What Team Will Be Most Improved In 2011 (1 Viewer)

[Limp Ditka]

Which team do you think improves the most this year?

I have 3 teams that can make pretty good leaps this year, but only one will be enough to vie for a playoff spot (Brewers).

Baltimore Orioles (+13 games)- I have them threatening .500 this year. A decent young starting staff, combined with the addition of Derrek Lee, Vlad and a presumption that Brian Roberts plays more than 59 games in 2011 should bode well for them

Milwaukee Brewers (+15 games) - Pitching has been the problem recently. Add Greinke and another year of experience for Gallardo and you have one of the better 1-2 punches in the NL. No Hoffman, who probably cost them 8-10 games alone last year.

Chicago Cubs - (+10 games) - Lou's gone, so that should be enough for 1/2 of the +10 games. Chalk the other half up to Garza. Honestly have a good feeling about this team, the top 3 in the rotation are above average and Colvin / Castro appear to be good young players. I wouldn't be surprised if they upped it even more than the 10.

 

[RnR]

Good topic.

By the way the poll is defined, I think the Orioles are probably the best bet to have the best "+" number this season. That being said, there are several teams (MIL, LAA, and LAD) that stand out to me as serious playoff contenders on this list. In the end, those teams may not see the uptick in wins that the Orioles see, but they may be the most improved teams.

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Went with the Brew Crew.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Added the .500 teams from last year, but no one really cares about the Tigers and A's, so what does it matter?

 

[urbanhack]

Pirates.

 

[RnR]

Pirates.

Entirely possible. 75 wins probably gives them the win in this poll.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Pirates.

Entirely possible. 75 wins probably gives them the win in this poll.

Good, young improving offense should net them a few games, but I'm not sure I see the uptick in pitching that warrants an 18 game surge. That starting staff is pretty nasty. Only addition is Correia who put up a 5+ ERA pitching in Petco.

 

[RnR]

Pirates.

Entirely possible. 75 wins probably gives them the win in this poll.

Good, young improving offense should net them a few games, but I'm not sure I see the uptick in pitching that warrants an 18 game surge. That starting staff is pretty nasty. Only addition is Correia who put up a 5+ ERA pitching in Petco.

Well, that's true, but I don't think any MLB team is 57 win "bad" on a regular basis. Probably a little bad luck in there, even for the Pirates.

 

[prosopis]

Arizona Diamondbacks. Last year we had a historically bad bullpen. Fixing that has to get us at least 10 more wins. I am looking for high 70s.

 

[Eephus]

I voted for the Brewers but the A's could be a contender this year.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

I voted for the Brewers but the A's could be a contender this year.

 

[cheese]

I'd say Mariners and to a lesser extent the Dbacks.

I am not surprised to see the Brewers love, but with that defense and the way that stadium gives up home runs, I think saying their problem was "pitching" is a little bit simplistic.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

"Most improved" makes it a tough call. I'm looking at Baltimore, Milwaukee, and Arizona based on their records in 2010.

 

[Eephus]

I'd say Mariners and to a lesser extent the Dbacks.I am not surprised to see the Brewers love, but with that defense and the way that stadium gives up home runs, I think saying their problem was "pitching" is a little bit simplistic.

I thought about Seattle too but I couldn't convince myself. Their rotation after Hernandez is pretty unremarkable and you have to figure Felix as a regression candidate. The bullpen is no great shakes even if Aardsma is healthy. Offensively, you really have to buy in on Smoak and Ackley to see any improvement from last year's disaster. They still have very little power coming from 3B and the corner OF slots.

 

[urbanhack]

I'd say Mariners and to a lesser extent the Dbacks.

I am not surprised to see the Brewers love, but with that defense and the way that stadium gives up home runs, I think saying their problem was "pitching" is a little bit simplistic.

Their rotation after Hernandez is pretty unremarkable and you have to figure Felix as a regression candidate.

What are you basing this on?

 

[Eephus]

I'd say Mariners and to a lesser extent the Dbacks.

I am not surprised to see the Brewers love, but with that defense and the way that stadium gives up home runs, I think saying their problem was "pitching" is a little bit simplistic.

Their rotation after Hernandez is pretty unremarkable and you have to figure Felix as a regression candidate.

What are you basing this on?

It's extremely uncommon for a pitcher to put up three consecutive seasons of 170 ERA+ or greater. Clemens, Pedro, Koufax, Seaver and Gibson never did it, Maddux did it once. Randy Johnson did it twice (four years running).

 

[Limp Ditka]

Who voted for: Detroit Tigers (81-81)Doctor Detroit

 

[Mentos]

I voted for the Brewers but the A's could be a contender this year.

I voted for the Cubs with the Brewers and A's right behind them. I can see the Cubs improving by 12 or 13 games. I think the A's could win the West and be in the 88-90 win area.

 

[DCThunder]

Let's go O's!

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

The Pirates have a good shot in terms of number of wins. I think 70 is not an unreasonable expectation and that could be enough.

 

[hutchins929]

Tigers will win 81 more this season! 162 - 0

 

[cosjobs]

Let's go O's!

I love their battery

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

Which team do you think improves the most this year?Baltimore Orioles (+13 games)- I have them threatening .500 this year. A decent young starting staff, combined with the addition of Derrek Lee, Vlad and a presumption that Brian Roberts plays more than 59 games in 2011 should bode well for them

The Orioles' 2010 August and September ruins this question.

 

[Raider Nation]

I'll go with the Indians.

 

[SuperAwesomeDude]

I'll go with the Indians.

agreed, i think their starting pitching is the bees knees...

 

[proninja]

I'd say Mariners and to a lesser extent the Dbacks.

I am not surprised to see the Brewers love, but with that defense and the way that stadium gives up home runs, I think saying their problem was "pitching" is a little bit simplistic.

I thought about Seattle too but I couldn't convince myself. Their rotation after Hernandez is pretty unremarkable and you have to figure Felix as a regression candidate. The bullpen is no great shakes even if Aardsma is healthy. Offensively, you really have to buy in on Smoak and Ackley to see any improvement from last year's disaster. They still have very little power coming from 3B and the corner OF slots.

Good point