jumpmanfromdabay
Banned
- 25,730
- 2,900
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2008
A's fire sale continues. Lew Wolfe gonna be cheap til they move to San Jose
2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by proshares,
- Start date
- Status
- 28,043
- 10,465
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
As expected, Cherington and the Red Sox traded for Andrew Bailey. Oakland gets: Josh Reddick, Miles Head, and Raul Alcantara. Boston gets: Bailey and Ryan Sweeney.
Bard is preparing to move into the starting rotation and couldn't be trusted as the full-time closer anyway. Melancon should setup for Bailey.
Bard is preparing to move into the starting rotation and couldn't be trusted as the full-time closer anyway. Melancon should setup for Bailey.
- 28,043
- 10,465
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2004
As expected, Cherington and the Red Sox traded for Andrew Bailey. Oakland gets: Josh Reddick, Miles Head, and Raul Alcantara. Boston gets: Bailey and Ryan Sweeney.
Bard is preparing to move into the starting rotation and couldn't be trusted as the full-time closer anyway. Melancon should setup for Bailey.
Bard is preparing to move into the starting rotation and couldn't be trusted as the full-time closer anyway. Melancon should setup for Bailey.
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
Not a fan of this deal. I know we're having a fire sale but you still got to put 9 guys out on the field.
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
Not a fan of this deal. I know we're having a fire sale but you still got to put 9 guys out on the field.
- 22,975
- 4,910
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
What's the deal with Prince Fielder?
- 22,975
- 4,910
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
What's the deal with Prince Fielder?
Part of it is that he is a Boras client and they usually hold out for every last penny. Probably a couple weeks into the new year. Other part is that no one wants to give him eight years and Boras is not trying to meet teams halfway on that. Some GM's even suggesting he should take a three year deal.
Part of it is that he is a Boras client and they usually hold out for every last penny. Probably a couple weeks into the new year. Other part is that no one wants to give him eight years and Boras is not trying to meet teams halfway on that. Some GM's even suggesting he should take a three year deal.
Red Sox solidify bullpen with Bailey.
Spoiler [+]
In acquiring right-handed pitcher Andrew Bailey from the Oakland A's, the Boston Red Sox get a proven closer on the cheap, giving up nothing they're likely to miss, while the Oakland A's get a package that probably represents fair value but might seem like a weak return given the way the industry and fans alike tend to overvalue that ninth-inning role. I'd do this deal if I'm Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington rather than give Jonathan Papelbon the deal he got from Philadelphia.
Bailey has had trouble staying healthy the last two years, and had Tommy John surgery in college (when he was overworked like he was a disposable item). But when he's pitched, he's been an above-average reliever, helped by a good ballpark and very good defenses behind him.
He works mostly with his low to mid-90s fastball, which has a little natural glove-side run, and offsets it with a short, downward-breaking cutter that he used a little less often this year after hurting his elbow again in spring training. He's slightly weaker against left-handed hitters, without a real changeup or anything that can break in under a left-handed hitter's hands. I don't think he'll ever be an elite-level closer worth three or so wins above replacement per year. But he could be worth a win and a half over a full, healthy season, and adds to an increasingly deep Boston bullpen.
Boston also receives outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who is a plus defender anywhere in the outfield and puts on a show in batting practice but has never seen that power translate to the games -- and it's not just Oakland's stadium causing the power outage. He's a great fourth outfielder who can fill in at all three spots and can hold his own against right-handed pitching. If Ryan Kalish is healthy, he should be Boston's right fielder, but Sweeney's an adequate alternative if Kalish can't play every day.
The A's appear to have capitulated to the realities of an offseason market that is either suddenly getting religion on the relative value of 70-inning relievers, or just seeing prices drop due to an oversupply of closers coupled with limited demand. For a pitcher whose potential ceiling probably is two wins of value plus a good defensive outfielder who hits only at five o'clock, they got back another fourth outfielder with more years of control and two second-tier prospects.
[+] Enlarge
Rick Osentoski/US PresswireJosh Reddick can be a serviceable fourth outfielder.
Josh Reddick is that fourth outfielder, a hitter with bat speed and good plate coverage but poor plate discipline who has made little or no progress over the past three seasons. Frankly, the length to his swing will limit his offensive upside. He can catch up to a fastball, and he can hit a mistake, but there's no reason for pitchers to throw him hittable strikes. Reddick got some fans overexcited with a hot start after his call-up early in 2011, but when word got around about how to pitch to him, he struggled, hitting .244/.293/.389 after the All-Star break. I'd try him in a platoon situation, benching him against lefties, and extracting some value from him on defense in right, where he has above-average range.
Miles Head is a first baseman whose bat does not profile as anything above average at the position; he's a strong right-handed hitter with some pull power but has a long swing and doesn't rotate his hips well or keep his hands inside the ball to drive it the other way. He did perform well in the Sally League at age 20, and was adequate when he moved up to high-A; he's young enough that he could become a different animal with some swing adjustments, but I wouldn't project him as an everyday player on a good club.
The potential prize here for Oakland is right-hander Raul Alcantara, a projectable, loose-armed right-hander who just turned 19 earlier this month. Alcantara sits 91-93 mph but will touch 96, and shows the makings of an average slider. He doesn't have a third pitch right now, and until he does his ceiling is probably an above-average reliever. But he's young, reasonably athletic, and already is ahead of the typical hard-throwing teenage prospect who has no clue where it's going, so there are plenty of ways to imagine him becoming a starter down the road as he develops.
It's a trend now to try to add a lottery-ticket guy to deals the way Texas did with Neftali Feliz and Carlos Melo, and Alcantara is an excellent choice to give Oakland a chance to win this trade down the road. It doesn't sound like a great deal for Oakland on its face, but for a one-inning reliever who hasn't pitched a full season since 2009, it's fair, and at least there's some upside in the form of Alcantara.
Bailey has had trouble staying healthy the last two years, and had Tommy John surgery in college (when he was overworked like he was a disposable item). But when he's pitched, he's been an above-average reliever, helped by a good ballpark and very good defenses behind him.
He works mostly with his low to mid-90s fastball, which has a little natural glove-side run, and offsets it with a short, downward-breaking cutter that he used a little less often this year after hurting his elbow again in spring training. He's slightly weaker against left-handed hitters, without a real changeup or anything that can break in under a left-handed hitter's hands. I don't think he'll ever be an elite-level closer worth three or so wins above replacement per year. But he could be worth a win and a half over a full, healthy season, and adds to an increasingly deep Boston bullpen.
Boston also receives outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who is a plus defender anywhere in the outfield and puts on a show in batting practice but has never seen that power translate to the games -- and it's not just Oakland's stadium causing the power outage. He's a great fourth outfielder who can fill in at all three spots and can hold his own against right-handed pitching. If Ryan Kalish is healthy, he should be Boston's right fielder, but Sweeney's an adequate alternative if Kalish can't play every day.
The A's appear to have capitulated to the realities of an offseason market that is either suddenly getting religion on the relative value of 70-inning relievers, or just seeing prices drop due to an oversupply of closers coupled with limited demand. For a pitcher whose potential ceiling probably is two wins of value plus a good defensive outfielder who hits only at five o'clock, they got back another fourth outfielder with more years of control and two second-tier prospects.
[+] Enlarge
Rick Osentoski/US PresswireJosh Reddick can be a serviceable fourth outfielder.
Josh Reddick is that fourth outfielder, a hitter with bat speed and good plate coverage but poor plate discipline who has made little or no progress over the past three seasons. Frankly, the length to his swing will limit his offensive upside. He can catch up to a fastball, and he can hit a mistake, but there's no reason for pitchers to throw him hittable strikes. Reddick got some fans overexcited with a hot start after his call-up early in 2011, but when word got around about how to pitch to him, he struggled, hitting .244/.293/.389 after the All-Star break. I'd try him in a platoon situation, benching him against lefties, and extracting some value from him on defense in right, where he has above-average range.
Miles Head is a first baseman whose bat does not profile as anything above average at the position; he's a strong right-handed hitter with some pull power but has a long swing and doesn't rotate his hips well or keep his hands inside the ball to drive it the other way. He did perform well in the Sally League at age 20, and was adequate when he moved up to high-A; he's young enough that he could become a different animal with some swing adjustments, but I wouldn't project him as an everyday player on a good club.
The potential prize here for Oakland is right-hander Raul Alcantara, a projectable, loose-armed right-hander who just turned 19 earlier this month. Alcantara sits 91-93 mph but will touch 96, and shows the makings of an average slider. He doesn't have a third pitch right now, and until he does his ceiling is probably an above-average reliever. But he's young, reasonably athletic, and already is ahead of the typical hard-throwing teenage prospect who has no clue where it's going, so there are plenty of ways to imagine him becoming a starter down the road as he develops.
It's a trend now to try to add a lottery-ticket guy to deals the way Texas did with Neftali Feliz and Carlos Melo, and Alcantara is an excellent choice to give Oakland a chance to win this trade down the road. It doesn't sound like a great deal for Oakland on its face, but for a one-inning reliever who hasn't pitched a full season since 2009, it's fair, and at least there's some upside in the form of Alcantara.
Red Sox solidify bullpen with Bailey.
Spoiler [+]
In acquiring right-handed pitcher Andrew Bailey from the Oakland A's, the Boston Red Sox get a proven closer on the cheap, giving up nothing they're likely to miss, while the Oakland A's get a package that probably represents fair value but might seem like a weak return given the way the industry and fans alike tend to overvalue that ninth-inning role. I'd do this deal if I'm Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington rather than give Jonathan Papelbon the deal he got from Philadelphia.
Bailey has had trouble staying healthy the last two years, and had Tommy John surgery in college (when he was overworked like he was a disposable item). But when he's pitched, he's been an above-average reliever, helped by a good ballpark and very good defenses behind him.
He works mostly with his low to mid-90s fastball, which has a little natural glove-side run, and offsets it with a short, downward-breaking cutter that he used a little less often this year after hurting his elbow again in spring training. He's slightly weaker against left-handed hitters, without a real changeup or anything that can break in under a left-handed hitter's hands. I don't think he'll ever be an elite-level closer worth three or so wins above replacement per year. But he could be worth a win and a half over a full, healthy season, and adds to an increasingly deep Boston bullpen.
Boston also receives outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who is a plus defender anywhere in the outfield and puts on a show in batting practice but has never seen that power translate to the games -- and it's not just Oakland's stadium causing the power outage. He's a great fourth outfielder who can fill in at all three spots and can hold his own against right-handed pitching. If Ryan Kalish is healthy, he should be Boston's right fielder, but Sweeney's an adequate alternative if Kalish can't play every day.
The A's appear to have capitulated to the realities of an offseason market that is either suddenly getting religion on the relative value of 70-inning relievers, or just seeing prices drop due to an oversupply of closers coupled with limited demand. For a pitcher whose potential ceiling probably is two wins of value plus a good defensive outfielder who hits only at five o'clock, they got back another fourth outfielder with more years of control and two second-tier prospects.
[+] Enlarge
Rick Osentoski/US PresswireJosh Reddick can be a serviceable fourth outfielder.
Josh Reddick is that fourth outfielder, a hitter with bat speed and good plate coverage but poor plate discipline who has made little or no progress over the past three seasons. Frankly, the length to his swing will limit his offensive upside. He can catch up to a fastball, and he can hit a mistake, but there's no reason for pitchers to throw him hittable strikes. Reddick got some fans overexcited with a hot start after his call-up early in 2011, but when word got around about how to pitch to him, he struggled, hitting .244/.293/.389 after the All-Star break. I'd try him in a platoon situation, benching him against lefties, and extracting some value from him on defense in right, where he has above-average range.
Miles Head is a first baseman whose bat does not profile as anything above average at the position; he's a strong right-handed hitter with some pull power but has a long swing and doesn't rotate his hips well or keep his hands inside the ball to drive it the other way. He did perform well in the Sally League at age 20, and was adequate when he moved up to high-A; he's young enough that he could become a different animal with some swing adjustments, but I wouldn't project him as an everyday player on a good club.
The potential prize here for Oakland is right-hander Raul Alcantara, a projectable, loose-armed right-hander who just turned 19 earlier this month. Alcantara sits 91-93 mph but will touch 96, and shows the makings of an average slider. He doesn't have a third pitch right now, and until he does his ceiling is probably an above-average reliever. But he's young, reasonably athletic, and already is ahead of the typical hard-throwing teenage prospect who has no clue where it's going, so there are plenty of ways to imagine him becoming a starter down the road as he develops.
It's a trend now to try to add a lottery-ticket guy to deals the way Texas did with Neftali Feliz and Carlos Melo, and Alcantara is an excellent choice to give Oakland a chance to win this trade down the road. It doesn't sound like a great deal for Oakland on its face, but for a one-inning reliever who hasn't pitched a full season since 2009, it's fair, and at least there's some upside in the form of Alcantara.
Bailey has had trouble staying healthy the last two years, and had Tommy John surgery in college (when he was overworked like he was a disposable item). But when he's pitched, he's been an above-average reliever, helped by a good ballpark and very good defenses behind him.
He works mostly with his low to mid-90s fastball, which has a little natural glove-side run, and offsets it with a short, downward-breaking cutter that he used a little less often this year after hurting his elbow again in spring training. He's slightly weaker against left-handed hitters, without a real changeup or anything that can break in under a left-handed hitter's hands. I don't think he'll ever be an elite-level closer worth three or so wins above replacement per year. But he could be worth a win and a half over a full, healthy season, and adds to an increasingly deep Boston bullpen.
Boston also receives outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who is a plus defender anywhere in the outfield and puts on a show in batting practice but has never seen that power translate to the games -- and it's not just Oakland's stadium causing the power outage. He's a great fourth outfielder who can fill in at all three spots and can hold his own against right-handed pitching. If Ryan Kalish is healthy, he should be Boston's right fielder, but Sweeney's an adequate alternative if Kalish can't play every day.
The A's appear to have capitulated to the realities of an offseason market that is either suddenly getting religion on the relative value of 70-inning relievers, or just seeing prices drop due to an oversupply of closers coupled with limited demand. For a pitcher whose potential ceiling probably is two wins of value plus a good defensive outfielder who hits only at five o'clock, they got back another fourth outfielder with more years of control and two second-tier prospects.
[+] Enlarge
Rick Osentoski/US PresswireJosh Reddick can be a serviceable fourth outfielder.
Josh Reddick is that fourth outfielder, a hitter with bat speed and good plate coverage but poor plate discipline who has made little or no progress over the past three seasons. Frankly, the length to his swing will limit his offensive upside. He can catch up to a fastball, and he can hit a mistake, but there's no reason for pitchers to throw him hittable strikes. Reddick got some fans overexcited with a hot start after his call-up early in 2011, but when word got around about how to pitch to him, he struggled, hitting .244/.293/.389 after the All-Star break. I'd try him in a platoon situation, benching him against lefties, and extracting some value from him on defense in right, where he has above-average range.
Miles Head is a first baseman whose bat does not profile as anything above average at the position; he's a strong right-handed hitter with some pull power but has a long swing and doesn't rotate his hips well or keep his hands inside the ball to drive it the other way. He did perform well in the Sally League at age 20, and was adequate when he moved up to high-A; he's young enough that he could become a different animal with some swing adjustments, but I wouldn't project him as an everyday player on a good club.
The potential prize here for Oakland is right-hander Raul Alcantara, a projectable, loose-armed right-hander who just turned 19 earlier this month. Alcantara sits 91-93 mph but will touch 96, and shows the makings of an average slider. He doesn't have a third pitch right now, and until he does his ceiling is probably an above-average reliever. But he's young, reasonably athletic, and already is ahead of the typical hard-throwing teenage prospect who has no clue where it's going, so there are plenty of ways to imagine him becoming a starter down the road as he develops.
It's a trend now to try to add a lottery-ticket guy to deals the way Texas did with Neftali Feliz and Carlos Melo, and Alcantara is an excellent choice to give Oakland a chance to win this trade down the road. It doesn't sound like a great deal for Oakland on its face, but for a one-inning reliever who hasn't pitched a full season since 2009, it's fair, and at least there's some upside in the form of Alcantara.
- 10,371
- 653
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2011
Keith Law interviewed for a number of front office positions with the Astros last week.
- 10,371
- 653
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2011
Keith Law interviewed for a number of front office positions with the Astros last week.
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
KLaw on the Baseball Today Podcasts >
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
KLaw on the Baseball Today Podcasts >
- 22,975
- 4,910
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
I think as the season gets closer somebody is going to get desperate and give him a deal that makes all of us
- 22,975
- 4,910
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
I think as the season gets closer somebody is going to get desperate and give him a deal that makes all of us
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
Carlos Quentin is a Padre.
Petco will do him very few favors
Petco will do him very few favors
- 8,139
- 88
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2005
Carlos Quentin is a Padre.
Petco will do him very few favors
Petco will do him very few favors
Quentin a mediocre fit for San Diego.
Top 10 infields in MLB.
Top 10 OF's in MLB.
Top 10 lineups in MLB.
Top 10 teams in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
The White Sox shed some salary they didn't need and got two useful minor league arms, while the Padres got one year of a player whose skills align poorly with their home ballpark.
[+] Enlarge
Jesse Johnson/US PresswireThe White Sox freed salary space and got decent value for Quentin.
Carlos Quentin is a poor defensive outfielder who has great secondary skills, including above-average power and solid plate discipline, but a career .253 BABIP across over 2,400 major league PA and a history of injuries that should concern an NL team that is going to pretend he can play the field 150 games a year. He could have plenty of value for an AL club hoping he'll make a contract push, particularly in terms of keeping himself on the field as much as possible, but in San Diego -- where there's no DH, defense is more important and the ballpark is big -- he's a mediocre fit.
This is better than just a salary dump for the White Sox, acquiring two projected relievers for one year of Quentin at a salary approaching the likely value of his production. Simon Castro has worked as a starter throughout his minor league career with a solid-average fastball that might touch 94-95 on occasion and an above-average slider as well as a fringy changeup. His command is well behind his control and he's a poor athlete; those factors and his unspectacular strikeout rates (and lack of a plus pitch) point toward a career in the bullpen rather than in the back of a rotation, although if his velocity plays up in relief he could be very effective for 70 innings a year.
Pedro Hernandez has similar velocity and better control, but from the left side with a better changeup than Castro has and less of a breaking ball; he also projects as a reliever or fifth starter, but not a specialist. Six years of control on both guys for one year of Quentin sounds like a good exchange for me.
[+] Enlarge
Jesse Johnson/US PresswireThe White Sox freed salary space and got decent value for Quentin.
Carlos Quentin is a poor defensive outfielder who has great secondary skills, including above-average power and solid plate discipline, but a career .253 BABIP across over 2,400 major league PA and a history of injuries that should concern an NL team that is going to pretend he can play the field 150 games a year. He could have plenty of value for an AL club hoping he'll make a contract push, particularly in terms of keeping himself on the field as much as possible, but in San Diego -- where there's no DH, defense is more important and the ballpark is big -- he's a mediocre fit.
This is better than just a salary dump for the White Sox, acquiring two projected relievers for one year of Quentin at a salary approaching the likely value of his production. Simon Castro has worked as a starter throughout his minor league career with a solid-average fastball that might touch 94-95 on occasion and an above-average slider as well as a fringy changeup. His command is well behind his control and he's a poor athlete; those factors and his unspectacular strikeout rates (and lack of a plus pitch) point toward a career in the bullpen rather than in the back of a rotation, although if his velocity plays up in relief he could be very effective for 70 innings a year.
Pedro Hernandez has similar velocity and better control, but from the left side with a better changeup than Castro has and less of a breaking ball; he also projects as a reliever or fifth starter, but not a specialist. Six years of control on both guys for one year of Quentin sounds like a good exchange for me.
Top 10 infields in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Texas Rangers[/h3]
There were moments during the postseason when it seemed as if nobody could get a ball through the left side of the Texas infield between Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. There is a perception within the organization that the defensive dominance of the guys on the left side of the infield helped second baseman Ian Kinsler improve as well.
"I think when you play with guys like that, it's going to naturally raise your level of concentration," said one Texas evaluator.
There is no perfect defensive stat, no rock-solid way to evaluate the best and worst infielders. But the Rangers fare well in one advanced measure:
Among second basemen, Kinsler ranked third in UZR 150. Beltre ranked second among third baseman. Elvis Andrus ranks in the Top 10 too.
Beltre and Kinsler are elite offensive players at their respective positions, and Texas hopes that Andrus -- who, at age 23, has already played in two World Series -- will begin to blossom as Jimmy Rollins did.
Mitch Moreland is penciled in as the Texas first baseman for now, but his name has come up in trade talks. Rival executives also wonder if eventually the Rangers will emerge in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes. Without Fielder, Texas has the best infield in the majors. With him, well, the Rangers' infield would be among the best we've seen in decades.
[h3]2. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
Joey Votto is arguably the best hitter in the National League, and he's a special defensive player as well. Brandon Phillips is the best all-round second baseman, with Gold Glove Awards to show for it.
Third baseman Scott Rolen is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, and if that sounds crazy, compare his résumé to that of Ron Santo, who will be inducted next summer:
Seasons: Rolen 16, Santo 15
Games: Rolen 1,946, Santo 2,243
Hits: Rolen 2,005, Santo 2,254
Homers: Rolen 308, Santo 342
OPS: Rolen .860, Santo .826
OPS+: Rolen 123, Santo 125
Gold Gloves: Rolen 8, Santo 5
Rolen had shoulder surgery in August to clean out scar tissue, and the word is he is feeling much better and is greatly encouraged by his range of motion.
The significant question about the Reds' infield is at shortstop, where Zack Cozart is expected to take over in 2012 after a brief audition was cut short by injury.
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
The best days in the careers of Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are behind them, and scouts now view them as well below subpar defensively. But Jeter had a resurgence offensively in the second half of last season, and Rodriguez has his moments. The right side of the Yankees infield is manned by Robinson Cano -- the second baseman everybody would love to have -- and Mark Teixeira, who consistently contributes strong defense and power.
[h3]4. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
There is a lot of uncertainty on the left side of the Boston infield, given the shortstop issues and the fact that Kevin Youkilis has averaged just 120 games a year during the past three seasons; he seems to fuel the chances for injury with his steer-wrestling style of defense. But the right side of the Boston infield is staggeringly good, offensively and defensively, with Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
Albert Pujols takes over at first base, and Howie Kendrick will hold down second base; they are the anchors of the Angels' infield. Erick Aybar is a good (but not great) shortstop, and we don't yet know who will play third base for the Angels.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Lance Berkman takes over at first base, Rafael Furcal returns to shortstop, and the Cardinals are hopeful that Daniel Descalso is ready, at age 25, to be an everyday second baseman. This could be the year that David Freese establishes himself as one of the best third basemen in the sport after his breakout October.
[h3]7. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
This group slides down the list because Ryan Howard isn't due back until midseason at the earliest and the Phillies have been quietly looking for a way to dump Placido Polanco.
Chase Utley rebounded from what was feared to be career-threatening injuries and was among the better players at his position, and Jimmy Rollins is still regarded as one of the most consistent defenders in the sport. Ty Wigginton should get a lot of playing time in 2012 in Philadelphia's infield as well.
[h3]8. Tampa Bay Rays[/h3]
Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist are the building blocks for the Rays' infield. But beyond them, Tampa Bay has some questions to answer, as it continues to look for solutions at first base and shortstop.
[h3]9. Washington Nationals[/h3]
It's hard to know what the composition of this infield will be in two or three years, or maybe even next year. Some rival executives strongly believe that Washington will be the eventual landing place for Fielder.
Between Ryan Zimmerman, Danny Espinosa, Mike Morse, Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon, the Nationals have a lot of options.
[h3]10a. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alcides Escobar might be the best defensive shortstop in the majors, and within a few years, Eric Hosmer seems destined to be one of the game's best players, period. Watch him play and he reminds you a lot of Votto in his at-bats and in his athleticism, although he is probably more aggressive than Votto on defense.
The Royals were encouraged by how third baseman Mike Moustakas finished the season, batting .283 in August and .352 in the final month of the season.
Johnny Giavotella hit .247 in his first games in the big leagues last season as the Royals' new second baseman. This group ranks 10th now, but it's rising -- quickly.
[h3]10b. Chicago White Sox[/h3]
The White Sox have problems, but their infield is, generally, among the least of their worries. Alexei Ramirez and Paul Konerko anchor a group that should get better at second base and third base.
This will be an important year for Gordon Beckham, who is 25 years old and has probably used up his mulligans.
[h3]10c. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki, who is to shortstops what Roy Halladay is to starting pitchers, and the rest is gravy. Todd Helton will share some of the first base at-bats with Michael Cuddyer, and an everyday third baseman must emerge.
Others in the running: The Toronto Blue Jays, who could build something that will last around Brett Lawrie; the Cleveland Indians, depending on the development of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis; the Miami Marlins, who could have a dynamic infield if Hanley Ramirez embraces the shift to third base and rebounds offensively.
There were moments during the postseason when it seemed as if nobody could get a ball through the left side of the Texas infield between Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. There is a perception within the organization that the defensive dominance of the guys on the left side of the infield helped second baseman Ian Kinsler improve as well.
"I think when you play with guys like that, it's going to naturally raise your level of concentration," said one Texas evaluator.
There is no perfect defensive stat, no rock-solid way to evaluate the best and worst infielders. But the Rangers fare well in one advanced measure:
Among second basemen, Kinsler ranked third in UZR 150. Beltre ranked second among third baseman. Elvis Andrus ranks in the Top 10 too.
Beltre and Kinsler are elite offensive players at their respective positions, and Texas hopes that Andrus -- who, at age 23, has already played in two World Series -- will begin to blossom as Jimmy Rollins did.
Mitch Moreland is penciled in as the Texas first baseman for now, but his name has come up in trade talks. Rival executives also wonder if eventually the Rangers will emerge in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes. Without Fielder, Texas has the best infield in the majors. With him, well, the Rangers' infield would be among the best we've seen in decades.
[h3]2. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
Joey Votto is arguably the best hitter in the National League, and he's a special defensive player as well. Brandon Phillips is the best all-round second baseman, with Gold Glove Awards to show for it.
Third baseman Scott Rolen is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, and if that sounds crazy, compare his résumé to that of Ron Santo, who will be inducted next summer:
Seasons: Rolen 16, Santo 15
Games: Rolen 1,946, Santo 2,243
Hits: Rolen 2,005, Santo 2,254
Homers: Rolen 308, Santo 342
OPS: Rolen .860, Santo .826
OPS+: Rolen 123, Santo 125
Gold Gloves: Rolen 8, Santo 5
Rolen had shoulder surgery in August to clean out scar tissue, and the word is he is feeling much better and is greatly encouraged by his range of motion.
The significant question about the Reds' infield is at shortstop, where Zack Cozart is expected to take over in 2012 after a brief audition was cut short by injury.
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
The best days in the careers of Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are behind them, and scouts now view them as well below subpar defensively. But Jeter had a resurgence offensively in the second half of last season, and Rodriguez has his moments. The right side of the Yankees infield is manned by Robinson Cano -- the second baseman everybody would love to have -- and Mark Teixeira, who consistently contributes strong defense and power.
[h3]4. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
There is a lot of uncertainty on the left side of the Boston infield, given the shortstop issues and the fact that Kevin Youkilis has averaged just 120 games a year during the past three seasons; he seems to fuel the chances for injury with his steer-wrestling style of defense. But the right side of the Boston infield is staggeringly good, offensively and defensively, with Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
Albert Pujols takes over at first base, and Howie Kendrick will hold down second base; they are the anchors of the Angels' infield. Erick Aybar is a good (but not great) shortstop, and we don't yet know who will play third base for the Angels.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Lance Berkman takes over at first base, Rafael Furcal returns to shortstop, and the Cardinals are hopeful that Daniel Descalso is ready, at age 25, to be an everyday second baseman. This could be the year that David Freese establishes himself as one of the best third basemen in the sport after his breakout October.
[h3]7. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
This group slides down the list because Ryan Howard isn't due back until midseason at the earliest and the Phillies have been quietly looking for a way to dump Placido Polanco.
Chase Utley rebounded from what was feared to be career-threatening injuries and was among the better players at his position, and Jimmy Rollins is still regarded as one of the most consistent defenders in the sport. Ty Wigginton should get a lot of playing time in 2012 in Philadelphia's infield as well.
[h3]8. Tampa Bay Rays[/h3]
Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist are the building blocks for the Rays' infield. But beyond them, Tampa Bay has some questions to answer, as it continues to look for solutions at first base and shortstop.
[h3]9. Washington Nationals[/h3]
It's hard to know what the composition of this infield will be in two or three years, or maybe even next year. Some rival executives strongly believe that Washington will be the eventual landing place for Fielder.
Between Ryan Zimmerman, Danny Espinosa, Mike Morse, Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon, the Nationals have a lot of options.
[h3]10a. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alcides Escobar might be the best defensive shortstop in the majors, and within a few years, Eric Hosmer seems destined to be one of the game's best players, period. Watch him play and he reminds you a lot of Votto in his at-bats and in his athleticism, although he is probably more aggressive than Votto on defense.
The Royals were encouraged by how third baseman Mike Moustakas finished the season, batting .283 in August and .352 in the final month of the season.
Johnny Giavotella hit .247 in his first games in the big leagues last season as the Royals' new second baseman. This group ranks 10th now, but it's rising -- quickly.
[h3]10b. Chicago White Sox[/h3]
The White Sox have problems, but their infield is, generally, among the least of their worries. Alexei Ramirez and Paul Konerko anchor a group that should get better at second base and third base.
This will be an important year for Gordon Beckham, who is 25 years old and has probably used up his mulligans.
[h3]10c. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki, who is to shortstops what Roy Halladay is to starting pitchers, and the rest is gravy. Todd Helton will share some of the first base at-bats with Michael Cuddyer, and an everyday third baseman must emerge.
Others in the running: The Toronto Blue Jays, who could build something that will last around Brett Lawrie; the Cleveland Indians, depending on the development of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis; the Miami Marlins, who could have a dynamic infield if Hanley Ramirez embraces the shift to third base and rebounds offensively.
Top 10 OF's in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
Justin Upton hovered on the edges of the National League MVP race last season, eventually finishing fourth in the voting, yet there is a sense among the Arizona talent evaluators that Upton, now 24, has barely scratched the surface of what he could be. And this is a slugger who racked up 75 extra-base hits last season and had an OPS-plus of 141, while playing in 159 games; the D-backs believe that as he reduces the emotional peaks and valleys of his at-bats, as he gains more consistency, he'll win an MVP award.
But Upton is just part of why the Arizona outfield is so good. Chris Young ranked second among center fielders in UZR/150, and had 20 homers and 22 stolen bases. Jason Kubel was signed to play left field and to balance a D-backs' lineup that has generally been right-handed-heavy, and while the addition of Kubel would seem to nudge Gerardo Parra out of a regular spot in left field, where he won a Gold Glove last season, Parra figures to get a lot of playing time as a strong No. 4 outfielder for Arizona. He'll finish some games for Kubel in left and get a decent amount of starts, sometimes filling in for Young against right-handers with good breaking balls. It's a great group, with offensive production, speed, defense, balance and depth.
[h3]2. New York Yankees[/h3]
The Yankees' outfielders scored 322 runs last year, with Curtis Granderson leading the way; he compiled 136 runs, 41 homers, 119 RBI, 25 stolen bases. But the other parts of the Yankees' outfield excelled in other ways, too -- Brett Gardner didn't win the Gold Glove Award for left fielders in the AL, despite having easily the best UZR/150 rating among all position players. Gardner had a crisis of confidence early in the year, but worked through that and wound up swiping 49 bases.
Nick Swisher hit 23 homers, drew 95 walks and ran up pitch counts, skills that prompted the Yankees to bring him back for another year -- although they have quietly checked around on possible alternatives, as they prepare for his possible departure after next season. Swisher has played in 150 or more games in six consecutive seasons.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
Ron Washington has depth and talent to work with, from Josh Hamilton to Nelson Cruz to David Murphy to Leonys Martin. The Rangers do fret over Hamilton's impatience at the plate, his tendency to give away at-bats early in the count, and his nagging injuries -- in spite of his picturesque swing and power, Hamilton finished last season with a .346 on-base percentage.
Cruz's hamstring issues are as inherent on his résumé as his power; he's played a total of 360 games over the last three seasons. Murphy is the tortoise of the group -- over the last four seasons, he's had anywhere from 111 to 122 hits annually. At some point, the Rangers would love for Martin to establish himself in center field, to enable Hamilton to make more starts in left field.
[h3]4. Milwaukee Brewers[/h3]
Ryan Braun may miss the first 50 games of the upcoming season, depending on how he fares in his appeal of a positive drug test. But whenever he becomes part of the Brewers' lineup, the Milwaukee outfield will be the backbone of the team's production. Braun won the NL MVP, posting a league-high OPS of .994 -- although he may have difficulty mustering that kind of production given the likely departure of Prince Fielder, who hit behind Braun in the Brewers' lineup. Corey Hart hit .285 last year, often hitting at the top of the Milwaukee lineup; he's scored 171 runs over the last two seasons. Nyjer Morgan hit .304 last season, with a .357 on-base percentage.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
It's like the Angels have two different outfields -- the veterans who are on the downsides of their respective careers, and the young players who are working to establish themselves. Peter Bourjos seemed to take a big step forward last season, showing some pop, with 36 doubles, 11 triples and 12 homers, and increasing his OPS by nearly 150 points in his second season.
Eventually, Mike Trout will become an every-day presence in the Angels' outfield, but for now, they are paying Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells to man the corners. Hunter is entering the final season of his five-year, $90 million deal, had a generally solid season last year, hitting 23 homers; it's possible the responsibility of hitting behind Albert Pujols will be his, and that he will have a whole lot of RBI opportunities. Wells is entering Year 5 of his seven-year, $126 million deal, with $63 million still on the books, and they waited and waited in 2011 for offense that never came from him; Wells finished the year at .218, with 25 homers, 20 walks and 86 strikeouts. It'll be interesting to see how patient the Angels are with him if he doesn't hit well in the first half of 2012 -- especially with Trout poised to jump into the big leagues for good.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
There's no denying the Cardinals have tremendous offensive potential with its outfield in 2012; Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in OPS among all outfielders. But the Cardinals do have injury questions, starting with Allen Craig, who will open the 2012 season after having knee surgery. Beltran played 142 games last year, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that despite the concern over Beltran's knees, they were never a problem as Bochy filled out his lineup card in the last two months of the season. Holliday, who turns 32 next month, played in 124 games last season because of a variety of injuries. Jon Jay, the center fielder, hit .297 last year.
[h3]7. Los Angeles Dodgers[/h3]
The Dodgers invested a whole lot of money in Matt Kemp, after his MVP-caliber season and after he came to camp devoted to playing hard daily; other players on the team were deeply impressed by how invested Kemp was in the Dodgers' performance last season, despite all of the big-picture troubles the team was having. Right fielder Andre Ethier may or may not be entering his last year with the team -- a pre-deadline trade this summer is possible -- and L.A. has an unsettled situation in left field, although they signed Juan Rivera to a one-year, $4 million deal. At some point, the Dodgers would probably love for 24-year-old Jerry Sands to establish himself.
[h3]8. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
Jacoby Ellsbury has developed into one of the American League's best players, and it's worth considering one more time all the damage that he did last summer: 83 extra-base hits (among 212 hits), 52 walks, 119 runs and 39 stolen bases, and he led all center fielders in UZR 150.
Carl Crawford can't possibly play as poorly in 2012 as he did in 2011 -- can he? Crawford seemed to suffocate under the enormous pressure he put on himself, and it probably would behoove him to glance again at the back of his baseball card, which has a whole lot of spectacular numbers. The Red Sox haven't yet settled their right field situation; Ryan Kalish will not be part of the solution early in the year, because he's suffered a setback in his injury rehab.
[h3]9. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alex Gordon was healthy in 2011 and blossomed, posting a .376 on-base percentage and an .879 OPS and winning a Gold Glove in left field. Jeff Francoeur has been part of the baseball landscape for so long that it's easy to forget he is just 27 years old (he turns 28 in 10 days) and he appears to have settled in -- Francoeur, a strong complementary hitter in the K.C. lineup, racked up 71 extra-base hits and drove in 87 runs, and earned a multi-year deal from the Royals. Melky Cabrera had a good year in 2011 but the Royals moved him, largely to make room in center field for Lorenzo Cain, who has hit .302 in his first 181 plate appearances in the big leagues; he thrived in Triple-A last year, pushing Kansas City to make room for him.
[h3]10. Baltimore Orioles[/h3]
Nick Markakis might be the best player casual baseball fans don't know. But managers and coaches know him, which is why he won a Gold Glove for his play last season, and he has missed only 11 games over the last five seasons. Adam Jones is mercurial in center field, hitting for some power and playing good defense.
Honorable mention: The Atlanta Braves, who could have a really good group -- depending on what happens with Martin Prado, who has been dangled in trade talks this winter and may be better served going someplace else to play second, and with Jason Heyward, who will try to rebound from a frustrating 2011 season. The Cleveland Indians could have a good outfield, with Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley and Grady Sizemore, if Sizemore can finally rebound all the way back from the ailments that have crushed his production in recent seasons.
Justin Upton hovered on the edges of the National League MVP race last season, eventually finishing fourth in the voting, yet there is a sense among the Arizona talent evaluators that Upton, now 24, has barely scratched the surface of what he could be. And this is a slugger who racked up 75 extra-base hits last season and had an OPS-plus of 141, while playing in 159 games; the D-backs believe that as he reduces the emotional peaks and valleys of his at-bats, as he gains more consistency, he'll win an MVP award.
But Upton is just part of why the Arizona outfield is so good. Chris Young ranked second among center fielders in UZR/150, and had 20 homers and 22 stolen bases. Jason Kubel was signed to play left field and to balance a D-backs' lineup that has generally been right-handed-heavy, and while the addition of Kubel would seem to nudge Gerardo Parra out of a regular spot in left field, where he won a Gold Glove last season, Parra figures to get a lot of playing time as a strong No. 4 outfielder for Arizona. He'll finish some games for Kubel in left and get a decent amount of starts, sometimes filling in for Young against right-handers with good breaking balls. It's a great group, with offensive production, speed, defense, balance and depth.
[h3]2. New York Yankees[/h3]
The Yankees' outfielders scored 322 runs last year, with Curtis Granderson leading the way; he compiled 136 runs, 41 homers, 119 RBI, 25 stolen bases. But the other parts of the Yankees' outfield excelled in other ways, too -- Brett Gardner didn't win the Gold Glove Award for left fielders in the AL, despite having easily the best UZR/150 rating among all position players. Gardner had a crisis of confidence early in the year, but worked through that and wound up swiping 49 bases.
Nick Swisher hit 23 homers, drew 95 walks and ran up pitch counts, skills that prompted the Yankees to bring him back for another year -- although they have quietly checked around on possible alternatives, as they prepare for his possible departure after next season. Swisher has played in 150 or more games in six consecutive seasons.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
Ron Washington has depth and talent to work with, from Josh Hamilton to Nelson Cruz to David Murphy to Leonys Martin. The Rangers do fret over Hamilton's impatience at the plate, his tendency to give away at-bats early in the count, and his nagging injuries -- in spite of his picturesque swing and power, Hamilton finished last season with a .346 on-base percentage.
Cruz's hamstring issues are as inherent on his résumé as his power; he's played a total of 360 games over the last three seasons. Murphy is the tortoise of the group -- over the last four seasons, he's had anywhere from 111 to 122 hits annually. At some point, the Rangers would love for Martin to establish himself in center field, to enable Hamilton to make more starts in left field.
[h3]4. Milwaukee Brewers[/h3]
Ryan Braun may miss the first 50 games of the upcoming season, depending on how he fares in his appeal of a positive drug test. But whenever he becomes part of the Brewers' lineup, the Milwaukee outfield will be the backbone of the team's production. Braun won the NL MVP, posting a league-high OPS of .994 -- although he may have difficulty mustering that kind of production given the likely departure of Prince Fielder, who hit behind Braun in the Brewers' lineup. Corey Hart hit .285 last year, often hitting at the top of the Milwaukee lineup; he's scored 171 runs over the last two seasons. Nyjer Morgan hit .304 last season, with a .357 on-base percentage.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
It's like the Angels have two different outfields -- the veterans who are on the downsides of their respective careers, and the young players who are working to establish themselves. Peter Bourjos seemed to take a big step forward last season, showing some pop, with 36 doubles, 11 triples and 12 homers, and increasing his OPS by nearly 150 points in his second season.
Eventually, Mike Trout will become an every-day presence in the Angels' outfield, but for now, they are paying Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells to man the corners. Hunter is entering the final season of his five-year, $90 million deal, had a generally solid season last year, hitting 23 homers; it's possible the responsibility of hitting behind Albert Pujols will be his, and that he will have a whole lot of RBI opportunities. Wells is entering Year 5 of his seven-year, $126 million deal, with $63 million still on the books, and they waited and waited in 2011 for offense that never came from him; Wells finished the year at .218, with 25 homers, 20 walks and 86 strikeouts. It'll be interesting to see how patient the Angels are with him if he doesn't hit well in the first half of 2012 -- especially with Trout poised to jump into the big leagues for good.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
There's no denying the Cardinals have tremendous offensive potential with its outfield in 2012; Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in OPS among all outfielders. But the Cardinals do have injury questions, starting with Allen Craig, who will open the 2012 season after having knee surgery. Beltran played 142 games last year, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that despite the concern over Beltran's knees, they were never a problem as Bochy filled out his lineup card in the last two months of the season. Holliday, who turns 32 next month, played in 124 games last season because of a variety of injuries. Jon Jay, the center fielder, hit .297 last year.
[h3]7. Los Angeles Dodgers[/h3]
The Dodgers invested a whole lot of money in Matt Kemp, after his MVP-caliber season and after he came to camp devoted to playing hard daily; other players on the team were deeply impressed by how invested Kemp was in the Dodgers' performance last season, despite all of the big-picture troubles the team was having. Right fielder Andre Ethier may or may not be entering his last year with the team -- a pre-deadline trade this summer is possible -- and L.A. has an unsettled situation in left field, although they signed Juan Rivera to a one-year, $4 million deal. At some point, the Dodgers would probably love for 24-year-old Jerry Sands to establish himself.
[h3]8. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
Jacoby Ellsbury has developed into one of the American League's best players, and it's worth considering one more time all the damage that he did last summer: 83 extra-base hits (among 212 hits), 52 walks, 119 runs and 39 stolen bases, and he led all center fielders in UZR 150.
Carl Crawford can't possibly play as poorly in 2012 as he did in 2011 -- can he? Crawford seemed to suffocate under the enormous pressure he put on himself, and it probably would behoove him to glance again at the back of his baseball card, which has a whole lot of spectacular numbers. The Red Sox haven't yet settled their right field situation; Ryan Kalish will not be part of the solution early in the year, because he's suffered a setback in his injury rehab.
[h3]9. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alex Gordon was healthy in 2011 and blossomed, posting a .376 on-base percentage and an .879 OPS and winning a Gold Glove in left field. Jeff Francoeur has been part of the baseball landscape for so long that it's easy to forget he is just 27 years old (he turns 28 in 10 days) and he appears to have settled in -- Francoeur, a strong complementary hitter in the K.C. lineup, racked up 71 extra-base hits and drove in 87 runs, and earned a multi-year deal from the Royals. Melky Cabrera had a good year in 2011 but the Royals moved him, largely to make room in center field for Lorenzo Cain, who has hit .302 in his first 181 plate appearances in the big leagues; he thrived in Triple-A last year, pushing Kansas City to make room for him.
[h3]10. Baltimore Orioles[/h3]
Nick Markakis might be the best player casual baseball fans don't know. But managers and coaches know him, which is why he won a Gold Glove for his play last season, and he has missed only 11 games over the last five seasons. Adam Jones is mercurial in center field, hitting for some power and playing good defense.
Honorable mention: The Atlanta Braves, who could have a really good group -- depending on what happens with Martin Prado, who has been dangled in trade talks this winter and may be better served going someplace else to play second, and with Jason Heyward, who will try to rebound from a frustrating 2011 season. The Cleveland Indians could have a good outfield, with Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley and Grady Sizemore, if Sizemore can finally rebound all the way back from the ailments that have crushed his production in recent seasons.
Top 10 lineups in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
The 2011 Red Sox will be remembered for their September collapse, for beer and fried chicken. But they also led the majors in runs, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to generate a whole lot of offense, with so many elite hitters -- Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, Carl Crawford. Run production won't be a problem.
[h3]2. Texas Rangers[/h3]
During the course of the 2011 season, Texas suffered significant injuries to Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz -- and the Rangers still managed to finish third in the majors in runs scored, through the excellence of Michael Young, and the emergence of Mike Napoli. The band will be back together again in 2012.
Can you imagine what the Rangers would be like with the addition of Prince Fielder, dropped right into the middle?
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
This may well be the year that Robinson Cano hits third, where he belongs, right behind MVP candidate Curtis Granderson and right ahead of Mark Teixeira. The depth around this group is staggering -- from Alex Rodriguez to Nick Swisher to Derek Jeter to Brett Gardner to the polished Jesus Montero. It's a relentless lineup that generated 50 more walks last season than any other team.
[h3]4. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Albert Pujols will be missed, because of his presence and his defense, but the Cardinals will still score lots of runs. Carlos Beltran was among the best hitters in the National League next year, and David Freese and Allen Craig seemed to have established themselves in September and October. The big question will be Lance Berkman: Can he be close to what he was for the Cardinals this summer?
[h3]5. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, and you throw in a Michael Cuddyer and a Ramon Hernandez, and you consider the improvement of Dexter Fowler, who hit .288 and had a .380 on-base percentage in the second half of the season … The Rockies are going to pile up a whole lot of runs.
[h3]6. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
By the time the Tigers were into the American League Championship Series, injuries had frayed away a lot of the depth that had propelled Detroit during the season. Brennan Boesch seemed to blossom before a thumb injury ended his season, and Alex Avila had a .389 on-base percentage before struggling in October. Miguel Cabrera may be the majors' best right-handed hitter, and Victor Martinez thrived in the DH role. The Tigers need more consistency from Austin Jackson at the top of their lineup, but this is a powerful lineup.
[h3]7. Toronto Blue Jays[/h3]
Jose Bautista is the centerpiece of the batting order, a slugger who compiled 43 homers, 132 walks and an OPS of 1.056. But it may not be long before Brett Lawrie becomes the Robin to Bautista's Batman -- in his first 43 games in the big leagues, he made an immediate impact, posting a .580 slugging percentage, with nine homers in just 150 at-bats. Yunel Escobar had a .369 on-base percentage, Adam Lind wound up with 26 homers and 87 RBIs despite a terrible second half, and J.P. Arencibia hits for power. This is a good lineup that has a chance to get a lot better as its young players develop.
[h3]8. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
There's not much this group doesn't have, other than experience -- there are strong middle-of-the-order hitters, with Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler; extra-base power, from Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas; hitters who are adept at getting on base, like Alex Gordon; and speed, with Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain.
[h3]9. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The D-backs have power, speed, lefty-righty balance, depth -- the only real issue is that they don't have true top-of-the-order hitters. But what they lack at the top, they more than make up for with impact bats in the middle of their lineup, with Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, newcomer Jason Kubel and others. Paul Goldschmidt is prone to strikeouts, but he showed at the end of last season that he is capable of big-time game-changing power; he had eight homers in 156 at-bats last season.
[h3]10. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
They have worked to upgrade their pitching staff this winter, and if successful, the Reds could get back to the top of the NL Central, because they have the offense to win -- with Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Scott Rolen. It's hard to imagine that the Reds won't get better production from their left fielders, whoever they may be, than in 2011, when Cincinnati left fielders ranked 22nd among 30 teams in OPS.
Honorable mentions: Tampa Bay Rays -- They are still sorting through their options at first base and designated hitters, but it figures they will find solutions that will complement Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria.
Los Angeles Angels -- Albert Pujols helps, for sure, but whether the Angels develop into an elite lineup will depend on the progression of the other parts: Chris Iannetta, their new catcher; Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, their emerging young outfielders; and Kendrys Morales, who hasn't played in a major league game in 19 months and may or may not ever be the same.
The 2011 Red Sox will be remembered for their September collapse, for beer and fried chicken. But they also led the majors in runs, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to generate a whole lot of offense, with so many elite hitters -- Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, Carl Crawford. Run production won't be a problem.
[h3]2. Texas Rangers[/h3]
During the course of the 2011 season, Texas suffered significant injuries to Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz -- and the Rangers still managed to finish third in the majors in runs scored, through the excellence of Michael Young, and the emergence of Mike Napoli. The band will be back together again in 2012.
Can you imagine what the Rangers would be like with the addition of Prince Fielder, dropped right into the middle?
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
This may well be the year that Robinson Cano hits third, where he belongs, right behind MVP candidate Curtis Granderson and right ahead of Mark Teixeira. The depth around this group is staggering -- from Alex Rodriguez to Nick Swisher to Derek Jeter to Brett Gardner to the polished Jesus Montero. It's a relentless lineup that generated 50 more walks last season than any other team.
[h3]4. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Albert Pujols will be missed, because of his presence and his defense, but the Cardinals will still score lots of runs. Carlos Beltran was among the best hitters in the National League next year, and David Freese and Allen Craig seemed to have established themselves in September and October. The big question will be Lance Berkman: Can he be close to what he was for the Cardinals this summer?
[h3]5. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, and you throw in a Michael Cuddyer and a Ramon Hernandez, and you consider the improvement of Dexter Fowler, who hit .288 and had a .380 on-base percentage in the second half of the season … The Rockies are going to pile up a whole lot of runs.
[h3]6. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
By the time the Tigers were into the American League Championship Series, injuries had frayed away a lot of the depth that had propelled Detroit during the season. Brennan Boesch seemed to blossom before a thumb injury ended his season, and Alex Avila had a .389 on-base percentage before struggling in October. Miguel Cabrera may be the majors' best right-handed hitter, and Victor Martinez thrived in the DH role. The Tigers need more consistency from Austin Jackson at the top of their lineup, but this is a powerful lineup.
[h3]7. Toronto Blue Jays[/h3]
Jose Bautista is the centerpiece of the batting order, a slugger who compiled 43 homers, 132 walks and an OPS of 1.056. But it may not be long before Brett Lawrie becomes the Robin to Bautista's Batman -- in his first 43 games in the big leagues, he made an immediate impact, posting a .580 slugging percentage, with nine homers in just 150 at-bats. Yunel Escobar had a .369 on-base percentage, Adam Lind wound up with 26 homers and 87 RBIs despite a terrible second half, and J.P. Arencibia hits for power. This is a good lineup that has a chance to get a lot better as its young players develop.
[h3]8. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
There's not much this group doesn't have, other than experience -- there are strong middle-of-the-order hitters, with Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler; extra-base power, from Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas; hitters who are adept at getting on base, like Alex Gordon; and speed, with Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain.
[h3]9. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The D-backs have power, speed, lefty-righty balance, depth -- the only real issue is that they don't have true top-of-the-order hitters. But what they lack at the top, they more than make up for with impact bats in the middle of their lineup, with Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, newcomer Jason Kubel and others. Paul Goldschmidt is prone to strikeouts, but he showed at the end of last season that he is capable of big-time game-changing power; he had eight homers in 156 at-bats last season.
[h3]10. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
They have worked to upgrade their pitching staff this winter, and if successful, the Reds could get back to the top of the NL Central, because they have the offense to win -- with Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Scott Rolen. It's hard to imagine that the Reds won't get better production from their left fielders, whoever they may be, than in 2011, when Cincinnati left fielders ranked 22nd among 30 teams in OPS.
Honorable mentions: Tampa Bay Rays -- They are still sorting through their options at first base and designated hitters, but it figures they will find solutions that will complement Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria.
Los Angeles Angels -- Albert Pujols helps, for sure, but whether the Angels develop into an elite lineup will depend on the progression of the other parts: Chris Iannetta, their new catcher; Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, their emerging young outfielders; and Kendrys Morales, who hasn't played in a major league game in 19 months and may or may not ever be the same.
Top 10 teams in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Tampa Bay Rays[/h3]
There's a lot that the Rays don't know about their 2012 lineup -- the identity of the first baseman, for example, or the designated hitter. They could use another catcher. But here's what the Rays do know: Barring injury, they will throw out a starting pitcher capable of dominance on most days. Dominance.
This is not a rotation of 4 2/3 innings and four-run performances; this is a rotation that led the AL in starters' ERA last year despite inhabiting the same division as three of the nine highest-scoring lineups in the majors. Tampa Bay's starters led the American League in strikeouts, innings and WHIP, and held opponents to a .235 batting average. This is a rotation that has James Shields, David Price and AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson.
And into this mix the Rays will now add Matt Moore, who has the numbers and the ability of Stephen Strasburg but hasn't had the advance hype. It's worth reviewing all the numbers he put up in 2011, in the minors (155 innings) and majors (19.1, regular season and playoffs) combined:
Innings: 174.1
Hits: 113
Walks: 52
Strikeouts: 233
ERA: 1.91
The Rays won't have a dynamic offense, but they will (as usual) have one of the best defenses, and they should benefit from having Evan Longoria healthy in the first half of the year -- he was greatly hampered last season -- as well as a full season of Desmond Jennings, who had an OPS-plus of 128 in 63 games last summer.
Look, the limitations for the Rays are inherent within the confines of their relatively miniscule payroll. A major injury to one of their core position players -- Longoria or Ben Zobrist -- would be crushing. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will probably add more before the trade deadline than the Rays, as they usually do. But the Rays' starting pitching makes them extremely dangerous, and as we sit here on New Year's Day 2012, they are the best team in the majors.
The coming weeks will get interesting for the Rays, writes Marc Topkin.
[h3]2. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
The Phillies won't have Ryan Howard until sometime in midseason, and given the streaky nature of his production, they really don't know how much they'll get out of him after he comes back.
They would love to find an alternative to the oft-injured Placido Polanco.
But as we saw in 2011, great pitching cures a lot of other ills, and the Phillies have the three monsters -- Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels -- and a new and established closer in Jonathan Papelbon.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
The Rangers probably have more depth than any other organization, and they will be needed this year as they sort through new rotation and bullpen alignments.
Yu Darvish is not yet signed, but rival executives don't believe he has much leverage and will eventually work out a deal.
[h3]4. New York Yankees[/h3]
A year ago, the Yankees had major rotation questions, which prompted the rash signing of Rafael Soriano -- and New York went on to win a league-high 97 games. Ivan Nova is now established, and the Yankees feel good about the chances of Phil Hughes rebounding.
The promotion of Jesus Montero into the big leagues should provide a boost for an offense that finished second in run production last year.
And the Yankees continue to hoard the prospects of an improving farm system and wait for a deal for a big-time starting pitcher to develop.
[h3]5. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The Diamondbacks' signature now is depth -- in its rotation, in its lineup, in its bullpen, in its stash of young pitching prospects.
It's an organization on the rise.
[h3]6. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
For all of its trouble, Boston should continue to be a strong regular-season team because of its extraordinary run production.
How far the Red Sox advance, in the summer and perhaps into October, will depend largely on how Bobby Valentine's pitching staff comes together.
Daniel Bard could be a major addition for the rotation, but an innings-eater for the rotation is needed.
[h3]7. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
They won the World Series after running down the Atlanta Braves for the wild card, and as hard as it is to imagine now that Albert Pujols has left, the Cardinals might actually be a better team in 2012.
Adam Wainwright is back, the bullpen is settled, and the emergence of David Freese and the addition of Carlos Beltran should bolster the offense.
[h3]8. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
They are built around two superstars, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, who have a solid supporting cast -- catcher Alex Avila, closer Jose Valverde, designated hitter Victor Martinez and Brennan Boesch.
It doesn't hurt, either, that the Tigers play in one of the weakest divisions in baseball.
[h3]9. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
The Angels' rotation is spectacular, with Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana.
But there are questions at the back end of the bullpen, and some scouts wonder if the right-handedness of the everyday lineup will eventually become a serious problem.
Kendrys Morales could help balance the lineup, but it's unknown when or if he'll be back in the lineup.
[h3]10. San Francisco Giants[/h3]
The Giants continue to have an excellent rotation and bullpen, and Buster Posey is back at catcher.
Best of the rest: The Nationals, who would jump into the top 10 if they signed Fielder.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The San Diego Padres traded for Carlos Quentin. Josh Byrnes wanted another threat for his lineup, writes Dan Hayes.
Some talent evaluators are saying that the Padres gave up almost nothing in the way of prospects with upside for Quentin, so for the Chicago White Sox, the primary benefit of moving Quentin -- whose market value has dropped precipitously in the past three seasons because of the injuries that limited him to just 348 games in the 2009-2011 seasons -- is to shave payroll.
For San Diego, Quentin could be a short-term experiment. It's possible that the Padres could negotiate a very team-friendly two- or three-year deal with the slugger in the next six weeks, as it goes through the arbitration process, but it's hard to imagine San Diego would invest heavily in Quentin until it gauges how long he can stay on the field and how his power translates to Petco Park.
It's now make-or-break time for Chicago's Dayan Viciedo, writes Phil Rogers. Ken Williams envisions both prospects he got pitching in the big leagues this year.
• The Chicago Cubs are talking with a number of teams about Garza, but no deal is imminent as of now. The Tigers and Miami Marlins are among those; Detroit has indicated a willingness to trade top prospect Jacob Turner for the right pitcher, and Miami's most marketable player may be Logan Morrison. A lot of scouts are not wild about the quality and depth of the Marlins' farm system, but as always, the only opinion that really matters is that of the seller -- if they see something they like, they can find a match.
• You can understand the frustration of Oakland Athletics fans, who have seen their team's roster turn over time and again, most recently with the trades of Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey. But those who criticize owner Lew Wolff are assuming that he is willfully ignoring an obvious solution in Oakland or maintaining that he should personally absorb the loss of tens of millions of dollars annually on behalf of the franchise.
Question No. 1: What is the great ballpark solution in Oakland, where attendance has been abysmal during the past two decades, even in those years when the team ranked among the best in the majors?
Question No. 2: Other than the Tigers' Mike Ilitch, what owner in professional sports willfully operates his franchise at a loss?
Sports owners are not obligated to be willing to lose money, any more than fans are obligated to attend the games.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Without Fielder, the Seattle Mariners are really not that interesting, writes Steve Kelley. It may be that Fielder's best financial offer could come from the Mariners, but it's an open question whether Fielder is interested in playing in Seattle; some of his friends in the game say they can't see it.
2. The Toronto Blue Jays added Aaron Laffey.
3. Edwin Jackson would be a really nice fit for the Colorado Rockies as an innings-eater, but as of today, there is no room within the Rockies' budget for him.
4. For the Phillies, talent is more important than age, writes Bob Brookover.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• There is awful news about Kathy Porter, the wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter; she was killed in a tragic accident. The Braves released a statement. Here is more on Jeff.
• The Diamondbacks are poised to win the allegiance of fans in the valley, writes Dan Bickley. Within the column, Kirk Gibson addresses Ryan Braun's positive test, which reportedly took place in the midst of the Arizona-Milwaukee series:
Players are required under the current testing system to get approval for any substance or medication before taking it. Some players say that when they are given any kind of prescription, internal alarm bells sound.
"My first call is to the union," said one National Leaguer last month. "I'm not putting anything into my body before I call the PA."
If the Players Association and MLB structured a system in which players could get medical waivers after a positive test, they would create the biggest testing loophole in professional sports. Because any millionaire with a Victor Conte and a personal physician willing to act on his behalf could justify any positive test after the fact.
This is why, under current rules, players are essentially regarded as guilty until proven innocent -- not the other way around -- after a positive test.
There's a lot that the Rays don't know about their 2012 lineup -- the identity of the first baseman, for example, or the designated hitter. They could use another catcher. But here's what the Rays do know: Barring injury, they will throw out a starting pitcher capable of dominance on most days. Dominance.
This is not a rotation of 4 2/3 innings and four-run performances; this is a rotation that led the AL in starters' ERA last year despite inhabiting the same division as three of the nine highest-scoring lineups in the majors. Tampa Bay's starters led the American League in strikeouts, innings and WHIP, and held opponents to a .235 batting average. This is a rotation that has James Shields, David Price and AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson.
And into this mix the Rays will now add Matt Moore, who has the numbers and the ability of Stephen Strasburg but hasn't had the advance hype. It's worth reviewing all the numbers he put up in 2011, in the minors (155 innings) and majors (19.1, regular season and playoffs) combined:
Innings: 174.1
Hits: 113
Walks: 52
Strikeouts: 233
ERA: 1.91
The Rays won't have a dynamic offense, but they will (as usual) have one of the best defenses, and they should benefit from having Evan Longoria healthy in the first half of the year -- he was greatly hampered last season -- as well as a full season of Desmond Jennings, who had an OPS-plus of 128 in 63 games last summer.
Look, the limitations for the Rays are inherent within the confines of their relatively miniscule payroll. A major injury to one of their core position players -- Longoria or Ben Zobrist -- would be crushing. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will probably add more before the trade deadline than the Rays, as they usually do. But the Rays' starting pitching makes them extremely dangerous, and as we sit here on New Year's Day 2012, they are the best team in the majors.
The coming weeks will get interesting for the Rays, writes Marc Topkin.
[h3]2. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
The Phillies won't have Ryan Howard until sometime in midseason, and given the streaky nature of his production, they really don't know how much they'll get out of him after he comes back.
They would love to find an alternative to the oft-injured Placido Polanco.
But as we saw in 2011, great pitching cures a lot of other ills, and the Phillies have the three monsters -- Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels -- and a new and established closer in Jonathan Papelbon.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
The Rangers probably have more depth than any other organization, and they will be needed this year as they sort through new rotation and bullpen alignments.
Yu Darvish is not yet signed, but rival executives don't believe he has much leverage and will eventually work out a deal.
[h3]4. New York Yankees[/h3]
A year ago, the Yankees had major rotation questions, which prompted the rash signing of Rafael Soriano -- and New York went on to win a league-high 97 games. Ivan Nova is now established, and the Yankees feel good about the chances of Phil Hughes rebounding.
The promotion of Jesus Montero into the big leagues should provide a boost for an offense that finished second in run production last year.
And the Yankees continue to hoard the prospects of an improving farm system and wait for a deal for a big-time starting pitcher to develop.
[h3]5. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The Diamondbacks' signature now is depth -- in its rotation, in its lineup, in its bullpen, in its stash of young pitching prospects.
It's an organization on the rise.
[h3]6. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
For all of its trouble, Boston should continue to be a strong regular-season team because of its extraordinary run production.
How far the Red Sox advance, in the summer and perhaps into October, will depend largely on how Bobby Valentine's pitching staff comes together.
Daniel Bard could be a major addition for the rotation, but an innings-eater for the rotation is needed.
[h3]7. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
They won the World Series after running down the Atlanta Braves for the wild card, and as hard as it is to imagine now that Albert Pujols has left, the Cardinals might actually be a better team in 2012.
Adam Wainwright is back, the bullpen is settled, and the emergence of David Freese and the addition of Carlos Beltran should bolster the offense.
[h3]8. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
They are built around two superstars, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, who have a solid supporting cast -- catcher Alex Avila, closer Jose Valverde, designated hitter Victor Martinez and Brennan Boesch.
It doesn't hurt, either, that the Tigers play in one of the weakest divisions in baseball.
[h3]9. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
The Angels' rotation is spectacular, with Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana.
But there are questions at the back end of the bullpen, and some scouts wonder if the right-handedness of the everyday lineup will eventually become a serious problem.
Kendrys Morales could help balance the lineup, but it's unknown when or if he'll be back in the lineup.
[h3]10. San Francisco Giants[/h3]
The Giants continue to have an excellent rotation and bullpen, and Buster Posey is back at catcher.
Best of the rest: The Nationals, who would jump into the top 10 if they signed Fielder.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The San Diego Padres traded for Carlos Quentin. Josh Byrnes wanted another threat for his lineup, writes Dan Hayes.
Some talent evaluators are saying that the Padres gave up almost nothing in the way of prospects with upside for Quentin, so for the Chicago White Sox, the primary benefit of moving Quentin -- whose market value has dropped precipitously in the past three seasons because of the injuries that limited him to just 348 games in the 2009-2011 seasons -- is to shave payroll.
For San Diego, Quentin could be a short-term experiment. It's possible that the Padres could negotiate a very team-friendly two- or three-year deal with the slugger in the next six weeks, as it goes through the arbitration process, but it's hard to imagine San Diego would invest heavily in Quentin until it gauges how long he can stay on the field and how his power translates to Petco Park.
It's now make-or-break time for Chicago's Dayan Viciedo, writes Phil Rogers. Ken Williams envisions both prospects he got pitching in the big leagues this year.
• The Chicago Cubs are talking with a number of teams about Garza, but no deal is imminent as of now. The Tigers and Miami Marlins are among those; Detroit has indicated a willingness to trade top prospect Jacob Turner for the right pitcher, and Miami's most marketable player may be Logan Morrison. A lot of scouts are not wild about the quality and depth of the Marlins' farm system, but as always, the only opinion that really matters is that of the seller -- if they see something they like, they can find a match.
• You can understand the frustration of Oakland Athletics fans, who have seen their team's roster turn over time and again, most recently with the trades of Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey. But those who criticize owner Lew Wolff are assuming that he is willfully ignoring an obvious solution in Oakland or maintaining that he should personally absorb the loss of tens of millions of dollars annually on behalf of the franchise.
Question No. 1: What is the great ballpark solution in Oakland, where attendance has been abysmal during the past two decades, even in those years when the team ranked among the best in the majors?
Question No. 2: Other than the Tigers' Mike Ilitch, what owner in professional sports willfully operates his franchise at a loss?
Sports owners are not obligated to be willing to lose money, any more than fans are obligated to attend the games.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Without Fielder, the Seattle Mariners are really not that interesting, writes Steve Kelley. It may be that Fielder's best financial offer could come from the Mariners, but it's an open question whether Fielder is interested in playing in Seattle; some of his friends in the game say they can't see it.
2. The Toronto Blue Jays added Aaron Laffey.
3. Edwin Jackson would be a really nice fit for the Colorado Rockies as an innings-eater, but as of today, there is no room within the Rockies' budget for him.
4. For the Phillies, talent is more important than age, writes Bob Brookover.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• There is awful news about Kathy Porter, the wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter; she was killed in a tragic accident. The Braves released a statement. Here is more on Jeff.
• The Diamondbacks are poised to win the allegiance of fans in the valley, writes Dan Bickley. Within the column, Kirk Gibson addresses Ryan Braun's positive test, which reportedly took place in the midst of the Arizona-Milwaukee series:
- Today, there's renewed controversy surrounding the end of the 2011 season. Brewers star Ryan Braun destroyed the Diamondbacks in Games 1 and 2, during a series where he allegedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
- That can't sit well with an old-school guy like Gibson.
- "It is what it is, OK?" Gibson said about Braun. "We lost. We had our opportunities regardless of all that. I don't make alibis. We had our chances. We just didn't close it out. My job is to be part of the team, help us stay together and try to win the World Series. We did that under the rules."
- Can you say the same thing about the Brewers? That's a question and a regret many Diamondbacks fans currently harbor.
- "Put it this way: I understand your question," Gibson said.
- And that's all he would say, which is part of his charm.
Players are required under the current testing system to get approval for any substance or medication before taking it. Some players say that when they are given any kind of prescription, internal alarm bells sound.
"My first call is to the union," said one National Leaguer last month. "I'm not putting anything into my body before I call the PA."
If the Players Association and MLB structured a system in which players could get medical waivers after a positive test, they would create the biggest testing loophole in professional sports. Because any millionaire with a Victor Conte and a personal physician willing to act on his behalf could justify any positive test after the fact.
This is why, under current rules, players are essentially regarded as guilty until proven innocent -- not the other way around -- after a positive test.
Quentin a mediocre fit for San Diego.
Top 10 infields in MLB.
Top 10 OF's in MLB.
Top 10 lineups in MLB.
Top 10 teams in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
The White Sox shed some salary they didn't need and got two useful minor league arms, while the Padres got one year of a player whose skills align poorly with their home ballpark.
[+] Enlarge
Jesse Johnson/US PresswireThe White Sox freed salary space and got decent value for Quentin.
Carlos Quentin is a poor defensive outfielder who has great secondary skills, including above-average power and solid plate discipline, but a career .253 BABIP across over 2,400 major league PA and a history of injuries that should concern an NL team that is going to pretend he can play the field 150 games a year. He could have plenty of value for an AL club hoping he'll make a contract push, particularly in terms of keeping himself on the field as much as possible, but in San Diego -- where there's no DH, defense is more important and the ballpark is big -- he's a mediocre fit.
This is better than just a salary dump for the White Sox, acquiring two projected relievers for one year of Quentin at a salary approaching the likely value of his production. Simon Castro has worked as a starter throughout his minor league career with a solid-average fastball that might touch 94-95 on occasion and an above-average slider as well as a fringy changeup. His command is well behind his control and he's a poor athlete; those factors and his unspectacular strikeout rates (and lack of a plus pitch) point toward a career in the bullpen rather than in the back of a rotation, although if his velocity plays up in relief he could be very effective for 70 innings a year.
Pedro Hernandez has similar velocity and better control, but from the left side with a better changeup than Castro has and less of a breaking ball; he also projects as a reliever or fifth starter, but not a specialist. Six years of control on both guys for one year of Quentin sounds like a good exchange for me.
[+] Enlarge
Jesse Johnson/US PresswireThe White Sox freed salary space and got decent value for Quentin.
Carlos Quentin is a poor defensive outfielder who has great secondary skills, including above-average power and solid plate discipline, but a career .253 BABIP across over 2,400 major league PA and a history of injuries that should concern an NL team that is going to pretend he can play the field 150 games a year. He could have plenty of value for an AL club hoping he'll make a contract push, particularly in terms of keeping himself on the field as much as possible, but in San Diego -- where there's no DH, defense is more important and the ballpark is big -- he's a mediocre fit.
This is better than just a salary dump for the White Sox, acquiring two projected relievers for one year of Quentin at a salary approaching the likely value of his production. Simon Castro has worked as a starter throughout his minor league career with a solid-average fastball that might touch 94-95 on occasion and an above-average slider as well as a fringy changeup. His command is well behind his control and he's a poor athlete; those factors and his unspectacular strikeout rates (and lack of a plus pitch) point toward a career in the bullpen rather than in the back of a rotation, although if his velocity plays up in relief he could be very effective for 70 innings a year.
Pedro Hernandez has similar velocity and better control, but from the left side with a better changeup than Castro has and less of a breaking ball; he also projects as a reliever or fifth starter, but not a specialist. Six years of control on both guys for one year of Quentin sounds like a good exchange for me.
Top 10 infields in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Texas Rangers[/h3]
There were moments during the postseason when it seemed as if nobody could get a ball through the left side of the Texas infield between Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. There is a perception within the organization that the defensive dominance of the guys on the left side of the infield helped second baseman Ian Kinsler improve as well.
"I think when you play with guys like that, it's going to naturally raise your level of concentration," said one Texas evaluator.
There is no perfect defensive stat, no rock-solid way to evaluate the best and worst infielders. But the Rangers fare well in one advanced measure:
Among second basemen, Kinsler ranked third in UZR 150. Beltre ranked second among third baseman. Elvis Andrus ranks in the Top 10 too.
Beltre and Kinsler are elite offensive players at their respective positions, and Texas hopes that Andrus -- who, at age 23, has already played in two World Series -- will begin to blossom as Jimmy Rollins did.
Mitch Moreland is penciled in as the Texas first baseman for now, but his name has come up in trade talks. Rival executives also wonder if eventually the Rangers will emerge in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes. Without Fielder, Texas has the best infield in the majors. With him, well, the Rangers' infield would be among the best we've seen in decades.
[h3]2. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
Joey Votto is arguably the best hitter in the National League, and he's a special defensive player as well. Brandon Phillips is the best all-round second baseman, with Gold Glove Awards to show for it.
Third baseman Scott Rolen is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, and if that sounds crazy, compare his résumé to that of Ron Santo, who will be inducted next summer:
Seasons: Rolen 16, Santo 15
Games: Rolen 1,946, Santo 2,243
Hits: Rolen 2,005, Santo 2,254
Homers: Rolen 308, Santo 342
OPS: Rolen .860, Santo .826
OPS+: Rolen 123, Santo 125
Gold Gloves: Rolen 8, Santo 5
Rolen had shoulder surgery in August to clean out scar tissue, and the word is he is feeling much better and is greatly encouraged by his range of motion.
The significant question about the Reds' infield is at shortstop, where Zack Cozart is expected to take over in 2012 after a brief audition was cut short by injury.
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
The best days in the careers of Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are behind them, and scouts now view them as well below subpar defensively. But Jeter had a resurgence offensively in the second half of last season, and Rodriguez has his moments. The right side of the Yankees infield is manned by Robinson Cano -- the second baseman everybody would love to have -- and Mark Teixeira, who consistently contributes strong defense and power.
[h3]4. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
There is a lot of uncertainty on the left side of the Boston infield, given the shortstop issues and the fact that Kevin Youkilis has averaged just 120 games a year during the past three seasons; he seems to fuel the chances for injury with his steer-wrestling style of defense. But the right side of the Boston infield is staggeringly good, offensively and defensively, with Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
Albert Pujols takes over at first base, and Howie Kendrick will hold down second base; they are the anchors of the Angels' infield. Erick Aybar is a good (but not great) shortstop, and we don't yet know who will play third base for the Angels.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Lance Berkman takes over at first base, Rafael Furcal returns to shortstop, and the Cardinals are hopeful that Daniel Descalso is ready, at age 25, to be an everyday second baseman. This could be the year that David Freese establishes himself as one of the best third basemen in the sport after his breakout October.
[h3]7. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
This group slides down the list because Ryan Howard isn't due back until midseason at the earliest and the Phillies have been quietly looking for a way to dump Placido Polanco.
Chase Utley rebounded from what was feared to be career-threatening injuries and was among the better players at his position, and Jimmy Rollins is still regarded as one of the most consistent defenders in the sport. Ty Wigginton should get a lot of playing time in 2012 in Philadelphia's infield as well.
[h3]8. Tampa Bay Rays[/h3]
Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist are the building blocks for the Rays' infield. But beyond them, Tampa Bay has some questions to answer, as it continues to look for solutions at first base and shortstop.
[h3]9. Washington Nationals[/h3]
It's hard to know what the composition of this infield will be in two or three years, or maybe even next year. Some rival executives strongly believe that Washington will be the eventual landing place for Fielder.
Between Ryan Zimmerman, Danny Espinosa, Mike Morse, Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon, the Nationals have a lot of options.
[h3]10a. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alcides Escobar might be the best defensive shortstop in the majors, and within a few years, Eric Hosmer seems destined to be one of the game's best players, period. Watch him play and he reminds you a lot of Votto in his at-bats and in his athleticism, although he is probably more aggressive than Votto on defense.
The Royals were encouraged by how third baseman Mike Moustakas finished the season, batting .283 in August and .352 in the final month of the season.
Johnny Giavotella hit .247 in his first games in the big leagues last season as the Royals' new second baseman. This group ranks 10th now, but it's rising -- quickly.
[h3]10b. Chicago White Sox[/h3]
The White Sox have problems, but their infield is, generally, among the least of their worries. Alexei Ramirez and Paul Konerko anchor a group that should get better at second base and third base.
This will be an important year for Gordon Beckham, who is 25 years old and has probably used up his mulligans.
[h3]10c. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki, who is to shortstops what Roy Halladay is to starting pitchers, and the rest is gravy. Todd Helton will share some of the first base at-bats with Michael Cuddyer, and an everyday third baseman must emerge.
Others in the running: The Toronto Blue Jays, who could build something that will last around Brett Lawrie; the Cleveland Indians, depending on the development of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis; the Miami Marlins, who could have a dynamic infield if Hanley Ramirez embraces the shift to third base and rebounds offensively.
There were moments during the postseason when it seemed as if nobody could get a ball through the left side of the Texas infield between Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. There is a perception within the organization that the defensive dominance of the guys on the left side of the infield helped second baseman Ian Kinsler improve as well.
"I think when you play with guys like that, it's going to naturally raise your level of concentration," said one Texas evaluator.
There is no perfect defensive stat, no rock-solid way to evaluate the best and worst infielders. But the Rangers fare well in one advanced measure:
Among second basemen, Kinsler ranked third in UZR 150. Beltre ranked second among third baseman. Elvis Andrus ranks in the Top 10 too.
Beltre and Kinsler are elite offensive players at their respective positions, and Texas hopes that Andrus -- who, at age 23, has already played in two World Series -- will begin to blossom as Jimmy Rollins did.
Mitch Moreland is penciled in as the Texas first baseman for now, but his name has come up in trade talks. Rival executives also wonder if eventually the Rangers will emerge in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes. Without Fielder, Texas has the best infield in the majors. With him, well, the Rangers' infield would be among the best we've seen in decades.
[h3]2. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
Joey Votto is arguably the best hitter in the National League, and he's a special defensive player as well. Brandon Phillips is the best all-round second baseman, with Gold Glove Awards to show for it.
Third baseman Scott Rolen is a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, and if that sounds crazy, compare his résumé to that of Ron Santo, who will be inducted next summer:
Seasons: Rolen 16, Santo 15
Games: Rolen 1,946, Santo 2,243
Hits: Rolen 2,005, Santo 2,254
Homers: Rolen 308, Santo 342
OPS: Rolen .860, Santo .826
OPS+: Rolen 123, Santo 125
Gold Gloves: Rolen 8, Santo 5
Rolen had shoulder surgery in August to clean out scar tissue, and the word is he is feeling much better and is greatly encouraged by his range of motion.
The significant question about the Reds' infield is at shortstop, where Zack Cozart is expected to take over in 2012 after a brief audition was cut short by injury.
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
The best days in the careers of Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are behind them, and scouts now view them as well below subpar defensively. But Jeter had a resurgence offensively in the second half of last season, and Rodriguez has his moments. The right side of the Yankees infield is manned by Robinson Cano -- the second baseman everybody would love to have -- and Mark Teixeira, who consistently contributes strong defense and power.
[h3]4. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
There is a lot of uncertainty on the left side of the Boston infield, given the shortstop issues and the fact that Kevin Youkilis has averaged just 120 games a year during the past three seasons; he seems to fuel the chances for injury with his steer-wrestling style of defense. But the right side of the Boston infield is staggeringly good, offensively and defensively, with Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
Albert Pujols takes over at first base, and Howie Kendrick will hold down second base; they are the anchors of the Angels' infield. Erick Aybar is a good (but not great) shortstop, and we don't yet know who will play third base for the Angels.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Lance Berkman takes over at first base, Rafael Furcal returns to shortstop, and the Cardinals are hopeful that Daniel Descalso is ready, at age 25, to be an everyday second baseman. This could be the year that David Freese establishes himself as one of the best third basemen in the sport after his breakout October.
[h3]7. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
This group slides down the list because Ryan Howard isn't due back until midseason at the earliest and the Phillies have been quietly looking for a way to dump Placido Polanco.
Chase Utley rebounded from what was feared to be career-threatening injuries and was among the better players at his position, and Jimmy Rollins is still regarded as one of the most consistent defenders in the sport. Ty Wigginton should get a lot of playing time in 2012 in Philadelphia's infield as well.
[h3]8. Tampa Bay Rays[/h3]
Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist are the building blocks for the Rays' infield. But beyond them, Tampa Bay has some questions to answer, as it continues to look for solutions at first base and shortstop.
[h3]9. Washington Nationals[/h3]
It's hard to know what the composition of this infield will be in two or three years, or maybe even next year. Some rival executives strongly believe that Washington will be the eventual landing place for Fielder.
Between Ryan Zimmerman, Danny Espinosa, Mike Morse, Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon, the Nationals have a lot of options.
[h3]10a. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alcides Escobar might be the best defensive shortstop in the majors, and within a few years, Eric Hosmer seems destined to be one of the game's best players, period. Watch him play and he reminds you a lot of Votto in his at-bats and in his athleticism, although he is probably more aggressive than Votto on defense.
The Royals were encouraged by how third baseman Mike Moustakas finished the season, batting .283 in August and .352 in the final month of the season.
Johnny Giavotella hit .247 in his first games in the big leagues last season as the Royals' new second baseman. This group ranks 10th now, but it's rising -- quickly.
[h3]10b. Chicago White Sox[/h3]
The White Sox have problems, but their infield is, generally, among the least of their worries. Alexei Ramirez and Paul Konerko anchor a group that should get better at second base and third base.
This will be an important year for Gordon Beckham, who is 25 years old and has probably used up his mulligans.
[h3]10c. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki, who is to shortstops what Roy Halladay is to starting pitchers, and the rest is gravy. Todd Helton will share some of the first base at-bats with Michael Cuddyer, and an everyday third baseman must emerge.
Others in the running: The Toronto Blue Jays, who could build something that will last around Brett Lawrie; the Cleveland Indians, depending on the development of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis; the Miami Marlins, who could have a dynamic infield if Hanley Ramirez embraces the shift to third base and rebounds offensively.
Top 10 OF's in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
Justin Upton hovered on the edges of the National League MVP race last season, eventually finishing fourth in the voting, yet there is a sense among the Arizona talent evaluators that Upton, now 24, has barely scratched the surface of what he could be. And this is a slugger who racked up 75 extra-base hits last season and had an OPS-plus of 141, while playing in 159 games; the D-backs believe that as he reduces the emotional peaks and valleys of his at-bats, as he gains more consistency, he'll win an MVP award.
But Upton is just part of why the Arizona outfield is so good. Chris Young ranked second among center fielders in UZR/150, and had 20 homers and 22 stolen bases. Jason Kubel was signed to play left field and to balance a D-backs' lineup that has generally been right-handed-heavy, and while the addition of Kubel would seem to nudge Gerardo Parra out of a regular spot in left field, where he won a Gold Glove last season, Parra figures to get a lot of playing time as a strong No. 4 outfielder for Arizona. He'll finish some games for Kubel in left and get a decent amount of starts, sometimes filling in for Young against right-handers with good breaking balls. It's a great group, with offensive production, speed, defense, balance and depth.
[h3]2. New York Yankees[/h3]
The Yankees' outfielders scored 322 runs last year, with Curtis Granderson leading the way; he compiled 136 runs, 41 homers, 119 RBI, 25 stolen bases. But the other parts of the Yankees' outfield excelled in other ways, too -- Brett Gardner didn't win the Gold Glove Award for left fielders in the AL, despite having easily the best UZR/150 rating among all position players. Gardner had a crisis of confidence early in the year, but worked through that and wound up swiping 49 bases.
Nick Swisher hit 23 homers, drew 95 walks and ran up pitch counts, skills that prompted the Yankees to bring him back for another year -- although they have quietly checked around on possible alternatives, as they prepare for his possible departure after next season. Swisher has played in 150 or more games in six consecutive seasons.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
Ron Washington has depth and talent to work with, from Josh Hamilton to Nelson Cruz to David Murphy to Leonys Martin. The Rangers do fret over Hamilton's impatience at the plate, his tendency to give away at-bats early in the count, and his nagging injuries -- in spite of his picturesque swing and power, Hamilton finished last season with a .346 on-base percentage.
Cruz's hamstring issues are as inherent on his résumé as his power; he's played a total of 360 games over the last three seasons. Murphy is the tortoise of the group -- over the last four seasons, he's had anywhere from 111 to 122 hits annually. At some point, the Rangers would love for Martin to establish himself in center field, to enable Hamilton to make more starts in left field.
[h3]4. Milwaukee Brewers[/h3]
Ryan Braun may miss the first 50 games of the upcoming season, depending on how he fares in his appeal of a positive drug test. But whenever he becomes part of the Brewers' lineup, the Milwaukee outfield will be the backbone of the team's production. Braun won the NL MVP, posting a league-high OPS of .994 -- although he may have difficulty mustering that kind of production given the likely departure of Prince Fielder, who hit behind Braun in the Brewers' lineup. Corey Hart hit .285 last year, often hitting at the top of the Milwaukee lineup; he's scored 171 runs over the last two seasons. Nyjer Morgan hit .304 last season, with a .357 on-base percentage.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
It's like the Angels have two different outfields -- the veterans who are on the downsides of their respective careers, and the young players who are working to establish themselves. Peter Bourjos seemed to take a big step forward last season, showing some pop, with 36 doubles, 11 triples and 12 homers, and increasing his OPS by nearly 150 points in his second season.
Eventually, Mike Trout will become an every-day presence in the Angels' outfield, but for now, they are paying Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells to man the corners. Hunter is entering the final season of his five-year, $90 million deal, had a generally solid season last year, hitting 23 homers; it's possible the responsibility of hitting behind Albert Pujols will be his, and that he will have a whole lot of RBI opportunities. Wells is entering Year 5 of his seven-year, $126 million deal, with $63 million still on the books, and they waited and waited in 2011 for offense that never came from him; Wells finished the year at .218, with 25 homers, 20 walks and 86 strikeouts. It'll be interesting to see how patient the Angels are with him if he doesn't hit well in the first half of 2012 -- especially with Trout poised to jump into the big leagues for good.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
There's no denying the Cardinals have tremendous offensive potential with its outfield in 2012; Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in OPS among all outfielders. But the Cardinals do have injury questions, starting with Allen Craig, who will open the 2012 season after having knee surgery. Beltran played 142 games last year, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that despite the concern over Beltran's knees, they were never a problem as Bochy filled out his lineup card in the last two months of the season. Holliday, who turns 32 next month, played in 124 games last season because of a variety of injuries. Jon Jay, the center fielder, hit .297 last year.
[h3]7. Los Angeles Dodgers[/h3]
The Dodgers invested a whole lot of money in Matt Kemp, after his MVP-caliber season and after he came to camp devoted to playing hard daily; other players on the team were deeply impressed by how invested Kemp was in the Dodgers' performance last season, despite all of the big-picture troubles the team was having. Right fielder Andre Ethier may or may not be entering his last year with the team -- a pre-deadline trade this summer is possible -- and L.A. has an unsettled situation in left field, although they signed Juan Rivera to a one-year, $4 million deal. At some point, the Dodgers would probably love for 24-year-old Jerry Sands to establish himself.
[h3]8. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
Jacoby Ellsbury has developed into one of the American League's best players, and it's worth considering one more time all the damage that he did last summer: 83 extra-base hits (among 212 hits), 52 walks, 119 runs and 39 stolen bases, and he led all center fielders in UZR 150.
Carl Crawford can't possibly play as poorly in 2012 as he did in 2011 -- can he? Crawford seemed to suffocate under the enormous pressure he put on himself, and it probably would behoove him to glance again at the back of his baseball card, which has a whole lot of spectacular numbers. The Red Sox haven't yet settled their right field situation; Ryan Kalish will not be part of the solution early in the year, because he's suffered a setback in his injury rehab.
[h3]9. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alex Gordon was healthy in 2011 and blossomed, posting a .376 on-base percentage and an .879 OPS and winning a Gold Glove in left field. Jeff Francoeur has been part of the baseball landscape for so long that it's easy to forget he is just 27 years old (he turns 28 in 10 days) and he appears to have settled in -- Francoeur, a strong complementary hitter in the K.C. lineup, racked up 71 extra-base hits and drove in 87 runs, and earned a multi-year deal from the Royals. Melky Cabrera had a good year in 2011 but the Royals moved him, largely to make room in center field for Lorenzo Cain, who has hit .302 in his first 181 plate appearances in the big leagues; he thrived in Triple-A last year, pushing Kansas City to make room for him.
[h3]10. Baltimore Orioles[/h3]
Nick Markakis might be the best player casual baseball fans don't know. But managers and coaches know him, which is why he won a Gold Glove for his play last season, and he has missed only 11 games over the last five seasons. Adam Jones is mercurial in center field, hitting for some power and playing good defense.
Honorable mention: The Atlanta Braves, who could have a really good group -- depending on what happens with Martin Prado, who has been dangled in trade talks this winter and may be better served going someplace else to play second, and with Jason Heyward, who will try to rebound from a frustrating 2011 season. The Cleveland Indians could have a good outfield, with Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley and Grady Sizemore, if Sizemore can finally rebound all the way back from the ailments that have crushed his production in recent seasons.
Justin Upton hovered on the edges of the National League MVP race last season, eventually finishing fourth in the voting, yet there is a sense among the Arizona talent evaluators that Upton, now 24, has barely scratched the surface of what he could be. And this is a slugger who racked up 75 extra-base hits last season and had an OPS-plus of 141, while playing in 159 games; the D-backs believe that as he reduces the emotional peaks and valleys of his at-bats, as he gains more consistency, he'll win an MVP award.
But Upton is just part of why the Arizona outfield is so good. Chris Young ranked second among center fielders in UZR/150, and had 20 homers and 22 stolen bases. Jason Kubel was signed to play left field and to balance a D-backs' lineup that has generally been right-handed-heavy, and while the addition of Kubel would seem to nudge Gerardo Parra out of a regular spot in left field, where he won a Gold Glove last season, Parra figures to get a lot of playing time as a strong No. 4 outfielder for Arizona. He'll finish some games for Kubel in left and get a decent amount of starts, sometimes filling in for Young against right-handers with good breaking balls. It's a great group, with offensive production, speed, defense, balance and depth.
[h3]2. New York Yankees[/h3]
The Yankees' outfielders scored 322 runs last year, with Curtis Granderson leading the way; he compiled 136 runs, 41 homers, 119 RBI, 25 stolen bases. But the other parts of the Yankees' outfield excelled in other ways, too -- Brett Gardner didn't win the Gold Glove Award for left fielders in the AL, despite having easily the best UZR/150 rating among all position players. Gardner had a crisis of confidence early in the year, but worked through that and wound up swiping 49 bases.
Nick Swisher hit 23 homers, drew 95 walks and ran up pitch counts, skills that prompted the Yankees to bring him back for another year -- although they have quietly checked around on possible alternatives, as they prepare for his possible departure after next season. Swisher has played in 150 or more games in six consecutive seasons.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
Ron Washington has depth and talent to work with, from Josh Hamilton to Nelson Cruz to David Murphy to Leonys Martin. The Rangers do fret over Hamilton's impatience at the plate, his tendency to give away at-bats early in the count, and his nagging injuries -- in spite of his picturesque swing and power, Hamilton finished last season with a .346 on-base percentage.
Cruz's hamstring issues are as inherent on his résumé as his power; he's played a total of 360 games over the last three seasons. Murphy is the tortoise of the group -- over the last four seasons, he's had anywhere from 111 to 122 hits annually. At some point, the Rangers would love for Martin to establish himself in center field, to enable Hamilton to make more starts in left field.
[h3]4. Milwaukee Brewers[/h3]
Ryan Braun may miss the first 50 games of the upcoming season, depending on how he fares in his appeal of a positive drug test. But whenever he becomes part of the Brewers' lineup, the Milwaukee outfield will be the backbone of the team's production. Braun won the NL MVP, posting a league-high OPS of .994 -- although he may have difficulty mustering that kind of production given the likely departure of Prince Fielder, who hit behind Braun in the Brewers' lineup. Corey Hart hit .285 last year, often hitting at the top of the Milwaukee lineup; he's scored 171 runs over the last two seasons. Nyjer Morgan hit .304 last season, with a .357 on-base percentage.
[h3]5. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
It's like the Angels have two different outfields -- the veterans who are on the downsides of their respective careers, and the young players who are working to establish themselves. Peter Bourjos seemed to take a big step forward last season, showing some pop, with 36 doubles, 11 triples and 12 homers, and increasing his OPS by nearly 150 points in his second season.
Eventually, Mike Trout will become an every-day presence in the Angels' outfield, but for now, they are paying Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells to man the corners. Hunter is entering the final season of his five-year, $90 million deal, had a generally solid season last year, hitting 23 homers; it's possible the responsibility of hitting behind Albert Pujols will be his, and that he will have a whole lot of RBI opportunities. Wells is entering Year 5 of his seven-year, $126 million deal, with $63 million still on the books, and they waited and waited in 2011 for offense that never came from him; Wells finished the year at .218, with 25 homers, 20 walks and 86 strikeouts. It'll be interesting to see how patient the Angels are with him if he doesn't hit well in the first half of 2012 -- especially with Trout poised to jump into the big leagues for good.
[h3]6. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
There's no denying the Cardinals have tremendous offensive potential with its outfield in 2012; Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in OPS among all outfielders. But the Cardinals do have injury questions, starting with Allen Craig, who will open the 2012 season after having knee surgery. Beltran played 142 games last year, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that despite the concern over Beltran's knees, they were never a problem as Bochy filled out his lineup card in the last two months of the season. Holliday, who turns 32 next month, played in 124 games last season because of a variety of injuries. Jon Jay, the center fielder, hit .297 last year.
[h3]7. Los Angeles Dodgers[/h3]
The Dodgers invested a whole lot of money in Matt Kemp, after his MVP-caliber season and after he came to camp devoted to playing hard daily; other players on the team were deeply impressed by how invested Kemp was in the Dodgers' performance last season, despite all of the big-picture troubles the team was having. Right fielder Andre Ethier may or may not be entering his last year with the team -- a pre-deadline trade this summer is possible -- and L.A. has an unsettled situation in left field, although they signed Juan Rivera to a one-year, $4 million deal. At some point, the Dodgers would probably love for 24-year-old Jerry Sands to establish himself.
[h3]8. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
Jacoby Ellsbury has developed into one of the American League's best players, and it's worth considering one more time all the damage that he did last summer: 83 extra-base hits (among 212 hits), 52 walks, 119 runs and 39 stolen bases, and he led all center fielders in UZR 150.
Carl Crawford can't possibly play as poorly in 2012 as he did in 2011 -- can he? Crawford seemed to suffocate under the enormous pressure he put on himself, and it probably would behoove him to glance again at the back of his baseball card, which has a whole lot of spectacular numbers. The Red Sox haven't yet settled their right field situation; Ryan Kalish will not be part of the solution early in the year, because he's suffered a setback in his injury rehab.
[h3]9. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
Alex Gordon was healthy in 2011 and blossomed, posting a .376 on-base percentage and an .879 OPS and winning a Gold Glove in left field. Jeff Francoeur has been part of the baseball landscape for so long that it's easy to forget he is just 27 years old (he turns 28 in 10 days) and he appears to have settled in -- Francoeur, a strong complementary hitter in the K.C. lineup, racked up 71 extra-base hits and drove in 87 runs, and earned a multi-year deal from the Royals. Melky Cabrera had a good year in 2011 but the Royals moved him, largely to make room in center field for Lorenzo Cain, who has hit .302 in his first 181 plate appearances in the big leagues; he thrived in Triple-A last year, pushing Kansas City to make room for him.
[h3]10. Baltimore Orioles[/h3]
Nick Markakis might be the best player casual baseball fans don't know. But managers and coaches know him, which is why he won a Gold Glove for his play last season, and he has missed only 11 games over the last five seasons. Adam Jones is mercurial in center field, hitting for some power and playing good defense.
Honorable mention: The Atlanta Braves, who could have a really good group -- depending on what happens with Martin Prado, who has been dangled in trade talks this winter and may be better served going someplace else to play second, and with Jason Heyward, who will try to rebound from a frustrating 2011 season. The Cleveland Indians could have a good outfield, with Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley and Grady Sizemore, if Sizemore can finally rebound all the way back from the ailments that have crushed his production in recent seasons.
Top 10 lineups in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
The 2011 Red Sox will be remembered for their September collapse, for beer and fried chicken. But they also led the majors in runs, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to generate a whole lot of offense, with so many elite hitters -- Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, Carl Crawford. Run production won't be a problem.
[h3]2. Texas Rangers[/h3]
During the course of the 2011 season, Texas suffered significant injuries to Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz -- and the Rangers still managed to finish third in the majors in runs scored, through the excellence of Michael Young, and the emergence of Mike Napoli. The band will be back together again in 2012.
Can you imagine what the Rangers would be like with the addition of Prince Fielder, dropped right into the middle?
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
This may well be the year that Robinson Cano hits third, where he belongs, right behind MVP candidate Curtis Granderson and right ahead of Mark Teixeira. The depth around this group is staggering -- from Alex Rodriguez to Nick Swisher to Derek Jeter to Brett Gardner to the polished Jesus Montero. It's a relentless lineup that generated 50 more walks last season than any other team.
[h3]4. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Albert Pujols will be missed, because of his presence and his defense, but the Cardinals will still score lots of runs. Carlos Beltran was among the best hitters in the National League next year, and David Freese and Allen Craig seemed to have established themselves in September and October. The big question will be Lance Berkman: Can he be close to what he was for the Cardinals this summer?
[h3]5. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, and you throw in a Michael Cuddyer and a Ramon Hernandez, and you consider the improvement of Dexter Fowler, who hit .288 and had a .380 on-base percentage in the second half of the season … The Rockies are going to pile up a whole lot of runs.
[h3]6. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
By the time the Tigers were into the American League Championship Series, injuries had frayed away a lot of the depth that had propelled Detroit during the season. Brennan Boesch seemed to blossom before a thumb injury ended his season, and Alex Avila had a .389 on-base percentage before struggling in October. Miguel Cabrera may be the majors' best right-handed hitter, and Victor Martinez thrived in the DH role. The Tigers need more consistency from Austin Jackson at the top of their lineup, but this is a powerful lineup.
[h3]7. Toronto Blue Jays[/h3]
Jose Bautista is the centerpiece of the batting order, a slugger who compiled 43 homers, 132 walks and an OPS of 1.056. But it may not be long before Brett Lawrie becomes the Robin to Bautista's Batman -- in his first 43 games in the big leagues, he made an immediate impact, posting a .580 slugging percentage, with nine homers in just 150 at-bats. Yunel Escobar had a .369 on-base percentage, Adam Lind wound up with 26 homers and 87 RBIs despite a terrible second half, and J.P. Arencibia hits for power. This is a good lineup that has a chance to get a lot better as its young players develop.
[h3]8. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
There's not much this group doesn't have, other than experience -- there are strong middle-of-the-order hitters, with Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler; extra-base power, from Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas; hitters who are adept at getting on base, like Alex Gordon; and speed, with Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain.
[h3]9. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The D-backs have power, speed, lefty-righty balance, depth -- the only real issue is that they don't have true top-of-the-order hitters. But what they lack at the top, they more than make up for with impact bats in the middle of their lineup, with Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, newcomer Jason Kubel and others. Paul Goldschmidt is prone to strikeouts, but he showed at the end of last season that he is capable of big-time game-changing power; he had eight homers in 156 at-bats last season.
[h3]10. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
They have worked to upgrade their pitching staff this winter, and if successful, the Reds could get back to the top of the NL Central, because they have the offense to win -- with Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Scott Rolen. It's hard to imagine that the Reds won't get better production from their left fielders, whoever they may be, than in 2011, when Cincinnati left fielders ranked 22nd among 30 teams in OPS.
Honorable mentions: Tampa Bay Rays -- They are still sorting through their options at first base and designated hitters, but it figures they will find solutions that will complement Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria.
Los Angeles Angels -- Albert Pujols helps, for sure, but whether the Angels develop into an elite lineup will depend on the progression of the other parts: Chris Iannetta, their new catcher; Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, their emerging young outfielders; and Kendrys Morales, who hasn't played in a major league game in 19 months and may or may not ever be the same.
The 2011 Red Sox will be remembered for their September collapse, for beer and fried chicken. But they also led the majors in runs, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to generate a whole lot of offense, with so many elite hitters -- Jacoby Ellsbury, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, Carl Crawford. Run production won't be a problem.
[h3]2. Texas Rangers[/h3]
During the course of the 2011 season, Texas suffered significant injuries to Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz -- and the Rangers still managed to finish third in the majors in runs scored, through the excellence of Michael Young, and the emergence of Mike Napoli. The band will be back together again in 2012.
Can you imagine what the Rangers would be like with the addition of Prince Fielder, dropped right into the middle?
[h3]3. New York Yankees[/h3]
This may well be the year that Robinson Cano hits third, where he belongs, right behind MVP candidate Curtis Granderson and right ahead of Mark Teixeira. The depth around this group is staggering -- from Alex Rodriguez to Nick Swisher to Derek Jeter to Brett Gardner to the polished Jesus Montero. It's a relentless lineup that generated 50 more walks last season than any other team.
[h3]4. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
Albert Pujols will be missed, because of his presence and his defense, but the Cardinals will still score lots of runs. Carlos Beltran was among the best hitters in the National League next year, and David Freese and Allen Craig seemed to have established themselves in September and October. The big question will be Lance Berkman: Can he be close to what he was for the Cardinals this summer?
[h3]5. Colorado Rockies[/h3]
You start with Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, and you throw in a Michael Cuddyer and a Ramon Hernandez, and you consider the improvement of Dexter Fowler, who hit .288 and had a .380 on-base percentage in the second half of the season … The Rockies are going to pile up a whole lot of runs.
[h3]6. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
By the time the Tigers were into the American League Championship Series, injuries had frayed away a lot of the depth that had propelled Detroit during the season. Brennan Boesch seemed to blossom before a thumb injury ended his season, and Alex Avila had a .389 on-base percentage before struggling in October. Miguel Cabrera may be the majors' best right-handed hitter, and Victor Martinez thrived in the DH role. The Tigers need more consistency from Austin Jackson at the top of their lineup, but this is a powerful lineup.
[h3]7. Toronto Blue Jays[/h3]
Jose Bautista is the centerpiece of the batting order, a slugger who compiled 43 homers, 132 walks and an OPS of 1.056. But it may not be long before Brett Lawrie becomes the Robin to Bautista's Batman -- in his first 43 games in the big leagues, he made an immediate impact, posting a .580 slugging percentage, with nine homers in just 150 at-bats. Yunel Escobar had a .369 on-base percentage, Adam Lind wound up with 26 homers and 87 RBIs despite a terrible second half, and J.P. Arencibia hits for power. This is a good lineup that has a chance to get a lot better as its young players develop.
[h3]8. Kansas City Royals[/h3]
There's not much this group doesn't have, other than experience -- there are strong middle-of-the-order hitters, with Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler; extra-base power, from Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas; hitters who are adept at getting on base, like Alex Gordon; and speed, with Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain.
[h3]9. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The D-backs have power, speed, lefty-righty balance, depth -- the only real issue is that they don't have true top-of-the-order hitters. But what they lack at the top, they more than make up for with impact bats in the middle of their lineup, with Justin Upton, Miguel Montero, newcomer Jason Kubel and others. Paul Goldschmidt is prone to strikeouts, but he showed at the end of last season that he is capable of big-time game-changing power; he had eight homers in 156 at-bats last season.
[h3]10. Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
They have worked to upgrade their pitching staff this winter, and if successful, the Reds could get back to the top of the NL Central, because they have the offense to win -- with Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Scott Rolen. It's hard to imagine that the Reds won't get better production from their left fielders, whoever they may be, than in 2011, when Cincinnati left fielders ranked 22nd among 30 teams in OPS.
Honorable mentions: Tampa Bay Rays -- They are still sorting through their options at first base and designated hitters, but it figures they will find solutions that will complement Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria.
Los Angeles Angels -- Albert Pujols helps, for sure, but whether the Angels develop into an elite lineup will depend on the progression of the other parts: Chris Iannetta, their new catcher; Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, their emerging young outfielders; and Kendrys Morales, who hasn't played in a major league game in 19 months and may or may not ever be the same.
Top 10 teams in MLB.
Spoiler [+]
[h3]1. Tampa Bay Rays[/h3]
There's a lot that the Rays don't know about their 2012 lineup -- the identity of the first baseman, for example, or the designated hitter. They could use another catcher. But here's what the Rays do know: Barring injury, they will throw out a starting pitcher capable of dominance on most days. Dominance.
This is not a rotation of 4 2/3 innings and four-run performances; this is a rotation that led the AL in starters' ERA last year despite inhabiting the same division as three of the nine highest-scoring lineups in the majors. Tampa Bay's starters led the American League in strikeouts, innings and WHIP, and held opponents to a .235 batting average. This is a rotation that has James Shields, David Price and AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson.
And into this mix the Rays will now add Matt Moore, who has the numbers and the ability of Stephen Strasburg but hasn't had the advance hype. It's worth reviewing all the numbers he put up in 2011, in the minors (155 innings) and majors (19.1, regular season and playoffs) combined:
Innings: 174.1
Hits: 113
Walks: 52
Strikeouts: 233
ERA: 1.91
The Rays won't have a dynamic offense, but they will (as usual) have one of the best defenses, and they should benefit from having Evan Longoria healthy in the first half of the year -- he was greatly hampered last season -- as well as a full season of Desmond Jennings, who had an OPS-plus of 128 in 63 games last summer.
Look, the limitations for the Rays are inherent within the confines of their relatively miniscule payroll. A major injury to one of their core position players -- Longoria or Ben Zobrist -- would be crushing. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will probably add more before the trade deadline than the Rays, as they usually do. But the Rays' starting pitching makes them extremely dangerous, and as we sit here on New Year's Day 2012, they are the best team in the majors.
The coming weeks will get interesting for the Rays, writes Marc Topkin.
[h3]2. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
The Phillies won't have Ryan Howard until sometime in midseason, and given the streaky nature of his production, they really don't know how much they'll get out of him after he comes back.
They would love to find an alternative to the oft-injured Placido Polanco.
But as we saw in 2011, great pitching cures a lot of other ills, and the Phillies have the three monsters -- Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels -- and a new and established closer in Jonathan Papelbon.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
The Rangers probably have more depth than any other organization, and they will be needed this year as they sort through new rotation and bullpen alignments.
Yu Darvish is not yet signed, but rival executives don't believe he has much leverage and will eventually work out a deal.
[h3]4. New York Yankees[/h3]
A year ago, the Yankees had major rotation questions, which prompted the rash signing of Rafael Soriano -- and New York went on to win a league-high 97 games. Ivan Nova is now established, and the Yankees feel good about the chances of Phil Hughes rebounding.
The promotion of Jesus Montero into the big leagues should provide a boost for an offense that finished second in run production last year.
And the Yankees continue to hoard the prospects of an improving farm system and wait for a deal for a big-time starting pitcher to develop.
[h3]5. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The Diamondbacks' signature now is depth -- in its rotation, in its lineup, in its bullpen, in its stash of young pitching prospects.
It's an organization on the rise.
[h3]6. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
For all of its trouble, Boston should continue to be a strong regular-season team because of its extraordinary run production.
How far the Red Sox advance, in the summer and perhaps into October, will depend largely on how Bobby Valentine's pitching staff comes together.
Daniel Bard could be a major addition for the rotation, but an innings-eater for the rotation is needed.
[h3]7. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
They won the World Series after running down the Atlanta Braves for the wild card, and as hard as it is to imagine now that Albert Pujols has left, the Cardinals might actually be a better team in 2012.
Adam Wainwright is back, the bullpen is settled, and the emergence of David Freese and the addition of Carlos Beltran should bolster the offense.
[h3]8. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
They are built around two superstars, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, who have a solid supporting cast -- catcher Alex Avila, closer Jose Valverde, designated hitter Victor Martinez and Brennan Boesch.
It doesn't hurt, either, that the Tigers play in one of the weakest divisions in baseball.
[h3]9. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
The Angels' rotation is spectacular, with Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana.
But there are questions at the back end of the bullpen, and some scouts wonder if the right-handedness of the everyday lineup will eventually become a serious problem.
Kendrys Morales could help balance the lineup, but it's unknown when or if he'll be back in the lineup.
[h3]10. San Francisco Giants[/h3]
The Giants continue to have an excellent rotation and bullpen, and Buster Posey is back at catcher.
Best of the rest: The Nationals, who would jump into the top 10 if they signed Fielder.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The San Diego Padres traded for Carlos Quentin. Josh Byrnes wanted another threat for his lineup, writes Dan Hayes.
Some talent evaluators are saying that the Padres gave up almost nothing in the way of prospects with upside for Quentin, so for the Chicago White Sox, the primary benefit of moving Quentin -- whose market value has dropped precipitously in the past three seasons because of the injuries that limited him to just 348 games in the 2009-2011 seasons -- is to shave payroll.
For San Diego, Quentin could be a short-term experiment. It's possible that the Padres could negotiate a very team-friendly two- or three-year deal with the slugger in the next six weeks, as it goes through the arbitration process, but it's hard to imagine San Diego would invest heavily in Quentin until it gauges how long he can stay on the field and how his power translates to Petco Park.
It's now make-or-break time for Chicago's Dayan Viciedo, writes Phil Rogers. Ken Williams envisions both prospects he got pitching in the big leagues this year.
• The Chicago Cubs are talking with a number of teams about Garza, but no deal is imminent as of now. The Tigers and Miami Marlins are among those; Detroit has indicated a willingness to trade top prospect Jacob Turner for the right pitcher, and Miami's most marketable player may be Logan Morrison. A lot of scouts are not wild about the quality and depth of the Marlins' farm system, but as always, the only opinion that really matters is that of the seller -- if they see something they like, they can find a match.
• You can understand the frustration of Oakland Athletics fans, who have seen their team's roster turn over time and again, most recently with the trades of Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey. But those who criticize owner Lew Wolff are assuming that he is willfully ignoring an obvious solution in Oakland or maintaining that he should personally absorb the loss of tens of millions of dollars annually on behalf of the franchise.
Question No. 1: What is the great ballpark solution in Oakland, where attendance has been abysmal during the past two decades, even in those years when the team ranked among the best in the majors?
Question No. 2: Other than the Tigers' Mike Ilitch, what owner in professional sports willfully operates his franchise at a loss?
Sports owners are not obligated to be willing to lose money, any more than fans are obligated to attend the games.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Without Fielder, the Seattle Mariners are really not that interesting, writes Steve Kelley. It may be that Fielder's best financial offer could come from the Mariners, but it's an open question whether Fielder is interested in playing in Seattle; some of his friends in the game say they can't see it.
2. The Toronto Blue Jays added Aaron Laffey.
3. Edwin Jackson would be a really nice fit for the Colorado Rockies as an innings-eater, but as of today, there is no room within the Rockies' budget for him.
4. For the Phillies, talent is more important than age, writes Bob Brookover.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• There is awful news about Kathy Porter, the wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter; she was killed in a tragic accident. The Braves released a statement. Here is more on Jeff.
• The Diamondbacks are poised to win the allegiance of fans in the valley, writes Dan Bickley. Within the column, Kirk Gibson addresses Ryan Braun's positive test, which reportedly took place in the midst of the Arizona-Milwaukee series:
Players are required under the current testing system to get approval for any substance or medication before taking it. Some players say that when they are given any kind of prescription, internal alarm bells sound.
"My first call is to the union," said one National Leaguer last month. "I'm not putting anything into my body before I call the PA."
If the Players Association and MLB structured a system in which players could get medical waivers after a positive test, they would create the biggest testing loophole in professional sports. Because any millionaire with a Victor Conte and a personal physician willing to act on his behalf could justify any positive test after the fact.
This is why, under current rules, players are essentially regarded as guilty until proven innocent -- not the other way around -- after a positive test.
There's a lot that the Rays don't know about their 2012 lineup -- the identity of the first baseman, for example, or the designated hitter. They could use another catcher. But here's what the Rays do know: Barring injury, they will throw out a starting pitcher capable of dominance on most days. Dominance.
This is not a rotation of 4 2/3 innings and four-run performances; this is a rotation that led the AL in starters' ERA last year despite inhabiting the same division as three of the nine highest-scoring lineups in the majors. Tampa Bay's starters led the American League in strikeouts, innings and WHIP, and held opponents to a .235 batting average. This is a rotation that has James Shields, David Price and AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson.
And into this mix the Rays will now add Matt Moore, who has the numbers and the ability of Stephen Strasburg but hasn't had the advance hype. It's worth reviewing all the numbers he put up in 2011, in the minors (155 innings) and majors (19.1, regular season and playoffs) combined:
Innings: 174.1
Hits: 113
Walks: 52
Strikeouts: 233
ERA: 1.91
The Rays won't have a dynamic offense, but they will (as usual) have one of the best defenses, and they should benefit from having Evan Longoria healthy in the first half of the year -- he was greatly hampered last season -- as well as a full season of Desmond Jennings, who had an OPS-plus of 128 in 63 games last summer.
Look, the limitations for the Rays are inherent within the confines of their relatively miniscule payroll. A major injury to one of their core position players -- Longoria or Ben Zobrist -- would be crushing. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will probably add more before the trade deadline than the Rays, as they usually do. But the Rays' starting pitching makes them extremely dangerous, and as we sit here on New Year's Day 2012, they are the best team in the majors.
The coming weeks will get interesting for the Rays, writes Marc Topkin.
[h3]2. Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
The Phillies won't have Ryan Howard until sometime in midseason, and given the streaky nature of his production, they really don't know how much they'll get out of him after he comes back.
They would love to find an alternative to the oft-injured Placido Polanco.
But as we saw in 2011, great pitching cures a lot of other ills, and the Phillies have the three monsters -- Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels -- and a new and established closer in Jonathan Papelbon.
[h3]3. Texas Rangers[/h3]
The Rangers probably have more depth than any other organization, and they will be needed this year as they sort through new rotation and bullpen alignments.
Yu Darvish is not yet signed, but rival executives don't believe he has much leverage and will eventually work out a deal.
[h3]4. New York Yankees[/h3]
A year ago, the Yankees had major rotation questions, which prompted the rash signing of Rafael Soriano -- and New York went on to win a league-high 97 games. Ivan Nova is now established, and the Yankees feel good about the chances of Phil Hughes rebounding.
The promotion of Jesus Montero into the big leagues should provide a boost for an offense that finished second in run production last year.
And the Yankees continue to hoard the prospects of an improving farm system and wait for a deal for a big-time starting pitcher to develop.
[h3]5. Arizona Diamondbacks[/h3]
The Diamondbacks' signature now is depth -- in its rotation, in its lineup, in its bullpen, in its stash of young pitching prospects.
It's an organization on the rise.
[h3]6. Boston Red Sox[/h3]
For all of its trouble, Boston should continue to be a strong regular-season team because of its extraordinary run production.
How far the Red Sox advance, in the summer and perhaps into October, will depend largely on how Bobby Valentine's pitching staff comes together.
Daniel Bard could be a major addition for the rotation, but an innings-eater for the rotation is needed.
[h3]7. St. Louis Cardinals[/h3]
They won the World Series after running down the Atlanta Braves for the wild card, and as hard as it is to imagine now that Albert Pujols has left, the Cardinals might actually be a better team in 2012.
Adam Wainwright is back, the bullpen is settled, and the emergence of David Freese and the addition of Carlos Beltran should bolster the offense.
[h3]8. Detroit Tigers[/h3]
They are built around two superstars, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, who have a solid supporting cast -- catcher Alex Avila, closer Jose Valverde, designated hitter Victor Martinez and Brennan Boesch.
It doesn't hurt, either, that the Tigers play in one of the weakest divisions in baseball.
[h3]9. Los Angeles Angels[/h3]
The Angels' rotation is spectacular, with Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, C.J. Wilson and Ervin Santana.
But there are questions at the back end of the bullpen, and some scouts wonder if the right-handedness of the everyday lineup will eventually become a serious problem.
Kendrys Morales could help balance the lineup, but it's unknown when or if he'll be back in the lineup.
[h3]10. San Francisco Giants[/h3]
The Giants continue to have an excellent rotation and bullpen, and Buster Posey is back at catcher.
Best of the rest: The Nationals, who would jump into the top 10 if they signed Fielder.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The San Diego Padres traded for Carlos Quentin. Josh Byrnes wanted another threat for his lineup, writes Dan Hayes.
Some talent evaluators are saying that the Padres gave up almost nothing in the way of prospects with upside for Quentin, so for the Chicago White Sox, the primary benefit of moving Quentin -- whose market value has dropped precipitously in the past three seasons because of the injuries that limited him to just 348 games in the 2009-2011 seasons -- is to shave payroll.
For San Diego, Quentin could be a short-term experiment. It's possible that the Padres could negotiate a very team-friendly two- or three-year deal with the slugger in the next six weeks, as it goes through the arbitration process, but it's hard to imagine San Diego would invest heavily in Quentin until it gauges how long he can stay on the field and how his power translates to Petco Park.
It's now make-or-break time for Chicago's Dayan Viciedo, writes Phil Rogers. Ken Williams envisions both prospects he got pitching in the big leagues this year.
• The Chicago Cubs are talking with a number of teams about Garza, but no deal is imminent as of now. The Tigers and Miami Marlins are among those; Detroit has indicated a willingness to trade top prospect Jacob Turner for the right pitcher, and Miami's most marketable player may be Logan Morrison. A lot of scouts are not wild about the quality and depth of the Marlins' farm system, but as always, the only opinion that really matters is that of the seller -- if they see something they like, they can find a match.
• You can understand the frustration of Oakland Athletics fans, who have seen their team's roster turn over time and again, most recently with the trades of Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey. But those who criticize owner Lew Wolff are assuming that he is willfully ignoring an obvious solution in Oakland or maintaining that he should personally absorb the loss of tens of millions of dollars annually on behalf of the franchise.
Question No. 1: What is the great ballpark solution in Oakland, where attendance has been abysmal during the past two decades, even in those years when the team ranked among the best in the majors?
Question No. 2: Other than the Tigers' Mike Ilitch, what owner in professional sports willfully operates his franchise at a loss?
Sports owners are not obligated to be willing to lose money, any more than fans are obligated to attend the games.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Without Fielder, the Seattle Mariners are really not that interesting, writes Steve Kelley. It may be that Fielder's best financial offer could come from the Mariners, but it's an open question whether Fielder is interested in playing in Seattle; some of his friends in the game say they can't see it.
2. The Toronto Blue Jays added Aaron Laffey.
3. Edwin Jackson would be a really nice fit for the Colorado Rockies as an innings-eater, but as of today, there is no room within the Rockies' budget for him.
4. For the Phillies, talent is more important than age, writes Bob Brookover.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• There is awful news about Kathy Porter, the wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter; she was killed in a tragic accident. The Braves released a statement. Here is more on Jeff.
• The Diamondbacks are poised to win the allegiance of fans in the valley, writes Dan Bickley. Within the column, Kirk Gibson addresses Ryan Braun's positive test, which reportedly took place in the midst of the Arizona-Milwaukee series:
- Today, there's renewed controversy surrounding the end of the 2011 season. Brewers star Ryan Braun destroyed the Diamondbacks in Games 1 and 2, during a series where he allegedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
- That can't sit well with an old-school guy like Gibson.
- "It is what it is, OK?" Gibson said about Braun. "We lost. We had our opportunities regardless of all that. I don't make alibis. We had our chances. We just didn't close it out. My job is to be part of the team, help us stay together and try to win the World Series. We did that under the rules."
- Can you say the same thing about the Brewers? That's a question and a regret many Diamondbacks fans currently harbor.
- "Put it this way: I understand your question," Gibson said.
- And that's all he would say, which is part of his charm.
Players are required under the current testing system to get approval for any substance or medication before taking it. Some players say that when they are given any kind of prescription, internal alarm bells sound.
"My first call is to the union," said one National Leaguer last month. "I'm not putting anything into my body before I call the PA."
If the Players Association and MLB structured a system in which players could get medical waivers after a positive test, they would create the biggest testing loophole in professional sports. Because any millionaire with a Victor Conte and a personal physician willing to act on his behalf could justify any positive test after the fact.
This is why, under current rules, players are essentially regarded as guilty until proven innocent -- not the other way around -- after a positive test.
- 6,459
- 1,841
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2008
If we land Fielder, we are going to have a shot to contend.
- 6,459
- 1,841
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2008
If we land Fielder, we are going to have a shot to contend.
GreenNGold89
formerly bbllplaya23
- 6,551
- 2,063
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2005
2 yrs, $14 mil for Coco? We couldn't even attempt to offer a similar deal to Willingham? I don't get it.
- Status