The 2017 World of Wadley MLB Guide

The calendar has turned to that familiar time when the sun shines a little brighter, the grass turns a little greener and the grills come out. It's baseball season, and while the excitement of a new season is nothing new, something feels a bit different in 2017. The Chicago Cubs are defending World Series champions. 99.9 percent of the world's population has never known this kind of world, but the curse ended and so too did a major story line in the game. 2017 is a new chapter for baseball and it's an enticing one.

Here are some things to keep an eye on and what to watch for this season...

Can the Cubs repeat?
This is an obvious starting point for the 2017 discussion. The Cubs open the season Sunday night in St. Louis on ESPN and may have improved from last season. Kyle Schwarber will be available for an entire season and, who knows, maybe Jason Heyward will play like a big leaguer again. It's scary if both of them produce. After all, this team already has MVP Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo plus a stable of pitchers who are downright nasty.

So can they repeat? Sure they can, but they won't. It's simply too hard. Too many things can happen such as injuries or poor play at the wrong time. As ESPN pointed out, no team has repeated since the Yankees in 1998-2000 and only one National League team (the Cincinnati Reds) has ever repeated in the last 95 years. The numbers simply aren't on the Cubs' side.

So who wins then?
The Boston Red Sox. Boston spends big and they should win big this season. Rick Porcello may not turn in another season like last season, but Chris Sale is in Boston now and he and Porcello along with David Price is a nightmare for opposing offenses. Big Papi is gone, but name a more fun trio to watch than Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley, Jr.? The Red Sox will have to overcome an always tough AL East and the Cleveland Indians, but if they stay healthy then they will win it all.

What about those Indians?
The Indians will be in the ALCS. They came oh so close last season and they have a loaded roster. It wouldn't be surprising to see them in the World Series again if they can get past Boston. But like the Cubs, it's hard to do it all over again and that's why we are predicting the Indians to be ousted before the World Series rolls around.

Don't forget about Mike Trout
Last season we wrote about how Mike Trout is stuck in Anaheim. He might be stuck on a bad team, but tune in whenever you can to see him play. He's the best player in the game and it's easy to forget that he's still only 25 years old. Trout will be an MVP front-runner once again, but like past seasons, he's going to be sitting at home watching the playoffs. Still, he's a special talent so don't miss out on his best years.

Speaking of the Angels, Albert Pujols is going to make history
Albert Pujols' star has faded since leaving the St. Louis Cardinals, but this season he should pass 600 career home runs. He enters 2017 with 591 and he's done it all clean. His name has never been linked to steroids and he will become the ninth player to eclipse the 600 mark.

Are the Dodgers ever going to win with all that money and talent?
Who knows, but they won't win this year. Magic Johnson and the Dodgers have spent big and on paper this team looks fantastic. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in the game and will surpass 2,000 strikeouts for his career this season. Adrian Gonzalez, Corey Seager and Justin Turner make a great lineup. Yasiel Puig is a wild card year-in-year-out. LA hasn't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs and with the Cubs in the National League it doesn't seem like that will change this year.

Will Bryce Harper return to form?
Harper struggled last season after his MVP campaign two years ago. He hit .243 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs last season, which is a great season for many guys in the MLB. But this is Bryce Harper, the guy who hit .330 with 42 home runs and 99 RBIs in his MVP season. Still only 23 years old, this is Harper's sixth year in the league. The Nationals, much like the Dodgers, haven't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs and without Harper at his best they don't stand a chance.

Which Astros team should we expect?
The Astros have taken us on a rollercoaster ride the past two seasons. The joy of 2015 was gone after an average 2016 season in which Houston missed the playoffs. The core of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer is still there and the pitching staff hasn't changed. Dallas Kuechel's shoulder is an issue, but one thing to watch is whether or not the Astros make a move for Chicago's Jose Quintana before season's end. This is a fun team to watch, but the AL West has strengthened the past few years. Time will tell if the Astros can take the next step.

The White Sox stink now, but....
Okay, we know no one is tuning into White Sox games this year because they just can't get enough of the SouthSiders. Chicago is going to stink. Sure, Todd Frazier will hit some bombs, but that's about it. However, don't sleep on this team in the future. They made some quality moves this offseason (namely getting Yoan Moncada) to go along with youngsters Tim Anderson and Charlie Tilson, which means the future could be bright on the South Side. The young guys are going to get their chances this season and that may just be worth tuning in.

___

The 2017 season begins Sunday, April 2nd with a tripleheader on ESPN.

Trout Joining List of Great Players Stuck on Bad Teams

Mike Trout is at again this season. The best player in baseball is hitting .320 with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs through 95 games and has a chance to finish top two in the MVP voting as he has done each of the past four seasons. Trout has been the best player since the day he stepped onto a big league field, but his talents have rarely been showcased in the postseason. This season will be more of the same.

While Trout thrives, the Los Angeles Angels flounder. Big contracts like Trout, Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Josh Hamilton have not translated to success and the big spending has handicapped what the Angels can do moving forward. Trout is signed through 2020 and it's unlikely the Angels will improve in that time. Currently sitting in fourth place in the AL West with a 43-52 record, the Angels are 11.5 games behind the Texas Rangers and aren't a factor in the Wild Card race.

Another year in which the MLB playoffs will go on without the game's best player.

Trout is not a complete stranger to the postseason. He got a small taste in 2014 as the Angels won 98 games and secured the number one seed in the American League. However, the Kansas City Royals won the Wild Card game and then embarrassed LA with a three-game sweep in the ALDS. Trout struggled mightily in the series, going 1-for-12 with a home run and three walks. He was a non-factor, but then again, so was his entire team.

As another year rolls on with Trout playing for a bad team, my question is this: if nothing changes will he go down as one of the most wasted talents in baseball? He is the game's best player, but has been stuck on a bad team. Fans have little hope of seeing Trout play on the game's biggest stage as long as he is in Anaheim. Baseball is different from basketball or hockey in the sense that one man can't influence the game as much. He is relegated to four at-bats per game and can help defensively when the ball is hit to him. For a pitcher, he can only impose his will on the game every fifth day, which means we might see him only once or twice in a postseason series.

Here are some more players with big talent that found themselves in less-than-ideal situations.

Felix Hernandez | P | Seattle Mariners | 147-105, 2197 SO, Cy Young, 6-time AS, 0 Playoff Apps.
Let's start with another star in today's game. King Felix has struck hitters out at an impressive rate since his debut in 2005, surpassing 200 strikeouts in six-straight seasons from 2009-14. Despite his ability to strike hitters out, Hernandez has been stuck in Seattle on some bad teams. The Mariners have not made the playoffs since 2001, but are in the hunt for a Wild Card spot this season. We could get our first look at Hernandez in postseason play and that would be must-see TV.

Ryne Sandberg | 2B | Chicago Cubs | .285 BA, MVP, 9-time Gold Glove, 10-time AS, 2 Playoff Apps.
Ryno played in two NLCS with the Chicago Cubs, but lost to the Padres in five games in 1984 and to the Giants in five games in 1989. It's a shame Sandberg didn't have the opportunity to play in more postseason games because he was incredible in the 10 he played in. He went 15-for-39 with five doubles, six RBIs and six walks. Sandberg played eight seasons as an All-Star, while not making the playoffs and did not make the postseason after he turned 30 years old.

Nolan Ryan | P | 324-292, 5714 SO, 8-time AS, 5 Playoff Apps., 1 World Series
Ryan is by far the most decorated postseason player on this list, but when you consider that he played 27 seasons you see that he spent much more time watching the postseason than playing in it. As a member of the 1969 New York Mets, he won a World Series at age 22, but he wouldn't see the postseason again for 10 years. Ryan pitched in the playoffs three-straight seasons from 1979-81 and then again in 1986. He never won another playoff series after the World Series win and he finished his career with a 2-2 record in the postseason.

Ken Griffey Jr. | CF | Seattle Mariners | .284 BA, 630 HR, 1836 RBIs, MVP, 13-time AS, 3 Playoff Apps.
Junior will enter the Hall of Fame this weekend after a stellar career in Seattle. For all the success he enjoyed, he was rarely on a playoff team, qualifying for October baseball in just three seasons. In 1995, Junior had 16 hits, six home runs, nine RBIs and stole three bases in a fantastic postseason run. His star would never shine brighter in October as he played in the playoffs two seasons later, going 2-for-15 in a series loss to the Baltimore Orioles. During his forgotten season with the Chicago White Sox in 2008, Junior played in three games in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays and finished 2-for-10.

Rod Carew | IF | .328 BA, 3053 H, 353 SB, 18-time AS, MVP, 4 Playoff Apps.
Carew is one of the greatest hitters the game has seen, winning seven batting titles and finishing with over 3,000 hits. The 18-time All-Star enjoyed plenty of individual success, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1967 and the MVP in 1977. He never did win a postseason series though,  losing all four that he played in. Carew's Twins teams qualified for the postseason in both '69 and '70, but fell to the Orioles each time. Carew went a combined 1-for-16 in the series. As a member of the California Angels, Carew went to the postseason twice, enjoying a great run in 1979. He finished 7-for-17 with three doubles and four runs scored, but the Orioles bested him again. Carew's final trip to the playoffs was in 1982 when the Angels lost to the Brewers, while Carew finished 3-for-17.

Tony Gwynn | RF | San Diego Padres | .338 BA, 3141 H, 15-time AS, 3 Playoff Apps.
Another one of baseball's greatest hitters, Tony Gwynn made the postseason only three times in his 20 seasons as a Padre. However, Gwynn made the most of his time in October, making two trips to the World Series. Gwynn, unlike some others on this list, also produced in his postseason play and finished with a .306 postseason batting average. The Padres fell to the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 World Series and then lost to the New York Yankees in the 1998 Fall Classic. Gwynn was stellar in the '98 World Series, finishing 8-for-16 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs.

Ted Williams | LF | Boston Red Sox | .344 BA, 2654 H, 17-time AS, 2-time MVP, 1 Playoff App.
The greatest hitter who ever lived put up such unbelievable hitting statistics that some of them may never be touched again. The Splendid Splinter hit .406 in 1941 and is the last MLB player to top the .400 mark. He won six batting titles and his numbers would be even better had he not missed three years to military service. Despite his hitting prowess, Williams played in just one World Series (that's all the playoffs were back in his day). The Red Sox lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1946 Series and Williams finished 5-for-25 with an RBI and two runs.

There are plenty more great players who have rarely tasted the postseason. Contrast that with players like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio or Albert Pujols and it makes you wonder if the players on the list above would be held in an even higher regard had they won in the postseason. Trout is already behind his counterpart Bryce Harper in terms of postseason play, but there's also plenty of years left for both of them. The reality is that if Trout remains in Anaheim then we may rarely if ever see him play October baseball. That's a sad reality for baseball fans, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time we've seen it.

Battle L.A.: Dodgers or Angels Bigger Disappointment?

2013 has not been kind to Los Angeles sports teams. No, not one bit. The Lakers failures this season were well-chronicled and even the Clippers took a disappointing first round exit in the playoffs. Now the future of the team is uncertain with Chris Paul potentially departing. In the college ranks, UCLA capped a less-than-stellar season by losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and then firing coach Ben Howland. And now, maybe worst of them all, the Dodgers and Angels are struggling mightily as the MLB season nears the 50-game mark. Thank God for the Los Angeles Kings. That's all L.A. has going for them right now.

They say money can't buy happiness, but that doesn't mean it can't buy a few championships. Just ask the Yankees. However, that's not the case for the Dodgers and Angels. Both clubs haven't been shy about spending big and several superstars have made the trek west. For the Angels, the signings of Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Josh Hamilton has translated over to a 20-27 record this season. The Dodgers are 19-26 despite signing Zack Grienke and Hyun-Jin Ryu and having the services of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford for the entire season.

So what's the problem? Let's start with the Angels. Don't point the finger at Mike Trout because the young phenom has been nothing short of superhuman. Last year's AL Rookie of the Year is batting .302 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI. All of those home runs have come in the month of May and Trout leads the team in batting average, RBI, on-base percentage and hits, slugging percentage and stolen bases. No, Mike Trout is not the problem at all.

Pujols, while his average is low for his standards, isn't playing poorly. His .253 batting average is uncharacteristically low, but he does have eight home runs and 29 RBI. He's also batting .317 in his last 10 games and it appears he might be turning it around. Hamilton is a different story. The big summer signing is batting just .220 with six home runs and 16 RBI. He has struck out 53 times already and even his on-base percentage is low at .279. Hamilton is not even reaching base, however he does have a hit in eight of his last 10 games.

As a team, the Angels are middle of the pack in nearly every statistical category offensively and the pitching staff isn't any better. The staff ERA of 4.57 ranks 12th in the American League and, even worse, they rank 10th in strikeouts yet third in walks. It would appear that the pitching has held this team back from reaching expectations. Offense can only cover up so much.

For the Dodgers it's a similar issue. L.A. is in the top five of the National League in batting average and on-base percentage while ranking 14th and third in strikeouts and walks, respectively. As a whole, the Dodger offense has been producing. However, that doesn't mean their biggest stars have carried the load.

Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are off to rough starts and Kemp has struck out 17 more times than the next closest teammate, who happens to be Ethier. Together the two combine for just six home runs and 32 RBI while both batting below .270. Gonzalez, usually a home run threat, has hit just four, but he does have a .309 batting average with 30 RBI. Crawford has also produced after the debacle that was his brief career in Boston. He is batting .302 with team-highs in home runs (5) and stolen bases (9).

On the pitching staff, Clayton Kershaw and Ryu have been magnificent, but the others on staff have been less than impressive. Both Kershaw and Ryu are 5-2. Kershaw's ERA is a league-low 1.35 and Ryu's is a respectable 3.30. After that things get hazy. Josh Beckett is currently on the disabled list and he couldn't be the ace of staff on the Bad News Bears. His 0-5 record and 5.19 ERA is a far cry from the guy we've seen lead teams to World Series victories. Outside of Kershaw and Ryu the Dodgers pitchers are a combined 9-19. The return of Grienke can't come soon enough.

Both clubs are missing pitching and their offense can only cover up so much. The stars also must perform to the level they are expected to. A lot of money has been spent in SoCal, but that hasn't meant wins. If the Dodgers are to compete for the playoffs they need Kemp and Ethier to start producing more and they need a healthy Grienke. For the Angels, Hamilton must get going and the pitching staff has to pick it up.

If not, the two clubs will cap off a disastrous 2013 for the city of Los Angeles.