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Saturday, May 4, 2024
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After a tumultuous winter filled with steroid allegations, trades, and way to much Barry Bonds the baseball season has finally arrived. The big-money teams have loaded their rosters with more superstars than ever and the game looks set to enter a new, no-steroid era. While the teams at the top should and probably will continue to perform, it's the little guys that inspire the baseball world year after year. With that in mind, we examine five teams that are under the radar but could make a significant splash this year. First off is the upstart, red-hot Cleveland Indians. Playing in the AL Central makes things a little easier for this team but there is no question that it is full of young talent. C.C. Sabathia anchors a rotation that now includes Kevin Millwood, Arthur Rhodes, and Cliff Lee. Lee should be the X-factor for this group and if he's able to perform they should have no problem winning the division. On the field the Tribe will rally behind centerfielder Coco Crisp. Crisp, who has one of the best names in baseball, hit .297 last year but in the all-important on-base + slugging category he posted an impressive .790. Look for Crisp and the Tribe to dominate a division that has no clear powerhouse. The second club that should make an impact this season under the radar is the Texas Rangers. Last year the Rangers were in the playoff hunt until the final weekend and this year should be no exception. The key for this team is pitching and whether or not it can keep it's guys healthy. Kenny Rogers needs to remain steady but if the team can pick up the 18 wins that it did from him last season it should have no problem winning again. The problem for this team is the division that it competes in. The AL West is one of the toughest in baseball and once again Anaheim has a great squad. However, if the Rangers can get hot early and Michael Young, Alfonso Soriano, and Mark Teixiera can produce like they did last year, the Rangers have a great shot at the division crown. The third team looking to make waves this year will be the San Diego Padres. Khalil Greene is fresh off his freshman season at shortstop and there's no way he will hit the sophomore slump. The team is backed by a great pitching core that includes Woody Williams who came over from St. Louis. The key to the success for this team will be the play of the other teams in the NL West. The Dodgers traded key players like Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green and it should be a rebuilding year for them. If the Dodgers and Arizona stay cold and Barry Bonds remains out of the Giants lineup, the Padres should march to a division championship. The penultimate team to watch this year will be Baltimore Orioles. Most experts predict that the Orioles won't have a chance in the uber-top heavy AL East but the facts may prove otherwise. Sammy Sosa was unhappy in Chicago and a change of venue may be exactly what the slugger needs to get his game back on top. The team finished strong last season and pitchers Jorge Julio and Sidney Ponson both looked good. The deciding factor in this situation will once again be the team's play against the powerhouse Yankees and Red Sox. The Orioles road trip is to the Bronx on April 8th and this should prove interesting. If the team can get off to a good start against it's rival Bombers then the confidence should carry throughout the season and the team should win. The last team to watch is one that doesn't seem to have much of a chance at all, a team that for a while did not have a home; that's right, the Washington Nationals. Your hometown team actually looks decent this season and should surprise a lot of analysts. Now no one is suggesting that the team will make the playoffs or that it will even have a winning record but 500 baseball is not out of the question. Tony Armas Jr. will start the season on the DL but when he comes back he has the ability to be a dominant pitcher. Jose Vidro and Cristian Guzman should and will star in the field and at the plate and this should be a fun season to watch baseball in the District. So there it is, your five surprises for '05, catch them now or you might just be watching as they beat your team for the win.


Section 202 host Gabrielle and friends go over some sports that aren’t in the sports media spotlight often, and review some sports based on their difficulty to play. 



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