Are the Los Angeles Dodgers Unstoppable?

With a record approaching historic records over the last 50 games, the Los Angeles Dodgers are beginning to look like the exciting and talented team that everyone expected once their new owners took over.  After several high priced acquisitions started to click, and a sensational rookie by the name of Yasiel Puig joined their ranks, the Dodgers are the strongest team is baseball and the front-runners for the 2013 World Series.  Is there any hope left for the other contenders?

Of course there is.  Pushing the odds against the Los Angeles Dodgers is the fact that they haven’t been to the MLB Playoffs since 2009.  But that’s about it.  Right now the talent on this team is pretty incredible, and whether or not they win it all this year, the Dodgers will become a familiar team in playoff baseball come every October.

Their starting pitching is formidable.  Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu are all pitching very well and each have over 10 wins on the season.  Relief pitching has been solid, and incoming closer Brian Wilson could figure into the mix in the latter stages of the season.

But the most exciting part of the Dodgers has been the hitting.  Yasiel Puig has been sensational and may figure to become the premier hitting talent of the new generation.  His .352 average is among the best in the majors, and his power makes him one of the most dangerous players on the field.  His call-up provoked this incredible run for the Dodgers, and he is the heart and soul of the team and its fans.  That’s a lot of pressure for any 22-year-old rookie, but so far Puig has carried the team along with confidence and brilliant play.  His defensive work is also first rate in the outfield.  He can carry this team far.

Other hitters have also picked up steam for the Dodgers, including Hanley Ramirez.  Although injured for the first half of the season, Ramirez has returned and put up similar numbers to Puig.  With two dominant power-hitting players, the Dodgers lineup is menacing.

The rest of the team is solid as well.  Adrian Gonzalez is a near .300 hitter while up and down the lineup are capable players that hit in the upper .200’s.  This makes the team quite solid and well prepared even if Puig stutters in the playoffs due to nerves or the cold weather.  The talent is well spread throughout the lineup to handle any potential opponents.

So is there any reason to feel that the Dodgers won’t be rumbling and bouncing their way along to the World Series?  Surely, October baseball brings about drama and will have its stern tests ahead for the Dodgers.  They aren’t the only team with a great record.  The Atlanta Braves are solid, as are the Cincinnati Reds, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals; and those teams are all in for the NL Pennant!  But no one is hotter than the Dodgers right now, and I get the feeling that they aren’t slowing down any time soon.  It will be a joy to see what baseball’s most exciting team will bring to the MLB Playoffs this year!

No matter which MLB team you are rooting for to make it to the playoffs and then to the World Series, AAA Sports Memorabilia has a sports collectible for you.  We carry all MLB teams and your favorite players.  Looking for an autographed baseball photo?  We’ve got it!  Looking for an autographed baseball?  We’ve got it!  Looking for an autographed bat?  We’ve got it!  Come check us out today and regularly as we add new products almost daily!

Spring Training Brings a Re-Arranged MLB Back to Baseball

It is no surprise that some serious movement has occurred throughout the MLB this off-season. Baseball is a sport always geared around trades and what missing puzzle pieces can bring a World Series to a specific team. The owners and general managers sure were busy this offseason, and as spring training is set to begin in under a week, baseball fans will get a new look at how their teams will operate in the upcoming 2013 baseball season. Here are some of the more important questions facing several teams that may be partially answered in spring training.

Are the Dodgers ready to contend? With the Los Angeles Dodgers securing a high paying television deal recently that will provide them a revenue of around $250 million per year, they have continued their spending spree. Pitcher Zack Greinke joins a lineup that already boasts Clayton Kershaw, Josh Beckett, and new Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu. Solid hitters Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Hanley Ramirez look great on paper too. The question is will this team actually click and produce a World Series or will they simply put up some big numbers and fail to make the playoffs like they did last year?

Will the New York Yankees be able to hit? With the departure of Nick Swisher and the serious injury to Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees signed several veteran hitters to try and reproduce some lost offensive production. However, these players come with loads of questions that will need to be answered. Kevin Youkilis, Matt Diaz, and Travis Hafner all bring along a storied past of big hits and runs, but have struggled recently to dips of form and injuries. None of these guys hit over .240 last year, and they are all in their mid 30’s. Will any of these guys spark a career comeback with the Yankees, or will they disappoint?

Are the Cincinnati Reds ready to take the next step? Last season’s playoffs ended in misery for the Reds as they let a 2 game lead slip to the eventual World Series Champions San Francisco Giants in the NLDS. They have brought back every major piece of the team including outfielder Ryan Ludwick whom they re-signed. They also brought in Shin-Soo Choo, a solid hitter with decent power. Lining up with Joey Votto and Jay Bruce the Reds will have a solid offense. Their pitching staff was also spectacular last year with Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, and Mat Latos. Was last year’s division championship just a fluke or are the Reds set to take the next step and win a pennant?

Will the Washington Nationals lead the Major Leagues in wins again? The Nationals came out of nowhere last year to lead the entire MLB in win with 98. Although they fell in a disastrous manner to the St. Louis Cardinals in the playoffs, the Nationals should be improved. They re-signed Adam LaRoche, traded for Denard Span, and signed free agent premier closer Rafael Soriano. With a slate of starting pitchers including Stephen Strasburg, Dan Haren, Gio Gonzalez, and Jordan Zimmerman, the Nationals could be the best team in baseball again, but will definitely want to see an improved playoffs should they get there.

So with spring training taking shape and the regular season beckoning in the not too distant future, let’s see if some of these questions get resolved over the next few weeks as these teams take shape in the spring.

Baseball is almost back!

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