Baltimore Orioles...
New faces and youth should improve the offense. Weiters should improve on last year's crap season. Brian Roberts should be healthier. Same for Hardy. Lee still has a bat left to contribute. Markakis should continue to be a star. These guys will be good although the O's still overpaid for lots of their guys.
Pitching is nothing special. I like the signing of Duscherer but he can't stay healthy. Guthrie is their most dependable starter but he's no #1. Matusz is doable but no world beater. After that it gets really sketchy in the rotation. Bullpen is average but not overly deep.
The Orioles aren't going to beat out the Yankees or the Red Sox but they could be the 3rd best team in the division if they stay healthy. That, however, is a big if since their roster is made up of talented but often injured guys. Pitching will let them down at times and their offense will have to pick up the slack. I figure they'll have really hot stretches but the injuries will eventually pile up and this team will finish around .500.
New faces and youth should improve the offense. Weiters should improve on last year's crap season. Brian Roberts should be healthier. Same for Hardy. Lee still has a bat left to contribute. Markakis should continue to be a star. These guys will be good although the O's still overpaid for lots of their guys.
Pitching is nothing special. I like the signing of Duscherer but he can't stay healthy. Guthrie is their most dependable starter but he's no #1. Matusz is doable but no world beater. After that it gets really sketchy in the rotation. Bullpen is average but not overly deep.
The Orioles aren't going to beat out the Yankees or the Red Sox but they could be the 3rd best team in the division if they stay healthy. That, however, is a big if since their roster is made up of talented but often injured guys. Pitching will let them down at times and their offense will have to pick up the slack. I figure they'll have really hot stretches but the injuries will eventually pile up and this team will finish around .500.
Boston Red Sox...
The offense looks stacked as long as some of the older guys stay healthy. Ortiz still has some left in the tank as long as Boston sits him for Cameron against lefties. Pride might get the better of Francona. We'll see. Adrian Gonzalez is going to hit close to 50 HRs in that park. Salty should emerge at catcher. Losing Beltre isn't such a big blow with Youklis sliding over there.
Starters look great and they could have five #1 starters on their hands. I'm not entirely sure where Wakefield fits in if everyone stays healthy ahead of him. Bullpen should be a strength if Jenks and Okajima can pitch even decently. Papelbon, Wheeler, and Bard are strong enough to make this team tough to come back on it in the later innings.
Boston is one of the top 3 teams in baseball and their rotation could feasibly be better than Phillies'. A-Gon is the guy that will put them over the edge and I do think Boston is better than New York by a decent margin. Don't be surprised if these guys win it all. I'm thinking about 98 wins is what they'll get because of how tough their division is.
The offense looks stacked as long as some of the older guys stay healthy. Ortiz still has some left in the tank as long as Boston sits him for Cameron against lefties. Pride might get the better of Francona. We'll see. Adrian Gonzalez is going to hit close to 50 HRs in that park. Salty should emerge at catcher. Losing Beltre isn't such a big blow with Youklis sliding over there.
Starters look great and they could have five #1 starters on their hands. I'm not entirely sure where Wakefield fits in if everyone stays healthy ahead of him. Bullpen should be a strength if Jenks and Okajima can pitch even decently. Papelbon, Wheeler, and Bard are strong enough to make this team tough to come back on it in the later innings.
Boston is one of the top 3 teams in baseball and their rotation could feasibly be better than Phillies'. A-Gon is the guy that will put them over the edge and I do think Boston is better than New York by a decent margin. Don't be surprised if these guys win it all. I'm thinking about 98 wins is what they'll get because of how tough their division is.
Chicago White Sox...
The offense has lots of solid hitters and I think they'll put together an above average defense if Morel gets the gig at third. Adding Adam Dunn should increase production and I think Gordon Beckham has his best year yet. This is, however, an older lineup and injuries should be expected to take their tole during the year. Defense and speed are above average and this lineup will be very productive with everyone healthy.
Mark Buehrle seems to be regressing as he ages and that worries me a bit about the rotation. He's been a rock for so long that he'll be tough to replace if he continues the trend. Peavy struggled with injuries last season and his days as a top-end starter might be over also. As weird as it sounds, Danks and Floyd might be the most dependable starters the White Sox have at this point. Edwin Jackson is a wild card. He has excellent stuff but can't seem to put it together outside of his one year in Detroit. The staff looks good on paper but age and injuries could play a big part. Peavy's ability to rebound will be huge for the team's success. Sale should get closer duties because Thornton seems better at setup. The bullpen doesn't have much depth and could be an issue. Lots of fastballs but not much beyond that.
This squad has talent but the pitching issues and age on the offense could bite them in the ass. Although they are probably good enough to win the Central, I also think they could fall apart easily with a few bad breaks.
The offense has lots of solid hitters and I think they'll put together an above average defense if Morel gets the gig at third. Adding Adam Dunn should increase production and I think Gordon Beckham has his best year yet. This is, however, an older lineup and injuries should be expected to take their tole during the year. Defense and speed are above average and this lineup will be very productive with everyone healthy.
Mark Buehrle seems to be regressing as he ages and that worries me a bit about the rotation. He's been a rock for so long that he'll be tough to replace if he continues the trend. Peavy struggled with injuries last season and his days as a top-end starter might be over also. As weird as it sounds, Danks and Floyd might be the most dependable starters the White Sox have at this point. Edwin Jackson is a wild card. He has excellent stuff but can't seem to put it together outside of his one year in Detroit. The staff looks good on paper but age and injuries could play a big part. Peavy's ability to rebound will be huge for the team's success. Sale should get closer duties because Thornton seems better at setup. The bullpen doesn't have much depth and could be an issue. Lots of fastballs but not much beyond that.
This squad has talent but the pitching issues and age on the offense could bite them in the ass. Although they are probably good enough to win the Central, I also think they could fall apart easily with a few bad breaks.
Cleveland Indians...
Don't look for these guys to score many runs. They are extremely young and Sizemore, Hafner, and an emerging Choo aren't going to be able to make up for quite a few guys not ready for the MLB level. They are still a year away from being close to productive.
There isn't much to count on here outside of Fausto Carmona, and even he is a bit iffy since his ERA was lower than what his WHIP would usually indicate last year. Anthony Reyes still intrigues me but I'm not sure if he'll ever be anything. Laffey seems like a sure bet to have an ERA at 4.5 or so. Beyond that they have guys with potential that haven't shown they are ready for the majors. Bullpen looks iffy behind Perez. Joe Smith seems to have been figured out while Sipp and Perez will either strike out the side or give up a home run. I don't trust most of these guys but there is raw potential that could look great at times.
Cleveland still isn't ready and it would be a bit of a surprise if they get to 75 wins. They are so young and have so many question marks. A .500 record is doable if two starters emerge as decent (ERA of 4.2 or so), but I don't think the offense will do much of anything this year.
Don't look for these guys to score many runs. They are extremely young and Sizemore, Hafner, and an emerging Choo aren't going to be able to make up for quite a few guys not ready for the MLB level. They are still a year away from being close to productive.
There isn't much to count on here outside of Fausto Carmona, and even he is a bit iffy since his ERA was lower than what his WHIP would usually indicate last year. Anthony Reyes still intrigues me but I'm not sure if he'll ever be anything. Laffey seems like a sure bet to have an ERA at 4.5 or so. Beyond that they have guys with potential that haven't shown they are ready for the majors. Bullpen looks iffy behind Perez. Joe Smith seems to have been figured out while Sipp and Perez will either strike out the side or give up a home run. I don't trust most of these guys but there is raw potential that could look great at times.
Cleveland still isn't ready and it would be a bit of a surprise if they get to 75 wins. They are so young and have so many question marks. A .500 record is doable if two starters emerge as decent (ERA of 4.2 or so), but I don't think the offense will do much of anything this year.
Can't disagree with you, but I think A-Gon is a legit threat for 50 homers. Season before last he hit 40 and played half of his games in the huge confines of Petco. His stroke is perfect for the monster. He'll have a ton of doubles too though and I agree with them being the best AL team on paper.
Detroit Tigers...
The outfield is a wildcard but adding Victor Martinez to Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez is a nice core. Guillen will be healthier but it appears his power is dwindling. This lineup will be quite old and I don't think they'll be anything other than average this year. Austin Jackson is emerging as a star but I could also see him taking a step back this year. Peralta gives them some pop but his average is dipping. Nothing special here folks.
Verlander is a stud and will do well. Scherzer has the skill but needs to gain some consistency. He'll have success and be a good #2. Porcello should rebound in a big way while Phil Coke should be consistent. I'm hearing good things about his outlook. The staff is above average but is still fairly young and inexperienced. Brad Penny looks like the 5th starter at this point since they traded Galarraga. Valverde is solid but I still don't trust Benoit as the setup guy. Perry is okay while Zumaya is coming off injury but supposed to be doing well.
The Tigers could be the spoilers to the White Sox because of a good pitching staff, but they'll have to find some young guys to produce on offense. I could see these guys catching fire and getting on a roll but ultimately they don't look as good as Chicago.
The outfield is a wildcard but adding Victor Martinez to Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez is a nice core. Guillen will be healthier but it appears his power is dwindling. This lineup will be quite old and I don't think they'll be anything other than average this year. Austin Jackson is emerging as a star but I could also see him taking a step back this year. Peralta gives them some pop but his average is dipping. Nothing special here folks.
Verlander is a stud and will do well. Scherzer has the skill but needs to gain some consistency. He'll have success and be a good #2. Porcello should rebound in a big way while Phil Coke should be consistent. I'm hearing good things about his outlook. The staff is above average but is still fairly young and inexperienced. Brad Penny looks like the 5th starter at this point since they traded Galarraga. Valverde is solid but I still don't trust Benoit as the setup guy. Perry is okay while Zumaya is coming off injury but supposed to be doing well.
The Tigers could be the spoilers to the White Sox because of a good pitching staff, but they'll have to find some young guys to produce on offense. I could see these guys catching fire and getting on a roll but ultimately they don't look as good as Chicago.
KC Royals...
The offense could be better than expected but they still don't have any power. Gordon has to improve while guys like Escobar, Betemit, and Alex Gordon should become better players. That lack of power will lead to them not scoring a ton of runs but I do like the look of Ka'aihue. This offense won't be that good but they will be better than the Indians. Maybe if Butler develops power... Aviles looks like a good one (still no power though).
The rotation is a bit of a joke. Jeff Francis can't stay healthy and his last two seasons have been poor. He's a #3 or #4 starter that the Royals are parading as their top gun. Bruce Chen is another stopgap that can't stay healthy. He'll be solid but not spectacular. No speed in his pitches but he's smart and should put in solid innings with a 4.3 ERA, assuming he stays healthy. Hochevar has potential but isn't ready yet. Davies is way too hittable while Mazzaro looks ready for a depression in his stats. KC has a nice bullpen but it's really only 3 deep (or 2 deep if you don't count Jeffries). The fact that the starters don't go deep into games will hurt them.
Kansas City is Kansas City and they have big weaknesses like always. A .500 record seems to be the goal.
The offense could be better than expected but they still don't have any power. Gordon has to improve while guys like Escobar, Betemit, and Alex Gordon should become better players. That lack of power will lead to them not scoring a ton of runs but I do like the look of Ka'aihue. This offense won't be that good but they will be better than the Indians. Maybe if Butler develops power... Aviles looks like a good one (still no power though).
The rotation is a bit of a joke. Jeff Francis can't stay healthy and his last two seasons have been poor. He's a #3 or #4 starter that the Royals are parading as their top gun. Bruce Chen is another stopgap that can't stay healthy. He'll be solid but not spectacular. No speed in his pitches but he's smart and should put in solid innings with a 4.3 ERA, assuming he stays healthy. Hochevar has potential but isn't ready yet. Davies is way too hittable while Mazzaro looks ready for a depression in his stats. KC has a nice bullpen but it's really only 3 deep (or 2 deep if you don't count Jeffries). The fact that the starters don't go deep into games will hurt them.
Kansas City is Kansas City and they have big weaknesses like always. A .500 record seems to be the goal.
LA Angels...
This offense is aging but they still have quite a few productive players. Morales' health will go a long way and the Angels should be well above average if that guy stops jumping on home. Kendrick should have a great year and Callaspo should improve. Catcher and center field are question marks and they need a leadoff guy. Still, I like their prospects for scoring lots of runs.
I love the top 3 starters but Kazmir and Pineiro scare me. Kazmir has fallen apart it seems while Pineiro has pitched well above his stuff for 2 seasons. If the Angels find a 4th starter that does decently, I could see them at least being in the same AL conversation as the Red Sox. The bullpen could have issues and Downs is the only guy I trust. Rodney is okay but nothing special. The Angels overpaid lots of average guys this year and I think the pen will be an issue.
The Angels are a strong team and should be a top American League club. They'll win their division but the lack of pen and back-end pitching could come back to bite them. They have an above average offense with good but not great pitching. It'll be enough to make the playoffs but they are not as good as Boston.
This offense is aging but they still have quite a few productive players. Morales' health will go a long way and the Angels should be well above average if that guy stops jumping on home. Kendrick should have a great year and Callaspo should improve. Catcher and center field are question marks and they need a leadoff guy. Still, I like their prospects for scoring lots of runs.
I love the top 3 starters but Kazmir and Pineiro scare me. Kazmir has fallen apart it seems while Pineiro has pitched well above his stuff for 2 seasons. If the Angels find a 4th starter that does decently, I could see them at least being in the same AL conversation as the Red Sox. The bullpen could have issues and Downs is the only guy I trust. Rodney is okay but nothing special. The Angels overpaid lots of average guys this year and I think the pen will be an issue.
The Angels are a strong team and should be a top American League club. They'll win their division but the lack of pen and back-end pitching could come back to bite them. They have an above average offense with good but not great pitching. It'll be enough to make the playoffs but they are not as good as Boston.
The question with KC is whether or not they will actually spend the money though. I'd also like to know what the hell is up with Gordon. Apparently he has a new swing but the guy is too good to be hitting around .215. This is his last year on contract to prove he's the super prospect everyone thought he was. I always preferred Butler anyway. I liked Votto over Jay Bruce too. Then again, I liked Cueto over Edison Volquez so I can't be right all the time (assuming Volquez regains form).
not a good start to the season w/the cabrera dwi. that's some serious alcoholism there. a morals clause? he is a stud, pujols type player. guillen won't stay healthy. magglio might stay healthy. how old is he now? just have never liked leyland as a mgr. he did it a few yrs ago, maybe again, wouldn't surprise me.
the angels bullpen by committee, imo, can be worked out. they have a rookie down there (walden), who throws hard & could end up being the closer. they also picked up scott downs and the japanese guy from the mets. why they would want vernon well's contract, i have no idea. wells and tori hunter seem to be similar type players. kendry morales back to hit btwn these guys is huge.
