As we finally swing into the month of May, there are a few surprise teams near the top of their division, there are a few surprise teams that are struggling, and then there are teams that are doing exactly what was expected.
The Arizona Diamondbacks came into this season as one of the favored teams to challenge for the National league pennant. Not only are they challenging for the NL pennant, right now they look head and shoulders above all their competition. However, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, the Los Angeles Dodgers are stepping up to challenge the D-Backs in the NL West.
Yes the lead is still a comfortale 5.5 games, but the Dodgers are currently on a five game winning streak and they are finally back to above .500. The Dodgers beat the NL East leaders, the Florida Marlins (yes the Marlins!), for the second straight night on Wednesday by a score of 13-1.
Meanwhile, all those folks who were writing off the Tigers after the miserable start they had, the folks might want to think again. Because here come the Tigers.
They just beat the Yankees for the second straight night and they are really beginning to hit the ball. Since Curtis Granderson has returned from injury the Tigers look like a different ball club. And why wouldn’t they? Granderson is an on-base machine and a run-scoring machine. He also hits for power - he already has 3 homers in just a week’s time.
The Tigers are now just two games back in the AL Central haven’t even gotten all their pieces in place yet. They are still missing their two best relievers - Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. But their bullpen has been great without those two. But their starting pitching has been horrible. Bonderman showed promise last night as he allowed just two runs in over seven innings. Verlander has shown flashed and you have to believe he’ll come around. Willis is hurt. Rodgers looked better two night ago. And Robertson has looked solid but has a bad inning or two. If the starting pitching improves even a little but then the rest of the AL Central may be in a lot of trouble.
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As we finally swing into the month of May, there are a few surprise teams near the top of their division, there are a few surprise teams that are struggling, and then there are teams that are doing exactly what was expected.
The Arizona Diamondbacks came into this season as one of the favored teams to challenge for the National league pennant. Not only are they challenging for the NL pennant, right now they look head and shoulders above all their competition. However, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, the Los Angeles Dodgers are stepping up to challenge the D-Backs in the NL West.
Yes the lead is still a comfortale 5.5 games, but the Dodgers are currently on a five game winning streak and they are finally back to above .500. The Dodgers beat the NL East leaders, the Florida Marlins (yes the Marlins!), for the second straight night on Wednesday by a score of 13-1.
Meanwhile, all those folks who were writing off the Tigers after the miserable start they had, the folks might want to think again. Because here come the Tigers.
They just beat the Yankees for the second straight night and they are really beginning to hit the ball. Since Curtis Granderson has returned from injury the Tigers look like a different ball club. And why wouldn’t they? Granderson is an on-base machine and a run-scoring machine. He also hits for power - he already has 3 homers in just a week’s time.
The Tigers are now just two games back in the AL Central haven’t even gotten all their pieces in place yet. They are still missing their two best relievers - Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. But their bullpen has been great without those two. But their starting pitching has been horrible. Bonderman showed promise last night as he allowed just two runs in over seven innings. Verlander has shown flashed and you have to believe he’ll come around. Willis is hurt. Rodgers looked better two night ago. And Robertson has looked solid but has a bad inning or two. If the starting pitching improves even a little but then the rest of the AL Central may be in a lot of trouble.
(27)
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