NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
ATLANTA
KEY ADDITIONS:
TANYON STURTZ
RAFAEL SORIANO
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
JOEY DEVINE RHP – Has a big-league fastball in the mid 90s with a sharp slider to compliment it. Was impressive at all three levels in the minors last season, averaging 14.7 K’s per nine innings. Still working on command, but will be heard from in the near future.
OUTLOOK:
The Braves still have Smoltz and Hudson at the top of the rotation. Mike Hampton in the middle of the rotation may be the difference between this team climbing over .500 or staying a notch below. Soriano may be given the closer’s job, but they have insurance if he fails with Bob Wickman. The bottom of the staff is suspect with James and Cormier, and we don’t see this team contending this season.
FLORIDA
KEY ADDITIONS:
AARON BOONE
KEVIN GREGG
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
RENYEL PINTO LHP – Got a taste of the Bigs last year, and will likely make the squad coming out of the bullpen this season. Finished 8-2 3.40 ERA last season, averaging 9+ K’s per outing. Has a nice change to compliment his fastball.
OUTLOOK:
Outside of Cabrera the middle of the line-up looks soft and the bottom even softer. The starting pitching is the strength of this team, but they may not get very many runs to work with. Gregg adds an extra arm to the bullpen that is filled with nameless arms. Everything went right last year for this team and it will take something similar for this team to rise above mediocrity once again.
NEW YORK
KEY ADDITIONS:
MOISES ALOU
DAMIEN EASLEY
AMBIORIX BURGOS
DAVID NEWHAN
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
MIKE PELFREY RHP – Although he struggled in his brief stay with the Mets last season, he has plus stuff and good movement on his fastball. With rotation help needed, he may make the club out of the spring or called on soon.
OUTLOOK:
The line-up is rock solid from top to bottom. Reyes at the top has become a very dangerous lead-off hitter. It doesn’t get much better than Beltran, Delgado and Wright in the middle of the order. The corner outfielders may be troublesome. Green and Alou won’t make a full season and appear to be on the decline. The starting pitching will rely on Glavine and Hernandez, both over 40 years. Pedro Martinez won’t be back until after the All-Star break and what will he give them? Billy Wagner can still get outs but is passing his prime. But, the bullpen is stocked with quality arms. This team will go far if the aging veterans such as Glavine, Hernandez, Alou, and Green stay on the field and don’t drop-off significantly.
PHILADELPHIA
KEY ADDITIONS:
WES HELMS
ADAM EATON
FREDDY GARCIA
ROD BARAJAS
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
MICHAEL BOURN OF – Has a chance to make the club as a fourth outfielder. Bourn is noted for being the fastest Philly in the entire organization. Hit .277 last year, but OBP has been on steady incline, and last season was at .356. Speed is his game as he stole 45 bases.
OUTLOOK:
Whenever you have a guy like Howard in the middle of the line-up your going to win some games. Utley provides good protection and Rollins is solid in the leadoff spot. They bolstered the bottom of the order with Helms and Barajas. Freddy Garcia is a huge pick-up for this team. He won 17 games last year and will be counted on for the same here. Adam Eaton is an upgrade and can eat up some innings. Jamie Moyer doesn’t have much stuff but he seems to get guys out with his off-speed stuff. Gordon can close games and the rest of the pen is adequate. They could overtake the Mets if the pitching holds together.
WASHINGTON
KEY ADDITIONS:
TIM REDDING
EMILIANO FRUTO
JEROME WILLIAMS
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
ESMAILYN GONZALEZ SS – Washington signed him right out of the Dominican for $14 million, so you know they believe he will be in Washington in short order. He is strong defensively and should hit for average and has some pop. May be a year away.
OUTLOOK:
Washington will greatly miss Soriano and Vidro. Nick Johnson is a solid hitter but the fact he is slated to be the clean-up hitter says a lot about the challenges this team will face offensively. John Patterson will anchor the rotation which is nothing but question marks. Cordero is solid in the back of the pen, but how do they get there? This division has improved above them which only means Washington could be flirting with 100 losses this season.
AL EAST PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:
- PHILADELPHIA
- NEW YORK
- ATLANTA
- FLORIDA
- WASHINGTON
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
CHICAGO
KEY ADDITIONS:
ALFONSO SORIANO
TED LILLY
JASON MARQUIS
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
FELIX PIE SS – Pie is going to be the center fielder of the Cubs someday soon. He is a five-tool guy that hit .283 with 17 HR’s and 57 RBI in AAA last year. He has above average defensive tools and stole 17 bases. He may be a year or so away.
OUTLOOK:
Things have changed in Chicago. For years Prior and Wood as supposed saviors, and for years they disappointed with constant injuries. Carlos Zambrano has emerged as a true #1 starter and Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis are definite upgrades in the rotation. Soriano should have a field day at Wrigley, and may hit 60+ HR’s. The pen could be interesting as Kerry Wood will get an opportunity to work from there. This team will be much better than last season’s 96 loss version, but just how much?
CINCINNATI
KEY ADDITIONS:
BUBBA CROSBY
MIKE STANTON
JEFF CONINE
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
HOMER BAILEY RHP – Bailey in all likelihood will make the pitching starved Reds staff this season. Although he may truly be a year away. He was the top pick for the Reds in ’04 and pitched to a 1.59 ERA in AA. The Reds believe he could become a #1 starter in the near future.
OUTLOOK:
Aaron Harang will anchor a suspect staff. Most would not believe he actually led the NL is strikeouts last season. Many question marks remain after that. Arroyo wore down last season after a good start. Milton never became what many thought he would, and Lohse couldn’t win in Minnesota. The line-up is feast or famine. Days of huge production vs. days of strikeouts. Griffey sure adds a dimension but again injured in the off-season, how many games he plays may determine if this team can rise above .500. The bullpen is shaky so the line-up has pressure to produce consistently and a healthy Griffey could make that happen.
HOUSTON
KEY ADDITIONS:
CARLOS LEE
WOODY WILLIAMS
JASON JENNINGS
MARK LORETTA
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
HUNTER PENCE OF – Pence is projected as a power guy. He hit 28 HR’s in AA last year and drove in 95. He also stole 17 bases. If he doesn’t emerge on the big league scene this year, he should be in an Astro uniform next year at the latest.
OUTLOOK:
Gone are two-thirds of the big three that kept this team in contention. Petitte, Clemens and Oswalt always kept this team in games. Carlos Lee will help an inept line-up, but he is a year too late. Lidge showed signs of decline last year and overall, this team appears to have taken a big step back this season.
MILWAUKEE
KEY ADDITIONS:
JOHNY ESTRADA
JEFF SUPPAN
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
JEREMY JEFFRESS RHP – The Brewers have some good prospects, but none labeled to help this year. Jeffress was the top pick in ’06 and features a fastball in the mid to upper 90s. He managed about 10k’s per nine innings in rookie ball, and just needs some time to develop. May be pushed along out of need.
OUTLOOK:
This team continues to make strides. Jeff Suppan could be enough to vault this team to the vicinity of .500 and higher. Prince Fielder is on the verge of becoming a big hitter in the middle of the line-up. If that happens now, they are going to be better. Ben Sheets needs to be what he was, and Cordero can close games if they can get to him. This could be a surprise team if everything breaks right.
PITTSBURGH
KEY ADDITIONS:
NONE MEANINGFUL
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
OSH SHARPLESS RHP – Although there may be better prospects in the Pirate organization, Sharpless may be poised to be the first ready to help. He had nine saves and a 1.83 ERA last year and held opponents to just over a .200 BAVG. He spent time in both AA and AAA and may be ready to help this year.
OUTLOOK:
The only positive here is the bullpen and they will need it. Outside of perhaps Jason Bay, no one else in the line-up scares you. Zack Duke will need to be a big winner for this team to avoid losing 100 games. This is all but a lock to be the Pirates 15th consecutive losing season.
ST. LOUIS
KEY ADDITIONS:
ADAM KENNEDY
RUSS SPRINGER
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
MARK MCCORMICK RHP – The Cards have mostly younger prospects that are a few years away. McCormick may be the closest. He possesses a 95+ fastball and was able to parlay that into 11k’s per 9. Command is suspect at this stage of development, but stuff has been described as electric.
OUTLOOK:
Hard to understand the thinking here. The Cards had three of their own free agent pitchers in Suppan, Marquis and Weaver and let them all go. That means Carpenter will anchor a staff followed by Wells, Reyes, Looper, and Wainwright. The line-up is still potent with Pujols, Edmonds, and Rolen in the middle. Isringhausen had health issues with his hip last year and you begin to wonder if he can still get it done. This team declined to 83 wins last year but won with their pitching in the post-season. That is mostly gone now. The division is weak so the Cards will still be there, but it looks like they have taken a step in the wrong direction.
NL CENTRAL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:
- CHICAGO
- ST. LOUIS
- MILWAUKEE
- HOUSTON
- CINCINNATI
- PITTSBURGH
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
ARIZONA
KEY ADDITIONS:
RANDY JOHNSON
DOUG DAVIS
DANA EVELAND
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
CHRIS YOUNG CF – Young is a very good outfielder and is correctly a high rated speed/power prospect. Young hit 21 HR’s and stole 17 bases in AAA last year and isn’t far away from helping this season.
OUTLOOK:
The top two spots in the rotation are solid with Webb and Johnson. Livan Hernandez in the third spot is a 50-50 pitcher and will lose as much as he wins. The bottom of the rotation is going to struggle, and the bullpen has question marks all the way through. The young line-up will be productive but even if it is, can they score enough to have this team rise above mediocre. We don’t think so.
COLORADO
KEY ADDITIONS:
LATROY HAWKINS
WILLY TAVERAS
JASON HIRSH
TAYLOR BUCKHOLZ
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
TROY TULOWITZKI SS – Tulowitzki is going to be given every opportunity to be the Rockies everyday SS this season. He has some pop as he poked 13 HR’s to go along with a .473 SPCT. He has a great glove, but has not been as consistent both offensively and defensively as you would expect from a major-leaguer. May be some growing pains, but he should get his opportunity this season.
OUTLOOK:
There really isn’t a #1 or for that matter a #2 starter in the entire rotation. They have some good young hitters and it looks like they will once again be needed. Brian Fuentes is a capable closer, but getting there may be an issue. This team’s longest winning streak was four games last year and that is a product of inconsistent pitching. It will likely rear its ugly head once again this year.
LA DODGERS
KEY ADDITIONS:
JUAN PIERRE
RANDY WOLF
MIKE LIEBERTHAL
JASON SCHMIDT
LUIS GONZALEZ
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
JAMES LONEY 1B – Loney got a taste of the bigs last year, hitting .284 in just over 100 AB’s. He tore up AAA and had the highest BAVG in the entire minor leagues at .380. Hits well to all fields and has excellent plate coverage. He may not provide the power you’d like in a first baseman, but is excellent defensively and has good plate discipline.
OUTLOOK:
They probably strengthened their team filling holes more than any team in the NL. A solid rotation can only be enhanced by signing Jason Schmidt, who when right, can be an ace. Juan Pierre adds speed at the top of the line-up and a good clubhouse presence. The one flaw may be consistent power in the middle of the order. If Kent, Gonzalez or Garciaparra steps up and has a big year, it will be a big year in LA.
SAN DIEGO
KEY ADDITIONS:
KEVIN KOUZMANOFF
ANDREW BROWN
ROYCE RING
HEATH BELL
GREG MADDOX
MARCUS GILES
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
KEVIN KOUZMANOFF 3B – Kouzmanoff came over from Cleveland in a trade and is projected to be the opening day third-baseman. He Hit .379 between AA and AAA last year with lots of power. Had a .656 SPCT with 22 HR’s and 75 RBI.
OUTLOOK:
This team is going to need innings and wins from Maddux and Wells, and that may be asking too much. Maddux has become a 5 inning pitcher and Wells doesn’t make a full season anymore. Peavy, if healthy, can be good and Chris Young could be a winner. Hoffman can close and Linebrink is adequate in front of him, but the rest of the bullpen is mostly new. We’ll have to wait and see. The lineup isn’t going to scare anyone, but in a mediocre division they may be able to make a run if everything breaks right.
SAN FRANCISCO
KEY ADDITIONS:
BARRY ZITO
DAVE ROBERTS
RICH AURILIA
BENGIE MOLINA
RYAN KLESCO
HELP IS ON THE WAY:
TIM LINCECUM RHP – Lincecum had an unbelievable 16.5 K’s per 9 innings in the minors. He has an adequate sinking fastball in the low 90s, but possesses a knee buckling curve ball with which he can vary speeds. He may be a year or two away, but need may override readiness and could help out of the pen.
OUTLOOK:
They let go of Jason Schmidt for Barry Zito. We will see which pitcher wins more games this season, it will probably be close. Matt Cain is the best pitcher on this staff and will likely emerge as the #1 ahead of Zito. The defense is going to cost some games. Bonds is a heavy liability in left, and outside of Vizquel, the rest is suspect. Bruce Bochy is a good hire and will manage the pen better than Alou. He may have to. The line-up looks good at the top but is suspect from that point on.
NL WEST PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:
- LOS ANGELES
- SAN DIEGO
- ARIZONA
- SAN FRANCISCO
- COLORADO
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