Contenders or Pretenders: Arizona Diamondbacks

It's alright Justin, you'll get em next year. 

The Diamondbacks surprised the baseball world last year by making the playoffs, despite having a team full of unproven players and an inexperienced manager in Kirk Gibson. Coming into the 2012 season, some people believed that they would only continue to get better, and possibly make a deeper post-season run. Their season, however, has been very up and down and right now, they are sitting in 3rd place in the NL West with a record a few games under .500.

Despite the fact that Chase Field is generally a hitter-friendly park, I expected Arizona's pitching staff to be a strength this year. It has, however, been horrible for the most part. Ian Kennedy has had a rough year and some people, including myself, are questioning if he can become Arizona's long-term ace. Trevor Cahill has had a decent season, but we are all waiting for him to have a breakout year and live up to his hype. Daniel Hudson was lost for the season a couple months ago following Tommy John surgery. He will most likely miss a few months of next season as well. GM Kevin Towers traded away Joe Saunders, and that is when I knew that he was throwing this season away in order to look toward the future. Luckily for Arizona, they have quite an abundance of young arms. Names like Trevor Bauer, Patrick Corbin, Wade Miley, and Tyler Skaggs come to mind. These arms will pretty much determine whether Arizona will be contending within the next couple of years. As for this season, the pitching is a mess and I don't think that they will make the playoffs for that reason.

Arizona, despite having Craig Breslow, actually has a solid group of relief pitchers. J.J. Putz is a good veteran closer to have, and Brad Ziegler and David Hernandez are good setup men. Arizona definitely doesn't have a problem with their bullpen.

The offense has actually been pretty solid, despite Justin Upton's sub-par performance. Upton has hit 13 homers in 129 games, but is still young and I'm confident that he'll have a strong season in 2013. Jason Kubel has been a nice surprise, and Miguel Montero is having a nice, underrated season. Like I said earlier, the pitching will determine if this team will contend this year, and it looks like that won't happen.

Overall, the Diamondbacks may compete within the next year or two, but it looks like they'll have to settle with 3rd place this season. The Dodgers and Giants are better teams right now, and in order for the Diamondbacks to climb the ranks in the division, they will need consistent performance's out of their starters, and a bounce-back season from Justin Upton in 2013. So Contenders or Pretenders? I'll say Pretenders.

Contenders or Pretenders: Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers were great in 2011, and had high hopes for the 2012 season despite the loss of Prince Fielder. They figured that Mat Gamel would finally get the chance to play everyday and that did not end well. Gamel tore his ACL in the beginning of the season and hasn't played since then. Also, it appeared, at first, that the whole Ryan Braun saga of the 2011 off-season kind of drained the energy out of the Brewers.

Should Melvin re-tool or rebuild?

Coming into this season, I expected the Brewers to finish right around where they are now, 4th in the division. If they made a surprise playoff push, It wouldn't have surprised me because they still had a great amount of talent on their roster. However, once their ace Zack Greinke was dealt to the Angels in exchange for a bunch of prospects, I knew that Milwaukee was most likely giving up on the season, looking toward the future.

Honestly, Milwaukee's rotation isn't very bad. They have Yovani Gallardo, who is a very underrated pitcher who consistently puts up good numbers. They also have Shaun Marcum, who is injury-prone but very efficient when healthy. Along with those two, they have rookies Mark Rogers and Mike Fiers. Rogers may have a future with Milwaukee, but is nothing more than a #3 or #4 starter at the moment. Fiers has had an excellent season, and Milwaukee will most likely shut him down soon in order to prevent a possible injury. The club also has Marco Estrada, who is a nice swing-man to have on the team, proving spot starts every here and there.

The problem is the bullpen. Axford and K-Rod have been atrocious, and the team doesn't really seem to have an answer at the closer role. Veras and Loe have been alright this season, but nothing spectacular. The club tried to let Jim Henderson close, but if I was looking toward the future, I wouldn't have a 30 year old rookie pitcher auditioning for my closer's spot.

The offense isn't the problem. With the exception to Rickie Weeks, the entire club is having a typical offensive year. Braun has been amazing, as have Hart and Ramirez. Don't forget about players that are less-known, such as Norichika Aoki and Carlos Gomez.

Overall, if the Brewers were to contend this season, they would have had to keep Greinke and make a few other moves to bulk up their bullpen. It appears that GM Doug Melvin is gearing toward the future, and in a small market like Milwaukee, perhaps that is the right thing to do. So Contenders or Pretenders? I'll say Pretenders.

Contenders or Pretenders: Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates are currently in second place in the NL Central with a 34-31 record. They have surprised many people because most of us thought they would be in the cellar with the Cubs throughout the entire season. Manager Clint Hurdle has done an awesome job with the Bucs ever since he became the manager before the 2011 season. Last year the Pirates were in first place for a good 10-15 days and most of us predicted that they would choke. They did in fact choke once they acquired veteran sluggers Ryan Ludwick and Derrek Lee. Some think that this will be the year that they make the playoffs and end the 19 year drought of finishing the season with a record over .500. I strongly disagree and I think the Pirates are going to go downhill from here. 

Here's one reason: their offense is average at best. Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker are the only good hitters on this squad. The rest of the team is barely hitting at the Mendoza line. Overrated prospect Pedro Alvarez is hitting .196 but has 10 home runs. They Pirates will definitely want to add a bat at the trade deadline if they are still contending by then. They'll need a catcher, first baseman, and shortstop. Former Pirate Ryan Doumit could be an option, and so could veteran, injury-prone slugger Justin Morneau. There aren't too many shortstops that will be available, so Pittsburgh might have to hope that Clint Barmes, hitting .192 at the moment, will step it up. I don't expect GM Neal Huntington to sell the Pirates' entire farm system, because the team is still in the rebuilding process. Luckily for Huntington, the team is at the end of the process so if he absolutely needed to trade a good prospect, he could afford to. 

When will GM Neal Huntington get the Bucs back to being a dominant force in the NL?

As for the pitching, it has actually been borderline stellar this year. The rotation is led by the vastly underrated James McDonald, who has a 2.32 ERA in 12 starts. A.J. Burnett, who was acquired in the off-season for practically nothing, is pitching well. Kevin Correia and Eric Bedard are pitching ALRIGHT, but there is room for improvement. Charlie Morton was recently put on the 60-day disabled list and is going to be out for the season. That is a big blow to Pittsburgh and may force them to acquire a #4 or #5 starter (Joe Saunders anyone?) The bullpen has magnificent so far, with Joel Hanrahan proving that last year was not a fluke. Hanrahan has had a season almost identical to last year and he appears to be a keeper for Huntington. Late-bloomer Jason Grilli and veteran Juan Cruz have been anchoring the bullpen, both pitching to a 1.82 and 1.99 ERA's respectably. 

Its obvious that offense is a big need for Pittsburgh right now. Top prospect Starling Marte is still a year or two away and the team will have to make a deal to acquire a stop-gap player. Overall, the Pirates are currently contending in the NL Central but that is about to change. The lack of offense will kill them in the long run. The Cardinals and Reds will battle out the division and Pittsburgh will probably finish in 3rd place. Its not like this is a bad thing for the Bucs, because they're going to be awfully good in a few years, but the squad they have now is just not capable of winning 85+ games. So Contenders or Pretenders? I'll choose Pretenders.

Contenders or Pretenders: Cleveland Indians

Indians GM Chris Antonetti is definitely going to have a busy summer

The Indians are currently in second place behind the White Sox in the AL Central. Most people expected to see the Indians-Tigers fight out for the divisional title this year. Cleveland is a really underrated team with a lot of talent. The problem is they always get hampered with injuries and it is no different this year. They have still managed to win games and different players seem to step up each game.

Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner are on the DL as usual and the offense could use some help. Jason Kipnis, Asdrubal Cabrera, Carlos Santana and others are enjoying nice years and could potentially be All-Stars. Michael Brantley has been a nice surprise this season. The Indians desperately need a first baseman and third baseman because Lonnie Chisenhall and Casey Kotchman are just not going to cut it. Justin Morneau and Kevin Youkilis could be nice fits in Cleveland's lineup.

As for the pitching, basically nothing has changed from last year. Ubaldo Jimenez is turning into a huge best and Justin Masterson has been inconsistent. Derek Lowe has been a pleasant surprise. Starting pitching is definitely an area of need for Cleveland. The bullpen, however, has been very dominant this year. Chris Perez has been shaky at times, but Vinnie Pestano and Tony Sipp have been keeping the team in games. I don't think the Indians will have to many any changes to their bullpen, but adding a cheap arm like Grant Balfour or Carlos Marmol couldn't hurt.

Overall, the Indians have a key pieces to add before they can compete with the big teams. They will need to get a third baseman, first baseman and some starting pitching help to become a serious threat in the AL. If they want to make the playoffs, they will probably have to win the division because there is a great chance that two teams from the AL East will snatch up the wildcard spots. So Contenders or Pretenders? I'll choose Contenders, but they will have to add some pieces to become a powerhouse club in the American League.

Contenders or Pretenders: San Francisco Giants

The Giants are currently in 2nd place in the NL West and they appear to be catching up to the Dodgers, who are in first place. The Giants' starting rotation has always kept them in the race and its the same deal this year. Their rotation consists on Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Barry Zito, Tim Lincecum, and Ryan Vogelsong. That is a very good rotation, Cain and Bumgarner are having nice years but Lincecum is having a dreadful season. Zito and Vogelsong are veterans who are proving that they still have something left in the tank. If the Giants want to become serious contenders, they will need to upgrade their offense. Their best offensive player is arguably Pablo Sandoval and he has had some injury issues this year. The team could probably upgrade at the left field position.

Some think that they should look for a first baseman  because Huff/Belt/Pill are not producing but I personally think that their All-Star caliber catcher Buster Posey should change positions and move to first base for 2 reasons. 1) You will still get the same offensive production out of him but you won't have to worry about him getting hurt in home plate collisions like he did last year. 2) You can give young catcher Hector Sanchez an opportunity to play and he has a great arm.

Would GM Brian Sabean be willing to give up his precious pitching prospects for some offense?

If the Giants want to contend this year, they will need to make a couple moves at the trade deadline to bulk up their offense. So Contenders or Pretenders? I'll choose Contenders.

Seattle Mariners: Contenders or Pretenders?

Will Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik buy or sell at the trade deadline?

The Seattle Mariners are currently in third place in the AL West with a 21-25 record. They came into the season with very few people thinking that they would contend and it appears that they are going through a rebuilding phase right now. In the off-season they traded their young ace in the making Michael Pineda in exchange for young stud catcher Jesus Montero. Offense has always been a weakness for the M's, and they got a heck of an offensive player in Montero. Montero has unbelievable raw power and has the ability to hit 30 home runs or more in a single season. He is currently hitting .257 with 6 bombs. He hasn't gotten much protection in the lineup so his numbers really should be better. If the Mariners want to compete these season, they would have to make a move at the deadline to acquire a bat. The AL West seems to be locked up already, with the Rangers running away with the division and the Angels being a hot streak away from getting back in the wildcard race. One thing that is great about the Mariners is that their pitching is excellent. King Felix is playing great as usual, and Jason Vargas has been serving well as a #2 starter. A big surprise for the M's is the bounce back season by veteran Kevin Millwood. Millwood has pitched very well so far and could be shipped to a contender at the deadline if the Mariners continue to fall out of the playoff race. In conclusion, are the Mariners contenders or pretenders? I'l choose pretenders, due to their offensive problems and their questions about the future.

Texas Rangers: Contenders or Pretenders?

Hamilton is having an MVP year

Manager Ron Washington and his Texas Rangers are currently 25-16 and are in first place in the AL West. This should be no surprise because the team was in the World Series last season and the season before that. Most people expected them to battle with the Angels for the division and the Angels have been struggling. The Rangers offense, as usual, is dominating. Josh Hamilton is having a monster year, and everyone else in the lineup is doing their job. The Rangers pitching has always been a weak spot, and after their ace C.J. Wilson left via free agency, many people thought the Angels would run away with the division and capitalize on the Rangers' pitching problems. Texas signed Japanese sensation Yu Darvish to a massive contract hoping that he would help the Rangers fans forget about C.J. Wilson's departure. Many questioned Darvish's ability to play in the MLB, considering the Japanese League, for the most part, is less competitive. Darvish has silenced his critics, getting off to a 6-1 start with a 2.60 ERA. The rest of the rotation has been good as well. Converted starter Neftali Feliz is pitching very well and late-bloomer Colby Lewis is having a nice season so far. Closer Joe Nathan looked like a questionable signing in the off-season because of his injury issues, but he is enjoying a nice bounce back season so far. The bullpen for the Rangers have been unbelievably dominant. Converted reliever Alexi Ogando has been pitching to an incredible 1.13 ERA. Left hander Robbie Ross is 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Koji Uehara, who was close to being traded to the Blue Jays in the off-season, is pitching excellent. Also, Mike Adams has been playing well, posting a 2.51 ERA in 17 games. If the Rangers bullpen continues to pitch like its been pitching, the Rangers will the obvious team that wins the AL West and it should be by a landslide. The division is very weak at the moment and the Angels are the only team who are capable of competing with the Rangers. So Contenders or Pretenders? -  They're obviously contenders.

Oakland Athletics: Contenders or Pretenders?

What does GM Billy Beane have up his sleeve?

The Oakland Athletics are currently 19-19 and are in second place in the AL West. Considering that GM Billy Beane had a fire sale in the off-season, that's really not a bad win loss record. To be honest with you I don't know how they are winning. They aren't hitting and they're pitching has been adequate. They're best hitter at the moment is outfielder Josh Reddick who came over in the Andrew Bailey trade. They're best pitcher is Brandon McCarthy who is underrated but veteran Bartolo Colon is having a decent year as well. They're bullpen was very good in the beginning of the season, but now Grant Balfour has lost his closing job to Brian Fuentes. Ryan Cook has also been very impressive, not allowing any earned runs in 16 appearances. I think the most surprising player on the Athletics is long-time Tiger Brandon Inge. Inge came over to Oakland after the Tigers released him because he wasn't even hitting at the Mendoza line. Inge has had 4 HR and 17 RBI since joining the team a few weeks ago. This proves that Billy Beane's "Moneyball" theory still works and can be used in today's baseball era. If the Athletics really want to contend this year, I believe they must trade for a corner outfielder at the deadline and get some power in that lineup. The A's shouldn't look at the division because it appears that the Rangers have already began to run away with it. They should look at one of the two wildcard spots and try to beat out the "Beasts of the East" (Rays, Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees) in order to get a playoff spot. They also need to capitalize on the Angels struggles thus far this season. The Angels are sleeping giants and they could get hot at any time. They just need everything to click at once. Anyway, in order for the Athletics to claim that playoff spot, they'll need to make some moves to put some power bats in the lineup. So , Contenders or Pretenders? I'll choose Pretenders until they make moves to strengthen their lineup.