MLB: Four questions to ponder with the baseball season well underway
CHICAGO— The baseball season is in full swing, with new stars emerging, such as Tampa Bay’s Tyler Glasnow and Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox, and old stars struggling, such as Boston’s Chris Sale and Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez.
The defending champion Red Sox, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies are underachieving. The San Diego Machados are overachieving. And the games are longer than ever despite rule changes designed to quicken the pace.
Here are four questions to ponder: á Can the Brewers afford a $400-million player? The best bargain in baseball is Milwaukee outfielder Christian Yelich, who earns $9.75 million (all figures U.S.) this season after signing a seven-year, $49.57-million deal with the Marlins in 2015. With a $15million club option in ’22, he’ll be wearing a Brewers uniform the next four years.
After shocking the baseball world with his National League MVP season in ’18, Yelich is off to another great start. He began Wednesday tied for the National League lead in home runs with nine and led the majors with 25 RBIs.
Mike Trout’s record-setting $430-million deal last month set the pace, but Yelich could wind up in Mr. Trout’s neighbourhood if he hits free agency in ’22. á What’s wrong with Sale? The previous titleholder of best bargain in baseball was Red Sox left-hander Sale, who relinquished his crown in March by signing a five-year, $145-million extension.
Now he can’t pitch, or at least he can’t pitch up to the high standards Sale has set for himself in a stellar career with the White Sox and Red Sox.
Sale’s fastball was back up to 97 m.p.h. Tuesday night against the Yankees, a vast improvement over his first three starts. But he was hit hard in an 8-0 loss, leaving Sale 0-4 with an 8.50 ERA and looking for answers.
á Will the Rays ever convince fans to come out to Tropicana Field? Tampa Bay is off to the best start in baseball. The Rays have an exciting team, great pitching and one of the game’s most outside-the-box thinkers in manager Kevin Cash, the patron saint of the opener — relievers who start games.
But they always wind up at or near the bottom in attendance despite playing in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox, two of the biggest road draws in the majors.
Even their 13-4 start hasn’t helped much.
The Rays averaged 14,411 per game through Tuesday at Tropicana Field, ranked 28th out of 30 teams. á Can Anderson win a batting
title? The 25-year old White Sox shortstop entered Wednesday’s game against Kansas City leading the American League with a .421 average.
He’s had at least one hit in 12 of his 15 games and seven multi-hit games. For good measure, Anderson hit a grand slam Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
Anderson hit .240 last season and posted an average of .258 over his first three years on the South Side.