MLB this Week: Plenty of day-games to enjoy

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CovMLBUK2014We’ve got MLB games starting before midnight UK time every day this working week.

Tuesday’s entry is a bit of a fudge as it’s just 50 minutes ahead of that cut-off, yet it still counts and should be a good game in any case with Stephen Strasburg set to take on the Boston Red Sox. All three games of the interleague match-up between Washington and Boston are on the early side, as is the opener between the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.

The working week ends with both Chicago teams in day-game action. The White Sox are on the road facing the Tigers, likely a pitching match-up between Jeff Samardzija and David Price, whilst the Cubs host the Padres.

There a few more games on ESPN during the evening this week compared to last and there are also three early games that have been chosen as the MLB.com Free Game of the Day, meaning that everyone can watch them live online via the MLB.TV service even if you don’t have a subscription.

All times are in BST.

Monday 13 April

18:10. Phillies @ Mets (Harang (1-0) – deGrom (0-1)) *ESPN
18:35. Tigers @ Pirates (Sanchez (1-0) – Cole (0-0))
20:05. Nationals @ Red Sox (Zimmermann (1-0) – Porcello (0-1))
21:10. Royals @ Twins (Duffy (0-0) – May (0-0))
21:15. Brewers @ Cardinals (Garza (0-1) – Wainwright (1-0)) *ESPN, MLB.com Free Game
21:35. Rockies @ Giants (Butler (0-0) – Heston (1-0))

Tuesday 14 April

23:10. Nationals @ Red Sox (Strasburg (0-1) – Masterson (1-0))

Wednesday 15 April

17:10. White Sox @ Indians (Danks (0-1) – Bauer (1-0)) *ESPN
17:10. Marlins @ Braves    (Haren (0-0) – Stults (0-0))
18:35. Nationals @Red Sox (Gonzalez (0-1) – Miley (0-0))
19:05. Angels @ Rangers    (Santiago (0-1) – TBA) *BT Sport2

Thursday 16 April

18:10. Royals @ Twins (Vargas (1-0) – Milone (1-0)) *MLB.com Free Game
18:45. Brewers @ Cardinals (Fiers (0-1) – Lackey (0-0))

Friday 17 April

18:08. White Sox @ Tigers (Samardzija (0-1) – Price (1-0)) *MLB.com Free Game
19:20. Padres @ Cubs (Shields (2-0) – Hammel (1-0))

All of these games are available to watch or listen to live via an MLB.TV subscription. TV coverage of MLB comes courtesy of the BT Sport and ESPN channels and these are highlighted above, as are any games that are available to view online for free via MLB.com. The above list of games just shows those starting before midnight UK time. The full schedule of MLB games can be found on MLB.com.

WHGB: Notes from MLB Opening Week

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WHGB11There were 15 MLB games yesterday, 15 today and then another 14 tomorrow. After so many months without it, you very quickly get back into the swing of having baseball to enjoy every day.

I’m planning to publish articles a bit more regularly this season rather than bringing everything together into a weekly column, but there will still be weeks when I have a range of things to comment on that don’t fit into their own article.

I’ll badge them up under my usual ‘Weekly Hit Ground Ball’ theme, so just bear in mind that they might not be quite so weekly as the name suggests.

Good starts for some

It happens every season: several teams get off to good or bad starts and there’s an overreaction as to how representative that early record is compared to the true talent of the team concerned.

It’s not just baseball this happens in either. Aston Villa took 10 points from their first four games of the 2014/15 Premier League season and ridiculously gave manager Paul Lambert a contract extension on the back of it. “We can look to the future with real optimism”, Lambert said at the time. When reality set in (and considering their early good form included an unconvincing 2-1 home win against Hull and a 0-0 home bore draw against Newcastle, it shouldn’t have needed much thinking time) he ended up being hounded out in mid February with the team fighting a relegation battle.

So, nobody should be too quick to put money on the 4-1 Colorado Rockies winning the NL West, nor to laugh at the Washington Nationals’ pre-season favourites tag due to their 1-4 start.

Having written that, the Atlanta Braves should be celebrating their 5-0 start considering their lowly expectations for the year ahead, just as Cincinnati Reds can delight in their 4-1 start at home, and the Kansas City Royals can see their 5-0 start as a thumb in the eye for all who considered their 2014 World Series appearance to be a fluke.

Those starts to the season may not be the least bit indicative of the year ahead, but that doesn’t mean fans of those teams can’t enjoy them all the same.

Breakfast baseball

One part of following MLB in the UK that I neglected to mention in my recent article was the wonderful bonus of breakfast time baseball that we occasionally get to enjoy. This is typically when a west coast game runs on for a while – perhaps going into extra innings or due to a rain delay – so that the game is still ongoing around 7 a.m. BST.

We got our first dose of Bonus Breakfast Baseball on Wednesday morning and it was a memorable way to start as it featured Craig Kimbrel making his San Diego Padres debut. Kimbrel didn’t disappoint, striking out all three LA Dodgers batters he faced and leaving his new teammates like James Shields laughing in the dugout at the ease in which he can make Major Leaguer hitters look so helpless.

Rodriguez record approaching

Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka captured most of the attention from the New York Yankees’ opening game as concerns about the state of his elbow continue to keep the Yankee beat writers occupied. However, the other main story coming out of the game was the largely positive reaction Alex Rodriguez received from the home crowd following his year-long drug-related suspension.

Rodriguez undoubtedly will be booed at every other stadium he plays in – although that’s nothing new – but it was less certain quite how the Bronx faithful would respond to him wearing pinstripes once again.

The majority appear to have taken the stance that he has served his time and so long as he is trying to help their team win games from here, they will support him like they do the rest of their players. That may well change if he starts slumping at the plate as the season progresses.

The interesting story will come if Rodriguez does have a decent season and continues to add more home runs to the one he hit against Toronto on Thursday. The Yankees spent much of the off-season seemingly trying to find ways to get out of their contract with him and particularly in respect of the marketing bonuses he will receive as he reaches new home run landmarks.

Heading into Sunday, Rodriguez is fifth on the all-time MLB home run list with 655 and just five homers behind Willie Mays. The Yankees will have to pay him $6m if he gets to 660 and the next man on the list to catch is Yankee legend Babe Ruth with 714. Ruth’s tally will likely prove to be out of reach as Rodriguez turns 40 in July, but 660 should be only a matter of time and as pessimism over the team’s 2015 prospects already starts to grow, we may find the Yankees make more of the event than you might have thought just a few months ago.

British National Baseball League starts on Sunday

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With Major League Baseball in full swing, it’s time for the top-tier of British baseball to get going for another competitive season.

The National Baseball League (NBL) has reduced down to six teams for 2015 after the departure of the Southern Nationals. They certainly left their mark in the British baseball record books by securing three consecutive national titles between 2011 and 2013, but the record books is where the Nationals will now reside as the team has ceased to exist.

No teams have been promoted up from Triple-A this time around; however the introduction of a new BBF Cup will see those teams getting the chance to have a crack at the NBL stars and potentially proving that they may belong among the elite in 2016. The cup competition will hopefully provide additional impetus to the season, giving teams something else to play for if – for various reasons – fielding their strongest side week-in, week-out across the regular season is not so easy.

The Essex Arrows will head into the season as reigning champions and it will be interesting to see how they respond to having the big target on their back for the first time. Alongside the Southern Nationals, the London Mets (2007, 2008), Croydon Pirates (2004, 2005) and Brighton Buccaneers (2001, 2002) have all achieved the impressive feat of retaining the title over the past 15 years and the Arrows will be doing everything they can to join that list.

They will face plenty of competition, not least from the London Mets (who the Arrows beat in the final last year), the Southampton Mustangs and the Herts Falcons. The Falcons took a step back in 2014 after impressive campaigns in 2012 and 2013. They’ve shown their intent by signing Maikel Azcuy and Robbie Almanzar who were part of the Nationals and Arrows championship winning teams.

Farnham Park near Slough and Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead will be the Opening Day venues on Sunday. The Arrows and Mets will meet in a repeat of last year’s final at Farnham Park, with the Bracknell Blazers facing both teams on the day too. At Grovehill, the hometown Herts Falcons will play games against the Mustangs and the South London Pirates, with those two teams also facing off against each other.

Clive Barker’s NBL preview provides further details over on the BBF website.

 

Padres pad roster, Braves bail out even more

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The San Diego Padres were one of the most active teams over the off-season and they finished with a flourish on Sunday night by acquiring star closer Craig Kimbrel from the Atlanta Braves. Outfielder Melvin (formerly known as B.J.) Upton moved that way as well in the trade as a booby prize, whilst the Braves gained a mix of established Major Leaguers (Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin) and some minor league talent.

It creates even more excitement around the Padres heading into the season, but we’ve seen in the past that teams who ‘win’ the off-season don’t necessarily convert that into wins during the regular season.

Kimbrel is as consistent as closers come, yet even then he has only averaged 64 innings pitched over the past three regular seasons.  Although adding such a quality pitcher will improve the Padres’ roster, over the regular season there’s only so much benefit that can be gained by adding a closer based on the innings they contribute.

However, Kimbrel is a weapon and manager Bud Black would be forgiven for wearing a devilish grin every time he calls him into a game from the bullpen.

As for the Braves, their fans have been put through the wringer this off-season. Those of us who don’t follow the team can dispassionately assess the major rebuilding work as a job well done, but when that team is a big part of your life it’s never easy to look ahead at a 162-game season that will bring little in the way of things to celebrate. That’s especially the case when your team’s Front Office has basically chosen to make the team worse in the near term.

All fans in desperate times cling to the thought that however bad their situation is, a rival may be having an even worse time. In that sense the Braves are lucky to have the Philadelphia Phillies around.

I’m still not completely sold on the idea that the Braves had to do this rebuild right now, but it’s better to rebuild too early than too late and if you’re taking that route you have to commit to it and follow it through.

Braves fans have loved watching Kimbrel dominating their opponents and so seeing him in a Padres’ uniform will be a blow at first, yet it should be even more painful for Phillies fans to see Jonathan Papelbon still wearing their colours. Philadelphia wasted $13m last year paying Papelbon to collect 39 saves on a team that finished rock bottom in the NL East, 23 games behind the division-winning Washington Nationals, and they’re currently on the hook to pay him another $13m this year too.

The Phillies’ General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr doesn’t need any help to highlight his team’s glaring mistakes over the past two or three seasons, but the Braves’ decisiveness this off-season has really shown up how badly wrong Amaro and his colleagues have got things.

So whilst Braves fans may suffer through 2015, their crumb of comfort is that the Phillies will be just as bad this year and don’t seem to have any plan to improve any time in the next few years either.

Early Games during MLB’s Opening Week

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Opening Week in MLB is a joyous event for us all. Not only do we finally have competitive baseball back in our lives for another seven months, the opening week always offers plenty of quality pitching match-ups and a host of day-games in the States, which make for perfect evening viewing for us in the UK.

If you’re new to BGB this year, one of the regular features we run throughout the season every Monday is a guide to the games that are scheduled to take place before midnight UK time that working week. These games take on a special importance to Brits as they allow us to catch some live baseball without having to sacrifice too much sleep.

On a typical working week, you’ll find there are 8 to 10 ‘early’ games (as I call them), with Wednesday and Thursday being the most popular days of the week for teams to play mid-week games under daylight rather than floodlights. Opening week is always a bit different as teams tend to schedule home openers in the day-time where they can, so we get an unusually high number to enjoy.

The full list for this working week is below, with times stated in BST and a note on the end of those games that are broadcast on British TV or have been selected to be the MLB.com Free Game that day (meaning you can watch online even without an MLB.TV subscription). All games are available to watch live or on-demand for MLB.TV subscribers.

It’s difficult to pick one stand-out game from them all, but if we look beyond Monday then the obvious potential pitching match-up that catches the eye comes on Thursday in Washington.

Stephen Strasburg is due to start for the Nationals against the Mets’ Matt Harvey, the latter making his return after missing all of the 2014 season following elbow surgery. Starting pitcher assignments are always subject to change, not least due to postponements due to bad weather early in the year, so let’s all keep our fingers crossed that nothing changes over the next few days and Strasburg and Harvey do indeed take the mound on Thursday.

Monday 6 April

18:05 Blue Jays @ Yankees (Hutchison (0-0) – Tanaka (0-0)) *ESPN
18:08 Twins @ Tigers (Hughes (0-0) – Price (0-0)) *MLB.com Free Game
19:10 Rockies @ Brewers (Kendrick (0-0) – Lohse (0-0))
20:05 Red Sox @ Phillies (Buchholz (0-0) – Hamels (0-0))
20:10 Orioles @ Rays (Tillman (0-0) – Archer (0-0))
21:05 Mets @ Nationals (Colon (0-0) – Scherzer (0-0)) *ESPN
21:10 Braves @ Marlins (Teheran (0-0) – Alvarez (0-0))
21:10 White Sox @ Royals (Samardzija (0-0) – Ventura (0-0))
21:10 Angels @ Mariners (Weaver (0-0) – Hernandez (0-0))
21:10 Pirates @ Reds (Liriano (0-0) – Cueto (0-0))
21:10 Padres @ Dodgers (Shields (0-0) – Kershaw (0-0))

Tuesday 7 April

No early games

Wednesday 8 April

18:08 Twins @ Tigers (Nolasco (0-0) – Sanchez (0-0))
19:20 Cardinals @ Cubs (TBD – Hammel (0-0))

Thursday 9 April

17:35 Pirates @ Reds (Burnett (0-0) – DeSclafani (0-0)) *MLB.com Free Game
18:05 Mets @ Nationals (Harvey (0-0) – Strasburg (0-0))
18:08 Twins @ Tigers (Gibson (0-0) – Greene (0-0))
19:10 White Sox @ Royals (Danks (0-0) – Volquez (0-0))
19:10 Indians @ Astros (Bauer (0-0) – Wojciechowski (0-0))
20:35 Rangers @ Athletics (Martinez (0-0) – Graveman (0-0))
23:40 Giants @ Padres (TBD – Kennedy (0-0))

Friday 10 April

20:05 Blue Jays @ Orioles (Buehrle (0-0) – Norris (0-0))
21:05 Astros @ Rangers (McHugh (0-0) – Holland (0-0))
21:10 Cubs @ Rockies (Wood (0-0) – Matzek (0-0))
21:10 Tigers @ Indians (Simon (0-0) – McAllister (0-0))
21:10 Twins @ White Sox (TBD – Noesi (0-0))

 

Following MLB in 2015

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As we reach the start of the 2015 MLB season, I thought it was worth following up on my original article about the 2015 MLB.TV subscriptions to highlight ways in which you can follow the action.

BT Sport and ESPN will once again be the TV option for Brits and you’ll find a decent range of games (live and repeats of ‘as live’ games) available most weeks across those channels.

The main way to enjoy the season though is via MLB.com and, in particular, the outstanding MLB.TV subscriptions that allow you to listen to and watch every single game of the regular season and play-offs live and on-demand.

My previous article provides the key details for the Standard and Premium packages, alongside various comments offering first-hand experience of using different connected devices in the UK.

The one key amendment to the initial article is that the cost for us, unfortunately, has gone up by 20%. That’s the consequence of new EU rules around sales tax that came into force on 1 January.

The short version, as far as I can make out, is that companies selling digital goods to consumers in the EU were always liable for the payment of sales tax, but that non-EU companies could work the system by declaring a base in whichever EU country suited them best financially and pay tax at that rate (i.e. the Amazon ‘trick’ of channelling millions through Luxembourg). To try to thwart such creative accountancy, now the tax rate is based on the location of the consumer instead, meaning someone in Britain has to pay the standard 20% VAT charge.

The result is that MLB.TV Premium currently works out at approximately £101 (rather then £85 as first thought) and MLB.TV Standard being approximately £86 (rather than £71.50). If you’re a new subscriber then you select your home country as part of buying the subscription. I haven’t gone through the small print, but I’m sure the terms and conditions will require users to provide accurate information, so not selecting the UK here will be at your own risk.

A 20% increase isn’t loose change in this context so that may affect your decision on whether to buy or not.

If you want to watch your chosen team on a regular basis, or simply have the time and desire to catch plenty of games over the season then even at the VAT prices you’ll still more than get your money’s worth over the season.

The real benefit of the subscription is that there is free choice as to which games you want to watch (the ‘blackouts’ that affect U.S. viewers don’t affect us in the UK).

From my perspective, not only can I get to catch several A’s game over a week regardless of the whims of the BT Sports/ESPN schedule, but if there are a number of games being played during a British evening I tend to go to the starting pitching match-up that catches my eye first, watch a few innings of that one and then if I want to switch to a few innings of another I just move over to that instead. It’s the freedom of catching bits from lots of different games that makes the subscription fee worthwhile in my case.

We all follow baseball under our own unique circumstances though, so if the desire is there but shelling out £100 doesn’t make sense (your work pattern doesn’t match up well with when games tend to be played etc) then don’t think that leaves you scuppered. There are several ways to follow the baseball season without paying out a full subscription fee.

Firstly, most days throughout the season there is a Free MLB.TV Game that you can watch online without a subscription. You can’t guarantee they’ll show your chosen team on a frequent basis, nor if the game will be at a convenient time for you, but having the option to catch a few games per week is much better than nothing.

The other thing to note is that MLB.com publishes a lot of free content from games that can help you follow the season without needing a subscription. It’s not simply short clips that are available, for every single game they publish a 3 minute (on average) ‘Recap’ video showing you all of the highlights, plus a Condensed Game version (normally about 10 minutes long) that cuts together all of the key moments.

As an example, here are the Recap and Condensed Game videos from the Marlins-Nationals game on the final day of the 2014 regular season.

Recap

Condensed Game

 

It can take a little while for those videos to be edited together and published after the games finish (e.g. if you’re checking MLB.com whilst having a 7 a.m. breakfast on UK timezone, games that were played on the west coast in the early hours probably won’t be available at that point), but they’ll be available at some point every day and getting free access to such content is great. The best way to get to them via your web browser is the ‘Watch/Listen’ page.

So, if MLB.TV isn’t an option for you, there’s no reason to feel you’re missing out completely. What’s more, the price of MLB.TV comes down as the season progresses (i.e. when we get half-way through the season you can buy it for the rest of the season at a discounted price) so one approach might be to use the Free Games and highlights for the first half and then add an MLB.TV subscription for the business end of the season.

It should be another fantastic season, so hopefully you’ll get to catch plenty of the action via the methods that suit you best.

MLB 2015 predictions

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The 2014/15 MLB off-season provided plenty of stories and many teams have made significant changes to their rosters. No one knows how things will pan out over the season ahead, but it’s always fun to make some educated guesses.

Here’s what Mark George and I think might transpire over the next seven months.

American League East

Mark George

1. Boston Red Sox, 2. Toronto Blue Jays, 3. Baltimore Orioles, 4. New York Yankees, 5. Tampa Bay Rays

Possibly the toughest division to call, as you could make a case for any of my top three here to win it.

I’ll give the edge to the new-look Red Sox batting lineup, although their rotation is nowhere near as strong as it has been in other play-off years. I think Toronto push the White Sox for a Wild Card place but fall agonisingly short. I’m disappointed that the Orioles didn’t take the chance to boost their roster after such an impressive 2014, but I would still expect them to be in the Wild Card mix.

The Yankees’ slim play-off chances will vanish if Sabathia struggles again and surely it’s only a matter of time before Tanaka needs Tommy John surgery. I think a .500 season is a good result for them.

Matt Smith

1. Orioles, 2. Red Sox (WC), 3. Blue Jays, 4. Yankees, 5. Rays

The AL East is a real toss-up. The reigning champion Orioles do not have star players and yet their record in 2014 was not a fluke. They have a very solid team with an underrated pitching staff and, despite the loss of Nelson Cruz, I have them edging out the more-fancied Red Sox.

There’s no doubt that Boston have a formidable batting lineup now, with Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval being two quality free agent additions. Whether the pitching is quite where they need it to be is a matter for debate. Questions can also be asked of the Blue Jays. They so often flatter to deceive and even with the additions of Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson they don’t quite fill me with confidence that they’ll come out on top once we get to September.

The Yankees have some play-off calibre talent but there are too many red flags around the health of key contributors to make me believe they will last the pace, whilst the Rays are probably taking a step backwards after a winter of upheaval.

American League Central

Mark George

1. Detroit Tigers, 2. Chicago White Sox (Wild card), 3. Cleveland Indians, 4. Kansas City Royals, 5. Minnesota Twins

I really like the moves the White Sox have made this winter and was very close to picking them to win the division, but I think the Tigers still edge it, although they will obviously miss Scherzer. White Sox take a Wild Card place.

I’ve seen a lot of reports saying the Indians could be this year’s Royals but the rest of the rotation behind Kluber doesn’t convince me yet. The Royals will come back down to earth a bit but still should be close to .500. The lack of power may be their undoing, but plenty of young talent there.

I feel a bit for the Twins as they await the arrival of their top prospects in the next few years. The rotation’s OK, but I don’t think they will hit consistently enough to challenge.

Matt Smith

1. Indians, 2. Tigers, 3. White Sox, 4. Royals, 5. Twins

Add my AL Central to the Indians reports Mark referred to above! I normally take one flyer in my predictions and here is the 2015 entry. I’m calling this season as the moment when the Tigers’ run comes to an end and, although the Indians are far from a sure thing, I like their chances with Francona at the helm and a good group of players across the roster.

Royals fans won’t be impressed to see their 2014 World Series appearance dismissed with even the White Sox jumping past them in the standings. Chicago have made some good additions over the winter, not quite enough to make a Wild Card though, and whilst last season was magical for Kansas City, their run came as a good team, not a great one. Their limited off-season moves make me think they will take a step backwards, with the Twins simply waiting for prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano to hopefully make Major league debuts at some point.

American League West

Mark George

1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 2. Seattle Mariners (Wild Card), 3. Oakland Athletics, 4. Texas Rangers, 5. Houston Astros

I’ll give the edge to the Angels’ batters here although I can see the race with the Mariners and their pitching staff going down to the wire.

I think the departure of Donaldson and an outfield light on power harms the A’s chances this year but that could change if Billy Beane is active with trades. The Rangers’ hopes were dealt a blow with Darvish’s injury but they will jump back above the Astros after an injury-riddled 2014. Houston’s lineup isn’t too shabby but I’m not convinced they have the pitching depth to keep up with the rest of the division. More prospects on the way, though.

Matt Smith

1. Angels, 2. Mariners (WC), 3. A’s, 4. Astros, 5. Rangers.

I’m deliberately downplaying the play-off chances of my Oakland A’s, so take my AL West prediction with a pinch of salt. The Angels should retain their division crown, but the Mariners have a chance to push them if Nelson Cruz provides the big bat they’ve been looking for and 2015 is the year young pitchers Taijuan Walker and James Paxton take a step forward and establish themselves as Major League starters.

The Lonestar State battle for avoiding the bottom spot could go either way depending on how quickly the Astros’ young talent develops. The Rangers are suffering from some dreadful bad luck with injuries and losing Yu Darvish and Jurickson Profar for the entire season before it has even begun doesn’t bode well.

National League East

Mark George

1. Washington Nationals, 2. Miami Marlins (Wild Card), 3. New York Mets, 4. Atlanta Braves, 5. Philadelphia Phillies

The Nats may well be the best all-round team in the National League, so I have to back them again. I think Miami grab a Wild Card place, boosted when Jose Fernandez returns. The injury to Zack Wheeler hurts the Mets, but I still think they will finish just over .500.

The rebuilding Braves have very good pitching but no lineup depth after Freddie Freeman, who could well lead the league in walks. The Phillies… oh boy. I’m amazed Ruben Amaro hasn’t been fired after failing to trade away the veteran pieces last year. Rollins is gone but Amaro’s criticism of Ryan Howard won’t help anyone and now Cliff Lee is hurt again. Cole Hamels has to be dealt this year, but Amaro may not last long enough to trade him in what will be a long year for Phillies fans.

Matt Smith

1. Nationals, 2. Mets, 3. Marlins, 4. Braves, 5. Phillies.

This is the easiest division winner of the six to predict. The Washington Nationals are the overwhelming favourite to win the NL East, boasting an outstanding rotation and plenty of hitting talent to boot. The big question for the Nats is likely to be how well they prepare for the post-season if, as expected, they have the division wrapped up with a couple of weeks to spare.

The Braves strangely have decided to take a firm step backwards and the Phillies are plumbing the depths during their pay-back period after years riding a veteran team to division titles and a World Series triumph in 2008, so the interest in the division comes with the Marlins and Mets: two teams with some exciting young talent on show. I’ve just given the edge to New York, yet if the Marlins can keep in contention before Jose Fernandez makes his long-awaited return from injury in the second half of the season, Miami might just be the surprise package during September.

National League Central

Mark George

1. St Louis Cardinals, 2. Pittsburgh Pirates (Wild Card), 3. Milwaukee Brewers, 4. Chicago Cubs, 5. Cincinnati Reds

I’ve come to the conclusion that the Cards are baseball’s equivalent of Germany’s football team. Every year you look at their team and think it’s pretty damn good.

The Pirates will miss Russell Martin but the return of Burnett deepens the rotation and I still back them for a Wild Card place. The Brewers look pretty solid across the board and should be a .500 team.

A lot of people are tipping the Cubs to win it all, and as much as I like Joe Maddon and the vast array of young talent, I don’t think they will just yet. However, I think they will take a big step forward this year and may be close to .500. I think the Reds finish last as their pitching depth has eroded, especially at the back of their rotation, and they may not be able to resist a good offer for Johnny Cueto if they fall out of contention early.

Matt Smith

1. Cardinals, 2. Pirates (WC), 3. Cubs, 4. Brewers, 5. Reds

The off-season has been all about the Cubs and there are many reasons for long-suffering fans to be excited about 2015; however, they’re coming from a long way back (73-89) and although I expect them to take a big jump forward, that’s probably going to be in the 84 or 85 win range that would see them just short of a Wild Card place.

The Pirates will be strong again, but the loss of catcher Russell Martin could impact the team’s pitching staff and they may be hoping for too much in seeing if A.J. Burnett can recapture his previous form. I see the Cardinals’ new recruit Jason Heyward having an impressive year to help them take the division once again. The Brewers and Reds will bring up the rear.

National League West

Mark George

1. Los Angeles Dodgers, 2. San Francisco Giants, 3. San Diego Padres, 4. Arizona Diamondbacks, 5. Colorado Rockies

I have to back my team to win the divison, and there is lots to be positive about for Dodger fans. I really like the moves the new front office have made and although there are injury doubts over Ryu and Kenley Jansen, they should be winning the division comfortably.

Like the Cubs, the Padres are being tipped to improve greatly, and I think they will, but I’m tipping the Giants to just hold them off – although neither team makes the playoffs. The Giants have failed to add significantly to their lineup and will miss Pablo Sandoval and the injured Hunter Pence. The Giants are therefore even more reliant on Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner. The Padres will score more runs, and the pitching staff is pretty good, but I think they will fall short defensively, particularly in the centerfield and even more so if Carlos Quentin plays at first base.

Arizona should be better if Paul Goldschmidt stays healthy but they have far too many corner outfielders and will be weak offensively at catcher. The pitching staff hardly screams quality either. Talking of pitching, I really don’t think the Rockies’ staff is up to much. Admittedly playing half of your games in Coorsfield doesn’t help. Even if Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez stay healthy and aren’t traded, the Rockies won’t pitch well enough to be a serious contender. There’s also the chance Corey Dickerson and Charlie Blackmon come back down to earth after their surprising 2014 seasons, but at least Nolan Arenado looks an All-Star calibre third baseman.

Matt Smith

1. Dodgers, 2. Giants (WC), 3. Padres, 4. Rockies, 5. Diamondbacks

It’s the same old story for the Giants: no one is tipping them to do much, although they shouldn’t care what others think having enjoyed three World Series celebrations in five years. The reigning champions have had a very uninspiring off-season so the eye-catching moves of the Padres could lead many to see them pushed down to third, but I’ll give San Fran the benefit of the doubt.

As for San Diego, manager Bud Black has earned a good reputation in recent years despite not having a huge amount of talent to work with. He may need to prove himself this season by making a team out of the array of new faces that have joined over the winter.

None of which should bother the Dodgers too much. The biggest spenders have changed the tone of the team, particularly in the infield, yet their quality still remains. The one question you could level at them is the starting rotation depth behind their excellent duo of Kershaw and Greinke. Hyun-Jin Ryu will start the season on the Disabled List and both Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson have chequered injury records that could make LA vulnerable.

The Rockies and D-Backs will once again be at the bottom, although it will be interesting to keep track of the progress of Cuban import Yasmani Thomas in his first year with Arizona.

American League Play-offs

Mark George

Wild Card: Mariners over White Sox,

Division Series: Mariners over Tigers in 4, Angels over Red Sox in 4,

Championship Series: Angels over Mariners in 6

Matt Smith

WC: Red Sox over Mariners,

DS: Angels over Red Sox in 5, Orioles over Indians in 4,

CS: Orioles over Angels in 7.

National League Play-offs

Mark George

WC: Pittsburgh Pirates over Miami Marlins

DS: Los Angeles Dodgers over Pittsburgh Pirates in 4, Washington Nationals over St Louis Cardinals in 5

CS: Washington Nationals over Los Angeles Dodgers in 7

Matt Smith

WC: Pirates beat Giants.

DS: Pirates beat Nationals in 5, Dodgers beat Cardinals in 4,

CS: Dodgers beat Pirates in 6.

World Series

Mark George

Nationals over Angels in 5

I think I’ve tipped the Nationals to win it all several times over the past few years, but this time they really do it, honest!

Matt Smith

Dodgers over Orioles in 5

I have a feeling the Dodgers will add a player or two during the season (Cole Hamels?) and their overall strength will win the title.

Player Awards

Mark George

AL MVP: 1) Mike Trout, 2) Jose Abreu, 3) Miguel Cabrera

AL Cy Young: 1) Felix Hernandez, 2) David Price, 3) Garrett Richards

NL MVP: 1) Mike Stanton, 2) Andrew McCutchen, 3) Ian Desmond

NL Cy Young: 1) Clayton Kershaw, 2) Adam Wainwright, 3) Madison Bumgarner

Matt Smith

AL MVP: 1) Mike Trout, 2) Robinson Cano, 3) Jose Abreu

AL Cy Young: 1) Felix Hernandez, 2) Corey Kluber, 3) David Price

NL MVP: 1) Andrew McCutchen, 2) Jason Heyward, 3) Giancarlo Stanton

NL Cy Young: 1) Max Scherzer, 2) Clayton Kershaw, 3) Madison Bumgarner

Tampa Bay Rays Season Preview 2015

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We have another new writer joining BaseballGB for 2015. Mark is a Tampa Bay Rays fan and will be blogging about the team during the season ahead.

The baseball off-season is usually a time of great intrigue and excitement for baseball fans across the globe but for fans of the Tampa Bay Rays this off-season has been dominated by the number of high caliber exits from the set up. The loss of the general manager, manager and a number of exciting starting pitchers and guns with the bat has left a seemingly large hole in the franchise. Already the 2015 season has been dubbed by some as a year of transition for the Rays, but ultimately there is a glimmer of hope that there will be a chance to remain competitive in the AL East.

When we look at the Rays’ not-so-distant past we see overachievement to an extent, culminated by the World Series appearance of 2008. For the franchise to compete so efficiently on such a low budget in seasons gone by has been remarkable but I do fear that this 2015 season may be a return to darker times. However in Kevin Cash the Rays have hired a manager who comes with fresh impetus and has been handed a 5 year deal in order to stamp his authority on the new look Rays and get them moving forward in the right direction in the near future. You have to take this 2015 season with that grain of salt as Cash himself has stated that his main focus for this season is to just try and “win”.

One way we may stay competitive and have a chance of winning is through our now sole franchise player Evan Longoria. In times of strife we often look to one player to be the focal point for the franchise and to play out of their skin in order to drive the team on. With the recent losses of David Price, Matt Joyce, Ben Zobrist and Will Myers, Longoria now is the sole icon for the team. However with the emergence of an up and coming and exciting new starting rotation and plenty of prospects in the farm system, if Longoria and co can keep the team competitive in 2015 I’m sure those joyous times wont be too far away.

We all know that the Rays compete in the notorious AL East, which year after year produces the most ultra competitive baseball and is home to another challenge to the Rays for their transition year. It’s tough to see your team weaken on paper whilst those around you seem to consolidate what they have or in the case of the Red Sox this season burst the bank in order to go all out for October. This challenge is set every season and is nothing new to the manager or the fans, it’s just worth noting that to be the best you have to beat the best so anything above fifth spot in the division this season will be an achievement in my opinion for the Rays.

So when it comes to the 2015 season I think the Rays need to go out and play no fear baseball. For a side who thrived for so many years as being classed as underdogs, this season really seems like a nothing to lose one. Nobody is expecting anything from this side in the near future so anything other than last in the division will be a bonus. I have the opportunity to follow my team this year filled with the excitement of seeing how all these new faces will fit in and combine together to hopefully produce some good times for Rays fans in 2015. I write this piece with opening day being only a few days away and I do hope that by the time my season review is written I can have dispelled some of my trepidations for the upcoming season and be talking of a successful and winning season for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Red Sox getting ready for new season

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This is the first post in a new series. Charlotte Cooper will be following her Boston Red Sox’s fortunes over the course of the season here at BaseballGB.

With the first game of the 2015 season almost upon us, the pressure is on for the Boston Red Sox to make an impact and to make any last minute changes.

Many fan’s worries have been with the starting rotation as it was one of the weaknesses during last season. They went went from winning the World Series to having some of the worst stats in the league. The Red Sox were ranked last in hitting and to try and change this they spent a whopping $183 million on Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez.

Certainly the loss of Jon Lester, who decided not to sign with the team has had an impact. Lester would have been a good place for the Red Sox to start building their rotation.

One player in particular doesn’t have to bother about trying to make an impression. Mookie Betts continues to impress fans as he’s had more than enough extra base hits to make his name known and continues to amaze the crowds despite the season not starting yet. He is one of the players to keep an eye on when the season starts.

An interesting development for the team is that of Christian Vazquez who sustained an injury to his right elbow. At the moment it isn’t known how long he will be out for but on Monday he was placed on the 60 day disabled list.

This serves as a bit of a knock to the team as throughout the 2014 season, players such as Will Middlebrooks, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr were plagued with injuries, which they were hoping to avoid this upcoming season.

The first game of the season will be away, against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday 6th April at 3:05 PM (ET) (20.05 BST). Their home opener will be on 13th April against the Washington Nationals at the same time.

Fantasy drafts as perfect preparation for the season ahead

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As expertly recapped by Mark, we had our BaseballGB Fantasy League draft on Saturday night.

It’s going to be my only draft of the year as I’m not a obsessive fantasy baseball player. Whilst others often have many teams, that approach generally just means I lose track of which players I’ve got on which teams and I start making mistakes (leaving starting pitchers on the bench on the wrong day, not replacing injured players promptly etc), which saps my enjoyment of taking part.

One team, possibly two, is enough to give me my fantasy baseball fix.

One thing I have learned over the years is that preparing for, and taking part in, fantasy baseball drafts is a great way to check how up-to-date your baseball knowledge is.

The first depressing inevitability of the normally joyous Spring Training period is that it comes with the sting of a batch of players who have their seasons either finished or seriously curtailed by injury before it has even begun. The Toronto Blue Jays’  Marcus Stroman and New York Mets’ Zach Wheeler and two of the more notable young players who will spend 2015 rehabbing from Tommy John elbow surgery rather than showcasing their talent on the field.

More minor injuries are also a factor to take into consideration from a fantasy perspective, not least because they can slip under the radar if not impacting a player or your ‘real’ team and can sometimes turn into more significant issues than first assessed.

My second round selection was the Washington Nationals’ Anthony Rendon. He offers a good solid mix of production across the board, but I was mindful of checking progress on his knee injury before clicking the ‘Draft’ button next to his name. It might be a selection that comes back to bite me, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

Checking through the fantasy player rankings also helps in remembering where players have ended up. So many transactions take place over the off-season that you can get to a mock draft and find that a player has changed teams without you realising.

That can have a direct influence on the fantasy baseball drafting process. A pitcher’s wins, saves or holds (if your league counts those too) are affected by the team they are on, both in terms of the quality of the team and in terms of the other players on that team that your potential draft target will be competing with (i.e. a potential source of saves may not get those opportunities if another relief pitcher has been added without you knowing it).

One of my late-round bench picks was Michael Morse who I selected to add a bit more power to my team. His move to the Miami Marlins over the offseason should see him starting regularly at first base and hitting behind Giancarlo Stanton (who was my first round selection), so hopefully there will be plenty of opportunities for him to drive some runs in.

The final factor to consider, or not, is Spring Training performance. Eye-catching stats, either good or bad, can be difficult to ignore, but you need to look at the context too in terms of whether there’s something real at play there (a change in hitting approach leading to better results, a potential injury affecting a pitcher’s delivery etc) or if it’s just a case of some good or bad luck in a small number of exhibition games.

The Oakland A’s Sonny Gray had a nightmare in his last Spring Training outing, getting hit hard by the Chicago White Sox whilst allowing 6 runs in 2.2 innings. I selected him regardless. I’d like to think that’s the rational part of me dismissing one meaningless Spring Training game, yet I suspect the A’s fan in me also wants to believe it was a case of bad luck too.

If there’s one thing that shows up my lack of true fantasy baseball dedication it’s the way that I let real life allegiances and bias affect the way I draft (some players I can’t bring myself to draft, not wanting to celebrate in their success). However, I like to think that’s part of what makes the fantasy baseball draft process a key part of preparing for the season ahead.

My hope and optimism for a good year for the A’s trumps everything else. Whether that proves to be misplaced or not will be decided over the next seven months and it’s a voyage of discovery I can’t wait to begin.