Early Thoughts on the MLB Season
Apr 16, 2021, 11:34 AM | Updated: 11:34 am
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Major League Baseball players know it, managers are well aware of it, but sometimes fans need to be reminded of it.
The baseball season is a marathon and not a sprint. We have just begun this long race but it doesn’t mean we can’t form some early opinions on what we have seen.
Baseball rivalries are a thing and that is good for baseball
This weekend fans will be treated to a couple of series that should have some underlying tensions in every game.
In the American League East the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays do not like each other. It was heated last season and the Rays got the last laugh when they defeated New York in the postseason. The have thrown at each other in the past and will square off again this weekend in New York.
Meanwhile in Southern California two of the best teams in all of baseball will play their first of many matchups this season.
The San Diego Padres host the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Both are off to great starts and the Padres are coming for what the Dodgers have. This makes for good drama and good baseball.
The Oakland A’s roller coaster has been wild
The A’s began the year with six consecutive losses all at home and all the games were not that close.
They edged out the Dodgers for win number 1 on a walk off and then after dropping the first game of another series with the Astros, the A’s now have ripped off 5 consecutive wins.
With a win tonight over the Tigers, Oakland will have made it back to .500 and would have done it very quickly. The defending AL West champs are finding their groove and they have never lacked confidence.
Those two paired together make them a tough team.
Are the Giants good?
San Francisco has surprised so far this young season. I didn’t have a lot of expectations for the Giants in 2021 and I was not the only one. So far this team has jumped out to an (8-4) start and that is even with a brutal opening night loss.
That loss ended and one more to Seattle cost them that opening series but they have won the next three series to slide in second place in the NL West.
The pitching has been good and when Johnny Cueto left the game the other day there was some concern but it looks like a short trip to the DL for him. This start can boost confidence and we will continue to monitor the Giants to see if they can keep this up.
What is going on with the Seattle Mariners?
The Mariners have the longest drought in baseball from making the post-season.
Right now Seattle leads the American League West. Many experts believe that Seattle is a year or two away and that still may be the case but how good must it feel for those in the great Northwest to see the M’s on top of the division right now.
Acuna’s Bat
After game three of the season in which Ronald Acuna Jr. went 0-4 he saw his batting average drop to .167.
Obviously a short sample size but since that time, Acuna has 21 hits, 7 home runs and is now batting a torrid .442. So many people love his talent and his passion for the game. The other day he tagged on a short pop fly that was caught by the shortstop. He is fun to watch and his bat is crazy hot right now.
We are still in April and there is so much baseball left to go but continue to watch these storylines and the others that will develop along the ride. Baseball needs more moments like these, more talking points like these, and more talent to shine and get noticed.
For it to succeed it needs to gather enough of these attention grabbing items to keep people engaged for more than just opening day and the playoffs.
