EDITOR’S NOTE: Boyd Bergquist was the sports director at KETS-TV in East Tree Stump, Nebraska for almost 40 years. Known across the Husker state as the voice of the Boy’s High School Basketball Tournament, Bergquist was a four-time winner of the Marv J. Butz “Golden Cob” Award For Excellence In Nebraska Broadcast Journalism. That background, along with his quick if not cliché-riddled wit and love of single-malt scotch makes Bergquist a perfect fit to be our “Question” guy.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; baseball season is like a long horse race, which is why I like to break it down in four parts. We’ve already seen the start, we’re around half-way home, and later in the season we will revisit this on Labor Day…which is all about heading into the “home stretch.” But today is all about “half-way,” which means going back to my initial categorizations of all 30 major-league baseball teams, look at where they were on Memorial Day, and compare that to where they are today.
As we get closer to the wire which marks the end of that horse race, it only makes sense the categories would change. If you recall, I’m not about the usual “power ranking” stuff. Instead, I started this season by breaking down all 30 major league squads into six easy-to-understand groups based on what I thought these teams could realistically expect in 2026. Those original six categories were as follows.
- Ready To Win Right Now: These are teams which are ready to climb the mountain right now…no ifs, ands or buts.
- There’s Just One Thing Missing: Did you ever almost complete a jigsaw puzzle, but the three pieces you have remaining don’t fit the holes you have left? Welcome to the stories of these teams.
- Need Some Things To Go Their Way: Welcome to a collection of clubs who almost have the goods to win on their own; but anything is possible if they get more than one “lucky break.”
- At Least They Don’t Suck: Do I really need to explain this one?
- Why Wait For Next Year? One way or another, these teams need to make a decision about the future.
- It’s Going To Be A Long Summer: Everybody has hope on Opening Day, but some lose it far faster than others.
Once we got to Memorial Day, I had six new categories at the “far turn.” which again should be fairly self-explanatory.
- Just As I Expected: Teams performing just as expected.
- Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left: Read this as teams potentially over-achieving.
- So Far, So Good: Teams which are very much in the thick of the race at this point.
- It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet: This is for teams who may have stumbled out of the gate, but still have plenty of time
- Better Figure It Out Quick: A category for teams whose problems are severe, despite the fact there a lot of race left.
- It’s Not Too Early To Say It’s Over: Even at this juncture, it’s a safe bet these teams are finished.
At this point in the the race, there’s only two categories to worry about; is your team a contender or a pretender? A few years back, I was on a flight and read one of those in-flight magazines which had an article about a bunch of business management mumbo-jumbo I didn’t really understand, but it did include this grid about categorizing things based on two criteria and the relationship between them. I’m certainly no captain of industry, but this approach made perfect sense to me for this baseball breakdown.
Here’s all were looking at today; is your team a play-off contender, and should you buy or sell on their immediate future?
American League
Contenders: Buy
New York Yankees
- Original Category: There’s Just One Thing Missing
- Memorial Day Category: Just Like I Expected
Odds To Win World Series +600: Will the real New York Yankees please stand up? Here’s a team that leads the American League In home runs and runs batted in, but those bats have been in a deep freeze for the last three weeks. Slumps happen to everybody, but this is getting worrisome. It’s no coincidence that this really begins and ends with the injury to Aaron Judge. Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger have put up some nice numbers, but they are also the guys who got the pitches to hit when Judge is in the heart of the lineup.
Not to mention, the pitching staff is a cavalcade of walking wounded. The Pinstripes are still waiting for Max Fried to get healthy, Carlos Rodón is unavailable for at least another three weeks, and Gerrit Cole has been barely average since making his return from “Tommy John” surgery.
Despite the current funk, these are all solvable problems and barring a complete implosion, the Bronx Bombers will be around come October. But they’ve got to get healthy.
Seattle Mariners
- Original Category: Ready To Win Right Now
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
Odds To Win World Series +900: Seattle ranks near the bottom of the American League in batting average and slugging percentage, and they are barely middle-of-the-pack in RBIs. They’re where they are because of their pitching; the M’s are tops in in the AL or damn close in team ERA, WHIP, and home runs allowed. Both Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh spent most of the first half mired in unproductivity. Those two need to get right for Seattle to stay here.
Tampa Rays
- Original Category: Why Wait For Next Year?
- Memorial Day Category: Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left
Odds To Win World Series +1600: Here’s another team near the bottom of the league in home runs and doubles, yet rank 3rd in the AL in OPS. Stuff like that is why team drives the stat-weenies crazy. I say they play fundamental baseball. The Rays get on base, they move runners over, and they strikeout less than anybody. Feel free to say their pitching staff is a bunch of over-achievers, but there’s another fundamental that drives that…they pitch with leads a lot.
Cleveland Guardians
- Original Category: At Least They Don’t Suck
- Memorial Day Category: So Far, So Good
Odds To Win World Series +3500: The Guardians are like the Rays in the sense the analytics dorks do nothing but nay-say this team. Their typical brand of fundamentally sound “small-ball” keeps them apace in the AL Central, but again, if this team wants to get deep into October, they need to address their underrated run differential. That’s another key fundamental…you’ve got to score more than you give up.
Contenders: Sell
Toronto Blue Jays
- Original Category: Ready To Win Right Now
- Memorial Day Category: Better Figure It Out Quick
Odds To Win World Series +3500: Funny how the two cities on the opposite sides of Lake Erie have exactly the same problem: they can’t score. With Cleveland, their anemic run differential is -9. In Toronto, it’s -51. That’s beyond anemic…that’s fatal.
Texas Rangers
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
Odds To Win World Series +2200: What does it say about the Texas Rangers that the American League as a whole is flatter than warm beer and with their best efforts, they can only tread water? It’s hard to believe it was only three years ago this team won a World Series. But the reality is the American League pennant could come down to any number of team who get hot at the right time. Texas just feels like the least likely of them.
Houston Astros
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
Odds To Win World Series +3500: As we find ourselves in a n election year, the Astros seem like that incumbent Congressman whose name you remember from when he was “mover and shaker,” but now he’s just an old shell of days gone by. Once you get past the name recognition, this team is little more than a super-human Yordan Alvarez and not much else. He single-handedly skews this team into a top-five spot in Runs scored and slugging percentage, yet they have a -45 run differential. They can’t really hit, they can’t pitch, and the only reason they are still a contender is because the American League sucks.
Chicago White Sox
- Original Category: It’s Going To Be A Long Summer
- Memorial Day Category: Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left
Odds To Win World Series +4500: I get it…after years of historic awfulness, the Mighty Whiteys are the surprise of the season battling for the top spot in the AL Central. The problem is there’s too many signs this may not last.
As mentioned, they are in the thick of the division race. If you haven’t figured out by now, I firmly believe in run differential as a sign of team performance. Granted, as of right now this team sports a mark of +26, but…while they are top 5 in the AL in slugging percentage and OPS, they are bottom third in batting average and they strikeout way too much. The Mighty Whiteys also have no depth and a pitching staff that even while overachieving is still only middle-of-the-pack.
The bottom line: while I don’t see a play-off run in 2026, South Side fans have to be happy with how far ahead of schedule the rebuild is considering from how far down they’ve had to come.
Pretenders: Buy
Minnesota Twins
- Original Category: It’s Going To Be A Long Summer:
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not Too Early To Say It’s Over
Odds To Win World Series +10000: After our last installment, we received a choice observation from a Dubsist in the North Star State about the Twins and a fast-food chain’s attempt to use the team’s futility as a cheap way to suck people in for their shitty hamburgers
“Important Minnesota Twins Update!!! Here in MN, McDonald’s runs promotions based upon local sports teams. Vikings score 3+ TD’s? Free Mickey D’s! Timberwolves make 11+ 3 pointers? Free Mickey D’s! The threshold for the Twins (Mind you – they play 162 freeking games a year)… The Twins score 2+ runs in a game? (Don’t have to win, just plate two) Free Mickey D’s!”
~Matt Lawton – Hero to the AAC
This must have had the same effect as manager Lou Brown’s pre-season speech to his team in Major League. Just like those movie Indians, nobody (myself included) had any faith in the Twins to do anything but find new ways to continue their old tradition for shooting themselves in the foot.
But after they got dissed like that by McShitburger, a recent series win in New York marked a couple of trend-breakers. First of all, how many Twins fans only know Yankee Stadium as the place where their team seems more like the Washington Generals? Not only is finally winning a series in The House built by the first House Ruth Built a departure from the usual New York nightmare, it marks seven out of eight series wins. But more importantly, that streak has been driven by a resurgent offense that is (gasp) leading the American League in runs scored.
Is this team going to win? Probably not…especially if they have another of their traditional trade deadline fire sales.
Boston Red Sox
- Original Category: There’s Just One Thing Missing
- Memorial Day Category: Better Figure It Out Quick
Odds To Win World Series +7000: Don’t let their recent hot streak fool you. I’ve been dead-on about this team all year. This team couldn’t hit in March, they couldn’t hit in May, and despite what you’re seeing, they sure as shit can’t hit now. This isn’t going to last; Toronto will be back in front of them soon.
Pretenders: Sell
Detroit Tigers +6000
- Original Category: There’s Just One Thing Missing
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not Too Early To Say It’s Over
Odds To Win World Series +6000: I don’t even know where to start with this quote:
“We are a good team with a bad record and we’re going to keep chipping away at that to hopefully get us into a better position to factor in as the season goes along.”
~Tigers manager A.J. Hinch
Here’s another squad offering little more than false hope…and Hinch knows that. He knows every team is only as good as it’s record, and peddling hope is all he has left because everybody knows Tarik Skubal is as good as gone.
Baltimore Orioles
- Original Category: There’s Just One Thing Missing
- Memorial Day Category: Better Figure It Out Quick
Odds To Win World Series +8000: This team has no chance to contend, but there is hope for the future. The Orioles’ top four starters (Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, and Brandon Young) are clearly solidifying into a legitimate rotation. Since mid-May, the four have combined for a combined 3.06 ERA.
Oakland/Sacramento/Uhaul Athletics +20000
- Original Category: Why Wait For Next Year?
- Memorial Day Category: So Far, So Good
Odds To Win World Series +20000: Their was a time in 2026 when this team had a sniff of respectability, but those days are over, punctuated by a 3-17 streak heading into the break. Then there’s that pesky run differential thing; the A’s are sporting a godawful -72 mark. differential. Top that off with a league-last 5.10 team ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and a .267 opponents’ batting average, and it should be a surprise nobody in the American League gives up more home runs than do the A’s.
Kansas City Royals
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: Better Figure It Out Quick
Odds To Win World Series +50000: What is there to figure out when the bulk of your talent gets hurt? So far in 2026, Vinnie Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia, Jonathan India, Cole Ragans, and Kris Bubic have all been on the Injured List, and now Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez are banged up as well.
Los Angeles Angels
- Original Category: Why Wait For Next Year?
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not Too Early To Say It’s Over
Odds To Win World Series +50000: Is there a better way to say it’s over than when fans are renting planes to fly banners over the stadium that say “SELL THE TEAM!” The lone bright spot is Walbert Ureña and his 3.03 ERA.
National League
Contenders: Buy
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Original Category: Ready To Win Right Now
- Memorial Day Category: Just Like I Expected
Odds To Win World Series +175: The Dodgers have had a lot of great teams in their time in Los Angeles, but is it time to consider Dave Roberts as one of the great managers of all-time? Sure, he’s got a stacked roster, but he finds a way to keep all those egos in the clubhouse happy. Look at it this way. The Dodgers just notched their 6th season with 60 wins before the All-Star break; this is the 4th time under Roberts. If they win 100 games again this year, it would be the 6th time they done it with Roberts at the helm. The Dodgers have done that only six other times total.
Atlanta Braves
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: Just Like I Expected
Odds To Win World Series +1100: Here’s the value play if you’re one of those “futures” gamblers as this is the best deal you’re going to get on a team that legitimately can win it all.
Philadelphia Phillies
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: Just Like I Expected
Odds To Win World Series +1200: Philadelphia got off to a terrible start, but putting Don Mattingly in charge made this team a serious threat. Forget about that weak -7 run differential; most of that came during those opening stumbles. The trouble is the pitching staff is still a bit suspect; they give up far too many baserunners to the tune of a 1.33 team WHIP.
Milwaukee Brewers
- Original Category: At Least They Don’t Suck
- Memorial Day Category: So Far, So Good
Odds To Win World Series +1000: Despite cruising through the clearly weak NL Central, that .630-ish winning percentage isn’t goin to last when they get to August and have series with Minnesota, San Diego, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and the Dodgers. That’s when we’re going to see the real Brewers.
Chicago Cubs
- Original Category: Ready To Win Right Now
- Memorial Day Category: Just Like I Expected
Odds To Win World Series +2000: The Cubs have taken inconsistency to a truly bizarre level with quirky stuff like Seiya Suzuki regressing to a .200-ish hitter with runners in scoring position. Given that, here’s the really weird part: Somehow with sketchy hitting and a pitching staff that more resembles a mass-casualty event, they still sport a monstrous +41 run differential. Once this team gets healthy, that weirdness can make them dangerous come fall.
Contenders: Sell
San Diego Padres
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left
Odds To Win World Series +10000: The Padres are the poster-child for being a solid team chasing a juggernaut in the Dodgers. Sure, that’s a tall order, but at some point you have to be better than a .500 team to really be taken seriously. They’ve got far too much talent to be as weak offensively as they are.
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Original Category: Need Some Things To Go Their Way
- Memorial Day Category: Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left
Odds To Win World Series +8000: My gut tells me this team is mostly smoke and mirrors. Yeah, I know they’ve got a pretty damn good rotation and enough offensive thump to give them respectability, but I really think their ceiling is being that team who gets fat on the bad team, but will be a real pain in the ass for the good team during the stretch run…unless of course they sell everybody at the deadline.
Miami Marlins
- Original Category: Why Wait For Next Year?
- Memorial Day Category: Better Figure It Out Quick
Odds To Win World Series +12000: Take everything I just said about the Pirates and apply it to the Marlins and it will be about a 98% fit…especially the traditional July “fire sale” part.
St. Louis Cardinals
- Original Category: It’s Going To Be A Long Summer
- Memorial Day Category: Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left
Odds To Win World Series +15000: Home Run Derby champ Jordan Walker and J.J. Wetherholt have grabbed a lot of the headlines for the Red Birds, but don’t sleep on Alec Burleson. There’s a reason he’s near the top of the table in the NL for RBIs. Now, if this team could only pitch reliably…
Pretenders: Buy
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Original Category: At Least They Don’t Suck
- Memorial Day Category: So Far, So Good
Odds To Win World Series +12500: Having a stud in the lineup like Corbin Carroll and having no protection around him is the recipe for -21 run differential. It also explains the very worrisome fact the Snakes are 10 games over .500 against the sorry-ass Giants and Rockies, but 11 games under against everybody else.
Washington Nationals
- Original Category: It’s Going To Be A Long Summer
- Memorial Day Category: So Far, So Good
Odds To Win World Series +40000: Hovering right around .500 is just about the perfect place for a team which at times this season has simultaneously led the National League in runs scored and runs allowed. This team has a seriously bright future, especially if they can develop/acquire some pitching. James Wood has scored over 20 more runs than his next closest competitor, driven by his 28 dingers and 64 RBIs at the break.
Pretenders: Sell
Cincinnati Reds
- Original Category: At Least They Don’t Suck
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
Odds To Win World Series +35000: Here’s another team with a bright future, except the Reds seem to have a patent on a fully-automated “screw up the future” machine. Guys like Chase Burns and Sal Stewart could easily be the welcome additions to Elly de la Cruz to form a foundation for a competitive future, but you know at least two of those guys will not hit their peak as Reds.
New York Mets
- Original Category: Ready To Win Right Now
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
Odds To Win World Series +40000: Here’s my biggest miss of the season. It’s not just mine, how many others saw this team as a serious contender coming out of spring training? Well, that’s what we get for buying any Mets-related hype. This franchise is a dumpster fire, and spends a shitload of money to be one. Maybe they should hold a special post-season exhibition with the similarly money-rich, results poor Angels.
San Francisco Giants
- Original Category: At Least They Don’t Suck
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
Odds To Win World Series +50000: The last time the giants finished dead last only three times since 1985, the last being in 2017. But they are flirting hard with doing so again in 2026; only three games separate the G-men from that fate at this point. Is it time to wonder if the “Buster Posey as president” era is a bust?
Colorado Rockies
- Original Category: It’s Going To Be A Long Summer
- Memorial Day Category: It’s Not Too Early To Say It’s Over
Odds To Win World Series +50000: Sorry Colorado, but it really feels like time to consider this team may permanently inhabit these two cellar-dweller categories.
Got a question for our 70’s TV Sports Anchor? Got your own take? Nothing is “off-limits,” and no take is “too hot.” The only questions or comments Boyd Bergquist can’t handle are the one you don’t send him!
Got a question, comment, or just want to yell at us? Hit us up at dubsism@yahoo.com, @Dubsism on X, or on our Pinterest, Tumblr, BlueSky, Truth Social, or Instagram, or Facebook pages, and be sure to bookmark Dubsism.com so you don’t miss anything from the most interesting independent sports blog on the web.
Dubsism 