The Traders Arena Blog

Last year, the Mets choked again down the stretch enabling the Phillies to win the NL East and eventually the World Series. They have addressed their urgent needs of some bullpen help. They signed Francisco Rodriguez to a 3 year deal as well as trading for J.J. Putz. The mastermind part is how they got rid of Aaron Heilman and Scott Schoenweis. These 2 guys singlehandedly screwed up multiple times. They also received Scott Green in the Putz deal, are interested in signing Will Ohman, and resigned Pedro Feliciano. I think they have done some great things in their pen, but they will still sweat with KRod closing. They did not do much to their offense, but they could have a big splash if they were to sign Manny Ramirez (which they won’t). They recently resigned Oliver Perez after passing on Derek Lowe, and also signed Freddy Garcia and Tim Redding.Here is their projected position players this year:Brian Schnieder: Schnieder isn’t a great option but he worked well with the starters. He provides some decent pop, but he is on a platoon type situation with Robinson Cancel.1B: Carlos Delgado: Delgado had a near MVP season last year hitting for massive power. I have not seen the new CITI Field dimensions to see if it will play to the hitters advantage, but I can not see Delgado repeating his stats from last year.2B: Luis Castillo: The one guy everyone wants gone is still there, and is the starter. If he gets his legs back, I like him to possibly hit near 300.SS: Jose Reyes: The most exciting, yet overrated player in baseball. Sure he is good, but he definitely needs some work. I know I will get heat for it, but there are 2 other SS in his own DIVISION I rather have than Reyes (Rollins, and Hanley Ramirez).David Wright: Mr. “I have huge stats but am not clutch”, Arod of the NL, Wright is a great player but can not hit in the clutch. He will have another great stats season as usual.OF: Carlos Beltran, Ryan Church, Fernando Tatis / Daniel Murphy: Beltran is still one of the top CF in the game. I am not high on Church but many say he could have a nice season this year if he stays healthy. In LF, who knows what type of production will come out of that weak platoon.Here is their projected rotation and closer:SP: Johan Santana, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, Tim Redding: This could potentially be a quite decent rotation. I do think Johan Santana will win the CY Young Award this year with 22 wins because of their new bullpen. Oliver Perez has shown he can pitch in big games and Pelfrey became a dependable #3 last year. Maine, Redding, and Garcia are the wild cards and can make or break the season.CL: Francisco Rodriguez → J.J. Putz: Either of these guys are elite closing options. They should do well to replace Wagner and the pitiful bullpen they had last year.

Since I have been busy, I will do teams as I can, with more emphasis on the better teams remaining.

The Yankees had a disappointing season last year finishing 3rd in the AL East, and missing the playoffs for the first time in a very long time. They were faced with the injury bug all of last year forcing them to use rookie pitcher after rookie pitcher. They have made some HUGE changes this offseason signing some of the best free agents out there. They spent nearly a half a million dollars on SP C.C. Sabathia, SP A.J. Burnett, and 1B Mark Teixeira. They also traded for Nick Swisher who likely will be making 6 MM to ride the bench. They are still trying to trade either Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher. They lost Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, and Bobby Abreu to free agency while resigning Andy Pettite to a 1 year deal worth 5 MM.

Here is their projected position players:

C: Jorge Posada: Posada is another player coming off an injury, but he has stated many times that he will be ready to be the full time catcher. I, for one, doubt this and see him becoming a DH as well. If Matsui can stay healthy, this could lead to a Swisher or Nady trade midseason.

1B: Mark Teixeira: The new Yankees 1B who signed a 180 MM deal with the Yanks is expected to be what they had signed 6 years ago in Jason Giambi. He will give Alex Rodriguez the protection he needs to be successful.

2B: Robinson Cano: Robbie has been working over the winter on changing his swing. Cano once was a .330 hitter, so hopefully he can regain his form. He signed a 4 year deal and I would like to see him live out that contract with the Yanks. One can hope.

SS: Derek Jeter: Need I say more, except that I think he is vastly overrated. Regardless, he is still a great SS option.

3B: Alex Rodriguez: Again, what is there to say? A-Rod has had MVP years in odd number years dating back to forever, so hopefully he can return and be clutch again this year.

OF: Johnny Damon, Xavier Nady, Brett Gardner: Gardner and Melky will be vying for the job, but I think Gardner will prove to win the job. I don’t know why they don’t have Swisher in there somewhere but he should be there. Matsui will also fill in a few days probably to give Damon a day off. Nady is playing for a contract but he has been in trade talks.

Here is the projected rotation and closer:

SP: C.C. Sabathia, Chien-Ming-Wang, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettite, Joba Chamberlain: The Yankees just bought themselves one of the top rotations. They nearly made the playoffs last year and this year they will have a healthy Wang back, 2 all star pitchers, as well as Joba who is becoming a full time starter. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team wins 100 games because of this rotation, although I think 90-95 is more realistic.

CL: Mariano Rivera: The best closer in the game and in history, what more is to be said.

My expectations: I expect the Yanks to win the AL East and be serious contenders. With this rotation and having protection for Alex Rodriguez they should be a force not to be reckoned with. The Red Sox are trying some risky pitching options and the Rays have picked up Burrell, but I think the Yanks will prevail.

Took a little break so trying to catch up on the previews!

The Houston Astros last year surprisingly competed in the loaded Central division finishing tied for 3rd with an 86-75 record. The Astros saw incredible years last year from Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman, who floated with .400 for a while. Oswalt came back to form and became their true ace again. They are pretty much returning the same team as last year as they have been quite on the free agent market and resignings. They avoided arbitration with their former All Star closer in Jose Valverde for around 8 MM. They signed Mike Hampton, Aaron Boone, Jason Michaels, and Doug Brocail to 1 year contracts. Like I said, no big signings but additions that could make some minor impacts.

Here is their projected position players for next year:

C: J.R. Towles / Humberto Quintero: Both did not perform well last year, but now that Brad Ausmus is gone, one of them will have to step up. Towles was a high prospect so I would suspect they try their hand with him.

1B: Lance Berkman: Last years dark horse for MVP, Berkman surprised all breaking out hitting .312 with 29 HR and 106 RBI. Not much to say about him, he is a staple in the middle of their order.

2B: Kazuo Matsui: In limited action last year, Kaz performed decently with a .293 avg with 6 HR. He could possibly get to 15 HR this year as that action was only about half the season. He had a great year in Colorado the year before so all hope is not lost after awful Mets years.

SS: Miguel Tejada: Who knows how old he is, but Tejada still performs well, hitting .283 with 13 HR and 66 RBI. A less year for him, so maybe his age is finally getting to him.

3B: Geoff Blum: Not a great hot corner option at all.

OF: Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, Michael Bourn: A nice mix of power and speed, this is an above average outfield. Lee is a star, hitting .314 with 28 HR and 100 RBI. Michael Bourn had 40+ SB and Hunter Pence is progressing nicely in his young years hitting 25 HR last year. They also have Darin Erstad as a 4th OF with experience.

Here is their projected rotation and closer:

SP: Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, Brandon Backe, Mike Hampton, Russ Ortiz: A mix of veterans and young guns, this can be a decent rotation this year. Oswalt looked great last year, but all will depend on the back end in Hampton and Ortiz. If they can pitch decently and stay healthy, they have a nice chance of possibly finishing 2nd and grabbing the wild card. The Cubs have the division held down but the wild card isn’t a total reach.

CL: Jose Valverde: An elite closing option, Valverde held down 44 saves last year, posting a 6-3 record with a 3.38 ERA (a little high for a closer, but high saves total make up for it).

My expectations for this team: I think the team can win the wild card, I can not see them ousting the Cubs from first, but they do have to get by the Cardinals and the Brewers. They can compete, but they have a bunch of older players who do need to stay healthy and continue to produce.

The Marlins tried to compete in a 2 team division, finishing 3rd with a record of 84-77. That record is very respectable seeing that they traded Dontrelle Willis, their ace, and thier best hitter in Miguel Cabrera. They still do have Hanley Ramirez, who I think will be a league MVP very soon. The Marlins are an extremely raw and young team, however, they do have some stars/stars in the making already. This team plays spolier every year, and is a threat to win the Wild Card any year. The Marlins made a few deals over the offseason, trading their closer in Kevin Gregg for hard throwing Jose Ceda. Not a bad deal, but Ceda has a promising future for sure, plus they have Matt Lindstrom, now commited to the USA team for the World Baseball Classic, to be their closer. They traded power hitting first baseman Mike Jacobs to the Royals for RP Leo Nunez. Another deal that doesn’t make too much sense, but they had some offense to give up to get some pitching help. They do have Logan Morrison in the wings, and Jorge Cantu who can play 1st and 3rd. They did make an interesting trade with the Nationals, trading away Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham for E. Bonaficio, Jake Smolinski, and P.J. Dean. Another baffling trade, but the Marlins scouts are very good and are great eyes for young talent. They recently signed Scott Proctor to replace the non-tendered Joe Nelson, which really made no sense either. I do not like any of the moves they made, but that is why they are in the baseball front office and I am just a baseball fan and blogger. The Marlins did make history last year by having all four players in their infield hit 25+ HRs.

Here is the Marlins projected position players this year:

C: John Baker / Mike Rabelo: I am not sure which one will start, but Rabelo has more experience. It will probably be a platoon, but a weak platoon at best.

1B: Jorge Cantu: A surprise year from Cantu last year, who went .277 with 29 HR and 95 RBI. A great year for Cantu for sure, but can he repeat it? He improved vastly from his 2007 season so the Marlins will count on his bat in the middle of the order.

2B: Dan Uggla: Another power hitter, Uggla went .260 but hit 32 HR with 92 RBI. Uggla might be best known for going 0-5 with 3 errors in the All Star Game, yet didn’t blow the game. Uggla my be moving to 3rd base if the Marlins sign Orlando Hudson to play 2nd (rumored).

SS: Hanley Ramirez: One of the best players in the league, and easily the best SS in his division even though you will get Mets and Phillies fans saying it is Jose Reyes or Jimmy Rollins. Hanley hit .301 with 31 HR and 67 RBI last year adding in 35 SB. That is an amazing year for Hanley, who was acquired in the Josh Beckett blockbuster deal years ago. His name resurfaced in talks about returning to Boston, but those talks fell through. If Pujols were not amazing, Hanley would have earned 2-3 MVP awards in the future.

3B: Dallas Mcpherson (pending): McPherson, minor league HR masher, did not perform well when he was in the bigs with the Angels, but the potential is there. Uggla may play here, pending Orlando Hudson.

OF: Cameron Maybin, Jeremy Hermida, Cody Ross: A young, yet very underrated OF. Ross did have 22 HR last year, Hermida is always touted as a guy to break out but he hasn’t yet, and Maybin is just shaping in the form, although still very raw and needs to learn to lay off pitches way out of the strike zone.

Here is their projected rotation and closer this year:

SP: Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez, Andrew Miller: If you were to not be a basebal fan, you would think in your head, who are these guys? But this staff is actually very good and can compete, although young. Nolasco surprised many last year, having a 15-8 record with a 3.52 ERA. Josh Johnson in limited action went 7-1, Chris Volstad was 6-4 but was a highly touted prospect and should improve. Andrew Miller, the big star in the trade of Miguel Cabrera is their 5th starter, and he is a very good 5th starter. He should improve as well.

CL: Matt Lindstrom: This hard throwing reliever will now step in for Kevin Gregg and should do well in the closers role. He also just accepted team USA’s invitation to play with them in the World Baseball Classic (WBC)

My expectations for this team: I can see this team winning the wild card, surprising the Mets or Phillies. I think they will displace the Phillies, its bold, but the Mets improvements are nice and the Phillies haven’t done anything spectacular. The Marlins should just get better and have some guys waiting in the wings like Logan Morrison, who can provide some pop and either be spoiler or even compete for a playoff spot. 

Last year, the Tigers went 74-88, making them the most disappointing team in baseball. The team, which was highly touted and by many, picked to go to the World Series, ended up in last place. The Royals even finished higher than them. A team of high profile stars, such as Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, and Magglio Ordonez, they did not have any chemistry and went on to an awful season after high aspirations. They made a splash last off season by trading and signing Miguel Cabrera to a long term deal. He is their future, along with SP Justin Verlander. This year, however, no splashes have been made. They released SS Edgar Renteria, and lost Tood Jones who retired. They replaced Renteria but getting Adam Everett, an excellent fielder. They traded OF Matt Joyce for P Edwin Jackson, formerly of the Rays. They also got a catcher that they needed by trading for Gerald Laird, and also have Brandon Inge and Matt Traenor to back him up. On paper, thier starting 9 are a pretty good bunch and should compete if they figure out how to be a team.

Here is thier projected position players this year:

C: Gerald Laird: Laird will not be solving thier problems, but he is a capable player as a catcher. He did not have great stats, but only played around half a season so he could hit 15 HR this year and be decent for them. If only Cabrera could play some D, then Inge could catch, Guillen play first, and Miggy play 3rd.

1B: Miguel Cabrera: An absolute star already who put up amazing numbers last year. Expect the same and enjoy watching him hit because he is something special. No weight jokes this year either please!

2B: Placido Polanco: On of the best contact hitters in the game, Polanco hit over 300 with 8 HR and 58 RBI. He is one of the best in the league while recording a strike out practically ONE every THREE games.

SS: Adam Everett: Everett won’t provide any pop in the lineup, but he sure can make some defensive plays and thats where his real value is.

3B: Brandon Inge: Inge can play C, 1B, 3B, and the OF, so he can go anywhere they need. He does need to get his average up though, barely hitting over the Mendoza line.

OF: Carlos Guillen, Curtis Granderson, Magglio Ordonez: Production wise, this is one of the best outfields in the league. Guillen has accepted a move to play LF so that other players can fit into their other positions. Granderson is becoming an elite CF option with his combination of power and speed. Magglio, although often injured, put up a nice year last year hitting .317 with 20+ HR and 100+ RBI.

Here is their projected rotation and closer:

SP: Justin Verlander, Armando Gallaraga, Jeremy Bonderman, Edwin Jackson, Dontrelle Willis: If this staff can perform like their names suggest, they can be a great staff, but there are many questions. Can Dontrelle get his control back and bounce back from his awkward knee injury? Can Gallaraga repeat his nice rookie season? Will Verlander bounce back and produce like he did when he was a rookie? Will Bonderman ever learn to get his ERA down? Can Jackson be a starter? Don’t they wish they still had Jair Jurrgens? Tons of questions that need to be answered.

CL: Fernando Rodney: Rodney is on the depth chart as closer, but that can, and probably will change. Joel Zumaya is coming back off an injury and can also be a closer. Although Jones blew a lot of games, he was a nice closing option and had experience. They could have a shaky pen due to inexperience.

My expectations for the team: I think they can bounce back and compete this year. They should on paper, but if the game was played on paper, the Mets and Yankees would be in the World Series every year. I think they will be in there till the end, but the central has 4 possible winners and its a 4 way coin flip for it.

Last year the Rockies came off of their 2007 postseason run by going 74-88 finishing 3rd in the NL West. They were still in the playoff hunt into September but then the Dodgers and DBacks pulled away from them ever so slightly. They couldn’t repeat their magic and made some moves because of it. They moved Matt Holliday to the A’s because they knew they were not going to be able to sign him when he becomes a free agent next year. In return, they recieved closer Huston Street, OF Carlos Gonzalez, and P Greg Smith. This trade filled the clubs needs immediately. They knew they would lose Fuentes to free agency and found his successor in Street. Gonzalez will fill right into CF to replace Holliday’s OF spot. Greg Smith probably will step into the rotation. The Rockies recently traded Luis Vizcaino away to the Cubs for Jason Marquis, whol fills another void in thier rotation. 

Here is their projected position players for this year:

C: Chris Ianetta / Yorvit Torrealba: I am not sure which one will get the nod. They would be paying Yorvit a lot of money to be sitting the bench so they might play him. Although, Ianetta is probably the better option, and also younger and can develop into a nice catcher.

1B: Todd Helton:  Todd Helton continues to be a great 1B option, although he is way past his prime. He was injured last year so he only played in half the games. I would be surprised if he goes uninjured this year. They do have lots of options to back him up just in case.

2B: Clint Barmes: Clint Barmes had a nice year for a 2nd basemen, hitting .290 with 11 HR and 44 RBI. He has Ian Stewart behind him, a top prospect, so he better perform or else Stewart will get the nod. Stewart looked amazing in the field last year in his limited time.

SS: Troy Tulowitzki: Another Rockie who was injured last year, Tulo had a great rookie year causing him to sign a nice long term deal. He should boounce back just fine this year and be an elite SS option.

3B: Garrett Atkins: One of the most underrated and unknown players in the game, Atkins hit .286 with 21 HR and was just 1 RBI shy of 100.  They deemed him as untouchable although his name came up in many trade talks.

OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Brad Hawpe, Ryan Spilborgs: This combination may become an above average outfield. Hawpe did not repeat his great 2007 performance, but still performed well. Not to mention, he has an absolute cannon for an arm. Gonzalez, who was part of the Holliday trade, was one of Oakland’s top prospects and should start this year. Spilborgs is now going to be the regular CF and if he repeats last yera on a 162 game scale, he should hit over 15 HR with a .300+ average. 

Here is the projected rotation and closer:

SP: Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Marquis, Greg Smith: This decent group of pitchers have the absolute luxury of pitching in Coors Field. Aaron Cook had an amazing year last year, and almost saved the NL in the All Star game pitching 3 shutout innings in a complete disaster situation of having the bases loaded and no outs TWICE. Jeff Francis had an awful year after a nice 2007 so hopefully he can bounce back. Same goes for Jimenez, but he is still raw and young, so hopefully he can progress. Jason Marquis is their new addition, but he is nothing special, just a large contract.

CL: Huston Street: Street fills in for Brian Fuentes who they lost to free agency. Street is a capable closer, who has also been in trade talks since they got him. He may be moved, seeing that they have Manny Corpas to back him up.

My expecations for this team: I think if this team can collectively combine to have  a season like thier 2007 season, they can be a force in the dismal NL West. No one is running away with that division so it is anyones guess. They could definitely finish over .500.

Last year the the Indians had an unexpected year, going 81-81. They were expected to compete and possibly win the division last year but were faced with the injury bug. Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez both were injured and the offense suffered. C.C. Sabathia did not start out great and ended up getting traded and now signed as the richest pitcher in the history of the game. Cliff Lee had an unexpected year, bouncing back, going 22-3 with a near 2 ERA, winning the AL CY Young award. They also traded away Casey Blake to the Dodgers for top prospect catcher Carlos Santana, and also got back Matt Laporta in the Sabathia deal. These two are the Indians future. They have made some nice moves this offseason, signing Kerry Wood to be their closer, as well as trading virtually nothing for Mark DeRosa.

Here is their projected position players this year:

C: Victor Martinez: Martinez is one of the top catchers in the league, but he was injured for most of last year. He did come back to find his stroke in September. Kelly Shoppach is a capable backup, and they also have Carlos Santana in the wings.

1B: Ryan Garko:  Garko, in his 2nd full season, had a nice season with 14 HR and 90 RBI. He should try to get that up a bit in order to ward of Laporta coming in instead, although LaPorta is also being tried in the outfield.

2B: Asdrubal Cabrera: Cabrera had a decent year last year, regressing a bit from his nice rookie year. He is average at best at 2nd base.

SS:  Jhonny Peralta: Peralta has been consistent over the last 3 years, posting nice numbers as a short stop with 23 HR and 89 RBI. He is a nice option at SS for them.

3B: Mark DeRosa: The newly acquired Indians player, DeRosa had a nice year for the Cubs and they really did get him for practically nothing. He is a great because he can play the infield and the outfield. He had over 20 HR this year and can see him producing the same:

OF: Ben Francisco, Grady Sizemore, Shin Soo Choo: Not the best OF, but Sizemore does make it decent. Sizemore is becoming an elite OF option and leadoff hitter. Choo and Francisco are average at best, and they do have Matt LaPorta waiting in the wings who could come in and provide a nice spark.

Here is their projected rotation and closer:

SP: Cliff Lee, Fausto Carmona, Aaron Laffey, Jeremy Sowers, Anthony Reyes:  Cliff Lee had a great year last yeargoing 22-3 but they will find a hard time replacing C.C. Sabathia. Carmona was hurt a bit last year and regressed since his amazing 2007 season. After that, it is all young pitchers in Laffey and Sowers.

CL:  Kerry Wood: Wood gives them a bonafide closer after yearsof Joe Borowski. They also have nice set up men in Rafael Betancourt and Perez. They now have a very good bullpen.

My expectations: I expect them to finish between 1st and 3rd in the Central. It is always a 3 way coin toss between the White Sox, Twins, and Indians now, and now you throw in the Tigers, no one really can predict that division with any certainty. I think they will get at least 85 wins this year though and compete down to the wire.

Tomorrow’s Preview: Colorado Rockies

Last year the Reds finished 5th in the NL Central with a 74-88 record. They finished a distant 5th, only the Pirates had a worse record than them. They are a team of young guns, meaning they could very well be good in the next coming years. They have some nice pitchers in Edinson Volquez, Jonny Cueto, and Homer Bailey. They also have some top notch young bats in Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. They can be very promising in the next few years if this nucleus progresses and gains experience. They have made a few nice moves during this offseason. They picked up a nice lefty reliever in Arthur Rhodes. He will replace Jeremy Affedlt, who was the first free agent signed this year by another team. They recently signed Willy Taveras to play CF and traded away utility man Ryan Freel for a decent catcher in Ramon Hernandez. They did lose Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn last year in trades.

Here is their projected position players this year:

C: Ramon Hernandez: Recently acquired from the Orioles, Hernandez provides them with a nice veteran prescence. Last year he hit around .270 with 15 HR and 65 RBI. Not too bad pop for a catcher.

1B: Joey Votto: Runner up ROY to Geovany Soto, Votto has progressed nicely finally making the big leagues after 6 years in the minors.  The Canadian hit .297 with 24 HR and 84 RBI. He should improve even more and could be a 300/30/100 guy in the future.

2B: Brandon Phillips: Hard pressed to repeat his amazing 2007 season, Phillips regressed a bit hitting .261 with 20+ HR and 70+ RBI. He did steal 23 bases last year as well. Hopefully he can regain his stroke as he is their most important piece of their offense in my opinion.

SS: Alex Gonzalez: This vet has been around for a while, but did not play last year. His 2007 season was nice for a SS for 16 HR.Jeff Keppinger last year played decent there and is the infield backup.

3B: Edwin Encarnacion: Edwin has been talked about by many teams who are interested in trading for him.  He had a nice yearlast year hitting .251 with 25+ HR and 65+ RBI. He is only 25 and should raise that average a bit.

OF: Jay Bruce, Willy Taveras, Chris Dickerson: Now that Dunn and Griffey have been traded, their OF is very weak, but is promising with Jay Bruce there. He was the #1 prospect in the majors before his call up so he is expected to perform at a high level early and often. Taveras was just signed, probably not the best of signings, but he does provide a lot of speed for the Reds.

Here is their projected rotation and closer:

SP: Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, Jonny Cueto, Homer Bailey/Micah Owings:  If Aaron Harang can get back to his 2007 form, this will not be too bad of a staff. Harang still can K a guy per inning and can pitch inning after inning. Volquez had an amazing rookie season, making the All Star team. He was traded for Josh Hamilton, but that was a deal that worked for both sides. Cueto also had a nice rookie year, and Arroyo is a good veteran pitcher. The #5 starter will be a mix of Owings and Bailey. Bailey did not perform but is still a highly rated prospect. Owings may get some time, not as a starter, but as a pinch hitter.

CL:  Francisco Cordero: The guy is lights out when he gets the save opportunities but they just don’t provide that many for him. They have a nice pen with Cordero, David Weathers, and the newly acquired Arthur Rhodes.

My expectations for this team: I think they may be able to get into 3rd or 4th place in the division but that may be stretching it. They are still behind the Cubs and Brewers. It will be tough to compete, but in a few years they could be the Rays of last year. They might be able to make it to .500 but I doubt that.

Tommorow’s Preview: Cleveland Indians

Last year, the White Sox finished 89-74 as the AL Central winner. They did not get in the way they had expected, having to win their last 3 games against 3 different teams. They ended up beating the Tigers in a makeup game, Royals, and then the Twins in a 1 game playoff. Not the most conventional way to make the playoffs, but however you get in is all that matters, and anything can happen once you are in. They did end up losing in the first round but probably shouldn’t have even made it to being with. They started out awful and then in the 2nd half started playing some nice ball being led by the likes of rookie Alexis Ramirez, Jim Thome, and Carlos Quentin. Quentin likely would have been MVP had he not been injured in the last month and a half. The White Sox made a splash trading their staff ace in Javier Vasquez to the Braves for some really top notch prospects in Tyler Flowers, Brent Littlebridge, and Jon Gilmore. This trade can pay dividends for them in the next few years, they received some of the top prospects from the Braves system. They also traded Nick Swisher to the Yankees for Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez, and Jhonny Nunez. Betemit is a nice utility guy for them, although he should not be used in any clutch situations. After you watch him fail time after time again as a Yankee, you get sick of him being used in important situations. They also signed Dayan Viciedo, who was a Cuban top prospect and is only 19, to a four year minor league deal.

Here is their projected position players for the year:

C: A.J. Pierzynski: A.J. was an All Star last year but then cooled down in the 2nd half only ending with 13 HR and 60 RBI, which is respectable pop for a catcher. He has some fire under him which really can carry the team. His intangibles make him invaluable to the team.

1B: Paul Konerko: It may be tough for the aging vet to play 1B full time now that Swisher is gone, but he will have to manage with Thome being the DH. Konerko did not have a typical season last year only hitting 22 HR and 60+ RBI with a .240 avg. I expect around the same as he gets older, I wouldn’t be suprised if he got injured as well.

2B: Chris Getz: Not too much info out there on him, he is a rookie taking over the position. Behind him is Lance Nix and Brent Littlebridge, both are young so that is really a toss up.

SS: Alexei Ramirez: The AL ROY runner up, Alexei put up a great rookie campaign, helping lead the White Sox to the playoffs. He hit .290 with 20+ HR and 70+ RBI with 13 SB. A great year for a short stop, and to top it all off in his rookie year. It will be interesting to see if he regresses in his 2nd year like many players do.

3B: Wilson Betemit: As I discussed earlier, I do not really like Wilson. However, having a full year of playing time might change that if he is the flat out starter for the whole year. He could hit 15 HR if this happens and not be too bad. Although, I do not like him in any clutch situations.

OF: Jermaine Dye, Brian Anderson, Carlos Quentin: Quentin finally matched his potential last year going crazy with a .288 avg, 36 HR and 100 RBI, and that was in only 130 games. He would have won the MVP easily had he not been injured. I expect big things for the future for him. Jermaine Dye is likely to be traded before the season starts so he is up in the air. They lost Griffey JR. in the outfield so Brian Anderson takes over in CF again.

Here is their projected rotation and closer:

SP: Mark Buerhle, John Danks, Gavin Floyd (?), Clayon Richards, Jose Contreras: This is a decent staff even after losing Vasquez. Buerhle used to be an ace, but is an innings eater and also pitches a very quick game, allowing the defense to get off the field immediately. John Danks had a great year last year, as did Gavin Gloyd. However, there are trade talks about trading Gavin Floyd for Brian Roberts. This makes sense as they do not have a clear cut second basemen. Lance Broadway would fill his spot if he were to be traded.

CL: Bobby Jenks: The flamethrowing closer who last year lost some velocity, although he said it was by design. There were trade talks to the Mets but those have blown over. I would like to see him pump it back up to 98 or 99 MPH and strike out more than a batter per inning.

My expectations for the team this year: I do not think they will make the playoffs. I think the Twins will be up there as they are every year, with the Indians back in the mix as well. Who can count out the Tigers? They were the WS pick by many before 2008, diappointed us all, but have the same team. It should come down to the wire in the central like it always does.

Tommorow’s Preview: Cincinatti Reds

Last year, the Cubs had the best record in the National League at 97-64. They won the NL Central division, but lost in the first round of the Playoffs to the Dodgers. Lou Pinella won Manager of the Year and they had the most All Stars out of any NL team last year. They had a great pitching staff last year, as well as some great bats. They also saw the revitilization of Kerry Wood last year. Wood, however, after a successful year as a closer, was pursued and signed by the Indians this offseason. They also just traded Mark DeRosa to the Indians for 3 minor league pitchers and also signed Aaron Miles to replace him. In addition, they dealt Jason Marquis and his 10 million dollars to the Rockies for Luis Vizcaino to replace Wood. All of these moves are cutting payroll, likely to sign Milton Bradley in the upcoming days. Even with all of these moves, they were still players for Jake Peavy and almost got a deal done during the Winter Meetings. They needed more teams to be involved to give the Padres what they wanted, but came up short. I still think a deal can be done as they just added 3 nice arms for DeRosa.

Here is their projected position players for this year:

C: Geovany Soto: The NL Rookie of the Year last year had a great rookie season hitting over 20 home runs. He should be a top tier catcher in the next few years, in the likes of McCann, Mauer, and Martin.

1B: Derrek Lee: One of my favorite ball players, Derrek Lee is very consistent, hitting 20 HR, 90+ RBI, and hit .291. He seems to always get those stats year in, year out, and is usually good for even more production. He has a great bat, and is always feared when he comes to the plate.

2B: Aaron Miles: Their new replacement for Mark DeRosa, Miless hit .318 for the Cardinals last year and was one of the biggest bargains. He will get a lot of hits for the Cubs and should be a nice pickup for them, although I rather have Mark DeRosa.

SS: Ryan Theriot: Theriot had a nice season last year hitting over .300 and 20+ SB. He should do around the same this year, getting on base alot for their powerhouse of an order.

3B: Aramis Ramirez: A darkhouse for the MVP last year, Ramirez hit .289 with 27 HR and 111 RBI, a great year. He has done this year in year out and is good for another one of those seasons this year. I just wish he could improve his defense a bit at the hot corner.

OF: Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Reed Johnson: Alfonso Soriano is coming off an injury but is always a threat in the order. Kosuke Fukudome needs to improve on last years season, he had started hot out of the gate. In his first game he was 3-3 with a HR and Cubs fans were thinking this is the year. However, by September, he was benched and booed during the playoffs. Reed Johnson was a nice surprise last year hitting over .300.

Here is their projected rotation and closer:

SP: Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Rich Harden, Ted Lilly, Sean Marshall: This is one of the best staffs in the entire MLB. Zambrano had a nice year last year, also adding one of the league’s two no-hitters. Dempster became a nice starter after a decent releiver having 18 wins. Rich Harden was traded to the Cubs and pitched well, but his health is always a question. Lilly was consistent as usual, and Sean Marshall will likely be the 5th starter although it could be a mix of a few guys. This staff should carry the Cubs to the playoffs again, but hopefully they can perform when it counts and get into the NLCS or even the World Series.

CL: Carlos Marmol: Marmol, in limited time as closer did not disappoint. The few games I saw of him, he walked a ton of guys and blew the game, but other than that, his stats are pretty good. The Cubs did trade for Kevin Gregg in the offseason, the former Marlins closer, so if Marmol faulters they can turn to Gregg.  They also have Jeff Samardzija as a nice set up ro even closer option if injuries get out of hand.

My expectations for the team: They should be in the exact same spot as they were last year. They should be the best NL team with that lineup and pitching staff. They just need to play when it counts. They are the Angels of the NL, dominating the regular season due to strong pitching, but then in the small series they lose to teams with sure fire aces. This team doesn’t have a star studded ace like Sabathia or Johan Santana to ride, but 4 or 5 #2 pitchers. That is why they are susceptible to losing in a small series, say against the Phillies or Mets when they have to see Johan Santana or Cole Hamels two times.