Los Angeles Dodgers Review March 29, 2008
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The Los Angeles Dodgers finished a disappointing 82-80 in 2007. This
off-season they made a big splash by landing CF Andruw Jones. Despite
having a poor campaign in 2007, the Dodgers believe Jones will bring
Gold Glove defense to their outfield and provide a legitimate power
hitter in the middle of their lineup. The
Dodgers also acquired
Japanese starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. The addition of these two
players will help Los Angeles compete in a tough National League West
division. But most importantly, the acquisition of new manager Joe
Torre will hopefully have the biggest impact on this team. The rest of their lineup is mixed with aging veterans and promising young talent.
Behind the plate is 25 year old Russell Martin. He has a complete all
around offensive game. Last
season he hit .293 with 19 homeruns, 87
RBI, 21 stolen bases and scored 87 runs. There aren’t many catchers
that even come close to Martin’s production. At 1B, the Dodgers were
pleased with the arrival of James Loney, who will turn 24 in May, last
year. Loney hit .331 in 96 games and even displayed a little bit of
power. He projects as more of a line drive hitter with a good average
and excellent defense. 40 year old Jeff Kent will be playing 2B. 
When
healthy, Kent puts up good offensive numbers. At SS is Rafael Furcal
who is looking to have an injury free year. 3B will be manned by Nomar
Garciaparra. With the injury to prospect Andy LaRoche, Garciaparra
will be forced to play everyday. Manager Joe Torre, would like to find
someone to fill in for Nomar in order to keep him fresh and healthy.
Look for youngster Tony Abreu to fill that role.
The Dodger’s outfield is overcrowded. Andruw Jones will be in CF.
This will force Juan Pierre to LF, but he could also be traded. Matt
Kemp and Andre Ethier should end up as the corner outfielders before
long. Jason Repko and Delwyn Young are also hoping to win a spot on
the team’s bench as an additional outfielder.
The Dodger’s starting rotation will be led by Brad Penny. Penny had an
impressive 16-4 record last season
while pitching 208 innings. He will
be followed by Derek Lowe and Hiroki Kuroda. Chad Billingsley, Esteban
Loaiza and the oft-injured Jason Schmidt
will compete to fill out the
rotation. The bullpen will be strong with closer Takashi Saito and
setup
man Jonathan Broxton. Lefty Joe Beimel and veteran righty Scott
Proctor also look to play an important role in 2008.
Overall, the Dodgers are improved from last season and believe they are
capable of winning the N.L. West. They have a mixture of veterans and
younger players combined with a winning manager. Look for them to be
in the playoff hunt come September.
Top 10 Baseball Movies March 29, 2008
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Do you have a favorite baseball movie? I have ranked my top 10 of all time. Take a look and see if your favorites are on the list. Please, feel free to comment on movies that you believe should be on this list.
1. The Natural (1984)
2. Field of Dreams (1989)
3. The SandLot (1993)
4. The Rookie (2002)
5. Pride of the Yankees (1942)
6. 61* (2001)
7. For Love of the Game (1999)
8. Eight Men Out (1988)
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9. Soul of the Game (1996)
10. Bull Durham (1988)
These are movies I highly recommend for any baseball fan.
Here’s more baseball movies worth watching that didn’t make my top 10.
This Old Cub (2004) Must see for any Cub fan about Ron Santo.
Major League (1989) Who doesn’t love Charlie Sheen in this movie.
Bad News Bears (1976) A classic.
Cobb (1994)
Everyone hated this baseball legend. And he loved it.
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
It Could Happen.
The Babe (1992)
There Was Only One.
Gerald Laird could be leaving Texas March 29, 2008
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According to XM’s Buck Martinez, the Cincinnati Reds are in need of an everyday
catcher due to back spasms that have kept David Ross out of the lineup all
spring. Texas catcher Gerald Laird is number one on their list of possible
replacements. Rumor has it that Texas is looking to move Laird to make room for
phenom Jared Saltalmacchia, who was the centerpiece in the Mark Teixeira trade.
Last season Saltalmacchia played primarily first base after arriving in Texas.
Texas has made a commitment to Ben Broussard as their everyday first baseman
leaving Saltalmacchia without a position.
Kansas City Royals Review March 25, 2008
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After having only two winning seasons in the past thirteen years, the Kansas City Royals are looking to recapture the success they experienced in the 70’s and 80’s. Last season the team decided to bring in Dayton Moore as their new General Manager.
Moore, a long time assistant of John Schuerholtz, is looking to rebuild the Royals from within much like the Braves have done for the last decade. The 2008 Royals have plenty of young talent that will help Moore’s vision come to fruition. Kansas City made a handful of moves in the off-season bringing in free agents Jose Guillen and Brett Tomko. The Royals also brought in a new manager in Trey Hillman, who was previously the manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters for the past four seasons. Probably the biggest move of all was the decision not to resign team captain Mike Sweeney, who had struggled with injuries the past couple of seasons.
With another year of experience the Royals offense should be much improved over last season. The start of the 07 campaign was a tough one for rookie Alex Gordon, but he bounced back to have a decent first year. Gordon batted .247 with 16 home runs and 60 RBI’s. Along with Gordon the Royals have a host of young players to build their offense around such as Mark Teahen, Tony Pena, and Billy Butler. Veteran 
Jose Guillen should provide Kansas City with some much needed pop after hitting 23 homers and driving in 99 for the Seattle Mariners in 2007. The Royals are expecting good things from DH Billy Butler who batted .292 with 8 home runs and 52 RBI’s, in a limited role. Butler has a great eye at the plate and is expected to develop better power numbers as he gets more major league experience. The rest of the lineup is solid, but on paper the Royals lineup doesn’t match up very well with the rest of the AL Central teams. The projected lineup is as follows:
1B Ryan Shealy/Ross Gload/Billy Butler
2B Mark Grudzielanek
SS Tony Pena
3B Alex Gordon
RF Jose Guillen
CF David DeJesus/Joey Gathright
LF Mark Teahen
C John Buck
DH Billy Butler
Kansas City’s starting rotation could be their biggest bright spot this season. Gil Meche, Brian Bannister, and Zack Greinke all had ERA’s under 4.00 last year. The Royals were criticized when they signed Meche to a 5 year 55 million dollar deal. The acquisition paid immediate dividends in 2007 as Meche went 9-13 with a 3.67 ERA in 216 innings. Bannister, who was traded from the Mets, was a serious contender for rookie of the year honors by posting a 12-9 record with a 3.87 ERA in 165 innings. The third spot in the rotation belongs to Zack Greinke, who missed virtually all of 2006 with personal problems. Greinke
had a nice comeback season in 07 going 7-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 122 innings. The rest of the rotation was shaping up to be a four horse race but 2006 first round pick Luke Hochevar was sent to the minors for some more seasoning. With Hochevar out of the picture the last two spots in the rotation will be between Jorge De La Rosa, Brett Tomko, and Kyle Davies.
The bullpen will be anchored by, last year’s rule five draft pick, Joakim Soria. Soria started out last year as the Royals closer until Octavio Dotel came off the disabled list. Dotel was the closer for the Royals until he was traded to Atlanta for Kyle Davies. Soria retained the closer’s role after Dotel’s 
departure and saved a total of 17 games in 2007. Others who are competing for bullpen jobs are Joel Peralta, Ron Mahay, Brandon Duckworth, Jimmy Gobble, Yasuhiko Yabuta, and Luke Hudson.
Kansas City fans should have a lot to look forward to in the coming years. Unfortunately the American League Central is one of the toughest in baseball. It could be a long season for Trey Hillman’s club although there is no substitute for talent regardless of the age. Look for the Royals to be competitive in 2008 and cause a lot of problems for the rest of the division.
Chicago White Sox Review March 22, 2008
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The Chicago White Sox struggled in 2007 after coming off back-to-back 90 plus win seasons. Injuries and sub-par performances contributed to a fourth place finish with a record of 72-90. Manager Ozzie Guillen was a hot topic around Major League Baseball last season with his erratic outbursts directed toward the media. There were rumors all season that Guillen would be fired due to his over-the-top behavior and his
team’s poor performance on the field. Rather than firing Guillen, GM Ken Williams extended his contract through 2012.
baseman Joe Crede is expected to be dealt in order to shore up their pitching staff and to make room for Josh Fields. Thus far no team has been willing to pay the price that the Sox are seeking. Look for Crede to dealt by the All-Star break. With or without Crede the White Sox stating lineup has the potential to be a potent one. Chicago’s starting lineup will be as follows:
better mental outlook. He should look more like the Jose Contreras of 2006 as it appears his personal problems are in the past. The other two spots in the rotation will be filled with youngsters John Danks and Gavin Floyd. Both Danks and Floyd have the potential to be 15 game winners. They showed flashes of brilliance last season but could not put it together for a full season. Bobby Jenks will solidify a bullpen that is looking to improve on the 07 season. The pen should be much improved due to the additions of Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel. Dotel has electric stuff but injuries have slowed him much of his career. The rest of the bullpen includes Matt Thorton, Mike MacDougal and Boone Logan.
performance of 2005, when they won the World Series. A lot of things will have to go right for the Sox to compete for the AL Central crown. Look for Chicago to finish second or third and possibly compete for the wildcard. Minnesota Twins Review March 19, 2008
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In 2007 the Minnesota Twins had their first losing season in seven years with a 79-83 record. The Twins had several distractions and injuries that kept them from a return trip to the post-season. One of the hardships that the Twins endured was the trade that sent club house favorite Luis Castillo to the New York Mets. At the time, Minnesota was still in the AL Central hunt and the deal left the players wondering what direction the team was heading. Torii Hunter had a career year for Minnesota, but trade rumors and contract negotiations loomed over the team all season. Injuries plagued Joe Mauer last season limiting him to only 406 at bats.
of buzz as in Detroit. Minnesota traded Johan Santana to the New York Mets for Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra. In the long run this deal might work out for the Twins but many thought that they should have gotten major league ready talent in return for a player the caliber of Santana. Carlos Gomez has all the tools to be the Twins starting centerfielder, but he may need some seasoning in the minors before that can happen. If Gomez doesn’t win the centerfield job out of spring training the Twins don’t have any clear cut options. Craig Monroe could fill the void if he makes the team, but injuries have limited his playing time this spring. Rookie Jason Pridie could be in the mix also but it’s possible the Twins might look outside the organization to fill the void. A perfect short term solution for Minnesota would be veteran Kenny Lofton who has yet to sign with a team. 
seasons. Hernandez is projected to be the opening day starter for the Twins. In 2006 Francisco Liriano competed for Rookie of the Year honors until his season was cut short by Tommy John surgery. Liriano is back for the Twins this year and will fill the number two spot in the rotation. So far this spring Liriano has thrown without pain and has plenty of velocity on his pitches. His command isn’t as sharp as the Twins would like but that is to be expected when coming off of Tommy John. The rest of the rotation could be filled by any number of young hurlers. Scott Baker, Boof Bonser, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins, and Phillip Humber are all competing for the final three spots. Baker, Bonser, and Slowey have the upperhand thus far, but Humber is making a strong case for a roster position. Even though the Twins rotation doesn’t have a ton of experience you can’t teach talent and they have plenty of it.
2007 campaign going 7-2 with a 2.94 ERA in 70 plus innings. The rest of the bullpen will feature Jesse Crain, Dennys Reyes, Juan Rincon, and Matt Guerrier.New York Yankees Review March 17, 2008
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As usual the New York Yankee fans had plenty to talk about this off-season. We saw an end of an era with the departure of Joe Torre. There was the Mitchell Report that implicated two prominent Yankee greats in Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. We also
saw a change of heart between GM Brian Cashman and Alex Rodriguez in regards to contract negotiations. Not to mention that this season will be the final year for historic Yankee Stadium. Also the Yankees will host the 2008 All-Star game. As far as things on the field are concerned, not much has changed. The Yankees go into 2008 with basically the same cast of characters they had last season.
Offensively the Yankees are fine. They should put plenty of crooked numbers up on the board. New York has arguably the best player of our era in 
Alex Rodriguez. Besides A-Rod they have a wonderful supporting cast that includes guys like Jeter, Abreu, Cano, Giambi, Posada, and Matsui. There are four players competing for starting roles in the outfield; Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, and Hideki Matsui. Health will play a huge factor in who gets a majority of the playing time. Damon started last season as the centerfielder but injuries to Matsui opened the door for Melky Cabrera to take over in center, allowing Damon to move to left. First base could be a revolving door this season depending on the health of Jason Giambi. Giambi is a viable offensive threat, but his defense is a bit shaky. Shelley Duncan is also competing for the first base job after having a solid first season in the majors. Damon could see some action at first base as well. What happens in the outfield and at first base determines who gets the nod as the DH. Between Damon, Giambi, and Duncan the Yankees should have a viable option for the role. As far as the rest of the lineup, it looks something like this:
1B Jason Giambi/Shelley Duncan
2B Robinson Cano
SS Derek Jeter
3B Alex Rodriguez
RF Bobby Abreu
LF Hideki Matsui
CF Johnny Damon/Melky Cabrera
C Jorge Posada
DH Jason Giambi/Shelley Duncan/Johnny Damon
The rotation is still a bit up in the air with a host of talented young pitchers vying for a spot. Chien-Ming Wang will anchor the staff after being the winningest pitcher in the AL the last two seasons. Andy Pettitte will secure the second spot in the rotation after having a serviceable 2007. The third spot in the rotation
could go to Mike Mussina. Mussina had a horrendous season a year ago but is bouncing back with a strong spring. Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain are competing for the fourth and fifth spots. It is still uncertain whether Chamberlain will pitch out of the bullpen or compete for a rotation spot. Joba was lights out last year as Rivera’s setup man. Chamberlain went 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA in 24 innings pitched. If he retains the setup role he will be joined in the bullpen by Kyle Farnsworth, Latroy Hawkins, Brian Bruney, and closer Mariano Rivera.
New York has a new manager this season in Joe Girardi. Girardi beat out former Yankee Don Mattingly, who decided to leave the Bronx Bombers after being passed over. Joe brings a patient, enthusiastic approach to the club. Girardi should be a great fit for New York with his experience in dealing with younger players. Joe did a phenomenal job, winning manager of the year, with the 2006 Marlins who had an entire roster of young players. His experience should compliment GM Brian Cashman’s vision for a younger, less costly Yankee franchise. Cashman has realized that he needs depth from within to have a championship caliber franchise. As a result we are starting to see the fruits of his labor with guys like Chamberlain, Hughes, Kennedy, and Karstens.
The Yankees should have another successful run in the AL East. It will be hard for the Yanks to knock off rival Boston, who have an incredible amount of talent returning. Look for New York to finish first or second in the division with the Bluejays and Rays hot on their heels.
Colorado Rockies Review March 16, 2008
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What a year the Colorado Rockies had in 2007. They started winning
games in September and could do no wrong. Their dream season finally
came to an end at the hands of the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
Yet, this team now knows they are capable of playing winning baseball
and making it to the Fall Classic.
Let’s start with their explosive lineup. Behind the plate this year
will be Yorvit Torrealba. Torrealba will fill the starters role until
young Chris Lannetta is capable of handling the job on a full time
basis. Look for Torrelba to be the starter at the beginning of the
season. At
1B is veteran Todd Helton. Helton’s production has fallen
off a bit the last few years. Last season he ‘only’ hit .320 with 17
homers and 91 RBIs. Oh, he also plays gold glove caliber defense.
While he may not post up the numbers like used to, he is still a great
player and will help lead the Rockies to another fine season. At 2B
the Rockies are hoping rookie Jayson Nix plays well this spring and
wins the job. He batted .292 with 11 homers and 24 stolen bases last
season in triple A Colorado Springs. Look for him to make the team and
bat low in the lineup this season. At SS is Troy Tulowitzki. Tulo, as
he is sometimes called, had a great season in 2007. Look for him to
improve on those numbers as he is projected to bat second. At 3B is
Garrett Atkins. Atkins started slowly last season, but managed to hit
.301 with 25 homers and 111 RBIs. Atkins has also been working to
improve his defense. The Rockies outfield is one of the better ones in
the National League. LF Matt Holliday is a preseason pick for MVP by
many this season. He slugged his way to a .340 average with 120 runs
scored, 36 home runs and 137 RBIs last year. In CF is the speedy Willy
Taveras. He needs to stay healthy this season and once again take
advantage of his speed. In RF is left-handed hitting Brad Hawpe. He
belted 29 home runs with 116 RBIs in 2007. Despite his limited range in
the field he does possess a strong throwing arm.
Corner outfield/corner infielder Jeff Baker will supply the power off
the bench. Ryan Spilborghs can play all three outfield positions and
will be another useful bat. Other possible bench players include Clint
Barmes, Omar Quintanilla, Ian Stewart, Seth Smith and Cory Sullivan.
The starting rotation will be key to this team’s success this season.
Jeff Francis won 17 games last season and pitched over 200 innings.
He will be the team’s number one starter. Following him in the
rotation will be Aaron Cook, Jason Hirsh, Ubaldo Jimenez and Kip Wells.
Cook only won 8 games in
2007, but posted a 4.12 ERA. Hirsh has the
tools to be a successful pitcher. Colorado needs him to stay healthy
this season. Jimenez is a young talent that is posed to have a good
year with the Rockies. If they keep him near the back end of the
rotation he should rack up some wins. The final spot in the starting
rotation should belong to Wells. He lost 17 games for St. Louis last
year and needs to rebound for stay in the rotation. If that does not
happen look for Mark Redman or Franklin Morales to take over his role.
The bullpen will be anchored by closer Manny Corpas. He converted 19
of 20 save opportunities after taking over the closer’s job for Brian
Fuentes mid season last year. Fuentes and Luis Vizcaino will be a
strong lefty/righty combination in the set-up role. Other pitchers that
may find themselves in the Rockies bullpen include Taylor Buchholz,
Jose Capellan, Matt Herges and Ryan Speier.
The Rockies have a good chance to be in the post-season again this
year. They will need to carry over the momentum they had at the end of
last year and their pitching staff needs to stay healthy. Colorado
fans should have something to be excited about in 2008.
Cleveland Indians Review March 15, 2008
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The 2007 American League Central Champion, Cleveland Indians, are
looking to take their 2008 campaign to the next level
after last year’s post-season elimination at the hands of the Boston
Red Sox. The Indians finished last season with a record of 96-66, 8
games ahead of central rival Detroit. Although Cleveland has many
positives to build on from last season there are many questions that
need to be answered before opening day.
One of the concerns for the Indians is in left field, where
they have a host of players vying for the job. David Dellucci, Jason
Michaels, Ben Francisco, and Shin-Soo Choo are the front runners for
the starting job. Francisco and Choo have the most upside out of the
candidates but the nod will probably go to Dellucci or Michaels with
a platoon situation likely. Last year’s starting left fielder Kenny
Lofton is still on the free agent market but apparently GM Mark Shapiro
is confident that they can handle the position internally.
Cliff Lee doesn’t improve on last season’s 5-8 record with a 6.29 ERA.
Even with Lee’s previous struggles manager Eric Wedge says that it
is Lee’s spot to lose. If Lee doesn’t hold down the job, Jeremy Sowers
or Adam Miller could get an opportunity to nail
down the spot. The top
two spots in the rotation are as good as it gets with last year’s Cy
Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia anchoring the staff and Fausto Carmona
pitching out of the two slot. The three and four positions in the
rotation belong to Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd, who both had up and
down seasons. Cleveland’s bullpen should be fair with Borowski,
Betancourt, and Perez returning. Borowski led the American League in
saves last year with 45. Even though Borowski was the saves leader he
gave many Indians fans a scare in the ninth inning, leaving some to
believe that setup man Rafael Betancourt would be a better option.
like Sizemore, Hafner, and Martinez leading the way. Grady Sizemore
had a strong 2007 season batting .277 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI’s.
Sizemore
also stole 33 bases while batting leadoff for most of the
season. Travis Hafner struggled for most of last season, but many
think he will have a resurgence in 2008. When healthy, Hafner is one
of the most feared hitters in the game. A big part of Hafner’s success
can be attributed to cleanup man Victor Martinez. Martinez had the
best all around year of any Indian last season. His offensive numbers
were among the best in the league at his position. But the big
surprise was how much he improved defensively allowing only 33 stolen
bases out of 70 attempts. Cleveland should have one of the better
lineups in the division. The Indians projected lineup should look
something like this:
C Victor Martinez
DH Travis Hafner There are a lot of reasons for Tribe fans to be excited.
Look for the Indians to finish first or second in the division. The
biggest question that will be on the minds of Indian fans will be the
upcoming free agency of ace C.C. Sabathia. According to XM’s Baseball this morning, Sabathia has decided to wait until the season is over to
further negotiate a new contract. One last thing of note; "The Jake"
is no longer "The Jake". Our beloved Jacobs Field will now be known as
Progressive Field. What’s up with that?
Arizona Diamondbacks Review March 15, 2008
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Last season the Arizona Diamondbacks won the National League West with a record of 90-72. This season the expectations are high. Their young team is a year older now and the addition of starting pitcher Danny Haren from the A’s will make this a tough team to beat in October.
One of the main reasons this team stands a good chance to play in the post-season is their starting pitching. The team is led by perennially Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb. Webb posted a 3.01 ERA last season along with 18 wins. He is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now and has increased his win total three consecutive seasons. This could be his first 20 win season. Following him in the rotation will probably be Danny Haren. Since joining the A’s rotation in 2005, Haren has won 43 games in 3 years. He should be a lock for 15 wins this season. Randy Johnson is looking to come back healthy from another back surgery. If he is able to play he will be one of the most dominant number three starting pitchers in the game. The ‘Big Unit’ will be one of the keys to this team’s rotation and success this season. Doug Davis and Micah Owings will fill out the rotation. 
The team will have to find a new closer during spring training due to the off-season trade of Jose Valverde to the Houston Astros. Juan Cruz, Tony Pena, Chad Qualls and Brandon Lyon all have a chance to fill that role. The only concern may be a lack of left-handed relief pitchers. Doug Slaten is the only lefty in the bullpen at this point. The team may have to find someone within their farm system or trade for someone later in the season if another lefty is needed. Overall, their bullpen looks to be okay. Once a closer is chosen the other pitchers should fall into their roles as set-up men or middle relievers.
The team’s lineup is young. Behind the plate is Chris Snyder. He will be backed up by Miguel Montero. Both catchers have some pop in their bats and Snyder provides solid defense. At 1B is Conor Jackson. ‘COJACK’ will be 26 in May this year. He is a .280s hitter that has some power and does not strikeout much. At 2B is gold glover Orlando Hudson. The DBacks need him to stay healthy this season. At SS is the highly touted Stephen Drew. Drew, 25, had a disappointing 2007 while hitting .238 with 12 homeruns. Look for those numbers to increase quite a bit this year. At 3B will be Mark Reynolds. Reynolds possesses a solid glove and has tremendous power. His one weakness is strikeouts. He whiffed 129 times in 366 at bats last season. Reynolds will turn 25 in August. The outfield will consist of Eric Byrnes in LF, Chris Young in CF and Justin Upton in RF. This trio possesses a lot of speed and power. Byrnes is the oldest of the three at 32 years of age. He managed to swipe 50 bases in 2007 while batting .286. Young almost had a 30-30 season in 2007 when he hit 32 homers and stole 27 bases. Young will turn 25 in September. RF Justin Upton will turn 21 in August this year. While he only hit .221 in 140 at bats last season he has tremendous potential and should do much better this season. Arizona’s bench will consist of corner infielder Chad Tracy, utility man Chris Burke, outfielder Jeff Salazar and infielder Augie Ojeda.
While the Diamondbacks are the defending National League West Champions it will be a tough challenge to repeat. But this young team looks ready to meet that challenge head on. By September, this team should be in the hunt for the post-season. If Webb, Haren and Johnson are all healthy the World Series may not be that far out of reach.
