Almost Halfway Home Part 2

Almost Halfway Home

 

Yesterday we took a look at the American League and where things stand at the almost halfway point of the season. Today we will take a look at the National League. The NL in my opinion is a lot easier to figure out as there are six teams, two in each division, that are clearly better than the rest of the pack. The five playoff teams will all come from this group with one being left out in the cold. Let’s take a look at what’s happened thus far and what to expect going forward.

 

NL EAST

-Something about the East divisions is breeding mediocrity this season. Every team is still in the hunt but that unfortunately isn’t because of skill, more so because the two teams who are clearly the best in the division have failed to distance themselves. Come the second half I see that changing and Washington and Atlanta will separate themselves from the pack. The Nationals have dealt with a myriad of injuries but they are starting to get back the reinforcements needed. Gio Gonzalez just returned from a DL stint, Bryce Harper will be beginning his rehab assignment soon, and Wilson Ramos should be back any day now. Matt Williams will be faced with a tough challenge when his squad returns to full strength as he’s going to need to find at bats for a lot of guys and positions for them to play. Ryan Zimmerman has moved to left field and played well, and is also much more comfortable out there, allowing Anthony Rendon to move to third base (his natural position). When Harper comes back what do you do with Zimmerman? Playing him at third is a liability because of his arm and also moving Rendon back to second midway through the year could hurt his performance. So if you don’t make that move do you play Zimmerman at first? Adam LaRoche has been one of the best hitters on the team and taking him out of the lineup would be insane. Williams says it’s a good problem to have but I’ll be honest, I don’t want to be in his shoes making those decisions. Atlanta just recently lost their third pitcher to a season ending injury but luckily for them they sent Alex Wood down to the minors to get stretched out with the intention of starting. The decision to sit Dan Uggla despite his pay has finally been made and Tommy LaStella has been awesome. Giving them much better hitting and defense along with a top of the order spark plug has breathed some new life into the Braves. Speaking of awesome, Evan Gattis has played out of this world and should be making the trip to Minnesota for the All-Star Game. We all knew Gattis could swing the bat and be an offensive force but the question remained how he would perform defensively when catching every day. Well he’s passed that test and put those questions to rest. Is he an all world defender? Of course not, but he is playing well enough that he isn’t a liability to the team in the field. The Miami Marlins have been a pleasant surprise thanks in large part to a healthy Giancarlo Stanton and run producing machine Casey McGehee. Also, despite losing all world starter Jose Fernandez the rotation has been solid. Recent call up Andrew Heaney has shown that he is a player to watch in the future and pairing him up with a healthy Jose Fernandez will make this team a contender. The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are both a non-contending mess so we’re going to kill two birds with one stone here. Both teams need changes at GM and a radical shift in drafting and development. The Mets future is brighter due to all their pitching talent but that talent needs to step up on the big league level and produce. Ruben Amaro Jr. somehow still has a job which is an amazing feat considering how terrible he has been as of late. However, given how terrible and dirty the city of Philly and its fans are it’s a good thing to see them suffer through this bad stretch. 

 

NL CENTRAL

-Coming into the season everyone predicted that the St. Louis Cardinals would run away with the NL Central and that it would be their division to lose. The Milwaukee Brewers heard this and collectively said “not so fast.” With excellent pitching, the return of Ryan Braun, and the national breakout of Jonathan Lucroy, the Brewers looked poised to take the division and leave St. Louis fighting for a wild card spot. The Cardinals are too good to miss the playoffs but all season they’ve sort of sputtered along not being able to go on a run like we are accustomed to seeing from them. Recent injuries and DL stints for Michael Wacha and Jaime Garcia won’t help matters but there is enough depth here to keep them afloat for the time being. The Pittsburgh Pirates were the story of the season last year but this year has been a completely different story. The starting pitching has been nowhere near the level it was a year ago and neither is Jason Grilli who has been demoted out of the closer role due to ineffectiveness. The Pirates have found a lineup fixture for years to come in uber prospect Gregory Polanco. Polanco is going to be a fantastic player and will form arguably the best outfield in all of baseball with Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen. Cincinnati has been a disappointment as well, underperforming compared to recent years. The only bright spot for them this year has been Cy Young frontrunner Johnny Cueto. With his Luis Tiant delivery and ability to get guys out despite pitching in the very hitter friendly Great American Ballpark, Cueto is very comfortably in the lead for the hardware come season’s end. The Chicago Cubs have stated all along that next year was the year they were going to spend money and have the kids in the farm system ready to play so this year was another throwaway for the Wrigley faithful. However, odds are the team will be trading both Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, which should fetch them some decent returns to add to the mix. Add in the continued improvement of Anthony Rizzo, and the forthcoming promotion of masher Kris Bryant and the hope is there in Chicago.

 

NL WEST

-Before the season began I predicted the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the NL West and be a dark horse contender for the World Series. Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thanks to terrible play by everyone not named Goldschmidt or Montero that isn’t going to happen. The Diamondbacks were hit by the injury bug also but so have plenty of other teams that are playing through it much better. They gave up a lot of the wrong talent for guys they described as “gritty” fitting the mold of overrated manager Kirk Gibson and it has blown up in their face. Colorado is getting an MVP like season from Troy Tulowitzki who has managed to stay healthy. Their offensive numbers at home are unfathomable but their pitching numbers at home or on the road are not good at all. Tulowitzki has enough talent to keep the team relevant down the stretch but getting a wild card spot won’t happen. The San Diego Padres just recently fired their GM Josh Byrnes and with good reason because this team cannot hit and its “star” players would welcome the Mendoza Line with open arms. This is a team that may need to take the Houston Astros approach and just gut the whole team and farm system in order to start over. The two teams left in the division and virtual locks for the postseason (Giants and Dodgers), are going to be involved in a dogfight throughout the summer for control of the division. San Francisco has performed well above expectations, whereas the Dodgers have performed well below expectations but there is so much talent, especially on the pitching end for Los Angeles that they can still manage to stay in the race. Buster Posey has come to life as of late and Michael Morse has been a great signing for San Fran. GM Brian Sabean is known to be aggressive and go all in if he has to at the trade deadline (see Beltran, Carlos), and the results are mixed but the effort deserves applause. Look for this team to be a contender for David Price if Tampa trades him, which I think they will. Yasiel Puig is proving he is not a one year wonder and he is the barometer of the Dodgers through and through. As Puig goes, this team goes. They have great pitching and are starting to get positive contributions from Matt Kemp and Dee Gordon who looks like he has figured things out and is showing the talent we’ve all known was there.

As far as how I see things playing out in the National League, I truly do think it comes down to the six teams mentioned above. Five of them will make up the playoff field, it’s just a question of where they finish. One very good team will be left out but the race down the stretch will be an exciting one for sure.

NL East- Washington

NL Central- Milwaukee

NL West- Los Angeles

Wild Cards- San Francisco and St. Louis (just barely over Atlanta)

I see the Cardinals taking the Wild Card Game and moving on to face the Dodgers. Los Angeles will defeat St. Louis in the NLDS and Milwaukee will take care of Washington in a very tough hard fought series. The Dodgers will make the World Series an all West Coast affair and go on to face Oakland in the Fall Classic. The Dodgers would be a tough matchup for Oakland but I have to stick with my original prediction and say the Oakland Athletics will be taking home the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Almost Halfway Home

Almost Halfway Home

 

 

Time sure does fly when you’re having fun. We are somehow crazily approaching the halfway point of the 2014 MLB season and like most years we really haven’t figured much out when it comes to how things will end up come October. We’re going to take this opportunity to look at every division and how things are going thus far, and also predicting how things will turn out. Today we will look at the American League and tomorrow take a look at the National League.

AL EAST

-The AL East is one of the more confusing divisions in baseball. We know for sure that the Tampa Bay Rays are out of the race and Boston very well could be if they can’t get things together and start getting production from their outfield. Boston having a World Series hangover is certainly understandable but for now as much as I would like to count them out I can’t. This looks like it could very well be a three team race. The current division leaders are the Toronto Blue Jays, but both the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees are on their tail. Every one of these teams have glaring holes and are the definition of mediocre but someone has to win the division, even if they play like no one wants to. Toronto just got hit hard by the injury bug as Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie are going to miss some time. Lawrie most likely more than Bautista. These injuries hurt a very good offense and a middle of the pack pitching staff. When Toronto was completely healthy they were the Major League version of a Peyton Manning team. Who cares how much they gave up because odds are they’re going to score more. If Toronto can swing a trade for Jeff Samardzija and get everyone healthy they could be the team that starts to run away with the division. Baltimore is being carried by Nelson Cruz and his 23 home runs and 60 RBI. Chris Davis, Manny Machado, J.J. Hardy and whomever they trot out there to play 2nd base have been inconsistent and playing far below their career lines. Cruz shouldn’t be able to keep up this production, so unless those guys step up and start showing improvement this team will fall out of the race in the second half. The Yankees have been somewhat of a surprise in the respect that they have a negative run differential but do have a winning record. Their problems are the same ones that were a concern at the beginning of the season. Their infield is atrocious, especially Derek Jeter. I know it’s sacreligious to speak ill of The Captain but he is both an offensive and defensive liability. Kelly Johnson may be the worst fielder in the history of the game and now that Yangervis Solarte came crashing back to Earth they have very few offensive weapons that are playing well. The good things as far as the Yankees are concerned this season are their bullpen, more specifically Adam Warren, Shawn Kelley, and the closer in waiting Dellin Betances. These guys have performed fantastically when given the opportunity to have a lead. Also, the Rookie of the Year and frontrunner for the Cy Young Award Masahiro Tanaka has eclipsed any expectations that may have been placed on him by management and fans. Every fifth day when he starts is appointment television and a game the Yankees are expected to win. I see the Yankees staying in contention for the division due to the overall mediocrity of the East and a deadline deal that will help them stay afloat. If Toronto cannot swing a trade for Samardzija or gets hit harder by injuries then this will be the Yankees division to lose. Otherwise, Drake will be able to party at the Rogers Centre with his hometown team and new favorite team.

AL CENTRAL

-The AL Central is arguably the most competitive division in the game this season. The Tigers, Royals, and Indians are at the top as expected but Minnesota and Chicago are not rolling over for anyone and are playing very competitively. The White Sox found a revelation in Jose Abreu who has torn the American League apart with his power stroke. He is among the league leaders in home runs and RBIs and is showing no signs of slowing down. They won’t be a contender this year but there are some pieces in place for the future. Minnesota was expected to be one of the worst, if not the worst team in the league but they have been extremely surprising. The biggest reason for their success is their very much improved pitching staff. Phil Hughes has been one of the best signings of the offseason and should be finding his way onto the All-Star team in his home park. Many people wrote him off after his disappointing stint with the Yankees but his stuff and his attitude were never the problem. He was a fly ball pitcher playing in a sandbox at Yankee Stadium. Now that he is pitching in a bigger park and one much more pitcher friendly he is thriving. The Indians are technically in the AL Central race but thanks to an extremely inconsistent offense I don’t see them going to the postseason this year. The Kansas City Royals have gotten themselves right in the middle of the division race and could very well win it thanks to an excellent pitching staff and excellent defense. They do however need to hit better if they want to stay in the thick of things, especially for power. They’ve done better lately with the power numbers after they were nonexistent to start the season but still need to improve. I don’t see any kind of dramatic trade deadline move from them but they were my preseason pick to win the division and I’m going to stick with it. The Tigers are a very unusual team. They are good there’s no question about that, but this year seems to be a year in which they are the most beatable they’ve been in a while. Justin Verlander has been terribly inconsistent, they have the worst bullpen in the game, and they get no production from the shortstop position. Despite all of that though, with guys like Scherzer and Sanchez and bats like Miguel Cabrera’s, Ian Kinsler’s and Victor Martinez’s this team isn’t missing out on the postseason. Whether they win the division or grab one of the two wild card spots this is a playoff team. One or two minor bullpen tweaks will be what decides their fate and whether they raise another division banner or are forced to play a one and done wildcard game.

AL WEST

-If the AL East has been the most mediocre division and the AL Central the most competitive, the AL West may very well be the most fun. Things aren’t necessarily shaking out the way many predicted but these teams from top to bottom are great to watch. The Houston Astros are still the worst team in the division but with call ups of Springer and Singleton and the development of guys like Altuve, Castro, Dominguez, Keuchel, and Cosart, fans are starting to see what all the hype was about when the farm system was being rebuilt. I wholeheartedly believe this team will dominate this division in 2-3 years but for now they can take solace in the fact that they are much more competitive and no team is treating them like a doormat anymore. No team in baseball this year and possibly in recent history has been hit harder by injuries than the Texas Rangers. Whether it be their rotation, their big money run producer, or the bullpen, there is no area of the team that has gone unscathed. Ron Washington has done a great job with the hand he was dealt and deserves a lot of credit but this team has to chalk this season up as a loss and look to come back strong next season. The Seattle Mariners are an improved team thanks to Robinson Cano and his hitting prowess, even if that hitting hasn’t resulted in many home runs. The pitching is good as usual with rotation anchors Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma pitching well. The bullpen is improved but the story as always with Seattle is the offense. They play in the Sahara Desert a.k.a. Safeco Field, where offense goes to die, and it doesn’t help that other than Cano there isn’t one above average hitter or threat in the lineup. Their pitching will keep them in a lot of games and I could see them lasting until the end for the second wild card spot but they will come up short. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim finally have a respectable rotation and a healthy team around Mike Trout so it should be no surprise then that they are winning. Like the Tigers this team suffers from an abysmal bullpen, so look for them to be very active come the trade deadline and after with waiver wire deals. Garrett Richards has been spectacular this year and is overtaking Jered Weaver as the best pitcher on the staff and the ace of the staff. I see these Angels making the improvements they need and grabbing one of the wild card spots. A matchup against the Tigers in the one and done game is a very good possibility and a game no fan should miss if it happens. Last but not least we have the best and most entertaining team in all of baseball the Oakland Athletics. Despite losing their top two starters in spring training the A’s have amassed the best record in baseball and have an unheard of run differential of +135. The next closest team, the San Francisco Giants, trails them by 86 runs. I predicted before the season started that not only would Oakland win the AL West again but would go on to win the World Series. They’ve done nothing to make me sway from that decision and have actually made my belief even stronger. Oakland is clearly the best and deepest team in baseball and the only thing that can stop them is themselves.

Once the trade deadline passes the picture in the American League will become that much clearer. As of right now very few teams are actually out of the race but that will change soon. Putting my prognosticating hat on once more I see things ending like this:

AL East-Toronto

AL Central-Kansas City

AL West-Oakland

Wild Cards-Detroit and Anaheim

 

From there I see Oakland getting over their Detroit hump of recent years just as it took the Pistons time to get past the Celtics and the Bulls to get past the Pistons back in the late 80’s and early 90’s of the NBA. Due to better pitching and better defense I see Kansas City making a real statement in their first playoff appearance in 29 years and taking care of business against Toronto and reaching the ALCS. The Cinderella story ends there though as Oakland will be too much for Kansas City to handle and the Athletics make the World Series for the first time since 1990 and the days of the Bash Brothers.

We will be back tomorrow to take a look at the National League and how things will shake out in the Senior Circuit. Who will win their divisions? Who will face Oakland in the World Series? Check in tomorrow for those answers and more.

Legends Never Die

Legends Never Die

 

Growing up in a time before the internet became the internet and there was no such thing as MLB Extra Innings, a young baseball fan on the east coast had to rely on Sportscenter and other highlight shows to get the baseball fix they needed. Getting to see short snippets and highlights of players didn’t truly allow you to appreciate their skills and in some cases their greatness. This is where Tony Gwynn comes in. Growing up of course I knew how good he was and how skilled of a hitter he was, but I was completely unaware of just how great of a player he was. As coverage expanded and more and more outlets became available to watch the game and my maturity allowed me to appreciate the nuances of the game and its players, my eyes became wide open to the fact that Tony Gwynn was without a doubt the greatest hitter of my lifetime. Not only that though, but it became obvious that there were very few hitters who could measure up to him all time. 

His stats were and continue to be absolutely mesmerizing. Spending 20 seasons with the same team was something refreshing to see because it didn’t happen much then and certainly doesn’t now. He amassed over 3,000 hits (3,141 to be precise), he hit safely in 70% of the games he played in, had a.338 career batting average, 19 straight seasons with a .300 average or better, 15 All-Star Game appearances, 8 Batting Titles, 7 Silver Slugger Awards, and 5 Gold Gloves. Perhaps even more astonishing than these accolades is the fact that in his career against the three headed monster of Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz he struck out only 3 times in 265 at bats (Maddux amazingly never struck him out). Also, he had eight seasons in his career where he struck out fewer than 20 times, only once in his career having a three strikeout game. Gwynn wasn’t just a legendary and Hall of Fame player but a person as well.

Reading all the articles and tributes in his honor one thing is clear. Gwynn was a better man than he was a baseball player, and reading the stats above you can see where he stood as a player. Gwynn always made himself available to the media, was always charming and open with his responses, and most of all he loved talking hitting. Hell I would too if I was as good at it as he was. He was the master of hitting the opposite way, through the 5.5 hole between third base and shortstop.

The baseball world lost a top member of its fraternity today and a man whose legend will never be forgotten. Heaven needed a new hitting instructor and God got himself the best there was. Rest in Peace Mr. Padre.

The Curious Case of Adam Wainwright: Can Greatness Be Underrated?

The Curious Case of Adam Wainwright: Can Greatness Be Underrated?

 

 

Adam Wainwright grew up in Georgia, watching and idolizing the likes of Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Avery. Using what he learned from those guys and combining it with his own natural abilities, he has gone on to be one of the best pitchers in the game since his debut. So how is it that we still underrate him?

Forget the fact that Wainwright has one of if not the best curveballs this game has ever seen. Truthfully, it’s a thing of beauty that should be in a museum and marveled at. Still don’t believe me? Ask Carlos Beltran about it. Forget about the fact that Wainwright was thrust as a rookie into the closer role and excelled at it, including in the playoffs where he was a crucial part of the Cardinals World Series win. Forget the fact that after Tommy John Surgery Wainwright changed the way he pitched yet continued to be great. Lastly, forget the fact that Wainwright has never won a Cy Young Award. Besides, if he keeps pitching the way he has this season that will no longer be the case. Forget all of that and remember this; Adam Wainwright is better than great. He is an absolute all timer.

Wainwright learned at the foot of Chris Carpenter, another great and underrated pitcher. You can see a lot of Carpenter in Wainwright including the bulldog hate to lose mentality and the acceptance of nothing short of perfection. Wainwright ranks 2nd all-time in Cardinals history in strikeouts, behind only Bob Gibson, has won 2 Gold Gloves, and led the NL in wins twice. Pitching over 200 innings 4 times, missing a 5th by 1 out, and well on his way to that benchmark again this season, there are none more dependable than Wainwright.

A few weeks ago during Sunday Night Baseball a story was told about Wainwright texting Clayton Kershaw and basically telling him he was coming for the Cy Young and it would be his this year. Due to Kershaw starting the year on the DL and that win at all costs attitude, there was no reason to doubt Wainwright. With a 2.15 ERA and an almost 4.5 to 1 K/BB ratio the award is his to lose. The last piece of the legacy puzzle will fit into place and Wainwright will be well on his way to Cooperstown when he hangs up the spikes.

The Big Orange Juice is Starting to Look Half Full

The Big Orange Juice is Starting to Look Half Full

 

 

Being a Houston Astros fan the last few years had been a practice in futility for the present and an unbearable practice of patience for the future. As the old saying goes though, “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” Well if you look close enough out in left field just above the train you’ll see the sun starting to rise and dawn starting to break. 

We’ve heard all the names: Springer, Singleton, Correa, Appel, DeShields Jr. but now we’re starting to see the faces on the Major League level. First up was George Springer, the right fielder and arguably best player in the system. Springer came up and didn’t perform well out of the gate but he turned things around and won himself the AL Rookie of the Month Award for May. He hit .294 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI, showing the Houston faithful what they could come to expect for the future. Then came Jon Singleton. Singleton became the first player in history without any Major League service time to sign an extension. He was called up to the Big Leagues the next day amid scrutiny over the deal. Many people feel that Singleton hurt his future earnings by banking on himself now and allowing an unprecedented three team options to be part of the deal. Truth be told it should matter to no one other than Singleton and his family what kind of deal he signs so if they’re comfortable with it we should be too. Singleton had some nerves in his first game last night striking out twice and committing two errors but he also took a 3-1 pitch out deep to right center and got the fans on their feet. After reaching the dugout the cameras picked up on something that hasn’t been seen for a long time in an Astros dugout. Smiles and dancing surrounded Singleton, the biggest one belonging to Springer, and in that instance it showed that this team is starting to believe in themselves and their talents. The future is now.

In addition to Springer and Singleton there are many other instances of this team finally putting things together. There’s All-Star catcher Jason Castro who is not hitting as well as he has in the past but is still getting himself on base. Dexter Fowler who came over in the offseason from Colorado has given the Astros another guy who can get on base and has played some great defense in centerfield, which is no easy task in Houston with Tal’s Hill. Matt Dominguez mans the hot corner with ease and could find his way to a Gold Glove in the future. Lastly on offense there’s Jose Altuve, the smallest guy in baseball who just happens to be 5th in the AL in batting average and 1st in hits. He has been batting leadoff a lot though he is more of a prototypical two hitter but wherever you put him he’s going to hit. On the pitching side of things the bullpen is still a work in progress but Astros starters have pitched very well this year. Scott Feldman has given the rotation a veteran presence and although he’s been up and down thus far can be a good example for the young guys to follow. Speaking of those young guys, Collin McHugh has finally put everything together and pitched to a 2.52 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. There is also Jarred Cosart who is proving that he can be a middle of the rotation/back end starter on a successful major league team. At only 24 years of age he still has some improving to do but he’s showing enough signs that the improvement will come with time. Finally, the hidden gem of the Astros rotation is lefty Dallas Keuchel who leads the team in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Despite a very short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park, the lefty has pitched extraordinary at home against right handers and should absolutely find himself in Minnesota for the All-Star Game.

The Astros will not contend this season but the future is certainly now. Carlos Correa could see some time at the Big League level when September call ups roll around, Mark Appel will be hitting the Majors around the same time, and Houston is also armed with the number 1 overall pick in the 2014 Amateur Draft. If they can shore up their bench and improve the bullpen this team will rule the AL West for many years to come.

If a Team Out West Makes Noise Does Anyone Hear It?

If a Team Out West Makes Noise Does Anyone Hear It?

 

At this point in the season I shouldn’t have to be breaking news to anyone who follows the game of baseball but just in case I have to, everyone needs to know, the Oakland A’s are good. I’m sorry, scratch that, the Oakland A’s are dominant. Analysts want to concentrate on a division with five mediocre teams all grouped around .500 and call it a competitive race but the A’s just keep wasting away the competition out west.

When looking at this team the first and most important thing that jumps out at you is their run differential. Oakland is +112 in run differential which is staggering enough in itself but when you take into account that number is +61 runs better than the 2^nd place team (San Francisco) it really opens your eyes to just how dominant they have been. When Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin went down most thought it spelled doom for Oakland as they were two of their best pitchers. However, Billy Beane being the genius he is was well prepared. First he signed Scott Kazmir coming off his career rejuvenating year, banking on the fact that Kazmir was in fact back to form and bringing him to a pitcher’s park in Oakland would only help improve those stats. Next, Beane looked into his bullpen and saw Jesse Chavez, a four pitch pitcher who could translate well to the rotation, and translate he has. Chavez has been a revelation as a starter. Having Sonny Gray ready to step in the rotation and pitch phenomenally has also helped. I can’t remember a starter who primarily threw two pitches being the dominant force Gray has been. Thanks to this three headed monster, the team’s biggest weakness turned into its biggest strength. Beane did a phenomenal job filling out the rest of the roster as well making Oakland one of, if not the deepest teams in baseball. Finding the right guys at the right price has always been Mr. Moneyball’s biggest strength and he’s showing he hasn’t lost his touch yet.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the most valuable player in the American League not named Cabrera or Trout and that man is Josh Donaldson. Donaldson is the heart and soul of the Oakland A’s and the most underrated player in the game.  He had a coming out party last season and is showing that it was no fluke. When you can package a gold glove level defense together with a smart, patient, power hitter you feel like you’ve hit the lottery. Also, there’s no one in the game with a better hairstyle than Donaldson’s hybrid mullethawk.

As the season goes on Oakland is going to continue to prevail on its way to having home field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. Their depth and rotation will be a huge advantage come playoff time as will their loud, ravenous crowd that makes A’s games as must see as their play does. They just have to hope they get some luck on their side and don’t have to see Justin Verlander.

Did Mariano Rivera Kill the Closer Role?

Did Mariano Rivera Kill the Closer Role?

 

At the end of last season when Mariano Rivera retired from the game of baseball, could anyone have predicted he would possibly retire the closer role as well? This season has seen perhaps the shakiest outings by “closers” in recent memory. Quite a few teams (A’s, Mets, Cubs, and Indians) have already switched closers at least once this season and there are other teams whose closers should be on a short leash (Tampa, Seattle, and Detroit).

There are currently three closers I would feel absolute confidence in to get the job done and shut the door on a game. Those three closers are Craig Kimbrel, Greg Holland, and Huston Street. Three closers out of 30! Granted maybe this could just be a bad year for closers but pitching continues to dominate the game like its 1968 all over again. So how exactly can pitching be so dominant yet closing pitchers be so ineffective?

Despite having three excellent closers still left in the game, it might be time managers and front office personnel shift away from having one specific pitcher to do the job in the 9^th inning. We’ve already seen such an analytical adjustment when it comes to shifts against the offense, lefty specialists in the bullpen, and things of that nature, maybe it’s time we institute the old closer by committee.

Even as a Yankee fan watching Mariano Rivera dominate for his whole career it has always struck me as kind of funny that all the pressure of winning a close game and getting a “save” has fallen on the shoulders of one guy. To designate one guy to be the man who is in charge of finishing the job. Basing a decision on a statistic, which is exactly what a manager is doing when it comes to saves and closer usage always seemed crazy to me. They wouldn’t do the same thing in another game situation so why that one?

As stated before, in the year 2014, with all the changes and advancements that have taken place in the game lets add one more. Eliminate the closer’s role and let your best guys, not guy, get you the victory. There are not and will never be guys who can close like Rivera or Kimbrel. They are the exception not the rule.