Wednesday, March 27, 2019

MLB playoff predictions 2019

With the season starting tomorrow I decided to forego trying to predict opening day lineups this year since I did so bad last year. But I will take a chance at predicting how the playoffs will look this year at the end.

Also edited this from earlier. Looked it over some more and analyzed the Phillies some more as they were my pick to win the nl east. Reserved the right to change my picks seeing as the season hasn't started yet!

AL playoff picture:

AL East: Boston Red Sox
AL Central: Cleveland Indians
AL West: Houston Astros
AL wild card 1: New York Yankees
AL wild card 2: Los Angeles Angels

NL playoff picture:

NL East: Washington Nationals
NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild card 1: New York Mets
NL Wild card 2: Chicago Cubs

My mets always make me nervous but you never know. Maybe on a whim with the angels. That AL West will be pretty strong but something has to give with the Angels. They have the best player in baseball!

Cardinals and Braves will be good too but I think they'll fall short.

Friday, February 8, 2019

New League...proposal

If MLB decides to go with the universal DH then there is no point to extend the travel and mix everyone up.  Why not then minimize travel and fatigue of the players and make things easier?  Might as well.

You could throw everyone into one big league and then do some sort of top 8 teams in the league at the end get put into a bracket similar to NBA or college bracket and play from there.

The idea I think would be a major mix up to leagues and divisions but keep to that system.  Probably still call the Leagues American and National but the divisions within would have to change.  Here i'll delve into an example.

Still 3 divisions with the 2 wild cards...
Let's say we call this the National League...

Northeast division:

Boston Red Sox
New York Mets
New Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates

Atlantic Coast division:

Miami Marlins
Tampa Bay Rays
Atlanta Braves
Washington Nationals
Baltimore Orioles


Central division:

Toronto Blue Jays
Cleveland Indians
Cincinnati Reds
Detroit Tigers
Chicago White Sox

Then we'll get the American League:

Mid West Division:

Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Kansas Royals
Minnesota Twins

South/West Division:

Texas Rangers
Houston Astros
Colorado Rockies
Arizona Diamondbacks
San Diego Padres

Pacific Coast Division:

Seattle Mariners
Oakland Athletics
San Francisco Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Angels

Of course some teams are on borders and are tougher to place such as Colorado.  East coast teams are tough to divy up.  But here's a rough layout of how they should do it cause whats the point of having teams travel so far when all the teams are playing the same with the DH and everything?

Let me know what you think


Thursday, February 7, 2019

NL to add the DH?! :(

So the MLB and player's union are pushing or talking about some new rules and proposals...

1) Another idea is mound visits from 6 to 4.  6 is fine.  Let's not get crazy now.

2) 3 batter minimum for a relief pitcher.  I like this one.  Sometimes with the relief specialists it gets a bit ridiculous.

3) Expanding the rosters to 26 and then 28 in September.  I love this idea!  40 man in September gets absolutely ridiculous

4) Extra innings changes... Apparently there is a thought that if a game gets to the 10th or 11th inning that the teams will then start with a runner on second base.  I don't know how i feel about this.  It's interesting to say the least but let's stop messing with this beautiful game!

5) 20 second pitch clock...  There's a lot of things that need to be hashed out on this one though i'm okay with it.  Some of these pitchers take forever!

6) The big one is the player's union is pushing for a universal DH...  its unfortunately inevitable.  I don't like it at all!  I'm a big proponent of the separate leagues, 1 with DH and 1 without.  It makes everything unique.  It makes inter league and playoffs interesting to see how the opposition can adjust.  I'm not looking forward to this day.

Though thinking as a met's fan maybe with the DH we would have been more in on Harper or Machado this off season. Could slide Cano into a DH... I don't know...

If the entire MLB goes to DH then why have 2 leagues?  Why have 3 divisions in 2 leagues?  Honestly what's the point then?  You could still have 2 leagues and 3 divisions each but if everyone is in on the DH then there is no uniqueness and therefore we may as well realign divisions and leagues in order to cut down on travel.  Only makes sense at that point...

Friday, December 21, 2018

New Looking Mets

So the Mets did indeed get Cano and Diaz from Seattle!  Great move!  We gave up some prospects but Bruce is gone and Swarzak too!  Thank Christ!  Just glad we didn't lose McNeil.

The Mets also wisely gave up on Realmuto.  The price was just too high.  Mets smartly grabbed Wilson Ramos.  He'll definitely be in a platoon with another catcher as he has history of knee problems and he's in his 30s, old for a catcher, but i'm glad to see this guy on our team now.  He should be great for our young pitchers.  Glad that they didn't grab Grandal either.  He was terrible for the Dodgers last year.

Mets brought back Familia too.  I'm okay with this move.  Middle relief, setup man should be good for him.

Also hearing rumors now that the Mets have inquired about Mike Minor.  Journeyman guy.  I wouldn't mind him.  Never heard anything bad about him.  Seems like a good clubhouse guy.

As always just glad the Mets are actually doing things.

Curious what's going to happen with Frazier.  I'd rather see them give McNeil chances.  Alonso let's see what he's got.

AJ Pollock is still out there but he's super injury prone.  Intrigued but nervous.  Lagares is a great defender but a terrible hitter.  Just don't know what they're thinking here.  Adam Jones' name has been floated around but he's getting older too.  Can McNeil play the corners?  Slide Nimmo to Center?  Who knows?

Here's what i envision so far for 2019:

1. Brandon Nimmo RF
2. Jeff McNeil 3B
3. Robinson Cano 2B
4. Michael Conforto LF
5. Wilson Ramos C
6. Todd Frazier 1B
7. Juan Lagares CF
8. Pitcher
9. Ahmed Rosario SS

Still talks of Harper on the radio.  While I'd welcome him with open arms if he could produce, i highly doubt the Mets front office will open the bank for him.  They're have been articles out there that are very interesting about contract offers the Mets should try.  I'll keep reading.

So here's to the Mets continuing to give us frustrated fans some hope!

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Making Moves

Looks like the Mets are closing in on acquiring Cano and Diaz from Seattle.  Couldn't get Mallex Smith too oh well.  Glad we're not giving up Jeff McNeil.

Also the Mets missed out on Yan Gomes which sucks.  And sucks more that he went to the Nationals. The Mets tendered d'Arnaud. Ugh.  Another thought is that the Mets are looking at Yasmani Grandal.  I hope not.  He looked terrible in the playoffs for the Dodgers.

Hearing rumors now that the Mets are inquiring about Corey Kluber which would be very interesting.  I'm just nervous to hear what the Indians would want for him.

Just glad the Mets are actually doing things.

Here's a lineup i'd like to see in 2019 with some additions.

1. Ahmed Rosario SS
2. Jeff McNeil 3B
3. Robinson Cano 2B
4. Michael Conforto LF
5. Todd Frazier 1B
6. Kevin Plawecki C
7. Juan Lagares CF
8. Pitcher
9. Brandon Nimmo RF

People talking about the Mets exploring Bryce Harper.  While I'd welcome him with open arms if he could produce, i highly doubt the Mets front office will open the bank for him.

So here's to the Mets continuing to give us frustrated fans some hope!