The arrival of Brodie Van Wagenen, the new manager of the Mets, is a wonder for baseball. Do not you think so? The man took in October a team that came to finish in fourth place and three months later is challenging the rest of the National League saying, "Come and get us."
Cool. As Mike Tyson once said, "Everybody has a plan until you punch them in the mouth." But there's nothing wrong with stirring the hornet's nest a bit. Why not have a little fun?
I have never understood those managers of teams that want their players to play showing self-confidence, but then you see them terrified of saying something that might sound arrogant. Relax, boys.
But apart from all this, the comments of Van Wagenen also serve for a debate on the strongest divisions of baseball.
The East of the National? It has four potential very good teams capable of winning the World Series. And the East of the Americana? The Red Sox and the Yankees could win 100 games again, and the Rays, who won 90 in 2018, have improved.
But at the end of the day, there is a better division than those two. A division in which for the five teams it is realistic to think in October. A division that could give us a classic battle to reach the postseason.
These are the reasons why the National League Central Division is the best of the Major Leagues:
The Brewers led the L.N. with 96 victories in 2018 and could be even better this year thanks to the arrival of Cuban receiver Yasmani Grandal, the return of former ace Jimmy Nelson and the progress of young starters such as Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta.
Paul Goldschmidt, the new jewel of the Cardinals, joins three other initialists - Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs, Joey Votto of the Reds and Jesus Aguilar of the Brewers - to give to the Central of the L.N. four first bases who finished second, fifth, sixth and seventh in WAR in their circuit among the defenders of the first sack. Players of that division also finished first (Christian Yelich), second (Puerto Rican Javier Báez) and sixth (Goldschmidt) in the vote to the MVP of the L.N. in 2018.
Goldschmidt is the most important acquisition of the dead season. His WAR of 32.9 since the start of the 2013 season is the best in the National League in that span and he has the talent to turn the Cardinals' offense into one of the best two in the league.
The Cubs won 95 games in 2018 despite the fact that third baseman Kris Bryant missed 60 games, right-hander Yu Darvish made just eight starts and closer Brandon Morrow was out for the entire second half. Morrow is the only one who will not be ready for Opening Day and the Cubs expect him to be back for the All-Star Game. And do not forget how confident Bryant looks, who just added a new dose of pepper to the rivalry between Cubs and Cardinals this weekend saying that playing in San Luis is "very boring."
The Pirates could be the best kept secret in baseball. The rotation could be among the best on the circuit and if the youngsters at the corners of the draw - Josh Bell in first and star Ke'Bryan Hayes in third - settle down, Pittsburgh could make things interesting.
The Reds believe that their reconstruction is close to completion, and have tried to advance the process by adding the Cuban Yasiel Puig to the outfield and Tanner Roark and Alex Wood to the rotation this winter. They are one of the teams most interested in getting Sonny Gray of the Yankees and do not dismiss them as a destination for free agent Dallas Keuchel.
Did we mention that the Central Division of the L.N. is it also Votto's home? The Reds' first baseman is not only one of the best baseball players, but also one of the smartest, funniest and closest to people. If you are in a division where Votto will visit your stadium nine times a year, that has to be the best division.
Por Richard Justice MLB.com