With the flurry of moves GM Billy Eppler made during the off-season, there was a sense of optimism among Angels fans. Maybe this year will be the year that Mike Trout and crew will get to the World Series and get Trout his long-awaited ring. From picking up prized international free agent Shohei Ohtani to adding the likes of Ian Kinsler and Zack Cozart, the Angels were hoping to be Houston's competition in the AL West.

And it seemed like that would be the case at the beginning of the year, with the Angels off to a scorching 13-3 start. However, better competition and several injuries (including to Ohtani) have suddenly derailed the Angels' season. Currently in a six-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Angels have even been passed up in the standings by red-hot Oakland.

The Angels haven't been particularly good against the main competition, the Yankees and the Red Sox. In fact, the Angels are 1-11 against both AL East powers this season. Against Boston, the Angels were outscored, 49-12, in the season series as they got swept by Boston.

Another problem that the Angels have is the factor of age. Players like Albert Pujols (38), Ian Kinsler (36), Justin Upton (30), Kole Calhoun (30), and Luis Valbuena (32) constitute an aging lineup that are past or nearing the end of their primes. Mike Trout is having another historic season, but it doesn't help that players like Ian Kinsler contribute a paltry .278 OBP to the lineup or having Kole Calhoun contribute a .226 OBP.

The good news for the Angels is that Billy Eppler also did a little reloading on their farm system. Adding prospects like Kevin Maitan will help Mike Trout in the future if he sticks around. The Angels also have Top 100 prospects like Brandon Marsh and Griffin Canning to add in the future. All may be lost right now, but the Angels do have some backup in case things head south this season.

Two teams in last week's top five have taken a stumble. Can they recover? Who will step up to the plate and challenge their place in baseball hierarchy?

1. Houston Astros (last week: 1): Jose Altuve is the top vote-getter in the American League for the All Star Game at 2,460,967 votes. Considering the year he's having (.343 BA, .402 OBP, .893 OPS, 41 RBIs, 11 stolen bases), he definitely deserves the honor.
2. New York Yankees (2): The trio of Aaron Judge (.954 OPS, 20 homers, 52 RBIs), Giancarlo Stanton (.859 OPS, 19 homers, 46 RBIs), and Didi Gregorius (.805 OPS, 14 homers, 42 RBIs) have proven to be unstoppable all season. Adding new blood like Miguel Andujar (.823 OPS, 35 RBIs) will make the Yankees even more dangerous.
3. Boston Red Sox (4): After a tough series with the Mariners, the Red Sox get to feast on an emaciated Angels team. This will set them up for a challenging road trip featuring the Yankees and the Nationals. After that, the Red Sox will revert back to easy competition heading into the All-Star break.
4. Atlanta Braves (7): Yes, this may seem like a stretch to put the Braves at No. 4. However, Atlanta is starting to establish themselves not only as an NL East contender, but as a contender of the National League altogether. Watch out for Freddie Freeman (.370 BABIP, 15 homers, 53 RBIs, .969 OPS, .557 SLG) as an MVP candidate for the National League.
5. Seattle Mariners (3): The 13-game stretch that Seattle just endured against the Angels, Yankees, and Red Sox went... okay. They did excellent in the home stand (5-2), but struggled mightily in the road portion (1-5). James Paxton has to fix the hard contact that comes off his pitches (44.7% hard hit rate in the past 30 days).
6. Milwaukee Brewers (6): The Brewers have a chance to put some distance between them and the Chicago Cubs. The only series against a team above .500 is a four-game set against Atlanta, with that series being at home.
7. Chicago Cubs (5): Like the Mariners, the Cubs have fallen into a rough patch, losing five straight. The trip out to Dodger Stadium won't make things easier for the Cubs. To make things worse, Kris Bryant was just placed on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation.
8. Los Angeles Dodgers (9): The Dodgers are starting to hit their stride. Winners of four straight, Los Angeles seems poised to make a major move in the NL West. Matt Kemp's (.315 BA, 47 RBIs, .899 OPS, 144 wRC+) resurgence has helped the Dodgers during a rough period of injuries and underperforming players.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks (8): Zach Greinke has been to go-to guy for the D-Backs in the rotation, but he isn't alone. Patrick Corbin (3.24 ERA, 129 SO, 1.00 WHIP, 11.61 K/9) has been reliable for Arizona. The Diamondbacks will also be getting Robbie Ray (oblique) back in the fold, which also helps.
   
10. Cleveland Indians (-): Jose Ramirez continues to build his case as an AL MVP candidate. What's helped him the most has been his patience at the plate; his BB/K rate sits at 1.28 (good for third in the MLB) and his BB% sits at 15%, good for 11th in the majors.
    

In The Hunt: Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels

The Philadelphia Eagles finally did it! They toppled heavy favorite New England in Super Bowl 52 to win their first Super Bowl. Thanks to Nick Foles, the Eagles overcame numerous injuries to reach the top. What can they do for an encore?

• Work On the Foles Situation (done): Instead of trading Foles for picks, the Eagles gave him a raise. The new deal includes a mutual option for 2019 and a $2 million signing bonus. The Eagles may be either putting their faith in Foles as a backup or setting themselves up for a better deal in the future.
• Get a Big Threat On the D-Line (done): Michael Bennett brings an imposing force on Philadelphia's defensive line, being able to bowl over opponents with ease. Philadelphia also picked up Haloti Ngata on a one-year deal. If the Eagles' front line wasn't scary enough, adding Bennett will make the Eagles even more dangerous.
  
• Make Some Plays With Some Playmakers (mostly done): The Eagles drafted Dallas Goedert (irony in the name) in the second round of the NFL Draft to build depth at tight end. Philadelphia also added Mike Wallace to the receiving mix and exercised Nelson Agholor's fifth-year option. This will give something for Carson Wentz to work with when he returns.
  

In Russia is the biggest party the world is having right now. People from all around the world, from Germany to Brazil, are partying in celebration of the World Cup. Who's partying hard and who's feeling the blues?

Good: Russia: Starting off hot against Saudi Arabia and finishing off Egypt, the hosts are already advancing to the next round. They've scored eight goals in the process and have benefited from a paltry group. Maybe Putin has something to do with the team's luck, wink, wink...
Bad: Lionel Messi: The Argentinian superstar doesn't have a single goal in this World Cup. In fact, he missed a penalty kick against Iceland, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Now, Argentina's World Cup lives hang in the balance with the squad needing a win against Nigeria and an Iceland loss to help them advance.
Good: Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo has literally put the Portuguese squad on his back, scoring all of Portugal's goals in this World Cup. Granted, the one-man show can go so far. But it'll be an exciting spectacle to see how far Ronaldo can take Portugal.
Bad: Egypt: Mohamed Saleh, the superstar next in line to become Messi/Ronaldo-like, has the only goal for Egypt in the World Cup. The Egyptians had an easy draw for the World Cup, but have already been eliminated by the likes of surprising Russia and Uruguay.
Good: Mexico: Can Mexico make it to the last four this year? It seems likely as they stunned defending champion Germany, 1-0, in the opener. Goaltending and Javier Hernandez will be the keys for Mexico's run.

One team's hot and the others fall
When you play Major League Baseball!
It's all about who wins it all
When you play Major League Baseball!
-Kermit

1. Houston Astros (last week: 5): A couple weeks ago, the Seattle Mariners knocked the defending champions in the mouth in the first game of an important two-game set, 7-1. Now, Seattle's still hot, but so are the Houston Astros. Winning 12 straight and seeing a blazing stick from El Oso Blanco Evan Gattis (.400 BA, four homers, 15 RBIs in his past seven games) has put Houston back atop the AL West perch.
2. New York Yankees (1): After the home series against the Mariners, the Yankees will have a fairly easily road trip before their next home stand. This home stand will bring in New York's hated rival, the Boston Red Sox, and the upstart Atlanta Braves.
3. Seattle Mariners (4): The Mariners held their own against tough competition this past week, going 5-2 at home against the Los Angeles Angels and the Red Sox. Seattle has 23 one-run wins this year, more than any other team in baseball. Now comes the challenging part for Seattle; a road trip with the first two series against the Yankees and the Red Sox.
4. Boston Red Sox (2): Quietly, David Price (3.76 ERA, .229 Opp. BA, 1.20 WHIP) has become an important arm in the Red Sox rotation. His return to prominence should help Boston compete in the AL East against the Yankees.
5. Chicago Cubs (3): The Cubs will have a tough set of games coming up against the Los Angeles Dodgers. How Kyle Schwarber (12 homers, 32 RBIs, .842 OPS), Anthony Rizzo (11 homers, 47 RBIs, .771 OPS), and the rest of the lineup do against the Dodgers will determine how much of a threat the Cubs truly are in the National League.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (6): Milwaukee was feeling high and mighty after taking two out of three at home against the Cubs, but have lost three straight. Freddy Peralta's return to the rotation should help the Brewers a bit as they compete with the Cubs for NL Central supremacy.
7. Atlanta Braves (8): Mike Foltynewicz (10.71 K/9, 2.16 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) and Sean Newcomb (2.70 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) headline a stellar Braves rotation that are reminding fans of the days of Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and John Smoltz. Anibal Sanchez (1.93 ERA, 0.96 WHIP in six starts this season) has been a pleasant surprise for the Braves this year as well.
8. Arizona Diamondbacks (-): Jon Jay (.333 BA, .463 SLG, .903 OPS in 41 AB for the Diamondbacks) has been a solid addition for Arizona's lineup. The Diamondbacks must take advantage of a fairly mundane ten-game road trip to keep the hot Dodgers off their tails.
9. Los Angeles Dodgers (-): The Dodgers have this tendency of picking up no-name players and turning them into big contributors to the team. First, it was Justin Turner. Then, it was Chris Taylor. Now, it's Max Muncy (13 homers, 30 RBIs, .982 OPS). If Andrew Friedman and crew keep knocking these minor acquisitions out of the park, there's no doubt the Dodgers will win their first World Series since 1988.
10. Philadelphia Phillies (-): After the series against the Dodgers, the Phillies went 1-7 in an eight-game stretch. After that stretch, Philadelphia has gone 6-2 in another eight-game stretch. This will be a tough month for the Phillies. However, if they can weather the storm, they should be playoff contenders for the rest of the summer.

In the Hunt: Washington Nationals, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics

The Minnesota Vikings saw a resurgence that even featured a miracle play in the playoffs. What do they need to do in order to get to the Super Bowl this season?

• Get Their Man Under Center (done): YOU LIKE THAT! YOU LIKE THAT?! Vikings fans will be liking 'that' now that Kirk Cousins is under center. Cousins (93.9 rating, 27 touchdowns, 4,093 passing yards) will bring a reliable option for the Vikings as they look to take that next step.
  
• Defensive Depth (done): The Vikings had one of the premier defenses in the NFL last year, ranking second in both rushing yards allowed (1,337 yards) and passing yards allowed (3,078 yards). Adding Terrance Newman and drafting corners like Craig James and Holton Hill should add some healthy competition for the Vikings at cornerback in OTAs and camp.
  
• Add Some Offensive Line Help (partially done): Riley Reiff will help anchor the offensive line. The question is how will the interior offensive line do. The right guard position will be one to watch during the preseason as Colby Gossett and Josh Andrews will battle it out.
  

Last year, the New Orleans Saints were thisclose to advancing to the NFC Championship Game until Stefon Diggs happened. How can the Saints bring a second Super Bowl to the Big Easy?

• Build Linebacker Depth (done): The Saints added a number of linebackers, including four at the middle linebacker position, to ensure a stronger defense. The defensive line, led by Cameron Jordan (62 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, 13 sacks), should also aid New Orleans.
  
• Work On a Mark Ingram Extension (not done): Mark Ingram says that he's not skipping OTA's because of the contract situation. However, it would behoove New Orleans to work on talking to Ingram about a new contract, considering they also have Alvin Kamara on a rookie contract.
  
• Find Drew Brees's Heir Apparent (done?): Taysom Hill is vying for the position of being Drew Brees's back-up. His competition for the position includes the likes of J.T. Barrett and Tom Savage.
  
• Find Playmakers For Drew Brees (done): The Saints are taking a gamble on Cameron Meredith, the ex-Bears receiver who's recovering from a knee injury. The Saints also added Benjamin Watson to bolster the tight end position.
  

The Arizona Cardinals had high hopes heading into last season, but were derailed by injuries and old age. What should they do for the future?

• Give David Johnson a New Contract (not done): Star running back David Johnson has been a bright spot for Arizona when he was healthy. He's also a young player in an aging group. Johnson seems like the player Arizona should build around and is skipping camp until a new contract is worked out, so Arizona should work on that as soon as possible.
  
• Replace Carson Palmer (done): Arizona picked up Josh Rosen in the NFL Draft and they're hoping he's as promising as advertised. The Cardinals also picked up Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon as options for the season in case they wanted to develop Rosen.
  
• Replace Bruce Arians (done): Bruce Arians brought an edge and some toughness to the Cardinals after he was hired. Injuries ruined the Cardinals last year and Arians stepped down. New coach Steve Wilks hopes to tinker with the offense a bit in hopes of getting more out of the group.
  

Can the Chicago Cubs usurp the Milwaukee Brewers from their NL Central perch? Is Seattle a legitimate threat to Houston in the AL West?

1. New York Yankees (last week: 2): New York is 22-9 (best in MLB) at home this season to go with the best record in baseball. That's good news for the Bronx Bombers since nine of their next 10 games are at home.
   
2. Boston Red Sox (1): The Red Sox will activate Mookie Betts from the disabled list, forgoing a single minor league rehab assignment to get inserted into the lineup. They have also seen Steven Wright step in nicely for injured starter Drew Pomeranz.
   
3. Chicago Cubs (6): Jason Heyward is batting .390 in his last 10 games, bumping up his stat line to .268/.331/.401 as of Saturday. Heyward's splits against right-handed pitching have also been spectacular: his stat line for hitting against right handers this year's .307/.366/.831.
   
4. Seattle Mariners (4): The Mariners managed to hang with AL West top dog Houston, routing them in the first match-up by a score of 7-1 and fighting them in a losing effort in the second, 7-5. The Mariners will be tested in the next two weeks, with match-ups against the Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees.
   
5. Houston Astros (3): Despite winning their last five games, the Astros have fallen to fifth in the rankings. Houston's schedule heading up to the All-Star break should be easy, which will give Dallas Keuchel (4.45 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 6.99 K/9) some time to figure out his recent control issues.
   
6. Milwaukee Brewers (4): Milwaukee's series with the Cubs won't be the only critical divisional series they have in the future: they'll face off in three of their next four series against divisional foes, including St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Having Eric Thames back in their lineup should help the Brewers with their divisional stretch.
   
7. Washington Nationals (8): The city of Washington, D.C. is celebrating a Stanley Cup victory and Washington's return atop the NL East perch will leave fans in the nation's capital satisfied. Having Daniel Murphy back in the lineup for the Nationals will leave Washington satisfied as well.
   
8. Atlanta Braves (7): The Braves have fallen from atop the NL East. However, their next 14 games will be against teams below .500, giving them time to prep for a brutal 10-game road trip featuring the Cardinals and Yankees.
   
9. Los Angeles Angels (10): There was some bad news on the Angels front, as Shohei Ohtani was placed on the DL with a sprained UCL. They will have a bit of a challenge ahead of them as well, facing off against divisional rivals Seattle and Oakland in the next six games.
   
10. Cleveland Indians (-): Cleveland starters have an ERA of 1.72 in their last five games. The Indians seem to be hitting their stride, which is good considering how weak the AL Central is this year. Watch out for Jose Ramirez (.292 BA, 19 homers, 43 RBIs, .617 SLG, 1.007 OPS) in the race for AL MVP this season.
    

In The Hunt: St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies

The World Cup is less than a week away, which means the world will be watching this spectacle. The common favorites (Germany, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil) will be there, but some notable absences (United States, Italy, and the Netherlands) will be felt. Who will make it to the finals and win it all.

Germany has a balanced attack. There isn't a single superstar on the team that stands out. Yet their all-around balance can prove to be a problem for teams considering there's no particular weakness(es) to exploit. If you're looking for a German player to watch, keep an eye on Manuel Neuer. The Golden Glove recipient will be tough for opponents to score on.

If Neymar and Brazil are to win the World Cup, it can't just be Neymar doing the work. Luckily, Brazil will have help in the form of Phillipe Coutinho and will hope Coutinho will be a success in the midfield. The Brazilians are hoping that a new manager (Tite) will bring a change of scenery for the team.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be someone to watch for Portugal. However, he'll be without much of assistance on the team as Portugal will have to rely on Ronaldo's brilliance to get him a World Cup.

Spain will look to rebound after a disappointing 2014 World Cup session. Controlling the pace of play will be key for the Spaniards along with the play of David Silva and recent call-up Alvaro Morata.

Like Germany, Switzerland has a fairly balanced team. Roy Hodgson has turned this team from an anonymous group into a force, propelling them all the way to the top ten in the world rankings. Can the Swiss live up to their ranking when the World Cup rolls around?

You know Argentina for Lionel Messi, but you should know that this may be his last chance at a World Cup. This may also be his best chance yet, for Argentina plays in a fairly favorable group. Argentina is strong at the forward position with the likes of Messi, Sergio Aguero, and Gonzalo Higuain carrying La Albiceleste.

France must not get overconfident in this World Cup. Otherwise, they may suffer a serious letdown this season. Olivier Giroud and the French have to play with a purpose in Russia.

Will this be the year Belgium breaks through? Romelo Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne will try and will the Belgian team to victory. Also watch for Thibaut Courtois in the World Cup; he is one of the more underrated goaltenders the World Cup has to offer.

Other squads to keep an eye on: England, Uruguay, South Korea, Egypt, Croatia, Poland, Mexico.

So who will win it all? I like the balance that Germany carries and Brazil always seems like a threat to go all the way. However, I'm inclined to go with Lionel Messi and Argentina. This has been the one trophy that has eluded Messi for his entire career. He and the Argentinian team will have enough hunger in them to win the World Cup.