MLB Deconstructed – Episode 1

• While the Rays are 2 games under .500, they have the third best run differential in the league at +46.  That trails only the Sox and the Dodgers, the teams with the two best records in baseball.  Run differential is a great playoff indicator.
• How does Texas continue to suceed with no pitching.  If they do with the division they are first round fodder for whoever they play.
• The parity in the league this year is great, there is only one truly atrocious team and that is the Washington Nationals, and yesterday they got the most hyped prospect in MLB history.
• The Detroit Tiger predictions were just a year too early last season.  There pitching has been tremendous bolstered by the addition of Ex-Ray Edwin Jackson.
• The Rays lead the league in runs scored.  This is with Longoria, Upton, Bartlett and Iwamura all missing time, and BJ hitting like shit for the first month and a half he played.
• I love how the Brewers are playing, especially after losing their two best pitchers this offseason, and one of their best hitters a  month into the year.
• The Dodgers look like a freight train right now, and they don’t even have their best hitter, scary team. They are on pace for 108 wins.
• The Nationals are on pace for 43 wins.
• Love all the top specs that have made their way up to the bigs this year.  Matt Wieters, Tommy Hanson, David Price, Gordon Beckham.  There is a new influx of studly talent in the league that will be on display for the next decade and a half.
• The Rays have the third highest Expected Win % in the league at 34-26.  They also have the largest disparity in record, 5 games underneath that.
• Ichiro is on pace for his 9th straight 200 hit season, incredible.  First ballot Hall of Famer, without counting his numbers in Japan.
• My favorite player to come into his own so far this year…Adam Jones.  Dude is a stud.
• Carl Crawford is on pace for 92 steals and only 8 caught stealings.
• Carlos Pena is on pace for 115 BB and 207 strikeouts.
• I love what Russell Branyan has been doing with a full time gig.  He always had the power, but he is finally get his chance to show it off on the daily.   On pace for 39 HR.
• The Rays have 3 players in the top 10 in strikeouts, Carlos Pena, BJ Upton and Evan Longoria.
• Zack Greinke is on pace for 23 wins 6 losses, 259K,  37BB, and a 1.55 ERA.  If he continues this pace, he will have an argument for one of the greatest seasons ever for a modern day pitcher.
• Roy Halladay is on pace for 27 wins, and continues to be the most underated HOF caliber pitcher in the majors.
• Dan Haren has given up more than 3 runs in a game one time all year, has a 2.55 ERA and has 4 wins.  This is why the Diamondbacks are garbage.
• Trevor Hoffman – 17 GP, 17 IP, 0.00 ERA.  The change is too nasty.
• Brad Lidge – 0 Blown Saves last year, 6 this year.

That is it for my random thoughts for this week.  I think this will be a new piece that I do bi-weekly.  Hope you enjoyed it.