So I've been thinking to myself that this has to start getting interesting soon.
Like mass amounts of movement and time to start thinking that you are either in or you are out.
Eh, not the case.
In fact, probably the least movement ever, and some of the movement that I've created is debatable to begin with.
Three teams made positive moves and two teams made negative moves. But if I had the chance, I'd create another group that told us this team is actually worse than everyone and anything else and the Indians would be the only member of that group.
I'm going to try and limit my Cleveland cheap shots for the rest of the article, I promise.
I've now created the Disaster Zone and have rid the groupings of that last place group that had a boring name.
What's fun about the Disaster Zone is that there is no escaping it. To find a way out would be nothing short of a miracle and at this point in the season, miracles are going to be hard to come by.
I'd like to see it happen, because everyone likes miracles, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Welcome to the Disaster Zone
Baltimore, Cleveland, Oakland, Washington, San Diego, Arizona
I wish I had waited to put Cleveland in the group that declares their season dead. Why? Because this group has now been renamed the “Disaster Zone" because they are all officially done-for if you ask me.
And it would have made perfect sense for them to start their run in the group as it was renamed.
Trading Mark DeRosa, despite the fact it was a for a piece to try and help this year, pretty much signals the end, or close to it, for the Tribe. It's painful, but it's the truth.
One team did get added this week, and it is indeed the Oakland Athletics, who in my opinion, are just too far back to even make a difference this late. Double digits going into Sunday's play is too much with July just a day away.
Do we care about these other four teams right now? Just more of the same. Everyone in this group is at least 10 games back of their division leader going into games on Monday.
Teetering on the brink of disaster.
Kansas City
Really now, if the Indians weren't playing so bad, everyone would be pointing and laughing at the Royals.
You get at least 10 games in the AL Central and you've at least had to show some sort of flash of being remotely good. The Royals have done that, so they can stay afloat for another week.
Shifty Eyes
Chicago White Sox, Minnesota, Atlanta, Florida, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Houston, Pittsburgh
The AL Central is starting to gain some separation from mediocrity, at least in terms of every single team being in it. Chicago and Minnesota haven't made huge strides, but it's hard to gain ground when the two teams below you are as bad as they are.
Chicago is about a game away from the .500 mark, so that's a positive, but the Tigers interleague success really puts them both behind the eight-ball.
Then we've got the NL East, who has three teams represented here. Those three teams seem to be bunched together, with Florida probably making the biggest jump of them all lately.
<!-- my page break -->Despite getting swept by Tampa, the Marlins have charged back into position to contend again, and I don't expect them to fall back. We all know the issues the Mets are having so that could even mean there is room to grow as far as the standings are concerned.
Finally we have the NL Central teams, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago. I honestly have the worst time trying to figure these three out. Pittsburgh and Houston especially, because last week they were on the brink of disaster.
But now the Cubs record is just as bad the other two, yet they are just a few games out of first place.
These are things that just baffle me. We'll give these three the benefit of the doubt, but now that interleague play is over, it's up to St. Louis and Milwaukee to create some distance between them and the competition, or at least them and Pittsburgh.
I like the middle, where the center is warm.
Tampa Bay, Toronto, Seattle, Cincinnati, Colorado
Start sweating if you are a Toronto fan. Tampa Bay looks like they are getting things going, the Red Sox are using interleague as a bit of a spring board, and the Yankees are just sort of cruising at a good pace.
The Blue Jays, however, are doing none of that.
Seattle is just the little team that could. You have to love the fact that they are still hanging around here and hanging around so close.
Hey Colorado, slow down. Wow, did this team come out like fire since the Hurdle firing, or what?
In it to win it.
New York Yankees, Detroit, Texas, Milwaukee, San Francisco
As I pointed out earlier, the Tigers have really used interleague play as a weapon, especially gaining some distance ahead of the few bottom feeders. Texas, meanwhile, is the exact opposite of that.
They used interleague play to lose the division lead and now things are starting to look a little concerning.
Texas still has six more wins than losses, but splitting six games with two of the worst National League teams in San Diego and Arizona is just a missed opportunity.
Here we are, where we should be.
Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis, Los Angeles Dodgers
A warm welcome to the newest member of the group, the Los Angeles Angels!
It's about time the Angels joined everyone up at the top in the position we all thought they were good enough for. They've made the move that most thought they were capable of and not even at full health either.
The Angels have used interleague play as a very dangerous weapon in the standings, not only gaining ground by winning, but doing it by letting Texas lose.
The Cardinals are in a neck and neck race with the Milwaukee Brewers. They remain the one team in this group that are where they should be, but could probably do a little bit better.
The Dodgers could probably do better too, but I don't want to ask too much of them, you know?
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*All statistics, standings, and opinions were based off their states going into action on June 29.
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