The National League was about to be even more of a pitcher’s league when Ryan Braun tested positive for the Jose Canseco special. With the ensuing 50-game suspension, the Brewers were left sans Braun and Prince with Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks left to drive in the missing 231 RBI’s. Yet Braun is free to flex his muscles in jubilee. He is suited up and ready to roll, the NL has its MVP back, and the Brewers have someone who can hit a home run again.
Over the years, the NL has started to gain a reputation of being favorable for pitchers because the lack of hitters consistently through the order. The only lineups in the NL that can match up with the likes of Boston, Texas, or New York, would be the Phillies and the Brew Crew. As of now, the Phillies don’t know about Chase Utley’s brittle bones or Ryan Howard’s Achilles and the even with Braun back Milwaukee has to depend on often-injured Aramis Ramirez to fit into Fielder’s place. The New York Mets, the Houston Astros, and the San Diego Padres are so bad that their pro teams have become a show for scouts to come watch prospects play against big league competition. Continue reading
In baseball the top dogs tend to stay the top dogs, and that’s as true in 2012 as it has been at any point in the last five years. The Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers are all considered preseason favorites to take home World Series honors, but each team’s respective claim to the throne is surprisingly different.