Happy Thanksgiving: Here is One Thing Each Fanbase Should Be Thankful For
Happy Thanksgiving! Each fan base has a lot to be thankful for right now, even the ones that do not root for the Dodgers. What is the one thing each fan base should be thankful for?
American League East
Tampa Bay Rays: The Farm.
Headlined by top MLB prospect Wander Franco, the Rays maintain the ability to replace departures with extremely talented players. Along with Franco, prospects Vidal Brujan and Xavier Edwards play middle infield. Brujan is capable of stealing 50+ bases per year, and Edwards is a major league ready hitter. Then, of course, the Rays have arms that can make an immediate impact. Brendan “Two-Way” McKay has had some shoulder injuries, but with the full offseason to gain his health back, he could be a difference maker next year. Shane Baz, Shane McClanahan, and Brent Honeywell all could be in the big leagues next season too.
New York Yankees: The Corner Infielders.
With Gio Urshela manning third base and Luke Voit at first, the Yankees received high-level production from the corners. Voit led MLB in home runs this season and claims his plantar fasciitis will not be an issue in 2021. Urshela was a Gold Glove finalist and fantastic contact hitter.
Toronto Blue Jays: Teoscar Hernández.
Much of the attention goes to the sons of former All-Stars, being Vlad Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio, and deservedly so, but Teoscar Hernandez was the brightest spot for this Blue Jays lineup in 2020. He ripped 16 homers and stole 6 bases while batting .289 in 50 games.
Baltimore Orioles: Trey Mancini.
The Baltimore Orioles organization and fan base is lucky to have Mancini. He missed the 2020 season after his diagnosis with colon cancer and he penned a letter in The Players’ Tribune stating he was thankful for the Orioles in helping him detect the awful disease. Mancini has proven to be an inspiration to everyone, as he vows to step foot on the field once again. It is the Orioles and really all baseball fans that should be thankful for Mancini and his willingness to help others amidst his journey to health.
Boston Red Sox: The Luxury Tax.
Red Sox fans might have had to suffer through a dismal 2020 season, one in which they lost 9 of 10 against their bitter rivals in New York. However, Boston was able to reset their luxury tax rate while only regressing for a 60-game season. This will give the front office some financial flexibility moving forward, and the path back to the Postseason may be shorter than anticipated.
American League Central
Minnesota Twins: The Gazelle.
His Postseason was spoiled by a concussion, but Byron Buxton really exploded in the last month of the regular season. Buxton always moved like a gazelle in centerfield, but things were finally clicking for him at the plate. If that gets carried into 2021, the Twins may finally get to reap all the benefits of the former second-overall draft pick.
Cleveland Indians: The Triple Crown Winner.
Not many teams would be able to put forth a formidable rotation after trading players like Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger, and Corey Kluber. But Shane Bieber ended up with the Triple Crown, leading the AL in wins, ERA, and strikeouts in 2020. He was easily the best pitcher in baseball this regular season, and has stayed out of trade rumors so far.
Chicago White Sox: The Lineup.
The White Sox absolutely mashed in 2020, highlighted by hitting back-to-back-to-back-to-back bombs, tying an MLB record. Consisting of a mix of star veterans (Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, and Yasmani Grandal) and promising youngsters (Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert), the White Sox are ready to do it again in 2021. They should be able to get a full season from Nick Madrigal, who was called up last season and is well-known for having unbelievable bat-to-ball skills.
Kansas City Royals: Salvador Pérez.
One of the only remaining players from the 2015 World Series champion Royals continued to be a bright spot in 2020. He led all AL catchers with 11 home runs and hit for a .333 average. He is a leader on the team that Royals fans are thankful to have around.
Detroit Tigers: The Future Aces.
The Tigers have possibly the deepest pool of starting pitching prospects in baseball. The 2020 season featured debuts from Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Beau Burrows. Although the numbers do not jump off the page, getting live at-bats in the majors will pay dividends towards development. Matt Manning, Joey Wentz, Alex Faedo, and Franklin Perez are all climbing the organizational ladder as well. It is likely that more than one will pitch for the Tigers in 2021. Aside from the pitching, they also nabbed corner-infielder Spencer Torkelson with the first pick of the 2020 MLB Draft.
American League West
Oakland Athletics: Defense.
The defense starts with Matt Chapman at the hot corner. His absence at the end of 2020 proved to affect the A’s in many ways, but especially with infield defense. Between his Platinum Glove and the ability of first baseman Matt Olson, it is rare that anything hit to the corners results in anything other than an out. Centerfielder “Laser Ramon” Laureano adds to the defense too, by tracking down nearly every ball and showing off his rocket arm if needed. Oakland fans can be thankful that bad defense does not exist on their team.
Houston Astros: The Manager.
Dusty Baker took over the Astros in 2020, after A.J. Hinch was fired as fallout from the sign-stealing scandal. Baker turned out to be a great fit as he created a clubhouse that remained focused and maintained a little old-school “rub some dirt on it” attitude. Although the Astros finished the regular season with a record below .500, they were able to push through to the ALCS under Baker’s watch.
Seattle Mariners: The Rookies.
Kyle Lewis was a star for the Mariners. Not only did the centerfielder win the American League Rookie of the Year, but he is also helping local children off the field. Lewis is not the only rookie to make an impact last season, as first baseman Evan White won the Gold Glove. Mariners fans can be thankful to watch these two play for years to come, and might have even more on their plate next Thanksgiving, as outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez are knocking on the door of the big league team.
Los Angeles Angels: The Stars.
The Angels’ lineup has no shortage of stars and just needs to add some depth to become really dangerous. Mike Trout is obviously the best player in baseball. Anthony Rendon is one of the most under appreciated stars in the game. Shohei Ohtani is an international sensation that can hit and pitch. Albert Pujols is a sure-fire Hall of Famer. If nothing else, Angels fans will be saying decades from now that they got to see these four play together.
Texas Rangers: The New Stadium.
The Rangers opened a new ballpark, Globe Life Field, and hosted the 2020 World Series. Fans will get to (hopefully soon) enjoy a brand new home to their Rangers. If the club is able to land a few key free agents, fans might have a little more to be thankful for.
National League East
Atlanta Braves: The Core.
Between Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Dansby Swanson, the Atlanta Braves are set for years in terms of core talent. Braves fans can be thankful that General Manager Alex Anthopoulos reached long-term deals with such high-level players.
Miami Marlins: The Plan.
CEO and part-owner Derek Jeter stated he had a plan to move the Marlins forward when he took over their executive office. After Don Mattingly won Manager of the Year, Jeter brought in longtime executive Kim Ng as the team’s General Manager. With an abundance of prospects nearing The Show, the Marlins are ready to compete again. Even last season, Miami advanced one round in the Postseason by knocking out the Cubs in the Wild Card Series.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Starting Pitchers.
Nobody can have a worse year than the Philadelphia bullpen had in 2020. They combined for a 7.06 ERA, enough for second-worst in MLB history. However, the starting pitching showed promise. Aaron Nola was dominant at most times, and Zack Wheeler pitched to a 2.92 ERA, proving why he was given the $118 million deal last offseason. Rookie Spencer Howard struggled in his debut season, but has plenty of time to develop and shape his game to his potential.
New York Mets: The Owner.
The purchase of the Mets was finalized this month, and Mets fans are excited. Steve Cohen has promised to spend, spend, and spend some more for on-field talent to make a push for a World Series. As the richest owner in the league, Mets fans are thankful to finally have an owner that will be willing to pay the price for victory.
Washington Nationals: Juan Soto.
Nats fans watched their team go from World Series Champions to last in the division from 2019 to 2020. But what did not change was Juan Soto terrorizing pitchers around the league. Soto won the NL Batting Title (.351) while hitting 13 tanks and stealing 6 bases. He also led the NL in OPS (1.185) and OPS+ (212), while reaching base at an insane league-high clip (.490). Nationals fans will forever be thankful for Juan and The Soto Shuffle.
National League Central
Chicago Cubs: The Strikeout Machine.
Yu Darvish posted an incredible 2.01 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 76 innings this season. His 11.1 K/9 for his career ranks first in MLB history. Cubs fans can give thanks to the fact that the Darvish deal has been as fruitful as they could have hoped.
St. Louis Cardinals: The 32-Year-Old Rookie.
St. Louis Cardinals fans likely did not know the name Kwang Hyun Kim prior to the 2020 season, but they sure are thankful now that the name appears on their roster. Kim churned out a 1.62 ERA in 39 innings in 2020. He does not fire the ball past hitters often (5.5 K/9), but he avoids hard contact. Kim allowed only 3 home runs all season.
Cincinnati Reds: The Slugger.
Third baseman Eugenio Suarez can really hit home runs. He only hit for a .202 average in 2020, but was still able to belt 15 bombs. Having Suarez in the middle of your batting order is certainly cause for thanks.
Milwaukee Brewers: The End of the Slump.
Everybody is well aware that former MVP Christian Yelich slumped at the plate in the shortened 2020 season. But with a clean slate ahead in 2021, Brewers fans can once again be thankful to have one of the game’s most talented hitters on their lineup card each day.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Ke’Bryan Hayes.
Hayes is highly regarded for his ability to play third base, with some comparisons as great as Nolan Arenado. But Hayes impressed with the stick just as much as he did with the leather this season. He was able to produce a 1.8 bWAR in just 24 games, mostly because of his 14 extra-base hits and .376 average.
National League West
Los Angeles Dodgers: The Commissioner’s Trophy.
Only one fan base gets to spend the entire offseason gloating about their squad, rather than talking about “what-ifs” and “next year”. This year, that fan base is the Dodgers. With Mookie Betts locked in for over a decade, and an onslaught of young talent on the roster, this might not become unfamiliar to Dodgers fans for quite a while.
San Diego Padres: Petco Park.
The Padres absolutely have one of the best ballparks in baseball, but now is one of the first times that the team playing in it is just as good. Led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, the Padres have created a feeling of excitement with the fan base. Maybe it will not be long before they hoist the organization’s first ever World Series trophy.
San Francisco Giants: The Arrival of Bart.
With Buster Posey opting out of the 2020 season, the Giants obtained a vacancy at the catcher position. That resulted in the call-up of 23-year-old Joey Bart. Although he still awaits his first career home run after 103 at-bats, getting a taste of the big leagues is a huge step in becoming the star that Giants are hoping for.
Colorado Rockies: The Left Side of the Infield.
For years now, Colorado has been home to arguably the best left side of the infield in baseball. Nolan Arenado plays as good of a third base as anyone in the league and shortstop Trevor Story is quietly one of the game’s best players as well. Story hit 11 homers and stole 15 bases in 2020, showing that he can really do everything.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen.
Gallen was nothing short of impressive in 2020. He pitched 72 innings, struck out 82 batters, and boasted a 2.75 ERA. He is still only 25 years old and looks to be someone that Diamondbacks fans can count on for the next few seasons.