Team Previews & Analysis
How valuable is Matt Carpenter, first baseman?
The Cardinals think Matt Carpenter’s blend of plate discipline and newfound power makes him a good fit for 1B; could they be mistaken?
The savvy side of Houston's Tal's Hill renovation
With the leveling of the Astros' strange center-field geographic feature, Minute Maid Park will play much differently on deep, straightaway fly balls, and Houston will have a chance to take...
Boston lost, but they'll be back
The Red Sox are dead. Long live the Red Sox.
The Cardinals' home record is an anomaly
Everybody wins. Postseason teams win during the regular season. So how is a team that finishes under .500 at home still contending?
The Toronto Blue Jays contention window
The Blue Jays are very much alive in the 2016 playoff race, but how many more years of contention do they have?
The Cardinals' road success might give them an edge in October
The Cardinals may be the first team in the WC era to make the post season with a losing record at home. As a Wild Card team, does it matter?
Is there a solution to the Cardinals' bad baserunning?
The Cardinals are not good at running the bases, but what can they do to improve?
Dodgers succeeding despite loss of Clayton Kershaw
The Dodgers were supposed to crash and burn without Kershaw, but they have thrived instead.
Rays really not that far from contending again
The Tampa Bay Rays are having a down season in 2016, but here's how they can rebound in 2017 and 2018.
Handling The Marlins Infield Logjam
The Marlins have a glut of talented young infielders and a weak starting rotation. How can the team address their needs moving forward?
Rangers did exactly what was needed
The Rangers managed to put themselves in the driver’s seat in the AL West coming into July, and their success at the trade deadline makes them a formidable American League foe.
The true-talent Phillies and Astros
Phillies started hot. Astros started cold. But as Philly and Houston demonstrate, true talent comes out over the long run.
The current crop of Rockies pitchers is the most exciting in years
A successful Rockies pitching staff is most intriguing.
What should the Angels do from here?
The Los Angeles Angels have bloated contracts and a lack of flexibility. What can they do in the near future to dig themselves out of their financial hole?
The 2016 homer bug has not yet bitten the Dodgers
The general increase in home runs across the board in MLB has avoided the Dodgers so far, despite one glaring change in their starters' batted ball distribution.
3 teams who will almost certainly be buyers
The trade deadline approaches and brings with it a real sense of excitement.
Rangers shine above all AL teams
The Rangers commitment to depth, good scouting, and some good fortune have put them in position to win the West.
Has the White Sox catcher experiment worked?
Sox GM Rick Hahn gambled on Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro. It has yet to pay off.
The Rangers and Giants are a mirage
The two teams leading the western divisions aren’t as dominant as they appear.
An update on the 2016 Orioles and the team home run record
The 2016 Orioles have made the Steamer HR predictions a lot closer to the franchise record than in the preseason.
The AL West doesn't look like we thought it would
The AL West is an unpredictable mess, and a lot of fun as a result.
The Cardinals defense is either really good or really terrible
It depends on the metric.
Conforto leads way for Mets offense
The New York Mets have been baseball's hottest team, and 23-year-old Michael Conforto has been a major catalyst.
A guide to the most watchable starters: AL Central
Which AL Central starting rotations are the most enjoyable to watch?
A guide to the most watchable starters: NL Central
Which teams in the NL Central have the pitching staffs that are the most enjoyable to watch?
Can the 2016 Orioles set the franchise HR record?
The 1996 Orioles set the franchise record for home runs with 257; this year's Orioles have a ton of power.
