Even if the players union and owners had issues completing a new collective bargaining agreement, there is good news for us. Baseball is Back! Hopefully this agreement allows more small market teams to be able to compete with the big boys long term. What storylines are coming out of the AL this season.
Baltimore Orioles (Ravens Country): Well the only way this team can go is up. Last year’s disaster was mostly due to injuries on the pitching staff. But even if those guys are healthy it’s going to be a steep climb for the Orioles to try and get out of the basement. Considering that every other team in this division has playoff ambitions it’s not looking good. Luckily for them a young hitting core is starting to gel. Cedrick Mullins is coming off a career year, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays are nearing their primes, and Trey Mancini is looking for another 30 home run season. Besides those guys and John Means on the mound, that’s the only optimism that Baltimore has of shocking the AL. Although they do have 2 of the Top 5 prospects set to make their big league debuts this year. If both those guys make an impact then they could have another 2012 type run in the future. How long will it be until Marylanders start prepping for Ravens season? 7 weeks. (For the sake of my hometown city, they need a good team to rally behind)
Boston Red Sox (Angry Sox): This team just robbed their long time rivals in free agency. Do you know how mad George Steinbrener would be if he were still alive? Well Boston prevented Trevor Story from going to the Bronx in a big way. Even if they’re considered as one of the most underrated teams in the AL, the Red Sox are certainly trying to make it back to the World Series. JD Martinez may be near the end of his prime but Rafael Devers and Alex Verdugo are in the beginning of theirs. Now with Chris Sale back to full strength, the starting rotation should be solid as advertised. Even if Schwarber is gone, Bobby Dalbec is looking like a nice young slugger who could produce in bunches this year. The last thing anyone in the sports world needs is a Boston team with championship ambitions. Especially considering how hot the Celtics and Bruins have been right now the fans in Beantown are ready to be insufferable again. (You can add the Patriots to that list too come September)
New York Yankees (Those “Damn Yankees”): It’s rare to see the Yankees getting one-upped by Boston in free agency over the course of history. This was a major example of that. Having been trumped by the Red Sox in the Story sweepstakes plus the bidding for Max Scherzer the pinstripes are trying to retool their identity. Getting rid of Gary Sanchez had to be done, New Yorkers had enough with him after underachieving massively and was traded to the Twins for Josh Donaldson. Yes the Bringer of Rain is near the end of his prime but they needed another solid bat in the lineup. Plus they brought back Rizzo and Gallo too. There is one question I do have. It’s on Aaron Judge. Will he play? He doesn’t have a vaccine and in New York you can’t play sports in the city if you don’t have one. (YoYo Sound) And then they changed the mandate thanks to Brian Cashman, Steve Cohen, and Olivier Sedra being mad at Eric Adams for not changing it once DeBlasio left office. (This announcement also allows Kyrie Irving to play home games for the Nets again, CRAP!) So Judge will be playing every game that he is available this year. Anyways if things go south, I expect Cashman to give Aaron Boone the “George is gonna fire everyone” treatment.
Tampa Bay Rays (At least the venture to Montreal is dead): I have no idea on how to judge the Rays. On the surface this team has a good chance to make the playoffs with a lineup that has no major weaknesses. But their rotation is a bit questionable. Shane McClenahan is a nice young starter but the other 4 starters are more likely to struggle than succeed. Maybe except Corey Kluber but everyone else is full of smoke and mirrors. Losing Glasnow for the season is a hard pill to swallow. If there is anything that Rays fans have to be hopeful for it is the emergence of Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe continuing after outstanding 2021 seasons. Even better news for Tampa Bay is that they have something that they haven’t had in a while. A generational talent on their roster. That man is Wander Franco. After an excellent rookie year he is expected to take Tatis type leaps in his 2nd year and become an MVP candidate. If my prediction about Franco is correct, this team is a serious contender again. (Plus the city has Brady coming back, and the Lightning going for a 3-peat. The rest of the country is JE-alous)
Toronto Blue Jays (Cue up the team Coca-Cola ads from 1993): When I did my document on the Blue Jays last year this is exactly what I expected. They successfully kept their playoff window open and even if they haven’t won a playoff series since 2016 there is one phrase that Torontonians have been saying all offseason. “I woke up this morning, could have sworn it was 93.” Looking at their roster, especially their starting lineup, it’s an obvious statement. Vlad Jr coming off a near Triple Crown season, George Springer continuing his usual consistency, the addition of Matt Chapman, (“Donaldson 2.0” -All Blue Jays fans) plus Bo Bichette continuing his emergence as a franchise cornerstone. The rotation was reloaded with Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kukuchi who are both coming off All Star seasons. Trust me, if this team is a serious contender, SkyDome is certainly going to be a tough place to play. Considering that the stadium was where the Pixar movie Turning Red was filmed, Blue Jays fans think it will host another blockbuster hit. (Yes its the Rogers Centre but every true baseball fan calls it by its original name)
Chicago White Sox (Winning Ugly 2.0): After what seemed like a quiet offseason, the White Sox are looking to retain their AL Central crown. Losing Carlos Rodon in free agency will be tough for the rotation but Dylan Cease has tremendous upside after a productive 2021 season. Another point of emphasis on this squad will be can the outfield stay healthy. Eloy Jimenez was injured for much of the previous year but if he’s healthy he should excel. You also have to consider that Luis Robert had a down year last year but like Jimenez if he’s healthy he is a solid player. That lineup led by Jose Abreu could get a boost with Andrew Vaughn expected to reach his potential of being a nice young DH. I know people think Tony La Russa is holding them back but to be fair if there is anything he knows how to do it’s develop an excellent pitching staff. Looks like ChiSox could have another one if things play out.
Cleveland Indians: WAIT HOLD ON A MINUTE THAT’S RACIST! TIME TO CHANGE THE TITLE! We need something different, something clever. (The Guardians) YES!
Cleveland Guardians (New Name, New Identity): This is a hard team to really understand what direction they are trying to go in. The hitting core excluding Jose Ramirez, Franmil Reyes, and Josh Naylor has been flat. They won’t win many games if they score like 2-3 runs a game. Fortunately Cleveland has at least some optimism because of their pitching staff. Shane Beiber is in the prime of his career, Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac are young starters who both are due for career years. Plus their bullpen should be solid with Emmanuel Clase entering his 1st full season as the closer. As long as Terry Francona is still the manager the Guardians will be in playoff contention or so we think. Does everything work out, or do they get sentenced to the bottom of the Central.
Detroit Tigers (Things are looking up): If there is anything that can be said about the Tigers is what a difference a good manager makes. AJ Hinch did a solid job in his year in Detroit but now all eyes are on them to see if they can get over 500. The signing of Javier Baez is going to help, plus Akil Baddoo should excel in his 2nd year. But my question about the Tigers is how many of their guys played over their heads last year. They did beat some good teams down the stretch so it says something about their chances going forward. Considering how weak the AL Central is on paper you could make the case for them as a dark horse playoff team. Even better news for them is that Miguel Cabrera is coming back for another year and is close to reaching 3000 hits. Miggy possibly being on a real team again, just what the city needs.
Kansas City Royals (The Proving Ground Year): KC like Detroit is another team that is on the rise thanks to the amount of prospects coming through the minors. They still have old stalwarts Salvador Perez and Whit Merrifield on the roster but this could be the year that the youth movement pays off. Adalberto Mondesi is in the beginning of his prime and has the potential to be an excellent 5 tool player, the starting rotation is getting stronger and they even brought back Zach Greinke to mentor them. The real addition for the Royals this year is potential generational talent in Bobby Witt Jr. Considering that he’s had a hot streak in spring training he should make an impact. This could be KC’s time to get out of the basement, or will they get overcooked again.
Minnesota Twins (What the heck is going on here?): If there is any team this year that has clearly opened the Mystery Box this offseason you should take a look at these guys. The Twins still believe that they can still make the playoffs despite a last place finish in 2021. The additions of Carlos Correa and Sonny Gray certainly will make Minnesota competitive but the fate of their season will likely rest in the hands of the young prospects. We said a few years ago that they had top minor leagues, however only few have panned out. Another key for the Twins this year will be the health of Byron Buxton. Last year he was sensational in April, CRACK! Then he got hurt in May and never returned. His value is an asset especially in that lineup. Will the Bomba Squad return with vengeance, or will they be stuck near the bottom of the AL Central. A young boy can only fantasize.
Houston Astros (How will this team still find ways to win?): The Astros of this era remind me of the franchise that beat them in the World Series during their glory years. Even if they lost key players and were projected to fall off the story remained the same. With Correa, Greinke, and Springer (in 2020) gone Houston still has many of their cornerstones still intact. With Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Yordan Alverez as the big bats in the lineup, they still have many of the key ingredients to their success. And even better news, Justin Verlander is back after the dreaded Tommy John surgery. Who knows if he’s the same pitcher but they will have to be carried by offense if they want to make it to another World Series. It’s not like the rest of their division can keep up.
Los Angeles Angels (Ohtani/Trout = McDavid/Draisaitl): Behold Ladies and Gentlemen the most overhyped team in the American League for the 5th year in a row. If there is any reason for the Angels being a playoff contender it’s on the backs of 2 players. Mike Trout, and Shohei Ohtani. Now that Trout is healthy they at least will have more credibility in the lineup. The rotation like most years is an absolute question mark. Other than Ohtani they have guys who are old and aren’t good, or inexperienced guys who aren’t ready for the big time. Plus their bullpen excluding Raisel Iglesias is overrated. Even with a legend like Joe Maddon as the manager it’s going to be an uphill battle for the Angels to make the playoffs even with the extra seed. As long as Anthony Rendon and Jared Walsh don’t fall off they have a shot. That’s all Artie Moreno can hope for right.
Oakland Athletics (Please figure out a long term home): The fans are getting restless because they still have trouble replacing the Oakland Coliseum and potentially joining the Raiders in Las Vegas. What does ownership decide to do. BOOM! They brought out the nuke. Matt Olsen, Matt Chapman, Starling Marte, Sean Manaea, and Billy Beane. GONE! We all know what this means. The A’s are going tanking. That will make the idea to build a new park in Oakland even tougher. (Looks like they are heading for Vegas soon aren’t they)
Seattle Mariners (What can go wrong here?): The Mariners following their unexpected success story last year have expectations of ending the longest playoff drought in the majors. And like previous times they’ve tried to invest in free agency to get them over the top. A blockbuster trade which gave them Eugenio Suarez, and Jesse Winker, they signed an ace in Robbie Ray, and added a solid middle infielder in Adam Frazier. Their pitching staff is already one of the best and now that Ray is on board they know the time to strike is now. Even though Kyle Lewis is out for a week to start the season the outfield is getting a boost. In particular from a generational talent in Julio Rodriguez. From the way Mariner fans have been talking, they think he is the next Griffey. (Or Mike Cameron) If they still can’t make the playoffs with the talent on the roster it’s going to be another in a long line of gut punches. I will be watching these guys very closely considering that many eyes of the baseball world will be on them. DON’T MESS IT UP!
Texas Rangers (Gambling Baseball Edition): It’s a Ranger tradition when the front office literally throws money at everything that moves. Even if John Daniels has been in Arlington for way too long, he still believes that this team can compete for a playoff spot. I get that you signed Corey Seager, Mitch Garver, and Marcus Semien but do you know what would have made this squad even more imposing. YOU DON’T TRADE JOEY GALLO AND KYLE GIBSON! The offense has certainly improved from last year especially with Adolis Garcia in the beginning of his prime. Even if the pitching staff is highlighted by Jon Gray and top prospect Spencer Howard, its going to take a miracle to get over 500. At least the front office is trying I guess. PAUSE.
The AL is a hard league to predict. There are many teams that could make the playoffs, or fall flat on their faces. Lets see what the predictors have in store?
AL East
- Red Sox 96-66 #2
- Blue Jays 93-69 #4
- Rays 92-70 #5
- Yankees 88-74
- Orioles 65-97
AL Central
- White Sox 95-67 #3
- Tigers 83-79
- Twins 81-81
- Guardians 79-83
- Royals 71-91
AL West
- Astros 98-64 #1
- Mariners 90-62 #6
- Angels 86-76
- Rangers 78-84
- Athletics 69-93
AL Wild Card
#3 White Sox over #6 Mariners 2-0
#4 Blue Jays over #5 Rays 2-1
ALDS
#4 Blue Jays over #1 Astros 3-1
#2 Red Sox over #3 White Sox 3-1
ALCS
#2 Red Sox over #4 Blue Jays 4-2
AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Blue Jays
AL Cy Young: Shohei Ohtani, Angels
AL Rookie of the Year: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
AL Manager of the Year: Alex Cora, Red Sox
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