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Diamondbacks Gaining New Vision for 2017, But With The Old Regime’s Players
Dave Stewart, Tony La Russa and the Arizona Diamondbacks stunned baseball last winter with a handful of bold moves in order to win in 2016. Unfortunately for them, instead of improving from a 79-83 showing in ’15, the club regressed to 69-93 this past season.
The organization will now take a more conservative approach this offseason. Not necessarily because new Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Hazen believes that’s the proper course of action to begin turning the Dbacks around, but he doesn’t have much of a choice.
Hazen made the most impactful move of his first offseason in Arizona by recently hiring Torey Lovullo as manager. It was an important hire because the organization’s 2017 results will already hinge significantly on the success or failure of players the previous regime brought in.
The Dbacks’ new executive is familiar with this kind of situation, though.
With the Boston Red Sox, he watched Dave Dombrowski inherit a roster that was also basically set. But he at least still had the flexibility to make impactful acquisitions, like signing David Price and trading for Craig Kimbrel.
The situation out in the desert is different, and for three major reasons.
OTBB: 10 MLB Teams With a Very Important Offseason Ahead of Them
Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on On The Bench Baseball.
The 2017 MLB regular season is the furthest thing from our minds right now with the postseason in full swing, but not for the majority of the league.
Most are at home watching the playoffs, trying to figure out how they could be playing baseball next October instead of sitting on their respective couches. The winter months don’t include any on-field action, but the Hot Stove does plenty to keep us warm and occupied until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.
Before the slate officially gets wiped clean for the coming year, front offices around baseball put in a lot of hours to decide what pieces could make their team a playoff contender. Here are 10 MLB teams who have a very important few months ahead:
Daily Fantasy MLB DFS Picks For Fanduel, DraftKings, and Fanpicks – 7/3/16
DraftKings Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (7/3/16): MLB DFS Advice
Fanduel Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (7/3/16): MLB DFS Advice
Fanpicks Daily Fantasy Baseball Lineup Picks (7/3/16): MLB DFS Advice
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Daily Matchups for 7/3/2016
Pitcher
Corey Kluber
Jon Lester
Noah Syndergaard
Jose Quintana
Adam Conley
Cole Hamels
Matt Shoemaker
Catcher
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Josh Robbins’ MLB Fantasy Daily (DFS) Picks For FanDuel – 4/29/16 + Chase Field Scenario 2nd Lineup
Josh Robbins (Featured Fantasy Writer/60ft6in.com) Follow @Qualcomm98
Hi, my name is Josh Robbins. I would like to share my Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) strategy with you throughout the MLB season during weekdays. Fanduel is my preferred game of skill.
Welcome to the 4th week of the 2016 MLB season.
3-Strikes: Here’s what you expect from my daily articles:
My Top 3 Starting Pitchers (aces, mid-level, bargain)
My Top 3 Stacking Options (multiple players from the same team)
My Top 3 BVP (Batter vs. Pitcher) Options Read the rest of this entry
Daily Fantasy MLB Picks For Draft Kings 4/28/16
Note: There are only 8 games on Thursday, which means the match-ups are very limited. There is also a very good chance of rain for the following games, so pay attention to the forecast: Phillies vs. Nationals, Pirates vs. Rockies, Athletics vs. Tigers.
P- Jon Lester (vs. Milwaukee Brewers): Through 4 starts in 2016, Lester has been absolutely dominant. In 27.1 innings pitched, he has a 1.98 ERA, 23 strikeouts, 5 walks, and a 2-1 record. The Brewers’ offense has struggled this season. They are currently ranked as the 25th ranked offense in Major League Baseball. Lester will be throwing off of his home mound on Thursday as well. All of these factors should work in Lester’s favor. NOTE: The Chicago Cubs game was postponed on Wednesday night, so Jake Arrieta may take Lester’s spot on Thursday, and if that is the case, Arrieta is a must add.
P- Tanner Roark (vs. Philadelphia Phillies): Roark has been a pleasant surprise for the Washington Nationals this season. In his first 4 starts, he has thrown 24 innings, with a 2.63 ERA, 24 strikeouts, 11 walks, and a 2-2 record. In his most recent start, he threw 7 innings against the Minnesota Twins, giving up 0 runs, striking out 15, and walking 3. He has a favorable matchup against the Phillies on Thursday, so he is a great start in daily fantasy baseball.
To see the rest of the picks, click the link below:
Odds To Win The MLB 2016 World Series + Best And Worst Bets
The Mets made it to the World Series in 2015 after a subpar start heading into the Trade Deadline. With a ton of pitching and some decent positional players still on the roster, they could set themselves up for a lengthy run in the NL East. Especially if they can coordinate a couple of trades near the Trade Deadline. While they may have started slow, the bats are alive and well, and the rotation should come around soon. They are this week’s best odd.
Hunter Stokes (BBBA Featured Writer) Follow @stokes_Hunter21 Follow @baseballblogs
The Nationals asserted themselves on this leaderboard thanks to a quick start. They were my 2nd best bet last week at +1100. Now the odd at +650 is not worth any money at all.
Since Washington was able to play so well, this has created the perfect storm to put some more cash on the Mets. At +1300, New York is just begging for a wager.
The strength of schedule to which the Nats have played has definitely factored in. 2 series versus the Braves and Marlins and one against the Phillies already, Dusty Baker‘s club has had about a ‘cupcake itinerary’ as you possibly could find.
It gets better for the District’s squad, as they go home for another series with Philadelphia – that comes on the heels of a weekend Interleague series versus the Twins.
If Washington wins those 2 series, they should be about 15 or 16 wins after 22 games. They should cement themselves in the playoffs with an easy NL East opponents schedule all year. I just want to see them play some tougher clubs.
The Mets offense has sprung to life behind the backs of Yoenis Cespedes, Neil Walker, David Wright and Michael Conforto. When the Pitching Rotation settles in a little bit, they should take off.
While Washington is leading the Division, they have yet to face the NL reigning pennant winners. The division win could come down to the 19 contests between the two clubs.
Terry Collins‘ team has 16 straight games versus squads with losing records. While the Giants are capable of contending all year, New York should be able to match them well for pitching. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Power Rankings 2016: Week 2 – April
Hunter Stokes (BBBA Featured Writer) Follow @stokes_Hunter21
Follow The BBBA On Twitter Follow @baseballblogs
Disclaimer: We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series. Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.
The Cubs will top our list for a second straight week despite losing 2 out of 3 games to the Rockies at Wrigley Field this weekend. The biggest reason is the pitching.
Jake Arrieta is 3 – 0, and has picked up right where we he left off in 2015, and Jon Lester has thrown awesome too. The Bullpen has also been good.
The bats are too solid not to come around and gel as the season moves along. They are playing .750 baseball after a 4 – 2 week still.
Bryce Harper is the best player on the planet, and has homered in 6 straight contests at Citizens Bank Ball Park (4 overall in a row for the MLB this year.)
Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg. Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy are their top players – and all performing like it, the rest of the club is following through in their secondary roles. This team is scary.
I have the Royals as the top American League club. This squad is 8 – 1 in games that are not started by back end of the rotation man Chris Young.
The reigning 2 time pennant winners have company on the top of the Division to make it interesting, however this team has the better pedigree the last few years.
Some may say with a weekend series win – that the Dodgers should be put in front of the Giants, yet they are still only one game ahead of San Francisco.
With the Giants – there is no real weakness, while with the Los Angeles team, the Bullpen is not giving everyone confidence in the back half of games.
The Dodger Blue is still in the top 5, so I am high on them. Kenta Maeda could be the steal of the winter with how this guy is throwing so far. Reinforcements are starting to come back. Read the rest of this entry
M’s Get Blanked Tuesday: 22 Teams Left In 2016 MLB Shutout Survivor + MLB Runs Scoring Survivor Update
The Mariners were blanked last night 8 – 0. Seattle is now 0 – 5 at home, and can’t buy any hits on home turf. 7 runs in 5 games is not the way to start your campaign at Safeco Field. This is not foreign territory for the Mariners, who routinely have the worst batting numbers at home every year. Playing games versus AL West counterparts the A’s and Rangers – they have posted just an .486 OPS while at home in 2016.
Chuck Booth (BBBA President/Majority Owner – mlbreports.com) Follow @chuckbooth3024
Follow The BBBA On Twitter Follow @baseballblogs
A quick start by Robinson Cano has quickly faded into a Batting Average of .182. Dae-Hoo Lee and Adam Lind have collected just 3 hits in the eight total contests thus far.
Kyle Seager and Ketel Marte have provided little punch from the Left side of the infield. I expect Seager to turn himself around, but I was one to always question why the franchise didn’t go outside the squad to bring in a new veteran shortstop.
Both clubs were eliminated from MLB Shutout Survivor, and must get their lineups back in order, or they will also fall way back in MLB Runs Scoring Survivor too, having picked off all of the low run scoring totals.
The Padres were blanked for a 4th time in 8 games, and still only have 3 different variations on their season. This is tied with Tampa and Detroit for the fewest marks off the scoresheet, but they have played one more game than the Rays and 2 more contests than the Tigers, so they are ranked 30th in this competition.
Chicago continues to lead the movement to all 11 runs scored scenarios, with having plated a different amount of guys in every single game thus far. All they need to complete this competition are run totals of 0, 1, 3 and 8.
Oakland, Texas, Arizona and Colorado have 6 out of the 11 run totals, but they all need to knock off some of the higher totals – unlike the Cubs. Read the rest of this entry
MLB Power Rankings: Week 1 Results – April 2016
Hunter Stokes (BBBA Featured Writer) Follow @stokes_Hunter21
Follow The BBBA On Twitter Follow @baseballblogs
Disclaimer: We based these rankings on best strength to win the World Series. Therefore some teams that have an easier division to play in, with the least path of resistance to the postseason overall may be ranked a lot higher than a club who is equally talented, yet may play in a juggernaut of a division.
Team – Rank (W – L Record) (Last week ranking in parenthesis)
(1) Chicago Cubs (5 – 1) (1): The Cubs weathered the loss of their slugging OF Kyle Schwarber this week – by taking 5 of the 1st 6 games played, and all on the road. After these 6 contests – the squad is outscoring their opponents 42 – 15.
Love the idea of setting the table with Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist 1-2-3 prior to the boppers coming after in Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant.
Having the 2015 NL ROY may help Rizzo win the NL MVP this season. He had 10 RBI this week – including a 6 RBI effort.
Jake Arrieta is already 2 – 0, and this team shows no signs of slowing down.
(2) KC Royals (4 – 1) (2): This club just knows how to win with the dominant Bullpen and clutch hitting. They have only yielded 11 runs thus far, and this team has not even hit huge strides on offense yet.
The AL Central is better in 2016 there is no question, however KC will be ready to take them on. There may not be a more filthy Late Inning Reliever right now than Wade Davis. Edinson Volquez has picked up right where he left off in 2015 as well. Read the rest of this entry
How Many Years Will It Take Of The AL Clubbing The NL In Interleague Before Things Change?
Hunter Stokes (BBBA Featured Writer) Follow @stokes_hunter21
Follow The BBBA On Twitter Follow @baseballblogs
With a modest 4 – 3 lead in the season series heading into today’s action. the National League is in foreign territory by leading the Interleague yearly contest. However I remember the the NL taking a decent lead in the 2014 campaign – before the American League trounced the Senior Circuit the rest of the way – and edged them out by a few games for the entire year..
The Junior Circuit has won the last 12 years of play, and own a decisive .552 win percentage since 2004 (when the 1st 8 years were split 4 – 4 in the seasons, with the NL holding a 30 games wins lead) in that time frame.
I am a bigger fan of the American League game over the National League, yet I am torn because if these splits continue for more seasons, we will never have more Interleague ever. We may stay the same – or god forbid, eliminate Interleague altogether if expansion leads to 32 clubs (16 in each league) and negating an odd amount of teams per league, not necessarily needing to play it anymore.
Right now there are 20 games for each club against the other League. It boils down to just one division playing another division, and then in most cases, a natural geographical rivalry.
Determining how many games there ought to really be, I turn to the “Team Fatigue card” a lot of my fellow westerners have expressed in so much out this way over the years.
I am close enough to see both NL and AL parks play, but there are several cities that are without a league park of the other for hundreds of miles (like Seattle, Arizona, Colorado, Minneapolis), then KC and St. Louis to a lesser extent, but far away enough to classify a full road trip should you partake in a journey to see.
You can add Texas and Houston, with Tampa and Miami in that mix as well. Read the rest of this entry
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