C&C Podcast Episode 12: AL East and World Series Predictions

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This week DJ and Matt are joined by Rick Keeler from YanksGoYard.com as we take a look at the offseason for the teams in the AL East. We also preview each team and what stars to look out for in 2015.

The Orioles, who won the division last year are looking to make another trip to the A.L.C.S. But with the loses of Nick Markakis to the Atlanta Braves and Nelson Cruz to the Mariners, it will be tough to replace those power bats in the lineup.

The Blue Jays look to capitlize on the offense they have within their lineup which features stars such as Jose Bautista, Jose Reyes, and Josh Donaldson. While they may have the bats to keep them in contention throughout the season, it is their bullpen that may prove to be the downfall of this team. That is unless Toronto General Manager Alex Anthropoulos can pull off a mid-season trade.

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The Rays had a very busy offseason but it wasn’t a good offseason for the Tampa Bay club. Losing out on Joe Maddon may prove to be costly as this team really seemed to thrive off of the skilled manager, it is now up to former Red Sox catcher Kevin Cash to continue the organizations ascent. Evan Longoria will have to be a huge part of that climb, but he is coming off his worst year OPS-wise so getting off to a strong start will be vital for both Longoria and the Rays.

The Yankees have plenty of headlines surrounding them going into Opening Day, none bigger than Alex Rodriguez and how he can help the Yankees offense in 2015. Of course all the background noise will creep into the clubhouse especially the first few weeks, however if A-Rod is able to produce at a consistent rate those background noises may die down sooner than we all thought. Other questions that surround the Yankees are CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka who are both coming off injuries last season.

Finally the Red Sox look to go from worst-to-first-to-worst-to-first once again. The loss of Jon Lester may prove costly though, as they now turn to Clay Buchholz and Rick Porcello to anchor the starting rotation and relying on Koji Uehara. The Red Sox offense got a boost with the additions of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval that provide the Red Sox with a solid middle of the order, and with guys like Pedroia, Ortiz, and Napoli already slotted in the lineup this offense may be a force to be reckoned with. Also keep an eye out for Mookie Betts and Blake Swihart to make impacts in 2015 similar to what Xander Bogaerts did in 2013.

Afterward DJ, Matt, and Rick make their World Series predictions as the baseball season is only days away.

All that and more on the C&C Podcast, make sure to visit ChowderandChampions.com for the latest Boston sports news, rumors, and analysis. If you’re a Yankee fan make sure to check out Rick’s website YanksGoYard.com for all the latest news regarding the Bronx Bombers.

DJ: @dj_smitty
Matt: @SomecallmeGOOSE
Rick: @Rickinator555

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