2012 MLB Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks

22 Thursday Mar 2012

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Following consecutive last place finishes in the National League West, the Arizona Diamondbacks came out of nowhere to capture the division in 2011. The D-Backs had a 29 game turnaround with a team that was largely the same from the previous year. This wasn’t the first time the young franchise had done this. In its 14-year history, Arizona has won the division five times (and the World Series once). Four out of the five times the team won the division, it finished third or worse the year before. In 2012, the Diamondbacks will look to build off of an improbable run to the playoffs and repeat as division champions. NL West history tells us this will be tough. In the 17 seasons since re-alignment, only three teams have repeated as champions of the division. Arizona has a good enough team to do it but the competition should be improved from a year ago. Continue reading →

Reviewing Season 2 of ‘The Walking Dead’

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

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***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***

If I had to use one word to describe my feelings on season 2 of AMC’s massively popular series “The Walking Dead,” that word would be: frustrated. Through 19 episodes “The Walking Dead” has been more bad than good. Like the characters on the show holding out hope for a life rid of fear of getting eaten alive, I hold out hope the writers will figure it out. It’s not that I’m on the verge of dropping the show (*). There’s enough to like. But I have big issues with season two. There was the slogging plot, but by far the most critical problem is the characters. By and large, they’re idiots. By and large, I don’t really care about their survival. By and large, they’re inconsistent. Continue reading →

Site Update

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

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Hello all,

I just have a quick update about the next week on the site. As you may know I am writing a preview for each Major League Baseball team for the lead-up of the 2012 season. I will be leaving town for nearly a week starting today, Wednesday March 21st. The two remaining previews set to be posted this week, the Arizona Diamondbacks (Thursday 3/22) and New York Yankees (Friday 3/23) will post (hopefully) with no problem. There may be a delay with last five previews (Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee, Texas and St. Louis) because of me being out of town. Rest assured, the previews will be written and posted, they may just not post on the day specified in my initial announcement of the previews. My hope is that there will not be a delay, but I did want to make you aware if there is.

Thanks for all of your support and I hope you enjoy reading the site.

Best regards,

Wes

2012 MLB Preview: Tampa Bay Rays

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

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The 2011 Tampa Bay Rays went on an improbable run to the playoffs. The team began September 8.5 games out of a playoff spot. The Rays went 17-9 during the final month and, coupled with the Red Sox collapse, were able to pass Boston on the final day of the regular season to secure the AL Wild Card. Tampa Bay was then dispatched by the eventual AL champion Texas Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. The Rays are a young franchise with only 14 years of history. For a relatively recent expansion team with little money to spend in the toughest division in Major League Baseball, the franchise has been more successful than anyone could expect. The team finished in last place in the AL East nine times in its first 10 seasons; in that period the closest the team finished to first place was 18 games back while its average finish was 34 games back of first place. But the franchise turned it around in 2008 finishing in first place and winning the American League pennant. The Rays are one of the most well run organizations in MLB and have made the playoffs three of the past four seasons. In 2012, the team has a good chance to make it four playoff appearances in five seasons.  Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Boston Red Sox

20 Tuesday Mar 2012

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The Boston Red Sox came into the 2011 season as one of the most hyped Major League Baseball teams in recent history. At the beginning of September last season the team found itself atop the American League East with an 83-53 record, 1/2 game ahead of the New York Yankees, nine games up on the Tampa Bay Rays. Then everything went wrong. The team had a 7-19 record in the month, finished seven games behind in the division and, more importantly, were passed up by the Tampa Bay Rays on the final day of the regular season thus missing out on the playoffs (*). The Red Sox collapse led to change throughout the organization (**). General Manager Theo Epstein left for the Chicago Cubs; Ben Cherington takes over. Manager Terry Francona was let go in favor of Bobby Valentine. The roster had a lot of turnover outside of its core players. Even with all the change in the offseason, Boston still has a strong roster. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Atlanta Braves

19 Monday Mar 2012

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Going into September last season the Atlanta Braves were all set to make their second consecutive trip to the postseason. The team had a comfortable 8.5 game lead on the St. Louis Cardinals for the wild card. That lead soon turned out to not be so comfortable. The Braves struggled the entire month with an 8-18 record (including losing the last five games of the season) and were passed from behind by the eventual World Series champion Cardinals on the memorable last day of the regular season. Atlanta collapsed, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons after winning their division 14 straight times from 1991-2005 (*). In 2012 the Atlanta Braves will look to turn the page from last season’s finish and focus on competing in an improved division from a year ago.  Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

16 Friday Mar 2012

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had a pretty quiet offseason. By quiet I mean the organization made the single biggest free agent splash in Major League Baseball in more than a decade. Albert Pujols is an Angel. So is the most coveted free agent pitcher from the offseason C.J. Wilson (*). Under Owner Arte Moreno and new General Manager Jerry Dipoto (**), Anaheim has transformed into one of the league’s powerhouses. The franchise’s payroll is approaching (and in the near future) will exceed $150 million. In 2012, the Angels will have the fourth highest payroll in MLB – behind New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies. From 2002 through 2009 the team made the playoffs six out of eight years before missing out the last two seasons. With the offseason the team had, Anaheim put itself in great position to end their two-year postseason drought.

(*) Crazily they agreed to terms with the organization on the same day. 

(**) Throw in a new lucrative television rights deal as well. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: San Francisco Giants

15 Thursday Mar 2012

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The San Francisco Giants came into the 2011 season with high hopes having just come off winning the World Series the season before. Things didn’t turn out so well for the Giants last year though. The team was devastated by injuries the entire season. The only position player to play in more than 121 games was Aubrey Huff (who had a brutal season). 2010 Rookie of the Year Buster Posey only played in 45 games due to a broken leg. The team’s other standout position player, Pablo Sandoval, missed over a month of the season because of an injury. Beside the injuries, San Francisco relied too heavily on over the hill veterans. The Giants are better constructed and look to be healthier in 2012. The team should be in the mix for the NL West division crown. Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

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The Los Angeles Dodgers organization has been through a lot the last few years. The ownership situation became a complete disaster caused by poor financial management, a divorce, and a series of lawsuits which ultimately led Major League Baseball to decide to step in and oversee the organization. The Dodgers eventually went into bankruptcy. As the 2012 season is about to begin, Frank McCourt’s ownership of the franchise is about to end. McCourt and MLB came to an agreement in the offseason centered on McCourt selling the team. The new owner(s) will be selected early in April and take over the team by the end of the month. Though the team had some success under McCourt’s ownership, this was a necessary move. On the field in 2012, the Dodgers are piecing together a team on a limited budget and awaiting the team’s new owner(s). Continue reading →

2012 MLB Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Competing in the American League East is as tough as it gets in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have the two highest payrolls in the league and are in contention each year. From 2008 on the Tampa Bay Rays have been on the same winning level with New York and Boston making the playoffs three of the last four seasons. It’s been difficult for the Toronto Blue Jays to join the top-tier of the division. Toronto finds itself in a tier of its own in the division. Not good enough to compete with the three top teams, but not nearly bad enough to be in the same class as the Baltimore Orioles. The organization is heading in the right direction though. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has made several favorable moves since taking over in 2009. With some development and a few key moves the team will be ready to contend. Continue reading →