Chicago White Sox

Chicago finished with the best record in the AL (99-63) and went 11-1 in the playoffs en route to a World Series sweep of the Astros.

Pitching

Simply put the rotation of Mark Buerhle, Jon Garland, Jose Contreras, Freddy Gonzalez and Javier Vazquez is the best in baseball and if any of them go down they still have Brandon McCarthy waiting in the wings and he is more than capable of stepping in.

The ace of the staff will once again be Mark Buerhle who must be an absolute dream to play behind as he works quickly and pitches to contact which keeps fielders always ready and on their toes. He is a consummate control pitcher allowing just 40 walks in a work horse like 236 2/3 innings and takes the mound every fifth day expecting to go nine. There are few who are better.

The pen has some dominant set-up men including hard throwing lefty Neal Cotts, hard throwing righty Cliff Politte and erstwhile close Dustin Hermanson and once you get through them you have to face their big closer, all 270lbs of Bobby Jenks who can struggle to control his wicked sharp breaking curveball but he rarely needs to use it because his fastball is so good. He’s one of those guys you always look at the radar gun to see if he can get into triple digits.

Defence

Strong defence was one of the calling cards of Ozzie Guillen’s Go Go Sox team and all the main pieces remain. AJ Pierzinsky is an absolute gamer who doesn’t care how he gets the job done so
long as his team finish on top. He’s a good receiver with a good arm.

Joe Crede is the best defensive third baseman in the AL and only his lack of hitting stops him winning Gold Gloves. He has great range and makes the throws from all angles and few attack bunts like him.

Tadahito Iguchi and Juan Uribe grew as a partnership more and more as the season went on. Iguchi makes the transfer quickly and efficiently and Uribe is an athletic and rangy complement to him.

Scott Podsednik isn’t the most efficient of fielders but knows how to use his explosive speed to track the ball down and he Jermaine Dye and Brian Anderson will cover a lot of ground in the outfield.

Offence

It all starts with Podsednik. When he was in the line-up the White Sox were the best team in baseball and when he wasn’t they were just a good team which is why I thought he deserved MVP consideration. He shows the difference between having speed and knowing what to do with it as he will slap and bunt his way on and once there he terrifies defences in a way classic base stealers of the past like Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson used to because you know he’s going but you know he’s still going to be hard to stop.

This is a team that is built on small ball and fundamentals but still needs the power threat to keep teams honest and Paul Konerko was the muscle that forced opponents to respect Chicago and GM Ken Williams made sure he re-signed because without Konerko the line-up doesn’t work as well. Jim Thome’s addition should also help in this regard as there aren’t many other true power threats.

Jermaine Dye, Brian Anderson, Iguchi and Uribe are all capable of hitting a homerun or stealing a bag and these are the guys who really allow Ozzie Guillen’s vision to work.

Rookie Watch

Aaron Rowand was a key part of the World Series winning team but the club let him go because they knew they had Brian Anderson waiting in the wings. Anderson might not be Rowand’s equal in the field but he offers more upside at the plate and is ready to contribute at the big league level and he’ll have to because he has Jerry Owens breathing down his neck on the depth charts.

Management

Ozzie Guillen came to the White Sox as their manager with a plan of how he wanted to play the game and it was built upon speed, defence and pitching and GM Ken Williams went out and got him the players to play the system and as a result Chicago won its first World Series since 1917.

Guillen is a true leader who knows when to encourage and when he needs to get in someones face and has instilled a real winning attitude into his players. He likes his starters to go as long as they can and get themselves out of their own problems and knows he has the guys to do it and is not afraid to even have his sluggers bunt a runner over if its what the team needs. This guy is all about TEAM.

Ken Williams did all he needed to do over the off season by re-signing Konerko. He has really done a good job getting Guillen the players he needs but still has a reputation for making questionable moves at the most inopportune times but maybe he’s starting to shake that off.

Outlook

They still have the blue ribbon pitching staff and that alone will take them a long way but their offence has been smartly crafted and is capable of scratching out close games or blowing away the opposition making this team more than capable of repeating.

Cleveland Indians

After a slow start the Indians were as hot as anyone down the stretch and narrowly missed the playoffs with a 93-69 record.

Pitching

The Indians staff lead the Majors in ERA last year and even though they lost league leader Kevin Millwood they still return with a strong group. Once again much will be expected of 25 year old lefty CC Sabathia who should be coming into his prime and the club has waited patiently for him to realise his potential.

Perhaps the biggest surprise last year was the emergence of Cliff Lee who lead the team with 18 wins and along with Sabathia gives the team two quality left handers to stagger the rotation around Jake Westbrook who continues to log quality innings and if not for a slow start by the Indian hitters could easily have won more than the 15 games he did.

The bullpen has received a minor overhaul but should still remain strong. Bob Wickman returns as closer after saving 45 games and will be set up by the clubs closer in waiting Fernando Cabrera whose 1.47 ERA in his 15 game audition gave good portents to his future with the club.

The rest of the pen includes dominant set-up men Rafael Betancourt, Guillermo Mota and lefthander Scott Sauerbeck.

Defence

Victor Martinez is not the strongest defensive catcher with below average tools but newly acquired Kelly Shoppach should offer plenty of respite. Shoppach had long been groomed as Varitek’s replacement in Boston and displays many of the same tools including good mechanics, a strong arm and great presence on the field.

The infield is flat out average with only first baseman Ben Broussard displaying above average tools. Jhonny Peralta (I wonder about that spelling some times) and Ronnie Belliard aren’t the most dynamic double play partnership although neither can be described as poor fielders. Andy Marte completes the infield and has some potential in the field and could provide the infield with a boost.

A very good outfield will be anchored by Grady Sizemore whose first full year garnered him MVP consideration (on this site at least). He is a smart outfielder who might not have the greatest speed but still covers ground.

Offence

The Indians bats just weren’t ready at the start of the year and that’s the only reason they didn’t make the playoffs. The clearest example of this was Victor Martinez who hit close to .200 for the first few months miraculously ended the year with a .305 after going on a tare down the stretch and best hitting catcher in baseball is ready to explode.
Backing him up will be Travis Hafner who is as consistent as they come and should be counted on for 30 HR, 100 RBI and a .300 average.

Further production can be expected from a steady group of professional hitters. Jhonny Peralta, Ronnie Belliard, Ben Broussard, Casey Blake and Jason Michaels are all solid hitters with occasional power.

The fortunes of the team turned around almost as soon as Grady Sizemore was placed at the top of the order. The 23 year old had a 20/20 year and combined that with a .348 OBP that should rise.

Rookie Watch

Fernando Cabrera mixes a lively mid-90’s fastball with a good splitter and has a slider when he needs it. He has dominated at all levels and has ice in his veins and could close games if Wickman gets injured.

Kelly Shoppach will allow Martinez to DH more and go easy on his body. Shoppach has all the tools you would want in a catcher and is a solid hitter to boot with occasional power and Boston could well rue the day they let him go. Similarly Marte who was also acquired in the Crisp deal and could emerge as one of the top third basemen in the league. He has growing tools defensively and has an advanced approach to hitting which boosts his power potential.

Management

Eric Wedge got a lot of praise last year but you still have to remember that he had a very talented side last year that failed to make the post-season because it was poorly prepared at the beginning of the year. If they hadn’t spotted Chicago such a head start who knows what might have happened? Now its obvious how good they could be there will be less forgiveness if they don’t play hard right out of the blocks.

Cleveland last went to the post-season in 2001 and that was the year they purged the payroll and went into a rebuilding mode. Since then Mark Shapiro has done an exceptional job rebuilding the team from the grass roots up and has come up with a young and talented unit capable of emulating those great sides of the late 90’s. This team is already a contender and with the core being so young there is still room for internal growth and a position amongst MLB’s best for a fair few years.

Outlook

Once they did got going last year Cleveland had to dig themselves out of a deep hole and the fact they made it close showed just how good a team they really had and if they had been better prepared it might have been them in the Fall Classic. If they hit the ground running this year they should be strong contenders for the pennant and beyond.

Washington Nationals

Washinton may have finished in fifth place in the NL East but their 81-81 record was respectable and for a while they looked liked snapping Atlanta's streak.

Pitching

For the umpteenth time Livan Hernandez lead MLB in innings pitched and that was whilst carrying a few niggling injuries down the stretch. He is a workhorse and an under-rated ace and should continue to be the bedrock for the whole pitching staff.

John Patterson showed glimpses of being an emerging star last year and was a huge reason why the Nationals stayed atop the East for much of the early part of last season. If it was a case that he ran out of gas rather than the league catching up to him he should be able to build on that performance.

The back end of Washington’s rotation will likely be comprised of Tony Armas, Ramon Ortiz who are all pitchers who have never fully fulfilled their promise. Brian Lawrence would have been a big part until he tore his labrum in ST and is now out till August but even he took a backward step in his development last year while pitching in the friendly confines of Petco Park so who knows what he‘ll be like when he returns?

The Nationals bullpen was solid last year and much of that was down to the emergence of Chad Cordero as one of the NL’s elite closers. He doesn’t have the most electrifying stuff but uses great control and savvy to shut down opponents and is practically automatic.

Defence

Brian Schneider has lived in relative obscurity playing for the Expos/Nationals but he is slowly emerging as one of the better catchers in the NL. His mechanics might not be the smoothest but he has a strong arm and keeps runners honest. When Schneider’s not behind the plate Robert Fick can deputise and he’s a good defender, at worst, at several positions.

The left side of the infield will be a strength for Washington. Cristian Guzman is a rangy shortstop, especially on artificial turf, with a strong arm and at third Ryan Zimmerman will start winning Gold Gloves every year once Scott Rolen is out the way. On the right side Jose Vidro might not be the most mobile (well he really isn’t mobile at all) but he makes the plays on the balls he gets to and while Nick Johnson might have lapses in concentration he is a decent first baseman when his brain is in gear.

It’s a wonder that Jose Guillen is not a bigger name, he has a cannon for an arm and could easily play centre if Marlon Byrd isn’t hitting or if they want to move Ryan Church to right. No matter what they will have good depth which leaves the question where does Alfonso Soriano play? The obvious choice would be left where he has never played before but he is athletic enough to play and with his speed he should outrun any bad reads he might make whilst adapting to his new role.

There is impressive depth with Damian Jackson, Royce Clayton and Michael Tucker all capable of playing multiple positions to a high standard.

Offence

When on, Guzman is a triples machine and a good table setter but has developed a reputation for having a poor work ethic in recent years. If he wants to, Guzman can be an igniter for this offence but if he can’t do the job things become less clear with Marlon Byrd the only other real option but he was chased out of Phillie because he couldn’t do the job there.

Jose Vidro has spent a lot of time on the DL the last two years and questions are starting to arise as to whether or not he’s still the hitter he was a few years back when he was an All Star. The addition of Soriano will add to the pressure for Vidro to perform. He may not be the most disciplined hitter but Soriano will still rack up offensive numbers and is usually a good bet for a 30-30 season.

Ryan Church has a classic swing which should see him up his power numbers from last year. If he can’t provide a boost offensively then Washington will need Larry Broadway to emerge and replace Johnson at first. Johnson posted respectable RBI numbers last year but he is short of the power you’d expect from a first baseman.

Rookie Watch

Ryan Zimmerman cracked the Major League roster less than a year after being drafted and given his age (21 at the start of the season) he can still improve. He’s already a Gold Glove calibre fielder and the club have tried him at shortstop but third is his natural position.

At the plate he has a very advanced approach to hitting for someone his age with good discipline and pitch recognition and as he gets older, more experienced and stronger he should post very good offensive numbers. He is the complete package and a good bet for Rookie of the Year honours.

Larry Broadway should be given a good look at first during Spring Training. He plays a solid first base and has decent enough power to bat in the middle of the line-up and with a team that lacks a bonafide slugger and is carrying a first baseman who does well to hit 20 long balls a year, at age 25 the time is now for Broadway to make his claim to a big league job.

Management

Frank Robinson’s managerial career seems to have gone like his playing career; he does a great job but somehow seems to be overlooked. Signed up by MLB to manage the Expos whilst they asset stripped the organisation and in all that chaos he still managed to keep them respectable. Now with a team that is far more stable (not hard) than it was he still manages to make this team a tough one to face even with all the injuries and a lack of any real superstars. When will people start giving him credit?

The front office is headed by Jim Bowden who built a pennant winning team in Cincinnati when he had serious money to spend but as soon as the money stopped being made available the team went on a steady decline into mediocrity. He has earned the nickname ‘Trader Jim’ and is prone to making plenty of moves which is maybe not the best thing for a team looking to gain some stability.

Outlook

The pieces are here for a potential playoff push but young players need to come through and someone needs to stand up behind Hernandez in the rotation. Robinson should be able to get the youngsters going but how much patience will Bowden have if things don’t go right?

Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia finished with an 88-74 record and missed out on the playoffs yet again despite a lot of investment in recent years. Now a new GM has been brought in to get the team where they want to go.

Pitching

The rotation has the potential to be solid and deep but it also has the potential to be a disaster and form seems to point towards the latter.

Jon Lieber will again be expected to be the ace but after a strong start he struggled greatly last year. Behind him the likes of Cory Lidle, Brett Myers and Randy Wolf have shown they can be solid performers and will need to have good seasons if Phillie are going to get anywhere. More importantly the enigmatic Gavin Floyd needs to step up and be counted and show that his billing as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball is merited.

The bullpen may have lost Billy Wagner but Tom Gordon should be an able replacement. There is some worry that he may have some fatigue in his shoulder after a couple of heavy years with the Yankees but he has the ability and definitely has the temperament.

Gordon will be set up by the lefty-righty combination of Arthur Rhodes and Ryan Madson and between the three of them many a game will be shortened and with the added depth provided by Rheal Cormier and Julio Santana Phillie should be a tough team to come back against.

Defence

Aaron Rowand’s addition to the team greatly improves the outfield and he should have no problem bridging the gap between Pat Burrell, who runs out every play but lacks the athleticism to be effective, and Bobby Abreu whose mobility is in decline as his body thickens.

The infield is anchored by the double play combo of the rangy and athletic Jimmy Rollins and sure fielding Chase Utley. They will combine to form one of the best keystone tandems around and with David Bell at third Phillie should have few worries.

Behind the dish Mike Lieberthal has had one too many injuries and is a long way from the form that won him a Gold Glove in ‘99. His movement is at times laboured and while he still has the arm strength, his footwork doesn’t allow him to make the most of it. The club will hope that Carlos Ruiz can emerge and take some of the load.

Offence

Ryan Howard is a monster at the plate. He has a disciplined approach and when he gets a pitch he likes he takes some of the most vicious cuts you will see. This guy will be one of the leagues top sluggers for years to come.

The middle of the order gets even more formidable when you factor in Burrell and Bobby Abreu, who is one of the very best hitters in baseball. Abreu dons the jewellers eyepiece at the plate and sees more pitches per at bat than anyone. He’ll hit for a high average with good power whilst drawing walks and using good savvy on the bases to rack up the steals. He truly is a complete player.

Once you get past the heart of the order there isn’t a lot of depth. Lieberthal and Bell have good power but don’t make contact enough to be consistent providers and if any of the other starters go down then there is the question of who will pick up the slack? Tomas Perez remains one of the best pinch hitters and utility men around but he isn’t a long term solution.

The key to the line-up will be Jimmy Rollins who has great speed and the hand eye coordination to slap and bunt the ball around and make the most of it. The only problem is a lack of discipline which means he doesn’t walk as often as he could. He does work hard, which is a quality that has made him a true leader, and when he gets on a hot streak the whole team goes with him.

Rookie Watch

Carlos Ruiz will be looking to try and take some playing time away from Lieberthal. Originally a second baseman, the Phillies quickly converted him to a catcher due to his lack of mobility. Now he uses his middle infield footwork and a strong work ethic to make the plays behind the dish and he’s developing across the board.

Management

Few GM’s have the track record of Pat Gillick. A long term GM of the Blue Jays when they were new to the league, he made them into a dominant force in the AL that culminated in the back-to-back championship years of ‘92 and ‘93. He then moved on to Seattle where he built a team that won 116 games in ‘01. He comes to a Phillies team that has underachieved in recent years and doesn’t have many high end prospects anywhere near the Majors and Gillick usually likes to build strong farms so we shall wait and see how soon his effect will take to come into effect.

Charlie Manuel has a reputation for being and easy going guy who works well with veterans and developing hitters which makes you wonder how he fits in with this team right now and its easy to envision him being sacrificed under the new regime. He’s not a bad manager, he’s just in a bad situation.

Outlook

The pitching depth is a huge worry and the lack of depth at any position and no help from the farm makes it unlikely that the Phillies will trouble anyone in the East unless a lot of things start going right and they haven’t gone right in Philadelphia for a while.

WBC - A good thing for the wrong reasons?

Forget the crazy rules, etc ... it seems that more and more players are continuing to pull out of this tournament, and it really does seem to be turning into a farce!

However ...

... you only learn from your mistakes, so will they learn from this tournament? Firstly i think they have to try hard to change attitudes from the big players - surely it IS a big honour to represent your country. Secondly, i think they have to realise that holding it at this time of the year isnt really clever - too many people wanting to concentrate on spring training, pulling out of the WBC due to knocks received in spring training, etc, etc!

I think they really need to look at the whole organisation and concept of this tournament...it does seem have been riddled with probs from the start, but who knows, if they can learn from the mistakes then maybe the WBC does have a future ... or of course, they might just bin it and give up!! I hope personally that they at least try to persevere!

New York Mets

The Mets finished with a 83-79 record to finish fourth in a tough NL East but they have once again made some big moves to try and get to the post-season.

Pitching

It awaits to be seen how productive aging veterans Steve Trachsel and Tom Glavine will be this year. Glavine had a typically solid year posting 13 wins and 211 1/3 innings but at age 40 it can’t be long till he calls it a day and starts writing his Hall of Fame speech

People keep wanting to write off Pedro Martinez but he is still one of the leagues best and he can still use that amazing change-up of his to dominate any line-up, any time. He can be flaky but he is more than comfortable being the ace of a staff and that’s what he’ll need to be if the Mets are to contend.

The bullpen was one of the principle reasons that this team failed to maintain a credible playoff push last season and Omar Minaya addressed this in the off-season. Not only did he pick up Chad Bradford who, if fully healthy, is as tough a righty specialist as you will find, but he also acquired an elite closer in Billy Wagner. Wagner might not get into triple digits like he used to but he’s still too much for most to handle.

Jorge Julio adds more right handed depth out of the pen but there’s not much pedigree from the left side with Royce Ring and Juan Perez the only present options.

Defence

Paul Lo Duca is a fairly solid all around catcher. He makes the plays he should and while he won’t win a Gold Glove he won’t let you down. His main asset however is his leadership on the field and his ability to handle his pitchers and he is certainly an upgrade over Mike Piazza.

The Mets’ infield is solid average across the board. You feel Kaz Matsui should do more in the field but he is solid enough and David Wright might not have the greatest mobility but he makes the plays he gets to. Of course they are complemented by Jose Reyes who is on the verge of becoming the most prodigious defensive talent in all of baseball. He has that rubber-like quality that Ozzie Smith used to have and not only does he have the great range and the athleticism to get to more than his fair share of balls, but he also is able to get back to his feet quickly and still make plays from deep in the hole.

Even if Lastings Milledge isn’t ready to play every day, between Xavier Nady, Cliff Floyd, Endy Chavez and Victor Diaz there is more than enough solid play to clean up anything that Carlos Beltran can’t get to. While he has been much maligned in New York since his highly publicised arrival, you cannot fault his glove work. He isn’t far off being Andruw Jones out there.

Offence

There’s a reason why everyone was surprised by Cliff Floyd’s production last year and that’s because it was a rare year where he avoided spending significant time on the DL. Once again if he stays healthy he will be productive but even if he does get injured newly acquired Carlos Delgado is one of baseballs most consistent and productive hitters. Now he’s away from pitcher friendly Pro Player, expect Delgado to return to his .300, 40 HR, 100 RBI, 100 R form.

Carlos Beltran is a man who was almost expected to be the next Willie Mays when he arrived in New York but a lot of niggling injuries curtailed much of his production at the beginning of last year and he never really had a chance to get going on all cylinders. When he’s healthy there is nothing he can’t do on the field with a disciplined approach at the plate which gets him on base and good pitches to hit and hit hard. There is little doubt in my mind that Carlos Beltran is the best base runner in baseball today, he is always aware of the situation and rarely gives up an out on the base paths.

There is a lot of offensive depth on the roster with David Wright a likely All Star, Paul Lo Duca is very good hitter for a catcher and the likes of Nady, Diaz, Julio Franco (he’ll play till he qualifies for a bus pass) and Jose Valentin providing Willie Randolph plenty of options.

The only issue is at the top of the order where Jose Reyes will need to be more disciplined and cut down on his strikeouts to make the most of his speed and set the table for the sluggers. If he can then this line-up goes from being a good one to an awesome one.

Rookie Watch

The Mets have had many offers of many a quality player but Lastings Milledge is still in New York. He may have a propensity for striking out but has great bat speed which affords him time to stay back on pitches and hit the ball with authority. Add to the package a plus arm and good range in the outfield its easy to see why the Mets were so eager to keep hold of him.

Management

Omar Minaya was a big part of the Expos organisation when they were producing a conveyor belt of All Stars through their farm system and as the GM he even kept the team in contention whilst MLB liquidised them. Now as the GM of a team with money and a desire to succeed he is gradually putting together a strong young team. Some have questioned the way he has handled his draft picks but in his first year he was able to sign the top pitching free agent (Pedro Martinez) and the top free agent hitter (Carlos Beltran) and this year he repeated the feat with Carlos Delgado and its tough to argue with that.

In his first year as a manager, Willie Randolph had an up and down year but it would be easy to put down the inconsistency to the erosion of faith in the bullpen but with a proven closer and a couple of other acquisitions out there, he will need to start putting a winner on the field if he wants keep his job.

Outlook

There is not the depth in either the rotation or bullpen right now for them to be among the favourites for honours this year but there is enough talent for them to be in the mix.

Florida Marlins

Last year Florida had a 83-79 record and finished third in the NL East. Owing to a salary purge much has changed.

Pitching

We all know about the almighty salary purge the Marlins undertook this off-season but with the apparent reliance on youth, the spacious Pro Player Stadium should make things easier and more forgiving for their pitchers.

Jason Vargas and Brian Moehler return after posting solid seasons and Vargas in particular will be expected to step up and become the no. 2 behind staff ace Dontrelle Willis and he has the stuff to do it. As for Willis he is as exciting a player to watch as there is in baseball. Few have the same enthusiasm and obvious effervescence and the only thing that might hold him back from contending once again for the Cy is the fact his team is obviously rebuilding and wins might be hard to come by.

The pen could be a problem. Joe Borowski will likely get first dibs at closing but his inability to step back into that role is the main reason he’s no longer a Cub. Nate Bump will be the principle lefty and is a solid performer in middle relief and the club will be hoping Travis Bowyer can step in and shake off the health concerns long enough to harness the potential in his arm.

Defence

Miguel Cabrera and Jeremy Hermida are both guys who are working hard to improve their defence but neither are likely to win Gold Gloves any time soon. If Chris Aguila can prove himself worthy of more playing time Cabrera could play third base where he appeared more comfortable but unless he can commit to one position Florida won’t get the most out of his glove.

Another option in left would be Josh Willingham but he is the very definition of an offensive minded player and no matter where he carries his glove onto the field you shouldn’t expect more than a Canseco out there.

Eric Reed will likely step into the vacated centre field position and he has similar speed to Juan Pierre but unlike Pierre, Reed takes good jumps and doesn’t need to endlessly run down his mistakes.

Pokey Reese is as good as it gets at second and playing every day should see him get another Gold Glove for his mantel. Across the keystone will be former Red Sox no.1 prospect Hanley Ramirez who can be lethargic at times but has as much raw talent as you could hope to find. If he’s motivated he could give Florida a dynamic double play partnership…if he’s motivated.

The worst case scenario for Florida would be if Willingham plays catcher. Lets just say he’s not very good there. Miguel Olivo is a solid performer and Matt Treanor is an excellent back up.

Offence

Eric Reed will likely be asked to bat lead-off but while he undoubtedly has the speed, many wonder if he has the plate discipline as he has developed a reputation for striking out more than is ideal.

Much is expected of Hermida who has an uncanny eye at the plate with good power (he did hit a grand slam in his first big league at bat) and with him batting lefty ahead of right handed hitter Miguel Cabrera the Marlins will have a good one-two punch. Cabrera continues to amaze as he develops into becoming almost a mini-Pujols.

Potential is the key word here with Willingham looking like he could become an outstanding DH if he moved to the AL, Aguila often looks over matched but has good raw power and Wes Helms and Mike Jacobs both have shown they can go long at the big league level.

Much will be expected of Hanley Ramirez who can hit the ball hard consistently but the questions with him are more in his mentality and approach than with his skills.

Rookie Watch

Scott Olsen and Yusmeiro Petit have long been cited as two of the top pitching prospects in baseball and will be given every opportunity to show what they can do. The Fish are confident that Olsen can shake off the elbow problems that shortened last year but Petit had a very rough time when the Mets moved him to AAA. Not overpowering, Petit relies on location and changing speeds and as a result his margin of error isn’t very high but he didn’t let that stop him absolutely dominating at every level he has ever played in before that.

This whole team is stacked with rookies who could be contributors and maybe even compete for Rookie of the Year honours. Josh Willingham, Hanley Ramirez, Jeremy Hermida and Eric Reed all have plenty of potential but to expect them all to come through at the same time is a bit too much of an ask.

Management

Joe Girardi has been given a lot of work to do but throughout his playing days people had earmarked him as a potential big league manager and you cannot downplay his role as part of those great Yankee teams of the late 90’s. If he’s given the time he could do a good job but then that’s the story with the whole of the Marlins team really.

Larry Beinfest has proven that he can put together a winner and while he was asked to dump a lot of talent in the off-season, he managed to get a lot of blue chip prospects in return and he seems to have a clear idea of how he wants to go about getting Florida back to the top.

Florida have drafted well in recent years and few teams have the track record they do at developing talent through their farm from Edgar Renteria and Mark Kotsay all the way through to Dontrelle Willis, Josh Beckett, Miguel Cabrera and Jeremy Hermida.

Outlook

As I said before it would be a lot to expect so many young players to realise their full potential all at the same time. While there is undoubted talent in the roster, it is mostly very raw and in need of fine tuning and experience.

Don’t be surprised to see flashes of brilliance from time to time but also don’t be surprised to see over 90 losses this year. I just hope the fans in Florida can stand by their team long enough to see them through this rebuilding process.

Atlanta Braves

Atlanta finished last year with a 90-72 record and won their fourteenth straight division crown (well its actually eleven if you count the strike year but its still impressive).

Pitching

The rotation has a lot of quality arms battling for places. Between Mike Hampton, John Thomson, Kyle Davies and Horacio Ramirez you have four guys who have proven they can rack up quality innings in the Major Leagues but the real keys lie in the health of Tim Hudson and John Smoltz.

Hudson is as good as they come but missed substantial time last year with one knock after another. If he can stay healthy he will be the ace of the rotation and that’s saying something when you have John Smoltz on your roster. We’re still waiting to see how many more innings Smoltz has left before that elbow finally gives out but until then he is a fierce competitor with one of the best sliders around.

The bullpen doesn’t seem to have been improved upon from last year and last year it wasn’t too great. Chris Reitsma seems favourite to be the closer but he was less than convincing in that role last year. He will be backed up mainly by those that don’t crack the rotation but without Leo Mazzone pulling the strings we shall have to wait and see how things pan out. This will be a concern.

Defence

Jeff Francoeur is a quality right fielder with a strong arm and Langerhans isn’t too shabby in left but they don’t need to be that good when they’re out there with Andruw Jones. He is still incredible in centre and you’ll be hard pressed to find better.

The infield will be as good as Edgar Renteria. If he can put his disappointing year in Boston behind him and return to the form that made him a perennial NL All Star then he could prove to be a shrewd acquisition and Chipper Jones lack of quality with the glove won’t be so apparent.

The Braves should turn their fair share of double plays. Adam LaRoche has soft hands at first and Marcus Giles is fearless making the pivot at second. No one hangs in there longer and he doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

Is Brian McCann ready to carry the load? Pitchers seem to enjoy throwing to him but his footwork can let him down. Todd Pratt is a capable reserve but you don’t want to have to rely on him as the primary receiver.

Offence

Andruw Jones absolutely carried the line-up last year and many a year he’d have won MVP honours for it. The only question is can he carry it over to this year?

There is plenty of potential elsewhere in the line-up with Renteria being a versatile hitter throughout his non-Boston career, Marcus Giles fits nicely into the second spot and Chipper Jones is still Chipper Jones and should still be a good bet for 30 HR and 100 RBI.

Adam LaRoche is still a little lightweight a hitter for an everyday first baseman as is Ryan Langerhans for a left fielder although he could share time with Kelly Johnson who showed some quality last year at the plate.

Brian McCann has plenty of potential with the bat but we’ll see how he does. The key to the success of the Braves line-up could be Jeff Francoeur who makes consistent hard contact with good pop but as much as he hates to work counts he’ll need to if he’s going to make the most of his talents and stick around in this league. Sometimes he almost seems like to take a walk would be a personal affront to his character.

Who’s batting lead-off? There doesn’t seem to be too many guys who really fit the mould and unless everyone plays to their full potential, The Braves will struggle to score consistently unless someone can fill that role. There’s not much speed here and Furcal has been a key contributor over the years in that role.

Rookie Watch

Joey Devine and Chuck James will both be given a chance to crack the rotation in Spring Training. Devine rocketed through the system in his first pro season and even made it onto Atlanta’s post-season roster but James was as good as any pitcher in the minors last year. He’s a crafty lefty with a knack for pitching but his under whelming stuff and a propensity towards allowing fly balls might make the Majors a tougher challenge for him.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is still the class of the system, he’s a strong hitter and leader with solid average defensive skills. He’s still probably a year away but he’s a potential All Star for many years to come.

Management

What can you say about Bobby Cox? He took a team of kids and a line-up decimated by injury into the post-season and won yet another division crown. There aren’t many better at motivating a team and knowing when to push buttons the only question about him is how will he react without his long term confidant Leo Mazzone?

What can you say about John Schuerholtz? Few teams seem to have the turnover of players that Atlanta do but they still keep winning and still keep producing players through the farm. There are few better GM’s better than Mr Schuerholtz and if Atlanta need to make a deal, you know he’ll make a good one.

Outlook

The thing is that Atlanta have done so well for so long that you can never count them out. Even with the apparent holes in the bullpen and at the top of the order the Braves brain trust always seems to find a way to make what they’ve got work.

In theory they should be a solid team that will finish on the happy side of .500 and they’ve gotta slip up some time but they won the division last year with the majority of these players and now they’re more experienced for it and as a result its still their division to lose.

Blog Update - New pages ... and other stuff!

Just a quick post to let you know of some new blog features that are now available. In the right-hand column, as well as the usual links, archives, etc, you will also see 2 new links:

2006 Previews: Pete J will be posting his season previews on the blog, and this page has just been designed as a handy link so you can check up on your team's review without having to search the archives, and also so you can check up anytime throughout the 2006 season. Just look out for the highlighted teams in the list, and then click on them to go straight to the review - Previews should start appearing within the next few days.

The Predictions: This is where the blog team will stick their necks out and give their season predictions! ... but it isn't all about us - If you fancy dropping in your predictions for the 2006 season, then get in touch via the contact form, select 'give my predictions' from the drop-down menu, and send them in. We shall add them all to our prediction page for 2006! - Predictions should appear on this page in late March.

Also, remember to click on Contact the Blog if you want to get in touch with us for any reason: If you wish to submit an article, volunteer your services, give your predictions, have an idea for the blog, or just wanna say 'hello'. Don't forget also, that you can add the blog to an XML/RSS reader, or click the add to My Yahoo or Google buttons to make it even simpler.

Also meant to add: To return to the main blog page at any time, just click on the header logo!

The WBC - Baseball's Busmans Holiday

Well its been a while since I piped up with something on the WBC and sadly the more information I get the less enthused I am about the whole thing.

The whole tournament was billed as being a big advertisement for baseball around the globe with all the best players coming together to represent their countries in a competition to see who is the best. What we are slowly starting to see is that a lot of the best players are dropping out either with the disappointing but fair excuse of not wanting to push it too far after having serious time off with injuries the previous year e.g. Tim Hudson or Barry Bonds, but there are also the sad peons who just don’t give a rats ass and simply want to focus on their club performances because that’s where the green is e.g. Hideki Matsui.

On top of the diminishing returns in terms of talent involved the tournament organisers have also devised a whole clutch of rules designed to make sure no one tries too hard. Severe pitch counts have been mandated that can only be extended in order to finish an at bat (at least they have used a modicum of common sense there). In the first round pitchers will be limited to 65 pitches and if they have more than 50 they are made ineligible for the next four days. If they exceed the 65 pitches the ‘Game Operations Technical Committee’ will report it to the umpire who will have the ability to order a pitching change!! It’s tough enough that managers have to figure out when to change the pitcher and now the umps are doing it too?

30+ pitches see you suspended for a game (why not call it what it is?) and if you pitch on consecutive days that’s a suspension too.

The limits go up in the later rounds with an 80 pitch limit in round 2 and 95 in the semis and final. Anyone get the idea this whole thing is being skewed to benefit the major leaguers? Why should the Cubans or the Dutch have to worry about how much work their pitchers get? If big leaguers want to protect themselves for the benefit of the signatories of their cheques instead of giving their all to their country then fine but why handicap teams that don’t have the benefit of these superstars?

At least we won’t have long drawn out blowouts (lets face it they are going to happen) with the introduction of a mercy rule which will see games finish early if a team is leading by fifteen after five or 10 after 7 so maybe we might get a complete game shutout from some efficient pitcher but I won’t put any money on it.

On the whole the whole idea of this being a competition is being blown by the wayside as it becomes more and more friendly. How long till it just becomes a curiosity where not even baseball fans are particularly interested let alone an interest being sparked amongst people on the fringes in places where baseball isn’t that fashionable. This good idea is fast becoming undermined and few of the hopes surrounding its inception are looking to be realised.

How about this for an idea more befitting this tourney? We have kegs at the corners and every time you stop at first or third you must drink. We’re not far from that now and it’s either that or we just use normal baseball rules and let the players play until the best team wins by hook or by crook. Would that be so crazy?

NASN ... channel-bundling or channel bungling?

I'm sure most UK Baseball fans will have been keeping an eye on this one!

NASN have decided to **bundle their package with the other Setanta sports packages on Sky, and this will mean an increase of £3 per month for people who may have only subscribed to NASN for US sports and don't want the other channels which let's face it, are mainly weekend channels, and offer European and Scottish football (i'm a Scottish football fan, but i DONT want the Setanta channels, i think they are poor!!) Whether this is to help fund a new ESPN deal, no one knows, but i do know it ISNT popular!

So is this a big mistake by NASN? Personally i think they might just live to rue this one - when NASN started it was seen as a god-send to a lot of people who didnt want Sky sports, and were very happy to see a channel concentrating purely on US sport, so surely bundling a channel with non-US sports channels will only irk such people. Also, you have to consider that certain people (myself for one) really only subscribe for the one sport - surely people such as that are not going to be happy shelling out another £3 per month just to watch that one sport ... outlets such as MLB.tv will become far more attractive, especially as high speed broadband is so much more common these days. NASN also seem to forget the whole financial aspect of having to raise another £3 per month, especially given the high level of following US sports have amongst students, etc. I'm not really convinced that they have thought this through properly!!

Over a year ago i made a suggestion to NASN that was treated with the usual standard uninterested email reply - i suggested that they should consider offering 'season ticket' packages for people only wishing to sub for one sport: the example would be me wishing to sub for the baseball season. They could charge me a set amount per month, say £10, and i would tied into this contract for the length of the ball season, so NASN would get £70 from me. Surely this is better than trying to tie me in for a whole year at £14 per month, because let's face it, im NOT gonna pay that £168 per year charge when im only interested in Baseball - i'd go to MLB.tv instead! So there you have it - £0 or £70 - which would be best for NASN? You do the maths!!!

It will certainly be interesting times ahead to see how this situation develops. I will be ok for the mo, as i can still sub monthly (and cheaper) on Cable, but i can only see this price increase succeeding for NASN if good old shoulder shrugging British apathy takes over as usual, and people just accept it! I would love to be a fly on the wall if the cancellations start flooding in!

** It should be noted that this only affects Sky customers from what i have heard so far - Cable customers are unaffected by this change ... for now!

Oh Rickey You're So Fine, You're So Fine You Blow Your Mind Hey Rickey

Rickey is back with the Mets.

Having not played in the Bigs since 2003, Rickey Henderson is back as an instructor and Mets GM Omar Minaya is hoping he can take Jose Reyes under his wing and teach him a thing or two but Rickey has no thoughts about retiring and taking his much belated place amongst baseballs greatest in Cooperstown. "I love playing the game, but right now I haven't had the opportunity to go out and play. I feel that I have a lot to give back to the game."

This might not really be the most incredibly sweeping news story but Rickey is always Rickey and nothing about Rickey can ever be boring which is why Rickey can be put into one sentence so many times.

Lets hope he finds a team willing to let him pad out his already staggering records and we can have more great Rickey stories.

Welcome to [insert current name] Ballpark!

I see now that the Giants stadium is now to be known as AT&T park from this season! After a long spell as Pac Bell, and a shorter stint as SBC, it now has yet another name. Whilst corporate mergers are a fact of life i suppose, it does seem like the Giants would be better putting a digital board up over the main entrance, would certainly make it easier to change the name in future!!!

Call me old-fashioned, but im not particularly keen on naming stadiums after products or companies, especially when you see an example like this from the Giants! The fans need a product to associate with, and one helluva big part of that product is their ballpark, something they are proud of - and changing the name every couple of years doesnt make for that same product, nor does it fit in well with the traditional side of baseball - can you imagine Fenway suddenly becoming the Coca Cola stadium!!! I guess it's just part of the ever growing commercialism of sport - ok, we have some of it here in the UK, but football stadium names such as Ibrox, Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, etc, all still stand out above what Arsenal's new ground, the Emirates Stadium, ever will!

In the end, money talks i guess!

Molina Catching Franchise Opens Canadian Branch

The last of the big free agents has just been signed as the Toronto Blue Jays cap off their busy off-season by picking up Gold Glove catcher Bengie Molina on a one year deal worth $4.5m. The deal lands Toronto arguably the best defensive catcher in the business, a solid bat capable of double digits in homeruns (people forget that catchers don't really hit much) and solidify their team defence up the middle. When combined with incumbent Greg Zaun, Toronto should get plenty of production from the catching position and maybe they can push for a playoff spot...if Glaus stays healthy...and Halladay...and if Russ Adams and Aaron Hill continue to develop...and, well, a lot of 'ifs'.

Piazza & The Padres?

Anyone else a bit baffled by this move?

In my view, and one i'm sure shared by others, Piazza was never the best catcher in the world - a good catcher, yes, but not the best - however, his numbers with the bat more than made up for that. Therefore, at his age now, and at his stage in his career, i really did expect him to go to an AL team, where he could DH, and (if required) make the odd appearance behind the plate.

So the Padres move has surprised me a bit! Surely to get the best out of Piazza now, you want him batting, but to do that you will have to either play him as catcher where he isnt the best any more, or (even worse!) stick him at 1st base, where he really didnt hit it off either! The Padres have already said they see him playing a bit of Catcher, a bit of 1st base, and a bit of DH in interleague - seems like they cant really make up their mind either!!
A mistake from both the Padres and Piazza? I think so, but i'd like to hear what others think!

World Baseball 'Classic' = Glorified Spring Training?

I know this has been talked about endlessly of late (and lets face it, there hasn’t been much else baseball-wise to talk about), but I appear to be the only person that’s not interested in this event, and get the feeling that it’s going to fall well short of all the media hype surrounding it. The timing of the classic falls somewhere between the start of spring training and the regular season, so by the time the classic comes about most players will be already in the swing of things and preparing themselves both mentally and physically for the long and demanding season ahead, the last thing they want to do is get injured just before the season starts, let alone get injured playing in an event that’s taking place merely for the media hype and for the men in suits to line their back-pockets with big chunks of coin.

The actual games in the classic for me are going to have a major spring training feel to them, taking place mainly for the fans to get together and see all the superstars on the same field, not about who wins and loses, but about the public having a good time. Any players who get injured whilst playing in this competition are gonna be trouble with the employers who pay their salaries, and if any player gets a serious injury it’s inevitable that the employers will be seeking the compensation and it could cause big rifts between employer and employee.

For any kind of world championship to be seriously successful and long-lasting the sport has to have a world-wide following, baseball doesn’t yet have that and I would say that outside of the USA, and Japan, its merely a minority sport, of which most of the public aren’t even aware of.

All this devalues the whole competition, the media and fans are expecting a closely fought, competitive competition that could be around for years to come. Me, personally, am expecting just another set of training games that are of little or no interest to me. Baseball just isn’t a big enough sport world-wide for this kind of event to take off just yet, if they want to promote the game world-wide, they should take more regular season games out of North America, and more than just a 2-3 game series once a season.

Raising public awareness outside of North America will do more for baseball as a sport in the long-term.





Stuart Smith

What's The Plan Exactly?

Boston have once again hit the headlines as they have acquired Coco Crisp (love that name) to replace Damon in centrefield and in the lead-off spot. They also recieved David Riske and Josh Bard in the deal.

Now Crisp and Riske are good players and they fill holes that needed addressing (still questions at short, first and the bullpen but its a start) but are those players worth letting go of Kelly Shoppach, the Sox top catching prospect, and Andy Marte, one of the highest rated prospects in all of baseball? Also included was the enigmatic but definately talented Guillermo Mota but that might come down to addition by subtraction as he has had one or two issues with his teams in the past.

To be fair Crisp's OBP over the last couple of years (.344 and .345) isn't far off Johnny Damon's career mark of .353 and at 26 he should be just coming into his prime. We could also go on about how significant an upgrade Boston get in terms of having someone who can actually throw the ball but we shouldn't really over-state Crisp's throwing ability.

David Riske could end up being a steal. At the moment he is likely to step in as one of the principle set-up men ahead of Keith Foulke but if he can't be effective coming back from a year marred by injury, Riske could concievably end up as the closer and we will have to wait and see how he'd respond to that.

Even if Crisp can get his OBP to the happy side of .350 and Riske turns into a 30 save closer (I did say "if") only time will tell if they were worth giving up Shoppach and Marte.

Shoppach has long been groomed as the heir apparent to Jason Varitek and has impressed many with his leadership qualities and recieving skills. Add to that some power potential and you basically have a Jason Varitek clone only without the switch hitting ability. Right now he could easily step into a reserve catcher role should be very useful taking some of the load off of Victor Martinez so they can keep his bat in the line-up more frequently.

Andy Marte could step in straight away and fill a gaping hole at third base where neither Aaron Boone or Casey Blake have provided a consistent presence in the line-up. Marte had 20 homers and 74 RBI as a 22 year old in AAA last season although his 24 game call up to Atlanta has lead some to wonder if he might still need another year in the minors.

Not only does Marte fill a need at third but experts believe he has the potential to be the middle of the order righty bat that could split Hafner and Martinez in the Indian line-up which would certainly help them bridge the gap to the White Sox in the Central.

So what is the plan for the Red Sox? They have sacrificed something for the future for what I can only guess is what they see as what they need now. But when a team like Boston, whose goal is always to win the World Series, thinks that way you have to ask the qusetion, is this a deal that will help them to achieve that?

I have a tough time seeing Coco Crisp and David Riske as being guys to lead you to the promised land. Only time will tell.

About Bloody Time!!

Its official, the Cubans will be allowed to compete in the World Baseball Classic this Spring. It might have taken the US Treasury Department over a month to reconsider and the fact that while all the multi-millionaire players playing for other nations will be payed God only knows how much, the Cubans have to settle for $100 food money but at least they're there.

Now if we can only convince Hideki Matsui that some might consider it an honour to represent ones country, Alex Rodriguez to just shut up and play and all the players to generally put out 100% once the tourney starts then we might have the historic event they're trying to convince us we're about to see.

10 Free Agents Still Out There Who Could Help Your Team

10 Felix Heredia - The six fingered man might not have had a good season since '03 but if you put his last two years down to the 'New York spotlight effect' then someone might be able to land themselves a handy lefty reliever for a song.

9 Felix Rodriguez - It seems like he's been around forever but he'll be 34 this year and while last year wasn't too inspiring, it could easily prove to be a blip.

8 Willie Harris - A steady lefty bat, great speed and defensive versatility. How could he not help someone?

7 Terrence Long - Able to play anywhere in the outfield and play them well. Add to that decent speed and a good disciplined lefty stroke that has seen him hit double digits in homers consistently. I still think he'd be a great fit in Yankee Stadium.

6 Erubiel Durazo - He doesn't have the power to be a full time player but his .381 career OBP isn't too shabby. He would offer a good bat off the bench, bit of extra depth but how much money would he ask for?

5 Shigetoshi Hasegawa - Why is it when good players have one great year and then go back to being good that people think that they're not good anymore? In my book he's still one of the better middle relievers around.

4 Scott Hatteberg - Personally I think he is greatly overrated but you can't deny he makes pitchers work. Plays a solid first base and can be an emergency catcher and should be a very good pinch hitter.

3 Alex Gonzalez (the one who played for Florida) - Quality, quality glove man. He could help solidify any infield. Sure he strikes out way too much and a career .291 OBP is rubbish but you don't win World Series without good defence.

2 Wade Miller - He's been hit with the injury bug but he is undoubtedly a great pitcher when healthy and someone will take a chance on him. If he can stay healthy he's easily good for 15 wins...if he can stay healthy.

1 Bengie Molina - If I were to put together my top team of ballplayers right now, Bengie Molina would be my pick to catch. Absolutely outstanding defensively and good for double digits in home runs at the bottom of the order. I can't think of many teams who wouldn't recieve an upgrade behind the dish if he were signed but then I could gush about this guy ages.

A few points...

A few things i wanted to say...

Firstly, I have to totally agree with Richard...it's great to see A-Rod getting back into the WBC. The more stars play in this tourney, the more credibility it has, and the more likely we are to see this repeated as a regular event - that can only be good for the worldwide image of the game

Secondly, anyone else wondering what is going on with the Astros and Bagwell? If he doesn't play again, it is said that the Astros can pick up around $15M from insurance ... in an era of dwindling player loyalty, are the Astros giving Bagwell too long to get back? Should they bring this situation to a head now, and get that $15M to be used elsewhere in the payroll rather that wait and hope they might get Bagwell back sometime during the season?

Thirdly, i'd be interested to hear how people keep up to date with the game during the winter? Personally, i usually keep up to date via MLB.com, and by checking out the five forums, Baseball Fan site, etc ... however, i'm quite into MLB Radio's podcasts - just download the archives, and pop them onto your mp3 player ... excellent!

A-Rod does a 360, will compete in WBC

Well I knew that A-Rod was full of tricks and he never ceases to amaze me both at the plate and in the hot corner but I honestly didn't think he would pull this one off.

For those of you who don't know A-Rod has now changed his mind and decided to compete for the USA in March's World Baseball Classic.

Those of you who read my and Cidermonster's earlier posts will know how much of a fantastic decision we think this is. Love him or hate him A-Rod is without doubt one of the premier players in the game and his status will bring a boost to the reputation of the tournament and some added attraction for the fans.

It is vital that the top stars compete in this tournament in order to raise its profile and I hope that other top stars will follow in his footsteps and think about changing their mind too.

Take note Hideki Matsui!

Taking a Gamble - Sosa, Piazza and the Big Hurt

The Hot Stove has been somewhat tepid lately and I don't expect any rise in temperature in the coming few weeks.

The only thing that keeps me heading back to MLB.com at the moment is my eagerness to know what is going to happen to the big three names that are left on the free agent list, if indeed anything happens to them at all.

I refer, of course, to Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and the Big Hurt Frank Thomas. I have sat eagle-eyed at the computer screen waiting for some news of who is going to take the gamble on these three. And believe me it is some gamble to take, let's go over the trio.

Sosa
Last year Sosa picked up a cool $17,875,000 to underperform as an Oriole. He was unable to live up to his hard-hitting reputation and hit just 14 long balls and 45 RBIs in a disappointing season.
Due to his increasing age and decreasing skills I don't think he would add much pop to many line ups. To be honest I don't think Sosa has much to offer any team in any position. He no longer holds the attributes that made him so valuable. He strikes out consistently, is not a dependable hitter and has only average fielding skills. I think at this point in time, Sosa is probably the least valuable of the big three.
The only team that seem to want to take their chance on Sosa so far is the Nationals whose GM Jim Bowden said he was interested in the aging slugger. The move would see Sosa shift from right field to left but I don't think it would be a good move for Washington.

Thomas
Minnesota have popped up as the likely candidates to sign the two-time MVP as they have made it clear they are looking for a DH. The Twins were also said to be interested in Piazza but have since rebuked those claims so a deal with Thomas looks more likely.
Unlike Sosa the big question mark hanging over Thomas is not his ability. He is still a consistent hitter of the ball and can still scare pitchers with his power. The major concern about Thomas has to be his health. Last season Thomas underwent ankle surgery the results of which are likely to render him a liability on the bases. That is a major drawback and, although I am a huge White Sox fan, I can only put him as the second most valuable of the three.

Piazza
I think that Mike Piazza still has a lot to offer in the MLB. He is experienced and past his best but he could fill a DH roll nicely and the rest from being a full time catcher may improve his form at the plate.
His form as of late has been far from fantastic but he would make a nice reserve catcher and a steady bat. The Angels have caught wind of this and have already expressed their need for a part-time catcher and DH and right-handed power hitter.
For my money Piazza is the best of the three and I think his influence and experience will make as big a difference to the team he signs for as his performance at the plate.

Of course after reviewing the three it is clear that they all have their drawbacks. The big question is whether the teams interested in these players would rather field a rookie, who can only get better, than take a chance on these ageing superstars. Only time will tell.

Sutter Enshrined

Well the newest member of the Hall of Fame has been announced and it’s the very first person to be elected to the Hall who played his entire career as a reliever but the question remains does a 2.83 ERA and 300 saves warrant being nominated to Cooperstown? Especially when Lee Smith is on the outside looking in with 478 saves and a 3.03 ERA.

The thing I worry about is that the likes of Smith, Sutter and guys like Goose Gossage and Tom Henke, who were all guys who were amongst the best closers of their era but in an era when the closer role was still being defined, are soon going to have their achievements dwarfed by the new wave of closers in this age where the bullpen has never been more important. Will we look at Bruce Sutter and then think about how he got in when someone like Bobby Jenks didn‘t?

I do feel that Sutter should have eventually been inducted as the inventor of the splitter but isn’t that a matter for the Veterans Committee to decide upon?

However, there are two pitchers on this years ballot who really should have been given the chance to be inducted in this lean year (for the record I think Andre Dawson and Jim Rice should be put in eventually but I can see the reasons why they maybe shouldn’t). First up is Jack Morris who should be put in simply for being involved in the epic game 7 in the ‘91 World Series but when you have 254 career wins including three 20 win seasons and are generally the ace of many a championship team then surely that’s just gravy. He might not be a leap out and grab you candidate (a 3.90 ERA isn’t particularly wow), people with far worse moustaches have been enshrined.

The second in my mind really is a slam dunk candidate. 287 wins (25th most in MLB history) and 3701 K’s (5th best all time) leaves me wondering just how Bert Blyleven isn’t in the Hall? I mean come on!! He’s up there on so many of the lists that count and there aren’t many contemporaries from the same era who can say that.

Anyway, Sutter is in and well done to him but now this years vote is over we can look forward to next years ballot with some of the greats up for election like Harold Baines, Mark McGwire and Cal Ripken and the truly legendary Tony Gwynn (will he break the 95% mark?). Apparently hotels in Cooperstown have been taking reservations for the past five years in preparation for that.

A Few Minor Tid Bits

A couple of things have caught my eye around the minors in the last week.

The big story of course is that after a year of negotiation the Arizona Diamondbacks have signed last years number one overall pick Justin Upton. He will recieve a record signing bonus reported to be $6.1m and instantly will become one of the most prized minor league players around.

A genuine five tool player, and the younger brother of fellow blue chip prospect B.J. 'E6' Upton, he already has tremendous speed and his plate presence is remarkable for someone so young and Arizona will give him every opportunity to advance quickly through the system although how they handle both he and fellow first round pick (in 2004) Stephen Drew awaits to be seen.

Elsewhere the Angels conveyor belt of young talent looks to continue as the club has rewarded their top draft pick from last year, Jered Weaver, and Brandon Wood, who backed up his awesome year in the minors with a similarly brutish performance in the Arizona Fall League, with invites to Spring Training with the big club.

While Orlando Cabrera's presence might lead to Wood being given more time to season at Salt Lake, Weaver certainly has a good chance at breaking into the rotation with the departure of Jarrod Washburn to Seattle.

10 Things to Look Forward to in The New Year

10 The World Baseball Classic - Would be higher up the list but without Cuba and the start of people making excuses not to play are taking the luster off it.

9 The remodelled AL East - With Tampa looking to have a bolstered offence, Toronto making waves in the free agent market and the usual New York spending binge, things could be very interesting.

8 Delmon Young - Jeez if you don't know what I'm talking about then you don't read this blog enough!

7 What are the Red Sox going to do to catch up with the shifting powers in the AL East?

6 There will be an almighty dogfight between the Indians and ChiSox in the AL Central.

5 Start the sweepstake now! Who will breakdown first, the Dodger outfield or the Red Sox rotation?

4 The Brewers have the makings of a very exciting team and I'm already pegging them for the NL Central.

3 A strong class of first and second year pitchers looking to establish themselves including Felix Hernandez, Zach Duke, Francisco Liriano and Matt Cain.

2 The resolution of the Tejada and Manny merry-go-round.

1 Barry Bonds on the march to 755 and beyond.

Club vs Country vs the WBC

Following on from reading Richard's great post, felt I would give my view also:

The biggest comparison I can make is with the Football World Cup (that's real football folks, not the US one!) Even though in recent years, the salaries have rocketed, club football seems to have become more important, and tournaments like the Champion's League have flourished, it is still regarded as the pinnacle of a football player's career to represent his country in the World Cup, in fact, there will always be players who despite having had a great club career, will always rue the fact that they never got to play in a world cup (I'm thinking Ryan Giggs for example)

Therefore, I have to admit that given the talent NOT competing in the WBC, it doesn't really fill me with too much optimism for the future of the event. As Richard said, this is the inaugural event ... what an honour to be involved with it and represent your country. For the WBC to succeed, it need to capture the imagination of the public (and a global public at that) and the only way to do that is to have all the major talent involved. It needs to be seen as THE major baseball tournament, not just a rehab recovery tournament (Bonds?) or a long spring training work out for bit-part players. Hopefully MLB will learn from this first one, and will try it again, but I just don't know whether this will ever succeed if the players don't take the right attitude towards it - after all, if Ronaldhino and Rooney don't turn up in Germany because they don't want to risk their club careers, it will kinda taint the football World Cup, yeah?

My other concern is that even with the correct player attitude, maybe a whole month added onto a season for the WBC is a bit much, especially if you are a player on a team expected to make it into the post season ... maybe MLB could look at slightly shortening the season slightly during a WBC year, although I'm not sure how easy that would be!

Happy New Year

... to all readers of the blog! All the best for 2006

Cuban Response to WBC Omission

As a follow up to my views on Cuba being prevented from taking part in the upcoming World Baseball Classic I have just stunbled upon this letter which is the Cuban response to the US Treasury.

I think its points are well made and clear and certainly makes it clear how preposterous this decision is.

City of Havana, December 14, 2005

Mr. Paul Archey, First Vice President,
Baseball Major League,
New York, USA

Dear Archey:

Today, Wednesday afternoon we received a FAX from your office, informing us of a letter from Robert Warner, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) denying the Cuban national team participation in the World Baseball Classic.

The reasons alleged by the above-mentioned Office for that refusal are established in the shameful Regulation of the Control of Cuban Assets 31 CFR, section 515 of the Treasury Department.

For any half-rational person such a decision is absurd. Anger and political obstinacy are once again preventing the world from enjoying a genuinely representative universal baseball spectacular.

How can one talk of a World Baseball Classic when the Cuban team, the Olympic and World champion, is not represented?

We are defenders of baseball and of its significance for our peoples.

We cannot allow ourselves to be dragged along by the ultraconservative tendencies that characterize the current U.S. government.

Once again we are prepared to seek solutions and ways of evaluating the possible participation of our team.

Money is not the motive adduced by the OFAC for our interest in competing. We are a federation of a modest but dignified country; our only proposal is to cooperate so that baseball can continue to develop and attain its reinsertion in the Olympic Program in the near future. We have never competed for money.

With the objective of offering options, the Cuban Baseball Federation would be disposed to the money corresponding to its participation in the Classic to be destined to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Dear Mr. Archey, we should like to note that we appreciate as an ethic the position of the Major League and the Association of Major League Players, in respect to Cuba’s possible participation in the Classic.

Awaiting your response,

Yours sincerely,

Carlos Rodríguez Acosta
President

Club v Country - The big issue by Richard Meade

There have been a few tests of loyalty already this off-season what with Boston hero CF Johnny Damon choosing to go with the money and become a Yankee and Paul Konerko reportedly turning down more than the $60million five year deal that the White Sox offered him to stay in Chicago.

But the true test of loyalty is now upon us. Last week Hideki Matsui added his name to the list of players that will not be participating in the first World Baseball Classic in March. He cited the fact that he wanted to make sure he kept himself fresh and injury free to achieve his dream of earning a World Series with the Yankees.

The decision follows A-Rod's choice to become a spectator in order to try and repeat his MVP performance for the Bronx faithful. I, as you have probably already gathered, have a problem with this.

Now first of all I understand that the MLB season is long and arduous and that any kind of advantage that you can get over the course of the 162 game marathon can only be good. I also understand that the pressure for success on Yankees players is probably greater than those of any other team but despite this I still can't agree with players' decision.

First of all the World Baseball Classic is under a month in length and there are relatively few games to be played. Also there is an amazing amount of exclusivity connected to this championship. It's the first one ever - how can you turn down the chance to play in the first real global baseball competition ever.

But my biggest problem is the lack of pride these players seem to have. To be selected to play for your country should be an amazing thing, unturndownable if you will.
In almost every other sport the top players are more than happy to be selected for their national team and take pride in putting on their national colours and taking the field, court, track etc. I hope that the fact that no-one is getting paid for the tournament is not putting off these global superstars who have signed multi-million dollar contracts with the world's richest club, but part of me suspects that this is the case.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still looking forward to the event as are some of the biggest stars in the game such as Barry Bonds, David Ortiz, and Ichiro, but international competitions are meant to show off the biggest stars in the game and without them the tournament will feel slightly tainted.

ESPN programming on NASN?

I'm sure those of you that subscribe to NASN (not me, i don't sub when the baseball is off-season) will have noticed that there have been some issues with ESPN programmes. Reading various articles and the NASN site itself, seems the contract ran out, wasn't going to be renewed, but now a 3 month deal has been reached to continue with ESPN progs. However, on the NASN site under the MLB section header it has the following:

- Direct coverage from local US networks
- MLB's This week in Baseball

That doesn't fill me with too much hope! Firstly, I have to admit to preferring ESPN's coverage when compared to the local networks, like YES or NESN, which are often so biased that it spoils the game (i remember putting the volume down on one local broadcast of the Cubs last year - can't remember the network - as it was just so ridiculously one-sided) Secondly, whilst TWIB is an ok programme, the loss of Baseball Tonight would be a blow to NASN too

There have been rumours about ESPN starting their own channel, etc, etc - don't know if there is any truth in this, but i don't think anything that further dilutes the coverage of live Baseball on British screens could be a good thing. At the moment we have our 'entry level' terrestrial coverage that five do a decent job with, and if you want more, you can get NASN on Sky or Cable. Having two seperate pay channels diluting the coverage wouldn't be a good move ... so hopefully NASN can, as they hope to do, renegotiate a further contract with ESPN in the new year - whilst i don't think it will put me off subscribing during the ball season, i think it would taint the product slightly ... fingers crossed!

The future of terrestrial coverage in the UK?

Firstly, thanks to Pete J for getting me involved here!

Ok....for my first attempt at this, i'd like to talk about the future of Baseball coverage on UK television. Personally, i have only been following baseball for 3 years, and yes, i was attracted to the game through terrestrial coverage on five...and if i'm being honest, it was probably the mid-innings banter that kept my interest to begin with, before the sport grew on me.

Therefore, it would seem that this is probably the route that most people reading this would have taken to get into the game. Sadly though, the coverage on terrestrial tv seems to have become more precarious as the years have passed. Last season, five seemed to miss a few first pitches, etc, but the coverage was still good. However, this season (2005) has seen a further deterioration in 'getting on air in time' culminating with the loss of Wednesday night baseball to some free to air (but not available to all) satellite station.

This is worrying...not so much for my continuing enjoyment of the sport as i usually sub to NASN (or could take MLBtv - although i appreciate not everyone can) but more to the point that if MLB really are commited to expanding the sport worldwide, then surely terrestrial coverage is the only way it can really make an impact. You only have to look at how North American sports have struggled to impact on the UK: NFL Europe has been and gone, Basketball goes through it's phases....only Hockey has really had any sustained impact - bear in mind that all of these sports are easier to host facility-wise than baseball with it's custom pitches! With the upcoming WBC, it seems like MLB are serious, so hopefully we will have a clear middle ground between what MLB expect for their rights from terrestrial channels, and the price they would pay by not having any!

I'm still hopeful that five will continue their coverage next year, and one thing i tire of hearing on various forums i read, is that five's coverage is POOR! I think that is very unfair, as the production team and presenters do a fantastic job on what is probably a very small budget. What i think people really mean is that five's attitude to coverage that has been poor, missing first pitches, etc, but that is surely down to the station scheduling and management, not anything to do with the guys producing the show! I for one hope to see baseball back on five next year, and hopefully with a whole new attitude towards scheduling, as let's face it, it IS the entry-level to the sport of baseball for most people in the UK. Oh, and erm ... PS Can we get Wednesday night baseball back too?

Millwood a Ranger

We all know that The Rangers always have great hitting (its hard not to in the Arlington band box) and the thing that has kept them back in recent terms has been pitching.

Kevin Millwood was arguably the most desirable of this years free agent pitchers after a year in Cleveland which may have only seen him win 9 games but he posted an AL best ERA of 2.86 so you'd think this would be a great pick up for Texas, wouldn't you?

While I do rate Millwood as a pitcher, I am not convinced he has the right mental make up to be the ace that Texas need or maybe think they're getting. His best years in Atlanta were when the holy trinity of Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux were still there and as The Braves gave him more responsibility, their returns diminished. The same story in Philadelphia, they brought him in to be the ace that would see The Phils back into the postseason and he simply wasn't.

Last year Cleveland brought Millwood in after he got little attention in the free agent market and they simply expected him to be a middle rotation guy behind incumbents Sabathia and Westbrook and guess what, he had a great year.

Kevin Millwood is a good pitcher when expectations are low and responsibility is limited but while Texas might feel they are getting a guy who can get them over the hump and win the West, I do fear they might have picked up another Chan Ho Park.

Damon a Yankee

Everyone seems to be writing about this so I might as well do the same.

This deal really seems to be emblematic of the directions the Sox and Yankees seem to be going right now as New York is returning to its policy of throwing money at their problems and Boston are standing still while those around them retool and get better.

We'll start by looking at the guy New York are paying $13m a year for. Johnny Damon is a guy on the decline who has no arm in the outfield and I would a good example of how speed can help you make up for bad reads.

A lot of people like to make out that Damon is one of the best in the league but he really is just one of the best marketed players around. His lifetime OBP of .353 hardly stands out and 37 steals would boost your profile as an elite lead-off man...just not over two years.

So what are the Yanks getting for their money? Well Damon is another over payed guy who can bat lead-off and move Jeter into the two spot he belongs in and he also should provide some relative speed and consistency to a line-up that was very formidable already and will make them even more difficult to shut down.

Perhaps the main thing that Johnny Damon gives the Yankees is an energy guy as opposed to the endless line of brooding kill-joys (they like to be referred to as 'professional') and that should put more fight and intensity to a team that sometimes just looked like they just had to turn up to win.

And what of Boston?

Well the Sox now have next to no depth in the outfield and thats even if you include Manny who is supposedly going to be dealt (just like he was the last dozen times he put in a trade request). Also, with the additional loss of Renteria, almost completely depletes the team of any real speed and there was a reason why Ortiz and Ramirez have been able to post so many RBI the last few years.

Basically the Yanks are stocking up and the Sox are standing still while everyone else in the division retools and improves. New York have brought on another immovable contract who will burden the team in a couple of years time and Boston are falling into the basement of the AL East.

The List : #1 Ichiro

Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Seattle Mariners

Well here he is, the number one guy on The List ahead of Albert Pujols.

Ichiro Suzuki is just pure excitement on a baseball field. How many other guys have as many exciting ground outs as Ichiro? He could hit a simple dribbler to the pitcher and then you still think he might get on thanks to his electric speed out of the box and that unique batting style of his. The strange thing is, while you would never teach someone to hit like that when you break him down its not actually so unorthodox as he still keeps his head in and shifts his weight through the ball, its just at the point of contact his follow through leads his front foot up the line and as soon as the ball leaves his bat he’s running. Its just a truly revolutionary way to make the most out of his biggest asset; speed.

As exciting as he is offensively, its his defence that just blows you away. He is unrivalled in right field and you’d probably have to go as far back as Roberto Clemente to find anyone in the same league. He has amazing range and a laser guided rocket launcher of an arm. There might be a couple of guys who can throw harder but none of them have his accuracy. You just don’t even think of taking an extra base on Ichiro because he will fire it right on target in plenty of time. I will never forget how he cut down a guy tagging up to go to third on what looked like a routine sacrifice that would advance the runner without a problem. The ball never bounced and was on a line all the way.

Everything Ichiro does is exciting, the way he swings the bat, the way he runs the bases, the way he catches, the way he throws, just everything. He puts the ball in play and things happen and its all the things that make this game great.

The List : #2 Albert Pujols

Albert Pujols, 1B, St Louis Cardinals

Albert Pujols is the thinking mans slugger. The more you watch this guy hit the more you marvel at just how good he is. Everything you would ever teach someone about hitting is embodied in Albert Pujols. He’s quiet in the box, nicely balanced, in a great position to see the ball and when he gets something phat his hands just explode straight to the ball with a sweet swing that looks more like a lefty swing than a righty (left handed batters are sexy and you know it!) and his head never comes off the ball.

The greatest attribute he has is his ability to make adjustments. If you get him out one way you should just thank your lucky stars and go to something different because if you go there again he will punish you.

Further adding to his resumé as a perfect role model for prospective ball players is his impressive work rate. Since he started playing for the Cardinals he has played a few different positions before landing at first and the rate of improvement has been dramatic as he’s gone from being a bit suspect to looking like he could conceivably win a Gold Glove some day.

You should have known that he would be a grafter after being picked in the 13th round (unlucky for the teams that picked 401 guys ahead of him) and making it to the Majors two years after being drafted. He even steals bases now. What’s he going to let out of the bag next year? What else id there for him to excel at?

On top of all the performance and the great numbers he is one of the most affable guys in baseball who constantly deflects attention away from himself and is always quick to credit any success he has to the work of the guys around him. This is a true leader and the very definition of what a franchise player should be. Just oozes class all over and MLB should market the game around him as much as they can.

The List : #3 Delmon Young

Delmon Young, RF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Since being drafted first overall in the 2003 draft it really has been a matter of when, not if, Delmon Young will be a dominant offensive force in MLB. If it wasn’t for a very hesitant and limp front office over the last couple of years in Tampa, Young would not have had such a monster season in the minors but would have been ripping the ball in big league parks.

Upon signing after the draft Young stated that he would be with the D-Rays within his first pro season and has grown increasingly frustrated with his lack of opportunities to strut his stuff at the top level and with good reason as many commentators have stated that he is the best hitter in the entire organisation including the likes of Aubrey Huff and Carl Crawford.

The most impressive thing about him is how he makes adjustments and how he rises to the challenges laid before him. Before last season he was told he could probably steal more bags than he had been and responded by nearly having a 40/40 season.

After struggling a little in his first few weeks he soon had to be moved up to Double A in order to get any sort of challenge. He can take the ball out of any field to any part of the park and if he’s not Rookie of the Year in ‘06 then someone must have done something amazing or he must have gotten injured. This kid is like Mount St Helens, waiting to erupt and spread carnage throughout America.

Cuba Not Allowed to Compete in WBC

Who’d have thought it likely that the US government would mess in things that don’t really concern them? In one of the biggest advertisements of the American national past time, the US Treasury Department have said that they will not allow the Cubans to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic and I have to ask how this really affects the US government?

Of course we have the embargo on Cuba and relations between the two countries has been estranged for a while now but a game between Cuba and Baltimore went by without any real incident and the Cubans have participated in a number of Olympics and no one has kicked up a fuss, so why is it a problem now? They aren’t even scheduled to play any group games in America and wouldn’t even play a quarter final game there so the maximum number of games they would even play on US soil would be two so are they afraid the Cubans will storm through the tournament and then make some sort of sweeping statement in the semis and the final? Or maybe by taking part in the tournament the Cuban government will raise the funds and opportunity to stockpile nuclear warheads and start planning an attack upon Florida if Cuba don’t do well?

What’s more likely is that the ultra-territorial right wing government in the White House are just looking to flex some more political muscle on a left wing foe that has been thoroughly vilified over the years.

It would be an absolute travesty if Cuba were excluded from this tournament as they are undoubtedly one of the top baseball nations in the world and any tournament would be worse off for not having that sort of talent involved. Also, of all the nations that would take part Cuba have the most to prove as their amateur status is belittled against other professional sides and their success on an Olympic stage is often downplayed because they don’t get the chance to play against professionals.

This is almost like banning the French from the Olympics or maybe banning Detroit from the NHL, it is totally irrational and serves very little purpose other than to further exemplify the jingoistic foreign policy of the present regime in America. If we’re going to do things like this then why not bring back the reserve clause or the gentleman’s agreement?

Thankfully baseball officials have more sense of building bridges rather than burning them down and are pursuing a way to get this ban lifted and Cuba back into the WBC like they deserve to be but in the meantime this can only diminish the credibility of a tournament that needs as much credence as it can get if its intentions are to be realised. If the US wants to restrict Cuban nationals playing in the Majors and making a living in America that’s fine but to just blindly inhibit something so transient as a two week baseball tournament goes beyond politics and into the realms of pettyness. Hopefully someone with some common sense can sort this out.

The List : #4 Vladimir Guerrero

Vladimir Guerrero, RF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

How can anyone not love to see this guy play? Everything he does is maximum effort. If he was an amplifier he’d go up to eleven. Every time he swings a bat (which is whenever the ball doesn’t bounce to home plate) he’s looking to put the ball into orbit around Mars. Every time he throws the ball he looks to put the ball through the pocket of the receivers glove. When he steals a bag he wants to be there before he left.

This effervescent and prodigious talent on the field is a stark contrast to his character off it as he is renowned for being deeply private and shy of the bright lights and many see that as the main reason he wound up in Anaheim rather than New York (that and his mother was allegedly not fond of the place either). Before games he can be found in a corner of the room playing video games and he is rumoured to have consciously avoided learning too much English so he doesn’t have to deal with the press so much. All he wants to do is play ball and play as hard as he can.

The List : #5 Jim Thome

Jim Thome, 1B, Chicago White Sox

When the Indians drafted Thome in the 13th round of the 1989 draft they couldn’t have expected the kind of production they got out of him. Jim Thome is the size of a house and he swings big and when he makes contact (which is often) the ball tends to go a long way and when he misses he misses big. Since his debut in ‘91 he has 430 homeruns to his name and is one of those hitters who when he’s at the plate you know something is going to happen. But that’s not what gets him to fifth in this list.

A big guy who looms large in the clubhouse is an even bigger man in the community as he dedicates so much of his time to charitable causes, most notably the Steve Palermo Chapter of the National Paralysis Foundation. In response to his winning the Roberto Clemente Award in 2002 he said in typically humble tones, “I have never thought of my time in the community as work, but as my responsibility to spread my good fortune to those around me who are more deserving.”

Away from the NPF, Thome has served as co-chairman of the United Way Softball Slam, done countless fund raising events for the children’s home in his home town of Peoria and he and his wife dress as Mr and Mrs Santa Claus whilst organising a toy drive dedicated to disadvantaged kids. Needless to say there simply aren’t enough Jim Thome’s in the world.