It’s Tuesday and it’s time go Around the Horn. The week we’re going to highlight several teams that aren’t getting enough attention, for good and bad reasons. With the calendar turning to June, it feels like a good time to take stock of things, so we’ll look at the standings as well. Before we dig in, I wanted to take a second to highlight Major League Baseball’s wonderful work in the fight against ALS. Sunday was Lou Gehrig day around the game and the league spent the weekend raising funds and awareness to fight the insidious disease that bears the name of the “Iron Horse” himself. This yearly occasion has been a wonderful addition to the league calendar and an excuse for me to share number four’s inspiring speech that still serves as the rallying cry for all those struggling. Take it away Lou!
First Base
Can’t Get Off the Ground: I said preseason that the Jays would regress this year, but I didn’t expect this much of a step backwards. At 28-31, their troubles in truth begin on offense as their once potent lineup has been rendered powerless this year. They’re struggling to hit for average and are led in home runs by…Davis Schneider?! Their pitching staff has done what it can to help compensate for these struggling bats but so far, it’s not enough to make a difference. With the Yankees and the Orioles leaving them in the dust, any hope of postseason baseball returning to Toronto is fading unless they get their act together in a hurry. If they fail to turn things around there will be significant changes to this roster per the front office.
Second Base
No Joy in Wrigleyville: No, it’s not because Casey struck out, but rather because the Cubs, all of a sudden, are an absolute mess. At 29-31, they sit third in the Central, seven games behind the division leading Brewers. They were going along just fine and then hit a major rough patch in their last ten games, going 2-8 in the stretch. Much like the Jays, their offense has wasted some stellar pitching performances. Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson in particular have been a disappointment on offense while the pitching staff has multiple arms with ERA’s below three. The bullpen hasn’t been much better, completing a lethal combo that has sunk the Cubs for now. Fortunately, their division isn’t the toughest and they can still turn things around to catch the Brewers or get a Wild Card spot.
Third Base
Pat’s Wallbangers: You may have heard of “Harvey’s Wallbangers” but let’s talk about new Brewer’s skipper Pat Murphy’s winning bunch. The Crew sit atop the NL Central at 36-24 thanks to an eclectic mix of players who bring energy and production to the ballpark. Their somewhat unconventional offense is keyed by shortstop Willy Adames and catcher William Contreras, both of whom already have 40+ RBI’s this season. Their supporting cast is comprised of journeyman position players and a typically strong pitching staff. Freddy Peralta leads a solid rotation while their bullpen is enjoying another successful season closing the door on the opposition. Milwaukee was supposed to be sellers this year…but their group didn’t get the memo. They’re a far cry from Gorman Thomas, Cecil Cooper, and Robin Yount but they get the job done
Home Plate
Cleveland Rocks: Somebody call Drew Carey because his favorite team is on an absolute roll so far this season. The Guardians are 39-20, currently first in the AL Central against seemingly all odds. They’re a staggering 20-7 at home, turning Progressive Field into the advantage it once was in the 90’s for their dominant offensive clubs that nearly won the World Series twice. First year manager Stephen Vogt has gotten a lot out of this unique roster of role players and fundamentally sound guys who play the game the right way. The two men pictured above are their engine, as Josh Naylor (left) has 15 home runs and 42 RBI’s and his running mate, the true star of the team, Jose Ramirez (right) is having another MVP caliber season. The best player no one talks about has 16 homers and 57 RBI’s in 58 games played. The offense is backed up by a talented yet somewhat anonymous collection of arms that will make “the mistake by the lake” a tough out come October. They have their work cut out for them though as they battle for first in a surprisingly competitive AL Central.
Extra Innings
Kings in the Castle: I’ll use my extra inning this week to highlight one more team that needs more love. That team is the 36-25 Kansas City Royals, who I felt would improve this season, but look to be ahead of schedule right now as they sit second in the Central division. They are keyed by one of the new faces of the game, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. who is hitting .313 with nine home runs, 42 RBI’s, and 17 stolen bases, all while playing a stellar shortstop. The thunder to his lightning is future hall of fame catcher Salvador Perez, who sits at .315 with ten homers and 40 RBI’s of his own. They have a solid mix of speed and power to help boost the lineup, though they don’t have to score a lot as their pitching staff has been awesome. Seth Lugo is enjoying a career best season with a 1.72 ERA while Brady Singer’s 2.63 ERA and Cole Ragans 3.21 ERA back him up. This talented threesome could use some help in the bullpen, which may make the difference in sending this club back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
The Walkoff
It’s Not About You: I’m including The Walkoff this week because the clip above really gets to me as a former broadcaster. The individual you hear yelling into the microphone is Chicago White Sox play by play voice, John Schiffren. Schiffren has made headlines throughout the season for his outspoken approach to broadcasting, something the White Sox are no stranger to after years of Harry Carray and Hawk Harrelson being in the booth. While Harry and Hawk was good for a laugh, some of their homerisim and at times nonsensical ramblings would get old, and so does this. Broadcasters, especially in baseball, are a big part of the sport and how fans consume it. If you are devoted fan like me, you will hear the same voices on your TV or radio somewhere aroun 140 nights a summer at the least. The broadcast team is there to be enjoyed, but their performance should never detract from the game as their job is merely to provide color to already wonderful picture. Schiffren seems to want to make himself part of the story nightly and its frankly embarrassing, especially after the White Sox decided not to retain the services of Jason Benetti.
Where They Stand
We’ll start with “the junior circuit” as the there are some interesting races shaping up around the league. The Yankees and Orioles seemed destined to have a wild chase to the finish line in the East, while the Guardians will have battle the Royals and Twins the rest of the way in the Central, and the Mariners will have to hold off the dormant (for now) Rangers and Astros. The Red Sox and Tigers are lingering around the fringes of Wild Card contention while the Rays, Jays and the AL West clubs look to turn things around in a hurry!
Meanwhile in “the senior circuit” things are decidedly more top heavy. The Phillies and the Dodgers are the class of the league, with comfortable leads over the Braves and Padres respectively. The Brewers are a surprise division leader so far, but the Cardinals are starting to turn things around while the Cubs and Pirates struggle. The Padres presently own a Wild Card spot as their talented, yet flawed roster looks to find consistency in the face of pitching injuries. The Giants and Diamondbacks are looking to get their seasons turned around while the Nationals continue to show progress in their rebuild. We’ll check back on the standings next month as we near the All-Star Break.
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