Going into the 2013 season, both New York teams face as myriad of questions regarding their success.
For the Mets, many of us would agree that the future looks bright, but it’s hard to imagine the boys from Queens making a ton of noise. What many of us will be clamoring for most will be the emergence of guys like Zack Wheeler and Travis D’Arnaud, and watching the continued development of young guys Ruben Tejada, Matt Harvey and others.
Is it possible there could be a diamond in the rough? Sure. But I can’t imagine much of a fight being put up when you consider that the Nationals and Phillies are clearly the top two dogs. I can’t count out the Phillies either, as, even though they’re old, if they maintain their health, they could be right there.
On the other side of town, the Yankees are currently worrying about their captain. Derek Jeter recently received a shot to relieve pain in his recently-broken ankle, and he will be out of action for for a bit, and his opening-day status is in doubt. Couple that with injuries to Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez, and the Yankees could very well be in trouble.
The Red Sox will likely be cellar dwellers in the AL East, but the Toronto Blue Jays are much improved. Adding guys like R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle will certainly bolster the team that already includes guys like Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Ricky Romero.
The Orioles have been gutty as well, and Buck Schowalter has them playing hard since he arrived, and the Rays are the team I pick to win the division. This could be a year of transition for the aging Yanks.
So what do you think? Which team is in a better place for this season, and which team is better prepared for the years ahead? Let us know in the comments section below.
