This is probably the most excited I’ve been about a baseball season in a few years. Young Guns are taking over the game, despite the fact that big market teams have mostly dominated this year. The American League in particular is a bloodbath especially in the loaded AL East. Let’s get to the 15 teams and discuss what is or isn’t working for them.
Baltimore Orioles (“Why Not 3.0”): After 4 ½ years of hibernation thanks to a complete makeover of the roster, a declining team, and a power struggle. The wonders of Orioles Magic have returned. Sort of. This team in one month went from being stuck in the bottom of the AL picture to being playoff contenders. How did this happen? Let me explain, They moved the left field fence back at Camden Yards to aid their pitching staff. Cedric Mullins, Trey Mancini, Austin Hays, and Anthony Santander have each matured into legit hitters and fielders. (Mancini though is the DH, but can they please extend him) Their potential savior in Adley Rutschman has made a huge difference. The O’s bullpen with Felix Bautista and Jorge Lopez are shutting teams down, and their playstyle of pitching, defense, timely hitting, and the 3 run homer would make Earl Weaver himself proud. The only major flaw is a power hitting left side of the infield, but Jorge Mateo, and Ramon Urias have played excellent defense instead over the last 2 weeks. The 2nd Half is going to tell the story of the Orioles. 17 of the 1st 26 games after the All Star Break are against AL East Rivals, if they survive this gauntlet of opponents, We all know it could be a repeat of 2012 in Charm City. (The Ravens would certainly be fired up too)
Boston Red Sox (Never Wake a Sleeping Giant): It took a little while but the Red Sox are once again playing up to their potential. Other than struggles against Tampa Bay over the past month, Boston is on a hot streak that is due to their power hitting lineup. Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts playing as advertised, Trevor Story overcoming a rough April, talent and depth throughout the lineup. There is just one problem. Injuries to the pitching core, Chris Sale in particular struggled in his rehab start while in the recovery process. They are still a good team all things considered but there are still many that should be expecting more out of them. Although if there is anything, the Red Sox normally play their best baseball after the All Star Break. It will be tough to repeat their dominant June especially in the AL East, but who knows what will happen?
New York Yankees (ChaosLand in a Good Way): Those Damn Yankees! Once again they are playing to their potential with a torrid start they haven’t had since 1998. The scary thing is that each of the previous times they have started like this in their history they’ve gone on to win the World Series that year. Their hitting core this year may not be as balanced as some of their past teams were but it’s still exciting to watch. Aaron Judge is trying to chase Roger Maris’ Golden Home Run season of 1961. (Why am I saying Golden? Because he hit 61 Homers in the Year 1961) Giancarlo Stanton is enjoying his best year with the club since coming over from the Marlins 4 years ago. The story of this years Bronx Bombers isn’t the hitting core though. It’s the pitching staff. Gerrit Cole is still a machine on the mound. But that’s not all. Nestor Cortes, Jordan Montgomery, the revivals of Luis Severino, and Jameson Taillon, plus 2 elite bullpen arms in Michael King and Clay Holmes. Even if they have the best record in baseball by a whopping 6 games that won’t stop Yankee fans from slandering the whipping boys of the team. I’m looking right at Joey Gallo and Aroldis Chapman. Even if they have been in a minor slump as of late, the Yanks should be able to turn it around quickly. All the other 4 teams in the division hope for is that New York’s fast start bites them in August. (I’m going to see the Yankees against the O’s this week, I expect a close game, Don’t let me down!)
Tampa Bay Rays (Still Trying to Figure it Out): The Rays are still finding ways to win when many people expect a decline out of them. Look at this. Much of their team is injured including Wander Franco, Tyler Glasnow, and Kevin Kiermeier but they’re still at the head of a very tight Wild Card race. Shane McClanahan is an ace in the making with a Cy Young Caliber season that many didn’t see coming. That’s the beauty of Tampa Bay. Unknown names on the National Level yet are balanced across the board. At least Randy Arozarena and Ji-Man Choi are playing up to expectations even if the rotation struggles. Who is Issac Paredes and how is he hitting like Longoria did in his prime. I figured that once the injuries hit, they would fix them quickly.
Toronto Blue Jays (A Tale of 2 Teams): The stadium that gave us the movie Turning Red this offseason is giving us a squad that is very confusing to the naked eye. On paper this is one of the most talented teams in the game. Vlad Jr, Bo Bichette, George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez among a chorus of good players. The biggest issue that the Blue Jays have is simple. Their record against the AL East is garbage. Whenever they play outside the division they are a very hard team to beat. Especially when Alex Manoah, Kevin Gausman, and Jose Berrios are at the top of their games. Although the end of July is normally where Toronto heats up. Every time they have made a deep run in their history, most of the damage is done from mid July on. Let’s hope this year is one of those cases. And just as I was about to release this document the Blue Jays fired Charlie Montoyo. Why? I know this team should be much better, but this wasn’t even his fault. Most of their losses recently were to the Rays and Yankees. Let me guess they are going to drag out Cito Gaston, or John Gibbons out of the retirement home aren’t they. (It’s been downhill for them since Paul Beeston left)
Chicago White Sox (QuickSand): Tony La Russa. Yes he is one of the Greatest Managers of All Time. Yes he is a Hall of Famer. But why is he still managing when he can’t adapt to the modern game. Exhibit A is intentionally walking Trey Turner on a 1-2 count in which Max Muncy quickly took advantage of on the very next at bat. The White Sox are still a team that has massive ambitions with Jose Abreu, Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, and emerging star Andrew Vaughn on offense, but other than Lucas Giolito, and Dylan Cease the pitching staff is suspect. They’re the kind of team that would take a 5-0 lead in the 1st, and then get shellacked the rest of the game. That is not a false statement. Although the ChiSox are still within striking distance of a playoff berth thanks to being in the middle of a jammed Wild Card race. If they are making it, the pitchers have to turn it all around. That’s also considering Chicagoans want La Russa chucked into Lake Michigan like Matt Nagy before him. Let me guess they will do the same to the Bulls GM if they can’t get KD.
Cleveland Guardians (Where Did This Come From?): Well at least they are in playoff contention. Things were looking good for the Guardians early in the year, but then injuries, and getting smacked by Minnesota kicked in. Even if they are around 500, they are still within striking range of the AL Central. Jose Ramirez is going to be in Cleveland for a while to come. And look at the year he’s having. Leading the league in RBIs while barely even trying. That’s how good of a year he has had. Josh Naylor, and Amed Rosario aren’t far behind either. Even if Franmi Reyes has suffered a hard decline it’s good to see Owen Miller get off to a hot start in April. (And Andres Gimenez being an All Star Starter) The pitching staff with Shane Beiber putting up his usual numbers is only getting stronger especially with Triston McKenzie on his way to becoming a top-flight pitcher. Yes they may not have the firepower to make serious noise like in previous, but any team with Terry Francona managing should always be in the hunt for the playoffs. The rest of the AL Central disagrees with me.
Detroit Tigers (Pure Michigan Sports): Last year’s 2nd Half win streak was a fluke wasn’t it? This year the Tigers have gone back to being a crew that just whiffs at every chance they get. Many players played over their heads a season ago and the fact that most of their hitters are barely hitting over 200 is depressing. When past prime Miggy is your best hitter there is a problem. Cubs fans tried warning you about Javy Baez and it is showing. He shows flashes of greatness, but when he doesn’t he’s a strikeout king. Plus that doesn’t mention Jonathan Schoop and Auston Meadows struggling badly at the plate. They still have a long way to go, and even with AJ Hinch as manager it’ll take a generational talent or 2 to even fix this mess. Not even Casey Mize, and Spencer Torkelson can save them.
Kansas City Royals (When’s Chiefs Season Coming?): I thought the dark ages were over for this squad. Instead of being stuck in mediocrity the tanks have returned to KC thanks to terrible pitching. (The same things that ruined a Cardinal Dynasty in the mid 2010s) At least Bobby Witt Jr, Andrew Benintendi, and Whit Merrifield are playing well. I do have one more thing. What happened to Salvy Perez? I get that he is at the end of his prime, but this is a bad season for one of the more consistent players in the game. That just shows you how much bad luck these guys have had.
Minnesota Twins (Back to Normal): It appears as if Minnesota’s last place finish in 2021 was short lived. Now the Twins are playoff contenders again. The hitting core as expected has carried the team. The dynamic duo of Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton have been leading the way with both the glove and stick. (Correa’s hitting numbers have gone down, but he is a better hitter in the 2nd Half) Luiz Arraez and Jorge Polanco have been the catalysts to the big boys in their lineup. There is one weakness. Pitching. Not even the revival of Sonny Gray, and Dylan Bundy can stop the fact that they have given up way too many homers. The only good news is that the Twins have a really good chance to make the postseason thanks to their division being full of garbage and mediocrity. All I can say is please win the division and not lose to those Damn Yankees AGAIN!
Houston Astros (New Players, Same Old Stros): Just like they did last year without George Springer, the Astros despite losing a franchise face to Free Agency have still excelled without them. Even if Correa is gone they have been gifted an elite talent in Jeremy Pena. One of the more underrated rookies in all of baseball. The rest of the team is still pretty much the same. Jose Altuve is still elite, Yordan Alvarez has become one of the most deadly hitters in the game, and Kyle Tucker is in the beginning of his prime. And look at the pitching staff. Who cares if Justin Verlander has missed a 1 ½ years, he is still one of the top pitchers in the game. Jose Urquidy, and Framber Valdez each have enjoyed career years. This is how a machine stays a machine. Consistency, talent, and solid management. I bet a few of the other AL teams could take a page out of this book.
Los Angeles Angels (The Artie Moreno Special): Am I not surprised that the Angels have been underachievers again this season. Every year with this team it has been the equal of the definition of insanity. Spending endless money on hitters and leaving the rotation and bullpen to get crushed all game. Early on that wasn’t the case. At the beginning of May, the other LA team had the best record in the American League with both Taylor Ward, and Jared Walsh hitting out of their minds. The pitching staff wasn’t so bad. I bet you there is a catch to this. BOOM! As in typical all things Anaheim they lose 14 straight games and fire Joe Maddon in the process. I have one request for the front office. TRADE MIKE TROUT AND SHOHEI OHTANI! Those 2 generational talents don’t need to be in this mess any longer. The fact that the Angels have gone 13 years without winning a playoff game is humiliating to see. And this isn’t even the worst part. Remember how they were going to build a concourse plaza outside Angel Stadium? (YoYo Sound) That never lasted. Now the team is considering moving out of Anaheim in the future. Let me guess what happens next? Artie Moreno attempts to build a new stadium in Inglewood, gets his wish, forces the government to tear down the LA Forum, and constructs the park on the site. You may think I’m crazy but this is something he would typically do if given the chance.
Oakland Athletics (Bad Team, No Hope): The Tanks are out in OakTown after gutting the entire team thanks to being cheap. Billy Beane leaving is the least of their issues and it shows with the issues on the field. Plus there is no long term solution on a new stadium in Howard Terminal. Let me guess this team is bound for Vegas in 3 years.
Seattle Mariners (Trying to End the Narratives): Good, you got your act together. I was worried early on that the Mariners wouldn’t be able to play up to their abilities but now they’ve become a dark horse World Series Contender for the 1st time in 20 years. Think of a 14 game win streak to end the 1st Half which is the longest such streak before the All Star Break in MLB History. The talent on this team has really come on. Jesse Winker has lived up to expectations, Ty France became an All Star, and JP Crawford has broken out into his true potential. Even if Adam Frazier and Eugenio Suarez have been up and down, the real story of this team has been the rise of a generational talent in Julio Rodriguez. Just like Ken Griffey Jr before him, he has become the face of the franchise overnight. His 5 tool abilities make him an awesome player to watch. Even the pitching staff led by Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert have been just as deadly to face. This could very well be the year that Seattle finally makes it back to the playoffs. We said this in 2018 but the difference is that they have more talent this time around. The playoffs are your sights. Good luck gentlemen!
Texas Rangers (Typical Mediocrity): Despite throwing money at 2 of the biggest names on the market, the Rangers are dealing with the reality of being a 2nd tier AL West team. The hitting core has been as advertised. Marcus Semien and Corey Seager struggled early in the year but each have produced in bunches over the last month. Adolis Garcia is an outfielder on the rise. His Power-Speed combo is one of the more underrated in all of baseball. That’s nice but what about the pitching? That side of the team is literally being carried by the renaissances of Jon Gray and Martin Perez. Texas has potential but they are not yet ready for the big time. At least they will throw money at everything that moves to make sure they have a shot at the playoffs 2-3 years down the road I guess. PAUSE.
I don’t know who to pick to make the playoffs. A few spots are locked up but there are so many others that are up for grabs especially in the Wild Card race. Considering the fast rises of the Orioles, Mariners, Twins, and revival of the Red Sox it could get crazy around the trade deadline.
Predictions:
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Twins
AL West: Astros
Wildcard #1: Rays
Wildcard #2: Red Sox
Wildcard #3: Mariners
Marylander: REVERSE JINXING DON’T FAIL ME NOW! (The Salty Marylander wants an October Festivus before the one in January)
Bragging Rights Sports 