MLB 2020 SEASON PREVIEW (FINALLY)
by Alex "Moose" Strizak
by Alex "Moose" Strizak
We're all set for a 60 game regular season, and the wait has been agonizing...
This will be quite the unique season with it being more of a sprint compared to the usual marathon of a baseball season.
MLB.com provided the main rules to know going in to this season:
This will be quite the unique season with it being more of a sprint compared to the usual marathon of a baseball season.
MLB.com provided the main rules to know going in to this season:
• Teams will open the season with a 30-man active roster; it will be reduced to 28 players after two weeks, then to 26 after four weeks.
• The Trade Deadline will be Aug. 31.
• Teams will be permitted to carry up to three taxi-squad players on the road during the season, though if a team carries three such players, one must be a catcher.
• During extra-inning games in the regular season, each half-inning will begin with a runner on second base. The batter who made the final out in the previous inning (or a pinch-runner for that batter) would be that runner.
• There will be a 10-day injured list for both pitchers and hitters, though the 60-day IL will be reduced to a 45-day IL.
• There will be a separate IL for players who either test positive or have symptoms/confirmed exposure to COVID-19. There is no maximum or minimum days for this IL.
• In addition to COVID-19 testing every other day, some other health precautions are as follows: Team personnel and players not likely to participate in the game (for example, the next day's starting pitcher) will be sitting in the stands or another area designated by the club, at least six feet apart; non-playing personnel will wear masks in dugout and bullpen at all times; no spitting or chewing tobacco (gum is permitted); no celebratory contact (high fives, fist bumps, etc...)
• The Trade Deadline will be Aug. 31.
• Teams will be permitted to carry up to three taxi-squad players on the road during the season, though if a team carries three such players, one must be a catcher.
• During extra-inning games in the regular season, each half-inning will begin with a runner on second base. The batter who made the final out in the previous inning (or a pinch-runner for that batter) would be that runner.
• There will be a 10-day injured list for both pitchers and hitters, though the 60-day IL will be reduced to a 45-day IL.
• There will be a separate IL for players who either test positive or have symptoms/confirmed exposure to COVID-19. There is no maximum or minimum days for this IL.
• In addition to COVID-19 testing every other day, some other health precautions are as follows: Team personnel and players not likely to participate in the game (for example, the next day's starting pitcher) will be sitting in the stands or another area designated by the club, at least six feet apart; non-playing personnel will wear masks in dugout and bullpen at all times; no spitting or chewing tobacco (gum is permitted); no celebratory contact (high fives, fist bumps, etc...)
These rule changes and the potential for scheduling to be more regionally based lead me to put more value in starting pitching and less value in durability.
With only 60 games to play with, every pitch or every inning is going to mean so much!
Before we get into the divisions and Power Rankings, my World Series prediction is a reunion between Joe Girardi and the Yankees.
WORLD SERIES PREDICTION
New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies in 6 Games
I think the Phillies bring a lot to the table both in their lineup and rotation, and the Yankees are lucky it's a short season with how long their players last health-wise. In a 2009 reunion and with Girardi facing his former club he played for and managed for, give me the Yankees in six games.
The addition of Gerrit Cole and the potential of Big Maple staying healthy through a shortened season is just too good for me to pass up at this time. Their lineup is studly and the Phillies will make it tough, but I'll stay with The Bronx for now.
DIVISIONAL PREVIEWS
AL EAST
1. New York Yankees
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Boston Red Sox
5. Baltimore Orioles
Once again, the AL East looks to be a competitive division. The Yankees added ace Gerrit Cole to address the much needed assistance in their starting rotation. They have the best line up and bullpen IF they can stay healthy which has been a constant issue for them... A shorter season may be what the Yankees need to stay healthy, or it won't give them time to catch up if they start off cold or injured...
The second-tier of this division is very crowded. The Blue Jays and Rays are both on the up-swing, where I give a slight advantage to the Blue Jays in starting pitching and a better batting lineup. Even with the Red Sox on the downswing, it is very difficult to decipher with this shorter season who will prevail and threaten the Yankees.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot the Orioles... Don't trade your young players or draft picks and we'll call it a good season!
Once again, the AL East looks to be a competitive division. The Yankees added ace Gerrit Cole to address the much needed assistance in their starting rotation. They have the best line up and bullpen IF they can stay healthy which has been a constant issue for them... A shorter season may be what the Yankees need to stay healthy, or it won't give them time to catch up if they start off cold or injured...
The second-tier of this division is very crowded. The Blue Jays and Rays are both on the up-swing, where I give a slight advantage to the Blue Jays in starting pitching and a better batting lineup. Even with the Red Sox on the downswing, it is very difficult to decipher with this shorter season who will prevail and threaten the Yankees.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot the Orioles... Don't trade your young players or draft picks and we'll call it a good season!
1. Minnesota Twins
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
The AL Central is what I classify as a transformational division. There are multiple teams rebuilding, and doing a fantastic job of doing so.
The Twins and White Sox seem to be gearing up for quite the matchup these next few years, but the Tigers aren't too far behind with a prospect group that I'm fond of.
The Indians seem to have missed their window (and I hate how they always seem to do this) and this year may finally be the year it catches up to them and they'll be behind the curve of the rebuild like the Royals were... But at least they got a title out of it...
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
The AL Central is what I classify as a transformational division. There are multiple teams rebuilding, and doing a fantastic job of doing so.
The Twins and White Sox seem to be gearing up for quite the matchup these next few years, but the Tigers aren't too far behind with a prospect group that I'm fond of.
The Indians seem to have missed their window (and I hate how they always seem to do this) and this year may finally be the year it catches up to them and they'll be behind the curve of the rebuild like the Royals were... But at least they got a title out of it...
1. Houston Astros
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Oakland A's
4. Texas Rangers
5. Seattle Mariners
The Astros have to be the favorite in the division with the amount of talent they have. However, there is that lingering doubt of how the cheating epidemic the Red Sox and Houston brought in will impact their performance going forward. The question is: Were the Astros drasticallly overperforming due to signstealing or will there be little impact on their overall performance?
The Red Sox dud of a season last year isn't a good sign for Astros fans, but I still have to give Houston the lead in this division. Their lead may not be as strong with the Angels adding Rendon, and the A's & Rangers playing spoiler in this short-season format.
And Mariner fans? Unfortunately, not much has changed from my "A Mariner of a Mess" article...
The Astros have to be the favorite in the division with the amount of talent they have. However, there is that lingering doubt of how the cheating epidemic the Red Sox and Houston brought in will impact their performance going forward. The question is: Were the Astros drasticallly overperforming due to signstealing or will there be little impact on their overall performance?
The Red Sox dud of a season last year isn't a good sign for Astros fans, but I still have to give Houston the lead in this division. Their lead may not be as strong with the Angels adding Rendon, and the A's & Rangers playing spoiler in this short-season format.
And Mariner fans? Unfortunately, not much has changed from my "A Mariner of a Mess" article...
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Washington Nationals
3. Atlanta Braves
4. New York Mets
5. Miami Marlins
The top of this division is a bit of a cluster. I'm a big fan of the Atlanta Braves franchise and I had the Nats going to the World Series last year...
But this year, I look at the Phillies lineup and pitching staff and realize how miraculously they underperformed. Now they add in Zack Wheeler and Didi Gregorius for sprint of a season and I see them as the top threat to the Dodgers. This should be a fun division race.
Now the Mets aren't far off from being in this race, but they always find a way to dissapoint and they already lost their manager to a cheating scandal before the season could event start. They'll have to settle for just being better than the Marlins for this season...
The top of this division is a bit of a cluster. I'm a big fan of the Atlanta Braves franchise and I had the Nats going to the World Series last year...
But this year, I look at the Phillies lineup and pitching staff and realize how miraculously they underperformed. Now they add in Zack Wheeler and Didi Gregorius for sprint of a season and I see them as the top threat to the Dodgers. This should be a fun division race.
Now the Mets aren't far off from being in this race, but they always find a way to dissapoint and they already lost their manager to a cheating scandal before the season could event start. They'll have to settle for just being better than the Marlins for this season...
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Cardinals did a heck of a job winning the division last year from a Brewers team that was bullrushing their way through the end of the season. I see the Cardinals putting up another great fight this year.
Currently in their rear-view mirror are the Cubs and Reds. The Cubs do have talent, but they haven't been able to piece it together recently and I have my doubts that they'll be able to. The Reds have some serious talent for the first time in a long time and I'm intrigued to see what they do with it.
The Brewers are another team with the ability to go on a hot streak, which could mean everything in an abbreviated season. However, there are multiple pitching concerns and that puts them off the pace on my list and down with the Pirates in the restructuring area.
The Cardinals did a heck of a job winning the division last year from a Brewers team that was bullrushing their way through the end of the season. I see the Cardinals putting up another great fight this year.
Currently in their rear-view mirror are the Cubs and Reds. The Cubs do have talent, but they haven't been able to piece it together recently and I have my doubts that they'll be able to. The Reds have some serious talent for the first time in a long time and I'm intrigued to see what they do with it.
The Brewers are another team with the ability to go on a hot streak, which could mean everything in an abbreviated season. However, there are multiple pitching concerns and that puts them off the pace on my list and down with the Pirates in the restructuring area.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Diego Padres
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Francisco Giants
The Dodgers have reigned over the NL West the past 7 seasons and have every reason to make it 8. They invested some serious dough in this season and even traded to rent Mookie Betts for this season. They will be flooring the gas every game this season, because this could be their last chance to hit their window of opportunity for a championship with this core group.
Right on their tail is the Padres who have finally rebuilt in a beautiful way. The pitching needs a bit of work, but they have built a solid lineup and solid bullpen which could be a dangerous combination in the short season. The Padres are truly on the doorstep of the playoffs.
The Diamondbacks and Rockies are truly wild card teams in this division, as they have a lot of potential for progression or regression. They don't have as formidable of a team, but they do have players with a history of being hot or cold which could propel them or deflate them.
The Giants have a lot to work on, and it starts with not making trades like trading Bryan Reynolds to the Pirates for a rental of Andrew McCutchen.
Right on their tail is the Padres who have finally rebuilt in a beautiful way. The pitching needs a bit of work, but they have built a solid lineup and solid bullpen which could be a dangerous combination in the short season. The Padres are truly on the doorstep of the playoffs.
The Diamondbacks and Rockies are truly wild card teams in this division, as they have a lot of potential for progression or regression. They don't have as formidable of a team, but they do have players with a history of being hot or cold which could propel them or deflate them.
The Giants have a lot to work on, and it starts with not making trades like trading Bryan Reynolds to the Pirates for a rental of Andrew McCutchen.
POWER RANKINGS
This team has fully bought in to a championship run this season, and they better make it count. Prospects like Gavin Lux and Dustin May make me nervous, as I'm not fully in on their hype. The true deciding factors will be Kershaw's health, Bellinger's ability to repeat, and Betts' ability to make an immediate impact in the regular season.
This team is the front-runners for both their division and the National League, as they should be. The question Dodger fans are always asking is if this is the year they'll get over the hump. With the shorter season and quite the spread out field of competition, it's going to be a tough road to the top.
This is the type of team that could totally benefit or be totally destroyed by a shortened season. They have a history of injuries haunting them throughout the season, but also a history of players stepping up to overperform for those who are out injured.
They did a great job adding Gerrit Cole while keeping their bullpen intact, but the true decider will be if they're running out a Stanton-Hicks-Judge-Gardner outfield or a Tauchman-Wade-Andujar-Frazier outfield because of all the injuries.
For now, they're the favorites in the AL, but on a very short leash.
This team was by-far the biggest dissapointment for me last season... So why not invest more in them?
They have a stacked lineup and a pitching staff that added Zack Wheeler in a short season who can compete. Joe Girardi may be exactly what they need to manage them to a playoff run and be the top threat to the Dodgers, as he reunites with Didi Gregorius to bring a well-rounded team some lacking experience.
Even though they aren't on the top of the Power Rankings, I have confidence in this team to be the ones with the best odds to trend up through dethroning the Nationals and erasing the Dodgers hopes of a championship.
The question here is: How much did cheating truly help them?
If the sign-stealing was making a drastic impact in the performance of their players, then the talent-credit I'm giving them is moot. If there players can meet even 80% of the production they were putting out during this scandal, then they are a threat for a serious and tough playoff run.
The loss of Gerrit Cole will hurt, but they are still a well-rounded team that will put up a fight AS LONG AS that sign-stealing scandal wasn't the only reason they were successful.
Following their impressive championship run, I still see success for this team. However, we have to expect a bit of a regression when you remove star third-baseman Anthony Rendon.
The pitching is still as solid as ever, but losing a bat that consistent in the lineup would damage any team. They are good, but they aren't the same team I predicted to make the World Series last year.
Here's a team that's waiting to bust through into being a serious contender.
The team that has hit the Yankee roadblock has now added Josh Donaldson and some supporting starting pitching to bolster up the staff. The short season leaves us in no-man's land on whether supporting starting pitching or bullpen will prove more valuable, but the Twins have covered themselves well in both departments.
They're my front runners in the AL Central and they've earned it.
Here's a persistent team. The talk was whether the Brewers or Cubs would win the NL Central, and the Cardinals flew in and took it from both sluggish teams.
You have an ace in Jack Flaherty and they should love the idea of a universal DH, as they usually struggle to find positions to put their power bats in.
They won it last year, and they should be the favorites to win their division again this year.
What a talented farm system they've brought up to the Major Leagues. Now the question falls in their pitching staff.
They lost their rental in Dallas Keuchel but add in Cole Hamels to try and mimic that. In a short season, pitching-wise it'll be up to Soroka and Foltynewicz to stay healthy and effective.
On the hitting side of things, this team is ready to rock n' roll! They have Freeman, Acuna, Jr., Albies, Markakis, Inciarte, and now you add in Ozuna in a universal DH situation... If the pitching holds up, they're legit...
I wasn't quite sure how to rank the Cubs.
I look and I see a lot of talent, but I also see a team that drastically regresssed last season. The discussion is whether it was a dud of a season or a trend in what is to come.
The team is high in age and that can be a lucky break in such a short season to have players of proven backgrounds. But it could also be the closing of a window and that the performance capabilities are slipping.
Here's the example of a team rebuilding correctly. They have a flurry of talented hitting rising up to the Major Leagues. Bo Bichette looks legit and Vlad Jr. is starting to develop his approach at the plate to the major league level.
To address the pitching concerns, they added Ryu, Anderson, and Roark which were perfect fits. Something scares me about this team in a 60 team sprint, that if they get off to a fast start they won't land again til the end of the playoffs.
The Rays are the team that always play spoiler. So why wouldn't they in a 60 game season?
They'll need Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow to be rock solid, but Yonny Chironos and Ryan Yarbrough provide some support. They roll out a solid bullpen and, as always, will get creative with their arms.
Hitting-wise, they look a bit weak for my taste. However, they always look like that at the beginning of the season and then over-perform to prove everyone wrong. They're the perfect team to play spoiler, but I have a bit more belief in the Blue Jays to play that role.
This team has struggled with being in the middle of the pack for awhile now. Being in the stuck between the postseason and a high draft pick can be a curse, as the franchise isn't making playoff games and also isn't getting first dibs at the new prospects.
Even with some rough free agent signings, they bring in Rendon who I think makes them a solid ballclub. They still need help in the pitching department, but the shortened season could open the door for them to consistently hit their way in... Especially if the Astros cheating scandal was a stronger reason for their success...
Here's a batting lineup that is pretty fearsome. They bring in Castellanos and Moustakas to an already well-rounded lineup and their starting pitching improves with last year's trade for Trevor Bauer.
The NL Central is lookinig like a tough division, but echoing that of the Angels, there are teams that roll out batting lineups that could be the deciding factor in this 60 game sprint. The Reds are one of those teams that could take full advantage of a short season, or come out cold and crumble.
The team I've been keeping an eye on for a few years seems finally ready to call up their prospects and see how far they can go.
They have a flurry of young players that I'm eager to see come up both in pitchers Giolito, Covey, and Cease while also hitters like Madrigal, Robert, and Jimenez. Add in fantastic free agent signings of Keuchel and Grandal while also trading for Mazara to fill the gaps. For the first time in a long time, I have more confidence in the White Sox than Cleveland.
If you removed the team name and just showed me the rosters, I'd probably have the Padres higher on this list...
And I'm a big enough person to admit that, yes, I am nervous about this team just because the Padres franchise makes me nervous. They have a history of trading away the stud prospects and keeping the duds. However, this seems to be a new era of Padres baseball.
The question that is always haunting Padres fans: Will it be enough to get rid of that goose egg in the championship category? Luckily for them, they have some time to continue to raise their prospects up.
I don't know why I bother doubting this franchise anymore. They always seem to find a way to climb up the Power Rankings through prospects that didn't make it elsewhere or those on the tail-end of their careers.
I do think their offense has taken a step back from the past few years, but who am I to say how the A's will do... Because they'll be playing spoiler on both the AL West and my Power Rankings if I diss them.
Did they miss their window? The debate is becoming more of a fact after the trading away of Corey Kluber and the potential dealing away of Francisco Lindor as he's on a contract year.
They still have Clevinger & Bieber on the mound, but the outfield has weakened. More importantly, their division is getting stronger. With the Twins, White Sox, and Tigers beginning their trend up, will it lead to Cleveland trending down?
Once again, I already hear people telling me I'm not giving the Mets enough credit... And that was even before I released the Power Rankings because every year I'm told their pitching is too good to ignore.
Well, watch me. I love Jacob Degrom, but it's not enough with Stroman, Porcello, Matz, and Wacha when you are facing lineups like the Phillies, Nationals, and Braves. I was stunned they finished last year with a winning record, and I'll say the same thing this season.
After a heart-breaking loss to the soon-to-be World Series champ Nationals, the Brewers lost Moustakas from their lineups without making many additions. Their starting pitching has me very nervous and their strong bullpen showed some vulnerabilities last season.
The Cardinals, Cubs, and Reds are going to be tough to beat which is bad news for the Brewers who will play over half their games against them.
This is a tough team to figure out.
Let me elaborate: I love the addition of Kluber, but hate the subtraction of Mazara. I think they have a good rotation, but I could easily see the Angels, A's, and Astros sweeping a series from them.
They're a good ballclub with a newly renovated stadium, but in a 60 game season they'll need more than that to sneak their way up these rankings and in to the postseason.
A team that goes from 108 wins and a World Series without very many roster changes comes out the next season and only wins 84 games. The cheating scandal may have had a bigger impact on this clubs success than we thought.
Now they roll in to a short season without Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, and (even though I wasn't a big fan) David Price. They've grinded out seasons before, but there seems to be a silent rebuild in the process in Boston which could lead to a few speed bumps along the way.
They are clearly rebuilding, and I'm a big fan of bringing in Starling Marte for a veteran presence. With such a short season, Marte is the type of person who can dominate half a season (which we can't even get half of one this year).
The NL West is definitely not the most competitive division, so if the right players get hot for the Snakes who only missed last year's Wild Card Game by 4 games, why wouldn't they be a spoiler contender?
The other team that likes to play spoiler in the NL West. Coming off a dud of a season and with a superstar at 3B that we can't tell whether they'll trade him or not, this team is the definition of hot or cold. I'm really nervous when I look at this club and they look like they're closer to the Giants than they are to the Padres and Diamondbacks.
It may be time to sell the farm and rebuild.
They've started the rebuild and got lucky that the Giants were foolish enough to give them Bryan Reynolds. The Vandy alum has put on quite a show, but he'll need more help than just Josh Bell.
They're not ready to make a run, yet. However, they can continue on course and this short season can be a preview to what prospects may have what it takes.
The only team in the MLB with some absolute legit pitching prospects. Their hitting is on the weaker side, but they seem to have finally understood that they can't stay in the middle of the road forever where it's barely making the playoffs and missing on top draft picks.
They have a long way to go, but like the other rebuilding teams, the shorter season could be a preview of what's to come.
I'm sorry Seattle fans, but there is no relief in sight. I can't tell if the Mariners have started their rebuild or not, but not re-signing King Felix is a sign of one Mariner era ending.
The difficult part is to see what era is next for this franchise that isn't one field with mediocracy. They need to build from the ground up and stop trying to import other team's prospects that the other team's seem way too eager to trade away. Homegrown talent from your own system is the cheapest way to do it and leaves the door open for Free Agent additions... But where the Mariners struggle is the Front Office that's responsible for filling the farm system for the future.
A team clearly rebuilding and some prospects have looked to show some promise. The pitching still scares me a bit, but time is on their side at this point, as it couldn't get much worse after having to trade away an MVP with a club-friendly contract. Last year's 100+ loss season wasn't a good start the rebuild, but the goal is to continue to progress while building the farm.
At least they got one title before starting the new rebuild. Their rebuild has gotten off to a slower start than they would have liked, but the Royals are good at finding diamonds in the rough.
The AL Central is getting tougher any day, and the Royals don't seem to be at the level to compete in that division at this time.
Oy... Well they had some good prospects coming up and then decided to trade Bryan Reynolds for a rental of Andrew McCutchen. Now, they're paying the price for trying to stay competitive after their 2014 title. They just don't stack up with the prospects the Padres and Diamondbacks have and the MLB talent the Dodgers have. They shouldn't expect to be competitive and their only hope is that this season could be the wackiest one the MLB has season with only 60 games and regional scheduling.
This franchise has never recovered from not bringing Zach Britton in the 2016 postseason. You should never go home knowing you didn't give it your all. Not throwing your superstar reliever at any point of a series is doing exactly that.
Since then, the Orioles missed their window to get peak trade value for Machado, Britton, Davis, Jones, etc... They are starting to rebuild, but the 2016 season still haunts this franchise, and rightfully so.
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