2018 Pre-Season Profile: Toronto Blue Jays

#22

The Toronto Blue Jays went from perennial playoff contender to irrelevance in 2017.  Does 2018 bring a return to form or more of the same?

2017 Predictions

5th in AL East

No Blue Jays starting pitcher will start more than 30 games.

2017 Results

76-86, 4th in AL East

I had a pretty good read on the Blue Jays last year.  Losing some key pieces, watching others age in front of them, and fighting through injuries led to them only one game out of the cellar in the AL East.  As for their pitching, Marcus Stroman and JA Happ were able to each start 33 games, however 2016 All Star Aaron Sanchez had the setback I predicted, only pitching 36 innings in an injury-plagued campaign.

Additions / Subtractions

The Blue Jays made some minor moves for some veterans that will help fill out their roster in 2018.  The most noteworthy additions were veteran Curtis Granderson to man leftfield and former top prospect Randal Grichuk to man rightfield.  Some other minor moves for depth were infielders Yangervis Solarte and Aledmys Diaz along with pitchers Jaime Garcia and Seung Hwan Oh.  None of these moves could be considered huge difference makers (maybe Grichuk), but it helps the lineup look respectable in 2018 as opposed to some of the "extreme tankers" (Marlins, I'm looking at you).

Most Important Hitter

Justin Smoak

In 2017, Justin Smoak went from a prime example of potential that never delivers to finally putting it all together to be an All Star.  Now entering 2018, the Blue Jays are going to be relying on Smoak to anchor the center of their order with Josh Donaldson.  More times than not, when a player has a spike year like Smoak did in 2017, it is more likely for it to be a fluke instead of a sign of good things to come.  The Blue Jays are really hoping Smoak can buck the trend.

Most Important Pitcher

Marcus Stroman

Over the last few seasons, Marcus Stroman has emerged as one of the better pitchers in baseball.  Only entering his age 27 season, Stroman will try and repeat a productive 2017 that started with him dominating in the WBC and finished with him being the best player on the Blue Jays in terms of WAR.  Stroman is the ultimate competitor.  Will he be able to stay interested and on top of his game if the Blue Jays aren't in contention?  Also, he has thrown over 200 innings the last two seasons.  He has not had a history of arm issues (although he is working through some shoulder inflammation right now).  Will he be able to avoid the inevitable lost season young pitchers have had to arm problems?

Prospect to Watch

Anthony Alford

The Blue Jays have a pretty stacked farm system, highlighted by a couple second generation big leaguers.  However, Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are still at least a year away from being ready for the big leagues.  The intriguing one to watch for 2018 is Anthony Alford.  This former football player for Southern Miss is a crazy athlete with blazing speed.  His other tools are still developing, but the Blue Jays would love to see him break through in leftfield at some point this year and maybe even be their leadoff hitter with a little pop.

2018 Prediction

3rd in AL East

Predicting them to finish in the middle of the AL East might be a little deceiving.  The Yankees and Red Sox are the only teams in this division that will finish over .500.  The Blue Jays are actually set up well moving forward.  They have some big-time prospects waiting in the wings and a decent pitching staff, led by Stroman and Aaron Sanchez, that will still be there when they are ready to compete again.  This season might not be a success in Toronto, but they are building to something great.

Fearless Prediction

2018 will be Josh Donaldson's last season as a Blue Jay.

Josh Donaldson only has one more year of control after 2018.  His relationship with the Blue Jays' front office has been rocky at best throughout his time in Toronto.  Chances are he will not be re-signing with the Blue Jays.  The Blue Jays probably don't want him back considering they have one of the top prospects in the world (Vlad Guerrero Jr.) that plays third base.  So all this leads to, ideally, an offseason trade to bring back more prospects that will support this new wave that will be ready to compete in a few years.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Toronto Blue Jays

#19

The Toronto Blue Jays came just short of the World Series in 2016.  What do their prospects look like for the 2017 season?  Will they get over the hump, or fall back to the pack?

2016 Predictions

1st in AL East, lose in World Series

This will be the last year the Blue Jays make the playoffs for a decade.

2016 Results

89-73, 2nd in AL East, WILD CARD, lost in ALCS

I was all in on the Blue Jays in 2016.  I had them coming up short in the World Series.  It turns out their playoff run came up a little short of that thanks to an insanely hot Cleveland Indians team.  If nothing else, the Blue Jays showed they know how to compete.  As for my Fearless Prediction, only time will tell.

Additions / Subtractions

My look ahead in my Fearless Prediction was based on how this offseason was going to go for the Blue Jays.  It had the potential to be catastrophic.  Although it didn't hit the depths it could have, it still was pretty bad.  They watched All Stars Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Saunders walk away.  They re-signed aging slugger Jose Bautista for a discount only when it became apparent that no one else wanted him.  After losing these key pieces, the only player brought in was DH Kendrys Morales, quite the downgrade over Encarnacion.

Most Important Hitter

Troy Tulowitzki

This is the same player I highlighted in this position last year, but it is even more true this year than last year.  There was a time when Tulo was one of the best players in baseball.  The only question was if he could stay healthy.  Ever since he moved to Toronto from Denver, his production has fallen apart.  At his best, Tulowitzki was almost a 7 win player when you look at WAR.  In 2016, he was just over a 3 win player.  That's not terrible, but it's not superstar level either.  With the loss of Encarnacion and Saunders and the deterioration of Joey Bats, the Blue Jays need Tulo to be the superstar again.  It would also help if he could play over 140 games, a feat he has only accomplished 3 times in his 10 year career.

Most Important Pitcher

Aaron Sanchez

The Blue Jays had outstanding performances from some of their starters last season, most notably JA Happ and Marco Estrada.  However, the real spark was Aaron Sanchez.  The 23 year old had 15 wins and almost 200 innings.  He would have surpassed that threshold if the team let him, but they decided to shut him down late in the year to control his workload.  However, a pitcher rarely sees his inning count go up by 100 in one year without any ill effects.  With the offense possibly taking a step back this year, the pitching needs to step up and as good if not better than 2016.  Their ability to do this starts and ends with Sanchez, his health, and his ability to duplicate his dominance from a year ago.

Player to Watch

Rowdy Tellez

The Blue Jays are a few years away from their top prospects making an impact on the big league roster (however we all look forward to the debut of Vlad Guerrero Jr.).  One player who might have a chance to make an impact this season is first baseman Rowdy Tellez.  The incumbent in Toronto is Justin Smoak, who all Mariner fans know is the definition of a bust (he has a career WAR of 1.5 ... he has "boasted" a negative WAR in more seasons than a positive WAR).  Tellez, listed at 6'4" and 220 pounds, has the potential to be a serious power threat at the next level.  Look for the Blue Jays to give up on Smoak at some point this season and give Tellez a shot.

2017 Prediction

5th in AL East

This might be a little dramatic, but I could easily see it happen.  The Blue Jays are coming crashing back down to Earth this season.  Everyone else in this division is trending up.  Instead, the Blue Jays have done nothing to improve themselves while getting a year older in the process.  The pitching staff won't repeat their performance from last year (although Marcus Stroman could have a breakout season), and the offense looks a lot like the Angels now, which is one of the weakest offenses in the game.  They both have one superstar (Josh Donaldson), an aging slugger who is a shell of his former self (Jose Bautista), and a roster that otherwise sports more busts than bombs.  I'm holding to my prediction from last season.  Count this as year 1 of 10 upcoming years of futility north of the border.

Fearless Prediction

No Blue Jays starting pitcher will start more than 30 games.

One of the reasons I see the Blue Jays falling apart this year is their pitching staff.  They all had amazing seasons last year, but so many times seasons like that are followed by injuries.  JA Happ, Aaron Sanchez, Marco Estrada, and Francisco Liriano all could spend significant time on the DL.  Marcus Stroman is a stud, but I could easily see his workload in the World Baseball Classic catching up with him.  Look for the Blue Jays to be scrambling for starting pitching by mid-season.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: Toronto Blue Jays

In 2015, the Toronto Blue Jays made the playoffs for the first time since their last World Series run in 1993.  Will they be able to go a step further in 2016?

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 1st in AL East, lose in ALDS

2015 Result: 93-69, 1st in AL East, lost in ALCS

I predicted 2015 would be the year the Blue Jays finally broke through and got back to the postseason.  I even had them losing to the Royals once they got there.  The problem was I had them losing in the wrong round.  Some late season trades really beefed up their lineup to make this big impact down the stretch.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

After being the most active team at the 2015 Trade Deadline, the Blue Jays had a fairly quiet offseason.  They lost David Price to free agency.  They traded Ben Revere, who had been acquired in one of the many 2015 deadline deals, to the Nats for reliever Drew Storen.  They also signed veteran lefty J.A. Happ to add depth to the rotation.  That was about it.  However, the formula was pretty good last year so they really didn't have much to change.

Most Important Hitter

Troy Tulowitzki

Everyone was shocked last year when the Jays pulled off this trade for the best established shortstop in the game.  They had a formidable lineup before the trade when Jose Reyes was their shortstop.  Now, with Tulo joining Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion in the middle of that lineup, they may have one of the best lineups top to bottom of the last decade.  There is only one problem with Tulowitzki: health.  He is now in his 11th season in the big leagues.  He has played over 140 games in a season only three times in his career.  Losing Price is a blow to their pitching.  They will have to outscore more teams than they want to.  To do that, they need a healthy Tulo adding to this elite lineup.

Most Important Pitcher

Marcus Stroman

The hopes and dreams of the Blue Jays this season rest on the arm of Marcus Stroman.  He was set to be their ace in 2015 until he tore his ACL before the season even started.  This forced them to make a trade for a guy like David Price down the stretch.  Now that Price left, Stroman needs to be the elite arm that anchors this pitching staff moving forward.  He has the ability to do it.  The question is if this 25 year old is ready for it.  If the Jays are going to reach the heights they want to reach this year, he has to be great.

Player to Watch

Chad Girodo

The Blue Jays have a decent farm system, however most of their talent is still a few years off.  Only three players in their top 30 prospects on mlb.com are projected to be ready at some point this year.  The highest ranked, and most likely to have a big impact, is Chad Girodo.  If there is a weakness of the Blue Jays, it is their pitching.  Look for a rookie like Girodo, a crafty 25 year old lefty, to have a chance at some point this season.

2016 Prediction

1st in AL East, lose in World Series

The Blue Jays may have lost some dude-ness from their rotation losing David Price, but with a full year from Stroman and Tulo, I see an offense that can outscore anybody and a pitching staff that won't miss Price as much as some people think.  Also, there still is another Trade Deadline coming up this year, and don't be surprised to see another deadline move for an arm.  I see the Jays getting one step further before they run into the buzz saw that will be the Giants' pitching in the World Series.

Fearless Prediction

This will be the last year the Blue Jays will make the playoffs for a decade.

The Blue Jays have a great core they have built over the last few years, but it is all about to fall apart.  Jose Bautista has already come out and said he will be on sale to the highest bidder when he becomes a free agent this winter.  Expect the same from Edwin Encarnacion, meaning neither of them are likely to come back.  Josh Donaldson is under contract through 2017, but with the way the Jays mishandled his contract negotiations this offseason, don't expect him to stay after that.  They have Tulo through 2020 if he can stay on the field.  This entire lineup they have built, one of the best lineups I can remember that actually works and produces, will be dismantled over the next few years.  Along with it will go any chance the Blue Jays have of being elite.  So enjoy it while it lasts.  This powerhouse has an expiration date.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: Colorado Rockies

The first National League team to be previewed is one of the more interesting teams every year.  Their offense is always strong, but is it because of the park?  Because of the park, it is next to impossible to get quality pitching.  All this leaves a team constantly trying to rise above mediocrity.  Let's look at the 2016 Colorado Rockies.

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 4th in NL West

2015 Results: 68-94, 5th in NL West

Another lackluster year for the Rockies in 2015 led to a Trade Deadline move that sent away their superstar shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.  I pretty much predicted their season right, thinking they had a chance to be a little higher.  This was less about misjudging the Rockies and more about misjudging the success of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who I picked for the cellar.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

The trade of Tulo started the Rockies' offseason early.  However, they had a surprisingly quiet yet confusing offseason otherwise.  They signed some bullpen help in Jason Motte and Chad Qualls.  They signed Gerardo Parra, but already had a full outfield.  So that meant they had to trade one or more of them.  Instead of trading Carlos Gonzalez, whose value is at its peak for a big return, they traded Corey Dickerson for a 29 year old lefty reliever in Jake McGee.  Now McGee is a good pitcher, but they did not get the prospects they needed.  Now Jose Reyes is on administrative leave and may not play for awhile depending on how the investigation of his off-field issues goes.  Here is another instance where Ian Desmond might come in handy.  Seriously, someone sign this guy!

Most Important Hitter

Charlie Blackmon

This was a toss up between Blackmon and DJ LaMahieu, but Charlie Blackmon has been the stronger hitter and is more essential to the offense.  The Rockies have one of the best sets of power hitters to anchor their lineup in the league with CarGo and breakout star Nolan Arenado.  For them to be successful, they need someone on base in front of them.  Blackmon broke out in 2014 and made the All Star Team.  He was solid in 2015, but not All Star level.  He needs to be All Star level for the Rockies to be successful in 2015.

Most Important Pitcher

Jason Motte

In 2012, Jason Motte led the league by saving 42 games for the St. Louis Cardinals.  He followed that up by missing all of 2013 with an injury, a shortened 2014 season, and a 2015 campaign where he was finally healthy enough to pitch a full season.  Now the Rockies are bringing him in to hopefully be their closer.  They do have Chad Qualls and Jake McGee just in case Motte doesn't work out, but they are more built for the setup roles.  For the Rockies' bullpen to be strong this year, Motte needs to return to his 2012 form.

Player to Watch

Jon Gray

Jon Gray is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.  It must be tough to be a pitcher trying to break into the big leagues in Colorado.  Gray had a short run with the big club in 2015 that was disappointing.  He is slated to start 2016 in the rotation for the Rockies.  Colorado needs Gray and other pitching prospects like him to work out to have the success they hope for.  An honorable mention here is reliever Miguel Castro, who closed some games for the Blue Jays last year before being traded to the Rockies in the Tulowitzki deal.

2016 Prediction

4th in NL West

The NL West is very competitive this year, especially with the improvements made by the Diamondbacks.  I think the Rockies might surprise some people this year, and by surprise, I mean not finish in last place.  They have a very strong offense and a lot of young talent.  The only question is if they can find enough pitching to stay in some games.  If they do, they might be respectable this season.

Fearless Prediction

Carlos Gonzalez will be part of a blockbuster trade at the Trade Deadline.

Like I said earlier, CarGo not being traded this offseason was a surprise, especially after Troy Tulowitzki was traded in July.  I don't think the Rockies are unwilling to trade him, but they are waiting for the right trade.  Carlos Gonzalez is under contract until 2018 and is a bonafide power hitter.  Someone is going to get desperate in July and give the Rockies the package they are looking for.  Then they Rockies will look like geniuses for not trading him this offseason.

MLB Year in Review: ASG-to-ASG 2014

Growing up, I watched a lot of ESPN and SportsCenter.  It was one of the primary viewing choices of my childhood.  This made this mid-July week somewhat of a downer growing up since nothing happens in the sports world outside the MLB All Star Game.  SportsCenter is always looking for interesting topics for this lackluster sports week.  Nowadays, this doesn't change the SportsCenter programming at all since all they talk about now is the NFL and LeBron James all year anyways.  When I was a kid, believe it or not, SportsCenter still considered baseball as a relevant sport worth covering.  So while baseball was taking a break, they still worked to find baseball stories to talk about.  One of my favorite baseball pieces they did every year during the All Star Break was determine who had the best last 162 games.  They would calculate stats from the last All Star Break to the current All Star Break and compare them as full season stats.  Unfortunately, SportsCenter is too busy debating the first pick in next year's NFL draft to waste time on this fascinating premise.  So I have decided to compile all these stats on my own and determine who would has had the best last full season.

Here is the process I went through.  I went through the league leaders from Post All Star 2013 stats and the 2014 first half stats.  For the hitters, I compiled the top 50 leaders in both time frames in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI's, and runs.  This gave me 160 hitters I compiled stats for from the last year.  For the pitchers, I went through the same process with wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and saves (only calculated the top 30 in saves).  I realize this left out the always-overlooked middle reliever, but oh well.  They are always overlooked anyways so one more time won't be too tragic.  This resulted in 151 pitchers to compare.  Let's look at some top lists.

AL Batting Average

Victor Martinez – DET	.343
Robinson Cano – NYY / SEA	.333
Adrian Beltre – TEX	.327
Mike Trout – LAA	.316
Jose Altuve – HOU	.315
JD Martinez – HOU / DET	.322

not enough AB's

It turns out the amazingly hot starts this year from Victor Martinez and Jose Altuve actually started last season.  This is also not the last time you will see Mike Trout's name.

NL Batting Average

Andrew McCutchen – PIT	.330
Scooter Gennett – MIL	.325
Troy Tulowitzki – COL	.323
Freddie Freeman – ATL	.311
Charlie Blackmon – COL	.310
Michael Cuddyer – COL	.327
Casey McGehee – MIA	.319

not enough AB's

Much like Martinez and Altuve, Charlie Blackmon's hot start this year was foreshadowed by a strong finish last year.  Freddie Freeman is turning into one of the best all-around hitters in the league.  Also, Scooter Gennett has to be the best player nobody has heard of.

AL Home Runs

Edwin Encarnacion – TOR	37
Brandon Moss – OAK	35
Mike Trout – LAA	34
Nelson Cruz – TEX / BAL	33
Chris Davis – BAL	31
David Ortiz – BOS	31

What I noticed from this list is most of these players have been quite inconsistent.  Either they ended last year strong or started this year strong, with the exception of Trout.  By the way, Jose Abreu almost made this list without playing at all last season.

NL Home Runs

Giancarlo Stanton – MIA	35
Paul Goldschmidt – ARZ	31
Troy Tulowitzki – COL	30
Anthony Rizzo – CHC	30
Andrew McCutchen – PIT	28
Justin Upton – ATL	28
Todd Frazier – CIN	28

There are a few players on this list that just don't get the credit they deserve.  Anthony Rizzo will be a centerpiece of the Cubs latest attempt to rebuild (which might actually work with his bat leading the way).  Also, Paul Goldschmidt is a beast.  I give him 2 more seasons before he gets traded out of Arizona so people actually recognize how good he is.

AL RBI

Miguel Cabrera – DET	117
Mike Trout – LAA	111
Brandon Moss – OAK	109
David Ortiz – BOS	102
Edwin Encarnacion – TOR	102

Here is the first appearance by Miguel Cabrera, which shows that he hasn't been at his Triple Crown level since pre-All Star 2013.  Also, looking at his numbers, how wasn't David Ortiz an All Star?  Also, as a Mariners fan I refuse to give Brandon Moss any credit.

NL RBI

Paul Goldschmidt – ARZ	109
Jayson Werth – WAS	103
Adrian Gonzalez – LAD	101
Freddie Freeman – ATL	100
Giancarlo Stanton – MIA	98

There's Goldschmidt's name again.  I was surprised to see someone like Jayson Werth putting up these kind of numbers.  No one talks about him, but he has been one of the best run producers of the last year.

AL OPS (On-Base + Slugging)

Mike Trout – LAA	1.014
Victor Martinez – DET	.956
Edwin Encarnacion – TOR	.952
Miguel Cabrera – DET	.929
Brandon Moss – OAK	.911
Jose Abreu – CWS	.968
JD Martinez – HOU / DET	.942

not enough AB's

OPS has become one of the top stats for a hitter's overall production so this is a great one to look at.  No one quite appreciates just how good Jose Abreu has been this first half.  He is already one of the greatest hitters in the league after just half a season.  Here you can also see just how ridiculous Mike Trout is.  Once again, he is from another AL West rival so I hate giving credit, but Trout is impossible to ignore.  Also, over the last year Miguel Cabrera hasn't even been the best hitter on his team.

NL OPS

Andrew McCutchen – PIT	.995
Troy Tulowitzki – COL	.966
Paul Goldschmidt – ARZ	.950
Freddie Freeman – ATL	.904
Giancarlo Stanton – MIA	.904

This top five shouldn't be surprising.  If you ask anyone for the best top five hitters in the National League, these five names should be the first ones said ... unless you run into some of those ignorant idiots that try to say Yasiel Puig or Bryce Harper.

AL Wins

Max Scherzer – DET	19
Rick Porcello – DET	19
James Shields – KC	18
Jared Weaver – LAA	18
Mark Buehrle – TOR	17

How is Detroit not the best team in the AL?  They have two of the best hitters in the league and the only two 19-win pitchers in the league.  And neither of them are named Verlander.  James Shields doesn't get the respect he deserves either.

NL Wins

Clayton Kershaw – LAD	19
Adam Wainwright – STL	19
Zack Greinke – LAD	18
Jorge De La Rosa – COL	17
Hyun-Jin Ryu – LAD	17

After looking at these stats, it is hard to argue against the Dodgers having the best pitching staff in the league.  They have three of the top five in wins.  You expect Wainwright to be on this list, but De La Rosa?!?  Since when does a pitcher for the Rockies have quality stats?

AL ERA (150 IP Min.)

Hisashi Iwakuma – SEA	2.58
Jon Lester – BOS	2.62
Anibal Sanchez – DET	2.63
Chris Sale – CWS	2.71
Felix Hernandez – SEA	2.74

Even with his injury and recent struggles, Hisashi Iwakuma has the best ERA over the last year.  It's easy for him to not get the credit he deserves when King Felix had the best first half in the league this year.

AL ERA Overall

Koji Uehara – BOS	1.07
Greg Holland – KC	1.22
Casey Janssen – TOR	1.79
Zach Britton – BAL	1.82
Joe Smith – LAA	2.07

The numbers and names at the top are to be expected.  The last two names on the list might be surprising though.

NL ERA (150IP Min.)

Clayton Kershaw – LAD	1.68
Johnny Cueto – CIN	2.02
Andrew Cashner – SD	2.25
Zack Greinke – LAD	2.34
Tanner Roark – WAS	2.53

Kershaw, are you kidding me?!?  If he goes on a couple more scoreless runs, he might challenge that Bob Gibson record of a 1.12 ERA this year.  Also, stop talking about Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, and Doug Fister.  Tanner Roark is the Nat's fifth starter and the best one they have had over the last year.

NL ERA Overall

Huston Street – SD	1.06
Craig Kimbrel – ATL	1.43
Clayton Kershaw – LAD	1.68
Jose Fernandez – MIA	1.81
Johnny Cueto – CIN	2.02

The most underrated player in the league is by far Huston Street.  He is the best closer in the league, and he doesn't even make the All Star Team.  His ERA is even lower than Koji's.  I find this whole list interesting as only two closers made the list.  The rest are the top starters including Jose Fernandez who would be challenging Kershaw in every stat category if he hadn't gotten hurt.

AL K's

Yu Darvish – TEX	262
David Price – TB	248
Max Scherzer – DET	234
Felix Hernandez – SEA	230
Jon Lester – BOS	208

This is another top five that is exactly who you would expect it to be.  No surprises here.

NL K's

Stephen Strasburg – WAS	231
Clayton Kershaw – LAD	219
Tyson Ross – SD	211
Zack Greinke – LAD	207
AJ Burnett – PIT / PHI	207

You might be surprised to see the old man, AJ Burnett, on here, of whom I heard recently from an analyst is the most overpaid player in baseball history.  At least he strikes guys out.  The other noteworthy thing here is Tyson Ross.  This is the second Padres starter to appear on one of these lists which shows that they are working their way in the right direction.  They just need some hitting.  Some familiar, Seattle?

AL Innings Pitched

David Price – TB	254 1/3
James Shields – KC	224 2/3
Justin Verlander – DET	221 1/3
RA Dickey – TOR	221
Jon Lester – BOS	216 2/3

I find this an interesting list because it shows who might be due for a disappointing second half simply for being overworked.  David Price has thrown 30 more innings than everyone else in the league over the last year.  Buyer beware for those looking to trade for him.

NL Innings Pitched

Adam Wainwright – STL	233
AJ Burnett – PIT / PHI	222 2/3
Wade Miley – ARZ	213
Zack Greinke – LAD	211 1/3
Kyle Lohse – MIL	210 1/3

Here are some great innings eaters in Wainwright, Greinke, and Lohse.  Again, I don't see how people hate on AJ Burnett.  I'm also impressed with Wade Miley as he has needed to step up and the ace after Corbin went down in Spring Training.

AL Saves

Greg Holland – KC	50
Fernando Rodney – TB / SEA	42
Glen Perkins – MIN	37
Joe Nathan – TEX / DET	32
Koji Uehara – BOS	31

Few would argue that Holland has the most dominant stuff in the AL at closer.  Looking at these numbers, it was totally justified that Glen Perkins closed out the All Star Game.  Also, for all his struggles, Joe Nathan has still racked up a respectable amount of saves.  (Honorable Mention - Addison Reed has 37 saves over this time, but has played for both leagues.)

NL Saves

Craig Kimbrel – ATL	53
Kenley Jansen – LAD	46
Huston Street – SD	42
Rafael Soriano – WAS	40
Sergio Romo – SF	39

Craig Kimbrel might be the most automatic three outs in league history.  Once again, look at the number of saves for Huston Street for a team that never reaches the .500 mark.

Looking at these stats, here are the top 5 hitters, starters, and closers ASG-to-ASG.

Hitters

		Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	1B	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Mike	Trout	LAA	155	564	109	178	36	6	34	102	111	116	161	22	.316	.432	.582	1.014
Andrew	McCutchen	PIT	160	594	98	196	40	9	28	119	96	99	120	22	.330	.426	.569	.995
Troy	Tulowitzki	COL	151	524	102	169	29	1	30	109	82	80	99	2	.323	.412	.553	.966
Victor	Martinez	DET	146	554	74	190	36	0	27	127	88	55	41	2	.343	.402	.554	.956
Paul	Goldschmidt	ARZ	161	607	109	182	49	4	31	98	109	105	157	14	.300	.403	.547	.950

Starters

		Team	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	AVG	WHIP	K/BB	K/9
Clayton	Kershaw	LAD	19	5	1.68	27	27	0	0	187	134	38	35	9	30	219	.193	0.88	7.3	10.5
Adam	Wainwright	STL	19	8	2.59	33	33	0	0	233	189	68	67	13	47	204	.213	1.01	4.3	7.9
Max	Scherzer	DET	19	5	2.99	32	32	0	0	211	169	73	70	18	60	234	.211	1.09	3.9	10.0
Jon	Lester	BOS	16	9	2.62	32	32	0	0	216 2/3	200	78	63	12	51	208	.235	1.16	4.1	8.6
Felix	Hernandez	SEA	13	8	2.74	31	31	0	0	210	164	72	64	9	45	230	.207	1.00	5.1	9.9

Closers

		Team	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	SVO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	AVG	WHIP	K/BB	K/9
Craig	Kimbrel	ATL	2	2	1.43	71	0	53	58	69 1/3	34	14	11	2	23	106	.140	0.82	4.6	13.8
Greg	Holland	KC	1	2	1.22	68	0	50	52	66 2/3	43	9	9	4	17	96	.177	0.90	5.6	13.0
Huston	Street	SD	3	1	1.06	60	0	42	44	59 1/3	32	7	7	5	13	62	.152	0.76	4.8	9.4
Koji	Uehara	BOS	7	3	1.07	71	0	31	33	75 2/3	36	9	9	6	7	98	.137	0.57	14.0	11.7
Kenley	Jansen	LAD	2	3	2.48	72	0	46	50	69	48	19	19	4	22	108	.188	1.01	4.9	14.1

To check out all the stats I compiled, click the link below.

2013-2014 ASG-TO-ASG STATS