Aside from just being a Yankees fan, I describe myself as a fan of younger talent in Major League Baseball. I really like it when I see a young player (or, better yet, a team full of young players, like the Rays late year) put it all together and show that they belong. Each year, I try to sort of scout out the upcoming young talent in baseball. I want to know who I should be looking for when I watch games, but I also want to know who to draft for my fantasy team.
With that said, here’s a list of players I’m looking forward to catching in this upcoming year. It’s not like anyone on this list won’t be on everyone else’s lists of a similar nature, but the bond these players all share is the fact that they’re all on my fantasy team, which you can view here.
Anyway, without further ado, here we go!
Chris Davis (1B/3B, Texas Rangers) – Davis was one of the guys who flew under the radar for me last year. I ended up with him on my team only because I found out that his seemingly mediocre stats were compiled in only half a season. Stretched out over a whole year, he would have wound up batting .285 with 34 HR and 110 RBI. Not bad.
Alex Gordon (3B, Kansas City Royals) – Gordon’s one of the guys in the majors with the most talent and the least production. He’s the kind of guy who seemingly makes this type of list annually, as each year is going to be his inevitable breakout season. It’ll come… at some point. 2009? Sure, why not?
Jay Bruce (OF, Cincinnati Reds) – I’m not really sure why, but I call him “the great American hope.” I think it might have something to do with the skepticism everyone has as far as power hitters and home run numbers go. If the current batch of players are all lumped together in one tainted bundle, Bruce is the guy who will lead the next group out of the abyss. Last year’s 21 home runs was a great start.
Billy Butler (DH, Kansas City Royals) – For someone who’s supposed to have one of the best eyes in baseball, a .275 and 11 home runs just isn’t going to cut it. However, the dude has been raking this Spring Training, hitting .395 with 4 home runs in 73 at-bats. I’ll take that.
Matt Wieters (C, Baltimore Orioles) – He’s this year’s best bet to follow in the footsteps of Ryan Braun and Evan Longoria as the mid-May call-up who instantly proves he belongs. Wieters is really the best thing the Orioles have going, so it’s only a matter of time before he gets his due.
Matt LaPorta (1B/OF, Cleveland Indians) – The last I’ve heard, it isn’t even a sure thing that LaPorta is going to make the Indians’ major league roster this year. However, if he does, from what I’ve heard, he’ll be a fun one to watch. He’s probably the guy on this list I know the least about, but supposedly he has Joe Mauer-like hitting abilities… with power. That’s scary.
Max Scherzer (P, Arizona Diamondbacks) – Last year, I had great hopes for Scherzer. My one friend and I were set to watch each of his starts for the Diamondbacks. After being called up mid-season, he strikes out something like 7 guys in 4 1/3 innings in his first appearance. We were psyched. But then he fails to stick in the rotation and he gets hurt. What a lame way to end the year. Here’s to a better 2009, Max!
David Price (P, Tampa Bay Rays) – Everyone got a taste of what he could do by watching him in the playoffs last year. Though he’s currently in the Rays’ minor league system, he’ll be up soon enough and will wow fans yet again. That’s one thing I hate about baseball – the stupid clause that guarantees a player more money if he is called up before a certain date. That’s really the only reason he’s in the minors right now. The kid can play. Call him up. Don’t be cheap, Tampa.
Showing posts with label mlb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mlb. Show all posts
4.02.2009
3.31.2009
AL West Preview
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM – It’s never a good thing for a team when they lose more big name and elite players than they bring in.
Unfortunately for the Angels – who won 100 games last year – that’s exactly what happened.
They’re still the best team in the division, but that isn’t saying much. After losing Mark Teixeira to the Yankees and Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets, two faces of last season’s successful run are gone.
The team did bring in two pieces to fill their missing holes – they signed former Yankee Bobby Abreu, who will add pop (and a much needed high on-base percentage) to the middle of their lineup, and former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes to take the place of Rodriguez.
Abreu will definitely help, especially if Vladimir Guerrero returns to his former self and puts up good numbers in a contract year. Fuentes may seem like a less fit replacement, but the strength of the Angels’ bullpen – their middle relief – is still intact, as Scot Shields, Darren Oliver and Jose Arredondo (all of whom had great years last year) are still around.
The Angels have the most talent in the division, so they should be able to win the AL West yet again. However, for anyone who thinks they’ll match last season’s production, brace yourself for a letdown.
TEXAS RANGERS – For several years now, the Rangers have fallen far shy of the playoffs. To expect anything different in 2009 would be asking a lot. It would be asking something that the team can’t deliver… yet.
The Rangers spent this past off-season further loading up their farm system (which ranks among the top two or three in all of baseball) for a playoff run in the near future. Unless the Angels falter or the Rangers reach the next level in Rays-like speed, they won’t win the AL West this year.
That’s not to say that the Rangers will be terrible this season. Last year, they scored the most runs in the league but also gave up the most. They didn’t do anything about that dreadful pitching for 2009 (they landed a bunch of quality arms for seasons as soon as next year), but that offense should definitely be able to propel the team to a few wins.
Anchored by Josh Hamilton, who propelled himself into baseball’s elite offensive players last year, as well as Chris Davis (who was tremendously effective in half a season last year (.285 average, 17 HR, 55 RBI), the Rangers are a good bet to lead the league in offense again this year.
If only their pitching was up to par, they would be an intimidating team for anyone to face.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS – Last year, Oakland GM Billy Beane continued his recent trend of trading star pitchers to overhaul several years down the road. After perfecting the process by trading Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson following the 2004 season, Beane followed in his own footsteps by dealing Rich Harden (Cubs) and Joe Blanton (Phillies) last year. These trades left the A’s depleted last season and left them with very few talented players on their major league roster.
This off-season, the A’s further depleted their pitching staff by trading away closer Huston Street. However, instead of getting minor league arms, they got back Matt Holliday from the Rockies. Holliday is one of the league’s premier young hitters, having hit .329 with 95 HR and 339 RBI over the last three years. His numbers were obviously aided by Colorado’s thin air, but Holliday has hit at least 10 HRs on the road in each of those years, and has hit at least .300 on the road for the past two.
The A’s also picked up Jason Giambi to give Holliday some protection in the lineup. This will be a return trip to Oakland for Giambi, as he helped lead the A’s to the playoffs prior to signing with the Yankees. Though he is no longer great by any standard, he should help provide some power to the middle of their lineup.
Never doubt Billy Beane. However, looking at his roster (and more specifically, his pitching) in 2009, it seems hard to imagine anything better than a second place finish.
SEATTLE MARINERS – After years of being uncompetitive, it seems as though the Mariners changed their tune this off-season.
How’d they do that? They brought back Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey’s no longer an elite player, and even calling him an above average player could be a stretch. However, his return to Seattle in the twilight of his career is an excellent publicity move for both the team and Griffey (who can safely retire a Mariner now and, if and when he’s elected to the Hall of Fame, rightfully be inducted in a Seattle uniform).
Bringing back Griffey wasn’t a move made to really improve the team as much as bring fans out to the games. Sure, the team has talent – most notably Ichiro and Felix Hernandez – but for them to compete in the AL West, they’re going to need far more pieces to come together on their puzzle.
Unfortunately for the Angels – who won 100 games last year – that’s exactly what happened.
They’re still the best team in the division, but that isn’t saying much. After losing Mark Teixeira to the Yankees and Francisco Rodriguez to the Mets, two faces of last season’s successful run are gone.
The team did bring in two pieces to fill their missing holes – they signed former Yankee Bobby Abreu, who will add pop (and a much needed high on-base percentage) to the middle of their lineup, and former Rockies closer Brian Fuentes to take the place of Rodriguez.
Abreu will definitely help, especially if Vladimir Guerrero returns to his former self and puts up good numbers in a contract year. Fuentes may seem like a less fit replacement, but the strength of the Angels’ bullpen – their middle relief – is still intact, as Scot Shields, Darren Oliver and Jose Arredondo (all of whom had great years last year) are still around.
The Angels have the most talent in the division, so they should be able to win the AL West yet again. However, for anyone who thinks they’ll match last season’s production, brace yourself for a letdown.
TEXAS RANGERS – For several years now, the Rangers have fallen far shy of the playoffs. To expect anything different in 2009 would be asking a lot. It would be asking something that the team can’t deliver… yet.
The Rangers spent this past off-season further loading up their farm system (which ranks among the top two or three in all of baseball) for a playoff run in the near future. Unless the Angels falter or the Rangers reach the next level in Rays-like speed, they won’t win the AL West this year.
That’s not to say that the Rangers will be terrible this season. Last year, they scored the most runs in the league but also gave up the most. They didn’t do anything about that dreadful pitching for 2009 (they landed a bunch of quality arms for seasons as soon as next year), but that offense should definitely be able to propel the team to a few wins.
Anchored by Josh Hamilton, who propelled himself into baseball’s elite offensive players last year, as well as Chris Davis (who was tremendously effective in half a season last year (.285 average, 17 HR, 55 RBI), the Rangers are a good bet to lead the league in offense again this year.
If only their pitching was up to par, they would be an intimidating team for anyone to face.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS – Last year, Oakland GM Billy Beane continued his recent trend of trading star pitchers to overhaul several years down the road. After perfecting the process by trading Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson following the 2004 season, Beane followed in his own footsteps by dealing Rich Harden (Cubs) and Joe Blanton (Phillies) last year. These trades left the A’s depleted last season and left them with very few talented players on their major league roster.
This off-season, the A’s further depleted their pitching staff by trading away closer Huston Street. However, instead of getting minor league arms, they got back Matt Holliday from the Rockies. Holliday is one of the league’s premier young hitters, having hit .329 with 95 HR and 339 RBI over the last three years. His numbers were obviously aided by Colorado’s thin air, but Holliday has hit at least 10 HRs on the road in each of those years, and has hit at least .300 on the road for the past two.
The A’s also picked up Jason Giambi to give Holliday some protection in the lineup. This will be a return trip to Oakland for Giambi, as he helped lead the A’s to the playoffs prior to signing with the Yankees. Though he is no longer great by any standard, he should help provide some power to the middle of their lineup.
Never doubt Billy Beane. However, looking at his roster (and more specifically, his pitching) in 2009, it seems hard to imagine anything better than a second place finish.
SEATTLE MARINERS – After years of being uncompetitive, it seems as though the Mariners changed their tune this off-season.
How’d they do that? They brought back Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey’s no longer an elite player, and even calling him an above average player could be a stretch. However, his return to Seattle in the twilight of his career is an excellent publicity move for both the team and Griffey (who can safely retire a Mariner now and, if and when he’s elected to the Hall of Fame, rightfully be inducted in a Seattle uniform).
Bringing back Griffey wasn’t a move made to really improve the team as much as bring fans out to the games. Sure, the team has talent – most notably Ichiro and Felix Hernandez – but for them to compete in the AL West, they’re going to need far more pieces to come together on their puzzle.
NL West Preview
LOS ANGELES DODGERS – Getting Manny back should be enough for the Dodgers to win the NL West.
Is it really that easy? Pretty much. After winning the division last season with a mere 84 wins, a full season out of Manny should put them head and shoulders above the rest of the mediocre division.
Combine Manny with the rest of the Dodgers’ outfield – Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier – and they have one of the most talented outfield corps in the majors. Their outfield, combined with Russell Martin (one of the best young catchers in the league) will help make up for a pitching staff that suffered some losses this off-season.
The Dodgers lost their ace (Derek Lowe), their closer (Takashi Saito) and their setup man (Joe Beimel). They didn’t exactly do a great job replacing them, either; the team signed Randy Wolf (6-10 for the Padres last season) and Guillermo Mota (a 4.95 ERA and six blown saves over the past two years).
Despite these less-than-adequate replacements, the Dodgers should be able to win the NL West by default. They’re the best of the worst, which is sometimes all that matters.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS – The Diamondbacks have had a weird couple of years recently.
Two years ago, in the 2007 season, they won the NL West out of nowhere, ultimately falling to the NL Champion Rockies in the playoffs. Last season, poised to make a repeat run at the division crown, they were unable to do so, ending up with only 82 wins and finding themselves two games back of the Dodgers.
This season, the Diamondbacks will look more like their 2008 version than their 2007 version. The team lost Randy Johnson (Giants) and Adam Dunn (Nationals), both of whom were keys to getting the team to where they were last season.
The thing to watch this year will be whether or not their offense can rebound from last season’s mediocrity. They definitely have a talented lineup – including Conor Jackson, Eric Byrnes, Chris Young and Justin Upton – but last year they were unable to do anything with it.
If their lineup can live up to its potential, and if starting pitcher Max Scherzer can live up to his immense hype in his first full season, the Diamondbacks might have a shot at the division crown. But if either of those things don’t happen, the D’Backs will struggle.
COLORADO ROCKIES – Last year, a very average pitching staff ruined a tremendous offensive season. The Rockies tried to remedy that during this off-season, trading Matt Holliday to the A’s for closer Huston Street (a definite step up over Brian Fuentes) and starter Greg Smith, as well as signing Jason Marquis to round out the rotation.
Will those moves be enough to help the team win the NL West? Probably not. Could it be enough? Sure! The NL West is so up in the air that any team could conceivably find themselves in first come September.
What will the Rockies have to do to win? Get an offensive season comparable to last year and hope that their pitching staff makes great strides. That might be hard, considering their ace, Jeff Francis, has an injured shoulder and is only slowly progressing through rehab.
A lot of things will have to go right for the Rockies if they want to win the division. But in the NL West, anything’s possible.
SAN DIEGO PADRES – The Padres should be thankful that they’re in the same division as the Giants. Why? It makes their mediocre roster look good by comparison.
The team lost icon Trevor Hoffman to the Brewers this past off-season and was unsuccessful in trading starting pitching gem Jake Peavy. It’s unfortunate for the Padres that they weren’t able to get anything back for Peavy because his (inevitably) great upcoming season will be another wasted effort.
In an effort to bolster their lineup, the team signed Cliff Floyd, Henry Blanco and David Eckstein. How are any of those moves supposed to help produce more runs? All three are either past their prime or decent offensive players at best, so expecting anything helpful offensively out of them is asking too much… which is the same as asking them to contend for the division.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS – Even considering how bad the NL West, it doesn’t mean every team can contend. Not when you’re talking about the Giants.
Sure, they have reigning Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum, who just may be the best pitcher in baseball. Yes, they have great second and third starters in Matt Cain and Randy Johnson, the latter of whom they just signed from the division rival Diamondbacks.
But that’s about it.
Their offense is one of the worst in baseball. They feature no intimidating hitters in their lineup and will have to get some sort of miracle for the team to win even 75 games this year. Because of their incredibly lacking offense, it’d be hard to find a team in the NL West that would finish worse than them.
Is it really that easy? Pretty much. After winning the division last season with a mere 84 wins, a full season out of Manny should put them head and shoulders above the rest of the mediocre division.
Combine Manny with the rest of the Dodgers’ outfield – Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier – and they have one of the most talented outfield corps in the majors. Their outfield, combined with Russell Martin (one of the best young catchers in the league) will help make up for a pitching staff that suffered some losses this off-season.
The Dodgers lost their ace (Derek Lowe), their closer (Takashi Saito) and their setup man (Joe Beimel). They didn’t exactly do a great job replacing them, either; the team signed Randy Wolf (6-10 for the Padres last season) and Guillermo Mota (a 4.95 ERA and six blown saves over the past two years).
Despite these less-than-adequate replacements, the Dodgers should be able to win the NL West by default. They’re the best of the worst, which is sometimes all that matters.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS – The Diamondbacks have had a weird couple of years recently.
Two years ago, in the 2007 season, they won the NL West out of nowhere, ultimately falling to the NL Champion Rockies in the playoffs. Last season, poised to make a repeat run at the division crown, they were unable to do so, ending up with only 82 wins and finding themselves two games back of the Dodgers.
This season, the Diamondbacks will look more like their 2008 version than their 2007 version. The team lost Randy Johnson (Giants) and Adam Dunn (Nationals), both of whom were keys to getting the team to where they were last season.
The thing to watch this year will be whether or not their offense can rebound from last season’s mediocrity. They definitely have a talented lineup – including Conor Jackson, Eric Byrnes, Chris Young and Justin Upton – but last year they were unable to do anything with it.
If their lineup can live up to its potential, and if starting pitcher Max Scherzer can live up to his immense hype in his first full season, the Diamondbacks might have a shot at the division crown. But if either of those things don’t happen, the D’Backs will struggle.
COLORADO ROCKIES – Last year, a very average pitching staff ruined a tremendous offensive season. The Rockies tried to remedy that during this off-season, trading Matt Holliday to the A’s for closer Huston Street (a definite step up over Brian Fuentes) and starter Greg Smith, as well as signing Jason Marquis to round out the rotation.
Will those moves be enough to help the team win the NL West? Probably not. Could it be enough? Sure! The NL West is so up in the air that any team could conceivably find themselves in first come September.
What will the Rockies have to do to win? Get an offensive season comparable to last year and hope that their pitching staff makes great strides. That might be hard, considering their ace, Jeff Francis, has an injured shoulder and is only slowly progressing through rehab.
A lot of things will have to go right for the Rockies if they want to win the division. But in the NL West, anything’s possible.
SAN DIEGO PADRES – The Padres should be thankful that they’re in the same division as the Giants. Why? It makes their mediocre roster look good by comparison.
The team lost icon Trevor Hoffman to the Brewers this past off-season and was unsuccessful in trading starting pitching gem Jake Peavy. It’s unfortunate for the Padres that they weren’t able to get anything back for Peavy because his (inevitably) great upcoming season will be another wasted effort.
In an effort to bolster their lineup, the team signed Cliff Floyd, Henry Blanco and David Eckstein. How are any of those moves supposed to help produce more runs? All three are either past their prime or decent offensive players at best, so expecting anything helpful offensively out of them is asking too much… which is the same as asking them to contend for the division.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS – Even considering how bad the NL West, it doesn’t mean every team can contend. Not when you’re talking about the Giants.
Sure, they have reigning Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum, who just may be the best pitcher in baseball. Yes, they have great second and third starters in Matt Cain and Randy Johnson, the latter of whom they just signed from the division rival Diamondbacks.
But that’s about it.
Their offense is one of the worst in baseball. They feature no intimidating hitters in their lineup and will have to get some sort of miracle for the team to win even 75 games this year. Because of their incredibly lacking offense, it’d be hard to find a team in the NL West that would finish worse than them.
3.12.2009
NL Central Preview
CHICAGO CUBS – After a hundred years of no World Series titles, could 2009 be the year?
Sure, why not?
The Cubs won 97 games last season, and the only major key to their team that they lost was closer Kerry Wood. However, the team has more than adequate help in replacing his role. Relievers Carlos Marmol and Jeff Samardzija both proved to be effective in shutting down batters last season, so one or the other will be able to step up and fulfill the role.
The Cubs also added to their team by continuing their trend of adding a big-name outfielder to their team each year. Following in the footsteps of Alfonso Soriano (2007) and Kosuke Fukudome (2008), Chicago went out and added Milton Bradley.
Now, Bradley’s had issues controlling his temper in the past. However, if he buys into the idea that this could be the year to end the over-a-century-long drought, he could provide exactly the type of pop that the lineup needs.
Though the Cubs will face some tough challenges in the NL Central, they should be more than able to repeat their title as division champions.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS – Albert Pujols.
That’s pretty much all you need to know about the Cardinals and the success they have.
Sure, there are other players on the team. Most notably, their outfield is quite strong. They have pitcher-turned-hitter-slash-amazing-return-story Rick Ankiel (who smashed 37 home runs last season in only his second season as a hitter in the majors) as well as Ryan Ludwick (who hit 25 home runs and played very well throughout much of his rookie season in 2008).
However, regardless of how much these players may do, there is truly no player as vital to his team in Major League Baseball as Pujols is to the Cardinals. As both the leader on the field and in the clubhouse, any success that the Cardinals have (most recently, their 2006 World Series title) can be pretty much directly attributed to Pujols.
With that said, his supporting cast isn’t strong enough for the Cardinals to make another World Series run this season. Never count them out, though, as Sir Albert will have a say in the matter.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS – What do you do when you make it to the playoffs, only to get knocked out by the eventual World Series Champions in the first round?
Why, add the all-time saves leader of course.
After being traded to the Padres in his rookie season, Hoffman had spent the remainder of his 16-year career in San Diego. However, after failing to reach a deal with the team, Hoffman signed a one-year contract with Milwaukee, effectively bringing Hell’s Bells to the Midwest.
Despite having a talented lineup – including Ryan Braun (71 home runs and a .301 average in his first two seasons) and Prince Fielder (who has hit 84 home runs over the past two seasons) – the Brewers will struggle to match last season’s 90 wins, primarily because of the loss of CC Sabathia.
Sabathia, who came over midway through last year, sparked the team’s playoff run with an 11-2 record over the season’s final three and a half months. However, after signing with the Yankees, his wins (not to mention all the innings he ate up) will have to come from somewhere else. Despite having a talented team, the Brewers will face a tough task in returning to the playoffs.
HOUSTON ASTROS – Though the Astros had a fairly successful season in 2008 (ending up with 86 wins), they found themselves three games behind in the Wild Card race when everything was said and done.
The team should enjoy a full season of Carlos Lee, who will be an imposing force in the middle of the lineup. In 2007 (his first year as an Astro), he hit 32 home runs in a full season of play; last year, he hit 28 in only 115 games. Combined with Lance Berkman and an ever-improving Hunter Pence, Lee could be the focal point of a very productive lineup.
The anchor of the Astros’ rotation has been Roy Oswalt for the past eight seasons, and 2009 will be no different. Standing at a career 129-64 record, Oswalt has been one of the most reliable and dominant pitchers in the league throughout his career.
The problem with the Astros, however, is that they don’t really have that number two starter to follow in Oswalt’s footsteps. The team signed Mike Hampton this past off-season, but he has made only 13 starts in the past three seasons (all last year), compiling a 3-4 record. Hampton enjoyed previous success in Houston (including a 22-4 record in 1999), so if history repeats itself, the Astros may have made out like bandits on their investment.
CINCINNATI REDS – This team’s future lies in the hands of Jay Bruce. Bruce, the All-American home run-hitting outfielder is the cornerstone on a team without a whole lot of help.
The Reds lost their most proficient home run hitter from the past few seasons as Adam Dunn signed with the Nationals this off-season. Though Bruce hit 21 home runs in a relatively short amount of time (108 games after being called up from the Reds’ farm system), it’ll be hard to replace the time of pop Dunn provided the team.
Perhaps in an effort to replace Dunn, the team signed speedster Willy Taveras to a two-year deal. Taveras is exactly the opposite type of player that Dunn is; he has hit only 7 home runs in 541 career games (Dunn could have hit that many in a week) but stole a career high 68 bases last season in Colorado. Dunn, on the other hand, has stolen 58 bases in his eight-year career.
For the Reds to be able to challenge for the division title, their young and talented rotation (Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Aaron Harang most notably) will need to continue to mature. Look for the Reds to be strong in a few years, but not in 2009.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES – Oh, these poor Pirates. Following a year in which they went 67-95, they really didn’t do much to improve their team.
Sure, they added Eric Hinske to their lineup, but he’s a career .254 hitter. Hinske was added to a lineup that was already fairly talented – one that included Nate McLouth (coming off a career year where he hit 26 HRs and stole 23 bases), Freddy Sanchez (who hit .344 in 2006) and Ryan Doumit (who hit .318 with 15 HR in only 115 games last season).
Doumit is perhaps the team’s most talented and important player. After missing the start of last season with an injury, Doumit came back healthy and posted strong numbers down the stretch.
In order for more people to learn about this hidden talent that the Pirates have – and, more importantly, for people to care about baseball in Pittsburgh – the team will need to shake things up more than they did this off-season. Adding Hinske won’t cut it.
Sure, why not?
The Cubs won 97 games last season, and the only major key to their team that they lost was closer Kerry Wood. However, the team has more than adequate help in replacing his role. Relievers Carlos Marmol and Jeff Samardzija both proved to be effective in shutting down batters last season, so one or the other will be able to step up and fulfill the role.
The Cubs also added to their team by continuing their trend of adding a big-name outfielder to their team each year. Following in the footsteps of Alfonso Soriano (2007) and Kosuke Fukudome (2008), Chicago went out and added Milton Bradley.
Now, Bradley’s had issues controlling his temper in the past. However, if he buys into the idea that this could be the year to end the over-a-century-long drought, he could provide exactly the type of pop that the lineup needs.
Though the Cubs will face some tough challenges in the NL Central, they should be more than able to repeat their title as division champions.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS – Albert Pujols.
That’s pretty much all you need to know about the Cardinals and the success they have.
Sure, there are other players on the team. Most notably, their outfield is quite strong. They have pitcher-turned-hitter-slash-amazing-return-story Rick Ankiel (who smashed 37 home runs last season in only his second season as a hitter in the majors) as well as Ryan Ludwick (who hit 25 home runs and played very well throughout much of his rookie season in 2008).
However, regardless of how much these players may do, there is truly no player as vital to his team in Major League Baseball as Pujols is to the Cardinals. As both the leader on the field and in the clubhouse, any success that the Cardinals have (most recently, their 2006 World Series title) can be pretty much directly attributed to Pujols.
With that said, his supporting cast isn’t strong enough for the Cardinals to make another World Series run this season. Never count them out, though, as Sir Albert will have a say in the matter.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS – What do you do when you make it to the playoffs, only to get knocked out by the eventual World Series Champions in the first round?
Why, add the all-time saves leader of course.
After being traded to the Padres in his rookie season, Hoffman had spent the remainder of his 16-year career in San Diego. However, after failing to reach a deal with the team, Hoffman signed a one-year contract with Milwaukee, effectively bringing Hell’s Bells to the Midwest.
Despite having a talented lineup – including Ryan Braun (71 home runs and a .301 average in his first two seasons) and Prince Fielder (who has hit 84 home runs over the past two seasons) – the Brewers will struggle to match last season’s 90 wins, primarily because of the loss of CC Sabathia.
Sabathia, who came over midway through last year, sparked the team’s playoff run with an 11-2 record over the season’s final three and a half months. However, after signing with the Yankees, his wins (not to mention all the innings he ate up) will have to come from somewhere else. Despite having a talented team, the Brewers will face a tough task in returning to the playoffs.
HOUSTON ASTROS – Though the Astros had a fairly successful season in 2008 (ending up with 86 wins), they found themselves three games behind in the Wild Card race when everything was said and done.
The team should enjoy a full season of Carlos Lee, who will be an imposing force in the middle of the lineup. In 2007 (his first year as an Astro), he hit 32 home runs in a full season of play; last year, he hit 28 in only 115 games. Combined with Lance Berkman and an ever-improving Hunter Pence, Lee could be the focal point of a very productive lineup.
The anchor of the Astros’ rotation has been Roy Oswalt for the past eight seasons, and 2009 will be no different. Standing at a career 129-64 record, Oswalt has been one of the most reliable and dominant pitchers in the league throughout his career.
The problem with the Astros, however, is that they don’t really have that number two starter to follow in Oswalt’s footsteps. The team signed Mike Hampton this past off-season, but he has made only 13 starts in the past three seasons (all last year), compiling a 3-4 record. Hampton enjoyed previous success in Houston (including a 22-4 record in 1999), so if history repeats itself, the Astros may have made out like bandits on their investment.
CINCINNATI REDS – This team’s future lies in the hands of Jay Bruce. Bruce, the All-American home run-hitting outfielder is the cornerstone on a team without a whole lot of help.
The Reds lost their most proficient home run hitter from the past few seasons as Adam Dunn signed with the Nationals this off-season. Though Bruce hit 21 home runs in a relatively short amount of time (108 games after being called up from the Reds’ farm system), it’ll be hard to replace the time of pop Dunn provided the team.
Perhaps in an effort to replace Dunn, the team signed speedster Willy Taveras to a two-year deal. Taveras is exactly the opposite type of player that Dunn is; he has hit only 7 home runs in 541 career games (Dunn could have hit that many in a week) but stole a career high 68 bases last season in Colorado. Dunn, on the other hand, has stolen 58 bases in his eight-year career.
For the Reds to be able to challenge for the division title, their young and talented rotation (Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Aaron Harang most notably) will need to continue to mature. Look for the Reds to be strong in a few years, but not in 2009.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES – Oh, these poor Pirates. Following a year in which they went 67-95, they really didn’t do much to improve their team.
Sure, they added Eric Hinske to their lineup, but he’s a career .254 hitter. Hinske was added to a lineup that was already fairly talented – one that included Nate McLouth (coming off a career year where he hit 26 HRs and stole 23 bases), Freddy Sanchez (who hit .344 in 2006) and Ryan Doumit (who hit .318 with 15 HR in only 115 games last season).
Doumit is perhaps the team’s most talented and important player. After missing the start of last season with an injury, Doumit came back healthy and posted strong numbers down the stretch.
In order for more people to learn about this hidden talent that the Pirates have – and, more importantly, for people to care about baseball in Pittsburgh – the team will need to shake things up more than they did this off-season. Adding Hinske won’t cut it.
3.11.2009
AL Central Preview
CLEVELAND INDIANS – After playing good-but-not-great baseball last season (and ending up with an 81-81 record), the Indians took some bold moves this off-season to improve their team.
For starters, the team snagged both Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood from the Cubs. As one of the league’s great utility men, DeRosa will be able to fill in any gaps that the Indians may have but will predominantly play second base for Cleveland. Wood, on the other hand, is the real prize acquisition, as he gives the team a dominant closer for the first time in recent years.
The team will also get a better year out of Travis Hafner (it would be difficult for him to match his abysmal results from last season) and should get full seasons from starting pitcher Fausto Carmona and catcher Victor Martinez, each of whom missed time last year due to injuries.
Look for the Indians to win the AL Central in the same way the White Sox did last year – by being the best team in a mediocre division.
MINNESOTA TWINS – After tying the White Sox for the division title last year, the Twins lost to that same Chicago ballclub in a one-game playoff, eliminating them from playoff contention. This season, though the team has not added anyone of note, they should be better than the White Sox.
Why? Well, aside from losses the White Sox took (see below), the Twins have not lost anyone from their roster. Also, the team has filled in holes in their roster (most notably at third base and in the bullpen) by calling up prospects from their farm system. The rest of their young players should continue to improve as well; Francisco Liriano will undoubtedly continue to blossom into one of the best pitchers in the league.
The Twins definitely have what it takes to challenge the Indians for the division title in 2009. However, if they’re unable to catch the Indians for the division lead, their record probably won’t be good enough to compete for the Wild Card chase.
DETROIT TIGERS – Last year, the team traded for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Despite the praise they received for these acquisitions, things didn’t work out so well for them, as they ended up with a 74-88 record and found themselves at the bottom of the division.
This year, the only place for the Tigers to go is up! Considering the talent that they have on their team, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to possibly even challenge for the division title. For that to happen, though, they’ll need to get the most out of their pitching staff – most notably, Justin Verlander can’t have a repeat of last season (who went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA last season after going 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 2007), and Dontrelle Willis will need to improve on the horrendous 9.38 ERA he posted in eight games last season.
The Tigers have too many question marks to be ranked ahead of the Indians or Twins. This isn’t to say that they can’t win the division – it’ll just require everything to come together perfectly.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX – Though the team won the AL Central last season, calling them the best team could be a stretch. Rather than winning based on merit, they won because every other team was worse than they were. Along with the Dodgers (who won the NL West with a mere 84 wins), they were the only division winner to fail to reach 90 wins (they had 89).
This off-season, the team re-tooled to save money and plan for the future. They traded Nick Swisher to the Yankees and Javier Vazquez to the Braves, while failing to really add anyone who will impact the team this year, aside from possibly Bartolo Colon.
Look for the White Sox to have a good year, but unless something clicks, they will not be making the playoffs.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS – After finishing out of last place last season for the first time since 2003, they’ll probably find themselves back again in 2009.
Sure, the team added guys to bolster their lineup – guys like Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp. However, all that did was further cement the Royals in the heart of the mediocrity that is the AL Central.
Their pitching staff is probably the best element of their team. Anchored by Gil Meche (who is 23-24 with a 3.82 ERA in two seasons with the Royals) and Zach Greinke (who was 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA last year), the team has a good rotation. Add in to that mix the presence of All-Star closer Joakim Soria, and the Royals have something cooking.
Too bad the stew’s not ready quite yet.
For starters, the team snagged both Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood from the Cubs. As one of the league’s great utility men, DeRosa will be able to fill in any gaps that the Indians may have but will predominantly play second base for Cleveland. Wood, on the other hand, is the real prize acquisition, as he gives the team a dominant closer for the first time in recent years.
The team will also get a better year out of Travis Hafner (it would be difficult for him to match his abysmal results from last season) and should get full seasons from starting pitcher Fausto Carmona and catcher Victor Martinez, each of whom missed time last year due to injuries.
Look for the Indians to win the AL Central in the same way the White Sox did last year – by being the best team in a mediocre division.
MINNESOTA TWINS – After tying the White Sox for the division title last year, the Twins lost to that same Chicago ballclub in a one-game playoff, eliminating them from playoff contention. This season, though the team has not added anyone of note, they should be better than the White Sox.
Why? Well, aside from losses the White Sox took (see below), the Twins have not lost anyone from their roster. Also, the team has filled in holes in their roster (most notably at third base and in the bullpen) by calling up prospects from their farm system. The rest of their young players should continue to improve as well; Francisco Liriano will undoubtedly continue to blossom into one of the best pitchers in the league.
The Twins definitely have what it takes to challenge the Indians for the division title in 2009. However, if they’re unable to catch the Indians for the division lead, their record probably won’t be good enough to compete for the Wild Card chase.
DETROIT TIGERS – Last year, the team traded for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Despite the praise they received for these acquisitions, things didn’t work out so well for them, as they ended up with a 74-88 record and found themselves at the bottom of the division.
This year, the only place for the Tigers to go is up! Considering the talent that they have on their team, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to possibly even challenge for the division title. For that to happen, though, they’ll need to get the most out of their pitching staff – most notably, Justin Verlander can’t have a repeat of last season (who went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA last season after going 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 2007), and Dontrelle Willis will need to improve on the horrendous 9.38 ERA he posted in eight games last season.
The Tigers have too many question marks to be ranked ahead of the Indians or Twins. This isn’t to say that they can’t win the division – it’ll just require everything to come together perfectly.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX – Though the team won the AL Central last season, calling them the best team could be a stretch. Rather than winning based on merit, they won because every other team was worse than they were. Along with the Dodgers (who won the NL West with a mere 84 wins), they were the only division winner to fail to reach 90 wins (they had 89).
This off-season, the team re-tooled to save money and plan for the future. They traded Nick Swisher to the Yankees and Javier Vazquez to the Braves, while failing to really add anyone who will impact the team this year, aside from possibly Bartolo Colon.
Look for the White Sox to have a good year, but unless something clicks, they will not be making the playoffs.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS – After finishing out of last place last season for the first time since 2003, they’ll probably find themselves back again in 2009.
Sure, the team added guys to bolster their lineup – guys like Mike Jacobs and Coco Crisp. However, all that did was further cement the Royals in the heart of the mediocrity that is the AL Central.
Their pitching staff is probably the best element of their team. Anchored by Gil Meche (who is 23-24 with a 3.82 ERA in two seasons with the Royals) and Zach Greinke (who was 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA last year), the team has a good rotation. Add in to that mix the presence of All-Star closer Joakim Soria, and the Royals have something cooking.
Too bad the stew’s not ready quite yet.
3.08.2009
NL East Preview
NEW YORK METS – Two years in a row, Mets fans have endured the same story – a fallible bullpen has eradicated any hopes the team (and its fans) had of a playoff appearance.
So what did GM Omar Minaya do? He went out and signed the best reliever available, who just so happened to have set a record for most saves in a season.
Francisco Rodriguez, fresh off his record 62-save season as a member of the Angels, will help anchor the bullpen that has caused fans countless woes in recent years. As though his end-game dominance wasn’t enough, the team also traded for J.J. Putz to serve as K-Rod’s set-up man.
Though arriving with less glamour than Rodriguez, Putz may in fact be more dominant than the man he is setting up for. In his last full season as a closer (he missed time in 2008 due to an injury), Putz was 40 of 41 in save opportunities and posted a ridiculous 1.38 ERA, 0.70 WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched) and .153 batting average against. As good as K-Rod’s numbers have been, his career bests don’t come anywhere close to any of those numbers.
Adding these two dominant relievers to the team essentially shortens each game the play to seven innings. If the Mets are able to develop a lead and hold it through seven, there’s a very high possibility that these two will be able to ensure that things stay that way.
As Yankees fans know, two dependable relievers available nearly every day takes the tension out of pressured situations at the end of important games. Considering this was the Mets’ primary weakness last season, the fact that they were able to dramatically improve this area suggests that this may be the year for the Mets to finally make the jump to the playoffs.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – They just won the World Series! How could they not be favored to win the division again?
Their projected second-place finish isn’t a dig against the Phillies but instead more of a testament to how improved the Mets are. Also, the Phillies haven’t actively improved their roster this off-season.
Pat Burrell, who had played all nine of his professional seasons with the team prior to this year, left the World Champions and signed a two-year contract with the World Series runner-up Tampa Bay Rays. Though the team won’t miss his .252 batting average, his 33 home runs definitely helped in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup.
In an effort to replace him, the team signed Raul Ibanez to a three-year deal. Though he arrives without much hype – primarily due to his time spent playing in Seattle and Kansas City for 13 years – he may in fact be better than Burrell. He has hit 20 or more home runs in each of the past four seasons but has also driven in over 100 runs each of the past three years and done so with a .288 average.
By comparison, over the last four years, Burrell hit 27 more home runs (124 to 97) but drove in 32 less runs (427 to 395) and hit 27 points less (.261), all while playing on a far better team overall.
With Ibanez being a more than adequate replacement for Burrell, Phillies fans should not expect a recession at all. However, due primarily to the fact that the Mets so dramatically improved their weakest point, the Phillies will probably need to fight for the Wild Card if they are to make the playoffs in an effort to defend their title.
ATLANTA BRAVES – The Braves have seen their own share of ups and downs this off-season. Though the team lost John Smoltz – who had played his entire 21-year career with the organization – they were able to replace him with Derek Lowe. Though this may not seem like an adequate replacement at first, keep in mind that Lowe is six years younger and has pitched close to – though not as well as – Smoltz over the past four seasons.
Since Lowe signed with the Dodgers before the 2005 season, he is 54-48 with a 3.59 ERA. Smoltz’s record in the same timeframe is far superior (47-26) but his ERA is comparable: 3.20. Lowe looks even better by comparison when health is examined; Lowe has made at least 32 starts in each season he has been a starter (since 2002). Smoltz, on the other hand, made only five starts last season before being placed on the DL. After being re-activated and making one relief appearance (a blown save), he had to be put on the DL again for the rest of the season.
Smoltz’s health last season was a major reason why the team failed to reach .500 for only the second time since 1986. Another main factor was the extremely poor play of outfielder Jeff Francoeur. After putting up good numbers during his first two and a half years in the majors, Francoeur struggled last season, hitting only .239 with a career low 11 home runs. This season, it would be hard for him to play any worse, so anything he does will be an improvement on last season.
Francoeur doesn’t need to be the focal point of their lineup, however. Alongside perennial All-Star Chipper Jones and the team’s young and talented catcher, Brian McCann, Francoeur can be a complimentary piece in the offense. The team even added more lineup help by recently signing Garret Anderson to a one-year deal. Anderson, a career .293 hitter, will be able to lend veteran leadership and a consistent bat in the middle of the team’s order.
Though the Braves should not be expected to make a run at the division, there is an outside shot they could challenge for the Wild Card if things go their way. A combination of new players – and improved seasons by players already on the roster – might be enough to make this team a contender.
FLORIDA MARLINS – The Marlins have probably done the least in the division in terms of trying to improve last year’s ballclub. They finished 84-77 last year, but after failing to make any significant moves (and seeing their division rivals each improve in one way or another), it will be hard to mirror that feat this season.
One thing that can be said about the team is that it has one of the most talented young players in the league: Hanley Ramirez. A career .308 hitter with 40/40 potential, Ramirez was elected to his first All-Star Game (of many to come) last season. Having signed a six-year contract before last season, Ramirez will be the cornerstone of the franchise until at least 2014.
Other than Hanley, the Marlins have several other players who will help the Marlins make another run at a winning record this season. Second baseman Dan Uggla hit 32 home runs last season after getting off to a dismal start, and sophomore outfielder Cameron Maybin will only improve on the raw talents he showed last season.
Perhaps the strongest and most promising element of the Marlins team is their rotation. Anchored by Josh Johnson, who went 7-1 last season after missing the first two-thirds of the season due to injury, their rotation is stocked with arms that have tremendous upside. Guys like Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez have the potential to be front-end starters several years from now, so being able to develop their skills on a team with no real expectations will be exactly what they need.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS – For the first time in several years – perhaps since they moved from Montreal – Nationals fans have a team they can begin to get excited about. This is especially important after considering the Nats led the league in losses last year with 102.
While not much was going right for the team last year, they did have some promising young players. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has the potential to turn into one of the best young players in the league, but neither his sophomore season or last year’s campaign were as good as his rookie season.
Lastings Milledge, who was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Ryan Church before last year, led the team in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases last year, and only has room to improve. Fellow outfielder Elijah Dukes, who was added halfway through last year, has talent that is only matched by his unpredictable nature. If he’s able to tap into his fullest abilities without letting his craziness take over, the Nationals could have one of the best and youngest outfields in the league.
This year, the Nationals added even more pieces to their (slowly) developing equation: Adam Dunn and Daniel Cabrera. Neither of these players are going to put them over the top and suddenly make them a playoff contender. However, by signing these guys, the Nationals are essentially saying that they’re no longer willing to accept losing and are instead willing to do something to change it.
To expect the Nationals to climb out of the basement this year would be expecting far too much. However, look for them to lose less than 100 games, which will at least be an improvement on last year’s abysmal efforts.
So what did GM Omar Minaya do? He went out and signed the best reliever available, who just so happened to have set a record for most saves in a season.
Francisco Rodriguez, fresh off his record 62-save season as a member of the Angels, will help anchor the bullpen that has caused fans countless woes in recent years. As though his end-game dominance wasn’t enough, the team also traded for J.J. Putz to serve as K-Rod’s set-up man.
Though arriving with less glamour than Rodriguez, Putz may in fact be more dominant than the man he is setting up for. In his last full season as a closer (he missed time in 2008 due to an injury), Putz was 40 of 41 in save opportunities and posted a ridiculous 1.38 ERA, 0.70 WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched) and .153 batting average against. As good as K-Rod’s numbers have been, his career bests don’t come anywhere close to any of those numbers.
Adding these two dominant relievers to the team essentially shortens each game the play to seven innings. If the Mets are able to develop a lead and hold it through seven, there’s a very high possibility that these two will be able to ensure that things stay that way.
As Yankees fans know, two dependable relievers available nearly every day takes the tension out of pressured situations at the end of important games. Considering this was the Mets’ primary weakness last season, the fact that they were able to dramatically improve this area suggests that this may be the year for the Mets to finally make the jump to the playoffs.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – They just won the World Series! How could they not be favored to win the division again?
Their projected second-place finish isn’t a dig against the Phillies but instead more of a testament to how improved the Mets are. Also, the Phillies haven’t actively improved their roster this off-season.
Pat Burrell, who had played all nine of his professional seasons with the team prior to this year, left the World Champions and signed a two-year contract with the World Series runner-up Tampa Bay Rays. Though the team won’t miss his .252 batting average, his 33 home runs definitely helped in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup.
In an effort to replace him, the team signed Raul Ibanez to a three-year deal. Though he arrives without much hype – primarily due to his time spent playing in Seattle and Kansas City for 13 years – he may in fact be better than Burrell. He has hit 20 or more home runs in each of the past four seasons but has also driven in over 100 runs each of the past three years and done so with a .288 average.
By comparison, over the last four years, Burrell hit 27 more home runs (124 to 97) but drove in 32 less runs (427 to 395) and hit 27 points less (.261), all while playing on a far better team overall.
With Ibanez being a more than adequate replacement for Burrell, Phillies fans should not expect a recession at all. However, due primarily to the fact that the Mets so dramatically improved their weakest point, the Phillies will probably need to fight for the Wild Card if they are to make the playoffs in an effort to defend their title.
ATLANTA BRAVES – The Braves have seen their own share of ups and downs this off-season. Though the team lost John Smoltz – who had played his entire 21-year career with the organization – they were able to replace him with Derek Lowe. Though this may not seem like an adequate replacement at first, keep in mind that Lowe is six years younger and has pitched close to – though not as well as – Smoltz over the past four seasons.
Since Lowe signed with the Dodgers before the 2005 season, he is 54-48 with a 3.59 ERA. Smoltz’s record in the same timeframe is far superior (47-26) but his ERA is comparable: 3.20. Lowe looks even better by comparison when health is examined; Lowe has made at least 32 starts in each season he has been a starter (since 2002). Smoltz, on the other hand, made only five starts last season before being placed on the DL. After being re-activated and making one relief appearance (a blown save), he had to be put on the DL again for the rest of the season.
Smoltz’s health last season was a major reason why the team failed to reach .500 for only the second time since 1986. Another main factor was the extremely poor play of outfielder Jeff Francoeur. After putting up good numbers during his first two and a half years in the majors, Francoeur struggled last season, hitting only .239 with a career low 11 home runs. This season, it would be hard for him to play any worse, so anything he does will be an improvement on last season.
Francoeur doesn’t need to be the focal point of their lineup, however. Alongside perennial All-Star Chipper Jones and the team’s young and talented catcher, Brian McCann, Francoeur can be a complimentary piece in the offense. The team even added more lineup help by recently signing Garret Anderson to a one-year deal. Anderson, a career .293 hitter, will be able to lend veteran leadership and a consistent bat in the middle of the team’s order.
Though the Braves should not be expected to make a run at the division, there is an outside shot they could challenge for the Wild Card if things go their way. A combination of new players – and improved seasons by players already on the roster – might be enough to make this team a contender.
FLORIDA MARLINS – The Marlins have probably done the least in the division in terms of trying to improve last year’s ballclub. They finished 84-77 last year, but after failing to make any significant moves (and seeing their division rivals each improve in one way or another), it will be hard to mirror that feat this season.
One thing that can be said about the team is that it has one of the most talented young players in the league: Hanley Ramirez. A career .308 hitter with 40/40 potential, Ramirez was elected to his first All-Star Game (of many to come) last season. Having signed a six-year contract before last season, Ramirez will be the cornerstone of the franchise until at least 2014.
Other than Hanley, the Marlins have several other players who will help the Marlins make another run at a winning record this season. Second baseman Dan Uggla hit 32 home runs last season after getting off to a dismal start, and sophomore outfielder Cameron Maybin will only improve on the raw talents he showed last season.
Perhaps the strongest and most promising element of the Marlins team is their rotation. Anchored by Josh Johnson, who went 7-1 last season after missing the first two-thirds of the season due to injury, their rotation is stocked with arms that have tremendous upside. Guys like Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez have the potential to be front-end starters several years from now, so being able to develop their skills on a team with no real expectations will be exactly what they need.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS – For the first time in several years – perhaps since they moved from Montreal – Nationals fans have a team they can begin to get excited about. This is especially important after considering the Nats led the league in losses last year with 102.
While not much was going right for the team last year, they did have some promising young players. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has the potential to turn into one of the best young players in the league, but neither his sophomore season or last year’s campaign were as good as his rookie season.
Lastings Milledge, who was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Ryan Church before last year, led the team in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases last year, and only has room to improve. Fellow outfielder Elijah Dukes, who was added halfway through last year, has talent that is only matched by his unpredictable nature. If he’s able to tap into his fullest abilities without letting his craziness take over, the Nationals could have one of the best and youngest outfields in the league.
This year, the Nationals added even more pieces to their (slowly) developing equation: Adam Dunn and Daniel Cabrera. Neither of these players are going to put them over the top and suddenly make them a playoff contender. However, by signing these guys, the Nationals are essentially saying that they’re no longer willing to accept losing and are instead willing to do something to change it.
To expect the Nationals to climb out of the basement this year would be expecting far too much. However, look for them to lose less than 100 games, which will at least be an improvement on last year’s abysmal efforts.
2.26.2009
AL East Preview
You may be thinking that it’s too early for an MLB preview, but you forget that February and March exist in the sports world to get fans excited for baseball season!
NEW YORK YANKEES: No team made a bigger splash this offseason than the Yankees. Between their incredible spending, Joe Torre’s “The Yankee Years” and A-Rod’s steroid ordeal, the Bronx Bombers have found themselves in the headlines of sports sections for months now.
Considering how much talent the Yankees had last year, their team was a mess. They were too busy worrying about how to win both last year and five years from now that they didn’t commit fully enough to either to win at all. Had they traded Phil Hughes for Johan Santana, last year may (and probably would) have turned out better.
This off-season, the Yankees showed how badly they want to win right now. Adding CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to an already decent rotation gives the Yankees a formidable five-man rotation now of Sabathia, Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain. The front four in this rotation allows the Yankees, if they’d prefer, to move Joba to the bullpen and plug in a wild card fifth starter (like Hughes). Considering how many wins the first four should rack up, anything they’d get from their fifth starter would be gravy.
As though adding two front-end starting pitchers to the team wasn’t enough, the Yankees also bolstered their (already dominant) lineup with Mark Teixeira. Teixeira was everything they needed in a first baseman – young, a great defender and a good hitter. Landing him also meant other teams (most notably the Red Sox) fell short, which only further improves the signing.
The biggest question as far as the Yankees are concerned is how all of these stars will mesh. The Yankees were truly greatest when everyone on the team played selfless baseball and were able to put the team ahead of personal stats. If this combination of immense talent can put the team first, there’s no reason to think the Yankees can’t make a splash this year.
Look for them to make the playoffs. To actually succeed this year, though, they will need to play better team baseball when it matters most.
BOSTON RED SOX: Regardless of everything the Red Sox have going against them – an aging rotation, a hurting superstar – they still have a lot in their favor. The team boasts one of the best (if not THE best) closers in the game (Jonathan Papelbon), the defending American League MVP (Dustin Pedroia) and some of the best young pitching talent out there.
The Red Sox may have the best rotation in the league. If everything goes well for them, they have the potential for four dominant starters – Josh Beckett, John Smoltz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester. Like the Yankees, the strength of their big four does not require that the fifth rotation slot be solidified. Between Clay Buchholz, Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield, chances are that Boston will have someone to step up and give the team many quality starts in that fifth hole.
Of all their pitchers, Lester has the most promise. After completing his miraculous return from lymphoma, Lester not only started in the final game of the 2007 World Series but also threw a no-hitter this past May. Considering that he just turned 25, he has only begun to start his development.
Lester and fellow youngster Pedroia will be the faces of the franchise for years to come. Their growing talents, combined with a fearless Papelbon and a strong lineup featuring guys like Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury, will make the Red Sox a force in the AL East both this year and in years to come.
However, the Red Sox have more question marks than the Yankees. Will Ortiz manage to stay healthy and dominant for a full season? Will Jason Bay produce enough to make teams want to pitch to Ortiz? How will their rotation hold up?
The Red Sox have more than enough talent to easily overtake the Yankees in the AL East. However, between the questions surrounding the Red Sox and the motivation the Yankees will feel after missing the playoffs last year, Boston will find it hard to win the division this year. Look for them to make a push for – and probably get – the Wild Card.
TAMPA BAY RAYS – They made the World Series last year. They have immense young talent. How can they finish third in the division?
Last year’s incredible turnaround from every other year in the history of their franchise was definitely unexpected. However, once people began looking at the job Joe Maddon was doing with his team, the outcome had a definite correlation with the hard work and all-around team effort that his team put out there.
This year, the Rays have to prove that last season was not a fluke. The team is talented enough to do this, but now teams will be gunning for them. Rather than seeing a series against Tampa Bay as an opportunity to take things slow, the rest of the league will amp up and try to tackle the best team in the American League from last season.
Can they do it? Sure. Will they do it? That’s another question. It’s hard to ask any team to win a pennant in back to back seasons. Combine that pressure with how young the Rays are and it may be too much for Tampa Bay to handle right now.
Without a doubt, the Rays have the best foundation for future success in the AL East. The same can probably be said about the American League as a whole, and potentially even the entirety of Major League Baseball. However, much of that success will come when everyone on the team develops the talent they all possess. Though that may not happen this season, it won’t be long before they are the cream of the crop in the American League.
Whether or not they are able to repeat as AL Champions, they will yet again be a fun team to watch. As though they didn’t have enough young talent, the team is adding phenom David Price to their rotation. After posting a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings last season, he bettered those numbers by registering a 1.59 ERA in just under six postseason innings.
Between Price and the rest of the Rays, look for Tampa Bay to play tough, competitive baseball this year. Barring a complete recession from last season, they should at least be able to compete with the Red Sox for the Wild Card, and maybe even with the Yankees for the division crown.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS – Considering the fact that the Blue Jays’ biggest news this off-season was losing Burnett to the Yankees, it should come as no real surprise that they might struggle in 2009.
The Blue Jays have never been bad in recent years. From 2005 through 2008, they’ve been a combined 24 games over .500 while playing in one of the toughest – if not the toughest – divisions in the league.
Their rotation is probably the strongest element of their team. Bolstered by perennial All-Star Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays also have very solid two and three starters in Jesse Litsch and Shaun Marcum.
The team also boasts a strong outfield anchored by Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. Both of these guys are five-tool players (meaning they can hit for power, hit for average, run, field well and thro well) and give Toronto one of the league’s stronger outfields. The biggest question here is whether or not Vernon Wells will be able to stay healthy. He missed 54 games last season, most due to a leg injury, and recently re-aggravated that injury in Spring Training.
If Wells can stay healthy and if their rotation can remain strong, the Blue Jays should be able to string together another respectable campaign. However, based on an overall lack of talent and considering the difficult division they find themselves in, it would be unreasonable to expect anything better than a fourth-place finish for Toronto in 2009.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES – The Orioles don’t have a whole lot going for them. One of their big goals this off-season was to land Teixeira, but that didn’t work out.
There are diamonds in the rough on this team, however. Most notably, they signed outfielder Nick Markakis to a six-year, $66.1 million extension, effectively making him the face of the franchise.
Their bullpen should also be improved in 2009 as they welcome back Chris Ray, who missed all of 2008 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2007. Teaming Ray with All-Star George Sherrill should strengthen the Orioles’ end-game and help ensure that any leads they are handed will remain as such.
The name to watch this year, however, is Matt Wieters. Wieters, like Ryan Braun two years ago and Evan Longoria last season, will be an early-season call up and will take over for Gregg Zaun at catcher sooner rather than later. Listed as the top-ranked prospect on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects List, Wieters will make an immediate impact when he is called up.
If Baltimore wants to make a serious run at the division any time soon, though, they will need to surround Wieters and Markakis with more talent. As things stand now, the Orioles will probably find themselves as cellar-dwellers yet again.
NEW YORK YANKEES: No team made a bigger splash this offseason than the Yankees. Between their incredible spending, Joe Torre’s “The Yankee Years” and A-Rod’s steroid ordeal, the Bronx Bombers have found themselves in the headlines of sports sections for months now.
Considering how much talent the Yankees had last year, their team was a mess. They were too busy worrying about how to win both last year and five years from now that they didn’t commit fully enough to either to win at all. Had they traded Phil Hughes for Johan Santana, last year may (and probably would) have turned out better.
This off-season, the Yankees showed how badly they want to win right now. Adding CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to an already decent rotation gives the Yankees a formidable five-man rotation now of Sabathia, Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain. The front four in this rotation allows the Yankees, if they’d prefer, to move Joba to the bullpen and plug in a wild card fifth starter (like Hughes). Considering how many wins the first four should rack up, anything they’d get from their fifth starter would be gravy.
As though adding two front-end starting pitchers to the team wasn’t enough, the Yankees also bolstered their (already dominant) lineup with Mark Teixeira. Teixeira was everything they needed in a first baseman – young, a great defender and a good hitter. Landing him also meant other teams (most notably the Red Sox) fell short, which only further improves the signing.
The biggest question as far as the Yankees are concerned is how all of these stars will mesh. The Yankees were truly greatest when everyone on the team played selfless baseball and were able to put the team ahead of personal stats. If this combination of immense talent can put the team first, there’s no reason to think the Yankees can’t make a splash this year.
Look for them to make the playoffs. To actually succeed this year, though, they will need to play better team baseball when it matters most.
BOSTON RED SOX: Regardless of everything the Red Sox have going against them – an aging rotation, a hurting superstar – they still have a lot in their favor. The team boasts one of the best (if not THE best) closers in the game (Jonathan Papelbon), the defending American League MVP (Dustin Pedroia) and some of the best young pitching talent out there.
The Red Sox may have the best rotation in the league. If everything goes well for them, they have the potential for four dominant starters – Josh Beckett, John Smoltz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester. Like the Yankees, the strength of their big four does not require that the fifth rotation slot be solidified. Between Clay Buchholz, Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield, chances are that Boston will have someone to step up and give the team many quality starts in that fifth hole.
Of all their pitchers, Lester has the most promise. After completing his miraculous return from lymphoma, Lester not only started in the final game of the 2007 World Series but also threw a no-hitter this past May. Considering that he just turned 25, he has only begun to start his development.
Lester and fellow youngster Pedroia will be the faces of the franchise for years to come. Their growing talents, combined with a fearless Papelbon and a strong lineup featuring guys like Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury, will make the Red Sox a force in the AL East both this year and in years to come.
However, the Red Sox have more question marks than the Yankees. Will Ortiz manage to stay healthy and dominant for a full season? Will Jason Bay produce enough to make teams want to pitch to Ortiz? How will their rotation hold up?
The Red Sox have more than enough talent to easily overtake the Yankees in the AL East. However, between the questions surrounding the Red Sox and the motivation the Yankees will feel after missing the playoffs last year, Boston will find it hard to win the division this year. Look for them to make a push for – and probably get – the Wild Card.
TAMPA BAY RAYS – They made the World Series last year. They have immense young talent. How can they finish third in the division?
Last year’s incredible turnaround from every other year in the history of their franchise was definitely unexpected. However, once people began looking at the job Joe Maddon was doing with his team, the outcome had a definite correlation with the hard work and all-around team effort that his team put out there.
This year, the Rays have to prove that last season was not a fluke. The team is talented enough to do this, but now teams will be gunning for them. Rather than seeing a series against Tampa Bay as an opportunity to take things slow, the rest of the league will amp up and try to tackle the best team in the American League from last season.
Can they do it? Sure. Will they do it? That’s another question. It’s hard to ask any team to win a pennant in back to back seasons. Combine that pressure with how young the Rays are and it may be too much for Tampa Bay to handle right now.
Without a doubt, the Rays have the best foundation for future success in the AL East. The same can probably be said about the American League as a whole, and potentially even the entirety of Major League Baseball. However, much of that success will come when everyone on the team develops the talent they all possess. Though that may not happen this season, it won’t be long before they are the cream of the crop in the American League.
Whether or not they are able to repeat as AL Champions, they will yet again be a fun team to watch. As though they didn’t have enough young talent, the team is adding phenom David Price to their rotation. After posting a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings last season, he bettered those numbers by registering a 1.59 ERA in just under six postseason innings.
Between Price and the rest of the Rays, look for Tampa Bay to play tough, competitive baseball this year. Barring a complete recession from last season, they should at least be able to compete with the Red Sox for the Wild Card, and maybe even with the Yankees for the division crown.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS – Considering the fact that the Blue Jays’ biggest news this off-season was losing Burnett to the Yankees, it should come as no real surprise that they might struggle in 2009.
The Blue Jays have never been bad in recent years. From 2005 through 2008, they’ve been a combined 24 games over .500 while playing in one of the toughest – if not the toughest – divisions in the league.
Their rotation is probably the strongest element of their team. Bolstered by perennial All-Star Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays also have very solid two and three starters in Jesse Litsch and Shaun Marcum.
The team also boasts a strong outfield anchored by Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. Both of these guys are five-tool players (meaning they can hit for power, hit for average, run, field well and thro well) and give Toronto one of the league’s stronger outfields. The biggest question here is whether or not Vernon Wells will be able to stay healthy. He missed 54 games last season, most due to a leg injury, and recently re-aggravated that injury in Spring Training.
If Wells can stay healthy and if their rotation can remain strong, the Blue Jays should be able to string together another respectable campaign. However, based on an overall lack of talent and considering the difficult division they find themselves in, it would be unreasonable to expect anything better than a fourth-place finish for Toronto in 2009.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES – The Orioles don’t have a whole lot going for them. One of their big goals this off-season was to land Teixeira, but that didn’t work out.
There are diamonds in the rough on this team, however. Most notably, they signed outfielder Nick Markakis to a six-year, $66.1 million extension, effectively making him the face of the franchise.
Their bullpen should also be improved in 2009 as they welcome back Chris Ray, who missed all of 2008 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2007. Teaming Ray with All-Star George Sherrill should strengthen the Orioles’ end-game and help ensure that any leads they are handed will remain as such.
The name to watch this year, however, is Matt Wieters. Wieters, like Ryan Braun two years ago and Evan Longoria last season, will be an early-season call up and will take over for Gregg Zaun at catcher sooner rather than later. Listed as the top-ranked prospect on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects List, Wieters will make an immediate impact when he is called up.
If Baltimore wants to make a serious run at the division any time soon, though, they will need to surround Wieters and Markakis with more talent. As things stand now, the Orioles will probably find themselves as cellar-dwellers yet again.
1.08.2009
Hell's Bells
Free agency in Major League Baseball is screwy. Maybe it’s just because I follow it more closely than I do other sports, but it seems that it’s very common for a player to be about to sign with one team and then sign with a team that wasn’t even necessarily in the mix.
As a Yankee fan, this has paid great dividends this off-season in the form of both CC Sabathia and Mark Teixiera. It seemed inevitable that CC would wind up on the West Coast and Tex looked destined to be a Red Sock. However, the Yankees added the extra cash needed and got the job done.
That’s old news, though. What prompted this train of thought is the Trevor Hoffman signing. Everyone knew he wasn’t going back to the Padres – not after they snubbed the all-time leader in saves – but it seemed like he was bound to land on the division rival Dodgers. However, I wake up this morning, and out of nowhere (or so it seems), he’s all of a sudden a Brewer.
What? Where’d that come from?
I don’t know if there are conflicting sources in the league or what, but whatever the reason, it makes tracking free agents far harder than necessary. Since when were the Brewers in the Hoffman sweepstakes? It’s definitely possible that they were there all along – I’m more interested right now in following the NFL playoffs than free agency anyway – but the signing seemed to come out of nowhere.
I can only hope that the same thing happens with Smoltz. I understand that he’s old, and if the Red Sox add him, it might even help the Yankees if he breaks down. However, I’m not looking forward to having to face a motivated Beckett-Smoltz-Schilling-DiceK-Lester rotation. That’s scary.
As a Yankee fan, this has paid great dividends this off-season in the form of both CC Sabathia and Mark Teixiera. It seemed inevitable that CC would wind up on the West Coast and Tex looked destined to be a Red Sock. However, the Yankees added the extra cash needed and got the job done.
That’s old news, though. What prompted this train of thought is the Trevor Hoffman signing. Everyone knew he wasn’t going back to the Padres – not after they snubbed the all-time leader in saves – but it seemed like he was bound to land on the division rival Dodgers. However, I wake up this morning, and out of nowhere (or so it seems), he’s all of a sudden a Brewer.
What? Where’d that come from?
I don’t know if there are conflicting sources in the league or what, but whatever the reason, it makes tracking free agents far harder than necessary. Since when were the Brewers in the Hoffman sweepstakes? It’s definitely possible that they were there all along – I’m more interested right now in following the NFL playoffs than free agency anyway – but the signing seemed to come out of nowhere.
I can only hope that the same thing happens with Smoltz. I understand that he’s old, and if the Red Sox add him, it might even help the Yankees if he breaks down. However, I’m not looking forward to having to face a motivated Beckett-Smoltz-Schilling-DiceK-Lester rotation. That’s scary.
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