2015 MLB Season

[Shock Top]

Any expectations for this year?

[DUShock]

I am a Royals and Cubs fan. Growing up we ate, slept, & breathed baseball. It was Cubs on WGN most afternoons and a lot of Royals games each evening. Saturday's were filled with the "Baseball Bunch" followed by "This Week in Baseball" after which we would assemble in the vacant double lot across the street for a game that would be called due to darkness or dinner, whichever came first. As I grew older the Saturdays would be replaced with actual games, many times as part of a multi day tournament in some town or city somewhere in the Great Plains. All of this being said, I am thrilled to fire up my MLB At-Bat App once gain. At the end of May my wife and I will be taking the trip Chicago to watch the Royals and Cubs with friends. Anytime a guy can take a trip with the wife and friends to watch baseball is a good time.

[Shock Top]

I am a Royals and Cubs fan. Growing up we ate, slept, & breathed baseball. It was Cubs on WGN most afternoons and a lot of Royals games each evening. Saturday's were filled with the "Baseball Bunch" followed by "This Week in Baseball" after which we would assemble in the vacant double lot across the street for a game that would be called due to darkness or dinner, whichever came first. As I grew older the Saturdays would be replaced with actual games, many times as part of a multi day tournament in some town or city somewhere in the Great Plains. All of this being said, I am thrilled to fire up my MLB At-Bat App once gain. At the end of May my wife and I will be taking the trip Chicago to watch the Royals and Cubs with friends. Anytime a guy can take a trip with the wife and friends to watch baseball is a good time.

Awesome to hear.

That will be a fun trip. I've always wanted to go to Wrigley.

[BenWSU]

Sucks that the Cubs left WGN America. Being on tv for all those years built a national fan base.

[DwShock]

As a Phillies Phan I expect a disappointing season but I am happy to have baseball back.

[DUShock]

Sucks that the Cubs left WGN America. Being on tv for all those years built a national fan base.

You are correct, my brother-in-law and I discessed this just this past Saturday. It is unfortunate for the Cubs.

[ShockTalk]

I watched the Cubs last night on ESPN. Go Cards!

[DUShock]

I watched the Cubs last night on ESPN. Go Cards!

For the Cubs it looked like a new cast but same story line.

[RoyalShock]

I'm not yet sure what to expect from KC. There are a lot of "ifs" that will be the difference between winning the division and finishing third.

- Will the combination of Volquez and steps forward by Duffy and Ventura compensate for the loss of Shields?
- Will Guthrie and Vargas take steps backward?
- Can the bullpen duplicate their dominance?
- Will Rios and Morales have bounce-back seasons?
- Will Hosmer and Moose improve at least a little on last season's mediocre numbers?
- Can Cain and Infante stay healthy enough to play 140+ games?

[TheDover1018]

I'm not yet sure what to expect from KC. There are a lot of "ifs" that will be the difference between winning the division and finishing third.

- Will the combination of Volquez and steps forward by Duffy and Ventura compensate for the loss of Shields?
- Will Guthrie and Vargas take steps backward?
- Can the bullpen duplicate their dominance?
- Will Rios and Morales have bounce-back seasons?
- Will Hosmer and Moose improve at least a little on last season's mediocre numbers?
- Can Cain and Infante stay healthy enough to play 140+ games?

My predictions:
- Yes, but more because of Ventura and Duffy than Volquez
- hard to see them not doing so
-Rios, yes. kendry's no(Butler was bad last year though)
-already done it two years in a row; why not 3?
- Hosmer yes, Moose meh
- Cain absolutely, infante may play 140 but will be ineffictive due to injury

88 wins and a WC Spot. Let's go Royals!

[Shock Top]

For the Cubs it looked like a new cast but same story line.

Hope they can shake it off. Would be fun seeing the Cubss do well.

Maybe once they "call up" Kris Bryant, things will start clicking.

[Shock Top]

Red Sox and Royals both had great opening days.

Mets beat the Nationals (supposed best roster in baseball). Toronto looked good with their remade roster against the Yanks.

I'll be interested in seeing the rest of the Cubs/Cardinals series.

(As you can tell, I like keeping up on a bunch of squads)

[shockmonster]

Hosmer starts out the year as undisciplined as ever. If he could hold up and not swing at bad pitches (it's like he decides to swing before the pitch), he would draw some walks, and see better pitches. He will never be a hitting superstar and will remain an average hitter until he solves this problem. At some point, Yost needs toove him lower in the order (6 or 7).

[TheDover1018]

Hosmer starts out the year as undisciplined as ever. If he could hold up and not swing at bad pitches (it's like he decides to swing before the pitch), he would draw some walks, and see better pitches. He will never be a hitting superstar and will remain an average hitter until he solves this problem. At some point, Yost needs toove him lower in the order (6 or 7).

On a bright note, Moose hitting his first opposite field homerun of his career is really encouraging. With the obvious caveat of sample size, hopefully this is the start of him becoming a more complete hitter. Fangraphs had a great article on this for those that interested: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/mike-...o-left-center/

[shoxlax]

Hosmer starts out the year as undisciplined as ever. If he could hold up and not swing at bad pitches (it's like he decides to swing before the pitch), he would draw some walks, and see better pitches. He will never be a hitting superstar and will remain an average hitter until he solves this problem. At some point, Yost needs toove him lower in the order (6 or 7).

In defense of him on one of his strikeouts Dan Jennings had some crazy nasty stuff that almost nobody could hit. That made Gordos seeing eye job all the more impressive