The Yankees mark several cornerstone franchise anniversaries during 2021. It's 100 years since Babe Ruth led them to their first pennant. 60 years since the greatest single season of the Stengel-Houk dynasty -- and summer of the slugging M&M Boys. And it's 25 years since the first of the four titles in five years under Joe Torre.It's also a dozen years since their last championship -- an eternity for fans of the Bronx Bombers. So, there's an urgency for general manager Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner. They're crossed their T's and dotted the I's with new starting pitchers, Jamison Taillon and Corey Kluber. The bullpen received a partial makeover. And they held onto the club's best overall hitter, DJ LeMahieu. While the club is no sure thing -- especially with catcher Gary Sanchez going from rising star to world-class enigma and two years of disabling injuries to towering sluggers Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge -- the Yankees look prepared to return to the post-season.
Nothing's guaranteed, especially health, and the AL East also features both the smartest budget-crunched organization in the sport in Tampa Bay, as well as a Toronto (a/k/a Buffalo and temporarily Dunedin) club packed with rising stars, now surrounded by a free agent import in George Springer with experience in winning the big games.
But logic and Las Vegas lean the Yankee way for 2021.
My other American League post-season entrants:
- AL Central: Minnesota
- AL West: Oakland
- AL Wild Cards: Toronto, Chicago
I flipped the Twins and White Sox after the devastating injury that will sideline Eloy Jimenez until mid-August at the earliest.
The National League features an East division that one-through-five is the strongest in the game. The Mets not only upgraded their talent with Francisco Lindor -- but assured themselves he'll be the centerpiece of their lineup for the decade with a ten-year contract extension. Albert Almora could be outfield's equivalent of a closer; put him in center for the 8th and 9th innings of close games, and shift starter Brandon Nimmo to left and you've raised your run prevention.
All these positive movies in Flushing bring the Mets closer to the Braves and Nationals, who've each made smart moves of their own (Charlie Morton to Atlanta; Kyle Schwarber and Josh Bell for DC). But I'm not sure it jumps them into the division lead. The Phillies hope retread starters Matt Moore and Chase Anderson, a rebooted bullpen featuring Archie Bradley and Grapefruit League surprise Jose Alvarado and the retention of veterans JT Realmuto and Didi Gregorius can snap what's now baseball's longest absence from the playoffs. And rounding out the NL East are the Marlins, whose rebuild progressed quickly enough to get them into the second round of last year's playoffs. One thing's likely -- these five division rivals will beat each other up and none off them will make even 95 wins. That likely means that the group won't produce any Wild Card entrants.
The Dodgers, off their first World Series victory in 32 years, look loaded. Dave Roberts has superb starting pitchers and a star-studded everyday lineup built around Mookie Betts and World Series MVP Corey Seager. But they also face what every championship club has since 2001 -- the inability to repeat. Whether it's a World Series "hangover" or just the ascendancy of the young and nearly-as-talented Padres, things won't be as easy for this year's Dodgers.
My NL picks:
- NL East: Braves
- NL Central: Cardinals
- NL West: Dodgers
- NL Wild Cards: Padres, Brewers
Push it forward to the World Series -- and we'll party like it's 1941, '47, '49, '52, '53, '56, '77 and '78.
Get set for 162 games and an October full of drama.
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