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(02/20/15 4:34pm)
I’m back after a week’s absence with a preview of the 2015 AL West division.
5. Oakland Athletics
Manager – Bob Melvin
General Manager – Billy Beane
Home Ballpark – O.co Coliseum
2014 Record – 88-74 (AL Wild Card Team)
Key Departures – Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija, Brandon Moss, Derek Norris, Josh Donaldson, Jed Lowrie, Jason Hammel, Luke Gregorson
Key Additions – Billy Butler, Tyler Clippard, Jesse Hahn, Brett Lawrie, Ike Davis, Ben Zobrist, Marcus Simien
Key Returners – Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir, Coco Crisp, Sean Doolittle, Stephan Vogt, Josh Reddick, Jesse Chavez
The A’s were a team that won 88 games last year and were the second wild card team in the American League. After going completely all in last season and falling short of their goal, the A’s had to dismantle their team and are in rebuild mode.
Pitching Staff
I see the A’s a lot like I see the Tampa Bay Rays, great pitching and no lineup. Sonny Gray anchors Oakland’s rotation. Gray had a breakout season in 2014 and was overshadowed by Jon Lester and Jeff Samardzija. Now that those two guys are gone, Gray will be counted on to be the ace of a pretty strong pitching staff. Scott Kazmir has had to reinvent himself after being out of baseball in 2011 and 2012. He’s won double-digit games since coming back to baseball in 2013, and in 2014 he looked like the pitcher he was when he was with Tampa Bay. Kazmir was an All-Star in 2014 and won 15 games. If Kazmir continues to pitch well, a combination of Gray and Kazmir will be pretty formidable. AJ Griffin, Jesse Chavez and Jesse Hahn will fill out the rest of the rotation. Griffin was injured for all of 2014 but was outstanding in 2012 and 2013. He won 14 games and pitched 200 innings in 2013. Chavez was a pleasant surprise for Oakland in 2014. He had never been more than a reliever his whole career and then pitched very well in the back end of the A’s rotation last season. Jesse Hahn was brought over to Oakland in a trade that sent Derek Norris to San Diego this offseason. Hahn was a highly touted prospect in the Padres organization, and he had a fine rookie season in 2014. He was 7-4 with a 3.07 ERA in just 76.1 innings. If he can develop even more in 2015, the A’s might have a guy that can stack up with Gray and Kazmir. The bullpen of the A’s was one of the better ones in baseball last season. Yes, they lost Luke Gregerson to free agency, but they picked up Tyler Clippard, one of the best setup men in baseball, from the Washington Nationals. Sean Doolittle was one of the best closers last season, which garnered him All-Star recognition. The A’s do have the pitching to compete, but the lineup is another story.
Lineup
Oakland ranked fourth in all of baseball last season in runs scored. I expect them to take a major step back in that department this season. They lost the best third baseman in baseball in Josh Donaldson and replaced him with Brett Lawrie, a guy who was a top prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays organization but just has not played up to expectations. Maybe a change of scenery will help him out. Billy Butler was also brought in to help bolster a weak lineup. Butler had a down season in 2014 for the American League Champion Kansas City Royals. I find it hard to think he can be a guy to be a major run producer with not much help around him. Ike Davis had an up-and-down tenure with the New York Mets. At one point many thought Davis would be the Mets franchise first basemen for years to come, but he fell from grace. He hit 33 home runs in 2012, but could never hit more than 11 for the next two seasons, and the Mets gave up on him. It will be interesting to see if the A’s will get the Ike Davis of 2012 or the Ike Davis of the last two seasons. Coco Crisp is one of the better leadoff men in baseball. He was hurt for a good portion of 2014, but he’s back in 2015. He can get on base, but there is not much behind him that can knock him in. The A’s just don’t have much in their lineup to be a serious contender in this division, and that’s a shame because they should have a really good pitching staff.
4. Texas Rangers
Manager – Jeff Banister
General Manager – Jon Daniels
Home Ballpark – Globe Life Park in Arlington
2014 Record – 67-95
Key Departures – Alex Rios
Key Additions – Yovani Gallardo, Ross Detwiler, Kyuju Fujikawa, Anthony Ranaudo
Key Returners – Adrian Beltre, Prince Fielder, Yu Darvish, Shin-Soo Choo, Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor, Jurrickson Profar, Leonys Martin, Martin Perez, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison
It was not too long ago when the Rangers were the class of this division, but oh how the mighty have fallen. The Rangers were the worst team in baseball last season as they were ravaged by injuries making them play a lot of young players. They should be healthy in 2015, but that doesn’t mean they will be back to what they once were.
Pitching Staff
When healthy, Yu Darvish is a top-10 pitcher. He was one of the many that were injured last season, but he’s back to be the ace of a pretty good starting staff. The Rangers did acquire Yovani Gallardo from the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason, and he should fit in nicely right behind Darvish. Martin Perez was a pleasant surprise in 2013 by winning 10 games with an ERA of 3.62. Perez had to have Tommy John surgery last season and might not be available at the start of 2015. If he can come back and be the pitcher he was, he will be a nice guy to have behind Darvish and Gallardo. Derek Holland had a freak knee injury last offseason while jumping on a trampoline, and he was lost for most of 2014. He was able to come back at the end of last season and was terrific. Before the injury, he was one of the Rangers most dependable starters. I expect him to comeback and be what he was. He has the ability to form a great trio of starting pitchers with Gallardo and Darvish. The Rangers will have some questions to answer in their bullpen. Tanner Scheppers and Ross Detwiler are two proven guys out of the pen, but beyond those two guys there are question marks everywhere. There is no clear-cut at closer. Texas could go with Kyuji Fujikawa at closer, a guy who has had some experience closing. The Rangers do have the talent to have a pretty good staff, but I don’t think that talent will come together this season. There are just too many question marks for a chance to compete in this division.
Lineup
This was a lineup that was also plagued with injury last season. Its biggest piece, Prince Fielder, was lost for most of last season with a neck injury. Fielder will be back to anchor the middle of the order with Adrian Beltre. Beltre is one of the best hitters in the game and is quietly playing himself into Hall of Fame consideration once he retires. If Fielder bounces back from the injury, the Rangers will have one of the most fearsome duos in baseball. Elvis Andrus suffered a down year in 2014. When on top of his game, he’s one of the best shortstops in baseball. I expect him to bounce back in 2015 and be more of the guy we saw 2010-13. The Rangers will have to make a decision about the second base job. Rougned Odor had a nice rookie season for the Rangers in 2014, but Jurickson Profar looks to be healthy and ready to play. At one point Profar was the top prospect in baseball. Injuries have caused a delay in his development, but he looks to be ready in 2015. Leonys Martin is back to hold down center field for the Rangers. He provides a lot of speed at the top of the order. Shin-Soo Choo was Texas’ high price free agent signing last offseason and did not play up to expectations. Choo had the worst season of his career last season. He hit .240 with only 13 homers and 40 RBIs. He also posted the lowest on-base percentage of his career at .340. The Rangers will need a rebound season from Choo. They will have a number of choices in left field with Ryan Rua, Jake Smolinski and Michael Choice. The Rangers should have a pretty good lineup barring injury. They should look more like a throwback Rangers team, scoring a lot of runs but just coming up short on the pitching end.
3. Houston Astros
Manager – A.J. Hinch
General Manager – Jeff Luhnow
Home Ballpark – Minute Maid Ballpark
2014 Record – 70-92
Key Departures – Dexter Fowler
Key Additions – Evan Gattis, Pat Neshak, Luke Gregerson, Jed Lowrie, Luis Valbuena, Colby Rasmus
Key Returners - Chris Carter, George Springer, Jon Singleton, Jose Altuve, Jason Castro, Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Josh Fields, Brett Oberholtzer
I believe the Houston Astros may be a sleeping giant in the AL West. They have one of the best farm systems in baseball and have recently made some key offseason acquisitions. If their young guys develop the way they believe they will the Astros will soon have one of the best teams in the division. For now, I see them improving in 2015 with 2016 and 2017 being the years they seriously compete.
Pitching Staff
The Astros do not have a clear-cut No. 1 ace to sit at the top of their rotation but they have some young guys who could evolve into that. Dallas Keuchel had a breakout performance in 2014 after two pretty subpar years. The 27-year-old southpaw won 12 games and had an ERA of 2.93 over 200 innings. Keuchel will be counted on to lead a pretty young rotation. After jumping from two organizations during two seasons, Collin McHugh finally found his home in 2014. McHugh was almost as good as Keuchel. He had 11 wins with an ERA of 2.73. Keuchel and McHugh have the makings of a solid top of the rotation for Houston for years to come. Scott Feldman, Brett Oberholtzer and Brad Peacock will be expected to round out the rotation. Oberholtzer is pretty highly thought of in the Astros organization. He didn’t have the best season in 2014, but if he can develop in 2015, the Astros will have three good young starters. The Astros should have a pretty deep bullpen in 2015. The signings of Pat Neshak and Luke Gregerson during the offseason provide the Astros with two of the best setup men in baseball. Chad Qualls was the closer for Houston in 2014, but I could see Josh Fields challenging him for that position this season. Fields was the 20th overall pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2008 and has yet to live up to expectations. He has a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and has all the makings of a closer.
Lineup
I love what the Astros did in the offseason by picking up Evan Gattis to bolster their lineup. They now have a pretty strong middle of the order with Gattis, Chris Carter and George Springer. Carter was second in all of baseball with 37 home runs last year. He is going to strikeout a ton and not hit for a high average, but he can drive in runs and hit home runs. George Springer was having a pretty nice rookie season in 2014 before injury cut it short. Springer hit 20 home runs in just 78 games. He was almost a 40-40 guy in the minors in 2013, so you can see what potential he has.
Jose Altuve returns this season as the defending batting champ. He has been one of the most consistent players since entering the league in 2011. The diminutive second basemen is quietly becoming one of the best players in baseball. The Astros also signed Jed Lowrie during the offseason to a three-year deal, which was a bit odd. The Astros have top prospect Carlos Correa waiting in the minors which why a three-year deal for Lowrie seemed strange. He’s just a placeholder until Correa is ready. Colby Rasmus was also signed during the offseason and provides the Astros with some power in the outfield. So Houston should have a pretty solid outfield with Gattis, Springer and Rasmus. I like what the Astros are doing. If their young guys in the majors and minors can develop in 2015, Houston should have some pretty competitive teams for years to come.
2. Seattle Mariners
Manager – Lloyd McClendon
General Manager – Jack Zduriencik
Home Ballpark – Safeco Field
2014 Record – 87-75
Key Departures – Kendrys Morales, Justin Smoak, Chris Young
Key Additions – Nelson Cruz, Seth Smith, Justin Ruggiano
Key Returners – Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Kyle Seager, Austin Jackson, Logan Morrison, Dustin Ackley, James Paxton, Taijuan Walker, Fernando Rodney, Tom Wilhelmsen, Roenis Elias, Danny Farquhar, Charlie Furbush, Mike Zunino
The Seattle Mariners were one of the much-improved teams in 2014, and I expect them to take the next step in 2015. They have a solid lineup with Cano, Cruz and Seager. King Felix and Hisashi Iwakuma headline a great pitching staff. Expect them to give the Angels a run at the division before taking one of the wildcard spots along with the Detroit Tigers.
Pitching Staff
When you have Felix Hernandez at the top of your staff, that’s a very good place to start when trying to build a winning team. King Felix is a top-10 pitcher and will finally get his first shot at the playoffs in 2015. Iwakuma sits behind Hernandez at the No. 2 spot in the rotation and has quietly worked himself into the talk of top starters in baseball. After Hernandez and Iwakuma, Seattle is going to have to rely on some young guys in Taijaun Walker and James Paxton. Walker is a heralded prospect who has the makings of an ace. He saw some big league action last season but will be called upon to take up a more significant role in 2015, especially after the loss of Chris Young. Paxton also saw some major league action in 2014 but had some of his season taken from him due to injury. When he was healthy, Paxton pitched great and showed flashes of dominance. The 6-foot-4 Canadian southpaw went 6-4 with an ERA of 3.04 in just 74 innings last year. If he can stay healthy, the Mariners should have a solid 1-4 in their rotation. Seattle’s bullpen should be pretty solid as well. Danny Farquhar, Charlie Furbush and Tom Wilhelmsen are three hard throwers that should set up nicely for one of the best closers in the game, Fernando Rodney.
Lineup
The weak point of the 2014 Mariners was their lineup. That should not be the case in 2015 after signing slugger Nelson Cruz. Cruz led all of baseball last season with 40 home runs. However, don’t be deterred when Cruz’s power numbers go down this season due to playing half of his games in cavernous Safeco Field. Cruz, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager should form one of the most feared middle of the orders in the game. Mike Zunino is an up and coming catcher who showed some promise in 2014. I expect him develop to one of the better catchers in the American League in 2015. The M’s picked up Austin Jackson from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline last season. Jackson gives the Mariners one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball. Dustin Ackley finally seemed to find his niche in left field last year. Ackley at one point was one of the Mariners top prospects. He finally made the turn last year while playing left field. Seth Smith was also picked up from the Padres this offseason. Smith will provide some left-handed power in the outfield. Overall, the acquisitions of Smith and Cruz will help the Mariners get over that hump they just couldn’t get over last season. They have improved enough to make the postseason. They have a solid pitching staff and a solid lineup. It all adds up to their first playoff birth since 2001.
1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Manager – Mike Scioscia
General Manger – Jerry Dipoto
Home Ballpark – Angel Stadium
2014 Record- 98-64
Key Departures – Howie Kendrick
Key Additions – Matt Joyce, Josh Rutledge, Johnny Giavotella, Andrew Heaney
Key Returners – Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Jered Weaver, Garrett Richards, Erick Aybar, Josh Hamilton, David Freese, Kole Calhoun, Huston Street, Matt Shoemaker, Tyler Skaggs, Hector Santiago, C.J. Wilson
The Angels had the best record in baseball last season and should have a great team again in 2015. They are my favorite to win this division for the second year in a row. They should have a little more competition with the Seattle Mariners improving, so it will be a close race throughout the year. But in the end, I see the Angels taking control and winning their second consecutive AL West crown.
Pitching Staff
Assuming Garrett Richards fully recovers from a horrific knee injury, he should headline this rotation. Behind Richards is Jered Weaver, and he is no slouch. Richards and Weaver should form the best 1-2 punch within the division. Matt Shoemaker came out of nowhere in 2014 to have a great season, but injury cut his playing time short. Shoemaker should make for a solid No. 3 starter. I would even put Shoemaker in front of the highly paid, C.J. Wilson. Wilson will probably be the No. 4 in this rotation after having a down year in 2014. Hector Santiago or Tyler Skaggs will round out the rotation for the Halos. On paper I think the Angels’ staff is probably just as good as the Mariners’. The only area where Seattle has the advantage is in the bullpen. The Angels have a great closer in Huston Street and a solid setup man in Joe Smith. The rest of the bullpen is kind of a question mark for me. They’ll have to come up with a bullpen in front of Smith and Street, but in the end, the Angels pitching should be solid enough to capture the AL West Crown.
Lineup
Any lineup that has Mike Trout in it is going to be one of the best in baseball. Trout is arguably the best player in baseball and is only going to get better. Albert Pujols had his best season in an Angels uniform in 2014, albeit it wasn’t a typical Albert Pujols year. I think the Angels will need a rebound year out of Josh Hamilton. Hamilton has not lived up to the contract he received before the 2013 season. If he can rebound this year, the Angels will have a pretty formidable lineup. Kole Calhoun got his chance at meaningful playing time last year, and he ran with it. Calhoun batted .272 with 17 homers and 58 RBIs in 2014. Erick Aybar returns as the Angels shortstop this season. He is quietly one of the better shortstops in baseball and was an All Star in 2014. He is not going to put up the flashy offensive numbers, but he can hit for a decent average and play a solid short stop. Johnny Giavotella and Josh Rutledge will battle it out in spring training for the second base job. Both guys were highly touted prospects with their previous organizations (Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies) but faltered and now are getting a second chance with the Halos. David Freese has really only had one good year since his breakout performance in the 2011 playoffs. He will be depended upon to produce more for the Angels this season. The Angels will have a great lineup headlined by Trout and Pujols that will be even stronger if Hamilton returns to form. That lineup, coupled with a great starting rotation, inclines me to give the Halos the nod over the Mariners for the AL West crown.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III
(02/06/15 5:04pm)
In this week’s edition of the MLB divisional preview I will be previewing the American League Central. Much like the AL East, the AL Central should be one of the more competitive divisions in baseball. Spots one through four are all up for grabs, and each team could be interchangeable in those spots. The Detroit Tigers have ruled this division since 2011, but with the improvements some of the other teams have made, we could see a different team at the top in 2015.
5. Minnesota Twins
Manager – Paul Molitor
General Manager – Terry Ryan
Home Ballpark – Target Field
2014 Record – 70-92
Key Departures – None
Key Additions – Ervin Santana, Torii Hunter
Key Returners – Joe Mauer, Phil Hughes, Kurt Suzuki, Glen Perkins, Ricky Nolasco, Tommy Milone, Kennys Vargas, Trevor Plouffe, Brian Dozier, Eduardo Escobar
Pitching Staff
The Twins made a minor splash in the offseason by signing Ervin Santana and Phil Hughes, who had an outstanding 2014 campaign. The Twins should have a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation, but the rest of the rotation is full of some mediocre veterans (Ricky Nolasco) and unproven youngsters (Tommy Milone, Kyle Gibson). The Twins might not have the horses to win right now, but they have some coming soon. Minnesota has two of the top pitching prospects in baseball with Kohl Stewart and Alex Meyer. Meyer could see big league action as soon as this season. The Twins do have one of the better closers in baseball in Minnesota native, Glen Perkins. The Twins don’t have enough in the rotation to be a contender, but they could be a team that plays spoiler late in the season. The Twins should be a team to keep your eye on in the years to come with all the talent they have in their farm system.
Lineup
Joe Mauer’s production fell off quite a bit last season when he moved to first base, but expect a bounce-back season from one of the best hitters in baseball. The Twins had a plethora of young players come up and perform last season with guys like Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar and Kennys Vargas. If those guys can continue to develop at a positive rate, the Twins will have a solid core of young players to build on for the future. Brian Dozier was an All-Star last season, and he will return to man second base for the Twins. Dozier, along with Pittsburgh’s Neil Walker, led the majors in homeruns for second basemen with 23. The Twins not only have solid pitching prospects, they also have great position player prospects. Byron Buxton is regarded by many as the best prospect in baseball, the next Mike Trout. Miguel Sano is one of the best third base prospects and could see action in the big leagues this season. While the Twins may have some great prospects in their farm system, they don’t have enough in the majors to avoid last place.
4. Kansas City Royals
Manager – Ned Yost
General Manager – Dayton Moore
Home Ballpark – Kauffmann Stadium
2014 Record – 89-79 (American League Champions, Wild Card)
Key Additions – Edinson Volquez, Alex Rios, Kris Medlan, Kendrys Morales
Key Departures – Billy Butler, Nori Aoki, James Shields
Key Returners – Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, Alceides Escobar, Yordano Ventura, Jeremy Guthrie, Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, Greg Holland, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas
I know a lot of you are thinking, “How can you pick the American League champs to finish fourth?” I’ll tell you why right now.
Lineup
The Royals were a team that had trouble scoring runs last season, and they’re losing Billy Butler and Nori Aoki. Butler had been a staple in the middle of the Royals lineup since 2007 and was a major run producer for KC. Aoki was only in Kansas City for a year, but he was a valuable on-base guy and a great two-hole hitter. Yes, KC did replace Aoki with Alex Rios and Butler with Kendrys Morales, but I’d argue Rios is not really an upgrade over Aoki. Rios had a terrible year in terms of run production and power numbers in 2014. He hit .280 with four homeruns and 54 RBIs. His numbers have declined over the past three seasons, and I just don’t see him being able to match Aoki’s production. Morales does provide some pop in the middle of the order, but did not have a very good season in 2014. He just has not been the same player since he broke his leg in 2009. Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain, and Eric Hosmer are legitimate studs in the Royals lineup, but I don’t think they stack up against other middle of the orders in the division. Mike Moustakas had a great postseason with many clutch hits, but his overall stats from last season were not very good. He hit just .212 with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs and he even got sent down to the minors last season. He needs to prove he can do it over a 162 game season.
Pitching Staff
The Royals may have lost their ace in James Shields, but they have a few young guys that could develop into an ace. Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy have as good of stuff as anyone in baseball. Ventura’s fastball sits at 97-98 MPH and hits 100 MPH often, while he has a curveball that snaps off the table. Duffy is a hard-throwing southpaw who has gone through some injury trouble his first few years in the league, but I expect him to take a big leap forward in 2015. Edinson Volquez had a great year for Pittsburgh last season and it will be interesting to see if he can continue his success with Kansas City. The well-documented Royals bullpen stayed intact over the offseason and again should be among the best bullpens in baseball this season. There are no better setup men in the game than Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera. Both guys can run the ball up at 100 MPH. Then you give the ball to one of the best closers in the game in Greg Holland. If the Royals can get the ball to their bullpen with a lead, they can win a lot of games again. The problem is that they won’t be able to get enough leads. They have the pitching staff to compete and win, but I don’t believe in their lineup’s ability to score runs.
3. Cleveland Indians
Manager – Terry Francona
General Manager – Chris Antonetti
Home Ballpark – Progressive Field
2014 Record – 85-77
Key Additions – Brandon Moss, Gavin Floyd
Key Departures – None
Key Returners – Michael Brantley, Corey Kluber, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, Lonnie Chisenhall, Michael Bourn, Yan Gomes, Danny Salazar, Nick Swisher.
Lineup
The Indians have a nice young core of everyday players in Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis, Yan Gomes and Carlos Santana. Brantley was a finalist for the AL MVP last season after his breakout performance in 2014. I like the Indians lineup even more with addition of Brandon Moss. Moss should fit nicely into the heart of the Indians lineup and should provide some power behind Brantley. Jason Kipnis had a bit of a down year in 2014 after his 2013 breakout campaign. When he’s on his game, he has shown he can be one of the best second basemen in baseball. I expect big things out of the Indians’ catcher, Yan Gomes. The Brazilian had 21 home runs and 74 RBIs last season and was quietly one of the best offensive catchers in the game. For the moment, the Indians have a question mark at shortstop. It looks like they are planning to start the season with Jose Ramirez at short, but they have Francisco Lindor waiting in the wings, and he is one of the best shortstop prospects in the game. I don’t expect the Indians to have many problems scoring runs, especially if Brantley continues his success and Jason Kipnis has a comeback year.
Pitching Staff
Corey Kluber came out of nowhere to win the AL Cy Young award last year, and the Tribe looks to him to anchor this rotation. However, here is not much behind him in terms of proven pitchers. Danny Salazar has very impressive stuff but has not been able to put it together into a full season yet. If he can develop into the guy the Indians think he can be, he would be a dangerous No. 2 starter behind Kluber. Trevor Bauer was the No. 3 pick in the draft in 2011 and has yet to pitch up to those expectations. Bauer was acquired by the Indians two seasons ago and finally saw some regular action at the big league level last season. If Bauer can develop, the Tribe will have a solid 1-2-3 at the top of the rotation. The Tribe also has some question marks in the bullpen. The John Axford experiment did not work out last season, and the Indians are left without a closer. Cody Allen is a hard-throwing right-hander and he could step into the closer role, but you never know how a guy will respond to being a closer. Those are three big ifs with Salazar, Bauer and the bullpen. Consequently, the Indians will have the ability to compete throughout the year, but I doubt they can win the division unless they acquire another starting pitcher or reliever. I can see them fighting for a wildcard spot, though.
2. Detroit Tigers
Manager – Brad Ausmus
General Manager – Dave Dombrowski
Home Ballpark – Comerica Park
2014 Record – 90-72 (American League Central Champs)
Key Additions – Yoenis Cespedes, Shane Greene, Anthony Gose, Alfredo Simon
Key Departures – Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Torii Hunter, Joba Chamberlain
Key Returners – Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler, JD Martinez, Justin Verlander, David Price, Anibal Sanchez, Joe Nathan, Nick Castellanos, Jose Iglesias
We could be looking at the last run for the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are filled with aging veterans and not much in the way of top prospects in their farm system.
Lineup
The Tigers success on offense will depend on the play of Victor Martinez, JD Martinez and Yoenis Cespedes of all whom are expected to hit behind Miguel Cabrera. You can almost pencil in .300 batting average, 30+ homers and 100+ RBIs for Cabrera. Except him to have a great year, but the guys behind him need to pull their end of the rope. Victor Martinez is coming off the best season of his career at his age 35. He hit .335 with 32 homeruns and 103 RBIs. He was rewarded with a four-year, 68 million-dollar contract in the offseason, but ee is only getting older. Can he continue to hit the way he hit in 2014? JD Martinez came out of nowhere last season when he was released by the Houston Astros in spring training and the Tigers picked him up. He started the season in Triple-A ball and tore it up down there. The Tigers called him up in May, and the rest was history. But can he be more than a one-year wonder? Yoenis Cespedes was acquired in a trade that sent Rick Porcello to Boston this past offseason. Cespedes possesses light tower power, but he strikes out an awful lot. He has a strong throwing arm but overall is not a great outfielder. I don’t know if you can say he is that big of an upgrade over Torii Hunter in right field. Ian Kinsler and Jose Iglesias form a great double-play combo up the middle. The Tigers also expect to replace Austin Jackson in center field with Anthony Gose. This seems risky as Gose was nothing more than a bench player for the Blue Jays. I just don’t see it. If the Victor Martinez, JD Martinez, Yoenis Cespedes threesome performs the way the Tigers hope, the Tigers will have one of the best lineups in baseball. The Tigers won 90 games last season, and they did not get any younger in the offseason. Can they win more than that this season? Time will tell.
Pitching Staff
I think the pitching staff will be the Tigers downfall this season. David Price will replace Max Scherzer and be the ace of this rotation. Justin Verlander’s time as the ace is long gone. Price will be great, no doubt about it. It’s the other four guys that will be the problem for Detroit. Verlander had the worst year of his career last season. The once-flamethrower is not a flamethrower anymore. Verlander’s fastball now sits at about 92 MPH. He used to depend on be able to run it up to 98-100 MPH. He’s getting older and losing velocity. I don’t see him being able to be a guy you can depend on to win 17-18 games anymore. Anibal Sanchez is great when he’s healthy, but that’s the problem. He doesn’t stay healthy. He has yet to throw 200 innings in his career. Alfredo Simon came out of nowhere to have an All-Star season in 2014 for the Cincinnati Reds, but he really fell off in the second half of the season. Can he repeat his success in 2015? The rotation fills out with Shane Greene. Greene was acquired this offseason from the New York Yankees. Greene is a nice prospect, but has only 78.2 career big league innings under his belt. To put it nicely, the Detroit Tigers bullpen was terrible last season, and they did very little to improve it. Joe Nathan proved he’s not the Joe Nathan of old last season. Joakim Soria was not very good after coming over to Detroit in a midseason trade. Bruce Rondon is a young hard-throwing righty who I think they’ll depend on a lot this season. But again, he still must prove he can throw strikes. Finally, the Tigers lost probably their best bullpen guy in Joba Chamberlain. There are just too many question marks and holes in the Tigers pitching staff for me to pick them to win the division. If Verlander returns to being Verlander and they somehow come up with a decent bullpen, the Tigers will compete and capture a wildcard spot.
1. Chicago White Sox
Manager – Robin Ventura
General Manager – Rick Hahn
Home Ballpark – US Cellular Field.
2014 Record -73-89
Key Additions – Jeff Samardzija, Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche, David Robertson, Zach Duke, Emilio Bonifacio, Gordon Beckham
Key Departures – Paul Konerko, Matt Lindstrom, Adam Dunn, Dayan Viciedo, Marcus Simien
Key Returners – Jose Abreu, Chris Sale, Alexei Ramirez, Adam Eaton, Avisail Garcia, Jose Quintana, Conor Gillaspie, Tyler Flowers, Jake Petricka, Zach Putnam, John Danks.
For those out there who know me, you probably think I’m being a White Sox blinded by bias. Well this pick isn’t because I am a Sox fan, it’s because of the moves Rick Hahn and the White Sox have made the past two seasons. They are really setting themselves up for success for not only this year but years to come. It should be a fun summer on Chicago’s south side.
Lineup
The White Sox have one of the best leadoff men in baseball with Adam Eaton. Eaton hit over .300 last season and had .362 on base percentage. He will be the table-setter for what should be a good lineup. Melky Cabrera should finally provide a guy in the two spot who can hit, get on base and move runners over. He is definitely an upgrade in leftfield over Dayan Viciedo. Then the White Sox have one of the best hitters in the game in Jose Abreu. The 28-year-old burst on to the scene last season after being signed out of Cuba in the offseason. Abreu ran away win the Rookie of the Year award by hitting .298 with 36 home runs and 107 RBIs. He finally has some guys around him to offer some protection. Adam LaRoche will fill in as the White Sox DH and should provide some left-handed power behind Abreu. White Sox fans are looking forward to a full season with Avisail Garcia in right field. Many regard Garcia as a five-tool player who can hit, hit for power, run, field and throw. He saw limited action last season as he tore his labrum in the first week of the season, although he managed to return in mid-August. If Garcia can play a full season and perform to expectations, the White Sox will have a scary heart of the order. Alexei Ramirez returns as the shortstop for the White Sox and is one of the most underrated shortstops in the game. He ranks in the top two in almost every offensive statistic among AL shortstops since he started playing the position in 2009. Conor Gillaspie had a nice 2014 campaign and can be a compliment to the rest of the order if he can continue his success. The only question marks I really have for the White Sox are at catcher and second base. We know by now what we’re going to get with Tyler Flowers: some power but a lot of strikeouts. If the rest of the lineup performs to expectations, he doesn’t need to be Johnny Bench. He just needs to be serviceable. The White Sox look look like they’re going to go young at second base with either former IU Hoosier Micah Johnson or Carlos Sanchez. In an ideal world, you’d like to see Johnson win the job. He provides a ton of speed having led the entire minor league in stolen bases in 2013. He would a great guy to hit in the nine-hole as the lineup would turn over to Adam Eaton. The White Sox have some guys that can play multiple positions off the bench with Emilio Bonifacio and Gordon Beckham.
Rotation
The Chicago Cubs have garnered all the attention in Chicago this offseason with the signing of Jon Lester, but the White Sox have the best rotation in town. Chris Sale, Jeff Samardzija and Jose Quintana are as good as any 1-2-3 in baseball. Sale is a top-five pitcher in the game and can be counted on to go at least seven innings per game. He was a finalist for the Cy Young Award last season and should anchor one of the better staffs in the game. Lifelong White Sox fan Jeff Samardzija is finally home. The Northwest Indiana native should serve as one of the better No. 2 starters in the game. Jose Quintana is probably not known to the casual baseball fan, but you better get to know him this season. He finally has a good offense to score him some runs and should have a good defense behind him to prevent runs. He does not have many wins under his belt, but if you look at his other stats he is one of the better starters in the game. He just hasn’t got much pub because he’s been on two pretty bad teams the past two seasons. That should change this season. Much like the Tigers, the White Sox bullpen was terrible last season. One of the worst in the league. That should change this season with the additions of David Robertson and Zach Duke. Robertson saved 39 games after taking the spot of Yankee legend Mariano Rivera last season. He will step into the closer role for a team that had trouble closing out games last season. Zach Duke, Jake Petricka and Zach Putnam are nice pieces that will serve as setup men to Robertson. Lastly, Carlos Rodon, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft last year, is quickly rising through the White Sox system and could be either in the rotation or in the bullpen for the White Sox this season. Reports say his fastball sits in the mid 90s and is suppose to have a Chris Sale-like slider.
Overall, the White Sox have mightily improved their lineup and pitching staff this offseason. They have improved more than anyone else in the division. This team should win the division and is one you should keep your eye on this summer.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorrell_III
(01/30/15 7:16pm)
Spring training is right around the corner, and there is no better time to start talking about baseball. Throughout the upcoming weeks I will be previewing each of the six divisions in Major League Baseball and giving my prediction for each. This week I’ll start with the American League East.
For the first decade of the 2000s, this division was ruled by the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees, but now there is much more parity. Last season the Baltimore Orioles took this division by winning 96 games, 12 more than the second place Yankees. I think this season this division should be one of the most competitive in baseball with no clear-cut team at the top.
5. Tampa Bay Rays.
Manager – Kevin Cash
General Manager – Matthew Silverman
Home Ballpark – Tropicana Field
2014 Record – 77-85.
Key Departures – Joe Maddon, Wil Myers, Yunel Escobar, Ben Zobrist, Matt Joyce, David Price (Traded at the deadline last season)
Key Additions – Asdrubal Cabrera, Ernesto Frieri, Steven Zouza, Rene Rivera.
Key Returners – Evan Longoria, Matt Moore, Chris Archer, Alex Cobb, Jake Odorizzi, James Loney, Desmond Jennings.
Pitching Staff
This staff is loaded with talented guys such as Matt Moore, Chris Archer, Alex Cobb, and Jake Odorizzi. I would consider this staff one of the most underrated in the game. Moore was hurt for most of the 2014 season, but he was fantastic in his rookie season in 2013. If he can come back and be the pitcher he was, you have a top-line starter. Chris Archer was once regarded as one the top prospects in the Chicago Cubs system, and since he was traded away to Tampa Bay for Matt Garza, he has not disappointed. Archer had a nice season for a pretty mediocre team in 2014. He won 10 games with an ERA in the low 3s and had a WHIP that ranked in the top half of the league. Alex Cobb probably had the best season of any Rays’ starter last season. He too won 10 games and had an ERA of 2.87. He rebounded well after coming back from a scary head injury in 2013. Lastly, the Rays have a talented young started in Jake Odorizzi. He was a key part of the trade that sent James Shields to Kansas City and was regarded as one of the better prospects in that trade. He showed flashes of what he can be in 2014, it will be interesting to see what he can do in a full season.
Lineup
The departure that will impact the Rays the most is that of manager Joe Maddon. In past seasons when many thought the Rays were not in a position to compete, they still had a chance because they had a great manager in Maddon. The Rays do have the pitching to compete, but I don’t think they have a lineup that can pose much of a threat to opposing teams. They do have some nice pieces in Longoria and Jennings, but besides those two guys, their lineup is pretty barren. This was a team that won only 77 games in 2014, and that was with Zobrist, Joyce and Myers. I can’t imagine this team improving on that win total without those guys or anyone to replace them.
4. New York Yankees.
Manager – Joe Girardi
General Manager – Brian Cashman
Home Ballpark – Yankees Stadium
2014 Record 84-77
Key Departures – Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki, Shane Greene, Alfonso Soriano, David Robertson.
Key Additions - Andrew Miller, Nathan Eovaldi, Chase Headley, Didi Gregorius.
Key Returners – Mashiro Tanaka, Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner, Carlos Beltran, Dellin Batanches, CC Sabathia, Alex R
Pitching Staff
The Yankees have some big names at the top of their rotation with Tanaka and Sabathia, but Tanaka is coming off an elbow injury and Sabathia is also coming off an injury and only getting older. They have some good, young, talented pitchers in Michael Pineda and Nathan Eovaldi, but at this point those guys are still question marks. The Bronx Bombers should have one of the best bullpens in baseball with Andrew Miller and Dellin Batanches. Batanches was a finalist for Rookie of the Year award, but Jose Abreu had something to say about that. Miller was a lockdown setup man last season between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, which led to him signing a huge contract this offseason. Overall, I think there are some big question marks in the Yankees starting rotation. If those questions are answered in a positive way, the Yankees could be a contender for the divisional crown, although I don’t see that happening.
Lineup
Much like their pitching staff, the Yankees’ lineup is loaded with big names. Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran were all stars at one point in their career. I would argue three of those four are in the declining years of the career. Alex Rodriguez is coming off a year-long suspension for testing positive for steroids, and he’ll be turning 40 this upcoming season. The Yankees did sign Chase Headley in the offseason, and it seems like we’ll be seeing less and less of A-Rod this season. The Yankees will have to pay him $61 million during the next three seasons. Didi Gregorius will have to do the unenviable task of filling the shoes of legend Derek Jeter. Like their pitching staff, the Yankees’ lineup just has too many question marks. If the Yankees aging veterans can perform like they have in their past, they can contend. All that is not very possible because unless you’re Ted Williams, you’re most likely not getting better as you age. The Yankees do have some nice pieces, but just too much uncertainty for me to give them more than an outside chance to contend for a division.
3. Boston Red Sox
Manager – John Farrell
General Manager – Ben Cherrington
Home Ballpark – Fenway Park
2014 Record – 71-91
Key Departures – Jon Lester (traded last season at the deadline), Yoenis Cespedes, David Ross.
Key Additions – Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, Rick Porcello.
Key Returners – David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Mike Napoli, Rusney Castillo, Allen Craig, Shane Victorino.
Pitching Staff.
Unless the Red Sox trade for Cole Hamels, they do not have a clear-cut number one in their rotation. They do have some nice starters in Rick Porcello, Joe Kelly, Clay Buchholz, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson, but I would not say you could rely on those five guys to seriously contend for a division crown. The Red Sox do bring back Koji Uehara as the closer. They have the potential to have a good bullpen with guys like Edward Mujica, Junichi Tazawa and newly acquired Robbie Ross. Overall, I think the Red Sox are one ace away from being the division winner.
Lineup
This rendition of the Red Sox lineup is loaded with big names and great hitters. This team shouldn’t have a problem scoring runs. The only way they don’t score runs is if Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval don’t respond well to playing in Boston. Also, Ramirez will have to adjust playing a new position in left field. I expect a bounce-back season from Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz has not showed any signs of slowing down in his old age. It will be interesting to see how their young position players such as Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Christian Vazquez and Xander Bogaerts develop. Allen Craig struggled last year between St.Louis and Boston. It was just two seasons ago when he was one of the better hitters in baseball. It will be interesting to see if a full season in Boston will be good for him. Rusney Castillo was signed late last season out of Cuba, and he will have a shot to play centerfield along with Betts and Bradley Jr. The Red Sox are loaded with outfield pieces that could be expendable in a trade for a guy like Cole Hamels. If Sandoval and Ramirez perform to their expectations, the Red Sox will have one of the best lineups in baseball. I think it will be their pitching staff that will hold them back.
2. Baltimore Orioles
Manager – Buck Showalter
General Manager – Dan Duquette
Home Ballpark – Oriole Park at Camden Yards
2014 Record – 96-66
Key Departures – Andrew Miller, Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis.
Key Additions – None
Key Returners - Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Matt Wieters, Chris Tillman, JJ Hardy, Manny Machado, Kevin Gausman.
Pitching Staff.
Much like the Red Sox, the Orioles do not have a clear-cut number one their rotation, yet they found a way to win 96 ballgames with this pitching staff last season, and there is something about manager Buck Showalter that makes everything work. I think Kevin Gausman has the ability to develop into the dominant ace of this rotation. They also have a young kid in Dylan Bundy that has the stuff to become an ace. For now, while those guys are still developing, the O’s will have to rely on Chris Tillman to anchor this pitching staff. Tillman has won 13-plus games during the past two years and was an All-Star in 2013. The O’s also had one of the best bullpens in baseball last season. Yes, they lost Andrew Miller to free agency, but they still have some really good pieces in that bullpen. Zach Britton saved 37 games last season. Darren O’Day and Tommy Hunter were two of the best and most reliable seventh and eighth inning guys in baseball last season. Even though the O’s lack an ace at the top of their rotation, I think they have a good enough bullpen and good enough starters to compete for the division. In the end, I see them being a wildcard team.
The O’s lose a lot of run production in the middle of their lineup with the loss of Nelson Cruz. They lose one of the better on-base men in baseball in Nick Markakis. On the plus side, they still have one of the best players in the game in Adam Jones. They still have one of the best shortstops in JJ Hardy. Also, if he stays healthy, they should have Manny Machado for a whole season. When healthy, Machado has already shown to be one of the best young players in the game. He is coming off a knee injury, so if he can come back in a positive way the Orioles still should have a pretty good middle of the order. Matt Wieters is also coming off an injury, so it will be nice for the O’s to have their catcher back for a full season. They had a pretty good lineup last season without Machado and Wieters. With key players coming back this season, the O’s should be able to replace the production of Cruz. I would have liked for the O’s to do a little more spending this offseason because they are banking a little too much on the return of some players. They will need to somehow fill the void of Nick Markakis in right field to be a true contender.
1. Toronto Blue Jays
Manager – John Gibbons
General Manager – Alex Anthopoulos
Home Ballpark- Rogers Centre
2014 Record – 83-79
Key Departures – Brett Lawrie, Casey Janssen, Colby Rasmus.
Key Additions – Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin, Michael Saunders.
Key Returners - Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Reyes, Adam Lind, Mark Buehrle, RA Dickey, Marcus Stroman.
Yes, you read that right. The Toronto Blue Jays will win the American League East this season. I love the moves they have made this offseason. For the first time in more than 20 years, there will be postseason baseball north of the border.
A lot of Jays fans were upset last trade deadline when GM Alex Anthopoulos failed to make any moves to improve a team that had a chance to make the playoffs. Anthopoulus finally put those critics to rest this offseason when he signed Russell Martin and traded for Josh Donaldson. The Jays should have one of the best lineups in baseball. You take two of the best offensive players in baseball in Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion and put them with one of the top all-around players in the game in Donaldson, you have one of the best 3-4-5 in the game. Not to mention you still have a great leadoff man and shortstop in Jose Reyes. Martin should be a huge upgrade over Dioner Navarro behind the dish. He really knows how to handle a pitching staff, and he can hold his own at the plate. I expect the Jays to turn the corner this season, much like what the Kansas City Royals did last season, and make the postseason for the first time in 20-plus years.
Pitching Staff.
I would like to see the Jays pick up one more starter, but for now they have a solid 1-2-3 in RA Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Marcus Stroman. Dickey and Buehrle are pretty well known commodities, but I think this might be the season Marcus Stroman bursts on to the scene. He had a really nice rookie season going 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA. He did all that in just 130 innings. I can’t wait to see what he can do with a full season to work with. I expect the Jays to round out their rotation with Drew Hutchinson and Aaron Sanchez. Hutchinson can be a serviceable four or five starter, but nothing more than that. Sanchez on the other hand has the potential to be one of the Jays better starters. He is a highly touted prospect and a former first round pick. He is very young but had some big league experience last season out of the bullpen for the Jays. In just 33 innings pitched, he posted a 1.09 ERA and struck out 27 batters. He can be a very good four-starter in this rotation. The Jays lost their closer in Casey Janssen, so they will need to replace him somehow. The only complaint I have with the Jays' offseason is they did not pick up much bullpen help. They have some nice pieces in the bullpen with Todd Redmond, Brett Cecil and Aaron Loup. It’ll be interesting what they do in spring training to address the closer role. Even with the question mark of the bullpen, I still think the Jays have enough in the rotation and certainly have enough in that lineup to win this division.
Follow Bobby on Twitter @RENorell_III