Champion Contenders in Baseball at Break, 2022
I have found it interesting to discuss the major league ball clubs that have never won it all, the Fall Classic, which now stands at six. The Nationals were the last club to get off the schnide in 2019. The Astros not long before them. There are others that have rarely done it. Even the all-time champs Yankees have not done it since 2009, which is almost a generation ago. Bronx Bomber fans are chomping at the bit this year, as they have one of the best teams out of the thirty, spread across the country. There is talk of expansion, the last teams created back in the middle 1990s, Colorado and Tampa Bay.
So, who are the top four teams now to go the distance this fall, 2022? Spoiler alert: they are the already-haves. But I think a good percentage of the never-haves are in there too.
The New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets, and the Houston Astros all have superior records and line ups right now. Hard to beat, but doable by the other playoff teams with a few core great pitchers, and hot streak at the right time.
Three of the country's four biggest cities have all four. Good for crowds, television and radio, money flow and derivative finances, even to the beer hawkers. In a summer of high CPI and inflation, abnormally high gas, food, and rent, we all could use some extra funds.
Houston has been the most dominant of late, although the Dodgers have been superior for a long time and got their most recent ring in the pandemic shortened 2020 season.
The Atlanta Braves won it all last year, 2021, and have surged right there with the Mets, whose National League Gotham City squad last won the series in 1986, which is a couple generations ago. We could have a subway series in October. Last happened in 2000. A more innocent time, before the suicide attacks the following year.
The Tampa Bay Rays (never-won) are decent, trailing the Yanks, playing for a solid wild card sport. The San Diego Padres (never-won) are in the same spot behind the Dodgers in So Cal. Milwaukee (never-won) is in that group, too, in fact barely in front of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cards have won recently and historically, one of the most successful franchises of all time. Minnesota is barely staying up on Chicago, the White Sox of the A.L., with the newly branded Cleveland Guardians, all three still in contention in the Central Division.
Then we have the red-hot Seattle Mariners in the A.L. West. They have won 14 in a row going into this break. They started well, then played poorly, and now this. It would be neat to see them make the World Series, with a star rookie named Rodriguez. They have NEVER been there.
So, the Padres and a few never-haves do have a chance. I like it.
My Nats are bottom dwellers, the Marlins are not good enough, the Phillies are almost good enough for a wild card spot. Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cubs, and the Reds, Rockies, and Diamondbacks are out of the race. The Giants still have an outside chance.
Over to the rest of the American League: the Angels are not good enough, nor the Athletics, the Rangers, the Royals, or... the Tigers. The Orioles have played well, they are close to Boston in the AL East. Toronto is looking okay right now.
My preferred World Series? Padres versus Mariners. But more likely Dodgers versus Yankees. Mets and Astros are strong, too. Other sneak-up contenders? Milwaukee, Cardinals, White Sox, Minnesota, and maybe the Blue Jays. The Brewers have never won it, all these years. Boston could get hot, but it looks like Baltimore is surprisingly, the golden kids this year for surprises and success.
We shall see.
And yeah, as I was sharing lately, Soto turned down a 440-million-dollar deal. For 15 years? Would take him to age 38. D.C. may lose him... No bueno.
Baseball.
I think I covered all thirty major league teams.
ReplyDelete