My 2021 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot

The time has come to fill out my unofficial (obviously, I don’t have a vote) Hall of Fame Ballot.  Each entry is allowed to have up to ten names and mine will be completely full.  Looking at the possible names, I’ll start with the no-brainers to me and that includes 5 names:

Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds

The case for Barry Bonds has been made a million times – he was the best player in the game over an extended period of time and was a first ballot, no doubt Hall-of-Famer before he ever touched steroids.  If you’re one who will never vote for any one connected to PEDs then obviously Bonds won’t get your vote.  For me, while it is a serious mark against a player, it is still just another consideration.  When considering all of the reasons to vote for Bonds – especially going back to his career before the year 2000 when he started juicing – he still gets in easily.  Pre-steroids, Bonds had over 400 home runs and 400 steals, three MVP’s, 8 All Star Selections, 8 Gold Gloves and was an absolute shoe-in for the Hall of Fame.

Roger Clemens

As for Clemens, it’s the same story – he was one of the best pitchers in the history of the game before he ended up with Toronto where by most accounts he started using PEDs.  He was already a 3-time Cy Young Award Winner and won an MVP as a pitcher.  He led the league multiple times in a variety of categories including strikeouts, wins, ERA, innings pitched and complete games.  Clemens, like Bonds, was one of the best players of his generation even without steroids.  For that reason, he is an absolute Hall-of-Famer and is on my ballot.

Billy Wagner

The next no-brainer may be a bit of a surprise in Billy Wagner.  However, if you take a moment to look at his career numbers – he is clearly in.  Billy Wagner absolutely dominated throughout his career all the way up until the end.  He has a career 2.31 ERA (CAREER!).  In 903 career innings, Wagner gave up a mere 601 hits yet struck out 1,196 batters.  He is a seven-time all star and accumulated 422 career saves.  His regular season numbers stack up well with any of the relievers in the Hall of Fame today including Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera.  In fact, Wagner has more strikeouts than Rivera and an ERA just 0.1 higher – Wagner’s again is 2.31 and Rivera’s is 2.21.  The only question mark for Wagner is his struggles in the postseason, but he only pitched 11.2 career postseason innings compared to Rivera’s 141.  I don’t believe he should be kept out of the Hall of Fame over a bad postseason career when his opportunities where limited and he had a clear Hall of Fame regular season career.  The regular season is the bulk of any player’s career and Wagner’s was more than great – he deserves to be a Hall of Famer.

Omar Vizquel

I’ve been on the Omar Vizquel Hall of Fame train since he retired.  Vizquel had a stellar defensive career and won 11 Gold Gloves.  Simply put, if Ozzie Smith is a first-ballot no-brainer Hall of Famer then Vizquel should at least certainly be in at some point.  In fact, statistics show that Vizquel was better than Smith in many categories.  Starting with his bat, Vizquel had a higher batting average, more home runs, more RBI’s, more runs scored, and more hits than Ozzie.  Defensively, he had a .985 fielding percentage compared to Smith’s .978.  Vizquel committed 183 errors in his 24 year career compared to 281 errors in Smith’s 19 year career.  Admittedly, some advanced stats like WAR still indicate Ozzie Smith helped his team more than Vizquel, but again – when we compare the stats, it makes no sense that Ozzie Smith is a first time shoe-in candidate for the Hall of Fame and Vizquel can’t even sniff it.  Omar Vizquel is an absolute Hall-of-Famer.

Andruw Jones

My final no-brainer is Andruw Jones.  How Jones is not getting more Hall of Fame support is beyond me.  He was 10 time gold glover and the premiere defensive outfielder in the league for a decade.  That alone should get him consideration from the defensive end of the spectrum.  However, when you consider that he hit 434 career home runs including 51 in 2005 when he was 2nd in the MVP voting, only losing to Albert Pujols in his prime and he was a five-time All Star, decision becomes obvious.  Jones was a beast offensively and defensively in the league for a decade and is only being held out because he struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness during the final 5 years of his career.  If he retired in 2007, Jones would probably get in.  Jones also hit 10 postseason home runs, hitting .273.  The bottom line is Jones was the best defender in the game for a long period of time and nearly hit 500 home runs – that is all that needs to be said.

Those are five names I write in immediately.  After that, I have to decide who gets the remaining five spots.  Some of the bigger names to consider are Curt Schilling, Scott Rolen, Gary Sheffield, Todd Helton, Jeff Kent, Sammy Sosa, Manny Ramirez, Bobby Abreu and Andy Pettite.  I also looked into all the new candidates but unfortunately I don’t think any of them are Hall of Fame worthy although Tim Hudson is closer than I thought he would be and if there wasn’t a 10 player limit, I would consider him more heavily.  Sosa, Ramirez and Sheffield all have PED connections like Bonds and Clemens and like Bonds and Clements, they have Hall of Fame career numbers.   The problem is that it’s harder to determine whether they would have been Hall of Famers or not without the extra help.   Additionally, I hesitate to vote for some one like Manny Ramirez because his character and integrity during his playing career – a big point I’ll get into shortly - come into question.  So, since there’s only five slots left, I’ll start with 3 non-controversial guys who I feel deserve induction.

Todd Helton

Todd Helton played for the same franchise his entire 17 year big league career and ended up with .316 batting average and over 2,500 hits.  He led the league in hitting in 2000 with a ridiculous .372 batting average to go along with a 147 RBI, 42 home runs and 59 doubles.  Helton was a five time All Star, 4 time Silver Slugger and also brought elite defense to the field, winning 3 Gold Gloves.  Injuries slowed him down his final 6 seasons, but Helton was clearly one of the best players in the game over an entire decade and consistently hit over .320 with power and great defense year after year.  Not voting for Helton because he played in Denver means basically if you play your entire career with the Rockies and you’re an offensive player, you basically have no chance to get in the Hall unless you’re the next Babe Ruth.  Also, if that’s’ the case that hitters are held out because they hit in Denver, then pitchers who’s career was just okay should get in. Ubaldo Jimenez should be a Hall of Famer since he pitched in Denver – so that’s why he has an ERA over 4 and a losing career record.  David Nied?  Sure, he had a 5.06 ERA and a career losing record but he mostly pitched in Colorado – that has to go into account.  Hall of Famer all day.  But seriously – Todd Helton should be in.

Jeff Kent

Jeff Kent is another interesting case, but for me, in addition to all the accolades I am about to discuss – it’s his 2000 MVP that puts it over the top for me.  Kent was one of the best hitting second basemen of all time, ending up with 377 career home runs and a .290 average to go along with 5 All Star Selections and 4 Silver Sluggers.  He not only has more home runs than Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, he has more than any second baseman of all time.  He has the 4th most career doubles in the history of baseball with 560 doubles – more than Babe Ruth himself.  He also has 9 career postseason home runs including 3 during the 2002 World Series.  If not judging based on position, it’s borderline, but when comparing him to his fellow second basemen, it’s a no-brainer – Jeff Kent is an absolute Hall of Famer, especially when you consider that MVP in 2000 that he won over his teammate Barry Bonds.

Scott Rolen

Scott Rolen

My final non-controversial selection unless you just think he simply wasn’t good enough to be a Hall of Famer will be Scott Rolen.  During his 17 year career with the Phillies, Cardianls, Reds and Blue Jays, Rolen hit .281 with 2,077 hits, 316 home runs and a 70.1 WAR.  These numbers are impressive but for Hall of Fame induction, he’ll need more – and he has it.  Rolen was the 1997 Rookie of the Year and one of the best defensive third basemen in the game, winning seven Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and being selected to the All Star Game seven times.  He hit .421 with three doubles and a big fly during the 2006 World Series where he won a ring with St. Louis.  Rolen was also great offensively but was, like Fred McGriff and many others who stayed clean, overshadowed by so many juicers who were hitting home runs and driving in runs at a video-game level pace.  Rolen should be awarded for staying clean and being an all around great player.  Advanced stats show he stacks up well all around with most third basemen already in the Hall of Fame.  For these reasons, Scott Rolen gets my vote.

So, now that I’ve filled my ballot with all my no-brainers and then three non-controversial selections that I feel are absolutely worthy, it’s time to evaluate the remaining names for the final two spots.  After more research, I’ve narrowed it down to three possibilities – and of course, I don’t have to fill up the ballot, but I think I probably will.  The three are Curt Schilling, Bobby Abreu and Andy Pettite.  I am not voting for Sammy Sosa because a study of his career shows that before 1998 ,he was an average hitter with good pop who did not make consistent contact and didn’t walk enough.  And even though he became an absolute beast for several years once he got a little help, his career WAR is still lower than many of the players I’ve talked about here such as Todd Helton and Andruw Jones.  Believe it or not, on Baseball Reference, newcomer to the ballot Mark Buehrle has a higher career WAR than Sosa.  At the end of the day, I think without Steroids Sosa would not be anywhere near the Hall of Fame and therefore, he won’t make it onto my ballot. 

Curt Schilling

Of my remaining names, Curt Schilling is the most obvious Hall of Famer and is currently trending close to that magic 75% requirement.  The problem with Schilling, however, is not steroids, rather his controversial tweets and political views.  Now, to not vote for a candidate because he supports a political candidate that you don’t is absolutely absurd.  Supporting a political candidate, regardless of how polarizing or controversial that candidate might be, should have no bearing on whether a player is voted on.  The hall of fame does mention character and integrity in its explanation of how voters should consider each player.  However, political views are always going to differ from person to person and that should have absolutely no impact on his Hall of Fame standing.  As far as controversial tweets, including this most recent one that seems to support those who invaded the capitol building, I personally still would not not vote for him over tweets.  Having said that, I need to make clear I am totally against violence, rioting, illegal invasions and that entire incident was absolutely horrific.  Any one who was involved in violence or taking over that building should be locked up.  I’ll also call out any one who has been involved in looting, rioting, burning down buildings or anything of that nature ever, regardless of who or what they support politically.  All that said, Curt Schilling was always an interesting case because most of his greatest moments were in the postseason.  Still, he had 216 career wins, over 3,000 strikeouts, 6 All Star selections, and 3 times was 2nd in the Cy Young voting.  That alone makes him at least a borderline candidate.  When you take into account his postseason career which include 3 World Series Championships, and 11-2 record with a 2.23 ERA, and a World Series and NLCS MVP, the decision becomes a lot easier.  Curt Schilling should be in the Hall of Fame.  While I don’t support all of his tweets and opinions, those are his tweets and his opinions.  It is my opinion that the character and integrity clauses apply mostly to the a player’s playing career, not their tweets long after retirement.  Therefore, Schilling goes on my list.

The final two guys I have not eliminated are Bobby Abreu and Andy Pettite.  Believe it or not, Bobby Abreu was sneaky-good during his career and is a serious consideration.  Despite only two All Star selections and one Gold Glove, he was still excellent over a long period time and played during the height of the Steroid Era.  He was second to only Barry Bonds in walks from 1998-2004 and ended his playing career with 1,476 walks and 2,470 hits.  He also had decent pop, hitting 288 career bombs.  It should be noted that every player who got on base more times than Abreu is either in the Hall of Fame or connected to steroids with the exception of Rusty Staub.  All that said, he still has time on the ballot so for now, I am leaving him off due to the fact that he only made two All Star Teams, was never a serious MVP candidate and was never an impact player in the playoffs. 

Andy Pettite

Andy Pettite

That leaves Andy Pettite, who does have a PED connection, only made three All Star Teams and never won a Cy Young Award.  On the other hand, he was straightforward about his use of HGH to help heal from an injury during 2002 and was not, in my opinion, some one who was constantly juicing throughout his career.  He seemed honest and sincerely apologetic for doing what he did, even though at the time HGH wasn’t even banned in MLB.  Therefore, since he wasn’t a big juicer, I can believe the majority of his stats, including 256 wins and a great postseason career that includes 5 World Championships and an ALCS MVP.  Furthermore, he’s the game’s all-time leader in playoff wins and innings pitched and is fourth in strikeouts behind Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and John Smoltz.  He was always considered a great teammate and person, meaning as far I’m concerned, he meets the character requirement.  Lastly, only Whitey Ford and Red Ruffing have more wins in a Yankee uniform and they’re both in the Hall of Fame.  My final spot goes to Andy Pettite.

2021 Toronto Blue Jays Preview (January Version)

There are certain teams that are clearly going for a World Series Championship in 2021 and some that are clearly not.   The Padres and White Sox are two examples that have shown that they will stop at nothing to dramatically improve their rosters and make a run in ’21.  Add the Toronto Blue Jays to that list.

The Blue Jays are a team that was heavily involved with almost every major free agent – and it wasn’t just for show.  Toronto just signed superstar and former 1st round pick George Springer to add to a lineup that was already potent without him and has now become one of the scariest lineups in baseball.  The deal is reportedly for 6 years and $150 million. 

In Springer’s seven year big league career, he has a .361 on base percentage and 174 home runs with 3 All Star Selections and two Silver Sluggers.  In 2019, the last full Major League Baseball season, he 39 bombs with a .292 average and .974 OPS.  Springer is clearly the superstar bat that the Blue Jays wanted, and now they have landed him.

The Lineup

Springer is a perfect fit with the young Blue Jays as some one who is still in his prime yet has 7 years of big league experience and has playoff and World Series experience.   He will be joining the likes of Bo Bichette, Vlad Jr, Cavan Biggio, and the powerful Teoscar Hernandez in a lineup no pitcher should be eager to face.  In fact, here’s an example of what it might look like:

1.       George Springer OF

2.       Cavan Biggio 2B

3.       Bo Bichette SS

4.       Teoscar Hernandez OF

5.       Vladmir Guerrero Jr 3B

6.       Lourdes Gurriel Jr OF

7.       Rowdy Tellez 1B

8.       Randal Grichuk DH

9.       Danny Jansen C

That lineup is loaded with power and could stack up well man to man with any lineup in baseball including the Dodgers.  Cavan Biggio in his very young career already has 112 walks with a .368 on base percentage and 24 home runs in 574 at bats.  Biggio will likely develop even more power as his career progresses and is a serious threat to hit over 30 home runs over a 162 game season.  He also brings defensive flexibility as some one who can play outfield or any infield position. 

Then there’s Bo Bichette, who hit .311 in 2019 then .301 in 2020.  Bichette can also work the count and has a .347 career on base percentage.  He also brings elite defense and is only 21 years old.  Teoscar Hernandez just had a monster 2020, hitting 16 home runs in 190 at bats with .919 OPS.  He was 11th in the MVP voting and brings big power to the middle of that lineup. 

Guerrero Jr. is another huge name and despite not exactly tearing it up over his first 2 seasons, people have to remember that he just turned 20 years old.  Advanced stats show that he hits the ball hard but too often into the ground.  Some slight adjustments and experience can and likely will make a huge difference going forward.  However, even if we are to expect about the same that we’ve seen from Vlad Jr, he should still be good for over 20 home runs over a full season and an on-base-percentage of at least .330.  The potential is there, however, and I expect something even better from him in 2021.

Gurriel Jr. is another guy who hit over .300 in 2020 and has 42 career home runs in just 771 at bats.  And the power doesn’t even stop there as Rowdy Tellez follows with his 33 career bombs in 553 at bats.  Again, these are relatively inexperienced big leaguers but they’ve all been solid if not excellent throughout their careers and all bring a mix of power, ability to get on base, and decent if not superior defense. 

Randal Grichuk is a guy who does offer some experience yet is only 29 years old.  Does he also have power?  Absolutely – Grichuk hit 31 home runs in 2019 and 12 more in the shortened 2020 season.  His on base percentage was just .312 but for some one who could be slotted in the 7th, 8th or even 9th spot in the order, he is more than ideal.  The power in this lineup is simply relentless.  At catcher there’s Danny Jansen who hasn’t been a great hitter so far but has shown a lot of promise in the minors and is some one the Blue Jays seem to believe in.  However, they also have Alejandro Kirk, who showed some very impressive skills with his bat in 2020 as well as other options like Reese McGuire and no. 8 prospect Garbriel Moreno.  In other words, even at possibly their weakest position, the Blue Jays are deep and have options.

The Rotation

1.       Hyun Jin Ryu

2.       Nate Pearson

3.       Tanner Roark

4.       Tyler Chatwood

5.       Robbie Ray

The first thing I notice when I look at that rotation is the #5 guy is some one with a career 11.1 strikeout per 9 ratio and 4.26 ERA.  Robbie Ray re-signed earlier this offseason with the Jays after they traded for him midseason in 2020 and I believe this was a huge move.  Ray completely lost control in 2020 with the DBacks and had no idea where the ball was going.  However, he improved some with the Blue Jays and will hopefully figure something out in 2021.  Just going back to 2019, he was 12-8 with a 4.34 ERA and 235 strikeouts in 174 innings.  Even then, he had a 4.3 walk per 9 ratio but that was a lot better than his 7.8 ratio in 2020.  If Ray can get back to anything like the 2019 version, he’ll be a massive addition to this rotation.

Going through the other four arms, there’s Ryu – an absolute superstar who was 2nd in the Cy Young voting in 2019 then 3rd in 2020.  He is simply an Ace and will anchor a rotation that also includes Nate Pearson and Tanner Roark, both extremely solid if healthy.  The Jays have also reportedly reached a deal with Tyler Chatwood and if this is confirmed, Chatwood could fit in nicely as a starter or reliever.  Trent Thornton could also be in there but also there’s several young options like Thomas Hatch, Anthony Kay and Julian Merryweather.  Hatch was a starter in the minors and was 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 2020 in 17 appearances although he only started one game.  In other words, the Jays have options and depth in that rotation.

The Bullpen

The bullpen for the Jays also has plenty of solid options, some of which I already mentioned for those who don’t end up in the rotation such as potentially Hatch, Kay, Merryweather and Thornton.  Their 2020 pickup from Japan did not pitch well but Shun Yamaguchi should get another shot to prove what he can do in 2021.  Jordan Romano was looking good until he cut his finger and missed the remainder of the season.  He has 42 career strikeouts in just 30 innings and can be absolutely filthy.  He will be an integral part of the bullpen in ’21.  Ross Stripling is an experienced arm who could even start some games or find himself in the rotation if he pitches well enough. 

Other important arms include A.J. Cole and Rafael Dolis, who were both outstanding in 2020.  The Jays also have some pitching depth in their farm system and have the resources to put out at the very least a decent if not excellent bullpen in 2021. 

Conclusion

While the Blue Jays are going to be going up against some very formidable teams in the American League East, they have done everything necessary and more to send out a powerful, ready to win competitive team every single night.  There are no obvious holes now with the addition of Springer.  There is a bon a fide superstar on the offensive end and pitching end of the spectrum.  Nearly every player on the roster is either in their prime or quickly approaching it.  This team could do major damage in 2021 and even if ’21 isn’t their year… it’s coming quickly.

UPDATED Top 10 Free Agent RUMORS & Predictions

As we stand five days into the new year, the majority of Major League Baseball’s best free agents are still out there, negotiating with teams and looking for the right deal.  There have been lots of rumors and speculation, but still no definitive word on where the likes of Trevor Bauer, George Springer or J.T. Realmuto will end up.  However, this is as good of a time as any to dive deep into the rumors and see which teams are still interested and which are likely out of the race.

10. Liam Hendricks

Liam Hendricks was lights out for the A’s in 2020 striking out 37 batters in just 25 innings with an ERA of 1.78 and that was coming off of a 2019 season with an ERA 1.8 through 75 games.  This man is clearly an elite reliever and absolutely the best free agent relief pitcher available.  Reports indicate that he just visited the Toronto Blue Jays training complex in Florida, indicating talks are pretty serious with his former team.  Previous reports had him linked to the White Sox, Mets and Dodgers as well as the Houston Astros, who were reportedly “all over him,” which makes sense after the Astros’ bullpen was hit hard with the injury bug in 2020.  Hendricks is seeking a 4-year deal and I believe there is going to be a huge battle between these teams to land Hendricks but I am definitely fearful that the Dodgers are going to swoop in and end up offering more than any one else can.  This is based on some of Andrew Friedman’s comments on needing to add an impact arm to that bullpen.  So, with that in mind, I am updating my prediction and saying that Liam Hendricks ends up in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

UPDATE: The Dodgers signed Blake Treinen as I was writing this article. Hence, they are less likely to sign Hendricks. I am changing my pick to the Toronto Blue Jays.

My Pick: Toronto Blue Jays

9. Justin Turner

Speaking of the Dodgers, Justin Turner is now a free agent after establishing himself as an All-Star caliber every-day player in Los Angeles.  He just turned 36 so no one is going to give him a massive contract, but Turner hasn’t slowed down too much – he hit .307 in 2020 with a .400 on base percentage and then hit .320 in the World Series with 2 home runs.  His defense is still top notch as well.  Still, teams will avoid the 4-year contract that he is reportedly seeking, and it is much more likely that he signs a 2 year deal perhaps with a team option for an extra year.  It has already been reported that the Dodgers are unwilling to go more than 2 years for Turner.  The Blue Jays were connected to the Turner earlier in the offseason – but then again they are connected to pretty much every big free agent.  Other than that, the rumors are quiet for Turner.  For now, I am sticking to my original prediction that Justin Turner makes a surprise signing late in the offseason with the Texas Rangers.

My Pick: Texas Rangers

8. Michael Brantley

Next up is four time All Star Michael Brantley, who has hit at least .299 every season for the past 7 years with the exception of 2016 when he only played in 11 games due to a shoulder injury.  He also excelled in the playoffs for Houston, who did not give Brantley the qualifying offer meaning teams are free to sign him without fear of losing draft picks.  Teams that have been connected include the Blue Jays, the Yankees, the Astros themselves and the White Sox, who have been on and off as far as interest goes.  More recently, the Minnesota Twins have checked in on Brantley as an alternative to Nelson Cruz should Cruz sign elsewhere.  All that said, according to Ken Rosenthal, there is mutual interest between the Astros and Brantley and reports indicate he is increasingly likely to return.  I originally had Brantley going to the Yankees despite not being a perfect fit, because the Yankees could use a strong left handed bat and because they’re the Yankees – they stockpile talent whether they need it or not.  LeMahieu is obviously their main priority though and a lot depends on what happens there.  I’ll say this – if the Yankees resign LeMahieu, I got Brantley staying in Houston.  If LeMahieu signs elsewhere, I think the Yankees will use that extra money to sign Brantley.

My Pick: Houston Astros or New York Yankees

7. Didi Gregorious

The next free agent to discuss is Didi Gregorious, who bet on himself with a one year deal for 2020 and proceeded to hit .284 with a .339 on base and 10 home runs in just 60 games – which was the entire season, so he didn’t miss a game.  Didi himself confirmed that the Cincinnati Reds are one of the teams that he has been in contact with.  The Reds would be a perfect fit as Jose Garcia likely needs more time in the Minor Leagues and other than Garcia, Kyle Farmer is the remaining option at shortstop.  Farmer is more of a versatile backup type who has experience at various positions including catcher.  Other teams that have appeard in the rumor mill include the Yankees, Blue Jays and of course the Phillies.  I originally predicted the Angels, but that is not happening because they traded for Jose Iglesias from the Orioles.  Therefore, I do think the Reds seem like the most logical landing spot for Didi and I will predict that he ends up with his original team, the Cincinnati Reds.

My Pick: Cincinnati Reds

6. Marcus Semien

Marcus Semien comes up next and he was definitely certified as an absolute superstar after the 2019 season where ended up 3rd in the MVP voting after playing in all 162 games and crushing 33 home runs with a .369 on base percentage. Unfortunately, he didn’t repeat that success in the shortened 2020 season.  Semien hit just .223 with .305 on-base and 7 home runs in 53 games in 2020.  Still, some team is going to give him a decent contract hoping that the 2019 Semien is the more authentic version.  Reportedly, the Red Sox have shown some interest although their open position is second base while Semien has played exclusively shortstop over the past 6 seasons.  The Dodgers have reportedly shown mild interest with Cory Seager becoming a free agent after 2021 and Justin Turner possibly not re-signing.  The Phillies and Reds are also in need of a shortstop as will the Yankees be if they don’t resign LeMahieu.  All that said, I still feel like the most likely scenario is Semien staying put and resigning with Oakland.

My Pick: Oakland A’s

5. Marcell Ozuna

If one player re-established himself as an absolute superstar in 2020, it was Marcell Ozuna.  After a couple so-so seasons with the Cardinals, Ozuna signed a one-year deal with the Braves and went on a tear hitting .338 with 58 RBI and 18 home runs in just 60 games.  Amazingly, one of the early teams reportedly in talks with Ozuna was the San Francisco Giants, who, despite having a very nice offensive season in 2020, have been in need of a bona fide power hitter since Barry Bonds.  However, this signing is contingent on whether the DH will return to the National League and as of now, there is not supposed to be a DH in the National League in 2020.  Other teams rumored to be interested are the Blue Jays, the Mets, the Astros, the White Sox, and most recently the Seattle Mariners. I previously thought The Reds might be interested in landing Ozuna, but reports have since surfaced that he turned down a 3 year 50 million dollar offer from Cincinnati during the 2019-20 offseason.  Based on that fact and the fact that the Reds are already paying hefty salaries to Nick Castellanos and Mike Moustakas, this is an unlikely fit.  All things considered, I think Ozuna will land either with the Braves or an American League Team – assuming the DH stays out of the NL for 2021.  The Blue Jays are a team that could make room for him by sharing the DH role with Vlad Jr. and Rowdy Tellez – or just having Vlad play third base and Tellez play first.  Based on the aggressive style the Jays are taking this offseason, I’ll say they are the team that end up landing Ozuna.

My Pick: Toronto Blue Jays

4. DJ LeMahieu

Next is DJ LeMahieu who continues to prove himself to be one of the best hitters in the game.  In 2020, LeMahieu hit a ridiculous .364 with a league leading .421 on-base percentage. He turned down the qualifying offer from the Yankees and will therefore be tied to draft-pick compensation should he sign elsewhere.  The Dodgers, assuming they don’t resign Justin Turner, are one team that has shown great interest in LeMahieu.  This signing would make the Dodgers resemble an All Star Team even more so than in 2020.  The Blue Jays, Nationals and Mets are also showing interest.  According to a report in December, LeMahieu is seeking $125 million over 5 years.  The Yankees don’t want to sign him for anything over four years and their strategy – reportedly – is to wait out the offseason assuming no other team is going to meet that offer.  It’s a risky strategy but I believe in the end it will work out for the Yankees and DJ will indeed resign there… but it’s far from a guarantee.  If he doesn’t sign with the Yankees, it will most likely be the Dodgers or the Mets.  So, since I got LeMahieu staying in New York, I am going to say that Michael Brantley stays in Houston.

My Pick: New York Yankees

3. George Springer

George Springer is one of the biggest free agents out there and the Toronto Blue Jays are the team that seems to be making the most aggressive pursuit.  Toronto has been amazingly active in going after any and everybody who might be able to help them.  Reports indicate that the Blue Jays just made a 5-year offer to George Springer but it was not in the 150 million dollar range that Springer is looking for.  However, it is obvious that the best fit and the team that is most likely to blow Springer away with an offer he can’t refuse is the New York Mets.  Reports from the New York Daily News have indicated that the Mets and Jays are the “final clubs” still trying to land Springer.  So, unless a new team comes in to surprisingly swoop Springer at the last minute, he is likely going to Toronto or New York and due to the fact that I have Ozuna going to the Toronto, you can guess where I think Springer is going to land.  I originally thought there would be other teams willing to pay big for him such as the Cardinals, Nationals or even the Giants (one can dream), but at this point, I think it’s clear he’s going to Toronto or New York, and I have George Springer signing with the New York Mets.    

My Pick: New York Mets

2. J.T. Realmuto

 Coming up next is the elite catcher J.T. Realmuto, who reportedly has a fondness for Philadelphia and will likely circle back there before signing with anyone else.  He was originally connected to the Mets, who ended up signing James McCann.  Other teams besides the Phillies currently interested include the Blue Jays, Nationals and Angels.  I believe the Angels could go for Realmuto even though their need is pitching – their need was pitching last offseason and they signed Anthony Rendon.  In my first free agent video, I had him going to the Padres even though they picked up Austin Nola, I thought they may go all out and try to even upgrade beyond him… and they have gone all out by trading for Blake Snell and Yu Darvish.  Obviously they are not going to be in the market for Realmuto.   The Nationals are possibilities if Mike Rizzo is able to outbid Philadelphia, but honestly it feels like Realmuto is going to stay put.  I’ll make the prediction that Realmuto stays in Phili.

My Pick :Philadelphia Phillies

1. Trevor Bauer

That leaves Trevor Bauer as the final big fish out there.  Despite always being a strikeout machine, he has had problems with his ERA being over 4 almost every year besides 2018 and 2020.  In 2020, he won the Cy Young and was absolutely lights out.  This is a huge opportunity for Bauer to cash in on a long term deal, despite previous reports that he prefers one year contracts.  He reportedly had a meeting with – shocker – the Toronto Blue Jays.  The Giants were also reported as “favorites” early in the offseason, a report that I never took completely serious.  There are pros and cons for the Giants signing Bauer, but at the end of the day, I don’t think it’s going to happen.  Shockingly, the Rockies are getting attention as a team that may be interested after Bauer asked his twitter followers about dinner recommendations in Denver.  I don’t see Bauer signing with the Rockies for obvious reasons – he has already had ERA issues throughout his career.  The Angels, Braves, Yankees and White Sox are other teams that could potentially land Bauer. The Angels are a team that I believe should offer whatever it takes, but I am sticking with the White Sox, who are in a position to make a splash to take them over the top in 2021 after an impressive 2020. 

My Pick: Chicago White Sox

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.

MLB Free Agent SIGNINGS & RUMORS - Springer, Bauer, McMann, SUGANO

The MLB Hot Stove is starting to warm up as we enter December. So far the two teams that have been most active in actually signing players has been the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals. The Royals inked their former starter Mike Minor to a 2-year deal worth at least 18 million dollars including a club option for a 3rd year. He is coming off of a tough 2020 where he showed signs of brilliance with the Rangers and A’s but ended up with an ERA over 5. Some of his advanced stats indicate that perhaps he wasn’t as bad as the simple stats say.

Meanwhile, the Royals also picked up former Nationals speedster Michael A. Taylor who had some key home runs during the Royals 2019 playoff push that ultimately ended up in a World Series Championship. Taylor will receive a $1.75MM base salary and another $1MM worth of available incentives, reports Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. Taylor brings speed, strong defense and some pop to Kansas City where he will try to find the stroke from 2017 that helped him hit .271 with 19 home runs. More stable playing time and a revamped swing could help him do so.

Michael A. Taylor

The New York Mets have also been active early in the Free Agent Market by signing former Twins reliever Trevor May to a one year 15.5 million dollar deal. May has strike out stuff and is one of the better relievers in all of baseball despite an ERA that is usually around the 3.5 range. The 31 year old had a 3.86 earned run average in 24 games for the Twins last season, with 38 strikeouts in 23 ⅓ innings. This is a key signing for a Mets bullpen that, despite some nice names, has struggled to find consistency.

The Mets also signed 11 players to Minor League Deals earlier this week including former Mariner outfielder Mallex Smith, right-handed major-league veteran closer Arodys Vizcaino, and infielder Jose Peraza, who spent the 2020 season with the Red Sox. The rest of the names include Oscar De La Cruz, Johneshwy Fargas, Jake Hager, Harol Gonzalez, Bruce Maxwell, David Rodríguez, Luis Carpio, and Mitchell Tolman.

As far as the rumors go, the Yankees are showing interest in former Astros and Indians slugger Michael Brantley. However, this move may be contingent on whether or not the Yanks can resign DJ Lemahieu. Another 2020 Astro, George Springer, has been connected mainly to the Toronto Blue Jays, who have been in touch with Springer’s agency at least once per week according to their General Manager.

Top Free Agent Pitcher Trevor Bauer was early connected to the San Francisco Giants, but recently the Los Angeles Angels have also shown interest. This makes sense as the Angels have struggled with their rotation for several years. Despite having two superstar offensive players in Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, the Angels will never compete for a World Championship until they can sign some better starters for that rotation.

Trevor Bauer

James McCann has been heavily connected to the New York Mets, who are more interested in McCann than J.T. Realmuto according to most reports. According to some reports, it is increasingly likely that McCann gets a four year deal with the New York Mets. Also, the Twins non-tendered Eddie Rosario and the Red Sox are showing interest according to Jon Morosi.

2020 Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna is drawing interest from the San Francisco Giants but without knowing if there will be a Designated Hitter in the National League in 2021, they are hesitant to make a signing. Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays, who know they will have the DH, are also interested and have an advantage over the Giants as long as Rob Manfred drags his feet on the DH decision.

One of the best closers in the game, Liam Hendricks, is also a free agent and both the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants are showing interest. Finally, one of the best pitchers in Japanese baseball has been posted and the Padres, Yankees and Giants are all very interested in Tokyo Giants legend Tomoyuki Sugano. The Yankees may be the favorites but if Sugano is interested in staying in the orange and black in the USA, he will have an opportunity as the Giants are heavily interested. This is a pitcher who has a 101-50 career record in Japan with an ERA of 2.34 over an 8-year career. He also has over 1200 career strikeouts.

San Diego Padres In The Mix For Trevor Bauer & Blake Snell - Release Perdomo

The San Diego Padres have released pitcher Luis Perdomo after he was DFA’d earlier this offseason to protect certain prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. Perdomo was a solid option out of the bullpen after he was converted to a reliever in 2018 but dealt with injuries and ineffectiveness in 2020. He recently underwent Tommy John Surgery and will miss most if not all of 2021.

Meanwhile, the Padres are reportedly interested in a top tier pitcher for 2021 to replace another victim of Tommy John, the recently acquired Mike Clevinger. Names that have interested the Pads include National League Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer and Tampa Bay Rays superstar Blake Snell. Either signing would be put the Padres in serious competition with the Dodgers for the National League West championship, but even if they fall short, a Wild Card should be easily in reach.

The Padres already have a formidable rotation that includes Dinelson Lamet and possibly young studs MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino, both strikeout machines that dominated the Minor Leagues. The back end would still include solid arms Chris Paddack and Zach Davies. Additionally, most of the offense will be returning including stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. The Padres are certainly going to be a playoff team for many prediction lists going into the 2021 season with or without a Bauer/Snell type addition.

Fresno Grizzlies Receive ULTIMATUM - Demote to Single A or Lose Affiliated Status

The Fresno Grizzlies have reportedly been given an ultimatum by Major League Baseball after no single team picked them to be their Triple A Affiliate in 2021. The ultimatum is to either accept a demotion to Single A as the Single A Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies or lose their affiliated status altogether.

The Fresno Grizzlies have been a Triple A Team since 1998 when they became the Triple A Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Since the Giants changed affiliations to the more local Sacramento in 2015, the Grizzlies have gone through a couple of big league partners - the Houston Astros (2015-2018) and the Washington Nationals (2019).

This is a team that plays in Chukchansi Park, a stadium that holds over 10,000 fans. They have a Triple A Ballpark and Triple A facilities. Nevertheless, due to the insane shakeups happening around Minor League Baseball, including the introduction of two new formerly independent teams - the St. Paul Saints (Possible future Minnesota Twins affiliate) and the Sugarland Skeeters (purchased by the Houston Astros) - wild and unexpected changes are imminent.

The Colorado Rockies have had their Single A Affiliate in the area before when the Central Valley Rockies existed from 1993-1994 in Visalia, California. That team is now known as the Visalia Rawhide and most recently affiliated with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Can The LA Dodgers Be Beat? NLDS Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres

It is getting increasingly more difficult to pick against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before the 2020 season began, I talked about how this team was practically an All Star Team. With the Mookie Betts trade, the lineup became completely leak-proof. Everywhere you looked was either an MVP-Candidate or a solid All Star who threatens to hit 30+ home runs every season. They measured up to the hype in 2020, winning 43 games of 60 and leading the Major Leagues in home runs and several offensive categories. Even their pitching, which was the only semi-question mark, led the league in Earned Run Average - and did so easily.

The team that wins the World Series is typically the team that gels - and gets hot - at just the right time. Last season it was the Washington Nationals, led by an unlikely song (Baby Shark) and an extremely hot and talented roster whose celebratory dances and skits were absolutely hilarious. This year, I thought it might be the Cincinnati Reds, who I was very high on pre-season and who did enter the postseason playing great baseball. They didn’t score a single run in their Wild Card Series against the Braves. I was also very high on the White Sox. They’re also out. Of the teams that remain, the Dodgers might be that team - they’re hot, they seem to be highly motivated, firing on all cylinders, and determined to win it all this season.

Now, to get into their opponent in this NLDS, the Padres. Although the San Diego Padres survived a scare against St. Louis (They lost Game 1 and were down 4-0 in the Elimination Game 2), they’re also playing great, although there are some injury issues I am about to get into with the Starting Pitching that is very concerning. Neverthless, there is no lack of stars in San Diego and this series should be extremely exciting. With former Dodger Manny Machado, the MVP-candidate Fernando Tatis Jr, and veterans like Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers in the lineup, the Padres have no shortage of power threats.

Starting Pitching

The latest report is that the Padres don’t expect Dinelson Lamet to be ready for this series. This is going to hurt a lot as Lamet has been one of the most reliable and dominant starters for the Pads this season. He struck out 93 batters in 63 innings and had an ERA of 2.09.

However, according to a tweet by Bob Nightengale, who is not always the most reliable source, the Padres do expect to have Mike Clevinger ready. Clevinger was pitching at his best before his injury, shutting out the Giants through 7 innings on September 13th, while walking just 1 and allowing 2 hits.

The other options for the Padres are solid but concerning. Zach Davies only got through two innings against the Cardinals in the Wild Card Series, 5 hits, 4 runs and bomb. However, he was one of their better options during the season, compiling a 7-4 record with a 2.74 ERA. Chris Paddack also got pounded by the Cardinals and allowed 14 home runs in 59 innings in the regular season - not a favorable matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Garrett Richards and Adrian Morejon are also possibilities but neither would be expected to go more than 4-5 innings if that.

The Dodgers have some issues of their own regarding the rotation. Walker Buehler has pitched just twice since two separate stints on the injured list because of a blister on his right index finger. He did pitch four innings in the wild-card series. He is expected to pitch in Game 1 with Clayton Kershaw going in Game 2. Kershaw had a fantastic season that continued into the playoffs where he pitched 8 shutout innings against the Brewers, striking out 13. Julio Urias and Dustin May are among the other options for the Dodgers, both very solid. All things considered, the Dodgers definitely have an edge with the rotation.

Lineups

The latest lineup the Dodgers put together on October 1st isn’t much different than the lineup we expected to see throughout 2020. They’ve avoided major injuries and have performed as expected, with possible exception of prospect Gavin Lux, who struggled to the tune of .175 batting average. Neverthless, this lineup is relentless, led by Mookie Betts and Corey Seager at the top.

Of course, the Padres also start their lineup with a bang featuring Trent Grisham and then Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado in the 2 and 3 hole. Both teams offer even more power in the middle of the lineups. Turner, Muncy, Smith and Bellinger combined to hit 36 home runs in the regular season, while the Padres next four - Hosmer, Pham, Moreland and Myers - combined to hit 37. Cronenworth is also noteworthy as he had an excellent rookie year for the Pads, hitting .285 with 4 homers and a .354 On-Base-Percentage.

When these lineups are dissected, the Padres measure up well. Both lineups contain multiple MVP-type players along with a ton of powerful veterans and highly talented youngsters. The Dodgers may have an edge but it’s a slighter edge than one might expect and statistics agree. Over the course of the 2020 season, the Dodgers hit 118 home runs with a .256 batting average and .338 OBP while the Padres hit just 95 bombs but had a higher batting average at .257 and and an On-Base Percentage only slightly lower at .333. The Dodgers have to be given the slight edge due to their unbelievable power and better offensive performance head-to-head in 2020.

Bullpen

The Padres bullpen has been ridiculously impressive in the playoffs so far. However, having your bullpen lead the team to beat the Brewers in a best of 3 is a lot different than using that strategy to bea the Dodgers in a best of 5. As I mentioned earlier, the Padres starters - with the possible exception of Clevinger, will likely not be going too deep into games. This means relievers like Drew Pomeranz and other lefties will have to be able to consistently retire batters like Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy and Corey Seager while dealing with righties sprinkled throughout their places in the lineups (Remember the 3-batter minimum too). Adrian Morejon is another one of those lefties but he served up seven home runs in 19 innings this season. Matt Strahm is another reliable option. As for a closer, Trevor Rosenthal is back in his prime apparently and completely dealing with 38 strikeouts in 23 innings and a 1.9 ERA.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers bullpen also has its share of solid arms with righties Joe Kelly, Pedro Baez, and flamethrower Brusdar Graterol to go along with lefty Blake Treinen. Kenley Jansen was excellent throughout the first month of the season as well. Their bullpen started to struggle in September but overall, they have the arms; it’s just a question of using them properly and we’ve seen Dave Roberts fail at that in the past, including last season in my opinion when he insisted on going with Clayton Kershaw out of the pen in an elimination game when he had an array of healthy and rested relievers in the bullpen.

Both teams have excellent arms, but given the performance we’ve seen from that San Diego pen lately, I have to give them a slight edge with the bullpen as we enter this series. However, this Dodger lineup can make any bullpen look atrocious.

All things considered, the Dodgers have the slight edge in this series and, if forced to pick a winner, even myself as a Giants fan would have to give the Dodgers the pick, especially considering the situations with Clevinger and Lamet. That said, this Padres team may be the only team that can take out the Dodgers as every other team will have to do it in a best of seven, which feels damn near impossible.