MLB Awards

NL MVP – 1B Albert Pujols St. Louis Cardinals
His reign of terror continues on National League pitchers.

AL MVP – C Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins
You can add another batting title to his second straight MVP award.

NL Cy Young – Roy Halladay Philadelphia Phillies
With the lineup they have he will easily get 20 wins by late August.

AL Cy Young – Cliff Lee Seattle Mariners
He’s back in the AL in a pitchers paradise. Arguably the best lefthander in the AL.

NL Rookie of the Year – OF Jason Heyward Atlanta Braves
If he’s not on the Opening Day roster, he will be around in May hitting over .300.

AL Rookie of the Year – P Brian Matusz Baltimore Orioles
They will bring him along slowly, but his stuff is good enough to get him 10-15 wins.

NL Manger of the Year – Bobby Cox Atlanta Braves
The Braves return to the postseason will be a nice touch to a great career on the bench.

AL Manger of the Year – Joe Maddon Tampa Bay Rays
His baseball IQ is unmatched as he gets the Rays back into contention.

Postseason Projections

AL Division Winners – Angels, Twins, Yankees

AL Wild Card – Rays

NL Division Winners – Rockies, Cardinals, Phillies

NL Wild Card – Braves

ALCS – Angels vs. Yankees

NLCS – Phillies vs. Rockies

World Series – Yankees vs. Phillies

It isn’t like me to predict a rematch in the World Series, but I just don’t see it happening any other way. The Angels, Rays and Twins don’t have the pitching that will help them stop the offense of the Yankees. All the American League teams can hit, but the Yankees have the established pitching that they will need to get to another World Series.
Over in the National League it’s the same concept. Pitching will get you where you need to be this year. The Phillies have tremendous depth in the rotation and the bullpen has a question mark in Brad Lidge, but they will out hit most of their opponents to not even have to worry about the ninth inning.
I would like to pick Angels vs. Rockies, but to do that would do me a disservice. The Angels are my team, I will admit that, but they don’t appear to be ready to dethrone the Yankees. There is just too much of Jeter, Teixeira and A-Rod. Now with Curtis Granderson bringing youth to the lineup and Javier Vazquez now the fourth starter, the Yankees are without a doubt the favorites to win the AL pennant.
The Rockies are a great young team that will be contending as long as Tulowitzki, Hawpe and Stewart continue to produce. They have good depth in the pitching department, but not one person steps out and wows you. It will hurt them when they face off against the Phillies which still consist of Rollins, Utley, Howard, Werth and Victorino. You put Roy Halladay in the rotation with Cole Hamels and company and you have yourself a pretty good recipe for multiple World Series appearances.
All in all I don’t think the Yankees will repeat. It will be to the Phillies who with arguably the best pitcher in the game in Halladay, they now won’t have any trouble winning at least three games should it be a 7 game series. The Phillies showed they could match the Yankees hitting in the last year’s Series, but the pitching ultimately is what let them down. Can that all change because of one guy? Yes, if that one guy is Roy Halladay. Phillies in six games.

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

1. New York Yankees
Their 27th World Series title has put them back on the map.
2. Tampa Bay Rays
A great lineup, but pitching will be the key for them.
3. Boston Red Sox
Great pitching, but where will the hitting come from?
4. Baltimore Orioles
One more year of growing pains and they will be in contention.
5. Toronto Blue Jays
Let the rebuilding begin.

Player to Watch: P John Lackey Boston Red Sox
He has the contract now (5 yrs. 85 million). Now he has to continue to perform to the level he has been since his first year in ’02 when he helped the Angels win their first World Series title. He doesn’t have to be the number one starter since Boston already has Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, but he mustn’t fall apart like Daisuke Matsuzaka. Lackey is a gamer. If he had his way he would be pitching in every game. He is now being thrown into the biggest barn burner there is in baseball. Yankees vs. Red Sox. His success is known well in the northeast. Lackey’s combined record against both teams as an Angel are as follows; 8-14 W-L record, ERA over 4.50 and the Yankees and Red Sox hit over .300 against him. Now it could be the ballparks of Fenway and Yankee Stadium. Or it could be the lineups that they put out since ’02. Either way Lackey hasn’t had success in this region. Boston overlooked that in signing him to a big contract. If they sign Beckett to an extension this season, Boston will have committed over 250 million dollars to Lackey, Beckett and Matsuzaka. And you thought the Yankees spent a lot of money. Lackey is a big game pitcher and he is one of two rookies to win a Game 7 of a World Series. Boston went after the best pitcher on the free agent market and Lackey now has to live up to the incredible hype that comes with playing in Beantown.
Manager on the Hot Seat: Cito Gaston Toronto Blue Jays
They are now in a full on rebuilding mode north of the border. Toronto announced it with the firing of GM J.P. Ricciardi who tried to implement the Billy Beane style of running a team (J.P. was the assistant GM to Beane in Oakland). It didn’t work, plus J.P. failed to trade Roy Halladay in a timely manner before last years trade deadline. New GM Alex Anthopolous was hired and immediately did what J.P. could not, trade Halladay and received a decent list of talent that will play either this year or next. Gaston is stuck in a strange position that no manager wants to ever be in. He is the lame duck right now. Unless by some miracle the Blue Jays win the World Series or even make the postseason this year, he will not be managing this team next year. Gaston was a great manager for his time. Key word “his.” Baseball has changed quite a bit since his days managing the Blue Jays in the early 90s. Veterans on the club when Gaston took over didn’t take too kindly to Gaston’s style. They claimed there was a communication gap between manager and player. That accusation went untouched by Ricciardi, but Anthopolous probably won’t. This is his operation now and he will be looking to make a change. Unfortunately someone will have to go before the Blue Jays can get back to respectability. Gaston will be the first.
Trade Bait: LF Carl Crawford Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay is in an interesting predicament. Crawford is in the final year of his contract. He will most likely get at least an 80 million dollar contract from another team in need of a guy who can hit, hit for power, field and steal bases. A legitimate five tool player in the majors. If Tampa makes a run at the World Series again will they decide to re-sign him? If Tampa is out of the race before the trade deadline will they deal him? Either way they are stuck. That is how the Rays have gone about doing things for a while. Small budget and build through the draft. They don’t want to commit a lot of money to a few players, but Crawford is such a big part of their recent success. Every other major league team would gladly make room for Crawford. The Rays I think will make room for him, but they will be smart about it. Not go over what is a fair price for both sides. It will ultimately be up to Crawford whether he wants to stay or go, but Tampa Bay will be stuck if they win or lose this year.

Yankees Lineup

SS Derek Jeter
.334 AVG 18 HR 66 RBI
DH Nick Johnson*
.291 AVG 8 HR 62 RBI
1B Mark Teixeira
.292 AVG 39 HR 122 RBI
3B Alex Rodriguez
.286 AVG 30 HR 100 RBI
C Jorge Posada
.285 AVG 22 HR 81 RBI
2B Robinson Cano
.320 AVG 25 HR 85 RBI
CF Curtis Granderson*
.249 AVG 30 HR 71 RBI
RF Nick Swisher
.249 AVG 29 HR 82 RBI
LF Brett Gardner
.270 AVG 3 HR 23 RBI

The Bronx Bombers came back with a vengeance last season and it resulted in the franchises’ 27th title. Looking to repeat in 2010 the Yankees will be featuring more youth in their lineup. Gone are Matsui and Damon. They’ve replaced them with Johnson and Granderson. Some are worried about the inexperience factor, but GM Brian Cashman believes it will be a non-factor. Mainly because of the captain Derek Jeter. He is in a contract year which begs the question, will Jeter have a career year? If you think he hasn’t yet, you’ve been missing out. Jeter returned to form last year with his batting average and was a fantastic table setter for the big bats behind him. Not the best basestealer anymore, but will still get 20-25 at this point. Johnson was once a top prospect in the Yankees system, but was dealt to Montreal before the ’04 season for Javier Vasquez. Johnson has struggled to stay healthy for an entire season, but is a capable hitter (career .273) and getting on base (career .402). He will relegated to DH most of the time so that should help keep him healthy and productive in the lineup. Teixeira was a breathe of fresh air when A-Rod was injured for the first month and a half last year. He received some MVP consideration, but almost every Yankee did. What he did to help the defense though was overlooked. The Yankees haven’t had sure hands at first since the Tino Martinez days of the late 90s. Rodriguez had about as bad a start as you could have to a season. It was revealed he had tested positive for steroids during his days with the Texas Rangers. He was placed on the DL after having hip surgery keeping him out until mid May. As with every season in New York expectations were high, but A-Rod actually lived up to them. The Yankees were struggling a bit to score runs, but when he returned they took off. His postseason was exactly what everyone had wanted out of him (.365 AVG 6 HR 18 RBI). The Yankees will need a repeat from A-Rod during the regular season and postseason. Posada has been a constant offensive option for the Yankees, but now he is higher in the batting order. How will he respond and will he continue to be a liability on defense? Manager Joe Girardi will be scrambling if Posada goes down for any extended period due to injury. Cano is primed for a big year. At least that is what the Yankees have been saying ever since his debut. He has performed well, but he does run into hit less streaks and can be erratic on defense. Cano must be ready to take that big step to stardom. Granderson is the toast of tinsel town, until he goes 2 for 16 against the Red Sox. Playing in Yankee Stadium Granderson is guaranteed to hit 30+ HRs. The problem will be how much ground can he cover playing center? He started to miss a step playing at Comerica Park. The Yankees have enough depth to put Granderson at the bottom part of the order. He won’t have as much pressure to succeed there. Swisher has the best arm and that is why he is the right fielder by default. He could also play first base too, but he is here because he can hit. He didn’t show at all during the postseason, but Yankees fans can forgive as long as you show up to play and give it your all. Something that Swisher is good at and he provides a laid back attitude for the sometimes uptight clubhouse. Gardner is a scrappy hitter with excellent speed. Being the everyday player though is something new for him and the Yankees could look for a replacement when the trade deadline comes around.

Bench

OF Randy Winn*
.262 AVG 2 HR 51 RBI
OF Marcus Thames*
.252 AVG 13 HR 36 RBI
INF Ramiro Pena
.287 AVG 1 HR 10 RBI

Winn provides speed off the bench for Girardi. He can also play all three outfield positions and play for Gardner in left. It was unlike the Yankees to go with an inexpensive option as their fourth outfielder, but they are the defending champs and will be given the benefit of the doubt. Thames has tremendous power potential for Yankee Stadium, but he can never stay consistent. He can be a righthanded DH to Johnson and can fill in at the corner outfield spots. He’s had experience in Detroit playing first base also, but is around to hit not defend. Pena has the potential to be a good hitter for the Yankees. He won’t get much playing time behind Jeter and Cano. Pena is not quite the defensive stalwart to Jeter, but can hold his own. The Yankees are not likely to let Jeter leave and that means Pena will be a backup unless he is dealt elsewhere.

Rotation

C.C. Sabathia
19-8 3.37 ERA
A.J. Burnett
13-9 4.04 ERA
Andy Pettitte
14-8 4.16 ERA
Javier Vazquez*
15-10 2.87 ERA
Phil Hughes
8-3 3.03 ERA

Setup

Joba Chamberlain
9-6 4.75 ERA

Closer

Mariano Rivera
44 SV 1.76 ERA

Almost 300 million dollars was spent on Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte last year. It paid off for the Yankees as they rod all three through the postseason as Girardi gambled with a three man rotation. They spent wisely and went after young pitchers in their prime in Sabathia and Burnett and not on pitchers going past their prime as in years past. Sabathia was the workhorse they expected pitching 230 innings. New York will be wanting that again from their ace who welcomed the pressure of getting the Yankees another championship and his first. Burnett is the clown of the clubhouse. He was the one shoving cream in players faces when they won the game with a walk-off hit. He was also healthy for an entire year which has been hard to come by for Burnett. His ERA was high, but that comes with playing in the American League. The Yankees are breathing easy knowing Burnett is showing signs of the potential he’s always had. Pettitte is coming back for probably his last season. He was the MVP for their postseason run winning four games. If Pettitte faltered, the Yankees would not have won the World Series and might not have even clinched the AL Pennant. New York will watch his innings carefully as not to wear him down for another postseason run. Vazquez will get another chance to redeem his last stint in pinstripes. His only year in New York was in ’04 when he posted a 14-10 record with an ERA of 4.91. Too high for a strikeout pitcher, but that was the trouble. He couldn’t get strikeouts. Only 150 went down to the strikeout against Vazquez, his lowest total since ’99 (113). This time the Yankees are not counting on Vazquez to be the ace like in ’04, but a complement to their big three. He succeeded in that role in Atlanta with 238 strikeouts. The biggest competition in Spring Training is for the fifth spot in the rotation. Hughes is battling Joba Chamberlain who was the fourth starter last year. Hughes has the inside track, but both have showed success setting up Mariano Rivera. Chamberlain was up and down far too much last year which is why Girardi went with a three man rotation, but Hughes could solidify that spot plus with Vazquez the Yankees have the best rotation in the division.
Rivera just doesn’t seem to slow down. Will he retire after this year or will he give it another go in the Big Apple? The Yankees like with Jeter will make sure if he does want to play, that he finishes his career in pinstripes. He saved 40+ saves for the seventh time in his career and is second only to Trevor Hoffman for the career saves lead. Since being the full time closer, his ERA has risen above 3.00 only once (’07 3.15). It’s remarkable to think he has been able to have this success with only one pitch. The movement on that cut fastball is truly one of a kind. Girardi has caught him as a Yankee and now manages him for the Yankees. That is how amazing Rivera’s longevity is. It doesn’t really matter who will setup Rivera as long as they can keep the lead for the ninth inning celebration.

Rays Lineup

SS Jason Bartlett
.320 AVG 14 HR 66 RBI
LF Carl Crawford
.305 AVG 15 HR 68 RBI
3B Evan Longoria
.281 AVG 33 HR 113 RBI
1B Carlos Pena
.227 AVG 39 HR 100 RBI
RF Ben Zobrist
.297 AVG 27 HR 91 RBI
CF B.J. Upton
.241 AVG 11 HR 55 RBI
DH Pat Burrell
.221 AVG 14 HR 64 RBI
C Dioner Navarro
.218 AVG 8 HR 32 RBI
2B Sergio Rodriguez
.299 AVG 29 HR 93 RBI (AAA stats)

Essentially this is the same lineup from the last two seasons. Tampa Bay shocked the baseball world winning the division title in ’08 beating out Boston and New York. Then went on to appear in their first World Series that year. Last year they were the favorites in a lot of circles to win the AL East or the Wild Card in ’09, but those expectations were never fulfilled. Manager Joe Maddon who hasn’t been given enough credit still for the work he’s done since taking the job in ’06 has a lot of talent to work with in this lineup. Bartlett has been the most consistent hitter since his arrival in ’08 from Minnesota. He has done exactly what they expected of him on the defensive side at shortstop. His offensive production has been a pleasant surprise. Last year was a career year for him and the Rays are looking for a repeat from Bartlett. Crawford is one of two five tool players they have. The other being Upton. Crawford has tremendous hitting and basestealing ability. Questions about his contract will be constant if Tampa Bay is out of contention early, but Crawford is a true professional and won’t let it become a distraction while playing in Tampa Bay. Longoria broke onto the scene in May of ’08 and was a big reason why they made it to the World Series. Last year he continued that success, but now is the time that he will be discussed for the MVP award. His average will have to go up for that to happen, but he is a one of a kind hitter and the Rays are fortunate to have him. Pena was an amazing find. He was with the Red Sox during the ’06 season. Tampa Bay signed him for the ’07 season and he produced with career highs in AVG (.282) HR (46) and RBI (121). You think Boston might want to take that back? Pena has continued to produce great power numbers, but his average has dipped since ’07 (.247 in ’08 & .227 in ’09). It’s a troublesome sign, but the Rays can’t bench their cleanup hitter for an extended period. He must be more selective to keep a Rays rally from ending. Zobrist was the toast of baseball in ’09. He never really had a set position, but wherever he played his bat was a constant force. He will be starting out in right field mostly, but can play second when Gabe Kapler gets a start in right. Zobrist will look to prove the ’09 season was no fluke and continue to raise his stock in Tampa Bay. Upton is still a tremendous talent. He is running out of time though in showing it. His younger brother in Arizona is already jumped out in front of his and B.J. needs to do the same this year. Putting him at the top of the order seems to put too much pressure on him to hit for power, but being lower in the order will hopefully get him to play to his strengths which is hitting to the gaps. He doesn’t always have to hit the home run. He just needs to get on base. Like Crawford, Upton can steal 50+ bases and he must get on to help Burrell and Navarro improve on their subpar ’09 seasons. Burrell was hurt and couldn’t adjust to the American League for much of last season. If it continues he will be platooned with Matt Joyce in the DH role. Joyce is a power lefthander who doesn’t possess great patience yet, but he does have youth which Burrell does not. Navarro let his struggles at the plate affect his play behind the plate as well. It hurt the pitching staff which is why the Rays signed Kelly Shoppach to prevent that from happening again. Navarro’s job is in jeopardy which the Rays hope will motivate him to get him on the right track like he was in ’08. Rodriguez was the main piece acquired from the Angels for Scott Kazmir last August. He’s another super utility player like Zobrist who has potential to be a great hitter, but hasn’t done much with his opportunities at the major league level. Maddon has a lot to work with, but they must keep it together or changes will be made.

Bench

INF Willy Aybar
.253 AVG 12 HR 41 RBI
C Kelly Shoppach*
.214 AVG 12 HR 40 RBI
OF Gabe Kapler
.239 AVG 8 HR 32 RBI

Aybar was a clutch hitter in his debut with the Rays in ’08. 2009 was not the same, but he can still hit. Not considered an everyday player, he is better served in spurts. Pinch hitting situations or to give someone a day off. Only can play the corner infield spots now, but could play second in an emergency. Shoppach could be the full time starter if Navarro struggles again. The better defender, Shoppach does have some pop, but can’t be counted on to produce day in and day out. Kapler is back as the fourth outfielder. Great instincts on defense getting good reads on fly balls. Not the best power option, but can make contact and is a viable pinch runner for Joe Maddon’s bench.

Rotation

James Shields
11-12 4.14 ERA
Matt Garza
8-12 3.95 ERA
Jeff Niemann
13-6 3.94 ERA
David Price
10-7 4.42 ERA
Wade Davis
2-2 3.72 ERA

Setup

Dan Wheeler
4-5 3.28 ERA

Closer

Rafael Soriano*
27 SV 2.97 ERA

This was the strength of the franchise during their run in ’08. It became apparent though last year that the bullpen couldn’t go with another year of a closer committee. That problem was hopefully solve with the acquisition of Soriano, but the question remains, can the Rays keep the Red Sox and Yankees bats quiet this year? Shields and Garza the unquestioned top two starters since ’08 have to be able to keep the ball in the park for 2010. The combined to give up 54 HRs in ’09, up 11 from the previous year. Shields more so because of the pitches he throws. He is a groundball pitcher mostly. He can pile up strikeouts (167), but he has to keep the ball down and trust his defense to get him out of jams more than his stuff. Garza is the flamethrower who isn’t afraid of any team’s lineup. That can get him into trouble, but Maddon lets him do his thing until it gets out of hand. Garza has built a great resume being the ’08 ALCS MVP getting the Rays into the World Series, but he hast to go back to winning 11 games and not losing 12. Niemann had a great rookie year. He is now bumped up to the third slot this year with Kazmir no longer around. Not a power pitcher, but he gets his defense involved and keeps the ball in the yard which helps his psyche. With Niemann having success the Rays are hoping highly touted lefty David Price can do the same. Price burst onto the scene late in ’08 and immediately showed baseball why he was the number one pick in ’07. Last year he was brought along slowly, but wasn’t spectacular. The Rays hope the third year is the charm. They can’t have any hiccups. Davis is a big righthander who will be looking to have the kind of success Niemann did his rookie year. Davis is a strikeout pitcher will good stuff. As long as he keeps to his strengths and keeps hitters off balance he will be fine.
Soriano is the closer by default. The Rays do have options should he falter, but they hope that’s not the case. Last year was his first season saving 30+ games. That and Soriano is a power pitcher (102 K) who doesn’t try to be a finesse pitcher to get the final three outs. Wheeler is a perfect setup up guy. Works quickly and doesn’t mess around on the mound. He will be the primary setup man against righthanded lineups while lefthander J.P. Howell will handle the job against lefthanded lineups. Howell became the primary closer last year, but is better served setting up an established one. Joe Maddon would love the bullpen to return to form from ’08, but he doesn’t want the rotation to take two steps back from last year at the same time.

Red Sox Lineup

LF Jacoby Ellsbury
.301 AVG 8 HR 60 RBI
2B Dustin Pedroia
.296 AVG 15 HR 72 RBI
1B Kevin Youkillis
.305 AVG 27 HR 94 RBI
C Victor Martinez
.303 AVG 23 HR 108 RBI
DH David Ortiz
.238 AVG 28 HR 99 RBI
RF J.D. Drew
.279 AVG 24 HR 68 RBI
3B Adrian Beltre*
.265 AVG 8 HR 44 RBI
CF Mike Cameron*
.250 AVG 24 HR 70 RBI
SS Marco Scutaro*
.282 AVG 12 HR 60 RBI

Boston set out to improve the lineup for this season. It’s amazing to think that the Red Sox would need to improve on a lineup that has Pedroia, Martinez, Ortiz and Drew, but they do. When you look at it now, you have to ask, did they really help themselves? Their cleanup hitter left to play for the Mets (Jason Bay). To replace him they signed 3 players who are either coming off a career year (Scutaro), mostly know for defense (Cameron) or have had only one productive year (Beltre). It will start at the top with Ellsbury though. Leading all of baseball with 70 steals last year he will be the table setter for the Red Sox. Boston was wise to not deal him for one or two year rentals when their fan base was pressuring them to do so. Ellsbury will be a fixture at the top of the order for a long time. Pedroia being the ’08 AL MVP had a down compared to his MVP one, but he is a perfect example of what a contact hitter is. A scrappy hitter who rarely strikes out and can be counted on to lay down a bunt as well as hit one off the monster in left. Youkilis is an on base machine. Not the greatest stance in the world, but it gets the job done for Boston. Manager Terry Francona would love to have a few more Youkilis’ on his team. He is a great defender at either first or third. He would’ve played third had Beltre not been signed. Martinez is a perfect fit for Boston and it came at the right time. He is a great hitter and is coming along with his defense, but he will be expected to produce like he did in the 56 games for Boston last year (.336 AVG 8 HR 41 RBI). Ortiz had a down year by his standards for the Red Sox. Then came the revelation that he had tested positive for PEDs in the same test A-Rod had taken and failed in ’03. Like A-Rod, Ortiz has gotten out of that relatively unscathed and finished the year strong. Another slow start this season will have the media and the fans even more upset than last year because there isn’t a viable replacement for what Ortiz is capable of doing. Drew has had some decent years in Boston, but he’s getting older and his legs are starting give way. Eventually he will have to be the DH full time or play left with the monster behind him. Beltre is here more for his defense than the chance he could reproduce what he did for the Dodgers in a contract year back in ’04 where he was second in the NL MVP voting next to Barry Bonds of the Giants. If he comes anywhere close to the .334 AVG 48 HR 121 RBI season of ’04, the Red Sox will be in perfect shape. Cameron just like Beltre was signed more for his defense. He does have a power bat, but he strikes out way too much. It is a strange fit to have him in Boston with so many patient hitters around him, but maybe it will rub off. Scutaro had a great year playing in obscurity in Toronto. A backup most of his career he showed he could play as an everyday player and produce. The Red Sox haven’t had a shortstop that could both hit and play defense since the Nomar Garciaparra days. Scutaro isn’t that good, but he is better than Alex Gonzalez who signed with Toronto. Francona has a few new options to play with, but they will miss Jason Bay.

Bench

INF/OF Bill Hall*
.201 AVG 8 HR 36 RBI
INF Mike Lowell
.290 AVG 17 HR 75 RBI
C Jason Varitek
.209 AVG 14 HR 51 RBI

Hall was acquired for first baseman Casey Kotchman from Seattle. He was an everyday player in Milwaukee before being dealt to Seattle last year. No longer considered an everyday player because of his strikeout to walk ratio (120 K to 27 BB). His average dipped considerably too, but Boston likes his versatility. He can play anywhere and isn’t a bad option to pinch hit in certain situations. Lowell’s hip is still bothering him. He was going to be the starting first baseman if Beltre wasn’t signed, but this helps Boston keep him healthy and ready for the postseason should they clinch a spot. Varitek is still the captain, but no longer the everyday catcher. He does a great job handling a pitching staff, but doesn’t have the arm to throw out runners and his bat speed dropped of quite a bit. Francona is lucky to have Lowell and Varitek to turn to when things could get rough with the newcomers.

Rotation

Josh Beckett
17-6 3.86 ERA
Jon Lester
15-8 3.41 ERA
John Lackey*
11-8 3.83 ERA
Daisuke Matsuzaka
4-6 5.76 ERA
Clay Buchholz
7-4 4.21 ERA

Setup

Hideki Okajima
6-0 3.39 ERA

Closer

Jonathan Papelbon
38 SV 1.85 ERA

They didn’t have to upgrade the pitching staff, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sign another ace for the starting staff. Lackey is just what the Red Sox needed. A guy who isn’t afraid to take the ball against the Yankees or Rays. Also a guy who will stop a losing streak should it come up during one of his starts. He will have a lot of pressure to succeed right away in Boston, but he thrives under pressure. It’s his m-o. Beckett is still the number one, but if he doesn’t get an extension before the season is over, Lackey or Lester will be ready to take it for Boston. Beckett had a down year for his standards, but he is highly motivated and will be primed for a big year in order to get that big payday to end his career. Lester led the team in strikeouts (225) and was their best starter by a long shot. Very meticulous on the mound he takes his time and thus throws off the hitters timing. If Lester gets more run support he could win over 17 games for the Red Sox. Matsuzaka has been a disappointment so far considering the money they’ve paid to acquire him. Boston also is upset with him keeping secret his injury due to playing in the World Baseball Classic. He is a good pitcher, but has too many 4-6 walk outings for the Red Sox. They need Matsuzaka to have better command or he will be a 100 million dollar bust very soon. Buchholz is the same way. If he walks too many hitters, he gets into trouble fast. Boston does have veteran Tim Wakefield around in case either Buchholz or Matsuzaka struggle or an injury occurs. When Wakefield’s knuckleball is on it’s unhittable. That’s all he has at his disposal.
Papelbon will be looking to resurrect what happened to finish last year. Blowing a save in the postseason is something he isn’t accustomed to. He is still a premiere closer and will be the best in the American League once Mariano Rivera retires. Boston did make the right decision with him being a closer and not a starter. No one has the kind of concentration that he does when the game is close. Nearly unhittable in the ninth inning. To setup Papelbon will be Okajima and Manny Delcarmen. Okajima is the crafty lefty who works the strike zone throwing at the corners and trying to get batters to chase. Delcarmen will try to overpower you and occasionally brush the batter back to get in his head. Francona might have some nervous moments trying to get to Papelbon this season. This is the worst pitching staff on paper for Boston since Francona took over in ’04.

Orioles Lineup

2B Brian Roberts
.283 AVG 16 HR 79 RBI
CF Adam Jones
.277 AVG 19 HR 70 RBI
3B Miguel Tejada*
.313 AVG 14 HR 86 RBI
RF Nick Markakis
.293 AVG 18 HR 101 RBI
LF Nolan Reimold
.279 AVG 15 HR 45 RBI
DH Luke Scott
.258 AVG 25 HR 77 RBI
C Matt Wieters
.288 AVG 9 HR 43 RBI
1B Ty Wigginton
.273 AVG 11 HR 41 RBI
SS Cesar Izturis
.256 AVG 2 HR 30 RBI

It seems that the Orioles have finally figured it out. Build from within and make small moves in free agency and not go after the big name. They just have the unfortunate luck of being in the AL East. Roberts has been the lone bright spot for a long time in Baltimore. He’s beginning to show signs of decline, but he is the leader of this team and it shows when they are winning games. His teammates seem to play better when he is playing great baseball. Jones was an All-Star last year, but began to fade after the break. Easily can have a 30-30 season for the Orioles, Jones is also a fantastic defender. He will have more All-Star appearances before he decides to hang up his glove. Tejada was brought back on a one year deal and he is going to be playing the hot corner. He has been avoiding it for a long time, but in order to find a job he had to face fact that he can no longer play shortstop like he once did. He is still capable of hitting which is why the Orioles signed him in the first place. Markakis is a fantastic player. One of the best young hitters in the game today. It’s a shame not many know about him, but he is one of a kind. Excellent range and arm for right field. His knack for hitting the baseball is rare. Not a big power threat, but his 45 doubles tell you what kind of a hitter he is and will always be. Reimold having a good showing last year has reassured the organization that they have the best young outfield trio in the game today. Reimold is a capable fielder in left and has 30+ HR potential in a full season with the Orioles. His average will come around, but for now he is here to stay. Scott is the full time DH who has always been an underrated player. Baltimore was happy to receive him in the Tejada trade with Houston in ’08. Scott has hit 48 HRs in his two seasons in Baltimore. Wieters could be the next Joe Mauer, but for now he just needs to be Matt Wieters. The Orioles have long been looking for a reliable catcher and they have it in Wieters. His production was encouraging in only 96 games last year. Imagine what it will be in 120-145 this year. He will be the eventual cleanup hitter, but for now he needs to come into his own as a hitter. Wigginton is a good fit for this team. A veteran who can fill in at third, first and left field. Not the ideal power threat you want from a first baseman, but he is the best defender for the position. Izturis is still playing baseball mainly because he still has gold glove defense at shortstop. Strictly a contact hitter, Izturis doesn’t offer much since the Orioles are stuck with their next prospect a year or two away from making an impact in the majors. Manager Dave Trembley is doing a great job with this young group. How much longer will he be given to get them over the hump is still to be determined.

Bench

INF Garrett Atkins*
.226 AVG 9 HR 48 RBI
OF Felix Pie
.266 AVG 9 HR 29 RBI
INF Julio Lugo*
.280 AVG 3 HR 21 RBI

Atkins was a great addition. A backup to Tejada and a platoon option at first with Wigginton. Doesn’t offer much with his glove, but he has a great bat. Perhaps his best days are behind him in Colorado, but the Orioles would like to have one more year from him going forward. Pie is the fourth outfielder and a great pinch running option for Trembley. Decent pop for Pie, but he is better served to hit to the massive gaps at Camden Yards. Lugo was acquired just before the end of Spring Training to provide infield depth behind Izturis and Roberts. Should Izturis struggle more than usual at the plate, Lugo can step in and provide the bat. The Orioles shouldn’t miss a beat with Lugo’s glove at short should that happen.

Rotation

Kevin Millwood*
13-10 3.67 ERA
Jeremy Guthrie
10-17 5.04 ERA
Brad Bergesen
7-5 3.43 ERA
Brian Matusz
5-2 4.63 ERA
David Hernandez
4-10 5.42 ERA

Setup

Jim Johnson
10 SV 4.11 ERA

Closer

Michael Gonzalez*
10 SV 2.42 ERA

The Orioles struggled mightily in the starting pitching last year. They hope to have solved that this year with the acquisition of Millwood from Texas. He pitched very well at their hitter friendly ballpark and the Orioles hope to see the same from Millwood at their hitter friendly ballpark. Not expected to go the distance in every start or strikeout a ton of batters he will be counted on to help with the young starters the Orioles have on the staff this year. Guthrie should have less to deal with this year. He was the ace by default last year and it showed with his 17 losses and ERA over 5.00. Not to mention allowing 224 hits in 200 innings pitched. He is a good pitcher, but can’t be a top two starter on most teams. Bergesen was excellent in his 19 starts last season. The young righthander was a breathe of fresh air and marked the beginning of the call ups of the Orioles young arms throughout the ’09 season. Matusz was next in late August. This is his rookie season and with 8 starts under his belt last year he struckout 38 batters in 44 2/3 innings pitched. How many will he get in say 180 innings? The potential is certainly there for over 180 strikeouts. Hernandez will be given the opportunity to be the fifth starter over Chris Tillman. Both struggled to keep hitters from crushing their pitches, but Hernandez has the better stuff by a slight margin. Tillman will get his chance should there be an injury, but he’s still a young guy (22) and he will get many more chances before he knows it.
Baltimore hopes to have a closer that will not have over 10 blown saves as in years past. Gonzalez saved 10 games for the Braves last year, but wasn’t the full time closer. He does have experience throughout his career, but can he be counted on to get 30+ saves? He hasn’t accomplished that in his career so far, but the Orioles do have faith in him and they do have a backup plan in Johnson who also saved 10 games for the Orioles last year. Johnson also isn’t the prototypical closer either. He is better served setting up Gonzalez so that there will be no hiccups in the eighth and ninth innings. Trembley has the backing of management, but with expectations slowly rising in Baltimore, will they make a move to bring in someone to better handle those expectations?

Blue Jays Lineup

LF Jose Bautista
.235 AVG 13 HR 40 RBI
2B Aaron Hill
.286 AVG 36 HR 108 RBI
RF Adam Lind
.305 AVG 35 HR 114 RBI
CF Vernon Wells
.260 AVG 15 HR 66 RBI
DH Randy Ruiz
.313 AVG 10 HR 17 RBI
3B Edwin Encarnacion
.225 AVG 13 HR 39 RBI
C John Buck*
.247 AVG 8 HR 36 RBI
SS Alex Gonzalez*
.238 AVG 8 HR 41 RBI

Toronto is the new cellar dweller of the AL East. It was bound to happen. They weren’t going to be able to keep Roy Halladay after this year and they can’t bring any high priced free agents here after what they did bringing in A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan back in ’06. The new administration is starting from scratch and is looking to build the farm system up and start with fresh talent later this year and next. Bautista isn’t at all suited to be the leadoff hitter, but what choice do they have? He has decent power, but the average is not suitable for the spot in the order. Look for a prospect to man the spot sooner rather than later this year. Hill’s numbers will probably go down as a result of the lack of talent around him, but he will still be considered for another All-Star appearance. Not many second baseman can hit 36 HR and drive in over 100 runs in a season. A one of a kind find for the Blue Jays who if their smart will keep him around for a while. Lind should have been an All-Star as well. Being the DH most of the season hurt his chances, but that shouldn’t be the case this year as he will playing the field more. Wells has slowly declined since he got the 100 million dollar extension. It’s a puzzling situation where no one thought Wells would decline as soon as he got paid. He is still a gold glove center fielder, but even that part of his game was in decline. The Blue Jays need Wells to be a part of the rebuilding process and not have to worry about moving him and his contract during the process. Ruiz put up great numbers in just 33 games in Toronto. In 114 games at AAA Las Vegas his AVG was .320 with 25 HR and 106 RBI. The Blue Jays have found their future cleanup hitter. Encarnacion is the heir apparent for Scott Rolen last year when they dealt for him. It was amazing to see his numbers actually improve in Toronto rather the opposite playing at Great American Ballpark (.240 AVG 8 HR 23 RBI in Toronto). His defense is still suspect for the hot corner though. Buck is not a hitting catcher. The potential was there, but he is best being the defensive option for most teams. Gonzalez is mainly a defensive guy, but does have decent power in his bat. Toronto will miss not having Scutaro at the bottom of their order or even being their leadoff hitter had they kept him. Manager Cito Gaston will have a lot of different lineups while he’s manager this year.

Bench

OF Travis Snider
.241 AVG 9 HR 29 RBI
INF John McDonald
.258 AVG 4 HR 13 RBI
C Jose Molina*
.217 AVG 1 HR 11 RBI

Snider will give Lind a day off or when he is the DH. Snider is a decent hitter, but is streaky. He is agile enough to play center field as well, but will mostly play the corner outfield positions. McDonald is a great defensive player. Not much life to his bat, but he is a professional. He will probably see a lot of time at third base since Gonzalez and Hill are pretty solid defensively. Molina has great experience handling young pitching staffs. He works well with everyone and knows the situation at all times. His bat is below average, but he’s still around because of his glove and arm.

Rotation

Shaun Marcum
9-7 3.39 ERA (2008 stats)
Ricky Romero
13-9 4.30 ERA
Brandon Morrow*
2-4 4.39 ERA
Brian Tallet
7-9 5.32 ERA
Dana Eveland*
2-4 7.16 ERA

Setup

Kevin Gregg*
23 SV 4.72 ERA

Closer

Jason Frasor
11 SV 2.50 ERA

You can see what happens to a team that has traded its staff ace. They now are turning to a starter who missed all of last year due to Tommy John surgery. Marcum had a great ’08 season and won 12 games in ’07 as a starter and reliever. It seems to be too much pressure for a guy who was recovering last year and now is being expected to lead a staff without Halladay. He is capable, but it isn’t probable. Romero was definitely the second starter last year. His 141 strikeouts were encouraging, but giving up 192 hits in 178 innings was not. Romero will have to work on that and try to get his ERA under 3.50 to be the elite starter that Toronto expects. Morrow is a hard throwing righthander that was acquired from Seattle in the offseason. Mostly used as a reliever in Seattle he now gets his chance to be a starter in Toronto. He will have to improve on his control as the Blue Jays don’t have enough offensive punch to keep them in ball games this year. Tallet is not an overpowering lefthander, but knows how to work the strike zone. He started 25 of his 37 games last year and will be given the opportunity to be a starter this season. Eveland was acquired from Oakland just before Spring Training and is the favorite to win the fifth spot. In his one season as a full time starter Eveland posted a 9-9 record with an ERA of 4.34. Should anyone not fulfill their duty as a starter, the Blue Jays have other viable options; Casey Janssen, Brett Cecil, Dustin McGowan and Marc Rzepczynski.
Frasor will be the closer this season for Toronto. He’s had pretty good success saving 32 games in 44 chances with the Blue Jays. Between him and Gregg Toronto is more comfortable with someone they know can win a game for them. Gregg’s ERA was far too high for someone saving 23 games. Lefthander Scott Downs saved 9 games for the Blue Jays last year and is capable of handling the job. Downs and Gregg though will start the year as the setup to Frasor. Manager Cito Gaston hopes this part of the team is set and won’t have to worry about making any changes to it this year.

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

1. Minnesota Twins
Clear favorites with Mauer, Morneau and Cuddyer in lineup.
2. Chicago White Sox
Will they respond to Ozzie’s tirade(s) this year?
3. Detroit Tigers
A good lineup that has only one starter they can count on (Justin Verlander).
4. Cleveland Indians
Who’s next on the trade block for the rebuilding Tribe?
5. Kansas City Royals
A fire sale is imminent, but there is hope in P Zach Greinke and 1B Billy Butler.

Player to Watch: C Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins
Johnny Bench is considered to be the best all around catcher of all time. Others would argue that Carlton Fisk was the best. Mike Piazza gets some consideration too. Next in line now for this generation is Joe Mauer. Already a winner of two batting titles, which is rare for a catcher. 2009 AL MVP and a two time gold glove winner. The Twins were wise to give him an extension before the end of this season (8 yrs. 184 million). Now the best all around catcher of this generation will stay in a small market which only helps the parody in baseball. Everyone will be watching him and the Twins now that he has that new contract. Will the Twins regret paying him that much? Will Mauer ever live up to the contract? Those outsiders that are skeptical will get their answers this season. Mauer is coming off his best season so far and he is still in his prime (27 years old). It isn’t even a case of Mauer being the only guy they can count on. 1B Justin Morneau is a former MVP for the Twins and they have a deep lineup around him. Look for Mauer to be in MVP form this year and the next and the next.
Manager on the Hot Seat: Trey Hillman Kansas City Royals
It comes as no surprise to most that the Royals manager will be on the hot seat. Since their World Series victory in 1985 the Royals have had only five winning seasons. That just counts finishing the year with a record above .500 winning percentage. Once again everything started looking good when Hillman took over in ’08. The Royals finished the season on a good note and won 75 games. The following year they got off to a great start, but once the summer months began they plummeted to a 65-97 record. That will not be tolerated again in Kansas City. Now ownership seems to care more about their bottom line, than the team it puts out there. They have a good GM in Dayton Moore. Moore spent many seasons in Atlanta and has seen how a team is supposed to build a winner, from within. He has put emphasis on scouting since his arrival rather than free agency. Hillman was Moore’s hire though and if ownership wants to make a change, they might go after Moore as well. Anything but a last place finish will be a good season for the Hillman and Moore.
Trade Bait: CF Grady Sizemore Cleveland Indians
The injury bug came after Sizmemore last season. He still managed to have an okay year, but his batting average took a dive (.248). The Indians will be batting him second this year, normally he lead off since his arrival in the majors. The last two seasons Indians fans have seen Cleveland’s best players being sent off to help other teams reach the postseason. C.C. Sabathia in ’08 helped the Milwaukee Brewers clinch the NL Wild Card. Then saw him return to the American League helping the Yankees win their 27th title. Last year the Indians dealt former Cy Young winner Cliff Lee to the Phillies and watched him help Philadelphia get to its second consecutive World Series. Indians fans are very disturbed and rightfully so that GM Mark Shapiro is trading away these players to save money rather than baseball reasons. Time will tell how the prospects the Indians received will pan out, but there are rumblings already about Sizemore’s tenure in Cleveland. Will Shapiro deal him if the Indians are out of contention? The history says yes.

Twins Lineup

CF Denard Span
.311 AVG 8 HR 68 RBI
2B Orlando Hudson*
.283 AVG 9 HR 62 RBI
C Joe Mauer
.365 AVG 28 HR 96 RBI
1B Justin Morneau
.274 AVG 30 HR 100 RBI
RF Michael Cuddyer
.276 AVG 32 HR 94 RBI
DH Jason Kubel
.300 AVG 28 HR 103 RBI
LF Delmon Young
.284 AVG 12 HR 60 RBI
SS J.J. Hardy*
.229 AVG 11 HR 47 RBI
3B Brendan Harris
.261 AVG 6 HR 37 RBI

This lineup potentially could have six of its regulars hit at least 20 HR this year. Now their new ballpark (Target Field) is not the hitters paradise that the Metrodome was, but there is no reason to think they can hit on grass. They played road games on the grass and it resulted in 38 wins. Span is coming into his own as a great leadoff hitter. One of the most underrated players in the game today. He can hit, field, steal bases and is slowly becoming a team leader as well. He won’t hit for power, but has an excellent batters IQ that manager Ron Gardenhire covets. They let Orlando Cabrera go after his energy at veteran leadership helped get the Twins into the postseason last year, but they replaced him with a guy who is just as flamboyant in Orlando Hudson. And I mean that in a good way. It loosens everyone up. Cabrera did that at shortstop and Hudson will do that as the second baseman. Getting up there in age, but has a good eye and sound defensively. Excellent addition for this team, who always finds a way to fill holes. What else can be said about Mauer that hasn’t been already. The only thing I guess would be that he missed the first month last year and still was able to put up the numbers he did and win the MVP. That should do it. Morneau went down late last year and at the worst possible time. He was on fire at the plate when he had the stress fracture in his back. Completely recovered and ready to get the Twins competing for a World Series. What’s to stop them from believing it can happen? Cuddyer filled in beautifully for Morneau as the cleanup hitter. Cuddyer will move back one spot and is expected to continue his offensive surge at the new ballpark. Kubel is living up to the promise of being the power hitter the Twins envisioned when they drafted him. He can still play the field at one of the corner outfield spots, but they will try to keep him fresh and away from injury so his bat can stay in the lineup. Young had a quiet season and that’s good considering his temper troubles in the past. A great talent that hasn’t lived up to potential yet, but he is in the perfect environment to let loose of that potential. Hardy was acquired from the Brewers in a trade for CF Carlos Gomez. Hardy will not be put in a spot where he will have to produce like he was in Milwaukee, but the Twins do expect big things out of him. Great range at short, but he was brought in to provide a boost offensively. Harris is a better hitter than Punto, but both will split time at third base. Harris has the ability to play second as well, but will see most of his time at third.

Bench

INF Nick Punto
.228 AVG 1 HR 38 RBI
INF Alexi Casilla
.202 AVG 0 HR 17 RBI
1B/DH Jim Thome*
.249 AVG 23 HR 77 RBI

Punto will see the most playing time off the bench. A good defender, but has always been an up and down hitter. He’s only hit above .280 twice in his career (’06 & ’08). Gardenhire is still a fan of Punto for his versatility and his no nonsense style on the field. Casilla will provide more depth in case of injury and can be a great pinch runner (20 SB combined AAA & majors) for the Twins. However, isn’t considered a full time starter because of his bat which is why the Twins acquired Hardy instead of starting Casilla. Thome will be strictly used as a DH/pinch hitter. No longer can play first, but the future Hall of Famer has a lot of home runs to his resume (564). The Twins aren’t really taking a gamble bringing him in since they are so deep in the lineup, but when they give Kubel a day off, they won’t be missing that much punch in the order.

Rotation

Scott Baker
15-9 4.37 ERA
Nick Blackburn
11-11 4.03 ERA
Carl Pavano
14-12 5.10 ERA
Kevin Slowey
10-3 4.86 ERA
Francisco Liriano
5-13 5.80 ERA

Setup

Matt Guerrier
5-1 2.36 ERA

Closer

Jon Rauch
7-3 3.60 ERA

This is the only weak link to the success of 2010 Minnesota Twins. They are very thankful that they play in the weather conditions now because it would be a launching pad for opposing hitter back at the Metrodome with this staff. Baker is a strikeout pitcher, but gets hammered way too much to be considered a top tier starter. Being the most experienced starter next to Carl Pavano, Baker is the default number one guy for the Twins. Blackburn was fantastic down the stretch (2-2 3.60 ERA in Sept/Oct) for the Twins even though his record doesn’t show it. Him and Slowey are the future 1-2 guys in the rotation and are getting great experience these last two years. Pavano was a brilliant addition in August for the Twins. Kept his ERA under 5.00 in Minnesota and was winning games for them (5-4 in 12 starts). He accepted arbitration from them in the offseason and the Twins gladly obliged in keeping the veteran presence for their staff. Lets see if Pavano can resurrect his career in Minnesota an entire year. Slowey is quick worker and doesn’t walk many batters (15 in 59 innings). Being slowed up by injury down the stretch hurt the Twins, but if Slowey can produce for an entire season like he did in 16 starts, the staff will be just fine. Liriano was dubbed the new Johan Santana when he arrived in ’06 until the dreaded elbow ligament replacement surgery (Tommy John) sidelined him for the entire ’07 season. More arm trouble sidelined him in ’08 and he never seemed to recover his confidence in ’09. The Twins are still taking a precautionary approach with him in the hopes being the fifth starter will lessen the burden on Liriano and his arm.
It was a definite strength having Joe Nathan as your closer. With him lost for all of the 2010 season puts a damper on expectations. Thankfully they do have a deep pen in which to try and replace Nathan in house. Otherwise they could make a deal for someone. Heath Bell is a name that will come up often this year in San Diego. Regardless, the Twins will go with what they have. Rauch will get the first opportunity to close. He has the most experience (26 career saves). A tall hard throwing righthander that doesn’t mess around on the mound and goes after hitters. Pat Neshek is another option, but the side winding righthander missed all of last season and it wouldn’t be fair to put him in as the closer right away. Jesse Crain could close some games, but with only 2 career saves he was better suited as a setup guy. Guerrier is the only other candidate to close after Rauch. Guerrier throws strikes and gets guy to chase bad pitches, but is not a strikeout guy. Closers typically like to go with the strikeout, but manager Ron Gardenhire knows what he’s doing. A great manager that will have tremendous pressure to win for the first time in his tenure at Minnesota.

White Sox Lineup

LF Juan Pierre*
.308 AVG 0 HR 31 RBI
2B Gordon Beckham
.270 AVG 14 HR 63 RBI
RF Carlos Quentin
.236 AVG 21 HR 56 RBI
1B Paul Konerko
.277 AVG 28 HR 88 RBI
CF Alex Rios
.247 AVG 17 HR 71 RBI
C A.J. Perzynski
.300 AVG 13 HR 49 RBI
DH Andruw Jones*
.214 AVG 17 HR 43 RBI
3B Mark Teahen*
.271 AVG 12 HR 50 RBI
SS Alexei Ramirez
.277 AVG 15 HR 68 RBI

Chicago is going with a veteran heavy lineup that is more reliable on the playing the basics than trying to hit it out of the ballpark every game. Pierre was acquired from the Dodgers to provide excellent base stealing and small ball for manager Ozzie Guillen. Not the greatest at taking walks, but Pierre is better than most in the leadoff spot at making contact and keeping the defense on their toes. Beckham had a great year. A solid defender who can play either second, short or third, but will settle in at second. His bat was exactly what the White Sox had expected and more. Look for Beckham to bet competing for batting titles in his career. Quentin and Konerko provide the power that Chicago has always had since Guillen has been manager. After having a breakout year in ’08 (.288 AVG 36 HR 100 RBI), Quentin struggled with injuries and just couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm at the plate. Chicago will need him to get back to his breakout form of ’08 this year to keep up with the Twins. Konerko is the consequent professional who will be finishing his career in Chicago. Not the greatest contact hitter, but with him in the middle of the order, the White Sox don’t have to worry about who is going to be the guy getting the big hit for them in a tight game. Problem is Konerko is 34 now and they have to start thinking of a replacement to play first base for them soon. Rios was acquired on waivers and his contract came with him. It was a gamble, but Rios is too talented to go into another slump like last year. His struggles at the plate didn’t affect his fielding, but he regressed when he arrived in Chicago. They hope he can get acclimated in spring training and put the ’09 season behind him. No one likes Pierzynski outside of the White Sox clubhouse. Chicago is the perfect town for a character like A.J. Plays the game hard and is always keeping his head up when playing defense and even offense. One of the few clutch hitting catchers in the game today. Jones somewhat resurrected his career in Texas last year, but his average was still awful. He will be splitting time with fellow veteran Mark Kotsay in the DH spot. Jones can still play the field, but not in an everyday aspect anymore. Teahen was a top prospect for the Royals, but could not get in a groove in Kansas City. A change of scenery should be helpful for him, but Chicago isn’t going to be holding their breathe. A solid defender, Teahen could also play first and either corner outfield spot for the White Sox. Ramirez plays good defense at short, but his bat is by far the most troublesome part of his game. Great potential, but he tries to swing hard and pull every pitch he sees, but is better suited to swing for the gaps. The power will come, but he is trying to be Alfonso Soriano when he should just be Alexei Ramirez.

Bench

INF/OF Mark Kotsay
.278 AVG 4 HR 23 RBI
INF Omar Vizquel*
.266 AVG 1 HR 14 RBI
INF Jayson Nix
.224 AVG 12 HR 32 RBI

Kotsay will split with Jones at the DH spot and play first base to give Konerko a day off. Injuries have prevented him from playing his original position of center field, but his bat has enough life to catch up to a major league fastball. Vizquel is a favorite of Ozzie Guillen. Great hands and glove still plus he can provide some depth for Guillen playing second and even third for his team. Nix has some pop in his bat, but is too inconsistent to be an everyday player. A super utility player at this point Nix is a average fielder who can fill in anywhere for Guillen’s defense.

Rotation

Jake Peavy
9-6 3.45 ERA
Mark Buehrle
13-10 3.84 ERA
Gavin Floyd
11-11 4.06 ERA
John Danks
13-11 3.77 ERA
Freddy Garcia
3-4 4.34 ERA

Setup

Matt Thornton
6-3 2.74 ERA

Closer

Bobby Jenks
29 SV 3.71 ERA

One thing that you will always see with the White Sox is great pitching. This year will be no different. Peavy in just three starts for Chicago last year went 3-0 with 1.35 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. Imagine what that will translate to in a full season for them. There should be no trouble for Peavy pitching in a new league. Buehrle had a terrific bounce back year for the White Sox. A perfect game thrown and an ERA under 4.00 was a good sign for them heading into 2010. The workhorse of the staff will be counted on to pitch another 200+ innings for the 10th consecutive season. Floyd has tremendous stuff as does Danks. They are the future 1-2 punch for the rotation, but Ozzie wants to see more consistency out of them. Both can pile up a lot of strikeouts, but it’s in every other start. Floyd is hurler while Danks is more finesse. Having Peavy and Buehrle around will greatly help their development to eventually supplant them. Garcia is the darkhorse. If he can return to his former All-Star form or even half, it will greatly help the White Sox at the back end of the staff. Ozzie still believes that he has something left in the tank, but only Garcia can answer that for both of them. As long as he’s healthy, Garcia can still get batters out (37 K in 56 innings).
Ozzie has always loved his bullpen since being the manager in Chicago. Last year was the first time Ozzie truly hated his pen. Jenks struggled at certain stretches of the season. Injuries were prevalent from top to bottom. Ozzie had to constantly mix and match who would setup and be middle relief. This year should be more stable. Thornton was the only one Ozzie could count on every time. Striking out 87 batters in 70 appearances will put you on Ozzie’s good side. Thornton will be the primary setup to Jenks, but J.J. Putz who was hurt most of last year with the Mets will be added to the pen as a setup/closer in waiting should Jenks struggle. Jenks is a no nonsense closer who was getting hit almost every time on the mound. His splitter was flat most of the ’09 season and Ozzie was stuck because he had no one else to replace him outright. This year he does in Putz, but the move looks to only motivate Jenks to return to his old self and help the White Sox compete with the Twins and the AL Wild Card.

Tigers Lineup

CF Austin Jackson*
.300 AVG 4 HR 65 RBI (AAA stats)
LF Johnny Damon*
.282 AVG 24 HR 82 RBI
RF Magglio Ordonez
.310 AVG 9 HR 50 RBI
1B Miguel Cabrera
.324 AVG 34 HR 103 RBI
DH Carlos Guillen
.242 AVG 11 HR 41 RBI
3B Brandon Inge
.230 AVG 27 HR 84 RBI
2B Scott Sizemore
.308 AVG 8 HR 33 RBI (AAA stats)
C Gerald Laird
.225 AVG 4 HR 33 RBI
SS Adam Everett
.238 AVG 3 HR 44 RBI

It will be interesting to see how the top of the order takes shape this season in Detroit. Jackson was acquired from the Yankees for Curtis Granderson and Johnny Damon was signed just before spring training. Jackson is everything Granderson is except Granderson had more power and Jackson makes better contact. Jackson will be counted on to be the contact player in the leadoff spot and steal 30+ bases. Damon really wanted to stay in New York, but Detroit was still in contact with him when it was apparent the Yankees didn’t want Damon anymore. Damon rewarded them with his service and what Detroit hopes is a postseason berth. Damon is not the basestealer he used to be, but can still hit for average. Don’t expect the same kind of power numbers from him though. That was all Yankee Stadium there (17 were hit at Yankee Stadium). Comerica Park is a pitchers haven. Ordonez was in some kind of funk last year. There is no doubt he can still hit by looking at his average, but what happened to the home runs and RBIs? If Detroit wants to compete this year they will need a better year from Ordonez. He was an integral part of their success in ’06 getting to the World Series, but they can’t have another ’09 season in Detroit from Magglio. Cabrera has not disappointed on the field with his consistent production, but he was off the field with his alcohol problems. He says he’s clean and got the help he needed and it bodes well for the Tigers this year. If Cabrera is right, there is no telling how much higher his numbers will go for the foreseeable future in Detroit. Guillen no longer has a position, but his bat will keep him in the lineup. Ideally they would like to move Guillen down a spot or two in the lineup, but the Tigers will either need to make a trade or hope Guillen can produce as the protection for Cabrera. Inge got off to a great start, but fizzled when the All-Star break came. The Tigers would love to see Inge bat over .250 and still hit 25+ HR this year. He’s only done that once and that was in the ’06 season (.253 AVG 27 HR). Sizemore was ready to show what he could do judging by his stats in AAA Toledo last year. That is why the Tigers let Placido Polanco go in free agency to the Phillies. Had Damon not been signed Sizemore probably would be batting second for manager Jim Leyland this season. With that aside Sizemore doesn’t have as much pressure to produce had he been higher in the order. Laird and Everett are here more for their defense than their bats. Laird can hit, but is strong suit is handling the pitching staff. Everett makes decent contact, but has never hit higher than .273 in a full season. Great range for the Tigers at shortstop though and is never one to complain about his hitting struggles.

Bench

INF Ramon Santiago
.267 AVG 7 HR 35 RBI
INF/OF Ryan Raburn
.291 AVG 16 HR 45 RBI
C Alex Avila
.279 AVG 5 HR 14 RBI

Leyland has great depth for his infield and outfield. Santiago can be plugged in anywhere except first on the infield. Great range and hands, but his real importance is his bat. Santiago is great in bunting situations and playing small ball. Leyland loves it since his days managing in the National League. Raburn is the same way. The super utility guy that can play anywhere and can hit as well. Leyland loves Raburn’s ability and his attitude. Ready to play knowing that he won’t always be in the lineup. Avila is the catcher in waiting for the Tigers. His bat looks to be ready, but he will need to work on his fundamentals behind the plate as Leyland expects that from all his catchers.

Rotation

Justin Verlander
19-9 3.45 ERA
Rick Porcello
14-9 3.96 ERA
Max Scherzer*
9-11 4.12 ERA
Jeremy Bonderman
0-1 8.71 ERA
Dontrelle Willis
1-4 7.49 ERA

Setup

Joel Zumaya
3-3 4.94 ERA

Closer

Jose Valverde*
25 SV 2.33 ERA

This is probably the hardest throwing pitching staff in baseball. Aside from Willis, everyone else throws in the mid 90s. Verlander is going to be competing for Cy Young awards the rest of his career. Greinke was getting a lot of attention and rightfully so in Kansas City. Verlander was quietly striking out 269 batters and pitching 240 innings. Another year like that and he will get more consideration. Porcello had a good year even though he gave up more hits than innings pithced (176 to 170 2/3). However he should great presence on the mound which is key for young pitchers coming into the big leagues. Look for 10-15 wins out of Porcello in 2010. Scherzer was in the Granderson deal coming from Arizona. A powerful arm, Scherzer is capable of 200+ strikeouts, but is prone to big innings. The Tigers will work on his mechanics a bit, but there is great potential in having Verlander and Scherzer being the 1-2 combo for many years to come. Bonderman has battled through injuries almost all of his career, but he can still throw in the mid 90s and has a devastating slider when healthy. With the acquisition of Scherzer that will help Bonderman with less expectations to help now being the fourth starter. Willis has been a mystery since being acquired with Miguel Cabrera from the Florida Marlins. Nothing seemed to be going right and Willis was actually regressing when it came to pitching. Command will be the key with him. If he can’t keep the fifth spot the Tigers have Armando Galarraga (6-10) to take over, but the Tigers would like to have that all important lefthander in the rotation.
Zumaya since his call up in the ’06 season has struggled to stay healthy. Throwing as hard as he does puts a strain on his arm. Detroit has to be careful to bring him along slowly and not overwork him. With Valverde they have a proven closer, but Zumaya will eventually be in that spot, but he must be able to stay healthy to get it. Valverde wants to be in a pennant race and will get his chance with Detroit. They play in a winnable division and might compete for the AL Wild Card as well. Valverde could save 40+ games for the Tigers if they are in close games and are winning them too. Jim Leyland has his work cut out for him this year in what could be his final run in Motown.

Indians Lineup

SS Asdrubal Cabrera
.308 AVG 6 HR 68 RBI
CF Grady Sizemore
.248 AVG 18 HR 64 RBI
RF Shin-Soo Choo
.300 AVG 20 HR 86 RBI
DH Travis Hafner
.272 AVG 16 HR 49 RBI
1B Russell Branyan*
.251 AVG 31 HR 76 RBI
3B Jhonny Peralta
.254 AVG 11 HR 83 RBI
LF Matt LaPorta
.254 AVG 7 HR 21 RBI
2B Luis Valbuena
.250 AVG 10 HR 31 RBI
C Lou Marson
.246 AVG 0 HR 4 RBI

The Indians are not shying away from the fact that they’re in full rebuild mode now. New manager Manny Acta is looking to get a hold on this rebuilding team better than in Washington. He has some good pieces, but will GM Mark Shapiro continue to sell off those players to save money? Cabrera is not an ideal leadoff hitter, but he makes contact and can steal some bases. He’s a natural at shortstop with great range and a strong arm. Sizemore is being dropped one spot in the order to account for the lack of hitters the Indians have. Injured for most of the ’09 season he will be looking to get back to his All-Star form. He should be good for his normal production of 25+ HR and 100+ RBI in 2010. Choo had a great season. He made it look so easy in Cleveland last year being their best hitter. A gap hitter (38 doubles) who has the potential to get 30 HR and steal 30 bases also. If Hafner is healthy he can hit with the best of them. Shoulder problems have shortened his last two seasons, but he is healthy this year. Will he ever return to the form of ’04-’06 when he was considered the best DH in the game? Branyan was signed to provide protection in the lineup behind Choo and Hafner. If Hafner should get hurt Branyan would be the primary DH. He lead the Mariners in HR, but suffered a back injury to end the ’09 season. Cleveland knew of it when they signed him and hope it won’t be an issue entering the 2010 season. Peralta is a gifted hitter, but he can never get it all together. He hasn’t been able to come close to his breakout ’05 season in which he batted .292 hit 24 HR and drove in 78 runs. A perfect blend. Peralta is the full time third baseman now and that should help knowing his defense won’t affect his play at the plate. LaPorta was the main piece acquired from Milwaukee for C.C. Sabathia in ’08. If Branyan is going on the DL LaPorta will play at first, but can play left if needed. Cleveland would love to see him break in with his bat like Ryan Braun did for the Brewers when he got his chance. Valbuena has some pop, but is better known for his defense and that will help with the Indians with their 18th ranked fielding unit. Marson is a defensive wizard behind the plate, but some in the organization don’t see him being the everyday catcher. Prospect Carlos Santana will get his chance this year and his bat seems ready (.290 AVG 23 HR 97 RBI at AA Akron).

Bench

3B Andy Marte
.232 AVG 6 HR 25 RBI
OF Austin Kearns*
.195 AVG 3 HR 17 RBI
C Mike Redmond*
.237 AVG 0 HR 7 RBI

Manny Acta will have some good options and the important part is that they are veterans. Marte is the primary backup at third and first. His bat was always thought to be the next big thing, but he has never put it together to be a full time starter. Kearns is looking to get back into a rotation and this will be his best chance. He can get time at DH and the corner outfield spots. He must improve upon his career batting average though (.256). Redmond is the veteran presence who will help defensively and mentor the young catchers Marson and Santana.

Rotation

Jake Westbrook
1-2 3.12 ERA (2008 stats)
Fausto Carmona
5-12 6.32 ERA
Justin Masterson
4-10 4.52 ERA
Mitch Talbot*
0-0 11.17 ERA (2008 stats)
David Huff
11-8 5.61 ERA

Setup

Rafael Perez
4-3 7.31 ERA

Closer

Chris Perez
1-2 4.26 ERA

Who will be the one to step up for Cleveland when there isn’t any high expectations this year? Westbrook missed all of the ’09 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Strictly a sinker ball pitcher it will be a great thing if he returns to form as the ace of Cleveland’s staff. Carmona has fallen off the map in Cleveland’s rotation. After having a 19 win ’07 season he has 13 wins combined the last two seasons. The Indians aren’t expecting a lot, but they would like to see Carmona find the strike zone when he’s pitching. Masterson was acquired from Boston in the Victor Martinez trade at the deadline last year. Good mechanics, but he was brought up in the bullpen in Boston. Will his stuff translate to the starting staff? Talbot is a mystery as he’s bounced around and is getting a chance on a thin staff in need of help, any if necessary. Huff was the most consistent starter and now he is the fifth starter. Not a good sign if your an Indians fan going into 2010.
Kerry Wood will miss at least the first two months of the season which doesn’t bode well for a bullpen in need of stability at the back end. Rafael and Chris Perez (no relation) will be the ones to hopefully hold down the fort until Wood’s return. Rafael is the hard throwing lefty most teams covet. He broke onto the scene in ’07, but hitters started to get to him in ’08 and couldn’t get them out in ’09. Chris was acquired for Mark DeRosa before the deadline from the Cardinals. Chris is a hard throwing righty who doesn’t have the experience, but does have the stuff to handle it for a while. Manny Acta will struggle in his first year with Cleveland, but it will be up to the organization to keep things intact leading into his second and maybe his third year with them.

Royals Lineup

LF Scott Podsednik*
.304 AVG 7 HR 48 RBI
RF David DeJesus
.281 AVG 13 HR 71 RBI
2B Alberto Callaspo
.300 AVG 11 HR 73 RBI
1B Billy Butler
.301 AVG 21 HR 93 RBI
DH Jose Guillen
.242 AVG 9 HR 40 RBI
3B Alex Gordon
.232 AVG 6 HR 22 RBI
CF Rick Ankiel*
.231 AVG 11 HR 38 RBI
C Jason Kendall*
.241 AVG 2 HR 43 RBI
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
.245 AVG 6 HR 49 RBI

A lot of new faces for this team and it includes injured players as well. Podsednik brings instant speed to the top of the order. He got back on track with the White Sox last year and will bring a stable force to get some runs for the Royals who will need all they can get. DeJesus is their most consistent hitter. A better fit at the second slot he will be the table setter for their big bats. Callaspo will find his way into the lineup either at second or third. The lone bright spot along with Billy Butler for Kansas City last year, Callaspo will be counted on to provide constant hits and be a dependable weapon for manager Trey Hillman. Butler had arrived last year as a proven big league hitter. He has the potential to have a .320 AVG 30 HR 100 RBI season if the Royals are healthy and can get more runners on base in front of him. Guillen was absent for most of last year and has lost a few steps to play the outfield. His bat is still formidable, but he can’t be counted on to provide for this team that is starting to get younger rather than count on veterans at key positions. Gordon is still struggling to get into the groove in the majors. Injuries have set him back some, but this is a big year for him to prove his worth as a former number one pick. Ankiel after having a breakout year in ’08 for the Cardinals had a major setback last season. He is running out of options and this will be his last chance to really settle in as a big league hitter. Where else is gonna go if he can’t make it with the Royals? This will be Kendall’s fourth stop as the catching mentor for a young pitching staff. No power, but is a crafty hitter that will take off when he’s on his game. Betancourt is a fantastic defensive shortstop, but has shown no signs of coming around at the plate. If they have to, they can put Callaspo at short, but that isn’t he strong suit defensively.

Bench

INF/OF Willie Bloomquist
.265 AVG 4 HR 29 RBI
C Brayan Pena
.273 AVG 6 HR 18 RBI
2B Chris Getz*
.261 AVG 2 HR 31 RBI

Bloomquist isn’t the best hitter, but in spurts can get the job done. A great utility player that a lot of contenders covet. He can split time with Betancourt at short and play the hot corner should Gordon fail. Pena is the future catcher. His bat is ready, but Kendall was brought in to man the defensive game and mentor Pena into that role. Getz was acquired for Mark Teahen from the White Sox. Getz is a contact guy that plays a good second base. Callaspo will move around the infield at times and that’s when Getz will get playing time, but only against right handed pitchers.

Rotation

Zack Greinke
16-8 2.16 ERA
Gil Meche
6-10 5.09 ERA
Brian Bannister
7-12 4.73 ERA
Luke Hochevar
7-13 6.55 ERA
Kyle Davies
8-9 5.27 ERA

Setup

Robinson Tejeda
4-2 3.54 ERA

Closer

Joakim Soria
30 SV 2.21 ERA

It starts with Greinke and it ends with Soria. Perhaps the best ace/closer combo no one has heard of. They should now thanks to Greinke winning the AL Cy Young last year. If Greinke played on any other team he would have won 23 games at least. That’s how good he has become in such a short time which will make the 2010 season all the more interesting to see for the Royals pitching staff. Meche was a great acquisition for them even though they did overpay to get him. He’s always had nagging injuries that keep him out for a couple of starts, but if the Royals want to finish above fifth place they will need Meche to stay healthy. Bannister was a great find in ’07, but the last two have shown why he wasn’t as sought after as some thought. A 3.87 ERA that skyrocketed to 5.76 and 4.73 the last two seasons respectively. They need the steady Bannister to hold them together in the middle. Hochevar has started to come into his own in Kansas City, but the problem is he plays in Kansas City. The Royals haven’t given him enough run support in his starts, but he also hasn’t done his part in keeping them in games. A former first round pick in Hochevar that needs to get it together in a hurry. Davies was a favorite of GM Dayton Moore from his days in Atlanta. Davies has okay stuff, but would probably be better served in the bullpen. However a lack of depth has him being the fifth starter.
Tejeda was a starter when he was brought up in the Phillies system. It never panned out, but he showed excellent command being in the bullpen for the Royals. He throws strikes and has decent speed on his fastball. There isn’t a lot of depth to go in front of the closer, but the Royals have plenty of young arms ready to fill in during the season. Soria has saved 89 games for the Royals in his three seasons in Kansas City. It’s amazing that the Royals have held on to him for as long as they have. Doesn’t have an overpowering fastball, but his out pitch is a devastating splitter. The Royals strength is in Greinke, Soria and Butler. If those three continue to perform up to par, they will be in good shape for the next manager and management to take over in Kansas City.