Dog Days of August – Season Predictions

So, the AL wins the All-Star game again lead by Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, this year the Yankees and a healthy amount of players in D.C., buuuttt, the Mets, well, they only have Cy-Young Frontrunner Jacob DeGrom who allowed a homer. Jean Segura, the most unlikely character to hit a game-winning three-run homer, but the real hero in this story is Alex Bregman, he put the tying blow in the ninth to keep the AL alive as the NL was up.

I didn’t like the hasty call that Max Scherzer would start the game for the NL because obviously, Max was at his home ballpark, blah, blah, blah, if you look closer, Scherzer is only better in one category, SOs. He is a strikeout machine, but DeGrom just doesn’t allow a run. Would you rather have no runs or strikeouts? Put your answers in the comment box. Bryce Harper is the slugger Bryce is. He won the Home Run Derby because there were no real contenders, yeah, OK, Jesus Aguilar, he had more homers than Bryce entering the All-Star break.

The unlikely contender in the finals is Kyle Schwarber. He partnered with NASA and sent one to the one a few times, but Bryce in that Hulk frame of his hit his 21 homers to beat Kyle. Then comes the Trade Deadline, Manny Machado gets traded to the Dodgers, ok, Dodgers just got a biiiggg boost. Then Jeurys Familia got traded and the Mets got a trash minor leaguer, a third baseman, and Bobby Wahl, who proved very successful in his Mets debut, as the Mets are really hoping for some help in the ‘pen.

Then little trades happened like Brad Hand and Lance Lynn but another big one was Mike Moustakas and Justin Schoop went to make some beer in Milwaukee with the Brew Crew.

Will they prove to be a good trade, I don’t know, but I do know that after the acquisitions, the Brewers playoff odds went up. Then, the Dodgers went out and got Brian Dozier, a player that I was praying the Mets would get after they traded Asdrubal Cabrera to the Phillies, the only trade that proved half-decently successful, acquiring rookie star Franklyn Kilome.

So, with an infield of Manny Machado, Brian Dozier, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, if I’m the opposing pitcher, I would intentionally walk every single one of them. If you calculate the HR totals from last year of each one of them, (The stats for Max Muncy are the stats for this year) the total is 144, you will not believe it. That is more homers than 24 players had on the Giants last year. The Astros have the biggest chance to win the World Series, but right behind them is the lovable Dodgers, then the team that went to the Series, two years ago, then, the Red Sox, then the Cubs.

BREAKING NEWS: I have just received word that Mickey Callaway will be Mets manager for the 2019 season. Welp, there goes another season down the drain.

Matt Carpenter doesn’t wear batting gloves but he is slugging those balls into the seats, I’ve always wondered why players don’t wear batting gloves, I thought it hurts if the ball connects in the wrong spot and then you feel like your thumb is broken. Maybe I should shed the batting gloves in my upcoming season? Franmil Reyes launches a homer 474 ft. in Wrigley Field, the longest there since Kris Bryant in 2015, we all know he was a consistent slugger, he just refreshed our memories.

So now for my mid-to 5/7 season predictions. The Red Sox are back on top of the Power Rankings and the Yankees fall down to seven, yeesh, harsh, very, harsh. The Cubs are in third as they are very hot. The Indians are back intact as Jose Ramirez is so hot, I think the only thing hotter in the world is the sun. The Phillies are next and are really making a comeback year and they’re in fifth in power rankings, Aaron Nola leads the team with a 2.37 ERA and every fifth day, the Phillies are bound to win. All three NL Cy Young candidates are in the East, or at least I think so, Jacob DeGrom, Mets, Max Scherzer, Nationals and Aaron Nola, Phillies, with DeGrom being the frontrunner in my mind.

NL East Winner: Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central Winner: Chicago Cubs

NL West Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

AL East Winner: Boston Red Sox

AL Central Winner: Cleveland Indians

AL West Winner: Houston Astros

NL Wild Card: Atlanta Braves

AL Wild Card: New York Yankees

NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves, Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

NLDS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago Cubs, Winner Chicago Cubs

ALDS: Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians, Winner: Boston Red Sox
ALDS: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees, Winner: New York Yankees

NLCS: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs, Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

ALCS: Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, Winner: Boston Red Sox

2018 World Series: Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Winner: Boston Red Sox

Player Awards:

AL MVP: Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

NL MVP: Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

AL Cy Young: Chris Sale, LHP, Boston Red Sox

NL Cy Young: Jacob DeGrom, RHP, New York Mets

AL Rookie of the Year: Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH, Los Angeles Angels

NL Rookie of the Year: Juan Soto, OF, Washington Nationals

AL Manager of the Year: Aaron Boone, New York Yankees

NL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs

AL Batting Title: Mookie Betts, OF, Boston Red Sox

NL Batting Title: Nick Markakis, OF, Atlanta Braves

AL Home Run Leader: Jose Martinez, DH, Boston Red Sox

NL Home Run Leader: Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies

AL Hits Leader: Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

NL Hits Leader: Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves

AL WAR Leader: Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

NL WAR Leader: Javier Baez, 2B, Chicago Cubs

AL Stolen Base Leader: Dee Gordon, 2B/OF, Seattle Mariners

NL Stolen Base Leader: Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals

Grab a hot dog on your way out.

Dog Days of August – Part One

Cole Hamels was a Cy Young candidate with the Phillies, a strikeout machine, he was one of the best, that’s why the Phillies won the World Series, now, when the Phillies traded Cole Hamels to the Rangers and he kind of went down. He wasn’t keeping hits to himself but he was letting the opponent hit the ball for base hits. But, when he was with the Phillies in his last three seasons and a half, he struck out 637 and with the Rangers, he struck out only 497 in his first three and a half seasons. But, there’s a catch, there’s always a catch, he allowed 69 homers in his last three and a half seasons, but, in his first three and a half seasons, he allowed 67 homers in his first three and a half seasons, so, I don’t know if he got better or worse. But I must say, Cole Hamels isn’t good at home, though he is a beast on the road, the newly acquired Cub will put a lot of distance between him and the Brewers in the NL Central Hunt.

Zack Cozart was a player that was not the greatest in Cincinnati, but he was a player you could rely on. His speed was not shown in his stolen bases but rather in his speed beating out infield hits or legging out a triple instead of a double. The 2017 All-Star was a great fielding stud, his fielding percentage (FLD%) is .978 in his first five complete seasons, which is very good for shortstops, which is even better than 3-time Gold Glove Winner, Brandon Crawford, who tops in at .977 in his three Gold Glove seasons and the two before it. Then he got traded for the Angels, a chance the initial plan for the season before any injuries or trades happened, was Zack Cozart at third, Andrelton Simmons at short, Ian Kinsler at second and Albert Pujols patrolling first. Luis Valbuena and Jefry Marte to switch around the infield. They could be playoff contenders. But then injuries struck, Zack Cozart went down for shoulder surgery; they had to call up David Fletcher. Then a few days ago they made one of the worst moves in all of franchise history, they traded away Ian Kinsler to the Red Sox, who the heck are they gonna play at second? They could play Luis Valbuena, but that’s a long shot, he’s a third baseman. There’s always Kaleb Cowart, a shortstop made second basemen, who played for the Angels last night, he was okay, hopefully, he could prove to be better and a supporting column of the lineup.

Jean Segura is one of the most underrated players in the business. His speed is mind-blowing, but, again, he has stolen bases, but he has speed in other things like hustle doubles or triples or beating out infield singles, he also has stolen at least 20 bases each of the past 5 seasons. He could hit for average and he has an average over .300 for the second season in a row. His walks have never been up because like me, I like to swing and I’m eager to hit. I think he would have been the runner-up for the AL batting title if not for a trip to the shelf the last few seasons. The 2018 All-Star put the decisive blow in the All-Star Game to power the AL to another win. He is definitely not known for his power is gracefully showing it over the past few years. He’s on pace for about 14 or 15 homers this year, but he is definitely a guy who could be in a starting role at shortstop and he is versatile at different positions around the diamond. He could lead a club to the postseason with help from players that could hit homers and they have Ryon Healy.

Johnny Cueto was a definite Cy Young candidate, he even had the honor to start the 2016 All-Star Game. He had a sizzling fastball, they were a great duo with Aroldis Chapman and he has one of the best changeups in the game along with his curve. He was the star of Cincinnati, I mean he was worshipped and then the Royals rented him for the 2015 World Series, and then he won a ring there. Then he was even more worshipped, he had a great year for the Giants near the bay. Theeeennn..........to put it lightly— it crashed and burned, injuries killed his pitching, he allowed more hits than SOs. He allowed 9.8 hits per 9IP. Right now, he’s on the DL, recovering from Tommy John Surgery, but we’re sure to see him and his shimmy soon. 

Kevin “Superman” Pillar is one of the best players defensively I have seen in my 11 years. He is a leadoff machine, you could trust him to get a hit and then steal second to easily start the game. Pillar has made the second or first best catch of the year to rob Nick Castellanos of a homer. He is really fast and granted that Curtis Granderson and Teoscar Hernandez aren’t that fast, Pillar is an asset in the outfield. He has a burst of power when you need him, buuut, the Blue Jays are loaded with power. He is a middle-in hitter and butchers pitches low and in. You should pitch him up and in and down and in, pitch him middle-in too. Pillar doesn’t have the greatest arm but that certainly shouldn’t put him at 90th, Pillar is a pillar of the Blue Jays. ­­­­­­

In my next installment, I’ll go out on a limb with predictions.