MLB: 2013 Predictions

It's here, folks! The 2013 season for major league baseball is in full swing (pun intended). The teams have put Spring Training behind them and are looking forward to going out on the field to prove that they're the best  in the league. This is particular blog entry are my predictions for the 2013 season, as unbiased as I can be. 

First, we'll start with the National League:

NL WEST: San Francisco Giants

If you follow on me Twitter, you know I'm a huge San Francisco Giants fan. However, I'm going to try my best to be objective as to why I believe they'll take the NL West.

The San Francisco Giants won the World Series last year by sweeping the Detroit Tigers. As a result, they will be defending their title this year and all eyes are on them - and they know it. Spring Training is often referred to as "games that don't matter", but several giants players have stepped up their game during ST. One of which is first baseman Brandon Belt. In 2012, Belt finished Spring Training with 3 HRS, 9 RBIs, and a .378 batting avg. This year, Belt finished 2nd in the league in home runs with 8, as well as 19 RBIs, and a .410 batting average. And his teammate and fellow Brandon, shortstop Brandon Crawford, significantly improved his bat as well during this year's ST.

Everybody knows the San Francisco Giants bullpen is dominant with the likes of Tim Lincecum (although he's been struggling), Matt Cain (their opening day starter), and Sergio Romo (who's taken over in Brian Wilson's absence), but they aren't really known for their batting. I feel like with the mix of both Belt and Crawford's improvements at the plate, as well as key hitters Pablo Sandoval and Buster Poesy, the Giants are going to show that not only can they pitch the ball, but they can knock it out of the park.

Lincecum, although struggling, has show major improvement since last year. He's a two-time CY Young winner. He knows how to pitch and he can dominate the strike zone. If he can get himself out of his funk and if the Giants continue with their batting momentum, then I see them taking the NL West. 

NL CENTRAL: Cincinnati Reds

The Reds finished the 2012 season with the best record in the NL Central (97-65) and made it to the NLDS against the Giants, eventually blowing their 2-0 lead. I think 2013 is going to see improvements for this club. They acquired right fielder Shin Soo-Choo from the Cleveland Indians. A quality hitter, he will be a key improvement to the Red lineup (which finished 21st in the majors in runs scored per game). And they may also have Joey Votto back from injury. Along with young bats Cozart and Fraiser (who put up solid numbers filling in for Votto), the Reds will see significant improvement in their ABs.

And with last year's NSDL loss to the Giants, the Reds will be on a journey of redemption this year and will be looking to redeem themselves.

NL EAST: Philadelphia Phillies

I feel like the Philadelphia Phillies are going to be a surprise upset this year by taking the NL East. Their pitching staff has suffered quite a bit - Roy Halladay isn't quite as intimidating as he used to be, and Cliff Lee gave up HRs on a silver platter and I'm not gonna go into Worley's performance last year. However, like other struggling pitchers (i.e. Lincecum and Zito of the Giants), 2013 offers a chance at redemption. Cole Hamels definitely stepped up as an effective pitcher needed him. The hope is that Halladay and Lee can look at their mistakes and learn from them.

From the plate, Michael Young is a solid hitter, along with Dominic Brown and Ryan Howard (who's looking better than he ever has). Will they completely erase the disappointing memories of the 2012 season? No. However, I'm not counting them out as contenders for the NL East. I don't see them taking the NLDS, but at least the top spot in the East.

NL CHAMPIONS: San Francisco Giants

I see a repeat of the NLDS between the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds. The Giants will be driven to once again clinch, and the Reds will be looking to turn the tables and defeat the Reds. When all is said and done, I see the Giants walking away with another NLDS win over the Reds. On paper and on the field, they're a stronger team and extremely motivated to outdo what they did last season and once again find themselves int he World Series.

And now, for the American League:

AL WEST: Oakland A's

To say the Oakland A's can hit is a gross understatement. It blows my mind how Yoenis Céspedes can crush the ball while making it look so effortless. Along with an impressive lineup featuring Josh Donaldson, Eric Sogard (congrats, by the way), Coco Crisp, and Josh Reddick, expect base hits and home runs galore. But the 2012 AL West champs aren't one trick ponies. Once they drop the bats and put on the gloves, they can retire a side as quickly as they step up to the plate. And not to be outdone, their pitching staff which includes Brett Anderon, Grant Balfour, Jerry Belvins, and Sean Doolittle (who I'm looking forward to seeing this year), can dash a hitter's hope of getting on base.

The A's clinched the AL West last year, but were defeated by the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. I don't see that happening again. The Oakland A's can fire on all cylinders, showing effectiveness on offense and defense. They surprised many last year by taking the AL West, and they'll do it again this year. 

AL CENTRAL: Detroit Tigers

With star pitcher Justin Verlander's massive contract extenuation, the Tigers will be on the hunt to make back to the World Series. And if the rumors of the Tigers' interest in free agent and former Giants closer Brian Wilson are true (and if Wilson decides to sign with them), the Tigers could have quite the dangerous bullpen.

Also on the defensive end, the outfield is loaded with talent. Not only has he improved his bat, but center fielder Austin Jackson has proved in his three-year career to be one of the best in the league, and he'll be joined by one of the all time greats Torii Hunter.

Along with big hitter Prince Fielder, hard-hitting outfielder Matt Tuiasosopo could turn out to be a secret weapon in the Tigers batting arsenal in their hunt for a World Series championship. Expect them to take the AL Central.

AL EAST: Tampa Bay Rays

Reigning CY Young winner David Price had an incredible year on the mound in 2012. And 2013 could be an even more dominant year for Price, which is a scary thought if you're a hitter. And with an ERA of 2.65 last year, Price proved he's not much of a giver. Only four times all season did he give more than three runs in a game. And with his most recent performance against the Twins, he pitched three shutout innings, garnered five strikeouts and allowed ONE hit in a 7-2 victory. He's a pitcher who just keeps getting better with age. And along with fellow pitchers Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore, and Fernando Rodney, they'll be a force to reckon with.

There are those that feel the Rays won't make it to the post-season (people said that about the A's last year and look what happened). However, with solid a lineup consisting of Yunel Escobar, Evan Longoria, Matt Joyce, and Ben Zobrist, the Rays have shown they can get it down at the plate, on the mount, and in the infield/outfield.

AL CHAMPIONS: Oakland A's

I see somewhat of a "shocker" matchup between the A's and the Rays. Both teams have impressive lineups as well as bullpens and neither team made it to the World Series last year. You can see it by the way the play, they're both contenders for taking the AL championship. This year, I gotta give it to the Oakland A's. As impressive as the Rays bullpen can be, the Oakland A's can light up pitchers like nobody's business. And once they get going, it's no walk in the park to slow them down. Oakland A's are going to the World Series.

There you go, my predictions for the upcoming 2013 season. Who knows at the season will take shape. Baseball can be quite unpredictable, which is part of the beauty of the game. I hope you enjoyed this entry and I would love to hear your predictions as well. Feel free to tweet and/or follow me on Twitter - @MrJordanHart.

Thanks For Reading,

Jordan Hart

Play Ball!: America's Favorite Pastime Returns

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Roger Hornsby

Well, baseball fans…the wait is over. The day that we have all been eagerly anticipating is here. Major League Baseball's regular season is here. America's favorite past time makes it's return for the next six months. Six months of home runs, strikeouts, RBIs, streaks, flukes, double-plays, and all of the many things that make baseball such a compelling game. Fans will gather in living rooms, sports bars, and/or ballparks to root for their teams. And that's one of the things that makes major league baseball so great - community.

Besides music, I believe that baseball is one of the biggest ways to bring unity between complete strangers. Think about it. You're at a game, cheering on your team. To your left, a man in his 40s with a beer in his hand. To your right, a single mom and her kids. What do you have in common with these people? Possibly nothing, except for the fact that you love this game and you love your team. Baseball has a way of bringing strangers together for the common goal of enjoying watching their favorite teams play, while cheering them on to a victory.

And with social media (as I mentioned in my "Field of Tweets" entry), you're able to meet fellow baseballs fans as well as keep in touch with fellow fans-turned-friends that you may have met at a game. For me personally, I've met many fellow baseball fans via Twitter. Although we don't all root for the teams, we can all agree that we love baseball and that we're glad to see it return. And with this upcoming season, I hope to meet as many of them as I can while attending as many games as I can.

In closing, I'm incredibly happy that regular season is here. I can't to wait to cheer on my San Francisco Giants as they defend their title this season. And to those of you who are not Giants fans, I hope all of your teams have great seasons. 

Thanks For Reading,

Jordan Hart

Twitter: @MrJordanHart

Field of Tweets: Social Media's Impact On Baseball

Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, there have been players who have stepped onto the field and changed the game forever. One player in particular has changed the sport in an unprecedented way. However, this player's impact on America's favorite pastime has nothing to do with batting, pitching, or fielding. In fact, this "player", has never actually set foot on a baseball field. No, this player sits on the mobile devices and/or desktops of baseball fans all over the world. Who is this "player"?

Social Media.

Social Media has had and continues to have one of the biggest impacts on the sport of baseball. One of it's biggest impacts is on the interaction between players and fans. Twenty years ago, baseball players were larger than life. What fans knew about them was found through stats & trivia via trading cards, magazines, books, ect. as well as interviews on television. There was a sense of mystery to a lot of the players of pre-social media era baseball which helped create these large than life heroes. Think of players like Chipper Jones, Mark McGuire, Frank Thomas, Jason Giambi - the majority of what you saw/heard from them happened during games and interviews. And for the most part, all of it was related to what they did on the field - not off.

Jump back to the present, times have changed drastically. The Internet grew in popularity and through the growth of the Internet, social media was born. Now it's an entirely different ball game (pun intended). In today's society, if you want to know more about player besides his batting average or how many home runs he had in post-season, you're a mere seconds away from your desired knowledge. And with the birth of Twitter, you can follow your favorite players. Fans nowadays can learn what Eric Sogard had for breakfast or find out what R.A. Dickey is doing this afternoon. Twitter also allows fans to "tweet" their favorite players and most of the time they'll get reply or a "retweet". 

Thanks to social media, the divider between players and fans has been shattered. Anything that's going on in the MLB world, on and off the field, can be found within seconds. Whether it's trade rumors, PED suspicions, a player's wife posting pictures of their pets - it's all available for fans. And with it's profound impact on baseball, it begs the question - has this damaged baseball or improved it? Let's look at the pros and cons.

PROS

Following athletes on Twitter and seeing what they do off the field may take away that "larger than life" air about them, but is that such a bad thing? Nowadays you hear stories of fans meeting their favorite players and hearing them say things like "Hey, I recognize you from Twitter!". As a fan, that's a great thing to hear from your favorite player (of course if it's for a good reason they recognize you). Fans can offer congratulations to their favorite team(s) and player(s) after a win, or some encouragement after a loss.

Twitter also allows fans to meet and interact with fellow baseball fans that they may not ever have gotten a chance to meet. For me personally, I've met a lot of awesome people through Twitter that I'll hopefully meet at a game or two. Whether they're Giants fans or not, we're all fans of baseball. We can share our thoughts and feelings about the sport respectfully.

Twitter has become the new ESPN (if not, better than ESPN). You can follow your favorite news sources for all the latest info. Missing the game? You can find "live tweets" or simply use hashtags and see hundreds of tweets from people all over the world. However, read with caution because some tweets will cause you to shake your head and/or lose a little hope for the human race. 

Also on Twitter, you can discover awesome baseball blogs. Two favorites of mine are Curveballs & Cocktails (@WHIPsNWine) and Hats and Tats (@shakabrodie). If it wasn't for Twitter, I probably would've never known they existed. Twitter allows you to find great blogs like these and connect with the people that run them. 

CONS

As with anything in life, there's the good and then there's the bad. Fans are able to follow athletes on Twitter, but Twitter is also the cyber playing field for obsessive "fans" (or cleat chasers). Some of the tweets that show up in news feeds can make Jose Canseco seem like a mentally stable human being. 

Twitter allows for fans to be apart, in a way, of the personal lives of players. Which of course can lead to foul behavior (another pun intended) from fans. Often times, fans will take to Twitter and hurl harsh insults about a player to the wives of the players and/or they'll throw insults at the wives themselves. Nowadays, the girlfriends and wives of baseball players are almost as famous as the players themselves thanks to the world of hashtags and retweets.

In closing, are you a fan of Social Media's impact on baseball?

Thanks For Reading,

Jordan Hart (@MrJordanHart)

In The Land of Giants: Redempetion & Re-signing

Brian Wilson and Tim Lincecum couldn't be more different. Lincecum shuns the spotlight while Wilson (and you can tell from just listening to him talk) embraces it. Yet although they're almost complete opposites, they have something in common. Both will be seeking redemption in the upcoming season. Although the Giants swept the Tigers in the World Series in dominant fashion, neither Wilson or Lincecum had the kind of season they planned.

TIM LINCECUM

For Tim Lincecum, the two-time CY young, didn't exactly look like the recipient of such an award. At least not statistically. With an ERA of 5.60 and WHIP of 1.50, Lincecum had what some would say a "freakish" amount of poor performances on the mound. Not to mention the Giants only won 4 out of the 16 games that Timmy started. That hasn't set well with many, especially considering a two-time CY Young winner had one of the worst ever years (statistically) for a pitcher. Some blame it on his frame. Timmy's hardly built like most pitchers, therefore he lacks power and at times stamina. Some blame it on his "estranged-no-one-wants-to-talk-about" relationship with Buster Posey. No matter what fans, reporters, and bloggers want to blame it on - Lincecum is in a funk. And he knows it. He's expressed that the losses in 2012's season have taken it's toll on him.

With a new haircut, newfound confidence, and the looming clouds from 2012, I think these are key factors in unleashing "The Freak" again. I think Timmy will be driven by the fact that his previous season was not that of a CY Young winner. He's got passion and heart for the game which is important, but he's gotta work on his arm strength and stamina. Since he's probably one of the smallest pitchers in the league, he can't rely much on power. 

All in all, I say keep Lincecum where he is (despite rumors of him being demoted).  He knows how to pitch and how to pitch well. He just needs to make adjustments to get back to form.

BRIAN WILSON

While Tim Lincecum didn't have a stellar season last year, his teammate Brian Wilson didn't have much of a season - at all. Wilson pitched two innings before his season was ended due to injury, which resulted in his second Tommy John surgery. Not only will Wilson be looking to have a better season, he'll be looking to actually finishing the season. But where? 

The closer is now a free agent (cue Tom Hanks in "Cast Away" yelling to his volleyball friend) and rumors have been circling of where he'll end up. And after a recent run-in with TMZ (which is one of the first videos to capture Wilson who's been M.I.A. ever since his free agency) Wilson was asked if he'd ever shave his beard if the Yankees wanted to sign him, Wilson responded: "I'm from Boston". And anyone who knows baseball knows that Boston natives hate the Yankees. So it's safe to say, Wilson won't be joining the Bronx Bombers.

Wilson is a 30-year old free agent with two Tommy John surgeries and a nonexistent 2012 season. On paper, that doesn't exactly look attractive. That's why there isn't a battle between ball clubs to sign him. Wilson reportedly pitched for the Mets in the offseason, but they weren't impressed and decided to pass. And the reason Wilson has found himself testing the waters of free agency is because he wanted more guaranteed money that Giants weren't willing to give him. Recent talks have made it seem that Wilson's relationship with San Francisco is dead in the water.

However, manager Bruce Bochy has stated that the Giants haven't closed the door on Wilson. I think this is a smart move by the Giants considering the fact that Mr. "Fear The Beard" is an important part of the Giants dynasty. Since becoming a free agent, the Giants have moved onto Sergio Romo. Make sense considering Romo was instrumental in the Giants World series win, striking out the Tiger's power hitter Miguel Cabrera. As much of a Giants fan that I am, who knows if Romo will have the same success in 2013 as he did in 2012. For all we know, he could be a one-hit wonder.

Brian Wilson, when healthy, is a more than a solid closer. The guy can come across as cocky (watch his interview about "Got Heeem" for reference), but he backs it up when he gets on the mound. Wilson played a pivotal role in the Giants championship season in 2010. He posted a 1.81 ERA with a league-best of 48 saves. That's more saves than Romo (14) and Santiago Casilla (25) had in his absence in 2012. Also, he did not allow a single run in 11.2 innings during the post-season. It would be smart to bring Wilson back to the Giants. It gives him a chance to make up for 2012, as well as being a solid support incase things don't go as planned with Romo. Wilson has more experience with the ninth inning than Romo. Romo could be the next dominant closer, but we won't know until after this season. 

That's why Wilson needs to come back to the Giants. For redemption and to resume his role in the Giants franchise. Wilson has said he won't sign until he's fully healed. Here's hoping he comes home.

- Jordan Hart

http://www.twitter.com/MrJordanHart
http://www.twitter.com/BullpenBlast

For-ev-ver! For-ev-ver! For-ev-ver! For-ev-ver! (Falling In Love with American's Favorite Pastime)

As this blog gets underway and opening day soon approaches, I figured Bullpen Blast's first post should be about how I fell in love with the game of baseball.

My first memories of America's favorite pastime was when I was barely taller than a baseball bat. As a young one (age 5), a yellow Wiffle ® Ball Bat and a plush baseball were among the gifts I received for Christmas that year. When the weather got warmer (which doesn't take long in California), my dad and I would play ball in the backyard. Before each game, he'd always ask me which hitter I was going to be that day. And everyday I'd answer with Ken Griffey, Jr. (who played center field for the Seattle Mariners at the time). He was my first baseball hero. I would tell my parents, my friends, and my teachers that I wanted to be Ken Griffey, Jr. when I grew up. Everyday I would practice his swing. My dad would pitch the ball to me and I would try my hardest to hit out of the park, and sometimes I did. Which really meant hitting the ball over the fence and me having to go with my mom or dad to the neighbors to ask for my ball back.

My friends and I were obsessed with baseball. We would buy and trade baseball cards, comparing the stats of our favorite players. During recess and after school, we'd get as many people as we could for baseball games. We'd bring our mitts, baseballs, bats, and we'd wear the hat of our favorite team proudly as if we were actually on the roster. After watching the San Francisco Giants vs. the Pittsburg Pirates on opening day, I became a Giants fan. I was introduced to players such as Barry Bonds, J.T. Snow, and Darryl Hamilton. Although Ken Griffey, Jr. was the player that got me into baseball, I wanted to play first base for the Giants like J.T. Snow. So at every game, I'd wear my Giants baseball cap. Our friends that weren't as into baseball as we were would sit on the bleachers and keep score for us. 

What really got me hooked were the games that my dad took me to. The first was the San Francisco Giants vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 21, 2000 at AT&T Park (the first year the Giants played at AT&T Park). It's one thing to watch baseball on television, but when you're actually there - it's a whole different ballgame (pun intended). The game, the crowd, the energy - it's an experience I think everyone should have at least once in their life. The Giants won 8-7.

My second game was when we lived in New Jersey. It was August 26, 2001 - New York Mets vs. Florida Marlins at Shea Stadium. A friend of my dad's got free tickets to a Met's game, so they went and brought their kids along. It was funny because neither my dad, my dad's friends, or any of the kids were fans of either team. But since we were in the city and it was close to where we lived, we cheered for the Mets. It was a great game. We got to see great playing from Mets players Mike Piazza, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, and I got to see Al Leiter's (the Mets' starting pitcher) first career triple. We had such good seats on the third baseline, that their was a point that Leiter caught a ball with his bare hand and we could hear the contact of the ball smacking his hand.

Those two games instilled my love of baseball forever. It was amazing that (aside from my family and friends) I was among complete strangers, but we were all united in the common goal of cheering on the home team and we were all united in our love for the game. 

- Jordan Hart

http://www.twitter.com/MrJordanHart
http://www.twitter.com/BullpenBlast