The Observer, March 31, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 22
Yankees, Red Sox continue to slide in competitive AL
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In last week's preview of the National League, it was easy to separate the contenders from the pretenders. In the American League, though, the picture is not so clear – several teams, like Oakland and Toronto, continue to improve while old mainstays like the Yankees and Red Sox fight to stay ahead of the competition.
The American League East has been the property of the New York Yankees since 1998. The Bronx Bombers appear to have enough offense to overcome their weakening pitching staff and finish first once again, but unless the Yanks address their pitching concerns soon, they will be knocked off their pedestal. The Red Sox are similar to the Yankees since they have a great lineup and questionable pitching staff. The pitching questions are found in the bullpen, where the chances of Keith Foulke regaining his effectiveness is doubtful. The Blue Jays made some significant upgrades in the off-season, including the acquisitions of A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan, but expecting Toronto to pass New York and Boston in the standings might be a little much. The Orioles continue to wallow in mediocrity and will finish fourth while the Devil Rays have a group of talented position players but still do not have enough pitching to get out of the cellar.
The White Sox surprised everyone with their fast start and dominant run to the World Series last year. They won't catch anyone by surprise this year, but they still have the best team, at least on paper, in baseball. The Indians are weaker than last year, as they lost pitchers Kevin Millwood and Bob Howry. However, they have perhaps the best group of top young players in the league, led by Grady Sizemore. As long as the bullpen does not collapse, the Tribe will remain in contention. The Twins have not kept up with the other improving teams in the league. They still have fine pitching and defense, but unless they find a way to score more runs, they won't finish higher than third. Only one word can describe the Detroit Tigers: average. They are not terrible, but not great either. They will have a hard time winning 80 games. The Royals are the worst team in the league yet again, but at least they still have Mike Sweeney.
The Angels remain one of the most balanced teams in the majors and will repeat as champions of the West. If the White Sox falter in the playoffs, the Angels are most likely to replace them in the World Series. The Oakland Athletics, though, will give the Angels a run for their money. General Manager Billy Beane continues to find great young players out of nowhere. Their pitching is about as good as Chicago's, and by adding Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley to the batting order, they look to score more runs this year as well. It is too bad for the Texas Rangers that they can't be in the National League West. They would have a legitimate chance of winning that division. In the AL, though, they won't even finish with a winning record. The Mariners are improving but are still far from contention. However, pitcher Felix Hernandez has perhaps the brightest future of any young pitcher in the bigs.
Looking ahead toward October, the White Sox have to be considered the favorite to repeat as World Series champions. If not, the Angels will be waiting, and the A's won't be far behind them. New York and Boston should again make the playoffs, but both of those teams have too many-high priced egos and not enough pitching to regain their playoff dominance of the past. The Indians will be in the thick of things, but their bullpen is such a concern that it might leave them on the outside looking in at the end of the season.
