the state of the Red Sox bullpen, but it’s not and I think Boston will be fine. Alex Cora will do whatever it takes to win, whether that is pitching David Price or Rick Porcello in relief, or simply running Sale out there until his arm falls off. Cora will do whatever he has to in order to win, and I think at the end of the day he will.

Winner: Boston Red Sox

National League Wild Card Game

Washington Nationals vs. Colorado Rockies

You have to wonder who the Nationals will pick to start this game. Will it be Max Scherzer or will it be Patrick Corbin? If it’s Scherzer you have to give the clear advantage, in my opinion, to the Nationals, but if the team uses Scherzer down the stretch to clinch this game at home the Rockies have a lot more of a fighting chance. At the end of the day I think the Nationals will win the game regardless, but only because I feel like they are a more complete team than the Rockies this season.

Winner: Washington Nationals

American League Division Series

New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox

The rematch of the century, but this time the Yankees have the home field advantage. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what I mentioned just a few paragraphs above in the AL Wild Card Game prediction. The Red Sox and their bullpen can, and in my opinion will, be exposed in a five-or-seven-game series. The Red Sox will likely have to use a starter in the AL Wild Card Game that they would prefer to start twice against the Yankees, but you can’t really plan for that and look past a team like the Astros. This will all work in the Yankees favor, but I still don’t see how this goes at least four or five games before we crown the New York Yankees the victor.

Winner: New York Yankees in five games

American League Division Series

Oakland Athletics vs. Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Indians have great pitching, but their bullpen is suspect, and their offense is not as high-powered as you would like. The Indians have really benefited from a weak division in the AL Central and that will never be more obvious than it will be in the ALDS against the Oakland Athletics. The Athletics have a great, young team that is only getting better, and I think the team will make easy work of the Indians in four games… and Billy Beane won’t see a single inning of it.

Winner: Oakland Athletics in four games

National League Division Series

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the most games of any team in the league in 2019 and that will continue heading into the postseason. The Washington Nationals will give the Dodger their money’s worth in my opinion, pushing the series to five-games, but if Clayton Kershaw is healthy, I cannot see a way the Dodgers go out this early in the postseason. They are too talented and far too good to lose in an extended series.

Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers in five games

 National League Division Series

Atlanta Braves vs. Milwaukee Brewers

The Atlanta Braves are the new kids, literally and figuratively, on the block while the Milwaukee Brewers just grind out victories and find ways to win. If I were a betting man, I’d guess that we would see more Atlanta Braves highlights on Top Plays on Sportscenter and such than we will see the Milwaukee Brewers, yet I think it will be the Brewers that edge the Braves in four games in this series. Playing in the Midwest means a lot of casual fans don’t get to watch your games or pay attention to your team much, but the Brewers have a pretty damn good team that is stacked with talent. I can see first baseman Eric Thames having a huge 2019 season and an even bigger postseason, leading Milwaukee at least to the National League Championship Series.

Winner: Milwaukee Brewers in four games

American League Championship Series

New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics

In a rematch of the 2018 American League Wild Card Game the New York Yankees will play host to the Oakland Athletics in the 2019 ALCS. I think these two teams are more evenly matched than most people would admit or give Oakland credit for, but I think the Yankees are a much deeper and complete team. The Athletics may push the Yankees to six games, but I can see New York clinching their first American League pennant in front of the Bronx faithful since the 2009 season.

Call me a homer if you want to, but I truly believe in this team and I TRULY believe this team can be special.

Winner: New York Yankees in six games

National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Classic David vs. Goliath. The Los Angeles Dodgers and their roughly $209 million payroll vs. the Milwaukee Brewers and their roughly $121 million payroll. The names on the Brewers roster will only pale in comparison to names like Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Corey Seager, and others, but where the Brewers lack in “names” they more than make up for it in the talent department. Christian Yelich is the reigning NL MVP, Eric Thames is one or two injuries away from having a huge breakout season in 2018, guys like Jimmy Nelson, Corey Knebel, Chase Anderson and others now have Yasmani Grandal to pitch to, and guys like Ben Gamel, Josh Hader, and others can only get better in 2019 in my opinion. The Dodgers will presumably want a fight, and a fight they will get from Milwaukee. Just remember though, LA, sometimes even the most dominant fighter gets caught leaning, ask Anderson Silva, and I can totally see that happening again this year.

Winner: Milwaukee Brewers in six games

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2019 World Series will include the New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Brewers. May the best team win, and good luck to both teams. Tune in tomorrow to find out the winner.

Predicting the 2019 Season: The Standings

The 2018 saw three teams in the American League win at least 100 games, but on the flip side of that coin we also watched as teams like the Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, and others struggled mightily to win games all season long. To have just one team win 100 games is not the most common thing in the league in recent memory, so to have three is downright special. Will we see a repeat of that here in 2019? Only time will tell, but I will do my best to predict whether they will, or they won’t, as well as what teams will make the postseason and win their respective divisions as well. Bookmark this. I have a feeling by the end of the season I will be eating a whole lot of crow with these predictions, as usual.

American League East

New York Yankees: 96-66

Boston Red Sox: 92-70

Tampa Bay Rays: 87-75

Toronto Blue Jays: 66-96

Baltimore Orioles: 59-103

I know, most will call me a homer for picking the New York Yankees to win the division. Guess what? I don’t care. Maybe I am a homer, or maybe I can just see better than most that the team has done a lot to improve themselves here in 2019, especially on the pitching side of things. Boston will undoubtedly take a step back with that bullpen and the loss of Craig Kimbrel while you cannot expect Ian Snell to repeat what he did in 2018. Not to say that the Red Sox or Rays are necessarily worse teams in 2019, but an awful lot has to go right for a team to win 90 games, 100 games, or even 108 games. There’s a certain luck factor there and that historically just doesn’t translate from year-to-year.

American League Central

Cleveland Indians: 88-76

Minnesota Twins: 82-80

Chicago White Sox: 74-88

Detroit Tigers: 72-90

Kansas City Royals: 70-92

I don’t think there are any real surprises here other than maybe the win total of the Minnesota Twins. I know the Twins lost one of their better and more consistent starters, when healthy, in Ervin Santana, but I really like the young core of guys that the Twins have. Extending a couple of their guys allows them to focus solely on the game, and that generally translates into production on the field. I think they will at least be in the conversation for the second Wild Card this season, assuming the health of their key contributors.

American League West

Oakland Athletics: 91-71

Houston Astros: 90-72

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: 81-81

Texas Rangers: 73-89

Seattle Mariners: 70-92

Kill me if you want to, but the Houston Astros lost a whole lot of pitching this offseason, Justin Verlander has to age eventually, and the Oakland Athletics are just a damn good team. I could end up with egg on my face by the end of the season, but these are my predictions regardless. Also, I love how Seattle “reinvented their roster” rather than rebuild the team. Same difference, at least according to the above.

Wild Card #1 – Boston Red Sox

Wild Card #2 – Houston Astros

National League East

Atlanta Braves: 93-69

Washington Nationals: 91-71

Philadelphia Phillies: 88-74

New York Mets: 80-82

Miami Marlins: 60-102

I truly believe that the Atlanta Braves are a much better team than they were in 2018, and here’s why. Josh Donaldson, if healthy and we all presume he will be, is a monster on a one-year deal and will provide a legitimate bat in the middle of that lineup. I also think that Brian McCann, even a shell of his former self, will help more than can be expressed or quantified with the Braves pitching staff. I expect Washington to be in the thick of things again and better than they were last year, maybe even in spite of Bryce Harper, while the Phillies “stupid money” offseason plan will fall just short.

National League Central

Milwaukee Brewers: 91-71

St. Louis Cardinals: 87-75

Chicago Cubs: 85-77

Cincinnati Reds: 81-81

Pittsburgh Pirates: 80-82

I think the NL Central will be the most competitive division in all of Major League Baseball in 2019. The Brewers should be the cream of the crop, but the Cardinals and Cubs should be right on their tails for much of the season. The Reds added a ton of pitching to go with their young group of players while the Pirates, while still rebuilding, still have great pitching with Chris Archer and others.

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers: 97-65

Colorado Rockies: 89-73

San Diego Padres: 80-82

San Francisco Giants: 75-87

Arizona Diamondbacks: 73-89

No, I am not jumping on the Manny Machado bandwagon and donning him the reason the Padres improve by 16 games in 2019. He will help, sure, but the Padres have a great young team that is absolutely stacked with talent. That, alongside Machado, will be the reason the Padres make a real stride this season. I expect Eric Hosmer to be better as well, compared to what he produced in Kansas City to what he did in San Diego he almost has to improve you would think, which should help the Padres win more games in what should be a weaker division overall in 2019.

Wild Card #1 - Washington Nationals

Wild Card #2 - Colorado Rockies

What will happen in the postseason? You have to tune in tomorrow to find out!

Meet the 2019 Yankees: CC Sabathia

“That’s for you, bitch.” I may or may not have imagined the Yankees and their GM, Brian Cashman, saying this as they offered CC Sabathia a one-year deal to anchor the Yankees rotation here in 2019. CC is a grizzly veteran and a great clubhouse presence that everyone around the league, players and fans alike, not only know, but respect as well. We don’t really need to re-introduce you to Mr. Sabathia, so we will more just check in with the big Yankees lefty.

CC Sabathia, 38-years old, is a veteran left-handed starting pitcher for the New York Yankees that is expected to anchor the rotation here in 2019 as the team’s fifth starter. CC will go out to the mound every fifth day or so and look to give the Yankees at least five innings of work with his 89 MPH cutter, 81 MPH slider, 91 MPH sinker, 84 MPH changeup and some impeccable command and control. CC is a big man, standing 6’6” and weighing in at 300 lbs. prior to his weight loss this winter, and comes with constant concerns about his right knee and the lack of cartilage surrounding it.

Carsten Charles “CC” Sabathia was born on July 21, 1980 in Vallejo, California where he attended Vallejo High School and played baseball for the school’s team while also playing football and basket as well. Sabathia was a pitcher in high school in baseball and a tight end in football, drawing scholarship opportunities from UCLA and Hawaii. Hawaii gave Sabathia the opportunity to play both football and baseball, so Sabathia signed a letter of intent to play there during his collegiate career. Instead, the Cleveland Indians came calling in the first round, 20^th overall, of the 1998 MLB First Year Players Draft, signing for $1.3 million. Sabathia would make his MLB debut with the Indians by the 2001 season and stayed with the Indians until the 2008 season when Cleveland moved the big left-hander to the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade. On July 7, 2008 the Indians traded Sabathia to the playoff-hopeful Brewers for Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson. Sabathia dominated down the stretch and led the Brewers into the NLDS, but Milwaukee would eventually falter and fall to the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies. Sabathia would hit the free agent market for the first time in his career at the conclusion of the 2008 season.

On December 18, 2008 the New York Yankees agreed to sign the big left-hander to a seven-year deal worth $161 million, the biggest contract ever given to a pitcher at the time. Sabathia was named the Yankees Opening Day starter in 2009 as the team opened up the newest version of Yankee Stadium. Sabathia, along with new arrivals in AJ Burnett, Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira, led the Yankees to a World Series championship in his first season, the team’s 27^th World Series championship in their history. Sabathia pitched well again in 2010, finishing third in the AL Cy Young Award vote, but his offseason was disrupted after a scan found a torn meniscus in his right knee. Sabathia was the Yankees Opening Day starter for the third year in a row in 2011, fresh off recovering from his torn meniscus surgery, with a little added pressure on the big lefty. Sabathia had an opt-out clause written into his contract that would have allowed Sabathia to opt-out of his deal after the 2011 season, but Sabathia made it clear that he had no intentions of doing so. Instead, Sabathia signed an extension with the Yankees worth an additional year and $25 million in salary, along with a $25 million vesting option for the 2018 season.

Another year in 2012 and another Opening Day start for Sabathia and for the New York Yankees. Sabathia was also named to his third consecutive All-Star Game with the Yankees in 2012, but a strained abductor muscle kept the lefty out of the game. Sabathia led the Yankees to the ALCS, but New York could not overcome a broken ankle from their captain and shortstop, Derek Jeter, and ultimately fell to the Detroit Tigers. After the season, Sabathia has surgery on his left elbow to remove bone spurs and was ready for the start of the 2013 season, another Opening Day start. Sabathia had to learn how to pitch with diminished velocity in 2013, and it was not always an easy transition. Sabathia struggled throughout the season after dropping 40 lbs. but did see flashes of improvement as he moved towards the 2014 season. His 2014 season was cut short, though, after learning that CC had a degenerative knee condition that cost him all but eight of his starts in 2014. The Yankees initially worried that CC needed microfracture surgery on the knee, a surgery that would have essentially ended his career, and were pleased with the relatively good news.

CC returned to the mound in 2015 fresh off the degenerative knee condition diagnosis still trying to learn to pitch without being able to rear back and blow away opposing hitters with his fastball. Sabathia had his worst statistical season of his career this year, but he improved after coming back towards the end of the season with a new brace on his knee. CC pitched the Yankees into the 2015 postseason, but the team ultimately lost the Wild Card Game against the Houston Astros. CC missed the game after checking himself into a rehabilitation center after a struggle with alcoholism became too much for him to handle on his own. Sabathia continued to improve with his pitching in 2016 after the surgery before seeing his career revitalized in 2017. CC posted his best statistical season since 2012 back in 2017 and ended up finishing the season with a 14-5 record and a 3.69 ERA with 120 strikeouts in 148.2 innings pitched. CC pitched the Yankees to the American League Championship Series before ultimately losing to the Houston Astros in seven games. Sabathia became a free agent after the season and quickly agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million for the 2018 season.

CC continued to finesse his way through his starts in 2018, well until a pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, Andrew Kittredge, threw at the head of Austin Romine. In response, CC hit the Rays catcher Jesus Sucre and was seen leaving the field pointing into the Rays dugout yelling “That’s for you, bitch!” CC was suspended for five games and will serve the suspension at the beginning of the 2019 season after agreeing to return to the New York Yankees on a one-year deal worth $8 million. CC is the heart and soul of this pitching staff, both on and off the field, in my opinion and is an asset worth $8 million tenfold. We all love you, CC, and we can’t wait to see what you bring us here in 2019.

Predicting the 2018 Trade Deadline: Joakim Soria

The Chicago White Sox are not going anywhere here in 2018 and when teams are struggling in the midst of a rebuild they tend to sign veteran players only to trade them at a later time. It happens all the time, and it will likely happen again this summer when the White Sox trade away closer Joakim Soria to a contending team in need of bullpen help. The Milwaukee Brewers will need bullpen help if they want to stave off the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals making them a perfect match for a trade and for Soria’s services.

Milwaukee lost their closer Corey Knebel for a month due to an injury and while he has been solid since his return he is still sporting an ERA north of 4.00 this season. Having an inconsistent closer may win you some games in what many determined as a weak National League Central division here in 2018, but that will not win you many games in the postseason. Soria would give the Brewers the edge they need to not only reach the postseason, but to possibly advanced past the first round of the playoffs if they were to win their division.

Soria would come relatively cheap given that the White Sox are rebuilding in terms of prospects and will likely be atop the Brewers radar here in about a month. It is a foregone conclusion that Soria will be traded, and at this point it is also as close to 100% as you can get that the Brewers will look for bullpen help at the end of the game. Whether that search leads them to Soria, or another veteran closer, remains to be seen, but my money is on Soria pitching for Milwaukee before the end of the 2018 season and adding to his miniscule 2.0 innings pitched in the postseason throughout the 34-year old’s career.

USA Today’s Weekly MLB Power Rankings

Let me start this post by saying that I am not happy to bring you this set of weekly MLB Power Rankings by the USA Today. Why? I think we all know why, because I think we all know who will be on top of the list. UGH. Oh well, carrying on now. Maybe this is all a dream like that 2004 season was, I hate that Major League Baseball cancelled that season. The Yankees were doing so well too…

In all seriousness though the Boston Red Sox are at the top of the Weekly Power Rankings list this week, and ultimately, they should be. Right now, they are the best team in Major League Baseball and all I can do is tip my cap to them and move on towards brighter, greener and better days. Following the Red Sox and rounding out the Top 5 in descending order are the Houston Astros (#2), the Arizona Diamondbacks (#3), the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (#4) and the New York Mets (#5).

The Yankees were 7^th in the last set of rankings and the team fell two spots to the 9^th spot on this set. That is not the direction you really want to trend if you’re the Yankees, but despite what you read on various Facebook groups around the web it is STILL early. Plenty of time to make up ground, and the team seems to be finally turning things on now. I’m not worried.

The Milwaukee Brewers were the biggest risers of the week winning six straight games and moving up five spots to the #11 position while the Colorado Rockies were the biggest fallers on the list dropping eight spots to the #18 position. Better luck next time kids.

To round out the American League East we obviously have the Red Sox in the top spot and the Yankees have the 9^th spot while the Blue Jays give the AL East a third team in the Top 10 at tenth. The Tampa Bay Rays are 23^rd while the Baltimore Orioles are 26^th. Womp, womp.

You guys want some early surprises to the list? How about the Arizona Diamondbacks who have won each of their first seven series to start the season, the first team to do so in 15 seasons? Not impressed? How about the Dodgers and Nationals being 12^th and 13^th respectively? These both looked to be Top 10 teams easily, but again it is early. They better watch their backs though because the Philadelphia Phillies, yes, those Phillies, are within striking distance of them both at the #14 position. The Atlanta Braves are 16^th… Not a typo. The Miami Marlins aren’t last either!! But they are 29^th…

Meet a Prospect Special Edition: Neil Walker

I said it during the Brandon Drury showcase post here on the blog, but it begs repeating, when Brian Cashman wants someone on his team he generally gets him. It might take Cashman a little longer than he would like, and damn us fans can be impatient when any snippet of news or a rumor is leaked on Twitter, but in the end, Cashman usually wins no matter what. He is, in fact, Ninja Cashman for a reason and that same principal applied this winter in the Neil Walker negotiations. Reportedly the Yankees and Walker had been progressing towards a deal for quite a while before New York acquired Drury in the three-team trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays and while many thought once that acquisition was finalized that they could put the “Walker to the Yankees” rumor to bed, and many would have been wrong. In the end Cashman went out and finalized a deal with Walker anyway worth $4 million, plus incentives, on a one-year deal. Walker should be a huge addition to the team and it won’t block the future of either Gleyber Torres or Miguel Andujar, so once again we have ourselves a “win, win.” With Opening Day just a few days away and Walker set to be a huge part of the 2018 Yankees, if healthy, let’s take the time to officially meet him. This is Meet a Prospect Special Edition: The Neil Walker Edition.

Neil Martin Andrew Walker was born on September 10, 1985 to a former MLB pitcher, Tom Walker, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Walker grew up outside Pittsburgh in the suburbs of North Hills where he attended Pine-Richland High School and played for the school’s baseball, football and basketball teams. Walker was a catcher for the baseball team, a wide receiver on the football team and a guard on the basketball team until his senior year. Neil grew up a Pittsburgh Pirates fan and grew up hearing stories about a once great Pirates player, Roberto Clemente. Clemente was a former teammate of Neil’s father, Tom, which made it all the more special when his favorite team drafted him in the first round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First Year Players Draft.

Walker spent three seasons in the Pirates organization before garnering an invitation to spring training camp in 2007 where the team converted the backstop from a catcher to a third baseman. With the new position to learn the Pirates sent Walker walk to Double-A for the 2007, which is where he spent the majority of the season. Walker would work on his defense at Triple-A for the majority of the 2008 and 2009 seasons before ultimately getting the call up to the Major Leagues on September 1, 2009. Five days into his Major League career Walker collected his first hit against St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jason Motte, a single to right field, but primarily Walker was a part-time player for the remainder of the 2009 season. Walker would receive another spring training invitation for the 2010 season, but he would ultimately start the season in Triple-A once again. Walker spent 43 games with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate before being called up to the Major Leagues on May 25, 2010 due to a sprained ankle suffered by then Pirates first baseman Steve Pearce.

Walker was making the case to stick with the Major League team due to his bat, but the problem that Pittsburgh had was the fact that the team has named Andy LaRoche their everyday third baseman during that season. The Pirates second baseman Akinori Iwamura was struggling at the time leading then manager John Russell to try Walker at second base, a position that Neil had only played 23 career games at any level. Walker flourished at second base with Pittsburgh and finished his rookie campaign with a .296 average, 12 home runs and 66 RBI, 54 of those runs batted in coming after the All-Star Break which was the third highest total after the break in the National League that season. With that strong season Walker was officially a mainstay in the Pittsburgh dugout and at the second base position going forward.

Walker enjoyed another strong season in 2011 with Pittsburgh but it was the 2012 season that brought the Pirates second baseman the back problems that would still haunt him to this day. Walker dealt with various back issues in August and September of 2012 that ultimately ended his season on September 29^th after being diagnosed with a herniated disc in his back. Walker was back on the disabled list to start the 2013 season, but was activated by May 13^th, and would continue this trend for much of his Pirates tenure through the 2015 season. Walker was amazing with the bat, especially for a second baseman, but his lingering back issues and emergency Appendectomy just continuously kept him off the field more than he or his team would like.

On December 9, 2015 the Pirates traded Walker to the New York Mets for starting pitcher Jon Niese thus ending his tenure with the team Neil grew up rooting for as a child. Walker signed a one-year deal with the Mets in 2015 worth $10.55 million avoiding arbitration and went on to have another Neil Walker type season in Queens. Walker appeared in 113 games for New York and hit 23 home runs with a .282 batting average, but he also missed time after undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy a year before he was set to hit free agency for the first time. The New York Mets offered Walker a qualifying offer before the 2017 season that equated to a one-year deal worth $17.2 million and rather than test the free agency market fresh off another back surgery Walker accepted the deal to remain with the Mets. Walker had another solid season in 2017, and also missed some time after suffering a partial tear in his left hamstring, learning the first base position as well as his middle infield duties. The Mets were not competing in 2017 and decided to trade Walker to the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named later on August 12.

Walker was brought in by Milwaukee to try and get the team over the hump and into the postseason down the stretch but both Walker and the Brewers fell just short seeing their seasons end on the final weekend of the regular season. Walker had another strong season in 2017 but no one could have predicted the absolute slow and boring offseason that awaited him and many free agents before the 2018 season. Walker, like many free agents around him, sat and waited on an offer to come for months before the New York Yankees finally came calling in 2018. The team talked to Walker for weeks and were reportedly moving closer to a deal before the team acquired Brandon Drury in a three-team trade, thus filling their third base vacancy. Many thought that the idea of Walker to the Yankees was all but dead, including myself, but Walker and Yankees GM Brian Cashman continued their conversations and were eventually able to hammer out a deal for the upcoming 2018 season.

Walker signed a one-year deal worth $4 million in base salary, plus incentives for reaching various at-bat plateaus this season.  Walker may not have followed the most traditional way to the Bronx, and it probably wasn’t the easiest route to the Bronx either, but all that matters is that he is here and is likely to play a huge role on the team here in 2018. Walker will play primarily second base for Aaron Boone and company, but you can expect him to also bring a third baseman’s and first baseman’s glove with him to the Bronx as well. Versatility, depth and flexibility are the key to any MLB team these days and Walker brings all of that with him to the Bronx for the 2018 season. I wasn’t the biggest fan of his signing when it happened, but I must say I am warming up to the idea of it and warming up to the idea of what he could bring with the bat if he stays healthy and plays to the back of his baseball card this upcoming season.

Welcome to the team, welcome back to New York, and most importantly welcome to the family Neil! We are lucky and excited to have you here.

Is it “Safe” to Eat MLB Ballpark Food?

The title says it all, is ballpark food safe to eat? Now before you immediately click off the post and write me off as someone who is going to talk to you about clean foods, organic choices and healthy living rest assured that I am not. While I enjoy those foods as well I am under no illusions of what I am getting when I step into a ballpark and order a hot dog and a beer. What I and many don’t know is what is going into the preparation of this food before I order and consume it. Local health departments and such are required to do food inspections of these ballparks and Sports Illustrated compiled all the data into one convenient post for all to see. Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, and Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, are not on the list after public records requests were unfulfilled before the post went live leaving them off the list. Are you wondering how Yankee Stadium did? I was too so here is the write-up from the SI post.

We will start with the best ballpark to eat at, Safeco Field home of the Seattle Mariners:

1.) SAFECO FIELD – SEATTLE MARINERS

Total violations: 5 | Critical violations: 1
Ballpark Food Safety Rating: .08 | Entities inspected: 72 

Seattle set the league standard, and it wasn’t close. The lone critical violation was for food held at an improper temperature. Two minor violations were cited for utensils stored improperly. We went back to each stand’s 2016 inspection to see if this year was an outlier. Last year's results were worse overall—17 total violations, eight of which were critical—but would've still snagged first place in our rankings. Congrats, Mariners fans. Enjoy your grasshoppers with peace of mind.

We can continue with the home of the New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium:

21.) YANKEE STADIUM – NEW YORK YANKEES

Total violations: 57 | Critical violations: 24
Ballpark Food Safety Rating: 2.19 | Entities inspected: 37

Yankee Stadium led the league with critical violations (62% of its stands), and an infestation of flies highlighted the inspections from late July in the Bronx. Inspectors handed out citations at over a dozen food entities around the ballpark for observation of flies and improper vermin-proofing. The city doesn’t give detailed observations in its reports, but nearly a quarter of the stadium’s violations came from improper maintenance for non-food surfaces. Last year, even without a fly problem, Yankee Stadium would have finished in the same spot in our rankings. The ballpark had fewer overall violations but more that were critical, mostly from the restaurants and suites.

Source: New York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene

The team that got the lowest score and the most critical citations was the Tampa Bay Rays and their home stadium, Tropicana Field. I shudder at the thought of me eating at Tropicana Field now. Thanks, SI:

28.) TROPICANA FIELD – TAMPA BAY RAYS

Total violations: 241 | Critical violations: 105
Ballpark Food Safety Rating: 5.58 | Entities inspected: 62

With a staggering 105 critical violations in 2017, Tropicana Field brings up the rear in our rankings. Two food entities (the catering kitchen and the stand outside Section 303) tallied over 20 violations each. Violations ranged from the observed presence of live insects to black mold accumulating inside an ice bin. An employee was observed handling hot dogs and cash without washing hands in between. An ESPN report from seven years ago found that every inspected stand at Tropicana had at least one critical violation. That number has dropped from 100% to about 50%, but the Tampa Bay stadium still leads the way in eye-popping food safety numbers.

A few notable parts of this article that I felt the need to mention are the apparent rat infestation that is going on at Coors Field in Colorado and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, the apparent broken coolers at PNC Park that were registering 50 degrees Fahrenheit for things like hot dogs and cheese, mold on the ice machines at Miller Park and expired food that was being served to the fans, and a live roach at Globe Life Park in Texas just to name a few. All those can be seen in the article so go check them out.

To see the rest of the rankings and what the health inspectors had to say head over to Sports Illustrated and check out their post. It’s a long read but it’s definitely a good read. I’m still going to order these monstrosities and my hot dogs and beer but at least I can’t say I didn’t know what I was getting myself into that like person who didn’t know their coffee would be hot from McDonald’s that one time. Pot shot, sorry. Not sorry. Enjoy the rest of your day, the game here in a few hours and your dinner from the ballpark if you’re headed out that way. 

Sunday's Recurring Theme: If Only...

Credit:  Seth Wenig-AP

Brewers 5, Yankees 3…

The Yankees needed Masahiro Tanaka at his best on Sunday.  Sadly, he was not.  I guess three positive starts by Masahiro Tanaka was not enough to prove that the right-hander was back.  He followed up those three starts with another disappointing performance on a beautiful day in the Bronx as the Yankees fell to the Brew Crew.  Tanaka (7-8) lasted just 4 1/3 innings and 83 pitches, giving up 6 hits, 5 runs (including two home runs), and a walk.  He struck out 5 in the loss.  He didn’t have his best stuff on Sunday but he also didn’t receive much help.  If only...

Saturday’s hero, Clint Frazier, tried.  He had another homer but the big bats of Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez were a combined 2-for-9 with no homers or RBI’s and 5 strikeouts.  

The Brewers jumped on Tanaka right away with three runs in the first.  Jonathan Villar opened the game with a single.   Eric Thames singled to right to put runners at the corners.  After Domingo Santana struck out, former Red Sox third baseman Travis Shaw pummeled a Tanaka pitch over the bullpen in right to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead.  I wonder how much Boston wishes they still had Shaw (19 HR and 65 RBI) instead of Pablo Sandoval and fill-ins at third base.  The guy they traded for (former Brewers closer Tyler Thornburg) underwent season-ending surgery last month.  

The Brewers added another run in the top of the 2nd inning when Stephen Vogt, formerly of the Oakland A’s, opened with a solo shot to center which dropped into the bullpen.  4-0, Brewers.

The Yankees offense finally got something going in the 4th.  With two outs, Jacoby Ellsbury singled to left and subsequently stole second.  Headley singled to left, which scored Ellsbury with the Yankees’ first run.  Clint Frazier followed with his third homer as a Yankee, to right center, which brought the Yankees within one run, 4-3.  

Credit:  Seth Wenig-AP

After Tanaka gave up two one-out singles in the top of the 5th, his day was done.  Chasen Shreve was brought in and he lost the battle to the only batter he faced when Travis Shaw collected his 4th RBI of the day with a run-scoring single.  Adam Warren should be called The Cleaner because he’s always the one that has to clean up the mess.  He struck out both batters to get out of the inning without any further damage.  

The Yankees had a runner in scoring position in every inning from the 5th inning through the 9th but all were left stranded.  For a moment, it seemed as though the Yankees had taken a 6-5 lead on an apparent 3-run home run by Chase Headley in the 6th inning, but appeal and further review clearly showed the ball sailed just to the right of the right field foul pole so the homer was erased...yes, if only.  Headley subsequently went down swinging. It was another lost opportunity in a day of lost opportunities.  Brett Gardner was on second in the bottom of the 9th after he walked and stole a base, but Gary Sanchez took a called third strike to end the game.  Gary, Dude...if only.  The Brewers escaped with the 5-3 win.  

Credit:  UPI

I got my pre-game wish.  More Red Thunder and no Tyler Clippard.  But it was not enough.  If only we had won...

With the loss, the Yankees (45-41) dropped into a second place tie with the Tampa Bay Rays.  Both teams are 3 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox, who fell to the Rays, 5-3, on Sunday.  It was a very disappointing finish to the first half for the Yankees who had started the season so strongly.  I have no clue if the Yankees will be buyers or sellers at the end of the month, but I am in agreement with those who believe the Yankees are not yet a World Series contender.  I know that GM Brian Cashman feels a return to good health and a few enhancements could be the difference-maker but I’d hate to see the team make moves this year that might steal from 2018 or 2019 when the Yankees really will be World Series contenders.  But I admit, we do need a  new first baseman.

Odds & Ends…

Matt Holliday played DH for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Sunday in their 5-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.  His lone hit in four at-bats was a run-scoring single.

The Home Run Derby is tonight.  I have already completed my bracket and have Aaron Judge emerging as the victor over Giancarlo Stanton but I do think that Gary Sanchez could get on a roll to steal this one.  It’s unfortunate that he drew Stanton as his first round opponent.  Former Yankee Clay Bellinger will serve as the Derby pitcher for his son, Cody.  I am sure Yankee fans will be paying close attention to Aaron Judge’s first round opponent given the trade rumors swirling about the potential trade of Justin Bour to the Yankees.

Have a great Monday!  Let's Go Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge!  Enjoy the HR Derby!