We are now more than a month into the 2022 MLB regular season. The sample sizes aren't so small and fan bases are gaining and losing hope with each passing day. That said, there is still a lot -- A LOT -- of season to play, and plenty of teams are still vying for a spot in the new 12-team postseason format.
Throughout the season the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we discussed the biggest surprises of the season. This week we're going to pick between the two New York teams?
Which New York team has a better chance to win the World Series?
R.J. Anderson: I think the Mets have the better roster when each side is healthy, but I think the Yankees have the better chance of winning the World Series because the quality of the respective leagues gives them a better chance of getting there in the first place. That may sound counterintuitive, so let me put it another way: the American League doesn't have a team as good as the Dodgers -- the same Dodgers team who has played in five of the last six NL Championship Series. Maybe it turns out that the Mets can overpower the Dodgers should that matchup materialize in October; for now, though, that potential encounter makes me lean toward the Yankees.
Mike Axisa: I'm going to say the Mets. My thinking is similar to R.J.'s but the opposite -- the Yankees have the tougher road because they play in a tougher division. I expect the Rays and Blue Jays (and maybe even the Red Sox when it's all said and done) to give the Yankees a headache in the AL East. The Mets really only have to worry about the Braves, maybe the Phillies too. I guess what I'm trying to say is I think the Mets not only have a better chance to win their division, but also finish with one of the two best records in the league, thus earning a bye to the LDS. I'll go with the team more likely to avoid the Wild Card Series. It's one fewer chance to get eliminated.
Dayn Perry: I'll lean Mets just because of the potential of their full-strength roster. I think they'll buy themselves enough time in the standings to be very conservative with Jacob deGrom, which theoretically increases the chances that he'll be in fighting shape for the playoffs. While the Yankees look for real thus far, their lack of depth worries me.
Matt Snyder: I want to pick the Mets due to the sexiness of a 1-2 Scherzer/deGrom punch in the playoffs, but the Yankees are pulling me in right now. They have plenty of thunder in the lineup and the rotation behind Gerrit Cole has much better depth than the last few years, notably with the emergence of Nestor Cortes as a frontline starter. Perhaps a separation point between the two is the bullpen, and we know what an oversized role that can play in the playoffs. To this point in the season, Yankees' relievers have a collective 2.38 ERA and it's such a good mix (lefties and righties, guys like Michael King who can get length, etc.). To be clear, though, the Mets are much more than two stud starters and this is an incredibly tough question. We could very well see a Subway Series this October.
