Baseball 2021 (NL West)

Happy Opening Day Eve!  With the season set to begin tomorrow, I've saved the best for last.  It's only fitting to start this year talking about the team that was holding up the trophy at the end of last year.  The Dodgers had to wait 32 years to finally capture another World Series title, and, if possible, the 2021 edition of the team may even be better!

While there's very little argument that the Dodgers are the best team in baseball, I'd argue that the NL West might be home to the two best teams in baseball!  Because the San Diego Padres would be the runaway favorites if they played in any other division.  As it is, another second-place finish seems inevitable, but they've closed the gap considerably while also widening the gap with the rest of the division.

It would be a massive shock if the Dodgers and Padres didn't finish 1-2.  The only question there is how close San Diego will be able to make it.  As for the Giants, Diamondbacks and Rockies, they're in their own race for third place.  And that should actually be fairly tight, since not much separates those three teams.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers: Only the Dodgers can win the World Series AND convince the reigning Cy Young winner to sign with them as a No. 3 starter.  Let's not forget they've also added David Price, who was a throw-in in the Mookie Betts trade and opted out of last season.  Clearly his absence had no impact on their 2020 fortunes!  It really is ridiculous the abundance of riches they have.  Two out of the three in the Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Julio Urias triumvirate are headed to the bullpen.  Oh yeah, and they added former Brewers closer Corey Knebel for further bullpen reinforcements.

Is it any surprise then that they're the odds-on favorites to repeat as champions?  It's ridiculous how good this team is!  Keeping Justin Turner in the fold was big, but some of their free agent losses were actually just as significant.  Joc Pederson is now with the Cubs and Kike Hernandez is with the Red Sox.  So now they don't have to worry about getting everybody at bats and can play their "primary" lineup on a regular basis.  They also finally have room for second baseman Gavin Lux, my pick for NL Rookie of the Year, who didn't even make the team last season after a bad Summer Camp.  So, yeah, business as usual in LA.  Another 100-win season and another division title seem likely, but they only care about what happens in October.  Can they become the first team since the 1998-2000 Yankees to win back-to-back World Series titles?
Projected Lineup: Mookie Betts-RF, Corey Seager-SS, Justin Turner-3B, Max Muncy-1B, Will Smith-C, Cody Bellinger-CF, A.J. Pollock-LF, Gavin Lux-2B
Projected Rotation: Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Trevor Bauer, David Price, Dustin May
Closer: Kenley Jansen
Projected Record: 101-61

2. San Diego Padres: After a few years of building a contender through some shrewd free agent signings of sluggers, the Padres finally broke through last season and earned a playoff berth.  Of course, with how loaded the Dodgers are, they had to settle for a wild card, which meant facing their dominant division rivals in the Division Series.  And that series showed them that they weren't quite there yet.  If they want to seriously contend with the Dodgers, they needed to upgrade their pitching.  Big time!

So, what do the Padres do this offseason?  Load up on pitching and then some.  On the same day, they swung trades for Rays ace Blake Snell AND Cubs ace Yu Darvish, then they traded for the Pirates' Joe Musgrove in January.  With holdovers Dinelson Lamet and Chris Paddack, they now have the pitching to match their hitting, and they're ready to make another run.  They're the only team that has any chance of hanging with the Dodgers in this division.  Even if they can't, they're more than good enough to claim a wild card berth.  The Padres might be the second-best team in the National League.  Unfortunately, they're stuck in the same division as the first-best.
Projected Lineup: Trent Grisham-CF, Tommy Pham-LF, Manny Machado-3B, Fernando Tatis Jr.-SS, Eric Hosmer-1B, Wil Myers-RF, Victor Caratini-C, Jake Cronenworth-2B
Projected Rotation: Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, Dinelson Lamet, Joe Musgrove, Chris Paddack
Closer: Emilio Pagan
Projected Record: 90-72

3. San Francisco Giants: In the NL West, there's the two playoff teams, then the other three.  And San Francisco's probably the best of those three.  All that means, however, is the Giants should finish third.  They're nowhere near the same level as the Dodgers and Padres, and they're not likely to challenge for a wild card either.  The best they can hope for is a push for .500, which is definitely possible.

The pitching staff, led by Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman, is capable of holding its own against top teams.  And the lineup has the potential to do damage if everyone can stay healthy at the same time, which has been their biggest problem over the past several years.  Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford are the last remaining links to the World Series teams from a decade ago (has it really been a decade?), while Mike Yastrzemski and Alex Dickerson look like All-Stars in the making.  Ultimately, it'll be up to the lineup to determine how far the Giants can go.  They're probably not gonna challenge the Dodgers or Padres regardless.  But if they can get the hitting to match their pitching, who knows?
Projected Lineup: Donovan Solano-2B, Brandon Belt-1B, Mike Yastrzemski-RF, Evan Longoria-3B, Alex Dickerson-LF, Buster Posey-C, Brandon Crawford-SS, Mauricio Dubon-CF
Projected Rotation: Johnny Cueto, Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani, Logan Webb, Alex Wood
Closer: Tyler Rogers
Projected Record: 78-84

4. Arizona Diamondbacks: Arizona made the playoffs in 2017, then won 82 games in 2018 and 85 in 2019 before slipping to 25-35 last year.  They finish 18 games back in a 60 game season (of course, the Dodgers' going 43-17 had a lot to do with that!).  Sadly, I think it'll be more of the same for the 2021 Diamondbacks.  They've traded most of their worthwhile players over the past few seasons, leaving them without much to get you excited about.

Madison Bumgarner enters his second season in the desert looking to rebound from a disastrous 2020 that saw him go 1-4 with a 6.48 ERA.  That's certainly not the type of production the D-backs were expecting when they signed him!  If Bumgarner can get his act together and even vaguely resemble the future Hall of Famer he was on the Giants, Arizona's chances of having a .500ish season improve greatly.  If not, it'll be a long, hot summer for the Diamondbacks.  Because the offense isn't gonna give the pitching staff much help.  Their lineup simply pales in comparison to their division rivals.  Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Eduardo Escobar are the only guys they have left who can put any fear into opponents.
Projected Lineup: Ketel Marte-CF, Nick Ahmed-SS, Christian Walker-1B, Eduardo Escobar-3B, David Peralta-LF, Tim Locastro-RF, Carson Kelly-C, Josh Rojas-2B
Projected Rotation: Madison Bumgarner, Merrill Kelly, Caleb Smith, Tyler Widener, Luke Weaver
Closer: Joakim Soria
Projected Record: 74-88

5. Colorado Rockies: You knew it would probably reach this point eventually.  Nolan Arenado's and the Rockies' frustration with each other finally boiled over into his being traded to the Cardinals for pretty much nothing.  And, with that, the Rockies' best player is no longer in Colorado and the rebuilding process is officially on.  The only question really is how bad this season will be.  Can they reach 70 wins?  It'll be a struggle, frankly.

Offense isn't the problem in Colorado.  It never has been.  Even without Arenado, the Rockies are plenty capable of mashing their share of homers.  But, as has often been the story throughout their nearly 30-year history, it won't be enough to carry the day.  I've actually heard of a good number of their pitchers (which is more than I can say for Arizona!), but that doesn't mean I'd trust any of them in a big game situation.  Unfortunately, they're looking at a lot of 12-10 and 9-7 losses.
Projected Lineup: Charlie Blackmon-RF, Garrett Hampson-CF, Trevor Story-SS, C.J. Cron-1B, Ryan McMahon-3B, Brendan Rogers-2B, Elias Diaz-C, Raimel Tapia-LF
Projected Rotation: German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, Jon Gray, Austin Gomber
Closer: Daniel Bard
Projected Record: 70-92

And with that, I've officially given you my two cents about each of baseball's six divisions.  My American League division winners are the Yankees (East), Twins (Central) and Athletics (West), with the Astros meeting the White Sox in the Wild Card Game.  The real races will be in the National League, where I see the Braves (East), Cardinals (Central) and Dodgers (West) emerging as division champions, and a Mets-Padres matchup in the Wild Card Game.  In the end, though, I think the Dodgers and Yankees are the clear best teams in each league, so that's my World Series pick.  And, call me crazy, but I'm taking LA to repeat.

Baseball 2021 (AL West)

Wrapping up the American League portion of the baseball preview with the AL West.  The Astros have dominated the division of late, but doesn't enter the season as the favorite for the first time in years.  Of course, they finished 29-31 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, but (thanks to the playoff format) still managed to get to Game 7 of the ALCS, so it would be unwise to completely count them out.

Nevertheless, both of the California teams appear to be just as strong as Houston, if not stronger.  We, of course, say this every year about the Angels, who are at least consistent.  It's a familiar script.  They have high expectations and results that don't match, and Mike Trout is once again left looking for the first playoff win of his career.

Winning playoff games isn't a problem for the A's.  Winning playoff series is.  Oakland is like Tampa Bay in many ways (and not just because they play in the two worst stadiums in baseball!).  They have a low payroll, yet always somehow manage to not only be competitive, but to make the playoffs.  I think that'll happen again.  I'm predicting Oakland to win its second straight division title.

Whoever finishes second between the Astros and Angels has a very good chance at appearing in the Wild Card Game, where they'll be fighting with the White Sox and Blue Jays.  The fact that this division figures to be close will probably help both of them in the wild card race.  It'll probably take 90 wins or more to get one of the wild cards, which is roughly the same amount it'll take to win the AL West.

1. Oakland Athletics: They lost their MVP-candidate shortstop who was good for 160 games played a year.  They lost their lights out closer.  So why do I like Oakland to win the division title over Astro and Angel teams that have much more star power?  Easy!  It's because of who they do have back.  The Matts (Chapman and Olson), Mark Canha, and, most importantly, that pitching staff.  That and the All-Star replacements for Marcus Seimen and Liam Hendriks.  (I also feel the need here to express my disappointment that Khris Davis, Mr. .247 himself, is no longer their DH.)

As long as they play in that gigantic stadium, it will always depending on the pitching.  They know that.  Which is why they invest in it.  And Oakland has a solid rotation that doesn't get enough credit.  Their bullpen typically goes unnoticed, too, but they've got some proven veterans in Sergio Romo and Yusmeiro Petit serving as set-up guys for new closer Trevor Rosenthal.  Don't forget, this team won 97 games in both 2018 and 2019, then went 36-24 (the equivalent of another 97-win season) last year.  They know how to get it done during the regular season, and there's no reason to think they won't again this year.
Projected Lineup: Chad Pinder-2B, Elvis Andrus-SS, Matt Chapman-3B, Matt Olson-1B, Mark Canha-LF, Stephen Piscotty-RF, Mitch Moreland-DH, Sean Murphy-C, Ramon Laureano-CF
Projected Rotation: Mike Fiers, Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Jesus Luzardo, Chris Bassitt
Closer: Trevor Rosenthal
Projected Record: 91-71

2. Houston Astros: We all knew it was coming, and the breakup of the Astros has officially started with George Springer leaving for the Blue Jays.  He won't be the last.  I firmly believe Carlos Correa will leave as a free agent after this season.  But...the Astros have enough of their main guys that are still around, so a fifth straight trip to the ALCS might not actually be that crazy a thought.  You can't ignore the fact that Houston was only 29-31 during the regular season last year, though.

It was a great run in October.  There's no denying that.  But the regular season exposed plenty of holes that will even become more obvious over a span of six months.  During their World Series runs, Houston used outstanding pitching (and a garbage can) to complement that potent offense.  The Astros' pitching simply isn't as good anymore.  Justin Verlander had TJ, so that moves Zack Greinke into the spotlight.  He's been an ace before, but one of the reasons he went to Houston was because he wouldn't have to be there.  Whether it's by design or necessity, they've become reliant on the bullpen.  And you can't expect the bullpen to throw so many innings and be effective all season.  Especially when the bullpen is good, but not great.  I'd imagine that if they're in the hunt at the deadline, the Astros will be in the market for a starter.
Projected Lineup: Kyle Tucker-RF, Alex Bregman-3B, Jose Altuve-2B, Michael Brantley-LF, Carlos Correa-SS, Yordan Alvarez-DH, Yuli Gurriel-1B, Martin Maldonado-C, Myles Straw-CF
Projected Rotation: Zack Greinke, Jake Odorizzi, Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers Jr.
Closer: Ryan Pressly
Projected Record: 88-74

3. Los Angeles Angels: Will this be the year when the Angels finally break through and take all their high-priced superstars to the playoffs?  First things first, let's worry about them finishing .500, which hasn't happened since 2015!  The playoff thing you can kind of understand since they play in the same division as the Astros, but the .500 thing really is remarkable.  Because, with all their talent, there's no reason the Angels shouldn't have a winning record!  So, I'm setting that as Goal No. 1, with a tight AL West race potentially leading to the other.

Pitching has been their issue during this run.  Sure, they've failed to get adequate lineup protection for Mike Trout until recently, but the Angels' real problem is the fact that they don't have a top-flight starting pitcher.  They haven't since Jered Weaver was in his prime.  And, sorry, but I'm not sold on the whole Shohei Ohtani phenomenon (which I thought had dissipated by now).  He'll be back to his dual role this season after being limited to just hitting last year, but I predict it only lasts until the All-Star Break (if not sooner).  Once again, they won't be able to count on the pitching to win them enough games.  They'll have to outslug their opponents, which this lineup is completely capable of doing.
Projected Lineup: Dexter Fowler-RF, Jose Iglesias-SS, Mike Trout-CF, Anthony Rendon-3B, Shohei Ohtani-DH, Justin Upton-LF, Jared Walsh-1B, David Fletcher-2B, Max Stassi-C
Projected Rotation: Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney, Jose Quintana, Griffin Canning, Alex Cobb, Shohei Ohtani
Closer: Raisel Iglesias
Projected Record: 86-76

4. Texas Rangers: Globe Life Field's inaugural season was certainly an interesting one, wasn't it?  It saw a World Series champion crowed in its first season...after being used as a neutral site.  The first game fans were allowed to attend at the stadium were playoff games.  Neither of those milestones involved the team that actually plays its home games at Globe Life Field.  Although, that was also the only way those things were going to happen at Globe Life Field.  Because the Rangers are not a very good baseball team.

Texas looks to be entering an odd kind of rebuilding phase.  Most of their notable names are gone.  They've still got some guys who can mash, most notably Joey Gallo, the new face of the franchise with Elvis Andrus now in Oakland.  But not enough of them.  In fact, most of their roster seems to be made up of other team's castoffs.  And their pitching is truly atrocious!  The new stadium is air conditioned and has a retractable roof, so you won't be able to blame all the home runs they allow entirely on the midsummer Texas humidity.  But they're gonna give up many more runs than they score.  You don't need me to tell you that isn't a recipe for success.
Projected Lineup: Leody Tavares-CF, Nick Solak-2B, Joey Gallo-RF, Willie Calhoun-DH, David Dahl-LF, Nate Lowe-1B, Jose Trevino-C, Isiah Kiner-Falefa-SS, Charlie Culberson-3B
Projected Rotation: Kyle Gibson, Kohei Arihara, Mike Folytnewicz, Dane Dunning, Kyle Cody
Closer: Jordan Lyles
Projected Record: 76-86

5. Seattle Mariners: At least the Mariners are no longer pretending they're trying.  The longest playoff drought in professional sports will reach 20 consecutive seasons.  (I'm not saying they're at all related, but 2002, the year the Mariners' streak started, is when the Seahawks switched to the NFC and got good.)  There isn't really much to say about the Mariners.  They seem more likely to flirt with 100 losses than a playoff berth.  Which is better than their situation over the past few seasons, when they weren't good enough to truly be in contention but also weren't bad enough to break it all down at the trade deadline.

This year, they might actually be bad enough for that to happen.  And they do have some valuable pieces.  Kyle Seager is much more than just Cory's brother.  He's a legit All-Star third baseman in his own right, and he's been the Mariners' best player for a few years now.  Kyle Lewis, meanwhile, won the Rookie of the Year last season.  Those are two very good guys to build around.  They need a lot more, though.  As for the rotation, I'm going to make a prediction: by returning to Seattle, James Paxton will turn back into the same pitcher he was during his first tour of duty with the Mariners.  Not the guy who was injured pretty much the entire time he was on the Yankees.
Projected Lineup: Kyle Lewis-CF, J.P. Crawford-SS, Kyle Seager-3B, Mitch Haniger-RF, Evan White-1B, Ty France-DH, Tom Murphy-C, Dylan Moore-2B, Jake Fraley-LF
Projected Rotation: Marco Gonzalez, James Paxton, Justus Sheffield, Yusei Kikuchi, Chris Flexen
Closer: Rafael Montero
Projected Record: 67-95

Baseball 2021 (NL Central)

Last season, the NL Central put four of its five teams into the expanded playoffs.  Which doesn't really say as much about the strength of the division as you might think...because they all lost in the first round!  And two of them, the Brewers and Reds, made the playoffs despite having sub-.500 records!  So, no, the NL Central didn't have a "great" year in 2020.  It had a bunch of mediocre teams, none of which was really better than any of the others.

This year, that should be different.  Because there is a clear frontrunner in the NL Central.  That team is the St. Louis Cardinals.  After a couple of down seasons, the Cardinals had quite an impressive run last season, earning the 5-seed despite all of their COVID problems and every-other-day doubleheaders.  And this season, they've only gotten better by adding All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado.

As for the rest of the division, I think they'll again be toiling in mediocrity.  The Cubs, Reds and Brewers are all in kind of a similar boat.  They aren't good enough to be considered serious contenders.  But they aren't bad enough to completely tear it down, either.  That's how they all managed to make the playoffs last season.  That obviously can't happen again in a full season when there are only five playoff teams, but they also figure to all regress to the mean and hope to flirt with .500 at best.

The Pirates, meanwhile, are in yet another full-blown rebuild.  I'd even venture to say that Pittsburgh is the worst team in baseball.  So, if those other three teams are able to beat up on Pittsburgh enough, they might actually have a chance of qualifying for the wild card game.  That seems unlikely, though, because the Padres and the NL East teams are all better than them.  Although, it might only take 87-88 wins to win the division, and that's a much more realistic goal.

1. St. Louis Cardinals: Simply put, the Cardinals are the best, most stable team in the division.  They've done their usual thing and build up with young guys nobody has ever heard of, and now they've enhanced it by bringing in Arenado to give Paul Goldschmidt some lineup protection.  That move pushed Matt Carpenter into a bench/utility role, which isn't just perfect for him, it actually makes him more valuable.  And I don't care what you say about his age or the fact that he's not the player he used to be, I'll take Yadi Molina any day of the week, and not just because he's a future Hall of Famer.  A franchise icon who's a veteran mentor for both all the younger players and the pitching staff should have a place on any team.

That pitching staff is the real reason why I like the Cardinals in the NL Central, though.  They don't have the rotation of the Dodgers or anybody in the East, but they have the best rotation in this division by far.  And I'd trust any of those five guys to make a big start, which is exactly what you want.  The bullpen is a little shaky, but they have some pieces you can trust, and that's an area they can certainly address during the season.  Even if it means trading one of their 35 Major-League-ready outfielders somewhere else at the deadline. 
Projected Lineup: Harrison Bader-CF, Paul DeJong-SS, Nolan Arenado-3B, Paul Goldschmidt-1B, Tyler O'Neill-LF, Tommy Edman-2B, Yadier Molina-C, Dylan Carlson-RF
Projected Rotation: Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, Adam Wainwright, Kwang Hyun Kim, Carlos Martinez
Closer: Andrew Miller
Projected Record: 90-72

2. Chicago Cubs: I'm much higher on the Cubs than a lot of other people.  Some thought that their offseason moves were the first sign that they're ready to move on from the core of their 2016 championship team.  It may be true that Kris Bryant is traded or leaves as a free agent.  Same thing with Anthony Rizzo and Javy Baez.  But they're still in Chicago right now.  So is Willson Contreras.  And the Cubs actually added a piece in Joc Pederson, who'll finally get a chance to play everyday after the Dodgers wouldn't let him face lefties.  And that's why I can't see them regressing all the way back down to an also-ran.

It's not like they're waving the white flag, either.  Sure, the Yu Darvish trade kinda came out of nowhere, but they got Zach Davies in return, and he'll slide in nicely behind Kyle Hendricks.  Jon Lester left as a free agent, but his replacement in the rotation is Alec Mills, who threw a no-hitter last year!  And, while it might not look like it, their bullpen is pretty solid.  Ryan Tepera even got an MVP vote in 2020!  Call me crazy, but if anyone's gonna challenge the Cardinals, I think it could be their longtime rivals from the Windy City.
Projected Lineup: Ian Happ-CF, Kris Bryant-3B, Javier Baez-SS, Anthony Rizzo-1B, Joc Pederson-LF, Willson Contreras-C, Jason Heyward-RF, David Bote-2B
Projected Rotation: Kyle Hendricks, Zach Davies, Jake Arrieta, Alec Mills, Trevor Williams
Closer: Craig Kimbrel
Projected Record: 83-79

3. Cincinnati Reds: When your team relies on hitting home runs and little else, things like what happened in the Wild Card Series can happen.  The Reds didn't score a run in either game of their sweep by the Braves, and one went extra innings!  That's who they are.  I get it.  But they've done nothing to address the flaws in that strategy, even after it was badly exposed against Atlanta.  So this season will likely be more of the same.  A lot of home runs, and a lot of 10-8 losses.

Which isn't to say the Reds won't be a fun team to watch.  Teams that can tear the cover off the ball usually are.  I'm just saying they need to get something on the pitching front, which will be made significantly more difficult by the fact that Trevor Bauer, last season's Cy Young winner, isn't fronting the rotation.  That job now falls to Sonny Gray, who isn't as good as No. 2 starter Luis Castillo.  Cincinnati's best pitcher, frankly, is closer Amir Garrett.  Hopefully they'll give him save opportunities.
Projected Lineup: Nick Senzel-CF, Mike Moustakas-2B, Joey Votto-1B, Eugenio Suarez-3B, Nick Castellanos-RF, Jesse Winker-LF, Tucker Barnhart-C, Kyle Farmer-SS
Projected Rotation: Sonny Gray, Luis Castillo, Tyler Mahle, Wade Miley, Jeff Hoffman
Closer: Amir Garrett
Projected Record: 80-82

4. Milwaukee Brewers: In a lot of ways, Milwaukee is kind of like Tampa Bay or Oakland.  The Brewers are randomly good every time you think they won't be and struggle whenever you think they're gonna be a contender.  If those are the only two options, I think the former is more likely.  However, I feel somewhat confident in saying that the Brewers probably won't be making a serious postseason push this year.  Don't forget, they were 29-31 last year, so, yes, they qualified for the playoffs, but it's not like they were a good team.

Although, the combination their pitching and the fact that they play in the NL Central make the thought of a playoff run not totally inconceivable.  Milwaukee's bullpen is so good that they really only need to worry about the first six innings.  If they hand a lead to Devin Williams and Josh Hader, they'll have to feel pretty good.  And let's not forget that a healthy Christian Yelich is one of the best players in baseball.  A lot of Brewers regulars have been All-Stars at some point in their careers.  If they can put up those type of number again, and they get even adequate pitching, who knows what can happen in Milwaukee?!
Projected Lineup: Lorenzo Cain-CF, Kolten Wong-2B, Christian Yelich-LF, Avisail Garcia-RF, Daniel Vogelbach-1B, Omar Narvaez-C, Travis Shaw-3B, Orlando Arcia-SS
Projected Rotation: Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, Adrian Houser, Brett Anderson, Josh Lindblom
Closer: Josh Hader
Projected Record: 75-87

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Imagine, just for a second, how good the Pirates could be if they could actually manage to hang on to players.  You can find examples all over baseball of former Pirates who are starring elsewhere.  Forty percent of the Yankees' rotation is former Pirates!  Josh Bell is the latest example of a guy who made his name in Pittsburgh and has since moved on, having been traded to Washington in the offseason.  With Bell gone, that officially leaves Gregory Polanco (maybe) as the only player on the Pirates you've ever heard of, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're taking calls about Polanco at the trade deadline.

Pittsburgh only won 19 games last season.  That averages out to just over 51 wins for an entire season, which is bordering on '62 Mets and '03 Tigers territory.  I don't think they'll be that bad, but they won't be good.  Sadly, not losing 100 games might be the most realistic goal for them, and I'm not even sure how attainable that is.  Although, help is eventually on the way.  They've got the No. 1 pick this year, and they'll be picking in the top five again in 2022.  If not back-to-back No. 1's.  Remember when the Nationals had back-to-back No. 1 picks?  I'd say that worked out pretty well for them.  Maybe the same thing can happen in Pittsburgh.
Projected Lineup: Anthony Alford-CF, Kevin Newman-SS, Gregory Polanco-RF, Colin Moran-1B, Ke'Bryan Hayes-3B, Kevin Newman-2B, Bryan Reynolds-LF, Jacob Stallings-C
Projected Rotation: Mitch Keller, Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault, Tyler Anderson, JT Brubaker
Closer: Richard Rodriguez
Projected Record: 59-103 

Baseball 2021 (AL Central)

I'll be honest.  Within the last six hours, I've changed my pick for who's going to win the AL Central this season.  (It's a good thing I did the NL East first!)  Losing Eloy Jimenez essentially for the year was a mighty blow for the White Sox, who I had initially given the edge over the Twins.  However, without him, I think the pendulum swings back in Minnesota's direction, so they are now my division favorite.

Either way, they're the two clear favorites in this division, and it really isn't even that close.  Cleveland doesn't really seem to care about this season.  They've still got Jose Ramirez and they've still got solid pitching, but they're nowhere near as strong as the White Sox and Twins, and they know it.  The Tigers and Royals, meanwhile, are still in the midst of their rebuilds.  Detroit is slightly better, though.

So the question is really whether Chicago and Minnesota can both make the playoffs.  I definitely think it's possible.  And it may be the rest of the division who decides that.  They need to take advantage of those 38 games apiece against the Tigers and Royals.  If they can both get to 90 wins, it's realistic to think one of them can be in the wild card game.  If they don't get to 90, it'll be tough.

And, outside of the NL East, this is the hardest division to pick a winner in.  Because there isn't much of a difference between the White Sox and the Twins.  Really, it'll come down to who pitches better.  Since we know both teams are gonna mash!

1. Minnesota Twins: For all their regular season success, the Twins' failure to even win games in the playoffs has to be incredibly frustrating!  And I'm not sure what they can do to fix it.  Because they're clearly built to win plenty of games in the regular season...and you can't make the playoffs unless you do well in the regular season.  That shouldn't change this year, either.  They re-signed Nelson Cruz, keeping the big bat in the middle of the lineup, and added Andrelton Simmons, who opted out last season with the Angels, but is a good pick-up for Minnesota.  He'll fit right in.

It's the pitching that's typically been the Twins' problem in the playoffs, and that looks to be their weakness again.  Can Kenta Maeda have another Cy Young-caliber season?  And how will J.A. Happ work out?  They've also revamped the bullpen with additions of former Ray Alex Colome and former Angel Hansel Robles.  If they get enough pitching to support the lineup and don't need to win every game 9-7, another division title could easily be in the works.  For a team that's had everything go right the last couple of seasons, though, you wonder how long that can last.  I'm also pretty sure they'd trade it for a playoff win.
Projected Lineup: Byron Buxton-CF, Jorge Polanco-2B, Josh Donaldson-3B, Nelson Cruz-DH, Miguel Sano-1B, Andrelton Simmons-SS, Max Kepler-RF, Mitch Garver-C, Jake Cave-LF
Projected Rotation: Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Michael Pineda, J.A. Happ, Randy Dobnak
Closer: Taylor Rogers
Projected Record: 90-72

2. Chicago White Sox: When Tony La Russa came out of retirement to take the White Sox job, I thought both he and they were crazy!  It was either a stroke of genius or it'll spectacularly blow up in their faces!  Right now, I'm gonna choose to be optimistic and think it'll be the former.  Because there isn't much wrong with this White Sox team.  Everyone knew they were on the verge.  Then they finally had their breakthrough last season.  And it looked like the start of something big on the South Side.

They do need to fill in a few pieces, which I think they will.  Perhaps even before Opening Day.  For one thing they need a DH.  Could Jay Bruce be the solution?  Likewise, you know they'll probably bring in an outfielder now that Jimenez is on the shelf.  Although, they may simply stick with the outfielders they've got for the time being.  I think their pitching staff is better than Minnesota's, too.  They fortified the bullpen with Liam Hendriks, who could prove to be a big key.  Because he'll probably have a lot of save situations.  And let's not forget how good he was in Oakland the last two years!
Projected Lineup: Tim Anderson-SS, Adam Eaton-RF, Jose Abreu-1B, Yasmani Grandal-C, Luis Robert-CF, Yoan Moncada-2B, Leury Garcia-DH, Adam Engel-LF, Nick Madrigal-2B
Projected Rotation: Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease, Carlos Rodon
Closer: Liam Hendriks
Projected Record: 88-74

3. Cleveland Indians: It's their last year as the "Indians," and it'll be an interesting one.  Because they're in an odd kind of flux.  They traded their best player, Francisco Lindor, mainly to guarantee they got something for him before he left as a free agent.  But they still have Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes, so it's not like their lineup is completely without superstars.  Plus, they still have their outstanding pitching, which is why Cleveland is such a hard team to project.

Are they better than the Twins and White Sox?  No.  Are they as bad as the Tigers and Royals?  No.  Can they put everything together and push for a wild card?  Unlikely, but possible.  Are they a team you don't want to face?  With that pitching, absolutely!  If you can get into that bullpen, though, the Indians are incredibly vulnerable.  Especially now that closer Brad Hand is in Washington.  And that's why think they're no better than a .500 team, give or take a game.
Projected Lineup: Cesar Hernandez-2B, Amed Rosario-SS, Jose Ramirez-3B, Franmil Reyes-DH, Josh Naylor-RF, Eddie Rosario-LF, Bobby Bradley-1B, Josh Naylor-CF, Roberto Perez-C
Projected Rotation: Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale, Zach Plesac, Trevor McKenzie, Logan Allen
Closer: Nick Wittgren
Projected Record: 80-82

4. Detroit Tigers: If he stays healthy, Miggy should get both his 500th home run and 3,000th hit this season.  That's about all I can say about the 2021 edition of the Detroit Tigers.  I've seen them a bunch during Spring Training, and, frankly, their Minor Leaguers are more impressive than their current roster.  So things are looking somewhat brighter in Detroit.  But those guys aren't there yet.  Instead, it's a bunch of veterans whose better days are behind them.  And, as a result, it's gonna be another long year for the Tigers.

However, they should be slightly better this year, and their new manager is a big reason why.  A.J. Hinch led turnarounds in Arizona and Houston, and I have confidence he'll be able to do the same thing in Detroit.  (For the record, I have no problem with Hinch getting another job so soon because 1. it's a different team and 2. what happened in Houston was NOT his idea.)  Just not yet.  The Tigers are better than the Royals, so they won't finish last.  But that doesn't mean they won't flirt with 100 losses.
Projected Lineup: JaCoby Jones-CF, Willi Castro-SS, Miguel Cabrera-DH, Jeimer Candelario-1B, Victor Reyes-RF, Jonathan Schoop-2B, Robbie Grossman-LF, Grayson Greiner-C, Harold Castro-3B
Projected Rotation: Matthew Boyd, Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Michael Fulmer, Jose Urena
Closer: Bryan Garcia
Projected Record: 65-97

5. Kansas City Royals: There isn't really much I can say about the Royals, either.  Although, I must say, I'm intrigued by some of their offseason additions.  Carlos Santana came over from Cleveland, they got Andrew Benintendi in a trade with Boston, and Michael A. Taylor will get the chance to be an everyday center fielder after serving as a fourth outfielder in Washington.  With Whit Merrifield, Hunter Dozier and Jorge Soler still in place, their lineup actually isn't half bad and could be pretty entertaining.

On the mound, though, they're a mess.  This pitching staff is a far cry from the one that led Kansas City to back-to-back World Series in the mid-2010s, although they're evidently trying to recapture some of that magic by bringing back Wade Davis, who's been a journeyman since he left the Royals.  It's in the rotation, though, where they've got the real problems.  Brad Keller and Danny Duffy aren't a 1-2.  They're a 3-4 at best.  And that lineup's simply not gonna score enough runs to make up for all the ones that the pitching gives up.
Projected Lineup: Whit Merrifield-RF, Andrew Benintendi-LF, Jorge Soler-DH, Carlos Santana-1B, Hunter Dozier-3B, Salvador Perez-C, Michael A. Taylor-CF, Adalberto Mondesi-SS, Nicky Lopez-2B
Projected Rotation: Brad Keller, Danny Duffy, Brady Singer, Mike Minor, Kris Bubic
Closer: Greg Holland
Projected Record: 63-99

Baseball 2021 (NL East)

There's no question which division is the best in baseball.  Frankly, it isn't even close.  Instead of the NL East, it should be called the NL Beast.  Because that's what it is.  This division has five legitimately good teams, all of whom could end up playing deep into October.  Yet at least two of them won't even make the playoffs.  The division is THAT competitive.

So who's gonna win it?  The smart money's on the Braves, who had a 3-1 lead on the Dodgers in the NLCS last season before running out of gas.  But let's not forget the Nationals are just two years removed from a World Series title and have one of the most intimidating rotations in the game.  And if you think the Mets aren't gonna be a factor, you're an idiot.  Now that they have an owner who actually cares, they're gonna be in the conversation regularly moving forward.

You'll notice that my projected win totals are actually fairly low for how good I think these teams are.  But that's exactly why I have their win totals in the high 80s/low 90s.  They're gonna beat the crap out of each other!  They're not gonna have a chance to load up on wins against lesser division opponents like the Dodgers will.  And, ultimately, I think it's gonna be the intradivision record that decides who wins the NL East.

No matter what, I expect there to be two playoff teams from this division.  As for which two those are, it really could come down to who stays healthy.  That's what doomed the Nationals last year.  If everybody stays mostly healthy all year, though, this will be a wild, five-team race from April all the way until October 3!

1. Atlanta Braves: Had the NLCS been a normal amount of days last season, we'd probably still be talking about the Dodgers' championship drought.  I wouldn't be surprised if the Braves are able to finish the job this season.  Because this team is just as good as it was in 2020, maybe even better.  Because now they actually have a rotation after using everybody but me as a starting pitcher last year.  It's not Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz.  But it's a serviceable rotation.  Which is what they need to hang with the pitching of the Mets and Nationals.

Which isn't to say Atlanta is completely without its flaws.  I have no idea what their late-inning plans are, and they still haven't officially named a closer.  They also really would've benefited had the universal DH been made permanent.  Instead, they have to play Marcell Ozuna in the outfield, which means either Johan Camargo or Christian Pache (or both) has to sit.  Although, that also means they have two valuable weapons off the bench.  And that depth I think will make the difference.  Which is why I'm picking the Braves to win their fourth straight division title.
Projected Lineup: Ozzie Albies-2B, Ronald Acuna Jr.-RF, Freddie Freeman-1B, Marcell Ozuna-LF, Austin Riley-3B, Travis d'Arnaud-C, Ender Inciarte-CF, Dansby Swanson-SS
Projected Rotation: Mike Soroka, Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, Drew Smyly
Closer: Will Smith
Projected Record: 93-69

2. New York Mets: These aren't the same old Mets.  Not even close!  New owner Steve Cohen has made that abundantly clear!  Of course, there have been high hopes for the Mets heading into the new season plenty of times before, only for reality to set in, fluky "that's the Mets" things to happen, and the end up finishing below .500.  But it does seem different this time.  The Francisco Lindor trade was just the start, and they were probably George Springer's second choice.  They also made a pretty aggressive push to get D.J. LeMahieu to switch boroughs.

My point is that it's not just Mets fans with high expectations anymore.  The owner has them, too.  And he'll do what it takes for them to win.  It should pay off this season.  If not with a division title, at least with a wild card berth.  Although (and this is a big although), they need the pitching staff to stay healthy.  They can work around an injury or two in the lineup (the Mets are another NL team that would love to permanently have a DH...that way they can get Dom Smith out of left field!).  An injury in the rotation, though, would be much more difficult to overcome.  And in the NL East, that could make all the difference. 
Projected Lineup: Jeff McNeil-2B, Francisco Lindor-SS, Pete Alonso-1B, Michael Conforto-RF, Dominic Smith-LF, James McCann-C, J.D. Davis-3B, Brandon Nimmo-CF
Projected Rotation: Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, Taijuan Walker, David Peterson
Closer: Edwin Diaz
Projected Record: 92-70

3. Washington Nationals: It's both a good thing and a bad thing that the Nationals have built their team around pitching.  Having three No. 1 starters (Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin) is obviously great.  But they're kinda screwed if one of them gets hurt and is out for an extended period!  Investing so much money in the rotation also means there isn't much left to spend elsewhere, which led to them losing Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon as free agents in back-to-back offseasons.

Last year, their anemic offense was clearly a problem, and one of the big reasons why they didn't make the playoffs.  So it was nice to see them go out and get some guys to actually put around Juan Soto in the lineup.  The Josh Bell trade was a home run.  He's a perfect fit in this lineup.  The Kyle Schwarber signing was a little more curious.  They must've been planning on still having a DH.  Because that's the only position Schwarber should be playing!  Instead, they have to put him in left field.  We'll see if his bat is worth the trade-off.
Projected Lineup: Trea Turner-SS, Carter Kieboom-3B, Juan Soto-RF, Josh Bell-1B, Kyle Schwarber-LF, Yan Gomes-C, Victor Robles-CF, Luis Garcia-2B
Projected Rotation: Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, Jon Lester, Austin Voth
Closer: Brad Hand
Projected Record: 87-75

4. Philadelphia Phillies: Ah, Joe Girardi's Philadelphia Phillies.  In a way, you've gotta feel for them.  If they were in another division, they'd be seen as a potential playoff team.  But in the NL East, they're only the fourth-best team.  Which means they need both everything to go right on their end and everything to go wrong for multiple teams in front of them.  And that's just not gonna happen.  So, unfortunately another year of high expectations will end with a .500ish record.

The Phillies' biggest problem, frankly, is the bullpen.  It doesn't matter how many runs you score or how few your starters give up if the bullpen gives them all back!  While they've improved the bullpen, it's still their biggest weakness.  And that just adds to the pressure on the starters.  Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are excellent (which they need to be in a division this loaded with starting pitching).  But the back of their rotation simply doesn't stack up to the three teams above them.  So, it really might come down to Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins and Co. to determine how many games the Phillies can win by outscoring their opponent.  Which isn't impossible with that lineup!
Projected Lineup: Andrew McCutchen-LF, J.T. Realmuto-C, Bryce Harper-RF, Rhys Hoskins-1B, Alec Bohm-3B, Didi Gregorius-SS, Jean Segura-2B, Scott Kingery-CF
Projected Rotation: Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Zach Eflin, Matt Moore, Chase Anderson
Closer: Archie Bradley
Projected Record: 81-81

5. Miami Marlins: I pick the Marlins to finish last in the division with full knowledge that they made the playoffs last season.  That's all you need to know about how good the NL East is!  Because these aren't the Marlins of old.  They've got a lot of legit young talent and will probably be the best last-place team in baseball.  I wouldn't even be surprised to see them finish near .500.  So, this projection is nothing about them.  It's about the other four teams in the division (as well as the fact that they play the AL East in interleague).

However, the Marlins have the pitching to hang with anybody, especially at the top of the rotation with Sandy Alcantara and Sixto Sanchez.  And you know they enter this season with a ton of confidence after last year, when the preseason projections were pretty much the same, yet they finished second and got the wild card berth while the Mets, Nationals and Phillies all stayed home.  Still, will they be able to sustain that over a full, 162-game season?  Maybe they can.  I just think it's more likely that the short season had at least some role in their 2020 run.  If they prove me wrong, though, I'd have no problem with that!
Projected Lineup: Jazz Chisholm-2B, Starling Marte-CF, Jesus Aguilar-1B, Adam Duvall-RF, Corey Dickerson-LF, Brian Anderson-3B, Jorge Alfaro-C, Miguel Rojas-SS
Projected Rotation: Sandy Alcantara, Sixto Sanchez, Pablo Hernandez, Elieser Hernandez, Nick Neidert
Closer: Anthony Bass
Projected Record: 72-90 

Baseball 2021 (AL East)

We've reached the middle of March and the world is somewhat getting back to normal.  That means baseball season is getting awfully close!  It's less than two weeks until Opening Day, as a matter of fact.  So, now that baseball's back on it's normal schedule, it's time for my annual baseball preview!  As usual, it's divided into six parts.  And, as usual, the first part is the division I know best--the AL East.

Last season, the AL East put three teams in the playoffs, with the Rays winning the pennant.  It figures to be the strongest division in the American League again.  The Yankees were already one of the best teams in baseball and the Blue Jays got better.  Tampa Bay will be down compared to last year, but count the Rays out at your own peril, and the Red Sox won't be the mess they were last season.  Even the Orioles aren't a pushover, even if they're still a few years away from really contending.

So, at the very least, I'd expect the AL East to be in the mix for at least one of the wild cards (and maybe both) all season.  The Yankees are the clear favorite, but we all know they've had issues with players staying healthy.  They were streaky last season, which is what cost them the division.  But they've obviously got a lot more margin for error in a full six-month season.

If the Yankees stumble at all, look for the Blue Jays to pounce.  Toronto was one of the most active teams in free agency, and it'll either really pay off or be a huge waste.  My money's on the former.  And, if that proves to be the case, the Blue Jays are in really good shape to potentially be a wild card team.

1. New York Yankees: Eventually we're gonna see what the Yankees can do if their entire lineup is healthy at the same time for a large portion of the season.  And when that happens, look out!  Because, on paper, this is the best lineup in the American League.  They spent the entire offseason trying to make sure DJ LeMahieu stayed put.  Because he's that important.  With their leadoff hitter staying put, everything else fell into place.  The lineup is a little too right-handed for my liking.  But that's better than being too left-handed.

While the lineup remains essentially in tact, the pitching staff was almost completely overhauled.  Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and JA Happ all left as free agents, replaced by the high-risk, potentially high-reward Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon.  They've both looked great in Spring Training, and if they can pitch like they did before their injuries, those could be massive steals.  Domingo German has also looked great this spring, and should have a leg up on that No. 5 spot in the rotation.  Regardless, they have more than enough pitching behind Gerrit Cole to supplement that lineup, which makes them the obvious favorites not just to win the AL East, but to win the American League pennant.
Projected Lineup: DJ LeMahieu-2B, Aaron Judge-RF, Aaron Hicks-CF, Giancarlo Stanton-DH, Luke Voit-1B, Gleyber Torres-SS, Clint Frazier-LF, Gary Sanchez-C, Gio Urshela-3B
Projected Rotation: Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Montgomery, Domingo German
Closer: Aroldis Chapman
Projected Record: 97-65

2. Toronto Blue Jays: After snagging a postseason berth last season, the Blue Jays went all in for 2021.  They don't just want to get back to the playoffs.  They want to challenge the Yankees for the division title.  They've got the lineup to do it, but their pitching staff is a concern.  Can they challenge for a wild card, though?  Absolutely!

Among the newcomers are George Springer and Marcus Semien, who only make the Blue Jays' lineup that much more formidable.  They're gonna score a lot of runs.  They've also brought in former Padres closer Kirby Yates to shore up the back end of the bullpen.  It's their rotation that has the most question marks, though.  Can Hyn-Jin Ryu have another Cy Young-caliber season?  And what about veterans Robbie Ray, Steven Matz and Tanner Roark?  Can they hold up for a full season in the AL East?  And, let's not forget the fact that they have to start the season playing their home games in Florida.  How much of an impact will that have?
Projected Lineup: Cavan Biggio-3B, Marcus Seimen-2B, George Springer-CF, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.-DH, Randal Grichuk-RF, Lourdes Gurriel Jr.-LF, Rowdy Tellez-1B, Bo Bichette-SS, Danny Jansen-C
Projected Rotation: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Nate Pearson, Robbie Ray, Steven Matz, Tanner Roark
Closer: Kirby Yates
Projected Record: 87-75

3. Boston Red Sox: There's one thing about the 2021 Red Sox that really, really bothers me.  They re-hired Alex Cora as their manager as if nothing had happened.  It's just a bad look.  It makes it seem like they don't just condone his behavior masterminding the Houston garbage can scheme, but they only "fired" him last year because they had to since he was suspended anyway.  If it was up to them, they probably wouldn't have made him face any consequences at all, which just doesn't sit well with me.

Anyway, the team Cora takes back over is essentially last year's with a few changes.  Most notably, they've revamped their entire outfield, letting both Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. go.  This after trading Mookie Betts last year.  Now, the three B's in the outfield from their 2018 championship team are all playing elsewhere.  And I can't really say they've upgraded, either.  But they still have Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez, so they'll still score a bunch of runs.  Can their pitching staff avoid giving up just as many runs as they score?  That's the big question.  Especially since Chris Sale won't be back from his Tommy John surgery until the All-Star break at the earliest.
Projected Lineup: Kike Hernandez-2B, Rafael Devers-3B, Xander Bogaerts-SS, J.D. Martinez-DH, Hunter Renfroe-LF, Alex Verdugo-CF, Michael Chavis-1B, Franchy Cordero-RF, Christian Vazquez-C
Projected Rotation: Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi, Garrett Richards, Martin Perez, Nick Pivetta
Closer: Matt Barnes
Projected Record: 82-80

4. Tampa Bay Rays: One World Series appearance was apparently enough for the Rays, who decided to trade their best pitcher--Blake Snell--among others in an offseason full of activity.  Not that this came as a surprise.  The Rays turn their roster over every few years, yet still manage to remain competitive in the AL East.  And that should be the case again, even if they won't be nearly as strong this season.

Pitching has long been their thing, and it probably will be again.  But there are a lot more question marks about the rotation, which is now anchored by Tyler Glasnow and features the return of Chris Archer.  Rather, I think it's on the offensive end where the Rays will be formidable.  Especially with postseason hero Randy Arozarena plugged into the middle of the lineup for a full season.  However, with the Yankees and Blue Jays both getting better, a postseason return seems unlikely for Champa Bay.
Projected Lineup: Manuel Margot-RF, Yandy Diaz-3B, Randy Arozarena-LF, Brandon Lowe-2B, Austin Meadows-DH, Ji-Man Choi-1B, Willy Adames-SS, Kevin Kiermaier-CF, Mike Zunino-C
Projected Rotation: Tyler Glasnow, Ryan Yarbrough, Chris Archer, Michael Wacha, Collin McHugh
Closer: Diego Castillo
Projected Record: 81-81

5. Baltimore Orioles: It's gonna be another rough season in Baltimore, but things are at least getting better.  The Orioles have a pretty good young core, and it should only be enhanced when 2019 No. 1 overall pick Adley Rutschman makes his debut, which could be as early as this year.  They've already found some of the pieces to go alongside him, too.  Left fielder Ryan Mountcastle was impressive as a rookie last season, and center fielder Cedric Mullins also had a solid 2020.  And let's not forget Trey Mancini, who I'd argue is the Orioles' best player.

Then there's the pitching staff, which will really be the thing that determines how competitive the Orioles are.  John Means will start on Opening Day, as he should.  Behind him, though, are a couple reclamation projects, headlined by Felix Hernandez.  He's obviously not the same pitcher as he was in his prime anymore.  And I wonder if his 2020 opt-out after attending Spring Training 1.0 with Atlanta helped him or hurt him.  If he can turn back the clock to the King Felix of old, he gives the Orioles a solid 1-2.
Projected Lineup: Cedric Mullins-CF, Freddy Galvis-SS, Trey Mancini-1B, Anthony Santander-RF, Ryan Mountcastle-LF, DJ Stewart-DH, Pedro Severino-C, Maikel Franco-3B, Yolmer Sanchez-2B
Projected Rotation: John Means, Felix Hernandez, Wade LeBlanc, Dean Kremer, Keegan Akin
Closer: Shawn Armstrong
Projected Record: 64-98

NHL All-Stars

We've reached the midway point of the NHL's abbreviated 2021 season.  As strange as it's been, I have to say it's working.  The All-Canadian division was done out of necessity, but it was brilliant!  We all thought the East would be the toughest division, and that has proven to be the case.  The Central, meanwhile, has three of the top five teams in the league, one of which won't even have home ice in the first round of the playoffs!

Ordinarily when the season hits halfway, we start thinking about the All-Star Game.  More specifically, which players will make it.  Not this year!  With the late start and the condensed schedule (plus that whole still not being able to cross the border thing), the NHL decided not to have an All-Star Game this season.  And, unlike the NBA, which unnecessarily held one after originally saying they wouldn't, the NHL has held firm on that stace.

However, just because there won't be an All-Star Game this season (or, probably, next season), doesn't mean we can't still have that fun!  So what if it's purely ceremonial!  These guys are having All-Star caliber seasons.

For the sake of this exercise, I built my teams as if the All-Star format was the same as last season.  There's no reason to think it would be any different.  The divisions don't have the same names or the same teams, but there are still four of them, so the three-on-three tournament with semifinals and a final.  And each team had an 11-man roster, so that's what I'm going with.

I didn't choose a captain for each division, though.  The captains would typically be the only player chosen by the fans, but, there's no way of knowing how that vote would've turned out.  So, for the sake of ease, I didn't try to guess and just went with the 11 best players.  Is it possible that some of them would've been voted in as captains anyway?  Probably.  But it's also just as likely that the captain would be someone random and not really deserving, thus taking a spot away from somebody else.

And, yes, I am following the rule that every team needs to be represented.  That's not as easy as it sounds, either.  Because it means that good teams with multiple deserving players are limited to two, maybe three, All-Stars.  It also means that you've got to find somebody from the bad teams.  Fortunately, all of the bad teams have somebody worthwhile.

The fact that pretty much every division is incredibly top-heavy proved to be very helpful, too.  Toronto is clearly the best team in the North.  As such, the Leafs end up with three All-Stars.  And, since the North has one fewer team, I didn't have to choose between Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as Edmonton's representative.  I can take them both!

Likewise, out West, Vegas, Colorado and St. Louis (why is St. Louis in the West instead of Dallas again?) are clearly a cut above the remaining teams in the division.  Anze Kopitar has a pretty good case for inclusion, but the Kings as a team don't deserve two.  And, since I needed a defenseman, Drew Doughty gets the nod over him.

In the Central, things were both tricker and easier because of the three dominant teams.  Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina all had plenty of candidates.  Narrowing it down was the hard part.  Even though Vasilevskiy and Hedman were locks for the Lightning, I found it very hard to ignore Palat's numbers.  As a result, the Hurricanes, despite their success over the first half of the season, only get one All-Star.

It was just as hard in the East, which is the most balanced of all the divisions.  What I did with the East was take the goalies out and consider them separately.  I filled eight of the nine skaters with one player from each team, and, since the Capitals have both the highest-scoring forward and highest-scoring defenseman in the division, they get the extra spot.  Then I turned to the goalies, where Tuukka Rask and Semyon Varlamov turned out to be easy choices.

EAST
G: Tuukka Rask (BOS), Semyon Varlamov (NYI)
D: Rasmus Dahlin (BUF), Ty Smith (NJ), John Carlson (WSH)
F: Brad Marchand (BOS), Mathew Barzal (NYI), Artemi Panarin (NYR), James Van Riemsdyk (PHI), Sidney Crosby (PIT), Nicklas Backstrom (WSH)

CENTRAL
G: Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA), Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB)
D: Seth Jones (CBJ), Filip Hronek (DET), Victor Hedman (TB)
F: Vincent Trochek (CAR), Patrick Kane (CHI), Joe Pavelski (DAL), Aleksander Barkov (FLA), Filip Forsberg (NSH), Ondrej Palat (TB)

NORTH
G: Fredrik Andersen (TOR), Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)
D: Tyson Barrie (EDM), Jeff Petry (MTL), Thomas Chabot (OTT)
F: Johnny Gaudreau (CGY), Leon Draisaitl (EDM), Connor McDavid (EDM), Mitchell Marner (TOR), Auston Matthews (TOR), Brock Boeser (VAN)

WEST
G: Philipp Grubauer (COL), Marc-Andre Fleury (VGK)
D: Cam Fowler (ANA), Drew Doughty (LA), Torey Krug (STL)
F: Conor Garland (ARZ), Mikko Rantanen (COL), Kiriil Kaprizov (MIN), Evander Kane (SJ), David Perron (STL), Mark Stone (VGK)

Next comes the challenge of determining the semifinal matchups.  The NHL normally does the lazy thing and has the Atlantic play the Met, while the Central plays the Pacific (I'm assuming to guarantee an East vs. West final).  They wouldn't have been able to do that this year, though, since they specifically said there are no "conferences" and the Stanley Cup semifinal matchups will be based on points.  So that plan is out.

Instead, I'd go with the format they used in 2017, when they kept score during the Skills Competition, and the winning division got to pick its opponent and which game it wanted to play in.  Just like there's no way of knowing who the captains of a fictional All-Star Tournament would be, there's no way of knowing who'd win a fictional Skills Competition.  But I just have a feeling it would be the North.  So I'm saying the North wins the Skills Competition and chooses to play the West (the weakest team) in the first period of the All-Star Game.

Joe Women's Bracket, 2021

With the NCAA Tournament returning after our lost year and the men's bracket now set, we turn our attention to the women's field.  Just like the men, they're playing at a single-site--in this case, Texas.  And, since the Final Four will be played in San Antonio, the NCAA has named the regions after different San Antonio landmarks, which I love!

Just like on the men's side, the No. 1 and 2 seeds are pretty straightforward.  Although, the positions are not as clear cut as they were for the men.  Who will be the No. 1 overall seed, Stanford or UConn?  Who will get the fourth No. 1, NC State or South Carolina?  Will Texas A&M be a 1-seed even though it's South Carolina that won the SEC title?

Personally, I think UConn is the best team.  As such, I gave them the No. 1 overall seed ahead of Stanford.  Texas A&M's body of work does justify a No. 1 seed opposite Baylor, the No. 6 team.  As for NC State and South Carolina, they'll be 1 and 2 in the same region, so it really doesn't make much of a difference which one is which.  I went with NC State and its 20-2 record, which included an undefeated mark against ranked opponents.

The women's bubble also proved to be very interesting this year.  Missouri State opted not to play in its MVC semifinal over COVID concerns.  There's no doubt they would've gotten in anyway, so that took an at-large bid away.  Although, in a way, two at-large berths were added because of the Ivy League's opt-out and Ohio State being ineligible.

It's always interesting to see how the women's bubble plays out because the mid-majors are so different.  The Summit League is a great example.  South Dakota State and South Dakota were both looking at bids no matter how the tournament went.  That hasn't changed.  And, like I said, the Missouri Valley gained a bid when Missouri State made its (probably wise) decision.  Then there's Bowling Green and Delaware, two regular season conference champs with impressive records.  Unfortunately, I don't think either of them makes the cut.

I've also gotta talk about Cal Baptist.  Cal Baptist went 24-0 this season and won the WAC Tournament.  They won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament, though, because they're still in their transition period after moving up from D-II and won't be eligible for D-1 postseason play until 2023.  They're the first team to finish undefeated since UConn in 2016 and the first undefeated team ever to not play in the tournament.

Everyone knew the deal with Cal Baptist, so it's not like they were screwed in any way, but it's an unfortunate situation regardless.  I'm curious to see how the committee would've handled them, too.  Cal Baptist hasn't been ranked all season and only received one vote in this week's AP poll.  The WAC isn't exactly the strongest conference, either.  An undefeated record would've been tough to ignore, though.  I think they probably would've been seeded somewhere in the 7-9 range.  Instead, it'll be a Utah Valley team that'll receive a much lower seed representing the WAC.

As for the top seeds, the neutral-site tournament means they won't be playing on their home courts in the first two rounds.  Does that mean we'll see more early-round upsets than usual?  I'm not so sure.  Because the top 16 teams are a cut above the rest of the field.

So it's really just figuring out where to place everyone and balance the bracket.  There are five SEC teams getting top-four seeds (and another--Arkansas--getting a five).  The Pac-12, meanwhile, has a 1 and two 3's.  The Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC have two teams apiece in the top 16, with UConn and Gonzaga rounding it out.

Also, like the men, I'd expect a pool of replacement teams to be available and ready just in case.  So, the bubble might not necessarily be burst for the teams that aren't in the field.  However, it certainly must be better to be one of these 64 and know you're definitely playing in the Tournament...

ALAMO REGION
1-Connecticut (1) vs. 16-Lehigh, 8-Virginia Tech vs. 9-Michigan State
4-Kentucky vs. 13-Troy, 5-Missouri State vs. 12-VCU
3-Indiana vs. 14-Marist, 6-South Florida vs. 11-Mississippi State
2-Louisville vs. 15-Drexel, 7-Texas vs. 10-DePaul

HEMISFAIR REGION
1-NC State (4) vs. 16-North Carolina A&T, 8-Marquette vs. 9-Oregon State
4-Tennessee vs. 13-Wright State, 5-Iowa vs. 12-UC Davis
3-UCLA vs. 14-High Point, 6-Northwestern vs. 11-Central Florida
2-South Carolina vs. 15-Bradley, 7-South Dakota State vs. 10-Oklahoma State

MERCADO REGION
1-Stanford (2) vs. 16-Mount St. Mary's, 8-Florida State vs. 9-Florida Gulf Coast
4-West Virginia vs. 13-Wyoming, 5-Arkansas vs. 12-Stephen F. Austin
3-Georgia vs. 14-Mercer, 6-Oregon vs. 11-BYU
2-Maryland vs. 15-Stony Brook, 7-Iowa State vs. 10-Syracuse

RIVER WALK REGION
1-Texas A&M (3) vs. 16-Jackson State, 8-Rutgers vs. 9-South Dakota
4-Gonzaga vs. 13-Idaho State, 5-Georgia Tech vs. 12-Belmont
3-Arizona vs. 14-Middle Tennessee, 6-Michigan vs. 11-Central Michigan
2-Baylor vs. 15-Utah Valley, 7-Alabama vs. 10-North Carolina

Bids by Conference: SEC (8), ACC (7), Big Ten (7), Big 12 (5), Pac-12 (5), Big East (3), American (2), Missouri Valley (2), Summit (2), West Coast (2)

Joe Men's Bracket, 2021

After not having March Madness last year, this year's edition has more than made up for it!  Georgetown and Oregon State were absolute bid stealers, which resulted in my having to make several adjustments to my bracket, thus delaying its release.  I feel pretty good about it now, though.  Only Cincinnati can still screw things up, and that adjustment would be relatively easy.

Gonzaga will be the No. 1 overall seed.  That much we know.  Everything else is up in the air.  We don't even know if everybody who's selected will actually be able to play.  Virginia and Kansas both said they're good to go after having to withdraw from their conference tournaments because of positive COVID tests, but I won't believe it until they actually step on the court!

Speaking of Kansas, they're on team I've really been playing up when people ask me who I think is going to win the tournament.  That's another one of the great unknowns heading into this year's tournament.  With all the starting and stopping, some teams never found their rhythm.  But once they get into the Indiana "controlled environment," they're absolutely capable of going on a run.

This has to be one of the selection committee's most difficult years for another reason, too.  With very few non-conference games, how do they compare teams?  It's not like they have many common opponents, and strengths of schedule, which are always skewed in favor of Power 5 teams anyway, will be even less helpful when teams didn't even play everyone in their conference.

Of course, the committee was also granted an extra at-large berth thanks to the Ivy League's decision not to play.  As it turns out, that extra at-large bid was needed.  Especially after the Georgetown and Oregon State upsets.  Although, those two winning also means that two potential mid-major at-large teams won't get in while two more big time schools do.

I'm also curious to see how the committee will handle it if a team needs to be replaced.  Will it be like tennis, where the "lucky loser" just gets plugged into the seed's place in the bracket?  If so, the just-missed bubble teams could end up making out in this deal.  They also said that they still want to make sure every conference is represented, but I'm assuming that means if an auto-bid team can't play they'll be replaced by a team from their conference.  With at-larges, they said it'll be the first four teams out who get the spots.  (Duke also said their positive COVID test shouldn't prevent them from playing.  It's cute that they still think they have a chance!)

And, even with an extra at-large bid available, I don't see things being much different this year than they normally are.  Partially because of how strong the top of the Power 6 leagues were, they're gonna gobble up most of the at-large bids.  Frankly, BYU and VCU are the only at-large locks from outside of the top six leagues.  Including those two, I have just four mid-major at-large teams.  One is Drake, the other is Utah State, who's in danger of dropping out between now and the Selection Show.

If Cincinnati wins the American, they get the 11-seed in the Brickyard Region.  VCU drops into the First Four against Syracuse, and Utah State goes from the last team in to the first team out, bumping Western Kentucky from the list of potential replacements.

You'll notice I've given the regions Indiana-based names.  The NCAA renamed the regions in the women's tournament after San Antoino landmarks, but didn't do the same on the men's side, which is really just no fun at all!  So, since I like what they did for the women, I decided to do it for the men, as well.  Hoosier is obvious.  Colt and Pacer for Indiana's two major league pro teams.  And Brickyard because of that somewhat famous auto race held annually in the city.

So, with that, it's time to move on to the bracket.  Gonzaga and Illinois are the top two overall seeds, while Baylor and Michigan get the other 1's.  Final Four matchups are Gonzaga (Hoosier) vs. Michigan (Brickyard) and Illinois (Pacer) vs. Baylor (Colt).  And with that, I present the 2021 Joe Men's Bracket...

HOOSIER REGION
1-Gonzaga (1) vs. 16-Mount St. Mary's/Norfolk State, 8-Loyola Chicago vs. 9-Maryland
5-Villanova vs. 12-Oregon State, 4-Florida State vs. 13-Grand Canyon
6-Oklahoma vs. 11-Michigan State, 3-Arkansas vs. 14-Morehead State
7-Georgia Tech vs. 10-St. Bonaventure, 2-Ohio State vs. 15-Abilene Christian

BRICKYARD REGION
1-Michigan (4) vs. 16-Hartford/Appalachian State, 8-BYU vs. 9-North Carolina
5-Creighton vs. 12-UCSB, 4-West Virginia vs. 13-Liberty
6-Oregon vs. 11-VCU, 3-Texas vs. 14-Colgate
7-Virginia Tech vs. 10-Rutgers, 2-Alabama vs. 15-Iona

PACER REGION
1-Illinois (2) vs. 16-Oral Roberts, 8-LSU vs. 9-Connecticut
5-Texas Tech vs. 12-Winthrop, 4-Virginia vs. 13-Drexel
6-USC vs. 11-Syracuse/Utah State, 3-Kansas vs. 14-Ohio
7-Wisconsin vs. 10-Missouri, 2-Houston vs. 15-Eastern Washington

COLT REGION
1-Baylor (3) vs. 16-Texas Southern, 8-Clemson vs. 9-Florida
5-Colorado vs. 12-Georgetown, 4-Purdue vs. 13-UNC Greensboro
6-Tennessee vs. 11-Drake/Louisville, 3-Oklahoma State vs. 14-North Texas
7-San Diego State vs. 10-UCLA, 2-Iowa vs. 15-Cleveland State

Replacement Teams: Wichita State, Colorado State, Saint Louis, Western Kentucky

Bids by Conference: Big Ten (9), ACC (8), Big 12 (7), SEC (6), Pac-12 (5), Big East (4), Atlantic 10 (2), Missouri Valley (2), Mountain West (2), West Coast (2)

No WBC, But I've Got a USA Roster Anyway

Had the entire sports world not been put on hold and rescheduled at this time last year, we wouldn't just have March Madness to watch for the next few weeks.  This was supposed to be the year when the United States would defend the World Baseball Classic title it won in 2017.  Now, we'll likely have to wait until 2023 for that.  (Although, that does mean the U.S. gets to be the reigning champions for an additional two years!)

Baseball returning to the Olympics softens the blow a little, but that tournament will only involve six teams and no Major Leaguers.  And that's the thing that really makes the WBC so awesome.  Fernando Tatis Jr. playing for the DR.  Shohei Ohtani playing for Japan.  Freddie Freeman for Canada.  Randy Arozarena for Cuba (maybe).  Hyun Jin Ryu pitching for Korea. 

I'm sure some of those guys will play in 2023, but there's no guarantee.  (Just like there's no guarantee they would've played in 2021.)  If the first four editions are any indication, though, we would've seen a number of top players from pretty much every country leave Spring Training and play games that count instead.

Who would've been on the American roster, though?  I have a feeling that this probably would've been the best Team USA yet.  You saw Mike Trout sitting there at the championship game in 2017 thinking "Man, this is cool!"  I have no doubt that he would've decided to play this time and take his own shot at a championship.  He might've even convinced Angels teammate Anthony Rendon to play in the WBC with him.

In 2017, the Team USA roster was set up perfectly.  There were name-brand stars, and there were also young guys (a then-unknown Christian Yelich was the breakout star of the 2017 WBC).  There were also role players who accepted the fact that they were gonna be on the bench.  Likewise, the starting pitchers weren't aces, but they were the serviceable 2's and 3's who had their arms built up enough to throw competitive innings in March.  The bullpen was really the guys who were available, and that would likely have been the case again.

For the sake of this exercise, I'm going with a 28-man roster.  That was the roster size in 2017, and most of last season in the Majors, so I think it makes the most sense to stick with it.  I'm also avoiding any players who are either coming back from injury or switched teams in the offseason.  I just don't think their teams would've signed off on their participation.  Even with those considerations, I've still got plenty of options for a team that would be pretty freakin' good!

Starting Pitchers: Gerrit Cole, Dallas Keuchel, Kyle Hendricks, Zack Wheeler
Cole got his contract and knows what he's doing.  If he wanted to pitch in the WBC, I have no doubt the Yankees would let him.  Keuchel is a veteran lefty, so that's an easy call to change it up.  Hendricks and Wheeler I just have a feeling would both (a) say yes and (b) turn in unexpectedly solid starts.  They're also easily replaceable should someone like Clayton Kershaw or Shane Bieber be available/interested.
 
Relievers: Scott Barlow, Ryan Brasier, Pete Fairbanks, Dylan Floro, Paul Fry, Amir Garrett, Shane Greene, Josh Hader, Greg Holland, A.J. Minter
Filling out the bullpen is perhaps the hardest part of WBC roster construction.  You need a lot of relievers, and they're gonna throw a lot of innings since the starters are on pitch counts.  So, you can't have all closers (which you wouldn't want to do anyway).  But you don't want to go with all long men either.  I ended up going with a couple long guys, a couple short guys on either side, and the Greene/Hader/Holland trio to finish games in whatever order.

Catchers: Travis d'Arnaud, Carson Kelly, Tucker Barnhart
Buster Posey and Jonathan Lucroy alternated games behind the plate in 2017.  It makes sense that the same strategy would be employed this time.  This is also the weakest position on the roster since the clear No. 1, the Phillies' J.T. Realmuto, is currently out of Spring Training and, thus, wouldn't be available.  So, instead it's the veterans Travis d'Arnaud and Carson Kelly splitting the reps, with Tucker Barnhart as a just-in-case lefty bat who adds flexibility since he can also play first.

Infielders: Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Olson, DJ LeMahieu, Corey Seager, Alex Bregman, Anthony Rendon
Goldschmidt was on the team in 2017, but barely played since Eric Hosmer ended up being named All-Tournament.  LeMahieu can play anywhere on the infield, but I have him as the starter at second.  NLCS and World Series MVP Corey Seager is an obvious choice at short.  Bregman was on the team as an extra infielder in 2017, well before he was a star.  He and Rendon would swap third base and DH.  Olson's the backup first baseman, but his real value comes as a lefty power bat off the bench.  (Josh Bell was traded from the Pirates to the Nationals, costing him the spot.)

Outfielders: Kyle Tucker, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Kyle Lewis, Chris Taylor
If I really wanted to get greedy, I'd have Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge on the roster, too.  And George Springer is out because he changed teams.  Besides, I'd still need a left fielder alongside Trout and Harper, which is why I went with the Astros' Kyle Tucker.  He's a left-handed hitter, though, so Chris Taylor makes the roster as the right-handed option.  Taylor's also on there because of his versatility.  He plays about six different positions for the Dodgers.  AL Rookie of the year Kyle Lewis provides speed and an excellent glove, making him a late-game option as either a pinch runner or defensive replacement.

Manager: Mike Scioscia
With a team of this caliber, choosing the right manager is just as important as selecting the right players.  After Buck Martinez and Davey Johnson managed the USA in the first two editions, it was Joe Torre who led the team to the semifinals in 2013.  Then in 2017, another Hall of Famer, Jim Leyland, pushed all the right buttons.

The manager has to be somebody like that.  My first choice was Bruce Bochy, but he's managing France in the qualifying tournament and presumably still would be if they made the WBC itself.  So instead I'll go with former Angels skipper Mike Scioscia.  His 19-year career with one team was the deciding factor.  I also think that naming Scioscia manager would seal the deal about getting Trout to play.

As for the lineup Scioscia puts out there, that would be subject to change based on opponent and making sure everyone gets in there (it'll still be Spring Training, after all).  But, as the Dominican Republic in 2013 and the USA in 2017 showed, having a consistent lineup is a recipe for success in the WBC.  And that consistent lineup would look something like this: LeMahieu-2B, Seager-SS, Trout-CF, Harper-RF, Goldschmidt-1B, Rendon-DH, Bregman-3B, Tucker-LF, d'Arnaud-C.

One Year Later

At this time last year, life was still normal.  College basketball conference tournaments were being played, Spring Training was in full swing, and the NBA and NHL were gearing up for the stretch run.  Then there was an ominous message minutes before tip-off of the Jazz-Thunder game announcing that the game was postponed and suddenly all Hell broke loose. 

We soon learned the reason why--Rudy Gobert had tested positive.  And that set off a rapid-fire chain reaction that moved so quickly it was enough to give you whiplash.  Within a matter of hours, the entire sports world had been shut down indefinitely.  It would stay that way for months.

It's hard not to think about that this week, and not just because it's the one-year anniversary.  College basketball conference tournaments are being played, just like they are every March.  Except last year.  When they started, but never finished.  That's when this all got real.  One by one, every major conference cancelled the remainder of its tournament until the Big East was the only one left standing.  St. John's and Creighton tipped off at noon...only to have the game called at halftime.  And with that, the 2019-20 college sports season was over.

Within the span of about four days, the 2020 NCAA Tournament went from going ahead as scheduled to being played without fans to cancelled entirely.  That was soon extended to all remaining 2020 NCAA Championships--including the ones scheduled for that weekend.  Athletes were literally at the facility practicing for the Indoor Track & Field and Swimming Championships when they were all told to go home.  That directive even applied to the NCAA Skiing Championships, which had just begun, but wouldn't finish.

For the NCAA to outright cancel March Madness--one week before it was supposed to start--you knew this thing was serious.  And that proved to be just the start.  The NHL, NBA and MLB all shut down.  So did the XFL, which ended its inaugural season after just five games.  Even NASCAR and tennis, the most pandemic-friendly of all sports, went on pause.  All that was left was the PGA.

As everything else was shutting down on that surreal Thursday, the first round of the Players Championship got underway.  After having fans that first day, they planned on continuing the tournament behind closed doors.  That plan only lasted a few hours, and the inevitable cancellation was announced while the final four golfers were still on the course.  And with that, the entire U.S. sports landscape was silent.

This was all, obviously, a shock to the system, but we probably should've seen it coming.  The pandemic was in China first, and all their sports leagues shut down first.  Then it was all the European soccer leagues.  The Australian Football League began its season in empty stadiums...only to be shut down after the opening week of games.

Despite all the lockdowns that had spread all the way around the world by that point, preparations for the Tokyo Olympics continued.  The torch was lit in Olympia and the torch relay began, only to be halted when crowds began to gather along the route.  Eventually, as the calls grew louder and louder, the IOC gave in to the inevitable and postponed the Tokyo Games.

And with that, the once bustling international sports calendar had been ground to a screeching halt.  The sudden quiet was eerie.  And it was deafening!  One constant that we could always rely on was gone in an instant.  Not to return for months.

Everything eventually came back, of course.  But it wasn't remotely close to the same.  Games were played behind closed doors in "bubbles" as made-for-TV productions.  Events that normally take place in the spring were moved to the late summer or autumn.  Some, like Wimbledon and the British Open, were cancelled entirely.

There was one important thing missing, though.  Instead of actual fans, the players had to perform in front of cardboard cutouts and giant screens that showed people watching on TV.  Not only was it weird, it wasn't even close to the same.  The athletes did what they had to do under the circumstances, but they missed the fans.  Almost as much as the fans missed them.  Never before has the importance of a crowd been so apparent.

What's crazy about that is we've gotten so used to it by now.  It all seemed so strange at first.  Now the opposite is true.  As more and more places are loosening restrictions, more and more fans are able to attend games again.  Eventually, we'll reach the point where stadiums and arenas can have full capacities.  Maybe even without people having to take tests and wear masks.  How weird will it be when we see that on TV?  Hopefully we'll find out soon!

When Rudy Gobert tested positive, we had no idea how much our world would be upended.  Incredibly, it's been a year.  My reaction to the anniversary is both "Already?" and "Has it really been that long?" 

If anything, the COVID year has only increased our appreciation for sports.  Something we could always rely on to be there was gone in an instant.  It never even crossed our minds that could possibly happen.  Until it did.  As a result, I'll never take sports for granted again.

Celebrating International Women

It's International Women's Day!  Especially after the past year, women deserve to have their own day and be celebrated.  Because, if you didn't know it already, women are bad asses!  Seriously, what can't they do?!  Homeschooling while trying to work from home while spending 24-7 with their kids and trying not to go insane...I don't know how they do it!

We'll see plenty of those bad ass women this summer in Tokyo.  This year's Olympics will have more women's events and more female athletes than ever before, and they figure to be some of the biggest stars of the Games.  Here are some of those who I expect to see at the top of podiums in Tokyo, representing 11 different countries and 11 different sports, as well as three women from new sports that will debut in Tokyo and figure to stick around a while.  They're all also on the program for Paris 2024, and probably will be for LA 2028, too.

Simone Biles, USA (Gymnastics): No woman dominates her sport more than Simone Biles.  She won four gold medals in Rio, including the all-around, took a break, then won six medals (four golds) at the 2018 World Championships and five golds at the 2019 Worlds.  The greatest gymnast of all-time, she could become the first back-to-back Olympic all-around champion since 1968.

Naomi Osaka, Japan (Tennis): Naomi Osaka has been the face of these Games ever since she won the US Open in 2018.  Three more Grand Slam titles later, her status as a Japanese sports icon has only grown.  She's also one of the most socially active athletes out there, using her voice to promote change.  I wouldn't be surprised to see her carry the host nation's flag into Olympic Stadium, or maybe even lighting the cauldron.

Katinka Hosszu, Hungary (Swimming): Of all the outstanding swimmers in the world today, Katinka Hosszu is one of the absolute best.  She won three gold medals and a silver in Rio, setting a world record in the 400 IM and an Olympic record in the 200 IM.  The "Iron Lady" has swept the IMs and the last four World Championships and hasn't lost either race at a major meet since the 2012 Olympics.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica (Track & Field): Whether she medals in Tokyo or not, Fraser-Pryce is one of the greatest female sprinters in Olympic history.  She won back-to-back 100-meter golds in Beijing and London, then took bronze in Rio.  After having a baby, Fraser-Pryce won her fourth 100-meter World Championship in 2019.

Isabell Werth, Germany (Equestrian): Tokyo will be Isabell Werth's sixth Olympics.  She's won 10 medals (six gold, four silver), all in dressage.  Werth's only individual gold came in 1996 (all four of her silvers are in the individual event).  Wouldn't it be something if she can win the individual Olympic title again 25 years later?

Shi Tingmao, China (Diving): China's long been the dominant force in the sport of diving, and Shi Tingmao has dominated the springboard events for the better part of a decade.  She swept the individual and synchro 3-meter events at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 World Championships, as well as the Rio Olympics.

Ko Jin-Young, South Korea (Golf): There are any number of Korean golfers who could find her way to the top of the podium in Tokyo.  Inbee Park, the defending gold medalist, could easily defend her Olympic title.  But then again, it might be world No. 1 Ko Jin-Young, who won two majors and was named LPGA Player of the Year in 2019.

Carolina Marin, Spain (Badminton): In a sport otherwise dominated by Asians, Carolina Marin became just the second European ever to win Olympic badminton gold in Rio.  The former world No. 1 is also a three-time world champion.  She's won three events already in 2021, as well.

Clarisse Agbegnenou, France (Judo): With the addition of a mixed team event, judo athletes will be eligible for multiple gold medals at the same Olympics for the first time.  I'm not saying the French team is strong enough to win that event, but, individually, Clarisse Agbegnenou could easily turn her Rio silver into Tokyo gold.  She's won three straight World Championships and three straight European titles since then.

Anna van der Breggen, Netherlands (Cycling): Van der Breggen has said she's retiring after the 2021 season.  She could go out by winning her second straight Olympic road race.  She also won bronze in the time trial in Rio and has medaled in both events at the last three World Championships, including a pair of golds in 2020.

Jade Jones, Great Britain (Taekwondo): Jade Jones won Great Britain's first-ever Olympic taekwondo title at home in 2012.  She repeated as gold medalist in 2016.  Don't be surprised if the 2019 World Champion and three-time reigning European champion makes it three in a row in Tokyo.

Stephanie Gilmore, Australia (Surfing): You know that the first-ever Olympic gold medal in surfing is something that will automatically jump to the top of the career highlight list for whoever wins it.  And the battle for it should be great.  Stephanie Gilmore, one of the best surfers ever and a seven-time World Champion, has already qualified for a ridiculously competitive Aussie team, so she'll definitely be one of the favorites.

Pamela Rosa, Brazil (Skateboarding): Pamela Rosa is only 21 and has already won six medals at the X Games.  She also took the gold in street, one of the two Olympic events, at the 2019 World Championships.  Rosa enters the Olympic season ranked No. 1 in the event.

Janja Garnbret, Slovenia (Sport Climbing): Sport climbing is the new Olympic sport that I'm the most excited about.  And Janja Garnbret seems as good a candidate as any to claim the first gold medal in the sport.  She just turned 21 and is already a six-time World Champion.  Garnbret won three of the four disciplines at the 2019 Worlds and has won the last two World titles in the combined, which is the Olympic event.