The Active Future Hall of Fame Player on Every MLB Team

With the 2017 Hall of Fame class set to be announced on Wednesday, January 18th, I began to think about the active players around Major League Baseball who are inevitably going to find their way to the Hall of Fame. There are quite a few, with a wide range of teams having strong candidates. However, as I was pondering, I began to wonder: Could I name a player from every single team with a chance at the Hall of Fame? It took me a good amount of time, but I was finally able to do it.

Now, keep in mind, some of these players you will definitely agree with, but some you will question my sanity. Admittedly, some of my picks are extremely unlikely to make their way to Cooperstown, but there are some teams that are so young or sparsely-talented that I had to go with a long-shot pick or extreme projection. But the wild predictions for certain young stars is part of what makes this conversation so much fun.

With all of that said, here is my take of the top Hall of Fame player from each of the thirty MLB teams (active players only; free agents not included):

Marlins

The Marlins have quite a few standout players who very well could be headed towards Cooperstown if they can keep up their stardom over the next decade or so, but the one player on their roster that’s already a guaranteed inductee is Ichiro Suzuki. Coming over from Japan in 2001, Suzuki has long been one of the best players in baseball, notching over 3,000 hits in his MLB career to this point and subsequently receiving countless awards. As such, he is a no-doubt Hall of Famer.

Rays

This isn’t as easy of a pick as the one of Ichiro Suzuki, but the one player on the Rays roster with enough of a track record to suggest as being on a Hall of Fame track is assuredly Evan Longoria. Hitting a career high 36 homers in 2016, and recording his most RBI’s since 2011, the next few years will tell the tale. But at only 31 years old, Longoria is the surest H.O.F. bet of all of the players currently on the Rays.

Braves

He has an extremely long way to go, but with the stats he has produced over the course of his career, Freddie Freeman is well on his way to making it into Cooperstown. At just 27 years old, Freeman is theoretically in his prime, as was evident in his posting of 31 home runs last season. If he can post even a few more of those, the Braves’ All-Star first baseman could be on a very promising path towards the Hall of Fame.

Orioles

He may not be well into his 20’s quite yet, but Manny Machado is well into his Hall of Fame career. Sure, it’s a bit early to be typing up Machado’s induction speech, as anything can happen in baseball, but the Orioles’ third baseman has recorded back-to-back 30 homer seasons each of the last two years, and is posting numbers rivaling those of a previous Baltimore third base superstar: Brooks Robinson.

Nationals

It may seem a bit of old hat to be naming Bryce Harper as the Nationals current best shot at the Hall of Fame, but it’s absolutely true. Despite having a poor season by his standards last year, Harper — who will be 24 years old all of the 2017 season — already possesses 121 homers. If Harper can have a bounce-back season this coming year, the Hall of Fame may be in the cards for him when all is said and done.

Mets

The Mets’ player I feel is the most likely to put together a Hall of Fame career when he decides to hang up his spikes is Noah Syndergaard. (Yes, you read that right.) I’m well aware that Syndergaard only has 55 career starts under his belt, but with David Wright succumbing to injuries that derailed his overall chances, and guys such as Yoenis Cespedes not having enough games remaining to put together a case, Syndergaard is my long-shot pick.

Yankees

Gary Sanchez — no, I’m just kidding. But the player I do have slotted to be a Hall of Famer down the road isn’t all that much older than Sanchez. With Aroldis Chapman dominating the opposition for so long, it can be easy to forget that Chapman is just heading into his age-29 season. With a career 2.08 ERA thanks to his blazing fastball, as well as his ability to lock things down in the ninth, Chapman is on the fast-track to the Hall if he can continue to blow batters away.

Phillies

With the departure of Ryan Howard, and the Phillies being in a drastic youth movement, it was very hard for me to land on a single player who stands the best chance at the Hall of Fame. But even so, I decided to go with Maikel Franco. He is still extremely young, and is still adjusting to the bigs. But the potential for 30+ homer power is definitely there, and that could lead to a bright future for Franco and the Phillies.

Red Sox

The Red Sox just lost a future Hall of Famer in David Ortiz, but picking the next player to follow in his footsteps wasn’t all that difficult. Keeping with the theme of young players with big futures, I tabbed Mookie Betts as the player on Boston’s active roster with a chance at Cooperstown. I hate to make a selection with such a small track record, but after what Betts showed the baseball world last season, a superstar has been born.

Blue Jays

I’m not sure Josh Donaldson has enough big seasons left in him to put together Hall of Fame caliber numbers, but he stands the best shot of all of the players north of the border. While some youngsters such as Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman are off to amazing starts to their career, Donaldson has become an absolute star. With back-to-back 35+ home runs season, Donalson will at the very least become a Toronto all-time great.

Pirates

If Andrew McCutchen can turn things around from a year ago to have another superstar season in 2017, he will also be back on track to a Hall of Fame career. The best player on the Pirates’ roster when he’s at the top of his game, McCutchen is a five-tool athlete in every sense of the word. Although the stats of McCutchen aren’t overwhelming upon first glance, when you look closely, a compelling case is certainly being made.

Indians

The newest member of the Indians is also their top Hall of Fame candidate at the moment. Edwin Encarnacion may not have the numbers yet, but he very well could get there before his career is over. Averaging 39 homers a year over the past five seasons, Encarnacion could theoretically join the 500 home run club if he can play until age 40 and blast a tick over 27 home runs per season.

Tigers

The Tigers have quite a few great players, despite it not showing up in the standings last season. But the one player that is an absolute Hall of Fame player is Miguel Cabrera. The former Triple Crown winner is simply one of the best players to ever play the game of baseball, and is well underway to making it to Cooperstown. At just 34 years old on April 18th, Cabrera is one of the few must-see players before they retire currently in baseball.

Reds

It’s going to be close, but the current Cincinnati Red who has shown any chance at a shot at the Hall of Fame is Joey Votto. The on-base-machine falls right into the coveted 3-4-5 slash line with a career .313/.425/.536 line, despite his hit numbers and homer stats sitting a bit low when compared to those players already in the Hall of Fame. But the overall play of Votto is definitely worth Hall of Fame consideration.

Cardinals

How weak is the Cardinals current active roster? So weak that I went with rookie Alex Reyes as their best shot at the Hall of Fame. In fact, I actually had to skip the Cardinals and come back to them when writing this, frankly because I don’t view any of their active roster with any confidence as to them having even a chance at the Hall of Fame. But having to pick a player, I ended up going with the 22-year-old Reyes, who showed a ton of potential in 2016 and is expected to breakout in 2017.

Cubs

I originally placed Jon Lester (of all people) as the Cubs’ active future Hall of Fame player, as he is somewhat underrated as a starter, especially when you look at his career numbers. But it’s hard to overlook Kris Bryant, who broke out last season to hit 39 home runs. With his 40+ homer potential, if Bryant can put together multiple big seasons in a row, his case for the Hall of Fame will begin to build.

White Sox

The White Sox have made it evident that they are currently in a huge rebuild mode, trading away Chris Sale and Adam Eaton so far this offseason, with other moves expected before Opening Day. With that in mind, I ended up picking Todd Frazier as their Hall of Fame path player. Although Frazier has a somewhat weak case at the moment, if he can continue to produce numbers much like those he has posted in recent history, Frazier will be very close by the time he retires.

Brewers

I’m not the biggest Ryan Braun fan after what went down a few years ago, but there’s no denying his talent. Following a few down seasons, Braun bounced back again in 2016. If he can continue to keep his track record going, Braun could be a very compelling candidate for the Hall after his playing days are over. As the best player on the Brewers, he also claims the slot as their best chance at the Hall of Fame.

Twins

There are several different ways I could’ve gone with this. If Byron Buxton produces to his full ability the way he has been hyped, he would be the top pick; the same with Miguel Sano. If Brian Dozier hit over 40 homers for a few more seasons, he would line up on that path as well. But I ended up going with the safe choice of Joe Mauer, who is a bit low in some of his career stats, but has enough great seasons to deserve some consideration.

Royals

Catchers get little recognition for just how difficult their jobs behind the plate is, and Salvador Perez has proven to be one of the best. One of the biggest low-risk high-reward examples in recent history, the Royals have a star in Perez, and he could very well be on the patch to Cooperstown as a slugging backstop. With 20 homers a year and a cannon for an arm, Perez has the whole package you’re looking for from a catcher.

Astros

Jose Altuve is undoubtedly the biggest superstar on the Astros, with Carlos Correa and George Springer quickly joining him. But while newly acquired slugger Carlos Beltran would be all too easy to overlook, it’s important to view Beltran for the player he is. With 2,617 hits and 421 homers, one more solid season from Beltran very well could sway those who are on the fence about his candidacy for the Hall of Fame.

Rangers

While others don’t seem to agree, I feel that Adrian Beltre is a no-doubt Hall of Famer no matter how you slice it. Assuming he can stay healthy, Beltre will become the 31st player to reach the 3,000 hit mark in 2017, and that is all but a guarantee for enshrinement in my mind. One of the all-time best third baseman in the history of baseball, Beltre is an easy Hall of Fame pick.

Rockies

Nolan Arenado is as close to a complete player as you’ll find in the game today. Winning a Gold Glove each of his first four seasons, his future Hall of Fame case will extend far beyond his defense, as he belted over 40 homers and recorded over 130 RBI’s each of the past two seasons. Despite playing in Colorado — seen as a negative by many — Arenado would be a superstar in any ballpark. For that reason, he should still be seen as the future Hall of Fame player he likely is.

Diamondbacks

Over the course of Paul Goldschmidt‘s career to this point, he has shown a pattern of having one great season followed by a merely average season. However, if he can find a way to produce some of the superstar level seasons he has previously, Goldschmidt will have a legitimate Hall case. Given, Goldy may not be able to produce on the level needed for the Hall of Fame, but he currently stands the best shot in Arizona.

Padres

Will the real Wil Myers please stand up . . . That’s the sentiment of many around the baseball world. Following a Rookie of the Year season in 2013, Myers hadn’t produced on the same level through last season. But in 2016, Myers absolutely broke out, earning his first All-Star selection and hitting 28 blasts. With the power he possesses, he has the ability to carry the Padres on his back, and if he indeed does that, could be walking towards Cooperstown.

Dodgers

Adrian Gonzalez has been great for a long time, and Corey Seager is on a rapid ascent into stardom. But let’s face it — Clayton Kershaw is Clayton Kershaw. Year in and year out, Kershaw is among the finalists for Cy Young and has consistently been the Dodgers’ best pitcher since his poor rookie season in 2008. As such, Kershaw is undoubtedly a future Hall of Fame pitcher for the Dodgers.

Angels

Mike Trout receives an extremely high honorable mention, as baring any unforeseen issues Trout is on a clear path to Cooperstown. But credit has to be given where it’s due, and therefore Albert Pujols falls as my pick for the Angles’ Hall of Fame active player. With him sitting just nine homers back of 600, Pujols is already an all-time great player, and should be fully appreciated as such while he’s still playing the game.

Giants

Buster Posey is a fantastic player and will likely continue to be for the Giants for years to come. But the player I chose as the most on a Hall of Fame path is Madison Bumgarner, who has proven time and time again the caliber of pitcher that he is. With a career ERA of 2.99, Bumgarner has been a big part in the Giants three World Series titles over the last seven seasons. As such, he is on a very special career path.

Athletics

The Athletics aren’t the best team in baseball, and therefore don’t have the best selection of above-average players. But even so, Sonny Gray stands out as their best chance at fielding a Hall of Famer player down the road from their current roster. His 2016 stats of a 5.69 ERA over the course of 22 starts hurt what was beginning as a special career, but if he can rebound in 2017, Gray can get back on that track.

Mariners

With a perfect game, it is already evident that Felix Hernandez is a great pitcher. But when you take the time to dive into his career numbers, you get an idea of just how special he is. Already nearing Hall of Fame stats, Hernandez will be just 31 for all of the 2017 season. He still has numerous more seasons to add to his 2,264 career strikeouts and improve upon his 3.16 ERA. But no matter what, Cooperstown likely awaits him.

Being Thankful Around MLB This Thanksgiving

As we all know, Thanksgiving is the time of year where we reflect on what has happened throughout the previous year and take the time to appreciate the things we are most thankful for. That can be applied to Major League Baseball as well.

Although not as important in the grand scheme of things as being thankful for family, health, etc., there are many things each and every baseball team can be thankful for.

Whether they’re thankful for what has already happened in 2016 or of the things likely to come in 2017, every team has a lot to be thankful for.

With that in mind, I figured I’d come up with a list of one thing each of the 30 MLB teams should be thankful for this holiday (not necessarily the thing each is MOST thankful for, just something to be thankful for in general):

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Red Sox: As one superstar departs, another arrives

The career David Ortiz had for the Red Sox was truly remarkable, but Boston appears to have someone ready to fill his shoes following his retirement. Mookie Betts was good in 2015, but he was astounding in 2016, hitting 31 homers and finishing second to Mike Trout in American League MVP voting. As such, David Ortiz will certainly be missed at Fenway, but Boston fans should be thankful that they have a player like Mookie Betts set to keep the Red Sox in contention in the years to come.

Orioles: Zach Britton is the real deal

While there are a number of people who feel the Orioles would be best suited to trade away Zach Britton while his stock is high following the historically great season he had as a reliever in 2016 — recording the lowest ERA (0.54) ever for a relief pitcher — retaining him for 2017 is extremely important in my mind. The Orioles should be thankful that they have a closer like Britton who they can count on to slam the door in the ninth. Pitchers like him are very rare, and teams with a strong closer tend to fare better than those who don’t.

Blue Jays: Adding Kendrys Morales to their already powerful lineup

It remains to be seen whether the Blue Jays can keep Edwin Encarnacion or Jose Bautista as part of their lineup heading into next season (it’s looking less and less likely as of late), but regardless, they did a lot for their club recently by signing veteran DH Kendrys Morales. Blasting 30 home runs for the Royals last season, Morales joins a roster that’s guaranteed to contain power bats Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson. If nothing else, Toronto should be very thankful they don’t have to pitch to their own ball club.

Yankees: Gary Sanchez’s historic season a sign of things to come

Gary Sanchez was virtually an unknown heading into the 2016 season, but by the end of the year he was a household name. Bursting onto the scene in August, Sanchez proceeded to set a number of rookie records, winding up with 20 home runs for the season. Although Sanchez didn’t win Rookie of the Year, the Yankees should be thankful that there’s more where he came from. With top prospects such as Aaron Judge and Clint Frazier looking to make impacts in 2017, Sanchez appears to be the tip of the iceberg for the Yankees’ resurgence.

Rays: Having multiple power threats

The Rays may have finished dead last in the American League East in 2016, but they still had some fantastic performances. Their pitching wasn’t that great throughout the year, but offensively they were actually fairly decent. Evan Longoria managed to hit 36 bombs, with Brad Miller and Corey Dickerson breaking out to have career highs in homers, at 30 and 24 (tying a career high), respectively. If the Rays happen to climb up the standings next season, the Rays fans will have players such as Longoria, Miller and Dickerson to be thankful to.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Nationals: Daniel Murphy’s and Tanner Roark’s breakout seasons

With Bryce Harper seeing a drastic drop off from his 2015 MVP-winning numbers, and Stephen Strasburg suffering through a series of injuries, the Nationals could have very easily fallen apart this year. But just the opposite, they won the division with ease. Although it was undoubtedly a collective effort, the breakout seasons of Daniel Murphy and Tanner Roark helped tremendously. With Murphy hitting .347 with 25 homers and Roark leading the team with a 2.83 ERA, the Nats have them to thank in large part for making the postseason in 2016.

Mets: Health should return to rotation in 2017

The Mets were expected to keep pace with the Nationals all season long, having things come right down until the very end for who would win the division. But that’s not close to what happen. Due to Jacob de Grom, Steven Matz and Matt Harvey all struggling in 2016, only Noah Syndergaard lived up to the billing, and that wasn’t nearly enough to overtake the Nationals. But the Mets should be very thankful that all of those pitchers should be back to form in 2017. If all goes as planned, the Mets should be very good again next season.

Marlins: Marcell Ozuna looks to be headed for stardom

We have known about the stupendous power of Giancarlo Stanton for some time, but after the 2016 season Marcell Ozuna put together, people are beginning to take notice of his big bat as well. Though no one hits them quite like Stanton, Ozuna hit 23 homers for the second time in his career this past year and made his first All-Star team. Stanton will continue to be the top talent on the team as long as he continues to stay healthy, but the Marlins should be thankful they have a great co-power threat such as Ozuna in their lineup on an everyday basis.

Phillies: Tommy Joseph eases Phillies’ minds of losing Ryan Howard

There hasn’t been a lot for the fans of the Phillies to be thankful for over the past few seasons, especially after being so dominant for so many years not too long ago. But Tommy Joseph just might change that for them in the years to come. Losing long time Phillies star Ryan Howard is certainly a big blow to their offense, but Joseph proved in 2016 that he is talented enough to fill the big shoes left at first by the departing Howard. Hitting 21 homers this past season, Joseph should fit right in and continue to post solid numbers for Philadelphia.

Braves: Signing of R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon to help rotation

One of the worst teams in all of baseball in 2016, the Braves are all set to move across town to their new ballpark in 2017. But while that’s exciting for both the team and their fans, one of the things they should be thankful for is the additions of veteran pitchers R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon so far this offseason. Though they aren’t the type of pitchers who can turn a team around, they are still impactful pitchers who will give the Braves solid innings and give their rotation a bit of a boost as soon as the season begins in early April.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Made it to World Series without biggest pieces

The fans of the Indians have every right to be disappointed that they made it all the way to game seven of the World Series only to lose in extras, but there is a very big silver lining that should cause the Indians to feel thankful for what may come in 2017. The fact that Cleveland was able to make the World Series without Michael Brantley or other key figures from 2015 should give their fans hope for 2017. While the Indians didn’t break their 68-year Fall Classic Championship drought this year, they very well could attempt to secure a title yet again in 2017.

Tigers: Justin Verlander had another Cy-Young-caliber year

After making six straight All-Star teams from 2009 to 2013, Justin Verlander simply hadn’t been the same pitcher over the last two seasons. With a combined ERA of 4.08 over 52 starts made in the aforementioned seasons, Verlander was no longer a feared pitcher in the Tigers’ rotation, at least not on the same level he had once been. But 2016 saw Verlander breaking out again, which is something Tigers’ fans should be thankful for. Though 2016 saw the Tigers failing to make the postseason, 2017 looks promising if Verlander continues to thrive.

Royals: Danny Duffy showed signs of being an Ace

There aren’t many true Aces around baseball, merely a lot of really good pitchers. But Danny Duffy, who had shown signs of greatness over the last few seasons, showed even more such signs in 2016. With the best team ERA of the entire Royals’ rotation, Duffy truly made his presence known in August in one start against the Rays. In that game, Duffy struck out a whopping sixteen batters in his one-hit masterpiece. Even if the Royals fail to make the postseason again in 2017, they should be thankful to have a guy like Duffy ready to lead the staff.

White Sox: Todd Frazier held down the hot corner

Not too much went right for the White Sox this year, but one of the bright spots for them was undoubtedly Todd Frazier. Although Frazier has always been a great player, his career-high 40 home runs in 2016 truly cemented him as one of the best offensive third basemen in baseball as well as a player the White Sox should give thanks for possessing. His defense was also very solid, making him a valuable part of Chicago’s lineup heading into next season. If Frazier can continue to smack the ball, he should be a big contributor for the foreseeable future.

Twins: Brian Dozier keeps getting better and better

The Twins should be very thankful to have Brian Dozier as the best offensive second baseman in baseball. Following an amazing 2015 campaign, very few thought Dozier could possibly get any better. But he proved them all wrong this season, hitting an MLB-record 42 homers at second. With that kind of pop, Dozier easily led the Twins, who had a good amount of struggles offensively throughout their poor season. Nothing is guaranteed from one season to the next, but Dozier being great again in 2017 is pretty much a given.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Cubs: 108-Year World Series drought was ended

It’s a safe bet to assume that every Cubs fan will list their team finally winning a World Series title as something they’re thankful for from 2016, and understandably so. After over a century of disappointment, the Cubs were able to break through and win their first championship against the Indians early this month. Although getting to the World Series is very difficult, regardless of if the Cubs ever make it back again the fans of their club will assuredly remember how they felt upon the final out of game seven for the rest of their lives.

Cardinals: One-two punch of Carlos Martinez, Alex Reyes setting up

Adam Wainwright proved in 2016 that he can still compete at the major league level, but when it comes to absolutely dominating the opposing squad, it falls to Carlos Martinez and the youngster Alex Reyes for the Cardinals next year. They each have a blazing fastball in their arsenal, and the Cardinals should be thankful that they have each of them ready to man the top of St. Louis’s rotation moving forward. Their lineup will likely be good again in 2017, but what will ultimately help the Cards succeed next season falls on their rotation.

Pirates: Pitching should improve from within in 2017

Gerrit Cole was good in 2016, and Ivan Nova surprised many with his performance, but what will truly enable the Pirates to become contenders once again is their young pitching stars set to make big impacts. While both Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow got some big league experience last year, they should each be watched very closely for their potential to have breakout seasons in 2017. Though the Pirates didn’t make the postseason this year, they have a great potential to return next season, as well as the many seasons to come after that.

Brewers: Chris Carter’s 2014 season wasn’t a fluke

It isn’t all that rare to see a player have a breakout season and excite people with their future potential, only to fall apart and never have a year close to their pinnacle year ever again. There were some thoughts to that being the case with Chris Carter, who hit 37 homers in 2014, only to launch a mere 24 the very next year. Thus, heading into this season, how he would perform in 2016 was very much up in the air, but he came through and blasted 41 big flies. Despite 2017 not looking too good for the Brewers, they should be thankful to have a proven slugger like Carter.

Reds: Adam Duval breaks out, with reinforcements not too far away

Finishing dead last in your division is never fun for any team, but the Reds have too good of a fan base and too rich of a history to land at the bottom of the pack. Their bright spot from 2016 was truly Adam Duvall going on a tear to hit 33 home runs, being one of their biggest power threats besides Jay Bruce, who went to the Mets midseason. But in addition to being thankful to have Duvall on their team, Reds fans should be thankful to have a deep farm system. With players such as Amir Garrett and Jesse Winker nearly ready, things should look up fairly soon in Cincy.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Rangers: 95 wins was simply the start of greatness

For a team that had multiple injuries throughout the season, many of which were with their pitching staff, the Rangers obviously fared very well in 2016. With 95 wins, the Rangers won their division and should be setup nicely to do so again in 2017. Their division isn’t a powerhouse by any means, but with the Mariners nearly making the postseason in 2016 and the Astros looking to bounce back next season, things could get interesting in the AL Central. For that reason, the Rangers should be thankful to have the great team they do, assuming they all stay healthy.

Mariners: Made first strong run at playoffs since 2001

A couple of 20+ season postseason droughts have been broken over the past few seasons, including the Pirates and Blue Jays, but to say Mariners fans have been waiting awhile for a playoff appearance would be an understatement. To put things in perspective, Ichiro Suzuki had just 242 career MLB hits the last time Seattle was playing deep into October. However, Mariners fans should be thankful to finally see a playoff-caliber team put on display in 2016, with the likes of Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager ready to lead the charge next year.

Astros: Signings of Brian McCann and Josh Reddick should energize young Astros

Trades or signings can always bring great talent to a given team, and the pickups of Brian McCann via trade and Josh Reddick by way of a large contract should help give the Astros an extra boost in 2017. After making the playoffs in 2015, many things kept Houston on the outside looking in for 2016. But even so, the Astros should be thankful to have picked up two solid veterans who, when combined with the talent already on the Astros’ roster, should put Houston back in a nice spot.

Angels: Albert Pujols is still a power threat

Most Angels fans would likely say they are most thankful to have two-time MVP Mike Trout — and generally agreed upon best player in baseball — on their team, but they shouldn’t overlook Albert Pujols. Though he gets his share of the spotlight, Pujols somewhat silently hit a team-best 31 blasts last season while recording his most RBI’s since 2009, and is now just nine homers away from 600 for his career. With those kind of numbers, the Angels should be thrilled to have Pujols producing big time at the plate alongside superstar Mike Trout.

Athletics: Khris Davis improved tremendously

On a team that was 21st in baseball in terms of home runs hit, Kris Davis was one of the few bright spots for the Athletics last year. Hitting a career-high 42 home runs — good enough for third most in baseball — Davis exceeded the expectations many placed on him by a huge margin, and Oakland should be thankful to have a player of his caliber on their team. Though things aren’t looking up by anyone’s calculations for the A’s to be in contention much at all next season, Davis will likely be a huger power threat for yet another year.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

Dodgers: Julio Urias and Jose de Leon ready to join Clayton Kershaw

Let me get this out of the way: There is currently no pitcher in all of baseball on the same level as Clayton Kershaw. Though there are a few pitchers who dominate just as much as he does, there’s something special about Kershaw that makes him a once-in-a-generation talent. With that said, the Dodgers, as well as Kershaw himself, should be thankful to have top-notch pitching talent ready to go for 2017. Julio Urias and Jose de Leon have been the Dodgers’ top prospects for several years, but they should become among their top pitching options for years to come.

Giants: They made the postseason, despite having a horrific second half

After the Giants won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014, people joked (to a serious extent) that they would once again win a title in 2016. They got off to such a great start, that by the time the All-Star game rolled around, more and more people began to get on board with the idea. But San Francisco proceeded to have one of the worst collapses in MLB history, barely making the postseason. But the Giants should be thankful that they make the postseason, especially given the fact that if they can improve even the slightest in 2017, they should easily be back again.

Rockies: Jeff Hoffman and Jon Gray giving Rockies talent on pitching side

The hitting is already in place for the Rockies. While playing at Coors Field in Denver helps pad their numbers a bit, they currently have several impact hitters such as Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez, D.J. LeMahieu and Trevor Story. But while their pitching has been somewhat subpar recently, former first rounders Jeff Hoffman and Jon Gray showed signs of major improvement, for which the Rockies should be thankful. If they can get any sort of momentum going in their rotation, anything is truly possible for Colorado.

Diamondbacks: Their pitching staff can’t be any worse in 2017

While anything is always possible, a scenario where the Diamondbacks have a worse rotation in 2017 than the one they produced in 2016 is hard to imagine. For that alone, the D-back’s and their fan base should be very, very thankful. From top to bottom, their starting rotation was atrocious, seeing them finish dead last in terms of team ERA with a collective 5.09 earned run average. With even their bright spots Zack Greinke (4.37 ERA) and Shelby Miller (6.15 ERA) doing poorly in 2016, look for a major turnaround from them in 2017.

Padres: Wil Myers had a breakout season, with Hunter Renfroe to follow

The Padres haven’t had all that much success in the recent history of their ball club. That was true once again in 2016. But they should be thankful to have players such as Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe ready to lead their team in the coming years. After winning the Rookie of the Year in 2013 with the Rays, Wil Myers finally had the star year people have been waiting for, blasting 28 homers this season. Soon to join Myers in stardom appears to be Renfroe, who hit .371 with 4 homers and 14 RBI’s in just eleven games played last season.

*Keep in mind, this list was (obviously) made far before the 2017 season was even close to commencing. Any listed player could sign with a team other than their current club, or get traded away, completely throwing off everything I said for that particular team.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Q and A With Jacob Faria

Jacob Faria was drafted by the Rays in the 10th round of the 2011 draft, after going 8-1 with a 1.75 ERA his senior year at Gahr High School in California.

Since the draft, Faria has seen a great deal of success, making a steady progression through Tampa’s minor league system, and making big impressions along the way. Over that time, Faria has recorded a stellar career 3.13 ERA, moving all the way up to Triple-A for the second half of the 2016 season.

Between Faria’s time at Double-A and Triple-A in his most recent 2016 campaign, Faria saw his collective ERA jump from 1.92 the year before up over two full runs to 3.99 in 2016. But despite the numbers not seemingly showing it, Faria had another great season and made numerous strides in his path to the majors.

While he didn’t receive a big league call up in 2016, as some predicted he might towards the end of the year, many are anticipating that time to come at some point in 2017 if all continues to go as planned.

Jacob Faria — top prospect in the Rays’ organization — took the time recently to answer some of my questions:

1.) At what age did you first become interested in baseball? Who was your biggest baseball influence growing up?

I became interested in baseball at the age of six, and my biggest baseball influence was my dad. He’s the reason I started getting into the game, and he sacrificed so much to help me get a shot at my dream.

2.) Who was your favorite baseball player growing up? Why?

My favorite baseball player growing up was Vladimir Guerrero. I grew up an Angels fan and we had season tickets, so getting to watch him play right field was awesome. But once I started getting into pitching, Jered Weaver became my favorite player, and I modeled my game after him.

3.) You were drafted by the Rays in the 10th round of the 2011 draft. What was that process like for you? Where were you when you first found out? Initial thoughts?

My draft day was very hectic. I actually had so many scouts calling me that my dad had to take me out of school early. We went to my mom’s house from school (my parents are divorced) and set up two computers to watch the draft. Once they called my name, I stood up. I remember not being able to feel my legs. It was such a huge accomplishment for me at the time, and it awesome that I got to share that moment with my dad, mom and step dad.

4.) Over the course of your career to this point, you’ve had many great outings. Is there any one start of your career so far that stands out in your mind as the most memorable?

My most memorable performance came in my second Double-A outing in Montgomery on the Fourth of July last season in 2015. It was against Biloxi, the Brewers Double-A affiliate, and I went seven no-hit innings with 14 K’s.

5.) This season, you saw your combined season ERA jump from 1.92 in 2015 up to 3.99 in 2016. Do you attribute any specific thing to the two-run jump in ERA, or do you feel it was simply a result of you spending time in Triple-A and having to face more experienced hitters and tougher at-bats?

When I returned back to Montgomery this season a lot of things just didn’t go my way on the mound or on the field, and that just happens. But it kind of did affect me mentally. It was great to be able to face adversity, though, because it did help me become a mentally stronger pitcher, as well as taught me how to be on the mound and pitch when things don’t go my way or when I don’t have my best stuff. It’s easy to go out there when you have everything going for you, but you learn the most from the games when you don’t have your best stuff and still have to find a way to get out of the inning. Baseball isn’t a perfect game, and that’s what makes it so fun. Everyone expects players to be perfect all the time, but if baseball was perfect the game would be predictable. I’m just thankful for the adversity I went through, because I feel it helped me once I got to Durham, and helped me become a better pitcher overall.

6.) The Rays finished last in the American League East division in 2016. How do you feel about the Rays’ chances of once again becoming a contending team moving forward in 2017 and beyond with the talent you’ve witnessed in their minor league system?

The Rays have a lot of talent throughout the minor leagues, and that’s at every position. It’s really exciting to see guys do so well, too, during the year, because these guys are the Rays’ future. With that being said, I think the Rays have a great group of upcoming guys who will contribute to help them become contenders again.

7.) Talk a little bit about life on the road: What’s the most difficult aspect of it? What do you do to pass the time?

The most difficult thing of being on the road is just finding a routine. Every place we go is so different. The hotels are different; the surroundings are different; even the small things down to how to get to the field or the places to eat. You have to adjust quickly to whatever place you’re in, and by the time you actually do adjust you’re back on the bus or plane traveling to the next place. While I’m on the road, I mostly watch TV or movies, and I try to FaceTime my girlfriend as much as possible. I just try to rest overall and enjoy the downtime since I don’t get much of it.

8.) What do you feel went well in 2016? What are your goals for 2017?

I was healthy all year and made all my starts, which is something I strive to do every season. I also got stronger mentally, which helped me learn how to battle through certain situations. I did feel like my time in Triple-A taught me a lot about being an actual pitcher as well. My goals for 2017 are to get stronger and learn more about the game. I’m always trying to build off the previous season and apply what I learned from the year before to my current season.

9.) Favorite TV show? Favorite food?

My favorite TV show is ‘The Office’. I watch the entire series on Netflix every season. My favorite food is anything Cuban. I’m Cuban and finding Cuban food is tough during season, but thankfully I’m able to find a couple places to hold me over until I get home.

10.) Lastly, what advice would you give to kids who are just starting out that dream of playing professional baseball one day?

A piece of advice I would give to kids is to just have fun; that’s the biggest and most important thing. This game is meant to be fun. Also, to keep working hard and don’t let anyone tell you no. I had so many people doubt me and tell me no, but all I did was use it as motivation to work hard.

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Big thanks to Jacob Faria for taking the time to answer my questions.

You can follow him on Twitter: @JDFaria36

Trout and Bryant Win MVP Award

The Most Valuable Player award was first given out in 1911 to Ty Cobb of the American League and Frank Schulte of the National League. Originally known as the Chalmers award, named after Hugh Chalmers, the award didn’t catch on as well as had been hoped, and therefore was discontinued after the 1914 season.

In 1922 the League Awards were established to honor the baseball player in the American League (National League began being recognized in 1924) who provided the greatest all-around service to their club. The winner — who received a medal and cash for winning — was voted on by a committee of eight baseball writers, with a player not being able to win more than once. Like the Chalmers awards, these awards didn’t last long, stopping in 1929.

Finally in 1931 the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Most Valuable Player award was established, which is the award still given out today.

Voting for the award is fairly straightforward.

Two writers from each city of both the American League and National League make up the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) voters for the Most Valuable Player award, making a total of thirty voters for each league (fifteen teams, with two voters per city). A first place vote earns a player fourteen points, a second place vote gets nine points, a third place vote receives eight points, a fourth place vote is worth seven points, and so on, all the way until tenth place for one point. Once added up, the player with the highest overall total wins.

There is no specific criteria for the voters to use when choosing the Most Valuable Player, but some suggested attributes include value of a player to his team (strength of offense and defense), number of games played, and a player’s overall character, disposition, loyalty and effort.

The 2016 Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player award winners for both the American League and National League were announced Thursday night on MLB Network. Here are the winners, along with my thoughts on each:

AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Original Pick: David Ortiz

Finalists: Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Jose Altuve

Winner: Mike Trout

Thoughts On Mike Trout Winning

Although I had David Ortiz winning the award in my original predictions, I knew in my heart that it was a long shot, as he wasn’t even among the finalists when they were revealed. With that said, however, I can’t argue with Mike Trout taking home the honor, picking up the second MVP award of his young career.

With his second MVP (his first came in 2014), Trout has now finished first or second in MVP voting for each of the full five seasons of his career to this point, joining Barry Bonds as the only other player to finish in the top two for five straight seasons. With his 29 home runs and 30 stolen bases, Trout also finished just one homer shy of becoming the first player ever to record two 30-30 seasons before age 25.

Trout won the MVP by a fairly large margin, earing 19 first place votes and 356 points, beating out Mookie Betts and his 31 homers, earning him 9 first place votes, good for 311 points, with the .338 hitter Jose Altuve coming in third, with 227 points, despite no first place votes. (The other two first place votes went to David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre, getting one apiece).

With the MVP award win, Trout looks to have all the makings of a Hall of Famer, beating the odds by winning the award on a losing team, which has proven to be no easy task in recent voting history.

Despite being in the majors for such a short time, when you’re as good as Mike Trout is, many more MVP wins being in the future is nearly a guarantee.

NATIONAL LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Original Pick: Kris Bryant

Finalists: Kris Bryant, Daniel Murphy and Corey Seager

Winner: Kris Bryant

Thoughts On Kris Bryant Winning

The American League MVP award went to a player who had already won an MVP in his career, being Mike Trout, but the National League portion was guaranteed to go to a player to never win the hardware. With Kris Bryant, Daniel Murphy and Corey Seager all being in their first time in the running, history was sure to be made.

With that said, the voting wasn’t close. Bryant took home the MVP, doing so on the strength of 415 points and all but one of the first place votes. Coming after picking up the 2015 Rookie of the Year award in unanimous fashion, Bryant becomes the fourth player to win the MVP the season after winning R.O.Y., joining Cal Ripken Jr., Ryan Howard and Dustin Pedroia.

Finishing in second place was Murphy, who received the other first place vote, totaling 245 points, with Seager getting 240 points and placing third. While the majority of the baseball world felt confident that Bryant would win the award, I’m not sure anyone thought it would be by a whopping 170 points, truly showing just how great of a season he had.

Bryant blasted 39 homers this season to go along with his 102 RBI’s and 121 runs scored, marking off his season in the ultimate way, after helping the Cubs win their first World Series title in 108 years. Although Murphy’s .347 average to go along with 25 homers and Seager’s 26 home run rookie campaign were great, it was Bryant who was head and shoulders above the rest.

With the Cubs finally seeming relevant once again, and Bryant breaking out as one of the game’s top superstars, Bryant should continue to be in the running for MVP in the foreseeable future.

Porcello and Scherzer Win Cy Young Award

The Cy Young award — named after the Hall of Fame pitcher who died in 1955 — was first handed out in 1956 to Don Newcombe, with the goal of recognizing the “most valuable pitcher” from each season. The first eleven years of the award saw one pitcher per year receiving the honor, but in 1967 the Cy Young began being handed out to a pitcher from each league who was voted on as the best from the season.

Voting for the award is fairly straightforward.

Two writers from each city of both the American League and National League make up the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) voters for the Cy Young award, making a total of thirty voters for each league (fifteen teams, with two voters per city). A first place vote earns a player seven points, a second place vote gets four points, a third place vote receives three points, a fourth place vote is worth two points, with a fifth place vote earning a single point. Once added up, the player with the highest overall total wins.

The 2016 Major League Baseball Cy Young award winners for both the American League and National League were announced Wednesday night on MLB Network. Here are the winners, along with my thoughts on each:

AMERICAN LEAGUE CY YOUNG

Original Pick: Justin Verlander

Finalists: Corey Kluber, Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander

Winner: Rick Porcello

Thoughts On Rick Porcello Winning

The stats of the top pitchers in the American League from 2016 were so close that it was a challenge to choose the player who was the very best. Their ERA’s were within mere decimals of each other, with many other statistics also standing very close to even.

But Rick Porcello and his 22 wins wound up proving to be the most worthy of the Cy Young, as far as the voters were concerned, barely beating out Justin Verlander and his 3.04 ERA, who finished just five votes back of Porcello — the second closest margin since 1970. This also marked the second time in voting history that the player not receiving the most first place votes won the award.

The close race between the two caused a bit of controversy around the baseball world, as despite the closeness of the final tally, Verlander winning 6 more first place votes wasn’t able to do it for him in the end (due in great part to him not being named at all on two ballots).

Corey Kluber finished in third with his 3.14 ERA, with 3 first place votes and 98 overall points, with the favorite by many to win the entire award, Zach Britton, getting the other 5 first place votes and coming in fourth.

Porcello went 22-4 on the season, recording a 3.15 ERA along that time. For that reason alone, he is definitely deserving. However, there are still a lot of people who don’t feel that way. A lot of people felt that Verlander was far more dominant that Porcello throughout the year, and I find myself agreeing with them.

But it is what it is, and the focus here isn’t on Verlander’s extremely close loss (the second such of his career, with a 149-153 loss coming to David Price in 2013) but instead Rick Porcello’s deserving win.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CY YOUNG

Original Pick: Max Scherzer

Finalists: Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester and Max Scherzer

Winner: Max Scherzer

Thoughts On Max Scherzer Winning

As hard as picking the winner was from the candidates in the American League, the National League was just as difficult. With Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester and Max Scherzer all having very different cases for winning, choosing the one who stood above the rest wasn’t an easy task.

Hendricks led all of baseball in ERA with a mere 2.13; Lester posted a great ERA of his own, at 2.44, to go along with 19 wins; and Scherzer struck out a stellar 284 batters, despite his 2.96 ERA being the highest of the group.

But in the end, the voters went with Max Scherzer, and it wasn’t even close. Scherzer tallied up a total of 192 points, earning 25 first place votes, with Lester finishing runner up with just one first place vote and 102 points, leaving Hendricks coming in third with 2 first place votes and 85 points collectively. (The other two first place votes surprisingly went to Clayton Kershaw, who finished fifth in the voting).

The deciding factor for Scherzer’s Cy Young win likely came down to his utter dominance. Although he had the highest ERA of the finalists, Scherzer posted an 11.2 K/9 rate this season over the course of 220.1 innings, including a 20-strikeout performance against his former team, the Tigers, this year.

This marks Max Scherzer’s second career Cy Young award, joining him with Roy Halladay, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Gaylord Perry as the only other pitchers to win a Cy Young in both leagues.

But if 2016 was any indication, Scherzer may not be done setting records.

Fulmer and Seager Win Rookie of the Year Award

The Rookie of the Year award was first handed out in 1947 to Jackie Robinson, after he broke baseball’s color barrier and went on to have a great first season of what would become a Hall of Fame career. Given out to a single player again in 1948, the award was expanded in 1949 to include a player from each league, and has been that way ever since.

Voting for the award is fairly straightforward.

Two writers from each city of both the American League and National League make up the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) voters for the Rookie of the Year award, making a total of thirty voters for each league (fifteen teams, with two voters per city). A first place vote earns a player five points, a second place vote gets three points, with a third place vote receiving one point. Once added up, the player with the highest overall total wins.

The 2016 Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year award winners for both the American League and National League were announced Monday night on MLB Network. Here are the winners, along with my thoughts on each:

AMERICAN LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Original Pick: Gary Sanchez

Finalists: Tyler Naquin, Gary Sanchez and Michael Fulmer

Winner: Michael Fulmer

Thoughts On Michael Fulmer Winning

There may have been three finalists for the American League Rookie of the Year, but in the end there were truly only two frontrunners for the award, being Michael Fulmer and Gary Sanchez. Despite Tyler Naquin having blasted 14 homers in his first season, he didn’t compare statistically to the two aforementioned rookies.

But despite narrowing the running down to two star players, that’s where the easy decisions ended. No one seemed to agree upon whether the R.O.Y. should go to Sanchez or Fulmer, but there truly was no bad choice. They each were very deserving.

However, it was Fulmer who ended up winning the award. Earning 26 of the 30 first-place votes, Fulmer tallied 142 points, and was the only player named to every single ballot cast. Sanchez placed second with his 91 points (earning the other 4 first place votes), leaving Naquin in third with 20 points.

Although Fulmer began to tail off a bit towards the end of the season, his 3.06 season long ERA over the course of 159 innings pitched proved to be more impressive to the BBWAA than Sanchez’s 20 HR in just 53 games. That larger sample size was likely what helped push Fulmer over the edge, joining him with the likes of Justin Verlander — the last Tigers’ pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year.

Only time will tell if Michael Fulmer will turn out to have the same level of success as his Tigers teammate.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Original Pick: Corey Seager

Finalists: Kenta Maeda, Trea Turner and Corey Seager

Winner: Corey Seager

Thoughts On Corey Seager Winning

Unlike the American League side, the National League portion wasn’t all that difficult of an award to predict the winner of. The heavy favorite to win the Rookie of the Year before the season even began, Seager took home the honor in unanimous fashion, following in the footsteps of Kris Bryant, who did so in 2015.

Seager becomes just the 21st player in history to receive all thirty first-place votes to win the R.O.Y. award, earning him a total of 150 points. The runner up for the award was Trea Turner, who racked up 42 points, followed by Kenta Maeda, who received 37.

Despite Turner hitting .342 on the season, and Kenta Maeda posting a good 3.48 ERA in his rookie campaign, no one could come close to stopping Seager from making his name as the 17th Rookie of the Year winner all-time for the Dodgers, who now have a R.O.Y. winner at every position except third base.

Seager’s 26 home runs and 72 RBI’s this season, in which he played in all but five games, made him the easy choice for Rookie of the Year. His 193 hits also mark the most for a rookie since 2001, adding yet another standout statistic to his rookie campaign.

But while his rookie season was unbelievable, many see Corey Seager only improving.

2016 Silver Slugger Awards

The 2016 Silver Slugger award winners were announced Thursday night on MLB Network. While the Gold Glove Awards given out on Tuesday focused on the defensive side of baseball, the Silver Slugger awards are given annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League.

Marking the 37th annual Silver Slugger awards, which began in 1980, the awards are voted on by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball (managers can not vote for their own players), with voters considering several offensive categories in selecting the winners. Those categories include batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage, in addition to coaches’ and managers’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value.

Barry Bonds’ 12 career Silver Slugger awards stand as the most all-time by a single player at any position, and no one from this season’s winners are even close. Here are the list of winners with my thoughts on each:

OUTFIELD

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Barry Bonds holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as an outfielder, with twelve.

NL Winners – Charlie Blackmon (1st career), Christian Yelich (1st career) and Yoenis Cespedes (1st career)

AL Winners – Mark Trumbo (1st career), Mookie Betts (1st career) and Mike Trout (5th career)

For Mike Trout, it was business as usual on Thursday, as he won his fifth career Silver Slugger award — having done so in all of his full seasons in the big leagues. For the other five winners, they were all first-timers, as Charlie Blackmon, Christian Yelich, Yoenis Cespedes, Mark Trumbo and Mookie Betts each took home their first career hardware for their hitting.

FIRST BASE

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Miguel Cabrera holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a first baseman, with seven.

NL Winner – Anthony Rizzo (1st career)

AL Winner – Miguel Cabrera (7th career)

Miguel Cabrera further increased his lead in regards to number of Silver Sluggers as a first baseman, winning his seventh in his Hall of Fame career. On the other side, World Champion Anthony Rizzo won his first Silver Slugger award for his career, but he very well could win several more before all is said and done.

SECOND BASE

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Ryne Sandberg holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a second baseman, with seven.

NL Winner – Daniel Murphy (1st career)

AL Winner – Jose Altuve (3rd career)

After the seasons that both Daniel Murphy and Jose Altuve had, it was no shock to see them win the Silver Slugger award. Murphy picks up his first, while Altuve takes home the honor for the third time in his career. Whether they can each keep up their amazing 2016 season into 2017 is yet to be seen, but more Silver Sluggers could be on the horizon for them.

THIRD BASE

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Wade Boggs holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a third baseman, with eight.

NL Winner – Nolan Arenado (2nd career)

AL Winner – Josh Donaldson (2nd career)

Nolan Arenado is going to go down as one of the best all-around third basemen in history when all is said and done, further adding to his career resume with his second career Silver Slugger. Josh Donaldson also picks up his second award, doing so by having a year much like his MVP-winning season in 2015.

SHORTSTOP

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Barry Larkin holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a shortstop, with nine.

NL Winner – Corey Seager (1st career)

AL Winner – Xander Bogaerts (2nd career)

The future appears to be bright at the shortstop position, as Corey Seager and Xander Bogaerts look to be the top players at those positions for quite some time to come. Although anything can happen in the future, them each winning many more Silver Slugger awards seems very likely.

CATCHER

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Mike Piazza holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a catcher, with ten.

NL Winner – Wilson Ramos (1st career)

AL Winner – Salvador Perez (1st career)

Both Wilson Ramos and Salvador Perez picked up their first career Silver Slugger awards, but each have had plenty of great seasons to this point in their careers. However, they took things to another level in 2016, making them each extremely deserving of the award win.

PITCHER

Most Silver Slugger Awards: Mike Hampton holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a pitcher, with five.

Winner – Jake Arrieta (1st career)

Pitchers are generally known as the worst hitting players on any given team’s roster, but there are a few of them who can actually swing the bat fairly well. One of those such players is Jake Arrieta, who can really put on a show at times throughout any given season, in addition to being one of the best pitchers in the game.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Most Silver Slugger Awards: David Ortiz holds the record for the most Silver Slugger Awards as a Designated Hitter, with seven.

Winner – David Ortiz (7th career)

In his last season before retirement, David Ortiz had one of his best overall seasons of his career. At age forty, Ortiz posted numbers that would be considered amazing for someone even half his age. With him no longer going to be the designated hitter for the Red Sox, it’s fitting to see him go out with one final Silver Slugger win.

2016 Gold Glove Awards

The 2016 Major League Baseball Gold Glove award winners were announced Tuesday night on ESPN. Given out each year to the players who are judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League, the award is voted on by the managers and coaches in each league (managers can not vote for their own players).

Marking the 60th annual Gold Glove Awards, which began back in 1957, there have been some terrific players to receive the honor. However, no other player has won more Gold Gloves in their career or in a row than Greg Maddux, who took home 18 total and 13 consecutively.

While Maddux’s records seem fairly safe for now, there were some winners for 2016 who could win quite a few Gold Gloves as the years go on. Here’s a recap of the winners, with my thoughts on each:

CATCHER

AL Nominees – James McCann, Carlos Perez and Salvador Perez

AL Winner – Salvador Perez (4th career)

NL Nominees – Jonathan Lucroy, Yadier Molina and Buster Posey

NL Winner – Buster Posey (1st career)

Salvador Perez picked up his fourth Gold Glove award, and rightfully so. His defense behind the plate has proved to be extremely valuable over the past several seasons, and he could easily win several more before his career is over. In the National League, despite Yadier Molina having won eight straight Gold Gloves, this year the award went to Buster Posey, who picked up his first ever Gold Glove.

PITCHER

AL Nominees – R.A. Dickey, Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander

AL Winner – Dallas Keuchel (3rd career)

NL Nominees – Jake Arrieta, Zack Greinke and Adam Wainwright

NL Winner – Zack Greinke (3rd career)

Pitchers aren’t generally known for being good fielders, but there are a number of them who can pick it. Dallas Keuchel and Zack Greinke each won their third career Gold Glove awards on Tuesday night, with each having proven their defensive worth in 2016. While they aren’t near Greg Maddux’s record number of Gold Gloves, they each are very deserving of the honor.

LEFT FIELDER

AL Nominees – Brett Gardner, Alex Gordon and Colby Rasmus

AL Winner – Brett Gardner (1st career)

NL Nominees – Adam Duvall, Starling Marte and Christian Yelich

NL Winner – Starling Marte (2nd career)

It came as a surprise to many that Brett Gardner was able to win his first career Gold Glove award, but his defense in left field for the Yankees was terrific this season and certainly worthy of the award. In the NL, Starling Marte truly broke out as one of the best left fielder in the game, taking home his second career Gold Glove award for the Pirates.

CENTER FIELDER

AL Nominees – Jackie Bradley Jr., Kevin Kiermaier and Kevin Pillar

AL Winner – Kevin Kiermaier (2nd career)

NL Nominees – Billy Hamilton, Odubel Herrera and Ender Inciarte

NL Winner – Ender Inciarte (1st career)

Jackie Bradley Jr., Kevin Kiermaier and Kevin Pillar were all absolutely amazing this season for their respective teams, making great plays night after night. But in the end, Kiermaier ended up winning the Gold Glove. Picking up the award for the opposite league was Ender Inciarte, who went from a somewhat unknown to a breakout player defensively in 2016.

RIGHT FIELDER

AL Nominees – Mookie Betts, Adam Eaton and George Springer

AL Winner – Mookie Betts (1st career)

NL Nominees – Carlos Gonzalez, Jason Heyward and Nick Markakis

NL Winner – Jason Heyward (4th career)

Despite his teammate, Jackie Bradley Jr., not winning the Gold Glove for center field, Mookie Betts was able to win his first career G.G. award for his play in right field. Also getting the award was Jason Heyward, who had a down year offensively, despite his huge offseason contract, but continued to dazzle with his glove, catching nearly every ball hit his way this season.

FIRST BASE

AL Nominees – Chris Davis, Eric Hosmer and Mitch Moreland

AL Winner – Mitch Moreland (1st career)

NL Nominees – Paul Goldschmidt, Wil Myers and Anthony Rizzo

NL Winner – Anthony Rizzo (1st career)

Both Mitch Moreland and Anthony Rizzo picked up their first career Gold Glove awards on Tuesday night, and both were very deserving. Although known more for their offense more that their defense, they each can pick it at first, and make key plays for their teams throughout any given season. While both are unique players, they each share the honor of winning a Gold Glove.

SECOND BASE

AL Nominees – Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia

AL Winner – Ian Kinsler (1st career)

NL Nominees – DJ LeMahieu, Joe Panik and Jean Segura

NL Winner – Joe Panik (1st career)

Although nothing beats watching Robinson Cano make a smooth play each night at second base for the Mariners, seeing Ian Kinsler make the great plays he does each season is a close second. Picking up the first Gold Glove of his career, Kinsler will look to maintain his defense into 2017. Joe Panik also wins his first Gold Glove award of his career, also making him a big player to watch moving forward.

SHORTSTOP

AL Nominees – Jose Iglesias, Francisco Lindor and Andrelton Simmons

AL Winner – Francisco Lindor (1st career)

NL Nominees – Brandon Crawford, Freddy Galvis and Addison Russell

NL Winner – Brandon Crawford (2nd career)

Francisco Lindor truly emerged onto the scene in 2016, becoming a household name and subsequently winning the first Gold Glove award of his career, and the first for an Indians shortstop since Omar Vizquel in 2001. Over in the National League, Brandon Crawford wins his second straight Gold Glove and has cemented himself as one of the best in baseball.

THIRD BASE

AL Nominees – Adrian Beltre, Manny Machado and Kyle Seager

AL Winner – Adrian Beltre (5th career)

NL Nominees – Nolan Arenado, Anthony Rendon and Justin Turner

NL Winner – Nolan Arenado (4th career)

The future Hall of Famer, Adrian Beltre, was able to win his fifth career Gold Glove award for his great performance all season long at the hot-corner in Texas. But the player who may turn out to be one of the top few third basemen defensively of all-time when all is said and done is Nolan Arenado. With the great plays Arenado makes each day, it’s no surprise to see him win the award for the fourth time in his career.

World Series Tied Heading to Chicago

One of the things that makes the World Series great each and every year is a quality matchup between two great teams in which it’s a true toss-up as to which team will come out on top. This season has that playing out once again.

Although the Cubs are a better team on paper, the Indians have repeatedly proven people wrong all season long, making it truly impossible to predict the winner when all is said and done.

But there’s an added element to the 2016 Fall Classic that makes this one far more exciting and interesting, and it’s the fact that the Cubs and Indians — the two teams in the World Series — haven’t won a World Title in a combined 176 years (the last titles coming in 1948 for the Indians and 1908 for the Cubs). To say the fans of these squads have been waiting for the feeling of having won it all for quite some time would be a vast understatement.

The first game in a race to four wins and an end to a generational drought for both teams began on Tuesday night in Cleveland, with Corey Kluber and his 0.98 postseason ERA going up against Jon Lester and his October mark of an 0.86 ERA. For many, a pitchers dual was all but guaranteed to happen, but it quickly became evident that things wouldn’t turn out that way.

Kluber began the game strong, striking out two of the first three batters he retired and looked like the Kluber of old who has become known as one of the game’s best pitchers, despite some rust at times this season. However, on the other side, Lester was a bit shaky out of the gate, allowing a hit to Francisco Lindor (his first of what would be three on the night) as well as a subsequent stolen base in the very first inning — a steal which earned everyone in America a free taco from Taco Bell on November 2nd.

Lester proceeded to walk the next two batters and load the bases for Jose Ramirez, who would hit a weak tapper that was unable to be fielded, allowing the first run of the series to score. Soon after, Lester hurt his cause even further, hitting Brandon Guyer to force in a run and make the score 2-0.

Although Lester was able to work out of further trouble, thanks to David Ross making a great play behind home plate, the Cubs didn’t do anything to capitalize on it. To make matters worse for the Cubs, Kluber was absolutely on top of his game, striking out eight batters through the first three innings, setting the all-time record in the 1,503-game history of the postseason for the most batters struck out by a pitcher in the first three innings.

The Indians would rally once again in the next inning, as Roberto Perez launched a line-drive homer to give the Indians a 3-0 lead. Having previously won 60 straight games when leading by three or more runs, things were getting late early for the Cubs.

One of the first bright spots for the Cubs came in the seventh inning, when Corey Kluber was removed from the game after allowing a hit to the first batter of the inning. Normally his replacement Andrew Miller would strike fear into the hearts of the opposing team, but things didn’t begin that way upon his arrival. The bases quickly became loaded against Miller with no outs, giving the Cubs their best scoring opportunity of the night. But once again they failed to record a run-scoring hit, letting Miller off the hook without a single runner crossing the plate.

The Cubs would continue to give things a valiant effort into the late-innings, but in going 1-11 with runners in scoring position, they simply couldn’t get the job done. The death-blow came in the eighth inning, when Roberto Perez blasted his second home run, giving the Indians a 6-0 lead, and making Perez just the third player in Indians postseason history to hit multiple homers in a single game, joining him with Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez.

That 6-0 lead would turn out to be the final score, and marked the first game one shutout in a World Series since the A’s failed to tally a run in the 1990 series.

With such a commanding win by the Indians, you began to wonder whether or not the Cubs simply weren’t able to do much of anything against a masterful pitching performance or if their bats were once again falling cold, as they had earlier in the postseason. After all, this is the time of year when every single out counts, and low production absolutely can’t be afforded.

Citing that the team to win game one has won 12 of the last 13 World Series, the Cubs needed to make a statement in game two to get the momentum back on their side, and you had to figure they would come out trying to make something happen very early the next night.

Heading into game two, which had its start time moved up an hour due to the threat of rain, Trevor Bauer was set to face off against Jake Arrieta, both of whom had been back and forth all season long in terms of their quality of pitching. You didn’t really know what you were going to get out of them on Wednesday night, but you got the feeling each would be on top of their game.

As it would turn out, however, it wasn’t Bauer’s night at all, as the Cubs got off to the aforementioned hot start they needed, scoring a run via an Anthony Rizzo RBI-double in the first inning.

The Cubs would score again in the third off a couple of singles that advanced Rizzo all the way home, giving the Cubs an early 2-0 lead. Due to the runs allowed, Bauer wouldn’t last even four innings, getting pulled in the third for a reliever — vastly different than Kluber’s outing some 24 hours prior.

However, the switch didn’t cool down the bats of the Cubs by any means. If anything, it energized them even further, as they proceeded to score three more runs in the fifth inning, off of a Ben Zobrist RBI-triple (helped in large part to Lonnie Chisenhall falling down while in pursuit of the ball), yet another RBI from Kyle Schwarber and a bases-loaded-walk of Addison Russell that forced in a run.

Up 5-0 with still half the game to play, things were virtually flipped from the game before in terms of the team who had control of the game.

Equally swapped was the teams’ pitching dominance, as following the Indians’ Corey Kluber dominating in game one, the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta was even better, failing to allow a hit through 5.1 innings pitched, setting the longest such streak in World Series play since back in 1969.

The double that broke up the no-hitter was notched by Jason Kipnis who proceeded to advance down to third before a wild pitch by Arrieta allowed him to jog home for Cleveland’s first run of the game.

Mike Montgomery would come on in relief to settle things down, and he was absolutely terrific, giving the Cubs two strong innings, before being replaced by the flame-throwing Aroldis Chapman. As per usual, Chapman slammed the door on the Indians, hitting 104 on the gun and evening up the series at a game apiece.

The World Series now heads to Wrigley Field where the next three games will be played. Although a three-game sweep would win either of the teams the World Series, such an occurrence isn’t all that likely. Given, this is the postseason, and anything can and usually does happen. But from the back and forth dominance we’ve seen to this point, this series has all the makings of a six or seven game affair.

My Vote for 2016 A.L. Most Valuable Player Award

Choosing the Most Valuable Player from each league is the most difficult decision of all the major baseball awards handed out at the conclusion of each season. With Rookie of the Year and Cy Young you can usually look solely at which player had the best overall stats, but Most Valuable Player sometimes involves a bit more than just stats. While it’s important that an MVP winner had a great statistical year, the best offensive player doesn’t automatically become the most valuable.

With that said, it was an even more difficult vote for me this season than it has been in seasons past. There are several players, including Jose Altuve, Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Mark Trumbo, who were all extremely valuable members of their given team in the American League. However, in the end, only one player can win the Most Valuable Player award.

The first player I’m forced to knock from this group is Mark Trumbo, who lead all of baseball in home runs this season but won’t lead them all in MVP voting. Despite smacking 47 big flies for the O’s and driving in 108 runs, helping to keep the Orioles in contention, Trumbo didn’t quite do enough to earn the honor.

Next off the list for me is Jose Altuve. For such a small player, Altuve has huge impacts each and every season, and this year saw more of the same. Playing in all but one game this season, Altuve hit a career high 24 homers and came up just shy of 100 RBI’s, all while batting .338. Even so, he didn’t do enough to make him the most valuable.

Also not the most valuable in my mind is Mookie Betts, but it’s not because the stats weren’t there. Betts hit .318 for the Red Sox and slugged 31 homers in addition to scoring 122 runs. If not for a couple of other players who had superstar-level seasons, Betts would be the easy pick for MVP. But he’s not this season.

Finishing second in MVP voting for the fourth time in his five year career is Mike Trout, as I’m seeing things now. He had the highest WAR — if that’s a stat you like — yet again of any player around baseball, coming from his great defense and .315/.441/.550 slash line. He was the most valuable Angels player by far, but not quite the most valuable American Leaguer.

That distinction goes to Boston’s David Ortiz. In this his final season in Major League Baseball, Ortiz posted stats never before seen by any player age forty or older. Hitting .315 while slugging a superb .660, Ortiz was able to record a 38 home run and 127 RBI season, pushing the Red Sox to another division title. With this being David Ortiz’s final campaign, it would be fitting to see him go out in style with the Most Valuable Player award.