Contenders: AL: Tampa Bay Rays (Currently 1st in AL) : With Scott Kazmir back and going 5-0 in May, the Rays are rolling and learning to win in tight games. Rays had a good offense last year and no defense or pitching and that is almost opposite this season, but the offense is looking better with Longoria progressing well and cliff floyd back. Boston Red Soxs (Currently Wild Card): Defending champs, with Ortiz out it is going to be interesting, but they have had good production out of young pitchers Clay Bucholz and Jon Lester Los Angles Angels (Currently #1 in West): Lots of great players in that offense with Hunter, Kendrick, and Gurrerro. Twins: (.5 GB from White Soxs): This is a shot in the dark in a bad divison, Cleveland and Detroit are not getting it done with all their talent, Mauer, Morneau, Carlos Gomez and Joe Nathan may just help the twins sneak into a playoff spot NL: Phillies: (Leading East): Extremely Hot offense right now and pitching is doing just enough to win and Brad Lidge is doing great as a closer Chicago Cubs (Leading MLB): 7 Game winning streak and if Soriano keeps it up he his going to lead the Cubs to a #1 or #2 Seed Arizona Diamondbacks (leading West by 4.5 games): Offense is doing better but its hard to beat Brandon Webb and Dan Haren St. Louis Cardinals: (leading Wild Card): Todd Wellenmeyer was NL pitcher of the month, Pujols and Ludwick are having good seasons also Pretenders: Yankees (7 GB): Pettite and Mussina are not the same pitchers they once were and are easly beaten, and their young pitchers Kennedy and Hughes are not getting it done. White Soxs: (Currently leading Central): With Ozzie Guillen calling out his team and GM, I think it is going to backfire. Cabrera and Swisher are struggling this year, and without some great trades I see them tanking. Tigers: What happened to this team that was suppose to dominate the MLB. Florida must feel great to unload the declining Willis and the offense hasnt clicked yet. Marlins (2 GB for Wild Card): I see them narrowly missing the Wild Card and getting beat by the Cardinals. I just dont think they can continue their success.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (panthersare#1 @ Jun 2 2008, 10:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Contenders: St. Louis Cardinals: (leading Wild Card): Todd Wellenmeyer was NL pitcher of the month,</div> That right there proves to me exactly why the Cards should be considered pretenders and not contenders. You expect Wellenmeyer and Braden Looper to be candidates for the NL Cy Young at the end of the year?
I don't want to doubt your Rays, but we'll see...and you forgot about the Padre's being Pretenders, their suppose to have one of the best pitching staff's, behind the Dbacks IMO
I think we are seeing that the Rays just don't have enough talent yet to be classified as a contender. We seen in the pats ten games of theirs that they are not on the same level as the best team's in the AL, like the Red Sox and the Angels, seeing as how they have gone 4-6 in the last ten, and had been swept by the Red Sox, and went 1-2 against the Angels. They are an interesting young team, they just aren't contenders in my view.
I dont think the Rays are true contenders this year either, but they are threatening to crash the party a year early....its not a lack of talented though, as much as a lack of experience....if they can stick around and go through a pennant race together while they mature, look out in the near future....they have the best farm system in baseball by far and they have a slew of premium arms that a year or two away from the bigs, and i believe they will win 3-5 World Series titles in the next 15 years....
What are the Yankees pretending to be? At Beef: Truth. If they retain their players, they will be a powerhouse.
