The 10 Most Exciting MLB Teams to Watch in 2015
What makes an MLB team exciting to watch?
Winning is certainly nice, as well as the ultimate goal every time a team takes the field, but that's not necessarily what we'll be focusing on here.
In my mind, the following five categories are what put fans in the stands and give them a reason to cheer, and they are what will be focused on in the following article:
- A High-Powered Offense
- Game-Changing Speed
- Elite Starting Pitching
- Dominant Relief Pitching
- Impact Prospects
With those areas in mind, what follows is my take on the 10 MLB teams that will be the most exciting to watch in 2015.
Now that is not to say that these are the 10 best teams in the league, or even that each of these teams will necessarily contend.
Instead, it is simply one person's opinion on which teams will be the most entertaining to watch during the upcoming season.
Boston Red Sox
1 of 10
A 91-loss team last season, the Boston Red Sox have had a busy winter, and it started with the signings of two of the market's top bats in Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval.
Those two newcomers, slotted alongside David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and a healthy Dustin Pedroia, should again give the Red Sox one of the highest-scoring offenses in all of baseball.
They may need all the runs they can get with a starting rotation that's lacking a clear ace and a bullpen bereft of strikeout arms, but help is on the way in that department.
Catcher Blake Swihart may be the team's top prospect, but the rest of the farm system is loaded with quality arms on the cusp of big league contribution, including Henry Owens, Eduardo Rodriguez, Edwin Escobar, Brian Johnson and Matt Barnes.
Youngsters Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo should provide plenty of excitement on the bases and in the outfield with their plus speed, and one of them is likely to fill the leadoff spot in the lineup.
The best is yet to come from this young Red Sox core, but they have done enough this offseason to contend once again in the AL East, and they should be a fun team to watch in 2015.
Chicago Cubs
2 of 10
It's important to temper expectations for the Chicago Cubs in 2015, considering the team will be relying heavily on a collection of young talent, but that's also exactly why fans are so excited for the upcoming season and beyond.
Last year saw top prospects Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Arismendy Alcantara and Kyle Hendricks all arrive on the scene and make an impact in one way or another.
They'll now be joined by Kris Bryant, fresh off of a 43-homer season and Minor League Player of the Year honors. We could also see highly-regarded infielder Addison Russell at some point in 2015, though it's still unclear where everyone will play on the infield once he arrives.
Soler, Bryant, Baez and first baseman Anthony Rizzo are all capable of hitting 30-plus home runs while Starlin Castro and Miguel Montero also have some pop. They also now have a legitimate table-setter atop the lineup in Dexter Fowler.
This team is going to strike out a ton, like a potentially record-setting amount, but it will still have the offensive fire power to overcome that fact.
On the pitching side of things, prized offseason acquisition Jon Lester and his shiny new $155 million contract will be fronting a rotation that also includes 2014 breakout star Jake Arrieta and the emerging Hendricks.
The bullpen was quietly one of the best around last season, and the trio of Neil Ramirez, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon are capable of emerging as a real weapon that could shorten games.
Chicago White Sox
3 of 10
Having not made the postseason since 2008 and coming off of back-to-back losing seasons, the Chicago White Sox were as aggressive as any team in baseball this winter, and they've put together a team that looks like a legitimate contender.
The starting rotation already featured one of the best in the business in Chris Sale and the vastly-underrated Jose Quintana, and now Jeff Samardzija joins them to form arguably the best trio in the American League.
The back of the rotation is something of a question mark, but it's one that could be at least partially answered by the arrival of last year's top pick Carlos Rodon.
"You’re talking about lefty who, his pure stuff is going to be right up there with Chris Sale," wrote Jim Callis of MLB.com (via CSN Chicago). "He maybe needs to tweak the command a little bit, but I think Carlos Rodon will be ready to help the White Sox pretty much whenever they need him to this season."
Rodon is not the only rookie who could make a significant impact, as prospects Micah Johnson and Carlos Sanchez are expected to battle it out for the vacant second base job.
Whoever wins the job won't need to be an offensive dynamo, as the team already features a terrific core of bats. Jose Abreu, Alexei Ramirez and a healthy Avisail Garcia are joined by newcomers Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera and Emilio Bonifacio.
The AL Central, and the American League in general, looks to be wide open this season, and the White Sox have certainly thrown their hat into the ring as far as contending is concerned.
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Kansas City Royals
4 of 10
It's not often an offense that hits an MLB-low 95 home runs is considered exciting to watch, but the Kansas City Royals have found others way to score, relying on speed rather than power.
Their 153 stolen bases last season led all of baseball, and they showed just how big a weapon the steal can be in their Wild Card Game matchup against Oakland when they swiped a whopping seven bags.
Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson and Alcides Escobar are three of the fastest players in baseball, combining for 95 steals on their own last season, and all three will be back to play a key role this year.
The Royals' defensive prowess was also on full display during the postseason, and is a clear strength of the team. Cain has turned into a game-changer in center field, while Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon and Escobar were all Gold Glove finalists.
The starting rotation is not exactly loaded with flashy arms, but it does have one in second-year man Yordano Ventura. The 23-year-old averaged 97.0 mph on his fastball last season (via FanGraphs) and backs it with a devastating curveball.
The bullpen, on the other hand, is loaded with electric arms, most notably the late-inning trio of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland. The return of Luke Hochevar gives them another strikeout pitcher, and last year's top pick Brandon Finnegan is likely to make an impact in one way or another.
Los Angeles Dodgers
5 of 10
Despite back-to-back NL West titles, new president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was not happy simply resting on the laurels of what the Los Angeles Dodgers had accomplished of late, and he set to work on rebuilding the roster this offseason.
The starting rotation still features the dominant trio of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-jin Ryu, and they will be backed by a pair of intriguing additions in Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson.
Both guys are capable of being front-line arms when they're at their best, but they also have a laundry list of injuries on their respective resumes. Their performance will be key, as the team is somewhat lacking in starting pitching depth.
A new veteran double play combination of Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins replaces departed free agent Hanley Ramirez and traded speedster Dee Gordon up the middle. Matt Kemp was also traded, opening up an everyday job for top prospect Joc Pederson, who went 33/30 with a 1.017 OPS in Triple-A last year.
More than anything, the new-look offense means the team will be relying on Yasiel Puig to be a consistent producer alongside Adrian Gonzalez in the middle of the order. Love him or hate him, Puig is fun to watch, and that's not likely to change any time soon.
Closer Kenley Jansen remains a dominant force in the ninth inning, and flame-throwing Pedro Baez could emerge as a reliable setup man, but the bullpen as a whole is still shaky.
This is certainly not the same Dodgers team that was ousted from the playoffs by the St. Louis Cardinals the past two seasons, but they again look like one of the favorites in the National League.
Miami Marlins
6 of 10
The Miami Marlins would be fun to watch if for no other reason than the four or five at-bats per night when Giancarlo Stanton steps to the plate. Numbers aside, and his numbers were awfully good last year, he is capable of absolutely annihilating a baseball at any time.
However, this offense is no longer a one-trick pony.
Homegrown talents Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna join Stanton to form what could be the most productive outfield in baseball, and those three could be together for a long time.
Michael Morse should provide some added pop in the middle of the order, Dee Gordon gives them one of the game's premier base stealers and the value of the versatility Martin Prado brings can't be understated.
The pitching staff will be without ace Jose Fernandez until at least June as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, but once he returns it could be one of the best around. Newcomer Mat Latos joins Henderson Alvarez, Jarred Cosart and Tom Koehler to give the team a terrific stable of arms.
Steve Cishek has quietly been one of the better closers in baseball the past few seasons, while the setup duo of A.J. Ramos and Mike Dunn struck out a combined 140 hitters in 121 innings (10.4 K/9) last year.
The prospect pool has dried up a bit with the team trading off a handful of arms this offseason, but keep an eye on catcher J.T. Realmuto, as he could push Jarrod Saltalamacchia for the job at some point this year.
San Diego Padres
7 of 10
New general manager A.J. Preller went ahead and put the pedal to the metal on the San Diego Padres' rebuilding efforts this offseason, leaving the team with a completely overhauled roster that looks capable of contending.
What was the worst offense in baseball by a wide margin now features Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, Derek Norris and Will Middlebrooks. The infield is weak, but Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko are still capable of being solid contributors as well, and, if nothing else, the offense is no longer a liability.
Keep an eye on prospect Cory Spangenberg this spring, as he's done nothing but hit since being taken with the No. 10 pick in the 2011 draft. The team is lacking a legitimate leadoff option, and he has the speed and on-base skills to potentially fill that spot.
The team did a great job hanging onto top prospects Austin Hedges, Matthew Wisler and Hunter Renfroe during all of their wheelings and dealings, and those three could be core pieces once they arrive.
James Shields essentially replaces Jesse Hahn in what looks to be an upgrade for the starting rotation, as Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy are all back in the mix. Keeping Cashner healthy, and getting the bounce-back season they're hoping for out of Brandon Morrow, will be key.
Joaquin Benoit is still the closer for the time being, but look for Kevin Quackenbush to fill that role long-term, as he has overpowering stuff and is coming off a terrific rookie season.
There is something to be said for team chemistry and knowing how to win, but it's hard not to be intrigued by the talent the Padres have added, and their potential push for a playoff spot will be one of the storylines to watch in 2015.
Seattle Mariners
8 of 10
One win away from making the postseason last year, the Seattle Mariners may very well be the team to beat in a deep AL West this season, after adding some key pieces to the puzzle this offseason.
None was bigger than slugger Nelson Cruz, who led all of baseball with 40 home runs in 2014. He gives the team a right-handed run producer to slot between a pair of bona fide stars in Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager.
A full season of Austin Jackson also gives the team some legitimate speed at the top of the lineup and in center field. Catcher Mike Zunino hit 22 home runs last season and led the AL in pitch framing (per StatCorner) as he continues to emerge as a cornerstone piece.
The rotation is again fronted by Felix Hernandez, who is coming off of perhaps the best season of his career and may be the best pitcher this side of Clayton Kershaw.
Barring injury, we will also see our first full seasons out of Taijuan Walker and James Paxton. Both young starters showed flashes of brilliance last season, and their continued development could be what pushes the team over the top.
Backing that is a bullpen that was the best in baseball a year ago, and returns all of its key members outside of Joe Beimel and Brandon Maurer. Fernando Rodney is not exactly electric in the closer's role, but he is effective, and there are plenty of others power arms setting him up.
The Los Angeles Angels still look tough, and in reality everyone in the AL West looks to have a chance of posting at least a winning record, but the Mariners look to be an awfully exciting group for the year ahead.
Toronto Blue Jays
9 of 10
The Toronto Blue Jays already featured perhaps the most dangerous offensive duo in baseball with Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, and now you can add Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin to a middle of the lineup that promises to provide plenty of fireworks.
If Jose Reyes can stay healthy and productive at the top, he's still capable of being a game-changing table setter, and speedy rookie center fielder Dalton Pompey could wind up serving as a second leadoff hitter of sorts out of the No. 9 hole.
He's not the only rookie expected to make an impact, as high-end pitching prospects Daniel Norris and Aaron Sanchez will compete for the No. 5 starter spot. Sanchez could also wind up in the closer's role, with no clear-cut favorite to win that job either.
The revolving door that has been the second base position also looks to have a long-term solution in the form of prospect Devon Travis, though he likely won't take over as the everyday guy until 2016.
The veteran duo of R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle aren't exactly the most exciting rotation leaders, but Drew Hutchison and Marcus Stroman behind them are another story, as both young pitchers are capable of dominating.
This is a team that has flopped in the role of AL East favorite before, but regardless of where it finishes in the standings, its mix of power hitting and young power pitching should make it fun to watch all season.
Washington Nationals
10 of 10
With the signing of Max Scherzer to a hefty $210 million deal, the Washington Nationals boast a rotation that looks to be an absolute juggernaut heading into 2015.
Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister all finished in the top-10 in NL Cy Young voting a year ago, while Gio Gonzalez still has the stuff to be one of the better left-handed starters in the game. Even Tanner Roark, who becomes the odd-man out, won 15 games with a 2.85 ERA last season.
There will be some decisions to make with Zimmermann and Fister both headed for free agency after this season, but, as far as 2015 is concerned, the Nationals are must-see TV on the strength of their rotation alone.
Then there is the offense, which features a budding superstar in Anthony Rendon and a 22-year-old named Bryce Harper who going to explode for a monster season one of these years if he can just stay healthy.
Ian Desmond might be the best all-around shortstop in baseball right now (assuming Troy Tulowitzki won't stay healthy), but he too is headed for free agency.
The same goes for Denard Span, who will once again be manning center field, but the team already has his replacement waiting in the wings in Michael Taylor. The 23-year-old Taylor had a .915 OPS with 23 home runs and 37 steals in the minors last year, and has the potential to be a star.
Yes, they've burned out in the postseason their past two trips, and yes, they've yet to truly prove anything, but it's hard to call anyone but the Nationals the favorites heading into 2015.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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