The Baseball Season Resumes - Finally
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I think I speak for everybody when I say it's time for the baseball season to get rolling once again. Now that the dust has cleared from all the "excitement" surrounding the All-Star Game, it is now time to look toward the rest of the season and the division races that will soon be taking place, especially in the AL Central. The Indians and Tigers have been battling all season for first-place supremacy in the Central and now that Travis Hafner has finally signed his extension, he can focus solely on baseball.
Think, for a moment, about how much of an impact Pronk could have on the team if he begins to heat up. Granted, he is on pace to drive in over 100 runs, but his home run totals and average have been way down. All he needs to do is get fired up for the rest of the season and the team can begin punching their postseason tickets right away. Imagine the impact he would have on, oh, let's see - Victor Martinez. As good a 1-2 punch in the majors if you ask me, but you didn't, so I was going to tell you anyway.
The AL West could also get very interesting. The Angels have begun to feel the heat from the Mariners, and the Athletics have always been a stupendous second-half team. And hey, the Rangers just suck. As much as I wish Safeco would implode and the Mariners would lose every game for, well, forever, I cannot change the fact that they are a decent team. However, their pitching will let them down in the second half. And the A's are getting healthy; the addition of Rich Harden (if he can stay healthy) to that rotation only improves the AL's best pitching staff.
Oh, and the Yankees are terrible. I smiled when I typed that. It feels naughty saying that, as if I am claiming Jesus was only a mortal man. Nevertheless, I am taking a large amount of joy in the fact that they are only hovering around .500. Go Blue Jays! - they need to get healthy too and hey, they aren't completely out of it.
My pick for MVP of the All-Star game wasn't completely off, as I chose Victor Martinez. We all know who did get it...
I think I'm pulling for the Cubs to make the NL Central a close race just so I can see them squander their chances in the last week of the season. The way those fans treated Steve Bartman a few years ago was disgraceful and I wouldn't lose any sleep if they never won another World Series. I don't let things go very easily.
Alex Rodriguez hitting 800 home runs in his career? Great. Winning a World Series with the Angels? Even better, but I would only warm up to the idea after five straight championship seasons by the Tribe.
This is when the baseball season gets really good, and I can't wait. There is no better feeling than having your team in the middle of a race to the playoffs.
