TBOH Staff Picks, Vol. 2: Going Going Gone

The second installment of TBOH’s staff picks.

Not all picks are created equal.

(Justin Klugh)equal, nor are they happy.

Opening Day Lineup, 2013

CF Ben Revere
SS Jimmy Rollins
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
3B Michael Young
RF Domonic Brown
LF Laynce Nix
C Erik Kratz
P Cole Hamels

The most notable aspect of the Phillies eventual opening day lineup is the presence of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. With those two guys in the fold does it really matter who hits in front or behind?

Opening Day MVP

Domonic Brown

Brown keeps on hitting, turning his hot spring into an opening day showcase. Brown goes 2-3 with a homer off of Braves ace Tim Hudson. And no cringe worthy plays in right to boot!

Trade Deadline Deal

Jonathan Papelbon to the Tigers

KABOOM! That’s the sound of Ruben Amaro Jr. pressing the auto destruct button on the Phillies season when all the early optimism has been sapped away. Let’s be real, what are the odds this club stays healthy enough to contend?

Unfortunate Twitter Rumor of the Year

Cliff Lee to the Dodgers for Dee Gordon

Twitter is the best thing to happen to the baseball trades since the deadline.

Season Finish

3rd in the NL East. 2 GB St. Louis for final wild card spot.

Even if everything goes right for the Phightins, this is an old team that doesn’t quite have enough juice left to sustain another run to the playoffs.

NL East champs

“A healthy Joey Votto means good things for the Reds” Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals

NL Central champs

Cincinnati Reds

NL West champs

Arizona Diamondbacks

NL Wild Cards

Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals (Cardinals Win)

NLCS Teams, Winner

Reds*, Nationals

AL East champs

“These O’s aren’t a one hit wonder” Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Rays

AL Central champs

Detroit Tigers

AL West champs

Los Angeles Angels

AL Wild Cards

Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics (Orioles Win)

ALCS Teams, Winner

Angels*, Orioles

World Series Teams, Winner

Angels, Reds*

“I’m gonna get paid son!”

NL MVP

Joey Votto, Reds

AL MVP

Robinson Cano, Yankees

NL ROY

Jedd Gyorko, Padres

AL ROY

Will Myers, Rays

NL Cy Young

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

AL Cy Young

Justin Verlander, Tigers

Most Devastating Injury of the Season

CC Sabathia stumbles on the mound succumbing to his own weight, breaking his ankle. I don’t think this is the Yanks year.

Biggest Bust (Team)

LA Dodgers

Sorry Magic, at least everyone loves your commentary on the KIA NBA pregame show.

Biggest Bust (Player)

Zach Greinke, Dodgers

Most Predictable Finish

Washington Nationals

Biggest Surprise

New York Yankees

It shouldn’t be a shocker, but whenever the Lakers or Yankees struggle it consumes Sports Center for the entire year. Expect nothing less when the Yanks fail to make it to October.

Phillies Opening Day Lineup 2018

CF Roman Quinn

2B Freddy Galvis

LF Domonic Brown

RF Giancarlo Stanton

1B Larry Greene

3B David Freese

C Tommy Joseph

SS Mitch Walding

P Cole Hamels

“Stanton could be the best power hitter of this generation if he keeps it up” Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

As much as I”d love to see Mike Trout in a Phillies uniform five years down the road I just can’t see it happening. He is a once in a lifetime player that the Halos will get crucified for for letting go. On the other hand there is Giancarlo (formerly Mike) Stanton. Anyone on the Marlins is fare game for the rest of time. I don’t think the Phillies have what it takes to get a trade done, but if he doesn’t sign a long term deal with his next club why not sign a mega deal with the Phillies?

The rest of the “future” lineup is composed of current Phillies farm hands. I doubt they will all pan out to be all-stars, but I think they have a lot of every day players in their system. Roman Quinn could easily steal 40 bases a year if he develops as a hitter, and Larry Greene seems like the heir apparent to the big piece at first.

At catcher Tommy Joseph will grab a strangle hold on the backstop for years to come, rounding out his defense to compliment his offensive prowess. And if you think the Phillies will finally produce a home grown third baseman think again. David Freese strikes me as someone who’ll be get overpaid when he hits free agency, and the Phillies will be desperate if none of their prospects pan out. It’s a long ways away, but 2018 will certainly bare little resemblance to the current squad.