The Beauty Of The Game And The AL East

It’s just a game.

That much is true. But, equally true is the fact that no game other game can compare to baseball. For all of the quality analysis that is out there and for the tremendous advancements that are on the way, it is a game that boils down to a collection of 18 men playing a game. While the business of the sport and the truthful analytics of the sport expose the flaw in the romanticism of the game, there is this other equally true side of the game.

{Discuss baseball and the AL East on the BSL Boards}

There is romanticism all around. Getting lost in a game is still the best part. Watching Mike Trout play is the closest thing this generation has to seeing Ken Griffey Jr. roam centerfield in Seattle. Seeing Adrian Beltre field a groundball at third base may be the single most underrated aspect of watching the game. Beltre, who is putting together a career that’s better than most think, evokes images of Brooks Robinson’s play at third. 

There is romanticism at seeing a young George Springer struggle during his initial days in the Major Leagues and then seeing him figure it out and now leading the Astros in home runs. It’s equally inspiring to see a 40 year old Derek Jeter in his last season. Jeter is doing what future Hall of Famers do during their final season. He is giving us glimpses of what once was as his four hit night against the White Sox was reminiscent of the Jeter we saw for the first 18 years of his career. 

The joy of being a fan is being able to see Yasiel Puig play with a youthful arrogance, Clayton Kershaw pummel a lineup into submission, Troy Tulowitzki putting up historical short stop numbers, Chris Sale blowing hitters away with a fastball delivered from one of the more unique wind ups in the game, and seeing Manny Machado play a third base that may actually be better than the one Adrian Beltre plays. 

Baseball has something for everyone. There are great players in the their primes. There are players like Albert Pujols showing that he isn’t just quite done yet. Masahiro Tanaka is proving that sometimes a player can actually live up to his advanced billing. Jose Abreu really is an elite power hitter in any country. And, like anything truly great, there is disappointment. Jose Fernandez won’t throw another pitch this season. Yordano Ventura has to learn to throw slower in the early parts of games. One of the sport’s most durable pitchers, CC Sabathia, has a degenerative knee condition. As athletes fight their bodies to stave off injury and time, we get a front row seat to all of it. 

Analyzing baseball only deepens our love of the sport. Knowing that Trevor Rosenthal’s FIP of 2.87 is a better indication of his pitching performance than his 4.85 ERA would indicate only brings us closer to the truth. Knowing that on base percentage is more important than batting average is a prerequisite to understanding the game. Dissecting defensive shifts, learning more about defensive metrics, and understanding that a bunt in most situations is just giving away an out makes us better fans. That’s an absolute truth. 

There is something, however, to just getting lost in the beauty of it all. Even if it is for a bit, watching the game from the standpoint of appreciating the skill it takes to play, the talent that is on the field, and the general unpredictability of a season, a game, and even a pitch is something no other sport can offer. Baseball gives us the Milwaukee Brewers at the top of the Central Division standings, the Miami Marlins competing, and the defending champs struggling. None of those things were predicted a month ago. 

That’s why we watch. That’s why–even when our team does unspeakable, embarrassing things or doesn’t compete for almost two decades–we keep coming back. We get the game. The game gets us just as much. 

—————————————————–

That type of romanticism is alive and well in the American League East as May comes to a close. The Toronto Blue Jays are atop the division, buoyed by a nine game winning streak that has been fueled by surprisingly good pitching and the other worldly performance from Edwin Encarnacion, who has tied Mickey Mantle with the most home runs hit during the month of May by an American League hitter. 

Moving forward, the Blue Jays—owners of the only positive run differential in the division—will need 35 year old Mark Buehrle to continue his dominance. Ignoring the 9-1 record (remember, wins are an indication of individual performance), Buehrle is still posting an all-star season as his 3.09 FIP indicates. The southpaw will have to prove that a dangerously low 5.6 K/9 rate can sustain success all season. A pitcher who allows that much contact is always in danger of regression. 

Everything had to go right in order for the Blue Jays to compete this year. The division favorites had to falter a bit; they have. The Blue Jays’ rotation had to have at least two above average starters; they do. And, the offense had to out-slug everyone.  Encarnacion and Bautista are making sure that happens. If the Blue Jays want to stay at the top, they will need another starter, whether it is Marcus Stroman stepping up or acquiring one. This isn’t negotiable. 

———————————————————-

As the Yankees go through another farewell season, they remain in second place for a variety of reasons. If you look at just who is missing—CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Carlos Beltran, and, now, Mark Teixiera, it would be easy to make the case that the Yankees should be in last place. Add in the fact that Brian McCann, Alfonso Soriano, and Kelly Johnson have been unproductive, the Yankees are lucky to have 28 wins at this point. They are there for two reasons. Tanaka has been dominant and they are quietly putting together an elite bullpen. David Robertson has flourished in the closer role. Dellin Betances has 51 strikeouts in 30 innings while compiling a 1.09 FIP. Adam Warren has transitioned to the bullpen so well that he likely remains there for his career. In 30.2 innings, he has struck out 29 batters and has compiled a 2.36 FIP. 

Moving forward, the Yankees will hope that David Phelps continues to pitch to his 3.95 FIP as a member of the rotation. They will hope that Chase Whitney (2.62 FIP in 3 starts) continues the transition to being a full-time starter while learning in the Major Leagues. There is a reasonable expectation for the veterans such as McCann and Soriano to improve and wind up at their career norms. That fact alone gives legitimate hope for the Yankees remaining in the race. Like the Blue Jays, they will have to acquire another starter, especially with Sabathia compromised and likely gone for a while. There will be rumors of them getting another bat, but with the DH spot needed to rotate amongst the veterans, there really isn’t room with the present roster. A pitcher is needed, badly. 

———————————————————

For a good while, the Orioles were sitting at the top of the standings. They withstood the injury to Chris Davis. Ubaldo Jimenez began the month allowing just one run in his first 19 innings. The rest of the division was struggling while the Orioles were hitting stride. Now, losing six of their last 10, the Orioles are just a game over .500 and in third place, 4.5 games behind the Blue Jays. 

But, of all the AL East teams, the Orioles have the most realistic hopes for a rebound. With the exception of Nelson Cruz and his 19 home runs, no Orioles’ batter is performing well. Chris Davis has struggled since his return. JJ Hardy still doesn’t have a home run. Adam Jones has been lackluster. Manny Machado is struggling, predictably, since his return from major knee surgery. If you were told that the Orioles would rank just 8th in runs scored and 6th in home runs at the start of the season, you’d prepare yourself for a sub-.500 season. And, if you were told that Chris Tillman and Ubaldo Jimenez would be inconsistent and that only one starter would have a FIP below 4.25, the season would like like a disaster.

In other words, the worst case scenario for the Orioles has played out and they are still on the positive side of ledger. The Orioles lineup is better than it has produced thus far.

The real positive for the Orioles was the acquisition of catcher Nick Hundley. It’s not that Hundley is a star or anything, but the fact that Dan Duquette was so aggressive in addressing the loss of Matt Wieters bodes well. The Orioles didn’t just make a show of signing Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez. They aren’t operating like the New York Mets in the sense that they signed big names and called it a day. As in every season with Duquette at the helm, the Orioles will continue to look to improve the roster. This season seems different. The East is winnable and it looks like the Orioles will go all in. Like the other contenders, the Orioles could use a rotation piece, but unlike the other contenders, they are not desperate for one. Each rotation member takes the ball when his turn is up. The other clubs can’t say that. Instead, the Orioles can focus on acquiring a difference making talent such as Jeff Samardzija. Or, they add another power bat. 

While it can be viewed under the lens of romanticism, the reality is that the Orioles have a dependable roster, especially with the rotation that has remained healthily average, and enough depth to either supplement or use as trade bait. 

—————————————————————–

The Red Sox and Rays both look lost at the moment. But, there is one indisputable truth. Since 2008, the Rays have won at least 84 games each season, posting 90 wins or more in five of those seasons. With the exception of the lost 2012 season, the Red Sox have won at least 89 games in that time span. They’ve won four straight. Both organizations are smart, have talent, and have the experience to climb back into the race. 

Given how this season has started, they both likely will. That’s the beauty of the game. 162 games allows for ebbs and flows. It allows for the hot streaks, the cold streaks, reaction, and overreaction. We get to see the drama on the field, talk about the drama off of it, play the role of General Manager, and fill our time with a game. 

Whatever lens the game is viewed through, baseball holds a place in world that no other sport can. Yes, football may get better television ratings given its truncated season, but baseball offers far more. Every generation thinks that the game was best during that time, but there is no doubt that this generation of baseball is the best, most skilled, most competitive era the sport has experienced. At no time have the players been so good or the game been played with such strategy and analysis. 

It’s just a game. But, it’s such a great game.