MLB Under the Microscope: Classifying Each Major League Team

Ryan JaquithJun 7, 2018

With the start of the baseball season already underway, here's a divisional breakdown of what teams will be in the race for the pennant, the teams that will come up just short, the middle of the pack teams and which fan bases are already looking to the 2013 season.

Each team will be classified as either a:

Pennant Contender—A team that is likely a playoff team and has a good chance at a World Series Championship.

Just a Bit Outside—A team that is a possible playoff team but is a bit short as far as getting a ring.

Batting .500 gets you to Cooperstown, winning .500 gets you here—Your basic win some/lose some kind of team, a .500 ballclub.

You're Out of Here!—A team that has a AAA roster come June.

AL West

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The AL West features the two-time defending American League Champion Texas Rangers who are hoping the third time's the charm and are seeking a World Series Championship this fall, and the Los Angeles Angels who have added a cog to their lineup as well as an arm to their arsenal for 2012.

The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners round out the AL West and seem to be a step behind, a very big step in fact. Oakland won the Yoenis Cespedes sweepstakes and will add excitement and boost ticket/retail sales I'm sure, but in my eyes, the "Cuban Centipede" will run out of gas come late summer. Seattle is as always led by Ichiro and perennial Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez, but aside from that, things are looking rather bland making Mariners games great to go to every fifth game.

Prediction:

Los Angeles Angels—Pennant Contender

Texas Rangers—Pennant Contender

Oakland Athletics—You're Out of Here!

Seattle Mariners—You're Out of Here!

AL Central

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The Detroit Tigers knew they had to do something when Victor Martinez tore his ACL during a preseason workout, but they really came out of left field (pun intended) when their solution was signing Prince Fielder to a long term deal. A decision that is already paying dividends as the hits from Motown continue to top the charts.

If the Tigers do not come out as the divisional champ it could potentially be considered as one of the biggest flops in sports history. In all fairness, they should win the division by at least 10 games.

The AL Central has two young teams on the rise as well as two past winners on the decline. The Royals and Indians have gone through their fair share of losing and are ready to turn some heads by making a big splash. Meanwhile in the Windy City and Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, fans are going to be blown away from contention and barely able to stay above the water.

Prediction:

Detroit Tigers—Pennant Contender

Kansas City Royals—Batting .500 gets you to Cooperstown, winning .500 gets you here

Cleveland Indians—Batting .500 gets you to Cooperstown, winning .500 gets you here

Chicago White Sox—You're Out of Here!

Minnesota Twins—You're Out of Here!

AL East

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In baseball nothing beats a Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. However, this year fans in New York and Boston will be fighting for Wild Card bragging rights. I don't recall a bottom half of a Red Sox lineup that looked so, well, Pawtucket-esque. For the Yankees, things look better on paper, but the rotation still has a lot of question marks. Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda are both young and unproven, and Phil Hughes needs to get in touch with his former self.

Meanwhile sitting under the radar (as usual) is the Tampa Bay Rays. Quietly, they have potentially the best and deepest rotation in baseball, and have been a thorn in the sides of the two AL East powerhouses in recent years.

Forever imprisoned near the bottom of the AL East is the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles. With a division that features two of the most historic clubs, these two teams never even have a chance. This year is potentially their best chance given the decline expected from Boston and possibly New York, but it won't be enough. As a morale booster though, both these respected clubs get a win in the uniform department. Bringing back the throwback look for the Jays and O's will at least make those losses look good.

Prediction:

Tampa Bay Rays—Pennant Contender

New York Yankees—Just a Bit Outside

Boston Red Sox—Just a Bit Outside

Toronto Blue Jays—Batting .500 gets you to Cooperstown, winning .500 gets you here

Baltimore Orioles—You're Out of Here

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Washington Nationals v Los Angeles Angels

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Bleacher Report1w

NL West

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The NL West appears to be a potentially competitive division with possibly four teams (sorry San Diego) vying for a division crown. Defending champ Arizona has its eyes set on building off last year's success while the Dodgers, Giants and Rockies try to knock them off their throne.

Arizona adds former Athletic Trevor Cahill to the rotation and former Twin Jason Kubel to the lineup to add some pop for Manager Kirk Gibson. San Francisco serves up two aces in Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and hope to have Buster Posey back to 100 percent.

The Dodgers have two of the best young stars in the game with Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw. If both can duplicate their level of play from 2011, the Dodgers will stay in the thick of things.

Colorado traded away its ace Ubaldo Jimenez last year to Cleveland and this year have signed Jeremy Guthrie and ageless Jamie Moyer to replace him. What doesn't look like an upgrade on paper seems to not matter since games at Coors Field require ten runs to win anyway, and Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez will carry the load in that department.

Prediction:

Arizona Diamondbacks—Pennant Contender

San Francisco Giants—Just a Bit Outside

Los Angeles Dodgers—Batting .500 gets you to Cooperstown, winning .500 gets you here

Colorado Rockies—Batting .500 gets you to Cooperstown, winning .500 gets you here

San Diego Padres—You're Out of Here!

NL Central

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The NL Central lost two of its stars this past offseason when Pujols and Fielder left via free agency leaving holes to be filled in St Louis and Milwaukee. The only six team division figures to be separated into two sides: Contenders and Pretenders.

Leading the Contenders are the St Louis Cardinals. Coming off a World Series title, the Cardinals signed Carlos Beltran to help ease the pain of losing a bat like Pujols and are hoping Adam Wainright will be as good as new coming off elbow surgery.

Milwaukee needs Braun to play like an MVP candidate and have Zack Greinke win a lot of ballgames.

The Cincinnati Reds are the final team that falls in this category for the division. Having already lost closer Ryan Madson for the year, Aroldis Chapman will at least start the season in the bullpen. Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips will need to stay hot all year to give this team a chance.

The last three teams feature a team that hasn't won a title in over a century (Cubs), a team that hasn't gotten to the playoffs in nearly a quarter of a century (Astros) and a team that will likely lose the numerical equivalent to a century's amount of games (Pirates).

The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the season 19-63 after staying within striking distance of a winning season and potential playoff spot for the first half of the season. Adding AJ Burnett to the rotation just might do wonders and who knows, perhaps allow them to end the season 25-58 this year instead. Baby steps.

The Chicago Cubs brought in former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein to help deliver their first World Series title since way back when Billy Goats were allowed onto the field. Now someone just needs to tell Mr. Epstein he is officially on the clock because I'm still waiting for him to make a move.

Oh and the Houston Astros will again be playing baseball this year, that's about all that's worth saying...Sorry Houston

Prediction:

St Louis Cardinals—Pennant Contender

Milwaukee Brewers—Pennant Contender

Cincinnati Reds—Just a Bit Outside

Pittsburgh Pirates—You're Out of Here!

Chicago Cubs—You're Out of Here!

Houston Astros—You're Out of Here!

NL East

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The NL East could potentially be the most interesting division to follow in all of baseball this year with Philadelphia now having to look into their rear-view mirror for teams charging quickly looking to pass them up. Philadelphia hopes to have Ryan Howard back and fully recovered from his Achilles surgery by May and, in the mean time, hopes Hunter Pence can hit his stride in his first full season with the club.

The Florida Marlins made a big splash this past offseason by constructing a new state of the art stadium, choosing a more location specific name in the Miami Marlins, creating some colorful uniforms, switching to an even more colorful manager and stumbling upon some cash to sign quality players. Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano and Heath Bell all signed with Miami and look to join Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson to fight for a divisional title.

Atlanta and Washington appear to be poised and ready to sneak their way into contention as well. The Atlanta Braves have a star in the making with Jason Heyward. A five tool player, Heyward is joined by Michael Bourn and Brian McCann in a pretty potent lineup.

Washington will hope starters Stephen Strasburg and newly acquired Gio Gonzalez can counter opposing team's aces and out-duel opponents.

Prediction:

Philadelphia Phillies—Pennant Contender

Miami Marlins—Pennant Contender

Atlanta Braves—Just a Bit Outside

Washington Nationals—Just a Bit Outside

New York Mets—You're Out of Here!