Tag: Tigers

He’s not DJ!

Okay, time for a mini-rant.

Didi Gregorius is NOT Derek Jeter.

Let me say that again: Didi Gregorius is NOT Derek Jeter!

No one is Derek Jeter, except for Derek Jeter.

Everyone knows that the D-Backs, Tigers, and Yankees pulled off a pretty important trade yesterday which sent the D-Backs’ shortstop to the Yankees. Now, as anyone who has even had a inkling of what baseball is knows about a shortstop who was employed by the Yankees for the last 20 years. Yeah, Derek Jeter. That guy. Him. The guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer. Everyone keeps saying what big shoes Gregorius has to fill, and they are right. He will be under extreme pressure to do well, but can we stop asking him to be Jeter and can we stop saying that he isn’t? Can’t we just say “He’s Didi”, not “He’s no Jeter”?

Here’s a newsflash: NO ONE IS DEREK JETER. No one will ever be Derek Jeter again. Jeter was the kind of player that comes around once in a generation and no one should expect Didi or anyone else to be what Jeter was! It’s the equivalent of saying that David Robertson is no Mariano Rivera. See, that’s the problem with having these once-in-a-generation type of players: the next guy in line gets overwhelmed with undue and terribly unnecessary critique. Didi is a really good shortstop and he is going to do very well for the Yankees, but he doesn’t need the extra pressure to be Derek Jeter. No one can be Derek Jeter, just like no one can be Mariano Rivera.

Let Didi do his thing. Just stop comparing him to Jeter. He’s gonna be under enough pressure as it is, so let’s stop being turds. Let Didi be Didi. Don’t make Didi be Derek and stop saying Didi isn’t Derek. Because you’re right, he’s not: He’s Didi.

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Trade BFFs

Being enemies is so 2001.

If you don’t believe me, just look at some of the trades the Yankees and Diamondbacks have been making. They have made three (3!!) trades with each other since the July non-waiver deadline, with the latest trade coming today. The third trade, which was made today, involves the Detroit Tigers, just to shake things up. All three clubs have just confirmed today’s big trade news, and every MLB reporter has been talking about it since about 8am AZ time this morning. The D-Backs are sending shortstop Didi Gregorius to New York, the Yanks are sending RHP Shane Greene to the Tigers, and the Tigers are sending LHP Robbie Ray and big-time prospect Domingo Lebya to the D-Backs.

Let’s have a run down of the three trades the Yankees and D-Backs have made:
1) Brandon McCarthy to the Yankees, Vidal Nuno to the D-Backs.
2) Martin Prado (bae!) to the Yankees, hot-hitting catching prospect Peter O’Brien to D-Backs.
3) Didi Gregorius to the Yankees, Shane Greene to the Detroit Tigers, Robbie Ray and infield prospect Domingo Leyba to the D-Backs.

So much for being enemies, huh? Growing up in AZ, you are trained to believe that the Yanks are a bigger enemy than illegal immigrants, snow, or the Los Angeles Dodgers (Hence why my love of both teams has led to threats of violence from friends and threats of being disowned by my parents. Hi Mom! I know you are reading this because you are the only person who does! Love you!!). However, these 2001 World Series foes seem to be heavily relying on each other these last six months. In fact, with the Prado (bae in pinstripes) and Gregorius trades, I knew they would happen before they happened! No, I’m not psychic – outstanding and gorgeous will be acceptable titles instead – but I knew what the Yankees needed and what the D-Backs could give. With A-Rod’s suspension and no solid second-baseman in 2014, the Yanks needed a versatile infielder who could play 3rd, 2nd, or outfield. Cue Martin Prado (bae…wit dat booty)! And this year, the Yanks needed a shortstop and guess who has a surplus of shortstops? The D-Backs! See? It’s not that hard to predict trades; you just have to pay attention.

Anyway, looking at the trade today makes a lot of sense for all the teams involved. The Yankees get their shortstop, Gregorius, who is a one-man defensive highlight reel. The Tigers get Greene, who has filthy stuff and potential to be a solid pitcher. I will miss him in pinstripes, but he will do great in Mo-Town as a back-end starter. And the D-Backs got a pitcher who could be a “diamond-back” in the rough (see what I did there?!), be it in the rotation or the bullpen, and they got a minor leaguer who can RAKE. Yes, Leyba has some time before he gets to the bigs and his defense is not as good as it should be, but he has done nothing except put up power numbers in the minors.

Now, if you can recall, this is not the first time the Tigers, Yanks, and D-Backs made a trade. Back in 2009, there was a blockbuster trade. The Yanks sent Austin Jackson and Phil Coke to the Tigers and pitcher Ian Kennedy to the D-Backs. The Tigers sent Curtis Granderson to the Yanks and Edwin Jackson to the D-backs. And the D-Backs? Well, they sent a little-known pitcher named Max Scherzer to the Tigers, along with pitcher Daniel Schlereth…How cool would it be if this trade came full circle and Max Scherzer signed with the Yankees this off-season? I would cry. Obviously, this trade burned the D-Backs bad since Kennedy was a dud for them and Scherzer, well, he won his Cy Young elsewhere. Hopefully, the trade today won’t burn the snakes again.

I like today’s trade, mostly because I will still get to see Didi play on a regular basis. He is awesome and will be a great addition to the Yankees infield. Now, if the Yanks could just re-sign Brandon McCarthy and sign Scherzer, that would be great!

Here’s some good Just A Bit Outside articles about the trade…BTW, if you aren’t on the JABO train yet, I recommend it, especially if you like insider opinions and saber-metrics!
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/baseball-joe/blog/yankees-diamondbacks-tigers-trade-didi-gregorius-shane-greene-analysis-120514
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/baseball-joe/blog/the-heir-apparent-to-derek-jet-no-stop-it-120514

…And here are some more articles because this trade involves my two favorite teams on planet earth and you fools need to be well informed!
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/keith-law/post?id=3016&ex_cid=InsiderTwitter_Law_GregoriusTrade
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2014/12/05/didi-gregorius-trade-yankees-diamondbacks-tigers/19956169/

If it Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix it. Oh, You Did Fix it? Huh.

This year’s trade deadline brought a bunch of change for many teams, but none more so than the Detroit Tigers and Oakland A’s. Both teams should theoretically make the playoffs because both teams have been great all year. Before the trade deadline, these teams were leading their divisions and cruising to an easy postseason berth. What shocked the baseball world was when Billy Beane traded his beloved prospects for a ton of high-caliber starting pitchers, plus Jonny Gomes. We were also shocked when Detroit pulled off a three-team trade for the Rays’ David Price. So, with these two teams on paper becoming world superpowers (kind of), what could possibly go wrong?

Well, let’s start with Oakland since I really really really really want them to FINALLY get to the World Series and so Brad Pitt can finally win the last game of the season. Now that I have accepted the fact that my Yankees will not get to the World Series, I can start choosing sides. Anyway, Oakland sent the home run derby champ Yoenis Cespedes to Boston for Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes, further ramping their rotation, even after their trade with the Cubbies. So what happened? Well, the Angels are now in sole possession of first place in the AL West, and they are not backing off. Oakland is somehow unable to consistently win games. It is worth noting they still have the second-best record in baseball, but this is not what they were expecting. They were expecting to be on a rampage, riding unicorns into battle and slaying their opponents mercilessly.

Let’s talk the Tigers now! With the acquisition of David Price, the Tigers have the most lethal rotation in baseball. I firmly believe they could out-pitch the Dodgers if need be, but ever since the trade, their offense has become sporadic and their rotation is a little shaky. They got walloped by the Twins two games in a row, including a 20-6 massacre. I am unsure if the Twins have scored 20 runs combined all year. Another example is when Price pitched in Tampa. He gave up ONE hit, a homer, and still lost the game. How messed up is that? Anyway, another factor is cause for alarm in the Motor City: Kansas City. The Royals have come out of the woodwork and overtaken first place in the AL Central. Now, Detroit is jockeying for a Wild Card spot. Well then.

So, is there reason to worry about these teams? Nah, not yet. If we get to mid-September and these two teams are in fact NOT riding unicorns and slaying their opponents, then I will worry. Pitching is the key to winning in the postseason, and Oakland and Detroit have that in spades. Once the new players settle in, I think both teams will be fine. However, after the deadline, these were not the results these two teams were hoping for. Like I said, everyone was expecting them to be riding unicorns and slaying every other team, but that is not happening. The unicorns are doing a slow trot, but hopefully this just means they are saving their energy for late September.

Pitching wins the postseason and these two teams have no reason to worry. They just have to get there first.

Money (and Aces!) Must be Funny in a Rich Man’s World

As a New York Yankees fan, I am used to seeing big-name, big-money players on the field. I am used to seeing these highly-touted athletes come out and try to play to the back of their bubble gum card. I am used to this, so this year has been quite the sight to see. As far as starting pitching goes, this was supposed to be the year CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda got their groove back, the year that the super-human Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was gonna come in and save the day, and the year the young guns were going to show everyone what they were made of.

Hehehe funny how things work out sometimes, right?

Of the five starters the Yankees rolled out this year, one man is still standing: Kuroda. Who could have predicted that? Now, Michael Pineda is close to return and it is possible Tanaka will pitch again this year, but the real story here is how the Yanks lost so many pitchers and are only ONE game out of a Wild Card spot. It’s amazing how a patchwork rotation has held their own, despite having low-ish salaries and expectations.

The past four games, the Yankees have been battling the Detroit Tigers. Not only have they been battling the Tigers, but they have been battling the last three Cy Young winners: Max Scherzer, David Price, and Justin Verlander, in order. So, who do the Yanks send out in response? They send out Brandon McCarthy, Kuroda, and Chris Capuano. Then, in the fourth game of the series, they have to face Rick Porcello, who is chasing his 14th win. Who gets to go against him? Shane Greene. Wait, who?

Now, not only have these four pitchers held their own, but they have pitched at the same caliber or better than the star-studded Tigers rotation. Wait, what? This scrap-pile of pitchers pitched as well or better than the Tigers? For real? Believe it, folks. And guess what? The Yankees took the series, winning three out of the four games.

So what gives? Is it really possible that this elusive “money ball” kind of mentality could work for the most notorious spenders in baseball? The answer, as it turns out, is yes. I did some numbers crunching here: The NYY currently have $55,665,614 worth of salary on the DL, all of whom are starting pitchers pitchers. The current starting rotation is costing the Yankees an estimated $30,500,000, with McCarthy earning a third of that number. Crazy, huh? Ok, the Tigers starting rotation is making $73,925,000. So, guys who are making less than half the salary of the Tigers just took three of four games. Wait, what?

I don’t see the Yankees changing their big money ways anytime soon, which is fine! Someone needs to over-pay athletes when there are guys who are also capable, available at the half the price. But isn’t it funny when the expensive aces go down and these second or third rung guys come in and save the day? I don’t mean “haha” funny, more like “Hehe, oh dear God” kind of funny. This year, the Yankees are showing that they can keep pace with big-time starters and hitters, and still squeak out some wins, despite everyone telling them it doesn’t work that way.

So, the next time someone says that the Yankees can’t contend without money, just laugh and remind them of the 2014 season. If, by some miracle, the Yanks do make it into the post-season, it’s hard to say if they will go very far. However, they seem to be doing just fine right now, which is more than anyone was expecting.

Oh, What a Night! Late July, Back in 2014

I don’t think any of you will catch my Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song title spoof, but for those of you who do get it, you’re awesome. My brain is too fried from this crazy trade deadline to come up with something more clever.

WHAT A CRAZY NON-WAIVER DEADLINE. Holy crap, I am still trying to wrap my brain around everything that happened over these last few weeks, especially what transpired in the final 24-hours. Rarely have we seen such an eventful deadline with such big names. Since I love making lists, let’s go over my picks for winners and losers, both short and long-term! Let’s do this.

Long-Term Winners
 Boston Red Sox – This is a team who gave up 4/5 of their starting rotation, the rotation that WON them the World Series last year, but they got some good prospects, good offense, and unloaded contracts, which will really help them in 2015, much to the chagrin of this Yankees fan.

Arizona Diamondbacks – While I am super bummed about the departure of Gerardo Parra, the loss of Martin Prado is cushioned because I get to watch my favorite Venezuelan in pinstripes. D-Backs nation is a little stunned by the moves, but one has to remember that they have one of the best farm systems in MLB. With all of the prospects they got in these trades, the D-Backs will be set for awhile…just not any time soon.

Tampa Bay Rays – I know, I know, they just gave up their superstar pitcher David Price, but I think they will recover just fine. They got some good stuff in the three-team trade, and, although I think they should have gotten more, I bet they will do more in the off-season to become a viable threat again.

Short-Term Winners
New York Yankees – I am mad impressed with what this team did. There were no splashy moves, no big name trades, but they were able to vastly improve without surrendering team talent and only one top prospect. They got Brandon McCarthy, Martin Prado, Chase Headley, Chris Capuano, and Stephen Drew while surrendering Vidal Nuno, Yangervis Solarte, Kelly Johnson, and prospect Peter O’Brien. Not bad, Bombers, not bad…

Oakland Athletics – I put them in “short term” because they built this rock star team to win the 2014 World Series. I do not know how much of this team they will keep after this season is over, but dear God, watch out. When your rotation is Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija (I spelled it right on the first try!), Scott Kazmir, Sonny Gray, and Jason Hammell, you don’t have much to worry about. Yes, they traded some hot prospects and Yoenis Cespedes (yes, I spelled that one correctly, too), but as I am sure Billy Beane is thinking, “YOLO”.

Detroit Tigers – I also put them in “short-term” because it seems like they will be losing Max Scherzer after this year. Yes, they got David Price, but my guess is that they will be looking to give him the long-term contract instead of Scherzer because of the inability to agree on a deal with Mad Max. Their rotation is killer, like, could probably strangle bears, but they will need to duke it out with Oakland to get to the World Series. My goodness, that will be a ridiculous October matchup.

St. Louis Cardianls – While I am a bit concerned that they so readily dealt Allen Craig, they did get John Lackey from Boston, which is never a bad thing. Lackey will do well there and he will probably get to go back to October, something his former Red Sox teammates will probably not be able to say.

Seattle Mariners – Again, as is a trend here, Seattle did well during this trade, but I don’t know how it will shake-up long-term. They got some much needed offensive power and didn’t have to part with much to get it. I am not convinced that Seattle will be a contender this year, but they made some very smart moves at the deadline.

Losers
Boston Red Sox – Yes, they are winners AND losers. Them trading away their whole rotation was a bit of a white flag for me, saying that they are not too confident about the rest of the season. Think about it: Clay Buchholz is now the “ace” of their staff. Yikes.

Philadelphia Phillies – They REALLY needed to move some contracts and after a disastrous season, this was not an ideal way to end the deadline. So many of their players were in the trade rumors, yet nothing was able to come of it.

San Diego Padres – They got rid of Huston Street (best baseball name ever, BTW) and Chase Headley, but didn’t really do much to improve themselves. With the mess they have in the front office, it’s not really surprising, but I think they could have done a smidge more to help themselves.

Pittsburg Pirates – In a division like the NL Central, you would think the Pirates would do something! But nope. They did diddly squat, which was disappointing.

San Francisco Giants – This is a team who really needed some help in the infield and could not get anything done. They got some pitching reinforcement in the Red Sox’s Jake Peavy, but Peavy can’t get San Fran to the post-season all by himself.

Los Angeles Dodgers – They sure don’t need the help, but they were mentioned in SO many deals that it is hard to believe they really only walked away with the Cubs’ Darwin Barney, who was claimed on waivers. They will be playing in October, no doubt, so I don’t think you can really think of them as total deadline losers.

Okay, that is a lot of teams. And yet, it’s still not all the teams involved in the trades! Good lands, I could be here all night. I think these are teams that really stuck out in my mind, for better or worse. This was probably the most exciting July trade deadline that I have seen and it is GOOD for baseball. I am so excited to watch the rest of the season unfold and watch how these teams compete for a post-season berth.

Okay, I need to unwind and reflect some more on these trades…just kidding, I’m already watching more baseball.

Whatever Happened to Justin Verlander?

With an ERA of 4.83 and WHIP of 1.54 (as of this moment, right now on June 21), we are not seeing the usual Justin Verlander. In fact, I think we are seeing Mother Russia’s robot version of Justin Verlander, designed to throw baseball into a tailspin, which in turn will throw all of America into a tailspin. The real Justin Verlander has been kidnapped and is probably somewhere in Siberia, wishing he could grow a warm beard at a faster rate. 

Actually, I do not know for a fact if the 2014 Justin Verlander is a robot, but it sure would explain a lot. Maybe Verlander is simply tired. After all, he has played in October the last few years, so he doesn’t have as much time to rest as he might need. That, of course, is a problem I am sure he would love to have. However, 2014 is the first year of his career where his win percentage is below .500. The season is not quite half over, so no need to panic yet, but it is a bit of a head-scratcher. As of right now, at this very moment, on June 21, the first day of summer, ESPN has projected that he will end the year with a 4.88 ERA and a WHIP of 1.54. Yikes.

I do have a theory about why Justin Verlander has suddenly turned into a total suck-fest. It’s not really a scientific theory, and it might be without merit, but it explains everything. It explains the timing of his awfulness, too. 

Justin Verlander’s problem is Kate Upton.

There. I said what I am sure all of America is thinking. 

Ever since Verlander started dating supermodel Kate Upton again, he has been just awful. Me doth think the good Verlander is spending too much time with his bouncy blonde. When he was not dating Upton, his ERA was around 3.50 and his postseason ERA was 0.39. Gasp! I’m totally right about this one, you guys! His arms must be tired from carrying her shopping bags. His mind must be tired from listening to Supermodel Problems all night when he really needs to be catching some sleep. Frankly, putting up with Kate Upton seems exhausting.

It has been long proven that when a baseball player dates a famous person, his numbers go down. I don’t know why this is, but it is a not-yet-proven fact that is completely plausible. But what is Verlander to do? Obviously he likes this chick (I don’t see why), but he has to think of the team! The Detroit Tigers are paying him just over $20 million this year and he is not pitching like his contract demands him to pitch. He is pitching like a guy who is fighting for a rotation spot. If he was not Justin Verlander, but rather, some other not-filthy rich, random pitcher, he would be the number five starter this year. It’s like, I feel bad for him, but kind of not really. 

Justin, if you are in fact NOT a Russian robot, you must take one for the team. You must break up with Kate Upton. I know, it will be hard, but you can date her in the off-season! Have Upton be your winter woman! Yeah, do that! And if you get lonely during the regular season, I happen to know a 20-something college girl who would have no problem traveling around with you and watching your games. 

Oh, Miggy Miggy, Can’t You See? Sometimes Your Money Just Hypnotizes Me…

I am still trying to wrap my head around the massive contract that Miguel Cabrera and Tigers have reportedly agreed to. 

I mean, seriously. 

This thing is massive. Like, biggest-contract-in-all-of-sports big. 

BIG.

In case you live under a rock and haven’t heard, Miggy has reportedly signed a contract for about $300 million over the next 10 years, which is including the remaining two years left of his current deal. Add all of those numbers together and Miggy will be pulling in just over $30 mil/year. Assuming he plays 150 games, that averages out to approximately $200,00/game. God damn. I can only hope to make that much money over the next five or so years! 

Of all the players in baseball, none is more deserving of a whopping contract, but is it the best thing? Miggy is going to be 31 this year, which means that he will be at least 40 by the time this thing is up. DH is where he will end up soon-ish, so that would mean he is getting paid pretty much only for offense. Personally, I think a 10-year deal is outrageous, no matter the player. I mean, didn’t these teams learn ANYTHING from the whole A-Rod/10-year deal? It craps on your desk about seven years in, something Detroit better be prepared for (and the Mariners with Cano, for that matter). Is there anyone who I would give a ten year contract to? Nope. Maybe Mike Trout, but, wait, erm…eh…nope. Just kidding. Ten year contracts, in my opinion, are irresponsible. 

Will this contract hurt the Tigers in their pursuit for an extension for Max Scherzer? My guess is maybe. It’s so hard to say. Dropping this much money on one player is not super crazy, but it shows that they care more about the MVP than the Cy Young winner. You’d figure they would pursue Scherzer harder, since his contract was up first, but whatever. I’m not running the show in Detroit. 

We will find out if this contract was worth it, but one thing is for sure: The Tigers wanted to keep Miggy in Detroit for as long as humanly possible, no matter the cost. 

What a cost it was. 

Moneybags McGee. 

$$$$$$$$$$$$ 

My Picks for the Post-Season!

I am of no authority to make my picks for who will win a division. No matter how many stats you look at or how many injuries you take into account, predicting the outcomes of the standings is far from an exact science. Too many factors are involved over the course of 162 games per team to make any kind of accurate prediction. But for now, I will look into my crystal ball and tell you how I think things might shape up…

National League:

NL EAST: Washington Nationals. Hands down, I think these guys are gonna take it. After the Braves went down with numerous injuries and so many players coming off bad years, I can’t see them winning the division. Washington has the offense, pitching, and leadership to take this team into the post-season.

NL CENTRAL: St. Louis Cardinals. This one is a bit trickier because the Pirates are looking good so far this spring, but I just don’t think the Pirates can win the division. The Cardinals have done everything right during winter break and acquired good pieces to fill holes left vacant. Add a bomb farm system and you have yourself a great team.

NL WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers. I hate to say it, but they are so good. If they can keep their front-line starters healthy and keep Puig from making embarrassing gaffs, this team is a lock for the post-season. Yes, there are a million huge personalities to tame, Don Mattingly’s included, but if they don’t all kill each other first, they will be just fine. Oh, and I just saw that they are now baseball’s highest spenders this year, taking away the Yankees’ 15-year run, so they REALLY better not suck.

WILD CARD(S): Pittsburg Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, or San Francisco Giants. All of these teams are good, but I doubt they are “win the division” good. Pittsburg has the momentum, the Braves always scrap their way in, the Reds have everything to prove, and the Giants have pitching for days. How these teams will preform if they do get into the post-season is not in their favor, but gosh darn it, they will try. Also, look for the Arizona Diamondbacks as a sleeper team. If the Goldschmidt/Prado/Trumbo sandwich works out, the offense could be insane.

American League:

AL EAST: Tampa Bay Rays. Talk about the hardest division in baseball! Good Lord, this is going to be a knock-out drag-down fight until the end, I can feel it! Honestly, any team could take it, but I would put money on the super awesome Joe Maddon and the Rays.

AL CENTRAL: Detroit Tigers. A perennial contender, the Tigers will be great this year. There have been some question marks with injuries and front office crap, but I think they can pull it out. But this one will be close because the Indians are really good, as are the Royals.

AL WEST: Oakland Athletics. This is the one division I was most unsure about. On paper, the Angels and Rangers look the best, but Oakland has a way to quietly dominate. Add the injuries to the Rangers and the uncertainty about the Angels, Oakland still looks the best. Seattle may have sold their soul to get Robinson Cano, but their offense is still weak and I doubt they will be contenders this year.

WILD CARDS: Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, or Kansas City Royals. There is a reason there are 3 AL East teams. All of them could take over the division with no problem, so don’t be surprised if three or four of them hit the post-season. I view the Yankees as the dark horse team, a team that will be very dangerous offensively and off the mound. Boston still looks great so far and they have to motivation from winning the World Series, but back-to-backs Series wins are rare. The Royals have everything to prove here, so I expect them to work their butts off this year. I was tossing up between Baltimore and Texas, but just because of injuries, I have to go with Baltimore.

So, there you have it. I have the right to change my picks, not that I will because I don’t care. You can just read newer posts. Psh, this post will be on the elusive second page by the time I need to change my picks. Anyway, enjoy the picks I have made and let’s hope they don’t just suck baseballs by the time the season gets going…

 

 

More Spring Training Shenanigans!

There is so much to talk about!

For my purposes, I’m only gonna talk about some of the stuff I’ve seen, mostly because I do not feel like writing a novel at this point in time. Short and sweet, right? Let’s do this…

Ryan Braun: With more than everything to prove, Braun has come back swinging. Literally. The dude is batting about .800 in his spring training games so far and that is pretty spectacular. The Brewers really REALLY need him to produce this year so they can have a top-notch offense. If spring training is any indication, they should not be worried. Yeah, he’s been booed copious amounts, but those boos are starting to go away. If he can prove that he is just as good without the juice, he’s golden and can be mostly forgiven. Okay, I have forgiven him, but not everyone might. 

Yankees late game issues: Well, the Yankees’ offense is having no troubles early on in the games. In most of the games I have seen, they take the lead early and keep it that way until about the fifth or sixth inning. That’s when it gets sticky. I know, I know, the rookies and minor-leaguers are coming into the games around this time and that’s probably why, but it begs the question. Not sure what the question is, but it needs begging. 

Orioles: Now here is a team with the potential to be awesome. Potentially. See, here’s the thing: they look really good on paper and the stats of the individual players are pretty good, but they got stuck in the hardest division in baseball. Because of this, I wouldn’t count on a post-season run, but who knows. Maybe they will hard-core tap into their potential. Potentially.

Detroit: Good news, Tiger fans! Max Scherzer still looks sharp this spring! Woohoo! Honestly, this team will probably make it into the post season again. It’s just their thing right now. And let’s face it: people like this team, if only because you really want to see them win for their city’s sake. If my teams don’t make it into the postseason, I will most definitely be rooting for the tigers, even if Justin Verlander is still dating that silly girl…Who is about my age…Life is so not fair. Wait, where was I?

Once I get a chance to watch more, I will probably write some more. Or not. It will be spring break soon. The beach + a pina colada + a good book = my kind of vacation.