Unexpected Pretenders for the 2017 Season
By Matt Meffe
We always look forward to what surprises may come each MLB season. Here, we look at some teams that may turn out to be pretenders during the 2017 season.
Every year, we see the same familiar faces battling to get into the MLB playoffs. On the East Coast, the Yankees are the most consistent team, as they usually finish with a winning record and are constantly in playoff contention. You also have the consistent Nationals. In the Midwest, we usually see the Cardinals, Tigers and Rangers all competing as contenders. On the West Coast, you have the Dodgers and Giants usually battling it out for a spot.
Over the past few years, some other teams have joined the fray. These teams are set to be contenders over the next few years. The Cubs and their young hitting, the Mets and their young pitching, and the Astros and their all-around young team have all joined the equation. Combine them with the resurgent Mariners and the sneaky Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals, and you have a whole mess of contenders.
Each year, there are also teams that are highly touted and highly praised that ultimately fail to meet expectations. Those teams are pretenders, who go into the season with high hopes but ultimately falter in the standings. Over the past few years, there have been some notable pretenders.
The Minnesota Twins went into 2016 looking to meet and exceed their success in 2015. Instead, the team finished with the worst record in baseball. The Kansas City Royals were also highly considered to make it back to the playoffs following their 2015 World Series victory. While Kansas City did contend, they were nowhere near as successful as their 2015 team. In 2014, following their World Series victory, the Red Sox also took a step backward. Every year, there are pretenders that fail to live up to hype, and this year may be no different.