2021 MLB Predictions

The season starts today and I think for the first time in a while I won't be picking the Cubs to win the NL Central.  It was a fun wild run from 2015-2020 and I hope I'm wrong and they surprise me.

Here are my picks for 2021.

I feel the baseball world is ready for someone other than the Dodgers to win the West but think they do it, again.  But repeating is hard to do, and well winning the series just once is, ask the Cubs.  The Padres are loaded and added pitching this offseason.  I feel they get it done.  

A Family First

Back when the kids were very little, our family vacations were pretty simple.  Clear Lake to play in the sand and in the water.  A drive up to the Dells and some time there at the water parks.  There were other road trips that maybe one of the kids went on but nothing huge with all 4 of us.  We hadn't really got to go out and see the world.  I was waiting for them to be close to all being old enough to enjoy the trip, and also where I could afford it and plan it.  

My goal with our vacations is to get them out to see things that I never saw as a kid.  My vacations where like theirs.  Clear Lake, had a trip to Chicago, Mt Rushmore and Florida a few times in there.  So we kinda mapped out places we wanted to go and that were drive able.  Our first destination would be St. Louis in 2015 and the Gateway Arch.  We had picked out places to go see such as the City Museum, the Zoo, Science Center, and of course the Arch.  I also checked the calendar out to see if we could hit up a Cards game too.  Lucky enough, they were in town hosting the Reds.  (Was hoping for the Cubs - that will come later)

We packed up the family truckster and shot down early in the morning.  In all our vacations I request that there aren't any electronics brought along.  They read, journal or do activity books in the car or just enjoy the ride and do what i did, watch out the window.  For the most part it has worked well.  Along the way we hit up roadside stops of the American Gothic House, Lover's Leap and Tom Sawyer's Cave.  The game was the first night of our trip, so I wanted to give us time to get there early to walk around the Arch and Busch Stadium.  

The area around New Busch is pretty cool, and this is coming from a Cubs fan.  Ball park village was fun venue to grab some kind of a supper.   It reminded me of Power and Light District almost in Kansas City, but more indoors.  The Cardinals have had a lot of legends pass through St Louis and you see that with all the statues around the outside of the stadium.  Jack Buck, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Dizzy Dean, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson and Rogers Hornsby. Shockingly in 2020 2 of those have passed on.  (Brock and Gibson).  It's always cool to see the history like that around the stadiums.  

The view with the Arch in the background is one of the better ones in a stadium I've been too.  The way it opens up right to that view.  I never was at the old Busch, but the cookie cutter stadium seemed like you couldn't see the Arch as clear.  

My son had already been to a MLB game with me, but as a family and for the girls, this was their first baseball game.  Sadly about the game I really don't remember a lot of the details.  I think we picked the hottest night, and it seems on vacation that happens.  The kids went through big drinks and ice cream.  I think I spent most the night just trying to take in their reactions.  The area we were in seemed to have a lot of families too, which I thought was a good pick for the kids first game.  There were a couple of moms that had brought their kids to the game and we talked to them for a few innings.  As for the game play, the Cards won 4-1 on a Kolton Wong grand slam.  They really didn't do to much but for that.  

The rest of the trip included our trip up to the top of the Arch, a full 8 hours in the City Museum and then a trip to the zoo and the Science Center.  I think that the kids favorite stop was probably Fitz's on the way out of town for root beer floats the size of their heads.  

That was my first trip to St Louis along with the kids and something must have clicked on that vacation because Ryleigh has since asked to go back to St Louis and to the Arch every year since, and also to a game.  This past July her and I were supposed to have a little get away vacation there and had tickets to watch the Cubs in St Louis; Covid-19 and 2020 cancelled that.  I have promised her that we will get it done in 2021.  

Up Next : An Unforgettable Father's Day

The Night Wrigley Shook

I remember this night vividly.  I was in Ankeny at Jake's watching with a bar full of Cubs fans.  A few LA fans had trickled in and were well outnumbered.  

Along with the beers, the game was going really good up 3-1.  Then the momentum shifted with the Dodgers tying it up at 3.  

As talked in the video, the Cubs got the bases loaded and Miggy went up bat.  It's interesting to hear the scenario on how Madden was going to play it out.  

As soon as the ball hit the bat, I think the bar reacted the way the Cubs dugout did.  Instant celebration.  I started hugging this older man that was standing to my right, and we were jumping up and down together.  I think Jakes shook that night too.  We were all whooping and hollering and smiling after that hit that along with the Cubs, we didn't know that Fowler hit a homer too the next at bat.  

Alas the Cubs won, Miggy was the hero of Game 1.  I ended up crashing at a friends house that night after celebrating into the night.  One of my favorite Cubs games I watched, and I still bring this video up to watch every so often just to watch Wrigley shake.  

2020 MLB PostSeason Predictions

Alex Gordon

I've talked about this before of my disconnect from baseball as a fan after the heartbreak of 2008 with the Cubs losing back to back first round series after being the best team in baseball.  They struggled for 6 years, and were taken off my local cable package.  Outside of the Sunday Night 

Baseball appearances I didn't seek them out till daily till about 2014.  Yea I know, bad fan.
In the mean time what was on my cable package was Fox Sports KC.  That allowed me to watch this young and up and coming fun team of the Royals.  Watching this crew brought my love of baseball back.  I would seek them out nightly as I could on the TV.  I would drive down once or twice a year to The K and get tickets and watch them, and even got my dad to go to one of their games. (yes it was vs the Yankees).  They had a great young core, a helluva bullpen and a few veterans placed in there.  One was a Forever Royal, Alex Gordon.  

Alex was a solid batter, but an amazing defender!  He put his body into walls, thrown into the fans.  Made him a blast to watch.  I was so happy that they won 2 AL Pennants in a row and the 2015 World Series as a capper for his career.  They've taken a bit of a downturn with the rebuild and probably was a good time to ride off into the sunset.

Thanks Alex for making baseball fun again for this fan!

Royals Alex Retirement Coverage

After 14 years of hard work and dedication to the #Royals, Alex Gordon is retiring from baseball.

Thank you for always giving it your all, Gordo.#4EverRoyal pic.twitter.com/S5A0Y7ASFq

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 24, 2020

 

You Only Have One First

 

They say there is nothing like your first; first kiss, first beer, and well first MLB game.  Time to jump in a time machine back to 1988.  

Years earlier my parents took my older siblings to Chicago for a vacation.  I was to young to really appreciate it, and well probably was left to not be in the way at a young age, and was left with Grandma & Grandpa.  A few years later I found a white haired, big glasses wearing guy who sang on cable TV and had become a Cubs fan.  

Outside of going to Clear Lake every summer I can prob count on my hand the vacations we went on. (The Dells, South Dakota, Orlando, Ft Lauderdale)  Now a little older and since I didn't get to go on the previous trip, in June of 1988 I was going to get to go to Chicago.  

A few things stick out from the drive there.  Before we got started, I set my suitcase out in the driveway since the car was locked and a small rain shower came through and my suitcase got soaked.  Somewhere about in Western Illinois on the interstate into town dad hit a duck and I remember turning around in the back seat to see it flop around on the road.  Finally looking out the front window for the first time at the Chicago skyline in awe.

We hit the tourist places throughout the city.  I remember the dolphins and otters at Shedd Aquarium, remember dad getting excited going through the submarine at the Museum of Science and Industry.  We stayed at the Essex Inn and had breakfast every morning in the little restaurant there on Michigan Ave.  Had pizza at Gino's East and I always thought it was such a huge place and all the graffiti on the wall.  All i really wanted was though to get to Wrigley.

I remember getting up that morning, getting my Cubs gear on, got my glove ready.  We went down to the Subway and I got my first ride on the L.  Dad was counting down the stops from the map in the train car and said "Wrigley is next" and then I got my first glimpse of the friendly confines.  I had been to Iowa football games before and always got goose bumps walking into Kinnick, I got the same goose bumps seeing Wrigley.  

Wrigleyville wasn't what it is today and well I was 10 then so we didn't stay out of the stadium long after getting off the train.  We walked over and saw the marquee and then went in to the stadium through the front gate.  

The Cubs were playing the Phillies so the game became a bragging rights game with my brother. I remember our seats were on the 1st base side under the second deck, so we had shade.  Dad said that was a good thing since Sutcliffe was pitching and he usually adds 30 minutes to any game.  While they were warming up, dad and I went down to the front row where Andre Dawson (the 1987 NL MVP) was warming up.  Along with about 10 other kids we were trying to get his autograph, alas that didn't happen.  I would get his autograph 28 years later.  

I remember some sailors sitting in front of us in their dress whites.  It was a hot day, and on the concourses in Wrigley some tar had got bubbly and made its way to the bottom of my shoe.  I put my foot up on the back of the seat in front of me and as one leaned back, a black smudge made its way to his back.  From watching movies, a part me thought I just earned this guy some push ups because of a dirty uniform.

Most plays from this game don't stick out as much 32 years later as big plays but for a few midway through the game.  Davey Martinez had got a hit to get on base.  Up came Shawon Dunston.  He smacked a homer run into the basket in about left, left center.  That was it for the scoring.  Being 10 I was all over the place.  I remember the vendors coming up and down the stairs and seeing all the souvenirs.  I wanted one of those foam hands, but eventually settled on a baseball.  Playing with the ball and looking all over the rest of the game seemed like a blur but for the 7th Inning Stretch.  I finally got to sing in person with Harry.  Looked up over my left shoulder I got to watch him wave the mic around like I had on tv.  

The Cubs won 2-1.  The day, the trip was made.  I've been to Wrigley 10 times since that day in 1988.  I'm glad I got the ball especially now that I eventually started to collect them.  Looking in the case that first one will hold a special place in the memory bank being there with my dad and mom as it sits next to the ball from my son's first trip to Wrigley with me.  

Up Next : A Family First

People Will Come Ray...

I walk by this case a few times a day. It reminds me of pre-2020 and how I miss traveling to cities and baseball stadiums and watching baseball in person.

Each one of these balls is a story. The people met, the people that may have traveled with, the cities and locations and the food and beer.

With thinking about that a little more I thought it would be cool to write about these moments and stores and get those memories out. With that I created this group. I know that life is busy but over the next weeks and months I hope to get some of them down and written. I don't want to rush getting them all out there quick because I feel that won't do them the justice that each one deserves.

Like a lot of stories over time some memories get skewered and become a bigger fish than they really were. Some of these may do that, some may not but there are some great memories in that case. When ball parks open up again I look forward to adding more to this too.

As for were to start, well no better place to start but the beginning. Look for the first pitch sometime soon.

How to fix Major League Baseball, after it expand to 32 teams

Expansion

Proposed Portland Stadium

With the push that is coming out of the Northeast and Portland to get an expansion baseball team, it looks like baseball will sooner than later expand to 32 teams.  There is also noise being made north of the border in Montreal for a group to bring the Expos back.  All of this is rumored to not be completed till after stadiums are figured out in Tampa and Oakland.  Now no one goes to games a lot in either market but I can’t see Oakland losing their team.  Tampa on the other hand should not be there and I’m projecting with the expansion into Portland and Montreal, that Nashville will be the other city to get a team. 

Charlotte Baseball

Charlotte and Vegas are also mentioned with Nashville as an expansion target.  Vegas is getting the Raiders and have done well with the Golden Knights, but I don’t see them ever getting a baseball team.  If they do that is the day that Pete Rose is let back into Baseball and inducted into the Hall of Fame.  It’s down to Charlotte and Nashville.  Both cities have an it factor, and either can edge each other out.  For my example you can interchange either, but I’m going to use Nashville as my example. 

Realignment

With the addition and movement of franchises, the divisions are going to get changed up and teams moving leagues.  It’s happened before with the Astros and Brewers, and I’m not moving stalwarts.    

Montreal will go back to the NL and get its NL East rivals back.  Portland moves to the AL West and gets a close rival with Seattle.  The Tampa franchise that moves to Nashville will jump to the National League to the SouthEast and get to play more regional rivals.  Colorado moves to the AL and gets the DH in Coors Field and that thin air all the time now.

Each league would be Four 4 team divisions, regionally based and structured. 

The schedule

Cut the season down from 162 to 154 games.  There are roughly 26 weeks between first week of April and the last week of September, DO NOT START GAMES IN MARCH.  It takes 22 weeks to play 154 games straight through, without byes or days off.  4 weeks off should be plenty of time, also with the All-Star break in there.  (Schedule breakdown coming). 

Teams would play more games within its own division than other opponents.  Here is what the 154 game schedule breakdown would look like:

66 games vs Division opponents (22 vs each team)

72 games vs League opponents (3 game series vs each team Home and Home with all)

12 games vs a Cross League division.  (2 Home 3-game series and 2 Away 3-game series)

4 games vs a Cross League rival (Cubs-White Sox / Yankees Mets) OR 2 2-game series vs Random Cross League teams (San Diego-Portland / San Diego-Seattle)

With the last point, there will be seasons where teams would have a natural geographic rival in the Cross League Division, then random fits would be slotted in.

Players would get 8 games cut off the season, and as Anthony Rizzo mentioned, the should take less (prorated) for playing fewer games. 

The Playoffs

Each league would have 6 playoff teams.  The 4 division winners and the next 2 best records in the league. 

2 Best Division Champions in the league would get a bye.

2 Lesser Division Champions would get Home Field advantage in a best of 3 series vs the 2 Wild Card

The DS would still be best of 5, CS best of 7 and World Series best of 7. 

Schedule of the Playoffs

With this the World Series would go into November more.  But the schedule should be set to where it can be moved up if sweeps happen.  If series would go the full 3 and 5 games in the first 2 rounds, they would be finished up within the first 14 days of the playoffs. 

This all seems too easy for someone in a cube and with 3 kids to manage to figure out so FOR SURE MLB would not go this route.  But laid out, this option for the league and fans would be a great fit. 

At Last!

 Birth of my kids....a few other days, but this is top 5 moment for me.

The final out..