ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Season 1: 89-73; 1st Place; Lost in DPS
Season 2: 103-59; 1st Place; Lost in DCS
Hitting
This off season saw a big shake-up of what was one of the best offenses in the NL. The loss of catcher (should be a DH) Oswaldo Rodriguez clearly decreases the firepower of this group. While Alan Lidge has a competent bat, he was brought here to bolster the defense. First baseman Pascual Martin is always a threat to win a batting title as well as deliver some good power. New arrival Cliff Harris looks to be the main complement to Martin in what still appears to be a better than average NL offense.
Pitching
With the improvements to the defense, what was already a scary pitching staff looks to be downright lethal. Last season’s Cy Young winner Felipe Tejada, Al Diaz, and Bernie Delgado are possibly the best trio of starters for any team in the game. Between those three, you can pretty much guarantee 50-60 wins in the books. So when you throw in back-to-back 16 game winner Carlton Arnold and 13 game winner Phillip Latham, it sure seems like the front office should just go ahead and start printing this season’s playoff tickets.
Once the starters leave the game, things do not get any more promising for the opposition. Last season, Daniel Kennedy was the best closer in the game and waiting in the wings is a guy almost as good in Craig Kline. Diamondback opponents are not going to be scoring very many runs this season.
Season 3 Forecast
The lineup changes may cost the D’backs some runs scored this season, but the improved defense is going to make it very tough on the opposition to score any runs themselves. A third divisional championship banner will be hanging at Bank One Ballpark after this season.
Season 3 Prediction: 97-65; 1st Place
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Season 1: 86-76; T2nd Place
Season 2: 97-65; 2nd Place; Lost in DPS
Hitting
The offense was the Achilles heal of the Dodgers last season as they were unable to put up numbers against the better pitchers in the league. Since almost all of the pitchers you face in the playoffs are the better pitchers, it led to a brief postseason. The standouts for this middle of the road gang are first baseman Scott Rivers, leftfielder Leon Abbott, and rightfielder Jason Walls. It will be interesting to see if the new management decides to shake things up a bit to help score some more runs.
Pitching
The strength of the Dodgers lies here in their deep and talented pitching staff, which led all of baseball in ERA last season. They have a great young rotation of five solid guys all age 27 and under, currently making league minimums. Davey Molina, Richard Coveleski, Buck Barry, Alvin Sasser, and Alejandro Sosa. This group could provide the Dodgers with quite a few quality starts over the next decade.
While the rotation is full of kids, the Dodger bullpen looks like an AARP meeting. Led by the “youngster”, 31 year old new closer Gary Meadows, these aging arms are looking to prove they still have something left in the tank. Meadows performed well as a starter last season and looks like a great candidate to be the new closer. Also providing solid relief innings will be Jeff Nash and free agent pickups Roger Robinson and Brutus Freeman.
Season 3 Forecast
With no changes to their lineup, the Dodgers will again struggle when they play the good teams with the better pitchers. However their deep pitching staff is going to make all of their games close ones and allow them to once again compete for the playoffs, likely the wildcard.
Season 3 Prediction: 93-69; 2nd Place
SAN DIEGO PADRES
Season 1: 86-76; T2nd Place
Season 2: 83-79; 3rd Place
Hitting
After the last season’s second half surge fell short of landing the final wildcard spot, Padre fans were dealt another blow for this next season with the free agent departure of excellent all-around veteran catcher William Jennings. This offense all starts with speed merchant Alfredo Johnson. With 93 stolen bases on his way to scoring 139 runs, he is a tremendous table setter for this offense that plays small ball in pitcher friendly Petco Park. It will be interesting to see if slugging rookie rightfielder Willie Jose can succeed at Petco after tearing it up last season in AAA.
Pitching
The starters are a very mediocre bunch that lags far behind the other staffs in this division and if it weren’t for Petco Park, we might see some of them with very high ERA’s. Probably the best starter of this bunch is current #5 man Otto Molitor, who is coming off of a 15-win season. The rest of this group would likely be in long relief or in AAA for any other team in the division.
Young closer Morris Houston looks like a solid long-term solution for earning the saves, while David Carroll will provide solid setup work.
Season 3 Forecast
The Padres will continue their southern slide and once again finish in third in the division, but this time much farther out in the wild card chase.
Season 3 Prediction: 79-83; 3rd Place
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Season 1: 71-91; 4th Place
Season 2: 75-87; 4th Place
Hitting
Last season, the Giants had one of the worst offenses in the league and this season it looks like there will be more of the same. The one bright spot for this team is that they are young and continuing to develop, but they just don’t have enough ML ready talent at the plate to put a lot of runs on the scoreboard. This team does possess one of the most talented hitters in the game, but it comes in the form of fragile, low durability, mediocre fielding catcher Jolbert Romero. Beyond that, the Giants have no standouts but should see solid contributions from rookie first baseman Casey O’Donnell and veteran leftfielder Jorge Trevino.
Pitching
The Giants have a very solid starting staff as their top 3 can compete very favorably against most any team in the league. #1 starter Wilton Stark is coming off an excellent season among the leaders in WHIP and ERA over 268 innings, but suffering from horrid run support on his way to a 13-14 record. #2 starter Paul Hujimoto did even better on his way to an 18 win seasons. The #3 spot is taken up by rookie of the year candidate George Bush who dominated AAA last season with an array of nasty pitches that he likes to call his “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” If the Giants could just score an average amount of runs, they’d be able to garner quite a few wins from this trio.
Season 3 Forecast
This young team just isn’t ready to compete with the big boys yet but should see a small improvement from last season.
Season 3 Prediction: 78-84; 4th Place
Sunday, April 20, 2008
AL EAST SEASON 3 PREVIEW
*Note: the opinions expressed in this season preview are those of J. Baxter, and not those of the commissioner, World Kinsella, or anyone else who is not drunken White Trash.
(1) NY Yankees
I was with this team for a short time last fall, so spending time in the locker room gave me a chance to see firsthand that this team has some big swinging d***ks and are ready for prime time. I expect a close race between Boston and New York, with the Yanks having the edge based on Boston’s miserable fan base and Jeff Bollea choking down the stretch. Prediction: 93-69, division title.
The big free agent signing for the Yanks was Mark Moore. I’m 35 and Moore is 34, so it absolutely boggles my mind why he is getting the big bucks while I’ll be riding buses with the rookie league mutts who will never know what it’s like to act big league. I faced this tool Mark Moore in the minors and I struck him out on 3 nasty heaters and he probably never felt like less of a man. If there was video of that strikeout around, I would be the one making 13 mil- I don’t think I ever faced this clown in the majors but if I did, I would have made him wish he was never born (Ed. note: Mark Moore was 5-7 with 2 HRs vs. J. Baxter in his major league career). In any event, their offense should score a lot on and off the field this season.
Their pitching staff should also do a decent job, although they probably should have re-signed a certain right-handed reliever who may or may not have been fighting drug and alcohol problems throughout his career. The rotation is young and solid, I partied with a few of these guys when I was with the Yanks for a few weeks last season. I took D.T. Porzio and Zoltan Figga down to Atlantic City on an off day, and let’s just say that the J-Man taught these young guys how to party like degenerates. Julio Romero can throw, but he’s one of those guys who refuses to speak English. What an obnoxious S.O.B.
(2) Boston
Here’s the thing about the city of Boston: too many guys out at the bars who are looking to fight. I mean, yeah I’m on the Yankees, yeah I just spilled a beer on you, and yeah I just said something borderline lewd to your wife, but let it slide pal. This negative attitude could possibly grate on this team down the stretch. Prediction: 90-72, wild card.
These guys led the AL in runs last year, but I don’t necessarily respect them. They picked up Terence McDonald; I roomed with Mac on the road when we both played for Padres. Talk about a friggin downer. I mean, the dude read the Bible all the time and he was too uppity to join in the festivities when I brought the party back to our room. Just because we have a game at 1 p.m. doesn’t mean I can’t have Richard Pryor in a headlock at 7 a.m., you loser. Remember, grooming wasn’t the same in the mid-90’s as it is today. I think he ended up asking for a new roommate. Anyway, Valerio Guillen will get his numbers, Sid Cannon and Marlon Swift are beasts, and Sal Sullivan is hung like a light switch but plays a good CF.
Jeff Bollea is a piece of [excrement]. I played with this mook in Minnesota and he always had a real attitude. I think he had a problem with my dating his ex-wife, but I say that once she files for divorce, she’s fair game. He came at me in the locker room about “temporary separation” and “the mother of his children” but I ended up telling him what I really felt. Wonder what he would think if he found out that I cost him 3 wins and probably the Cy Young that year by tanking his games. And also if he found out that I still bump uglies with his ex-wife Vanessa whenever I’m in the Twin Cities. (Ed note: Jeff and Vanessa Bollea are married and never divorced)
(3) Cleveland
Cleveland is just a brutal city to visit on a road trip. I’m a guy who really likes to get the pulse of a city by getting inside its citizens , but even the prostitutes in Cleveland are dogs. Anyway, drichter is pulling things together in Cleveland and the team has a bright future, even though any sane player will leave that putrid city at the first opportunity. Prediction: 75-97.
I played against Harry Reid a few years ago in Triple A, and I had a long conversation with him before the game. What a gentleman. Smart and funny too. If it wasn’t for my hatred of everyone with an ethnicity not exactly like mine, I could have been friends with this guy. It’s really too bad he had to be black. Of course, when I faced him during the game I threw at him and sparked a bench clearing brawl. The Indians are rebuilding and their offense will be below average.
The pitching staff for the Indians will be about average. The rotation is relatively young and might take some lumps this year, but the bullpen will be good. Max Duran and Yorvit Cornejo are both solid in the pen and Sparky Griffin is one of the best bullpen practical jokers in the league. I once heard about a prank that involved a children’s diaper, a rabid dog, a slurpee, and a motorized scooter. The victim was the team’s stud closer and ended up out for the year with vertigo.
(4) Baltimore
The Orioles are a solid team but I don’t expect them to have enough for a playoff spot. I played for Baltimore a few years ago and while I think their GM bkgolfer is a class act, their manager is a compete d**k weed. I have never once gotten along with a manager, but this guy really took the cake. He had the nerve to order me to run laps at spring training, all because I didn’t cover first base. But later I went to the parking lot and cut his brake line so I ended up with the last laugh. Prediction: 73-89.
The offense has a good mix of young and old, but they’ll miss Jose Roque in the middle. Not sure whether these guys are trying to rebuild or win now, but they could be in the mix for a playoff spot if things break right. Once I won a grand off Hank Anderson in poker on a plane ride and he never paid me, so I exacted that price in sexual favors from his fiancee.
Their pitching staff is OK. Nothing really interesting going on here. Quick story: Lew Spencer is a scratch golfer so I took him along with me and my good buddy John Daly for a round. We show up at 7 a.m. for an 8:00 tee time and little did I know that John was in the midst of a bender. We start drinking Jack Daniels hard and heavy. Spencer is puking in sand traps by the 4th hole. Little did I know he was the starting pitcher that night. I had a breathalyzer that I had from sharper image and he blew a .46 an hour before the game. Needless to say I made a few calls and some people put heavy action against Spencer for me. The c**ksucker ends up throwing a complete game shutout, completely hammered. Cost me 9 grand.
(1) NY Yankees
I was with this team for a short time last fall, so spending time in the locker room gave me a chance to see firsthand that this team has some big swinging d***ks and are ready for prime time. I expect a close race between Boston and New York, with the Yanks having the edge based on Boston’s miserable fan base and Jeff Bollea choking down the stretch. Prediction: 93-69, division title.
The big free agent signing for the Yanks was Mark Moore. I’m 35 and Moore is 34, so it absolutely boggles my mind why he is getting the big bucks while I’ll be riding buses with the rookie league mutts who will never know what it’s like to act big league. I faced this tool Mark Moore in the minors and I struck him out on 3 nasty heaters and he probably never felt like less of a man. If there was video of that strikeout around, I would be the one making 13 mil- I don’t think I ever faced this clown in the majors but if I did, I would have made him wish he was never born (Ed. note: Mark Moore was 5-7 with 2 HRs vs. J. Baxter in his major league career). In any event, their offense should score a lot on and off the field this season.
Their pitching staff should also do a decent job, although they probably should have re-signed a certain right-handed reliever who may or may not have been fighting drug and alcohol problems throughout his career. The rotation is young and solid, I partied with a few of these guys when I was with the Yanks for a few weeks last season. I took D.T. Porzio and Zoltan Figga down to Atlantic City on an off day, and let’s just say that the J-Man taught these young guys how to party like degenerates. Julio Romero can throw, but he’s one of those guys who refuses to speak English. What an obnoxious S.O.B.
(2) Boston
Here’s the thing about the city of Boston: too many guys out at the bars who are looking to fight. I mean, yeah I’m on the Yankees, yeah I just spilled a beer on you, and yeah I just said something borderline lewd to your wife, but let it slide pal. This negative attitude could possibly grate on this team down the stretch. Prediction: 90-72, wild card.
These guys led the AL in runs last year, but I don’t necessarily respect them. They picked up Terence McDonald; I roomed with Mac on the road when we both played for Padres. Talk about a friggin downer. I mean, the dude read the Bible all the time and he was too uppity to join in the festivities when I brought the party back to our room. Just because we have a game at 1 p.m. doesn’t mean I can’t have Richard Pryor in a headlock at 7 a.m., you loser. Remember, grooming wasn’t the same in the mid-90’s as it is today. I think he ended up asking for a new roommate. Anyway, Valerio Guillen will get his numbers, Sid Cannon and Marlon Swift are beasts, and Sal Sullivan is hung like a light switch but plays a good CF.
Jeff Bollea is a piece of [excrement]. I played with this mook in Minnesota and he always had a real attitude. I think he had a problem with my dating his ex-wife, but I say that once she files for divorce, she’s fair game. He came at me in the locker room about “temporary separation” and “the mother of his children” but I ended up telling him what I really felt. Wonder what he would think if he found out that I cost him 3 wins and probably the Cy Young that year by tanking his games. And also if he found out that I still bump uglies with his ex-wife Vanessa whenever I’m in the Twin Cities. (Ed note: Jeff and Vanessa Bollea are married and never divorced)
(3) Cleveland
Cleveland is just a brutal city to visit on a road trip. I’m a guy who really likes to get the pulse of a city by getting inside its citizens , but even the prostitutes in Cleveland are dogs. Anyway, drichter is pulling things together in Cleveland and the team has a bright future, even though any sane player will leave that putrid city at the first opportunity. Prediction: 75-97.
I played against Harry Reid a few years ago in Triple A, and I had a long conversation with him before the game. What a gentleman. Smart and funny too. If it wasn’t for my hatred of everyone with an ethnicity not exactly like mine, I could have been friends with this guy. It’s really too bad he had to be black. Of course, when I faced him during the game I threw at him and sparked a bench clearing brawl. The Indians are rebuilding and their offense will be below average.
The pitching staff for the Indians will be about average. The rotation is relatively young and might take some lumps this year, but the bullpen will be good. Max Duran and Yorvit Cornejo are both solid in the pen and Sparky Griffin is one of the best bullpen practical jokers in the league. I once heard about a prank that involved a children’s diaper, a rabid dog, a slurpee, and a motorized scooter. The victim was the team’s stud closer and ended up out for the year with vertigo.
(4) Baltimore
The Orioles are a solid team but I don’t expect them to have enough for a playoff spot. I played for Baltimore a few years ago and while I think their GM bkgolfer is a class act, their manager is a compete d**k weed. I have never once gotten along with a manager, but this guy really took the cake. He had the nerve to order me to run laps at spring training, all because I didn’t cover first base. But later I went to the parking lot and cut his brake line so I ended up with the last laugh. Prediction: 73-89.
The offense has a good mix of young and old, but they’ll miss Jose Roque in the middle. Not sure whether these guys are trying to rebuild or win now, but they could be in the mix for a playoff spot if things break right. Once I won a grand off Hank Anderson in poker on a plane ride and he never paid me, so I exacted that price in sexual favors from his fiancee.
Their pitching staff is OK. Nothing really interesting going on here. Quick story: Lew Spencer is a scratch golfer so I took him along with me and my good buddy John Daly for a round. We show up at 7 a.m. for an 8:00 tee time and little did I know that John was in the midst of a bender. We start drinking Jack Daniels hard and heavy. Spencer is puking in sand traps by the 4th hole. Little did I know he was the starting pitcher that night. I had a breathalyzer that I had from sharper image and he blew a .46 an hour before the game. Needless to say I made a few calls and some people put heavy action against Spencer for me. The c**ksucker ends up throwing a complete game shutout, completely hammered. Cost me 9 grand.
Friday, April 18, 2008
SEASON 3 NL NORTH PREVIEW
CINCINNATI REDS
Season 1: 97-65, 1st in division, Lost in League Championship Series
Season 2: 95-67, 1st in division, World Series Champion
After falling in the NLCS to Philadelphia in Season 1, the Reds swept those same Phillies in the NLCS last season, and went on to sweep their way to a World Series Championship, finishing off the most impressive playoff run in World Kinsella’s short history. A return to the playoffs is almost assured.
Offense
The Cincinnati offense remains essentially the same from last season’s championship team. No need to mess with a good thing. Obviously, expect much of the same from this group. Harry Tejada is going to hit homeruns and drive in runs. So will Max Ortiz. So will Carter Jeffries. Tejada also brings his 2-time Gold Glove to the park with him. Edmonds and Reese provide their experience up the middle at short and center. And behind the plate, Hodges and Mullins will continue their platoon.
One addition however, is the promotion to the bigs of one of last year’s AAA stars, William Ryan. Ryan hit .307, with 31 HRs and 138 RBIs for Cinci’s AAA club last year, and figures to take over the duties at third base. The Reds like him so much, that All-Star and Gold Glove third baseman Matthew Barry looks to move to second. Achieving such numbers in the bigs will be a stretch for Ryan, but everyone expects him to at least get his money’s worth out of every at bat.
Pitching
Pitching wins championships, and these are the champions. Logic dictates the pitching was probably good in Cinci last year. It was, and it still is, especially the starters. Scot “don’t call him Mary” Pickford anchors the rotation again. He is an All-Star and figures to continue his winning ways. The former Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Edgardo Santos, one of the best bargains in the bigs, sits at #2 in the rotation. Pencil him in for 15 wins. Probably more. Abdul Lennon had a break-out year in season 2. He could be key this year for Cinci. Free agent signee Willie Wayne saw relief duty last year in LA, but figures to be a 3 or 4 starter. Mark Butler is a solid #5.
With the Cinci offense, winning close games might not be a concern. At least that is the hope, because the bullpen could be a concern. There are no lights out performers, just a group of solid contributors. Andres Alcantara figures to handle the closer role. He was claimed off waivers by Cinci in season 2, and performed well. Veterans Albie Johnson and Diego Owens will set up. Veteran Jason Sirotka and rookie Jack Duffy will handle the long relief duties.
Outlook
A division title is expected and should happen. Back to back World Series titles might be too much to ask for. Cinci will score runs and the starting pitching will be solid, but the bullpen will hurt them in the playoffs.
Prediction
96-66, Division Winner
CHICAGO CUBS
Season 1: 85-77, 2nd in division, did not make playoffs
Season 2: 76-86, 2nd in division, did not make playoffs
The Cubs showing in the NL North Division in seasons 1 and 2 does not sit well with Cubs fans. The whole 2nd place thing really isn’t the issue, because these are the Cubs, and they don’t expect to win. But they would like to compete. It appears from their respective records that the gap between the Reds and the Cubs is widening. Will the Cubs close that gap this year? Well, it all depends on pitching.
Offense
This is a young offense that relies on veteran third baseman and All-Star Rafael Nieves. His leadership is essential. Youngsters Julio Martin and Tony Masao are future stars but still need to mature. Kelly Fisher is a hitter, pure and simple, even though he looks more like a member of the Blackhawks. He can play first and catch, and is very well suited to DH during interleague play. Hector Lopez might not give you much at the plate, but he is fantastic behind the plate. The pitchers love him. Rick Griffin returns for his sophomore season at second base, and more is expected of him. The Cubs will hit, they have some speed on the bases, and this is a team that will be scary offensively in a year or two, but they’re not there yet.
Pitching
The story of the Season 2 Chicago Cubs can be summed up as such: young starting pitchers, with tons of talent, underperformed. Oh, and Carter Kennedy missed half the season with a torn hamstring. The Cubs starters are all younger than 27 and all have tons of talent. They should all improve on their season 2 performances this year. Simply, this staff has the potential to be one of the best in baseball. They are the key to the season. Torey James, “Don’t look at my” Heinie Figueroa, Kennedy, Gus Tamura (yes he is from Japan and named “Gus”) and Guy Kirk need to pitch to expectations. Catcher Hector Lopez’s handling of the staff will be key, as this staff has the potential to carry this team and threaten Cincinnati for the division.
The veteran presence in the pen is Galahad Nelson, who was fantastic in the closer role last year. Expect the same this season. Gary Blue is the other veteran reliever, and he will be the primary long relief option. Victor Torres looks to be in the bigs to stay and could be a major factor sooner rather than later.
Outlook
Overtaking the Reds is unlikely, but the talent is there to make it interesting. The starting pitching should improve, but the question is how much. A slight improvement will not do it. My money is on a significant improvement.
Prediction
89-73, possible Wild Card.
MONTREAL EXPOS
Season 1: 77-85, 3rd in division, did not make playoffs
Season 2: 73-89, 3rd in division, did not make playoffs
*Author Note: I was pretty sure the Quebecois ran baseball out of the Province a few years back, but the team is listed here, and my editor assures me they exist and actually play baseball, and I have a bunch of information here about them, so I suppose I will humor my editor and write this preview.
Montreal are the Cubs, Canadian version (as I write this, the one Canadian in the office berates me for not saying “French Canadian version”). They’re a bit older, but they have young potential on offense, and talented starting pitching that underperformed last year.
Offense
Catcher Bernard Springer is probably the best hitter in the division. He kills righties, but he won’t help much behind the plate. Justin Sweeney will help behind the plate, and he can hit a bit as well. Kevin Marte, who spent most of last year in AAA, looks to take over at first. He is a prototypical #3 hitter. Getting all three of these guys on the field at once would help, but without a DH, it could prove difficult to accomplish. Trenidad Woodward provides good defense in centerfield and has some pop in his bat. Waiver wire pick up Julio Eusebio is solid defensively, has a decent bat, and will likely see time at numerous positions.
Pitching
Young starting pitchers with great potential who underachieved last year seems to be a common theme. Perhaps because they all have to pitch against Cinci? Montreal needs Andres Cedeno to come back strong from elbow injury. Rico Herrera simply needs to pitch better. Opponents hit .294 against him in Season 2. Ouch. J.P. Taveras, who spent most of last season in AAA, could be huge.
Long relief should be solid but not great. Jack Piersoll and Jared Perisho, acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay, will share that duty. Gary King is the closer. He held opponents to a .229 batting average last year, yet still had an ERA of 4.36. He needs to improve on that number. While not the closer, Jonathan Perry appears to be the stud of pen.
Outlook
As previously indicated, Montreal is the French Canadian version of the Cubs. However, as usual, the French version will not be as good as the English version. Montreal will hit, but not as much as Chicago. But if their starters pitch like they can, they could challenge Chicago for second in the division and possibly make the Wild Card.
Prediction
84-78, possible Wild Card.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Season 1: 71-91, 4th in division, did not make playoffs
Season 2: 69-93, 4th in division, did not make playoffs
A new General Manager has taken over in Milwaukee, and that lucky guy is bison8, who has a lot of work to do. The Major League squad has some solid bats, but the pitching is thin. There is some talent in the minors, but the minor league pitching is years away. Some position players could be ready soon, but this is a rebuilding project if there ever was one.
Offense
Andy Rowe is the star of the offense. The veteran first baseman can still hit, and he will definitely produce. He will need to. Rowe is in the last year of his contract and there is the definite possibility he will be traded by the trade deadline as Milwaukee concentrates on its rebuilding. The now and future star of the offense is Aaron Holliday. Holliday showed last season what he can do, and it should just be the beginning. Another bright spot is centerfielder Robert Jefferson, an all star and gold glover in Season 1. Another solid bat is catcher Henry Shuey, but unfortunately Shuey is well below average behind the plate. This offense will score some runs, but may struggle against front-line starters.
Pitching
Here is what you do not want to see from your pitchers: BB, BB, BB, BB, BB, BB, BB, BB…… Unfortunately, that is exactly what many of the Brewers pitchers are going to give you. Gerald Dunn has good stuff, but he has shown he will walk the ballpark. Joel Parrott has less good stuff, and also has control issues. Bernie Canseco appears to be a potential bright spot in the rotation. He improved from Season 1 to Season 2. That improvement needs to continue, as Milwaukee needs some sort of stabilizing factor in the rotation.
One potential future starter is Davey Hernandez. He is currently slated to be in long relief, but a move to the rotation is likely this season or next. He may have some growing pains, but he appears to have star potential.
Edgar Lira, the closer, is the star of the short relievers. His statistics were not stellar last season, but he has good stuff and provides needed veteran leadership. Based on the current situation in Milwaukee, Lira, like Rowe, is a prime candidate to be traded by the trade deadline.
Outlook
The control problems of the Milwaukee starters will prevent any movement from the NL North cellar this season. Further, the relief corps is below average. The Milwaukee offense is adequate, but it is not of a level to make up for the team’s pitching deficiencies. Rebuilding is a priority. New General Manager bison8 has some work to do, but at least the owners know he will be earning his money. If anything, he should have some fun with it.
Prediction
66-96
Season 1: 97-65, 1st in division, Lost in League Championship Series
Season 2: 95-67, 1st in division, World Series Champion
After falling in the NLCS to Philadelphia in Season 1, the Reds swept those same Phillies in the NLCS last season, and went on to sweep their way to a World Series Championship, finishing off the most impressive playoff run in World Kinsella’s short history. A return to the playoffs is almost assured.
Offense
The Cincinnati offense remains essentially the same from last season’s championship team. No need to mess with a good thing. Obviously, expect much of the same from this group. Harry Tejada is going to hit homeruns and drive in runs. So will Max Ortiz. So will Carter Jeffries. Tejada also brings his 2-time Gold Glove to the park with him. Edmonds and Reese provide their experience up the middle at short and center. And behind the plate, Hodges and Mullins will continue their platoon.
One addition however, is the promotion to the bigs of one of last year’s AAA stars, William Ryan. Ryan hit .307, with 31 HRs and 138 RBIs for Cinci’s AAA club last year, and figures to take over the duties at third base. The Reds like him so much, that All-Star and Gold Glove third baseman Matthew Barry looks to move to second. Achieving such numbers in the bigs will be a stretch for Ryan, but everyone expects him to at least get his money’s worth out of every at bat.
Pitching
Pitching wins championships, and these are the champions. Logic dictates the pitching was probably good in Cinci last year. It was, and it still is, especially the starters. Scot “don’t call him Mary” Pickford anchors the rotation again. He is an All-Star and figures to continue his winning ways. The former Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Edgardo Santos, one of the best bargains in the bigs, sits at #2 in the rotation. Pencil him in for 15 wins. Probably more. Abdul Lennon had a break-out year in season 2. He could be key this year for Cinci. Free agent signee Willie Wayne saw relief duty last year in LA, but figures to be a 3 or 4 starter. Mark Butler is a solid #5.
With the Cinci offense, winning close games might not be a concern. At least that is the hope, because the bullpen could be a concern. There are no lights out performers, just a group of solid contributors. Andres Alcantara figures to handle the closer role. He was claimed off waivers by Cinci in season 2, and performed well. Veterans Albie Johnson and Diego Owens will set up. Veteran Jason Sirotka and rookie Jack Duffy will handle the long relief duties.
Outlook
A division title is expected and should happen. Back to back World Series titles might be too much to ask for. Cinci will score runs and the starting pitching will be solid, but the bullpen will hurt them in the playoffs.
Prediction
96-66, Division Winner
CHICAGO CUBS
Season 1: 85-77, 2nd in division, did not make playoffs
Season 2: 76-86, 2nd in division, did not make playoffs
The Cubs showing in the NL North Division in seasons 1 and 2 does not sit well with Cubs fans. The whole 2nd place thing really isn’t the issue, because these are the Cubs, and they don’t expect to win. But they would like to compete. It appears from their respective records that the gap between the Reds and the Cubs is widening. Will the Cubs close that gap this year? Well, it all depends on pitching.
Offense
This is a young offense that relies on veteran third baseman and All-Star Rafael Nieves. His leadership is essential. Youngsters Julio Martin and Tony Masao are future stars but still need to mature. Kelly Fisher is a hitter, pure and simple, even though he looks more like a member of the Blackhawks. He can play first and catch, and is very well suited to DH during interleague play. Hector Lopez might not give you much at the plate, but he is fantastic behind the plate. The pitchers love him. Rick Griffin returns for his sophomore season at second base, and more is expected of him. The Cubs will hit, they have some speed on the bases, and this is a team that will be scary offensively in a year or two, but they’re not there yet.
Pitching
The story of the Season 2 Chicago Cubs can be summed up as such: young starting pitchers, with tons of talent, underperformed. Oh, and Carter Kennedy missed half the season with a torn hamstring. The Cubs starters are all younger than 27 and all have tons of talent. They should all improve on their season 2 performances this year. Simply, this staff has the potential to be one of the best in baseball. They are the key to the season. Torey James, “Don’t look at my” Heinie Figueroa, Kennedy, Gus Tamura (yes he is from Japan and named “Gus”) and Guy Kirk need to pitch to expectations. Catcher Hector Lopez’s handling of the staff will be key, as this staff has the potential to carry this team and threaten Cincinnati for the division.
The veteran presence in the pen is Galahad Nelson, who was fantastic in the closer role last year. Expect the same this season. Gary Blue is the other veteran reliever, and he will be the primary long relief option. Victor Torres looks to be in the bigs to stay and could be a major factor sooner rather than later.
Outlook
Overtaking the Reds is unlikely, but the talent is there to make it interesting. The starting pitching should improve, but the question is how much. A slight improvement will not do it. My money is on a significant improvement.
Prediction
89-73, possible Wild Card.
MONTREAL EXPOS
Season 1: 77-85, 3rd in division, did not make playoffs
Season 2: 73-89, 3rd in division, did not make playoffs
*Author Note: I was pretty sure the Quebecois ran baseball out of the Province a few years back, but the team is listed here, and my editor assures me they exist and actually play baseball, and I have a bunch of information here about them, so I suppose I will humor my editor and write this preview.
Montreal are the Cubs, Canadian version (as I write this, the one Canadian in the office berates me for not saying “French Canadian version”). They’re a bit older, but they have young potential on offense, and talented starting pitching that underperformed last year.
Offense
Catcher Bernard Springer is probably the best hitter in the division. He kills righties, but he won’t help much behind the plate. Justin Sweeney will help behind the plate, and he can hit a bit as well. Kevin Marte, who spent most of last year in AAA, looks to take over at first. He is a prototypical #3 hitter. Getting all three of these guys on the field at once would help, but without a DH, it could prove difficult to accomplish. Trenidad Woodward provides good defense in centerfield and has some pop in his bat. Waiver wire pick up Julio Eusebio is solid defensively, has a decent bat, and will likely see time at numerous positions.
Pitching
Young starting pitchers with great potential who underachieved last year seems to be a common theme. Perhaps because they all have to pitch against Cinci? Montreal needs Andres Cedeno to come back strong from elbow injury. Rico Herrera simply needs to pitch better. Opponents hit .294 against him in Season 2. Ouch. J.P. Taveras, who spent most of last season in AAA, could be huge.
Long relief should be solid but not great. Jack Piersoll and Jared Perisho, acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay, will share that duty. Gary King is the closer. He held opponents to a .229 batting average last year, yet still had an ERA of 4.36. He needs to improve on that number. While not the closer, Jonathan Perry appears to be the stud of pen.
Outlook
As previously indicated, Montreal is the French Canadian version of the Cubs. However, as usual, the French version will not be as good as the English version. Montreal will hit, but not as much as Chicago. But if their starters pitch like they can, they could challenge Chicago for second in the division and possibly make the Wild Card.
Prediction
84-78, possible Wild Card.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Season 1: 71-91, 4th in division, did not make playoffs
Season 2: 69-93, 4th in division, did not make playoffs
A new General Manager has taken over in Milwaukee, and that lucky guy is bison8, who has a lot of work to do. The Major League squad has some solid bats, but the pitching is thin. There is some talent in the minors, but the minor league pitching is years away. Some position players could be ready soon, but this is a rebuilding project if there ever was one.
Offense
Andy Rowe is the star of the offense. The veteran first baseman can still hit, and he will definitely produce. He will need to. Rowe is in the last year of his contract and there is the definite possibility he will be traded by the trade deadline as Milwaukee concentrates on its rebuilding. The now and future star of the offense is Aaron Holliday. Holliday showed last season what he can do, and it should just be the beginning. Another bright spot is centerfielder Robert Jefferson, an all star and gold glover in Season 1. Another solid bat is catcher Henry Shuey, but unfortunately Shuey is well below average behind the plate. This offense will score some runs, but may struggle against front-line starters.
Pitching
Here is what you do not want to see from your pitchers: BB, BB, BB, BB, BB, BB, BB, BB…… Unfortunately, that is exactly what many of the Brewers pitchers are going to give you. Gerald Dunn has good stuff, but he has shown he will walk the ballpark. Joel Parrott has less good stuff, and also has control issues. Bernie Canseco appears to be a potential bright spot in the rotation. He improved from Season 1 to Season 2. That improvement needs to continue, as Milwaukee needs some sort of stabilizing factor in the rotation.
One potential future starter is Davey Hernandez. He is currently slated to be in long relief, but a move to the rotation is likely this season or next. He may have some growing pains, but he appears to have star potential.
Edgar Lira, the closer, is the star of the short relievers. His statistics were not stellar last season, but he has good stuff and provides needed veteran leadership. Based on the current situation in Milwaukee, Lira, like Rowe, is a prime candidate to be traded by the trade deadline.
Outlook
The control problems of the Milwaukee starters will prevent any movement from the NL North cellar this season. Further, the relief corps is below average. The Milwaukee offense is adequate, but it is not of a level to make up for the team’s pitching deficiencies. Rebuilding is a priority. New General Manager bison8 has some work to do, but at least the owners know he will be earning his money. If anything, he should have some fun with it.
Prediction
66-96
The 85 Club (beginning of season 3)
92 Jose Pichardo, 3B, Tampa Bay, 32
92 Jake Clapp, 3B, Philadelphia, 31
92 Alexander Myers, 2B, Toronto, 30
90 Earl Jorgensen, 2B, Charlotte, 23
88 Max Ortiz, LF, Cincinnati, 28
88 Danny Alexander, SS, Kansas City, 27
87 Jeff Bollea, SP, Boston, 34
87 Patrick Rivera, SP, Kansas City, 31
87 Hayes Swann, 1B, Florida, 30
87 Robert Jefferson, CF, Milwaukee, 30
87 Richard Ishii, SS, Seattle, 26
86 Bob McMahon, CF, Florida, 29
86 Ramiro Diaz, SP, Tampa Bay, 28
85 Mark Moore, LF, New York (AL), 34
85 Rafael Nieves, 3B, Chicago (NL), 33
85 Wes Roosevelt, RP, Kansas City, 33
85 Shea Keefe, CF, New York (AL), 28
85 Daryle Lloyd, SS, Pittsburgh, 28
85 B.C. Javier, RF, Charlotte, 28
85 Del Wilhelm, LF, Philadelphia, 27
85 Glendon Allen, SS, Washington, 27
85 Clyde Redmond, 2B, Pittsburgh, 23
92 Jake Clapp, 3B, Philadelphia, 31
92 Alexander Myers, 2B, Toronto, 30
90 Earl Jorgensen, 2B, Charlotte, 23
88 Max Ortiz, LF, Cincinnati, 28
88 Danny Alexander, SS, Kansas City, 27
87 Jeff Bollea, SP, Boston, 34
87 Patrick Rivera, SP, Kansas City, 31
87 Hayes Swann, 1B, Florida, 30
87 Robert Jefferson, CF, Milwaukee, 30
87 Richard Ishii, SS, Seattle, 26
86 Bob McMahon, CF, Florida, 29
86 Ramiro Diaz, SP, Tampa Bay, 28
85 Mark Moore, LF, New York (AL), 34
85 Rafael Nieves, 3B, Chicago (NL), 33
85 Wes Roosevelt, RP, Kansas City, 33
85 Shea Keefe, CF, New York (AL), 28
85 Daryle Lloyd, SS, Pittsburgh, 28
85 B.C. Javier, RF, Charlotte, 28
85 Del Wilhelm, LF, Philadelphia, 27
85 Glendon Allen, SS, Washington, 27
85 Clyde Redmond, 2B, Pittsburgh, 23
NL EAST SEASON 3 PREVIEW
by sweetnss355
The NL East is clearly one of the strongest divisions in Kinsella, having sent 5 teams to the postseason in the first 2 seasons.
(1) Philadelphia Phillies
The Fightin Phils should once again score a ton of runs at the bank. The Phils bring back more or less the same team as season 2. The only thing that could derail this juggernaut is if they get off to a slow start and their belligerent Philly fan base turns on them. Last year this ridiculous offense led the majors in runs, with second place Boston over 100 runs behind. Stud Jake Clapp has been compared to A-Rod by team owner and GM lomac because of his ineptitude in the playoffs. Now this comparison goes a step further as he moves from SS to 3b. Del Wilhelm and Pedro Garrido support Clapp in this fearsome lineup. Hot prospect Jimmy Reed has been called up to the show to replace the departed Del Eckstein. The scary part about this offense is that they are young; 5 of the 8 starters are age 27 and below. The Phils’ pitching staff is slightly above average, but takes a hit because of the bandbox they play in. Perry Harvey is the ace, and he would be a Cy Young contender if not for the cheap HR’s. The staff is certainly good enough to hold down lineups in the regular season. If they can out-pitch the opposition in the playoffs, look for the Phils to get their 2nd WS title.
(2) Pittsburgh Pirates
The Buccos made the playoffs as a wild card in season 1 and took a step back. I expect them to rebound this year with about 90 wins and another trip to the postseason. Uber-prospect Clyde Redmond struggled a bit in his ½ season of ML service, but he should rebound and be a legitimate force. The top free agent acquisition in this division was the Pirates’ signing of Shep McNeil, a legitimate offensive force. This should give the lineup a boost, as he’s an upgrade over the departed Albert Santana. Ivan Izquierdo and James Sherman will provide the power in this lineup, which will give the pitching staff more runs to work with this year.The Pirates’ starting pitching looks very good. Steely veteran Tris Breen anchors the staff. He’s been solid but he probably only has a couple of good years left. Robert Knotts and Eddie Ford eat up innings, and Rafael Cortes was brought in as a FA to stabilize the back end of the rotation. Fernando James anchors the back end of the bullpen.
(3) Washington Nationals
The Nats have made the playoffs in both of the first 2 seasons, and I expect them to be right in the mix for another berth. Instead of a preview, let’s review the fury of trades that were made by this franchise in the recent weeks:
Position Had Now Has Result
C Alan Lidge Oswaldo Rodriguez +
C B.C. Tarasco Adrian Berry -
2b/3b Cliff Harris Antonio Uchida -
SS Melvin Wang Anthony Hunter -
LF Bing Miles Jose Roque +
LF Lonnie Clapp Aaron Benson -
CF (None) Sandy Presley +
SP Freddy McCartin Martin Kielty Even
SP Bill Quinn (None) -
RP Luis Gonzales (None) -
RP Brian Clemens Ralph Mays +
There has been much sports-talk regarding this series of trades, but it seems that Washington traded quantity for some big quality bats, especially in Roque and Rodriguez. The team has a “win now” attitude and will be right there in the fight for NL playoff spots.
(4) New York Mets
The Mets are in rebuilding mode, but are in good hands with the highly regarded dherz_263. Being in such a tough division will increase the challenge for the veteran GM, but he should be up to the task. Look for the Metsies to win about 70-75 games this season, and be back in contention in season 4. On offense, the Mets lost Patrick Cone to free agency, but at this point the draft picks (4 in the top 80) are the more important commodity. Wolf Douglas is a rising star with the bat, but beyond the Wolfman, the team is mostly old. It appears that dherz’s strategy is to keep most of the young talent in the minors and bring ‘em up to compete in a future season. Wade Baker was a nice signing and should set the table. If the veterans on the Mets stay healthy, this team could surprise a lot of people this season. The rotation is anchored by young guns Tony Stankiewicz. Veterans Boomer Paige and Red Trammel should show him the way. The rotation is above average, but the bullpen is thin and could cost this team some games. On the farm, Walt Hernandez is the best pitching prospect in Kinsella, bar none.
The NL East is clearly one of the strongest divisions in Kinsella, having sent 5 teams to the postseason in the first 2 seasons.
(1) Philadelphia Phillies
The Fightin Phils should once again score a ton of runs at the bank. The Phils bring back more or less the same team as season 2. The only thing that could derail this juggernaut is if they get off to a slow start and their belligerent Philly fan base turns on them. Last year this ridiculous offense led the majors in runs, with second place Boston over 100 runs behind. Stud Jake Clapp has been compared to A-Rod by team owner and GM lomac because of his ineptitude in the playoffs. Now this comparison goes a step further as he moves from SS to 3b. Del Wilhelm and Pedro Garrido support Clapp in this fearsome lineup. Hot prospect Jimmy Reed has been called up to the show to replace the departed Del Eckstein. The scary part about this offense is that they are young; 5 of the 8 starters are age 27 and below. The Phils’ pitching staff is slightly above average, but takes a hit because of the bandbox they play in. Perry Harvey is the ace, and he would be a Cy Young contender if not for the cheap HR’s. The staff is certainly good enough to hold down lineups in the regular season. If they can out-pitch the opposition in the playoffs, look for the Phils to get their 2nd WS title.
(2) Pittsburgh Pirates
The Buccos made the playoffs as a wild card in season 1 and took a step back. I expect them to rebound this year with about 90 wins and another trip to the postseason. Uber-prospect Clyde Redmond struggled a bit in his ½ season of ML service, but he should rebound and be a legitimate force. The top free agent acquisition in this division was the Pirates’ signing of Shep McNeil, a legitimate offensive force. This should give the lineup a boost, as he’s an upgrade over the departed Albert Santana. Ivan Izquierdo and James Sherman will provide the power in this lineup, which will give the pitching staff more runs to work with this year.The Pirates’ starting pitching looks very good. Steely veteran Tris Breen anchors the staff. He’s been solid but he probably only has a couple of good years left. Robert Knotts and Eddie Ford eat up innings, and Rafael Cortes was brought in as a FA to stabilize the back end of the rotation. Fernando James anchors the back end of the bullpen.
(3) Washington Nationals
The Nats have made the playoffs in both of the first 2 seasons, and I expect them to be right in the mix for another berth. Instead of a preview, let’s review the fury of trades that were made by this franchise in the recent weeks:
Position Had Now Has Result
C Alan Lidge Oswaldo Rodriguez +
C B.C. Tarasco Adrian Berry -
2b/3b Cliff Harris Antonio Uchida -
SS Melvin Wang Anthony Hunter -
LF Bing Miles Jose Roque +
LF Lonnie Clapp Aaron Benson -
CF (None) Sandy Presley +
SP Freddy McCartin Martin Kielty Even
SP Bill Quinn (None) -
RP Luis Gonzales (None) -
RP Brian Clemens Ralph Mays +
There has been much sports-talk regarding this series of trades, but it seems that Washington traded quantity for some big quality bats, especially in Roque and Rodriguez. The team has a “win now” attitude and will be right there in the fight for NL playoff spots.
(4) New York Mets
The Mets are in rebuilding mode, but are in good hands with the highly regarded dherz_263. Being in such a tough division will increase the challenge for the veteran GM, but he should be up to the task. Look for the Metsies to win about 70-75 games this season, and be back in contention in season 4. On offense, the Mets lost Patrick Cone to free agency, but at this point the draft picks (4 in the top 80) are the more important commodity. Wolf Douglas is a rising star with the bat, but beyond the Wolfman, the team is mostly old. It appears that dherz’s strategy is to keep most of the young talent in the minors and bring ‘em up to compete in a future season. Wade Baker was a nice signing and should set the table. If the veterans on the Mets stay healthy, this team could surprise a lot of people this season. The rotation is anchored by young guns Tony Stankiewicz. Veterans Boomer Paige and Red Trammel should show him the way. The rotation is above average, but the bullpen is thin and could cost this team some games. On the farm, Walt Hernandez is the best pitching prospect in Kinsella, bar none.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
AL WEST SEASON 3 PREVIEW
ANAHEIM ANGELS
Season 1: 98-64; 1st Place; Lost in ALCS
Season 2: 91-71; 1st Place; Lost in DCS
Hitting
Rip! The torn hamstring of DH Darryl Whitaker was heard by all fans of the Angels, as the two-time AL silver slugger was lost for the season. Even without him, the Angels still have one of the most powerful lineups in the AL. With players like, rightfielder Elmer Adams, first baseman Arthur Boggs, and newly acquired leftfielder Willie Torres, there will be plenty of souvenirs headed to the outfield bleachers. In addition to the sluggers, there are some disciplined hitters who will be filling the bases for those sluggers in the form of second baseman Tony Contreras and veteran free agent pick-up catcher William Jennings. No divine intervention should be necessary for this offense, because the Angels are going to score a lot of runs. However if they do need a boost, bigtime 1B/DH prospect Travis Murphy is waiting for his chance to start knocking them in for the big club.
Pitching
Led by 18-game winner Haywood Charles, the young rotation of the Angels should be able to provide plenty of solid innings of work. Other key starters looking to take advantage of what should be excellent run support are lefties Bennie Chouinard and Rabbit Tracy and big young righthander Kevin Vitiello.
The primary bullpen duties are performed masterfully by one of the better reliever tandems in the league in veterans Leon Owens and Alex Sanchez. Overall the pitching corp does not have any marquee names, but enough quality to keep this team in every game.
Season 3 Forecast
Despite the loss of Whitaker, the Angels still look like the team to beat in the AL West. Murphy’s call-up seems likely and he will definitely fill the void left by that nasty hamstring and help to hoist another divisional championship pennant.
Season 3 Prediction: 92-70; 1st Place
PORTLAND BEAVERS
Season 1: 65-97; 4th Place
Season 2: 79-83; 2nd Place
Hitting
Unlike the Angels, the Beavers will mostly be relying on small ball in pitcher friendly PGE Park. Led by rightfielder Bobby Dawkins and with help from DH Rico Ayala, new free agent acquisitions centerfielder Patrick Cone and third baseman Bono Mullen, the Beavers should have a good amount of baserunners for their power hitters first baseman Robert Dunham, DH Jarrod Costello, and leftfielder J.J. Roth. This lineup looks to be average for the AL, which means that this team should be able to put up enough runs to compete every night. Unfortunately, what you see now is what they got as there is no immediate help available in the minors.
Pitching
Good and young starting pitching is starting to seem like the norm in this division as the Beavers have a very talented quintet of young hurlers in righthanders Nelson Stockton and Dick Cook and southpaws Pepper Stearns, Parker Parris, and Josias Rosado. While Rosado and Parris currently have the most experience, it’s unknown who will actually develop into the ace of this group as they all have the talent to provide a lot of quality starts.
The bullpen received a major boost this offseason with the free agent signing of closer Ignacio Benitez. Though Benitez is known to be a bit wild, he is coming off a stellar 41 save season and should be a big upgrade from last season’s closer, now setup man Red Carter. Another bullpen boost was found with one of the best pickups in this year’s Rule 5 draft, Johnny Riggs. Riggs is a crafty righthander who should provide excellent innings of setup for Benitez.
Season 3 Forecast
With an improved lineup and pitching staff, the Beavers definitely look to continue their upswing from the cellar in which they resided two seasons ago. They should force the Angels to watch their backs deep into the season and make a run for the wildcard.
Season 3 Prediction: 86-76; 2nd Place
SEATTLE MARINERS
Season 1: 81-81; 2nd Place
Season 2: 65-97; 4th Place
Hitting
The Mariners had the worst offense in the league last season on their way into the cellar. The Mariners took a couple of steps in the right direction by signing free agent third baseman Luis Reynoso and acquiring via a trade 1B/DH Karl Turner. Combining these new players with existing rightfielder Brandon Curtis and underperforming shortstop Richard Ishii should help to bolster the offense to closer to average. While they still will not blow out anyone, they have a better chance to be competitive.
Pitching
A new ace has rolled into town as one of the big winners of this season’s free agent market, Freddy Alston. With Alston’s arrival, Diego Ibarra looks to be a fearsome starter for the #2 slot. Last season he suffered from having horrid run support as he was among the league leaders in ERA and WHIP over his 249 innings pitched, yet finished with a dismal W-L record of 9-18. The future also looks bright for Seattle with one of the best developing young pitchers in the game in big lefty Kordell Becker.
The bullpen took a hit with the loss of Graham Brown in the trade for Turner, leaving James Hutton as the only strong bullpen presence. Fortunately for the Mariners, Hutton is a fitness freak and seems to have the energy to pitch a couple of innings every game.
Season 3 Forecast
While the offense should be a little better, it is just not enough for the high scoring AL. The addition of Alston should provide an additional boost this season, but the Mariners are just not ready to compete for the playoffs.
Season 3 Prediction: 75-87; 3rd Place
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Season 1: 73-89; 3rd Place
Season 2: 76-86; 3rd Place
Hitting
The Athletics have a slightly below average offense comprised of no bigtime contributors but merely a collection of solid ones, most notably those of catcher Patrick Romero, 1B/DH Lariel Sardinha, centerfielder Dick Ligtenberg, DH Ron Simmons, and leftfielder Sean McCallum. With the only acquisition being Philly castoff second baseman Danys Puente and no major prospects waiting in the wings, the Coliseum fans do not have much hope for improvement at the plate.
Pitching
The starting pitching staff is composed of a rag-tag bunch of youngsters who all look like end of the rotation guys at best. Seemingly the best of this group is big righthander Vic Diaz who can throw an array of four top quality pitches that keep the hitters off balance and looks to repeat his fine 15 win campaign of last season.
The one certainty among the Oakland pitchers is the role of closer as young stud Craig Evans looks like he has a lock on that spot for many seasons to come. Quality setup work comes courtesy of Harry Romero. If it weren’t for the fact that the Oakland Coliseum is a very pitcher friendly ballpark, this staff would have an ERA soaring off the chart.
Season 3 Forecast
With no real improvements made to the team from a year ago, the A’s look to slip a bit and land in the AL West cellar..
Season 3 Prediction: 69-93; 4th Place
Season 1: 98-64; 1st Place; Lost in ALCS
Season 2: 91-71; 1st Place; Lost in DCS
Hitting
Rip! The torn hamstring of DH Darryl Whitaker was heard by all fans of the Angels, as the two-time AL silver slugger was lost for the season. Even without him, the Angels still have one of the most powerful lineups in the AL. With players like, rightfielder Elmer Adams, first baseman Arthur Boggs, and newly acquired leftfielder Willie Torres, there will be plenty of souvenirs headed to the outfield bleachers. In addition to the sluggers, there are some disciplined hitters who will be filling the bases for those sluggers in the form of second baseman Tony Contreras and veteran free agent pick-up catcher William Jennings. No divine intervention should be necessary for this offense, because the Angels are going to score a lot of runs. However if they do need a boost, bigtime 1B/DH prospect Travis Murphy is waiting for his chance to start knocking them in for the big club.
Pitching
Led by 18-game winner Haywood Charles, the young rotation of the Angels should be able to provide plenty of solid innings of work. Other key starters looking to take advantage of what should be excellent run support are lefties Bennie Chouinard and Rabbit Tracy and big young righthander Kevin Vitiello.
The primary bullpen duties are performed masterfully by one of the better reliever tandems in the league in veterans Leon Owens and Alex Sanchez. Overall the pitching corp does not have any marquee names, but enough quality to keep this team in every game.
Season 3 Forecast
Despite the loss of Whitaker, the Angels still look like the team to beat in the AL West. Murphy’s call-up seems likely and he will definitely fill the void left by that nasty hamstring and help to hoist another divisional championship pennant.
Season 3 Prediction: 92-70; 1st Place
PORTLAND BEAVERS
Season 1: 65-97; 4th Place
Season 2: 79-83; 2nd Place
Hitting
Unlike the Angels, the Beavers will mostly be relying on small ball in pitcher friendly PGE Park. Led by rightfielder Bobby Dawkins and with help from DH Rico Ayala, new free agent acquisitions centerfielder Patrick Cone and third baseman Bono Mullen, the Beavers should have a good amount of baserunners for their power hitters first baseman Robert Dunham, DH Jarrod Costello, and leftfielder J.J. Roth. This lineup looks to be average for the AL, which means that this team should be able to put up enough runs to compete every night. Unfortunately, what you see now is what they got as there is no immediate help available in the minors.
Pitching
Good and young starting pitching is starting to seem like the norm in this division as the Beavers have a very talented quintet of young hurlers in righthanders Nelson Stockton and Dick Cook and southpaws Pepper Stearns, Parker Parris, and Josias Rosado. While Rosado and Parris currently have the most experience, it’s unknown who will actually develop into the ace of this group as they all have the talent to provide a lot of quality starts.
The bullpen received a major boost this offseason with the free agent signing of closer Ignacio Benitez. Though Benitez is known to be a bit wild, he is coming off a stellar 41 save season and should be a big upgrade from last season’s closer, now setup man Red Carter. Another bullpen boost was found with one of the best pickups in this year’s Rule 5 draft, Johnny Riggs. Riggs is a crafty righthander who should provide excellent innings of setup for Benitez.
Season 3 Forecast
With an improved lineup and pitching staff, the Beavers definitely look to continue their upswing from the cellar in which they resided two seasons ago. They should force the Angels to watch their backs deep into the season and make a run for the wildcard.
Season 3 Prediction: 86-76; 2nd Place
SEATTLE MARINERS
Season 1: 81-81; 2nd Place
Season 2: 65-97; 4th Place
Hitting
The Mariners had the worst offense in the league last season on their way into the cellar. The Mariners took a couple of steps in the right direction by signing free agent third baseman Luis Reynoso and acquiring via a trade 1B/DH Karl Turner. Combining these new players with existing rightfielder Brandon Curtis and underperforming shortstop Richard Ishii should help to bolster the offense to closer to average. While they still will not blow out anyone, they have a better chance to be competitive.
Pitching
A new ace has rolled into town as one of the big winners of this season’s free agent market, Freddy Alston. With Alston’s arrival, Diego Ibarra looks to be a fearsome starter for the #2 slot. Last season he suffered from having horrid run support as he was among the league leaders in ERA and WHIP over his 249 innings pitched, yet finished with a dismal W-L record of 9-18. The future also looks bright for Seattle with one of the best developing young pitchers in the game in big lefty Kordell Becker.
The bullpen took a hit with the loss of Graham Brown in the trade for Turner, leaving James Hutton as the only strong bullpen presence. Fortunately for the Mariners, Hutton is a fitness freak and seems to have the energy to pitch a couple of innings every game.
Season 3 Forecast
While the offense should be a little better, it is just not enough for the high scoring AL. The addition of Alston should provide an additional boost this season, but the Mariners are just not ready to compete for the playoffs.
Season 3 Prediction: 75-87; 3rd Place
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Season 1: 73-89; 3rd Place
Season 2: 76-86; 3rd Place
Hitting
The Athletics have a slightly below average offense comprised of no bigtime contributors but merely a collection of solid ones, most notably those of catcher Patrick Romero, 1B/DH Lariel Sardinha, centerfielder Dick Ligtenberg, DH Ron Simmons, and leftfielder Sean McCallum. With the only acquisition being Philly castoff second baseman Danys Puente and no major prospects waiting in the wings, the Coliseum fans do not have much hope for improvement at the plate.
Pitching
The starting pitching staff is composed of a rag-tag bunch of youngsters who all look like end of the rotation guys at best. Seemingly the best of this group is big righthander Vic Diaz who can throw an array of four top quality pitches that keep the hitters off balance and looks to repeat his fine 15 win campaign of last season.
The one certainty among the Oakland pitchers is the role of closer as young stud Craig Evans looks like he has a lock on that spot for many seasons to come. Quality setup work comes courtesy of Harry Romero. If it weren’t for the fact that the Oakland Coliseum is a very pitcher friendly ballpark, this staff would have an ERA soaring off the chart.
Season 3 Forecast
With no real improvements made to the team from a year ago, the A’s look to slip a bit and land in the AL West cellar..
Season 3 Prediction: 69-93; 4th Place
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