2018 MLB SHOWDOWN SET -- LA DODGERS

Finally, the most expensive team from the 2018 set is finished: the NL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers! Simply put, this team is absolutely loaded.  Somehow the Dodgers only won 92 games and needed game 163 to win the NL West, and (as much as I love the Brewers) needed 7 games to take out the Brew Crew.  Even though the 2017 squad won over 100 games, I think this Showdown version is an improvement thanks to their incredibly deep and flexible lineup.  However, the starting pitching and especially the bullpen took a step back, but when you've got this many incredible hitters, it's easy to just say "the pitching will be fine."

Once again, there's a Bourbon over Baseball analyzing this Showdown squad: iTunes Link (episode 09)

Lineup: The Dodgers lineup is STACKED, and its incredibly deep.  There were so many dudes that needed cards on this squad that the Dodgers ended up with 13 players in the 2018 set. Shockingly, 11 of those players are at least 250 points -- an incredible display of depth! In the starting lineup, there's a bunch of power from Bellinger, Machado, and Muncy, as well as extremely productive and steady hitting from Turner, at the top of the lineup.  Grandal's really solid year has been overshadowed by his postseason struggles, but he put up a very decent card, especially for a catcher!  The 6 thru 8 spots are filled with potent OB 7 cards, a luxury shared by no other teams in this set.  And off the bench comes a very good David Freese, another weapon of an OB 7 in Matt Kemp, and Joc Pederson (aka the guy to insert into a lineup against a Control 2 or lower constantly because WOW that chart).  If Dozier had reached his 2017 numbers, this team would've been an unfair cheat code.  As it stands, it's still the best lineup in the 2018 set.

Greatest Showdown Players at Each Position : First Base

We return for week 2 of the discussion of the greatest MLB Showdown players at each position. Last week we looked at the catchers position. This week we will be looking at the first basemen, and there will be plenty of familiar names as 5 of the top 6 are from the original 2000 and 2001 sets. With the catchers the difference between the players could be found in speed or defense or power. We will be looking at the same categories but defense for a first basemen might just be an extra bonus because not many get the coveted +1 on their cards. John Olerud comes to mind from the 2000 pennant run set as a card that could be a defensive first basemen while providing a 10 on-base but not much more after that. Let's take a look at who came out on top of the best first basemen made.

T4 Mark McGwire '00 570pts

2018 MLB SHOWDOW SET - HOUSTON ASTROS

Me again! No you didn't miss a week, the Holidays have consumed Peter so your all in luck and get the former World Series champions the Houston Astros. Don't worry we will be back to normal next week with the NL teams. This years Astros may not be as good as they were last year in terms of offense but the pitching was among the best in the league if not the best. They managed to win 103 games this year and blew through the Indians in the Playoffs. It was difficult to get past Boston's line up as you guys saw last week and they came up short this year. They still are a great team with big name players that I'm sure will get drafted. Make sure to listen to our break down on the Itunes podcast where we go in depth into each player.

Click link below for the Podcast
Itunes Podcast

How did the offense look this year for the Astros.

Greatest Showdown Players at Each Position : Catchers

Hey everyone the latest installment of a blog plan that I have is to look at each position and I made a list of the top 5 point getters in each position. On top of the top 5 in each category, if a position had more than 5 players getting over 600 points I continued the list because it truly is the best of the best. The first position that I will be taking a look at is the catchers position. When you're building or drafting a team do you want the high defensive catcher to scare off the speedy players from running, or would you prefer the power house catcher that you bat clean-up and will hit the ball out of the park for you?

T5  Charles Johnson '01 460pts

2018 MLB SHOWDOW SET - BOSTON RED SOX

Back to the AL. I know I started off with my favorite team last time, but now we can release the best AL team! With a whopping 108 regular season wins and a complete domination of opponents from hitting to pitching it is no wonder the Red Sox took home the World Series title. But in the showdown world how do they measure out. Their team roster is a very impressive 5,610 pts, only second to one other team. They also have this year's AL MVP! Listen to the podcast below to get a more in depth look at the team and creation.

Itunes Podcast

We will start off as usually with the stacked lineup the Red Sox have. And even some late season playoff and world series heroes made the roster.

2018 MLB SHOWDOWN SET -- MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Come now the first National League team in the 2018 set, my personal favorite -- the Milwaukee Brewers! Obviously, I have not had much to root for in my lifetime of Brewers' fandom.  There was attending Miller Park's opening game with great hope that ownership would spend money in 2000, the amazing run to their first playoff berth of my life in 2008 after trading for CC Sabathia, and there was the 2011 team.  That 2011 team was really special, winning the Brewers first NL Central crown and getting to the NLCS (only to lose to my least favorite team, those dastardly Cardinals).  Of course, who could forget the hot, hot start of the 2014 Brewers before they absolutely collapsed down the stretch? However, 2018 took the cake in providing me with excitement and joy. 96 wins, an incredible stretch run to catch the Cubs and knock the Cardinals out of the wild card race, winning the play-in game, sweeping the Rockies, and pushing the vaunted Dodgers to seven games.  So obviously, this had to be the first team I made in the 2018 set!

Also, I had to make a special Christian Yelich card in the Brewers' awesome throwback unis, so enjoy this cool alternate card before the actual team (Yelich's points are a tad high in this one, which was a prototype... think of it as a "cooler uniform tax!").

2002 World Series Champion Anaheim Angels

The 2002 Anaheim Angels won the first championship in the franchises history. They went 99-63 in the regular season and made the playoffs as the wild card team. Garret Anderson has a monster season winning a silver slugger and hit 56 doubles. While the pitching staff allowed the fewest runs in the league. They eliminated the Yankees in the Division Series before taking out he Twins in the ALCS. They met the San Francisco Giants in the World Series and went into game 6 trailing 3-2 in the series and were down 5 runs in game 6 before coming back to win the game and force a game 7.

Line up: Are you ready for some Small Ball? I hope you are if you play as this team, get the speed on base, bunt them over and knock them in. This is an interesting team as they aren't what you would expect from a World Series winner, not a lot of power other than Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus, but a lot of high on-bases to try and get the rallies started.