Who's Better Baseball

The Minnesota Twins is currently leading a division that no one seems to want to pull away and win.

In the AL Central, there are four teams that could conceivably make the postseason. Between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians failing to meet expectations, the Detroit Tigers lengthy rebuild and the Twins failing to really grab a decisive division lead, the Central is the definition of a crapshoot.

Host Ryan Finkelstein and Elijah Evans discuss who will make it out.

Among all of the top free agent shortstops who were signed this offseason, Dansby Swanson has produced like the best of the bunch through the first quarter of the season and is playing on the best contract.

Host Ryan Finkelstein explores why this could have been the best free agent shortstop signed this offseason, based on the production we have seen and one key improvement he has made.

After a breakout in 2022, Jonah Heim is playing at an even higher level now, truly becoming one of the best all-around backstops in the game.

Host Ryan Finkelstein is joined by writer Clay Snowden, who discusses his recent article about Heim's continued breakout with the Rangers.

Here's the full article on Heim: https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/jonah-heim-is-becoming-one-of-the-best-catchers-in-baseball/?_thumbnail_id=33945

Going into a new season, teams have plenty of x-factors that they are counting on who could make their team way better if they have a great season.

On today's show, host Ryan Finkelstein breaks down the top x-factors from each team in the AL Central this season.

If you want to read Just Baseball's top x-factors in the AL Central, you can find that here: https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/one-x-factor-player-for-each-team-in-the-al-central/

Going into a new season, teams have plenty of x-factors that they are counting on who could make their team way better if they have a great season.

On today's show, host Ryan Finkelstein breaks down the top x-factors from each team in the NL East this season.

If you want to read Just Baseball's top x-factors in the NL East, you can find that here:https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/one-x-factor-player-for-each-team-in-the-nl-east/

Going into a new season, teams have plenty of x-factors that they are counting on who could make their team way better if they have a great season.

On today's show, host Ryan Finkelstein breaks down the top x-factors from each team in the AL East this season.

If you want to read Just Baseball's top x-factors in the AL East, you can find that here: https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/one-x-factor-player-al-east/

The San Diego Padres just beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS and feature four superstars in their starting lineup, with three great pitchers in their starting rotation. No team in baseball is more loaded at the top than San Diego, but can they beat a team that has owned the NL West for the last decade?

Host Ryan Finkelstein breaks down why the Padres should win the NL West, based on what they have on paper, but also why no one is counting out the Dodgers.

In 2021, the Chicago White Sox looked like the clear-cut top team in the AL Central, winning the division by 13 games. They entered as the favorite again in 2022, but ended up losing the division to the Guardians by 11 games. Which team will be better in the upcoming 2023 season?

Host Ryan Finkelstein is joined by Elijah Evans to preview two of the teams that will be battling it out in the AL Central this season.

If you want to check out full team previews for both the White Sox and the Guardians, you can find them here:

https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox-season-preview/

https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/cleveland-guardians-2023-season-preview/

Last year, behind rookie catcher Adley Rutschman, the Baltimore Orioles made a push for the Wild Card and finished with a winning record for the first time since 2016.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox stumbled to a losing record for the first time over a full 162-game season since 2015. This allowed the Orioles to shed the shame of being a last place team for the first time in awhile. Now they look to battle it out again, as each team hopes to make a surprise postseason appearance in 2023.

Host Ryan Finkelstein is joined by Colby Olson to preview the seasons of the Orioles and Red Sox by comparing their rosters head-to-head.

If you want to read the season preview for either of these teams or any of the teams in the American League East, check out our AL East Preview: https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/al-east-2023-preview-yankees-red-sox-blue-jays-rays-orioles/

The Seattle Mariners ended their two-decade long playoff drought last season, earning a trip to the postseason behind a 90-win season. With one of the best rotations in baseball and a superstar in Julio Rodriguez, the Mariners are ready to make a run this year.

Meanwhile the Houston Astros are coming off a World Series title and have won this division in each of the last five full 162-game seasons. Houston is still the favorite, but with Jose Altuve now set to miss the first few months of the season with a broken thumb he sustained in the WBC, there is every chance the Mariners can push to win the AL West.

Host Ryan Finkelstein breaks down why he is picking the Mariners to take this division in 2023.

For a full preview of every team in the American League West division, check out our AL West Preview here: https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/al-west-2023-preview-astros-mariners-angels-rangers-athletics/