Maybe someone put two and two together with Marlins super star pitcher Jose’ Fernandez after his last start in San Diego. In that game, he gave up 5 earned runs on 6 hits in just 5 innings. The start before, he yielded 2 earned runs in 7 innings against the Dodgers. He hadn’t given up a run in the 3 previous starts. As a matter of fact, Fernandez’ velocity had dropped from 97.6 mph in March to 95.9 mph in May. That isn’t a huge drop, but it causes some to wonder. The results just weren’t like Fernandez. Something was wrong. Now, on the brink of becoming a top shelf, All Star quality pitcher in the same conversation with Clayton Kershaw, Fernandez is on the shelf with an elbow issue. He’s likely to have Tommy John surgery. It hasn’t been announced, but it sure sounds like it. I’ve said it many times. He has the best curveball I’ve seen in a long time. And that pitch is right now or is very close to being the equal of the one thrown by Kershaw. And that’s saying something. We wish Fernandez all the best as he deals with a blip in his career. Hope that’s all it is. A blip and not a huge speed bump.

I like Chris Owings. I like Aaron Hill. But the Dbacks need pitching. Where do they go? They have to give up someone in trade for any type of starter they can find. One that can hang around Arizona for a while. Trade candidates include Hill, Martin Prado. Didi Gregorius or Nick Ahmed. Who’s available for Arizona? I have an idea. How about the Cardinals. They have the pitching. They can move Peralta back to third. Put Carpenter back at second. Bring in either Gregorius or Ahmed at shortstop. It would be good for both clubs. I won’t even guess which pitcher among their outstanding depth at that position might fetch a Didi. Ahmed would be less expensive. He’s a darn good defensive shortstop. I think that’s what the Cardinals need now. I like Peralta much better at third because of his lack of range at shortstop. It’s a good match.

I’ll say it again. After watching both John Axford and Addison Reed implode and lose games because of their penchant to give up the long ball, I have to wonder why set-up men can’t start the 9th. It must be illegal.

Charlie Blackmon is legit.

Puig or Braun?

If you’re the Dodgers, do you try to get H. Ramirez to sign a lengthy contract? Does his health concern you? I’m just wondering. It sure does concern me if I’m them. But I’m not them. They’re them. I would look to find a shortstop like Stephen Drew and play Dee Gordon at second while moving Ramirez to third this season. Then, I’d try to find a third baseman for next year.

What happens to David Price at the July trade deadline? And how about Justin Masterson? Both could be sent to contenders. Price has more value because he has a year and half. Masterson only from July through the playoffs. But he can help someone.

C.C. has been less than so so so far. And now he’s hurt. Is he toast? I’m concerned about the drop in velocity and the bum knee. He’s on the DL. But can the Yankees count on him? David Price? But who do the Yankees have to trade. Ah-a catcher. Maybe Gary Sanchez and a pitcher like Dellin Betances. Just thinking out loud. It might take more than that. No middle-infielders available on the Yankees. They need them themselves. Maybe a three way trade with the Indians. Plenty of middle-infielders. Start with Asdrubal Cabrera. Betances could be a closer some day. If he can command that wicked fastball.

If you haven’t watched Rougned Odor of the Rangers yet, you should. He has a combination of power, speed and defense that belies his 20 years of age. Just an amazingly quick journey through the farm system to the parent club. He has it all. Jurickson Profar got all the hype, but Odor is really quite a player to watch.

Sweet swing you ask? Try Christian Yelich. It says in my brain that he’s on his way to becoming a very dangerous hitter. Very dangerous. But then you knew I liked him. I’ve been raving about him for three or four years now.

Sleeper you ask? Wilson Ramos of the Nationals. Not even in the catching conversation. Hits and plays outstanding defense. Hitting 4th for the Nationals now.

Jonathan Singleton time soon in Houston. Soon. Springer and Singleton=hope. But not NOW. Be patient.

Gregory Polanco time in Pittsburgh? They can’t wait much longer. He’s the real deal. Pirates fans will love him. He’ll be a fantasy darling. And man, can he play. Great arm. Solid bat with power. Patience though. He’ll be adjusting to the way pitchers adjust to him. All Star time promotion. Sooner if it were me.

Oscar Taveras? Also soon. I see him moving in to his new home in right field in St. Louis and hitting the ground running. Exciting player.

Will the Phillies trade Cliff Lee? Yankees could sure use him, right?

How long does Kansas City wait for Mike Moustakas? What should they do? Does he have any trade value? Yes. Third base is not a deep position. Maybe a change of scenery will work for him.

Would you give Pablo Sandoval a long-term contract if you were the Giants? At big, big bucks? They have a decision to make.

Did Max Scherzer make the right decision turning down more money from the Tigers than is in my home town bank on any given day? Didn’t we watch that movie starring Ubaldo Jimenez just last year? I know Scherzer isn’t Jimenez, but the concept seems similar to me. How ca you say “no” to more money than they have in some city governments? Gutsy. I guess.

The day after the MLB draft should be fun. We should be seeing Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales sign contracts. But where?

Thanks for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. And listen to Short Hops on iTunes.

Thats’ it. I’m done.

Sometimes I think one or two players set the tone for an entire roster. The departures of Jacoby Ellsbury and Stephen Drew have given the Red Sox an entirely different look and feel. They miss both those players-but especially Ellsbury. A guy that ignites an offense from the top of the batting order is hard to find. To watch him play for your biggest rival is difficult to handle. I think the Red Sox could struggle to score runs all year. In addition, the defensive shifts being deployed against David Ortiz are taking their toll on his productivity.

On the other hand, think of what the Yankees have been able to do because Robinson Cano left them for Seattle. They used the money targeted for him to fill several gaping holes and return to the Yankees of old. Very good free agent signings IMO on the part of Mr. Cashman.

It’s very difficult for me to watch John Axford come in to save an Indians game. I know he’s done the job–most of the time. But not without heartburn. And the loss to the White Sox Sunday was painful to watch. Corey Kluber pitched an 8 inning gem. While I left the room for an instant, Axford had already walked the leadoff hitter. Then it went downhill from there.

The hole I’ve seen in Jose Abreu’s swing is a high fastball. But not an 88 mph fastball. A mid-90’s fastball.

The Rockies have one of the best defensive infields I have seen in years. Nolan Arenado is incredible at third. D J LeMahieu is almost his equal at second. Tulo is darn good at shortstop and now, Justin Morneau brings a great glove to first. And man, can that club clobber the baseball. If they can use a pitching machine instead of humans they would win the World Series. But it’s tough to pitch in Colorado. Very tough.

I saw a statistic that said 31 pitchers have required Tommy John surgery since February. 16 have been on Major League pitching staffs. Maybe some doctor and hospital should consider providing a Tommy John surgery at birth. That would provide a tremendous public service.

How do the Dbacks come back from their horrible start? That’s the question I’m being asked the most lately. My answer? I don’t know. The farm system can not plug pitching holes–or position player holes for that matter. There are few players available on the trade front (at least until the trade deadline in July). And even if there were, who can they trade? Maybe second baseman Aaron Hill. Chris Owings could convert to second base with Didi Gregorius playing shortstop. I’ll get Didi in there somewhere.

The Marlins are a fun team to watch. And I firmly believe Jose’ Fernandez is in the conversation as the best pitcher in baseball. Why? I just think the Kershaw injury gives me a bit of concern. But if he is still behind Kershaw, he isn’t far away from being the best. His curveball is beyond fantastic.

The Tigers need Stephen Drew. Tomorrow if not today.

It’s very strange to look in the Wrigley Field stands on a televised game and see empty seats. But that’s reality. It’s been cold and the team isn’t winning. Bad combination-even for a tremendously loyal fan base.

Here’s something I never thought would happen this year—Oakland is looking for starting pitching. Are you kidding me? That speaks volumes about pitching depth and surgeries. They have two guys on the shelf in Parker and Griffin.

How tough is it to pitch to Major League hitters? The Angels are on the brink of returning Ernesto Frieri to the closer’s role. Yikes!

Is Prince heating up? Seems like it. And so is Miguel Cabrera. Watch out!

Speaking of Miguel. Have you noticed the shorter swing and different footwork for Miguel Montero in the batter’s box? He’s getting results. He’s much improved over the 2013 edition. But I’m still not buying it 100%. I want to see it for an entire season.

Corey Kluber is really a darn good starting pitcher.

I’m really happy for the Brewers. They are doing it with a balance of pitching and hitting. Hope they keep it up. It’s a good story. Small market and in the same division with the Cardinals. But the Cardinals hitters have really scuffled.

Kolten Wong has been sent out for more seasoning. Um….I think I many have mentioned…..in the pre-season.

I think the Angels will regret trading Randal Grichuk to St. Louis. I love his swing. He’s a little bit of a late bloomer, but he can flat out hit. The Cards have almost as much outfield depth as they have pitching depth. That’s scary good.

If you can figure out how the Padres can score some runs, contact Buddy Black. I feel terrible for him and Josh Byrnes. It’s a solid franchise, but they’re not scoring runs.

The Rays need pitching? Yes, they do. Speaking of good defense. That’s a team that plays good defense. I’ve seen some outstanding plays by Desmond Jennings. Game savers.

The Cubs Starlin Castro has responded very well to manager Rick Renteria.

The Royals? I just don’t see them hanging in with the Tigers. Even if they get hot, which they haven’t yet. The Tigers just have too much pitching.

Rick Porcello is having a great start to his year. Of course. I didn’t keep him in one of my keeper leagues. I had a hunch when I hit the delete button.

This month I’ll be in Chicago to see the White Sox and in Milwaukee to watch the Brewers. Hope you follow me on twitter for those games.

Angel Pagan may be among the most underrated players in the game. The Giants are a different team with him. When he had that prolonged injury they really scuffled.

Ubaldo Jimenez must be driving Buck Schowalter nuts. Which is the real guy? The one that bombed for his first few starts or the one who threw a gem last week? The Rockies and Indians have lived through that nightmare.

I still like the Orioles. Even with Chris Davis on the shelf. Very balanced club.

Sorry to see Jason Kipnis miss time with an injury. He’s the heart of the Indians IMO.

Looks like we’ll get to see left-hander Robbie Ray pitch for the Tigers this week. We’ll see the pitcher the Tigers got for Doug Fister.

Thanks for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for listening to Short Hops on iTunes. And thanks for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. Much appreciated.

That’s it. I’m done.

Wrigley Field turns 100 years old today. All I have to do is sit back, shut my eyes and think of my days at Wrigley. I’m right back there. Mostly good times. More good than bad. What a place. I can remember sitting in the stands on an April day with the wind howling in my face. You don’t know wind and cold until you experience Chicago wind at Wrigley in April. I can also remember sitting down the left field line right next to the pitcher warming up in the “bullpen.” I could almost reach out and touch him. The atmosphere at Wrigley-inside and out-is like no other. Get off the El, walk to the park and see thousands of happy people dressed in their Cubs gear. Ronnie Woo Woo.
Nuts on Clark. The Ivy. The bleachers (get there early and buy a bleacher seat for that day’s game.) The game was almost insignificant for so many fans. It was the experience. Being there. Listening to Harry Caray sing in the 7th. Watching the scoreboard being changed by hand. Waiting in a huge line at the El to get back home.
It was great. And it still is. Congratulations Chicago. Wrigley turns 100.

Congratulations to Albert Pujols-the first player ever to hit home runs #499 and 500 on the same day. I was sad because there wasn’t much hype leading up to his 500th. But I was in Anaheim last week. I saw him hit a homer to center field. I tweeted at the time that I thought his swing and lower body were back where I had seen them before. There are very few players that work as hard as Albert Pujols. He is an incredible hitter and I’m very happy he has joined the elite 500 homer club.

I have a solution for the hideous baseball brawls we have seen far too often. Take it completely out of the game by suspending players that leave the dugout or bullpen for any reason other that to come in to the game to pitch or to hit. In other words, do what they do in basketball. If you leave the bench, it has consequences. That fight between Pittsburgh and Milwaukee was ridiculous. But I’ve had the same solution before and it still hasn’t happened.

I think Ryan Howard and Chase Utley got tired of hearing how old and over the hill they are. They are both off to tremendous starts. Talent is still there.

I’m concerned about Danny Salazar. This is not the guy I saw pitch last year. Not at all.

I wonder what they could do if Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo were hitting back-to-back in the lineup? I miss Didi Gregorius. So do the Dbacks IMO.

Charlie Blackmon is off to a fantastic start in Colorado. So is Justin Morneau. If they can get some pitching, the Rockies may make a run.

The Blue Jays pitching has gotten much better recently. I’m happy for Mark Buehrle. What a great start for him. He’s just a very good pitcher. He may take his lumps this season at some point, but what he has done so far can not be dismissed.

Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez has a 0.00 ERA.

I’m thinking of old Comiskey Park today as well as Wrigley. Andy the Clown. “Go you Whiiiiiiiiite Sox.” The exploding scoreboard. Bill Veeck. ( My wife and I attended the double header where disk jockey Steve Dahl hosted “Disco Demolition.” A riot broke out when disco records were blown up.) Not pretty. Uniforms that included shorts. The shower in the bleachers. Like Wrigley, there were so many unique components to going to a game at Comiskey in the Bill Veeck era. I loved it.

Chicago is a fantastic city. Great memories. Great sports town. Great heroes. Great food. Great architecture. Great sports venues. We’re going back in May. Have only been back once in the past 14 years. I’ll be at the old ball yards. But it won’t be the same. I plan to take the El, of course. No other way to travel. And I’ll visit some of my old haunts if they’re still there.

As always, thanks for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff.

That’s it. I’m done.

Technology has allowed the advance of reviewable plays in baseball. Sure, there are kinks that must be ironed out and not everyone is happy. But progress brings pain and stress at times. The ultimate goal is to “get it right.”

I’ve been asked lots of questions about what plays are and are not reviewable?
Thanks to a release from Major League Baseball, the questions become more clear.

Here is exactly what MLB has distributed to help us understand this new addition to the game. Note: Reviewable plays and all the ramifications are still a work in progress.

REVIEWABLE PLAYS

Manager Challenge
Most Common Plays
-Force Plays (excluding neighborhood plays and tag ups on fly ball)
-Tag Plays
-Fair/foul in outfield only (at or behind the umpire)
-Catch/No Catch in outfield (behind the infielder)
-Batter hit by pitch

Boundaries
-Ground rule doubles
-Fan interference
-Stadium boundaries (skywalk, fielder into stands, etc.)

Base Running
-Timing Plays (who got there first)
-Touching a base (requires appeal before challenge)
-Passing runners

Umpire Discretion (Manager may request but cannot challenge)
-Home runs
-Home plate collisions
-Record keeping (ball-strike count, outs, score, illegal substitutions, rules check)

ANY play not listed above is not reviewable

Deadline to Initiate Replay
– Play within an inning: Before the pitcher steps on the rubber and batter gets in the box
-Pitching change: Before the signal of the pitching change (defense) or before the pitcher crosses the warning track or foul line (offense)
– End of ann inning: Manager must leave the dugout immediately to hold the defense, then has 30 seconds to challenge
-End of the game: Immediately

Review Outcomes:
-Confirmed (clear and convincing evidence that the call on the field was correct)
– Stands (No clear and convincing evidence to confirm or overturn the call)
-Overturned- Clear and convincing evidence that the call on the field was incorrect

———————-My thoughts——————-
I think it will take time for all the nuances and particulars to be finalized and memorialized. Patience by players, managers, front office personnel and fans will be crucial. It will all be for the greater good. Your team will win some. Your team will lose some.

I believe every close play at the plate should be reviewed and not require an appeal or request. If it’s close, it deserves to be reviewed.

I’ll visit this topic again later in the season. For now, I have no further clarification or answers beyond the release above. I wish I could, but I can’t provide any more details. They will all evolve.

As always, thank you for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. Your support of my work is appreciated.

That’s it. I’m done.

I guess I’ll never fully understand why a guy that pitches a perfect 8th inning can’t go out and at least start the 9th. If he gets in trouble, pull him. The entire closer concept is so major in the game today. I just watched John Axford implode in an Indians loss. They had just taken the lead in the 8th. Nightmares.

On twitter the other day I listed great players with awful batting averages so far this young season. My point? This is a marathon, not a sprint. Generally, a good hitter will find his groove when the weather heats up.

The Reds and Dbacks are both in big trouble with the loss of a major starting pitcher. With Mat Latos and Patrick Corbin both on the shelf, their tough starts become even more magnified.

The White Sox Alexi Ramirez is really on fire. He’s on my underrated list.

The Dodgers Dee Gordon stole a base off Randal Delgado when Delgado was tending to grooming the pitcher’s mound. I saw Gordon do that in Spring Training in 2012. Stole 2B on the throw back to the pitcher.

I have been singing the praises of Josmil Pinto and he is showing why. The man has outstanding power and he makes contact at the plate. He is really helping the Twins.

Ike Davis was a pitcher as well as position player at Arizona State University. I wonder what his career would be like if he would have stuck to pitching? He was darn good.

I still think Stephen Drew will end up with the Yankees. His glove and bat can really help them. I still haven’t figured a good landing spot for Kendrys Morales.

The Dbacks had 25 hits in two days against the Dodgers and lost both games.

Even though he was off to a great start, Sam Fuld couldn’t keep a job with the Athletics. Numbers caught up with him. I think managers would love to have 25 guys with his heart.

I’m really happy for the Brewers and their fans. Their off to a tremendous start. Don’t know if they can keep it up, but the hitting and pitching have come together at the same time. Momentum is a great teammate.

Last year I thought Hyun-Jin Ryu would be best working out of the bullpen to start his career. The baseball was different from the one he was used to in Korea. I thought he’d need some time to adjust. Boy was I wrong. He’s an outstanding lefty. His changeup is a great pitch. Very underrated pitcher.

The loss of Ryan Zimmerman is crucial for the Nationals. It takes a big bat out of the lineup and moves players from their normal defensive positions.

Dustin McGowan had a great start this week. I’ve always liked his stuff, but injuries have taken their toll. Is he all the way back? The Blue Jays would certainly like to see a healthy McGowan and Brandon Morrow. What a lift.

One of my columns next week on MLBPipeline.com will be about Indians reliever Austin Adams. Remember the name. I think at some point he can be a solid arm in the pen.

I don’t think I’m concerned about Miguel Cabrera hitting without Prince Fielder, am I? Man, I hope not. He’s still a great, great hitter. I guess I should follow my own advice. Don’t panic.

I would guess the Randy Wolf tenure will begin very soon for the Dbacks. I’m just sayin’.

As always, thanks for reading my work on Pipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff.

That’s it. I’m done.

In some ways I feel the first week of the season brought as many questions as answers.

I’m wondering if Justin Smoak is feeling more comfortable at the plate and reaping the benefits of having Robinson Cano in the lineup? He put some outstanding at-bats together, but it’s early. The Mariners have stuck with him and perhaps their patience is paying dividends.

I’m wondering if the Twins Chris Colabello is for real? I saw some big gap hits off his bat as he and Jason Kubel had some huge hits to help the Twins off to a nice start. My jury is still out. I’m not sure he can sustain.

I’m worried about the Indians rotation. Especially the inconsistency. I’ve seen Justin Masterson dominate and I’ve seen him dominated. We saw both the first week. I’m not convinced he can master left-handed hitters. And his start against the Twins exposed a weak arsenal if he can’t command his fastball

I’m worried about the Dbacks rotation. What happens if they sustain an injury? What happens if Randall Delgado gets pounded and then pounded again? I don’t think it’ll be helpful if they have to turn to Archie Bradley in April. And after Bradley, who?

I’m wondering if the Athletics will give a call to Billy Burns sooner than later? He has game changing speed. They can use a spark. He can provide that spark.

I’m wondering if we have all overrated the Angels hitting ability. Is Albert really back? What about Kole Calhoun-can he hit enough in the leadoff spot? Will the Angels score enough runs to cover some mediocre pitching?

I’m wondering what the Yankees have seen in Yangervis Solarte is what is actually showing up in the first week? And-I’m wondering why I didn’t see that? Or you, for that matter? Who knew they’d let Eduardo Nunez go in favor of Solarte? Certainly not me. Last year at this time, the Yankees were very high on Nunez.

I’m worried a bit about the slow start of the Astros Marc Krauss. Does a woefully slow start mean a permanent trip to the dog house? I believe in Krauss. But I’m not sure his leash is long enough to keep him from finding a room at the kennel.

Speaking of a long or short leash, I’m wondering how long the leash is on Billy Hamilton? I guess we won’t know for a while. So far, the results aren’t real pretty.
Run Billy run. But get on base first.

I’m wondering how long it will be before Josmil Pinto becomes the permanent Twins catcher? It could happen. That’s how much I like his bat.

I’m worried that Tanner Scheppers may pitch his way out of the Rangers rotation. That’s where he wants to be, but is that where the Rangers want him to be? Colby Lewis is on his way. We’ll see how long Scheppers lasts as a starter.

I’m wondering if the Mariners can keep up the momentum of a solid start?

I’m worried about Ryan Braun’s thumb. I always worry when there’s an issue with a hand, fingers, wrist or anything attached to the arm. So far, Braun has been fine.
But it’s a long season.

I wonder if my early season predictions of a great year for Brandon Belt will hold up? His swing is shorter, sweeter and far more potent than in the past.

I’m wondering if Martin Prado can use the left side of the field? It sure seems his bat drags through the ball and he hits a ton of balls to the right side.

I’m wondering if what we’ve seen from Mark Trumbo will extend for the rest of the season. So far, I’ve seen big boom in the bat and ability to take pitches all over the field.

I’m wondering if the future Pirates outfield of Marte, McCuthen and Polanco will be the fastest in baseball? And I’m wondering how soon that will become reality?

I’m worried that the injury to Matt Moore so early in the season will require the Rays to dig deeper into their pitching depth sooner than they ever believed possible. And just where is that depth.

I’m wondering if the Yankees are breathing a bit easier after C C Sabathia’s second start than they did after his first? I know I am.

I’m wondering who the Indians will jettison when Bourn and Giambi return?

I’m wondering if we all realize how few games have been played and how worry and panic this early is non-productive. To be trite-the cream always rises to the top. Some great players are scuffling. Some mediocre players are playing beyond what their history dictates. It will all return to the norm.

As always, thanks for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com. Hope you’ll check it out, as my prospect profiles have returned. And please follow me on twitter @BerniePleskoff.

That’s it. I’m done.

Yesterday I shared my predictions for the American League pennant races. Today, I look at the National League.

National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers- This isn’t a perfect team. There are flaws. But there is enough pitching to win the West. And the hitting isn’t too shabby either. Ryu can become a real star. I hope Dee Gordon can stick. Age and injuries a concern. 91 wins

San Diego Padres- Here’s my surprise. This team can play. If the pitching can stay healthy, I see lots of hope for a big future. They’re short a big bat. Quentin? Nope. He’s um…….hurt and on the disabled list. Don’t know if he’ll ever be able. 84 wins.

San Francisco Giants- A lack of firepower will catch up with them. I think Belt and Pence will have huge years. Not so sure the pitching is anywhere close to the past. I’ve always found Bumgarner a bit inconsistent. Could be boom or bust with them. 83 wins

Colorado Rockies- If they were the Cleveland Rockies or Detroit Rockies I’d love em. But I don’t think Cy Young could pitch at Coors. It takes so much good fortune and inducing ground balls to win there. Good hitting as usual. Suspect pitching, as usual. 80 wins

Arizona Diamondbacks- I see very thin pitching in the rotation and the pen. At Chase Field, the gaps are wide and the balls fly out of the park. Pitching, pitching and more pitching is required. On offense, I see Goldy, Trumbo and and then who? 78 wins

National League Central

St. Louis Cardinals- The most balanced team I’ve seen with fabulous pitching and a formidable offense. And depth at every position-but especially on the mound. I have a concern about balls getting by at shortstop and hurting the pitchers. Still great. 92 wins

Pittsburgh Pirates- I wish they would have fortified their rotation with at least one starter. However, help is on the way in Taillon. Glasnow down the road a bit. And Gregory Polanco is close. McCutchen is fabulous. Balanced Wild Card team. 85 wins

Cincinnati Reds-Lots is riding on Billy Hamilton’s ability to get on base. Almost too much IMO. Not enough depth in offense or pitching. Injuries could kill them. I do think the rotation is solid if they stay healthy. They’ll miss Choo and Arroyo. 82 wins

Milwaukee Brewers- Again, a lack of depth hurts this club. No real 1B option and no help at 3B if Aramis Ramirez goes on the DL (again). Pitching has some promise with prospects near being ready. Braun returns with a solid offensive year. 75 wins

Chicago Cubs- I see no 2014 hope for this club. And I see way too much pressure on the prospect core to “save the day” when they arrive. Pitching is beyond thin. Castro has to produce. Baez is in the wings. Maybe Bryant, too. Have to pitch to win. Nope. 68 wins

National League East

Washington Nationals-Maybe not quite as balanced as the Cardinals, but very close. They can sustain an injury or two. I look for Bryce Harper to continue to get better and better and lead the club. Pitching is superb in rotation and pen. No issues. 92 wins

Atlanta Braves- The distance between the Braves and the Nationals is like the Grand Canyon. Braves took a huge rotation hit and may not recover. I think they will take a major dip in wins this season. Have to really score some runs to hang in. 83 wins

Miami Marlins- This is a club on the rise in a weak division. The prospect pitching is outstanding. Position players will mature. Stanton needs protection, and I don’t see it. Yelich has to start to hit like he can. Fernandez is my #2 pitcher in baseball. 77 wins

New York Mets- Not much here until they get Matt Harvey back in 2015. Then they’ll have Harvey, Wheeler and Syndergaard. Nice. Offense seems non-existent to me. Pitching wins games, but where will the runs come from? Next year’s better. 75 wins

Philadelphia Phillies-I really like Cliff Lee. The end. I don’t see an influx of young blood to take over for the Howard, Utley, Rollins trio. Pitching was once strong. Now the depth has disappeared. I think the outfield is very weak and infield is aging. 68 wins

National League Champion- Washington Nationals
Most Valuable Player- Andrew McCutchen
Rookie Of The Year- Oscar Taveras

World Series Champion: Washington Nationals

Thanks for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. And please don’t be angry with me if I didn’t rate your team as highly as you might have wanted. It’s just one person’s opinion. I mean, we’re still friends, right? That’s what’s wrong with making predictions. People are passionate about their team and they take it personally. I get that.

That’s it. I’m done.

So much has happened this spring, it’s difficult to believe we’re now watching games that count. The injuries have piled up and I believe they’ll impact several pennant races. Injuries are part of the game-and the teams with enough depth to overcome adversity may well prevail.

Here are my American League predictions for the season (including an off the wall prediction in one of the divisions):

American League West-
Los Angeles Angels-too much firepower and an improved pitching staff make it very tough on teams that have been banged up. I think the trio of Trout, Pujols and Hamilton will play to expectations. Pitching is better. 90 wins.

Rangers-Loss of starting pitchers will be difficult to overcome. I do like the new offense with Fielder and Choo. They’ll have to score plenty of runs though.-89 wins

Athletics- They, too, have some pitching injuries and not as much firepower as the two other clubs. However, we’ve all said that before and we’ve seen what happened. 86 wins

Mariners-Better, but not there yet. Cano will help. But why pitch to him? They need another bat to push them further towards the top. I like their young players and see promise in them-79 wins

Astros- I’m not as convinced that they will turn things around even with Appel, Springer and Singleton. They get much better when Carlos Correa arrives. He’s the key for me. 62 wins

American League Central-
Detroit-In a nutshell, it’s the pitching, but Miggy will miss Prince. They’ll all miss Fister. Left side infield defense will be a major problem for their outstanding pitchers. Still the best though. The team to beat in the division-90 wins

Royals-The popular flavor of the month, I don’t think they have nearly enough pitching to keep up with or catch the Tigers. Offense is coming together. I really like Yordano Ventura and Sal Perez. Kyle Zimmer will help later in the season. 85 wins

Cleveland- No Ubaldo, no Kazmir and not as much good luck in close games. And can they beat up Chicago like last year? No. I see regression. I think Kipnis will have a huge year along with Kluber. Santana is no worse at 3B than Chisenhall. 82 wins

White Sox-People will buzz about how good Jose Abreu hits. But I still don’t think they’ve turned the corner—yet. I have just a bit of a concern about Avisail Garcia after watching him this spring. I hope I’m wrong. Holes at 3B, 2B, C. Pitching isn’t there. 70 wins.

Twins-I think they’ll be counting too much on Buxton and Sano (when he gets healthy) for their future. Too much pressure on them. Lack organizational depth in pitching and position players. Tough year. 67 wins

American League East-
Baltimore-I really like the offense and I think the pitching will surprise. They can flat out kill the ball, especially in that park. They’ll miss Machado. Need him quickly. 90 wins

Rays-I think they might be a tad overrated. I really like Cobb and Price but I wonder about the rest of the rotation. Very good pen. Need another bat IMO. 89 wins

Yankees- Too many infield holes to fill. 1B will be an issue if Tex can’t hit. Like the additions of Ellsbury, Beltran and McCann. Not enough though. Pitching solid. 84 wins (tie with Boston in wins)

Red Sox- I think they’ll miss Ellsbury and Drew. I liked Bogaerts at 3B with Drew at shortstop. Victorino being hurt to start the season is a bit of an issue.. Lots of offensive pressure on Ortiz. Pitching is stable and good.-84 wins (tie with New York in wins.)

Blue Jays- They never fixed their pitching. It’ll come back to haunt them in such a tough division. Big, booming bats in spots and pop guns in others. 73 wins.

AL Champs: Angels
Most Valuable Player- Mike Trout
Rookie Of The Year- Jose Abreu

Tomorrow: National League Predictions.

Thank you for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. You can listen to Short Hops podcast every Wednesday on iTunes.

That’s it. I’m done.

We’re into the last week of Spring Training. I must admit I felt it went rather quickly. But I’m still exhausted.

I want to thank you so much for your great comments and questions on twitter during the entire spring marathon. We’ll continue with baseball talk during the regular season.

I want to share some of my impressions of the spring before I do my last Spring Training blog at the end of the week and before the “real” season starts.

The Dodgers have to be flying high following a two-game sweep of the Dbacks in Australia. On the other hand, how would you like to travel that far and come away with no wins. Demoralizing, to say the least.

I think the Dbacks will have pitching issues all season. The loss of Patrick Corbin was crucial. There just isn’t enough depth.

If you ever go to Peoria for Spring Training, try the chicken/rice bowl from a vendor on the concourse. Superb.

I’ll be going to the new Cubs park tomorrow for the first time.

These are some guys I saw this spring I’m very high on. Remember-this is not a complete list. These are guys that made me sit up in my seat: Jose Abreu (White Sox)
Francisco Lindor, (Indians) Yordano Ventura (Royals) Kole Calhoun (Angels) BILLY BURNS (Athletics) Dustin Ackley (Mariners) Stefan Romero (Mariners) Brad Miller (Mariners)
Rougned Odor (Rangers) Andrelton Simmons (Braves0 Nick Markakis (Orioles) Ubaldo Jimenez (Orioles) Henry Urrutia (Orioles) Mike Foltynewicz (Astros) Carlos Correa (Astros)
Steven Matz (Mets) Tim Cooney (Cardinals) Anthony Rendon (Nationals)

Of course, there were countless other guys that I really, really liked. But these guys showed me some special talent. They may not all make it to the big leagues this season. And of course, many are already big names.

I didn’t see the Rays, Red Sox, Yankees or Blue Jays.

I think Brad Ausmus and Matt Williams will be fabulous managers.

The Angels have to have everything go well with their starting pitching. They have no (as in zero) pitching depth.

Most clubs have a gap the size of the grand canyon after their third starters. Good teams must—and I mean must—beat up on the 4th and 5th starters.

There are few home runs to be found.

I look at their team and I can’t figure why the Mariners don’t win. They have a collection of good players. But they don’t play them. Stefan Romero is a good player. Will Corey Hart ever be healthy? Nick Franklin is a good player. Where will he play? Does having Robbie Cano make them a contender? Will he sell lots of tickets? I’m just askin.

Why haven’t the Tigers signed Stephen Drew? Why didn’t Max Scherzer take the Tigers offer? Does he think he can win a World Series elsewhere next season? And for even more money than the Tigers offered? Lots of questions with the Tigers.

How much money is enough money? I’m just asking here.

I’m getting more and more annoyed by these blind sales calls on the telephone. I thought they were banned five years ago when we signed the “don’t call” list. No-I don’t have caller ID. Don’t try to call me and sell me new shingles for my roof. I just had three calls in a row trying to sell me something and I’m trying to write here.

You know what ticks me off? When a fan pays money to see a Spring Training game and excepts to see some recognizable names. He gets to the park and maybe one or two of the guys are starters. It’s wrong. Almost immoral in my book. Most box seats cost $23 or $24 bucks for a non-premium game. I don’t feel sorry for players that have to take a bus trip to the game. It’s their job. Fans take airplanes to see those games. It’s wrong!

I was a little kid when Herb Score got hit in the eye in Cleveland by the Yankees Gil McDougald. It made me sick then. Now-this injury to Aroldis Chapman. It was sickening. And it really shook up Salvador Perez. Really. He was devastated.

I know Billy Hamilton gets lots of publicity for his blazing speed. But have you seen Billy Burns of the A’s? Yikes! He’s a blurrr from home to first.

I worry about Michael Bourn. Can he hit? I’m just asking here.

I haven’t given up on Trevor Bauer. But I’m gettingthisclose.

The hamburgers at Salt River Fields are outstanding.

Ever get to Freeport, Illinois? I suggest you visit Little Cubs Field at Read Park on Empire Street. And throw em a few bucks to help keep the place going.

Have I told you yet that I love the Orioles this year? I do. And once they get Manny Machado back, they’ll be even better. Chris Davis. Are you kidding me? He sees a fastball and has to wipe the drool off his shirt. Very balanced club with a good manager in Buck.

Why? Why didn’t the Indians go get another pitcher or two? Or keep Kazmir and Ubaldo. And why will they let Justin Masterson go? Yes-I know why. And to think–George Steinbrenner wanted to buy the Indians but he was refused by the current owner at the time. What might have been.

The most sacred words in baseball are….draft pick. Ask Stephen Drew. Or even Nelson Cruz or Ubaldo Jimenez or Kendrys Morales or Kyle Lohse. I hope that rule gets changed. These guys are too good to be held hostage to a….draft pick.

Five Falling: Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh

Five Flying: Kansas City, Colorado, Baltimore, Washington, San Francisco

No change in the rest. They’ll be as good or as bad.

Next blog: My predictions.

Warning: Don’t be upset with me if I think your team is falling or staying the same. I try to be honest with what I see. If you disagree, just agree to disagree. Don’t be angry. The world is too full of anger. We should agree to like each other. Fair enough.

As always-thanks for reading my work on Pipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. And remember-the podcast with Derek Van Riper and myself comes out every Wednesday on iTunes.

That’s it. I’m done.

I’m never happy when I start my blog talking about injuries. But we have had a horrible injury related week in baseball.

If you followed my work the past few years, my top picks in the spring have included Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy. I have always liked the way they attack hitters, throw strikes and take charge of games. Removing them from the Braves rotation due to elbow issues sickens me. It would be like stealing Yo Yo Ma’s cello for a year and telling him you hope it works them same when he gets it back. Medlen and Beachy are quality starting pitchers. I wish them both well.

Beachy left with “forearm” issues. Same as the elbow. Same tendon.

Not to mention that another of my highly touted pitchers, Patrick Corbin (who I begged fantasy players to take two years ago) is getting a second option on his UCL in the left elbow. More ligament damage. If he has to have surgery, he will miss a year. If he has to just rest, it’ll be for months. Randall Delgado seems to be the next in line to join the rotation. Not Archie Bradley. Bradley has not had good control yet this spring and needs more development time.

And just thinking about the shin splints being suffered by Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias makes me feel very grateful I don’t suffer from them. Or gout. There is no medicine he can take to make the shin splints go away. He has to rest. Stay off his feet. Tough to do for a baseball player. Will Stephen Drew get a call? I think the Tigers will look to Steve Lombardozzi to fill the void. Iglesias could be gone a while. Who knows? But will the Tigers call Drew or stick with Lombardozzi and others?

Thank you to SABR for having Barry Bloom, Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and myself on a panel yesterday at their metrics conference in Phoenix. Met some great people.

A little guy named Max asked me if he could interview me for his blog. He was a perfect gentlemen. I was intrigued. I was blown away when I learned that the articulate, well-dressed, confident young man was….12 years old. Go Max.

I saw Jose Abreu. I am very impressed with his maturity on the field. He is very fundamentally sound and looks like he’s adjusting very well. The White Sox have a real winner and a guy with some pop in his bat. He and Avisail Garcia should form a very solid one-two punch in that lineup for years. That’s an improved club.

Justin Masterson has been brilliant by offering the Indians a counter offer for an extension. What happens if the ownership doesn’t step up to a less than market value offer? The ball is in the owner’s courts. Masterson has done what he can to stay.

I clocked both Dee Gordon and Billy Hamilton at 3.9 going from home to first. That’s pretty darn fast. Ichiro is the fastest I’ver ever clocked at 3.5. Major League average is said to be 4.3 but I have seen it more at 4.5 in the past few years.

The Mariners are in a great position with Nick Franklin available for trade. Countless teams could use his service including the Yankees. Now add the Tigers. And with the prospect of Dodgers free agent Alex Guerrero starting in the Minor Leagues, the Dodgers could probably check in as well. Lots of suitors for Franklin.

Do the Dbacks trade one of Didi Gregorius, Chris Owings or Cliff Pennington for a pitcher now that Corbin is hurt? I wouldn’t. I’m just asking. I would hold on to each of those guys and wait until things got really hot–second half of the season—and extract a heavy price’. And yes, I’d keep Didi. With Dbacks pitching being a bit more marginal now, defense from shortstop is critical. There are few better than Didi. Trade one of them to New York for Phelps or Warren? Not enough. Maybe Pineda. Maybe.

Nick Markakis could have his best year ever. His 40 pound weight gain is distributed well, with his upper body being the biggest beneficiary. He’s my under the radar, once mediocre, now rejuvenated guy.

I can’t remember a spring without running into Jim Fregosi and hearing his voice in either Florida or Arizona. Man, I miss that. What a character. And what a great baseball guy. He is missed. A major voice has been stilled.

OK-that’s it for now. Thanks for reading my work on MLBPipeline.com and for following me on twitter @BerniePleskoff. Much appreciated. ˙Hope you’ll tune in to Short Hops which is available on iTunes every Wednesday.

That’s it. I’m done.