Category Archives: mlb

2015 MLB Draft: All-Name Team

In case you missed it, the 2015 MLB Amateur Draft took place this week…all 40 rounds!

Arizona started the draft off by selecting shortstop Dansby Swanson, which is a solid name in my book…but didn’t make the cut.

We love making all-name team lists for upcoming seasons and drafts, so covering the MLB Draft is a no-brainer. There is some solid names on this year’s list.

My name is Bobby Roberts, so I am often jealous of people with unique names. The most unique thing about my name is that I was not born ‘Robert Roberts’, Bobby is my given name. I don’t know too many grown men named Bobby.

To clear up any confusion, this list is comprised of guys with funny names and just solid names that just belong in the game of baseball.

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Astros Promote Top Prospect Carlos Correa

The Houston Astros made a bold move today by promoting top prospect shortstop Carlos Correa. The 20-year was selected #1 overall in the 2012 MLB Amateur Draft. He was drafted ahead of current MLB players Addison Russell, Joey Gallo and teammate Lance McCullers Jr.

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow once said they were prepared to take their time in developing Correa, but that plan is difficult to do when your team is currently in the first place and your top prospect is killing it in the minors.

Correa is a big 6’4 shortstop that is expected to develop decent power. He has already hit ten homers in 246 minor league at-bats this season.

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MLB: Underdogs Against Spread Having Great Start

The Major League Baseball season is roughly two months old and underdogs have been on roll against the spread so far.

Underdogs (home and road) have won in 63% of games this year. It’s not unusual for underdogs to get off to a hot start, but I could see the streak continue well into July.

Minnesota, Houston and the New York Mets all currently have at least a share of their respective divisions. All three teams weren’t expected to contend for their divisions this year (although I predicted a possible Wild-Card spot for the Mets), so they have all helped the underdog winning percentage.

Will these teams hit a wall when they begin to be consistently favored against the spread?

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MLB Best Early Over Bets

Baseball bettors are a month into the 2015 MLB campaign and if you’re a regular of sportsbook online betting, you’ve noticed these teams lighting up the scoreboard to start the season.

Here are the most outstanding – but still early – MLB Over bets:

Oakland Athletics (11-16 SU, 20-6-1 O/U)

Not all great Over bets are great scoring teams. Some are horrible defensive units. And then you have the perfect storm of great offense and poor defense, such is the Oakland A’s. They’ve been bashing the cover off the ball through the first month of play, averaging 5.11 runs on a .268 BA, but also giving up plenty of runs on the other side of the plate. Oakland’s bullpen is to blame, boasting a chunky 4.93 ERA and five blown saves already. The A’s are a profitable 12-1 O/U in the Bay Area but don’t return home until May 11, facing a pair of Sox – Red and White – for six games.

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2015 Projected Major League Baseball Standings

We finished every 2015 MLB team preview this season and now it’s time to show you a condensed version of our projected standings for the 2015 season.

MLB finally got the hint that opening the baseball season in places like Japan or Australia wasn’t the best idea, so this season they decided to nix that horrible idea. The first game of the year takes place April 5th at Wrigley Field when the Cardinals face the Cubs. The rest of the league will begin the following day.

Plenty of big names have changed teams this offseason (Matt Kemp, Jon Lester, Hanley Ramirez) and some big names are coming back from Tommy John surgery (Matt Harvey, Jose Fernandez). There’s plenty of reasons to tune into baseball this year.

The San Francisco Giants won the 2014 World Series. Can they win their fourth ring in six seasons?

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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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2015 MLB Team Preview: Seattle Mariners

The Mariners were one game away from making the postseason last year. Robinson Cano brought his winning pedigree over from New York. The signing turned out to be one of the best last offseason, even if he did bring a hefty price tag.

The AL West is loaded once again (the Houston Astros actually look like a professional baseball team this season). The Rangers and A’s might not be as strong, but the Angels are all expected to run away with the AL West. Can Seattle take the crown from Los Angeles?

Seattle has turned into quite a sports town. The Seahawks own the city and the Sounders have helped transform the entire U.S. into caring about soccer more than just every four years. Can the Mariners piggyback on the overwhelming rabid Seattle sports fanbase and turn Safeco Field into a strong homefield advantage?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the Seattle Mariners.

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2015 MLB Team Preview: San Francisco Giants

The 2014 World Series champions got hot at the right time. They won one of the Wild Card spots and battled their way through the playoffs. Madison Bumgarner’s ring should be a little bigger than the rest of the team’s rings, since he was so dominant in October.

The Giants lost long-time third baseman (and postseason hero) Pablo Sandoval to free agency. Boston threw a lot of money at him and it was a smart long-term decision to let him walk. He’s had weight issues in the past, so spending nearly $20 million a season on him doesn’t sound like be a smart fiscal decision.

Tim Lincecum is in the last year of his deal. Can he bounce back from a few rough seasons in a contract year?

Here is the 2015 MLB season preview for the San Francisco Giants.

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