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!

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Opening Day of Baseball Brings Back America’s Pastime

Spring training is wrapping up and the strong signs of warm weather mean the wonderful sport of baseball is set to return in America. Summer truly is on the horizon, and by this time next week we will all be right back in the thick of the action. With the games just around the bend, the question on everyone’s mind is surely, who will win the 2013 World Series? Smart teams have assembled key free agents and puzzle pieces to help sustain a run, while other teams are struggling with injuries or the realization that those key pickups may not be so key after all! How is baseball going to shape up this season?

 

One of the teams that intrigues me is the Los Angeles Dodgers. With new and ambitious owners, the team has been stockpiling an expensive array of big name players. Now they boast one of the best groups of starting pitchers in the nation. Clayton Kershaw is an ace just one year removed from the NL Cy Young award. Zack Greinke, a highly prized free agent, has also joined the side, which will help them compete against anyone with their top two pitchers. 3^rd pitcher Josh Beckett was a strange option brought in from the Boston Red Sox, and has been through a rough patch of his career. But if he can approach any of his former greatness, Beckett could be another ace for the Dodgers. Only 32 years old, Beckett is still young enough to return to form and has big game experience. The Dodgers have a range of players to fill out the rotation including Chad Billingsley, Chris Capuano, and Aaron Harang.

 

For the reason that their pitching should be so good, I am predicting the Los Angeles Dodgers to reach the 2013 World Series. Yes, their disappointment last year was embarrassing, but Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the new ownership is doing everything possible to make the Dodgers a contender. I also envision them making another big trade late in the season to fix any weaknesses.

 

In the American League? I’m picking the New York Yankees, for the simple reason that no one else is. This overlooked team won the AL East last year, and although alarm bells have been ringing all offseason about injuries to Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira, the Yankees have added several veterans who could provide the necessary punch including Travis Hafner, Kevin Youkilis, and Ichiro Suzuki who arrived midseason last year. With C.C. Sabbathia on the mound they have a proven ace pitcher. Kiroki Kuroda and Andy Pettite can still compete, and the Yankees have a solid closer in Mariano Rivera.

 

The Yankees will probably struggle early in the season, but as players return from injuries and the rest of the team starts to click, they could get red hot in time for October. Plus, if the engine needs a kick-start, who would doubt that the Yankees might make a blockbuster trade in June to get things moving? They will find a way to get into the postseason as a wild card team, and make the run all the way to the World Series. That’s right, I’m picking the New York Yankees to win it all against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 7 games. Let the fun begin!

 

No matter which team you are rooting for this year, AAA Sports Memorabilia has the right sports memorabilia for you. We have been serving sports fans since 2006 with their collecting needs. Whether you are looking for an officially licensed collectible, or an authentic autographed piece of memorabilia, we have what you are looking for. With over 100,000 items to chose from, you can be assured, we have what you need.