Inside Pulse Sports

30 Teams in 30 Days: Colorado Rockies Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:21 +0000

1. Jhoulys Chacin, P – Chacin is a groundball machine, which makes him a perfect fit in Colorado. He’s didn’t look very well in his brief call up last year. I think he’ll see some rotation time this year, but will benefit by starting the season in Triple A.

2. Tyler Matzek, P – Matzek is ranked high purely on potential. He has four pitches that will be at least average. He’s got control issues, but he’s young and can fly through the organization once he gets control. He could be a 2-3 starter.

3. Christian Friedrich, P – Friedrich has been perfect since he was projected as an early first round pick and drop to the bottom of the round in 2008. He’s got four good pitches, led by an incredible curve. To move to the next level, he’ll need to fine tune his command. I expect him to be another 2-3 starter.

4. Rex Brothers, P – Brothers is another solid pitcher. There are concerns with having more than 2 pitches and his endurance. At this point, he looks like a solid bullpen arm; worst case scenario is a LOOGY.

5. Juan Nicasio, P – Nicasio has a great arm, which he showed during his stay in Asheville. He was old for the level, so he’ll need to move up quickly to get on track. I expect him to be a back of the rotation starter.

6. Esmil Rogers, P – Another live arm. He saw 4 innings with Colorado last year; he didn’t do horrible, but his Triple A numbers were. He’ll need to work on stretching out more (he average 6.1 innings in Double A), or he may move to the bullpen.

7. Eric Young Jr, 2B – Young is still raw at second base; he’s got to work on his defense. He’s got great speed though, and isn’t afraid to steal a base. He’s seen a little time in the outfield, but probably won’t be able to crack the Rockies line up there. He’s probably going to be up in Denver this year.

8. Wilin Rosario, C – Many see Rosario’s 2009 as a disappointment, but you have to remember that he was young for his level. He’ll probably repeat and hopefully improve. He’ll need to work on both offense and defense to elevate his game.

9. Sam Deduno, P – Deduno has a chance to breakout this year if he can prove he’s recovered from Tommy John surgery. He’s at the last stage, where he’s looking for his command. If it comes back, he’ll move quickly.

10. Hector Gomez, SS – Gomez is an all fielding, no hitting prospect. He’s young, so he can still work on his bat. If he can at least work on his strike zone judgment, he’ll be a worth-while prospect at short. This is a make or break year.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Colorado Rockies Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:40 +0000

Our guest bloggers is Matt Seybold from the Sporting Hippeau.

Question 1 – Each year it seems that the Rockies make a late season charge to compete; why can’t the Rockies start the season hot?

Jeff: for one thing, it certainly wouldn’t be realistic for them to keep up their recent late season pace all year — but as to ‘why’ they don’t start hot?? Who knows — but for my money, I would sure rather finish on fire than start that way — can anyone actually remember (not guess) who was leading the NL West on May15 last year….me either — but back to the question, possibly it’s weather related? not sure….maybe Jim Tracy is an evil genius who just sees the season as one big snowball…the epitome of getting bigger (and better) every week — or maybe it’s just some crazy random anomaly, which is actually most likely the case — chalk one up to randomnessism.

Tom: I don’t think there’s any shady reason the Rockies don’t compete late early in the season. When something bizarrely unexplainable happens in Denver, I blame the altitude. Maybe it’s some early season combination of cold, weather, altitude, and lack of asthma medication. I also think there’s something to be said for a team entirely under 30. The older guys probably start to tire out toward the end of a six month season. A team of 20 year olds are looking for their next drink.

Eugene: I agree that there isn’t a real reason. The idea of the youthful team makes sense; not so much the drinking part, but I think a lot of guys don’t know how to condition properly at an early age. I’d expect to see them get better earlier each year due to experience.

Question 2 – Can Ian Stewart finally live up to potential?

Chad: Stewart really seemed to turn a corner in the second half of last year. He hit much closer to his career minor league numbers, so logic says he’s finally figured it out. He still hit 20+ HRs last year and even stole a few bases. I think a 25-30 HR, .270 avg is a pretty good bet for this year. If that’s living up to potential, then yes, he will finally live up to potential.

Eugene: I think Stewart was impressive enough that they’d get rid of Atkins for him. He’s got the ability to hit and his defense is too shabby. I like him better as a full time player more than Clint Barmes.

Tom: To me, it seems like Ian Stewart is just following a normal career path for a low-average power hitter who strikes out a lot. His average is low but his OPS sticks around league-average while hitting 25 home runs. If he keeps this up, he can aspire to be the new Adam Dunn — a guy who everyone thinks is worse than he actually is.

Question 3 – What will the Rockies rotation look like this year?

Matt: There’s a real chance this could be Colorado’s best rotation ever. I see Ubaldo Jimenez developing into a legitimate Ace, with Aaron Cook, Jorge De La Rosa, and Jeff Francis all solid middle-of-the-rotation guys. Jason Hammel pitcher pretty well at the tail end of ‘09, but I think he’ll be pressed by Jhoulys Chacin and Franklin Morales for the #5 spot. If they can all stay healthy, it’s a very talented staff.

Eugene: I think their rotation is better than anything they’ve run out in their history. With Jimenez taking the ace role, Jeff Francis has less stress coming back from injury and expecting to lead the rotation. Cook is a solid mid-rotation starter. I’m not sold on de la Rosa, but he’s also pitching for a contract so he could have a monster year. I like Chacin as the better 5th starter option. This rotation matched up well with the Dodgers, but is still behind the Giants and Diamondbacks, just for the top of their rotations.

Question 4 – How will the Rockies finish in the standings?

Matt: The Rox will once again be in the hunt for the NL West and the Wild Card. If Jim Tracy can get them back to their late ‘09 form directly out of the starting blocks, they could finish with one of the best records in the National League. I’m expecting, however, that there will be a speed bump or two along the way, either because of injuries or because young Rox like Ian Stewart, Dexter Fowler, Chris Iannetta, Clint Barmes, and Jorge De La Rosa aren’t able to match their ‘09 production. I still think they manage 85-90 wins, which will put them right in the running with the Dodgers and Giants.

Tom: I expect the Rockies to compete late in the year, but I think this division comes down to the Dodgers and Giants fighting it out down the stretch.

Warren: The Rockies for the past few years have put on a good showing toward the end of the season and should not keep that up and possibly finish 2nd in the division and fifth/sixth in the NL.

Eugene: I expect them to compete as well. I don’t think they’ll make the post-season, but they’ll be in contention for the division and the wild card.

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Plan for MLB Re-Alignment

Jeff Morrick — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:03:49 +0000

Has anyone else wondered why there are 30 Major League teams, 6 Divisions, yet not all divisions are made up of conveniently divisible 5 teams?? The AL West has 4 while the NL Central houses 6…..really?? How does this make sense to anyone? I have an idea for realignment that will balance the divisions and add some intrigue.

First, I’d move the Colorado Rockies from the NL West to the AL West. They would join Seattle, LAoA, Oakland and Texas. Geographically it works and wouldn’t you agree Coors Field was made for the DH?? Those Blake Street Bombers of the mid-90s (Galarraga, Castilla, Walker, Bichette, Burks) were nothing but DHs anyway….unfortunately they were in the NL!

But that leaves the NL West with only 4 teams (SF, SD, LA Dodgers, Arizona). No problem. Move Houston from the already- too-crowded NL Central to the NL West. This move leaves the NL Central with 5 teams (St Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Chicago) and also puts BOTH Texas teams in Western Divisions. The Astros travel would be no more taxing on them than it already is for the Rangers.

Why wouldn’t this work?? It’s not like we’d be killing any great rivalries….I mean, who’s going to miss those Rockies/Padres games in mid-May? Didn’t think so.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Colorado Rockies Preview

Russ Blatt — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:00:52 +0000

Colorado Rockies – National League West

2009 Record: 90-72, 2nd Place in National League West, 3 Games Back

2009 Review: The 2009 Colorado Rockies started lower than expectations. First, they did not have Matt Holliday returning as was with Oakland. Starting pitcher Jeff Francis was out for the season after surgery. Then, after an 18-28 start, Manager Clint Hurdle was fired and replaced with Jim Tracy. Under Tracy, the Rockies had a record of 74-42, good enough to win Tracy the National League Manager of the Year Award while leading the Rockies to the Wild Card.

Offensively, the Rockies had a very good season, led by first baseman Todd Helton. Helton had a typical season for him, batting .325 with 15 hone runs and an OPS of .904. Other players with more than 20 home runs include Clint Barmes (23), Troy Tulowizki (32) who also hit .297 and had 92 runs batted in, Ian Stewart (35) and Brad Hawpe (23). As a team, they ranked second in runs, second in home runs, first in walks, second in slugging percentage and on base percentage and first on OPS. Offensively the Rockies had very few issues.

The Rockies had a very steady starting rotation. After the loss of Francis, all five of their starters started at least 27 games and each had at least 11 wins. They had an excellent closer in Huston Street, who had 35 saves and a 3.06 era. Other bullpen pitchers gave Street the support he needed and the pitching staff really came together under the leadership of Tracy.

As an organization, they won over 50 games at home and were 33 games over .500 from June 1 to September 30. As stated above, they won the Wild Card but ended up losing to the National League Champions Phillies 3-1.

Key Transactions since 2009:
Losses:
Garrett Atkins – At the end of the 2009 season, Atkins was not offered a contract and became a free agent. He became expendable as a third baseman when Colorado watched the development of Ian Stewart at third base. Stewart, although having the same approximate batting average as Atkins, has home run power that Atkins did not have in 2009. Also, the Rockies paid Atkins $7 million in 2009, too much for a backup infielder for 2010.

Jose Contreras – Obtained from the White Sox in 2009, Contreras pitched only seven games for the Rockies in 2009, starting two. The Rockies have a starting rotation with no pitcher older than 30, so the 38 year old declared his free agency at the end of the season.

Alan Embree – The lefty specialist was granted free agency after the 2009 season when the team option was declined. He pitched in 36 games in 2009, with 24.2 innings pitched. He had an era close to 6.oo, and for a team looking to get younger, Embree became expendable.

Jason Marquis – One of three Rockies to win more than 15 games in 2009, Marquis became a free agent and signed with the Nationals. With double digit victories in each of the last six seasons and pitching over 190 innings in five of those seasons, Marquis was a steady pitcher in his one season in Colorado. His departure leave an opening in the starting rotation.

Yorvit Torrealba – The better hitter of the two catchers in Colorado last season, Torrealba batter .291 in 64 games with the Rockies. His option for 2010 was declined and he became a free agent. He has very little power and the Rockies felt that Chris Iannetta had a better future with the Rockies.

Other Losses from the 2009 team includes: Joe Beimel, Alan Embree, Sal Fasano, Josh Fogg, Matt Herges, Mike McCoy, Matt Murton, Joel Peralta, Ryan Speier

Gains:
Melvin Mora – Mora was signed as a backup to Stewart at third base. He has also played every infield position and can also play the outfield if necessary. In 2009, Mora batted .261 in 125 games with Baltimore. In the past Mora had 20 home runs per season power, but the power numbers fell off in 2009. He should be a positive influence as a backup infielder in 2010.

Miguel Olivo – After handing most of the catching duties in Kansas City in 2009, Olivo signed a one year deal wit the Rockies for 2010. He hit .249 for the Royals, and also hit 23 home runs with Kansas City. He has experience catching for a Cy Young Award winner and also threw out 24.3 % of those that attempted to steal. He will split the catching duties in 2010 was Iannetta.

Other players signed to Minor League contracts in 2010 include; Alex Escobar, Chris Gissell, Jimmy Gobble, Robby Hammock, Paul Lo Duca, Damian Moss, Jay Payton, Josh Phelps, Tim Redding, Bronson Sardinha

2010 Preview: In 2007, the Rockies made the playoffs and had a disappointing season in 2008. After making the playoffs in 2009, they are hoping to not have the same letdown in 2010.

The first player to assist in the prevention of the playoff letdown is the return of Jeff Francis. Francis, who won 17 games in 2007 (and pitched 2008 with rumored injuries) is returning to the rotation and will take the place vacated by Jason Marquis. Other starting pitchers, Ubaldo Jiminez and Aaron Cook are both up and coming pitchers with the Rockies and should combine to win more than the 26 combined victories in 2009. Also, they have high hopes that Jorge De La Rosa will continue his lefty excellence, setting Rockies records for lefties with 193 strikeouts.

The bullpen will be just as strong in 2010 with Huston Street, Rafael Betancourt and Franklin Morales. The pitching staff is expected to be strong in 2010 and will be the heart of the team.

One standard of Rockies teams are the offense. Any team that is led by Helton, Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe has a good foundation. It is expected that Ian Stewart will have a huge year, taking over at third base for the full season. The team’s offense should keep up to the Colorado standard that has proven year after year to be at the top of the league. The catching combination should be adequate at the bat, and Carlos Gonzalez will get the starting nod in left field after coming on strong in the pennant chase. Once again, the Rockies should be in the top five in many of the offensive categories in the National League.

In 2010, the Rockies will be competing for the National League West crown. The division should be stronger in 2010 than it was in 2009, but the Rockies should once again win at least 90 games and if not win the division, make the playoffs once again as the Wild Card winner.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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2010 NFL Mock Draft Value Board

Jeremy Heneghan — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:34:03 +0000

1. Ndamukong Suh DT, Nebraska- Could be 1A and McCoy 1B, but Suh is the best prospect this year.
2. Gerald McCoy DT, Oklahoma- High motor tackle can play in either 3-4 or 4-3.
3. Eric Berry S, Tennessee- Drawing comparisons to Ed Reed, one of safest picks this year.
4. Russell Okung OT, Oklahoma State- Just about everything you look for in franchise tackle.
5. Jimmy Clausen QB, Notre Dame- Out of pro-style offense, but Rams may have Bradford rated higher.
6. CJ Spiller RB, Clemson- Speedy back, great return skills, clear cut top RB for 2010. 40 time just confirms his spot here.
7. Jason Pierre-Paul DE, USF- Loads of potential, super athletic, and rushes passer very well, but a one year wonder?
8. Derrick Morgan DE, Georgia Tech- Highly productive and athletic, good against run and pass.
9. Rolando McClain LB, Alabama- Butkus Award winner. Had to leave combine due to injury, plus concerns about being able to play sideline to sideline.
10. Brandon Graham DE/OLB, Michigan- Tremendous showing at Senior Bowl; in mold of Lamarr Woodley.
11. Dan Williams DT, Tennessee- Like Robert Ayers last year, this Vol greatly improved his stock and will ride it to a high 1st round selection.
12. Bryan Bulaga OT, Iowa- The Big 10 Offensive Lineman of the Year is a great pass blocker and has prototypical size for a franchise left tackle.
13. Trent Williams OT, Oklahoma- Will he be asked to play left or right tackle? He’s better at right, but was still 1st Team All-America at LT senior year.
14. Sam Bradford QB, Oklahoma- Deadly accurate, but how will shoulder work out? Early rumblings are that Rams want him, but name the last BIG 12 QB to have significant NFL success.
15. Joe Haden CB, Florida- Top CB, combine speed needs to be improved upon, but is still a great player.
16. Dez Bryant WR, Oklahoma State- Can make every catch, but character concerns are mounting.
17. Everson Griffen DE, USC- Is raw, but has experience as a rush linebacker and defensive end.
18. Ryan Mathews RB, Fresno State- Led the NCAA in rushing, improved stock to almost a first round lock at the Combine.
19. Earl Thomas S, Texas- A little undersized, but great in coverage and against the run.
20. Jerry Hughes OLB, TCU- Great pass rusher, needs to get better in coverage, but is a hard worker.
21. Golden Tate WR, Notre Dame- Will need to work on route running, but is a great athlete and pass catcher.
22. Sean Weatherspoon OLB, Missouri- Has the skills to be a top LB in the NFL, players rallied around him at Senior Bowl. Some scouts don’t like personality though.
23. Anthony Davis OT, Rutgers- An elite run blocker, great size, average pass protector. Dropping because of possible weight control issues/work ethic.
24. Jahvid Best RB, California- Injuries are a concern, but if he can stay healthy and concussion free, he’ll be very good.
25. Mike Iupati OG, Idaho- Had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl as well, but had already solidified himself as a top 25 best overall prospect.
26. Damian Williams WR, USC- Great route runner and great hands, not many weaknesses in his game.
27. Jermaine Gresham TE, Oklahoma- Injured all last season, but is still top TE prospect in 2010.
28. Jared Odrick DT, Penn State- Has a nonstop motor, but when double teamed, he disappears.
29. Kyle Wilson CB, Boise State- Stock is on fire right now, he’s become a lock in the first round.
30. Brian Price DT, UCLA- Doesn’t have any room to get bigger, but a strong junior season.
31. Devin McCourty CB, Rutgers- Yet another good player coming out of the Big East. Jets or Vikings could grab him late in that round.
32. Bruce Campbell OT, Maryland- Some injury concerns, great pass blocker, but average run blocker. Top flight 40 time, so Al Davis is very interested, but will he take a tackle with JPP there?
33. Carlos Dunlap DE, Florida- Character and work ethic issues drop him down, but he’s a producer from DE.
34. Arrelious Benn WR, Illinois- Stats look bad, but that’s because of Juice. Benn is much better than he appeared last year.
35. Dexter McCluster RB/WR, Mississippi- Small, (big) but he repped 20 in bench press and he’s a proven playmaker.
36. Maurkice Pouncey OG/C, Florida- Left Florida early and he could see himself drafted as high as the late first round.
37. Charles Brown OT, USC- Converted from tight end, a little light, but is very athletic.
38. Sergio Kindle OLB, Texas- Has trouble getting off blocks, but is a very good pass rusher
39. Taylor Mays S, USC- Extremely physical player, but whiffs on too many tackles and doesn’t have the greatest coverage skills. I just think he’ll be a big bust.
40. Sean Lee LB, Penn State- Pedigree of Penn State LB, but needs to prove he’s healthy from ACL injury a few years ago.
41. Rodger Saffold OT, Indiana- Fast riser, could see the top of the second round. Has NFL left tackle potential.
42. Brandon LaFell WR, LSU- Didn’t have the combine that he needed in order to improve his stock. He could be down to the middle of round 2 on some boards.
43. Ricky Sapp OLB, Clemson- has a little bit of injuries in his past, but is good whenever he plays
44. Eric Norwood LB, South Carolina- Highly productive, good instincts, but gets caught out of position/without leverage too often.
45. Daryl Washington MLB, TCU- Good tackler and in coverage, needs to get a bit bigger.
46. Donovan Warren CB, Michigan- A little bit underrated, but was a star on a struggling Michigan team.
47. Cam Thomas DT, North Carolina- Projects to a nose tackle, run stuffer.
48. Kareem Jackson CB, Alabama- Great speed, has good ball skills, but can take too many risks.
49. Dominique Franks CB, Oklahoma- Added value in return game, not physical against run.
50. Terrence Cody DT, Alabama- Mount Cody takes up so much space, but is only a 2 down player. Did lose weight between Combine and Senior Bowl though (16 pounds).
51. Chad Jones S, LSU- Best in the box against the run, big, physical player.
52. Corey Wooton DE, Northwestern- Recovery from injury is important, but started to come on as last season progressed after injury in 2008.
53. Rob Gronkowski TE, Arizona- Recovery from back surgery is important, otherwise, potentially a very good TE.
54. Nate Allen S USF- Good in zone, has good speed and plays smart.
55. Koa Misi LB, Utah- Stock rose a lot after the combine, fit best in 3-4 OLB.
56. Vladimir Ducasse OG, Massachusetts- Was supposed to dominate at Senior Bowl, but couldn’t break through. Still a very solid prospect, hoping to go in the mid 2nd.
57. Jared Veldheer OT, Hillsdale- Small school prospect who has short arms for his height, could have trouble with rush.
58. Tim Tebow QB, Florida- Most controversial prospect coming out. All the intangibles, but will he be able to rebuild his throwing motion? Too many question marks to go higher than low 2nd.
59. Navarro Bowman LB, Penn State- Character issues and injuries have overshadowed his skills.
60. Aaron Hernandez TE, Florida- Very athletic tight end, not a good blocker.
61. Mardy Gilyard WR, Cincinnati- Basically was shut down by Joe Haden, great after the catch though and good vertical.
62. JD Walton C, Baylor- First Team All-American at center.
63. Dorin Dickerson TE, Pittsburgh- Blew up the combine with a great 40, shot up boards. Low 2nd, but a 3-4 on most other boards.
64. Alex Carrington DE, Arkansas State- Small school player, who’ll have to prove that level of competition won’t matter. Good size at 6-5, 285.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Cleveland Indians Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:00:58 +0000

1. Carlos Santana, C – One of the best catching prospect in baseball, and the Dodgers might be kicking themselves for dealing him for Casey Blake. The bat won’t be the question; can he handle the position? Many do think so, but time will tell this year.

2. Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B – There were character questions when Chisenhall was drafted, but it appears that those are behind him. He’s moved over to third from short, so he should be able to handle the position. He’s still needing time to develop, so don’t expect him this year.

3. Nick Hagadone, P – He’s coming off of Tommy John surgery (in 2007), so don’t look for him in Cleveland anytime soon; Boston and Cleveland have been very careful with him. He’ll see an increased work load, but there is talk of using him out of the bullpen. It’d be a waste, as he’s got 3 solid pitches and can be a front of the rotation starter.

4. Alex White, P – White has the potential to be an ace, but the jury’s still out at this point. After this season, the Indians should know what they have here; there are questions as to his role – starter or reliver. If he’s successful, look for him at the end of 2011.

5. Hector Rondon, P – Rondon has an incredible fast ball. The question comes with the secondary pitches. If he can get those in line, he’ll be a quality starter. If not, he’ll be a solid set up man. He’ll see some time in Cleveland this year.

6. Carlos Carrasco, P – If Carrasco pitches to potential this year, he’ll be a force in Cleveland’s rotation. That’s a big if. He’s had a Jekyll and Hyde career and he’ll need to over come that.

7. Michael Brantley, OF – There are many questions about Brantley sticking as a starter. He makes contact, is patient, and has great speed. He lacks power of a true corner outfielder. Some scouts see him as a 4th outfielder; some see him as a starter. If the Indians trade Russ Branyan, he’ll get his shot.

8. Nick Weglarz, OF – Weglarz can be a better outfielder than Brantley, if he’s healthy. That’s been the one thing holding him back in the minors. If he can make it through this season with out missing much time, he’ll be on the road to a solid career. He’s patient and has good power.

9. Jason Knapp, P – Knapp has the stuff to match up with any of these pitchers, but he’s got questionable mechanics. If he can get straightened out without losing anything, he could move to a front of the rotation starter; at this point, he’s a reliever.

10. Lou Marson, C – Marson will have the first opportunity to catch for the Tribe. He’s a contact hitter that is a stellar receiver. He won’t be able to hold off Santana, but he’ll have value until he’s ready.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Cincinnati Reds Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:04:10 +0000

Sorry about the delay with this one – I was slightly under the weather along with my 2 little ones…

1. Aroldis Chapman, P – Chapman was the prize of the international market this winter and the Reds were the surprise winner. Scouts see everything from top of the rotation starter to middle reliever. I think he’ll end up a good 2-3 starter for the Reds. I don’t expect him to have an impact this year though.

2. Yonder Alonso, 1B – Alonso is the prototypical first baseman; tons of power with a defensive liability. He’s also having problems hitting lefties at this point, something that could limit him in the future. I’ve read that he may be trade bait as the Reds are happy with Joey Votto at first and aren’t comfortable with Alonso in the outfield. If he were on the market, you’d probably find a few teams interested in him.

3. Todd Frazier, 2B – Frazier can hit; there was never a question of that. Frazier was drafted as a shortstop, but has played second, third, and the outfield in the minors. He hasn’t really stuck at a position. I feel he’ll be a capable middle infielder; he’s probably best suited to play second.

4. Mike Leake, P – Leake has the potential to be a middle rotation pitcher. He’s got good stuff and pitches. He could be fast tracked and up by next year; not to bad for a guy that was drafted less than a year ago.

5. Chris Heisley, OF – Heisley appears to be what you want in a corner outfielder – .290 hitter with good pop (15-20 homers) and won’t kill you in the field. He’s pretty much ready and could step in if a guy goes down this year.

6. Juan Francisco, 3B – If Francisco can fix the holes in his swing, he’ll be a great hitter. That’s a big if, because the holes are pretty big. Scouts also question if he’ll be able to stay at third, which is a valid concern. He’ll get lost behind Votto and Alonso if he has to move to first base.

7. Zack Cozart, SS – While he is moving forward, he’s got limited up side. He’s good with the glove, which can be enough for shortstop depending on the team. He’s got decent pop for the position as well. He may not put up a high average though, which could impact him in the upper levels.

8. Travis Wood, P – For a while, Wood was considered a first round bust. Now that he’s healthy, he’s pitching pretty well. He won’t be the ace that many expected, but he’ll be a solid #4 guy. He’s still at least 1 year away, as the Reds should be cautious with him for the time being.

9. Yorman Rodriguez, OF – Rodriguez was another big international signings (2 years ago though) based off incredible tools. He’s working to turn those tools into skills. He’s young and still developing. If he has a big year, then he could be top 5 in the system.

10. Matt Maloney, P – Maloney will be an average starter, due to average stuff. His strikeout rates are pretty good, so that gives people a little optimism.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Cleveland Indians Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:00:36 +0000

Our guest bloggers is Tony Lastoria from Indian Prospect Insider.

Question 1 – Will the team be trading Grady Sizemore and, if so, when?

Chad: I don’t see it happening. He’s the most marketable player on the team and even though Sabathia and Lee were great players, they didn’t touch Sizemore in terms of popularity in the city. LeBron is number 1 in Cleveland and Grady is number 2. If the Indians trade Sizemore and James leaves in free agency, Cleveland just might turn into a black hole.

Jeff: One thing’s for sure about Grady, he is probably at or near ‘peak’ value right now — I’m confident the Tribe is not interested in just losing him to free agency, so if that seems likely, I feel they will most certainly explore their options — he should bring a king’s ransom in return — not a lot of proven 5 tool youngsters on the market.

Tony: There is absolutely no way the Indians will trade Grady Sizemore this year. For one, his value has dropped some because of the injury last year, so he needs some time to prove his health and that the production will return to get his value back to peak levels.

But that is beside the point, because the Indians simply are not trading him this year nor will even consider it. Beyond being a fan favorite, an icon of the team, and one of the best young players in the game, he is also extremely cheap and under team control for three more seasons. There is absolutely no reason at the moment to trade him given that he will make a grand total of $24M over the next three seasons, which is cheap for the level of player he is and what he brings to the table for a team starved for a high profile player. Plus, they envision contending again in 2011 and 2012, which they plan for him to be a big factor in accomplishing.

Beyond this year, the situation changes dramatically. He has a club option for 2012, which will be picked up, so he will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season. He will at some point be traded because if he maintains health the next three seasons and performs as expected, he will demand a contract that far exceeds what the Indians or any small to mid market team can afford. So, if he is traded it will likely be around the July 2012 deadline. Not any sooner.

Some may say the Indians dealt Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez in the final year of their deal even with a club option for the next season, but the situation is different in that if Sizemore is traded that 2012 club option immediately turns into a player option. There is no way he decides to pick up a $10.5 million option after the 2011 season when he can get $20M+ at 5-7 years as a free agent, so that is why he won’t be traded until 2012 at the earliest as there is no extra value to the Indians or another team by trading/acquiring him in July 2011 versus July 2012.

Eugene: I see them holding onto Sizemore for at least one more season; if they won’t compete and he’s playing well, they’ll consider trading him for the right deal. With his current contract, there will be no monetary pressure to trade him until the end of his deal.

Question 2 – Which prospect that the Tribe picked up will have the biggest impact this year?

Chad: Again I answer a question based on my fantasy preferences; Matt LaPorta should finally break through this year and give the Indians a right handed power bat in the middle of the lineup. He’s coming off an injury so he should be rested heading into the season and hopefully he finally breaks through.

Jeff: Is it legal to answer “none” to question #2?

Tony: If we are talking about a prospect picked up in one of their trades over the course of the 2009 season who still has rookie eligibility, then I would say right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco. He has loads of talent, but his issue is what goes on between the ears. If for some reason he can find a way to manage the meltdowns in innings once guys get on base and string together some hits, then he has the chance to be a solid middle of the rotation starter for the Indians for the next several years. Jason Donald is another guy who could impact the team later in the year as he is expected to be the eventual everyday second baseman.

If we are talking about guys picked up in the last two years, then the obvious guy who will impact the team the most will be all-world catcher Carlos Santana. He has the rifle arm and potent bat to impact a game both on offense and defense and be a true difference maker in the game.

Eugene: For this season, I see Lou Marson having a pretty big impact, at least for a catcher. If he doesn’t do much, they will move onto Santana as the catcher. I think LaPorta will have a big season; if/when they trade him, LaPorta should move to first and Michael Brantley will get a shot to prove himself.

Question 3 – Which Fausto Carmona will we see this year – the impressive pitcher from a few years ago or the injury prone one from last year?

Jeff: My guess on Carmona is somewhere in between — predicting injuries is next to impossible, but my gut says even if he stays healthy he won’t be the dominant stud he once was — I think he could be a good back of the rotation guy, but the Tribe has far greater expectations (and needs, frankly) than that.

Tony: First off, Carmona was actually healthy last year. He just had a complete mechanical and mental breakdown which forced the Indians to send him all the way to rookie ball and work back through the minors for two months to try and “get it right”.

Anyway, the Indians nor anyone really has any clue what kind of pitcher they will see this year in Carmona. Past history indicates that he will be the up and down starter like he has been the past two years where he shows flashes of brilliance and dominating stuff like in 2007, but in between all that lots of inconsistency.

Right now the biggest obstacle for him to get over is the psychological barrier that has gone up because of his struggles the last two years with throwing strikes. The Indians plan to take it slow with him and don’t expect him to be like he was in 2007, but they have set the expectation that they don’t expect him to be like he was in 2008/2009 either. They have challenged him to go after hitters and attack the zone rather than working both sides of the plate early in the count, with the idea that he can hopefully find a comfort zone and rhythm with his strike throwing. I think somewhere in the middle is what people are hoping for, and he is certainly capable of that. It’s just a matter of whether he can overcome his strike throwing demons.

Eugene: I think Carmona will be in the middle, as mentioned before. I think if they had a true ace in front of him, he’d be better because it’ll take pressure off of him. They are probably hoping for Jake Westbrook to bounce back to be their ace.

Tom: This is going to be Carmona’s year of reckoning, I think. Whatever he does this year is going to be he’s pigeon-holed as going forward. Carmona’s entire issue is that he walks way too many guys. I’ve always felt like that is something that can be fixed. I think this will be his bounce back year. Maybe he won’t get back to 3.00, but maybe he can at least hit the league average again.

Question 4 – Which place will the Tribe finish in?

Eugene: I think the Tribe will need another season before they will be competitive. So, for this year, I see them in 4th place. I don’t see them being much better than last season, but with LaPorta, Marson, and Brantley getting more playing time, they should get better by the end of the season.

Tony: Youth is so hard to predict because their performance can be so volatile throughout the course of the season. Several hot spells followed up with extended cold spells and vice versa. The one thing the Indians have going for them is not only do they have a Top 5 farm system with a lot of talent close to big league ready, they also have a lot of talent still 27 years old or younger no longer considered prospects such as Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Fausto Carmona, David Huff, Aaron Laffey, Justin Masterson, Chris Perez, and Matt LaPorta. That’s a lot of good young talent already at the big league level.

The question is how all that youth translates to the big league level and how quickly the pitching staff can stabilize. With so much talented youth at their disposal, it will help with the mis-rate on prospects as the more you have the more you can afford to miss and the more chances you have to hit on one. This is one advantage they have over a lot of other like teams that are retooling or rebuilding this year.

With that in mind, it should be an up and down season all year long. A year long learning experience, much like the Indians in 2004 when they went 80-82. I think they will surprise and be in the hunt for the AL Central division late into August, mostly because of the lack of a truly dominant team in the division, but mostly because young players sometimes can overachieve. But they will ultimately finish third in the division and win 78-80 games, which sets them up as popular breakout pick among experts in 2011.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Cleveland Indians Preview

Chad Jorgenson — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:00:54 +0000

Cleveland Indians
Management: GM Mark Shapiro, Manager Manny Acta
Key Additions: Brian Bixler, Russell Branyan, Brian Horwitz, Mike Redmond, Mitch Talbot
Key Losses: Greg Aquino, Jesus Brito, Jamey Carroll, Vinnie Chulk, Zach Jackson, Masa Kobayashi, Tomo Ohka, Kelly Shoppach, Jose Veras

Projected Starters
C Lou Marson
1B Russell Branyan
2B Luis Valbuena
3B Jhonny Peralta
SS Asdrubal Cabrera
RF Shin-Soo Choo
CF Grady Sizemore
LF Matt LaPorta
DH Travis Hafner

SP Fausto Carmona
SP Jake Westbrook
SP Justin Masterson
SP David Huff
SP Aaron Laffey
CP Kerry Wood

Preview: The Indians are pretty much in full rebuild mode now. They are returning 4 hitters from the start of last year and Carmona was the only pitcher in the starting rotation at this time last year. So it’s safe to say they’re undergoing some changes. Branyan at first is going to be expected to repeat last years stats in a year where everyone will be looking for him to be the center of the offense for the first time in his career. They’ll expect production from him all year even though he tailed off at the end of last year. Valbuena still has to learn to hit lefties so you can expect a bit of a juggle at second for at least part of the year. The left side should be settled with Cabrera and Peralta holding down the spots, they’re hoping Peralta has a better year and that Cabrera takes another step forward. Sizemore is still the leader of the team in Center and one of the best in the game. Choo had a solid year last year and he needs to continue that. LaPorta and Brantley will be fighting for the other OF spot with LaPorta having a higher power ceiling with Brantley being more of a contact hitter. LaPorta could also move to first or DH if Hafner or Branyan stuggle. Pitching is a shot in the dark for Cleveland because most days they have no idea what they’re getting. Westbrook is solid when he’s healthy, but can you really count on him as your 1 or 2? Carmona has had more than his share of troubles in a pretty short career so far and you’re counting on him to be a top of the rotation guy. After those two you’ve got a bunch of young guys with loads of talent but no MLB expirience to use. Kerry Wood is still at the back end of the bullpen for now but he’s just one of a few guys who could have different addresses come the trade deadline. Cleveland’s offense is starting to come around if a few guys continue the years they’ve had, but the pitching looks a little weak to compete in the AL Central.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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The View From Down Here #85

Steven Gepp — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:38:42 +0000

THE VIEW FROM DOWN HERE #85

With cricket winding up on the domestic front, basketball coming to a close, union just starting, league almost just starting, the AFL in their pre-season cup days, this week (and especially weekend) was dominated by 3 nights of wrestling as Riot Coty Wrestling presented their annual Strength Tournament as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival! The review for that is still to come, so what a weekend I had! Here’s the rest of the sport!

Cricket
International
1st One-Day International
New Zealand v Australia
Australia 8/275; New Zealand 8/281 (49.2 ov) – New Zealand won by 2 wickets
            A good, tense, tight game between these two teams, showing just how much the Kiwis have improved over the past 5 years. It may also be an indication that Australia are tired after a long season, but I feel new Zealand just wanted it that little bit more. However, it is interesting to note that the Australians are not handling the pressure well. Some of the histrionics were a little over the top.
2nd One-Day International
New Zealand v Australia
Australia 7/273; New Zealand 253 (43.2 overs) – Australia won by 12 runs (D/L method)
Rain, so Duckworth-Lewis rears its ugly head again, and we have New Zealand needing 266 runs from 45 overs…
            And what a match! It came down to Daniel Vettori (70 from 49 balls) being the key as his New Zealand team-mates crumbled around him. They still had a chance with 14 runs to get from 15 balls… but with one wicket left. Close match again! This series is everything the two series in Australia should have been.
1st One-Day International
New Zealand Women v Australia Women
New Zealand 6/228; Australia 8/229 – Australia won by 2 wickets
            Off the last ball! What a game! After the one-sidedness of the Australian tour by NZ, this series between the two teams has suddenly blossomed into some damn entertaining cricket. It is said that Australia brings the best out of New Zealand, and on their home soil both the men and women have shown just that.
2nd One-Day International
New Zealand Women v Australia Women
New Zealand 8/255; Australia 4/256 (47.3 overs) – Australia won by 6 wickets
            Another close game! New Zealand’s ladies have found a new lease of life, and even in defeat they are looking strong. But Australia seems to be up for the challenge, making this suddenly an intriguing series.
Sheffield Shield
We’re down to the pointy end, with just a few matches remaining and only Victoria booked in for the final. Any of three other teams could conceivably get there with them, and this makes for some damn fine cricket with everyone going all out for maximum points.
            Australian domestic cricket is the best!
Tasmania v New South Wales
New South Wales 6(dec)/468 & 4(dec)/265; Tasmania 303 & 214 – New South Wales won by 216 runs
            Tasmania had the chance to win, but blew it. New South Wales looked strong again, but it is too late in the season, and they won’t make the Shield final.
Queensland v South Australia
Queensland 160 & 6(dec)/237; South Australia 72 & 231 – Queensland won by 94 runs
            While the scores may look improbably low, the weather in Queensland where flooding has become the unfortunate norm of late had a lot to do with this.
            But that does not excuse South Australia’s poor showing in this match where they had everything to play for. Instead Queensland are now into the final against Victoria.
Western Australia v Victoria
Victoria 199 & 378; Western Australia 274 & 249 – Victoria won by 54 runs
            Another close match, but there is a reason why Victoria have already booked a place in the final. They have been the form team this season, and the final against Queensland looks set to be a little one sided unfortunately.

Australian Rules Football
AFL Pre Season Cup
Round Three – Semi-Finals
            Closing in on the end of this series…
Western Bulldogs 1.11.17 (92) def Port Adelaide 1.12.8 (89)
            Tight game with both sides giving their all. And again Barry Hall was the difference with four goals and a mark with a minute remaining that he then fed a pass out so the winning goal could be scored. But the Power were far from disgraced.
St Kilda 2.15.7 (115) def Fremantle 2.3.9 (45)
            Fremantle tried hard to get to this point, but were so thoroughly outclassed by St Kilda that it was almost embarrassing. The gap still exists between those who try hard and those who have already been there for the past few years.

Rugby League
World Club Challenge
Melbourne 18 def Leeds 10
            The win was a good one for Melbourne leading into the domestic season, but there were a few errors on their behalf, and Leeds looked tired. Not a great game, but it does augur well for the Storm here in Australia.

Rugby Union
Super 14 Round 4
Chiefs 18 def by Reds 23
            The Chiefs’ first loss.
Brumbies 24 def Lions 13
Crusaders 33 def Blues 20
Waratahs 25 def Sharks 21
            This was a close game and it came right down to the wire. The Waratahs just managed to scrape home with the win.
Stormers 33 thrashed Highlanders 0
Cheetahs 28 def Hurricanes 12

Soccer
International
Asian Cup Qualifier
Australia 1 def Indonesia 0
            This sort of makes up for the loss to Kuwait and means Australia may yet make it through.
A-League
Minor Semi Final – Match E: Winner Match B v Winner Match C
Wellington Phoenix 3 def Newcastle Jets 1
Major Semi Final – (2nd Leg)
Sydney 2 drew with Melbourne Victory 2
            Melbourne go through to host the grand final on aggregate, dispute the draw. Controversial finish to the match with a free that maybe wasn’t warranted leading to Melbourne’s second goal.

Basketball
NBL Grand Final
Best Of 3 series
Grand Final
Game One: Perth 75 def Wollongong 64
            Pretty dominant performance by Perth to start the series off.
WNBL Finals Week Three
Grand Final
Bulleen 70 def by Canberra 75
            Canberra’s record breaking seventh title and Bulleen just can’t crack it for the big one. Still, a fast paced match and very intense. Congrats to Canberra!

That’s this view – Feb 15 through 28.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Cincinnati Reds Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:00:12 +0000

Our guest bloggers is Matt Seybold from The Sporting Hippeaux.

Question 1 – Will Jay Bruce hit for average?

Jeff: I would very surprised to see Bruce hit much higher than .250 — he is TERRIBLE on the road, and I don’t think that lineup offers any protection whatsoever — fact is, he should probably be hitting somewhere behind Phillips, Gomes, Rolen and Votto — his power numbers should increase with his experience, but I don’t expect him to hit for average.

Matt: I know Bruce posted a relatively high average in his very brief minor-league career, but, honestly, I don’t think that’s going to be his forte. In the long run, he’s going to get paid for his power, and I think he’s going to develop into a traditional power-hitter: lots of homers, lots of RBI, lots of strikeouts. The big question for him is plate discipline. He’ll probably never develop the batter’s eye of a Ryan Howard or an Adam Dunn, but the Reds are hoping he won’t go the other direction either, towards Alfonso Soriano and Jeff Francoeur territory. His walk rates have been trending in the right direction, so I’m tentatively predicting a breakout year from Bruce, in which I expect he’ll hit around .270 with 30+ HR and 90+ RBI. Don’t forget, he’s only 22.

Daniels: Great American Ballpark hasn’t proven out to be -quite- as bad as Coors Field was in its heyday. Bruce hits .270 at home with a great OPS but a horrific .203 on the road. I tend to think that’s just something in the head of a 22-year-old player who might not feel comfortable in other parks just yet. Maybe he just likes going out to party. Whatever it is, I think he’ll get beyond it as you don’t simply lose the ability to hit. I think it’s just something that will go away with time. So, short answer, yes: I think he’ll hit for a higher average this year.

Trent: Are we suggesting that Adam Dunn, one of the Kings of Strikeout, has a great batter’s eye? Yikes.

Anyway, Bruce played less games last year than in 2008 due to a broken wrist suffered just before the All-Star contest, which kind of skews the numbers slightly because he did not hit well at all before then. He was barely breaking the Mendoza line before the break. Now, after the Rolen trade, it should be noted that his average spiked over a 46 game stretch, hitting at a .326 clip, though only in the line-up for 46 contests. Also, part of the issue early on was the fact that he was the only power hitter in the line-up, with Votto off dealing with various issues, leaving him isolated in the Reds’ line-up. His road numbers are bad, though, oddly, outside of Miller Park and Busch Stadium, he had his best htting numbers on the road in the division (.316 or better in the other three road settings).

Given the changes in the Cincinnati roster, he should be able to up the ante this season, as he should have plenty of protection around him and ought to hit for power and somewhere around .260-.270 this year.

Daniels: What about Adam Dunn’s season in Washington made you think he was a creation of the ballpark? The 40 home runs, the 2nd highest OPS+ of his career, or the 30 doubles? Dude strikes out a lot. He also walks a lot and hits for a ton of power.

Matt: Dunn is by no means a perfect player, but he rarely swings at bad pitches, part of why he walk rates are always among the best in the league. It’s a good thing, too, because of his propensity for whiffing even on pitches in the zone. Dunn gets a lot of flack because of his strikeouts and his defense, but the guy is a monster at the plate. He can hit homers in any ballpark and over the last six seasons has been perhaps the most “consistent” hitter not named Pujols, averaging 41 HR, 101 RBI, and a 917 OPS. Adam Dunn’s never going to win an MVP, but I’d be happy to have him as my cleanup hitter (and I think Ryan Zimmerman would agree).

Trent: Dunn doesn’t swing at many bad pitches in the zone, but throw something low and away that starts out somewhere near the plate and he’ll be on the horse back to the bench.

Though it got me thinking about comparing their opening couple of seasons, and, if you threw out Dunn’s 2002 season and stuck with his first and third and compared them to Bruce, they are fairly comparable to one another, in terms of average, homers, rbi’s, etc.

Question 2 – How much will the team miss Edinson Volquez?

Daniels: It’s hard to say the Reds are going to “miss” Volquez since I don’t think anyone put them in playoff contention this season. I think upper management might miss him because that’s 20 home games that would likely have a little bump in attendance. Besides the point, I think the Pedro comparisons didn’t really pan out over the season. So far, Volquez has proven out to be a reasonably good starter in his first season, but let’s not start comparing to the best pitcher of our era quite yet, when his biggest claim to fame, so far, has been one season with a 1.3 whip and a 3.21 ERA.

Matt: I think Walt Jocketty and Dusty Baker are realistic about Volquez’s prospects for the next couple of years. He’s unlikely to make a start before August or September and might not be full strength until the middle of 2011. Sure, the Reds will miss him, but he hasn’t exactly been around enough during the last couple years to make you feel like there’s a gaping hole in the rotation. It’s not like Toronto losing Roy Halladay. The real question for me is whether Volquez’s absence will motivate the Reds to put Aroldis Chapman in their Opening Day rotation.

Trent: As far as Volquez…would he be nice to have? Absolutely. If they are anywhere near the wild card or the division, then he would be sorely missed. Going into last season, the Reds had a pretty imposing 1-4 part of the starting rotation between Volquez, Cueto, Arroyo, and Mr. “I can’t get no run support” Harang. Once they lost Volquez, they seemed to lose a lot of direction in the pitching ranks. Bailey seemed to figure things out last season, and if they had him as the fifth with Volquez at the top, they would have a very imposing 1-5 line-up. As is, they might have the 1-4 line up to still scare some teams but not to the same extent they did.

As far as Chapman, they’d probably want to hold off on him for a little while unless the 5 spot is a complete up-for-grabs scenario, at which point, I guess they might give him a few starts, but that seems a little bit much for me for them to do unless he really flat out wins the fifth spot.

Eugene: As a fan of a team that plays the Reds a lot, I don’t see their rotation as much of a threat. Arroyo was a product of Boston hype; he’s decent but nothing more than a back of the rotation guy. Cueto and Bailey have potential, but until they put it together, that’s all they have. Harang, at his best, would be a 3rd starter. Having Volquez was the one threat they had after his 2008 season. Their rotation is probably 3rd or 4th best in the division with Volquez.

A lot of scouts see Chapman as nothing but a reliever in the majors, so I really wouldn’t consider him an option.

Daniels: Arroyo’s probably a little bit better than a back of the rotation guy. He’s an average pitcher who eats innings and keeps his team in most games. Granted, he will occasionally have them out of the game in the first inning, but his rate stats are mostly static from year to year. His worst season seem like they’re more from wildly inconsistent defense then anything he does. Going 53-50 on a terrible team is a pretty stellar feat. He’s not an ace, but he’s a great 3-starter on a contender.

Eugene: I see both Arroyo and Harang like a Doug Davis guy; 200 inning with a mid-4 ERA. Not guys for the top of the rotation; even if they are #3 starters, the Reds are relying on them as #1-2 guys with Volquez out.

Matt: Bronson Arroyo is overrated!?! Poor dude. He was one of the best pitchers in the NL during the second half of last season (2.24 ERA, 1.04 WHIP in 15 starts) and nobody seemed to notice. I don’t expect him to maintain that pace, but he’s a solid #3. Starters who make 30-35 starts every single year with, at the very least, league-average numbers don’t exactly grow on trees. If you can find 100 of them, Jay, I’d love you to run my fantasy team.

As for Chapman, a lot of scouts saw Tim Lincecum as nothing more than a reliever. They saw Carlos Marmol as a front-end starter. Need I go on? I’m not saying those anonymous scouts are wrong about Chapman. I haven’t even seen him pitch yet. But I think you know full well, they aren’t always right. I’d like to see the Reds giving him a look out of the gate (assuming he does alright during Spring Training) rather than handing the fifth spot to a retread like Justin Lehr or Micah Owings. Who knows? Maybe they’ll get a little return on their investment.

Question 3 – Which off season move will have the biggest impact for the Reds?

Matt: The impact potential of Aroldis Chapman is certainly high, but I think it will take a couple seasons for the Reds to get significant benefit from it. There’s a case for “addition by subtraction” from the Wily Tavares trade. Walt Jocketty clearly wanted to make sure Dusty Baker couldn’t give away at-bats, just because he wanted a “veteran presence” in center. The “biggest impact,” however, is probably Orlando Cabrera. I don’t know how much OC has left in his tank, but he’s certainly an improvement on Paul Janish.

Trent: As much as Paulie and Ugly Rosales (My cousin’s given name for the poor boy) were good hustle players, their contributions were limited at best. I will have to take the point about Taveras and run with it.

When they brought him in, they explained that it would be a veteran lead off hitter with good fielding and a solid threat to steal bases.

Of that…you know, I’m not even sure he filled the “veteran” part of the claims.

To say he was a bust would be a gross understatement. A lead off hitter who cannot hit and a runner who never stole bases (stats show he stole 25, I think that’s inflated) and only had an obs of .275. That doesn’t get it done anywhere, so for me, losing Taveras was a golden maneuver by Jocketty. Now, if they could just get Dusty Baker out of dodge as well….

Matt: Since you brought it up…I don’t think we should leave the Reds behind without acknowledging that Baker has quite a bit riding on this season. After building something of a legacy during his decade with the Giants and making a serious run in his first year with the Cubs, Baker has turned into a disaster, with one winning season and no playoff appearances in the last five years. Moreover, he’s been widely blamed for ruining the careers of Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Aaron Harang, Carlos Zambrano, and Edinson Volquez. I’m not sure he deserves all the blame, but there is certainly a trend.

Baker waxes philosophical about the importance of veteran leadership. To that end, Walt Jocketty has provided him with Scott Rolen, Orlando Cabrera, Ramon Hernandez, and Arthur Rhodes, not to mention a host of talented youngsters who are entering their primes. It’s time for Dusty to turn the Reds into contenders. I think he needs at least an 85-win season to earn a new contract, either with the Reds or with anybody else.

Jeff: I understand most reports would say otherwise, but I think the Reds had a lousy offseason — I have no love for O-Cab — that dude is streakier than snot on a mirror — and as far as Chapman is concerned, I’ll have to defer to anyone who’s seen him pitch, I’ve got nothing to go by on him at all but other guys opinions…all indications, however, are that he’s a stud-to-be….but so were lots of guys who never were……maybe 2-3 years from now we’ll look back and claim this as a productive offseason for the Machine, but for me right now, no one comes to mind at all.

Question 4 – Where with the Reds end in the standings?

Matt: It think it is just a matter of time before the Reds become contenders in the NL Central. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce will develop into players who can anchor a lineup (alongside Brandon Phillips). Drew Stubbs and Wladimir Balentien are interesting prospects. And, there’s no denying the bevy of young talent in the Cincinnati rotation (Cueto, Bailey, Volquez, Chapman, etc.). 2009 could be the season that everything comes together. More likely, I think, the Reds are still at least a year away from making a serious run at the playoffs. I do think there’s a good chance they’ll break .500 this year, for the first time since 2000, but I expect them to be fighting the Cubs for third place.

Trent: For all intensive purposes, they need to break .500 this year. Considering they were six games under to close last season, they ought to be able to at least break that glass ceiling this season. If not, one would have to expect major changes in the pitching staff, particularly in the starting rotation, seeing as that is supposed to be the strongest part of the team, much like it was supposed to be last year.

With a healthy Votto, Bruce, and Rolen, paired with Phillips going 3-6, a better lead off hitter, and the same production from the bullpen, they might challenege as high as second, but more likely will be in the middle of the pack come September.

Daniels: I have no faith in the Reds. Fourth in the division, and only there because of how pitiful the Pirates and Astros will probably be.

Eugene: I’m with Daniels. Their additions don’t put them in the top half of the division, but they did more (positives) than Houston or Pittsburgh.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Cincinnati Reds Preview

Eugene Tierney — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:20:59 +0000

Cincinnati Reds
2009: 78-84, 4th NL Central

2009 Review:
While the Reds did win 4 more games than the previous season, many in the organization would still say the season was a failure.

First off, they were still in the bottom half of the divison. Part of this could be cited to injuries, as Joey Votto and Edinson Volquez missed time with injuries. Both players are key in the Reds success. Votto left the team for personal reasons, which was really battling depression. Volquez had elbow problems, which led to Tommy John surgery.

Secondly, the Reds invested in a bad leadoff hitter. Willy Taveras was signed to be a table setter, but they found out that he can’t get on base (.275 OBP). Taveras was fine defensively, and once he got on base, he did have the speed to swipe a base. Unfortunately, he didn’t steal many bases (25).

The pitching was ok, as Johnny Cueto was able to lower his stats other than wins; this also meant he had few strike outs than the previous season. Homer Bailey finally took a step forward; the one time future ace put up his best numbers in the majors.

2009/2010 Off-Season:
Gains: Orlando Cabrera, Ardolis Chapman, Aaron Miles

Losses: Darnell McDonald, Ramon Ramirez, Danny Richar, Adam Rosales, Craig Tatum, Willy Taveras

Minor League Deals: Josh Anderson, Jose Arredondo, Chris Burke, Miguel Cairo
Dealing Taveras to the Athletics was a good deal, as they picked up Aaron Miles. While Miles isn’t a good player, he’s better than running Taveras out to center everyday. Miles is a good bench player who is good for a single most of the time he’s hitting.

Orlando Cabrera is another solid addition to the team. He’s not the player he was, but shortstop was a problem for the Reds. Paul Janish and Adam Rosales didn’t set the world on fire. Cabrera won’t either, but he’s an upgrade.

The biggest move of the off season was signing Cuban import Ardolis Chapman. Chapman is seen any where from top of the rotation starter to bullpen arm. I don’t think he’ll be able to contribute this year, but he’ll be a solid addition in the future.

2010 Preview:
With the additions to the team, they do look improved on paper; at least the fielding and hitting does. The pitching will be hurt by the loss of Volquez. He’s the ace of the staff, and they didn’t sign a pitcher to replace him. They’ll need Bailey and Cueto to really step forward to absorb this loss.

Predicition: 82-82, 3rd NL Central

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago White Sox Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:13:03 +0000

1. Tyler Flowers, C – He may be a rare specimen – a large bodied catcher that can handle the position. Flowers’ power has developed well in the last year. He won’t hit for average, but his production should be better than most catchers.

2. Dan Hudson, P – Hudson will be a back of the rotation starter, as he does everything well, but doesn’t stand out in one particular area. He looked pretty well in his MLB audition, so he could be in the rotation this year.

3. Jared Mitchell, OF – Mitchell can either be a star or a platoon player. He’s too patient, often missing good pitches. He’s very good defensively. The problem is his splits; if he can’t hit pitchers throwing from both sides of the mound, he’ll not be successful.

4. Brent Morel, 3B – Right now, the only thing keeping Morel out of the top prospect status is his power. If he can hit a few more homers at the upper levels, he’ll be a great sleeper. Too bad he’s block by Mark Teahen.

5. Jordan Danks, OF – Danks is a very patient, but strikes out often. If he can work on that for a full season at Triple A, he could be seen as the centerfielder of the future. This season will prove what type of player he can be.

6. Dayan Viciedo, 3B – Viciedo could easily jump up in the rankings if he can build upon his disappointing American debut. He showed little patience and power in Double A, which may have been a level too high for him. He’s got the build to be a prototypical third baseman, but needs to adapt to get there.

7. Santos Rodriguez, P – Rodriguez has the chance to be a top of the rotation starter, but he really needs to harness his stuff. If he can’t, he could end up like a Kyle Farnsworth reliever.

8. David Holmberg, P – Holmberg currently profiles as a back of the rotation starter, as he’s got the pitches but not the velocity. I don’t see his fast ball gaining more speed at this point.

9. John Ely, P – Ely has the potential to be an innings eater, with a downside of a long reliever. He’s got a good fastball with movement and a plus change. He won’t over power hitters.

10. Miguel Gonzalez, C – This catching prospect could be a sleeper this year. After spending the season in Rookie Ball, he should be in Hi A this year; he could even end the year in Double A if he continues to put up impressive numbers.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago White Sox Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:00:37 +0000

Our guest bloggers is Matt Seybold from The Sporting Hippeaux.

Question 1 – Can Jake Peavy be the same pitcher in US Cellular Field as he was at Petco Park?

Matt: Depends on what you mean by “same pitcher.” Will Peavy be able to post an ERA below 3.00, as he did four times for the Padres? Probably not. Peavy’s main Achilles heel (besides the ankle itself) has always been a tendency to give up homers, and that’s certainly going to be exacerbated by pitching in the American League at the hitters-haven known as Cellular field. However, will he be a tenacious competitor who, assuming he’s fully healthy, gives his team 200 innings and ranks among the top dozen or so pitchers in the AL? Yes, I think that’s a reasonable expectation. Peavy looked fantastic in three starts for the White Sox last September, although, granted, by that point they were meaningless in terms of the standings. I’ll got out on a limb and predict that Peavy stays off the DL and give the ChiSox 15+ wins, around 200 K, and an ERA somewhere between 3.25 and 3.50.

Jeff: But how will he stay in the game mentally without his at-bats?? Just kidding —

Great points, Matt…totally agree, but maybe even 20 wins isn’t out of the question with Peavy — total horse, total competitor — no DL = huge year.

Eugene: I’m not convinced he will. I see his fly ball tendency and his lack of ability to go deep into games. It’ll have a trickle down effect, especially if you see a struggling Bobby Jenks again and how much they will rely on J.J. Putz. Plus, I don’t know if they upgraded their offense enough to give him the needed run support.

Chad: I think he can still be a very good pitcher for the Sox. He still has lights out stuff and the stuff will translate to the AL. Everyone makes a big deal out of the move to the AL, but he is moving to the AL Central. And outside the Twins, there aren’t a lot of scary offenses in the division. Detroit has Cabrera and a bunch of questions, Cleveland has Sizemore and a bunch of questions, Kansas City has Billy Butler and a bunch of questions. Pitching in that division will help as much as pitching in “The Cell” will hurt him. I think Matt’s predictions are pretty good.

Daniels: I’m pretty sure that Peavy is going to have his regular ace stuff. I’m sure his ERA will suffer from both the change in leagues and the move to a hitter’s park, but there’s nothing that indicates Peavy will have any issue with the switch over other than made-up stuff about changing leagues so AL fans feel better about their brand of fake baseball.

Question 2 – Will Bobby Jenks lose the closer role?

Chad: No. He’s going to have a bounce back year. My fantasy team depends on it……

Matt: I know a great deal was made, especially in the Windy City, of Bobby Jenks rough stretch in the middle of 2009, but, realistically, Bobby Jenks is a 28-year-old with 146 saves. He’s only five short of Jonathan Papelbon, who is roughly the same age. Every year I hear predictions that Jenks is “too fat” or “too immature” or “too one-dimensional,” but he remains one of the better closers in baseball. Sure, as he nears his thirties he may need to re-dedicate himself to conditioning, but early reports are that he has and I predict 30-40 saves with no reservations. Will his ERA return to what it was in ‘07 and ‘08 (2.70)? Maybe, maybe not. Last season’s 3.71 ERA was heavily effected by a bad six-game stretch in July. All relievers have one of these sooner or later, even Mo Rivera. Outside of that brief period, Jenks posted a 2.95 ERA. If I were Ozzie Guillen and Kenny Williams, I’d be totally comfortable with that.

Jeff: If the question is, would he lose his job to JJ Putz?? Then a capital N-O from me.

Eugene: If Jenks were to lose his job, it would be to Matt Thornton. He’s got a closer arsenal but has been behind Jenks for a while now.

Daniels: Jenks had a bizarre year. His walk rate was about the same and his strike out rate went WAY up. Unfortunately, his HR rate went from 0.4/9 IP to 1.5/9 IP. Not good for a closer to give up lots of long balls, since it seems to have the effect of rattling the team. Jenks’ average seems to be right around his 2008 numbers so, barring some unreported injury, I’d expect him to bounce back there.

Question 3 – Is Ozzie Guillen too much of a distraction for the team?

Matt: Ozzie’s “distractability” is actually one of his finest qualities as a manager. Sure, he’s aggravating sometimes and I fear one day he’s going to put his foot so far in his mouth he actually swallows a toe, but I don’t think there’s any deny that he takes pressure off the players. Those who live in Chicago know that the town is baseball-obsessed for six months out of the year, with multiple news outlets and talk radio stations putting both teams under a none-to-subtle microscope. What Ozzie (and, to some extent, Lou) is great at is saying something funny or controversial exactly at the moment when the press is on the verge of screaming for the head of Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, or Gavin Floyd. Much like Billy Martin, Sparky Anderson, or even Joe Torre, Guillen is the biggest celebrity on the team, and that works to his players’ advantage. White Sox fans just have to keep crossing their fingers that he doesn’t say something so racist, misogynist, or libelous that the organization is forced to fire him. In my opinion, that’s the only way for the Ozzie era to end. I’m totally sold on his on-the-field and in-the-clubhouse capabilities.

Jeff: I agree with Matthew, also adding that the White Sox need Ozzie far more than Ozzie needs the White Sox.

Chad: I’m getting to the point where it’s just “enough.” And I think some of the players might be there as well. This team has changed pretty drastically the last few years and part of the reason may be because Ozzie is a difficult guy to get along with. Not that I know personally, but he seems like someone who would always be brutally honest with people and that can rub people the wrong way and if you’re not that type of player, you’re not going to succeed for the Sox.

Question 4 – Where will the White Sox finish?

Matt: The fact that Baseball Prostpectus’s PECOTA projections have the White Sox, Tigers, and Twins finishing in a three-way tie for first in AL Central, without any team reaching .500, says a lot about the “competitive balance” of this division. You can even see Cleveland getting into the mix if they solve a few of their pitching problems. That said, I think Chicago should be the odds-on favorite. They’ve easily got the best and deepest rotation in the division. The lineup if filled with questions marks, but there’s no denying the “upside.” Alex Rios, Carlos Quentin, and Alexei Ramirez are all big-time talents coming off poor ‘09 performances. Gordon Beckham looked great as a rookie. Could he be even better this year? If two or three of those guys can have big seasons and join forces with the consistent workman-like mediocrity of Paul Konerko, A. J. Pierzynski, and Juan Pierre, this team may run away with the Central and even be a moderate danger in the playoffs. More likely, however, they’ll be fighting off the Twins and Tigers until game 163. I think the White Sox come out on top, but with less than 85 wins.

Chad: I think they are one of the favorites, but I think they finish second. Rios has been a disaster for 2 years. Quentin and Ramirez are guys who’ve had one good season and a few poor seasons so there’s no reason to think they’re going to turn anything around. Konerko and AJ are consistent players, but they’re starting to get up there in age. The Sox have undergone a complete remake of their team over the last few years; they’re now a light hitting, heavy pitching team in a ballpark that’s built for power hitting. They have the best pitcher in the division but the rest of the rotation is a bunch of guys who can have dominate outings and then can look like chopped liver the next game. I’m not sold on what the White Sox are selling.

Jeff: Quentin and Rios have been hampered by injuries, therefore making them look awful — but when they’re right, they’re REALLY good — I like Ozzie and I think he’ll be able to get just enough out these guys to hold off the Twins — The Tigers, I predict, will be a non-factor — one last point, and I think everyone would agree….if they don’t win the division, you can forget about the playoffs…the wild card will be WAY out of reach.

Daniels: 2nd, right behind the great white juggernaut in Minnesota.

Eugene: I like their chances, but in the end I think they’ll end up 3rd, right behind Minnesota and Detroit. All 3 will be in it until the end.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago White Sox Preview

Chad Jorgenson — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:00:29 +0000

Chicago White Sox
Management: GM – Kenny Williams, Manager – Ozzie Guillen

Key Additions: Alejandro De Aza, Freddy Dolsi, Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre, J.J. Putz, Mark Teahen, Omar Vizquel, Daniel Cabrera

Key Losses: D.J. Carrasco, Octavio Dotel, Jermaine Dye, Josh D. Fields, Chris Getz, Jimmy Gobble, Scott Podsednik, Dewayne Wise

Projected Starters
C AJ Pierzynski
1B Paul Konerko
2B Gordon Beckham
3B Mark Teahen
SS Alexi Ramirez
RF Carlos Quentin
CF Alex Rios
LF Juan Pierre
DH Mark Kotsay

SP Jake Peavy
SP Mark Buehrle
SP John Danks
SP Gavin Floyd
SP Freddy Garcia
CL Bobby Jenks

Preview: This team struggled a lot last season and return a lineup that looks pretty similar. They’ve got steady producers in Konerko and Pierzynski. They’ve got Gordon Beckham as a talented young upandcomer. Alexei Ramirez has a lot of talent if he can turn his career around. In the outfield they’ve got a few injury question marks with Alex Rios and Carlos Quentin, both have had fantastic years but have been plagued by inconsistency in the last few years. In the other OF spot they’ve got Juan Pierre who is the exact opposite of what the White Sox have been in the past. With all those question marks around the offense, I think they’ll stuggle to score runs on a consistent basis, which will be a pain for the organization because they struggled to score runs consistently when they had all the big boppers in the line-up. On the mound the White Sox can lay claim to one of the best starting pitchers in the division with Jake Peavy. Some question his endurance and dependablity, but when he is on he is one of the best pitchers in baseball and the change in leagues won’t affect him as much as it might affect some other pitchers. The bullpen should be solid if Jenks can turn it around from last year, JJ Putz should add a dependable 8th inning guy and they’ve got some gas throwers leading up the end guys. Overall I think they’ve taken a sidestep from last year, I don’t see them being dramatically better, but they shouldn’t be terrible. Just another long summer of chasing the Twins and Tigers and never catching up.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago Cubs Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:00:15 +0000

1. Starlin Castro, SS – Castro is easily the top prospect in the system. He’s got offense and defense. I could see him being up by the end of the season.

2. Josh Vitters, 3B – While some are worried about Vitter’s struggled, but he’s still young and will bounce back. He doesn’t walk much, but he doesn’t strikeout much either.

3. Hak-Ju Lee, SS – Lee is probably as good as Castro, but he won’t be able to see much time at short if Castro establishes himself. He could easily make the switch to second. He’s fast and gets on base; he’d be the perfect lead off hitter.

4. Brett Jackson, OF – Jackson has performed very well at the low levels and has the tools to produce at the higher ones. His power is coming around and speed is better than advertised.

5. Andrew Cashner, P – Cashner has the opportunity to take the final bullpen spot with a strong spring. He’s got 2 strong pitches, but needs to work on his command and endurance to be a starter. I see him being a solid bullpen arm.

6. Jay Jackson, P – Like Cashner, he’s got 2 good pitches and needs to develop a third to be in the rotation. He does have the endurance though, so he’s got a solid opportunity to be a starter.

7. Chris Carpenter, P – Carpenter has the opportunity to be a solid pitcher, but there are serious questions about his health and command. He’s got the potential to be a mid-rotation starter.

8. Ryan Flaherty, 2B – He often gets overlooked because of Castro and Lee, but he projects to be a solid infielder. He’ll probably not get an opportunity to see the Cubs infield, but he should get something nice for them on the trade market.

9. Kyler Burke, OF – Burke has a little bit of everything as far as skills. He’s a little bit old for Single A last season, but if he can move quickly, he’ll have a solid career.

10. Esmailin Caridad, P – Caridad got a little major league exposure in the Cubs bullpen, which is where he’ll probably become a fixture.

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago Cubs Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:00:25 +0000

Our guest bloggers is Matt Seybold from The Sporting Hippeaux again.

Question 1 – How important was the Milton Bradley trade?

Jeff: HUGE — I don’t think the clubhouse cancer that is Milton Bradley can be understated –”Addition by subtraction” should just be renamed “Milton Bradley” — However, Carlos Silva, who the Cubs got from Seattle, certainly isn’t the answer on the bump, either — I don’t expect Silva to be much of a consistent contributor, but just not having Bradley around will invariably help guys like Fukudome, Theriot and Nady.

Eugene: Agreed. Bradley out of the club house instantly makes this team better. I’m surprised that he was signed in the first place, because of his outburst history and having a strong personality as a manager. At the beginning of the season, no one could have said that they didn’t see a conflict arising between Lou and Milton; it was common sense.

I also think that Silva will be released by the end of spring training.

Matt: I actually strongly disagree. The Cubs made a mistake in signing Bradley, but by more or less giving him to Mariners, they’ve re-doubled their blunder. Very little about their offseason makes any sense. They signed Rudy Jaramillo seemingly for the express purpose of working with Bradley, then traded Bradley for Carlos Silva, a pitcher who should never make another major-league start and gets paid EVEN MORE than Bradley. I honestly don’t believe in the logic of addition by subtraction and I also don’t believe in trading players at the nadir of their value. The Cubs outfield situation remains pathetic (although I have modest hopes for Xavier Nady) and Bradley has more upside than anybody in the current rotation (with the exception of Soriano). There was at least a slim chance that Bradley could be a contributor on a contending team, perhaps even a major contributor. There is zero chance that Carlos Silva can.

Jeff: Great points, Matt — no question the Cubs gave up a lot in terms of on-field productivity…..but team chemistry is so important during that 162 (or more, if you’re good) game season — I think the Cubs just got to that point that every team gets to with him….he just ain’t worth it — how else could you explain them taking on the toad that is Silva and his price tag?

Didn’t Bradley get hurt once arguing with an ump?? I’m just saying…..

Question 2 – Will Alfonso Soriano bounce back?

Jeff: Clearly, his best day are behind him, but a 40 HR season isn’t out of the question — he would strike out a ton and have to hit around .250 to do it, however….to be a more useful player for the Cubs, he needs to be somewhere much closer to .300 (and strikeout only half-a-ton) and in that 28-32 HR range — and that is exactly what I expect Lou to get out of him.

Chih-Hsun: Anyone who goes to the cubs is on a downhill career path. Honestly, who goes to the cubs to win? (Ha-ha, sorry I had to throw that in there)

Daniels: Soriano’s going to be 34 this year and has drastically declined since he turned 30. I’ll play the odds and assume that he’s pretty much done. Once guys turn fragile and start becoming a DL mainstay, they don’t really bounce back. Good thing he’s making $18M/year until he turns 38. Strange that he’s always left out of the conversation when writers talk about how every guy who moves from the AL to the NL immediately becomes Babe Ruth.

Trent: Soriano gets a bit of a bad rap and part of that is what Seybold pointed out: he was hitting leadoff but is a player that should be anywhere but the top of the order now. If they put him in a position where he can hit for power, 30 homers is a reasonable expectation. .300 might be a bit of a stretch, but put him somewhere around .275-.280 and have 30 homers and maybe 80-90 RBI. Anything above that and you could label it a bounce back year.

Jeff: .300 would be a miracle!! Somewhere close to it is realistic, I believe…..like in that .285-.290ish range

Daniels: .300 for Soriano is an enormous stretch. He’s done it exactly once and it wasn’t even his 40/40 year. Free swinging, high strikeout guys don’t age well. As soon as they lose a split second of reaction time, they fall off a cliff. I’m not saying that’s necessarily going to happen to Soriano this year, but that’s the rule more than the exception. It’s not like he’s going to suddenly learn plate discipline in the off-season.

Question 3 – Do the Cubs need an upgrade in the middle infield?

Matt: I’ve got a post going up this week speculating as to the Cubs plans for Starlin Castro. Last week, Moises Alou, who managed Castro in the Dominican Winter Leagues, told MLB Network he believed Castro would be in the majors by the end of this year (even though he is currently just 19-years-old). There’s no doubt that Starlin is the shortstop of the future in Chicago (at least, if everything goes as planned), which explains why Jim Hendry resisted the temptation to pursue free agents like Orlando Hudson and Placido Polanco during the offseason. Ryan Theriot will move to second, a position he’s more suited to, and the Cubs will improve dramatically, defensively at least.

I doubt the Cubs will make the move on Opening Day. I think Mike Fontenot and Jeff Baker have six to eight weeks to prove they can indeed be a productive platoon (their numbers prior to ‘09 suggest they’re capable of it). If not, we’ll get our first look at Castro around the All-Star Break. I think, like Elvis Andrus, he won’t hit for much power when he arrives, but, unlike Andrus, he’s hit for a high average at every level and can probably be expected to be at least a .280-.290 hitter as a rookie.

Daniels: They could, but you should be able to survive with one of your middle infielders being a poor hitter. The Cubs’ last season had a myriad of problems, but Mike Fontenot’s lack of hitting ability wasn’t the biggest one. That said, if they can get an equally good defensive shortstop that is not an automatic out, there’s no reason you wouldn’t do it. I can’t claim any knowledge of the Cubs’ minor league system so I’ll defer to those with knowledge of Starlin Castro.

Eugene: As a division rival of the Cubs, I like the middle infield. Theriot isn’t a shortstop, so there is always a liability there (see 2006-2008 Aaron Miles at short). He’s much better suited at second, which would keep Fontenot out of the line up. Starlin Castro could be the answer, but it depends on his spring performance.

Question 4 – How will the Cubs finish this year?

Matt: Alas, this is the most dangerous question for a Cubs fan. This is still pretty much the same team who EVERYBODY chose to win the division (and even the pennant) in 2009. Healthy seasons from A-Ram, Zambrano, Soto, and the Fonz would be enough to put them right back in the hunt. So, of course, I’ll be cautiously optimistic when I’m hanging out with my buddies drinking Old Style on Opening Day, as usual. By July, however, my Cubs game ritual will probably involve sitting alone in my apartment with a bottle of Wild Turkey and trying to work up the nerve to prank-call Steve Bartman, as usual.

My “objective” prediction is more or less a repeat of last season: third place, behind the Cards and Brewers (though not necessarily in that order), with a record around .500.

Jeff: I see the Cubbies finishing 2nd in the division to St Louis, double digits back of wild-card contention — and remember kids, ‘CUBS’ stands for Completely Useless By September.

Eugene: I see them in second or third, depending on how Milwaukee plays. It will also depend on health, as Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and Soriano are all getting older and more fragile.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago Cubs Preview

Eugene Tierney — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:07 +0000

Chicago Cubs
2nd Place in the NL Central, 83-78

2009 Review
2009 was nothing but a disappointment for the Cubs. They saw their ace pitch below standards, their top hitter regressed, and their big signing was a bust.

The pitching was ok, but ace Carlos Zambrano was not very good with only 9 wins. The bullpen was along the same lines, which many problems with their closer role; Carlos Marmol did step up, but wasn’t a lights out closer that they needed. Of course, Kevin Gregg was the closer coming into the season and really didn’t live up to what he had done in Florida prior to coming to the Cubs. Aaron Heilman had another disastrous season.

The offense had its moments, but when you pay big money for a slugger, you expect more than what they got out of Alfonso Soriano. A former 40/40 player, injuries and age have lowered Soriano’s production. He’s not going to be the player he was 5 years ago, but he does still have value. Another bad spot for the offense was former Rookie of the Year Geovany Soto. Soto had solid numbers in 2008 for a catcher, but really took a nose dive in 2009.

The biggest problem from 2009 was their big signing from the previous off-season: Milton Bradley. Bradley was known as a hot head coming into Chicago, and adding him to a strong personality manager (Lou Pinella) was a recipe for disaster. By the end of the season, Bradley had alienated his manager and the Chicago fans. I think if he would have produced like he did the previous season, many would have over looked his off field acts, but he wasn’t even close. It was no surprise to see him moved in the off season. All of the blame can’t go to Bradley; the Cubs should have known what they were getting. Between his behavior issues, his inability healthy, and the fact that he was coming off a season where he was primarily DHing, the Cubs should not have given him the contract that he received (a 1 year deal would have been ideal).

The Offseason
Gains: Marlon Byrd, Jeff Gray, Ronny Morla, Xavier Nady, Mike Parisi, Carlos Silva, Matt Spencer

Losses: Milton Bradley, Neal Cotts, Chad Fox, Jake Fox, Kevin Gregg, Rich Harden, Aaron Heilman, Reed Johnson, Aaron Miles, So Taguchi, Jason Waddell

Minor League Deals: Bryan LaHair, Kevin Millar, Scott McClain, Chad Tracy

There were 2 objectives for the Cubs in the offseason: a new owner and moving Bradley. They accomplished both.

The new owner is in place and this will do a lot for the team. The club really didn’t want to spend money because there were questions about whether or not this could impact the sale of the team. They couldn’t justify spending someone’s money without knowing how it would impact things.

Secondly, moving Bradley would free up money. This ties into the first one, as moving Bradley and Aaron Miles cleared up money to sign Nady and Byrd. It did saddle the team with one year of a bad Carlos Silva; I expect that they’ll just dump him (a la Luis Vizcaino after receiving him in the Jason Marquis trade).

The one major mistake was not filling in the rotation spot held by Rich Harden. He may be injury prone, but he always kept the team in the game. Now, they will use Randy Wells as the 4th starter and try to find someone for the 5th spot from within the system. Tom Gorzelanny is probably the best option, but there is no guarantee that he can pitch well enough to do it.

2010 Outlook
I’ll go around the diamond on this – first, I think Soto will be better, but not quite as good as his rookie campaign. He had one good year in the minors before that “breakout” in the majors. I’m not sold on him, but there are worse options.

The corner infielders are steady, but they need them for the full season. Lee and Ramirez have had some injury problems in the past and healthy seasons from them are keys for success. The middle infield is a train wreck. Mike Fontenot can’t hit for the life of him and Ryan Theriot seems like he’s playing better than he should be able too. If Starlin Castro is as good as advertised (and up this season), it’ll help a lot; Theriot moves to second, where he’s a better fit.

The starting outfield will now be Soriano, Byrd, and a platoon of Nady and Fukudome; I think this will match what they got out of Soriano, Fukudome/Reed Johnson, and Bradley. I’m not sold on Byrd (coming off his seasons in Texas), but he’s better defensively than Fukudome. I do like adding Nady, as he’s had a few good years in the past.

The front of the rotation is strong, especially if Zambrano is back to his ace stuff. Dempster and Lilly are good fits in the 2 and 3 spots. After that are the question marks. Can Randy Wells repeat on a good rookie season? Who takes the 5th rotation spot? Can Gorzelanny put together a season like they were expecting in Pittsburgh, if he is the 5th starter? It was really a bad decision not to re-fill Hardens spot, and fans in Chicago will see that every 5th day.

The bullpen is solid, but there are already questions about Angel Guzman’s health. Also, they over paid to keep John Grabow around. As long as Marmol can close the games out, they should be alright.

Prediction: 85-77, 3rd in the Central

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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Top 5 Fastballs of All Time

Jeff Morrick — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:00:37 +0000

A guy at work and myself got into this little discussion yesterday — pretty interesting stuff. This list is NOT a compilation of who could simply throw the hardest, so you will not find guys like Joel Zumaya.

1) Randy Johnson — I can’t imagine anything more frightening than standing in against the Big Unit, just ask John Kruk. Truthfully, he and Nolan Ryan are probably 1 and 1a — but I had to rank them, and the fact that Johnson is a lefty put him over the top. Triple digits from damn-near the firstbase-line??  Yep, dominant. Besides, batters used to actually fake sickness/injury on RJ day…..hillarious, and an extremely high form of praise from one’s peers.

2) Nolan Ryan — Loved hearing that sizzle and pop. The Express was amazing — longevity plus velocity that wouldn’t quit. His 7 no-hitters will never be matched — and he’s got ol #1 to thank for all of them.

3) Bob Gibson — I don’t think it was Gibby’s velocity that had batters worried as much as the fact that he would (and did) dial up some chin-music on any given pitch, count be damned. Plus, I don’t know much, but I do know that when your league literally changes the rules and playing fields you play on because of you, you’re freaking awesome! MLB lowered the mound from 15 inches down to 10 in 1969, the season following Gibson’s 1.12 ERA. One-point-one-two??? Yo!

4) Don Drysdale — Much like Gibson, Drysdale OWNED the plate. Batter’s didn’t, hell, COULDN’T dig in and the Cheddar just kept hissing by.

5) Roger Clemens — Don’t like anything about Roger (including the fact that he’s a longhorn), but the guy could hum it — truthfully, he is probably the most well-rounded on the list, but his Heater paid the bills.
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Maple Street Press Yankees 2010 Annual, an independent review of an independent publishing company

Russ Blatt — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:28:32 +0000

Being a baseball and New York Yankees fan, many of the books that I read are about the game of baseball and about the New York Yankees. I have a shelf of Yankees playoffs programs and many, upon many newspapers in my basement that celebrate many of the great Yankees moments of the past 15 years. I love getting the post-season reviews and then I get excited when I read the pre-season previews for the upcoming season.

Recently I received a copy of the Maple Street Press Yankees 2010 Annual, and was so impressed I wanted to tell you about MSP and their Yankees annual and other editions. If every preview is as thorough and enjoyable as the Yankees edition is, there will be many happy sports fans who order from MSP.

Directly from their website, “Maple Street Press LLC is a privately-held, independent publishing company supporting the trade sports market. We publish high quality, authoritative, analytical, and insightful sports publications for involved and serious fans. The publications aim to provide insight into various aspects of sports and debunk commonly held beliefs and thoughts.” What does this mean? This means that they are a group of people who truly analyze information and present it to you the way that you want it, complete and thorough. MSP further details that each edition is 120 pages long and had NO advertisements.

My first impression when I flipped through the magazine when I received it (before I read it) was that is was on high quality glossy paper that really made the photos and the text stand out. It also had the feel of a annual yearbook as opposed to a magazine. Imagine holding your favorite team’s yearbook as opposed to a Sports Illustrated. It looked like and felt like it had substance. Now, I look at the substance.

There are nine stories about the 2010 Yankees, four stories about the future of the Yankees and five stories about the Yankees past.

In the preview of the 2010 Yankees, MSP give one of the most complete breakdown of each player expected to be part of the 2010 Yankees (Curtis Granderson, Randy Winn, Boone Logan and Javier Vazquez are included in this edition). The is a breakdown of each player, statistics for the hitters against each type of pitch, how well they hit pitches inside and outside of the strike zone, percent of balls hit to the different sections of the infield and the outfield and the a variety of statistics and splits (home/away, vs. LHP/RHP and 1st Half/2nd Half) for 2009. The breakdowns for the pitchers include strength and weaknesses of types of pitches, strengths of pitch zones, types of pitches in different counts and their success and splits of 2009 as well. If you are a fan of statistics, there are twenty pages to keep you busy for hours and hours.

There is a complete review of the 2009 season, starting with the three big free agent signings, the issues, departure and return of Alex Rodriguez, the building of the bullpen with the addition of Phil Hughes, travels from Brian Cashman’s trip to Atlanta through the Yankees sweeping Boston, through the victories through the playoffs. In addition, what review of the 2009 season would not speak about the “Walk-off Wins”. MSP does, broken down by date and walk-off hit.

There are further stories about Manager Joe Girardi, from his 2008 season through his World Series Victory. It was one of the most complete stories about Joe I have read. A story about Phil Hughes details his fall and rise as a Yankees pitcher. There is an interesting story about the Yankees and Plan B. What is Plan B and how was it successful? Buy the annual and find out. I cannot tell you everything that is in its pages.

There (of course) is a story about Alex Rodriguez. However this is not about Kate Hudson, PEDs or his hip, it is about how well A-Rod hits in the clutch and his home runs in clutch situations. There are also comparisons to Albert Pujols and David Ortiz. An interesting statistical breakdown into A-Rod, this story is unlike any I have read. There is a story that breaks down the Yankees fielders and how well they compare to other fielders using balls hit towards them, plays made, outs recorded and three other variables. The UZR/150 may be the defensive statistic of the future.

The last two stories about the 2010 Yankees discuss if a championship can be purchased and a look at the Yankee Captain and how he compares to The Iron Horse.

Instead of detailing the rest of this Annual, go out and get it if you are a Yankees fan. There are stories about the Top ten Yankees Prospects, a breakdown of Catcher Jesus Montero, a look at Staten Island and the Yankees farm team there and a look at minor league dream teams going back 60 years. The last part in the Annual is the history of the Yankees. First is a look at the best seasons for walk-off home runs, then there is a look at the new Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, a story of Johnny Mize and there is a ranking of the Yankees teams from 2000 through 2009. The top team is 2002. Lastly, there is a story about Yankee Fantasy Camps and the first ever Kosher Fantasy Camp.

What if you are not a Yankees fan? Maple Street Press publishes annuals for the Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, Cardinals, Phillies and new for 2010 the Dodgers, Mariners and Twins. If you are a football fan, the Patriots, Cowboys, Steelers have published annuals and new for 2010 the Packers and Broncos have published annuals. There is a Toronto Maple Leafs annual and the new annuals include the Red Wings, Canucks and the Canadians. College Football is well represented by Maple Street Press. Notre Dame, Texas, Ohio States, Michigan, Alabama, Nebraska, Florida, Penn State, Tennessee and Oklahoma have annuals for their fans. If you enjoy the college hoops (and March Madness is right around the corner), go get the North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky or UConn annuals.

So, how can you get these annuals? Go to www.maplestreetpress.com and look through all of the annuals. They cost only $12.99 per annual. Seriously, value of the annual when compared to the cost is ridiculous.

The best seller as of today is Maple Street Press Mariners 2010 Annual. Go and make your team the top seller!

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NFL Draft 2010 – Troney Shumpert Workout Special

Chad Jorgenson — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:27:16 +0000

Recently I had the chance to do a TV news package on a potential NFL Draft pick.

Troney Shumpert
School: UW-Whitewater
Postition: Corner Back
Career Stats: 190.5 Tackles
12 TFL
.5 Sacks
6 INT
46 Passes Defensed
1 FF

2009 Stats
72 Tackles
6 TFL
3 INT
1 FF
17 Passes Defended
14 Pass Breakups

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QJFSekpPZE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS4l54JOhkI

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30 Teams in 30 Days: Boston Red Sox Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:00:13 +0000

Boston Red Sox
1. Casey Kelly, P – Kelly wanted to try his hand at shortstop, but didn’t fare as well as he hoped. The Sox wanted him to be a pitcher, where he has top of the rotation potential. I could see him up by the end of next year, depending on the health of the rotation.

2. Ryan Westmoreland, OF – He’s got the tools to be a star, now we just need to see if his body can hold up. He’s young, so he’s still got time to prove his health and his developing power.

3. Michael Bowden, P – While I don’t expect him to be a star, he’ll be a solid mid-rotation starter. John Sickels makes the Jeff Suppan comparison, but I see him being better than that.

4. Ryan Kalish, OF – Another solid outfielder. He can do pretty much everything that you’d ask for. If he can develop more power, he’ll be one of the top outfield prospects in the game.

5. Josh Reddick, OF – Reddick is much like Kalish, except he has the power. He’s also older and at a higher level. Look for him to get the first call when an outfielder goes down.

6. Junichi Tazawa, P – While he didn’t look good in his call up, Tazawa has the ability to succeed in the majors. I would expect him to see some more bullpen time to get used to major league hitters; his future is in the rotation, if there is ever an opening.

7. Lars Anderson, 1B – Anderson was on everyone’s lists last year, but an unhealthy year has hurt his stock. Add in the lack of power for the position, and Anderson doesn’t match up well to the other top first basemen prospects.

8. Anthony Rizzo, 1B – Much like Anderson, Rizzo lacks power at first base. His advantage is he’s younger, so he’s got time to develop a little more. I don’t see him making it with the Sox, with Anderson and Youkilis ahead of him.

9. Jose Iglesias – Iglesias has the potential to jump up the rankings in the next year, if his bat comes around. He’s a superior defender, which makes his bat less important.

10. Stolmy Pimentel, P – Pimentel has the stuff to be a very good pitcher, especially since he’s added velocity. If he can keep it up against the higher levels, he should have a nice major league career.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Boston Red Sox Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:00:07 +0000

As the second part of our baseball preview, we are working with members of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance to offer 4 questions in a roundtable format.

Our guest bloggers is Matt Seybold from The Sporting Hippeaux and Peter from Baseball Reflections.

Question 1 – Will the team re-sign Josh Beckett?

Jeff: I expect Boston to pass on re-upping with Beckett — especially since signing Lackey. Beckett should have a monster year playing for a contract, but his performance might make him to expensive for even the Sox — might he reunite with AJ in pinstripes??

Chad: I agree that they won’t re-sign him, but I think it will have more to do with injuries than on-field performance. I think the Sawks are leery about his shoulder and will pass on giving him the big money he’ll be looking for. I think the Angels will be the leading contender to sign him.

Jeff: Chad, I did not mean to imply that I expect Beckett to have a down year — actually, it’s just the opposite — provided good health, I think he’ll have a monster year, playing for huge $$$.

Warren: I agree that Beckett will excel this year, but the Sox should sign him unless they see enough potential for themselves to compete with the Yanks without him.

Russ: Will Red Sox Nation push the team to resign him if he has a monster year to keep him away from LAA/NY? I have a feeling the Sox will be huge players in the 2010 free agent class…especially if there is a repeat in NY.

Peter: I think the Red Sox will only resign Beckett if he stays healthy. I think they are concerned with his arm/shoulder health & like the Jason Bay situation, they’ll play it safe. Lackey may have been insurance for that as his injuries weren’t as much of a concern as they are with Beckett.

Question 2 – With the signings of Adrian Beltre and Marco Scutaro, are the Red Sox giving up on Jed Lowrie?

Jeff: I’m not sure they’ve “given up” on Lowrie…but their patience is certainly wearing thin — the Sox are in a “win now” mode, and are trying to do it with pitching and defense — the addtion of John Lackey, Beltre, and CF Mike Cameron prove that — Lowrie’s slow development has somewhat forced Boston’s hand in that regard, and his recent wrist injury certainly hasn’t helped — If he continues at this pace, he might find himself in Pawtucket….or traded.

Peter: Again, I think they’re being uber-cautious about injuries and Lowrie has given them good reason to be. How he rebounds this year will dictate how long of a stay Scutaro has in Boston. He may be trade bait come 7/31/2011 if Lowrie plays well & stays healthy this year.

Eugene: Since both guys are signed for the short-term, I think it was more of a subtle way of having Lowrie spend a little time in Pawtucket to develop a little more. He’s not going to be a great player, but he’ll be above replacement level. At this point, they want to get the best options on the field and he’s not it.

Question 3 – Can the Sox trade Mike Lowell?

Peter: I think they better! It really depends on how Lowell can play after this thumb injury. If he comes back & can hit, it sounds as if the Rangers might still be interested, but probably at a lower cost than Max Ramirez.

Matt: At this point, I don’t see why they would. I don’t think somebody will give them even a B-level prospect or a useful major-leaguer in return. If Lowell were likely to become a clubhouse cancer, there would be a reason to force a trade, but at this stage of his career I think he’ll embrace whatever role Francona gives him, just for the chance to stay with a contender (it’s not like it effects his salary). He’ll give the BoSox great insurance against injuries and exhaustion (much like Juan Pierre did for the Dodgers in ‘09). I think Lowell will begin the season as the right-handed portion of a DH platoon (Big Papi really struggled against lefties last season) and will provide somewhat frequent days off for Beltre, especially, and even Youkilis. He’ll also pinch-hit for Marco Scutaro and Jacoby Ellsbury in late-game situations, when the Red Sox are behind, a luxury afforded by the fact they’ve got Jed Lowrie and Jeremy Hermida available to play defense. 400 plate appearances may be stretch, if everybody stays fairly healthy, but I think they’ll find 300 for him.

Daniels: Exactly what Matt said.

Eugene: There may be an opportunity at mid-season. If a contender needs a bench bat for little more than a low level prospect, I see the Sox dealing him – especially if he’s healthy. The Red Sox have enough depth to be able to deal him and not feel the blow.

Question 4 – Where will the Red Sox finish in the standings?

Jeff: My expectations are for Boston to finish 2nd to the Yankees in the East and be in serious wild card contention — 95+ wins isn’t unrealistic — their vastly improved defense with that uber-deep pitching staff should keep them among the league’s elite — Victor Martinez is your dark horse MVP candidate.

Warren: Boston has been competing for the playoffs continually and this year should be no different, they should get the wild-card and get a 90-100 win season and be competitive with the Yanks for the division.

Daniels: I think 95 wins for the Red Sox this year is a stretch. They replaced Jason Bay with Mike Cameron. I enjoyed watching Cameron when he was with the Mets but, by May, the Fenway Faithful will be sick of watching him strike out with men on base. They likely downgraded Mike Lowell with the corpse of Adrian Beltre, who is a notoriously slow starter and will be getting booed out of Fenway before he has his normal 6 week stretch of awesome in June. Additionally, when you look at the Red Sox pitching, they’re spending $90M on a guy who’s a 3-starter at best. Meanwhile, they still have no idea what they’re going to get out of Dice-K, Buchholz, and Wakefield. On top of all that, it remains to be seen if Papelbon’s walk-the-ballpark-itis is just a temporary condition. A lot of things have to break right for the Red Sox for them to win 90+ this year. I don’t see it. I’d call 3rd for the Red Sox, behind the Rays and Yankees.

Matt: Wow. Daniels really not buying what Theo’s selling. Although I can understand some of his skepticism, I think Boston will get at least 90 victories in 2010 and, if I were forced to put money on the AL East race, which I would certainly prefer not to do, I’d pick the BoSox to win. The simple reason is depth.

The Yankees stayed very healthy last year, unusually healthy for a team built around thirty-somethings. What happens if Mark Texeira tweeks a hammy or A-Rod’s hip flares up again. Who is their backup first-baseman? Third-baseman? Second-baseman? Shortstop? Who’s their #6 starting pitcher, for that matter? One or two bad strokes of luck and the Yankees are a very, very different team.

Not so in Boston. Sure, on paper the Red Sox may not quite match up with New York (although they aren’t far off, either), but there are no irreplaceable players on the BoSox roster. The bench of Lowell, Hermida, Lowrie, and Varitek is the best in the AL. They’ve got at least three pitchers – Wakefield, Bowden, and Bonser – who most teams would be happy to slot into the backend of their rotation, but none will make Boston’s on Opening Day.

I think the three teams atop the AL East are fairly even and, in my opinion, that means the season will be decided by the GM, the manager, and the breaks. I think Boston has a leg up on the first two and is best prepared for the latter. But, come October, don’t ask me to pay up.

Daniels: The Yankees aren’t built with a lot of bench depth, by and large, because they simply don’t need it. Should they lose A-Rod and Texeira, their line-up simply drops to 7 guys with OPS+’s above. I’m sure we’ll get in to this more in the Yankee round-table, but an injury to the Yankee line-up just means their line-up becomes more normal… with mediocre hitters in the 7, 8, and 9 hole instead of Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher, and Randy Winn. Robinson Cano, a potential batting title winner, is hitting 7th on this team. 7th!!

The Yankees aren’t built on pitching and defense. They’re built to score 25 runs per game.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Boston Red Sox Preview

Russ Blatt — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:00:23 +0000

Boston Red Sox – American League East

2009 Record: 95-67, 2nd Place in the American League East, 8 Games Back

2009 Review: The Red Sox finished eight games behind the Yankees in 2009. After winning the 2004 and 2007 World Series, any year that the Sox do not win the Series in considered a failure. However, winning 95 games during a season is not a failure. On the offensive side, the team hit .270 (fourth in the American League) led by Jacob Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkalis. David Ortiz started off the season very slow, but ended up with a batting average of .238 with 28 home runs and 99 runs batted in. They were second overall in doubles, third in home runs, fifth in stolen bases and second in walks in the American League. Their offense was strong throughout the season.

Their starting rotation featured Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Brad Penny, Clay Buchholz, Dice-K and also had Tim Wakefield pitching. The top two in the rotation, Beckett and Lester had a combined record of 32-14. Those two pitchers also had an era under 4.00 and a WHIP under 1.250. They had an excellent bullpen as well, anchored by closer Jonathon Papelbon. He had 38 saves during the season and his set up men, Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima, had a combined 13-4 record, both having earned run averages under 3.39. The pitching staff also included 24 year old Justin Masterson, who was traded for Victor Martinez before the end of last season.

The Red Sox had an excellent first half of 2009, with the second best record in baseball, three games ahead of the hated Yankees. After the All-Star break, the Sox faltered. They started by losing five of their first six games and made trades to try to bolster their lineup, including trading for Martinez from the Indians. However, after beating the Yankees eight straight to start 2009, they ended up losing nine of the last ten, falling into second place.

In the playoffs, the Red Sox lost to the Angels in the Divisional Round. The were swept by the Angels, 3-0.

Key Transactions since 2009:
Losses:
Rocco Baldelli – After spending the 2009 season as the 4th outfielder for the Sox, Baldelli declared his free agency. In 62 games, Baldelli hit .253 with 7 home runs. His salary for 2009 was only $500,000 which is a bargain for a veteran extra outfielder.

Jason Bay – In his only full season with the Red Sox, bay hit .269 with 36 home runs and 119 runs batted in. His home runs and runs batted in led the Sox and he scored the second most runs during the season, 103. He does strike out a lot, averaging once per game (162). He was an All-Star in 2009 and declared free agency at the end of the season. He was offered a contract by the Sox but he declined; he eventually signed with the Mets.

Alex Gonzalez – Gonzalez declared free agency after 2009 and is now a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. The infielder, obtained during the season, played shortstop for the Sox and batted .284 in his short time with the Sox. He is a light hitting infielder only made one error with the Sox. He had a 2009 salary over $5 million dollars.

Nick A. Green – The other shortstop for the Sox, Green, is now with the Dodgers. An even lighter hitting shortstop played over 100 games for the Sox at shortstop and was outrighted to the minors at the end of the 2009 season and was declared a free agent. He had only 6 home runs and 35 runs batted in over 300 plate appearances.

Casey Kotchman – Traded to the Sox during the 2009 season, Kotchman had very little impact upon the Sox during his time with the team. He was traded to Seattle after hitting only .218 for the Sox in only 39 games.

Takashi Saito – After the 2009 season, Saito refused his minor league assignment and became a free agent. In 2009, he had appeared in 56 games and had a 2.43 era. He had a WHIP of 1.35, while striking out 52 in 55.2 innings.

Billy Wagner – Coming back from surgery, Wagner came on at the end of the season as a set up man for closer Papelbon. He pitched in 15 and had an era under 2.00. The former closer who averaged over 30 saves per seasons for over a decade wanted to be in that role again. That would not happen with the Red Sox, so he signed with the Braves in the hopes of closing once again.

Other Losses from the 2009 team includes: Brian Anderson, Jeff Bailey, Paul Byrd, Joey Gathright, Enrique Gonzalez, Hunter Jones, George Kottaras, Javier Lopez, Jonathan Van Every, Chris Woodward

Gains:
Adrian Beltre – Beltre was signed after the 2009 season to take over as the starting third baseman. In this career, he has averaged over 20 home runs per season. He hit only 8 home runs in 2009. The Sox are hoping that Beltre can return to the days of 20+ home runs. He is a former Gold Glove winner, and will take over for Mike Lowell, who the Red Sox are still attempting to trade.

Boof Bonser – The right-handed pitcher was obtained in a trade from Minnesota. In 2008 he started 12 games and appeared in 35 others for the Twins. He did not pitch in 2009, after surgery for a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff. He is a serviceable pitcher who does not make a large salary and is worth a shot on a team that can absorb a roster spot for a pitcher like Bonser.

Mike Cameron – Cameron was signed as the replacement for Bay in the outfield. He is considered an excellent outfielder, with a propensity for striking out. Last season, he had a .250 batting average with 24 home runs and 70 runs batted in. He did strike out 156 times, over one per game. The 37 year old will not only serve as a starter in the outfield, but the Sox also hope that Cameron can serve as a mentor for center fielder Jacob Ellsbury.

Bill Hall – This player that can play many positions was obtained in the trade for Kotchman. He split the 2009 season between the Brewers and the Mariners. He finished the season with a combined .201 batting average with only 8 home runs and 36 runs batted in. During his career, he is a .250 hitter and had hit as many as 35 home runs in a season.

John Lackey – The top free agent pitcher at the end of the 2009 season signed with the Red Sox to bolster their rotation. In his eight seasons with the Angels, he has won 31 more games than he lost in his career, with a 3.81 career era. He has won as many as 19 games in a season (2007) and has pitched over 200 innings in a season five times in his career.

Marco Scutaro – The potential starting shortstop for the Red Sox hit .282 for the Blue Jays, with 12 home runs and 60 runs batted in, in 2009. He had an on-base percentage of .379 during the 2009 season ranking seventh in the American League with 90 walks. He is considered a very good fielder, and the Sox hope that his defense will help shore up an infield that was considered at time “porous”.

Other Gains for the 2010 season include Scott Atchison, Jeremy Hermida, Tug Hulett, Robert Manuel, Ramon A. Ramirez and have signed the following players to minor league contracts; Fabio Castro, Darnell McDonald, Gustavo Molina, Edwin Moreno, Joe Nelson, Chad Paronto, Angel Sanchez, Brian Shouse, Jorge Sosa

2010 Preview: The Red Sox come into 2010 ready to challenge for the American League East Championship. They are hoping that Cameron, Beltre and David Ortiz return to the form they had in previous seasons. They have given up their best power hitter to free agency and are hoping these players can all pitch in to make up for the lost home runs and runs batted in. However, they are also hoping that by adding Cameron and Beltre, they will decrease the amount of runs opponents score as well. They will have five new starters in the field and hope that the decrease in runs allowed will offset the decrease in runs they will score.

In addition to defense, the Red Sox may have the best pitching staff in the American League by adding Lackey to a rotation that includes Beckett and Lester. They have more starting pitchers than pitching slots and have to figure out what to do with Tim Wakefield. Clay Buchholz will be in the rotation and that will leave one spot for Dice-K, Wakefield and anyone else who fights for that role. Wakefield, who could theoretically pitch every night, is more effective as a starter and was an All-Star in 2009. The bullpen is just as strong as it was in 2009 also. If the worst problem a pitching staff has is too many starters, they have very few problems.

The question that concerns Red Sox Nation is “Did we do enough to overtake the Yankees?” Besides the Yankees, the Rays have improved and will fight for a division title as well. Manager Terry Francona has a long season ahead of him, and the Sox should once again make the playoffs and 95 wins is a strong goal for this team to achieve.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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2010 NFL Mock Draft

Jeremy Heneghan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:00:56 +0000

1. St. Louis Rams Sam Bradford QB, Oklahoma
I think that Jimmy Clausen will be the better pro, but I’ve read rumors that Bradford is the Rams’ guy right now. They’ve passed on Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez. They can’t afford to pass again. Suh and McCoy are the better prospects, but the Rams are desperate for a quarterback. Bradford gained muscle, so it’s apparent that he’ll be able to better handle the hits of the NFL.

2. Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh DT, Nebraska
There are some draft experts that have McCoy in front of Suh, but in my opinion, Suh is number one. His domination was unparalleled his senior season. He had the highest vertical of any DT since 2000, too. He will be the big man in the middle of the Lions defense for years.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Gerald McCoy DT, Oklahoma
The Bucs are lucky that they are ending up with McCoy since they decided to start winning late last season. McCoy is the real deal, much like Suh. I think both of these DTs will be stars in the league for years.

4. Washington Redskins Jimmy Clausen QB, Notre Dame
One of the basic rules of the draft is that new general managers usually means that they’ll draft a new quarterback. It happens very often and I think the Redskins will be no different. Jason Campbell could still be on the roster, but I think that the Redskins will draft one of the top two quarterback left, if either is available. Who knows? Someone could trade up.

5. Kansas City Chiefs Russell Okung OT, Oklahoma State
In last year’s draft, Scott Pioli showed that he would draft players at premium positions rather than take the best available. Tyson Jackson instead of Aaron Curry, since DEs are at a higher premium than LBs. I think this year the same will happen. Eric Berry will be available, but Pioli will go with Okung. Brandon Albert, as pointed out by many mock drafters and commentators, will be moved inside to guard.

6. Seattle Seahawks Eric Berry S, Tennessee
Looks like the Seahawks will pick up the “trash” left by Kansas City again this year. Aaron Curry dropped to them last year, so will Eric Berry this year. Seattle needs help just about every where, so they should only take the best available players no matter what.

7. Cleveland Browns Jason Pierre-Paul DE, USF
Joe Haden’s 40 time may drop him out of this pick (I’ve had him going to the Browns for a few weeks). But now I think that JPP, who has one of the highest upsides of anybody is this draft, will be taken here by Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert. Heckert comes from Philly, where he and Andy Reid for the most part, drafted defensive linemen in the first round.

8. Oakland Raiders Bruce Campbell OT, Maryland
Since Bruce Campbell ran the fastest 40 out of all the offensive linemen, he goes here to Oakland. It’s so silly…

9. Buffalo Bills Anthony Davis OT, Rutgers
Buffalo takes a very good offensive linemen here in Davis. There are some questions about his work ethic, but they are desperate for offensive linemen. Like Seattle, Buffalo has needs all over the place. Davis can be the foundation to starting a solid offense.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars Joe Haden CB, Florida
Joe Haden’s 40 time at the Combine disappointed, so he’ll have to improve it at his pro day and private workouts. For now, he falls into the Jaguars’ lap at 10. The Jaguars are desperate for defense. They finished dead last in sacks last year with 14 and their secondary felt the pain.

11. Denver Broncos (from Bears) Dez Bryant WR, Oklahoma State
If Brandon Marshall doesn’t get re-signed, the Broncos need to go Bryant here. There are rumors swirling that he, like Marshall, has personality issues and it most likely will hurt his stock. Other than his character, he’s a great receiver; have even heard that he’s better than Crabtree.

12. Miami Dolphins Dan Williams DT, Tennessee
Dan Williams’ stock is hot right now. In January he was about even with Brian Price of UCLA, but not now. A strong Senior Bowl shot him up draft boards further and now he’s in the top 15, Denver and a few others before the Dolphins could be looking at him as well.

13. San Francisco 49ers CJ Spiller RB, Clemson
San Fran is looking for a complementary back to Frank Gore. They drafted Glen Coffee last year, but they’re looking for somebody now who is a different style than those two. Spiller fits the bill exactly. His return game is an extra that makes him even more likable here.

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Broncos) Bryan Bulaga OT, Iowa
Bulaga had a thyroid problem in the past, but apparently it checked out ok at the Combine. Bulaga is definitely a top half of the first round pick. He kept Derrick Morgan away from the QB in their bowl game, so you know he’s very good.

15. New York Giants Rolando McClain MLB, Alabama
McClain falls a little bit here, but I have trouble seeing it actually happening on draft day. However, this could be how things fall. He’s a great leader for a defense and it just so happens that the Giants released Antonio Pierce a while ago.

16. Tennessee Titans Derrick Morgan DE, Georgia Tech
Morgan is a steady defensive end, but nothing too spectacular that makes you say he’ll be a top 10 pick. With JPP, he has the upside, but Morgan was more steady in college, which in my eyes, makes him the better, safer pick. Tennessee has an aging defensive line that needs to get better and younger.

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Panthers) Trent Williams OT, Oklahoma
The Niners use this pick for their offensive line, which was pretty bad last year. The question with Williams is if he’ll be able to be a left tackle. He had a good 40 time and other numbers that would indicate that he can be at left tackle in the NFL, but some scouts say that he won’t be able to.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers Kyle Wilson CB, Boise State
The Steelers need a young defensive lineman and a better offensive line, but Kyle Wilson is the best available player here. The Steelers could use some secondary help, evidenced by last season’s decline due to the injury to Troy Polamalu.

19. Atlanta Falcons Everson Griffen DE, USC
Jamaal Anderson has not produced one bit in his time in Atlanta. He has 2.5 career sacks, .5 sacks last year in 13 starts. Not going to get it done. The third year is usually when defensive linemen show if they’re going to finally get it, or if they’re going to bust out and it appears Anderson is a bust. Atlanta also needs help at each other position on their defense.

20. Houston Texans Ryan Mathews RB, Fresno State
Luckily for the Texans, there is another running back that deserves a first round selection other than CJ Spiller, because Spiller will be long gone before they pick. Mathews was the leading rusher in the NCAA last year, so he’ll look to continue his success in the NFL. Houston could also look at safety Earl Thomas here.

21. Cincinnati Bengals Golden Tate WR, Notre Dame
Tate’s stock has improved progressively more and more since 2010 began and after the Combine, he’s rising even higher. Some question his route running ability, but he has the size, speed, and athleticism in order to overcome any doubts about his abilities. No question, he will be a first rounder.

22. New England Patriots Brandon Graham DE/LB, Michigan
Another fast riser after the calendar changed to 2010 is Graham. He’s drawing comparisons to LaMarr Woodley, also from Michigan. Graham is most likely going to fit best into a 3-4, and the Pats would love to get Graham here. He improved his stock greatly after the combine and the senior bowl.

23. Green Bay Packers Earl Thomas S, Texas
The Packers desperately need to protect Aaron Rodgers, but Ted Thompson always goes with the best available player, which is in my opinion the best way to draft. There are some aging players in the Pack’s secondary, so getting Thomas will be a welcome sight. Some say that Thomas is capable of playing safety or corner.

24. Philadelphia Eagles Carlos Dunlap DE, Florida
Andy Reid always likes to draft defensive linemen in the first round. Dunlap is a great talent, no doubt about it, but his work ethic and character have come into question. He had a DUI last season and missed the SEC Championship game.

25. Baltimore Ravens Jermaine Gresham TE, Oklahoma
In recent years, Todd Heap hasn’t been what he used to be. He came back a little bit last year, but he’s getting older. Joe Flacco needs a reliable target because he does not have any wide receivers to help him out. If Baltimore can get a passing game, they’d be able to be a favorite for winning the AFC. Gresham has injury concerns, but I still think he’ll be taken in the first round.

26. Arizona Cardinals Sean Weatherspoon OLB, Missouri
Weatherspoon brought his teammates together at the Senior Bowl and showed that players naturally gravitate towards him. This is a good trait for a potential defensive leader. Weatherspoon is consistent and dependable and will be a solid player for years to come. The Cardinals lost Bert Berry to retirement, so Spoon will be a good replacement.

27. Dallas Cowboys Mike Iupati OG, Idaho
Iupati had a decent week at Senior Bowl practices, but held too much during the game, that’s one of the very few problems there are with him. He’s still the top interior lineman coming out this year and he could be a first rounder.

28. San Diego Chargers Taylor Mays S, USC
If only Taylor Mays was good in coverage, he would be right up there with Eric Berry. Mays’ senior season put many doubts into the minds of scouts and their NFL teams as to whether he can be a reliable safety or not in the NFL. He’s a physical freak, but his football skills leave something to be desired.

29. New York Jets Devin McCourty CB, Rutgers
The Jets have hit on some good high picks (Revis, Ferguson, Mangold, Sanchez), but missed on others (Gholston, Nugent). The majority though, have been good drafts in the past 3 or 4 years, and that is why they were in the AFC title game in January. If they have another good draft, there’s no doubt that they’ll be able to compete with the Colts and others again for the elite in the AFC.

30. Minnesota Vikings Brian Price DT, UCLA
The Vikings have an aging Pat Williams who is 37. Even though he’ll be playing again in 2010, the Vikings need to prepare for when he’s gone. Quarterback and defensive back are also also needs here, but there aren’t any good enough players at those positions to warrant this draft slot.

31. Indianapolis Colts Charles Brown OT, USC
Apparently Peyton Manning didn’t get enough time to throw in the Super Bowl. This is news to the millions of people who watched the Super Bowl, except Bill Polian, who is losing his sight in old age. They should just clean house on the offensive line and start all over. That’s the only way Peyton Manning can win a Super Bowl.

32. New Orleans Saints Jared Odrick DT, Penn State
The Saints defensive line “dominated” the Colts offensive line in the Super Bowl, but I think they could still upgrade it. They could also go safety since they decided to let Darren Sharper go, but Malcolm Jenkins could step in, depending on where they want to put him in the secondary.

ROUND 2
33. Rams Arrelious Benn WR, Illinois
The Rams need an offensive threat other than Steven Jackson.

34. Lions Jahvid Best RB, California
If Best can prove he’s healthy, I see the Lions taking him here.

35. Buccaneers Brandon LaFell WR, LSU
The Bucs better provide Josh Freeman with some options, especially since Antonio Bryant is expected to be let go.

36. Chiefs Jerry Hughes OLB, TCU
Chiefs need an upgrade over the now 67 year old Mike Vrabel.

37. Redskins Rodger Saffold OT, Indiana
Chris Samuels is retiring, so the Redskins will be in dire need of a new franchise left tackle to block for their new franchise quarterback.

38. Browns Sergio Kindle OLB, Texas
The Browns could use another linebacker and Kindle is a solid linebacker, who has trouble getting off blocks, but overall is a great prospect.

39. Raiders Jacoby Ford WR, Clemson
Top 40 time at the Combine: 4.28

40. Seahawks Maurkice Pouncey OL, Florida
Could be a first rounder. Seattle needs offensive help. Improving their line will do wonders.

41. Bills Rob Gronkowski TE, Arizona
Gronkowski had a back injury, but if he checks out ok, he’ll be drafted high in the 2nd. Buffalo could use a TE to help out whoever their QB will be.

42. Buccaneers (from Bears) Kareem Jackson CB, Alabama
Across from Aqib Talib, Rhonde Barber is growing an old man beard. They need a young corner to match up with Talib.

43. Dolphins Terrence Cody DT, Alabama
Mount Cody dropped 16 pounds before the combine, which shows he is dedicated enough to stay in shape. He’s still only a 2 down player. Miami needs a young nose tackle.

44. Patriots (from Jaguars) Eric Norwood OLB, South Carolina
Junior Seau is still on the depth chart for New England linebackers. ‘Nuff said.

45. Broncos Koa Misi OLB, Utah
A relative unknown before the Senior Bowl, Misi really improved his stock there.

46. Giants Chad Jones S, LSU
The Giants need to draft a safety since the health of Kenny Phillips is in question.

47. Panthers Mardy Gilyard WR, Cincinnati
Gilyard got shut down against Haden in their bowl game against each other, but he remains a round two talent.

48. Patriots (from Titans) Jonathan Dwyer RB, Georgia Tech
The Patriots were dominating and about to score against the Jaguars when Maroney fumbled the ball near the end zone. He was benched the rest of the game. They need a running back.

49. 49ers Dominique Franks CB, Oklahoma
The Niners need help in their secondary after ranking 21st against he pass in 2009.

50. Texans Vladimir Ducasse OL, Massachusetts
A big man to help them with their run game.

51. Chiefs (from Falcons) Aaron Hernandez TE, Florida
He’s not a good blocking TE, but he’ll definitely be a part of Kansas City’s passing attack.

52. Steelers Patrick Robinson CB, Florida State
Steelers uncharacteristically could take two defensive backs with their first two picks. It was exposed when Polamalu went down. Offensive line needs to be addressed too.

53. Patriots Cam Thomas DT, North Carolina
Another fast riser after the football season ended. Projects as a nose tackle.

54. Bengals Dorin Dickerson TE, Pittsburgh
Performed amazingly at the Combine: had the top 40 time out of all the tight ends.

55. Eagles Brandon Spikes LB, Florida
Bad boy attitude for the Eagles defense with Dunlap and now Spikes.

56. Packers Jared Veldheer OT, Hillsdale
Need to protect Rodgers. Has short arms for a player his height.

57. Ravens Ricky Sapp OLB, Clemson
Ravens always find a way to find a steal.

58. Cardinals Donovan Warren CB, Michigan
Cardinals ranked 23rd in pass defense. Plus had trouble stopping passing games in the playoffs.

59. Cowboys Chris Cook CB, Auburn
Jerry Jones will be intrigues by this athlete. They needed help in the secondary anyway.

60. Chargers Brandon Ghee CB, Wake Forest
Rodgers-Cromartie could be headed out of town, so they’ll need a replacement.

61. Jets Jeremy Williams WR, Tulane
Injuries have held back Williams during his career.

62. Vikings Nate Allen S, USF
Defensive backfield was problem for Vikes last year.

63. Colts Daryl Washington LB, TCU
Minus Gary Brackett would mean a hole that needs to be filled in the Colts’ defense.

64. New Orleans Saints Perish Cox CB, Oklahoma State
Darren Sharper will be gone, so the Saints could use a young DB replacement.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Baltimore Orioles Top 10 Prospects

Eugene Tierney — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:00:37 +0000

Baltimore Orioles Top 10 Prospects
1. Brian Matusz, P – Matusz is one of the top pitching prospects in the game. He’s got 4 plus pitches and a little major league experience. Look for him to become of the next generation stars.

2. Josh Bell, 3B – Bell is easily the top hitters in the system. He’s got above average power and a great batting eye. His defense also matches with his hitting. Look for him to possibly replace Miguel Tejada if/when he’s traded.

3. Brandon Erbe, P – One of the trends you’ll see if that Oriole starters need to work on their third pitches; Erbe is in this group. He’s got a great fastball and slider, but needs to work on his change up. He could see some time out of the bullpen, if the Orioles need the help.

4. Jake Arrieta, P – Arrieta struggle in Double A last year, but it was mainly due to working on his weaker pitches. If he can improve his change up, he’ll be a much better pitcher; he’s already got a strong fastball and slider, plus a decent curve.

5. Zach Britton, P – Britton’s not a power pitcher, as he relies on his sinker and his slider. His ground ball rate is good. If he can develop his change up, he’ll move up in the rankings. He could be an emergency start for the Orioles, if there are some health issues in the rotation.

6. Brandon Snyder, 1B – Snyder doesn’t profile as a typical first baseman, as he doesn’t have much power (a la Lyle Overbay). The former catcher is starting to become average at first, but hit bat profiles a little better in the outfield; I don’t know if he could make the change though.

7. Kam Mickolio, P – Mickolio was a throw in on the Erik Bedard deal who looks like he’s going to end up in the bullpen. His fastball and slider are borderline above average, so he could be very successful. He’ll get a shot this season to establish himself.

8. Caleb Joseph, C – Joseph is an athletic catcher that is getting better the more he plays. He’s had issues in the past with pitch calling, so if he doesn’t progress more, he’ll be looking for a new position. He’s a contact hitter with above average power.

9. Mychal Givens, SS – Givens is a defense first shortstop; he’s got the arm, range and speed to be great at the position. His bat is still a work in progress as he’s still filling out. He’s projected to have average power for the position.

10. L.J. Hoes, 2B – Hoes is a good athlete that’s trying to be a good baseball player. He’s learning second, so his defense isn’t quite up to par yet. He’s got great speed, good plate discipline, and top notch speed. He could be a sleeper in the system.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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Why Some Lists Are Just So Wrong

Mark Hereford — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:16:40 +0000

Logging on to Yahoo one evening to check e-mails, there was one of those feature story headlines that caught my attention. Worst Cities to Live In was the title. Forbes had ranked their 20 worst cities in the U.S. to reside. Usually I totally ignore such stories because it’s usually someone’s attempt to totally tick off some city where they had a bad experience or their ex-significant other lives. For some unknown reason, I checked out this particular list. Well, lo and behold, my city was on there. Good old Kansas City, the town that promoted itself as America’s most livable city for years was the 13th most unlivable town. But not for a reason you would believe. My city was there because of its pro sports teams.

That’s right. Besides being a mid-west city with weather extremes, the lack of on field success of the Royals and Chiefs was listed as a main cause. Excuse me. Pardon moi! My fair city, although far from perfect, was unlivable because of lack of pro sports wins. Let’s see. So what Forbes was telling me is your town is less than desirable if your teams blow. So if San Diego, for example, had some bad years from the Chargers or Padres, all those nice beaches and that weather means zilch. Those lean years in Boston when all four teams weren’t exactly racking up the wins about 11 -12 years ago meant the city was to be avoided (New Yorkers, insert your own comments here). Wow, I think not. Basing the quality of a city on the success of sports teams is sheer lunacy.

Where has our perspective gone in 21st century America? Are we so driven as individuals to associate with winners at all costs we no longer see the whole enchilada when it comes to communities or even ourselves? Then again, maybe this is a magazine just printing a list to get folks talking about their magazine and increasing sales. Well, that worked some because it got me to write about it. But it did reinforce one core belief of mine.

Lists in most magazines, they’re just one person’s opinion. They’re hardly the truth and rarely worth the time to read. Well, that is until another snazzy title catches my eye.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Baltimore Orioles Roundtable

Eugene Tierney — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:00:30 +0000

Our guest bloggers are Daniel Moroz from Camden Crazies and Matt Seybold from The Sporting Hippeaux.

Question 1 – Can the group of young starters be effective for the whole season (Matusz, Tillman, etc)?

Daniel: They can certainly be effective, but I don’t expect any of them to pitch all that many innings (closer to 150 than 200). I think Brian Matusz and Brad Bergesen are already polished enough to be about league average starters or a little bit better, while guys like Chris Tillman and David Hernandez are still working on some things. Tillman has a fair chance to take a sizable step forward, and Hernandez could be decent at the back end of the rotation or out of the pen. Currently, I have those four – plus Jason Berken – projected to pitch a total of about 600 innings as starters with an ERA of around 4.70. It’s not fantastic, but it’s serviceable.

Chad: I think it will be difficult for them to be successful all season. They all have loads of talent but as we all know, it takes more than a great arm to make a great pitcher. I think the fact that they all have great stuff will lend itself to them all having good stretches throughout the year but to have a great year they have to learn how to adjust as batters adjust to them.

Eugene: I think Matusz has the best shot of being successful. The other pitchers have the ability after a couple of years, but it could be a long season in Baltimore if the fans are expecting Cy Young caliber performances.

Question 2 – Can the Orioles compete with the big market teams (NY, BOS)?

Daniel: They can, but I think the best case scenario is being able to knock one of them out of the playoffs every couple of years. The Rays have shown that you can be in the same league as the Yankees and Red Sox, and the Orioles have the ability to maintain higher payrolls than Tampa Bay so they may be able to sustain some success for a little longer than the Rays can. There’s a lot that can happen in a baseball season, and a good bounce here and there can easily put one team over another. That said, I think in more years than not, New York and Boston will go into the season as the favorites and with the highest expected talent levels. So for a given 10 year period for example, I’d expect (if all goes according to plan) NY to come in first ~3 times, BOS ~3 times, and the other ~4 split between BAL, TBR, and TOR. I don’t know if that is really a good thing, but I think that’s the system we’re in.

Jeff: I’d agree it’s not a good thing, Daniel, but I think you’re being conservative — I think NY/Boston would win more like 8 out of 10 — sad, but true.

Daniel: The way it is now, yeah 8-10. I just meant if every team was hitting on all cylinders (the O’s finish their rebuild, for example, and the young pitchers work out), it would still be weighted fairly heavily towards the big two.

Russ: In the current system, NY/Boston have finished first since 1995, correct? Let’s see how the Orioles pitching grows. 2011 and 2012 may be years for Baltimore to finally compete again.

Daniel: The O’s actually finished first in 1997. The Rays finished first in 2008. Mostly the Yankees otherwise, though.

I’m looking at 2012 as the year to really start making a run for Baltimore.

Trent: Simple answer: no.

Even if they had an outstanding, better than they could dream of season, the Yanks or the Bo Sox would still be too much for them to overcome. They’d need 100 wins, and I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Given that the Rays are still on the uptick, I would think staying out of the cellar would be a good enough season for the O’s.

Question 3 – Which player will have a breakout year for the Orioles?

Jeff: I’m going with Adam Jones — I think he’s in a great spot in that lineup, just ahead of Markakis, Tejada, and Wieters–He could really see a ton of pitches to hit which should help him cut back on his strikeout ratio. Assuming he stays healthy (no small feat for Jones) I predict 30+ HRs, 15+ SBs and a .900+ OPS

Russ: Agreed. Adam Jones. I saw him against the Yankees all year. He is a player waiting to be a superstar.

Daniel: Matt Wieters. He wasn’t all that great last year, but has the ability to really take a big step forward and become one of the best catchers in the league. I don’t think he’ll be an MVP candidate quite yet, but that’s certainly a possibility in the years ahead.

Warren: my best guess is Brian Roberts, he had a good season last year, and should have a 20HR-200Hit season this year for the Orioles. He also only missed 3 games and is a strong lead-off hitter for them, and a few key hits could be just what Baltimore needs from Roberts.

Daniel: Roberts is a second-baseman on the wrong side of age 30 and has never hit 20 HR or had 200 hits in his career. Expecting either seems a little foolish to me, and expecting even something too close to them (like 15-17 HR and 180-190 H) is probably not the best idea either. (Sorry.)

Matt: Well said, Daniel. Plus, I wouldn’t characterize Brian Roberts as a breakout player, even if he has a career year. He’s already a two-time All-Star who’s led the league in doubles (twice) and stolen bases.

The O’s have several talented young players, but one who’s getting minimal press is Felix Pie. The Cubs rushed Pie through their system and then gave up on him when he didn’t produce immediately at the big-league level, but he just turned 25-years-old and in the last 45 games of the 2009 season Pie seemed to start to figure things out. He hit .300 with 7 HR, 21 RBI, and an .871 OPS. He’ll have to fight for at-bats, but if he wins the job, he could be one of the nicer surprises of 2010.

To his advantage, Pie is a very solid defender. If the O’s choose to move Reimold to first and play Jones, Pie, and Markakis in the outfield, it could be one of the better defensive outfields in the league.

Jeff: I’ve liked Pie’s potential since his days with the Cubs.

Daniel: Agree with this (well, not so much looking at his stats in that small sample of games, but the general idea – especially that last part – is spot on).

Question 4 – Where will the Orioles finish this year?

Russ: Fourth. I just don’t see them overtaking the Yanks, Sox or Rays. Does anyone disagree?

Trent: I think they’ll be happy not to finish bottom of the AL East. They may sniff around third place for a while but I can’t see them finishing better than fourth unless one of the front runners collapses in spectacular form.

If they do finish last, it would have to be a major blow to the psyche of that squad because they know that the Jays don’t have 18-20 automatic wins with Halladay no longer there and that teams rebuilding. Heads would have to roll if that were to be the case.

Daniel: I’ve got them projected for around 77 wins right now, and I think that will be enough to move them passed the Blue Jays and into 4th place. Even 75 might do that. 3rd place is quite unlikely though, and the upper end to shoot for is probably a .500 season.

Jeff: The O’s and Jays will be fighting beak-and-beak for the cellar all year.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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30 Teams in 30 Days: Baltimore Orioles Preview

Russ Blatt — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:22 +0000

Baltimore Orioles – American League East

2009 Record: 64-98, Last Place (5th) in American League East, 39 Games Back

2009 Review:
The Orioles had high hopes for the 2009 season, unveiling new uniforms with an updated Oriole on their caps, new patches and new road uniforms. However, sometimes new uniforms do not lead to positive results.

Finishing 40 games out of first place is no place where a franchise wants to finish. However, in a division with the American League Champion Rays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, not too many teams will have a chance to succeed.

There were a few positives for the Orioles in 2009. Center fielder Adam Jones is only 23 years old was named to his first All-Star game and won a Gold Glove. He hit 19 home runs, drove in 70 and had a batting average of .277. “Catcher of the Future” Matt Wieters, also 23 started off slow, but recovered to hit .288. Second baseman Brian Roberts scored 110 runs and Nick Markakis had 188 hits and batted .293.

On the pitching side, Brad Bergesen was 7-5 in his first season in the major leagues. His 3.43 era was also as impressive for the 23 year old. Another young Oriole pitcher, 21 year old Chris Tillman started 12 games and although his record was 2-5, he was getting valuable major league experience as well. 21 year old Brian Matusz started 8 games towards the end of the year and was 5-2 during these starts. Although the future may be showing itself starting in 2009, they still need experience before youth becomes prominence.

The pitching staff was 14th in the American League in ERA, hits allowed, runs allowed, earned runs and home runs allowed. There are only 14 teams in the American League. These numbers were severely disappointing, and were the main Achilles heel to the young Orioles team.

Key Transactions since 2009:
Losses:
Danys Baez – Baez declared free agency in November and signed a two-year contract with the Phillies. Baez pitched out of the bullpen in 2009, appearing in 59 games, with a 4-6 record and an era just above 4.00 after sitting out the 2008 season. He did hold opposing batters to a .222 batting average and a WHIP of 1.13. Baez was a set-up man for Closer George Sherill.

Brian Bass – After the 2009 season, Bass was not offered a contract and became a free agent. His 86.1 innings last year was second most for Orioles relievers and he did have a 5-3 record. In 48 appearances, he used up many innings for the bullpen.

Jeff Fiorentino – After refusing minor league assignment, Fiorentino became a free agent. He was a backup outfielder with very little power and limited experience as well. He appeared in only 24 games with 64 at-bats and a .281 batting average. The former third round draft pick has been claimed off of waivers three times in his career and hopes to catch on with another team in 2010.

Sean Henn – Henn was placed on waivers after appearing in only six games in 2009, pitching three innings. Henn would not have a place in the pitching staff in 2010 and will not be missed by the Orioles.

Rich Hill – After parts of four seasons with the Cubs, Hill started 13 games and appeared in 14 for the Orioles in 2009. His 7.80 era and 3-3 record is no comparison to the 2007 season where he was 11-8 with a 3.93 era. He had a shoulder injury during the 2009 season and had lost his spot in the rotation anyway.

Melvin Mora – The starting third baseman was the biggest loss for the Orioles after the 2009 season. In 125 games, he hit only 8 homes runs, drove in 48 and had a batting average of .260. He became a free agent after the Orioles declined their option for 2010. His play was no longer worthy as a starter and as a 38 year old, the Orioles were looking to get younger at this position.

Other Losses from the 2009 team includes; Radhames Liz, Chris Ray

Gains:
Garrett Atkins – Atkins is coming off of an off-year, hitting only .226 in 2009 with 9 home runs and 48 runs batted in, in 126 games. In his four previous seasons in Colorado, he averaged about 23 home runs and 100 runs batted in. Atkins is looking to regain his form and prove that his statistics are because he is a quality player and not because he played at Coors Field.

Mike Gonzalez – Gonzalez, signed as a free agent, should compete for the Closer role and if he does not win it, will become a valuable setup man. He had a 5-4 season for the Braves in 2009, with 10 saves and a 2.42 era in over 74 innings pitched. He struck out 90 and walked 33 in those innings with a WHIP of 1.197. He has experience in closing in 2006, he saved 24 games for the Pirates.

Kevin Millwood – Obtained in a trade from the Rangers, Milwood had a 13-10 record in 2009, pitching almost 200 innings with an era of 3.67. He was coveted by the Orioles for 2010 for his experience and leadership for a young pitching staff. He will be their front of their rotation and a mentor to their young pitchers. With an average age just over 28, Millwood should be a good mentor and positive influence in a clubhouse that has not seen a winner in a long time.

Miguel Tejada – Welcome back Miguel. This All-Star in 2009 hit .313 with 14 home runs and 86 runs batted in. Tejada will compete at third with Atkins may also DH some games. His bat is one that will need to be in the lineup. In his years hitting at Camden Yards, Tejada averaged 25 home runs with 100 runs batted in per season. He will be 36 this season and will be a good influence to the young Orioles. He is the top offemsive addition to the Orioles this season., Armando Gabino, Mike Gonzalez, Kevin Millwood, Craig Tatum, Miguel Tejada

Other Additions to the Orioles: Armando Gabino Chris George, Joel Guzman, Michel Hernandez, Will Ohman, Jeff Salazar, Craig Tatum

2010 Preview:
On paper, the Orioles are improved over the last place finishing team of 2009. They have two new infielders, a new starting pitcher to lead their rotation and help in the bullpen. These veterans should give good leadership to the young players, giving them direction and leadership in all aspects of the team game of baseball.

Specifically, the addition of Millwood will give leadership to what was the worst rotation in the majors. He will move Jeremy Guthrie to the second spot in the rotation and he should improve upon the 10 wins he had in 2009. The other three spots in the rotation; Bergesen, Tillman and Matusz have less than 50 career starts and should continue their improvement.

On the offensive side, Tejada should fit right in, as long as he can pick up third base as opposed to his position to date, short stop. Garrett Atkins is expected to improve upon his 2009 season and the young offensive Orioles should produce as they did in 2009 with the 5th best overall batting average in the American League.

The Orioles had a combined record of 15-39 against the Rays, Sox and Yankees. To improve on 2010, the record against these three teams must improve. The pitching must have some consistency. Look for 70 to 75 wins from the Orioles and the emergence of two or three of their young players as future stars.

For the other 29 teams, click here.
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England’s Favourite Premier League 3/3/10 – Them’s The Breaks

Trent Scott — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:24:32 +0000

Probably every team in the Premier League, save one, has pretty well said, “That’s the breaks, kids.” Of course, when referencing kids, there’s really only one place that can truly apply to, and, wouldn’t you know it, that’s the one side where they are saying, “F^(%!#& ingrates….”

In all fairness to the Gunners, one cannot really put Ryan Shawcross’s tackle up with the likes of Martin Taylor’s challenge with Eduardo, which was far more rash in its approach. 499 times out of 500, the player coming through would be given a rather nasty shin bruise, a card would be shown, and that would be that. This one instance, however, would be the exception as the swinger of Shawcross instead did a double to the leg of Aaron Ramsey. It is a terrible situation for the young Welshman who is only 19 and may or may not be adversely affected by this incident. Those that have suffered severe injury before at Arsenal have shown great spirit and determination in coming back from their injuries.

From all this, of course, is the sounds of Wenger damning the Premier League’s style of play, inducing that perhaps Arsenal would be the greatest team in the league if everyone would play nice and let Arsenal pass as they please. Instead, his side is labeled as “soft,” one that often irks many a side that are given the label. Does his point resonate more or less with this latest setback to his squad?

Sort of.

He’s very quick to forget that the squads that won him his trophies featured some rather indignant, though technically skilled, talent. Gilberto Silva, Patrick Viera and Tony Adams, amongst others, were skilled players but also had a backbone that now really only belongs to William Gallas and to a lesser extent, Thomas Vermaelen. Ramsey was beginning to show signs of that kind of grit and determination that wins titles in England, but this blow is a major set back to the side in that department, which, outside of a pure cold-blooded killer to lead the charge in the absence of RVP, is the only thing lacking from the side.

Why is that important? They can run and pass rings around most teams but their losses often come when the team they are opposed against often out-muscles them but also puts an attacking depth charge through them. The losses (@ United, @ City, @ Sunderland, Chelsea, United, @ Chelsea) have been instances where the cutting edge has either been lacking and the team has not physically coped with their opposition. Granted, United and Chelsea are the only two sides above them but trips to Birmingham, Spurs, Blackburn and a home return with City provide challenges that, while they have met and passed in some instances, are still the kind of hard pressed endeavors that they struggle sometimes to deal with. How they beat Liverpool both times this term in light of this really speaks more about Liverpool’s completely inept attack force sans Torres than Arsenal.

With ten matches left in the term, 20 points should be the absolute minimum that Arsenal takes. Burnley, Hull, Wolves and Wigan should deliver an easy 12 while West Ham, Fulham, Birmingham and Blackburn will put up stiff opposition but should also fall. That leaves the trip to White Hart Lane and the City repeat. Those two contests could very well shape the upper two races (the race for 1st and 4th) depending upon the outcomes. With any luck, there is a chance that RVP might be ready for the City match, though given the defensive midfield duo of De Jong and Barry (or Viera) risking him in a match that might mean the world to both squads may be suicidal for the Dutchman and his World Cup hopes.

Of all the top seven sides, Arsenal have the easiest run-out of the season, and could very well use the schedules and mishaps of United and Chelsea to make a late season smash and raid on the Premier League title. That will, of course, depend upon their ability to hold their will together and be ready to take on even more robust challenges as the desperate sides try to string a massive upset against what could be the dark horse in the title race.

February 27

In what was hyped as the biggest tabloid game in the universe (for the week, anyway) Chelsea and City decided to entertain the masses by showing up for the paparazzi in order to distract everyone from the defending of John Terry, which, if anywhere near as disastrous against Egypt as it has been recently, might give ol’ Capello a right mess of a problem in his defense. In all honesty, until Lampard scored the opener, no one was sure who was more entertaining, the players or the paparazzi themselves. Once that happened, only a man named Hilario could overshadow the day, and he did so in his own name-tacular way, making two abysmal efforts at saves against Tevez and Bellamy. Juliano Belletti, who had replaced a rather anonymous John Obi Mikel, then promptly took the “innocent” position while simultaneously trying to mountain climb Barry, hit the showers early and probably heard the euphoric City fans as Tevez hit his brace, only for Ballack to join him with a tackle that ought to have earned a straight red, but a second yellow would have the same effect. The rout was capped by the second brace of the day, this one to Bellamy, followed by Lampard’s extra time penalty, which, for my money, was doubly worse than the one Belletti committed and yet Barry was shown nothing for it.

Afterwards, Birmingham took a penalty to the three point dance against Schizoid Athletic, Bolton finally grabbed a three spot after downing Wolves, Pompey effectively told the world that Burnley is coming with them to the Championship after winning 1-2 at Turf Moor (remember when United lost there way back at the beginning of the season? Me too neither.) and the already aforementioned headliner finished with Arsenal pulling it together after Stoke initially looked to give them all they could want and then some, taking a 1-3 decision at the Britannia. It is a testament to the mental toughness of the side that they were able to put behind them the horrific scenes they had just witnessed (not to mention not having to contend with Shawcross any longer) to get the three-bagger.

February 28

The Sunday buffet nearly started with a repeat of a past life when Spurs came dangerously close to blowing a second 2-0 lead against Everton, only for Landon Donovan to do his first wrong, missing an open goal which would have tied the contest late, allowing Spurs to get a vital three points, which was the only result that would have done justice to the second goal for Spurs, Modric being aided by the woodwork unlike the week prior against Wigan. And, funny enough, Pavlyuchenko scored. Again.

What the hell has Redknapp been watching for the last few months, again? Yes, Defoe has been a scoring monster, but Pav has practically matched Crouch’s goal total. In four contests.

Sunderland and Fulham played to a rather ignominious draw while Liverpool beat out a bitchy Blackburn side that, for the perceived lack of footballing ability, actually gave the Reds multiple fits throughout the contest. Had Paul Robinson not gone for a quick stroll on a ball he was never going to get anywhere near, it might have ended a draw as Torres simply slid home a Maxi dirt-devil into an inviting net.

Of course, there was this little Carling Cup final going on at Wembley between United and Villa at the same time, so little attention was really being paid to the two aforementioned affairs. The game started off with instant controversy as Nemanja Vidic nearly gave bookies everywhere a heart attack when hacking down Ashley Young in the box, but escaped with no booking at all. Referee Phil Dowd did himself no favors by then making the first booking of the match against James Collins and the second against Stewart Downing for ticky-tack tackles while United was able to get away with some serious muggings. Captain Opportunity struck to level the contest only for his super-hero powers to later be drained by his kryptonite: hamstrings. Enter super-sub and hero of Roonchester United, Rooney, who hit yet another headed goal to kill off the contest as Villa lost the steam to fight onwards after it. While a 85 minute 11 v. 10 situation might have benefited Villa, remember, this is the same team that had an hour of 11 v. 10 earlier at Villa Park and looked tepid and reserved, so it’s probably not farfetched to say that United had this one in the bag either way.

The New Week

Pesky internationals dominate the mid week, so their is little to comment about until you get to the next weekend…where the F.A. Cup quarterfinals steal away one of the most important conflicts of the weekend, a City v. Spurs contest. Spurs are still involved in the most compelling Saturday, (and maybe this week) traveling to Craven Cottage to fight for a semi-final spot against then Cottagers. Pompey and Birmingham will get real familiar with one another as they play Saturday in the Cup and Tuesday in the League, both times at Fratton Park. Arsenal/Burnley, West Ham/Bolton and Wolves/United make up the rest of the Saturday affairs (wonderful….) while Sunday is no better League wise as Everton/Hull is the only one scheduled. Reading/Villa and Chelsea/Stoke cap the Sunday Cup go-round.

Schizoid Wigan and Liverpool will grace the Monday scenery (depending on how graceful you apply your palm to your forehead), with the already mentioned Pompey/Birmingham second screening accompanied by Sunderland/Bolton on Tuesday.

Fear not, though, as the Champions League will return Tuesday of the same week. This way, you can keep yourselves from ramming your head into the wall until you can’t feel it anymore.
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