It is officially the month of June and the Major League Baseball season is already a little more than two months old. This is the month when fans and spectators of the game can begin to tell which teams are to be taken serious and which are not. There are many teams who have surprised this year, just as there are many teams who had high expectations for this season, but have not lived up to them so far. This article will list a few teams that fit both of these categories.
Surprises
Minnesota Twins. Who would have thought that on June 5, the Twins would be in first place in the American League Central division, one of the toughest divisions in baseball over the past few seasons? The mighty Detroit Tigers are currently on a seven-game losing streak and in third place in the division, while the Kansas City Royals are only a game behind the Twins for the top spot. The Twins resurgence has been highly credited to the return of outfielder Torii Hunter, who previously played for the team back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His veteran leadership seems to be rubbing off on some of the young players on the team, such as Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe and Aaron Hicks. This team’s pitching staff doesn’t have many big names, but they keep the team in many games, so that’s most important. It may be tough for the Twins to stay in first place all season long and eventually win the division with the Royals and Tigers on their tail, but they have a real chance to compete for the wild card and possibly make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
New York Mets. Along with the Miami Marlins, the Mets have been the laughing stock of the National League East for as long as anyone can remember. Their best pitcher, Matt Harvey, was sidelined for the whole 2014 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he is back this year in full effect. Harvey is not the only impressive pitcher on the Mets staff though. Jacob deGrom is one of the best young pitchers in the league, while 42-year-old Bartolo Colon is also pitching very well for the team. Noah Syndergaard, the team’s top pitching prospect, was recently called up and is pitching fairly well, also. The offense has also been improved, as first baseman Lucas Duda is turning into a very talented hitter who can drive in runs when needed. Similar to the Twins, the Mets have a slim lead in their division right now. They are only a half-game above the Washington Nationals in the NL East, so the chances of them actually winning their division are not very likely. If not this year, look for this team with their young and talented pitching staff to be contenders in future years.
Disappointments
San Diego Padres. There was not another team in the majors to make more offseason moves than the Padres prior to this season. James Shields, Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton were the big names that the team signed, along with a few other notable players. Shields and Upton are the only players that the Padres acquired that seem to be worth the hype, as Kemp only has one homerun this year and Myers is currently on the disabled list with a wrist injury. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants always rule the National League West division, and they are doing the same this season. The Padres are 4.5 games out of first place, so they do have some hope, but they need to produce more offense if they want to have a chance. If not, the Dodgers or Giants will win the division like they have done for the past five seasons or so.
Chicago White Sox. Another team that made some big offseason moves, the White Sox have also failed to impress within the first two months of the season. Adding players such as Jeff Samardzija, Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera and David Robertson has not worked as planned, as the South Siders are in last place in the AL Central. Their best hitter, Jose Abreu, is doing well, but that’s about it and the team has struggled offensively all season. With so many good teams in their division, it would be very difficult for the White Sox to go on a run and make the playoffs. But then again, it’s only June and anything can happen.
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