How Long Can the San Francisco Giants’ Dynasty Last?

With their 3^rd World Series title secured in 5 years, there’s no doubt that the San Francisco Giants have established a dynasty.  Their run of success, particularly in the postseason, has been unparalleled in recent years and they’ve become the best team in baseball.  But how long can this period last for?  Will there be more titles on the horizon or will the Giants eventually fade in the coming seasons ahead?

The reason that the Giants continue to contend is simple enough: they have one of baseball’s highest payrolls.  Paying their players the 7^th highest total in the league, the Giants’ spending is on par with the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels, two teams known for their prosperous budget.  And given the divisional matchup against the free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers (who have by far the largest MLB payroll), the Giants certainly need to dish out the dollars in order to compete.  It’s also easy to forget that the Dodgers won the NL West by 6 games, meaning that the Giants had to play in the single game wildcard match.  This remarkable run could have been nipped in the bud over a month ago!

But San Francisco won that game and that speaks to the merits of this dynasty.  What the Giants are best at is winning in the postseason.  Their players seem to always rise to the occasion and their statistics back it up.  For example, Pablo Sandoval is one of the fan favorites at the club.  During the season he had a respectable .279 average.  However, in the postseason he cranked it up to .366.  Though he failed to get a home run in the 2014 MLB playoffs, he has been capable of that in past World Series runs.

Likewise, Madison Bumgarner had a solid season going 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA.  That’s good, but what he accomplished in the postseason was legendary.  He went 4-1 with an ERA of just 1.03!  His 5 innings of scoreless pitching in Game 7 was on two days’ rest!  Such a performance is nothing short of astounding.  As long as these players can crank their games up in the playoffs, I can’t see anyone stopping them.  The only trick for San Francisco seems to be just reaching those playoffs, which is how they were denied on the two occasions in the past 5 years in which they didn’t win the World Series.

But with baseball being such a sport of turnover, couldn’t roster changes threaten the longevity of their dynasty?  Perhaps, but the Giant’s front office has to be commended on how well they have managed their team.  Bumgarner, Hunter Pence, Tim Lincecum, and several other key players are tied up for a few years.  Meanwhile, many of their impending free agents like Sandoval, Michael Morse, Ryan Vogelsong, and Jake Peavy are certainly re-signable, though they will certainly command a large fee.

An interesting issue that the Giants overcame this year was injuries to their highest paid players like Matt Cain, Marco Scutaro and Angel Pagan.  Considering that they are likely to return next spring, San Francisco will have one of the deepest rosters around.  They just need to focus on keeping their big budget rolling and the good times will continue.  However, players will come and go, the Giants just need to keep their core star players in tact (specifically Sandoval), and their postseason dynasty should continue for some time.  At this moment I certainly expect the Giants to win another World Series in the next few years and have their incredible dynasty continue.  Their late-season prowess is every fan’s dream, and it looks set to keep rolling along!

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2014 World Series Preview: Momentum versus Experience

In stunning fashion, two wildcard teams have now reached the 2014 World Series.  The surprising Kansas City Royals and the budding dynasty of the San Francisco Giants will meet for the Fall Classic, and it has all the makings of an enticing competition to determine baseball’s world champion!  Neither team has exceptional superstars, and yet here we are in late October with these bunches of over-performing players ready to embrace immortality and a World Series title.

For the Royals, the team is built around a tremendous bullpen and a bunch of speedy runners capable of stealing bases in the blink of an eye.  Meanwhile the Giants have a more balanced squad and the experience of winning two World Series in the last several years.

For me the key will be Kansas City’s questionable starting pitching.  Both James Shields and Yordano Ventura haven’t quite played to their best while only Jason Vargas has been impressive.  If the Giants can get up early in games, they may be able to win this series.  However, if Shields finally plays to his true value, the Royals may just claim a title in their first postseason trip since 1985.

In many ways, most casual baseball fans will be hoping for the Royals to win this Series.  They’ve endured so many disappointing seasons and there really is the feeling that this will be their only chance for many years.  They’ve earned their place here with a late-season surge and have gone undefeated in these playoffs.  If momentum is any guide, the Royals should be well on their way.

But if anyone can overcome a hot team it’s the Giants.  They’ve won 9 straight postseason series and have won the World Series twice in the last four years!  Starters Madison Bumgarner, Tim Hudson, and Jake Peavy have pitched marvelously while their bullpen is no slouch either.

Hitting wise the teams are quite evenly matched.  While the Royals lacked power in the regular season, their big bats have come alive in the playoffs, especially that of Mike Moustakas, who has 4 postseason home runs.  The Giants have good hitters too, and anyone with a decent memory can recall the glorious blasts by Pablo Sandoval in the team’s recent championships.

All in all, this is a tremendously matched World Series and could very well go either way.  While my heart wants to see the Kansas City Royals win an unexpected title, I think the current dynasty of the San Francisco Giants will continue, largely due to their remarkable starting pitchers.  Everyone knows that pitching wins titles, not stolen bases.  It has been a remarkable run by the Royals, and their momentum could definitely push them ahead, perhaps even leading them to a sweep, but I think that the Giants are simply the better team.  Remember that they have only lost two games in these playoffs and are on quite a hot streak as well.  The 2014 MLB season certainly has been a special one and it’s coming to a tremendous close.  I think the Giants will get to have the last laugh though, and they will win it all in 7 games!

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The 2014 MLB Playoffs Are Upon Us: Who Will Win in October?

October has finally arrived, meaning that baseball will once again take center stage as cool fall nights are warmed up with the tense playoff encounters between baseball’s best teams.  In a strange twist of fate, neither the Boston Red Sox nor the New York Yankees will take any part in the affairs; a reality not seen since 1993!  But in regards to the teams that actually will be a part of the 2014 MLB Playoffs, there should definitely be a lot to excite the fans!

First up will be the single game wildcard matches between the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Athletics in the American League, and a game between the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League.  While the concept of both team’s playoff hopes residing on the outcome of a lone game is quite enticing and does make an excellent way to kick start the tournament, it will surely be a quick and brutal ending to be eliminated so soon for the eventual losers.

But that’s how life is when you don’t win your division, and for this reason I really don’t suspect any of the wildcard teams to contend for the 2014 World Series.  Looking ahead to the later rounds of the playoffs, I think the American League will be won by the Los Angeles Angels.  While they have endured more than their fair share of injuries to key players, the cogs of a championship-winning side are well in place.  Albert Pujols represents the mature veteran with World Series experience while Mike Trout has proven to be baseball’s next slugger.  Only 23, he is young and has yet to taste the playoffs, but fortunately a proven star like Pujols will be able to guide him along.

With regards to pitching, they have two of the crucial positions covered.  Jered Weaver is a true ace while closer Huston Street has been dominant with a 1.37 ERA.  Such a threat in the 9^th inning sends absolute fear in the minds of opponents and is a crucial ingredient to postseason success.  The injury to Garrett Richards was unfortunate, but so long as Matt Shoemaker and C.J. Wilson can put together several good outings on the mound, I suspect the Angels will reach the World Series.

Once there, I think the team ready to meet them will be none other than cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, setting up a classic Freeway Series for the title!  Here’s why:

Spending Yankees’ levels of money, the Dodgers are loaded.  They have two ace pitchers in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.  While injuries have also struck down upon this team, prematurely ending Josh Beckett’s fine comeback season, the Dodgers should be alright, especially if Hyun-Jin Ryu is able to pitch in the postseason.  Their closer Jansen Kenley has served them well too.

Hitting wise, the Dodgers have one of the deepest lineups in baseball.  Nearly all of their starters are batting near .300 and big time hitters like Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, and Matt Kemp can crush the ball.  Speedy guys like Dee Gordon and Carl Crawford can round the bases can and score runs.  Such production is key against top pitchers in the playoffs where a single run can decide an entire series!  Top to bottom the most talented roster in the Majors, I suspect that the Los Angeles Dodgers will reach the 2014 World Series and will go on to win it.

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Could the Kansas City Royals Win the World Series?

Time for a history lesson.  Back in 1985, the Kansas City Royals were one of the greatest teams in baseball.  While still a relatively young club formed in 1969, the Royals had eventually grown and developed to the point of being World Series contenders.  Behind star pitchers Bret Saberhagan and Charlie Leibrandt, and the Hall of Fame hitter George Brett, the Royals actually powered through the playoffs that season, eventually taking the 1985 World Series in a dramatic 7-game matchup against the cross-state rivals St. Louis Cardinals.  It would be the last playoff appearance for the club.

Fast forward nearly 30 years and the current team in Kansas City might just be gearing up for a similar run!  Against all odds and featuring a payroll budget far below what most American League contenders have, the Royals are winning, and they’re doing it by getting back to the basics.

While nobody on the team is hitting at All-Star levels, they put the ball in play, and this often leads to good things happen.  In avoiding strikeouts they get guys on base, and are able to move them forward to home plate.  They are second in the MLB in stolen bases, proving that speed is key to winning games.  Additionally, their defensive play has been impeccable, and they make fewer errors than just about anyone else.  Such mistakes often cost teams, and by limiting those bad errors and mental lapses, the Royals are winning games with defense.

Their starting pitching is hardly Cy Young material, but they have 5 capable starters.  Ace James Shields has been his usual impressive self while fellow veterans Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas also have been putting up respectable numbers.  Youngsters Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy have proven their Major League capabilities this season, and with great defense supporting them, the pitchers are benefitting from the confidence instilled by their teammates.  This all adds up to wins, and that’s what the Royals have been doing recently.

After a typically average start to the year, Kansas City has gotten hot in the past month, soaring ahead of the Detroit Tigers and into first place in the AL Central.    With just over a month remaining in the season, it will be an absolute dogfight between these sides to determine who wins that playoff spot.  Winning one of the wildcard spots is an also an option, though those 1-game playoffs are hardly guaranteed.

But back to the original question of the Kansas City Royals potentially winning the 2014 World Series, we need to follow a wait-and-see approach.  The current hot level bodes well.  Since July 22^nd, the Royals have gone 24-8 (even despite their 2 recent losses).  If that form remains consistent the Royals could definitely contend for the World Series, but we must take that with a grain of salt.  Lots of teams experience a hot streak over the course of a year (look at the insane 2013 run by the Los Angeles Dodgers), but keeping that momentum is tricky.  If the Royals keep winning, they could enter the MLB Playoffs as one of baseball’s hottest teams, but should they enter a new slump that dream could be crushed very quickly.

But despite all these lingering questions, we should rejoice in the fact that it’s nearly September and for once we are talking about the Kansas City Royals making the playoffs and potentially winning a World Series!  Who would have ever thought that was possible at the start of this year?

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5 Pitchers who are Best Equipped to Handle the Pressures of October

Pitching is one of the toughest jobs in professional sports, especially in the MLB playoffs of October.  Intense focus is absolutely vital and a single bad fastball left hanging over the plate can easily ruin a team’s entire World Series hopes.  As pitching often decides these playoff encounters, lets take a quick look at who figures to play a prominent role in the proceedings and is most equipped to handle the pressures that will come in these cold, mentally draining late season starts.

1. Clayton Kershaw – There’s no denying that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kershaw is the ultimate ace pitcher this year and is a sure bet to win the NL Cy Young Award. But having won the award twice in his young career already, I think he wants to add a World Series ring to his resume!  Fortunately, his 1.78 ERA is best in the bigs and his postseason display last year eased the pain from his previous October outings of several years back, when he struggled mightily.  Surrounded by great talent, Kershaw should ride a wave of momentum into a championship.
2. Max Scherzer – Often held back in the shadows of the Detroit Tigers’ ace pitcher Justin Verlander, Scherzer has quietly become the best #2 pitcher in baseball and currently holds a decent 3.13 ERA. In recent playoff years, he has pitched tremendously well, though he certainly will need to step up now following the injury to Verlander.  A lot of the Tigers’ hopes now rest on his arm but he definitely has the capabilities to get them far and finally take over the leadership role of this team!
3. Jon Lester – A hero for the Boston Red Sox championship year in 2013 behind a postseason ERA of 1.56, Lester jumped ship to the Oakland Athletics several weeks ago and will have another great shot at a title once again. A heroic story following his recovery from lymphoma, Lester has battled adversity far beyond the mound, and he has the proof of a successful career that continues to improve with strong strikeouts.  He looks to be at home in Oakland and could lead a stunning playoff run at his new club.
4. Adam Wainwright – With a strong 2.34 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals, Wainwright is having his best year. Having been with the team for his whole career, the pitcher has found a home and has come into his own in recent years.  Numerous playoff trips have proven largely successful for Wainwright and he figures to have another strong outing in 2014.  The Cardinals have been a great team recently and could certainly claim the World Series should this pitcher dominate.
5. David Price – A player who has certainly struggled in the postseason with the Tampa Bay Rays, Price hopes to benefit from the new surroundings in Detroit with the Tigers. His season has been quite good with a 3.21 ERA but his issue will be mental.  I’m hoping that a change of teams is exactly what his career needed.  The Rays were never going to win, but the Tigers have far more talent and opportunity.  If Price can perform to his potential this October, Detroit just might end up as World Series champions!

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Time is Now for Baseball Teams Looking to Get Hot and Win the World Series

As we enter the late days of summer and the month of August, Major League Baseball is just starting to really heat up.  Most of the divisions throughout the sport have neck and neck races, meaning that each game from here on out will be critically important as to postseason hopes and successes, especially with all the wild card teams staring down the barrel of a 1-game playoff at season’s end.  The teams that are likely to come out on top of their divisions (and who have the most realistic shot at the World Series) will be the ones that get hot from this point onwards.

Despite great seasons so far by teams like the Oakland Athletics, the San Francisco Giants, and the Milwaukee Brewers, if they cannot hit full stride at this juncture, they will likely be headed for early postseason exits, if they can qualify.  Fortunately for the Giants, they have been the hot team several times in recent history, giving the city two championships.  But to me several other talented squads seem the most likely to make the trip through October and into the 2014 World Series…

The first team that intrigues me is the St. Louis Cardinals.  In the National League Central Division, them, the Brewers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Cincinnati Reds are all within a realistic shot of claiming the division.  But the Cardinals have the most winning experience and were the most active in recent trades, reeling in star pitchers Justin Masterson and John Lackey, while also gambling on the attitude of veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski.  Already a strong contender year in and year out with guys like Matt Carpenter, Matt Holliday, and Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals have put themselves in prime position to not only get hot, but to make a serious World Series push.

Another team in the NL that intrigues me is the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Simply stated, they have more talent than anybody else in the league, including 3 ace pitchers in Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and baseball’s best pitcher, Clayton Kershaw.  Offensively, the power of Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, and Hanley Ramirez will keep the Dodgers in any game or playoff series.  While they haven’t reached a streak like they managed mid-summer last year, they are certainly a team capable of doing just that in the months ahead to claim the World Series.

In the American League, I have my faith in the Detroit Tigers, who just added David Price to an already strong pitching lineup of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.  Another team with solid hitting from Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, this could finally be the Tigers’ year should they be the lucky team destined to get hot.

But to get everything clicking into place right at the time for the playoffs is no easy feat.  It could be anyone from the Los Angeles Angels to the New York Yankees, or even the Kansas City Royals who could go on a tear and take the title.  However it ends up going, we can be certain that for whatever club (or clubs) that get hot, the next few months will certainly provide some exciting baseball!

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Expect West Coast Baseball Teams to Dominate MLB Playoffs

While there is still a long ways to go in the baseball season, the hazy playoff picture is beginning to gain clarity.  Among the best teams in baseball are 4 clubs based on the west coast, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Not only do these clubs have the best current records in the sport, but they also possess some of the most talented players in the game.  Therefore, I am predicting a west-heavy October with a potential ALCS and NLCS matchup between the 4 clubs.

The team that seems most powerful to me is the Los Angeles Dodgers.  While they haven’t dominated quite like their tremendous run of this time last summer, that may actually be a good thing.  You want your team hitting their stride in October, and these guys may be building towards that.  Their squad oozes of amazing talent and we are starting to see the payoff of their massive investment in the team.  Clayton Kershaw is baseball’s top pitcher while Hyun-jin Ryu and Zack Greinke are studs as well.  The batting lineup of Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Adrian Gonzalez is extremely formidable, making the Dodgers my favorite to win the 2014 World Series.

But one also cannot overlook their NL West division rivals, the San Francisco Giants, who actually have won recent World Series, both in 2010 and 2012.  Led by Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval, and Buster Posey, the Giants have title-winning experience and seem to always get sizzling hot right at the best moment.  While they never wow anyone or showcase the game’s biggest stars, they harbor a solid staff built around effort and teamwork, and fortune has recently fallen their way.  Anyone who counts this team out right now is asking for trouble…

In the American League, the team that has caught everyone’s attention is the Oakland Athletics.  A great team made up of relatively inexpensive players, the A’s have one of the best pitching lineups in baseball, featuring Scott Kazmir, Sonny Gray, Jesse Chavez, and the recently traded-for Jeff Samardzija.  With pitching often the key ingredient for championship success, the Athletics must be feeling pretty good about their chances.  Additionally, decent hitters like Derek Norris, Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Donaldson, Coco Crisp, and Brandon Moss give them enough run support to be true contenders.

But down south of this hot club, also in the AL West, are the big-money Los Angeles Angels.  Two superstar hitters in Albert Pujols and Mike Trout complement the solid pitching arms of Jered Weaver and Garrett Richards, making the club definite challengers for the title.  Due to recent failed seasons (and the success of the A’s), the Angels are bit of an after-thought and are currently flying under the radar.  This could be especially beneficial to them considering their wonderfully talented superstar leaders, who could certainly take over the month of October.

The interesting part about this western dominance of the 2014 baseball season is that two of these teams will have to play in the single-game elimination wildcard games.  Winning the AL West or NL West therefore becomes especially important, meaning that these clubs are in for some thrilling end-of-season races!  But regardless of who claims these divisions, I think we may see some dramatic west coast playoff series and maybe even a World Series featuring two of the teams!  My money is on the Oakland Athletics squaring off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Tight MLB Standings After April Leaves Baseball Season Up for Grabs!

Usually after a full month of the Major League Baseball season, several teams have taken a commanding lead in their divisions and already separated from the pack.  Often the team with the best roster, this side can generally stroll to a division title and a playoff appearance in October.  But so far in the 2014 MLB season, few teams have been able to take that big step, and the races are generally very tight, making for an exciting summer of close races!

Only 3 teams have gotten off to a hot start, including the Milwaukee Brewers, the Atlanta Braves, and the Oakland Athletics.  While these teams have decent talent and should be expected to do well, their high marks at this point of the season are a bit of a surprise.  While these teams certainly could reach the playoffs, they are by no means major contenders for the World Series!  Instead, sides like the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Detroit Tigers, the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox (teams with burgeoning payrolls and All-Star rosters) are meandering around .500 as they simply haven’t been able to generate strong winning streaks.  This should make for a great season ahead!

As the relatively unknown squads continue to win, they will eventually get pressured by the high spenders, and we should expect enticing drama come August and September in several divisions.  Right now, each of the AL East, NL East, and the AL Central are only separated by roughly 5 games from 1^st place to last place!  Basically, each of these teams could still turn around their year and compete for the playoffs!

Even in divisions where teams like the Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, or Chicago Cubs have come out to woeful starts, all the other teams are still hovering around .500 and could make a move.  In fact, those 3 teams are probably the only ones that anyone could consider hopeless for the year, especially given their weak rosters.

But for all the other teams like the Cincinnati Reds, or the Los Angeles Angels, or even the Miami Marlins, this baseball season is just getting started and they are right there within the race.

What will be intriguing is to look ahead two or three months from today and guess how the standings will look.  While injuries to key players will pile up and certainly become a problem for the average teams, where as the rich teams with depth will be able to push on to more victories, we should expect those big-budget clubs to begin catching up to the leaders and even starting to pull away.  But what’s fascinating about baseball is when a club without many superstars can organize a strong run!  Such is the case right now with the Athletics, the Brewers, and the Braves.  Will these teams be able to keep up the pace?  No matter what happens ahead, this current tight MLB standings should make for a closely contested and an exciting summer as these teams push and pull on their way on to the MLB playoffs!

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Can Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasiel Puig Overcome His Questionable Past?

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ young star right fielder Yasiel Puig is certainly one of the most exciting baseball prospects to emerge in the MLB right now, but his constant antics and shady past may greatly hinder his potential success in the sport.  While many people know about his Cuban background, what has recently come to light is a frightening tale of a daring escape and defection from his home country.  With several questionable characters involved in helping Puig reach the glorious diamonds of American baseball, the young slugger may soon have a lot more to worry about than opposing pitches and perfecting his strange base-running habits.

The practice of Cuban baseball players defecting in order to play in MLB is nothing new, but it’s usually a process that happens behind closed doors and rarely ever reaches the eyes of casual fans.  A smuggler basically brings a talented player out of the country in exchange for a large cut of future earnings.  Several people usually help along the way.  The reason we now heard about Puig’s particular experience is because one of the men involved in bringing him here wasn’t paid his expected cut of the earnings.  Angry and desperate, he has taken to popular media to try and get his money.

The Puig camp has been very professional in dealing with the situation; not disclosing any information and simply stating that Puig wants to work hard and win games for the Dodgers.  But sifting beyond all that PC official banter, Puig seems to be a character destined for constant controversy throughout his career.  He has been arrested for reckless driving and punished by the team for showing up late to a game.  He has had several altercations and issues with teammates.  On the field, for every powerful home run or sensational throw from right field there is a corresponding error that leaves everyone’s head scratching.  In short, Yasiel Puig is a loose cannon, and despite all his physical ability may not have the smarts and maturity to handle life in the big leagues.

Perhaps his treacherous journey to America taught him that little things like showing up on time aren’t that important.  But unfortunately, he is now becoming such a heavily scrutinized figure that any slip-up will be heavily analyzed by the press.  Such is the life that surrounds superstar celebrity athletes.  Hopefully Puig is a person that can find strength in his difficult past and use it to become a stronger person.  He is young but there is certainly some incredible talent in this budding star.

What worries me about Puig though is that he has only been with the LA Dodgers for roughly one year, and already his story is reading like something out of a Hollywood script.  What’s next?  Are we going to discover that he is actually older than he says?  Is a future steroid scandal on the horizon?  Baseball is a game chalked full of controversies, and unfortunately Puig comes across as exactly the type of guy liable to be at the center of such a scandal.  Clearly this guy is a risk taker and has no problem standing in the face of authority.  But I suppose all we can do is watch and enjoy his tremendous skill in the meanwhile.  Sure, Puig may become a major source of trouble in the coming years of his career, but until that day comes let’s just sit back and see what wonders he can work for the Dodgers!

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5 Preseason Favorites for the 2014 World Series

Spring training is well under way and baseball diamonds all over the country are getting readied for the beginning of the 2014 Major League Baseball season, which starts in just under 1 month’s time!  While the return of America’s greatest pastime is alluring and should fill fans of all teams with an abundance of hope, the harsh reality is that only several of the big-spending baseball teams will have any chance at claiming the 2014 World Series, or even contending for the October postseason.  Since winning championships is the ultimate goal in professional sports, here are the 5 teams most likely to win it all this year:

1.  Los Angeles Dodgers – The preseason frontrunners have assembled a team that is scary good, and it is probably just a matter of time before they win it all.  They have two aces for starting pitchers in Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, they have proven and mature batters Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, and Adrian Gonzalez, and they have the hottest prospect in baseball, Yasiel Puig.  Having had a great year last season that fell short in the NLCS, it is simply a matter of time before the Dodgers take home a World Series trophy!

2.  Boston Red Sox – How could anyone doubt the reigning champions?  Ever since they broke the “Curse of the Bambino” in 2004 the Red Sox have been a powerful team, and their work last year was tremendous.  Although Jacoby Ellsbury committed treason by signing for the Yankees, there is really only one player that matters and can lift the team to a championship: David Ortiz!  Big Papi can take over the postseason like no other player, and the Red Sox have proven their strength time and time again during the past decade!

3.  St. Louis Cardinals – While they never make the big buys and come out as obvious contenders for the titles, this team has simply put out strong teams year after year, and won the title as recently as 2011.  Their roster is solid from top to bottom and includes great hitters like Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, and Yadier Molina, while their pitching staff has always been good and is led by Adam Wainwright and Shelby Miller.  The addition of Johnny Peralta should definitely enhance this team and help them reach new heights.

4.  New York Yankees – While everyone outside of New York enjoyed their down year last season, this is a team that will buy its way out of any hole, and they look to have done just that this offseason.  While several key players like Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettite (both retired), Alex Rodriguez (suspended), and Robinson Cano have left, incoming stars like Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka will bring about a new and improved side.  Mainstays like C.C. Sabathia and Derek Jeter will also bring a great presence to this team.  Expect them to rebound and make the postseason.  After that, it’s all possible for the Bronx Bombers!

5.  Texas Rangers – It’s been roughly 5 years of heartache for fans of this team that have twice seen their beloved Rangers fall short in the World Series, and have been eliminated from postseason play in demoralizing 1-game tiebreakers and playoffs the last two seasons!  This offseason, the team brought in two sensational hitters, Prince Fielder and Shin-Soo Choo.  Helping elevate their lineup to elite status with Adrian Beltre and Alex Rios, and factoring the solid pitching department led by Yu Darvish and Martin Perez, this team can certainly contend.  The main challenge will be getting over their painful recent seasons, but I sense this just might be their year!

Doesn't matter which MLB team you are loyal to, AAA Sports Memorabilia has a collectible for you.  We carry officially licensed sports collectibles for all 30 MLB teams along with authentic autographed sports memorabilia for all of your favorite players.  Our autographs are obtained during private signings with the athletes and are guaranteed for life as they are backed by such greats at Mounted Memories, Upper Deck, Schwartz, and many others.  We are adding new items every day so visit us often to find what is new.

2013 World Series Preview: Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals in Classic Matchup

As Halloween draws ever closer, the time has arrived to discuss the annual “Fall Classic”, better known as the World Series of baseball.  This year’s series will bring together two of the most historically prestigious Major League Baseball teams, who have both won multiple championships in the last decade.  Bringing experience and top quality to the big matchup, this could be a World Series for the ages!

The St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox finished the season tied for the best record with a 97-65 mark.  For the Cardinals, such a result was basically expected.  They have been one of the most exciting teams in baseball over the last few seasons.  In the 2011 World Series, the Cardinals won an incredible Game 6 in which they were facing final pitches on several occasions, but always managed to deliver.  They would win the Series in Game 7.  Last season, in the final NLDS Game 5, the Cardinals were down 6-0 before a stunning rally to win the game in the 9^th inning.  They progressed to the NLCS where they were beaten by the San Francisco Giants, but the Cardinals have proven that they can be toughest team to close out.  Heroes like David Freese, Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, and Matt Carpenter repeatedly make the plays to save the day!

But the Boston Red Sox also have a marvelous history of comebacks.  Who could ever forget their 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees when they overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat their heated rivals in 7 games?  They would go on to sweep St. Louis in the World Series, winning their first title since 1918, back when Babe Ruth was still a pitcher.

The Red Sox would then win another championship in 2007.  And although we are several years removed from those heroics, several current players took part in that 2007 season; Clay Buchholz, John Lester, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, and Jacoby Ellsbury.  The Red Sox may have had their disappointments in the last several years, missing the playoffs, dealing with aging veterans, and even having scandals regarding their pitchers drinking beer in the dugout during days off, but this season has seen a team rekindle the passion and desire so often associated with the Red Sox.  Big Papi is swinging strongly again and the beards are back on full display!

While both teams have had marvelous years, they have both been challenged since day 1 within their divisions.  The Cincinnati Reds and the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates made life challenging for the Cardinals, and the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and even the lowly Yankees pushed the Red Sox to the brink.  Nevertheless, both these clubs persevered through their challenges and rose to the top, fully earning their success with gritty wins and pulling through in clutch moments.

So how can a humble writer go about predicting the winner of this series?  The only thing I feel I can accurately call is that this could be the most entertaining and evenly matched World Series in years.  These teams are basically carbon copies of one another.  Both teams have great hitters that can put away home runs, and both teams have some excellent arms capable of dominating lineups.  Both teams have ravenous fan bases, fully capable of carrying their teams to unprecedented heights.  Both teams are fully loaded with championship-winning heroes.  This is quite clearly the most fully deserving teams in baseball to find themselves competing for a championship.  The World Series could be won on the rare error or stolen base.  Who will blink first?  I expect this series to go the full 7 games, but that the Boston Red Sox will win it all because they have home-field advantage.  That’s the only difference I can see in these teams!

This will be an exciting World Series as the Cardinals will be going for revenge!  No matter which team wins, we will have the first collectibles commemorating the winning team.  Our collectibles will show some of the highlights of the series, the series MVP, celebrations, and more.  These great collectibles will be officially licensed by the MLB.  Visit us at www.AAASportsMemorabilia.com to check them out!  For those fans whose team did not make it to the World Series, we have collectibles for your team also!

The MLB Playoffs Begin: Who Will Win the 2013 World Series

Now that the silliness of all the tiebreaker/1-game playoff nonsense is over, the Divisional Series of the MLB Playoffs are poised to begin.  8 of baseball’s finest clubs will be going head to head throughout the month of October to determine who will be the next World Series champions.  Will it be the upstart Los Angeles Dodgers, who seemingly bought their ticket to the playoffs with big-name acquisitions?  Or could the small-market Pittsburgh Pirates continue on a legendary run that has defied all logic this entire season?  Or perhaps the Detroit Tigers could finally win it all, after looking woeful in last season’s 4-game sweep against the San Francisco Giants in the Series?

Predicting the winner of this tournament is really a tough feat.  All the clubs involved have had sensational years (each with their own heartwarming tale), and each and every one of them could logically take the title.  The games in October are won by heroics; the bottom of the 9^th home run that carries a team from the brink of elimination, the incredible complete-game pitching display by a team’s 3^rd starter, the bit-part player who pinch hits to spark a big inning, or the costly error that befuddles an entire team into disarray.  Anything can happen during October baseball, and that’s why it is so darn fun!  It also makes predicting the champion a challenging endeavor.

But anyways, I’ll give my prediction for this year’s MLB champions based on a hunch alone, and my full confidence lies in the Tampa Bay Rays.  Through their late season heroics, the Rays have now conquered two 1-game series with dominating pitching, brilliant base running, and a hard-hitting lineup full of key players.

Since pitching wins championships, let’s start with the Rays’ pitching staff.  David Price is an ace. Alex Cobb is a rising star.  Matt Moore and Chris Archer are fully capable of starting playoff games.  Therefore, their starters will do fine.  In the bullpen, they are strong as well and capped off with closer Fernando Rodney, whose tilted hat brings an element of style to the end of Rays’ games.

The hitters on the team are excellent as well, and the team gets RBI support all the way down the lineup.  Evan Longoria is the star player and can hit a fair bit of home runs.  American League Rookie of the Year candidate Wil Myers hits near .300 and can help put guys aboard.  Defensively, the team is wonderful.  They made the second fewest errors in the Major Leagues and will certainly support their more-than-capable pitching staff.

Basically stated, this team has all the tools needed to win baseball games. But so do basically all the other teams in the playoffs, so what sets the Rays apart?  I like the fact that they have been here before, and their past failures will have made them extra-hungry.  Also, this is the first season that they really do have a great squad in every position, meaning that they will be able to compete against the best.  Also, the post-season began roughly a month ago for the Rays, as the AL Wildcard race went down to the wire, and the team persevered and is now on a roll.  Heading into October, the hottest team is usually the one that wins it all!

Doesn't mater which team you are rooting for, AAA Sports Memorabilia has the collectible for you!  We offer the finest officially licensed sports collectibles and autographed memorabilia on the Internet along with great display cases to proudly display your collectibles.  When you go looking for your next autographed baseball, autographed jersey, signed baseball bat, display case, or whatever you are looking for, come visit us and find your next collectible!