Old News for Washington Nationals

According to Washington Post, pitcher Gio Gonzalez was a major headache for the Nationals in 2013. Accused of using banned substances and being involved in the PED clinic Biogenesis, the Nationals had concern whether the major league pitcher would be back for another season. Gonzalez was one among other current major leaguers, including Alex Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera, who were on the list for the clinic. MLB has been investigating the clinic and players linked to it. However, as the Washington Post reported,  Gonzalez was the only player identified in the Biogenesis documents who didn’t receive PEDs from Bosch or the clinic. Gonzalez reported to spring training the following week and said he had never used any of the products. In his career, he never failed a drug test and therefore was drug tested two days after the New Times report was released. Gonzalez had no explanation for why his name appeared in the records.

With the new year rolling in, fans are looking forward to seeing Gonzalez overcome what his reputation has been through for the year of 2014. With a great spirit coming into spring training this year, it looks as if he may have buried the whole thing and moved on. Good for him! Now, let’s see what he has to offer in 2014.

–Vonna Simmons

Minnesota Twins Outlook

With 2013 marking their third straight 90-loss season, the Minnesota Twins are looking forward to 2014 more than ever.

Will the switch of former MVP Joe Mauer from catcher to to first base be the right move in successfully moving forward?

In an attempt to protect their star player from further concussions and the day-to-day physical wear of being a major league catcher, the Twins announced on Nov. 11 that Mauer would permanently move from behind the plate to first base. Mauer, the only catcher in MLB history to win three batting titles, already has a reputation at bat, but he could also make a name for himself at first base this upcoming season.

Or will the reconstruction of their pitching line up be their key to success?

In 2013, the Twins were the only team in Major League Baseball to not reach 1,000 strikeouts. The Twins have been aggressive in fixing that problem by signing pitchers Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes and Mike Pelfrey to free-agent deals while researching investment with Matt Garza and Bronson Arroyo.

Either way, necessary changes needed to made in order for the 2014 season to look positive for the Twins.

–Olivia Jackson

Toronto Blue Jays Outlook

The Toronto Blue Jays have the talent to be a powerhouse in the AL East. Last season, the Blue Jays finished with a record of 74-88. That record did not reflect the Blue Jays’ talent.

During the 2013 offseason, the Blue Jays acquired shortstop Jose Reyes, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, outfielder Jose Bautista and infielder Edwin Encarnation. Each one of those players are key to the team’s success, specifically Reyes. At the lead off spot, Reyes, is an elusive, base stealing, creator of opportunity. Dickey also factors in to the Jays success. The 2012 CY Young winner seemed to digress last season, winning 14 games and losing.  

Bottom line, the Jays have invested a lot of money in their team. They deserve results; the potential is there. That’s of course if everyone on the team stays healthy. Reyes is the leadoff hitter and needs to stay healthy. Last season, Encarnation was also a victim of the injury report. For the Blue Jays to be a real AL contender, they must stay healthy.

–Samuel Limata

 

 

 

Pittsburgh Pirates Outlook

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Prior to last October, the Pittsburgh Pirates had not played a single playoff game since 1992. The 20-year stint made losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS an occasion well worth celebrating. Now, the organization is doing everything it can to build off its success and delete the word “fluke” from its critics’ vocabulary.

 On the surface, the Pirates appear to have had a quiet offseason. They lost more players than they acquired, including particularly notable departures in first baseman Justin Morneau, right fielder Marlon Byrd, first baseman and outfielder Garrett Jones, catcher John Buck, catcher Michael McKenry, and most recently, starting pitcher A.J. Burnett. Still, there is nothing but optimism in the “Steel City,” and the Bucs look forward to 2014 as a year of proving their resilient determination to remain a serious playoff contender.

It would be nothing short of naive to look at the lengthy list of departing players and conclude that the team’s success will be out the door with them. Instead, one should look at what Pittsburgh is left with to make a better judgment of where it’s headed.

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The team’s pride and joy, center fielder and 2013 National League MVP Andrew McCutchen, enters only the third year of his six-year contract. He led the team in nearly every statistical category last season and his leadership was a big reason for its success. Another strength early on is the depth of Pittsburgh’s pitching staff– particularly its starters. The team acquired right-hander Edinson Volquez during the offseason, who has yet to post superb numbers since his breakout season in 2008. Still, he has put in some quality starts over the past few years, and he’ll grow being around the cumulative experience of Gerrit Cole, Jason Grilli and Francisco Liriano—who has already been named the Pirates’ starter on Opening Day in April.

As for Pittsburgh’s starting lineup, with the exceptions of Morneau and a 36-year-old Byrd, it won’t look much different than it did last year. Starling Marte will begin the season in left field and continue leading off as the Pirates 1-hitter. Following him will be Clint Barmes, sharing time at shortstop with teammate Jordy Mercer—who’s only played in 145 games as a big leaguer. Superstar McCutchen will hit third and set up the clean-up hitter and third-baseman, Pedro Alvarez, who looks to build off the 36 homers and 100 RBI’s he posted last season. Second baseman Neil Walker will bat fifth, preceding Pittsburgh’s incredible value of a catcher in Russell Martin. Gaby Sanchez will bat seventh and try to fill in the Pirates’ inexperienced gap at first base. Hitting eighth will be right fielder Jose Tabata, and whoever happens to be pitching will wrap up the order—as is National League tradition. Obviously a 162-game season will bring about some variety, but the core foundation will be there barring any injuries.

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Though the lineup lacks any obvious punch, other than McCutchen, it still has the remains of last year’s success to drive it towards more this year. The Bucs finished last season 14^th in home runs, 20^th in runs scored and 22^nd in batting average. Yet, the team still managed to forge themselves into the playoffs, where they took a very good team to five games before having to ship back to Pittsburgh. Even if nothing changes statistically, the Pirates have shown that they have heart. They’re mostly a young team, with an average age of 27 and a couple baby-faces coming up. This translates to the Pirate’s resiliency, which will be crucial in late games this season if they plan on playing ball in October.

-Vinnie Bellardini

New York Yankees Outlook

The 2013 New York Yankees season for the Yankees was an adventure. The Yankees began their season at home with an 8–2 loss against the Boston Red Sox . Their interleague schedule included the Mets (away and home), Dodgers (away and home), at the Rockies and Padres while hosting the Diamondbacks and Giants. The Yankees failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and only the second time in nineteen years.

The New York Yankees  have had quite the eventful off season. It began with the headlines for signing another key free agent,potentially losing one and having one of their players receive a season-ending suspension. It is safe to say the majority of the free agency has hinged on what the Yankees have been doing, and teams have had to wait for them to set the market.

According to  the ESPN website, the Yankees top players  include CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Alfonso Soriano, Derek Jeter, Hiroki Kuroda, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, Brian Roberts, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Ichiro Suzuki.

According to CSNWashington, the biggest concern and question for the new season is “ How good will Tanaka be?”, “Will Teixeira bounce back?”, “How will the additions on offense perform?”

http://www.csnwashington.com/baseball-washington-nationals/talk/2014-outlook-new-york-yankees

This year is projected to be a great start for the Yankees and if our cards are played right , the Yankees just might come out with a win.

-Tristan K

Atlanta Braves Outlook

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Finishing the 2013 season at the top of the National League East and extending contracts with Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward in the offseason, expectations are high for the Atlanta Braves franchise.

On paper, the loss of two people does not seem groundbreaking, but Mark Zuckerman of Nationals Insider believes these losses will hurt. Brian McCann and Tim Hudson are big shoes to fill, and Evan Gattis and Mike Minor are still inexperienced.

The Braves listed Mike Minor as their number one pitcher in the 2014 season, but his month-long stretch of inactivity may hurt his chances. Minor’s urinary tract procedure prevented him from throwing before spring training began.

Despite Gattis and Minor’s potential hardships, the Braves’ contract extensions ensure a season much like 2013. Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward and BJ and Justin Upton are expected to have a solid season and, so far, they have not shown anything less.

— Caitlin McClare

San Francisco Giants Outlook

The Giants are looking to recover from their below average season in 2013 (76-86) and make a run for the playoffs this year.  However, their lineup is roughly the same as last year, with the main offseason additions only being two players: Michael Morse and Tim Hudson. A playoff run is still on the horizon for the Giants, however, due to their new pitching rotation which has improved tremendously.  With multiple pitchers who have recovered from an injury  and are chomping at the bit to distance themselves from last season.

–Bradley Wigsten

Arizona Diamondbacks Outlook

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Last year, the Arizona Diamondbacks finished 81-81 for the season. This year, the Diamondbacks are currently ranked 16th in the power rankings for ESPN.

The leading prospect for the Diamondbacks is Archie Bradley, a right-handed pitcher, who was first drafted by the team this season. Bradley is rated the top pitching prospect in baseball, according to article from abcnews.com.

Another top prospect for the Diamondbacks is shortstop Chris Owings, who is expected to compete with Didi Gregorius and Cliff Pennington for the D-Backs’ starting job this spring, the Arizona Republic reports. Another prospect for the Diamondbacks this season is Braden Shipley, a right-handed pitcher.

In February 2014, the Diamondbacks agreed to terms with Bronson Arroyo, a right-handed pitcher, on a two-year contract. They also agreed to terms with Mark Trumbo, an outfielder, on a one-year contract.

–Kiara Catanzaro

New York Mets Outlook

Last season, the New York Mets didn’t do very well, with a season record of 74-88.  They finished third in the National League East Division.  But on May 30, they beat the New York Yankees for the first time in a really long time.

Curtis Granderson (Rich Lee photo)

Curtis Granderson, a left-handed power hitter and outfielder who played for the New York Yankees just last season, has been signed over to play for the Mets this 2014 season.  As of this past December, he has a $60 million four-year contract with the Mets.  He only played 66 games last season for the Yankees due to a broken knuckle and fractured forearm, and batted just .229. But with his injuries healing, there are high hopes for this new Mets player.

Another player acquired for this coming season is Bartolo Colon, a 40-year-old former Oakland A’s pitcher. With a 2.65 ERA, he stands out among the other pitchers in the Major Leagues.  He only has signed for two years for the Mets for $20 million, but he is still thought to be a good grab for the team. The Mets believe that he will be their new ace until Matt Harvey returns to the field.

Many critics are saying that not much will change from the end of last season to the end of this coming season.  But, with these new transactions, it could turn out better than expected.

                                                                       -Mackenzie Linehan

Seattle Mariners Outlook

The Mariners 2013 record was 71-91, placing them fourth in the AL West and 12^th in the AL. Hoping to improve their record this season, the team made some changes in the off-season, including replacing manager Eric Wedge with Lloyd McClendon. Jack Zduriencik remains the general manager, despite criticism from Wedge.

Some of the key players the Mariners acquired for the 2014 season are second baseman Robinson Cano, outfielder Corey Hart, outfielder Logan Morrison, right-handed pitcher Scott Baker and catcher John Buck.

The 10-year, $240 million contract with Cano made quite the splash for the Mariners. His addition has obviously created excitement for fans because of his overwhelming success with the Yankees and his status as a top free agent. However, one player can’t carry the team alone. Hopefully these other changes lead to a more successful season for the Mariners.

Despite these additions, there were some significant losses to the team as well. First baseman Kendry Morales, outfielder Raul Ibanez and left-handed pitchers Joe Saunders and Oliver Perez were all traded this season.

–Laura Meyers