Post All-Star Break Review 2017

So the first half of the 2017 MLB season has come to a close and it was celebrated with an astonishing show by Aaron Judge in the Home Run Derby (let's just say it wasn't close) and a spectacular All Star game where the AL won their FIFTH consecutive game (jeez...come on NL. Are you even trying?). With all this being said, how about we look over the first half of the season and see what went right, wrong, and in between in a season filled with power, rookies, and big money teams winning big.

Aaron Judge:
I think starting out with one of the hottest bats in the league is very appropriate to start remarking on the first half of this season, and HOLY COW this rookie's bat is hot. In addition to hitting .319/.442/.602, which is incredible, this man has hit 30 home runs this season. In case you didn't know, Aaron Judge just passed Joe DiMaggio's rookie home run record for the Yankees and it isn't even August yet. Seeing this rookie hit makes you want to say "All Rise" which is exactly what Yankees fans have been saying pretty much every game this season.
That doesn't mean that he is a perfect bat and another Hall of Fame, though. In 310 ABs he has struck out 112 times, or 36% of the time. That is an eye popping number and something that definitely needs to change over the next few years if he wants to remain a powerful force in the league. That being said, players like Giancarlo Stanton have gotten HUGE contracts because of their power even though their strikeout rates are high (27% for Stanton this season). In baseball these days power is a hot commodity and I'm sure the Yankees are going to eat up every bit of Aaron Judge's over-the-fence capability.
The Yankees are currently just a few games out of the AL East lead and currently they are relying on a hot offense to carry their struggling pitching. If Aaron Judge can hit .320 with 100+ RBIs this year and 40+ home runs he would earn himself an MVP, rookie of the year, and possibly a divisional title to boot. I am so excited to see this kid play and earn his spot among the young greats in baseball.

Closers and the Trade Deadline:
The Chicago Cubs won the World Series last year for many reasons, but I'm sure no one who watched that series closely would say that Aroldis Chapman was a non-factor in that series win. Whether you look at Jason Motte in the 2011 World Series, Koji Uehara in the 2013 World Series, or Wade Davis in the 2015 World Series it is important to note that teams that win the championship tend to have top notch closers that rake in October. Now, let's look at the top 5 teams in the league right now and talk about who needs to "buy" at the end of this month in order to have a shot at the title.

Washington Nationals-
The Nationals are one of the few teams in baseball without a World Series win and to get there they can't just depend on Bryce Harper (although he is playing like a monster!). Right now their closer is Matt Albers, although he hasn't been their closer all season. With 2 saves and a 1.91 ERA over 33.0 IP this season, he seems to be having a good season. That being said, this is his first season as a closer and there is no telling how he is going to hold up as his innings count increases. If the Nationals really want to go for the title this year, as I have said in previous years, they really need a stronger bullpen and an elite closer. Just maybe don't go for Jonathan Papelbon this time; we all know how that ended.

LA Dodgers-
The Dodgers are KILLING IT this season. Hitting 60 wins before the All-Star break is a tremendous feat and now they are sitting at 64 wins, 10.5 games ahead of their divisional competitor. Cody Bellinger is a superstar and Clayton Kershaw is a wizard on the mound. The crazy thing is, their bullpen is also in terrific shape with Kenley Jansen at closer. With 23 saves already on his record and a 0.90 ERA over 40.0 IP he is once again proving that he is one of the best relief pitchers in the game.  The Dodgers look to be in good shape to win their first World Series in 29 years.

Houston Astros-
The Astros are the Dodgers of the AL. 62 wins already this year and a WHOPPING 16.5 games above their divisional competitors and they are looking to be in good shape to make it into October. Their bullpen consists of Michael Feliz, Luke Gregerson, and Tony Sipp with Ken Giles holding the closer position. While their bullpen doesn't seem to be outstanding, Giles has 20 saves this season in 34.1 IP along with a 3.41 ERA. Only 2 blown saves in 22 attempts shows finesse in the 9th inning and makes the Astros another strong contender in October. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited to see Correa, Altuve, and Springer kill it in the postseason.

Milwaukee Brewers-
While the Milwaukee Brewers always tend to find a way to fall out of the playoff race as September turns around, they have a legitimate chance at October this season. To capitalize on their first half successes, evaluating their bullpen is a top priority. Corey Knebel heads it right now, and while he has 16 saves this season for them, he has 4 failed saves, making me concerned about their performance heading into the postseason. While an elite closer pickup would help the team, an evaluation of the teams assets and the price of closers is needed. If Knebel continues to show that he can close for the Brewers as his innings approach 60.0 IP, then this Brewers team might have a shot at fending off the former championship Cubs and the ever-present Cardinals to take the division and make a deep shot into October.

Boston Red Sox-
Finishing off this top 5 team evaluation is the Boston Red Sox. Playing well so far this season it is going to be a tough last half for this team. They are being closely followed by the hot Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays and they are going to be counting on Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogarts and their closer Craig Kimbrel to lead them to the promised land. 23/26 saves this season is impressive and his 1.38 ERA and 71 SO in 39 IP are wowing numbers. Craig Kimbrel has been possibly the best closer (besides Mariano Rivera) to pitch the 9th inning in the past 10 years. If he can continue finishing wins for the Sox this season he could win his first ring and the 4th for the Red Sox since 2000.

The Phillies:
How do I start this...? 30-60 is about as bad as you can get and it looks like it might only get worse for them. A lackluster starting rotation lead by the 4.44 ERA Jeremy Hellickson is one reason for their woes. What is a team like the Phillies have to do to move up in baseball and take their first season over .500 since 2011? Well the answer isn't going to be very appealing to Phillies fans. The best answer is time. Time for draft picks to mature and time for wasted contracts to fall away. The Phillies' biggest problem right now is that they are in a huge amount of debt. Because of this it is very difficult for them to spend on veteran talent. Over time the farm system will show up and the assets will be in place for blockbuster trades and contracts for free agents to be dealt out. Hold tight, Phillies fans, it is going to be a bumpy ride.


In conclusion, this season has been a wild one so far and there are some teams really flexing this year because of their youth showing up big. June came and went and so did the June MLB home run record because the league managed to hit a combined 1,070 home runs in the course of the month. I don't expect that to change anytime soon. Players like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge.....I could go on on on....are turning the league on its heels.

----For more insights into the 2017 baseball season keep checking back at "Off the Bench". Hope you enjoyed! Please comment your opinions and I'll see you in the next blurb.-----