As we hit the 81 game mark over the Fourth of July weekend, I started thinking about the season so far. It has certainly been interesting. There are plenty of new developments in the 2010 Major Leagues: Parity is at an all-time high and pitching is more dominant than ever. Meanwhile, the Yankees have the best record in baseball and the Red Sox aren’t too far behind them. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I have a few random thoughts on the current baseball season:
The interleague is alive and well. Some don’t like it, but I love it. In an American League market, I got to watch my team go against Ubaldo Jimenez and Tim Lincecum in a span of less than a week. That can only happen with interleague games.
Jim Joyce and Armando Galarraga remain two of the classiest people in baseball. One of the biggest stories of the year has been Joyce’s blown call on the 27th out of Galarraga’s potential perfect game from June 2nd. More importantly, the reactions by both parties have resonated throughout the league. Although we could argue back and forth all day long what should have been done, no one can argue how great the two handled the situation.
Finally, it’s a pure game again. By far the most important development in baseball as the game enters a new decade is the fallout of the new performance enhancing drug policies. The power numbers may be down, but the pitching is more exciting than ever to watch. More teams are allowed to compete. There is a level playing field, giving way to new super stars. Baseball is fun to watch again, and I’m excited to be a fan again.
With that said, let’s look at a few predictions for the second half of the season.