After only 6 games played (Milwakee, Atlanta, Pittsburgh have played 7), the state of all six divisions really can't be dissected. You can't really tell a whole lot from just two series of action out of these 30 teams. There are reasons why the Major League Baseball season is 162 regular season games long. Some people think that they play too many games, but it makes things interesting to those who love baseball and it also gives teams a chance to get and/or keep players healthy as they compete for playoff spots and division crowns. There are just a few things going on that has the sports world talking, because they don't normally happen year-to-year.
AL East
--Baltimore is leading the division with a record of 5-1. The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are both 0-6. The Red Sox haven't started a season 0-6 since the 1945 season. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays are both holding tight right behind the Orioles at 4-2.
--Does this possibly mean that there could be a changing of the guard in the AL East?? This earlier in the season, probably not. But, it makes for good water cooler talk, because for once in a blue moon a team not named the Red Sox or Yankees are in first place.
AL Central
--The Chicago White Sox are sharing the division lead with, believe it or not, the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians, all with 4-2 records through their first two series. Minnesota and Detroit are hanging back at 2-4, just watching Cleveland and Kansas City climb their way out of the AL Central cellar.
--No real surprise that the Chicago White Sox are atop the AL Central. The White Sox, quite honestly, have the potential to keep the division lead for the season, unless the Minnesota Twins wake themselves up from this winter hibernation they're in to start 2011. What is surprising is that Kansas City and Cleveland are both playing lights out baseball to start the 2011 campaign. Minnesota was picked as a possibility to win the AL Central and Detroit to finish third. Maybe Miguel Cabrera needs to put down the tequila bottle and gather his teammates together and figure out that they might want to start playing now.
AL West
--The Texas Rangers are sitting real pretty at 6-0. It has nothing to do with the defending American League Champions playing their first two series at home, compared to the rest of the West. The LA Angels are 3-3, starting the season on the road. Seattle and Oakland are both 2-4 and not far off of coming back in the West, but Seattle has mediocre pitching and we're still not sure what's going on with Oakland's lineup. If either can get the least bit consistent, it could be a tight AL West.
NL East
--Philadelphia is doing exactly what they were expected to do to start 2011...dominate the NL East. They're 5-1 with a 2 game lead over Florida and the New York Mets who are both 3-3, 2.5 games ahead of Atlanta (3-4) and Washington hanging tight at 2-4. The bottom four spots in this division could flip flop for the rest of the summer, but Philadelphia will more than likely stay on top. Their bats are too strong and they obviously have the strongest rotation in the National League, bar none.
NL Central
--The Cincinnati Reds just lost their first game of the year yesterday (Thursday). Pittsburgh (4-3), Chicago (3-3) and Milwaukee (3-4) are all trying to fight for second place behind the defending NL Central champion Reds. St. Louis is surprising a lot of people by starting out 2-4, losing 2-of-3 in series at home vs. both San Diego and Pittsburgh. Houston (1-5) got their first win of the season last night at Cincinnati, but will still be living in the NL Central last place slot all season (in my opinion).
NL West
--Colorado is 5-1 and leading the West, but I'm not shocked at all by this. Tulowitzki and the Rockies are hitting hot and supporting their pitching well. San Diego is probably surprising all at 3-2, two of those three wins coming at the hands of the Cardinals in St. Louis. The LA Dodgers are 3-3, while the Arizona Diamondbacks are 2-3 and the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants are down in last at 2-4.
The season is very long and obviously we all expect that division positions will move around all too many times during the course of the regular season this summer. Stay tuned to my blog, as their will be different posts as the season progresses. Have a great Friday everyone! GO CUBS GO!!!!!
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