Home Articles/Editorials Who has the most complete team heading into the MLB playoffs?

Who has the most complete team heading into the MLB playoffs?

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COACHING

American League

Boston Red Sox: John Farrell +3

Cleveland Indians: Terry Francona +5

Houston Astros: AJ Hinch +2

New York Yankees: Joe Girardi +4

Minnesota Twins: Paul Molitor +1

 

BREAKDOWN: When it comes to the postseason, Terry Francona is one of the best coaches of our generation so there’s no question he gets the +5. Helping the Red Sox end their wretched curse and now helping a city of Cleveland believe in World Series aspirations again is big in part due to Terry Francona. Joe Girardi of the Yankees has done a really nice job with the young Baby Bombers as well and has also managed his depth of the bullpen nicely (for the most part). People thought the Yanks were a year or two away from contending but Girardi earns +4 for getting this team on track way a head of schedule. John Farrell has the Red Sox winning back to back AL East titles for the first time ever and has done a solid job dealing with the injuries that the Red Sox have endured. The Red Sox have a lot of talent and I’m not too sure Farrell (like Girardi) always makes the right decision with his bullpen. gains +3. The Astros were one of the most dominant teams in the first half of the 2017 season and have been one of the most dominant teams since AJ Hinch took over in 2015. He earns +2 and the nod over Paul Molitor (+1) who has also done a really strong managerial job with a team that wasn’t expected to make it this far.

 

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks: Torey Lovullo +2

Chicago Cubs: Joe Maddon +5

Colorado Rockies: Bud Black +1

Los Angeles Dodgers: Dave Roberts +4

Washington Nationals: Dusty Baker +3

 

BREAKDOWN: A few really solid options here in the National League. Joe Maddon, Dave Roberts, Dusty Baker. All really great managers. Maddon might have over managed a little in the playoffs last season but he still ended a +100 year old World Series drought, earning him +5. Dave Roberts has been extremely successful in his first two years with the Dodgers and the players seem to really respond well to him. He led them to one of the hottest historical baseball stretches ever, before they started to slump. Dusty Baker is a great coach too but I feel like he always makes a head-scratching decision every so often that costs his team the game. When it came between both first year managers between Diamondbacks and Rockies, I based it strictly off record. Torey Lovullo of the Diamondbacks gets +2 and Bud Black of the Rockies gets +1.

 

 

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Jake Montgomery (23 - Bellerose, New York) has been a die-hard sports fan since he could swing a bat and toss the pigskin. He graduated from Adelphi University in May 2016 with a B.A. in Communications and a concentration in Broadcast Journalism. His career objective is to combine his passion for sports with his business and on-air abilities to gain experience in the various facets of sports journalism and sports broadcasting. Jake started off his sports broadcasting career as a Promotions Assistant for WFAN Sports Radio (2013-2017). After several years with the FAN, Jake has recently begun a new chapter in his life – 98.7FM ESPN New York. Starting in early April 2017, Jake has already assisted in various promotions and remote broadcasts for the Worldwide Leader in Sports. As a teenager and young adult, Jake was also a successful on-camera and voiceover actor. He is currently a member of SAG-AFTRA Union and has been featured in over 50 television and radio commercials, including Trix Yogurt, Lucky Charms Cereal and even a New York Rangers commercial that aired back in 2006. While Jake follows all sports teams, he is a major fan of the following: New York Yankees (MLB) New York Giants (NFL) and New York Knicks (NBA). He will cover all three of these major sports for KeepingItRealSports.com.

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