March 04, 2006
A.L. East Division Preview
By Mack R.
Editor's Note: Welcome new blog writer, Mack R. Mack will be writing about Baseball in general, and the Mets, in particular. But today he looks at the American League.
The A.L. East is up for grabs this year with the Blue Jays as the new kid in town. Who will take home the title? This division is up for grabs this year...
Blue Jays
I liked to see the Blue Jays acquire some hot bats & I think that it will help them tremendously. Troy Glaus is still young and still full of power. This team is very young and growing. I think the pitching is where they really did improve. Burnett has continuous talent that I believe will carry into this organization and continue to progress this year. The Jays are a team on the rise.
Yankees
Now on to the Yankees: The Bronx Bombers still need some helpers in the pitching department. I am still not at all convinced that they will be healthy enough to have a successful pitching season. Plus, Randy Johnson is getting older and will have to push even harder this year to be a good asset. Hitting wise, the story is a lot different. I believe this team has the best offense in baseball. They are absolutely flawless. The signing of Johnny Damon was just the icing on the cake. This lineup has potential hall of famers all over it. Good luck to anyone who thinks they can compete with the New York offense.
Red Sox
As for the Red Sox, I still have faith in them and I would love to see them win the division this year but the fact that they got rid of Damon really hurts them at the top of the order. Coco Crisp will fall a little short when it comes to replacing him. I like his chances, though. The pitching is strong, for the most part. Josh Beckett has come in and I think he can provide a solid year like last year when he posted 15 wins. He can use that statistic to beef up the wins category. Schilling only had eight wins last year. I know he is capable of better even though he is getting up there with age. Wakefield is always a good go, but he is on his way to retirement. The hitting will have to be the strong point on this team. Getting Mike Lowell helped them, and they still have Nixon, Manny and Oritz. I like their chances this year.
Devil Rays
The D-Rays are a rebuilding team with high hopes this year. They are not quite there yet but I think they're closer then everybody thinks. They will be competing with tough teams in this division. The pitching is slowly progressing. I love the young stars who are hitting well. Guys like Johnny Gomes, Aubrey Huff, and Delmon Young can make this club a competitor.
Orioles
The situation in Baltimore is simple. They went up, and then they went down. They just seem to have lost it all on the pitching side of things. I like Daniel Cabrera, but he is a little wild, which I think will play a factor in his success. Erik Bedard, Rodrigo Lopez, and John Maine combined for just 36 wins last year and 33 losses. They have potential but they need to win more. I don't like their chances with pitching. With hitting, it's a so-so situation. Miguel Tejada is probably the only guy that can hit. Javy Lopez could first base and he's not happy about it so his numbers might go down, he only had 15 homers last season. I see the Orioles as possibly the worst team in baseball.
Prediction for AL East Winners in 2006:
1. Yankees
2. Blue Jays
3. Red Sox
4. Devil-Rays
5. Orioles
I agree that the Blue Jays improved, but divisional champs? I don't think so. I can't wait to see what you say about the Mets- there is a team that has improved many places except the most imortant, pitching. The Mets let Bensen and Seo go, and for what? The Mets got a closer now, but what good will that do if the team can't get to Wagner with a lead?
So who wrote this story?
If it was in fact Derek, I take back my comment, of course you should pick the Jays.
I feel silly because the list now has the Yankees at the top. What made you change your mind? AND...who is the writer of the story above?
1. Mack R.
2. Derek
3. Lefty
I cannot agree. What did the Blue Jays need from last year? Everything, and they got a little bit of everything, hitting, pitching, and relief. What did the Red Sox need from last year? Pitching and defense, and they went out and got great defense, and a potentially INCREDABLE pitching staff. And last, what did the Yankees need? Pitching. What did they get? Hitting. And they will still finish top of the division? Assuming everyone on the Sox is healthy, the Red Sox will take the division. Red Sox and Yankees had the same record last year, and only one team truely improved.....besides, the saying isn't hitting and new center fielders win championships.
And Yankeesonshine-
I believe it was Mack R. who wrote this-
"Editor's Note: Welcome new blog writer, Mack R. Mack will be writing about Baseball in general, and the Mets, in particular. But today he looks at the American League."
Sloan,
I can read what was written, My question was related to something else that was changed from the story.
And as far as for your thoughts on how the Red Sox improved:
Yes, they POTENTIALLY MAY have improved their pitching, but they have DEFINITLY HAVE declined in other areas, ie CF and SS. They do say you need to be "strong up the middle", and the Sox are now weaker.
Yankees-
I was just trying to help. I thought you didn't see the editor's note. I meant no offense by it.
As for strong up the middle, they mean defesively, and Alex Gonzalez is one of the best defesive short stops in the game, as in top 3. I'm sure Edgar is a fine player and just couldn't cut it in Boston ( I hope, because I drafted him in the YSI), but anything replacing 31 errors is an upgrade.
As for Coco and Damon. Damon has the edge now, and I'll be first to admitt that I am not happy he is gone. But there is not player I would rather have replace him than Coco Crisp. From what he is capable of doing, and what he has already accomplished just goes to show how great of a player he is and will be. While one player is entering thier peak (2-3 years away), the other player is on the decline (1-2 years away). While Damon gets older, Coco stays young. The way I look at these two, is it's like buying gas. You could get the high octaine, and it might sound better, or run a little better, but regular unleaded, will do the same darn job and performance, and some people won't even see a difference. One is $52 million a gallon, and the other $2.75 million a gallon. Both do the same job, one might do it a little better, but most of the time, it's just a waste of money.
The Red Sox already have/had great offense. They needed to improve defesivly and did. And if thier pitching looks as good as it does on paper, the Yankees streak will be over.
Sloan,
I wasn't offended by your help, I was just trying to let you know that there is more going on than that.
As for your assesment of the Sox: Rose colored glasses come to mind. I also know what is meant by "strong up the middle". I was unaware that Gonzalez was a gold glove winner (he must be if he is top 3 defensively). Maybe you can explain why the Venezuelan team would drop a top 3 SS from their WBC roster? And while I think Coco Crisp has a tremendous upside, two full seasons does not even entitle him to be mentioned with the likes of a proven player such as Damon.
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