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artoodeetoo · 12-09-2018, 03:51 PM

MLB'S FIVE SECOND-HALF THINGS TO WATCH
Central race in AL is most compelling
07/19/2019
By Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

The AL Central is the only interesting divisional race. Kansas City's July surge has made this the division race to watch around the league, while the rest of baseball will be looking at the wildcards throughout the final weeks of the season. Remember, the AL Central might be the weakest division in baseball, but the winner gets to avoid playing at Boston or New York in October in the Wildcard matchup.

How will the Yankees respond to Boston's moves? Brian Cashman appears to be taking his time, but Boston has improved their team with a pair of trades to bring some catching and bullpen depth into the fold. New York has few holes, but they really need left-handed pitching. Last year, they went and got J.A. Happ, who was phenomenal for them down the stretch. If the Rangers can't keep up in the race by the deadline, do they go back to that well?

Can Andrew Benintendi reach .400? Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi is in all likelihood going to be the AL MVP when all is said and done, but the bigger story is that he's hitting .386 this late into the season. George Brett in 1980 is the last player to fly this close to .400, eventually winning the batting title with a .390 average that year.

Is the National League essentially decided? In the East, the Mets hold a commanding lead over the Nationals. The Cubs and Cardinals are separated by one game, but both are playoff locks. The West is in between the other two, with 6.5 games between Rockies and the Dodgers. The only teams that have a real shot at catching the Dodgers are the Nationals and Braves, who are 4.5 and 5.5 games behind, respectively. Right out of the second-half gate, the Dodgers and Nats play a key series in the nation's capital, so it's a prime opportunity for Washington (and Atlanta) to make up some ground.

How bad will it get in Cincinnati? The Reds began to play better in the final weeks of the first half, but they're still headed toward 115+ defeats at the least, and they've only made one trade, and that was in June. Unfortunately, their two biggest contracts in Homer Bailey and Joey Votto are unlikely to be moved, and they don't have many marketable players. The ones they DO have, though, are younger and should be considered building blocks for the next wave of young players (Jesse Winker, Luis Castillo). Even with the horrible season, both GM Dick Williams' and Sandy Alomar's jobs seem safe.

12-09-2018, 03:51 PM	#214
artoodeetoo MVP OVR: 0 Join Date: Dec 2015	Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19] MLB'S FIVE SECOND-HALF THINGS TO WATCH Central race in AL is most compelling 07/19/2019 By Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com The AL Central is the only interesting divisional race. Kansas City's July surge has made this the division race to watch around the league, while the rest of baseball will be looking at the wildcards throughout the final weeks of the season. Remember, the AL Central might be the weakest division in baseball, but the winner gets to avoid playing at Boston or New York in October in the Wildcard matchup. How will the Yankees respond to Boston's moves? Brian Cashman appears to be taking his time, but Boston has improved their team with a pair of trades to bring some catching and bullpen depth into the fold. New York has few holes, but they really need left-handed pitching. Last year, they went and got J.A. Happ, who was phenomenal for them down the stretch. If the Rangers can't keep up in the race by the deadline, do they go back to that well? Can Andrew Benintendi reach .400? Boston outfielder Andrew Benintendi is in all likelihood going to be the AL MVP when all is said and done, but the bigger story is that he's hitting .386 this late into the season. George Brett in 1980 is the last player to fly this close to .400, eventually winning the batting title with a .390 average that year. Is the National League essentially decided? In the East, the Mets hold a commanding lead over the Nationals. The Cubs and Cardinals are separated by one game, but both are playoff locks. The West is in between the other two, with 6.5 games between Rockies and the Dodgers. The only teams that have a real shot at catching the Dodgers are the Nationals and Braves, who are 4.5 and 5.5 games behind, respectively. Right out of the second-half gate, the Dodgers and Nats play a key series in the nation's capital, so it's a prime opportunity for Washington (and Atlanta) to make up some ground. How bad will it get in Cincinnati? The Reds began to play better in the final weeks of the first half, but they're still headed toward 115+ defeats at the least, and they've only made one trade, and that was in June. Unfortunately, their two biggest contracts in Homer Bailey and Joey Votto are unlikely to be moved, and they don't have many marketable players. The ones they DO have, though, are younger and should be considered building blocks for the next wave of young players (Jesse Winker, Luis Castillo). Even with the horrible season, both GM Dick Williams' and Sandy Alomar's jobs seem safe.