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These 6 MLB Hitters Have a lot To Prove in 2017
Now that it’s been about a month since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series and we’re assured there won’t be a work stoppage related to Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, baseball’s full focus can officially shift to 2017.
With MLB’s Winter Meetings on the horizon, we’ll soon be engulfed in countless rumors as front office executives attempt to improve for next season.
While that’s all taking place, players — who are obviously the subject of these impending rumors — are likely at home watching it all happen as they mentally and physically prepare for 2017 themselves. Some are feeling confident after a solid showing over the past several months, but others are looking to regain their old form.
Just as we recently pointed out a handful of starting pitchers who are entering next season with a lot to prove, we’ve chosen six hitters also feeling that same kind of pressure. However, unlike those hurlers, not all of the below hitters are coming off disappointing campaigns.
Amidst Great Year, Blue Jays’ Michael Saunders Still Has One Issue
HE’S HAVING A GOOD YEAR, BUT JAYS FROM THE COUCH LOOKS INTO WAYS OF IMPROVING TORONTO BLUE JAYS LF, MICHAEL SAUNDERS’ STRIKEOUT RATE.
Michael Saunders is one hell of a hitter, and it seems like everyone is now noticing. For example this and this, have both recently been published on Fangraphs about the Canadian. As fans, we have seen him hit balls hard, off lefties and righties, we’ve seen him hit from foul pole to foul pole, showing a prime example of “power to all fields” that we have come to love and expect from most of our elite hitters. There is one small rather large issue with his current numbers, and I am not talking about his uncharacteristically high .375 BABIP.
No, for those who started reading this, the fans who have been paying attention and check Fangraphs leader boards every hour or so to gain insight, they know. Michael Saunders has an astronomically high 26.1% strikeout rate, good for top 20 in the league.
READ FULL POST at Jays From the Couch…
The 2016 Baltimore Orioles May Break The ALL – Time Single Year Team Homer Record
Hunter Stokes (BBBA Featured Writer) Follow @stokes_hunter21
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Last season the Baltimore Orioles cranked out 217 jacks to finish 3rd in the Major Leagues behind the Toronto Blue Jays (232 HRs) and Houston (230 HRs).
Since the end of the year they have added Pedro Alvarez and Mark Trumbo. These guys have several years of clubbing 25+ HRs each.
The squad also has the reigning AL HR champ of Chris Davis at 47, while Manny Machado bashed out 35 big flies to tie for 13th overall last year (Yoenis Cespedes and David Ortiz also smacked 35 longballs).
J.J. Hardy is capable of hitting 20+ HRs in a year despite his production being hampered by injury the last few seasons.
Matt Wieters compiled 20+ HR campaigns in each of the 2011 – 2013 seasons – before battling to recapture his power streak after Tommy John Surgery.
Nolan Reimold may hit 1st or 9th depending on the pitcher, and he has shown a penchant for hitting a ball beyond the fence as well.
Playing in a home park like Camden Yards helps. Having road games in Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and the Rogers Centre for an additional 26 – 27 contests also bodes well. Read the rest of this entry
Toronto Should Trade For Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun has been the starter in RF for the Brewers for almost a decade. However, he has battled several thumb injuries, and is now 32 Years Old. Since Milwaukee will not likely be contenders for the next 3 – 4 years in a tough NL Division, they should really start to rebuild. Toronto also needs to look past 2016 – when both Encarnacion and Bautista are Free Agents. If they can’t come up with the funds to sign either of them in extensions, they should pursue Braun in the next 6 – 8 months.
Hunter Stokes (Chief Writer) Follow @stokes_hunter21
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The Toronto Blue Jays have played it conservative for 2016, but still have a realistic shot to win in 2016 because of their offense. Going beyond 2016 looks extremely difficult when you factor in they may lose both Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista following next year.
This would be a shame, but both players should be able to command around $20 MIL per year for at least the next 2 – 3 years after this upcoming one. That may be too much for the Canadian club to afford.
Our website has spoken at length of how Toronto must capitalize on this opportunity. As of right now, I don’t think they have enough pitching to get it done in the playoffs either.
Free Agency will be a tough sell for the franchise to bring in any ace pitchers or premiere offensive stars in the coming years. You also may have a tough time to crack those deals when the Canadian dollar is hovering around 70 cents for every American Greenback right now.
I say go after Ryan Braun via a trade in the next 6 – 8 months. Read the rest of this entry