THE PANEL
Spokane, Washington (McC.com) – As season 28 gets underway we here at McCabe Magazine, along with Baseball Writers Association of America,
and the 32 beat writers in each major league city have put together the McCabe
Magazine’s season 28 preview issue and postseason awards predictions.
Our award-winning panel spent the entire off season
evaluating rosters, all the front office moves in terms of trades and free-agent
signings. We visited all 32 spring training facilities and attended more than 300
spring training games. We have compiled more than 5000 pages of data and
materials to evaluate the organizations, which is why we have 97% accuracy when
selecting playoff teams each year.
Once we compiled all
the information and crunch the numbers, we came up with 5 teams we feel have an excellent shot of bringing
home the Robert E McCabe Season 28 World
Series Crown. Those five teams are the Toronto Blue Jays, the Houston Astro’s,
Anaheim Angels, Pittsburg Pirates, and the San Diego Padres. Before we reveal
our season 28 World Series champion and award winners, I will like to apologize
to my readers for my arrest this past Monday for my involvement with the
tampering of Odell Beckham’s Gatorade prior to the
game against the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday. I was merely trying to give the wide receiver a competitive edge by replacing his Gatorade with a can of “whoop ass.” As you all know the charges were later dropped after I was relieved of my part-time duties as locker room attendant at Giants Stadium.
game against the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday. I was merely trying to give the wide receiver a competitive edge by replacing his Gatorade with a can of “whoop ass.” As you all know the charges were later dropped after I was relieved of my part-time duties as locker room attendant at Giants Stadium.
THE WORLD SERIES WINNER IS?
Now for the long awaited season 28 predictions. Our pick for
this year’s World Series champion is The San Diego Padres. The Padres, the most
dominating team in league history will repeat as World Series champions by defeating
the Anaheim Angels to capture their 3rd Championship in 4 years and 7th
overall. The Angels will knock off the Toronto Blue Jays to win the American
League Pennant, and the Padres will squeak by the Pittsburgh Pirates to take
the National League Banner. The American League division winners will be the Blue
Jays, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and the Angels. In the National League
the division winners will be the Padres, Richmond Virginians, Pirates and the
Cleveland Indians. The Wildcards will be the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles
Dodgers, Florida Marlins, and the Chicago Cubs.
McCabe Magazine Season 28 Awards
Most Valuable Player
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Our season 28 most valuable player award winner will be the
Washington Nationals Bartolo Hernandez (CF). This season 27 Rookie of the Year,
Silver Slugger, and All-Star is a once in a generational type player one like
we’ve never seen before. We would also like point out that McCabe Magazine noted in our season 25 top 50 prospects issue Hernandez was
listed as the number one prospect in major-league baseball. Last year he had 47 Home Runs, 126 RBIs, 330
BA, and a whopping 1.052 OPS. The only issues we see that might derail this
runaway train is his four trips to the DL during his pro career. Most of the injuries
or muscle related due to strains or stiffness which are not major injuries,
besides if he continues to put up these
kinds of numbers what will be so wrong with a 15 day rest here and there doing
a long season.
Cy Young Award Winner
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Our selection for the McCabe Magazine Cy Young Award is
Santos Rodriguez of the Cleveland Indians. Rodriguez won the National League Cy
Young Award in season 27 with a 21-3 won-loss record and an amazing 1.51 ERA.
We look for this big right-hander from Haverhill, Massachusetts to win at least
26 games this year and help propel the Cleveland Indians to the National League
North division crown.
Rookie of the Year Award
Winner
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The McCabe Magazine Rookie of the Year award winner will be Juan
Benitez of the Houston Astros. This rookie of the year candidate was also
listed in our season 25 top 50s prospect issue as the number 3 prospect in all
of baseball. Benitez has a minor league career batting average of 337 and
should have no problem duplicating those numbers in the big leagues.
What can we say about this 31 year-old flame thrower thrower that has 386 saves and a career 2.44 ERA? Manuel converted 57 of 58
save opportunities in season 27 with an eye-popping 0.78 ERA and a 0.77 WHIP.
He has won the National League Fireman of the Year award 5 consecutive years and
our money says it be 6 after season 28. There are folks in our building suggesting
our award be renamed the McCabe Magazine Pedro Manuel award. We will table that
discussion until post-retirement.
Fireman of the Year
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SEASON 28 FINAL STANDINGS
American League | National League | |||||
AL North | W | L | NL North | W | L | |
Toronto Blue Jays | 97 | 65 | Cleveland Indians | 91 | 71 | |
Minnesota Twins | 96 | 66 | Chicago Cubs | 88 | 74 | |
Chicago White Sox | 86 | 76 | Cincinnati Reds | 79 | 83 | |
Milwaukee Brewers | 68 | 94 | Detroit Tigers | 69 | 93 | |
AL East | W | L | NL East | W | L | |
Washington Nationals | 98 | 64 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 91 | 71 | |
New York Yankees | 95 | 67 | Philadelphia Phillies | 71 | 91 | |
Baltimore Orioles | 69 | 93 | New York Mets | 70 | 92 | |
Boston Red Sox | 64 | 98 | Rochester Broncos | 67 | 95 | |
AL South | W | L | NL South | W | L | |
Houston Astros | 109 | 53 | Richmond Virginians | 96 | 66 | |
Texas Rangers | 89 | 73 | Florida Marlins | 90 | 72 | |
St. Louis Cardinals | 66 | 96 | Atlanta Braves | 78 | 84 | |
Kansas City Royals | 65 | 97 | Tampa Bay Rays | 65 | 97 | |
AL West | W | L | NL West | W | L | |
Anaheim Angels | 106 | 56 | San Diego Padres | 100 | 62 | |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 97 | 65 | Colorado Rockies | 81 | 81 | |
Oakland Athletics | 90 | 72 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 70 | 92 | |
San Francisco Giants | 80 | 82 | Seattle Mariners | 63 | 99 |