It is Derby Day and that means that we have seen enough games to take an early look at the baseball standings. Of course, there is always a reason to take a look at the baseball standings, but Derby Day means that we have completed the first month of the baseball season. The biggest surprise this spring has been the play of the Houston Astros who started with a 16-7 record. The Astros are led by 25 year old 2B Jose Altuve who has established himself as one of the best players in the game. Because he plays in Houston, however, he has not yet received much national attention.
Last year, Altuve led Major League Baseball in batting average (.341) and hits (225), and finished second in stolen bases (56). Altuve is off to a great start again this season, batting .376 and stealing 9 bases in his first 23 games. If the Astros continue to play well, Altuve should gain national prominence by the time former Astros 2B Craig Biggio is inducted into the HOF later this summer.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Milwaukee Brewers are already 11.5 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central Division. The sharks are circling and rumors of a June fire sale have begun. While it is a bit early to throw in the towel, the prospects for a winning season in Milwaukee are bleak. It is a good thing that the fans have not grown tired of brats and beer….
Cleveland has also started very slowly, but with their young talent, manager Terry Francona, and the eventual return of star catcher Yan Gomes, the Indians should improve as the season progresses. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies. Both teams were expected to struggle this season and both suffer from a few aging players who are tremendously overpaid for their services. Although it would be helpful to shed some of those older players, finding teams willing to accept large contracts at the trade deadline will be difficult. The good news is that these teams may be in line for a great player in next year’s draft.
The Casual Baseball Fan 