Scott Garceau: MLB's First Half Major Flops
They've fallen and it's doubtful they can get up. Here's a look at some teams and players who've failed miserably so far in this 2014 season. Let's start with the top 3 terrible teams of the first half.
1. Boston- They get my vote for the top flop. The defending World Series Champs have been chumps. Last year their 4th of July record was 53-34, right now the Sox are sporting an ugly 37-49 record, hardly the work of Champions. Outfielders like Victorino, Bradley Jr, and Sizemore hardly reminded us of the days of days of Rice and Yaz. Starting pitchers Buchholz, Doubront and Peavy have helped the Sox underachieve. Much is expected of the World Champs so far little delivered.
2. Tampa Bay- It's like somebody snuck the Devil back into the Rays. Not since the Devil Rays days has Joe Madden's team been this bad. They got off to a decent 7-5 start but since then they've played 30-44 baseball. In recent years they've been a second half team and they've shown life winning 6 of their last 7 on the road in Baltimore and New York but the hole the Rays have dug is a deep one. The next 2-3 weeks should determine if now's the time to trade star pitcher David Price.
3. Arizona- Some of the "experts" thought they might contend with the Dodgers and Giants in the West and were a legit wild-card contender, wrong! The Diamondbacks are 15-30 at home and 35-50 overall. Manager Kirk Gibson is on the hot seat and many nights its Gibson not Jack Buck saying "I can't believe what I've just seen." The Diamondbacks will be sellers before the trade deadline.
Here are a few players who would like a Mulligan on the first half.
Chris Davis- The Deputy was off the charts last summer. He's on the charts now and his batting average is flirting with .200.
Carlos Beltran- The Yankees gave the 37 year old $45 million for 3 years. I Think they were expecting a little more than 8/24 .216.
Shin Soo Choo- I also think the Rangers were expecting a little more than 7/29 .251 from their $130 million investment.
B. J. Upton- He's already struck out 100 times. His .209 batting average with 7/24 not the stuff the Braves were hoping for when they signed him to a 5 year $75 million deal.
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