All 409 pages of the Mitchell Report are available to be viewed, and you need to skim through all of them to find the names we were all clamoring to see. There is no "list", as many hoped, but paragraphs dedicated to each player accused of wrongdoing. Among the major offenders, all the BALCO characters (Bonds, Sheffield, Giambi) appear, as well as Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. The report failed to include juicy names floating around this morning such as Albert Pujols and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. Aside from Manny Alexander and Brendan Donnelly, there is a startling lack of Red Sox. I'm intrigued to hear Senator Mitchell's reponse to the numerous questions directed at him for such omissions. There are several things to take in to account while reviewing the document, if you have the time. First and foremost, the findings are predicated largely on the testimony of former trainers who supplied the drugs to the athletes. Several of the players have paper trails, including checks to said trainers for large sums of money to purchase performance enhancing drugs, that pretty much seals their fate. However, there is a lack of support for several players included.
One player that I quickly followed up on was Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte. I'll be forthright in saying that my biases are difficult to hide concerning Pettitte, but take in to account the following. The alleged injections of human growth hormone administered by his personal trainer Brian McNamee occurred during the summer of 2002. MLB did not ban this substance until 2003. Therefore, he did nothing against the rules. Which brings us to the underlying issue in this "retroactive policing"; if there were no rules prohibiting the use of certain substances at the time, how can we punish players now for taking them? There's reason to believe that the drugs positively affected their performance and may leave some of their accomplishments tainted, but do we even know that for sure? It's an ethical dilemma that anyone can relate to. If there was a way for you to advance in your job that was morally questionable, yet technically by the books, would you do it? Almost everyone would say yes. Doesn't that make critics more than a little bit hypocritical?
Finally, now the question becomes, who to blame? Some will blame the players, some will blame the trainers, some will blame the coaches and executives. The report finds that everyone's to blame; one point I whole-heartedly agree on. However, I place most of the blame with greedy MLB executives. We've all KNOWN this is going on for years. The sport nearly died in 1994, and guess what saved it? The power surge of chemically enhanced Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998. If not for Victor Conte and BALCO, the startling details of the operation in "The Game of Shadows", or the increasingly accurate auto-biography "Juiced" by Jose Canseco, the MLB execs across the street on Park Ave would have never addressed this issue. Their league became flushed with cash. Revenues are soaring, attendance is through the roof, and baseball is second fiddle only to the NFL. They thrived on turning a blind eye to their problems and were hoping to ride the wave for as long as possible.
With that being said, it's not fair to put all the blame on MLB. Clearly the players who not only risked their own health, but set a poor example for America's youth, should not have gone down this path. But can you really expect some of the most competitive people in the world not to look for avenues to be more successful? Instead, I find the players union as culpable as the big wigs in Manhattan. For years they met drug testing policy with such resistance that it became impossible for any decent legislation to pass. It wasn't until 2003, when it became clear the sport needed to do something to save face, that they reached an agreement on a more stringent drug testing policy. Even then, players and trainers continued to find loopholes. Many turned to hGh, a drug undetectable by the league's testing procedures.
Sadly, there's one irrefuitble truth. No matter what laws get passed, or how sports attempt to clean themselves up, there will always be a market for athletes looking to gain a competitive advantage. That's why we think of them as super heroes. It's in their DNA. It's what makes them great. But it's also what makes them human.
Showing posts with label MLB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MLB. Show all posts
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Black Cloud Over Manhattan; Mitchell Report to be Revealed Today
Three hours from now, the sports world will turn its attention to midtown Manhattan where up to 80 players will be denounced for steroid use by former Congressman George Mitchell. At this point, it is tough to determine whether the list is comprised of players with failed drug tests or merely find themselves there by matter of heresay. Early reports suggest that the Yankees will suffer the greatest indignity with "several prominent players" being mentioned. Articles have already surfaced that cite a former Yankee trainer who has confirmed that Roger Clemens will appear in the report due to testimony given by the ex-employee. Herein lies one of the greatest flaws of this investigation, Clemens name will be run through the muck presumably without a failed drug test. I'm not suggesting he did not use performance enhancing substances (in fact, his body transformation would certainly provide evidence in support of these claims), but in the absence of a positive test result, the findings will have a lot of grey area. However, before getting to the more specific problems with this 20 month investigation, let's evaluate the man chosen to spearhead these efforts.
Senator Mitchell has been lauded for his superb congressional records and his knowledge of baseball certainly made him a prime candidate. But Mr. Selig, how do you possibly select a man with direct ties to an individual organization? Not only does he hold a cushy position with the Boston Red Sox, many reports suggest he is a passionate fan with strong allegiances to the ball club. I fancy myself as a man of integrity, but you better believe if I was running this thing that Derek Jeter's name would not appear on that list even if I had 10 failed drug tests in my pocket. For his sake, and the sake of the integrity of this report, there better be a fair representation of Red Sox on the list. Preliminary lists floating around the internet have pegged Jason Varitek, the Red Sox captain, as well as former Sox stars Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon. It is important to emphasize PRELIMINARY, and may not be accurate. If these hold to be true, it will give more credence to the report. However, Mitchell's ties to the Red Sox will be a tough obstacle to overcome. He's already come under fire for the announcement of Paul Byrd's abuse of hGh just prior to pitching a pivotal playoff game against the Sox. But since Selig decided to take the investigation out of "baseballs" hands and turn it over to "government", it is important to note how undemocratic this process appears to be.
First of all, where's the due process? Has every player whose been listed been notified and had a chance to plea their case before their names get sullied? What recourse will the players have to defend themselves? In the absence of a positive test, can MLB justify any suspensions or docking of pay? If this report is predicated on testimony from ex-trainers and clubhouse attendants, what if they just don't like someone in the clubhouse? Are these men of great character? Is a drug peddler like Kirk Radomski to be trusted? The findings of this report must be questioned and deemed credible beyond reasonable doubt.
The efforts of baseball to retroactively police themselves is shallow at best. It's still tough to rationalize this tremendous undertaking by Mitchell and his staff, especially given the lack of cooperation from players. Only one active player has testified before the committee, and it is widely believed he only spoke of his own drug habits. Despite one's personal feelings on steroid use, I personally despise it, it is unconscionable to hold people accountable for taking substances that weren't illegal in the sport until 2003. The executives at MLB just needed to give a "mea culpa", take all the heat for turning a blind eye to their sports perversions, and move on. Major League Baseball is flush with cash, generating over $6 billion in revenue. For them to try and become beacons of moral integrity to save face at this point is hypocritical at best, more appropriately depolorable. Let's just hope that no player is falsely accused because I sense a lot of counter-suits are in the making. Baseball should have just taken the money and run. By attempting to "take this issue head on", they will run in to a lot more problems than they can possibly solve. Bud Selig was hoping December 13, 2007 would read on baseball's epitaph as "The day the black cloud was lifted". It seems that the storm is just beginning.
Senator Mitchell has been lauded for his superb congressional records and his knowledge of baseball certainly made him a prime candidate. But Mr. Selig, how do you possibly select a man with direct ties to an individual organization? Not only does he hold a cushy position with the Boston Red Sox, many reports suggest he is a passionate fan with strong allegiances to the ball club. I fancy myself as a man of integrity, but you better believe if I was running this thing that Derek Jeter's name would not appear on that list even if I had 10 failed drug tests in my pocket. For his sake, and the sake of the integrity of this report, there better be a fair representation of Red Sox on the list. Preliminary lists floating around the internet have pegged Jason Varitek, the Red Sox captain, as well as former Sox stars Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon. It is important to emphasize PRELIMINARY, and may not be accurate. If these hold to be true, it will give more credence to the report. However, Mitchell's ties to the Red Sox will be a tough obstacle to overcome. He's already come under fire for the announcement of Paul Byrd's abuse of hGh just prior to pitching a pivotal playoff game against the Sox. But since Selig decided to take the investigation out of "baseballs" hands and turn it over to "government", it is important to note how undemocratic this process appears to be.
First of all, where's the due process? Has every player whose been listed been notified and had a chance to plea their case before their names get sullied? What recourse will the players have to defend themselves? In the absence of a positive test, can MLB justify any suspensions or docking of pay? If this report is predicated on testimony from ex-trainers and clubhouse attendants, what if they just don't like someone in the clubhouse? Are these men of great character? Is a drug peddler like Kirk Radomski to be trusted? The findings of this report must be questioned and deemed credible beyond reasonable doubt.
The efforts of baseball to retroactively police themselves is shallow at best. It's still tough to rationalize this tremendous undertaking by Mitchell and his staff, especially given the lack of cooperation from players. Only one active player has testified before the committee, and it is widely believed he only spoke of his own drug habits. Despite one's personal feelings on steroid use, I personally despise it, it is unconscionable to hold people accountable for taking substances that weren't illegal in the sport until 2003. The executives at MLB just needed to give a "mea culpa", take all the heat for turning a blind eye to their sports perversions, and move on. Major League Baseball is flush with cash, generating over $6 billion in revenue. For them to try and become beacons of moral integrity to save face at this point is hypocritical at best, more appropriately depolorable. Let's just hope that no player is falsely accused because I sense a lot of counter-suits are in the making. Baseball should have just taken the money and run. By attempting to "take this issue head on", they will run in to a lot more problems than they can possibly solve. Bud Selig was hoping December 13, 2007 would read on baseball's epitaph as "The day the black cloud was lifted". It seems that the storm is just beginning.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
"Idiot" Democratizing the Fate of 756
Outside of San Francisco, it's hard to find anyone who believes Barry Lamar Bonds' recent 756th home run is the new standard for baseball's most treasured record. A fashion industry kingpin, Marc Ecko, is determined to find out what America truly thinks of Bonds and his place in history. Ecko recently purchased the ball for over $750 K and has created a website that allows people to vote on its fate. While many fans applaud the move, Mr. Ecko has been called out by one harsh critic. It is being reported in a news story on ESPN.com that the new home run king has labeled the ball's new owner as "stupid, an idiot." Unfortunately (or, as an anti-Bonds crusader, fortunately) he couldn't be farther from the truth. What is being done is a stroke of marketing brilliance by the clothing line entrepeneur. At the very least, he and his brand are getting recognition for being tied with sports' most polarizing record. At best, he is being championed a hero of the people who hope to see the record viewed for what it is: a chemically produced farce. Not to mention Mr. Bonds himself has completely fallen in to the marketing trap. By opening his mouth, he has simply stoked the flames on this hot story and provided even more coverage to Ecko's efforts. No publicity is bad publicity, so he just made the plan look a whole lot smarter. And Ecko's bottom line a whole lot wealthier.
Regardless of the outcome, people are genuinely interested in the balls' fate. Whether they believe it should be handed over to the Hall of Fame, branded with an asterisk, or shot in to space (as the three options allow), people want to feel that they had some voice in how this conflict should be resolved. Personally, I'm rooting for it to be branded, and not just because I think of Mr. Bonds as a despicable figure. My reasons are far more sadistic. Could you imagine the predicament MLB and the Hall of Fame would be in? If the ball is publicly branded, how could they attempt to display a pristine one? How about Mr. Bonds' reaction to the Hall displaying the original in its altered state? Quite honestly, it would serve them right. If not for baseball's blatant encouragement of performance enhancing drugs, the game's integrity may still be intact. The sad truth is that most people believe all baseball stars are dopers, and it doesn't help that Bonds has a callous, abrasive personality to supplement his "alleged" use. So vote early, vote often, and hopefully the true results will be carried out in the upcoming weeks.
Regardless of the outcome, people are genuinely interested in the balls' fate. Whether they believe it should be handed over to the Hall of Fame, branded with an asterisk, or shot in to space (as the three options allow), people want to feel that they had some voice in how this conflict should be resolved. Personally, I'm rooting for it to be branded, and not just because I think of Mr. Bonds as a despicable figure. My reasons are far more sadistic. Could you imagine the predicament MLB and the Hall of Fame would be in? If the ball is publicly branded, how could they attempt to display a pristine one? How about Mr. Bonds' reaction to the Hall displaying the original in its altered state? Quite honestly, it would serve them right. If not for baseball's blatant encouragement of performance enhancing drugs, the game's integrity may still be intact. The sad truth is that most people believe all baseball stars are dopers, and it doesn't help that Bonds has a callous, abrasive personality to supplement his "alleged" use. So vote early, vote often, and hopefully the true results will be carried out in the upcoming weeks.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Samardzija to focus on Baseball
You can take one name off Mel Kiper Jr's big board. Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija has decided to give up football in favor of a pitching career with the Chicago Cubs. It is being reported that Samardzija, the Cubs fifth round selection in the amateur draft a year ago, received a five year deal worth $8 million to focus on baseball. If recent history is any indication, this may have been a mistake. Former Michigan QB Drew Henson, once projected to be the top pick in the NFL draft, chose the Yankees riches instead of a football career. After a few disappointing seasons in the minors, he is trying to catch on in the NFL. Cubs phenoms Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have failed to stay healthy which could be a product of the farm system.
Many people were excited by the prospect of another two sport star. The 1990's enjoyed the varying successes of athletes such as Brian Jordan, Deion Sanders,and of course, Bo Jackson. Samardzija made a name for himself by making acrobatic catches seem easy and setting new records for the Fighting Irish. His big frame and tremendous hands could have made a huge difference in many teams' red zone offenses. He originally intended to give both sports a try, but it's hard to fault him for choosing one over the other. College baseball does not receive much publicity, but he's been oustanding as a pitcher for the Irish. In 50 career appearances he has a 21-6 record with a 3.82 earned run average. The Cubs will have him report to their class A affiliate, which is managed by hall of famer Ryne Sandberg. It seems that he's played his last down as a receiver, but we can all hold out hope he'll try to become the next two sport star down the road.
Many people were excited by the prospect of another two sport star. The 1990's enjoyed the varying successes of athletes such as Brian Jordan, Deion Sanders,and of course, Bo Jackson. Samardzija made a name for himself by making acrobatic catches seem easy and setting new records for the Fighting Irish. His big frame and tremendous hands could have made a huge difference in many teams' red zone offenses. He originally intended to give both sports a try, but it's hard to fault him for choosing one over the other. College baseball does not receive much publicity, but he's been oustanding as a pitcher for the Irish. In 50 career appearances he has a 21-6 record with a 3.82 earned run average. The Cubs will have him report to their class A affiliate, which is managed by hall of famer Ryne Sandberg. It seems that he's played his last down as a receiver, but we can all hold out hope he'll try to become the next two sport star down the road.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Bonds Failed Drug Test
We've read through this script before. Pro Athlete X fails drug test because of lame reason Y. Of course, it is never the fault of the cheater. Whether it's a teammate, a substance the player thought followed regulations, or a vindictive masseuse (my personal favorite), athlete X is the victim. Suspensions are dolled out, excuses mocked but accepted, and X usually returns to the field. It all disintegrates due to lack of interest in the protagonist. Today the lead role got some star power. Reporter TJ Quinn of the New York Daily News has revealed that Barry Bonds failed a drug test for amphetamines in the latter half of the 2006 MLB season. Due to a labor agreement, the first failed drug test for amphetamines is supposed to be kept confidential. The players are enlisted in awareness classes, but are not subject to fines or suspensions. A second positive results in a 25 game suspension. However, Quinn unearthed Bonds' results and undoubtedly raised suspicions of his alleged steroid use.
Let's revisit the scenario above with Barry's gem. Barry Bonds fails drug test because he took the substances out of Mark Sweeney's locker. What a class act. What's with Giants and throwing teammates under the bus this year? However, there is no evidence that Sweeney failed any tests and he vehemently denied any foul play. This story comes at a critical time. The baseball world has its attention on Mark McGwire's failure to make the Hall of Fame due to the steroid cloud. Bonds is being investigated on possible perjury charges and MLB has been court-ordered to hand over drug tests from the 2003 season. It also brings to light MLB's varying policies on drug use. A first time steroid offender gets a 50 game suspension whereas amphetamine use warrants a slap in the wrist. Unfortunately, it's a not so surprising double standard.
Anabolic steroids increase muscle mass, which is why many people attribute the power surge of the late 1990s to players abuse of the substance. Amphetamines give a boost of energy and possibly additional focus. It's extremely helpful in withstanding the drain of a 162 game schedule. One reason you might think baseball would be more lenient on steroid use is the simple fact that long balls saved the sport. Officials turned a blind eye in 1998 while McGwire and Sosa salvaged the league. But now that teams are generating high revenues again, they're trying to retro-actively police the game. By enacting harsher penalties, Bud Selig is giving a "mea culpa" ten years too late.
Hidden underneath this big mess is Bonds' somewhat unclear future. Many believed he signed with the Giants, but the two sides have been hung up on the language of the contract. There is some speculation that the failed test could have huge repercussions on getting the deal finalized. Bonds currently sits 22 homeruns shy of Hank Aaron's all-time record so it would be surprising if the Giants don't break him back. Stranger things have happened. Just ask anyone who has failed a drug test.
Let's revisit the scenario above with Barry's gem. Barry Bonds fails drug test because he took the substances out of Mark Sweeney's locker. What a class act. What's with Giants and throwing teammates under the bus this year? However, there is no evidence that Sweeney failed any tests and he vehemently denied any foul play. This story comes at a critical time. The baseball world has its attention on Mark McGwire's failure to make the Hall of Fame due to the steroid cloud. Bonds is being investigated on possible perjury charges and MLB has been court-ordered to hand over drug tests from the 2003 season. It also brings to light MLB's varying policies on drug use. A first time steroid offender gets a 50 game suspension whereas amphetamine use warrants a slap in the wrist. Unfortunately, it's a not so surprising double standard.
Anabolic steroids increase muscle mass, which is why many people attribute the power surge of the late 1990s to players abuse of the substance. Amphetamines give a boost of energy and possibly additional focus. It's extremely helpful in withstanding the drain of a 162 game schedule. One reason you might think baseball would be more lenient on steroid use is the simple fact that long balls saved the sport. Officials turned a blind eye in 1998 while McGwire and Sosa salvaged the league. But now that teams are generating high revenues again, they're trying to retro-actively police the game. By enacting harsher penalties, Bud Selig is giving a "mea culpa" ten years too late.
Hidden underneath this big mess is Bonds' somewhat unclear future. Many believed he signed with the Giants, but the two sides have been hung up on the language of the contract. There is some speculation that the failed test could have huge repercussions on getting the deal finalized. Bonds currently sits 22 homeruns shy of Hank Aaron's all-time record so it would be surprising if the Giants don't break him back. Stranger things have happened. Just ask anyone who has failed a drug test.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Zito Becomes Richest Pitcher Ever
The prize pitcher of the 2006 free agent class found the highest bidder, but it wasn't who many expected. With the deep pocket Yankees, Rangers, and Mets in the mix, it did not seem likely Barry Zito would remain on the Pacific Coast. However, with a 7 year deal worth $126 million the Bay Area will retain one of its stars, just in a new uniform. Zito joins the San Francisco Giants to fill the void left by Jason Schmidt. The seven year deal is the richest package ever given to a pitcher and seventh all time. It also includes an eighth year option which would boost the package to $144 million. Now that the ace of the free agent class is off the market, it'll be interesting to examine how the remaining crop plays out.
With Zito gone, there's only one guy still considered a front line starter and his status is very questionable. If Clemens does decide to come back, the Astros, Red Sox, and Yankees seem to be the only likely destinations. This spells trouble for teams such as the Mets who are in the market for a top tier guy. Fresh off his impressive outings in the 2006 playoffs, there could be a competitive market for Jeff Weaver. He's widely regarded to be the best free agent pitcher not named Clemens. A wild card could be fellow Cardinal Mark Mulder. He proved to be just as effective as Barry Zito and Tim Hudson while part of the "Big Three", but has disappointed during his stay in St. Louis. A change of scenery, plus some luck curing up some nagging health issues, could make Mulder a steal.
With Zito gone, there's only one guy still considered a front line starter and his status is very questionable. If Clemens does decide to come back, the Astros, Red Sox, and Yankees seem to be the only likely destinations. This spells trouble for teams such as the Mets who are in the market for a top tier guy. Fresh off his impressive outings in the 2006 playoffs, there could be a competitive market for Jeff Weaver. He's widely regarded to be the best free agent pitcher not named Clemens. A wild card could be fellow Cardinal Mark Mulder. He proved to be just as effective as Barry Zito and Tim Hudson while part of the "Big Three", but has disappointed during his stay in St. Louis. A change of scenery, plus some luck curing up some nagging health issues, could make Mulder a steal.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
MLB Forced To Hand Over Drug Tests
As part of the new collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players association, over 100 positive drug tests from 2003 were kept private by the league office. Earlier today an Appeals Court ruled that MLB is required to hand over the results of the tests to the committee investigating steroid use in baseball. The league office could petition the Supreme Court to hear the case, but only about 1 percent of cases submitted to the high court are ruled on in a given year (and who says Political Science and sports never mix). This is a significant blow to the players' association because it is only a matter of time that these names are leaked. With an estimated 100 failed tests, lots of current players will certainly be dragged in the mud.
From a fan's standpoint, this is a bitersweet victory. It's anyone's guess who will go down once the name's are leaked, but it will be refreshing to learn who the "clean" players are. However, the shadow cast by steroid use has become too large to definitively assess any of the innocent players. For the 100 or so who get caught now that the Government is in possession of the list, it simply means they were not smart enough to take a substance the league didn't or couldn't test for at the time(such as HGH or the BALCO designer steroids). It wouldn't be surprising if many of the men we suspect of steroid use (Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield, etc) do not appear on any of these documents. In terms of players being prosecuted, it does not seem likely this far after the fact. The presumed revelation of these lists will only serve to tarnish images around the league, not for them to face any punitive charges.
From a fan's standpoint, this is a bitersweet victory. It's anyone's guess who will go down once the name's are leaked, but it will be refreshing to learn who the "clean" players are. However, the shadow cast by steroid use has become too large to definitively assess any of the innocent players. For the 100 or so who get caught now that the Government is in possession of the list, it simply means they were not smart enough to take a substance the league didn't or couldn't test for at the time(such as HGH or the BALCO designer steroids). It wouldn't be surprising if many of the men we suspect of steroid use (Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield, etc) do not appear on any of these documents. In terms of players being prosecuted, it does not seem likely this far after the fact. The presumed revelation of these lists will only serve to tarnish images around the league, not for them to face any punitive charges.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Boston Wins Rights To Negotiate With Matsuzaka
On Tuesday evening MLB officials confirmed that the Boston Red Sox posted the highest bid to the Seibu Lions for the rights to negotiate with prized pitching ace Daisuke Matsuzaka. The winning bid exceeded earlier reports and is reported at $51.1 million dollars. For those counting at home, this is roughly $40 million more than the Seattle Mariners spent to acquire the rights to negotiate with Ichiro Suzuki. Everyone seems to think Boston will come to an agreement with Matsuzaka and it was Major League Baseball's duty to make sure no "block bids' were made. However, I find it unfathomable that the two sides will agree to a deal after such an exorbinant bidder's fee.
Now that the price has been confirmed, start crunching some numbers. To make the math as simple as possible, assume Boston looks to sign Matsuzaka to a 5 year deal at roughly $13 million annually. If you tack on the $10 million per year to include the bidder's fee, this relatively unproven commodity is being given Alex Rodriguez money at $23 million per year. There's all this talk about his infamous "gyroball" which the pitcher himself denounces as true. Regardless, Clemens' proven Mr. Splitty is worth about $22 million and Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn's terminator was valued at even less. The only way this deal works is if Boras will accept a deal for significantly less than he thinks his client is worth.
Many people are scratching their heads at Boston's decision to break the bank. The major reasons that have been given are expanding their brand to the Far East and blocking the Yankees from making the deal. However, as has been pointed out, they shouldn't expect to profit from this move in the same ways the Yankees and Mariners have with their acquisitions of Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki respectively. Fenway doesn't have the available space in the ballpark for the massive Japanese advertising campaign the Yankees have run, and Seattle's proximity to the Far East makes pledging allegiances to the Mariners much easier. If the anonymous bidding system continues, there's no way to "mark your territorry" so making a signing or two does not make you a favorite in the future. Teams did this in the earlier years with the influx of Latin American talent, but that is made irrelevant with the posting system. In terms of blocking the Yankees, they have succeeded. With the sole negotiating rights, as long as Boston makes a "fair" offer the Yankees have absolutely no chance of adding Matsuzaka to their 2007 roster.
To be fair, Boston does have the money to spend. They're looking to upgrade their pitching staff and GM Theo Epstein knows he needs to win this year for job security. With the high bidding fee, Boras will be forced to accept less money for his client. Matsuzaka will be under intense pressure from the Seibu Lions, his current team, so they can pocket the $51.1 million they desperately need. While Boras has urged his amateur clients to sit out a year to improve their first paycheck, it seems less likely he will allow Matsuzaka to wait until he becomes unrestricted in 2007. Since Boras will undoubtedly have to take less money for his client than he would hope, he'll probably target a short term deal. However, the shorter the length of the contract, the more the team is spending per year on its bidding fee. This is sure to complicate the negotiation process and the deal should be in no way considered imminent. With Boras aiming to set a high standard for free agent pitchers with prominent client Barry Zito hitting the market, I don't expect him to accept a low-ball offer. The 30-day window given to broker a deal should be an interesting one. I still strongly believe Matsuzaka will not become a Red Sox, but stranger things have happened. If he does come to the states, Yankees fans are surely hoping for the second coming of Hideki Irabu.
Now that the price has been confirmed, start crunching some numbers. To make the math as simple as possible, assume Boston looks to sign Matsuzaka to a 5 year deal at roughly $13 million annually. If you tack on the $10 million per year to include the bidder's fee, this relatively unproven commodity is being given Alex Rodriguez money at $23 million per year. There's all this talk about his infamous "gyroball" which the pitcher himself denounces as true. Regardless, Clemens' proven Mr. Splitty is worth about $22 million and Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn's terminator was valued at even less. The only way this deal works is if Boras will accept a deal for significantly less than he thinks his client is worth.
Many people are scratching their heads at Boston's decision to break the bank. The major reasons that have been given are expanding their brand to the Far East and blocking the Yankees from making the deal. However, as has been pointed out, they shouldn't expect to profit from this move in the same ways the Yankees and Mariners have with their acquisitions of Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki respectively. Fenway doesn't have the available space in the ballpark for the massive Japanese advertising campaign the Yankees have run, and Seattle's proximity to the Far East makes pledging allegiances to the Mariners much easier. If the anonymous bidding system continues, there's no way to "mark your territorry" so making a signing or two does not make you a favorite in the future. Teams did this in the earlier years with the influx of Latin American talent, but that is made irrelevant with the posting system. In terms of blocking the Yankees, they have succeeded. With the sole negotiating rights, as long as Boston makes a "fair" offer the Yankees have absolutely no chance of adding Matsuzaka to their 2007 roster.
To be fair, Boston does have the money to spend. They're looking to upgrade their pitching staff and GM Theo Epstein knows he needs to win this year for job security. With the high bidding fee, Boras will be forced to accept less money for his client. Matsuzaka will be under intense pressure from the Seibu Lions, his current team, so they can pocket the $51.1 million they desperately need. While Boras has urged his amateur clients to sit out a year to improve their first paycheck, it seems less likely he will allow Matsuzaka to wait until he becomes unrestricted in 2007. Since Boras will undoubtedly have to take less money for his client than he would hope, he'll probably target a short term deal. However, the shorter the length of the contract, the more the team is spending per year on its bidding fee. This is sure to complicate the negotiation process and the deal should be in no way considered imminent. With Boras aiming to set a high standard for free agent pitchers with prominent client Barry Zito hitting the market, I don't expect him to accept a low-ball offer. The 30-day window given to broker a deal should be an interesting one. I still strongly believe Matsuzaka will not become a Red Sox, but stranger things have happened. If he does come to the states, Yankees fans are surely hoping for the second coming of Hideki Irabu.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
NLDS Preview- Dodgers vs. Mets
In another matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions the torrid Dodgers head to Shea to face the NL East champion Mets. The Dodgers had an exciting September in their highly competitive chase for the NL West crown but fell short to San Diego. Their first round opponents have been in cruise control for months having wrapped up the division and home-field advantage with ease. Unfortunately the Mets come limping in to the playoffs with the season-ending injury to ace Pedro Martinez and being forced to keep projected Game One starter Orlando Hernandez off the NLDS roster with a calf injury.
Why The Mets Will Win...Top to bottom the Mets have the toughest lineup in the National League. They're hoping Carlos Beltran can re-enact some of his '04 magic for the Astros that lead to his signing in New York. If Jose Reyes gets on, he is the most disruptive force in baseball. The lineup is filled with guys who can hit for power and average. For the first time post-Franco they have a reliable closer in Billy Wagner. Despite the loss of setup man Duaner Sanchez, the bullpen has done a great job all year. John Maine will get the ball in today's opener and has been effective since being brought to New York in July. While he's won-loss is only at a game over .500 he's pitched to a low ERA. Veteran ace Tom Glavine has been brilliant at times this year and has tons of postseason experience. The bats seem to come alive every time Steve Trachsel takes the mound as he received the most run support in the National League. The trio of Maine, Glavine, and Trachsel is more than capable of producing the three wins they need in this series.
Why The Dodgers Will Win...Stronger starting pitching. While NL Cy Young candidate Brad Penny is slated to only come out of the bullpen, the Dodgers still hold a decided advantage in starting pitching. Fellow 16 game winner Derek Lowe will start Game one and he's no stranger to the postseason. Neither is crafty veteran Greg Maddux who has had a resurgence in Los Angeles. The bullpen has also been strong despite the loss of closer Eric Gagne. New closer Takashi Saito has been extremely effective with a deadly slider, converting 24 saves with a slightly higher than 2 ERA. Offensively they have very good balance of veterans such as Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Rafael Furcal and JD Drew, but have been energized by youngster Russell Martin and journeyman Marlon Anderson. While they do not have an overwhelming amount of power, they've shown in recent weeks they can hit the long ball if necessary. They will need Furcal to counter Reyes' production at the top of the lineup and be equally as disruptive. While Garciaparra has been nursing injury recently, he's provided tons of clutch hits down the stretch.
Prediction: This may be the toughest series to predict. With the recent injuries to Hernandez and Martinez, the Mets strangle-hold as the NL favorites has weakened. Their lineup is second to none in the NL and still could be enough to carry them deep in to the postseason. However, this could be a trap series. With Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux the Dodgers have the starting pitching to keep the Mets' bats quiet. The biggest question for the Dodgers is whether they exerted too much energy in September in order to qualify for the postseason. If the Dodgers can steal one of the first two in New York, I really like their chances. It's tough to imagine the Mets bowing out in the first round after being so dominant for much of the year, so despite strong feelings to the contrary, I'll take the Mets in five.
Why The Mets Will Win...Top to bottom the Mets have the toughest lineup in the National League. They're hoping Carlos Beltran can re-enact some of his '04 magic for the Astros that lead to his signing in New York. If Jose Reyes gets on, he is the most disruptive force in baseball. The lineup is filled with guys who can hit for power and average. For the first time post-Franco they have a reliable closer in Billy Wagner. Despite the loss of setup man Duaner Sanchez, the bullpen has done a great job all year. John Maine will get the ball in today's opener and has been effective since being brought to New York in July. While he's won-loss is only at a game over .500 he's pitched to a low ERA. Veteran ace Tom Glavine has been brilliant at times this year and has tons of postseason experience. The bats seem to come alive every time Steve Trachsel takes the mound as he received the most run support in the National League. The trio of Maine, Glavine, and Trachsel is more than capable of producing the three wins they need in this series.
Why The Dodgers Will Win...Stronger starting pitching. While NL Cy Young candidate Brad Penny is slated to only come out of the bullpen, the Dodgers still hold a decided advantage in starting pitching. Fellow 16 game winner Derek Lowe will start Game one and he's no stranger to the postseason. Neither is crafty veteran Greg Maddux who has had a resurgence in Los Angeles. The bullpen has also been strong despite the loss of closer Eric Gagne. New closer Takashi Saito has been extremely effective with a deadly slider, converting 24 saves with a slightly higher than 2 ERA. Offensively they have very good balance of veterans such as Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Rafael Furcal and JD Drew, but have been energized by youngster Russell Martin and journeyman Marlon Anderson. While they do not have an overwhelming amount of power, they've shown in recent weeks they can hit the long ball if necessary. They will need Furcal to counter Reyes' production at the top of the lineup and be equally as disruptive. While Garciaparra has been nursing injury recently, he's provided tons of clutch hits down the stretch.
Prediction: This may be the toughest series to predict. With the recent injuries to Hernandez and Martinez, the Mets strangle-hold as the NL favorites has weakened. Their lineup is second to none in the NL and still could be enough to carry them deep in to the postseason. However, this could be a trap series. With Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux the Dodgers have the starting pitching to keep the Mets' bats quiet. The biggest question for the Dodgers is whether they exerted too much energy in September in order to qualify for the postseason. If the Dodgers can steal one of the first two in New York, I really like their chances. It's tough to imagine the Mets bowing out in the first round after being so dominant for much of the year, so despite strong feelings to the contrary, I'll take the Mets in five.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
NLDS Preview- St. Louis vs. San Diego
For the second straight year these two teams meet in the Division Series, this time starting out in San Diego for game one. This year San Diego enters the playoffs as the hot team, seizing and maintaining first place late in the season from a dangerous Dodgers team. On the other end of the spectrum, St. Louis survived a late September surge from Houston and avoided one of the worst collapses in MLB history. The Cardinals will continue to rely on baseball's most dangerous hitter to overcome glaring pitching weaknesses and hope San Diego wasted too much energy securing the division down the stretch.
Why the Padres Will Win... They're peaking at the right time. They've been in a playoff atmosphere the last few weeks and have played tremendously well. Jake Peavy has the ability to dominate a game and should have a couple of opportunities to do so in this series. San Diego has relied on its pitching and has not been let down. As a team they lead the National League in runs allowed, batting average against, and saves. They have experienced closer Trevor Hoffman, a decided advantage over the Cardinals Braden Looper. While Mike Piazza has been ripped over his fielding deficiencies throughout his career, he certainly knows how to handle a staff. His postseason experience should be extremely beneficial. He also has provided the middle of the lineup with some pop, finishing tied for second on the team with 22 homeruns. While the offense finished towards the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, they have a pretty good balance of power and speed. Dave Roberts is a disruptive force on the base paths while Adrian Gonzalez, Brian Giles, and Mike Cameron can all hit the long ball.
Why The Cardinals Will Win... Tony LaRussa's decision to allow Chris Carpenter to skip his last start will surely pay dividends. While it was a risky move with the division crown still in the balance, the Cardinals snuck in to the playoffs and now have their ace ready to pitch multiple times if necessary. Their bullpen took a major hit with a late season injury to closer Jason Isringhausen. The Cards will now have to rely on either inconsistent Braden Looper or inexperienced Adam Wainwright to close out games. Carpenter is more than capable of winning two games in this series and Jeff Suppan has pitched better of late. Although the offense has been very one dimensional of late, the man doing the damage may be the best hitter in all of baseball. Albert Pujols is capable of carrying this offense through some tough times, but will need someone to step up. If Jim Edmonds is healthy, he can certainly help shoulder the load as well as 3B Scott Rolen. While Chris Duncan's numbers have tailed off recently, he still belted 22 homeruns in limited at bats while hitting at nearly a .300 clip. This is a very capable offense that can not be counted out.
Prediction: Conventional wisdom suggests pitching trumps hitting in the postseason. To take it one step further, it is often believed a team peaking at the right time should be favored. In this series, San Diego holds a decided advantage in both of these areas. However, I'm going against both of these theories in picking a winner for this series. NL MVP Candidate Albert Pujols will have a monster series and put the Cards on his back. Carpenter is capable of picking up a couple of victories and should get help from Jeff Suppan. Trevor Hoffman has struggled in big situations this year (All-Star game, last two of the Dodgers four consecutive HRs) and could be susceptible to more late inning trouble. While the Cards bullpen is a messy situation, the Padres may not be strong enough offensively to really make them pay. San Diego's hot streak runs out as they lose to the Cardinals in four.
Why the Padres Will Win... They're peaking at the right time. They've been in a playoff atmosphere the last few weeks and have played tremendously well. Jake Peavy has the ability to dominate a game and should have a couple of opportunities to do so in this series. San Diego has relied on its pitching and has not been let down. As a team they lead the National League in runs allowed, batting average against, and saves. They have experienced closer Trevor Hoffman, a decided advantage over the Cardinals Braden Looper. While Mike Piazza has been ripped over his fielding deficiencies throughout his career, he certainly knows how to handle a staff. His postseason experience should be extremely beneficial. He also has provided the middle of the lineup with some pop, finishing tied for second on the team with 22 homeruns. While the offense finished towards the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, they have a pretty good balance of power and speed. Dave Roberts is a disruptive force on the base paths while Adrian Gonzalez, Brian Giles, and Mike Cameron can all hit the long ball.
Why The Cardinals Will Win... Tony LaRussa's decision to allow Chris Carpenter to skip his last start will surely pay dividends. While it was a risky move with the division crown still in the balance, the Cardinals snuck in to the playoffs and now have their ace ready to pitch multiple times if necessary. Their bullpen took a major hit with a late season injury to closer Jason Isringhausen. The Cards will now have to rely on either inconsistent Braden Looper or inexperienced Adam Wainwright to close out games. Carpenter is more than capable of winning two games in this series and Jeff Suppan has pitched better of late. Although the offense has been very one dimensional of late, the man doing the damage may be the best hitter in all of baseball. Albert Pujols is capable of carrying this offense through some tough times, but will need someone to step up. If Jim Edmonds is healthy, he can certainly help shoulder the load as well as 3B Scott Rolen. While Chris Duncan's numbers have tailed off recently, he still belted 22 homeruns in limited at bats while hitting at nearly a .300 clip. This is a very capable offense that can not be counted out.
Prediction: Conventional wisdom suggests pitching trumps hitting in the postseason. To take it one step further, it is often believed a team peaking at the right time should be favored. In this series, San Diego holds a decided advantage in both of these areas. However, I'm going against both of these theories in picking a winner for this series. NL MVP Candidate Albert Pujols will have a monster series and put the Cards on his back. Carpenter is capable of picking up a couple of victories and should get help from Jeff Suppan. Trevor Hoffman has struggled in big situations this year (All-Star game, last two of the Dodgers four consecutive HRs) and could be susceptible to more late inning trouble. While the Cards bullpen is a messy situation, the Padres may not be strong enough offensively to really make them pay. San Diego's hot streak runs out as they lose to the Cardinals in four.
ALDS Preview- Oakland vs. Minnesota
Today's playoffs kick off with the AL Central champion Twins hosting the AL West champion Athletics. The two hottest teams since June boast the premiere pitching matchup of the playoffs in today's game one between sure fire AL Cy Young winner Johan Santana and Barry Zito. Not only did Santana tie for the lead league in wins, he lead in innings, strikeouts, and ERA, a feat rarely accomplished. For the Athletics, ace Barry Zito is not far behind and features the best curveball in baseball. These two lefties could provide a couple of memorable duels in this short series.
Why The Twins Will Win... Johan Santana has emerged as the most dominant pitcher in baseball. If all goes according to plan, Santana can notch two of the three necessary victories to clinch. That means the trio of Matt Garza, Boof Bonser, and Brad Radke would only be responsible for picking up one win. The Twins feature the best bullpen in the American League, with dominant closer Joe Nathan being the most reliable closer not named Mariano Rivera in this year's playoffs. Their bullpen has the ability to shorten games making it easier on one of the youngsters or Radke to pick up that third win. Also, for the first time in recent memory, they have a team capable of scoring runs in bunches. With AL batting champion Joe Mauer and fellow MVP candidate Justin Morneau driving in runs in the middle of the lineup, they have a few bats that can hurt you. Perennial leader Torii Hunter is also more than capable of producing the clutch hit as he has shown down the stretch. As a team they lead the majors in batting average and were among the leaders in on base percentage.
Why The A's Will Win...Depth in starting pitching. Barry Zito is more than capable of out-dueling Santana at least once and silencing the big left handed bats (Mauer, Morneau) that carry the Minnesota offense. Esteban Loaiza has been very effective in the late months and looks to be a strong number two guy in the rotation. The A's have not decided who their game three starter will be, but both Dan Haren and Rich Harden are young flamethrowers who can absolutely shut down an opposing offense. Harden has pitched well since coming off the DL, but has been limited in his work. If he can be healthy, he is capable of the vaunted "Josh Beckett of '03" performance. The A's bullpen is also tough with Kiko Calero, Justin Duchscherer, and closer Huston Street. If Street is hampered by the injuries that affected him during the season, Duchscherer has proven he can handle closing responsibilities. Offensively, the big bats of Nick Swisher and the resurgence of Frank Thomas shoulder the load. They need to continue to provide the pop in the middle of this lineup for the A's to have a chance. Eric Chavez has hit much better in the second half of the season and also could provide a boost in the offense. While their batting averages are a bit low, their on-base percentage is still at an acceptable Moneyball level.
Prediction: Having home field advantage is a distinct advantage for the Twins. Playing inside the noisy Metrodome on that fast track plays largely to their advantage. The key is game one. If the Athletics can steal game one on the road, they have a great chance of being able to close out in Oakland. If Santana holds it should at least enable him another start later on in the series. Although A's Manager Ken Macha seems to have a lot of faith in Loaiza has his second starter, I will not show as much faith. If the A's fall in to an 0-2 hole, I don't seem them digging out. However, if the Twins were to use Santana in Game 4 (if necessary), I'd like the A's chances of taking Game 5 (if necessary). The Twins in a short series are scary, but with the absence of Liriano certainly beatable. I'll go with the A's in five behind the depth in their starting rotation.
Why The Twins Will Win... Johan Santana has emerged as the most dominant pitcher in baseball. If all goes according to plan, Santana can notch two of the three necessary victories to clinch. That means the trio of Matt Garza, Boof Bonser, and Brad Radke would only be responsible for picking up one win. The Twins feature the best bullpen in the American League, with dominant closer Joe Nathan being the most reliable closer not named Mariano Rivera in this year's playoffs. Their bullpen has the ability to shorten games making it easier on one of the youngsters or Radke to pick up that third win. Also, for the first time in recent memory, they have a team capable of scoring runs in bunches. With AL batting champion Joe Mauer and fellow MVP candidate Justin Morneau driving in runs in the middle of the lineup, they have a few bats that can hurt you. Perennial leader Torii Hunter is also more than capable of producing the clutch hit as he has shown down the stretch. As a team they lead the majors in batting average and were among the leaders in on base percentage.
Why The A's Will Win...Depth in starting pitching. Barry Zito is more than capable of out-dueling Santana at least once and silencing the big left handed bats (Mauer, Morneau) that carry the Minnesota offense. Esteban Loaiza has been very effective in the late months and looks to be a strong number two guy in the rotation. The A's have not decided who their game three starter will be, but both Dan Haren and Rich Harden are young flamethrowers who can absolutely shut down an opposing offense. Harden has pitched well since coming off the DL, but has been limited in his work. If he can be healthy, he is capable of the vaunted "Josh Beckett of '03" performance. The A's bullpen is also tough with Kiko Calero, Justin Duchscherer, and closer Huston Street. If Street is hampered by the injuries that affected him during the season, Duchscherer has proven he can handle closing responsibilities. Offensively, the big bats of Nick Swisher and the resurgence of Frank Thomas shoulder the load. They need to continue to provide the pop in the middle of this lineup for the A's to have a chance. Eric Chavez has hit much better in the second half of the season and also could provide a boost in the offense. While their batting averages are a bit low, their on-base percentage is still at an acceptable Moneyball level.
Prediction: Having home field advantage is a distinct advantage for the Twins. Playing inside the noisy Metrodome on that fast track plays largely to their advantage. The key is game one. If the Athletics can steal game one on the road, they have a great chance of being able to close out in Oakland. If Santana holds it should at least enable him another start later on in the series. Although A's Manager Ken Macha seems to have a lot of faith in Loaiza has his second starter, I will not show as much faith. If the A's fall in to an 0-2 hole, I don't seem them digging out. However, if the Twins were to use Santana in Game 4 (if necessary), I'd like the A's chances of taking Game 5 (if necessary). The Twins in a short series are scary, but with the absence of Liriano certainly beatable. I'll go with the A's in five behind the depth in their starting rotation.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
LA in NYC?
LaVar Arrington looks closer to solving the Giants' problems at Linebacker. The marquee free agent still available was in New York today for a physical and to presumably re-open contract negotiations. This move is significant for several reasons. First, Arrington refused to take a physical in his first trip to New York a month ago. Second, Arrington's representation said that they would like their client signed before the draft and New York is his only scheduled trip before next weekend. While I'd be foolish to consider this a done deal, it is appearing that he will end up in the Meadowlands.
In baseball news, the Cubs will be without star firstbasemen Derrek Lee who fractured his wrist in a collision with Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal last night. He is projected to be out 8-10 weeks, which is another devastating example of the Cubbies poor fortunes. More importantly, I lose my first round draft pick from my fantasy team. Lee joins CC Sabathia as two of my important players to already suffer injuries indicating I could be in for a long season. The A's bullpen also hurt my cause by blowing Barry Zito's wonderful start today.
The underrated story of the day comes out of Minnesota. Minnesota reserve RB Moe Williams was found guilty of disorderly conduct on the Vikings infamous boat scandal. He is the first player convicted out of the messy scandal that derailed the Vikings this season. The reason I consider it underrated is this: star quarterback Daunte Culpepper has already been dismissed with cornerback Fred Smoot and offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie with cases still waiting to be heard. Those two will also be dismissed due to star power. However, Williams role as a goal line back does not give him the necessary star credentials to avoid legal trouble. I find it hard to believe his actions were far different from players such as Culpepper yet he gets charged. Had Culpepper faced a jury I'm not suggesting he would have been exonerated, but I think stars have the ability to avoid being judged by such panels. It'll be interesting to see what happens with Smoot and McKinnie in their upcoming cases.
In baseball news, the Cubs will be without star firstbasemen Derrek Lee who fractured his wrist in a collision with Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal last night. He is projected to be out 8-10 weeks, which is another devastating example of the Cubbies poor fortunes. More importantly, I lose my first round draft pick from my fantasy team. Lee joins CC Sabathia as two of my important players to already suffer injuries indicating I could be in for a long season. The A's bullpen also hurt my cause by blowing Barry Zito's wonderful start today.
The underrated story of the day comes out of Minnesota. Minnesota reserve RB Moe Williams was found guilty of disorderly conduct on the Vikings infamous boat scandal. He is the first player convicted out of the messy scandal that derailed the Vikings this season. The reason I consider it underrated is this: star quarterback Daunte Culpepper has already been dismissed with cornerback Fred Smoot and offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie with cases still waiting to be heard. Those two will also be dismissed due to star power. However, Williams role as a goal line back does not give him the necessary star credentials to avoid legal trouble. I find it hard to believe his actions were far different from players such as Culpepper yet he gets charged. Had Culpepper faced a jury I'm not suggesting he would have been exonerated, but I think stars have the ability to avoid being judged by such panels. It'll be interesting to see what happens with Smoot and McKinnie in their upcoming cases.
Monday, April 17, 2006
The Weekend in Baseball
Due to popular demand, aka a comment from my sole reader, today's column will be dedicated to baseball. The first two weeks of baseball season have had some interesting story lines. Detroit Tigers first baseman Chris Shelton has emerged as an offensive force, belting a league-leading 8 home runs. Not surprisingly, he is tied with Cardinals superstar Albert Pujols whose three homeruns in consecutive plate appearances were the difference in the Red Birds Easter Sunday thrilling win over the Reds. Despite a roster overhaul that has limited the Red Sox offensively, the one-two punch of Curt "apparently my ankle is fine" Schilling and Josh Beckett has been the best in baseball. Their 1986 World Series opponent and beneficiary of Bill Buckner's fielding deficiencies, the New York Mets, are off to a franchise best 9-2 start. If any combination of pitchers can lay claim to being more effective than Beckett and Schilling in the early going, its Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine. Not only have they found the fountain of youth, the Mets' rookie starter Brian Bannister has notched two early victories. Across town, questions about the Yankees pitching look very unsettled.
For the Bombers, the weekend series in Minnesota lingered on the verge of disaster. After the bats were silenced on Friday night, Jaret Wright only provided three innings on the hill on Saturday. However, the Yanks managed to rally off Twins ace Johan Santana and have a 5-4 lead for Mariano Rivera. As is the case with any time Rivera blows a save, a few seeing eye hits lead to two Twins runs and a 6-5 win for the home team. These are the type of losses that can crush a team. They battled back against a top tier pitcher, only to have their main guy lose it. Sunday provided an early test of their resiliency and the Yankees passed with flying colors. Against a solid starter, Brad Radke, the Yankees turned it on offensively. Backed by two Jason Giambi homers, along with power from Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano, the Yankees won handily by a margin of nine to three. Several things have stood out in the early going:
The Yankees need Octavio Dotel...immediately. Farnsworth and Sturtze have been very shaky in the setup role. After a slow start, Scott Proctor has been very impressive but does is not reliable enough to be "the guy" in front of Rivera.
The offense needs more consistency. They have been pummeling pitchers when they make mistakes, but in several games have not shown up. In the six wins, the offense has produced 64 runs. In six losses, they have managed a meager sixteen. The team has also stranded so many baserunners. They've been able to pile on in victories, but they have rarely knocked in runs in clutch situations.
What's going on with Randy Johnson? After pitching five brilliant innings on Thursday, he left the game despite reports of no physical problems. Johnson claims he was just "letting someone else get a chance", but that's not what he's paid to do. As Michael Kay pointed out on his radio show on 1050 ESPN Radio, the Yankees are not paying him 17 million dollars to hand the ball to someone else after five innings. He's being paid to pitch deep in to games and be the ace of this staff. Comments suggesting that he's getting others invovled are absurd and are of some concern.
Will the real Shawn Chacon please stand up? After teaming with Aaron Small to salvage the 2005 season, Chacon has struggled early. He's been unable to hit his spots and keeping the ball up in the zone. After getting knocked around as a starter, he came in relief on Sunday. Again, he got hit hard and had an early exit. With Jaret Wright struggling and Carl Pavano hurt, Chacon needs to produce.
Sunday's win was crucial for two important reasons. They showed they can battle back after a tough loss, and Chien Ming-Wang answered some questions. Wang looked shaky in his first two starts, but used an effective slider to record a career high 8 strikeouts to go with just one earned run. Known as a groundball pitcher because he relies heavily on a sinker, establishing the slider as an out pitch will be important. If he can support Mussina and Johnson it will take a lot of pressure of the struggling back end of the rotation.
For the Bombers, the weekend series in Minnesota lingered on the verge of disaster. After the bats were silenced on Friday night, Jaret Wright only provided three innings on the hill on Saturday. However, the Yanks managed to rally off Twins ace Johan Santana and have a 5-4 lead for Mariano Rivera. As is the case with any time Rivera blows a save, a few seeing eye hits lead to two Twins runs and a 6-5 win for the home team. These are the type of losses that can crush a team. They battled back against a top tier pitcher, only to have their main guy lose it. Sunday provided an early test of their resiliency and the Yankees passed with flying colors. Against a solid starter, Brad Radke, the Yankees turned it on offensively. Backed by two Jason Giambi homers, along with power from Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano, the Yankees won handily by a margin of nine to three. Several things have stood out in the early going:
The Yankees need Octavio Dotel...immediately. Farnsworth and Sturtze have been very shaky in the setup role. After a slow start, Scott Proctor has been very impressive but does is not reliable enough to be "the guy" in front of Rivera.
The offense needs more consistency. They have been pummeling pitchers when they make mistakes, but in several games have not shown up. In the six wins, the offense has produced 64 runs. In six losses, they have managed a meager sixteen. The team has also stranded so many baserunners. They've been able to pile on in victories, but they have rarely knocked in runs in clutch situations.
What's going on with Randy Johnson? After pitching five brilliant innings on Thursday, he left the game despite reports of no physical problems. Johnson claims he was just "letting someone else get a chance", but that's not what he's paid to do. As Michael Kay pointed out on his radio show on 1050 ESPN Radio, the Yankees are not paying him 17 million dollars to hand the ball to someone else after five innings. He's being paid to pitch deep in to games and be the ace of this staff. Comments suggesting that he's getting others invovled are absurd and are of some concern.
Will the real Shawn Chacon please stand up? After teaming with Aaron Small to salvage the 2005 season, Chacon has struggled early. He's been unable to hit his spots and keeping the ball up in the zone. After getting knocked around as a starter, he came in relief on Sunday. Again, he got hit hard and had an early exit. With Jaret Wright struggling and Carl Pavano hurt, Chacon needs to produce.
Sunday's win was crucial for two important reasons. They showed they can battle back after a tough loss, and Chien Ming-Wang answered some questions. Wang looked shaky in his first two starts, but used an effective slider to record a career high 8 strikeouts to go with just one earned run. Known as a groundball pitcher because he relies heavily on a sinker, establishing the slider as an out pitch will be important. If he can support Mussina and Johnson it will take a lot of pressure of the struggling back end of the rotation.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Dwight Gooden
One of the most talented pitchers of the 1980s and 90s is headed back to jail for violation of his probation. Former Met great Dwight "Doc" Gooden received a one year and one day jail sentence for abusing cocaine while on probation for speeding away from police at a drunk driving traffic stop. The terms of the probation prohibited Gooden from using alchohol and drugs. To monitor this he was subject to three random drug tests throughout the year. Gooden elected to serve his jailtime over a reinstatement of his probation which would have lead to a heavier jail sentence on the next violation. According to an article on ESPN.com, Gooden took responsibility for his actions:
"I have a problem, sir, with cocaine," Gooden, dressed in an orange jail outfit, told state Circuit Judge Daniel L. Perry. "I had a cocaine relapse."
This story comes at an interesting time in the baseball world. With the game heavily tainted by alleged steroid use, the fans have become accustom to hearing players pin their problems on others. Rafael Palmeiro went so far as to allege teammate Miguel Tejada was at fault for his failed steroid test, a claim with no substantitive evidence to support it. Although it is sad, it is almost refreshing that Gooden owned up to his actions. Last night on Barry Bonds' new reality show, Bonds on Bonds, he wept as he spoke of taking all the heat himself. If there's one thing I can give him credit for, he has elected not to bring anyone down with him.
It is hard for fans to accept when such amazing talents can self destruct. Unfortunately, the two bright young stars from the successful Mets teams of the mid 80's both followed the same path. Slugger Darryl Strawberry and fireballer Dwight Gooden both allowed cocaine to ruin their lives, and have struggled to kick the habit in their retired years. Doc Gooden exploded in to the pros at the young age of 19 with a tremendous fastball and knee-buckling curve. He made his debut on April 7,1984 and took home NL Rookie of the Year honors. At the age of 20, in just his second season, he won 24 games with an eye popping 1.53 ERA on his way to the 1985 NL Cy Young Award. He became the youngest player to win the award, an honor he holds to this day. After winning nearly 100 games in his first five seasons, injuries and drugs started to derail his career. Gooden ultimately made stops in Cleveland, Houston, Tampa Bay, and across town with the Yankees. His career totals were impressive despite his struggles, amassing 194 wins with a respectable 3.51 earned run average. With the Yankees he took home a World Series ring and pitched a no-hitter in May of 1996. As an adviser to the organization, he was largely responsible for persuading nephew Gary Sheffield to sign with the Yankees.
Despite the efforts of those around him, no one could save him from the demons that dimmed the lights on such a bright future. His story shows that anyone can be susceptible to addiction. Today's players can learn several things from him. First, the accountability he demonstrated in the courtroom should serve as an example for the alleged steroid users. I hope that when those who did abuse the substance are caught, they don't attempt to hide behind their trainers, teammates or anyone else they can manage to balme as several players have already chosen to do. Gooden stood in the courtroom and professed he had a problem, and did not look to blame anyone but himself. Next, Seattle phenom Felix Hernandez is drawing early comparisons to Doc Gooden with his dominating stuff at a comparable age. Hopefully phenomenal talent such as Hernandez can avoid the traps that some stars fall in to.
Growing up a huge fan of Gooden, his off the field actions have always troubled me. At several times since he left the game it seemed like he figured out how to turn his life around. Unfortunately he hasn't, and the great memories he conjured up for me as a kid continue to get scarred. Now I just hope that he can return from prison a rehabilitated man who will look to help a younger generation of stars avoid making the same mistakes he did.
"I have a problem, sir, with cocaine," Gooden, dressed in an orange jail outfit, told state Circuit Judge Daniel L. Perry. "I had a cocaine relapse."
This story comes at an interesting time in the baseball world. With the game heavily tainted by alleged steroid use, the fans have become accustom to hearing players pin their problems on others. Rafael Palmeiro went so far as to allege teammate Miguel Tejada was at fault for his failed steroid test, a claim with no substantitive evidence to support it. Although it is sad, it is almost refreshing that Gooden owned up to his actions. Last night on Barry Bonds' new reality show, Bonds on Bonds, he wept as he spoke of taking all the heat himself. If there's one thing I can give him credit for, he has elected not to bring anyone down with him.
It is hard for fans to accept when such amazing talents can self destruct. Unfortunately, the two bright young stars from the successful Mets teams of the mid 80's both followed the same path. Slugger Darryl Strawberry and fireballer Dwight Gooden both allowed cocaine to ruin their lives, and have struggled to kick the habit in their retired years. Doc Gooden exploded in to the pros at the young age of 19 with a tremendous fastball and knee-buckling curve. He made his debut on April 7,1984 and took home NL Rookie of the Year honors. At the age of 20, in just his second season, he won 24 games with an eye popping 1.53 ERA on his way to the 1985 NL Cy Young Award. He became the youngest player to win the award, an honor he holds to this day. After winning nearly 100 games in his first five seasons, injuries and drugs started to derail his career. Gooden ultimately made stops in Cleveland, Houston, Tampa Bay, and across town with the Yankees. His career totals were impressive despite his struggles, amassing 194 wins with a respectable 3.51 earned run average. With the Yankees he took home a World Series ring and pitched a no-hitter in May of 1996. As an adviser to the organization, he was largely responsible for persuading nephew Gary Sheffield to sign with the Yankees.
Despite the efforts of those around him, no one could save him from the demons that dimmed the lights on such a bright future. His story shows that anyone can be susceptible to addiction. Today's players can learn several things from him. First, the accountability he demonstrated in the courtroom should serve as an example for the alleged steroid users. I hope that when those who did abuse the substance are caught, they don't attempt to hide behind their trainers, teammates or anyone else they can manage to balme as several players have already chosen to do. Gooden stood in the courtroom and professed he had a problem, and did not look to blame anyone but himself. Next, Seattle phenom Felix Hernandez is drawing early comparisons to Doc Gooden with his dominating stuff at a comparable age. Hopefully phenomenal talent such as Hernandez can avoid the traps that some stars fall in to.
Growing up a huge fan of Gooden, his off the field actions have always troubled me. At several times since he left the game it seemed like he figured out how to turn his life around. Unfortunately he hasn't, and the great memories he conjured up for me as a kid continue to get scarred. Now I just hope that he can return from prison a rehabilitated man who will look to help a younger generation of stars avoid making the same mistakes he did.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Opening Day and the Final Four
Yesterday marked a huge day on the sports calendar with the opening of baseball season and the NCAA Men's Basketball championship game. A very exciting day of baseball culminated in the Yankees throttling of the Athletics 15-2 in Oakland. Led by Alex Rodriguez's second inning grand slam and a three run shot by Hideki Matsui, the most potent offense in baseball was firing on all cylinders. Newcomer Johnny Damon added three hits in seven at bats and Randy Johnson hurled seven innings of one run ball.
In either the saddest or funniest moment of opening day, depending on how you feel about Barry Bonds, a fan in San Diego threw a plastic syringe at Barry Bonds as he came off the field. Initially I thought the fan should be applauded for his creativity and the comedic value he produced. However, I've backed off on that after watching Bonds' reaction and the actions MLB has taken to increase security. Well I certainly do not hide my disliking of Barry Bonds, even prior to steroid allegations, fans may have begun to cross the line in their efforts to chide him. You can tell in his post game demeanor this event got to him, even though he claims it did not. Fans certainly have the rights to rag on players, and any athlete should be able to withstand most of what fans can yell at them, but they should not have anyone run on the field or have anything thrown on to the field in their direction. I'm sure the fan had no intention of hitting Bonds with the syringe, but irregardless nothing should be thrown on to the field of play. This may seem hypocritical after I loudly applauded Yankees fans' decisions to hurl bottles on to the field in protest of the scandalous Rodriguez-Arroyo play in Game Six of the 2004 ALCS, but that was before taking a step back to evaluate the bigger issue. Fans throwing objects at players has become a serious issue since the Pacers-Pistons brawl and must be curtailed by whatever means necessary. The syringe flinging covered up Bonds 1 for 4 debut in a Giants loss to division rival San Diego. Mike Piazza homered in his Padre debut, as did shortstop Khalil Greene to support Jake Peavy's strong outing.
In other games around the league, Curt Schilling seems to have rebounded from the injuries that affected him last year as he smothered a dangerous Texas lineup through seven innings. The Boston offense struck its big blows through the bats of David Ortiz and Jason Varitek. Mike Lowell homered in his Boston debut as the Sox held on for a 7-3 win. Japanese import Kenji Johjima homered in his first ML game, but Seattle dropped a 5-4 decision to the Angels. In the National League, reigning MVP Albert Pujols homered twice as the Cardinals pounded the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins extended his hitting streak to 37 games with an eighth inning double. Out in Los Angeles the Braves outslugged the dodgers 11-10 behind homeruns by Andruw Jones, Ryan Langerhans, and Adam LaRoche. Atlanta's division rival New York Mets held on to a 3-2 win at home against the Nationals behind a strong outing from Tom Glavine and a homerun by David Wright.
Finally, last night's championship game capped off a weekend of unexciting basketball in Indianapolis. This weekend was an eerie flashback to the last time Indy hosted and hopefully will change when it returns there in 2010. On a brighter note for Gator fans, they were able to redeem their 2000 Finals loss with a 73-57 victory over the UCLA Bruins. Led by Most Outstanding Player Joakim Noah, the Gators dominated from start to finish and the Bruins never made it close. Billy Donovan became just the third person in NCAA Men's history to play in a final four and coach a team to a championship. He joins Bobby Knight and Dean Smith, two of the greatest coaches of all-time. That is a very exclusive company to join and bodes well for the second youngest coach to win a championship (behind Bobby Knight). So often in the tournament the better team does not win, but it is safe to say the best team won last night.
In either the saddest or funniest moment of opening day, depending on how you feel about Barry Bonds, a fan in San Diego threw a plastic syringe at Barry Bonds as he came off the field. Initially I thought the fan should be applauded for his creativity and the comedic value he produced. However, I've backed off on that after watching Bonds' reaction and the actions MLB has taken to increase security. Well I certainly do not hide my disliking of Barry Bonds, even prior to steroid allegations, fans may have begun to cross the line in their efforts to chide him. You can tell in his post game demeanor this event got to him, even though he claims it did not. Fans certainly have the rights to rag on players, and any athlete should be able to withstand most of what fans can yell at them, but they should not have anyone run on the field or have anything thrown on to the field in their direction. I'm sure the fan had no intention of hitting Bonds with the syringe, but irregardless nothing should be thrown on to the field of play. This may seem hypocritical after I loudly applauded Yankees fans' decisions to hurl bottles on to the field in protest of the scandalous Rodriguez-Arroyo play in Game Six of the 2004 ALCS, but that was before taking a step back to evaluate the bigger issue. Fans throwing objects at players has become a serious issue since the Pacers-Pistons brawl and must be curtailed by whatever means necessary. The syringe flinging covered up Bonds 1 for 4 debut in a Giants loss to division rival San Diego. Mike Piazza homered in his Padre debut, as did shortstop Khalil Greene to support Jake Peavy's strong outing.
In other games around the league, Curt Schilling seems to have rebounded from the injuries that affected him last year as he smothered a dangerous Texas lineup through seven innings. The Boston offense struck its big blows through the bats of David Ortiz and Jason Varitek. Mike Lowell homered in his Boston debut as the Sox held on for a 7-3 win. Japanese import Kenji Johjima homered in his first ML game, but Seattle dropped a 5-4 decision to the Angels. In the National League, reigning MVP Albert Pujols homered twice as the Cardinals pounded the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins extended his hitting streak to 37 games with an eighth inning double. Out in Los Angeles the Braves outslugged the dodgers 11-10 behind homeruns by Andruw Jones, Ryan Langerhans, and Adam LaRoche. Atlanta's division rival New York Mets held on to a 3-2 win at home against the Nationals behind a strong outing from Tom Glavine and a homerun by David Wright.
Finally, last night's championship game capped off a weekend of unexciting basketball in Indianapolis. This weekend was an eerie flashback to the last time Indy hosted and hopefully will change when it returns there in 2010. On a brighter note for Gator fans, they were able to redeem their 2000 Finals loss with a 73-57 victory over the UCLA Bruins. Led by Most Outstanding Player Joakim Noah, the Gators dominated from start to finish and the Bruins never made it close. Billy Donovan became just the third person in NCAA Men's history to play in a final four and coach a team to a championship. He joins Bobby Knight and Dean Smith, two of the greatest coaches of all-time. That is a very exclusive company to join and bodes well for the second youngest coach to win a championship (behind Bobby Knight). So often in the tournament the better team does not win, but it is safe to say the best team won last night.
Monday, April 03, 2006
MLB Preview- Part II
With a full slate of opening games about to start, today I'll offer a preview of the National League. The National League representative Houston Astros failed to take a game in the World Series and have only won 2 of the last 8 fall classics.
NL Central:
Projected Finish:
1) St Louis Cardinals
2) Chicago Cubs
3) Houston Astros
4) Millwaukee Brewers
5) Cincinnati Reds
6) Pittsburgh Pirates
CARDINALS: The Cards continue to be the team to beat with incredible balance offensively and in their pitching. Albert Pujols has emerged as the premier right handed hitter in baseball and will continue to be the driving force for this offense.
Strengths: Balance. The Cardinals may be the most well balanced team in baseball with an excellent lineup, strong pitching, and well coached by future hall of Famer Tony LaRussa. Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds can pick it as well as anyone at their positions to boost a solid defensive squad. Albert Pujols is the best all-around hitter in baseball and gets help up and down the lineup. David Eckstein was an All-Star in his first year in St. Louis and Scott Rolen should be ready for a full season. They have a deep bench with veterans Scott Speizio, Junior Spivey, and So Taguchi. The starting rotation is deep with Chris Carpenter coming off a Cy Young campaign and Mark Mulder a very solid number two. They've added Sidney Ponson who could be valuable if he can get his head back in the game.
Weaknesses: Not many. If anything, the bullpen could be tested. While there are a couple of proven arms in the pen, a few pitchers that could be relied upon lack experience. The health of Scott Rolen has been an issue the past couple of seasons and it is tough to predict whether Eckstein can repeat the success he had a year ago. Jim Edmonds is getting older and may start to cover less ground than we're accustomed to seeing.
Will Win the Division IF...They play like they should. This is the deepest, most talented team in the National League. Avoiding injuries such as Rolen has experienced the past few seasons is essential.
CUBS: Once believed to be the next dominant pitchers in baseball, Cubs starters Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have been derailed by injury. Both open the season on the DL causing concerns that baseball's longest World Series drought will continue.
Strengths: Derrek Lee is coming off a career year and looks to have found a comfort zone in Wrigley Field. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez also belted over 30 HRs a year ago giving the Cubbies a powerful 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup. They added speedy CF Juan Pierre to set the table for the big sluggers and provide them with an upgrade in the field. Joining him in the outfield is Minnesota exile Jacque Jones who is capable of putting up some good power numbers. Carlos Zambrano has proven he can be the ace of this staff and will be relied upon heavily until Prior and Wood can return. The bullpen is full of arms who had successful campaigns a year ago.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching suffered a huge blow with the injuries to Wood and Prior. Greg Maddux is starting to show his age and unproven players are forced to step in to the rotation until their stars can return. Ryan Dempster is a liability as a closer with his control issues. There is some inexperience in the lineup with LF Matt Murton and SS Ronny Cedeno.
Will Win the Division IF...Wood and Prior can pitch most of the season. The two aces must come back healthy and effective. Dempster must find some control at the end of games and Lee needs to repeat his success from a year ago.
ASTROS: The Astros have had a tumultuous offseason with the question marks surrounding Roger Clemens and the contract issues regarding future hall of famer Jeff Bagwell. They made an impressive run to the World Series a year ago, but do not look capable of such a run this year.
Strengths: Pitching carried them to the World Series last year and will need to be as important this year. Gone from a year ago is Roger Clemens who was in Cy Young form and posted a paltry 1.86 ERA. Odds are he'll return to the team after May, but its not a sure thing. Roy Oswalt, Andy Pettitte, and Brandon Backe still form a talented trio at the front end of the rotation. Brad Lidge, despite some struggles in the playoffs, is still a top notch closer who is a great insurance at the end of games. The offense should get a boost from OF Preston Wilson who can post terrific power numbers but must cut back on his strikeouts. Morgan Ensberg emerged last year with 36 HRs and carried the offense through stagnant periods last year. Craig Biggio is still capable of pitching in offensively and will provide great leadership.
Weaknesses: The loss of Clemens will hurt the starting rotation. He may come back, but no one really knows at this point. The offense struggled often last year, especially when Clemens took the mound. They have some talented offensive players, but need to improve run production. The back end of the rotation will struggle to get wins with fourth starter Wandy Rodriguez and rookie Taylor Buchholz. Lidge struggled in the postseason and raised some questions about his effectiveness as a closer in big spots.
BREWERS: There's a lot of excitement in Millwaukee after a surpising .500 finish a year ago. There is a lot of young talent and plenty of reason to believe they can improve upon last year's success.
Strengths: Carlos Lee had a monster year for the Brew Crew in his first season slamming 32 homeruns and driving in 114 runs. Fellow Outfielder Geoff Jenkins has been a consistent performer in Milwaukee and had another solid campaign in '05 with 25 homeruns. The big story is 1B Prince Fielder whose last name and big time power stroke has the fans in Milwaukee expecting big things. Pitching phenom Ben Sheets will start the season on the DL but many prognosticators feel he could be due for big things in the year to come. Fellow starter Chris Capuano is coming off an 18 win season and gives the Brewers a nice 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. Derrick Turnbow was another pleasant surprise and will be relied on to close. Although Danny Kolb struggled as a closer in his first season in Milwaukee, he could prove to be a valuable set up man for Turnbow.
Weaknesses: This team is very young and may be year or two away from making a serious playoff push. There are weak spots in the lineup and not enough pitching to overcome low scoring games. Ben Sheets injury is a major reason for concern as they can not afford to go long without him.
Will Win the Division IF...Their prospects grow up in a hurry. Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and JJ Hardy are young talents who will be relied upon heavily and it is up to them to help shoulder the load taken on by Lee and Jenkins. Ben Sheets must stay healthy for the entire season and display the stuff that has made him such a feared pitcher.
REDS: Ken Griffey Jr re-emerged as one of the top hitters in baseball last year in his first relatively healthy year in Cincinnati. A recent trade brought starter Bronson Arroyo to help a pitching staff in need of arms.
Strengths: Griffey swung the bat well in the World Baseball Classic and looks to repeat his succesful season from a year ago. He is joined in the outfield by slugger Adam Dunn who blasted 40 homeruns in 2005. Felipe Lopez is a powerful switch hitting shortstop who should continue to help this season. The addition of Bronson Arroyo will bolster the starting rotation, but they need Eric Milton to regain the form that made him a hot free agent commodity a couple summers ago. Brandon Claussen could develop in to another solid Lefty for this staff and he will need to contribute this year.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching has question marks. Aaron Harang pitched to a solid ERA a season ago, but still only managed 11 wins. Eric Milton was a huge disappointment is his first year and Arroyo has never had to lead a staff. The closer role will be left to David Weathers, but he's been a career middle reliever. The lineup is shaky with not much production to be expected offensively from their infield outside of Lopez. Tony Womack struggled in his role with the Yankees, but returns to his natural second base position.
Will Win the Division IF...They can get offensive production from people other than Griffey and Dunn. Claussen becomes the dominant Lefty he's been projected to become and Milton can regain the form that made him such a sought after free agent.
PIRATES: The Pirates have been living in the NL Central cellar but have renewed hopes with some nice offseason acquisitions. A revamped offense could help the Bucs move up the Central standings.
Strengths: Bringing in Joe Randa, Jeromy Burnitz, and Sean Casey will be a big boost offensively. Jason Bay had a monster year batting over .300 with 32 homeruns, 101 runs batted in and 21 stolen bases. Pitching sensation Zach Duke exploded on the scene last year with an 8-2 mark and an ERA under two. The Bucs are also hoping to get productivity from last September call up Paul Maholm who won three of his four decisions at the end of the year. Closer Mike Gonzalez has had limited save opportunites the past couple of seasons, but has been electric out of the bullpen. He could have a very productive year closing out games.
Weaknesses: Outside of Duke and Maholm, there is little to be excited about in the starting rotation. The rest of the rotation pitches to high ERA's and not many wins. The bullpen is strong, but will probably have to pitch to maintain deficits as opposed to leads. It is also hard to expect some of the bullpen to repeat the numbers they posted a year ago, especially aging Roberto Hernandez. While Burnitz and Casey are certainly nice additions, the lineup with struggle to score runs. Jack Wilson was unable to follow up his strong '04 season and appears he could be more the .263 career hitter than the breakout star in 2004.
Will Win the Division IF...Some of the Steelers stars try their hand at baseball. The city was blessed with one title this year, and should not expect one from baseball. This team will be more competitive than people think, but a division title is out of the question.
AL West:
Projected Finish:
1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2) San Francisco Giants
3) Arizona Diamondbacks
4) San Diego Padres
5) Colorado Rockies
DODGERS: An offseason infield overhaul looks to give the Dodgers the edge over arch-rival San Francisco. The pieces seem to be in place for the Dodgers to regain the NL West Title they lost a year ago.
Strengths: Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, and Bill Mueller have been added to a new look infield that gives the Dodgers a scary lineup. Jeff Kent continues to put up monster numbers and is the lone holdover at second base. J.D Drew's first season in LA was cut short by injury, but he could be a dominant offensive force. Jose Cruz has posted around 20 HRs in each of the last few seasons and should be good for that amount again this year. The Dodgers added Pitcher Jae Seo to improve the back end of their rotation. Eric Gagne appears healthy again which is bad news for the rest of the NL. Yhency Brazoban struggled to close games last year, but should be better returning to a setup role. Danys Baez should give the Dodgers even more bullpen help in getting the ball to lights out closer Gagne.
Weaknesses: Slated third and fourth starters Odalis Perez and Brett Tomko struggled with high ERAs last year, while their one and two guys Derek Lowe and Brad Penny did not manage to win enough games. While the bullpen has some live arms in Baez, Brazoban, and Gagne, the rest of the pen is littered with inexperience. Starting Catcher Dioner Navarro has only 55 career games under his belt and second year man Jason Repko will start in LF until injured Kenny Lofton can return.
Will Win the Division IF...they get consistent starting pitching and a healthy Eric Gagne returns. Their revamped offense should lead to a major increase in run production in a division that is wide open. Maybe more so than what they do, a distracted, unhealthy Barry Bonds may be the key to their division title hopes.
GIANTS: After a bizarre offseason that has included Barry Bonds dressed as Paula Abdul, Giants Idol sparked by the presence of actor Rob Schneider participating in Spring Training, and the decision of Bud Selig to appoint former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to investigate past steroid use, there have been loads of distractions out by the Bay. If Bonds plays 120 games or more, this division is theres for the taking. The big question is whether he will and I have a feeling he may not.
Strengths: A healthy Barry Bonds is the most intimidating offensive force in the game. He will not swing at a bad pitch and pitchers will not throw anywhere near him if the game is even potentially on the line. Fellow outfielders Randy Winn and Moises Alou produced big numbers in 2005 and picked up most of the offensive burden Bonds left behind. Ray Durham and Omar Vizquel can still pick it in the middle of the infield which will be important for some of the young pitchers. Jason Schmidt is coming off a down year but is still among the elite pitchers in the National League. Matt Morris brings his 14 wins from a year ago in St. Louis out to San Francisco to become a proven number two starter. Armando Benitez looked good in his first year in San Fran and should be a reliable closer when he returns from injury. Look out for youngster Matt Cain in the starting rotation. He's only 21 years old and could turn in to an impressive starter.
Weaknesses: Armando Benitez injury is disconcerting because it leaves the closer role to Tim Worrell. The bullpen is a bit shaky and need all their arms healthy. Their starters were inconsistent a year ago and need Jason Schmidt to shake off last years struggles. There are also tons of distractions surrounding this team and will be throughout the year with the steroid probe. Bonds pursuit of the HR records could also weigh on this team.
Will Win the Division IF...Bonds stays healthy. He doesn't need to hit 50 HRs, just being in the lineup changes the outcome of games. Alou will need to produce in order to force opposing pitchers to face Bonds more often than they'd like. As I mentioned earlier, if Bonds can play most of the season, the division title will go to San Francisco.
DIAMONDBACKS: The Diamondbacks struggled a year ago but managed to finish second in the very weak NL West. Starting pitching must improve from a year ago despite the loss of Javier Vazquez.
Strengths: The lineup has a few big bats in the hands of Shawn Green, Luiz Gonzalez, Chad Tracy and Tony Clark. Clark amassed 30 Homeruns to go with a batting average over .300 in an unbelieveably surprising first campaign in the desert. Third year man Chad Tracy was also incredibly impressive posting a .308 average with 27 round trippers. Defensively they got a major upgrade with the acquisition of 2B Orlando Hudson. Brandon Webb emerged as the staff ace and looks to improve again this year. Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez can really help this rotation if he can stay healthy. Russ Ortiz was supposed to be a clutch signing a year ago, but failed to produce in season one. Look for him to rebound and be closer to the pitcher the D'Backs thought they were getting when they signed him.
Weaknesses: Pitching. The starting rotation is a mess after its ace Webb. Hernandez and Ortiz could be helpful, but it's too early to consider them anything but a weakness. The backend of the rotation is not capable of much and the bullpen is a mix of washed up veterans combined with inexperienced youngsters. Offense will be limited from the Catcher position and middle infield.
Will Win the Division IF...Starters Hernandez and Ortiz rediscover how to pitch. Tony Clark must repeat his dream season from a year ago, but early indications are that he lost his starting job. Luis Gonzalez and Craig Counsell are the lone members remaining from the 2001 Champions and must instill that championship attitude in the clubhouse.
PADRES: The reigning NL West Champs do not look poised to repeat as their rotation looks much weaker than a year ago. However, the additions of Mike Piazza and Mike Cameron should bolster the team offensively.
Strengths: Jake Peavy returns as the ace of the staff after posting an impressive sub 3.00 ERA a year ago. Scott Linebrink has established himself as one of the top relievers in the National League and received help from rookie Clay Hensley a year ago. Trevor Hoffman is still an imposing closer who posted over 40 saves in 2005 and is fully capable of repeating that this year. Brian Giles has been an offensive force the last several years and Mike Piazza could relieve some of the pressure to hit for power. Ryan Klesko and Mike Cameron are both capable of big power numbers when they return from injury. Dave Roberts has tremendous speed and creates problems for opponents with his base stealing ability. Rookie Josh Barfield could produce big numbers and is a first year player to keep an eye on.
Weaknesses: Pitching will be an issue as the back end of the rotation is very much up in the air. Dewon Brazelton, Woody Williams, and Chan Ho Park will be responsible for the fourth and fifth starter roles but none have been impressive recently. Shawn Estes struggled a year ago, and despite a decent win total, so did Chris Young. The bullpen has a few reliable arms, but they can't pitch every game. Alan Embree is not the lefty specialist he used to be and the rest of the pen is inexperienced. Until Klesko and Cameron return, runs could be hard to come by. Piazza will need days off and Doug Mirabelli is not much of an offensive threat.
Will Win the Division IF...there is another down year in the NL West. This team is a few bats and pitchers short of a contender. Someone other than Jake Peavy must be relied upon to win games.
ROCKIES: Clint Barmes was enjoying a breakout season before a freak accident hauling deer meat derailed him. Todd Helton remains an offensive force but there's little else to be excited about with this team.
Strengths: Todd Helton consistently puts up solid offensive numbers in Coors Field and should continue to do so. His power numbers dipped a bit in '05, but expect them to bounce back this year. Matt Holliday had a productive season batting over .300 and driving in nearly 90 runs. Clint Barmes started off '05 hot and showed potential to be a solid big league player. Brian Fuentes emerged as a very solid closer, converting 31 of 34 save opportunities.
Weaknesses: Arguably the worst starting five in the major leagues. Only one projected starter for this year's staff posted an ERA under 5.00 a year ago. Not all of that can be blamed on the thin air in Coors. The bullpen will be forced to pitch a lot of innings and some of the veteran guys (Jose Mesa, Ray King) may get overworked. Fuentes is talented at the end of games, but will probably not get enough save opportunities. The offense will also struggle greatly and there's a decent chance Helton will be shipped by the deadline. Helton has no protection in the lineup and at this point its difficult to envision guys who could step up.
Will Win the Division IF...there is a complete roster overhaul. The guys on the current team are not talented or deep enough to compete. They have some pieces to build around with Holliday, Barmes, and Fuentes, but this will not be the year in Colorado.
NL East:
Projected Finish:
1) Atlanta Braves
2) New York Mets *
3) Philadelphia Phillies
4) Washington Nationals
5) Florida Marlins
BRAVES: The Braves are aiming for their 15th consecutive division title and I refuse to bet against them accomplishing that feat. GM John Schuerholz has put together a great mix of young talent and veteran stars and this season should be no different than the past fourteen.
Strengths: When you think of the Braves, you think starting pitching. This year is no different. John Smoltz can still fling it and Tim Hudson is capable of winning 20 games. Horacio Ramirez struggled at times last year, but is a solid contributor. Mike Hampton will begin the season on the DL, but can help toeing the rubber and from the plate. Jorge Sosa was impressive a year ago winning 13 of 16 decisions and posting a low earned run average. This team does not have to rely on its pitching with a very capable lineup of young stars and veterans. Andruw Jones is coming off a career year in which he hit 51 homeruns and still plays Center as well as anyone in baseball. Jeff Francoueur was impressive as any rookie from a season ago and given a full season should produce terrific numbers. Edgar Renteria joins the team and combines with 2B Marcus Giles for a tremendous middle infield. Chipper Jones has been as consistent a player as anyone over the past decade and should have a few more seasons left in the tank.
Weaknesses: The bullpen appears to be shaky as closing duties have been left to Chris Reitsma. He converted only 15 of his 24 save opportunites a year ago. Just getting the ball to Reitsma could be an adventure if the starters don't work late in to games. Mike Remlinger struggled in the American League and did not even closely resemble his old Braves days. The starting rotation appears solid, but could have cracks. There's speculation that GM Schuerholz no longer regards Horacio Ramirez as highly as he used to, and youngster Kyle Davies may be another year or two away from truly developing.
Will Win the Division IF...Youngsters Francoueur, Ryan Langerhans, and Adam LaRoche can continue to build on successful early careers. Andruw Jones does not need to hit over 50 homers again, but needs to continue to provide power in the middle of the lineup. Tim Hudson needs to assert himself as the ace of this staff and John Smoltz needs to prove he can still perform as a front line starter.
METS: General Manager Omar Minaya continues to pour money in to top notch free agents in attempts to knock the Braves off their perch. His moves this offseason may be enough to do just that.
Strengths: The signings of Carlos Delgado, Paul LoDuca, and Billy Wagner should greatly improve this team. Braden Looper struggled in his closer role from a year ago and bringing in formal divison foe Wagner gives the Mets a dominant closer. Carlos Delgado is the big bat in the middle of the lineup the Mets desperately needed and Paul LoDuca provides a steady backstop to replace the departed Mike Piazza. Carlos Beltran struggled in his first year at Shea, but has the tools to be a dominant player. His sophomore year in New York should be a productive one. Third Basemen David Wright is becoming a chic pick for NL MVP and deservedly so. He is a big time hitter and a very impressive fielder. Jose Reyes brings a lot of speed to the top of the lineup and manager Willie Randolph lets him fly. Since coming over from the Braves Tom Glavine has not been his old self, but he is still capable of winning a bunch of games. Pedro Martinez is battling a nagging injury, but is a very dangerous pitcher when healthy.
Weaknesses: While Glavine and Martinez are still a pretty formidable one-two punch, the rest of the rotation is questionable. Steve Trachsel battled injuries a year ago and Victor Zambrano was unimpressive in his first year in New York. Once he moved out to the bullpen, Aaron Heilman became very valuable to this team. However, they need other arms to help setup Wagner. The health of Pedro Martinez is crucial to the success of the starting rotation.
Will Win the Division IF...the starters can stay healthy. This is a very dangerous team if Beltran can rediscover his '04 playoff magic. There is no easy out in this lineup and the addition of Wagner will cover up some of the holes in the bullpen.
PHILLIES: The loss of Billy Wagner to the division rival Mets will hurt, but they are hoping veteran Tom Gordon can help fill the void. They have an offense that can score a ton of runs and a top heavy rotation.
Strengths: They have a very powerful lineup that should get even stronger as Ryan Howard no longer has to deal with departed Jim Thome. Howard could be in for a huge year as he belted 22 homeruns in just 88 games a season ago. Second baseman Chase Utley had a breakout year driving in over 100 runs and hitting 28 home runs. Bobby Abreu has established himself as a 30-30 guy who is among the game's premier players. Pat Burrell is another guy who can put up big power numbers and Jimmy Rollins is just 20 games shy of tying Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak (prior to today's games). Jon Lieber won 17 games in his first season as the Phillies number one starter and the rotation got solid contributions from Brett Myers and Corey Lidle. While Tom Gordon will certainly not be as effective as Billy Wagner, he can be a very effective closer.
Weaknesses: The starting rotation has question marks with unproven starters Gavin Floyd and Ryan Madson. Another issue will be gettin the ball to Tom Gordon. Arthur Rhodes was effective last year, but he's been inconsistent over the years. Aaron Fultz pitched tremendously well a year ago, but judging by his career numbers it could definitely be a fluke. Although Jon Lieber was effective last year, he is not too far removed from Tommy John surgery that cost him a year and a half. David Bell struggled from the plate last year and could be a weak spot in the lineup.
Will Win the Division IF...their starters can contend with the other tough lineups in the division. Ryan Howard emerges as the major power hitter he is expected to be and they got the offensive balance they are capable of. They are unfortunately stuck in the same division as the Mets and Braves but are certainly capable of winning the Wild Card.
NATIONALS: The first year in D.C was successful for manager Frank Robinson and the former Montreal Expos. They've brought in Alfonso Soriano, and despite threatening to sit if moved to the outfield, is scheduled to start in Left field.
Strengths: Alfonso Soriano helps bolster the middle of the lineup, bringing his career 30 plus homerun average to one of the toughest places to hit in baseball. Jose Guillen led the team in four baggers a year ago and is a solid number 3 hitter in the lineup. Nick Johnson has great patience as evidenced by his .408 on-base percentage of a year ago. The offensive prowess of Jose Vidro has declined over the past several seasons, but his defense keeps him at second and is still capable of putting up good numbers. Livan Hernandez is a solid number one starter who eats up a lot of innings. John Patterson pitched effectively a year ago and should continue to improve. Closer Chad Cordero performed unbelieveably last year when he piled up 47 saves with an ERA under two.
Weaknesses: The lineup has a lack of power. Jose Guillen led the team with 24 a year ago, but 21 away from home. Alfonso Soriano brings a big bat, but it is tough to go yard in the nation's capital. Brandon Watson is a liability at the top of the lineup despite possessing great speed. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had a hanful of at bats as a September call-up, but is entering his rookie year at only 21 years of age. There are also problems in the starting rotation after Hernandez and Patterson. Ramon Ortiz and Tony Armas are unreliable at best and will struggle to get wins.
Will Win the Division IF...Soriano accepts his position as an outfielder and drops his "me-first" attitude. His early days in Washington have been a huge distraction and could continue to plague the team. They need to add another proven bat and one of the late day starters needs to win 10 plus games. If the starters can go late in the games and get the ball to Cordero they can remain competitive.
MARLINS: Former Yankee Bench Coach Joe Girardi takes over after another infamous Marlins firesale. Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera remain, the rest of the roster is filled with names the every day fan will not know.
Strengths: Dontrelle Willis had a remarkable '05 and enjoyed his role as the ace of the staff. With AJ Burnett gone, he'll need to shoulder an even greater burden. Miguel Cabrera is one of the game's brightest young stars and is coming off a season in which he batted .323 with 33 homeruns and 116 runs batted in. First basemen Mike Jacobs hit 11 homeruns in just 30 games and is one of the many young prospects they look to rely on this upcoming season. The Marlins also expect major contributions from Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and Right Fielder Jeremy Hermida, two highly touted prospects given the opportunity to start.
Weaknesses: The entire roster is filled with unproven prospects. This team is probably a few years away from being competitive. After Dontrelle Willis there are no proven starters and there's no help jogging in from the bullpen. Closing duties are up to inconsistent Joe Borowski, but he should not face too many save opportunites. The lineup features many young stars, but also low priced veterans such as catcher Miguel Olivo. There are holes up and down the lineup and this team will struggle to compete.
Will Win the Division IF...it was 2008. This team is loaded with prospects, but most probably need a few more years. They are being thrown in to the fire and the results will not be pretty. Joe Girardi inherited a mess and will struggle to win games.
DIVISION CHAMPS:
Central: Cardinals
West: Dodgers
East: Braves
Wild Card: Mets
NL Champion: St. Louis Cardinals
WORLD SERIES: New York Yankees Over St. Louis Cardinals
This completes my two day MLB Preview, let the games begin...
NL Central:
Projected Finish:
1) St Louis Cardinals
2) Chicago Cubs
3) Houston Astros
4) Millwaukee Brewers
5) Cincinnati Reds
6) Pittsburgh Pirates
CARDINALS: The Cards continue to be the team to beat with incredible balance offensively and in their pitching. Albert Pujols has emerged as the premier right handed hitter in baseball and will continue to be the driving force for this offense.
Strengths: Balance. The Cardinals may be the most well balanced team in baseball with an excellent lineup, strong pitching, and well coached by future hall of Famer Tony LaRussa. Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds can pick it as well as anyone at their positions to boost a solid defensive squad. Albert Pujols is the best all-around hitter in baseball and gets help up and down the lineup. David Eckstein was an All-Star in his first year in St. Louis and Scott Rolen should be ready for a full season. They have a deep bench with veterans Scott Speizio, Junior Spivey, and So Taguchi. The starting rotation is deep with Chris Carpenter coming off a Cy Young campaign and Mark Mulder a very solid number two. They've added Sidney Ponson who could be valuable if he can get his head back in the game.
Weaknesses: Not many. If anything, the bullpen could be tested. While there are a couple of proven arms in the pen, a few pitchers that could be relied upon lack experience. The health of Scott Rolen has been an issue the past couple of seasons and it is tough to predict whether Eckstein can repeat the success he had a year ago. Jim Edmonds is getting older and may start to cover less ground than we're accustomed to seeing.
Will Win the Division IF...They play like they should. This is the deepest, most talented team in the National League. Avoiding injuries such as Rolen has experienced the past few seasons is essential.
CUBS: Once believed to be the next dominant pitchers in baseball, Cubs starters Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have been derailed by injury. Both open the season on the DL causing concerns that baseball's longest World Series drought will continue.
Strengths: Derrek Lee is coming off a career year and looks to have found a comfort zone in Wrigley Field. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez also belted over 30 HRs a year ago giving the Cubbies a powerful 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup. They added speedy CF Juan Pierre to set the table for the big sluggers and provide them with an upgrade in the field. Joining him in the outfield is Minnesota exile Jacque Jones who is capable of putting up some good power numbers. Carlos Zambrano has proven he can be the ace of this staff and will be relied upon heavily until Prior and Wood can return. The bullpen is full of arms who had successful campaigns a year ago.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching suffered a huge blow with the injuries to Wood and Prior. Greg Maddux is starting to show his age and unproven players are forced to step in to the rotation until their stars can return. Ryan Dempster is a liability as a closer with his control issues. There is some inexperience in the lineup with LF Matt Murton and SS Ronny Cedeno.
Will Win the Division IF...Wood and Prior can pitch most of the season. The two aces must come back healthy and effective. Dempster must find some control at the end of games and Lee needs to repeat his success from a year ago.
ASTROS: The Astros have had a tumultuous offseason with the question marks surrounding Roger Clemens and the contract issues regarding future hall of famer Jeff Bagwell. They made an impressive run to the World Series a year ago, but do not look capable of such a run this year.
Strengths: Pitching carried them to the World Series last year and will need to be as important this year. Gone from a year ago is Roger Clemens who was in Cy Young form and posted a paltry 1.86 ERA. Odds are he'll return to the team after May, but its not a sure thing. Roy Oswalt, Andy Pettitte, and Brandon Backe still form a talented trio at the front end of the rotation. Brad Lidge, despite some struggles in the playoffs, is still a top notch closer who is a great insurance at the end of games. The offense should get a boost from OF Preston Wilson who can post terrific power numbers but must cut back on his strikeouts. Morgan Ensberg emerged last year with 36 HRs and carried the offense through stagnant periods last year. Craig Biggio is still capable of pitching in offensively and will provide great leadership.
Weaknesses: The loss of Clemens will hurt the starting rotation. He may come back, but no one really knows at this point. The offense struggled often last year, especially when Clemens took the mound. They have some talented offensive players, but need to improve run production. The back end of the rotation will struggle to get wins with fourth starter Wandy Rodriguez and rookie Taylor Buchholz. Lidge struggled in the postseason and raised some questions about his effectiveness as a closer in big spots.
BREWERS: There's a lot of excitement in Millwaukee after a surpising .500 finish a year ago. There is a lot of young talent and plenty of reason to believe they can improve upon last year's success.
Strengths: Carlos Lee had a monster year for the Brew Crew in his first season slamming 32 homeruns and driving in 114 runs. Fellow Outfielder Geoff Jenkins has been a consistent performer in Milwaukee and had another solid campaign in '05 with 25 homeruns. The big story is 1B Prince Fielder whose last name and big time power stroke has the fans in Milwaukee expecting big things. Pitching phenom Ben Sheets will start the season on the DL but many prognosticators feel he could be due for big things in the year to come. Fellow starter Chris Capuano is coming off an 18 win season and gives the Brewers a nice 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. Derrick Turnbow was another pleasant surprise and will be relied on to close. Although Danny Kolb struggled as a closer in his first season in Milwaukee, he could prove to be a valuable set up man for Turnbow.
Weaknesses: This team is very young and may be year or two away from making a serious playoff push. There are weak spots in the lineup and not enough pitching to overcome low scoring games. Ben Sheets injury is a major reason for concern as they can not afford to go long without him.
Will Win the Division IF...Their prospects grow up in a hurry. Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and JJ Hardy are young talents who will be relied upon heavily and it is up to them to help shoulder the load taken on by Lee and Jenkins. Ben Sheets must stay healthy for the entire season and display the stuff that has made him such a feared pitcher.
REDS: Ken Griffey Jr re-emerged as one of the top hitters in baseball last year in his first relatively healthy year in Cincinnati. A recent trade brought starter Bronson Arroyo to help a pitching staff in need of arms.
Strengths: Griffey swung the bat well in the World Baseball Classic and looks to repeat his succesful season from a year ago. He is joined in the outfield by slugger Adam Dunn who blasted 40 homeruns in 2005. Felipe Lopez is a powerful switch hitting shortstop who should continue to help this season. The addition of Bronson Arroyo will bolster the starting rotation, but they need Eric Milton to regain the form that made him a hot free agent commodity a couple summers ago. Brandon Claussen could develop in to another solid Lefty for this staff and he will need to contribute this year.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching has question marks. Aaron Harang pitched to a solid ERA a season ago, but still only managed 11 wins. Eric Milton was a huge disappointment is his first year and Arroyo has never had to lead a staff. The closer role will be left to David Weathers, but he's been a career middle reliever. The lineup is shaky with not much production to be expected offensively from their infield outside of Lopez. Tony Womack struggled in his role with the Yankees, but returns to his natural second base position.
Will Win the Division IF...They can get offensive production from people other than Griffey and Dunn. Claussen becomes the dominant Lefty he's been projected to become and Milton can regain the form that made him such a sought after free agent.
PIRATES: The Pirates have been living in the NL Central cellar but have renewed hopes with some nice offseason acquisitions. A revamped offense could help the Bucs move up the Central standings.
Strengths: Bringing in Joe Randa, Jeromy Burnitz, and Sean Casey will be a big boost offensively. Jason Bay had a monster year batting over .300 with 32 homeruns, 101 runs batted in and 21 stolen bases. Pitching sensation Zach Duke exploded on the scene last year with an 8-2 mark and an ERA under two. The Bucs are also hoping to get productivity from last September call up Paul Maholm who won three of his four decisions at the end of the year. Closer Mike Gonzalez has had limited save opportunites the past couple of seasons, but has been electric out of the bullpen. He could have a very productive year closing out games.
Weaknesses: Outside of Duke and Maholm, there is little to be excited about in the starting rotation. The rest of the rotation pitches to high ERA's and not many wins. The bullpen is strong, but will probably have to pitch to maintain deficits as opposed to leads. It is also hard to expect some of the bullpen to repeat the numbers they posted a year ago, especially aging Roberto Hernandez. While Burnitz and Casey are certainly nice additions, the lineup with struggle to score runs. Jack Wilson was unable to follow up his strong '04 season and appears he could be more the .263 career hitter than the breakout star in 2004.
Will Win the Division IF...Some of the Steelers stars try their hand at baseball. The city was blessed with one title this year, and should not expect one from baseball. This team will be more competitive than people think, but a division title is out of the question.
AL West:
Projected Finish:
1) Los Angeles Dodgers
2) San Francisco Giants
3) Arizona Diamondbacks
4) San Diego Padres
5) Colorado Rockies
DODGERS: An offseason infield overhaul looks to give the Dodgers the edge over arch-rival San Francisco. The pieces seem to be in place for the Dodgers to regain the NL West Title they lost a year ago.
Strengths: Nomar Garciaparra, Rafael Furcal, and Bill Mueller have been added to a new look infield that gives the Dodgers a scary lineup. Jeff Kent continues to put up monster numbers and is the lone holdover at second base. J.D Drew's first season in LA was cut short by injury, but he could be a dominant offensive force. Jose Cruz has posted around 20 HRs in each of the last few seasons and should be good for that amount again this year. The Dodgers added Pitcher Jae Seo to improve the back end of their rotation. Eric Gagne appears healthy again which is bad news for the rest of the NL. Yhency Brazoban struggled to close games last year, but should be better returning to a setup role. Danys Baez should give the Dodgers even more bullpen help in getting the ball to lights out closer Gagne.
Weaknesses: Slated third and fourth starters Odalis Perez and Brett Tomko struggled with high ERAs last year, while their one and two guys Derek Lowe and Brad Penny did not manage to win enough games. While the bullpen has some live arms in Baez, Brazoban, and Gagne, the rest of the pen is littered with inexperience. Starting Catcher Dioner Navarro has only 55 career games under his belt and second year man Jason Repko will start in LF until injured Kenny Lofton can return.
Will Win the Division IF...they get consistent starting pitching and a healthy Eric Gagne returns. Their revamped offense should lead to a major increase in run production in a division that is wide open. Maybe more so than what they do, a distracted, unhealthy Barry Bonds may be the key to their division title hopes.
GIANTS: After a bizarre offseason that has included Barry Bonds dressed as Paula Abdul, Giants Idol sparked by the presence of actor Rob Schneider participating in Spring Training, and the decision of Bud Selig to appoint former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to investigate past steroid use, there have been loads of distractions out by the Bay. If Bonds plays 120 games or more, this division is theres for the taking. The big question is whether he will and I have a feeling he may not.
Strengths: A healthy Barry Bonds is the most intimidating offensive force in the game. He will not swing at a bad pitch and pitchers will not throw anywhere near him if the game is even potentially on the line. Fellow outfielders Randy Winn and Moises Alou produced big numbers in 2005 and picked up most of the offensive burden Bonds left behind. Ray Durham and Omar Vizquel can still pick it in the middle of the infield which will be important for some of the young pitchers. Jason Schmidt is coming off a down year but is still among the elite pitchers in the National League. Matt Morris brings his 14 wins from a year ago in St. Louis out to San Francisco to become a proven number two starter. Armando Benitez looked good in his first year in San Fran and should be a reliable closer when he returns from injury. Look out for youngster Matt Cain in the starting rotation. He's only 21 years old and could turn in to an impressive starter.
Weaknesses: Armando Benitez injury is disconcerting because it leaves the closer role to Tim Worrell. The bullpen is a bit shaky and need all their arms healthy. Their starters were inconsistent a year ago and need Jason Schmidt to shake off last years struggles. There are also tons of distractions surrounding this team and will be throughout the year with the steroid probe. Bonds pursuit of the HR records could also weigh on this team.
Will Win the Division IF...Bonds stays healthy. He doesn't need to hit 50 HRs, just being in the lineup changes the outcome of games. Alou will need to produce in order to force opposing pitchers to face Bonds more often than they'd like. As I mentioned earlier, if Bonds can play most of the season, the division title will go to San Francisco.
DIAMONDBACKS: The Diamondbacks struggled a year ago but managed to finish second in the very weak NL West. Starting pitching must improve from a year ago despite the loss of Javier Vazquez.
Strengths: The lineup has a few big bats in the hands of Shawn Green, Luiz Gonzalez, Chad Tracy and Tony Clark. Clark amassed 30 Homeruns to go with a batting average over .300 in an unbelieveably surprising first campaign in the desert. Third year man Chad Tracy was also incredibly impressive posting a .308 average with 27 round trippers. Defensively they got a major upgrade with the acquisition of 2B Orlando Hudson. Brandon Webb emerged as the staff ace and looks to improve again this year. Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez can really help this rotation if he can stay healthy. Russ Ortiz was supposed to be a clutch signing a year ago, but failed to produce in season one. Look for him to rebound and be closer to the pitcher the D'Backs thought they were getting when they signed him.
Weaknesses: Pitching. The starting rotation is a mess after its ace Webb. Hernandez and Ortiz could be helpful, but it's too early to consider them anything but a weakness. The backend of the rotation is not capable of much and the bullpen is a mix of washed up veterans combined with inexperienced youngsters. Offense will be limited from the Catcher position and middle infield.
Will Win the Division IF...Starters Hernandez and Ortiz rediscover how to pitch. Tony Clark must repeat his dream season from a year ago, but early indications are that he lost his starting job. Luis Gonzalez and Craig Counsell are the lone members remaining from the 2001 Champions and must instill that championship attitude in the clubhouse.
PADRES: The reigning NL West Champs do not look poised to repeat as their rotation looks much weaker than a year ago. However, the additions of Mike Piazza and Mike Cameron should bolster the team offensively.
Strengths: Jake Peavy returns as the ace of the staff after posting an impressive sub 3.00 ERA a year ago. Scott Linebrink has established himself as one of the top relievers in the National League and received help from rookie Clay Hensley a year ago. Trevor Hoffman is still an imposing closer who posted over 40 saves in 2005 and is fully capable of repeating that this year. Brian Giles has been an offensive force the last several years and Mike Piazza could relieve some of the pressure to hit for power. Ryan Klesko and Mike Cameron are both capable of big power numbers when they return from injury. Dave Roberts has tremendous speed and creates problems for opponents with his base stealing ability. Rookie Josh Barfield could produce big numbers and is a first year player to keep an eye on.
Weaknesses: Pitching will be an issue as the back end of the rotation is very much up in the air. Dewon Brazelton, Woody Williams, and Chan Ho Park will be responsible for the fourth and fifth starter roles but none have been impressive recently. Shawn Estes struggled a year ago, and despite a decent win total, so did Chris Young. The bullpen has a few reliable arms, but they can't pitch every game. Alan Embree is not the lefty specialist he used to be and the rest of the pen is inexperienced. Until Klesko and Cameron return, runs could be hard to come by. Piazza will need days off and Doug Mirabelli is not much of an offensive threat.
Will Win the Division IF...there is another down year in the NL West. This team is a few bats and pitchers short of a contender. Someone other than Jake Peavy must be relied upon to win games.
ROCKIES: Clint Barmes was enjoying a breakout season before a freak accident hauling deer meat derailed him. Todd Helton remains an offensive force but there's little else to be excited about with this team.
Strengths: Todd Helton consistently puts up solid offensive numbers in Coors Field and should continue to do so. His power numbers dipped a bit in '05, but expect them to bounce back this year. Matt Holliday had a productive season batting over .300 and driving in nearly 90 runs. Clint Barmes started off '05 hot and showed potential to be a solid big league player. Brian Fuentes emerged as a very solid closer, converting 31 of 34 save opportunities.
Weaknesses: Arguably the worst starting five in the major leagues. Only one projected starter for this year's staff posted an ERA under 5.00 a year ago. Not all of that can be blamed on the thin air in Coors. The bullpen will be forced to pitch a lot of innings and some of the veteran guys (Jose Mesa, Ray King) may get overworked. Fuentes is talented at the end of games, but will probably not get enough save opportunities. The offense will also struggle greatly and there's a decent chance Helton will be shipped by the deadline. Helton has no protection in the lineup and at this point its difficult to envision guys who could step up.
Will Win the Division IF...there is a complete roster overhaul. The guys on the current team are not talented or deep enough to compete. They have some pieces to build around with Holliday, Barmes, and Fuentes, but this will not be the year in Colorado.
NL East:
Projected Finish:
1) Atlanta Braves
2) New York Mets *
3) Philadelphia Phillies
4) Washington Nationals
5) Florida Marlins
BRAVES: The Braves are aiming for their 15th consecutive division title and I refuse to bet against them accomplishing that feat. GM John Schuerholz has put together a great mix of young talent and veteran stars and this season should be no different than the past fourteen.
Strengths: When you think of the Braves, you think starting pitching. This year is no different. John Smoltz can still fling it and Tim Hudson is capable of winning 20 games. Horacio Ramirez struggled at times last year, but is a solid contributor. Mike Hampton will begin the season on the DL, but can help toeing the rubber and from the plate. Jorge Sosa was impressive a year ago winning 13 of 16 decisions and posting a low earned run average. This team does not have to rely on its pitching with a very capable lineup of young stars and veterans. Andruw Jones is coming off a career year in which he hit 51 homeruns and still plays Center as well as anyone in baseball. Jeff Francoueur was impressive as any rookie from a season ago and given a full season should produce terrific numbers. Edgar Renteria joins the team and combines with 2B Marcus Giles for a tremendous middle infield. Chipper Jones has been as consistent a player as anyone over the past decade and should have a few more seasons left in the tank.
Weaknesses: The bullpen appears to be shaky as closing duties have been left to Chris Reitsma. He converted only 15 of his 24 save opportunites a year ago. Just getting the ball to Reitsma could be an adventure if the starters don't work late in to games. Mike Remlinger struggled in the American League and did not even closely resemble his old Braves days. The starting rotation appears solid, but could have cracks. There's speculation that GM Schuerholz no longer regards Horacio Ramirez as highly as he used to, and youngster Kyle Davies may be another year or two away from truly developing.
Will Win the Division IF...Youngsters Francoueur, Ryan Langerhans, and Adam LaRoche can continue to build on successful early careers. Andruw Jones does not need to hit over 50 homers again, but needs to continue to provide power in the middle of the lineup. Tim Hudson needs to assert himself as the ace of this staff and John Smoltz needs to prove he can still perform as a front line starter.
METS: General Manager Omar Minaya continues to pour money in to top notch free agents in attempts to knock the Braves off their perch. His moves this offseason may be enough to do just that.
Strengths: The signings of Carlos Delgado, Paul LoDuca, and Billy Wagner should greatly improve this team. Braden Looper struggled in his closer role from a year ago and bringing in formal divison foe Wagner gives the Mets a dominant closer. Carlos Delgado is the big bat in the middle of the lineup the Mets desperately needed and Paul LoDuca provides a steady backstop to replace the departed Mike Piazza. Carlos Beltran struggled in his first year at Shea, but has the tools to be a dominant player. His sophomore year in New York should be a productive one. Third Basemen David Wright is becoming a chic pick for NL MVP and deservedly so. He is a big time hitter and a very impressive fielder. Jose Reyes brings a lot of speed to the top of the lineup and manager Willie Randolph lets him fly. Since coming over from the Braves Tom Glavine has not been his old self, but he is still capable of winning a bunch of games. Pedro Martinez is battling a nagging injury, but is a very dangerous pitcher when healthy.
Weaknesses: While Glavine and Martinez are still a pretty formidable one-two punch, the rest of the rotation is questionable. Steve Trachsel battled injuries a year ago and Victor Zambrano was unimpressive in his first year in New York. Once he moved out to the bullpen, Aaron Heilman became very valuable to this team. However, they need other arms to help setup Wagner. The health of Pedro Martinez is crucial to the success of the starting rotation.
Will Win the Division IF...the starters can stay healthy. This is a very dangerous team if Beltran can rediscover his '04 playoff magic. There is no easy out in this lineup and the addition of Wagner will cover up some of the holes in the bullpen.
PHILLIES: The loss of Billy Wagner to the division rival Mets will hurt, but they are hoping veteran Tom Gordon can help fill the void. They have an offense that can score a ton of runs and a top heavy rotation.
Strengths: They have a very powerful lineup that should get even stronger as Ryan Howard no longer has to deal with departed Jim Thome. Howard could be in for a huge year as he belted 22 homeruns in just 88 games a season ago. Second baseman Chase Utley had a breakout year driving in over 100 runs and hitting 28 home runs. Bobby Abreu has established himself as a 30-30 guy who is among the game's premier players. Pat Burrell is another guy who can put up big power numbers and Jimmy Rollins is just 20 games shy of tying Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak (prior to today's games). Jon Lieber won 17 games in his first season as the Phillies number one starter and the rotation got solid contributions from Brett Myers and Corey Lidle. While Tom Gordon will certainly not be as effective as Billy Wagner, he can be a very effective closer.
Weaknesses: The starting rotation has question marks with unproven starters Gavin Floyd and Ryan Madson. Another issue will be gettin the ball to Tom Gordon. Arthur Rhodes was effective last year, but he's been inconsistent over the years. Aaron Fultz pitched tremendously well a year ago, but judging by his career numbers it could definitely be a fluke. Although Jon Lieber was effective last year, he is not too far removed from Tommy John surgery that cost him a year and a half. David Bell struggled from the plate last year and could be a weak spot in the lineup.
Will Win the Division IF...their starters can contend with the other tough lineups in the division. Ryan Howard emerges as the major power hitter he is expected to be and they got the offensive balance they are capable of. They are unfortunately stuck in the same division as the Mets and Braves but are certainly capable of winning the Wild Card.
NATIONALS: The first year in D.C was successful for manager Frank Robinson and the former Montreal Expos. They've brought in Alfonso Soriano, and despite threatening to sit if moved to the outfield, is scheduled to start in Left field.
Strengths: Alfonso Soriano helps bolster the middle of the lineup, bringing his career 30 plus homerun average to one of the toughest places to hit in baseball. Jose Guillen led the team in four baggers a year ago and is a solid number 3 hitter in the lineup. Nick Johnson has great patience as evidenced by his .408 on-base percentage of a year ago. The offensive prowess of Jose Vidro has declined over the past several seasons, but his defense keeps him at second and is still capable of putting up good numbers. Livan Hernandez is a solid number one starter who eats up a lot of innings. John Patterson pitched effectively a year ago and should continue to improve. Closer Chad Cordero performed unbelieveably last year when he piled up 47 saves with an ERA under two.
Weaknesses: The lineup has a lack of power. Jose Guillen led the team with 24 a year ago, but 21 away from home. Alfonso Soriano brings a big bat, but it is tough to go yard in the nation's capital. Brandon Watson is a liability at the top of the lineup despite possessing great speed. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had a hanful of at bats as a September call-up, but is entering his rookie year at only 21 years of age. There are also problems in the starting rotation after Hernandez and Patterson. Ramon Ortiz and Tony Armas are unreliable at best and will struggle to get wins.
Will Win the Division IF...Soriano accepts his position as an outfielder and drops his "me-first" attitude. His early days in Washington have been a huge distraction and could continue to plague the team. They need to add another proven bat and one of the late day starters needs to win 10 plus games. If the starters can go late in the games and get the ball to Cordero they can remain competitive.
MARLINS: Former Yankee Bench Coach Joe Girardi takes over after another infamous Marlins firesale. Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera remain, the rest of the roster is filled with names the every day fan will not know.
Strengths: Dontrelle Willis had a remarkable '05 and enjoyed his role as the ace of the staff. With AJ Burnett gone, he'll need to shoulder an even greater burden. Miguel Cabrera is one of the game's brightest young stars and is coming off a season in which he batted .323 with 33 homeruns and 116 runs batted in. First basemen Mike Jacobs hit 11 homeruns in just 30 games and is one of the many young prospects they look to rely on this upcoming season. The Marlins also expect major contributions from Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and Right Fielder Jeremy Hermida, two highly touted prospects given the opportunity to start.
Weaknesses: The entire roster is filled with unproven prospects. This team is probably a few years away from being competitive. After Dontrelle Willis there are no proven starters and there's no help jogging in from the bullpen. Closing duties are up to inconsistent Joe Borowski, but he should not face too many save opportunites. The lineup features many young stars, but also low priced veterans such as catcher Miguel Olivo. There are holes up and down the lineup and this team will struggle to compete.
Will Win the Division IF...it was 2008. This team is loaded with prospects, but most probably need a few more years. They are being thrown in to the fire and the results will not be pretty. Joe Girardi inherited a mess and will struggle to win games.
DIVISION CHAMPS:
Central: Cardinals
West: Dodgers
East: Braves
Wild Card: Mets
NL Champion: St. Louis Cardinals
WORLD SERIES: New York Yankees Over St. Louis Cardinals
This completes my two day MLB Preview, let the games begin...
Sunday, April 02, 2006
MLB Preview
Tonight the MLB Regular Season was supposed to kick off with the defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox taking on the Cleveland Indians. These two teams will be competing for the AL Central crown all year long, so this is a great game to kick off the season. However, the game is stuck in a huge rain delay which may not be resumed. Today I will preview the AL, with a look at the National League tomorrow. Since two American League Central teams kick off the season, I'll begin my preview with an overview of that division:
AL Central:
Projected Finish:
1. White Sox
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
WHITE SOX: The defending World Series champs will again be bolstered by one of the strongest starting rotations in baseball. They added some power to the middle of their lineup with the addition of DH/1B Jim Thome. This team looks to repeat as division champs, and possibly World Series Champs.
Strentghs: Their starting rotation appears to be the best in baseball with the addition of Javier Vazquez. He joins southpaw Mark Buehrle, along with righties Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras who all played key roles in the championship run from a year ago. They have a lot of power in the middle of the lineup with Thome, Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye all capable of hitting over 30 home runs and driving in 100. The offense is strong top to bottom with speedy lead off hitter Scott Podsednik who will benefit from the big bats in the middle.
Weaknesses: Bobby Jenks was a pleasant surprise last year using his incredible velocity to blow hitters away at the end of games. However, this spring his fastball has lost a lot of pop and his control has always been an issue. Another issue will be finding Aaron Rowand's replacement. Rowand provided a sure-handed glove in Center but was shipped to the Phillies in the Thome deal. Rookie Brian Anderson is slated to fill this role but is very inexperienced.
Will Win the Division If... The starting pitching stays healthy. They have nice insurance in Pitcher Brandon McCarthy in case a starter goes down, but will only hold off the Indians with pitching. Jenks must also avoid a sophomore slump which many are projecting due to a very poor spring.
INDIANS: One of the biggest surprises of last season seems to be positioned to contend for the Division again this year. With some solid young talent and the experience of last year's near playoff push, this team should be tough to beat.
Strengths: Extremely talented lineup from top to bottom with a bunch of guys who can change a game with one swing of the bat. Victor Martinez is emerging as a premier catcher in the American league and the Indians expect big things from talented CF Grady Sizemore (who they recently rewarded a large contract extension). Bob Wickman has been a reliable closer and notched 45 saves a year ago.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching is a question mark behind CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Jake Westbrook looked good in the first half of last year, but struggled later in the season. Gone from the outfield is speedy Coco Crisp, who is being replaced by Jason Michaels. Michaels put up decent numbers in limited at bats last season, but is a definite downgrade from Crisp.
Will Win the Division If... Their 4th and 5th starters give them production. Paul Byrd and Jason Johnson both pitched over 200 Innings last year with decent ERAs and could improve their Win totals playing for a better offensive team. They got a lot of production from their young stars last year, if they continue to improve this could be the team to beat in the Central.
TWINS: For the first time since 2001 the Twins failed to win the Central last year. As has been the case with recent Minnesota teams they will need to rely on strong pitching and timely hitting.
Strengths: Johan Santana is arguably the most dominant starting pitcher in baseball and Joe Nathan has emerged as a quality closer. Torii Hunter covers a ton of ground and is still the best fielding Centerfielder in the American league. The signing of Luis Castillo gives them another proven bat at the top of the order and Tony Batista could provide the home run stroke sorely missing from this lineup.
Weaknesses: No one in the lineup really strikes fear in to opposing pitchers. Rondell White could provide a sure stroke in the middle of the lineup, but he's not nicknamed RonDL for nothing. The pitching staff has questions on the backend and holes in the lineup, particularly at Shortstop.
Will Win the Division if... Some of the risky off-season moves pay off. Tony Batista, Rondell White, Luis Castillo, and Ruben Sierra were all brought in to improve the offense. They have question marks with injuries and are all aging a bit. Brad Radke and Carlos Silva need to get more wins from the 2nd and 3rd starting roles and top notch prospects Francisco Liriano and Scott Baker could be contributors.
TIGERS: After last season's roster upgrade and the offseason addition of manager Jim Leyland, the Tigers look to continue to build on last year's improvements. Pitching was given a much needed boost with the additions of starter Kenny Rogers and closer Todd Jones.
Strengths: The lineup has many capable bats top to bottom and a healthier Magglio Ordonez. Placido Polanco hit for a great average last season and should keep those numbers up being protected by Ordonez, Pudge Rodriguez, and Dmitri Young. Kenny Rogers gives the Tigers a viable #1 starter until Jeremy Bonderman is ready, which could be as early as this season. Bonderman should be a 15-18 game winner this year. Todd Jones had a phenomenal year saving 40 games for the Marlins and could be a huge lift to the backend of the Tigers thin bullpen.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching is a huge question mark. Kenny Rogers should provide a lift, but he is aging and his recent temper flareups could create chemisty issues in his new clubhouse. The end of the rotation is not going to produce enough wins to keep this team alive in a very competitive division. Health issues are a major concern for Rodriguez and Ordonez, who are crucial to this team's success.
Will Win the Division If...The young pitchers find ways to win. Nate Robertson only won 7 games in 23 decisions, but showed decent stuff in stretches. Jim Leyland is a no-nonsense manager who must erase the bad feelings associated with the organization's consistent mediocrity. Ordonez and Rodriguez must stay healthy and provide punch in the middle of the lineup.
ROYALS: The last few years have tough as small market Kansas City has been unable to compete due to lack of marquee players. One consistent has been Mike Sweeney who the Royals hope can stay healthy and continue to produce.
Strengths: This offseason the Royals added 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, and OF Reggie Sanders to provide veteran leadership and bolster them offensively as well as defensively. Joining them in the lineup is 2003 AL Rookie of the Year SS Angel Berroa and RF Emil Brown who hit 17 homers with 86 RBI in his first season with the team last year.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching. Only one guy slated for the starting rotation notched more than 10 wins and had an ERA under 5.00 last year (Scott Elarton with 11 Wins and 4.61 ERA ). They are very inexperienced and should struggle with some tough lineups in the AL Central. Their closer Ambiorix Burgos has only one year under his belt and has not faced many save situations.
Will Win the Division IF...The other teams in the AL Central suffer catastrophic injuries. This team has a lot of needs but are not among the "buyers" in the league. The pieces added in the offseason would have to produce career years, along with the emergence of one or more of their top prospects from the minors to have a chance to get out of the cellar.
AL West:
Projected Finish:
1) Oakland Athletics
2) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim*
3) Seattle Mariners
4) Texas Rangers
ATHLETICS: Billy Beane somehow manages to keep his teams competitive without spending. This organization is incredible at bringing along their starting pitching and their new big three of Rich Harden, Dan Haren, and Barry Zito should carry them to the division title.
Strengths: Starting pitching, namely the aforementioned big three of Harden, Haren, and Zito. However, slotted for the fourth and fifth starter positions are Esteban Loaiza and Joe Blanton who both are talented pitchers as well. Huston Street had a phenomenal rookie season as the closer and there's no reason to believe he won't repeat that this year. The lineup is filled with guys who can get on base, and the additions of Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley should help in run production. A healthy Bobby Crosby should also bolster an offense that often struggled last season. This team is also very deep so manager Ken Macha should be able to keep his team fresh throughout the season.
Weaknesses: Unless Frank Thomas experiences a re-birth in Oakland, there aren't too many threats for the long ball. Eric Chavez and Nick Swisher both produced solid power numbers last year, but need more help offensively. The bullpen has some young talent, but lack experience which could hurt them late in the season.
Will Win the Division IF... Their starters stay healthy. Rich Harden pitched very well, but only threw 128 innings. He needs to last the whole season to keep them in the race. They have been a great second half team over the past several years, but must have a good start to stay around the top with a very talented Angels team.
ANGELS: After falling in the ALCS to the White Sox in October, the Angels look to take the next step this year. They are lead by a talented starting rotation and a lineup of veteran hitters.
Strengths: Starting pitching carried them a year ago and looks to be the same story this year. The Angels added Jeff Weaver to deepen the rotation lead by ace Bartolo Colon. The Angels bolstered the best bullpen in baseball by adding lefty J.C Romero from the Twins to join reliable Scot Shields, Brendan Donnelly, and electric closer Francisco Rodriguez. Although he has struggled through some injuries, Vladimir Guerrero is still one of the most talented players in baseball.
Weaknesses: Their lineup has some holes. They lost Bengie Molina and have handed the Catcher position to untested rookie Jeff Mathis. Casey Kotchman takes over at first base, but has been limited to a bench role in his previous years. Garret Anderson and Darrin Erstad are starting to show their age and could begin to wear down. While pitching is a major strength, Jeff Weaver has to remain a question mark. He has great stuff but his ERA was a bit high for the NL and has struggled while playing for a contender.
Will Win the Division IF... Players other than Guerrero and Anderson can drive in runs. Darrin Erstad had the next highest RBI total for '05 with a mere 66. While the pitching will only need limited run support, they do need some. The new positional starters (Kotchman and Mathis)need to get acclimated to their roles quickly and the pitching staff must be able to work well with a new guy behind the plate.
MARINERS: The big buzz during the offseason was the acquistion of Japanese Catcher Kenji Johjima, but it's difficult to know what to expect from him. Adrian Beltre looked excellent during the World Baseball Classic and looks to re-gain his '04 form in his second year in Seattle.
Strengths: Felix Hernandez. The 19 year old phenom demonstrated last year why he's drawing comparisons to a young Doc Gooden. He has tremendous velocity and a knee buckling breaking ball that frustrated hitters in his limted work at the end of 2005. Closer Eddie Guardado is still capable of closing out games and provides an anchor in the bullpen. Ichiro has established himself as one of the premier leadoff batters in baseball and should benefit from a lineup with some big bats in the middle. Richie Sexson hit 39 HRs in his first season in Seattle and Adrian Beltre is capable of putting up similar stats. Raul Ibanez and Carl Everett can also drive in a lot of runs.
Weaknesses: Pitching is a concern for this team. While Hernandez is exciting, the rest of the staff struggled last year. Jamie Moyer is aging, Joel Pineiro struggled last year, and Gil Meche had an ERA over 5.00. Aside from Guardado, the bullpen is very thin and inexperienced. The lineup has some inexperience with young 2B Jose Lopez, OF Joe Borchard and SS Yuniesky Betancourt.
Will Win the Division IF...Starting pitchers rebound in 2006. Aside from Hernandez, the rest of the staff had tough campaigns in 2005. Jarrod Washburn and Joel Pineiro must return to'02 form to take some pressure off their bats. Kenji Johjima picks up MLB as easily as Hideki Matsui and Ichiro giving the Mariners further offensive production.
RANGERS: In an attempt to strengthen a very depleted pitching staff the Rangers signed Kevin Millwood to a lucrative long term deal. They sent talented but defensively troubled star 2B Alfonso Soriano to Washington that broke up the most offensively formidable infield in baseball.
Strengths: Chicks dig the long ball and these guys hit them in bunches. Mark Teixiera is coming off a monster year in which he hit 43 HRs and drove in 144 runs. Fellow infielders Hank Blalock and Michael Young are among the best at their position offensively and defensively. They get great offensive numbers from everywhere on the field except 2B which will be left to rookie Ian Kinsler. Kevin Millwood had a very impressive ERA pitching for Cleveland last year and could be the number 1 starter Texas has desperately needed. Francisco Cordero notched 37 saves last year and proved to be a solid closer.
Weaknesses: As has been the case for the past several years, Texas has no pitching. They attempted to fix this through some trades, but there are still question marks. Their fourth and fifth starters have a cominbed 17 career wins with very limited Major League experience. Unless Antonio Alfonseca revitalizes himself, the Rangers have no steady bridge to Cordero in the bullpen.
Will Win the Division IF...The offense can outslug opponents. Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla win a bunch of ball games with this lineup and get some help from the other starters. Alfonseca establishes himself as a reliable setup guy to hand games over to Cordero.
AL East:
Projected Finish:
1) New York Yankees
2) Boston Red Sox
3) Toronto Blue Jays
4) Baltimore Orioles
5) Tampa Bay Devil Rays
YANKEES: The Yankees title drought has lasted five years and Steinbrenner will not tolerate a sixth. The Boss has come on record saying the Yankees will win the championship this year and the Bombers look capable of backing him up.
Strengths: With the addition of CF Johnny Damon, the Yankees possess the most feared lineup in baseball. There is no easy out in this lineup and they will score in bunches. Randy Johnson struggled in the first half of the season, but regained his form late to notch 17 victories in his first season in the Bronx. Mariano Rivera posted another brilliant campaign in '05 and remains the best closer in baseball. They added a left handed specialist in Mike Myers and Kyle Farnsworth takes over as the setup man for departed Tom Gordon. If the starters can stay healthy they have great depth with Johnson, Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Chien Ming-Wang, Shawn Chacon, and Aaron Small. The latter three played a huge role in taking the division last year and will help in either starting or bullpen roles this season.
Weaknesses: Injuries among the starting rotation is reason for concern. Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright have been riddled with injuries since signing lucrative deals last year. The bullpen is full of new pieces and finding the right guys to set up Rivera will take some time. Depth is a major issue and could be a concern for an aging lineup. The steroid investigations also could uncover new information that may serve as a huge distraction for Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi.
Will Win the Division IF...The pitchers stay healthy. Their starting rotation is deep with a good mix of young talent and proven veterans. The bullpen was given a much needed boost with the additions of Ron Villone, Mike Myers, Kyle Farnsworth, and potentially Octavio Dotel. If the lineup produces anywhere near what it's capable of, no reason they do not represent the AL in the Fall Classic.
RED SOX: Most of the '04 Champion Red Sox are gone, but the team boosts a strong starting rotation and a bunch of sure-handed fielders. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz should continue to be the most feared tandem in the league.
Strengths: Adding Josh Beckett will be a huge boost to the starting rotation. He is a young, talented pitcher who has already demonstrated success against arch rival New York. Ramirez and Ortiz are among the best run producers in baseball and should hold the new look line up together. The new infield is based more around defense, but Mark Loretta will constantly be on base and Mike Lowell has the potential for big power numbers. Wily Mo Pena will platoon in the OF, but has potential to be a big offensive force off the bench.
Weaknesses: Trading Bronson Arroyo might come back to hurt the Sox. With David Wells headed to the DL and Schilling coming off injury, a huge burden is put on Beckett, Tim Wakefield and Matt Clement. Highly touted prospect Jon Papelbon will be thrown in to the fire early. There are also big concerns about the back end of the bullpen with closer Keith Foulke's injury problems.
Will Win the Division IF... Beckett thrives in his first year in Boston. The closer role must be filled well by Foulke or hard throwing rookie Craig Hansen. This new set of players can establish the same chemistry as the '04 "Idiots" and Curt Schilling can rebound from injuries that limited him last year.
BLUE JAYS: The Jays made a big splash in the offseason by signing prize free agent starter AJ Burnett and closer BJ Ryan to huge deals. They also acquired Bengie Molina, Troy Glaus, and Lyle Overbay in their attempts to compete in the East.
Strengths: Roy Halladay is one of the top pitchers in baseball if he can stay healthy. AJ Burnett will be a very solid number two when returning from the DL and they should get consistency from Ted Lilly, Josh Towers,and Gustavo Chacin. BJ Ryan solidifies the closing role and is coming off a tremendous 36 save season with the Orioles. Vernon Wells continues to tease with his ability but could have a breakout year with some new pieces in place. Acquiring Molina, Glaus, and Overbay will be a big boost offensively as well as in the field.
Weaknesses: Health of starting pitching. AJ Burnett is already injured and Halladay has struggled to keep healthy the past couple years. The bullpen will struggle to hold leads and hand the ball over to Ryan. The lineup is short a powerful bat or two, but that could change if they are still in the race around the trade deadline.
Will Win the Division IF...Halladay can pitch 200+ innings the way he is capable of and Burnett can overcome his early injury. Vernon Wells needs to turn in to the player he demonstrates that he can be and they add another power hitter to the middle of the lineup before the deadline.
ORIOLES: The 2005 Campaign was clouded by the positive steroid test of 1B and potential Hall of Famer Rafael Palmeiro. Sammy Sosa failed to impress and is already out of town. The 2006 team looks to regain the success it experienced in the early part of '05.
Strengths: Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada established themselves as one of the best left infields in baseball. Brian Roberts was having an MVP first half of '05 before slowing down and ultimately suffering a devastating injury. He should return to the lineup soon and could continue to improve. Corey Patterson arrives with a lot of talent and could thrive in a new environment. Javy Lopez will be able to split time behind the plate with the arrival of Ramon Hernandez and Kevin Millar will provide some veteran leadership. The starting rotation received a boost with the addition of Kris Benson, and Bruce Chen pitched very well for the Birds in '05.
Weaknesses: With the departure of BJ Ryan, the closing job has been handed over to Chris Ray who has very limited experience at the end of games. Outside of Latroy Hawkins (and even thats generous), the bullpen doesn't have many proven arms. The starting rotation has its share of question marks with high ERAs causing several of them problems.
Will Win the Division IF... New pitching coach Leo Mazzone can transform his young staff to resemble the rotations he put together in his years with the Braves. Javy Lopez benefits from splitting time behind the plate and rejuvenates his offensive production. Chris Ray can turn in to a solid closer.
DEVIL RAYS: The Devil Rays displayed a lot of young talent and skills reminiscent of the 2003 Marlins with their incredible team speed. Joe Maddon takes over for Lou Piniella as manager and inherits a team that could cause headaches for the contenders.
Strengths: Team speed. Outfielders Carl Crawford and Joey Gathright can create major problems on the base paths. Jorge Cantu, Aubrey Huff, Rocco Balidelli and Jonny Gomes all had terrifc seasons in '05 and should repeat this season. Scott Kazmir is a talented young starter who has shown flashes of his enormous potential.
Weaknesses: Pitching. There are more questions than answers in the starting rotation and in the bullpen. Kazmir and Mark Hendrickson were the only starters to notch over 10 wins in 2005, but Hendrickson had an ERA just under six. The bullpen is filled with journeymen and inexperienced younger players with no true closer.
Will Win the Division IF...Other pitchers establish themselves. The young players grow up in a hurry and can withstand the tough divisional schedule. Need everything to break in their favor, along with acquiring help along their starting rotation and bullpen.
AL Overview: DIVISION WINNERS
Central-White Sox
West-Athletics
East-Yankees
Wild Card- Angels
AL Champion: New York Yankees
AL Central:
Projected Finish:
1. White Sox
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
WHITE SOX: The defending World Series champs will again be bolstered by one of the strongest starting rotations in baseball. They added some power to the middle of their lineup with the addition of DH/1B Jim Thome. This team looks to repeat as division champs, and possibly World Series Champs.
Strentghs: Their starting rotation appears to be the best in baseball with the addition of Javier Vazquez. He joins southpaw Mark Buehrle, along with righties Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras who all played key roles in the championship run from a year ago. They have a lot of power in the middle of the lineup with Thome, Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye all capable of hitting over 30 home runs and driving in 100. The offense is strong top to bottom with speedy lead off hitter Scott Podsednik who will benefit from the big bats in the middle.
Weaknesses: Bobby Jenks was a pleasant surprise last year using his incredible velocity to blow hitters away at the end of games. However, this spring his fastball has lost a lot of pop and his control has always been an issue. Another issue will be finding Aaron Rowand's replacement. Rowand provided a sure-handed glove in Center but was shipped to the Phillies in the Thome deal. Rookie Brian Anderson is slated to fill this role but is very inexperienced.
Will Win the Division If... The starting pitching stays healthy. They have nice insurance in Pitcher Brandon McCarthy in case a starter goes down, but will only hold off the Indians with pitching. Jenks must also avoid a sophomore slump which many are projecting due to a very poor spring.
INDIANS: One of the biggest surprises of last season seems to be positioned to contend for the Division again this year. With some solid young talent and the experience of last year's near playoff push, this team should be tough to beat.
Strengths: Extremely talented lineup from top to bottom with a bunch of guys who can change a game with one swing of the bat. Victor Martinez is emerging as a premier catcher in the American league and the Indians expect big things from talented CF Grady Sizemore (who they recently rewarded a large contract extension). Bob Wickman has been a reliable closer and notched 45 saves a year ago.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching is a question mark behind CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Jake Westbrook looked good in the first half of last year, but struggled later in the season. Gone from the outfield is speedy Coco Crisp, who is being replaced by Jason Michaels. Michaels put up decent numbers in limited at bats last season, but is a definite downgrade from Crisp.
Will Win the Division If... Their 4th and 5th starters give them production. Paul Byrd and Jason Johnson both pitched over 200 Innings last year with decent ERAs and could improve their Win totals playing for a better offensive team. They got a lot of production from their young stars last year, if they continue to improve this could be the team to beat in the Central.
TWINS: For the first time since 2001 the Twins failed to win the Central last year. As has been the case with recent Minnesota teams they will need to rely on strong pitching and timely hitting.
Strengths: Johan Santana is arguably the most dominant starting pitcher in baseball and Joe Nathan has emerged as a quality closer. Torii Hunter covers a ton of ground and is still the best fielding Centerfielder in the American league. The signing of Luis Castillo gives them another proven bat at the top of the order and Tony Batista could provide the home run stroke sorely missing from this lineup.
Weaknesses: No one in the lineup really strikes fear in to opposing pitchers. Rondell White could provide a sure stroke in the middle of the lineup, but he's not nicknamed RonDL for nothing. The pitching staff has questions on the backend and holes in the lineup, particularly at Shortstop.
Will Win the Division if... Some of the risky off-season moves pay off. Tony Batista, Rondell White, Luis Castillo, and Ruben Sierra were all brought in to improve the offense. They have question marks with injuries and are all aging a bit. Brad Radke and Carlos Silva need to get more wins from the 2nd and 3rd starting roles and top notch prospects Francisco Liriano and Scott Baker could be contributors.
TIGERS: After last season's roster upgrade and the offseason addition of manager Jim Leyland, the Tigers look to continue to build on last year's improvements. Pitching was given a much needed boost with the additions of starter Kenny Rogers and closer Todd Jones.
Strengths: The lineup has many capable bats top to bottom and a healthier Magglio Ordonez. Placido Polanco hit for a great average last season and should keep those numbers up being protected by Ordonez, Pudge Rodriguez, and Dmitri Young. Kenny Rogers gives the Tigers a viable #1 starter until Jeremy Bonderman is ready, which could be as early as this season. Bonderman should be a 15-18 game winner this year. Todd Jones had a phenomenal year saving 40 games for the Marlins and could be a huge lift to the backend of the Tigers thin bullpen.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching is a huge question mark. Kenny Rogers should provide a lift, but he is aging and his recent temper flareups could create chemisty issues in his new clubhouse. The end of the rotation is not going to produce enough wins to keep this team alive in a very competitive division. Health issues are a major concern for Rodriguez and Ordonez, who are crucial to this team's success.
Will Win the Division If...The young pitchers find ways to win. Nate Robertson only won 7 games in 23 decisions, but showed decent stuff in stretches. Jim Leyland is a no-nonsense manager who must erase the bad feelings associated with the organization's consistent mediocrity. Ordonez and Rodriguez must stay healthy and provide punch in the middle of the lineup.
ROYALS: The last few years have tough as small market Kansas City has been unable to compete due to lack of marquee players. One consistent has been Mike Sweeney who the Royals hope can stay healthy and continue to produce.
Strengths: This offseason the Royals added 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, and OF Reggie Sanders to provide veteran leadership and bolster them offensively as well as defensively. Joining them in the lineup is 2003 AL Rookie of the Year SS Angel Berroa and RF Emil Brown who hit 17 homers with 86 RBI in his first season with the team last year.
Weaknesses: Starting pitching. Only one guy slated for the starting rotation notched more than 10 wins and had an ERA under 5.00 last year (Scott Elarton with 11 Wins and 4.61 ERA ). They are very inexperienced and should struggle with some tough lineups in the AL Central. Their closer Ambiorix Burgos has only one year under his belt and has not faced many save situations.
Will Win the Division IF...The other teams in the AL Central suffer catastrophic injuries. This team has a lot of needs but are not among the "buyers" in the league. The pieces added in the offseason would have to produce career years, along with the emergence of one or more of their top prospects from the minors to have a chance to get out of the cellar.
AL West:
Projected Finish:
1) Oakland Athletics
2) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim*
3) Seattle Mariners
4) Texas Rangers
ATHLETICS: Billy Beane somehow manages to keep his teams competitive without spending. This organization is incredible at bringing along their starting pitching and their new big three of Rich Harden, Dan Haren, and Barry Zito should carry them to the division title.
Strengths: Starting pitching, namely the aforementioned big three of Harden, Haren, and Zito. However, slotted for the fourth and fifth starter positions are Esteban Loaiza and Joe Blanton who both are talented pitchers as well. Huston Street had a phenomenal rookie season as the closer and there's no reason to believe he won't repeat that this year. The lineup is filled with guys who can get on base, and the additions of Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley should help in run production. A healthy Bobby Crosby should also bolster an offense that often struggled last season. This team is also very deep so manager Ken Macha should be able to keep his team fresh throughout the season.
Weaknesses: Unless Frank Thomas experiences a re-birth in Oakland, there aren't too many threats for the long ball. Eric Chavez and Nick Swisher both produced solid power numbers last year, but need more help offensively. The bullpen has some young talent, but lack experience which could hurt them late in the season.
Will Win the Division IF... Their starters stay healthy. Rich Harden pitched very well, but only threw 128 innings. He needs to last the whole season to keep them in the race. They have been a great second half team over the past several years, but must have a good start to stay around the top with a very talented Angels team.
ANGELS: After falling in the ALCS to the White Sox in October, the Angels look to take the next step this year. They are lead by a talented starting rotation and a lineup of veteran hitters.
Strengths: Starting pitching carried them a year ago and looks to be the same story this year. The Angels added Jeff Weaver to deepen the rotation lead by ace Bartolo Colon. The Angels bolstered the best bullpen in baseball by adding lefty J.C Romero from the Twins to join reliable Scot Shields, Brendan Donnelly, and electric closer Francisco Rodriguez. Although he has struggled through some injuries, Vladimir Guerrero is still one of the most talented players in baseball.
Weaknesses: Their lineup has some holes. They lost Bengie Molina and have handed the Catcher position to untested rookie Jeff Mathis. Casey Kotchman takes over at first base, but has been limited to a bench role in his previous years. Garret Anderson and Darrin Erstad are starting to show their age and could begin to wear down. While pitching is a major strength, Jeff Weaver has to remain a question mark. He has great stuff but his ERA was a bit high for the NL and has struggled while playing for a contender.
Will Win the Division IF... Players other than Guerrero and Anderson can drive in runs. Darrin Erstad had the next highest RBI total for '05 with a mere 66. While the pitching will only need limited run support, they do need some. The new positional starters (Kotchman and Mathis)need to get acclimated to their roles quickly and the pitching staff must be able to work well with a new guy behind the plate.
MARINERS: The big buzz during the offseason was the acquistion of Japanese Catcher Kenji Johjima, but it's difficult to know what to expect from him. Adrian Beltre looked excellent during the World Baseball Classic and looks to re-gain his '04 form in his second year in Seattle.
Strengths: Felix Hernandez. The 19 year old phenom demonstrated last year why he's drawing comparisons to a young Doc Gooden. He has tremendous velocity and a knee buckling breaking ball that frustrated hitters in his limted work at the end of 2005. Closer Eddie Guardado is still capable of closing out games and provides an anchor in the bullpen. Ichiro has established himself as one of the premier leadoff batters in baseball and should benefit from a lineup with some big bats in the middle. Richie Sexson hit 39 HRs in his first season in Seattle and Adrian Beltre is capable of putting up similar stats. Raul Ibanez and Carl Everett can also drive in a lot of runs.
Weaknesses: Pitching is a concern for this team. While Hernandez is exciting, the rest of the staff struggled last year. Jamie Moyer is aging, Joel Pineiro struggled last year, and Gil Meche had an ERA over 5.00. Aside from Guardado, the bullpen is very thin and inexperienced. The lineup has some inexperience with young 2B Jose Lopez, OF Joe Borchard and SS Yuniesky Betancourt.
Will Win the Division IF...Starting pitchers rebound in 2006. Aside from Hernandez, the rest of the staff had tough campaigns in 2005. Jarrod Washburn and Joel Pineiro must return to'02 form to take some pressure off their bats. Kenji Johjima picks up MLB as easily as Hideki Matsui and Ichiro giving the Mariners further offensive production.
RANGERS: In an attempt to strengthen a very depleted pitching staff the Rangers signed Kevin Millwood to a lucrative long term deal. They sent talented but defensively troubled star 2B Alfonso Soriano to Washington that broke up the most offensively formidable infield in baseball.
Strengths: Chicks dig the long ball and these guys hit them in bunches. Mark Teixiera is coming off a monster year in which he hit 43 HRs and drove in 144 runs. Fellow infielders Hank Blalock and Michael Young are among the best at their position offensively and defensively. They get great offensive numbers from everywhere on the field except 2B which will be left to rookie Ian Kinsler. Kevin Millwood had a very impressive ERA pitching for Cleveland last year and could be the number 1 starter Texas has desperately needed. Francisco Cordero notched 37 saves last year and proved to be a solid closer.
Weaknesses: As has been the case for the past several years, Texas has no pitching. They attempted to fix this through some trades, but there are still question marks. Their fourth and fifth starters have a cominbed 17 career wins with very limited Major League experience. Unless Antonio Alfonseca revitalizes himself, the Rangers have no steady bridge to Cordero in the bullpen.
Will Win the Division IF...The offense can outslug opponents. Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla win a bunch of ball games with this lineup and get some help from the other starters. Alfonseca establishes himself as a reliable setup guy to hand games over to Cordero.
AL East:
Projected Finish:
1) New York Yankees
2) Boston Red Sox
3) Toronto Blue Jays
4) Baltimore Orioles
5) Tampa Bay Devil Rays
YANKEES: The Yankees title drought has lasted five years and Steinbrenner will not tolerate a sixth. The Boss has come on record saying the Yankees will win the championship this year and the Bombers look capable of backing him up.
Strengths: With the addition of CF Johnny Damon, the Yankees possess the most feared lineup in baseball. There is no easy out in this lineup and they will score in bunches. Randy Johnson struggled in the first half of the season, but regained his form late to notch 17 victories in his first season in the Bronx. Mariano Rivera posted another brilliant campaign in '05 and remains the best closer in baseball. They added a left handed specialist in Mike Myers and Kyle Farnsworth takes over as the setup man for departed Tom Gordon. If the starters can stay healthy they have great depth with Johnson, Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Chien Ming-Wang, Shawn Chacon, and Aaron Small. The latter three played a huge role in taking the division last year and will help in either starting or bullpen roles this season.
Weaknesses: Injuries among the starting rotation is reason for concern. Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright have been riddled with injuries since signing lucrative deals last year. The bullpen is full of new pieces and finding the right guys to set up Rivera will take some time. Depth is a major issue and could be a concern for an aging lineup. The steroid investigations also could uncover new information that may serve as a huge distraction for Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi.
Will Win the Division IF...The pitchers stay healthy. Their starting rotation is deep with a good mix of young talent and proven veterans. The bullpen was given a much needed boost with the additions of Ron Villone, Mike Myers, Kyle Farnsworth, and potentially Octavio Dotel. If the lineup produces anywhere near what it's capable of, no reason they do not represent the AL in the Fall Classic.
RED SOX: Most of the '04 Champion Red Sox are gone, but the team boosts a strong starting rotation and a bunch of sure-handed fielders. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz should continue to be the most feared tandem in the league.
Strengths: Adding Josh Beckett will be a huge boost to the starting rotation. He is a young, talented pitcher who has already demonstrated success against arch rival New York. Ramirez and Ortiz are among the best run producers in baseball and should hold the new look line up together. The new infield is based more around defense, but Mark Loretta will constantly be on base and Mike Lowell has the potential for big power numbers. Wily Mo Pena will platoon in the OF, but has potential to be a big offensive force off the bench.
Weaknesses: Trading Bronson Arroyo might come back to hurt the Sox. With David Wells headed to the DL and Schilling coming off injury, a huge burden is put on Beckett, Tim Wakefield and Matt Clement. Highly touted prospect Jon Papelbon will be thrown in to the fire early. There are also big concerns about the back end of the bullpen with closer Keith Foulke's injury problems.
Will Win the Division IF... Beckett thrives in his first year in Boston. The closer role must be filled well by Foulke or hard throwing rookie Craig Hansen. This new set of players can establish the same chemistry as the '04 "Idiots" and Curt Schilling can rebound from injuries that limited him last year.
BLUE JAYS: The Jays made a big splash in the offseason by signing prize free agent starter AJ Burnett and closer BJ Ryan to huge deals. They also acquired Bengie Molina, Troy Glaus, and Lyle Overbay in their attempts to compete in the East.
Strengths: Roy Halladay is one of the top pitchers in baseball if he can stay healthy. AJ Burnett will be a very solid number two when returning from the DL and they should get consistency from Ted Lilly, Josh Towers,and Gustavo Chacin. BJ Ryan solidifies the closing role and is coming off a tremendous 36 save season with the Orioles. Vernon Wells continues to tease with his ability but could have a breakout year with some new pieces in place. Acquiring Molina, Glaus, and Overbay will be a big boost offensively as well as in the field.
Weaknesses: Health of starting pitching. AJ Burnett is already injured and Halladay has struggled to keep healthy the past couple years. The bullpen will struggle to hold leads and hand the ball over to Ryan. The lineup is short a powerful bat or two, but that could change if they are still in the race around the trade deadline.
Will Win the Division IF...Halladay can pitch 200+ innings the way he is capable of and Burnett can overcome his early injury. Vernon Wells needs to turn in to the player he demonstrates that he can be and they add another power hitter to the middle of the lineup before the deadline.
ORIOLES: The 2005 Campaign was clouded by the positive steroid test of 1B and potential Hall of Famer Rafael Palmeiro. Sammy Sosa failed to impress and is already out of town. The 2006 team looks to regain the success it experienced in the early part of '05.
Strengths: Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada established themselves as one of the best left infields in baseball. Brian Roberts was having an MVP first half of '05 before slowing down and ultimately suffering a devastating injury. He should return to the lineup soon and could continue to improve. Corey Patterson arrives with a lot of talent and could thrive in a new environment. Javy Lopez will be able to split time behind the plate with the arrival of Ramon Hernandez and Kevin Millar will provide some veteran leadership. The starting rotation received a boost with the addition of Kris Benson, and Bruce Chen pitched very well for the Birds in '05.
Weaknesses: With the departure of BJ Ryan, the closing job has been handed over to Chris Ray who has very limited experience at the end of games. Outside of Latroy Hawkins (and even thats generous), the bullpen doesn't have many proven arms. The starting rotation has its share of question marks with high ERAs causing several of them problems.
Will Win the Division IF... New pitching coach Leo Mazzone can transform his young staff to resemble the rotations he put together in his years with the Braves. Javy Lopez benefits from splitting time behind the plate and rejuvenates his offensive production. Chris Ray can turn in to a solid closer.
DEVIL RAYS: The Devil Rays displayed a lot of young talent and skills reminiscent of the 2003 Marlins with their incredible team speed. Joe Maddon takes over for Lou Piniella as manager and inherits a team that could cause headaches for the contenders.
Strengths: Team speed. Outfielders Carl Crawford and Joey Gathright can create major problems on the base paths. Jorge Cantu, Aubrey Huff, Rocco Balidelli and Jonny Gomes all had terrifc seasons in '05 and should repeat this season. Scott Kazmir is a talented young starter who has shown flashes of his enormous potential.
Weaknesses: Pitching. There are more questions than answers in the starting rotation and in the bullpen. Kazmir and Mark Hendrickson were the only starters to notch over 10 wins in 2005, but Hendrickson had an ERA just under six. The bullpen is filled with journeymen and inexperienced younger players with no true closer.
Will Win the Division IF...Other pitchers establish themselves. The young players grow up in a hurry and can withstand the tough divisional schedule. Need everything to break in their favor, along with acquiring help along their starting rotation and bullpen.
AL Overview: DIVISION WINNERS
Central-White Sox
West-Athletics
East-Yankees
Wild Card- Angels
AL Champion: New York Yankees
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