AMERICAN LEAGUE
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American League East: Preview
Opening day is here and the season is under way. With a weekend of baseball under our belts, let’s preview the American League East set to the tune of the Grateful Dead’s “Help On the Way.” It’s an awesome jam for an awesome division. Let’s take a look . . . .
Help on the way
Well I know only this, I’ve got you today
The Tampa Bay Rays won the American League East last year, but they will struggle to do it again after being decimated this offseason when some of their best hitters, and entire bullpen, left town for fat contracts in bigger cities. Just when a Tampa Head could give up hope, the Rays signed Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. It’s a good attempt to replace what’s lost, but this Tampa team is a lot older and slower than last year. The Rays will rely on what remains of last year’s team – Evan Longoria, BJ Upton, and a great staff led by David Price – and hope to keep pace with the Red Sox and Yankees.
Tell me the cost
I can pay
Unlike Tampa, The Boston Red Sox made some big moves this offseason. The Red Sox limped through last year as their three best hitters all missed months of the season. To make up for lost time, the Red Sox paid up and traded up, acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford – a couple of moves that will set the team back close to a quarter billion dollars.
For all of the money Boston spends year in and year out, they have also demonstrated awesome ability to develop great rookies, and at the same time, seem to know just the right time to dump players before they get old and in the way. This Red Sox team looks scary good. It’s not just their offense either. The Red Sox have a good bullpen and their staff has three to four excellent arms, led by staff ace – John Lester.
‘Cause I love what I love and I want it that way
I will stay, one more day
The New York Yankees love winning and love winning with their “Core 4” of Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte. This offseason the Yankees resigned Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera and would have resigned Andy Pettitte if he didn’t retire. This is basically the same team as last year – an amazing offense backed by only two reliable starting pitchers, and the best closer ever, Mariano Rivera. The Yankees didn’t do much to improve this offseason, but anything can happen as the summer progresses.
Without love in the dream it’ll never come true
It may well be that the Baltimore Orioles are poised to do great things, or at least better things, after years of mediocrity. This offseason, the Orioles believed in the dream of winning the division and added three solid hitters in Derek Lee, Mark Reynolds and Vladimir Guerrero to upgrade a pretty decent lineup. Also take note, that the Orioles staff is not bad. Plus, the manager Buck Showalter has been making some sharp comments about other teams in the division – raising the intensity level can only be a good thing for this young team.
Finally, the Toronto Blue Jays will look to avoid last place this year. Last year, the Blue Jays hit more home runs than any other team, but couldn’t find enough good pitching to keep them at the top of the division. It makes you wonder what could have been had the Blue Jays not traded Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays can mash, but can’t pitch, and until they do, they will finish in the bottom half of the American League East.
Like a good Help > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, the race in the AL East will be tight this summer, with lots of great play. I’m not a betting man, but my guess is the Red Sox finish first, followed by the Yankees, Rays, Orioles and Blue Jays. But, watch out for those O’s – they are on the rise.
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American League Central: Preview
The American League Central is one of the most balanced divisions in baseball, where three of the five teams in the division have a great chance at winning it. The Minnesota Twins have won this division two years in a row and will look to do it again in 2011, but they will have to fend off improved teams in Detroit and Chicago to do so. The Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians likely won’t be competitive this summer, and will more or less, just be truckin’ on. And on that note, let’s take a look at the AL Central set to the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’” . . . .
Together, more or less in line
Just keep truckin’ on
The Detroit Tigers have two great hitters in their lineup and two great pitchers, and the rest is mostly filler. How far the Tigers go will completely depend on how well their complementary players like Austin Jackson, Ryan Raburn and Brennan Boesch hit, and how well their aces, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, pitch. If Verlander or Scherzer have a down year, the Tigers’ title hopes are toast, even with a strong bullpen. The Tigers will be competitive, but probably not division winners.
The Minnesota Twins somehow come out on top of this division year in and year out no matter who gets injured or leaves the team. The team has a great core of hitters in Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Delmon Young and very good pitching lead by Francisco Liriano. The Twins are well balanced, play hard and should win this division.
The Chicago White Sox are built around a bunch of big sluggers like Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin. But the White Sox have some speed too, lead by American League stolen base leader, Juan Pierre, and Alex Rios. The White Sox have good pitching, but their season will largely depend on the health of their ace, Jake Peavy. Peavy was dominant in the National League before the White Sox acquired him. He has been injured and inconsistent in Chicago, but will look to that around this season. In all likelihood, The White Sox will only go as far as Peavy takes them.
Knocked down, it gets to wearing thin
They just won’t let you be
The Cleveland Indians will not be good this year. The Indians demise can be traced to career altering injuries to the team’s top two hitters – Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore. But Cleveland’s offense does have some bright spots in outfielder, Shin-Soo Choo, and rookie catcher, Carlos Santana. Even if the Indians manage to score runs this season, The Indians’ pitching staff will prevent them from being competitive. The Indians staff recently featured two Cy Young winners in CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, but now is lead by shaky Fausto Carmona. This team is not good, will have trouble scoring and pitching, and will battle the Kansas City Royals for last place.
I guess they can’t revoke your soul for trying
The Kansas City Royals by all accounts have the best farm system in baseball. But the best farm system won’t help the Royals be competitive in 2011. The team has one proven hitter in their lineup in designated hitter, Billy Butler, and no proven pitchers other than closer, Joakim Soria. The Royals will not hit or pitch this summer and may lose over 100 games. But at least there’s a plan in Kansas City. Thanks for trying Kansas City. Things will get better soon.
Your typical city involved in a typical daydream
Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings
As a matter of record, the AL Central has produced one World Series champion in the last decade. Will the 2011 World Series winner emerge from the AL Central? If history tells us anything, it’s that more than likely, the thought of the World Series champion emerging from the AL Central is just a daydream. Look for the Twins to win the division, followed by the White Sox, Tigers, Indians and Royals.
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American League West: Preview
The American League is the only division in baseball to have four teams, instead of five or six. Interestingly enough, no two teams in the AL West are alike. The A’s are built on pitching, the Rangers on hitting, the Angels on balance and the Mariners are just trying to get it together. So, let’s take a look at the AL West set to the tune of the Grateful Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower,” as the division’s four teams match the four winds in Franklin’s Tower . . . .
In Franklin’s Tower the four winds sleep
Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep
The Oakland A’s rotation features four great young aces in Brett Anderson, Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Dallas Braden to go along with a very good bullpen. By any measure, Oakland has the best pitching in the division. It’s a good thing, because the A’s lineup has been weak for years though the A’s tried to improve offensively with additions like Hideki Matsui and Josh Willingham. Regardless of their offense, the A’s pitching should be enough to keep them competitive all season long. Who knows? This team may very well win this division without a legitimate superstar on the team.
Some come to laugh their past away
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have better hitting than the A’s and better starting pitching than the Texas Rangers, but despite their balance, the Angels may not be able to keep up with either team. The Angels added Vernon Wells to the lineup and added Dan Haren to the pitching staff to create formidable 1-2 punch with ace, Jered Weaver. But in all likelihood, the fate of the Angels season rests on how well first baseman Kendrys Morales’ leg heals after he broke it celebrating a home run on home plate last season. If Morales if fully recovered the Angels will go far. Without him, the Angels will fall just short. Let’s hope Morales and the Angels can laugh away the past and stay competitive this season.
Some come to make it just one more day
The Texas Rangers won this division last year and look to do it again this year. The Rangers lineup, lead by American League MVP, Josh Hamilton, should be able to score runs at will, even against the best pitchers in baseball. Though the Rangers’ pitching will not be as good as last year having lost pitching ace, Cliff Lee, it seems they have enough good pitchers lead by CJ Wilson and closer Neftali Feliz to win again.
It can ring like fire when you lose your way
Lastly, there are the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners had good ideas last year in assembling an amazing staff of Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee and Erik Bedard. But Bedard was injured, Lee was traded and now the Mariners are left with one good pitcher and no offense at all, with the exception of Ichiro Suzuki. By all appearances, it appears the Mariners have lost their way. The Mariners better get it together soon, or they will be looking at last place for years to come.
Roll Away the Dew
Roll Away the Dew
So, what will it be? With the exception of the Mariners, the AL West looks to be competitive all summer long. The A’s and Angels will both be very good, but ultimately, the Rangers have too much hitting and just enough pitching to repeat as the winners of the AL West.
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