Thanks toy ... let's get the 2nd half off to a good start this week.
This is my take on the 2nd half of the MLB baseball season.
AL EAST
Yankees will likely win the division although the Red Sox should hang tough if Pedro stays healthy. Sox are also looking to acquire another SP and with Kim closing ... they should be right there with the AL West teams in the wild card race. The Blue Jays will likely continue to fade although the lineup remains tough.
AL CENTRAL
I don't understand the Royals trying to trade Beltran if they are going to pursue other players like Juan Gonzalez in efforts to win the division. The Royals are a good young team and I could see them winning this weak division. White Sox have talent especially hitting but they do not play good fundamental baseball and their pitching is average. The Twins brain-trust finally decided to put Santana in the rotation. They also acquired Shannon Stewart from the Blue Jays. I think they will put it back together and make a solid push for the division but fall short.
AL WEST
Seattle has the pitching and the hitting to win the AL ... The A's have a great 3-man rotation but need someone to step up and be a solid 4th. The lineup is nothing special but Tejada and Chavez picked it up a bit so I think they will battle the Red Sox for the wild card. I though the Angels were a fluke last year but they have been playing well lately and are better than I anticipated. However, I do not see them beating out the M's or A's as both are far superior in my opinion.
NL EAST
The NL East has turned into a very solid division. The Braves built a nice lead thanks to their best hitting team in years but the pitching just isn't good enough at this point. They are looking to trade for another starter and they will probably land someone before the deadline. I think the Phillies are the best team in this division but after pulling with 5.5 games of the Braves, they were swept by the Marlins while the Braves swept the Expos a week before the break to build the lead back to 8.5 games. The Braves need better pitching cause I doubt they will hit and score runs at the pace they did early in the year. The Phillies hitting can only improve as they have been pathetic for the most part. Phillies pitching is not a fluke as they have one of the better young staffs in the league and minor league prospects Gavin Floyd, Coles Hamels and Taylor Bucholz waiting in the wings. I think the young Marlins will definitely stay in this making this a tight 3-team race for the division. The Expos will likely finish 4th although Vlad Guerrero is set to make his return soon.
NL CENTRAL
The Astros won the 1st half despite Wade Millers inconsistencies and Roy Oswalt landing on the DL. Their lineup is very good and I think they are the best overall team in the division. The Cardinals have a great lineup but their pitching is awful other than Woody Williams and Matt Morris and with Morris struggling at the moment and Woody Williams coming back to earth after an amazing start, I can't see them beating out the Astros or winning the wild card. PS. As a Phillies fan, I love this since the Phillies may make the playoffs while Scott Rolen and J.D. Drew are home watching. Cubs have a great young pitching staff in Wood, Prior, Zambrano and Clement but their hitting is not good enough even though I think Sosa will tear it up the 2nd half.
NL WEST
The Giants are a solid yet unspectacular team ... they do the all the little things right and are well managed under Felipe Alou. However, the D'Backs have hung in there despite staff aces RJ and Schilling missing most of the 1st half. If those two come back and return to anything near form ... and rookie Brandon Webb continues pitching well ... they should win this division or at least battle the Giants to the end and contend for the NL wild card. The Dodgers have the pitching but are getting nothing out of their lineup. Newly acquired OF Burnitz will help and Shawn Green can only get better after an awful first half but I don't think they have enough to overtake the Giants or D'Backs. The Rockies are great at home and miserable on the road. I doubt they have enough to finish much above .500.
I may have rambled and said nothing interesting or helpful but those are my thoughts.
Back soon with today's plays...
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