The 2024 baseball season is now under way! I thought I'd drop a quick thought on each team. It could be one player, all the way up to the teams’ 2024 outlook and anything in between. I'll try to find something positive to say, but with a few clubs that is very difficult indeed. 

In keeping with our theme, here's one on baseball as a whole: If you look at some of the clowns starting on the second day of the season it seems clear that good starting pitching is a luxury, at least early on. Let's begin....

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AL EAST

Baltimore Orioles

The one gaping hole in this roster was a horse at the top of the rotation. Corbin Burnes makes Baltimore a World Series contender. 

Boston Red Sox

This stat is so awesome that I can't let it go by; with his homerun Thursday Tyler O'Neill became the only player in MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY to homer in five straight opening days. It was his first game for the Sox, too. 

New York Yankees

Here's my "no shit" moment.….or for Yankee fans, "oh shit." If Garrett Cole can't answer the bell at some point in the first half, this club has no chance to win the division. I have my doubts about even a wild card bid.

Tampa Bay Rays

Wander Franco will never be seen again, but the Rays are ready to reload with 20-year old Junior Caminero. The kid flashed big power in high A and AA last season and earned himself some big league experience down the stretch. Tampa sent him down for a bit of Triple A time this spring, but I expect we'll see him by May. 

Toronto Blue Jays

This is a pivotal year for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. My perception of him was still stuck in his monster 2021. A look under the hood reveals his past two seasons have seen an alarming degradation in his power skills: Too many ground balls, especially for how much of a pull hitter he is. If you believe in contract year bumps then Vlad Jr. is in line for a strong 2024. There are tens of millions on the line for the 25 year old. 

AL Central

Chicago White Sox

Owner Jerry Reinsdorf has picked a poor time to begin agitating for a new ball park, because this is a truly depressing roster. When Luis Robert makes his annual trip to the IL things will be especially bleak. Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez just haven't developed. 

Cleveland Guardians

This is going to be a fun summer for the Naylor brothers I think. Both are ready for the next step. 

Detroit Tigers

They absolutely can win this division.….this year. I love what they're doing. 

Kansas City Royals

I'm still stunned at how fast the Royals turned the Rangers' bullpen cast-off Cole Ragans into an ace caliber talent. Yes, Texas did win it all in 2024 but this one has to sting. They just didn't see it. 

Minnesota Twins

I flipped over to the Twins opener against Ragans in time to see Royce Lewis get injured..…again. Between him and Bryon Buxton we're left wondering what might have been for the both. 

AL WEST

Houston Astros

With injuries to Verlander, Urquidy, and McCullers the Astros are counting on Hunter Brown taking a step forward. I think there's a lot there. 

Los Angeles Angels

It has to suck for Mike Trout, a generational talent, to look around his clubhouse and see Anthony Rendon, a man who clearly does not give a shit. And Rendon is leading off! Batting second.... Aaron Hicks? What the fuck is going on here? The three of them could well be injured at the same time at some point, too. What a depressing roster. 

Oakland Athletics

Speaking of depressing rosters. The A's signed Ross Stripling and Alex Wood for their 2024 rotation, and that will be an improvement. 

Seattle Mariners

I need to see this half-overturned line-up for a few months to pass judgement. I suspect the health of Mitch Garver and MItch Haniger will go a long way to forming my opinion. Not great that Garver was scratched on night number two with back spasms. 

Texas Rangers

They're playing with house money now that they're World Champions, but if they don't reach those heights this year it will be because too much of their rotation is in the shop. 

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NL EAST

Atlanta Braves

The Braves boldly brought in Jarred Kelenic from Seattle in the offseason. This is a championship caliber club again and they certainly don't need to take chances. It is perhaps an ominous sign for Kelenic that Atlanta brought back Adam Duvall late in spring training. 

MIami Marlins

Maybe I'm a sucker, but there's something about Jesus Sanchez that still leads me to believe he can be a very nice player. They need him to be. 

New York Mets

Sean Manaea is a starting pitcher for the New York Mets. Yeesh. 

Philadelphia Phillies

I wonder if Philadelphia sports fans experienced an awakening last summer when they decided to put down their beers and cheer a struggling Trea Turner until he began producing. I suspect if he, or anyone else has a prolonged slump they'll return to their old ways. 

Washington Nationals

When Jesse Winker spent 2022 in Seattle with my Mariners, his biggest contribution was attempting to fight the Angels, all of them, one day when the club was in a horrible slump. Perhaps the Mariners rallied around not liking Jesse Winker, because from there the M's got white hot and made the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Last year Winker was traded to the Brewers and posted a .048 ISO. Jesse Winker began 2024 batting third for the Washington Nationals. 

NL CENTRAL

Chicago Cubs 

There was a reason Cody Bellinger drew tepid interest on the open market despite his 2023 resurgence. His advanced stats suggest he did not hit the ball particularly hard. I expect a bit of a fall to earth for him in 2024.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds had a log jam of young talent and really needed to spin a piece or two off for some better pitching. And then Noelvi Marte went and got himself suspended for PED’s and now Matt McLain has undergone shoulder surgery. No more log jam. 

MIlwaukee Brewers

Under new management the beer is a bit skunky in Milwaukee. With Burnes gone and Brandon Woodruff out for the season the Brewers are asking a lot of the erratic Freddy Peralta to be their ace. 

Pittsburgh Pirates

My God, O'Neill Cruz hits the ball hard. If he can figure out lefties look out.

St. Louis Cardinals

Is it just me or does it feel like the "Cardinal Way" left with Javier Molina? Regardless, Molina would have only been able to do so much with their 2024 rotation.

. 

NL WEST

Arizona Diamondbacks

Was it a fluke for them to win the NL Pennant? Yes it was, but let's not sleep on the 2024 Diamondbacks. They'll be in the conversation for good reason this year. 

Colorado Rockies

Is there anything sadder than watching the once-promising career of Kris Bryant wither and die with this sad sack club? They lost their opener 16-1. 

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yes, they are certainly World Series favorites for good reason, but the weird thing with Ohtani and his interpreter has me wondering where this all goes. It could hang like a black cloud all season. The story just doesn't add up. 

San Diego Padres

Of all the 30 teams, this one seems to puzzle me the most. I feel like their range of outcomes is very broad. At the end of the day they're probably not much better than .500.

San Francisco Giants

It'll be fascinating to watch how this all comes together. Sure he's the 2023 NL Cy Young winner, but Blake Snell remains an enigma. When he's bad, he's really awful. Adding Robbie Ray coming off injury is interesting. If they've threaded the needle here this could be one of baseball's best staffs. That's not nothing in this environment.

Brian is the long-running morning host on WWCD Radio and is equally as nerdy about music and baseball.

He hopes the Seattle Mariners can win the World Series in his lifetime. Seems.….unlikely..…