What we got right and wrong about 3 surprising and disappointing MLB teams
What the list got right about MLB teams
The Mariners and Cardinals continue to be disappointing. However, if there was a spectrum of disappointment, they would be at opposite ends. At the time of my previous article, Seattle was at a surprising and sad 11-14, with issues surrounding offensive production. Currently, they sit in third place in a somewhat competitive AL West, and are over .500, which is, on paper, better than they were in April.
Before the All-Star Break, the Mariners won seven out of their last 10 (with a series win over their division rivals, the Houston Astros). Yet, something feels lacking. With Julio Rodriguez coming out of his sophomore slump (hopefully), the Mariners should remain afloat. At this point, they kind of remind me of the 2021 Braves, where for the longest time, they could not crack .500.
St. Louis, on the other hand, well … let’s just say they’re definite sellers at the deadline. The NL Central is back to its usual levels of competitiveness, so when you’re in last place in that division, things don’t bode well for the team. Their offense isn’t too torrid — it ranks ninth league-wide in OPS and is the same as the (first place in the NL Central) Reds. The fault lies in the pitching, as I wrote previously. I hate to say it, but something needs to be said about Adam Wainwright, who’s last three starts culminated in a combined total of 17 earned runs. However, there have been some glimmers of hope, like winning a series against the Dodgers in May and a series against the Yankees in June. Needless to say, with the roster that they have, the Cardinals should be doing better than they are.
The Rangers continue to surprise going into the second half of the season. Offensively, they are on fire. They lead the league (or are at least in the top 10) in batting average, RBI, and hits. Five Texas Rangers made the All-Star starting lineup, and when star Nathan Eovaldi joined in the second inning, six Rangers were on the field, making it the first time since the 1950s that a team had that many representatives at the same time during the All-Star Game.
One would think that with an injured Jacob deGrom, things would be spiraling downward fast. Going into the second half, the Rangers are 52-39 and sit at first in the AL West. Before the break, however, there was some cause for concern. The team lost seven out of their last 10 games, including losing a series to the Washington Nationals, being outscored 15-5 over the course of their last two games. Despite playing over .500 versus their division (16-11), losing a series to the Houston Astros, who are now two games behind them, doesn’t help their chase for the pennant.
What the list got wrong about MLB teams
As mentioned before, the NL Central is back to its usual level of competitiveness, with only two teams (the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds) having winning records. While the Cubs seem to be following a pattern similar to last year, I, as an outsider, had some hope for the Pirates. Not even a day later, the Pirates embarked on a seven-game losing streak. Later in June, Pittsburgh lost 10 games in a row (nine of those losses were against the Cubs and Brewers). Though not on the same level of hopelessness as the Cardinals, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pittsburgh ends up opening house.
The Cubs are the other side of the proverbial coin. Individual performances, like those of Justin Steele (2.56 ERA) and Marcus Stroman (who leads the team in strikeouts), are carrying the team to a solid third place going into mid-July. I saw a game versus the Phillies a couple of weeks ago, and although they managed to put up a fight (scoring three unanswered runs in the latter half of the game; 8-5 final), something felt off. Perhaps Chicago could take the Cincy route and call up an exciting new prospect to breathe some fresh air into the team?
It’s a good thing I don’t gamble, because if I bet on the Dodgers’ mediocrity, then I would’ve lost big time. Instead of being one game over .500 like a couple of months ago, they are a solid 51-38, having taken the sole division lead away from the upstart Diamondbacks. However, I would argue that they are still not the same caliber that they were last year. By the All-Star Break last year, L.A. had the NL’s best record at 60-30 and had run away with the division title. This difference is due to the number of injuries to the rotation, with Walker Buehler out for most of the year due to Tommy John (placed on 60-day IL on June 28), Dustin May being taken out due to a right tendon injury, and position players like Gavin Lux going out early in the season. This is not to say they are disappointing (at least not as they were back in April). The Dodgers have won seven out of their last 10, while the D-backs have won four out of their last 10. As the saying goes, it ain’t over till it’s over.
Conclusion:
People love the underdog story. David beats Goliath (in some way or another), and everyone loses their minds. As such, my reactions to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs makes sense. It also is apt to be shocked when the Goliaths like the Dodgers and Cardinals underperform. My list is an amalgamation of these feelings. Some of these placements still hold up, so I’m not eating my words too much. However, I’m no Nostradamus, and will gladly own up my bad takes.
If I were to make a new list, it would go something like this:
Surprising:
Miami Marlins
Arizona Diamondbacks/Cincinnati Reds
Texas Rangers
Disappointing:
St. Louis Cardinals
Seattle Mariners
(Tentative) Houston Astros/New York Yankees.
In the meantime, let’s see what surprises and disappointments MLB has in store in the second half!
Next. Fantasy baseball tips to start your second half. dark