Baseball June Progress Report: American League

AL East

1. Toronto Blue Jays (45-39)

They Blue Jays had a great May and built a lead in the division. However, they came back to Earth and back to the rest of the pack in the AL East by going 12-15 during June. Their offense continues to be one of the best in baseball. Their pitching is not great and did not do as well in June as it did in the first two months of the season. Mark Buerhle started out red hot at 9-1. Naturally, it could only go downhill as he went 1-4 in June. Similarly, RA Dickey and Drew Hutchinson each went 1-3 during the month. On the bright side, they did not implode and still pitch well enough to keep their powerful offenses in games. Moreover, rookie Marcus Stroman is pitching well. During June, he had 1.09 WHIP, 2.67 ERA, and 26 Ks versus 8 walks in 30.1 innings. He is a young pitcher to keep an eye on. If the Jays can acquire a top of the rotation pitcher like a healthy Cliff Lee or David Price, it can put them over the top. While the AL East has been the best division in baseball in recent seasons, it is very mediocre this year. It is any team’s division to win.

Grade: B

2. Baltimore Orioles (43-39)

Similar to the Blue Jays, the Orioles have a great offense. Nelson Cruz continues to be a great free agent signing. He has already belted 26 homeruns. Outfielder Steve Pearce is having a breakout season. He only played in about half of the Orioles games. Nevertheless, he is batting .327 with .382 OBP, 10 homeruns, and 27 RBIs. The production of Cruz and Pearce has covered for the terrible season Chris Davis is having. After a career year hitting over 50 homeruns, Davis is batting a pathetic .205. The key to the Orioles season will be pitching again. They appear to have found a solution at closer now that Zach Britton has taken over the role. Their starting pitching is decent but they do not have top of the rotation starters. Top prospect Kevin Gausman is starting to pitch better. He went 3-1 during June with a 2.63 ERA. However, his K/BB ratio is mediocre so those numbers will go up if he does not improve on those peripherals. Another Orioles prospect to watch is Dylan Bundy. He is recovering from Tommy John surgery but he may be able to help them in the second half. Regardless, I doubt either young starter will develop into a top flight pitcher in the next few months to make a significant impact for this season. Like the Blue Jays, the Orioles need to acquire an ace. However, it is more likely that they acquire another solid starter like the ones they already have.

Grade: B

3. New York Yankees (41-40)

The Yankees season has been a disappointment. They allowed Robinson Cano to sign a big contract with the Mariners. While they signed Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, and Carlos Beltran to improve the lineup, they have all underperformed. In my opinion, Cano has outperformed all three of those players combined. As such, they have a mediocre offense that will limit them to being a .500 team. While there is talent in the lineup, there is also age. I have my doubts that it can turn it around. In terms of their starting rotation, losing three of its starters has really hurt. The replacements have kept them afloat but I get the sense that they have been lucky and will implode at any time. They really need Michael Pineda to return after the All-Star Break and perform. The Yankees learned that former ace CC Sabathia will be lost for the season and potentially has a career ending injury. While he is not the same player anymore, he is still a presence and would have eaten up some very valuable innings to reduce the workload of the bullpen.  Masahiro Tanaka and the bullpen have kept the Yankees afloat. Tanaka has been stellar at 11-3 with 0.95 WHIP, 2.10 ERA, and a ridiculous 127 Ks versus only 18 walks in 115.2 innings. The back of the bullpen has also been great with closer David Robertson, Dellin Betances, and Adam Warren. Betances has stolen the show with 0.77 WHIP, 1.50 ERA, and 76 Ks versus 16 walks in 48 innings. However, the weak starting rotation has not provided enough innings and the offense does not provide a lot of runs. As such, the bullpen has been strained with a lot of work. Unfortunately, Tanaka subsequently suffered a partial tear of his UCL. It could lead to Tommy John but only rest is prescribed by doctors so far. Nevertheless, his loss and a tiring bullpen will knock the Yankees out of contention shortly.

Grade: C+

4. Boston Red Sox (38-45)

Everything went right for the Red Sox last year as they had magical ride to a World Series win. However, everything has gone wrong for the Red Sox this year. Their lineup was one of the best in baseball last year and produced many clutch hits. It has regressed to one of the worst in baseball this year. It scored the second fewest runs in the Major Leagues in the month of May. Only the San Diego Padres scored fewer runs and they are having a historically terrible season in regards to offense. Up and down the lineup, the production has significantly dropped for most of their hitters. Their starting rotation has also regressed dramatically. Jon Lester and John Lackey have been solid. Jake Peavy and Clay Buchholz have been terrible. In regards to Peavy, they also absorbed a lot of money to acquire him in the middle of the season last year. While Koji Uehara has been dominating again as closer, even he has had his struggles lately. It is not a World Series hangover anymore. There are serious issues and holes on this team. Only a mediocre AL East is keeping them in the race.

Grade: D

5. Tampa Bay Rays (36-49)

The Rays are having a nightmare season with one of the worst records in baseball. They have been ravaged by injuries. Even in a bad division, I do not expect this team to claw its way back into the race. They will definitely trade David Price this season. Price should bring back a great return for the Rays. He will significantly impact the pennant race pitching for a contending team.

Grade: D

AL Central

1. Detroit Tigers (45-34)

The Tigers briefly gave up the division lead to the Royals during the month but have taken it back. The Tigers are simply better than the rest of the division. They have a devastating top of the lineup and three top of the rotation caliber starters. I would be surprised if they do not win this division even though the Royals may be on the brink of great things. It is World Series win or bust for the Tigers this season. As such, they have an eye for progressing then peaking as a team for the postseason. Their biggest concern is the bullpen. They signed Joe Nathan to solidify the closer role but he has been a disaster. As such, they are in the market for relievers. They could bring back Joaquin Benoit in a trade with the San Diego Padres. They should also try to pry a closer, like Joakim Soria, from a team falling out of contention. In terms of their lineup, the top of their lineup is great but the bottom is mediocre. However, I believe the answers are on their team. Outfielder J.D. Martinez and third baseman Nick Castellanos both had a great June. These two young players are the key to adding depth to the lineup. Their starting rotation continues to be excellent. Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez are the aces of the staff. Rick Porcello has had an excellent year at 11-4 with 1.13 WHIP, and 3.12 ERA. Former Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander is the question mark. He is 7-7 with a bloated 1.49 WHIP and 4.71 ERA. Similar to CC Sabathia in New York, it begs to question whether age has caught up to Verlander and he is no longer a top pitcher. This answer may determine whether Detroit achieves its championship aspirations.

Grade: B+

2. Kansas City Royals (43-39)

The Royals are coming. Their hitting was holding them back in the first two months. The bats busted out in June as they scored the second most runs in the AL. They did it as a lineup rather than one hitter getting red hot. They have a talented, young lineup so it will be interesting to see if they can turn it up even more. Their rotation is solid. It is anchored by ace James Shields and fellow veteran Jeremy Guthrie. They also have a couple of young starters, Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura, who are emerging. In addition, their bullpen is lights out with an impressive group of power arms led by elite closer Greg Holland. This team can definitely challenge the Tigers for the division this season. At the very least, it should be in great shape for a Wild Card berth to end the franchise’s long playoff drought.

Grade: B

3. Cleveland Indians (39-43)

Like the Red Sox, a lot of things went right for the Indians last season that have gone wrong this season. The main culprit is their pitching. Their starting rotation has been dreadful. Last seasons’ ace Justin Masterson has a 5.16 ERA. They believed that top prospect Danny Salazar could emerge as an ace. However, he was terrible and sent back down to the minors. He has continued to perform poorly in the minors. A bright spot is Corey Kluber. He has emerged as a top pitcher with 7 wins, 1.22 WHIP, 2.99 ERA, and 127 Ks versus only 29 walks. Their bullpen was shaky but Cody Allen has solidified the situation by emerging as the closer. He has 1.08 WHIP, 2.50 ERA, and 46 Ks versus 14 walks in 36 innings. He definitely has the potential to be a dominating closer. Their powerful offense has also underperformed. Star second baseman Jason Kipnis, star catcher Carlos Santana, and veteran Nick Swisher have been the main reasons for their struggles. While Kipnis dealt with injury, Santana and Swisher have no excuses and are batting .205 and .197 respectively. Despite their struggles, they have kept afloat enough to make a run if they can start playing better. However, I believe they need too many players to turn it around this season.

Grade: C+

4. Chicago White Sox (39-44)

It is an average team but definitely much improved from last season. They have a superstar pitcher in Chris Sale and a superstar slugger in Jose Abreu to build around. The dominance of the two players has kept this team afloat. Sale continues to quietly be one of the best pitchers in baseball at 7-1 with 0.89 WHIP, 2.30 ERA, and 84 Ks versus 16 walks. Abreu has been phenomenal in his rookie year. He is tied for the homerun lead with 26 homeruns. Sale and Masahiro Tanaka will battle for the Cy Young Award. Tanaka and Abreu will fight for the MVP and Rookie of the Year Awards. Sale and Abreu keep this team relevant. However, there is not enough help around them for the White Sox to stay in the playoff race.

Grade: B-

5. Minnesota Twins (37-44)

They added veterans to help their young players. This team is still not going anywhere. Phil Hughes continues to be a good free agent signing. He has revitalized his career in Minnesota.

AL West

1. Oakland As (51-31)

They have the best record in baseball with the best run differential at +134. They are excellent in all facets of the game: starting rotation, bullpen, and lineup. Sonny Gray has emerged as a top pitcher while Scott Kazmir has reemerged as an ace. The rest of their rotation is filled out by promising young starters who are pitching well. Moreover, they made a great trade with the Chicago Cubs to acquire potential ace Jeff Samardizja and strong starter Jason Hammel. I love the trade for the As. They gave up top prospects but they are very young and will need years to develop. GM Billy Beane definitely has built a team with a 2-3 year window to win a championship before their young players are up for big contracts and they lose them. As a result, it makes perfect sense for Beane to acquire two players that can help his team win now. In terms of Samardizja, the As will have him at a reasonable price for next year too before he hits free agency. He is also still improving as a pitcher and has already shown he can be an ace. With this trade, the As are the favorite to win the AL pennant and play in the World Series.  Jim Johnson was a trade acquisition bust. However, Sean Doolitte continues to be a top closer this season since taking over for Johnson. They also have a deep lineup that is powered by legitimate sluggers. Brandon Moss, Josh Donaldson, and Yoenis Cespedes have hit 19, 18, and 14 homeruns respectively. Moreover, Cespedes has a laser rocket arm. He made two ridiculous throws during the month. If you have not seen them yet, Youtube it. The As have everything they need to win a championship. 2014 could be the year that Billy Beane finally wins the elusive championship.

Grade: A+

 2. Los Angeles Angels (45-35)

Give the Angels credit for keeping pace with the As. The Angels had big expectations but were even bigger disappointments in recent seasons. They have a powerful offense led by MVP frontrunner Mike Trout. Aging superstar Albert Pujols has added solid production this season with 17 homeruns and 50 RBIs. Josh Hamilton has also been great in the games he has played and returned to the lineup recently. Pujols and Hamilton were expensive free agent signings so they will need to produce.  The key to their turnaround is a much improved starting rotation. Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson are solid veterans. Garrett Richards has emerged as a potential ace at 9-2 with 1.07 WHIP, 2.81 ERA, and 108Ks in 109 innings. I would still like to see him cut down on his 40 walks. Tyler Skaggs has also been a decent offseason trade acquisition. He has kept them in games. The problem with this team is the bullpen. Ernesto Frieri was inconsistent and lost his job as closer multiple times this season. They traded him for another struggling closer, Jason Grilli, who was formerly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Both teams hope that a change of scenery will help both closers rebound and stabilize the back of their pens. In the end, the Angels should challenge the As but the As are clearly better.

Grade: B+

3. Seattle Mariners (45-38)

The Mariners had a great month of June going 18-10 to catapult themselves into the middle of this divisional race. The strength of this team is its pitching. Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma form one of the best 1-2 punches at the top of the rotation. Hernandez is having another Cy Young caliber season at 10-2 with 0.92 WHIP, 2.10 ERA, and 137 Ks versus 22 walks. Roenis Elias has been a solid rookie pitcher from Cuba. Top prospect Taijuan Walker has also recently joined the rotation. As such, it can get even better. Fernando Rodney is also a good free agent pickup. He has solidified the closer role. Their offense remains the question mark. Disregarding the price, Robinson Cano is a great pickup. While the change in ballparks from the left handed hitter friendly Yankee Stadium to the spacious Safeco has sapped his power, he has performed great batting .323 with .382 OBP and 51 RBIs. The Yankees offense sorely misses his production. His supporting cast hit better in June. However, they are far from stellar but need to continue to produce. In the end, I still think their offense holds them back but they should contend for a Wild Card spot.

Grade: B

4. Texas Rangers (37-45)

They had their championship window and it has closed. Everything has gone wrong for them this year. They spent big money in the offseason by signing Shin-Soo Choo to a huge contract and trading for Prince Fielder’s massive contract to help their offense. Choo is batting only .253 with 7 homeruns while Fielder is out for the season. As such, the once powerful Rangers lineup is now mediocre. In addition, their pitching has fallen apart besides Yu Darvish. While Joakim Soria is pitching like a top closer again, the Rangers cannot get a lead to him. They have to think long and hard about trading a couple of star veterans at the trade deadline. Third baseman Adrian Beltre will be very attractive to teams trying to upgrade third base or their lineup. Soria can be a great closer for a team that needs one.

Grade: D

5. Houston Astros (36-48)

The Astros are beginning to bring up their top prospects and be relevant again. George Springer has flashed superstar ability. He has hit 16 homeruns in only 67 games. If it were not for Masahiro Tanaka and Jose Abreu, Springer would be the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year. They have also called up first baseman Jon Singleton. He is struggling early batting only .184 but the potential and power is there. These two future stars will anchor the Astros lineup. The Astros have stockpiled a strong farm system. They could emerge into a top team over the next 3-4 years.

Grade: C+

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