By Butters in D.C.
League 14
League 16
We’re back to tackle the rest of the A.L. today.
It’s not time to start building keeper lists just yet, but it is deep enough into the season to know what you have and where you need to improve. It’s important to be honest with yourself. What can you reasonably expect from the players on your team the rest of the way? Who’s good? Who’s bad? Who’s flying under the radar? Let’s have a look.
A.L. Central
Chicago White Sox
Biggest Surprise: Carlos Quentin. A top prospect with Arizona, Quentin is coming into his own with 14 homers and 48 RBI.
Biggest Disappointment: Nick Swisher. So many to choose from, but Swisher probably had the best combination of talent, age, and expectation coming into this season. Hitting .203 with four homers isn’t going to cut it.
Sleeping Giant: Josh Fields. Won’t help your batting average too much, but he should give you enough power to be worthwhile. That is, if Joe Crede ever moves on.
Minnesota Twins
Biggest Surprise: Carlos Gomez was expected to contribute, but not like this. Seventeen steals and a respectable average make him a nice complementary speed player.
Biggest Disappointment: Delmon Young. His zero homers are not made up for by his eight steals. Honorable mention goes to Joe Mauer’s power production.
Sleeping Giant: This is a team that has always been greater than the sum of its parts, so no real ‘greats’ here. Unless, of course, you count the ‘ready-to-go-but-stuck-in-AAA’ Francisco Liriano.
Cleveland Indians
Biggest Surprise: Cliff Lee. Last year, Indians GM Mark Shapiro said that Lee was the player that could do some special things. He was just a year off. Lee is for real.
Biggest Disappointment: Travis Hafner. Pronk was well on his way to becoming one of this generation’s best sluggers. Now, he just looks lost at the plate - and he’s hurt to boot.
Sleeping Giant: Unfortunately, he’s already in the “Bigs”. Aaron Laffey is owned in 51% of Sporting News leagues. What is the other 49% waiting for?
Detroit Tigers
Biggest Surprise: Armando Galarraga has been a nice surprise for the Tigers, but no one has been jaw dropping.
Biggest Disappointment: Pretty much everyone has finally gotten going except the old, injured, Gary Sheffield. I expect this trend to continue.
Sleeping Giant: They lost Maybin and Miller in the Cabrera/Willis trade. Rick Porcello is the best young (healthy) arm that the Tigers could call up to help out their shaky pen.
Kansas City Royals
Biggest Surprise: Zack Greinke. A good pitcher with a nice story, he’s always been talented. Now, Greinke is starting to put it together.
Biggest Disappointment: On a team with no expectations, it can only be Alex Gordon. Gordon hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t been great for a phenom. He’ll be fine.
Sleeping Giant: Hochevar is up, Moustakas is too young, and Billy Butler just got sent down. Butler will be back and play more like last year than this year.
A.L. West
L.A. Angels of Anaheim in Orange County
Biggest Surprise: Ervin Santana/Joe Saunders. Big Erv has been very good at home AND on the road, while Saunders, MLB’s only current VTech alum, has been pinpoint.
Biggest Disappointment: Vlad Gurrero hasn’t been Vlad Gurrero this year. With his age, and history of back problems, one has to wonder if he ever will come close again.
Sleeping Giant: The Angels always have a plethora of talent waiting to come up and play. Brandon Wood may make the biggest impact with the bat - Nick Adenhart, when he comes back, from the mound.
Oakland A’s
Biggest Surprise: Greg Smith. After coming over as a prospect in the Dan Haren deal, Smith has put up very good numbers. They won’t stay this good, but they will be acceptable at season’s end.
Biggest Disappointment: Rich Harden. There are few pitchers that have the talent of Harden. There are even fewer that are injured as often as he is.
Sleeping Giant: The Gonzalezes. I hate young pitchers, but Gio’s 3:1 K to BB ratio can’t be overlooked. Carlos just got called up and can be a good 5-tool player.
Texas Rangers
Biggest Surprise: Josh Hamilton is having an MVP type year, Ian Kinsler is running wild, and Vicente Padillia is pitching like Dice-K with less K’s.
Biggest Disappointment: Jarrod Saltalamacchia hasn’t exactly come out of the box like gangbusters. He’ll get there, but it’s going to take time.
Sleeping Giant: If Elvis Andrus can finally get it together, he could be a nice power/speed combo for a middle infielder.
Seattle Mariners
Biggest Surprise: Ichiro. Manager John McLaren said he wanted his star OF to steal more bases. Ichiro is well on his way to surpassing his career high of 56 set in his rookie year of 2001.
Biggest Disappointment: Kenji Johjima. Johjima was a good catcher in Japan, but he’s not a good catcher here. At least, not any longer.
Sleeping Giant: Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien have been called up already; next up could be 19 year old Philippe Aumont. He is young but another clone of Big Unit. The Mariners have prospects, but most are a year or two away.