Category Archives: fantasy baseball

2016 MLB Season Preview: Colorado Rockies

It feels like the Rockies have been in rebuilding mode for a decade. It’s been shorter than a decade, but it has felt slow. It appeared like the rebuild was about to take a leap forward when they traded Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays late last year…but the Rockies didn’t make much noise this offseason.

Carlos Gonzalez is still in Colorado. I’m not quite sure why, but he’s still there. He played in 153 games last season and knocked 40 homers. Teams will clearly unload some prospects for a guy like that, right? I’m not sure why they have waited this long.

Can Colorado’s make-shift bullpen last the entire season?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Colorado Rockies.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Cleveland Indians

Terry Francona has now had three-straight winning seasons as manager in Cleveland. His rosters haven’t been as loaded as his past Red Sox teams, but he has squeezed every bit out of his teams in Cleveland.

The AL Central has represented the American League in three out of the last four World Series. The Royals are expected to be one of the favorites to appear in their third-straight. I wouldn’t count out the Tigers either.

The Indians were quiet this offseason. They haven’t made any big moves and currently expected to finish in the middle in the Central. Will they make a big trade during the season?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Cleveland Indians.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds started unloading players at last year’s trade deadline and continued to clean house this offseason. They are now building toward the future and still have some pieces to move.

The Reds had rookies start nearly every game from the trade deadline until the end of last season. They gained experience and they overall pitched well above expectations. They won’t have a solid bullpen backing them up this year.

Will Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips both find new homes this season?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Cincinnati Reds.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Chicago White Sox

This White Sox are currently playing second fiddle to the Cubs in the city of Chicago. The Cubs have a ton of youth and new faces that can bring any fanbase up from the basement. The White Sox are a weird bunch of veterans, kind-of-young hitters still waiting to mature and Chris Sale.

Jose Abreu had another solid year for the White Sox. He should have another good year if Adam Eaton keeps getting on base in front of him. The addition of Todd Frazier helps protect Abreu a little in the lineup, but another power hitter is needed if they want to compete in the AL Central.

Can the back-end of the starting rotation hold up against the rest of the AL?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Chicago White Sox.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Chicago Cubs

First off, let me tell you that I’m a huge Chicago Cubs fan. There arecertain things Cubs fans aren’t comfortable doing, one of them is boasting how this is finally the year they will win the World Series. We know better than that and are often more critical about the team. We don’t like to get our hopes up since they have always been shattered in laughable fashion.

The Cubs made some huge moves this offseason. The newly-signed veterans will allow some of their younger players to platoon.

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Chicago Cubs.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are cleaning house. They pulled off possibly the most lopsided trade this offseason when they shipped Shelby Miller to Arizona for Ender Inciarte, former #1 overall pick Dansby Swanson and pitching prospect Aaron Blair. If they can pull off a few more trades like that, their rebuilding time will be shortened.

2016 will not be kind to the Braves. Their team is filled with underwhelming bats and many wild, young arms.

Fredi Gonzalez is still Atlanta’s skipper, but his seat is the hottest in the Majors. He won’t last until the All-Star Break.

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Atlanta Braves.

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2016 MLB Season Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks

Chip Hale had a decent first year as Arizona’s manager. They overachieved last season and went on to make some bold moves this offseason.

The Diamondbacks started the offseason by out-bidding the entire league to sign pitcher Zack Greinke. They followed that mega-deal by trading former #1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson and other prospects to Atlanta for pitcher Shelby Miller. They appear to be figuratively swinging for the fences.

Will Arizona’s big spending pay off this season?

How will Greinke and Miller fare at the top of the rotation?

Here is the 2016 MLB season preview for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals season ended in the NLDS when they were defeated by San Francisco. The Giants was a team of destiny and went on to win the World Series. The early exit doesn’t look as bad when the team that defeated you goes on to win the title…but Washington really needs to get to a World Series while this core group of guys are all in their prime.

Bryce Harper is fun to watch (even if his peers think he’s overrated). He goes all-out on defense and often swings for the fences when he’s at-bat. Unfortunately, his playing style could lead to his early demise. He has missed 108 games the last two seasons due to injuries suffered in the outfield. If he can stay healthy for a full season, he could put up big numbers…but that’s a huge ‘if.’

Stephen Strasburg threw 200+ innings for the first time in his career in 2014. Can do it again this season?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the Washington Nationals.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays were a popular pick to make a big leap in 2013, but they ended up finishing in last place in the AL East that season. Expectations leveled out last year and they finished a few games over .500. After acquiring Josh Donaldson in a trade and signing Russell Martin, Toronto is expected to once again contend in the AL East again. Can they pull it off or will they fall flat on their faces again?

Injuries plagued Toronto’s potential resurgent season in 2013 and they were already dealt a huge blow when they learned their young pitching phenom Marcus Stroman tore his ACL. He will miss the entire season. Which one of Toronto’s many young pitching prospects will take his spot in the starting rotation?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the Toronto Blue Jays.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers hoped to make it out of Spring Training without too many injuries. They were already given bad news this offseason when they heard top prospect Jurickson Profar would miss another season after needing another surgery on his left shoulder. The worst news was yet to come.

The Rangers found out their ace Yu Darvish would be on the shelf for the season after getting a second opinion that he needed Tommy John surgery. He was shutdown back in August after injuring his elbow. They thought he could avoid Tommy John surgery with extra rest this offseason.

The Rangers had postseason aspirations last season, but lost 95 games due to all the injuries to key players. Can they get back to the postseason in 2015?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the Texas Rangers.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays come into the 2015 season with a new general manager, manager and a load of new faces in the clubhouse. Tampa Bay is going through one of the many issues a small market team goes through. They can’t afford to keep their homegrown talent and must turnover their roster to remain competitive.

After recent success near the top of the AL East, it looks like they could be headed for some lean years. The farm system they relied on for so many years is no longer stocked with can’t-miss prospects. How soon can the new general manager turn things around?

Can the Rays young starting rotation keep the team afloat during the transition?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the Tampa Bay Rays.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals had a rough offseason. They had to mourn the death of Oscar Taveras while trying to conduct business. They didn’t sign any high-priced free agents, but they did make a big trade with the Braves (which I’ll discuss later).

The Cardinals have a nice mix of veterans and youth. Matt Holliday, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina are the leaders in the clubhouse while Kolten Wong, Michael Wacha and Matt Adams are the future of the franchise. St. Louis looks set to contend for the next decade. They never seem to be in rebuilding mode. They just retool and win championships.

Can St. Louis hold off Pittsburgh and win their third-straight NL Central division title?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the St. Louis Cardinals.

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