Jump to content

Who are the 6 best teams in the AL, heading into the season?

NewMarketSean

By NewMarketSean
in MLB

Recommended Posts

NewMarketSean Hangout Grand Counsel

NewMarketSean

Posted
Posted

I alluded to this in another thread.

The 6 best teams headed into the season are, IMO: NYY, BOS, TBR, DET, TEX and ANA.

A team like the Blue Jays probably deserve to be in the discussion, too.

So out of the best 6 best teams in the AL, 3...maybe 4 of them are in the AL East.

Orioles have to play 72 games against 4 of the best teams in the AL.

Just think on that for a minute.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 31
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Sports Guy Hangout Grand Counsel

Sports Guy

Posted
Posted

ESPN's power rankings have 5 AL teams in the top 5.

Now, those are relatively menaingless rankings.

HOWEVER, what it does demonstrate(and it is something shared by many people) is that the AL is freaking loaded.

Even with the second WC team, it is still wrong to say that the Orioles got closer to contention.

BTW, I would agree that those are the 6 best teams but Toronto could easily enter into that discussion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NewMarketSean Hangout Grand Counsel

NewMarketSean

Posted
  • Author
Posted
ESPN's power rankings have 5 AL teams in the top 5.

Now, those are relatively menaingless rankings.

HOWEVER, what it does demonstrate(and it is something shared by many people) is that the AL is freaking loaded.

Even with the second WC team, it is still wrong to say that the Orioles got closer to contention.

BTW, I would agree that those are the 6 best teams but Toronto could easily enter into that discussion.

I think a team like Boston or Texas could see a slide this year. Then again they could be the team representing the AL in the world series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
El Gordo Hangout Grand Counsel

El Gordo

Posted
Posted

I would rank them:

LAAA

TBR

DET

TEX

MFY

BOS

I could see TOR passing BOS. I don't think the MFY's will be as good as many expect. The left side of that IF looks really creaky to me, and I am not so sure their rotation will hold up. CC has a lot of innings on that arm. Pettitte? Nova? Hughes? Kuroda? Garcia?. No Price, Moore, Shields, Hellickson, Davis/Neimann/Torres. But better than Bucholtz. Lester, Bard, Aceves, and whatever for Boston.

think we'll see LAA, TEX, DET, TB, with one of: TOR, MFY or BOS, as the second WC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Frobby Hangout Grand Counsel

Frobby

Posted
Posted

I think the Blue Jays are better than they were last year, but I think the other three teams may be worse. Overall, I don't think our job in 2012 is any harder than it's been over the last few years since Tampa got good.

By the way, up until 2006 we were playing up to 76 games a year vs. the AL East.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Spy Fox Hangout Veteran Council

Spy Fox

Posted
Posted

It will be a major surprise if the five AL playoff teams aren't 5/6 out of LAA, TEX, DET, TB, NYY, and BOS. While the NL appears to be anyone's to win in all three divisions (or at least, there are no teams you can expect to truly be dominant), the AL doesn't look very open at all.

Those six teams mentioned above are pretty clearly the best six in the AL I think and also six of the best seven or eight in MLB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SilentJames Hangout Veteran Council

SilentJames

Posted
Posted

1) Texas

2) Detroit

3) LA of A

4) New York

5) Boston

6) Tampa Bay

Texas and Detroit are the most complete teams right now. LA of A is right behind them. The three AL east teams are all powerful, but they all have issues. New york is New York but I think if they have to rely on Nova, Hughes and Garcia to round out their rotation for much of the year they are going to feel it. Boston is a mess right now and Bobby V is going to be an immense distraction. You should have heard what, notorious blowhard, Curt Schilling had to say about it. Tampa Bay is great but I think they are going to have trouble scoring runs. They have holes at catcher, first (I think Pena is close to done), SS and RF. I think Scott at DH will continue to be Scott (great until hurt) and at least one writer at the Sporting News agrees with this assessment (though he says the Rays will fail to break .500 this year and that is insane to me)

The Jays are right there at number seven. But as I said in another thread I think the Jays' rotation is weak compared to the Rays' rotation and it will falter down the stretch.

I think Texas wins the World Series

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Slappy Major Leaguer

Slappy

Posted
Posted

The 6 best teams headed into the season are, IMO: NYY, BOS, TBR, DET, TEX and ANA.

Hardly any question those should be the top 6 teams.

Better question is: which of those could flop and who would take their place?

If I had to pick one to flop, it would be Boston. Tough division. Really iffy starting staff after the top 2, and weakened the pen by putting Bard in as a starter. A lot of injury prone key players. A new manager with a different philosophy then the one they've relied on for years.

A team that could take their place? What about KC? They finally had a lot of their young hitters step up last year. If they can get the pitching to catch up, that's a pretty weak division. Another team that could be a dark horse is Cleveland. They have the potential to have one of the AL's best pitching staffs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MarylandAaron Major Leaguer Rising Star

MarylandAaron

Posted
Posted

The 6 best teams headed into the season are, IMO: NYY, BOS, TBR, DET, TEX and ANA.

Those are exactly the teams i would have there too. The Jays are probably already there, but the results are skewed because they are constantly playing NYY, BOS, and TBR. But as of right now, those are the 6 teams you look at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vab Major Leaguer Rising Star

vab

Posted
Posted
I alluded to this in another thread.

The 6 best teams headed into the season are, IMO: NYY, BOS, TBR, DET, TEX and ANA.

A team like the Blue Jays probably deserve to be in the discussion, too.

So out of the best 6 best teams in the AL, 3...maybe 4 of them are in the AL East.

Orioles have to play 72 games against 4 of the best teams in the AL.

Just think on that for a minute.

That's why even an improved Orioles club probably won't have much of a change in record this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • RarityFlaherty
      The Marlins are officially selling. Tanner Scott for Povich?

      By RarityFlaherty · Posted

      This is why it’s smart to wait until closer to the trade deadline to buy bullpen help. It may be more expensive, but you have a much better idea of what kind of pitcher you’re trading for and what help you need. Relief pitchers are just so volatile from year to year. If we would have tried to trade for Scott during the offseason, we would have had to overpay thinking he could be the same guy as last year, and then we’d be really disappointed with the way he’s pitched so far this year. I enjoy all of these different trade scenarios, but I’d have to see a relief pitcher pitch well this year before I’d be willing to give up anything close to Povich. Povich himself could end up being the help we need in the bullpen later in the season. 
    • sportsfan8703
      The Marlins are officially selling. Tanner Scott for Povich?

      By sportsfan8703 · Posted

      DirtyBird is just a troll. Read his comment history. Nothing of value has ever been offered to a discussion. Facebook/twitter level responses. 
    • Warehouse
      Ryan O’Hearn 2024

      By Warehouse · Posted

      O’Hean said as much to Roch a few weeks back.   “When it’s mentioned that O’Hearn’s numbers against left-handers aren’t strong, with a career .171/.244/.297 line and five home runs in 194 plate appearances, O’Hearn says, “My career numbers overall aren’t great. Not just against lefties.”” https://www.masnsports.com/blog/this-that-and-the-other-1-52#:~:text=297 line and five home,last year%2C” he said.
    • Pickles
      Markakis being inducted into Os HOF

      By Pickles · Posted

      Jones isn't in it yet, right? Jones should be in before either of those two. Frankly, he probably should have been in before Markakis.
    • spiritof66
      Has a relief pitcher ever won a Gold Glove?

      By spiritof66 · Posted

      The thing I don't like about Cano's fielding is that sometimes when he fields balls, usually little dribblers beyond the catcher's range, and then throws off-balance, I respond instinctively by saying (aloud or to myself) "Don't throw it" because there seems to be no chance for an out. But he swoops in, makes an accurate 90 MPH throw, and gets the out. So I have to confront the fact that I was wrong and unable to update my split-second reaction by realizing it's a play I've seen Cano make. I don't like that. The guy's amazing.
    • Philip
      Cole Irvin 2024

      By Philip · Posted

      Your comment was a bit obtuse. I’m not saying Hyde manages to win every game. On the contrary, I don’t think he does. Over time, it doesn’t matter, if the team is good enough.  In a 162 game season, the following happens: good decisions fail, bad decisions succeed, and an excellent team will tend to overcome the former and maximize the latter. it is entirely possible, on a game by game basis and in hindsight, to pinpoint a given decision and say it lost or won the game, but a good team, especially an excellent team, will overcome that and succeed anyway. Royals Review constantly complained about Ned Yost’s managing,so much they coined a term for a stupid decision: “Yosted.” And the Royals were constantly being “Yosted” during games. But the ‘14-15 team was so good anyway they went to two WS and won one. Given a good enough team, bad decisions will be overcome. And we have a good team.
    • Tony-OH
      2024 Prospect Power Rankings

      By Tony-OH · Posted

      The velocity has improved, up to 95 now. They still only want to use him in short stints. Sweeper/slider is his goto pitch. His change can be ok at times against lefties.

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...