Top 25 MLB 2023 FREE AGENT Predictions

#25 Joc Pederson, OF/DH

Joc Pederson

Let’s get this list started with a 2022 San Francisco Giant. He signed a one year $6 million deal to prove himself and for the most part, he did just that with 23 home runs, a 1.3 WAR and an All Star selection despite a rough patch around July. Some cryptic posts tell me that Joc is very frustrated at missing out on the playoffs this year, something he is not used to. Also, he’ll be look for a bigger contract going forward and I have a feeling he’ll be heading to a team that looks like a sure-bet to make the playoffs in 2023. The Cleveland Guardians may be interested although he basically talked trash about them in this tweet. If he’s looking to go to a team on the rise in 2023 though, one fit might be the Seattle Mariners with Carlos Santana entering free agency. Pederson is quite a bit younger and seems like he’d be a nice fit so I got Joc staying on the west coast but signing with the Seattle Mariners to be their DH and 4th outfielder.

Prediction: Seattle Mariners

#24 Kenley Jansen, RP

Kenley Jansen

The 35-year old Kenley Jansen may be a future Hall of Famer with 391 career saves and a 2.46 ERA. In 2022, his first year with a team other than the Dodgers, he saved 41 games and had a strong 3.31 ERA, which was a bit inflated after a few horrible appearances down the stretch. He struck out 85 in 64 innings, proving he’s still got it and several teams should show interest in the veteran reliever. Teams that should show interest include the Yankees, Mariners, Padres and Tigers. However, I will say that Jansen reunites with his old teammate Corey Seager, in Arlington, Texas as the Rangers, who need to improve the back end of their bullpen, will continue to try to build a championship team. Kenley Jansen signs with the Texas Rangers.

Prediction: Texas Rangers

#23 Aroldis Chapman, RP

Aroldis Chapman

Next up is Aroldis Chapman, the once dominant closer who will be 35 next year and ever since the crackdown on foreign substances, hasn’t been too effective. He had a 4.46 ERA this year with 9 saves and the lowest strikeout rate of his career. He was even left off the ALDS roster. I would assume he is not going to be coming back to the Yankees in 2023. He’s only in the top 25 because he’s Aroldis Champman, but there is a chance he doesn’t even play in 2023. I believe some team that needs bullpen help will at least give him a shot in Spring Training, however, and I’ll go with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have signed veteran arms before such as Ian Kennedy, who had a solid first half for the D-Backs. They’ve also shown interest in Chapman in the past so I’ve got Chapman signing with Arizona.

Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks

#22 Trey Mancini, 1B

Mancini, as I write this article, is having big problems hitting during the 2022 postseason, which won’t help his value during the off-season. He also struggled down the stretch with the Astros, hitting just .176. Nevertheless, he has been a consistent above average bat with power throughout his career and plays excellent defense at first base and can also play the outfield. I don’t think the Astros will bring him back, but he will garner plenty of interest from teams who need a first baseman. This could mean the San Francisco Giants could show interested, but I’ve got Mancini staying the American League and signing with a team who will be looking at first basemen this offseason and that team is the Cleveland Guardians.

Prediction: Cleveland Guardians

#21 Andrew Benintendi, OF

Next up is Andrew Benintendi, who didn’t make a huge impression with the Yankees, but is still a solid better-than-average big leaguer. He knows how to get on base, an asset that front offices appreciate more than ever right now, and he can also play solid defense. His power has never come around like teams had hoped, but he has 20 home run potential and is still just 28 years old. The Yankees should show some interest in bringing him back and he will also find potential suitors in the Rangers and Tigers. However, I’ll say he signs with a team hoping he can unlock his offensive potential in the thin air of Denver. Andrew Benintendi signs with the Rockies.

Prediction: Colorado Rockies

#20 J.D. Martinez, DH/OF

Despite some back issues, Martinez was able to play in 139 games in 2022 and had a solid on-base percentage of .341, but his power seems to have fallen off, with only 16 homers in 533 at bats. Still, he continues to demonstrate a beautiful swing, finding the gaps with 43 doubles and made the All Star Team. J.D. is probably the best available DH this off-season and with the DH now in the National League, several teams will be interested. He will likely sign a 2-year deal approaching $20 million per season. With the Red Sox trying to get younger and more athletic, I see him signing elsewhere. One team that is needing a more consistent DH is the New York Mets, who showed interested in Martinez as the trade deadline approached, but ended up getting Darin Ruf. Obviously, J.D. is the bigger star and probably has at least one or two more solid seasons left in his bat. I see this as a strong possibility and will predict that the New York Mets sign J.D. Martinez.

Prediction: New York Mets

#19 Mitch Haniger, OF

Next is up is a man who drove in 100 runs and crushed 39 home runs in 2021. Unfortunately, Mitch Haniger was unable to repeat that in 2022 due to ankle and back injuries and played in just 57 games. Still, he showed the power hasn’t gone anywhere and if he’s healthy in 2023, at 32 years old, there’s no reason he can’t have another big season. Several teams will be interested including the Brewers and Rangers. However, he has been a long time Mariner and provided plenty of leadership for the young up and coming team. Because of this, the Mariners should be interested in bringing back and there is a chance they offer him a qualifying offer and, if they do, he may accept. However, even if this doesn’t happen, I think there’s a strong chance the M’s bring back Haniger for 2023 and, I’ll predict he stays in Seattle.

Prediction: Seattle Mariners

#18 Josh Bell, 1B

Josh Bell

Bell was having a fantastic season for the Nationals, hitting .301 with 14 homers when the Padres traded for him. Unfortunately, he struggled a bit with the Friars, hitting just .192, but Bell will still be one of the best available first baseman this off-season. He is a switch hitter with big power who plays below average but acceptable defense at first and has had some experience in the outfield as well. Of course, he would also DH from time to time. The Red Sox, Yankees and White Sox should be interested. However, given that Brandon Belt is likely retiring or heading elsewhere, I think the Giants will be heavily interested in a switch hitter with big power who has some versatility in the field. Without any obvious first basemen on the rise in the Giants farm system, I think this move would make sense and I’ve got the Giants signing Josh Bell.

Prediction: San Francisco Giants

#17 Tyler Anderson, SP

I never thought Tyler Anderson would make my Top 25 Free Agents List but here we are. Anderson was stellar for the 2022 Dodgers and went 15-5 with a 2.57 ERA, making the All Star Team. He was also dominant in his one postseason appearance, throwing 5 shutout innings against the Padres in the NLDS. Lots of teams will be interested, but if the Dodgers really want him back, I don’t see any other team outbidding them. The Padres will try as will the Cardinals and maybe even the Giants, who gave Anderson a shot in 2020. However, I think he’ll be back in blue for 23, either on a qualifying offer or on a fresh contract. I’ve got Tyler Anderson staying in Los Angeles.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

#16 Koudai Senga, SP

Koudai Senga

The top international free agent entering the 2023 season is Japanese pitcher Koudai Senga. He brings serious heat and finished the 2022 season with a 11-6 record and 1.89 ERA. In his 11 year career in the NPB, he has 104-51 record with a 2.42 ERA and 1,486 strikeouts in 1,340 innings of work. There should be plenty of teams interested in Senga, who should fall into the #2 or #3 slot for most rotations. Teams interested could include the Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox. However, there’s one team that is still dedicated to winning a World Series and will be very active in free agency. They also have a veteran Japanese pitcher in their rotation to help Senga adapt to MLB and the United States quicker. His name is Yu Darvish and, of course, the team I’ve got signing Senga is the San Diego Padres.

Prediction: San Diego Padres

#15 Anthony Rizzo, 1B

Another available first baseman this off-season is Anthony Rizzo. Since I have the Giants landing Bell and the Guardians landing Mancini, I’ll take another team to sign Rizzo. He does have the option to opt-in for the 2023, but this seems highly unlikely. Nevertheless, the Yankees will still be interested in bringing the veteran back, who showed great leadership and amazing power with 32 home runs while playing elite defense. The four-time Gold Glove award winner will be testing the free agent market, however, and looking for perhaps his last big payday. It could be a 3-4 year deal around $18 million per season. The Astros, Brewers and Padres will likely show some interest, but at the end of the day, I don’t see him going anywhere else but back to the New York. Rizzo will remain a Yankee.

Prediction: New York Yankees

#14 Jose Abreu, 1B/DH

Next up, we have the always solid if not amazing Jose Abreu. The 2020 MVP and 2014 Rookie of the Year has spent his entire career with the White Sox and, if he hadn’t made his debut at the relatively late age of 27, he would probably already be considered a no-doubt Future Hall of Famer. Abreu almost never misses a game and can be relied on to hit close to if not over .300 with power. This last season, however, he only managed 15 home runs and 75 RBIs. He still hit over .300 with a .378 on-base-percentage, which makes him extremely valuable despite the drop in power. The White Sox do not seem interested in bringing him back, which means many teams will be in on Abreu. I’ve already got the Giants signing Bell, which would leave a hole at first base in San Diego. As a team dedicated to winning and signing whoever they have to, I see the Padres trying to do even better than Bell by signing an absolute stud in Jose Abreu. I’ve got Abreu going to San Diego.

Prediction: San Diego Padres

#13 Brandon Nimmo, OF

The former first round pick Brandon Nimmo has proven in 2022 that, when he can stay healthy, he is an above-average MLB player. He hit .274 in 2022 with a .367 on-base and 16 bombs while leading the league with 7 triples. He stayed relatively healthy, playing in 151 games and when you add in his amazing defensive ability, Nimmo is one of the most well-rounded players in the free agent market. One team that has shown some interest is the Colorado Rockies, but I’ve got the Rockies signing Benintendi instead after they realize the New York Mets are going to make Nimmo and offer he can’t refuse. I think he’s just too good of an overall player to let go elsewhere and I’ve got the Mets bringing him back on a 4-5 year deal.

Prediction: New York Mets

#12 Chris Bassitt, SP

Bassitt followed up his All Star 2021 campaign with the A’s by winning a career high 15 games in 2022 for the Mets. He had a 3.42 ERA and was the healthiest pitcher in the Mets rotation, becoming their only starter to qualify for the ERA title. He doesn’t have big strikeout stuff but gets the job done and is extremely consistent. Bassitt is expected to decline his option and explore free agency. The Mets will try hard to bring him back, but several teams will push hard for his services including the Rangers and Cardinals. I am going to say that a team from outside the USA will make a big push for him and end up getting him and that team, of course, is the Toronto Blue Jays who need some more depth in that rotation to try to go deeper in the playoffs in 2023. Chris Bassitt will sign with the Jays.

Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays

#11 Willson Contreras, C/DH

The best available catcher in the free agent market his long-time Chicago Cub Willson Contreras. He was a 2022 All Star, ending the season with 22 home runs and a .349 on-base percentage. He should be able to sign for around four years and $75 million, similar to the 2019 Yasmani Grandal deal with the White Sox. There have been reports that, despite not trading him at the deadline, the Cubs have no interest in bringing him back. Therefore, he’ll likely head to a team short on catchers for 2023. Such teams include the St. Louis Cardinals with the retirement of Yadier Molina and the Boston Red Sox, who don’t really have a clear option for 2023. The Mets, Padres and Twins may also show some interest. Ultimately, I’ll say he signs with the Cardinals, who will offer him the biggest contract, needing big offensive production and a solid name to replace the legend Molina. Contreras signs with the Cards.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals

#10 Clayton Kershaw, SP

The future Hall of Famer will likely hit 200 career wins in 2023, and every time I’ve predicted him to go elsewhere, he always ends up back in Los Angeles. So, without even getting into his stats and accomplishments, I’ll just say it – Clayton Kershaw is back with the Dodgers in 2023, perhaps on another one-year deal. He went 12-3 in 2022 with a 2.28 ERA, showing that, when he is healthy, he still elite. He struck out 9.8 batters per 9 and was selected to his 9th All Star Team. If he were to leave, there are many teams that would love to have him including his hometown Rangers among many other teams short on starting pitching, but at this point, I see him retiring as a Dodger.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

#9 Edwin Diaz, RP

Edwin Diaz

One of the premiere relief pitchers in the game is Edwin Diaz and in 2022, he earned himself a huge contract. Diaz had the lowest ERA of his career at an insane 1.31 with an even more insane 17.1 per 9 strikeout ratio. He had 118 strikeouts in just 62 innings of work, basically striking out 2 batters per inning. The Mets will undoubtedly prioritize bringing back Diaz, but he is also likely to not sign too quickly and explore his options. He could become the first reliever in history to sign a contract in the $100 million range, surpassing Aroldis Chapman’s record of $86 million. One team who will also be heavily interested is the Blue Jays, whose failing bullpen is the primary reason they couldn’t get past the Wild Card round. As a Giants fan, I’d be ecstatic to land Diaz to become the primary closer while Camilo Doval could be the setup man. The Mariners, Cubs and Rangers could also be dark horses to sign Diaz. Obviously, the big spenders like the Yankees and Dodgers are also serious threats to snag him. However, at the end of the day, I think the most likely suitor is the Mets, who will likely match any offer. If he does leave, I’ll say it’s do the Dodgers. But as for my official prediction, Diaz stays with the Mets.

Prediction: New York Mets

#8 Dansby Swanson, SS

Swanson came back to Atlanta in 2022 and played in all 162 games, smashing 25 home runs with a .277 batting average while securing his first Gold Glove. Where he goes will largely depend on the destinations of the other big 3 free agent shortstops – Correa, Turner and Bogaerts. Teams that will be looking to secure a shortstop for the 2023 season include the Twins, Red Sox, Mariners and, of course, the Braves. Recent reports say the Braves offered an extension of around $100 million, which of course was declined. As the longest tenured Brave, there is a chance the Braves bring him back. However, Swanson has proven that he is one of the best shortstops in the game and will demand a massive salary of well over $100 million – something similar to the 6-year $140 million Javy Baez deal. It could be as high as 7-years and $170 million. The Braves GM isn’t known for these types of massive free agent deals. If the Braves were willing to let Freddie Freeman get away, I can’t be surprised if the same thing happens to Swanson. Other teams that could show interest include the Angels, Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies and Cardinals. I’ll say that the St. Louis Cardinals, who are ready to move on from Paul DeJong, make a huge offer and end up landing Swanson.

Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals

#7 Xander Bogaerts, SS

In 2022, Xander made his 4th All Star Team while hitting .307 with 15 bombs. He will be another hot free agent shortstop several teams will be interested in after he exercises his opt-out, which he is expected to do. He will demand perhaps an even bigger contract than Swanson and, based on the 4-year $90 million extension reportedly already offered, the Red Sox may not be willing to pay enough to bring him back. The Red Sox still have some infield depth with Trevor Story able to move back to his natural shortstop position if need be in 2023. All the teams I mentioned that would be in on Swanson will likely also show interst in Xander Bogaerts. However, one team that may be particularly interested is the 2022 National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies, who are as of this recording down 2 games to 3 in the World Series. They are looking for an upgrade at shortstop after rookie Bryson Stott struggled somewhat with a .234 average and on-base percentage under .300. Their current President of Baseball Ops is former Red Sox GM Dave Dombrowski, who has a relationship with Bogaerts. I’ll say the Phils, looking to win it all in 2023, end up signing Bogaerts on a massive 6-7 year deal.

Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies

#6 Carlos Correa, SS

One of the most outside the box free agent predictions I ever made was Carlos Correa signing with Twins – and it actually happened. He played great for Minnesota, hitting .291 with a .366 on-base and 22 big flies. Correa will opt out and look for a huge deal around 10 years, similar to the Texas Rangers contract with Corey Seager. With this in mind, even the Giants could show interest with Brandon Crawford toward the end of his extension. The Twins, of course, will try to bring him back and so will all the teams I’ve talked about who are needing a shortstop going forward including the Red Sox if they don’t re-sign Bogaerts. The Mariners will make a big push for Correa, but I’m going to make a prediction even crazier than having the Twins sign Correa. This time, it’s the Los Angeles Angels who make the shocking 9-10 year deal and bring Correa to the West Coast to try to win a World Series in 2023. I got Correa signing with the Halos in ‘23.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels

#5 Carlos Rodon, SP

The San Francisco Giants struck gold with the signing of Rodon, who struck out 33.4% of the batters he faced in 2022 with a 2.88 ERA. He only needed to prove he could stay healthy while putting up his normal impressive numbers. He did just that and will likely opt out of his deal and seek a massive contract. Every team looking to add an elite starter, which really should be all 30 teams, will be interested. Primary teams that have had some reported interest include the Giants, Angels, Cubs Cardinals and Yankees. He will sign a deal around 5 years and $145 million. The Giants could have traded him at the deadline but held on to him, with an obvious hope that they could bring him back in the off-season. The Rangers could make a surprise run at Rodon, but another team that desperately needs pitching is the St. Louis Cardinals, who showed big interest in Rodon during the season. Whether the Giants will outbid them or not may come down to how much money they plan to spend on other free agents who I’m about to talk about. Ultimately, I think the Giants will spend the money needed to bring him back and I’ll say he stays in the bay area, but if he leaves, I’d say he goes to St. Louis. Official prediction, however: Rodon stays in San Francsico.

Prediction: San Francisco Giants

#4 Justin Verlander, SP

One of the best pitchers in the last twenty years, Justin Verlander won a Cy Young in 2019, then had to have Tommy John surgery, missing nearly all of 2020 and 2021. Coming back in 2022 to the Astros in his late thirties, Verlander proved he is still one of the best, going 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA, setting himself up to win his third career Cy Young and creating a massive market for him in the off-season assuming he exercises his opt-out which is expected. The Yankees, Dodgers, Braves, Mets, Orioles and maybe even the Giants will make a run at Verlander. The Astros would love to have him back as well, but with several young pitchers in their system, they may not be willing to pay the huge asking price for a 2023 Justin Verlander. So, I will say he signs elsewhere. I believe it will be one of the big-market teams snagging up Verlander for his age 40 season and that team will be the New York Yankees, who will create an unstoppable 1-2 punch with Cole and Verlander at the top, followed by Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino.

Prediction: New York Yankees

#3 Trea Turner, SS

The final big shortstop on the list is Trea Turner, one of the most reliable shortstops in the game. He is a true 5-tool talent with blazing speed, amazing defense and power. He drove in 100 runs and crushed 21 bombs in 2022. He also stays healthy, playing in 160 games for the Dodgers and stepping up to the plate over 700 times. He will still only be 29 years old on Opening Day 2023 and will be heavily desired by many teams including the Phillies, Cardinals, Angels and Cubs. However, if the Dodgers want to keep some one, they keep some one. I’ve got them hanging onto Kershaw and Tyler Anderson and they’ll also pay to keep Trea Turner. He stays in LA.

Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers

#2 Jacob DeGrom, SP

There is only one issue with DeGrom and that is his injury history. When he’s healthy, however, DeGrom is simply the best. His strikeout per nine ratio was 14.3 in 2022, repeating the same ratio he had in ‘21. The 4-time All Star and 2-time Cy Young Award winner averaged nearly 100 MPH on his fastball even after coming off the injured list. One team that may show interest is the Braves, who Degrom rooted for growing up. Several teams will show interest since, due to his age and injuries, may get to sign him on a short term deal of 2 years or even 1 year with an opt in option for a second year. I’m going to say that a team that spent over half a billion dollars last offseason makes an insane offer to add some much needed pitching to their rotation and succeed – they will sign bullpen help and rotation help to make a serious run in ‘23 and that’s the Texas Rangers. I’ve got Degrom going there on a one-year deal with an opt-out for the 2nd year. Jacob Degrom is heading to the Rangers.

Prediction: Texas Rangers

#1 Aaron Judge, OF

Aaron Judge

The best player available this offseason will be one Aaron Judge. He set a single season American League home run record and made a serious run at the Triple Crown. Despite a history of injury issues, he’s been able to stay healthy for the past two years and the free agent frenzy is going to be absolutely insane. The San Francisco Giants have been identified multiple times as serious contenders for Judge. “Judge is at the top of the Giants list and they won’t be underbid,” one source told Randy Miller of NJ.com. “If they miss out, it won’t be because of money.” However, they won’t get him without a fight from the Yankees themselves along with teams like the Mets, Rangers and maybe even the Dodgers. Even if the Giants stick to what they’ve been reported as having said and do “whatever it takes” to get Judge, at the end of the day no team can force a player to sign with them. There is a possibility that Aaron Judge, who has never won a World Series, wants to sign with a team that at least made the playoffs in 2022. I’ve said before and it is still true that I won’t be shocked at all if the Dodgers swoop in and sign Judge. They can always move Mookie Betts to another outfield spot to make room for him. The Giants have been reported “favorites” many times before – going back to Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton. I’ll be thrilled if it happens, but as a Giants fan, I’m not holding my breath. If he does leave the Yankees, I’ll say he signs with the Dodgers, but as for my official prediction – Aaron Judge stays put in the pinstripes.

Prediction: New York Yankees

San Diego Padres Look To WIN IT ALL in '21 - But Is This Any Different Than '15???

The San Diego Padres have continued their Christmas Shopping Spree by trading for Cy Young runner-up Yu Darvish. This more than solidifies a rotation that was already looking very strong with the likes of Darvish, Blake Snell (Who the Pads just traded for the day before), Dinelson Lamet and Chris Paddack. The Padres also will look forward to the return of Mike Clevinger in 2022. A fifth arm that could be available soon is prospect MacKenzie Gore. In other words, the Padres have an absolute elite rotation and a dominant bullpen that almost single-handedly took out the Cardinals in the 2020 Wild Card Series.

Matt Kemp and Justin Upton were two big signings going in the 2015 MLB Season for the San Diego Padres

However, the Padres have been known to go on such shopping sprees -the same thing happened in 2014/15 and no championship or playoff run was to be found. During that offseason, the Padres traded away some of their best prospects including Yasmani Grandal, Max Fried and Trea Turner. In return, they were able to snag some fine players at the time such as Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and James Shields. However, this wasn’t nearly enough for the Padres to compete for a World Series Title.

The question is, what is different this time? The answer is clear - the Padres are already good. In 2020, this team proved what it could do and had every chance to stand toe to toe with the Dodgers until unfortunate injuries to both Clevinger and Lamet. With a powerful offense that includes Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Eric Hosmer go go along with their potent pitching staff, the Padres enter 2021 already as a favorite to at least win a Wild Card. Hence, the new additions this time are being added to a team that is already ready to win - and this just improves their chances going in 2021.

Ha Seong Kim, recently signed by the San Diego Padres out of South Korea

Furthermore, these signings may even be better. Instead of decent bats like Kemp and Upton, the Padres are signing two elite starters that can jump right into that rotation. They even tapped into the Korean market and signed the powerful Ha-Seong Kim to provide more depth in the infield. All this has happened before the New Year. Although the Dodgers may still be the favorite going in 2020, the Padres have done everything needed to attempt to dethrone them. If a World Series Hangover occurs, look for the Padres to run away with the West in 2021.

So, there are three ways that these moves differ from the 2015 offseason. Firstly, the team is already excellent (unlike in 2014 when they finished in third place with a 77-85 record. Second, the signings themselves are better. And finally, this team already has chemistry and gels nicely - the additions are not expected to do it all; they are just enhancements (albeit HUGE enhancements) to an already amazing ballclub.

Possible MLB Impact CALL-UPS For The 2020 Season

This year we have seen such an infusion of top prospects in a short period of time because of the truncated season.  It’s like loading up an 8 oz glass of milk with enough chocolate for a 16 oz glass and it tastes GREAT!  We’ve seen Joey Bart, Dylan Carlson, Brady Singer, Jo Adell, Dylan Carlson, Casey Mize, Alec Bohm, Nick Madrigal, Triston McKenzie, Deivi Garcia, Sixto Sanchez, Jazz Chisholm, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bobby Dalbec to name a few.  Not to mention, Luis Robert, Nate Pearson, Jesus Luzardo, Nico Hoerner, Dustin May and others who either we knew were staring the year with their big league club or we saw some last year, but were still classified as prospects.  2020 Topps Update and 2021 Topps will have more rookie cards than an Eskimo has ice.

There are a few factors to consider when predicting who we’re going to see over the next couple of weeks.  Is the team in contention?  Therefore the call-up would improve the club and their positioning for the playoffs.  Does the current team makeup benefit the prospect?  Meaning is there a position for them/would they receive regular playing time?

Lets take a look at some of the prospects I see getting a call and some of the team situations impacting the chances for a call up.

The Yankees have called up #2 prospect Clarke Schmidt, he appeared in relief of a doubleheader vs the Orioles, but the question is, will he get a start or will be a doubleheader arm/taxi squad guy the rest of the way, meaning no impactful innings.  That we’ll have to see.

Yusniel Diaz, Orioles, OF, 55/80 – He was the highest profile piece that the O’s got back in the Machado deal.  He played at AA LY and slashed .262/.335/.472 with 11 HR over 76 games.

Bryan Mata, Red Sox, RHP, 55/80 – He is the team’s #2 prospect now that Dalbec is playing with the big league club.  The Red Sox are out of it and will most likely try to avoid exposing any of their top minor league talent but seeing that Mata pitched at AA last year, he could get the call if the Red Sox run into the injury bug or need additional pitching for doubleheaders. 

Brailyn Marquez, Cubs, LHP, 60/80 – He is the #1 prospect in the Cubs system.  If he gets the call it will probably be for a bullpen role.  He’s 21, only reached High A last year, but he has an electric fastball (80/80 grade).  They wouldn’t insert him into a starting role having only reached High A, but that fastball could be a game changer out of the pen.

I think it’s a long shot, but I could see the Reds calling Lodolo (LHP) or India (3B)

Nolan Jones, Indians, 3B, 60/80 – He’s the #1 prospect in the system.  He reached AA last year and slashed .253/.370/.466 with 8 home runs over 49 games.  The Indians are in a 3 team battle for the division and if they think he can help them, now that they can’t trade for anyone, he’ll be up.  With Ramirez at 3rd, Jones would have to play the outfield.  Mercado and Luplow are hitting under .200 and they just acquired Naylor at the deadline, so the Indians will want to see what they have in him for a little while longer.

If the Rockies stay in it, they could make the call for #2 prospect, RHP Ryan Rolison

Right now the Tigers have a full rotation, but if they stay close to .500 for a few more weeks and someone goes down they could call on Alex Faedo, now the #3 prospect in the system after Mize, Paredes and Skubal’s call up.

The only way the Twins call top prospects Royce Lewis (SS/3B) or Alex Kirilloff (1B/OF) up is if they get hit with a serious injury bug or a COVID outbreak and need bodies.  Though, maybe one or both get the call during the last week or so to be around the club during a clinching situation.

MacKenzie Gore, Padres, LHP 70/80 – I really think that the Padres could call up Gore to bolster their pen down the stretch and into the playoffs.  They were extremely aggressive at the deadline and I don’t think that’ll stop, so where can they be aggressive now?...With their prospects.

Taylor Trammell, Mariners, OF, 55/80 – I think the Mariners will bring up one of their 3 other top outfield prospects before the end of the season to pair with Kyle Lewis.  Of the 3 I think Trammell is the closest based on age and experience.  10 homers and 20 steals at AA LY over 126 games…guy makes me think of Carl Crawford.

Logan Gilbert, Mariners, RHP, 55/80 – Having nothing to lose, Gilbert gets a call soon and makes a handful of starts before the year is over.  He’s already 23, pitched well at AA last year 4-2 2.88/0.98 ERA/WHIP and 10.1 K-rate over 9 starts, so he’s a logical choice if there is an injury or struggles by any of the current starters.  Plus, it’d be good to give him some competitive innings this year.

The Rays are so deep and healthy that Wander Franco (SS) is blocked right now.  They’d rather him get regular at-bats over at the training site than only catching some BP with the big league club.  Unless there is a rash of bad injury luck, Franco is going to be spectating. IF they do call him up, he’ll hardly play, see what the DBacks did with their top prospect Varsho for the first few weeks after he got the call.  The Rays may call on Vidal Brujan (SS) before Franco but that would be because of the speed.  Vidal grades 80/80 in the running category and has 151 steals in 399 minor league games.  He could pinch run in key spots but his plate appearances would be limited.

If you’re into prospects like I am, this has been an excellent season and it’s not going to stop.  Strap in and get ready for more.  Visit the BALLCAP Sports YouTube Channel for Player Lock videos of some of the top call ups this season. 

Updated MLB POWER RANKINGS Mid-Season 2020

30. Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates are the only team in baseball still in single digits with wins - and they only have 7! The Pirates just got no-hit yesterday by Lucas Giolito, who did pitch amazing, but the Pirates haven’t hit all season – Josh Bell, Adam Frazier and Jarod Dyson are all hitting under the Mendoza Line and one of their normally better hitters Bryan Reynolds is just over it at .212.  Their pitching hasn’t been a ton better although Trevor Williams has impressed and could be dangled at the trade deadline.  All in all, the Pirates have a lot of work to do and come in at #30.

29. Texas Rangers

I hate to put them this low and didn’t expect to, but they have found themselves in a major tailspin losing 9 of their last 10 including an 8-game losing streak.  Lance Lynn has been the bright spot for this team and he has been a big name in trade rumors as we get closer to the deadline.  The rest of the rotation – one of that I was high on coming into the season – has disappointed.  Offensively, the Rangers are dead last in the American League in On-Base-Percentage (.289), batting average (.211), runs scored (107),  and home runs (24). 

28. Detroit Tigers

The Tigers started the season fairly hot, but have since cooled down drastically.  So far this season, this team has only managed a .297 on base percentage and have the second worst ERA in baseball at 5.92.  They’ve lost 7 of their last 10 and are starting to look more like the team most fans expected to see in 2020.  Some bright spots include Spencer Turnbull and Jacoby Jones but all in all it hasn’t been great.  The Tigers did recently promote several of their big prospects including #1 pick Casey Mize, so there is some excitement there for sure.

27. Kansas City Royals

Coming in at #27 is the 2015 Champions, the Kansas City Royals.  Despite a 5-4 win yesterday against the Cardinals, the Royals have been struggling.  They lost 4 of 5 before that including a 5-0 loss the the Reds in which Trevor Bauer threw a 7-inning 1-hitter.  Earlier in the season, they lost 6 in a row.  Their starting pitching and offense have struggled mightily.  Admittedly, the Royals haven’t had the easiest schedule with 22 of their first 30 games coming against teams with a winning record.  Their bullpen has impressed and, as I said in my first Trade Deadline Video, they could dangle out a couple bullpen arms for prospects.  One of the best stories so far of 2020 has to be Trevor Rosenthal, who has 7 saves with a 1.46 ERA. 

26. Los Angeles Angels

The Angels got a little bump after beating the Astros 11-4 on Monday, but everything considered, this team has been a monumental disappointment. Despite the superstar power of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon along with the surprisingly dominant season Dylan Bundy is having on the mound, the Angels are 10-22.  The Angels have a team batting average of .233, Shohei Ohtanti hasn’t pitched or hit effectively, Jo Addell is just getting his career started and hasn’t produced yet, and besides Bundy, the Angels didn’t do much to improve their rotation and it is showing. 

25. Boston Red Sox

I got a lot of hate for putting the Red Sox in 4th place and down around #21 in my preseason power rankings, but here we are.  The Red Sox are 10-20 and sitting in last place in the American League East.  For the past 15 years, they have seemed like a team that either wins the World Series or completely falls apart and finishes in the basement.  This year – it’s looking like the basement.  They’ve already been active in the trade market and look for that to continue – Kevin Pillar, J.D. Martinez and Mitch Moreland, among others, could all be on the move. 

24. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are ahead of Boston after winning 2 of 3 in their recent series.  Nevertheless, after a hot start, they have cooled down significantly.  They were swept by the Blue Jays and lost 2 of 3 to the Nationals before the Red Sox series.  One bright spot for the Orioles this season has been outfielder Anthony Santander, who 10 bombs on the season in just 119 at bats along with a solid .277 batting average.  Meanwhile, 2015 first round pick Ryan Mountcastle finally made his big league debut and has looked solid so far, going 4 for his first 12.  The next few days will determine what the O’s will do at the deadline – they’ll have to get hot quickly to avoid being sellers.

23. Arizona Diamondbacks

Next up is the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team I was high on coming into 2020.  They have not been good.  Madison Bumgarner lost his velocity and got hit hard before going on the Injured List.  Robbie Ray’s control has been horrendous with 25 walks in 27 innings.  He’s also given up an incredible 25 runs in the same span.  Ketel Marte has hit well but has just one bomb after hitting 32 last season.  They have fallen to last in the NL West and have lost 7 straight games.  It has been a rough season thusfar for the D-Backs.  

22. Seattle Mariners

All the way up at 22 is the Mariners, who are on a 4-game winning streak after crushing the Padres 8-3 yesterday.  They lost 3 out of 4 before that to the Dodgers, but honestly, most fans likely expected the Dodgers to sweep that series.  Kyle Lewis has been great for Seattle hitting .360 in 111 at bats, definitely making himself a serious contender for Rookie of the Year.  Evan White hasn’t been great but does have 5 home runs and is hitting .375 with runners in scoring position.  The Mariners are 12-19 on the season but sit in 3rd in the American League West.

21. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have won 2 straight against the Reds but have largely disappointed this season.  They were even swept by none other than the #30 Pittsburgh Pirates.  It is safe to say that my prediction that Christian Yelich would the MVP this season was completely wrong.  He is hitting .200 after 100 at bats although he’s hit 7 home runs and managed a .322 on base percentage.  The Brew Crew have a .213 batting average and .297 on base percentage, both second to last in the National League.  It has been disappointing to say the least for the Milwaukee Brewers.

20. New York Mets

The New York Mets come in at #20 after a disappointed first half of 2020. They’ve returned to playing again after a couple positive covid tests and proceeded to get shutout twice by the Marlins.  The Mets are 12-16 on the season and would have been much worse if it wasn’t for some solid offense by guys like Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith.  Pete Alonso, despite a .232 batting average, is also heating up and starting to tear the cover off the ball like he did last season.  The pitching staff has struggled, however, with a 4.89 ERA, good for 10th in the National League.

19. Washington Nationals

The World Champions have not looked great for most of 2020 and things are even worse now that Steven Strasburg has been lost for the season due to surgery on his hand. They’re 4-6 in their last 10 and sit at the bottom of the NL East standings with a pathetic 6-12 home record.  They are second in the NL with a .263 batting average but their starting pitching has not been up to standard.  Corbin, Sherzer and Sanchez have been okay, but not quite as dominant as you’d hope as Nationals fan.  All in all, it has been a rough campaign thus far for the Champions.

18. Cincinnati Reds

Coming in at #18 is the Cincinnati Reds, who are on a 4-game losing streak and have really disappointed this season so far.  The starting pitching has been good as expected, especially Trevor Bauer and Sonny Gray, but the Reds are dead last in baseball with a .203 batting average.  Their entire team is hitting near the Mendoza Line.  Their on base percentage is barely over .300 and the Reds currently sit in 4th place with a record of 11-17.  Shogo Akiyama is hitting .214 with nary a home run.  Eugenio Suarez is hitting .158.  The advanced stats show the Reds have had some bad luck this year, but they better figure something out quick or not only will they not with the World Series like I predicted, but they won’t even be a part of October baseball at all.

17. Miami Marlins

One of the biggest surprises of the season has been the Miami Marlins, who I have all the way up at #17.  They have definitely cooled off after a hot start and also haven’t played as many games as most teams due to their Covid adventures.  However, they’ve just shut out the Mets in back to back games and sit in second place right now in the National League East with a 14-11 record.  The Marlins may actually be buyers at the deadline, which is absolutely insane.  Some of their key contributors this season have been Jesus Aguilar, Corey Dickerson, Jonathan Villar and pitcher Pablo Lopez, who has 1.98 ERA through 5 starts with a 3-1 record and 27 strikeouts in 27 innings. 

16. Philadelphia Phillies

Coming in at #16 is the Philadelphia Phillies, who just eek out the Marlins after beating the Nationals yesterday 8-3 and the Braves on Sunday 5-4.  Despite superstar performances by superstar players like Bryce Harper and JT Realmuto and a very good rotation, the bullpen has been atrocious.  They have tried to address these issues by trading for Brandon Workman but then he blew a save in his first opportunity, so… yeah.   The Phillies are 11-14 and sit in third place right now, still hoping for a chance to slip in the playoffs but that bullpen will have to step it up if they expect to get anywhere in October.

15. Colorado Rockies

The Rockies would have been much higher on this list only a few days ago, but they have fallen apart after a blazing start and are now at .500.  The true test for this team came with a series against the Astros and Dodgers – they lost every game.  They are 3-7 in their last 10 and are barely hanging on to 3rd place as the San Francisco Giants are hot on their heels.  Nolan Arenado, who was wanting to get traded during the offseason, is hitting .231 and Jon Gray is 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA.  However, Kyle Freeland has been a nice surprise after a terrible 2019 and Charlie Blackmon is still hitting close to .400. 

14. San Francisco Giants

Next up, and don’t worry folks, they’re moving up this ladder quickly, but after losing 4 straight, including 3 9th inning blown saves, the San Francisco Giants have done nothing but dominate with 7 straight wins including a walk off yesterday in extras against the rival Dodgers. With this latest streak, the Giants have leaped back into playoff contention.  So far this year, the bullpen has been reliable more often than not and the offense has absolutely exploded as the Giants are 4th in the National League in home runs and 6th in batting average.  The starting pitching has been good enough with Kevin Gausman and Logan Webb stepping it up as mainstays in the rotation along with the guy who came out of nowhere, Tyler Anderson, who just threw a complete game 3-hitter.  Offensively, Mike Yastrzemski is for real, Donovan Solano has been incredible and veterans like Brandon Belt, Wilmer Flores and Evan Longoria among others have been vital it helping the Giants stay in playoff contention as the trade deadline approaches.

13. Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are .500 on the season and sit in 3rd place in the American League East in a prime spot to play in October.  They have unfortunately had a lot of injury issues this season, especially with their rotation, but have continued to fight and maintain a spot in the playoffs.  Hyun Jin Ryu has been good with a 3.19 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his first 31 innings white both Chase Anderson and Tanner Roark have provided some solid outings.  The team is 5th in the American League with a .249 batting average and 2nd with 48 home runs, 11 coming from Teoscar Hernandez who is hitting .292 with 19 RBI in just 106 at bats.

12. St. Louis Cardinals

Next up is the casino lovers themselves – just kidding – St. Louis Cardinals.  They’ve won 4 of their last 6 including a 9-3 pounding of the Royals and currently sit in second place in the NL Central trailing only the Chicago Cubs.  This is a team that will be tested with several double headers after having so many games postponed.  However, the talent has been there with Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and even Adam Wainright – still in 2020 – pitching great out of the rotation.  Although their offense has underperformed overall, Paul Goldschmidt has quietly hit .344 with nearly a .500 on base percentage.  The Cardinals are still a legit contender this season and are currently #12 in my power rankings.

11. Houston Astros

Coming in at #11, just missing out on the top 10, is the beloved Houston Astros.  I maintained coming into this season that this is still an excellent baseball team and so far this year, they’ve done well sitting in second place in the AL West with a 17-14 record.  However, they just got beat by the Angels 12-5 after walking 10 batters and have struggled with command all season as Astros pitchers lead the Major Leagues with 135 walks.  Still, Jose Alutve is starting to heat up, Correa and Reddick have been good and despite losing Verlander for the season, guys like Zack Greinke and Framber Valdez have been fantastic and I still have the Astros at #11.

10. Atlanta Braves

Kicking off the top 10 for the current MLB Power Rankings we have the Atlanta Braves.  Despite a ton of injuries, the Braves have continued to play good baseball.  Max Fried has sparkled this season with a 4-0 record and 1.32 ERA while Mark Melancon has proved that as long as he’s not wearing a Giant uniform, he’s an elite closer.  Freddie Freeman continues to be Freddie Freeman, Marzell Ozuna has 7 bombs on the year and even old friend Adam Duvall has contributed some key hits this season as the Atlanta Braves lead the NL East with a 16-12 record. 

9. Chicago Cubs

Coming in at #9 and dropping a few spots is the Chicago Cubs, who are 5-5 in their last 10 after starting the season on fire.  They’re still 18-11 and lead the National League Central even after getting clobbered by the Tigers yesterday 7-1.  Yu Darvish has shown that he’s still got it after 6 starts and a 1.7 ERA while offensive players like Jason Heyward and Ian Happ have stepped it up while other key guys have struggled like Javy Baez and Kris Bryant.  Overall, however, they’ve gotten the wins and that’s what counts – the Cubs are in first place and are going to be a prime position to buy at the deadline.

8. San Diego Padres

Zooming up the power rankings are the red hot San Diego Padres although they just lost the Mariners, they have proved to be a super exciting team with a ton of talent.  The Padres swept the Astros including a 13-2 pounding on Saturday and Fernado Tatis Jr. is a straight up superstar.  The Padres are 7-3 in their last 10 and recently had a 7-game winning streak.  They are only 4 games behind the Dodgers and still sitting in 2nd in the National League West thanks to timely hitting and outstanding pitching by guys like Dinelson Lamet and Garrett Richard.  This team is really exciting and if the Giants stay hot, it will be a massive clash when they meet with the Padres in San Diego in a couple weeks.

7. New York Yankees

Next up is the famous Bronx Bombers, who got swept by the Rays when they last played which is why they’ve dropped down to #7, but they are still a legit threat to go all the way this season.  They’re 16-9 on the season and are about to welcome back Aaron Judge from the Injured List.  As always, they have struggled with injuries, but also as always, others have stepped it up and performed anyway including Luke Voit and Clint Frazier.  Meawhile, Gerrit Cole has pitched well with 44 strikeouts in 36 innings and a 4-0 record while Aroldis Chapman is just returning from his bout with Covid-19 to add some much needed dominance to that bullpen.

6. Cleveland Indians

At #6 is the Cleveland Indians, whose 2.85 ERA is second only to the Dodgers in all of baseball.  This team is 18-12 on the season tied for 2nd in the Central and in a position to definitely make the playoffs and possibly fight for a division championship.  As expected, it has been their pitching that has done it for Cleveland while the offense has been underwhelming.  Shane Beiber is 6-0 with a 1.35 ERA and leads this fantastic staff that includes guys like Mike Clevinger and Zach Pleasac, who had to sit in the corner after violating Covid-19 rules.  Nevertheless, look for the Indians to be playing in October.

5. Chicago White Sox

When I did my preseason power ranking and put the Chicago White Sox at #6, I was called every name in the book except smart.  However, here we are, halfway into the 2020 season, and I have the White Sox even higher at #5.  They lead all of baseball in batting average and are 3rd in home runs with 55 bombs already.  All they do is crush the ball every day, which is exactly what I said would happen – this team can straight up rake.  They are in second place right now, tied with Cleveland and trail the Twins by just a game and a half.  Meanwhile, their pitchers are doing okay as well… for instance, Lucas Giolito just pitched a no-hitter.

4. Minnesota Twins

Despite my hype for the Sox and Indians, I have to give full credit to the Minnesota Twins, who are 20-11 on the season and 12-3 at home this year.  Despite some struggles offensively, the pitching has stepped up, led by Randy Dobnak who wasn’t even on my radar during the off-season.  He is 5-1 with a 1.78 ERA.  Kenta Maeda has also been phenomenal, flirting with a no-hitter earlier in the year and pitching to the tune of a 4-0 record with a 2.21 ERA.  The Twins come in at #5 easily and have proven that their 101 wins last year was no fluke.

3. Tampa Bay Rays

What’s amazing about the Tampa Bay Rays is they are so deep with their pitching staff that despite injuries to Yonny Chirinos, Charlie Morton and a variety of solid bullpen arms, they still continue to pitch well and win games.  Tyler Glasnow has 48 strikeouts in 28 innings and just pitched 7 innings giving up one run against the Orioles for a win yesterday and Blake Snell has been fantastic with a 2-0 record and ERA just over 3.  Some offensive players like Ji-Man Choi, Hunter Renfroe and Yoshi Tsutsugo have disappointed but led by this pitching staff, the Rays are 20-11 and in first place in the east.  I do believe their hitting needs to be better to make a World Series run, but with that record and the fact that this team is 8-2 in their last 10, I couldn’t put them any lower than #3.

2. Oakland A’s

I was high on the A’s coming into this season, but obviously not high enough.  The Oakland A’s are 21-10, sitting comfortably in first place in the AL West and just crushed the Rangers 10-3 thanks to a strong outing by Sean Manaea, who has been solid along with Mike Fiers and rookie Jesus Luzardo. But their offense has also been solid hitting as many home runs as the Yankees with 45 on the year, tied for 4th in the American League and have shown great patience in the fashion of those old 2002 Moneyball A’s by working 132 walks, second in the league only to the Rays, who have 134.  Their bullpen came into 2020 smoking hot, allowing just 1 run in 20 innings and this team is just overall solid, without any glaring weaknesses.  That said, they will definitely be buying at the deadline as they try to bring the first Championship to Oakland since the Bay Bridge Series in ’89.

1.Los Angeles Dodgers

Sad but true for Giants fans, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still #1.  Despite a slow start for Cody Bellinger, this team is just too stacked to allow the struggles of one or two (or three or four) of their superstars to effect their record.  They are 22-9 on the season, consistently winning at home and on the road with 11 wins each, and are 8-2 in their last 10.  Despite an extra inning loss to the Giants, who always play the Dodgers hard, this is easily the best team in baseball both on paper and on the field.  Clayton Kershaw has pitched very well, proving that he is still elite, and Mookie Betts has 11 bombs – 3 of which came in one game.  With names like Bellinger, Seager, Turner, Muncy, and upcoming star Will Smith behind the plate, there are just no holes in their offense and the pitching has been more than sufficient for this team.  Also, long time prospect Edwin Rios has finally gotten his chance and hit 3 bombs in 29 at bats with a .279 average before getting injured.  The Dodgers are for real – but can they get over the hump and win it all?  That remains to be seen.

What Could Save Baseball in 2020?

First, let’s do a temperature check on where we’re at after a week of games.  There was excitement as the Nationals and Yankees prepared to open the season.  Optimism that they’d be able to pull it off.   Then, a few hours before first pitch, word breaks that Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19.  Optimism turned to concern, for Soto, and for the viability of a baseball season during a pandemic. 

Still, opening night went off without a hitch for the most part.  We had some players wearing masks, air high-fives, a handful of players out in the stands, piped in crowd noises and cardboard cut-outs of fans behind home plate.  Different, but for now, the new normal and it worked.

On Friday the rest of baseball got underway and we were off and running.  At least, until MLB tripped up just a few days later after reports of a few Miami Marlins players testing positive for COVID.  What started as a few, turned into half of the team within 24 hours and the Marlins were shut down until they could get the situation under control.  Now, when one team goes down, there is a domino effect.  Of course the team the Marlins were just playing needs to get tested and have their games postponed.  The teams that those teams were supposed to play can’t get in there and before you know it, one team impacts at least 3 others.  In this case, the Phillies, Yankees and Blue Jays. 

What could doom this season is multiple outbreaks at the same time and worry came down this weekend when 2 Cardinals players tested positive.  Could the Cardinals be the next team to have an outbreak?  It appears that it is confined to 3 players, but you still have to test the team they were just playing, the Twins, and while awaiting test results the Cardinals can’t play the scheduled series vs the Brewers.  As long it stays confined they can get back at it early next week.

But all of this then brings into question the legitimacy of the season.  If all teams can’t play 60 games, if teams can’t field a competitive squad, or an outbreaks causes the league to pause for 2 or so weeks and 60 games turns into 45 then what?  We already have some unusual rules in play – runners starting on 2nd base if the game goes into extras, 7 inning games for doubleheaders, 16 teams making the playoffs – which essentially means all teams that can be .500 by the end of the year will get in. 

Ultimately this season could be remembered for just being a huge mess.  Whoever wins the title will be looked at more like the winner of the NCAA Tournament than the winner of the World Series.  Awards like MVP, Cy Young, ROTY could be questioned as well.

What could turn all of that around is what actually happens on the field, so let’s take a look at that…

As of publication the American league looks about right – The Yankees, Twins and Astros all lead their divisions.  Tampa and Cleveland are next in line, and you’ve got the Orioles at 3-3, Mariners at 4-4 and Tigers at 5-3.  In the national league the Braves pace the east at 5-3, Cubs lead the Central with 5-2 and the Padres hold the lead in the west at 6-2.  Getting off to a quick start is imperative this season.  If the Mariners, Tigers, Padres and 4-2 Rockies can play .500 ball the rest of the way they’ll be in the playoffs and have a shot.  That’s great for them, but not great for baseball.  Nothing would add taint to the season like a Tigers and Padres World Series…sorry Detroit and San Diego fans.  Baseball needs the Yankees or the Dodgers in the World Series this year in the worst way.  The one thing that would save the legitimacy of the season would be for a runaway Yankee or Dodger team to go something like 50-10 or 45-15 and win the World Series.  Fans and talking heads could agree that they were the undisputed best team and would have been the best bet to win in a 162 game season. 

We’ve seen some players get out to some scorching hot starts; Seattle Rookie Kyle Lewis has an OBP of .500 and is 15/33 with 2 homers and 8 RBI through the first week.  Dansby Swanson down in Atlanta is tied for the major league lead in RBI with 11 and his hitting .387.  At 40, Nelson Cruz is enjoying a fantastic start to the season with 3 home runs and 11 RBI.  Tommy Pham already has 5 steals.  3 players already have 4 home runs, I could give you 100 guesses and you probably wouldn’t be able to name 1 of them, Teoscar Hernandez from the Blue Jays, Colin Moran from Pittsburgh and Christian Vazquez with Boston.  In fact, Ronald Acuna, Cody Bellinger, Nolan Arenado and JD Martinez still haven’t hit their first yet.  On opening day, Kyle Hendricks threw a complete game shut out, which could be the only one we’ll see all year with how most pitchers are being handled.  Gerrit Cole has won both of his starts as he begins his Yankee career and Shane Bieber might just mow down everyone this year, he’s 2-0 with 27ks with 14 innings and an 0.00 ERA and 0.57 WHIP. 

We’re also going to see an incredible number of high profile rookies make their debut.  In the last week Nate Pearson, Nick Madrigal and Daulton Varshow got the call from their clubs.  Rookies will be in abundance this season, and that’s a great thing.  Ultimately what will save baseball will be the performance on the field.  This year more than ever we need a Kyle Lewis to tear up baseball, we need Shane Bieber to go 12-0 and strike out over 100 batters, we need no-hitters and perfect games, we need 4 homer, 5 homer and 6 homer weeks by players.  With all of the craziness and all of the distractions, there will be players who are laser focused and capitalize.  That is what baseball needs, that is what could save the season.  

Buster Posey, who eventually opted out of the 2020 season, wears a mask during Spring Training 2.0.

MLB Expands Playoffs For THIS YEAR.. On Opening Day!!

In a shocking developement, Major League Baseball has announced that there will be expanded playoffs after all.. not for 2022.. not for 2021.. but for THIS SEASON. This announcement came on Opening Day 2020 and sent a flurry of emotions through the fanbase including both joy and dismay.

Before getting into the details of the new playoff format, I will give my opinion - I have never been for expanding the playoffs to the point that more teams make the playoffs than don’t. That is something that would be unacceptable for me in a 162-game season. Teams don’t fight for 162 games to get into a playoff system that requires them to then win 4 or 5 more playoff series in order to take home a ring. If you earn a playoff spot in a 162 game season, it should be a coveted spot that only the top teams in the league have earned.

However, because this season is a shortened 60-game season, things are different. I am actually fine with expanding the playoffs for this season only. My biggest fear is that Major League Baseball will take advantage of good TV ratings or a positive experience this year and use that to convince the MLBPA to continue this type of playoff format.

If that does happen, hey - worse things have happened to baseball and I’ll stick with it as I’ve always done. But I won’t like it.

As for the 2020 MLB Playoffs -

• SIXTEEN of the 30 MLB Teams will be in (more than half if you’re counting).

• As in NBA Basketball, the #1 seed takes on the #8 seed, the #2 takes on the #7 and so on.

• The first round is considered the WILD CARD series and every playoff team takes part - NO BYES

• The Wild Card Round is a best of 3 series with ALL 3 GAMES at the higher seed’s ballpark

• Division Series (best-of-five, with traditional 2-2-1 home/road format): Winner of 1-8 vs. Winner of 4-5; Winner of 2-7 vs. Winner of 3-6. Home-field advantage goes to the higher seed.

• League Championship Series (best-of-seven, with traditional 2-3-2 home/road format): Winner of 1-4-5-8 vs. Winner of 2-3-6-7. Home-field advantage goes to the higher seed.

• World Series (best-of-seven, with traditional 2-3-2 home/road format): AL champion vs. NL champion. Home-field advantage goes to the team with the superior regular-season record.

This is where we’re at for this season - it will be a wild ride and will be fun and exciting at times. Nevertheless, it’s not something I hope continues into 2021 and beyond.

The other factor of this that I’m not a fan of is the 3 games at home for the Wild Card series. I understand that if you’re lucky enough to sneak in to the playoffs, you have to beat the superior team at their home stadium in a best of 3 in order to prove yourself worthy of continuing on. However, I feel that if you’re deemed worthy of making the playoffs, you should have a relatively clean slate going in (other than the natural home field advantage assigned to the team with the better record). Any rule or regulation that removes fairness from the game is not ideal in my opinion, and that includes the horrendous runner starting at second in extra innings.

Well, baseball is moving onward and upwards, and we either have to get on the train or get off.. I’m staying on for now, but I don’t love these changes. Call me an old purirst, but when more than half the teams in the league make the playoffs (especially in a 162-game season), I have an issue. For this year though, I’ll enjoy it.. and I’ll enjoy the fact that it will keep teams like my favorite team (the Giants) in the race for longer.

Stupidest MLB Rule of All Time: 2020 Season Will Start a Runner on Second Base in Extra Innings

I am happy that it seems like baseball will be back in 2020!! Nothing brings me more pleasure… and at the same time nothing brings me more disgust than knowing that in extra innings, a runner will start the inning on second base… an idea I assume Manfred picked up at his local Beer Softball League.

This rule has been in effect in Minor League Baseball for some time and has been annoying enough to cause me to leave games once they go into extra innings. However, at least the result of Minor League games cannot be considered nearly as meaningful as big league results. Yet now, the same ridiculous rule will apply in MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAMES… games that MATTER… games with PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS.

I can already see it happening… a game in late September or early October… a team has fought and clawed all season to be in a position to make the playoffs! Let’s say it’s the Arizona Diamondbacks. And the D-Backs are taking on the Dodgers on the last game of the season… win and you make the Wild Card game.. lose and you go home.

Well, after nine innings the game is tied up 2-2. So, now we go into the 10th at Dodger Stadium… the D-Backs are unable to score in the top half despite two hard line drives right at infielders. Tough luck. Here come the Dodgers, who trot a runner out to second base to start the inning. Arizona’s relief pitcher throws a nasty slider that breaks Max Muncy’s bat in two… but the ball flares out into short right field.. drops in, and in comes the free runner to score! Sorry, D-Backs…

The pitcher made no mistakes.. the fielders made no errors.. yet a run scores because they get a FREE RUNNER!? This is INSANITY… this is completely unfair and it will only take ONE of these instances for the outcry to force MLB to abolish the rule. So, WHY HAVE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE??? Imagine if the same scenario happened with the YANKEES or RED SOX…

This WILL happen if this rule ever becomes more than just a one season thing during the pandemic. Problem is.. this rule was already in Manfred’s mind before this season! That’s why it has been in use in the Minor Leagues for a few years. It’s absolutely horrible… and Manfred & Co. are using the pandemic as an excuse to implement this rule that will destroy extra innings baseball forever. As long as this rule is in effect in the MLB, I will complain about it, tweet about it, make videos about it, blog about it and basically just bitch and moan until I die… if you hate the rule as much as I do, please share this post.

MLB Owners Shoot Down MLBPA Proposal and REFUSE to Send Counter-Offer!

In a move that surprised no one, the MLB Owners denied the 114 game proposal sent by the players that included pro-rated salaries. What may be a bit surprising is that the owners also said that they will not send a counter-offer! This is certainly bad news, and another indicator that a 2020 MLB Season is becoming more and more unlikely.

Rumors have indicated that the owners would prefer a much shorter season that will end around late September as to avoid any possible “second wave” of the coronavirus. This seems logical but may require a season as short as 50 games. In my opinion, there are actually some pros to such a short season (as a one time thing!):

• Every team, including the Marlins, Giants, Mariners and Orioles, has a chance to get hot for a few weeks and make the playoffs

• The season will hit the ground running and every game will be huge

• There will be a higher probability of finishing the season without any player or MLB employee getting infected, causing an early shutdown

• If there is a second wave of the coronavirus, it may be avoided

These are advantages for the owners and fans, but do the players care? They would not get paid more for less games, and may not care about the possibility of sneaking into the playoffs as an underdog. Most MLB players are confident and don’t go around thinking that their team has "no chance”… so, perhaps there is little about a shorter season that would appeal to them. This is evidenced by their 114 game proposal — they want to play as many games as possible.

All in all, things do not look good for baseball in 2020…. and keep in mind, even if these two sides do come to an agreement, there are several other hoops to jump through in order to get a season going. I hope I’m wrong, but I believe it will be a long time before we see some meaningful baseball.