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**PROGRAM NOTE**..Hacksaw’s Opening Day Podcast-Thursday…4:30pm-Starting Time
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“MLB BASEBALL–PLAY BALL”
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It’s the opening week of the season. A look-see at who wins and why in each division.
(AL EAST)
YANKEES..The big question is not how many HRs-Aaron Judge will hit, but when will Gerrit Cole-Carlos Rodon rejoin the rotation to join Max Fried as maybe the best in the AL..They still finish first.
RED SOX..Upgraded the pitching staff led by Garrett Crochet plus Ranger Suarez, and a really good young batting order led by Roman Anthony-Jarran Duran.
TORONTO..They add Dylan Cease-Carlos Ponce and Kaz Okamoto to a really power laded lineup. Goodbye Bo Bichette though. Bunch of age in that rotation. Was last year a fluke?
ORIOLES…They added lots of HRs in Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward, but the age old question still exists-do you have an ace and enough arms?
TAMPA BAY..Low budgets, keep trading players, trying to get Shane McClanahan healthy for the rotation…Nothing ever changes there, except the new roof at Tropicana Field.
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(AL CENTRAL)
TIGERS..Tarik Skubal-Frember Valdez-adding Justin Verlander-Kenley Jansen puts Detroit over the top.
ROYALS..A possible breakout year with the kid OF-Joc Caglianone, the stars led by Bobby Witt-Vin Pasquatino. The key, getting Cole Ragans back in that rotation.
CLEVELAND..The star stays, Jose Ramirez, and a bunch of slap- hitters. Big issues, pitching injuries and depth…Shame on ownership making this a small market team.
TWINS..Firesale of the roster seems insulting. Joe Ryan and young arm Mick Abel headline a roster that still includes Byron Buxton, but not much else.
WHITE SOX..Rebuilding is really slow. They have stockpiled alot of young players, plus newcomer Munetaka Murikama and Kyle Teel. This takes time.
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(AL WEST)
SEATTLE…It is their time. 6-starting pitching, plus closers, and now alot of bats led by Raleigh, J-Rod, Naylor, Arozarena. Going to be a fun summer up there.
HOUSTON..Japanese pitching phenom Tatsuya Imai joins Hunter Brown, but it is a staff stung by injuries. How much gas does Altuve-Correa and oft-injured Alvarez have left?
TEXAS..Mackenzie Gore joins Jake DeGrom-Nathan Eovaldi on the mound. Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager needsto stay on the field. Is there enough in the lineup?
A’S..A dangerous team with the arrow pointed up and they look like they might arrive, but it is a tough division. Nice lineup-Kurtz-Soderstrom-Rooker-Wilson-Langlier-Butler-McNeill. See if the pitching holds up.
ANGELS..99-90 losses the last two years and not much of an off season. Holes everywhere on the roster and no one knows if Mike Trout will ever be Mike Trout again? The fans are going to boo Arte Moreno all summer long.
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(NL EAST)
METS..A winter of off season changes-personality-chemistry-pitching wise too. So long Polar Bear-Pete Alonso, but Soto-Lindor are still there, with the ad-ons of Marcus Semien-Bo Bichette and Freddy Peralta. The health of Senga and the growth of young pitching will be a key if they are to dominate.
PHILLIES..A great rotation gets better soon if Zach Wheeler rejoins Nola-Sanchez-Luzardo-Walker. Now you add in the young arm Andrew Painter. Changes in the batting order and the hope Bryce Harper can bounce back and be a big bat next to Schwarber
BRAVES..Yes Ronald Acuna…lots-more health problems….3-of-5 starters on the DL to start the season, and Jurickson Profar gone for a year. Just alot of bad luck
WASHINGTON..Rag-tag pitching, a few good young players, not much else, and just lousy ownership.
MIAMI..Injuries hit the pitching staff after they traded starters away. Sandy Alcantara looks to return to form as an ace. Aside of Kyle Stowers and Eurey Perez is there anything to get excited about
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(NL CENTRAL)
CUBS..They seem ready to rock and roll….Interesting off season of plug in pitching deals, the arrival of Alex Bregman to go with Suzuki-Swanson. Hope they have enough depth in the rotation.
BREWERS…Back to back seasons of over achievement, but that pitching staff looks really thin. Can Jacob Misiirowski-Kyle Harrison stay healthy and can Brandon Woodruff reinvent himself. Maybe you just bang the ball all over Bernie Brewer’s yard and win.
REDS..So young for so many years, and they look ready to turn the corner, and then they lose their ace Hunter Greene for half the season. Alot of young arms need to step forward. But that lineup, led by DeLa Cruz-McLain-Stewart-Steer-they are going to hit.
PIRATES..Paul Skenes and waiting for the other young arms to get consistent…The Bucs added some plug in rental veterans who could make a difference-but they need lots more from Oneil Cruz to be competitive.
CARDINALS..A great city and fans but this will be a long hot summer of losing…Total rebuild with virtually no pitching acquisitions aside from Derek May.
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(NL WEST)
DODGERS…The Evil Empire tries to 3-Peat with a Gold Standard pitching staff and a Dodger Blue batting order loaded with guys with big stats and contracts…Kyle Tucker is solid-but won’t need to be the flag carrier…There is some age in that everyday lineup but this team is so good, and even with the issues with Blake Snell-Roki Sasaki, this team is loaded. Dave Roberts handles such a clubhouse loaded with rich players so well too.
PADRES…They keep coming close but have not gotten there…A superb lineup and batting order, an experienced bench of bats…and baseball’s best bullpen….But they are so thin in the rotation, no margin for more injuries in the starting staff…Key might be-new ownership comes in, and gives the GM more budget space, and AJ Preller trades another hot prospect to get a front line starter to see if they can get to the playoffs against the Dodgers again. Can this be the year Fernando Tatis puts together a superstar season-they need it?
GIANTS…Fascinating batting order they will run out there..Adames-Chapman-Arraez-Bader-Dever…Is there enough pitching next to Logan Webb in that rotation?
ARIZONA..Worry there is not enough alongside Marte-Perdomo-Carroll, unless there is still gas left in Nolan Arenado’s tank. Huge durability questions in that rotation too.
ROCKIES..Is this some type of version of ‘Moneyball 2.0’ with Paul DiPodesta and Josh Byrnes teaming up together…Not much of an off season. Take a look at the rotation and tell me that does not spell 110-losses this season. Ownership has wrecked what once upon a time was a 4M-attendance market.
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I’m ready-you ready?
“Play Ball”
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