TBOH Staff Picks, Vol. 2: Going Going Gone
By Ethan Seidel
The second installment of TBOH’s staff picks.
Not all picks are created equal.
(Justin Klugh)equal, nor are they happy.
Ethan Seidel (@yearinbaseball)
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.