Posted on March 19th, 2008 by McFleece
MLB Fleece Factor has now finished team outlooks of all thirty MLB teams!
And to be fair to the A.L. East, let’s vote on the champion of that division like we have with the others. I’ve linked the individual team outlooks below for those teams, alphabetically. Check them out, and then vote in the poll below for the team you think […]
Filed under: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 3 Comments »
Posted on March 18th, 2008 by McFleece
The Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2007 following a thrilling playoff run that included an improbable ALCS comeback against Cleveland’s two-headed monster of a pitching staff sandwiched by sweeps over the Angels in the Divisional Series and the Rockies in the World Series. It was Boston’s second World Title in four years, […]
Filed under: Boston Red Sox, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 11 Comments »
Posted on March 16th, 2008 by McFleece
With the completion of the A’s today, we have now finished 2008 team outlooks for all American League West teams. I’ve linked the individual team outlooks for that division below alphabetically. Check them out and then vote in the poll below for the team that you think will win this division. Also, for all you homers out there, […]
Filed under: Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, _Team Outlooks (2008) | No Comments »
Posted on March 16th, 2008 by Old Navy King
A’s general manager (and partial owner) Billy Beane has sure made his impression on the world of major-league baseball. He has introduced us all to the world of “Moneyball,” and is once again looking to build this small-market team for future success. Since taking over as the GM of the Athletics in 1997, he has proved to be one of […]
Filed under: Oakland Athletics, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 13th, 2008 by McFleece
The Fleece Factor crew continues to work hard to complete in depth previews of all thirty major league teams as the 2008 season quickly approaches. These MLB team outlooks should be finished soon, at which point we will put ourselves on the line and make our own individual predictions. So stay tuned for those!
We have […]
Filed under: Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, _Team Outlooks (2008) | No Comments »
Posted on March 13th, 2008 by Old Navy King
The Dodgers finished last season two games over .500 (82-80), yet that was only good enough for 4th place in the ultra-compeitive NL West division. Their 82 wins put them 9 games behind the division champion Arizona Diamondbacks, and 6 1/2 games behind the 3rd place San Diego Padres. GM Ned Colletti clearly needed a plan to get his club over the hump, […]
Filed under: Los Angeles Dodgers, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008), _Videos | 18 Comments »
Posted on March 12th, 2008 by McFleece
The Fleece Factor crew continues to work hard to complete in depth previews of all thirty major league teams as the 2008 season quickly approaches. These MLB team outlooks should be finished soon, at which point we will put ourselves on the line and make our own individual predictions. So stay tuned for those!
We have now completed […]
Filed under: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, _Team Outlooks (2008) | No Comments »
Posted on March 12th, 2008 by The Biscuit
Last season (2007) ended very abruptly as the Cubbies were swept out of the playoffs by the N.L. West Champion D’backs. What promised to be an exciting run into October for the squad after winning the N.L. Central crown, turned into a nightmare of a series in which the Cubs scored just 6 runs over three […]
Filed under: Chicago Cubs, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 8 Comments »
Posted on March 11th, 2008 by McFleece
Despite the presence of an incredibly loyal fanbase, a beautiful ballpark in an emerging city and a regional sports network, the Baltimore Orioles have been wallowing in mediocrity for years. They haven’t been to the playoffs since 1997 and have failed to reach 80 wins during that span. Yes, 10 straight years of losing seasons. Last year, the […]
Filed under: Baltimore Orioles, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 10 Comments »
Posted on March 9th, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
The 2007 Cincinnati Reds finished in 5th place in the mediocre N.L. Central. They ended up with a record of 72-90, which was 13 games behind the Chicago Cubs. So should they be optimistic heading into the 2008 season? In a word: Yes. They have hired a new manager in Dusty Baker, and have some young talent coming […]
Filed under: Cincinnati Reds, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 7 Comments »
Posted on March 9th, 2008 by McFleece
The Fleece Factor crew continues to work hard to complete in depth previews of all thirty major league teams as the 2008 season quickly approaches. These outlooks should be finished soon, at which point we will put ourselves on the line and make our own individual predictions. So stay tuned for those!
In the mean time, we have […]
Filed under: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | No Comments »
Posted on March 8th, 2008 by Old Navy King
A new era is beginning in Minnesota. Gone are the former faces of the franchise for so many years - Torii Hunter and Johan Santana. Gone is the master architect of this small-market club - GM Terry Ryan - who was named Executive of the Year in 2002 by The Sporting News, and was the brains behind one […]
Filed under: Minnesota Twins, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 3 Comments »
Posted on March 6th, 2008 by McFleece
Count the Pittsburgh Pirates as likely Hillary Clinton supporters, because the last time the club had a winning season was the summer that her husband Bill was first nominated by the Democratic party - 1992. It’s hard to believe, but fifteen long years ago, a younger Jim Leyland led a team featuring a skinny Barry Bonds, a […]
Filed under: Pittsburgh Pirates, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 22 Comments »
Posted on March 5th, 2008 by Old Navy King
2008 is a make-or-break year for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Gone are the dynasty years under Joe Torre and George Steinbrenner, when the Yankees won 4 World Championships from 1996-2000, and made another 2 appearances in the Series after that… and in is the era of former NL Manager of the Year and New York Yankee Joe Girardi, and […]
Filed under: New York Yankees, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 10 Comments »
Posted on March 4th, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
Much of the attention surrounding the Astros’ camp thus far has been centered around the presence of Roger Clemens, and the pending issues in regards to newly acquired shortstop Miguel Tejada. Despite the negative publicity, the Houston Astros have a season to prepare for. They finished 2007 in 4th place in the N.L. Central division, […]
Filed under: Houston Astros, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 5 Comments »
Posted on March 4th, 2008 by McFleece
As you may have noticed, The Fleece Factor crew is working hard to complete in depth previews of all thirty major league teams as the 2008 season approaches quickly. These outlooks should be finished soon, at which point we will put ourselves on the line and make our own individual predictions.
The first division for which […]
Filed under: Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 29 Comments »
Posted on March 2nd, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
After winning 14 consecutive division titles, the Atlanta Braves have fallen back to the pack in the last two seasons, as the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies have surged to win the past NL East titles. All of the off-season “talk” has been in regards to a seemingly growing rivalry between Philadelphia and New York. The […]
Filed under: Atlanta Braves, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 11 Comments »
Posted on February 27th, 2008 by Old Navy King
The 2007 season brought the Colorado Rockies and their fans on a dizzying, joy-filled ride. The Rox made an improbable 2nd half run just to make the playoffs… going 20-8 in the month of September, winning 14 of their last 15, and 11 in-a-row to close out the regular season. They followed that up with a National League […]
Filed under: Colorado Rockies, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 16 Comments »
Posted on February 25th, 2008 by McFleece
A volcanic eruption occurs when pressure on the magma chamber well below the mountain’s peak causes the chamber to succumb and allow magma to seep up through the volcano’s vents, sometimes resulting in magnificent explosions. Some volcanoes can remain dormant for many years before an inevitable explosion.
Well, the volcano that is the Tampa Bay Devil Rays has […]
Filed under: Tampa Bay Rays, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 10 Comments »
Posted on February 23rd, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
The 2008 San Francisco Giants will most likely resemble the Cleveland Indians team from the “Major League” movies… minus the triumphant and improbable comebacks. Bruce Bochy’s 2008 team will look to move past the *Barry Bonds era with talented young pitching, but an offensive lineup that is lackluster, to say the very least. The Giants’ organization might […]
Filed under: San Francisco Giants, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 23 Comments »
Posted on February 19th, 2008 by The Biscuit
You’d have to have been pretty excited with the 2007 season if you are a fan of the Cleveland Indians. The team finished with 96 wins and an A.L. Central division title. They were a pretty trendy pick going into the season, but to make that leap was surely not expected. Now, with a nice […]
Filed under: Cleveland Indians, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 7 Comments »
Posted on February 18th, 2008 by Old Navy King
The Rangers are in a tough spot heading into the 2008 season. While their batting order looks to produce plenty of runs, the real problem with this team is the severe lack of pitching depth, relative to division foes like the Angels and Mariners. Heck, even the A’s have better pitching. It could be a […]
Filed under: Texas Rangers, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 8 Comments »
Posted on February 17th, 2008 by Old Navy King
After a successful 2006 season run, finishing in 2nd place in the AL East over the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays battled a multitude of injuries and fell back into the middle of the division last season. With stud lefty closer B.J. Ryan hopefully healthy again, and with a completely new left-side of the […]
Filed under: Toronto Blue Jays, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 14 Comments »
Posted on February 17th, 2008 by McFleece
As it is Presidents Day Weekend, how about a 2008 outlook for the team from our nation’s capital? Here goes…
In 2007, the Washington Nationals finished in fourth place in the National League East with a record of 73-89. (Their Pythagorean Record was worse, at 70-92). Predictably, their offense was horrible after losing Alfonso Soriano to free agency […]
Filed under: Washington Nationals, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 8 Comments »
Posted on February 14th, 2008 by The Biscuit
Fresh off a World Series Championship in 2006, the Cardinals entered last season with a very similar team to the one who brought them to the title, yet the results were not so good - finishing 6 games under .500; seven games behind the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs. Starting pitching, health and the overall […]
Filed under: St. Louis Cardinals, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 5 Comments »
Posted on February 11th, 2008 by McFleece
In 2007, the Seattle Mariners finished with a record of 88-74, which placed them in second place in the American League West with a seat on the outside looking in during October. And while 88 wins for a team that came into the season with mild expectations sounds impressive on the surface, the Mariners Pythagorean Record (a stat developed […]
Filed under: Seattle Mariners, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 5 Comments »
Posted on February 10th, 2008 by Old Navy King
2007 was not a very kind year to Ozzie Guillen and his White Sox ballclub. The team finished with only 72 wins, and ended up being a whopping 17 games behind the division-winning Cleveland Indians. All this only 2 seasons removed from a World Championship. With the offseason additions of Orlando Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Carlos […]
Filed under: Chicago White Sox, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 7 Comments »
Posted on February 8th, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
As it has been noted all off-season, the 2007 season had a dreadful end for the New York Mets. Up 7 games with just 17 games-to-play, the Mets fell on the final Sunday of the regular season, and the Philadelphia Phillies won the N.L. East as a result. What many fail to realize is the […]
Filed under: New York Mets, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 30 Comments »
Posted on February 5th, 2008 by McFleece
The Kansas City Royals finished in last place in the American League Central division for the fourth consecutive year in 2007, winning just 69 ballgames. That win total came despite the pitching staff holding its own by posting a 4.48 ERA (7th in the AL) while allowing almost 200 fewer runs than 2006. KC’s offense was terrible, though. And I mean […]
Filed under: Kansas City Royals, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 6 Comments »
Posted on January 31st, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
The Los Angeles Angels have been a formidable opponent in the American League for the better part of the last six seasons, as they have managed to make the playoffs in four of those six years (including a World Series title in 2002). Yes, they got swept by the Red Sox in the 2007 ALDS… […]
Filed under: Los Angeles Angels, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 22 Comments »
Posted on January 28th, 2008 by Old Navy King
The 2007 season was a wild ride for the Phillies, and one that they will look to build upon going into the ‘08 season. Down 7 games for the division lead to the New York Mets with just 17 games left to play, the Phils fought their way back to the NL East title (with help of Mets collapse), […]
Filed under: Philadelphia Phillies, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 12 Comments »
Posted on January 23rd, 2008 by The Biscuit
The NL Central, which appears to be MLB’s weakest division from top to bottom, was won last season by the Chicago Cubs, who barely edged the Brew Crew by 2 games. The Brewers held the lead most of the season, yet a late season slump opened the door for the Cubbies, and left many Wisconsin natives crying in […]
Filed under: Milwaukee Brewers, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 6 Comments »
Posted on January 22nd, 2008 by Mr. Fleece
The N.L. West figures to provide one heck of a divisional race in 2008. As they have done the past few seasons, the San Diego Padres will try to rely on pitching to get them the division crown. The starting pitching figures to shake out like this:
1) Jake Peavy: The ace of the staff, and one […]
Filed under: San Diego Padres, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 10 Comments »
Posted on January 21st, 2008 by McFleece
Though one never knows what GM Dave Dombrowski has up his sleeve, I think it’s safe to say that all the major moves have been made in Mo-Town with respect to the 2008 Tiger roster. So why not take an early look at the 2008 Detroit Tigers? (Click here for other team outlooks).
Lineup:
CF: Curtis Granderson (L) - The […]
Filed under: Detroit Tigers, _Polls, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 23 Comments »
Posted on December 17th, 2007 by Mr. Fleece
With the recent trade of Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera to the Detroit Tigers, the Florida Marlins are once again looking at a youth movement in 2008. No that Willis (25) or Cabrera (24) were exactly grizzled veterans, but they did have significant major league experience. Let’s take a preliminary look at the 2008 Florida […]
Filed under: Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, _Team Outlooks (2008) | 3 Comments »
