The East has been highly competitive this year, with 4 winning teams separated by just 3.5 games (and last place New York just 6 out). Atlanta won the first half, but it's anyone's division to win. Perhaps the team that makes the big trade will be the team that comes out on top come October.
Atlanta Flyers
The Flyers are once again in first place at the break despite any real superstars. Atlanta is built on a team-first concept, where everyone contributes but no one really stands out. The team is 6th in runs and 10th in ERA, but holds the second best record in baseball. The Flyers rely on a lot of luck (they've been outscored this year but are 9 games over .500), thanks to a 19-9 record in 1-run games.
Solid contributions 1-8 make this offense a threat. Nine players have 10+ HR, though nobody with more than 200 AB's is batting over .300. Justin Morneau is the team MVP, thanks to his 78 RBI (a total that is nearly double any of his teammates). Look for Carlos Beltran to get the lion's share of playing time in center with his hot bat.
The rotation has become more consistent this year. Last season's starters were feast or famine, while the 2011 rotation are all good but not great. Edwin Jackson has been the "ace", going 10-4 with a 3.99 ERA, but no starter has been dominant. Injuries have forced rookie Doug Fister to start 10 games, and he hasn't been good.
Joakim Soria is the best reliever in SLB, giving up just 21 hits in 45 IP, with a 1.39 ERA. Joe Nathan is a quality closer, and Rafael Perez has been good enough. Middle/long relief has been spotty, but overall, the pen has done it's job.
Columbus Capitals
It has been another up and down year for Columbus, but the Capitals find themselves just a game out of first at the break. The team has made up 3.5 games in 10 days, thanks to an Atlanta slump. Last year's playoff squad has seen a lot of turnover, but the new faces have done well to keep the winning ways alive.
It's a younger offense in 2011, as Manny Ramirez and Chone Figgins have been replaced by Matt LaPorta and Mat Gamel. Gamel, a throw in from last year's Billy Wagner trade, has excelled in his starting role, batting .321 with over 20 homers. 2010 MVP runner up Chase Utley was off to a hot start (.345) before being shelved with an injury, forcing management to promote 2010 draftee Scott Sizemore into early duty. The youngster has responded, batting over .300 since his promotion. Jeremy Herminda has been a nice addition as well.
Another great season for the Columbus starters. Roy Halladay has his eye on the Cy Young, notching an 11-4, 2.72 mark through the first half. Webb, Chamberlain and Liriano all have ERA's in the 3's, while newcomer Matt Cain has been the "worst" at 6-5, 4.51. The rotation has combined for 48 quality starts.
The Achilles' heel for the Capitals has been the pen, who, outside of Volstad and Marte, has been terrible. Everyone gives up hits in bunches, even closer Brian Wilson, who has completely fallen apart after a successful 2010 campaign. What will the trade market look like for relievers this year?
Miami Sharks
The Sharks are the most improved team in the East, thanks to quality pitching and veteran hitters. Miami was 34-44 in the first half last year, on pace for 75 wins and 4th place. Now they are just 2 games out of first.
It's not an ideal lineup, but it has been effective. Old timers like Derrek Lee and Jorge Posada are showing that they aren't quite over the hill yet, while rookie SS Tracy Pena has been a nice spark. The team has good speed, which makes up for the lack of power. Miami has been lucky on the injury front, which has masked the lack of depth on offense.
The Sharks are 4th in the league in ERA without any true stars. The rotation has been great with no-names like Nolasco and Blackburn leading the way. Jake Peavy has done well, while Kendrick and Pelfrey have been good enough at the back of the rotation. All of the starters have been particularly good at limiting walks, keeping runners off base.
The bullpen has been one of the best in SLB. Chad Bradford has been nails at closer, while Mike Gonzalez has bounced back to have a strong year. Miami has benefited from reliable middle relief, a luxury few teams in the league have had.
Jersey City Jackals
The Jackals lost their GM this year (yet to be replaced), but are still playing some pretty strong baseball. Like the Flyers, Jersey City has a balanced offense, but the pitching has kept them from pushing to the front of the pack in the East. Can a new owner be found to fine tune this squad for a playoff run?
Joe Mauer leads a team with nine players sporting double digit homerun totals. Mauer is a strong MVP candidate, batting .339/.390/.630 while leading the team in RBI. Nice contributions from Magglio Ordonez and Brade Hawpe in the outfield, while Orlando Hudson has the speed at the top to set the table.
Outside of Mark Buerhle, the starting rotation has been solid. Run support has hurt the W-L records, but vet Rich Harden and youngster Felix Doubront have low ERA's and quality numbers. Kuroda is a good #3 starter, and Rick Porcello has been decent enough.
The pen has it's good and it's bad. Ageless Mariano Rivera continues to pitch well late in games, and Jesse Crain is a crazy 7-1 in short relief. Bob Howry is terrible.
New York Knights
New York has had the same problems in 2011 that plagued them throughout 2010. While the pitching has been pretty good, the offense is simply terrible; last in runs and last in home runs at the break. What is it about the Big Apple that kills the long ball?
The focus remains on Albert Pujols, who, despite having a better batting average, is still bafflingly unproductive. He's hitting .266 with just 9 HR, though to be fair, Nelson Cruz's 13 HR lead the team. There is a ton of team speed, but small ball hasn't cut it for the Knights, who are busy trying to solve this offensive conundrum.
The starting pitching, on the other hand, has been quite good. Scott Baker leads the way with his 3.19 ERA, while Cliff Lee and Aaron Harang squeak in with ERA's just under 4.00. The pen has been pretty good, with Kuo, Wood, McClellan and Bonser all holding their own. If the Knights continue to fall further out of the playoff picture, expect many teams to come calling about relief help.
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