Eight teams have assured themselves of losing records in 2010, but they're all trying to turn things around and reach the postseason. Could the Diamondbacks, under new GM Kevin Towers, be the first to reach the playoffs? What about the Royals, who have so much minor league talent? Or the Cubs, a big-market team with a number of pieces already in place? It's time to vote on those teams, plus the Nationals, Pirates, Mariners, Indians and Orioles.
Which losing team will reach the playoffs first?
Click here to vote and here to see the results.
I’m gonna go out on a limb here, I can’t see the Tigers with a losing record this year, but I definitely see them making the playoffs next year with some smart free agent signings. They have a chance to really set the pace in the AL Central, although the Twins will be mighty tough.
Out of those with LOSING records, I don’t think any of them are really ready to make that jump next year from losers to contenders, but I guess my vote would go to either the D-Backs or the Nationals for winning records next year, they do have some pieces in place to make themselves successful if all goes right for them.
The Twins are such a good team. They easily won the division…again. And to think they did it without one of the best hitters in the game in Morneau missing half of the season. They are still first in the league in batting average and hits.
But I do agree that the Tigers do have a decent chance of making the playoffs next year if they can stay healthy and also pick up a player or two. The Tigers have decent bats but the addition of someone like Crawford would be a boon. Looking at the statistics for this year the weakness of the Tigers has been their pitching staff. They rank in the bottom third in mlb in most of the pitching categories.
The good news is that the Tigers starting pitching has been good to exceptional during the second half of this year. If Scherzer can keep up what he has done in the second half then he is a legitimate Cy Young candidate. Also, Porcello has shown flashes of brilliance but he obviously still needs some work. The addition of a left handed starter would be great but who is really available not counting Cliff Lee?
As a Hardcore Met fan, I am rooting for the Phillies to destroy us this weekend. What are the Wipons waiting for ??????????? Let’s Go!!!!!!!!!! I’m sick of this Sick of it
No…as an ACTUAL hardcore Met fan, that’s the last thing I want to happen. I’d rather sweep Philly. Getting “destroyed” by them won’t hurt Minaya or Jerry’s chances of staying with the club anymore than the rest of the season has. We could win the last 10 and it wouldn’t change the future hiring of a new manager and relocation of Minaya.
No…as an ACTUAL hardcore Met fan, that’s the last thing I want to happen. I’d rather sweep Philly. Getting “destroyed” by them won’t hurt Minaya or Jerry’s chances of staying with the club anymore than the rest of the season has. We could win the last 10 and it wouldn’t change the future hiring of a new manager and relocation of Minaya.
Where are the Brewers on this list? At 70-81, the best they can be is a .500 team and that is if they win out. As we all know, they won’t, which means they are a losing team.
I’m not high on any of them any time soon. I’d say the Nats before Strasburg was injured, now I’d say they’re 3-5 years away. Pirates have been drafting well, but again 4-5 years. Orioles have a decent farm but their kids need to prove they can produce… add to it they’re in a division with high rollers and good farms. I can’t remember what’s on the Indians farm but I haven’t heard anyone raving about it. Cubs are a trainwreck as long as Soriano and Zambrano are taking up space. Royals have interesting talent on the farm, but a lot of their sure things in the past had yet to do much. Diamondbacks need a hell of a lot of work before they can consider contention.
So Mariners. On paper this team doesn’t need a lot of huge moves.
The Indians farm system was the 3rd best in baseball heading into the season……only big one to lose prospect status was Carlos Santana….and he missed much of the year with an injury. Brantley lost his too technically but wasn’t even a top 5 in our own system.
Chisenhall and Kipnis will both be top 25 prospects…..White a top 50 (probably top 35). Hagadone slipped but still gonna be top 100 I’d guess. Pomeranz and Knapp could both sneak into the top 100 and same with Weglarz.
If they had 7 top 100s….I wouldn’t be shocked. 4 for sure though.
They do lack a huge bat or bona-fide Ace…but guys like White, Gardner, Pomeranz, Carrasco, etc all profile as stud #2s. Chisenhall and Kipnis both look like future all-stars.
Don’t have the best system….but they have the deepest by far.
Ah, then they’re a possible to move up the food chain…
Dbacks need to shuffle the deck a bit if you ask me – esp if Webby isnt coming back. After him, I’m not super attached to anyone left on the current roster – maybe CY and Monty, that’s it. I wouldnt mind seeing some kind of “reynolds for prado with a bit of pitching tossed in” deal with the Braves. Anything that brings back someone who hits for average.
how is justin upton not mentioned on your list of guys that they should hold on to?
If you knew how many D’Backs fans want to get rid of Upton, you’d cringe. Just look at AZCentral commenters. They’re calling for Upton to be traded off for a middle reliever.
/facepalm
You can take Moylan for him then. I’d love an outfield that had both Heyward and Justin Upton on the corners.
Ill give you Nick Masset, we could put Upton in left and have a outfield of Upton Stubbs and Bruce. All young good fielders with speed and defense whats not to love?and they can all hit do it walt (;
I’m a big fan of Reynolds, don’t get me wrong, but he is in no way equal to Prado at this point, let alone better than him.
As a Braves fan, I wouldn’t want that trade. Prado is playing 3B right now out of necessity, and his offense is above average for his actual position of 2B. The power potential of Reynolds is very appealing, but there’s an equal number of risks involved with him too.
I think the Braves would want Justin Upton involved in that
This post can’t be serious, right?
I’m not trying to be too down on the guy, but I think he honestly thinks that.
I’m not trying to be too down on the guy, but I think he honestly thinks that.
This post can’t be serious, right?
I think the Braves would want Justin Upton involved in that
out of this list, its gotta be cleveland if forced to pick one, they have some nice players like santana, carmona, sizemore, but obviously have holes to fill.
If they have obvious holes to fill then why would they be the “next losing team to make the playoffs”?
All of them have obvious holes to fill or else they wouldn’t be losing teams.
I am still unsure of Carmona. He has had a solid year in 2010 but 2008 and 2009 were miserable.
So would the real Carmona please stand up? Are you 2007/2010 or 2008/2009?
In fairness to Carmona….he was hurt in 2008. He got off to a great start that year then went on the DL for about 6-8 weeks. Came back….and just wasn’t the same. Then he had a mental issue (was sent to rookie ball to get fixed).
I don’t think Carmona will ever be as good as 2007……but fully believe 2010 is the real Carmona. A very good pitcher….but not a stud/Cy Young guy like he was in 2007. Solid #2 though.
He changed his stance on the mound (no longer is on the extreme right side of the rubber) and the results have been noticable since his first start basically.
I am really pulling for the Nationals. However, with the injury to Strasburg and the division they’re in, it won’t happen next year.
Pirates.
Mariners, mostly because of their division.
Or the Cubs, just because they have the payroll to do it (once they drop some contracts, not next season).
I think the rest of the clubs will have significantly more trouble considering their division (Orioles, Nationals, Diamondbacks) or their tight payroll (Pirates, Royals).
I don’t see the Rangers relinquishing control of that division anytime soon. And the Rangers farm system is still pretty deep.
I agree with thegrayace. I think the Rangers are a solid team but they still have some question marks.
Will Hamilton stay healthy mentally and physically?
Is C.J. Wilson for real?
Is Cliff Lee gonna stay?
Will Vladdy still be productive or was this season an anomaly?
I think the Rangers will still be a good team but to answer the poll question I thought that the Mariners would have a fighting chance to win their division.
I voted Pirates because they should have a nice core of players coming up over the next 4 or 5 years.
A team that’s not on the list and could possibly make a push next year is the Astros.
Polls like this are such a stark reminder of the insurmountable task at hand for teams like the O’s. It just doesn’t seem fair.
It’s certainly not an easy task for them!
But they have looked great under Buck so you never know.
They have, and they should get better next year. I really think they are a couple guys away from competing in any other division outside the AL East.
Now Go Braves!!
Astros are not on your list but I think they and the Diamondbacks have a better shot than the Cubs..and the Astros do play in a soft division. The Astros seem to be like the Padres and Reds who got better in the second half of last year. Really I don’t see anyone on your list making the playoff in a long time…
Astros are my pick. The young guys have been surprising.
The problem with the Astros is that, while Heck and Wade have been doing a great job turning around a terrible farm system, we still lack serious depth and prospects. Our pitching staff has been out of its mind the second half of the season, but it’s likely that the emperor still has no clothes. Even if you assume that Lyles and Mier will somehow be ready sometime next year (which I think is probably impossible), I just don’t see us being able to put together 162 games. It *HAS* been fun to watch them in the second half, though, and to dream about the future…
Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing for years, but somehow they’re doing good right now.
The problem with the Astros is that, while Heck and Wade have been doing a great job turning around a terrible farm system, we still lack serious depth and prospects. Our pitching staff has been out of its mind the second half of the season, but it’s likely that the emperor still has no clothes. Even if you assume that Lyles and Mier will somehow be ready sometime next year (which I think is probably impossible), I just don’t see us being able to put together 162 games. It *HAS* been fun to watch them in the second half, though, and to dream about the future…
BREWERS…… Not sure how anyone missed that, with a PeeWee League pitching staff, coupled with our ridiculous offense, we should be right there with the Reds, unfortunately, our Starters, savy Yo and maybe Wolf, have been outright putrid. Some solid arms, and we are in damn good shape to compete, moving prince for some pitching….. That’s for another time though.
Gallardo=Beast
Wolf=Good but not 2009 w/ Dodgers
Trade Prince for the best pitching you can find and Hart, Braun, Weeks(if healthy), and McGehee should be enough to win
I’d love to say the Indians here…..and I fully believe they will be in the playoffs in 2012. Not sure that makes them the first though…..
Like the team they’re building, but think 2011 is gonna be another non-playoff year. Can definitely see .500 though.
I don’t know if they’ll be the first, but I think Baltimore has really turned things around under Buck Showalter. They have talent, they just need to put all the pieces together. Yes, they’re in a tough division, but the Wildcard would not be out of the question.
I totally agree. For the last few years, I could not figure the birds out. They always had good individual talent and could not seem to be able to put it altogether. I finally came to the conclusion that they had little regard or respect for Trembley or Samuel who succeeded him. They committed the same dumb plays over and over again and at times just played an uncaring type of Baseball. That seems to be borne out with the difference in play under Showalter. I don’t expect them to make the playoffs next year, but they’re going to be in the tussle throughout the season next year.They are going to make the division tighter and more interesting, for sure. Having the entire AL East playing .500 ball is a distinct possiblity in 2011.
Yeah, the way the O’s have been playing under Buck, they would be my choice if they weren’t in the AL East. It will be quite the climb for them to get over the Yanks, Red Sox and Rays…
Yeah, the way the O’s have been playing under Buck, they would be my choice if they weren’t in the AL East. It will be quite the climb for them to get over the Yanks, Red Sox and Rays…
I voted Cleveland.
A healthy Santana and Sizemore goes a long, long way along with having Cabrera for the whole season.
I voted Cleveland.
A healthy Santana and Sizemore goes a long, long way along with having Cabrera for the whole season.
Kansas City Royals…bring back the 80’s baby
If the wilpons can back off, I’d say the Mets.
with about 50 mil coming off the books in the next 2 years, with both Pujols/A-Gon/Prince becoming available in the next 2 years, plus some decent OF prospects, Thole developing nicely at Catcher…if any of the top 3 Free agent 1B are signed Ike Davis could either be trade bait for a good 2B/RF or move to RF himself ( he did play RF in college and in the minors )
If the wilpons can back off, I’d say the Mets.
with about 50 mil coming off the books in the next 2 years, with both Pujols/A-Gon/Prince becoming available in the next 2 years, plus some decent OF prospects, Thole developing nicely at Catcher…if any of the top 3 Free agent 1B are signed Ike Davis could either be trade bait for a good 2B/RF or move to RF himself ( he did play RF in college and in the minors )