2015 American League MLB Preview: Are New York Yankees Relevant?
I’m excited about baseball season being so close, but I cannot hide what this year’s 2015 American League MLB Preview is going to say. For the first time, I won’t be picking my New York Yankees to win the AL East. It hurts, but this is just not an elite baseball franchise anymore.
In recent years, my New York Yankees have tested my faith in baseball. I’ve played ball since I was three, I’ve watched for probably just as long, and in recent years everything that was good in baseball has gone away. I watched the chemistry and “team baseball” of the 90s dynasty be replaced by a festival of large contracts that rarely panned out, all to buy one more World Series. Derek Jeter has retired, but a 39-year-old Alex Rodriguez is still clinging to a spot on the Yankees roster? Is there no justice in the baseball world? What now for Yankees fans?
If nothing else, my detachment from this squad will help my sports betting. We’ve finished in profit every year since I began publishing sports predictions in college, but this is the first time my fandom will not impact my betting style. I feel no undying loyalty to the Yankees anymore with a revolving door of Red Sox centerfielders, Mark Teixeira’s batting average immediately falling 100 points in pinstripes, David Robertson walking away because of budget concerns despite new Yankee Stadium pricing out thousands of season ticket holders, and this franchise somewhere along the way accepting a perpetual state of mediocrity and missing the playoffs. I’m not angry; I feel nothing. For the first time in years I am a New York Yankees fan that can invest in sports with a clear mind and no loyalties. With that, we take to our American League preview, starting with the AL East.
AL EAST PREVIEW
1. Baltimore Orioles (87-75): I like that the Orioles are healthy. Matt Wieters is back, Manny Machado is back, and the pitching is deep. The Orioles have a solid closer and strong bullpen. All in all, I think this team can really go places. I have questions about their lineup, but in a highly mediocre AL East where pitching is nothing special, I think the Orioles can make a run.
2. Boston Red Sox (85-77): The Boston lineup got exciting this offseason, adding Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez to the infield. The issue I have with Boston is they lack pitching. I hit a game-tying double off Rick Porcello in high school and refuse to accept that he’s the future of anyone’s rotation. Wade Miley is a ground ball pitcher that doesn’t have overpowering stuff. Justin Masterson is incredibly inconsistent. Clay Buchholz is coming off a miserable year. They might cause a lot of ground balls, but I think they’ll give up a lot of runs as well. I wonder if they’ll be able to slug their way to a division title, but I’ve got them in second as the season begins.
3. New York Yankees (82-80): Look, anything can happen but the New York Yankees simply have too many “ifs” for me to pick them to win the division. If Masahiro Tanaka stays healthy, if Michael Pineda stays healthy, if Dellin Betances can perform, if this old lineup has one more season in it… then maybe the Yankees can compete. That said, Tanaka has had a tough spring, Pineda has never been healthy, Betances looks horrible so far and will probably not begin the season as a closer, and I have no faith in these old, mediocre bats. The division is weak so anyone can compete, but this is not a great Yankees team and there are a lot of questions here. Man, I miss Derek Jeter.
4. Toronto Blue Jays (81-81): As always, the Toronto Blue Jays can hit. Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Josh Donaldson might be the best middle part of any lineup in baseball. That said, this team has a messy rotation and I can’t picture them being in the race with RA Dickey and Mark Buerhle anchoring the rotation. They can hit, but they can’t pitch. That’s not enough.
5. Tampa Bay Rays (80-82): The rotation is talented and young, but the lineup has consistently underachieved. I have to question whether this team, talented as they’ve seemed for years, has simply run out of gas. They’re not hitting well enough to contend, but their pitching rotation will keep them loosely competitive in the mediocre AL East.
AL CENTRAL PREVIEW
1. Detroit Tigers (85-77): The Tigers appear poised for another AL Central title, but they’ve taken considerable steps backwards. Max Scherzer is gone and Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera are starting to get a little old. I still think they’re the best team in the division, but not by much.
2. Cleveland Indians (84-78): There are a bunch of questions about this Cleveland Indians team that came on fire down the stretch last season. I don’t expect Corey Kluber to repeat last season’s dominance, I don’t know if anyone else in the rotation is ready to step up, and I’m not sure what this lineup is capable of. They won a lot of games last year down the stretch to get a taste of what this year could be. Let’s see if they can repeat that success.
3. Kansas City Royals (79-83): Did any team have a worse offseason than the American League Champions? The Royals lost their ace in James Shields, Billy Butler – who had an incredible playoff run, and added Alex Rios and Kendrys Morales. The Royals took two steps backwards and won’t be a playoff team.
4. Chicago White Sox (78-84): I love David Robertson and think he gives the White Sox an excellent closer. Chris Sale is a monster, the lineup improved, and I think the White Sox will be relevant this year. That said, I don’t trust the bottom half of this lineup and think they will struggle to score runs again this year.
5. Minnesota Twins (70-92): The Twins have their usual mix of unknown names and prospects again this year, but now they have an ace in Phil Hughes. If some of those prospects can make an impact, maybe they’ll be better than I give them credit for – but ultimately the Twins are looking at another tough season.
AL WEST
1. Los Angeles Angels (85-77): I think this rotation is still slightly better than the Seattle one, and the lineup has the potential to outslug the rest of the division. The Angels are old and clinging to playoff relevance, but I think they’re still a year ahead of the Mariners as age continues to pull the Angels into mediocrity.
2. Seattle Mariners (84-78): The Seattle Mariners are starting to look like a playoff team. They have one of the best pitchers in baseball atop the rotation and some depth behind him that will make them a tough team to beat. The bullpen seems like a weakness, though, and the lineup is top-heavy. They’ll be relevant, but I think they lack the depth to win the division.
3. Oakland Athletics (83-79): They lost a lot this offseason, but they did their best to replace those players and remain relevant. Ultimately, the Athletics’ place in the playoff race depends solely on the ability of their world-class GM. I trust his judgment and think the A’s have a shot this year.
4. Texas Rangers (77-85): The loss of Yu Darvish has all but derailed the season already, and hopes of bouncing back from last year’s disaster seem dashed. Injuries completely destroyed last season, and losing Darvish severely limits this team’s chances. I think Prince Fielder will improve this lineup, but not enough to break into contention.
5. Houston Astros (75-87): The Houston Astros won’t be the team we’ve come to know and love betting against. Jose Altuve is one of the best players in baseball and the rotation has some dangerous arms in it. They still lack depth, but they’re making moves. This might be the last season we see the Astros in the basement – and it might not even happen this season with the Rangers so weak.
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