TIME BUSTERS
Start of 2018 a chance to see how far teams have come — or fallen
WHEN 2017 began, the Mets had expanded to a teamrecord payroll to chase what for this franchise would be an unprecedented third straight playoff trip and galvanize the idea they were the team of New York.
When 2017 began, the Yankees had Aaron Judge coming off a failed, strikeout-prone cameo, Luis Severino looking miscast as a starter and the rather anonymous Chad Green readying to try to win a back-of-the-rotation spot.
Yeah, what a difference a year makes.
If nothing else, this should remind us not to get locked into preconceived notions. For the 100th-plus year human beings will be playing the game, which will thwart even our best gut instincts and computer simulations. So rather than project forward, let’s look back at which teams are in far better position 12 months later, and which ones aren’t:
BETTER
1. Astros: The 2017 calendar began with eight teams that had never won a World Series. Now it is seven. Houston’s core is still young and now with a championship pedigree, no one of huge significance was lost to free agency and Justin Verlander is there for a full season. A reminder that Houston is actually a huge market and should feel the year-after influx of cash, especially having not only won a title, but done so in an uplifting manner after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.
2 . Ya n ke e s : Severino f i nished third in the AL Cy Young voting, Judge second in the AL MVP and, oh yeah, the Yankees obtained the guy who f inished first for the NL MVP, Giancarlo Stanton. In what was supposed to be a rebuilding-type season, the Yankees got to Game 7 of the ALCS versus the Astros, and their young nucleus and stills t ro ng fa r m system promise more good days to come.
3. Angels: At this time last year, there was fear Mike Trout’s prime was being wasted. But since then, Andrelton Simmons emerged as a two-way star, Justin Upton was obtained and retained, and the Angels shockingly won the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes plus added Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler. The Angels are not perfect, but have a far better outlook than in January 2017.
4 . Brewer s : The question at this time last year was who would best challenge the Cubs in the NL Central, the Cardinals or Pirates. The answer turned out to be the Brewers, whose powerful farm system suggests they can sustain success.
5. Twins: It was quite the trick to go from 103 losses to being the second AL wild card. There is a good core with money available to bulk up the rotation. But in the buyer-beware category, keep in mind the 2015 Twins won 83 games and became the 59-win 2016 Twins, and while Minnesota won 85 last season, it begins the new year having to wonder if Miguel Sano will be suspended in 2018 after a woman alleged she was assaulted by the Twins’ top slugger.
WORSE
1. Marlins: Association with Derek Jeter was viewed as magical not long ago. But the Yankees great has become the face of the Marlins’ latest sell-off — Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and, perhaps before long, also J.T. Realmuto and Christian Yelich. It is probably the right strategy, but it was applied inexpertly by the new management team, which has created even more fan disenchantment and the likelihood that horrible attendance is about to become far worse.
2. Orioles: There was no mojo last year that could help Baltimore out play its shortcomings—notably in the rotation. The Orioles instead had their first losing season since 2011 and pushed Brad Brach, Zach Britton, Manny Machado and Adam Jones to their walk years — and then Britton tore his Achilles in offseason workouts. At this moment — with its rotation still unsatisfactory — Baltimore does not look like a serious contender, or like it can get full value for any of the free agents-to-be.
3. Mets: Michael Conforto broke out in 2017 and on Aug. 24 blew out his left shoulder taking a swing. So even the Mets’ best story of last season came with an unhappy ending. Has any team ever squandered the goodwill of two straight playoff seasons (and an NL title) quicker? A losing 2017 combined with plans to lower payroll for 2018 has returned fury to this fan base. Twelve months ago, there was still lots of optimism about the potential of the rotation — not as much now.
4. Royals: As opposed to t he Mets, Kansas City’s two straight playoff seasons (2014-15) includes a championship (over the Mets). So there has been sustained goodwill. But Kansas City will need it. The Royals attempted over the past two years to try to extend the good times through trades and signings that failed to net even a playoff position and left Kansas City — with its shallow farm system — in for an extended period of pain with nucleus players Lorenzo Cain, Eric H os me rand Mike Moustakas likely gone through free agency.
5. Giants: Expected to be playoff contenders, San Francisco instead wound up with the majors’ worst record (64-98) and had what was an NL-record 530game home sellout streak end. The Giants, already burdened by an older roster, troublesome contracts and a thin farm system, traded for Evan Longoria, 32, coming off his worst season and signed through 2022. They want to believe what happened last year was a fluke. Check back with us in January 2019.