When Sporting News compiled its offseason baseball power poll, it really was the offseason. Like before Christmas. After three more months of moves and six weeks of spring training, you’d think our offseason rankings would need overhauling. Well, we don’t. But we would tweak them a little.
The offseason power poll, with some late March analysis:
1. Yankees. Not a thing has happened to make us think they shouldn’t be in the top spot. Actually, their chances improved after putting Joba Chamberlain in the correct role.
Brad Lidge is one of the Phillies’ few concerns.
2. Phillies. With Brad Lidge still a concern, the gap between the No. 2 and 3 teams has tightened, but we’ll still stick with the Phillies here. Their lineup has the majors’ best balance of power, speed and defense.
3. Red Sox. A sure sign you’ve had a smooth spring: Manager Terry Francona spends part of a morning press briefing dissecting the battle for the organization’s No. 8 and 9 starters. Dissecting this power poll, we can say the difference between No. 1 and No. 3 is smaller than the gap between No. 3 and No. 4.
4. Cardinals. They didn’t have Matt Holliday when we did the poll in December, but we figured they would re-sign him. No need to jump off the Cardinals’ bandwagon.
5. Rockies. The fact that no structural damage has been found in Huston Street’s right shoulder is a good sign. We suppose. If we hadn’t ignored the alarms set off when Street didn’t pitch for three weeks last September, we would have slotted Colorado a bit lower. Still, there are worse backup plans than Franklin Morales.
6. Angels. We would rank few clubs this high after losing their All-Star leadoff hitter, No. 1 starter, future Hall of Fame DH and key lefthanded reliever. But we believe in Mike Scioscia.
7. Mariners. If we’d known Casey Kotchman and Milton Bradley would be manning the 3 hole and cleanup spot, we’d have bumped Seattle out of the top 10.
8. Rays. It didn’t seem right to rank three teams from one division in the top four overall. But after watching these guys in spring training, we should have.
9. Twins. No one knew about Joe Nathan’s elbow in December. But knowing wouldn’t have changed the Twins’ ranking. Minnesota still has Joe Mauer, Ron Gardenhire and one of the game’s best front offices.
10. Cubs. One reason to believe the Cubs are more likely to move up than down when the games begin: Despite all their troubles in 2009, they finished over .500.
11. Braves. Perhaps we should have known 20-year-old Jason Heyward would emerge as the best player in Florida this spring, as at least one scout has called him. Still, we feel pretty good about the Braves’ spot.
12. Dodgers. We didn’t put the Dodgers below the Rockies because of L.A.’s ownership disarray. We just like the Rockies’ rotation better.
13. Giants. We must have thought they would surprise everyone and sign Matt Holliday. But with its lack of offense and plodding defense, we should have put San Francisco in the bottom half.
Ozzie Guillen’s spring included an unexpected Twitter controversy.
14. White Sox. If you knew in December that Ozzie Guillen’s latest controversy would be triggered by Twitter, let us know. We’ll rank the White Sox wherever you want.
15. Rangers. If you could have told us Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine last July, it wouldn’t have mattered. The Rangers are ranked right where they belong.
16. Tigers. Their two rookies, Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore, have exceeded early expectations. Still, we’ll wait for them to produce when the games count before we reassess Detroit’s spot.
17. Mets. How could we rank these guys ahead of the Marlins? Well, we didn’t know Carlos Beltran would have knee surgery and Jose Reyes would have a thyroid problem. That’s our excuse, anyway, and we’re sticking with it.
18. Marlins. Our opinion of the Marlins wasn’t helped when they traded for Tigers discard Nate Robertson and promptly put him in their rotation. Still, they belong in front of the Mets.
19. Brewers. Until its starters show us something, this is the spot for Milwaukee.
20. Diamondbacks. We figured Brandon Webb would be ready by now. Otherwise, we’d have dropped the D-backs a couple of notches.
21. Athletics. That they spent $10 million on Ben Sheets proves general manager Billy Beane believes they have a chance. That is good enough for us to think we have them three spots too low.
22. Reds. They surprised — no, stunned — the baseball world by signing Aroldis Chapman. But we still don’t know how much difference he’ll make.
Lance Berkman’s health is a concern for the Astros.
23. Astros. If we’d known their two best players, first baseman Lance Berkman and ace Roy Oswalt, already would be dealing with injuries, we’d at least considered dropping them a spot.
24. Orioles. We didn’t think much of the Kevin Millwood trade at the time, and he hasn’t made us change our minds in spring training.
25. Blue Jays. They didn’t re-acquire Roy Halladay, so there’s no reason to move them up.
26. Royals. Zack Greinke makes them better than the teams below, just as he did in December.
27. Nationals. They didn’t have Chien-Ming Wang or Adam Kennedy when we ranked them. It wouldn’t have changed anything.
28. Padres. We weren’t sure Adrian Gonzalez still would be with them on opening day. Now we are. They’re still ranked correctly.
29. Pirates. Since we did the poll, they signed Octavio Dotel to close. No, he isn’t a difference-maker.
30. Indians. Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona are pitching well, and Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner are healthy. If we’d known that, we wouldn’t have stuck the Indians in last. Now, though, they will have the chance to prove we were wrong.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
When Sporting News compiled its offseason baseball power poll, it really was the offseason. Like before Christmas. After three more months of moves and six weeks of spring training, you’d think our offseason rankings would need overhauling. Well, we don’t. But we would tweak them a little.
The offseason power poll, with some late March analysis:
1. Yankees. Not a thing has happened to make us think they shouldn’t be in the top spot. Actually, their chances improved after putting Joba Chamberlain in the correct role.
Brad Lidge is one of the Phillies’ few concerns.
2. Phillies. With Brad Lidge still a concern, the gap between the No. 2 and 3 teams has tightened, but we’ll still stick with the Phillies here. Their lineup has the majors’ best balance of power, speed and defense.
3. Red Sox. A sure sign you’ve had a smooth spring: Manager Terry Francona spends part of a morning press briefing dissecting the battle for the organization’s No. 8 and 9 starters. Dissecting this power poll, we can say the difference between No. 1 and No. 3 is smaller than the gap between No. 3 and No. 4.
4. Cardinals. They didn’t have Matt Holliday when we did the poll in December, but we figured they would re-sign him. No need to jump off the Cardinals’ bandwagon.
5. Rockies. The fact that no structural damage has been found in Huston Street’s right shoulder is a good sign. We suppose. If we hadn’t ignored the alarms set off when Street didn’t pitch for three weeks last September, we would have slotted Colorado a bit lower. Still, there are worse backup plans than Franklin Morales.
6. Angels. We would rank few clubs this high after losing their All-Star leadoff hitter, No. 1 starter, future Hall of Fame DH and key lefthanded reliever. But we believe in Mike Scioscia.
7. Mariners. If we’d known Casey Kotchman and Milton Bradley would be manning the 3 hole and cleanup spot, we’d have bumped Seattle out of the top 10.
8. Rays. It didn’t seem right to rank three teams from one division in the top four overall. But after watching these guys in spring training, we should have.
9. Twins. No one knew about Joe Nathan’s elbow in December. But knowing wouldn’t have changed the Twins’ ranking. Minnesota still has Joe Mauer, Ron Gardenhire and one of the game’s best front offices.
10. Cubs. One reason to believe the Cubs are more likely to move up than down when the games begin: Despite all their troubles in 2009, they finished over .500.
11. Braves. Perhaps we should have known 20-year-old Jason Heyward would emerge as the best player in Florida this spring, as at least one scout has called him. Still, we feel pretty good about the Braves’ spot.
12. Dodgers. We didn’t put the Dodgers below the Rockies because of L.A.’s ownership disarray. We just like the Rockies’ rotation better.
13. Giants. We must have thought they would surprise everyone and sign Matt Holliday. But with its lack of offense and plodding defense, we should have put San Francisco in the bottom half.
Ozzie Guillen’s spring included an unexpected Twitter controversy.
14. White Sox. If you knew in December that Ozzie Guillen’s latest controversy would be triggered by Twitter, let us know. We’ll rank the White Sox wherever you want.
15. Rangers. If you could have told us Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine last July, it wouldn’t have mattered. The Rangers are ranked right where they belong.
16. Tigers. Their two rookies, Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore, have exceeded early expectations. Still, we’ll wait for them to produce when the games count before we reassess Detroit’s spot.
17. Mets. How could we rank these guys ahead of the Marlins? Well, we didn’t know Carlos Beltran would have knee surgery and Jose Reyes would have a thyroid problem. That’s our excuse, anyway, and we’re sticking with it.
18. Marlins. Our opinion of the Marlins wasn’t helped when they traded for Tigers discard Nate Robertson and promptly put him in their rotation. Still, they belong in front of the Mets.
19. Brewers. Until its starters show us something, this is the spot for Milwaukee.
20. Diamondbacks. We figured Brandon Webb would be ready by now. Otherwise, we’d have dropped the D-backs a couple of notches.
21. Athletics. That they spent $10 million on Ben Sheets proves general manager Billy Beane believes they have a chance. That is good enough for us to think we have them three spots too low.
22. Reds. They surprised — no, stunned — the baseball world by signing Aroldis Chapman. But we still don’t know how much difference he’ll make.
Lance Berkman’s health is a concern for the Astros.
23. Astros. If we’d known their two best players, first baseman Lance Berkman and ace Roy Oswalt, already would be dealing with injuries, we’d at least considered dropping them a spot.
24. Orioles. We didn’t think much of the Kevin Millwood trade at the time, and he hasn’t made us change our minds in spring training.
25. Blue Jays. They didn’t re-acquire Roy Halladay, so there’s no reason to move them up.
26. Royals. Zack Greinke makes them better than the teams below, just as he did in December.
27. Nationals. They didn’t have Chien-Ming Wang or Adam Kennedy when we ranked them. It wouldn’t have changed anything.
28. Padres. We weren’t sure Adrian Gonzalez still would be with them on opening day. Now we are. They’re still ranked correctly.
29. Pirates. Since we did the poll, they signed Octavio Dotel to close. No, he isn’t a difference-maker.
30. Indians. Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona are pitching well, and Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner are healthy. If we’d known that, we wouldn’t have stuck the Indians in last. Now, though, they will have the chance to prove we were wrong.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
If you don’t agree that the best races will be in the American League, consider the numbers. Ten of 14 teams enter the season with a legitimate chance of reaching the postseason. In the NL, the Phillies and Cardinals are such clear favorites that the West could end up being the only close call.
Ranking the division races:
By leaving the Angels for the M’s, Chone Figgins may help change the dynamic in the AL West.
1. AL West
What’s to like: All four teams should contend in what shapes up as the majors’ deepest division. The three-time defending champion Angels lost four key players, including No. 1 starter John Lackey, while the Mariners, Rangers and Athletics all added potential aces in Cliff Lee, Rich Harden and Ben Sheets. Adding intrigue: The Angels’ blueprint is being copied as their three rivals put greater focus on defense and pitching. Seattle, in fact, snatched Angels catalyst Chone Figgins to pump up its offense.
"Everyone’s talking about three teams and discrediting Oakland, but they’re going to be a good defensive club with a very good pitching staff," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "You can make a legitimate case for any of the four teams."
Don’t be surprised if: Every team finishes .500. The A’s won 75 games last season — and that was after finishing on a seven-game losing streak.
Be surprised if: The Angels win fewer than 92 games. They have won at least that many in five of the past six seasons, the exception being an 89-win season in 2006.
2. AL East
What’s to like: The bullies have reloaded for another edition of the greatest rivalry in American sports. Game 1 of 18 will be Sunday night at Fenway Park. Whether the Yankees and Red Sox actually have improved remains to be determined. Boston sacrificed Jason Bay’s power for Mike Cameron’s defense, but that doesn’t mean it is better. New York is counting on the younger and more athletic Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner to replace postseason heroes Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. And don’t forget about the Rays. They could be the fourth-best team in the majors but only third-best in their own division.
Don’t be surprised if: The Yankees, Red Sox and Rays finish with 90 wins. Tampa Bay is too talented to finish 19 games behind the Yankees like it did last season.
Be surprised if: The Orioles aren’t the most improved team in the division. With a solid lineup and improved rotation, Baltimore should improve its win total into the 70s after finishing 64-98 in 2009.
With a healthy Grady Sizemore, the Indians may surprise.
3. AL Central
What’s to like: Picking a winner among the Twins, Tigers and White Sox is as tricky as figuring out who will close for Minnesota in place of the injured Joe Nathan.
Don’t be surprised if: The Indians are better than expected. Veterans Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook all are healthy and showing their old forms.
Be surprised if: A playoff isn’t needed to determine the division champ. There has been one the past two seasons.
4. NL West
What’s to like: This is the only division in which Sporting News is predicting a new champion from 2009. Thank you, Rockies. But if Colorado doesn’t have Huston Street healthy for most of the season, the Dodgers have the talent to make it three consecutive titles under Joe Torre.
Don’t be surprised if: The Giants remain stuck in third place because of a lack of offense. They needed Matt Holliday but settled for Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff and the return of Bengie Molina.
Be surprised if: The Diamondbacks finish last. Their rotation isn’t as thin as the Padres’ offense is lacking.
Dust Baker is on the hot seat in Cincinnati.
5. NL Central
What’s to like: If you don’t enjoy watching the game’s best player (Albert Pujols) or the game’s best 1-2 rotation punch (Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright), there always are the Cubs. Watching them come up short is as much a part of Chicago summers as the August air show.
Don’t be surprised if: This is Dusty Baker’s last season managing in Cincinnati. The Reds have become a trendy pick to contend. If they don’t, general manager Walt Jocketty might not extend Baker’s contract.
Be surprised if: The Pirates finish with a winning record. They are trying to avoid their 18th consecutive losing season.
6. NL East
What’s to like: The Phillies are making a run at history. A division crown would be their fourth in a row, a feat they never have accomplished. They also are gunning to become the first NL team to win three consecutive pennants since the Cardinals in the early-1940s. If Brad Lidge returns to his 2008 form, this shouldn’t be much of a race.
Don’t be surprised if: The Braves win the wild card, a reachable goal in Bobby Cox’s final season.
Be surprised if: The Nationals lose 100 games for a third straight season. Stephen Strasburg and Chien-Ming Wang will join the rotation at some point.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
If you don’t agree that the best races will be in the American League, consider the numbers. Ten of 14 teams enter the season with a legitimate chance of reaching the postseason. In the NL, the Phillies and Cardinals are such clear favorites that the West could end up being the only close call.
Ranking the division races:
By leaving the Angels for the M’s, Chone Figgins may help change the dynamic in the AL West.
1. AL West
What’s to like: All four teams should contend in what shapes up as the majors’ deepest division. The three-time defending champion Angels lost four key players, including No. 1 starter John Lackey, while the Mariners, Rangers and Athletics all added potential aces in Cliff Lee, Rich Harden and Ben Sheets. Adding intrigue: The Angels’ blueprint is being copied as their three rivals put greater focus on defense and pitching. Seattle, in fact, snatched Angels catalyst Chone Figgins to pump up its offense.
"Everyone’s talking about three teams and discrediting Oakland, but they’re going to be a good defensive club with a very good pitching staff," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "You can make a legitimate case for any of the four teams."
Don’t be surprised if: Every team finishes .500. The A’s won 75 games last season — and that was after finishing on a seven-game losing streak.
Be surprised if: The Angels win fewer than 92 games. They have won at least that many in five of the past six seasons, the exception being an 89-win season in 2006.
2. AL East
What’s to like: The bullies have reloaded for another edition of the greatest rivalry in American sports. Game 1 of 18 will be Sunday night at Fenway Park. Whether the Yankees and Red Sox actually have improved remains to be determined. Boston sacrificed Jason Bay’s power for Mike Cameron’s defense, but that doesn’t mean it is better. New York is counting on the younger and more athletic Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner to replace postseason heroes Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. And don’t forget about the Rays. They could be the fourth-best team in the majors but only third-best in their own division.
Don’t be surprised if: The Yankees, Red Sox and Rays finish with 90 wins. Tampa Bay is too talented to finish 19 games behind the Yankees like it did last season.
Be surprised if: The Orioles aren’t the most improved team in the division. With a solid lineup and improved rotation, Baltimore should improve its win total into the 70s after finishing 64-98 in 2009.
With a healthy Grady Sizemore, the Indians may surprise.
3. AL Central
What’s to like: Picking a winner among the Twins, Tigers and White Sox is as tricky as figuring out who will close for Minnesota in place of the injured Joe Nathan.
Don’t be surprised if: The Indians are better than expected. Veterans Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook all are healthy and showing their old forms.
Be surprised if: A playoff isn’t needed to determine the division champ. There has been one the past two seasons.
4. NL West
What’s to like: This is the only division in which Sporting News is predicting a new champion from 2009. Thank you, Rockies. But if Colorado doesn’t have Huston Street healthy for most of the season, the Dodgers have the talent to make it three consecutive titles under Joe Torre.
Don’t be surprised if: The Giants remain stuck in third place because of a lack of offense. They needed Matt Holliday but settled for Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff and the return of Bengie Molina.
Be surprised if: The Diamondbacks finish last. Their rotation isn’t as thin as the Padres’ offense is lacking.
Dust Baker is on the hot seat in Cincinnati.
5. NL Central
What’s to like: If you don’t enjoy watching the game’s best player (Albert Pujols) or the game’s best 1-2 rotation punch (Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright), there always are the Cubs. Watching them come up short is as much a part of Chicago summers as the August air show.
Don’t be surprised if: This is Dusty Baker’s last season managing in Cincinnati. The Reds have become a trendy pick to contend. If they don’t, general manager Walt Jocketty might not extend Baker’s contract.
Be surprised if: The Pirates finish with a winning record. They are trying to avoid their 18th consecutive losing season.
6. NL East
What’s to like: The Phillies are making a run at history. A division crown would be their fourth in a row, a feat they never have accomplished. They also are gunning to become the first NL team to win three consecutive pennants since the Cardinals in the early-1940s. If Brad Lidge returns to his 2008 form, this shouldn’t be much of a race.
Don’t be surprised if: The Braves win the wild card, a reachable goal in Bobby Cox’s final season.
Be surprised if: The Nationals lose 100 games for a third straight season. Stephen Strasburg and Chien-Ming Wang will join the rotation at some point.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
The only free agents the Marlins signed during the offseason received minor league contracts. Most of them, including Mike Lamb and Hector Luna, didn’t even play in the majors last season. Oh well, business as usual in South Florida.
But you should have learned by now, you don’t count out the Marlins. Besides their knack for finding bargains, they have one of the game’s best young rosters, which includes NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez, ace Josh Johnson and N.L. rookie of the year Chris Coghlan.
"Our goal is to always make the playoffs," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I never look at the money thing. I always look at the player. Our people do a terrific job of getting good players."
Three questions
1. Who will man the corners?
Gonzalez said recently that if the season opened now, the Marlins would start Jorge Cantu at third base and Gaby Sanchez or Logan Morrison at first. But there is a month of exhibition games to be played, and they will determine who plays where on April 5 when the Marlins open at the Mets.
In addition to the competition at first, rookie third baseman Jorge Jimenez will get a look. Acquired via the Astros in the Rule 5 draft, Jimenez has the advantage of being a lefthanded hitter on a team lacking lefthanded hitters. If Sanchez and Morrison falter and Jimenez hits, he could end up at third with Cantu returning to first. There also is a chance the club could add a veteran, though pickings are becoming slim. (UPDATE: The Marlins sent Jimenez back to the Red Sox.)
The Marlins expect young Cameron Maybin to win the job in center field.
2. Has Cameron Maybin’s time arrived?
One of the game’s top prospects since being drafted 10th overall by Detroit in 2005, the 22-year-old enters spring training with the center field his job to lose. He got an opportunity at the start of 2009 but struck out 31 times in his first 84 at-bats and was sent to Class AAA.
Maybin made good use of his time in the minors and displayed improved discipline and pitch recognition in a September call-up. "When we sent him to Triple-A last year, he worked on his swing," Gonzalez said. "First thing you noticed (when he returned), he wasn’t swinging at the pitches at the dirt. He showed us that he had made some improvements."
3. Will the rotation be a strength?
This is certain: The Marlins’ rotation will be young (27-year-old Ricky Nolasco is the senior member) and tall (only 6-foot Anibal Sanchez measures in at less than 6-2 among the main candidates) and will include the same cast as last season. But there is no guarantee it will meet expectations. Excluding Johnson, six Marlins made at least 10 starts last season and, among them, only Sanchez (3.87) posted a sub-4.30 ERA.
Gonzalez said Johnson, Sanchez and Nolasco have secured places in the rotation, but at least five others have a shot at the fourth and fifth spots. Gonzalez added that a season of pitching in a playoff race should pay off in 2010. "Every game was a meaningful game for our starters," Gonzalez says. "I said last year, at worst case, staying in the race like we did would be great experience for the guys. There’s no other way to experience that than doing it."
Projected lineup
1. LF Chris Coghlan. Led MLB in runs (54) and batting average (.372) after break.
2. CF Cameron Maybin. .319 average at AAA, .293 after call-up.
3. SS Hanley Ramirez. Leads NL in runs, hits since ’07.
4. 2B Dan Uggla. Averaged 31 HRs, 90 RBIs since ’07.
5. 3B Jorge Cantu. Only MLB player with 100 RBIs but fewer than 20 HRs.
6. RF Cody Ross. Just 34 BBs in 604 PAs in ’09.
7. C John Baker. Fourth-best OPS (.776) among N.L. catchers.
8. 1B Gaby Sanchez. .302/.392/.485 in 5 minor league seasons.
Projected rotation
Josh Johnson anchors the Florida rotation, but he needs more help.
1. RHP Josh Johnson. 209 IP in ’09; 103 IP from 2007-08.
2. RHP Ricky Nolasco. ERA shot from 3.52 to 5.06.
3. RHP Anibal Sanchez. Shoulder always a concern.
4. LHP Sean West. 4.79 ERA as rookie. (UPDATE: The Marlins optioned West to the minors.)
5. RHP Chris Volstad. Not a lock after posting 5.21 ERA.
Projected closer
RHP Leo Nunez. First-time closer was 26-of-33 in save chances.
Grades
Offense: A. Led by Ramirez, the Marlins ranked among the NL’s top five in runs, batting average and on-base percentage in 2009. Their lineup featured three players with 20-plus homers and returns virtually intact. Maybin’s development and the situation at first base are keys to further improvement.
Pitching C. The rotation is young and deep and features plenty of good arms, but it still ranked 10th in the NL with a 4.57 ERA. It is time for someone other than Johnson to emerge. The signing of Mike MacDougal, who was 20-for-21 in save chances after being traded to Washington last season, boosts an already solid bullpen. (UPDATE: The Marlins released MacDougal, who later re-signed with the Nationals.)
Bench: B. Emilio Bonifacio is as fast as anyone in the NL. and can play six positions. Wes Helms provides veteran stability and is a dangerous pinch hitter (17-for-49, .347). Jimenez could stick as a lefthanded bat off the bench. (UPDATE: The Marlins returned Jimenez to the Red Sox.)
Manager: B. The Marlins are known for overachieving, in no small part because Gonzalez knows how to put his players in position to succeed. He has had two winning seasons in his first three years with Florida, despite a payroll that annually ranks near the bottom.
Sporting News prediction: Questions about the Marlins’ rotation — coupled with improvement/better health from the Mets and a tough Braves staff — should knock Florida down a couple notches.
Coming Wednesday: Braves preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
The only free agents the Marlins signed during the offseason received minor league contracts. Most of them, including Mike Lamb and Hector Luna, didn’t even play in the majors last season. Oh well, business as usual in South Florida.
But you should have learned by now, you don’t count out the Marlins. Besides their knack for finding bargains, they have one of the game’s best young rosters, which includes NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez, ace Josh Johnson and N.L. rookie of the year Chris Coghlan.
"Our goal is to always make the playoffs," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I never look at the money thing. I always look at the player. Our people do a terrific job of getting good players."
Three questions
1. Who will man the corners?
Gonzalez said recently that if the season opened now, the Marlins would start Jorge Cantu at third base and Gaby Sanchez or Logan Morrison at first. But there is a month of exhibition games to be played, and they will determine who plays where on April 5 when the Marlins open at the Mets.
In addition to the competition at first, rookie third baseman Jorge Jimenez will get a look. Acquired via the Astros in the Rule 5 draft, Jimenez has the advantage of being a lefthanded hitter on a team lacking lefthanded hitters. If Sanchez and Morrison falter and Jimenez hits, he could end up at third with Cantu returning to first. There also is a chance the club could add a veteran, though pickings are becoming slim. (UPDATE: The Marlins sent Jimenez back to the Red Sox.)
The Marlins expect young Cameron Maybin to win the job in center field.
2. Has Cameron Maybin’s time arrived?
One of the game’s top prospects since being drafted 10th overall by Detroit in 2005, the 22-year-old enters spring training with the center field his job to lose. He got an opportunity at the start of 2009 but struck out 31 times in his first 84 at-bats and was sent to Class AAA.
Maybin made good use of his time in the minors and displayed improved discipline and pitch recognition in a September call-up. "When we sent him to Triple-A last year, he worked on his swing," Gonzalez said. "First thing you noticed (when he returned), he wasn’t swinging at the pitches at the dirt. He showed us that he had made some improvements."
3. Will the rotation be a strength?
This is certain: The Marlins’ rotation will be young (27-year-old Ricky Nolasco is the senior member) and tall (only 6-foot Anibal Sanchez measures in at less than 6-2 among the main candidates) and will include the same cast as last season. But there is no guarantee it will meet expectations. Excluding Johnson, six Marlins made at least 10 starts last season and, among them, only Sanchez (3.87) posted a sub-4.30 ERA.
Gonzalez said Johnson, Sanchez and Nolasco have secured places in the rotation, but at least five others have a shot at the fourth and fifth spots. Gonzalez added that a season of pitching in a playoff race should pay off in 2010. "Every game was a meaningful game for our starters," Gonzalez says. "I said last year, at worst case, staying in the race like we did would be great experience for the guys. There’s no other way to experience that than doing it."
Projected lineup
1. LF Chris Coghlan. Led MLB in runs (54) and batting average (.372) after break.
2. CF Cameron Maybin. .319 average at AAA, .293 after call-up.
3. SS Hanley Ramirez. Leads NL in runs, hits since ’07.
4. 2B Dan Uggla. Averaged 31 HRs, 90 RBIs since ’07.
5. 3B Jorge Cantu. Only MLB player with 100 RBIs but fewer than 20 HRs.
6. RF Cody Ross. Just 34 BBs in 604 PAs in ’09.
7. C John Baker. Fourth-best OPS (.776) among N.L. catchers.
8. 1B Gaby Sanchez. .302/.392/.485 in 5 minor league seasons.
Projected rotation
Josh Johnson anchors the Florida rotation, but he needs more help.
1. RHP Josh Johnson. 209 IP in ’09; 103 IP from 2007-08.
2. RHP Ricky Nolasco. ERA shot from 3.52 to 5.06.
3. RHP Anibal Sanchez. Shoulder always a concern.
4. LHP Sean West. 4.79 ERA as rookie. (UPDATE: The Marlins optioned West to the minors.)
5. RHP Chris Volstad. Not a lock after posting 5.21 ERA.
Projected closer
RHP Leo Nunez. First-time closer was 26-of-33 in save chances.
Grades
Offense: A. Led by Ramirez, the Marlins ranked among the NL’s top five in runs, batting average and on-base percentage in 2009. Their lineup featured three players with 20-plus homers and returns virtually intact. Maybin’s development and the situation at first base are keys to further improvement.
Pitching C. The rotation is young and deep and features plenty of good arms, but it still ranked 10th in the NL with a 4.57 ERA. It is time for someone other than Johnson to emerge. The signing of Mike MacDougal, who was 20-for-21 in save chances after being traded to Washington last season, boosts an already solid bullpen. (UPDATE: The Marlins released MacDougal, who later re-signed with the Nationals.)
Bench: B. Emilio Bonifacio is as fast as anyone in the NL. and can play six positions. Wes Helms provides veteran stability and is a dangerous pinch hitter (17-for-49, .347). Jimenez could stick as a lefthanded bat off the bench. (UPDATE: The Marlins returned Jimenez to the Red Sox.)
Manager: B. The Marlins are known for overachieving, in no small part because Gonzalez knows how to put his players in position to succeed. He has had two winning seasons in his first three years with Florida, despite a payroll that annually ranks near the bottom.
Sporting News prediction: Questions about the Marlins’ rotation — coupled with improvement/better health from the Mets and a tough Braves staff — should knock Florida down a couple notches.
Coming Wednesday: Braves preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
There is one thing the Blue Jays don’t have to worry about this season: high expectations. When they traded ace Roy Halladay, they pretty much gave up on what already were slim chances of contending. Toronto enters spring training with a reduced payroll, a rotation to be determined, an unsettled situation at closer, uncertainty at the corner outfield spots and questions about whether its highest-paid player, Vernon Wells, can bounce back. It isn’t a good formula to compete in the AL East.
Three questions
Can Veron Wells regain the form that made him a 2006 All-Star?
1. Who will take over for Halladay?
No one, of course. Halladay arguably has been the game’s best starter over the past decade. The Jays now don’t have a pitcher who has thrown 200 innings in a season. Subtract Halladay’s 2.79 ERA, and Toronto’s rotation had a 5.28 ERA in 2009.
The Jays are opting for quantity over quality, having invited more than 30 pitchers to major league camp. Seemingly half will be given a chance to start (the Jays used 12 starters last season). Plus, Shaun Marcum is healthy after missing all of ’09 and the Jays traded for two other candidates, Brandon Morrow and Dana Eveland.
Only lefthander Ricky Romero is guaranteed a rotation spot, but pitching coach Bruce Walton is excited about Morrow. "He has electric stuff and he’s a fierce competitor," Walton said. "I think he just needs to find out who he is — what his game style is — and he’s just going to take off."
2. Can Wells get well?
Wells emerged as one of the game’s top center fielders in 2006, when he made the All-Star team, hit .303 with 32 homers and 106 RBIs, won a Gold Glove and signed a huge extension. But in the three seasons since, he has regressed. Big time. Last season was a low point: a .260/.311/.400 stat line with 15 homers and 66 RBIs (both career lows).
What happened? At 31, Wells isn’t too old. Wrist, leg and shoulder injuries, however, have aged him. Wells played 158 games last season but was bothered by a sore left wrist that required offseason surgery. Compounding his struggles: He isn’t being paid like an over-the-hill veteran. The Jays owe him $107 million over the next five seasons, and though they were able to shed Halladay’s and Alex Rios’ big salaries, they likely are stuck with Wells’.
3. So, what’s to like?
New general manager Alex Anthopoulos has impressed his colleagues with his plan to boost the size of Toronto’s scouting department. But that strategy won’t pay off for a while. Likewise, it likely will take a year or two for top prospects Brett Wallace and Kyle Drabek, both acquired in the offseason, to make an impact.
For this season, the Jays will feature a lineup that includes two of the league’s top sluggers, second baseman Aaron Hill (36 homers, 108 RBIs) and DH Adam Lind (35 homers, 114 RBIs). Though Travis Snider struggled as a rookie, he is only 22 and the Jays are hoping he can lock down a starting outfield job during spring training. Finally, the Jays believe Romero can continue to develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter.
Projected lineup
1. RF Jose Bautista. Career-best .349 OBP in ’09.
2. 2B Aaron Hill. Career-high 36 HRs in comeback season.
3. DH Adam Lind. Slugger might hit cleanup if Wells slumps.
4. CF Vernon Wells. .214 AVG, .348 SLG at home.
5. 1B Lyle Overbay. .838 OPS was his best since ’06.
6. 3B Edwin Encarnacion. .240 AVG with Jays, .209 with Reds.
7. C John Buck. Has career .298 OBP.
8. LF Travis Snider. ’09 struggles led to Class AAA demotion.
9. SS Alex Gonzalez. Hit .284 with Red Sox, .210 with Reds.
Projected rotation
1. LHP Ricky Romero. 178 IP, 4.30 ERA in rookie season.
2. RHP Shaun Marcum. Missed ’09 after Tommy John surgery.
3. RHP Brandon Morrow. 3.68 ERA in 10 starts with Seattle.
4. LHP Brian Tallet. 5.41 ERA in 25 starts in ’09.
5. RHP Scott Richmond. Sore shoulder led to 5.52 ERA. (UPDATE: Richmond will begin the season on the disabled list.)
Projected closer
RHP Kevin Gregg. Has edge over Jason Frasor, Scott Downs. (UPDATE: Frasor won the job.)
Grades
Offense. B. Hill and Lind formed one of the most productive duos in the AL last year. They should get more help this season because Wells reportedly is healthy, Snider is a year older and Lyle Overbay is in a contract year.
Pitching. C. There is no shortage of good arms among the rotation candidates, but there is a huge lack of experience. And growing up in the AL East isn’t easy. One problem with having three closer candidates: It typically means each has an issue that prevents him from being the main guy.
Bench. C. John McDonald remains one of the game’s best utility players, and Randy Ruiz showed good power in limited opportunities. The addition of speedster Joey Gathright could boost a thin outfield, and the catcher depth is even thinner as a career backup enters spring training as the starer. (UPDATE: The Jays released Gathright last week.)
Manager. C. Cito Gaston won two World Series with the Jays in the early 1990s, but his old-school approach didn’t play well in 2009. As Gaston enters his final season in the dugout, the Jays could rally around him or they could mail it in and wait for the next guy.
Sporting News prediction: Their rotation lacks experience, their offense lacks a true leadoff hitter and their payroll lacks the oomph needed to hang with the big boys in the AL East. It will be a surprise if the Jays finish anywhere but last.
Coming Friday: Orioles preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
There is one thing the Blue Jays don’t have to worry about this season: high expectations. When they traded ace Roy Halladay, they pretty much gave up on what already were slim chances of contending. Toronto enters spring training with a reduced payroll, a rotation to be determined, an unsettled situation at closer, uncertainty at the corner outfield spots and questions about whether its highest-paid player, Vernon Wells, can bounce back. It isn’t a good formula to compete in the AL East.
Three questions
Can Veron Wells regain the form that made him a 2006 All-Star?
1. Who will take over for Halladay?
No one, of course. Halladay arguably has been the game’s best starter over the past decade. The Jays now don’t have a pitcher who has thrown 200 innings in a season. Subtract Halladay’s 2.79 ERA, and Toronto’s rotation had a 5.28 ERA in 2009.
The Jays are opting for quantity over quality, having invited more than 30 pitchers to major league camp. Seemingly half will be given a chance to start (the Jays used 12 starters last season). Plus, Shaun Marcum is healthy after missing all of ’09 and the Jays traded for two other candidates, Brandon Morrow and Dana Eveland.
Only lefthander Ricky Romero is guaranteed a rotation spot, but pitching coach Bruce Walton is excited about Morrow. "He has electric stuff and he’s a fierce competitor," Walton said. "I think he just needs to find out who he is — what his game style is — and he’s just going to take off."
2. Can Wells get well?
Wells emerged as one of the game’s top center fielders in 2006, when he made the All-Star team, hit .303 with 32 homers and 106 RBIs, won a Gold Glove and signed a huge extension. But in the three seasons since, he has regressed. Big time. Last season was a low point: a .260/.311/.400 stat line with 15 homers and 66 RBIs (both career lows).
What happened? At 31, Wells isn’t too old. Wrist, leg and shoulder injuries, however, have aged him. Wells played 158 games last season but was bothered by a sore left wrist that required offseason surgery. Compounding his struggles: He isn’t being paid like an over-the-hill veteran. The Jays owe him $107 million over the next five seasons, and though they were able to shed Halladay’s and Alex Rios’ big salaries, they likely are stuck with Wells’.
3. So, what’s to like?
New general manager Alex Anthopoulos has impressed his colleagues with his plan to boost the size of Toronto’s scouting department. But that strategy won’t pay off for a while. Likewise, it likely will take a year or two for top prospects Brett Wallace and Kyle Drabek, both acquired in the offseason, to make an impact.
For this season, the Jays will feature a lineup that includes two of the league’s top sluggers, second baseman Aaron Hill (36 homers, 108 RBIs) and DH Adam Lind (35 homers, 114 RBIs). Though Travis Snider struggled as a rookie, he is only 22 and the Jays are hoping he can lock down a starting outfield job during spring training. Finally, the Jays believe Romero can continue to develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter.
Projected lineup
1. RF Jose Bautista. Career-best .349 OBP in ’09.
2. 2B Aaron Hill. Career-high 36 HRs in comeback season.
3. DH Adam Lind. Slugger might hit cleanup if Wells slumps.
4. CF Vernon Wells. .214 AVG, .348 SLG at home.
5. 1B Lyle Overbay. .838 OPS was his best since ’06.
6. 3B Edwin Encarnacion. .240 AVG with Jays, .209 with Reds.
7. C John Buck. Has career .298 OBP.
8. LF Travis Snider. ’09 struggles led to Class AAA demotion.
9. SS Alex Gonzalez. Hit .284 with Red Sox, .210 with Reds.
Projected rotation
1. LHP Ricky Romero. 178 IP, 4.30 ERA in rookie season.
2. RHP Shaun Marcum. Missed ’09 after Tommy John surgery.
3. RHP Brandon Morrow. 3.68 ERA in 10 starts with Seattle.
4. LHP Brian Tallet. 5.41 ERA in 25 starts in ’09.
5. RHP Scott Richmond. Sore shoulder led to 5.52 ERA. (UPDATE: Richmond will begin the season on the disabled list.)
Projected closer
RHP Kevin Gregg. Has edge over Jason Frasor, Scott Downs. (UPDATE: Frasor won the job.)
Grades
Offense. B. Hill and Lind formed one of the most productive duos in the AL last year. They should get more help this season because Wells reportedly is healthy, Snider is a year older and Lyle Overbay is in a contract year.
Pitching. C. There is no shortage of good arms among the rotation candidates, but there is a huge lack of experience. And growing up in the AL East isn’t easy. One problem with having three closer candidates: It typically means each has an issue that prevents him from being the main guy.
Bench. C. John McDonald remains one of the game’s best utility players, and Randy Ruiz showed good power in limited opportunities. The addition of speedster Joey Gathright could boost a thin outfield, and the catcher depth is even thinner as a career backup enters spring training as the starer. (UPDATE: The Jays released Gathright last week.)
Manager. C. Cito Gaston won two World Series with the Jays in the early 1990s, but his old-school approach didn’t play well in 2009. As Gaston enters his final season in the dugout, the Jays could rally around him or they could mail it in and wait for the next guy.
Sporting News prediction: Their rotation lacks experience, their offense lacks a true leadoff hitter and their payroll lacks the oomph needed to hang with the big boys in the AL East. It will be a surprise if the Jays finish anywhere but last.
Coming Friday: Orioles preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Joe Girardi wore No. 27 last season and the Yankees won their 27th World Series. This season, he is sporting No. 28. Next year, no one will be surprised if he asks backup catcher Francisco Cervelli to give up his No. 29. The Yankees are primed to become the first team to repeat since, well, the Yankees completed a three-peat 10 years ago. "They’re the team to beat once again," Rays manager Joe Maddon says.
Javier Vazquez looks like an upgrade for the Yankees’ pitching staff.
Three questions
1. Are the Yankees better than last season?
They don’t need to be to repeat. On paper, however, they should be slightly improved because of the addition of righthander Javier Vazquez. His numbers with the Braves last season were better than any of the Yankees’ starters. The offense will be younger with center fielder Curtis Granderson, DH Nick Johnson and left fielder Brett Gardner replacing Melky Cabrera, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon. Being younger doesn’t mean the offense will be better, but as long as the hitters with the eight-figure salaries — Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada — don’t suffer drastic drop-offs, the Yankees’ offense should be as dangerous as a year ago.
2. Who’s in left?
The leading contender to replace Damon is Gardner, who is faster and superior defensively but doesn’t have Damon’s power. Gardner will have competition, however, from Randy Winn, Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann, the first pick in the Rule 5 draft. Winn, 35, signed a discount deal after enduring his worst season (.318 OBP, two homers in 538 at-bats) with the Giants. Thames, who was signed to a minor league deal, has the power the other candidates lack (13 homers in 258 at-bats with Detroit last year). Hoffmann, 25, hit .283/.355/.401 in five minor league seasons in the Dodgers’ system. (UPDATE: Gardner is the man in left. Also, the Yankees shipped Hoffmann back to the Dodgers after he cleared waivers.)
"Gardner is a young player trying to establish himself in the game who’s got well above average defensive ability," says Yankees general manager Cashman, before addressing another possibility. "He’s, we think, one of the best center fielders in the game. There are a lot of different ways we can go, including being open-minded to having Gardner in center and Granderson in left. We’ll have to see how it shakes out."
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman would like to see the homegrown Gardner win the job. "Gardner is a young player trying to establish himself in the game who’s got well above average defensive ability," says Cashman, before addressing another possibility. "He’s, we think, one of the best center fielders in the game. There are a lot of different ways we can go, including being open-minded to having Gardner in center and Granderson in left. We’ll have to see how it shakes out."
3. Joba or Hughes for the fifth spot?
Talent evaluators from other clubs believe Phil Hughes is better suited to start than Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain is best when he can go all-out one trip through the lineup; his fastball velocity was noticeably diminished last season when he started. As obvious as the decision seems, what were the Yankees thinking last season when they started Chamberlain but severely limited his pitch counts? That was like having a reliever start the game.
Perhaps because the bullpen solidified when Hughes took over the eighth-inning role, the Yankees stayed the course before adding Chamberlain to the bullpen for the playoffs. Both guys say they want to start in 2010. (UPDATE: Hughes beat out Chamberlain for the rotation spot; Joba returned to a setup role.)
Projected lineup
1. SS Derek Jeter: 107 runs, AL-best 289 times on base.
2. DH Nick Johnson: Career-best .426 OBP for Nats, Marlins.
3. 1B Mark Teixeira: Led club with 39 HRs, 122 RBIs, .948 OPS.
4. 3B Alex Rodriguez: 12th straight 30-HR, 100-RBI season (despite missing 38 games).
5. C Jorge Posada: .891 OPS was second-best among catchers.
6. CF Curtis Granderson: Newcomer hit 30 HRs for first time.
7. 2B Robinson Cano: Led second basemen with .320 AVG, .520 SLG.
8. RF Nick Swisher: Would clean up for some teams (29 HRs, .371 OBP).
9. LF Brett Gardner: Must Beat out Randy Winn, Marcus Thames.
Projected rotation
1. LHP CC Sabathia: Typical dominance (19-8, 3.37 ERA, 230 IP).
2. RHP A.J. Burnett: 1.40 WHIP was his highest since 2003.
3. LHP Andy Pettitte: Best during the postseason: 4-0, 3.52 ERA.
4. RHP Javier Vazquez: Had more IPs, Ks and lower ERA than Sabathia.
5. RHP Phil Hughes: His maturity gives him the edge over Joba.
Projected closer
RHP Mariano Rivera: At 40, still the best in the business.
GRADES
Offense: A. The Yankees were the only team to score more than 900 runs last season, their .362 on-base percentage led the majors by 10 points and their 244 homers were 20 more than the Phillies. Even if the newcomers can’t match the departed, the mainstays are back. And New York will have A-Rod for the entire season.
Pitching: A. They lack the Red Sox’s depth, but any club with the best closer and one of the top starters deserves a high mark. Vazquez gives the rotation a third pitcher capable of 200-plus innings after Sabathia and Burnett. Chamberlain will fit nicely into the eighth-inning role.
Bench: C. This is where the Yankees typically save payroll, and they can because they have six regulars who figure to play at least 150 games. The outfield is deep but, to nitpick, the club could use an upgrade over Ramiro Pena at utility infielder.
Manager: B. Until he started making defensive changes in the middle of an inning during the playoffs, Girardi didn’t over-manage as much in 2009. After winning a championship, he should be even more relaxed in his third season as the Yankees’ skipper.
Sporting News prediction: Money can’t buy a championship, but having the highest-paid players at six positions (third, shortstop, first, catcher, starting pitcher and closer) remains reason No. 1 the Yankees will repeat.
COMING TUESDAY: Red Sox preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Joe Girardi wore No. 27 last season and the Yankees won their 27th World Series. This season, he is sporting No. 28. Next year, no one will be surprised if he asks backup catcher Francisco Cervelli to give up his No. 29. The Yankees are primed to become the first team to repeat since, well, the Yankees completed a three-peat 10 years ago. "They’re the team to beat once again," Rays manager Joe Maddon says.
Javier Vazquez looks like an upgrade for the Yankees’ pitching staff.
Three questions
1. Are the Yankees better than last season?
They don’t need to be to repeat. On paper, however, they should be slightly improved because of the addition of righthander Javier Vazquez. His numbers with the Braves last season were better than any of the Yankees’ starters. The offense will be younger with center fielder Curtis Granderson, DH Nick Johnson and left fielder Brett Gardner replacing Melky Cabrera, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon. Being younger doesn’t mean the offense will be better, but as long as the hitters with the eight-figure salaries — Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada — don’t suffer drastic drop-offs, the Yankees’ offense should be as dangerous as a year ago.
2. Who’s in left?
The leading contender to replace Damon is Gardner, who is faster and superior defensively but doesn’t have Damon’s power. Gardner will have competition, however, from Randy Winn, Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann, the first pick in the Rule 5 draft. Winn, 35, signed a discount deal after enduring his worst season (.318 OBP, two homers in 538 at-bats) with the Giants. Thames, who was signed to a minor league deal, has the power the other candidates lack (13 homers in 258 at-bats with Detroit last year). Hoffmann, 25, hit .283/.355/.401 in five minor league seasons in the Dodgers’ system. (UPDATE: Gardner is the man in left. Also, the Yankees shipped Hoffmann back to the Dodgers after he cleared waivers.)
"Gardner is a young player trying to establish himself in the game who’s got well above average defensive ability," says Yankees general manager Cashman, before addressing another possibility. "He’s, we think, one of the best center fielders in the game. There are a lot of different ways we can go, including being open-minded to having Gardner in center and Granderson in left. We’ll have to see how it shakes out."
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman would like to see the homegrown Gardner win the job. "Gardner is a young player trying to establish himself in the game who’s got well above average defensive ability," says Cashman, before addressing another possibility. "He’s, we think, one of the best center fielders in the game. There are a lot of different ways we can go, including being open-minded to having Gardner in center and Granderson in left. We’ll have to see how it shakes out."
3. Joba or Hughes for the fifth spot?
Talent evaluators from other clubs believe Phil Hughes is better suited to start than Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain is best when he can go all-out one trip through the lineup; his fastball velocity was noticeably diminished last season when he started. As obvious as the decision seems, what were the Yankees thinking last season when they started Chamberlain but severely limited his pitch counts? That was like having a reliever start the game.
Perhaps because the bullpen solidified when Hughes took over the eighth-inning role, the Yankees stayed the course before adding Chamberlain to the bullpen for the playoffs. Both guys say they want to start in 2010. (UPDATE: Hughes beat out Chamberlain for the rotation spot; Joba returned to a setup role.)
Projected lineup
1. SS Derek Jeter: 107 runs, AL-best 289 times on base.
2. DH Nick Johnson: Career-best .426 OBP for Nats, Marlins.
3. 1B Mark Teixeira: Led club with 39 HRs, 122 RBIs, .948 OPS.
4. 3B Alex Rodriguez: 12th straight 30-HR, 100-RBI season (despite missing 38 games).
5. C Jorge Posada: .891 OPS was second-best among catchers.
6. CF Curtis Granderson: Newcomer hit 30 HRs for first time.
7. 2B Robinson Cano: Led second basemen with .320 AVG, .520 SLG.
8. RF Nick Swisher: Would clean up for some teams (29 HRs, .371 OBP).
9. LF Brett Gardner: Must Beat out Randy Winn, Marcus Thames.
Projected rotation
1. LHP CC Sabathia: Typical dominance (19-8, 3.37 ERA, 230 IP).
2. RHP A.J. Burnett: 1.40 WHIP was his highest since 2003.
3. LHP Andy Pettitte: Best during the postseason: 4-0, 3.52 ERA.
4. RHP Javier Vazquez: Had more IPs, Ks and lower ERA than Sabathia.
5. RHP Phil Hughes: His maturity gives him the edge over Joba.
Projected closer
RHP Mariano Rivera: At 40, still the best in the business.
GRADES
Offense: A. The Yankees were the only team to score more than 900 runs last season, their .362 on-base percentage led the majors by 10 points and their 244 homers were 20 more than the Phillies. Even if the newcomers can’t match the departed, the mainstays are back. And New York will have A-Rod for the entire season.
Pitching: A. They lack the Red Sox’s depth, but any club with the best closer and one of the top starters deserves a high mark. Vazquez gives the rotation a third pitcher capable of 200-plus innings after Sabathia and Burnett. Chamberlain will fit nicely into the eighth-inning role.
Bench: C. This is where the Yankees typically save payroll, and they can because they have six regulars who figure to play at least 150 games. The outfield is deep but, to nitpick, the club could use an upgrade over Ramiro Pena at utility infielder.
Manager: B. Until he started making defensive changes in the middle of an inning during the playoffs, Girardi didn’t over-manage as much in 2009. After winning a championship, he should be even more relaxed in his third season as the Yankees’ skipper.
Sporting News prediction: Money can’t buy a championship, but having the highest-paid players at six positions (third, shortstop, first, catcher, starting pitcher and closer) remains reason No. 1 the Yankees will repeat.
COMING TUESDAY: Red Sox preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
You can call them X-factors, wild cards or catalysts. The name doesn’t matter. What does is their performance. Whether filling in for the injured or stepping into new situations, such players can figure into a team’s success as much as the superstars.
A look at six such players, one per division:
The Red Sox signed Mike Cameron to a two-year contract.
AL East
Mike Cameron, Red Sox
Instead of bringing back Jason Bay on a long-term deal, the Red Sox signed Cameron for two years. The change is expected to mean a drop in home runs — Bay led Boston with 36 last year — and an upgrade on defense. The Red Sox like Cameron’s glove work so much they are moving the younger and faster Jacoby Ellsbury to left field to allow Cameron to man center. With one of baseball’s best pitching staffs, the move should work as long as Cameron doesn’t begin to show his age. At 37, he’s the oldest center fielder in the majors.
AL Central
Jon Rauch, Twins
This was shaping up to be a splendid summer in Minnesota until Joe Nathan blew out his elbow and was lost for the season. Instead of turning to leads over to one of the game’s best closers, Ron Gardenhire now says he will use a closer-by-committee approach — another way of saying he doesn’t really have a bonafide closer. Rauch is the committee member with the most closing experience. He will share opportunities with Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain and lefty Jose Mijares.
The M’s hope Milton Bradley will help improve their offense.
AL West
Milton Bradley, Mariners
Who’s bothered that Bradley flamed out in Chicago and already has stirred his share of controversy in Seattle? Not Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu.
After all the strides the Mariners have made in the past year behind pitching and defense, they must improve their offense to truly challenge the Angels. Wakamatsu could have reduced the spotlight on Bradley by putting him in the lower half of the order. Instead, Wakamatsu seriously is considering Bradley as the cleanup hitter in a lineup that will rely on the middle of the order to drive in All-Star table-setters Ichiro Suzuki and Chone Figgins.
Bradley seems ready for the challenge. He says his legs are stronger than they have been in years and though he has popped off about his failed season in Chicago, he is fitting in with his new teammates. Bradley even has pulled one over on the Mariners’ No. 1 jokester, Ken Griffey Jr., by placing a bottle of hair coloring in the greybeard’s locker. "I bought it for myself," Bradley said in an interview. "I noticed he had a little gray in the chin so I figured it would be a good little joke so I put this Just For Men in his locker and he took it and used it."
NL East
Troy Glaus, Braves
The team with the best chance to stop the Phillies from winning their fourth consecutive division title is Atlanta, which would like nothing more than to send Bobby Cox into retirement with a trip to the playoffs.
The Braves have a deep rotation and a retooled bullpen but the offense needs a lift in the power department. While 20-year-old Jason Heyward has hogged the attention this spring, he is a rookie who never has played in a big-league game. The Braves are counting on Glaus to produce in the five-hole behind Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. Glaus missed most of last season because of shoulder surgery and signed a bargain one-year deal to play first.
"No limitations on what I can do, or what I did in the offseason," Glaus said. "I really was healthy at the end of last season."
The Brewers plan to use Randy Wolf as their No. 2 starter.
NL Central
Randy Wolf, Brewers
Milwaukee led this division in runs, homers and OBP last season but finished 11 games out mainly because of the NL’s worst rotation. Enter Wolf, who was signed a three-year deal after posting a 3.32 ERA in 34 starts with the Dodgers. He assumes the No. 2 spot behind Yovani Gallardo, who at 24 could be headed for a breakout year under new pitching coach Rick Peterson.
NL West
Franklin Morales, Rockies
A healthy Huston Street at closer would make picking the Rockies ahead of the Dodgers an easy decision. But a shoulder problem is jeopardizing Street’s season and, perhaps, the Rockies’ best chance of winning their first division title. Street reported stiffness after playing catch over the weekend and is expected to start the season on the disabled list.
Without Street, the Rockies figure to turn to the lefty Morales, who went 7-for-7 in save chances last September when Street was unavailable. Morales, however, spent 2 1-2 months on the disabled list last season with his own shoulder injury. The Rockies’ top setup man, Rafael Betancourt, also has suffered arm woes this spring.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
You can call them X-factors, wild cards or catalysts. The name doesn’t matter. What does is their performance. Whether filling in for the injured or stepping into new situations, such players can figure into a team’s success as much as the superstars.
A look at six such players, one per division:
The Red Sox signed Mike Cameron to a two-year contract.
AL East
Mike Cameron, Red Sox
Instead of bringing back Jason Bay on a long-term deal, the Red Sox signed Cameron for two years. The change is expected to mean a drop in home runs — Bay led Boston with 36 last year — and an upgrade on defense. The Red Sox like Cameron’s glove work so much they are moving the younger and faster Jacoby Ellsbury to left field to allow Cameron to man center. With one of baseball’s best pitching staffs, the move should work as long as Cameron doesn’t begin to show his age. At 37, he’s the oldest center fielder in the majors.
AL Central
Jon Rauch, Twins
This was shaping up to be a splendid summer in Minnesota until Joe Nathan blew out his elbow and was lost for the season. Instead of turning to leads over to one of the game’s best closers, Ron Gardenhire now says he will use a closer-by-committee approach — another way of saying he doesn’t really have a bonafide closer. Rauch is the committee member with the most closing experience. He will share opportunities with Matt Guerrier, Jesse Crain and lefty Jose Mijares.
The M’s hope Milton Bradley will help improve their offense.
AL West
Milton Bradley, Mariners
Who’s bothered that Bradley flamed out in Chicago and already has stirred his share of controversy in Seattle? Not Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu.
After all the strides the Mariners have made in the past year behind pitching and defense, they must improve their offense to truly challenge the Angels. Wakamatsu could have reduced the spotlight on Bradley by putting him in the lower half of the order. Instead, Wakamatsu seriously is considering Bradley as the cleanup hitter in a lineup that will rely on the middle of the order to drive in All-Star table-setters Ichiro Suzuki and Chone Figgins.
Bradley seems ready for the challenge. He says his legs are stronger than they have been in years and though he has popped off about his failed season in Chicago, he is fitting in with his new teammates. Bradley even has pulled one over on the Mariners’ No. 1 jokester, Ken Griffey Jr., by placing a bottle of hair coloring in the greybeard’s locker. "I bought it for myself," Bradley said in an interview. "I noticed he had a little gray in the chin so I figured it would be a good little joke so I put this Just For Men in his locker and he took it and used it."
NL East
Troy Glaus, Braves
The team with the best chance to stop the Phillies from winning their fourth consecutive division title is Atlanta, which would like nothing more than to send Bobby Cox into retirement with a trip to the playoffs.
The Braves have a deep rotation and a retooled bullpen but the offense needs a lift in the power department. While 20-year-old Jason Heyward has hogged the attention this spring, he is a rookie who never has played in a big-league game. The Braves are counting on Glaus to produce in the five-hole behind Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. Glaus missed most of last season because of shoulder surgery and signed a bargain one-year deal to play first.
"No limitations on what I can do, or what I did in the offseason," Glaus said. "I really was healthy at the end of last season."
The Brewers plan to use Randy Wolf as their No. 2 starter.
NL Central
Randy Wolf, Brewers
Milwaukee led this division in runs, homers and OBP last season but finished 11 games out mainly because of the NL’s worst rotation. Enter Wolf, who was signed a three-year deal after posting a 3.32 ERA in 34 starts with the Dodgers. He assumes the No. 2 spot behind Yovani Gallardo, who at 24 could be headed for a breakout year under new pitching coach Rick Peterson.
NL West
Franklin Morales, Rockies
A healthy Huston Street at closer would make picking the Rockies ahead of the Dodgers an easy decision. But a shoulder problem is jeopardizing Street’s season and, perhaps, the Rockies’ best chance of winning their first division title. Street reported stiffness after playing catch over the weekend and is expected to start the season on the disabled list.
Without Street, the Rockies figure to turn to the lefty Morales, who went 7-for-7 in save chances last September when Street was unavailable. Morales, however, spent 2 1-2 months on the disabled list last season with his own shoulder injury. The Rockies’ top setup man, Rafael Betancourt, also has suffered arm woes this spring.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
After a month-long trip through Cactus League and Grapefruit League camps, Sporting News’ Stan McNeal reviews some of the biggest trends, story lines and injuries to track heading into the regular season.
The return of small ball will benefit players like the Yankees’ Curtis Granderson.
1. As the steroids era fades, small ball has returned. Scouts, catchers and basestealers agree: "The real game of baseball is coming back," Nationals speedster Nyjer Morgan said. "It’s a beautiful thing."
Look for more teams to imitate the Angels and Rays with aggressive baserunning. Last year, the Red Sox, Rangers and, in the second half, Athletics picked up their paces. The Mariners, White Sox, Padres and Rockies figure to be among the clubs that join the run fun in 2010.
Beating the best, however, will take balance. The Yankees will run more with Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson in the lineup, but they still will feature power. The Phillies have the game’s best mix of power and speed with two players, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth, capable of 30-homer, 30-steal seasons.
2. Pujols is the best (here’s more proof): When Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols first was sidelined with a back issue this month, he said one reason for the injury was because he was feeling so good. That’s right. Because his surgically repaired elbow felt strong, Pujols spent even more time in the batting cages. He thought too much swinging so early in the year could have caused his back stiffness, or at least contributed to it.
Pujols pledged to take it easy for a day or so and not swing the bat. But bright and early the next morning, he was back in the cage. At least Pujols wasn’t swinging the bat. He was watching pitches, trying to get used to game speed. Three weeks later, however, his back still is bothering him.
3. Damon fits in: Not surprisingly, Johnny Damon has had no trouble fitting in with the Tigers. The guy’s a pro. If he feels any disappointment about the Yankees and his offseason, he hides it easily. A shorter spring training commute has helped. Damon said the daily drive from his home outside of Orlando is about 45 minutes to Tigers camp in Lakeland, compared to about 90 minutes each way from the Yankees’ base in Tampa.
Staying at home in spring training is a big deal to Damon, too. "I had an offer from one team in Arizona (White Sox), but they would have had to pay me a lot more money," Damon told me one day in the Tigers’ clubhouse, his son hanging out near him. Damon even invited teammates to his home when the Tigers visited the Braves at nearby Disney last week. He had no trouble accommodating them: His house is more than 22,000 square feet.
The Brewers’ Jeff Suppan could find himself out of a job if he doesn’t improve.
4. Suppan is struggling: One of a beat writer’s chores each day is to talk with the starting pitcher after he puts in his work. No matter the results, the pitcher is satisfied if he is able to put in his work. Early on, it is about fastball command. Then it is about working in breaking pitches. Then it is building arm strength. Rarely is all about getting out hitters.
Brewers starter Jeff Suppan is an exception. "Every time I’m out there, no matter what time of year it is, I am concentrating on getting out the hitter," he said.
When you are fighting for your job, you must have results. Suppan isn’t faring too well. His ERA this spring is 7.71, and that is down after allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings in his most recent start. He will be relegated to the No. 5 spot in the rotation—at best—a year after starting on opening day.
Three strikes
1. Don’t expect Lance Berkman to be 100 percent for a while. The Astros first baseman took his first batting practice swings just two weeks after March 13 surgery on his left knee, but the knee remains swollen.
2. I had a feeling Jason Heyward was different when, a few weeks ago, he said this offseason was the same as any other for him. "I used the same batting instructor and the same conditioning guy that I have since I was 14," he said. A conditioning guy at 14? Heyward, 20, has known what he has wanted for a long time. He didn’t get his childhood number, though. He said No. 24 has been his number, but the Braves issued him No. 22 after they told him he had made the club. Veteran Nate McLouth sports No. 24 in Atlanta.
3. Two Orioles to watch: lefthander Brian Matusz and outfielder Felix Pie. With Nolan Reimold dealing with a foot problem, Pie—a favorite of manager Dave Trembley—could see more playing time than most so-called fourth outfielders. Matusz, 23, has shown this month that he has the stuff to be a No. 1 starter.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
After a month-long trip through Cactus League and Grapefruit League camps, Sporting News’ Stan McNeal reviews some of the biggest trends, story lines and injuries to track heading into the regular season.
The return of small ball will benefit players like the Yankees’ Curtis Granderson.
1. As the steroids era fades, small ball has returned. Scouts, catchers and basestealers agree: "The real game of baseball is coming back," Nationals speedster Nyjer Morgan said. "It’s a beautiful thing."
Look for more teams to imitate the Angels and Rays with aggressive baserunning. Last year, the Red Sox, Rangers and, in the second half, Athletics picked up their paces. The Mariners, White Sox, Padres and Rockies figure to be among the clubs that join the run fun in 2010.
Beating the best, however, will take balance. The Yankees will run more with Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson in the lineup, but they still will feature power. The Phillies have the game’s best mix of power and speed with two players, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth, capable of 30-homer, 30-steal seasons.
2. Pujols is the best (here’s more proof): When Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols first was sidelined with a back issue this month, he said one reason for the injury was because he was feeling so good. That’s right. Because his surgically repaired elbow felt strong, Pujols spent even more time in the batting cages. He thought too much swinging so early in the year could have caused his back stiffness, or at least contributed to it.
Pujols pledged to take it easy for a day or so and not swing the bat. But bright and early the next morning, he was back in the cage. At least Pujols wasn’t swinging the bat. He was watching pitches, trying to get used to game speed. Three weeks later, however, his back still is bothering him.
3. Damon fits in: Not surprisingly, Johnny Damon has had no trouble fitting in with the Tigers. The guy’s a pro. If he feels any disappointment about the Yankees and his offseason, he hides it easily. A shorter spring training commute has helped. Damon said the daily drive from his home outside of Orlando is about 45 minutes to Tigers camp in Lakeland, compared to about 90 minutes each way from the Yankees’ base in Tampa.
Staying at home in spring training is a big deal to Damon, too. "I had an offer from one team in Arizona (White Sox), but they would have had to pay me a lot more money," Damon told me one day in the Tigers’ clubhouse, his son hanging out near him. Damon even invited teammates to his home when the Tigers visited the Braves at nearby Disney last week. He had no trouble accommodating them: His house is more than 22,000 square feet.
The Brewers’ Jeff Suppan could find himself out of a job if he doesn’t improve.
4. Suppan is struggling: One of a beat writer’s chores each day is to talk with the starting pitcher after he puts in his work. No matter the results, the pitcher is satisfied if he is able to put in his work. Early on, it is about fastball command. Then it is about working in breaking pitches. Then it is building arm strength. Rarely is all about getting out hitters.
Brewers starter Jeff Suppan is an exception. "Every time I’m out there, no matter what time of year it is, I am concentrating on getting out the hitter," he said.
When you are fighting for your job, you must have results. Suppan isn’t faring too well. His ERA this spring is 7.71, and that is down after allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings in his most recent start. He will be relegated to the No. 5 spot in the rotation—at best—a year after starting on opening day.
Three strikes
1. Don’t expect Lance Berkman to be 100 percent for a while. The Astros first baseman took his first batting practice swings just two weeks after March 13 surgery on his left knee, but the knee remains swollen.
2. I had a feeling Jason Heyward was different when, a few weeks ago, he said this offseason was the same as any other for him. "I used the same batting instructor and the same conditioning guy that I have since I was 14," he said. A conditioning guy at 14? Heyward, 20, has known what he has wanted for a long time. He didn’t get his childhood number, though. He said No. 24 has been his number, but the Braves issued him No. 22 after they told him he had made the club. Veteran Nate McLouth sports No. 24 in Atlanta.
3. Two Orioles to watch: lefthander Brian Matusz and outfielder Felix Pie. With Nolan Reimold dealing with a foot problem, Pie—a favorite of manager Dave Trembley—could see more playing time than most so-called fourth outfielders. Matusz, 23, has shown this month that he has the stuff to be a No. 1 starter.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
If the Giants ever reach the playoffs, they will be difficult to beat because of their standout pitching. Last season, ace Tim Lincecum won his second consecutive NL Cy Young award, Matt Cain finished 10th in the majors with a 2.89 ERA and Jonathan Sanchez tossed a no-hitter. Closer Brian Wilson had 38 saves. But before they worry about October, the Giants need someone to step up and help Pablo Sandoval pump up the offense.
The Giants know Pablo Sandoval can hit, but where will the rest of the offense come from?
Three questions
1. Do they have enough offense?
The Giants have one of the NL’s best hitters in the "Kung Fu Panda," 23-year-old switch hitter Pablo Sandoval. In 2009, Sandoval hit 13 homers at AT&T Park, the most by a Giant since Barry Bonds hit 16 in 2007. Instead of pursuing Jason Bay or Matt Holliday in free agency, however, the Giants brought in veterans Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff.
In addition to new hitting coach Hensley Meulens, will the newcomers be enough to turn around an offense that took fewer pitches and reached base less than any in the majors last season? "Lack of consistency was what got us in trouble," manager Bruce Bochy said. "That’s why this winter, (GM) Brian Sabean and the organization got some guys who could not just get on base, but be a little more selective at the plate and also drive in runs."
2. Where else are they lacking?
Another reason San Francisco had such a low on-base percentage was because it had no one with the speed to leg out infield hits. And still doesn’t. This could be the majors’ slowest team; not a single regular has plus speed. The Giants’ center fielder is Aaron Rowand, who is known more for his fearlessness than his wheels. Shortstop Edgar Renteria never was a blazer and is going on 35. Catcher Bengie Molina is one of the slowest runners in the game.
The lack of team speed won’t hurt only offensively. The Giants will be hard-pressed to cover their roomy outfield, and except for Freddy Sanchez at second, none of the infielders can be expected to cover a much ground.
3. What about that pitching?
Forget Lincecum’s struggles this spring. It took him awhile to get rolling last year and when he did, he was the best in the NL. Lefthander Barry Zito never will live up to his $126 million contract, but he proved huge in the second half when he put up better numbers than Cain. If Zito can begin 2010 like he finished 2009, the Giants will have the best 1-2-3 starters in the division — and perhaps in the NL. The fourth and fifth starters are less stable, with Sanchez still seeking consistency and Todd Wellemeyer coming off a subpar season. Madison Bumgarner, 20, would give the rotation a third lefty if eventually promoted.
The bullpen, led by Wilson, should continue to be a strength even though it could feature only one lefthander — reliable Jeremy Affeldt.
Projected lineup
1. CF Aaron Rowand: .341 OBP when leading off in ’09; .319 overall.
2. 2B Freddy Sanchez: Will start season on D.L. (shoulder surgery).
3. 3B Pablo Sandoval: .387 OBP, .330 AVG, .943 OPS last season.
4. 1B Aubrey Huff: Career lows in ’09: .241 AVG, .310 OBP.
5. LF Mark DeRosa: 23 HRs despite second-half wrist injury.
6. C Bengie Molina: More HRs (20) than BBs (13) last season.
7. SS Edgar Renteria: Career lows in ’09: .250 AVG, .307 OBP, .328 SLG.
8. RF Nate Schierholtz: 6 HRs in 472 career at-bats.
PROJECTED ROTATION
1. RHP Tim Lincecum: Past two seasons: 452 1/3 IP, 2.55 ERA.
2. RHP Matt Cain: Tied Lincecum for NL lead with 4 CGs in ’09.
3. LHP Barry Zito: 2.83 ERA in 15 second-half starts; 5.01 in 18 first-half starts.
4. LHP Jonathan Sanchez: 3.83 ERA in 15 second-half starts; 4.69 before break. 5. RHP Todd Wellemeyer: 3.71 ERA for Cardinals in ’08; 5.89 in ’09
Projected lineup
RHP Brian Wilson: Converted 79 of 92 save chances the past 2 seasons.
Grades
Offense: C. The Giants had the fewest walks in the majors last season, so it should be no surprise they also had the lowest on-base percentage (.309). They didn’t have much power, either, as their 122 homers surpassed only the Mets’ 95. DeRosa and Huff should provide Sandoval more support than he had last season.
Pitching: A. It doesn’t get much better than Lincecum and Cain at the front end of the rotation and Wilson coming in for the ninth. There are plenty of quality arms in between, as well, including Zito, Affeldt and righthanded reliever Brandon Medders.
Bench: B. First baseman Travis Ishikawa, outfielder Eugenio Velez and infielder Juan Uribe all return after playing regularly for much of last season. Velez is the rare Giant with speed. Ishikawa will, at the least, be used often as a late-inning defensive replacement at first. It remains to be seen whether the Giants will carry top prospect Buster Posey as a backup catcher/infielder.
Manager: B. Last year’s 16-game improvement gave Bochy his first winning season in San Francisco and helped him secure a two-year extension. In 12 seasons with San Diego before being hired by the Giants, Bochy took the Padres to the playoffs four times.
Sporting News prediction: Even if the offense is improved, the Giants lack the firepower to hang in there with the Rockies and Dodgers over a 162-game season.
Coming Thursday: Padres preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
If the Giants ever reach the playoffs, they will be difficult to beat because of their standout pitching. Last season, ace Tim Lincecum won his second consecutive NL Cy Young award, Matt Cain finished 10th in the majors with a 2.89 ERA and Jonathan Sanchez tossed a no-hitter. Closer Brian Wilson had 38 saves. But before they worry about October, the Giants need someone to step up and help Pablo Sandoval pump up the offense.
The Giants know Pablo Sandoval can hit, but where will the rest of the offense come from?
Three questions
1. Do they have enough offense?
The Giants have one of the NL’s best hitters in the "Kung Fu Panda," 23-year-old switch hitter Pablo Sandoval. In 2009, Sandoval hit 13 homers at AT&T Park, the most by a Giant since Barry Bonds hit 16 in 2007. Instead of pursuing Jason Bay or Matt Holliday in free agency, however, the Giants brought in veterans Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff.
In addition to new hitting coach Hensley Meulens, will the newcomers be enough to turn around an offense that took fewer pitches and reached base less than any in the majors last season? "Lack of consistency was what got us in trouble," manager Bruce Bochy said. "That’s why this winter, (GM) Brian Sabean and the organization got some guys who could not just get on base, but be a little more selective at the plate and also drive in runs."
2. Where else are they lacking?
Another reason San Francisco had such a low on-base percentage was because it had no one with the speed to leg out infield hits. And still doesn’t. This could be the majors’ slowest team; not a single regular has plus speed. The Giants’ center fielder is Aaron Rowand, who is known more for his fearlessness than his wheels. Shortstop Edgar Renteria never was a blazer and is going on 35. Catcher Bengie Molina is one of the slowest runners in the game.
The lack of team speed won’t hurt only offensively. The Giants will be hard-pressed to cover their roomy outfield, and except for Freddy Sanchez at second, none of the infielders can be expected to cover a much ground.
3. What about that pitching?
Forget Lincecum’s struggles this spring. It took him awhile to get rolling last year and when he did, he was the best in the NL. Lefthander Barry Zito never will live up to his $126 million contract, but he proved huge in the second half when he put up better numbers than Cain. If Zito can begin 2010 like he finished 2009, the Giants will have the best 1-2-3 starters in the division — and perhaps in the NL. The fourth and fifth starters are less stable, with Sanchez still seeking consistency and Todd Wellemeyer coming off a subpar season. Madison Bumgarner, 20, would give the rotation a third lefty if eventually promoted.
The bullpen, led by Wilson, should continue to be a strength even though it could feature only one lefthander — reliable Jeremy Affeldt.
Projected lineup
1. CF Aaron Rowand: .341 OBP when leading off in ’09; .319 overall.
2. 2B Freddy Sanchez: Will start season on D.L. (shoulder surgery).
3. 3B Pablo Sandoval: .387 OBP, .330 AVG, .943 OPS last season.
4. 1B Aubrey Huff: Career lows in ’09: .241 AVG, .310 OBP.
5. LF Mark DeRosa: 23 HRs despite second-half wrist injury.
6. C Bengie Molina: More HRs (20) than BBs (13) last season.
7. SS Edgar Renteria: Career lows in ’09: .250 AVG, .307 OBP, .328 SLG.
8. RF Nate Schierholtz: 6 HRs in 472 career at-bats.
PROJECTED ROTATION
1. RHP Tim Lincecum: Past two seasons: 452 1/3 IP, 2.55 ERA.
2. RHP Matt Cain: Tied Lincecum for NL lead with 4 CGs in ’09.
3. LHP Barry Zito: 2.83 ERA in 15 second-half starts; 5.01 in 18 first-half starts.
4. LHP Jonathan Sanchez: 3.83 ERA in 15 second-half starts; 4.69 before break. 5. RHP Todd Wellemeyer: 3.71 ERA for Cardinals in ’08; 5.89 in ’09
Projected lineup
RHP Brian Wilson: Converted 79 of 92 save chances the past 2 seasons.
Grades
Offense: C. The Giants had the fewest walks in the majors last season, so it should be no surprise they also had the lowest on-base percentage (.309). They didn’t have much power, either, as their 122 homers surpassed only the Mets’ 95. DeRosa and Huff should provide Sandoval more support than he had last season.
Pitching: A. It doesn’t get much better than Lincecum and Cain at the front end of the rotation and Wilson coming in for the ninth. There are plenty of quality arms in between, as well, including Zito, Affeldt and righthanded reliever Brandon Medders.
Bench: B. First baseman Travis Ishikawa, outfielder Eugenio Velez and infielder Juan Uribe all return after playing regularly for much of last season. Velez is the rare Giant with speed. Ishikawa will, at the least, be used often as a late-inning defensive replacement at first. It remains to be seen whether the Giants will carry top prospect Buster Posey as a backup catcher/infielder.
Manager: B. Last year’s 16-game improvement gave Bochy his first winning season in San Francisco and helped him secure a two-year extension. In 12 seasons with San Diego before being hired by the Giants, Bochy took the Padres to the playoffs four times.
Sporting News prediction: Even if the offense is improved, the Giants lack the firepower to hang in there with the Rockies and Dodgers over a 162-game season.
Coming Thursday: Padres preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Rough springs don’t always turn into tough seasons. Alex Rodriguez’s steroids admission and hip injury dampened the Yankees’ camp last year and they won the World Series. On the flip side, check the Mets: Their injuries started early with Johan Santana’s elbow stiffness and never let up. They still haven’t, in fact.
Any manager will tell you getting out of spring training with a healthy roster is more important than winning, putting up numbers or even figuring out that No. 5 starter.
"You want to be healthy so good players can be productive, that’s the idea," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Monday.
His Red Sox have dealt with their share of nagging issues and a bug that spread through the clubhouse but they seem to be gaining full health just at the right time — in the stretch drive of spring training.
Spring has not been quite so kind to four other contenders.
Rangers
Things seemed to be flowing their way after the ownership change ended with Nolan Ryan where he should be, in charge of the baseball side. But then spring training began. Besides injuries, the Rangers also have had to deal with the biggest drug story of the spring: Manager Ron Washington’s positive test for cocaine last season.
The Rangers have had to deal with revelations of Ron Washington’s 2009 positive drug test.
Give the club credit for giving him a second chance. Give Washington his due for being as up front as one can be about his transgression (well, after he changed his story a bit and admitted he had used other drugs before). He offered to resign and said, "I am not here to make excuses. There are none. I am not here to ask for sympathy. That would be asking too much."
Washington certainly faces more pressure to win if he wants to manage past this season and adding to that challenge is a spate of injuries. Slugger Josh Hamilton, who missed half of last season, banged a shoulder early in camp and was sidelined for more than week. Then he had to deal with an infected tooth. He’s been in the lineup lately, though, and is hitting well. Second baseman Ian Kinsler can’t say the same. He suffered a high ankle sprain early in March, hasn’t returned and might not be ready by opening day. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was scratched from a game Sunday because of an upper back issue. He already has trying to come back from a shoulder injury that ended his 2009 in August. The Rangers must be concerned because they traded for another catcher, Matt Treanor, on Monday.
Two of the club’s promising starters, Tommy Hunter and Derek Holland, have been slowed or sidelined. Hunter was penciled into the rotation until he came down with an ab injury. Considering he has, shall we say, a lot of core to support, the injury could linger. Holland’s chance to make the rotation went awry when he sprained a knee early in camp and fell behind. Another lefty, C.J. Wilson, however, has made the most of his opportunity to make the rotation and emerged as the favorite for one of two available spots.
Twins
No club has dealt with such a high and a low this spring, and in the same day no less. A day that started with All-Star closer Joe Nathan saying he would have season-ending Tommy John surgery ended with the club announcing MVP Joe Mauer had agreed to an eight-year, $184 million extension that should keep him in Minnesota through 2018.
As great as Mauer staying is for the future of the club — and the game, really — Nathan’s absence could derail the present. The Twins will say little about his replacement, though 6-11 Jon Rauch figures to be the most likely in-house choice.
But don’t be surprised if Francisco Liriano emerges before opening day. Liriano is the club’s former uber-lefty who has not quite been the same since he underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2006 season. Manager Ron Gardenhire, however, was talking up Liriano on Sunday, saying Liriano’s slider is back to 2006 form when he was blowign away the AL after being called up as a 22-year-old. "Those sliders he threw the other day are unhittable," Gardenhire said. "Guys were swinging and missing by a foot. That slider is really snapping. It is a hard slider."
It should be noted that a year ago, Gardenhire was saying much the same. What has changed, however, is improved fastball location and the return of Liriano’s confidence. But Gardenhire is coy when asked if Liriano, no shoo-in for the rotation, could end up working the ninth inning.
"There’s one guy who we all know who can be a closer," Gardenhire said, and he was referring to Liriano. "He’s got all the closing stuff: punch-out pitches, the whole package. Whether it’s the right thing or whether he wants to do it or not, we’ll have to wait and see."
What if Liriano comes to you and volunteer to closes? "We would talk about him, for sure, if he wants to close. Definitely." Gardenhire said.
Cliff Lee has had to deal with an injury and a suspension this spring.
Mariners
Two of their key newcomers have struggled. Lefty Cliff Lee had a foot procedure before spring training that slowed him early and the dreaded abdominal strain — or something akin — struck last week. He will not throw again til the end of the week, likely delaying at least his first start. If injury didn’t threaten his Seattle debut, suspension did. Lee got five games after the commissioner’s office ruled he was throwing at Ariona’s Chris Synder, though he was expected to appeal.
Milton Bradley has avoided suspension but already has been ejected twice for arguing balls and strikes. The Mariners, taking the spring-training view, say they are not concerned. Manager Don Wakamatsu, in fact, called out umpires for a "witch hunt" on his often-troubled player.
"Milton’s here, I’ve been very pleased," Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said last week. "He’s swung the bat very well lately. In the clubhouse, he’s been very engaging. The players like him. Milton likes it here. I don’t care what’s happened in the past. All I care about is what Milton doing right now and I’m very pleased with it."
Rockies
Even true optimist Jim Tracy has to be worried about the end of his bullpen. Its two most important members, Rafael Betancourt and closer Huston Street, are not likely to be 100 percent soon. Street, in fact, might not pitch before May.
The news could have been worse, though. An MRI showed no structural damage on Street’s throwing shoulder so he should pitch sometime sooner than later. How effective he is remains to be determined.
Much like we’ll have to wait and see how bad springs carry over into the regular season.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Rough springs don’t always turn into tough seasons. Alex Rodriguez’s steroids admission and hip injury dampened the Yankees’ camp last year and they won the World Series. On the flip side, check the Mets: Their injuries started early with Johan Santana’s elbow stiffness and never let up. They still haven’t, in fact.
Any manager will tell you getting out of spring training with a healthy roster is more important than winning, putting up numbers or even figuring out that No. 5 starter.
"You want to be healthy so good players can be productive, that’s the idea," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said Monday.
His Red Sox have dealt with their share of nagging issues and a bug that spread through the clubhouse but they seem to be gaining full health just at the right time — in the stretch drive of spring training.
Spring has not been quite so kind to four other contenders.
Rangers
Things seemed to be flowing their way after the ownership change ended with Nolan Ryan where he should be, in charge of the baseball side. But then spring training began. Besides injuries, the Rangers also have had to deal with the biggest drug story of the spring: Manager Ron Washington’s positive test for cocaine last season.
The Rangers have had to deal with revelations of Ron Washington’s 2009 positive drug test.
Give the club credit for giving him a second chance. Give Washington his due for being as up front as one can be about his transgression (well, after he changed his story a bit and admitted he had used other drugs before). He offered to resign and said, "I am not here to make excuses. There are none. I am not here to ask for sympathy. That would be asking too much."
Washington certainly faces more pressure to win if he wants to manage past this season and adding to that challenge is a spate of injuries. Slugger Josh Hamilton, who missed half of last season, banged a shoulder early in camp and was sidelined for more than week. Then he had to deal with an infected tooth. He’s been in the lineup lately, though, and is hitting well. Second baseman Ian Kinsler can’t say the same. He suffered a high ankle sprain early in March, hasn’t returned and might not be ready by opening day. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was scratched from a game Sunday because of an upper back issue. He already has trying to come back from a shoulder injury that ended his 2009 in August. The Rangers must be concerned because they traded for another catcher, Matt Treanor, on Monday.
Two of the club’s promising starters, Tommy Hunter and Derek Holland, have been slowed or sidelined. Hunter was penciled into the rotation until he came down with an ab injury. Considering he has, shall we say, a lot of core to support, the injury could linger. Holland’s chance to make the rotation went awry when he sprained a knee early in camp and fell behind. Another lefty, C.J. Wilson, however, has made the most of his opportunity to make the rotation and emerged as the favorite for one of two available spots.
Twins
No club has dealt with such a high and a low this spring, and in the same day no less. A day that started with All-Star closer Joe Nathan saying he would have season-ending Tommy John surgery ended with the club announcing MVP Joe Mauer had agreed to an eight-year, $184 million extension that should keep him in Minnesota through 2018.
As great as Mauer staying is for the future of the club — and the game, really — Nathan’s absence could derail the present. The Twins will say little about his replacement, though 6-11 Jon Rauch figures to be the most likely in-house choice.
But don’t be surprised if Francisco Liriano emerges before opening day. Liriano is the club’s former uber-lefty who has not quite been the same since he underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2006 season. Manager Ron Gardenhire, however, was talking up Liriano on Sunday, saying Liriano’s slider is back to 2006 form when he was blowign away the AL after being called up as a 22-year-old. "Those sliders he threw the other day are unhittable," Gardenhire said. "Guys were swinging and missing by a foot. That slider is really snapping. It is a hard slider."
It should be noted that a year ago, Gardenhire was saying much the same. What has changed, however, is improved fastball location and the return of Liriano’s confidence. But Gardenhire is coy when asked if Liriano, no shoo-in for the rotation, could end up working the ninth inning.
"There’s one guy who we all know who can be a closer," Gardenhire said, and he was referring to Liriano. "He’s got all the closing stuff: punch-out pitches, the whole package. Whether it’s the right thing or whether he wants to do it or not, we’ll have to wait and see."
What if Liriano comes to you and volunteer to closes? "We would talk about him, for sure, if he wants to close. Definitely." Gardenhire said.
Cliff Lee has had to deal with an injury and a suspension this spring.
Mariners
Two of their key newcomers have struggled. Lefty Cliff Lee had a foot procedure before spring training that slowed him early and the dreaded abdominal strain — or something akin — struck last week. He will not throw again til the end of the week, likely delaying at least his first start. If injury didn’t threaten his Seattle debut, suspension did. Lee got five games after the commissioner’s office ruled he was throwing at Ariona’s Chris Synder, though he was expected to appeal.
Milton Bradley has avoided suspension but already has been ejected twice for arguing balls and strikes. The Mariners, taking the spring-training view, say they are not concerned. Manager Don Wakamatsu, in fact, called out umpires for a "witch hunt" on his often-troubled player.
"Milton’s here, I’ve been very pleased," Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said last week. "He’s swung the bat very well lately. In the clubhouse, he’s been very engaging. The players like him. Milton likes it here. I don’t care what’s happened in the past. All I care about is what Milton doing right now and I’m very pleased with it."
Rockies
Even true optimist Jim Tracy has to be worried about the end of his bullpen. Its two most important members, Rafael Betancourt and closer Huston Street, are not likely to be 100 percent soon. Street, in fact, might not pitch before May.
The news could have been worse, though. An MRI showed no structural damage on Street’s throwing shoulder so he should pitch sometime sooner than later. How effective he is remains to be determined.
Much like we’ll have to wait and see how bad springs carry over into the regular season.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
By Stan McNeal
Sporting News’ Stan McNeal visited Braves and Astros camps Friday:
Heyward does it again
Jason Heyward continues to keep auto insurers busy. In batting practice Friday, the 20-year-old uber-prospect hit another car with one of his mammoth home runs. This was quite a precision shot. Heyward dodged the protective nets in right field and landed this homer smack in the middle of a rearview mirror of Braves’ media relations director Brad Hainje. The mirror was smashed, but no harm was done to the part that contains the mirror.
Heyward — some are calling him the "Say Hey Kid" — has been the hit of spring training, as much for his batting practice shows as for an overall game that is far ahead of most his age. He has walked nine times and struck out only three. He is hitting .440, runs the bases well, plays good defense and goes about his business like a veteran.
So how many more cars will he have to bruise before the Braves announce he will open the season as their right fielder?
"He’s left me some messages," Braves general manager Frank Wren said, "But we haven’t talked yet."
The decision will not hinge on finances, Wren said. "It’s about being competitive," he insisted.
Finances, however, are worth considering. It is about service time. After six seasons, players are eligible to become free agents. If Heyward is in the majors all of 2010, that counts as one season. If the Braves send him to the minors for just a couple of weeks, however, Heyward then would not accrue the 172 days needed for a full season of service time and would have to wait another year to become a free agent.
If you think that is forecasting a bit too far ahead, Wren won’t disagree. "Who’s smart enough to know what’s going to happen in the next six years?" he asked.
Who’s smart enough to know what will happen in the next six weeks? As Wren pointed out, "What if we send him down and he hits .150 because he’s trying so hard to get up here. How would we bring him up then?"
Jair Jurrjens is getting closer
The Braves’ 24-year-old ace says he is "80 percent," no make it "90 percent" ready to start the season. He has made two spring training starts — the first was rained out — since being delayed by shoulder pain in February. The feeling in his shoulder was more than scary. "It was pain," he said. "I couldn’t play catch at 60 feet."
He still feels occasional "tightness" but is not expected to miss any more starts, in spring or the regular season.
Lance Berkman is, too, slowly
Six days after left knee surgery, Astros first baseman Lance Berkman is looking like he is a month away from returning. He was walking gingerly through the Astros’ clubhouse Friday morning — but not limping. Doctors want him to walk normally, even if that means walking very slowly. "I want to pick up the pace and drag it," he said.
The knee remains swollen and he has been limited to a little work on the stationary bike. "Range of motion stuff," he said.
Berkman said the swelling went down noticeably in the first 24 hours after surgery but has not subsided any further in the past three or four days.
He said surgery was the right option because he didn’t want to be limited throughout the season.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
By Stan McNeal
Sporting News’ Stan McNeal visited Braves and Astros camps Friday:
Heyward does it again
Jason Heyward continues to keep auto insurers busy. In batting practice Friday, the 20-year-old uber-prospect hit another car with one of his mammoth home runs. This was quite a precision shot. Heyward dodged the protective nets in right field and landed this homer smack in the middle of a rearview mirror of Braves’ media relations director Brad Hainje. The mirror was smashed, but no harm was done to the part that contains the mirror.
Heyward — some are calling him the "Say Hey Kid" — has been the hit of spring training, as much for his batting practice shows as for an overall game that is far ahead of most his age. He has walked nine times and struck out only three. He is hitting .440, runs the bases well, plays good defense and goes about his business like a veteran.
So how many more cars will he have to bruise before the Braves announce he will open the season as their right fielder?
"He’s left me some messages," Braves general manager Frank Wren said, "But we haven’t talked yet."
The decision will not hinge on finances, Wren said. "It’s about being competitive," he insisted.
Finances, however, are worth considering. It is about service time. After six seasons, players are eligible to become free agents. If Heyward is in the majors all of 2010, that counts as one season. If the Braves send him to the minors for just a couple of weeks, however, Heyward then would not accrue the 172 days needed for a full season of service time and would have to wait another year to become a free agent.
If you think that is forecasting a bit too far ahead, Wren won’t disagree. "Who’s smart enough to know what’s going to happen in the next six years?" he asked.
Who’s smart enough to know what will happen in the next six weeks? As Wren pointed out, "What if we send him down and he hits .150 because he’s trying so hard to get up here. How would we bring him up then?"
Jair Jurrjens is getting closer
The Braves’ 24-year-old ace says he is "80 percent," no make it "90 percent" ready to start the season. He has made two spring training starts — the first was rained out — since being delayed by shoulder pain in February. The feeling in his shoulder was more than scary. "It was pain," he said. "I couldn’t play catch at 60 feet."
He still feels occasional "tightness" but is not expected to miss any more starts, in spring or the regular season.
Lance Berkman is, too, slowly
Six days after left knee surgery, Astros first baseman Lance Berkman is looking like he is a month away from returning. He was walking gingerly through the Astros’ clubhouse Friday morning — but not limping. Doctors want him to walk normally, even if that means walking very slowly. "I want to pick up the pace and drag it," he said.
The knee remains swollen and he has been limited to a little work on the stationary bike. "Range of motion stuff," he said.
Berkman said the swelling went down noticeably in the first 24 hours after surgery but has not subsided any further in the past three or four days.
He said surgery was the right option because he didn’t want to be limited throughout the season.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
