Yesterday I examined teams that were expected to do poorly, but haven’t and whether or not their performances are real. Today let’s look at the teams that were supposed to be good and have started out…bad.
This is the American League; the National League will be posted later.
- New York Yankees
What they’re doing.
The Yankees are 21-20 and in fourth place in the American League East, 5 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Orioles.
How they’re doing it.
The easy answer is to say that the Yankees are hovering around .500 because of injuries. Strangely, the loss of Mariano Rivera hasn’t hurt them yet and presumably won’t until (if) they’re in the playoffs.
The word “if” concerning a playoff spot was once a hedge, but no longer. This team is not, under any circumstances, guaranteed a playoff spot in spite of the specious logic of Mike Francesa when he says something like, “well, they’ve made in in 15 of the past 16 years” as if there’s a connection.
They loaded up on starting pitching by trading for Michael Pineda and signing Hiroki Kuroda; prior to that, they also re-signed Freddy Garcia.
Pineda’s out for the year (at least); Kuroda’s been alternately brilliant and awful; and Garcia was bounced from the starting rotation. Andy Pettitte’s return gives them another veteran starter but they can’t reasonably expect Pettitte to be close to what he was in his prime.
The starting pitching has been inconsistent, but serviceable; the bullpen is still functional. It’s been the lineup that’s the problem.
Russell Martin is hitting .170 and losing playing time to the defensively superior and offensively inept Chris Stewart. Alex Rodriguez is now a “threat emeritus” against whom opposing clubs still need to be careful, but can challenge and beat him with power fastballs. Robinson Cano has gotten hot in May. Mark Teixeira has taken Derek Jeter’s place as the target of the fans’ ire. He’s been ill with a bad cough and hasn’t hit at all. It seems so long ago that Jeter was called “Captain DP” among other things; now Teixeira has taken his place.
Eventually, Teixeira will hit.
Believe it or don’t?
They’re going to hit enough to get back into contention for a playoff spot, but that doesn’t mean they’re a lock to get in.
Don’t believe it but don’t get too overconfident (or suffocatingly arrogant) either.
- Boston Red Sox
What they’re doing.
The Red Sox are 20-21 and in last place in the AL East, 6 1/2 games behind the Orioles.
How they’re doing it.
The starting pitching got off to a woeful start and the transition from the laid back Terry Francona to the polarizing Bobby Valentine, combined with the front office regime change and still simmering tensions from the 2011 collapse put the Red Sox in an onerous situation.
Josh Beckett has pitched well in his last two starts following the golf outing/strained back/public effigy he endured. Daniel Bard is a Daisuke Matsuzaka return away from a trip back to the bullpen and they’ve lost Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis to injuries. Adrian Gonzalez hasn’t gotten hot yet.
Believe it or don’t.
After everything, the Red Sox are only one game behind the Yankees.
I didn’t think they were a legitimate contender before the season. Nor did I think they were as bad as they looked early in the season.
Objectively, they’re about a .500 team.
Believe it.
- Detroit Tigers
What they’re doing.
The Tigers are 20-21, in third place and 3 games behind the Indians in the AL Central.
How they’re doing it.
The Tigers were widely predicted to run away and hide in the AL Central based on their high-powered offense, deep bullpen and all-world ace in Justin Verlander. Those factors would make up for a rancid defense and questionable backend of their rotation.
The offense is seventh in runs scoured and is functioning with black holes at second base and DH. The starting pitching behind Verlander has been bad. Jose Valverde was on the verge of losing his closer’s job before he injured his back.
Believe it or don’t?
This isn’t a new experience for the Tigers. For years after their shocking run to the World Series in 2006, they acquired big, expensive names in an “I’m collecting superstars” fashion by getting Gary Sheffield, Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis and it didn’t work then either.
The offense will be okay but the back of the rotation with Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello and a series of youngsters is a major problem.
They’re not an under .500 team, but they’re not walking into the playoffs.
Don’t believe it, but they’re going to have to fight their way into the playoffs.
- Los Angeles Angels
What they’re doing.
The Angels are 18-24, in last place in the AL West and 8 games behind the Texas Rangers.
How they’re doing it.
They’re 13th in the American League in runs scored continuing the same absence of firepower that cost them in the pennant race in 2011. The difference now is that they have Albert Pujols.
The bullpen has been bad and closer Jordan Walden was replaced by veteran Scott Downs.
Inexplicably, only three of their everyday players have on base percentages over .300 and one of them isn’t Pujols.
This team is not a Mike Scioscia-style team that preferred speed, defense, good pitching and opportunism. The chasm between the manager’s style and the type of team he has is showing and it cost hitting coach Mickey Hatcher his job.
Believe it or don’t?
Don’t believe it.
Their starting pitching is too good and Pujols is going to hit at some point. It’s going to take some time for everyone to get on the same page, but by the All Star break, I’d expect an uneasy peace among new GM Jerry Dipoto, Scioscia, the newcomers and the remaining veterans for the Angels to right their ship and make a playoff run.
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