As we head towards Spring Training, it's time to check out where all 30 teams in Major League Baseball are headed as we enter the 2010 season. In this sixth installment we will analyze the Minnesota Twins.
-Minnesota Twins (2009 W/L: 87-76, 817 RS, 765 RA)
Key Additions: SS J.J. Hardy, 2B Orlando Hudson, DH Jim Thome
Key Departures: 3B Joe Crede, OF Carlos Gomez, RP Boof Bonser
Overview: The Twins will enter 2010 looking a little different than they did at the end of 2009. For one, they will be playing in a brand new ballpark, Target Field. They also have a new shortstop in J.J. Hardy and a new pair of veterans in Orlando Hudson and Jim Thome. Hardy was an All-Star with the Brewers in 2007 but after a solid 2008, he fell off in 2009 and was demoted to Triple-A in August before being called back up in September. In exchange for Hardy, the Twins sent centerfielder Carlos Gomez to the Brewers. The centerpiece of the Johan Santana trade with the Mets, Gomez never came close to justifying that title, posting a .645 OPS in 963 plate appearances during his time with the Twins. GM Bill Smith likely looked at this as a “buy low” situation with Hardy, however it is important to note that his declining numbers have coincided with a decline in his line-drive rate, a bad omen for any hitter. The ever popular O-Dog had a solid season with the Los Angeles Dodgers but again had to settle for a one year deal this offseason. Meanwhile Thome also finished his 2009 season with Dodgers after coming over in a trade from the White Sox. While he struggled as a pinch hitter, going homerless in 17 at-bats with the Dodgers, Thome had hit 23 homers with the White Sox.
Infield: The infield is anchored offensively and defensively by Morneau and the 2009 AL MVP, catcher Joe Mauer. Despite losing the last two weeks of the season to injury and suffering a prolonged slump due to the injury, Morneau still posted a 30 home run, 100 RBI season. Mauer just continues to get better, and despite missing time early in the season, Mauer hit .364 and hit 28 home runs and drove in 96 runs. The aforementioned Hardy and Hudson take over the middle part of the infield while Brendan Harris, Nick Punto and Mike Tolbert will compete for time at third.
Outfield: As impressive as the infield will be with Morneau, Mauer and Hudson, the Twins’ outfield is nothing to scoff at either. RF Michael Cuddyer bounced back from an injury riddled 2008 to hit 32 homers. CF Denard Span did what Gomez couldn’t do; get on-base, posting an elite .392 OBP in 578 ABs. After scoring 97 runs last season, Span should be a lock to score 100+ runs in front of this impressive Twins’ lineup. Leftfielder Delmon Young rounds out the outfield. Young has tremendous talent, but has yet to fully harness it. He appeared to turn the corner in ‘08, posting career highs across the board, but regressed in 2009, perhaps due to infrequent playing time. Still only 24, and now with a full-time job, this may be the year that Young finally breaks out.
Designated Hitter: The Twins’ main DH will be Jason Kubel, who had a career year last season, hitting 28 home runs, driving in 103 RBI and posting a .907 OPS. Thome will likely also see time at designated hitter, but barring injury, may only see time as a pinch hitter.
Starting Pitching: Righthanders Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn posted solid, if not spectacular numbers in 2009, combining to go 26-20 in 66 starts last season. Kevin Slowey will look to bounce back after suffering a wrist injury that ended his season prematurely in August. Veteran Carl Pavano returns after providing the Twins some veteran (gasp) leadership and stability after coming over from Cleveland in a mid-season trade. The fifth spot will likely go to Brian Duensing who was impressive in his 84 innings with the team last season. Duensing posted a 3.64 ERA while splitting time between the bullpen and the rotation in 2009.
Relief Pitching: Closer Joe Nathan had another impressive regular season, registering a 2.10 ERA and converting 47 of 52 save opportunities. Unfortunately, his ’09 campaign will be most remembered for his failure against the Yankees in the postseason. Doing his best Trevor Hoffman impersonation, Nathan allowed a game tying, two run home run to Alex Rodriguez in Game 2, a game that the Yankees would eventually win 4-3. However, Nathan remains an elite closer and provides the Twins’ with the late inning stability that so many teams lack. The setup role belongs to 30 year old Matt Guerrier who had a career best 0.969 WHIP last season. Jon Rauch, Jose Mijares and Jesse Crain flesh out the rest of the bullpen, with all three coming off solid 2009 seasons. The Twins should also receive a boost from the returning Pat Neshek, who last pitched in early May of 2008 before heading to the DL and eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery later that year in November. For his career, Neshek has a 2.91 ERA, with 142 strikeouts in 120.2 IP. The Twins will also continue their quest to salvage the career of Francisco Liriano, who after posting solid numbers in his return from Tommy John surgery in 2008, completely fell apart in 2009. Liriano went just 5-13 in 29 games, 24 starts, and posted an abysmal 5.80 ERA.
Projection: The Twins have quietly put together one of the best lineups in baseball. With Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer and Kubel, the Twins potentially have four 30+ home run hitters. Should Young realize his potential and if Hardy bounces back, the Twins’ could truly be scary. As with most teams, the question will be how the pitching staff holds up. The team dealt with injuries in the back end of the rotation last year, leading to the acquisition of Pavano and the thrusting of Duensing into the rotation. You don’t usually see teams be snake bitten by injuries two years in a row, so the Twins should improve on their 87 win season last year. A big question mark also lies in how the team deals with their new home. Granted, opposing teams will also have to deal with the bitter cold of Minnesota early and late in the season, but will grind of playing in potentially 20-30 degree weather for extended periods of time take their toll on the team? If the team adjusts well, the Twins above average pitching and outstanding lineup will stave off Chicago and their weak hitting and excellent pitching.
2010 Minnesota Twins: 93-69, 1st Place, AL Central
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
AL East Recap
Well, it took nearly three weeks, but the AL East is done. I'm going to have to pick up the pace here if I'm going to get the rest of baseball done before Opening Day!
Here is are the links to previews of each team in the AL East.
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
Here is are the links to previews of each team in the AL East.
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
30 Team Marathon: Toronto Blue Jays
As we head towards Spring Training, it's time to check out where all 30 teams in Major League Baseball are headed as we enter the 2010 season. In this fifth installment we will analyze the Toronto Blue Jays.
-Toronto Blue Jays (2009 W/L: 75-86, 798 RS, 771 RA)
Key Additions: SS Alex Gonzalez, C John Buck, SP/RP Brandon Morrow, SP Kyle Drabek
Key Losses: SP Roy Halladay, 2B Marco Scutaro, 1B Kevin Millar, C Rod Barajas
Overview: The 2000s weren’t quite as harsh to the Toronto Blue Jays as they were to the Orioles, they mustered a second place finish in the AL East in 2006 and they managed three 85+ win seasons in the decade. Unfortunately for the Jays, they don’t play baseball in the NL Central or NL West. Jays fans will have to remain patient with this team, because their run of 15 straight seasons should continue for at least the next 3-5 years. Former general manager JP Riccardi’s five year plan never came to fruition and ultimately culminated in his dismissal and the trade of franchise icon Roy Halladay. In return for Halladay, new GM Alex Anthopolous received starting pitcher Kyle Drabek, catcher Travis D'Arnaud and infielder Brett Wallace. Regardless of how they pan out, you’d have to say that Anthopolous’ rebuilding plan is already better than Riccardi’s, whose tenure saw big money contracts being handed to Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and the now departed Alex Rios and B.J. Ryan.
Infield: The Jays will struggle mightily to score runs this season. Their already weak hitting infield got only weaker with the departure of Barajas, who despite being an overall embarrassing player when forced into an everyday role, was a 15-20 home run guy when ran out there. He’s replaced by Buck who, let’s just say is more known for his defense than offense. Meanwhile the spunky Scutaro and his above average bat at shortstop are replaced by Alex Gonzalez and his below average bat. Lyle Overbay remains at first base, where he remains terribly overpaid (he will make about $8 million this season) for his production. Despite playing at a position where power is the norm, Overbay has slugged over .500 just once in his career and fans shouldn’t expect anything to change this year. The mediocrity train continues at third, where Edwin Encarnacion also provides a below average bat at a prime offensive position. The lone bright spot lies at second base, where Aaron Hill broke out with a 36 homer, 108 RBI season in 2009.
Outfield: The patchwork lineup continues in the outfield where Jose Bautista mans left field. The Jays’ other franchise icon (for more dubious reasons) remains in centerfield to continue his torture of fans and serve as a reminder of the Riccardi era. To say Vernon Wells has been a bitter disappointment since signing a seven-year, $126 million contract in 2007 would be a massive understatement. His every failure at the plate (and there’s a lot of those) is met with a chorus of boos in Toronto and right now it’s hard to project him to turn things around at this point. 22 year old Travis Snider showed some promise in limited time last season and in 2008. While his .241 batting average probably didn’t excite any old time fans, he has shown patience at the plate and impressive power in 314 big league at-bats.
Designated Hitter: The Jays other bright spot last season came in the form of Adam Lind’s bat. Lind broke out at the age of 27, batting .305/.370/.932 with 35 homers and 114 RBI while providing the Jays a solid 3-4 punch to go along with Hill.
Starting Pitching: Welcome to the Jays’ rotation after Halladay, its filled with more question marks than the Riddler’s costume. It’s difficult to project a rotation filled with youngsters and players returning from serious arm surgeries prior to the completion of Spring Training. Right now, the only sure thing is Ricky Romero who went 13-9 with a 4.30 ERA in 29 starts last season. From there, Brandon Morrow will be given an opportunity to compete for a starting job while Dustin McGowan and Shawn Marcum will both make a case for themselves after coming off shoulder surgery and Tommy John surgery respectively. Other youngsters Marc Rzepcynski and Brett Cecil will also complete for a spot in the rotation. How will things shakeout? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Middle Relief: The Jays’ bullpen may be the only somewhat solid area of the team entering the spring. They have a solid group of arms in Jeremy Accardo, Shawn Camp, Scott Downs and closer Jason Fraser. However, their effectiveness likely will take a hit this season with the departure of Halladay’s typical 200+ inning season. The combination of losing an ace and innings eater like Hallday, plus a rotation filled with young arms will result in a massive amount of innings falling on the arms of the bullpen. B.J. Ryan, while no longer on the team, will continue to haunt the team for one more season as the team still owes him $10 million for this season.
Projection: The Yankees and Sox are a mix of veterans in or just leaving their prime with some young players ready to contribute, the Rays are a mix of young players entering their prime along with some veterans who can still contribute and the Orioles are a mix of young players a year or two away from their prime with veterans who can still contribute. Meanwhile, the Jays are a team filled with unproven young players, a rotation filled with question marks and the few veterans they do have are terribly overpaid and are crippling the team’s finances. We all know how this story will end.
2010 Toronto Blue Jays: 60-102, 5th Place AL East.
-Toronto Blue Jays (2009 W/L: 75-86, 798 RS, 771 RA)
Key Additions: SS Alex Gonzalez, C John Buck, SP/RP Brandon Morrow, SP Kyle Drabek
Key Losses: SP Roy Halladay, 2B Marco Scutaro, 1B Kevin Millar, C Rod Barajas
Overview: The 2000s weren’t quite as harsh to the Toronto Blue Jays as they were to the Orioles, they mustered a second place finish in the AL East in 2006 and they managed three 85+ win seasons in the decade. Unfortunately for the Jays, they don’t play baseball in the NL Central or NL West. Jays fans will have to remain patient with this team, because their run of 15 straight seasons should continue for at least the next 3-5 years. Former general manager JP Riccardi’s five year plan never came to fruition and ultimately culminated in his dismissal and the trade of franchise icon Roy Halladay. In return for Halladay, new GM Alex Anthopolous received starting pitcher Kyle Drabek, catcher Travis D'Arnaud and infielder Brett Wallace. Regardless of how they pan out, you’d have to say that Anthopolous’ rebuilding plan is already better than Riccardi’s, whose tenure saw big money contracts being handed to Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and the now departed Alex Rios and B.J. Ryan.
Infield: The Jays will struggle mightily to score runs this season. Their already weak hitting infield got only weaker with the departure of Barajas, who despite being an overall embarrassing player when forced into an everyday role, was a 15-20 home run guy when ran out there. He’s replaced by Buck who, let’s just say is more known for his defense than offense. Meanwhile the spunky Scutaro and his above average bat at shortstop are replaced by Alex Gonzalez and his below average bat. Lyle Overbay remains at first base, where he remains terribly overpaid (he will make about $8 million this season) for his production. Despite playing at a position where power is the norm, Overbay has slugged over .500 just once in his career and fans shouldn’t expect anything to change this year. The mediocrity train continues at third, where Edwin Encarnacion also provides a below average bat at a prime offensive position. The lone bright spot lies at second base, where Aaron Hill broke out with a 36 homer, 108 RBI season in 2009.
Outfield: The patchwork lineup continues in the outfield where Jose Bautista mans left field. The Jays’ other franchise icon (for more dubious reasons) remains in centerfield to continue his torture of fans and serve as a reminder of the Riccardi era. To say Vernon Wells has been a bitter disappointment since signing a seven-year, $126 million contract in 2007 would be a massive understatement. His every failure at the plate (and there’s a lot of those) is met with a chorus of boos in Toronto and right now it’s hard to project him to turn things around at this point. 22 year old Travis Snider showed some promise in limited time last season and in 2008. While his .241 batting average probably didn’t excite any old time fans, he has shown patience at the plate and impressive power in 314 big league at-bats.
Designated Hitter: The Jays other bright spot last season came in the form of Adam Lind’s bat. Lind broke out at the age of 27, batting .305/.370/.932 with 35 homers and 114 RBI while providing the Jays a solid 3-4 punch to go along with Hill.
Starting Pitching: Welcome to the Jays’ rotation after Halladay, its filled with more question marks than the Riddler’s costume. It’s difficult to project a rotation filled with youngsters and players returning from serious arm surgeries prior to the completion of Spring Training. Right now, the only sure thing is Ricky Romero who went 13-9 with a 4.30 ERA in 29 starts last season. From there, Brandon Morrow will be given an opportunity to compete for a starting job while Dustin McGowan and Shawn Marcum will both make a case for themselves after coming off shoulder surgery and Tommy John surgery respectively. Other youngsters Marc Rzepcynski and Brett Cecil will also complete for a spot in the rotation. How will things shakeout? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Middle Relief: The Jays’ bullpen may be the only somewhat solid area of the team entering the spring. They have a solid group of arms in Jeremy Accardo, Shawn Camp, Scott Downs and closer Jason Fraser. However, their effectiveness likely will take a hit this season with the departure of Halladay’s typical 200+ inning season. The combination of losing an ace and innings eater like Hallday, plus a rotation filled with young arms will result in a massive amount of innings falling on the arms of the bullpen. B.J. Ryan, while no longer on the team, will continue to haunt the team for one more season as the team still owes him $10 million for this season.
Projection: The Yankees and Sox are a mix of veterans in or just leaving their prime with some young players ready to contribute, the Rays are a mix of young players entering their prime along with some veterans who can still contribute and the Orioles are a mix of young players a year or two away from their prime with veterans who can still contribute. Meanwhile, the Jays are a team filled with unproven young players, a rotation filled with question marks and the few veterans they do have are terribly overpaid and are crippling the team’s finances. We all know how this story will end.
2010 Toronto Blue Jays: 60-102, 5th Place AL East.
Friday, February 19, 2010
30 Team Marathon: Baltimore Orioles
As we head towards Spring Training, it's time to check out where all 30 teams in Major League Baseball are headed as we enter the 2010 season. In this fourth installment we will analyze the Baltimore Orioles.
(Little different format, trying to get less wordy, keyword "trying")
-Baltimore Orioles (2009 W/L: 63-98, 741 RS, 876 RA)
Key Additions: CP Mike Gonzalez, SP Kevin Millwood, 3B Miguel Tejada, 3B Garrett Atkins
Key Departures: RP Chris Ray, RP Danys Baez, 3B Melvin Mora
Overview: What a rotten decade for the Birds. The franchise highpoint was an early run in 2005 that saw them sitting a half game in first place in the AL East on June 23rd, 2005 with a record of 42-30. From that point until the end of the 2009 season, the O’s would go just 303-434. Fortunately for the Orioles, their 10 year run of futility may soon be over. When you look at the Orioles of 2010, you’ll see flashes of the Rays of 2007. A young and exciting outfield, a blossoming young pitching staff and some veterans that will help guide the youngsters to the right path. Much like the Rays of ’07, , they won’t make the playoffs or be even be close to legitimate contender, but there’ll be many games where fans of the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays will shake their head in frustration at the sight of their team being shut down and ran over by this Orioles team.
Infield: Third baseman Melvin Mora was allowed to walk away after a rocky season where he battled ineffectiveness, injuries and his manage Dave Trembley. Despite posting career lows in nearly every category, Mora still made noise about his (lack of) playing time. With Mora gone, the returning Miguel Tejada will make the transition to third base for the first time in his career. Tejada is no spring chicken, but he proved his bat is still potent after posting his best offensive season since 2006 in 2009. As usual, second base will be manned by Brian Roberts, who continued to provide stability in the lineup and leadership to the team last season. Soft hitting and slick fielding shortstop Caesar Izturis returns for his second season in Baltimore. At first base, the duo of Ty Wigginton and 27 year old rookie Michael Aubrey will battle for playing time. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on catcher Matt Wieters as he enters year two of his career. Wieters lived up to the hype through 354 major league at-bats, batting at a .288/.340/.753 clip.
Outfield: Centerfielder Adam Jones is the centerpiece of the Orioles outfield, the 24 year old took huge strides last season and is on the verge of stardom after an All-Star game selection and Gold Glove in 2009. He’s joined by 26 year old right fielder Nick Markakis who has been a household name in the AL East since his breakout 2007 season. In left, fellow 26 year old, left fielder Nolan Reimold will prepare for his first full season in the majors. After being called up in May of last season, Reimold was impressive, batting .279/.365/.831 with 15 homers and 47 RBI. With Reimold now a mainstay in the outfield, Luke Scott has become a full-time designated hitter. The 31 year old has developed a cult following in Baltimore (listen for the LUUUKKKEE cheers from the crowd when he steps up to bat), mainly due to his power numbers and his percent for registering big hits against the hated Yankees.
Starting Pitching: Realizing that it would be unfair to place too much pressure on his young pitching staff, GM Andy MacPhail acquired Kevin Millwood over the winter from Texas to bring a solid veteran arm to the rotation and a mentor to his young pitchers. Millwood had a bounce back 2009 after posting back to back seasons of 5+ ERAs in Texas but it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to AL East offenses. Jeremy Guthrie struggled after an impressive 2008 but a return to form could give the Orioles a solid 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. The real story here however, is the trio of Brad Bergesen, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman. Bergesen is the oldest of the three at the ripe old age of 24, with Matusz only 23 and Tillman only 22. Bergesen enjoyed the most success last season, but both Matusz and Tillman showed flashes of what they could do (see Matusz's 7 inning, 4 hit, 1 run game versus the Yankees on Sept 12). The future of the Orioles hinge on the arms of these three young hurlers and watching their development will give Oriole fans something to watch throughout the season.
Relief Pitching: The only two constants you can see at this point in the Orioles’ pen will be setup man Jim Johnson and closer Mike Gonzalez. Johnson served as the team’s closer for a good portion of 09, but is better suited for the setup role in which he is more familiar. Gonzalez comes over from Atlanta off an impressive 2009 season. Two years removed from Tommy John surgery and seemingly fully healthy, Gonzalez split time closing for the Braves with Rafael Soriano and posted a .242 ERA, allowing 56 hits and striking out 90 batters in just 74.1 innings. It’s hard to expect him to post those types of numbers in the American League East, but he will at the very least provide the Orioles with a veteran in the back end of their bullpen. Swingman Mark Hendrickson returns to provide the Orioles with an emergency spot starter and a solid middle relief arm for the fifth and sixth innings of games.
Projection: 2010 will go down as one of the most important seasons in history of the franchise. The team won’t compete with the big boys, but the development of the young bats and arms during the course of the season will dictate how this decade works out for the Orioles. With Wieters, Jones, Markakis and their trio of young pitchers, the Orioles have a solid young core to work with. Earlier I said that the 2010 Orioles are reminiscent of the 2007 Rays, well in 2011, the Orioles could very well be reminiscent 2008 Rays.
2010 Baltimore Orioles: 72-90, 4th place, AL East
(Little different format, trying to get less wordy, keyword "trying")
-Baltimore Orioles (2009 W/L: 63-98, 741 RS, 876 RA)
Key Additions: CP Mike Gonzalez, SP Kevin Millwood, 3B Miguel Tejada, 3B Garrett Atkins
Key Departures: RP Chris Ray, RP Danys Baez, 3B Melvin Mora
Overview: What a rotten decade for the Birds. The franchise highpoint was an early run in 2005 that saw them sitting a half game in first place in the AL East on June 23rd, 2005 with a record of 42-30. From that point until the end of the 2009 season, the O’s would go just 303-434. Fortunately for the Orioles, their 10 year run of futility may soon be over. When you look at the Orioles of 2010, you’ll see flashes of the Rays of 2007. A young and exciting outfield, a blossoming young pitching staff and some veterans that will help guide the youngsters to the right path. Much like the Rays of ’07, , they won’t make the playoffs or be even be close to legitimate contender, but there’ll be many games where fans of the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays will shake their head in frustration at the sight of their team being shut down and ran over by this Orioles team.
Infield: Third baseman Melvin Mora was allowed to walk away after a rocky season where he battled ineffectiveness, injuries and his manage Dave Trembley. Despite posting career lows in nearly every category, Mora still made noise about his (lack of) playing time. With Mora gone, the returning Miguel Tejada will make the transition to third base for the first time in his career. Tejada is no spring chicken, but he proved his bat is still potent after posting his best offensive season since 2006 in 2009. As usual, second base will be manned by Brian Roberts, who continued to provide stability in the lineup and leadership to the team last season. Soft hitting and slick fielding shortstop Caesar Izturis returns for his second season in Baltimore. At first base, the duo of Ty Wigginton and 27 year old rookie Michael Aubrey will battle for playing time. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on catcher Matt Wieters as he enters year two of his career. Wieters lived up to the hype through 354 major league at-bats, batting at a .288/.340/.753 clip.
Outfield: Centerfielder Adam Jones is the centerpiece of the Orioles outfield, the 24 year old took huge strides last season and is on the verge of stardom after an All-Star game selection and Gold Glove in 2009. He’s joined by 26 year old right fielder Nick Markakis who has been a household name in the AL East since his breakout 2007 season. In left, fellow 26 year old, left fielder Nolan Reimold will prepare for his first full season in the majors. After being called up in May of last season, Reimold was impressive, batting .279/.365/.831 with 15 homers and 47 RBI. With Reimold now a mainstay in the outfield, Luke Scott has become a full-time designated hitter. The 31 year old has developed a cult following in Baltimore (listen for the LUUUKKKEE cheers from the crowd when he steps up to bat), mainly due to his power numbers and his percent for registering big hits against the hated Yankees.
Starting Pitching: Realizing that it would be unfair to place too much pressure on his young pitching staff, GM Andy MacPhail acquired Kevin Millwood over the winter from Texas to bring a solid veteran arm to the rotation and a mentor to his young pitchers. Millwood had a bounce back 2009 after posting back to back seasons of 5+ ERAs in Texas but it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to AL East offenses. Jeremy Guthrie struggled after an impressive 2008 but a return to form could give the Orioles a solid 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. The real story here however, is the trio of Brad Bergesen, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman. Bergesen is the oldest of the three at the ripe old age of 24, with Matusz only 23 and Tillman only 22. Bergesen enjoyed the most success last season, but both Matusz and Tillman showed flashes of what they could do (see Matusz's 7 inning, 4 hit, 1 run game versus the Yankees on Sept 12). The future of the Orioles hinge on the arms of these three young hurlers and watching their development will give Oriole fans something to watch throughout the season.
Relief Pitching: The only two constants you can see at this point in the Orioles’ pen will be setup man Jim Johnson and closer Mike Gonzalez. Johnson served as the team’s closer for a good portion of 09, but is better suited for the setup role in which he is more familiar. Gonzalez comes over from Atlanta off an impressive 2009 season. Two years removed from Tommy John surgery and seemingly fully healthy, Gonzalez split time closing for the Braves with Rafael Soriano and posted a .242 ERA, allowing 56 hits and striking out 90 batters in just 74.1 innings. It’s hard to expect him to post those types of numbers in the American League East, but he will at the very least provide the Orioles with a veteran in the back end of their bullpen. Swingman Mark Hendrickson returns to provide the Orioles with an emergency spot starter and a solid middle relief arm for the fifth and sixth innings of games.
Projection: 2010 will go down as one of the most important seasons in history of the franchise. The team won’t compete with the big boys, but the development of the young bats and arms during the course of the season will dictate how this decade works out for the Orioles. With Wieters, Jones, Markakis and their trio of young pitchers, the Orioles have a solid young core to work with. Earlier I said that the 2010 Orioles are reminiscent of the 2007 Rays, well in 2011, the Orioles could very well be reminiscent 2008 Rays.
2010 Baltimore Orioles: 72-90, 4th place, AL East
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
30 Team Marathon: Tampa Bay Rays
As we head towards Spring Training, it's time to check out where all 30 teams in Major League Baseball are headed as we enter the 2010 season. In this third installment we will analyze the Tampa Bay Rays.
-Tampa Bay Rays (2009 W/L: 84-78, 803 RS, 754 RA)
Key Additions: RP Rafael Soriano, C Kelly Shoppach
Key Departures: 2B Akinori Iwamura
Starting Pitching: Meet the 2010 Rays’ starting rotation, same as the 2009 Rays’ rotation. The difference? Everyone is a year older, and while that is something that makes fans of most teams shudder, the Rays’ young pitchers can afford another year of wisdom and development. James Shields, Matt Garza and Jeff Niemann (all 28 years old or younger), combined to make 95 starts and throw over 600 innings in 2009 and a repeat performance by those three alone would make the Rays a force to deal with in the AL East. But the Rays also could see huge production from lefty David Price and righthander Wade Davis. Price, a hero out of the bullpen for the Rays during their 2008 run towards the World Series, re-debuted in mid-May as a full-time Major League starter. Price, much like Joba Chamberlain, showed brilliance on the mound at times while also mixing in bouts of wildness and ineffectiveness. With nearly a full season of pitching at the major league level under his belt, Price easily could win 15 plus games this season and dominate opposing batters with his electric slider. Davis was a September call-up and instantly impressed. In his debut against the Detroit Tigers, he tossed seven innings of one run ball, striking out nine and walking just one batter. His follow-up performance against the Red Sox wasn’t quite as pretty (8IP, 8ER, 4BB), but Davis had a strong showing the rest of the way. Davis could end up starting the season in Triple A, much like Price did last season. Starting the season there would allow him to get regular work (fifth starters not needed in April for the most part) and serve as a confidence booster as he gets ready for the grind of a 20+ starts in the majors. Davis has been projected to have number one or two type stuff with his power fastball complimented by a 11-5 curve and hard, tight slider. The Rays’ starters could give nightmares to lineups throughout baseball.
Bullpen: After experimenting with veterans Jason Isringhausen and Troy Percivel over the course of the past two seasons, the Rays will hope that Rafael Soriano can provide some stability to the back of their bullpen. Soriano saved 27 games for the Braves last season with a 2.97 ERA while striking 102 batters in just 75.2 innings. Expect his numbers to suffer as he makes the adjustment to the AL East. He will still be a welcome sight to a team that had saves recorded by nine different pitchers last season, not a good recipe for any team hoping to compete. Soriano’s arrival will allow J.P. Howell to slide into the setup role, giving the Rays a formidable duo in the eighth and ninth innings.
Infield: The Rays’ infield will basically be the same as it was on the final day of the 2009 season save for the trade of Akinori Iwamura who was involved in the Rafael Soriano trade. Taking his place will be Ben Zobrist who performed exceptionally in the lineup when Iwamura went down with an injury last season. Zobrist had a breakout season, batting at a .297/.405/.948 clip with 27 home runs and 91 RBI, making Iwamura expendable. His double play partner Jason Bartlett also had a career season, hitting 14 homers and knocking in 66 RBI. Should the veteran Bartlett falter, 23 year old Reid Brignac will be given the chance to take the job. The anchors of the infield however, lie as one would expect, at the corners. Third baseman Evan Longoria proved that his stellar debut in 2008 was no fluke and barring any injuries, a 40 homer/130 RBI season is not out of the question this year. Meanwhile, first baseman Carlos Pena continued to haunt the Yankees and Red Sox, both of whom had Pena within their system in 2006. Pena has hit 116 home runs since joining the Rays at the start of 2007, including 39 last season despite an injury that kept him out of the last three weeks of the season. However, Pena’s low average and high strikeout rate keep him out of the top tier of first basemen in the game.
Outfield: The Rays’ outfield took a hit in 2009 as centerfielder B.J. Upton continued to regress from his breakout 2007 season. Upton hit just .241 and his OBP was a paltry .313 in 09 and his winter was topped off losing his arbitration case to the Rays. It will be interesting to see how the talented 25 year old bounces back. Meanwhile franchise icon, leftfielder Carl Crawford, may be entering his final season with the team as enters the last season of his contract. The lefty was dynamic as ever last season, swiping 60 bases and posting a career high OBP of .364. Should the Rays falter before July 31st, expect to hear Crawford and the words “Red Sox” or “Yankees” connected so often that you will want to go deaf. The team will enter camp with an open competition in rightfield, with veteran Gabe Kapler looking to fend over 25 year old Matt Joyce and 26 year old Fernando Perez. Joyce was expected to be the full-time rightfielder last season, but an injury forced him out of all but 11 games last season.
Catcher: Youngster Dioner Navarro took a dramatic step backwards in 2009, as he watched his .OPS fall from a respectable .757 in 2008 to an embarrassing .583 last season. Still his isolated power and discipline numbers remained similar, which should give the Rays hope that last year was an outlier, a “career worst” season. This is further illustrated in his .313 BAbip (batting average on balls in play) in 2008 and .231 BAbip in 2009, so you can expect his numbers to balance out to somewhere in between this season. Navarro will compete with veteran Kelly Shoppach, who also struggled last season with the Cleveland Indians, hitting a career low .214. However, Shoppach’s power potential could give him the edge once camp breaks.
Designated Hitter: The Rays built their team through drafts and trades, working around their small payroll to construct a team that can compete with the triple digit payrolls of the Yankees and Red Sox. However, even small market teams make a few moves in free agency and last season that move was DH Pat Burrell. Burrell was infamous for making Philly fans suffer through his inconsistencies, and his reputation continued in Tampa Bay last season after signing a two year deal for $16 million. Burrell hit just 14 homers and drove in 64 runs to go along with a .221 average and .315 OBP. All career lows. The Rays were hopeful that they could dump his contract on someone else this offseason, but that never came to fruition. Perhaps after a year of adjusting to American League pitching, Burrell can bounce back, but I’d doubt there are any Rays fans holding their breath.
Players to Watch: As mentioned earlier, Wade Davis could go from fifth starter to staff ace by the end of the season. If BJ Upton struggles or if Crawford is traded, might we also see an appearance from outfield prospect Desmond Jennings? Jennings excelled after earning a promotion to AAA last season and is very close to the majors. The question will be when the Rays want to his major league service time clock to begin to tick.
Outlook for 2010: The Rays are still a young team and young teams are always going to be very inconsistent. Their closer is coming over from the National League and might find himself shell shocked by the end of April by AL offenses. Carl Crawford may become distracted by constant trade rumors should the Rays stumble out of the gate. Can Upton rebound after a disappointing 2009? Was Zobrist’s 2009 season a fluke? The answers to those questions will be interesting to watch for. It is also important to note that the only way that the Rays will likely be active at the trade deadline is if they are out of contention as teams make calls for Crawford. Unlike the Yankees and Red Sox, there’s little to no chance that they will be able to add significant players through a trade due to their payroll constrictions.
Prediction: 89-73, Third Place, AL East
-Tampa Bay Rays (2009 W/L: 84-78, 803 RS, 754 RA)
Key Additions: RP Rafael Soriano, C Kelly Shoppach
Key Departures: 2B Akinori Iwamura
Starting Pitching: Meet the 2010 Rays’ starting rotation, same as the 2009 Rays’ rotation. The difference? Everyone is a year older, and while that is something that makes fans of most teams shudder, the Rays’ young pitchers can afford another year of wisdom and development. James Shields, Matt Garza and Jeff Niemann (all 28 years old or younger), combined to make 95 starts and throw over 600 innings in 2009 and a repeat performance by those three alone would make the Rays a force to deal with in the AL East. But the Rays also could see huge production from lefty David Price and righthander Wade Davis. Price, a hero out of the bullpen for the Rays during their 2008 run towards the World Series, re-debuted in mid-May as a full-time Major League starter. Price, much like Joba Chamberlain, showed brilliance on the mound at times while also mixing in bouts of wildness and ineffectiveness. With nearly a full season of pitching at the major league level under his belt, Price easily could win 15 plus games this season and dominate opposing batters with his electric slider. Davis was a September call-up and instantly impressed. In his debut against the Detroit Tigers, he tossed seven innings of one run ball, striking out nine and walking just one batter. His follow-up performance against the Red Sox wasn’t quite as pretty (8IP, 8ER, 4BB), but Davis had a strong showing the rest of the way. Davis could end up starting the season in Triple A, much like Price did last season. Starting the season there would allow him to get regular work (fifth starters not needed in April for the most part) and serve as a confidence booster as he gets ready for the grind of a 20+ starts in the majors. Davis has been projected to have number one or two type stuff with his power fastball complimented by a 11-5 curve and hard, tight slider. The Rays’ starters could give nightmares to lineups throughout baseball.
Bullpen: After experimenting with veterans Jason Isringhausen and Troy Percivel over the course of the past two seasons, the Rays will hope that Rafael Soriano can provide some stability to the back of their bullpen. Soriano saved 27 games for the Braves last season with a 2.97 ERA while striking 102 batters in just 75.2 innings. Expect his numbers to suffer as he makes the adjustment to the AL East. He will still be a welcome sight to a team that had saves recorded by nine different pitchers last season, not a good recipe for any team hoping to compete. Soriano’s arrival will allow J.P. Howell to slide into the setup role, giving the Rays a formidable duo in the eighth and ninth innings.
Infield: The Rays’ infield will basically be the same as it was on the final day of the 2009 season save for the trade of Akinori Iwamura who was involved in the Rafael Soriano trade. Taking his place will be Ben Zobrist who performed exceptionally in the lineup when Iwamura went down with an injury last season. Zobrist had a breakout season, batting at a .297/.405/.948 clip with 27 home runs and 91 RBI, making Iwamura expendable. His double play partner Jason Bartlett also had a career season, hitting 14 homers and knocking in 66 RBI. Should the veteran Bartlett falter, 23 year old Reid Brignac will be given the chance to take the job. The anchors of the infield however, lie as one would expect, at the corners. Third baseman Evan Longoria proved that his stellar debut in 2008 was no fluke and barring any injuries, a 40 homer/130 RBI season is not out of the question this year. Meanwhile, first baseman Carlos Pena continued to haunt the Yankees and Red Sox, both of whom had Pena within their system in 2006. Pena has hit 116 home runs since joining the Rays at the start of 2007, including 39 last season despite an injury that kept him out of the last three weeks of the season. However, Pena’s low average and high strikeout rate keep him out of the top tier of first basemen in the game.
Outfield: The Rays’ outfield took a hit in 2009 as centerfielder B.J. Upton continued to regress from his breakout 2007 season. Upton hit just .241 and his OBP was a paltry .313 in 09 and his winter was topped off losing his arbitration case to the Rays. It will be interesting to see how the talented 25 year old bounces back. Meanwhile franchise icon, leftfielder Carl Crawford, may be entering his final season with the team as enters the last season of his contract. The lefty was dynamic as ever last season, swiping 60 bases and posting a career high OBP of .364. Should the Rays falter before July 31st, expect to hear Crawford and the words “Red Sox” or “Yankees” connected so often that you will want to go deaf. The team will enter camp with an open competition in rightfield, with veteran Gabe Kapler looking to fend over 25 year old Matt Joyce and 26 year old Fernando Perez. Joyce was expected to be the full-time rightfielder last season, but an injury forced him out of all but 11 games last season.
Catcher: Youngster Dioner Navarro took a dramatic step backwards in 2009, as he watched his .OPS fall from a respectable .757 in 2008 to an embarrassing .583 last season. Still his isolated power and discipline numbers remained similar, which should give the Rays hope that last year was an outlier, a “career worst” season. This is further illustrated in his .313 BAbip (batting average on balls in play) in 2008 and .231 BAbip in 2009, so you can expect his numbers to balance out to somewhere in between this season. Navarro will compete with veteran Kelly Shoppach, who also struggled last season with the Cleveland Indians, hitting a career low .214. However, Shoppach’s power potential could give him the edge once camp breaks.
Designated Hitter: The Rays built their team through drafts and trades, working around their small payroll to construct a team that can compete with the triple digit payrolls of the Yankees and Red Sox. However, even small market teams make a few moves in free agency and last season that move was DH Pat Burrell. Burrell was infamous for making Philly fans suffer through his inconsistencies, and his reputation continued in Tampa Bay last season after signing a two year deal for $16 million. Burrell hit just 14 homers and drove in 64 runs to go along with a .221 average and .315 OBP. All career lows. The Rays were hopeful that they could dump his contract on someone else this offseason, but that never came to fruition. Perhaps after a year of adjusting to American League pitching, Burrell can bounce back, but I’d doubt there are any Rays fans holding their breath.
Players to Watch: As mentioned earlier, Wade Davis could go from fifth starter to staff ace by the end of the season. If BJ Upton struggles or if Crawford is traded, might we also see an appearance from outfield prospect Desmond Jennings? Jennings excelled after earning a promotion to AAA last season and is very close to the majors. The question will be when the Rays want to his major league service time clock to begin to tick.
Outlook for 2010: The Rays are still a young team and young teams are always going to be very inconsistent. Their closer is coming over from the National League and might find himself shell shocked by the end of April by AL offenses. Carl Crawford may become distracted by constant trade rumors should the Rays stumble out of the gate. Can Upton rebound after a disappointing 2009? Was Zobrist’s 2009 season a fluke? The answers to those questions will be interesting to watch for. It is also important to note that the only way that the Rays will likely be active at the trade deadline is if they are out of contention as teams make calls for Crawford. Unlike the Yankees and Red Sox, there’s little to no chance that they will be able to add significant players through a trade due to their payroll constrictions.
Prediction: 89-73, Third Place, AL East
Friday, February 5, 2010
30 Team Marathon: Boston Red Sox
As we head towards Spring Training, it's time to check out where all 30 teams in Major League Baseball are headed as we enter the 2010 season. In this second installment we will analyze the Boston Red Sox.
- Boston Red Sox: (2009 W/L: 95-67, 872 Runs Scored, 736 Runs Allowed)
Key Additions: SS Marco Scutaro, SP John Lackey, OF Mike Cameron, 3B Adrian Beltre
Key Departures: 1B Casey Kotchman
Starting Pitching: The Red Sox enter 2010 much like they did in 2009, with depth in their rotation. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Bucholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield are the returning faces while free agent signee John Lackey has also joined the fray. It looks incredibly solid on paper, but like the Sox discovered in 2009, that means nothing. The big issues for the Sox will be whether Beckett puts up a contract year type season, or if he continues to be the typically inconsistent regular season starter that he usually is. Lester has emerged as a legitimate superstar pitcher and would be the on paper ace on nearly any team in baseball. The Red Sox biggest acquisition, Lackey, is a proven commodity and his workhorse mentality will be welcomed in Fenway. Bucholz suffered the typical ups and downs of any young starting pitcher. The biggest question for the Sox, and perhaps the difference between competing for the AL East crown versus another wild card berth, is Dice-K. After winning 18 games and posting a sub 3.00 ERA in 2008, Dice-K dealt with ineffectiveness and injury in 2009, winning just four games with a 5.76 ERA. A return to form for Dice-K would give the Red Sox the pitching they need to compete with the Yankees. An injury or hiccup in camp from Bucholz, or Dice-K would likely result in Wakefield stepping into the rotation.
Bullpen: The usual suspects are back for another campaign in Boston. Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and Ramon Ramirez will all be there for middle relief duty once again. Daniel Bard emerged as an effective setup man in 2009, posting a terrific 11.5 SO/9. Bard may just be the closer of the future as the relationship between the Sox and closer Jonathan Papelbon continues to appear to be strained. Papelbon claims to be content with the lack of commitment from the front office while cashing in on large one year deals while avoiding arbitration. Still, after the way Papelbon flamed out in 2009 and the fact that he continues to cause issues for the team with his comments to the media, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sox begin to shop Papelbon during the course of the season. For as long as he remains in Boston however, Papelbon is one of the top closers in the game and for now, is the least of the Red Sox issues.
Infield: If you notice the “Key Departures” section, there really weren’t any significant departures for the Red Sox this offseason…much to the chagrin of GM Theo Epstein. Epstein was determined to trade 3B Mike Lowell, his degenerative hip and declining range during the winter but ultimately an injured thumb prevented any deal from going through. It appeared at one point that Lowell was headed to Texas, but after the Rangers discovered a 95-percent tear in his radial collateral ligament in his right thumb, the deal died. So for now, Lowell is a $12 million backup to newly acquired Adrian Beltre. Beltre’s numbers at the plate will always be disappointing for a player with his amount of talent, but defense at third is spectacular and he will no doubt save a bunch of runs for Sox pitchers over the course of the season. Another new face is SS Marco Scutaro. Scutaro played the past two seasons in Toronto and his solid bat and glove will provide stability in a position that has been nothing but a headache since Epstein decided to let Orlando Cabrera walk away. Finally, the two rocks in the Red Sox lineup, second baseman Dustin Pedroia and first baseman Kevin Youkilis round out the infield and should continue to produce at elite levels.
Outfield: The Sox worked to negotiate a return for LF Jason Bay but ultimately deemed his price too high. They instead chose to shore up their outfield defense by signing Mike Cameron. Despite his age, 37, Cameron remains one of the top defensive centerfielders in baseball and also will provide some pop at the bottom of the order, albeit at the cost of about 150 strikeouts. His arrival means that the defensively challenged Jacoby Ellsbury can slide over to left field. While Ellsbury’s defense was sometimes disappointing, he continued to produce at the plate and on the base paths, batting .301 to go along with 70 SBs. Over in right, J.D. Drew continued to produce when he was healthy. Expect the same story for Drew in 2010.
Catcher: The Red Sox brought in Victor Martinez to spark a sagging offense at the trade deadline in 2009 and he didn’t disappoint, hitting at a .336/.405/.912 clip during 56 games with Boston. Martinez will split time at catcher, DH and first base, but is officially listed as catcher despite his defensive struggles. Sox icon and team captain Jason Varitek will make $3 million this season to back-up Martinez, making him the highest paid backup catcher in baseball. Varitek finally completely fell off the ledge offensively and defensively in 2009, posting a pathetic .702 OPS while regularly looking lost behind the plate. However, his value lies in his leadership, illustrated by the big C on his uniform.
Designated Hitter: It will be interesting to see how the Sox handle David Ortiz’s at-bats this season should he get off to another sluggish start. While his awful start in 09 (he didn’t hit a homer until May 20th) was masked by Jason Bay’s hot start, Bay isn’t around to provide the lineup any insurance this time around.
Players to Watch: Despite a disappointing 09 minor league campaign, 1B Lars Anderson remains atop the Red Sox prospects list. However, with a logjam in the DH/1B department in the majors, it may be tough for Anderson to make an impact unless injury strikes the big club.
Outlook for 2010: Despite an aging lineup, you can never count the Red Sox out. They may not have the talent to outpace the Yankees or maybe even the Rays this season in the AL East, but another Wild Card berth is hardly out of the question. Don’t be surprised if the Red Sox attention is directed more towards the Rays this year than the Yankees.
Prediction: 91-71, Second Place, AL East
- Boston Red Sox: (2009 W/L: 95-67, 872 Runs Scored, 736 Runs Allowed)
Key Additions: SS Marco Scutaro, SP John Lackey, OF Mike Cameron, 3B Adrian Beltre
Key Departures: 1B Casey Kotchman
Starting Pitching: The Red Sox enter 2010 much like they did in 2009, with depth in their rotation. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Bucholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield are the returning faces while free agent signee John Lackey has also joined the fray. It looks incredibly solid on paper, but like the Sox discovered in 2009, that means nothing. The big issues for the Sox will be whether Beckett puts up a contract year type season, or if he continues to be the typically inconsistent regular season starter that he usually is. Lester has emerged as a legitimate superstar pitcher and would be the on paper ace on nearly any team in baseball. The Red Sox biggest acquisition, Lackey, is a proven commodity and his workhorse mentality will be welcomed in Fenway. Bucholz suffered the typical ups and downs of any young starting pitcher. The biggest question for the Sox, and perhaps the difference between competing for the AL East crown versus another wild card berth, is Dice-K. After winning 18 games and posting a sub 3.00 ERA in 2008, Dice-K dealt with ineffectiveness and injury in 2009, winning just four games with a 5.76 ERA. A return to form for Dice-K would give the Red Sox the pitching they need to compete with the Yankees. An injury or hiccup in camp from Bucholz, or Dice-K would likely result in Wakefield stepping into the rotation.
Bullpen: The usual suspects are back for another campaign in Boston. Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and Ramon Ramirez will all be there for middle relief duty once again. Daniel Bard emerged as an effective setup man in 2009, posting a terrific 11.5 SO/9. Bard may just be the closer of the future as the relationship between the Sox and closer Jonathan Papelbon continues to appear to be strained. Papelbon claims to be content with the lack of commitment from the front office while cashing in on large one year deals while avoiding arbitration. Still, after the way Papelbon flamed out in 2009 and the fact that he continues to cause issues for the team with his comments to the media, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sox begin to shop Papelbon during the course of the season. For as long as he remains in Boston however, Papelbon is one of the top closers in the game and for now, is the least of the Red Sox issues.
Infield: If you notice the “Key Departures” section, there really weren’t any significant departures for the Red Sox this offseason…much to the chagrin of GM Theo Epstein. Epstein was determined to trade 3B Mike Lowell, his degenerative hip and declining range during the winter but ultimately an injured thumb prevented any deal from going through. It appeared at one point that Lowell was headed to Texas, but after the Rangers discovered a 95-percent tear in his radial collateral ligament in his right thumb, the deal died. So for now, Lowell is a $12 million backup to newly acquired Adrian Beltre. Beltre’s numbers at the plate will always be disappointing for a player with his amount of talent, but defense at third is spectacular and he will no doubt save a bunch of runs for Sox pitchers over the course of the season. Another new face is SS Marco Scutaro. Scutaro played the past two seasons in Toronto and his solid bat and glove will provide stability in a position that has been nothing but a headache since Epstein decided to let Orlando Cabrera walk away. Finally, the two rocks in the Red Sox lineup, second baseman Dustin Pedroia and first baseman Kevin Youkilis round out the infield and should continue to produce at elite levels.
Outfield: The Sox worked to negotiate a return for LF Jason Bay but ultimately deemed his price too high. They instead chose to shore up their outfield defense by signing Mike Cameron. Despite his age, 37, Cameron remains one of the top defensive centerfielders in baseball and also will provide some pop at the bottom of the order, albeit at the cost of about 150 strikeouts. His arrival means that the defensively challenged Jacoby Ellsbury can slide over to left field. While Ellsbury’s defense was sometimes disappointing, he continued to produce at the plate and on the base paths, batting .301 to go along with 70 SBs. Over in right, J.D. Drew continued to produce when he was healthy. Expect the same story for Drew in 2010.
Catcher: The Red Sox brought in Victor Martinez to spark a sagging offense at the trade deadline in 2009 and he didn’t disappoint, hitting at a .336/.405/.912 clip during 56 games with Boston. Martinez will split time at catcher, DH and first base, but is officially listed as catcher despite his defensive struggles. Sox icon and team captain Jason Varitek will make $3 million this season to back-up Martinez, making him the highest paid backup catcher in baseball. Varitek finally completely fell off the ledge offensively and defensively in 2009, posting a pathetic .702 OPS while regularly looking lost behind the plate. However, his value lies in his leadership, illustrated by the big C on his uniform.
Designated Hitter: It will be interesting to see how the Sox handle David Ortiz’s at-bats this season should he get off to another sluggish start. While his awful start in 09 (he didn’t hit a homer until May 20th) was masked by Jason Bay’s hot start, Bay isn’t around to provide the lineup any insurance this time around.
Players to Watch: Despite a disappointing 09 minor league campaign, 1B Lars Anderson remains atop the Red Sox prospects list. However, with a logjam in the DH/1B department in the majors, it may be tough for Anderson to make an impact unless injury strikes the big club.
Outlook for 2010: Despite an aging lineup, you can never count the Red Sox out. They may not have the talent to outpace the Yankees or maybe even the Rays this season in the AL East, but another Wild Card berth is hardly out of the question. Don’t be surprised if the Red Sox attention is directed more towards the Rays this year than the Yankees.
Prediction: 91-71, Second Place, AL East
30 Team Marathon: New York Yankees
As we head towards Spring Training, it's time to check out where all 30 teams in Major League Baseball are headed as we enter the 2010 season. In this first installment, we'll start from the top and analyze the 2009 World Series Champions, New York Yankees.
- New York Yankees: (2009 W/L: 103-59, 915 Runs Scored, 753 Runs Allowed)
Key Additions: OF Curtis Granderson, DH/1B Nick Johnson, SP Javier Vasquez, OF Randy Winn
Key Departures: LF Johnny Damon, DH Hideki Matsui, SP Chien Ming Wang, OF Melky Cabrera, SP Ian Kennedy, RP Phil Coke, OF Austin Jackson
Starting Pitching: After dramatically altering their rotation last season with the acquisitions of C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, the Yankees were much quieter this offseason in the starting pitching front. They once again resigned Andy Pettitte to a one year deal and added a veteran arm in Javier Vasquez. Vasquez, still best remembered in New York for the infamous grand slam he served up to Johnny Damon in game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, claims to be wiser this time around. However, unlike 2004 when he was asked to be an ace/#2 type starter, in 2010 he’ll simply be looked upon to provide 200 innings of solid pitching which is something he’s done in nine of his 12 major league seasons. The drama in spring training will surround the fifth spot in the rotation where Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and the likes of Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre will compete to round things out. Chamberlain should be considered the early favorite now that he is all but free of the shackles of the “Joba Rules” after tossing 157.1 innings as a starter last season. Hughes finds himself in the same position as Chamberlain did last season, under an innings limit and with many in the media calling for him to remain in the bullpen. Regardless of who eventually wins out in camp, expect both of these pitchers to see significant time starting as injuries always occur in the rotation (who really thinks Burnett is staying healthy for a third straight year?).
Bullpen: It’s difficult to predict the production you’ll get from a major league reliever these days and as an example, look no further than the Yankees opening day 2009 bullpen compared to the bullpen during the postseason. Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez were long gone and forgotten by the time the All-Star break rolled around and Damaso Marte, who was persona non grata entering the season, had emerged as a bullpen weapon along with Phil Hughes. At least on opening day, expect to see the likes of Alfredo Aceves, Marte, David Robertson and Gaudin in the bullpen. However, by mid-July, you know the only name still guaranteed to be looming in the Yankees’ pen is Mariano Rivera. Rivera, after another virtuoso October performance in which he gave up just one run in 16 innings, needs no words written about him. Many will question if this is the year he finally runs out of gas, but haven’t we heard that asked every season since 2004?
Infield: The Yankees’ infield remains intact from 2009 with Mark Teixeira manning first base, Robinson Cano at second, Derek Jeter at shortstop and Alex Rodriguez at third. Teixeria’s arrival last season improved the infield defense all around, with his range allowing him to nab the ground balls and line drives that would have blown by Jason Giambi in the past, and his glove allowing him to scoop the errant throws from A-Rod, Jeter and Cano that might’ve normally gone down as errors with Giambi. Production wise, Cano and Tex are the only two in their prime, with Jeter on the cusp of 36 and A-Rod approaching 35. The question will be how much longer Jeter can continue to produce at an elite level and if A-Rod’s health will become a factor once again during the season.
Outfield: The area where the Yankees underwent the most renovating this season lies in the outfield. Granderson takes over for Melky Cabrera in centerfield, while Brett Gardner replaces Johnny Damon in left. Granderson’s defense has become a question mark in the eyes of scouts but his bat is elite at his production, at least when facing righties. Gardner and Randy Winn will handle left field in a platoon spot but are unlikely to even approach Damon’s production. The one constant is Nick Swisher in right, who’s hot and cold streaks made some fans’ heads explode month by month. However, his gregarious personality, OBP and ability to work counts have made him a popular Yankee.
Catcher: Jorge Posada once again will make his home behind the plate after another often times tumultuous season where he butted heads with his starting pitchers. Burnett and Chamberlain were typically seen arguing with Posada over the way he calls games and as a result, manager Joe Girardi paired them up with Jose Molina. With Molina gone, it will be more important than ever for all sides to work better with Posada. Francisco Cervelli’s emergence allowed Molina to become expendable, the rookie backstop’s fiery demeanor and excellent defense helped him to become a fan favorite. However, while his game is similar to Molina’s he lacks the experience and it will be interesting to see if he can build upon the moderate success he had in 2009.
Designated Hitter: Reacquired Nick Johnson will be prominently featured at DH, expect him to see at least 400 to 450 at-bats as the Yankees will also utilize the DH spot to rest their aging veterans. Johnson’s production is unlikely to match Hideki Matsui’s, but much like Swisher, Johnson is an expert at working the pitcher and driving up pitch counts.
Players to Watch: The Yankees managed to wheel and deal without trading their biggest chip in the minors, catcher Jesus Montero. Montero’s bat is project to be Manny Ramirez-esque, although it is unlikely that he will have a position in the majors due to his inadequacies behind the plate. However, a long term injury to Posada could result in Montero’s Bronx debut. Also, don’t forget about pitcher Mark Melancon. Melancon had a spotty debut in 13 appearances for the Yankees last season but his minor league numbers (8.7 SO/9) indicate that given the opportunity, he could be an above average reliever at the Major League level.
Outlook for 2010: The Yankees will enter the 2010 season as favorites to win it all in October again but as the past decade made clear, nothing can guarantee October success on a regular basis in today’s MLB.
Prediction: 97-65, First Place AL East
- New York Yankees: (2009 W/L: 103-59, 915 Runs Scored, 753 Runs Allowed)
Key Additions: OF Curtis Granderson, DH/1B Nick Johnson, SP Javier Vasquez, OF Randy Winn
Key Departures: LF Johnny Damon, DH Hideki Matsui, SP Chien Ming Wang, OF Melky Cabrera, SP Ian Kennedy, RP Phil Coke, OF Austin Jackson
Starting Pitching: After dramatically altering their rotation last season with the acquisitions of C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, the Yankees were much quieter this offseason in the starting pitching front. They once again resigned Andy Pettitte to a one year deal and added a veteran arm in Javier Vasquez. Vasquez, still best remembered in New York for the infamous grand slam he served up to Johnny Damon in game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, claims to be wiser this time around. However, unlike 2004 when he was asked to be an ace/#2 type starter, in 2010 he’ll simply be looked upon to provide 200 innings of solid pitching which is something he’s done in nine of his 12 major league seasons. The drama in spring training will surround the fifth spot in the rotation where Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and the likes of Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre will compete to round things out. Chamberlain should be considered the early favorite now that he is all but free of the shackles of the “Joba Rules” after tossing 157.1 innings as a starter last season. Hughes finds himself in the same position as Chamberlain did last season, under an innings limit and with many in the media calling for him to remain in the bullpen. Regardless of who eventually wins out in camp, expect both of these pitchers to see significant time starting as injuries always occur in the rotation (who really thinks Burnett is staying healthy for a third straight year?).
Bullpen: It’s difficult to predict the production you’ll get from a major league reliever these days and as an example, look no further than the Yankees opening day 2009 bullpen compared to the bullpen during the postseason. Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez were long gone and forgotten by the time the All-Star break rolled around and Damaso Marte, who was persona non grata entering the season, had emerged as a bullpen weapon along with Phil Hughes. At least on opening day, expect to see the likes of Alfredo Aceves, Marte, David Robertson and Gaudin in the bullpen. However, by mid-July, you know the only name still guaranteed to be looming in the Yankees’ pen is Mariano Rivera. Rivera, after another virtuoso October performance in which he gave up just one run in 16 innings, needs no words written about him. Many will question if this is the year he finally runs out of gas, but haven’t we heard that asked every season since 2004?
Infield: The Yankees’ infield remains intact from 2009 with Mark Teixeira manning first base, Robinson Cano at second, Derek Jeter at shortstop and Alex Rodriguez at third. Teixeria’s arrival last season improved the infield defense all around, with his range allowing him to nab the ground balls and line drives that would have blown by Jason Giambi in the past, and his glove allowing him to scoop the errant throws from A-Rod, Jeter and Cano that might’ve normally gone down as errors with Giambi. Production wise, Cano and Tex are the only two in their prime, with Jeter on the cusp of 36 and A-Rod approaching 35. The question will be how much longer Jeter can continue to produce at an elite level and if A-Rod’s health will become a factor once again during the season.
Outfield: The area where the Yankees underwent the most renovating this season lies in the outfield. Granderson takes over for Melky Cabrera in centerfield, while Brett Gardner replaces Johnny Damon in left. Granderson’s defense has become a question mark in the eyes of scouts but his bat is elite at his production, at least when facing righties. Gardner and Randy Winn will handle left field in a platoon spot but are unlikely to even approach Damon’s production. The one constant is Nick Swisher in right, who’s hot and cold streaks made some fans’ heads explode month by month. However, his gregarious personality, OBP and ability to work counts have made him a popular Yankee.
Catcher: Jorge Posada once again will make his home behind the plate after another often times tumultuous season where he butted heads with his starting pitchers. Burnett and Chamberlain were typically seen arguing with Posada over the way he calls games and as a result, manager Joe Girardi paired them up with Jose Molina. With Molina gone, it will be more important than ever for all sides to work better with Posada. Francisco Cervelli’s emergence allowed Molina to become expendable, the rookie backstop’s fiery demeanor and excellent defense helped him to become a fan favorite. However, while his game is similar to Molina’s he lacks the experience and it will be interesting to see if he can build upon the moderate success he had in 2009.
Designated Hitter: Reacquired Nick Johnson will be prominently featured at DH, expect him to see at least 400 to 450 at-bats as the Yankees will also utilize the DH spot to rest their aging veterans. Johnson’s production is unlikely to match Hideki Matsui’s, but much like Swisher, Johnson is an expert at working the pitcher and driving up pitch counts.
Players to Watch: The Yankees managed to wheel and deal without trading their biggest chip in the minors, catcher Jesus Montero. Montero’s bat is project to be Manny Ramirez-esque, although it is unlikely that he will have a position in the majors due to his inadequacies behind the plate. However, a long term injury to Posada could result in Montero’s Bronx debut. Also, don’t forget about pitcher Mark Melancon. Melancon had a spotty debut in 13 appearances for the Yankees last season but his minor league numbers (8.7 SO/9) indicate that given the opportunity, he could be an above average reliever at the Major League level.
Outlook for 2010: The Yankees will enter the 2010 season as favorites to win it all in October again but as the past decade made clear, nothing can guarantee October success on a regular basis in today’s MLB.
Prediction: 97-65, First Place AL East
Monday, February 1, 2010
MLB All Decade Team 2000-2009
For the past decade, we have seen some of the greatest players in the history of baseball. Inflated numbers or not, baseball has been fun to watch. Many of these players will still be in discussion for the next list ten years from today.
C Joe Mauer
I realize he's only been in the league 6 seasons, and fans may want to see Ivan Rodriguez or Jorge Posada here, but you just can't argue with what he's done in a bit more than half of the decade. He batted over .325 this decade, including three batting titles. Mauer was the first AL catcher to win the batting title, and he did it three times. That's more than every catcher in baseball history combined. Gold Glove in 2008 and 2009. AL MVP in 2009. The next ten years are going to include a lot of comparisons to Mike Piazza.
1B Albert Pujols
There was absolutely no effort made in coming to this decision. This decade, Pujols has three MVP awards to his name. During his worst season, he batted .314 with 34 home runs. Despite the MLB Draft meaning virtually nothing in this sport, this guy was a 13th rounder. Meanwhile, Pujols is on pace to become the best first baseman of all time, let alone this decade.
2B Chase Utley
We can't forget that Jeff Kent began the decade by winning the NL MVP. Regardless, after seven seasons, Chase Utley is the best 2nd baseman in the game. Funnily enough, while in the minors, he was moved to 3rd because of his poor defensive play. He's now considered one of the best defensive second basemen in all of baseball. On top of that, he averaged .300 and 30 home runs, and we can't forget that he's been a force in the post-season.
3B Alex Rodriguez
It can be argued that Chipper Jones should take this spot, as Alex Rodriguez didn't become a 3rd baseman until 2004. It's a valid arguement too. Their numbers are very similar. The big difference is that A-Rod took home two MVP trophies at 3rd this decade. Despite missing games early in 2009, he still managed to go 30-100, making him the only player to do so every season this decade. Also despite having the label of not hitting in the clutch, he certainly did so in the 2009 playoffs, and has the hardware to prove it.
SS Derek Jeter
Jeter averaged over .315 this decade. In four of those years he finished in the top 5 in hitting. Jeter has the second most hits this decade behind Ichiro. Despite unfairly being criticized as the worst defensive shortstop in the game, he won four Gold Gloves. The captain of the New York Yankees led his team to four World Series this decade, bringing home two rings.
LF Barry Bonds
No one wants to recognize the decade's biggest anti-hero, and might even suggest Manny Ramirez deserves this spot as he actually played during the entire decade. Bonds won four MVPs this decade and that's more than any other player in the MLB...ever. His average was .320+ throughout the decade, and obviously had the 73 homerun season in 2001. This is considered tainted, but as I previously have mentioned, there will not be an asterisk next to it, and it's surely a record that's not going to fall any time soon, if ever. Bonds hit .370 in 2002 and you can't really blame PEDs for that.
CF Carlos Beltran
Beltran was arguably the best defensive center fielder this decade with three gold gloves. The quintessential "5 Tool" player, he does it all. Beltran stole over 90% of the bases he attempted to steal. He hit 41 home runs in 2006, becoming only the second switch hitter to hit 35 home runs and steal 35 bases. He is perhaps the most underrated player, let alone outfielder, of the decade, despite is ridiculous playoff performance with Houston in 2004. Beltran is always consistent, and when healthy, a player to fear both on offense and defense.
RF Ichiro Suzuki
I had considered Vladimir Guerrero for this spot, and his numbers were phenomenal this decade. Just not good enough. Ichiro had the most hits of the decade, and remarkably that number is almost 100 more than the person who hit the second most (See SS above), and it was done in one less year. Ichiro has had 200 hits in every season he's played in the majors, the only player to ever do so. His average for the decade is one point below the player with the highest average this decade, who happens to be sitting in the 1B spot. Two batting titles. Gold Glove every year in the majors. He won Rookie of the Year and AL MVP in 2001. The guy is just unreal.
DH David Ortiz
People question why the Twins ever let him go. I don't. His numbers were inflated by the juice, and he didn't seem to be on it while in Minnesota. This decade, he's hit almost 100 more homeruns than the only other DH that had even crossed my mind in Frank Thomas. He also led Major League designated hitters in most statistical categories. Considered a great story of the decade, steroid accusations have certainly slowed that down but you can't argue how valuable he's been to the Boston Red Sox.
SP 1 Randy Johnson
Despite being mostly overlooked since being the co-MVP of the 2001 World Series and gathering a measly three Cy Young Awards, Johnson racked up a 143-78 record, with a sub 3.5 ERA and over 2,000 strikeouts this decade. He's been in the league over 20 seasons and still throws over 90mph. Just when you think it's time to call it quits, he comes back for more.
SP 2 Pedro Martinez
Combine a Cy Young award in 2000, a 112-50 record, a slightly over 3.00 ERA, and three all-star appearances, and you have one of the most feared pitchers to ever play the game, let alone this decade. He had a few injury plagued seasons with the New York Mets, but still managed to have good overall numbers in 10 years. The "Who's Your Daddy?" mantra that surfaced in 2004 was only furthered with the New York Yankees' victory in the 2009 World Series against Pedro's Phillies, but that doesn't stop him from being number two in this decade's rotation.
SP 3 Roger Clemens
Clemens was on three World Series teams this decade, winning one of them in 2000 with the New York Yankees. He won two Cy Young Awards, one with both the Yankees and Houston Astros. Playing during only eight of the ten years of the decade, Clemens was an All-Star in half of those years. The PED scandal may tarnish his legitimacy, but he should still end up in the Hall of Fame.
SP 4 Curt Schilling
Schilling will best be remembered for a bloody sock. With a ruptured tendon in his right ankle, he put in a heartful performance in the 2004 World Series while with the Boston Red Sox. He also won again with the Red Sox and 2007 as well as the 2001 World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks where he was named co-MVP. He was a three time All-Star this decade.
SP 5 Johan Santana
Considering Santana came into the league as a reliever in 2000, and wasn't a full-time starter until 2004, his numbers are astounding. Playing for the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets, Santana has racked up a 122-60 record with two Cy Young Awards. Santana is considered by many to be the best pitcher in the game today, and at the very least the best south paw. If the New York Mets manage to turn their 2009 flop of a season around, you can be guaranteed that Santana played a vital role in doing so.
Closer 1 Mariano Rivera
Nothing puts fear into the hearts of opposing batters more than when "Enter Sandman" blasts from the Yankee Stadium speakers. In this decade, Rivera had a 2.08 ERA with 397 saves. His dominating cutter makes him arguably the best closer to ever play the game. He will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Closer 2 Trevor Hoffman
The all-time saves leader (591) racked up 363 this decade. He has had at least 30 saves every season except one, while battling injuries. Another Hall of Famer.
Manager Joe Torre
Managing both the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers this decade, Torre managed to bring his teams to the playoffs every year this decade. He had one World Series victory in 2000 with the Yankees.
GM Theo Epstein
Epstein brought the Boston Red Sox out of their over 80 year World Series drought in 2004, and brought the "Curse of the Babe" to an end. Oh, and then decided to do it again in 2007. He has built up a great young team that should see success throughout the next decade.
C Joe Mauer
I realize he's only been in the league 6 seasons, and fans may want to see Ivan Rodriguez or Jorge Posada here, but you just can't argue with what he's done in a bit more than half of the decade. He batted over .325 this decade, including three batting titles. Mauer was the first AL catcher to win the batting title, and he did it three times. That's more than every catcher in baseball history combined. Gold Glove in 2008 and 2009. AL MVP in 2009. The next ten years are going to include a lot of comparisons to Mike Piazza.
1B Albert Pujols
There was absolutely no effort made in coming to this decision. This decade, Pujols has three MVP awards to his name. During his worst season, he batted .314 with 34 home runs. Despite the MLB Draft meaning virtually nothing in this sport, this guy was a 13th rounder. Meanwhile, Pujols is on pace to become the best first baseman of all time, let alone this decade.
2B Chase Utley
We can't forget that Jeff Kent began the decade by winning the NL MVP. Regardless, after seven seasons, Chase Utley is the best 2nd baseman in the game. Funnily enough, while in the minors, he was moved to 3rd because of his poor defensive play. He's now considered one of the best defensive second basemen in all of baseball. On top of that, he averaged .300 and 30 home runs, and we can't forget that he's been a force in the post-season.
3B Alex Rodriguez
It can be argued that Chipper Jones should take this spot, as Alex Rodriguez didn't become a 3rd baseman until 2004. It's a valid arguement too. Their numbers are very similar. The big difference is that A-Rod took home two MVP trophies at 3rd this decade. Despite missing games early in 2009, he still managed to go 30-100, making him the only player to do so every season this decade. Also despite having the label of not hitting in the clutch, he certainly did so in the 2009 playoffs, and has the hardware to prove it.
SS Derek Jeter
Jeter averaged over .315 this decade. In four of those years he finished in the top 5 in hitting. Jeter has the second most hits this decade behind Ichiro. Despite unfairly being criticized as the worst defensive shortstop in the game, he won four Gold Gloves. The captain of the New York Yankees led his team to four World Series this decade, bringing home two rings.
LF Barry Bonds
No one wants to recognize the decade's biggest anti-hero, and might even suggest Manny Ramirez deserves this spot as he actually played during the entire decade. Bonds won four MVPs this decade and that's more than any other player in the MLB...ever. His average was .320+ throughout the decade, and obviously had the 73 homerun season in 2001. This is considered tainted, but as I previously have mentioned, there will not be an asterisk next to it, and it's surely a record that's not going to fall any time soon, if ever. Bonds hit .370 in 2002 and you can't really blame PEDs for that.
CF Carlos Beltran
Beltran was arguably the best defensive center fielder this decade with three gold gloves. The quintessential "5 Tool" player, he does it all. Beltran stole over 90% of the bases he attempted to steal. He hit 41 home runs in 2006, becoming only the second switch hitter to hit 35 home runs and steal 35 bases. He is perhaps the most underrated player, let alone outfielder, of the decade, despite is ridiculous playoff performance with Houston in 2004. Beltran is always consistent, and when healthy, a player to fear both on offense and defense.
RF Ichiro Suzuki
I had considered Vladimir Guerrero for this spot, and his numbers were phenomenal this decade. Just not good enough. Ichiro had the most hits of the decade, and remarkably that number is almost 100 more than the person who hit the second most (See SS above), and it was done in one less year. Ichiro has had 200 hits in every season he's played in the majors, the only player to ever do so. His average for the decade is one point below the player with the highest average this decade, who happens to be sitting in the 1B spot. Two batting titles. Gold Glove every year in the majors. He won Rookie of the Year and AL MVP in 2001. The guy is just unreal.
DH David Ortiz
People question why the Twins ever let him go. I don't. His numbers were inflated by the juice, and he didn't seem to be on it while in Minnesota. This decade, he's hit almost 100 more homeruns than the only other DH that had even crossed my mind in Frank Thomas. He also led Major League designated hitters in most statistical categories. Considered a great story of the decade, steroid accusations have certainly slowed that down but you can't argue how valuable he's been to the Boston Red Sox.
SP 1 Randy Johnson
Despite being mostly overlooked since being the co-MVP of the 2001 World Series and gathering a measly three Cy Young Awards, Johnson racked up a 143-78 record, with a sub 3.5 ERA and over 2,000 strikeouts this decade. He's been in the league over 20 seasons and still throws over 90mph. Just when you think it's time to call it quits, he comes back for more.
SP 2 Pedro Martinez
Combine a Cy Young award in 2000, a 112-50 record, a slightly over 3.00 ERA, and three all-star appearances, and you have one of the most feared pitchers to ever play the game, let alone this decade. He had a few injury plagued seasons with the New York Mets, but still managed to have good overall numbers in 10 years. The "Who's Your Daddy?" mantra that surfaced in 2004 was only furthered with the New York Yankees' victory in the 2009 World Series against Pedro's Phillies, but that doesn't stop him from being number two in this decade's rotation.
SP 3 Roger Clemens
Clemens was on three World Series teams this decade, winning one of them in 2000 with the New York Yankees. He won two Cy Young Awards, one with both the Yankees and Houston Astros. Playing during only eight of the ten years of the decade, Clemens was an All-Star in half of those years. The PED scandal may tarnish his legitimacy, but he should still end up in the Hall of Fame.
SP 4 Curt Schilling
Schilling will best be remembered for a bloody sock. With a ruptured tendon in his right ankle, he put in a heartful performance in the 2004 World Series while with the Boston Red Sox. He also won again with the Red Sox and 2007 as well as the 2001 World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks where he was named co-MVP. He was a three time All-Star this decade.
SP 5 Johan Santana
Considering Santana came into the league as a reliever in 2000, and wasn't a full-time starter until 2004, his numbers are astounding. Playing for the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets, Santana has racked up a 122-60 record with two Cy Young Awards. Santana is considered by many to be the best pitcher in the game today, and at the very least the best south paw. If the New York Mets manage to turn their 2009 flop of a season around, you can be guaranteed that Santana played a vital role in doing so.
Closer 1 Mariano Rivera
Nothing puts fear into the hearts of opposing batters more than when "Enter Sandman" blasts from the Yankee Stadium speakers. In this decade, Rivera had a 2.08 ERA with 397 saves. His dominating cutter makes him arguably the best closer to ever play the game. He will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Closer 2 Trevor Hoffman
The all-time saves leader (591) racked up 363 this decade. He has had at least 30 saves every season except one, while battling injuries. Another Hall of Famer.
Manager Joe Torre
Managing both the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers this decade, Torre managed to bring his teams to the playoffs every year this decade. He had one World Series victory in 2000 with the Yankees.
GM Theo Epstein
Epstein brought the Boston Red Sox out of their over 80 year World Series drought in 2004, and brought the "Curse of the Babe" to an end. Oh, and then decided to do it again in 2007. He has built up a great young team that should see success throughout the next decade.
An Asterisk on the Home Run Record? Don’t Count On It
Myth: History will have you believe that when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in the 1961 season, there was an asterisk next to his name for breaking the record in 162 games instead of 154, and that he never got to see it removed before his death.
Fact: The idea of an asterisk was first suggested by sportswriter Dick Young, and the concept was just forced into the imagination of the public. There was never an asterisk next to Roger Maris’ name.
Fifty years later, as the steroid era looms over us, the notion of an asterisk has again burrowed its way deep into the hearts of baseball enthusiasts. Mark McGwire has finally admitted to his steroid usage, and I’m sure Barry Bonds will one day follow suit. Even if Jose Canseco hadn’t selfishly outted players in a selfish attempt to make a quick buck, just following the career of Barry Bands could have caused plenty of speculation. The guy went from a svelte 30/30 guy to a pure home run hitter over the course of his career. The sad part is that he was always an outstanding player, and didn’t need to ruin his mark on history by taking the juice.
Now that Barry Bonds holds the record for home runs in a season with 73, many believe there should be an asterisk next to this number, and that the true record should belong to Roger Maris. I’m all about baseball being pure, and I’d be perfectly content for the record going back to Maris’ name, but it’s just never going to happen. You just cannot speculate that these home runs do not occur if not on steroids. Sure, common sense tells you otherwise, but steroids can’t teach a man how to hit a baseball.
Think about it. For over a century, there was no steroids use policy in Major League Baseball. To throw an asterisk next to the likes of Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds’ names would force the league to look into every type of cheater that baseball could possibly have, many of which are sitting in the hall of fame. The “spitball” has been illegal since 1920. Just to use a name that most are familiar with, although there are many names associated with this pitch, a man considered one of the top 100 baseball players of all time, Gaylord Perry, has openly admitted throwing a spitter his entire career. He even wrote an autobiography about it. If using this pitch is considered cheating, and using it makes you a better pitcher, then shouldn’t there be an asterisk next to his name as well?
So even though Mark Ecko had an asterisk placed on the record breaking baseball that now sits in the hall, there will never be one next to Barry’s name. Even though Bonds or McGwire may never end up in the hall of fame as a result of this scandal, their numbers will remain untainted in the record books. The fact of the matter is that the American public just loves a good story. All those who openly discussed their PED usage immediately, notably Alex Rodriguez, have already been forgotten about. Alex Rodriguez will be a first ballot hall of famer with no questions asked. There will not be an asterisk next to his name, nor will the public or the MLB push for one. Had Bonds admitted his usage from day one, I guarantee this story was dead two years ago. “There’s no such thing as an asterisk in baseball,” said Barry Bonds. He’s right, and there never will be. No one can alter the course of history.
Fact: The idea of an asterisk was first suggested by sportswriter Dick Young, and the concept was just forced into the imagination of the public. There was never an asterisk next to Roger Maris’ name.
Fifty years later, as the steroid era looms over us, the notion of an asterisk has again burrowed its way deep into the hearts of baseball enthusiasts. Mark McGwire has finally admitted to his steroid usage, and I’m sure Barry Bonds will one day follow suit. Even if Jose Canseco hadn’t selfishly outted players in a selfish attempt to make a quick buck, just following the career of Barry Bands could have caused plenty of speculation. The guy went from a svelte 30/30 guy to a pure home run hitter over the course of his career. The sad part is that he was always an outstanding player, and didn’t need to ruin his mark on history by taking the juice.Now that Barry Bonds holds the record for home runs in a season with 73, many believe there should be an asterisk next to this number, and that the true record should belong to Roger Maris. I’m all about baseball being pure, and I’d be perfectly content for the record going back to Maris’ name, but it’s just never going to happen. You just cannot speculate that these home runs do not occur if not on steroids. Sure, common sense tells you otherwise, but steroids can’t teach a man how to hit a baseball.
Think about it. For over a century, there was no steroids use policy in Major League Baseball. To throw an asterisk next to the likes of Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds’ names would force the league to look into every type of cheater that baseball could possibly have, many of which are sitting in the hall of fame. The “spitball” has been illegal since 1920. Just to use a name that most are familiar with, although there are many names associated with this pitch, a man considered one of the top 100 baseball players of all time, Gaylord Perry, has openly admitted throwing a spitter his entire career. He even wrote an autobiography about it. If using this pitch is considered cheating, and using it makes you a better pitcher, then shouldn’t there be an asterisk next to his name as well?
So even though Mark Ecko had an asterisk placed on the record breaking baseball that now sits in the hall, there will never be one next to Barry’s name. Even though Bonds or McGwire may never end up in the hall of fame as a result of this scandal, their numbers will remain untainted in the record books. The fact of the matter is that the American public just loves a good story. All those who openly discussed their PED usage immediately, notably Alex Rodriguez, have already been forgotten about. Alex Rodriguez will be a first ballot hall of famer with no questions asked. There will not be an asterisk next to his name, nor will the public or the MLB push for one. Had Bonds admitted his usage from day one, I guarantee this story was dead two years ago. “There’s no such thing as an asterisk in baseball,” said Barry Bonds. He’s right, and there never will be. No one can alter the course of history.2010 MLB Pre-Season Power Rankings
Here we have FUNK Baseball’s first official MLB Power Rankings of 2010. These are all pure speculation. They are strictly my opinion, and I encourage debate and criticism.
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (2009: 62-99)
For Pirates fans who were saddened by their 2009 showing, don’t expect much better this year. They are not good on offense, and have no pitching. The team produces great young talent and then trades them away. It is for this reason the Pittsburgh Pirates hold the worst spot in FUNK's first ever Power Rankings.
29. Washington Nationals (2009: 59-103)
Well it certainly can’t get much worse for the Washington Nationals, but there’s no reason to believe it’s going to get too much better in 2010. They helped their pitching staff with Jason Marquis. They have a lot to look forward to in Stephen Strasburg. I expect the Nationals to land in the basement of the NL East, but they should improve on 59 wins, and finish higher than the Pittsburgh Pirates.
28. Toronto Blue Jays (2009: 75-87)
Expect the Blue Jays to have an even worse showing than their poor 2009 campaign. Realistically, even with a much better showing, they’re still not coming close to the top of the AL East. They lost the best right handed pitcher in the game, and now have to play the waiting game with their prospects. They have absolutely no pitching, so it will be a few years before this team is worth mentioning with the big boys again.
27. Cleveland Indians (2009: 65-97)
The Indians offense isn’t all that bad. I always pick the Indians to have a big season and win the AL Central, and they always let me down. The team will score runs, but will their pitching help? The rotation is almost all completely new, and they’re very much in rebuilding mode. Their only upside is they began the rebuilding process almost 2 years ago.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks (2009: 70-92)
This was a ranking that could go either way. They could very well be much better than this, but after finishing 25 games under the Dodgers in 2009, it’s hard to give them much respect. They can be happy knowing their three best players (Upton, Reynolds, Montero) are all young and should be around for a while. Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson don’t make for too bad of a rotation either.
25. San Diego Padres (2009: 75-87)
The Padres are hoping to build off of a strong finish to the 2009 season. Their offense was led by Adrian Gonzalez and that’s pretty much where it ends. Kevin Kouzmanoff, who I think should have been given more time on this team, is no longer with the Padres. There’s some hope being put into Chase Headley, but until the Padres hit above .245 as a team, they have no chance in the NL West. Their ace now plays for the Chicago White Sox, but Health Bell does provide some light at the end of the tunnel. The only problem is that his biggest assets come into play when they’re already winning a ballgame.
24. Houston Astros (2009: 74-88)
There’s not much to look forward to with this Houston Astros team. Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence were not enough to keep this team out of the basement of offensive rankings last year. The worst part is that it’s their pitching that’s the real problem. I don’t expect much out of the Astros in 2010.
23. Oakland Athletics (2009: 75-87)
I think I might be underrating this team. I think the Athletics have a very bright future ahead of them, just not a great 2010. Their pitching staff looks good with Andrew Bailey and Brett Anderson. With Justin Duchscherer resigning, a solid veteran presence is around the young staff. All the Athletics really lack is a big bat, but with good prospects waiting to emerge, this team could end up much higher in the rankings next year.
22. Baltimore Orioles (2009: 64-98)
I’m probably being very generous putting the Baltimore Orioles this high up on the list. They had the worst pitching in the AL in 2009. They have great young players though, and I expect big years out of Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Brian Roberts is always solid and probably a top three 2nd baseman in the league. If Matt Wieters becomes what the Orioles expect, then he could potentially be one of the best catchers in the league. As stated above though, they have virtually no pitching. They are yet another team that has great potential but they unfortunately play in a division they have no shot of winning for a long time.
21. Milwaukee Brewers (2009: 80-82)
Yovani Gallardo leads this weak staff of pitchers. He just got some much needed help with Randy Wolf joining the team. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are already elite players in their short time in the majors. The problem with this team is their pitching though. They’re not going to finish in the top two in the NL Central unless their pitching comes together. I actually see a potential dealing of Prince Fielder in order to boost the staff some time in the future.
20. Kansas City Royals (2009: 65-97)
This is probably a crazy rank, but I’m feeling a breakout season. Defending AL Cy Young Award winner Zach Greinke leads their otherwise mediocre rotation. If Luke Hochevar becomes what I hoped he would last season, then those two and Brian Bannister should provide for an interesting 1-2-3. Billy Butler seems to be getting better every year, and they’re just waiting on the maturation of Alex Gordon.
19. Cincinnati Reds (2009: 78-84)
Watch out for the Reds to have a breakout year in 2010. They have the talent, but as a group in 2009 they just didn’t live up to it. Joey Votto is going to be good for a while. Brandon Phillips is one of the best 2B in the league. Scott Rolen is always solid. To win, the Reds need their pitching staff to step it up a notch. If Homer Bailey can finally live up to his potential, the Reds are going to compete in the NL Central.
18. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2009: 97-65)
It’s hard to say if losing Vladimir Guerrero is the worst thing in the world for the Angels. He certainly was their anchor for quite a while but is definitely on the decline. Losing Chone Figgins is a big loss. Hanging on to Bobby Abreu was the best move they made this offseason, and obtaining a solid DH in Hideki Matsui isn’t too bad either. At the same time, I don’t see them being big impact players in 2010. The loss of John Lackey obviously puts a hole in any pitching staff, but with Weaver, Saunders, Santana and Kazmir, this could actually be one of the better staffs in Major League Baseball. The Angels are on the decline, and I’m either crazy or really smart to have them in this position on this list, but I see the Angels finishing third in the AL West.
17. Detroit Tigers (2009: 86-77)
I never thought the Detroit Tigers were all that good to begin with, but in the AL Central you never know what can happen. Miguel Cabrera is one of the best hitting 1B in the league. I think Austin Jackson is going to have a good year. The loss of Granderson certainly doesn’t help. On the other hand, with Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello and Bonderman, the team has the shot to compete.
16. Florida Marlins (2009: 87-75)
This team is going to be very good if not great in the coming years. The only question is when? Maybe not yet in ’10, but I’d look out for them in the next few years. If their payroll wasn’t limited to being able to afford to pay an A-Rod type salary for about a month and a half, this team would absolutely own the NL East. With one of the best players in all of baseball, and a solid ace in Josh Johnson, the Marlins could have a shot in 2010 if they made only a few improvements to the rest of their staff.
15. Texas Rangers (2009: 87-75)
I don’t think the 2009 Texas Rangers were as big of a surprise as people made them out to be. It was pretty easy to see that this team had the talent. A healthy Josh Hamilton, a very good Ian Kinsler, and one of the most underrated shortstops in the league in Michael Young, and it’s easy to see why their offense is as good as it is. Pitching has been the problem for the Rangers for the past decade, and the addition of Rich Harden certainly helps in that regard. He’s not going to be the answer that puts them over the hump though.
14. Chicago White Sox (2009: 79-83)
This is the team that is going to challenge the Twins in the AL Central. I may very well have underrated this team, as they are loaded with talent. Bringing in Juan Pierre was a great move for both the White Sox and Juan Pierre who just could not get any time in LA. Mark Teahen moves back to his 3B position. The middle infield is what I really like about this team. Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham are going to be very good baseball players. Look for these two in the draft boards when you need a late sleeper pick. Throw in Alex Rios and a resurgence of Carlos Quentin and the White Sox make me eat my words for ranking the twins ahead of them. Oh, and with a healthy Jake Peavy and the always solid Mark Buerhle, the pitching staff isn’t too bad either.
13. Atlanta Braves (2009: 86-76)
With a healthy Tim Hudson, who upon his return from injury in 2009 really solidified their rotation, and the addition of Troy Glaus, the Braves should stay in contention in the NL East throughout the season. The loss of Javier Vazquez doesn’t help though.
12. Colorado Rockies (2009: 92-70)
I’ve seen them ranked much higher and with good reason. With good young players like Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, on top of the always reliable Todd Helton, this team is going to have the potential to compete. The reason they’re ranked so low: Lack of consistency. Look at the 2009 Colorado Rockies. They went from competing for the basement to competing for the division by season’s end. What’s to make me think that the same thing won’t happen again but in reverse?
11. New York Mets (2009: 70-92)
I was tempted to put the New York Mets closer to the top, but with so much uncertainty, I feel safe at this position. Both Mets fans and rivals need to put things into perspective. Before the absurd amount of injuries in 2009, this team was very much alive in the NL East race. On top of that, boards had the New York Mets as high as #2 in pre-season power rankings last year. So now, why do we all hate the Mets? They’ve only gotten better with the acquisition of Jason Bay, and despite David Wright’s decline in power, he still had a great season. Keep an eye on the Carlos Beltran situation, a player who is vital to the team’s success. The Mets made a huge mistake not pushing harder for John Lackey, but will sign at least two solid starting pitchers. Barring another injury filled year, then that other team in New York are in the playoff hunt until season’s end.
10. Chicago Cubs (2009: 83-78)
The Cubs were certainly a disappointing team in 2009. That’s going to change in 2010. As the only real challenge to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, if their pitching stays healthy, the Cubs are a team to watch out for in 2010.
9. Tampa Bay Rays (2009: 84-78)
2009 was an off year for this young team. It’s weird to say considering they only had one “on” year in their existence of a little more than a decade. I expect them to start playing at their 2008 level again. The problem is the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox also play in the same division. The AL East is easily the toughest division in baseball. This is a team that is young and highly competitive. The Rays have a chance to remain in contention if their pitching is above mediocre, because make no mistake about it, this team can hit the ball. This team is good, and if they were in any other division, they'd be the favorite.
8. San Francisco Giants (2009: 88-74)
The Giants have the pitching to be a very dangerous team in the NL West (Lincecum-Cain-Zito). With a couple of bats besides Mark DeRosa and Bengie Molina, this team becomes winners. The Giants should compete for the division.
7. Minnesota Twins (2009: 87-76)
There’s not much to say about the Twins other than they always seem to compete. A healthy rotation and Justin Morneau should equal an AL Central Division title. The addition of JJ Hardy can’t hurt too much either.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (2009: 95-67)
The Dodgers did absolutely nothing this offseason. They really didn’t need to though. Granted they actually might have some competition this season from the Giants and Rockies, but what do they need (at least for the 2010 season)? They have two young stud pitchers in Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw. The loss of Randy Wolf may hurt a bit, but not enough to keep them out of contention. With the offense anchored by Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier, there’s no reason to think they won’t go five straight appearances in the post-season. Expect Matt Kemp to have an even bigger year than in 2009, as long as he’s not involved in any domestic disputes with his current girlfriend of course.
5. Seattle Mariners (2009: 85-77)
This is not a typo. Seattle has made huge strides this offseason in making themselves a contender for the first time in years. They’ve acquired a second ace in Cliff Lee, a great leadoff hitter in Chone Figgins, a solid OF in Milton Bradley, along with Casey Kotchman to man first base. I like them to win the AL West. I think that Anaheim is on the decline, Texas needs to figure out their pitching woes, and Oakland remains the joke of the AL West.
4. St. Louis Cardinals (2009: 91-71)
I’m not sure what the Cardinals are missing to get over the hump this year, but they’re currently fielding a team that’s almost a certainty to be vying for a spot in October. I said it last year that I’d take their 3-4-5 (Pujols-Holliday-Ludwick) hitters against any other team in the league, and can you argue it? Throw in one of the best 1-2 punches of Chris Carpenter (if he stays healthy) and Adam Wainwright and you have your NL Central champions.
3. Philadelphia Phillies (2009: 93-69)
The Phillies are undoubtedly the class of the National League. Does it make sense to say that they have been mostly quiet this offseason? I mean, they were involved in the blockbuster deal that sent Cliff Lee to Seattle while bringing in Roy Halladay. Now, although many consider Halladay to be the best pitcher in baseball, the way Cliff Lee has matured the past few years on top of the near perfect pitching he provided this team with his short tenure there makes you question the point of the trade. You can’t argue that having Roy Halladay makes your team worse though, and there’s no reason to believe he will not thrive in the NL. They need an upgraded bullpen, but still expect the Phillies to be around in October.
2. Boston Red Sox (2009: 95-67)
I hate to have the top two teams in the same league, let alone the same division. This team is loaded with talent. On top of that, they have arguably the best overall rotation in Major League Baseball. If the Red Sox make the playoffs, I would put my entire savings account on them to win the first round, regardless of who they play. The addition of Marco Scutaro should finally solidify their SS position for the first time since Nomar was a young stud. Mike Cameron makes the outfield a defensive nightmare for opposing hitters, and Adrien Beltre should be an upgrade from Mike Lowell. There’s no reason to believe that the AL East will not have two playoff teams.
1. New York Yankees (2009: 103-59)
There’s just no logic to support a case against the defending World Champions. If you can believe it, they won the World Series and decided to celebrate it by getting even better. Fan favorite Melky Cabrera is gone, but for anyone to argue that this wasn’t a great deal for the Yankees just doesn’t know baseball. Javier Vazquez wasn’t a stud by any means his first go around, but in 2010, he’s their 3 or 4 starter, which is laughable. A 1-2 starter on most MLB teams, I feel pretty comfortable throwing Vazquez against the likes of Boof Bonser all day. Throw in Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson for good measure and fans can smell a repeat three months before the season even begins.
30. Pittsburgh Pirates (2009: 62-99)
For Pirates fans who were saddened by their 2009 showing, don’t expect much better this year. They are not good on offense, and have no pitching. The team produces great young talent and then trades them away. It is for this reason the Pittsburgh Pirates hold the worst spot in FUNK's first ever Power Rankings.
29. Washington Nationals (2009: 59-103)
Well it certainly can’t get much worse for the Washington Nationals, but there’s no reason to believe it’s going to get too much better in 2010. They helped their pitching staff with Jason Marquis. They have a lot to look forward to in Stephen Strasburg. I expect the Nationals to land in the basement of the NL East, but they should improve on 59 wins, and finish higher than the Pittsburgh Pirates.
28. Toronto Blue Jays (2009: 75-87)
Expect the Blue Jays to have an even worse showing than their poor 2009 campaign. Realistically, even with a much better showing, they’re still not coming close to the top of the AL East. They lost the best right handed pitcher in the game, and now have to play the waiting game with their prospects. They have absolutely no pitching, so it will be a few years before this team is worth mentioning with the big boys again.
27. Cleveland Indians (2009: 65-97)
The Indians offense isn’t all that bad. I always pick the Indians to have a big season and win the AL Central, and they always let me down. The team will score runs, but will their pitching help? The rotation is almost all completely new, and they’re very much in rebuilding mode. Their only upside is they began the rebuilding process almost 2 years ago.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks (2009: 70-92)
This was a ranking that could go either way. They could very well be much better than this, but after finishing 25 games under the Dodgers in 2009, it’s hard to give them much respect. They can be happy knowing their three best players (Upton, Reynolds, Montero) are all young and should be around for a while. Brandon Webb, Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson don’t make for too bad of a rotation either.
25. San Diego Padres (2009: 75-87)
The Padres are hoping to build off of a strong finish to the 2009 season. Their offense was led by Adrian Gonzalez and that’s pretty much where it ends. Kevin Kouzmanoff, who I think should have been given more time on this team, is no longer with the Padres. There’s some hope being put into Chase Headley, but until the Padres hit above .245 as a team, they have no chance in the NL West. Their ace now plays for the Chicago White Sox, but Health Bell does provide some light at the end of the tunnel. The only problem is that his biggest assets come into play when they’re already winning a ballgame.
24. Houston Astros (2009: 74-88)
There’s not much to look forward to with this Houston Astros team. Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence were not enough to keep this team out of the basement of offensive rankings last year. The worst part is that it’s their pitching that’s the real problem. I don’t expect much out of the Astros in 2010.
23. Oakland Athletics (2009: 75-87)
I think I might be underrating this team. I think the Athletics have a very bright future ahead of them, just not a great 2010. Their pitching staff looks good with Andrew Bailey and Brett Anderson. With Justin Duchscherer resigning, a solid veteran presence is around the young staff. All the Athletics really lack is a big bat, but with good prospects waiting to emerge, this team could end up much higher in the rankings next year.
22. Baltimore Orioles (2009: 64-98)
I’m probably being very generous putting the Baltimore Orioles this high up on the list. They had the worst pitching in the AL in 2009. They have great young players though, and I expect big years out of Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Brian Roberts is always solid and probably a top three 2nd baseman in the league. If Matt Wieters becomes what the Orioles expect, then he could potentially be one of the best catchers in the league. As stated above though, they have virtually no pitching. They are yet another team that has great potential but they unfortunately play in a division they have no shot of winning for a long time.
21. Milwaukee Brewers (2009: 80-82)
Yovani Gallardo leads this weak staff of pitchers. He just got some much needed help with Randy Wolf joining the team. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are already elite players in their short time in the majors. The problem with this team is their pitching though. They’re not going to finish in the top two in the NL Central unless their pitching comes together. I actually see a potential dealing of Prince Fielder in order to boost the staff some time in the future.
20. Kansas City Royals (2009: 65-97)
This is probably a crazy rank, but I’m feeling a breakout season. Defending AL Cy Young Award winner Zach Greinke leads their otherwise mediocre rotation. If Luke Hochevar becomes what I hoped he would last season, then those two and Brian Bannister should provide for an interesting 1-2-3. Billy Butler seems to be getting better every year, and they’re just waiting on the maturation of Alex Gordon.
19. Cincinnati Reds (2009: 78-84)
Watch out for the Reds to have a breakout year in 2010. They have the talent, but as a group in 2009 they just didn’t live up to it. Joey Votto is going to be good for a while. Brandon Phillips is one of the best 2B in the league. Scott Rolen is always solid. To win, the Reds need their pitching staff to step it up a notch. If Homer Bailey can finally live up to his potential, the Reds are going to compete in the NL Central.
18. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2009: 97-65)
It’s hard to say if losing Vladimir Guerrero is the worst thing in the world for the Angels. He certainly was their anchor for quite a while but is definitely on the decline. Losing Chone Figgins is a big loss. Hanging on to Bobby Abreu was the best move they made this offseason, and obtaining a solid DH in Hideki Matsui isn’t too bad either. At the same time, I don’t see them being big impact players in 2010. The loss of John Lackey obviously puts a hole in any pitching staff, but with Weaver, Saunders, Santana and Kazmir, this could actually be one of the better staffs in Major League Baseball. The Angels are on the decline, and I’m either crazy or really smart to have them in this position on this list, but I see the Angels finishing third in the AL West.
17. Detroit Tigers (2009: 86-77)
I never thought the Detroit Tigers were all that good to begin with, but in the AL Central you never know what can happen. Miguel Cabrera is one of the best hitting 1B in the league. I think Austin Jackson is going to have a good year. The loss of Granderson certainly doesn’t help. On the other hand, with Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello and Bonderman, the team has the shot to compete.
16. Florida Marlins (2009: 87-75)
This team is going to be very good if not great in the coming years. The only question is when? Maybe not yet in ’10, but I’d look out for them in the next few years. If their payroll wasn’t limited to being able to afford to pay an A-Rod type salary for about a month and a half, this team would absolutely own the NL East. With one of the best players in all of baseball, and a solid ace in Josh Johnson, the Marlins could have a shot in 2010 if they made only a few improvements to the rest of their staff.
15. Texas Rangers (2009: 87-75)
I don’t think the 2009 Texas Rangers were as big of a surprise as people made them out to be. It was pretty easy to see that this team had the talent. A healthy Josh Hamilton, a very good Ian Kinsler, and one of the most underrated shortstops in the league in Michael Young, and it’s easy to see why their offense is as good as it is. Pitching has been the problem for the Rangers for the past decade, and the addition of Rich Harden certainly helps in that regard. He’s not going to be the answer that puts them over the hump though.
14. Chicago White Sox (2009: 79-83)
This is the team that is going to challenge the Twins in the AL Central. I may very well have underrated this team, as they are loaded with talent. Bringing in Juan Pierre was a great move for both the White Sox and Juan Pierre who just could not get any time in LA. Mark Teahen moves back to his 3B position. The middle infield is what I really like about this team. Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham are going to be very good baseball players. Look for these two in the draft boards when you need a late sleeper pick. Throw in Alex Rios and a resurgence of Carlos Quentin and the White Sox make me eat my words for ranking the twins ahead of them. Oh, and with a healthy Jake Peavy and the always solid Mark Buerhle, the pitching staff isn’t too bad either.
13. Atlanta Braves (2009: 86-76)
With a healthy Tim Hudson, who upon his return from injury in 2009 really solidified their rotation, and the addition of Troy Glaus, the Braves should stay in contention in the NL East throughout the season. The loss of Javier Vazquez doesn’t help though.
12. Colorado Rockies (2009: 92-70)
I’ve seen them ranked much higher and with good reason. With good young players like Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, on top of the always reliable Todd Helton, this team is going to have the potential to compete. The reason they’re ranked so low: Lack of consistency. Look at the 2009 Colorado Rockies. They went from competing for the basement to competing for the division by season’s end. What’s to make me think that the same thing won’t happen again but in reverse?
11. New York Mets (2009: 70-92)
I was tempted to put the New York Mets closer to the top, but with so much uncertainty, I feel safe at this position. Both Mets fans and rivals need to put things into perspective. Before the absurd amount of injuries in 2009, this team was very much alive in the NL East race. On top of that, boards had the New York Mets as high as #2 in pre-season power rankings last year. So now, why do we all hate the Mets? They’ve only gotten better with the acquisition of Jason Bay, and despite David Wright’s decline in power, he still had a great season. Keep an eye on the Carlos Beltran situation, a player who is vital to the team’s success. The Mets made a huge mistake not pushing harder for John Lackey, but will sign at least two solid starting pitchers. Barring another injury filled year, then that other team in New York are in the playoff hunt until season’s end.
10. Chicago Cubs (2009: 83-78)
The Cubs were certainly a disappointing team in 2009. That’s going to change in 2010. As the only real challenge to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, if their pitching stays healthy, the Cubs are a team to watch out for in 2010.
9. Tampa Bay Rays (2009: 84-78)
2009 was an off year for this young team. It’s weird to say considering they only had one “on” year in their existence of a little more than a decade. I expect them to start playing at their 2008 level again. The problem is the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox also play in the same division. The AL East is easily the toughest division in baseball. This is a team that is young and highly competitive. The Rays have a chance to remain in contention if their pitching is above mediocre, because make no mistake about it, this team can hit the ball. This team is good, and if they were in any other division, they'd be the favorite.
8. San Francisco Giants (2009: 88-74)
The Giants have the pitching to be a very dangerous team in the NL West (Lincecum-Cain-Zito). With a couple of bats besides Mark DeRosa and Bengie Molina, this team becomes winners. The Giants should compete for the division.
7. Minnesota Twins (2009: 87-76)
There’s not much to say about the Twins other than they always seem to compete. A healthy rotation and Justin Morneau should equal an AL Central Division title. The addition of JJ Hardy can’t hurt too much either.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers (2009: 95-67)
The Dodgers did absolutely nothing this offseason. They really didn’t need to though. Granted they actually might have some competition this season from the Giants and Rockies, but what do they need (at least for the 2010 season)? They have two young stud pitchers in Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw. The loss of Randy Wolf may hurt a bit, but not enough to keep them out of contention. With the offense anchored by Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier, there’s no reason to think they won’t go five straight appearances in the post-season. Expect Matt Kemp to have an even bigger year than in 2009, as long as he’s not involved in any domestic disputes with his current girlfriend of course.
5. Seattle Mariners (2009: 85-77)
This is not a typo. Seattle has made huge strides this offseason in making themselves a contender for the first time in years. They’ve acquired a second ace in Cliff Lee, a great leadoff hitter in Chone Figgins, a solid OF in Milton Bradley, along with Casey Kotchman to man first base. I like them to win the AL West. I think that Anaheim is on the decline, Texas needs to figure out their pitching woes, and Oakland remains the joke of the AL West.
4. St. Louis Cardinals (2009: 91-71)
I’m not sure what the Cardinals are missing to get over the hump this year, but they’re currently fielding a team that’s almost a certainty to be vying for a spot in October. I said it last year that I’d take their 3-4-5 (Pujols-Holliday-Ludwick) hitters against any other team in the league, and can you argue it? Throw in one of the best 1-2 punches of Chris Carpenter (if he stays healthy) and Adam Wainwright and you have your NL Central champions.
3. Philadelphia Phillies (2009: 93-69)
The Phillies are undoubtedly the class of the National League. Does it make sense to say that they have been mostly quiet this offseason? I mean, they were involved in the blockbuster deal that sent Cliff Lee to Seattle while bringing in Roy Halladay. Now, although many consider Halladay to be the best pitcher in baseball, the way Cliff Lee has matured the past few years on top of the near perfect pitching he provided this team with his short tenure there makes you question the point of the trade. You can’t argue that having Roy Halladay makes your team worse though, and there’s no reason to believe he will not thrive in the NL. They need an upgraded bullpen, but still expect the Phillies to be around in October.
2. Boston Red Sox (2009: 95-67)
I hate to have the top two teams in the same league, let alone the same division. This team is loaded with talent. On top of that, they have arguably the best overall rotation in Major League Baseball. If the Red Sox make the playoffs, I would put my entire savings account on them to win the first round, regardless of who they play. The addition of Marco Scutaro should finally solidify their SS position for the first time since Nomar was a young stud. Mike Cameron makes the outfield a defensive nightmare for opposing hitters, and Adrien Beltre should be an upgrade from Mike Lowell. There’s no reason to believe that the AL East will not have two playoff teams.
1. New York Yankees (2009: 103-59)
There’s just no logic to support a case against the defending World Champions. If you can believe it, they won the World Series and decided to celebrate it by getting even better. Fan favorite Melky Cabrera is gone, but for anyone to argue that this wasn’t a great deal for the Yankees just doesn’t know baseball. Javier Vazquez wasn’t a stud by any means his first go around, but in 2010, he’s their 3 or 4 starter, which is laughable. A 1-2 starter on most MLB teams, I feel pretty comfortable throwing Vazquez against the likes of Boof Bonser all day. Throw in Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson for good measure and fans can smell a repeat three months before the season even begins.
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