MLB Mid-Season Chat

Better late than never as they say. Here's the mid-season chat some buddies and I had about two weeks ago discussing all-things Major League Baseball. Joining us once again are Curt and Tom, two die-hard baseball guys that have entirely too much time on their hands to look up Brandon Boesch' OPS+. Enjoy...

Me: Ok Guys, welcome to the post All-Star break chat. Thanks for joining us once again. Let's just dive right in to what everyone likes to talk about....surprises. What are your biggest first half surprises?

Tom: It has to be the Padres. They're everything people thought the Mariners were going to be.

Me: I know somebody is dying to mention the Reds in first place, well now second I guess.

Tom: I thought you said 'surprises'?

Curt: Have to say Padres, it is somewhat legit as well. It’s not like the D-Backs a couple years ago or Mariners last year. I still don't think they are going to win it but see no reason they can't be there the whole way though.

Me: Yea, I guess that is going to be the common answer. Have to like their young arms, but can they really sustain this with one legitimate hitter in the line-up?

Tom: Chase Headley has come on the past few weeks after a tough June. Nobody in the lineup has legitimate 20-HR power, including Headley. Adrian Gonzalez shouldn't see another pitch all season from the Rockies and the like.

Curt: He took Haren the opposite way in SD the other night. That can't happen all the time.

Me: How about in the AL....Rays are somewhat surprising. We all know they had the talent, but not sure anyone saw them doing this well

Tom: The Rangers are more surprising than the Rays I think. They've taken a guy throwing in Japan and put him into the rotation for a 9-5 record.

Curt: I liked the Rays before the season. I think that division has been pretty much as expected after the Rays got off to that great start.

Me: The Rangers have gone out and acquired Cliff Lee.

Curt: White Sox are more unlikey I think. Freddy Garcia has 9 wins. Peavy has stunk and is now out and they are still in first.

Me: Well you and I were both on board with the Rangers preseason Tom, but that was more a byproduct of their division. They have played very well, and Vlad looks like a new man and Josh Hamilton is healthy. Rangers are going to be dangerous in the postseason.

Me: I, cough cough, also picked the White Sox preseason, but I am as surprised as anyone they have overcome that terrible start. A lot of credit has to go to Ozzie there.

Tom: The White Sox still have too much that can go wrong with them to be patting yourself on the back.

Me: That division is coming down to the last week I think between all three teams.

Tom: Minnesota is still my pick.

Me: Detroit, who I would like to pick, can't win a game on the road though.

Curt: I’d predict Twinkies as well. Should be a good race though, could be quite a few.

Me: That was a good segue to my next topic anyhow. There are some great pennant races shaping up, how do you see them finishing?

Tom: Yankees-Twinkies-Rangers-Rays

Curt: Phillies are in big trouble. I would not have believed that before the season. Hopefully, for the Reds and Braves fans in the room, they just think they are unlucky.

Tom: Braves (NL pennant)-Redlegs-Rockies-and one of the Sans out West.

Me: Preseason we all had the Cards, Phillies and Braves, I went Dodgers, you guys went Rockies. In the AL, all had the Yanks and Red Sox, you two Twins, me White Sox and Curt was the lone Angels backer against Tom and I with the Rangers.

Tom: San Fran or San Diego for the NL wild card.

Curt: The NL is really tough to predict I think.

Tom: Just think, if Atlanta still had Neftali and Elvis (Editor’s note, Neftali Feliz and Elvis Andrus, two young studs in the middle of the Rangers surge, were traded by the Braves in the Mark Teixeira deal.)

Me: I think the Phils will snap out of it and get the wildcard. The NL West is going to beat each other up, and the Rockies find a way once again.

Tom: Cardinals wouldn't be a bad bet. They've still got a bunch of games against some very bad NL Central teams.

Curt: AL - NYY, Rays, Twinkies, Rangers. NL Bravos, Reds, Rocks, Cards. The NL West could beat each other up. I agree.

Tom: The Cardinals have the 2nd easiest 2nd half schedule.

Curt: Say the Cards get to play the Astros and Pirates 20 times still, I bet that’s why.

Tom: Yep. The Reds have the easiest remaining schedule. And the Reds #4 and #5 starters out of the break have at 14-3 combined record.

Curt: What if the Reds face Oswalt 3-4 times though? (Editor’s note: This chat was done pre-Oswalt to the Phillies.) They have to play Houston a ton, because they should almost be done with the Pirates. Still easy?

Tom: Assuming Oswalt is still on the Astros...

Curt: Ya, maybe a Card. I doubt he gets moved though. (Editor’s note: Wrong on that one, Curt!)

Tom: The Reds finish their playoff push with Pittsburgh, Arizona, Houston and Milwaukee from September 10 to 22.

Curt: Arizona, that’s a pretty nice gift. They may be the worst.

Me: Very easily could be their path in. They have some depth with the arms now too. Like Curt said, NL is very tough.

Me: Final predictions?

Tom: Cards at WC. Talked myself into it.

Me: I'm sticking with my AL preseason picks by the way....hope I look very smart at the end of the year. Going to need a big push and some luck for the Red Sox. I think I have the Reds just barely missing, and the Phils snatching the WC. But I will be rooting hard for the Redlegs just for you Tom.

Tom: Thanks. There is still room on the wagon.

Curt: I think the numbers are in their favor for the WC, Braves, Reds, Rox, Cards. NYY, Twins, Rangers, Rays. The AL central is interesting at least.

Tom: The Twins haven't had Morneau for some time and Mauer is banged up too. Those guys will come back and everything will be fine.

Me: Ok, let's wrap it up with some awards. I put mine on the site Friday. Who do you guys have as the midseason major award winners and who do you have winning them at the end?

Curt: Votto will be the NL MVP. I like Josh Johnson's momentum and the voters don't look at just W's anymore.

Me: If you missed it, my MVPs were Miggy Cabrera and Pujols, Cy Youngs were Ubaldo (by a nose on Josh Johnson) and Price, Managers were Bud Black and Ozzie Guillen and ROYs were Heyward and Boesch.

Curt: Votto has gotten big hits all season, easy to remember them.

Tom: Votto and Cano for MVP. Cano is the best hitter having an MVP-esque season on the Yankees. Impossible to ignore.

Curt: ROY, I’d go with Heyward but I think he may wear down and get passed by Strasburg. Of course Strasburg will get shut down.

Me: if Miggy comes close to the Triple Crown, he's going to win it though. Votto and Pujols were neck and neck on my ballot.

Curt: It’s a shame for Morneau, he was killing it.

Tom: Cy Youngs will be Ubaldo with over 20 wins and dependent on who makes the playoffs out of the AL Central will determine that Cy Young.

Me: I'll say NL MVP should go to the winner of the NL Central, pretty easy tiebreaker there. I like Josh Johnson too, unless Ubaldo wins 22 or 23....which I thnk he will.

Tom: I'd like to say Liriano for AL Cy Young because he has been so fantastic and Cliff Lee is now in Texas.

Me: Give me your final picks for the MVPs and Cy Youngs....and if you feel like it, ROY as well.

Curt: I’d go with Miggy for MVP, they should be in a tight race for a while, that helps.

Tom: Votto and Cano, Ubaldo and Liriano( with close to 20 wins).

Curt: Have to go Lee in AL I think.

Me: Lee's a good pick. Should have some good momentum if he keeps winning.

Curt: Throws a complete game almost every time it seems like. 7 walks in 121 IP

Curt: My final votes are Votto, Miggy, Lee, Johnson.

Tom: ROY, I'm sticking with my Neftali Felix pick and NL ROY I'll go with Heyward in possibly an undeserving ROY win.

Curt: Feliz is a ROY?

Me: I don't think Feliz is beating out Boesch unless his numbers fall off a cliff.

Tom: Feliz, yes.

Tom: Feliz has to save one more game than Soria to lead the AL, Boesch won't hit the same.

Curt: Boesch OPS + is 151, he could be terrible for a while and still win it, as you said.

Me: Ok guys, I know people are busy in the summer and don't have time to read us go on all day about baseball, which I know we could, so give me your world Series winner as we stand today and we'll call it a wrap.

Me: I go Yankees.

Curt: Yanks, have the best team. Still take them.

Tom: Reds. (Editor’s note: No favoritism there!)

Me: We'll end it on Tom picking the Reds....ahhhh for us Pirate fans, we can only dream of the day we can pick the Buccos to win the World Series in July!