2017 Pre-Season Profile: Philadelphia Phillies

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The Philadelphia Phillies made great strides in 2016 in their rebuilding process.  How far are they away from making their way back to the top of the National League?

My 2016 Predictions

5th in NL East

This will be Ryan Howard's last season in Philadelphia.

2016 Results

71-91, 4th in NL East

The Phillies were the worst team in baseball in 2015 as the rebuilding process has been in full effect.  2016 saw the last of the holdovers from the 2008 season say farewell to Philly as the team completely moves on.  Carlos Ruiz was traded mid-season, and (as I predicted) Ryan Howard ended his time with the Phillies.  With this transition complete, the Phillies made great strides as the new young core started to grow together.

Additions / Subtractions

As I already mentioned, Ryan Howard has moved on.  Most of the acquisitions made by the Phillies this offseason were of the veteran variety to fill in some holes in the lineup before the rest of the kids are ready for the big time.  Howie Kendrick and Michael Saunders are now manning the corner outfield spots.  They traded for Clay Buchholz to fill out their rotation.  They also signed Joaquin Benoit and Pat Neshek to bolster their bullpen.

Most Important Hitter

Maikel Franco

Odubel Herrera has emerged as a budding superstar for the Phillies.  However, for a team to be good, they need more than one superstar.  Maikel Franco is the closest to that level.  If he takes some steps forward this season, the Phillies could have the core they want to anchor their lineup for the next decade.

Most Important Pitcher

Clay Buchholz

Clay Buchholz at one time was a budding ace of the Red Sox.  Now he has been sent off disgraced to Philadelphia.  The Phillies made the deal banking on a bounce back season for Buchholz.  If he has that resurrection in his career that they are hoping for, the Phillies' rotation looks pretty strong.

Player to Watch

Jorge Alfaro

With last year's Player to Watch, J.P. Crawford, still waiting for his big league debut, I could have easily gone with Crawford again.  However, Jorge Alfaro is the more intriguing pick for this season.  Alfaro is one of the best catching prospects in the league, having been acquired in the 2015 Cole Hamels deal.  He got a taste of the show last season, and the only thing keeping him from breaking out is current starting catcher Cameron Rupp.  If Rupp struggles, gets injured, or gets traded, look for Alfaro to get his big shot.

2017 Prediction

5th in NL East

The Phillies are definitely taking some steps forward, and they are on their way to being elite.  The problem is the rest of the NL East is either elite or on the rise at the same time.  I could see the Phillies improve their record again this year, but drop down in the standings due to how the division is shaping out.  I really like where this team is headed though.

Fearless Prediction

The Phillies will have more than one All Star this season.

The last time the Phillies sported more than the minimum one All Star was 2013.  This year has enough star power that they could get a second All Star sent to Miami this year.  Look for Herrera to return to the game, with Franco, Buchholz, Jeremy Hellickson, Jerad Eikhoff, or closer Jeanmar Gomez all having a chance to make the roster if their season goes the right way.

2015 Pre-Season Profile: Los Angeles Dodgers

If championships were won on paper, the Los Angeles Dodgers would currently be working on a dynasty.  Instead they have been a team that has had a string of disappointing seasons because the expectations have been, "World Series or bust."  Will anything change in 2015?

Last Season

94-68, 1st in NL West, Lost to Cardinals in NLDS

After a season that saw them finish with one of the best records in baseball led by the best pitcher on the planet, the Dodgers once again came up short in the playoffs.  Playing St. Louis in the postseason is never a blueprint of success, but when they touched up Clayton Kershaw for 8 earned runs in Game 1 of the NLDS, everyone knew the Dodgers were done.  For many teams out there, this finish would still be viewed as a good season.  They won 90+ games, their roster had the NL Cy Young and NL MVP (both Clayton Kershaw), and they were upended by one of the best postseason teams of the last decade.  It is nothing to hang your head about, unless you are the Dodgers.  Over the last few years, the Dodgers have become the NL version of the Yankees, compiling what appears to be an All Star team year after year.  To not even reach a World Series since 1988 is a stat that needs to change in the next year or two for everyone to keep their jobs.

2015 Additions / Subtractions

The problem with having an All Star roster every year is knowing when and where changes are needed.  The Dodgers were quite active in tweaking their roster to try and find a way to take that next step.  Hanley Ramirez left in free agency, Josh Beckett retired, while Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, and Matt Kemp were traded away.  Joining the Dodgers in 2015 are Jimmy Rollins, Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal, and Brandon McCarthy.  For the most part, the theme seemed to be veteran leadership that are proven winners that can lead the current stars and mentor the young phenoms.

Most Important Hitter

Jimmy Rollins

Jimmy Rollins is far from the player that won the NL MVP in 2007, however his name still garners the respect of a consummate professional.  Coming over from the Phillies, Rollins will be slated in as the Dodgers' new leadoff hitter and will be expected to produce, maybe not at his 2007 level, but definitely at a high level.  Having Rollins be that strong table setter would be just what the offense needs to be elite this year.  If Rollins shows more age than greatness, don't be surprised to see him be benched or released in favor of 20 year-old super prospect Corey Seager.  The pressure is definitely on for Jimmy Rollins to produce.

Most Important Pitcher

Brandon McCarthy

The top of the Dodger rotation is set with Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-jin Ryu (once he is healthy) filling the top three spots in the rotation.  Brandon McCarthy has been brought in this year and is being counted on to anchor the back half of the staff vacated by Beckett and Haren.  McCarthy has had an up and down career.  It appears that when he finds the right situation, like Oakland and the Yankees, he has a great deal of success.  When in the wrong situation, like Texas and Arizona, he struggles.  The question is which category will the Dodgers fit into?  Everyone is counting on the former rather than the latter.

Player to Watch

Joc Pederson

As much as I would love to place Corey Seager in this spot, there is no guarantee he will see significant time this season.  Joc Pederson, on the other hand, will start in centerfield on Opening Day.  The Dodgers' #3 prospect, and MLB.com's #14 prospect overall, gave the Dodgers the confidence that they could move on from Matt Kemp and put Andre Ethier on the trade market or the bench.  Not only is he a player to watch, but the Dodgers are counting on him to live up to his hype this season.  In another "World Series or bust" season, they do not have the time to be patient.

Prediction

1st in NL West, lose in World Series

(yes, I just went a whole Dodger preview article without mentioning Yasiel Puig ... it can be done)

I think this is the year the Dodgers get over the hump and make it to the World Series.  Their roster appears to be a good balance of veteran leadership and youthful energy.  I see guys like Howie Kendrick and especially Jimmy Rollins (a future big league manager I'm sure) bringing a veteran leadership the clubhouse may have been missing in years past.  As long as Don Mattingly either finds a way to manage the crowded outfield properly or the front office makes some moves to uncrowd it for him, the Dodgers will be back in the position they were last year.  If they are, I wouldn't bet on Clayton Kershaw having a postseason performance like he did in 2014.  He will lead them to the World Series, but not quite all the way to the Promised Land.  However, taking that next step forward will make them even hungrier for the next season, as long as the front office continues to freshen up the lineup every year.

2015 Pre-Season Profile: Los Angeles Angels

The Boys of Summer are almost back in town!  Let's take a look at each team's chances coming into this new season ... starting with the Los Angeles Angels.

Last Season

98-64 - 1st in AL West, Lost to Royals in ALDS

The Angels bucked a trend of under-performance in 2014 and did what many people thought they were going to do in previous seasons.  Entering the playoffs with the best record in baseball, they ran into the streaking Royals which ended their post-season run almost before it started.  Mike Trout finally (at age 24) took home his first MVP as he continued to be widely regarded as the best player in baseball.

2015 Additions / Subtractions

For the second year in a row (which might be a good sign), the Angels stayed fairly inactive when it came to offseason moves.  The team that once was known for signing the biggest name every offseason (Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton), this year the biggest move that was made was trading away All-Star 2B Howie Kendrick for prospects.  The battle for Kendrick's replacement this year continues as they wait for some prospects to be ready.  The addition of Matt Joyce is an upgrade at DH, but it is nothing to be impressed by.  You could say the biggest acquisition this team had came at the end of last season when they traded for closer Huston Street at the trade deadline.

MIH (Most Important Hitter)

Albert Pujols

Looking ahead at this season, Albert Pujols is definitely the most important hitter to the Angels' success.  Trout is going to continue to be out of this world, and other players like Erick Aybar and David Freese will continue to be solid complementary pieces, but Pujols will be the deciding factor.  For the first time since he arrived in LA, Albert performed up to his billing in 2014, and the Angels were successful.  Was last year the start of his comeback, or the last flash of a brilliant career.  With Josh Hamilton being an unknown entering the season, Pujols has to be great for the Angels to be great.

MIP (Most Important Pitcher)

Garrett Richards

Last season, Richards became one of the biggest surprises for the Angels.  In a rotation with a lot of question marks, he became a dominant pitcher.  He was a potential Cy Young candidate before he tore up his knee late in the season.  He will not be ready for the start of the year, but when he returns (which could be as early as mid-April) the Angels are now counting on him being great, which may not happen right away, if at all, this season.  Hopefully, the Angels stay patient with him.  Leg injuries, when rushed, can quickly lead to arm injuries.

Player to Watch

Andrew Heaney - LHP

You may not know his name yet, but you probably will by the end of the season.  This is the reason the Angels traded away Howie Kendrick.  Heaney is currently ranked #26 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects and immediately became the best prospect in the Angels' farm system when he was acquired from the Dodgers.  With the injury to Richards, he might have the opportunity to start this season in the Angels' rotation.  If not, he will definitely play a role down the stretch either in the bullpen (see Brandon Finnegan last year or David Price in 2008) or as a key starter.

Prediction

1st in AL West, Lose in ALDS

They sacrificed some depth in the lineup to improve their pitching staff, even if it might not be this year.  I do not think they have the firepower to repeat their record from last year, however they are still the class of this division until someone (like the Mariners) knock them down.  Their lack of rotation depth will keep them, once again, from going far in the postseason.