By Rich Mancuso/ Sports Editor
There are the Yankees with home run power and overall a team that is deep at every position with the exception of first base with Greg Bird probably seeing no baseball activity for two months due to a recurring problem with his right foot. There are the Mets, the supposed other team in New York that depends on pitching to get them back to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
Rockies Home Opener
Welcome to baseball and the 2018 season. For New York baseball this could be a season of success and for others the continued rebuilding. Then there are the expected teams that could play deep in October:
National League Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Brewers, Nationals and perhaps the young Padres that could make an impact. American League: Yankees with their home run power and proficiency to score runs with a solid starting five on the mound. Boston. Cleveland, Twins, and of course the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.
But, as we all are aware, you play the 162-game season and anything can happen. Injuries are always a factor, the July non-waiver trading deadline does change the complexion of a team. And there are numerous big name players still on the market that could be signed in the opening weeks of the new season.
Baseball economics has changed. Jose Bautista and Melky Cabrera are still looking for work along with reliever Greg Holland and some more on the open market. Then there is that word analytics that changes the entire perspective of the game with managerial decisions pertaining to the pitcher and hitter.
And with the game changing, so have some of the rules that will make baseball purists insane. Mound visits by managers and players is limited to six and some of the replay rules have been modified in attempts to speed up the game. But, we are aware three minutes in between innings that cater to the television revenue are a contributing factor to the length of ball games.
Major League Baseball cut to a two minute break and can’t do better because of the significant revenue gained from the networks and advertising revenue, However, the issue is more about hitters taking more counts in the box and drawing a walk as they drive and go more for the home run ball. Last year there were a record number of home runs and strikeouts by pitchers, so the game has changed.
And as always, with cold weather still prevailing, baseball will be played slower in East coast cities and maybe the midwest. This is the earliest start for Major League Baseball in over a decade and the schedule maker does not make it better for the players who have prepared the past month and a half in the warm sunshine of Florida and Arizona.
A brief perspective of the AL: Yankees of course added to their depth and home run power with the addition of NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. The right field porch and primarily used as the DH with Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Didi Gregorius have the potential of surpassing more than the 200 home runs the Yankees hit out of the park last season.
This is a new “Murder’s Row” and with Judge, the AL Rookie of the Year, and Stanton, the Yankees will open the gates early for fans to see them hit balls out of the ballpark during batting practice. GM Brian Cashman built this team to win and go that extra step after their unexpected one game falling short of reaching the World Series in October.
Of course pitching is the game. If Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia. Sonny Gray, all coming off a successful post season, and Jordan Montgomery as the fifth give the Yankees innings and limit the home run ball, well opposing managers will need to go further with their analytics.
And innings won’t matter from the starters because rookie manager Aaron Boone, with possibly the best bullpen in the game goes to David Robertson, Dellin Betances, or Aroldis Chapman.
Red Sox, Indians, Twins, and the Angels, an improved team to watch in the AL.The Twins look to advance beyond a wild card elimination game. But it is the Astros and with possibly the top starting rotation as the favorites to repeat as World Series champions and little doubt about Carlos Correa, George Springer and Jose Altuve.
Brief Perspective of The NL: Where the Mets, obvious the other team in New York finish, is contingent on their starting pitching and the attention will be on the hopeful comeback of right hander Matt Harvey who looked like the old Harvey of 2015 based on his spring starts.
The velocity is there for Harvey. He is attacking the strike zone with authority and that makes a difference but he along with Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, will be monitored carefully by rookie manager Mickey Callaway, a pitching conscious general who was instrumental in developing an outstanding core of starters as the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians.
Terry Collins used 12 different starters last season, injuries of course doomed the Mets season with one starter after another going done with injury. The key is Harvey and of course with the left hander Matz.If Callaway gets quality starts from those four, with Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman also having a role, the Mets will contend again.
The bullpen leaves a lot to be questioned. Callaway will eventually recognize that Jeurys Familia is the eventual closer and AJ Ramos can also set up and close the door. Jerry Blevins is the lefty specialist and newcomer Anthony Swarzak begins the season on the disabled list.
So it comes down to Mets pitching and of course staying healthy. If so, the Mets are a solid contender and pitching which was next to last in the league last year, is expected to propel them back to contention. The offense once again depends on a healthy Yoenis Cespedes and revolving around the home ball that could be dangerous with the return also of Jay Bruce. And Michael Conforto is expected to return by early May after shoulder surgery and awaiting the task as the catalyst leading off with Brandon Nimmo and Juan Lagares filling the void.
Other than that, Todd Frazier is a viable addition at third base and good at the position. The Mets may have the oldest infield in baseball, but leadership with Asdrubal Cabrera handling second and newcomer Adrian Gonzalez at first for the moment, until Dominic Smith recovers from a setback. They can produce some runs.
They won’t steal many bases but it will be interesting to see the continued development of 23-year old Amed Rosario who is mentored by Jose Reyes off the bench. Wilmer Flores, the versititle and still popular infielder may get some spots in left field or provide a role at first.
It’s very simple to understand about the Mets. Pitching, and maybe for the first time the unit of Syndergaard, deGrom, Matz, and Harvey. All healthy at the same time and 25 starts apiece, 200 innings or more? Never happened but can be a lethal weapon if it does. And if so, the Mets have a top three rotation in the game and contending with the Nationals, and at best taking the NL Wild card in a NL East division that is otherwise mediocre with the rebuilding Braves, Phillies and Marlins.
Nationals with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, and Tanner Roark are a sold four in the starting rotation and 20-year old Michael Taylor, a 20-20 threat to go with Bryce Harper and a potent offense, so of course favored again to win the NL East but the Mets again, if healthy will not make it easy as it was last season.
Dodgers start the year without Justin Turner, perhaps two months with a fractured wrist. Still favored to repeat as NL champs with a Cy Young starter Clayton Kershaw as they try and end a 30-year drought as World Series champions.
Diamondbacks are improved and will give the Dodgers a run. The Cubs and Cardinals always are contenders with playoff experience.
Predictions: Never one to prognosticate here because 162-games make a season. But baseball has some parity and the wild card makes it that more interesting. On paper it looks like the Yankees have it all as do the Astros in the AL. The Nationals or Dodgers in the NL. We do know this:
Time To Play Ball.
Rookies to Watch: Nick Gordon (Twins), Fernando Tatis (Padres), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays).
Unexpected Team To Watch: San Diego Padres with young pitching, additions of veteran Chase Headley and Eric Hosmer and potential all-star catcher Austin Hedges.
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