2011 MLB World Series & Awards Predicitions

MLB Awards

NL MVP – SS Troy Tulowitzki Colorado Rockies

He follows up what his teammate (Carlos Gonzalez) started last season.

AL MVP – 1B Justin Morneau Minnesota Twins

His return also brings with him a second MVP trophy.

NL Cy Young – Roy Halladay Philadelphia Phillies

Is there anyone else that can do what he does and not win the Cy Young?

AL Cy Young – Jered Weaver Los Angeles Angels

He lead all of baseball in strikeouts and will lead in wins this year.

NL Rookie of the Year – 1B Brandon Belt San Francisco Giants

His bat will be a big reason why the Giants repeat as division champs.

AL Rookie of the Year – P Kyle Drabek Toronto Blue Jays

His long awaited debut will bring 10-15 wins and the first of many trophies.

NL Manager of the Year – Bruce Bochy San Francisco Giants

Keeping the team focused will lead to another division crown for Bochy.

AL Manager of the Year – Ozzie Guillen Chicago White Sox

Some new players will get Chicago out of the tough American League and back in the postseason.

Postseason Projections

AL Division Winners – Red Sox, Twins, Angels

AL Wild Card – White Sox

NL Division Winners – Phillies, Reds, Giants

NL Wild Card – Rockies

ALCS – Red Sox vs. White Sox

NLCS – Giants vs. Phillies

World Series – Red Sox vs. Phillies

I hate to go with the crowd, but the Red Sox and Phillies seems to be the only option for me. Boston has a deep staff and a decent bullpen. The Phillies have their stellar rotation and a capable closer. Boston’s hitting is greatly improved with the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Philadelphia even without Chase Utley for half the season still can hit with the best of them. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins will have to have improved seasons for the Phillies to get back to the World Series.

The Twins, Angels and White Sox have good pitching, but their lineups are weak at certain spots. The Reds and Rockies don’t have the pitching, but can keep up with the Phillies bats. We all know the Giants have the pitching to match Philadelphia, but can the same bats that won them a title do it again?

The other teams will fall short this year.

The Phillies signed Cliff Lee for one reason. To win the World Series. The Red Sox signed Crawford and Gonzalez for one reason too. A championship is all that matters to these teams. When you have that motivation to go along with the talent, it’s hard to go against those two to win a title. The Phillies will beat the Red Sox and win their second title in four years.

National League East

* – indicates new to team
AVG – Batting Average
ERA – Earned Run Average
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
SV – Saves

1. Philadelphia Phillies
They are the clear favorites to not only win the East, but the NL Pennant to.
2. Atlanta Braves
The Bobby Cox era has ended, but the winning ways should continue.
3. Florida Marlins
They made some key additions now they need a big season from Hanley.
4. New York Mets
They’ve reshaped the front office which will result in a lot of growing pains.
5. Washington Nationals
Signing Jayson Werth shows they want to win, but where’s the pitching?

Players to Watch: P Roy Halladay, P Cliff Lee, P Roy Oswalt, P Cole Hamels Philadelphia Phillies
Not since the Baltimore Orioles rotation of Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson has a team had four starters each win at least 20 games. That was back in 1971. I am in no way saying that it will happen with these four in Philadelphia, but as fans we can still dream big right? Halladay is a sure thing to get 20 wins. He proved it last year and with another Cy Young award to his credit. Lee can win 20 games, but I don’t think that was his motivation for coming back to the Phillies. Oswalt was stellar in his half a season with the Phillies last year. In a full season he can easily repeat that performance. Hamels was the future ace after their World Series title in 2008. And that was without Halladay, Lee and Oswalt. Now he’s the best fourth starter in baseball. The defending champion Giants still have the best overall pitching, but the Phillies have matched them on paper and figure they will meet again on the way to the World Series.

Best Acquisition: 2B Dan Uggla Atlanta Braves
Obviously Cliff Lee signing with Philadelphia was the talk of the free agency period, but the best move via trade was in Atlanta. Uggla is one of the best hitting second baseman in baseball. Not the greatest fielder, but it isn’t a great concern for the Braves. They acquired him for his bat. It was surprising to see the Florida Marlins deal one of their best hitters to a division rival, but Florida was put in a no-win situation. He wasn’t going to sign an extension with them and they had to act. Atlanta gets a good hitter who has tremendous power to all fields. Atlanta was able to sign him to an extension after they acquired him. They hope that now that he is set financially that he will continue to produce on the field. A change of scenery might be just what Uggla needed.

New Kids on the Block: 1B Freddie Freeman & P Craig Kimbrel Atlanta Braves
Besides getting a good hitter in Uggla, the Braves have two new rookies ready to make the leap to the majors. Freeman is good friends with last years rookie sensation Jason Heyward. Both have stormed through the Braves minor league system and are the new faces of the franchise going forward. Freeman is a good fielder, but his bat is what intrigues the Braves the most. The Braves haven’t had a top notch hitting first baseman since Fred McGriff in the mid 90s. He should fit the bill going forward along with Heyward in the middle of their lineup. Kimbrel is poised to be the future for the Braves closer position. He will probably be in a platoon role this with Jonny Venters being the lefthanded option, but make no mistake that Kimbrel has the stuff to be the everyday closer. The hope is that giving him a year to get comfortable won’t affect his psyche, but rather help him be the full-time closer going forward. The Braves have always had great arms come through their system and they hope it continues with Kimbrel.

Phillies Lineup

1. SS Jimmy Rollins

.243 AVG 8 HR 41 RBI

2. 3B Placido Polanco

.298 AVG 6 HR 52 RBI

3. LF Raul Ibanez

.275 AVG 16 HR 83 RBI

4. 1B Ryan Howard

.276 AVG 31 HR 108 RBI

5. RF Ben Francisco

.268 AVG 6 HR 28 RBI

6. CF Shane Victorino

.259 AVG 18 HR 69 RBI

7. C Carlos Ruiz

.302 AVG 8 HR 53 RBI

8. 2B Wilson Valdez

.258 AVG 4 HR 35 RBI

A lot is riding on the Phillies lineup with the expected success of their pitching staff this season. Rollins doesn’t have to play up to his MVP year of 2007, but the Phillies would like to see his average at or near the .300 mark this year. Polanco was the Phillies most consistent hitter last year and that doesn’t bode well for them this year. He is a sound defender, but the Phillies will have trouble winning if Polanco doesn’t continue his production. Ibanez will be tasked with trying to replace what Jayson Werth brought to the Phillies lineup. After a career year in 2009, Ibanez fell off quite a bit last year. He is still a good hitter, but realistically the Phillies would like to see his run production increase. Howard has a tough task this year. With Werth gone and Chase Utley out for at least half the season, Howard has to get off to a good start. He like Rollins doesn’t have to play at a MVP level, but he has to do better than his 31 HR 108 RBI 2010 season. Francisco is charged with replacing Werth in right field. He is a better defender than Werth and can potentially produce at the level Werth was with the Phillies. Victorino would be batting higher in the lineup if he was a more consistent hitter. He is a good run producer at the bottom of the order and that’s where manager Charlie Manuel feels he’s at his best. Ruiz is a good game manager and isn’t too bad a hitter as well. He is one of, if not the best clutch hitter in the Phillies lineup. Valdez is a solid defender and will be given the first chance to play for the injured Chase Utley. No one expects a lot from Valdez, but he could have a good year.

Bench

1B/OF Ross Gload

.281 AVG 6 HR 22 RBI

OF John Mayberry

.267 AVG 15 HR 65 RBI (AAA stats)

OF Domonic Brown

.327 AVG 20 HR 68 RBI (AA and AAA stats)

The bench is a little thin with the injury to Utley and the departure of Werth. Gload is still a capable pinch hitter and fill in at certain spots in the lineup. Mayberry had a good spring and earned a spot on the roster. He could see playing time if Francisco falters early in right, but Mayberry’s bat will be a plus off the bench. Brown will miss the first part of the season, but he is the heir apparent in right field. When he’s healthy that’s where he will see the majority of his playing time. He’s a potential five tool player for the Phillies future.

Rotation

1. Roy Halladay

21-11 2.44 ERA

2. Cliff Lee*

12-9 3.18 ERA

3. Roy Oswalt

13-13 2.76 ERA

4. Cole Hamels

12-11 3.06 ERA

5. Joe Blanton

9-6 4.82 ERA

There isn’t any weaknesses in this rotation. None whatsoever. Halladay coming off his second Cy Young season and first with Philadelphia in which he pitched a perfect game during the regular season and a no-hitter in his first postseason start. Not a bad year at all. Lee is the most consistent strike thrower in the game today. The Phillies bullpen will take comfort knowing that Halladay and Lee will go at least 7 innings for most of their starts. Oswalt was fantastic in his two month stint with the Phillies. They hope over a full season he can continue to play up to that standard like he did so many years with Houston. Hamels is still considered a top notch starter by many, but being the fourth starter isn’t a bad thing when you follow three Cy Young contenders. Hamels is still a workhorse and if he stays healthy they will be hard to beat if they should make the playoffs. Blanton is a good option at the back end. He has struggled to keep his ERA low since being acquired from Oakland, but he does go at least 6 innings almost every start for the Phillies.

Setup

Ryan Madson

6-2 2.55 ERA

Closer

Brad Lidge

27 SV 2.96 ERA

More bad news came down for Philadelphia when it was announced that Brad Lidge was also going to start the season on the DL with the likes of Chase Utley. On paper it’s a good thing since they have such a deep rotation, but it doesn’t looks so good if they need someone to close out a one run game. Madson is capable to fill in for Lidge. He’s done it before, but the Phillies don’t want to overwork him like in years past. Their depth isn’t as good in the bullpen as in other areas of the roster, but the Phillies are hoping that Lidge won’t be down for long and be fully healthy for the stretch run.

Braves Lineup

1. LF Martin Prado

.307 AVG 15 HR 66 RBI

2. CF Nate McLouth

.190 AVG 6 HR 24 RBI

3. 3B Chipper Jones

.265 AVG 10 HR 46 RBI

4. C Brain McCann

.269 AVG 21 HR 77 RBI

5. RF Jason Heyward

.277 AVG 18 HR 72 RBI

6. 2B Dan Uggla*

.287 AVG 33 HR 105 RBI

7. 1B Freddie Freeman

.319 AVG 18 HR 87 RBI (AAA stats)

8. SS Alex Gonzalez

.250 AVG 23 HR 88 RBI

Atlanta would love to get another career year out of Prado. Was the everyday second baseman until Chipper Jones went out with a knee injury. He was moved over to third base and now this year is the starting left fielder. The Braves have a keeper in the consistent Prado. McLouth is still an elite fielder, but there are some concerns with his bat. Injuries slowed him down last year, but the Braves won’t have much success if McLouth isn’t productive and healthy. Amazingly Jones has fully recovered from his knee injury and Atlanta hopes that he can continue to produce at a high level. He didn’t want to go out that way and will have a chance to go on his terms. McCann is an elite hitter and a good defensive catcher. He has a good feel for the pitching staff and is their best hitter right now. Heyward was off to a fast start last year, but a hand injury slowed him down during the summer. It was hard for him to get back on track, but his talent still hasn’t been reached yet and that’s a scary thought. Uggla provides much needed protection from the right side. He’s a competitor and will light a fire for the Braves in their quest to get past the Phillies. Freeman was an elite hitter in the minors and will be given a chance to show it this year in the majors. He and Heyward are the future of the Braves lineup and they both must live up to those expectations. Gonzalez can still field his position as good as any. Once he was acquired last year his production at the plate dropped a little, but he can still hit for power. Deceptive for being the eighth hitter.

Bench

INF/OF Eric Hinske

.256 AVG 11 HR 51 RBI

INF/OF Brooks Conrad

.250 AVG 8 HR 33 RBI

C David Ross

.289 AVG 2 HR 28 RBI

Atlanta has a winner in Hinske. He goes about his business knowing that at some point he will play in the game. Either as a pinch hitter, defensive replacement or the spot start to give a regular a day off. Conrad was given an opportunity to play and didn’t disappoint for the Braves last year. His defensive mistakes against the Giants in the playoffs will be hard to live down, but Conrad hasn’t backed away from that experience. Ross is a good backup to McCann. Injuries are constantly creeping up, but when he plays the Braves don’t lose a lot both offensively and defensively.

Rotation

1. Tim Hudson

17-9 2.83 ERA

2. Derek Lowe

16-12 4.00 ERA

3. Tommy Hanson

10-11 3.33 ERA

4. Jair Jurrjens

7-6 4.64 ERA

5. Brandon Beachy

5-1 1.73 ERA (AA and AAA stats)

Hudson had a great bounce back year. It reminded folks of why he was considered one of the best pitchers in the game with his near unhittable splitter. Lowe is a gamer and wasn’t outmatched in most of his starts. He got better as the season progressed and was great in the postseason for the Braves. Hanson needs to have a bounce back year like Hudson did. He is still considered the future ace of the staff, but he has to stop giving up the big home run. Jurrjens was roughed up last year and injuries didn’t help either. He’s a top of the rotation type of pitcher and the Braves will need him to compete for a playoff spot. Beachy had a good spring and will be given the fifth spot in the rotation. He has good stuff, but isn’t considered to be higher than a third starter. Atlanta is counting on two veterans and two young guns to get them back into the playoffs.

Setup

Jonny Venters

4-4 1.95 ERA

Closer

Craig Kimbrel

1 SV 0.44 ERA

Bill Wagner decided to retire and that leaves the Braves with a lefthanded and righthanded duo to fill the void. Venters is the lefthanded option who will probably be given most of the opportunities at the beginning of the season. Kimbrel will eventually be the full time closer, but the Braves want to ease him along. Atlanta has a good future in place for the bullpen, but it might hurt them in the long run if they continue with the closer committee during the stretch run.

Marlins Lineup

1. CF Chris Coghlan

.268 AVG 5 HR 28 RBI

2. 2B Omar Infante*

.321 AVG 8 HR 47 RBI

3. SS Hanley Ramirez

.300 AVG 21 HR 76 RBI

4. RF Mike Stanton

.259 AVG 22 HR 59 RBI

5. 1B Gaby Sanchez

.273 AVG 19 HR 85 RBI

6. LF Logan Morrison

.283 AVG 2 HR 18 RBI

7. C John Buck*

.281 AVG 20 HR 66 RBI

8. 3B Wes Helms

.220 AVG 4 HR 39 RBI

A lot of shuffling, but the lineup will stay intact for the most part. Coghlan is the now playing center field and will be the leadoff hitter as well. He suffered through a sophomore slump last year and a freak injury ended his season prematurely. Florida needs the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year to play up to those standards. Infante isn’t expected to replace Uggla’s bat, but he will provide needed versatility for the Marlins. He was a big part of the Braves success last year and Florida hopes they can achieve the same with him this year. Ramirez is being tasked as “the guy” for the Marlins. The face of the franchise. He has to start playing and acting like it more often. He is far too talented to let it slip away. Stanton is another in a long line of players to come through their system and have instant success. His power is unmatched and his defensive skills are starting to come around. Sanchez was a contender for the NL Rookie of the Year award last year. Easily was the Marlins most consistent hitter and should continue his rise with Morrison and Buck behind him. Morrison can really hit the ball. His defense is at a high level, but the Marlins want to see him be more agressive at the plate. Buck had a career year at the plate. They signed him to a three year deal with hopes that it won’t be a one year wonder. Helms will hold down the third base job until top prospect Matt Dominguez is ready. Helms is better as a pinch hitter at this point in his career, but he should keep the job warm for Dominguez.

Bench

INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio

.261 AVG 0 HR 10 RBI

INF Greg Dobbs*

.196 AVG 5 HR 15 RBI

OF Dewayne Wise*

.250 AVG 3 HR 14 RBI

Bonifacio is their super utility player, but doesn’t offer a lot of options with his bat. His speed is good, but he has struggled since his career year in 2009. Dobbs is another pinch hitter for the Marlins. Not an everyday player by any means, but can play in a pinch if need be. Wise has had trouble staying with one team for very long, but the Marlins have had players like him have good years with a one year tryout in Florida.

Rotation

1. Josh Johnson

11-6 2.30 ERA

2. Ricky Nolasco

14-9 4.51 ERA

3. Javier Vazquez*

10-10 5.32 ERA

4. Anibal Sanchez

13-12 3.55 ERA

5. Chris Volstad

12-9 4.58 ERA

With more wins and if he didn’t get hurt in September, Johnson probably would’ve been a strong contender for the NL Cy Young award. Florida has a legitimate ace in Johnson and it would be easy to pencil him in for the ERA title or pretty close to it. Nolasco had a nice year and is finally living up to his potential as a top of the rotation pitcher. Vazquez once again did not make it in New York with the Yankees and will try to get back on track in the National League. The Marlins are banking on him to be a stable force in the middle of the rotation. Sanchez has struggled with control and injuries for most of his career. He still is a talented pitcher, but time is running out for him to put it all together. Volstad is getting closer to getting a higher spot in the rotation. He is still too inconsistent between starts to be given that chance, but the Marlins know they have another talented righthander in Volstad.

Setup

Clay Hensley

3-4 2.16 ERA

Closer

Leo Nunez

30 SV 3.46 ERA

They might have to find a replacement during the season if Nunez falters. He wasn’t the same as the year before. His velocity was going down and his control was in flux. Hensley was doing a great job setting up Nunez, but the ninth inning was turning into a problem fast. The Marlins know what they have with these two, but they might have to find a new one if they are still in the playoff race at the trade deadline.

Mets Lineup

1. SS Jose Reyes

.282 AVG 11 HR 54 RBI

2. CF Angel Pagan

.290 AVG 11 HR 69 RBI

3. 3B David Wright

.283 AVG 29 HR 103 RBI

4. RF Carlos Beltran

.255 AVG 7 HR 27 RBI

5. LF Jason Bay

.259 AVG 6 HR 47 RBI

6. 1B Ike Davis

.264 AVG 19 HR 71 RBI

7. 2B Brad Emaus

.290 AVG 15 HR 75 RBI (AA and AAA stats)
8. C Josh Thole
.277 AVG 3 HR 17 RBI

The Mets have a lot of players that need to live up to their potential this year for them to get back into contention. Reyes is getting back to that potential after a strong 2010 campaign. Health is always a concern with him, but playing in the spacious confines of Citi Field will only help Reyes’ production. Pagan was put into a tough spot last year with Beltran out, but he responded well and will be the full time center fielder this year. Wright continues to produce with an outmatched lineup around him, but if Beltran and Bay can stay healthy this year then Wright should continue to put up All-Star numbers. Beltran started out his stint in New York as well as anyone thought he would, but injuries have started the whispers of “bust” in the Big Apple. If he can have a relatively productive year those whispers will subside. Bay on the other hand might be hearing it more if he has another 2010 season. The injury bug did get to him, but he didn’t adjust well to the new ballpark and his defensive skills seemed to have diminished as well. Davis was the lone bright spot in the Mets lineup. They’ve been searching for a replacement for Carlos Delgado and they believe they have in Davis. He showed surprising power and his defensive skills could get him some votes for a Gold Glove or two. Emaus was chosen to replace the disappointing Luis Castillo at second. Rather than go through one more year of a slumping veteran the Mets want to see what they have in Emaus. The time is now for the youth movement to take shape. The same goes for Thole being the new catcher. He has shown potential for handling a pitching staff. The Mets don’t expect another Mike Piazza at the plate, but they want to see him produce at a high level.

Bench

C Ronny Paulino*
.259 AVG 4 HR 37 RBI
INF/OF Scott Hairston*
.210 AVG 10 HR 36 RBI
INF Luis Hernandez
.250 AVG 2 HR 6 RBI

Paulino is a viable backup to the youngster Thole. He has decent pop and is a plus defender behind the plate. Hairston is one of the best utility players in the game. He will see the majority of his playing time in the outfield, but with the question mark at second base he could see time there also. Hernandez is a speed option off the bench. A good defender though he does struggle to produce at the plate.

Rotation

1. Mike Pelfrey
15-9 3.66 ERA
2. Jonathon Niese
9-10 4.20 ERA
3. R.A. Dickey
11-9 2.84 ERA
4. Chris Capuano*
4-4 3.95 ERA
5. Chris Young*
2-0 0.90 ERA

The big name missing is Johan Santana. The Mets hope he can recover from his shoulder surgery by the All-Star break. They don’t want to rush him, but a lot will be riding on his arm for their future success. Pelfrey finally showed the potential that everyone in the organization knew he had. What remains to be seen is if he can handle the staff ace position until Santana can return. Niese is a good complement to Pelfrey. The tall lefthander has good stuff, but is prone to giving up a lot of runs during crucial points in the game. Dickey was the best kept secret in baseball last year. He’s mastered the knuckleball and was the Mets best chance of winning a game last year. Capuano and Young are two veterans who have struggled with injuries all their career. Both don’t have much to lose, but with the lack of depth in the minor leagues, the Mets can afford to give them a chance this year. Young has the best stuff and Capuano is starting to become Tom Glavine like in his approach to pitching. Both should do fine in the pitcher friendly Citi Field.

Setup

Jason Isringhausen*
0-1 2.25 ERA (2009 stats)

Closer

Francisco Rodriguez
25 SV 2.20 ERA

There was a major problem in the Mets bullpen last year. With all the off field distractions from K-Rod, it led to their demise at the end of the season. Rodriguez is still an elite closer, but unfortunately it appears that the bright lights are starting to get to him on and off the field. Isringhausen isn’t going to be counted on to save the bullpen, but the Mets hope that he can stabilize the innings leading up to Rodriguez. It’s a work in progress with the Mets bullpen, but they know they have a closer who can get them the win.

Nationals Lineup

1. SS Ian Desmond

.269 AVG 10 HR 65 RBI

2. RF Jayson Werth*

.296 AVG 27 HR 85 RBI

3. 3B Ryan Zimmerman

.307 AVG 25 HR 85 RBI

4. 1B Adam LaRoche*

.261 AVG 25 HR 100 RBI

5. LF Mike Morse

.289 AVG 15 HR 41 RBI

6. CF Rick Ankiel*

.232 AVG 6 HR 24 RBI

7. C Ivan Rodriguez

.266 AVG 4 HR 49 RBI

8. 2B Danny Espinosa

.268 AVG 22 HR 69 RBI (AAA stats)

Desmond is becoming everything the Nationals had hoped for as their shortstop. He is a superb defender and he had a great year at the plate. The hope is him and Espinosa will form a great duo up the middle. Werth is one of the newest 100 million dollar players in baseball. With that comes great expectations. Fair or not the Nationals expect the same production from him as with the Phillies that last few years. Zimmerman is the face of the franchise. Long before Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper he has been the one constant for them. Even without adequate protection Zimmerman has still been able to be one of the best run producers in the game. LaRoche has had trouble finding a home, but make no mistake he is a good hitter. He won’t match what Adam Dunn brought to the lineup, but he is a viable replacement. Morse was great in a bench role last year and was an easy choice to get a starting spot this year. He has tremendous power potential and can sometimes play first base too. Ankiel is an okay hitter, but he will see playing time for his defense. His pitching days are long over, but he still has a great arm for a center fielder. Rodriguez is still able to play catcher at this stage in his career. It’s a good thing for Washington’s relatively young pitching staff. Whether he will continue to play enough to get closer to 3,000 hits is another question. Espinosa is being handed the second baseman position going into the start of the season. He has a lot of potential as an elite hitter. His defense is suspect, but he has room for improvement.

Bench

INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr.*

.244 AVG 10 HR 50 RBI

C Wilson Ramos

.258 AVG 8 HR 38 RBI

OF Roger Bernadina

.246 AVG 11 HR 47 RBI

Hairston will likely be in a platoon with Ankiel in center field. He can play all over the field though. Washington was fortunate to sign someone who can play multiple positions and is a pretty good base stealer also. Ramos is pegged as the catcher of the future after being acquired from Minnesota for closer Matt Capps last season. He should see plenty of playing time, but if Rodriguez’s quest for 3,000 hits gets in the way, it could be a problem. Bernadina was okay as a starter last year. Washington hopes a smaller role will get his confidence back. He can still be a potentially good hitter.

Rotation

1. Livan Hernandez

10-12 3.66 ERA

2. John Lannan

8-8 4.65 ERA

3. Jason Marquis

2-9 6.60 ERA

4. Jordan Zimmerman

1-2 4.94 ERA

5. Tom Gorzelanny*

7-9 4.09 ERA

Hernandez was a stable force at the top of the rotation. The only problem is there wasn’t much else for the rest of the Nationals rotation. He should do well and be a good role model for the youngsters trying to grab a spot. Lannan is the teams best option for the second spot. He doesn’t have top of the rotation stuff, but he is crafty and gets outs. Marquis was a major disappointment. Injuries shortened his season, but when he did play he was all over the place. He should bounce back being that he has done it before. Zimmerman is the second best starter they have. The one problem is that they can’t have Strasburg and Zimmerman together for a full season. Hopefully Zimmerman can stay healthy and when Strasburg returns next year they form a formidable duo for the future. Gorzelanny is a lefthander who has had trouble with the big innings. The Pirates and Cubs were quick to deal him, but Washington thinks with their pitcher friendly ballpark he should have a better chance to succeed.

Setup

Tyler Clippard

11-8 3.07 ERA

Closer

Drew Storen

5 SV 3.58 ERA

The Nationals have a good plan set for the bullpen. Storen should be the closer going forward. He has the stuff and the attitude is there also. Washington just needs to ease him in and not overwork him. Clippard had a career year. He was their best pitcher even when they had Matt Capps as their closer. Clippard should continue to be the setup man to Storen going forward.

American League East

* – indicates new to team
AVG – Batting Average
ERA – Earned Run Average
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
SV – Saves

1. Boston Red Sox
After winning the award for best offseason, Boston now looks for the one in October.
2. New York Yankees
Their lineup still commands respect as well as their pen, but the starting pitching remains a weakness.
3. Toronto Blue Jays
They need breakout years from others not named Bautista.
4. Baltimore Orioles
Will having Buck Showalter for a full season result in a winning record?
5. Tampa Bay Rays
The offseason upheaval has left the Rays to lean on Longoria even more.

Player to Watch: P Jonathan Papelbon Boston Red Sox
You could argue that he is the most successful closer the Red Sox have had. He’s saved at least 35 games since 2006. He was nearly unhittable in their championship season of 2007. But after blowing a save in game 3 of the 2009 divisional series against the Angels, he has hit a snag. Last year his ERA rose two runs from the previous season (1.85 – 3.90). There was talk of trading Papelbon in the offseason since he was heading into a contract year. There weren’t any better options so the Red Sox are giving him another shot. They did sign Bobby Jenks who has experience and a ring with the Chicago White Sox as their closer. Should Papelbon struggle again they will not hesitate to give Jenks a chance. Papelbon is a competitor at the highest level. It remains to be seen that he won’t have a bounce back season, but there are higher expectations this season with the moves they made to shore up the lineup. The time is now for Papelbon to regain his once dominant form.

Best Acquisitions: LF Carl Crawford & 1B Adrian Gonzalez Boston Red Sox
Boston acquired the patient power hitter Gonzalez from San Diego and less than a week later they sign the speedy Crawford at the winter meetings. On paper it makes the Red Sox the favorites to win the AL East. They took away Tampa Bay’s best player in Crawford and they solidified the middle of their lineup with Gonzalez. Another reason to like these moves is that both players stay relatively healthy. Crawford has had only one injury plagued season. Gonzalez has played in at least 160 games the last four seasons. If the rest of Boston’s lineup can return to health, Crawford and Gonzalez will greatly improve Boston’s chances of returning to the postseason.

New Kid on the Block: P Jeremy Hellickson Tampa Bay Rays
He like former first round pick David Price are highly touted prospects who will be mainstays in the Rays rotation. Hellickson was auditioning in the bullpen in September, but there’s no question he is going to be a starter. Being the Rays fifth starter this year puts him in a perfect position to succeed. Tampa Bay decided to trade away their most consistent starter Matt Garza to the Cubs to give Hellickson his opportunity to start. The Rays believe he is ready. They know they won’t get the kind of results they received from Price, but they eventually invision a Price – Hellickson combination at the top of their rotation for a long time.

Red Sox Lineup

1. CF Jacoby Ellsbury

.192 AVG 0 HR 5 RBI

2. 2B Dustin Pedroia

.288 AVG 12 HR 41 RBI

3. LF Carl Crawford*

.307 AVG 19 HR 90 RBI

4. 1B Adrian Gonzalez*

.298 AVG 31 HR 101 RBI

5. 3B Kevin Youkilis

.307 AVG 19 HR 62 RBI

6. DH David Ortiz

.270 AVG 32 HR 102 RBI

7. RF J.D. Drew

.255 AVG 22 HR 68 RBI

8. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia

.167 AVG 0 HR 2 RBI

9. SS Marco Scutaro

.275 AVG 11 HR 56 RBI

Health is an important part of every team. It’s especially true for Boston. Ellsbury, Pedroia and Youkilis all missed significant time last season. With Crawford aboard, Ellsbury should have less pressure to succeed this year, but he will have to return to form as one of the best leadoff hitters. Pedroia wasn’t on his way to a MVP season, but he was certainly going to help them compete for a playoff spot. When he’s right, Pedroia is one of the best hitters in the game. Crawford can play anywhere in the lineup and still produce at an All-Star level. What remains to be seen is if his power numbers will grow playing full time in Fenway. Gonzalez is sure to produce monstrous numbers playing at Fenway for half his games. Playing all those years in Petco Park he was still able to hit at least 30 HR and drive in over 100 runs. Youkilis is probably the most patient hitter in the game. He will be the third baseman full time now that Gonzalez is aboard. Youkilis actually prefers playing third, but he is an above average defender. Ortiz was off to another rough start last year, but did end up having a productive year. How many he will be able to have is the question. Drew can still hit and playing in a short field in Fenway will help hide his defensive lapses, but the Red Sox only care that he still produces at the major league level. Saltalamacchia is a better hitter now than Varitek, but Boston figures to play Varitek late in games as a defensive replacement. Scutaro was exactly what the Red Sox expected from him when they signed him. The weren’t expecting him to be the full time starter at shortstop, but he should get the majority of the playing time with Lowrie recovering from injury.

Bench

OF Mike Cameron

.259 AVG 4 HR 15 RBI

C Jason Varitek

.232 AVG 7 HR 16 RBI

INF Jed Lowrie

.287 AVG 9 HR 24 RBI

Cameron is still an elite center fielder, but his bat speed took a step back last year. Injuries are apart of the game, but it was a bit surprising seeing Cameron miss significant time. Varitek will still see playing time, but more as a defensive replacement. Lowrie is a good hitter, but injuries have slowed his progress to becoming a full time starter. He should see plenty of time with Scutaro’s age and Pedroia coming off an injury plagued season.

Rotation

1. Jon Lester

19-9 3.25 ERA

2. John Lackey

14-11 4.40 ERA
3. Clay Buchholz
17-7 2.33 ERA
4. Josh Beckett
6-6 5.78 ERA
5. Daisuke Matsuzaka
9-6 4.69 ERA

Besides the injury woes of the Red Sox lineup, there was also a lack of production from some key members of the pitching staff. Lester wasn’t one of them. He is now the bona fide ace going forward after another stellar season. Lackey struggled in his first season in Boston. He is a good pitcher who should make the proper adjustments and get back to his winning ways. Buchholz is getting closer to the point where Lester is. The Red Sox were pleased to see Buchholz play to his potential which should help motivate Beckett and Matsuzaka bounce back. Beckett should be better and has to be for Boston to be successful. Matsuzaka hasn’t lived up to the money the Red Sox invested in him. There was talk of seeing if they could trade him in the offseason, but that quickly was quashed by the Boston front office. The Red Sox championship aspirations rest with the starters.

Setup

Bobby Jenks*
1-3 4.44 ERA

Closer

Jonathan Papelbon
37 SV 3.90 ERA

The Red Sox bullpen was still good, but definitely could’ve been better. Papelbon needs to be better and lower his ERA by at least a run. Jenks is Boston’s insurance policy in case Papelbon’s struggles don’t go away when the season starts or should he be injured. Boston also has Daniel Bard, who might be given an opportunity to close from time to time. The Red Sox starters have more pressure on them to succeed, but Papelbon is on a short leash.

Yankees Lineup

1. SS Derek Jeter

.270 AVG 10 HR 67 RBI

2. RF Nick Swisher

.288 AVG 29 HR 89 RBI

3. 1B Mark Teixeira

.256 AVG 33 HR 108 RBI

4. 3B Alex Rodriguez

.270 AVG 30 HR 125 RBI

5. 2B Robinson Cano

.319 AVG 29 HR 109 RBI

6. DH Jorge Posada

.248 AVG 18 HR 57 RBI

7. CF Curtis Granderson

.247 AVG 24 HR 67 RBI

8. C Russell Martin*

.248 AVG 5 HR 26 RBI

9. LF Brett Gardner

.277 AVG 5 HR 47 RBI

After an offseason to forget, Jeter would like to prove all his doubters wrong. He will be the newest member of the 3,000 hit club this year, but the Yankees would like to win a championship too. Swisher had a career year playing in New York last season. He’s always been a patient hitter, but he took that to another level last year. Expect more of the same from Swisher. Teixeira still hit at least 30 HR and drove in 100 runs, but his batting average was a career worst last year. The Yankees would like to see their 160 million dollar first baseman get his average up around the .280 mark this year. A-Rod was struggling with injuries last year, but going into this year he is injury free and that is a scary thought. If he is at or near his MVP level the Yankees will be tough to keep quiet. Cano was being talked about as the MVP of the American League last year. The Yankees weren’t lying when they said he was going to be their best hitter when he arrived in the major leagues. Going forward he easily could break all of Jeter’s records if he stays in New York. Posada will see some time as the starting catcher this year, but most of his playing time will be as the DH. His bat is what’s keeping him around in New York. Granderson had an okay first season in New York. He is a tough competitor and knows he can do better. Martin should be a stable force on the defensive side. He won’t be asked to do a lot as a hitter, but he does a good job handling a pitching staff. Gardner by seasons end should be the leadoff hitter. His speed is too valuable to have at the bottom of the lineup.

Bench

OF/DH Andruw Jones

.230 AVG 19 HR 48 RBI

C Francisco Cervelli

.271 AVG 0 HR 38 RBI

INF Eric Chavez*

.234 AVG 1 HR 10 RBI

Jones can still produce decent power numbers at this stage in his career. He probably won’t see much time in center field, but as the DH and the occasional start in left or right is doable. Cervelli is a good hitter, but doesn’t offer much in the power department. His defense was overlooked. Chavez is looking to make a comeback from a multitude of injuries during his career in Oakland. The former All-Star third baseman should see plenty of time as a pinch hitter and giving Rodriguez and Teixeira a day off.

Rotation

1. C.C. Sabathia

21-7 3.18 ERA

2. Phil Hughes

18-8 4.19 ERA

3. A.J. Burnett

10-15 5.26 ERA

4. Ivan Nova

12-3 2.86 ERA (AAA stats)

5. Freddy Garcia*

12-6 4.64 ERA

Sabathia and Hughes were the lone bright spots last year. As was Andy Pettitte, but he decided to retire in the offseason. New York hopes they won’t have to try and convince him to change his mind if Burnett has another disastrous season. Sabathia is earning his 180 million dollars since signing with the Yankees. His first season resulted in a championship and his second was competing for a Cy Young award. His third figures to be similar. Hughes had an All-Star season for the Yankees. It won’t be his last, but New York isn’t sure he can handle the same workload year in and year out. Burnett has to regain his 2009 form. For some reason his mechanics were off all year long and when he tried to change, they got worse. He is better than his 2010 season showed. Nova is another potential number two starter for the Yankees. He won’t see a big workload this year, but don’t be surprised if he puts up numbers similar to Phil Hughes very soon. Garcia won the fifth spot in spring training. He has recovered nicely from shoulder problems a few years ago. He is an innings eater and competes every fifth day. Former AL Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon will also see some time as a starter too if someone should be hurt or if Burnett struggles again.

Setup

Rafael Soriano*

3-2 1.73 ERA

Closer

Mariano Rivera

33 SV 1.80 ERA

The Yankees didn’t want to sign Soriano, but they figured it couldn’t hurt having a replacement ready in case the unthinkable happens and Rivera gets hurt. Rivera will retire at some point. Soriano is signed to a three year deal which in at least one of those years he will be the closer. Until then he and Rivera form the best 8th and 9th inning duos in baseball. New York might have some issues with some of the starting spots, but if the bats continue to produce they will be able to win games with these two at the end of the game.

Blue Jays Lineup

1. CF Rajai Davis*

.284 AVG 5 HR 52 RBI

2. SS Yunel Escobar

.256 AVG 4 HR 35 RBI

3. RF Jose Bautista

.260 AVG 54 HR 124 RBI

4. 1B Adam Lind

.237 AVG 23 HR 72 RBI

5. 2B Aaron Hill

.205 AVG 26 HR 68 RBI

6. LF Travis Snider

.255 AVG 14 HR 32 RBI

7. 3B Edwin Encarnacion

.244 AVG 21 HR 51 RBI

8. DH Juan Rivera*

.252 AVG 15 HR 52 RBI

9. C J.P. Arencibia

.301 AVG 32 HR 85 RBI (AAA stats)

The Blue Jays were missing one piece to their lineup last year and that was a leadoff hitter. Toronto now has a legitimate leadoff hitter in Davis to set up the rest of their power hitting lineup. He can steal, field and is turning into a good hitter. Escobar fell out of favor in Atlanta last and was dealt at the trade deadline to Toronto. He took off, hitting all his home runs with the Blue Jays and was a stellar defender. In a full season he should put up good numbers in a good hitting lineup. Bautista’s power numbers are probably a one year phenomenon. He has become a great hitter with Toronto and that is a testament to his work ethic throughout his career. If Lind can bounce back after a subpar 2010 campaign, the middle of the Blue Jays order will be formidable with the likes of Boston and New York. Along with Lind, Hill needs to return to his All-Star form. His batting average was a career low and Toronto thinks that it is only a one year wonder. Snider is starting to capitalize on his potential. He will be a full time starter this year with the departure of Vernon Wells to the Angels. Encarnacion has always been a good hitter, but he has struggled to stay healthy since breaking into the big leagues. He will likely see a good portion of his playing time at DH to keep his bat in the lineup. Rivera is a good hitter, but his fielding is suspect. Toronto will be a good place for him to be a pinch hitter and play at DH too. Arencibia had one of the best major league debuts in the history of the game last year. After that, he fell back to earth. Toronto still believes that he can be their catcher of the future and will be better disciplined at the plate. His minor league numbers show that he can.

Bench

INF John McDonald

.250 AVG 6 HR 23 RBI

C Jose Molina

.246 AVG 6 HR 12 RBI

OF Scott Podsednik*

.297 AVG 6 HR 51 RBI

McDonald is a super utility defender for Toronto’s infield. He hasn’t always been the best hitter, but when there are injuries he can fill in for extended periods. Molina is a sound defensive catcher and will be a good tutor to Arencibia. Molina’s work with the pitching has gone unnoticed in some circles, but most know how important he is to a ball club. Podsednik should see playing time if Snider and/or Rivera struggle. He can steal many bases and is pretty good at tracking down fly balls.

Rotation

1. Ricky Romero

14-9 3.73 ERA

2. Brandon Morrow

10-7 4.49 ERA

3. Brett Cecil

15-7 4.22 ERA

4. Kyle Drabek

14-9 2.94 ERA (AA stats)

5. Jo-Jo Reyes

2-6 4.99 ERA (AA and AAA stats)

If there was a bona fide ace, the Blue Jays starting pitching might be good enough to compete with Boston and New York for the division title. Romero is slowly becoming that ace with his consistent performance. The hard throwing lefthander is among the most durable pitcher Toronto has and doesn’t go on many long losing streaks. Morrow nearly had a no-hitter last year. He has the best stuff on the staff, but he has trouble staying healthy. Cecil had a good year, but Toronto would like to see him be more consistent. Cecil can be a top of the rotation pitcher, but has to improve his ERA. Drabek is getting his chance to prove his worth this season. He was the major piece acquired from Philadelphia for Roy Halladay. His numbers have been fantastic in the minors, but what remains to be seen is if he should still be there another year. Toronto is probably doing the right thing, but waiting one more year might give Toronto a better return on their investment. Reyes has had good numbers in the minor leagues with Atlanta, but he hasn’t turned that into progress at the major league level.

Setup

Jason Frasor

3-4 3.68 ERA

Closer

Jon Rauch*

21 SV 3.12 ERA

Toronto’s bullpen took a hit when Kevin Gregg left as a free agent to Baltimore. To solve that problem they acquired three closers, who along with Frasor will be competing for the position. Rauch is the default closer because Frank Francisco and Octavio Dotel will be placed on the 15 day DL to start the season. Rauch had a good year closing in Minnesota for the injured Joe Nathan, but he is better suited as the setup man. Frasor can close, but was to inconsistent to hold down the job. Toronto does have a deep bullpen when Francisco and Dotel are healthy, but who will be the full time closer remains to be seen.

Orioles Lineup

1. 2B Brian Roberts

.283 AVG 4 HR 15 RBI

2. RF Nick Markakis

.297 AVG 12 HR 60 RBI

3. 1B Derrek Lee*

.260 AVG 19 HR 80 RBI

4. DH Vladimir Guerrero*

.300 AVG 29 HR 115 RBI

5. LF Luke Scott

.284 AVG 27 HR 72 RBI

6. 3B Mark Reynolds*

.198 AVG 32 HR 85 RBI

7. CF Adam Jones

.284 AVG 19 HR 69 RBI

8. C Matt Wieters

.249 AVG 11 HR 55 RBI

9. SS J.J. Hardy*

.268 AVG 6 HR 38 RBI

Baltimore made some moves to improve their lineup, but those moves have to coincide with their core for the future. Roberts has to be apart of the lineup the entire year in order for the Orioles to be competitive. He does so much for them. Most of it doesn’t show up on a stat sheet. Markakis has the makings to be an All-Star during his career. For him last year was a down year, but he still managed to produce with hardly any protection around him. That won’t be a problem this year with Lee and Guerrero behind him. Lee is a gold glove first baseman and still can drive in runs. He won’t be able to consistently put up All-Star numbers, but his defense will greatly help the pitching staff. Guerrero proved last year that he can still produce. He did slow down after the All-Star break, but if the Orioles can get similar numbers from him this year, they will be pleased. Scott was their best power hitter last year. He will see more playing time in the field this year. He’s not the best fielder, but with the short field at Camden Yards it won’t be a problem. Reynolds figures to be apart of the Orioles future. His strikeout totals are a concern, but his power numbers override that problem. Jones has to do better. He is a gold glove caliber center fielder, but his bat is what made him an All-Star. Wieters was asked a lot of last year, but this year he will be given time to develop at the plate. He did show his skills behind the plate with his ability to handle a young pitching staff. Hardy is a major defensive upgrade at shortstop. He isn’t expected to make noise with his bat, but he is capable of 20+ HR.

Bench

OF Nolan Reimold

.207 AVG 3 HR 14 RBI

OF Felix Pie

.274 AVG 5 HR 31 RBI

INF Cesar Izturis

.230 AVG 1 HR 28 RBI

Reimold is better than his 2010 season. He was given time to refine his approach in the minors, but this is an important year for him if he is to find a spot going forward. Pie was slated to be a starter, but with the arrival of Guerrero that put Scott in the outfield. Pie is a speedster who has decent pop. He will still see plenty of playing time throughout the year. Izturis is still a good defender, but his bat has dropped off quite a bit. What remains is whether he will see more time at second base this time around.

Rotation

1. Jeremy Guthrie

11-14 3.83 ERA

2. Brian Matusz

10-12 4.30 ERA

3. Jake Arrieta

6-6 4.66 ERA

4. Brad Bergesen

8-12 4.98 ERA

5. Justin Duchscherer*

2-1 2.89 ERA

Guthrie was the default number one last year and is again this year. He responded well with the responsibility last year. This should be the same as the Orioles are bringing along a couple of youngsters to eventually take the top spots. Matusz is one of those youngsters. He has great stuff and is potentially an ace in the making for the Orioles. Arrieta had a good tryout period for Baltimore. The Orioles will give him a full time gig this year after his strong outing late last summer. Bergesen will be slated lower in the order this year. He was asked a lot of last year, but Baltimore still has high expectations for him going forward. Duchscherer has the potential to get 10-15 wins every season and finish with an ERA around 3.00. However, he hasn’t been healthy for a full season since 2006 and that was as a reliever for Oakland. Baltimore isn’t taking a huge risk, since he’s only signed on for one year. The Orioles figure if they can get at least three quarters of a season out of him they will be better for it keeping some of the youngsters in the minors a little longer.

Setup

Koji Uehara

1-2 2.86 ERA

Closer

Kevin Greeg*

37 SV 3.51 ERA

Baltimore had a problem right from the start last year in the ninth inning. Mike Gonzalez was a disaster and the Orioles made due with what they had. Uehara was good saving 13 games for Baltimore. He isn’t seen as the long term solution though. Alfredo Simon figured to get the job this year after saving 17 games last year, but with his legal troubles in his native country of the Dominican Republic, the Orioles had to make a move. They signed Gregg to take the closers role this year. He did a great job for Toronto last year and that is good enough for Baltimore. The Orioles have plenty of capable arms to setup Gregg, but the Orioles now have the comfort of a capable closer in the ninth inning.

Rays Lineup

1. 2B Ben Zobrist

.238 AVG 10 HR 75 RBI

2. LF Johnny Damon*

.271 AVG 8 HR 51 RBI

3. 3B Evan Longoria

.294 AVG 22 HR 104 RBI

4. DH Manny Ramirez*

.298 AVG 9 HR 42 RBI

5. RF Matt Joyce

.241 AVG 10 HR 40 RBI

6. CF B.J. Upton

.237 AVG 18 HR 62 RBI

7. 1B Dan Johnson

.198 AVG 7 HR 23 RBI

8. SS Reid Brignac

.256 AVG 8 HR 45 RBI

9. C John Jaso

.263 AVG 5 HR 44 RBI

There are some new faces, but Tampa Bay sure will miss the old ones. Zobrist will be given the chance to be the leadoff hitter. Newly signed outfielder Damon will get penciled in as the leadoff hitter too, but Zobrist should do better because of his bat. His .238 average isn’t the norm for this former All-Star. Damon isn’t as fast or as good a fielder anymore, but the Rays are encouraged by his plate discipline. That should give Longoria and Ramirez plenty of chances to drive in runs. Longoria is the face of the franchise now with the departure of Crawford. He is the real deal and is a gold glove defender at third base. Ramirez had the worst year of his career last season. Tampa Bay doesn’t expect him to produce All-Star like numbers, but a 20+ HR season would be nice. Joyce and Upton will be tasked with protecting Longoria and Ramirez. Joyce has big power potential, but injuries have slowed his progress during his major league career. Upton hasn’t been able to capitalize off his postseason performance of 2008. He has still managed to average at least 40 stolen bases in every one of those seasons, but his bat has been wildly inconsistent. Johnson is being tasked with the near impossible. Replace the bat of Carlos Pena. It shouldn’t be hard to do better than Pena’s average, but it will be nearly impossible to replace Pena’s HR and RBI totals. Brignac and Jaso are the newest full time starters to come from the Rays system. Brignac has long been touted for his defense, but his bat will have to come full circle. Jaso is a solid defender and his bat is slowly coming into form. He also has pretty good speed for a catcher.

Bench

OF Desmond Jennings

.278 AVG 3 HR 36 RBI (AAA stats)

INF/OF Sean Rodriguez

.251 AVG 9 HR 40 RBI

C Kelly Shoppach

.196 AVG 5 HR 17 RBI

Jennings is the eventual replacement for Carl Crawford. It probably won’t be this year though. He isn’t there yet with his bat, but his speed is ready for a major league tryout. Rodriguez has turned out to be a pretty good utility player since being acquired from the Angels. He was seen as a full time second baseman, but Tampa Bay tried him out at a few positions in the minors and it paid off. He will get plenty of at bats. Shoppach is being seen strictly as a defensive specialist. Jaso probably won’t play in over 130 games this year so Shoppach should still see plenty of starts.

Rotation

1. David Price

19-6 2.72 ERA

2. James Shields

13-15 5.18 ERA

3. Jeff Niemann

12-8 4.39 ERA

4. Wade Davis

12-10 4.07 ERA

5. Jeremy Hellickson

4-0 3.47 ERA

The lone bright spot for Tampa Bay is that they have a top of the line pitcher in Price. He was second in the AL Cy Young voting last year and might have won if not for the sluggish end to the season. You can easily pencil him in for those kinds of numbers the rest of his career. Shields has seen his ERA rise steadily throughout his career. He is a competitor and that helps him get through some rough outings, but Boston and New York are starting to pound him. Niemann has been fine tuning his craft for a while and he might have found it last year. The former top prospect for Tampa Bay might finally settle in to a top spot in the rotation. Davis was good last year. The Rays would like to see him pitch deeper into his starts, but the future is bright for him. Hellickson isn’t expected to produce Price like numbers his rookie year, but they would like to see some progress as he settles into the rotation.

Setup

Joel Peralta*

1-0 2.02 ERA

Closer

Kyle Farnsworth*

3-2 3.34 ERA

This is the one area where the Rays had the most upheaval. They lost 7 relievers, including their closer Rafael Soriano and their setup man Joaquin Benoit. The make shift bullpen signed Farnsworth and Peralta to help them have a legitimate back end to the pen. Peralta had a career year in Washington. That is the NL East is far different from the AL East. Farnsworth is another story. He hasn’t saved a game since 2008 and his career high was 16 in 2005 with Detroit and Atlanta. The Rays hope he can stay consistent so they don’t have to shake up what is a work in progress.

National League Central

* – indicates new to team
AVG – Batting Average
ERA – Earned Run Average
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
SV – Saves

1. Cincinnati Reds
A deep pitching staff with a potent lineup means another Central title.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
Ron Roenicke brings a winning pedigree that should turn the Brew Crew’s fortunes around.
3. St. Louis Cardinals
Losing Wainwright will hurt, but Pujols should keep them in contention.
4. Chicago Cubs
A better pitching staff, but still a lot of questions about the lineup.
5. Houston Astros
The youth movement has begun at key positions.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Is it too much to ask for them to win 70 games?

Player to Watch: P Zach Greinke Milwaukee Brewers
To go from a player who might have been brought up to the big leagues too soon in 2005 (5-17 5.80 ERA) with Kansas City. To then when the American League Cy Young award in 2009 (16-8 2.16 ERA) with the same Kansas City Royals. Greinke has had a very successful career that last three seasons. Kansas City hasn’t offered much help in run support, but Greinke adjusted his mechanics and was right with himself at the same time. He made it known last year that he wasn’t interested in staying long term with Kansas City if they weren’t competing so they made the smart move and got a kings ransom from Milwaukee. The Brewers would like Greinke to stay on that upward trend in a new surrounding where he will get plenty of run support with the Brewers stacked lineup. Don’t expect Roy Halladay like numbers from Greinke this year, but the Brewers are optimistic that he will be a mainstay for them now and going forward.

Best Acquisition: P Matt Garza Chicago Cubs
While all the talk was about what was going on in Milwaukee’s rotation, on the North Side of Chicago, the Cubs made a subtle move acquiring Garza from Tampa Bay. The Cubs gave up a few prized prospects, but if they want to return to contention in their own division, they will need a strong starting staff. Garza has been a consistent starter since his arrival in Tampa Bay in 2008. He was the ALCS MVP for the Rays in 2008. The last two seasons he’s pitched at least 200 innings and has had an impressive strikeout to walk ratio. The Cubs figure a move to the pitcher friendly National League will only help Garza. Last year he won a career high 15 games and helped Tampa Bay win their second division title in three years. Chicago would like to get back to their glory days now almost a decade ago.

New Kid on the Block: 3B Pedro Alvarez Pittsburgh Pirates
Now is the time for the Pirates to unveil their next top prospect. Alvarez was considered the best hitter available when the Pirates drafted him 2nd overall in 2008. He reminds some of Miguel Cabrera, with the power to all fields, but is a better defender than Cabrera. Pittsburgh, in a perfect world would like to have waited until the end of this year to bring him along, but they had to last year. The Pirates are in the midst of one of the worst losing stretches in sports history. They would like to remain competitive and Alvarez helps them accomplish that. He skyrocketed through their farm system in just two seasons. They believe he can solidify the middle of their lineup for many years. That is if they can get out of the losing cellar of baseball.

Reds Lineup

1. CF Drew Stubbs

.255 AVG 22 HR 77 RBI

2. 2B Brandon Phillips

.275 AVG 18 HR 59 RBI

3. 1B Joey Votto

.324 AVG 37 HR 113 RBI

4. 3B Scott Rolen

.285 AVG 20 HR 83 RBI

5. RF Jay Bruce

.281 AVG 25 HR 70 RBI

6. LF Jonny Gomes

.266 AVG 18 HR 86 RBI

7. C Ramon Hernandez

.297 AVG 7 HR 48 RBI

8. SS Paul Janish

.260 AVG 5 HR 25 RBI

The Reds have a lineup where everyone can hit. Stubbs had a breakout year in the leadoff spot. If he can continue it will go a long way in helping Votto and Rolen have great years. Phillips had a down year. Still a productive hitter, he’s in a contract year so that does make the 2011 season a bit more intriguing for him. Votto was a big part of why the Reds won the Central division and was awarded with the MVP award. He is probably the hardest out in baseball. He sees every pitch so well and it’s a testament to his knowledge. Rolen has had a resurgence since arriving in Cincinnati. He was instrumental in the cleanup spot protecting Votto and easing the pressure of Bruce to perform at a high level. Bruce had a great year that included providing the walk-off home run to clinch the division for the Reds last year. Cincinnati will have him and Votto for the next 4-5 years with contract extensions in the offseason. Gomes was quite a find. He has flown under the radar for most of his career, but he earned a starting job with this club. Manager Dusty Baker loves having guys like Gomes who give it their all everyday. Hernandez had a great year. His approach at the plate is amongst the best in baseball. His defense is above average and he does well with the young pitching staff. Janish is a defensive gem who will be given the shortstop job outright. His bat is coming along nicely and if they mesh together the Reds will be fine a the bottom of the order.

Bench

INF Miguel Cairo

.290 AVG 4 HR 28 RBI

INF Edgar Renteria*
.276 AVG 3 HR 22 RBI
C Ryan Hanigan
.300 AVG 5 HR 40 RBI

The bench got a lift when they brought back Cairo and signed the World Series MVP for the San Francisco Giants in Renteria. Both can play multiple positions, especially Cairo. Both will play over 100 games. Cairo for his pinch hitting and running abilities. Renteria because he can still hit, but isn’t a full time starter at this point in his career. Hanigan was signed to a three year extension and it’s because he is finally becoming a good hitter and is a fine defensive catcher. He is a great complement when Hernandez is given a day off.

Rotation

1. Edinson Volquez
4-3 4.31 ERA
2. Bronson Arroyo
17-10 3.88 ERA
3. Johnny Cueto
12-7 3.64 ERA
4. Travis Wood
5-4 3.51 ERA
5. Homer Bailey
4-3 4.46 ERA

This young, but talented rotation has some injury issues to start the season. Cueto and Bailey will be out for most of April, but the Reds are deep enough to get past it. Volquez is full recovered from Tommy John surgery and he will again regain his spot atop the rotation. Arroyo is constantly pitching over 200 innings for the Reds and they hope it can continue this year. The young staff is taking notice from Arroyo and he hasn’t disappointed. Wood was a pleasant surprise in the middle of the season. He performed well enough to warrant a spot in the rotation this year. Mike Leake will be back in the rotation this year due to the injuries to Bailey and Cueto. Leake was the surprise last year when he earned a spot in the rotation out of spring training. Leake had a rough stretch in August and September, but the Reds believe he has learned from his mistakes and will bounce back. He will have to if Cueto and Bailey are out for longer than projected.

Setup

Aroldis Chapman
2-2 2.03 ERA

Closer

Francisco Cordero
40 SV 3.84 ERA

This was a good bullpen that became a great bullpen with the arrival of Chapman. He is probably going to be moved to the rotation either later this year or next year. Until then he will be an excellent setup man to their closer Cordero. Cordero had a down year as far as his ERA is concerned. He can still save the big games for the Reds and that is what they will need again if they are to repeat as division champions. Chapman should be primed for a sensational season. His electric stuff is nearly unhittable, but teams were starting to figure it out. He’ll have to mix in an off-speed pitch to throw off the hitters from waiting for his fastball. There will be more pressure for the bullpen to succeed with Chapman’s emergence and Cordero’s struggles.

Brewers Lineup

1. 2B Rickie Weeks

.269 AVG 29 HR 83 RBI

2. CF Carlos Gomez

.247 AVG 5 HR 24 RBI

3. LF Ryan Braun

.304 AVG 25 HR 103 RBI

4. 1B Prince Fielder

.261 AVG 32 HR 83 RBI

5. 3B Casey McGehee

.285 AVG 23 HR 104 RBI

6. RF Corey Hart

.283 AVG 31 HR 102 RBI

7. C Jonathan Lucroy

.253 AVG 4 HR 26 RBI

8. SS Yuniesky Betancourt*

.259 AVG 16 HR 78 RBI

Not many teams can say they have five players who can drive in over 100 runs. Teams like the Phillies, Red Sox and Yankees would be a few of the teams that could say that. Now the Brewers have joined that list. Weeks at the top of the order should do fine and after a full season healthy, he has shown his worth. He can easily produce a 30-30 season. Gomez will likely be in a platoon with Morgan in center field. Unless Gomez can consistently produce at the plate, he and Morgan will form a good duo that will terrorize the defense on the base paths. Braun is playing at a level that is beyond what the Brewers expected. It’s scary to think that he can still get better and why not when he has Fielder batting cleanup. Fielder had a down year. He is far better than the 83 runs in drove in last year. Milwaukee expects him to have a career year with his contract up at the end of the year. McGehee was a steal when they acquired him off waivers from division rival Chicago. He has risen to become a dangerous hitter in their lineup and if they should lose Fielder to free agency, he will be a capable replacement in the cleanup spot. Hart was placed all over the lineup last year and still managed to have a productive year anyway. As long as the top of the order can remain consistent, Hart should do fine behind Fielder and McGehee. Lucroy has earned the catching job after his performance last year. He is a good defensive catcher and his bat figures to be in the middle of the pack for the Brewers. Betancourt came to Milwaukee in the Zach Greinke deal from Kansas City. He is a good hitter, but his defense is suspect. He has good range, but his accuracy has been an issue. He’ll figure to come near the numbers he put up last year.

Bench

INF Craig Counsell

.250 AVG 2 HR 21 RBI

1B/OF Mark Kotsay*

.239 AVG 8 HR 31 RBI
OF Nyjer Morgan*
.253 AVG 0 HR 24 RBI

Counsell figures to see plenty of playing time. His bat isn’t as productive as it once was, but he is a good fielder and can play third, short and second at any given time. Kotsay was a good acquisition. He doesn’t run as well anymore, but he can still hit in spurts. Not agile enough to play center field, but the corner outfield spots are doable as is first base. Morgan will probably be in the platoon role with Gomez in center. Morgan’s speed is game changing. He isn’t anywhere near the kind of threat with his bat, but his speed will help him get on base.

Rotation

1. Zach Greinke*
10-14 4.17 ERA
2. Yovani Gallardo
14-7 3.84 ERA
3. Shaun Marcum*
13-8 3.64 ERA
4. Randy Wolf
13-12 4.17 ERA
5. Chris Narveson
12-9 4.99 ERA

Milwaukee made not just one, but two moves to shore up their rotation. The first was getting Marcum from Toronto and then they followed that up by getting Greinke. Unfortunately they will be without Greinke for some of April due to a broken rib. When he does return, the Brewers hope he can provide them with a steady dose of a staff ace. Gallardo is a capable starter with excellent stuff. He was anointed the ace last year and took off. With Greinke and Marcum aboard that should only help Gallardo reach the 20 win plateau even faster. Marcum made a successful return from Tommy John surgery last year in Toronto. Considering he pitched most of his games in the AL East, he did very well. He even pitched over 200 innings. Milwaukee hopes that he can perform even better in the National League. Wolf has been a good starter throughout his career. His better days are probably behind him, but being at the bottom of the Brewers rotation should have him play better than expected. His ERA might go down a little, but his walk total should go down (87 career high). Narveson was good, but not great. The Brewers would like him to get more control of his pitches and not get himself into trouble. If he can minimize the big run innings, his ERA should drop by a run.

Setup

Takashi Saito*
2-3 2.83 ERA

Closer

John Axford
24 SV 2.48 ERA

Trevor Hoffman is no longer around and that means that the job is Axford’s going forward. He was consistent right from the start for Milwaukee. His stuff won’t overpower anyone, but he will lull you to sleep. If you’re expected a fastball, he’ll throw the changeup. Expecting the changeup, he’ll throw the fastball. Axford’s one problem was he didn’t have a reliable setup man to make his job easier. Saito will do just that. The former closer turned setup man, Saito is a crafty veteran who will go for the ground ball out rather than the strikeout. He is a perfect complement to Axford and the Brewers bullpen and rotation will benefit from Saito’s presence this season.

Cardinals Lineup

1. SS Ryan Theriot*

.270 AVG 2 HR 29 RBI

2. CF Colby Rasmus

.276 AVG 23 HR 66 RBI

3. 1B Albert Pujols

.312 AVG 42 HR 118 RBI

4. LF Matt Holliday

.312 AVG 28 HR 103 RBI

5. RF Lance Berkman*

.248 AVG 14 HR 58 RBI

6. 3B David Freese

.296 AVG 4 HR 36 RBI

7. C Yadier Molina

.262 AVG 6 HR 62 RBI

8. 2B Skip Schumaker

.265 AVG 5 HR 42 RBI

A lot has to go right for the Cardinals lineup this year. First they have to have an established leadoff hitter. Is Theriot that guy? Only time will tell, but he has had a couple good years where he’s had an OBP of at least .340 (2008-09). He can steal bases too. He’s stolen at least 20 the last four seasons. Rasmus has to bounce back. He butted heads with manager Tony LaRussa last year and left him in the doghouse for much of the year. He will be given another chance to succeed, but time is running out for him. Pujols we all know is in a contract year, but what we don’t know is if he will start to regress anytime soon? All signs point to no, but that’s why St. Louis isn’t going to jump the gun on a big extension for him yet. They will have to if he keeps up the hitting pace he’s on. Holliday is quickly finding a groove in the Cardinals lineup. A lot of people in the sport were afraid that he would start to see his numbers go down when he left Colorado. Not the case with him. He is a great hitter who will continue to produce at a high level. Berkman and Freese are the two big unknowns. Berkman is being counted on to get back to form in his hay day with Houston. Those might be behind him and with him playing in the outfield full time that is a defensive weakness that will be exposed often. Freese has struggled to stay healthy the last two years. He has the bat to consistently produce and his glove is reminding fans of Scott Rolen. He has to stay healthy for the bottom of the lineup to keep the pace. Molina is still a fantastic defensive catcher and is overlooked a lot of times at the plate. He continues to drive in at least 50 runs for the Cardinals. Last year was a career year in that department. Schumaker would like to forget about last year. His defensive woes were the least of his worries. The Cardinals were counting on him to produce at the top of the lineup and he couldn’t. They hope being at the bottom he can regain that hitting touch from 2008-09.

Bench

INF Nick Punto*

.238 AVG 1 HR 20 RBI

C Gerald Laird*

.207 AVG 5 HR 25 RBI

OF John Jay

.300 AVG 4 HR 27 RBI

Punto was a great acquisition for the Cardinals. He can play third, short or second and with the injury history of Freese, the struggles of Schumaker and the uncertainty of Theriot, Punto is in a good position to play. Laird is a good defensive catcher. His bat has seen a drop off in production, but he can hold his own as the backup to Molina. Jay was fantastic last year for LaRussa. When Rasmus was in the doghouse Jay filled in nicely and was even better in pinch hit situations. LaRussa will find ways to get his bat into the game.

Rotation

1. Chris Carpenter

16-9 3.22 ERA

2. Jaime Garcia

13-8 2.70 ERA

3. Jake Westbrook

10-11 4.22 ERA

4. Kyle Lohse

4-8 6.55 ERA

5. Kyle McClellan

1-4 2.27 ERA

It was a big blow to the Cardinals psyche when it was announced that Adam Wainwright was lost to Tommy John surgery. You wouldn’t know it by their public statements, but it will be tough to replace him. Carpenter is still playing at a high level, but for how much longer. More pressure is on him to perform at a Cy Young level for the Cardinals to remain competitive. Garcia was off to a great start in his rookie season. He started to tail off after the All-Star break though and that doesn’t bode well heading into this season as he’s expected to fill the void left by Wainwright. Westbrook and Lohse have to be healthy for most of the year to lessen the blow to the rotation. Lohse especially. Westbrook was re-signed after his mid-season transfer from Cleveland. He is a ground ball pitcher who will keep the defense active and in the game. Lohse hasn’t started 30 games since 2008 and that was his career year with the Cardinals. Getting at least 170 innings out of Lohse would be great for the Cardinals. McClellan will given a chance to start this year. He has good stuff to stay in the rotation. Whether he can pitch over 150 innings in a season remains to be seen.

Setup

Jason Motte

4-2 2.24 ERA

Closer

Ryan Franklin

27 SV 3.46 ERA

There is only one sure thing about the Cardinals bullpen and that’s Franklin. He is the closer unless he just falls flat this year. His ERA rose almost two runs from the year before which is a bit alarming. It could mean that his time could be up as a top notch closer, but LaRussa is a loyal manager who will stick with his guy until it’s absolutely necessary to make a change. Motte has better stuff than Franklin, but isn’t ready to close full time. He will be a good setup man this year, but there isn’t many viable options for the Cardinals should Franklin falter early in the season.

Cubs Lineup

1. RF Kosuke Fukudome

.263 AVG 13 HR 44 RBI

2. SS Starlin Castro

.300 AVG 3 HR 41 RBI

3. CF Marlon Byrd

.293 AVG 12 HR 66 RBI

4. 1B Carlos Pena*

.196 AVG 28 HR 84 RBI

5. 3B Aramis Ramirez

.241 AVG 25 HR 83 RBI

6. LF Alfonso Soriano

.258 AVG 24 HR 79 RBI

7. C Geovany Soto

.280 AVG 17 HR 53 RBI

8. 2B Blake DeWitt

.261 AVG 5 HR 52 RBI

The Cubs figure to have a lot of players try to be the leadoff hitter this year. Fukudome will be given the first chance. Only because of his ability to hit the ball. He’s not the most patient hitter, but he does have some pop. Castro figures to eventually be the leadoff hitter, but the Cubs don’t want to put that kind of pressure on him just yet. Byrd is coming off an All-Star year. He started to trail off after the break though, but the Cubs believe that isn’t a sign of things to come this season. Pena is a high risk, high reward signing. The batting average is a troubling sign, but he can still hit 30+ HRs during the season. If he does that and hits at least .250, he will be looking for a nice extension. Ramirez is almost at the end of the line in Chicago. He has struggled with injuries for many years now in Chicago, but he can still hit and is an important piece to their lineup. Soriano thus far has been a major disappointment. The Cubs would like to see their 100 million dollar investment do more. He is a far better hitter than he has shown since signing with the Cubs. Soto had a nice bounce back season. His defense is a bit suspect, but his bat is among the best at his position. DeWitt will be someone to watch in Chicago. If Castro does leadoff and does well at that spot, DeWitt is seen as a great hitter in the second spot. He couldn’t make it in the Dodgers lineup, but the Cubs believe in a new surrounding he can flourish.

Bench

OF Tyler Colvin

.254 AVG 20 HR 56 RBI

INF/OF Jeff Baker

.272 AVG 4 HR 21 RBI

C Koyie Hill

.214 AVG 1 HR 17 RBI

Colvin was having a career year until a broken bat stabbed him and sidelined him for the last month of the season. He is fully recovered and should provide a big bat for the Cubs bench. Baker has been a great utility player for the Cubs. He isn’t considered an everyday player, but the Cubs don’t want him to play more than 125 games for them in a season. Hill is a great defensive catcher, which with Soto’s struggles he will see plenty of time. His bat is more of an after thought.

Rotation

1. Ryan Dempster

15-12 3.85 ERA

2. Carlos Zambrano

11-6 3.33 ERA

3. Matt Garza*

15-10 3.91 ERA

4. Randy Wells

8-14 4.26 ERA

5. Andrew Cashner

2-6 4.80 ERA

The Cubs have a good reason to be optimistic this year. Dempster had another good year. Zambrano responded well after his suspension and demotion to the bullpen. And they acquired a great pitcher in Garza from Tampa Bay. Dempster isn’t the quintessential ace, but he is consistent. The Cubs know that every fifth day he can either continue a winning streak or end a losing streak. Zambrano seems to be right going into 2011. If he stays that way, the Cubs would be at ease and not expect anymore explosions from him. Garza is a good complement to Dempster and Zambrano. He’s a big game pitcher who knows what it is like to play with a team that has a history of losing. There is hope that with him in the rotation it will help turn the culture of losing around. Wells was a big disappointment last year. The Cubs would like to see him make a big leap forward to make up for his 2010 campaign. Cashner won the last starting spot over the veteran Carlos Silva. Silva left on bad terms, but the Cubs feel that Cashner is ready for the rotation. He will need time to get adjusted, but he has the stuff to be a middle of the rotation type starter.

Setup

Kerry Wood*

3-4 3.13 ERA

Closer

Carlos Marmol

38 SV 2.55 ERA

Chicago’s bullpen was in a state of disarray last year. They didn’t have any great setup options for Marmol, but he was still able to save almost 40 games. He has electric stuff and it’s a wonder the Cubs didn’t name him the closer sooner. Wood decided to return to Chicago and fill the setup role. He was fantastic as the setup man to Mariano Rivera in New York. If he can do the same in Chicago, they will be tough to beat in the eighth and ninth innings this season.

Astros Lineup

1. CF Michael Bourn

.265 AVG 2 HR 38 RBI

2. SS Clint Barmes*

.235 AVG 8 HR 50 RBI

3. RF Hunter Pence

.282 AVG 25 HR 91 RBI

4. LF Carlos Lee

.246 AVG 24 HR 89 RBI

5. 3B Chris Johnson

.308 AVG 11 HR 52 RBI

6. 2B Bill Hall*

.247 AVG 18 HR 46 RBI

7. 1B Brett Wallace

.301 AVG 18 HR 61 RBI (AAA stats)

8. C Humberto Quintero

.234 AVG 4 HR 20 RBI

They are starting to bring along some young players in the Astros lineup. Bourn is turning into one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. He plays stellar defense and knows what to do in every situation during the game. Barmes isn’t the ideal number two hitter, but he will have a chance to drive in plenty of runs with Bourn batting in front of him. Pence continues to perform with hardly any protection. He was widely considered a five tool player and he is living up to that potential. Lee had a bad year. Houston hopes there isn’t a repeat of that, but he will eventually have to switch positions. Johnson and Wallace are part of the youth movement that Houston is bringing along this year. Johnson played well for a half season. In a full season, he should do even better. Wallace will be brought along slowly, but he has a plus bat and can field with the best of them. Hall has decent power, but he won’t be the savior for Houston. Quintero will be starting due to a season ending knee injury to Jason Castro. Quintero is a good defender, but isn’t a great option at the plate.

Bench

INF/OF Jeff Keppinger

.288 AVG 6 HR 59 RBI

OF Jason Michaels

.253 AVG 8 HR 26 RBI

C J.R. Towles

.191 AVG 1 HR 8 RBI

Keppinger had a career year playing all over the place. He will see plenty of playing time either in left field, short, second and sometimes center to give Bourn a night off. Michaels is a good pinch hitter, but at this stage in his career he doesn’t offer a lot if someone goes down due to injury. Towles is the default backup catcher. He has been a disappointment as the future starting catcher. This could be his last chance to stay on the roster.

Rotation

1. Wandy Rodriguez

11-12 3.60 ERA

2. Brett Myers

14-8 3.14 ERA

3. J.A. Happ

6-4 3.40 ERA

4. Bud Norris

9-10 4.92 ERA

5. Nelson Figueroa

7-4 3.29 ERA

Without Oswalt the Astros don’t have an ace, but two pretty good starters. Rodriguez and Myers had good years despite the troubles with the lineup and the bullpen. Rodriguez can easily get 15 wins this year with a little more run support. Myers had a career year and could easily repeat those numbers. Happ was the main piece acquired for Oswalt last year from Philadelphia. Happ had to make some adjustments being in a starting rotation after spending most of the year in the bullpen. He should do fine with Houston in a full season. Norris and Figueroa are considered after thoughts, but Norris is a decent pitcher who has had potential throughout his career. Figueroa is the veteran of the staff and still can get the best of big league hitting. This is probably his last big league job, but he will make the most of it.

Setup

Wilton Lopez

5-2 2.96 ERA

Closer

Brandon Lyon

20 SV 3.12 ERA

The Astros bullpen took a hit when they traded their closer Matt Lindstrom to the Colorado Rockies. Not to say they didn’t have another closer already in Lyon, but it was a strange move at the time. Houston hopes that Lyon will be able to hold down that job. There isn’t many other venues for the Astros to go to. Lopez was a good in the setup role. It remains to be seen if he can repeat that performance in a fairly depleted bullpen. The Astros don’t have big expectations this year, but they do manage to find reliable players to fill holes during the season.

Pirates Lineup

1. LF Jose Tabata

.299 AVG 4 HR 35 RBI

2. 2B Neil Walker

.296 AVG 12 HR 66 RBI

3. CF Andrew McCutchen

.286 AVG 16 HR 56 RBI

4. 3B Pedro Alvarez

.256 AVG 16 HR 64 RBI

5. 1B Lyle Overbay*

.243 AVG 20 HR 67 RBI

6. RF Garrett Jones

.247 AVG 21 HR 86 RBI

7. C Chris Snyder

.207 AVG 15 HR 48 RBI

8. SS Ronny Cedeno

.256 AVG 8 HR 38 RBI

The Pirates brought along some of their top prospects last year. Pittsburgh hopes that this year they can continue to contribute towards a brighter future. Tabata was one of those prospects. He is a good hitter with a knack for stealing a base. Walker had a career year last season. He played a new position and was fantastic. Pittsburgh hopes he can continue that trend being surrounded by Tabata and McCutchen. The Pirates best player by far is McCutchen. He is a bona fide five tool player and Pittsburgh believes that he hasn’t reached his full potential yet. Alvarez is being thrust into the cleanup spot this year. He has tremendous power potential. They don’t want to put a lot of pressure on him, but they would like to see him start to get comfortable. Overbay and Jones are the two veterans in the lineup. Overbay is a sound defender and has decent pop. Jones has the best power on the team. Both should easily hit 20+ HRs with the short porch in right field at PNC Park. Snyder had a good year in the power category, but he is making a name for himself behind the plate. The Pirates are fortunate to have a steady hand in charge of their pitching staff. Cedeno had an okay year. He is another good defender for Pittsburgh, but they would like to see his average near .280. The Pirates have some balance to their lineup this year. First time in years they probably won’t trade away almost all of them for prospects.

Bench

OF Matt Diaz*

.250 AVG 7 HR 31 RBI

C Ryan Doumit

.251 AVG 13 HR 45 RBI

OF John Bowker

.219 AVG 5 HR 21 RBI

Diaz was an after thought during the offseason. He is one of the best hitters against lefthanded pitching and will see most of his playing time in right field. Doumit can still hit for power, but isn’t the best defender. He will still see time behind the plate, but will probably play first base more often. Bowker has decent pop, but has struggled to make consistent contact. He was considered a top prospect with the Giants, but the Pirates would like to see him fine tune his mechanics.

Rotation

1. Paul Maholm

9-15 5.10 ERA

2. Kevin Correia*

10-10 5.40 ERA

3. James McDonald

4-6 4.02 ERA

4. Ross Ohlendorf

1-11 4.07 ERA

5. Charlie Morton

2-12 7.57 ERA

It’s still considered a work in progress, but there is progress at the top. Maholm is their best pitcher. He’s not going to pile up a lot of strikeouts, but he does put the ball in play. That bodes well for a good defensive team. Correia was a good acquisition. He was a part of a winning team last year in San Diego and the Pirates should have that rub off on the rest of the team. As long as Correia plays to win, the Pirates will remain competitive. McDonald has the best stuff on the staff. The Dodgers were using more in the bullpen, but Pittsburgh likes how he responded last year being put in the rotation. Ohlendorf had a rough year. So did Morton, but both should be able to do better this year. Even slightly would be a major improvement for the Pirates. If the back end of the rotation can catch up with the first three starters, the Pirates won’t have many glaring weaknesses this year on the staff.

Setup

Evan Meek

5-4 2.14 ERA

Closer

Joel Hanrahan

6 SV 3.62 ERA

The Pirates bullpen should be good. Meek was their lone All-Star selection last year. He gets outs and it doesn’t matter how he does it. He can go a couple outings without getting a strikeout and sometimes he will strikeout the side. Either way he is a solid setup man for Hanrahan. They have the right closer in Hanrahan. He is a hard throwing righthander who will come after the hitter. He hates losing and even more when it’s on him. Hanrahan saving 30 games can be accomplished, but that all depends on the starters and whether the lineup can consistently produce runs.

American League Central

* – indicates new to team
AVG – Batting Average
ERA – Earned Run Average
HR – Home Runs
RBI – Runs Batted In
SV – Saves

1. Minnesota Twins
A healthy Morneau and Nathan should get them back into the postseason.
2. Chicago White Sox
A power heavy lineup with a balanced rotation has the South Side buzzing.
3. Detroit Tigers
Will they get a repeat performance from Miguel Cabrera?
4. Cleveland Indians
Manny Acta has some pieces, but Cleveland will look to the future.
5. Kansas City Royals
In another year they might be ready to compete in the Central.

Player to Watch: Justin Morneau Minnesota Twins
If I were to tell you that the Twins would have won the division without Justin Morneau, you wouldn’t have believed me. But if I were to tell you that the Twins wouldn’t even compete for a World Series title without Morneau, you would believe me. That’s the status of the Twins in a nutshell. They have to have a healthy Morneau to even be considered contenders. Sure they also need fellow AL MVP catcher Joe Mauer healthy as well, but Morneau is at a premium for them. They’ve managed to get by in the Central without Morneau, but once it’s playoff time they don’t have the added punch in their lineup. From 2006-09 he’s averaged 30 HR and over 100 RBI. Not all of their misfortunes in the postseason are attributed to Morneau’s absence, but with him they have a punchers chance. Rest assured that he has fully recovered from a concussion, but they will keep a close on him going forward.

Best Acquisition: 1B/DH Adam Dunn Chicago White Sox
When the White Sox signed Dunn most expected them to part ways with their previous first baseman Paul Konerko. Quite the contrary. Dunn decided to give playing DH full time a try and that allowed Chicago to bring back Konerko. Dunn’s presence will help the entire lineup immensely. Konerko has protection. Carlos Quentin and Alex Rios have less pressure to drive in runs. Even the bottom of their order could potentially drive in more than 70 runs playing half the season at US Cellular Field. That hitters paradise will remind folks of Dunn’s power production when he was in Cincinnati. Chicago’s general manger Ken Williams hit a home run (pun intended) getting Dunn. Expect him to be the most dangerous hitter in the American League.

New Kid on the Block: 3B Mike Moustakas Kansas City Royals
Kansas City has been touting Moustakas since drafting him 2nd overall in 2007. He was brought along slowly and in the right way. The Royals general manager Dayton Moore has built a strong farm system for Kansas City since his arrival in 2006. Moore is a great evaluator of talent from his days in the Atlanta Braves organization. Moustakas is a solid defender at third base and is primed to be one of the best hitters at his age. Along with two other prospects, Eric Hosmer at first base and Will Myers at catcher the Royals have a middle of the order to rival their hay day in the 1980s. Kansas City shouldn’t have to wait too much longer to reach the point of contention.

Twins Lineup

1. CF Denard Span

.264 AVG 3 HR 58 RBI

2. 2B Tsuyoshi Nishioka*

.260 AVG 14 HR 41 RBI (2009 stats)

3. C Joe Mauer

.327 AVG 9 HR 75 RBI

4. 1B Justin Morneau

.345 AVG 18 HR 56 RBI

5. RF Michael Cuddyer

.271 AVG 14 HR 81 RBI

6. DH Jason Kubel

.249 AVG 21 HR 92 RBI

7. LF Delmon Young

.298 AVG 21 HR 112 RBI

8. 3B Danny Valencia

.311 AVG 7 HR 40 RBI

9. SS Alexi Casilla

.276 AVG 1 HR 20 RBI

This is perhaps the most versatile lineup in baseball. Almost everyone can play multiple positions any given day. Span is the catalyst at the top. A good hitter and solid fielder he is one of the most underrated players in the game. He does suffer through prolonged slumps, but he is a solid .300 hitter. Nishioka is an unknown of sorts, but one thing is for sure is his hitting ability. The Twins will have him start at second base, but played shortstop in Japan. He should be able to find a comfort zone batting in front of Mauer. Speaking of, Mauer should be ready to go at the start of the season. He next to Morneau, is the most important player to keep healthy. He handles the pitching staff well and the power numbers should bounce back with some adjustments to a second year at Target Field. Morneau might have won his second AL MVP award had he suffered a season ending concussion. The Twins are hopeful there aren’t anymore flare ups and he can make it through the season unscathed. Cuddyer is the prime example of versatility. He will be penciled in right field, but can play left field, third base, first base and even second. His power numbers suffered like everyone else’s, but he is too good to let that happen in consecutive seasons. Kubel had a subpar year. He wasn’t the same hitter the year before and it didn’t seem to be because of the ballpark adjustment. Minnesota would like to see a more consistent year from Kubel. Young had his most productive year since being a highly touted prospect in Tampa Bay. He’s been the model citizen in Minnesota and he has gradually improved every year in the Twin Cities. Valencia had an impressive rookie year. If he should continue the upward trend the bottom of their order just might not have any weaknesses like in years past. Casilla is being given the shortstop job outright. He’s been the first guy off the bench as a defensive replacement or a pinch runner, but he has shown great potential to man the important position. His bat is not his biggest strength, but he doesn’t strikeout very often.

Bench

1B/DH Jim Thome

.283 AVG 25 HR 59 RBI

INF Matt Tolbert

.230 AVG 1 HR 18 RBI

OF Jason Repko

.228 AVG 3 HR 9 RBI

Thome is just 11 home runs away from joining the 600 home run club. That shouldn’t be a problem as he hit 25 last year. Had he not produced the way he did last year when Morneau was out, he probably would have hung up his cleats. Regardless the Twins are happy to have him back and try for number 600 and a title. Tolbert is a versatile infielder who is a solid defender. Doesn’t offer much in the hit department, but gives manager Ron Gardenhire flexibility to keep the regulars fresh. Repko has been a scrappy hitter throughout his career. Struggles to get into a groove, but he gives the Twins a good pinch runner when necessary.

Rotation

1. Carl Pavano

17-11 3.75 ERA

2. Francisco Liriano

14-10 3.62 ERA

3. Nick Blackburn

10-12 5.42 ERA

4. Brian Duensing

10-3 2.62 ERA

5. Scott Baker

12-9 4.49 ERA

Had Minnesota not re-signed Pavano, it would’ve been a lot harder to consider them a contender in the Central. They still would have five quality starters, but Pavano has resurrected his career in Minnesota. He is the definitive ace and to expect him to win less than 15 games would be shocking. Liriano has returned near to his 2006 form. This might be the year in which that potential is seen throughout an entire season. It’s scary to think his ceiling hasn’t been touched. Blackburn had a major problem keeping the ball away from opposing hitters bats last year, but his stuff is still solid and he will be given another chance to stay in the rotation. Duensing was a solid contributor in the bullpen at the beginning of last year and found himself in the rotation by the end of the year. His production stayed on par and was part of the starting staff in the postseason. Unfortunately he wasn’t nearly on par against the Yankees in his only start. Baker beat out Kevin Slowey for the fifth spot. Baker is a grinder and works the strike zone to death. His control will have to be pinpoint as he isn’t at the top of the rotation. Slowey will be pitching in the bullpen to start the season, but can start in a pinch if anyone is hurt or struggles.

Setup

Matt Capps

5-3 2.47 ERA

Closer

Joe Nathan

47 SV 2.10 ERA (2009 stats)

The one thing missing from the Twins last year was the dominant Joe Nathan. Fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, Nathan will look to get back on track being one of the best closers in the game. Filling in nicely after being acquired from Washington was Matt Capps. He saved a career high 42 games with Minnesota (16) and Washington (26). Capps should do well setting up Nathan. Capps isn’t a strikeout pitcher, but knows how to get hitters to chase. Minnesota does have a lot of open pieces to fill out the rest of the bullpen, but the one sure thing is that Nathan is healthy and they have a quality setup man and closer when necessary in Capps.

White Sox Lineup

1. LF Juan Pierre

.275 AVG 1 HR 47 RBI

2. SS Alexei Ramirez

.282 AVG 18 HR 70 RBI

3. 1B Paul Konerko

.312 AVG 39 HR 111 RBI

4. DH Adam Dunn*

.260 AVG 38 HR 103 RBI

5. RF Carlos Quentin

.243 AVG 26 HR 87 RBI

6. CF Alex Rios

.284 AVG 21 HR 88 RBI

7. 2B Gordon Beckham

.252 AVG 9 HR 49 RBI

8. C A.J. Pierzynski

.270 AVG 9 HR 56 RBI

9. 3B Brent Morel

.322 AVG 10 HR 64 RBI (AA and AAA stats)

Chicago’s lineup from top to bottom is the best in the division. Pierre and Ramirez at the top are a great 1-2 punch for the big bats in the middle. Pierre is a threat to get on base anyway possible. When he does get on base, his base stealing skills are second to none. Ramirez makes contact almost every time he steps into the box. He should be a mainstay in the White Sox lineup for many years. Konerko and Dunn make a formidable duo. On paper it appears to be a better match than the 2005 championship duo of Konerko and Jermaine Dye. What remains to be seen is if Dunn can adjust to American League pitching and being a full time DH. Konerko is still a threat at this stage of his career and Chicago hopes he can continue for the next three seasons. Quentin and Rios’ responsibilities are simple now. Drive in runs. There will be plenty because of Pierre and Ramirez at the top. Konerko and Dunn will be walked a lot. Quentin and Rios are both capable of driving the runners in. Beckham had a rough outing last year. Chicago would like to see him make a big turnaround with him lowered in the lineup. Pierzynski was re-signed because of his familiarity with the pitching staff and that he can still produce. Most catchers regress at this point, but he has kept himself in good shape. Manager Ozzie Guillen has been a fan of his since his hiring in 2004. Morel was in competition with Mark Teahen for the starting third base job during spring training. Morel is a superb defender, but will need time to find a groove at the plate. White Sox fans hope he can be what Joe Crede was for so many years at the hot corner.

Bench

INF/OF Mark Teahen
.258 AVG 4 HR 25 RBI
INF Omar Vizquel
.276 AVG 2 HR 30 RBI
OF Lastings Milledge*
.277 AVG 4 HR 34 RBI

Teahen will see plenty of playing time. Was strictly a third baseman when he first played in the majors, but since his arrival in Chicago he’s been played almost everywhere for them. His bat isn’t what many had thought it would turn out, but maybe not being a full time starter will help him. A defined role is what he needs and his role is a utility player. Vizquel can still field with the best of them. So much so that Chicago had him playing third base at times last year. He can still hit, but he won’t come near his career averages. Milledge is an interesting addition. He’s had so much potential since coming up through the Mets organization. He hasn’t lived up to it, but the White Sox are known for giving once top prospects another chance to fulfill that potential. It could happen again with Milledge.

Rotation

1. Mark Buehrle
13-13 4.28 ERA
2. Edwin Jackson
10-12 4.47 ERA
3. John Danks
15-11 3.72 ERA
4. Gavin Floyd
10-13 4.08 ERA
5. Jake Peavy
7-6 4.63 ERA

Through the past decade there has been one certain fact about the White Sox. Mark Buehrle is their ace. There have been many good starting pitchers that have been considered better and more qualified than Buehrle. The White Sox fans and organization wouldn’t have it any other way. His numbers aren’t as flashy as others, but he gets the job done. Jackson was a deadline acquisition last year. He is penciled in as the number two starter simply because of the stuff he has in his arsenal. He pitched better in Chicago than in Arizona which in a full season should bode well for the Sox. Danks and Floyd have had good seasons every other year since arriving in Chicago. Danks is starting to emerge and become a solid starter. Floyd still struggles with his control, but possesses electric stuff from the right side. Peavy will probably start the season on the DL. Chicago took a risk acquiring him in 2009, but it was a calculated one by general manager Ken Williams. This is a make or break year for Peavy. His ERA was inflated, which playing in a hitters park half time helps with that. The White Sox have a good staff, but a lot is riding on the health of Peavy.

Setup

Chris Sale
2-1 1.93 ERA

Closer

Matt Thornton
8 SV 2.67 ERA

There was a lot of bad blood between former closer Bobby Jenks and manager Ozzie Guillen. Jenks’ struggles were starting to get to his biggest supporter who happened to also be the manager, Ozzie Guillen. With Jenks departure that does leave a hole in Chicago’s ninth inning. They do have two hard throwing lefthanders in Sale and Thornton to help fill the void. Sale is a potential starter, but will brought along slowly in the bullpen. The will give Thornton the closer’s job to start the season, but expect Sale to get plenty of opportunities to close as well. Chicago signed Jesse Crain away from division rival Minnesota. Crain is an innings eater and is a great complement to the setup role in Chicago’s bullpen. The White Sox hope their bullpen will be part of the solution and not the problem.

Tigers Lineup

1. Austin Jackson

.293 AVG 4 HR 41 RBI

2. 2B Will Rhymes

.304 AVG 1 HR 19 RBI

3. RF Magglio Ordonez

.303 AVG 12 HR 59 RBI

4. 1B Miguel Cabrera

.328 AVG 38 HR 126 RBI

5. DH Victor Martinez*

.302 AVG 20 HR 79 RBI
6. LF Brennan Boesch
.256 AVG 14 HR 67 RBI
7. SS Jhonny Peralta
.249 AVG 15 HR 81 RBI
8. 3B Brandon Inge
.247 AVG 13 HR 70 RBI
9. C Alex Avila
.228 AVG 7 HR 31 RBI

There are a couple of sure things about Detroit’s lineup. One is that Jackson is a legitimate leadoff hitter. He does strikeout more than the typical leadoff hitter, but his speed more than makes up for it. Two is that the Tigers will need to find someone who can consistently hit second. Rhymes will get the chance this year after Scott Sizemore failed last year. He hits to contact and that’s all that Detroit wants from that spot. The last sure thing is they will need another repeat performance from Cabrera. Ordonez going down with an ankle injury last year didn’t seem to slow down Cabrera’s production. Should Ordonez have another good season, Cabrera shouldn’t have any trouble getting MVP votes again. Detroit will need to watch what he does off the field as that has become troublesome once again. Signing Martinez was priority number one in the offseason. He will get playing time at his natural position at catcher, but the Tigers want his bat in the lineup more than his defense. Boesch was off to a fast start when he was called up last year and then suddenly took a dive after the All-Star break. The Tigers would like to see him regain that power stroke he showed from May-July. Peralta and Inge are good run producers who should shore up the bottom of their lineup. Both play good defense although Peralta is getting closer to having to play third base more often. Avila appears to have a hold on the catching spot with his superb defense. It remains to be seen if he can hit on a consistent basis, but he does well handling a talent pitching staff.

Bench

INF/OF Ryan Raburn
.280 AVG 15 HR 62 RBI
2B Scott Sizemore
.224 AVG 3 HR 14 RBI
OF Don Kelly
.244 AVG 9 HR 27 RBI

Detroit has one of the best utility players in the game in Raburn. He will see a lot of playing time in the outfield if Boesch struggles and/or Ordonez gets hurt. Besides playing great defense he can hit too. His numbers are on an upward trend and manager Jim Leyland likes playing guys who are ready to go in any given situation. Sizemore will be given another chance should Rhymes struggle at second, but there might be anymore should he falter again. Kelly is another good utility player who can play any outfield position and his decent pop from the left side.

Rotation

1. Justin Verlander
18-9 3.37 ERA
2. Max Scherzer
12-11 3.50 ERA
3. Rick Porcello
10-12 4.92 ERA
4. Brad Penny*
3-4 3.23 ERA
5. Phil Coke
7-5 3.76 ERA

The Tigers have two of the best young righthanders at the top of their rotation. Verlander is exactly what Detroit was hoping for and more when they drafted him 2nd overall in 2004. He’s already thrown one no-hitter in his career. The one thing missing is a Cy Young award which he could be in contention for this year. Scherzer was quite the find in 2009. The former 1st round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks has been a strikeout machine. Should he eclipse the 200 innings pitched mark this year he will easily surpass 200 strikeouts. Porcello had a rough sophomore year in the majors. He’s still prone to giving up a lot of runs in one inning, but is far too talented to let that happen. One encouraging sign was his drop in home runs allowed from 23-18. Penny was signed to help solidify the back end of the rotation. He was well on his way to a bounce back year in St. Louis last year until a shoulder injury ended his season. Fully recovered he looks to recapture what he started last year. Coke is being given a chance to start in the big leagues. A bit of a risk for Detroit, but with no lefthanders ready in the minors they figure to give the crafty lefthander a chance. He will need to keep the hits to a minimum as his WHIP rose from 1.06-1.43.

Setup

Joaquin Benoit*
1-2 1.34 ERA

Closer

Jose Valverde
26 SV 3.00 ERA

After signing Victor Martinez, Detroit set their sights on the bullpen. Signing Benoit to setup closer Jose Valverde was the steal of the offseason. He had a career year as the setup man in Tampa Bay. Bringing him in will hopefully lock down the Tigers lead going into the ninth inning. That was a major problem last year and led to the downfall for Detroit down the stretch. Valverde is one of the best closers in the game. It’s been two years since he last saved 40 games, but that’s when the teams he was on were contending day in and day out. Detroit was in contention last year, but it was more difficult to save a game when you had to come in with two outs in the eighth inning. If Joel Zumaya can make another comeback from shoulder problems he will make the Tigers bullpen a three headed machine for the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

Indians Lineup

1. CF Michael Brantley

.246 AVG 3 HR 22 RBI

2. SS Asdrubal Cabrera

.276 AVG 3 HR 29 RBI

3. RF Shin-Soo Choo

.300 AVG 22 HR 90 RBI

4. C Carlos Santana

.260 AVG 6 HR 22 RBI

5. DH Travis Hafner

.278 AVG 13 HR 50 RBI

6. LF Austin Kearns*

.263 AVG 10 HR 49 RBI

7. 1B Matt LaPorta

.221 AVG 12 HR 41 RBI

8. 2B Orlando Cabrera*

.263 AVG 4 HR 42 RBI

9. 3B Jason Donald

.253 AVG 4 HR 24 RBI

Cleveland’s lineup looks a little different from last year. The reason is that CF Grady Sizemore isn’t apart of it, for the moment. He’s still recovering from micro-fracture surgery on his knee, but is expected to play by late April. For the moment Brantley will be given a chance to become the Indians leadoff hitter from here on out. Should he fit the mold his steal numbers are sure to grow (10 last year). Asdrubal Cabrera is sure to benefit from having Orlando (no relation) play along side him this year. Orlando is a class act and a plus defender. Asdrubal is becoming one of the best defensive shortstops today and should only get better going forward. Both Cabreras’ are good hitters, but Asdrubal has the potential for an even better year than 2009 (.308-6 HR-68 RBI). Soo Choo has become one of the best unknown gems in the game. He performed well with little to no protection in the lineup last year. If Hafner has a healthy season and Santana has a bounce back sophomore year, Choo should be an All-Star in Phoenix. Santana is better than his rookie season showed. He is a plus defender, but what makes him an elite prospect is hit bat. How Cleveland was able to get him from the Dodgers for Casey Blake is beyond me, but he will need to stay healthy to justify Cleveland trading away fan favorite Victor Martinez. Kearns was signed back from New York where he was traded to last year. Kearns is good power option from the right and will complement what Hafner brings from the left side. Both have injury plagued careers, but should be kept fresh with the youth Cleveland has for its depth. LaPorta and Donald are part of that youth movement that the Indians will be slowly bringing along this year. LaPorta was the main piece acquired from Milwaukee for C.C. Sabathia. Donald was acquired from Philadelphia for Cliff Lee. Indians fans want to see what these guys are made of.

Bench

OF Trevor Crowe

.251 AVG 2 HR 36 RBI

INF Jayson Nix

.234 AVG 13 HR 29 RBI

C Lou Marson

.195 AVG 3 HR 22 RBI

Crowe will see plenty of playing time with the injury concerns of Kearns and Sizemore hovering over the outfield this year. He is a great pinch runner and is better than his .251 from last year. Nix has decent pop and can play all over the infield. More of a third baseman by trade, Cleveland would rather have him on their bench than in the starting lineup on a daily basis. Marson has been relegated to being the backup since the arrival of Santana. Marson was acquired with Jason Donald in the Cliff Lee deal from Philadelphia, but hasn’t made his mark in the organization. He’s a good defender, but his bat has never been consistent at the major league level.

Rotation

1. Fausto Carmona

13-14 3.77 ERA

2. Justin Masterson

6-13 4.70 ERA

3. Carlos Carrasco

2-2 5.51 ERA

4. Mitch Talbot

10-13 4.41 ERA

5. Jeanmar Gomez

4-5 4.68 ERA

Cleveland was pleased to see a great season from Carmona. Compared to his 2009 season, he was the winner of the Cy Young award. He is starting to take control of his potential and thanks to some adjustments to his mechanics, he blossomed into what Cleveland always knew he could be. Masterson has struggled to find a groove in the rotation after starting out in Boston’s bullpen. He should have a bounce back year with a year under his belt as a full time starter. Carrasco was another top prospect acquired from Philadelphia for, guess who, Cliff Lee. A full season from him would be great as he is a top of the rotation starter. Talbot was better than his ERA shows. He was in competitive in most of his outings and many considered it to be a great considering his only professional year was back in 2008 appearing in only 3 games that year for Tampa Bay. Gomez has slowly gone through the Indians system and will be given an opportunity to claim a spot in the rotation. He has good stuff and won’t be overworked as the Indians see him as a potential number two or three starter going forward. Josh Tomlin is another talented righthander who will compete for the fifth spot in the rotation with Gomez.

Setup

Rafael Perez

6-1 3.25 ERA

Closer

Chris Perez

23 SV 1.71 ERA

The Indians manager Manny Acta knows what he has with his bullpen. A strong back end lead by the Perez’s, Rafael the lefty and Chris the righty. Both don’t wow you with blazing stuff, but they do get the job done. Chris was effective as the closer after an abysmal year in 2009. He didn’t have a defined role that year and was given the first chance of being the closer under Manny Acta and it has paid off. If Cleveland gets a lead into the ninth, it will be hard to beat them with Chris closing the game. Rafael, like Chris had a bounce back year. A season to forget in 2009, Rafael regained his command of his fastball and was a dominant setup man once again. The Indians know that in order to remain competitive, they have to have a strong bullpen and they are off to a good start.

Royals Lineup

1. SS Alcides Escobar*

.235 AVG 4 HR 41 RBI

2. CF Melky Cabrera*

.255 AVG 4 HR 42 RBI

3. 3B Mike Aviles

.304 AVG 8 HR 32 RBI

4. 1B Billy Butler

.318 AVG 15 HR 78 RBI

5. DH Kila Ka’aihue

.217 AVG 8 HR 25 RBI

6. RF Jeff Francoeur*

.249 AVG 13 HR 65 RBI

7. LF Alex Gordon

.215 AVG 8 HR 20 RBI

8. C Jason Kendall

.256 AVG 0 HR 37 RBI

9. 2B Chris Getz

.237 AVG 0 HR 18 RBI

The Royals have a new look and they hope it will be the foundation for the future that is just around the corner. Escobar was the main piece acquired from Milwaukee for former Cy Young winner Zach Greinke. He is a great defender at shortstop. The one flaw that will turn around soon is his bat. He has the potential to be a Rafael Furcal type who can hit, steal bases, score runs and be a gold glove caliber defender. Cabrera was primed to be a mainstay in the New York Yankees lineup, but was injured, replaced and now is being seen as keeping a spot warm for an eventual replacement. Lorenzo Cain will eventually be the everyday center fielder, but for now the Royals are contempt with having Cabrera who they hope can have a good year. Aviles found a home at third base last year and with that he had a good season. With Mike Moustakas waiting in the wings, Aviles will probably be switched over to second base, but his approach shouldn’t change. Butler has become one of the best hitters in the game and no one seems to know. That will change once he is selected to an All-Star game. When the other prospects in the Royals organization are ready Butler will be at the forefront of the lineup. Ka’aihue has decent power, but isn’t consistent enough to to warrant being in the everyday lineup. Francoeur has gone from can’t miss prospect in Atlanta to a struggling to hit above .250 for a full season. Injuries have set his career back, but he is starting to turn around his approach at the plate and is becoming more patient than when he first was called up. Gordon struggled with the hype being the next big thing at third base. Injuries didn’t help either, but a fresh start in left field should help him along. He is still one of the best hitter Kansas City has. Kendall is a capable veteran who does a great job handling a pitching staff. The Royals have a top prospect in Will Myers who might be ready towards the end of this season, but Kendall should be adequate for the upcoming season. Getz failed in the top of the order. Kansas City would like to see him produce and get on base. His speed is still a threat. The Royals have to play small ball until the big bats arrive.

Bench

INF Wilson Betemit

.297 AVG 13 HR 43 RBI

OF Gregor Blanco

.283 AVG 1 HR 14 RBI

C Brayan Pena

.253 AVG 1 HR 19 RBI

Betemit will see playing time at the corner infield spots. He has decent pop from both sides of the plate. Should Getz struggle mightily, Kansas City will have to move Aviles over to second and Betemit will become the mainstay at third until the arrival of Moustakas. Blanco will see time as a pinch runner and a replacement in center for Cabrera. He plays to contact at the plate and when he does play he will be hitting at the top of the lineup. Pena is a good defender and will probably see a bulk of playing time with Kendall being to get up there in age. His bat won’t wow you, but does make good contact.

Rotation

1. Luke Hochevar

6-6 4.81 ERA

2. Jeff Francis*

4-6 5.00 ERA

3. Kyle Davies

8-12 5.34 ERA

4. Vin Mazzaro*

6-8 4.27 ERA

5. Bruce Chen

12-7 4.17 ERA

There is no clear cut ace, but the Royals hope former 1st round pick Hochevar can get to that point. It did take a while for Greinke to reach that point and the Royals hope the same can be said for Hochevar. He has good stuff and is in a good position for a breakout year. Francis would like to have a healthy season. As would the Royals. They don’t expect him to be the Francis of 2007 (17-9 4.22 ERA). All they would like is a nice complement to what they hop Hochevar can be at the top of the rotation. Davies has had plenty of chances and this might be his last. His career ERA of 5.49 in six seasons is not a good sign of a top of the rotation pitcher. The Royals don’t have any minor league options ready this year so that leaves Davies in the rotation for the time being. Mazzaro was acquired from Oakland for David DeJesus. He’s not a strikeout pitcher, but rather puts the ball in play and keeps the defense active the entire time he’s out there. Chen isn’t a bad fifth starter. He has played for 10 teams in his career, but last year was probably his best. He did everything for Kansas City, even saving one game. He would be higher in the rotation, but Kansas City doesn’t want to fix what isn’t broke with Chen.

Setup

Robinson Tejeda

3-5 3.54 ERA

Closer

Joakim Soria

43 SV 1.78 ERA

This has been the strength for Kansas City. Not the entire bullpen. Just Soria. The Royals do have capable arms to get to Soria, but a lot of them are either unproven or too inconsistent. Tejeda is a converted starter who struggled with his command, but has found a groove in the pen. Soria has become probably the best closer next to Mariano Rivera in the majors. It’s unfortunate that he doesn’t get enough publicity, but it’s probably for the best. Soria was quite the find as a Rule 5 draft pick from San Diego. He quickly was thrust into the closer role and hasn’t looked back. The Royals have been wise to hang onto him. The lineup is about to get better and the starting pitching will gradually become better.