The Remaining 2018 MLB Postseason Schedule

Here is the 2018 MLB Postseason schedule, a little late… but better late than never. I hope.

AL Division Series: Boston vs. N.Y. Yankees

·   Game 4: Tuesday, at N.Y. Yankees, TBS, 8:07

·   Game 5: *Oct. 11, Thursday, at Boston, TBS, 7:40

AL Championship Series 

·   Game 1: Oct. 13, Saturday, TBS

·   Game 2: Oct. 14, Sunday, TBS

·   Game 3: Oct. 16, Tuesday, TBS

·   Game 4: Oct. 17, Wednesday, TBS

·   Game 5: *Oct. 18, Thursday, TBS

·   Game 6: *Oct. 20, Saturday, TBS

·   Game 7: *Oct. 21, Sunday, TBS

NL Championship Series 

·   Game 1: Oct. 12, Friday, TBA vs. Milwaukee, FOX or FS1

·   Game 2: Oct. 13, Saturday, TBA vs. Milwaukee, FOX or FS1

·   Game 3: Oct. 15, Monday, Milwaukee vs. TBA, FOX or FS1

·   Game 4: Oct. 16, Tuesday, Milwaukee vs. TBA, FOX or FS1

·   Game 5: *Oct. 17, Wednesday, Milwaukee vs. TBA, FOX or FS1

·   Game 6: *Oct. 19, Friday, TBA vs. Milwaukee, FOX or FS1

·   Game 7: *Oct. 20, TBA vs. Milwaukee, FOX or FS1

World Series 

·   Game 1: Oct. 23, Tuesday, FOX

·   Game 2: Oct. 24, Wednesday, FOX

·   Game 3: Oct. 26, Friday, FOX

·   Game 4: Oct. 27, Saturday, FOX

·   Game 5: *Oct. 28, Sunday, FOX

·   Game 6: *Oct. 30, Tuesday, FOX

·   Game 7: *Oct. 31, Wednesday, FOX

Schedule courtesy of the USA Today. Thanks to them.

Hello… Respecting Jacob deGrom’s 2018 Season

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Give credit where credit is due, Jacob deGrom was an absolute animal here in 2018 despite not having much of a team behind him to speak of. I saw this tweet on Twitter the other day, but I cannot find it since so I am having to paraphrase (after doing the research myself on Baseball Reference).

If the Mets had scored just four runs or more in each of deGrom’s starts entering last night the Mets righty would be 30-0.

If the Mets had scored just three runs deGrom would have been 25-1.

If the Mets gad scored just two runs deGrom would have been 20-6.

Tell me again why New York held onto him at the trading deadline?

Baby, I love you and I hope you have the very best day.

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: The World Series

Here is a quick look at my predictions for the 2018 World Series!

The field is set. 162 games are in the books. Three rounds of the postseason are done and over with. Two teams remain. This is the World Series. This is the Fall Classic. Let’s do this. Prediction Season continues here on The Greedy Pinstripes as we take the next step towards our yearly predictions by predicting the World Series. I have laid out the division winners, the Wild Card winners, and even went as far as to predict every win/loss record for all 30 MLB teams. I then went one step further and predicted the entire postseason for both the American League and the National League, and it has all come down to this. The 2018 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals.  

Can you imagine the ratings on FOX that we are going to see for this potentially epic series? The Yankees head into Washington as the road team for Game One since the Nationals will have home-field advantage throughout the World Series garnering all the attention that the young Baby Bombers should. Aaron Judge can be seen answering questions by reporters out in right field, Giancarlo Stanton can be seen doing the same in the dugout as we prepare for a game without a designated hitter. Luis Severino is out in the bullpen throwing to Gary Sanchez, while Didi Gregorius is signing autographs out by the third base visitor’s dugout. The stage is set. Bryce Harper is in the Nationals dugout being asked more questions about his plans for his impending free agency and whether he wants to play for the Yankees than he is the World Series at hand, but Bryce is answering those questions with political correctness and a swag unmatched by any impending free agent before him. The stage is set.  

These two teams are surprisingly evenly matched up at every turn. The Yankees may have a slight edge in starting pitching, especially if the team goes out and acquires a great starter in July like many expect them to while the likes of Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray pitch to the backs of their baseball cards, and in the bullpen, although when Brandon Kintzler is your 7th inning guy it goes to show you how deep the Washington bullpen can be, but the offenses can both potentially be spectacular. How will the Yankees fare playing four games in a National League park while having to leave one of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Greg Bird, Aaron Hicks or Brett Gardner on the bench? Just fine, that’s how they will fare.  

The Yankees lineup is deep, powerful and intimidating from top to bottom. This team was built from within and is deep as they come offensively. This offense does not center around just one or two men, the entire lineup from top to bottom can beat you on any single pitch in any single game. There is potentially a different hero every night, which brings goosebumps to the skin just thinking about the possibility and the similarities to the Dynasty Yankees from the 90’s and 2000’s. The Nationals are a good team, maybe even a great team, but this New York Yankees squad is just special. Period. Get off the tracks, the New York Yankees are coming. It may take all seven games, although I am leaning towards six games here to be honest, but the Yankees will be hoisting that World Series Championship trophy over their heads one more time, and that one more time is here in 2018.

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: The Playoffs

Here is a quick look at my predictions for the 2018 season and the grueling playoffs that follow!

Welcome back to Prediction Season here on The Greedy Pinstripes. With the standings, division winners and Wild Card winners now predicted here on the blog by yours truly it is time to move on to the postseason. Just as a reminder, not that I have to remind any of you reading because you are all dedicated and hardcore Yankees and MLB fans, the first Wild Card winner will host the second Wild Card winner in a one-game playoff. The winner of that game heads out on the road to face off with the team with the best record from their respective league, who has a “bye” in the first round of the postseason. ALDS and NLDS series are best-of-five while the ALCS, NLCS and the World Series are of course best-of-seven. Let’s get to it!

American League Wild Card Round

Seattle Mariners @ Boston Red Sox

The first time in what feels like forever that the Seattle Mariners make the postseason. Is this 1995 all over again? Honestly, I don’t think so, but I went with it anyway… because to hell with the Red Sox. Anything can happen in a one-game playoff. Anything. Even the Mariners taking down the might, mighty Red Sox. Dave Dombrowski should be fired at the end of the game, but he won’t be which is great news for Yankees fans.

National League Wild Card Round

San Francisco Giants @ Chicago Cubs

These two foes have matched up time-and-time again it feels like in the postseason, so what is one more time for old times sake, right? The Chicago Cubs will, in my opinion, take a step back in 2018 in terms of production from their previous two seasons, which will suit the Giants just fine. The Giants have potentially a strong starting staff and enough veteran leadership to get them over the hump in Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen and I truly think they will find a way in the later innings to take down the Cubs. Chicago goes home, San Francisco moves on in an even-numbered year. Both road teams winning the Wild Card Round? That has to be unheard of, oh well.

American League Division Series

Seattle Mariners @ New York Yankees (Yankees win series 3-1)

I am going to give the tie-breaker for home field advantage to the New York Yankees (a) because I am a homer that owns a Yankees blog, and (b) because of some head-to-head matchups or something like that. With the Mariners high off their “1995 all over again” victory of the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card Round the New York Yankees are here to remind the Mariners of another playoff series they were both a part of, the 2001 American League Championship series where the 116-win Mariners came into the series the heavy favorites over the Dynasty Yankees. The Mariners lost, and sometimes history repeats itself. Sometimes it just takes 17 years to do so. Yankees win.

Cleveland Indians @ Houston Astros (Astros win series 3-2)

In a matchup of two titans, two powerhouse offenses and two dynamic pitching staffs this series has all the makings of being an instant classic that will undoubtedly go all five games. These kinds of series remind me of those games that come down to the last second with the winner being the last team who has the ball, the last team to take an at-bat, whatever the case may be. I truly think both teams will be amazing once again in 2018, but the pitching staff and the depth that the Astros have will prevail in the five-game series. Plus, I wanted a rematch of the 2017 ALCS between the Yankees and the Astros, I mean who doesn’t? Right? It is time for Justin Verlander to eat his preseason words regarding the Yankees.

National League Division Series

San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals (Nationals win series 3-1)

The window for the Washington Nationals to win is just about closed, hell it will be all but closed once the calendar turns to October of 2018, and the Nationals will play like it this postseason. The Giants are a great team but having to presumably burn Madison Bumgarner in the Wild Card Round will come back to bite them as the Nationals dominate the series on all sides of the game. The Nats will pitch better, they will hit better, they will defend better, and they will do the little things they have to do when it counts in order to win. Nats in 4.

St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodgers win series 3-2)

Here is a series we haven’t seen before in recent memory, a playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are younger than ever, and subsequently hungrier than ever, in the ever-changing aspect that is Major League Baseball. This is truly a David v. Goliath type situation, but in this one I think the Cardinals, like the Yankees from 2017, have one more year to wait before they can knock off the big boys. The Cardinals will be back in 2019 with another year under the wings and a chip on their shoulder, but this year it will be the Dodgers once again moving on after a hard-fought five-game series.

American League Championship Series

Houston Astros @ New York Yankees (Yankees win series 4-2)

Here we go again, so much for parity in Major League Baseball, huh Commissioner Manfred? In a rematch of the 2017 American League Championship Series the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees will once again square off head-to-head. This time around the Yankees will have homefield advantage, and this time New York will have Giancarlo Stanton and a slew of others at their disposal that they did not have last time around. The young, inexperienced Yankees took the Astros to an eventual Game 7 before falling to the reigning World Series Champions, but that was last season. This is 2018 and the New York Yankees are on a collision course with a certain team from the National League, and not even Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander or some dude with a long beard could stop them. Call me a homer, call me an optimist, just don’t call me late to the Canyon of Heroes. Yankees in six.

National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers @ Washington Nationals (Nationals win series 4-3)

Remember how I said the Cardinals and Dodgers series was a David v. Goliath type series? Well if that is the case then this series is a Goliath vs. Goliath type series as both teams here matched or exceeded the 95-win plateau during the 2018 regular season. This will be a hard-fought battle that will go all seven games, but one man in particular will be the difference maker in my opinion. Bryce Harper knows what he is playing for. Bryce is playing for a chance at a World Series ring, his legacy as a part of the Washington Nationals and his next free agent contract after the season ends, and for that reason I think we will see a version of Harper that we have never seen before. We will see a focused, yet unruly, and disciplined, yet unyielding, version of himself both at the plate and in the field that will go unmatched by anyone wearing a Dodgers uniform this series. It won’t be easy, but it will be fun to watch as the Washington Nationals shock the World and head to the World Series to face off with the New York Yankees.

BOLDED teams are predicted as the winner in each respective series.

The 2018 World Series, folks. The New York Yankees and the Washington. Let us keep in mind that the last two seasons I didn’t have the Yankees making the World Series, but I did have them winning a second Wild Card in both, so my predictions, albeit biased, are usually pretty spot on with them. “Haters gonna hate” though, am I right?

Two million strong and counting folks! I can’t say it enough. Leave your thoughts, comments and predictions down below in the comments section, or drop us a line on Twitter @GreedyStripes. Another day closer to Opening Day, can you smell the fresh cut grass yet? Because I can…

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: The Standings

Here is a quick look at my predictions for the 2018 season and the overall standings for all 30 teams!

As we count down the days until Opening Day 2018 I wanted to take the opportunity to say this, it is Prediction Season here on The Greedy Pinstripes. Every season I make a series of predictions, sometimes bold and sometimes not so much, before the season, and then I look back on them at season’s end to see how in tune I really was with my wizardry. Spoiler alert, I usually don’t do well in these predictions, but I put them and myself out there nonetheless for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy, and leave any constructive criticism in the comments below, or hit us on Twitter by tagging @GreedyStripes. Two million strong and counting folks!!

American League East

New York Yankees (X)                       94-68

Boston Red Sox (Y)                           90 -72

Baltimore Orioles                               80 - 82

Toronto Blue Jays                               76 - 86

Tampa Bay Rays                                 72 - 90

American League Central

Cleveland Indians (X)                        93-69

Minnesota Twins                                84-78

Kansas City Royals                            83-79

Chicago White Sox                            73 - 89

Detroit Tigers                                     64-98

American League West

Houston Astros (X)                           94-68

Seattle Mariners (Z)                          88-74

Texas Rangers                                   85-77

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim      83-79

Oakland Athletics                             75-87

National League East

Washington Nationals (X)                 96-66

Philadelphia Phillies                          84-78

New York Mets                                  82-80

Atlanta Braves                                   71-91

Miami Marlins                                   62-100

National League Central

St. Louis Cardinals (X)                       92-70

Chicago Cubs (Y)                               89-67

Milwaukee Brewers                            86-76

Pittsburgh Pirates                                74-88

Cincinnati Reds                                  70-92

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers (X)                 95-67

San Francisco Giants (Z)                  87-75

Colorado Rockies                             85-77

Arizona Diamondbacks                    83-79

San Diego Padres                             70-92

(X) denotes Division Winner

(Y) denotes Wild Card 1 Winner

(Z) denoted Wild Card 2 Winner

Yes, I went bold in the American League West. I don’t have a real and true reason why I feel like the Seattle Mariners will have a great season, but I just do. They have a younger team with a few key guys in key positions that are hungry, and I just have a hunch. This will be one I will likely regret when we look back at the end of the 2018 season, but oh well. For now, the Seattle Robinson Cano’s are in as the 2nd Wild Card team in the American League while the Texas Rangers are selling off pieces in July. Another bold prediction in the National League East as I have the young Fightin’ Phils in second place behind the big right-arm of Jake Arrieta. It isn’t so much that I feel like the Phillies are ready to compete, although they have a young core and nucleus that could easily sneak up on people this summer, but I feel like the NL East is just going to be that bad this season. I truly wanted to put the Atlanta Braves a little higher, but with Philadelphia (and the rest of the NL East) facing off with the Braves and Marlins around 40 times a season each we should see some inflated win numbers out of that division in my opinion. I truly think the most competitive division in all of Major League Baseball this season will be the National League West who will have four potential teams that could make the postseason, with the exception being the San Diego Padres. I like all their teams, and I think it could be fun to watch all summer long out West this season.

Again, leave your predictions in the comments section below or hit us op on Twitter, @GreedyStripes.

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: MVP Award

Here is a quick look back at my 2018 predictions for the American League and National League Most Valuable Player Award winners! 

And for my grand finale, the American League and National League Most Valuable Player Awards!!!! But really, in all seriousness the MVP Awards in both leagues are the big one, the award that every player wants and the award that only a select few get to obtain during their Major League tenures. We all grew up pretending to be the batting champion, the World Series MVP that came up with the big hit in Game 7, and the perennial MVP and that feeling undoubtedly doesn’t change as you grow older and your dreams begin to come to fruition. The childhood dreams of being the league’s MVP is about to come true for these two men. 

Will Aaron Judge get robbed again? Will he get robbed by one of his own teammates in Giancarlo Stanton or Gary Sanchez? Will Judge truly get robbed by someone who can’t even see over the counter at McDonalds? In all seriousness, no he won’t in my opinion. That doesn’t mean I think he will win it either, although I do foresee a special kind of productive season for him once again here in 2018. No, I like to go bold and a little bit against the grain in these decisions. With that in mind I am going to go with Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays as your 2018 AL MVP. Now I know what you are thinking, Dan… MVP’s generally don’t go to a player on a losing team. No, they don’t. But Donaldson is in the final year of a contract with a team that doesn’t look likely to contend even for a Wild Card here in 2018, which means there is a huge possibility that the Blue Jays third baseman will be traded at or before the July 31st trading deadline. If Donaldson were to be traded to an American League team where his stats don’t have to be started over I truly think the Toronto right-hander will win the award and head into free agency fresh off a huge statistical season. 

Remember when Miguel Ozuna hit over .300 and smashed 37 home runs in a season? It feels like it was forever ago, but it was just last season with the Miami Marlins. Now that Ozuna has some protection in the lineup and is on a team in the St. Louis Cardinals that is expected to contend here in 2018 I think a lot more people will start to know and recognize the name, and just what he brings to the table. Ozuna could easily surpass 40 home runs here in 2018 with an average around .285. Sprinkle in 100+ RBI and a nice OBP and SLG percentage and ladies and gentlemen, we have an MVP in the making. It is a bold prediction, mainly because it isn’t Bryce Harper or Paul Goldschmidt, but that’s what I do. Bold predictions, and sometimes they come true. Stay tuned. 

That’s it. Prediction Season is over here on The Greedy Pinstripes. I hope you enjoyed, and we will see you after the season concludes to check in on some of these predictions to see how well I did. Until then, ciao and enjoy your day. 

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: Cy Young Award

Here is a quick look back at my 2018 predictions for the American League and National League Cy Young Award winners! 

Cue the music, it is time for the big awards to be predicted and subsequently handed out as just two major awards remain here in Predictions Season. The AL and NL MVP Awards, which we will cover at a later date, and the hardware we will be handing out today for the American League and National League Cy Young Awards. The AL and NL Cy Young Awards go out to the best pitcher in each respective league and, again I am not saying this to incite a riot or really spark a debate, for that reason it is these awards that should, but don’t, disqualify a pitcher from winning either the AL or NL MVP Award. If a hitter could win the Cy Young Award, then sure. If not, then it just shouldn’t be allowed. My opinion only, just like these predictions are my opinion only as well. Leave your thoughts, comments, debate, banter and opinions in the comments section below or shoot us a line on Twitter by tweeting @GreedyStripes. Thanks in advance! 

Will it finally be time for Luis Severino to shine? Will Masahiro Tanaka regain his dominance despite a lackluster spring? Is Sonny Gray finally going to get some run support here in the Bronx? Not likely. Not with the amazing bullpen that these young men have behind them and the undoubtedly short leash that they will all be on with new manager Aaron Boone presumably wanting to make a statement in his first season as an MLB manager. Boone will want as many wins as possible, and that in turn may mess with the win/loss records and peripherals of the Yankees starters much like it did under former manager Joe Girardi. With that said a New York Yankees pitcher will not win the 2018 American League Cy Young Award in 2018, but I truly believe that a member of the *pukes* Boston Red Sox will in Chris Sale. Sale had a down season in 2017 by many standards including a year where he did not record a victory against the New York Yankees. With the power of JD Martinez backing him in his starts and a few key bullpen pieces coming back from injuries and such for Boston I do not expect the Red Sox to go down quietly here this season, and I expect a much better campaign out of Sale. Unfortunately. 

I wanted to go with Max Scherzer in the National League, I mean I do have his team heading to the World Series and all in these set of predictions, but I wanted to go a little outside of the box with my predictions. With that in mind I am going to go with a member of those Philadelphia Phillies I predicted to do so well this season. No, I am not going with Aaron Nola. I said I wanted to go outside of the box. Instead, I am going to go with Jake Arrieta. Arrieta’s velocity is down and his peripherals are not trending in the right direction, but a change of scenery and a change into a more pitcher-friendly ballpark should only help the right-hander. Plus, in a simple world anyway, Arrieta should draw some easier matchups on paper with Nola being the “ace” of the staff, but really this is just a gut feeling I am having. Go with your gut, win a prestigious award, and look like a wizard in the making. 

ICYMI: 2018 MLB All Star Game Rosters & Final Vote

American League Starters

C Wilson Ramos, Rays
Reserve: Salvador Perez, Royals 

1B Jose Abreu, White Sox
Reserve: Mitch Moreland, Red Sox 

2B Jose Altuve, Astros
Reserve: Gleyber Torres, Yankees 

3B Jose Ramirez, Indians
Reserve: Alex Bregman, Astros 

SS Manny Machado, Orioles
Reserve: Francisco Lindor, Indians 

OF Mookie Betts, Red Sox
OF Mike Trout, Angels
OF Aaron Judge, Yankees

Reserves: Michael Brantley, Indians; Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers; Mitch Haniger, Mariners; George Springer, Astros.

DH J.D. Martinez, Red Sox
Reserve: Nelson Cruz, Mariners.

AL Pitchers

Starters: Trevor Bauer, Indians; Jose Berrios, Twins; Gerrit Cole, Astros, J.A. Happ, Blue Jays; Corey Kluber, Indians; Chris Sale, Red Sox; Luis Severino, Yankees; Justin Verlander, Astros (inactive). 

Relievers: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees; Edwin Diaz, Mariners; Joe Jimenez, Tigers; Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox; Blake Treinen, Athletics.

AL Final Vote

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox; Eddie Rosario, OF, Twins; Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Yankees; Jean Segura, SS, Mariners; Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels. 

National League Starters

C Willson Contreras, Cubs
Reserves: Buster Posey, Giants, J.T. Realmuto, Marlins

1B Freddie Freeman, Braves
Reserve: Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks, Joey Votto, Reds 

2B Javier Baez, Cubs
Reserves: Ozzie Albies, Braves, Scooter Gennett, Reds

3B Nolan Arenado, Rockies
Reserve: Eugenio Suarez, Reds 

SS Brandon Crawford, Giants
Reserve: Trevor Story, Rockies 

OF Nick Markakis, Braves
OF Bryce Harper, Nationals

OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers

Reserves: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies; Lorenzo Cain, Brewers; Christian Yelich, Brewers.

NL Pitchers

Starters: Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks; Jacob deGrom, Mets; Mike Foltyniewicz, Braves; Jon Lester, Cubs; Miles Mikolas, Cardinals; Aaron Nola, Phillies; Max Scherzer, Nationals.

Relievers: Sean Doolittle, Nationals; Josh Hader, Brewers; Brad Hand, Padres; Kenley Jansen, Dodgers; Felipe Vazquez, Pirates.

NL Final Vote

Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Brewers; Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants; Matt Carpenter, INF, Cardinals; INF/OF Max Muncy, Dodgers; Trea Turner, SS, Nationals.

The game will take place on July 17 inside Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals.

Hello… Pitchers Having to Hit RANT

Good morning everyone and welcome back to Interleague Play. I know I probably make this rant every single year, but it is only because I feel so strongly about it. I can appreciate the fact that there is diversity in Major League Baseball between the American League and the National League, and I very much appreciate the differences in the leagues, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it when the Yankees head to a National League park. Why? Pitchers having to hit.

I can buy into the whole “strategy” and old-school feel of the game having a pitcher hit or bunt three-or-four times a night, the pinch-hitting aspects, moving runners over, and playing small ball… but, again, it doesn’t mean that I have to like it.

I cannot stand watching a pitcher that has no business swinging a bat, and a pitcher that likely hasn’t really swung a bat with any consistency since high school or college, having to go up at the Major League level and take swings. It is an injury risk, hello Chein-Ming Wang, and it just zaps any of the fun out of the inning in my opinion. I know it is just my opinion and some fans absolutely love seeing it, I just don’t personally.

So, to Masahiro Tanaka and especially to CC Sabathia this week in Washington… take it slow. Strike out or bunt if you have to, and for the love of everything good in this world make it out in one piece this week. Thanks in advance.

And to my Kari, 15 more days… I love you!!!

TGP 2018 Predictions: Comeback Players of the Year

The Comeback Player of the Year Award is generally given to a player who has not only a great season but has a great story behind their great season. For example, if a player misses a bulk of the previous season or seasons due to injury they are generally a candidate for the award if they come back the next season and have a strong season. Remember when Bartolo Colon basically came out of retirement for the New York Yankees only to shock the baseball world by showing that he could not only still pitch, but still pitch effectively at the Major League level? Or remember last season when Greg Holland returned from missing the 2016 season with Tommy John surgery to lead the National League for a chunk of the seasons in saves in 2017? Those are the kind of stories that win you a Comeback Player of the Year Award, and here are my 2018 stories.

I know I am reaching way out in left field on this one, but you almost have to with any of these sorts of predictions at this stage in the year. No one knows who is going to come back healthy, and nobody knows who is going to be the “next big thing” in Major League Baseball. So why not go bold? Why not predict that Tim Lincecum will not only make the Major League roster at some point in the 2017 season with the pitching-starved Texas Rangers, but why not predict that he will do well for the team in whatever role they use him in? It could happen, and according to my predictions it will happen. The Freak is back, likely as a reliever, and he wants some more hardware for his shelves at home.

The National League version was a little harder to come up with, so I decided to go bold once again in predicting that David Wright finally makes his way back onto the field with the New York Mets. At this point Wright doesn’t even have to be all that effective to earn to award, the story in itself of him working his way back to the Major League level would be story enough. Wright is currently working on trying to get back to the Mets after undergoing shoulder surgery in September of 2017 and an additional surgery on his lower back in October of 2017. Currently at the time of this writing Wright has been shut down from baseball activities for at least eight weeks, but if the Mets former third baseman can make it back by June or July he would easily be the story of the second half around Major League Baseball.

IBWAA SELECTS ALTUVE, STANTON IN MVP VOTE

IBWAA SELECTS ALTUVE, STANTON IN MVP VOTE

 

Los Angeles – The Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) announced the winners in its Most Valuable Player category Thursday, with the Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve winning the group’s American League award, and Giancarlo Stanton, of the Miami Marlins, being selected in the National League.

 

Altuve received 107 first-place votes (72.79%) and 1838 points while being named on 146 of 147 ballots (99.32%). Others receiving first-place votes include Aaron Judge (28), Mike Trout (7) and Francisco Lindor (2).

 

Stanton received 58 first-place votes (40%) and 1492 points while being named on 144 of 145 (97.96%) ballots. Others receiving first-place votes include Paul Goldschmidt (25), Nolan Arenado (20), Joey Votto (16), Charlie Blackmon (15) and Anthony Rendon (7).

 

Election results are as follows:

 

AL MVP

 

1^st Place:                  Jose Altuve, Houston Astros – 1838 points
2^nd Place:                 Aaron Judge , New York Yankees – 1341
3^rd Place :                  Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 1067

4^th Place:                 Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians – 997

5^th Place:                  Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians – 562

6^th Place:                  Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians – 389

7^th Place:                  Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox – 376 

8^th Place:                  Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox – 280

9th Place:                 George Springer, Houston Astros – 207

10^th Place:                Andrelton Simmons, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 202

 

NL MVP

 

1^st Place:                  Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins – 1492 points
2^nd Place:                 Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks – 1115 
3^rd Place:                  Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds – 1025

4^th Place:                  Charlie Blackmon , Colorado Rockies – 1003

5^th Place:                  Nolan Arenado , Colorado Rockies – 959

6^th Place:                  Anthony Rendon , Washington Nationals – 577

7^th Place:                  Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs – 512

8^th Place:                  Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers – 253

9^th Place:                  Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers – 243

10^th Place:                Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals – 185

 

Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates, using the Borda Method.

 

The IBWAA was established July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Voting for full season awards takes place in September of each year, with selections being announced in November. The IBWAA also holds a Hall of Fame election in December of each year, with results being announced the following January.

 
Among others, IBWAA members include Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports; Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports Hardball Talk; Bill Chuck, Billy-Ball.com; Derrick Goold, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Jon Heyman and Jesse Spector, Today’s Knuckleball; Danny Knobler, Bleacher Report; Kevin Kennedy; Kostya Kennedy, Sports Illustrated; Brian Kenny, MLBN; Will Leitch, Sports on Earth; Bruce Markusen, Hardball Times; Ross Newhan; Dayn Perry and Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com; Tom Hoffarth and J.P. Hoornstra Los Angeles Daily News; Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times; Tracy Ringolsby, MLB.com; Ken Rosenthal, TheAthletic.com; Eno Sarris, FanGraphs; David Schoenfield of ESPN.com; Jim Bowden and Bill Arnold.

 

Association membership is open to any and all Internet baseball writers, with a $75 lifetime fee. Discounts for groups and scholarships are available. Members must be 18 years of age to apply.

For more information please visit www.ibwaa.com.

Contact:

 

Howard Cole
Founding Director, IBWAA
baseballsavvy@aol.com