Mike Johrendt Articles - Page 23

Coming into the 2019 season, MLB teams tried their best to address any open holes they had with patchwork before they got their true solution. With teams not having used Spring Training to develop their solutions, now begins the long process of turning to other teams that may have their solutions and striking up a […]

Even only being one full month into the MLB season, there are teams that are already hitting the eject button on the 2019 season and looking forward to 2020. Teams that have a longer-term plan for how to bring their franchise back from many seasons of missing their goals still do not see 2019 as […]

In all of the offseason predictions, one thing seemed to ring throughout all conversations: that the National League Central would boast one of the best spreads of teams in the entire league for the 2019 season. While backed up by strong facts and solid opinions in the offseason, those NL Central facts are far from […]

One of the more enigmatic players in the entire MLB, Yasiel Puig has made a career out of his quirky mannerisms, cocky playing style and the flair for drama and performing excellently in the clutch. While these events all occurred while in the bright lights and drama of Los Angeles while with the Dodgers, he […]

Similar to the situation involving Lebron James on what seemed like every single Cleveland Cavaliers team, the Milwaukee Brewers have become a bit of a one-dimensional squad riding on the back of a superstar, expecting that player to carry the entire franchise to paydirt. While Christian Yelich has proven that it is quite a possibility […]

Short answer, no. But what if? What if the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have become all too familiar with the basement that is located in the National League Central, finally broke out and made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013? What if relying on a cast of non-superstars, supported by solid […]

Most known for their big spending and large payrolls, the franchises that make up the American League in the MLB also have solidified really good pipelines for youthful prospects that will eventually take over the game. Even the New York Yankees, who are commonly known for shipping out top prospects in order to acquire yet […]

Young superstars are dominating both the American and National Leagues in the MLB, helping increase the popularity of the sport in a time that they need it the most. Being able to relate to the younger generation is a very useful tactic for the sport of baseball, and marketing this sport to its strengths can […]

The American League is reminiscent of an MLB video game arcade mode, in such that any plethora of players on the top of their game can be chosen on any given night and it shows simply how dominant they truly can be. Pitchers and position players alike, the AL seems to be the best conference […]

Even with the penchant for being a hitter’s conference, the American League boasts some of the best pitchers in the game of baseball too, which makes it a bit unfair when facing up against National League foes. The AL has always been seen as the top conference due to their willingness to throw out copious […]

Every team in the MLB has at least one solid starting pitcher that they can build their rotation around. Some teams have paid their way to have two to three ace-caliber arms (Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals) and some teams have built their way to having two to three ace-caliber […]

In a world where dreams do come true and anything goes, a picture-perfect roster comprised of major league baseball players from the National League could be brought together to make for an absolutely unstoppable franchise. Formidable to all other MLB teams, this team is exactly what an All-Star game roster would look like, without favoritism […]

Recently signed to a super club-friendly deal that covers the next five seasons for only $50 million, Blake Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays are built for each other. Effervescently invested and adapted to MLB play, both Snell and the Rays are a match that will excite baseball fans for many years to come. For […]

The current standings for the American League East have a surprising team leading the charge: the Tampa Bay Rays. A surprise to most, but not necessarily a shock to those on the team or directly involved with the rebuilding franchise. Last season, the Rays put up a staggering amount of victories in the AL with […]

With the onslaught of offensive outputs and high-scoring games dominating the league last season, the MLB is hoping that pitching staffs can overcome their obvious disadvantage and bring the game back down to a feasible level that sees more teams having to be more tactical and technical in their game management. While sending players up […]

Normally, this conversation is not dominated by one name, but the race for the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2019 seems to be that way. The Toronto Blue Jays, sporting one of the league’s best farm systems due to high-level talent in Triple-A, are looking to bring that award north of the […]

The youth movement that has progressively taken over the sport of baseball is at it again in the 2019 season, as more top prospects, late bloomers, and interesting youngins are all vying to take home the honors of being the best rookie in their respective league. This article will focus on those prospects that are […]

Since 1994, the Cleveland Indians have won the American League Central regular season divisional crown ten times, leading all AL Central teams by a decent margin. This means that in 24 years, the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox have combined — COMBINED — to win 14 divisional titles between themselves, a testament […]

In a league that is dominated by superstars and up-and-coming prospects looking to make an impression on the game, the game of baseball is spoiled rotten with its talent. Through drafting, signing, scouting, and analytics, franchises are able to make the most out of what they have while staying within their means, financially. Not every […]

Even with the all of the money that has been thrown around these past few weeks by MLB teams to lock up their players, there still are certain major leaguers who are not being paid what they deserve, due to their potential and their production so far. Mostly early in their careers, franchises are still […]

With all the money that teams are throwing around to lock up their MLB stars while they are less expensive, there are many players who are starting to look like solid candidates to receive their first big contracts or their next contract extension. While teams rely on arbitration to keep player salaries low enough so […]

In the MLB, the word ‘overpaid’ brings up some not-so-good memories for certain fan bases. Alex Rodriguez for both the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, Chris Davis for the Baltimore Orioles, Bobby Bonilla and the New York Mets, and Jason Heyward and the Chicago Cubs. While these players are all currently or have been […]

In 2018, the National League Central division had its fair share of tough battles down the road, as the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs battled back and forth for the right to win the divisional crown. With 162 games not being enough, a tiebreaker was needed to solve the tie. The Brewers, after going down […]

With the constant stream of money being funneled to players recently in the MLB, big-time contracts are being handed out to any players who have been on the level of what a superstar is. Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado, Mike Trout, Blake Snell, and Paul Goldschmidt have all been forced into a new tax […]

In a time that members of a starting rotation do not necessarily toe the rubber first in a game, the MLB is facing an identity crisis of sorts… but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Historically, pitchers have been known for their durability, as starters used to throw 200 pitches in a game and […]

Expectations are always hard to follow through on, especially in professional sports. Injuries, flashes in the pan, players not developing on expected timelines, all of these aspects ring true in some shape during a typical MLB season. In 2019, the league has seen offense overtake and dominant the gameplay, as players are using advanced stats […]

Spring Training is the time of year that all MLB fans look forward to as the unofficial official start to spring. While teams must travel to warm areas of the country to avoid the cold weather taking over the vast majority of the states, the scent of spring and the sound of bats cracking can […]

Coming into the 2019 MLB season, there is a definitive pecking order in terms of who is expected to compete for divisional crowns and beyond, and who is expected to compete for the first overall selection in the 2020 draft. Certain regulars, like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Houston […]

Having run support to back up a sterling performance on the mound is key to any pitcher’s success, regardless of they start or come in out of the bullpen. While the New York Mets enjoyed a resurgent season from their starting rotation, their offense decided not to join the party, making Jacob deGrom and company […]

Starting pitchers, or all pitchers for that matter, across the MLB are facing a bit of a crisis over the course of the past few seasons. Hitters are becoming more powerful, increasing their bat speed and launch angles through analytics to boost their averages and home runs totals. But pitching is in good hands, as […]

After posting a record season, that included both good and bad records, Jacob deGrom is looking to continue his success on the round as a member of the upstart New York Mets. Headlining their rotation for yet another season, deGrom will team up with longtime teammate Noah Syndergaard to hopefully help lead this team back […]

After missing the vast majority of 2018 with a triceps strain and a stress reaction on his pitching elbow, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish is out to actually attempt to validate his contract in 2019. Signed to a six-year, $126 million contract with an opt-out clause after this season, Darvish has a ton of […]

Even after falling to the eventual World Series Champion Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, the Houston Astros have work to do to make it back to that point in 2019. Having lost key contributors in free agency, this team has holes that need to be plugged efficiently in order to replicate […]

After jumping out to a huge lead and being forced to fight back from a late-season divisional deficit, the Milwaukee Brewers pulled out their first National League Central Division championship since 2011 and their second ever in franchise history. Riding on the back of NL MVP Christian Yelich, combined with the shutdown bullpen and interesting […]

Coming off an MVP season, it is hard to match expectations, especially after they were set so high in the previous year. While Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Christian Yelich rose from being a solid core of the Miami Marlins to the National League MVP in his first season in brewtown is a testament to how […]

Coming off a season that saw him fall well below his offensive outputs in 2017, the year of 2018 for Aaron Judge was something that can best be described as forgettable. Lacking that true lineup protection with Giancarlo Stanton also having a down season, Judge was forced to take on more of the offensive workload […]

Riding their upstart youngsters and a team that exceeded expectations earlier than expected, the Atlanta Braves cruised through the 2018 regular season on their way to winning the National League East divisional crown, something they had not won since 2013. While experts knew that the Braves would have a solid season, not many thought that […]

In what has been a somewhat slow offseason up to this point, the MLB transaction wire has had its highs and lows ever since the World Series ended. While big trades have dominated the ticker, signings have pushed certain teams to higher win totals than previously projected. Here is the list of the ten best […]

In a top-heavy division, the Houston Astros have been the dominating team in a five-team race that has left the likes of the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in the dust, needing a big rebuild to climb back into contention. After pushing the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, the Astros eventually fell […]