10 Things To Improve MLB

10 things that need to be changed, added, and/or developed to improve Major League Baseball:

 

1.   End MLB blackout restrictions!  PERIOD!

This needs to end!  I am in Iowa and I cannot watch 6 teams including my beloved Cubs on MLB.tv because of blackout restrictions.  Create a free market where anyone can view any team for a price.  You have no idea how much blackout restrictions currently hurt the sport of baseball.

 

2.   Bring the DH to the National League

I am tired of the talk it is not real baseball, that the AL should change, etc.  There are several pros and cons to bring the DH to the NL but the pros outweigh those cons.  I wrote about this in the past and you can see my remarks here.

 

3.   Expand the Major League Roster size to 26 players

This is something that I have been in support of for years.  Sure 25 players is all fine and dandy but expanding to 26 players will likely end or surely decrease the “do you go with 13 pitchers or 13 position players?” talk.  This will also expand the chances for younger and older players alike to make it or stay in The Show.  It also allows versatility and more options for the teams overall.

 

4.   Revamp the service time, super two status, and arbitration process

I am just not a fan of time dictating how much or little a player makes.  Not sure what to replace or how to revamp the process but it just needs to be done.

 

5.   Bring in the pitch clock

I am so tired of batters taking minutes in between pitches adjusting they batting gloves, checking their bat, wiping their cleats, etc.  But pitchers are at fault too!  They walk around, use the bag, move dirt around the mound etc.  To make the game more enjoyable please institute a 25 second pitch clock between pitches.  It is easy and does not really affect the sacred game of baseball.  It would make baseball more watchable to the average fan and overall I think it would increase more butts in the seats and eyes to the television.  To enforce the 25 second pitch clock is easy.  If the batter is the guilty party by going over the allotted time after the pitcher is ready to pitch then he gets an automatic strike placed on him.  If the pitcher is the guilty party going over that time then a called ball is awarded to the batter.  This is so logical, I am not sure why they have not done this by like… YESTERDAY!

 

6.   Limit the catcher, manager, pitching coach, other players meeting at the mound

Another way of speeding up the game.  I think each starting pitcher should get a limit of 3 meetings (a reliever should get 2) at the mound a game by either the catcher, manager, pitching coach, or other players.  Each meeting will last only 60 seconds and will utilize the same clock as the pitch clock for the meetings.  Also under this rule the 1ast meeting (3^rd for SP and 2^nd for RP) at the mound an “action” must be made whether it be a double switch, pitching change, etc…  Again this seems so logical to me.

 

7.   Change the playoff and division format… AGAIN

No more divisions in baseball and go back to the old format of a National League Division and American League Division.  But with one catch;  expand playoffs to 12 teams.  The top 6 teams out of the NL and the top 6 team in the AL will battle to be World Series Champions.  This playoff formula will be much like the NBA so with no further delaying here is my playoff system.

 

Both the NL and AL will have the same format playing in their own division until the World Series Game in which they will play each other. Each teams seed will correspond where they finished in their respected division. The better seed will always have home field advantage. First round games will go home/away/home for the better seeds. Second round games will go home/home/away/away/home for the better seeds. The Division Championship Series and the World Series  will go home/away/away/home/home/away/home in which home field advantage is still determined by league that wins the All-Star game.  See below for even more details-

 

First Round: Best of 3 games

6th seed vs. 3^rd seed

5^th seed vs. 4^th seed

1^st seed bye

2^nd seed bye

 

Second Round: Best of 5 games

1st seed vs. the worse of the two seeds remaining

2^nd seed vs. the better of the two seeds remaining

 

Division Championship Series: Best of 7 games

NL and AL Division Championship Game

 

World Series: Best of 7 games

NL Playoff Winner vs. AL Playoff Winner

 

Other notes:

-       Playoffs will start 3 days after the season concludes

-       There will be a maximum of 2 days between the starting of a series and the ending of a series.

-       The first two rounds there will be at least one baseball game on every day.

-       In the case of a tie a one game playoff will be played the day after the regular season concludes with the ballpark determined by coin toss. The winner of course advancing onto the playoffs.

 

8.   Do not change the MLB awards but change the description

The MVP should be saved for the most valuable position player not pitcher and the Cy Young award is for the best pitcher.  I do not believe a pitcher should be given the MVP because they only play in only about 20% of the 162 games played.  Giving a pitcher the MVP is just wrong and unfair to those players playing 100+ games a year.

 

9.   Change the Hall of Fame balloting

There should not be a limit on how many player you can vote for when it comes to the Hall of Fame.  I also believe they should increase the number of ballots for about 570 to an even 1000 and send them out to not only writers but to managers, coaches, players, announcers, bloggers, and fans to get a variety of opinions. I also think the managers, coaches, announcers and players should be a mix of former and current players.  Because of the increase in ballots sent I still believe that a player still needs to be on 75% of the ballots to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.  I also think the wait time to get on the hall of fame should decrease from 5 years to 3 years.  A player can remain on the ballot for 10 years or until they get below the ballot threshold of 25%. When they reach either 10 years or below 25% of the ballot they will be then be removed from any HOF consideration.  This process also goes for inducting managers, announcers, and other baseball employees who are eligible for the HOF.  I would also abolish the Veterans Committee.

 

10. Move around and create new deadlines/important dates

·         The current team’s exclusive negotiating rights for a soon to be free agent player expires on October 31^st

·         Free agency starts November 1^st and ends the first Sunday in December at midnight. This will cause a free agency frenzy much like the NFL does where all the players pretty much sign within the first month. Consequences by not signing by the first Sunday in December as a free agent is having to wait for the 2^nd free agent class signing.

·         2^nd free agency signing starts May 1^st and continues until next off-seasons free agency signing deadline. This signing period is for all players who did not sign by the first free agency signing date.

·         GM meeting will remain the same.

·         Move the All-Star Game to the last Tuesday in June and do the Homerun Derby the night before. This should be more in the middle of the season.

·         Move big trade deadline from the end of July to July 1^st. By moving the All-Star game up you can then move up the trade deadline (don’t want trade an All-Star player before the All-Star game, that could be a big issue). July 1^st is about the half-way point in the season so teams will still have an idea if they are buyers and sellers. 

I am just a fan of moving things forward and narrowing the window on deadlines.  I think by doing this it would make a more exciting off-season with a lot more action.  It would also leave the GM meeting to discuss trades rather than free agency which in turn increases the expectancy of trades.

 

I feel if Major League Baseball changed, added, and developed these things it would not only make the sport more appealing to die-hard fans like myself but to the average or even new fan.  The changes vary from significant to minor but adding all 10 would have such a positive impact on baseball as a whole.

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cubs Jayson Werth

 

I would like the Cubs to trade for 1 of these 5 players before the 2015 season starts. Note these players have been on the rumor trade block within the past year or so.  The Cubs are going to eventually have to make their Jayson Werth acquisition where they take on a big contract, trade for a guy in line for a contract, or pay out a big contract to a free agent.  The free agency does not look very good next season so I think capitalizing on a trade is the route they are going to have to take to receive an impact player.

 

1.     Carlos Gonzalez: He is by far my top pick because all the tools he provides and he is under the age of 30.  He is still under his large contract of 7 years 80M and set to become a free agent in 2018.  It is a gamble taking on such a big contact but you never have to worry about him leaving for free agency until 2018. You do worry about his trade cost though.  I still think the Cubs can get him without Baez or Bryant.

 

2.     Giancarlo Stanton: Not eligible for free agency until 2017 but he will get expensive quick since he is making $6.5M in his first year of arbitration.  His knees are troublesome but his power is not.  He is a close 2^ndbehind Cargo and his trade value maybe even higher. He will be really hard to get away from Miami.

 

 

3.     Jason Heyward: He may have the lowest trade value considering the decline in numbers at the plate but that should not scare off anyone considering he is a left-handed power bat who can play gold glove defense in RF.  Oh and did I mention the fact he is only 24 years old.  His contract could be worrisome because he is eligible for free agency in 2016 but Heyward is the kind of guy you don’t let get away.  I think the Braves will end up trading him especially since they are re-upping their superstars to mega deals except for Heyward who is only on a two year deal worth $13.3M.  I think the Cubs can get Heyward for a lower end top 10 prospect in their system.  I could see a guy like Alacantra be on the move to the Braves in a Heyward deal.

 

4.     Matt Kemp: The Dodgers have an outfield issue on where to play 4 high price athletes in 3 outfield positions.  Now I understand these things kind of work themselves out but the Dodgers could capitalize on this unfortunate problem by trading one of them.  The player that makes the most sense is Matt Kemp since he has the most upside and he is still on the right side of 30.  Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford are both older, on the decline, and owed more money than they are worth. Puig…no way he is traded! Matt Kemp on the other hand still has value which they could capitalize on.  The other thing that may force the Dodgers hand is outfield prospect Joc Pederson who is killing it in AAA.  To me this makes a ton of sense for the Cubs to get their Jayson Werth.  They will be taking on a huge contact on a guy likely not worth that kind of money. But they need a youngish veteran player on this team and apart of the core.  He fills that plus we all know his upside of a possible 30/30 guy is really obtainable if he remains healthy.  There is a huge gamble here especially since his contract is big and his trade cost will be comparable Heyward or maybe even a little more.  This would be a do or die deal for the Cubs but I think it is a chance they are willing to take.

 

5.     Matt Wieters: He is the last guy on my list but could have a big impact as well.  A left-handed bat that will hit 20+ homers at the catcher position is hard to come by.  The knock against Wieters is of course he is represented by Boras and will be a free agent in 2016.  His cost should remain high as well but not as high as anyone else on this list.  Wieters is also a solid backstop which makes acquiring him even more intriguing.  I am not saying by any means that I am not happy with Castillo but I do have doubts on whether he is the catcher of the future for the Chicago Cubs.

 

In the end I think the Cubs are in a good position if they deal for any of these 5 players.  I think a guy like Carlos Gonzalez would have the most impact but I also think he would be the hardest to pry away.  I think trading for a guy like Kemp or Heyward would be the most likely given the contract status of the players and the risk involved in the deal for the Cubs.  Giancarlo Stanton is the least likely to happen because of this asking price and the desire to get a long term deal done in Miami.  While Matt Wieters maybe the less sexiest option out of the 5 he also has the lowest risk.  Each deal has its pros and cons but when it comes down to it which one of these players will become the Cubs “Jayson Werth?”

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

 

Cubs Prospects Moving Makes 2014 Exciting

We all know and feel this is a turning corner year for the Chicago Cubs.  Not in respect to wins but in respect to turning the corner to see the actual work Theo and Jed have done through trades and the draft.  The Cubs have a lot of prospects knocking on the door with 3 of the big 4 sitting in AA/AAA which means this season we could and should see some of those prospects make or come close to being called up to the Big Show.  It was until yesterday I realized how important, special, and exciting this year is to be a Cubs fan especially here in Iowa.  Let me show you what I am talking about.

 

Here is a list of prospects who are not only “likely” to make the jump to the Chicago Cubs but I feel are almost certain to make that jump THIS SEASON:

 

·         Javier Baez

·         Arismendy Alcantara

·         Kyle Hendricks

·         Arodys Vizcaino

·         Matt Szczur

·         Zac Rosscup

 

Besides Rosscup that is 5 of the top 20 best prospects in the Cubs organization.  The main question is where do you play all these guys?  Well injuries, trades, and players being DFA will likely solve part of that question for most of the players on this list.  I also give you an example of Mike Olt who could be a part of the future and he is seeing split playing time with Luis Valbuena.  You could see something very similar with the players above.  I by no means think these players would be called up if they were not going to get good solid playing time.  Some may end up in Mike Olt’s position where he has to prove he belongs in the starting lineup every day.  It also helps that players like Baez and Alcantara are likely to see time at 2b, SS, and 3^rd base in both the minors and majors so it would give Ricky Renteria a lot of options and chances to get all these players consistent at bats and playing time.

 

Other players that are less likely to see the jump but still could are Brett Jackson, Josh Vitters, Christian Villanueva, Eric Jokish, Neil Ramirez, Carlos Pimental, and Logan Watkins.

 

Now possibly equally exciting is the players that would make the jump for AA Tennessee to AAA Iowa.  Here are those players that will likely make the jump THIS SEASON:

 

·         C.J. Edwards

·         Ivan Pineyro

·         Pierce Johnson

·         Kris Bryant

·         Jorge Soler

 

C.J. Edwards has been nothing short of amazing for the Smokies and I think it will be a race between him and Bryant who will be called up to Iowa first.  Mainly because as impressive as Edwards has been on the mound Bryant has been equally impressive at the plate.  Although injuries have slowed Soler I think he is owed too much money not to make the jump to Iowa this year.  Ivan Pineyro looks like a bullpen guy for 2015 so I think he gets the call to Iowa as well.  I have been going back and forth on Pierce but I think he will get the call to Iowa late in 2014.

 

Other players less likely to make the jump are Dustin Geiger, Anthony Giansanti, Armando Rivero, Corey Black, and Dae-Eun Rhee.

 

It is quite possible we will see 10 of the Top 20 Chicago Cubs organizational prospects moving to Chicago or Iowa in 2014.  That is enough to get you really excited for the rest of this season and especially for 2015.

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

 

Thoughts From Last Nights I-Cubs Game

I attended last night’s windy and cold Iowa Cubs game with some family and friends.  Here is some analysis from seeing several of the Cubs top 20 prospects in action:

 

·         Kyle Hendricks control is flat out impressive.  I do not think he ever threw a pitch that was completely out of the zone.  Hendricks does not exactly have an “out pitch” or a high velocity fastball but the guy hits his spots on both sides of the plate.  The other thing that is superior to me for a 24 year old pitcher is he works up and down in the zone with ease and seems to calculate every pitch.  That is something you just do not see in a pitcher especially at 24 year old.  He only gave up two base hits and walked two (the ump had a really small zone last night) but that did not impress me as much as how quickly Kyle worked.  Kyle Hendricks is a no non-sense analytical control pitcher who is going to be in Chicago sometime this year.  Mark My Words!  Oh.. and the guy has a tremendous pickoff move which Alex Bucholtz found out.

·         One thing I learned about Javier Baez is that he does not get cheated when swinging the bat which could end up tallying up those Ks pretty quickly.  He also needs to be more selective at the plate and lay off the high heat out of the zone.  He had 3 swings and misses with high heat last night in his 3 ABs.  In the field Baez looked pretty solid at SS.  On this day Baez did not do anything special but his swagger and style completely set him apart from everyone else on the diamond.  He does have superstar written all over him.

·         Matt Szczur impressed me about as much as Hendricks.  Matt has a pretty quick swing and the guy can fly around the bases.  In the first inning he hit the ball on the line over the centerfielders head that made it to the wall which was about 15-20 yard behind him.  Szczur slid into 3^rd but he could have gotten their standing up.  In fact I thought we may have seen an inside the park homerun if there is any bobble out by the outfielder.  Szczur has 3 solid hits and should have had 2 SB but the 2^ndbase ump blew a safe call at 2^nd on an attempted steal by Matt.  While I don’t think Matt will ever be an everyday OF for an MLB team he will be a very productive 4^th outfielder in the ML very soon.

·         Christian Villanueva went 0-4 with 3 Ks but watching him in the field is a treat.  The movement he has without the ball, the range, and his arm makes playing 3^rd base just look too easy.  The guy is a smooth criminal out there at the hot corner and to me, defensively right now; he can play near gold glove defense at 3^rd just from what I have observed in a 9 inning game last night.  Defensively he reminds me a lot of watching Scott Rolen… seriously!

·         Arismendy Alcantara had a good night getting 2 hits including a homer, two runs, an RBI, and a SB.  Him and Baez seem to have a good relationship on and off the diamond.  They were stretching, talking, and playing catch together.  Something I like seeing 2 top 75 prospects do (chemistry man!  CHEMISTY).  As fast as Szczur is I am not sure he can beat Alcantara in a foot race.  Yep he is that fast.  The homer AA hit was a line drive to RF that cleared the high wall by 15-20 feet.  It was a shot and you could tell it was gone just by hearing the sound it made off of the bat.  He was simply awesome last night.

 

Overall last night was a good night to see the Iowa Cubs.  With guys like AA, Hendricks, and Baez just one step away from Chicago it is easy to get excited about what the future has for the Cubs as a whole.

 

Until Next Time….

 

 

 

5 Cub Players To Trade....

5 players I would like the Cubs front office to trade before the trade deadline:

 

1.     Jeff Samardzija:  The most likely to be dealt because he has the most value.  Plus honestly he does not understand the vision of the front office and it gets under my skin with his comments to the media.  I will be happy when front office finally makes this trade and get players to actually help the future.

 

2.     Edwin Jackson: Theo and Jed’s biggest mistake and it is time to cut the ties.  Let’s just hope he bounces back a bit to get that trade value as high as possible.  Trading him is a loss no matter how he does but it would be better to limit that loss as much as possible. So turn it around Edwin!

 

3.     Nate Schierholtz: I really like Nate and he is going to really help a team during their playoff push.  He has good trade value right now and it is better to cash in before the Cubs lose him for nothing.

 

4.     Darwin Barney: I am in the minority thinking Barney has good trade value as a utility infielder/defensive replacement.  He will be traded before the deadline because the Cubs have several infield prospects knocking on the door.  Not to mention several players currently on the MLB roster looking for more playing time.

 

5.     James Russell:  He is cheap, somewhat effective, and a lefty specialist.  But he also has a ton of miles on that arm which is why dealing him before the deadline needs to happen.  I think they can get Sean Marshall trade value from him and they missed out selling high on him last year so they do not want to wait too long to pull the trigger.

 

An interesting player I left off the list is Jason Hammel.  I fell Hammel could be a part of the future as a 5^th starter.  He would stay with the Cusb which would then force out Edwin Jackson.  Hammel is also cheaper which is a huge benefit and honestly I love what he brings to this team.  If the Cubs went into 2015 looking for two free agent impact pitchers to go along with Wood, Arrieta, and Hammel I would be a happy camper.  Can you imagine the Cubs getting two of Jon Lester, Justin Masterson, or Max Scherzer to go along with Wood, Arrieta, and Hammel.  What a nice rotation that would be!

 

Until Next Time…

Opening Day Thought & Tweaking the Lineup

Some thoughts I had from the first game:

 

·         Our defense looks pretty solid.

·         We need an RBI threat in this lineup.

·         Bunting again…I hate bunting.

·         Not worried about guys struggling this early.

·         Shark’s trade value is going to be a lot better this year.

·         No reason not to have Bonifacio play every day.

·         A lot of opening day jitters on both sides.

·         The lineup already needs tweeked (more later).

·         I think our pen might be pretty solid this year.

·         Why does Neil Walker kill us.

 

Now in regards to our lineup.  I hate already questioning Renteria’s first ever lineup but that is exactly what I am going to do.  Here is what I see as a solid lineup against RHP and LHP.

 

Against RHP:

 

1.     Bonifacio CF

2.     Kalish LF

3.     Rizzo 1^st

4.     Olt 3b

5.     Castro SS

6.     Schierholtz RF

7.     Valbuena 2b

8.     Castillo C

9.     Pitcher

 

Against LHP:

1.     Bonifacio CF

2.     Castro SS

3.     Olt 3b

4.     Lake LF

5.     Rizzo 1b

6.     Ruggiano RF

7.     Castillo C

8.     Barney

9.     Pitcher

 

This is the lineups I would trot out on a regular basis.  I do realize that other players are going to get more (including Sweeney who is not in either lineup) playing time but it is pretty interchangeable to me.  I believe Bonifacio should always lead off until he needs a day off then I think Kalish should get the leadoff spot those days.  I also think bathing Rizzo 3^rd or 4^th against a lefty is a mistake.  I would suggest batting him 5^th or even 2^nd when a lefty is on the mound.  I also love Lake in a RBI spot against a lefty.  In a small sample size Lake is hitting .375 with a .412 OBP in 64 AB.  We have a nice lineup and a nice balance.  It just needs to be tweaked some to get the most production.

 

This just makes sense to me but I would also like to hear your take.

 

Until Next Time..

 

 

 

 

Prediction: Cubs, Awards, and the Playoffs

Cubs Predictions:

 

Cubs record: 77-85

Team MVP: Starlin Castro

Cubs ERA leader: Travis Wood 3.24 ERA

Cubs HR leader: Anthony Rizzo 28 HR

Cubs BA leader: Starlin Castro .315 AVG

Cubs RBI leader: Mike Olt 88 RBI

Cubs SB leader: Emilio Bonifacio 22 SB

5      Bold things:

1.     Cubs will finish ahead of the Cards and Brewers in the NL Central Standings

2.     Mike Olt will hit 25+ HR

3.     Kalish/Bonifacio will steal a total of 40 bags

4.     8 players in the Cubs organization will be traded from the Cubs before the trade deadline

5.     Baez will be called up to the majors on July 25^th for the Cardinal series at Wrigley.

 

 

 

Awards

 

AL MVP: Mike Trout

AL Rookie of the Year: Jose Abreu

AL Cy Young: Jon Lester

 

NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen

NL Rookie of the Year: Billy Hamilton

NL Cy Young: Homer Bailey

 

 

Playoffs

 

AL East Division Winner: Boston Red Sox

AL Central Division Winner: Kansas City Royals

AL West Division Winner: LA Angels

Wild Card #1: New York Yankees

Wild Card #2: Detroit Tigers

 

AL Championship: Angels over Yankees

 

NL East Division Winner: Washington Nationals

NL Central Division Winners: Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West Division Winners: LA Dodgers

Wild Card #1: Atlanta Braves

Wild Card #2: Cincinnati Reds

 

NL Championship: Pirates over Nationals

 

World Series: Pirates over Angels

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

 

Predicting the opening day roster....again

OK, I was just a bit outside as Bob Uecker would say in reference to my first go round with Predicting the 25 man roster.  So here is what I predicted the 25 man roster would be back on February 13^th.

 

Pitchers

 

Jeff Samardzija

Travis Wood

Jake Arrieta

Edwin Jackson

Jason Hammel

Jose Veras

James Russell

Arodys Vizcaino

Carlos Villanueva

Zac Rosscup

Wesley Wright

Pedro Strop

 

Position Players

 

Welington Castillo

Anthony Rizzo

Darwin Barney

Starlin Castro

Mike Olt

Junior Lake

Ryan Sweeny

Nate Schierholtz

Justin Ruggiano

Donnie Murphy

Luis Valbeuna

George Kottaras

Josh Vitters

 

Ok I had 4 bad calls which included Josh Vitters, Zac Rosscup, Jake Arreita, and Aroydis Vizcaino.  But not too bad for playing the guessing game back in Feb.

 

Now here is my prediction for the 25-man roster including the starting lineup for Opening Day.

 

Starting Pitchers: (note the starters may not be in rotation order)

1.     Jeff Smardzija

2.     Travis Wood

3.     Edwin Jackson

4.     Chris Rusin

5.     Jason Hammel

 

Bullpen

6.     Jose Veras CL

7.     James Russell

8.     Pedros Strop

9.     Carlos Villanueva

10.   Wesley Wright

11.   Alberto Cabrera

12.   Hector Rondon

 

Starting Lineup

1.     Emilio Bonifacio 2b

2.     Starlin Castro SS

3.     Anthony Rizzo 1^st

4.     Mike Olt 3b

5.     Nate Schierholtz RF

6.     Junior Lake LF

7.     Welington Castillo C

8.     Ryan Sweeney CF

 

Bench

9.     George Kottaras C

10.   Justin Ruggiano OF

11.   Donnie Murphy IF/OF

12.   Luis Valbuena IF

13.   Ryan Kalish OF

 

Notes from my new 25 man roster prediction:

-       I still think it is possible that Nate Schierholtz and Darwin Barney both get traded but I think Barney being traded is a give in.  There are several teams looking for depth, upgrade, or a replacement in the middle infield.  Barney will not be on the Chicago Cubs roster by Opening Day.

-       Chris Rusin wins a rotation spot.  They guys has been effective from last year to this spring.  This could also build his trade value plus most managers love to have at least two lefties in the rotation.

-       Bonifacio starting?  Oh yeah he is a legit leadoff guy the Cubs want and he bring something special to this team.

-       Olt wins the 3^rd base job.  He will not get the playing time he needs at Iowa with Christian Villanueva starting there.  Keep in mind Olt could play 1^stin Iowa but that does not help him get reps at 3b that the Cubs want.  He will get those reps in Chicago plus his bat will keep him on this team.

-       Ryan Kalish is the surprise this spring and he will nail down the 5^th outfielder spot.

-       Hector Rondon and Alberto Cabrera win a bullpen spot over Justin Grimm and others.  Grimm has options and Cabrera does not.  I also think Rondon nails down a spot.

 

Now let’s see how close I am to being correct.

 

Until Next Time…

 

 

 

 

Bring the DH to the NL

The DH has been passionately discussed over the past years. So I want to say that I come out completely in favor of having the DH in the both leagues. Here is why-

· Having a DH protects your pitchers.
The last thing you want is your pitcher who is getting paid to pitch to get hurt while batting or running the bases. The pitcher does not get paid to hit; they get paid to pitch.

· Adding a DH brings bat the balance of power among the two leagues.
Right now in interleague play and the World Series the AL has a huge advantage in their ballpark. While teams in the AL have players like David Ortiz, Jim Thome, Travis Hafner, etc.. for their DH; teams in the NL get to put out utility players and 4th outfielders in that spot. The balance of power needs to be more equal and adding the DH to the NL does that.

· Balancing the “perks” of signing a player to a big contract favors having a DH.
Right now the NL is at a huge disadvantage because a team in the AL can hand out mega deals to the best hitters in the game regardless of defense and age. If a dynamic hitter in the American League can no longer play the field in year 3 of a 7 year deal it is not an issue because they can still plug that player in the DH spot. Where as in the NL you are stuck to either trading, releasing, benching, or letting the player play the field even though he is a defensive liability.

· Making the game more exciting.
So many pitchers get off the hook with the pitcher hitting. It is essentially a free spot for the opposing team when that pitcher comes up to bat. By adding an actual hitter to the lineup you have more big opportunities in a game which makes the game more exciting.


· Veterans/Hitters have more places to play and more options.
There is the potential of 15 more spots for aging veteran ball players or players that simply can hit but not play the field. Players like Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, Carlos Lee, etc.. who are still free agents would likely be a part of the MLB right now if the DH existed in the National League. Not only that but players coming up through the minors (Dan Vogelbach) who are good hitters but maybe blocked by an All-Star at their position have more of an opportunity to stay with that team because of the DH option. Furthermore it would allow all players access to all 30 teams through free agency. Because lets be honest a player like Adam Dunn does not have 30 options for several reason but not having a DH in both leagues should not be one of them. Fact is Adam Dunn wanted to sign with the Cubs at a discounted when he was a free agent. It went even as far as hearing speculation that he may accept a one year deal to play for the Cubbies. But because the Cubs were so worried about his defense at 1st and did not have a spot in the outfield they passed on him. If the Cubs had the DH he would have been signed by the them. I have a feeling this is the not a rare occurrence either, we just don’t hear about it.

All in all I am not sure how you argue against the Designated Hitter at this point. The game basics are the same but baseball overall has dramatically changed over time. The average fan likes the long ball, 8 to 7 final scores, and offense overall. Hardcore and traditional fans do love the strategy and tidbits of the game which I respect (and do not discount) but most average fans do not understand that portion of the game. I have evolved on this issue and now firmly support the National League adopting the Designated Hitter. 

14 Predictions for Spring Training 2014... Cubs Style!

Here are my 14 predictions for Spring Training 2014




1. Mike Olt will win the 3rd base starting job.

I have stated this before but I feel he will take the job in Spring Training and prove to a lot of his doubters he still has top prospect upside and can transform that this year into a good season with the Chicago Cubs.




2. Darwin Barney will be traded before Opening Day.

With Mike Olt getting the starting job as in prediction 1 this makes it easier for the Cubs to deal Barney who oddly enough still has trade value because of his defense.  Dodgers are one team looking for middle infield help and Barney could provide that. With other decent defensive and superior offensive players on the roster that can play 2nd moving Barney is a no brainer.




3. Arodys Vizcaino will nail down the setup man role.

A guy coming off injury has the stuff to be a starter or a dominate reliever will finally prove healthy and cement him in one strong areas of the Cubs this year the bullpen.  He is going to blow us all away.




4. Josh Vitters will become a utility player/power bat off the bench for the Cubs.

The Cubs need power on this team and with the likeness of the Bryant and Baez still remaining in the minors to start 2014 the Cubs can get that in the form of Josh Vitters.  I think he proves this year he belongs on this Chicago Cubs team even if it is as a bench player.




5. Jake Arrieta will start the year on the DL.

The arm issues are troubling and him getting a late start is even more so.  I think to protect him he will start the season on the DL showing once again why pitching depth is needed.




6. Starlin Castro will return to form.

I think during this ST training we will see the Castro of old because of the new coaching staff.




7. Bonifacio will make the 25 man roster.

I just think this guys has something the Cubs need and he will impress and give Renteria a lot more options on a daily basis.




8. Anthony Rizzo will be an All-Star because of Bill Mueller in Spring Training.

I think just working with Bill Mueller will help a lot of players on this team but none more than Rizzo.  I think his addition to the team is the single biggest improvement from 2013 to 2014.  He will make Rizzo a more complete hitter getting him All-Star status.




9. The Cubs will go with 3 lefties in the pen.

I think Renteria and his staff will go balance in the pen this year with at least 3 lefties which bodes well for Russell, Wright, Rusin, Rosscup, Jokish, Sanchez, Wada, and Hottovy.




10. Not one top prospect will start the season on the 25 man roster.

This should go without saying but neither Alacantra, Baez, Bryant, Almora, Soler, or any others will start the season with he parent club.




11. The rooftop saga will end on a positive note.

I think the renovation saga will conclude during ST and even allow the Cubs to do some "light construction" before and during the 2014 season.  I think it will eventually end with the Ricketts family buying out one rooftop just like Tom Loxas has stated recently finally concluding the drama.




12. The Cubs Opening Day starter will be Travis Wood.

With all the problems recently toward Shark and his contract neg. through the media.  Not to mention him not completely being on board with the rebuild and other things Travis Wood gets the Opening Day nod.




13. James McDonald will start the season in the Chicago Cubs rotation.

It is not hard to see that if I have Arrieta starting the season on the DL then McDonald would fill his spot but that is not the only reason...




14. Jeff Samardzija is traded before Opening Day.

With all the BS surrounding Shark with the rebuild, contract negotiations, wanting Ace money, supporting Hendry, and really just not being a team player; the Cubs finally pull the trigger and trade Shark. They trade him to a team that either ends up paying the Cubs high asking price because of an injury. Or maybe a team that finally realizes they do not think they have a team to make the playoffs :cough: Blue Jays :cough:




Those are my 14 prediction for the 2014 season!  Until Next Time...