It's opening day!!! Exactly 5 months after I attended Game 4 of the 2010 World Series in Arlington, TX, baseball that counts is back. I have previewed all the divisions and now it's time to take a look at who is going to the playoffs and who will win the big awards.
NL Cy Young Tim Lincecum
AL Cy Young Jon Lester
NL MVP Ryan Braun
AL MVP Adrian Gonzalez
NL East Atlanta Braves
NL Central Milwaukee Brewers
NL West San Francisco Giants
NL Wild Card Philadelphia Phillies
AL East Boston Red Sox
AL Central Chicago White Sox
AL West Los Angeles Angels
AL Wild Card Minnesota Twins
NLDS Braves over Brewers, Giants over Phillies
ALDS Red Sox over Twins, White Sox over Angels
NLCS Braves over Giants
ALCS Red Sox over White Sox
World Series Braves over Red Sox
The 2011 World Series will be a matchup of the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox. I know you're thinking I picked the Braves because I'm a huge fan, but I really think this team can get to the Fall Classic. The Red Sox are the favorite to win the World Series but I think the Braves will win in 2011, 4 games to 3. Happy Opening Day to everyone and let me know your predictions!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
2011 NL East Preview
I have been an Atlanta Braves fan since I was a little kid. 2011 may be the most excited I have ever been for the season to start. Fredi Gonzalez takes over as manager after a 21-year reign by Bobby Cox. He takes over a team that was 3rd overall last season in the NL with a 3.56 ERA. Tim Hudson was great and Derek Lowe won 16 games. Jair Jurrjens looks to rebound to 2009 form after being injured most of 2010. Tommy Hanson will have a breakout season and should become the ace of the pitching staff. Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel will take over the closing role, as Billy Wagner has retired. The bullpen has great arms and this pitching staff will rival the Giants as one of the best all around staffs in the National League. The Braves have added a slugging second baseman in Dan Uggla. He will provide much needed power to the Braves lineup. Jason Heyward looks to build on a great rookie performance and is on his way to becoming a superstar in the league. Freddie Freeman takes over at first base and should bring power hitting to all directions. Brian McCann and Chipper Jones are the veterans of the lineup. Chipper has had a great spring training and will be great at the plate, provided he can stay healthy. ThevBraves should be better at the plate in 2011, as they were only 6th in the National League last season with a .258 batting average. This is one of the best teams the Braves have had in years, and as a huge fan, I think they have a great chance at getting back to the World Series for the first time since 1999.
The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the scariest rotations I have ever seen in all my years of watching baseball. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt will win lots and lots of games. The Phillies have a decent bullpen and should have a decent closer, whoever they decide to throw out there with Brad Lidge being injured. The Phillies will struggle offensively. Ryan Howard is the offensive leader of the team, but with the injury to Chase Utley there is not much power in this Phillies lineup. Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins will have to be better this season for the Phillies to score runs. They may not need to score many though because of their great pitching. The Phillies and Braves will be a 2-team race for the NL East in 2011.
The Washington Nationals will be one of the most improved teams in baseball. Jayson Werth is a nice addition to the club and will protect Ryan Zimmerman in the lineup. Adam LaRoche has consistently hit 25 homeruns the past 3 seasons and will provide some extra power to the Nationals lineup. The Nationals starting pitching is not great. Livan Hernandez, John Lannan, and Jordan Zimmermann will try to pitch solid enough to get the ball to a decent National’s bullpen. Drew Storen should be good at closing out games.
Hanley Ramirez and Mike Stanton will be the offensive leaders for the Florida Marlins in 2011. Stanton will hit a lot of homeruns but needs to cut down on his strikeouts to be an effective hitter. Gaby Sanchez had a great rookie year in 2010 and looks to build on his 19 homerun/85 RBI season. Josh Johnson is the leader of the Marlin’s pitching staff. He is a potential Cy Young winner if he can stay healthy. Anibal Sanchez is a quality starter and Javier Vazquez comes back to the Marlins after pitching for the Yankees in 2010. The Marlins have a decent bullpen and should be a scrappy team in the NL East.
The New York Mets are riddled with front office issues and have had a tumultuous spring training. On the baseball field the Mets won’t be very good. David Wright and Jose Reyes will lead a very weak Met’s offense. Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese, R.A. Dickey, Chris Young, and Chris Capuano will try to get things done for the Mets. Who knows what the Mets will get from Johan Santana when he comes back from injury. The Mets will finish at the bottom of the NL East in 2011.
Projected Standings:
Atlanta Braves 94-68
Philadelphia Phillies 90-72
Washington Nationals 75-87
Florida Marlins 73-89
New York Mets 69-93
The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the scariest rotations I have ever seen in all my years of watching baseball. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt will win lots and lots of games. The Phillies have a decent bullpen and should have a decent closer, whoever they decide to throw out there with Brad Lidge being injured. The Phillies will struggle offensively. Ryan Howard is the offensive leader of the team, but with the injury to Chase Utley there is not much power in this Phillies lineup. Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins will have to be better this season for the Phillies to score runs. They may not need to score many though because of their great pitching. The Phillies and Braves will be a 2-team race for the NL East in 2011.
The Washington Nationals will be one of the most improved teams in baseball. Jayson Werth is a nice addition to the club and will protect Ryan Zimmerman in the lineup. Adam LaRoche has consistently hit 25 homeruns the past 3 seasons and will provide some extra power to the Nationals lineup. The Nationals starting pitching is not great. Livan Hernandez, John Lannan, and Jordan Zimmermann will try to pitch solid enough to get the ball to a decent National’s bullpen. Drew Storen should be good at closing out games.
Hanley Ramirez and Mike Stanton will be the offensive leaders for the Florida Marlins in 2011. Stanton will hit a lot of homeruns but needs to cut down on his strikeouts to be an effective hitter. Gaby Sanchez had a great rookie year in 2010 and looks to build on his 19 homerun/85 RBI season. Josh Johnson is the leader of the Marlin’s pitching staff. He is a potential Cy Young winner if he can stay healthy. Anibal Sanchez is a quality starter and Javier Vazquez comes back to the Marlins after pitching for the Yankees in 2010. The Marlins have a decent bullpen and should be a scrappy team in the NL East.
The New York Mets are riddled with front office issues and have had a tumultuous spring training. On the baseball field the Mets won’t be very good. David Wright and Jose Reyes will lead a very weak Met’s offense. Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese, R.A. Dickey, Chris Young, and Chris Capuano will try to get things done for the Mets. Who knows what the Mets will get from Johan Santana when he comes back from injury. The Mets will finish at the bottom of the NL East in 2011.
Projected Standings:
Atlanta Braves 94-68
Philadelphia Phillies 90-72
Washington Nationals 75-87
Florida Marlins 73-89
New York Mets 69-93
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
2011 AL Central Preview
This preview will be a little shorter than the rest since I'm running out of time, but it should get the point across...
The AL Central will be one of the closest divisions in 2011. The Minnesota Twins won 94 games in 2010 and Joe Mauer and company will once again be a force in the AL Central. Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano are at the top of the rotation and Joe Nathan looks to come back to close games out after having Tommy John surgery.
The Chicago White Sox will also be in contention in 2011. For their preview, see my previous blog entry.
The Detroit Tigers have the pitching to win this division. Justin Verlander has had a phenomenal spring and Max Scherzer was one of the best pitchers in the league at the end of the 2010 season. Miguel Cabrera leads the Tigers offensively, and they should have a very potent offense.
The Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals will battle for 4th place in the AL Central. Neither team should be a threat in the division. Shin-Soo Choo and Joakim Soria are two solid players and you should definitely pick them up if you have a fantasy baseball team.
Projected Standings:
Chicago White Sox 91-71
Minnesota Twins 90-72
Detroit Tigers 85-77
Kansas City Royals 66-96
Cleveland Indians 64-98
The AL Central will be one of the closest divisions in 2011. The Minnesota Twins won 94 games in 2010 and Joe Mauer and company will once again be a force in the AL Central. Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano are at the top of the rotation and Joe Nathan looks to come back to close games out after having Tommy John surgery.
The Chicago White Sox will also be in contention in 2011. For their preview, see my previous blog entry.
The Detroit Tigers have the pitching to win this division. Justin Verlander has had a phenomenal spring and Max Scherzer was one of the best pitchers in the league at the end of the 2010 season. Miguel Cabrera leads the Tigers offensively, and they should have a very potent offense.
The Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals will battle for 4th place in the AL Central. Neither team should be a threat in the division. Shin-Soo Choo and Joakim Soria are two solid players and you should definitely pick them up if you have a fantasy baseball team.
Projected Standings:
Chicago White Sox 91-71
Minnesota Twins 90-72
Detroit Tigers 85-77
Kansas City Royals 66-96
Cleveland Indians 64-98
2011 NL Central Preview
The Cincinnati Reds will take the field in 2011 as the team to beat in the NL Central. Dusty Baker's squad won 91 games last season but failed to win a game in the postseason. The Reds led the NL in homeruns last season with 188, with 2010 MVP Joey Votto hitting 37 of those. The Reds will field basically the same lineup in 2011, so look for them to be an offensive force again. The weak spot of the Reds is starting pitching. Edinson Volquez, Travis Wood, Mike Leake, and Johnny Cueto are 4 promising young starters. They are the key to the Reds making another playoff run this season. Aroldis Chapman and Francisco Cordero will be solid in the 8th and 9th innings if the starters and bullpen can get them there with the lead.
The Milwaukee Brewers added a few new pieces for 2011. Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum will join Yovani Gallardo in the rotation, and these 3 will pile up the strikeouts. The Brewers ranked 14 out of 16 NL teams in ERA last season with a 4.59. They will be better in 2011. Offensively the Brewers are led by Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Corey Hart, Casey McGehee, and Rickie Weeks are very good hitters as well and will make this team very exciting to watch.
The loss of starting pitcher Adam Wainwright will hurt the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. Chris Carpenter and Jake Westbrook lead the staff and Jaime Garcia will try to repeat his awesome 2010 season. Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday lead the way offensively, and Colby Rasmus should become a household name for NL Central fans this season. If the Cardinals get decent pitching, then they will make a run at the NL Central title.
The Houston Astros could be one of the worst teams in baseball in 2011. Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, and Brandon Lyon are nice pitchers but nothing special. Hunter Pence and Chris Johnson are the bright spots on offense for the Astros. Michael Bourn will steal lots of bases and Carlos Lee should hit better than .246. The pitching is just not there for the Astros to compete.
For a preview of the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, see my previous blog entries.
Projected Standings:
Milwaukee Brewers 88-74
Cincinnati Reds 87-75
St. Louis Cardinals 82-80
Chicago Cubs 81-81
Pittsburgh Pirates 65-97
Houston Astros 63-99
The Milwaukee Brewers added a few new pieces for 2011. Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum will join Yovani Gallardo in the rotation, and these 3 will pile up the strikeouts. The Brewers ranked 14 out of 16 NL teams in ERA last season with a 4.59. They will be better in 2011. Offensively the Brewers are led by Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Corey Hart, Casey McGehee, and Rickie Weeks are very good hitters as well and will make this team very exciting to watch.
The loss of starting pitcher Adam Wainwright will hurt the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. Chris Carpenter and Jake Westbrook lead the staff and Jaime Garcia will try to repeat his awesome 2010 season. Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday lead the way offensively, and Colby Rasmus should become a household name for NL Central fans this season. If the Cardinals get decent pitching, then they will make a run at the NL Central title.
The Houston Astros could be one of the worst teams in baseball in 2011. Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, and Brandon Lyon are nice pitchers but nothing special. Hunter Pence and Chris Johnson are the bright spots on offense for the Astros. Michael Bourn will steal lots of bases and Carlos Lee should hit better than .246. The pitching is just not there for the Astros to compete.
For a preview of the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, see my previous blog entries.
Projected Standings:
Milwaukee Brewers 88-74
Cincinnati Reds 87-75
St. Louis Cardinals 82-80
Chicago Cubs 81-81
Pittsburgh Pirates 65-97
Houston Astros 63-99
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
2011 NL West Preview
The 2011 National League West will be a 4-team race. The 2010 World Series champion San Francisco Giants are the preseason favorites. Their roster basically stays the same for 2011 with the exception of Miguel Tejada playing shortstop instead of Juan Uribe, who is now with the Dodgers. Led by Tim Lincecum, the Giants look to once again have the best ERA in baseball and get back to the World Series.
The Colorado Rockies have a great offense. They finished second in the National League in team batting average last season. MVP candidates Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez will both have great seasons. The Rockies will have to pitch better to have a chance at the playoffs. Ubaldo Jimenez was great in 2010, but beyond that the Rockies just didn't pitch well. They will have to be better than 12th in the NL to make a run at the postseason.
The Padres and Dodgers could also make a run at the division title in 2011. For previews on these two teams check out my previous blog entries.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in rebuilding mode once again in 2011. Will they surpass their 65 wins from a season ago? Chris Young and Justin Upton will need to have great seasons at the plate for this to happen. Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson are two young pitchers who look to be the aces of the staff. They will gain valuable experience this season and this will help for the years to come. Don't look for the Diamondbacks to compete in 2011.
Projected standings:
San Francisco Giants 94-68
Colorado Rockies 85-77
Los Angeles Dodgers 82-80
San Diego Padres 76-86
Arizona Diamondbacks 65-97
The Colorado Rockies have a great offense. They finished second in the National League in team batting average last season. MVP candidates Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez will both have great seasons. The Rockies will have to pitch better to have a chance at the playoffs. Ubaldo Jimenez was great in 2010, but beyond that the Rockies just didn't pitch well. They will have to be better than 12th in the NL to make a run at the postseason.
The Padres and Dodgers could also make a run at the division title in 2011. For previews on these two teams check out my previous blog entries.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in rebuilding mode once again in 2011. Will they surpass their 65 wins from a season ago? Chris Young and Justin Upton will need to have great seasons at the plate for this to happen. Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson are two young pitchers who look to be the aces of the staff. They will gain valuable experience this season and this will help for the years to come. Don't look for the Diamondbacks to compete in 2011.
Projected standings:
San Francisco Giants 94-68
Colorado Rockies 85-77
Los Angeles Dodgers 82-80
San Diego Padres 76-86
Arizona Diamondbacks 65-97
2011 AL East Preview
The New York Yankees have missed the playoffs one time since the strike-shortened 1994 season. Will 2011 be the second time? The Yankees have two solid starters in CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes. With the retirement of Andy Pettitte, the Yankees will try to replace his 11 wins with A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova, and Freddy Garcia. The Yankees' bullpen is solid but starting pitching will be the key to winning for the Yankees if they are going to make a playoff run in 2011. Offensively the Yankees will be potent once again. Derek Jeter will become the first ever Yankee with 3,000 hits, which is a remarkable statistic to me, seeing as how many great players the Yankees have had over the years. Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, and MVP candidate Robinson Cano will provide the power for the Yankees. As great as this lineup is, it may not be the best in the division.
The Boston Red Sox are the preseason favorites to win the 2011 World Series. The Red Sox won 89 games last season, which is remarkable considering the amount of injuries they had. This season they have added Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to the lineup. With a healthy Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Kevin Youkilis, this team will score plenty of runs. Jon Lester is the ace of the pitching staff and Josh Beckett looks to return to ace form after being injured and having a rough 2010 season. Closer Jonathan Papelbon may be the weakest part of the Red Sox team. If he struggles, look for the Red Sox to turn to Daniel Bard to close out games.
The Tampa Bay Rays should finish 3rd in the division. They have the pitching to compete and have added Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon to the lineup, but Ramirez and Damon aren't the players they used to be. The Rays could be a surprise and contend with the Yankees for the Wild Card. The Baltimore Orioles have added some bats under new manager Buck Showalter. Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Reynolds, and Derrek Lee join Luke Scott as players who will bash homeruns for the Orioles. They will be a fun team to watch, but the Orioles are playing in the AL East and won't pitch well enough to survive. The Toronto Blue Jays will be a competitive team as well. They have really good starting pitching with Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil. They had the most homeruns in baseball last season with Jose Bautista leading the majors with 54 long balls. The Blue Jays could easily win 85 games again in 2011 as they did in 2010, but will it be enough? The AL East has 4 really good teams and should be a fun division to watch in 2011.
Projected standings:
Boston Red Sox 102-60
New York Yankees 88-74
Tampa Bay Rays 84-78
Toronto Blue Jays 83-79
Baltimore Orioles 72-90
The Boston Red Sox are the preseason favorites to win the 2011 World Series. The Red Sox won 89 games last season, which is remarkable considering the amount of injuries they had. This season they have added Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford to the lineup. With a healthy Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Kevin Youkilis, this team will score plenty of runs. Jon Lester is the ace of the pitching staff and Josh Beckett looks to return to ace form after being injured and having a rough 2010 season. Closer Jonathan Papelbon may be the weakest part of the Red Sox team. If he struggles, look for the Red Sox to turn to Daniel Bard to close out games.
The Tampa Bay Rays should finish 3rd in the division. They have the pitching to compete and have added Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon to the lineup, but Ramirez and Damon aren't the players they used to be. The Rays could be a surprise and contend with the Yankees for the Wild Card. The Baltimore Orioles have added some bats under new manager Buck Showalter. Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Reynolds, and Derrek Lee join Luke Scott as players who will bash homeruns for the Orioles. They will be a fun team to watch, but the Orioles are playing in the AL East and won't pitch well enough to survive. The Toronto Blue Jays will be a competitive team as well. They have really good starting pitching with Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil. They had the most homeruns in baseball last season with Jose Bautista leading the majors with 54 long balls. The Blue Jays could easily win 85 games again in 2011 as they did in 2010, but will it be enough? The AL East has 4 really good teams and should be a fun division to watch in 2011.
Projected standings:
Boston Red Sox 102-60
New York Yankees 88-74
Tampa Bay Rays 84-78
Toronto Blue Jays 83-79
Baltimore Orioles 72-90
Monday, March 28, 2011
2011 AL West Preview
The Texas Rangers will miss the playoffs in 2011. There is no way these Rangers pitch as well as they did in 2010. C.J. Wilson led Rangers starters in 2010 with a 3.35 ERA. Matt Harrison and Derek Holland join the rotation full-time this season. They will join Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter in trying to pitch the Rangers back to the World Series. Offensively the Rangers have added Adrian Beltre and subtracted Vladimir Guerrero. They were the best in the AL in batting average in 2010 and should rank near the top again in 2011. Pitching will be the question mark for the Rangers in 2011 and I just don't see them being good enough to get back to the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Angels will win the AL West in 2011. They were 80-82 last season in what seemed like a horrible season. Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana will each win at least 15 games and should pitch the Angels to the division title. The Angels have added Vernon Wells to their outfield this season. He is a "Ranger killer" and him, Torii Hunter, and Kendrys Morales will each have over 20 homeruns.
The Oakland Athletics were 81-81 in 2010 with a horrible offense. They aren't much better on offense this season. They add Hideki Matsui and Josh Willingham to the lineup in 2011 (yawn). Pitching is the key to success for the Athletics. Last year they had the best team ERA in the American League, at 3.58. Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez are the aces of the staff and will need to be again in 2011 for the A's to be competitive in the division.
The Seattle Mariners will be better in 2011. Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez will need to pitch great again and will have to get help from the other starters and most importantly, from the offense. I am most looking forward to young pitcher Michael Pineda joining the rotation. He has been great in the spring and should do well in his rookie season.
Projected Standings:
Los Angeles Angels 91-71
Texas Rangers 84-78
Oakland Athletics 79-83
Seattle Mariners 77-85
I'd love to hear what you think about this...Add your comments below!
The Los Angeles Angels will win the AL West in 2011. They were 80-82 last season in what seemed like a horrible season. Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, and Ervin Santana will each win at least 15 games and should pitch the Angels to the division title. The Angels have added Vernon Wells to their outfield this season. He is a "Ranger killer" and him, Torii Hunter, and Kendrys Morales will each have over 20 homeruns.
The Oakland Athletics were 81-81 in 2010 with a horrible offense. They aren't much better on offense this season. They add Hideki Matsui and Josh Willingham to the lineup in 2011 (yawn). Pitching is the key to success for the Athletics. Last year they had the best team ERA in the American League, at 3.58. Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez are the aces of the staff and will need to be again in 2011 for the A's to be competitive in the division.
The Seattle Mariners will be better in 2011. Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez will need to pitch great again and will have to get help from the other starters and most importantly, from the offense. I am most looking forward to young pitcher Michael Pineda joining the rotation. He has been great in the spring and should do well in his rookie season.
Projected Standings:
Los Angeles Angels 91-71
Texas Rangers 84-78
Oakland Athletics 79-83
Seattle Mariners 77-85
I'd love to hear what you think about this...Add your comments below!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Chicago White Sox
The 2011 Chicago White Sox will be part of a 3-team race with the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers for the American League Central title. Adam Dunn joins the White Sox this season after crushing 38 homeruns for the Washington Nationals in 2010. Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin also look to hit 30+ homeruns for the White Sox, in what will be one of the most dangerous lineups in all of baseball. Shortstop Alexei Ramirez could have a breakout season and top 25 homeruns and hit over .300. Outfielders Alex Rios and Juan Pierre bring the speed to the lineup. Pierre led all MLB players last year with 68 stolen bases.
John Danks, Gavin Floyd, and Mark Buehrle are 3 solid starters. If Jake Peavy can get healthy and Edwin Jackson pitches like he did for Detroit in 2009, then this will be one of the best rotations in all of baseball. Matt Thornton takes over at closer in 2011. He has been a solid relief pitcher for the White Sox since 2006 and struck out 12 batters per 9 innings pitched last season.
Ozzie Guillen should be happy about his 2011 Chicago White Sox. They should win 90+ games and be playing baseball in October.
Projected starters:
C A.J. Pierzynski
1B Paul Konerko
2B Gordon Beckham
3B Brent Morel
SS Alexei Ramirez
LF Juan Pierre
CF Alex Rios
RF Carlos Quentin
DH Adam Dunn
P Mark Buehrle
P Gavin Floyd
P John Danks
P Jake Peavy
P Edwin Jackson
John Danks, Gavin Floyd, and Mark Buehrle are 3 solid starters. If Jake Peavy can get healthy and Edwin Jackson pitches like he did for Detroit in 2009, then this will be one of the best rotations in all of baseball. Matt Thornton takes over at closer in 2011. He has been a solid relief pitcher for the White Sox since 2006 and struck out 12 batters per 9 innings pitched last season.
Ozzie Guillen should be happy about his 2011 Chicago White Sox. They should win 90+ games and be playing baseball in October.
Projected starters:
C A.J. Pierzynski
1B Paul Konerko
2B Gordon Beckham
3B Brent Morel
SS Alexei Ramirez
LF Juan Pierre
CF Alex Rios
RF Carlos Quentin
DH Adam Dunn
P Mark Buehrle
P Gavin Floyd
P John Danks
P Jake Peavy
P Edwin Jackson
San Diego Padres
Can the San Diego Padres repeat their 2010 season and win 90 games in the 2011 season? The 2010 Padres were all about pitching. Their team ERA ranked 2nd in the National League. Clayton Richard, Jon Garland, and Mat Latos all had 14 wins. Their bullpen was among the best in the National League. The Padres will have to replace Garland this season, and look to do so in bringing up a former reliever, Tim Stauffer, to the rotation. He actually started 7 games at the end of the 2010 season and was great, posting a 1.87 ERA. If Stauffer can be a quality third starter and the Padres can get decent performances from their 4th and 5th starters, they will be just fine. The bullpen features Heath Bell, who had 47 saves in 2010. Bell, Luke Gregerson, and Joe Thatcher all had over 10 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched in 2010. Mike Adams posted a SO/9 rate of 9.9. These guys will be solid again in 2011.
The Padres were next to last in team batting average last season in the National League. There are plenty of new faces offensively for the Padres in 2011. Replacing Adrian Gonzalez at first base is Brad Hawpe. Orlando Hudson (2B), Jason Bartlett (SS), and Cameron Maybin (CF) join the 2011 Padres and will look to add life to the offense. Losing Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox will really hurt this team's power. Ryan Ludwick had 17 homeruns last season, but only hit 6 as a member of the Padres. Will Venable only had 13. Petco Park is a huge field and the Padres will have to rely on speed and timely hitting to score runs. I don't see the Padres scoring enough runs this season to get to 90 wins again.
Projected starters:
C Nick Hundley
1B Brad Hawpe
2B Orlando Hudson
3B Chase Headley
SS Jason Bartlett
LF Ryan Ludwick
CF Cameron Maybin
RF Will Venable
P Mat Latos
P Clayton Richard
P Tim Stauffer
P Dustin Moseley
P Cory Luebke
(stats from baseball-reference.com)
The Padres were next to last in team batting average last season in the National League. There are plenty of new faces offensively for the Padres in 2011. Replacing Adrian Gonzalez at first base is Brad Hawpe. Orlando Hudson (2B), Jason Bartlett (SS), and Cameron Maybin (CF) join the 2011 Padres and will look to add life to the offense. Losing Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox will really hurt this team's power. Ryan Ludwick had 17 homeruns last season, but only hit 6 as a member of the Padres. Will Venable only had 13. Petco Park is a huge field and the Padres will have to rely on speed and timely hitting to score runs. I don't see the Padres scoring enough runs this season to get to 90 wins again.
Projected starters:
C Nick Hundley
1B Brad Hawpe
2B Orlando Hudson
3B Chase Headley
SS Jason Bartlett
LF Ryan Ludwick
CF Cameron Maybin
RF Will Venable
P Mat Latos
P Clayton Richard
P Tim Stauffer
P Dustin Moseley
P Cory Luebke
(stats from baseball-reference.com)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers
Don Mattingly takes over for Joe Torre as the manager of the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers finished 4th place in a very competitive NL West last season with a record of 80-82. The team struggled offensively in 2010. Center fielder Matt Kemp hit a career-high 28 homeruns but hit a career-worst .249. Andre Ethier and James Loney each drove in over 80 runs last year and will need to do the same in 2011 for the Dodgers to return to the playoffs. Juan Uribe is a new addition to the Dodgers, coming over to play second base after playing shortstop for the world champion San Francisco Giants last season. Uribe and fellow newcomer Marcus Thames will provide more power for the 2011 Dodgers.
The Dodgers have a solid starting rotation. Clayton Kershaw is a potential Cy Young Award candidate. He has ranked 1st and 4th over the past two seasons in hits per 9 innings pitched and also had over 200 strikeouts last season. He will only be 23 years old this season and will only get better as he learns more and becomes more comfortable. Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, and Hiroki Kuroda pitched well in 2010, all with ERAs near 3.50. The Dodgers' bullpen needs to be better in 2011. A big storyline so far this spring is whether or not closer Jonathan Broxton will revert to the Broxton of 2009, a season in which he had 36 saves. If he struggles, Hong-Chih Kuo and Kenley Jansen are in line to take over.
The NL West will once again be a very competitive division and I see the Dodgers winning 82-85 games this season.
Projected starters:
C Rod Barajas
1B James Loney
2B Juan Uribe
3B Casey Blake
SS Rafael Furcal
LF Marcus Thames
CF Matt Kemp
RF Andre Ethier
P Clayton Kershaw
P Chad Billingsley
P Ted Lilly
P Hiroki Kuroda
P Jon Garland
The Dodgers have a solid starting rotation. Clayton Kershaw is a potential Cy Young Award candidate. He has ranked 1st and 4th over the past two seasons in hits per 9 innings pitched and also had over 200 strikeouts last season. He will only be 23 years old this season and will only get better as he learns more and becomes more comfortable. Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, and Hiroki Kuroda pitched well in 2010, all with ERAs near 3.50. The Dodgers' bullpen needs to be better in 2011. A big storyline so far this spring is whether or not closer Jonathan Broxton will revert to the Broxton of 2009, a season in which he had 36 saves. If he struggles, Hong-Chih Kuo and Kenley Jansen are in line to take over.
The NL West will once again be a very competitive division and I see the Dodgers winning 82-85 games this season.
Projected starters:
C Rod Barajas
1B James Loney
2B Juan Uribe
3B Casey Blake
SS Rafael Furcal
LF Marcus Thames
CF Matt Kemp
RF Andre Ethier
P Clayton Kershaw
P Chad Billingsley
P Ted Lilly
P Hiroki Kuroda
P Jon Garland
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Seattle Mariners
Before the 2010 season, many baseball experts picked the Seattle Mariners to be one of the best teams in the American League. After all was said and done, the Mariners finished with a 61-101 record, which was the worst record in the American League. The 2010 Mariners were offensively challenged. Ichiro Suzuki hit .315, but nobody else contributed. The Mariners ranked last in every offensive category that mattered in the American League in 2010. If the Mariners are going to make some noise in the AL West this season, they simply have to hit better. Chone Figgins looks to rebound after having an awful first season in Seattle. Justin Smoak will try to live up to all the hype he received in Texas before being traded to the Mariners in the Cliff Lee deal. Jack Cust looks to bring some power to the lineup.
The Mariners pitching staff is led by 2010 Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez. Hernandez was dominant in 2010 but only went 13-12, which was due to the team's offensive struggles. New manager Eric Wedge inherits a pitching staff that ranked 4th in 2010 with a 3.95 ERA. If Doug Fister and Jason Vargas pitch as well as they did in 2010, they should put up more wins in 2011. The Mariners also have a young pitching prospect named Michael Pineda. Pineda has pitched well this spring and could very easily turn into the Mariner's second best starter.
Look for the Mariners to rebound in 2011 and be competitive in what should be a very good AL West race. With even a slight increase in offensive productivity, the Mariners could easily win 80-85 games this season.
Projected starters:
C Miguel Olivo
1B Justin Smoak
2B Brendan Ryan
3B Chone Figgins
SS Jack Wilson
LF Michael Saunders
CF Franklin Gutierrez
RF Ichiro Suzuki
DH Jack Cust
P Felix Hernandez
P Jason Vargas
P Doug Fister
P Erik Bedard
P Michael Pineda
The Mariners pitching staff is led by 2010 Cy Young winner Felix Hernandez. Hernandez was dominant in 2010 but only went 13-12, which was due to the team's offensive struggles. New manager Eric Wedge inherits a pitching staff that ranked 4th in 2010 with a 3.95 ERA. If Doug Fister and Jason Vargas pitch as well as they did in 2010, they should put up more wins in 2011. The Mariners also have a young pitching prospect named Michael Pineda. Pineda has pitched well this spring and could very easily turn into the Mariner's second best starter.
Look for the Mariners to rebound in 2011 and be competitive in what should be a very good AL West race. With even a slight increase in offensive productivity, the Mariners could easily win 80-85 games this season.
Projected starters:
C Miguel Olivo
1B Justin Smoak
2B Brendan Ryan
3B Chone Figgins
SS Jack Wilson
LF Michael Saunders
CF Franklin Gutierrez
RF Ichiro Suzuki
DH Jack Cust
P Felix Hernandez
P Jason Vargas
P Doug Fister
P Erik Bedard
P Michael Pineda
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have had 18 consecutive losing seasons. Last season they lost 105 games. Only 6 Pirates teams have had a worse winning percentage since the franchise joined the American Association in 1882 as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. Your 2011 Pirates have a new manager yet again to try and right the always-sinking Pirate ship. Clint Hurdle comes to the Pirates after spending last season as the Texas Ranger's hitting coach. Hurdle managed the Colorado Rockies from 2002 to 2009, leading the Rockies to the World Series in 2007.
The Pirates do have one of the games brightest young stars in Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen is lightning quick, as he stole 33 bases last season. He can be seen nearly every night making highlight-reel catches in the outfield. Beyond McCutchen the Pirates will have to hope that youngsters Jose tabata, Pedro Alvarez, and Neil Walker can all live up to their hype and produce big numbers. Right fielder Garrett Jones needs to do better than his .247 average from a year ago, and also needs to hit 30-40 homeruns to give this club a chance to win.
The Pirates starting pitching can be summed up in one word: bad. James McDonald finished the season nicely last season and a nice article about him can be read here. The Pirates bullpen can close out games if they have the lead late in the game. Evan Meek was a very good setup man last year and Joel Hanrahan looks to be a solid closer.
Will this team be better in 2011? Probably. Will they have another losing season? Definitely. Hopefully Clint Hurdle will take baby steps in 2011 to pull this team out of its misery of the last 2 decades and set the franchise up for success in the near future.
Projected startes:
C Chris Snyder
1B Lyle Overbay
2B Neil Walker
3B Pedro Alvarez
SS Ronny Cedeno
LF Jose Tabata
CF Andrew McCutchen
RF Garrett Jones
P James McDonald
P Paul Maholm
P Ross Ohlendorf
P Kevin Correia
P Craig Morton
The Pirates do have one of the games brightest young stars in Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen is lightning quick, as he stole 33 bases last season. He can be seen nearly every night making highlight-reel catches in the outfield. Beyond McCutchen the Pirates will have to hope that youngsters Jose tabata, Pedro Alvarez, and Neil Walker can all live up to their hype and produce big numbers. Right fielder Garrett Jones needs to do better than his .247 average from a year ago, and also needs to hit 30-40 homeruns to give this club a chance to win.
The Pirates starting pitching can be summed up in one word: bad. James McDonald finished the season nicely last season and a nice article about him can be read here. The Pirates bullpen can close out games if they have the lead late in the game. Evan Meek was a very good setup man last year and Joel Hanrahan looks to be a solid closer.
Will this team be better in 2011? Probably. Will they have another losing season? Definitely. Hopefully Clint Hurdle will take baby steps in 2011 to pull this team out of its misery of the last 2 decades and set the franchise up for success in the near future.
Projected startes:
C Chris Snyder
1B Lyle Overbay
2B Neil Walker
3B Pedro Alvarez
SS Ronny Cedeno
LF Jose Tabata
CF Andrew McCutchen
RF Garrett Jones
P James McDonald
P Paul Maholm
P Ross Ohlendorf
P Kevin Correia
P Craig Morton
Monday, March 7, 2011
Pat Knight fired
Pat Knight has been fired as the Texas Tech men's basketball coach after 3 seasons. Texas Tech President Guy Bailey stated that "it was time to make a change within our men’s basketball program”. Tech was 13-18 overall this season and 5-11 in Big 12 play. Knight will coach the team in the Big 12 tournament. Stay tuned for discussion about who the next Texas Tech men's basketball coach should be. As a side note, new Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt was told about this decision by Guy Bailey. Hocutt really has a chance to make a name for himself by hiring the right guy to take over.
Chicago Cubs
As stated in my previous entry, I will be previewing all 30 MLB teams before the 2011 regular season begins (in no particular order).
First up are the Chicago Cubs. Will the 2011 Cubs be the first Cubs team since 1945 to go to the World Series? That is highly doubtful. However, the Cubs finished the season 24-13 under then interim manager Mike Quade, which was the best record in baseball during that 37-game stretch. Quade is back as the full-time manager and has a tough job ahead. The NL Central isn't a particularly strong division, but the Cubs aren't a particularly strong team. Their starting pitching is mediocre. Ryan Dempster lead the Cubs with 15 wins last season. Matt Garza has joined the team after being traded by the Tampa Bay Rays. Garza is a nice addition to the pitching staff and should be the Cub's ace this year. Who knows what the Cubs will get out of Carlos Silva and Carlos Zambrano in the 2011 season. Neither were very impressive last season. The Cubs will win a lot if they can take a lead into the 9th inning. Carlos Marmol had 38 saves last season. He walks too many people but his stuff is just nasty.
Offensively, the Cubs brought in Carlos Pena to take over at first base. Pena hit 28 homeruns last year with a batting average of .196 (yikes!). Will young shortstop Starlin Castro hit .300 again. Will Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano be productive? Both are past their prime but will need to be productive for the Cubs to succeed. Outfielder Tyler Colvin, one of my favorite young players, should be better this season after putting up good numbers in his rookie year. The Cubs will look to steal more bases this year, according to this article.
The Cubs will score lots of runs, but will also give up lots of runs. Will they surpass their 2010 win total of 75? I say they will be right around the same total.
Projected Starters:
C Geovany Soto
1B Carlos Pena
2B Blake DeWitt
3B Aramis Ramirez
SS Starlin Castro
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF Marlon Byrd
RF Kosuke Fukudome/Tyler Colvin
P Ryan Dempster
P Matt Garza
P Carlos Zambrano
P Carlos Silva
P Randy Wells
CL Carlos Marmol
First up are the Chicago Cubs. Will the 2011 Cubs be the first Cubs team since 1945 to go to the World Series? That is highly doubtful. However, the Cubs finished the season 24-13 under then interim manager Mike Quade, which was the best record in baseball during that 37-game stretch. Quade is back as the full-time manager and has a tough job ahead. The NL Central isn't a particularly strong division, but the Cubs aren't a particularly strong team. Their starting pitching is mediocre. Ryan Dempster lead the Cubs with 15 wins last season. Matt Garza has joined the team after being traded by the Tampa Bay Rays. Garza is a nice addition to the pitching staff and should be the Cub's ace this year. Who knows what the Cubs will get out of Carlos Silva and Carlos Zambrano in the 2011 season. Neither were very impressive last season. The Cubs will win a lot if they can take a lead into the 9th inning. Carlos Marmol had 38 saves last season. He walks too many people but his stuff is just nasty.
Offensively, the Cubs brought in Carlos Pena to take over at first base. Pena hit 28 homeruns last year with a batting average of .196 (yikes!). Will young shortstop Starlin Castro hit .300 again. Will Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano be productive? Both are past their prime but will need to be productive for the Cubs to succeed. Outfielder Tyler Colvin, one of my favorite young players, should be better this season after putting up good numbers in his rookie year. The Cubs will look to steal more bases this year, according to this article.
The Cubs will score lots of runs, but will also give up lots of runs. Will they surpass their 2010 win total of 75? I say they will be right around the same total.
Projected Starters:
C Geovany Soto
1B Carlos Pena
2B Blake DeWitt
3B Aramis Ramirez
SS Starlin Castro
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF Marlon Byrd
RF Kosuke Fukudome/Tyler Colvin
P Ryan Dempster
P Matt Garza
P Carlos Zambrano
P Carlos Silva
P Randy Wells
CL Carlos Marmol
Sunday, March 6, 2011
UPDATE!!!
I know I haven't posted anything in a while but I plan on being very active in the near future. It's my favorite time of the year...spring training and the beginning of the MLB season. Keep checking back in as I will be posting team previews for all MLB teams this month. Hope you enjoy the new layout and see ya soon!
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