Now that the season is a little over a quarter away, there has been a lot of excitement, and even a few surprises, that has given the fans something to talk about. Who would have thought that the Yankees would be almost 10 games behind their division rival, the Red Sox? Who would have guessed that the Milwaukee Brewers would dominate the National League Central? Do the St. Louis Cardinals now really look like the defending world champions? Despite all the action, here’s a look at the current top four baseball teams and how they’ll finish:
milwaukee brewers
Sports Illustrated thought the defending world champion St. Louis Cardinals would be the division leader. This is definitely not the case. This ball club has sent the message that you don’t have to have a high payroll to be a winner as they only have the 18th highest salary in the MLB. With big efforts from their starting rotation (and a little help from a rising youth offense), the Brewers have shown they can command a commanding lead in the NL Central. JJ Hardy has continued to put up breakthrough numbers, poised to have a 40+ HR, 120+ RBI season. Powerful lefties Prince Fielder and Geoff Jenkins add veteran experience to the young offense, which currently ranks second in the MLB in home runs. However, while the starting rotation has been great, the team may need to look for a left-handed reliever to optimize its bullpen, as the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros could both make a late-season run.
My prediction: Brewers hold on to win the division
detroit tigers
Despite the unfortunate injuries to pitchers Kenny Rogers and Joel Zumaya, the Tigers have continued to impress, just as they did last season as American League champions. With an offense that can hit, bunt, steal and throw long balls, there’s no question this team will be in a postseason rush. However, with injuries to Jeremy Bonderman and Kenny Rogers, the team may need to find a way to make up for this loss if these players are unhealthy. The Cleveland Indians have been on the tail of the Tiger all season, and there’s no doubt that it will all come down to a matter of the last two games between these two baseball clubs. However, with the ongoing production of emerging Magglio Ordonez and offseason acquisition Gary Sheffield, there’s no question this team is even better than last year.
My prediction: The Tigers hold their own all the time and win the division by a few games over the Indians.
New York Mets
This team was hands down the team to beat in the National League last season, and the same can be said for this year. With unexpected production from pitchers John Maine and Oliver Pérez, the team has found a way to make up for injuries suffered by ace Pedro Martínez and starter Orlando Hernández. The offense continues to receive contributions from everyone, especially star shortstop José Reyes, who is on pace to steal close to 100 bases. Youngsters David Wright and Carlos Beltrán have improved from last year, providing the backbone of this offense. But the Atlanta Braves aren’t far behind, and the team may be forced to sign another veteran starter in July if they want to clinch the division championship, assuming Pedro Martinez can’t return.
My prediction: The Mets starting pitcher starts to struggle and loses the division to the Braves, but clinches the wild card.
Boston Red Sox
Hands down, this team has the best pitching staff in all of baseball, and any one of their 4 starters could be an ace for another baseball club. Free agent recruits Julio Lugo and JD Drew have gotten off to slow starts, but there’s no doubt that when these players arrive, this will be one of the best teams in baseball. Not to mention, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez continue to show why they can be the most feared 3-4 hitters in the game. If the team stays healthy, you can be sure of a postseason berth. His pitching will be the key to his success, and closer Jonathan Papelbon will provide plenty of security to the back of his pitching staff.
My prediction: Boston easily wins a division title.