I hope you enjoyed the Gigantic SOX & Dawgs 2011 MLB preview. Over the last week we gave you a team by team look at the key players, new faces, potential MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year candidates, possible starting lineups and rotations as well as a quick summary.
This preview was sculpted over a nearly seven week period in the off season with some mild tweaking as we went along prior to publication. It comes from a culmination of reading so many baseball magazines, periodicals, articles and websites that in some cases I may know a team better that its own management.
After previewing all six divisions, today is the day we look at the big winners and managers who could be in trouble in 2011. You can check out all the division previews by following the links.
Sunday: NL West
Monday: AL West
Tuesday: NL Central
Wednesday: AL Central
Thursday: NL East
Friday: AL East
Play Ball!
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2011 Post Season picks, Award winners and Managers on the Hot Seat
In the final day of the Gigantic Sox and Dawgs 2011 MLB Preview I, with a little help from Ian, will reveal all my playoff picks, the World Series winner and the major Award winners for 2011 but first let’s take a quick look at what managers are in dire straits as we begin the new season.
In the National League, former Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills is entering the second year of his contract with Houston. Lately Drayton McClain has been going through a manager every two seasons or so. Cecil Cooper got just under 2 seasons; Phil Garner a little over two and he took them to their first World Series and before him Jimy Williams lasted just over two seasons. Hopefully McClain realizes a revolving door isn’t a good thing and Millsy gets to hang on for a while. In Washington, Jim Riggleman is starting his 3rd season (2nd full) there and another 30 games below .500 finish or potential finish will mean the end of his job. And in St.Louis look for the possibility that long time Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa pulls the plug after the season. LaRussa is on yet another one year contract and he may feel that 16 years in one spot is enough.
In the American League I always feel as if Ozzie Guillen is on the hot seat. Generally not for the way his teams play, he’s only had 2 sub .500 seasons and won a World Series in 2005, but because of his mouth and his antics. At some point GM Ken Williams is going to feel enough is enough and Guillen will get the gate. The question is will 2011 be the year? In Detroit Jim Leyland is in his 6th year leading the Tigers and you have to wonder if he may start feeling the fatigue he had felt in the late 90’s and he himself steps away at years end. The only other manager I wonder about as the season starts is Oakland’s Bob Geren. The A’s had a .500 season last year after 3 sub .500 years and they look to be much improved in ’11. If the team doesn’t get off to a good start and is seemingly falling short of expectations he could get the gate.
Now here are the Sox & Dawgs picks for the 2011 playoffs and the major award winners:
Steve:
- AL East: Boston
- AL Central: Detroit
- AL West: Texas
- AL Wild Card: Minnesota
Ian:
- AL East: Boston
- AL Central: Detroit
- AL West: Texas
- AL Wild Card: New York
Steve:
- NL East: Philadelphia
- NL Central: St.Louis
- NL West: San Francisco
- NL Wild Card: Atlanta
Ian:
- NL East: Philadelphia
- NL Central: St.Louis
- NL West: San Francisco
- NL Wild Card: Cincinnati
Steve:
- AL Division Series: Minnesota over Texas 3-2; Boston over Detroit 3-1
- NL Division Series: Atlanta over St. Louis 3-1; Philadelphia over San Francisco 3-2
Ian:
- AL Division Series: Texas over New York 3-1; Boston over Detroit 3-1
- NL Division Series: Philadelphia over Cincinnati 3-0; St. Louis over San Francisco 3-2
Steve:
- AL Championship Series: Boston over Minnesota 4-2
- NL Championship Series: Philadelphia over Atlanta 4-2
Ian:
- AL Championship Series: Boston over Texas 4-2
- NL Championship Series: Philadelphia over St. Louis 4-2
Steve:
- World Series Champion: Boston over Philadelphia 4-3
Ian:
- World Series Champion: Boston over Philadelphia 4-3
Steve:
- AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, 1B Boston
- NL MVP: Chase Utley, 2B Philadelphia
Ian:
- AL MVP: Josh Hamilton, OF Texas
- NL MVP: Albert Pujols, 1B St. Louis
Steve:
- AL Cy Young Winner: Jon Lester, SP Boston
- NL Cy Young Winner: Roy Halladay, SP Philadelphia
Ian:
- AL Cy Young Winner: Jon Lester, SP Boston
- NL Cy Young Winner: Roy Halladay, SP Philadelphia
Steve:
- AL Rookie of the Year: Desmond Jennings, LF Tampa Bay
- NL Rookie of the Year: Aroldis Chapman, RP Cincinnati
Ian:
- AL Rookie of the Year: Desmond Jennings, LF Tampa Bay
- NL Rookie of the Year: Freddie Freeman, 1B Atlanta
Steve:
- AL Manager of the Year: Jim Leyland, Detroit
- NL Manager of the Year: Fredi Gonzalez, Atlanta
Ian:
- AL Manager of the Year: Terry Francona, Boston
- NL Manager of the Year: Charlie Manuel, Philadelphia
Gold Gloves – AL
- P – Felix Hernandez, Seattle
- C – Joe Mauer, Minnesota
- 1B – Adrian Gonzalez, Boston
- 2B – Dustin Pedroia, Boston
- 3B – Alex Rodriguez, New York
- SS – Alexei Ramirez, Chicago
- LF – Carl Crawford, Boston
- CF – Coco Crisp, Oakland
- RF – Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
Gold Gloves – NL
- P – Roy Oswalt, Philadelphia
- C – Yadier Molina, St Louis
- 1B – Lyle Overbay, Pittsburgh
- 2B – Freddy Sanchez, San Francisco
- 3B – Scott Rolen, Cincinnati
- SS – Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado
- LF – Carlos Lee, Houston
- CF – Shane Victorino, Philadelphia
- RF – Jayson Werth, Washington
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Note from Ian: A very big thank you goes out to Steve for taking the time to put together this huge and great preview for the 2011 season. I hope everyone has enjoyed it as much as I have.
