So here is my quick A.L. Preview
A.L. EAST
The New York Yankees made an impressive splash in 2017, their quest to once again dominate Major League Baseball came a bit early last year... or was it? Their Pythagorean record had them closer to 99 wins than the 91 wins that they generated... now add Giancarlo Stanton to the equation, plus two more later March pickups in Brandon Drury and Neil Walker, and the team is now ready to go.
The team's lineup is an opposing nightmare to all pitchers, while their bullpen is absolutely tops, with really no weakness. Their rotation is more formidable than it has been in years, with Luis Severino emerging as an ace, while Sonny Gray will be more comfortable in the Bronx, now that he has had a chance to settle in.
This team also has prospects coming in Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, while you can expect them to possibly land someone like Manny Machado during next off-season. For Yankee haters, you better buckle up, it's going to be a long ride.
The Boston Red Sox seem to be an enigma each off-season, which direction are they heading, up or down? It really all comes down to health with them, and all those answers rely on players like Dustin Pedroia, David Price, Drew Pomeranz, Chris Sale & J.D. Martinez.
Pedroia in many ways is still the team captain, but its hard to do anything with that role, if you are never on the field. Boston would love to get Price back to his Cy Young-caliber seasons, while hoping that Sale doesn't tired down as he did last year. J.D. seem destined to land with Boston the moment he hit the free agent market, was there really any doubt? The new question is will his contract payoff? The talent is there for sure, but he has only played a full healthy season in 2015, while he averages 130 games & 482 at-bats per season since his first full season with the Tigers back in 2014.
You gotta love the trio of outfielders of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr & Andrew Benintendi, plus the rising star at third in Rafael Devers. Mookie had a bit of a down year, and should bounce back into the A.L. MVP talks, while Boston needs Benintendi not to be so streaky, he's capable of being more consistent & is capable of winning a future batting title.
They should still make it as a wild card, all depending on how serious the L.A. Angels actually are.
The Toronto Blue Jays, I believe is heading the opposite direction, they don't look better than a third place team to me. I think adding Randall Grichuk is good move, but their rotation has always been a question mark, they seem to underachieve each season, while Marcus Stroman would look dominate one day and then so-so his next outing, you expect more from an ace. If Josh Donaldson can shake off the D.L. bug, I believe he could have another legit MVP season. A lot also depends on the health of starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez.
Buck Showalter always seems to get the best out of his Baltimore Orioles, much of their success happened without having a legit rotation, while depending strongly on their bullpen. The bullpen will start season with some hiccups with Zach Britton on the disabled list until June... They will have to depend on Brad Brach to be their closer for now.
Adding Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner were good signings, Cobb has always been a consistent, solid control pitcher with low ERA and good WHIP, his problem has always been his health. Cashner had a good bounce-back year in lonesome Texas, and although asking for a repeat performance may be much, it's still better than what the O's have been plugging in there (the lower parts of the rotation).
I do question the move of Manny Machado to short, with Tim Beckham moving over to third. This move seemed to have been made, due to Beckham's defense. While playing APBA for my 2017 season with 2018 acquisitions updated, through Optional Fielding, and with Machado over at short, and Beckham at third, I have already noticed that their defense is shedding runs for the opposition.
Seven games in, and there has already been plenty of times, that Machado would have made that double play (runners on 1st & 2nd) on dice roll 16-28... or getting that force (runners on first) at second, rather than settling on a 5-3 ground out, putting a runner at second... those situations add up to plenty of runs for the opposition.
I get that putting Jonathan Schoop and Machado together makes a stronger middle infield, but with more balls naturally hit to the left side and at third, you have a weaker defender at the hot corner... I think it was better the way it was, plus the pitchers need all the help they can get on defense.
The Tampa Bay Rays made plenty of moves this off-season...for the better? Now that's the real question, I don't knock them trading Evan Longoria, but I do have to question them basically giving away Corey Dickerson for free to Pittsburgh. The move made plenty in the clubhouse, Kevin Kiermaier most noticeably, question their upper management. Trading Jake Odorizzi seemed to be good payroll-shedding trade, but then some of their depth in Jose DeLeon and Brent Honeywell fell victim to Tommy John, while Nathan Eovaldi (victim of two Tommy John injuries) will have surgery and won't be part of the rotation for at least 8 weeks from what I am reading. Their four-man rotation at the moment appears to be Chris Archer, Jake Faria, Blake Snell and Austin Pruitt; They did acquire Anthony Banda in the three-team trade that sent Steven Souza packing his bags for Arizona... so Banda could be an option.
This team is going nowhere in 2018, but have plenty to be excited about with prospects like Willy Adames and Jake Bauers.
A.L. EAST
1. New York (A)
2. Boston*
3. Toronto
4. Baltimore
5. Tampa Bay
*-Wild Card
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