MLB: Two weeks in

Quick little plug for my Presidential Politics blog...Much like Saj and I posting everyday in the month of March with our baseball preview, I am making nine straight days of posts during my April vacation.

Anyway, random thoughts on random teams in baseball.


Arizona - They should be pretty happy with baseball's fourth best record and Randy Johnson not yet with the big club. Brandon Webb is a nice anchor, but to get a quality #2 starter will go a long way into maintaining a solid record. Now we just have to see if Johnson can return to quality.

Atlanta - Funny how much easier things are when your bullpen is three-deep.

Baltimore - I really feel bad for these fans. At 7-6 and a game out, they must be optimistic. But how much longer can Eric Bedard and Daniel Cabrera pitch well?

Cleveland & Seattle - They've played nine and eight games, respectively, which is 50% less than many teams. Not only does this throw them off their rhythm now, but they'll be playing double headers in the dog days.

Kansas City - At 3-10, the worst record in baseball. The more things change...

LA Dodgers - Best record in baseball... and Grady Little in charge come postseason time.

Milwaukee - Awww, these guys are so cute on top of their division.

NY Mets - This lineup is scary and it will come around when the weather warms up. The starting pitching is as eclectic as it gets...we'll see if it can hold together for six months.

NY Yankees - This pitching staff is in shambles. SHAMBLES I TELL YOU! Still, it looks as if there's a chance they can line up both Pettitte and Wang for the weekend's showdown at Fenway.

Boston - Starting pitching looks great. Bullpen has been solid and has yet to be involved in a decision. The offense is consistent. The manager is experienced. This is the best team in baseball.

The Greatest Baseball Preview in America: Baltimore Orioles

Quick Devil Rays thought: Why do they exist? The Devil Rays are the greatest argument for contraction since Wyoming was introduced to the Union.

THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Pitching: In pitching coach Leo Mazzone's second year, there is cause for excitement for the Oriole faithful. Mazzone has the remarkable capability of getting a pitcher to pitch his absolute best. The problem, however, is that this starting rotation doesn't exactly have the highest ceiling in the world. There are four adequate starters (Bedard, Wright, Trachsel, and Cabrera), but none of them excite anyone. These are average to slightly-above-average starters. The bullpen, on the other hand, might be one of the best in baseball. They have three guys with closing experience (Ray, Baez, Williamson) and one of the better right handed set up men in the game (Bradford). There are few teams with which I'd feel more comfortable with a lead in the seventh.

Hitting: Like the Devil Rays, the poor Orioles have the misfortune of competing in the same division as the two biggest spenders in the sport. Miguel Tejada was the only big free agent that wanted to come compete with a team guaranteed not to compete. Since Miggy's arrival in Baltimore, it's been mostly overachievers like Melvin Mora and Brian Roberts. This offseason's biggest acquisition was Aubrey Huff, a hard worker with a nice stick, but nowhere near enough to compete with Ortiz-Ramirez or Giambi-Abreu-Rodriguez-Matsui.

Miscellaneous: How much do Orioles fans hate New Yorkers and Bostonians? I mean, unlike Tampa Bay, Baltimore loves their baseball team. And for a solid five years, their season is over before it begins. I'd be so bitter.

Orioles-related Ridiculous Proposition Bet: Realistic calculation on the amount of times Leo Mazzone, notorious for rocking back and forth, rocks in one season. Two hundred times per half inning times two to make a full inning times nine innings at an average of four hundred times per inning, multiplied by 162 games. Over/Under on amount of rocks this season: 583,200. I would not feel comfortable taking the under.


Previous Previews

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Al East
Tampa Bay Devil Rays

AL Central
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Kansas City Royals

AL West
Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Angels
Texas Rangers
Seattle Mariners

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NL East
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins
Washington Nationals

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals
Houston Astros
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates
Chicago Cubs

NL West
San Diego Padres
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Arizona Diamondbacks