A wise man once quipped that it's hard not to be romantic about baseball. I would agree with that sentiment and then some; I've been smitten with the game since I was a young lad, and that is something I expect will NEVER change. The season may only run from April through October, but for this fanatic, loving baseball is a year round endeavor.
With Opening Day right around the corner, I find myself making plenty of bold predictions about many players and teams. As an avid fantasy player, I believe it's my duty to have strong opinions on just about everything pertaining to Major League Baseball. I have done the same in years past, but I had never thought to document them - but at least now, I'll have the receipts for my hot (and not-so-hot) takes!
After the final out of the World Series, presumably won by the Mets, I'll have to revisit the list to see how I fared. But until then, I'm batting a thousand! So, dial up the heat and step up to the plate with:
21 for '21: Espo's Hot Takes for the Upcoming Major League Baseball Season,
in the Year of Our Shitbird Commissioner Rob Manfred,
2021
- The Dodgers will NOT repeat as World Series champions. LA may have the deepest roster in baseball, but the hardest task to do in any sport is to run it back. The competition is stacked, with the Padres, Yankees, Mets and Braves all knocking on the door - so give me "the field" to win it all in 2021. More on this later...
- Jarred Kelenic sinks Mets fans' collective pain to a new low when he wins the American League Rookie of the Year award. Edwin Diaz may have turned the corner from his disastrous 2019 campaign, but the most ill-fated trade of the former GM who is not worth mentioning will only look worse and worse as Kelenic's star grows. Apologies to other contenders Arozarena and Vaughn, but the ROY award is staying in Seattle.
- Nelson Cruz joins the 40/40 club. No, not the one you're thinking of - but he'll become the first man in MLB history aged 40 or older to hit 40 home runs in a season. The ageless wonder has shown no signs of slowing down in recent years, but surely Father Time comes for everyone? Nay. I predict he will keep on mashing. Long live Boomstick.
- The Angels finally return to the playoffs. Mike Trout has only played in one career postseason series and that was seven years ago. I think it's time that awful streak ends - and his teammates will be a key reason why. Anthony "Tony Two Bags" and Shohei "Sho Time" Ohtani are both going to stay healthy (knock on wood) and have the best seasons of their respective careers. These Angels should run the West - no divine intervention needed.
- Jacob deGrom pitches a no-hitter. The best pitcher in the sport adds another notch to his belt with his first career no-hitter. We've come to expect routine excellence from deGoat every fifth day, but this is one level we have yet to see. The Cooperstown resume shall only grow stronger.
- The Blue Jays fail to meet expectations. Well, I would've looked even smarter if I published this two days ago, before George Springer went on the IL, but alas. His injury doesn't change my outlook - I don't think this team is going to live up to the hype. They certainly have a great lineup, but after Hyun-Jin Ryu, their pitching staff has nothing but liabilities. Vegas has them projected for around 86 wins, but can they get there off the strength of their offense alone? No, Canada.
- Trevor Story getting traded this summer is likely if not inevitable, so it's not exactly a hot take. The Rockies are hot garbage and they need to get what they can for him before he leaves for nothing. But where will he land? Enter Billy Beane's Oakland Athletics. Never a stranger to a midsummer splash, the A's are going to swing a move for the All-Star shortstop sometime in July as they look to add more offensive firepower to keep pace with the other AL contenders.
It's a storybook ending waiting to happen. - The National League Rookie of the Year will be a pitcher from the NL East - but it won't be Sixto Sanchez. Though the Marlins' young flamethrower is a popular ROY pick among pundits and bookies alike, I believe this award will have Ian Anderson's name on it by season's end. He burst onto the scene in limited action last year with the Braves, and absolutely balled out in the playoffs. This guy is deserving of all the hype - he'll be one of the anchors of their rotation for years to come.
- Job security: no managers will be fired at any point throughout the season. There really aren't too many hot seats in the MLB this year, at least not hot enough for a manager to lose his job midseason. Cellar dwellers like the Rockies, Pirates, Orioles and Rangers should be smart enough to know they're not going anywhere this season, so they might as well stick with what they've got. If there's one guy who's gonna screw this up though, my gut tells me it will be Torey Lovullo with the Diamondbacks.
- The Cubs will struggle out of the gate and will never quite get on track - leading to a July fire sale. After shedding a lot of talent this winter, consider me bearish on the Cubs (pun intended). The pitching depth after Kyle Hendricks is lackluster at best, and the backend of the bullpen is a heart attack waiting to happen. It wouldn't shock me at all to see Kris Bryant, and maybe even Javy Baez, wearing a different uniform come August. It's gonna be a long summer in the North Side of Chicago...
- C.J. Cron will outhomer Nolan Arenado. I know I've been bad-mouthing the Rockies so far, so I'll show them some love here - kinda. Their fans must be feeling bitter after seeing the face of the franchise leave for basically nothing, so I'll cheer them up by predicting that their erstwhile star will struggle in his new surroundings. The Coors Factor is not just a myth: in his career, Arenado slugged .609 at home compared to just .471 on the road. The numbers don't lie. I'll take Crony to outslug him all day, especially now that it is he who calls the friendly confines of Colorado home.
- Joey Gallo will pace the American League in home runs. The King of baseball's Three True Outcomes (strikeout, walk, homer) will be one of the lone bright spots for the worst team in the Lone Star State. He may very well challenge the single season record for strikeouts as well (223!), but there are few players in baseball that can blast them like Joey can. 50 bombs are not out of the question for this slugger - just don't be surprised if he's doing it in the second half for a different team.
- The Pirates will challenge the '03 Tigers for the WORST TEAM OF ALL TIME. 43 wins or less will certainly be a tall task, but these Bucs are up to the challenge. They've got a few decent hitters in the lineup (shoutout to young stud Ke'Bryan Hayes) but good god, this might be the worst pitching staff I've ever seen in my 15+ years of watching baseball. Too bad they didn't sign Matt Harvey, that would've put them over the top. Sorry Pittsburgh fans - at least you can drown your sorrows with some Primanti Bros.
- Aaron Judge will win American League MVP. I guess picking anyone other than Mike Trout these days constitutes as a hot take. I'm going out on a limb and claiming that the Yankees' superstar slugger will finally take home his first MVP trophy. The durability issues are obviously a concern, but I'm going to be optimistic here. So long as he can stay on the field, he'll be hard to outproduce. This may blow up in my face if/when he goes on the IL, but you gotta take some risks. I welcome judge-ment.
- J.D. Martinez will have a resurgent season and bring the Red Sox back to respectability. Yankee fans sure liked the last prediction, and I know they won't like this one. Of all the guys who had down years in 2020, no one's struggles were more apparent to me than that of Julio Daniel Martinez. This year though, he's healthy, he's confident, and he's going to rake - pencil him in for at least 35 home runs and 100 RBI. Will he break through the vaunted 1.000 OPS barrier once again? This stats nerd thinks so.
- The Brewers, led by a renaissance campaign from former MVP Christian Yelich, take the NL Central crown. They're in an undoubtedly crowded division, but I think they've got enough firepower to outlast the likes of the Cardinals, Cubs, and Reds. The aforementioned Yelich will remind everybody that he's still one of the best players in the game, and pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes will cement themselves as one of the deadliest 1-2 duos in the sport. With a pair of aces in the bullpen as well, this could be the team no one wants to face come October.
- Lucas Giolito takes home the American League Cy Young. Giolito will be elite-o for the White Sox as he once again anchors what should be one of the AL's best staffs. He'll edge out the favorite Gerrit Cole by going on a deGrom-esque tear in the second half of the season. Cole Train may run away with the strikeout title, but nothing's sexier than a low ERA. I hope we get see them face in October!
- Juan Soto socks 40+ homers, wins another batting title...and the Mickey Mantle comparisons only grow stronger. There is not a player in the game with a higher ceiling than 'Childish Bambino' right now. The guy doesn't even turn 23 until October and he's already cemented himself as one of baseball's elite talents. East of California, can you name a better hitter?
- There is one guy who can stake that claim - and it is Ronald Acuna Jr. Not only will Young Ronny take home his first MVP award (back-to-back for the ATL!), but he's also going to lead the Major Leagues in round trippers this year. Batting at the top of that deep Atlanta lineup, he'll get plenty of chances to hit; I think he's going to break the coveted 50 mark. And he'll do it in style too - bat flips aplenty.
- The National League Cy Young, finally, goes to Yu Darvish. It's been an up-and-down career for the Japanese hurler, but the last couple of years have seen him return to ace form. He was lights out for the Cubs last year, but San Diego is a much better situation for him than Chicago - and I'm banking on that change of surroundings being a major impetus for even more success. If anyone can win the Triple Crown of pitching, it's Yu.
- The Padres will win the World Series, defeating the Yankees in 7 games to earn their first ever championship. I did warn you the Dodgers weren't going to repeat, didn't I? Well, if there's one team that's going to stop them, it's going to be their division rivals from San Diego. Kudos to the Yankees for making it back to the World Series, but they will simply be no match for the Padres' starting pitching depth. The Commissioner's Trophy stays in California, but it'll be taking a ride down the 405.
Well, enough prognostication for now - my fridge is full, my couch is looking comfy, and Opening Day is finally here. I guess there isn't much else left to say but PUT IT IN THE BOOKS and PLAY BALL!
- Espo
