The Young Baseball Season

The national scene is so depressing that I for one can't bear to post anything about it. Instead, I'll talk about baseball.

We've only gone through two and a half weeks of the season, less than ten percent of the scheduled games have been played, but still there have been some developments the pundits did not anticipate.

How about those Colorado Rockies, certainly the most pleasant surprise of the young season. The emergence of Dexter Fowler as a power threat - seven homers already from the lead-off spot - along with the resurgence of Troy Tulowitzky and continued excellent play by Carlos Gonzalez have propelled the Rocks to an eleven and four start. The supporting cast is good too, with Michael Cuddyer and second baseman Josh Rutledge, a young player poised for stardom. Granted, Todd Helton is not nearly the hitter he was a few years ago, but Jordan Pacheco is being eased into the first base position and Helton will play fewer games in hopes he'll stay fresher with more rest. Nolan Arenado, considered a super prospect, waits in the wings, ready soon to take over at third base. Catching is in the hands of Willin Rosario, not considered very good defensively, but baby can he hit with power.

In baseball, it all depends on pitching. The Rockies have cobbled together a rotation of starters that few people outside of Colorado know anything about. Jorge de la Rosa can be a top leftie, now that he's recovered from elbow surgery. Juan Nicasio, whose neck was broken last year by a line drive, is back and pitching well. Jhoulys Chacin can be very good or very bad. The last two starters, Jeff Francis and John Garland, are retreads, but both might be able to provide quality starts. The bullpen looks like a strength with Rex Brothers and Rafael Betancourt, both very capable on the back end.

In the end, all will depend on the five starters, but if they falter Drew Pomerance and Christian Friedrich are available at Colorado Springs.

One thing the Rockies will have to prove they can do is beat the Giants in San Francisco.

Almost as nice a surprise as the Rockies has been the play of the Boston Red Sox, consensus choice of the experts to finish last in the American League East. Red Sox pitching has been dominant so far and there has been enough offense to bring ten victories in the first fourteen games.

I like the Red Sox' chances, especially considering that David Ortiz is about to join the team after the almost endless rehabilitation of his heels. Big Papi's big bat in the middle of that lineup should make all the other hitters better. Certainly, the first three hitters, Ellsbury, Victorino and Pedroia, will see more strikes to swing at as opposing pitchers will be reluctant to walk them ahead of Ortiz.

What's best about the Bosox, though, is the tandem of Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz. The Sox will go as far as those two bulwarks of the rotation take them.

Disappointments? The Los Angeles Angels are off to a slow start. They might recover, but will have to do so without Jered Weaver. I don't think they can catch the Oakland A's. Likewise, the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have not performed as everyone thought they would. The Giants, aside from that three game sweep of the Rockies, have been mediocre, but it's always a mistake to count them out.

I can't say I like either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the New York Yankees. All that money spent and they seem to have assembled teams composed of players on the downhill side of their careers. The Yankees, despite winning some games recently, are relying heavily on older players and second stringers. I don't think they can last.

Maybe I'll try for some social comment in my next entry. Then again, maybe I won't.