PHOENIX — They are not so much a rivalry as a reality show: Yankees vs. Red Sox.
A-Rod. CC. Big Papi. Everyone but Snooki.
The home run derby Monday at Chase Field was a preview of what the second half holds, possibly deep into October.
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano outslugged Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez for the title. Both are MVP candidates. But the difference in New York and Boston is that legends are defined by postseason success. It’s hard to find someone who believes one of those AL beasts won’t be in the World Series. San Francisco closer Brian Wilson predicted a Red Sox-Giants matchup, saying it would be “epic.” If, of course, there’s not an upset. The Angels finally have pieces that fit and look more like a postseason threat. Nobody wants to deal with the Tigers, who have the potential AL Cy Young Award winner (Justin Verlander) and MVP (Miguel Cabrera). It’s been a rather predictable season, save for the Indians, leaving the Yankees and Red Sox poised to hog the spotlight.
AL West
The Rangers have hosses, but no lead horse. The Rangers can mash, but don’t have an ace. Cliff Lee isn’t walking through the door this summer. Texas arrived at the all-star break in first place, but can last year’s surprise World Series team hold it? C.J. Wilson’s ability to remain an ace likely holds the key.
“We feel good in the style we are playing,” said all-star Michael Young. The Rangers will be aggressive before the July 31 trading deadline. Setup man Heath Bell is a target. He would give the Rangers a consistent bridge to closer Neftali Feliz.
Hot pursuit:
Last season the Angels stumbled into the all-star break, losing six of seven games and feeling the absence of John Lackey, Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero. Everything is different now. The Angels have won 14 of their past 17 games.
“People understand their roles. Early on Torii (Hunter) and Bobby (Abreu) were trying to do too much,” said Angels ace Jered Weaver.
The Mariners have been respectable but don’t hit enough to qualify as a threat. They will be looking at deals that can make them better in both the short term and long term. If healthy, Erik Bedard will be an interesting trade chip. Oakland is not in full sell mode, with general manager Billy Beane needing his team to finish strong. The Athletics can pitch, but they likely fired manager Bob Geren two months too late to make a playoff push.
Trade front:
Texas general manager Jon Daniels isn’t afraid to put on a full-court press to get a deal done. The Rangers need another arm and likely will add a reliever.
Bottom line:
The Angels aren’t afraid to play small ball. They already have promoted baseball’s top prospect, outfielder Mike Trout. If Dan Haren can avoid his usual second-half swoon, the Angels will overtake the Rangers.
AL Central
Detroit star Justin Verlander wasn’t being smug, just honest.
“There aren’t a lot of starters who throw as hard as me,” said Verlander, arguably the AL’s best pitcher the past three months. “I don’t throw 98 (mph) all the time, but I know I can go get it when I need it.”
Can the man with the golden arm put his foot on the gas long enough for a division title? The Tigers weren’t exactly a powerhouse in the first half, their biggest highlights being Verlander’s no-hitter and manager Jim Leyland’s ejections. They lead by a razor-thin margin over the Indians, the AL version of the Pirates. The White Sox also remain a sexy pick to make a run powered by a rebound from free-agent bust Adam Dunn.
“I’m anticipating a minimum four-team race,” said Indians manager Manny Acta.
Hot pursuit:
The White Sox will find out right away if the second half holds something besides disappointment. They play 12 consecutive games against Central teams, among them Detroit and Cleveland. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen already has challenged his underachieving team to start playing better and stop making excuses. The Indians’ offense and rotation are question marks. They likely won’t be around in September without improvement from Shin-Soo Choo and Fausto Carmona.
Trade front:
The Twins will quickly become the epicenter of trade activity if they fall out of the race. Everyone from the Rockies to the Yankees has interest in starters Francisco Liriano, Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey.
Bottom line:
I don’t get the love for the White Sox. Dunn has been a cardboard cutout all year and hasn’t hit a lick against left-handers. Cleveland is a great story without a happy ending. This division will be won by the best team, and that team is Detroit.
AL East
The Red Sox were the best team in December. The favorite in March. Then came April, and they played like the 1962 Mets. After a forgettable start, Boston has lived up to expectations. The Red Sox can bash teams into submission. Their offense is the league’s best. They rank first in runs, hits and on-base percentage. If Adrian Gonzalez doesn’t win the MVP, George Mitchell might launch another investigation. But even if Gonzo takes home the top prize, his team might not. The Yankees aren’t going anywhere. But questions about their roster linger. Are their veterans perfectly aged or a team getting old too fast? (See injuries to Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter.)
Hot pursuit:
Commissioner Bud Selig admitted that he’s concerned about the Rays. They have an exciting young club, yet they play at home before crowds more suited for a company softball team. With Tampa Bay likely to fade, that leaves the Yankees and Red Sox to throw fists down the stretch. But this lacks the drama of 1978, for example, since both are likely to make the playoffs.
Trade front:
The Yankees will add someone. It’s as predictable as a Scooby-Doo ending. Will it be a left-handed reliever? That’s what the Yankees really need, but there aren’t many available. The Red Sox are looking for another bat. They have passing interest in Ryan Spilborghs but are expected to make a run at the Cubs’ Jeff Baker, who has crushed left-handed pitching this season.
Bottom line:
The Red Sox will make the playoffs. The Yankees will make the playoffs. This season will be measured by who is still standing in the World Series. The Red Sox have baseball’s best offense, but they will represent the American League in the Fall Classic because of their pitching. In the end, their rotation is better than the Yankees’ rotation.
