Cypress Hill Archives

The start of the 2023 Major League Baseball season is once again upon us, and after a 2022 edition nearly derailed by a lockout and the two prior seasons hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, fans are hoping for some long-awaited normalcy. However, the season is already off to an unpredictable start thanks to significant injuries suffered during the recent World Baseball Classic: New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz blew out his knee, and Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve broke his thumb. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins also tore his ACL during a spring training game last week and will miss the entire campaign. SPIN has gathered a group of musicians who double as baseball fanatics to share their thoughts on what's to come, and it's no surprise that they're all optimistic about their favorite team’s chances. Don't run to your favorite sports book just yet, though. Last year, none of our participants predicted that the Houston Astros would defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win the World Series. In fact, in the history of this series, only one person has correctly predicted the outcome. Still, if you want to feel good about your favorite team, you're in the right place. Batter up! Mike McCready, Pearl Jam Seattle Mariners (Credit: Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images) What’s your prognosis for the season? For the first time in decades (literally), I have a positive prognosis for the season! Sure, in years past I've been hopeful, optimistic, even cautiously confident. But this year is different. I believe the Mariners are a legitimate playoff team with World Series potential. What are your reasonable hopes? As I mentioned, the Mariners are a playoff team and I believe they are one of several teams with a real shot at winning the World Series. Last year I predicted they could possibly win 90 games, which they did. But this year I believe that's the floor. A year ago it wasn't a given that Julio Rodríguez would make the opening day roster. Now he's a superstar, not only in Seattle, but around MLB. A year ago, Marco Gonzalez was the M's No. 2 starter. Now he's the projected No. 5 in a stellar starting rotation. A year ago, Cal Raleigh was a prospect with potential. Now he's a bonafide all-star caliber catcher. A year ago, George Kirby was in AA. Now he has ace written all over him. A year ago, Luis Castillo and Teoscar Hernandez were on other teams. Now they are Mariners. For these reasons and more, my hopes and expectations, are elevated! What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? To answer this question we have to go back to the trade deadline last season. Acquiring, and then extending, Luis Castillo proved Mariners ownership and management want to win NOW. By adding his arm to a rotation that saw Logan Gilbert and George Kirby take a big step forward, as well as 2021 Cy Young winner Robbie Ray add a four-seam fastball to his arsenal, the Mariners all of the sudden had one of the best rotations in baseball. Last season's playoff push proved that. Then in the offseason, they acquired Teoscar Hernandez, a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat from Toronto, and Kolten Wong, a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman from Milwaukee. Both Hernandez and Wong should be considered upgrades from the injury-riddled (and fan favorite) Mitch Haniger, who signed with San Francisco, and the inconsistent Adam Frazier. Wong, specifically, should benefit from working with Perry Hill, a fielding coach Jedi who turned JP Crawford into a Gold Glove shortstop, and former 3B Ty France int0 a top-tier first baseman. What’s the ceiling/floor? The floor has to be 90 wins. It would be a huge surprise (and disappointment) if the Mariners don't at least match their 2022 win total. And the ceiling has to be a legitimate World Series contender! Who’s your player to watch this year? A year ago I was watching pitchers Matt Brash and George Kirby, as well as position players Jarred Kelenic & Julio Rodriguez. When reflecting upon the 2022 season "players to watch," I'd say I was 50/50+. Julio became a superstar, and Kirby developed into a potential ace (see ALDS Game 3 vs Houston). Matt Brash didn't hang onto a starting role, but he did end up being a high-leverage reliever who still has upside as a solid starter. Because the M's have such depth in their starting rotation, Brash will start the season in the bullpen. But don't think he won't start some games for the Mariners in 2023. That all said, my player to watch this season, once again, is Jarred Kelenic. For what seems to be the first time in his young professional career, he didn't go back to his dad's training facility in the offseason. Instead, Kelenic spent the offseason in Arizona and Southern California working with different hitting coaches with the goal of changing his swing. In a relatively small sample size this spring, Kelenic's approach seems to have paid dividends. As of March 16, he was hitting .462 with 4 HR and 1.453 OPS. Here's hoping he can finally reach a fraction of his potential! Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? The Astros are the juggernaut, but the Mariners will win a few more games, and the Astros might lose a couple more than last year. So I predict the M's will win between 93-98 games and be in the AL West pennant race at least until mid-September, and possibly challenge for the crown until the final days of the regular season. What’s your World Series matchup? Until Edwin Diaz suffered a tragic injury in the WBC, I was all over the same predication I had last season (M's over Mets). That said, I'm hoping for the Mariners again, but now against the Dodgers in the World Series! Bun B Houston Astros (Credit: Courtesy of Bun B) What’s your prognosis for the season? I predict another run to the World Series. This organization is a perennial contender for the title. What are your reasonable hopes? I expect us to at least make the playoffs, with a good chance of making it to the league championship. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? While we lost a few good players like Yuli Gurriel, the core of the team is still intact. Just have to see how long Jose Altuve will be out with his injury. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling for us is of course the World Series. Floor has to be at least making the playoffs. Anything less would be uncivilized, LOL. Who’s your player to watch this year? Jeremy Peña. The Astros go as far as he goes. He’s the future of our team. Will they make the playoffs? No question. We’ve won our division year after year. Unless something drastic happens, we are still the team to beat. What’s your record prediction? I’m predicting 122-40. Call me optimistic. What’s your World Series matchup? Astros-Dodgers. 'Stros in 6. Patrick Carney, The Black Keys Cleveland Guardians (Credit: Courtesy of Patrick Carney) What’s your prognosis for the season? Per usual as a Cleveland sports fan, I’m an optimist. The bullpen, the last seven years, has been pretty incredible. I feel like the playoffs are likely. What are your reasonable hopes? A team that keeps pace and keeps up in a competitive division is what I hope for. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I really have been tuned out the last five months, so I’m looking forward to seeing what’s happening the first few weeks of the season. Who’s your player to watch this year? Shane Bieber. He’s the coolest to me. I love watching him pitch. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 85-77. What’s your World Series matchup? I’d love to see Cleveland beat someone with an outrageous payroll. That’s the dream. Cleveland vs. Dodgers, for instance. Alice Cooper Detroit Tigers (Credit: Leon Halip/Getty Images) What’s your prognosis for the season? I'm so used to the Tigers sweeping out the cellar. I think maybe the Lions have given them a little bit of a push, saying, 'Hey, we just finished the season winning eight out of 10. Why don't you guys finish second or third, or even first? Be the surprise team!' What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hope is that they do that. I'm a Tigers fan and have been a Tigers fan all my life. Of course, living in Arizona, I would love to see the Diamondbacks do well. I wouldn't know who to go for in the Diamondbacks/Tigers World Series, but then I don't think I have to worry about that! What's your World Series prediction? I'm putting one dollar to win a million and I'll say Kansas City for the American League. And I'll pick somebody that has no chance at all ... Cincinnati. Hey, look, at the beginning of the Super Bowl, I said Kansas City 38, Eagles 35. So don't laugh at my predictions. Or, I'm going to say St. Louis and Boston. Now, if that ends up being the World Series, you're going to think I'm a genius. And if it isn't, you already know I'm an idiot. So I can't lose. Sen Dog, Cypress Hill Los Angeles Dodgers View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sen Dog of Cypress Hill (@sendog) What’s your prognosis for the season? I think it will be an exciting season as last year was. With so many great players across the league, I think we the fans are going to have a lot of great baseball to watch. What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hopes are that my team the Los Angeles Dodgers will make the playoffs, after the releases of what I consider some of the best Dodgers the team has had in a long time. It’s going to be interesting to see if this new nucleus will gel and come together as they have in the past. Who’s your player to watch this year? I like the acquisition of J.D. Martinez, a solid big league player with all-star talent. I think he will be a hit in L.A. and hopefully assume a leadership role, as he comes with veteran experience. What’s the ceiling/floor? For Dodger fans, the ceiling is always the postseason. The Big Blue Wrecking Crew has been very competitive in recent years and we would like to see it continue. I believe it will. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, I do think L.A. will make the playoffs. The Dodgers have an excellent team with plenty of all-star talent and veteran leadership. What’s your record prediction? For me, it’s always hard to predict a record strictly because of the fact that it’s a very long season and there’s injuries that will occur. That’s just a fact. I’m hoping for a 100-plus year in wins, but what fan isn’t? What's your World Series prediction? Los Angeles Dodgers to win it all … Let’s go Dodgers !!! Zach Lind, Jimmy Eat World Arizona Diamondbacks View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zach Lind (@zlind76) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Diamondbacks are, in my opinion, a marginally improved squad on paper compared to last season. They have improved both offensively and defensively, but the key to this team will be how their promising young pitchers can contribute to both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Last year, the lack of consistency from the later portion of the rotation and the bullpen really hurt this team. What are your reasonable hopes? After being seven games under .500 in 2022, a reasonable hope would be for the D-backs to finish .500 or above. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I like the addition of Evan Longoria to reinforce the infield and provide some veteran leadership for this very young team. Having Nick Ahmed back from injury will hopefully provide a boost defensively as well. I also like the addition of Gabriel Moreno via trade, especially since Carson Kelly will start the season out with a broken hand. What’s the ceiling/floor? The floor is last place in the NL West. The ceiling I believe is third. Who’s your player to watch this year? Without a doubt, it’s Corbin Carroll. He’s the face of the franchise and we all expect an electric first full season from the best young player in the game. Will they make the playoffs? That’s a really tough call. I think they will be close, but just outside of reach. What’s your record prediction? 83 wins. What’s your World Series matchup? This is impossible to guess at this point, but I’ll go with Mets defeating the Yankees in six games. Charlie Benante, Anthrax Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Charlie Benante) What’s your prognosis for this year? The Cubs made some nice moves this offseason, adding Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson. They’re not contenders yet, but I think they will finish over .500 and be fun to watch. What are your reasonable hopes? To get off to a better start than last year and have an outside chance at the wild card. Finishing over .500 would be a step in the right direction. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I like the acquisitions of Bellinger, and Swanson, and adding some more depth to our pitching staff should help. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is a Wild Card berth. The floor is a repeat record from last year. Who’s your player to watch this year? Dansby Swanson. He’s our biggest offseason pickup and should be poised for another big year, especially at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. What’s your record prediction? Predicted record: 84-78. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Mets, and Yankees win. Steve Earle New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Steve Earle) What’s your prognosis for the season? Same as always: going to the Series, and gonna win it. But that's always me. I'm the most optimistic Yanks fan in the world. What are your reasonable hopes? Yankees fans don't have that luxury. It's like, at least a pennant and then, if that happens, it's all about a ring, even though it's been a while. We have 27 championships and a tradition, so … What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We re-signed Aaron Judge and signed the best starting pitcher with all of his natural teeth on the market. Mission accomplished. What’s the ceiling/floor Not sure what that means. Ask Paul Simon. Who’s your player to watch this year? Oswaldo Cabrera. He came up last year and played like a veteran. Ice water in his veins. I believe he’s the real deal. Will they make the playoffs? Uhhhhh … yeah. What’s your record prediction? 101-61. What’s your World Series matchup? Yanks / Phillies. Steve Sladkowski, PUP Toronto Blue Jays (Credit: Courtesy of Steve Sladkowski) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Jays need to show progress in the playoffs, full stop. They’re going to be good on a day-to-day basis throughout the regular season, with the capability to put up crooked numbers when the lineup is hitting. But that’s not enough. I simply cannot be half-drunk at two in the morning in southern France watching them blow another wild card game to Seattle this season. What are your reasonable hopes? It feels like this team should be getting through the Divisional Series and thinking about the ALCS in a very real way at a minimum. Another wild card flameout will be, how shall we say, extremely devastating for the fragile psyches of all my friends and I. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? More pitching, new left-handed bats, veteran centerfielders with blue eyes as deep as the ocean … you've gotta appreciate Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins checking the depths of Blue Jays Twitter and making all of the transactions based on how the fanbase would post about them (don’t look up whether that’s true or not -- just trust me) What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is the motherfucking World Series and the floor is not something I’m willing to consider, but it probably looks a lot like last year, unfortunately. Who’s your player to watch this year? It feels strange to say this considering he’s only a season removed from finishing second in the MVP race, but I think it’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He had a bit of an uneven season by the lofty standards set for him by Guys Like Me, and also by the team and league. I am interested to see how he counter-adjusts to the adjustments made to him last year. If he unlocks another level to his game, as I think all Jays fans and fans of baseball (there are dozens of us) hope he does, the Jays' offense could be truly frightening. Will they make the playoffs? Hell yes they will. What’s your record prediction? 94-68. Feeling bold! What’s your World Series matchup? Blue Jays vs. Padres. Evan Westfall, CAAMP Cleveland Guardians (Credit: Courtesy of Evan Westfall) What’s your prognosis for the season? I’m hoping one of my Ohio teams does something. I usually tune into whichever Ohio team is playing better. Say what you will about that. Let me have it. The Guardians are looking strongest out of the two, and I was pleased with their run last postseason. We've got some young guns What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I don’t keep up with the offseason acquisitions enough to comment on them. Not gonna pretend like I know what I’m talking about here. Who’s your player to watch this year? Love watching Shane Bieber and Jose Ramirez. Jose is a hard runner and always has a huge chaw in his lip. I respect the hell outta that. If I ran that hard with a lip in, I wouldn’t be able to make it to first without spewing. What’s your record prediction? Guardians will push between 90 and 100 wins this year! What’s your World Series matchup? My World Series prediction is Guardians vs. Mets. Would love to see Frankie Lindor face his old team in a best of seven. That’d be some good television. John Nolan, Taking Back Sunday New York Mets (Credit: Courtesy of John Nolan) What’s your prognosis for the season? When I first got these questions, my prognosis was more optimistic. But over the past couple weeks, there have been so many injuries. That was a problem last year and it seems like it could be again. They’ve put together a great team though, and if they can somehow stop losing players to injuries, they have a shot at winning the World Series. What are your reasonable hopes? I’ve let go of the concept of having or losing hope. The Baseball Gods will do what they will and we are subject to their whims. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Getting Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga is very exciting. I’m glad they got some pitchers to fill the spot left by Jacob DeGrom. Now that Edwin Diaz is most likely gone for the season, it seems they should’ve built up the bullpen more. That is all in hindsight though, and you know what they say about hindsight. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is winning the World Series and the floor is winning the division but not the league. Who’s your player to watch this year? Kodai Senga. It’ll be interesting to see how he adapts to MLB after pitching his whole career in Japan. I’m also excited to see his 'ghost forkball' in action. It’s not often you get a pitcher with a signature pitch that has a cool name. Will they make the playoffs? They definitely should. We’ll have to see what the Baseball Gods have in store for them. What’s your record prediction? 110 wins and 52 losses. What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs Astros. Riley Breckenridge, Thrice Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Credit: Courtesy of Riley Breckenridge) What’s your prognosis for the season? When Arte Moreno announced that he planned to sell the team in August, I figured I’d be contributing to this year’s SPIN piece as a reborn Angels fan. I had … hope? For the first time in ages, I thought a new ownership group would be at the helm — devoting dollars to taking better care of the organization’s minor leaguers, spending money and time improving the org’s player development and scouting, making actual improvements to the stadium (or pledging to build a new one without taxpayer dollars), spending money wisely on free agents (especially pitchers), avoiding association with Donald Trump at all costs, letting baseball people make baseball decisions, and dedicating itself to building a winning team in a league where plenty of other owners have brazenly chosen to do the same. Then, right before Spring Training started, he decided not to sell. So here we are again. :/ What are your reasonable hopes? As a recovering Angels fan (who gave up his super fandom about 10 years ago), I don’t really have any hopes. I don’t pay attention nearly as obsessively as I used to. Nowadays, I set my expectations low, and then the Angels do their thing and become unwatchable at some point (usually around the All-Star Break), at which point I ignore their results and just pay attention to whatever Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout are doing in-between watching other good players/teams on MLB TV. I’ve been much happier as a result. What do you think of your team’s recent acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I love the depth they’ve added on the offensive side — Hunter Renfroe, Brandon Drury, and Gio Urshela are solid additions to a lineup/bench that routinely trotted out dudes who were at or below replacement level last season. Having two God-tier players in your lineup doesn’t matter at all when you surround them with guys who can’t get on base, drive in runs, or play defense. Go figure. Tyler Anderson was a solid, low-cost addition to a rotation that needed help. I just wonder if the Dodgers magic is gonna wear off now that he’s not under the tutelage of their incredible coaching and analytics staff. The bullpen, however, is hot garbage. I’m guessing we’ll see a ton of blown leads this season, as some projections have the ‘pen pegged as the literal worst in the league. What’s the ceiling/floor? I think the ceiling is them sneaking into one of those two wild card spots and maybe making a brief postseason appearance. Obviously, it’d be great for them to make a run, but I really don’t think they have the arms to do that at this point. New season, same old problems. The floor is another fourth-place finish in the AL West (which is de rigueur at this point), Anthony Rendon and Trout spending a significant amount of time on the injured list again, and Ohtani leaving via free agency at the end of the season to top it all off. Crazy that a season like that would feel “normal” to Angels fans, but that’s where we’re at these days. Who’s your player to watch this year? Aside from being glued to the TV to catch every Ohtani start and AB and every Trout AB (because they’re two of the best players to ever play the sport, so why wouldn’t you do that regardless of where your fandom lies?), I guess I’m kinda intrigued by Logan O’Hoppe? He’s the best prospect in the Angels system by a pretty large margin, they’ve got a hole at catcher, and they haven’t had an impact player at the position in … uh … ever? He’s a stud, and I hope he pans out, but the Halos have a pretty decent track record of prospects flaming out without realizing their potential so I’m not holding my breath. Will they make the playoffs? Nope. What’s your record prediction? Picking the Angels to go 81-81 (+/- 5) is like the safest bet in professional sports, so that’s what I’m gonna roll with (again). Mediocrity is in their DNA regardless of how many generational talents they have on the roster. Their all-time record is 4885-4927 (.498%). They’re like if “meh” was a baseball franchise. What’s your World Series matchup? It’s not flashy or adventurous at all, but I’m gonna say it’ll be Yanks vs. the Dads this year. The Yankees are stacked and it feels like they’re due, and that Padres lineup is absolutely monstrous and they’re obviously not afraid to do whatever it takes to try to bring a World Championship to San Diego for the first time. With that said, I’m sure it’ll end up being the Braves against some random AL team that defies the odds, stays healthy, and catches lightning in a bottle at the right time of year. Erika Wennerstrom, Heartless Bastards Cincinnati Reds (Credit: Courtesy of Erika Wennerstrom) What’s your prognosis for the season? Well, expectations are low and for a good reason. The Reds have offloaded much of their talent and dove deep into ‘rebuilding.’ But Joey Votto in the twilight of his career will hit .375 with 55 homers. What are your reasonable hopes? That the Reds limit their losses this season to a two-digit number, and that we see flashes of brilliance from a promising young pitching staff. Who’s your player to watch this year? Watch Joey Votto. Watch him talk to anyone who gets on first and make them smile with his disarming Canadian charm. What’s the ceiling/floor? Well, the ceiling is probably a .500 season. The floor is not important. Will they make the playoffs? Will I learn to tap dance? Maybe! What’s your record prediction? 73-89. What’s your world series matchup? West coast takeover. Padres vs. Mariners! Pat Monahan, Train San Francisco Giants (Credit: Mike Corrado) What’s your prognosis for this year? My prognosis is always that the San Francisco Giants will rule the National League and the Oakland A’s will rule the American League and they will meet. Will my prognosis come true this year? I don’t know. I never know. What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hopes are that both teams play really well, and my father-in-law’s favorite team, the Seattle Mariners. I’ve been watching those guys all year and hoping for the best. Also, I do root for the Angels because they’ve been using “Calling All Angels” as their unofficial anthem for a really long time, and I plan on getting to one of those games this year. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m not sure about my team’s acquisitions. I don’t know where we stand, but I’m hoping that they’re good. What’s the ceiling/floor? The floor is not to make the playoffs, and the ceiling is to win the World Series. Who’s your player to watch this year? I think this year the player to watch is Joc Pederson. He has the same last name as my wife’s maiden name, and he’s going to be the guy that I’m looking at. What’s your record prediction? Undefeated! …maybe undefeated? That would be pretty sweet. Will they make the playoffs? I think it’s going to be a good run with Joc in there that they’ll make the playoffs and something fun will happen. You never know, and you can never count the Giants out. What’s your World Series matchup? It would be a lot of fun for me to root for the Giants and have my father-in-law there and play the Mariners. That would be a super fun World Series for me. Bill Janovitz, Buffalo Tom Boston Red Sox Photo at 2013 World Series clincher with Mike O’Malley (Credit: Courtesy of Bill Janovitz) What’s your prognosis for the season? For the Red Sox, we seem to be in the old 'rebuilding year.' What are your reasonable hopes? To have a winning record. Anything beyond is gravy. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m still not over them letting Mookie Betts go. I’ve not been paying attention to the offseason. What’s the ceiling/floor? No idea. That’s the fun in watching it unfold. I love teams that are underestimated and take the league by surprise. Who’s your player to watch this year? Ugh. Chris Sale, I suppose. If he can somehow stay healthy, he has a lot to prove. Will they make the playoffs? Probably not. What’s your record prediction? Hoping for 90 wins. What’s your World Series matchup? No comment. Jason Black, Hot Water Music Atlanta Braves (Credit: Courtesy of Jason Black) What’s your prognosis for this year? I'm optimistic. Ozzie Albies is back, Ronald Acuña should be back at full strength, and Michael Harris II is outrageous. Add Sean Murphy in the lineup on top of that, and I don't see how they aren't a better team than last year. What are your reasonable hopes? The NL East will be tough, but I think they'll nab the division and make another run. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Sean Murphy yay! No shortstop or left fielder yoo! What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling is again the World Series title. Floor is hopefully the wild card, but baseball season is LONG. Who’s your player to watch this year? Michael Harris II. What’s your record prediction? 93-69. Will they make the playoffs? 99% certain. The Mets are better on paper, but they're also the Mets (take note, Brian Baker). What’s your World Series matchup? Braves vs. Yankees. Brian Baker, Bad Religion/Fake Names New York Mets (Credit: Courtesy of Brian Baker) What’s your prognosis for the season? Clocks cause problems. What are your reasonable hopes? Mets as NL East champs. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Justin Verlander! Kodai Senga! What’s not to like? Who’s your player to watch this year? David Peterson. Great preseason, just gets better and better. Will they make the playoffs? 100%. What’s your record prediction? 99 wins on the wall. What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs. Yankees of course! Greg Graffin, Bad Religion Milwaukee Brewers (Credit: EJ Graffin) Well, it's another year of hoping in Milwaukee -- hoping that the Christian Yelich magic might return. But since magic is illusory, the team wasted no time in trying to work around their franchise player's lack of offensive rejuvenation (after his knee-shattering injury a few years back) by signing some sluggers and finding some use for Yelich as a leadoff batter. Batting first in the order wasn't what they signed him for, but last year his on base percentage did in fact increase from the year before. Now just imagine what could happen if he actually started slugging again! Having signed Jesse Winker, and retained Rowdy Tellez, and the continual development of last year's rookie and fellow UCLA Bruin Garrett Mitchell, sluggers abound in Milwaukee. Combine this with one of the best bullpens in baseball behind Cy Young-caliber starters Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Devin Williams, and cream-of-the-MLB-crop infielders Willy Adames (a slugger too!) and Luis Urias, anyone can see that this team should be big on offense and stingy on defense. A winning combo, right? But swinging for the fence instead of playing 'small ball' has plagued this team for the last few years, which makes me sound like an old curmudgeon trumpeting from the cheap seats. But I'm justified in the sense that eking out just three runs a game behind the kind of pitching that the Brewers have been delivering should be enough to put them at the top of the National League in wins. The Cardinals came on strong at the end of last season, but this year the Crew should win their division. I'm being hopeful saying give me nine more wins than last year and that will put them at 95-67. Ben Bridwell, Band of Horses Atlanta Braves/Seattle Mariners (Credit: Courtesy of Ben Bridwell) What’s your prognosis for the season? MLB will certainly experience growing pains with the new rules in place. Fans will either learn to embrace them as the season goes on, or reject them, and MLB will have to examine whether or not they should uphold the changes or return to previous sets of rules (most likely at the All-Star break). What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hopes are that the Atlanta Braves return to the World Series and that the Seattle Mariners win the AL West. And that Houston isn’t in the playoffs. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I have a bit of a hangover from college football season after the Georgia Bulldogs won another national championship, so I haven’t caught up on all the latest news on the Atlanta Braves and their acquisitions. I am very pleased that we got a new catcher (Sean Murphy) but there is concern at SS, as we let Dansby Swanson get away from us, much like Freddie Freeman did the year prior. What’s the ceiling/floor? BRAVES Ceiling: World Champions. Floor: 3rd in NL East. MARINERS Ceiling: Win the AL West. Floor: Same old Mariners. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’m pretty sure we all know that Shohei Ohtani is the best player in baseball and is a generational talent. I’d be crazy to not think that he will be the most exciting player to watch this season. However, I’d say it’s smart to watch out for Michael Harris, the CF for Atlanta Braves. He’s a superstar in the making. Will they make the playoffs? Absolutely. 100%. What’s your record prediction? 100-62, but I may be being a bit cautiously pessimistic. What’s your World Series matchup? Ideally, I’d love to see Atlanta Braves in the Fall Classic beat the Oakland A’s. Lololololol. If I had to bet, I’d guess there’s a good chance we’re looking at the L.A. Dodgers vs. Houston Astros. Or Yankees. Caroline Spence Cincinnati Reds (Credit: Courtesy of Caroline Spence) What’s your prognosis for the season? Well, I didn’t think much of it, but Joey Votto said this: “Extra terrestrials arrive on earth, April 15th. The 12-2 Reds and the rest of the planet learn from, communicate with, and befriend our alien friends. This process takes 5 months. Play resumes in October. The Reds sweep the playoffs and are World Series champs. Side note: the aliens ask if I would like to accompany them on their ship back to their plant. I oblige. Never to be seen again.” What are your reasonable hopes? That Joey Votto has a nice time. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I really haven’t kept up with it, but I’m pretty intrigued to learn that catcher Tyler Stephenson is being moved around to different positions this year. We saw him play 1B at spring training. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is very close to the floor. Who’s your player to watch this year? Jonathan India is becoming a pillar of the starting lineup and I called it on his first opening day. Hunter Greene on the mound is a good thing. And watch Joey Votto, because it could be his last season -- and also that whole alien thing. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, according to Votto’s prediction. No, according to life as a Reds fan. What’s your record prediction? Last year was 62-100 and I hope it’s not much worse. What’s your World Series matchup? Reds, after five months training with Votto’s aliens, and Guardians and then the National plays 'The National Anthem' and all of Ohio rejoices! Jon Snodgrass Colorado Rockies (Credit: Courtesy of Jon Snodgrass) What’s your prognosis for the season? “This is our year!” is ALL I say anymore. I was given the handle “Chairman Of Positive Vibes” (of #atROCKIES Twitter) last year, so, I gotta! What are your reasonable hopes? I hope that there’s a rebuild, in the front office, I mean. I gotta go on record that I’m on the 'sell the team' team. I try to keep it positive but I’m honest too. Something is amiss. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m confused and bummed by most of the moves and non-moves, starting since DJ LaMahieu left (I started following in ‘17.) I thought the 2017 / 2018 seasons were the norm. Also, let’s hope Kris Bryant has a healthy year. He got a hit almost every time I saw him bat. We’ll see. What’s the ceiling/floor? .500 / .500 Who’s your player to watch this year? It’s been DAZA & (a few other new guys) for a while! That was my name in Spanish class -- hah! But seriously, he got hits last year and looked like he was working to be there. Will they make the playoffs? Yes! What’s your record prediction? I’ll keep the glass half full and kindly ask 'The Force' to consider one game over .500 with an option for postseason play. 'I still believe.' What’s your World Series matchup? METS and MARINERS! I have promised to back the METS whenever possible. Ryan Stasik, Umphrey's McGee Pittsburgh Pirates (Credit: Courtesy of Ryan Stasik) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Pittsburgh Pirates will lose 100 games in the weak NL Central. What are your reasonable hopes? My hopes are to bet on all the games that the Pirates lose by two runs, at plus odds for -1.5 runs. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We are not strong at pitching, and that wins championships. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling? Ha. Second to last in NL Central. A bold prediction would be .500 by break, but that is highly doubtful in my realistic mind. Floor is the basement of NL Central with 100 or more losses. Who’s your player to watch this year? Nice to see Cutch back -- maybe he will contribute. Oneil Cruz is the real deal. Maybe Anthony Solometo will be a factor later in the year? Maybe we get someone worthy for Bryan Reynolds. I'm just a die-hard Buccos fan and I’ll always root for them, even if they lose 100 games. Will they make the playoffs? Hahahhahahhaa. What’s your record prediction? 62-100. What’s your World Series matchup? Houston vs. Atlanta. Joel Cummins, Umphrey's McGee Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Joel Cummins) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Cubs had a sneaky good offseason filling holes they had in 2022, with the marquee signings of shortstop Dansby Swanson and pitcher Jameson Taillon, plus a bunch of one and two-year signings. Of the short-term signings, Cody Bellinger and Trey Mancini (shout out to my alma mater Notre Dame) intrigue me the most. Bellinger is an outstanding defender in CF and has the potential to be a 30 HR guy. The Cubs' defense up the middle is going to be very helpful for our pitchers -- they might be top three in MLB. The Cubs now have a lot of depth in addition to prospects like OF Brennan Davis, who is on the cusp of making a splash in the big leagues after a season marred by injuries. The key will be keeping everyone healthy, especially the starting pitchers. Remember when they won in 2016? No long-term DL stints for any of the frontline starters. Add what will hopefully be close to a full season of bulked-up Japanese star Seiya Suzuki and I think the Cubs have something cooking. What are your reasonable hopes? Anyone who knows me knows I don’t have reasonable hopes. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Many Cubs fans were initially incensed that they didn’t sign Carlos Correa, but it turns out that may be a blessing in disguise. Jed Hoyer and crew did an outstanding job of loading up on players with reasonable contracts -- even Dansby Swanson is being called a value at 7/$177 million compared to the other three top free agent shortstops. I love the Michael Fulmer signing. He seems like a potential closer for the bullpen. Huge potential on the north side if we can stay healthy. What’s the ceiling/floor? If the Cubs are not contending at the trade deadline, you can expect a few of the one-year signings to see their way out the door. I’d say the ceiling is something like 87-88 wins and the floor looks like 75-76 wins. The NL Central is not a formidable division, so there will be some W's no matter the state of the team after the trade deadline. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’m looking forward to watching Dansby Swanson at shortstop. I’ve read a lot about him in the offseason and he seems like an incredible leader on and off the field. Love his attitude and how he grew up as a Cubs fan watching them on WGN. I took a look at his hitting charts from last year and had he been playing at Wrigley, he would have added something like five or six home runs to his total. Huge potential for that guy as a Cub and I’m glad he’ll be around for seven years. Will they make the playoffs? I think the Brewers will choke and the Cubs squeak into the playoffs as a wild card, surprising everyone. What’s your record prediction? I’ve got the Cubs finishing 86-76 and getting into the playoffs on a Wild Card, so they can knock off the Cardinals and make Cards fans everywhere very angry, again. What’s your World Series matchup? World Series matchup this year is going to be the Phillies vs Blue Jays. Jays are on the cusp of greatness and the Phillies got WBC hero Trea Turner locked up and to really fill out that lineup. Dale Crover, Melvins Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Courtesy of Dale Crover) What’s your prognosis for the season? I’ve watched a bit of spring training so far. I don’t know what to think of the pitch clock and other changes MLB had made. They keep trying to speed up the game but true baseball fans don’t give A. F. about how long a game is! What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hopes are that I get to go to a ton of games this year! I’m still trying to make up for games lost due to the pandemic. I would watch any baseball game: minor league, little league, T-ball … What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Dodgers didn’t do too much this offseason. I’m happy Clayton Kershaw re-signed. I hope Noah “Thor” Syndergaard will be good for some games. They need to figure out the infield now that Gavin Lux is out for the season. What’s the ceiling/floor? Obviously the World Series! The floor is being blown out in the first round of playoffs again. Who’s your player to watch this year? I think it’s going to be Julio Urias this year. It’s been a long time coming for him. I’d like to see him win a Cy Young award this year. Will they make the playoffs? I can’t remember the last time the Dodgers didn’t make the playoffs. They’ll have to worry about the Padres in their division. On paper, they look scary! We’ll see though. What’s your record prediction? I lowballed my prediction of 104-58 last year. Their record this year will be 111-51! What’s your World Series matchup? Same as always. Dodgers vs. Yankees. No matchup would be bigger and more viewed than that. Jim Suptic, The Get Up Kids Kansas City Royals (Credit: Courtesy of Jim Suptic) What’s your prognosis for the season? As the Royals move into their sixth year of rebuilding, it's safe to say my expectations are pretty low for this season. Typically the Royals start off poorly, then get worse, and then turn it around when it doesn’t matter. That doesn’t mean I won’t watch. I love my team. What are your reasonable hopes? All the talk in Kansas City is about a new downtown stadium. The owners know that they need to put a competitive team on the field if they really want to get the city fully behind it. With that said, the new ballpark is coming if people want it or not, but it’s a much easier sell with a decent product to watch. My hope is that it will help light a fire under the team this season. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Being in a small market, the Royals are never known to make a huge splash when it comes to acquisitions and trades, but hey, Zack Greinke is back for another year! What’s the ceiling/floor? 81 wins for the ceiling and last in the AL Central for the floor. I don’t see a wild card this season, but I love to be proved wrong. Who’s your player to watch this year? Bobby Witt Jr. is probably the most exciting player on the team, but I am hoping for someone new to emerge and make a name for themselves. Will they make the playoffs? No. I wouldn’t even put a Draft Kings free bet on it. What’s your record prediction? Vegas has them at 69.5 wins. I take back what I said -- I would take a Draft Kings free bet that they win at least 70! What’s your World Series matchup? Last year I had Yankees vs. Dodgers, and Yankees in six. How about this year Mets vs. Yankees, Mets in seven. Benny Horowitz, The Gaslight Anthem New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Benny Horowitz) What’s your prognosis for the season? 80 percent of the Yankees pre-season roster looks very solid to me. but we have a potential hole in left field, a rookie who has played 22 games of AAA ball sharing shortstop with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and a litany of starting pitching injuries going into the season. I expect a great season but have a little reticence to start year on cloud nine and need to see how some of this plays out. What are your reasonable hopes? I grew up under George Steinbrenner, not Hank. It’s World Series or bust every year, baby. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Aaron Judge got necessarily overpaid and happy he’ll retire as a Yankee. Anthony Rizzo comes back on reasonable deal and I expect him to continue being a strong power bat and great clubhouse guy. His batting average should also go up with shift going away. The Carlos Rodon signing is excellent, but with his injury, we're quickly seeing why his contract. Love the complements to the bullpen and imagine it to be one of the strongest in baseball. The lack of acquisitions in left field and shortstop are a credit to the youth movement. Anthony Volpe is a prime player in the making and it shouldn’t be long until he’s manning shortstop for the foreseeable future. Harrison Bader and Oswaldo Cabrera could supplant Arron Hicks in a full-time role fairly soon. I foresee a mid-season acquisition to supplement the outfield and potentially replace Josh Donaldson at third if he continues his regression. With Frankie Montas out for the season and Luis Severino/Rodon already battling injuries, I imagine getting another starting arm is in the cards. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling is the title. It's all about getting past the Astros. Floor is a winning season but missing the postseason due to the improved AL East. Who’s your player to watch this year? For most Yankees fans I think Anthony Volpe is the obvious choice. His ascent and personal makeup give him a very ‘Jeter-ian’ quality. But, he’s still a kid and we can’t count on his immediate impact. Look out for a sneaky year from the undermentioned Giancarlo Stanton, whose contract would be viewed as an albatross on almost any other team in MLB and when healthy can sleepwalk into 40 homers. Look for Michael King to share or take over the closer role before the season is out due to his dominating performance. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, they’ll be in the playoffs. What’s your record prediction? 96-66. What’s your World Series matchup? Astros vs. Padres. Shane Told, Silverstein Toronto Blue Jays (Credit: Courtesy of Shane Told) What’s your prognosis for the season? It’s time to shine, baby! The Blue Jays obviously have so much talent, but now with the young guys not so young, the maturity is going to take them over the top. They’ve made a lot of interesting moves with the roster that changes the makeup of the team, but this is what they needed to do to get over the hump of the last few years of disappointing early exits in the playoffs. Seriously -- if they lose in the wild card again, the city of Toronto will shut down for at least a week while we stay at home and cry ourselves to sleep every night. What are your reasonable hopes? A deep playoff run going to the ALCS, at least. There is no reason this team shouldn’t be a World Series contender. BUT this team also knows how to have FUN. And that’s what it’s all about, right? What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I am sad to see Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. go. Those guys definitely knew how to party, but the guys they brought in are an improvement overall. With Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier joining George Springer in the outfield, the Jays have an incredible defensive team, not to mention Gold Glove winners Matt Chapman and Vlad Jr. Picking up starting pitcher Chris Bassitt was a great move as well that no one really talked about. They really needed a solid third starter and they found the guy. They also revamped their stadium and apparently this means they’re going to hit more home runs. So that might be the biggest factor, actually. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: World Series victory parade, Vladdy chugging beers and eating poutine as the bus goes right through Yonge and Dundas Square. Floor: The Blue Jays miss the playoffs AND somehow the Yankees win it all. Gross. Who’s your player to watch this year? Always Vladdy. He is the heart and soul of this team. He had a bit of a down year after being the best offensive player in the AL. We need him to return to form and be the most feared bat in the game again. Will they make the playoffs? YES! It’s a tough division, always a step above the rest, but the Jays have what it takes. Especially with the schedule changes where every team plays each other. I think that gives the Jays a better record. What’s your record prediction? 95 wins. What’s your World Series matchup? Jays vs. Braves. And just like in 1992, the Blue Jays win it all. James Bowman, Against Me!/Bowman Audio Endeavors Tampa Bay Rays (Credit: Courtesy of James Bowman) What’s your prognosis for this year? The Rays are coming off their worst season (86-76) since 2017, and running it back with the same lineup as the 2022 season, in which they saw an early postseason exit. I'm betting on key players Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe, and Tyler Glassnow to be back healthy and contributing. The Rays should be able to put together a strong season. What are your reasonable hopes? My hopes are high! Having Lowe and Franco back should make a huge difference in offensive production. The top half of the lineup 1-6 is as good as any in Major League Baseball. Randy Arozarena is tearing it up in the World Baseball Classic as I type this.The rotation is solid. And the bullpen is stacked with a plethora of great arms. Not to mention top prospect Taj Bradley is probably going to debut at some point this season. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? The Rays made a lot of moves in the offseason, mostly around the edges of the roster, but none of them were big splashes. The most notable was the acquisition was free agent Zach Eflin. He should make for a solid mid-rotation starter in place of Corey Kluber. Other than that, the team is looking almost identical to the 2022 season with the exception of a new face in center field, as the club declined Kevin Kiermaier’s $13 million option. What’s the ceiling/floor? Like I said before, health is the name of the game. So If they can manage to keep as many Opening Day roster starters healthy throughout the season, the Rays are going to be in playoff contention. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’m gonna have to go with Randy Arozarena again this year! Last year wasn’t the best showing, but he has been tearing the cover off the ball in the WBC. Also, keep an eye on third-base prospect Curtis Mead. He is bound to make it to the bigs this season. What’s your record prediction? I think they will come in better than 2022, at 93-69, and will be in contention for the AL East title. Will they make the playoffs? Yes! At the very least they will grab a wild card spot. What’s your World Series matchup? I always have to go with my guys. Rays vs. Braves. Rays win in six! Kenny Hensley, The Head and the Heart Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Courtesy of Kenny Hensley) What's your prognosis for the season? I've been seeing a lot of Dodgers at number six or seven in the power rankings. I think that they're stronger than that. Even though we lost a couple of guys, I think we will still be potentially the strongest team in the National League. Of course, being a Dodger fan. I expect us to make the World Series and hopefully take one this year. What are your reasonable hopes? I get all the people that aren't Dodger fans hating on them all the time, especially for choking in the playoffs so often, because they have. But, I expect them to make it to the World Series and win one. And I still am a little bitter from 2017, and feel like we need at least one more. I'm hoping Clayton Kershaw I can get one more, because I wouldn't be surprised if it's his last year as the Dodger. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I was hoping for a little more action. But again, we didn't lose. I mean, we lost Trea Turner, which is huge. Cody Bellinger, on paper, was a big deal, but he hasn't played well the last few years. We still have a stacked lineup and added some good guys and have young guys. I feel like we're gonna do pretty well as long as we stay healthy. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling would be winning the World Series. The floor would be making it into the wild card and losing early in the playoffs. Who's your player to watch? It's hard to say, but I'd love to see Kershaw have a great year. He's been on and off with lots of injuries, but it would be amazing to see him play one year without too much of that and have a good record. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What's your record prediction? 106-56. What's your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Blue Jays. Dodgers in six. Citizen Cope Baltimore Orioles (Credit: Courtesy of Citizen Cope) What’s your prognosis for this year? Good year with great prospects coming up, despite not having as much money as other teams in the league. What are your reasonable hopes? Looking for playoff victories. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? As I mentioned, the organization doesn't have a ton of money for acquisitions but has a really good eye for talent. Not super new, but I love watching Grayson Rodriguez. Going to be a great. What’s the ceiling/floor? Floor is .500. Ceiling is the World Series! Who’s your player to watch this year? Grayson Rodriguez. What’s your record prediction? 82-80. They've got a tough division and have really stepped up in the last few years. Sticking in strong where they've improved will be amazing to see! Will they make the playoffs? Yes! What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Dodgers. Chuck McKissock, Classless Act San Francisco Giants (Credit: Courtesy of Chuck McKissock) What’s your prognosis for this year? I honestly think this season will be similar to last season. There’s so much competition in that division now, with the Dodgers and Padres, so around third place. What are your reasonable hopes? Last year, I believe we were exactly at .500 -- we won 81 games and lost 81 games. So I’m hoping we can be better last year and hopefully get a wild card spot. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We picked up outfielder Michael Conforto who was with the Mets in 2021 and entered free agency last year, as well as pitcher Taylor Rogers, who was with the Padres. The Giants always need good pitching, and adding a solid outfielder who can produce at the plate is a boost to the lineup. What’s the ceiling/floor? I would say that the ceiling is first place in the division (the Dodgers lost some big guys this past off-season). And the floor would be under .500, and maybe fourth in the division. Who’s your player to watch this year? Outfielder Michael Conforto. He missed all of 2022 after having shoulder surgery, so I think having a player who’s hungry to get back at it after sitting out for a whole year is going to be very exciting. What’s your record prediction? The Giants will probably play .500 again, but I’d like to see them win more than 85 games, so, 86 -76. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs. Yankees. The Yankees have been so good for so long and have gotten the short end of the stick the past few years, and the Mets have literally everybody right now. They’ve got Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the rotation, and they have so many good hitters, so we’ll see what happens this year. Pete Yorn New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Pete Yorn) What’s your prognosis for this year? It feels like we just watched Houston win last year's World Series and now we are about a week away from the new season. With football season in the rearviewmirror and my Ducks and Raiders underachieving. I’m really looking forward to this MLB season. Lots of new rules this year ( I don’t fully understand yet). They speed the game up and I know they are still tweaking them. I’m hoping it’s good for the game, but we will see. Also, it’s the first time ever that all teams will play each other for at least one series. That feels like fun to me. What are your reasonable hopes? I’m hoping the Yankees win it all. It's been 13 years since they won the AL pennant. Signing Carlos Rodon was huge. Our pitching is in place … do we have enough lefty bats? I’m not sure. We do have the best righty power hitter in baseball in Aaron Judge!!! If we can play the entire season like we did the first half of last year, we can break records and win it all. But if we play like we did the second half of last season, it won’t work out for us. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? As stated above, adding Rodon to our current staff is huge. What’s the ceiling/floor? Yanks have the players to win it all. There is no ceiling. Who’s your player to watch this year? How great would it be if Aaron Judge has an even better year than last year? He truly is my favorite player. Best attitude! Curious to see how Rodon handles Yankee Stadium, but it feels good. What’s your record prediction? They will win over 100 games. Will they make the playoffs? They will definitely be one of the 12 playoff teams. What’s your World Series matchup? I’m going to pick my Yankees vs. the Padres. Have to do it! With Fernando Tatis coming back after a 20-game suspension, the Padres will be even more dangerous. Yanks in seven. Jim Ward, Sparta Detroit Tigers (Credit: Courtesy of Jim Ward) What’s your prognosis for the season? Not good. What are your reasonable hopes? Is a miracle reasonable? Probably not. I think not finishing last in the AL Central would be hopeful. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Honestly nothing really exciting -- not to be a bummer. Seems like 2023 is going to be a chance for the new GM to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Next offseason should be interesting What’s the ceiling/floor? Fourth place/fifth place. Who’s your player to watch this year? I still think Javier Baez will break through. He has so much potential but didn’t quite get there last year, but I believe! Will they make the playoffs? I don’t think so. What’s your record prediction? 70-92. What’s your World Series matchup? Astros vs. Mets. Eric Owen, Black Pistol Fire Toronto Blue Jays (Credit: Courtesy of Eric Owen) What’s your prognosis for this year? This is going to be a really interesting one. This offseason was our first big shakeup in a while. The core is still there, but they seemed to really try to address our pitching issues. Obviously, two of our pitchers won't be starting the season after Tommy John surgery, so we'll see how it all goes. Ross Stripling leaving was a HUGE LOSS, but I remain pretty optimistic. The front office feels like the time is now! What are your reasonable hopes? That we make the playoffs. We should. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I'm not that familiar with all of the pitchers we acquired, but the fact that the team is addressing that issue is huge. Losing Teoscar Hernandez was bittersweet, but we've still got a great offence (Canadian spelling) without him. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: World Series champs! Floor: wild card spot. Who’s your player to watch this year? Cavan Biggio. He struggled at the start of last year, but really found his role as a utility man. The fact that he signed a one-year deal means he's really gotta prove himself this year, and I think he will. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, they will! What’s your record prediction? Think we go 96-66. What’s your World Series matchup? Jays vs. Mets!!!!! Dave Hidalgo Jr, Social Distortion Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Courtesy of Dave Hidalgo) What’s your prognosis for the season? It’s gonna be an interesting season for the Dodgers but I still think they’re the team to beat in the NL West! What are your reasonable hopes? That our young guys like Miguel Vargas and James Outman will shine now that they’ll actually have some playing time. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? They didn’t really make any because they’re saving up for a whale next season! Haha! What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling is winning the World Series. Floor is not making the playoffs and the Padres do. Who’s your player to watch this year? Shohei Ohtani. Will he be traded? Will he match his performance last year? Will he leave (yes) after this season? Will they make the playoffs? Yes, the Dodgers will make the playoffs! What’s your record prediction? 99-63. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Yankees. Dodgers in seven. Old school! Ricky Phillips, Styx Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images) What's your prognosis for this year? Dodgers make the playoffs and win the World Series. What are your reasonable hopes? The Dodgers have always shown up and should make the playoffs. Beyond that, they’re a proven contender in that arena and are guaranteed to make it exciting. What do you think of your team's new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Alex Reyes is a good closer. Excited but now worried about J.D. Martinez (who was hit by pitch in spring training). What's the ceiling/floor? Making playoffs/limiting injuries. Who's your player to watch this year? Aaron Judge -- most home runs in one season. Julio Rodriguez. Jazz Chisholm Jr. What's your record prediction? Dodgers: 103-59. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What is your World Series match-up? Dodgers vs. Yankees. KayGee, Naughty by Nature/Illtown Sluggaz New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of KayGee) What’s your prognosis for the season? I believe the new rules will have a positive impact on the game. What are your reasonable hopes? To see faster gameplay, Shorter game times, and increased attendance. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Carlos Rodon gives the Yankees a solid number two pitcher. What’s the ceiling/floor? Win the AL East. Who’s your player to watch this year? Aaron Judge. Can he reproduce last season's success? Will they make the playoffs? Absolutely. What’s your record prediction? 105-57. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Mets. DJ Bonebrake, X Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Courtesy of LA Dodgers and X) What’s your prognosis for this year? I can’t predict outcomes. Not knowing what’s going to happen, or who’s going to win, is why I watch baseball. What are your reasonable hopes? My unreasonable hopes are that the Dodgers will win the World Series this year. My reasonable self thinks it might be a few more years. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m happy we got Noah Syndergaard. I’m hoping Jason Heyward does well. I’m sorry that we lost Cody Bellinger. What’s the ceiling/floor? For the Dodgers, the floor is really high, but they still can’t seem to reach the ceiling. Who’s your player to watch this year? James Outman, because he’s a good hitter. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 104-58. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Yankees. CJ Ramone New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of CJ Ramone) What’s your prognosis for this year? I think we will be a competitive team this year, but I don’t think we are a championship team yet. What are your reasonable hopes? I am hoping Aaron Judge fully takes on the captain's role and becomes a strong leader. That our pitching shakes out, and that we are able to fill at least the infield positions long-term. Most importantly, I sincerely hope MLB stops with the ridiculous rule-making. The new changes do not make the game better -- they only serve to add more advertising time. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? A lot of farm team action. Pitchers especially, which was our deficit last year. Realistically, our problem is not good trades or talent. We’ve made good moves and have/had plenty of high-end players since our last ring. I believe our problem is upstream in management. When you have as much time as the Yankees have, and you’re still not winning, that is the only other change you can make to get a team motivated to win it all. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: the team gels, the pitching staff with new acquisitions stiffens up our defense, we trade for a couple vets that’ve been to the World Series (think Paul O’Neill and Scott Brosius), play steady through the season, charge hard through the playoffs, and win the World Series. Floor: repeat of last year. Who’s your player to watch this year? Aaron Judge. His leadership could make a huge difference in how this team plays. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. As usual. What’s your record prediction? We always play .500 + ball. Always competitive. This year will be the same. What’s your World Series matchup? YANKEES vs. ANYONE. David Cook Kansas City Royals (Credit: Bill Althaus/The Examiner) What’s your prognosis for the season? Man, I would love to be wrong about this, but I can’t help but feel like this is going to be another year of the unspoken rebuild. The front office seems to be saying as much with most of the off-season moves so far. What are your reasonable hopes? I’ll say a fourth- or fifth-place finish in the AL Central, with a record somewhere in the ballpark or 70-92. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? If we’re including the front office and coaching staff moves, I’m pretty excited to see how it shakes out. I like the new pitching coach hires, and am anxious to see how the new manager does. Outside of that, it’ll be fun to watch the youth movement (hopefully) progress. I do like the flyer signing of Franmil Reyes. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: third place in the division, in the ballpark of .500 baseball. Floor: last in the division, crossing the century mark in losses. Who’s your player to watch this year? There are a few. How does Bobby Witt Jr. progress in year two? Does MJ Melendez improve in the field? Does Vinnie Pasquantino progress or fall back? Does Nick Pratto make noise this year with the big league squad? Will they make the playoffs? Highly unlikely. What’s your record prediction? I’ll go with 72-90. What’s your World Series matchup? I’m gonna keep picking the Blue Jays until one of two things happens: the Royals start making real noise, or Toronto blows up their roster. With that said, Blue Jays vs. Dodgers. Jesse Dayton Houston Astros (Credit: Courtesy of Jesse Dayton) What’s your prognosis for the season? In 2023, we will be the first team to repeat winning the World Series since the Yankees. What are your reasonable hopes? That we win the World Series again. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We just added slugger Jose Abreu and brought back Michael Brantley. We lost Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, but our pitching is still a place of strength. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is the World Series, the floor is the AL championship. Who’s your player to watch this year? José Peña, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Tucker. Lots of talent on this team. Will they make the playoffs? Of course. What’s your record prediction? Three or more batters hit 300. Framber Valdez could win the Cy Young Award. We clinch the World Series. Matt Muse Chicago White Sox (Credit: Courtesy of Matt Muse) What’s your prognosis for the season? I think it will be a good year. I have them winning 90-95 games. It seems like they know they didn't live up to expectations last year and that some folks are counting them out this year, which I think will make them play with a chip on their shoulder and surprise the doubters. What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hope is that they'll win a playoff series this season. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I like the acquisition of Andrew Benintendi a lot and I love them re-signing Elvis Andrus. He brought a much-needed spark last year and I think it will carry over. They're in that weird place where they built a really good team that just didn't live up to its abilities last year, so not overreacting and signing a bunch of players to fix issues kind of makes sense. The team is so good on paper and now they've got to be it this year, and I think Pedro Grifol will be able to bring it out of them. What’s the ceiling/floor? Floor is missing the playoffs again. That cannot happen. Ceiling is playing in the ALCS, which I think they are more than capable of if they play how we know they can. Who’s your player to watch this year? My player to watch is Andrew Vaughn. He's so good at hitting, and now that he's got some more years under his belt, I think this season could be a breakout year. The White Sox have also had amazing players at first base for the past 20-plus years, so it's his turn to take over and keep the streak going. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 93-69. What’s your World Series matchup? White Sox vs. Dodgers. David Knudson, Botch/Minus the Bear Seattle Mariners (Credit: Courtesy of David Knudson) What’s your prognosis for the season? Gonna be another great year. The last two seasons were a blast to watch from a fan’s perspective and I’m hopeful this year will be the same. Making the playoffs last year and winning the wild card round was huge — there’s a lot of buzz and hope surrounding the team, the players, and the chemistry that you can feel coming off the field. What are your reasonable hopes? For the last few years, it’s been the Astros' division to lose, but with Houston losing Justin Verlander and our team ascending, I think we have a real shot to win the division. Feels weird to type that, and I’m trying to not jinx them, but we have great pitching, elite defense, and our bats should be heating up this year, which has historically been a problem for our club. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? TEOSCAR HERNANDEZ!!! My 11-year-old son couldn’t wait to tell me the news, and even though I read it on Twitter first. His excitement about Teoscar and Julio Rodriguez playing together in the outfield gave him the biggest smile I’d seen in a while. He was rattling off stats, talking about two All-Stars in our outfield, and going on about their Dominican background together. Gonna be fun to watch ‘em. What’s the ceiling/floor? I’m gonna be a huge optimist and say there is no ceiling and that we can take it all this year. The floor is a wild card spot. I know that sounds bold, but our GM has been building this thing for years now and our farm system has been developing these young guys for quite a few seasons. We are ready for a big breakout. Who’s your player to watch this year? Julio is so much fun to watch. The joy and energy he brings to the game is something I haven’t seen since the Ken Griffey Jr. days. In terms of new guys coming up, I think Harry Ford will play a big role and it will be great to have another catcher to platoon with “the Big Dumper.” Cal Raleigh provided so many big moments for us late last year, but allowing him to get some rest while we have another talented catcher to groom will be awesome. Will they make the playoffs? Yes indeed. I’m saying at least a wild card if not winning the AL West. What’s your record prediction? I predicted 92-70 last year and wasn’t far off. This year I’m going to guess a little higher just so we can take the division from the Astros — 95-67. What’s your World Series matchup? Gotta go with my boys and say M’s vs. Dodgers. West Coast World Series FTW. Amy Jack Texas Rangers (Credit: Courtesy of Amy Jack) What’s your prognosis for the season? New manager Bruce Bochy has won the World Series three times, so the Rangers can be something special with a good balance of new and veteran players. What are your reasonable hopes? To stay healthy and make the playoffs. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Jacob DeGrom can be dominant. What’s the ceiling/floor? 90-72; 82-80. Who’s your player to watch this year? Josh Jung, already starting. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 90-72. What's your World Series prediction? Dodgers vs. Blue Jays. Dave Bruzza, Greensky Bluegrass Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Dave Bruzza) What’s your prognosis for the season? I think the Cubs will be competitive. I'd hope they play above .500 baseball. What are your reasonable hopes? .500 baseball. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I'm thrilled that they have made more moves than I remember in my life. Signing Dansby Swanson as a core guy is solid in my opinion. What’s the ceiling/floor? I think they can finish second in their division at best. They very well could be at the bottom too. Who’s your player to watch this year? I said the same last year: Nico Horner. I feel good that he is the leadoff man and he will thrive in that role. Will they make the playoffs? There is a slim chance. What’s your record prediction? 82-80. What’s your World Series matchup? Toronto vs. San Diego. Paul Delisle, Smash Mouth San Francisco Giants (Credit: Courtesy of Paul Delisle) What’s your prognosis for this year? It's going to be a solid year for the Giants because their pitching staff is solid. What are your reasonable hopes? I think we can make the playoffs and make a run. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? The Giants didn't make a huge splash with one of the big star signings, but they definitely improved from top to bottom. Mitch Hanniger and Michael Conforto are two very solid outfield additions. Both bring much needed pop to the lineup. What’s the ceiling/floor? If they stay healthy, a deep playoff run could happen. If not, this team could have a bad year. They literally could make it deep in the playoffs or come in last place. Who’s your player to watch this year? Might be David Villar, who can now play 2B and has a good glove at 3B. He started showing signs of being a great hitter last season. Another would be catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol, who hits from the left side and has power. What’s your record prediction? 88-74. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your World Series matchup? Giants vs. Astros. Andy Biersack, Black Veil Brides Cincinnati Reds (Credit: Courtesy of Andy Biersack) What's your prognosis for the season? It's not good. Not looking good, my friend. I am looking at a framed photo of Eric Davis in my office right now. They're a very important part of my life. And unlike the other Cincinnati team, I have never gotten to experience any real success for the Reds. They won the World Series in 1990. I was then born in December of that year, and subsequently, they have never won or advanced in the playoffs. So, it's not great, and it's not looking any better. Famously, the son of our owner, Castellini, has had multiple gaffes publicly, and most recently, during what is called the Rosie Reds meeting. He basically told them in a PowerPoint presentation that by the time Opening Day happens, we will already be out of it. So that said, what are your reasonable hopes? 80 wins would be incredible. Right? Like, that would be incredible. I think realistically, 60 wins is what we're looking at. What's the ceiling/floor? Let's say 75-80 wins. I hope to God that they don't lose more than 100 games. So what do you think of the team's new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? There's not much to think of, is there? Who’s your player to watch this year? Maybe we see Hunter Greene this year. He's been in the farm system for what feels like a decade, and he's supposed to be great. Maybe we send more key players to Seattle at some point. Joey Votto will be back in the lineup this year, and that's at least fun. What’s your record prediction? We're gonna go optimistic. 75-87. What’s your World Series matchup? Just because of the players that they've got, and it would be fun to see the Angels win the World Series against the Braves. Zack Merrick, All Time Low Baltimore Orioles (Credit: Thomas Falcone) What’s your prognosis for this year? This year, I believe the Orioles will take a step forward and win 85+ games with the talent they’ve developed through the farm system and draft picks. What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hopes would be nabbing one of the last wild card spots, based on how the schedule has changed this year, and making it through the best-of-three series. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? It looks like the Orioles are going with young talent this year, so not a lot of named acquisitions, which worries me. I was really hoping for one or two veteran pitchers to shore up the bullpen, but I still have a lot of confidence in Mike Elias and his operation so far. What’s the ceiling/floor? The team is on an upwards trajectory with how the rebuild was handled, and I believe the ceiling is high, but growing pains with young talent might keep them grounded. Who’s your player to watch this year? The player to watch this year, for me, is Gunnar Henderson. We saw a little bit of him last year, and I am excited to see him play a full season. What’s your record prediction? I’ll go as far as predicting we win 90 games. They have a lot of young talent mixed with some good veterans to keep them in contention. What’s your World Series matchup? San Diego Padres vs. New York Yankees. Sam Zalta, Bambara New York Mets (Credit: Courtesy of Sam Zalta) What’s your prognosis for this year? As Jerry Seinfeld once said to a naked man on the subway, 'You've gotta like their chances.' What are your reasonable hopes? A second straight playoff berth and a longer run than last year. I am also reasonably hoping they trade for Shohei Ohtani at the deadline. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Sure they're still doing some weird stuff (why sign Omar Narvaez/extend Tomas Nido? Is there something wrong with Francisco Alvarez that we don't know?), and I wish they could've locked down Carlos Correa, but they're bolstering talent on the field and in the development/ops side. It's hard to feel anything but really good about the direction they're headed. I think the bullpen/bench has been as Buck Showalter-proofed as can be (although I'm expecting A LOT of Tim Lacastro), and am obviously excited about the big names they brought in. What’s the ceiling/floor? World Series is the obvious ceiling here, but if everything breaks in the wrong direction (our 40-year-old aces get injured, Kodai Senga's 'ghost fork; is scarier for us than the batters), we could be fighting for that sixth playoff spot. I could easily get pessimistic (I'm a lifelong Mets fan) but even I think that floor is very unlikely. Who’s your player to watch this year? Eduardo Escobar is my player to watch this year. He's got very good clubhouse vibes, but is he really going to give the team more than Brett Baty could? I'm very interested in seeing how long of a leash the front office/Buck gives him before Baty gets a real chance. We saw it a bit with Robinson Cano (who still got waaaay too much playing time) last year that this front office isn't afraid to cut bait, but I want to see if Escobar flounders this year (like he did most of last year) and then if they'll give Baty the job. What’s your record prediction? 95-67. Will they make the playoffs? They better! What’s your World Series matchup? The new playoff format makes this hard to predict, but let's be optimistic and say Mets vs. Guardians and Mets in six. Mike Mantione, The Bad Ends/Five Eight New York Mets (Credit: Courtesy of Mike Mantione) What’s your prognosis for the season? A bad end with more fan devastation. Like my friend David Barbe (producer for Drive-By Truckers) likes to say to me, 'I'm sorry you're a masochist, Mike.' What are your reasonable hopes? The National League East is the division to beat in 2023. The Miami Marlins could surprise folks and be the ones to set the pace, but we will keep up. Like every Mets fan after enduring last year's collapse and final brutal series with the Braves, I was heartened by the amazingly no-holds-barred off-season spending spree. We have the best starting pitching 1-2 punch in baseball right now with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer and our owner and GM are committed to going all the way. Plus, Buck Showalter is the man! Even though any other team would be crushed by the loss of Edwin Diaz, my unreasonable hope is it's going to rally the passion of Francisco Lindor and the Mets and for a change, they will pop right in the heat of the Indian summer. I'm looking for that Subway Series win. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Not sure they could have done better. They really might have dodged a bullet letting Jacob DeGrom go. Getting Justin Verlander and keeping Brandon Nimmo although Diaz might prove to be a bad omen. Omar Narvaez might turn out to be very helpful as Francisco Alvarez continues to improve. What’s the ceiling/floor? 97 wins is the ceiling and 86 is the floor. There is almost no chance of another 100-plus win season, but that doesn't stop Mets fans from hoping Who’s your player to watch this year? Verlander and Lindor. Why? Verlander's one of the best. He's been there and Lindor is just the kind of Met the fans love and he wants to get there. Will they make the playoffs? They have done everything they could to win, so yes. What’s your record prediction? 97-66. What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs. Yanks. Adam Balasco, The Empty Pockets Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Adam Balasco) What’s your prognosis for the season? When combining PECOTA and ZiPS projections, we get to about 150 wins. What are your reasonable hopes? Still fighting for that third wild card spot in July. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: mathematically eliminated in September. Floor: remain competitive long enough to sell off future assets at the deadline and falter down the stretch. Who’s your player to watch this year? Dansby Swanson. He's coming off 6.4 fWAR! Will they make the playoffs? Unlikely. What’s your record prediction? 75-87. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Padres. Lauren Morrow Atlanta Braves (Credit: Courtesy of Lauren Morrow) What’s your prognosis for the season? It's hard not to get excited about the 2023 Braves. Our GM, Alex Anthopoulos, has done an excellent job since 2017 (five consecutive NL East titles and a World Series, baby!!) of curating a young and hungry team that will spend its prime years together. This season, I think we'll see third baseman Austin Riley (who is one of the best in the game right now) lean into his long-term contract and his talent, not only as a hitter, but also as a team leader in that position (HELLO NEW CHIPPER JONES!). Ronald Acuña Jr. can get his bat hot, and he can also steal more bases with the new bases being bigger this season. I grew up in Atlanta during the early '90s when our team's pitching staff was legendary, so I've got a soft spot for that position. Spencer Strider is locked up on a long-term deal, Kyle Wright signed, and Max Fried has another year with us. We lost Dansby Swanson to the Cubs, which broke my heart, but I'm excited to see what Vaughn Grissom can do in his shortstop spot. Overall, the Braves have a team that is young, will grow up in the organization, and still love the game of baseball. You can't beat that. What are your reasonable hopes? There's no reason to believe that they wouldn't win another division and compete for the World Series this season. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We'll see a new catcher this season, Sean Murphy from the A's. I'm excited to see what he will do in that position, not only defensively (he's a Gold Glover), but also offensively. Apparently his bat can get hot, too. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: 100 wins and a World Series. Floor: .500 ball and we don't make the playoffs. Who’s your player to watch this year? Michael Harris II. He was the NL Rookie of the Year last year, and our 2022 season really turned around when his bat got hot and he started playing regularly in the outfield. Will they make the playoffs? I believe they will. They've done it the last five years in a row, and I don't think 2023 will be an exception. What’s your record prediction? 92-70. What’s your World Series matchup? I'd love to see the Braves vs. Guardians in the Series. Take me back to 1995, baby! (Braves won that year, BTW.) Serengeti Chicago White Sox (Credit: Courtesy of Serengeti) What’s your prognosis for the season? 91 wins and a battle with the Guardians for the division. The Sox went .500 last year and had the 5th best team batting average. I see promise in that. For 2023, the slogan was “Change the Game”. And for my money when Tony walked Trae Turner on a 1-2 count with a runner on second---they did that---but for this year let’s rally behind “just 10 games better than we were last year.” What are your reasonable hopes? Fly under the radar at .500 for majority of the season while new Manager Pedro Grifol figures out the closer by committee bullpen situation. Maybe the more reasonable hope is to try the new elote corndog or that champagne of hot dogs hot dog at the stadium. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Hmmmm. Abreu will be missed. Let me google "White Sox offseason". I can't really comment on something that technically did not happen. -Drops corndog to dry eyes with champagne dog bun- What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling would be Liam Hendricks inspiring returning to close out the World Series win. Floor would be me dropping that same champagne hot dog on the floor of an empty stadium watching a last place team in August and saying "5 second rule" to the empty seat next to me. Who’s your player to watch this year? Outside of Cy Young winner Dylan Cease and face of the league Al MVP Tim Anderson? OSCAR COLAS' BIG BAT. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 91 wins. It’s “just 10 games better than we were last year”. What’s your World Series matchup? 2023 is the Jordan year. MJ played for the Sox in '94. I'll go with the series I predicted 29 years ago when the strike robbed Chicago of a trophy, the White Sox over the Braves in seven. Pokey LaFarge Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Pokey LaFarge) What’s your prognosis for the season? I’m excited to see some more movement. Bigger bases means more stolen bases, right? That would be cool. No shift means more base hits, right? Maybe. Doesn’t that mean there needs to be a change in approach from the batter's box? Hitting has been ‘get the ball in the air, get the ball in the air.' We’ll see if it translates. I kind of feel bad for the pitchers. Then again, they lowered the mound after ’68. So I guess it makes sense to do something to balance out the pitcher advantage. What are your reasonable hopes? I love old-school baseball. Now that all bunting seems to be gone for the time being, I hope we see more base hits and stolen bases. I hope there are not many catastrophic injuries, especially Tommy John. I hope there is more contact. Modern baseball filled with strikeouts, pop-ups, and homers are boring. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m excited about Dansby Swanson, not just as a player, but especially as a person. J-Hey was a good guy but unfortunately was a bum on the field and a waste of money. What’s the ceiling/floor? Cubs' ceiling is 80 wins, and the floor is 70. Who’s your player to watch this year? Players to watch are all pitchers: Javier Assad, Caleb Killian, and Hayden Wesneski. Young, tons of talent and potential, and gritty. Did you see Assad in the World Baseball Classic? Will they make the playoffs? They will not make the playoffs. There's not a lot of explosive talent, nor do they have any power. But I’m excited about the lack of strikeouts with this contact-oriented offense. What’s your record prediction? I predict the Cubs will finish 75-87. What’s your World Series matchup? I’m excited that there is not a clear favorite. Injuries have already wreaked havoc. If the ‘Stros get Jose Altuve back and he produces and if Yordan Alvarez’s hand holds up, I like Astros vs. Braves. Michael Shuman, GLU/Queens of the Stone Age Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Will Fraser) What’s your prognosis for this year? I think the Dodgers go number one in the National League again. We blew it last year, especially based on the regular season we had. We’re going to the World Series this year. What are your reasonable hopes? Champions or bust. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I think losing Justin Turner was a mistake, especially letting him go to the Red Sox. Not a cool look. He felt like a staple to the Dodgers organization. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is world champions. The floor is at least leading the National League West. Who’s your player to watch this year? Although Mookie Betts is my guy, I think it was interesting to see Freddie Freeman on the team last year. Excited to see him this year, after he’s had a season to settle in. What’s your record prediction? 100-62. Will they make the playoffs? No question. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Astros, and the Astros get what they deserve. Parker Gispert, The Whigs Atlanta Braves (Credit: Courtesy of Parker Gispert) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Atlanta Braves will learn how to win day games, edge out the Mets and Phillies for their sixth consecutive NL East crown, and defeat the Astros in the World Series. What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hope is the Braves go all the way. I’m curious to see who emerges as our fifth starter but I think we have the strongest four-man rotation in baseball with Max Fried, Kyle Wright, Spencer Strider, and Charlie Morton. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Last season’s Braves led MLB in offensive output from the catcher position. With both William Contreras and Travis D’Arnaud making the All-Star team, many were surprised by Atlanta’s off-season acquisition of catcher Sean Murphy from the A’s. However, with MLB rule changes, such as bigger bases, pitch clock, and limiting the number of pick-off attempts by a pitcher, there will be an increased need for defensive excellence from the catcher position. This is where the trade for Murphy will prove an upgrade for what was already baseball’s top catching duo. What’s the ceiling/floor? The floor would be us missing the playoffs, which I can’t see happening given the six playoff slots for the National League. I expect it to be hyper-competitive between the Braves, Dodgers, Padres, Mets, Phillies, and Cardinals for the one-through-six seeds but can’t imagine any other NL team bouncing one of those squads from a postseason appearance. There is no ceiling for this team if they can stay healthy. Who’s your player to watch this year? Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II are my player(s) to watch this year. Both were rookies last season as Strider dethroned Hall of Famer Randy Johnson as the fastest pitcher in major league history to reach 200 strikeouts (which he did in exactly 130 innings) while also setting the franchise record for 16 Ks in a single game. The fact that he ultimately finished runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting to Michael Harris II should tell you all you need to know about how special Money Mike is. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, the Braves will make the playoffs. What’s your record prediction? The NL East is MLB’s strongest division with the Braves, Mets, and Phillies, so Atlanta should benefit from MLB’s scheduling changes, which decrease the number of divisional games for each team from 76 to 52. Also, Atlanta was an atrocious 24-27 in day games last year, which is a trend I can’t see continuing. I predicted the 2022 Braves to go 98-64 and was off by three games (101-61), but this year I’m saying we go 105-57. What’s your World Series matchup? I picked the Blue Jays to make the World Series last season and still think they have a wonderful shot, but it’s hard to pick against the Astros until another AL team proves itself to be worthy. I predict a Braves vs. Astros World Series in 2023. JB Brubaker, August Burns Red Philadelphia Phillies (Credit: Courtesy of JB Brubaker) What’s your prognosis for the season? My hopes for the Phillies in 2023 are high. Last season’s improbable World Series run has all of us Phillies fans expecting another October run this season. I know there will be obstacles to overcome, but if the Phillies fail to either win the division or make a wild card spot, it will be a huge disappointment. What are your reasonable hopes? My reasonable hopes are 90 wins and a wild card spot. The NL East is a really loaded division right now, so if the Phillies don’t manage to outlast the Braves or Mets to win the division I won’t be surprised, but they should be able to secure a wild card spot in the NL. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m extremely excited about the Trea Turner signing. How could I not be? The Phillies have the best shortstop in major league baseball and they have him signed for the long term. He’s going to help this team in every facet. I’m also excited about Taijuan Walker joining the rotation. I think he’s going to eat innings and is a solid arm in the rotation. He had a great season last year and I am excited for him to build on that. Furthermore, the Phillies added a bunch of bullpen arms, which was a need. Hopefully, Craig Kimbrel still has some gas left in the tank. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is another World Series run. If the Phillies can play .500 ball until Bryce Harper returns, they will be in great shape. I think they can win the NL East and be playing for a championship. The floor: injuries wreck their superstars (Rhys Hoskins is already out for the year) and things just don’t come together on the pitching side of things. They finish a few games under .500 and the city of Philadelphia loses all interest in baseball as soon as the Eagles start in early September. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’ll be watching Aaron Nola carefully. He’s in a contract year and the Phillies and Nola’s agent have agreed not to negotiate a deal until after the season. If Nola has a huge year, which he very well could, his cost is going to skyrocket. This will be an interesting storyline to watch. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. They better. What’s your record prediction? 90-72. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Astros (I hope I’m wrong). Dawson Daugherty, Almost Monday San Diego Padres (Credit: Courtesy of Dawson Daugherty) What’s your prognosis for the season? I think the San Diego Padres have a real chance at winning the whole thing. What are your reasonable hopes? Honestly, being in the World Series after winning the NLCS. After this offseason, I think it's ours to lose. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Xander Bogaerts Grade: B We had to overpay him for 11 years and $280 million. We couldn't afford to lose out on a big free agent (since we couldn't get Jose Abreu, Trea Turner, or Aaron Judge. He might be reaching the end of his prime soon, but hopefully he can give us some solid years of great baseball. Overall he’s gonna be huge for us in the short term, and hopefully he stays elite for us in the long term! Seth Lugo Grade: A Helps out the rotational depth problem. Two years at $15 million – I like it. We’ll see if he can manage to be a solid starter for us too. Nelson Cruz Grade A+ 1 year, $1 million. Gonna be a great leader in the clubhouse and can still bring some much-needed power to the roster at DH. Stoked on this pickup. Matt Carpenter Grade A Had a comeback year with the Yankees before his injury. Adding a leftie pop to the lineup is gonna be good. Veteran experience. 2 years, $12 million with performance incentives, which I like. Michael Wacha Grade A Good pitcher who helps out our depth. We need all the help we can get. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling is a World Series win. Floor I think is an early exit from the playoffs. Who’s your player to watch this year? A few: Obviously I want to see Fernando Tatis come back strong and show everyone he’s still one of the best players on the planet. I wanna see Juan Soto do his thing and really play in the regular season like he did for us in the postseason. I wanna see Blake Snell be the star that he is BUT CONSISTENTLY. And finally, Trent Grisham. I wanna see Grisham play at his peak. He is so good when he's hot, and I think guys like that playing at a high level are going be the difference for us this year. Will they make the playoffs? For sure. What’s your record prediction? 98-64. What’s your World Series matchup? Padres vs. Astros. Two Friends Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Greg Fry) What’s your prognosis for the season? We're gonna be really solid but not as amazing as last year. It's hard to replicate winning 111 games in the regular season. But when it matters most, we're bringing back another World Series title this year. What are your reasonable hopes? Winning the NL West and making another run at the World Series. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Disappointed we didn't make a splashier trade or signing, but the front office is clearly smart, so we have to trust the moves they made and trust that we have all the pieces to go far. J.D. Martinez is a good one -- he can be a big power boost and provide some much-needed offense. Noah Syndergaard, David Peralta, Miguel Rojas are all good depth pieces. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is definitely the World Series. The floor is probably making the playoffs as a wild card team. Who’s your player to watch this year? It's Mookie Betts time. He's been good but not necessarily the MVP-caliber guy we know he can be. This is the year he shows us that again. With Trea and Justin Turner gone, it's Mookie's chance to shine even more. And also look out for Dustin May to be in the Cy Young conversation if he stays healthy. Will they make the playoffs? Does Grizzly Adams have a beard? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 93-69. You heard it here first. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Dodgers. Dodgers in six. Amy Cole, The Rural Alberta Advantage Toronto Blue Jays (Credit: Courtesy of Amy Cole) What’s your prognosis for the season? Right now is one of my favourite times of the year to be a Toronto Blue Jays fan, because it’s spring training, which means it’s all sunshine, potential, and possibility. Nobody’s suffered a season-ending injury (fingers crossed the Jays playing in the World Baseball Classic emerge unscathed) or is making stupid errors costing us games or anything. So I’m feeling great about this season and at this moment am predicting a long and fruitful playoff run ending in a World Series victory. Is this realistic? It’s March! Who needs realism right now? What are your reasonable hopes? Reasonably, I’m just hoping for the Jays to have a longer playoff berth than last season, which was two games long and ended in basically the most heartbreaking scenario possible (blown lead, outfield collision, dropped ball, George Springer concussion ... I don’t want to talk about it.) What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? The Jays didn’t have as exciting an offseason in 2022 as we’ve enjoyed the past couple years, with no real blockbuster trades or mega-superstar free-agent signings. Also, we traded away a couple of our most beloved players: Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. It’s sad for team vibes, but I think most fans get that if they couldn’t manage to get it together for the playoffs with the roster they had, the organization felt something big had to change, and winning will definitely ease the pain of losing these players. I’m looking forward to getting to know Dalton Varsho, Brandon Belt, and Chris Bassit, and I am trying to forgive Kevin Kiermaier for stealing Alejandro Kirk’s lineup card back in 2021. What’s the ceiling/floor? I really believe this team could go all the way. But a whole lot of things need to go exactly right in the way we kept hoping they would for the last couple of seasons, and some of the question marks in the back of our current starting rotation need to work out as well. The saving grace in the past was that win or lose, the team was at least a lot of fun to watch. Now with some of the more outgoing personalities gone, if the Jays aren’t winning, it’s not like we can console ourselves by watching Lourdes make a fruit cocktail in the dugout. Here’s hoping some of the new guys can step it up in the winning and/or fun department. Ideally both. Who’s your player to watch this year? I feel like the Jays don’t get that much attention from U.S. baseball media for the most part, but even if you’re a casual fan, you know Vladimir Guererro Jr. is impossible not to watch. He’s totally riveting on and off the field and I’m so excited to see what he’ll do this year. By all accounts, Bo Bichette has really stepped up in spring training so far. He had a fair amount of doubters last season (I was not one of them) and I’m sure he’s looking to prove them wrong. And I feel like Alek Manoah will stop at nothing to avenge his weirdly shaky 2022 playoff start with a dominant season and postseason. Also, he's not a current player to watch, but my favorite Jay of all time Jose Bautista is being promoted to the Level Of Excellence this season (the Jays’ version of retiring a number.) If we aren’t on tour, I would be there! Will they make the playoffs? Yes! What’s your record prediction? I’ll go with a 94-win season to get them into the playoffs. I’m nervous to predict a division win, as we’re forever contending with the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays (and even the Orioles got into the mix with a +.500 record last season. Come on.). But I do believe that once they fight their way into the postseason, the Jays will be really tough to beat. What’s your World Series matchup? I’d like to see the Jays face off against somebody similarly due for a World Series appearance, so I’ll go with the Milwaukee Brewers. Not only is Milwaukee one of my favorite U.S. cities to visit on tour (beer, cheese ... what’s not to love), but they’ve never won a World Series. So even if we lost, I think it might soothe my heartbreak a tiny bit to see the people of Milwaukee so happy. How Canadian of me, eh? Andy Anaya, Pool Kids Miami Marlins (Credit: Courtesy of Andy Anaya) What’s your prognosis for the season? Prognosis negative. Though I’ve been lucky enough to witness two World Series title runs, the Marlins are notorious underachievers, and it seems highly likely that we’ll continue our historical mediocre play while squandering the few shining talents we’ve got, before inevitably shipping them off in heartbreaking fire sales. What are your reasonable hopes? My most honest and reasonable hope is that I can still get tickets for games under $12. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Well, we finally got some much-needed hitting with Luis Arraez. I can’t remember just how bad we were at getting on base last season, but I imagine it had to be no better than bottom five. Not sure what we get with Johnny Cueto, but maybe he can provide a positive veteran presence in the bullpen. What’s the ceiling/floor? The absolute best the Marlins can hope for is securing a Wild Card position. They’ve only made it to the playoffs three times in 30 years (all wild card berths) so it’s safe to say the floor would be sloppily crossing through the finish line of another pointless regular season. I suppose the years of mediocrity keeps the tickets at a ridiculously low price so my buddies and I can afford our third and often fourth hot dogs (and beers). Who’s your player to watch this year? Sandy Alcantara. The dude is a bonafide stud coming off a unanimous Cy Young win. He’s proven himself to be the arguable best in the league and one of the few reasons to pay attention to our ball club. I hate to say it, but it seems like we won’t be able to enjoy him in South Florida for too much longer, as his $56 million dollar contract will likely get passed on to a contending ball club in a season or two. Will they make the playoffs? My gut says no but my heart … also says no. What’s your record prediction? Last season we finished second to last in our division, but with our offseason hitting acquisitions, I think we could muster a handful more wins. I’ll be generous and add 10 wins to last season’s record, putting us at 79-83. What’s your World Series matchup? Rematch: Astros vs. Phillies. I know this may seem ridiculous as the Phillies’ postseason run was last season’s Cinderella story, but I truly believe that the team found something between their wild card appearance and miraculous playoff run. They’re in the same division as the Marlins, so I don’t really root for them during the regular season, but I enjoyed their play and the energy of their over-the-top fanbase through the playoffs. Doesn’t hurt that tons of my friends reside in Philly and seeing them enjoy that run was one of the highlights of last year. As far as the Astros, they simply can’t be ruled out. Sam Mankinen, The Last Gang Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Credit: Courtesy of Sam Mankinen) What’s your prognosis for this year? I feel like this year will be really good for everyone. The game is much faster-paced with the new pitching/batting rules. Makes for exciting ball. I’ve been watching a lot of preseason ball, and it seems like the Angels are going to have a fighting season this year (especially with how last season went). What are your reasonable hopes? My hopes are that the Angels ACTUALLY make the playoffs this year. It seemed like at the end of the 2022 season there was a lot of push, but it just wasn’t quite enough. But I think in preseason they’ve kept that same mentality and are going to have a strong season of ball. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We got Brett Phillips from the Orioles this season, so we’ll see what he has in store for us. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is hopeful this year -- around 90 wins. The floor is having another rough year, like lower 70s. Who’s your player to watch this year? The Angels tend to always have games that go to the wire. And by that I mean they REALLY push it til the 9th inning sometimes, which leads me to believe Aaron Loup is going to be pulled out for some good saves this season. What’s your record prediction? Hard to say. I want to have a high-win season, so my guess is hopefully somewhere in the 85-90 range. Will they make the playoffs? I sure hope the Angels make the playoffs!! I love me some postseason baseball in California! What’s your World Series matchup? Let’s go out on a limb and say the Angels DO make it to the World Series, I would love to see them play the Dodgers in a Freeway Series bout, with the Angels taking it in six. Honestly, I just really love the sport (especially the cool logos) and am down for any fast-paced, kick-ass World Series with any team! Darius Koski, The Swingin’ Utters Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Courtesy of Darius Koski) What’s your prognosis for this year? I’m not all that optimistic, as it’s feeling almost like a rebuilding year. We’ve lost so many big names in the last few years that this has become a totally different team than it was a few years ago. It started with Corey Seager (which I’ll never get over), and then this year we lost Cody Bellinger and Trea Turner. I feel like those are two huge losses for the clubhouse, especially with Turner. He’s been the heart and soul of the team for years now, and always hovering around or over .300 as a hitter. Our ace is now Walker Buehler, and he's out for the year. Our starting shortstop Gavin Lux just got injured and he’s out for the year as well. We also lost Edwin Rios, who was a big bat. Hopefully, our pitchers Dustin May, Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin, and Clayton Kershaw all stay healthy. I think that’s the key. What are your reasonable hopes? If everybody stays relatively healthy (especially the pitching rotation), I think we’re gonna hover slightly above .500. If we stay healthy AND Max Muncy and Chris Taylor revert back to their old ways and start hitting well again, and Trace Thompson keeps impressing, then we’ve got a shot at the postseason. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We picked up some aging players who’ve probably seen their best days (Noah Syndergaard and J.D. Martinez), but I thought that of AJ Pollock when we acquired him, and he was a great addition, so who knows! I’m glad Trace Thompson is back, and he’s looking great. What’s the ceiling/floor? I’d say the ceiling is making the playoffs, and then making any sort of run is just icing. The floor would be winning 60 games or so. We won 111 last season, so that would be pretty disappointing. Who’s your player to watch this year? Trace Thompson. Hopefully, he keeps it up, as he’s been solid as of late. But also the veterans. If they get it together and bring their bats, I think we’ll be OK. Mainly talking about Chris Taylor and Max Muncy, who’ve struggled the last couple of years after being pretty dominant at the plate. What’s your record prediction? 97-65. Will they make the playoffs? Barely. What’s your World Series matchup? Braves vs. Yankees. But I’m hoping for a Houston vs. Dodgers rematch, so we can get revenge on a cheating team that should’ve had their title stripped! Nat Keefe, Hot Buttered Rum San Francisco Giants (Credit: Courtesy of Nat Keefe) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Giants are going to be interesting to watch this season. They didn’t manage to sign a superstar slugger in the offseason. Success in 2023, if it happens, is going to be the result of clubhouse chemistry, guys having their best seasons, and solid pitching. Not superstar hitting. Giants players in recent winning seasons talk about the brotherhood with their teammates and an unselfish atmosphere of excellence; we’ve seen this beat teams with better stats on paper. Can that be created again? It’s the recipe we like best in San Francisco! What are your reasonable hopes? I’m hoping to have some fun with Giants baseball this year. The ballpark is a short bike ride from my house, and my boys are 6 and 8 years old and totally into playing little league baseball and watching the Giants. I’m looking forward to singing my bluegrass arrangement of the National Anthem with Hot Buttered Rum at the ballpark on May 10! All in a day’s work for the Official Bluegrass Band of the SF Giants. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? The Giants made a serious effort to land Aaron Judge and then Carlos Correa, and ultimately fell short of both. However, the combination of the short-contract outfielder acquisitions, Haniger and Conforto, could be bigger than the impact of one Judge or Correa. It's a harder marketing position for the front office, with a fanbase that wants long-term players in which to invest their hearts and jersey money. What’s the ceiling/floor? The Giants will remain a winning team, above .500. If some special chemistry happens, I could imagine them sneaking into a wildcard spot. At that point, anything can happen. Who’s your player to watch this year? It will be exciting to see pitcher Logan Webb enter this year with his big league feet firmly under him and hopefully some better defense behind him. This is a year he could establish himself as one of the best pitchers in the game. He’s a homegrown talent, grew up a Giants fan, and has an affable personality that makes him a fan favorite. Will they make the playoffs? The NL West division is nutty fierce competition, with SD Padres stacking up talent and the L.A. Dodgers continuing to be the Dodgers. It will be a challenge to win the division, or to win enough games in the division to make the Wild Card. What’s your record prediction? 89-73. Third place in the NL West, a good record but still behind stellar records by L.A. and SD. What’s your World Series matchup? I dream of the Giants making a Wild Card run… But if that doesn’t happen, I’d love to see the Padres put it together and beat the Yankees in the World Series. It would be a good series for MLB with all those superstars. Nick Furgiuele, Gringo Star Atlanta Braves (Credit: Anna Barratin) What’s your prognosis for the season? Atlanta Braves are looking like contenders again. They have a young team and a lot of potential. What are your reasonable hopes? I hope that Ronald Acuña and Ozzie Albies don’t injure themselves this year. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Braves picked up a few new folks but really they don’t need much. With their veteran shortstop gone, they have Vaughn Grissom who came straight up from Braves AA to the majors last year filling in and crushing at second base and at the plate. He slides to shortstop with a healthy Ozzie back at 2nd and they will be rolling double plays all year long. They also picked up a new All-Star catcher Sean Murphy to pair with Travis D’Arnaud for one of the best catcher duos out there. What’s the ceiling/floor? They’ll probably take it all down but at least take the division and contend in the playoffs. Who’s your player to watch this year? Tough one. Michael Harris III is pretty amazing to watch. Coming off his rookie of the year award. Watching him rob home runs and throw people out at the plate was fun. And he’s a monster hitter. But then Spencer Strider, runner-up Rookie of the Year, is such an amazing pitcher. Fastest pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in a season. Set a franchise record for strikeouts in a game. And throws 105. And then you still have Ronald Acuña Jr who’s incredible. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 100-62. What’s your World Series matchup? Braves vs. Astros. Piper Torrison, Mediocre Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Ginger Port) What’s your prognosis for the season This is definitely the first season in many in which my optimism for the upcoming Dodgers season has wavered. That being said, my prognosis is still good! The competition is shaping up to be pretty steep in the NL West but I don’t doubt we can hold our ground throughout the season and into November. What are your reasonable hopes? I think it’s still reasonable to hope for an NL West win and World Series push. The Padres are looking a little scary and it’d be foolish to underestimate them after last season, but if we can win the division then I’m hopeful about the World Series. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? As a Dodgers fan living in Boston… I’m conflicted. Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, Kiké Hernández, Alex Verdugo!! So many of my old favorite Dodgers are now in a Red Sox uniform. We’ve definitely taken some major hits to our roster over the past few years and I’m anxious to see how some of our newer acquisitions compare. At least as a consolation, I get to go to Red Sox games and relive some of the 2017 Dodgers roster at Fenway. What’s the ceiling/floor? I’d say the floor would be missing the playoffs and a ceiling would be a World Series win. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’m intrigued to see what Xander Bogaerts does for the Padres this season. I’d always been a fan of watching him play for the Red Sox, but as a Dodgers fan, I selfishly hope he struggles a bit in San Diego. He really is feeling like a major obstacle between us and the division title so I’ll be keeping a close watch on him this year. Will they make the playoffs? YES! They have to. What’s your record prediction? After last season's franchise record, I don’t think 100 wins is too outlandish of a prediction. What’s your World Series matchup? Though it brings me great pain to ever see the words ‘Astros’ and ‘World Series’ in the same sentence, I can grit my teeth long enough to say that they are yet again seeming like a strong contender. I would personally hate to see it, but I could imagine a world where it’s Padres vs. Astros. That being said, let’s end this on a positive note and say it’ll be Dodgers vs. Yankees with the Dodgers taking it. Vinson Detroit Tigers (Credit: Courtesy of Vinson) What’s your prognosis for the season? Gonna be an interesting year! New rules should help all teams on offense but not much to look forward to with the tigers at this point. All-time great hitter Miguel Cabrera retires after this year it’ll be nice to see him on a victory lap. Greatest tiger of my lifetime. What are your reasonable hopes? Reasonable hopes would be to learn some new players on the team name, after seeing them make a difference and win some games. Hope they can at least knock on the door of a .500 season. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Last year they tried to make some moves but it didn’t really work, made some trades and turned it over to younger players. In baseball that’s not really exciting cuz u gotta really wait to see who’s good. 162 games is the long haul for real. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling doesn’t seem too high. If a lot of teams are struggling maybe they can be a .500 team. That would be amazing for morale. I just want them to be competitive and watchable. I don’t even know if I wanna talk about the floor cuz it’s been a rough few years of rebuilding. Who’s your player to watch this year? Riley Greene in center field. Gold glove potential. We need a new star and franchise player to emerge. Miguel Cabrera ending his career on a victory lap. Will they make the playoffs? Don’t think they will make the playoffs, unfortunately. Joe Pernice, Pernice Brothers Boston Red Sox (Credit: Courtesy of Joe Pernice) What’s your prognosis for the season? Well, as a lifelong Red Sox fan, I think of “the season” in terms of the Sox’s season. I’m always optimistic even when pessimistic. Also the other way around. Like I said: Lifelong Sox fan. I think the Sox will be a good and likeable team. It’s always tough in the AL East, and this season will be no different. What are your reasonable hopes? Well, coming off a last-place finish in AL East last year, one hopes they can move up a few slots. But the Sox have gone from worst to first a few times. Could it happen again? What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Well, to be honest, I’m nervous about the Xander-sized hole in the lineup. Not just his numbers, but his personality. Had been with the Sox since day one and was sliding nicely into a leadership role. I always figured he’d be a career Boston guy. What’s the ceiling/floor? Well, I guess the floor is a repeat of 2022. That wouldn’t be too fun. And the ceiling is they nab a WC position. Who’s your player to watch this year? Devers. The brass has committed to him. It’s his time to be the leader. I think he’s got it in him. Will they make the playoffs? I hope they do, but my hunch is they will not. What’s your record prediction? North of .500, but how far, I have no strong feeling. Comes down to health. What’s your World Series matchup? Not happy about it, but I think Houston beats Atlanta. Jesse Sendejas, Days N Daze/Escape From The Zoo Houston Astros (Credit: Courtesy of Jesse Sendejas) What's your prognosis for the year? Hopefully, we'll be lookin' at more of the same. The Astros will begin the season and end it the same way, as MLB's reigning champions!! What are your reasonable hopes? Really just hope folks can look past the scandal and see the 'Stros for the talented team they are. If they can't though, I get it. In the end, hope they just keep doin' their thing and stackin' up the victories. What do you think of your team's new acquisitions or lack thereof? Our big pick-up is Jose Abreu from the Chicago White Sox. He's a masher and should do pretty well in the Juice Box. What's the ceiling/floor? More World Series banners flying outside Minute Maid Park. Also hoping to get to a few games this season if the DND/EFTZ tour schedules allow it. Gonna be a busy year!! If you ever swing by the H-town ballpark, there are some really great venues to check out close by. Neil's Bahr is the spot for old-school video games, well-mixed libations, and a few rounds of ping pong. And House of J and Trip 6, a couple of Houston's best punk venues, are only an Altuve or Bregman home run away. Who's your player to watch this year? Outfielders Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez could both go from great to better than great. Pitcher Hunter Brown has a good opportunity to establish himself and fill the void left by his idol Justin Verlander. What's your record prediction? We've got a strong pitching staff, proven batters up and down the lineup, and the most badass and music-knowledgeable manager in the big leagues. Dusty Baker once smoked with Jimi Hendrix and has a pretty rad collection of guitars, a couple of which are signed by Buddy Guy and Santana. So more than 100 wins sound right. Will they make the playoffs? I'm not much of a gamblin' man, but if I were I don't think I'd mind puttin' a few bucks on it. What's your World Series matchup? It would be fun to see the Astros and the Dodgers again. Or maybe the 'stros against the Mets. In Houston, we just see it as Astros vs. Everyone so it doesn't matter to us who meets us there. Dan Gleason, Grouplove Detroit Tigers (Credit: Courtesy of Dan Gleason) What’s your prognosis for the season? Miggy goes out like a true legend, reps the Tigers in the All-Star Game ame and leads the team in home runs. Team finishes 3rd in the division and shows glimpses of the future we've been waiting for. I'm excited to see Torkelson's sophomore season. A lot of where this team ends up comes down to where he's at. What are your reasonable hopes? .500 ball, and no quit. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I trust Scott Harris. I like the additions of Lorenzen and Boyd to the rotation. You can't speed up a rebuild, and sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make. Meadows and Rodriguez should bounce back. Too talented not to. The new front office has a vision and it's gonna take time to execute. Maintaining patience haha. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling is 90 wins, and they shock everyone. Floor is a repeat of last year and they hobble to 70.....praying we don't hobble. Who’s your player to watch this year? Riley Greene. Gold Glove type player, exciting as we've had in a while. Can impact the game in every facet and will light up Comerica for years to come. Will they make the playoffs? I wish. Not yet. What’s your record prediction? 81 wins, 81 losses. What’s your World Series matchup? I live in Atlanta. So I've got the Braves beating the Yankees with a smile on my face. Michael Goldwasser, Easy Star All-Stars New York Mets (Credit: Courtesy of Michael Goldwasser) What’s your prognosis for this year? I’ve been a Mets fan for a long, long time and I’ve lived through a lot of heartbreak – losing the NL pennant to the Dodgers in 1988 (Kirk Freakin’ Gibson!), being at Game 5 of the 2000 World Series at Shea to witness the Yankees closing out the series, Carlos Beltran striking out looking to end the 2006 playoffs, failing to hold on to big divisional leads in 2007 and 2008, and most recently, losing the division to the hated Braves last year after holding first place for most of the season. So by all rights, I should be ready for yet another letdown even though the team looks good on paper. But you know what, I’m going to say that the Mets are primed for an amazing year in 2023 – why not? Oh, wait – Edwin Diaz, the best closer in baseball, is now out for the year with an injury sustained while celebrating a Puerto Rico victory in the first round of the World Baseball Classic. That sounds about right on the Mets' heartbreak meter. The prognosis just got a bit worse…. What are your reasonable hopes? Based on their great season last year (until choking at the end), I think that it’s reasonable to hope that the Mets can make the playoffs even without Diaz. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m pretty stoked. I loved having Jacob DeGrom on the team but replacing him with Justin Verlander is a great move. Yeah, Verlander is 40, but he seems primed to pitch every fifth or sixth day and we couldn’t count on DeGrom for that anymore. I also like adding Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana (get well soon!) to the rotation, and the bullpen looks better than last year with the acquisition of David Robertson, who might become the closer in Diaz’s absence. I don’t think that Omar Narvaez is necessarily the answer behind the plate but he’s just holding it down until Francisco Alvarez is ready to come up from the minors. What’s the ceiling/floor? Without Diaz to shut the door, the ceiling is probably making it through one round of the playoffs. The floor, well, that depends on more injuries – if their remaining most important guys don’t stay healthy then they could fall down a few notches but I still think that the Mets would have a winning record. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’m excited to watch Pete Alonso, Max Scherzer, Verlander, Starling Marte, but I think that of everyone on the Mets, Francisco Lindor is primed for a real breakout season in New York. He was solid last year but I think that after two years on the team now he’s really comfortable as a Met and ready to take it to an MVP kind of level. What’s your record prediction? Before the Diaz injury, I thought that the Metropolitans would actually exceed last year’s record by a couple of wins but now I think that they’re looking at 90-72 or thereabouts. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, but as a Wild Card team. What’s your World Series matchup? This one hurts because before Edwin hurt his knee I was dreaming of the Mets beating the Yankees in four games. Now I’m going to go old school and say (Brooklyn) Dodgers over the Yankees in six. Matt Kallman, Real Estate San Francisco Giants Matt Kallman (L), with Laurence "Marlins Man" Leavy. (Credit: Eric Kallman) What’s your prognosis for the season? While I’m always an irrationally excited Giants fan by trade, for whatever reason, I’m having trouble getting up on the right side of my baseball-shaped bed this spring. A slow start, a few injuries, close games not going our way; a couple call-ups to get semi-excited about, followed by a too little, too late run. Hum, baby? What are your reasonable hopes? A winning record and a 30-home run hitter are my hopes, but are they reasonable? Remember: the team has finished over .500 exactly once in the past six seasons, and the last time someone surpassed 30 home runs, Billie Eilish was 2 years old. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Well, I absolutely LOVED the Aaron Judge signing, and the high from the Carlos Correa acquisition lasted a full week. But I’m not that hyped about the lack of signing Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa. What’s the ceiling/floor? About the same as my apartment: pretty close together. Who’s your player to watch this year? I want to say Thairo Estrada, but last year I gave Darin Ruf the legendary SPIN Magazine jinx—so I’m hesitant to call out anyone by name. Will they make the playoffs? Nope. What’s your record prediction? 80-82. What’s your World Series matchup? I can’t quit Toronto. Blue Jays over Phillies in seven. Jared Hart, Mercy Union New York Yankees (Credit: Kelsey Ayres) What’s your prognosis for this year? I was more optimistic before this handful of injuries rolled in, but I believe this is a better team than they were last year. If the core stays as healthy as possible and they're able to stack wins early in the season, they'll be in good shape. What are your reasonable hopes? I'm reasonably hoping to be sipping my homemade margarita in November while sharing a Manhattan street with a million other people. I can almost see my bud Zak grabbing some bootleg tees for us now. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I know a lot of people felt that they could've done more in the offseason, but when you add the new acquisitions to this group of kids who are starting to bust out of the minors, it leads to some pretty exciting possibilities. Rodón is exactly what they needed, and if Bader can pick up where he left off in the playoffs, those will be two major upgrades to a full season. Who’s your player to watch this year? Like last year, I'm hoping Gleyber can find some return to the form of his 2019 self in both power and consistency. I'm patiently waiting to see how players like Cabrera, Peraza, and Volpe can impact games both in the field and at the plate. But my big player to watch this year is Clay Holmes. Clay took the reins of one of the most intimidating positions in Yankee Stadium, and for a long stretch, fans felt comfortable writing the W in ink as soon as he walked onto the mound. This team needs that piece especially after watching Chapman's dominance (and other things) evaporate in front of our eyes. He just needs a good walkout song... What’s your record prediction? 98-64. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Mets because I love chaos in the group chat. Sam Getz, Welshy Arms Cleveland Guardians (Credit: Courtesy of Welshy Arms) What’s your prognosis for the season? If the Guardians play the same type of baseball they played last year, and all of the experience that those young players got, I feel like they can take the American League Pennant. What are your reasonable hopes? Win the AL Central Division again and make it to the ALCS this year. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? They were a young, scrappy, and really fun team to watch last year. So I'm excited to see a lot of the same guys return with more experience this season! I am happy to see the addition of Josh Bell at 1st base though. That's a spot where we needed an upgrade. What’s the ceiling/floor? The floor is having a season just like the last and getting knocked out of the divisional series. I don't think there is a ceiling for this young team. They play gritty baseball and continue to surprise us. I would never count them out Who’s your player to watch this year? José Ramírez is a player to watch every year! He brings so much fun and passion to the game. He always has the biggest smile on the diamond. We are lucky to have him here in Cleveland! Also can't wait to watch our gold glove infielder Andrés Giménez turn double plays, and Triston McKenzie on the hill again... He’s a young and exciting pitcher that I believe will build off of his momentum from last year and have a breakout season! Will they make the playoffs? 100%. What’s your record prediction? They will win a few more than last year and go 95-67. What’s your World Series matchup? Thinking of a Cleveland vs. Atlanta rematch (1995) but with a better outcome this time. Jarett Lewis, Harbour Cincinnati Reds (Credit: Courtesy of Jarett Lewis) What's your prognosis for the season? This season looks to be very interesting with yet again a high number of top players in the league changing teams, but until a salary cap is introduced the small market teams like my Cincinnati Reds don’t stand much of a chance. What are your reasonable hopes? Truthfully I don’t have much hope for this season for the Reds, as they’ve gone even deeper into a rebuild this year. There is some hope resting on second-year pitchers Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, and a few prospects on their way to the big leagues make for some mystery as to the team’s ceiling. What do you think of your team’s newest acquisition? (Or lack thereof) The biggest acquisition this offseason is Wil Myers from San Diego, who will definitely provide some consistency and power from the outfield. Sadly that still leaves much to be desired on the free agency front. What’s the ceiling/floor? If this team finishes near or above .500 it would be a huge win. Most likely I see them winning 75 games at most. However, there’s a lot of young talent like Jonathan India as well as a finally healthy Tyler Stephenson and Joey Votto on this team so either way it should be more fun than last season. Who’s your player to watch this year? After a full offseason with the Padres, I expect Juan Soto to be in the MVP conversation this season. As far as the reds go, I think Jonathan India and Tyler Stephenson both have to step up and be leaders this season. Will they make the playoffs? If a meteor destroys the Cardinals, Brewers, and Cubs stadiums. What's your record prediction? Barring any surprises, I’d expect 75-87. What’s your World Series matchup? Padres vs. Yankees. Padres win in seven. Sam Tinnesz Atlanta Braves (Credit: Courtesy of Sam Tinnesz) What’s your prognosis for the season? I’m always hopeful about my Braves. My heart still hurts over losing Dansby Swanson to the Cubs but hopefully, it doesn’t leave too big of a void. We have some major talent at all positions and great leadership from our manager. What are your reasonable hopes? World Series or bust, to be honest. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? For the second straight year, we’ve lost our leader of the team. Last year was Freddie Freeman, and this year being Dansby. We will see what that does to our team, but I have faith the whole crew can come together and have another great season. What’s the ceiling/floor? I’m guessing we win our division by about three games. We’ve made some big moves and with big moves comes some risk. As long as we do better than the Mets, I’m happy. Who’s your player to watch this year? Mike Soroka. Coming off some injuries but I wouldn’t bet against him! Will they make the playoffs? Yes and yes! What’s your record prediction? I'm happy to say that expectations are always high now with my Braves. I'd guess we hit 90 wins for sure. What’s your World Series matchup? I’d love to see the Braves put a beat down on the Houston Astros. Maybe it’s just me and my friends but the Astros are by far my least favorite team. Jeff Gorman, Illiterate Light Baltimore Orioles (Credit: Courtesy of Jeff Gorman) What's your prognosis for the season? Last year was our first winning season since 2016 so that’s good, but the O’s are still pretty young so I’m not sure if they can build on that success without some added veteran leadership. What are your reasonable hopes? Winning more games than they lose seems to be a fair expectation, but I’m not clearing my calendar for October baseball. What do you think of your team's new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Adam Frazier is the headline-grabber since he’s a former All-Star, but his production won’t move the needle much and the O’s have a few infield prospects waiting in the wings to fill the void at second base/outfield. Kyle Gibson and Cole Irvin...meh. The Orioles needed to solidify their rotation with a true ace or at least a couple arms they can get 5+ innings out of consistently. Really wish they would’ve added some more bullpen depth too. What's the ceiling/floor? This team could sneak in the final AL Wild Card spot if Adley Rutschman takes a leap in his first full season and Cedric Mullins returns to his All-Star form, but the pitching is ultimately gonna hold this team back–especially playing in hitter-friendly Camden Yards. The floor is having to rely on rookies and unproven guys all year...sprinkle in some injuries and you’ve got a 70-win season with a last-place finish in the AL East. Who's your player to watch this year? Gunnar Henderson...he’s the number one prospect in all of baseball and he’s got a sick name. Will they make the playoffs? See the comment above regarding October baseball (nah) What's your record prediction? 81-81...perfectly average. What's your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Yankees (F*ck ‘em both). Patrick Davis Atlanta Braves (Credit: Courtesy of Patrick Davis) What’s your prognosis for the season? BRAVES will win the World Series in six games... probably over the Astros... although I do believe the Yankees will be back in the mix this year. What are your reasonable hopes? I believe the Braves are at the very least in the NL Championship, but at this point, it is World Series or bust for us Braves fans. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I think the Braves have done a nice job of keeping young talent in Atlanta while also showing that they are not afraid to spend money on players that they know to bring a missing element to the lineup. I mean I know we all miss Freddie Freeman, but honestly, I think the front office did a pretty good job of bringing in key pieces to alleviate the loss of an MVP. What’s the ceiling/floor? The World Series trophy should be the goal and anything less than playoffs would be a disappointment. Who’s your player to watch this year? I love watching Acuña play. He plays with such quickness and natural ability... and he is also having fun... it is infectious just watching him play... in fact I believe a # of the younger Braves give off that same feeling to us viewers that these guys do not take for granted just how lucky they are to be grown men getting paid to play a boys' game. Will they make the playoffs? They better. What’s your record prediction? A healthy Braves team can push 100 wins, but I would say 88 - 95 wins would be more likely. Ron Gallo Philadelphia Phillies (Credit: Chiara D’Anzieri) What’s your prognosis for the season? That I won't pay attention at all until the Phillies are doing well late into the season and make it to the playoffs. What are your reasonable hopes? That the Phillies will do well enough that I will become interested. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I don't know the new acquisitions but Bryce Harper rips. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is made of drywall painted white and the floor is made of hardwood. Who’s your player to watch this year? In the World Series this past year, which was when I started watching, I got very pumped and hopeful every time Bryce Harper came to the plate. I also heard he frequents a Trader Joe's I go to a lot. Will they make the playoffs? OH YEAH. What’s your record prediction? 162-0 What’s your World Series matchup? Phillies vs. Kansas City Royals and we win to make up for the Super Bowl outcome in a different sport. Christian Lopez Baltimore Orioles (Credit: Courtesy of Christian Lopez) What’s your prognosis for the season? The 2023 season will be much better than the last few years. High expectations. What are your reasonable hopes? It's fair to reasonably expect a shot at the playoffs. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? The Orioles have the best farm system in the league. They brought up Gunnar Henderson last season and he is now the #1 ranked prospect in the league and the current lock for Rookie of the year. In addition, they have 8 of the top 100 prospects in the lineup. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling could be 80 wins and a playoff berth. The floor is something we don't talk about. Who’s your player to watch this year? Gunnar Henderson is the player to watch this year. A big strong dude with great tools. We expect him to be set the bar for OBP, RBI, and homers. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. 100% certain What’s your record prediction? 90-72. Pray for good pitching... Tim "Yogi" Watts, Demon Hunter, World Gone Cold Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Tim "Yogi" Watts) What’s your prognosis for this year? I’m a Cubs fan and I actually think we have a chance to win our division. What are your reasonable hopes? Division baby!!! What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We made a slew of really good pickups and filled in the places we needed help! What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling: Playoffs Floor: Middle Of Pack Who’s your player to watch this year? Seiya Suzuki. What’s your record prediction? 91-71. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your World Series matchup? Astros vs. Cubs. Joey Mamlin, The Crystal Casino Band Cleveland Guardians (Credit: Courtesy of Joey Mamlin) What’s your prognosis for the season? It’s all good vibes in Cleveland this season. After signing Jose Ramirez to a long-term extension, the team massively overperformed last year, as the youngest team in baseball. I would imagine they are still going to be among the younger teams in the league this year as well, but the success doesn’t seem unsustainable at all. We are going to see a few more rookies make their debut this season (17 made their debut last year) and we are going to see guys try to build off of last year's success. The Guards are going to be a really exciting team for many years to come. It’s possible that they are still a year or two away from title contention, but the window is almost here. This pitching staff is still among the very best in the league, with very high-quality starters and the best closer in the league, they hit for contact, steal bases and grind out wins. If they could find some power in the lineup, either from the farm system or a recent free agent signing (Josh Bell) they are going to be very dangerous. Regardless, it’s going to be a really fun team, with some great personalities and a lot of young guys. I haven’t been this excited for a baseball season since 2017 (the year after they lost in the WS to the Cubs). What are your reasonable hopes? I expect them to win the AL Central again, and hopefully make a run in the playoffs. No other teams in the division took meaningful steps forward, except for maybe Minnesota. Regardless, Cleveland has been the class of the AL Central for a decade, and Terry Francona is the greatest regular-season manager in baseball and can take this team to a division title. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? As always, the Guards had a relatively quiet offseason. Would have really liked to see them get Sean Murphy from Oakland, or make another meaningful acquisition at catcher. Mike Zunino is very ok to me (at least he can hit left-handed pitching), but catcher is still a pretty obvious hole in the lineup, unless Bo Naylor really pops this year, which could happen! I really like the Josh Bell signing, fits the culture and vibe of the team and could give them some much-needed power. The 1-year deal is a little unsettling, but if he leaves next offseason there will surely be someone in the minor league system who can step up and fill his role by that point next year. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is a World Series. Full Stop. I wouldn’t bet on that to happen, but I expect them to be there in October, and as we all know anything can happen at that point. If they get hot at the right time they can beat any team in the league. The floor is a disappointing first-round playoff exit where everybody’s bat goes cold and the starting pitching can’t carry the team anymore. Who’s your player to watch this year? I have three: Triston McKenzie is going to take the next step in superstardom this season. Likely this will be Shane Bierber’s last year in Cleveland because Triston will prove himself as the undisputed ace in the rotation. Andres Gimenez had a breakout last year. This year, I think he will solidify himself as a top 10 2nd Baseman in the league. Gabriel Arias is the most exciting prospect to me who is not a pitcher. I expect him to make the Opening Day roster and be in contention for Rookie of the Year. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, but they have to win the division. Not sure if there is a path for them as a wildcard team. What’s your record prediction? 98-64. What’s your World Series matchup? It pains me to say this, but I think we get a Subway Series, Mets vs. Yankees. Both teams really had disappointing ends to their seasons last year, and I think they (and their massive payrolls) are going to come back with a vengeance. Jordan Mullaney, The Crystal Casino Band New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Jordan Mullaney) What’s your prognosis for the season? World Series or bust. Time to finally break the mold and prove that the team can hit in the postseason and that Boone isn’t a better broadcaster than manager (showing ‘04 clips of the Red Sox is unforgivable). Yankees fans have unreasonably high expectations, but if you grew up with the adrenaline rush of postseason stakes year after year, who wouldn’t be chasing that high. October baseball in New York makes people go feral. What are your reasonable hopes? It’s not unreasonable to expect them to make or win the World Series. But also the bar is so low, that I honestly just pray that Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson, and Aaron Hicks have even barely mediocre seasons. If they can spare us the Herculean strikeout swings and game-ending infield errors, then I’ll be happy enough to forget the money/years we’re losing on them. Also, I reasonably hope that Boone can competently manage the bullpen. Use Clay Holmes! What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Initially, I was agnostic about the Judge resigning but ultimately I think now officially making him captain is the start of a new era. Passing Maris, there’s now less pressure to prove his worth and for Yankees fans to argue his legacy. We can say goodbye to the gut punches of the Baby Bombers years and start new. The fact that 2017 is the postseason we’re still romanticizing is embarrassing. Also, Carlos Rodon, very happy about that. What’s the ceiling/floor? Win it all. I wanna be glued to sports talk radio and have faith that there’s a future in Cashman/Boone. Who’s your player to watch this year? Oswaldo Peraza came up BIG last postseason and I’m a believer that there’s untapped potential there. Also, I’m manifesting he can completely oust Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the roster. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 105-57. What’s your World Series matchup? Cliche but Yankees vs. Mets. Prove to us you’re finally the big market franchise after the Cohen acquisition. I’d also love for the Yankees to get one final knock against Verlander. Also, if they lose in the WS again maybe Julian Casablancas will write a banger follow-up to "Ode to the Mets." Cody Fitzgerald, Stolen Jars New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Cody Fitzgerald) What’s your prognosis for the season? My dad has always been a huge Yankees fan and throughout my life a bit of that fandom has rubbed off on me. This year is definitely going to be an interesting one with all of the new rule changes. Personally, I’m excited to see the end of the shift. I’ve always preferred when teams play more small ball and go for base hits and the shift had all but eliminated that, so I think we will see some of that return. As for the Yankees in particular, I think they will win the AL East, but I don’t know if they’ve done enough to close the gap with Houston, especially with Hicks and Kiner-Falefa in the lineup. Hicks had a terrible year last year and the Yankees didn’t trust Kiner-Falefa enough to count on him in the playoffs. What are your reasonable hopes? I’m hoping for a good mid-year signing to close the gap with Houston… or better yet maybe one of their rookies will have a break year! I think if that happens, winning the World Series could definitely be in the picture. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m excited about adding Carlos Rodón to the rotation, he definitely will make the Yankees’ pitching much stronger. Sad that Frankie Montas is missing the season and I was disappointed that they didn’t sign a lefty-hitting outfielder to replace Hicks. What’s the ceiling/floor? 105 is probably the most games they could win and 90 would be better than average but disappointing. Who’s your player to watch this year? Well, health is the main issue for the Yankees and has been for years, particularly with Giancarlo Stanton - if he stays healthy then the lineup is fierce. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 97-65. What’s your World Series matchup? My dream matchup is Yankees vs. Mets, my prediction is probably Houston vs. Dodgers. NEWSKI Milwaukee Brewers (Credit: Scotty) What’s your prognosis for the season? Brewers bring Robin Yount out of retirement to co-manage. Morale explodes thru the roof, Yelich hits .301, and Paul Molitor wins $23,000 via gambling on the team. What are your reasonable hopes? Reconstruct Milwaukee County Stadium and bring back the BYOB policy from the '70s. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Not bad, pretty good. What’s the ceiling/floor? Sausage Race. Who’s your player to watch this year? Henry Rowengartner: best fastball in the game. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 104-58. What’s your World Series matchup? Brewers vs. Padres. The Ries Brothers Tampa Bay Rays (Credit: Courtesy of the Ries Brothers) What’s your prognosis for this year? What the Rays consistently do with one of the lowest payrolls in the sport always amazes and inspires us. The farm system is the best in the game. Year after year we always find a way into the playoffs, and although we haven't hoisted the trophy yet, we trust Kevin Cash to get us there within the next few years. Getting past the Astros and Yankees is always tough but we have the fight to do it this year. What are your reasonable hopes? The last two seasons have seen disappointing early playoff exits after 2020's World Series appearance. Would love to see another appearance this year along with a division title. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? We think our new starting pitcher, Zach Eflin, will be a tremendous addition to our rotation and gives us one of the best starting pitching rotations in all of baseball! We got to see him pitch during spring training and he was electric. What’s the ceiling/floor? Hoping the pitching can carry them back to the World Series but most likely we don't have the bats to take us all the way. We'd say ALCS is the ceiling. Who’s your player to watch this year? We think Wander Franco will have an MVP season this year. It will only be his second full season in the MLB! Also we think Josh Lowe will be a breakout star for the Rays this year as well. What’s your record prediction? 101-61. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs. Yankees. Justin Tessier, The Blue Stones Detroit Tigers (Credit: Courtesy of Justin Tessier) What’s your prognosis for the season? Even as a die-hard Tigers fan, I gotta admit that things don’t look rosy for the Motor City this year. On one hand, I'm excited to see some of our young talent start to come into their own. Players like Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene have a ton of potential – I think they could really make an impact this year, and we can see what the future of the franchise looks like. But obviously, we’re still in a rebuild. The pitching staff is still a bit shaky, and there’s some holes in the lineup that need to be filled. The AL Central will be tough again this year – the Twins look good, and Cleveland could surprise everyone again this season. All that said, the whole season’s not a write-off. AJ Hinch is great, and I think he can help the team take some big steps forward this year. I have a good feeling about Scott Harris as GM, too. If some of our young players really step up and some of the veterans have solid seasons, I think the Tigers could surprise some people. What are your reasonable hopes? First and foremost, I hope we continue to develop our young talent. Players like Torkelson and Greene could be the future of the franchise, and we need them to step up as young leaders on this team. It’d be great to give some of the division contenders a hard time. I’d be pretty happy with a third-place finish at the end of the season. Of course, it’d be awesome to see Miggy go out with a bang on his farewell tour. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? To be honest, I was hoping that we’d make a few more moves to strengthen the pitching staff or add some immediate depth to the lineup. It looks like the Tigers are taking a patient and strategic approach to the rebuild. They're focusing on developing their young talent and building a team that can compete for years to come. It might not lead to immediate success, but I think it's the right approach for the long term. What’s the ceiling/floor? I hate to be pessimistic, but we might struggle again this season. That said, it can’t get worse than last season (can it? 2003 anyone?) If some of their key players don't perform up to expectations or if injuries start to pile up, they could end up finishing around the bottom of the division again. Realistically, I don't see them finishing with fewer than 65 wins. The ceiling is probably around .500. If everything goes right for them and their young players develop quickly, they could surprise some people and finish with a winning record. However, I don't think they're quite ready to compete with the top teams in the division just yet. Who’s your player to watch this year? I’ve got my eye on Riley Greene. He had some really exciting moments last season. If he’s playing at 100%, I think we’ll see even more flashy moments from him. He’s got a great opportunity here to step up as a future leader of this team, so it’ll be interesting to see how he makes the most of it. Will they make the playoffs? As much as it pains me to admit we won’t have an October again, it’s probably the truth. I’m more focused on how our young talent develops and shapes up this year. What’s your record prediction? Just under .500 if we can stay healthy. Call it 75-87. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. Yankees. Hard to say for sure, there’ve been lots of exciting moves around the league this year (I’m stoked to see Scherzer and Verlander reunited this year), but those teams look great. The Padres and the Braves look good, too. Robbie Kingsley, The Hails Tampa Bay Rays (Credit: Courtesy of Robbie Kingsley) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Rays are absolutely a playoff team. The news of Tyler Glasnow injuring his oblique is frustrating, but the rotation is still nasty and the bats should be better than they have been in recent years. What are your reasonable hopes? 92 wins. Unfortunately probably not enough to beat New York out for the AL East title, but we'll be in the postseason doing some damage; you never know what crazy sh!t Randy Arozarena will do. Gotta watch out for Baltimore, though. They're coming up. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I really hope they lock up Arozarena as they did with Wander Franco, but it's exciting to see the Rays throw some cash around. Zach Eflin was the only true major name they signed this offseason and he'll fit nicely into the starting rotation. Locking up Pete Fairbanks was smart, too. The bullpen is stacked. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling involves Wander Franco becoming a bona fide superstar, Brandon Lowe batting .300, and Shane McClanahan winning the Cy Young among many other wild possibilities. If all that happens, the ceiling would be 105 wins easily. Let me dream. A nightmarish floor would involve tons of injuries after already losing Glasnow and Kittredge for some time and we only end up with about 75 wins. Who’s your player to watch this year? Isaac Paredes. He's the guy who kind of made Ji-Man Choi expendable, which is sad because everyone loves Ji-Man. Yandy Diaz can now solely play 1B because Paredes is ready to take over third base and could be our first franchise guy since Evan Longoria. I wouldn't be surprised if Paredes hits 35 home runs this year. Will they make the playoffs? Yes, make it five straight appearances! What’s your record prediction? 92-70. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Mets. Why not? New York could use some excitement. Obviously, the Mets would sweep. Dillon Basse, flipturn Boston Red Sox (Credit: Courtesy of Dillon Basse) What’s your prognosis for the season? Having come in dead last in our division last year there’s really nowhere to go but up so I believe we will make some strides with the new acquisitions and land somewhere around 2nd or 3rd in the Al East What are your reasonable hopes? I think it’s reasonable to hope the Sox make the playoffs. They have some studs on the roster and they have never really been a team to go back-to-back seasons with a losing record. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I'm really excited about Masataka Yoshida. He’s been killing it for team Japan in the WBC. What’s the ceiling/floor? Floor is definitely last place again but I’d say the ceiling is a solid playoff team that could put up a fight. Who’s your player to watch this year? Justin Turner. Really excited to see if he can replicate what he did in L.A. in Boston. Will they make the playoffs? My final answer is probably not. What’s your record prediction? 84-78. What’s your World Series matchup? Padres vs. Mariners. Nathan Esquite, A R I Z O N A New York Mets (Credit: Courtesy of Nathan Esquite) What are your reasonable hopes? Ever since Tug McGraw coined our famously heartwarming battle cry of “Ya Gotta Believe!” in 1973, we’ve been believing even when it felt like we’ve had no right to. Well, Tug gave us freedom to believe — but Stevie is giving us reason to HOPE! And when you mix hope and belief, well now it sounds like I’m about to launch into a speech out of a Disney movie. And hell, maybe I am. Maybe I am. 162 - 0 or bust! What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Ok, we get it. We spent a ton of money and everyone is upset about it. But look up and down the roster, and other than the pitchers, you’ll see virtually the same exact team. Same outfield. Same infield. And as a fan that makes me happy. Maybe next year we’ll go crazy and try to lure the likes of Machado and Ohtani, but this year we locked up good scrappy homegrown players and fan favorites like Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo. We replaced Jake with Verlander. Bassitt and Walker with Quintana and Senga. I still think we’re missing a power bat to complement Pete … but with the shift gone our contact hitting should play even better than last year — where we had the second-highest team batting average in MLB. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is an NL East title and a World Series. The floor, if Max and Justin’s age catches up to them, is a third-place Wild Card berth … and then a magical run to the WS. Ceiling: 107 wins. Floor: 84 … but a ton would have to go wrong. Who’s your player to watch this year? I think most would say Verlander, because he’s the reigning Cy Young and future HOFer. But I am most excited about Senga. He has this pitch called the “Ghost Fork” that apparently just falls right off the table and disappears, hence the name. And I always think it’s fun when great players come from Japan because you never really know how they’ll do. That uncertainty makes rooting for a guy like him so much fun. I’d also love to see if my boy Jeffy McHits can follow up his Batting Championship with another. The Squirrel is an absolute legend. Will they make the playoffs? Man, if they don’t it will be the disaster of all disasters. Or as we Mets fans call it: life as usual, but yes, barring Justin Verlander’s arm falling into Flushing Bay, The Metsies comfortably make the playoffs. And this year we beat those damn Braves for once! What’s your record prediction? Last year they won 101 which was somehow only good enough for second place (did I mention how The Braves haunt my dreams at night??) This year we win 103 and ATL wins 97. What’s your World Series matchup? As much as it scares me, I’m predicting a repeat of the 2000 Subway Series. Yanks take a 2-0 lead. All seems lost. But then it goes to a Game 7. Bottom of the ninth. Bases loaded. Two out. Down by two. Starling Marte slams a bases-clearing double to walk it off. A single tear just rolled down my cheek writing that. Steve Adams, ALO Oakland A's (Credit: Courtesy of Steve Adams) What’s your prognosis for the season? I’m gonna admit up front, I’m not a super in-depth baseball fanatic when it comes to all the stats and history, but I love the game and have been enthusiastically watching my hometown team - the Oakland A’s - more closely these past few years. I loved baseball as a kid, went to many A’s games, played through all the little league years, even umpired as one of my first paying jobs. I sorta walked away from it once I was more on the “musician path”, but recently have come back around to it, realizing how much I love the game. I even joined a Spring softball team a couple of years ago to get back to that feeling. But to answer the question, my prognosis for the season is that it’s gonna be fun and full of surprises, including lots of new players to watch, as always. The A’s seem to be one of those teams that builds up a great roster, develops players, has a pretty good year, and then eventually trades off their stars and starts over. They always seem like they’re in the competitive mix, but rarely able to go all the way. But when they do, it’s magic. They are one of the classic “underdog” teams that has to play with grit and heart, and that’s probably what makes them so fun to watch and root for. I’ve noticed they keep announcing new players getting added to the team this year, so I’m really excited to see how all the new guys play out. What are your reasonable hopes? I’d love to see the A’s make it to the postseason, with momentum of course. If you make it there, there’s always a chance, always hope to go further. And I’d love to see Mark Kotsay, who took over for the great Bob Melvin now in San Diego, settle in as coach and find his groove, make good decisions, and be stoked on his roster. The other obvious hope for A’s fans is that we get to keep our team here in Oakland! I love the old-school Coliseum, but the new site plans look amazing as well. But however it shakes out, I just hope we get to keep our team. We lost the Warriors, the Raiders.. these teams are so great for the community, for connecting, for town identity. It’s so special to have something like a team everyone can rally behind, and be together about. So fingers crossed! Who’s your player to watch this year? Of course, I’m excited to see how the traded greats from the A’s do - once a fan, always a fan. I look forward to catching the A’s vs Braves, watching Matt Olson and Sean Murphy back together. And with the A’s vs Blue Jay’s, we’ll get to see Chris Bassett and Matt Chapman back together. I’m excited to see how Bob Melvin and the Padres do as well. Being a big fan of Melvin from the A’s days, I can’t help but be a little excited for him and San Diego. I also always love watching Tony Kemp on the A’s, maybe my favorite player in the league! And Ramon Laureano has had some incredible games during his few seasons with the A’s, big fan of his too. What’s your World Series matchup? A’s vs. Giants forever. Hard to beat a Bay Area series matchup, we’re ready for it! Go Oakland! Donice Morace Houston Astros (Credit: Courtesy of Donice Morace) What’s your prognosis for the season? I think they have a shot at another really great season if they can stay healthy. What are your reasonable hopes? Winning the division, and having home-field advantage in playoffs. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I’m really excited about Jose Abreu and some of the young guys have looked great in preseason games. What’s the ceiling/floor? They absolutely have a chance of winning the World Series again. Their floor would be getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. Who’s your player to watch this year? The player that interests me and has the most impact is Yordan Alvarez and if he can stay healthy. Will they make the playoffs? I really think they make the playoffs easily. What’s your record prediction? 102-60. What’s your World Series matchup? That’s a hard question. I think we’ll see the Astros and the Braves in the World Series this year. Brent Stranathan, Near Beer New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Brent Stranathan) What’s your prognosis for the season? Believe it or not, I'm really looking forward to the rule changes! After waiting 10 years in vain for batters to adjust against shifts, I'm glad we've acknowledged that change wasn't coming organically. Same with the Manfred Man. I was initially against the limited number of pickoff attempts, but if the end result is more stolen base attempts I'm in! By the time May rolls around, we'll be so mad at ourselves for not instituting the pitch clock sooner. What are your reasonable hopes? Yanks stay mostly healthy and make the ALCS. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Obviously, resigning Aaron Judge was huge. Rodon is a great addition that'll take some pressure off Cole to be so perfect. What’s the ceiling/floor? First AL East. Stay out of the wildcard. Although it didn't seem to hurt the teams that won the short series' last year. So 2nd AL east. Who’s your player to watch this year? I'm really looking forward to watching Harrison Bader every day in CF. Will they make the playoffs? Yes. What’s your record prediction? 108 Wins. What’s your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Phillies. Jason DeVore, Authority Zero Arizona Diamondbacks (Credit: Courtesy of Jason DeVore) What’s your prognosis for the season? I feel that the D-backs are going to turn a lot of heads and make Arizona proud with an incredible 2023 season. What are your reasonable hopes? Plain and simple, the D-backs come in dominating! What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Time will tell, but it seems like acquiring catcher Gabriel Moreno from the Blue Jays was a great move. He was a top prospect and I feel he has a bright future ahead of him with our home-state D-backs. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling for the D-backs is a World Series championship, but the floor needs to be our increased dominance in the NL West. Who’s your player to watch this year? RF Jake McCarthy is poised to have another standout year as a hitter. He pretty much led the team in hitting in 2022. Will they make the playoffs? I’m going to say YES. I feel the D-backs are going to rebound from 2022. I feel we have a strong team this year and we should make the playoffs. What’s your record prediction? It's Arizona's 111th Birthday this year, so what the hell, I am going with 111-51. What’s your World Series matchup? The best possible World Series matchup to me would be the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees. History has proven that the Yankees are clearly a strong team and we would all love to see that matchup revisited from 2001. Sean Johnson, The Pretty Flowers Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Courtesy of Sean Johnson) What’s your prognosis for the season? Likely be postseason again and then, hopefully not squander World Series hopes...again... What are your reasonable hopes? Likely be postseason again and then, hopefully not squander World Series hopes...again... What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Sounds like management didn't want to pay for some of the bigger players this year, so we'll see who comes back or doesn't. We'll see how the trade with Rojas goes and if it's worth the money. What’s the ceiling/floor? I'm a huge Dodgers fan and I love that they are such an integral part of L.A., but I don't follow stats enough to make even an educated guess on this one! Who’s your player to watch this year? I am not sure if things are cemented yet and if he's still on the roster, but it will be interesting to see what happens with Clayton Kershaw as he's on the way out, as it were. He can either come out swinging (intended...) or this will be the final nail in the coffin. Either way, the guy has had an incredible career, so we'll see. Will they make the playoffs? If the last 10 years is any indication, yes. What’s your record prediction? I'm not fluent enough to give a truly educated guess, but let's say 110, plus or minus a couple. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers and Oakland A's I suppose. In 1988 when the Dodgers won the WS, I was actually an A's fan at the time (Bash Brothers, sorry...) and I was bummed. To see the Dodgers do that again, but as an actual Dodger fan, would be fun. It's more nostalgic and emotional than statistical. Darwin Meiners, Night Crickets San Francisco Giants (Credit: Courtesy of Darwin Meiners) What’s your prognosis for the season? I'm afraid I don't have much hope they even make the playoffs this season. They do have the potential to hit a lot of home runs so that might be a fun way to endure this season. What are your reasonable hopes? That they can continue to develop some of their younger players and perhaps catch fire if several players have career years. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? They had the worst offseason I can remember! What’s the ceiling/floor? Make the Wild Card would be the best and obviously coming in last place would be the floor. Who’s your player to watch this year? Logan Webb. He could become a Cy Young-type pitcher if he continues to improve at the pace he has. Will they make the playoffs? Not likely. What’s your record prediction? Somewhere around .500. What’s your World Series matchup? Astros defeat Dodgers. Kandi Moon, Glitter Wizard Chicago Cubs/San Diego Padres (Credit: Courtesy of Kandi Moon) What’s your prognosis for the season? Honestly I think 2023 might be the Padres' year. I was born in Hollow Earth but spent most of my childhood in San Diego, and the rest of my family is from Chicago. My two teams growing up were the Cubs and the Padres, so I am well-versed in disappointment. The Padres had a great season last year and beating the Dodgers was almost as good as winning the World Series. The Padres were underdogs without Tatis and beat one of the best teams in the league last year on pure piss and vinegar. I think when Tatis gets back in the lineup and the rest of the team healthy they could go all the way in 2023 and I think it will be the Padres vs Astros in the World Series. If the Cubs can win the World Series in 2016, after the curse of the Billy Goat, anything is possible. What are your reasonable hopes? If the 2023 postseason is anything like last year's I will be stoked. That was some of the best baseball I have seen played in years. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I think Xander Bogaerts will be a great addition to the team if they figure out where to put him when Tatis gets back. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling is the Padres winning the World Series. Floor is the Cubs finishing last in the worst division in Major League Baseball. Who’s your player to watch this year? Aaron Judge is always fun to watch, Justin Verlander is great, Urias, Scherzer, Alvarado. I used to be a pitcher and it's nuts how much the game has changed for pitchers and how pitchers are rated/cultivated. Verlander is exciting to watch, excellent command and nasty offspeed pitches. What’s your record prediction? Oof who knows anymore? There were four teams with 100-plus wins last year. I think it will be a lot of the same heavyweights with around 100 wins, Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, and hopefully, the Padres get up there too. Although they historically like sneaking in through the wild card back door. What’s your World Series matchup? Padres vs. Astros. Chris Berardo New York Yankees (Credit: Courtesy of Chris Berado) What's your prognosis for the season? Well, I hate to say the Yankees will win 95 games and lose to Houston in the playoffs, but although they’ve made some good signings this offseason, they’re kind of choosing to run it back from last year and every Yankee fan knows that just will not do … still, they are absolutely good enough to get over that hump this year … What are your reasonable hopes? A World Series championship and a big fun parade … this is reasonable … I am a reasonable man … ask anybody … What do you think of your team's new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? They did the absolute Had To Do It Right Thing by resigning Judge and Rizzo, but not much else to jump-start a talented offense that tends to go into prolonged slumps … the addition of Carlos Rodon is huge and when healthy they may have the best starting staff in the business … What's the ceiling/floor? I feel like the floor is still 90 wins and sneaking into the postseason in a very tough division, but it is time to hang another Championship banner and it’s certainly possible … as stated above, I am a reasonable (ish) man, but it’s time to get it done! Who's your player to watch this year? Aaron Judge. I think seeing how he (Judge) will come back after the season for the ages that he had last year will be fascinating … you can’t expect him to top that, but another MVP-like season will really put him on an all-time level … he’s the Captain now, it’s his team and I feel good about that … Will they make the playoffs? Yes, barring a colossal freak out on the kind of massive scale that would be hard for the human brain to process … or, you know, like, injuries. What's your record prediction? 96-66. What's your World Series matchup? Yankees vs. Braves. I love a parade … Daniel Lyon, Spirit Award Seattle Mariners (Credit: Courtesy of Daniel Lyon) What’s your prognosis for the season? I'm going to say I go to a few games, likely get day-drunk, sunburnt and high. Eat a fair amount of nachos, drink some white wine seltzers and enjoy some sportsball. What are your reasonable hopes? That I don't get the spins. Also that ALL the players get home runs, slaps on the bottom, and their dads say the love them if they win or lose. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Really hoping that they add a Dick's Hamburgers or Taco Time in the concession stands. Lacking some quality Seattle fast food. What’s the ceiling/floor? Heaven / Lava. Who’s your player to watch this year? The ones with the best bums... But also let's bring Randy Johnson back - to keep the bird population down. Will they make the playoffs? Probably not, but let's go shout in a crowd of thousands of people at them anyhow while the earth slowly dies. What’s your record prediction? I'm gonna say we do 90-72. What’s your World Series matchup? Cleveland vs. Cincinnati. Just really wanna watch Ohio be as divided as possible, both politically and sports-ly. Sean Neumann, Ratboys Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Sean Neumann) What’s your prognosis for this year? I’m really excited for the Cubs’ future for the first time since the 2016 World Series season. This upcoming year could have easily been an utterly miserable slog, but they gave me a shot in the arm with high-profile moves this offseason, which I believe will jumpstart their rebuild. At the minimum, adding Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, Trey Mancini, and Eric Hosmer (all of whom have World Series titles in the last eight years) to our mainstay dependables like Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, and Kyle Hendricks makes the Cubs look competitive enough on paper for this season to be fun for me again – especially after watching what felt like it could’ve been the start of a dynasty in 2016 fall through our hands like a pile of sand these past few seasons. Something about this 2023 team just feels so ragtag and unpredictable. I’m all about it. What are your reasonable hopes? Reasonably, I hope they have a handful of memorable moments in the regular season, find a way to make a wild card spot, and make my heart beat a little bit come October. The “there’s always next year” kid inside of me feels like he has a pulse again, and I’m getting excited to go to Wrigley to catch a few competitive games this year and not just to look at the vines. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? The new acquisitions are incredibly exciting and give me some faith. Everyone they’ve grabbed is a proven star but still feels like they have a chip on their shoulder. Mancini just won “comeback player of the year” two seasons ago, Swanson bet on himself to leave the Braves, and Bellinger is on a one-year contract just four years removed from being the MVP and trying to raise his status back to that level. They seem like they’re going to make for a hungry and driven group who will play hard every day, and that’s the core component for a good team over a 162-game season. What’s the ceiling/floor? My ceiling for them is to get to the playoffs, upset someone, and claw their way through a round or two. My floor for them would be a repeat of 3rd place in the NL Central Division, and the lifelong Cub fan in me knows there’s a basement underneath that floor. Who’s your player to watch this year? Dansby Swanson. Coming off a year with a career-high in hits and RBIs, he seems in the prime of his career. His pairing with Nico Hoerner at second base might make for one of the best middle infields in the game. And I’m hoping the fact he’s now in Chicago with his wife, Chicago Red Stars’ Mal Pugh translates to an easy transition with the new team. What’s your record prediction? 82-80. Will they make the playoffs? Yes (Wild Card). What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs. Astros. Astros win in six. Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan, Ratboys Chicago White Sox (Credit: Courtesy of Julia Steiner & Dave Sagan) What’s your prognosis for this year? Things feel awful for the Sox right now. The off-season addition of Mike Clevinger (and ownership's refusal to address the allegations of domestic and child abuse against him or to bench him during the investigation that's still ongoing) has just totally soured my outlook on the team. The dude should not be on our roster. Then there's losing Jose Abreu (to the Astros, of all places) and a series of uninspiring acquisitions... I have trouble picturing this team as one that'll seriously compete for a division title or make the playoffs. What are your reasonable hopes? I hope that our core group of great players (Tim, Robert, Eloy) can stay healthy at the same time and put up some runs. I'm also excited to see what Andrew Vaughn can do playing first base every day, having that consistent role with the team. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? From downright despicable to meh. Clevinger shouldn't be employed. I guess Andrew Benintendi was our big splash acquisition, but it doesn't feel that exciting. Not sure we've gotten better from last year. What’s the ceiling/floor? The ceiling is a Wild Card playoff berth and quick exit (hope I'm wrong). The floor is last in the division. Who’s your player to watch this year? Dylan Cease. He should've been an All-Star in '22, and I think he's gonna be even better this year. The 'stache puts in the work. What’s your record prediction? 85-77. Will they make the playoffs? No. What’s your World Series matchup? Mets vs Yankees. Yanks win it all in six. Isaac Gibson, 49 Winchester Atlanta Braves (Credit: Courtesy of Isaac Gibson) What’s your prognosis for the season? The Braves bring a top-notch offense and a stable full of good arms to the table once again, they will be hard to beat in the East, and they will have a few guys that could be in the talks for MVP by season's end. I think the Braves are the team to beat in the NL. What are your reasonable hopes? I think the organization and fanbase will be unsatisfied with anything less than a deep playoff run. Last year's playoff exit really stung, but the talent of this team is outstanding. It's hard to keep everything chugging in the postseason, my hope is bats and arms stay hot once we get there. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I'm glad they held their hand. They kept the great young core together. I liked the Sean Murphy addition. I'm glad they didn't overthink it. What’s the ceiling/floor? Hard to say if injuries comes into play, but if this team is healthy the floor will be a second-place finish in the NL East. The ceiling, another World Series trophy comes back to Atlanta. Who’s your player to watch this year? I'm anxious to see if Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II can follow up on their phenomenal rookie seasons. Will they make the playoffs? I think they certainly should, but I've seen stranger things happen. It's baseball. Ben Roter, Quarters of Change New York Mets (Credit: Zachary Olenwnicki) What’s your prognosis for this year? Prognosis and hopes for the season are very high… What are your reasonable hopes? The signings of Senga and Verlander should strengthen the starting rotation. And resigning McNeil and Nimmo means a lot to dedicated Mets fans since they were drafted by the team over 10 years ago. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? There is no lack of acquisitions, we made many good moves: Pitcher, Justin Verlander Pitcher, Kodai Senga Pitcher, Jose Quintana Catcher, Omar Narvaez What’s the ceiling/floor? After a 101-61 season last year, there is no ceiling given the roster has only improved. Who’s your player to watch this year? Players to watch this year will be Nimmo and McNeil to see how the “Met lifers” perform. What’s your record prediction? 105-57. Will they make the playoffs? We’ll certainly make the playoffs. What’s your World Series matchup? World Series matchup is Mets vs. Toronto Blue Jays! Alexander Beggins, Wild Child/Coco Zandi Houston Astros (Credit: Courtesy of Alexander Beggins) What’s your prognosis for this year? The Stros will bring the trophy back to H-Town once again. Just like the old times (last year). What are your reasonable hopes? It’s hard to have reasonable hopes coming off of a championship year. It’s all high hopes this year for us. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Losing Verlander to the Mets is a dagger, but I'd like to hope that bringing Abreu in to the mix, will help our chances. I also think bringing back Rafael Montero will help bring some depth back into our bullpen. What’s the ceiling/floor? 106 is going to be a hard number to reach, but I think we’ll land in the mid-90s. Who’s your player to watch this year? Jeremy Peña. What’s your record prediction? 95 - 67. Will they make the playoffs? Always. What’s your World Series matchup? Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves. Emile Panerio, Plastic Picnic New York Mets and Seattle Mariners (Credit: Grace Prock) What’s your prognosis for this year? I'm having some faith in the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners. What are your reasonable hopes? The New York Mets winning the chip. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Pitching for the Mets is looking exciting but Diaz's injury will hurt us. For Seattle, I’m excited about Topa and our minor league outfielders, but not sure we’ll see their progress this season. I'm a little worried about our remaining pitching and the coaching changes for Seattle after last year's promising season. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling, Seattle wins. Floor, Mets and Seattle choke before the playoffs. Who’s your player to watch this year? I'm excited to see Brett Baty play. I saw his first homer live last season and it was romantic. It will be fun to see Verlander throw too; it's always cool to see a veteran in the blue and orange. What’s your record prediction? Mets 95 - 67. Mariners 91 - 71. Will they make the playoffs? Yes to both teams. What’s your World Series matchup? I think a Subway Series is likely, but I will continue to romanticize a Mariners vs. Mets series. Matt the Electrician San Francisco Giants (Credit: Ramona Sever) What’s your prognosis for the season? I think we have a good chance to be in the hunt, and at least in the middle of our division throughout the season. What are your reasonable hopes? That our pitching holds up. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Very excited about Bryce Johnson and his speed on the base path. Michael Conforto, Blake Sabol, Brett Wisely and Casey Schmitt have all been looking really good as well. What’s the ceiling/floor? The best thing about the Giants in the last 20 years is that whatever the team makeup, you never really know if they might not just play like a really terrific team and exceed expectations. Who’s your player to watch this year? Bryce Johnson. 12 for 12 stolen bases in spring training, leading all MLB. Will they make the playoffs? I'd like to think so. What’s your record prediction? 90-72 What’s your World Series matchup? Padres vs. Astros. Henry Ismert, Hammerhedd Kansas City Royals (Credit: The Ismerts) What’s your prognosis for the season? I’m optimistic! Definitely more so than I have been the past three-to-four years… I just like watching our young guys play. It seems like we officially handed them the reins at the end of last season, and I’d like to see what they can do with a full season at the helm. Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez, Vinny Pasquentino, and Michael Massy are the guys I have high hopes for individually. What are your reasonable hopes? I think 75-80 wins would be huge. Mainly though, we need to establish a few guys in the lineup we can count on (we haven’t had any at all except maybe Salvy Perez in the last 4 years), and we need to establish at least three-to-four solid bullpen guys. Regardless of the wins, I’ll be happy if those two things happen. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Once again, I’m optimistic! Our biggest acquisition this offseason was Aroldis Chapman; I don’t have super high expectations for him performance-wise, I just hope he becomes a solid veteran bullpen leader for our young guys. A lot of times, that seems to be all a bullpen is missing. We didn’t have even one guy we could totally rely on last year, so we desperately need one this season. What’s the ceiling/floor? The floor is last season… 65 wins. That can’t happen this season. I think the absolute ceiling is a wild card game if we win somewhere around 84-88 games. That would be insane. If I were to bet on it, I’d say we win 76 games this year and gain some momentum and confidence for next year. Who’s your player to watch this year? MJ Melendez or Bobby Witt Jr., two of our best young guys. These two specifically have shown serious potential; MJ looks super comfortable at the plate, and he’s an amazing defensive catcher. We had him play right field a bit last year as well because Salvy would catch half the games, and he performed well out there too. Witt Jr. is our biggest prospect of the last five years, and he’s pretty much lived up to the hype. Great hitter, great third baseman, and a great, energetic locker room personality. The only question about him left this season is: will he assume a leadership role and perform well now that we must count on him? We shall see. Will they make the playoffs? I think we have a slight shot just because our division is so bad. I feel like we could win the AL Central with 89 wins. So maybe! What’s your record prediction? 76-86. What’s your World Series matchup? Blue Jays vs. Mets. Ryland Heagy, Origami Angel Philadelphia Phillies (Credit: Kaylee Garrett) What’s your prognosis for the season? I'm actually so excited for this year, especially to see how the pitch clock affects actual real game situations. It's something I'm not quite sold on yet, like in a situation where a homerun can be wiped off the board, which happened earlier in spring training, but I'm interested to see the game speed up and how the bigger bases will impact offense. What are your reasonable hopes? I'm a Philadelphia Phillies fan, so my reasonable hope is that they win every game of the regular season and have a perfect, undefeated playoff en route to a World Series title. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? I'm SO amped for Trea Turner. He was absolutely killing it in the World Baseball Classic, and I'm stoked to see him in a Phils uniform this season. What’s the ceiling/floor? Since Bryce Harper is going to be out for some time, I think a realistic floor is hard to choose. Phils will have a crazy offense but without their emotional leader for at least half of the season, they could very well be a fringe playoff team. That said, give them a healthy team with a healthy Bryce going into the offseason and anything can happen! Who’s your player to watch this year? Brandon Marsh! I think he's a defensive beast already and will put it together to round out the bottom half of the lineup. Small improvements but he's an absolute x factor Will they make the playoffs? I'm not sure. But also I'm absolutely sure, yes they will. What’s your record prediction? 91-71 put money on it right now. What’s your World Series matchup? Run it back, Phillies vs. The Cheaters, 4-0 sweep in favor of the Phils. Greg Katz, Cheekface Los Angeles Dodgers (Credit: Carly Palicz) What’s your prognosis for the season? Shohei throws a perfect game and homers in the same game, and the Angels still lose. Pete Alonso gets back to polar bear physique by the All-Star Break. Nasty Nestor's mustache is blamed for at least one pitch clock violation. What are your reasonable hopes? Arte Moreno is indicted by the feds, is forced to liquidate the Angels to stay out of prison, and as a result Shohei goes to the Dodgers. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? It's nice to see the Dodgers saving a little money this year to get Shohei into Dodger blue next year. What’s the ceiling/floor? To be a Dodger fan is to know pain. The ceiling is losing in Game 7 of the World Series. The floor is Mookie quits baseball to focus on bowling. Who’s your player to watch this year? Cheekface singing the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium. (Manifesting here.) I'd wear my Piazza Mets jersey just to add some drama. Will they make the playoffs? If Mookie doesn't quit for bowling, look for the Dodgers to make the playoffs. If Mookie does quit for bowling, looking for Mookie to make the USBC Open Championships. What’s your record prediction? 93-69. What’s your World Series matchup? Dodgers vs. A's, hopefully. Will Lindsay, Caracara Philadelphia Phillies (Credit: Courtesy of Caracara) What’s your prognosis for the season? We've got both Phillies and Mets fans in the band, which shows that folks truly can get along in the name of indie rock. Philly will always have our hearts though, so we're talking Phillies here. We expect the Phillies to deliver a 100-win season, with loads of home runs, but questionable fielding. What are your reasonable hopes? World Series or bust. This year is about redemption. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Our Phils haven't made too many changes, and we're happy with and excited about the roster as it stands. We're all big fans of Rhys Hoskins, and although we're heartbroken to see him out for the season with a torn ACL, we're also big fans of Long Ball Hall and excited to see what he brings to the infield. What’s the ceiling/floor? Ceiling - Victory in the World Series and greased lamp posts all over Philadelphia. Floor - Losing the NL East Division to the Mets and having to sneak into the playoffs via the wildcard. Who’s your player to watch this year? We've got eyes on Kyle Schwarber - watching that big bear of a man hit mammoth dingers is a sight for all to enjoy, except for our dear Mets fans, of course. Will they make the playoffs? Absolutely. Missing the playoffs after last year's success would be a massive letdown. Our boys are going the distance. What’s your record prediction? 101-61. What’s your World Series matchup? Phillies vs. Houston Astros. Once more for posterity- the Fightins will be bringing home the hardware, even if the Astros decide to take the low road again. Abby K Chicago Cubs (Credit: Courtesy of Abby K) What’s your prognosis for the season? Cubs have taken good strides towards their defense which is key to any champion team. Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger What are your reasonable hopes? My hope is to see the Cubs above .500. I think the Cubs can keep building slowly towards low-end playoff conversations. What do you think of your team’s new acquisitions (or lack thereof)? Great acquisitions but need more. Kept good performers. Hoping new ones show some stuff. What’s the ceiling/floor? Last team in the playoffs. Close to .500. I’ll be happy to be the worst of the best. Who’s your player to watch this year? Why?- Seiya Suzuki. Best shape going into Spring training. Lots of room to improve even more. Could be Cubs best player. Will they make the playoffs? Super hopeful. Probably not. Not impossible, but unlikely. What’s your record prediction? 83-79. What’s your World Series matchup? Kind of early but Padres vs. Astros

Cypress Hill

IMPACT

more from spin

Get New Music, News, Reviews, And More Delivered Right To Your Inbox.