Most Valuable Beer

The 2018 season was a good season for beer drinking, not so great for baseball (I'm a Yankees fan).  After looking back on all of the beer scouting reports from this year, I was able to narrow it down to 3 beers that stood out in a special way.  All three received 80 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale because of their special combination of aroma, flavors and mouthfeel.

The Finalists for MVB

Treehouse Brewing Julius IPA has the reputation and the pedigree and it absolutely lived up to it.  Citrusy and soft on the palette, it's an orange juice concoction that hits you with so much flavor.  

LIC Beer Project Pile of Crowns Imperial IPA has everything you could want inside a beer can and adds to it with 80 grade can art.  Citrus up front and tropical at the end, it is so well rounded.

Brix City Brewing Jock Jams DIPA is soft and sweet just like the ESPN soundtrack for which it is named.  Brewed with clementines, it is the definition of straight juice.

Narrowing down the list from over 100 beers to 3 was tough. Choosing from 3 phenomenal beers has been even harder.  While Julius has the name brand, it came down to Pile of Crowns and Jock Jams. Ultimately, Pile of Crowns took the crown because of its big citrus aroma, soft and smooth mouthfeel and all star level of citrus and tropical fruit flavors.  And all of that deliciousness comes in one of the best looking packages

Congratulations to the winner of the 2018 Brew162 MVB is LIC Beer Project Pile of Crowns Imperial IPA.

2018 American League East Season Preview

If you have been following me along on Instagram, I have been posting my version of a Season Preview for each of the 30 teams.  Instead or previewing the entire roster, I focused on one player or aspect of the team that I am looking forward to following throughout the season.
Here is a recap and my predictions on how the they will finish in the division.

American League East
This is the toughest to pick a winner. Both the Yankees and Red Sox have talented teams and win 100 games this year, but as a Yankee fan, I'm sure my pick is a little biased.  I'm picking the Yanks to win the division because of the talent on the roster and their ability to add whatever they may need through call-ups or by making trades. The Red Sox will win the Wild Card and host the Angels in the Play In Game.  The Blue Jays don't have the depth of either NY or Boston to keep in this race.  The Orioles will run out of healthy starters and the Rays lack the lineup power to stay competitive.

New York Yankees - Luis Severino

Boston Red Sox - Rafael Devers

Toronto Blue Jays - Justin Smoak

Baltimore Orioles - Manny Machado
Tampa Bay Rays - Chris Archer

2018 American League Central Season Preview

If you have been following me along on Instagram, I have been posting my version of a Season Preview for each of the 30 teams.  Instead or previewing the entire roster, I focused on one player or aspect of the team that I am looking forward to following throughout the season.
Here is a recap and my predictions on how the they will finish in the division.

American League Central
The Indians are the class of the division and take the title easily, while the Twins just miss out on a Wild Card.  The Royals are better than expected and finish just below .500, the Tigers bounce back, and the White Sox take a small step forward as their prospects get some more experience.

Cleveland Indians - Danny Salazar

Minnesota Twins - Brian Dozier

Kansas City Royals - Danny Duffy
Detroit Tigers - Michael Fulmer
Chicago White Sox - Jose Abreu

2018 American League West Season Preview

If you have been following me along on Instagram, I have been posting my version of a Season Preview for each of the 30 teams.  Instead or previewing the entire roster, I focused on one player or aspect of the team that I am looking forward to following throughout the season.
Here is a recap and my predictions on how the they will finish in the division.

American League West
The World Champion Houston Astros run away with this division. The Angels challenge for a Wild Card, but pitching fails them down the stretch.  The A's surprise people, the M's disappoint again and the Rangers are searching for direction.

Houston Astros - Alex Bregman

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Shohei Ohtani

Oakland Athletics - Kris Davis

Seattle Mariners - Nelson Cruz

Texas Rangers - Joey Gallo

2018 National League West Season Preview

If you have been following me along on Instagram, I have been posting my version of a Season Preview for each of the 30 teams.  Instead or previewing the entire roster, I focused on one player or aspect of the team that I am looking forward to following throughout the season.
Now that I have completed the National League, here is a recap and my predictions on how the they will finish in the division.

National League West
The Dodgers dominate the West for a 6th straight season. Both the Diamondbacks & Rockies take steps backwards. The Giants are not the disaster that they were last year, but injuries and age keep them just below .500.

Los Angeles Dodgers - Corey Seager

Arizona Diamondbacks - Paul Goldschmidt

Colorado Rockies - Nolan Arenado

San Francisco Giants - Andrew McCutchen

San Diego Padres - Eric Hosmer

2018 National League Central Season Preview

If you have been following me along on Instagram, I have been posting my version of a Season Preview for each of the 30 teams.  Instead or previewing the entire roster, I focused on one player or aspect of the team that I am looking forward to following throughout the season.
Now that I have completed the National League, here is a recap and my predictions on how the they will finish in the division.

National League Central
The Cubbies show the league that they are a dynasty in the making. The Brewers grab a Wild Card spot. The Cardinals just miss out. The Pirates are not as bad as people think and the Reds start showing signs of improvement.

Chicago Cubs - Kyle Schwarber

Milwaukee Brewers - Christian Yelich

St. Louis Cardinals - Marcell Ozuna

Pittsburgh Pirates - Starling Marte

Cincinnati Reds - Amir Garrett

2018 National League East Season Preview

If you have been following me along on Instagram, I have been posting my version of a Season Preview for each of the 30 teams.  Instead or previewing the entire roster, I focused on one player or aspect of the team that I am looking forward to following throughout the season.
Now that I have completed the National League, here is a recap and my predictions on how the they will finish in the division.

National League East 

The Nats win the division but the Phillies take a big step forward and grab the 2nd Wild Card. The Mets keep things close but fade down the stretch.

Washington Nationals - Trea Turner

Philadelphia Phillies - Rhys Hoskins

New York Mets - Yoenis Cespedes

Atlanta Braves - Ronald Acuna

Miami Marlins - JT Realmuto