Broom and gloom: MLB sweeps that matter the most
After the first several series of the season, we can conclusively state the Colorado Rockies have the makings of a World Series contender, the Miami Marlins are overrated and Adrian Gonzalez has locked up the NL MVP award.
OK, perhaps that's a bit premature.
In a season that lasts six months, no definite conclusions can be drawn from the first week, let alone the first handful of games. But the opening series that resulted in sweeps did leave an impression. Here are some thoughts on the fast/slow starts by the teams involved:
Atlanta Braves sweep the Miami Marlins
In outscoring Miami 16-3, the Braves played not as a rebuilding club but as if they had advanced the clock to 2017 and had already settled into their new suburban ballpark. Atlanta got 11 scoreless innings out of a bullpen that doesn't seem to realize Craig Kimbrel is a Padre, now.
Verdict for Braves: No so fast. The excellent pitching performances against a solid Miami lineup were encouraging, but with Trevor Cahill and Eric Stults currently occupying the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation, Braves fans shouldn't grow to expect them. And the offense will dearly miss the pop Justin Upton and Evan Gattis supplied.
Verdict for Marlins: No biggie. Laying an egg in front of the home fans you're trying win over doesn't make for great marketing. Indeed, after nearly selling out the season opener, Miami drew less than 18,000 in each of the next two games. But the Marlins' improvements are real. Now they need to figure out whether strikeout-prone Michael Morse is the best option for protecting Giancarlo Stanton, who was walked four times in the first three games.
Colorado Rockies sweep the Milwaukee Brewers
The Rockies treated Miller Park – a hitters' yard to begin with – as if it sat at a mile high, scoring 20 runs in the three games. The sweep left Colorado just 18 wins from matching its road total from last season.
Verdict for the Rockies: Sign of hope. It sure helps to have oft-injured Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez anchoring the lineup.
Verdict for the Brewers: Never too early to panic. Milwaukee traded away two pitchers with starting experience Yovani Gallardo and Marco Estrada. They were missed early on, as the Brewers got just one quality start in the opening series. They will need Mike Fiers and Jimmy Nelson, who combined for eight wins last season, to pick up the slack.
Cincinnati Reds sweep Pittsburgh Pirates
Joey Votto, he of the 10-year, $225 million contract and penchant for walks, is earning his way back into the Queen City's good graces – by swinging the bat. Votto hit a walk-off single in Wednesday's 5-4 win in 11 innings, then tied Thursday's game with a two-run homer in the sixth. It was his first home run since May 10. Cincinnati scored the game-winning run all three times in its final at-bat in the rain-soaked series.
Verdict for the Reds:
Signs of hope. After finishing 13th in the league in runs scored, the Reds reconfigured their lineup, with Votto in the No. 2 spot, Todd Frazier right after him and Brandon Phillips hitting seventh. So far, so good. It helps to have leadoff man Billy Hamilton getting on base six times and stealing six bases in the opening series.
Verdict for the Pirates: No biggie. Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte, who make up two-thirds of the Pirates' vaunted outfield, have yet to get going, and right fielder Gregory Polanco committed a game-ending error in Thursday's 3-2 loss. Two of the three games in the series were decided by one run, and the other one by a three-run homer in the eighth. The Pirates will be fine.
Detroit Tigers sweep Minnesota Twins
The Tigers trampled the division's weak sister and provided an early reminder that they've won the last four AL Central titles and don't intend to relinquish their stranglehold. Even without the injured Justin Verlander, Tigers pitchers kept the Twins scoreless through the first 24 innings of the sweep. Series score: 22-1, Detroit.
Verdict for the Tigers: Get excited. The return of shortstop Jose Iglesias and the acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes have helped bolster Detroit's defense, one of its weak points in the past. They also add speed, and Cespedes in particular brings an element of excitement with his exceptional athleticism and ability to impact the game in myriad ways.
Verdict for the Twins: In big trouble. But that was the verdict even before the season started. It does appear the Twins are who we thought they were, and in an increasingly competitive AL Central, that means the division rivals will be trying to mine wins from them. It already looks like a long year in Minneapolis.
Kansas City Royals sweep Chicago White Sox
In manager Ned Yost's words, the Royals started off "firing on all cylinders.'' The White Sox's revamped roster was no match for Kansas City's all-out attack. Besides getting two terrific starts and their usual stellar relief work, the Royals pounded the ball to the tune of a .342 batting average and seven runs a game.
Verdict for the Royals: Get excited. All the confidence and experience the Royals gained from their World Series run will benefit them this season, as they've shown right away. The outstanding defense and bullpen that carried Kansas City to the AL crown are still there, and the early returns indicate the offense will pick up. The Royals hit six homers in the first three games after finishing last in the majors in that category last year.
Verdict for the White Sox: Reason for concern. The White Sox may have had the best offseason in the league, adding Jeff Samardzija, David Robertson, Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera, but the improvement was hardly noticeable as they were swept in an opening series for the first time since 2004. None of the starters allowed less than four runs, essentially rendering Robertson superfluous as a closer.