Once again, the A’s will have the smallest payroll and the biggest young arms in the American League. This offseason, Oakland added veteran Ben Sheets to the rotation and gave up on oft-injured Eric Chavez returning as its starting third baseman. There is depth in the rotation and the outfield, and more talented young players are on the way. The bottom line should be familiar, however: a fourth-place finish in the AL West.
Led by Rajai Davis, the A’s plan to run more this year.
Three questions
1. Where will the offense come from?
Not from the home run. After having success with small ball in the second half last season, the A’s—led by Rajai Davis—will be running from the start of 2010. "We don’t have a ton of power," manager Bob Geren said. "We’ll pay a lot of attention to the little things—moving a runner over, getting a run in with less than two outs." Geren said Oakland got used to competing in low-scoring games last year. "We have to learn how to win those close games," he said.
Oakland also hopes two of its new starters—Coco Crisp in center and Kevin Kouzmanoff at third—will give the club a lift in the speed and power departments, respectively. Neither, however, is an offensive force. Crisp has a career .331 on-base percentage, and Kouzmanoff has only 59 homers over the past three seasons (though Petco Park was his home park).
2. How deep is the rotation?
If Justin Duchscherer is healthy, the A’s will have enough starters to field two four-man rotations. Sheets and Duchscherer are the only 30-somethings in the group. The rest come from all corners of the country but have a couple of things in common: "Youth and talent," Geren said. Brett Anderson, 22, is the lone lock among them after making 30 starts with a 4.06 ERA last season as a rookie.
Dallas Braden, 26, will make the rotation as long as he is recovered from a season-ending foot injury in 2009. Trevor Cahill, 22, posted a 4.63 ERA in 32 starts in 2009. Gio Gonzalez, 24, has looked good in camp and is competing with Vin Mazzaro and Josh Outman. "The depth is going to make a big difference," Geren says. "If somebody has a setback, we have a lot more quality in our organization."
3. What can Chavez contribute?
After all the injuries he has endured, 20 homers and 400 at-bats would be a bonus. After another winter of rehabbing, Chavez reported to spring training as healthy as he has been since having two back and three shoulder surgeries in the past two years. Hoping that reduced playing time will help him last a full season, the A’s plan to use Chavez as a utility player. Chavez has been working at third, first and shortstop.
"Eric feels strong and is open to the idea of being a part-time player and playing other positions," Geren says, adding something he has said more than once regarding Oakland’s longest-tenured player. "We’re optimistic but time will tell how he does."
Projected lineup
1. LF Rajai Davis: .360 OBP, 41 SBs after April arrival.
2. CF Coco Crisp: Coming back from 2 shoulder surgeries.
3. C Kurt Suzuki: Led AL catchers with 83 RBIs in ’09.
4. DH Jack Cust: At least 25 HRs, 93 BBs past 3 seasons.
5. 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff: 9 HRs at Petco last season; 9 on road.
6. RF Ryan Sweeney: .348 OBP but just 6 HRs in ’09.
7. 2B Mark Ellis: .663 OPS at home last season; .751 on road.
8. 1B Daric Barton: Could lose playing time to Chavez.
9. SS Cliff Pennington: Must hold off Adam Rosales for job.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Ben Sheets: Missed all of ’09; has made 30 starts once since ’05.
2. LHP Dallas Braden: BB/9 has improved past two seasons.
3. RHP Justin Duchscherer: Missed ’09 with injuries, depression.
4. LHP Brett Anderson: Allowed .313 AVG vs. lefties in ’09.
5. RHP Trevor Cahill: 27 HRs in 178 2/3 IP last season.
Projected closer
RHP Andrew Bailey: AL rookie of the year had 1.86 ERA, second among AL closers.
Grades
Offense: C. Once the A’s started running last season, they started scoring. Only the Angels, Yankees and Red Sox scored more runs than Oakland in the second half. Crisp brings more speed, but a team-wide lack of power and a pitcher-friendly ballpark likely will result in another average offensive attack.
Pitching: B. Oakland’s staff will earn an "A" if Sheets and Duchscherer are healthy and effective after their season-long layoffs, and if a couple of the young starters continue to develop. The A’s bullpen led the AL with a 3.46 ERA last season and returns intact. As a bonus, reliever Joey Devine should return early in the season from Tommy John surgery.
Bench: B. Chavez, though not an everyday player, still could be the club’s best power threat. Gabe Gross and Travis Buck add depth to the outfield, as Rosales does to the infield. Backup catcher Landon Powell provides a bit of pop.
Manager: B. Geren has yet to have a winning season with 76, 75, and 75 wins in his three seasons as Oakland’s manager. But he does a nice job of bringing along the club’s young talent, of which there is plenty.
Sporting News prediction: Given the youth of their pitching staff last season, the A’s actually overachieved by winning 75 games. They will be improved and could push .500. But Seattle and Texas will be better, too, so another last-place finish is likely.
Coming Monday: Dodgers preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Once again, the A’s will have the smallest payroll and the biggest young arms in the American League. This offseason, Oakland added veteran Ben Sheets to the rotation and gave up on oft-injured Eric Chavez returning as its starting third baseman. There is depth in the rotation and the outfield, and more talented young players are on the way. The bottom line should be familiar, however: a fourth-place finish in the AL West.
Led by Rajai Davis, the A’s plan to run more this year.
Three questions
1. Where will the offense come from?
Not from the home run. After having success with small ball in the second half last season, the A’s—led by Rajai Davis—will be running from the start of 2010. "We don’t have a ton of power," manager Bob Geren said. "We’ll pay a lot of attention to the little things—moving a runner over, getting a run in with less than two outs." Geren said Oakland got used to competing in low-scoring games last year. "We have to learn how to win those close games," he said.
Oakland also hopes two of its new starters—Coco Crisp in center and Kevin Kouzmanoff at third—will give the club a lift in the speed and power departments, respectively. Neither, however, is an offensive force. Crisp has a career .331 on-base percentage, and Kouzmanoff has only 59 homers over the past three seasons (though Petco Park was his home park).
2. How deep is the rotation?
If Justin Duchscherer is healthy, the A’s will have enough starters to field two four-man rotations. Sheets and Duchscherer are the only 30-somethings in the group. The rest come from all corners of the country but have a couple of things in common: "Youth and talent," Geren said. Brett Anderson, 22, is the lone lock among them after making 30 starts with a 4.06 ERA last season as a rookie.
Dallas Braden, 26, will make the rotation as long as he is recovered from a season-ending foot injury in 2009. Trevor Cahill, 22, posted a 4.63 ERA in 32 starts in 2009. Gio Gonzalez, 24, has looked good in camp and is competing with Vin Mazzaro and Josh Outman. "The depth is going to make a big difference," Geren says. "If somebody has a setback, we have a lot more quality in our organization."
3. What can Chavez contribute?
After all the injuries he has endured, 20 homers and 400 at-bats would be a bonus. After another winter of rehabbing, Chavez reported to spring training as healthy as he has been since having two back and three shoulder surgeries in the past two years. Hoping that reduced playing time will help him last a full season, the A’s plan to use Chavez as a utility player. Chavez has been working at third, first and shortstop.
"Eric feels strong and is open to the idea of being a part-time player and playing other positions," Geren says, adding something he has said more than once regarding Oakland’s longest-tenured player. "We’re optimistic but time will tell how he does."
Projected lineup
1. LF Rajai Davis: .360 OBP, 41 SBs after April arrival.
2. CF Coco Crisp: Coming back from 2 shoulder surgeries.
3. C Kurt Suzuki: Led AL catchers with 83 RBIs in ’09.
4. DH Jack Cust: At least 25 HRs, 93 BBs past 3 seasons.
5. 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff: 9 HRs at Petco last season; 9 on road.
6. RF Ryan Sweeney: .348 OBP but just 6 HRs in ’09.
7. 2B Mark Ellis: .663 OPS at home last season; .751 on road.
8. 1B Daric Barton: Could lose playing time to Chavez.
9. SS Cliff Pennington: Must hold off Adam Rosales for job.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Ben Sheets: Missed all of ’09; has made 30 starts once since ’05.
2. LHP Dallas Braden: BB/9 has improved past two seasons.
3. RHP Justin Duchscherer: Missed ’09 with injuries, depression.
4. LHP Brett Anderson: Allowed .313 AVG vs. lefties in ’09.
5. RHP Trevor Cahill: 27 HRs in 178 2/3 IP last season.
Projected closer
RHP Andrew Bailey: AL rookie of the year had 1.86 ERA, second among AL closers.
Grades
Offense: C. Once the A’s started running last season, they started scoring. Only the Angels, Yankees and Red Sox scored more runs than Oakland in the second half. Crisp brings more speed, but a team-wide lack of power and a pitcher-friendly ballpark likely will result in another average offensive attack.
Pitching: B. Oakland’s staff will earn an "A" if Sheets and Duchscherer are healthy and effective after their season-long layoffs, and if a couple of the young starters continue to develop. The A’s bullpen led the AL with a 3.46 ERA last season and returns intact. As a bonus, reliever Joey Devine should return early in the season from Tommy John surgery.
Bench: B. Chavez, though not an everyday player, still could be the club’s best power threat. Gabe Gross and Travis Buck add depth to the outfield, as Rosales does to the infield. Backup catcher Landon Powell provides a bit of pop.
Manager: B. Geren has yet to have a winning season with 76, 75, and 75 wins in his three seasons as Oakland’s manager. But he does a nice job of bringing along the club’s young talent, of which there is plenty.
Sporting News prediction: Given the youth of their pitching staff last season, the A’s actually overachieved by winning 75 games. They will be improved and could push .500. But Seattle and Texas will be better, too, so another last-place finish is likely.
Coming Monday: Dodgers preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Spring training stats can be as deceiving as Tim Lincecum’s changeup and can throw you off like an Adam Wainwright curveball. But they still keep coming at you like Carl Crawford going from first to third.
It isn’t just the limited sample size, either. As the numbers add up, you still can’t be sure what they are worth. Even scouts can be fooled by what they see in spring. The other day, a scout told me that he once followed Brad Penny for an entire spring. For an entire month, Penny’s fastball maxed out right at 85 mph. But as soon as the games started to count, Penny was "91-93 and hitting his spots just like he always is."
Tigers ace Justin Verlander gave up homers to Ryan Howard and prospect Domonic Brown (who cleared the yard with his) in a 3 1/3-inning outing Tuesday and afterward said, "I was really pleased today. My changeup and breaking ball were a lot better and my fastball had more life."
He wasn’t just making excuses, either. Verlander explained Howard’s homer: "I’ve been having trouble getting fastballs in to lefties. I knew this was my last inning and I wanted to take the opportunity to work on getting in to lefties. So I threw a lot of fastballs in to him, and he made the adjustment. He realized what I was doing. He got his foot down and barreled one."
Of course, you know where this is heading: spring training numbers, good and bad. Despite their potential for deception, spring stats are still as good a barometer as any to evaluate performances in the spring. And any position player battling for a job would rather see crooked numbers instead of zeroes beside his name in the box score.
Slow starts
Kevin Millwood has lived up to his reputation as a lousy spring pitcher.
Ben Sheets, SP, A’s
So this is what $10 million gets you: 17 hits and 15 earned runs through 4 1/3 innings (three starts). Yes, Sheets’ health is what is important and he says he feels good. But even Sheets would like some results. After he failed to retire a hitter in his Monday start, he told reporters, "People have had bad springs before, but this is just taking it to a whole new level."
Kevin Millwood, SP, Orioles
Baltimore’s new No. 1 starter is living up to his reputation as a lousy pitcher in spring training. After two starts: 16 hits, 11 runs in 3 1/2 innings. "I use this time to get ready," he said after his first start. "I try to get my pitches to a level where they’re ready for Game 1 (of the regular season). And if I go out and get beat around a little bit working on something, I don’t care. I’m just trying to get better."
To limit his exposure to AL rivals, the Orioles had Millwood pitch to some of their minor leaguers Tuesday. He fared better, throwing four scoreless innings before giving up three runs.
Chone Figgins, 3B/2B, Mariners
He was Seattle’s No. 1 target on the free agent market, and he has one hit in 16 at-bats thus far. He does, however, have eight walks — and his strong on-base percentage is why the Mariners coveted him.
Big beginnings
Mike Stanton, OF, Marlins
A prospect often mentioned in the same sentence as Jason Heyward, Stanton wasn’t expected to make Florida’s 25-man roster. After hitting three homers in his first five games, however, the 20-year-old at least is forcing the Marlins’ brass to consider if he is ready.
Domonic Brown, OF, Phillies
If you saw the outfield prospect Tuesday, you know why the Phillies held onto him through the Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay trades. Brown knocked a full-count fastball from Verlander completely out of the Phillies’ spring training park, homered to center off Phil Coke (with the assist of a fan who caught the ball headed for the top of the wall), beat out an infield hit and walked, raising his batting average to .417 and his OBP to .464. His reward: He was sent to minor league camp after the game.
Tyler Colvin is tearing up the Cactus League.
Tyler Colvin, OF Cubs
After beefing up in the offseason, the former first-round pick is gorging on spring training pitchers. Colvin, 24, is 16-for-30 in Cactus League play and is making a strong bid to break spring training as an extra outfielder.
Adam Rosales, IF, A’s
When it acquired him from the Reds, Oakland planned to make Rosales a utility player. But with a .450 batting average after nine games, he is pushing Cliff Pennington (4-for-14) for the starting shortstop spot. That is, of course, if you go by the numbers.
Spring training postscript
At 8 this morning, several dozen fans were lined up outside of the Phillies’ park in Clearwater. A couple of hundred tickets for the afternoon game against the Yankees went on sale at 9. This wasn’t just a Yankees thing, either. A security worker outside said it is like that every day this time of the month. And many of the fans arrived well before 8 for the 1:05 p.m. start.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Spring training stats can be as deceiving as Tim Lincecum’s changeup and can throw you off like an Adam Wainwright curveball. But they still keep coming at you like Carl Crawford going from first to third.
It isn’t just the limited sample size, either. As the numbers add up, you still can’t be sure what they are worth. Even scouts can be fooled by what they see in spring. The other day, a scout told me that he once followed Brad Penny for an entire spring. For an entire month, Penny’s fastball maxed out right at 85 mph. But as soon as the games started to count, Penny was "91-93 and hitting his spots just like he always is."
Tigers ace Justin Verlander gave up homers to Ryan Howard and prospect Domonic Brown (who cleared the yard with his) in a 3 1/3-inning outing Tuesday and afterward said, "I was really pleased today. My changeup and breaking ball were a lot better and my fastball had more life."
He wasn’t just making excuses, either. Verlander explained Howard’s homer: "I’ve been having trouble getting fastballs in to lefties. I knew this was my last inning and I wanted to take the opportunity to work on getting in to lefties. So I threw a lot of fastballs in to him, and he made the adjustment. He realized what I was doing. He got his foot down and barreled one."
Of course, you know where this is heading: spring training numbers, good and bad. Despite their potential for deception, spring stats are still as good a barometer as any to evaluate performances in the spring. And any position player battling for a job would rather see crooked numbers instead of zeroes beside his name in the box score.
Slow starts
Kevin Millwood has lived up to his reputation as a lousy spring pitcher.
Ben Sheets, SP, A’s
So this is what $10 million gets you: 17 hits and 15 earned runs through 4 1/3 innings (three starts). Yes, Sheets’ health is what is important and he says he feels good. But even Sheets would like some results. After he failed to retire a hitter in his Monday start, he told reporters, "People have had bad springs before, but this is just taking it to a whole new level."
Kevin Millwood, SP, Orioles
Baltimore’s new No. 1 starter is living up to his reputation as a lousy pitcher in spring training. After two starts: 16 hits, 11 runs in 3 1/2 innings. "I use this time to get ready," he said after his first start. "I try to get my pitches to a level where they’re ready for Game 1 (of the regular season). And if I go out and get beat around a little bit working on something, I don’t care. I’m just trying to get better."
To limit his exposure to AL rivals, the Orioles had Millwood pitch to some of their minor leaguers Tuesday. He fared better, throwing four scoreless innings before giving up three runs.
Chone Figgins, 3B/2B, Mariners
He was Seattle’s No. 1 target on the free agent market, and he has one hit in 16 at-bats thus far. He does, however, have eight walks — and his strong on-base percentage is why the Mariners coveted him.
Big beginnings
Mike Stanton, OF, Marlins
A prospect often mentioned in the same sentence as Jason Heyward, Stanton wasn’t expected to make Florida’s 25-man roster. After hitting three homers in his first five games, however, the 20-year-old at least is forcing the Marlins’ brass to consider if he is ready.
Domonic Brown, OF, Phillies
If you saw the outfield prospect Tuesday, you know why the Phillies held onto him through the Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay trades. Brown knocked a full-count fastball from Verlander completely out of the Phillies’ spring training park, homered to center off Phil Coke (with the assist of a fan who caught the ball headed for the top of the wall), beat out an infield hit and walked, raising his batting average to .417 and his OBP to .464. His reward: He was sent to minor league camp after the game.
Tyler Colvin is tearing up the Cactus League.
Tyler Colvin, OF Cubs
After beefing up in the offseason, the former first-round pick is gorging on spring training pitchers. Colvin, 24, is 16-for-30 in Cactus League play and is making a strong bid to break spring training as an extra outfielder.
Adam Rosales, IF, A’s
When it acquired him from the Reds, Oakland planned to make Rosales a utility player. But with a .450 batting average after nine games, he is pushing Cliff Pennington (4-for-14) for the starting shortstop spot. That is, of course, if you go by the numbers.
Spring training postscript
At 8 this morning, several dozen fans were lined up outside of the Phillies’ park in Clearwater. A couple of hundred tickets for the afternoon game against the Yankees went on sale at 9. This wasn’t just a Yankees thing, either. A security worker outside said it is like that every day this time of the month. And many of the fans arrived well before 8 for the 1:05 p.m. start.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
The Angels lost four mainstays while the rest of the division was adding players who figure to improve their new teams. But don’t count out the Angels yet. They still have the division’s deepest rotation, a fast-break offense and manager Mike Scioscia. They also have won three consecutive division titles. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, "You can make a legitimate case for all four teams." But he knows the Angels remain the team to beat.
The Angels added Joel Pineiro in part to make up for the loss of John Lackey.
Three questions
1. Who will replace Chone Figgins?
The Angels lost Figgins, John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero and Darren Oliver in free agency. Figgins, their All-Star third baseman, will be the most difficult to replace. Figgins said he was ready to return to L.A. but thought the club had other ideas all along. "Brandon Wood has been in their eyes for a while now," Figgins said. "He’s one of those guys who’ve been in the organization awhile."
Wood will take over Figgins’ position in the field, but Erick Aybar will inherit the more difficult task of replacing Figgins in the leadoff role. Aybar, 26, is a speedy switch hitter like Figgins but strikes out less often. However, Aybar will need to walk more to boost his .353 on-base percentage into the neighborhood of Figgins’ .395. The Angels should give Maicer Izturis opportunities in the top spot, too.
2. Who will replace Lackey?
The Angels wanted no part of awarding their No. 1 starter a five-year deal after he spent time on the disabled list with arm trouble in each of the past two seasons. Instead, they signed 31-year-old righthander Joel Pineiro for two years and a lot less money. Pineiro, heeding the advice of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, relied on a sinker to have his best season (214 innings, 3.49 ERA) in 2009.
Although Pineiro will take Lackey’s spot in the rotation, it is uncertain whether someone will assume his ace status. Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders could become 1 and 1A. Weaver, a first-round pick in 2004, is coming off his best season, having finished in the top 10 in the AL in wins (16), innings (211) and ERA (3.75). Saunders went 16-7 but allowed the second-most homers (29) of any AL starter.
3. Who will replace Guerrero?
Guerrero spent six highly productive seasons in Anaheim, hitting .319 and averaging more than least 28 homers per season. He was limited by injuries in 2009 and the Angels — with a new focus on plate discipline — opted not to bring him back.
Instead, they signed World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, who fits their new, disciplined approach. About all Matsui has in common with Guerrero are declining skills in the outfield. Matsui, 35, is almost eight months older than Guerrero and knee injuries have limited him to DH duty. He still can hit, though. He has a career .370 on-base percentage and blasted 28 homers last season.
Projected lineup
1. SS Erick Aybar: Career bests in ’09: .312 AVG, .353 OBP.
2. RF Bobby Abreu: 96 runs were his fewest since ’98.
3. CF Torii Hunter: .299 AVG, .873 OPS were career bests.
4. 1B Kendry Morales: Led team with 34 HRs, 108 RBIs.
5. DH Hideki Matsui: 28 HRs were most since ’04.
6. LF Juan Rivera: Career bests in ’09: 25 HRs, 88 RBIs.
7. 2B Howie Kendrick: Team-best .358 AVG after break.
8. C Mike Napoli: 20 HRs in platoon with Jeff Mathis.
9. 3B Brandon Wood: .192 AVG in parts of 3 MLB seasons.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Jered Weaver: Surpassed 200 IP for first time in ’09.
2. LHP Joe Saunders: 33 wins over past 2 seasons (2nd in AL).
3. RHP Ervin Santana: 5.00-plus ERA in 2 of past 3 seasons.
4. LHP Scott Kazmir: 1.73 ERA in 6 starts after trade to Angels. 5. RHP Joel Pineiro: Led MLB in fewest walks, most grounders per 9 IP.
Projected closer
LHP Brian Fuentes: Career-high 48 saves in ’09; 3.93 ERA was highest since ’04.
Grades
Offense: A. The addition of Abreu last season resulted in a much more patient approach at the plate. After finishing 11th in the AL with a .330 on-base percentage in 2008, Los Angeles was third last season at .350. The Angels led the AL with a .285 batting average and finished second in runs (883). Expect more of the same this season with the continued development of Morales and Aybar.
Pitching: B. The return to health of Scot Shields and the arrival of Fernando Rodney should go a long way in offsetting Oliver’s loss in the bullpen. Kevin Jepsen also brings plenty of heat in relief. The rotation lacks a proven ace, but it is the deepest in the division.
Bench: B. The Angels want Wood to be the regular at third base so they can use Izturis at second, short and third. They are two deep at catcher, and Reggie Willits provides speed as the fourth outfielder.
Manager: A. There are plenty of reasons why Scioscia is the AL’s longest tenured manager. Two of them: The Angels are as well-trained in the fundamentals as any team in the majors, and his players have no doubt about who is in charge.
Sporting News prediction: The rest of the West is catching up, but the Angels’ advantage in starting pitching will be the difference. They will win their sixth division title in the past seven seasons.
Coming Wednesday: Rangers preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
The Angels lost four mainstays while the rest of the division was adding players who figure to improve their new teams. But don’t count out the Angels yet. They still have the division’s deepest rotation, a fast-break offense and manager Mike Scioscia. They also have won three consecutive division titles. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, "You can make a legitimate case for all four teams." But he knows the Angels remain the team to beat.
The Angels added Joel Pineiro in part to make up for the loss of John Lackey.
Three questions
1. Who will replace Chone Figgins?
The Angels lost Figgins, John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero and Darren Oliver in free agency. Figgins, their All-Star third baseman, will be the most difficult to replace. Figgins said he was ready to return to L.A. but thought the club had other ideas all along. "Brandon Wood has been in their eyes for a while now," Figgins said. "He’s one of those guys who’ve been in the organization awhile."
Wood will take over Figgins’ position in the field, but Erick Aybar will inherit the more difficult task of replacing Figgins in the leadoff role. Aybar, 26, is a speedy switch hitter like Figgins but strikes out less often. However, Aybar will need to walk more to boost his .353 on-base percentage into the neighborhood of Figgins’ .395. The Angels should give Maicer Izturis opportunities in the top spot, too.
2. Who will replace Lackey?
The Angels wanted no part of awarding their No. 1 starter a five-year deal after he spent time on the disabled list with arm trouble in each of the past two seasons. Instead, they signed 31-year-old righthander Joel Pineiro for two years and a lot less money. Pineiro, heeding the advice of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, relied on a sinker to have his best season (214 innings, 3.49 ERA) in 2009.
Although Pineiro will take Lackey’s spot in the rotation, it is uncertain whether someone will assume his ace status. Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders could become 1 and 1A. Weaver, a first-round pick in 2004, is coming off his best season, having finished in the top 10 in the AL in wins (16), innings (211) and ERA (3.75). Saunders went 16-7 but allowed the second-most homers (29) of any AL starter.
3. Who will replace Guerrero?
Guerrero spent six highly productive seasons in Anaheim, hitting .319 and averaging more than least 28 homers per season. He was limited by injuries in 2009 and the Angels — with a new focus on plate discipline — opted not to bring him back.
Instead, they signed World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, who fits their new, disciplined approach. About all Matsui has in common with Guerrero are declining skills in the outfield. Matsui, 35, is almost eight months older than Guerrero and knee injuries have limited him to DH duty. He still can hit, though. He has a career .370 on-base percentage and blasted 28 homers last season.
Projected lineup
1. SS Erick Aybar: Career bests in ’09: .312 AVG, .353 OBP.
2. RF Bobby Abreu: 96 runs were his fewest since ’98.
3. CF Torii Hunter: .299 AVG, .873 OPS were career bests.
4. 1B Kendry Morales: Led team with 34 HRs, 108 RBIs.
5. DH Hideki Matsui: 28 HRs were most since ’04.
6. LF Juan Rivera: Career bests in ’09: 25 HRs, 88 RBIs.
7. 2B Howie Kendrick: Team-best .358 AVG after break.
8. C Mike Napoli: 20 HRs in platoon with Jeff Mathis.
9. 3B Brandon Wood: .192 AVG in parts of 3 MLB seasons.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Jered Weaver: Surpassed 200 IP for first time in ’09.
2. LHP Joe Saunders: 33 wins over past 2 seasons (2nd in AL).
3. RHP Ervin Santana: 5.00-plus ERA in 2 of past 3 seasons.
4. LHP Scott Kazmir: 1.73 ERA in 6 starts after trade to Angels. 5. RHP Joel Pineiro: Led MLB in fewest walks, most grounders per 9 IP.
Projected closer
LHP Brian Fuentes: Career-high 48 saves in ’09; 3.93 ERA was highest since ’04.
Grades
Offense: A. The addition of Abreu last season resulted in a much more patient approach at the plate. After finishing 11th in the AL with a .330 on-base percentage in 2008, Los Angeles was third last season at .350. The Angels led the AL with a .285 batting average and finished second in runs (883). Expect more of the same this season with the continued development of Morales and Aybar.
Pitching: B. The return to health of Scot Shields and the arrival of Fernando Rodney should go a long way in offsetting Oliver’s loss in the bullpen. Kevin Jepsen also brings plenty of heat in relief. The rotation lacks a proven ace, but it is the deepest in the division.
Bench: B. The Angels want Wood to be the regular at third base so they can use Izturis at second, short and third. They are two deep at catcher, and Reggie Willits provides speed as the fourth outfielder.
Manager: A. There are plenty of reasons why Scioscia is the AL’s longest tenured manager. Two of them: The Angels are as well-trained in the fundamentals as any team in the majors, and his players have no doubt about who is in charge.
Sporting News prediction: The rest of the West is catching up, but the Angels’ advantage in starting pitching will be the difference. They will win their sixth division title in the past seven seasons.
Coming Wednesday: Rangers preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Cincinnati’s 27-13 finish in 2009 provided some hope. But will Joey Votto have his breakout season? Can Scott Rolen stay healthy? Will Aaron Harang bounce back in a contract year? Will Homer Bailey’s strong second half carry over? How good is Aroldis Chapman, and when will he arrive?
And the biggest question: Can the Reds be surprise contenders in the NL Central? If they get positive results to even half of their questions, the answer is yes.
Joey Votto has power, but can he stay healthy?
Three questions
1. What happened in the offseason?
General manager Walt Jocketty didn’t make a lot of moves, but the ones he made bode well for the future. For the long term: The Reds pulled off the surprise of the offseason by outbidding the big-money clubs for 22-year-old Aroldis Chapman. The Reds could feature a rotation of Chapman, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez as soon as next season. For the short-term: Jocketty dumped Willy Taveras and his contract on the A’s, which allowed the Reds to sign shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a one-year deal. Cincinnati also brought back Johnny Gomes — an underrated move because of his power.
As a result, the Reds are better. They will replace Taveras, who disappointed in his only season in Cincinnati, with Drew Stubbs. And Cabrera provides an upgrade over Paul Janish at shortstop. The rest of the lineup returns intact.
2. Where’s the offense?
The Reds play in a hitter-friendly park and have a potentially strong middle of the lineup. However, health is a concern. Votto, Rolen and Jay Bruce all have the power to hit 25 homers, but they need to stay in the lineup for more than 131 games. None of the three did so last season. Neither did Ramon Hernandez, another player capable of reaching double figures in homers.
The Reds need their thumpers to thump because they don’t have a lot of speed. Their cleanup hitter, Brandon Phillips, tied Taveras for the team lead in steals with 25 last season.
Will Aroldis Chapman earn a spot on the Reds’ opening day roster?
3. Is Chapman ready?
Most scouts seem to favor Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg over the Reds’ Chapman. But Chapman signed the bigger contract and could reach the majors first. He has done little but impress all who have watched him since he began working out with pitching coach Bryan Price in January. He pitched two scoreless innings against the Royals in his debut Monday, which didn’t hurt his chances of leaving spring training as part of the Reds’ rotation. Those chances seem to be improving almost daily.
Manager Dusty Baker said Chapman throws his fastball with such ease that it is difficult to tell how fast it is (it has touched triple digits). "He’s a tremendous athlete with a great arm, great pitching body and great aptitude for baseball," Baker said. If he proves as capable at adapting to a new country, Chapman could be starting in the majors next month.
Projected lineup
CF Drew Stubbs: Team-best 8 HRs after Aug. 19 call-up.
SS Orlando Cabrera: Led AL SSs with 77 RBIs in ’09 with A’s/Twins.
1B Joey Votto: .981 OPS was third in NL last season.
2B Brandon Phillips: Only NL 2B projected to hit cleanup.
3B Scott Rolen: .305 AVG, .368 OBP in 128 games in ’09.
RF Jay Bruce: Lowest AVG (.223) among 20-plus-HR hitters in NL.
C Ramon Hernandez: Knee limited him to 81 games in ’09.
LF Chris Dickerson: .383 OBP in 2 seasons could make him leadoff option.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Aaron Harang: 12-31, 4.52 ERA over past 2 seasons.
2. RHP Bronson Arroyo: Team-best 30 W’s and 420 1/3 IP over past 2 seasons.
3. RHP Homer Bailey: 7.53 ERA first 11 starts; 1.70 in final 9.
4. RHP Johnny Cueto: 61 career starts; has lasted 8 IP only once.
5. RHP Justin Lehr: One of the candidates to hold the spot for Chapman.
Projected closer
RHP Francisco Cordero: 2.16 ERA was third-best among NL closers.
Grades
Offense: C. For the team’s power production to improve, Votto and Bruce must stay on the field. The Reds play in one of the NL’s most hitter-friendly parks, but they finished eighth in the NL in homers and 15th in average (.247).
Pitching: C. The continued development of Bailey and Cueto, plus the expected arrival of Chapman, bodes well for the future. For the present, however, the Reds need Harang to return to his 2007 form. They will be without Volquez (elbow) for most, if not all, of the season.
Bench: C. Gomes brings power and depth to an outfield that needs both. Rookie Chris Heisey should help, too, but he could start the season in the minors. Janish is a plus defender at shortstop but isn’t a proven hitter. Aaron Miles brings a veteran presence to infield but hit only .185 last season with the Cubs.
Manager: B. In his third season with the Reds, Baker has yet to reach the postseason — something he did with the Giants and Cubs in his pervious managerial stops. He is in the final season of his three-year contract and still is looking for his first winning season in Cincinnati.
Sporting News prediction: The Reds have the makings to surprise in the mediocre NL Central if some of their under-25 core — Bruce, Bailey, Cueto — step up. But their lack of power should keep them in the lower half of the division.
Coming Friday: Astros preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Cincinnati’s 27-13 finish in 2009 provided some hope. But will Joey Votto have his breakout season? Can Scott Rolen stay healthy? Will Aaron Harang bounce back in a contract year? Will Homer Bailey’s strong second half carry over? How good is Aroldis Chapman, and when will he arrive?
And the biggest question: Can the Reds be surprise contenders in the NL Central? If they get positive results to even half of their questions, the answer is yes.
Joey Votto has power, but can he stay healthy?
Three questions
1. What happened in the offseason?
General manager Walt Jocketty didn’t make a lot of moves, but the ones he made bode well for the future. For the long term: The Reds pulled off the surprise of the offseason by outbidding the big-money clubs for 22-year-old Aroldis Chapman. The Reds could feature a rotation of Chapman, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez as soon as next season. For the short-term: Jocketty dumped Willy Taveras and his contract on the A’s, which allowed the Reds to sign shortstop Orlando Cabrera to a one-year deal. Cincinnati also brought back Johnny Gomes — an underrated move because of his power.
As a result, the Reds are better. They will replace Taveras, who disappointed in his only season in Cincinnati, with Drew Stubbs. And Cabrera provides an upgrade over Paul Janish at shortstop. The rest of the lineup returns intact.
2. Where’s the offense?
The Reds play in a hitter-friendly park and have a potentially strong middle of the lineup. However, health is a concern. Votto, Rolen and Jay Bruce all have the power to hit 25 homers, but they need to stay in the lineup for more than 131 games. None of the three did so last season. Neither did Ramon Hernandez, another player capable of reaching double figures in homers.
The Reds need their thumpers to thump because they don’t have a lot of speed. Their cleanup hitter, Brandon Phillips, tied Taveras for the team lead in steals with 25 last season.
Will Aroldis Chapman earn a spot on the Reds’ opening day roster?
3. Is Chapman ready?
Most scouts seem to favor Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg over the Reds’ Chapman. But Chapman signed the bigger contract and could reach the majors first. He has done little but impress all who have watched him since he began working out with pitching coach Bryan Price in January. He pitched two scoreless innings against the Royals in his debut Monday, which didn’t hurt his chances of leaving spring training as part of the Reds’ rotation. Those chances seem to be improving almost daily.
Manager Dusty Baker said Chapman throws his fastball with such ease that it is difficult to tell how fast it is (it has touched triple digits). "He’s a tremendous athlete with a great arm, great pitching body and great aptitude for baseball," Baker said. If he proves as capable at adapting to a new country, Chapman could be starting in the majors next month.
Projected lineup
CF Drew Stubbs: Team-best 8 HRs after Aug. 19 call-up.
SS Orlando Cabrera: Led AL SSs with 77 RBIs in ’09 with A’s/Twins.
1B Joey Votto: .981 OPS was third in NL last season.
2B Brandon Phillips: Only NL 2B projected to hit cleanup.
3B Scott Rolen: .305 AVG, .368 OBP in 128 games in ’09.
RF Jay Bruce: Lowest AVG (.223) among 20-plus-HR hitters in NL.
C Ramon Hernandez: Knee limited him to 81 games in ’09.
LF Chris Dickerson: .383 OBP in 2 seasons could make him leadoff option.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Aaron Harang: 12-31, 4.52 ERA over past 2 seasons.
2. RHP Bronson Arroyo: Team-best 30 W’s and 420 1/3 IP over past 2 seasons.
3. RHP Homer Bailey: 7.53 ERA first 11 starts; 1.70 in final 9.
4. RHP Johnny Cueto: 61 career starts; has lasted 8 IP only once.
5. RHP Justin Lehr: One of the candidates to hold the spot for Chapman.
Projected closer
RHP Francisco Cordero: 2.16 ERA was third-best among NL closers.
Grades
Offense: C. For the team’s power production to improve, Votto and Bruce must stay on the field. The Reds play in one of the NL’s most hitter-friendly parks, but they finished eighth in the NL in homers and 15th in average (.247).
Pitching: C. The continued development of Bailey and Cueto, plus the expected arrival of Chapman, bodes well for the future. For the present, however, the Reds need Harang to return to his 2007 form. They will be without Volquez (elbow) for most, if not all, of the season.
Bench: C. Gomes brings power and depth to an outfield that needs both. Rookie Chris Heisey should help, too, but he could start the season in the minors. Janish is a plus defender at shortstop but isn’t a proven hitter. Aaron Miles brings a veteran presence to infield but hit only .185 last season with the Cubs.
Manager: B. In his third season with the Reds, Baker has yet to reach the postseason — something he did with the Giants and Cubs in his pervious managerial stops. He is in the final season of his three-year contract and still is looking for his first winning season in Cincinnati.
Sporting News prediction: The Reds have the makings to surprise in the mediocre NL Central if some of their under-25 core — Bruce, Bailey, Cueto — step up. But their lack of power should keep them in the lower half of the division.
Coming Friday: Astros preview
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Starting pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Aroldis Chapman aren’t the only youngsters drawing rave reviews early in spring training.
The way Jason Heyward has impressed, he could be a star before he plays his first regular season game. He is just one of a handful of young hitters hoping to use March as a springboard into a major role:
Jason Heyward has impressed the Braves with his overall game.
Jason Heyward, RF, Braves
Heyward came to camp with a chance to win the right field job. After a week of game action, it will be a surprise if he doesn’t begin the season in the Braves’ outfield. The 20-year-old has impressed the Braves with his hitting, plate discipline, fielding, baserunning and humility. The 6-4, 245-pounder had six hits — one a thunderous homer — six walks and only one strikeout in his first 21 plate appearances.
"He does a lot of stuff right," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It’s amazing to me. We’ll see what happens."
"The way he carries himself on and off the field, he’s different from any other young kid I’ve ever seen," hitting coach Terry Pendleton said.
For example, Heyward remains unfazed by the media attention.
"I’ve been asked a lot of questions this spring," he said. "They will ask, ‘What about the hype around you?’ I say, ‘Well you guys are the hype around me. You guys are asking the questions every day, you guys are bringing it to me.’ I’m not feeling any hype because I’m just playing baseball. I’m doing the same thing I’ve been doing, the same thing I set out to do. That’s what I’m prepared to do."
Austin Jackson, CF, Tigers
The Tigers named the 23-year-old their starting center fielder upon his arrival in the Curtis Granderson trade, and he hasn’t disappointed. Thrust into the leadoff spot, Jackson, 23, had a homer, a stolen base and a .667 on-base percentage in his first six games this spring. "It’s a good feeling to know that you have a good opportunity," said Jackson.
Sean Rodriguez, 2B, Rays
With three homers in his first 14 at-bats, Rodriguez made his statement in a battle among three Rays for one starting job. Rodriguez, 24, acquired from the Angels in last August’s Scott Kazmir deal, is competing with Reid Brignac, 24, for the second base job. The competition has brought out the best in Brignac, too. He had seven hits in his first 14 at-bats. Right fielder Matt Joyce also is off to a strong start and remains in the picture, too. The Rays plan to use Ben Zobrist in right or second, depending on the play of the three youngsters.
Julio Borbon hit well down the 2009 stretch for the Rangers.
Julio Borbon, CF, Rangers
After his call-up last August, Borbon played well enough that Texas moved Josh Hamilton out of center to make a home for the speedster. He hit .312 and stole 19 bases in 46 games last season and was with the Rangers down the stretch.
"Having a taste from last year is a big step for me," said Borbon, 24. "I will go into this year knowing I can perform."
Borbon, a lefthanded hitter, didn’t play much against lefthanders last season (2-for-16) but won’t be babied this season.
"Julio doesn’t need to look over his shoulder," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He’s going to get a chance. There will be no leash on him."
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Starting pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Aroldis Chapman aren’t the only youngsters drawing rave reviews early in spring training.
The way Jason Heyward has impressed, he could be a star before he plays his first regular season game. He is just one of a handful of young hitters hoping to use March as a springboard into a major role:
Jason Heyward has impressed the Braves with his overall game.
Jason Heyward, RF, Braves
Heyward came to camp with a chance to win the right field job. After a week of game action, it will be a surprise if he doesn’t begin the season in the Braves’ outfield. The 20-year-old has impressed the Braves with his hitting, plate discipline, fielding, baserunning and humility. The 6-4, 245-pounder had six hits — one a thunderous homer — six walks and only one strikeout in his first 21 plate appearances.
"He does a lot of stuff right," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It’s amazing to me. We’ll see what happens."
"The way he carries himself on and off the field, he’s different from any other young kid I’ve ever seen," hitting coach Terry Pendleton said.
For example, Heyward remains unfazed by the media attention.
"I’ve been asked a lot of questions this spring," he said. "They will ask, ‘What about the hype around you?’ I say, ‘Well you guys are the hype around me. You guys are asking the questions every day, you guys are bringing it to me.’ I’m not feeling any hype because I’m just playing baseball. I’m doing the same thing I’ve been doing, the same thing I set out to do. That’s what I’m prepared to do."
Austin Jackson, CF, Tigers
The Tigers named the 23-year-old their starting center fielder upon his arrival in the Curtis Granderson trade, and he hasn’t disappointed. Thrust into the leadoff spot, Jackson, 23, had a homer, a stolen base and a .667 on-base percentage in his first six games this spring. "It’s a good feeling to know that you have a good opportunity," said Jackson.
Sean Rodriguez, 2B, Rays
With three homers in his first 14 at-bats, Rodriguez made his statement in a battle among three Rays for one starting job. Rodriguez, 24, acquired from the Angels in last August’s Scott Kazmir deal, is competing with Reid Brignac, 24, for the second base job. The competition has brought out the best in Brignac, too. He had seven hits in his first 14 at-bats. Right fielder Matt Joyce also is off to a strong start and remains in the picture, too. The Rays plan to use Ben Zobrist in right or second, depending on the play of the three youngsters.
Julio Borbon hit well down the 2009 stretch for the Rangers.
Julio Borbon, CF, Rangers
After his call-up last August, Borbon played well enough that Texas moved Josh Hamilton out of center to make a home for the speedster. He hit .312 and stole 19 bases in 46 games last season and was with the Rangers down the stretch.
"Having a taste from last year is a big step for me," said Borbon, 24. "I will go into this year knowing I can perform."
Borbon, a lefthanded hitter, didn’t play much against lefthanders last season (2-for-16) but won’t be babied this season.
"Julio doesn’t need to look over his shoulder," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He’s going to get a chance. There will be no leash on him."
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
VIERA, Fla. — Stephen Strasburg made that look easy. Facing major league hitters for the first time, the ballyhooed righthander pitched two scoreless innings against the Tigers with little trouble and no 100-mph fastballs.
The phenom had a pretty good idea where his pitches were going Tuesday.
Aside from the overflowing photograph wells and overcrowded press box, this was not unlike a typical Tuesday afternoon spring-training game. Sun Coast Stadium was a little more than half-full, the temperature was in the mid-60s, and any buzz in the park likely was felt only by those enjoying their adult beverages.
Still, he was glad to have his first outing out of the way, even if it was just spring training.
"Absolutely," he said. "There was a lot of anticipation going on. It’s in the books, and now I can worry about my next outing and what I can do to prepare for that."
Strasburg allowed a couple of two-out singles to Tigers backups in the second inning and fell behind the next hitter, Brent Dlugach, 3-0. Then the 21-year-old with the $15.1 million contract got serious. The next three pitches were called strikes — the last two nasty changeups — and Strasburg’s debut was done.
Two innings, two hits, two strikeouts, zero walks. His performance was over in less than half an hour.
According to stadium scoreboard readings, Strasburg’s first pitch was clocked at 97 mph, and he touched 98 a couple of times but didn’t reach triple digits on this day. He threw 15 strikes among his 27 pitches.
His most effective pitch was a 98-mph high fastball that struck out slugger Miguel Cabrera. "He threw me two breaking balls in a row, so I was waiting for the fastball, but when you’re out of balance, it’s tough to hit," Cabrera said. "What you read about him is true. He’s real. You don’t see that kind of pitcher every year."
Starting for the Tigers was Rick Porcello, who actually is younger than Strasburg but already has pitched a full year in the majors. Porcello won 14 games with a 3.96 ERA as a 20-year-old rookie in 2009. Any advice for a fellow phenom?
"It looks like he has a pretty good idea right now," Porcello said.
Good enough to make his debut look routine.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
VIERA, Fla. — Stephen Strasburg made that look easy. Facing major league hitters for the first time, the ballyhooed righthander pitched two scoreless innings against the Tigers with little trouble and no 100-mph fastballs.
The phenom had a pretty good idea where his pitches were going Tuesday.
Aside from the overflowing photograph wells and overcrowded press box, this was not unlike a typical Tuesday afternoon spring-training game. Sun Coast Stadium was a little more than half-full, the temperature was in the mid-60s, and any buzz in the park likely was felt only by those enjoying their adult beverages.
Still, he was glad to have his first outing out of the way, even if it was just spring training.
"Absolutely," he said. "There was a lot of anticipation going on. It’s in the books, and now I can worry about my next outing and what I can do to prepare for that."
Strasburg allowed a couple of two-out singles to Tigers backups in the second inning and fell behind the next hitter, Brent Dlugach, 3-0. Then the 21-year-old with the $15.1 million contract got serious. The next three pitches were called strikes — the last two nasty changeups — and Strasburg’s debut was done.
Two innings, two hits, two strikeouts, zero walks. His performance was over in less than half an hour.
According to stadium scoreboard readings, Strasburg’s first pitch was clocked at 97 mph, and he touched 98 a couple of times but didn’t reach triple digits on this day. He threw 15 strikes among his 27 pitches.
His most effective pitch was a 98-mph high fastball that struck out slugger Miguel Cabrera. "He threw me two breaking balls in a row, so I was waiting for the fastball, but when you’re out of balance, it’s tough to hit," Cabrera said. "What you read about him is true. He’s real. You don’t see that kind of pitcher every year."
Starting for the Tigers was Rick Porcello, who actually is younger than Strasburg but already has pitched a full year in the majors. Porcello won 14 games with a 3.96 ERA as a 20-year-old rookie in 2009. Any advice for a fellow phenom?
"It looks like he has a pretty good idea right now," Porcello said.
Good enough to make his debut look routine.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
The Cardinals weren’t projected to be the class of the NL Central last season when they won the division by 7 1/2 games before fizzling in the postseason. But after they spent $120 million on Matt Holliday to keep their lineup virtually intact, it will be a surprise if they finish anywhere but first this season. Even manager Tony La Russa, not one for hype, said, "We will be one of those clubs that has a chance. I like our core."
Chris Carpenter finished second in NL Cy Young voting in 2009.
Three questions
1. Where are the problem areas?
You have to look beneath the surface to find any weaknesses. Consider: The Cardinals have the game’s best player in Albert Pujols. They have the National League’s best catcher in Yadier Molina. They have what is arguably the NL’s best 1-2 rotation punch in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. They have a future Hall of Fame manager in La Russa.
If all that isn’t enough, they also have a top slugger in Holliday, an All-Star closer in Ryan Franklin and the resources to spend money for improvements during the season.
So what don’t they have? They lack experience at third base and depth in the outfield, and their bullpen isn’t as formidable as that of the Phillies — the only NL club that looks to be superior to St. Louis.
2. Who’s on third base?
This is the only position where the Cardinals won’t return their regular from the end of last season. Rookie David Freese is the front-runner. La Russa, however, doesn’t like to hand out jobs, especially to rookies. Freese’s main competition will come from a couple of other youngsters, Tyler Greene and Joe Mather, though the Cardinals could give utilityman Felipe Lopez a shot.
Freese was the projected starter at third when spring training ended last year, but he struggled early — partially because of injuries — and spent most of his season at Class AAA. He impressed enough in a brief late-season call-up to be deemed the favorite after the Cardinals opted not to re-sign Mark DeRosa or bring in another veteran.
3. Will the hitting coach be a distraction?
There will be times when Mark McGwire has to address the past again, such as when the Cardinals visit New York (July 27-29) and like he did recently when a book written by his brother rehashed the steroids issue. For the most part, however, McGwire has been able to focus on his new job during spring training.
When La Russa pushed Cardinals ownership to hire McGwire last fall, he admitted part of the reason was to get McGwire back in the game. La Russa, however, asserted that the main reason he wanted McGwire was because he believes the former slugger has the makeup and knowledge to be an effective hitting coach. Early signs out of Cardinals camp are that La Russa is correct. McGwire has gone about his job without a lot of fanfare.
Projected lineup
1. 2B Skip Schumaker: .307 AVG over past 3 seasons.
2. CF Colby Rasmus: .251 AVG, 16 HRs as rookie in ’09.
3. 1B Albert Pujols: As bonus, led club with 16 SBs.
4. LF Matt Holliday: Team-best .353 AVG, 55 RBIs, .604 SLG after arrival.
5. RF Ryan Ludwick: ’08: 37 HRs, .966 OPS; ’09: 22 HRs, .775 OPS.
6. C Yadier Molina: .366 OBP, 50 BBs, 39 K’s.
7. 3B David Freese: .323 AVG in 31 MLB at-bats last season.
8. SS Brendan Ryan: 23 of 37 RBIs came after break in breakout season.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Chris Carpenter: 17-4 with NL-best 2.24 ERA.
2. RHP Adam Wainwright: 19-8, 2.63 ERA, NL-best 233 IP.
3. RHP Kyle Lohse: Injuries a factor as ERA rose nearly a run from ’08.
4. RHP Brad Penny: 5.61 ERA in 24 starts with Red Sox; 2.59 in 5 starts with Giants.
5. RHP Kyle McClellan: 3.38 ERA as RP last season.
Projected closer
RHP Ryan Franklin: 1.05 ERA pre-September; finished at 1.92.
Grades
Offense: B. Pujols and Holliday give the Cardinals one of the majors’ top 3-4 tandems and Molina improves every season, but they aren’t that special elsewhere. St. Louis finished ninth in the NL in runs scored after the All-Star break last season. In 2010, the production of Ryan Ludwick, Skip Schumaker and Colby Rasmus will be key.
Pitching: A. Wainwright and Carpenter were the best 1-2 rotation punch in the game last season. Franklin leads a balanced bullpen that includes a couple of hard throwers in Mitchell Boggs and Blake Hawksworth. Brad Penny has the ingredients to be pitching coach Dave Duncan’s next success story.
Bench: B. Recent acquisition Felipe Lopez was second to Chase Utley in runs scored by NL second basemen last season, and he can play all over the infield. Julio Lugo also brings plenty of experience to the middle infield. There isn’t much experience in the outfield, however.
Manager: A. All of those pitching changes might rile some fans, but opposing managers consistently praise La Russa’s consistent approach and for never being caught off-guard. His players always are prepared to play, and you rarely (if ever) see an undisciplined player on the Cardinals.
Sporting News prediction: Any team with Pujols is a contender. Any team with Pujols, Holliday, Carpenter and Wainwright — as long as they’re healthy — is a clear choice to win the division. Beating Philadelphia, however, is another matter.
COMING TUESDAY: Cubs preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
The Cardinals weren’t projected to be the class of the NL Central last season when they won the division by 7 1/2 games before fizzling in the postseason. But after they spent $120 million on Matt Holliday to keep their lineup virtually intact, it will be a surprise if they finish anywhere but first this season. Even manager Tony La Russa, not one for hype, said, "We will be one of those clubs that has a chance. I like our core."
Chris Carpenter finished second in NL Cy Young voting in 2009.
Three questions
1. Where are the problem areas?
You have to look beneath the surface to find any weaknesses. Consider: The Cardinals have the game’s best player in Albert Pujols. They have the National League’s best catcher in Yadier Molina. They have what is arguably the NL’s best 1-2 rotation punch in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. They have a future Hall of Fame manager in La Russa.
If all that isn’t enough, they also have a top slugger in Holliday, an All-Star closer in Ryan Franklin and the resources to spend money for improvements during the season.
So what don’t they have? They lack experience at third base and depth in the outfield, and their bullpen isn’t as formidable as that of the Phillies — the only NL club that looks to be superior to St. Louis.
2. Who’s on third base?
This is the only position where the Cardinals won’t return their regular from the end of last season. Rookie David Freese is the front-runner. La Russa, however, doesn’t like to hand out jobs, especially to rookies. Freese’s main competition will come from a couple of other youngsters, Tyler Greene and Joe Mather, though the Cardinals could give utilityman Felipe Lopez a shot.
Freese was the projected starter at third when spring training ended last year, but he struggled early — partially because of injuries — and spent most of his season at Class AAA. He impressed enough in a brief late-season call-up to be deemed the favorite after the Cardinals opted not to re-sign Mark DeRosa or bring in another veteran.
3. Will the hitting coach be a distraction?
There will be times when Mark McGwire has to address the past again, such as when the Cardinals visit New York (July 27-29) and like he did recently when a book written by his brother rehashed the steroids issue. For the most part, however, McGwire has been able to focus on his new job during spring training.
When La Russa pushed Cardinals ownership to hire McGwire last fall, he admitted part of the reason was to get McGwire back in the game. La Russa, however, asserted that the main reason he wanted McGwire was because he believes the former slugger has the makeup and knowledge to be an effective hitting coach. Early signs out of Cardinals camp are that La Russa is correct. McGwire has gone about his job without a lot of fanfare.
Projected lineup
1. 2B Skip Schumaker: .307 AVG over past 3 seasons.
2. CF Colby Rasmus: .251 AVG, 16 HRs as rookie in ’09.
3. 1B Albert Pujols: As bonus, led club with 16 SBs.
4. LF Matt Holliday: Team-best .353 AVG, 55 RBIs, .604 SLG after arrival.
5. RF Ryan Ludwick: ’08: 37 HRs, .966 OPS; ’09: 22 HRs, .775 OPS.
6. C Yadier Molina: .366 OBP, 50 BBs, 39 K’s.
7. 3B David Freese: .323 AVG in 31 MLB at-bats last season.
8. SS Brendan Ryan: 23 of 37 RBIs came after break in breakout season.
Projected rotation
1. RHP Chris Carpenter: 17-4 with NL-best 2.24 ERA.
2. RHP Adam Wainwright: 19-8, 2.63 ERA, NL-best 233 IP.
3. RHP Kyle Lohse: Injuries a factor as ERA rose nearly a run from ’08.
4. RHP Brad Penny: 5.61 ERA in 24 starts with Red Sox; 2.59 in 5 starts with Giants.
5. RHP Kyle McClellan: 3.38 ERA as RP last season.
Projected closer
RHP Ryan Franklin: 1.05 ERA pre-September; finished at 1.92.
Grades
Offense: B. Pujols and Holliday give the Cardinals one of the majors’ top 3-4 tandems and Molina improves every season, but they aren’t that special elsewhere. St. Louis finished ninth in the NL in runs scored after the All-Star break last season. In 2010, the production of Ryan Ludwick, Skip Schumaker and Colby Rasmus will be key.
Pitching: A. Wainwright and Carpenter were the best 1-2 rotation punch in the game last season. Franklin leads a balanced bullpen that includes a couple of hard throwers in Mitchell Boggs and Blake Hawksworth. Brad Penny has the ingredients to be pitching coach Dave Duncan’s next success story.
Bench: B. Recent acquisition Felipe Lopez was second to Chase Utley in runs scored by NL second basemen last season, and he can play all over the infield. Julio Lugo also brings plenty of experience to the middle infield. There isn’t much experience in the outfield, however.
Manager: A. All of those pitching changes might rile some fans, but opposing managers consistently praise La Russa’s consistent approach and for never being caught off-guard. His players always are prepared to play, and you rarely (if ever) see an undisciplined player on the Cardinals.
Sporting News prediction: Any team with Pujols is a contender. Any team with Pujols, Holliday, Carpenter and Wainwright — as long as they’re healthy — is a clear choice to win the division. Beating Philadelphia, however, is another matter.
COMING TUESDAY: Cubs preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
PHOENIX—For players returning from injury-marred 2009 seasons, the start of the exhibition schedule means it is time to put spring training optimism to the test.
Ben Sheets will make his Oakland debut by facing his former team, Milwaukee.
Five rehabbing players who could help shape this season’s playoff races:
2009 injury: Elbow surgery
Last pitched: September 2008
Status: Sheets will face his old team, the Brewers, Friday. "I’m not worried about who I’m facing," said Sheets. "I’m just worried about getting back out there and back in the swing of things." The normally thrifty A’s gave Sheets a one-year, $10 million contract and named him their opening day starter. "I’m ready to get out there," he said.
2009 injury: Shoulder surgery
Last pitched: Opening day 2009
Status: Throwing off mound. The 2006 N.L. Cy Young award winner isn’t expected to make his spring debut for about two weeks but hasn’t reported any setbacks.
Next step: Webb will throw live batting practice.
2009 injuries: Back, ribs, abdomen
Last played: September 2009
Status: Sidelined by bruised shoulder. He was limited to 89 games last season and finished with 10 homers, 54 RBIs and a .741 OPS. Hamilton should make his Cactus League debut next week. "He can crush the ball," Mariners closer David Aardsma said. "If he’s healthy."
2009 injury: Shoulder surgery
Last played: October 2009
Status: In action. He hit .172 in 29 at-bats for the Cardinals last season after debuting in September. Glaus, on the same workout schedule as his new teammates, is hoping the move from third base to first will decrease the wear and tear.
2009 injury: Hamstring surgery
Last played: May 2009
Status: In action. Reyes is running at full speed and has reported no problems. He was scheduled to play his first Grapefruit League game Thursday but didn’t because he needed follow-up work on his physical. He should debut Friday. UPDATE: Reyes is returning to New York for tests and is not expected to take part in any physical activity while he is gone.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
PHOENIX—For players returning from injury-marred 2009 seasons, the start of the exhibition schedule means it is time to put spring training optimism to the test.
Ben Sheets will make his Oakland debut by facing his former team, Milwaukee.
Five rehabbing players who could help shape this season’s playoff races:
2009 injury: Elbow surgery
Last pitched: September 2008
Status: Sheets will face his old team, the Brewers, Friday. "I’m not worried about who I’m facing," said Sheets. "I’m just worried about getting back out there and back in the swing of things." The normally thrifty A’s gave Sheets a one-year, $10 million contract and named him their opening day starter. "I’m ready to get out there," he said.
2009 injury: Shoulder surgery
Last pitched: Opening day 2009
Status: Throwing off mound. The 2006 N.L. Cy Young award winner isn’t expected to make his spring debut for about two weeks but hasn’t reported any setbacks.
Next step: Webb will throw live batting practice.
2009 injuries: Back, ribs, abdomen
Last played: September 2009
Status: Sidelined by bruised shoulder. He was limited to 89 games last season and finished with 10 homers, 54 RBIs and a .741 OPS. Hamilton should make his Cactus League debut next week. "He can crush the ball," Mariners closer David Aardsma said. "If he’s healthy."
2009 injury: Shoulder surgery
Last played: October 2009
Status: In action. He hit .172 in 29 at-bats for the Cardinals last season after debuting in September. Glaus, on the same workout schedule as his new teammates, is hoping the move from third base to first will decrease the wear and tear.
2009 injury: Hamstring surgery
Last played: May 2009
Status: In action. Reyes is running at full speed and has reported no problems. He was scheduled to play his first Grapefruit League game Thursday but didn’t because he needed follow-up work on his physical. He should debut Friday. UPDATE: Reyes is returning to New York for tests and is not expected to take part in any physical activity while he is gone.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Sporting News’ Stan McNeal’s six-day stint in Arizona ended Thursday. Next up: an extended tour of the Florida’s Grapefruit League.
Jose Lopez really could end up at third base.
Jose Lopez might be able to hide his defensive liabilities better at third base.
When the Mariners said they would give Jose Lopez some work at third base in spring training, I figured they were planning for in-season emergencies. Maybe not.
Now I’m thinking the Mariners would like to move Lopez to third because he would do less harm than he did at second (15 errors in 2009). Wherever he is, Lopez will be a defensive liability on a club built around defense and pitching. With first base occupied, third becomes the logical option. At third, Lopez wouldn’t need to range far to his left because the Mariners have Jack Wilson at shortstop.
For more than a week, Lopez has been playing third base and Chone Figgins second in Mariners’ infield drills. When the team began Cactus League play Wednesday, Lopez was at third and Figgins at second. General manager Jack Zduriencik said the club plans to keep them there for at least a couple of weeks, and then will talk seriously about a potential change.
The Mariners know Figgins can excel at second or third, and he said he is fine playing either. He doesn’t want to go back and forth, however, and wants to be sure Lopez is "happy" with the move. "If we’re comfortable, that’s good for the team," Figgins said.
Lopez is not yet comfortable at third but said he is working on it. The Mariners want Lopez somewhere in the lineup because he is their only projected regular other than Ken Griffey Jr. to hit more than 22 homers in a season.
Tim Lincecum rolls with the punches
To say Tim Lincecum had an eventful offseason would be like saying the Yankees have a lot of resources. He won his second NL Cy Young award, made headlines for possession of marijuana and signed a two-year, $23 million contract after making $650,000 in 2009.
After he struggled in his spring training debut Wednesday, I wasn’t sure how he’d handle his post-outing media scrum. Well, I was more than a little impressed.
First, Lincecum signed autographs for at least 15 minutes — no exaggeration, he must have signed 100. He was on one side of the fence and the hounds were on the other. For a while, no one from the team was present to orchestrate the event.
Lincecum was polite and patient as he pumped out the signatures. Then he turned around and saw a dozen media types. He answered all the questions — he really knows how to analyze his mechanics, too — and then sat smiling through a somewhat ridiculous interview with a Japanese TV station. "Tim, I know we asked you this last year, but how is your dog?" "Tim, could you write your motto (Roll with the Punches) on this whiteboard, then look at the camera and read it?"
It is difficult to imagine many players who would sit through such a session, much less a two-time Cy Young winner. Then Lincecum went out and did his running.
An aside: In the middle of his media session, Lincecum was properly awestruck when Ken Griffey Jr. interrupted to introduce himself as he was heading back to the Mariners’ clubhouse. Lincecum grew up in Seattle and never had met the all-time great Mariner. (This, by the way, said something about Griffey, too).
As for Lincecum’s struggles, he wasn’t concerned. He said his release point and his balance were off, which isn’t unusual for this time of year. He says he had the same problems last spring because his delivery has so many moving parts and takes awhile to get tuned properly.
Even so, he wouldn’t have given up three runs and been forced to throw 33 pitches in his lone inning if Aubrey Huff had handled a throw at first and not allowed Ichiro Suzuki to reach. Eric Byrnes added to Lincecum’s workload, too, by fouling off about six consecutive two-strike pitches. Lincecum eventually struck him out with a changeup. "Finally got one down," he said.
The A’s are going to run more often
Oakland’s days of waiting for three-run homers might be history. The A’s led the majors in stolen bases after the All-Star break last season, after ranking 14th in the first half. The more they ran, the more they scored. They finished fourth in the majors in runs after the break, compared to 25th in the first half.
They’re working on bunting, too. Rickey Henderson and bench coach Tye Waller had a few players, including Rajai Davis, out for early work Thursday. Davis had a .360 on-base percentage and stole 41 bases after Oakland picked him up off waivers last April. Henderson believes the speedster could steals 70 bases this season — if he gets on base often enough. Davis had only one bunt hit in 2009.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Sporting News’ Stan McNeal’s six-day stint in Arizona ended Thursday. Next up: an extended tour of the Florida’s Grapefruit League.
Jose Lopez really could end up at third base.
Jose Lopez might be able to hide his defensive liabilities better at third base.
When the Mariners said they would give Jose Lopez some work at third base in spring training, I figured they were planning for in-season emergencies. Maybe not.
Now I’m thinking the Mariners would like to move Lopez to third because he would do less harm than he did at second (15 errors in 2009). Wherever he is, Lopez will be a defensive liability on a club built around defense and pitching. With first base occupied, third becomes the logical option. At third, Lopez wouldn’t need to range far to his left because the Mariners have Jack Wilson at shortstop.
For more than a week, Lopez has been playing third base and Chone Figgins second in Mariners’ infield drills. When the team began Cactus League play Wednesday, Lopez was at third and Figgins at second. General manager Jack Zduriencik said the club plans to keep them there for at least a couple of weeks, and then will talk seriously about a potential change.
The Mariners know Figgins can excel at second or third, and he said he is fine playing either. He doesn’t want to go back and forth, however, and wants to be sure Lopez is "happy" with the move. "If we’re comfortable, that’s good for the team," Figgins said.
Lopez is not yet comfortable at third but said he is working on it. The Mariners want Lopez somewhere in the lineup because he is their only projected regular other than Ken Griffey Jr. to hit more than 22 homers in a season.
Tim Lincecum rolls with the punches
To say Tim Lincecum had an eventful offseason would be like saying the Yankees have a lot of resources. He won his second NL Cy Young award, made headlines for possession of marijuana and signed a two-year, $23 million contract after making $650,000 in 2009.
After he struggled in his spring training debut Wednesday, I wasn’t sure how he’d handle his post-outing media scrum. Well, I was more than a little impressed.
First, Lincecum signed autographs for at least 15 minutes — no exaggeration, he must have signed 100. He was on one side of the fence and the hounds were on the other. For a while, no one from the team was present to orchestrate the event.
Lincecum was polite and patient as he pumped out the signatures. Then he turned around and saw a dozen media types. He answered all the questions — he really knows how to analyze his mechanics, too — and then sat smiling through a somewhat ridiculous interview with a Japanese TV station. "Tim, I know we asked you this last year, but how is your dog?" "Tim, could you write your motto (Roll with the Punches) on this whiteboard, then look at the camera and read it?"
It is difficult to imagine many players who would sit through such a session, much less a two-time Cy Young winner. Then Lincecum went out and did his running.
An aside: In the middle of his media session, Lincecum was properly awestruck when Ken Griffey Jr. interrupted to introduce himself as he was heading back to the Mariners’ clubhouse. Lincecum grew up in Seattle and never had met the all-time great Mariner. (This, by the way, said something about Griffey, too).
As for Lincecum’s struggles, he wasn’t concerned. He said his release point and his balance were off, which isn’t unusual for this time of year. He says he had the same problems last spring because his delivery has so many moving parts and takes awhile to get tuned properly.
Even so, he wouldn’t have given up three runs and been forced to throw 33 pitches in his lone inning if Aubrey Huff had handled a throw at first and not allowed Ichiro Suzuki to reach. Eric Byrnes added to Lincecum’s workload, too, by fouling off about six consecutive two-strike pitches. Lincecum eventually struck him out with a changeup. "Finally got one down," he said.
The A’s are going to run more often
Oakland’s days of waiting for three-run homers might be history. The A’s led the majors in stolen bases after the All-Star break last season, after ranking 14th in the first half. The more they ran, the more they scored. They finished fourth in the majors in runs after the break, compared to 25th in the first half.
They’re working on bunting, too. Rickey Henderson and bench coach Tye Waller had a few players, including Rajai Davis, out for early work Thursday. Davis had a .360 on-base percentage and stole 41 bases after Oakland picked him up off waivers last April. Henderson believes the speedster could steals 70 bases this season — if he gets on base often enough. Davis had only one bunt hit in 2009.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Spring training wasn’t a week old before manager Ozzie Guillen raised the ire of general manager Kenny Williams. Guillen created a Twitter account. The GM doesn’t want his manager sharing White Sox matters in cyberspace. Guillen says he won’t; he just wants to have fun. With the AL Central’s deepest rotation and a retooled offense, the White Sox have a team that could make their manager’s job more enjoyable than firing off 140-character wisecracks.
Three questions
Juan Pierre will hit leadoff for the White Sox, but he doesn’t provide the power the team needs.
1. Where’s the power?
Since their days together with the Marlins, Guillen has wanted Juan Pierre on his side. Why? Pierre is an ideal top-of-the-order hitter in the go-go attack Guillen prefers. Pierre not only can steal bases, but he doesn’t strike out much and has a respectable .348 on-base percentage for his career.
The White Sox won’t be all about small ball, though. Chicago still has three players in its staring lineup — first baseman Paul Konerko, right fielder Carlos Quentin and slimmed-down DH Andruw Jones — with at least one season with 30-plus homers on their resumes. But with Pierre, center fielder Alex Rios, third baseman Mark Teahen, second baseman Gordon Beckham and shortstop Alexei Ramirez, Guillen’s lineup also is loaded with players who have the potential to reach double figures in steals as well as homers.
2. Who’s the DH?
Well, it isn’t Jim Thome. He will continue his push toward 600 homers with the Twins after the White Sox decided not to bring him back. Williams would have liked the steady power potential, but Guillen didn’t think he could get Thome enough at-bats. After years of having Frank Thomas and Thome as exclusive designated hitters, Guillen wants to use the position as a way to rotate and rest players.
Jones figures to be the No. 1 choice, though he sometimes will sit against righthanders in favor of the lefthanded-hitting Mark Kotsay. When Guillen wants to get Jones a start in the outfield, he can give Quentin or Rios a day off from defense. "From the manager’s point, it’s easier when you have a guy you don’t have to use as a DH," Guillen said.
3. Can Rios rebound?
He’d better. The Sox are on the hook for nearly $60 million over five seasons after claiming the 29-year-old off waivers last August. Rios’ first 41 games with the club couldn’t have gone much worse: He hit .199 with a .530 OPS, only three homers and nine RBIs. What happened? "Everything," Guillen said. "It was not easy for him. Playing in Chicago when you’re in the pennant race is kind of tough. He put a lot of pressure on himself. He struggled to me more mentally because he tried to do too much."
The White Sox are hoping Rios will play better after spending a camp with the club and knowing that he will be the everyday center fielder.
Projected lineup
1. LF Juan Pierre: .301 AVG in 10-year career.
2. 2B Gordon Beckham: SN’s top AL rookie in ’09.
3. RF Carlos Quentin: 21 HRs in ’09 but health is issue.
4. 1B Paul Konerko: 197 HRs since ’04 are 3rd-most in AL
5. CF Alex Rios: Only 63 runs scored in 149 games in ’09.
6. C A.J. Pierzynski: Leads AL catchers in games since ’05.
7. DH Andruw Jones: ’08: 3 HRs, .158 AVG; ’09: 17 HRs, .214 AVG.
8. SS Alexei Ramirez: 18 BBs in ’08; 49 in ’09.
9. 3B Mark Teahen: 123 K’s, 37 BBs with Royals in ’09.
Projected rotation
1. LHP Mark Buehrle: 2-7, 4.78 ERA after perfect game July 23.
2. RHP Jake Peavy: No runs allowed in final 17 IP in ’09.
3. LHP John Danks: 3.77 ERA: 3rd-best among AL lefties.
4. RHP Gavin Floyd: ERA, K’s up, but BBs down ’09.
5. RHP Freddy Garcia: Just 23 MLB starts since ’07.
Projected closer
RHP Bobby Jenks. ERA jumped from 2.63 in ’08 to 3.71 in ’09.
Grades
Offense: C. The White Sox plan to use a different approach. Relying on the homer didn’t prove effective last season when they hit 184, their lowest total in 10 years and 51 fewer than 2008’s major league-leading total. Not coincidentally, they finished 12th in the AL in runs.
Pitching: A. The rotation finished second in the AL with a 4.20 ERA last season and should be even better with a healthy Jake Peavy from the start of the season. In the bullpen, closer Bobby Jenks could be a concern; his .250 batting average allowed was second-highest among AL closers.
Bench: B. Omar Vizquel turns 43 in April but remains a plus defender at second and short. Whoever doesn’t DH between Jones and Kotsay should make a dangerous pinch hitter. Chicago needs a boost in that department after its pinch hitters finished last in the majors with a .106 average.
Manager: A. That grade isn’t only for Guillen’s entertainment value, either. He has won a ring as a manager and a coach in past seven seasons. Not that he cares, but Guillen will be under more pressure this season after Williams gave him a lineup the manager wanted more than the GM.
Sporting News prediction: The White Sox will bounce back from their 79-win season and stay in the division chase all season. But they have too many questions on offense to outlast the Twins.
Coming Thursday: Indians preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
Spring training wasn’t a week old before manager Ozzie Guillen raised the ire of general manager Kenny Williams. Guillen created a Twitter account. The GM doesn’t want his manager sharing White Sox matters in cyberspace. Guillen says he won’t; he just wants to have fun. With the AL Central’s deepest rotation and a retooled offense, the White Sox have a team that could make their manager’s job more enjoyable than firing off 140-character wisecracks.
Three questions
Juan Pierre will hit leadoff for the White Sox, but he doesn’t provide the power the team needs.
1. Where’s the power?
Since their days together with the Marlins, Guillen has wanted Juan Pierre on his side. Why? Pierre is an ideal top-of-the-order hitter in the go-go attack Guillen prefers. Pierre not only can steal bases, but he doesn’t strike out much and has a respectable .348 on-base percentage for his career.
The White Sox won’t be all about small ball, though. Chicago still has three players in its staring lineup — first baseman Paul Konerko, right fielder Carlos Quentin and slimmed-down DH Andruw Jones — with at least one season with 30-plus homers on their resumes. But with Pierre, center fielder Alex Rios, third baseman Mark Teahen, second baseman Gordon Beckham and shortstop Alexei Ramirez, Guillen’s lineup also is loaded with players who have the potential to reach double figures in steals as well as homers.
2. Who’s the DH?
Well, it isn’t Jim Thome. He will continue his push toward 600 homers with the Twins after the White Sox decided not to bring him back. Williams would have liked the steady power potential, but Guillen didn’t think he could get Thome enough at-bats. After years of having Frank Thomas and Thome as exclusive designated hitters, Guillen wants to use the position as a way to rotate and rest players.
Jones figures to be the No. 1 choice, though he sometimes will sit against righthanders in favor of the lefthanded-hitting Mark Kotsay. When Guillen wants to get Jones a start in the outfield, he can give Quentin or Rios a day off from defense. "From the manager’s point, it’s easier when you have a guy you don’t have to use as a DH," Guillen said.
3. Can Rios rebound?
He’d better. The Sox are on the hook for nearly $60 million over five seasons after claiming the 29-year-old off waivers last August. Rios’ first 41 games with the club couldn’t have gone much worse: He hit .199 with a .530 OPS, only three homers and nine RBIs. What happened? "Everything," Guillen said. "It was not easy for him. Playing in Chicago when you’re in the pennant race is kind of tough. He put a lot of pressure on himself. He struggled to me more mentally because he tried to do too much."
The White Sox are hoping Rios will play better after spending a camp with the club and knowing that he will be the everyday center fielder.
Projected lineup
1. LF Juan Pierre: .301 AVG in 10-year career.
2. 2B Gordon Beckham: SN’s top AL rookie in ’09.
3. RF Carlos Quentin: 21 HRs in ’09 but health is issue.
4. 1B Paul Konerko: 197 HRs since ’04 are 3rd-most in AL
5. CF Alex Rios: Only 63 runs scored in 149 games in ’09.
6. C A.J. Pierzynski: Leads AL catchers in games since ’05.
7. DH Andruw Jones: ’08: 3 HRs, .158 AVG; ’09: 17 HRs, .214 AVG.
8. SS Alexei Ramirez: 18 BBs in ’08; 49 in ’09.
9. 3B Mark Teahen: 123 K’s, 37 BBs with Royals in ’09.
Projected rotation
1. LHP Mark Buehrle: 2-7, 4.78 ERA after perfect game July 23.
2. RHP Jake Peavy: No runs allowed in final 17 IP in ’09.
3. LHP John Danks: 3.77 ERA: 3rd-best among AL lefties.
4. RHP Gavin Floyd: ERA, K’s up, but BBs down ’09.
5. RHP Freddy Garcia: Just 23 MLB starts since ’07.
Projected closer
RHP Bobby Jenks. ERA jumped from 2.63 in ’08 to 3.71 in ’09.
Grades
Offense: C. The White Sox plan to use a different approach. Relying on the homer didn’t prove effective last season when they hit 184, their lowest total in 10 years and 51 fewer than 2008’s major league-leading total. Not coincidentally, they finished 12th in the AL in runs.
Pitching: A. The rotation finished second in the AL with a 4.20 ERA last season and should be even better with a healthy Jake Peavy from the start of the season. In the bullpen, closer Bobby Jenks could be a concern; his .250 batting average allowed was second-highest among AL closers.
Bench: B. Omar Vizquel turns 43 in April but remains a plus defender at second and short. Whoever doesn’t DH between Jones and Kotsay should make a dangerous pinch hitter. Chicago needs a boost in that department after its pinch hitters finished last in the majors with a .106 average.
Manager: A. That grade isn’t only for Guillen’s entertainment value, either. He has won a ring as a manager and a coach in past seven seasons. Not that he cares, but Guillen will be under more pressure this season after Williams gave him a lineup the manager wanted more than the GM.
Sporting News prediction: The White Sox will bounce back from their 79-win season and stay in the division chase all season. But they have too many questions on offense to outlast the Twins.
Coming Thursday: Indians preview.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
