MLB Playoffs 2012: Fixing the Issues for Those That Just Missed out in 2011

In 2012, Commissioner Bud Selig is expected to create an additional Wild Card spot for each league.  If added, Every team currently not in the postseason is hoping to get one of those new invites next year, so the question is, what do these teams who just missed out on the postseason in 2011 need to do to their teams in 2012 to get in the postseason?  Let's find out.

Boston Red Sox: Stay Healthy

2011 saw a fairly epic collapse by the Red Sox, and an incredible run by the Tampa Bay Rays in September. While the Red Sox certainly have issues, especially on the pitching side of the team, this team would have made the playoffs if weren't for a myriad of injuries to key producers.  

Clay Buchholz made only 14 starts after a break out 2010 campaign, Youk only played in 102 games (third consecutive year missing 25 or more games), and Dice-K made 7 ineffective starts.  Fix these along with some other minor injuries and the Red Sox may still be playing in October.

Cleveland Indians: Continue to Grow

The 2011 season was an exciting one for the city of Cleveland as they improved their win total by 11 games and vaulted from fourth place to second.  

While they may have auctioned off quite a bit of their future (White/Pomeranz) to acquire 2010 Cy Young candidate Ubaldo Jimenez, if he can return to near that form in 2012, you may just see continued growth from this young Indians ball club.  

Young stalwarts like Kipnis (.272 BA, 7 HR in 36 G) and Lonnie Chisenhall should pad a roster of other young talented players like Justin Masterson (216 innings, 3.21 ERA) and 2011 All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera.

If this pitching staff continues to develop and some of their emerging youngsters continue to produce, I think you will see Cleveland at the very least playing for something in late September.   

Anaheim Angels: Find Some Offense

Torii Hunter: .262 BA/.765 OPS/23HR/82 RBI...ok

Bobby Abreu: .253 BA/.717 OPS/8 HR/60 RBI...Pathetic

Vernon Wells: .218 BA/.660 OPS/25 HR/66 RBI...Inexcusable 

Let's face it, the Angels had two contenders for the AL Cy Young Award in '11, a very talented young closer in Jordan Walden (32s aves), and many other bright spots including a comeback year from Ervin Santana (3.38 ERA) and a very solid campaign from Scott Downs.  

They also have a potential Rookie of the Year candidate in Mark Trumbo and some other nice offensive pieces.  But the outfield was just awful in 2011, the three players mentioned above were remarkably unproductive, even with a second half surge from Torii Hunter.  

With one of the most elite prospects in the game in Mike Trout, expect to see playing time from one or all three of the players to decrease.  Couple this with a hopefully successful return from Kendrys Morales, the Angels should definitely be able to contend in 2012.

Atlanta Braves: Consistency

The Braves were good, even keeping pace with the Phillies from April to August.

Unfortunately, the MLB regular season also includes September, where the Braves experienced a collapse of titanic proportions.  Michael Bourn was a fantastic addition, Freddie Freeman played beyond expectations during his rookie season, but the rest of the offense was borderline anemic at times.

Brian McCann went from having a MVP caliber season to hitting just .181 in August and September. Jayson Heyward's OPS dropped almost 150 points, along with every other major offensive statistic.  

The pitching was brilliant for most of the season, but many of the young arms that carried them all year were obviously over used and gassed by the time September rolled around.  

NL ROY candidate Craig Kimbrel didn't blow a save or give up a run during July or August, but was 5-for-8 in save opportunities in September while giving up six runs in 11.1 innings.  

Another year of maturity and playing under a new manager should vault this team right back into the race with an improving NL East, they will just need consistent production from many of the players who put them in the 2010 postseason.

Cincinnati Reds: Consistency

It would be easy to pick on the Reds' pitching, but in reality, they play in a highly offensive ballpark, with a lot of talented hitters. In 2011, they just did not perform up to their standards.  Joey Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball, period, but Jay Bruce did his best Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde impression all season hitting under .250 in all but one month of 2011.  

Drew Stubbs has potential and talent oozing out of his pores, but only managed to hit .243 with an OPS of .686 and striking out a ridiculous 205 times.  Brandon Phillips provided a consistent solid bat in the lineup, but outside of he and Votto, it was completely hit or miss.  

Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake enjoyed nice campaigns, but Homer Bailey and Edison Volquez MUST improve in 2012 if they want to make the postseason.  

The bullpen also must be replaced, Coco Cordero is no longer a serviceable MLB closer, the rest of the bullpen's ERA's are hovering in the high 3's and Aroldis Chapman needs to show us why he has so many zeroes on his paycheck(s).

If the Reds offense can rebound in 2012, I believe they can definitely make the playoffs, especially with two of their divisions best hitters (Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder) possibly leaving.

San Francisco Giants: ...OFFENSE!

Yes the 2010 World Champs were banged up all season, but the historically bad offense was an awful pairing with their elite pitching both in the rotation and out of the 'pen.  Take Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner.  Their combined ERA: 2.94, their combined WHIP: 1.17, they totaled 590 K's, their combined record...38-38.

The offense was flat out terrible all season, taking Duane Kuiper's coined phrase "Torture" to extreme levels for their fans.  Andres Torres proved 2010 was clearly a fluke, Aubrey Huff looked more like the player who was begging for a job after the 2009 season and Cody Ross showed that Ross-tober was a just a personal attack on the city and pitching staff of the Philadelphia.  

On the bright side, Pablo Sandoval showed that he can be an All-Star third baseman when his weight is on the lower half of the 200-pound range. Successful comebacks from 2010 NL ROY Buster Posey's gruesome leg injury and Freddy Sanchez torn up shoulder may not be enough in 2012 for the Giants.  

The sweet swing of rookie Brandon Belt should be in the lineup nearly every day next season, but it will take the additions, especially at the SS and CF positions for this team to get back to the playoffs and beat an improving NL West.