AL Preview
Division standing predictions…..
AL East
1- Boston
Good-Excellent lineup that should be better with Pedroia and Ellsbury in year 2, Papi Ortiz healthy after offseason surgery plus ManRam and Varitek in contract/option years…. Best 8-9th inning combo in MLB in Okajima and Papelbon…. Underrated manager in Tito Francona…. very good clubhouse with winning atmosphere… bright GM in Theo Epstein who uses his scouts and the Red Sox nation dollars wisely… best big game pitcher in the world in Josh Beckett
Bad-Curt Schilling injury makes this team depend on 2 kids to pitch strong in the AL— a bad idea! As good as Lester and Buchholz appear to be, this is not a recipe for success. Any more injuries to the SP and this team is in trouble. Hard to see 3b Mike Lowell driving in 120 again, his standard 90 rbis would be fine.
Keep an eye on-RHP Manny Delcarmen.. local product reliever who has a tremendous arm and will be used more with Tito wanting to cut back Okajima’s work load and veteran RHP Mike Timlin’s role as well
Question: Why is Coco Crisp still on this team? Kid was a good teammate last season and sat for the Matinee idol — move him to a team and let him play!
2-NY Yankees
Good- Lineup will be the best in baseball— lots of noise about Detroit but these guys take pitches better and I like them at SS,3b,C—- plus they have some key players in walk years in Giambi and Abreau… HOF closer in Rivera…. good drafts and personel moves last 2-3 years… No more Joe Torre, team grew stale and complacent… Sox threw at them for 4 years, no retaliation! Billy Martin would have charged the mound HIMSELF!
Bad-3 kid pitchers in big spots— see my Red Sox note…… Any reliever not named Rivera.. check Latroy Hawkins track record in big spots…… 3 veteran SPs all have issues– Wang was horrid in the postseason, Moose Mussina is so washed up he has suds coming out his ears. Pettitte is already hurt and has had an active offseason with the Clemens mess. No Torre!!! He protected a lot of these guys and is gone. For all the Arod noise, check Jeter’s last couple of postseasons.
Keep an eye on:Joe Girardi- The Anti-Torre- clashed with ownership in Florida, combative and fiery, almost caused a riot vs Tampa this spring. Might cause several brawls and led the league in ejections.
3- Tampa Bay
Yes, This is not a typo….
Good-Very good young lineup with tremendous athleticism…. 3 excellent young SPs in Kazmir,Shields and Garza…. decent options at 4 & 5 in the rotation….greatly improved bullpen with vet RHP Troy Percival now closing and RHP Al Reyes setting up with RHP Dan Wheeler also here for a full season… gritty, tough manager in Joe Maddon
Bad-Young team in a veteran, cash heavy division. LHP Kazmir almost always has health issues… team sending super rookie 3b Evan Longoria, the talk of spring, down sends a bad message….. no LH in the pen, bad idea in a division with Papi Ortiz,Giambi,Abreau,Matsui,etc
Did U Know?- Team made one of the trades of the offseason….. dumping young headcase OF Delmon Young to the Twins and getting solid, young SS Jason Bartlett and promising RHP Matt Garza. In 1 move, they set the rotation and infield by trading from a position of strength. Excellent,underrated move.
4-Toronto
Good-0 Potentially the best rotation in the division if healthy….. Halladay and Burnett are incredible, young kids McGowan and Marcum took their lumps and are now vets….5th starter Litsch also had a sub 4.00 era…. very good and underrated bullpen even with the BJ Ryan injury comeback, closer Jeremy Accardo was excellent last season… OF Alexis Rios is an outstanding player… 2b Aaron Hill among the most underrated in the game
Bad-I don’t like this lineup at all…. added 2 beatup vets in 3b Scott Rolen and SS David Eckstein…..I don’t know if they can hit enough here to win this division… need a comeback season from stud CF Vernon Wells
5-Baltimore
Good-Camden Yards is a really nice place to watch a game….. Seriously folks, this team is BAD… we are talking historic bad…. 110 loss type team. Nick Markakis is a great young OF and they are looking at trading sparkplug 2b Brian Roberts for some kids. RHP Jeremy Guthrie is a solid, competitive SP who will keep u in games. New Os President Andy McPhail shares my opinion of this talent base(lack of talent!!!) and has added several major and minor league players via the Miguel Tejeda and Erik Bedard deals.
Bad-This team has to play 162 games. Pitching is both bad and young(see Daniel Cabrera) and they play 81 games in a launching pad of a park.
Keep an eye on…New closer LHP George Sherrill, acquired in the Bedard trade, he was blocked by the Mariners stud closer, JJ Putz. Sub 2.50 era, more than a K an inning, has talent and an arm.
Just for laughs…If you have the MLB Extra Innings package, put the Orioles on when they play the Red Sox or Yankees at home. The stadium will be 80% Sox and Yankees fans. Both cities airports run promos and deals to fly into Baltimore and these games are a home away from home for these crazed fan bases.
