Christmas wish list: Major League Baseball edition
Nov 3, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer (left) and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein (right) help manager Joe Maddon (center) with his jersey as he is introduced during a press conference at the Cubby Bear Lounge near Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
With Christmas season upon us, what better way to take a look at the Major League Baseball landscape than to do it with a MLB-themed Christmas Wish List? Time will tell if Santa brings each wish to fruition but as he climbs down chimneys around the world each Major League Baseball club has a wish for a gift they hope to see under the tree on Christmas morning.
Arizona Diamondbacks: A breakout season from Allen Webster. Webster, 24, was acquired in as part of a package from Boston that came to the desert in exchange for southpaw hurler Wade Miley. Webster was once touted as a can’t miss prospect and the marquee piece heading to Boston in the mega deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 but has yet to put it together at the big league level, going 6-5 with an alarming 6.25 ERA.
Atlanta Braves: A healthy Nick Markakis. The Brave’s big signing this offseason was OF Nick Markakis, formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, to a 4-year, $44 million deal. The lefty has some pop, eclipsing the 10 home run mark in each of his eight major league seasons. He is also an on-base machine, with a career .358 mark. Although he has played 145+ games in all but one of his big league campaigns, he underwent a neck procedure this offseason, so his health may be a question mark leading up to Opening Day.
Baltimore Orioles: The arrival of Dylan Bundy. The fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, hard throwing righty Dylan Bundy returned from Tommy John Surgery in 2014 pitching in the low levels of minor league baseball. He is not expected to crack the rotation out of Spring Training, but a strong spring combined with a hot start in the minors may allow the 22-year old to make an impact in the majors during the dog days of summer. With the loss of Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz, Dylan Bundy may be looked at as a draw to the ballpark when he arrives full-time at the major league level, hopefully sometime in 2015.
Boston Red Sox: An All Star year for Xander Bogaerts. Like his team, Xander Bogaerts struggled mightily in 2014, hitting a disappointing .240 clip with an OBP of .297. The 22-year old was not overly impressive at shortstop, forcing the team to bring in Stephen Drew midseason temporarily moving the young infielder to third base. Drew was dealt as the Red Sox fell out of contention and Bogaerts looked better at short, but overall did not live up to expectations in 2014. He is still young, and regarded as one of the game’s top prospects and an all-star year from the Aruban infielder.
Chicago White Sox: An improved pitching staff. The White Sox offense ranked in the middle of the pack in 2014 in most statistical categories, but their pitching staff struggled to a 4.29 team ERA. General Manager Rick Hahn has worked to fix the staff for 2015, acquiring starter Jeff Samardzija and closer David Robertson. Both men will be looked at to post solid seasons, aiding a staff that ranked 25th in saves and gave up the 4th most earned runs.
Chicago Cubs: Instant team chemistry. There will be lots of new faces on the North side of Chicago starting with manager Joe Maddon who comes over from Tampa Bay and big name free agent signing Jon Lester. Catcher Miguel Montero was acquired via trade and Lester’s “personal catcher” from Boston David Ross was signed to a two year deal. A key to success will lie in how quickly this new core gels and how effectively the pitching staff works with two brand new backstops.
Next: Cincy, Cleveland, Colorado, Detroit, Miami, and Houston
Sep 16, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) pitches during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati Reds: An extension for Johnny Cueto. Due to a payroll mandate from ownership, GM Walt Jocketty was forced to trade away Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon, two starters who are set to hit free agency next offseason. Jocketty is left with two starters playing on the last year of their contacts including workhorse Johnny Cueto. The righty has given Cincinnati brass an Opening Day deadline for contract negotiations, and Jocketty would be wise to strike a deal soon.
Cleveland Indians: Another Cy Young Caliber season from Corey Kluber. The 28-year old righty enjoyed a career year in 2014 winning the AL Cy Young Award with an 18-9 season and an ERA of 2.44. In order to compete in 2014, the Cleveland Indians will need Corey Kluber to match or even exceed the precedent set by his 2014 campaign. If the reigning Cy Young winner goes down for an extended period of time, it could be another long season for the Tribe.
Colorado Rockies: A steady rotation. For a low payroll team to thrive, the sum must be greater than all of its combined parts, and the Colorado Rockies must hope that this is the case for their rotation. Lacking a big name and big game experience on the bump, if the Rockies want to make a playoff push, they must find five steady starters and pitch well enough to win games with a solid offense that includes Justin Morneau and Troy Tulowitzki.
Detroit Tigers: An improved Justin Verlander. No one knows at this point whether or not Max Scherzer will return to the Detroit Tigers, but either way the Tigers need a better year out of Justin Verlander if they hope to be playing in October. Verlander has not pitched well the past two seasons culminating in a 28-14 record which does not validate his monster contract that runs through 2019. With or without Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander must pitch better and at least crack the 15 win mark in 2015.
Miami Marlins: The acquisitions must pay off. The Miami Marlins made an effort to improve their squad for the 2015 season, acquiring pitcher Mat Latos from Cincinnati and infielder Dee Gordon from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gordon is a speedster that will bolster the top of the order while Latos will be a key cog of the rotation. Jose Fernandez should return from Tommy John surgery, and Giancarlo Stanton is poised for a big year following the signing of a big extension but for Miami to compete the acquisitions must pay off.
Houston Astros: Bullpen closes out games. The Houston Astros have not made a deep playoff run since reaching the World Series in 2005, and have struggled since. A lack of bullpen options has hindered Houston in the past, but should be a strength this season. Houston surprised some folks by signing a pair of righties expected to form a late inning punch in Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek. Gregerson posted a 2.12 ERA in 72 games last season while Neshek, who comes from the side had a 7-2 record over 71 appearances.
Next: KC, LA, LA, Milwaukee, Minnesota, and NY
Oct 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) pitches the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in game one of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Royals: Catch lightning in a bottle. The Kansas City Royals hope to follow up their unprecedented 2014 run to the World Series by capitalizing on the experience of a long October run. The Royals will aim to field a similar team in 2015, low payroll with loveable characters that grind out at bats and battle on the mound. Hopefully the playoff run will help regular season attendance figures and bring a full-time baseball fever back to Kansas City.
Los Angeles Angels: A healthy Garrett Richards. Prior to a season ending knee injury suffered in mid-August, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Garrett Richards was having a career year. Richards was in the midst of a stellar season posting a 13-4 record with a 2.61 earned run average before seeing his season cut short. The righty is on track to be ready for Spring Training and his health will be key to the Halos’ success in 2015.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw breaks his playoff jinx. One of the best regular season pitchers in the game, Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Clayton Kershaw has been unable to translate his success into the postseason. Kershaw must rid his demons or the Dodgers will not be able to bring a World Series title back to Hollywood. The 26-year old owns a horrific line of 1-5 with a 5.12 ERA over 11 career postseason appearances.
Milwaukee Brewers: Scooter Gennett improves off of 2014 campaign. The 24-year old was stellar for the Brewers in 2014, playing in 134 games with a .289 average. The infielder flew under the radar in 2014 but should be a household name with a similar season in 2015, but the key is consistency. With another offseason and Spring Training under his belt, the third year man will be ready to turn some heads in 2015.
Minnesota Twins: A lineup past Joe Mauer. The veteran has been a middle of the order presence for the Minnesota Twins for almost a decade, but past him there hasn’t been much to write home about lately in the Twin Cities. Kurt Suzuki has been solid and the addition of Torii Hunter is a nice touch, but without more stability and production around the diamond, Minnesota may be destined for another lackluster season.
New York Mets: Avoid the sophomore slump. The New York Mets were graced with the presence of Jacob deGrom in 2014, who won the NL Rookie of the Year Award. With Matt Harvey set to return and Noah Syndergaard expected to be in the rotation in 2015, the fate of the New York Mets may lie in the ability of Jacob deGrom to avoid the sophomore slump. If the young stud is able to do so, the Mets rotation should be a strength of the squad this season.
Next: NY, Oakland, Philly, Pitt, SD, and SF
Oct 26, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning of game five of the 2014 World Series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Elsa/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
New York Yankees: Contain the A-Rod saga. After the 162-game suspension of Alex Rodriguez was announced, a media firestorm erupted but died down in due time. With the much maligned veteran set to return this season, the New York Yankees must nip the issue in the bud and limit as many potential distractions as they can. GM Brian Cashman has already stated that it is likely that Rodriguez will be relegated to DH duty and will not be an everyday fielder, but an issue that the Yankees don’t have much control over is the media, and attention on Rodriguez as the season draws closer is expected to ramp up.
Oakland Athletics: Fans to take a deep breath. Billy Beane has perfected the low-payroll organization mantra and has built the Oakland Athletics into a contender year in and year out with many moving parts. This offseason is expected to be more of the same for the Athletics as Beane shipped out All-Stars Jeff Samardzija and Josh Donaldson while stock piling prospects. The future roster is taking shape piece by piece, so Oakland Athletics’ fans, please take a deep breath and relax.
Philadelphia Philies: A resolution to the Cole Hamels situation. For years, GM Ruben Amaro has dangled Cole Hamels as trade bait, but the talks have never been as intense as they’ve been this winter. The Philies rebuilding process has already begun as Jimmy Rollins was traded out of town and the next big thing Amaro needs to do is take what he can get for his ace. The entire Philadephia Phillies organization will be better off with a full rebuild, not a half-hearted one that keeps Cole Hamels in the city of the Liberty Bell.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Strike a deal with Jung-ho Kang. Although Kang would have to unseat incumbent shortstop Jordy Mercer, the Korean born infielder would be a welcome addition to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He hit 40 homeruns in the KBO this season, but scouts have projected that number to translate to a mid to high teens mark in the major leagues. Jung-ho Kang likely possesses an above average bat, and those type of shortstops are hard to come by. Pittsburgh should lock him up while they can.
San Diego Padres: Gamble pays off. The San Diego Padres gambled big time this offseason, by trading away premium talent to acquire a brand new outfield trio in Wil Myers, Matt Kemp, and Justin Upton. None of these players are coming off of remarkable seasons and the Padres are hoping that they can rebound in Friar Land, if the three outfielders cannot stay productive and/or healthy, this offseason’s aftermath could be a disaster.
San Francisco Giants: Rest for Madison Bumgarner. The 25-year old lefty threw 52.2 innings in the postseason en route to a World Series championship and a Fall Classic MVP award. For the San Francisco Giants to have a shot at repeating, they will need their budding ace to be rested and ready to go when Opening Day comes this spring.
Next: Seattle, STL, TB, Texas, Toronto, and Washington
Jul 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11) throws during the game against the New York Yankees at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Mariners: More offense from Brad Miller. Although Miller played a solid shortstop in the field, he struggled at the dish to the tune of a .221 average. For the Mariners to be successful they will need an improvement at the plate from the 25-year old infielder out of Clemson.
St. Louis Cardinals: 200 innings from John Lackey. The veteran right hander was dealt from the Boston Red Sox to the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline last season and in total posted a 14-10 mark with a 3.82 ERA in 198 innings. The 36-year old hurler will need to produce at a similar clip to help the Cardinals reach the playoffs again in 2015, he has eclipsed the 200-inning mark five times in his career.
Tampa Bay Rays: A new ballpark. Since their inception, Tampa Bay has played their home games at Tropicana Field, and it has been commonly mocked as the “dump” of the major leagues. Last week the St. Petersburg city council shot down a proposal for a new ballpark, so the future of baseball in the Tampa Bay area may be in jeopardy.
Texas Rangers: A healthy Yu Darvish. The Japanese born starter only took the hill 22 times last season and the Texas Rangers were severely impacted. If Darvish can stay healthy and regain his Al-Star form, Texas has a better shot at an AL West crown and a trip to the playoffs, but they must overcome the pesky Athletics and Angels.
Toronto Blue Jays: A steady team for Scott Barnes. The 27-year old southpaw has been a victim of the DFA limbo three times this winter and was claimed by the Toronto Blue Jays this week. Barnes is a product of St. John’s University and Cathedral High School which boasts an elite high school hockey program, will look to find a place on the roster north of the border in a hockey hotbed.
Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg becomes an elite pitcher. The first overall pick in 2009, Stephen Strasburg has yet to live up to the hype surrounding him as he came out of San Diego State. Strasburg has made only one All-Star team and his highest finish in the Cy-Young voting was ninth in 2014. He must have a dominant 2015 for the Washington Nationals to be primed for a postseason berth.