Half of April is Gone – How Do the Teams Stack Up?
Note: This article is from a week ago.
Before the 2015 Major League Baseball season kicked off earlier this month, there was immense speculation about how the teams would perform. Every analyst, expert, pundit and fan had their picks for the season. Now, with half of the first month of the season gone, there have been quite a few surprises as far as the teams’ performance is concerned. Some of the teams have punched above their weight while a few ‘heavyweights’ have left much to be desired, especially in the wins column.
Still, it’s early days in the season and there are many more games to come, so basing any judgments or predictions on the results thus far may be a bit premature. Yet, at the same time, looking at the teams’ performance so far does give you an idea of how right (or wrong) on the money you were when you made your predictions for this season. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at a few teams from the MLB and how they stack up so far:
The Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks had a torrid time last season. They lost no less than 98 games last season and then spent the entire offseason rebuilding their team. If history is any measure, teams which rebuild in the offseason rarely turn out to be world beaters. In the case of the Diamondbacks, they were expected to be mediocre, at best. However, so far they have proved the critics and perhaps even a few supports wrong. With 10 games gone, they currently stand at a 5-5 win-loss situation. What’s more important is that their run differential is +1. Not likely winners, but they have defied expectations.
The Los Angeles Dodgers
By far the team with the biggest payroll, the Dodgers too spent a better of the offseason rebuilding their squad. Considering the lack of cohesiveness and momentum coming into the season, it is quite impressive that they have managed to win 6 of their 9 games so far. Their run differential leaves much to be desired, currently at +3. They also need to work out their best starting rotation. If they can do it over the next few weeks, it would stand them in good stead come the end of the season.
The Philadelphia Phillies
If you are wondering if there is any team in the MLB for which the start of the season has gone exactly as predicted, it is the Phillies. There was hardly anyone who predicted that the Phillies would hit the ground running but they have been appalling, to say the least. They have lost 7 of their 10 games so far and what makes it even worse is the -18 run differential. And it doesn’t look as if their performance is likely to improve come the business end of the season.
The Detroit Tigers
From by far the worst team in the MLB this season, till now, to the best, the Detroit Royals have defied expectations and predictions so far. They lost a couple of key players over the winter but they seem to have found the right formula. Their combination so far has been highly successful, with no weak links. They have 8 wins and only 1 loss and they stand 33 runs superior on the differential. The best part is that they have played only 3 of their 9 games at home, all of which they have won. If they continue playing flawlessly for the next couple of months, who knows, it might just be the Tigers’ year.
So, this is an overview of some of the teams in the MLB and how they stack up with half of April gone. Do expect things to change significantly by the end of the season though!
