Spring training is now in full swing for all 32 major league teams. With spring training brings a new sense of optimism for all teams and the hope that everything will go their way, possibly even ending with a World Series title.
Despite this optimism, there are a few teams that are just head and shoulders above the curve talent-wise. My predictions for the 2011 season, as far as division winners and the playoffs, are as follows.
Major League Baseball lost one of its special people Wednesday night.
Bob Feller lost his fight with Leukemia and has left the baseball world in mourning. Feller was not only one of the all-time greatest pitchers, but a great man as well.
Feller, who pitched for the Cleveland Indians for 18 seasons, left baseball to go serve in the Navy during World War II in 1941 at the age of 23. Feller made the decision to join the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed and served for four years.
He became Crew Chief of the USS Alabama and five Campaign Ribbons and eight Battle Stars
Feller’s list of accomplishments in baseball is a very lengthy one. The Hall of Famer finished his career with 266 wins, including 46 career shutouts.
Feller was a part of the 1948 Indians team that defeated the Boston Braves in the World Series for Cleveland’s lone World Series title. The Indians signed him when he was 17 years old out of Iowa for $75 a month with a signing bonus of $1 and an autographed Cleveland Indians baseball.
In Feller’s first major league start in August of 1936, he struck out 15 St. Louis Browns. A few weeks later, he struck out 17 Philadelphia A’s to tie the major-league record at the age of only 17. In 1938, he broke that strikeout record by ringing-up 18 Detroit Tigers.
That record stood until 1974, when it was broken by Nolan Ryan.
Feller won 20-plus games three seasons in a row, including 27 wins in 1940. He was the first player to win 20 games before the age of 21. Feller threw three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters.
The fire-baller was said to have been clocked at 104 miles per hour. He finished his career with 2,581 strikeouts. Feller also led the American League in strikeouts seven times.
The Cleveland legend was an eight-time All-Star, led the American League in wins six times and pitched 279 complete games.
The Indians retired his No. 19 jersey in 1957 and Feller was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Feller is also enshrined outside of Jacobs Field in Cleveland in his patented windmill wind-up.
“Rapid Robert” leaves us at the age of 92, but his memory will live on forever.
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Just when you thought it was safe to say the Atlanta Braves were serious contenders to topple the Philadelphia Phillies from the top of the NL East, the Phillies pull a magic rabbit out of the hat.
The rabbit in the form of former Texas Ranger ace, Cliff Lee.
Lee was reportedly close to signing a mega-deal with either the Rangers or New York Yankees for seven years, $138 million.
Yet, the Phillies—like a thief in the night—came in from nowhere and got Lee for less money and a shorter deal. It is reported Philadelphia will pay the lefty $120 million over the next five years.
It is truly highway robbery when you consider the Phils rotation will now consist of Cy Young-winner Roy Halladay, former World Series MVP Cole Hammels, two-time 20-game-winner Roy Oswalt and 2008 AL Cy Young award-winner Cliff Lee.
The Lee signing comes on the heels of Philadelphia losing outfielder Jayson Werth to the Washington Nationals via free agency and the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies’ biggest threat to unseat them from the top of the NL East, traded for All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla to bolster their offense.
It appeared the Braves had gotten much better and the Phillies had gotten worse, until Tuesday morning.
With the addition of Cliff Lee to Philadelphia’s rotation, it once again makes Philly head and shoulders above anyone in their division, including the Atlanta Braves.
What does this mean for the Braves?
It means come September the Braves will once again be looking up at the Phillies trying to run them down in the NL East, and instead will end up with a wild card berth for 2011.
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Last offseason Atlanta Braves General Manager Frank Wren took a gamble on Billy Wagner, signing him to a $6 million contract for one year to become the Braves’ closer.
Wagner, who was coming off an injury in which he tore the medial collateral ligament and flexor pronator in his left arm, spent the final month of the 2009 season with the Boston Red Sox and pitched effectively, luring the Braves to offer the veteran lefty a contract.
Wagner racked up 37 saves while posting a 1.43 ERA for the 2010 wild card winners.
After signing the deal, Wagner made it clear he would retire at the end of the season, no matter the outcome. His success was proof that he was still one of the game’s elite closers.
Wagner’s 2010 performance prompted the Braves not to take him off the 40-man roster for 2011, nor has Wagner filed retirement papers with Major League Baseball. This would lead one to believe there is some hope Wagner will return in 2011 as the Braves closer and solidify the back end of an already strong bullpen.
In light of the big offseason move, the Braves made by acquiring second baseman Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins in order to bolster their anemic offense, Wagner may re-consider his decision to retire. Uggla automatically makes the Braves better than they were last season in which they made the playoffs.
If Wagner does decide to come back, it would mean the Braves would be legitimate contenders to not only de-throne the Philadelphia Phillies atop the NL East, but to win the World Series as well.
The team would have a stellar offense, a deep starting rotation and a strong bullpen with a lights-out closer…all the pieces for a World Series title.
The realistic chance of being a world champion should make it tough for the 39-year-old future Hall-of-Famer to walk away from baseball.
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