{"id":9040,"date":"2017-09-20T08:17:20","date_gmt":"2017-09-20T12:17:20","guid":{"rendered":"lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/\/?p=9040"},"modified":"2017-09-20T08:17:20","modified_gmt":"2017-09-20T12:17:20","slug":"end-2017-mlb-season-questions-answered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2017\/09\/20\/end-2017-mlb-season-questions-answered\/","title":{"rendered":"End of 2017 MLB Season: Questions Answered"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Well, it&#8217;s almost that time again. The most dreaded, yet most exciting time of the MLB regular season: the end. Whether it be time for your team to just throw in the 2017 towel or if they&#8217;ve already clinched that coveted playoff spot, this time of year is undoubtedly the most fun to watch, no matter who you root for.\u00a0So, here are some frequently asked questions (and answers) regarding the 2017 MLB season.<\/p>\n<h2>End of 2017 MLB Season: Questions Answered<\/h2>\n<h3>Are the Cubs Back on Track?<\/h3>\n<p>Good news for you, Chicago Cubs fans: the answer for this one is leaning towards &#8220;yes.&#8221; With <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/russead02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Addison Russell<\/a><\/strong> comfortably adjusting himself back into the starting lineup after a serious foot injury, and clearly no dispute on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/baezja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Javier Baez<\/a><\/strong>&#8216;s position in the situation, we seem to have the Cubbies back at NLDS-caliber at the very least. The team chemistry hasn&#8217;t ceased to amaze since the beginning of last season, with key contributions from 3B <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bryankr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kris Bryant<\/a> <\/strong>and 1B <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/rizzoan01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony Rizzo<\/a><\/strong>, not to mention CF <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/almoral01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Albert Almora Jr.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0recently coming into the spotlight due to his abilities in the clutch. Speaking of Mr. Clutch, keep your eyes set on a breakout from last year&#8217;s World Series MVP, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/z\/zobribe01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ben Zobrist<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/stantmi03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giancarlo Stanton<\/a> for National League MVP?<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This is more of a tough one, especially on the reporter&#8217;s end, since a valid candidate like Colorado Rockies&#8217; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/arenano01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nolan Arenado<\/a><\/strong> has decided to enter the MVP race with his recent day-in and day-out sorcery at third base. Yet with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/stantmi03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giancarlo Stanton<\/a><\/strong> hitting .278\/.378\/.631 and of course all those home runs (55, to be exact) heavily contributing to that statistic, he&#8217;s been on the MVP watchlist virtually all season. He needs 19 more homers to break <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bondsba01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Barry Bonds<\/a><\/strong>&#8216; official major-league record set in 2001 at age 36; Stanton is 27.<\/p>\n<h3>Is There Even a Single Doubt for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/judgeaa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aaron Judge<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bellico01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cody Bellinger<\/a>&#8216;s Cases for AL and NL ROY, Respectively?<\/h3>\n<p>To be honest, there really aren&#8217;t any other suitors given these guys&#8217; ridiculous rookie stat lines. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bellico01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cody Bellinger<\/a><\/strong> is a 21-year old, fresh-faced dinger machine who on Saturday tied the NL single-season rookie home run record (<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bergewa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wally Berger<\/a><\/strong>, 1930 and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/robinfr02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Frank Robinson<\/a><\/strong>, 1956), even while spending the first three weeks of the season in Triple-A ball. To all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiV0uPZ17PWAhWDxSYKHdDgCW4QFggmMAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fftw.usatoday.com%2F2017%2F06%2Fdodgers-cody-bellinger-rookie-jerry-seinfeld-show-doesnt-know-no-clue-teammates-disgusted-millennial-kid-scott-van-pelt&amp;usg=AFQjCNEY4OoRMp8aiHjY0OEaO99W2HmfyA\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Seinfeld fans<\/a> of the world, hopefully you&#8217;ve set aside your differences for the better.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, we have <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/j\/judgeaa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aaron Judge<\/a><\/strong>, who in his official rookie year has hit 44 bombs and counting. Oh, and not to mention the guy is 6&#8217;7&#8243;, 280 lbs. In other words, the Judge has made his statement; <i>case closed<\/i>.<\/p>\n<h3>Are the Houston Astros a Legitimate Playoff Contender?<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>With the new acquisition in ace <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/v\/verlaju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Justin Verlander<\/a><\/strong>, the &#8216;Stros seem to have something going for them at the moment. With the spotlight on the so-called &#8220;Big 3&#8221; of SS <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/c\/correca01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carlos Correa<\/a><\/strong>, 2B Jos\u00e9 Altuve, and OF <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/springe01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">George Springer<\/a><\/strong>, Houston is looking very promising this postseason. The great momentum they have and the way they carry themselves as a team seems very confident to the rest of baseball. Although I don&#8217;t predict them going for it all at the end, expect them to take two or three games from the opponent in the American League Championship Series.<\/p>\n<p>As the 2017 postseason nears more quickly than ever, we wish you happy watching, whether it be at the ballpark or from your couch at home.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"lzsvdmaGRj1Xg9WyflxLxQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/849256628\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'lzsvdmaGRj1Xg9WyflxLxQ',sig:'vfUHK6yiLUoDZLyYzdWDGRsO_1zVce-4LSL7ruqSLKo=',w:'594px',h:'424px',items:'849256628',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, here are some frequently asked questions (and answers) regarding the 2017 MLB season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2287,"featured_media":9057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1071],"tags":[481,425,68,69,296,478,426],"class_list":["post-9040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-alcs","tag-alds","tag-baseball","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-playoffs","tag-nlcs","tag-nlds"],"modified_by":"John Jackson","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2287"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}