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.