Charlotte Cougars: 2017 MLB Expansion

[Grahoben]

In this dynasty, I will expand Major League Baseball to 32 teams after the 2016 season, and will take over the National League's newest team: The Charlotte Cougars.


2016 MLB Preview



After making its first trip to the playoffs in over 20 years, the Toronto Blue Jays look to be the favorite to repeat as division champs. Led by sluggers Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and reigning MVP Josh Donaldson, the Blue Jays will certainly have one of the league's most powerful lineups. After that, it seems difficult to predict how the remaining four teams will do. Boston has a talented team on paper, but they have struggled recently outside of their 2013 championship. Could the acquisition of David Price push them over the hump in 2016?

Although they were champions last season, many do not expect the Royals to have the same amount of success this upcoming year. Kansas City lost some of the key pieces to its World Series run, including utility man Ben Zobrist, who signed with the Cubs. Meanwhile, Detroit and Cleveland both look to be very competitive in 2016. The Tigers still have one of baseball's best hitters in Miguel Cabrera, and their lineup features other sluggers such as J.D. and Victor Martinez. The Indians rely on youth, especially shortstop Francisco Lindor, who nearly took home the American League's Rookie of the Year Award last season.

Overall, the American League West seems to be one of baseball's weaker divisions. Only a few years ago, the Astros were the laughing stock of baseball, but now they appear to be contenders, led by one of the best middle infields in baseball in Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa. The Angels are always dangerous with Mike Trout in their lineup, but other than an aging Albert Pujols, Los Angeles lacks many stars.

The National League East should feature an exciting race between the Washington Nationals and defending NL Champion Mets. If the Nationals want to return to the playoffs after being left out in 2015, they will need another great season from Bryce Harper, who had a historic season on his way to his first MVP Award. While the Mets lineup isn't spectacular, they did manage to resign outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who will try to produce enough runs for one of the best pitching staffs of this generation.

After their best season under Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon, the Chicago Cubs look to return to the playoffs under their young core. The Cubs already had a strong lineup, but the additions of Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist will make it even stronger. Although Pittsburgh and St. Louis each had fantastic seasons in 2015, it will be tough to overcome the Cubs, who hope to finally end the longest title drought in professional sports.

Under their new ownership, the Dodgers will always be a threat due to their seemingly unlimited budget, but that didn't stop the Giants from winning their 3rd title in five years in 2014. San Francisco missed the playoffs last year, but their team obviously has players that know how to win, and they look like a strong candidate to return to the postseason in 2016. Arizona acquired Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller to bolster their rotation, but it is uncertain whether that will be enough for the D-Backs to compete.

[Grahoben]

April Update


Many people predicted the Cubs to be in first place, but nobody could have expected them to not even have the best record in Chicago. The White Sox have shocked the American League so far with more wins than anyone else in the month of April. Despite losing 1B Jose Abreu and OF Adam Eaton to injury, the White Sox have found a way to win so far. Although Chris Sale has been good, as expected, young lefty Carlos Rodon has been phenomenal, going 4-0 with a 1.72 ERA. Veteran CF Austin Jackson has filled in for the injured Eaton admirably, hitting .356 with 6 home runs on the young season.

In the National League, the Mets have picked up right where they left off, and lead baseball with an .818 winning percentage. Their pitching staff has been as good as advertised, and the addition of Neil Walker has paid dividends, as the second baseman leads the team with a .352 average.

Achievements
4/10 Cubs CF Dexter Fowler collects 5 hits in a win against the Diamondbacks.
4/16 Reds SP Brandon Finnegan throws the 24th perfect game in Major League history against the Cardinals, as he struck out 10 in the 2-0 victory.
4/16 Longtime catcher A.J. Pierzynski collects his 2,000th career hit for the Braves.
4/25 Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera goes 5-5 in a 5-4 win over the Indians.
4/26 White Sox SP Carlos Rodon no-hits the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, striking out 6.



Injury Report:
Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen missed most of the month with a separated shoulder, but came off the disabled list just in time for the end of the month.
Dodgers 3B Justin Turner is out a few more weeks with a fractured thumb he suffered in a game against the Padres.
Royals free agent signing Ian Kennedy injured himself in his first start with his new team, and will require season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair his damaged elbow.
Tampa Bay OF Brandon Guyer was off to a hot 14-30 start to the season, but he is sidelined with a fractured thumb.
Baltimore's latest international free agent, OF Hyun-soo Kim, will be out until the all star break with a fractured rib.
Veteran Cardinal SP Adam Wainwright will be shut down for the next 1-2 months with lingering back spasms.
Toronto's SS Troy Tulowitzki will miss the rest of the season with a broken kneecap. Tulowitzki appeared in just 11 games with the club, hitting .237 with a single home run.
Astros SS Carlos Correa was off to a great start to his sophomore campaign, but the 21 year old will have to wait until 2018 to keep producing for Houston, as he will miss the rest of the season with a torn MCL.
Seattle SP Hisashi Iwakuma's season is in jeopardy, as the righty suffered a partially torn labrum. The Mariners hope he can return by the end of the season.
Reigning MVP and Nationals OF Bryce Harper will miss the next month with a strained hamstring. The former #1 overall pick is hitting .326 with 3 homers on the year.
The White Sox have the most wins in baseball, but if they are to make the playoffs it will be without the help of CF Adam Eaton, who is out for the year with a ruptured disc.
Reds SP Brandon Finnegan will likely miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
Giants reliever Hunter Strickland will sit out the rest of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Hot Stove
4/23 Padres sign veteran pitcher Mark Buehrle to a 1 year deal.
4/26 The Rangers sign Cuban LF Yadiel Hernandez to a 1 year deal worth $10.7 million. The 28 year old has already been inserted into the starting lineup, hitting .375 with a home run in his first few games.

Awards
AL Hitter of the Month- Rangers 1B Prince Fielder (.385, 6 HR, 17 RBI)
NL Hitter of the Month- Diamondbacks RF David Peralta (.374, 4 HR, 19 RBI)
AL Pitcher of the Month- White Sox SP Carlos Rodon (4-0, 1.72 ERA, 28 K)
NL Pitcher of the Month- Mets SP Matt Harvey (5-0, 1.09 ERA, 38 K)
AL Rookie of the Month- Twins 1B Byung-ho Park (.272, 5 HR, 13 RBI)
NL Rookie of the Month- Dodgers SP Kenta Maeda (5-0, 2.29 ERA, 28 K)

[thorpegiovanni]

Are you sticking them into one of the Centrals or going 4d's?

[Grahoben]

Originally Posted by thorpegiovanni

Are you sticking them into one of the Centrals or going 4d's?

Actually I'm thinking about having two 8 team divisions in each league, and then having the division winners and 3 wild cards make the playoffs. Wildcards 4 & 5 would have a 1 game playoff.

[thorpegiovanni]

Originally Posted by Grahoben

Actually I'm thinking about having two 8 team divisions in each league, and then having the division winners and 3 wild cards make the playoffs. Wildcards 4 & 5 would have a 1 game playoff.

Sounds good as long as the Braves don't end up back in the West, lol.

[Grahoben]

May Update

At this point, the Mets appear to be one of the favorites to return to the World Series, and one of the main reasons for their success has been pitcher Matt Harvey. New York's stud righty has had an unbelievable season, winning each of his 11 starts, and posting a tiny 1.36 ERA. Elsewhere in the National League, the Dodgers have been having another strong season, led by RF Yasiel Puig. After struggling since his rookie season in 2013, the Cuban outfielder has pounded the baseball to the tune of a .304 average and 11 home runs. In the central, St. Louis has recaptured the division lead over the Cubs after a mediocre April. 2B Kolten Wong has been one of St. Louis' most surprising sluggers, as he leads the Redbirds with 37 RBIs.

Perhaps the most exciting division in baseball is the American League Central, as there is currently a tight three team battle between Detroit, Chicago, and Kansas City. The Tigers have taken the division lead behind Miguel Cabrera's hot bat, as the future hall of famer leads baseball in many prime offensive categories. Overall, the Tigers feature a fearsome lineup, as they lead Major League Baseball in runs scored.




Achievements:
5/2 Nationals C Wilson Ramos gets 5 hits in an 15-11 shootout against Kansas City.
5/4 Padres 2B Cory Spangenburg goes 5-6 in a 15-9 win over the Rockies.
5/5 Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier hits for the cycle in a win over the Angels.
5/9 Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira hits his 400th career home run. The switch hitter has 8 round trippers on the season, but is just hitting for a .211 average.
5/31 Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez records his 400th career save against his former team, the Angels. Rodriguez has yet to allow an earned run in 19 appearances this season.

Injury Report:
Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez missed most of May with a separated shoulder.
Cubs 2B Ben Zobrist will be out until early July with an ankle injury.
Rockies RP Chad Qualls missed most of the month with an abdominal injury that he apparently suffered while playing with his dog.
Rangers SP Cole Hamels is out until the all star break with biceps tendinitis.
Blue Jays SP J.A. Happ is expected to be out for the season due to an elbow injury.
Phillies SP Charlie Morton will require Tommy John surgery after tearing a tendon in his elbow.
Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista will miss 4 weeks with a broken hand.
Cubs RF Jason Heyward will miss a few weeks with a strained hamstring. Chicago's new signing had been doing well up to this point, hitting for a .297 average.
Diamondbacks RF David Peralta will miss 6 weeks with a torn meniscus. This is a large blow to Arizona, as Peralta was hitting a scorching .337 on the year.
Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal will miss about 6 weeks with a strained hamstring.
Braves reliever Jim Johnson is out until August with a torn tendon in his finger.
Rays pitcher Enny Romero will likely miss the remainder of the season with an elbow injury.
Reds RP Blake Wood is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Pirates SP Francisco Liriano is out 4 months with bone chips in his elbow.

Hot Stove:
The Marlins have signed SP Aaron Harang to a 1 year contract.
The Orioles have extended RP Brian Matusz's contract through the 2017 season, with an option for 2018.
The Dodgers have signed lefty reliever J.P. Howell to a 2 year extension.

Awards:
AL Hitter of the Month: Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera (.349, 11 HR, 28 RBI)
NL Hitter of the Month: Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton (.297, 8 HR, 22 RBI)
AL Pitcher of the Month: Red Sox SP Clay Buchholz (5-1, 1.99 ERA, 31 K)
NL Pitcher of the Month: Mets SP Matt Harvey (6-0, 1.61 ERA, 48 K)
AL Rookie of the Month: Tigers SP Michael Fulmer (4-0, 3.72 ERA, 30 K)
NL Rookie of the Month: Brewers CF Keon Broxton (.333, 4 HR, 13 RBI)

[Grahoben]

June Update

The New York Yankees have taken over as best team in the American League, as the Bronx Bombers lead the AL with 45 wins. Despite an underwhelming .243 team batting average, the Yankees have an impressive 100 home runs, good for 3rd best in the American League. While their offense hasn't been much better than average, the Yankees have had great success on the mound. They have allowed less runs than any other team in the AL, due in part to their bullpen of Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, and Aroldis Chapman. Elsewhere in the American League, the central has really tightened up, as the last place Indians are only 6.5 games behind the leading Tigers.
Like the American League, the National League is also led by a team with a seemingly unlimited payroll. The Dodgers have continued to dominate the west, led by the dynamic duo of Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig, who have combined to hit 46 home runs. The Nationals have also continued to play well, and they should only continue to win games with the return of Bryce Harper, who's batting average is now up to .343.




Achievements:
6/5 Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez hits home run #300 for his career.
6/7 Braves 1B Freddie Freeman hits 3 home runs in a 6-3 loss against the Padres.
6/8 Yankees C Brian McCann smacks 3 home runs in an 8-2 win over the Angels.
6/17 Dodgers SS Corey Seager hits for the cycle in a 27-3 win over the Brewers.
6/27 Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon's 21-game hitting streak ends in a 3-0 win over the Mets.
6/28 Yankees RF Carlos Beltran hits the 400th home run of his career.
6/30 Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig's 20-game hit streak comes to an end.

Injury Report:
Rays RF Corey Dickerson will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
Indians pitcher Cody Anderson is out until at least September with an elbow injury.
Dodgers LF Carl Crawford missed most of the month with a strained oblique.
Diamondbacks rookie 3B Brandon Drury is out for the year with a broken kneecap.
Angels SP Garrett Richard suffered an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery, and will miss the rest of the season.
Tigers RF J.D. Martinez is out 2 weeks with a sprained ankle.
Braves 2B Jace Peterson is out for the year with a ruptured achilles.
Giants set up man Santiago Casilla is out for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Royals pitcher Luke Hochevar is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Astros SP Dallas Keuchel is out for the rest of the season with bone chips in his elbow. The 2015 Cy Young Award winner was having a good season, as he went 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA.
Twins RP Brandon Kintzler is out for the year with a torn rotator cuff.
Tigers 1B and current AL batting average leader Miguel Cabrera will be out until late July with a herniated disc.
Tigers SP Jordan Zimmermann is out for the season with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow
Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier will be out until late September with a broken hand.
Rockies RP Jason Motte is out for the season with a nerve injury in his elbow.
Cubs CF Dexter Fowler is out until mid-August with a strained hamstring.

Hot Stove:
6/4 Padres trade RP Carlos Villanueva to the Cubs for prospects.
6/4 Pirates trade SS Jordy Mercer to the Dodgers for RP Yimi Garcia and a minor league catcher.
6/4 Rockies trade RF Ryan Raburn to the Brewers for RP Michael Blazek.
6/8 Athletics trade 2B Jed Lowrie to the Royals for 1B Kendrys Morales.
6/17 Astros trade C Evan Gattis to the Red Sox for prospects.
6/17 Dodgers trade LF Scott Van Slyke to the Pirates for SP Jon Niese.
6/17 Braves trade RP Jason Grilli to the Diamondbacks for prospects.
6/26 Tigers trade LF Tyler Collins to the Diamondbacks for RP Brad Ziegler.
6/27 Reds trade SS Zack Cozart to the Royals for SP Danny Duffy.
6/29 Nationals trade CF Ben Revere to the Tigers for RP Mark Lowe.
7/1 Orioles trade LF Joey Terdoslavich to the Rangers for prospects.
7/1 Padres trade 3B Ryan Schimpf to the Tigers for RP Justin Wilson.
7/1 Phillies trade SP Jerad Eickhoff to the Rangers for prospects.
7/1 Mariners trade RP Steve Cishek to the Reds for prospects.

Awards:
AL Hitter of the Month: Red Sox 1B Hanley Ramirez (.402, 6 HR, 25 RBI)
NL Hitter of the Month: Dodgers CF Joc Pederson (.337, 11 HR, 27 RBI)
AL Pitcher of the Month: Indians SP Corey Kluber (4-1, 2.45 ERA, 42 K)
NL Pitcher of the Month: Giants SP Madison Bumgarner (5-1, 2.53 ERA, 45 K)
AL Rookie of the Month: Twins CF Byron Buxton (.275, 6 HR, 28 RBI)
NL Rookie of the Month: Diamondbacks CF Socrates Brito (.386, 2 HR, 12 RBI)

[Grahoben]

2016 MLB All Star Game
American League Roster


National League Roster



The American League won a tight battle against the National League by a 6-5 score. Orioles 3B Manny Machado was the game's MVP, going 2-3 with a home run. The game ended in the 10th inning, when Astros 2B Jose Altuve hit a sacrifice fly, scoring White Sox CF Austin Jackson.

[Grahoben]

July 2016 Update

One of the big disappointments of July was the performance of the Los Angeles Angels, who slipped to below .500 and 3rd place in the American League West. While CF Mike Trout is still hitting a respectable .280, his numbers have not quite been up to par compared his usual ridiculous performance. Meanwhile, the Astros have been red-hot, extending their division lead to 4.5 games over Oakland. Houston's deadly combo of power and speed (2nd in home runs, 1st in steals in the AL) have resulted in them having one of the most dangerous offenses in baseball.
In the National League, the Cubs have reclaimed first place in the central over St. Louis. Despite dealing with a series of injuries to Ben Zobrist, Dexter Fowler, and Jason Heyward, the Cubbies have continued to play well with the help of players like 1B Anthony Rizzo, who leads MLB with 86 RBIs.



Achievements:
7/3 Dodgers CF Joc Pederson hits 3 home runs in a 4-3 loss against Colorado.
7/4 Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig's 23 game hitting streak comes to an end.
7/8 Blue Jays 2B Devon Travis hits 3 homers against the Tigers in a 14-2 victory.
7/10 Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez hits his 700th career home run. The 41-year old veteran has struggled this year, hitting just .195.
7/26 Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista goes deep for the 300th time of his career.

Injury Report:
Cardinals SS Jhonny Peralta missed July with a sprained knee.
Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw injured his knee fielding a bunt, and missed the month of July.
Braves SP Matt Wisler has been shut down for the season with shoulder inflammation.
Orioles SP Dylan Bundy is out for the year with a torn rotator cuff.
Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen hit the DL for the second time this season, this time after sustaining an intercostal strain.
Blue Jays RP Roberto Osuna is out 3 weeks with elbow inflammation.
Mets LF Yoenis Cespedes it out until mid-August with a sprained wrist.
Blue Jays LF Chris Colabello will miss 3-4 weeks with a strained hamstring.
Indians SS Francisco Lindor missed 2 weeks with a strained back muscle.
Cardinals RP Andrew Chafin is out until September with a hamstring injury.
Rockies 2B D.J. LeMahieu is out for the season with a torn abdominal muscle. The 28-year old hit .301 on the season before getting hurt.
Dodgers SP Alex Wood will be shut down until September with a sore shoulder. Wood has had a good season for the Dodgers, going 11-4 with a 2.74 ERA.
Twins SS Eduardo Escobar will miss the first week of August with a foot contusion.
Cubs RF Jason Heyward returns to the disabled list, this time suffering a shoulder injury. The lefty will miss 3 weeks.
Twins SP Kyle Gibson broke his kneecap in a car accident, and will miss the rest of the season. He went 9-8 with a 4.31 ERA in 2016.
Cardinals lefty reliever Tyler Lyons is out for the year after tearing an elbow ligament.
Pirates SP Gerrit Cole with miss 6 weeks with plantar fascitis. Cole has gone 6-9 with a 3.34 ERA in 2016.

Hot Stove:
The Indians have traded 1B Carlos Santana to Tampa Bay for OF Desmond Jennings.
The Cardinals have traded 1B/OF Brandon Moss to Arizona for RP Andrew Chafin.
The Pirates have traded SP Ryan Vogelsong to the Royals for prospects.
The Angels have traded 1B C.J. Cron to the Padres for SP James Shields.
The Yankees have traded OF Aaron Hicks to the Mets for RP Antonio Bastardo.
The Reds have traded C Tucker Barnhart to Cleveland for RP Joba Chamberlain.
The Nationals have traded SS Stephen Drew to the Orioles for RP Brad Brach.
The Padres have traded SS Alexei Ramirez to Texas for prospects.
The Red Sox have traded LF Brock Holt to the Brewers for SP Taylor Jungmann.
The Brewers have traded C Jonathan Lucroy to the Rays for prospects.
The Mariners have traded CF Franklin Gutierrez to the Rangers for prospects.
The Rays have traded 3B Evan Longoria to Pittsburgh for RP Tony Watson.
The Rays have traded SP Matt Moore to Houston for prospects.
The White Sox have traded C Dioner Navarro to Seattle for RP Nick Vincent.
The Pirates have traded LF Starling Marte to Miami for SP Jarred Cosart.
The Dodgers have traded RP J.P. Howell to the Reds for SS Ivan de Jesus Jr.
The Diamondbacks have traded RP Tyler Clippard to the White Sox for prospects.
The Rockies have traded LF Gerardo Parra to the Angels for RP Mike Morin.
The Reds have traded C Devin Mesoraco to San Diego for prospects.
The Braves have traded RP Arodys Vizcaino to the Angels for prospects.
The Pirates have traded 3B David Freese to the Brewers for prospects.
The Red Sox have traded SP Rick Porcello to the Mariners for prospects.
The Marlins have traded CF Marcell Ozuna to the Mariners for RP Evan Scribner and prospects.
The Yankees have traded SS Starlin Castro to Baltimore for prospects.
The Mariners have traded 2B Robinson Cano to Washington for prospects. Cano hit .284 with 9 homers for Seattle this season.
The Padres have traded SP Tyson Ross to the Angels for prospects.
The Tigers have traded C Alex Avila to Milwaukee for SP Jimmy Nelson.
The Phillies have traded SP Jeremy Hellickson to the Reds for prospects.
The Cardinals have traded SS Jedd Gyorko to Oakland for SP Henderson Alvarez.
The Braves have traded SS Erick Aybar to Pittsburgh for RP Arquimedes Caminero.
The Rockies have traded SP Chad Bettis to the Phillies for prospects.
The Braves have traded SS Reid Brignac to the Phillies for SP Mark Appel.
The Angels have traded LF Daniel Nava to the Reds for prospects.
The Blue Jays have traded CF Michael Saunders to the Cardinals for SP Mike Leake.

Awards:
AL Hitter of the Month: Rangers CF Franklin Gutierrez (.394, 11 HR, 27 RBI)
NL Hitter of the Month: Nationals RF Bryce Harper (.346, 7 HR, 19 RBI)
AL Pitcher of the Month: Indians SP Corey Kluber (4-1, 1.17 ERA, 34 K)
NL Pitcher of the Month: Mets SP Noah Syndergaard (5-0, 1.41, 45 K)
AL Rookie of the Month: Rangers RF Nomar Mazara (.340, 3 HR, 15 RBI)
NL Rookie of the Month: Diamondbacks CF Socrates Brito (.289, 6 HR, 17 RBI)

[Grahoben]

August 2016 Update

All season, the Nationals and Mets have been neck and neck in the NL East. As the calendar turns to September, it seems apparent that they are the two best teams in baseball. Washington has been led by Bryce Harper's robust .369 average and 26 home runs, and Stephen Strasburg's nearly perfect 16-1 record. Meanwhile, another New York Met has taken over the league lead in ERA, as Noah Syndergaard has been dominating of late. The other two divisions aren't very close at the moment, and it looks like the Marlins, Cardinals, and Giants will fight for the final wild card spot.

After having a great April but then failing to hold their lead, the White Sox are back on top of the AL Central. LF Melky Cabrera has had a fantastic second half, and the switch hitter now leads the majors with a .343 batting average (Bryce Harper doesn't have enough at bats to qualify). In the East, Boston has finally taken the lead over their hated rivals, the New York Yankees. Red Sox fans may have feared that Hanley Ramirez would become an overpaid bust after his first year with the club, but this year he has been a vital part of the team. "Han-Ram" has a .311 average with 24 homers on the season, which has been perhaps his best since his days in Florida.




Achievements:
8/2 Blue Jays CF Kevin Pillar ends his hitting streak at 29 games against Houston.
8/5 Yankees RF Carlos Beltran records hit #2,500 in a win over the Indians.
8/11 White Sox LF Miguel Cabrera goes 6-6 in a win over Kansas City.
8/30 Cardinals LF Matt Holliday collects his 2,000th hit against the Brewers.

Injury Report:
Diamondbacks RP Jason Grilli had season ending Tommy John surgery and will not be ready for the start of 2017.
Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton missed the first 2 weeks of the month with a shoulder injury.
Dodgers 2B Ivan De Jesus Jr. is out for the season with a fractured ankle.
Cardinals RF Stephen Piscotty is out until mid-September with a shoulder injury. The second year player is hitting .294 with 9 home runs.
Astros SP Lance McCullers Jr. has been shut down for the season after reporting elbow soreness after a start. The 22 year old had a 3.31 ERA in 11 starts.
Dodgers LF Carl Crawford missed 3 weeks with a strained ribcage. The veteran has been a key role player for LA, hitting .328 in limited playing time.
Marlins SP Wei-Yin Chen had season ending Tommy John surgery, and could miss next season as well. The offseason acquisition went 11-6 with a 2.83 ERA.
Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong is out 3 weeks with a torn quad.
Cubs RF Jason Heyward injured himself yet again, this time bruising his wrist. He will miss about 2-3 weeks.
Royals LF Alex Gordon is out 4 weeks with a fractured finger.
Blue Jays RP Brett Cecil is out for the year with a partially torn labrum. The closer had 20 saves on the season for Toronto.
Rays set up man Danny Farquhar is out for the year with bone chips in his elbow.
Paders SP Scott Feldmann is out for the year with a shoulder injury.
Rays SP Drew Smyly is out for the season with a torn labrum. The lefty went 11-8 with a 4.02 ERA in 25 starts this year.
Diamondbacks 2B Phil Gosselin is out for the year with a fractured rib. He finishes the year with a .313 average and 9 home runs.
Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon will miss the rest of the regular season with a herniated disc, but he could return for the postseason.
Twins LF Oswaldo Arcia is out for the year with a broken elbow. He hit 18 homers for Minnesota this season.

Hot Stove:
The Mets have signed left handed relief pitcher Jerry Blevins to a 2 year, $8.88 million deal. Blevins has a 3.28 ERA in 42 appearances in 2016.
The Orioles have extended C Matt Wieters' contract with a 2 year deal worth $40,000,000.

Awards:
AL Hitter of the Month: Rangers 1B Prince Fielder (.337, 9 HR, 22 RBI)
NL Hitter of the Month: Nationals RF Bryce Harper (.412, 13 HR, 25 RBI)
AL Pitcher of the Month: White Sox SP Jimmy Nelson (5-1, 2.13 ERA, 30 K)
NL Pitcher of the Month: Marlins SP Aaron Harang (5-1, 1.65 ERA, 22 K)
AL Rookie of the Month: Angels LF Ji-man Choi (.345, 3 HR, 12 RBI)
NL Rookie of the Month: Brewers RF Ramon Flores (.354, 4 HR, 8 RBI)

[Grahoben]

End of Regular Season Update



Final League Leaders:



Achievements:
9/2 Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton's hitting streak ends at 20 games.
9/19 Dodgers LF Carl Crawford records his 2,000th career hit in a win against San Francisco.

Injury Report:
Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia missed September with a sprained thumb, but he is expected to be available for the postseason. The veteran 2B hit .281 and 10 home runs, driving in 51 on the year.
Cubs 2B Javier Baez missed the last few weeks of the season with a strained oblique, but may be available in the postseason for Chicago. The youngster hit 32 home runs in his first full season in the majors.
Cardinals SP Jaime Garcia will likely miss the 2017 season as he recovers from a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.
Tigers CF Ben Revere suffered a serious concussion, making his status for 2017 uncertain at this point.
Cardinals SP Carlos Martinez will miss the 2017 season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The righty won 14 games, posting a 3.03 ERA.
Indians SS Francisco Lindor will be unavailable for the postseason because of a back injury.
Yankees closer Andrew Miller would likely be unavailable until the World Series due to an oblique strain.
Rays SP Jake Odorizzi will miss next season after tearing his labrum. Odorizzi went 6-15 with a 4.51 ERA in 2016.
Dodgers RF Yasiel Puig will miss the postseason after suffering a ruptured finger tendon. Puig cooled down in the second half, but he still recorded a .286 average to go along with his 23 home runs.
Star Mets SP Noah Syndergaard has sustained a shoulder injury that will keep him out of the postseason, and could sideline him for much of 2016. The Cy Young candidate put up 16 wins and a 2.61 ERA.
Yankees SP Nathan Eovaldi will not be able to pitch in the postseason due to a shoulder injury. Eovaldi went 13-12 with a 3.61 ERA in 2016.

Awards:
AL Hitter of the Month: Rangers 1B Prince Fielder (.365, 7 HR, 18 RBI)
NL Hitter of the Month: Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton (.343, 12 HR, 27 RBI)
AL Pitcher of the Month: White Sox SP Jose Quintana (5-1, 0.95 ERA, 28 K)
NL Pitcher of the Month: Pirates SP Jarred Cosart (4-0, 0.74 ERA, 23 K)
AL Rookie of the Month: Orioles LF Hyun-soo Kim (.460, 3 HR, 8 RBI)
NL Rookie of the Month: Brewers RF Ramon Flores (.385, 4 HR, 13 RBI)

[Grahoben]

2016 MLB Postseason
Team listed first had home field advantage
Wild Card Games:
AL:
Indians vs Yankees

Yankees defeat Indians 2-1
Starters Michael Pineda and Corey Kluber each pitched deep into the game, but ultimately the 27-year old Pineda was able to outpitch the former Cy Young Award winner in Kluber. Veteran Yankee 1B Mark Teixeira hit the deciding home run in the 8th, a solo shot which broke the 1-1 tie.

NL:
Mets vs Giants

Giants defeat Mets 5-4
The New York Mets won over 100 games in the regular season, but unfortunately for them, that was not even enough to advance past the Wild Card game. Madison Bumgarner added to his list of postseason achievements with the win, as the big lefty allowed just 2 runs in 7 innings of work. Former MVP Buster Posey set the tone for the Giants in the first inning with a 2 run homer off Mets ace Matt Harvey.

League Division Series:
Astros vs Yankees

Game 1: Astros defeat Yankees 3-2
Matt Moore's 10 strikeout outing was just enough to best Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees. Astros LF Colby Rasmus got the scoring started with a big 2 run homer in the first.

Game 2: Yankees defeat Astros 3-2
The Yankees evened up the series in Game 2 with another very close game. SS Didi Gregorious hit the go ahead home run in the 9th, breaking the tie and sending the series back to New York tied.

Game 3: Yankees defeat Astros 3-0
Michael Pineda pitched another postseason gem, shutting out the Astros for 8 innings before Dellin Betances struck out the side in the 9th.

Game 4: Yankees defeat Astros 14-5, win series 3-1
The Astros took a 3-0 lead in the 3rd inning, but the rest of the game went completely in New York's favor. The Yankees scored 11 total runs in the 5th and 6th innings as they advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2012.

Red Sox vs White Sox

Game 1: Red Sox defeat White Sox 8-2
The Red Sox scored more than enough runs for David Price, who allowed just 1 in 7 strong innings. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts led Boston's offense, going 2-5 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Game 2: White Sox defeat Red Sox 9-3
The White Sox returned the favor in Game 2, destroying the Red Sox pitching staff for 9 runs.

Game 3: Red Sox defeat White Sox 5-1
A big 2-run home run by Red Sox DH David Ortiz gave Boston the lead early, and that ended up being enough for starter Eduardo Rodriguez.

Game 4: Red Sox defeat White Sox 5-0, win series 3-1
David Price pitched another gem, this time shutting Chicago out for 6.1 innings. Mookie Betts was Boston's offensive star, hitting 2 home runs in the series clinching win.

Nationals vs Giants

Game 1: Nationals defeat Giants 1-0
Cy Young candidate Stephen Strasburg dominated the San Francisco lineup in Game 1, striking out 11 over 8 innings. Giants starter Matt Cain also pitched very well, although he lost in his complete game effort. Washington's one run came on a Danny Espinosa home run in the 2nd.

Game 2: Giants defeat Nationals 8-2
Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez got rocked for 6 runs, giving Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto plenty of breathing room in the series-evening win. Six Giants had multiple hits in the 6 run win.

Game 3: Giants defeat Nationals 2-1
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner pitched another great postseason game, as he outdueled Max Scherzer to take the series lead. An error by Washington 3B Anthony Rendon was very costly in the 5th, as it allowed both of San Francisco's unearned runs to cross the plate.

Game 4: Giants defeat Nationals 2-0, win series 3-1
Despite being heavy underdogs, the Giants took the NLDS against the 105-win Nationals. Jeff Samardzija struck out 8 in 7 great innings, as Washington could just put together 5 hits in the loss.

Dodgers vs Cubs

Game 1: Cubs defeat Dodgers 3-2
In a classic matchup between Jake Arrieta and Clayton Kershaw, the Cubs were able to eke out a narrow win to begin the series. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant provided all of Chicago's offense, as his 2 home runs were the difference.

Game 2: Cubs defeat Dodgers 5-4
The Cubs stole another road win in Game 2, as they took the series to Wrigley Field up two games. The Cubs trailed most of the game, but a huge home run by first baseman Anthony Rizzo gave them a lead in the 8th inning that they wouldn't give up.

Game 3: Cubs defeat Dodgers 7-3, win series 3-0
Home runs by Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell and Jason Heyward provided the Cubs with plenty of run support, which was enough for lefty Jon Lester to help Chicago advance to the NLCS.

[Grahoben]

2016 ALCS
Red Sox vs Yankees

Game 1: Red Sox defeat Yankees 6-5
The Yankees held a 5-4 lead going into the 9th inning, but an RBI fielder's choice by Danny Ortiz tied the score. In the 10th, Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart drove in Hanley Ramirez with a sac fly, giving Boston a lead in the series.

Game 2: Yankees defeat Red Sox 7-5
Red Sox RF Stefen Romero hit a grand slam in the 4th inning, but afterward Boston's bats were quiet. The Yankees chipped away at the lead, and eventually took the lead in the 6th.

Game 3: Yankees defeat Red Sox 6-4
Although Michael Pineda and David Price had each been excellent in the postseason up to this point, neither had their best stuff in Game 3. Yankees RF Chris Parmelee had a huge night, hitting a pair of solo home runs.

Game 4: Yankees defeat Red Sox 3-2
All of Game 4's scoring was done in the first inning, as Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez' three run home run was enough for New York to win. Boston got a pair of homers from David and Danny Ortiz in top of the first, but after that they produced very little offense.

Game 5: Yankees defeat Red Sox 9-0, win series 4-1
After a series filled with close games, Game 5 was anything but that. The Yankees exploded for a 7 run 6th inning which effectively ended the game. Chris Parmelee was named ALCS MVP, as the outfielder hit .368 with a pair of home runs.

2016 NLCS
Cubs vs Giants

Game 1: Giants defeat Cubs 4-1
Matt Cain pitched another great game, as his 7.1 innings of 1 run ball was enough to beat Jake Arrieta and the Cubs. Buster Posey delivered the game's biggest hit, a two-run single in the 3rd.

Game 2: Cubs defeat Giants 3-0
Postseason veteran John Lackey was excellent in Game 2, as he held San Francisco to no runs on 3 hits in 8 innings. Kris Bryant and Matt Joyce each homered for Chicago in their first win of the series.

Game 3: Cubs defeat Giants 5-2
The Cubs got another great performance on the mound in Game 3, this time from lefty Jon Lester, who was able to defeat Madison Bumgarner and the Giants. Ben Zobrist had a huge game for Chicago, going 2-2 with a pair of home runs and 3 walks.

Game 4: Cubs defeat Giants 6-3
Jason Hammel's performance on the hill wasn't perfect, but it didn't need to be as his team put up 6 runs against the Giants. First baseman Anthony Rizzo came up huge, recording a 4-4 night.

Game 5: Cubs defeat Giants 1-0, win series 4-1
In a game that will be forever remembered by Cubs fans, Jake Arrieta was flawless for Chicago. The righty allowed just 5 hits in 8 innings, as San Francisco could not do anything at the plate. Anthony Rizzo drove home the game's only run, and the first baseman became the series MVP, as he hit .353 in the 5 games.

[Grahoben]

The 2016 Fall Classic features two of baseball's most famous teams, although each are well-known for different reasons. While the New York Yankees have won a record 27 World Series (16 more than any other team), the Cubs haven't hoisted a championship trophy in 108 years.

Game 1: Cubs defeat Yankees 8-5
The Cubs began their first World Series since 1945 with a bang, as they beat the Yankees on the road. After dealing with injuries all year, Cubs RF Jason Heyward was able to give his team a great game, as he went 2-3 with a home run.

Game 2: Cubs defeat Yankees 7-1
John Lackey's experience proved to be valuable once again, as the 38 year old pitcher allowed just one unearned run over 7.2 innings. Addison Russell, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo homered in the Cubs win.

Game 3: Cubs defeat Yankees 10-0
Chicago's domination during the World Series continued in Game 3, as the Cubs easily defeated the Yankees 10-0. Jake Arrieta pitched well again, but his strong start wasn't even needed with how well the Cubs swung the bat. RF Jorge Soler had a huge night, going 4-5 with a home run and 5 RBI.

Game 4: Yankees defeat Cubs 7-2
The Yankees avoided the sweep and forced a Game 5, as they were able to take the win at Wrigley Field. The Cubs hoped to push the game into extra innings or walk off in the 9th with the score tied 2-2 after eight innings, but the Yankees put up 5 runs in the final frame to take the win.

Game 5: Cubs defeat Yankees 1-0, win the World Series 4-1
Although Cubs fans had to wait an incredibly long time to see a championship, it was all worth it as the "lovable losers" defeated baseball's most storied franchise 1-0 in Game 5 of the World Series. Ivan Nova and Jon Lester each threw 8 shutout innings in the classic pitcher's duel, but eventually the Cubs broke through in the 10th inning, as Miguel Montero's double scored Willson Contreras.

Series MVP: 1B Anthony Rizzo .476 AVG, 1 HR

[Grahoben]

Transactions that occurred during the postseason:
The Dodgers signed RP Joe Blanton to a 2 year/$9.74 million extension.
The Mets signed 2B Neil Walker to a 6 year/$120 million extension.

Now that I will be controlling a team in this dynasty I will try to be more detailed in writing about what is happening around the league.

[thorpegiovanni]

2017 ALCS
Red Sox vs Yankees

You put 2017 instead of 16 ^^^

[Grahoben]

Originally Posted by thorpegiovanni

2017 ALCS
Red Sox vs Yankees

You put 2017 instead of 16 ^^^

Thanks, fixed it!

[Grahoben]

Offseason News
Magic Johnson has sold the Los Angeles Dodgers to business tyconn Steve Larson.

The Seattle Mariners have fired GM Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais. Seattle finished last place in the AL West last year, winning just 61 games.

The Philadelphia Phillies have fired GM Matt Klentak and manager Pete Mackanin after winning just 56 games in 2016.

The Padres have traded CF Melvin Upton Jr. to the Tigers for LF Steven Moya. Upton hit .270 in 89 games for San Diego last season.

The Braves have traded LF Ezequiel Carrera to Oakland for 1B Mark Canha

The Diamondbacks have traded CF Kirk Nieuwenheis to Colorado for SS Christhian Adames.

[Grahoben]

2016 MLB Awards

American League Gold Glove Awards:
P: BOS Clay Buchholz (1st)
C: TEX Robinson Chirinos (1st)
1B: KCR Eric Hosmer (4th)
2B: BOS Dusti Pedroia (5th)
3B: BAL Manny Machado (3rd)
SS: LAA Andrelton Simmons (3rd)
LF: TOR/STL Michael Saunders (1st)
CF: KCR Lorenzo Cain (1st)
RF: KCR Jarrod Dyson (1st)

National League Gold Glove Awards:
P: SDP/COL Josh Tomlin (1st)
C: SFG Buster Posey (1st)
1B: ARI Paul Goldschmidt (3rd)
2B: STL Kolten Wong (1st)
3B: COL Nolan Arenado (4th)
SS: MIA Adeiny Hechavarria (1st)
LF: MIL Ryan Braun (1st)
CF: NYM Juan Lagares (2nd)
RF: STL Stephen Piscotty (1st)

AL Silver Sluggers:



NL Silver Sluggers:



AL Manager of the Year: BOS John Farrell
NL Manager of the Year: NYM Terry Collins

AL Rookie of the Year: Indians CF Tyler Naquin (.260/.332/.442, 20 HR, 77 RBI, 14 SB)
NL Rookie of the Year: Diamondbacks CF Socrates Brito (.307/.343/.464, 14 HR, 80 RBI, 17 SB)

[Grahoben]

November 21, 2016

After years of waiting, Charlotte and Portland will finally have Major League Baseball teams. After tomorrow's expansion draft, the Cougars and Cannons will be ready to compete in the National and American Leagues respectively. With the addition of these two teams, Major League Baseball has announced a realignment plan that will cut the number of divisions to 2 in each league.

AL East: New York, Boston, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago
AL West: Kansas City, Minnesota, Houston, Texas, Oakland, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland
NL East: New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh
NL West: Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Colorado, San Francisco, San Diego, Arizona

With this new realignment, division winners and 3 wild cards from each league will make the playoffs. The 4th and 5th wildcard will participate in a one game playoff, while the other three playoff teams from each league will have a bye to the Division Championship Series.

Additionally, Major League Baseball has announced two more rule changes. After several years of fans complaining, the All Star Game will no longer determine home field advantage in the World Series. Instead, the team with the best record will begin the series at home.

The second change is that the 15-day disabled list has been shortened to 10 days. This avoids situations where players are capable of playing before their time on the DL is up.