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.