2018 Off The Bench MLB.tv Watchability Rankings
The current suite of really cool MLB Advanced Media products – like Statcast, and the awesome little clips and GIFs of smooth swings, great catches, and nasty pitches – is one of the best things about watching baseball in 2018. MLB.tv in particular is one of my favorite things on earth: The ability to watch any (out of market) game at any time, from my laptop, phone, or the second screen of my work computer, is truly incredible. But with all this accessibility comes a tragedy of excess. There are 30 MLB teams, and quite a few of them suck.
But don’t fret, OTBB is here to help with our proprietary MLB.tv Watchability Rankings.
MLB.tv Watchability doesn’t necessarily correspond with projected competitiveness; good teams can be very boring (think Billy Beane‘s Oakland A’s of the early 2000’s). Rather, MLB.tv Watchability is a function of roster composition, viewed in a vacuum: Chic’s dig the longball, after all, and a dynamic player exhibiting next-level zeal and passion trumps a workmanlike efficiency any day when it comes to tuning in for a quick glimpse of an out-of-market contest.
You can check out the 2015 MLB.tv rankings here, and part 1 and part 2 of the 2016 version here.
2018 MLB.tv Watchability Rankings
-
Los Angeles Angels
I will be watching a lot of Angels baseball this season. Not only do the Angels have Mike Trout, baseball’s best player, but they also have Shohei Otani, perhaps baseball’s most interesting. Is he a pitcher? A hitter? Is he actually as good as he’s been billed? We get to find out!
With Trout and Ohtani, every time the Angels get to the top of the order it’s must-see TV, but they’re not just a 2 man crew. Albert Pujols isn’t the player he once was but you have to watch when a future Hall of Famer steps to the plate. Plus, I might not switch over just to see Justin Upton, but I definitely won’t leave a game if he’s due up. There might not be a better sight in the game right now than Upton hitting a ball out to left center field.
If there is, its Andrelton Simmons playing defense.
2. New York Yankees
Oh, you like home runs you say? How about 102 mph fastballs? Those too?! Fantastic! I have the team for you. Meet the 2018 New York Yankees, featuring Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge who not only finished in 1st and 2nd in their league’s respective MVP races last year thanks in large part to their massive home run totals, they also happen to both excel at a special type of home run that goes much further than than your average tater. You’ll want to flip over for those two Bombers.
But there’s more! Gary Sanchez might be the best hitter on the whole team and don’t sleep on Greg Bird, Didi Gregorius and, coming sometime this summer, Miguel Andujar. Just to keep you interested at the end of games, the Yankees also have a super bullpen featuring 4 of baseball’s very best relievers. Watch Yankee games this year.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
Sadly, Vin Scully is gone and that makes me want to watch Dodgers games a lot less, but Kershaw Day still comes once a week and you have to watch that. Plus Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner, and Cody Bellinger are fantastic reasons to watch.
4. Houston Astros
The team that beat the Dodgers in the World Series last year deserves all the attention they’ll get this season. Jose Altuve is the reigning AL MVP and he’s joined by Carlos Correa, one of baseball’s most fun shortstops, and baseball’s deepest lineup. Also, don’t sleep on a breakout season from Alex Bregman.
Not to mention, you get Justin Verlander, Dallas Kuechel, Gerrit Cole as the three aces atop this rotation and, if that wasn’t enough, OTBB favorite Charlie Morton too!
5. Cleveland Indians
Fransisco Lindor hits bombs. Jose Ramirez hits everything. Corey Kluber paints. Danny Salazar and Carlos Corrasco have nasty stuff. Mike Clevenger has silly hair. They win lot’s of baseball games.
6. Washington Nationals
You have to watch Nats games every time Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg pitch. You also have to flip over to the Nats every time Bryce Harper hits and then stay to watch Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner. Plus, there’s always the ever-looming bullpen meltdown to keep you interested.
7. Boston Red Sox
Chris Sale is appointment viewing all on his own. Plus you get the killer B’s in the outfield, JD Martinez in Fenway, the emergence of Rafael Devers, Blake Swihart watch, and the enigma that is David Price. Plus they’re one of baseball’s best teams.
8. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies have two of baseball’s most exciting players in Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado, plus the Definition of Swagger Itself, Carlos Gonzalez. Arenado is one of baseball’s best power hitters but might be even more fun to watch in the field when he makes incredible diving plays and throws that I swear aren’t even possible. Blackmon can do it all and does it with a giant silly beard.
9. Chicago Cubs
Many would have the Cubs ranked even higher considering they have former MVP Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell, Javy Baez and more in their every day lineup, and Jon Lester and now Yu Darvish atop their rotation. You can definitely do a lot worse than Cubbie baseball. Plus, every time Jason Heyward comes up you get to play pretend detective to try and figure out what’s wrong with his swing.
10. New York Mets
Stop whatever you’re doing every single time Noah Syndergaard is pitching on MLB.tv. Thor is one of a kind and the person best suited to take the ‘Best Pitcher on the Planet’ title from Clayton Kershaw if anyone is. He’s incredible and we need to watch him while we can the same way you need to watch a shooting start before it vanishes
When Thor isn’t pitching, Matt Harvey day is still fascinating, though for different reasons these days, and Zach Wheeler and Steven Matz are way more interesting, and likely to dominate, than your average 3-4 starters. Plus, I haven’t yet mentioned Jacob deGrom who is one of the most fun, and very best, pitchers in baseball. When the Mets are hitting, you can always flip over to the Angels game.
11. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are fun this year! Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich are in the outfield now and they still have Ryan Braun. Plus there’s Eric Thames constantly threatening to hit monster home runs and Eric Sogard wears glasses. Considering the Brewers Jimmy Nelson-less rotation, there could be a lot of offense in Milwaukee or, alternatively, the Brewers could have one of the most surprising lights-out staffs in baseball depending on how this breaks.
12. Philadelphia Phillies
Come for the Rhys Hoskins, stay for the massive Maikel Franco swings, JP Crawford, and Carlos Santana. Plus, you get Aaron Nola, Jake Arrietta, and the chance that Vince Velasquez might strike out 17.
13. San Fransisco Giants
Old faces in new places with this team. Hunter Pence and Madison Bumgarner are still there (sort of) but now they’re joined by Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen, two superstars who until now have only ever worn one uniform. Plus, Buster Posey is still the best all-around catcher in baseball.
14. Arizona Diamondbacks
Zach Greinke is having a rough spring, struggling to hit even 90 mph with his fastball. How will that play out during the regular season? How will this team fare without 2nd half savior JD Martinez? Will Shelby Miller come back and pitch well? Will Paul Goldschmidt have another monster year? Humidor???
15. Seattle Mariners
Robinson Cano is one of the best, most fun, most awesome to watch players in all of baseball. His swing is unequivocally the sweetest in the game. Plus, Nelson Cruz hits bombs, Dee Gordon will steal like 60 bags while trying to learn centerfield, and now there’s even Ichiro. And Felix Hernandez too!
16. St. Louis Cardinals
Now featuring Marcell Ozuna! The Cardinals have a future Hall of Fame catcher in Yadier Molina, one of baseball’s best stories from 2017 in Tommy Pham, and Carlos Martinez, who is right on the cusp of becoming a must-see pitcher in his own right.
17. Minnesota Twins
Michael Pineda got hurt and that sucks but the Twins still have a really solid team anchored by Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, two of baseball’s most fun an exciting players. Plus, Jose Berrios is right there with Carlos Martinez on the list of guys who are about to become ‘must tune in’ starting pitchers.
18. Baltimore Orioles
You know it’s going to be a fun year when the team with Manny Machado is this low on the list. Definitly watch all of Machado’s at bats and we’ll need to watch to see how he handles himself at shortstop early in the season. Don’t sleep on Jonathon Schoop either and don’t turn away from Adam Jones or Chris Davis either.
19.Cincinatti Reds
This is really all about two guys- Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto. Hamilton is one of the most dynamic players in the game and you should stop what you’re doing whenever he gets on base. Votto is a once in a generation hitter who is on his way to the Hall of Fame. He’d get a lot more attention if he wasn’t stuck on the Reds and if you have / are a kid trying to learn how to hit a baseball, just watch Votto, you’ll pick it up by osmosis.
20. Chicago White Sox
Lucas Giolito, Yoan Moncada, Jose Abrea, and at some point this year Michael Kopech.
21. Texas Rangers
I’ll be watching just to see Tim Lincecum come out the bullpen. He may be Joe Blanton but I’m really hoping he becomes a lights out closer and turns into one of baseball’s biggest and most fun stories this year.
22. Detroit Tigers
Miguel Cabrera is going to have a comeback year, mark my words. You can’t keep a guy that good down for long. Michael Fulmer is one of baseball’s best starters, even if he does it quietly. True though, there’s not a lot more here.
23. Kansas City Royals
With Mike Moustakas back cranking home runs into the fountains at Kaufman, things might not actually be so bad in KC this summer. Danny Duffy is one of my favorite players in all of baseball right now and a joy to watch. Also, #SolerPower
24. San Diego Padres
Eric Hosmer won’t really have me switching to Padres games much more than I would have but with him, their defense is a mess and at least that’s interesting. I like watching Wil Meyers though and Jose Pirela is a personal favorite. When the Padres play a team that can hit, there will definitely be some offense.
25. Atlanta Braves
Freddie Freeman is one of the best players in baseball and Ronald Acuna is being hyped as the next great thing in Atlanta. He’ll be up in May most likely. Plus, is Dansby Swanson good? Let’s find out.
26. Toronto Blue Jays
Flip over to the Blue Jays if Marcus Stroman is pitching or Josh Donaldson is hitting.
27. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates don’t have Cole or McCutchen anymore and that’s bad but have you seen Josh Bell‘s numbers? That guy’s the real deal. Plus Starling Marte might play the whole year this year and Gregory Polanco might be the awesome player we think he can be.
28. Oakland A’s
I will be watching a lot of A’s games on MLB.tv this year, but mostly that’s because they play the Angels 19 times.
29. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays traded away most of their good and interesting players this winter. I’m going to watch when Chris Archer pitches, I’m not sure I will otherwise.
30. Miami Marlins
Watch Marlins games! You can see the reigning NL MV… oh wait. Well at least Dee Gordon steals lots of ba… oh, he’s gone too. Marcell Ozuna is one of baseball’s most exciting… nope. Hmmm. I’m not sure why you’d watch Marlins games, to be honest. It didn’t have to be this way.
-Max Frankel
