American League -- West

Los Angeles Angels

Team Motto: Vernon Wells Free since 2013!
Hello: Josh Hamilton, Tommy Hanson, Jason Vargas, Joe Blanton
Goodbye: Ervin Santana, Jordan Walden
Pleasant surprise player? Peter Bourjos


Does it work out?

Nice comeback player: Joe Blanton

Remember when Artie Moreno spent all that money for Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson last year? Well, these days that’s a mere pittance compared to what the other LA team did after that, but I think the Angels are the better bet to pay off sooner, and when a team is spending millions to billions, the future is now.

I think the Angels will do enough to win, they just won’t have the juggernaut a lot of people thing they have, as after an aging and often hurting Pujols, they brought on Josh Hamilton, who could be MVP or an 80-game player? Mike Trout will regress, and while Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick and Bourjos are good, they’re not that good, and the starting pitching is really iffy after Jered Weaver and a now healthy Wilson.

Not much depth, and I think Mark Trumbo continues his fall, and Chris Iannetta is average.

Prediction: 1^st Place

Best team in an over-rated division.

Oakland A’s

Team motto: Relentless Smoke and Mirrors!
Hello: Chris Young, Jed Lowrie, John Jaso           

They have bradabillity

Goodbye: Andrew Bailey
Pleasant surprise player? Jed Lowrie
Nice comeback player: Chris Young

How does Oakland keep doing this stuff with players few folks have heard of? The A’s total salary last season was about $56.6 million, so it’s not as though Billy Beane is still pleading poverty, but their payroll is about 25% of the Angels, and about half of what Texas will pay, even after Josh Hamilton and Michael Young left.

The answer of course is Beane’s ability to find players that will fill specific roles and contribute the walks, steals, hits and homers that create just enough runs for a very talented and seemingly endless number of young and pitchers.

You may not know guys like Seth Smith, Brandon Moss, Josh Donaldson, AJ Griffin, Tommy Milone and John Jaso, but they’re odds on to help produce between 85-88 wins this season.

Prediction: 2^nd Place

If Brett Anderson can ever stay healthy, and a kid named Dan Straily keeps improving, the ballpark may be friendly enough to allow old Bartolo Colon to be effective again, and the A’s will have a shot at the post-season.

Texas Rangers

Team motto: We are not losers again…yet!    

Nolan may be done hoisting trophies?

Hello: Lance Berkman, AJ Pierzynski
Goodbye: Josh Hamilton, Michael Young
Pleasant surprise player? David Murphy
Nice comeback player: Joakim Soria

They say Nolan Ryan is being forced out in Texas, which seems to make no sense to me. I can see that Young had to go, and I am not a Hamilton fan, but I give a big chunk of the credit for the Rangers revived pitching to Ryan.

I’d be surprised if Berkman stays healthy enough to contribute much, and Pierzynski can’t fend off old age forever. Their number 1 starter, Colby Lewis is out until mid-season, and he’s not a true number 1 anyway. I think the whole season depends on Yu Darvish and Derek Holland stepping up, and Matt Harrison proving most of last season was not based on a lot of luck.

There is certainly some very nice young hitting talent in Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt in AAA, and Alexi Ogando and Martin Perez on the pitching side may step up?

Prediction: 3^rd Place

Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, and Nelson Cruz are all very good offensive players, and the defense and team speed is good. I think this team is like those old Ranger teams were – fast start, plenty of runs scored, but the pitching tires and fades in the oppressive Texas summer. They will contend, and may make the post-season, but they wouldn’t get any of my money.

Seattle Mariners

Team motto: We love the Astros!
Hello: Michael Morse, Kendrys Morales, Jason Bay
Goodbye: Jason Vargas
Pleasant surprise players? Mike Zunino, Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker
Nice comeback player: Raul Ibanez

Millions of dollars fallin' from the sky

This could be a pretty good team if the pitching can hold up in a place that is no longer the most pitcher-friendly in the league. When they moved the fences in, and went and brought on Morse and Morales, they made it known that they were ready to try and get in the mix.

Past King Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, there isn’t a lot of pitching to get excited about until they bring the kids (Hultzen, Walker, and Erasmo Ramirez) back up from AAA.

Former top prospects Dustin Ackley (2B) and Justin Smoak (1B) will need to start hitting, and Jesus Montero will need to continue to hit, and improve his poor fielding at catcher.

Prediction: 4^th Place

Really too many ifs, and even if the three top starting pitchers prospects to get promoted, it’s not likely they will pitch well enough to make much wild card noise, but they are no longer a dumpster fire, and they will have the Astros to kick around.

Houston Astros

Team motto: We may actually be better than Miami! 

Baseball? I Thought it was football?

Hello: Carlos Pena, Chris Carter, Erik Bedard
Goodbye: Jed Lowrie
Pleasant surprise player? Chris Carter
Nice comeback player: Erik Bedard

Who says that the Houston Astros are the worst team in baseball? If we could switch them with the Marlins, I think we’d be changing our minds, but the AL west is a lot tougher that the NL East, so here we have a team that may lose 115 games?

Reality is that the starting rotation has some talent in Bud Norris, Lucas Harrell, and Bedard, but the bullpen is extra-shaky, and there will be a collection of (what should be) mostly AAA players on the field. Chris Carter and Carlos Pena may hit 65 homers and strike out 400 times between them, leaving Houston’s one star player, Jose Altuve to wonder how he’ll ever score unless someone homers?

Prediction: 5^th Place

Houston got old, and began the break up of a not bad team last year, and will need at least this year, and probably most of next year to get back to being at least a .500 team. If they draft well, and some of their minor league prospects come through 2015 might not be so bad?

Nickel recap:

Maybe the LA neighbors play nice at some point soon, and the Dodgers off load one of the starting pitchers (Adam Harang, Ted Lilly, or Chris Capuano) they don't have room for?  If not, I have a feeling the Angels buy or trade for one top of the line pitcher around the deadline and /or before September 1 to ensure winning the division, and the attempt to get deep into October?  Look for that pitcher to be Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, or Matt Garza.

National League - East

Washington Nationals

Team Motto: We are bucks up!
Hello: Rafael Soriano, Dan Haren, Denard Span

Lots of reasons to smile

Goodbye: Michael Morse, Edwin Jackson
Pleasant surprise player? Tyler Moore
Nice comeback players: Dan Haren & Jayson Werth



Remember when Washington was an orphan known as the Montreal Expos? Well, mega-billionaire Ted Lerner, the 87-year old principal owner of the Nationals adopted the team a few years back, and has had his bottomless wallet open for some years now. He put braces on his boys, bought them long pants, and got them tutors in order to help them improve their lot in life.

Another old man, Davey Johnson took charge of this team, and led them to what should have been an NL Championship Series with the Giants last year, but a horrific ninth innings did them in.

Prediction: 1st Place

The Nats have the best starting rotation in baseball, and current or potential all stars at almost every position. A nice, deep bullpen and bench, good defense, power and excellent speed. This is your odds on 2013 National League World Series representative.

Atlanta Braves

Team motto: Justin? BJ? We want Kate!
Hello: BJ Upton
Goodbye: Michael Bourn, Chipper Jones, Martin Prado

Kate can't hit, but she takes a helluva shower

Pleasant surprise player? Mike Minor
Nice comeback player: Jason Heyward

I have seen a lot of positive things written about this team, but I don’t see where the leadership is coming from?

The starting pitching will be good, to very good, and if the Upton boys perform well, they’ll make some noise, but they need too much else to go right on the hitting side.

Will Dan Uggla continue to look like an old man? Will Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman fulfil all the great things predicted for them? Will third base be a disaster? Will Andrelton Simmons be the great shortstop of the future? Will Brian McCann get and stay healthy? Can Paul Maholm forget he was a Pirate?

Prediction: 2nd Place

Too many questions have my gut telling me this team is one consolidation year away from really contending.

Philadelphia Phillies

Team motto: Not as old as the Yankees!
Hello: Ben Revere, Delmon & Michael Young


I think Doc is gonna need a doc?

Goodbye: Vance Worley
Pleasant surprise player? Domonic Brown
Nice comeback player: Chase Utley

Why does most of the heart of this team (Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Utley, Roy Halladay, and Michael Young) seem so old? Answer: Because they are.

Prediction: 3rd Place

Halladay is on what looks to be a quick downward spiral, along with Howard and Utley, although I think Utley has one good year left in him, if he can stay healthy? Cole Hamels is a pure stud, and Cliff Lee is right behind him, but it won’t be enough to even seriously contend. Old players that have been injury-prone don’t suddenly get healthy, and they will really miss Carlos Ruiz, who sits out the first 50 games for a MLB drug violation.

New York Mets

Team motto: Strawberry, Raspberry, we want Throneberry!


Simply marv

Hello: Shaun Marcum, John Buck
Goodbye: Scott Hairston, Josh Thole
Pleasant surprise player? Matt Harvey
Nice comeback player: Marlon Byrd

There isn’t much here past David Wright’s continued All Star play, and Ike Davis potentially challenging for the NL Home Run title. Maybe catcher Travis d’Arnaud (the key part of the R.A. Dickey trade) will come up sometime this summer and live up to the hype. Ruben Tejada isn’t Jose Reyes, but he has nice skills.

Prediction: 4th Place

Could be the end for Johan Santana – is he Hall of Fame worthy? Nah, but he had a nice 6-year run, and got that big contract. Now, Shaun Marcum is hurt – big surprise there, huh? I doubt they are good enough to battle a very ordinary the Phillie for third, but they should edge out Miami.

Miami Marlins

Team motto: It was bad while it lasted!
Hello: Juan Pierre, Placido Polanco                        


I think there's going to be trouble?

Goodbye: Ozzie, Jose, Hanley, Emilio, Mark, John, etc., etc., etc....
Pleasant surprise player? Adeiny Hechavarria
Nice comeback player: Juan Pierre

Who says that the Houston Astros are the worst team in baseball? Last year at this time Marlin owner Jeffrey Loria had gotten out his brand new Etch-A-Sketch, and drawn up a plan to win the NL East with star power, and a foul-mouthed manager who early on insulted the Cuban population that was expected to fill the new artsy-fartsy wonderama stadium.

"Jeffrey, you got sum splainin’ to do?"

Haven’t we seen versions of this before with Miami? Yep. They win pennants in 1997 and 2003 and break up the team because not enough folks come to see the games. It’s not a Marlin’s thing, it’s a Florida thing. The Dolphins and Heat don’t draw either, because it’s too damn muggy, and the old folks can’t afford to buy tickets. The young folks are swimming, sunning, and partying in South Beach.

Prediction: 5th Place

How long before the best young power hitter in MLB (Giancarlo Stanton) gets traded? When it does happen (this season) Miami will be worse than Houston.

Nickel recap:
I don't think any team will really threaten the Nationals, but Atlanta will contend for a wild card, Philly fans will boo their players, Mets fans will boo their owners, and Miami fans...oh wait, there aren't any.

Madness in March -- 79 degrees or snowing

Will it be Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga, or Kansas? We all know that #1 seeds win it most of the time.

Ohio State? Nah, they’re losers, though I like their coach. I don't like Pittino, but I do like his boy, Billy Donovan. I like the old man (Jim Larranaga) of Miami better. Didn't he used to coach James Mason, or Dave Mason, or was it Harvey Mason? Anyway, he’s an old guy like me, and he’s got an old team. Seniors are good this time of year, if more rare as the years pass.

Originally the Gonzaganut Bar

How about Gonzaga? A kid told me a few days ago that the Zagnut candy bar was named for the basketball team. You believe that, don’t you? Remember when those boys from the far northwest were the new kids? Hell, I remember when Coach K was the new kid playing guard for Bobby Knight at West Point.

April Gladness

In the last 21 tournaments, a top 4 seed has won it all. Arizona was a #4 seed when they won it, but can they win it as a #6 seed?

Is Bucknell the new Butler, is Chaka still smart?

Give me Liberty (and 40 points), or some other team that didn’t lose 20 games and make the field of 68.

Sometimes when I pick the wrong team, I hate myself. My son just hates Bill Self.

Know lots of folks that went to Syracuse, and was very happy when they won it; more happy when (upstart) Vermont beat them a few later.

Does anyone else miss Roy Williams blubbering like a little kid after another early exit?

Harvard is in this one – go figure? Princeton was robbed in 1989. They had #1 Georgetown beat when the Tigers were a 16, but the refs took it away from them…seriously, they did.

Been watching this thing for 50 years, early on, every game was on tape delay. I was rooting for Bill Bradley, even though the damn games weren't even on TV, and I’d never seen him play, if you can imagine?



My son posts up the Big Red Head

I watched every minute of Bill Walton play the greatest game in final’s history, and lost a lot of money one year later when UCLA lost to NC State, and David Thompson.

Had North Carolina on a bet over Georgetown giving 2 points. Freddie Brown makes that horrible pass to James Worthy, and I needed Worthy to go in and slam it home for a 4 point lead, but he pulls it back, and dribbles it until he gets fouled. The National College Player of the Year needed to make one of two for me to win a bundle, and he misses both. The bet was a push, but it was a great game, and I have a better story.

It’s all before us, and we can root 63 times for a winner, and some of us, will win some money.

It’s snowing like crazy up here in northern Vermont, and tomorrow is the first day of spring. Last year it was 79 degrees, and that was crazy too.

Must be the time of year that brings on the madness?   Or maybe it's all the Gonzaganut Bars?