Now Washington, Let’s Be Smart
What does Stephen Strasburg have in common with Joba Chamberlain?
Hopefully nothing.
Now is the true test of how smart the Washington Nationals truly are. It is 100 percent clear that they want Mr. Strasburg to be a starter.
It was also 100 percent clear that the Yankees wanted Joba to be a starter. But what happened to him?
Frankly, nothing good.
When Joba was called up in 2007, he has bounced around between starter and reliever. After an average 2009, Chamberlain is once again unsure of his role. His ERA is currently a wonderful 16.20 after 6.2 innings this Spring.
He never should have been brought up as a reliever if they wanted him to be a starting pitcher in the Majors.
Now I understand that the Yankees wanted to get him some experience in any role at the big league level, and being a reliever was the only chance they had. However, he is still feeling the effects of that. Anyone with a brain is able to see that A). Joba likes pitching out of the bullpen better, B). Joba has better stuff out of the bullpen, and C). Joba has the build of a reliever. The third fact isn’t quite as important as the first two. Chamberlain is a guy who loves the energy that he gets by throwing everything he has, with as much as he has. He is able to do this in the 7th and 8th inning of a ballgame.
Point being that he would never know what that was like if he was a starter all his career, or even a long reliever.
Now, to the real point.
The Nationals have to make sure of one thing more than anything else. Stephen Strasburg has to be a starting pitcher everytime he takes the mound, unless you want him in the bullpen forever. Now it seems that the Nats are going to do just that, which is good.
They are probably being brutally criticized for sending him down, but patience is a virtue Nats people. The kid is going to have a long, successful career, barring injury of course, and he’ll be in the Majors in no time.
Just heed my warning, don’t let the poor soul turn into another Joba Chamberlain train wreck.
Oh and by the way, the Texas Rangers should realize that Neftali Feliz is going to be in the bullpen forever because of what they did last season. Just making sure they are aware.
The Injury Bug is Biting Early in the Spring
Joe Nathan, Angel Guzman, Alex Gordon, and Russell Martin.
What do they have in common?
Well, if you read the title you would know.
These four players have been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons. Injuries have gotten to them already. Regardless of what they are, they could plague the player and the team for some or all of the season.
Russell Martin – Groin Pull – 4-6 weeks
The Dodgers All-Star catcher has been sidelined with a minor groin pull. According to Martin, he only feels pain in it when he runs, which is a good sign. While he’s out, he can still swing the bat and maybe field just a little. He’s likely going to miss Opening Day, but it won’t be long after that he’ll be back. Until he returns, A.J. Ellis will be doing the starting, with veteran Brad Ausmus being the backup.
Alex Gordon – Broken Thumb – 4 weeks
This one has me feeling bad. Alex Gordon deserves better than this. While it may be a minor injury, it will hamper his ability to hit and field, therefore causing him to be out longer than he should be. Why I feel so bad is that I remember that day he debuted in 2007, against the Red Sox. He had so much hype around him, and I believed in him. He has just never lived up to what they said, whether it be lack of performance or injury. I hope this doesn’t effect him too badly, I want his breakout year to be 2010.
Angel Guzman – Ligament Tear in Shoulder – Timeframe Unknown
Here is another guy that you have to feel for. At one time, he was as big a prospect as Carlos Zambrano, but injuries have controlled his career. Then, finally, he has his year. Throwing up a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings of relief work last season. I figured he had finally showed up, and that he was ready to have a big 2010 helping a sub-par bullpen. Sadly that isn’t the case, not now at least. Surgery seems to be the only way he can fully recover, I just hope he doesn’t lose the entire season.
Joe Nathan – Tear to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament – 2 weeks to 1 year
This is definitely a best case scenario v. worst case scenario type of deal. Nathan hopes that after two weeks of rest he’ll feel fine and be ready to go. On the other side, if he’s not alright, Tommy John surgery seems to be on its way. If that’s the case, he’s done for a year and it is one hell of a long road back from there. He is rather imperative to the success of the Minnesota Twins. Some possible replacements include big Jon Rauch or Matt Guerrier, as well as Padres closer Heath Bell.
I wish all of these fine players the best of luck. Russell Martin will be fine in no time, while Angel Guzman and Alex Gordon need to get healthy quick to prove themselves. As for Joe Nathan, I hope it doesn’t come to Tommy John, this silent assassin may never be the same.
The 2010 National League West Preview
As I sit and wait for baseball to begin, I decided to take the fact that I have no life and go through every MLB team and project their roster, as of the beginning of Spring Training. I like to show as often as possible that I’m not just a Phillies fan; I want to know as much about baseball as possible. I want to know to Orioles roster and I want to know the Giants roster, along with every team in the middle. I’m not going to be doing any sort of season projections now, it’s far too early to tell something like that. I just want a feel for what a team is going to look like, I’ll do my best to breakdown the strengths and weaknesses. If you see something that doesn’t look right, it is most likely because that is who I personally believe should be in that spot.
The Arizona Diamondbacks
Projected Rotation:
Brandon Webb – RHP
Dan Haren – RHP
Edwin Jackson – RHP
Ian Kennedy – RHP
Billy Buckner – RHP
Other Options:
Bryan Augenstein – RHP
Kevin Mulvey – RHP
With Brandon Webb coming back to the team, the rotation will look better than last years, regardless of the losses of Scherzer and Davis. I am well aware of the 2009 Edwin Jackson had, but don’t look too far into that season. I still see Jackson as a thrower, not a pitcher, and a lot of times throwers can have a good season; people won’t truly know what he can do unless we get similar statistics this season.
Projected Bullpen:
Chad Qualls – Closer – RHP
Juan Gutierrez – RHP
Aaron Heilman – RHP
Clay Zavada – LHP
Blaine Boyer – RHP
Esmerling Vasquez – RHP
Bob Howry – RHP
Other Options:
Leo Rosales – RHP
I would target the bullpen as the weakest point of this team. They had a good year from the young lefty Clay Zavada, and closer Chad Qualls is a very underrated closer in my eyes. However there are just too many unproven arms in the pen for me, or anybody, the be able to predict good things.
Projected Starters:
C - Miguel Montero - L
1B – Adam LaRoche – L
2B – Kelly Johnson – L
3B – Mark Reynolds – R
SS – Stephen Drew – L
LF – Conor Jackson – R
CF – Chris Young – R
RF – Justin Upton – R
The offense, in regards to the bullpen, is a totally different story. Mark Reynolds had a powerful season (pun intended) and Justin Upton is without a doubt the real deal. What will be nice is that Conor Jackson is going to be back in the lineup after his brutal battle with Valley Fever last season. Keep in mind, CoJack was coming off his best season ever in 2008.
Projected Bench:
C Chris Snyder – R
2B/3B/LF Ryan Roberts – R
OF Gerardo Parra – L
INF Augie Ojeda – S
UTIL Rusty Ryal – R
Other Options:
INF Tony Abreu – S
I also really like this teams bench, it may be the strongest bench I’ve seen actually. I say that because Snyder, Roberts, and Parra all spent a good amount of time as starters last year. Even though they are young overall, they do have good big league experience.
The Colorado Rockies
Projected Rotation:
Ubaldo Jimenez – RHP
Jorge De La Rosa – LHP
Aaron Cook – RHP
Jeff Francis – LHP
Jason Hammel – RHP
Jeff Francis will finally make his return after missing the entire 2009 season. Funny thing is that when he left, he was the ace of the staff. Now, Ubaldo Jimenez has taken over that role and Jorge De La Rosa is the new best left-hander in town. Francis is going to have to work hard to make this rotation his once again.
Projected Bullpen:
Huston Street – Closer – RHP
Franklin Morales – LHP
Rafael Betancourt – RHP
Matt Daley – RHP
Manny Corpas – RHP
Esmil Rogers – RHP
Randy Flores – LHP
Other Options:
Matt Belisle – RHP
If you’re the Rockies, you have to feel pretty good about this bullpen. Your 9th inning is locked up, the 8th inning has two great arms in Betancourt and Morales, and the 7th inning has a young kid in Matt Daley who has impressed. Not to mention former closer Manny Corpas is still around.
Projected Starters:
C – Chris Iannetta – R
1B – Todd Helton – L
2B – Clint Barmes – R
3B – Ian Stewart – L
SS – Troy Tulowitzki – R
LF – Carlos Gonzalez – L
CF – Dexter Fowler – S
RF – Brad Hawpe – L
Basically identical to last season, the lineup looks to put up some big numbers all over again. Garrett Atkins was shipped out of town because 3rd base has officially been handed over to Ian Stewart. Stewart is going to need to produce against lefties now because Atkins isn’t there to fall back on anymore.
Projected Bench:
C Miguel Olivo – R
OF Ryan Spilborghs – R
3B/SS/CF Melvin Mora – R
OF/2B Eric Young Jr. – S
OF Seth Smith – L
Other Options:
1B Jason Giambi – L
Much like the Diamondbacks, the Rockies have quite the strong bench on their hands. I have no issue at all with not including Jason Giambi on the roster. What is he going to do in the NL? If they waste a roster spot with nothing better than a sometimes power hitting, no defense lefty then it’s their own fault. Any one of those guys deserve it more than he does.
The Los Angeles Dodgers
Projected Rotation:
Clayton Kershaw – LHP
Chad Billingsley – RHP
Hiroki Kuroda – RHP
Vicente Padilla – RHP
Eric Stults* – LHP
Other Options:
James McDonald – RHP
Jeff Weaver** – RHP
Charlie Haeger – RHP
*Out of options*
**Non-roster invitee**
A tough decision lie ahead for the Dodgers in regards to the 5th spot in the rotation. Do you give a second chance to James McDonald? Do you give it to Eric Stults who has no more options? Do you go with Jeff Weaver? It seems that Stults is the current favorite, and I think that is a wise desicion. He has shown flashes of brilliance as a starter, so try it again.
Projected Bullpen:
Jonathan Broxton – Closer – RHP
George Sherrill – LHP
Ramon Troncoso – RHP
Ronald Belisario – RHP
Hong-Chih Kuo – LHP
Scott Elbert – LHP
James McDonald*
Other Options:
Eric Stults*
Cory Wade – RHP
Jeff Weaver
Carlos Monasterios** – RHP
*If not in rotation*
**Rule 5 pick**
In order for this to be a scary bullpen again, Troncoso and Belisario are going to need to produce again. They were both basically unknowns coming into ’09, but they sure have a lot of attention now. Kuo, Sherrill, and Broxton are a little more proven, and I wouldn’t expect any of those three to stuggle this year.
Projected Starters:
C – Russell Martin – R
1B – James Loney – L
2B – Ronnie Belliard – R
3B – Casey Blake – R
SS – Rafael Furcal – S
LF – Manny Ramirez – R
CF – Matt Kemp – R
RF – Andre Ethier – L
Subtract Orlando Hudson and add Ronnie Belliard as the everyday starter and you have yourself the same lineup as last season, and how can that be bad? For the second straight year the Dodgers made it to the NLCS so it’s clear to see that they are right on the verge of greatness, and this lineup has a lot to do with it. You just have great hitter after great hitter, why change a thing?
Projected Bench:
C Brad Ausmus – R
INF Jamey Carroll – R
OF Reed Johnson – R
2B/3B Blake DeWitt – L
OF Jason Repko – R
Other Options:
UTIL Alfredo Amezaga* – S
RF Brian Giles* – L
1B Doug Mientkiewicz* – L
*Non-roster invitees*
The bench also looks to be rather solid, especially with the addition of Reed Johnson. I think he could be a starter somewhere, but I would bite the bullet and hang around the bench in L.A. too. He’ll get plenty of AB’s and I’d guess a lot of opportunities to play left when Manny needs a day off, or when they take him out to improve defense.
The San Diego Padres
Projected Rotation:
Chris Young – RHP
Kevin Correia – RHP
Jon Garland – RHP
Clayton Richard – LHP
Mat Latos – RHP
Other Options:
Tim Stauffer – RHP
Wade LeBlanc – LHP
While the Padres will once again swim in the pool of mediocracy, they have some thing to look forward to. One of them is Mat Latos. I saw this kid pitch a few times last season and he did good enough to impress me and make me want to track his progress. He has the build, he has the stuff, he just needs to learn the big leagues and he’ll be on track for a 15 win, sub 4.00 ERA season. Clayton Richard is someone else who people should keep an eye on, trust me.
Projected Bullpen:
Heath Bell – Closer – RHP
Mike Adams – RHP
Luke Gregerson – RHP
Edward Mujica – RHP
Joe Thatcher – LHP
Adam Russell – RHP
Aaron Poreda – LHP
Other Options:
Sean Gallagher* – RHP
Cesar Ramos – LHP
Ryan Webb – RHP
*Out of options*
The casual baseball fan may be unsure of the majority of names on this list, and frankly I don’t know much about them either. I do know that Luke Gregerson really impressed San Diego last year, and Edward Mujica was a go-to guy for much of season. I’m also interested to see if Mike Adams once again proves that he is a force to be reckoned with.
Projected Starters:
C – Nick Hundley – R
1B – Adrian Gonzalez – L
2B – David Eckstein – R
3B – Chase Headley – S
SS – Everth Cabrera – S
LF – Kyle Blanks – R
CF – Scott Hairston – R
RF – Will Venable – L
We all know about Adrian Gonzalez. We also know that the Padres will most likely trade him by mid-season. One thing that people don’t know about is Kyle Blanks. I saw Blanks for the first time last season in Spring Training, and what jumped out to me was that he was gargantuan. While he may have been enormous, he didn’t look like a lumbering buffoon. Why am I bringing him up? Well, when Adrian goes, Kyle Blanks takes over first base. He is 6’6″, 285, it just makes more sense to be at first. I think Kyle will make Padre fans forget all about Adrian Gonzalez.
Projected Bench:
C Yorvit Torrealba – R
UTIL Jerry Hairston Jr. – R
OF Aaron Cunningham – R
OF Tony Gwynn Jr. – L
1B Oscar Salazar - R
Other Options:
RF Matt Stairs* – L
*Non-roster invitee*
While I would love nothing more than to see Matt Stairs make the team, I think the five guys I listed are a little more fitting. Although, the Padres could use a big, strong, homer-hitting lefty on the bench, and that sounds like Matt Stairs to me!
The San Francisco Giants
Projected Rotation:
Tim Lincecum – RHP
Matt Cain – RHP
Barry Zito – LHP
Jonathan Sanchez – LHP
Madison Bumgarner – LHP
I love this rotation. It has everything I need to get excited. Two bonafide aces. A former ace whom I still think has a bunch of potential. A kid who threw a no-no last year. And it has a highly touted pitching prospect that I haven’t seen pitch yet. Keep an eye on this group.
Projected Bullpen:
Brian Wilson – Closer – RHP
Jeremy Affeldt – LHP
Brandon Medders – RHP
Sergio Romo – RHP
Dan Runzler – LHP
Todd Wellemeyer – RHP
Joe Martinez – RHP
While the rotation is the hot girl, the bullpen is the hot girl’s ugly friend who you get set up with on a blind date. Hope I didn’t offend too badly. The reason I say that is because I don’t see too much potential here. Wilson is a real good closer, Affeldt and Medders had a very good year, and Romo is solid. However, after that it gets ugly. I’ve never heard of Runzler, Wellemeyer is someone I like, but he hasn’t pitched very well recently, and Joe Martinez hasn’t proved himself yet. I wish them the best and I have a feeling the Opening Day bullpen won’t look like this one.
Projected Starters:
C – Bengie Molina – R
1B – Aubrey Huff – L
2B – Freddy Sanchez – R
3B – Pablo Sandoval – S
SS – Edgar Renteria – R
LF – Mark DeRosa – R
CF – Aaron Rowand – R
RF – Nate Schierholtz – L
The achillies heel of this team always seems to be that offense. They did add one of my favorite players in Mark DeRosa, who I just believe is the perfect baseball player. He’ll go to any position and still produce offensively, which is a thin tightrope to walk. Obviously, the biggest question mark is placed in right field, because Schierholtz has never had 300 AB’s in a season.
Projected Bench:
C Eli Whiteside – R
INF Juan Uribe – R
OF Eugenio Velez – S
LF/RF John Bowker – L
INF Emmanuel Burriss – S
Other Options:
OF Andres Torres – S
1B Travis Ishikawa – L
C Buster Posey – R
2B/SS Kevin Frandsen – R
Plenty of decisions regarding the bench this Spring. But I guess that more options is better than none. Buster Posey is someone to watch for sure. I think he would easily make the Opening Day roster, but they want him to get At Bats, and he wouldn’t get those because Bengie is the starter. He’ll probably go to AAA, get his AB’s, tear it up, and be back before June.
The 2010 National League Central Preview
As I sit and wait for baseball to begin, I decided to take the fact that I have no life and go through every MLB team and project their roster, as of the beginning of Spring Training. I like to show as often as possible that I’m not just a Phillies fan; I want to know as much about baseball as possible. I want to know to Orioles roster and I want to know the Giants roster, along with every team in the middle. I’m not going to be doing any sort of season projections now, it’s far too early to tell something like that. I just want a feel for what a team is going to look like, I’ll do my best to breakdown the strengths and weaknesses. If you see something that doesn’t look right, it is most likely because that is who I personally believe should be in that spot.
The Chicago Cubs
Projected Rotation:
Carlos Zambrano – RHP
Randy Wells – RHP
Ryan Dempster – RHP
Tom Gorzelanny – LHP
Jeff Samardzija – RHP
Other Options:
Ted Lilly – LHP*
Carlos Silva – RHP
*Says he’ll be ready for Opening Day, team isn’t sure*
Jeff Samardzija may very well get his chance to start for the Cubs, and a lot of it will have to do with Ted Lilly’s injury. Even without Lilly, this has a chance to be a good rotation until he’s all healed up. The top three guys are all capable of pitching great games; Randy Wells impressed a lot of people last season, me especially.
Projected Bullpen:
Carlos Marmol – Closer – RHP
John Grabow – LHP
Sean Marshall – LHP
Angel Guzman – RHP
David Patton – RHP
Jeff Gray – RHP
Carlos Silva – RHP
Other Options:
Mike Parisi* – RHP
*Rule 5 pick*
It’s hard to say if anything is really a sure thing in this bullpen. Carlos Marmol will be the full-time closer for the first time ever, he really did well in that spot late last year. Angel Guzman finally got his chance to shine last year, and he was fantastic. However, Guzman missed the final two weeks of the season because of an injury, which have hampered his young career thus far.
Projected Starters:
C – Geovany Soto – R
1B – Derrek Lee – R
2B – Mike Fontenot – L
3B – Aramis Ramirez – R
SS – Ryan Theriot – R
LF – Alfonso Soriano – R
CF – Marlon Byrd – R
RF – Kosuke Fukudome – L
The only change in this lineup is that the boy who is a thorn in many sides has been shipped off to Seattle, and Marlon Byrd will take his place. Byrd set new career-highs in AB’s, HR’s, and RBI’s (among other things), mainly because he finally got the chance to play a full season. Even with all these factors, Byrd took a while to finally sign, but I have a feeling he’ll be a fine replacement for Milton.
Projected Bench:
RF/LF Xavier Nady – R
C Koyie Hill – S
2B/3B Jeff Baker – R
1B/LF/RF Micah Hoffpauir – L
CF Sam Fuld – L
I feel pretty bad for X Nady. He has his best season ever in ’08, expects to be a starter for the Yankees in ’09, goes out for the season, and now shows up in 2010 as a bench player for Chicago. If anybody in that outfield struggles (especially Kosuke against lefties), then beware X Nady, because he’ll take your spot. Another guy I like is Sam Fuld. To me, he is the perfect bench player. He has some speed, can give you a pretty good average, and can play some solid defense when you need him too.
The Cincinnati Reds
Projected Rotation:
Aaron Harang – RHP
Johnny Cueto – RHP
Bronson Arroyo – RHP
Homer Bailey – RHP
Matt Maloney – LHP
Other Options:
Aroldis Chapman – LHP
Justin Lehr – RHP
Matt Maloney gets the nod from me to take the last rotation spot. I just figured the Reds would need a lefty in there before the Chapman the great makes it to the Majors. If you look at the top four guys, this is an awfully solid rotation. I myself am a huge Homer Bailey fan and I know what this guy can do. He finished strong last year and I’m expecting him to pick up where he left off. Also, Aaron Harang is so much better of a pitcher than what he’s been as of late, don’t lose faith in this guy.
Projected Bullpen:
Francisco Cordero – Closer – RHP
Nick Masset – RHP
Arthur Rhodes – LHP
Jared Burton – RHP
Danny Ray Herrera – LHP
Micah Owings – RHP
Carlos Fisher – RHP
Other Options:
Mike Lincoln – RHP
I’m pretty impressed with the bullpen too. There are some good arms down there, on that jumps out to me is Danny Ray Herrera. This guy is all over the place in terms of not only pitch selection but pitch velocity. I’ve seem him get as high as the low 90′s and as low as the high 60′s, which is pretty impressive if you ask me. Nick Masset is another guy to keep a close eye on, he was great for the Reds last season finishing with a 2.37 ERA, surprising the league.
Projected Starters:
C – Ramon Hernandez – R
1B – Joey Votto – L
2B – Brandon Phillips – R
3B – Scott Rolen – R
SS – Orlando Cabrera – R
LF – Chris Dickerson – L / Jonny Gomes – R (RHP/LHP)
CF – Drew Stubbs – R
RF – Jay Bruce – L
Jay Bruce is due for a rebound. Bruce blew away the baseball world when he was called up in ’08 and planted himself in a lot of baseball fans minds. Last season was dreadful at best, but it included a strong finish, which hopefully leads to a stronger start. If guys like Bruce, Chris Dickerson and Drew Stubbs produce, we are quite possibly looking at one of strongest lineups in the NL Central.
Projected Bench:
Jonny Gomes / Chris Dickerson
2B/3B Aaron Miles – S
C Ryan Hanigan – R
OF Laynce Nix – L
INF Paul Janish – R
Other Options:
INF Drew Sutton – S
OF Wladimir Balentien – R
Drew Sutton was my odd man out when I found out about the Jonny Gomes signing. Sutton was originally on my projected 25-man roster, but I figure the Reds would rather go with Janish because he has more experience in the Majors.
The Houston Astros
Projected Rotation:
Roy Oswalt – RHP
Wandy Rodriguez – LHP
Brett Myers – RHP
Bud Norris – RHP
Felipe Paulino – RHP
Other Options:
Brian Moehler – RHP
Wesley Wright – LHP
While Roy Oswalt is supposed to be the ace, Wandy Rodriguez took that title and absolutely ran away with it last year, even though he only had 14 wins. On a Phillies note, I’m obviously going to be rooting for Brett Myers this season, I hope he gets everything figured out and starts 34 games. However, as a fan who wants his team to win, I don’t necessarily believe I’m going to miss him on my team. Either way, good luck buddy.
Projected Bullpen:
Brandon Lyon – Closer – RHP
Matt Lindstrom – RHP
Tim Byrdak – LHP
Jeff Fulchino – RHP
Alberto Arias – RHP
Chris Sampson – RHP
Sammy Gervacio – RHP
Other Options:
Wesley Wright – LHP
A lot of names on this list are those you may not recognize, and frankly I don’t possess a lot of knowledge when it comes to the Houston bullpen. Regardless, I’ll give it a shot as I always do. A blogger ripped Ed Wade a new one when it came to the massive contract given to Brandon Lyon, and he was probably right. Anyways, Lyon is going to be the closer, if not for his pitching, then for his 3-year $18 mil. deal. Wesley Wright is apparantly trying for a spot in the rotation, if he doesn’t make that then he will most likely be in the pen, they could use a second lefty down there (even though I hear Sampson is good against the lefties).
Projected Starters:
C – J.R. Towles – R
1B – Lance Berkman – S
2B – Kazuo Matsui – S
3B – Pedro Feliz – R
SS – Tommy Manzella – R
LF – Carlos Lee – R
CF – Michael Bourn – L
RF – Hunter Pence – R
Add Tommy Manzella to the list of players that are on track to be Opening Day starters with very little to no major league experience. It is so hard to project what these guys will do; I have my doubts that he will be the starting shortstop by the All-Star break. In more Philly news (because I like to combine my team with all of baseball), Pedro Feliz is someone who I really will miss on the Phils. While the bat may have lacked, the defense never did. Pedro was such a fine defender, but he’ll never get the accolades (Gold Glove) because he isn’t a big time player. Best of luck to you with this new team, impress the Astro faithful with that defense.
Projected Bench:
C Humberto Quintero – R
OF Jason Michaels – R
3B/1B Geoff Blum – S
INF Jeff Keppinger – R
2B Edwin Maysonet – R
Other Options:
OF Yordany Ramirez – R
About what your average bench would look like. Not much offensive ability, but you’ll get strong defense from all these guys. Nothing to get too excited over, but they’ll do just fine.
The Milwaukee Brewers
Projected Rotation:
Yovani Gallardo – RHP
Randy Wolf – LHP
Doug Davis – LHP
Jeff Suppan – RHP
Manny Parra – LHP
Other Options:
Dave Bush – RHP
With two lefties definitely making the rotation, Manny Parra’s slot may not be so secure. Usually I would take the lefty over the righty, however, if you take the lefty here that makes three. I know it really isn’t that big of a deal, but my perfect rotation has only two lefties. Regardless, if Parra puts up the numbers, then he’ll make the rotation, simple as that.
Projected Bullpen:
Trevor Hoffman – Closer – RHP
Todd Coffey – RHP
LaTroy Hawkins – RHP
Mitch Stetter – LHP
Claudio Vargas – RHP
Carlos Villanueva – RHP
David Riske* – RHP
Other Options:
Chris Narveson – LHP
Chuck Lofgren** – LHP
*Rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, should be ready for Opening Day*
**Rule 5 pick**
I would say that the success of this bullpen depends one main thing. It depends on Todd Coffey repeating/coming close his 2009 numbers. Coffey was a key component of the bullpen from start to finish, and he’ll need to be there again. LaTroy Hawkins is another guy who was crazy good, crazy good for the first time in six years. With David Riske being unsure about his readiness for Opening Day, the Brewers will have the luxury of two lefties, taking some of the pressure off Mitch Stetter.
Projected Starters:
C – Gregg Zaun – S
1B – Prince Fielder – L
2B – Rickie Weeks – R
3B – Casey McGehee – R
SS – Alcides Escobar – R
LF – Ryan Braun – R
CF – Carlos Gomez – R
RF – Corey Hart – R
The lineup returns looking similar to last year, except now Carlos Gomez is flying around center and Gregg Zaun will man the pitching staff. Casey McGehee is a guy whom I wouldn’t put all my confidence in. I realize the season he had, but remember one thing, it was only 350 AB’s; a full season will be closer to 600 AB’s. If he bats .300 after all those plate appearances, then put your trust in him.
Projected Bench:
C George Kottaras – L
INF Craig Counsell – L
OF Jody Gerut – L
UTIL Joe Inglett – L
C Angel Salome – R
Other Options:
3B Mat Gamel – L
2B Hernan Iribarren – L
I would consider this a bench that is too strong. They need some more openings to fit some other guys on there. You may wonder why I have two catchers on the bench. Well, it was either two catchers, or all lefties. A key to a balanced bench is certainly not all left-handed hitters. You need a righty there, it is just necessary. Even if Angel Salome can’t hit, a righty is needed to make things a little more neutralized, sorry Mat Gamel.
The Pittsburgh Pirates
Projected Rotation:
Ross Ohlendorf – RHP
Zach Duke – LHP
Paul Maholm – LHP
Charlie Morton – RHP
Kevin Hart – RHP
Other Options:
Dan McCutchen – RHP
In case you guys haven’t heard yet, Ross Ohlendorf is the one to keep an eye on, not Maholm or Duke. No offense to the two southpaws, but Ohlendorf has impressed. I realize he may not have the makeup of a true ace, but please find me someone in this rotation who can be a real ace. I’ll put my money on Ohlendorf to have the best season of any Pirates starter.
Projected Bullpen:
Octavio Dotel – Closer – RHP
Joel Hanrahan – RHP
Evan Meek – RHP
D.J. Carrasco*- RHP
Brendan Donnelly – RHP
Javier Lopez – LHP
Steven Jackson*- RHP
Other Options:
Chris Jakubauskas – RHP
Jeff Karstens*- RHP
Brian Burres*- LHP
*Non-roster invitees*
While some of these guys may not be on the 40-man roster, they do have major league experience as recently as last season. Of the men in the pen, D.J. Carrasco is a name you may not know, but I suggest we learn a little more about him. For whatever reason, he signed for a minor league deal; he signed this deal after pitching in 49 games, for 93 innings, with a 3.76 ERA. Those really are very good numbers for a long reliever. I understand that these guys don’t get much respect, but they save the bullpen numerous times.
Projected Starters:
C – Ryan Doumit – S
1B – Jeff Clement – L
2B – Akinori Iwamura – L
3B – Andy LaRoche – R
SS – Ronny Cedeno – R
LF – Lastings Milledge – R
CF – Andrew McCutchen – R
RF – Garrett Jones – L
If I was doing this two seasons ago, it would look much different. But we already know that. We all know that the Pirates have traded everybody away, but what do you want them to do? I know they may not be the smartest managing decisions ever, but one day (I’m not saying one day soon) this club will be a force to be reckoned with again. It is just how the baseball cycle works. Anyways, Andrew McCutchen, need I say more? He’s another player that many may not know about, but do me a personal favor and watch him from time to time this year. He has got some kind of upside, and I don’t really think he’ll do too much disappointing.
Projected Bench:
C Jason Jaramillo – S
OF Ryan Church – L
SS/1B Bobby Crosby – R
OF Brandon Moss – L
INF Ramon Vazquez – L
Bobby Crosby looks to somehow rise again to the numbers he put up in his ROY season. I’m sure the Pirates aren’t putting all their faith in Ronny Cedeno, so if this change of scenery works for Crosby, maybe he can start playing again and take over at shortstop. I wish him the best.
The St. Louis Cardinals
Projected Rotation:
Chris Carpenter – RHP
Adam Wainwright – RHP
Kyle Lohse – RHP
Brad Penny – RHP
Rich Hill* – LHP
Other Options:
Mitchell Boggs** – RHP
Jaime Garcia – LHP
Kyle McClellan – RHP
*Non-roster invitee*
**Organization wants him in the bullpen, but I think he’s the guy for the 5th spot**
You see what I think. I believe Mitchell Boggs is a better option for the 5th starter spot than anyone else. The only way I would change my mind is if Rich Hill performs in Spring Training. The Cardinals really could use a lefty in that rotation, so I hope Hill does do well (he was a guy I really liked when I saw him with the Cubs). Regardless of the 5th spot, Carpenter and Wainwright are a true gruesome twosome out there. Each pitcher has the ability to beat you in their own way, and beat you they will.
Projected Bullpen:
Ryan Franklin – Closer – RHP
Jason Motte – RHP
Dennys Reyes – LHP
Trever Miller – LHP
Kyle McClellan – RHP
Mitchell Boggs – RHP
Blake Hawksworth – RHP
I really like the way this bullpen sets up on paper. You have a real good closer, and good 8th inning guy, two good lefties, and some really solid young arms. I don’t see a weakness here, especially if Boggs is in the pen like they want him to be.
Projected Starters:
C – Yadier Molina – R
1B – Albert Pujols – R
2B – Skip Schumaker – L
3B – David Freese – R
SS - Brendan Ryan - R
LF – Matt Holliday – R
CF – Colby Rasmus – L
RF – Ryan Ludwick – R
That left side of the infield doesn’t seem to be so solid. I’ve heard rumblings that Brendan Ryan won’t be ready for Opening Day, not sure if that is true or not. Also, David Freese can be seen as a bit of a risk at 3rd, not having more than 35 at bats in the majors. Regardless, the signing of Felipe Lopez was a smart one, and he should have a chance to start, especially if his numbers are similar to last year’s.
Projected Bench:
C Jason LaRue – R
SS/2B Julio Lugo – R
OF Joe Mather – R
INF Tyler Greene – R
UTIL Felipe Lopez - S
As previously stated, it was smart to sign Lopez. I am amazed at how long it took him to sign, especially because that may have been his best year to date. It was the second most AB’s he’s ever had, and his highest average and on base percentage ever. If he has a really strong spring, make sure he gets a chance to start.
The 2010 American League West Preview
As I sit and wait for baseball to begin, I decided to take the fact that I have no life and go through every MLB team and project their roster, as of the beginning of Spring Training. I like to show as often as possible that I’m not just a Phillies fan; I want to know as much about baseball as possible. I want to know to Orioles roster and I want to know the Giants roster, along with every team in the middle. I’m not going to be doing any sort of season projections now, it’s far too early to tell something like that. I just want a feel for what a team is going to look like, I’ll do my best to breakdown the strengths and weaknesses. If you see something that doesn’t look right, it is most likely because that is who I personally believe should be in that spot.
The Los Angeles Angels
Projected Rotation:
Jered Weaver – RHP
Joe Saunders – LHP
Joel Pineiro – RHP
Scott Kazmir – LHP
Ervin Santana – RHP
Not seeing John Lackey at the top of the list really does take something away from the rotation. After the year he just had, the Pineiro signing looks to be a smart one, plus, it solidifies the 3 spot pretty well. Ervin Santana will have a lot to do with the success of this club, from 16 wins in ’08 to 8 in ’09, 3.50 ERA to 5.00 ERA, they need him now more than ever.
Projected Bullpen:
Brian Fuentes – Closer – LHP
Fernando Rodney – RHP
Scot Shields – RHP
Kevin Jepsen – RHP
Jason Bulger – RHP
Matt Palmer – RHP
Sean O’Sullivan – RHP
A little unsure about this bullpen. Fuentes is an average closer at best and Rodney was good with save conversions, but the ERA was awfully high. What will help, is a healthy Scot Shields; he’s a guy that I have always liked and I hope he returns to form. Jepsen was a nice find as well last year, he’ll need to be even better this time around.
Projected Starters:
C – Mike Napoli – R
1B – Kendry Morales – S
2B – Howie Kendrick – R
3B – Brandon Wood – R
SS – Erick Aybar – S
LF – Juan Rivera – R
CF – Torii Hunter – R
RF – Bobby Abreu – L
DH – Hideki Matsui – L
I hope all of Brandon Wood’s waiting comes to fruition this season as 3rd base now belongs to him. The rest of the lineup remained relatively unchanged, except for the addition of a new DH in Hideki Matsui.
Projected Bench:
C Jeff Mathis – R
INF Maicer Izturis – S
OF Reggie Willits – S
3B Freddy Sandoval – S
Other Options:
OF Terry Evans – R
This looks to be a pretty strong bench if you ask me. Maicer Izturis really could be a starter on many teams and Reggie Willits reminds me a lot of Brandon Wood. Both of them are good enough in the Minors, but lack in the Majors.
The Oakland Athletics
Projected Rotation:
Ben Sheets – RHP
Dallas Braden – LHP
Justin Duchscherer – RHP
Brett Anderson – LHP
Trevor Cahill – RHP
Other Options:
Vin Mazzaro – RHP
Gio Gonzalez – LHP
Josh Outman – LHP
Any potential success this rotation will have relies on health. If those top three guys stay healthy, especially Sheets and Duchscherer, watch out for these guys. Ben Sheets is one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball when he’s on, and hitters make that pretty clear. Justin Duchscherer is really a very nice foil pair (my 11th grade English teacher would be proud) to Sheets, as both take very different roads to getting hitters out, but they do it.
Projected Bullpen:
Andrew Bailey – Closer – RHP
Brad Ziegler – RHP
Michael Wuertz – RHP
Joey Devine – RHP
Craig Breslow – LHP
Jerry Blevins – LHP
Jon Meloan – RHP
The A’s bullpen looks alright on paper to tell you the truth. You have a good young closer, your daily dose of two lefties and Michael Wuertz (who was crazy good last year, I had no idea). A healthy Joey Devine will also do this pen a world of good.
Projected Starters:
C – Kurt Suzuki – R
1B – Daric Barton – L
2B – Mark Ellis – R
3B – Kevin Kouzmanoff – R
SS – Cliff Pennington – S
LF – Rajai Davis – R
CF – Coco Crisp – S
RF – Ryan Sweeney – L
DH – Jack Cust – L
I wonder if this team will do a good job at working walks? Something tells me it will as the A’s brass love that sort of thing, not that there’s anything wrong with that. It is a good apporach to the plate, but too many times batting averages aren’t high enough. Nobody here really sticks out, although, I love Kurt Suzuki behind the dish, he’s grown to be a fairly good hitter too.
Projected Bench:
C Landon Powell – S
3B/1B Eric Chavez – L
INF Adam Rosales – R
1B/3B/DH Jake Fox – R
Other Options:
OF Gabe Gross – L
2B/OF Eric Patterson – L
OF Travis Buck – L
With Chavez, Rosales, and Fox on the bench, it’s looking pretty good. Chavez has proven what he can do, Rosales has annihilated the Minors, and Jake Fox could one day be starting somewhere (he has got big time power, for those who don’t know).
The Seattle Mariners
Projected Rotation:
Felix Hernandez – RHP
Cliff Lee – LHP
Ryan Rowland-Smith – LHP
Ian Snell – RHP
Doug Fister – RHP
Other Options:
Luke French – LHP
I’ve been talking ever since the trade went down that Seattle now has the best 1-2 punch in the MLB. Cliff Lee made a fan for life out of me last year when he did what he did for me and my Phillies. I tuned in with new-found excitement everytime he pitched and was wowed during Game 1 of the World Series when he dominated. In addition, I was genuinely disappointed when I heard we traded him away. It’s not all about Cliff though, King Felix was just that last year and I really like Ryan Rowland-Smith, these guys look rather good.
Projected Bullpen:
David Aardsma – Closer – RHP
Mark Lowe – RHP
Brandon League – RHP
Sean White – RHP
Garrett Olson – LHP
Shawn Kelley – RHP
Jason Vargas – LHP
Other Options:
Kanekoa Texeira* – RHP
*Rule 5 pick*
I wouldn’t say that the bullpen looks anywhere near as good as the rotation. Picking up Brandon League, even if it meant trading away Brandon Morrow, will be worth it in the end. He’s got quite the live arm and is a tough guy to face in the late innings when he’s healthy. David Aardsma may have been the surprise of the season last year, as I don’t believe anyone saw that dominance coming. Mark Lowe adds to League and Aardsma to give hitters three tough arms to face late in games.
Projected Starters:
C – Rob Johnson – R
1B – Casey Kotchman – L
2B – Jose Lopez – R
3B – Chone Figgins – S
SS – Jack Wilson – R
LF – Milton Bradley – S
CF – Franklin Gutierrez – R
RF – Ichiro Suzuki – L
DH – Ken Griffey Jr. – L
Adding former division rival Chone Figgans and giving Milton Bradley a change of scenery should do wonders for this already stable offensive team. Not to mention, the defense on this team looks spectacular. I suppose the only guy you really won’t know what to expect from is the new catcher Rob Johnson, he may not even win the job once Spring is over.
Projected Bench:
OF Michael Saunders – L
C Josh Bard – S
3B/1B Jack Hannahan – L
1B/DH Ryan Garko – R
Other Options:
LF/DH Eric Byrnes – R
C Adam Moore – R
OF Ryan Langerhans – L
INF Matt Tuiasosopo – R
This is a bench that has a lot of options, maybe some of these guys should be starting and maybe some of them should make the team. Should Ryan Garko be the DH when there is a lefty on the mound? Should Eric Byrnes get the veteran benefit of the doubt and take a spot from someone younger (and possibly more deserving)? These questions should be answered during Spring.
The Texas Rangers
Projected Rotation:
Scott Feldman – RHP
Rich Harden – RHP
Tommy Hunter – RHP
Brandon McCarthy – RHP
Derek Holland – LHP
Other Options:
Colby Lewis – RHP
Neftali Feliz – RHP
What is with all this talk about Colby Lewis getting a spot in the rotation? Whatever he did in Japan or whatever is fine and dandy, but he doesn’t earn the right the be given anything. I put Tommy Hunter, Brandon McCarthy, and Derek Holland ahead of him on my depth chart. Rich Harden is a fantastic signing, those of you who know my blog know all to well how I feel about him. This guy has the nastiest stuff I have ever seen when he is healthy, Cy Young stuff.
Projected Bullpen:
Frank Francisco – Closer – RHP
C.J. Wilson – LHP
Neftali Feliz – RHP
Darren Oliver – LHP
Darren O’Day – RHP
Chris Ray – RHP
Doug Mathis – RHP
Since the Rangers decided to bring Neftali Feliz to the Majors last season as a relief pitcher, then that is where he should stay. I’ve seen the Yankees run Joba Chamberlain into the ground because they can’t figure out where they want him, and frankly I don’t want to see the same thing happen to Feliz. In addition to that, the Rangers need more help in the bullpen anyways. With Feliz having a spot in the pen, it looks to be a pretty good one.
Projected Starters:
C – Jarrod Saltalamacchia – S
1B – Chris Davis – L
2B – Ian Kinsler – R
3B – Michael Young – R
SS – Elvis Andrus – R
LF – Josh Hamilton – L
CF – Julio Borbon – L
RF – Nelson Cruz – R
DH – Vladimir Guerrero – R
It should come as no surprise to anyone that this Rangers offense looks to be awfully strong, even without Rudy Jaramillo as hitting coach. It’s good to hear that Jarrod Saltalamacchia is feeling good, so he should do just fine behind the plate. Josh Hamilton is going to need to be healthy this year, he’s exciting to watch and he really changes a game. A guy who I really like is Nelson Cruz. I first heard about Nellie in 2008 when I heard he was smashing the ball in the Minors. Well, Nellie brought his power to the Majors and if anyone hasn’t seen him yet, by all means, watch him this year.
Projected Bench:
OF David Murphy – L
C – Talyor Teagarden – R
INF Joaquin Arias – R
INF Esteban German – R
I haven’t the slightest clue what is going on in the head of Khalil Greene, but I hope he gets everything sorted out up there. I remember watching him when he first came up and being really impressed with his defense, good luck Khalil. David Murphy is a guy who, by all rights, should be a starter. Well, he would be a starter on most other clubs, but this particular team has a stacked outfield, he’ll be just fine on the bench though.
The 2010 American League Central Preview
As I sit and wait for baseball to begin, I decided to take the fact that I have no life and go through every MLB team and project their roster, as of the beginning of Spring Training. I like to show as often as possible that I’m not just a Phillies fan; I want to know as much about baseball as possible. I want to know to Orioles roster and I want to know the Giants roster, along with every team in the middle. I’m not going to be doing any sort of season projections now, it’s far too early to tell something like that. I just want a feel for what a team is going to look like, I’ll do my best to breakdown the strengths and weaknesses. If you see something that doesn’t look right, it is most likely because that is who I personally believe should be in that spot.
The Chicago White Sox
Projected Rotation:
Jake Peavy – RHP
Mark Buehrle - LHP
Gavin Floyd – RHP
John Danks – LHP
Freddy Garcia – RHP
Other Options:
Dan Hudson – RHP
How strong does this rotation look? As I was writing it down, I realized it is just good pitcher after good pitcher (Freddy Garcia is a solid 5th starter people). Can you imagine this team coming at you in the playoffs with these top four coming at you?
Projected Bullpen:
Bobby Jenks – Closer – RHP
Matt Thornton – LHP
J.J. Putz – RHP
Scott Linebrink – RHP
Tony Pena – RHP
Freddy Dolsi – RHP
Randy Williams – LHP
Looks to be a strong bullpen too, but put the question marks next to Dolsi, Williams, and even J.J. Putz. Putz is coming off a rough year in New York, although I don’t believe he was happy with that situation from the start. He wanted to be a closer, and I’m sure he still does. Hopefully his attitude has changed, because he’s not the closer here either. He’s got a nice pitch selection and could really be a tough guy to face in the 8th inning,
Projected Starters:
C – A.J. Pierzynski – L
1B – Paul Konerko – R
2B – Gordon Beckham – R
3B – Mark Teahen – L
SS – Alexei Ramirez – R
LF – Juan Pierre – L
CF – Alex Rios – R
RF – Carlos Quentin – R
DH – Mark Kotsay – L / Andruw Jones – R (RHP/LHP)
The rotation may look fantastic, and honestly the lineup doesn’t look much worse. This is a lineup that had endless potential. While guys like Beckham and Ramirez have showed it, guys like Mark Teahen and Alex Rios haven’t shown us what they’re really capable of. Teahen can play any position you ever wanted him to, although he’s capable of more with the stick. Alex Rios had a down year, plain and simple, I know how good this guy can be and I hope he shows the South Side of Chicago in 2010.
Projected Bench:
OF/DH Andruw Jones / 1B/OF/DH Mark Kotsay
INF Omar Vizquel – S
UTIL Jayson Nix – R
C Ramon Castro – R
The bench may be the weakest part of the team, but really it’s pretty solid. In the American League you don’t need to have a really strong bench to be successful, so they should be alright with this group of guys.
The Cleveland Indians
Projected Rotation:
Jake Westbrook – RHP
Fausto Carmona – RHP
Justin Masterson – RHP
Aaron Laffey – LHP
David Huff – LHP
Other Options:
Jeremy Sowers* – LHP
Mitch Talbot* – RHP
Carlos Carrasco – RHP
*Out of options*
Decisions, decisions. Sowers and Talbot are both out of options, does this increase their odds of making the rotation? Not in my book. Sowers has proven that maybe his one good season was a bit of a fluke; if he struggles in Spring, then you don’t want him on your roster. Mitch Talbot has pitched three games in the majors with an ERA over 11, don’t lose sleep over him.
Projected Bullpen:
Kerry Wood – Closer – RHP
Chris Perez – RHP
Joe Smith – RHP
Rafael Perez – LHP
Tony Sipp – LHP
Jensen Lewis – RHP
Jess Todd – RHP
Other Options:
Jeremy Sowers/Mitch Talbot*
Hector Ambriz**
Jason Grilli***
Saul Rivera***
Jamey Wright***
*If not starters*
**Rule 5 pick**
***Non-roster invitees***
Speaking of decisions, some more come about here in the bullpen. Six of them seem to be pretty much a lock, but that other spot will have about six able pitchers gunning for it. I really like those three non-roster guys, I would give them all a pretty good shot at making the club, but we all know that can’t happen.
Projected Starters:
C – Lou Marson – R
1B - Russell Branyan - L
2B – Luis Valbuena – L
3B – Jhonny Peralta – R
SS – Asdrubal Cabrera – S
LF - Matt LaPorta - R
CF – Grady Sizemore – L
RF – Shin-Soo Choo – L
DH – Travis Hafner – L
I actually think this lineup is fairly capable, but obviously you can’t be sure about all of them. Can Choo and Cabrera keep it up? How will the guy I never want traded from the Phillies do (Lou Marson)? Some interesting questions. I think Choo and Asdrubal are great players and I don’t doubt their ability one bit. I’m hoping that Lou Marson blows away this organization, I want him to make the Phillies rue the day they put him in the Lee deal. Not to mention, I can’t wait to see what Matt LaPorta can do, seeing as how I personally didn’t see him that much last season.
Projected Bench:
C Mike Redmond – R
OF Trevor Crowe – S
1B/3B Andy Marte – R
INF Brian Bixler – R
Other Options:
LF Michael Brantley – L
OF Austin Kearns* – R
With the Indians seemingly deciding that Michael Brantley was going to be in Triple-A, the bench got weakened some. I really don’t know what to expect from Andy Marte, when is this guy going to come around?
The Detroit Tigers
Projected Rotation:
Justin Verlander – RHP
Rick Porcello – RHP
Max Scherzer – RHP
Nate Robertson – LHP
Jeremy Bonderman – RHP
Other Options:
Armando Galarraga – RHP
Eddie Bonine – RHP
The top three pitchers on this team have a real good chance to be one of the bigger threats t baseball. Although, a lot has to do with Porcello in his second year and Scherzer in the American League. Robertson and Bonderman will have a lot to do with the Tiger team, they need to at least be average for them to have any success.
Projected Bullpen:
Jose Valverde – Closer – RHP
Joel Zumaya – RHP
Ryan Perry – RHP
Bobby Seay – LHP
Phil Coke – LHP
Zach Miner – RHP
Fu-Te Ni – LHP
Other Options:
Daniel Schlereth – LHP
I almost like the look of the bullpen more than the rotation, it seems so much more solid. Health is obviously a key for Joel Zumaya, as per usual. He went from 83.1 innings in ’06 to 88 innings in ’07, ’08, and ’09 combined. 100 miles per hour isn’t so fast when it’s on the DL; if I’m the Tigers, I don’t expect much. What I like is that they have a lot of good options for left handed relief, which is always a plus.
Projected Starters:
C – Gerald Laird – R
1B – Miguel Cabrera – R
2B – Scott Sizemore – R
3B – Brandon Inge – R
SS – Adam Everett – R
LF - Johnny Damon - L
CF – Austin Jackson – R
RF – Magglio Ordonez – R
DH – Carlos Guillen – S
I expected to be writing about Ryan Raburn getting the chance to start, seems I don’t have to worry about that anymore. A big risk for the Tigers is that they are putting a lot of stock in two guys who have never played in the Majors before. So, who really knows what to expect from Scott Sizemore and Austin Jackson? I would say this projected lineup is average at best.
Projected Bench:
INF Ramon Santiago – S
OF Ryan Raburn – R
OF Clete Thomas – L
C Alex Avila – L
Other Options:
OF/3B Don Kelly – L
Sorry Ryan, back to the bench you go. Raburn is a wonderful player who really has a lot of talents. Go out there and have a huge Spring, make the Tigers think about their decision to sign Johnny Damon.
The Kansas City Royals
Projected Rotation:
Zack Greinke – RHP
Gil Meche – RHP
Luke Hochevar – RHP
Brian Bannister – RHP
Kyle Davies – RHP
Other Options:
Kyle Farnsworth – RHP
Robinson Tejeda – RHP
If I’m Kansas City, I entertain the idea of Farnsworth and Tejeda starting, but really, both of them are so much more valuble in the bullpen. I like the starting five for the Royals, it is basically what they expected to have all of last season, which obviously didn’t go according to plan. Zack Greinke, you could not have impressed the world more than you did last season, go out there and do it again, prove you aren’t some fluke.
Projected Bullpen:
Joakim Soria – Closer – RHP
Juan Cruz – RHP
Dusty Hughes – LHP
Roman Colon – RHP
Anthony Lerew – RHP
Kyle Farnsworth*
Robinson Tejeda*
Other Options:
Victor Marte – RHP
Edgar Osuna – RHP**
Matt Herges – RHP***
*If not starting*
**Rule 5 pick**
***Non-roster invitee***
You see how much chance I give Farnsworth and Tejeda to start, I already wrote them in as bullpen arms, which is how it should be. This really has the looks of a sub-par bullpen, worse than the one last season. Obviously Soria is a wizard down there, and I like Juan Cruz even after the poor ’09. Good luck to this makeshift bullpen.
Projected Starters:
C - Jason Kendall - R
1B – Billy Butler – R
2B – Chris Getz – L
3B – Alex Gordon – L
SS – Yuniesky Betancourt – R
LF – Scott Podsednik – L
CF – Rick Ankiel – L
RF – David DeJesus – L
DH – Jose Guillen – R
The lineup? It has some potential. For the record, I picked the Kansas City Royals to finish in 2nd place in the AL Central last season (by all means, enjoy your collective chuckle). This team just does not look as good as last years did, on paper of course. Not sure what Rick Ankiel will give you, and here’s to hoping that Mike Aviles comes back strong. Alex Gordon is another young gun that I still have faith in, as for now, I’ll just wait. Billy Butler is the real deal though, if anybody needs a player to watch, make it him. He is a prime example of a pure hitter, it’s not all about power for this big man.
Projected Bench:
2B/3B Alberto Callaspo – S
UTIL Willy Bloomquist – R
C Brayan Pena – S
3B/LF/1B Josh Fields – R
Other Options:
SS Mike Aviles – R
OF Mitch Maier – L
The bench is one aspect of the team that looks good. You have a good offensive infielder in Callaspo, utility man defense with Willy Bloomquist, and a ton of power with Josh Fields.
The Minnesota Twins
Projected Rotation:
Scott Baker – RHP
Kevin Slowey – RHP
Carl Pavano – RHP
Nick Blackburn – RHP
Brian Duensing – LHP
Other Options:
Francisco Liriano – LHP
Glen Perkins – LHP
Looks solid to me. I hear that Francisco Liriano has looked really good in whatever offseason league he’s pitching for, so there is something for the Twins to think about. If you don’t follow baseball all that closely this rotation may slip past you. Don’t be fooled, you have a veteran presence in Pavano, surrounded by promising young arms who have each tasted a little success.
Projected Bullpen:
Joe Nathan – Closer – RHP
Matt Guerrier – RHP
Jose Mijares – LHP
Jesse Crain – RHP
Clay Condrey – RHP
Pat Neshek – RHP
Jon Rauch – RHP
This is the most stable I have seen a Minnesota bullpen look in a few years. Every season I would check and see how they look and it always looked suspect, this time it looks different. My only concern is having only one lefty, but the righties they have are all really good, solid relievers. I would take this bullpen any day of the week.
Projected Starters:
C – Joe Mauer – L
1B – Justin Morneau – L
2B – Orlando Hudson – S
3B – Brendan Harris – R
SS – J.J. Hardy – R
LF – Delmon Young – R
CF – Denard Span – L
RF – Michael Cuddyer – R
DH – Jason Kubel – L
I’ve looked at the lineup, and there really isn’t much to talk about here, especially in terms of criticism. Obviously, Mauer and Morneau are MVP candidates every single year, while Span and Kubel really had breakout seasons. I do like the Hudson grab, he worked out alright for the Dodgers, I’m sure the Twins would take more of the same.
Projected Bench:
C Jose Morales – S
INF Nick Punto – S
3B Matt Tolbert – S
DH Jim Thome – L
Not a bad looking bench, but is this what they signed Thome for? I don’t see him taking Jason Kubel’s job, especially after the year he just had.
The 2010 American League East Preview
As I sit and wait for baseball to begin, I decided to take the fact that I have no life and go through every MLB team and project their roster, as of the beginning of Spring Training. I like to show as often as possible that I’m not just a Phillies fan; I want to know as much about baseball as possible. I want to know to Orioles roster and I want to know the Giants roster, along with every team in the middle. I’m not going to be doing any sort of season projections now, it’s far too early to tell something like that. I just want a feel for what a team is going to look like, I’ll do my best to breakdown the strengths and weaknesses. If you see something that doesn’t look right, it is most likely because that is who I personally believe should be in that spot.
The Baltimore Orioles
Projected Rotation:
Kevin Millwood – RHP
Jeremy Guthrie – RHP
Brad Bergensen – RHP
Brian Matusz – LHP
Chris Tillman – RHP
Other Options:
Koji Uehara – RHP
Jason Berken – RHP
David Hernandez – RHP
The rotation looks alright, I do think Kevin Millwood is overrated though, although his veteran presence certainly can’t hurt this predominantly young group. I’ve heard good things about Bergensen and I’m looking forward to seeing how he does this season. Tillman seems to be the only question mark, that 5th spot looks to be up for grabs. If he produces a good Spring then how can you say no?
Projected Bullpen:
Mike Gonzalez – Closer – LHP
Jim Johnson – RHP
Cla Meredith – RHP
Mark Hendrickson – LHP
Kam Mickolio – RHP
Koji Uehara - RHP
Will Ohman* - LHP
Other Options:
Alberto Castillo – LHP
Matt Albers – RHP
*Non-roster invitee*
I love the addition of Mike Gonzalez, this guy is a phenominal pitcher and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against this strong division. Jim Johnson will be the 8th inning guy, and he’s looking to get back to 2008 form, he wasn’t horrible last year, but the ERA was roughly 2 runs higher than two years ago. Hendrickson and Uehara would be a very nice lefty/righty duo of long arms in the bullpen, just have to hope Koji is healthy this year. Will Ohman is a non-roster guy looking to make the team, if so, he would be the lefty specialist. If Ohman doesn’t make the team, look for the job to go to Alberto Castillo.
Projected Starters:
C – Matt Wieters – S
1B – Garrett Atkins – R
2B – Brian Roberts – S
3B – Miguel Tejada – R
SS – Cesar Izturis – S
LF – Nolan Reimold – R
CF – Adam Jones – R
RF – Nick Markakis – L
DH – Luke Scott – L
The first thing that jumps out to me is the way the outfield looks. If Reimold can avoid the classic sophomore slump then this may be the best outfield in the AL East. All eyes will be on Matt Wieters again, who is going to be looking for a successful full season, I wouldn’t be too worried about the kid not being able to produce. Tejada and Atkins are the new guys, partially, both at different positions. Atkins needs to rebound after a horrid year; Tejada just put up great numbers again, he’ll have a heroes welcome for sure.
Projected Bench:
3B/1B Ty Wigginton – R
SS/2B Robert Andino – R
OF Felix Pie – L
C Chad Moeller – R
Other Options:
C Craig Tatum – R
1B Michael Aubrey – L
OF Lou Montanez – R
It’s not a bad bench, prototypical backup catcher, Wigginton brings the bat, Andino is the defensive infielder, while Pie is a pretty solid outfielder, and the only left-handed bat off the bench. The only thing that can hurt them is the lack of lefty pop, even Michael Aubrey couldn’t really bring that.
The Boston Red Sox
Projected Rotation:
Josh Beckett – RHP
Jon Lester – LHP
John Lackey – RHP
Daisuke Matsuzaka – RHP
Clay Buchholz – RHP
Other Options:
Tim Wakefield – RHP
Where does Tim Wakefield fit in? I’m sure he’s wondering the same thing. I would guess his best bet is to take the place of an injured Matsuzaka, who has had his throwing delayed becuase of a bad back. Can we, for a moment, take a look at the top three pitchers in that rotation. Two power righties and a really good southpaw, that may very well be the best 1-2-3 punch in the bigs.
Projected Bullpen:
Jonathan Papelbon – Closer – RHP
Hideki Okajima – LHP
Ramon Ramirez – RHP
Daniel Bard – RHP
Manny Delcarmen – RHP
Brian Shouse* – LHP
Ramon A. Ramirez – RHP
Other Options:
Joe Nelson* – RHP
Boof Bonser – RHP
*Non-roster invitee*
Some question marks in this bullpen, the top 5 spots are a lock, but the next two, not so much. I chose Shouse and Ramirez because I wasn’t all that sure where to go. Shouse seems to be the better choice, just for the fact of being the second lefty. The second Ramon Ramirez has looked alright in limited action over the last two years, while Nelson was so-so last season. If Boof Bonser can pitch well enough, he might creep onto the Opening Day roster. Those five sure arms in the pen will be tough to get through, American League beware.
Projected Starters:
C – Victor Martinez – S
1B – Kevin Youkilis – R
2B – Dustin Pedroia – R
3B – Adrian Beltre – R
SS – Marco Scutaro – R
LF – Jacoby Ellsbury – L
CF – Mike Cameron – R
RF – J.D. Drew – L
DH – David Ortiz – L
Where do we go from here David Ortiz? Will you still be the DH by the time October rolls around? Hard to say, he is certainly going to need a better start than last year. Marco Scutaro will try to be the first Red Sox shortstop since Nomar to be a truly trusted figure in-between 2nd and 3rd base, can he do it? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Mike Cameron is the best .250 hitter I’ve ever heard of, says the media. Maybe I haven’t paid close enough attention to him, but that batting average really sticks out, I think he’s there for his defense and nothing else. The Adrian Beltre pickup is a really good one, I was hoping my Phillies would go after him, look for him to have a very good year.
Projected Bench:
3B Mike Lowell – R
C Jason Varitek – S
RF Jeremy Hermida – L
INF Jed Lowrie – S
Other Options:
UTIL Bill Hall – R
Poor Mike Lowell, he goes from being traded, to not being traded because of a thumb, and now designated to a bench role in Boston. One thing he could look forward to is a struggling Ortiz, if that happens, he’ll be next in line for the DH role.
The New York Yankees
Projected Rotation:
CC Sabathia – LHP
A.J. Burnett – RHP
Javier Vazquez – RHP
Andy Pettitte – LHP
Phil Hughes – RHP
Other Options:
Joba Chamberlain – RHP
Chad Gaudin – RHP
Sergio Mitre – RHP
Phil Hughes should be in the rotation. I know he has had more success in the bullpen, but he’s built like a starter. Joba has the build of a reliever, and he likes that role more, without a doubt. He likes getting into the game and throwing as hard as possible and getting big outs. Maybe Hughes likes the pen more too, but the man is a starter, he just has starter stuff. I love the Javy Vazquez pickup, one of the more underrated pitchers in the bigs. I wouldn’t be totally opposed to Gaudin or Mitre being in the rotation, it would improve the bullpen that’s for sure.
Projected Bullpen:
Mariano Rivera – Closer – RHP
Phil Hughes*
Joba Chamberlain*
Damaso Marte – LHP
David Robertson – RHP
Alfredo Aceves – RHP
Boone Logan – LHP
Other Options:
Chad Gaudin*
Chan Ho Park – RHP
*If not starting*
This Yankee bullpen looks strong, and it looks even stronger with both Hughes and Chamberlain down there. Aceves is a really good rock to have, he’ll eat up innings with the best of them, one of the best surprises I’ve seen in a while. Marte is the guy that really has to bounce back, I know how good he is, and I want to see the real Marte again.
Projected Starters:
C – Jorge Posada – S
1B – Mark Teixeira – S
2B – Robinson Cano – L
3B – Alex Rodriguez – R
SS – Derek Jeter – R
LF – Brett Gardner – L
CF – Curtis Granderson – L
RF – Nick Swisher – S
DH – Nick Johnson – L
Curtis Granderson reminds me of Mike Cameron, both seem to have paid the media to make them sound like greatness. The .249 BA and the so-so .327 OBP don’t look that phenominal. Oh yeah, he hit .183 against lefty pitching, which is deplorable. I know he’s got talent, 30 homers is nice, only 70 RBI’s though, that’s an odd ratio (although he does lead-off); the guy is going to need to do a little bit better than that to impress me. Nick Johnson was a good, inexpensive move (not to mention, he destroyed my Phillies last year, glad he’s gone), he’ll do just fine this time around.
Projected Bench:
LF/RF Randy Winn – S
C Francisco Cervelli – R
INF Ramiro Pena – S
1B Juan Miranda – L
Other Options:
RF/LF Jamie Hoffmann* – R
*Rule 5 pick*
Not sure if they want Randy Winn to start or not, I have him on the bench for now to open the door for Gardner. I think picking him up was a smart move too, he’s there in case Gardner proves that he’s not ready for the everyday left field job.
The Tampa Bay Rays
Projected Rotation:
James Shields – RHP
Matt Garza – RHP
Jeff Niemann – RHP
David Price – LHP
Wade Davis – RHP
Other Options:
Andy Sonnanstine – RHP
To me, this looks like a solid top to bottom rotation. Nobody here is really going to put up Cy Young numbers, but I really can’t see any of these guys with an ERA over 5 at years end. Jeff Niemann was a guy who really impressed me last season, he’s a big workhorse who doesn’t really focus on strikeouts, which I always enjoy. Matt Garza is the guy to watch out for, I see him being the best pitcher on this Rays team this season.
Projected Bullpen:
Rafael Soriano – Closer – RHP
Dan Wheeler – RHP
Grant Balfour – RHP
J.P. Howell – LHP
Randy Choate – LHP
Lance Cormier – RHP
Dale Thayer – RHP
Other Options:
Andy Sonnanstine
Rafael Soriano shows up to lock down the 9th innings; gone are the days of Al Reyes and his balmy ERA and Troy Percival with his bad back. No more closer by committee either, Soriano is the real deal. Wheeler, Howell, and Balfour are three guys I really like, I just think they’re a very strong combination of 7th/8th inning relievers; each of them brings something different to the table too.
Projected Starters:
C – Dioner Navarro – S
1B – Carlos Pena – L
2B – Ben Zobrist – S
3B – Evan Longoria – R
SS – Jason Bartlett – R
LF – Carl Crawford – L
CF – B.J. Upton – R
RF – Gabe Kapler – R / Matt Joyce – L (LHP/RHP)
DH – Pat Burrell – R / Willy Aybar - S (LHP/RHP)
While I’m not sure this is the way they’ll do it, I think the Rays would be smart to have some platooning going on. It’s understandable that one would play better if they were on an everyday basis, but sometimes you just have to play the numbers. The rest of the lineup looks identical to the lineup of last year, and I wouldn’t really say that’s a bad thing, this is a very solid team.
Projected Bench:
Gabe Kapler/Matt Joyce
Pat Burrell/Willy Aybar
C Kelly Shoppach – R
INF Sean Rodriguez – R
Other Options:
SS Reid Brignac – L
OF Fernando Perez – S
It would seem to me that Sean Rodriguez and Reid Brignac would be dueling this spring to see who gets that final spot. It’s pretty clear to see that Brignac is better offensively, but Rodriguez brings the defense. He also can play more positions than Brignac, so the edge goes to him in my book.
The Toronto Blue Jays
Projected Rotation:
Shaun Marcum – RHP
Ricky Romero – LHP
Brandon Morrow – RHP
Marc Rzepczynski – LHP
Brett Cecil – LHP
Other Options:
Dustin McGowan* – RHP
Brian Tallet – LHP
Scott Richmond – RHP
David Purcey – LHP
Dana Eveland – LHP
*If healthy*
Ah yes Toronto, the team with two clown cars full of pitchers. I’m pretty excited to see what a healthy Shaun Marcum will do, he really caught my attention in 2008, then obviously sat out all of last year; he fell of a lot of radars. Ricky Romero is a guy who I see as one of the best young arms in the bigs. He’s got the fastball, slider, and nasty changeup, he’ll have a good ’10. Brandon Morrow too is a guy who I’ve always loved, he hasn’t been able to live up to the hype, but I’ll sit here watching and waiting, I won’t lose faith in him.
Projected Bullpen:
Kevin Gregg – Potential Closer – RHP
Jason Frasor – Potential Closer – RHP
Scott Downs – Potential Closer – RHP
Brian Tallet*
Jeremy Accardo – RHP
Shawn Camp – RHP
Jesse Carlson – LHP
Other Options:
Josh Roenicke – RHP
Casey Janssen – RHP
Dirk Hayhurst – RHP
Zech Zinicola** – RHP
*If not starting*
**Rule 5 pick**
Hands down, I give the closer’s role to Jason Frasor. I know Gregg has the experience and Downs is in the mix, but Frasor delivered last season, let him have a go at it. I think Downs is more effective in an 8th inning role anyways, which him and Gregg will likely share, and if there is a lefty-heavy lineup, then let him have the 9th. Brian Tallet shouldn’t be starting, there are already the southpaw’s penciled in to my starting five, and a lefty like him is more effective in the pen.
Projected Starters:
C – John Buck – R
1B – Lyle Overbay – L
2B – Aaron Hill – R
3B – Edwin Encarnacion – R
SS – Alex Gonzalez – R
LF – Travis Snider – L
CF – Vernon Wells – R
RF – Jose Bautista – R
DH – Adam Lind – L
This Blue Jay outfield worries me a little bit. An unproven Travis Snider and a glorified bench player in Jose Bautista with an aging, not-as-effective Vernon Wells in the middle doens’t look all that lovely. I honestly don’t believe that Bautista will be starting in right when the season begins, Joey Gathright or Jeremy Reed will make a strong push this Spring. After Aaron Hill and Adam Lind it really is a very weak lineup, sorry Jay fans.
Projected Bench:
C Jose Molina - R
SS John McDonald – R
2B Jarrett Hoffpauir – R
OF Joey Gathright* – L
Other Options:
OF Jeremy Reed* – L
DH Randy Ruiz – R
C Raul Chavez – R
*Non-roster invitees*
Even the bench on the Blue Jay team looks rather weak, McDonald is a defensive wizard, but that only gets you so far. This team looks to have a very weak offense, sorry to say.
I’m Ready
For some odd reason, this offseason never left me wanting baseball like I thought it would, until now.
I do suppose I’ve had my fair share of things to watch; I’ve discovered Dexter, watched Fraiser and Seinfeld DVD’s, watched the two phenominal weeks of the Australian Open, the return of the PGA has been nice too.
Also, I have fallen in love with some new bands: Phoenix, Bloc Party, and The Strokes are some new additions. The new goes with the old guard which includes The Smiths, as well as Morrissey’s solo project, Rage Against the Machine, and The Rakes
Another change from last winter is that I started bowling again after going on hiatus for the first time ever last year. I finished the year with the highest average in my division with 212.3 and bowled my first 300 two weeks ago at the ripe young age of 17, easily the greatest moment of my life.
I truly believe that watching my Phillies lose the World Series got me a tad tired of the game. When you lose and the games stop playing, your last memory is that loss and you have to dwell on it from November until April.
I’m over it now, with 6 days remaining until that great reporting day I’m ready for baseball to come back to the front of my life. I’m ready for this writing to come back too, although my posts will be sporadic until midway through Spring Training, when I can start predicting and such.
I felt like I needed this little update here today, it was just one of those days to write, and I can’t wait until I can disect every team and do my best to predict their finishes.
The Big Trade, or should I say, The Tigers Trade
I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around this trade since I heard it was agreed upon at about 2:30 yesterday. I’ve looked it up, down, in, out, and around. When I first heard about it, I believed it was a horrible trade for the Yankees, and quite frankly I still believe it is. I know everyone has said the loser in the deal is Arizona, but this trade doesn’t seem to have a clear loser. One thing is for sure, and that is that the Tigers are the clear winners.
The Yankees get a 29 year old Center Fielder in Curtis Granderson. Granderson batted just .249 last season in 631 at bat’s (the most AB’s of his career). His OBP is lackluster at best at .327. I know he’s an incredible fielder, a speedster, and a quality overall hitter (power too), but those last season numbers don’t lie. Not to mention he hit 28 of his 30 HR’s against righties. What I find most alarming is what they gave up in this deal.
The Diamondbacks get a pitcher in Edwin Jackson, who I’ve never been too high on, who is coming off his best season in the bigs. Jackson is also a pretty young guy, so he could be a solid pitcher for a while. Ian Kennedy is another young arm who the Yankees were incredibly high on at one time. I’ve seen Kennedy pitch a couple of times, and I do like what I see, he just needs some control. If Kennedy can ever harness his accuracy, then I do believe he is the best part of the deal to the D’Backs. However, I was overcome with disappointment when I heard they traded away Scherzer; big mistake in my book.
Then we get to the Tigers. The Tigers recieve Max Scherzer, an incredibly talented young arm (mid 90′s fastball that can move and a very nice slider). The former first round pick is also just 25 years old. They also received Austin Jackson, whom I was told was the hottest prospect in the money-laden Yankee organization. Obviously, prospects are prospects for a reason. He’s never played in the Majors before, and he still has some issues here and there (strikeouts mainly). Regardless, maybe he could have been the Yankees future starting CF’er. As if those two players weren’t enough, they also received two young lefty bullpen arms in Phil Coke and Daniel Schlereth. Coke has already had a decent amount of success in the Majors, while Schlereth is still searching. But, Schlereth held hitters to only a .221 BA last season, and he struck out 22 in 18.1 innings. His issue is command (much like Kennedy), but i’m sure he’ll be fine.
I don’t think we should all believe that the Yankees made out so good in this deal. They get a center fielder, but they lose a top prospect, a lefty reliever, and a young starting pitcher. I know how good Granderson is, but I’m just not fully convinced it is a win for the Yanks.
I tell you what, if they don’t get Roy Halladay and the Red Sox do because of this trade, then it was a total failure.
In a side note, the Phillies get Ross Gload, which I love, Kevin Millwood is being talked about way too much, and trading Milton Bradley seems to be the only thing the Cubs care about this offseason.
Until next time, take it easy bloggers.
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