You can’t predict baseball.
Well, not with that attitude.
MLB resumed action Friday, starting the unofficial second half to 2016. Sure, every team has played more than 81 games, but the four-day reprieve created the feel of a fresh beginning.
Of course, not everything went according to plan before the All-Star break. Michael Saunders (16) has more home runs than Jose Bautista (12), and Tanner Roark (3.01) owns a lower ERA than Max Scherzer (3.03). Bartolo Colon homered. And obviously everyone knew Odubel Herrera, Adam Duvall, Steven Wright, Brad Brach and Eduardo Nunez would earn All-Star bids.
More wild events will occur over the next few months. Role players will play like stars and vice versa. Maybe Colon will hit a triple.
Let’s not go down the wormhole of those bold predictions. Instead, let’s examine some plots with a well-written first act that will pay off down the stretch. From deadline deals to pennant races to award battles, the meaty storylines are just beginning to percolate.
With an interest in making reasonable claims, these prognostications won’t stray into postseason territory. Too many variables exist in a short series to guess how they will unfold in July.