One reason each MLB team can win the World Series in 2017

Nov 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; (from left to right) Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo and center fielder Dexter Fowler and third baseman Kris Bryant and right fielder Jason Heyward celebrate during their World Series parade outside of Wrigley Field on Addison Street. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 2, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles starter pitcher Kevin Gausman (39) throws against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports /

Baltimore Orioles: Gausman continues maturation

Starting pitching always seems to be a problem for the Baltimore Orioles despite the fact that they have been to the playoffs three times since 2012 while winning the most games in the American League over that time span. Once again, the projection models hate the Orioles’ chances to contend in 2017. Baseball Prospectus and their PECOTA model have the Orioles pegged for only 73 wins while allowing the second-most runs in all of baseball. That’s probably a wildly bearish prediction, but the O’s do have big questions in their starting rotation.

The great hope for the Orioles over the past four seasons is that Kevin Gausman will finally put it all together and take the next step. Through 453 innings in the big leagues, the former top-five pick has a respectable 3.97 ERA and has struck out 8.2 per nine, featuring one of the hardest fastballs in the league. Unfortunately, there have been fits and starts in the LSU product’s development due to his struggles to consistently throw a breaking ball.

In the second half last year, Gausman finally harnessed his many talents for a sustained stretch of dominance. He made 15 starts and logged a 3.10 ERA over 93 innings while striking out 92 and cutting the number of home runs allowed. With a full season of that type of pitching, combined with powerful offense and a dominant bullpen, the Orioles will be just fine. As they have showed for the past five years, there is no easy way to account for the unexpected winning that has taken place in Baltimore.

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