Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 Baseball i Athlon Sports Football Bundle

PREDICTIONS AL East 1. Boston Red Sox 2. New York Yankees* 3. Tampa Bay Rays* 4. Toronto Blue Jays 5. Baltimore Orioles AL Central 1. Cleveland Indians 2. Minnesota Twins 3. Chicago White Sox 4. Kansas City Royals 5. Detroit Tigers AL West 1. Houston Astros 2. Oakland A’s 3. Los Angeles Angels 4. Seattle Mariners 5. Texas Rangers * Wild Card ALCS Houston Astros over Boston Red Sox World Series Los Angeles Dodgers over Houston Astros AL MVP 1. Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels 2. Mookie Betts, OF, Boston Red Sox 3. Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros 4. Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees 5. Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees 6. Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians 7. Alex Bregman, 3B, Houston Astros 8. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland…

This will give you an idea of the lofty expectations the Yankees face in 2019: Last year’s 100-win campaign, which ended when the Yanks gave the eventual champion Red Sox their toughest October series, is generally considered a flop in New York. Too harsh? Maybe. But the loaded Yankees are a World Series-or-bust team again, thanks to big-name stars such as Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, blooming youngsters like Gleyber Torres and a velocity-crazed bullpen. GM Brian Cashman re-signed Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia and bolstered the rotation by trading for Seattle lefty James Paxton and re-signing J.A. Happ. Paxton could be the October ace the Yankees crave, and he and Luis Severino should lead a rotation that just might be the key to toppling Boston in the brawny American…

The safest prediction to make for the White Sox is that 2019 cannot be as miserable as 2018, even if the franchise manages to lose 100 games again. It couldn’t be. Not after relief pitcher Danny Farquhar nearly died in the dugout with a blood clot on his brain in April. And 2017 top draft pick Jake Burger ruptured his left Achilles tendon in spring training before tearing it a second time in May. And top pitching prospect Michael Kopech was shut down for Tommy John surgery in early September after making four impressive starts in the big leagues. And the team’s aggressive rebuilding push was stalled when other top prospects Zack Burdi, Dane Dunning, Alec Hansen, Micker Adolfo and Luis Robert lost significant development time to injuries. The Sox…

Speed and defense (along with a shutdown bullpen) were at the heart of the Kansas City Royals’ surge, culminating with the 2015 World Series championship. The club hasn’t finished above .500 in the three seasons since, matching the second-most losses in franchise history in 2018 (104). But GM Dayton Moore has made it clear that nothing has changed philosophically for Kansas City, which plays in a relatively cavernous ballpark and still covets athleticism — the fuel for its speed and defensive preference. The Royals largely sat on the sidelines during free agency, but the addition of former Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton — one of the league’s fastest players and best defenders — reinforced Moore’s vision for victory as the rebuild enters its second year. ROTATION Four spots seem secure…

The Los Angeles Angels are entering a new era: After 19 seasons, Mike Scioscia will no longer be the manager. In 39 years before Scioscia became their manager, the Angels averaged 76.6 wins per full season, had only 12 winning seasons and made the playoffs three times (without winning a series). In 19 seasons under Scioscia, the Angels averaged 86.8 wins, had 12 winning seasons, made the playoffs seven times and won the franchise’s only World Series title (2002). The challenge now shifts to new manager Brad Ausmus to make the most out of a roster that includes baseball’s best player (Mike Trout) and its most unique (Shohei Ohtani) but probably not enough pitching to be more than a fringe contender. ROTATION For three straight seasons, the Angels’ starting rotation…

Two years of going for it and another with the best intentions — if not the all-in financial expenditures — led the Texas Rangers to a point of no return last season. By June, the decision was made that the Rangers would be rebuilding, and 2019 will be more of the same from the team that won back-to-back American League West titles in 2015-16. And the Rangers get to do it without Adrian Beltre. ROTATION The Rangers exited the Winter Meetings with four starters — Mike Minor, Lance Lynn, Drew Smyly and Edinson Volquez — but were also entertaining offers for Minor, who completed his first season as a starter since 2014 without injury issues. He was good, too, and has a club-friendly contract. Lynn agreed to a three-year, $30…

Let the process continue. After 24 rookie-eligible players saw time in 2018 for the Marlins in the first year of a rebuild, Miami aims to see progress from its core in ’19. CEO Derek Jeter has preached building a sustainable winner by infusing young talent into all levels of the organization. Some — like former top prospect Lewis Brinson — are hoping for bounce-back seasons, all while rocking a new look. The Marlins have ditched the former ownership’s rainbow color scheme for a more Miami feel. But what matters most is what happens on the field. The Marlins avoided a 100-loss season by going 63–98. In the process, they saw Brian Anderson blossom into a National League Rookie of the Year candidate. Starting pitchers Trevor Richards and Pablo Lopez showed…

The Nationals thought they needed big changes after their 97–65 first-place finish in 2017, firing manager Dusty Baker following the NLDS flameout and replacing him with Dave Martinez. But after the Nats finished 15 games worse in 2018 and lost their stranglehold on the NL East, we can definitively say the manager wasn’t the problem. This off season was focused on a central question, with a corollary: Could the Nationals afford to keep Bryce Harper? And did they really want him? Even as those questions were playing out, GM Mike Rizzo continued building a roster meant to contend again in 2019, with or without Harper. And with a rotation headed by Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and newcomer Patrick Corbin, they’re a good bet to do so. ROTATION The signing of…

What was expected to be a long organizational rebuild by the Milwaukee Brewers quickly shifted into overdrive late last January when, in a 24-hour span, they traded for Christian Yelich and signed Lorenzo Cain to the largest free agent contract in team history. The moves couldn’t have worked out better. Both were named to the All-Star Team, and behind a huge second half that had him flirting with a triple crown up to the season’s final day, Yelich was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player. Their performances, coupled with breakout seasons from first baseman Jesus Aguilar, righthander Jhoulys Chacin and relievers Josh Hader and Jeremy Jeffress helped set the stage for Milwaukee’s unexpected late-season successes. The Brewers beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Game 163 to win their…

The Diamondbacks face the daunting task of replacing franchise icon and perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt as well as free agents Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock. Although many in the industry believed the Goldschmidt trade to St. Louis signaled an immediate tear-down, the D-backs held on to their other movable assets, including righthander Zack Greinke. They believe that a return to health from Jake Lamb and Steven Souza Jr. will help compensate for the loss of Goldschmidt, the only NL player to make each of the previous six All-Star rosters. ROTATION Greinke, Robbie Ray and Zack Godley will fill the top three slots, with newcomers Luke Weaver and Merrill Kelly expected to round out the rotation. Corbin made his second All-Star Game last season, and he and his remarkable slider…

Padres fans are getting antsy as they wait for the team’s loaded farm system to start blossoming at the big league level. Ownership expected the Padres to be better in 2018 than they were in 2017, but they took a step backward. That makes fans wonder if the Padres can get to .500 in 2019 and then be competitive by 2020 or 2021, as ownership hopes. The team left the Winter Meetings without making a major league deal, a rarity under general manager A.J. Preller. The Padres did sign Ian Kinsler the day after the meetings ended, which helps sort out their middle infield, and no doubt laid the groundwork for deals that could come later. They got a glimpse of two of their top prospects, second baseman Luis Urias…

AMERICAN LEAGUE BALTIMORE ORIOLES BOSTON RED SOX CHICAGO WHITE SOX CLEVELAND INDIANS DETROIT TIGERS HOUSTON ASTROS Alex Gordon LF, Kansas City Royals Gold Glove KANSAS CITY ROYALS LOS ANGELES ANGELS MINNESOTA TWINS NEW YORK YANKEES OAKLAND ATHLETICS SEATTLE MARINERS TAMPA BAY RAYS TEXAS RANGERS TORONTO BLUE JAYS NATIONAL LEAGUE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Nick Markakis RF, Atlanta Braves Gold Glove ATLANTA BRAVES CHICAGO CUBS Anthony Rizzo 1B, Chicago Cubs Gold Glove CINCINNATI REDS COLORADO ROCKIES LOS ANGELES DODGERS MIAMI MARLINS MILWAUKEE BREWERS NEW YORK METS PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES PITTSBURGH PIRATES Yadier Molina C, St. Louis Cardinals Gold Glove ST. LOUIS CARDINALS SAN DIEGO PADRES Corey Dickerson LF, Pittsburgh Pirates Gold Glove SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS WASHINGTON NATIONALS…

The teardown of the Orioles began in July as they spiraled deeper into last place in the American League East. The task of rebuilding was next on the docket and ensured that they wouldn’t contend again for at least a few years. There’s no timetable given and no reason to believe in a quick fix. Changes have ripped apart the organization like a tornado — a new head of baseball operations, new assistants, a new manager and new director of player development and director of scouting. The Orioles got a late start in making the hires and evaluating the talent on their roster, which doesn’t stack up to their division rivals. It isn’t close. They took a hard fall into last place with 115 losses, worst in the majors, and…

The Rays were quite pleased to win 90 games in a 2018 season that started brutally bad and included a string of key injuries that forced them to employ some innovative strategy. But they were far from satisfied. Team officials started talking that way right from the start of the off season, plotting to be aggressive and take advantage of some rare financial flexibility to do so at a higher price point. And they showed they were serious about making the most of their window to contend, working an early November trade to acquire catcher Mike Zunino in a sell-high deal for outfielder Mallex Smith in the first in a series of moves that may continue up until Opening Day. By Christmas, the Rays had let veteran closer Sergio Romo…

The Indians will dip their big toe into the uncertain waters of rebuilding this season. It’s not a total rip-it-down-to-the-studs rebuild, but the signs are there. Besides that, they’ll try to do the hardest thing in baseball — win while turning over big chunks of the roster. Thank goodness for the AL Central. Manager Terry Francona’s team has won three straight division titles and is favored to win a fourth in 2019, but the cast of characters has changed. Free agents Michael Brantley, Andrew Miller, Lonnie Chisenhall, Josh Donaldson and Rajai Davis are gone. Edwin Encarnacion, Yonder Alonso, Yan Gomes and Yandy Diaz were traded so the Indians could reduce the payroll. What remains is a finely tuned starting rotation led by two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and two…

In almost every way imaginable, 2019 will mark the dawn of a new era in Minnesota. New manager Rocco Baldelli takes over a team missing the on-field and off-field cornerstones of its last half-decade. The front office tandem of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine has a hand-picked skipper, a new-age coaching staff and a roster they’ve begun to reshape in a manner more affirmatively characteristic of their approach to the game. Joe Mauer’s retirement and various expiring contracts left the team tremendous payroll flexibility, and they used it to collect players whose price tags made them undesirable to other teams, despite good talent. Betting on talent, in the absence of consistent production, will define 2019 and could set the direction of the franchise in years to come. ROTATION One of…

A year ago at this time, the A’s were just another rebuilding team. And then the games were played in earnest, and the team showed muscle and perseverance. A 97-win season and a strong second-place finish got them a Wild Card berth. And now, with the 2019 season upon us, Oakland is a team that still factors strongly in the American League West. The A’s are going to have to get their starting rotation together, or maybe not. Manager Bob Melvin looked positively adroit at using an “opener.” Last year it was done because of injuries that crippled the rotation, but in 2019 it will be no surprise if the A’s stay with the opener concept simply because they’ve shown they can make it work. And, yes, many of the…

PREDICTIONS NL East 1. Washington Nationals 2. Atlanta Braves 3. New York Mets 4. Philadelphia Phillies 5. Miami Marlins NL Central 1. St. Louis Cardinals 2. Chicago Cubs* 3. Milwaukee Brewers* 4. Cincinnati Reds 5. Pittsburgh Pirates NL West 1. Los Angeles Dodgers 2. Colorado Rockies 3. Arizona Diamondbacks 4. San Diego Padres 5. San Francisco Giants *Wild Card NLCS Los Angeles Dodgers over St. Louis Cardinals World Series Los Angeles Dodgers over Houston Astros NL MVP 1. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies 2. Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs 3. Christian Yelich, OF, Milwaukee Brewers 4. Anthony Rendon, 3B, Washington Nationals 5. Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers 6. Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves 7. Max Scherzer, RHP, Washington Nationals 8. Jacob deGrom, RHP, New York Mets 9. Juan…

The Mets went looking for a new general manager last season, and some candidates recommended a roster teardown. That’s not what the Wilpon family wanted to hear, so they hired Brodie Van Wagenen, a charismatic agent who promised he could make the Mets a winner, both now and for years to come. We’ll have to see it to believe it with this offense, but the Mets’ pitching talent at least gives them a shot. ROTATION The Mets’ offense and bullpen were so futile last season that the team somehow had a losing record (14–18) in games started by Jacob deGrom, who had a 1.70 ERA and won the National League Cy Young Award. He allowed only 10 homers last season, dominating with pinpoint command of his 96 mph fastball and…

Though still loaded with team-controlled talent and star-caliber names, the Cubs enter 2019 looking to rinse out the sour taste of a brutal end to their 2018 campaign. Though Javier Baez has emerged as a terrific, dynamic complement to the steady slugging of Anthony Rizzo, and though the anchors of the starting rotation are as sturdy and established as any in the National League, huge questions hang over the team. They’re still banking on development and improved offensive consistency from catcher Willson Contreras, outfielders Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. and utility man Ian Happ, and their success will hinge in some meaningful part on the health and effectiveness of Kris Bryant, who was hampered by a shoulder injury in 2018. No longer a budding dynasty, the Cubs are now…

The Pirates hope to build on the momentum of the final three months of the 2018 season to contend in 2019. General manager Neal Huntington believes that he helped paved the way for better days last July when he traded for Tampa Bay righthander Chris Archer and Texas reliever Keone Kela. The Pirates wound up finishing 82–79, better than expected following the winter trades of Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole. It was only the franchise’s fourth winning record in 26 years, and it was still only good enough for a fourth-place finish in the National League Central behind the Brewers, Cubs and Cardinals. All three teams look strong again in 2019 — and the Reds will be improved as well — meaning the Pirates will have their work cut out,…

The Rockies won 91 games last season. They’re coming off consecutive appearances in the postseason for the first time in the team’s 26-year history. While they are clearly on the rise, the Rockies, swept by the Brewers in the Division Series last year, are looking to go deeper into October this year and very well might — if the offense improves. They set franchise lows last year with their .256 average overall and .225 mark on the road. They had a .322 on-base percentage, the second lowest in franchise history, and a plus-35 run differential, the worst of any of the teams in the postseason. GM Jeff Bridich said the off season priority was to improve the offense. To that end, the Rockies signed Daniel Murphy to a two-year, $24…

After two seasons of desperately trying to patch holes around an accomplished but aging core, the Giants are embracing a fresh perspective with new leadership. they lured away former Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi with a five-year contract and a club president title that gives him full authority over all roster decisions, as executive vice president Brian Sabean steps aside into an advisory role. Sabean and deposed GM Bobby Evans gave it one last shot in 2018 by acquiring Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen, but injuries overwhelmed every area of the club, and the Giants were unable to build momentum. Now they are seeking a reboot, if not a full rebuild. ROTATION Madison Bumgarner was throwing the ball as well as he ever had last spring. Then, in the last game…

TIER 1 1. PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT, CARDINALS Implausibly looking up at the Mendoza Line into late May, Goldschmidt was the ultimate buy-low bargain of 2018 for cunning rotisserians who know the cream eventually rises. He made scorched earth of the baseball landscape by going .328-28-70 in his last 110 games and finished with a .922 OPS that was 25 points higher than any other first sacker. He’s as automatic as it gets. 2. FREDDIE FREEMAN, BRAVES Freeman resides in Tier 1.5 — squarely behind Goldy but securely ahead of the next echelon. With just one 30-HR and 100-RBI season apiece on his résumé, he’s more sturdy than sensational, although an ever-lengthening Braves lineup could make him less avoidable for pitchers. Only he and Mike Trout have slashed .300/.380/.500 in each of…

TIER 1 1. FRANCISCO LINDOR, INDIANS At 24, Lindor was the first shortstop in history with at least 35 homers, 20 stolen bases and 40 doubles. That he’s still evolving as a hitter is evident from his peripherals, so his ultimate horizons are not yet defined. As his HR% doubled from 2015-16 to 2017-18, his AVG seeped 31 points, so that’s the final frontier. 2. MANNY MACHADO, FREE AGENT Coming off his preeminent showings in three of five fantasy categories — not to mention an all-important quantum improvement in strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.49) — Machado is inching closer to offensive maturity. Positioned at third base, he’d be Tier 1/No. 4. 3. TREA TURNER, NATIONALS Turner forfeits a couple of dozen RBIs by batting high in the order. Otherwise, there is a…

TIER 1 1. MAX SCHERZER, NATIONALS Ending a five-year run by Clayton Kershaw as our No. 1 starter, Scherzer (who was a virtual 1-A in 2017 and 2018) checks every box. He’s on a four-category six-year roll that has been equaled just once in baseball annals — by Sandy Koufax from 1961-66. If there’s any trepidation, it’s that he’s 34 and the only workhorse to throw 20,000 pitches during that period. 2. JACOB DEGROM, METS Staying with the historic theme: de-Grom’s parlay of a 1.70 ERA, 269 Ks and 0.912 WHIP was the first of that ilk since Walter Johnson’s of 1912. That he won only 10 games was farcical. His ERA was 2.09 in his non-victories, as his bullpen allowed 56 runs in 62 innings. And in arguably the…

1. VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR., 3B, BLUE JAYS R/R • 6-1 • 200 • Age: 20 Acquired: Signed out of Dominican Republic, 2015 There’s nothing left for Guerrero to prove in the minor leagues. He was Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2018 while dominating Double-A and Triple-A pitchers who were often five or more years older. Guerrero is a big league-ready hitter who could challenge one day for batting crowns and home run titles. 2. FERNANDO TATIS JR., SS, PADRES R/R • 6-3 • 185 • Age: 20 Acquired: Trade; signed out of Dominican Republic, 2015 Tatis’ 2018 season ended early because of a fractured thumb, but before he was sidelined, he once again showed he should be a middle-of-the-lineup star. The one separator between Guerrero, Tatis…

And now comes the hard part — when the encore doubles as the farewell tour. The Red Sox shocked baseball with a run of wire-to-wire dominance unwitnessed since the 1998 Yankees, winning 108 games and their fourth World Series title since 2004. They cleared every obstacle in their path, from Opening Day, when the bullpen imploded vs. Tampa, to Game 3 of the World Series, when a walk-off homer beat them in the 18th inning. They return basically their entire roster, but change is coming. In the next two years alone, free agency looms for standouts such as Chris Sale, J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Rick Porcello and Jackie Bradley Jr. They’ll be motivated to go for broke, because this isn’t the start of a budding dynasty. It’s already…

The Toronto Blue Jays head into the new season firmly fixated on building for the future after definitively closing their previous competitive window during a miserable 2018. At the transition’s forefront is top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who tore through Double-A and Triple-A while earning wide acclaim as the best prospect in baseball. Guerrero, who will be 20 on Opening Day, is the first such franchise-altering talent acquired and developed internally since Carlos Delgado, and for the team to avoid an extended period of pain, he’ll need to hit the ground running after Josh Donaldson became the latest star slugger to depart the club. Once called up, likely after his free agency has been pushed back a year, Guerrero will arrive to find a new manager in Charlie Montoyo and…

Four years after their last playoff appearance and 20 months after the trade of Justin Verlander signaled a new direction, the Tigers are deep in the throes of a difficult rebuild as the 2019 season approaches, having nearly halved their payroll from the free-spending days of just a couple years ago. Longtime designated hitter Victor Martinez, who retired, is the latest glory-era cornerstone to disappear into the sunset, but the Tigers are still hamstrung by the $55 million — roughly half their projected 2019 payroll — they will pay this year to untradeable veterans Miguel Cabrera and Jordan Zimmermann. The meager pickups the Tigers made this winter — lefty Matt Moore, shortstop Jordy Mercer, righthander Tyson Ross — are best viewed as stopgaps or potential trade chips in July. On…

Though their quest to repeat as World Series champions went unfulfilled in 2018, the Astros assembled their greatest starting rotation in franchise history and set a club record for regular-season wins. In 2019, Houston’s proverbial window remains wide open, even after losing three starting pitchers. offensive regression from a historic 2017 pace was offset by the incredible pitching the Astros received. Getting the heart of their once-potent lineup back to full health, while relying on their plethora of pitching prospects to fill a noticeable void, will key their quest for a third straight American League West title. ROTATION Losing 500 innings from the most acclaimed rotation in franchise history would hurt almost any club. The departures of Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton via free agency and Lance McCullers Jr.’s Tommy…

The Mariners’ postseason drought, which dates back to 2001 — the longest active streak without a playoff appearance for any of the four major sports in North America — will likely continue for another season. It’s an outcome they are willing to accept in hopes of more sustained success in the years to come. As part of a rebuild — GM Jerry Dipoto is calling it a “stepback” — the Mariners culled the roster of several players in their 30s who had expensive contracts or were in their final years of arbitration and headed for free agency. Beginning in early November, Dipoto made nine trades that removed nine contributing players from the Mariners’ 25-man roster, including top pitcher James Paxton, closer Edwin Diaz, shortstop Jean Segura, catcher Mike Zunino and…

Anyone who has ever done a long highway drive has had that moment. You realize that, somehow, you have driven 20 miles from where you last remember being, but you have no recollection of how you got there. It felt like that in Atlanta. The Braves, who were coming off three consecutive 90-loss seasons, are suddenly good again, winning 90 games in 2018, and it seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. The Braves enter 2019 as not only one of the best teams in the National League, but also the veterans of a surprise playoff appearance last fall. The problem with “prospects” (and Atlanta has plenty of them) is that they are like bread in an old toaster. You’re pretty sure that they’ll eventually pop up, but…

Despite an inconsistent offense and the worst defense in the majors, the Phillies put together four good months — followed by two horrendous months — and improved by 14 wins in 2018. Management promised a busy off season as it looked to take the next step in 2019, but vaulting from 80 wins into the playoff picture will depend largely on the improvement of a returning core that surrounds a few newcomers. The Phillies do have a star in right-handed pitcher Aaron Nola and a couple of potential stars in Rhys Hoskins and Seranthony Dominguez. But unless they add another one before Opening Day, the Phils are probably a middle-of-the-pack club in the National League East. ROTATION Starting pitching was the reason the Phillies were leading the NL East after…

The year 2019 marks the sesquicentennial of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first professional (i.e., salaried) team in baseball history. In celebration, Reds players will wear commemorative patches on their jerseys and caps throughout the 2019 season. The team will also feature 15 throwback uniforms on various home dates. The 1869 Red Stockings, playing amateur teams from coast to coast, went 67–0. Ironically, the Reds are coming off a season in which they exactly matched the 1869 team’s total of 67 wins. Unfortunately, the 2018 edition played 95 other games, finishing last in the National League Central for the fourth straight year. The off season focus has been to improve a perennially weak pitching staff that has, more than the offense, kept the team in the cellar. A blockbuster…

For years, the Cardinals have been guided by past championships that set expectations for future contention. A new force steered them into the coming season: the present — and its demand to win. “We realize the importance of 2019,” says John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations. “I’ve always been one for the longer-term decision making. But we’re trying to win now.” The Cardinals landed their desired blockbuster hitter in a trade for Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt. The six-time All-Star has one year remaining on his contract, as does cleanup hitter Marcell Ozuna, last winter’s big-bat addition. Include Matt Carpenter’s team option for 2020, and the Cardinals’ top three hitters could all walk by season’s end. Franchise favorites Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright near the end of their contracts as well, adding…

The Dodgers have had a great run of success — and there is no sign of it ending soon. Despite suffering a World Series hangover that had them 10 games under .500 in mid-May and second in the National League West deep into September, they won their sixth consecutive division title, made their third consecutive NL Championship Series and second consecutive World Series. The 287 games they have won in Dave Roberts’ three years as manager are tied for the fourth most any manager has ever won in his first three seasons, and they have averaged 94 wins per season during this six-year run. But it hasn’t been good enough. Each of the past two seasons, baseball’s World Series champion has celebrated on the field at Dodger Stadium — and…