After a break, let’s take a look at the top 10 teams for
2014, starting at 10-6. These teams are either winning their division, taking a
wild card spot, or just missing the playoffs because just one more team is
better in their league.
10. Washington Nationals
2013 Record: 86-76
Oh, the Nationals. Every scout, every baseball analyst, and
frankly any writer that knows a little about baseball thought the Nationals
would win the pennant last season. Some people are doing that again. Injuries plagued this team,
including some to Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, among plenty of others. If they
can stay healthy, they can be BIG. They do have a new skipper in Matt Williams,
however, and he, like the Tigers’ new manager Brad Ausmus, have a team that can
win it all, so there are high expectations.
Best Player: Did anyone not realize that Stephen
Strasburg still had a good year last year? He struggled a bit early at the
beginning (and by struggle, I mean have a 3.60 ERA, which is “un-Strasburg”),
so he fell off the media. He had a career high in starts (30), struck out 191
in 183 innings pitched, and finished with a 3.00 ERA. Plus, he’s still only 25.
I can see him going up for Cy Young this year, so long as his team can provide
some power (a problem last year), he can win 15 games. That ERA will be under 3
this year.
Who needs to step up: Bryce Harper, and it’s more of a
thing where he needs to stay healthy rather than performing better. The offense
was the problem last year, mostly because of injuries. Harper still hit 20 home
runs in 118 games, and saw average, OBP, and slugging % all go up from his
Rookie of the Year season. This kid is only 21 years old. If he stays healthy
and tacks on 10 more home runs, he could be MVP.
The Nationals finished with the best record in September, so
can they stay hot? The division is slowly getting better, but I think they have
at least a wild card spot in the bag. Watch out for guys like Jordan Zimmerman
and Jayson Werth, who led the team last year, as well as Gio Gonzalez and Ian
Desmond, who had great years in 2012, but struggled last season. If this team
plays consistently, they are the best team in baseball.
Projected 2014 Record: 90-72
9. Tampa Bay Rays
2013 Record: 92-71
God do I love this team. The way they can get the best out of
every player with no money at all – all while getting a better record than a
team like the Yankees – astounds me. That being said, they still have some
great players, and having David Price for (most likely) one more year, they can
still make a run to the playoffs. They made an early exit to the eventual
champions last season, and boy do they want to change that.
Best Player: Price, but shout outs to Evan
Longoria, Rookie of the Year Wil Myers, and Ben Zobrist. We’ve seen what David
Price can do. Without him, the Rays would not be in the playoffs whatsoever.
Watching him in the play-in game against the Texas Rangers was one of the best
pitching performances of 2013. He has it all, and is still under 30. The
question is: will they trade him in the middle of the season? He is the biggest
trade bait in baseball, and the Rays can get a ton out of him.
Who needs to step up: There are some new additions to this
team to fill in some roles, like Ryan Hanigan from the Reds to play catcher,
and Grant Balfour from the Athletics to close. Jose Molina and Fernando Rodney
had good years last season, so Hanigan and Balfour need to fill those gaps.
Besides them – nothing much else. If Price does
get traded, then Matt Moore is the ace of this ball club, so he, of course,
would have to step up to win.
With the 2013 Rookie of the Year in Wil Myers, as well as
having guys who can hit from both sides, guys who can hit lefties, and guys who
can hit a home run or get on base, the Rays have it all on offense. I can see
them having the best OBP in the league this season.
As for pitching- it’s just as good. Of their five main
starters, I can see four of them winning at least 10 games. Things will be much
different with Price gone, however. They’re a team that can play just like last
year, but we’ll just have to wait and see what they do.
Projected 2014 Record: 91-71
8. Atlanta Braves
2013 Record: 96-66
Atlanta at 8?! They won 96 games, Evan! Well before
yesterday, I would have had them in the top 5. However, they just lost Kris
Medlen and Brandon Beachy for the season. Plus with a better division, they
might not dominate like they did last year. Despite this, they are still
really, really good. They’ve locked in some of their young players to long
contracts, like Freddie Freeman and Andrelton Simmons. They are set to win.
Who needs to step up: Dan Uggla and B.J. Upton stunk last
season. Justin Upton had a great start, but then just fell off the face of the
earth. Uggla and Upton cannot bat .220, or else they’ll get moved down. The
Braves’ farm system is just ok, but that’s mostly because they brought up
Simmons and Freeman. Uggla was not even a part of the playoffs for the Braves,
and I’m sure he would like to change that. So far in Spring Training, he has
been making his name out there.
Watch out for Jayson Heyward too. If he stays healthy, I can
see him hitting 30 home runs. Andrelton Simmons is just fun to watch, as he’s
the best defensive player in baseball. If you go to a Braves game, take a look
at that shortstop, there will probably be a good play that he’ll make.
Projected 2014 Record: 92-70
7. Pittsburgh Pirates
2013 Record: 94-68
The Pirates were the best team to watch last season, making
the playoffs for the first time in 20 years. It was sad to see them make an
early exit in the playoffs, though. Can they repeat what they had?
Best Player: The MVP, Andrew McCutchen. He can
hit, he can field, and he has the best plate discipline in baseball. It’s tough
to get him out. I don’t see him winning back to back MVP’s, but I see him being
their best hitter again. Watch the batting average drop, but watch him hit 30
home runs. He’s entering his age 27 season, so he’s just entering his prime
season. He can only get better from here on out.
Who needs to step up: Pitchers like Francisco Liriano,
Jason Grilli, and Mark Melancon really turned around last season and pitched
very well. In order for them to make the playoffs again, they got to play just
as well. Edison Volquez is the new pitcher in this rotation, so watch him
replace AJ Burnett, and maybe even win comeback player of the year.
Starling Marte is one of the most underrated players in the
game, and is the future left fielder of this team. Gerrit Cole too- he can
throw 100 mph and is only 23 years old. Watch those two potentially make an
all-star appearance.
This team is good, but they need to make sure that they play
just as well, because it’s a matter of consistency for them than anything. But
they have better hitting this year than last, and they might be top 5 in
pitching, again. Stay healthy, Pirates!
Projected 2014 Record:
92-70
6. Texas Rangers
2013 Record: 91-72
Sorry, Ian Kinsler. I don’t think the Rangers are actually
going to go 0-162. In fact, with Kinsler gone, they have some room with
Jurickson Profar and Elvis Andrus as their middle infielders, plus added Prince
Fielder for power and Shin-Soo Choo at the leadoff position. The Rangers enter
September as one of the best teams in baseball- and then always screw up somehow.
Best Player: Yu Darvish. The leader in strikeouts
in 2013 will do it again in 2014. Finishing in 2nd place in the Cy
Young voting, Darvish looks better than ever. Could he break the 300 mark in
strikeouts? That might be pushing it, but he can come close. He and Clayton
Kershaw are my two predictions for 20-game winners.
Who needs to step up: Prince Fielder, and here’s an
interesting reason why. The Rangers have choked big in September and in the
playoffs over the past five years. The same goes with Fielder- in the playoffs,
it took him forever just to get a hit. Why would the Rangers want a guy who has
sucked in the playoffs with the Tigers? I think it was more of getting rid of
Kinsler for the trade, but it’s not too late. If Fielder can get his game going
in the fall, so can the Rangers.
This team is very talented, but lately it’s been poorly run.
Despite that, they have enough raw talent to win 90 games.
Projected 2014 Record:
92-70
Email me at statsbuddy42@gmail.com
for any questions/comments/concerns.
-Evan Boyd
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