AL East:

1. Red Sox 93-69
2. Orioles 92-70
3. Yankees 79-83
4. Rays 79-83
5. Blue Jays 76-86

AL Central:

1. White Sox 92-70
2. Tigers 90-72
3. Indians 88-74
4. Royals 84-78
5. Twins 72-90

AL West:

1. Mariners 94-68
2. Angels 89-73
3. A’s 82-80
4. Rangers 79-83
5. Astros 75-87

NL West:

1. Dodgers 93-69
2. Giants 84-78
3. Padres 82-80
4. Diamondbacks 72-90
5. Rockies 68-94

NL East:

1. Nationals 94-68
2. Marlins 86-76
3. Mets 84-78
4. Braves 78-84
5. Phillies 66-96

NL Central:

1. Cardinals 89-73
2. Reds 88-74
3. Cubs 87-75
4. Pirates 86-76
5. Brewers 75-87

Postseason:

• NL Wild Card: Cubs over Reds
• NL Division Series: Dodgers over Cardinals
• NL Division Series: Cubs over Nationals
• NL Championship Series: Dodgers over Cubs
• AL Wild Card: Orioles over Tigers
• AL Division Series: White Sox over Red Sox
• AL Division Series: Mariners over Orioles
• AL Championship Series: Mariners over White Sox
• World Series: Mariners over Dodgers in 7

AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez, NL Cy Young: Jon Lester

AL MVP: Robinson Cano, NL MVP: Yasiel Puig

AL Rookie of the Year: Taijuan Walker NL Rookie of the Year: Jorge Soler

I hope you all enjoyed the “Preview Articles” this month. I have had a blast writing them, and have learned some important things along the way. I will be back in March of 2016 to do these all over again with a new and improved layout. If you take anything away from these articles, take the “beauties” of the game. They are scattered throughout the articles and will show the important little things in the game. Enjoy the 2015 baseball season and GO CUBS GO!

The post MLB 2015 Predictions Edition #31 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Notable Additions: Brandon Beachy SP, Brett Anderson SP, Jimmy Rollins SS, Yasmani Grandal C, Howie Kendrick 2B, Brandon McCarthy SP, Joel Peralta P

Notable Losses: Dan Haren SP, Hanley Ramirez SS, Dee Gordon 2B, Matt Kemp OF, Paul Maholm SP

I absolutely love what the Dodgers did this offseason. They’ll probably miss the power bat of Hanley Ramirez but they definitely won’t miss his defense. I almost didn’t put SS by Ramirez’s name up top because it’s just sad to consider him a shortstop. The loss of Kemp will hurt Joc Pederson doesn’t pan out. The Dodgers added veteran leadership that should help out in the clubhouse.

Nobody should be worried about the starting rotation led by Clayton Kershaw. If you’ve been living under a rock, Kershaw was awarded the NL Cy Young award and NL MVP in 2014. Zack Greinke is one of the best number two pitchers in the game. He has finished each of the last two seasons with 15+ wins and an ERA under 2.72. Greinke would be the ace on quite a few teams right now. Hyun-jin Ryu comfortably holds the third spot in the rotation. Ryu currently holds a 3.17 ERA through 344 innings of work in his time with the Dodgers. McCarthy and Anderson are solid four and five guys. My favorite move was the signing of Brandon Beachy. Beachy missed all of 2014 with an arm injury and has been injured throughout the past few seasons. This signing was a low risk, high reward. If Beachy is unable to return to form, the team won’t be hurt by the loss. If Beachy does return to form, it could be an absolute nightmare for opponents. Beachy has a 3.23 career ERA and averages 9.2 strikeouts per 9 innings.

The Dodgers found a new middle infield with the additions of Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick. Rollins is a major defense upgrade at short and brings veteran leadership that might help this team gel. Kendrick has a career batting average of .292 and brings consistency to the lineup. Dodger fans can count on Kendrick performing at a high level every day.

The loss of Matt Kemp means that prospect Joc Pederson will see action in 2015. Perderson has collected a .302 batting average and a .524 slugging percentage during his time in the minors. He has the ability steal bases and can hit for power. He should strikeout at a high rate but the Dodgers will hope to change that over time. It’s a good environment for any rookie to play in. The Dodgers have an unbelievable amount of talent to go along with veterans who will help Pederson adjust. Even if Joc struggles, the Dodgers have more than enough fire power to make up for it.

Breakout Player: Yasmani Grandal C

Joc Pederson is the obvious breakout player to watch in 2015 and the rest of this team is made of super stars. Yasmani Grandal will have the opportunity to hit in a new ballpark with talent to back him up in the lineup. He finished last season with 15 home runs but struggled to hit for average. He should have more opportunities to drive in runs and will be looking to take advantage of them. If healthy I expect:

.268 BA, 17 HR, 57 RBI’s .422 SLG

Game Changer: Kenley Jansen CP

If the Dodgers have a weak spot it’s the bullpen. They haven’t been awful but they have struggled to find consistency. Jansen’s stuff is just plain filthy. He finished with a 2.76 ERA and 44 saves in 2014. Everyone knows that the offense and starting pitching will be there. If Jansen can stay healthy and close out games, the Dodgers would almost be guaranteed a playoff spot.

The Dodgers own the NL West. They have overflowing talent and are poised to make another playoff run in 2015. Expect them to run away with the division.

Make sure to check back in on March 31st for my complete standing predictions along with a few other fun pieces of news. Until then, you will be able to find a new preview of an individual team from March 1st through the 30th here at KRUI.FM.

The post Los Angeles Dodgers 2015 Preview Edition #5 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Notable Additions: Rubby De La Rosa SP, Allen Webster SP, Jeremy Hellickson P, Yasmany Tomas OF/3B

Notable Losses: Wade Miley SP, Didi Gregorius SS, Miguel Montero C

Arizona will miss Wade Miley and Miguel Montero. Miley has been one of the club’s better pitchers over the past four seasons. I think Miley is undervalued. People often fail to realize that Miley has been a workhorse his first four seasons. Miley became a full time starter back in 2012. He gave the Dbacks 194.2 innings of work and finished with a 3.33 ERA as a starter. He’s given the club over 200 innings of work in each of the last two seasons. Montero brought solid left-handed bat to the lineup. I’m excited to have him in Chicago.

The Diamondbacks struggled throwing the ball effectively last season. The starting rotation ranked in the bottom five in all of baseball with a 4.26 ERA. The bullpen never quite figured it out in 2014. Addison Reed finished the season with a 4.25 ERA as the team’s closer. He held a record of 1-7 with 6 blown saves. The front office brought in a few new arms to help out in 2015. Jeremy Hellickson looks to be the most promising of the new members. He’s coming off of two disappointing season with the Rays but still has time do correct his issues. Hellickson finished with a 2.95 ERA through 189 innings of work back in 2011. Hellickson is my runner up for game changing player for Arizona in 2015. If he is able to to correct his flaws, he will impact the team in a huge way.

The Diamondbacks will love having Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo back. Both players missed significant time in 2014 due to injury. Goldschmidt is undoubtedly the core of this team and has the potential to be the NL MVP. The first baseman finished with 36 home runs, 125 RBI’s, a .301 batting average and a .551 slugging percentage in 2013. Trumbo brings a much needed power bat to the lineup. Trumbo finished with over 30 home runs in both 2012 and 2013. The team will rely on these two players for offense.

Goldschmidt and Trumbo might have a little extra help this season from the young slugger Yasmany Tomas. Tomas is a Cuban phenom who is known for his power bat. The Diamondbacks locked Tomas up with a 6 year $68.5 million deal this offseason. He will have the opportunity to play 3rd base this season and will look to aid this ailing offense.

Breakout Player: A.J. Pollock CF

I feel like everyone is talking about Yasmany Tomas so I decided to pick someone different for my breakout player. Pollock showed that he has the capability of being a solid center fielder in 2014. He finished the season with a .302 batting average through 265 at bats. I see a lot of potential in Pollock and truly believe that he can be a difference maker for this club. He should continue to improve with Goldshmidt and Trumbo back in the lineup. If healthy I expect:

.281 BA 18 SB 13 HR 49 RBI’s, .443 SLG 

Game Changer: Patrick Corbin SP

Corbin is coming off of Tommy John Surgery and should return sometime in the middle of summer. He has not pitched since 2013 when he finished with a 3.41 ERA through 208.1 innings. Corbin gives the starting rotation a significant boost when healthy. He has the ability to work deep into games and is effective on both righties and lefties. The rotation has the potential to be solid if he returns to form.

The Diamondbacks will need a lot of things to go right if they want a shot at competing in 2015. The starting rotation will struggle with the loss of Miley and will be waiting for the return of Patrick Corbin. The offense will be much better than last year and fans will be wanting to see an immediate contribution from Yasmany Tomas. The NL West will most likely find a way to keep Arizona at the bottom of the standings in 2015.

Make sure to check back in on March 31st for my complete standing predictions along with a few other fun pieces of news. Until then, you will be able to find a new preview of an individual team from March 1st through the 30th here at KRUI.FM.

The post Arizona Diamondbacks 2015 Preview Edition #4 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Notable Additions: Matt Kemp OF, Wil Myers OF, Justin Upton OF, Will Middlebrooks 3B, Derek Norris C, James Shields SP, Brandon Morrow SP, Brandon Maurer P

Notable Losses: Everth Cabrera SS, Seth Smith OF, Ryan Hanigan C, Jesse Hahn SP, Yasmani Grandal C

I’ll start by saying that I applaud A.J. Preller for the aggressive moves. As a fan and an analyst, I think it’s interesting to see aggressive/bold moves. People are finally realizing that teams don’t have to go through a five year rebuilding process.

I’m not saying that you can create an entire team overnight but you can certainly make impactful moves. The Padres added a new outfield, catcher, third-baseman and an ace all in one offseason. It’s nearly impossible to say that they will be worse in 2015. Even though I think they improved, I still think they lack a true offense and I am far from jumping on the San Diego bandwagon.

I was waiting all offseason for the Padres to make a move for a center fielder… I’m still waiting. It looks like they will throw either Wil Myers or Matt Kemp out in center. I think everyone can agree that this will be one of the worst defensive outfields that baseball has seen in a long time. All three of the new outfielders struggle defensively. They do bring a power element to the offense. Justin Upton finished the last two seasons with over 25 home runs a season. Kemp finished with 25 long balls in 2014. Wil Myers struggled last season hitting only 6 long balls and finishing with a .320 slugging percentage. Myers will be looking to repeat his rookie season when he finished with a .293 batting average and a .478 slugging percentage.

Another major concern for the outfielders are strikeouts. All three players strike out at a high rate. Upton struck out 171 times, Kemp 145, and Myers 90 times in 2014. Myers strikeout rate is higher that one would think. He struck out 90 times in just 325 at bats. For those of you who aren’t familiar with my view of strikeouts, lets just say I have a strong opinion. I want players to have productive outs. Swinging and missing helps the team in no way, shape, or form. Good things happen when the ball is put into play. Runners can be advanced, errors occur, and you put the pressure on the defense. I’ll leave the rest of the topic for another day.

The infield is full of question marks. Will Middlebrooks hasn’t hit above .230 the past two seasons and stuck out every 3.07 at bats last season. Alexi Amarista has yet to hit above .240 in his career. Jedd Gyorko is a below average defender who can’t hit for average. The most important player is Yonder Alonso. The 1st baseman is one of the only left-handed bats in the lineup and has yet to show consistency. Alonso hit just .240 in 2014.

The pitching rotation is solid but I’m not all in on the James Shields signing. Shields is entering his age 33 season and is in for a rude awakening. Shields has had the second best defensive outfield behind him the past few seasons. The Royals defense is any pitcher’s dream. Shields will now have to play with what we already confirmed will be the worst defensive outfield in the game. Petco Park has a massive outfield and is a tough place for defenders to play in. Obviously the signing of Shields helps the Padres, but I don’t think the timing was right. I still think this team is a few years away from being serious contenders. By the time that they are ready to compete for a world championship, Shields could be an entirely different pitcher. If they want to get the most bang for their buck out of Shields, they will need to compete this year. Here is a look at a few key players entering 2015.

Breakout Player: Matt Kemp

This is a different type of breakout selection. Obviously Kemp is already a big name. I think the new atmosphere in San Diego will suit Kemp well. Kemp bounced back nicely in 2014 but still wasn’t the Matt Kemp of 2011. We might not ever see that Kemp again but I think he is due for a big season. If healthy I expect:

.292 BA, 29 HR, 97 RBI’s .541 SLG

Game Changer: Yonder Alonso

Alonso has the capability of being a major contributor on this team. In 2013 we saw him finish with a .281 batting average. Alonso has only played in 100+ games once in his career. If he can play in 130 games and hit for average, Alonso will push this team a long way. They will be relying on him for his left-handed bat and he has the opportunity to produce. He hit for a .298 batting average against right-handed pitching in 2013. Alonso has to be consistent for this team to make a serious run for the NL West.

The Padres are a talented team with high potential. It will be difficult for them to come across wins in a talented division. They have a rotation that will carry them a long way but they will struggle defensively and I’m still not certain they will be able to produce a sufficient amount of runs. They come into 2015 improved but still have a tough road ahead.

Make sure to check back in on March 31st for my complete standing predictions along with a few other fun pieces of news. Until then, you will be able to find a new preview of an individual team from March 1st through the 30th here at KRUI.FM

The post San Diego Padres 2015 Preview Edition #3 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Notable Additions:

Kyle Kendrick SP

Nick Hundley C

Notable Losses:

Josh Rutledge IF

Michael Cuddyer OF

The Colorado Rockies are one the most frustrating teams to talk about in all of baseball. They have incredible hitting talent led by Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. They had more talented bats than they knew what to do with last season. They undoubtedly bring potential except for one key spot… pitching.

The Rockies starting rotation was the worst in baseball last season finishing with a 4.84 ERA collectively. Their starters managed to produce only 70 quality starts throughout the season. Only the Chicago White Sox issued more walks than the Rockies in 2014. The Rockies staff also finished second to last in the strikeouts category. Do you see where this is going? The Rockies pitching rotation is among the worst no matter what category you are looking at.

This staff is led by Jorge De La Rosa who finished the 2014 season with a 4.10 ERA over 184.1 innings of work. Next is Jhoulys Chacin who posted a 5.40 ERA over 63.1 innings. Do I dare continue? Kyle Kendrick is a new face in the rotation who hasn’t been very effective over the past few seasons. He finished with a 4.61 ERA in 199 innings of work for the Phillies last season.  The fourth spot in the rotations should go to Jordan Lyles who has a career ERA of 5.09 through his first four seasons. The final spot in the rotation goes to Tyler Matzek. The 2014 rookie showed signs of promise as he ended his first campaign with a 4.05 ERA. The rotation might improve slightly in 2015 solely because it’s hard to finish worse than they did in 2014.

Troy Tulowitzki is arguably the best player in baseball when healthy. Tulo was having the best year of his career in 2014 before his season was ended prematurely due to injury. Through 315 at bats, Tulo owned a .340 batting average, 21 home runs, a .603 slugging percentage and 52 RBI’s. Tulowitzki has struggled to stay on the field throughout his entire career. He has played in 150+ games only twice in his career. He will likely be involved in MVP conversations if he can figure out how to stay on the field in 2015.

The Rockies outfield is one of the most exciting trios to watch when playing at Coors Field. Why do I limit the excitement to just Coors Field? Take a look at these splits for the three starting outfielders in 2014.

Carlos Gonzalez/RF: Home BA: .336 Away BA: .160

Corey Dickerson/LF Home BA: .363 Away BA: .262

Charlie Blackmon/CF Home BA: .331 Away BA: .241

This trend can be seen with just about every player on the Rockies.

Breakout Player: Tyler Matzek SP

Matzek was the one bright spot in the 2014 starting rotation. At the age of 24, he has room to develop and he held his own last year at Coors. He posted a 3.61 ERA while pitching at home last season. He has the ability to produce a quality amount of strikeouts and he does an excellent job keeping lefties off balance. Left-handed hitters were limited to a .147 batting average against Matzek last season. Matzek should continue to improve and will have to be consistent on the road for the Rockies to have just a sliver of hope for October baseball. If healthy I’m expecting:

181.2 IP, 3.72 ERA, 156 SO

Game Changer: Jorge De La Rosa SP

De La Rosa certainly has the stuff to be effective. In 2013 he finished with a 3.49 ERA through 167.2 innings. He’s not the typical ace but he has the ability to do just enough to keep his team in the game. If he can repeat what he did in 2013 or 2011, the Rockies will instantly be an improved team. We often see that both good and bad pitching is contagious. Just take a look at the 2014 Royals and Tigers. The Tigers bullpen was collectively awful whereas the Royals bullpen all performed at an exceptional level.

One player to keep an eye on is Nolan Arenado. The youngster will remain an exciting player to watch at third base. He’s not afraid to flash his leather and he found a bit of power in 2014. He finished the season with a .287 batting average and a .500 slugging percentage. Look for him to improve his offensive skills in 2015.

It’s pretty safe to say that the Rockies won’t be a major threat in the NL West in 2015. They will bring a strong offensive lineup into each game but will often fall short due to the inability of preventing the other team to score. Rockies fans can only hope that Troy Tulowitzki can stay healthy for the bulk of the season.

Make sure to check back in on March 31st for my complete standing predictions along with a few other fun pieces of news. Until then, you will be able to find a new preview of an individual team from March 1st through the 30th here at KRUI.FM

The post Colorado Rockies 2015 Preview Edition #2 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

It only seems fair to start with the 2014 champs, the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have a certain beauty to them. They are a team that becomes one. People always seem to be surprised when a team like the Giants have such success. That’s called unselfish teamwork.

Notable Additions:

Nori Aoki OF

Casey McGehee 3B

Notable Losses:

Michael Morse LF/1B

Pablo Sandoval 3B

The Giants will enter 2015 with a few key changes. In the infield, the absence of Pablo Sandoval will not go unnoticed. Sandoval was a key contributor in each of the Giants past three playoff runs. In 154 postseason at bats, Sandoval holds a .354 batting average and a .545 slugging percentage. Casey McGehee will fill the spot at third base in 2015. McGehee played for the Marlins last season where he posted a respectable .287 batting average. There’s no question that this is a major downgrade.

The Giants will miss the switch hitting bat of Sandoval in the middle of the lineup. McGehee had two areas of concern last season. The first was the non-existent power. He hit only 4 home runs in 2014 and finished with a .357 slugging percentage. The Giants would love to see just 10-15 long balls from McGehee in 2015. It’s noteworthy to mention that he did blast 23 home runs back in 2010 when he finished with a .464 slugging percentage. The second area of concern is double plays. McGehee grounded into an MLB high 31 double plays in 2014. That’s almost twice the number of Sandoval who was doubled up 16 times last season. McGehee could be a difference maker if he could find a way to add some power to his stroke.

San Francisco fans should be excited to see Nori Aoki playing left field for the Giants this season. I think Aoki will fit well in the Giant’s system. He is a left-handed bat that managed to hit .285 in 2014 for the Kansas City Royals. The statistic that I find the most intriguing about Aoki is his batting average against left-handed pitching. He hit .363 against lefties last season with a .435 slugging percentage. Aoki should continue to be an exciting player to watch.

Breakout Player: Joe Panik 2B

You could argue that Panik already broke out in 2014. He played 73 games for the big league club last season and posted a .305 batting average. Panik brings a quick left-handed bat to the lineup. He was another guy who crushed left-handed pitching last season finishing with a .373 batting average and only struck out 12 times against south paws. He struggled to find the gaps at home but managed to hit 8/10 doubles on the road. If healthy I’m expecting:

.279 BA,  .346 OBP, 6 HR, 49 RBI’s, 71 SO

Game Changer: Matt Cain SP

Cain is coming off of an elbow surgery that ended his 2014 campaign early. Cain has struggled in the past few season with ERA’s above 4.00. If Cain can give the Giants just 175 innings with a 3.67 ERA it could be the difference between October baseball or an early off season. He finished the 2012 season with a 2.79 ERA over 219.1 innings. The Giants will look for any help they can get with their aging rotation.

It’s hard to say that the Giants will be a great team but I’m certainly not ready to doubt them. They still have solid pieces in place.

Madison Bumgarner reassured everyone last year that he is a true ace who can carry a team through the playoffs. Bumgarner posted a 0.43 ERA in the World Series last season through 21 innings of work. He’s given the Giants four consecutive seasons of over 200 innings of work. Hunter Pence continues to be one of the most consistent outfielders in the game and has given no indication that would show any change. Buster Posey seems to get better every season and is the core of this talented team. With the key pieces still in tact, the Giants should be ready to contend for another NL West Title. 2015 should be a more challenging season due to the fact that the Dodgers still remain a major threat and the Padres have significantly improved.

Make sure to check back in on March 31st for my complete standing predictions along with a few other fun pieces of news. Until then, you will be able to find a new preview of an individual team from March 1st through the 30th here at KRUI.FM.

The post San Francisco Giants 2015 Preview Edition #1 appeared first on KRUI Radio.