We're roughly 1/4 of the way through the season, who's contenders and who's pretenders?

[JohnU]

Funny thing about pretenders -- as opposed to teams that aren't very good -- is that they think they have a chance all the way up till the middle of August, so instead of taking advantage of the trade deadline, they assume they're buyers instead of sellers.
Teams that win shit play the long season. Not many teams are good enough for that and most of them that are good enough are not in the West.

 

[Mondo Jay]

Braves road record and strength of schedule has been amazing. They finally play 26 of the next 42 at home.

A lot of reason for optimism in Atlanta.

@olympicoscar disagrees I guess. Or, he is revenge rating again.

Lol.

 

[Shaggy]

Dbacks might be pretenders the way they are playing the last few games.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Dbacks might be pretenders the way they are playing the last few games.

Every team has slumps.

 

[Gopherfan84]

The way the AL Central has played so far this season Miami would have a legitimate chance to win the division.

 

[steelerssb]

Pirates are on pace to win 94 games. They're pretenders in that they shouldn't hit that number but a nice 85 or so win season and being a Wild Card or even divisional contender in late August would still make for a fine season. It's an if but if Kang comes back and is the guy he was before all his shit that's a huge plus.

Somehow, someway this team leads the Majors in shutouts without an ace and with a bullpen that's had its struggles.

 

[steelerssb]

The fact that the Pirates are kicking the crap out of both Central divisions helps. Why couldn't this team do this in 2015

 

[JohnU]

Pirates are on pace to win 94 games. They're pretenders in that they shouldn't hit that number but a nice 85 or so win season and being a Wild Card or even divisional contender in late August would still make for a fine season. It's an if but if Kang comes back and is the guy he was before all his shit that's a huge plus.

Somehow, someway this team leads the Majors in shutouts without an ace and with a bullpen that's had its struggles.

Actually, I think 85 is more like a possible division winner in the NL-C, not a wild card. You get some of your wins inside the division (actually a lot of them) and every game you win, is somebody else losing. The NL-C could be a 4-team horse race up to the last weekend of the season.
Pittsburgh needs infield depth.

 

[steelerssb]

Actually, I think 85 is more like a possible division winner in the NL-C, not a wild card. You get some of your wins inside the division (actually a lot of them) and every game you win, is somebody else losing. The NL-C could be a 4-team horse race up to the last weekend of the season.
Pittsburgh needs infield depth.

Yeah possibly, but I'm also expecting the Cubs to pull away

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[WizardHawk]

Pretender? There has to be some level of reason for false hope to reach that.

The M's are perennial dick teases as best. I honestly don't think that team will ever play in even a one game playoff at any point before I die.

Fuck baseball.