While many of us were looking at the NBA Playoffs and the NFL Draft, about a quarter of the baseball season came and went.
Time to play catch up.
The good thing about waiting a few weeks to look at this season in baseball is that I’m 25% less likely to look foolish when I make my predictions. That said, there is a lot of season to go, so don’t count me out of looking ridiculous just yet. Here are the most intriguing things to happen thus far in Major League Baseball.
The Yankees are…a rootable underdog?
Consider me “Yankees Annoyed.” I don’t care enough to be a Yankee Hater, but I do get annoyed at the huge contracts, incredibly LOUD fans, and relative lack of championship success since the 90’s. I know they won in 2009, but their fans will have you believe they are going 162-0 every year.
With the turnover of team ownership in 2010 to Hal and Hank Steinbrenner, a shift has occurred. The Yankees have become increasingly “cost aware,” valuing productive role players over their tendency to bid for gaudy All Stars. So far this season, those role players have delivered. The Yankees sit atop the AL East, above the upstart Toronto Blue Jays, rival Boston Red Sox, and sneaky Tampa Bay Rays. This despite a number of injuries to the team’s best players.
Take away the logo on the front of the jersey, and isn’t this a team you’d want to root for? This is basically the baseball version of the Chicago Bulls from this year’s NBA Playoffs. The arrogant fans in NY will probably ruin this, but the pieces are in place for an underdog story out of Yankee Stadium. That’s something I would never have predicted.
The Marlins are the worst team ever.
Not according to their record, though they’ll be close to that too.
The Marlins earn this distinction for the terrible way their owner, Jeffery Loria, snaked the city out of millions of dollars for a new stadium, then put a crap team on the field. Loria will cash a big check from the league from broadcast rights revenue sharing with a payroll that you could compare to an undergraduate’s checking account. This was covered well here, so I won’t dwell on it too long. Suffice it to say, the Marlins and Loria are a joke. Nice stadium though.
What’s wrong in Los Angeles?
On the opposite end of the spectrum of expectations from the Marlins, both Los Angeles area baseball teams have been a flop thus far. The Dodgers were purchased for a couple billion dollars last year by a group fronted by Magic Johnson. They went on a spending spree matched only by the other team in LA. Reading the rosters of each team seems like an All Star ballot.
While injuries have played a part, each team has won an inexcusable 17 games this season, good for last (Dodgers) and next to last (Angels). Now that I think about it, maybe Loria was onto something…
The Prediction:
It’s nearly impossible to know what’s going to happen when there are about 120 games left to play for every team. I’m going with the Atlanta Braves, the team of my childhood thanks to TBS, losing to my beloved Detroit Tigers in the World Series. Both teams are loaded and have played relatively well thus far. There is no dominant team this season that everyone is chasing (part of the fun of rooting against the Yankees), so nothing will surprise me. Here’s hoping both teams I cheer for anyway make it to the World Series. I can’t lose!
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These are my thoughts on the baseball season thus far. Who do you have making it all the way through October? Anything else pique your attention in this young season?
Hit the comments and let me know!
Thoughts on the season
-The Braves have been my favorite team to watch that’s not my team, Justin Upton the Base God has been unreal
-Maybe it was too early for JBJ
-The Yankees won’t be so lovable when they ditch the scrappy underdogs for the overpaid players we all hate
– If the Tigers don’t win (I don’t think they will) ain’t it about time Miggy started getting A Rod criticism
– The Blue Jay’s and Dodgers would take the rosters of the two most disappointing teams last year and expect a different result
– Clay Buchholz for Cy
– WTF happened to the Phillies?
– Red Sox will win it all…they can make a SF like run
I think a lot of people adopted the Braves because of TBS. Growing up in a state without a team, I know I lived and died with them.
Watch that Tiger slander man, lol.
I can't believe the stink of Miami extended north across the border. The turd they are laying this season is definitely on the same level as the Angels/Dodgers.
Now way the Upton brothers make it through the season without imploding…
No*
but Miggy already won a ring back with the Marlins?
If Arod won a ring with the Mariners no one could talk bad about him.
Yeah. And a Triple Crown buys you out of criticism IMO. He's been great, all the time. Can't A Rod him. Our playoff struggles have been on the pitching more than anything.
Good round up Joe. Haven't been into baseball so far because of the playoffs, but will definitely get heavily involved soon…Hey no love for the NATS??? I mean we are behind ATL and I must say they are doing their thing, bust still though?? Nationals hands down will be going to the World series…
The Nats are definitely looking good. Maybe not as good as I thought, but they'll be right up there with Atlanta all season. Certainly helps the Marlins, Phillies, and Mets are all terrible.
Hands down? I'd take that up with Atlanta, St. Louis and Cincinnatti (however you spell it).
I'm not sure about the Braves. I can't keep thinking how stacked they were throughout the 90's and have ONE world series ring to show for it. Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and your fourth starter whether it be Kevin Milwood, Steve Avery, Denny Neagle, and they all had good seasons. The tigers with Sanchez, Scherzer, and verlander look to be a strong prediction to go all the way. However, the baseball season is a marathon not a sprint so it's a toss up. I remember in 2002 Oakland was barely clinging to a wild card spot all of a sudden they rattle off 26 straight wins and win the division, the angels weren't even there they got hot and won 99 games. In '06 and '11 St Louis would have finished near the bottom in any other division, but they snuck into the playoffs and won it all. (in 2006 they won 83 games) The Red Sox have also gone on runs (2004 specifically) teams have had 50+ wins at the break and finish in the 80's. So while it's good and Detroit looks to be the team let verlander rip or break something will Detroit survive? They do have the offense but pitching always wins out.
My recent post Cleaning Out The Proverbial Closet, To Kiss Or Not To Kiss And More…
Yeah baseball is tricky indeed. Teams can get hot and roll through October kinda like hockey teams behind a goalie who catches fire.
I'm more hopeful that prideful about the Tigers prediction. I think they have as good a shot as anyone…hopefully they don't see Texas in the playoffs. It seems like they can't ever seem to beat the Rangers.
I don't have faith in the Braves because I believe in the Nationals ability to get back to the top of that division and win it. I also think the Braves will implode at some point soon. And i'm going to love watching every minute of it. That said, I love their pitching, young talent and they play the game at a high level.
The Yankees surprised me this year, but I know those same Yankees will be back when all the injuries wear off and they put all those high priced players back out there who underperform. The Orioles will win that division. They've played a really tough schedule up until this point but they've got all the right pieces to win 7-3 stretches all year long. Tigers… enn… they're always around and you could pick them as a favorite every year. This year, I would really like to see my O's get to the ALCS and I think that will happen against the Tigers.
I called the Angels as stinking in training camp. That team doesn't fit together. You can't buy championships that way. The Dodgers will probably work it out over the course of the season, but the Angels are just waiting for the day that they get the green light to blow that team up and get some real talent with a sense of urgency.
World Series dream: Nats vs. O's — Come on this would be classic.
Realistic World Series: Tigers vs. Nats
Don't sleep on Davey!
A Beltway Series would be a lot of fun. Though I don't share your optimism about the Orioles. I DO think Machado gets overshadowed by Harper/Trout, and would like to see him get some shine. Just not at the expense of my Tigers, lol.
Not sure why you're so confident the Braves will collapse. Care to elaborate?
We talked about this, the Upton brothers will have an implosion. It's going to be better than Reality TV.
Its all about the new pitchers. esp being a mets fan… Harvey, Moore, Clay, Zimmerman young bulls pitching there behinds offs.
Thought you guys were crazy for giving up Dickey after last season. Had no idea the stable that was backing him up though.
They probably wouldn't have a losing record if they had kept him though.
I see you came up with an idea for Tuesday after all, huh, man? lolol. Great piece and synopsis. I'm a Yankee fan (don't start….I know…lol) albeit not a real die hard, so naturally I'm pleased with where they are at this early in the season.
What I am curious to find out as the season goes along is if my home state Cleveland Indians can keep up their current streak and fast start for the remainder of year. The last couple seasons many of my friends who are Indian fans were sorely disappointed on how they finished after strong starts. Terry Francona may be the answer to get them over the hump.
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Please reply back as I’m attempting to create my very own website and would love to know where you got this from or what the theme is called. Kudos!