Three of my four teams are ranked first in their divisions this morning of the 2008 All-Star Game.
The Angels have a respectable 6-game lead in the AL West.
The Cubs lead the NL Central by 4.5 games, and the White Sox lead the AL Central by 1 1/2 games.
Even the Dodgers are just one game behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West.
For the first time in memory, all of my teams were able to make it to the postseason and we even got to see an El-Train World Series with the Cubs and Red Sox.
So, I’m happy, right?
Something like.
Los Angeles is a lock, as I see it. They are the most consistent team of all the ones I have mentioned.
The big question on my mind is whether the Red Sox and Cubs will fade by the fall. If I had to bet on a choke, it would be the Red Sox. This is the team that fell from first to worst in the blink of an eye. World champions in 2005, they hit rock bottom in 2006.
I have more confidence in Lou Pinella on the Cubs’ bench to get his team out of any second-half stalemate he might get into.
By some miracle, Red Sox captain Ozzie Guillen has put the hysteria aside this year and just let his team make the news, but I’m bracing myself for outbursts that could ignite clubhouse fights and losses. at crucial moments.
The Dodgers are possibly playing in the weakest division in baseball. Yes, they’re in second place by just one game, but the leading D-Backs are on top with a losing record. The Snakes aren’t even winning half of their contests.
If the Dodgers finish on top, their chances of collecting pennants and rings in the postseason are not good.
I have argued before that the goal of many baseball teams is not to go all the way and win the World Series. You are building competitive teams that meet and exceed your payroll and overhead costs.
“Approaching” is no longer an objective restricted to the game of horseshoes. It seems to be the main unwritten goal of baseball business today.
That’s why I’m happy so far, but I’m not convinced that any team except the Angels would pay for a costly late-season roster bump, an impact player who would ensure ultimate victory in October.