(Teams listed in order of projected finish)
New York Yankees
Hitting: Reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez, plus Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, and a host of other sluggers will give the Yankees one of the top offenses in baseball once again, though age is a slight concern. Grade: A
Pitching: Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte should be solid, but what about the rest? Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy are 21 and 23 respectively and Mike Mussina was terrible last season. The bullpen is also questionable, outside of Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain. Grade: C+
Fantasy Sleeper: Johnny Damon - Damon had a down year in '07, but he still put up solid numbers. He'll steal 20+ bases and should score a lot of runs provided he can stay healthy.
X-Factor: Joe Girardi - While former manager Joe Torre faced his share of criticism, it's hard to argue with his overall results. Girardi has only one year of experience, but it was quite a season, as he landed 2006 NL Manager of the Year with the Florida Marlins. Now he'll be leading a veteran, high-priced Yankees team with title aspirations.
Overview: With phenomenal hitting and adequate pitching, the Yankees will overtake the Red Sox. Injuries to the Red Sox pitching staff combined with slight improvement from the Yankees' pitching should be enough to propel New York into first in the AL East. In addition, it's hard to see the Yankees struggling through April and May like they did last season, finishing May with a 22-29 record. That said, unless the bullpen is upgraded the Yankees can expect another early exit, come October.
Boston Red Sox
Hitting: Manny Ramirez is coming off his worst year since 1994, but is supposedly in great shape this spring. If he and David Ortiz stay healthy, the Red Sox can hit with anyone. If not, they'll need their pitching to step up again. Grade: B
Pitching: Curt Schilling may not pitch this year and Josh Beckett starts the season on the 15-day DL. If Beckett can make a strong return, the rotation will still be a strength. The bullpen, featuring Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, and Mike Timlin, will be among baseball's elite. Grade: A-
Fantasy Sleeper: Jacoby Ellsbury - While it's unclear how much playing time he'll get as he competes with Coco Crisp for the center field job, with his upside and base-stealing ability, it's hard to imagine he'll be on the bench for long.
X-Factor: Josh Beckett's health - If Beckett's injuries linger, this could be a down year for the Red Sox and making the playoffs would be in question, but if he comes back strong, another World Championship is not out of the question.
Overview: Last year Boston's pitching was enough to carry them through the occasional dry spells at the plate, but with Schilling out for most, if not all, of the season and Beckett's health in question, the offense will have to be much more consistent for the Red Sox to take the AL East crown for the second straight year. If the pitching stays relatively healthy and Ramirez returns to form, the Red Sox can take the division, but odds are they take a back seat to the Yankees. That said, the Red Sox are still built for October and could contend for the title through a wildcard berth.
Toronto Blue Jays
Hitting: Alex Rios is a strong candidate to go 20-20, but beyond that it's hard to find a sure thing. Vernon Wells posted a mere .706 OPS last year, Frank Thomas is 39, and Scott Rolen missed 50 games in '07. Grade: C
Pitching: Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett are among the best when healthy, and Dustin McGowan and Shawn Marcum add some depth. Jeremy Accardo was excellent as the closer last year, and he will compete with B.J. Ryan for the job once Ryan completes his rehabilitation. Grade: B
Fantasy Sleeper: Dustin McGowan - Halladay and Burnett are the bigger names, but McGowan was almost as good as Burnett last year and doesn't have his history of arm troubles.
X-Factor: Vernon Wells - If he can bounce back from a terrible 2007, he'll give the Blue Jays some much-needed power.
Overview: The Blue Jays have a good deal of talent, but a lot of things would have to go their way for them to compete in this division. If everyone can stay healthy (and with Halladay, Burnett, Rolen, and Ryan, that's asking a lot) then they can make a run at the Yankees and Red Sox, but more likely they will remain in third place for another year.
Tampa Bay Rays
Hitting: Carlos Pena shocked the baseball world last year, hitting 46 HRs (his previous career high was 27), and will be the centerpiece of the Rays offense this year. B.J. Upton is coming off a breakout season as well, and Carl Crawford is an elite base-stealer. Grade: C
Pitching: Scott Kazmir and James Shields headline Tampa's pitching staff. Kazmir will likely start the season on the DL, but he is electric when healthy, and Shields appears to be emerging as a good #2 starter. Troy Percival returns to close for the Rays, and while he is well past his prime, he should be an upgrade over Al Reyes. That said, the Rays are still lacking in depth and Kazmir's health is questionable. Grade: C-
Fantasy Sleeper: Matt Garza - He was the best player acquired in the Delmon Young trade and should easily eclipse 100 Ks in his first full season.
X-Factor: Troy Percival - If he stays healthy and returns to his 2004 form, he can stabilize the Rays bullpen.
Overview: With Kazmir, Shields, and Garza, the Rays have a solid foundation of young pitchers. Their hitters are promising too, notably Upton and Crawford. One has to wonder whether Pena can repeat last season's success, but either way it appears that the Rays are moving in the right direction. With Baltimore rebuilding as well, fourth place is a distinct possibility.
Baltimore Orioles
Hitting: Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts will be counted on to provide most of the offense, but all eyes will be on newcomer Adam Jones. Jones, acquired in the Erik Bedard trade, is only 22, but is one of the best hitting prospects in baseball. Grade: C-
Pitching: The Bedard trade leaves a gaping hole in the rotation, but the Orioles do have some talented young arms in Jeremy Guthrie and Adam Loewen. Daniel Cabrera is also worth watching, but he has yet to show any consistency in the majors. Grade: C-
Fantasy Sleeper: Jeremy Guthrie - He's no Erik Bedard, but he posted a 3.70 ERA and had an impressive K/BB ratio in his first full season.
X-Factor: Daniel Cabrera - If he can cut down on his walks, he could be a part of Baltimore's core. If not, he could be a trade bait for a team with more patience.
Overview: Baltimore was a bad team last year even with Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada, and there's no reason to believe they'll get any better without them. This is clearly a rebuilding year, but if Adam Jones begins to develop into a superstar, the Orioles will be forgiven for letting Bedard go.
New York Yankees
Hitting: Reigning MVP Alex Rodriguez, plus Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, and a host of other sluggers will give the Yankees one of the top offenses in baseball once again, though age is a slight concern. Grade: A
Pitching: Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte should be solid, but what about the rest? Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy are 21 and 23 respectively and Mike Mussina was terrible last season. The bullpen is also questionable, outside of Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain. Grade: C+
Fantasy Sleeper: Johnny Damon - Damon had a down year in '07, but he still put up solid numbers. He'll steal 20+ bases and should score a lot of runs provided he can stay healthy.
X-Factor: Joe Girardi - While former manager Joe Torre faced his share of criticism, it's hard to argue with his overall results. Girardi has only one year of experience, but it was quite a season, as he landed 2006 NL Manager of the Year with the Florida Marlins. Now he'll be leading a veteran, high-priced Yankees team with title aspirations.
Overview: With phenomenal hitting and adequate pitching, the Yankees will overtake the Red Sox. Injuries to the Red Sox pitching staff combined with slight improvement from the Yankees' pitching should be enough to propel New York into first in the AL East. In addition, it's hard to see the Yankees struggling through April and May like they did last season, finishing May with a 22-29 record. That said, unless the bullpen is upgraded the Yankees can expect another early exit, come October.
Boston Red Sox
Hitting: Manny Ramirez is coming off his worst year since 1994, but is supposedly in great shape this spring. If he and David Ortiz stay healthy, the Red Sox can hit with anyone. If not, they'll need their pitching to step up again. Grade: B
Pitching: Curt Schilling may not pitch this year and Josh Beckett starts the season on the 15-day DL. If Beckett can make a strong return, the rotation will still be a strength. The bullpen, featuring Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, and Mike Timlin, will be among baseball's elite. Grade: A-
Fantasy Sleeper: Jacoby Ellsbury - While it's unclear how much playing time he'll get as he competes with Coco Crisp for the center field job, with his upside and base-stealing ability, it's hard to imagine he'll be on the bench for long.
X-Factor: Josh Beckett's health - If Beckett's injuries linger, this could be a down year for the Red Sox and making the playoffs would be in question, but if he comes back strong, another World Championship is not out of the question.
Overview: Last year Boston's pitching was enough to carry them through the occasional dry spells at the plate, but with Schilling out for most, if not all, of the season and Beckett's health in question, the offense will have to be much more consistent for the Red Sox to take the AL East crown for the second straight year. If the pitching stays relatively healthy and Ramirez returns to form, the Red Sox can take the division, but odds are they take a back seat to the Yankees. That said, the Red Sox are still built for October and could contend for the title through a wildcard berth.
Toronto Blue Jays
Hitting: Alex Rios is a strong candidate to go 20-20, but beyond that it's hard to find a sure thing. Vernon Wells posted a mere .706 OPS last year, Frank Thomas is 39, and Scott Rolen missed 50 games in '07. Grade: C
Pitching: Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett are among the best when healthy, and Dustin McGowan and Shawn Marcum add some depth. Jeremy Accardo was excellent as the closer last year, and he will compete with B.J. Ryan for the job once Ryan completes his rehabilitation. Grade: B
Fantasy Sleeper: Dustin McGowan - Halladay and Burnett are the bigger names, but McGowan was almost as good as Burnett last year and doesn't have his history of arm troubles.
X-Factor: Vernon Wells - If he can bounce back from a terrible 2007, he'll give the Blue Jays some much-needed power.
Overview: The Blue Jays have a good deal of talent, but a lot of things would have to go their way for them to compete in this division. If everyone can stay healthy (and with Halladay, Burnett, Rolen, and Ryan, that's asking a lot) then they can make a run at the Yankees and Red Sox, but more likely they will remain in third place for another year.
Tampa Bay Rays
Hitting: Carlos Pena shocked the baseball world last year, hitting 46 HRs (his previous career high was 27), and will be the centerpiece of the Rays offense this year. B.J. Upton is coming off a breakout season as well, and Carl Crawford is an elite base-stealer. Grade: C
Pitching: Scott Kazmir and James Shields headline Tampa's pitching staff. Kazmir will likely start the season on the DL, but he is electric when healthy, and Shields appears to be emerging as a good #2 starter. Troy Percival returns to close for the Rays, and while he is well past his prime, he should be an upgrade over Al Reyes. That said, the Rays are still lacking in depth and Kazmir's health is questionable. Grade: C-
Fantasy Sleeper: Matt Garza - He was the best player acquired in the Delmon Young trade and should easily eclipse 100 Ks in his first full season.
X-Factor: Troy Percival - If he stays healthy and returns to his 2004 form, he can stabilize the Rays bullpen.
Overview: With Kazmir, Shields, and Garza, the Rays have a solid foundation of young pitchers. Their hitters are promising too, notably Upton and Crawford. One has to wonder whether Pena can repeat last season's success, but either way it appears that the Rays are moving in the right direction. With Baltimore rebuilding as well, fourth place is a distinct possibility.
Baltimore Orioles
Hitting: Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts will be counted on to provide most of the offense, but all eyes will be on newcomer Adam Jones. Jones, acquired in the Erik Bedard trade, is only 22, but is one of the best hitting prospects in baseball. Grade: C-
Pitching: The Bedard trade leaves a gaping hole in the rotation, but the Orioles do have some talented young arms in Jeremy Guthrie and Adam Loewen. Daniel Cabrera is also worth watching, but he has yet to show any consistency in the majors. Grade: C-
Fantasy Sleeper: Jeremy Guthrie - He's no Erik Bedard, but he posted a 3.70 ERA and had an impressive K/BB ratio in his first full season.
X-Factor: Daniel Cabrera - If he can cut down on his walks, he could be a part of Baltimore's core. If not, he could be a trade bait for a team with more patience.
Overview: Baltimore was a bad team last year even with Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada, and there's no reason to believe they'll get any better without them. This is clearly a rebuilding year, but if Adam Jones begins to develop into a superstar, the Orioles will be forgiven for letting Bedard go.
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