Dodgers Clinch NL West - But Can They Win It All This Time?

For the 8th consecutive season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are National League West Champions. Unfortunately, despite this amazing level of success, the team has was zero World Series Championships during that run. The last time the Dodgers won a World Series was in 1988, led by an elite pitching staff with names like Orel Hershiser, Tim Belcher, and Fernando Valenzuela. Unbelievably, however, that team hit less home runs than the 2020 Dodgers. Why is that unbelievable? Of course, it’s because the 2020 Dodgers haven’t even played 60 games yet while the 1988 Dodgers played a full 162 game schedule. That is how ridiculously potent this 2020 team is. They are, almost literally, an All Star Team.

The question then is, will this be the year for the Dodgers? Can they finally get over the hump and bring a ring back to Los Angeles? While no one can be blamed for picking the Dodgers to win it all, there is actually a much tougher road to the Championship this year than any of the previous seven. With expanded playoffs and 16 teams getting in as opposed to the normal 10, there will be more teams to get through. Furthermore, with the first series being only a best of 3 instead of a best of 7 or even a best of 5, any team can have a couple of nice pitching performances with some timely hitting and possibly a little luck and take out the Dodgers in the first round.

Nevertheless, assuming the Dodgers make it through the first round unscathed, this team has everything a team would need to go all the way. Mookie Betts is on fire, Clayton Kershaw is pitching like he’s in his absolute prime, Corey Seager is fully healthy and contributing every day, and their rotation has been stable thanks to youngsters like Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, who have both stepped it up after the loss of David Price, who opted out, and Alex Wood, who was injured. Still, no one can blame a Dodgers fan who is worried about this team, thinking about the past seven seasons where the Dodgers were not the last team standing. Going through each of those years, let’s take a look at what specifically happened to prevent the Dodgers from winning it all.

2013

In 2013, led by Don Mattingly, the Dodgers were 92-70, easily winning the National League West. They suffered a tremendous blow on the last day of the season when Matt Kemp injured his ankle and had to sit out the playoffs. Andre Ethier was also injured and could only pinch hit. However, the Dodgers were able to get past the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, thanks in part to a great pitching performance by Clayton Kershaw in Game 1.

In the NLCS, however, the Cardinals proved too much for Los Angeles. Game 1 was a nail biter that ended in extra innings after Kenley Jansen gave up an RBI single to Carlos Beltran in the bottom of the 13th. In Game 2, Kershaw was fantastic again, but the offense stalled and the Dodgers lost 1-0.

Then, it was discovered that Hanley Ramirez had a broken rib after a hit by pitch in Game 1. He sat out Game 3, which was a Dodgers victory. He tried to play in anyway in Game 4, but struck out 3 times and was in noticeable pain. They lost 4-2. On the brink of elimination, the Dodgers were able to pick up a win in Game 5, but lost Game 6 after Kershaw gave up 7 runs and 10 hits in four innings.

Reasons the Dodgers lost in 2013:

• Key injuries occurred just before or during the playoffs

• The offense did not step it up when they needed to

• Clayton Kershaw struggled in a win-or-go-home game.

2014

Don Mattingly returned as the Dodgers manager in 2014. The 2014 Dodgers were even better than in 2013, winning 94 games and taking the division by 6 games over the Giants. In the first round of the playoffs, they were matched up with the St. Louis Cardinals, the team that eliminated them in 2013.

In Game 1, the Dodgers seemed to be in command with a 6-1 lead. Kershaw was having a fantastic game through 6 innings, only allowing two hits. However, in the 7th, the wheels came off. Kershaw gave up hit after hit as the Cardinals chipped away at the lead. Even after allowing 5 hits, including a Jon Jay RBI single to cut the lead to 2 runs, Mattingly left Kershaw in the game to face Matt Carpenter. Carpenter doubled, clearing the bases, and giving the Cardinals the lead. Not long afterwards, a three run home run by Matt Holliday off Pedro Baez put the game away.

The Dodgers would come back to win Game 2 despite some bullpen troubles, but could only muster 1 run in Game 3 against John Lackey. The bullpen faltered again and the Dodgers lost the game 3-1. In Game 4, the Dodgers, once again led by Kershaw, took an early lead. But once again, Kershaw started to struggle in the 7th, put men on base, and was left in too long. This time, he gave up a three run home run to Matt Adams, which was all the Cardinals needed. They won the game and the series.

Reason the Dodgers lost in 2014:

• The offense did not step it up when they needed to

• Poor Bullpen Performance

• Leaving in Clayton Kershaw too long

2015

In 2015, the Dodgers finished with a 92-70 record just like they did in 2013. Mattingly was back to try once again to bring a ring to Los Angeles. This time, in a change from 2014, the Dodgers faced off against the New York Mets in NLDS. What did not change, however, was the final result. The Dodgers once again could not get out of the first round of the playoffs.

In Game 1, despite a good performance from Kershaw, Jacob DeGrom struck out 13 batters and completely baffled the Dodger hitters. The Mets won by a final score of 3-1. Although the Dodgers did come back to win Game 2, they lost Chase Utley for Games 3 and 4 due to a suspension after a hard slide into second, injuring Ruben Tejada.

In Game 3 at Citi Field, the Dodgers pitching imploded, as Brett Anderson gave up bases-clearing double to Curtis Granderson and a home run to Travis d’Arnaud. The Bullpen was not much better and the Dodgers ended up losing 13-7. In Game 4, the Dodgers were able to win behind a strong performance from Kershaw. Nevertheless, the Mets, behind Jacob DeGrom again, beat the Dodgers in Game 5 thanks to some heroics by Daniel Murphy, who homered off Greinke to give the Mets a 3-2 lead, which held through the game.

Reasons the Dodgers lost in 2015:

• Poor offense (18 runs in 5 games)

• Poor Bullpen Performance

• Poor Sportsmanship Leading to a Suspension

2016

In 2016, the Dodgers were 91-71, still good enough to win the West over the Giants, who completely fell apart in the second half after having the best record in baseball at the All Star Break. Don Mattingly was shown the door after 2015 and Dave Roberts was now at the helm for the Dodgers.

This year, the Dodgers were successful in the NLDS, beating the Washington Nationals in a hard fought series that lasted all five games. They moved on to the NLCS to face the Chicago Cubs, who got to the Dodgers right away in Game 1. Kenta Maeda gave up 3 runs in the first 2 innings and although the Dodgers came back to tie it, Joe Blanton gave up a grand slam to Miguel Montero in the 8th inning along with a solo shot by Dexter Fowler. The Cubs won 8-4.

In Game 2, Clayton Kershaw dazzled with seven shutout innings and the Dodgers were able to win 1-0, despite an amazing performance of his own by the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks. in Game 3, it was Rich Hill who dominated and the Dodgers won again 6-0. Up 2-1 in the series and in the drivers seat, it looked like the Dodgers were ready to punch their ticket to the World Series.

It all began to unravel in Game 4 as the Cubs took out the Dodgers and youngster Julio Urias in blowout fashion 10-2 thanks to a great pitching performance by John Lackey and home runs by Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell. In Game 5, Joe Blanton gave up a key home run out of the bullpen (Addison Russell again), and the Cubs won 8-4.

In Game 6, Clayton Kershaw had another chance to prove that he could bring it in an Elimination Game. Once again, he failed as the Cubs jumped on the board with 2 in the bottom of the 1st and another in the 2nd. By the 5th, they had extended the lead to 5-0. The Dodgers had no answers offensively as Kyle Hendricks completely shut them down. The Cubs won the game and the series.

Reasons the Dodgers lost in 2016:

• Kershaw’s struggles in Elimination Games

• Poor Offense (Outscored 31-17. Just 17 runs in 6 games.)

• Poor Bullpen Performance

2017

Although from 2013-2016, the Dodgers were clearly an elite team, 2017 was the year the Dodgers looked like absolute can’t-miss champions. They won 104 games in the regular season and went in the playoffs full of confidence, led by offensive studs like Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig, Yasmani Grandal and Corey Seager. Their pitching was strong with Kershaw, Ryu, Maeda and an elite closer in Kenley Jansen. What could possibly go wrong in 2017?

Indeed, the team looked unstoppable, tearing through the playoffs and finishing off the Cubs by a score of 11-1 in Game 5 of the NLCS, winning it 4 games to 1. They would face up against the Houston Astros in the 2017 World Series. It was a wild Fall Classic, going the full 7 games. Both teams scored 34 runs throughout the 7 Game Series, with the Astros beating the Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7 after chasing starter Yu Darvish. Reports followed that Darvish was tipping his pitches.

More than 2 years later, however, the baseball world was shaken by reports that the 2017 Houston Astros had been stealing signs using an elaborate system involving a monitor, camera and banging trash cans. This called into question the legitimacy of their 2017 title. Since it’s unclear what kind of unfair advantage they held in the World Series, I’m not going to critique the Dodgers for this loss. However, at the end of the day, the Dodgers were still unable to win it all in 2017.

2018

In 2018, the Dodgers once again won their division with a 92-71 record and once again made it all the way to the World Series. Their opponent this time was the Boston Red Sox. With Kershaw on the mound, The Red Sox struck in the first inning from timely hitting by Mookie Betts, Andrew Benitendi and J.D. Martinez. Kershaw was not at his sharpest and the Dodgers lost 8-4.

There were lots of questions regarding Dave Roberts’ decisions including the starting lineup which had struggling guys like Brian Dozier and Kike Hernandez over Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger because of righty vs. lefty matchups. He also made some questionable bullpen decisions such as going with Alex Wood in the 7th over the more obvious Pedro Baez. Wood promptly gave up a home run to Edurado Nunez.

In Game 2, it was Hun Jin Ryu for the Dodgers against David Price of the Red Sox. The Dodgers had a 2-1 lead in the 5th, but the Red Sox loaded the bases, chasing Ryu, and reliever Ryan Madson walked in the tying run. J.D. Martinez then drove in two more with a single.  The Dodgers lost 4-2. Dodgers fans everywhere asked the question, “Why Madson?”

After loading the bases, it made sense to remove Ryu. After all, the Dodgers had been burned time and time again by leaving in their starters too long. However, Pedro Baez once again seemed like the more obvious option. Perhaps Roberts was saving him for later, but the critical moment seemed to be then and there in the 5th inning with the bases loaded.

Roberts seemed to have a certain order he liked to bring in his relievers instead of basing it on how dire the situation was. The situation called for one of the strongest arms in the bullpen. It’s understandable that he did not want to bring in his closer in the 5th inning, but with the bases loaded, Baez would’ve a better option than Madson.

The Dodgers won Game 3 behind a strong performance by Alex Wood. However, in Game 4, Bullpen Management issues struck again. Rich Hill threw 6 innings of shutout baseball and the Dodgers took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the 6th thanks to a 3-run bomb by Yasiel Puig. In the top of the seventh, after walking a batter then striking out Nunez, Dave Roberts surprisingly went to the bullpen. He was heavily criticized for his decision to bring in another lefty, Scott Alexander, who proceeded to walk the first batter he faced. Two batters later, Ryan Madson served up a three-run homer to pinch hitter Mitch Moreland. The Dodgers lost the game 9-6.

In Game 5, an Elimination Game, it was Clayton Kershaw who took the mound with yet another opportunity to show what he could do in such a game. He allowed a 2-run home run to Steve Pearce in the top of the 1st inning. Although he settled down after that, the Dodgers offense struggled against David Price. Price pitched into the eighth, allowing only one run on three hits and two walks while striking out five.  The Red Sox continued to add on against the Bullpen and won the game 5-1 and the 2018 World Series 4 games to 1.

Reasons the Dodgers lost in 2018:

• Questionable Managerial Decisions

• Kershaw’s Continued Postseason Struggles (0-2 in the WS with a 7.36 ERA)

• Poor Offense (16 Runs in 5 Games)

2019

In 2019, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked as strong as ever. On September 4, the Dodgers broke the NL record for most home runs in a season with their 250th homer. They clinched the division on September 10th, the earliest in their history and finished the season with an incredible 106-56 record, led once again by Dave Roberts. Nevertheless, despite the potency of this club, the Dodgers did not escape the first round of the playoffs.

In 2019, their opponent in the NLDS was eventual World Champion Washington Nationals. They came out of the gate on fire behind Walker Buehler, defeating the Nats by a score of 6-0 in Game 1. In Game 2, Clayton Kershaw took the hill for the Dodgers and quickly gave up 3 runs over the first 2 innings. In similar fashion to his 2018 Game 5 start, he settled down, but it was too late. Stephen Strasburg dominated the Dodgers lineup and the Nationals evened up the series, winning Game 2 by a score of 4-2.

In Game 3, the Dodger bats came alive and they won 10-4 behind a strong performance from Ryu. However, they were silenced again in Game 4 by Max Scherzer as the Nationals won 6-1, keeping pace with the mighty Dodgers.

In the final and dramatic Game 5, the Dodgers jumped all over Stephen Strasburg to take a 3-0 lead early. For the Dodgers, Walker Buehler looked strong, allowing only 1 run and putting the Dodgers in a position to take the series. Shockingly, with 2 outs in the 7th and the Nationals threatening, Dave Roberts brought in Clayton Kershaw - a man who is not only accustomed to starting games, but one who has struggled time and time again in Elimination Playoff games. The Dodgers needed only 7 outs and had a fully rested bullpen.

Neverthless, he had a lefty vs lefty matchup and Kershaw succeeded by striking out Adam Eaton and getting out of the inning. Although the move was questionable and certainly scary for Dodger fans, it seemed to work out. Until it didn’t - Roberts unbelievably stuck with Kershaw into the 8th inning with superstar Anthony Rendon coming up. Rendon hit a home run to bring the Nationals within a run.

The next batter was another bonified superstar in Juan Soto. Once again, Roberts stuck with Kershaw. Once again, the ball left the park. The game was tied. The bullpen arms he had at his disposal to get 6 outs consisted of Joe Kelly, Kenley Jansen, Pedro Baez, Dustin May, Adam Kolarek - who by the way dominated Soto, Julio Urias and Ross Stripling.

The game stayed tied through 9 and went into extra innings. In the 10th, Joe Kelly gave up a grand slam to Howie Kendrick. The Dodgers bats went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half and the Nationals moved on while the Dodgers once again, went home without a World Series ring.

Reasons the Dodgers lost in 2019:

• Kershaw’s Continued Struggles in the Postseason

• Questionable Bullpen Management

• Failure of the offense to come through in key moments

Conclusion

Looking at some of the pitfalls that prevented the Dodgers from winning a World Series from 2013-2019, tit’s hard to predict which of them may come back to be an issue for the Dodgers again in 2020. One of them that I think will not is the offense, which somehow is even stronger in 2020 than in any of those previous years. Now, Mookie Betts, who homered in the 2018 World Series against the Dodgers, is with LA and playing like an absolute machine. Also, Injuries shouldn’t be a major factor as most Dodgers are only dealing with minor day-to-day type situations and, even if they do lose a player or two, they are deeper than ever before.

Worrisome aspects of their game include their bullpen, which can be unpredictable. In September so far, they have the league’s fifth-worst ERA (4.44) for the month. However, for the season, the LA bullpen has been the best in the league with a 2.86 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 7.1% walk rate, 1.07 WHIP.  The bullpen is certainly not bad, but even if used correctly, is not unhittable. Their closer, Kenley Jansen, for example, had allowed six earned runs (nine total) in 6.2 innings this month and has blown a save.

The biggest worry, however, has to be Dave Roberts himself. Although he is without a doubt a smart baseball mind, many of his bullpen and lineup decisions have baffling. When baffling decisions work out, a manager is called a genius. When they don’t, he’s called a moron. Unfortunately for Roberts, it has usually been the latter. It is my opinion that this Dodgers team has a better chance to win it all than any other - they’ve done everything possible with that roster to put a Championship team on the field. All Roberts has to do is let them bring it home.

A few key lessons the Dodgers may have learned over the past 8 years thats Roberts may want to keep in mind are:

• Kershaw should not come out of the bullpen

• If possible, avoid starting Kershaw in an Elimination Game

• In critical moments, don’t bring in a reliever because he’s next on the list - bring in the best guy to get out of the jam

• Don’t bench your superstars because they stand in the wrong batters box when their replacement is hitting under .200

• If a starter is dealing, let him deal

Simply put, as the MLB slogan goes, let the kids play. Make the obvious moves and don’t try to be “cute.” This is a championship team. Let them win a championship. If you want one.

Most Important Series To Watch As 2020 MLB Season Winds Down

In what has been by far the most wild, unpredictable and bizarre season in the history of baseball, teams that most insiders gave zero chance to play in October are still chasing a playoff berth as well begin the final week of the season. The Miami Marlins are in second place and could be a playoff team in 2020. The Chicago White Sox lead their division (although I predicted this one preseason -and I was called a variety of interesting names when I did so). The Red Sox sit in last place in the A.L East and the San Francisco Giants are in a battle for the final playoff spot in the National League West with the Reds and the Brewers.

What of the many downsides to having these expanded playoffs is the fact that it is not so easy to just glance at the standing and know what has to happen and who has to win what games in order for your team to play in October. So, today, we will try to make sense of the playoff rules 2020 and understand what teams and games need to be focused on as we wind down the 2020 Major League Baseball Season. Let’s start with a basic refresher of exactly how you get into the playoffs if you’re not one of the top two teams in the division.

Obviously, the two teams not in first or second place with the best records would be in as the 7th and 8th seed. However, there is a strong chance there will be teams tied, and in this shortened season, there is not going to be time to have extra playin games, which would have been quite awesome. Unfortunately, ties will be determined by the following method:

1. Head-To-Head Record (Due to the fact that teams are only playing within their division, this may not be applicable)

2. Intravision Record

3. Record in the final 20 division games (plus one until the tie is broken)

In the American League, the 7th and 8th seeds are already starting to become clear - the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians have both created some space between themselves and other playoff hopefuls such as the Baltimore Orioles and the Seattle Mariners. Unless something insane happens, it’ll the Blue Jays and Indians in the playoffs as the 7th and 8th seeds. Here is what the playoffs would look like in the American League if the season ended today:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Toronto Blue Jays (8) at Tampa Bay Rays (1)

Cleveland Indians (7) at Chicago White Sox (2)

Houston Astros (6) at Oakland Athletics (3)

New York Yankees (5) at Minnesota Twins (4)

However, in the National League, things aren’t so clear. There are several teams very close to a .500 record that are all bunched together and some are going to get in and others will be left out. Some of these teams, like the Marlins and Cardinals, are in second place right now but could go into a losing streak and fall out all together. For the purposes of this analysis, we’ll concentrate on the teams not in first or second place that have a chance to get in and those teams include the Philadelphia Phillies, The Cincinnati Reds, The Milwaukee Brewers, and of course, the San Francisco Giants.

As of right now, The Reds are one game above .500, the Phillies are at .500, and the Brewers and Giants one game below .500. Of these teams, only the Brewers and Reds have played each other and the Reds own the better head-to-head record against Milwaukee having won 4 and lost only 3. Here’s how the current intradivisional records look:

1. Phillies 20-17

2. Marlins 20-17*

3. Cardinals 19-16*

4. Reds 19-18

5. Brewers 16-16

6. Giants 15-17

   *Currently in 2nd place, guaranteeing a playoff berth

As it stands, the Giants have the short stick as far as intradivisional record. The good news is with 3 more games remaining against the Rockies and 4 against the Padres, the Giants have every chance to significantly improve that record. The Reds play the Brewers and tomorrow night, which are huge games that could absolutely flip the script on who we expect to see in October. After that, the Reds finish their season with three against the Twins.

An even more important series may be the five game series between the Cardinals and the Brewers, which will definitely seal the fate of those teams and will have massive effects on the others as well. This will be a series to keep a close eye on. It seems obvious to root for the Cardinals, unless you’re a Brewers fan of course, since the Cardinals are already in as one of the top two teams. And obviously, unless you’re a Reds fan, it will be Go Twins when the Reds go to Minnesota.

The Phillies are also a team to keep an eye as the play 3 against the Nationals then 3 in Tampa Bay. There is really no reason to root for the Phillies unless you’re a Phillies fan. The Nationals are not getting in the Tampa Bay Rays are in the American League and definitely getting in. However, the Phillies are going to get 2 starts from Aaron Nola and 2 starts from Zack Wheeler who have been fantastic and can definitely help the Phils reach that October goal. The last team to keep an eye on is the Marlins, as they could go on a losing streak and fall out completely or they could still try to take the division as they have a four game series against the first place Braves. So, more than likely, you’ll probably want to root for the Braves unless of course, you’re one of the 12 Marlins fans. (It’s a joke, guys.) After the Braves series, Miami goes on the play the Yankees which will be a tough series, so definitely keep an eye on Miami as well.

So, that is pretty much where we currently stand in the National League. There are a lot of teams with their eyes on October and this is going to be some of the most exciting baseball we’ve had in a long time, for us Giants fans, it’s been since 2016 that we had a legit shot at the playoffs this late in the year. Unfortunately, the Giants lost yesterday to the Rockies but we’re looking to bounce back today. I want to give a sincere Good Luck to all the fans of the teams currently in the battle. This is going to be wild.

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.

10 Players That Could be TRADED At MLB Deadline including FIVE SF GIANTS

It’s hard to believe but the MLB Trade Deadline is less than TWO WEEKS AWAY!  There are a variety of reasons to believe this year’s trade deadline will be very active including the fact that with expanded playoffs, more teams will be in the hunt for October.  A team like the Cubs, who are historically very active in the trade market, have gotten off to a scorching start and would love to add some offense and bullpen help to give them an extra boost during the playoffs.  However, due to the uncertainty regarding Covid-19, there are also plenty of reasons to think there won’t be too much activity. 

With the way Covid-19 has effected the economics of baseball, not to mention the fact that a trade means movement of a human from one clubhouse to another (which would likely involve a quarantine delay), this year’s trade deadline will more than likely be a bit slower than your average year.  That being said, there are plenty of players who could be on the move, and in today’s video we look at ten players who could be changing uniforms in the next couple of weeks.

So, in no particular order, here we go…

Kevin PIllar

We have Kevin Pillar – former San Francisco Giant who was not tendered a contract in the off-season and ended up signing with Boston.  He was one of the brightest spots on the 2019 Giants both offensively and defensively and has gotten off to a great start in 2020 with the Red Sox hitting .313 with 9 RBI and 2 bombs in 67 at bats.  He’s already got a .5 WAR through just 18 games. With his sparkling plays in the outfield and recently a very clutch bat, he’s hitting .455 with runners in scoring position, Pillar could be a valuable corner outfielder for a team during September and October, either coming off the bench or possibly in the lineup every day.

Jacoby Jones

Next up, we have Jacoby Jones of the Tigers.  Detroit was off to a great start, but they have started to struggle, especially at home.  The Tigers have fallen to 4th in the AL Central, but Jacoby Jones is hitting .315 with 5 bombs in just 54 at bats.  He’s a guy with a .217 career batting average and most teams will probably realize he’s more than likely overperforming right now.  Typically, he is a decent player who strikes out a ton and has good speed.  He had great defense, especially in 2018, but the advanced stats have been trending downwards defensively.  Still, if the Tigers want to take advantage of the hot start, they may be able to grab a nice prospect or two at the trade deadline for a team that would like Jones’ services for the playoff push.

Greg Holland

Greg Holland is back with the Royals this season after a decent season with the Diamondbacks in 2019.  Holland has been up and down and up and down since his heyday with the Royals back when they won back to back AL Championships in 2014 and 2015 (Along with a ring in 2015).  However, he has shown some promise this year with 10 strikeouts in 11 innings and a 3.09 ERA.  He slider has looked great and he could be a nice veteran arm for a team that needs some bullpen help. 

Lance Lynn

The first of two Texas Rangers on this list is Lance Lynn, who has dealt thus far in 2020.  In Lynn’s first five starts, he is 3-0 with a league leading 1.11 ERA.  In 32 innings pitched, Lynn has given up a mere 12 hits with 36 strikeouts.  If Texas falls out of the playoff race, which may be unlikely since 16 of 30 teams are getting in, look for Lynn to be on the trading block.  He’s 33 years old and owed $8 million in 2021.  If the Rangers are interested in bringing some very valuable prospects over for their future, this could be a move they may pull the trigger on.

Mike Minor

Another Ranger is going to be 33 soon as well and if the Rangers don’t want to give up a guy who is pitching well like Lynn, they could try to move a guy who’s not pitching so well but who has shown the ability to eat up innings and provide depth in a rotation and that’s Mike Minor.  He’s 0-3 with a 5.49 ERA on the season but had a great 2019 and with a FIP of 3.75 and some decent advanced stats this year, some teams could consider him as a much-needed arm in their rotation during the playoff push.  His contract expires after the season, meaning the Rangers may try to get what they can for Minor assuming they themselves fall out of the race.  At the moment, the Rangers are 10-10 so they still have more than a shot this season.

Robbie Ray

The Arizona Diamondbacks have started to heat up lately and are .500 on the season, meaning that they are in a position to slip into those expanded playoffs.  If they should falter, however, one guy who could be on trading block is starting pitcher Robbie Ray.  Ray was 12-8 with a 4.34 ERA in 2019, striking out an insane 235 batters in just 174 innings.  This year he has struggled with his command, walking 20 batters in just 22 innings and his ERA has ballooned to 8.59.  He is set to become a Free Agent after the season, however, and with his ability to strikeout batters and limit hard contact, there are definitely some teams that would love to have him in their rotation.  If the D-Backs fall out of contention, look for Robbie Ray to be on the move.

George Springer

At some point, the Houston Astros have to think about their future.  After losing their first and second round draft picks this year, their farm system is looking increasingly frail.  George Springer is set to become a free agent at the end of the year and, if not traded, he will most likely be on the move.  For one, the Astros probably won’t be able to afford him.  Additionally, I would imagine that Springer is ready to move on to another team where he can start to escape the reputation connected with the 2017 Championship team and the cheating scandal.  The Astros will more than likely be able to get more by trading him this year rather than letting him leave and receiving a compensatory pick.

Trevor Rosenthal

Trevor Rosenthal has had a resurgence to start the 2020 season with the Royals with 13 strikeouts in his first 10 innings of work and an ERA under 1.  The former Cardinal’s career looked to be on fumes when post-Tommy John Surgery he got lit up with the Nationals and Tigers last year, both of whom let him go.  He had no idea where the ball was going and it was a bit of a surprise when the Royals signed him to a minor league deal for 2020.  Now, as we stand two weeks from the deadline, the Royals may have a trade chip on their hands.  If some team is looking for bullpen help and the Royals are looking for prospects, look for Rosenthal to be heading out of KC.

We’ll finish this list with two San Francisco Giants.   There are actually more than two who could be on the move.  I’ve heard Johnny Cueto’s name mentioned – but because of his contract I don’t think he’ll be traded.   Mike Yastrzemski could be someone who the Giants could move for some super prospects, but Yaz has shown that he’s not only an every day big-leaguer but an All Star-caliber player if not a flat out superstar and the Giants have him under team control through at least 2025.  I’d be surprised if they move Yaz, because he could be an amazing compliment to guys like Joey Bart and Hunter Bishop over the next couple of years once they become big league regulars.  Alex Dickerson is also a possibility, but because he’s not great defensively and a bit injury prone, I’m not sure they could get enough to warrant a trade of Dick.

Dovonan Solano

One man, however, who could legitimately be on the move is the man, the myth, the legend – Donovan Solano AKA Donnie Barrels.  He is still hitting over .400 on the year and had an 18 game hitting streak going before going hitless yesterday.  Donovan will be 33 next season and if the Giants are able to obtain a couple of top prospects, it is a move that makes baseball sense.  Solano may not be a .400 hitter and the next Ted Williams, but he is a .300 hitter who hit .330 in 2019 in 215 at bats and could be a huge piece for a team trying to win it all in 2020.  This is a move I hope doesn’t happen as a fan of Donnie Barrels, but if the prospects are right, I see this move as a very strong possibility.

Kevin Gausman

An even stronger possibility, however, is Kevin Gausman.  His velocity is up this year, he’s hitting his spots and fooling batters consistently with a nasty splitter and occasional slider.  In over 25 innings, he’s walked just 5 and struck out 34.  He has a 3.1 FIP and with a lineup that actually gives him some run support, he would definitely have a better record than 0-1.  Teams should be lining up to offer prospects for Gasuman this year and I fully expect that he’ll be wearing a different uniform come next month.

Dylan Bundy Sheds Light on Why Orioles Can't Develop Starters

Dylan Bundy with the Baltimore Orioles before being traded to the Angels, where he has a 1.58 ERA thus far in 2020.

The Orioles and their inability to develop pitching is on full display yet again with the performance by Dylan Bundy thus far into the 2020 season.  At the moment Bundy is the best statistical pitcher in baseball with a 3-1 record a 1.58 ERA a WHIP of 0.628 and a K rate of 11.0.  For Orioles fans it’s conjuring up memories of Jake Arrieta and how well he performed with the Cubs immediately.  This doesn’t just stop with Bundy and Arrieta.  In fact the Orioles have a history of not being able to develop starting pitching ever since Mike Mussina.  It’s a primary reason for the struggles they’ve endured for all but about a 4 year period over the last 23 seasons.  In 1999 the Orioles signed a 19 year old fireballing amateur named Daniel Cabrera.  In ’04 he’d make his debut and hang on with the O’s for 5 season but he never reached his potential tallying a 48-59 record with a 5.05 ERA.  In 2002, 2 years after Mussina jumped for the Yankees, the Orioles drafted Adam Loewen with the 4th overall selection.  How’d Loewen do?  Well, by the time he was 27 he was attempting to make it as a hitter with the Blue Jays!  He spent 3 years with the Orioles and posted an 8-8 record with a 5.38 ERA.  Next on this dysfunctional development train is Zack Britton…yes Zack Britton.  He was selected in the 3rd round of the 2006 draft with the intention of him being a starter.  That lasted 3 seasons, as after an 18-17 record with an ERA in the high 4s they moved him to the bullpen, where yes, he did flourish but the organization still gets an F for developing a starter.  NEXT!...Brian Matusz a 4th overall selection in 2008 he hung on with the club for 8 years but owns a 27-41 record and a 4.85 ERA.  By the end he was, what is extinct now, a lefty specialist.  The train keeps on rolling and we get to Kevin Gausman.  He was a 4th overall selection in the 2010 draft and lasted with the team for 6 seasons posting a 39-51 record and a 4.22 ERA. 

Now we get to the issue, the turnaround.  First let’s look at Gausman because when he was traded to the Braves in 2018 he went from a 5-8 and 4.43 ERA in Baltimore to a 5-3 and 2.87 ERA in Atlanta.  Now, to be fair, in 2019 Gausman imploded again and the Braves released him.  He’s currently with San Francisco where he’s made 3 starts, has an ERA of 4.05 and an 0-1 record but his K rate is up to 10.4 after it lived around 8.2 for the Orioles.

Kevin Gausman, former Baltimore Oriole, now with the San Francisco Giants

Jake Arrieta is the big one though.  After 4 bad seasons with the O’s where he went 20-25 with a 5.46 ERA and a 7.0 K/9 he goes to the Cubs and immediately turns it around.  In 2013 he had an ERA of 7.23 over 5 starts with Baltimore and 3.66 ERA over 9 starts with the Cubs.  He’d go on to win a Cy Young with the Cubs and post a 68-31 Record with a 2.73 ERA and 8.9 K/9 rate.  What was Baltimore doing...or not doing to unlock that?

Now we have Dylan Bundy.  The 2011 4th overall selection who disappointed to a 38-45 record with a 4.67 ERA and is now having a resurgence.  3-1 1.58 ERA and a 11.0 K/9 rate.  Can it continue is the question?  He’s using his slider, curve and change more than he had in Baltimore which is the big difference and makes the use of the fastball more effective.  Thanks to Sarah Langs for the research there (@slangsonsports).

Here’s the thing, why couldn’t the Orioles figure that out with Bundy?  If you’re an O’s fan and you’re reading this it should make you furious!

The one time in recent memory when it did look like the O’s had something, they traded it away.  Almost as if they knew they’d mess it up.  Does the name Erik Bedard sound familiar?  On a bad O’s team from ’02-‘07 he was 40-34 with a 3.83 ERA and an 8.7 K/9 rate.  Orioles fan will take this one though, it brought them all-time favorite Adam Jones and a very good starter for a few years Chris Tillman.  After the trade Bedard did being to battle with injuries and never made more than 16 starts in a season for the Mariners over the 4 seasons he was with the club. 

Bringing in Tillman leads me to my next point.  While they can’t develop starters themselves, they have been able to pick it out from the shadows…

• Jeremy Guthrie, doing nothing for Cleveland, picked up off Waivers in 2007. Had a lifetime losing record 47-65 and ERA of 4.12 in Baltimore but O’s fans loved him!  For 5 really bad seasons he was the #1 in the rotation.

• Wei-Yin Chen, signed in 2012 as amateur free agent.  Goes 12-11 with 4.02 ERA in 2012 and in 4 seasons with O’s goes 46-32 with a 3.72 ERA.

• Miguel Gonzalez, signed as a FA in March of 2012 after being cut by Red Sox.  Goes 9-4 in 2012 with 3.25 ERA. In 4 season with O’s goes 39-33 with 3.82 ERA.

• Jason Hammel, picked up from Rockies after 2011 where he went 7-13 with a 4.76 ERA.  Goes to O’s and is 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA.

• Chris Tillman, Picked up in the Bedard Trade. Looking like a bust in the M’s system with 5.28 and 4.84 ERA his first to pro seasons. After a few rocky seasons to start - ‘09-‘11 losing record and ERA over 5, he put together a nice run from ‘12-‘16 where he kept a winning record and an ERA in the 3s.

Ubaldo Jimenez is the big exception to this of course, 32-42 with a 5.22 ERA in 4 years with Orioles…EVERYONE but the Orioles Front Office knew it was a bad idea.

Is it just bad luck, or do they have no idea what they’re doing when developing starting pitching?  Dylan Bundy is going to bring that question back into light.  The Orioles are hoping John Means can break that trend.  Last year Means was runner up to Rookie of the Year with a 12-11 record and 3.60 ERA.  Where there’s a Means the O’s are hoping there’s and end…to the futility streak.

Find me on Twitter @JimRileyLive to continue the conversation

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.

The 2020 MLB Season - Every Game is a Gift...

It didn’t seem likely that we would get a 2020 season…but here we are. It’s July 31st, 2020 and the San Francisco Giants are playing a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California. However, I consider this game - and every game during the 2020 Major League Baseball season - a gift and possibly the last of the season.

With the way the virus has already spread this season throughout the league within the first few days of the season, it would feel like nothing less than a miracle to actually get through a 60-game season and witness any type of playoff baseball in 2020. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred basically agrees and, per ESPN, told MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark on Friday that if the sport doesn't do a better job of managing the coronavirus, it could shut down for the season.

This near-nightmare (Manfred insists it’s not a nightmare scenario yet… well, in that case, it’s a pretty terrible dream) began with the Miami Marlins, who, despite at least four positive tests within the organization, went forward with their game on Sunday against the Phillies. Since then, at least 16 more Marlins have tested positive as well as multiple members of the Phillies. Neither team has been able to get a game in since. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals announced this morning that two of their players also tested positive and the game between the Cards and Brewers would be postponed.

Because players, coaches and managers have been caught multiple times on camera violating all the basic coronavirus-related rules such as spitting on the field, it stands to reason their behavior is even worse behind the scenes. There are rumors that the Marlins decided to have a night out in Atlanta, which led to the original outbreak.

It is possible that if every player, coach, manager and employee took the coronavirus threat seriously and did everything they could to social distance and stay away from this virus, no games would have to be postponed. This may be a dream scenario, however. And even if over 1,000 people suddenly became this disciplined, what about the players families? Players do go home during home stands and could easily pick up the virus from their loved ones.

At the end of the day, the season is looking more fragile than ever. Just like the expression that every day is a gift - every GAME is a gift in 2020. Don’t take them for granted.. the last one could be any day.