The Red Sox and Yankees just finished up the first game of the 2010 season and while I usually dislike watching this rivalry, it was the first baseball game of the year. Watching this game got me thinking of the national storylines that I'm looking forward to the most.
The very first storyline I'm looking forward to is the debuts of Stephen Strasburg and Aroldis Chapman. Both of these guys look to be future studs in this game and I'm excited to see what they have against top notch MLB talent. Strasburg is carrying the future of the Nationals on his back, but he looks to be unhittable at times and I know I'll be watching Nationals games when he is starting this season. Chapman had a good Spring and made him an intriguing player to watch this season, as long as Dusty Baker doesn't destroy his arm.
Jason Heyward, simply because he is getting so much hype. I really want to see how good this kid is. I've heard all the hype of him being compared to Albert Pujols and hitting moon shots that land in parking lots, but I really want to see him with my own eyes. I'm really excited to see what he has and I hope I'm not disappointed.
Target Field. The Twins are opening up a new stadium this year and I want to see how they handle the move. The HHH Dome was always good for a few extra wins whether it was piped in crowd noise, the bounces the Twins got off the turf, or even opposing outfielders losing fly balls in the ceiling. The offense definitely has the power and speed to be successful wherever they play, but I'm interested to see if the Twins lose some of their edge when they lose the certain home dome advantage that the Metrodome brought them.
The Rays. I talked about this in the AL East preview, but the Rays are in an interesting situation this season. They could possibly (probably will) lose Carl Crawford and Carlos Peña in the offseason so if the Rays struggle out of the gate, will the Rays front office try to trade Crawford and/or Peña to try to get something for them before they bolt for big pay days? It's definitely something to keep an eye on if the Rays struggle early in the difficult AL East.
My last storyline has to deal with the Texas Rangers. They have had the offense of a contender for some time now, they just lacked the pitching. Well it seems as if they may have the pitching to compete and the talent to surprise some people who are convinced the Mariners are going to win the AL West. Some are saying Ron Washington is on the hot seat in Texas, but his players seem to genuinely enjoy playing for him and I'm looking for them to rally around their skipper and win the AL West this season.
The one thing I don't want to see this year is a player get busted for taking some sort of PEDs. Not because it's bad for the game, but because the media runs with it and makes a huge deal out of it and I'm just burnt out on steroid talk. Here's to a great 2010 baseball season full of exciting moments that can be enjoyed by all baseball fans.
Showing posts with label 2010 MLB Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 MLB Season. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
2010 MLB Predictions
Since I've finished the AL Previews for the season, it's time to make my predictions for the NL as well as the playoffs and some awards.
To recap my AL Division winners, I have: Texas Rangers (AL West), Chicago White Sox (AL Central), and New York Yankees (AL East). My AL Wild Card is going to be the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are going to play inspired baseball I think, mostly because they're going to likely lose Carl Crawford and Carlos Peña in the off-season.
NL West: Colorado Rockies. It's going to be a tight race between Colorado, LA, and San Francisco but I like the Rockies. I think the Rockies are the most balanced team out of the three with solid pitching and a good mix offensively with speed and power.
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals. Having Wainwright and Carpenter at the top of the rotation is certainly a reason why they'll contend in '10 but it also doesn't hurt to pair Matt Holliday with Albert Pujols.
NL East: Philadelphia Phillies. They have one of the top lineups in baseball and couple that with a rotation that includes Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, they're the favorites to win the pennant for a reason.
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants. One of the best, if not the best rotation in baseball finally has some offense behind it. But this will be the more intriguing Wild Card race this year, I could see any of the following teams winning the Wild Card: Giants, Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, Cubs, or Reds.
Playoff Predictions
ALDS
Yankees over Rangers
White Sox over Rays
NLDS
Giants over Phillies
Cardinals over Rockies
ALCS
Yankees over White Sox
NLCS
Cardinals over Giants
World Series
Cardinals over Yankees
MVP and Cy Young Predictions
AL MVP: Mark Teixeira (Yankees)
NL MVP: Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
AL Cy Young: Jake Peavy (White Sox)
NL Cy Young: Adam Wainwright (Cardinals)
To recap my AL Division winners, I have: Texas Rangers (AL West), Chicago White Sox (AL Central), and New York Yankees (AL East). My AL Wild Card is going to be the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are going to play inspired baseball I think, mostly because they're going to likely lose Carl Crawford and Carlos Peña in the off-season.
NL West: Colorado Rockies. It's going to be a tight race between Colorado, LA, and San Francisco but I like the Rockies. I think the Rockies are the most balanced team out of the three with solid pitching and a good mix offensively with speed and power.
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals. Having Wainwright and Carpenter at the top of the rotation is certainly a reason why they'll contend in '10 but it also doesn't hurt to pair Matt Holliday with Albert Pujols.
NL East: Philadelphia Phillies. They have one of the top lineups in baseball and couple that with a rotation that includes Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, they're the favorites to win the pennant for a reason.
NL Wild Card: San Francisco Giants. One of the best, if not the best rotation in baseball finally has some offense behind it. But this will be the more intriguing Wild Card race this year, I could see any of the following teams winning the Wild Card: Giants, Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, Cubs, or Reds.
Playoff Predictions
ALDS
Yankees over Rangers
White Sox over Rays
NLDS
Giants over Phillies
Cardinals over Rockies
ALCS
Yankees over White Sox
NLCS
Cardinals over Giants
World Series
Cardinals over Yankees
MVP and Cy Young Predictions
AL MVP: Mark Teixeira (Yankees)
NL MVP: Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
AL Cy Young: Jake Peavy (White Sox)
NL Cy Young: Adam Wainwright (Cardinals)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
AL Central Preview
The baseball preview continues, moving from the West to the Central as I take a look at the AL Central for the 2010 season. As a reminder the teams appear in order of expected finish looking at a key addition, key player, and player to watch.
Chicago White Sox
Same Face, New Place: Juan Pierre. When the White Sox acquired Pierre, I'll admit I was mixed on this move. The more I think about it, the more I love it and that's because he's had two seasons where he essentially didn't play so his legs are well rested. He also brings the ability to bunt, something Ozzie Guillen loves to do but hasn't been able to with his teams recently. He's going to be asked to set the table and cause chaos for the pitchers similar to what Scott Podsednik did for the Sox in 2005. Ozzie plans to run this team all over the base paths and acquiring Pierre will help Ozzie run the team the way he wants to.
Key Player: Alex Rios. Rios was acquired off waivers during last season and to put it nicely, struggled with the White Sox. He hit .199, with a .229 OBP, and an OPS of .530 (alright he was just flat out awful). Reports are that he's much more comfortable in the clubhouse now and has rediscovered his swing that made him an all-star in Toronto. The Sox lack that prototypical power hitter right now and that means the pressure will be put on Rios and Carlos Quentin to rebound from poor 2009's. The one bright spot for Rios last year is that he stole 24 bases between Toronto and Chicago, so if he can rediscover his swing and pair it with his base stealing he'll be a real weapon for the Sox this season.
Player to Watch: Gordon Beckham. For the first time in a while this is the first year where the Sox don't have a young prospect coming up with a few question marks surrounding him. So with that I have to default to Beckham who should continue to build on his impressive rookie season. It's important to see how he handles all the expectations being thrown on him and he didn't hit as well at U.S. Cellular Field as he did on the road and he needs to learn to use the home ballpark to his advantage.
Final Verdict: The strength of the White Sox rests in the arms of the pitching staff. Mark Buehrle and Jake Peavy front a staff that could be the best in baseball by the end of the season. Bobby Jenks should be stable at the end of the bullpen and J.J. Putz and Matt Thornton should be excellent options to shorten a game for Ozzie Guillen. The offense is where the questions are for this team, but if Andruw Jones continues to hit like he is in Spring Training, the DH-rotation might be a better idea than many are giving Guillen credit for. What seems to be a bigger issue every day is the relationship of Guillen and Kenny Williams, they should realize to put aside any differences that they may have and focus on the job at hand, and if they do that this team could be very dangerous this season.
Minnesota Twins
Chicago White Sox
Same Face, New Place: Juan Pierre. When the White Sox acquired Pierre, I'll admit I was mixed on this move. The more I think about it, the more I love it and that's because he's had two seasons where he essentially didn't play so his legs are well rested. He also brings the ability to bunt, something Ozzie Guillen loves to do but hasn't been able to with his teams recently. He's going to be asked to set the table and cause chaos for the pitchers similar to what Scott Podsednik did for the Sox in 2005. Ozzie plans to run this team all over the base paths and acquiring Pierre will help Ozzie run the team the way he wants to.
Key Player: Alex Rios. Rios was acquired off waivers during last season and to put it nicely, struggled with the White Sox. He hit .199, with a .229 OBP, and an OPS of .530 (alright he was just flat out awful). Reports are that he's much more comfortable in the clubhouse now and has rediscovered his swing that made him an all-star in Toronto. The Sox lack that prototypical power hitter right now and that means the pressure will be put on Rios and Carlos Quentin to rebound from poor 2009's. The one bright spot for Rios last year is that he stole 24 bases between Toronto and Chicago, so if he can rediscover his swing and pair it with his base stealing he'll be a real weapon for the Sox this season.
Player to Watch: Gordon Beckham. For the first time in a while this is the first year where the Sox don't have a young prospect coming up with a few question marks surrounding him. So with that I have to default to Beckham who should continue to build on his impressive rookie season. It's important to see how he handles all the expectations being thrown on him and he didn't hit as well at U.S. Cellular Field as he did on the road and he needs to learn to use the home ballpark to his advantage.
Final Verdict: The strength of the White Sox rests in the arms of the pitching staff. Mark Buehrle and Jake Peavy front a staff that could be the best in baseball by the end of the season. Bobby Jenks should be stable at the end of the bullpen and J.J. Putz and Matt Thornton should be excellent options to shorten a game for Ozzie Guillen. The offense is where the questions are for this team, but if Andruw Jones continues to hit like he is in Spring Training, the DH-rotation might be a better idea than many are giving Guillen credit for. What seems to be a bigger issue every day is the relationship of Guillen and Kenny Williams, they should realize to put aside any differences that they may have and focus on the job at hand, and if they do that this team could be very dangerous this season.
Minnesota Twins
Same Face, New Place: Orlando Hudson. When the Twins signed Hudson, I was both angry and surprised. Surprised because the Twins were opening the checkbook to sign some serious talent. I was angry because Hudson is such a good player and will help this team out in many ways. Hudson is a gold glove defender and a great #2 hitter who will fit Ron Gardenhire's style of baseball. Hudson will also provide a great role model for someone like Delmon Young who shows his immaturity at times.
Key Player: The Closer Role. I don't have a specific name for this slot because no one including myself knows who is going to close for the Twins yet. If Joe Nathan is able to pitch through the pain that he has in his arm, the question becomes how effective will he be while hurt? If he can't pitch then a position that has been held down by Nathan, becomes someone's that hasn't closed games before or may not be as effective. Nathan was such a big security blanket for Gardenhire, as every time he came into the game it was pretty much over. It'll be interesting to see if the Twins look to trade for an established closer when the trade deadline looms and could be a major reason why the Twins don't win the division.
Player to Watch: Brian Duensing. On paper, the Twins rotation doesn't seem all that intimidating, but when you watch these guys pitch, they're effective. The same could be said about Duensing, another guy the Twins have developed. He started nine games last season and had a 3.64 ERA, pretty impressive for a guy in his rookie year. If he can build on that success he'll be a very good #5 starter for the Twins.
Final Verdict: The Twins open up Target Field this season and the biggest question for the Twins is how will the Twins handle the new stadium environment. Offensively, the Twins will be their usual aggressive selves and play fundamental baseball, which is always exciting to watch and as the Twins have shown is how you win ballgames. Pitching is a concern with the Twins, The staff lacks that typical dominant ace that many staffs have, but that has not been a problem for the Twins in recent years. The real problem will come from the bullpen if Nathan misses the season. Forcing the relievers to move up a slot is usually a sign of disaster, but knowing the Twins, pitching coach, Rick Anderson will find the man for the job and he'll end up saving 30-40 games and keep the Twins competitive for the 2010 season.
Detroit Tigers
Same Face, New Place: Johnny Damon. Damon was involved in quite the free agent process this offseason and the Tigers are the ones that eventually paid Damon the amount he wanted. If Damon can hit with the same power that he had last year, he'll help the Tigers out immensely. He'll also likely silence the critics that said he benefited from the short fence at Yankee Stadium last year, namely the Yankees front office.
Key Player: Magglio Ordonez. Ordonez' power numbers took a major hit in 2009, going from 21 home runs to 9 and 103 RBI to 50. The Tigers are likely going to look for those numbers to go back up, unfortunately for them, those numbers seem to be in decline. The bright spot for Ordonez is his AVG and OBP have been increasing since his time with the Tigers started. He posted a .310 AVG and a .376 OBP last season. If Jim Leyland recognizes that the power may be gone from Ordonez' bat, a move up or down the order might be the right move for Maggs and will allow the Tigers to get more men on base and generate some more runs.
Player to Watch: Austin Jackson. Jackson came to the Tigers from the Yankees in the Curtis Granderson trade and many people compare Jackson to Granderson. That's something the Tigers hope since he'll be replacing Granderson in centerfield this season. Jackson has shown the ability to hit for a high average and steal some bases while in the minors. It'll be a nice sight for Miguel Cabrera if Jackson is on base a lot and he should provide a spark at the top of the lineup for the Tigers.
Final Verdict: The Tigers made some moves this off-season that many people liked, I however am not that positive on the moves. Trading Edwin Jackson really hurt their rotation; getting Max Scherzer is risky because although he has great potential he hasn't been able to control his pitches in the majors yet. Trading Jackson also forced Rick Porcello to assume the #2 spot in the rotation, a large task for someone only in his 2nd year of baseball. The bullpen should be one of the best in the AL Central providing Leyland many options at the end of games. The offense, like the rest of the AL Central really doesn't pack that much of a punch outside of Cabrera. There are still a lot of athletes in that lineup and it will be the reason they are in the race at the end of the season.
Kansas City Royals
Same Face, New Place: The 2009 Chicago White Sox. The Royals will be going into 2010 with at least three (possibly four) members of the White Sox from a season ago. Scott Podsednik, Chris Getz, and Josh Fields will all be on the Royals this season and Brian Anderson has an outside chance at making the roster. The White Sox clearly did not bring these players back for some reason, and it could be because they didn't win with them. The Royals are looking to cash in on the unwanted White Sox and Podsednik and Getz could be valuable pieces for them in 2010. Podsednik hit for a .303 AVG and stole 30 bases last season, if he can improve his on-base percentage he'll be a real problem for opposing pitchers at the top of the lineup.
Key Player & Player to Watch: Luke Hochevar. Hochevar had an interesting 2009 campaign, in nine starts he allowed at least six earned runs and in eight outings he held opposing offenses to only two earned runs. If the Royals want to think about competing he'll have to be more consistent. A sign that consistency may be on the horizon for Hochevar is that he improved both his K/9 and BB/9 rates and is improving his groundouts to flyouts ratio. He's my pick to also break out in a big way this season for the Royals.
[Side Note: I was going to go with Alex Gordon as my player to watch, but his broken thumb is a cause for concern as Josh Fields may make the most of his opportunity to start.]
Final Verdict: The fourth place finish is actually better than what it seems. I actually see them competing with the White Sox, Twins, and Tigers this season and making the AL Central a 4-team race all summer. There is no doubt that the biggest question for the Royals is the pitching staff but there is potential there to breakout. The bullpen lacks a little depth behind Joakim Soria but Farnsworth and Cruz should be a formidable duo for Trey Hillman to use. To me the strength of this team is going to be the offense behind Billy Butler and David DeJesus and I think Rick Ankiel bounces back from a bad 2009. They probably won't win the division but the Royals are definitely improving.
Cleveland Indians
Same Face, New Place: Russell Branyan. Branyan is back with the Indians after an impressive 2009 season with the Seattle Mariners where he hit 31 home runs. Branyan will be in a lineup that will likely mash a lot of home runs this season so he'll be asked to do more of the same, but he needs to improve his average and on-base percentage so the Indians have more guys on base when those home runs leave the park.
Key Players: Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona. Westbrook is coming back from Tommy John Surgery and is slated as the Opening Day starter for the Indians. If he can find his 2004-2006 form where he won 14 games and then 15 games the next two seasons then the Indians will be thrilled and he'll likely win comeback player of the year. Carmona is coming off a forgettable 2009 season where he won only 5 games and had an ERA over 6. The Indians will need him to rediscover his 2007 form and that'll only come if he regains control over his pitches.
Player to Watch: Matt LaPorta. LaPorta was the highly touted prospect that the Indians received in the CC Sabathia trade and since then LaPorta hasn't really been given a chance to prove himself. LaPorta is currently in-between positions, manager Manny Acta would like him to play mostly at 1B while GM Mark Shapiro would rather see him in Left Field. Wherever LaPorta winds up, he'll finally get a full season to prove himself and I think he's going to show some people why the Indians are trying to find a position for him to play full-time.
Final Verdict: Unfortunately for the Indians they have quite a few questions for the 2010 season. The pitching staff has holes from the rotation to the bullpen. Kerry Wood can't be trusted to close games consistently and the rotation leaves a lot to be desired. The offense will win some games for the Tribe with Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo leading the way. It could be a long season for Indians fans, but I don't think it'll be as bad as it was for the Indians teams in Major League.
Player to Watch: Brian Duensing. On paper, the Twins rotation doesn't seem all that intimidating, but when you watch these guys pitch, they're effective. The same could be said about Duensing, another guy the Twins have developed. He started nine games last season and had a 3.64 ERA, pretty impressive for a guy in his rookie year. If he can build on that success he'll be a very good #5 starter for the Twins.
Final Verdict: The Twins open up Target Field this season and the biggest question for the Twins is how will the Twins handle the new stadium environment. Offensively, the Twins will be their usual aggressive selves and play fundamental baseball, which is always exciting to watch and as the Twins have shown is how you win ballgames. Pitching is a concern with the Twins, The staff lacks that typical dominant ace that many staffs have, but that has not been a problem for the Twins in recent years. The real problem will come from the bullpen if Nathan misses the season. Forcing the relievers to move up a slot is usually a sign of disaster, but knowing the Twins, pitching coach, Rick Anderson will find the man for the job and he'll end up saving 30-40 games and keep the Twins competitive for the 2010 season.
Detroit Tigers
Same Face, New Place: Johnny Damon. Damon was involved in quite the free agent process this offseason and the Tigers are the ones that eventually paid Damon the amount he wanted. If Damon can hit with the same power that he had last year, he'll help the Tigers out immensely. He'll also likely silence the critics that said he benefited from the short fence at Yankee Stadium last year, namely the Yankees front office.
Key Player: Magglio Ordonez. Ordonez' power numbers took a major hit in 2009, going from 21 home runs to 9 and 103 RBI to 50. The Tigers are likely going to look for those numbers to go back up, unfortunately for them, those numbers seem to be in decline. The bright spot for Ordonez is his AVG and OBP have been increasing since his time with the Tigers started. He posted a .310 AVG and a .376 OBP last season. If Jim Leyland recognizes that the power may be gone from Ordonez' bat, a move up or down the order might be the right move for Maggs and will allow the Tigers to get more men on base and generate some more runs.
Player to Watch: Austin Jackson. Jackson came to the Tigers from the Yankees in the Curtis Granderson trade and many people compare Jackson to Granderson. That's something the Tigers hope since he'll be replacing Granderson in centerfield this season. Jackson has shown the ability to hit for a high average and steal some bases while in the minors. It'll be a nice sight for Miguel Cabrera if Jackson is on base a lot and he should provide a spark at the top of the lineup for the Tigers.
Final Verdict: The Tigers made some moves this off-season that many people liked, I however am not that positive on the moves. Trading Edwin Jackson really hurt their rotation; getting Max Scherzer is risky because although he has great potential he hasn't been able to control his pitches in the majors yet. Trading Jackson also forced Rick Porcello to assume the #2 spot in the rotation, a large task for someone only in his 2nd year of baseball. The bullpen should be one of the best in the AL Central providing Leyland many options at the end of games. The offense, like the rest of the AL Central really doesn't pack that much of a punch outside of Cabrera. There are still a lot of athletes in that lineup and it will be the reason they are in the race at the end of the season.
Kansas City Royals
Same Face, New Place: The 2009 Chicago White Sox. The Royals will be going into 2010 with at least three (possibly four) members of the White Sox from a season ago. Scott Podsednik, Chris Getz, and Josh Fields will all be on the Royals this season and Brian Anderson has an outside chance at making the roster. The White Sox clearly did not bring these players back for some reason, and it could be because they didn't win with them. The Royals are looking to cash in on the unwanted White Sox and Podsednik and Getz could be valuable pieces for them in 2010. Podsednik hit for a .303 AVG and stole 30 bases last season, if he can improve his on-base percentage he'll be a real problem for opposing pitchers at the top of the lineup.
Key Player & Player to Watch: Luke Hochevar. Hochevar had an interesting 2009 campaign, in nine starts he allowed at least six earned runs and in eight outings he held opposing offenses to only two earned runs. If the Royals want to think about competing he'll have to be more consistent. A sign that consistency may be on the horizon for Hochevar is that he improved both his K/9 and BB/9 rates and is improving his groundouts to flyouts ratio. He's my pick to also break out in a big way this season for the Royals.
[Side Note: I was going to go with Alex Gordon as my player to watch, but his broken thumb is a cause for concern as Josh Fields may make the most of his opportunity to start.]
Final Verdict: The fourth place finish is actually better than what it seems. I actually see them competing with the White Sox, Twins, and Tigers this season and making the AL Central a 4-team race all summer. There is no doubt that the biggest question for the Royals is the pitching staff but there is potential there to breakout. The bullpen lacks a little depth behind Joakim Soria but Farnsworth and Cruz should be a formidable duo for Trey Hillman to use. To me the strength of this team is going to be the offense behind Billy Butler and David DeJesus and I think Rick Ankiel bounces back from a bad 2009. They probably won't win the division but the Royals are definitely improving.
Cleveland Indians
Same Face, New Place: Russell Branyan. Branyan is back with the Indians after an impressive 2009 season with the Seattle Mariners where he hit 31 home runs. Branyan will be in a lineup that will likely mash a lot of home runs this season so he'll be asked to do more of the same, but he needs to improve his average and on-base percentage so the Indians have more guys on base when those home runs leave the park.
Key Players: Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona. Westbrook is coming back from Tommy John Surgery and is slated as the Opening Day starter for the Indians. If he can find his 2004-2006 form where he won 14 games and then 15 games the next two seasons then the Indians will be thrilled and he'll likely win comeback player of the year. Carmona is coming off a forgettable 2009 season where he won only 5 games and had an ERA over 6. The Indians will need him to rediscover his 2007 form and that'll only come if he regains control over his pitches.
Player to Watch: Matt LaPorta. LaPorta was the highly touted prospect that the Indians received in the CC Sabathia trade and since then LaPorta hasn't really been given a chance to prove himself. LaPorta is currently in-between positions, manager Manny Acta would like him to play mostly at 1B while GM Mark Shapiro would rather see him in Left Field. Wherever LaPorta winds up, he'll finally get a full season to prove himself and I think he's going to show some people why the Indians are trying to find a position for him to play full-time.
Final Verdict: Unfortunately for the Indians they have quite a few questions for the 2010 season. The pitching staff has holes from the rotation to the bullpen. Kerry Wood can't be trusted to close games consistently and the rotation leaves a lot to be desired. The offense will win some games for the Tribe with Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo leading the way. It could be a long season for Indians fans, but I don't think it'll be as bad as it was for the Indians teams in Major League.
Friday, March 19, 2010
NL West Preview
It may be time for March Madness, but baseball season is right around the corner!
Los Angeles Dodgers
2009: 95-67, 1st place in the division, lost in NLCS
Key Additions: None, due to the divorce of the McCourt family tying up all of the Dodger funds.
Key Losses: Juan Pierre, Orlando Hudson, Randy Wolf
The Lineup: In 2009 the Dodgers led the league in batting average while having no regular starter achieve a .300+ average, a relatively impressive feat. However they do lose part-timer Juan Pierre and his .308 average to the White Sox and have added aging Garret Anderson and Reed Johnson to form a somewhat crowded outfield. The young nucleus of James Loney, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier all had an OBP over .350 last year and should only improve in 2010. Overall production may come down to the play of Manny Ramirez, who will turn 38 in May and saw his slugging percentage drop 70 points last year in a season shortened by his steroid suspension.
The Rotation: The Dodgers starting staff had the third lowest ERA in the NL behind the Braves and Giants in 2009. They lose ace Randy Wolf and his 214.1 innings and 3.23 ERA. The front four in the rotation are decided: Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla. With the tightening of money the Dodgers were not able to go out and grab a serviceable fifth and there will be a competition between Eric Stults, Charlie Haeger, and Carlos Monasterios for the final spot, which could end up rotating between the three all season. There is more youth in the rotation with Kershaw and Billingsley but the combination of Kuroda and Padilla at three and four along with a lack of stability at the fifth could hurt the Dodgers in the long run.
The Bullpen: Closer Jonathan Broxton headlines 2009’s best bullpen as he is coming off of a 36 save, 0.96 WHIP season. Reliable set-up men Ramon Troncoso, Ronald Belisario, and Guillermo Mota return as does lefty specialist George Sherrill, who threw up a 0.65 ERA in the second half of the season with the Dodgers. Expect this bullpen to be as good as ever in 2010.
The Verdict: The Dodgers will certainly be hurt by the lack of new blood in the clubhouse but they return the youthful heart of the team from last year and should be the favorites in the West.
Colorado Rockies
2009: 92-70, 2nd place in the division, lost in the NLDS
Key Additions: The return of Jeff Francis
Key Losses: Jason Marquis
The Lineup: In 2009 the Rockies were only able to muster a .261 batting average but put together a .784 OPS that led the league in what is still a hitter-friendly Coors Field. Young outfielder Carlos Gonzalez will be looking at a starting job this year as he hit .284/.353/.525 with 13 HR and 16 SB in just 278 AB at the end of last season.
The Rotation: The Rockies pitching staff is coming off of a season in which they allowed the least runs in franchise history. The starting rotation was 6th in the National League with just a 4.10 ERA. However, four of the five in the rotation last year had career years and Marquis and his 15-13 record and 4.04 ERA have left for the Nationals. Jeff Francis will be replacing him in the rotation, returning after missing all of 2009 with shoulder surgery. If he returns to his 2007 form where he went 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA, the rotation should be just as good as last year and the Rockies will be in contention for a playoff spot.
The Bullpen: Closer Huston Street is the lone bright spot to a bullpen that finished 13th in the NL in ERA in 2009. No additions or subtractions have really been made to the rotation and if the rotation regresses to their normal abilities, the Rockies could be in trouble. They are fortunate that the best three in the ‘pen (Street, Matt Daley, and Franklin Morales) are all young and should theoretically keep improving.
The Verdict: The Rockies are a good team that over-achieved in 2009 when they won the wild card by 4 games. A good comeback by Jeff Francis and breakout year for Carlos Gonzalez could do the trick, but everyone will have to carry their momentum from last season for the Rockies to be successful.
San Francisco Giants
2009: 88-74, 3rd place in the division
Key Additions: Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff
Key Losses: Old Man Randy Winn
The Lineup: The Giants scored a meager 4.06 runs per game in 2009, good for 4th lowest in the National League. The lone offensive bright spot comes in the form of the Kung Fu Panda, Pablo Sandoval. The twenty-two year old Sandoval burst onto the scene in 2009, hitting .330/.387/.556 with 25 HR and 90 RBI. Unfortunately outside of Juan Uribe, this .330 average was 65 points better than any other regular. The Giants have added Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff to the lineup, two players who are coming off of rough 2009 seasons after good 2008 campaigns. Their resurgence will be key to the Giants’ hitting this season.
The Rotation: Fortunately for the Giants, they have one of the best rotations in the league and it will have to make up for the inadequacies of their hitting. The one-two punch of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain is one of the best in baseball, coming off of a season where they went a combined 29-15 with a 2.48 and 2.89 ERA, respectively. The only departure from the rotation is the retired Randy Johnson, who capped off his career with an 8-6 record and 4.88 ERA. He will likely be replaced by Madison Bumgarner, a hot shot 20-year old prospect who has torn up the minor leagues, posting a sub-2.00 ERA at every stop along the way, including a 9-1, 1.93 ERA, 1.03 WHIP in AA last season. Bumgarner was named the #9 prospect in the MLB last season and could be the next stud in the line of studs produced by the Giants in recent years. However, his velocity has been down this spring and he may not quite be ready for major league baseball.
The Bullpen: The Giants bullpen posted a 3.49 ERA last season, good for second in the league. The main cast of characters will be back including closer Brian Wilson (2.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 38 SV), Jeremy Affeldt (1.73 ERA, 62.1 IP in 74 App.), and Brandon Meddors (3.01 ERA, 7.6 K/9). The Giants bullpen is often times put in tough spots, often coming in to close out a fantastic pitching performance by the starter but with only a slight lead due to the lack of offense in San Francisco.
The Verdict: Until the Giants start hitting the baseball, they will be in a tough position in the NL West. And until they make some additions to the lineup, they will not start hitting the baseball. This could be another frustrating year for Giants fans.
Arizona Diamondbacks
2009: 70-92, 5th place in the division
Key Additions: The return of Brandon Webb, Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Adam LaRoche, Kelly Johnson, Bob Howry
Key Losses: Jon Garland, Doug Davis, The addition of Aaron Heilman
The Lineup: The Diamondbacks had an entirely average lineup in 2009, hitting .253/.324/.418 as a team while scoring 4.44 runs per game. The cornerstone of the offense is outfielder Justin Upton, who hit .300/.366/.532 with 26 HR and 20 SB. Third baseman Mark Reynolds hit 44 HR with 102 RBI in 2009 while striking out an absolutely astonishing 223 times and hitting a dismal .260. The line-up should be bolstered by the additions of Adam LaRoche (.277/.355/.488, 25 HR) and Kelly Johnson (.287/.349/.446 in 2008).
The Rotation: The Diamondbacks had an average rotation in 2009 and have a vastly improved rotation coming into 2010. The key is the return of ace Brandon Webb, who missed all of 2009 with a shoulder injury and may even miss the start of 2010. Webb and Dan Haren give the Diamondbacks a stellar one-two punch and the addition of Edwin Jackson in the third spot adds a little bit of depth. Former Yankee prospect Ian Kennedy should get the fourth spot and the fifth is up for grabs, but the front of the rotation is good enough to keep the Diamondbacks in contention for much of the year.
The Bullpen: Last season the Diamondbacks had one of the worst bullpens in the National League, but it should be slightly improved going into 2010. Closer Chad Qualls returns and he has a new set-up man in Bob Howry, who had a 3.39 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 63.2 IP out of the bullpen for the Giants last season. Unfortunately the Diamondbacks also add Aaron Heilman, who still did a lot better than I give him credit for with the Cubs last year.
The Verdict: The Diamondbacks made some good additions going into 2010 and if they stay healthy they have an outside chance at challenging for the division.
San Diego Padres
2009: 75-87, 4th place in the division
Key Additions: Jon Garland
Key Losses: None
The Lineup: The Padres were 7th in the NL in runs scored on the road as opposed to dead last overall, a number that is hurt by the fact that they play in the worst hitter’s park in the majors. The headliner of the line-up is Adrian Gonzalez, coming off of a year in which he hit .277/.407/.551 with an impressive 40 HR-12 at home and 28 on the road. The rest of the Padres line-up is young including Kyle Blanks, who is coming off of an injury-shortened rookie campaign in which he had a .868 OPS and 10 HR in just under 150 at bats. Hitting will certainly not be the strong point of the Padres this season.
The Rotation: In 2009, Padres starters combined for a 4.78 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, pathetic numbers for a team playing half of its games in Petco Park. Overall they had the worst road ERA in the NL. These numbers were not helped by the losses of Jake Peavy (trade) and Chris Young (injury) for most of the season. The addition of Jon Garland and the return of Chris Young should help the Padres eat some innings and buy time for the young pitchers to come along, but it is not a terribly stimulating rotation no matter how you look at it.
The Bullpen: Heath Bell is coming off of a good season for both himself and my fantasy team, as he got 42 saves for a mediocre team with a 2.71 ERA and 10.2 K/9. The rest of the more or less league-average bullpen stays the same.
The Verdict: I was bored doing the research for this team and most people will be bored watching them play baseball this season. The Padres are a young team without a lot of money that over-achieved in 2009 and still managed to lose 87 games. This year will be used to determine the future nucleus of the club going forward.
Los Angeles Dodgers
2009: 95-67, 1st place in the division, lost in NLCS
Key Additions: None, due to the divorce of the McCourt family tying up all of the Dodger funds.
Key Losses: Juan Pierre, Orlando Hudson, Randy Wolf
The Lineup: In 2009 the Dodgers led the league in batting average while having no regular starter achieve a .300+ average, a relatively impressive feat. However they do lose part-timer Juan Pierre and his .308 average to the White Sox and have added aging Garret Anderson and Reed Johnson to form a somewhat crowded outfield. The young nucleus of James Loney, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier all had an OBP over .350 last year and should only improve in 2010. Overall production may come down to the play of Manny Ramirez, who will turn 38 in May and saw his slugging percentage drop 70 points last year in a season shortened by his steroid suspension.
The Rotation: The Dodgers starting staff had the third lowest ERA in the NL behind the Braves and Giants in 2009. They lose ace Randy Wolf and his 214.1 innings and 3.23 ERA. The front four in the rotation are decided: Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and Vicente Padilla. With the tightening of money the Dodgers were not able to go out and grab a serviceable fifth and there will be a competition between Eric Stults, Charlie Haeger, and Carlos Monasterios for the final spot, which could end up rotating between the three all season. There is more youth in the rotation with Kershaw and Billingsley but the combination of Kuroda and Padilla at three and four along with a lack of stability at the fifth could hurt the Dodgers in the long run.
The Bullpen: Closer Jonathan Broxton headlines 2009’s best bullpen as he is coming off of a 36 save, 0.96 WHIP season. Reliable set-up men Ramon Troncoso, Ronald Belisario, and Guillermo Mota return as does lefty specialist George Sherrill, who threw up a 0.65 ERA in the second half of the season with the Dodgers. Expect this bullpen to be as good as ever in 2010.
The Verdict: The Dodgers will certainly be hurt by the lack of new blood in the clubhouse but they return the youthful heart of the team from last year and should be the favorites in the West.
Colorado Rockies
2009: 92-70, 2nd place in the division, lost in the NLDS
Key Additions: The return of Jeff Francis
Key Losses: Jason Marquis
The Lineup: In 2009 the Rockies were only able to muster a .261 batting average but put together a .784 OPS that led the league in what is still a hitter-friendly Coors Field. Young outfielder Carlos Gonzalez will be looking at a starting job this year as he hit .284/.353/.525 with 13 HR and 16 SB in just 278 AB at the end of last season.
The Rotation: The Rockies pitching staff is coming off of a season in which they allowed the least runs in franchise history. The starting rotation was 6th in the National League with just a 4.10 ERA. However, four of the five in the rotation last year had career years and Marquis and his 15-13 record and 4.04 ERA have left for the Nationals. Jeff Francis will be replacing him in the rotation, returning after missing all of 2009 with shoulder surgery. If he returns to his 2007 form where he went 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA, the rotation should be just as good as last year and the Rockies will be in contention for a playoff spot.
The Bullpen: Closer Huston Street is the lone bright spot to a bullpen that finished 13th in the NL in ERA in 2009. No additions or subtractions have really been made to the rotation and if the rotation regresses to their normal abilities, the Rockies could be in trouble. They are fortunate that the best three in the ‘pen (Street, Matt Daley, and Franklin Morales) are all young and should theoretically keep improving.
The Verdict: The Rockies are a good team that over-achieved in 2009 when they won the wild card by 4 games. A good comeback by Jeff Francis and breakout year for Carlos Gonzalez could do the trick, but everyone will have to carry their momentum from last season for the Rockies to be successful.
San Francisco Giants
2009: 88-74, 3rd place in the division
Key Additions: Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff
Key Losses: Old Man Randy Winn
The Lineup: The Giants scored a meager 4.06 runs per game in 2009, good for 4th lowest in the National League. The lone offensive bright spot comes in the form of the Kung Fu Panda, Pablo Sandoval. The twenty-two year old Sandoval burst onto the scene in 2009, hitting .330/.387/.556 with 25 HR and 90 RBI. Unfortunately outside of Juan Uribe, this .330 average was 65 points better than any other regular. The Giants have added Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff to the lineup, two players who are coming off of rough 2009 seasons after good 2008 campaigns. Their resurgence will be key to the Giants’ hitting this season.
The Rotation: Fortunately for the Giants, they have one of the best rotations in the league and it will have to make up for the inadequacies of their hitting. The one-two punch of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain is one of the best in baseball, coming off of a season where they went a combined 29-15 with a 2.48 and 2.89 ERA, respectively. The only departure from the rotation is the retired Randy Johnson, who capped off his career with an 8-6 record and 4.88 ERA. He will likely be replaced by Madison Bumgarner, a hot shot 20-year old prospect who has torn up the minor leagues, posting a sub-2.00 ERA at every stop along the way, including a 9-1, 1.93 ERA, 1.03 WHIP in AA last season. Bumgarner was named the #9 prospect in the MLB last season and could be the next stud in the line of studs produced by the Giants in recent years. However, his velocity has been down this spring and he may not quite be ready for major league baseball.
The Bullpen: The Giants bullpen posted a 3.49 ERA last season, good for second in the league. The main cast of characters will be back including closer Brian Wilson (2.74 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 38 SV), Jeremy Affeldt (1.73 ERA, 62.1 IP in 74 App.), and Brandon Meddors (3.01 ERA, 7.6 K/9). The Giants bullpen is often times put in tough spots, often coming in to close out a fantastic pitching performance by the starter but with only a slight lead due to the lack of offense in San Francisco.
The Verdict: Until the Giants start hitting the baseball, they will be in a tough position in the NL West. And until they make some additions to the lineup, they will not start hitting the baseball. This could be another frustrating year for Giants fans.
Arizona Diamondbacks
2009: 70-92, 5th place in the division
Key Additions: The return of Brandon Webb, Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Adam LaRoche, Kelly Johnson, Bob Howry
Key Losses: Jon Garland, Doug Davis, The addition of Aaron Heilman
The Lineup: The Diamondbacks had an entirely average lineup in 2009, hitting .253/.324/.418 as a team while scoring 4.44 runs per game. The cornerstone of the offense is outfielder Justin Upton, who hit .300/.366/.532 with 26 HR and 20 SB. Third baseman Mark Reynolds hit 44 HR with 102 RBI in 2009 while striking out an absolutely astonishing 223 times and hitting a dismal .260. The line-up should be bolstered by the additions of Adam LaRoche (.277/.355/.488, 25 HR) and Kelly Johnson (.287/.349/.446 in 2008).
The Rotation: The Diamondbacks had an average rotation in 2009 and have a vastly improved rotation coming into 2010. The key is the return of ace Brandon Webb, who missed all of 2009 with a shoulder injury and may even miss the start of 2010. Webb and Dan Haren give the Diamondbacks a stellar one-two punch and the addition of Edwin Jackson in the third spot adds a little bit of depth. Former Yankee prospect Ian Kennedy should get the fourth spot and the fifth is up for grabs, but the front of the rotation is good enough to keep the Diamondbacks in contention for much of the year.
The Bullpen: Last season the Diamondbacks had one of the worst bullpens in the National League, but it should be slightly improved going into 2010. Closer Chad Qualls returns and he has a new set-up man in Bob Howry, who had a 3.39 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 63.2 IP out of the bullpen for the Giants last season. Unfortunately the Diamondbacks also add Aaron Heilman, who still did a lot better than I give him credit for with the Cubs last year.
The Verdict: The Diamondbacks made some good additions going into 2010 and if they stay healthy they have an outside chance at challenging for the division.
San Diego Padres
2009: 75-87, 4th place in the division
Key Additions: Jon Garland
Key Losses: None
The Lineup: The Padres were 7th in the NL in runs scored on the road as opposed to dead last overall, a number that is hurt by the fact that they play in the worst hitter’s park in the majors. The headliner of the line-up is Adrian Gonzalez, coming off of a year in which he hit .277/.407/.551 with an impressive 40 HR-12 at home and 28 on the road. The rest of the Padres line-up is young including Kyle Blanks, who is coming off of an injury-shortened rookie campaign in which he had a .868 OPS and 10 HR in just under 150 at bats. Hitting will certainly not be the strong point of the Padres this season.
The Rotation: In 2009, Padres starters combined for a 4.78 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, pathetic numbers for a team playing half of its games in Petco Park. Overall they had the worst road ERA in the NL. These numbers were not helped by the losses of Jake Peavy (trade) and Chris Young (injury) for most of the season. The addition of Jon Garland and the return of Chris Young should help the Padres eat some innings and buy time for the young pitchers to come along, but it is not a terribly stimulating rotation no matter how you look at it.
The Bullpen: Heath Bell is coming off of a good season for both himself and my fantasy team, as he got 42 saves for a mediocre team with a 2.71 ERA and 10.2 K/9. The rest of the more or less league-average bullpen stays the same.
The Verdict: I was bored doing the research for this team and most people will be bored watching them play baseball this season. The Padres are a young team without a lot of money that over-achieved in 2009 and still managed to lose 87 games. This year will be used to determine the future nucleus of the club going forward.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
2010 AL West Preview
With Spring Training games getting underway this week, Tom and I thought it would be a good time to get started on previewing the 2010 season. I will be previewing the AL divisions and Tom will take care of the NL. Teams will appear in order of expected finish, and we'll highlight one new player on the team, the key player for that team, and one player who might breakout. Let's get started!
Texas Rangers
Same Face, New Place: Rich Harden. Now I could have easily chosen Vlad Guerrero, but any success Harden has will be more important than any success Guerrero may have. The Rangers are realizing how important pitching is and are finally addressing that area, and Harden is an interesting choice. Harden may be one of the most talented pitchers in the game, the problem is that he is either hurt or ineffective. If Harden can consistently pitch 7+ innings while staying healthy this year, he'll be a big reason why the Rangers contend in 2010.
Key Player: Josh Hamilton. By now, most people know about Hamilton's amazing story involving drugs and alcohol and his comeback to baseball. When it comes down to it, Hamilton is the key for the Rangers this year. Coming off an injury-filled 2009 and starting this year with a shoulder injury, it's important for Hamilton to remain healthy and produce like he did in 2008. The Rangers have an incredible offense, but Hamilton makes it even better and they'll need offense to bail out their pitching this season.
Player to Watch: Julio Borbon. Borbon is taking over centerfield from Hamilton and will also be batting leadoff and with good reason. In 46 games, Borbon batted .312, had a .376 OBP, and stole 19 bases, if he can build on that success in 2010, it'll give a new wrinkle to the usually high-powered Rangers offense.
Conclusion: I know this pick is a surprise for most people, but I'm really high on the Rangers this year. The offense is known for being homer-happy and producing a lot of runs, but the pitching will be the story for the Rangers this season. They'll have their rough patches, but the pitching will be improved and the Rangers will be the surprise team this season.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Same Face, New Place: Hideki Matsui. Matsui had a very productive season for the Yankees last season and he'll have to produce similar numbers for the Angels this season. Matsui was one of many players who enjoyed the short porch in right field in Yankee Stadium, so it'll be interesting to see if the resurgence from Matsui was strictly because of the stadium he played in or if he was fully healthy and back to performing like it was 2004. The thing to watch from Matsui is health, something that has been a problem for Matsui lately.
Key Player: Kendry Morales. Morales experienced an unbelievable season where he hit 34 home runs and drove in 108 runs with an OPS of .924. He's the key player for the Angels this season because he'll have to put up similar numbers yet again to allow the Angels to contend. The Angels have good offensive weapons, but no one besides Morales that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. If Morales can't duplicate his 2009 season the Angels may be in a little trouble.
Player to Watch: Brandon Wood. In the fantasy baseball world, not many prospect have been as hyped ad Wood has been through his career. While failing to live up to the insane amount of hype so far, the hype has cooled, which could be exactly what Wood needs to break out. He'll have no one watching him, a strong veteran presence around him, and a somewhat permanent job at 3B this season. All signs point to Wood being more comfortable this season and when a guy is comfortable he may just bust out in a big way.
Conclusion: The Angels are really the only other team I see in this division that has a shot at winning the division. The pitching is outstanding and the offense is definitely good enough to get the job done. If Morales can have similar success to last year combined with what should be stellar pitching the Angels will be right there for either the wild card or the division.
Seattle Mariners
Same Face, New Place: Chone Figgins. Figgins took his speed and bolted (you decide if I intended this pun) for Seattle who offered a ton of money. Figgins will lose his leadoff spot to Ichiro but will definitely provide for an interesting 1-2 punch at the top of the Mariners lineup.
Key Player: Erik Bedard. Bedard rejoined the Mariners but will be starting the year on the DL. So why is a guy on the DL a key player, well that's because he's going to be extremely important for them when he comes back. After Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee the pitching for the Mariners is suspect and Bedard's presence will be a boost to a team that has high expectations.
Player to Watch: Milton Bradley. I'm trying to keep this section to young players but I can't pass up the opportunity to talk about Bradley. The Mariners will seemingly lack a strong offense this season so it'll be key for Bradley to rediscover the power that he had in Texas two seasons ago. If he doesn't have that power anymore, well, he'll still be a player to watch because he'll undoubtedly provide a good quote or two during the season.
Conclusion: The Mariners have a lot of pre-season hype surrounding them and that means one thing. They won't match the hype. The pitching and offense are good at the 1 and 2 holes but after that there are a ton of question marks. Two solid starters is great for the playoffs but you have to win enough to get there to enjoy that pleasure and I just don't see how the Mariners will win enough games to contend this season.
Oakland A's
Same Face, New Place: Ben Sheets. Sheets didn't pitch in 2009 due to surgery on his pitching arm, but he's back and looks to be ready for 2010. Sheets is very similar to Rich Harden in the fact that he's really talented when healthy, but he's never healthy. He'll likely be the ace of the A's staff to start off the season and if he has a good first half you can almost guarantee that he'll be traded to a contender for the usual prospects that Billy Beane loves to acquire.
Key Player: Kurt Suzuki. It's really hard to find a key player for the A's, they really aren't playing for much this season so this season doesn't hinge on only one player. Suzuki is just superb catcher who should continue to improve and garner attention nationally. He hit 15 home runs last year and drove in 88 runs while stealing 8 bases as a catcher. He'll be a key player in terms of keeping fans coming to games and possibly keeping the A's in Oakland.
Player to Watch: Brett Anderson. Anderson won 11 games last year so you're probably asking why I have him on here this year. The simple answer is that he could have won even more games last year. Anderson was victim to Matt Cain Syndrome where he just simply didn't get enough run support last year. He has a ton of potential and given a little support could become a top pitcher in baseball.
Conclusion: Oh Billy Beane and his love of getting on-base. It's really starting to hurt the A's, and I don't really see a way for them to contend this season. A team full of young guys isn't the greatest way to win, but my god you have to credit Beane for continuing to trot out teams like that year in and year out. They have a few nice pieces but not nearly enough to compete.
Texas Rangers
Same Face, New Place: Rich Harden. Now I could have easily chosen Vlad Guerrero, but any success Harden has will be more important than any success Guerrero may have. The Rangers are realizing how important pitching is and are finally addressing that area, and Harden is an interesting choice. Harden may be one of the most talented pitchers in the game, the problem is that he is either hurt or ineffective. If Harden can consistently pitch 7+ innings while staying healthy this year, he'll be a big reason why the Rangers contend in 2010.
Key Player: Josh Hamilton. By now, most people know about Hamilton's amazing story involving drugs and alcohol and his comeback to baseball. When it comes down to it, Hamilton is the key for the Rangers this year. Coming off an injury-filled 2009 and starting this year with a shoulder injury, it's important for Hamilton to remain healthy and produce like he did in 2008. The Rangers have an incredible offense, but Hamilton makes it even better and they'll need offense to bail out their pitching this season.
Player to Watch: Julio Borbon. Borbon is taking over centerfield from Hamilton and will also be batting leadoff and with good reason. In 46 games, Borbon batted .312, had a .376 OBP, and stole 19 bases, if he can build on that success in 2010, it'll give a new wrinkle to the usually high-powered Rangers offense.
Conclusion: I know this pick is a surprise for most people, but I'm really high on the Rangers this year. The offense is known for being homer-happy and producing a lot of runs, but the pitching will be the story for the Rangers this season. They'll have their rough patches, but the pitching will be improved and the Rangers will be the surprise team this season.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Same Face, New Place: Hideki Matsui. Matsui had a very productive season for the Yankees last season and he'll have to produce similar numbers for the Angels this season. Matsui was one of many players who enjoyed the short porch in right field in Yankee Stadium, so it'll be interesting to see if the resurgence from Matsui was strictly because of the stadium he played in or if he was fully healthy and back to performing like it was 2004. The thing to watch from Matsui is health, something that has been a problem for Matsui lately.
Key Player: Kendry Morales. Morales experienced an unbelievable season where he hit 34 home runs and drove in 108 runs with an OPS of .924. He's the key player for the Angels this season because he'll have to put up similar numbers yet again to allow the Angels to contend. The Angels have good offensive weapons, but no one besides Morales that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. If Morales can't duplicate his 2009 season the Angels may be in a little trouble.
Player to Watch: Brandon Wood. In the fantasy baseball world, not many prospect have been as hyped ad Wood has been through his career. While failing to live up to the insane amount of hype so far, the hype has cooled, which could be exactly what Wood needs to break out. He'll have no one watching him, a strong veteran presence around him, and a somewhat permanent job at 3B this season. All signs point to Wood being more comfortable this season and when a guy is comfortable he may just bust out in a big way.
Conclusion: The Angels are really the only other team I see in this division that has a shot at winning the division. The pitching is outstanding and the offense is definitely good enough to get the job done. If Morales can have similar success to last year combined with what should be stellar pitching the Angels will be right there for either the wild card or the division.
Seattle Mariners
Same Face, New Place: Chone Figgins. Figgins took his speed and bolted (you decide if I intended this pun) for Seattle who offered a ton of money. Figgins will lose his leadoff spot to Ichiro but will definitely provide for an interesting 1-2 punch at the top of the Mariners lineup.
Key Player: Erik Bedard. Bedard rejoined the Mariners but will be starting the year on the DL. So why is a guy on the DL a key player, well that's because he's going to be extremely important for them when he comes back. After Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee the pitching for the Mariners is suspect and Bedard's presence will be a boost to a team that has high expectations.
Player to Watch: Milton Bradley. I'm trying to keep this section to young players but I can't pass up the opportunity to talk about Bradley. The Mariners will seemingly lack a strong offense this season so it'll be key for Bradley to rediscover the power that he had in Texas two seasons ago. If he doesn't have that power anymore, well, he'll still be a player to watch because he'll undoubtedly provide a good quote or two during the season.
Conclusion: The Mariners have a lot of pre-season hype surrounding them and that means one thing. They won't match the hype. The pitching and offense are good at the 1 and 2 holes but after that there are a ton of question marks. Two solid starters is great for the playoffs but you have to win enough to get there to enjoy that pleasure and I just don't see how the Mariners will win enough games to contend this season.
Oakland A's
Same Face, New Place: Ben Sheets. Sheets didn't pitch in 2009 due to surgery on his pitching arm, but he's back and looks to be ready for 2010. Sheets is very similar to Rich Harden in the fact that he's really talented when healthy, but he's never healthy. He'll likely be the ace of the A's staff to start off the season and if he has a good first half you can almost guarantee that he'll be traded to a contender for the usual prospects that Billy Beane loves to acquire.
Key Player: Kurt Suzuki. It's really hard to find a key player for the A's, they really aren't playing for much this season so this season doesn't hinge on only one player. Suzuki is just superb catcher who should continue to improve and garner attention nationally. He hit 15 home runs last year and drove in 88 runs while stealing 8 bases as a catcher. He'll be a key player in terms of keeping fans coming to games and possibly keeping the A's in Oakland.
Player to Watch: Brett Anderson. Anderson won 11 games last year so you're probably asking why I have him on here this year. The simple answer is that he could have won even more games last year. Anderson was victim to Matt Cain Syndrome where he just simply didn't get enough run support last year. He has a ton of potential and given a little support could become a top pitcher in baseball.
Conclusion: Oh Billy Beane and his love of getting on-base. It's really starting to hurt the A's, and I don't really see a way for them to contend this season. A team full of young guys isn't the greatest way to win, but my god you have to credit Beane for continuing to trot out teams like that year in and year out. They have a few nice pieces but not nearly enough to compete.
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