Boston Red Sox
The rumor mills are swirling that the Red Sox are reportedly interested in acquiring the services of Roy Halladay. I'm not buying it. The Red Sox don't need him. They currently have a great top end of the rotation with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester (who has come on impressively strong recently). Couple that with 42 year old, first time All-star Tim Wakefield putting up his normal numbers and the Red Sox are poised to make a run deep into October. The back end of their rotation has some questions with the inconsistencies that Brad Penny and John Smoltz have shown thus far. But, even without Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Red Sox have finally seen the light and called up Clay Buccholz after 3 and a half months of utter domination at Pawtuckett. If Buccholz pitches even half as well for the Red Sox as he did for Pawtuckett, all questions will be answered. Watch out for this team, they are on the rise yet again.
New York Yankees
I could give you 2,000 words just based on what the Yankees can expect in the second half, but I'm trying to be objective here and not focus as much on the Yankees. So, I'll try to keep this as short and as sweet as I possibly can.
The Yankees currently find themselves in 2nd place, 3 games behind the Red Sox with a 51 - 37 record. Starting the second half fresh off an embarrassing 3 game sweep against the Angels, the Yankees find themselves pondering a few questions. How good are we? How good can we be? What will it take to get there?
To answer the first question, the Yankees are a very good team. Their run differential is among the best in baseball, which means they score a hell of a lot more than they allow. That being said, they are an extremely streaky team as well. They can look so good for 5 or 6 games at a time, then look absolutely lost for a few games.
To answer the second question, I think they can be the best team in baseball. They can certainly win the wild card, I even think the division is within their grasps as well. The World Series isn't a tough thing to get excited about either. This is a fun team to watch, it's a fun team to root for.
But, it will take a lot to get them to that point. No, I don't mean they need to break the bank for Roy Halladay. While the thought is tempting and I'm salivating at the notion of him pitching in pinstripes, it would be a short-sighted move. I've tossed back and forth about it and feel that giving up on Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, or trading prospects like Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero, are moves the Yankees don't and shouldn't make any longer.
In order to be the team they're capable of, the Yankees don't need anything to change offensively. Their lineup is good top to bottom and Alex Rodriguez is even starting to heat up as well. What the Yankees need, is more consistency from their pitching. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are fine, they're known commodities, we understand what we're going to get from them and we love it. But, I'm looking in your direction Joba and at you Mr. Pettitte. The Yankees will only go as far as you two take them. This can either be an absolutely terrific team, or a good team that fell short. It rests easily on you guys. Either you get yourselves figured out and pitch at the level you expect and everyone else expects from you, or we fail. Baseball is a team game, the Yankees can't do it without you.
But, on the other hand, how about that Yankees bullpen?!? Mariano Rivera, still proving after all these years, he is the best of all-time and is showing no signs of slowing down. And what about the nice little group we have in Aceves, Coke and Hughes?? That's a modern day Mendoza, Stanton, Nelson, if you ask me.
The Yankees don't need to trade for another starting pitcher. They get Chien-Ming Wang back in about 3 weeks and he was just starting to round into his old form when he went down with his shoulder injury. I believe he can be better than any person we may trade for. The bullpen doesn't really need much in the way of trading for anything either. Damaso Marte (yes, he still exists) is on his way back from injury and Mark Melancon should drastically improve. They will prove to be the two biggest pieces of our bullpen. Brian Bruney, I'm sorry to say, is done. He just doesn't have it anymore. He's lost at least 5mph on his fastball and it's so straight with no movement, I think I could make contact.
All things being equal, I think the Yankees are primed for a breakout second half, but they've got a lot of improving to do over the course of the next 80 games, if that will really happen.
The Yankees currently find themselves in 2nd place, 3 games behind the Red Sox with a 51 - 37 record. Starting the second half fresh off an embarrassing 3 game sweep against the Angels, the Yankees find themselves pondering a few questions. How good are we? How good can we be? What will it take to get there?
To answer the first question, the Yankees are a very good team. Their run differential is among the best in baseball, which means they score a hell of a lot more than they allow. That being said, they are an extremely streaky team as well. They can look so good for 5 or 6 games at a time, then look absolutely lost for a few games.
To answer the second question, I think they can be the best team in baseball. They can certainly win the wild card, I even think the division is within their grasps as well. The World Series isn't a tough thing to get excited about either. This is a fun team to watch, it's a fun team to root for.
But, it will take a lot to get them to that point. No, I don't mean they need to break the bank for Roy Halladay. While the thought is tempting and I'm salivating at the notion of him pitching in pinstripes, it would be a short-sighted move. I've tossed back and forth about it and feel that giving up on Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, or trading prospects like Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero, are moves the Yankees don't and shouldn't make any longer.
In order to be the team they're capable of, the Yankees don't need anything to change offensively. Their lineup is good top to bottom and Alex Rodriguez is even starting to heat up as well. What the Yankees need, is more consistency from their pitching. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are fine, they're known commodities, we understand what we're going to get from them and we love it. But, I'm looking in your direction Joba and at you Mr. Pettitte. The Yankees will only go as far as you two take them. This can either be an absolutely terrific team, or a good team that fell short. It rests easily on you guys. Either you get yourselves figured out and pitch at the level you expect and everyone else expects from you, or we fail. Baseball is a team game, the Yankees can't do it without you.
But, on the other hand, how about that Yankees bullpen?!? Mariano Rivera, still proving after all these years, he is the best of all-time and is showing no signs of slowing down. And what about the nice little group we have in Aceves, Coke and Hughes?? That's a modern day Mendoza, Stanton, Nelson, if you ask me.
The Yankees don't need to trade for another starting pitcher. They get Chien-Ming Wang back in about 3 weeks and he was just starting to round into his old form when he went down with his shoulder injury. I believe he can be better than any person we may trade for. The bullpen doesn't really need much in the way of trading for anything either. Damaso Marte (yes, he still exists) is on his way back from injury and Mark Melancon should drastically improve. They will prove to be the two biggest pieces of our bullpen. Brian Bruney, I'm sorry to say, is done. He just doesn't have it anymore. He's lost at least 5mph on his fastball and it's so straight with no movement, I think I could make contact.
All things being equal, I think the Yankees are primed for a breakout second half, but they've got a lot of improving to do over the course of the next 80 games, if that will really happen.
Tampa Bay Rays
Let me just say, the Tampa Bay Rays, scare me. They are good and only getting better. Last year was no fluke and the poor start they got off to tihs season was simply a mirage, because this team is one of the top 5 teams in all of baseball. Crawford, Longoria, Upton, Pena, my head hurts just thinking about facing that lineup.
The scariest part? If they somehow found the money to afford Roy Halladay's contract for NEXT season, he'd be in a Rays uniform by the end of this sentence. They have the prospects to part with to acquire Halladay. If by some chance they secured the funds, or found a way to afford Halladay's salary for next season, the Rays would be the favorites for the World Series.
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Add another arm to that bullpen via trade (Danys Baez, Latroy Hawkins, Jose Valverde, Chad Qualls, Heath Bell, to name a few), and the Rays bullpen woes are solved as well. This is going to be the best team in the second half of the season, you can almost count on it. If they make the big splash and get Roy Halladay? Well, then it's football season for me.
The scariest part? If they somehow found the money to afford Roy Halladay's contract for NEXT season, he'd be in a Rays uniform by the end of this sentence. They have the prospects to part with to acquire Halladay. If by some chance they secured the funds, or found a way to afford Halladay's salary for next season, the Rays would be the favorites for the World Series.
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Add another arm to that bullpen via trade (Danys Baez, Latroy Hawkins, Jose Valverde, Chad Qualls, Heath Bell, to name a few), and the Rays bullpen woes are solved as well. This is going to be the best team in the second half of the season, you can almost count on it. If they make the big splash and get Roy Halladay? Well, then it's football season for me.
Toronto Blue Jays
I'll make this easy for J.P. Ricciardi, trade Roy Halladay. Don't be a fool man! You're sitting on a gold mine and you're trying to tell teams you won't allow them to negotiate a contract extension?!?!? HAVE YOU GONE MAD? You're going to end up screwing this up so badly, it'll cost you your job. Mark my words, the trade, or non-trade of Roy Halladay, will be the only thing J.P. Ricciardi is remembered for and that isn't going to be a good thing.
You've got the best pitcher in the American League over the past 8 years on your team, he's in the middle of his prime at the age of 32, his contract runs out at the end of next season and you're playing hard ball? If you don't want to rush into things and trade him during the season, that's fine, you're entitled to that. But, if you don't trade him in the off-season, for the king's ransom package you can get for him and you lose him to free agency and only receive 2 draft picks for him, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Trade Roy Halladay. I can't get much more straight forward than that. I don't care where you trade him, it doesn't matter. Nor should it matter to you. Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, who cares? Just get the best offer you can for him. Don't sell yourself short. Don't sell him short. He's given you nearly 10 great years of his life to play for you, you owe him.
Oh yea, I think the Blue Jays will play some games in the second half and you probably won't win many of them
You've got the best pitcher in the American League over the past 8 years on your team, he's in the middle of his prime at the age of 32, his contract runs out at the end of next season and you're playing hard ball? If you don't want to rush into things and trade him during the season, that's fine, you're entitled to that. But, if you don't trade him in the off-season, for the king's ransom package you can get for him and you lose him to free agency and only receive 2 draft picks for him, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Trade Roy Halladay. I can't get much more straight forward than that. I don't care where you trade him, it doesn't matter. Nor should it matter to you. Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, who cares? Just get the best offer you can for him. Don't sell yourself short. Don't sell him short. He's given you nearly 10 great years of his life to play for you, you owe him.
Oh yea, I think the Blue Jays will play some games in the second half and you probably won't win many of them
Baltimore Orioles
Much like the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Orioles find themselves in the uncomfortable position of having to play in the American League East. Safely positioned in last place with a 40 - 48 record and a distant 14 games behind the Boston Red Sox, the Orioles will most certainly be sellers at the trade deadline and then try and play spoiler to the other teams of the AL East.
Aubrey Huff and Ty Wiggington are the two likeliest members of the Orioles offense to be traded, as well as reliever Danys Baez in their bullpen. Huff would provide much needed left handed power to a number of teams (paging Omar Minaya, paging Omar Minaya) and Wiggington would be a serviceable jack of all trades for any number of teams, being capable of playing numerous positions. With Danys Baez having a find bounce back year after many years of injuries and disappointments, the Orioles would be hard pressed not to deal him in the next 10 to 14 days for a couple of minor league prospects. Possessing the ability to throw strikes and throw them consistently, as well as boasting a good ground ball inducing sinker, Baez could be an intrical part of any teams bullpen come August and September (Yankees, Phillies, Tigers, Mets).
All hope is not lose however Orioles fans. Boasting a lineup with young stars such as Nick Markakis, Luke Scott, Adam Jones and the newly emerging Matt Wieters, the future for the Orioles is getting brighter by the day. Couple that with the surprising success of Brad Bergesen and with a number of highly talented arms stashed away at the minor league level for the Orioles, it won't be too long before they start making a splash again in the AL East. Until that time however, be patient loyal Oriole lover's. Help is on the way.
Aubrey Huff and Ty Wiggington are the two likeliest members of the Orioles offense to be traded, as well as reliever Danys Baez in their bullpen. Huff would provide much needed left handed power to a number of teams (paging Omar Minaya, paging Omar Minaya) and Wiggington would be a serviceable jack of all trades for any number of teams, being capable of playing numerous positions. With Danys Baez having a find bounce back year after many years of injuries and disappointments, the Orioles would be hard pressed not to deal him in the next 10 to 14 days for a couple of minor league prospects. Possessing the ability to throw strikes and throw them consistently, as well as boasting a good ground ball inducing sinker, Baez could be an intrical part of any teams bullpen come August and September (Yankees, Phillies, Tigers, Mets).
All hope is not lose however Orioles fans. Boasting a lineup with young stars such as Nick Markakis, Luke Scott, Adam Jones and the newly emerging Matt Wieters, the future for the Orioles is getting brighter by the day. Couple that with the surprising success of Brad Bergesen and with a number of highly talented arms stashed away at the minor league level for the Orioles, it won't be too long before they start making a splash again in the AL East. Until that time however, be patient loyal Oriole lover's. Help is on the way.
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