Spring training is just about over, and Prediction Season is
officially over here on the blog but have no fear for Opening Day is almost
here! As the New York Yankees prepare to travel to Toronto to face off with the
Toronto Blue Jays inside the Rogers Centre on March 29th the team is
also preparing for something else at the same time, the absolute dog fight that
is going to be the American League East crown here in 2018. With presumed down
years from the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays it once
again looks like this will be a two-horse race to the top of the AL East
between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. With that in mind let’s
compare the potential starting lineups, defensive alignments and positional
player comparisons to see who, in my opinion of course, gets the edge.
Please reference the below table, I have bolded the layer
that I would give the edge, or victory, to for the sake of this post. These are
my opinions only, but I have researched recent and career stats from Baseball
Reference as well as their projections for the 2018 season when making my
decision. Plus, I have included the eye test from my personal experience as
well, which may or may not sprinkle in a tiny bit of bias and “homerisms.”
*Dustin
Pedroia listed as a bench player after undergoing knee surgery that will delay the
start to his 2018 campaign. Once he returns it is presumed that Eduardo Nunez,
listed as the every day second baseman, will return to the bench as the utility
infielder for the Red Sox.
Obviously, this is not a complete list of ALL the positional
players for each team, but I think it is enough to paint the portrait that I am
trying to lay out. According to this table there are 12 positional players
listed and the New York Yankees have the edge, again in my opinion, in seven of
them leaving Boston with the edge in five slots. In a perfect world and on
paper, neither of which the games are played in, this would give the offensive
and defensive edge to the New York Yankees for the upcoming 2018 season. Like
John Sterling says to Suzyn Waldman all the time though, “Suzyn, you just can’t
predict baseball.”
Stay tuned to the 2018 season to find out how these
comparisons and rankings shake out and check back later when we take a look at
each team’s starting pitching and bullpen staffs. Enjoy your day!
Glad you kept Bird at 1st. We’ll know more tomorrow but I believe it is inflammation that can be treated with cortisone shots. I would start Wade at 2nd.
ReplyDeleteFor the sake of simplicity I went with Walker here only because I think, assuming health, he will get more at-bats than Wade will over the course of a season.
DeleteGreg Bird, Surgeon O'Malley, and Greedy hand wringers...Stop. Please.
ReplyDeleteThis is about Greg Bird. An unhealthy human being, coming out of
spring training batting .124, with a bad foot.
He goes to United Presbyterian Hospital on Monday 3/26, and
Dr. O'Malley amputates his right leg. Things happen. No big deal.
Too bad for Bird, but it opens a slot.
There must be some semi-old L/H slugger who had played a lot of first base at one time, who now lives in Oklahoma, who tells his wife that someone will call soon.
She smiles, knowing she wants a new BMW, and gives him a kiss.
He flexes his muscles, and says he wants just one more chance.
He kisses her back, and they fall away.....Oh, my.
It can be fixed in a phone call, or in house. Over night.
Greedy posters lets not be overly dramatic, and start making religious offerings. I know that is what you will do.
Greedy Pinstripes would be a better site if any of it's posters had an edge. Like posting something that hits hard, and creates interest.
An edge is not a bad thing. Unless you really love vanilla.