Nothing wrong with your eyesight, but this is an indeed a strange start to the baseball season.  There are 16-of-30 teams at .500 or less in the standings, including some teams with hopeless rosters.

Here we are, one-third of the way, into the schedule, and there are surprises and disappointments all over the road map.  A look see at the storylines today about the MLB Have-Nots..

METS..The biggest payroll team buried in last place.  Ill-fitting roster, nagging injuries to Juan Soto, a messy starting pitching staff with injuries too.  Bo Bichette has become the whipping boy since the Mets let Pete Alonso go.  And now they have decided to bring up all their hot prospects-ready or not.

RED SOX..The build back has been derailed by a lack of power hitting behind all the kids in the lineup.  Add in pitching problems starting with Garrett Crochet and a leaky bullpen.  Firing the manager has solved nothing.  It’s a roster makeup problem.

TORONTO..Not the start last year’s World Series team expected.  Vlad Guerrero off to another miserable start.  A pitching staff that did not get out of spring training healthy.  Maybe getting Tres Yesavage back to go with Kevin Gausman will be a plus.  But sure not playing like last year’s October team.

TIGERS..So much expected, so little delivered.  It’s more pitching injuries than anything, from Tarik Skubal’s elbow surgery, the injuries to Casey Mize-Justin Verlander have crushed their hopes so far.  Now rumors they may trade Skubal by the August deadline.  

ORIOLES..They looked like they arrived two years ago with a bunch of their draft picks, led by Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschmann.  They added Pete Alonso’s power, but this has been a bad start.  They have never solved the pitching problems for 3-straight off seasons,  and GM-Mike Elias is really starting to take heat.

ASTROS…You cannot think an aging Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa could carry the franchise forever.  Remember they let Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman go.  Add in 4-of-5 starters and closer Josh Hader are still on the DL.  This is messy too.

ANGELS..It’s awful.  Every pitcher they have tried to bring in, has either gotten hurt, or washed out.  Mike Trout has bounced back with power, but the team’s batting order is anemic, and there are just not enough arms on the staff.  Hard to understand how Arte Moreno will go on owning a franchise that has made so many mistakes, on drafts, free agent signings, and hirings.

GIANTS…Buster Posey’s leadership has been aggressive, but the end results have not arrived yet.  Alot of money for Raf Devers, Matt Chapman, Will Adames, Harrison Bader have not hit at all.  They also traded popular catcher Patrick Bailey.  A real underachiever of a season.

ROCKIES..Call it the Kris Bryant curse.  They paid alot of money to a slugger, and he has broken down, a cruel part of baseball.  A rag tag roster of prospects, young players from other teams, and a pitching staff stripped bare of veteran talent.  This is a long rebuild coming after years of meager budgets.  They really need new ownership with a new vision.

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